SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — The Provincial Cooperatives and Entrepreneurial Development Office (PCEDO) continues to live up to its mission of providing livelihood opportunities to the marginalized sector in Pampanga as it recently implemented innovative training strategy to enhance the knowledge and skills of small entrepreneurs in the province.

PCEDO Head Mamerto Gatus said the provincial government sponsored a one-day cooking seminar for more than 20 small entrepreneurs from different barangays of Porac, Minalin, Lubao, Magalang, Guagua, Macabebe and Apalit. (Franco G. Regala)

Summer Tourists’ Safety Top Priority

ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal — The official entry of summer 2012 in this pilgrimage capital of the country has prompted police to strengthen their anti-criminality drive as thousands are expected to frolic in upland resorts and religious sites here starting this month.

Supt. Rodino Elfa, chief of police here, said the entire police force will be on alert as street criminals and other lawless elements may take advantage of the surge in visits of local and foreign tourists. Apart from summer fun activities in resorts, the Lenten season also ushers in pilgrims to the National Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in this city. (Nel B. Andrade)

Bataan Calls For Police Recruits

CAMP CIRILO TOLENTINO, Bataan — The Bataan Police Provincial Office (PPO) is calling out for recruits. Senior Superintendent Ricardo D.C. Zapata Jr., provincial director, said those aspiring to be police officers are needed to strengthen the PPO especially with the compulsory retirement of many veteran cops.

Zapata said the recruitment season hopes to meet the ideal police to population ratio of the Bataan PPO of one policeman for every 750 residents. (Mar T. Supnad)

Batanes’ Catholics on the decline

Batanes Bishop Camilo Gregorio said the number of Catholics in his pre-lature is declining because some are migrating to cities to seek a better life. “We are (Catholics) really decreasing because of migration,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website.

“So many of them are really looking for greener pastures in other places like Metro Manila,” added Gregorio. He said maybe some are attracted to migrate in the city because of what they see on television. (Leslie Ann G. Aquino)

16 Lucky to survive mishap

BACOOR, Cavite — Sixteen people were lucky to survive an otherwise fatal accident when speeding passenger mini-bus skidded, overturned and slammed into a Tamaraw FX on the south-bound lane of Coastal Road in Barangay Wawa of this town last Friday, police reported yesterday.

The green bus (NIG 257) hit a gray FX vehicle (TSS 367) around 2 p.m., said Police Officer 2 Lyndon Mindo. The mini-bus was registered under one Jaime Aragon of Barangay Makina, Naic, Cavite, and driven by a certain Honey John Pilac Cani. Among those injured were a three-year-old boy and two septuagenarians. (Anthony Giron)