Aurora nails down seal of good housekeeping award says Robredo

DIPACULAO, Aurora, November 28, 2011-A top executive of the department of the interior and local government (DILG) has announced yesterday that the province of Aurora won the prestigious seal of good housekeeping award.

DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo said that the award is conferred to the provincial government units that have satisfactory disclosed its fiscal management and operations publicly while following all the country’s requirements on audit procedures where her office granted the prestigious award to Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo.

“Gusto ko pong ipaabot ngayong kapistahang ito sa bayan ng Dipaculao na sa buong Pilipinas, ang lalawigan ng Aurora ay ginawaran ng seal of good house-keeping dahil sa pagsisikap ng inyong mga  leader,” Robredo said.

“The ‘good housekeeping seal’ is given to LGUs that have excelled in the areas of planning, budgeting, revenue mobilization, financial management and budget execution, procurement and resource mobilization,” Robredo added.

The criteria was that the LGU be able to pick out items in its annual investment plans that support national development priorities that help bring down poverty, spur economic development, and help conserve the environment through programs in ecological waste management or disaster risk reduction among others.

“Isa lang po ang ibig sabihin nito, ang lalawigan ng Aurora ay may mahusay na pamahalaan at mahusay na pamayanan na pinangangalagaan,” Robredo revealed.

Prior to this, Angara-Castillo was also awarded the 2011 Apolinario Mabini Award for local government unit of the year for her dedication to duty and hard work in the implementation of programs and projects that benefit persons with disabilities.

It could also be remembered that Angara-Castillo has consistently been chosen as hall of fame award when she was a congresswoman and now as governor of the province. (Jason de Asis)

Dipaculao celebrates 61st Foundation Anniversary

DIPACULAO, Aurora, November 28, 2011-Dipaculao yesterday held its culminating 61^st foundation anniversary with the theme: “Luntiang Kapaligiran:Responsableng mamamayan, tungo sa kaunlaran” led by Mayor Reynante Tolentino.

Tolentino said that the town’s celebration started last November 2 in their 5^th

Mayor’s cup at the municipality’s covered court and volley ball court. Other activities were ginebra night, St. dancing competition and brgy. night/SK night-auditorium.

A grand parade and program were also held yesterday morning with the towns’ guest DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, Congressman Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara, Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, Baler Mayor Arthur J. Angara, Casiguran Mayor Reynaldo “Binsu” Bitong, Dingalan Mayor Zenaida Padiernos and Maria Aurora Mayor Ariel Bitong.

A drum and lyre competition was also held in the afternoon then followed by SMB night and awarding ceremony. (Jason de Asis)

Group urges recycling Christmas decors for Christmas

MANILA, November 27, 2011—With just 28 days more to go before Christmas, an anti-pollution watchdog is urging the public to use recycled materials as decorations for Christmas.

EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog noted that beautiful decorations can be crafted out of recycled materials.

Aside from saving a lot of money from using recycled materials for decorations, it is also an effective way of addressing the garbage problem that piles up during the holiday season, the group said.

Recycling advocate Ofelia Panganiban of the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized this point as she lauded Makati City’s “3B sa Pasko” recycling project.

“3B sa Pasko,” which stands for “Basura’y Bawasan, Balik-Gamitin at Baguhin ang Anyo sa Pasko,” seeks to reduce the waste volume during the holidays, as well as promote recycling awareness among city residents.

The recycling project turns discards into beautiful Christmas ornaments like Christmas trees from a frame of an old umbrella, cardboard boxes, tin cans and plastic bottles.

Lanterns can also be fashioned out of bottle caps, drinking straws and tetra packs.

Making decorations from discards is an eco-friendly way of expressing the Christmas spirit without creating trash, Panganiban said.

She added that the endeavor is not only good for the environment, but also in strengthening family relationship as family members bond together while doing the activity.

It is also a good source of income for enterprising group and individuals, she added.

Panganiban noted that Makati’s “3B sa Pasko” participants earned P139,527 in total sales in 2010, an eight percent increase from the sales of 2009.

"We hope our community recyclers will earn more this year and prove once again 'may pera sa basura' (there's money in trash)," she stated. (CBCPNews)