Daraga airport

Around the Nation

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno S. Aquino III said Friday the development of a new international airport in Daraga, Albay is still being reviewed. The President was in Albay Friday for the inauguration of the Climate Change Academy.

The New Legaspi (Daraga) Airport development is a public-private partnership (PPP) project which involves the acquisition of 180 hectare land and an investment amounting to P3.4-billion. “Meron tayong mga batayan na dapat masunod [We have parameters that should be met]: right project, right price, right people,” Aquino said. (Madel Sabater)

Weekend rain

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or (PAGASA Friday said that Northern and Central Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the eastern section of Central Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

The Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. (Francis T. Wakefield)

Georgia accord

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Political Consultations was signed between the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the first round of political consultations between the Philippines and Georgia in Manila last Thursday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Erlinda Basilio and Georgian Deputy Minister David Jalagania headed the Philippine and Georgian delegations, respectively, and signed the MOU on behalf of the two countries. “The MoU would enable regular consultations and exchange of opinions on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest in the light of strengthening friendly relations and cooperation,” the DFA said. (Ellson A. Quismorio)

Prevent diseases

The Philippine Medical Association (PMA) said it will campaign relentlessly against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) to prevent its rise in the country after the United Nations General Assembly In New York City recently attributed 60 percent of deaths in the world to NCDs that include cancer and cardiovascular diseases among others.

In a statement, the PMA emphasized that it is cheaper to prevent diseases than to treat them. Therefore, the public should be educated in the prevention of diseases, particularly in NCDs that also includes chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), diabetes, chronic kidney disease and many others. (Jenny Manongdo)

Napolcom interviews

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) said that it would be conducting the Police Executive Service Eligibility (PESE) validation interview Saturday until Sunday at its head office in Makati City.

According to the Commission, 156 senior police officials from all over the country will be subjected to the validation interview, which is the second and final phase of the eligibility process.

The police officials were scheduled for validation interview after hurdling the Written Examination administered by Napolcom last August 28, 2011. The exam posted a passing rate of only 52 percent (156 out of 299 examinees). (Ellson Quismorio)