A faculty member of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City has been awarded a Rotary scholarship to study at the Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, a press release from Rotary International in the Asia Pacific, said yesterday.

The Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship was given to Rhoderick Samonte, of Bacolod, who will graduate next month from Brandeis' The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, it also said.

A full scholarship is provided for Samonte to study abroad. The Brandeis University initially granted him admission into the Sustainable International Development Masters program in 2003 with a partial scholarship, but Samonte could not accept it for lack of funds, the press release said.

He pursued his studies for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program with the Rotary Club of Bacolod South as sponsor, it also said.

Samonte had worked with government and non-government organizations as a trainer and a facilitator through the Area Based Child Survival and Development Program of the United Nations Children's Fund.

Renato Alba, chairman of the Rotary scholarship committee in the Philippines, said Samonte's strength is his involvement in community projects and activities.

The Rotary currently has about 1.2 million members from more than 32,000 clubs in nearly 170 countries, the press release added.*

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Inauguration, blessing
held in Kabankalan

The inauguration of the motor pool building and the groundbreaking of the Socialized Housing Project-Phase II, of the Kabankalan City government, in Negros Occidental, were held, recently, a press release from the city said.

Mayor Pedro Zayco Jr., Board Member Adolfo Mangao Sr. (6th district, Neg.Occ.), Vice Mayor Raul Rivera, city engineer Rogelio Diaz, and Sinulog Queen 2005 Stenelli Ybañez III, cut the ceremonial ribbon.

Zayco, Mangao and Rivera, with Councilor Efren Gaspillo Sr., chairman of the Committee on housing, and Allan Locsin of the Negros Economic Development Foundation then led the lowering of the time capsule for the housing project, with Fr. Severino Nacional III officiating at the blessing.

The housing project in a two-hectare land area is subdivided into 100 lots while the motor pool building located nearby has a budget of P5 million, the press release said.

Present at the rites were NEDF officers headed by Wilhelmina Gonzales and Rose Depra, Pilar Jamandre of the Housing Land Use and Regulatory Board, and city officials, the press release added.*

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Fil Canadians Help
Leyte Landslide Victims

A group of Filipino-Canadians, immigrants and friends recently raised funds for the mudslide victims in Southern Leyte .

The donors included Daydine Alcalde, $20; Gabie and Pat, $30; Tony Avakian, $50; Josie Palambiano, $20; and Dina Natan, $10.

The money was fowarded by the Visayan DAILY STAR to the Leyte victims through Fr. Mao Buenafe, Diocese of Bacolod social action director, who sent it to the Diocese of Maasin.

“We hope that this amount, pooled together from people who care, will help two or three families who suffered in the mudslide,” Palambiano said.

The Feb. 17 disaster followed 10 days of heavy rains and an earthquake magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter scale. A total of 139 bodies were recovered during the search and rescue operations, but 915 people were still missing when the operations were halted because of the zero chance of them being alive. The mudslide sent 3,314 people in evacuation centers.*Odette Montelibano

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