PALAY TARGET

SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA6) — The National Food Authority (NFA) in Antique province surpassed its palay procurement target last 2012 by about 106 percent with a total of 185,643 bags purchased as against 175,000 bags annual target. This is also 85 percent higher than the 2011 figures. The palay procured were from individual farmers palay-producing municipalities in the province and from active farmers’ organizations comprising the irrigators’ associations (IAs), agrarian reform communities (ARCs), and other cooperatives and 3,462 individual farmer membership. NFA Information Officer designate Elizabeth Salazar said the accomplishment was realized through the team effort of NFA employees and active participation of other line agencies in Antique directly dealing with farmers such as the Department of Agriculture (DA), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar (PIA)—The Department of Health-Samar is warning the public against Chikungunya virus infection. Chikungunya fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes (Aedes Aegypti). On average, symptoms appear three to seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. The virus causes high fever and severe joint pains as well as headache, muscle pain and rashes. The warning was issued in Samar province after 28 cases of fever with rashes and joint pains from Brgy. Guintarcan were reported by the Municipal Health Officer of Rural Health Unit (RHU) Villareal, Samar in December last year. Ten cases or 36% were confirmed to have Chikungunya infection through IgM ELISA testing by the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM). No death was reported, however.

POLICEMEN PROMOTED

ONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar (PIA) — By Special Orders (SOs) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office - 8, Palo, Leyte, 38 policemen assigned at the PNP here were promoted to the next rank. The SOs took effect last December 21, 2012. In a ceremony last Jan. 22, the newly promoted policemen took their oath before PNP Provincial Director Brigido Unay who said their new ranks mean additional tasks, and nobody should be sitting on their laurels, especially in these times, when the organization is faced with several challenges.

VAULT PROPOSAL

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. — Bacolod City councilor Bobby Rojas has requested the allocation of a portion of the Handumanan cemetery here where a septic vault may be constructed for the use of infectious waste from the Bacolod City Health Office which performs numerous laboratory examinations generating hazardous wastes and the Lying-In and Birthing Home Center as required under City Ordinance 570, Series of 2011, or the Bacolod Hazardous and Toxic Waste Treatment and Disposal Code. (Edith B. Colmo)

ROW VIOLATORS

SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) — The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said recently Right-of-Way (ROW) problems are affecting its field operations. NGCP spokesperson Atty. Cynthia P. Alabanza said such violations hamper the maintenance of NGCP’s transmission facilities. Common ROW violations are trees planting a within ROW corridor, grass fires around facilities, squatting and putting up of structures under transmission lines and kite flying.