CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar (PIA) — For the third time, Samar State University (SSU) in Catbalogan City got a perfect score, that is, a 100 percent passing rate in the Nursing Board Exam held December, 2012. SSU executive assistant Redentor Palencia said there were 26 takers and all members of the SSU Nursing 2012 batch passed the exams. This is the seventh batch of graduate nurses from this premiere university in Samar province. SSU has recorded a 100 percent passing rate in 2008, 2011, and 2012 when three males and 22 females took the test in December.

CAMP SEIZED

LOPE DE VEGA, Northern Samar — A Communist rebel’s camp was seized by government security forces in Brgy. Luisita, Victoria, Northern Samar, yesterday, the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion (20th IB) commanding officer, Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir told media. He said the abandoned camp, which can accommodate some 15 rebels, was seized by troops under the 20IB Charlie Company led by ILT. Florencio Tayo.  Vestuir said it was abandoned by the rebels to avoid an encounter with the 20th IB troops. (Restituto A. Cayubit)

COUNCILORS CONVENTION

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar — The Philippine Councilors League (PCL) will fete and recognize all outgoing city and municipal councilors, including “graduating” councilors Rodolfo Caharop and Bonifacio Badillo, during the PCL national convention in Davao City February 5-7. Caharop, who said he helped passed legislative measures aimed at helping his constituents and Borongan City’s development, said the PCL will be giving recognition awards and a watch to the outgoing councilors. (Nestor L. Abrematea)

PRELATE’S PRAYERS 

CEBU CITY, Cebu — Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma is urging prayers for Governor Gwendolyn Garcia who has been suspended for six months by the Office of the President for grave abuse of authority, allegedly because of her usurpation of Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez (now deceased)’s powers. She is also charged by the Ombudsman for grave misconduct in allowing provincial government funds to be used to buy the 24.9-hectare Balili property in Naga, Cebu, which is 20 percent under water. Palma was among those who visited Garcia while she was holed out in her office at the provincial capitol, defying the Office of the President’s suspension order served her last December, 2012. Garcia left her office end January and has since been padlocked out of the Capitol. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

PAGCOR ASSISTANCE

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PIA6) — The Philippine Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has recently turned over a two-storey, 10-classroom school building at the Handumanan Elementary School in Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City, worth P12.847 million to the Department of Education recently, as part of its Matuwid Na Daan Sa Silid Aralan (Straight and Narrow Path Classroom) project. Department of Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro was on hand during the ceremonial turn-over of the school building, along with PAGCOR director Jose Tanjuatco, and Bacolod City and barangay officials at turnover rites attended by Bacolod City and barangay officials. Said project is part of Bayanihang Pampaaralan through Pagcor sealed through a Pagcor-DOE Memorandum of Agreement signed June 30, 2011.