Mayor, 6 brgys awarded

Mayor Severo Palanca received an award in the  outstanding local government executives category, while six barangays of Victorias City  gained recognition for implementing blood letting activities during the 13th National Sandugo Awards held at the Diamond Hotel, Manila  recently, a press release from Victorias City said.

With  its high contribution of blood donations, Brgy. XIII headed by Brgy. Capt. Ronilo Sarito and Brgy.V by Brgy. Capt. Nelly Acuña were declared as the hall of famers, for winning their seventh and third national awards,  respectively.

Barangays VII under Brgy. Capt. Cassidy Buatag and III under Brgy. Capt. Alexander Palanca won  the national award for the first time while barangays VI-A under Brgy. Capt. Jose Dignadice and XVIII-A under former Brgy. Capt. Melba Silava for the second time, the press release said.

The national Sandugo Awards for local government executives are given to governors, mayors and barangay captains to boost their support and motivate them to be pro-active in the National Voluntary Blood Donation program of the Department of Health.

In compliance with Republic Act 7719,  or the National Blood Services Act, the voluntary bloodletting activity program in the  barangays of Victorias City was conceived in 1999 and spearheaded by the City Health Office in collaboration with the Provincial Health Office, the press release added.*

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Choreographers join
MassKara workshop

In order to produce a unique beat for the MassKara streetance competition this October, the choreographers of the 15 participating barangays underwent a workshop on live music instrumentation, Friday, at the BAYS Center, a press release from organizers said. 

“Workshops will be held every week until the choreographers, musicians and trainers produce quality music for their respective barangays,” streetdance committee chairman Rudy Reveche said. 

For the first time in 32 years, the barangay streetdancing competition will use live music, and each group will choose its own music,  he added. 

The participants will use drums and percussion instruments, he added. 

The workshop  was conducted by  Gerry Grey, music committee chairman, and his team. 

At Friday’s workshop, Grey and his team oriented the participants on the basic musical sounds and rhythms and the instruments that can be used to produce them, the press release said. 

He brought a set of drum beating instruments to show participants of the possible rhythm each can adopt. 

“We also played the festival beats of Cadiz, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Iloilo, and Kalibo, with special instructions not to copy them,” Grey said. 

Some choreographers and trainers for the Electric MassKara performing float competition and for the schools category also attended the workshop, although the latter will be using this year a remix version of the official MassKara music from 2004 to 2009. 

Organizers will announce the next workshop this week. 

Meanwhile, applications for the operation of festival kiosks at the Bacolod Public Plaza will be accepted by the MassKara office starting today at 9 a.m. 

There are 125 kiosks on the three sides of the plaza that are up for rent on a first-come, first-served basis, festival site manager Carmen Arrieta said. 

Those interested should visit the MassKara office, as no phone inquiries will be entertained, she stressed.*

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Rotary Club of Bacolod
celebrates lung month

In observance of the  Lung Month, August,  the Rotary Club of Bacolod North headed by Alexander Lee, held  an Anti-Smoking and Anti-TB Campaign for Children at Negros Occidental High School  recently,  a press release from the club said.

An  objectives of the  activity is to raise the students' level of awareness on the harmful effects of smoking,  and   promote the positive values of not smoking among them. Close to 180 high school students and faculty members  participated in the symposium.

Dr. Daniel Trajera, a  pulmonologist discussed  the dangers of smoking and how it affects one’s  lungs and body, the press release said.  He mentioned peer pressure and curiosity as the  reasons why children as young as 10 years old  start smoking. 

Present  at   the symposium were volunteers from World Vision International led by  Sugar Bistis, who taught the children about the early detection of TB and how to seek treatment. Anti-TB campaign posters and brochures were also distributed after the symposium, the press release said.

RCBN   has been actively involved in community service and youth development since it was chartered in 1973, the press release added.*

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