ILOILO CITY, Iloilo — Department of Tourism (DoT 6) urged to sell Iloilo as one. “We must unite as one Iloilo, not as an individual city or as an individual province,” said Atty. Helen Catalbas, DoT 6 acting regional director, as means to speed up the opening of the new Iloilo Airport to an international market.
Catalbas said it is an imperative for the administration of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. to work together for international flights to materialize. Catalbas noted that unlike majority of the cities and provinces in the country, Iloilo has one name. (Tara Yap)
Samar Flights
CATARMAN, Northern Samar — Flights for Catarman-Tacloban and Catarman-Cebu routes will open soon, the governor of this province reported. Northern Samar governor Paul Daza told reporters in a press conference at his office here that starting February 8, Eagle Trans Asia (ETA) Air will serve the above-stated routes to cater the needs of the passengers.
“We are happy to have finally convinced ETA Air to open this regional flight, not being served by other airlines,” Gov. Daza said. “This will increase the accessibility of Northern Samar to tourists and investors,” he added. (Restituto A. Cayubit)
Aklan Evacuation
KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA) — The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) here is putting more emphasis on evacuating people during calamities rather than waiting for the calamity to happen and conduct rescue operations.
Galo Ibardolaza, PDRRMC-Aklan Executive Officer, said this is the main thrust of the province’s Disaster Response Program, which is putting more weight on prevention, rather than cure, during disaster situations. Ibardolaza said the provincial government of Aklan is continuously undertaking disaster preparedness campaigns and other related activities to educate people.
Samar Hospital
CATBALOGAN CITY (PIA) — PhilHealth official Dr. Noel Arteche encouraged hospital administrators in Samar to provide supplies and drugs to members of PhilHealth. Arteche made this appeal during the first Samar Hospital Summit held at the Capitol, Catbalogan City, Samar on Friday, Jan. 27.
"If the member buys supplies and medicines outside the hospital pharmacy, the hospital loses some income,” Arteche told the gathered hospital personnel.
The same is true with laboratory services, where the hospital cannot provide so the patients go elsewhere to get it and is given a refund, the doctor explained.
Bohol Rice
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, (PIA) — Rice production in Bohol increased by about 16.44 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. According to a data provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) in Bohol, the feat in 2011 is higher than in 2008, when Bohol’s over-all palay production peaked at 218,701 metric tons.
This year, total palay production in Bohol as gathered from a composite of irrigation, rain-fed and upland rice areas reached 225,246 metric tons. Governor Edgar Chatto has aggressively urged Boholanos to adopt new technologies and high-yielding seeds to increase production and solidify Bohol’s claim as Central Visayas’ food basket.