Nomination is now open for the annual search for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in Western Visayas which will be held in Bacolod City , April 14 to 20, a press release from organizers said.

Bacolod Councilor Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, this year's regional chairperson, will be assisted by members of the organizing committee, board of judges and screeners.

Colleges and universities are advised to submit their nominations to Philip Wen Bombita, a TOSP WV awardee and an alumnus of Riverside College , this year's program standards compliance officer.

The TOSP regional search is an annual program recognizing outstanding students for academic excellence, exemplary leadership, community involvement and good moral values, the press release said.

Interested parties may call Tel. No. (034) 434-7288, for details, the press release added.*

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Comedy express tomorrow

The Kinenkoy Comedy Express will be one of the features of the BacoLaodiat celebration to mark the Chinese New Year tomorrow at 6th Street , in Bacolod City , a press release from the group said.

Director Gabby Fernandez said the group composed of Eero Martinez, John Arceo, Rhea Sol Hiballes, Jack Trino, and Sonny Cabahug will treat the audience to laughter.

The group is composed of stand-up comic players do sketches, political satire, conceptual dances, and a lot of “live” works, all based on audience suggestions.

It was born from Peque Gallaga's Negros Summer Workshops in 2000, and later started performing at bars, the press release said.

Their live performances have had an unbelievable varied audience, from kids to grandparents, from school youths, urban poor, yuppies, artists, and others, Fernandez said.

Kinenkoy hopes to get a lot of Chinese new year-themed suggestions in the BacoLaodiat show, the press release added.*

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DSWD building inaugurated

The renovated office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region 6, at M.H. Del Pilar, Molo, Iloilo City was inaugurated recently, with Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines , officiating at the blessing, and Secretary Esperanza Cabral as guest of honor, a DSWD press release said.

Cabral encouraged personnel of the DSWD in Western Visayas to perform their jobs better, the press release said.

The structure was built in 1974 under the leadership of then Secretary Estefania Aldaba Lim and Regional Director Ana Bellosillo, and has not undergone major since 2006.

In 2006, under the leadership of Cabral and regional director officer-in-charge Teresita Rosales, the roofing was repaired with a P2 million funding and the repair was completed with P3.3 million more in 2007, the press release said.

Present at the blessing were Governors Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez and Felipe Hilan Nava; DSWD Undersecretaries Celia Yangco and Alicia Bala, Assistant Secretaries Ruel Lucentales and Rinand Maquiling; National Economic Development Authority Regional Director Arturo Valero, and Department of Health Assistant Regional Director Ariel Valencio, among others.*

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P GK village children join
Iloilo Kasadyahan parade

Iloilo City first lady Rosalie Treñas led the children of the PLDT-SMART Amazing Gawad Kalinga Village when at the Kasadyahan celebration as a non-competing tribe, recently, a SMART press release said.

The contingent was composed of 50 children and teenagers, former street children who are now residents of the village, a joint project of Gawad Kalinga Foundation, local government, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co., and wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc.

The village is located in Brgy. Sooc, Arevalo, Iloilo City . It is one of the seven GK villages adopted by PLDT, SMART and the PLDT-SMART Foundation, the press release added.*

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