Though relatively unscathed after Typhoon Ondoy...
Nueva Ecija declared a calamity area

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) declared a state of calamity in Nueva Ecija, Metro Manila, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur. This was due to the extensive damage wrought by typhoon Ondoy when it crossed Central Luzon last September 26.

Novo Ecijanos, though, unlike their counterparts in Metro Manila, suffered minimal losses, mostly in agriculture. There was no mass evacuation as the province's main rivers did not overflow and there were no casualties reported.

What worried the residents more after the rains brought by Ondoy was Pantabangan Dam's release of excess water last September 30 in anticipation of the arrival of another powerful typhoon by the following weekend.  National Irrigation Administration officials quickly issued early warnings, assuring residents that the water release would be minimal.

Eng. Antonio Nangel, operations manager of NIA's Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (UPRIIS) explained that the Pantabangan reservoirs level as of September 29 was 219.5 meters, only slightly below the automatic spilling level of 221 meters.

He said that the water released at 120 cubic meters per second would flow through irrigation canals in Rizal, Talavera, San Antonio, Cabiao, Peñaranda, San Isidro and the cities of Muñoz, Gapan and Cabanatuan before exiting to the Candaba Swamp in Pampanga.

"We need to release water gradually to prevent the sudden release of a big volume of water in the days to come," Nangel said. ###
 
 

NFA plans to buy 3.4M bags of palay in Region 3

The National Food Authority assured local farmers that their rice harvests would be bought by the agency at higher prices, as it allocated P289 million for palay buying in Central Luzon from September to December.

Joseph dela Cruz, NFA regional director, said that the amount could buy a total of 3.4 bags of palay.

He said that the new purchases plus the existing stocks would total 4.8 million bags, equivalent to 3.1 million bags of milled rice, available for consumers in Central Luzon.

He said that this would even exceed the rice requirements of the region in 2010, with the excess being sent to other regions for them to meet their own needs.

A total of 68 buying stations and 15 mobile procurement teams will be fielded. ###
 
 

NEUST dancers wow UAE crowd

The Folkloric Group of the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) flew to the United Arab Emirates to showcase their talents at a brand new mall in Al Ain.

The mall management and organizers invited the Ecijano group to perform in a dance festival called "Around the World in 80 Days" meant to entertain guests at the new mall.

It was Maria Valencia of the mall's marketing staff who suggested to have Filipino performers at the festival.

The group's choreographer, Felino Kipche, said "First time namin makarating dito. Maganda dito, ok at ang mga Pilipino ay naging masaya sila pagdating namin dito.”

Meanwhile, Melissa Belinga Faronillo, NEUST professor, said “Ang saya-saya talaga at I'm sure napasaya namin sila in our own little way. To all our kababayans, mabuhay at were very happy to see you.”

Filipinos based in the UAE said that they were happy to see the NEUST students perform Cordillera, Spanish inspired and Muslim dances. ###
 
 

World teen weightlifting champ is an Ecijana

Remember that 15 year old girl who won three gold medals and a bronze in the 2009 World Sub-Junior Powerlifting Championships at Sao Paolo, Brazil?

She's a Novo Ecijana from San Antonio town.

Patricia Llena is a graduating honor high school student at San Antonio Montessori. Her father, Leonard, is a former national champion and 1989 South East Asian Games gold medalist in weightlifting.

She might see action in two more international tournaments by the end of the year. She will represent the country in the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships in India in December. She might join the Laos Southeast Asian Games depending on her showing in the National Weightlifting Championships in October in Tagbilaran, Bohol.

Llena is considered a phenomenon in powerlifting after she competed in the Brazil world event without passing through the Asian tournaments, winning the gold medals in the 170 kilo squat  and dead lift and in the 420 kilo total lift.  She won a bronze medal in the 80 kilo bench press.

She said that she was attracted to the sport after watching his father during training. She began lifting weights at four years old and joined the National Open when she was 11.

Three of her siblings are also into weightlifting. Leah Ruth, 13, and Marko, 11, won medals in the 2008 National Open in Ifugao, while Mark John, 9,. was chosen as the best lifter in his age group during the same event. ###
 
 

Santa Rosa in a joint venture for trash-to-electricity facility

Santa Rosa Mayor Josefino M. Angeles and Spectrum Blue Steel signed a joint venture agreement to develop, finance, design and engineer the construction, operation and maintenance of a biosphere gasification facility in that town.

The agreement was in accordance with the Local Government Code and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act where local government units are mandated to establish solid waste disposal systems or environment management systems with the participation of the private sector.

Spectrum Blue Steel which holds a power generation license agreed to set up a waste management facility using the Biosphere MKV that will turn waste into energy using the gasification technology invented by Dr. Chris McCormack, chair and chief executive officer of Global Environment Energy Corp.

Spectrum Blue Steel's founder, Ronald Flynn, said that the company will help Santa Rosa turn into a zero waste community and at the same time generate clean environment friendly electricity.

Under the 25 year contract, Santa Rosa will provide a two hectare site for the project in Barangay Soledad.

The contract was signed by Francisco T. Delgado, new president  of Spectrum Blue Steel; John Lamb, president of True Green Energy Group; Mayor Angeles and Vice Mayor Irene S. Bernardo. ###
 
 

Licab and Makati forge sisterhood agreement

Residents of Licab are reaping the benefits of their town's being a sister LGU of Makati City.

Mayor Willy Domingo said that majority of the 25,000 residents of Licab, a fourth class municipality, have been given yellow cards after the Sangguniang Bayan ratified the town's sisterhood with Makati City upon the initiative of Mayor Jejomar Binay.

Domingo said that the Licab residents enjoy free hospitalization, even scholarships, courtesy of Makati City. Several barangay service vehicles donated by Makati have also been distributed.

He also said that some 1,700 citizens receive P500 in financial monthly from the 4P government program. ###
 
 

BIR North Ecija surpasses monthly collection target

The Bureau of Internal Revenue District Office 23-A-North Nueva Ecija has surpassed its August collection target by almost 40%.

Bonifacio Caringal, revenue district chief, said that the collection for the month reached P25.9 million, way past its original target of P18.5 million.

The revenue district office covers the cities of San Jose and Muñoz, and the municipalities of Aliaga, Carranglan, Cuyapo, Guimba, Licab, Llanera, Lupao, Nampicuan, Pantabangan, Quezon, Rizal, Sto. Domingo, Talavera, Talugtog and Zaragosa.

Roger de Guzman, collection division chief, said that they are now firming up programs to surpass this year's target of P302 million. ###
 
 

Vintage explosives found in Carranglan reforestation site

Several vintage explosives were discovered during a reforestation activity in Mt. Amat, Barangay Puncan, Carranglan last September 29.

The Central Luzon police said that members of the Trees for Life Center found the explosives at past 3:00 PM during a reforestation activity with other government units.

Members of the police Explosives and Ordnance Division responded and recovered the explosives that included two 81 millimeter mortars with broken fuse, one 76 millimeter mortar also with a broken fuse and 11 hand grenades. ###
 
 

3 caught with gun in Cabiao checkpoint

Three suspected members of a criminal syndicate reportedly operating in northeastern Pampanga were arrested at a police checkpoint in Barangay San Fernando Sur, Cabiao last September 24.

The suspects aboard a motorcycle from nearby Arayat town were stopped at the checkpoint  and yielded a .45 caliber pistol.

Insp. Peter Madria, Cabiao police chief, said that the unnamed suspects could not present any document for the gun. Intelligence operatives are verifying if the three are members of the Agimat Group based in Arayat.

The suspects were brought to the Provincial Prosecutor's Office in Cabanatuan for inquest proceedings for illegal possession of firearm. ###
 
 

CLSU coed drowns in resort

A female student of Central Luzon State University was found dead in a swimming pool in a resort in San Jose City last September 20.

The victim was identified as Vanessa Rigor Feliciano, 20, a social science student, of St. John, Guimba.

Her body was discovered under water at the eight meter deep swimming pool of Garden Grille Resort and Restobar at 6:30 AM.

San Jose City police chief, Supt. Sidney Villaflor, said that the victim and 42 other members of the Tau Alpha Upsilon sorority led by their grand archon, Joshua Leaño, arrived at the resort at 7:00 PM the previous night, held a program and had dinner and drinks. The overnight activity was disrupted by a power blackout at 3:00 AM.

Dr. Noel de Vera, rural health physician, said that an autopsy showed that the victim had no external injuries and died of cardio-respiratory arrest due to drowning. ###
 
 

2 Gabaldon farm caretakers shot

A married couple from Manila who had been serving as a farm caretaker for less than a month in Gabaldon were shot by two unidentified men.

The victims, Melencio and Nena Santos, were taking a nap at about 4:30 PM when the suspects arrived and shot them with .45 caliber pistols.

Melencio died instantly while Nena pretended to be dead and survived.

Police investigators said that the shooting incident could be related to the couple's work as caretakers. ###