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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."

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.

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.

Eighty-six volunteers literally bled for a cause during a bloodletting activity organized by Naga City councilor David Casper Nathan Sergio as part of the city's Sandugo Program. Blood donors flocked to the city hall lobby on Feb. 16 to participate in the activity.

Sergio was appointed by Mayor Jesse M. Robredo last year as the director of the new blood program to boost the city's efforts in ensuring ample supply of blood transfusions as mandated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH).

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.

Significantly highlighting the 62^nd Founding anniversary of the university dubbed as the "Home of Bicol Achievers", was this year's service and loyalty awardees who have spent more than three decades of their life teaching and sharing their precious time and invaluable contributions to the university.

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.

The LGU Guarantee Corporation recently granted Philippine Veterans Bank a P1.0 Billion Automatic Guarantee Line (AGL) for Qualified Local Government Unit Debt Instruments. The AGL will be used initially by PVB in its recently arranged LGU bond and loan facilities to attract prospective co-funders.  LGUGC and PVB are working further to enhance its cooperation and partnership in order to strengthen the credit market for the LGUs. 

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) registered strong business volume and revenue growth in 2009.  Full year unaudited income rose to P8.5 billion, 33% higher than 2008 and equivalent to a 13% Return on Equity and 1.3% Return on Assets.  Correspondingly, net income for the fourth quarter of 2009 was 7% better than 2008.

The dispute between the local government of Buhi, headed by Mayor Rey Lacoste, and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Bicol under Director William Ragodon over the water resource provided by Lake Buhi is a cause for concern since peoples' livelihoods are endangered in whichever course of action would be taken.

The spirit of our 1986 People Power Revolution that ended the Marcos Dictatorship is strong and happily nurtured in our schools for the ultimate transformation of our society.

The many times we were with the media in our advocacy works were always tinted and hinted with political malice. There has always been that kind intimation for political leaning-and many times they were not intimations, they were blatant propaganda. One commentator would always make fun of the situation and would tell the reporter interviewing me, pakisabi ngantig ki Dato, buwisit siya ha.

MANILA - The country is commemorating this week the 24th anniversary of Edsa People Power 1. Some would not bother celebrating the event because they feel that the country is no better off now.