NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley, Philippines (PIA) – The provincial government of Compostela Valley (ComVal) reported a decline in malnutrition among pre-school children this year with a prevalence rate of 6.72 percent compared to last year’s 7.26 percent rate.

 In a report, Governor Arturo Uy said the local government’s nutrition interventions through the Provincial Nutrition Council greatly helped in the reduction of malnutrition prevalence rate. The program included feeding program and provision of fresh milk and chocolate-flavored milk. Other health intervention covered the intensified immunization under the Garantisadong Pambata Program that includes free immunization shots.

Community effort

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – The Turkish community managing the Filipino-Turkish Tolerance School (FTTS) distributed Monday beef to indigent families and other sectors in this city. The distribution of beef, which had been a tradition of the FTTS for the past several years, is part of celebrating Eid’l Adha as well as a show of gratitude to the Zamboangueños for their hospitality and friendship.

 The Eid’l Adha celebration is the feast of sacrifice or the culmination of the Islamic World’s Hariraya Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. As a practice, the Turkish community in Barangay Sinunuc slaughters hundreds of cattle every year, benefiting thousands of indigent families.

Road safety

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – Citing the rising cases of accidents involving “teen drivers,” the Regional Development Council in Region 12 (RDC-12) launched a massive advocacy and education campaign on road safety among high school and college students in the region.

Teresita Socorro Ramos, RDC-12 vice chairperson, said the initiative was based on a resolution recently passed by the council that recognizes the need to educate teen drivers on road safety practices and proper driving behavior to help curb the cases of vehicular accidents involving them.

Feeding program

KORONADAL CITY (PIA) – Active participation of non-government and civic organizations, local government officials, communities, and other stakeholders has helped South Cotabato in its fight against malnutrition, an official of the provincial government said.

Provincial Nutrition Officer Ma. Anna Uy said South Cotabato recently received the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) First Year Maintenance Award for sustaining a downward trend in prevalence of underweight children in the province. Uy announced prevalence rate among children below 6 years old in South Cotabato this year has gone down to 8.16 percent as compared to 9.66 percent in 2010 when it got its CROWN award.

Reading event

DIPOLOG CITY (PIA) – Public and private school administrators, college professors, and elementary and high school teachers are slated to coverage here from November 13 to 15 for the midyear “Demofest 2011” spearheaded by the Reading Association of the Philippines (RAP).

This year’s gathering of reading teachers, professors, and specialists in the mother tongue, Filipino, and English, will focus on the theme “Reading Rizal: Pagsulong sa Kaniyang Adhikain sa Konektadong Daigdig.”