TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines (PIA) — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in Eastern Visayas will bare the 2011 winners vying for the Model Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Family of the Year Awards (MOFYA) in the regional awarding ceremonies held today at Patio Victoria, Baluarte, San Jose, Tacloban City.

Of the eight OFW families nominated, two will be declared as winners, one for the MOFYA land-based and the other for the sea-based categories. Nominees were screened by a panel of judges who are experts on migrant workers and OFW issues.

DOLE aid

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) — Nearly 2,000 Aklanon migrant sugar workers or sacadas from Kalibo’s four municipalities have been identified as beneficiaries of the I-Serve Sacada Project of the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) launched here in the province.

DoLE’s I-Serve Sacada Project is meant to improve the socio-economic status of migrant workers and their families through livelihood formation, skills upgrading and provision of alternative and emergency employment to them. DOLE provincial director Joselito Dela Banda said based on DOLE-Aklan’s records 1,916 sacadas are currently registered with the agency.

Statistics month

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) — RoAnn A. Bacal, Region 6 director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is asking the public to actively participate and support activities marking October as National Statistics Month. Bacal said, “Observance of National Statistics Month each year promotes, enhances, and instills awareness and appreciation of the importance of statistics in formulating growth and development policies.”

This year’s theme in the observance of Statistic’s Month is “Quality Social Protection Statistics for Focused Targeting: Improving Outcomes, Changing Lives.”

Energy program

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Department of Energy (DoE) Secretary Rene Almendras is in Cebu to lead an Energy Forum and update energy stakeholders here on DoE’s development initiatives, plans and programs under the Energy Reform Agenda (ERA) framework, which is the blueprint for the energy sector under the 2011-2016 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan and the 2009-2030 Philippine Energy Plan.

A regional power situation and outlook as well as the DoE’s action plan ensuring power supply sustainability.

Performance award

ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) — The Capiz provincial government and the Panay municipal won third place in the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s exemplary performance competition called Gawad Pamana ng Lahi in Western Visayas.

The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi is a total award concept conferred to a province, city or municipality for exemplary performance in the areas of administrative, social, and economic governance as well as in environmental management and protection.