The Women in Travel, an organization of travel agencies and tour group owners based in Manila and the initiator of the project "Hiyas ng Turismo", visited Sipalay City recently, a press release from the city said.

Sipalay is the grand prize winner of the nationwide search, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism, for alternative tourist destination in the country.

The city bested nine other finalists in the search, the press release said.

Mayor Oscar Montilla Jr. invited 30 members of WIT headed by Alicia San Juan.

Vice Mayor Bebsie Villegas, with some members of the city council welcomed them in a simple ceremony, where local school and community talents were also featured, the press release said. The group was also toured around the city from its beaches, seascapes, caves, lagoons, waterfalls, dive sites, among others.

Travel time, a broadcast media, joined the group to cover Sipalay and its natural attractions, the press release added.

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PSME sets seminar
in Bacolod Friday

The Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers-Negros Occidental Chapter will sponsor a technical seminar on "Sealing Crystallizing Fluids Successfully and Effective Heat Loss Control Using Refractory Castables" from 1 to 5 p.m, Friday, at the Bacolod Executive Inn, Bacolod City, a PSME press release said yesterday.

The event is in coordination with the ASSISTCO Energy and Industrial Cooperation, it also said.

Resource speakers will be Benigno Lingad, vice president of the Business Development, and Carlos Doria of the ASSISTCO.

The seminar is in line with the program on continuing professional education of PSME as required by the Mechanical Engineering Law or Republic Act 8495, the press release said. Ernesto Salcedo Jr. and other local PSME presidents are enjoining all members to attend the seminar or call the PSME office at 433-0668 or 4346198, for more details, the press release added.*

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Responsible parenthood urged

President Gloria Arroyo has ordered the promotion of strategies of responsible parenthood and birth spacing, a press release from the Commission on Population of the Department of Health said yesterday.

In a memorandum she issued to Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Arroyo instructed the POPCOM to take charge of the promotion of responsible parenthood, it also said. The press release said that the country's population has grown from 76.5 million in 2002 to 85.2 million in 2005. It is increasing more rapidly than most countries in Southeast Asia.

With the present growth rate of 2.4 percent, the country's population is expected to double in just 30 years, the press release said.

Access to reproductive health and family planning services is essential to help women achieve their desired family size, improve family health and quality of life, the press release added.*

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