Regions

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The highest official of the Roman Catholic Church here has reiterated his call early Monday night for a moratorium on mining activities even as he hit claims that mining has not contributed to the devastation wrought by Typhoon Sendong last December.

Mayor Vicente Emano said that he had issued “special permits” to mine several hectares in the city’s hinterlands and had not suspended these operations despite snowballing calls for him to halt theses operations. Most members of the City Council here have supported the mayor’s stance.

THE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines, the country’s sole power-lines concessionaire, said on Tuesday that it has restored power transmission services in parts of Negros Oriental affected by the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake.

The NGCP said in a statement that five transmission structures along the Amlan-Bindoy-Guihulngan 69kV transmission line were affected by the calamity.  In spite of aftershocks, heavy rains, and damaged bridges and roads, the NGCP said it pursued its restoration efforts by resorting to helicopters and motorcycles to reach the areas inaccessible to line trucks.

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—An Australian-assisted  program  on developing  local  road network  infrastructure has tapped village-based women’s groups  here to participate in maintaining and rehabilitating their access road to push countryside economic activities.