Update on deadly earthquake
Sunday 26th of February 2012
NEGROS ORIENTAL, Feb. 26 (PIA) -- The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported that the deaths from the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Oriental rose to 55 with 24 from Guihulngan, 12 La Libertad, 10 Jimalalud, three from Tayasan, three from Ayungon, one from Bindoy, and two from Manjuyod; 60 are still missing or believed to have been buried alive.
PDRRMC executive officer Adrian Sedillo said the toll is expected to rise as some bodies previously found in other hinterland barangays are now officially recorded by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) as long as it is in the police blotter and with death certificate.
According to PDRRMC that as of Feb 24, some 63,363 families or 316,815 persons were affected in 166 barangays from nine local government units in northern part of Negros Oriental and about 15,000 houses damaged.
The tremor caused widespread damage as it occurred at a shallow depth of 10km during lunchtime on Feb 6 as the epicenter occurred close to a coastal town of Tayasan.
With the extent of the damage, NegOr governor Roel Degamo submitted to the National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin a revised damage report on infrastructure amounting to P501.3 million.
Sedillo said, this is way lower from the earlier report submitted by Governor to Presidential Management Staff which is P665 million since the revised damage report did not anymore include national highways and bridges.
This contains provincial and barangay roads worth P35 million; spillways and minor structures of P2 million; waterworks P105 million; school buildings P251.7 million; district hospital, rural health units, barangay health system, city health office at P113.6 million.
As of press time, the relief operation center recorded P41.7 million cost of assistance of which P24 million ccame from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); P12.5 million from the various local government units; and P5.1 million from various non-government organizations and people’s organizations( NGO/POs).
With the amount 37,000 families are already served or 184,000 persons, said Sedillo. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-NegOr)
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GSIS allocates college scholarship slots for Visayas
By Jennifer C. Tilo
DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 26 (PIA) -- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has allocated 37 slots for the Visayas applicants of the 200 college scholarship slots nationwide this year.
Active members of GSIS in Negros Oriental are encouraged to join the GSIS Scholarship Program.
The 200 scholarship slots are made available in National Capital Region (61 slots), Luzon (58), Visayas (37) and Mindanao (44) for school year 2012 to 2013.
To join, members need to fill in an application form available at all GSIS offices nationwide or can be downloaded at the GSIS website, http://www.gsis.gov.ph.
Under the program, winning members will select any incoming college freshman or current college student of their choice to be the beneficiary of the scholarship.
Duly accomplished forms must be submitted to any GSIS office for processing. Winning members will be drawn through an electronic raffle.
The scholars will enjoy tuition and miscellaneous fees of P20,000 per semester and a monthly stipend of P2,000.
The member grantee will be given 30 days from the first day of publication of winners in newspapers within which to submit the nomination form and requirements.
This GSIS Scholarship Program is one of the major corporate a social responsibility which is to assist the youth achieve their goals to finish their desired course by providing them free tertiary education.
GSIS scholars may enroll in any school or degree of their choice. (MBCN/PIA/JCT-NegOr)
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America in 3D goes to Iloilo City
By Jennifer C. Tilos
NEGROS ORIENTAL, Feb. 26 (PIA) -- The United States (US) Embassy brings America in 3D to Iloilo City on March 2 to 4 highlighting “Diplomacy, Development and Defense.”
The event is open to the public and is free of charge.
The US Embassy Information Office in a release stated that U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Leslie Bassett will open the three-day extravaganza with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr., and Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.
The residents of Iloilo and its neighboring areas are invited to participate in 3D by coming to SM City Iloilo’s Atrium at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 2 to Sunday, March 4.
America in 3D is a celebration of Filipino-American friendship, showcasing American culture, U.S. business and U.S. Embassy services in the Philippines.
The public will enjoy dance and musical performances presenting the best of America from ballroom to blues to Broadway and even hip-hop.
The U.S. Navy’s high energy rock-and-roll band, The Orient Express, will perform the favorite hits during America in 3D.
“There will be free sampling of American food and the exhibit of American cars and motorbikes. The visitors can find out all about the ways that the U.S. and the Philippines are connected – and learn how to do business with the U.S., apply for a U.S. visa, and even study in the United States,” the press release read.
America in 3D is a unique opportunity for Ilonggos to meet representatives of the U.S. Embassy, including experts from the Visa Section, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the United States Foreign Commercial Service, the United States Agency for International Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Peace Corps, and the Philippine-American Educational Foundation. They will all be on hand throughout the program to answer questions and offer information.
This is the fourth America in 3D to take place in the Philippines launched by U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas, Jr. in early 2011 in Quezon City, the America in 3D road show has also traveled to Baguio, and Cebu. (MBCN/JCT/PIA-NegOr)