HEROES NEEDED

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PNA) – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog yesterday underscored Filipinos’ need for more heroes as the country marked the 116th anniversary of national hero Jose P. Rizal’s martyrdom.  “If we cannot be heroes then let us inspire the youth to be heroes,” he said. “We live in a time when loyalty, respect, and truthfulness have either been lost or turned into a rare human quality. It is, thus, important to teach and encourage leaders of tomorrow to learn that the values of loyalty, respect, love of fellowmen, truthfulness and lending an ever-ready are some of the things that will make a difference,” he stressed.

CAPIZ HELMETS

ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) – Some 8,090 helmets were verified and sealed with Philippine Standards (PS) or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here from July to December 21 this year. The figure includes 375 motorcycle helmets which failed during verification. DTI has intensified its verification and marking on motorcycle helmets in the province by scheduling out-of-town activities to reach more motorcycle drivers and back riders. Motorcycle drivers and back riders caught not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet shall be fined P1,500 for the first offense; P3,000 for the second offense; P5,000 for the third offense and P10,000 with confiscation of the driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses.

TESTING EXPANSION

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) – Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) officer-in-charge Atty. Ronnie Delicana said the agency wants to expand random drug testing among workers. “We will get the cooperation of the local officials to pass ordinances requiring business establishments to allow random drug testing in their workplaces,” Delicana said, adding that “this will be a pre-requisite to issuance of business permits.” He also said there should be a widespread culture of zero drug abuse in workplaces to boost the PDEA’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. “We will be pursuing the signing of memoranda of agreement with different partners to realize drug-free work places,” Delicana said.

C.I.C.L. REHAB

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) – Department of Social Welfare and Development social workers say many children in conflict with the law (CICL) come from dysfunctional and broken families. “This is why family  support is very important in CICL rehabilitation, said DSWD Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth social worker Jun Tercena who added such children are just victims of circumstances, where peer pressure is stronger, especially if they are neglected at home. Under rehabilitation, CICLs are provided with a setting similar to home, where substitute parental care and protection given by “house” parents.

‘IWAS PAPUTOK’

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas is strengthening its ‘Iwas Paputok’ program through its Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (APIR) this year, aiming for zero casualty as the nation welcomes the New Year. The campaign also encourages the use of environment friendly materials instead of dangerous, pollutant firecrackers and plastic during the celebration.