A new coastal road and seawall project in Legazpi City was inaugurated last September 30, 2009. The Legazpi boulevard extension is a scenic 4.095 kilometer seaside road that takes advantage of the panoramic view of the azure Albay Gulf, the Kapuntukan (Sleeping Lion Hill) and the surrounding islands. The road will feature a bicylcle lane and a wide promenade with landscaping and decorative lamps perfect for jogging and strolling.

Albay-based Sunwest Water and Electric Power Co. Inc. (Suweco) has adjusted upwards its planned investments for three mini-hydropower projects to P1.16 billion from the previous estimate of P729 million. Suweco told the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) that it had to adjust the project cost to take into account the rise in the cost of steel and other raw materials and other factors.

A P920-million road project will soon be implemented linking the coastal towns of Libon and Pioduran in the west coast side of Albay, a top provincial official said on Monday. Albay Governor Joey Salceda said he has secured the funding for the Albay West Coast Road project involving the construction of a 46-kilometer road network from the municipalities of Libon to Pioduran.

The Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) on Wednesday said that disaster preparedness action plan is now in place and ready for implementation in the event Mayon volcano’s exhibits possible signs of an eruption. Albay Governor Joey Salceda, PDCC chairman, said disaster operating scenarios have been drawn up and ready for execution in times the volcano’s abnormal behavior turns worst.

The provincial government of Albay and Pfizer, a multi pharma company, have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the full implementation of “Kalusugan Para sa Mamamayan” (KASAMA) of Albay. Albay governor Joey Salceda explained during the MOA signing held here, Thursday, that KASAMA program goal is in line with the government’s thrust to expand access of Filipinos to quality health care.

The Aquinas University of Legazpi (AUL) has implemented a project dubbed “Urban Agriculture through the High-Value Commercial Crops Techno-Demo Farm” within its expansive campus here. The project features 60-square-meter greenhouse where vegetables highly sensitive to rain and changes in temperature like broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower and honeydew melon are being propagated.

With the church maintaining its strong opposition for any form of gambling, the city government opted to stop the potential of casino operation despite initial popular support from the business community and the public. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. applied for a casino operation on a 24-hour basis at the soon-to-operate P1 billion commercial complex known as Embarcadero.

Legazpi City — Local government units (LGUs) all over the country look up to Albay as model in the implementation of disaster management and control measures, it was reported here. Many of these LGUs are sending their technical personnel to Albay to study its disaster-management programs and activities. Some local government officials said they are studying Albay’s disaster-preparedness and risk-reduction measures after it was cited by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).

The province of Albay, headed by Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda, received the Gawad Kalasag Award for Best Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council from the NDCC (National Disaster Coordinating Council) in an awarding ceremony held at the Malacañang Palace last August 12, 2009. Meanwhile, the city of Legazpi also bagged the Gawad Kalasag Award for the Indpendent/Component city category along with the cities of Dagupan, Bayawan and Tagum.

The Albay province will host the National Livestock Summit set on September 16 to 18 this year at the Albay Astrodome, this city, a provincial agricultural officer said on Tuesday. The three-day summit with a theme “Coping with Emerging Challenges to Livestock and Poultry: Climate Change, Global Trade, Emerging Diseases and Food Security,” will be a joint project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the provincial government of Albay.

Experience one of the most grueling, physically-challenging (yet scenically-rewarding) races in the Philippines when Mayon Trail Run returns this October 2009! This will be the second Mayon Trail Run after the successful race held last year just in time for Legazpi’s Ibalong Festival.The race is designed to help in the awareness campaign for environmental issues such as global warming and climate change.