NEWS BRIEFS

LAPU’S 50TH CHARTER DAY

RESIDENTS of Lapu-Lapu City will celebrate the city’s 50th Charter Day today with delicacies, fireworks and entertainment.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paza Radaza allotted P700,000 for the celebration.

Brian Lim, lead designer of pyrotechnics firm Pyroworks said the 16-minute-long fireworks display will feature fireworks launched from two barges on the Mactan Channel and one inland area.

There will be four minutes of fireworks displays in the city’s 19 barangays.

Counting from one to 50 aired on radio station dyRC and anchored by broadcaster Dennis Tabar will precede the fireworks show.

The winners of Lapu-Lapu’s delicacy contest and an inter-barangay arch contest with the theme of 50 years of Lapu-Lapu City will be announced today.

Disco dances, games and other entertainment will be available in every barangay.

The main event will be held under the Marcelo B. Fernan Bridge with special guest comedian Vice Ganda.

The municipality of Opon was converted into the City of Lapu-Lapu in June 17, 1961 when the late President Carlos P. Garcia signed the city’s charter. Correspondent Jucell Marie P. Cuyos

DELIVERY OF BUILDING MATERIALS

CEBU City Hall put on hold the delivery of construction materials for the self-help projects of barangays pending the city’s investigation of the alleged low-quality hollow blocks and cement kept in the South Road Properties.

Staff of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor told Remick Robins, owner of Robin Hardware that the city temporarily stopped the delivery of the materials.

The hardware was about to deliver P2.8 million worth of construction materials for the self-help projects of the city’s barangays.

Robins clarified that they are not the company that supplied the substandard materials in the SRP last year. He added that out of the 8,000 hollow blocks they delivered, only 493 pieces needed to be replaced.

Hardware owners met with Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias last Wednesday to discuss the matter. Correspondent Fatrick R. Tabada

TABUNAN LOT REFORESTATION

A FOREST steward will meet with officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) next week to agree on measures to recover 1.5 hectares of forest in barangay Tabunan Cebu City.

Cristito Ruaza said they intend to plant indigenous trees in the area after almost 400 trees were cut down.

Ruaza said they also intend to demolish the bunk houses and remove the steel electric posts and footpaths in the area.

Twelve people were charged last Monday after they were caught cutting the trees. All secured temporary liberty after paying a P40,000 bail each.

The arrest was done by a joint team of the DENR-7 and the Cebu City Police Office.

Ruaza said a certain James Uy who reportedly brought the lot wanted to develop it as a farm and mountain resort.

The area is part of the 505 hectares of protected land under the stewardship of retired Gen. Tiburcio Fusilero in a 2002 agreement with the DENR-7 for their Adopt-a-Mountain program.

The 28,312-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape established through Republic Act No. 9486 covers the five watershed of Buhisan, Mananga, Kotkot-Lusaran, Sudlon National Park, and the Central Cebu National Park.  Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya