LEGAZPI, Philippines (PNA) – HELP ME, a four-year program of the administration of President Aquino that intends to eliminate child labor in the country, has placed the province of Masbate in Bicol under its implementation that would start this year. HELP stands for health, education, livelihood, and prevention/protection/prosecution, while ME stands for monitoring and evaluation. Its implementation, with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as lead agency, would contribute to the realization of the country’s ultimate Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty through decent work. HELP ME is a convergence program that will apply a community-based approach against child labor.

Weather Device

DINGALAN, Aurora (PNA) – An early warning device (EWD) that will caution residents against weather disturbances was recently installed in this coastal town. The EWD, the first of its kind in the province, is located within the compound of Barangay Aplaya hall. Barangay officials led by Leo Agustin recently accepted the apparatus from Engineer Romeo Callanta, who voluntary donated and set up the EWD here. With three loud speakers installed atop a 40-foot metal tower, the EWD is composed of microphone, amplifier with siren, and USB gadget, which can also be linked into a computer system.

Unity Effort

LEGAZPI CITY (PNA) – The provincial unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Catanduanes spearheaded the holding of a “Unity Walk and Prayer Rally for Secure and Fair Elections (SAFE) 2013” on Sunday, the Bicol Regional Police Office (BRPO) here said on Wednesday. The activity marked the start of this year’s election period and was conducted to drumbeat the significance of the elections targeting the humane and spiritual side of the electorate, the BRPO added. It kicked off at 6:30 a.m. from the Virac Town Plaza to the Catanduanes Provincial Police Office complex in Camp Francisco Camacho where a short program and an interfaith prayer were held.

Agri Monitoring

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PNA) – Provincial agriculturist Lolita Bentres yesterday said no frostbites has yet been noted in high-lying vegetable gardens and terraces of Benguet Province, which felt a cool 10 degrees Celsius temperature Tuesday morning. The remoteness of frosting was again seen as the temperature has once more gone up to 12 degrees Celsius in the area. The Department of Agriculture (DA) here assured that the average daily vegetable harvest of the province at more than 2,000 metric tons can be sustained, and there is no danger of lack of supply of the products.

Top Graduates

LEGAZPI CITY (PNA) – The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced here Wednesday that 10 graduates of the Catanduanes State University (CSU) landed at the top 10 among those who passed the recent Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in Bicol. The PRC identified the top 10 passers as Carlito T. Gelito, Joan S. Guerrero, Jinky Lou T. Sarmiento, Ronald A. Teves, Ian Lopez, Eddie Cadag, Donna Nerisse Sapico, Aizel Cerillo, Melvin Fernandez and Daniel L. Alfaro. The CSU College of Education is the Commission on Higher Education's Center of Development in Teacher Education for the island province of Catanduanes.