OLONGAPO CITY, Philippines – More than 3,000 teachers, superintendents and delegates gathered here as the city kicks off this year’s Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) at the Olongapo City Convention Center.

“We are expecting more than 3,000 elementary and high school students, teachers and superintendents to arrive from 18 participating divisions in Region III,” said Bernadette Tamayo, DepEd OIC Assistant Schools Division Superintendent.

RSPC participants will be competing in various journalism areas as the top three winners in their respective fields will represent Central Luzon at the National Schools Press Conference that will be held in Palawan on April 11-15,2012. (Jonas Reyes)

Surgical mission

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — The provincial government will conduct on Thursday a three-day surgical, medical and dental mission of the indigent patients in the towns of Real, Infanta and General Nakar (REINA), coinciding with the birthday of Governor David C. Suarez.

Allen Grinnel, a staff member of the governor’s office, said the major surgical operations are for patients suffering from hernia, goiter, myoma, cyst who underwent medical examination and screening procedure before the operation scheduled on January 26-28 as a birthday gift of Suarez to his constituents in the towns and nearby villages of Polillo island. (Danny Estacio)

Plants razed

LA TRINIDAD,Benguet — Operatives of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency swooped down marijuana plantation in a four-day operation at Barangay Kayapa, Bakun, Benguet. PDEA Acting Regional Director Gil Castro said a total of 64,200 fully grown marijuana plants in a seven cultivation sites were eradicated and burned, after an information received from a concerned citizens.

Consultations and dialogues were undertaken, and information on ill effects of marijuana use, legal implications of marijuana production and trading, participation of the community in the enforcement of the drug law and other related issues were disseminated by the anti-narcotic units to the barangay residents, Castro said. (Rizaldy Comanda)

NBI satellite

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — City Mayor Joaquin Chipeco and Representative Justin Chepico led the inauguration and ribbon-cutting of the new satellite office of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Laguna.

The Chipecos, along with NBI deputy director for technical service Reynaldo Esmeralda, NBI regional director Rustico Vigilia and Laguna NBI district director Moises Tamayo led the inauguration rites.

The new two-storey NBI satellite office is located near the City Hall. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

Sister cities

ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — The cities of Valenzuela and Angeles have formally forged their sisterhood relationship in ceremonies held Wednesday at the city council’s session hall here.

City Mayors Sherwin Gatchalian of Valenzuela and Edgardo Pamintuan said the cities of Valenzuela and Angeles signed an agreement to share a common desire to promote and foster strong specialties, mutual understanding, friendship and good will through exchanges in science and technology, culture and arts, tourism, planning and urban development, commerce/trade and industry, youth development, education and sports, environmental protection, agriculture, public health and social services, among others of basic necessary needs of the people. (Franco G. Regala)