Metrobriefs

9 passengers hurt as bus rams into truck in QC

Nine people were injured after the passenger bus they were riding in rammed into a truck on the northbound lane of Edsa in Balintawak, Quezon City, Thursday morning. The accident which involved an AC Transport bus and a tractor head happened at 12:30 a.m. in front of the Go Sok Building, according to Supt. Ely Pintang of the Quezon City Police District’s Traffic Enforcement Unit. Pintang said the truck driven by Edgar Arandia was crossing Edsa to enter the gate leading to the Go Sok Building when it was hit by the bus. Nine passengers suffered cuts and bruises as a result. They were identified as Ildefonso Amoyo, 26; Nena Miravalles, 44; Carlo Roxas, 42; Arnold Desillo, 26; Dervin Guevarra, 17; Marisse Cereno, 29; Catthene Cereno, 24; Lailani Roncesvalles, 40; and Annalyn Namoro, 34. Julie M. Aurelio

Pasay residents warned vs summer diseases

With the start of the summer season, Pasay Mayor Antonino Calixto on Thursday warned the residents against summer diseases like diarrhea, measles, chicken pox, sore eyes and heat stroke. “Summer may be fun but it is more important to enjoy summer in good health,” Calixto said in a statement as he called on residents to be extra cautious against the spread of summer diseases. He added that he had directed the city’s Health Department to alert residents of the risk of getting heat-related illnesses, saying that “with increased awareness and some basic precautions, many of these illnesses and deaths can be prevented.” Niña P. Calleja

‘Add QC to prepaid electricity pilot test areas’

A Quezon City councilor wants the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to extend its pilot testing of the prepaid “Kuryente Load” project and make it available to city residents so they would no longer be shocked when they receive their electrical bills. Councilor Voltaire Godofredo Liban III of the second district asked his peers to support his resolution which officially requested Meralco to include Quezon City among the project’s pilot areas. Meralco’s “Kuryente Load” project started early this month in the pilot areas of Angono and Taytay towns in Rizal province.  Through the project, a consumer may opt to buy prepaid load credits ranging from P100 to P1,000 from a Meralco Bayad Center to pay for his electricity consumption.  Instead of a monthly electric bill, Meralco will send text messages to inform consumers of their remaining balance so that they would be able to regulate their power consumption or buy prepaid load credits in order to ensure that their electricity would not be cut off.  Also under the project, an applicant need not pay a deposit nor an installation fee for the power meter and a consumer who runs out of load credit will not have to shell out money for reconnection. Jeannette I. Andrade