100-MVA TRANSFORMER FITTED IN CEBU
THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) energized a newly installed 100-megavolt ampere power transformer at its Cebu City substation. This is in response to the Visayan Electric Co.’s (VECO’s) request to support their distribution capacity after a technical problem affected one of their transformers in May this year. NGCP said in a statement that the equipment installed on September 26 is a spare transformer from NGCP’s Ubay Substation in Bohol province. NGCP said that it was transported to Cebu after the integrity tests yielded satisfactory results. NGCP also facilitated the hauling, assembly, testing and worked closely with VECO until its successful energization. This additional capacity aims to enhance the reliability and quality of electricity delivered to customers in Cebu City, NGCP added. NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid. It transmits high-voltage electricity through “power superhighways” that include the interconnected system of transmission lines and towers, substations and related assets. It works in close coordination with the Distribution Utilities to continuously improve services to power consumers. RAADEE S. SAUSA

COOPERATIVE CONVENTION UP IN BENGUET
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet: The province is set to conduct the third Benguet Cooperative Convention in celebration of the Cooperative month this October.The convention set on October 17 to18 will be graced by Cooperative Development Authority Head Emmanuel Santiagel on the first day and Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives partly-list Rep. Ponciano Payuyo on the second day. It will be highlighted by a program, educational forum, mini-trade fair, and parade. The mini-trade fair will feature products of co-ops of the various municipalities, One-Town-One-Product and other produce as outputs in livelihood activities. In the educational forum, there will be mini-lectures on the status of the vegetable industry and the implementation of the Asean Free Trade Area, Bureau of Internal Revenue’s implementation of Cooperative Tax Exemptions, Social Security System benefits and updates, PhilHealth programs and services to co-op members, Pag-IBIG programs and services to coop members, environmental responsibility of co-ops, CDA updates, Co-op Insurance System of the Philippines services, entrepreneurial opportunities of co-ops, Cooperative Bank of Benguet services, and barangay food terminals. GABY B. KEITH

SARANGANI VILLAGE OFFICIAL NABBED FOR DRUGS
A notorious barangay councilor who is under the radar of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for peddling illegal drugs, was arrested during the implementation of search warrant in Sarangani province. Undersecretary Jose Gutierrez Jr., PDEA director general, identified the suspect as Haron Malagos, 42, a barangay kagawad, of Purok Sumimba, Brgy. Sapu Masla, Malapatan, Sarangani province. He is included in the PDEA Target List of drug personalities in the province. On October 10, 2012, at about 3:45 a.m., combined elements of PDEA Regional Office 12 under Director Aileen Lovitos and Sarangani Provincial Police served the search warrant against Malagos right in his own residence in Brgy. Sapu Masla. The operatives were able to recover from Malagos two medium-sized sachets of shabu weighing approximately five grams, four pieces of empty rifle magazines, and 506 pieces of 5.56mm ammunition for M16 rifle. JING VILLAMENTE

MAYOR BATS FOR CHILD PROTECTION AND WELFARE
BAGUIO CITY: Mayor Mauricio Domogan called on parents and other civic society groups to join the city government in pushing for child protection and welfare as well as on caring and instilling to children proper discipline to mold the children to become responsible citizens. He said this during the launching of this year’s 20th National Children’s Month celebration, which adopts the theme, “Bright Child ay Siguraduhin, Responsableng Pamamahayag ay Palaganapin.” Domogan said that while caring and instilling discipline to the children is a shared responsibility of all, children should also be aware of their obligations. He reported that cases of children in conflict of the law (CICL) and child abuse victims in the city have gone down this year. For CICLs from 488 cases in 2011 to 79 cases this first half of 2012, while for victims of child abuse, cases were down from 166 (2011) to 49 cases from January to June of this year. GABY B. KEITH