Hundreds of devotees of San Pedro Calungsod in the Diocese of Imus (Cavite) welcomed the pilgrim image of the second Filipino saint, which arrived in the diocese yesterday as part of the “Duaw Nasud” or the national pilgrim tour of the sacred image. The image, which arrived in the country from Rome, Italy last October 25, four days after the canonization of the young Visayan martyr, arrived from the Diocese of Caloocan at 2 p.m. at the St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Bacoor. It was then brought via a motorcade to Cavite City, where a solemn mass presided by Fr. Leomer Dendiego was held. (Christina Hermoso)

INVESTORS’ HAVEN

ANTIPOLO CITY — The city government here is geared towards making this Pilgrimage City as a premiere investors’ haven. To formally present the city to the investors, the local government is holding an investment summit on November 15, 2012, at the First Pacific Leadership Academy in this city. With the theme “Come to Antipolo, Invest in Antipolo. Grow in Antipolo,” the summit aims to gather all stakeholders, particularly businessmen, and explain the potentials that the city offers, the City Economic Enterprise and Investment Promotions Office (CEEIPO) said. (Nel Andrade)

GOV’T SERVICE

BALANGA CITY — To further improve basic government services to the public, Representative Abet S. Garcia (2nd District, Bataan) is mulling to introduce a modernization program through information technology (IT). Now on his third and last term as congressman, Garcia said Bataan will be the first province to provide real-time updates and announcements to the people through what he called a planned linkage of the provincial government to the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. He said that emergency calls at any time, job postings, help requests, and even consultations will all course through an information technology system to streamline the services of the provincial government. (Mar Supnad)

P.W.D. WELFARE

MARILAO, Bulacan — In its advocacy as a mall that is friendly to persons with disabilities (PWDs), the SM Supermalls through its SM Cares Program on Disability Affairs recently conducted various activities and seminars to equip the malls front liners on the proper handling of PWD customers. At the SM City here, invited guest speakers specializing on their fields shared relevant topics on mute and deaf, cerebral palsy and ADHD as well as the role of each in the society. Meanwhile, SM Valenzuela opened entrepreneurial and employment opportunities to PWDs by conducted on-site training programs and job opportunities for the visually impaired persons. (Freddie Velez)

LIVELIHOOD AID

TUGUEGARAO CITY (PNA) — The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) here recently distributed 150 hybrid chickens to be raised as an additional livelihood for families with malnourished children. PVO senior agriculturist Ofelia Catienza said 75 hybrid chickens were given out to the municipality of Penablanca, and the rest were distributed to the villages of Nararagan and Macunay in Ballesteros. Catienza said the program aims to provide additional source of income for families with malnourished children. The identified villages are noted to have the most number of underweight children. The PVO conducted a seminar on the proper raising of the hybrid chickens.