CEBU CITY – With the increasing number of Filipinos going abroad, the Region 7 office here of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 7) is mulling to create family development activities that will foster a strong bond between family members given the various impacts of distance gap. Ben Baruc, DSWD 7 family welfare specialist, disclosed that with the creation of family development activities, those who are left behind are provided with ideas on what best to do and how can they cope up with the distance especially the young children who critically need guidance from their parents. The family development activities is expected to include discussions and forums on how to mitigate the issues involving family members whose love ones are working abroad. The activities may also include counseling sessions and holding of family day programs. Baruc cited that notable positive impact of having parents working abroad is the improvement of the family’s economic status, however, it deprives family members of personal touch and attention that usually causes depression symptoms among the children. “The absences of parents sometimes lead to defiant behavior among the children which at times also cause huge family problems,” he said.  (Phoebe Jen Indino)

LIMASAWA AIMS FOR 3RD AWARD

LIMASAWA ISLAND, Southern Leyte –This island-municipality of Southern Leyte, the site of the First Mass in the Philippines, is a two years in-a-row Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) and is set to be given other honors during a National Awarding ceremony on November 4. While the island-municipality’s geophysical location makes delivery of basic health services difficult, it can still maintain its optimum nutritional status through its highly functional Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC) spearheaded by its chairman Mayor Melchor P. Petracorta with all six village chieftains as members. The committee envisions for healthy islanders by providing them with livelihood, proper nutrition education, healthy and nutritious food for every household, and clean environment to all its constituents. (Jack Gadaingan)

COMPLETION OF INFRA PROJECTS URGED

A former newsman has written Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala to complete a farm-to-market road (FMR) and a communal irrigation project in Dolores, Eastern Samar and ease the grinding poverty prevalent in the town. Lucino Rebamontan said in his September 20, 2010 letter to Alcala that the Dampigan-Hinolaso-Osmena farm-to-market road in his hometown of Dolores, Eastern Samar has been delayed. This has allegedly made life unbearable for farmers who comprise majority of the people in the poor town and who depend on the road to bring their produce to the market. The project is under the Infrastructure for Rural Productivity Enhancement Sector (InFRES) of the DA. Rebamontan also asked Alcala to help fix the Dolores communal irrigation project (CIP) and thus improve the yield of the farmers in the town that has been dubbed as the rice granary of Eastern Samar. He said he had written to then Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) for assistance and the latter brought the matter to the attention of concerned agencies before Alcala took over as agriculture chief. (Marvyn Benaning)