MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Philippines — Out of the 21 towns and three cities that battled for the cleanest place in the province, San Rafael received the “Pinakamalinis at Luntiang Bayan o Lungsod sa Lalawigan ng Bulacan 2011” award from Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado. Mayor Lorna Silverio received the award at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium last Thursday afternoon. As the grand winner, the town of San Rafael received a cash prize worth P100,000 and P1-million aid for infrastructure projects. Second placer, Bustos municipality, received P50,000 and P500, 000 aid while San Jose Del Monte City who won 3rd place received P30,000 cash prize and P200,000 aid, said Provincial Administrator Jim Valerio, chairman of the Bantay Kalinisan Task Force. (Freddie C. Velez)

PPP Projects Eyed in Blanga

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — After successfully opening the four-story Galeria Victoria as the city’s landmark public-private partnership (PPP) project under the Aquino administration, Mayor Joet S. Garcia is now looking forward to inviting more investors to engage in PPP projects in the city. With Robinsons Group as its biggest tenant, Garcia said there are more than 100 business establishments that have registered to put up shop inside the Galeria, a PPP project, built by the New San Jose Builders owned by Gerry Acuzar, a Balanga native. Garcia said construction of the building cost P250 million but the City of Balanga spent nothing under the PPP scheme. (Mar T. Supnad)

Red Tide

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — The Region 1’s Bureau of Fisheries and Acquatic Resources (BFAR) advised residents to avoid buying and eating shell fish gathered from the coastal waters of Wawa, Bani, Pangasinan province due to the red tide toxins. BFAR Region 1 Director Nestor D. Domenden said he issued the regional shellfish advisory on Jan. 30, 2012 after it was found that the shellfish samples taken for examination from Wawa, Bani, Pangasinan tested positive for red tide toxin. Domenden said fish, squids, shrimps and crabs harvested from the said area are safe for human consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly and their internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

182 Quezon Cops Get Promotion

CAMP NAKAR, Lucena City — A total of 182 police officers assigned in the Quezon Police Provincial Office (PPO) were promoted to the next ranks, the deputy provincial director of the PPO said Friday. Supt. Alex Orfane said the installation of their new ranks was done in a ceremony held at the Southern Luzon Command covered court, here. Supt. Allen Ray Co led the batch of promoted officers that included one police Chief Inspector, 12 Senior Inspectors, four Inspectors, eight Senior Police Officers 4, 22 SPO3s, one SPO2s, 27 SPO1s, 55 Police Officers 3, and 51 PO2s. (Danny Estacio)

Pineda OKs Cop Station Repairs

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Governor Lilia G. Pineda has approved the simultaneous repair, renovation and construction of municipal police stations and community police action centers throughout the province’s 20 towns including this city. This developed as the governor met with Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Director Edgardo Tinio and all municipal chiefs of police in the province. (Franco G. Regala)