USLS Bilib Awards held

There is a star in all of us.

That was the message of the “Bilib Awards 2014: Avenue of the Stars”, held at the Garden Royale, Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City, Saturday.

The awards night was attended by almost 200 Mass Communication students of the University of St. La Salle, Kiefer Reje, an organizer said.

The communication students, in their fabulous gowns and nicest tuxedos, walked on the red carpet during their annual event.

Students who topped the freshmen screening and excelled in different Mass Communication related fields such as film editing, news casting, and theatre, among others, were awarded.

The event was organized by the junior Communication students as part of their course requirement in their events management class.*

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Inspiring Change’ exhibit on

An all-female group art exhibit, titled “Inspiring Change”, will open 2 p.m. today at the Negros Museum in Bacolod City, in celebration of the International Women’s Month, and in cooperation with the Office of the Provincial Tourism.

The show will feature the artworks of 22 women artist-members of Arte Kuriti, Galleria Verde and Negros Women Artists.

The opening of the art exhibition will be followed by a documentary film viewing of “Girl Rising” at 3 p.m., also at the Negros Museum.*CGS

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VMA Global College to
hold 27th graduation

VMA Global College will hold its 27th commencement exercises, 1 p.m. Sunday at the college gymnasium, with Philippine Overseas Employment Administrator Hans Cacdac as guest of honor and speaker, a press release from the school said.

Rear Admiral Joseph Dy of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary will deliver an inspirational message and will be the launching officer of the Cadet Shipboard Training. VMA Global College president Juan Orola Jr. said 982 students will graduate from the various course offerings.

These include 102 from the Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation, BSMT (CAR) - 232; Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering - 88; BSMARE (CAR) - 221; BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management - 56; BS in Tourism Management - 18; BS in Business Administration - 10; BS in Information Technology – 21; and Seafarers’ Catering and Stewarding Course – 168, the press release also said.

The graduation rites will also be attended by Undersecretary Danilo Cruz of the Department of Labor and Employment, with Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. as guest of honor. The governor recently signed the Study Now Pay Later Program of the provincial government with the VMA Global College.

Other guests are Captains Leopoldo Tenorio and Rolando Armas of the Marlow Navigation Training Center Inc., Tetsuya Suzuki of the IMS Phils. Maritime Corp., and Takahashi Uto of the World Marine Co. Ltd.

Orola said the College is geared towards answering the global demands for professional and skilled workers in the maritime, hospitality, and tourism industries. The school, through its training center, also strengthened its TESDA-accredited courses in security guard training, caregiving, welding and commercial cooking, he said.

It recently acquired a Poseidon simulator so maritime students can have an experience like being on board an actual ship. For advance rescue techniques, modern lifeboats have also been acquired by the training center, the press release added.*

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2,170 pupils fed
in Cadiz, Sagay

Around 2,170 pupils from kinder to grade 6 pupils of several schools in Cadiz and Sagay cities, Negros Occidental, have been fed with healthy snacks and lunch since January 2014 under the Special School Feeding Program, a press release from the USLS said.

This is a collaborative effort of the University of St. La Salle, the Jollibee Group Foundation, city governments of Cadiz and Sagay, Department of Education, and the provincial government of Negros Occidental, a press release said.

The beneficiary schools are the Hon. P.R. Villena Memorial Elementary School in Cadiz, and the Suyac Primary School, Molocaboc Integrated School, Molocaboc II ES, Matabas ES, and PR Katalbas I ES, all of Sagay.

Pupils snacked on congee meals Mondays and Wednesdays and are served with rice meals and viands for lunch Fridays. Parents and teachers of the each school make sure that the food was well prepared and served on time, the press release also said.

Suyac school principal May Yhapon said they are grateful for the SSFP. The teachers and principals noted improved school attendance and class participation among the pupil-beneficiaries of the feeding program.

Molocaboc IS has the biggest student population among the partner schools, with 619 students from kinder to grade 6. More than 1,730 plastic plates from the USLS were turned over to the school recently to augment the utensils used in the feeding, the press release also said.

The city governments of Cadiz and Sagay, their respective DepEd divisions, and the barangay officials support the program through logistics and human services. The officials of barangays Sicaba and Magsaysay in Cadiz City also approved a resolution supporting the program, and assigned their barangay health workers and nutrition scholars to help in the SSFP activities and assist in sourcing water during the feeding, the press release added.*

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IN TALISAY
‘Text to Teach’ launched

The “Text to Teach” program was recently launched in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, led by Mayor Eric Saratan and Dino Rey Abellanosa of the Ayala Foundation Inc., a press release from the city said.

The project, that aims to improve the learning capabilities of grade school pupils, is in cooperation with the Department of Education, Globe, Nokia and Pearson Foundation. Saratan said the program complements his vision of providing quality education to elementary public school pupils, the press release said.

It will boost updated and high-tech education programs in English, Mathematics, Science and Values Education through the information technology, the television and the mobile phones, the press release said, adding that the subjects covered by the program are similar to the learning methods of other countries through technology transfer.

It is part of the private-public partnership program, and the city government allocates P46,000 for each public school recipients while Ayala and its partners provide P74,000, the press release also said.

Eighteen of 22 elementary public schools received educational packages under the Text to Teach program. Saratan said he is optimistic that the four remaining schools will also avail of the program soon, adding that the only setback they have is due to weak internet signal.

The package includes educational videos on Math, Science, Values Education and English, a cell phone, a 32-inch television set donated by Toshiba, and a P150 prepaid load each month, the press release added.*

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World Water Day tomorrow

The Provincial Environment Management Office will lead the observance of the International World Water Day tomorrow in Negros Occidental, on the theme “Water and Energy”, a government press release said.

The International World Water Day is being celebrated every March 22 to bring to the attention of the public the importance of freshwater, and to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Activities lined up for the celebration are a mural painting, photo and poster- making contests starting March 15-21. The celebration also aims to capitalize on the momentum created at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the press release also said.

The observance is in partnership with the Bacolod City Water District, ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.- Bantay Bata 163, Gaisano City Mall, Bago City government, and the Provincial Water and Sanitation Development Council, the press release added.*

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PESO career
extravaganza slated Friday

Students of 22 public high schools in Bacolod City are expected to join the first career extravaganza program initiated by the Public Employment Service Office on Friday, a press release from the city said.

Participants will assemble at the North Capitol Lagoon at 6:30 a.m. and will proceed to the Bacolod Government Center where a program will start at 8 a.m., the press release also said.

The activity aims to teach high school graduates with specific strategies on how to choose the right career path in college. It is supported by the Department of Labor and Employment and the Guidance Councilors’ Network of the Department of Education Bacolod.

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