IN CASE OF ANOTHER SURGE. The local government of Baguio City on Thursday (April 28, 2022) says it is ready in case of another surge, following the country's first reported case of the Omicron variant sub-lineage BA.2.12 of the coronavirus disease 2019 in the summer capital. City information office chief Aileen Refuerzo said the city is ensuring that systems are in place to combat any surge similar to that of the Delta and Omicron variants in 2021 and the first month of 2022, respectively. (PNA file photo) BAGUIO CITY - The local government here on Thursday said it is prepared in case another surge in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases occurs following the country's first reported case of the Omicron variant sub-lineage BA.2.12 in the city. Aileen Refuerzo, chief information officer of the city, said the city government still enforces its "prevent, detect, isolate, treat, reintegrate" (PDITR) strategies even if some response operations had been scaled down in t
BUTUAN CITY - The Land Transportation Office in Caraga Region (LTO-13) has generated PHP115,928,411 revenues during the first three months of the year. An LTO-13 report released Thursday showed three district offices getting the highest revenue collections during the period Butuan City, Patin-ay in Agusan del Sur, and Cabadbaran City in Agusan del Norte. From January to March this year, LTO-Butuan garnered a total of PHP28,031,662 collections, topping all other LTO districts in the area. LTO-Butuan is followed by LTO-Patin-ay with a collection of PHP15,119,359 and LTO-Cabadbaran with PHP13,998,366. Another district that managed to collect double figures is LTO-Tandag, at PHP10,192,72. In a phone interview Wednesday, LTO-Butuan City district head Danielo Merson Borja attributed the increase in collections to the lowering of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic alert level in the city and the nearby areas. "In the previous year and last year were very difficult for us
AMBUSHED. The sports utility vehicle of San Jose, Digos City village chief Angelito Balasbas is hit with bullets after a gunman fired at him as he arrived at his house Wednesday afternoon (April 27, 2022). The city mayor has offered a PHP1 million reward to anyone who could pinpoint the whereabouts of the killer. (Photo courtesy of Francis Adrian Jacosalem) DIGOS CITY - Mayor Josef Cagas has offered a PHP1 million reward for anyone with information on the gunman who murdered the chairman of Barangay San Jose here Wednesday. "Rest assured, all efforts will be exhausted to determine the motive and the identity of the assailant so that justice will be served," Cagas said in a statement Thursday. Barangay San Jose chair Angelito Balasbas, 50, was shot dead by a motorcycle-riding attacker outside his home Wednesday. Neighbors who heard the gunshots brought Balasbas to the hospital. However, attending physicians at the Sunga Hospital declared him dead on arrival. Balasbas is descri
ZAMBOANGA CITY - The economy of Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) grew to 5.7 percent last year from 5.2 percent in 2020, an official of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Thursday. Dr. Mewchun W.S. Pamaran, PSA-9 director, said the industry and services sectors are two of the biggest contributors to the region's economic growth. The industry sector is composed of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, electricity, gas, and water supply, which contributed 2.17 percent. The services sector includes transportation, storage, communication, trade and repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, personal, and household goods, financial intermediation, real estate, renting and business activity, public administration and defense, compulsory social security, and others, which chipped in 3 percent. Likewise, the agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing (AHFF) sector contributed 0.48 percent to the region's economy. One of the factors that led to the area's gro
File photo of North Cotabato policemen training on poll duties for May 9 national and local polls. (Photo courtesy of North Cotabato PPO) COTABATO CITY - After having been trained to administer the election process, police officers will serve as the electoral board of a village in Pikit, North Cotabato after teachers earlier assigned as board of election tellers backed out. "They refused to serve because they have relatives who are locked in a clan war," Lt. Colonel Bernard Tayong, North Cotabato deputy police director, said in an interview Thursday. Tayong was referring to the six teachers assigned to serve at two clustered precincts in Barangay Talitay but opted to stay away for fear they might run into an armed conflict. In a separate interview, Pikit municipal election officer Tarhata Engid said some teachers are wary of serving as election officers after having experienced violent situations involving warring candidates. Meanwhile, Tayong assured the six police officers