MANDAUE CITY, Cebu, Philippines - Some 69 young people from Cebu’s 6th District will receive school cash assistance, from a portion recently released from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing.

The latter has allocated some P172,500 of his PDAF for poor and deserving students in his district to help them in their school projects as well as purchase such school needs as uniforms and textbooks, among others.

Beneficiaries of the P2,500 cash assistance are bonafide college students mostly enrolled in state universities and colleges taking up vocational courses.

Most of the student beneficiaries are currently enrolled in government state universities and vocational schools and most of them are taking up short term vocational courses like Computer Literacy and Programming, cosmetology, refrigeration and air conditioning, electronics application, and culinary arts.

Quisumbing, during the turn-over of said financial assistance, stressed the importance of education to be matched with existing job demand.

Moreover, the Cebu 6th District representative said plans to have a “Scholar Day” program every month where wholesome activities as well as leadership and livelihood training will be conducted to promote volunteerism among the youth.

“Volunteerism among the youth is important so that they can also be of service in their respective community, especially in times of calamities and natural disasters,” he underlined.

B.A.R. CREATION URGED

CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines (PIA) – To promote alternative energy in the country, a consultant of the Department of Energy (DoE) is urging the creation of the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) that will take charge of enforcing laws on maintenance and upkeep of all transport systems in the country.

Alexander Loinaz, a consultant of DoE in many of the agency’s programs says it is important to establish a bureau solely dedicated in monitoring and enforcing laws governing the country’s transport system. Being involved in research in the use of LPG in the transport industry, Loinaz thinks it is most beneficial to the riding public, transport operators and drivers, and other stakeholders that a bureau be created for said purpose.

It was learned that currently, different government agencies like the Dapartment of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Land Transportation Office (LTO) are involved in the enforcement of traffic laws, conversion of liquid-fuel-fed vehicles into LPG Autogas, calibration of LPG dispensing stations, and other related laws. Loinaz said there is already an existing law passed by the Lower House that provides for its creation with initial budget of P300 million.

“I just don’t know why the law that created it is not given its full force and effect.

P13 B GENERATED BY BORACAY TOURIST ARRIVALS

KALIBO, Aklan, Philippines (PIA) – Boracay Island’s tourist arrivals in a span of 11 months (January to November 2010) has reached P13,120,931,149. Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez reported that compared to last year’s record for the same period, there was an increase of 20.27%.

The jetty ports in Caticlan and Cagban and the Passenger Terminal in Caticlan were able to collect a total of P102,350,191.55 from January 1 to November 30 of this year. Compared to last year, an increase of 25.06% was posted this year.

For this year, the month which registered the highest collection was April, with P14,651,233.73, while May came in second with P13,536,056.38. March placed third highest with a collection of P10,363,962.60. On the other hand, October registered the lowest collection, with P7,274,687.80.