KALIBO, Aklan, Philipines (PNA) — A German-funded Philippine Endangered Species and Conservation Project (PESCP) will be exiting in Panay Island this year, according to its manager Maria Ibabao.
A non-government organization, the PESCP has accomplished several environment preservation initiatives especially in Antique province, where it is based.

These included the European grant for the breeding of the Visayas Tarictic Hornbill considered as one of the critically endangered hornbills in the world and the discovery of new wildlife species in Panay that were brought to the attention of conservationists in European countries.

Standard helmets for motorcycles
BACOLOD CITY (PIA) — Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod members Catalino Alisbo and Al Victor Espino proposed the use of standard helmet for hard-headed motorcycle riders who continually disregard the provisions of City Ordinance 476.

Councilor Alisbo proposed an amendment to Section 4 of the ordinance requiring motorcycle riders, including tandem riders, to wear crash/safety helmets within the city and their corresponding penalties for violations.

Cebu hosts kidney seminar
CEBU CITY (PIA) — Around 50 provincial, city, and municipal health officers in Central Visayas will gather in Cebu next week for a one-day seminar on urinalysis as a basic tool to detect kidney dysfunction amid the identification of kidney disease as among the top 10 leading cause of mortality rate among Filipinos.

Dubbed as ‘Urinalysis: Maximizing the Use of a Basic Tool for Diagnosis and Prevention of Kidney Diseases,’ the activity slated on March 23 is an undertaking of the National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) in collaboration with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Singaporeans help G.K. villages
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL (PIA) — Twenty-four Gawad Kalinga (GK) volunteers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic School of Health Sciences in Singapore visited GK villages here.

Part of the Youth Expedition Project, the group accompanied by Dr. Eugene Macalinga and Nancy Chua conducted a medical mission in three GK villages in Bacolod City in cooperation with the nursing students of the University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos.

The volunteers who are nursing students from Singapore called on Governor Alfredo G. Marañon at the Capitol.

Free calls for OFWs
BACOLOD CITY (PIA) — The Bacolod City government through its Sectoral Office facilitated free phone calls abroad between families and members wherever the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who may be caught in armed conflict, natural disasters and other circumstances that may endanger their lives and human rights in other countries.

To date, the Sectoral Office of Bacolod has helped over 157 OFWs from countries like Lebanon, Kuwait, Jordan, Hon Kong, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Cyprus, Libya, and Japan.

This aid has been in progress since the war in Lebanon in 2006.