NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Biliran province has launched the search for “Illegal Propaganda-Free” Barangays in the province. Biliran Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) Atty. Sabino Mejarito said rampant violation of Republic Act 9006 (“Fair Elections Act”) specifically on the proliferation of illegally posted campaign materials during the campaign period in the province has prompted the search which aims to attain an illegal propaganda-free province.
ANTIQUE’S WATERBIRDS
SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA6) – Antique counted 5,346 waterbirds at various wetland sites in the province in a recent Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) bird-counting activity. DENR information officer Beverly Lyneth Salvan said the migratory bird species were Cinnamon Bittern, Javan Pond Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron Unidentified Herons and Egrets, Barred Rail, Painted Snipe, Black-Winged Stilt, Pacific Golden Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Mongolian Plover, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Unidentified shorebirds and unidentified terns and Pintail Snipe.
CAMPAIGN RULES
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) – A Commission on Elections (Comelec) official here is urging candidates to follow Comelec campaign rules and regulations. Iloilo Comelec Provincial Supervisor Atty. Jessie Suarez said while the campaign period is still over a month away, many candidates have already started plastering their posters and tarpaulins in public places. He reminded candidates that Comelec will designate and enforce a common area for their billboards and posters. “We will also be strict in poster and tarpaulin size parameters as well as on election propaganda spending which is subject to limitations set by law,” he said.
ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS
CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – The Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has launched two poverty-alleviation projects in Cebu, namely, the Coke-Tesda Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (S3TAR) and Tesda-DSWD Cash for Training (C4TP). Tesda Director General, Sec. Joel Villanueva was at the launching of said programs at the Convention Hall of J Center Mall in Mandaue City, Cebu last January 20. The S3TAR program aims to empower a thousand women retailers or those who own sari-sari stores in Cebu by providing them with training and merchandising support.
LEGAL EDUCATION
CATARMAN, Northern Samar PIA) – District supervisors, principals, head teachers, public and private elementary and secondary teachers from 24 school districts of Northern Samar towns were given legal education by the newly appointed legal officer of the Department of Education Division here, Atty. Rached P. Rondina who said within four months – from July to October 2012, he was able to conduct legal education seminars for teachers province-wide. The topics – Child Protection Policy, Crimes commonly committed by public officers, Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, Anti-sexual Harassment Act, and No Collection Policy – are meant to make the teachers aware of laws pertinent to students and the teaching profession.