The Regional Development Council (RDC) has officially endorsed the Albay’s Guinobatan-Camalig-Daraga-Legazpi (GUICADALE) platform project during the full council meeting held here, Wednesday. Albay governor and RDC chairman Joey Salceda explained that the project consists of circumferential road and new arterial roads cascading from the urban center of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Legazpi City and Jovellar.

Albay province leads in the production of metallic minerals while Camarines Norte in non-metallic minerals in Bicol for the year 2009 valued at P2,424,934,601.34 and P21,728,191.25, respectively, records at the Bicol Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) showed.In metallic production, Albay is followed by Masbate with P2,197,935,207.43 and Camarines Norte with P31,948,615.54.

The City Commission on Elections (Comelec) here has proclaimed the newly elected set of local officials. Lawyer Jasmin Banzuela, election officer, proclaimed Geraldine Rosal and Viittorio Roces as newly elected mayor and vice mayor, respectively.

The city government here has received some 40 units of Samsung desktop computers from the Korean Government recently. Mayor Noel Rosal said the computer hardware were donated through the initiative of Congressman Lee Hwa Soo of the National Congress of Korean Republic Rosal cited the gestures and assistance extended by the Korean government is a good sign for the growing relations between Ansan City and this city.

Member-consumers of the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) expressed a sigh of relief after the local electric cooperative was successful in getting a bilateral agreement with Aboitiz Power Renewable’s Inc. to supply cheap electricity in the province. ALECO has recently entered into an agreement with Aboitiz, an independent power provider (IPP), for the latter to provide the cooperative with 40 percent of its electricity requirements.

Dethroned beauty queen and Albay’s youth envoy for climate change Maria Venus Raj just might be the Philippines’ representative to the Miss Universe 2010 pageant after all. The Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) announced in a statement released today that “for humanitarian reasons” they are allowing Raj to reclaim her title. She only needs to get a valid Philippine passport.

Philippine peso bills will soon feature national natural wonders including the majestic Mayon Volcano of Albay. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is set to release the new design of Philippine monetary bills and coins by the end of 2010. The new currency design will have brighter colors and will feature the Philippines’ natural wonders at the back side of the bills. The current design features historical landmarks.

A National Skimboarding Competition is set to take place in the jet-black volcanic sand beaches of Arimbay, Legazpi City on April 26 to 28, 2010. Skimboarding is a boardsport wherein a skimboard (a smaller, sleeker version of a surfboard) is used to ride on an incoming wave.

From April 4-30, 2010, Albay celebrates its annual Magayon Festival. The entire month of April is jam-packed with colorful and exciting events. Check out this year’s Magayon Festival activities. Come and visit Albay! Always Albay, Always Magayon!

Experience Albay anew this April 2010 as the province celebrates its annual Magayon Festival: an explosion of colors, culture and crafts! This year’s Magayon Festival promises to be even more exciting than ever.

Less than a month after she was crowned Bb. Pilipinas-Universe, Maria Venus Raj has been dethroned by the Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. due to questionable birth records. Ms. Raj, 21, hails from Bato, Camarines Sur. She graduated cum laude from Bicol University with a degree in AB Journalism. Ms. Raj is also Albay’s youth ambassador on climate change.