TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte — A Tacloban City Government Hospital abandoned ward will be renovated by funds to be raised by Rotary Club of San Juanico District 3860.  San Juanico Rotary Club president Dr. Edgar C. Gasco said the club will raise some R286,357 for the project, which will have a 20-bed capacity. Gasco gave an initial R10,000 as seed capital and other Rotarians  pledged R5,000 during a recent club Fellowship meeting. Said ward, which will also house medical supplies and equipment donated by Rotarian Elena Agala of Vancouver, Canada-based Rotary World Help, will be named Rotary Ward once the project is completed.

BIOTECH FORUM 

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo — (PIA) Media, information officers, and other communication groups attended the Biotechnology for Communicators sponsored by the Biotechnology for Life Media and Advocacy Resource Center (BMARC) yesterday at the Westown Hotel, Iloilo City. Part of a BMARC-organized forum series along with the Biotechnology Coalition of the Philippines and the Department of Agriculture-Biotechnology Program Implementing Unit, yesterday’s event comprised of lectures on biotechnology, trends, breakthroughs and biotechnology application specifically in agriculture.

CLASSROOMS REHABILITATION 

 BANTAYAN ISLAND, Cebu — Some 19 previously dilapidated old classrooms in five Bantayan Island public elementary schools are now as good as new after the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), through its School Rehabilitation Program (SRP) invested P4.37 million for their repair and rehabilitation. These classrooms are used by nearly 900 pupils of Tamiao Elementary School, Vito Elementary School, Sillon Elementary School, Baod Elementary School, and Kabac Elementary School.

PRO-LIFE CONGRESS 

CEBU CITY, Cebu — The Philippines for Life Congress will be held here today, Nov. 16 and tomorrow.  The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the Human Life International-organized conference will gather pro-life advocates to listen to speakers including former Sen. Francisco Kit Tatad, former Manila Mayor Joselito Atienza, Pro-Life Philippines president Eric Manalang and Cebu Catholic Charismatic Communities chair Fe Barino, among others, to speak on The Role of Vigilance in Preserving Faith & Freedom, Authentic Christian Citizenship, How to Mangle the Filipino Soul, and Population and Good Governance: Real Keys to Philippine Progress, among other topics. (Christina I. Hermoso)

TACLOBAN AWARD 

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) — Tacloban City bagged the Pamana ng Lahi award, the highest award given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), combining the Seal of Good Housekeeping, Full Disclosure Policy, and local government performance management system (LGPMS). Mayor Maloney Samaco was in Manila to also receive other recognitions and citations, among them the Maintenance Award for consistently maintaining low children’s malnutrition prevalence in the city, and the Red Orchid Hall of Fame award for three successive years for keeping a smoke-free environment in Tacloban.