Bikol News

LEGAZPI CITY, March 2  - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said some 1,921 hectares were planted with trees in the Bikol region last year under the Upland Development Program (UDP).

The DENR in Bikol reported the trees planted were in the UDP priority sites for development and management such as Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) projects, Protected Areas, Mangrove and Coastal Areas, and Watershed areas.

LEGAZPI CITY (2 March 2010) - RICE FARMERS in a village in Oas, Albay endured sleepless nights and kept watch on a mercury bulb that drew thousands of Rice Black Bugs (RBB) or locally known as "itom na Tayangao" which had infested more than 690 hectares of ricefields in the third district of Albay province.

Albay Agriculture official, Ruben Limos, said the farmers are doing "light-trapping" which drew the bugs to the mercury light while the farmers gather the pest in sacks and dispose of them.

MANILA, March 3  - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has sent a team of police investigators to Bikol to conduct further probe of the ambush-killing of former jueteng whistleblower Wilfredo "Boy" Mayor last Saturday in Paranaque City.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said police investigators are now looking at three possible theories in connection with the case.

"The NCRPO director (Director Roberto Rosales) told me that he already sent investigators to Bikol because of other theories being considered that possibly originated there," said Verzosa.

Attaining proper education in remote part of far away places is such a no ending sacrifice on the part of the parents as well as the children. Grateful enough to have a one room multiple grade school, the children mostly belonging to a very low profile formally, crave everyday for school almost (sad to say) a mile away from home.

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 23 -- As the El Niño phenomenon prevailing in some parts of the country ravages agricultural crops, a Cebu-based fertilizer manufacturer has came up with a product that could help plants withstand water shortage due to the dry spell.

In a statement recently released here, Amebocyte Cell Company, Inc. (ACCI), manufacturer of Vegegrow Organic Plant Food & amp (adenosine monophosphate) said this product is a pure liquid organic fertilizer derived from marine plant extracts.

CAMP OLA, LEGAZPI CITY (24 February) - THE MOUNTING VIOLENCE in the province of Masbate has again claimed another life.

An elementary school principal in Barangay Nursery, Masbate City was reported to have been shot according to the Regional Election Monitoring Action Center (REMAC) at the PNP Regional Office-5 here, on Tuesday (February 23).

The Masbate police office identified the victim as, Ruel Doroja Gonzaga, 38, principal of the Nursery Elementary School in Masbate City.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 24  - Mayor Gerome Alcantara of Donsol, Sorsogon has appealed for presidential intervention to stop the rampant illegal trawling within the territorial water jurisdiction of this whale shark capital as well as in Masbate area.

Alcantara said that illegal trawling within the area continues to operate despite several attempts made by the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy. "I am just wondering why they operate within the territories of Donsol and in Masbate but up to now, no single apprehension has been made by the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard."

NAGA CITY, Feb 21, 2010-Expect the Archdiocese of Caceres to be more engaged in its prophetic function for social change.

In response to the New Year's Day Pastoral Letter of Caceres Archbishop Leonardo Z. Legaspi which called on the local Church to look to Mary as a source of hope in the midst of the country's poverty and in preparation for the coming elections, the Council of the Laity of Caceres (CLAC) immediately organized a convention of the parish pastoral councils and the religious organizations to deepen the faithful's understanding of the pastoral letter.

Jaypee S. Sayson, a BS Architecture student of the University of Northeastern Philippines (UNEP) bagged the top prize in Literary Graphics, English category during the recently concluded 9^th Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference held from February 8-10 at Lingayen, Pangasinan.