ANGONO, Rizal – A giant image of St. Pedro Calungsod was unveiled at the St. Clement Church compound in this town. Angono Mayor Gerardo ‘Gerry’ Calderon said the creation of the ‘Higanteng San Pedro’ is a way of giving thanks and honor to the Visayan saint who, according to Clarke Nebrao of the office of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), had nurtured his artistic talent in painting during his stay in this town as a catechist in 1666 to 1668. ‘Higantes’ are paraded in this town during every festival as a way of showcasing the artistic talents of the people. (Nel Andrade)

BATANES QUAKE

SINAIT, Ilocos Sur – A mild quake with 3.6 magnitude rocked Batanes Island in Northern Luzon early Monday but no damage to property was reported, according to the report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) here. Local Phivolcs Researcher Porferio De Peralta said the 3.6 magnitude quake occurred at 12:19 a.m. Monday with epicenter located at 26 kilometers southwest of Itbayat, Batanes Island province, at a depth of 58 kilometers. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

TILAPIA FINGERLINGS

LINGAYEN,Pangasinan – The provincial government is boosting the province’s fishing industry by promoting tilapia as a famous local product to enhance the livelihood opportunities for the fisherfolk in municipalities and cities of Pangasinan. The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) dispersed another batch of 50,000 tilapia fingerlings on the communal bodies of water in San Carlos City and Basista. Since 2007, the OPAG has dispersed 3.987 million tilapia fingerlings on the communal rivers and private fishponds in the province. (Liezle Iñigo)

MARKET DEADLINE

ANTIPOLO CITY – The city government is calling on residents who would like to rent a space at the new public market here that they only have until October 31 to file their application. The City Economic Enterprise Office (CEEO) said the office will only be accepting applications until tomorrow, Wednesday, as the new public market, located on Sumulong Highway in Barangay Dela Paz will soon be operational. Some 2,000 stalls for wet and drug goods will be raffled off to applicants.  Stall owners in the old public market will be given priority in the new public market. The city government said the new market will have parking lots for private vehicles and terminals for public transportation like FX, jeepney and tricycle. It also has a sewerage treatment facility. (Nel B. Andrade)

ROAD OPEN

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) confirmed yesterday that the Batangas-Lobo-Malabrigo national highway is now open. It was rendered closed and impassable a day after Typhoon Ofel clogged it by landslides, the spillways and other parts of the highways deposited of mud and silts. Lobo Mayor Efren Diona and the municipal council passed a resolution extending their gratitude to DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson DPWH 4-A for the swift response so that the highway was opened at the soonest time possible.