A memorandum of agreement was signed yesterday for a project called "Promoting English Proficiency" for teachers of Sagay National High School in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Present at the MOA signing were Corina Vinson of the Amercian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Gov. Joseph Marañon of the Negros Occidental government, Chris Nelson of Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing Inc., Elnora Pahunao of DepEd Sagay City, Clarissa Araneta, Bubbles Tolentino, Board Member Emilio Yulo III, Aimee Barbasa, Councilor Ed Consing, Vice Mayor Tonette Marañon, Councilors Winnie Martyr, Elma Villar, Jimmy Tupas and Cris Escario, Philip Araneta, and Ma. Theresa Bingcang.

Through the program, teachers will use the Dynamic software to effectively teach English to their students using information technology.*

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CBCP official inspects
Escalante City church

An ocular inspection and assessment of the old St. Francis Church ruin in Barangay Old Poblacion, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, was recently made by Fr. Ted Torralba, secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, a press release from the city said.

The visit of Torralba, also the chairman of the Permanent Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the church, was part of the city's endeavor to preserve sites, structures and landmarks with cultural and historical values.

Last year, the city tourism office, was ordered by Mayor Manuel Barcelona to manifest its intention to have a collaborative working partnership with San Carlos Bishop Jose Advicula, Jr., the press release said.

The National Historical Institute conducted a technical assessment on the church, and its findings will be verified by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

The meeting of Bishop Advincula, Frs. Harry Bloem and Jun Adeva, of the St Francis de Assissi and Mount Carmel parishes, along with Kenneth Benignos and Desiree Miano of the city government, concluded the visit of Torralba.

A memorandum of agreement for the working relationship between Escalante City and the church through the Catholic Bishop of San Carlos was also eyed, the press release added.*

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'Food for School' program
launched in Iloilo province

The Department of Social Welfare and Development launched the food-for-school program for Iloilo province at the Brgy. Tumay Day Care Center in Mina, Iloilo City recently, a press release from the DSWD regional office said.

Regional nutritionist Sally Gayoma of DSWD-6 said that, by addressing the problems of hunger and malnutrition, the program aims to improve attendance of pre-schoolers and Grade 1 pupils.

"Based on the Social Weather Survey conducted since 2004, there is an increasing incidence of hunger in the country, Gayoma said in the press release.

In its 2006 1st quarter report, the SWS said that 16 percent of people in the Visayas region (regions 6, 7 and 8) experienced hunger and the food-for-school program was launched to address this concern.

Regional director Teresita Rosales of the DSWD said the program aims to motivate young children to attend school diligently. She said, young children are often compelled to miss school to help their parents earn a living. Sometimes they go to school with an empty stomach and become sleepy and inattentive in the classroom, the press release also said.

Under the program, pre-school and grade 1 pupils are each given one kilo of iron-fortified rice per school attendance for 120 days.

In Region 6, 15,250 pre-school children are the target beneficiaries of the program covering 31 municipalities in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

In Iloilo, it is implemented in eight towns - Mina, Badiangan, Batad, San Rafael , Tubungan, Bingawan, San Miguel and New Lucena.

At the launching were National Food Authority Iloilo manager Hedy Jardeleza, Mina Mayor Rey Grabato, Board Member Domingo Oso (5th district), Bingawan Mayor Suzette Mamon, Iloilo Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Neneth Pador, Sangguniang Bayan Member Lolita Teologo and municipal social welfare and development officers and barangay councils of covered municipalities, the press release added.*

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Interschool quiz bee held

The Boys and Girls officials in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental held an Interschool Quiz Bee participated in by nine public and private schools at the City Hall recently, a press release from the city said.

First place went to Fellowship Baptist College, second was Kabankalan Catholic College, and Binicuil National High School-Main placed third.

The quiz covered topics like Science, current events, health, education and history. Quizmasters were Lara Altea Cagbaleño of Binicuil High School-Main and Jazer Ian Dizon of Fortress College .

The other schools that joined the quiz were Temple Ace Academy , Binicuil National High School, BNHS-Poblacion, BNHS-Tagucon and Florentino Galang National High School, the press release said.

Two other projects undertaken by the Boys and Girls officials were the Mass Feeding in Brgy. Lupni and the painting of pedestrian lane in the highway in front of the new Kabankalan city hall.

The Boys and Girls Week was spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Kabankalan headed by Ray Reboles, the press release added.*

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