A 10-man delegation of South Korean dignitaries, led by Congressman Lee Hwa Soo, visited Legazpi City last January 20, 2009. They paid a courtesy call on Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal. Members of the City Council of Legazpi were also present to welcome the visitors. According to Paolo Kang, spokesman of the group, the purpose of the visit is to promote cultural and trade ties between Legazpi City and South Korea, specifically the city of Asan.

Legazpi continues to adapt ways to help mitigate the negative impact of climate change and global warming caused by pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. New electric-powered, non-polluting jeepneys now provide eco-friendly transportation in the city of Legazpi.

The Diocese of Legazpi welcomes its sixth bishop, the 55-year old Bishop Joel Z. Baylon in a liturgical reception and canonical installation held December 10, 2009 at the St. Gregory the Great Cathedral. Bishop Baylon will succeed the Apostolic Adminstrator Bishop Lucilo B. Quiambao. Prior to his appointment as the new bishop of Legazpi, Bishop Baylon served as Bishop of Masbate since 1998.

For pioneering climate change adaptation initiatives, Albay have been recently chosen by an international research group as a model for the study of the impact and the perceived defense against the threat of the global warming phenomenon. The Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) has chosen Albay for initiating projects on climate change simulation research and study, which it will conduct jointly with the College of Forestry and Natural Resources of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños.

Albay province, known for Governor Joey Sarte Salceda administration’s thrust to have at least one college graduate in each Albayano family has lauded Efren Peñaflorida, the Cable News Network (CNN) hero of the year, for extending exemplary help to poor and eager students off the streets.

The Provincial Government of Albay through the office of education coordinator is set to recognize and award exemplary performance of students, teachers, principal and local government units on December 22, 2009. The “Gawad sa Edukasyon” is a province-wide search for principals, teachers and students who exceed the average standards and soar high in the chosen field.

For improving the lives of the people in Albay through a new, dynamic and forward moving socio-economic strategies designed to pole vault the province into one of the country’s investment and tourism hub, Albay Governor Joey Salceda is among the top awardees by the Biz News Asia, the country’s largest magazine in circulation in the Philippines.

Fifteen diplomats and disaster officers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam are slated to visit the province of Albay on November 20 to 22, 2009. Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the purpose of their visit is to look into the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) and other institutions as well as evacuation centers in the province

Close to 70,000 poor families in Albay would benefit to the full implementation of “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” (4Ps), the Arroyo administration’s flagship poverty reduction program. The 4Ps is a poverty reduction strategy that provides grants top extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition, and education particularly of children aged 0-14 years old.

Legazpi City is set to host the three-day Information Technology (Infotek Exhbiti) 2009 on October 28 to 30, 2009 at the Embarcadero IT Park in the Legazpi Port Area. This year’s Infotek is expected to gather hundreds of information technology advocates and professionals from around the country.

An alumnus of the Bicol University College of Business Economics and Management (CBEM) Department of Accountancy topped the October 2009 licensure examinations for Certified Public Accountants. Ivan Rhett Villacampa Macabeo of Guinobatan, Albay got a rating of 91.71% and became the exam topnotcher together with Romelyn Manset Carpio of De La Salle University – Lipa, who also garnered a rating of 91.71%.