SAN JOSE, Antique, Philippines (PIA) — High-school students of Students of Gen. Leandro Fullon National School in mountainous barangay Fabrica, Hamtic, 25 kilometers south of Antique capital town San Jose were taught how to grow pesticides-free vegetables during an 18-week course dubbed School Field School – Children Participation on Integrated Production and Pest Management (SFS-CP IPPM) on vegetables.

The course taught the students how to manage a vegetable plantation using such organic fertilizers as chicken dung, vermin cast, and commercial fertilizers.

Radio-7 president

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Bohol Province Information Officer Augustus Escobia was elected new president of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers in Region VII (RADIO-7) in yesterday’s election of officers during the 19th RADIO-7 Consultative Conference in Dumaguete City’s South Sea Resort Hotel.

Escobia was a former employee of PIA-Bohol and is now president of the Association of United Development Information Officers (AUDIO). Cebu Association of City and Municipal Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) president Carlo Dugaduga was elected vice-president while Ma. Elena Maniwang and Bert Jaspe of AUDIO-Bohol were elected Secretary and Treasurer, respectively, while Silliman University’s Information Officer Mark Garcia was auditor of RADIO-7.

Consumer complaints

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s Iloilo Provincial Office reported action on 127 consumer complaints from January to September 2011. DTI-Iloilo Provincial Manager Wilhelm Malones said the complaints include deceptive sales, warranty of household products, and cellphone warranty.

Of the 127 complaints, 124 were under the jurisdiction of DTI and the remainder were referred to other concerned government agencies. The DTI’s areas of concern include questionable service practices with regard to repair of cars, appliances, office machines, and heavy equipment.

AFP scores

NEGROS ORIENTAL (PIA) — The days of the New People’s Army in Negros Oriental are numbered as the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command (AFP-CentCom) is expecting more rebels to surrender to the government.

Central Command Spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus bared that last month alone, 17 armed rebels surrendered back to the folds of the government while the military captured three rebels and recovered seven high-powered firearms.

Vital statistics

CATBALOGAN City, Samar (PIA) — Provincial Statistician Romeo Bagatbat is underscoring the importance of statistical information and said the annual observance of National Statistics Month is an excellent way of explaining the necessity of statistical knowledge is necessary even as it promotes and enhances the country’s awareness of the value of statistics.

Bagatbat made his statement at the start of the Secondary Statistics Quiz recently, as the National Statistics Office (NSO) led in the month-long celebration of NSM.