GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – The City Council here has approved an ordinance declaring the old City Hall building as site of the City Museum. The establishment of the City Museum will provide a venue to showcase the history, culture, and myths and evolution of the southern frontier people, both first inhabitants or indigenous individuals, and migrant settlers, including their artifacts, tools, and infrastructure.

Councilor Ronnel Rivera said the museum will serve as a repository of the vanishing antiquated treasures consisting of heirlooms and arts/crafts of the early settlers of dominant indigenous people such as the Maguindanao Sultanate, Buayan Sultanate, Koronadal Sultanate, the B’laan tribe, and other cultural communities. (Joseph Jubelag)

Hunger mitigation

MAWAB, Davao del Norte (PNA) – Around 7,000 Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) and Civilian Active Auxiliaries (CAA) members are soon to engage in another war – war against hunger, malnutrition, and poverty.

Lt. Col. Lyndon V. Paniza, chief of the Army’s 72nd Infantry Battalion based at Sitio Mahayahay in Barangay Tuburan, this town, said that aside from maintaining peace and order in the village, the Cafgu and CAA members will soon be armed with knowledge on basic vegetable production through the project dubbed “Gulayan sa 72nd Infantry Battalion.”

Feeding centers

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – The Region 12 office of the National Nutrition Council (NNC-12) urged government and private establishments in the region to set up their own lactation stations or breastfeeding stations. Araceli Latonio, NNC-12 director, said the move is in compliance with Republic Act (RA) 10028 or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009.

She said their breastfeeding advocacy drive is also in line with the ongoing Nutrition Month celebration, which focuses on the theme “Isulong ang Breastfeeding, Tama, Sapat, at Eksklusibo (TSEK).” She said establishments may be given tax incentives should they provide lactation station for working mothers.

Island projects

PILAR, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte – Being a site of international game fishing tournaments, not only the tourism industry of this town will benefit but also villagers will have a chance to earn more, particularly with the completion of infrastructure projects in the area.

One of the projects include the Junction Cancohoy-Pilar Road that is a vital tourism road leading to the Magpupungko beach and fishing ground here where prestigious international game fishing tournaments are held annually. (Mike Crismundo)

Dapitan shines

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte – The schools division of this city placed first in the National Achievement Test (NAT) for graduating elementary school children in Western Mindanao (WM) conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) during School Year 2010-2011.

DepEd-9 Director Waltler O. Albos said the annual NAT, taken by some 15,000 Grade 6 pupils in eight schools divisions of WM, primarily sought to determine the academic performance of public school children in the major subjects of the curriculum. Albos said the schools division of Zamboanga del Norte emerged second place in the NAT for Region 9. (Tony Pe. Rimando)