CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Officials of the 5th World Social Forum on Migration (WSFR) praised the other day the provincial government for its efficient and advanced dealing with the affairs and necessary needs of the Kapampangan working abroad. Sudhagaran Stanley, a Malaysian and officer of Penang Office for Human Development Diocesan Migrant Ministry, said it was only the Philippines and Pampanga in particular which already established a system of welfare assistance to Filipinos in his country. The Migrant Workers in Diocese of Yokohama wants to collaborate with the Pampanga Action Center for OFW Concerns (Pacoc) and the Pampanga Inter-Agency Council for Migrants Concern (Piamco) for the benefit of Filipinos in Japan. (Franco G. Regala)

TURKEY, BATAAN TRADERS SET LINK

BATAAN FREEPORT — A top official of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce (Bataan chapter) revealed yesterday that they were invited to visit Turkey by the group of Turkish traders led by Irfan Karabulut, president of the Turkish Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. Engr. Vic Quezon said that Karabulut and his group offered them to visit their country and that he said, the Turkeys will shoulder their accommodation in Turkey. After a recent visit, Turkish businessmen were impressed by the facilities and tax holidays offered to investors in the Freeport Area of Bataan. (Mar T. Supnad)

POWER OUTAGE

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur — An eight-hour brownout in Ilocos Norte scheduled for Nov. 27, 2012 was reset by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for Dec. 1, 2012. NGCP North Luzon Public Affairs Officer Lilibeth Gaydowen told Thursday that the 8-hour brownout will affect the 16 towns and one city in Ilocos Norte to include Vintar, Sarrat, Piddig, Solsona, Dingras, Banna, Nueva Era, Marcos, Carasi, Bacarra, Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpod, Adams, Dumalneg and parts of Laoag City. “The power interruption on Saturday in Ilocos Norte will start at 7 a.m. and last until 3 p.m.,” she said. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

PANGASINAN: A SECURE POLL SITE

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — The League of Municipal Mayors in Pangasinan intend to pass a resolution to delete the province of Pangasinan in the list of 15 provinces considered as areas of concern in the coming midterm election. Dasol Mayor Noel Nacar, president of the mayors’ league, said his group intends to pass a resolution requesting the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to remove Pangasinan from the list of 15 provinces considered as poll hotspots. The move was made after a consultation last Wednesday with Governor Amado Espino Jr., mayors and chiefs of police of Pangasinan. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

250 HOMELESS

BACOOR, Cavite — Two fires, which struck crowded areas of this city in a span of 12 hours last Wednesday, have rendered more than 250 families homeless, police said yesterday. Police and fire officers said that the first fire happened on Topas Street in Barangay Zapote II where more or less 30 houses were gutted down in the nearly two-hour fire that started at 11:30 a.m. More than 50 families lost their homes after the fire. The second fire, which occurred 7:45 p.m., razed some 80 houses on Pogi Street in Barangay Niog I. No casualties were reported by 110 houses made of light materials reduced to ashes. (Anthony Giron)