CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines (PIA) – The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC)-7 in Cebu on Monday negated text reports that radiation leaks from a nuclear reactor in Japan may hit the country.

“It’s plain misinformation,” said Neil Sanchez of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-7 and Cebu provincial chair of RDRRMC-7 who stressed that “there is no immediate threat as far as radiation leaks are concerned.”

He said the Philippine National Research Institute (PNRI) is in constant contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency for the latest developments on the nuclear reactor leak in Japan and every hour hours, the Department of Health (DoH) regularly monitors the air for possible radiation indications.

Smoking ban in Roxas City
ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) – The Roxas City government is determined to enforce the “no smoking” ordinance in all public places here.

City Councilor Powell del Rosario, who authored said ordinance, said it will be strictly enforced as “it is not only a campaign on health but on environmental protection and preservation, too.”

Because of the smoking ban enforcement, offices in City Hall have been free of cigarette smoke. Also, more local officials in the city have opted to minimize and even quit smoking, said Del Rosario.

Biliran to host women's congress
BILIRAN (PIA) — The provincial government of Biliran in cooperation with WORD-KALIPI and the Provincial Council for Women’s Welfare, Inc. (PCCWI) is all set for the 17th Women’s Congress March 17-18.

The two-day event is in consonance with the Women’s Month celebration themed, “Magna Carta of Women, the Philippine CEDAW: In Support of the Millennium Development Goals.”

Dr. Cecil Espina, PCCWI President, urged women and men to attend the congress and listen to such topics as the rights, responsibilities, and limitations of women, children, and parents.

Negros Girl Scouts host meet
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PIA) — The Negros Occidental Girl Scout Council and the Bacolod City Girl Scout Council hosted recently the three-day Visayas regional conference of all council presidents and council executives.

Participants were Girl Scout Councils of Aklan, Antique, Bacolod, Calbayog, Capiz, Samar, Eastern and Northern Samar, Leyte and Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental-Dumaguete-Siquijor, Bacolod and Negros Occidental.

Capiz incident leaves one casualty
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo — A report from the Philppine Army (PA) detachment based in Capiz informed that Cpl. Joebert Glindro of the PA’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) was initially abducted in Brgy. Artuz by 30 armed men dressed as soldiers while he was on his way home to Brgy. Camburanan last Sunday.

Glindro never made it home as his lifeless body was found early Monday morning in a cemetery nearby in Artuz village. Andrada confirmed that it was the handiwork of the NPA’s Central Front Committee led by Francisco Balois (a.k.a. “Tonying”).

The army believes that the latest incident is an indication that communist rebels have not heeded the peace talks between the Aquino administration and the CPP-NPA-NDF. (Tara Yap)