The celebration of Women's Month in Silay City, Negros Occidental will start with a program at 1-4 p.m. today, at the Operation's Center, near the city public plaza, a press release from the Silay Sanggunian said yesterday.

Mayor Carlo Gamban will announce at the opening the creation of the Inter-Agency Action Group on Violation Against Women and Children, Councilor Marie June Pavillar-Castro, chairperson of the SP Committee on Women and Family, said in her press release.

To form part of the IAC Group are the heads and representatives of the City Social Welfare Office, Philippine National Police and its Women's Dek, City Health Office, Women and Children Protection Unit of the Dr. Jose Locsin Memorial Provincial Hospital, Department of Education, Guidance Counselors Association, Liga ng mga Barangay, and a non-government organization member of the City Development Council with VAWC programs, the press release said. Expected to attend the program are Barangay kagawads who are chairpersons of the Committee on Women and Family, women kagawads, presidents of the Barangay Women's Councils, and representatives of agencies working with women, the press release said.

Bert Gallego, of the City Livelihood Office will talk on "Kababainhan sang Silay, Nagahulag Para sa Katin-aran sang Dakbanwa kag Panimalay".

The annual celebration is being held to highlight the women's role and contribution to development, the press release added.*

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Red Cross thanks
donors to landslide victims

The Philippine National Red Cross-Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter is thanking those who gave donations for the victims of landslide in Ginsaugon, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte, its press release said yesterday.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the Red Cross recorded a total of 410 survivors, 140 dead, 972 missing and 281 totally damaged houses in the landslide site.

A total of 42 sacks and 8 boxes of assorted clothing, noodles and canned goods were sent to Southern Leyte through the assistance of Cebu Red Cross Chapter, the press release said.

The donors were the First Farmers Holding Corporation, ES Marketing, Amity Volunteer Fire Brigade, Tota Inc., Alte Farms Corp., Dr. Jose Locsin Memorial Provincial Hospital, Dorcas-Bago City Seventh Day Adventist, Roman's Villa, Arnel Amparo, Claudio Lopez, Jun Lizares, Hernani Olac, Jr., Trisha Torres, Francis Torres, Girlie Martyr, Estella Bertuso, Yolanda Antonio, Ellen White, Ruby Cruz, Ronnie Carinal, Angel Jude Garriel, Nena Reyes, Art Lacson, Loreta Ramon, John Lester Niepes, Lilia Guerrero, various Red Cross Council volunteers in schools all over the province, and anonymous donors, the press release added.

Six members of the local Red Cross group were dispatched to help in the search and rescue operation in Ginsaugon following the Feb. 17 mudslide. They were Geevy Gregorio, Antonio Mabayag, Gefegliene Geralao, Hnebin Baylon, Enrique Toda, Jr. and Joemarie Laurente, all members of the PNRC Disaster Response Team.*

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PAASCU to visit USLS
College of Engineering

The Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities will hold an accreditation visit to the College of Engineering of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City, March 6-7, a USLS press release said.

Walden Rio, Dean Emeritus of the Central Philippine University, Alexander Ybasco of the Asia Pacific Computer College, and Felix Ojario of CPU, with PAASCU representative Julecs Sunico, are the members of the survey team.

Dean Dr. Florita Napallatan of the USLS College of Engineering announced that the college was among the seven universities in the Philippines to receive a grant from the Analog Devices Philippines, the press release also said.

Team USLS composed of Marie Emerose Manuel, Ariane Sintaz, Orville Parreño and Sherwin Bacanto also won second place in the National Chemical Engineering Quiz Bowl held in General Santos City, recently, it added.

They were coached by Leilani Baltazar, Anita Jacildo and Dr. Fely Altalaguirre, the press release said.

Meanwhile, two Computer Engineering Department faculty members -- Glenn Magbanua and Jeffrey Fuentes - exchange professors who taught Computer Science for one year at Silla University, Korea, a partner institution of USLS, have returned. Another faculty member, Carlos Resurreccion, will leave for Korea this month also for the exchange program, the press release said.

It also said that the College of Engineering recently opened its Geomatics Laboratory as part of a European Union-funded project --- Geoteach Censophil.

Faculty member Mary Ann Pandan trained for five months on Geomatics or scientific mapping using mathematical tools in Karlsruhe, Germany with USLS Balayan staff Ericson Alarcon, the press release said.*

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