Metro Briefs: October 5, 2018

Lawmaker welcomes probe of alleged misuse of office

Mata Party-list Rep. Tricia Velasco-Catera on Thursday denied allegations that she was using her legislative office in Quezon City for cosmetic procedures and for selling cosmetic products not approved by the Food and Drugs Administration. “The accusations … are false, baseless and malicious,” Catera said in a statement sent to the Inquirer. She was referring to the letter from the group Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and Environment which asked the House committee on ethics last month to launch an inquiry into its complaint. Catera, however, said she was leaving it to the committee to decide on the matter. “Since a complaint has already been filed with the committee on ethics, it is best to wait for the committee’s action,” she added. Catera is the daughter of retired Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. and brother of incumbent Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco. —Jerome Aning

Quirino Bridge southbound reopens after rehab

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the rehabilitation of the southbound portion of Quirino Bridge II in Paco, Manila. DPWH Secretary Mark Villar, together with DPWH-National Capital Region (DPWH-NCR) Director Melvin Navarro, led the reopening of the lane to traffic on Thursday. Quirino Bridge is part of Circumferential Road II and serves as a vital link to the cities of Manila, Pasay, Makati, and the rest of central and eastern side of Metro Manila. The southbound portion was closed for rehabilitation in May. —Tina G. Santos

Church-led drive to save PH rivers kicks off in QC

To dramatize the urgency of reviving the country’s rivers, the Association of Major Religious in the Philippines (AMRSP) is holding a symbolic rite today for the cleanup of the Mariblo-San Juan River at Block 503, Barangay Talayan, Quezon City. The activity is in partnership with the San Pedro Bautista Parish, the oldest church in Quezon City which was founded by the Order of Franciscan Minor as a retreat house in the 1500s; Barangay Talayan, a local government unit that received three awards in 2017 from the city government; Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, a mission partner of the AMRSP; Global Catholic Climate Movement; and Philippine Misereor Partnership Inc. Established in the 1970s, AMRSP is composed of men and women religious superiors of some 300 religious congregations.