TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite – The provincial government of Cavite will be observing the Rabies Awareness Month in March, with a call on residents to have their animals, particularly dogs, registered and vaccinated. Authorities said that Cavite has the highest animal bite rate in Region 4-A or the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon area. Rabies is a disease that is usually transmitted to a human from the bite of an infected animal such as a dog, cat, rabbit, mouse, bat, rodent, or other wild creatures. It can be fatal or can cause serious illness to one, particularly the nervous system, if afflicted by the disease. (Anthony Giron)

BICOL OFFICER

Police intelligence operatives arrested on Tuesday a ranking officer of the communist rebels operating in Bicol region in a follow-up operation inside a subdivision in Sta. Rosa City in Laguna. The arrest of Tedoro Espedido, secretary of the Komiteng Probinsya of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya 79 based in Bicol, came a day after his comrade Ramon Ariente was collared in Batangas. Ariente is reportedly the current political officer of the Front Committee 71 and Executive Committee member of the Camarines Norte Provincial Party Committee, and is carrying a P2.3 million reward. (Aaron Recuenco)

DEV’T PARTNER

The city government of Valenzuela recently paid tribute to the city’s top taxpayers, citing their significant role in the progress and development of the city, as well as in creating more jobs, businesses, and other opportunities. The SM Valenzuela landed first in the list of top 10 taxpayers for 2012. For sixth year in a row, SM Valenzuela had consistently been the top taxpayer for medium enterprise and top job provider. Through its taxes, SM Valenzuela was able to contribute in various notable infrastructure projects and generate jobs for the locals, making SM as the foremost economic contributor in the city. (Freddie Velez)

SMOKE-FREE DRIVE

BALANGA CITY – This city is now targeting to win the prestigious Red Orchid Award for three consecutive years to become, once it wins, a “Hall of Famer” awardee. The Red Orchid Award is the highest award being granted by the Department of Health (DOH) in its anti-smoking campaign in the country. The DOH will validate all entries nationwide this March in preparation for the “Hall of Fame” award come June, this year, it was learned. As this developed, the DOH in Region 3 cited the successful anti-smoking campaign launched by this city led by Mayor Joet S. Garcia, and it wanted to become a paradigm among all local government units in Central Luzon. (Mar Supnad)

REGION-3 LISTING

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The official final list of voters and candidates for the May 2013 elections in Central Luzon will be released to the public on February 28, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here said Wednesday. The poll body said the voters’ list will also include the clustered precincts of voters. There will be 7,905 clustered precincts in 2,822 voting centers for its 14 cities and 116 towns in the region. Comelec Regional Director Rafael Olaño said that Central Luzon voters can check their designated polling places in their respective local Comelec offices. (Mark Anthony Manuel)