PGMA orders increased recruitment of new cops

SAN FERNANDO CITY (Aug. 22) — The Police Regional Command in Region I recently commissioned 175 new cops in line with a directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to hire more policemen.

The PNP Regional Command’s Recruitment Section reported that the new cops are in addition to existing 5,211 PNP personnel for the whole region. The 175 new cops were chosen out of 683 applicants, and were made to take their oath of office last August 1. # Miriam Aquino/PIA La Union

More riceland now planted

DAGUPAN CITY (Aug. 22) —The Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG) here said around 84 percent of irrigated lands are now planted to palay.

OPAG Administrative Officer Ramy Sison added around 77 percent of rain-fed areas have also benefited from the continuous rains. Pangasinan has some 178,616 hectares of rice lands. Irrigated areas account for 86,444 hectare while the rest depend on rains. # Danny Sagun/PIA-Pangasinan

La Union among most disaster-prone study

SAN FERNANDO CITY (Aug. 22) — The Center for Environmental Geomatic–Manila Observatory in its recent study entitled: “Mapping of Philippine Vulnerability to Environmental Disasters” identified La Union as one of the most vulnerable provinces to national disasters.

The study bared that La Union ranks second on earthquake risks; eighth on geophysical disaster risks; 15th on typhoon risks; 18th on projected rainfall change and 20th on climate and related risks. # Renee De Guzman/PIA La Union