SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Members of the Bangladesh Local Government Engineering Department attended yesterday the lecture on Maintenance and Management System on Rural Infrastructure at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 1 here. DPWH Assistant Regional Director Melvin B. Navarro expressed enthusiasm as he discussed the country’s mandate on infrastructure with the foreign visitors. Ten Bangladeshi engineers are in the country as part of the International Study Visit on Maintenance and Management Systems for Rural Infrastructure. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

BLOOD DONORS

MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan — Aiming to return the favor to voluntary blood donors and partners, the Provincial Government of Bulacan (PGB) recognized them yesterday at the Awarding Ceremony of Blood Galloners and Blood Partners at The Pavilion, Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in this city. Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado, a blood donor himself and a recipient of his first National Sandugo Award as Outstanding Local Government Executive this year, and Senator Loren Legarda graced the event to thank and praise all the selfless people who offered their blood for free to save the lives of those in need. (Freddie C. Velez)

MS. EARTH BETS VISIT TANAY

TANAY, Rizal — School children from two public elementary schools here welcomed some of the candidates of the Miss Earth 2012 with programs and cheers as the environment ambassadresses visited their schools in this town the other day. Children of the Ilaya Elementary School (IES) in Barangay Tandang Kutyo and Patricio Jarin Elementary School in San Isidro, in this municipality gave the Miss Earth 2012 beauties a warm Rizaleno welcome Monday morning. Children from the IES’s Special Education program were given the chance to interact with the candidates during the school tour of the eco-beauties, said Mayor Rafael Tanjuatco. (Nel B. Andrade)

NO TAXES

CAMP TOLENTINO, Bataan — A Philippine army general has urged candidates in the upcoming polls not to entertain demands for so-called “revolutionary taxes” from groups claiming to be communist rebels in Central Luzon. Brigadier General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Commanding General of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, said these demands are a thing of the past, particularly in Region 3. “These people, whoever they say they are, are mere extortionists. My advice is for local candidates not to pay such revolutionary taxes and report these individuals to us,” Catapang said. For his part, Senior Superintendent Ricardo Zapata, Bataan Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, vowed to have his men monitor any form of political harassment and arrest those behind it. (Mar T. Supnad)

L.P. SUBSTITUTION

TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite — Another Liberal Party (LP) candidate has withdrawn from the race for board member (BM) in this province, it was learned yesterday. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that Mikelle Aldren Euste Felix withdrew his candidacy bid and was replaced by Gertrudes Ocampo last November 5 as LP aspirant for a BM seat in Second District (Bacoor City). Earlier, LP candidate for BM in the 5th District, lawyer Irineo A. Anarna, withdrew from the race and gave his spot to cooperative specialist, Alberto G. Alvarez. (Anthony Giron)