IMUS, Cavite — This capital town will hold its referendum tomorrow (June 30) with local officials optimictic that their area would be the sixth city of Cavite province. Between 20 and 25 percent or more than 30,000 out of the total 151,720 registered voting population are expected to cast their ballots during the plebiscite day, some officials said. Raymond Arguelles, General Services Office chief, even forecasted between 36,000 and 38,000 would vote, based on his own survey. The ballot casting is from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, in 453 clustered precincts of 36 voting centers that were put up the town's 97 barangays. (Anthony Giron)

TREE-PLANTING

BINANGONAN, Rizal — Village officials joined the police in the greening program inside a subdivision here the other day. Armed with plows and rakes, barangay officials assisted the policemen and women of the Binangonan Police Station in planting 200 fruit bearing trees inside the Green Ridge Subdivision here. Barangay Chairman Oscarlito Cequena of Bilibiran said the joint tree planting program of the residents and the police will continue as other subdivision and villages are willing to adopt the greening program which is in support to the tree planting project of the Philippine National Police and the national government. (Nel B. Andrade)

D.T.I.: BEWARE OF ‘TEXTED’ PRIZES

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) warned the other day against receiving text messages claiming huge cash prizes as more scammers using mobile phone communication are being reported to its offices. “If you did not join any raffle or promo, then, do not believe. The consumers must be vigilant,” DTI-Bataan Director Yay Lasam said before the Kapihan sa DTI-Bataan at Crown Royale Hotel, here. Recently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that the scam has likewise targeted beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. (Mar T. Supnad)

ST. PETER PAGODA INAUGURATED TODAY

APALIT, Pampanga — The local government here has inaugurated a new pagoda named after Saint Peter, which can accommodate 200 persons during fluvial parades in time for the celebration of the feast of “Apung Iru” (Saint Peter) today. “This pagoda is assembled for “Apung Iru” to be used for the fluvial festival that the town is known for,” Mayor Oscar Tetangco Jr. said. In his welcome remarks, Felix Tienzo, chairman of the Fiesta Committee, has expressed gratitude in behalf of the Town Fiesta Committee 2012 and the locals here for the generosity and support. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

HOUSING PROGRAM

STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna — After 10 years of living in an informal settlement, Gervacia Pastolero, 59, is now building herself a permanent home at the Toyota-City of Santa Rosa-GK Village in Barangay Pulong Santa Cruz, here. Pastolero is the president of the Bagong Silang Relocation 4 community association which benefited from the housing project, a public-private partnership program between Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), the city government, and the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation. Other families included in the housing project came from Purok 1 and Purok 5, also in Barangay Pulong Santa Cruz. (Ferdinand F. Castro)