Community

Members of the Rotary Clubs of Kyoto-Fashimi, Bacolod-Marapara and Silay with Murcia Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura and Leah Tinsay, president of TriCastle International Inc.*Members of the Rotary Club of Kyoto-Fushimi in Japan returned to Negros Occidental last week to announce they have secured the funding to buy medical equipment for the benefit of the people of the municipality of Murcia.The project’s funding, through a Rotary Global Grant, will be used to provide much-needed equipment including an ultrasound machine, delivery table and incubator.Hideki Yomoda, incoming president of the Rotary Club of Kyoto-Fashimi and April Mendoza, vice-president and incoming president of the Rotary Club of Bacolod-Marapara.*These will be of particular help to mothers and their babies....

The Lions Clubs International District 301-B1 Philippines, with an Emergency Relief Grant funding from the Lions Clubs International Foundation, conducted a relief operation for evacuees affected by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption in La Carlota City and La Castellana in Negros Occidental on Saturday, Jan 11.Members from 47 Lions Clubs in Western Visayas distributed essential aid, including 600 emergency food packs, 600 hygiene and toiletry kits, 2,000 ready-to-eat food packs, and 600 kiddie happy packs for children, a press release from the Lions said Monday.The following evacuation centers in La Carlota City and La Castellana were the primary beneficiaries of the relief operation:• La Carlota City College Cubay Campus: 108 families and 328 individu...

        The Rotary Club of Bacolod and Bacolod Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade recently turned over the Laos Elementary School Multi-Purpose Covered Court at Sitio Laos, Brgy. Binobohan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.          Past District Governor Edgar Sy, Club President Marjorie Dino, Past President and Club Secretary Frederick Anthony de Leon, Past President Pauline Cuaycong, President Nominee Edlyn Agraviador, Rotarians Michael Gaerlan, and Marilyn Dormido witnessed the blessing and turnover of the special project for the people of Brgy. Binobohan on Dec. 17, a press release from the club said.Guihulngan Mayor Filomeno “Mikoy” Reyes delivered his keynote message, while Fr. Raymand As...

Opting to cancel the employees’ Christmas gathering this year, the City of Bago in Negros Occidental instead brought the celebration to the evacuation centers of residents affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.Through the “Adopt an Evacuation Center” initiative with the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Western Visayas, four groups of employees sponsored the parties and gift-giving activities in the evacuation centers on Monday.In a statement on Tuesday, Mayor Nicholas Yulo commended the City Hall personnel for extending a hand to fellow Bagonhons in a time of disaster and also assured the internally-displaced persons (IDPs) of continuous assistance from the city government.“Don’t lose hope. This is just temporary. We hope and pray that you will be able to go back ...

Miguel Mondia Elementary School students with Canlas, Jude Ledesma, Lymel John H Pasquin, teacher Marjolyn Locton, Ed Go, Robert Harland, Chaim Tionko and Dan Salazar.*Among the many groups and individuals providing much needed assistance to victims of the December 9  Kanlaon volcano eruption have been Masonic Lodges in Negros Occidental.Recently, members of the Manuel M. Abello Masonic Lodge #260 delivered food for the students of their adopted school, the Miguel Mondia Elementary School located in Sitio Bais, Brgy Yubo, La Carlota City, a press release from the group said. Students and their families have been evacuated to the La Carlota City College Cubay campus.The school, just a few kilometers from the crater of Mt. Kanlaon, is considered as a "Last Mile" s...

Santa with children from the Villa Gracia Day Care Center*As Christmas fast approaches, Santa has been busier than ever this year.And thanks to the Rotary Club of Bacolod Marapara, a special visit by Santa was the highlight of it's annual Pamaskua Sa Bata gift-giving party for children from the club's adopted Villa Gracia Day Care Center.The party, held recently at the Antonio Chan Training Center in Brgy Bata in Bacolod City, saw some 80 children enjoying a morning filled with singing, dancing, a tasty meal and, of course, Christmas gifts from a very jolly Santa.Club president Virgil Rupert "Igie" Villarosa said "Christmas is an opportunity for all Rotarians to share our blessings and, as we bless others, we too are being blessed as well. Our 'Pamaskwa sa Bata', now in its...

Four fourth-year AB Communications students from the University of St. La Salle have initiated “Project Handi-Handum” to empower unemployed women in Purok Yanson-Prutas, Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City.The project addresses economic challenges faced by the community since its relocation in 2018, which left many residents struggling to secure stable employment. Through practical skills training in decorative candle-making and upcycled rag rug-making, paired with basic business education, the initiative aims to create sustainable income opportunities.“Gapati guid kami nga through skills development, it will can go a long way. We aim to help the women of Purok Yanson-Prutas while instilling in them self-sufficiency and independence, reducing reliance on potential aid th...

A total  of 173 public school teachers who are scholarship grantees of the Negros Occidental provincial government’s Project Flagship to Reach Educational Excellence (Project FREE) received their doctorate and master’s degrees at graduation rites at the University St. La Salle (USLS)  Coliseum in  Bacolod City,  on Thursday, Dec. 12.The scholar-grantees are part of Project FREE Batch 3, a press release from the Capitol said Friday.Out of the 173 graduates, 21 received their Doctorate degree of Philosophy in Educational Leadership and 152 obtained their Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling, Education major in Natural Science,  Mathematics, Reading, Language and Literature, Filipino, Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health, Social Studies, Special Ed...