SAN JOSE, Philippines (PIA) – Twelve of 14 banks in Antique have declared December 26 a bank holiday.
In an interview with Cecile Pe, branch head of Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) Antique, she said the Antique Bankers Association passed a resolution declaring Monday December 26 a local bank holiday in support of the provincial ordinance calling for the opening of the Binirayan, a local Antique festivity.
Pe said the bankers association had asked permission of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to declare a local bank holiday subject to nod of their head office in support of cultural festivities and significant events.
P.A. Vigilance
ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Despite the unilateral ceasefire, the Philippine Army (PA) in Panay remains vigilant as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) marks its 43rd anniversary.
“We are monitoring the situation and ready to protect vital facilities,” said Colonel Arnold Quiapo, newly appointed commander of the PA’s 301st Infantry Brigade.
He said the Army in Panay will not lower their guard even as the CPP and armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) have declared a truce from December 24 to 26 and December 31 to January 2, 2012.
“There’s always a possibility of the CPP-NPA breaking the ceasefire and launch a sneaky attack during the holiday season,” said Quiapo who replaced Brig. Gen. Caesar Ronnie Ordoyo, (Tara Yap)
Samar Winners
CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines (PIA) – The Samar provincial government announced the winners in the “Light a Tree’ contest a few days before Christmas here. The judges ruled that the tree lighted by the Provincial and Natural Resources Management Office (PENRMO) beside the Pasalubong Center was the best and gave it the grand prize of P50,000.
“We did not expect to win; all we wanted was to comply, but we tried our best, we brainstormed for the best ideas,” Melva Gruta, head of the PENRMO said. Second place went to the well-lighted SAMELCO 2 corner complete with a Pinoy village and gigantic array of stars with lights flowing from the top.
Work Partners
ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PIA) – Pantawid Pamilya program beneficiaries are partners of the Iloilo City government in the latter’s solid waste management campaign. Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog said the city’s 7,000 beneficiaries can spare the city about 7,000 tons of plastic garbage if each beneficiary gathers a kilo of such waste.
The beneficiaries were asked to bring one bag full of plastic bags, garbage or sando plastics when they came to get their cash grants recently.
Besides helping the city government in its campaign to reduce solid waste, especially plastics, Mabilog said the garbage said beneficiaries collect can earn them some P6,700 from scrap buyers.
Maasin Donation
MAASIN CITY, Philippines (PIA) – Rank and file employees of the city government here dipped into their pockets to chip in for victims of tropical storm ‘Sendong’ in Cagayan De Oro City and Iligan City. City mayor Maloney Samaco convened the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) to pass a resolution for setting aside funds for the Sendong survivors.
In 2006, the Guinsaugon landslide happened, and it can be recalled that the cities of Cagayan De Oro and Iligan were among the first to send in their rescue teams and relief assistance.
source: mb.com.ph
