ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) — Western Visayas government and private organizations and institutions are expected to promote standards on organizational performance compared to leading organizations and business in other countries, after the recent day-long orientation on Philippine Quality Award (PQA) and Philippine Quality Challenge Program. PQA is a national awards program recognizing public and private entities achieving exemplary levels of quality business excellence. Conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for Industrial Competitiveness (DTI-CIC), the activity had 70 participants from local government units, schools, hospital, and business process outsourcing small and medium enterprises in Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Capiz and Guimaras.
CAPIZ SCORES
ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) — The Capiz Schools Division emerged first in the 2011-2012 National Achievement Test (NAT) in Western Visayas in the elementary level with a rating of 79.38 percent. Capiz placed fourth at the secondary level with a 52.52-percent rating. Capiz Schools Division Superintendent Eveleth Gamboa said problem identification and providing solutions to it have been identified as among the factors that placed the Division first in the NAT in Western Visayas for two consecutive school years.
RELIEF GOODS
CEBU CITY, Cebu9 (PIA) — The Regional Disaster Council in Region 7’s Task Force ‘Tabang’ (TFT) for Habagat victims in Luzon of said it will ship collected relief items for flood-stricken victims in Luzon before end August. Timogen Arellano of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 7 said donations in cash and in kind, are still being accepted from the public and RDC 7 members so these could be repacked in the case of relief goods for shipment to Manila.
SENATE HAILED
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Visayan Forum praised the Senate for its approval of the International Labor Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers earlier this month. Visayan Forum Visayas coordinator Romualdo Señeris and human rights awardee Ma. Cecilia Flores Oebanda jointly commended the Philippine Senate for concurring on ILO 189. With the Senate vote, the Philippines will now be the second country to formally ratify ILO Convention 189 after Uruguay. The Convention will enter into force as soon as the Philippine formally delivers the ratification instrument to ILO Geneva.
BREASTFEEDING AWARENESS
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte(PIA) — Southern Leyte’S Provincial Health Services Office joins the nation in celebrating Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August themed “Breastfeeding ay TSEK – Tama, Sapat at Ekslusibo!” Southern Leyte Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Noel P. Lumen said the local health department of the province continues its advocacy in implementing the Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (MBFHI). “The public, most especially nursing mothers are always reminded of the nutritional benefits which newborn babies and infants can get from mother’s milk specifically colostrum,” he said, referring to the first drop of milk from a mother’s breast right after delivering her baby. He said breastfeeding can be continued up to 2 years.