TEEN FORUM

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PNA) — The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) will partner with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation of this city for a roadshow forum on teenage issues, specifically on pregnancy and drug addiction on Nov. 16, with launching to be held at the University of Iloilo-PHINMA. Participants will include student leaders from 10 selected universities and colleges here who will talk about issues confronting today’s young adults, said Janvie Amido, focal person for gender and development of the youth and student sectoral council of NAPC. To be held simultaneous with the forum is the conduct of voter’s education together with the "Bayan Mo I-Patrol Mo" of ABS-CBN.

MAINTENANCE AWARD

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) — The Maasin city government will receive the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (Crown) Maintenance Award this year on November 9 at the Ceremonnial Hall, in Malacañang, Manila. Maasin City Mayor Maloney L. Samaco said Tuesday the city will receive the national award for consistently showing outstanding performance in the nutrition program, particularly reducing malnutrition among children. Maasin is the only city in Eastern Visayas that won the Crown Maintenance Award initiated by the Department of Health (DOH). The city bested other cities in the region such as Tacloban, Ormoc and Calbayog. The city also got the Crown Maintenance Award for winning the Green Banner Award for three consecutive years, 2004-2006, and another three years being Crown awardee -2009-2011 – for effective nutrition program implementation.

STANDARDIZED ACTION

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) — Iloilo province’s watershed boards will now have a uniform guide for planning, reporting and monitoring the “state of health” of their watersheds. The Iloilo Watershed Management Board, chaired by Governor Arthur Defensor, adopted the “Handbook for Watershed Reporting” in a special meeting of the body. In a draft resolution, the members of the Iloilo Watershed Management Council (IWMC) recognized the need for a guide which the different watershed management boards and councils can use in planning and decision-making. They also recognized the importance of having a manual considering disaster risk issues and the need for a more scientific and results-based study.

BOOSTING COLLECTIONS

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) signed an agreement with the Bayawan City government for a project to boost tax collection. Under said agreement, both DAR and the Bayawan local government will conduct a subdivision survey in government-owned lands to help improve the collection of taxes in the city. The latter will undertake the survey while DAR will facilitate endorsement of subdivision plans for approval by the Department of Environment of Natural Resources and the issuance of individual Certificate of Land Ownership to farmer-beneficiaries. DAR Sec. Virgilio de los Reyes was in Dumaguete City to sign the memorandum of partnership agreement with Bayawan government officials led by Mayor Rene Gaudiel.

ROAD MAINTENANCE

ORMOC CITY, Leyte (PIA) — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte Fourth Engineering District is conducting cleaning operations along Ormoc-Baybay-Southern Leyte boundary road. The ditch cleaning is undertaken regularly to let canal waters here flow smoothly. The bridge in the same area has also been repainted to make the sight clearer for travelers. On the other hand, vegetation control, which is a routine activity of the Engineering District, is also being conducted along Palompon-Isabel-Merida-Ormoc road to make the road wider for the travelers.