KALIBO, Aklan, Philippines (PNA) — Aklan province has signified satisfaction with how President Benigno Aquino III ran the country’s affair in his first year of office.

Governor Carlito Marquez said Aklan is a recipient of such projects since Aquino assumed office as farm-to-market roads and the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program currently benefitting 30,000 Aklan families. He also cited the Godofredo P. Ramos Airport in Caticlan, jump-off point to Boracay, the country’s premier tourist destination, to be completed within Aquino’s term. “As far as the province is concerned we are satisfied with his service,” Marquez stressed.

P.C.L. gives P2-M tool kits

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PNA) — The Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Cebu chapter has allocated over R2 million worth of tool kits funded by the Cebu provincial government to be given to daycare centers in Cebu province starting July. There are 1,352 daycare centers in the province, with only 132 accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The kits consist of reference books for daycare workers, story books for the pupils, a cassette player and educational toys. PCL Cebu Chapter president, Cebu provincial board member Ivy Durano-Meca said it is necessary to upgrade the centers which provide early learning for children.

337 stranded in Banago Port

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PNA) — Some 337 passengers bound for Manila on Negros Navigation (NN)’s St. Michael were stranded last Monday Bacolod City’s Banago Port because the vessel had engine trouble. The vessel came from Cagayan de Oro City, its engine already impaired and late for its scheduled 9:30 Sunday morning trip to Manila. Philippine Coast Guard authorities here say the passenger liner is still in Banago, with no clear word yet from NN management as to when it could leave for Manila.

D.O.H. to check Aklan hospitals

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan (PNA) — The Department of Health (DoH) will inspect renovated and new hospital facilities in Aklan to ensure these are in good condition.

This includes Kalibo’s Dr. Rafael S. Tumbukon Memorial Hospital’s renovated dialysis and CT scan machine and equipment to be installed by Boracay’s Fairways and Bluewater Resort in the first and only trauma center on the island. Said resort has inked an accord with Metro Manila-based St. Luke's Medical Center for the establishment of such a center near Cagban Port and will be complemented by a heliport to be built nearby.

Antique facility for girls opens

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique (PNA) — The local government unit (LGU) of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, in partnership with Netherlands-based Let Us Care Foundation, Inc., has opened a facility for girls in difficult circumstances. The shelter, occupying an abandoned ice plant in Brgy. 4 near the San Jose Seaport will be run by the foundation lease-free for 20 years for girls five to 17 year-old girls who have been neglected or victimized by sexual, physical and/or emotional abuse and forced into prostitution. “This (home for girls) shows we Antiqueños are caring, especially to the less privileged,” said Antique Governor Exequiel B. Javier.