BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — The city government of Butuan will be hosting a three-day “2011 National Moral Recovery Congress” on Nov. 9 to 11. The event will be participated by governors, mayors, legislators and officials from all line agencies of the government from all corners of Mindanao.

Cabinet members from the Aquino administration led by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Education Secretary Armin Luistro, are among the top speakers in the event. Some of the topics to be discussed by the different speakers during the three-day confab are the Seal of Good Housekeeping, Education Values, Blueprint for Change, and Moral Spiritual Upliftment. (Mike U. Crismundo)

Clean ground

BUTUAN CITY — The close to half a million inhabitants in this region’s frontier and capital city of Butuan in Northern Mindanao are joining with the officials in the full implementation of the city’s “Clean Ground, Zero Waste” next week.

The “Clean Ground, Zero Waste” program of the city government will be fully implemented through the ‘No Segregation, No Collection’ policy in all the 27 urban and 50 rural barangays. Simultaneously, all line agencies of the government and non-government organizations, public and private schools, police and military, religious groups and all sectors of the society are joining in this activity. (Mike U. Crismundo)

Police trainees

DAVAO CITY (PNA) — A total of 304 police trainees formally took their oath of office in simple rites at the parade grounds of the Police Regional Office (PRO 11) in Camp Catitipan here on Friday.

Supt. Jose Carumba, PRO 11 spokesperson, said the trainees belong to the group of applicants who responded to the nationwide recruitment call of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He said the region has an allotment of 407 recruits for 2011, but the tight screening particularly on the agility test only yielded 304 candidates.

Cash aid

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) — The city government of Zamboanga is set to distribute cash assistance to the families of slain, wounded soldiers and civilians as a result of the recent atrocities that beset Zamboanga City, Basilan Province and Zamboanga Sibugay.

 In a press statement, City Information Officer Sheila Covarrubias said the city government through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), in cooperation with Task Force Zamboanga (TFZ), “is finalizing the list of soldiers who were slain and wounded during the recent ambush, explosion or encounters in Basilan, Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga City for the release of financial assistance as a show of sympathy to the families affected.”

Drivers' test

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA)— The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently conducted a surprise random drug test to some drivers of an inter-provincial bus firm plying from this city to the nearby provinces. PDEA Regional Director Adzhar Albani disclosed that the conduct of the drug test is in line with the agency's campaign against prohibited drugs in the region.

The random drug test on the drivers of the Rural Transit Management Incorporated (RTMI) was conducted in two places, one in this city and the other in Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte province, Albani said.