PALO, Leyte- About 3, 000 barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) from Leyte and Samar provinces attended a two-day regional conference held on October 11-12, 2018 at the Leyte Academic Center here with Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla as guest of honor and speaker.
The Conference had for its theme”BNS: Bida ng Nutrition, Noon, Ngayon, at Bukas!”
Members of the Harmonized Initiative for the Spread of Good Nutrition in Region Eight (HIMSOG-8) also graced the event.
The group is composed of active tri-media practitioners in the region and the media components of the National Nutrition Council-8 as its media arm in the dissemination and promotion of the good and the best nutrition practices.
Regional federation president Lydia Nuñez welcomed the participants and the public during the opening program which was also attended by NNC-8 officials headed by Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo Jr., regional nutrition program coordinator and nutrition officer Niño Archie S. Labordo, among others.
In his message, Gov. Petilla related that when he first assumed office as governor in June 2013, he attended a well-conducted project called the Visayas Nutrition Forum that tackled the prevalence of schistosomiasis and malnutrition cases in Leyte.
Gov. Petilla summed up the healing and caring experience saying that through proper nutrition feeding and deworming assistance, 85% of the affected population returned to their normal weights after six months of intensive case follows-ups.
The Visayas Nutrition Forum, he recalled, paved the way for the coming to Leyte of other volunteer-missions under the auspices of the United Nation (UN).
“I congratulate and thank the BNS Volunteer to a job well done. For their dedication and humanitarian concern; for the sick who are obviously poverty- stricken, and for their love for Region 8,” Petilla said. (ALBERTO E. LESIGUEZ)

TACLOBAN CITY- Recently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided assistance to the victims of two fire incidents in Tacloban City.
On November 13 at around 3:06 am, a fire broke out at Barangay 46, Juan Luna Street. According to initial investigation, the cause of the fire was electrical in nature.
The fire resulted in 5 totally and 5 partially damaged houses, based on the same investigation. It affected 10 families (155 individuals, 96 of whom were boarders). The fire was put out at around 4:40 am. The estimated cost of damages is P4.5 million.
Only a few days later, another fire broke out on November 16 at around 9:35 pm. Based on initial investigation, the fire was caused by an unattended candle at a boarding house at Brgy. 42, downtown.
The fire also spread to Brgy. 39. Over-all, the fire resulted in 17 totally and 2 partially damaged houses. Over-all 31 families (133 individuals) were affected.
DSWD promptly responded to these incidents. DSWD staff from the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) conducted an onsite evaluation and coordinated with the City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) to assess the needs of the fire victims.
The Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) focal person gathered data and in coordination with CSWDO and the DRMD project development officer, while the Regional Resource Operation Section (RROS) was also alerted to ensure the readiness of relief items for dispatch.
Initially, the fire victims in Brgy. 46 were provided with family food packs, pots and pans, plates, bowls, tumblers and kitchen utensils.
Over-all, DSWD and the CSWDO provided P32,784 in assistance to Brgy. 46. The survivors at Brgy. 39 and 42 were also provided with family food packs, pots and pans, plates, bowls, tumblers and kitchen utensils, as well as plastic mats, mosquito nets, malongs, hygiene kits and blankets. Over-all, DSWD and the CSWDO provided a total of P70,587 in assistance to these barangays. (PR)