CAMIGUIN, Mambajao (PIA) – The feast of “Saint John the Baptist” is a big celebrated event on the island, where locals dotingly look forward to, year after year.

“San Juan” as it’s commonly called, is celebrated grandiosely like Christmas for many of the Camiguingnons, only that, on this occasion, everybody rush off to the shore, bringing along packed lunch to share with friends and relatives at the beach.

It’s the only time of the year where you find the streets empty but the surrounding shores jam-packed with people, pump boats, and all kinds of fun.

Positive growth

KULAMBOGAN, Lanao del Norte – Thousands of fishermen benefited from the fast-growing fishing industry in Lanao del Norte after more investors are coming in to avail of the province-wide Mariculture and Aquatic Tourism Project.

An added boost to the fishing industry in the province is the P25-million mariculture investment from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), while the provincial government also shared P2.7 million as its counterpart.

Initially, the provincial government and the BFAR established 13 modules – 195 fish cage units – that can accommodate various species per fish cage. (Mike Crismundo)

Students cited

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines  (PNA) – The provincial government of Agusan del Sur honored its local outstanding youths for exemplary deeds in the academe and in the field of governance in the province.

Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza recently handed over numerous medals and trophies to elementary pupils and high school students at the Provincial Capitol in Patin-ay, Prosperidad town.

Awards were also given to outstanding youths, youth and student leaders.

The program aims to encourage youths, students, and young student leaders in the province to study and excel in their fields of endeavor.

Project green

TAGUM CITY, Philippines (PIA) – Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Director Susana Estigoy lauded Tagum City Schools Division for its efforts in supporting the National Greening Project of the national government. Of the nine schools divisions and five cities in the Davao Region, Estigoy had noted that only this city organized a formal launching of the National Greening Program in line with the vision of filling denuded areas with 1.5 billion trees by 2016.

Some 700 teachers, students, and local officials, join the greening program launching here recently.

“It is fitting for us to take care of the environment,” she said.

Facility upgrade

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – To ensure immediate response from the various local government units (LGUs), private organizations, and individuals, the Region 13 office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-13) upgraded its Caraga Region’s “117” Emergency hotline facility here.

The old facilities in the center were replaced to ensure efficiency and timely delivery of services to callers, particularly during emergencies such as disasters or calamities, considering that the center caters to emergency calls involving saving lives.

Technical personnel of the DILG’s Electronic Data Processing Services brought and installed new facilities for the upgrading of equipment of Region-13’s Patrol “117” Emergency Call Center. (Mike Crismundo)