BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – The city mayor here issued a mandatory order Tuesday to have a weekly cleanup of all drainage and canals throughout the city to avert flooding, and to mitigate global warming and climate change.

Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. also ordered all department heads, spearheaded by the city’s engineering, maintenance and environment departments, to lead the “all year-round” weekly cleanup in all the 86 urban and rural villages, particularly those within the heart of the city. “I am going to issue an Executive Order today for everybody’s support to clean up canals every week,” Amante said. (Mike Crismundo)

Yuletide treat

SAN ISIDRO, Davao del Norte (PIA) – Residents of the sleepy and far-flung village of Mamangan in this town are neither intimidated nor frightened when the roaring sound of military trucks and police cars, along with other public vehicles, awakened them.

The local folks knew the armed units were deployed to assist in the free community health and social services being held under the Davao del Norte Convergence for Peace and Development Program. It was the eighth stop of the convergence initiative, which has already benefitted over 10,000 indigents since it started four months ago by the provincial government.

Torch parade

TUPI, South Cotabato (PIA) – Hundreds of residents here led by local officials with torches on hand on Saturday night trooped the major streets of this town for the formal opening of the weeklong celebration of “Paskuhan ng Bayan.”

The fiery glow of torches attractively illuminated the dark streets of the town as the participants walked towards the Tupi Sports and Cultural Center for the mass dance competition. Earlier, the local government has dressed up the municipal building and the town’s plaza with brilliant Christmas decoration adorned with colorful, glimmering lights.

Cinema workshop

ZAMBOANGA CITY (PIA) – Around 50 students from the various colleges and universities here underwent a four-day seminar-workshop on cinematography organized by the city government and the Film Development Council of the Philippines recently, as part of the city’s Christmas celebration.

The workshop aims to arm, develop, and enhance students’ basic skills and knowledge on film-making. The FDCP people led by Briccio Santos, together with Nap Jamir, came to the city to impart their expertise to help students start with their passion. FDC and the city government have been undertaking projects since last year to help promote Filipino-made movies and develop future local film-makers.

Glan baywalk

GLAN, Sarangani (PIA) – The municipal government here is seriously considering constructing a baywalk using the Dipolog Baywalk as its model following an “Exposure Trip on Tourism Development” undertaken by municipal officials in the area.

Back after a successful trip, Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. described Dipolog to be similar with this town’s waterfronts, which he believes would be suitable for a baywalk development.

 “Dipolog and Glan have almost similar waterfronts, and it might be a good idea to have our own baywalk patterned after that of Dipolog’s as an added come-on to our beautiful white sand beaches in Gumasa,” he said.