ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal — A lass from a far-flung village in this city has brought honor for her family, village and the entire city after returning home with a gold medal which she and fellow softball players of the Philippine Team won in the recent  2012 Big League World Series held at Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. Mary Joy Floranza, a graduating student from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and a resident of Barangay Calawis, in this city personally presented the championship medal to Mayor Danilo Leyble. Floranza, is taking up a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, appealed to the government for support for her sport in which Filipinos can excel in world competitions. (Nel B. Andrade)

S.P. LOOKS INTO FAMILY SELECTION

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — A board member of the 2nd District of this province has filed a resolution to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), asking the Committee on Children, Women, Senior Citizens, Family Affairs and Social Welfare to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the alleged irregularities on the selection of the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the province of Pangasinan. The resolution was filed by Board Member Von Mark Mendoza after he received reports that some of the beneficiaries selected for the 4Ps program are not qualified. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

FREE MOVIES

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Senior citizens will soon avail themselves of free movies in this city as Mayor Barabara Ruby Talaga signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with SM Prime Holdings Inc. Talaga said that as soon as the resolution becomes a law the qualified senior citizens may access free movies as SM Cinemas in this city once every week, except during the first day of showing, holidays, weekdays and the Metro Manila Film Festival. Talaga said this is a privilege of every senior citizen registered with the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs. (Danny Estacio)

R.D.C. OKAYS NEW AURORA BRIDGE

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Regional Development Council in Central Luzon (RDC3) has approved the construction of the P798-million Umiray Bridge in the province of Aurora. The bridge construction is part of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s project for expanded agrarian reform communities (ARCs) development. Four ARCs in the provinces of Aurora and Quezon are expected to benefit from the bridge construction, the Sectoral Committee on Infrastructure Development (SCID) of the RDC3 said Friday. RDC3 said the construction cost will be financed through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and DAR’s regular budget. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

BAGUIO SUMMIT

BAGUIO CITY, Benguet — The city government through the Gender Equality and Development (GEAD) Council conducted on Thursday an Urban Poor Summit which was attended by around 89 leaders and representatives from various sectors such as drivers, market vendors, women, senior citizen, differently-able and other informal workers in the city. Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, chair of the GEAD, disclosed in an interview, that the summit was in line with Republic Act 9125 or the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act, which provides that the state should adopt an area-based sectoral and focused intervention to poverty alleviation. (PIA)