LEYTE — President Benigno S. Aquino III has appointed new judges to the various lower courts in the Visayas area, a move that observers believe will declog the court dockets around the region. Based on the official presidential website, the presidential appointees to the judiciary are as follows: Judge Emelinda Ripalda Maquilan as presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court-branch 13 in Carigara, Leyte; Judge Carlos Arguelles as presiding judge of RTC-branch 14 in Baybay City of Leyte; Judge Roselyn Corres Fallorina as presiding judge of the 11th Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) for Villaba and Tabango towns in Leyte. Judge Rodrigo Eguia as presiding judge of the 4th MCTC in Talibon and Jetafe towns of Bohol; and Judge Leticia Ban Trigue as presiding judge of the Municipal Trial Court in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. (Mars Mosqueda)

Coconut Festival

PALO, LEYTE (PIA) — Eastern Visayas is hosting the 26th National Coconut Week celebration and 11th National Coconut Festival for the Visayas Cluster comprising Regions 6, 7 and 8. This year’s celebration revolves around the theme “Masaganang Kinabukasan Mula sa Niyugang Inalagaan,” said Edilberto V. Nierva, Philippine Coconut Authority regional manager. Nierva said this is the first year that their main office has pushed for island group celebration of the annual events. In the past, the activity was centralized. The celebration aims to raise public awareness of the significant role of coconut farmers and the vital contribution of the coconut industry to the country’s economy and food security.

Greening Program

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL (PIA) — The National Greening Program (NGP) was launched last Friday at Barangay Mansablay, Isabela, Negros Occidental.  Newly elected Fifth District Representative Alejandro Y. Mirasol graced the activity, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Kabankalan City Planning Officer Rosievel Dimatulac said in a press release. A short program and orientation regarding NGP was held at Mansablay Elementary School before deployment of tree planters to the four parcels of NGP sites located at upper portion of Mansablay Integrated Social Forestry (ISF) areas. Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Valentin P. Talabero with 35 DENR personnel participated in the tree-planting.

Packaging Center

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) — Aklan’s food producers can now give other food manufacturers from other provinces a run for their money with the opening here today of the Packaging and Labeling Center at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) located at the provincial capitol compound. In the same occasion, the DOST also opened the Metrology Center, also housed here.

Scholarship Program

ILOILO CITY (PIA) — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration 6 (OWWA 6) has moved to an earlier date the deadline for the submission of the requirements for its Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) from September 30 to August 30. OWWA 6 Information Officer Rizza Joy Mapa said this is because the qualifying examination for the EDSP which is administered by the Department of Science and Technology has also been reset to an earlier date.