CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (PIA) – Public schools remain to be the main provider of formal education in Northern Mindanao as it absorbs 88 percent of the total enrollment and dominate in terms of the number of schools by 74.7 percent.

Department of Education Region-10 Director Luz S. Almeda said the region has a total of 3,186 schools, of which 2,381 or 74.73 percent are public schools, and 805 or 25.27 percent are private schools. DepEd figures also show that 288 of these are for preschoolers, 2,361 are elementary, and 537 are high schools.

Rice sufficiency

CATEEL, Davao Oriental (PIA) – This town will soon become a rice granary of Davao Oriental as it gets a substantial share in the P300 million Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) funds. Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon said this town will have an allocation of P256 million from the MRDP irrigation system development fund.

Malanyon also said she wants the province to be food sufficient. “For us to develop, we have to have rice,” she said. She assured that other municipalities in the province of Davao Oriental will also get their share from the MRDP funds.

Pagadian Center

PAGADIAN CITY (PIA) – The City Commercial Center (C3), this city’s biggest economic enterprise investment, had its soft opening recently to serve customers with quality products and services. Mayor Samuel S. Co said this city now rises to progress and development. “With the establishment of C3, the residents are jubilant as it is the only shopping mall owned and operated by a local government unit not only in Mindanao but perhaps in the Philippines,” Co said.

He said the start of the soft opening was also the start of the pre-grand opening activities until the grand opening on September 23. “There will be daily entertainment shows like live bands, singing and choral competitions, dance sports and hip-hop dance contests, and many more,’’ Co said.

Passport service

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – The Department of Foreign Affairs–Zamboanga Regional Consular Office said the electronic passport operations at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas here normalized as technical adjustments have been set in place.

As this developed, the Consular Office has reduced the passport releasing period to 30 days for Express processing at P1,200 and 40 days for regular processing at P950. The new timeframe for passport processing applies to all Regional Consular Offices nationwide it said. Passports due for release in August are now available at the Consular Office. Applicants may claim their passports from Monday to Friday, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Navy assistance

DAVAO CITY (PIA) – Officers and enlisted personnel from the Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao joined the blood letting activity held at the Seamen’s Hospital in Agdao, this city. The Navy personnel donated blood in support to the campaign for dengue awareness program.

The donated blood units will be given to dengue patients from all over the region who need blood transfusion. The Rotary Club of Waling-waling – Davao headed by Dr. Mae G. Dolendo hosted the blood letting activity dubbed “Saling Dugo, Saling Buhay.”