ISABELA CITY, Basilan — The Isabela City Police in Basilan shared the four formulas to a safe celebration of New Year in anticipation to the noisiest, joyous, and most explosive welcoming of 2012.

Litterbugs, beware!

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday stressed that while Dr. Jose Rizal fought against foreign forces during his time, present day Filipinos struggle against environmental woes.

In sympathy to the victims of tropical storm Sendong in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and other parts of the country, Mayor Celso Lobregat has decided to call off the city government’s sponsorship of the New Year grand fireworks display at Paseo del Mar.

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Fearing for his life and family, the brother of the primary suspect in the killing of an Italian missionary in North Cotabato has sought help from a local official in the province.

COTABATO CITY — The Cotabato City government has launched today a "zero firecracker injuries" campaign in an effort to have the city residents welcome the new year with complete body parts.

BUTUAN CITY — Today is no holiday for officials and key personnel of the Agusan del Sur provincial government as they continue to conduct relief operations to “Sendong” affected areas in the province.

BUTUAN CITY — The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) is pushing for the development of its port terminal in the city.

BUTUAN CITY — Three of the five provinces of Caraga Region were affected by the Low Pressure Area on Christmas Day which was spotted at 30 km west northwest of this city.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Leading by example, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 here is bent on making the New Year celebration accident-free warning its policemen not to ever use their guns.

KORONADAL CITY — Besides being careful with injuries that firecrackers could inflict on irresponsible and careless users, the public should also be concerned with the pollution as massive use of firecrackers and fireworks could cause to the environment, an official of the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-12) said.

COTABATO CITY — Aside for its Aksiyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (APIR) campaign, the Department of Health, region XII is reminding the populace to watch out for their health during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental — President Benigno S. Aquino III has allocated P54 million to address the scarcity of safe drinking water in areas affected by Typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City.

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental — Water distribution in evacuation centers (EC’s) for Typhoon Sendong victims in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) will continue, as the need arises.

MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that only 45 of 61 evacuation centers remain open in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities as displaced families, who still have safe homes to go back, have started returning home.