Dumaguete City readies for Philippine National Games
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City is all set for this year’s Philippine National Games (PNG), which will commence on May 25 in different venues in the city.
City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria said more than 5,000 national athletes, coaches, and sport officials are expected to arrive today in Dumaguete City.
With, this, the schools and premises of the city are all set as venues for games and accommodations of the athletes.
“Despite the two calamities that hit us, and we are up and about, life has to go on and we are ready for any activity that may come to the city and the province,” said Sagarbarria.
According to the mayor, security measures are now in place with the Dumaguete police office and regional police command in charge of the safety of all athletes and officials attending the multi-event meet, which serves as the national open championships of the country.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Jolly Gomez said the sporting event will have 25 different games which will be staged in Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental.
Events include archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, basketball, billiards, chess, dance sports, football, futsal, judo, karatedo, lawn tennis, pencak silat, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, and wushu.
The city and the province Negros Oriental are the host local government units of this year’s Philippine National Games, which will be on May 25 to June 3, with a P25-million budget from the PSC.
The PNG is the number one competition for Philippine sports as venue to choose the top athletes for the country to represent international sports. (JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
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302 Brigade assists DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 (PIA) -- The 302nd brigade of the Philippine Army has sent out battalion of personnel to assist the schools division of Tanjay City during the launching of the Brigada Eskwela project of the Department of Education (DepEd).
The activity started Tuesday with the repainting of classrooms of Ilaud Elementary School in Tanjay and a clean-up drive and repair of facilities of Malalangsi Elementary School in Pamplona.
Capt. Anacito Naz, Phil. Army Information Officer, said the battalion will also provide hte necessary assistance in terms of skilled personnel to perform various services in other schools in the city from May 22 to 29.
The week-long activity includes school fencing and improvement in time for the school year opening of classes in June.
Capt. Naz said the Brigade will also utilize its line battalions such as the CAFGUs and reservists to maximize their skills in performing the services in their respective areas of operation.
“The activity will be very fruitful and a very good endeavor to help government save a large amount of resources. This is also to compliment and support the spirit of ‘Bayanihan’ and will once again promote volunteerism and unity among the stakeholders and the Filipino people as a whole,” said Capt. Naz.
The activity launching started with a caravan participated in by different stakeholders composed of the local government units, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police, representatives from private sectors, local officials, Parents and Teachers Association and the district supervisors and teachers of Tanjay City Division.
The caravan was followed by a flag raising and short program sponsored at Tanjay City Hall with Mayor Laurence Teves as keynote speaker.
302nd Brigade Deputy Commander, Col. Christopher Estella, gave his pledge of commitment to the DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela project in behalf of the Brigade Commander, Col. Francisco Patrimonio during the Brigade Eskwela program-launching. (rmn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
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Publishers Association of the Philippines sets midyear confab
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 -- Around 300 publishers, editors, journalists in various fields, including those in broadcast, print, digital governance, and press freedom advocates are expected to attend the Midyear Media Conference of Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) on June 23 at the Makati Sports Club, Makati City.
With the theme “Shaping the Future of News Publishing in the Philippines,” the forthcoming event will bring together community, provincial, and regional newspaper publishers, editors, media practitioners, and press freedom advocates to tackle the problems and challenges confronting the publishing industry and to learn new ideas, concepts, measures, latest methods and applications, and best practices, which help boost sustainable media growth through increase viability and profit.
PAPI representative Leo Gamit said the scheduled executive session of publishers and editors will focus on today’s various socio-politico-economic and environmental issues and concerns, such as the looming energy crises, rising poverty, environmental degradation, graft, and corruption in the government service, increasing lawlessness, unemployment, civil unrest and other pressing issues that should be brought to the fore by the working press for the public to know and the government to address.
"Highlight of the event will be the presentation of awards to outstanding advocates of press freedom, outstanding national and local officials, newspaper publishers, and media practitioners in the national and regional levels for their valuable contributions to the media industry and national welfare and interest," said Gamit
The topics up for discussion in the media event may include taking news publishing to the next level; drawing revenues in print and digital media; role and impact of technology in today’s competitive media market; innovative editorial products which create new revenue streams; the future of newspaper advertising; reinventing the newspaper for the digital era; global media trends; and investigative journalism and media credibility in the countryside.
The one-day affair will be capped by the election of 2012 PAPI officers followed by a dinner fellowship and awards presentation. (JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
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PNB inks partnership with Silliman University
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 (PIA)-- The Philippine National Bank (PNB) and Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) today offering a tuition fee loan program.
PNB executive vice-president Joven Hernandez and SU President Dr. Ben Malayang III formalized the partnership that provides tuition fee loan assistance to students.
Hernandez said this student financial aid with an interest rate of only 1% monthly is the first pilot program offered exclusively for Silliman college students.
SU President Dr. Ben Malayang III said the loan program is designed to help parents and students to acquire the best quality education of Silliman.
“Good education is an investment, thus, Silliman seeks to provide the best education to transform students into professional and proficient individuals,” said Malayang.
With this important endeavor, SU vice-president for finance Cleonico Fontelo said this move will help students avail of the loan at a certain time, especially for those whose parents are working outside the province or abroad, causing a delay in their school payments.
The PNB has allocated P10 million as initial capital for this program. However, the PNB official said the funds will be increased or lowered depending on the availment.
Qualified borrower must be a parent of a bona fide student of Silliman University; must gainfully employed or engaged in business; not more than 65 years; have permanent residence; among other requirements which the PNB sets. (rmn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)