19 December 2016, Monday AM

Edition

ISSUES AT A GLANCE
LUZON

Muntinlupa LGU holds Christmas party for confessed drug users

NCR

Baguio not giving up on Miss U hosting

CAR

The once flourishing cattle industry is now on a decline

Region 4B

VISAYAS

IBP expresses concern after PDEA handcuffed Odictas lawyer

Region 6

Maasin City College allegedly sitting on privately owned lot

Region 8

MINDANAO

Bamboo fish cages in SoCot replaced with twin plastic cages

Region 12

PHO alarmed over spike in HIV cases in SurSur

Region 13

*For more regional issues and concerns, please refer to the annexed regional reports.
**For inquiries and clarifications, please contact Ms. Eva Gonzales of PIA Regional Operations Division at +632 9204387 /
+63 9209380852 / piarod.official@gmail.com.

PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY

19 December 2016, Monday AM

Edition
HEADLINE

SUMMARY REPORT

Illegal Drugs
Muntinlupa LGU holds
Christmas party for confessed
drug users

Benjie Sumiller of Barangay Sucat went home with a big smile and
a welcome burdenfive kilos of rice and a noche buena grocery
pack worth P300from a Christmas party recently organized by the
local government of Muntinlupa City. It was a party where the idea
PIA-NCR:
was to stay sober, for it gathered confessed drug users who had
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/85447 surrendered under the governments Oplan Tokhang.
0/in-munti- they-kill-drug-userswith-kindness- second-chances
Others
Baguio not giving up on Miss
U hosting
PIA-CAR: Baguio Chronicle

The once flourishing cattle

industry is now on a decline
PIA-4B: Municipal newsletter
IBP expresses concern after
PDEA handcuffed Odictas
lawyer
PIA-6: Aksyon Radyo, Panay News

Maasin City College allegedly

sitting on privately owned lot
PIA-8: Joe Mancera, media

Baguio City will push through in hosting the crew and contingent of
the Miss Universe 2017 despite the failure of the city government
and a private organization to raise funds through a bazaar in a
public park. The Hotels and Restaurants Association of Baguio bid
for Baguio City to host the contingent on January 17 for tourism
promotion and needs P35 million for the hosting. The group eyed
the conduct of a grand Christmas bazaar at the Melvin Jones for 30
days to defray the cost of the hosting and which was approved by
the city government but a writ of preliminary injunction halted the
fund raising activity.
San Jose municipality used to be the number one producer of cattle
in Region 4. But because of the peace and order problem and the
declaration of protected Areas and ancestral domain, the grazing
areas for cattle were radically reduced to only 1,000 hectares.
The Integrated Bar of the Phils. Western Visayas expressed alarm
over the increasing duress employed by law enforcement agents
against the rule of law. The issue was raised after PDEA agents
handcuffed the lawyer of Melvin Odicta Jr., Atty. Marben Lumbo.
Odicta is the son of the slain drug lord Melvin Odicta whose house
was subject to a search warrant by PDEA. According to PDEA ARD
Levi Ortiz, Lumbo tried to stop the operatives from seizing items,
which they believed were proceeds from the illegal drug trade.
The land where the Maasin City College stands has undergone
many changes in the history of Maasin City. After the liberation and
until recent years, the land was utilized as the communitys public
market, until it was converted to host the Maasin City College and
some commercial stalls. Last November 4, heirs of the late
Asuncion Oppus had informed that they are the legal owner of the

PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY

19 December 2016, Monday AM

Edition
HEADLINE

SUMMARY REPORT
land now being operated by the Maasin City government.

Bamboo fish cages in SoCot

replaced with twin plastic
cages
PIA-12: South Cotabato LGU
PHO alarmed over spike in HIV
cases in SurSur
PIA-13: PHO

Over 100 fishermen are now using twin plastic cages from the
provincial government which replaced the bamboo fish cages
commonly used in Lake Sebu. Provincial Environment Management
Office (PEMO) Forest and Inland Division Water Division chief
Loida Villa, this is to reduce the organic load from bamboo fish
cages and to ensure proper water circulation/ flow in the lake.
The Provincial Health Office (PHO) expressed alarm at the rising
number of cases of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), reporting
that 52 cases were recorded since 1995 up to October, 2016. In two
years time now, seven of them have reportedly died.

PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY