SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga, Philippines — Two Central Luzon employees received recently the prestigious 2011 Outstanding Public Officials and Employees awards at Malacañang Palace as highlight of the 111th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary.

Jesus Fabian, Explosive Disposal Technician of the Philippine Air Force in Clark Air Base, Pampanga, and Joey Fernandez, an Administrative Assistant III of the San Jose del Monte City government in Bulacan received the Presidential Lingkod Bayan and Dangal ng Bayan Awards, respectively.

Fabian is an education supervisor of the Research and Development, Training, Flight, and Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit in Clark, Pampanga, while Fernandez showed courage during a holdup of the City Treasurer’s Office staff. (Franco G. Regala)

Gov. Espino seeks schools' support

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. has been doing campus tours to promote the “I love Pangasinan” campaign. In his visit to Umingan National High School, Espino introduced “Luyag Ko Tan Yaman” as the provincial hymn as part of efforts to reconstruct what has been a fragmented province in recent years.

The “I love Pangasinan” is a campaign to inculcate love for the province in order to speed up development with public support for government programs and tourism thrusts. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

‘Lingkod Bayan’ award for Mayor

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna — Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas of this city received a “Presidential Lingkod Bayan” award as one of the outstanding public servants in the country.

Arcillas is now included in the list of public servants who are “models of honor, excellence and integrity in public service” and was awarded last Wednesday at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace.

The said award is the highest honor given to government officials and employees by the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the President. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

‘Binulu’ cooking contest in Porac

PORAC, Pampanga — The local tradition of “Maglutung Nasi king Bulu,” meaning to cook rice in bamboo will be the highlight in the “Binulu Cooking” contest in this town this month.

The story goes that Aetas living on Mount Pinatubo used bamboo stalks, locally known as “bulu,” to cook rice.

This method survived the ages that Porac Mayor Condralito dela Cruz supports this cooking tradition by making it a part of the annual town festival through the Binulu Cooking Contest. (Franco G. Regala)

Rizal sets crime probe training

TAYTAY, Rizal — The Rizal Police Provincial Office (PPO) based in this town has opened its doors for policemen and military personnel who would want to learn all the aspects of criminal investigation.

This came as PPO director, Senior Supt. Manuel Cesar Prieto initiated the start of the off-campus 45-day training on criminal investigation for class 2011-2012.

Enrollees include police personnel assigned at the investigation section of the police stations who have no formal training in investigation.

Supt. Rommel Estolano, PPO spokesman said the training aims to formally educate and equip the police investigators in the proper conduct and handling of criminal cases. (Nel B. Andrade)