Newsbriefs

Patients discharged in Argao

THE 21 patients who were admitted last week for food poisoning to the Isidro Kintanar Memorial Hospital (IKMH) were discharged yesterday.

Social welfare officer Flordeliza Botero said the Argao municipal government will shoulder the medical expenses incurred by the food poisoning victims.

Argao sanitary inspector Marisa Montejo said test results from the stool samples of the patients will be known today but they suspect that bacteria in the meat mixed with the macaroni served by the Enriquez family caused the illness.

They were admitted after complaining of stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea caused by eating macaroni served during the birthday celebration of Liezel Enriquez-Gubaton. The Municipal Health Office inspected the market and the store where the family bought the ingredients. /Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon

Vatican inspection of Cebu as Eucharistic Congress venue today

THE president of the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) will arrive in Cebu today to inspect the venues and other preparations for the event planned for January next year.

Archbishop Piero Marini, who has served as the master of papal liturgical ceremonies for 20 years, is expected to stay in the country until Sept. 15.

He will be accompanied by Ann Griffin, the general manager of the organizing committee during the 2011 IEC in Dublin, and Fr. Vittore Buchardi, a member of the IEC pontifical committee.

They will inspect the venues for the conferences and the Eucharistic celebrations as well as the accommodations for the visitors and delegates from around the world.

Marini is also set to meet with the Theological Committee in Manila before he returns to Rome.

“Archbishop Marini will find out if the place is sufficient for the people who will come over for the IEC. I hope he will approve,” Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal said.

The 82-year-old prelate said the country is blessed to be chosen to host the IEC for the second time.

“The last time the country hosted the IEC was in 1937 in Manila. I was still six years old at that time,” Vidal said.

The country was given the opportunity to host the 51st IEC on Jan. 25 to 31, 2016. This time, it will be held in Cebu City, the cradle of Christianity in the Far East.

The Cebu Archdiocese is hoping Pope Francis will attend the IEC in 2016.

The Vatican hasn’t given any word on whether or not the Holy Father will travel to Cebu City for the IEC. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

BO-PK to back supporters in barangay elections

THERE won’t be any new or old candidates for the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK) camp to field in next month’s barangay-Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

BO-PK founder and former congressman Tomas Osmeña said they will only support incumbent barangay officials who supported their slate in the May elections.

“These are our people who are running so they ask for our blessing and support.  We encourage them (to run) and then to a certain extent, if I can campaign for them, I will campaign for them. But they’ll have to run on their own,” he said.

Osmeña reiterated that he won’t run for barangay captain in Guadalupe where he lives because this could affect his election protest against mayor Michael Rama that remains pending before the Comelec. He also wants to focus on his private life. Osmeña will be supporting re-electionist barangay captain Michael Gacasan.

“My policy, we will help all those who helped us. That’s the least we can do for them. We are not turning our backs on those who also helped us,” Osmeña said. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac 

Umapad drainage project gets P20 M funding

MANDAUE City Hall allocated P20 million to implement the first phase of the drainage project for flood-prone barangay Umapad.

During the inauguration of the renovated Umapad barangay hall, Mandaue city mayor Jonas Cortes said the first phase of the P41 million project will start from Plaridel Street to the Mactan channel.

An earlier proposed drainage project would have elevated Batiller Street to allow flood waters to flow towards barangay Opao.

“Waterflow going to Plaridel Street is too far, thus, we changed it going to Pajara,” Cortes said. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza