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the rivers that could give in at any moment. The chieftain said they were apprehensive that if those unwanted activities were not controlled it would result to a very horrible consequence.
        The help they want, Frejas told the Board is to have that portion in Macabog dredged to direct the flow of water smoothly to Sorsogon Bay. But the real problem he said, is the capacity of the Piot bridge to hold the volume of water coming from Anahaw. The soft portions of the passageway he added are slowly being consumed by water, which is really something bothersome for the residents lining the Piot bridge.
        The SP board gave the Frejas assurances it would seek the help of the Department of Public Works and Highways for possible funding and technical help to resolve the problem. It would also ask the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) to assess the situation and require it to make a report, so it (board) could make proper recommendation.
        Meanwhile, the City Government of Sorsogon started the dredging of Anahaw (see pictures), and had reinforced the walls of the river so it won't leak on the farm fields which during the past typhoons was immerse in floods.
        The barangay chief said their council is doing every initiative to bring to the higher authorities the plight of their people, so the blame could not be put on them if something very bad would happen in the future.
        "We want everyone to know that our problem in Piot is shared by other barangays like Salog, whose bridge that collapse during the same typhoons has not been restored to the present, Frejas expressed with alarming tone.

        The lawyer legislator said there is a pressing need to look into the matter as there are numerous crimes in the province that are remained unsolved, and with the elections drawing near those killings might escalate.
        Referred to the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Amendments and Peace and order and Security which Perete himself chairs, the hearing was scheduled with the PNP Provincial Director invited to give the provincial board update on the peace and order situation in the province.
        Meanwhile, a resolution was proposed by the members which was expected to be approved after the scheduled hearing.

In a press statement, PC/Insp. Alfredo Nierva, Sorsogon PNP Public Information Officer said the award is given annually to police officers and units regionwide, which has the aim to pay tribute to outstanding police units and police officers who have shown concrete examples and inspirations to the entire police force, of a more improved police service and good relations with the community.
"The selection which is done yearly not only to inspire the police force but make them more effective in serving the public and draw support from the community that "mamang pulis at aleng pulis are worth it, said Nierva.

        SPO2 Nelson J. Aguirre, a licensed criminologist, got the top award for his significant part in introducing and bringing the SPPO's various programs and services to the community. Among them are the free swimming lessons he regularly conducted for the youth.
        Aguirre said his primary goal of offering free services is to deviate juvenile from vices and other unworthy activities that lead them to bad habits like drug addiction. "Swimming is an effective approach towards bringing the youth to more worthwhile activities. Aside from it, it is a good physical exercise, and can be applied to more meaningful endeavor in times of emergencies that need the expertise of a swimmer, he said.
        Currently, Aguirre is teaching swimming lessons to children with special disabilities, whom he said need more attention and skills development.
        Other vital programs Aguirre had guided for the PNP are the feeding program for elementary school children and distribution of footwear and school supplies for grade schoolers from poor barangays in the province.
        Aguirre got praises from his colleagues after capping the award and became a tangible model of public service of the police institution in Sorsogon.
        The award was conferred by Police Chief Superintendent Paterno Palding Bangi, Bicol PNP Regional Director. (BA Recebido, PIA Sorsogon)

"We cannot go beyond what is authorized of us to share in the market, and compete with traders. Our Mandate is to lessen the impact of the price of commercial rice through the distribution of NFA rice to various authorized outlets that we have established. We have the "Tindahan Natin which is given to the Department of Social Welfare, where we allocate 15 bags per week; Bigasan outlets with 35 bags per week; and Bigasan sa Barangay at 25 bags a week, said De Guzman.
To cushion the impact of the harvest season where palay is sold at cheaper prices to commercial traders, the NFA DE Guzman said has come up with a program called "Push and Pull where the NFA buys at a higher price than the prevailing market (push). And during the lean season, the farmers can buy back the palay they sold and deal them at a higher commercial price (pull).
NFA DE Guzman whines is a losing agency because "We buy the rice abroad at a higher price of P60-70 per kilo - that is the Vietnam rice -- and dispose it almost half the price of our procurement. "We have to seek alternative funding to finance the agency or it will collapse. But this is our mandate and we cannot simply do anything, she said.
Apart from the "push and pull program, NFA has the "Food For Schools Program with the Department of Education where iron-fortified are traded to them at a lower price of P20. Donsol De Guzman said is the top recipient of the program.
Asked if there is enough supply in case of emergency or calamity, De Guzaman said NFA is ready for any contingency where it maintains, in less critical situation, 83,000 bags that would last for 15 days. During typhoon Dante alone, "We disposed 20,00 bags to the different LGUs who had a Memorandum of Agreement with us. Yes! We are ever ready - 24 hours -- for any emergency that would visit our province."
De Guzman came to the province only last April. She has been with the NFA for 29 years serving pivotal positions in the regional office. She was assigned to Masbate and Samar before her transfer to Sorsogon. She has a masteral degree in economics.

Barangay Hubo residents...
        The municipal government of Magallanes however, had provided temporary relocation to more than 20 families at Sitio Balagting, which is the upper portion of Hubo whose houses were buried in the landslides, but most residents opted to remain in their old place despite the declaration of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau that that portion of Hubo near the sea area, along with other four barangays namely: Tagas, Anibong, Cagtalaba and Cabulo is landslide prone and continues to pose danger to residents.
        Recto de los Santos, a barangay official of Hubo told Sorsogon Dateline most families preferred to remain in the place until they are given a permanent area to transfer. "The one given by the municipal government of Magallanes is only provisionary and we fear that if we transfer there and build our permanent abodes, we will be removed nonetheless as we hold no documents to claim tenancy of the land we occupy, De Los Santos said, speaking in Bicol. Besides, he added, their safety is not guaranteed in the relocation site since it is exposed and dangerous to typhoons.
        Meanwhile, former Magallanes Mayor Roque Carranza who appeared before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Sorsogon recently had claimed that the one provided by incumbent Mayor Arambulo that now houses more than 30 families is unsafe for permanent dwelling which is a few meters down a cliff. He told the Board the site is susceptible to landslide and with no trees covering to protect the houses they could be wiped out during strong typhoons.
        Carranza said they have recommended of an alternative location in the same area in Sitio Balagting some few hundred meters farther down which they believed is safer and suitable to transfer the entire barangay of Hubo.
        In their initial talk with Governor Sally Lee, Magallanes Municipal Councilor Dolores Maiden said the governor had ordered an ocular inspection of the area being recommended by former Mayor Carranza, and if the place is found to be appropriate for the relocation of the entire Barangay Hubo, she would see authorization from the Sangguniang Panalawigan to authorize her to buy the place. The plan Maiden told Sorsogon Dateline (who along with the councilor had visited the place last week) is to buy more or less twelve hectares of the 30-hectare Sitio Balagting.
        As of press time, no arrangement has yet been arrived between the owner of the area and the provincial government pending some requirements to be accomplished for the sale of the lot.
        Sorsogon Dateline tried to get a statement from Mayor Arambulo but informed he was out of town for an official business when the crew visited him the other week.
        Residents at the temporary site interviewed by Sorsogon Dateline said they were not comfortable with their new location but left no choice since their property at Hubo were completely buried the landslides caused by typhoon Dante.