Cleaning tools wanted

BROOMS, empty sacks and shovels, please? An anti-street pay parking coalition in Quezon City is now appealing to the public to donate heavy duty cleaning tools to be used to clean Barangay Tatalon of muck after the onslaught of Tropical Storm ?Ondoy.? The Koalisyon Laban sa Pay Parking (KLAPP) sa Quezon City on Friday said it was asking for cleaning materials in particular to help in the drive to clean up the community and hopefully instill the spirit of ?bayanihan? among residents of Barangay Tatalon. ?There is trash everywhere and with that comes the danger of diseases breaking out if we don?t clean up,? said KLAPP QC convenor Edwin Rodriguez. Julie M. Aurelio

Basketball tickets for free

BASKETBALL fans who will donate used shoes, sneakers or slippers to Tropical Storm ?Ondoy? victims can watch the exhibition games between basketball superstars on Monday at the Araneta Coliseum at the Upper B and General Admission sections for free. Genny Marcial, Araneta Center, corporate affairs manager, said the first game will start at 5 p.m. and will feature a combined UAAP and NCAA selection against a team composed of PBL and Liga stalwarts. The second game will be between the Philippine Basketball Association Powerade team Pilipinas and the SMART Gilas National Team. Marcial said ticket prices for the patron, lower box and upper box sections were reduced by at least half to encourage basketball fans to raise money for the typhoon victims,? Marcial said. Players and league officials were also encouraged to donate footgear. Donation boxes will be set up at the various entrances of the coliseum to serve as dropoff points. Nancy C. Carvajal

Ready for ?Pepeng?

THE CITY governments of Taguig and Muntinlupa on Friday activated teams to supervise the preemptive evacuation of residents in lakeshore communities as they brace for the wrath of Tropical Storm ?Pepeng.? Vehicles and rescue boats were also sent to key areas in case the typhoon triggers flash floods again. Taguig Mayor Freddie Tiñga said the local government provided 60 vehicles and 30 boats to move residents in 15 villages near the Laguna Lake to evacuation centers. Tiñga said personnel of the local disaster coordinating council and village officials were also ready to send out flood warnings through mobile public address systems and text messages. ?We?re leaving it up to the barangay officials if they need to evacuate the residents. We have all the necessary equipment in place to help them out,? he told Inquirer. Marlon Ramos

Cake decorating workshop

NEW YORK master chef Toba Garrett will conduct a cake decorating workshop Oct. 7-9 at The American Hospitality Academy (AHA) Philippines. The multi-awarded chef will also hold a cake decorating workshop on Oct. 10 at the United States Embassy. Toba is part of AHA Philippines? World Master Class Series, a program that brings master chefs from all over the world to train the academy?s students and instructors. She is a master chef-instructor of cake decorating and design at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, a department she started more than 14 years ago. Call 8927372, 8927702 or visit www.ahaphil.com.