SCHOOL CHAIRS

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — There will be more chairs and tables for public schools in Quezon as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) decided to use confiscated logs to address the shortage in school equipment. DENR-Regional Technical Director (RTD)-for Forestry in Region 4A Fred Ocampo assured the Department of Education (DepEd) office in this province that logs, including fitches and round logs, confiscated from illegal loggers in the towns of Real and Pagbilao, this province, will serve the purpose of education by turning them into school chairs and tables. (Danny Estacio)

2,000 TREES

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — It may be Christmastime but police here have not ceased from working in open fields to plant 2,000 mango seedlings in order to fulfill the Philippine National Police (PNP) program to plant 10 million trees. Chief Supt. Edgardo T. Ladao, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director, said the latest area visited by the “Pulis Makakalikasan: 10 Milyong Puno Pamana sa Kalikasan” team was Barangay San Miguel, San Simon, this province. “Hundreds of our men and women planted the mango seedlings in three planting areas last Wednesday. We are on track to meeting the 10 million trees target which is the PNP’s way of helping the country mitigate the effects of climate change,” Ladao said. (Franco G. Regala)

SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE 

IMUS CITY, Cavite — A priest at the Our Lady of Pillar Parish (Imus Cathedral) said yesterday that he sees a need for spiritual guidance and reinforcement of the family support system in easing the burden of troubled individuals. Rev. Father Allan C. Valerio called on families in this heavily populated province to resolve family issues this Christmas season, increase faith, spread love and give attention to household members who may be suffering from depression. His appeal comes as Senior Supt. Alexander D. G. Rafael, officer-in-charge of the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO), reported an increase in the number of suicides in this province. (Anthony Giron)

O.F.W. TREATS

ROSALES, Pangasinan — Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), considered the country’s modern heroes, will be honored here today at SM Rosales mall. The event dubbed “Pamaskong Handog ng SM sa OFWs” is being organized through Global PinoyCenter and BDO AsensoKabayan, said SM Rosales Public Relations Officer Roselle Gale. She said Global Pinoy Center under SM CARES, the corporate social responsibility program of SM Supermalls, will offer treats, food and prizes to at least 150 OFWs. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

GIFT-GIVING

CAVINTI, Laguna — The 202nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Philippine Army(PA) together with ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. Sagip Kapamilya conducted a gift giving in two  cities and 14 municipalities of the province. The Gift Giving was realized through the noble effort of ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. spearheaded by Ms. Tina Monzon-Palma,project director, Sagip Kapamilya in coordination with the 202nd Infantry Brigade headed by Col. Ivan Samarita and other stakeholders.  The recipients of the Gift-Giving were the schools in cities of Cabuyao and Calamba; and municipalities of San Pedro, Biñan, Sta. Rosa, Bay, Victoria, Pila, Sta Cruz,Majayjay, Lumban, Paete, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, and Siniloan. (Ferdinand F. Castro)