CEBU CITY, Cebu (PNA) – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has issued Executive Order (EO) 12-15 providing for insurance to pre-school children in an effort to promote Cebu City as a "child-friendly city."Some 8,434 pre-school children enrolled in 157 day-care centers in 80 barangays here will be benefited. Funding for this purpose will come from the City’s Hospitalization and Medicines Program (Champ), Rama explained adding that "every year, the city allocates R100 million for Champ.”

ANTI-RABIES DRIVE

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo  (PNA) – The city government here is seriously pursuing the campaign against rabies in dog or human in pursuance to the provisions of Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007. The city council also passed an ordinance in 2011 declaring a city-wide campaign against rabies and providing penalties to violators as well as criminalizing "tanduk," a local practice by quack doctors against the spread of rabies in humans bitten by a rabid dog. Iloilo City veterinarian Dr. Tomas Forteza said dog owners must have their dogs vaccinated regularly. The city veterinarian’s office conducts free house-to-house dogs vaccination.

SUPPORT PROGRAM

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PNA) – Concerned with the increasing number of separation of couples in the military, the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental conducted last Friday a one-day Family Welfare Support program for its soldiers and their spouses to strengthen family ties and marital relationships. At least 20 couples, 10 from the 11th Infantry Battalion, five from the 79th Infantry Battalion and five from the brigade, attended the activity at the brigade headquarters in Tanjay City focused on family planning, responsible parenthood and marriage enrichment, among others. Brigade commander, Col. Francisco Patrimonio noted a high incidence of failed marriages and broken marital unions in the military because of the nature of their job.

SELF-IMMOLATION

CEBU CITY, Cebu – A still-unidentified man remains in critical condition after he set himself on fire inside the historic Magellan's Cross near Cebu City Hall last Thursday. The man was seen praying inside the Cross at 7 a.m. when he suddenly poured gasoline and lit up a lighter to set himself on fire. City Hall employees and bystanders immediately put off the fire and rushed the man to the hospital where he remains in critical condition. The incident created a stir among tourists viewing the historic marker where a replica of the cross was planted on the spot over 500 years ago by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, marking the birth of Christianity in Cebu.

DPWH-LEYTE OPERATION 

CARIGARA, Leyte (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways in Leyte is set to demolish or remove at least 11,000 illegal structures along the road right-of-way limit of national highways. The demolition started at barangays Pinamopoan and Lemon in Capoocan, Leyte, two areas along national roads with many encroachments. “Many houses are very close to the pavement along this road section. We have removed 50 structures and some 80 that were just removed on the encroachers’ own initiatives,” Margarita C. Junia, district engineer of DPWH-8 said.