11- YEAR- OLD BOY DIES IN LAS PIÑAS FIRE
AN 11-year- old boy died in an early morning fire that razed a residential area in Barangay Talon V, Las Piñas City (Metro Manila) on Wednesday. The charred body of Alfred Arcilla, was found inside their gutted house on Chesa Street, Golden Acres Subdivision. Police said the boy’s mother, Alfreda, left the house to charge her mobile phone at a neighbor’s house. Alfreda said neighbors told her that her son was seen helping put out the fire before he was found charred. Jenny Tecson, Southern Police District spokeswoman, said the fire broke out at 12:35 a.m., destroying 60 houses made from light materials and leaving about 90 families homeless. The fire occurred while police were conducting an anti- drug operation in the house of Joseph Aldabe where the fire allegedly started. Another child was reported injured. Damage was estimated at P300,000.
EDSA TRUCK BAN STILL IN PLACE
THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Wednesday reiterated that the total truck ban along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (Edsa) is still in effect and no window hours are observed. This came after netizens stormed the agency via Twitter, fuming over trucks being seen on the usually traffictroubled thoroughfare. MMDA General Manager Tim Orbos reminded that the truck ban along Edsa, from Magallanes Interchange in Makati City to North Avenue in Quezon City, is enforced 24 hours from Monday to Sunday by virtue of a Special Traffic Committee resolution approved by the Metro Manila Council. The total ban on trucks and heavy vehicles, regardless of weight, is applicable and observed on Edsa and in the three central business districts – Ortigas, Makati and Bonifacio Global City. Under existing rules, truck ban hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The ban covers trailer trucks, stake trucks, dump trucks, cement trucks/mixers, long bed trucks, wing vans, closed vans, panel trucks and other similar vehicles. Trucks with perishable and agricultural cargo, however, are exempted from the truck ban.
BAGUIO URGES VILLAGES TO ENHANCE SEGREGATION, WASTE REDUCTION
BAGUIO CITY: Councilor Peter Fianza reiterated the city government’s call to enhance waste segregation and recycling or the reuse of non-biodegradable materials to reduce solid waste in the Summer Capital's 128 ( villages). During a public consultation, Fianza said the city’s waste generation stands at 140 to 150 tons per day, and the city government pays P1,350 per ton of hauled and transported solid waste. He added that the city has no integrated solid waste management system yet and that the 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan approved by the Solid Waste Management Commission is up for revisit. Other matters presented during the public consultation include proposals on creating an executive-legislative task force for the newly enacted Environment Code of 2016; implementing programs for Balili River System Revitalization; conducting a search for cleanest and greenest barangay; formulating a framework to develop a Comprehensive Green City Action Plan; and reclassifying public lands.