MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-8 led by Regional Director Rey Gozon awarded this year, the Gawad Kalasag Award, first place, to the St. Bernard Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) chaired by Mayor Rico Rentuza who received from OCD-8 the P50,000 first prize check. Such recognition will automatically qualify the local council to be nominated for the national level competition in disaster preparedness.

TEACHERS’ VOW

ISABELA, Negros Occidental (PIA) — Teachers in Isabela town have vowed to support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Internal Peace and Security Plan named “Bayanihan.” The teachers lauded the soldiers’ efforts to achieve peace, security and development by advocating “education as the solution.” Some 380 teachers from this town attended a symposium organized by the Charlie Company, 11th Infantry Battalion dubbed “Philippine Army at DepEd: Bayanihan para sa Kinabukasan sang mga Kabataan.” Isabela is an inland town located near the center of Negros Island, some 72 kilometers south of Bacolod or about two hours of travel time from Negros Occ.’s capital city.

RELIEF DONATIONS

CEBU CITY, Cebu(PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 7 (DSWD-7) received P17,330 in cash and other donations from various organizations, government offices and individuals for Habagat victims in Metro Manila. A Cebu resort donated used clothing, slightly used towels, pairs of assorted slippers and sandals, assorted native hats and new female underwear worth P9,030.  During the 4th weekly meeting of the “Task Force Tabang for Habagat victims in Luzon” in Cebu City, the members encouraged their respective offices to donate for the needs of the people affected by the recent typhoon that struck Northern Luzon.

SEEDS DISTRIBUTION

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar (PIA) — The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Samar will distribute seed nuts in 26 Samar towns in late September or first week October this year. In line with the Republic Act 8048 or Coconut Preservation Act, the PCA has entered into a memorandum of agreement with local government units, with PCA providing the seed nuts and local government units (LGUs) taking care of the nursery.  Each LGU will identify town beneficiaries.

TB PROGRAM

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) — Aklan’s Provincial Health Office (PHO) a “TB in Prison” program in observance of Lung Month.  The program aims to prevent the spread of tuberculosis (TB) among inmates in Aklan prisons. The TB in Prison activity is the first of its kind held simultaneously in the province’s two detention facilities — Aklan Rehabilitation Center (ARC) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Barangay Nalook, Kalibo, Aklan. The program involves the conduct of information campaign on basic facts about tuberculosis, government’s directly-observed treatment short course, personal hygiene, healthy lifestyle and exercise, proper nutrition, ill-effects of smoking and alcohol and on human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) to 410 inmates – 283 from the ARC and 127 from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.