SAINT’S RELICS

BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. (PNA) – Devotees, including those named after St. Therese of the Child Jesus, gathered here for a concelebrated mass yesterday to mark her 140th birthday and prepare for the pilgrim’s relics third visit here March 5-7, 2013. The education committee of the diocese here is inviting lay associations, schools and other church organizations to seminar workshops on January 9, 16, 23, and 30, and on February 13, 20, and 27 as part of the catechesis on the life and message of St. Therese, at the Carmelite Monastery’s Mother Mary Louise Agape Hall here. “We’re asking the parishes, chaplaincies, lay associations and movements, schools and other groups, to join the workshops,” Rev. Fr. Jude Serfino, Diocesan coordinator said.

HERITAGE SITE

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PNA) – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has declared the small temple used during the Nov. 30, 2012 national thanksgiving mass for the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod a heritage site. In an executive order (EO), Rama also issued an executive order creating a seven-man management committee tasked with preserving and maintaining said temple. Such committee is comprised of the mayor or his representatives, the South Road Properties manager, the city engineer, and representatives from the Archdioceses of Cebu, the Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, the Cebu City Tourism Commission, and the Cebu City Police Office. “The temple shall serve as a remembrance of that great gathering of a million people in thanksgiving for the gift of faith and sainthood,” Rama said.

P.E.S.O. REPLICATION

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) – The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), a center for training and upgrading of seafarers based in Tacloban City, will replicate the Department of Labor and Employment’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO) program to ensure that current and future graduates will find jobs suitable for their acquired knowledge. NMP OIC Executive Director Atty. Forter G. Puguon, Sr. said he is authorized by the NMP Board of Trustees to forge a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) to establish and implement the PESO program in early 2013 to ensure that NMP graduates will land suitable jobs in the maritime industry here or abroad. PESO is a non-fee charging multi-employment service facility established pursuant to Republic Act No. 8759 otherwise known as the PESO Act of 1999.

P.N.P. HAILED

CATARMAN, Northern Samar (PIA) – Not a single member of Philippine National Police (PNP)-Northern Samar was caught firing his service firearm during the New Year revelry. Northern Samar PNP Provincial Director, Police Sr. Supt. saias Bañez Tonog said the servicemen in his turf strictly obeyed the PNP’s No Indiscriminate Firing policy. PNP Northern Samar personnel, down to the municipal level complied with instructions to conduct simultaneous taping of firearms’ muzzle to refrain personnel from indiscriminate discharge of issued firearms.

MABILOG LAUDED

ILOILO CITY (PNA) – City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog’s plan to hold fireworks display here last New Year’s Eve in one place was lauded as it proved to be successful in minimizing the use of firecrackers in barangays and other parts of the city. City police and city health offices also recorded fewer injuries due to firecrackers this year with only 19 cases reported versus 2011’s 110 cases. Meanwhile, police operatives recovered 20 stray bullets of various calibers, a number less than the 50 collected in 2011. Four slugs were found in the city’s La Paz district, three in Mandurriao, one in Jaro, four in the city proper and eight in Molo.