Solon donates P.5-M to CDC prosthesis lab, training center
Clark Freeport (22 July) — Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin has donated P500,000 to the Clark Development Corporation’s (CDC) prosthesis laboratory and training center based inside the Clark Polytechnic here, the state-owned CDC announced.
CDC President Benigno N. Ricafort said Lazatin on Thursday, July 16, awarded to the CDC a check worth P500,000 which was derived from the solon’s Priority Development Assistance Fund.
Ricafort said the CDC established the prosthesis laboratory and training center last February 15, 2009 which aims to provide more prosthetic legs to hundreds of amputees in Pampanga and other nearby provinces.
According to Ricafort, the prosthesis center is part of CDC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. He added that the CDC has forged ties with the Physicians for Peace (PFP) in close collaboration with Pampanga congressional representatives, mayors, Kapampangan Development Foundation, and various civic groups.
Ricafort added that the partnership between the CDC and the PFP begun more than a year ago with the official launching of the Walking Free Pampanga, a program supported by Lazatin that aims to provide free prostheses and wheelchairs for the indigent amputees.
“The goal is to enable them and their caregivers to go back to productive life. The project has provided 124 prosthetic legs to more than 100 patients and 172 wheelchairs to date,” Ricafort said. (PIA)
photo credit: mela sogono
DOST to conduct science and technology week celebration
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (16 July) — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Cagayan Valley will be conducting the celebration of the Science and Technology Week from July 27-31 at the Reale Mall in Tuguegarao City.
Urdujah Tejada, DOST regional director said this year’s celebration carries the theme: “Responding to Global Challenge thr
ough Science and Technology.”
The highlight of the celebration, according to Tejada will be the conduct of the Philippine Coconut Summit to showcase the benefits, opportunities and recent breakthroughs on coconut in the country and around the world. Other DOST regional offices will also ran a series of activities such as exhibits, seminars, public talks, competitions and demonstrations, cultural shows and other interesting and worthwhile activities.
In Cagayan Valley, Tejada said the week-long celebration will kick-off with a press conference for mediamen to impart the DOST’s new trends, technologies and other programs and projects designed to help accelerate the country’s economy. (PIA NVizcaya)
photo credit: anne_jimenez
DFA, VP Noli reiterate deployment ban to Afghanistan, Iraq
Manila (23 July) — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Vice President and presidential adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW)s Noli De Castro are urging again Filipinos who wish to work abroad to avoid countries with work deployment ban, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
This, after 10 Filipinos were among the 16 who died in a helicopter crash in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
In a radio interview, VP De Castro called on the Filipino people saying, “sana sa mga nakikinig na naghahanap ng ikabubuhay sa ibang bansa, huwag niyong patulan ang Afghanistan.”
He explained that the main reason why the DFA is implementing the deployment ban is to keep OFWs from harm’s way. “Kapit sa patalim pero manganganib naman ang inyong buhay.”
De castro explained that Filipinos are forced to work in Afghanistan because of huge compensation offer. “Malaki kasi ang alok, gaya nitong isa – $1,300 ang suweldo bilang karpentero. Marami talaga ang trabaho doon kasi may ginagawang dalawang base military.”
The Vice President assured the public that assistance is being extended to the 10 OFWs who got involved in the helicopter accident earlier. “Tulungan natin itong mga biktima – legal o illegal man ang kanilang dokumento – kasi mga Filipino din ang mga ito. Hahabulin din natin ang kanilang mga employers para maibigay ang kanilang mga benepisyo.”
VP Noli also revealed that OWWA is also looking at possible benefits which can be extended to the victims. (PIA)
photo credit: Kakashi_Sensei [Carlo]
