Mike dela Rama

LEGAZPI CITY, June 17 -- Bicol Regional Development Council (RDC) chairman and Albay Governor Joey S. Salceda assailed the decision to raise the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) toll fees which, he said, is tantamount to curtailment of trade and freedom to travel.

"Being a regular user of the SLEX, the 250% toll hike cannot be justified by the physical improvements we feel or likely to see, a far cry, compared to the dramatic changes in NLEX (North Luzon Expressway)," Salceda said.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 21  - "Mayon Volcano is still unsafe for mountaineers and human activity within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone remain is also prohibited," Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta told the public.

He warned mountaineers and tour guides that climbing Mayon in not safe until now because the volcano is still emitting gases and lava. "Although the lava and gases emission are minimal still it is dangerous to human," he said.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 7  - The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to release the new design of the Philippine monetary bills and coins by the end of 2010 and Mayon Volcano will be included in the new design of the bills.

Marlyn Paje, acting deputy director of BSP branch here, said that this is in accordance with the New Central Bank Act or Republic Act 7653 giving the Central Bank Monetary Board, with the approval of the Philippine President, the power to prescribe denominations, dimensions, designs and inscriptions and other characteristics of notes issued by the BSP.

SORSOGON CITY, March 23 --For more than three years now, shellfish enthusiasts who have avoided different kinds of shellfish particularly green mussel (locally known as tahong) harvested from Sorsogon Bay, now have a reason to party following release of laboratory results that the bay is finally free from the deadly red tide toxin.

Latest laboratory results of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) say shellfish collected at Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon province, is now free from the toxic red tide organism.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 26  - Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Dionisio Santiago urged all local officials to help fight the proliferation of illegal drugs in the Bikol region.

In a forum on Drug Abuse, Prevention and Education Community Enforcement held here Friday, Santiago appealed to barangay officials and city/ municipal anti-drug coordinating councils to strengthen their efforts in order to make the whole Bicol region free from illegal drugs.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 17  - An early election in Masbate province is very unlikely, this according to the Commission on Election (Comelec) Bikol regional office.

Comelec Bikol regional director Zacariaz Zaragoza said on Wednesday that holding an election in Masbate ahead of the May 10 general election will not materialize without legal basis.

"The law provides that general election is on May 10, this means that holding an election ahead is illegal unless the Philippine Congress will enact another law," Zaragoza said.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan has approved implementation of the P780-million project on the construction of seven evacuation centers in the province of Albay under the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The project which will cover the seven two-storey evacuation centers with 15 rooms per storey will cost about P60 million each.

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 26- The tri-media in Albay on Tuesday urged Congress to pass the proposed measure on information freedom before it adjourns next month.

This was during an advocacy forum titled "Stop Killing Journalists" held here, with Nacionalista Party spokesperson Gilbert Remulla as resource person.

"Time is running out and only few days are left for the both houses of Congress to pass the bill," Dondie Belason of Bombo Radyo Legazpi said.

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 7 - The provincial government of Albay has released the initial assistance to the remaining evacuees from Barangay Anoling, Camalig town amounting to P3 million for the construction of their core shelters.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda announced Thursday that the remaining 258 families from Barangay Anoling can start building their core shelters (houses) in the lots already given to them by the provincial government of Albay inside the FVR resettlement site.