Dr. Licerio Castro (left) with his team from the Far Eastern University Medical Alumni Society at the thanksgiving dinner at the Capitol in Bacolod City.*

Officials thank medical mission

Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) and Board Melvin Ibañez thanked the members of the Far Eastern University Medical Alumni Society of Southern California medical mission Thursday night for their recent service to the poorest of the poor in southern Negros.

At a thanksgiving dinner held at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol building in Bacolod City, Alvarez said the members of the Far Eastern University Medical Alumni Society of Southern California who are on their 12th year of medical missions in the country serve as role models worthy of emulation.

Ibañez said the mission members conducted minor and major surgeries and consultations for free and at their own expense, bringing their own equipment. If a money value were placed on their services it would have run up to as much as P5 to 8 million, he said.

Dr. Licerio Castro, head of the medical mission, said they treated patients with upper respiratory tract infections, hypertension, diabetes and other related ailments.

The medical mission benefited about 2,000 patients from Himamaylan and Kabankalan cities, and conducted major surgeries like ovarian cystectomies, mastectomies, thyroidectomies, and hysterectomies at the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City, Castro said.

He said they came to Bacolod City to fulfill a promise made to a friend two years ago that he will have a medical mission in Negros Occidental.

He also thanked the government officials and the people directly involved in the medical mission for their support and warm welcome.

There were 80 in his team who included doctors, nurses, and allied health practitioners from Oregon, Texas, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Southern Califoria, he said.

Next year they are scheduled to visit Antique, he added.

The mission was in cooperation with the Negros Occidental provincial government Economic Enterprise and Development Department.

Ibañez said there are seven more foreign medical missions expected to arrive in Negros Occidental this year. *LTG

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Claudine Barreto
joins BacoLaodiat

GMA Network will bring some of its biggest stars - led by multi-awarded actress Claudine Barretto - to Bacolod City this weekend to join this year's celebration of the BacoLaodiat Festival, a press release from the network said.

Kapuso stars Claudine Barretto, Isabel Oli, Bubbles Paraiso, Steven Silva, and Michelle Madrigal began heating up the BacoLaodiat fever yesterday afternoon, when they joined the Kapuso float in the “BacoLaodiat Festival: Grand Tsinoy Parade”.

Set to delight Kapuso fans from the City of Smiles with great performance numbers in the “Bacolaodiat Festival: Kapuso Night that starts at 5 p.m. today are Claudine, Isabel, Bubbles, and Michelle together with Ehra Madrigal, Sid Lucero, and Victor Aliwalas. It will be held at the North Capitol Road of Bacolod City, the press release said.

They will be at SM City Bacolod's Event Center tomorrow afternoon for the equally anticipated “Bacolaodiat Festival: Mall Show” will be Mark Herras, Ynna Asistio, Alden Richards, Victor Aliwalas, and Rachelle Ann Go of Party Pilipinas.

The highlights of the Bacolaodiat Festival can be seen on February 26 via the TV Special airing on all eight regional stations of the network in Naga, Dagupan, Cebu, Iloilo , Bacolod , Cagayan de Oro, Davao , and General Santos, the press release added.*

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Short film competition
launching slated today

High-school, college, and vocational school students enrolled in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are invited to join the Short Film Competition that the Sangguniang Kabataan headed by Thea Mae Dino is sponsoring, in partnership with REACH Inc. (Research, Education, and Concern to Help), at the third floor of Robinsons Place, Bacolod City, 3 to 5 p.m. today.

Students, teachers, and school administration are also encouraged to attend, a press release from organizers said.

The contest theme is “Drug Addiction, A Present Day Disease.”

The first place winner will receive P12,000, second place – P8,000, third place winner will receive P5,000, the press release also said.

The competition aims to give enrolled 13 to 23 year old (as of Feb.28, 2012) high school, college, and vocational school students in Bacolod and Negros Occidental a chance to showcase their creative talent and express their thoughts and ideas about drug abuse and addiction, the press release said.

Those who wish for more information about REACH may see the REACH website: http://reachdrugrehab.webs.com, or e-mail: greennegros@yahoo.com.*

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Animated film qualifies
 for Cinema Rehiyon

An animated short film by the Fine Arts Department of the College of Performing and Visual Arts qualified for  the fourth CinemaRehiyon, an art film festival on February 8 in Bacolod City, a press release from Silliman University in Dumaguete City said.

The film,  “Suga,”  is about a nasty security guard who infuriated the ghosts of a building when he smashed dead a rat with his foot. He tripped to his death after that incident and his spirit is captured in a painting.

The film, which will be one of the 68 regional entries, is the animation work by the department. It was created by Fine Arts majors Stephen Abanto (director), Edlyn Abrio (assistant director), Gian Centeno, Onna Quizo and Iris Abrigo (animators), and Adonis Catacutan (character design). Another COPVA student, Ian Manuel Mercado, provided the original music score, the press release said.

 "Suga" is a product of an animation workshop by award-winning Sillimanian animator Ramon del Prado.

Del Prado, who obtained his master's in visual arts in New York on a Fulbright scholarship, graduated from the elementary and high school departments of SU  in 1995 and 1999, respectively, the press release said. 

CinemaRehiyon,  a pilot project of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts, showcases short and full feature films reflective of Philippine culture and produced by emerging Filipino filmmakers around the country, the press release added.*

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