Community

The Ponce Group of Companies and the St. John's Institute (SJI) Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) donated four oxygen concentrators to the Bacolod City government, during the vaccination drive at the SJI campus Wednesday, September 8.Of the four oxygen concentrators, three are from the Ponce Group, and one is from SJI PTA, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said Thursday.Representing both donors was Marigold Ponce, franchisee of Ponce Group Food Division and president of the SJI PTA. Also joining her were the officers of the SJI PTA.Mayor Evelio Leonardia, chair of the Emergency Operations Center, received the donation, along with Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) deputy medical data and analysis.The equipment will be turned over...

The Sagay City snorkeling guides received assistance from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) -Cadiz on Wednesday, September 8.The CENRO through its Sagay Marine Reserve (SMR) under its Conservation and Development Section spearheaded the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) and turn-over ceremony for its Development of Biodiversity-Friendly Enterprise (BDFE) in protected areas under the National Integrated Protected System (NIPAS) at Balay, Kauswagan, Sagay City.Mayor Alfredo Marañon III and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgardo Rostata led the MOA signing and turnover of the equipment to BuhayDagat Snorkeling Guides of Sagay Association, a CENRO press release said.They received 30 sets of life vests, 30 sets of full foot...

Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia will address the faculty members of the College of Nursing of the University of St. La Salle, students and their family members in a virtual forum at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 9.More than 1,000 are expected to attend the webinar, Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy medical of the Emergency Operations Center, said in a press release.Leonardia, who chairs both the city's EOC and the COVID-19 Vaccination Council, will center his inspirational message on the initiatives of the local government to achieve herd immunity that will ensure the safety of communities and residents.The September 9 webinar with Lasallians is an offshoot of an earlier Zoom meeting with the mayor, City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, concurrent EOC executive director and COVaC ...

Capitol photoA total of 56 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, received educational assistance worth P420,000 on Tuesday, September 7.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr. (Neg. Occ., 1st District), Salvador Benedicto Mayor Marxlen Dela Cruz, and Negros Occidental Scholarship Program (NOSP) Division head, Karen Dinsay, distributed the cash assistance to elementary and high school IP students at the Brgy. Bagong Silang Covered Court in the town.Each IP student received P7,500 as allowance for the school year, under the scholarship category, Educational Assistance for IP’s Basic Education (EAIBE), a press release from the Capitol said.Lacson said that the grantees must study diligently because the provincial government will conti...

The World Association of News Publishers’ (WAN-IFRA) Women in News (WIN) program formally announces its expansion in Southeast Asia on Monday, September 6.The program brings its one-of-a-kind career training for women journalists and editors to the Philippines, following successful launches of the Leadership Accelerator in Vietnam and Myanmar last year.Through a series of unique training, mentoring and coaching sessions, WIN provides women in media with the chance to acquire new skills in a rapidly shifting landscape, and build their capacity to lead and transform organizations.“As Covid-19 reshapes newsrooms, wreaks havoc on revenues and accelerates the move to digital platforms, journalists and editors are finding themselves having to constantly adapt to new realities as they...

Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) said on Friday, September 3, is bringing a school-based competition challenging high school students of the third district of Negros Occidental to sharpen knowledge and pit learning skills among peers during this most difficult pandemic period.Kwizko ni Kiko, the first to be launched in the district and in the province, opens opportunity for Grade 10-high school students who are residents and are enrolled in schools in the Third District to experience a blended mode of contest -on-line and face-to-face encounter testing comprehension in Mathematics, Science and Technology, Language/Reading/Literature, Social Studies and Current Events, a press release said.Partnering with the Department of Education, University of the ...

City PIO photoMayor Evelio Leonardia oversaw the distribution of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) financial assistance facilitated by Senator Bong Go to beneficiaries from various sectors at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby Thursday, September 2.A total of 3,943 beneficiaries from different barangays were expected to receive their financial assistance from the DSWD through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program in four simultaneous distribution areas Thursday, a press release from the Bacolod City Public Information Office said.Of the total number of beneficiaries, 34 families were fire victims from barangays 12 and Alijis. Each family receives P10,000, the press release said.The other beneficiaries were market vendors f...

Katherine Pambusan, president of the VNHS Faculty and Staff Association, receiving the donation from Javi Benitez.*The Victorias National High School (VNHS) recently received 16 Epson 5190 (3-in-1 model) and L121 (regular type) printers from Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) and Javi Benitez, son of former Rep.Alfredo “Albee ” Benitez, at turnover rites at the school grounds.VNHS Principal Jogie Sumugat with the heads of the various high school departments received the printers, which they described as very useful tools for the teachers as they face the challenging and tedious task of preparing learning modules for students undergoing blended learning during the pandemic.“Teachers are overworked and underpaid – unsung heroes of our community in t...

City PIO photoResponsible pet ownership and basic animal rights were underscored during the first-ever Animal Welfare Summit (AWS) in Bacolod City Sunday, August 29.With the theme “Making Bacolod a Friendly and Safe Haven for Pets, Stray and Pet Lovers Alike,” the event was conducted to address the increasing number of stray cats and dogs in the city, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.Spearheaded by the Bacolod City Animal Welfare Task Force (BACAW-TF) chaired by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, the AWS also highlighted the importance of animal spaying and neutering.“We are promoting ‘spay and neuter’ to protect both the animals and the city. This is just the beginning of a better and animal-friendly Bacolod,” said PAWSsion Project PH head Malou Perez, ...

The Bacolod City Animal Welfare Task Force chaired by Mayor Evelio Leonardia will stage the first-ever Animal Welfare Summit on Sunday, August 29.The activity will be held at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds.The event's theme is, "Making Bacolod A Friendly and Safe Haven for Pets, Stray, and Pet Lovers Alike."The activity will kick off with a 7 a.m. motorcade to be followed by the program at 9 a.m., Ernesto Pineda, head of the local organizing committee, said.The summit will advance the advocacy on responsible pet ownership and address the issue on the increasing number of stray dogs in the streets of Bacolod City, said Pineda, executive assistant and head of the City Mayor's Office's Sectoral Concerns unit.There will be Free Spray and Neuter for the first 50 ...