MANILA, Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA) has rescued the people of Batanes from hunger after it shipped 2,000 bags of rice to the isolated island, which is actually nearer to Taiwan than Cagayan. NFA, which has been threatened with abolition by Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad, finally proved its value as the supplier of last resort by bringing in precious rice on December 30. Abad comes from Batanes, which relies on commercial rice traders for supply, and rough seas make it regularly hard for traders to ship in the grain. NFA said the emergency rice shipment was necessary since vessels plying the Cagayan-Batanes route had to stop sailing due to huge waves in Balintang Channel. (Marvyn N. Benaning)

Farm implements for San Juan

SAN JUAN, Abra (PIA) — The annual town fiesta celebration of this municipality was made even more meaningful with the distribution of farm tools and implements to the farmers recently. The Department of Agriculture – Cordillera Administrative Region Field Unit (DA-CARFU) provided two units of hand tractors and two units of drum seeders for palay crop cultivation. San Juan Mayor Bautista also gave one unit of hand tractor, one water pump, and five units of sprayers. Governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin, through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist also provided five rolls of water hose.

Priority bill

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — President Benigno S. Aquino III was called on to certify as a priority measure an Anti-Enforced Disappearance Bill in Congress by a militant group that staged a rally here Monday. Lorena Santos, deputy secretary general of “Desaparecidos”, said her group wanted retired Army Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan and others believed involved in the kidnapping and disappearance of two student-activists in 2006 brought to justice. Santos said the bill, if passed, will mete out stiffer penalties to officers involved in political kidnappings and persecution. (Freddie C. Velez)

Elfa cites cops for discipline

ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal — The city’s police officers were commended Monday for following orders against using their firearms in participating in the New Year revelry. Supt. Rodino Elfa, chief of police, congratulated the entire police force of the city for practicing discipline by not indiscriminately firing their guns as they welcomed the New Year here. Elfa, in his flag raising message to the men and women under his command, said there has been no report of victims of indiscriminate firing in the raucus celebrations for the entry of 2012. (Nel B. Andrade)

Limay gets 1st DILG award

LIMAY, Bataan — For the first time, this industrial town won the Seal of Good Housekeeping award for being an outstanding local government unit in terms of transparency and good governance. Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse M. Robredo congratulated neophyte Mayor Ver Roque for bagging the national award, given to local government units (LGUs) with outstanding performance in terms of good governance in house-keeping, transparency and high level of competence in leadership. It is recognition for an LGU’s performance measuring up to President Aquino’s reform agenda that primarily tasked to address poverty, economic development, among others. (Mar T. Supnad)