MOBILE LICENSING

BAYAWAN CITY, Negros Oriental — To bring its services closer to clients, the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s Livestock and Poultry Sector in Region 7 recently conducted mobile licensing services for some 60 handlers and transport carriers in the livestock and poultry trade in the province. Such services were held in the Livestock Oksyon Markets Malatapay, Zamboanguita, Hagtu, Mabinay, Dauis, Nabilog, Tayasan, Solongon, and La Libertad towns and this city. The mobile licensing scheme is done with DA sending field personnel to areas where prospective clients are likely  to converge. DA Administrative Order No. 08 mandates that handlers and carriers of livestock and poultry products and by-products must register and secure a license to operate their business legally. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

'PABLO' AID

 ILOILO CITY, Iloilo — Iloilo province has pledged a P2-million aid to two provincial governments in Mindanao hit badly by typhoon Pablo. Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental will get P1 million each and the funds will be transferred to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) for distribution to those places. The provincial aid will be facilitated by PNRC-Iloilo Administrator Gilbert Valderrama. The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 6 also said other local government units (LGUs) in Western Visayas have also pledged aid.  San Jose, Antique will send food while the Bacolod City government will give financial aid. The LGU of San Jose in Antique province will be sending food while LGU of Bacolod City in Negros Occidental will give financial aid. OCD-6 is closely coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-6) for transport of food donations to the typhoon victims. (Tara Yap)

LEYTE APPREHENSION

TACLOBAN, Leyte — A pusher allegedly a member of Leyte's so-called Jason drug group was nabbed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives in a buy-bust operation last December 10, 2012. Suspect, Rodolfo Pregoner, alias Rudy is a 53-year-old watch-listed drug personality and resident of Poblacion del Sur, Villaba, Leyte. Said drug group is allegedly involved in pushing methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu here. Pregoner was arrested by PDEA Regional Office 8 (PDEA RO 8) elements under Director Gil Pabilona and Villaba Provincial Police as he was about to sell plastic sachets of shabu to a PDEA agent disguised as a buyer in Poblacion del Sur.

B.F.A.R.-7 HELP

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Central Visayas fishermen whose houses were damaged by Typhoon Pablo will be extended assistance by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 7. BFAR 7 Regional Director Andres Bojos said the agency will provide housing materials like marine plywood to fishermen in the region whose homes were typhoon-ravaged. Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces, along with southern Cebu were under signal number three while the rest of the region were under signal number two.

MORE VOTERS

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA6) — Aklan province has 328,642 voters for the May, 2013 midterm elections, records of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office here show. This period’s number of registered voters is nine percent higher than the May, 2010 figure, which was 12,602. Based on current number of voters here, capital town Kalibo has the highest number of registered voters with 46,515, followed by Malay, with 27,201; Ibajay, 26,803, Banga, 24,706, and New Washington, 24,615.