CLARK ZONE, Pampanga — A nine-member team of the presidential Consultative Commission (ConCom) admitted here the other day that it is divided on the proposed amendments to the Constitution.

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Traffic, pollution, garbage and slum dwellings are the nightmares of urban planners, but to officials of this seven-year-old city, these challenges are now being addressed to prevent them from becoming serious problems.

Director Arturo W. Alit, chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), relieved Friday Olongapo City District jail warden Chief Inspector Ramon Valientes following the escape of 12 inmates.

BOAC, Marinduque — Some 800 student journalists from public and private elementary and secondary schools in Southern Tagalog-B (also known as Mimaropa) will participate in the 2005 regional schools press conference (RSPC) which the Department of Education (DepEd) has scheduled on Dec. 12-14 at the Marinduque National High School in this capital town.

Implementing a directive of Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. to inspect all bridges, flyovers and similar infrastructure nationwide in a bid to ensure public safety in case earthquake occurs, the DPWH Region IV-A Office identified 11 national bridges on the Palico-Balayan-Batangas City Road as weak and in deteriorated condition.

NAVAL, Biliran – Despite having already energized 130 out of the 132 barangays in this province, Biliran Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BILECO) has identified 13 more sitios to be energized in the next five years.

ROXAS CITY – Senator Mar Roxas, co-chairman of the Congress Oversight Committee on e-Commerce Law, said yesterday there is an urgent need to review and amend some provisions of the telecom laws, saying these may have been rendered ineffective or obsolete by the changing business models, consumer demands and technological innovations.

CEBU CITY — Just days after a court here sentenced a former policeman for the murder of Pagadian City-based newsman, a gunman stalking a local broadcaster flubbed his first shot, struggled with the radio broadcaster, overwhelmed him, fired three more shots and escaped on board a cab early Friday morning.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) intensifies access to health services for farmers in Eastern Visayas.

ILOILO CITY, (PNA) – Six Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPO) were cited Tuesday for their contributions in upholding the population programs and the barangay development and planning activities of the province of Iloilo.

Cops double as SEAG tour escorts CEBU CITY (PNA) — About 1,500 policemen assigned to serve during the conduct of sports events for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in three cities here have been given additional functions as tour escorts to keep the games in Cebu trouble-free. Cebu City is hosting dance sports, sepak takraw and pencak silat while Mandaue City is hosting judo and karatedo. Danao City, on the other hand, hosts the mountain bike competitions. More than 600 athletes are in Cebu for the games and police are busy keeping an eye on sports venues and hotels where athletes and their companions are billeted. In a memorandum sent to the police directors of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Cebu province, Police Regional Operations and Plans Division chief Carmelo Valmoria ordered increased police visibility in tourist spots that include restaurants, malls and night spots where athletes and their groups are expected to unwind after each day’s competitions. Earlier, officials here warned against the proliferation of fake dollar bills and have asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to go after illegal money changers who may take advantage of tourists and visitors.

BUTUAN CITY — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is seeking R6 billion from Japan for the government’s renewed efforts to rehabilitate the country’s denuded forests.

TACLOBAN CITY — Leyte Vice Gov. Ma. Mimietta S. Bagula was seriously injured and was taken in critical condition to a private hospital here after the service vehicle she was riding in was rammed Thursday night by a truck on the national highway in Barangay Daraupay, Capoocan, Leyte.

KALIBU, Aklan — Aklan, the home of many of the country’s leading community journalists, will play host to this school year’s National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) which the Department of Education (DepEd) has scheduled on Feb. 20-24, 2006, in this capital town, popularly known as the origin of the colorful Ati-atihan festival.