618 Cadiz children get help

The Nutrition Program of Cadiz City turned full circle Monday as its 618 malnourished children aged six to 36 months were enrolled in the Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation's Start Right, Live Bright Nutrition Program for infants and toddlers.

Cadiz Mayor Patrick Escalante, who is also a medical doctor, last year embarked on a massive nutrition program for close to 25,000 kinder and elementary pupils in all of Cadiz City's public schools.

“From a malnutrition rate of 6 percent, our rate dropped to 0.9 percent,” Escalante said. “Even the dropout rate in these schools that used to be 40 percent also dropped substantially. In some barangays, it was even down to zero,” he added.

“It is a known fact that many children cannot go to school because of hungry stomachs. Some children are also used by parents to aid them in their livelihood activities to augment their income. A feeding program in the schools is an incentive for the parents to send their children to school,” NVC president Millie Kilayko said.

The partnership of the City of Cadiz with NVC Foundation for the 618 malnourished infants and toddlers in the Cadiz barangays will insure that very soon, no child will be malnourished in his city, Escalante said.

NVC Foundation's Nutrition Program focuses on the manufacture and distribution of complementary food for infants and toddlers during the vulnerable period of early growth, providing them with the ingredients necessary for optimal growth and development of psychomotor functions, brain, growth, and cognitive functions, and in developing immunity versus infectious diseases and help in preventing malnutrition, Kilayko said.

The complementary food used in NVC Foundation's Nutrition Program is manufactured in their production plant with technical assistance from the Department of Science and Technology, she added.

The blend provides the child with sufficient amount of calories, protein and fat as recommended by the United Nations Nutrition Working group, she said.

Escalante was joined by Cadiz City officials, the city's Barangay Nutrition Scholars and NVC Foundation representatives, led by Kilayko.*

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Negros Press Club
induction July 27

The Negros Press Club, the oldest media group in the country established in 1936, will hold the induction of officers for 2012-2013 at Bascon Hotel in Bacolod City, 6 p.m. on July 27, 1 its press release said.

The 76th induction ceremony, themed “Converging the Mainstream and Social Media for Sustained Growth and Progress", will have Ramon Isberto, Smart Communications Public Affairs Group head and PLDT-Smart spokesperson, as guest speaker.

NPC president Arman Toga said Isberto used to be a TV broadcaster before he joined the corporate world.

The other guests are Philippine Press Institute executive director Ariel Sebellino, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Rep. Anthony Rolando Golez (Bacolod Lone District), and Rep. Albee Benitez, (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), the press release also said.

Toga added that those applying for NPC membership should complete the forms so they will be included in the oath-taking of new members, also during the induction ceremony, when the club’s website will be officially launched.

Members who have not yet uploaded their photos and bio-data through webmaster@negrospressclub.com are also requested to immediately email, or submit these at the NPC office, the press release added.*

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Disability, prevention
week set July 17-23

The 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week will be commemorated from July 17 to 23, on the theme “Mainstreaming Persons with Disabilities in Economic Development”.

In Bacolod City, Councilor Em Ang is urging government agencies to support the observance that aims to stimulate public awareness on disability and encourage every citizen to take active responsibility in uplifting the economic and social conditions of PWDs, a press release from her office said.

The 3rd week of July every year is declared as the NDPR Week to highlight the country’s efforts towards disability prevention and rehabilitation, leading to the integration of PWDs into the mainstream society as mandated under Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.

The observance will culminate on the birthday of “The Sublime Paralytic” Apolinario Mabini, on July 23, the press release added.*

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New TV series
premieres July 9

GMA Network offers another heartwarming family drama series in “Hindi Ka Na Mag-iisa” that will premiere on July 9 on its afternoon prime, a press release from the station said.

The series is topbilled by Jennylyn Mercado, Sid Lucero and Frank Magalona, in their first love triangle onscreen that promises to enthrall viewers. Completing the cast are Angelu de Leon, Carl Guevarra, Crystal Reyes, Saab Magalona, Joey Paras, Lloyd Samartino, Liza Loreno and Glydel Mercado, the press release also said.

It is a story of selfless love between two sisters that transcends all hardships, and is created by the GMA Drama Group with Kaye Atienza-Cadsawan as executive producer, the press release added.*

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IN KABANKALAN
223 finish courses
at training center

About 223 Negrenses completed various courses at the Kabankalan Training Center in Negros Occidental recently, a government press release said.

Noel Sevilla of KTC said these included 57 for commercial cooking; beauty care services, 10; computer systems and network installation, 51; shielded metal arc welding NCI, 50; SMAW NCII, 37; and nine each for dressmaking and plumbing NC II. The graduates were confirmed by director Lorena Yunque of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Negros Occidental, the press release also said.

In her speech, Yunque told the graduates that their diplomas and certificates of training are their keys to jobs they wish to. “But it is more valuable if you can engage with a business or entrepreneurial activities where you can be an employer and can provide jobs to others”, she added.

Artemio Guancia, administrator of KTC/PTC-Kabankalan, gave the closing remarks in the graduation rite that was attended by parents, KTC trainers and staff, TESDA personnel, Kabankalan City LGU, and the KTC Advisory Council, headed by Mayor Isidro Zayco, who urged the graduates to be more practical in their career choices and to engage in entrepreneurial activities for a productive lifestyle, the press release added.*

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