KALIBO, Aklan, Philippines (PNA) – Around 1.4 million tourists flocked to the 799th Kalibo Sto. Niño Ati-atihan Festival during its week-long celebration. Observers said tourists started arriving since January 10 until its culmination Sunday.

The Aklan Provincial Police Office (APPO) estimated that the crowd during Sunday’s procession alone reached about 300,000 revelers.

However, it is estimated that since Monday, the festivity was attended by not less than 200,000 tourists or about 1.4 million during the week-long festival.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) and the Aklan Provincial Tourism Council are still validating the number of the revelers who attended the event.

OFFICIAL MULLS RIVER DREDGING

SILAY CITY, Philippines (PIA) – In an effort to lessen the impact of flooding in the province OF Negros Occidental, Gov. Alfredo Maranon is looking at dredging rivers and passageways in the different local government units (LGUs).

Provincial administrator Enrique Pinongan said it is the plan of the governor to purchase a dredger because of a pressing need for it even before the recent flooding incident.

He specifically identified the rivers and creeks in the cities of Silay, Talisay, and Victorias, and the town of E.B. Magalona as well as rivers in the southern part of the province that are flood-prone.

RETRAINING SLATED FOR REGION 7 COPS

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office 7 (PRO 7) is expected to conduct a back-to-basic training among its police personnel while it is also set to resolve some 60 administrative cases within this month.

Chief Supt. Ager Ontog, PRO 7 director in a recent police forum here, announced that as part of a stricter police discipline, about 60 administrative cases in the region will be resolved before the end of this month.

“We recognize the problem and we are trying to solve it,” he said. The PRO 7 chief added that retraining is part of the Philippine National Police’s preventive measures where police men are reminded of their basic policing tasks. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

CORE SHELTER UNITS FOR ANTIQUE TOWN

ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PNA) – The Region 6 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 6) will turnover P4.2 million to construct 60 units of core shelter for typhoon “Frank” victims in Belison, Antique on January 28.

Julian Ledesma of the DSWD 6 said that the turnover of the check will already commence the construction of the 60 units of core shelter in a lot provided by the provincial government headed by Gov. Exequiel B. Javier.

Late last year, Javier, DSWD 6 Director Minda Brigoli, and Belison Mayor Darel Dela Flor signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the construction of 60 core shelter units as part of the continuing rehabilitation activity of the department.

LEARNING CENTER FOR BOHOL POOR

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Philippines (PNA) – The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), in partnership with Angelo King Foundation Inc. (AKFI), had just turned over the Technology and Livelihood Center to the Bohol Integrated Development Foundation Inc. (BIDEF) for their beneficiaries in Barangay Malitbog, Dagohoy.

PBSP program coordinator for Bohol Aurelio Salgados Jr. said AKFI’s assistance is intended to improve the productivity and income of the marginal farmers of Bohol.

Salgados said AKFI anchors its programs on the adage “give someone fish and you feed him for a day but teach someone to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”