CENTRAL VISAYAS
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RDC 7 forms Task Force ‘Tabang’ for flood-hit victims in Luzon Sunflower, Helianthus anuus
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY (PIA) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 yesterday formed Task Force “Tabang” to help flood-hit victims in Luzon.
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n a meeting, RDC 7 Chairman and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama appealed to local government units, regional government agencies, business sector and shipping lines to help solicit donations to address the urgent needs of thousands of evacuees affected by the heavy flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. “Let us help our unfortunate brothers in Luzon who badly need immediate assistance,” Rama said. “If it is not now, when? If it is not us, who?” Immediate needs of the evacuees are towel that can also be used as blankets, canned goods, biscuits, choco bars, tetra pack milk (for infants), other ready-to-eat food items and used clothing, Alvin Santillan said, chief of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. “The evacuees only eat once a day which is usually bread. It is really a pitiful
sight to see,” Santillan stated, who was sent by Rama to Manila to determine the immediate needs of the victims. Rama, for his part, has committed P5 million in cash assistance to Luzon to be taken from the city’s calamity funds. Prudencio Gesta, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), said that early this week they have already solicited a fund-raising campaign from their members for the Luzon victims. TF Tabang would each do its share in soliciting donations from Cebuanos and other generous Filipinos to share and give what they can to the evacuees. Identified drop-off centers are the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development 7, which is open 24/7; Provincial Capitol; Talisay and Lapulapu City Halls; all police stations in Central Visayas and the office of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in
North Reclamation Area, Cebu City. “We are targeting before the end of this month to be able to ship the donated goods to the thousands of evacuees in flood-stricken areas in Luzon,” said Efren Carreon, assistant regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 7. NEDA 7 is the secretariat of the RDC Central Visayas. Sulpicio Lines also gave its commitment to ship free of charge the donated goods and items to Luzon. Rama said it is better to help than be the one being helped and that Cebuanos should thank God that the region never experienced heavy flooding of such magniture. The RDC 7 chair, however, said this does not mean that a similar disaster would not happen here. “We just have to keep on praying to Señor Sto. Niño to continue to protect us and make us safe,” he added. (FCR-PIA7 Cebu)
Dumaguete septage facility cited best in Region 7 By Rachelle M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- The National Nutrition Council in Region 7 (NNC-7) has awarded the septage facility in Brgy. Camanjac here as the Best Innovative and Good Nutrition project in the region during a regional event held August 3 in Cebu City.
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he wastewater treatment facility here earned the recognition of being a world-class low-cost septage management system during the 2012 Grand Nutrition Awards and 8th Regional Nutrition Action Officers Congress. City Nutrition Action Officer Lourdes Taburaza received the plaque of recognition in behalf of Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria. Taburasa said NNC-7 cited the
septage facility in the city for realizing the need for a sanitary sewer system due to the high level of pollution of Dumaguete’s coastal waters. The city’s septage facility was a result of Dumaguete’s participation in the USAID Local Initiatives for Affordable Wastewater Treatment (LINAW) program. Completed in May 2010, the septage system has minimized the adverse effects of wastewater to public health and has
reduced the deteriorative impact of wastewater on the environment, said a press statement from the city’s public information office. “The project also came into fruition through the strong support of the city government and the high participation of the community stakeholders including business sector,” the press release said. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
Siquijor DA-PATCO leads promotion of organic agriculture By Rizalie A. Calibo SIQUIJOR, Aug. 14 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture-Provincial Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (DA-PATCO) Siquijor is taking the lead in promoting organic agriculture in the province.
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n the series of information caravan s conducted over these months, program coordinator Bernadith Bunado said that apart from providing farmers with fertile soil, organic agriculture reduces pollution and destruction of the environment, prevents depletion of natural resources and further protects the health of farmers, consumers and the general public.
He said that once farmers and locals go organic agriculture, everybody can enjoy healthy and organically-produced fruits and vegetables without the harmful effects of chemicals both to the body and the environment.
support locals and schools that would go into organic farming.
She also encouraged them to submit proposals for organic farming-related projects which she said are more likely to get immediate approval and funding both She said their office and the provincial from the local and national government. government are allocating budget to (RMN/RAC-PIA7 Siquijor)