Clean-up drive in Naga City to welcome Ina’s devotees

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Sept. 7 (PIA) -- Marian devotees, visitors, and annual partakers to the Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia’s festivals are already starting to congregate here, in time for the Traslacion procession, Friday.

Anticipating this influx, a clean up drive was done to ensure that the city, particularly the Naga River, will be free from litters and trash.

Dubbed as Tabang sa Kapalibutan “Handog Kalikasan Para ki Ina , the Naga River clean up drive aims to enjoin all the barangay officials and constituents inhabiting the riverside to take an active role in maintaining the cleanliness of the said waterway.

Batocabe said that the said endeavor is in preparation for the upcoming celebration of Ina’s festivity and in honor of the late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.

“Our late Secretary Jesse M. Robredo was a devout Catholic. More so, he was a devotee of Ina and it had been his legacy to prepare the way for all the pilgrims by cleaning up the Naga River where Ina’s image will be transported back to the Basilica Minore. We are just continuing the tradition he started. This is also for Sec. Jess,” Batocabe added.

A one-minute silent prayer was offered for the eternal repose of the soul of Robredo before the clean-up drive formally kicked off.

The said activity was also in coordination with the local government unit of Naga. It was spearheaded by AKO Bikol Partylist (AKB).
AKB has also partnered with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and PNP Camarines Sur Provincial office and with the 9th Infantry Division, Philippine Army here in Camarines Sur.

Various institutions, colleges and universities also participated in the clean-up drive to encourage the people to make cleanliness a part of their daily lives and not only during the celebration of Penafrancia Fiesta.

Some of the riverside barangays which actively took part in the said activity include barangays Tabuco, Dayangdang, Lerma, Dinaga, Penafrancia, and Del Rosario. (LSM-PIA 5, Camarines Sur)


Construction safety training to strengthen construction industry

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Sept 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bicol regional and provincial offices, and the Bureau of Working Conditions will spearhead a Live-Out Construction Safety Training on September 17-21 at Rackdell Inn, Virac, Catanduanes.

The five-day training, which is equivalent to 40 hours training, is under the Occupational Safety and Health Standards pursuant to Article 162 of the Labor Code of the Philippines (P.D. 442).

The said activity is expected to strengthen the construction industry.

It will tackle occupational safety & health standards; DOLE Department Order 13, series of 1998 “Guidelines in the implementation of OSH in the Construction Industry;” DTI-PCAB licensing and renewal requirements; training requirements for DOLE accreditation as safety practitioner pursuant to Department Order No. 16, s. 2002; and administration and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards.

A registration fee of P7,000 will be required per participant which will cover food, two snacks and one meal including the training kit, honorarium of speakers, certificates, and other expenses.

Each construction firm is required to have a minimum of two participants.

Increased awareness on safety and health in the province and eventual reduction of incidence of occupational accidents is the target of the activity. (EAB-PIA 5, Catanduanes)


Health office strengthens malaria prevention and elimination program

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Sept 7 (PIA) -- The ceremonial transfer and acceptance of the "Biyaheng Kulambo (Mosquito net travel)” campaign from the Department of Health (DOH) to the Catanduanes Provincial Health Office (PHO) will mark and form part of the new advocacy campaign against malaria with the theme "Saving Lives, Preventing Deaths and Sustaining Investments for Malaria.”

The said campaign will be highlighted by the “Traveling Long-Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN)” or the Biyaheng Kulambo.

With this, a symbolic LLIN will travel through all the provinces of the country starting from malaria-endemic areas in anticipation to the Malaria Awareness Month.

Aside from the transfer and acceptance, there will also be the affixing of the provincial logo on the ceremonial LLIN as a symbol of the province’s participation at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 7 at the governor’s office, provincial capitol.

The Malaria Prevention and Elimination Program is an advocacy campaign of the Department of Health, in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Global Fund through the Philippines Shell Foundation, Inc. (EAB-PIA 5, Catanduanes)