The Supreme Court has affirmed with finality the legality of the Commission on Elections’ P1.8-billion deal for the purchase from Smartmatic-TIM of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to automate next year’s polls.

At an en banc session on Tuesday, majority of the justices voted to sustain their June 13 decision and dismiss the motion for reconsideration filed by the Automated Election System Watch led by former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr.

CANDELARIA, Quezon, Oct. 22 (PIA) -- The Quezon provincial government has allotted P25-million fund for a pipeline installation project in this town. 

The pipeline installation project will benefit thousands of residents who have been waiting for a better supply of potable water, Quezon Gov. David Suarez.

THE HOUSE of Representatives yesterday passed on second reading a priority measure that adds two years to the basic education system, known as K to 12.

“HB (House Bill) 6643 is approved on second reading,” Deputy Speaker Pablo P. Garcia (2nd district, Cebu) said yesterday after the chamber approved the measure by voice vote.

CAMP GEN. GARCIA, Imus, Cavite — Senior Superintendent John C. Bulalacao, Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, has delisted the cities of Trece Martires and Bacoor from the roster of “areas of concern” as he and other monitoring officers see no political threat among candidates in the two areas for the upcoming elections.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Palace is leaving to the wisdom of the Commission on Election to determine which of the party list organizations are qualified to join the May 2013 elections.

 “We leave everything up with the COMELEC. There are rules as a guide for them whether to disqualify a party list or to continue being a party list,” he said.