ILOILO CITY (PNA) – Some 845 aspirants for the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) will be taking cadetship entrance examination in several venues in Western Visayas, and in Negros Oriental on Sunday. The 3rd Infantry Division that has been coordinating for the exam said that the venues will be in Iloilo City, Kalibo in Aklan, Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, and Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. The 845 examinees do not include yet “walk-in” applicants who are also expected to arrive at the venues on the said date. More applicants are expected to be able to take up the PMA entrance examination.
TRIBAL TRAINING
BACOLOD CITY (PIA) – At least 25 leaders of Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) tribes attended a three-day “Training of Community Educator of IP on Anti-Child Trafficking” at the Technology and Livelihood Development Center of the Negros Occidental Barangay Center here. The IPs came from the Ati, Ata, and Bukidnon from the indigenous cultural communities of the towns of Hinobaan, Candoni, Isabela, Murcia, and Calatrava and the cities of Kabankalan, Himamaylan, Sagay, Cadiz, and Silay. The activity was initiated by the Philippines Against Child Trafficking.
COASTAL ROAD
TACLOBAN CITY – The infusion from the Export-Import Bank of Korea of around P1.6 billion would definitely complete the construction of the Samar Pacific Coastal Road, which will realize the long-sought road inter-connectivity of the provinces of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar in the Eastern Coast of Samar Island. Regional Director Rolando M. Asis, of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Region 8, disclosed this in an interview with the Manila Bulletin, saying that by next year – which is when proposed the Korean funding is to commence, only around 700 meters in length of road on the Northern Samar-side, and two kilometers in the Eastern Samar-side along the proposed road loop would be left unpaved under local funding. (Jack Gadaingan)
RICE SUFFICIENCY
CATARMAN, Northern Samar – The province of Northern Samar is trying its
best to attain rice self-sufficiency, the governor reported. Northern Samar Governor Paul Daza said that his office is intensifying its efforts and invest more resources in irrigation, rice field development, research, and other related activities to address the rice deficiency of the province. Daza said that one of the challenges of the province is how to make Northern Samar self-sufficient in rice and meet the needs of the “fast-growing population, especially with half
of the population living below the poverty threshold.” (Restituto Cayubit)
NEW HOSPITALS
BALAMBAN, Cebu – The provincial government of Cebu is set to inaugurate within this year two provincial district hospitals with 100-bed capacity and enhanced healthcare services. The Cebu Provincial District Hospital here is set to be inaugurated on September 28, and the Cebu Provincial District Hospital in Danao City will open on October 10. Another district hospital in the waiting is the Bogo District Hospital, which still awaits approval from the Department of Health. Both Bogo and Danao run a 50-bed district hospital, while the Balamban district hospital has a 25-bed capacity. (Mars Mosqueda Jr.)