BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – To boost the tourism industry, the City Tourism Office is eyeing to develop the eight-layer waterfalls as one of the tourist attractions of this city in the Caraga Region.

This city is already internationally known because of the discovery of the relics of the Balanghai Boats where C-14 carbon dating established that the relics are more than 1,630 years old.

The relics were the first wooden watercrafts excavated in South East Asia, similar to the Viking Ships of the Europe. (Mike Crismundo)

ICT Telecenters

BULUAN, Maguindanao – The government has identified 30 pilot sites in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) where it would set up computer telecenters to boost Information and Communications Technology (ICT) literacy in rural communities in the South, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said Tuesday.

Secretary Lualhati R. Antonino, MinDA chairperson, said each pilot site is expected to have 20 computers that would facilitate training courses on e-commerce. (Mick Basa)

Caraga Meet

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur – Despite the heavy downpour during the opening ceremonies of the 15th Caraga Regional Athletic Meet (CRAM), the 3,000 athletes wearing colorful uniforms from the five provinces and six cities in the region bravely and eagerly gathered at the sprawling D.O. Plaza Sports Complex here over the weekend.

The unpleasant weather on the first day of the CRAM did not affect the eagerness of the athletes and their respective delegations. (Mike Crismundo)

Green Contest

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PNA) – The provincial government of South Cotabato has strengthened the implementation of its clean and green program by adopting several reforms on its annual waste management competition for local schools and communities.

Nencita Acain, senior environment management specialist of the Provincial Environment and Management Office, said they revised the mechanics and criteria for the 2012 Clean and Green evaluation to further expand its coverage aside from waste segregation.

Support Fund

BUTUAN CITY – The constituents from various local government units (LGUs) who had been awarded the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) have the reason to be more happy these days after the regional offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had released the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) for them.

The release of the LGSF is expected to help the LGUs to construct more roads and bridges, school facilities, hospitals, day-care and health centers, and other infrastructure, livelihood, and development projects. The SGH award to the LGUs also aims to promote good governance among local governments. (Mike Crismundo)