CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (PIA) – The proceeds from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Run slated February 5, 2012, will be given to centers that cater to the needs of children with cancer. Merlyn H. Ybañez, information officer of PhilHealth Region-10, said during the Regional Association of Government Communicators held here recently.

She said the main beneficiary of the event is the Southern Philippines Medical Center Children’s Cancer Center and Blood Disease Unit in Davao City, the only facility in the Visayas and Mindanao that can deliver multi-disciplinary care for children with cancer.

Transport growth

TAMPAKAN, South Cotabato – A transport group with members from the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City is preparing for what its members anticipate as a “tremendous growth” in terms of public transportation needs.

 “The Tampakan project will mean a bigger demand for public transportation and this will be good for the transport industry,” said Orlando Sabelita, president of the Socsksargen Transport Federation. “We believe that Sagittarius Mines, Inc. has safety and risks management systems in place, otherwise, they will not be given a permit to operate by the national government,” said. (Nonoy Lacson)

Sibugay order

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – Governor Rommel Jalosjos announced that local authorities have lifted starting Monday the curfew they imposed province-wide early this month following several encounters between soldiers of the Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Jalosjos said the lifting of the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew came after the military noted that the peace and order situation in the trouble-rocked towns of Payao, Titay, Kabasalan, and Ipil has been restored. He noted that the MILF camp of rebel leader Waning Abdusalam in Payao has been dismantled by troopers. (Tony Pe. Rimando)

Fish industry

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is spearheading a series of activities meant to strengthen the budding Pangasius industry in Region-9. The activities are also meant to heighten the awareness and appreciation of the Pangasius fish – also known as Cream Dory among consumers in this part of the country.

DTI 9 Director Nazrullah Manzur said the activities started November 27 with the scheduled visit to the three Pangasius farms based in this city. The farm visits, according to Manzur, is intended to gather firsthand information and assess the operations of the Pangasius farms in the city.

Zambo report

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – A flashflood swept Kumalarang town last Sunday drowning a teenager, destroying several houses and some 100 hectares of ricefields. Kumalarang Mayor Allan Damas estimated the initial cost of damaged properties and agricultural crops at over P1.5 million.

He said the drowning victim, a certain Dodong Sempay, 18, fell from a bamboo bridge, which was swept by a strong river current. Severely hit by the calamity, Damas said, were the villages of Gawil, Dipolo, Salagmanok, Sicade, Boyugan, and Poblacion. He said the flash flood also killed an undetermined number of farm animals. (Tony Pe Rimando)