CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development 3 (CHD 3) targets a further improvement of its service to the people of Central Luzon to gain an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification next year. “Each CHD was given a time frame of 18 months to be ISO certified. But we, in the CHD 3, are targeting to get the certification in just seven months,” Regional Director Leonita Gorgolon stated. Taking part on the journey for ISO certification, CHD 3 conducted series of orientations and trainings for all its employees. These activities aim to make sure that all employees understand well why the entire DOH needs to institutionalize a Quality Management System (QMS) certifiable to ISO 9001:2008. (PIA)

MINING BOARD OF QUEZON CITED

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — The Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB)-Quezon, headed by Governor David C. Suarez, has been cited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for its efficient implementation of Republic Act No. 7942, or known as Philippine Mining Act of 1995. The recognition was given by DENR-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director Samuel Paragas to Webster Letargo during the seminar-workshop of newly-designated Deputy Environment and Natural Resources Officer (DENRO) at Audio Visual Room, Quezon Convention Center, here, over the weekend. (Danny Estacio)

MILD QUAKE

SINAIT, Ilocos Sur — An earthquake measuring magnitude 3.4 rocked some areas in Northern Luzon last Sunday afternoon, causing no casualties nor damage to property, officials said. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) local researcher, Porferio de Peralta, said the tremor occurred at 2:32 p.m. Sunday with its epicenter at 3 kilometers southeast of Agoo, La Union and with a depth of 22 km. It was felt strongest in Baguio City at Intensity 2. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

CAVITE P.P.O. BATS FOR PEACE

IMUS, Cavite — The Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) has intensified its anti-criminality drive following the series of shooting incidents and robberies in the province. Holdups and shooting incidents occurred everyday in the province’s lowland and upland districts, police records showed. The latest robbery incident happened at a money transmittal branch office on Governor’s Drive in Barangay Bulihan, Silang town. Two armed men broke into the office, held its personnel and a customer and made off with over P100,000 cash and valuables. The robbers struck at 2 p.m. last Thursday. (Anthony Giron)

SMOKED PLANTS

CAMP BADO DANGWA, Benguet — Joint operatives from different police units in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) uprooted around 1,000 fully-grown marijuana plants in operations conducted in the mountainous area of Sitio Wa-in, Barangay Bugnay, Tinglayan, Kalinga, last week. Chief Superintendent Benjamin Magalong, Cordillera police director, said the destruction of the marijuana plants at the 2,500 square-meter farm was done in compliance to the regulations set by the Dangerous Drugs Board. It was followed by a community meeting led by Senior Inspector Larry N. Pinkihan to dissuade residents from growing marijuana. (Freddie G. Lazaro)