Celebrating The Emperor’s Birthday

On the occasion of the birthday of His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, the Consular office of Japan in Cebu Minister & Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines, Atsushi Ueno, played host at the dinner held at the Shanghai-Beijing Rooms of Marco Polo Plaza Cebu last December 13.

Most discernible during the affair were the government officials: Vice Governor Agnes Magpale and Provincial Board Member Sun Shimura representing the province of Cebu; Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella of Cebu City; Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna of Mandaue City; prominent businessmen, members of the diplomatic corps, civic leaders and members of media. There was an exchange of toasts for the good of both countries, the Philippines and Japan.

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1901st Army Ready Reserve Infantry Brigade’s Bohol Civic Action

The 1901st Philippine Army Ready Reserve Infantry Brigade, in its continuing mission to serve the marginalized areas of Region 7, spearheaded a ‘Joint Civic Action’ in Sevilla Bohol, an hour plus travel from the capital, Tagbilaran.

Brigade Commander Col. Erik Miguel Espina paid a courtesy call on Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, as local government partner, to kick off the activity. Col. Espina, by the way, is the youngest son of former Cebu Governor and Senator Rene Espina.

Army Reservist volunteers and personnel from the Central Command, headed by Deputy Centcom B/Gen Allan Arrohado, also attended the activities, with Lt. Col. Castor Bahin of the 7th Regional Community Defense Group, Lt. Col. Crispin Barrete of the Bohol 702nd Community Defense Co., 1st Bohol Ready Reserve Battalion, 302nd Brigade, Lt. Col. Dedgie Belloga as Commanding Officer of the 47th Infantry Battalion, 5th TAs group, 5th ARCEN, PAF, 511th Naval Reserve Squadron, and the1305th Dental Dispensary. NAVFORCEN provided the barge that transported most of the participants and equipment from Cebu to Tubigon, Bohol.

A total of 1,969 patients benefitted from the charity work, including 400 returning drug users who underwent a seminar conducted by the PDEA. Services rendered included free medical treatment/medicines, dental, haircut, feeding, story book reading for children, massage, and distribution of seedlings, seminar on violence against women, etc.