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The official e-Newsletter of PIA Visayas
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Vol 4 Issue 21 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 May 26 - June 1, 2014
WESTERN VISAYAS
In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue 1.5M students expected in WV public schools
Gov’t IOs told: Be ‘news junkies’
More on Region 8, pages 6-7.
Also CLICK Here...
Ichon National HS bags Brigada Eskwela Hall of Fame nat’l award
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, May 19 (PIA) - The
Ichon National High School has bagged the Hall of Fame Brigada Eskwela national award in 2013 after three consecutive wins since 2011.
Southern Leyte Division OIC Superintendent Dr. Arturo Isip announced that Ichon National High School
bagged the national award in 2013 for winning in three consecutive years, namely 2011, 2012 and 2013, hence the
launching of the yearly maintenance and school repair kick off ceremony of the Brigada Eskwela for this year was held here.
According to Education Program Supervisor (EPS) Jaime Leon Cardona, who is also the division coordinator for the Brigada Eskwela, Ichon National High School is the
only awardee for last year's implementation of the yearly maintenance and repair of schools program throughout the division.
He reported that in 2012, Southern Leyte Division garnered four national awards in the Brigada Eskwela implementation in four public elementary and highschools,
namely, the San Roque Elementary School in Macrohon and
the Malitbog Central School for the large school category. While the Padre Burgos Central School won the big
elementary school category and Ichon National High
School for the large secondary school category as first place, Cardona added.
Cardona said their outstanding performance was attributed to the overwhelming participation of
stakeholders like the support and coordination with the parents, alumni, local government units to include the municipalities and barangay officials, national offices, among
others. As the voluntary services from the stakeholders
poured in cash and in kind contributions to the mentioned
schools, it spells out big improvements such as roof repair, repainting, fencing the school premises.
Thus making the schools becoming, attractive, safe
and conducive to learning to the children, who will be inspired to study and finish the basic education, he said.(PIA8 SoLeyte)
By: Lilibeth A. French
ILOILO CITY, May 27 (PIA6) - - The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas is expecting around 1.5 million students to troop to over four thousand public
schools across the region when the new school year 2014-2015 begins on Monday, June 2.
DepEd 6 Assistant Regional Director John Arnold Siena said in a radio interview on Sunday that of the
expected number of enrollees, 1.1 million are in the elementary level and 400,000 in the secondary.
With barely a week before the opening of classes,
Siena reminded parents especially those who have not enrolled their children yet to visit school and ensure that their children are listed when they report during the first
day of school.
He also reiterated the no collection policy being imposed by the department during enrollment.
“This opening, let not the nonpayment of voluntary contributions last year be a basis for non-admission of
students,” said Siena.
DepEd 6 Regional Office has also reactivated its Oplan Balik Eskwela Information and Action Center Task Force tasked to address queries, concerns, complaints and
problems encountered during enrollment and opening of classes.
“The Task Force will look into that students are properly enrolled and attended the first day of classes,”
said Dr. Eden Deriada, DepEd 6 OBE IAC Task Force Chairperson.
Aside from Deriada, the OBE Information and Action
Center is manned by 5 Senior Action Officers and a support staff, all from DepEd 6. The action center is situated at the DepEd Regional Office in Duran St., Iloilo
City and will be open until June 2.
“Students, parents and other concerned can also bring their queries to the nearest DepEd division offices as
they were also directed to set up their own OBE Task Force,” said Deriada. (JSC/LAF-PIA6 Iloilo)
More on Region 7, pages 4-5.
More on Region 6, pages 2-3.
EASTERN VISAYAS
CENTRAL VISAYAS
Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino shared the PGS
(Public Governance System) journey of
Calbayog City around hundreds of participants
during the first ever Partnership Summit on
HR Reforms and Good Governance
conducted by Civil Service Commission
Regional Office No. 8 held in Visayas State
University Convention Center, Baybay City,
Leyte, May 26. (LGU Calbayog/Aimee A.
Catalan)
Officials from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas-Cebu
and Cebu Bankers Club showing samples of
unfit and mutilated notes during a presscon
this morning. BSP-Cebu Regional Dir. Atty.
Ma. Lux T. Berciles (center) has clarified that
all banks are mandated to exchange or accept
for deposits any unfit bills from the public. BSP
made the clarification amidst reports that
banks will no longer accept unfit bills. Photo
also shows Cebu Bankers Club incoming
president Gino Gonzales (L), and Cebu
Bankers Club outgoing president Joey Umerez
(R). (vvv/PIA-Cebu)
CARAVAN OF SERVICES. Act ing
Ombudsman Region VI Director Philip C.
Camiguing emphasizes that the 13th Caravan
of Government Services scheduled May 28 and
29 in Maayon town is a manifestation that
"there is a government working for the good
of his people" during an executives‟ forum as
part of the caravan. (PIA Capiz photo/Alex.
Lumaque)
BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, May 27 (PIA) – Government infor-mation officers (GIOs) are told to be “news junkies” to stock their knowledge base on what is happening in their
surroundings for them to be effective in anchoring radio and TV programs.
Veteran broadcaster Leo Lastimosa, station manager of radio station DYAB-AM of ABS-CBN who anchors a
daily local news program on TV and radio, bared that a crucial part of the preparations before hosting a broadcast program is to know what issues and concerns are
circulating in the national and local scene. “It is important to know the news and to organize
the information to be able to have a language mastery of
the message the anchor will discuss to the listeners and viewers,” said Lastimosa during the recent
training-workshop on „Enhancing Communication Skills in
Effective Hosting, Digital Photography and Social Media” for GIOs from the different line agencies that was also participated by other government personnel.
Lastimosa who has been in the broadcast industry for almost 30 years told GIOs that preparation is a key to be effective as communicators.
“We need to master the message and substance
always prevails. We must have something relevant to say and not just deliver any kind of information,” said Lastimosa.
The broadcast journalist who also teaches a subject on mass communications at a local college in Cebu said nervousness can never be avoided.
“Even if I am in the industry for almost three decades,
I still get nervous when facing a crowd. But we can overcome such feelings if we prepare,” disclosed Lastimosa.
“If there is opposition to the information you are pushing as part of your programs then tackle the strongest contrary arguments,” advised Lastimosa, adding that one must treat opponents as allies because in persistence with
your mindset, opponents in the end could be swayed by your advocacies.
The two-day training workshop was initiated by the
Philippine Information Agency 7 in partnership with the Association of Government Information Officers in Central Visayas with the support of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health and the National Economic and Development
Authority in the region. (rmn/fcr/PIA-7)
Seasoned broadcaster Leo Lastimosa shares tips to Region 7
government information officers on enhancing
communication skills for their varied functions. (PIA-7)
WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222
University of San Agustin in Iloilo CityUniversity of San Agustin in Iloilo CityUniversity of San Agustin in Iloilo City
KALIBO, Aklan, May 28 (PIA6) -- If elections were held today, a total of 39,208 Aklanons will not be able to vote,
according to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) here.
T he COMELEC disclosed this
information here at a gathering of
the province‟ government
information officers attending a forum on
various national government‟s programs,
projects and services held at the
Conference Hall of the Aklan Police
Provincial Office (APPO), Camp Pastor
Martelino, New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan.
According to Elma Cahilig, Election
Officer of the municipality of Malay who
discussed salient points of several
COMELEC resolutions, these Aklanons
found on record to be unable to vote are
those who failed to vote twice in the last
two local and national elections.
The COMELEC however, shared a
remedy for this status of thousands of
voters here – by availing of the continuing
registration services offered by the
commission since May 6 of this year and
to last up to October 31, 2015 and having
their records updated, corrected or
reactivated.
In her talk before Aklan‟s information
officers, Cahilig said it has been the
practice of COMELEC to hold continuing
registration 18 months before elections.
The next national and local elections
will be on May 2016.
Based on records of the COMELEC
here as of May 20, 2014, of Aklan‟s 17
towns, Kalibo has the highest number of
voters who failed to vote twice with 6,789
followed by the town of Malay with 4,414;
Ibajay with 2,697; Balete with 2,570;
Banga, 2,251; New Washington, 2,383;
Buruanga, 2,350; Batan, 2,252; Numancia,
2,061; Libacao, 1,802; Malinao, 1,671;
Altavas, 1,604; Nabas, 1,528; Makato,
1,419; Madalag, 1,287;Tangalan, 1,392; and
Lezo, 738.
The COMELEC has already a
scheduled Election Registration Board
(ERB) Hearing for these deactivated
voters ranging from July to October 2014.
Cahilig was sent by COMELEC-Aklan
Provincial Election Supervisor II
A t t y . I an L ee M . Ananor i a
a l o n g w i t h C O M E L E C - N e w
Washington Election Officer Chrispin
Raymond Gerardo as resource persons to
the forum.
The forum with information officers
served as the first part of the activities
with the Induction of Aklan Public
Information Officers Association (APIOA)
officers for 2014-2016 as the second part.
Other agencies which imparted
latest programs, information and
services at the forum were the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) which
tackled environmental issues with
emphasis on Climate Change, the
Social Security System (SSS) with
emphasis on new contribution
schedule and the ALKANSSSYA
p rogr am , and t h e Ph i l i p p i n e
Statistics Authority (PSA), formerly
National Statistics Office (NSO).(VGV
PIA6 Aklan)
39,000 Aklanons might lose right to vote in 2016
By: Venus G. Villanueva
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, May 27 (PIA6) - - The City Government of San Carlos inked a Memorandum of Understanding with
Project I4J that would strengthen the mechanism in business and investment procedures of the city.
San Carlos City inks MOU with Project I4J
T he MOU was signed by Mayor
Gerardo P. Valmayor, Jr. and Dr.
Peter Koeppinger, Project
Director of Partnerships for Integrity and
Jobs (Project I4J) Consortium at the San
Carlos City Hall.
Project I4J which started in January
2014, is co-founded by the European
Union and the German Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development
thru Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) that
would contribute to the reduction of
poverty in the Philippines through integrity
and the sustainable creation of jobs.
The MOU further cited the role of
the local government units as key players
for clean administrative procedures into
the Integrity Initiative set up by the
European Chamber of Commerce of
the Philippines and the Makati Business
Club.
It provides a sustainable network for
self-obligation and monitoring of
transparent and uncorrupt structures and
procedures; and, aims to create models of
transparent, effective small business and
investment registration and promotion
procedures and disseminate them.
City Legal Officer Atty. Chat Delima,
the local focal person of Project I4J, said
that nine local government units are
already part of this project.
There are three in Luzon, three in the
Visayas including San Carlos City, and
three in the Mindanao area.
The three-year contract for the said
MOU took effect last May 21, 2014 and
will terminate December 31, 2016.*(JSC/
EAD-PIA6/San Carlos Negros Occidental)
By: Easter Anne D. Doza
Wind turbines to dot Guimaras town coastline
ILOILO CITY, May 27 (PIA6) – Wind turbines will soon dot the coastline of San Lorenzo town in the province of Guimaras.
G uimaras Governor Samuel Guma-
rin said construction workers and
heavy equipment have started
streaming to the sites of the wind
turbines. San Lorenzo is set to have 27
windmills scheduled to be completed
within five years. In a short while, Guma-
rin said, some of these will be functional
enough to generate electricity within the
year.
T h e p r o v i n c e h a s a n
annual energy consumption of
only 13 megawatts, comparatively
big compared to that of Iloilo City.
“We are not in a way
a f fected by the power red
alert recently hoisted in the Visayas,”
Gumarin said.
He added that blackouts occur but
very few and at far intervals in between.
(JSC/ESS-PIA6 Iloilo)
By: Elsa S. Subong
WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333
University of San Agustin in Iloilo CityUniversity of San Agustin in Iloilo CityUniversity of San Agustin in Iloilo City
'Oplan Katok' still ongoing
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, May 29 (PIA) – The Capiz police is monitoring and checking possessors of high-powered firearms in the
province.
C apiz Police Provincial Director
Ulysses Caton disclosed that 40
holders of licensed high-powered
firearms were recently monitored as to
the status of their firearms as part of the
Oplan Katok operation of the Philippine
National Police.
The high-powered firearms that were
monitored by the Capiz police‟s Firearms
Explosives Security Agency Group
Services (FESAGS) visiting team include
the 7.62mm and 5.56mm, Caton said.
Included in the high-powered firearms
possessors who were checked last April
was Department of the Interior and Local
Government Secretary Mar Roxas, he
said.
According to Capiz PNP Information
Officer Donna Asmod, of the total 42 high
-powered firearms holders in Capiz, 39
are still in possession of said firearms, one
allegedly sold his possessed firearm and
two have declared that the same were put
under the custody of their respective
parents.
Asmod said that the Oplan Katok is
continuous effort of the police as part of
its intensive campaign against loose
firearms in Capiz.
The Capiz police, she said, is also
appreciative of the positive gesture of the
gun holders of cooperating with them in
the said campaign. (JCM/JBG/PIA6)
By: Jemin B. Guillermo
OMB caravan: Serving more is better
MAAYON, Capiz, May 29 (PIA6) – For the Office of the Ombudsman – Visayas Regional Office No. 6, numbers count a lot
particularly when it comes to the Caravan of Government Services they have conducted in Western Visayas.
T he more people served the
better.
The ongoing services caravan in
Maayon, Capiz is out to prove that.
OMB Graft Investigation Officer and
caravan coordinator Evangeline Nunal said
they would only be too happy that this
13th caravan would be able to serve more
Capicenos.
At the start of the two-day caravan,
May 28, throngs of people were flocking at
the town‟s civic center.
The caravan was intended for
beneficiaries from the host town and four
other neighboring municipalities.
The crowd was reminiscent of the
turnout during previous big-number
caravans. A total of 10,442 people went to
the one held in Carles, Iloilo on August
29, 2013, 10,034 in Jordan, Guimaras on
November 15, 2013, and 5,699 in
Tubungan, Iloilo on October 19,
2012.
How we wish Maayon would surpass
the 8th caravan held in Bugasong, Antique
on September 27-28, 2012 which
registered 11,821 clients, so far the
highest.
Ombudsman-6 is yet to ascertain the
total count from the ongoing caravan,
according to Nunal, who is also the Public
I n format ion Of f i ce r o f t h e i r
agency.
Underscoring the significance of the
project, Ombudsman-6 Acting Director
Philip C. Camiguing said at the Executives‟
Forum during the caravan that this is a
manifestation that “there is a government
working for the good of his
people”.
And with more people in the know of
this would surely be a welcome feedback
on government services. Numbers.
Since 2008, the caravan has
already served 62, 7649 clients
from 12 sites with widely varied
government services. Again, it‟s numbers.
(JCM/JSC-PIA6)
By: Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.
SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA6) - - Antiqueño Out-Of-School (OSY) youth will have their chance to complete their basic education
or earn some training in order to help them find a job or become entrepreneurs.
T his is the objective of the
„Abot Alam‟ program of the
Department of Education which
aims to reach out to one million OSY in
the country, said Perla Loriega, „Abot
Alam‟ Program Coordinator, Division of
Antique.
In Antique , Loriega said, we are
targeting to reach out to 8,325 out of
school youth age 15 to 30 years old.
Even those below 14 will be included
particularly if they have enrolled in Grade
7 and dropped out, she said.
Support of partner agencies in this
program is very crucial, the source said.
Aside from basic education which is
the main responsibility of DepEd,
provision of skills and entrepreneurship
training can be taken by other agencies
and private sector like Technical
Education and Skills Development
Authority, Departments of Trade and
Industry, Labor and Employment,
Agriculture, among others.
Local government units, from the
barangay, municipal and provincial levels
also play an important role in mapping out
to ensure that no OSY is left out in every
community.
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said
“ang ating pangarap ay siguraduhing walang
maiwang out-of-school youth sa bawat
barangay”. He added that DepEd will bring
the school to the learners .
(www .deped . gov .p h ) [ JCM/PSM/
PIA6Antique)
DepEd’s ‘Abot Alam’ project targets 8,325 OSYs
By: Pilar S. Mabaquiao
CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444
LARENA, Siquijor, May 27 (PIA) --- Although the state-run weather agency PAGASA has not yet released an official
announcement on the onset of El Nino in the country, preparations are already undertaken in the farming sector to brace the
farmers from the possible effects of the current heat wave.
DA starts preparations for El Nino
D epartment of Agriculture (DA-7)
Regional Technical Director for
research and regulatory Joel
Elumba in a Kapihan sa PIA held Monday
said the El Niño occurrence is still not
clear for now, whether it is slow, mild, or
severe or when and for how long it will
occur.
Elumba said DA has already
implemented the necessary preparations
since since the last quarter of last
year with a series of Information, Education
and Communication (IEC) campaigns
region wide, buffer stocking, monitoring
and validation of agricultural facilities
and even allocation of standby funds for cloud
seeding.
He said the agriculture sector is the most
affected by El Niño and the climate change so
that so the government and the public should
come up with some adaptation measures to
counter their effects.
These would include the use of adaptive
crops and cropping system, indigenous forage,
and good animal husbandry practices,
among others.
Elumba also strongly campaigned for the
conservation of water and called for
the strong support to the government‟s
Natioal Greening Program (NGP).
Farmers should already start
preparing with or without El Niño, he said, as
he urged them to plant crops suitable to their
lands and make sure that they are taking good
care of their livestock.
He said that if climate change becomes
severe, production volume and quality are
greatly affected.
Surface water dries up, significantly
affecting production volume and quality that
consequently reduces farmers‟ income, he
said.
Elumba however said he is confident that
Siquijor farmers are intelligent and resilient as
seen by how they produce good crops, raise
and export good amount of quality livestock
given the size of the island and the limited
resources. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor)
By Rizalie A. Calibo Silliman University in Dumaguete CitySilliman University in Dumaguete CitySilliman University in Dumaguete City
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 23 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City continues to be a popular destination for tourists ranks now as 3rd top
local government destinations in Central Visayas (CV).
Dumaguete City ranks 3rd as LGU tourism destination in CV
T he Department of Tourism (DOT-7)
reported that Dumaguete came next
after Cebu City and Lapu-Lapu City.
The tourism industry in the city showed a
positive growth in tourist arrivals last year with
183.9% with some 393,718 local and foreign
tourists visiting the city.
According to Brando Canonizado of City
Tourism Office that Dumaguete is not just being
recognized as a “The City of the Gentle People,”
but recently, Dumaguete City earned its way on
the list of “Most affordable places to retire in the
World” in an article released by Yahoo! Finance,
Dumaguete ranked 4th.
In a DOT Regional Tourism Officers Forum
held recently, Dumaguete City Tourism Officer
Woodrow Maquiling Jr., is the first Negrense to
be elected as Regional President of the Central
Visayas Tourism Officers Association (CVTOA).
Maquiling has been chosen to showcase the
Dumaguete experience on the topic Tourism Best
Practices of LGUs during the DOT Regional
Tourism Officers Forum attended by over 80
tourism officers in Central Visayas.
Canonizado said landmark program of the
city tourism is the localization of the national law
Republic Act 9593 otherwise known as the
Tourism Act of 2009. With this, a city ordinance
passed which deals with the implementation of
the Mandatory Accreditation of Primary Tourism
Enterprises operating the city.
Thus, it is said the city is indeed ready to be
globally competitive for a robust tourism industry
as an engine of investment, employment, growth
and community development. “The Dumaguete
experience was far from perfect but was made
possible because of the collaborative effort from
all the stakeholders and team at the city tourism
office under the leadership mayor Manuel
Sagarbarria,” said Canonizado.
Meanwhile, the DOT held an election of
officers for CVTOA facilitated by regional
director Rowena Lu Montecillo. Montecillo
committed to support the association as partner
of DOT to strengthen the tourism industry and
achieve successfully the implementation of the
National Tourism Development Plan in the
region. With that, the following officers elected
include Woodrow Maquiling Jr of Dumaguete
City Tourism Office as regional president;
vice-president for Bohol - Ardissa R. Estavilla,
Catigbian Municipal Tourism Officer;
vice-president for Cebu - Jocelyn Tan, Bogo City
Tourism Officer; vice-president for Negros
Oriental - Eliseo Manlangit, Bayawan City Tourism
Officer; vice-president for Siquijor - Josette
Armirola, Siquijor Provincial Tourism Officer;
secretary - Grace Paulino, Cebu Provincial
Tourism Officer; treasurer - Hembler Mendoza,
Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Officer; auditor - Myla
Mae B. Abellana, Negros Oriental Provincial
Tourism Officer. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros
Oriental)
BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS
CEBU CITY, May 27 (PIA) --- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in Cebu assured the public that all banks continue to accept
unfit notes for deposit or exchanged with new ones.
Banks continue to accept unfit notes - BSP
BY: RACHELLE M. NESSIA
O fficials from BSP Cebu and the Cebu
Bankers Club made the assurance in a
press conference amid reports that some
banks are no longer accepting unfit bills.
BSP Cebu received several calls from the
public raising concern over speculations that
banks have stopped accepting unfit bills.
“Last week, we received reports that dili na
daw mudawat ang mga banko ug dunot ug daan
nga kwarta (banks are reportedly no onger
accepting unfit bills),” said BSP Cebu Regional
Director Atty. Ma. Lux Berciles during the
presscon.
Berciles said this is not true as all banks are
obligated to accept unfit bills under the Clean
Note policy of BSP.
“The policy of BSP is to provide the public
with good, clean notes. So it is our mandate as
well as that of the banks which are agents of
Bangko Sentral to accept these unfit notes,”
stressed Berciles.
According to BSP, bills that are considered
unfit are those that contain heavy creases which
break the fiber of the paper, badly soiled/
contaminated and/or with writings or presents a
limp or rag-like appearance.
Joey Umerez, Cebu Bankers Club
outgoing president, said that after learning of the
circulating reports claiming that banks are
rejecting unfit bills, they immediately sent
advisories to their member banks that they are to
continue accepting unfit bills either for deposits
or exchange.
“That is the advisory we sent last week.
Most definitely, banks are accepting unfit bills,” he
assured. (rmn/PIA-Cebu)
CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555
LARENA, Siquijor May 25 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Siquijor eyes for an efficient water system for the whole island
as its priority project under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), a 6-year national government platform for an
inclusive, value-chain oriented, and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries sector.
Siquijor eyes water program for PRDP funding
P rovincial administrator Peter Samson, in
an orientation-briefing last week, said
that the province‟s most and real need is
water that have not been given so much focus
and/or effective solution since long, long time ago
so that local folks continue to suffer and grumble.
“Siquijor has a very poor water system,‟ says
Samson noting the need to focus on it above all
other concerns such as infra development,
hospital, electricity, and employment.
Agriculture, he added cannot prosper
without enough supply of water. Water is more
important than fertilizers or good seeds or
technology. We can live without electricity, but
water? It‟s simply indispensable, he said.
He said that as early as June, the provincial
government have identified Canggomantong as
the biggest and the strongest source of surface
water. The other is in Sitio Tag-ibo of San
Antonio.
We want a provincial water system that is
professionally run by either government or
private operators that will cater the whole island
of Siquijor, he said.
Samson said initial steps has been taken with
some private consultants such as the identification
and evaluation of water sources and coming up
with a comprehensive development plan to
address not only water problem but other
concerns on power, hospital and employment.
He said the cost of the proposed water
project alone has an initial rough estimate of P250
million but will benefit the whole island, farmers
and non-farmers alike.
PRDP, according to Reneirio Zeta, DA-RO7
administrative officer is the upscale version of
the Mindanao Rural Development Program
(MRDP) where new innovations are introduced
to address the present demand of times especially
climate change to make rural development more
effective.
It is one of the tools of the country‟s
Millenium Development Goal (MDG) that hopes
to trickle down economic gains to at least reduce
poverty to a minimum level in the rural areas.
The Program, he said is jointly funded by
the World Bank, National Government and the
Local Government Units with the objective of
increasing farmers‟ income in agri-fishery sector in
program areas and developing a more
market-oriented and climate-resilient agriculture
and fishery sector developed in program
areas.Implementation of the projects has four
major components.
Meanwhile, the Department of Science and
Techology (DOST) in Siquijor province recently
conducted an orientation seminar and signing of
scholarship contracts for the new batch of
scholars at the DOST-Provincial Science and
Technology Center (PSTC). The orientation
program aims to inform the scholars of their
existing responsibilities alongside their privileges.
The new batch of scholars was accompanied by
their proud parents during the momentous event.
Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing who was a DOST SEI
scholar under RA 7687 and now a project
assistant at the DOST-PSTC Siquijor facilitated
the event. (RAC/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports Engr.
Reinhold Jek Y. Abing, DOST-Siquijor)
BY: RIZALIE A. CALIBO
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 (PIA) --The Negros Oriental Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council recently acquired
more rescue equipment worth P2 million from the70% disaster fund.
T he latest acquisition of the brand new
rescue vehicle and two rubber boats
with outboard engines is part of its
continuing effort to strengthen disaster
preparedness in the province.
According to executive officer Adrian Sedillo
of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council (PDRRMC) the new rescue
vehicle, modified to suit the need for rescue
operations, amounted to P1.2 million while the
two additional rubber boats with outboard
engines cost some P650,000.
Governor Roel Ragay Degamo personally
oversees the on-going effort to enhance the
equipage of the provincial government to augment
the present capacity of various cities and
municipalities of the province.
Gov. Degamo said it is one of the main
thrusts of the provincial government through the
PDRRMC to acquire more rescue and heavy
equipment as it recognizes the difficulty of some
cities and municipalities to acquire them due to
limited funds.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education
(DepEd) Dumaguete City division has gathered
stakeholders in a national school clean-up this
week, Brigada Eskwela, focuses safety and
disaster-preparedness in the community. The
school officials, education stakeholders, parents,
teachers and community residents trooped to
different public schools in preparation for the
opening of classes on June 2 for school year 2014
-2015. Nelson Caday, DepEd educational program
supervisor said that for this year‟s brigada the
school is not only focusing on the sweeping or
cleaning-up the grounds and classrooms but it
see to it how strong the classrooms must be, said
Caday. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental with
reports from Ina Isabelle A. Taburaza, intern))
BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS
Silliman University in Dumaguete CitySilliman University in Dumaguete CitySilliman University in Dumaguete City NegOr acquires more rescue equipment worth P2M
CEBU CITY, May 26 (PIA) --- The Regional Child Labor Committee (RCLC) held its quarterly meeting and planning session
recently at Diamond Suites Hotel, this city.
T he gathering was in line with the
mandate of eliminating „Child Labor
in Central Visayas‟ since Region 7 is
besieged with calamities, natural or man-made,
RCLC members vowed to serve and deliver
the best service to their clients.
Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE-7) Regional Director Chona Mantilla
presided the meeting and planning session
wherein the group came up with year-round
projects and programs under the concept of
H.E.L.P. Me or Health, Education, Livelihood,
and Prevention, Protection, and Prosecution,
Monitoring and Evaluation.
One project is the conduct of Children‟s
month in October, advocacy drive and other
related activities in eliminating child labor in
Central Visayas, said Emmanuel Y. Ferrer,
Regional Labor Communication Officer of
DOLE-7.
Mantilla bared that there will be
simultaneous celebration of Global March
relative to the observance of World Day
Against Child Labor in five field offices of
DOLE -7 in Bohol, Cebu, Negros
Oriental, Siquijor and the tri-cities covering the
cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu on
June 12.
Each field office will have its own set of
activities for said commemoration, Mantilla
added..
RCLC also conducted on the same day a
Refresher Orientation on Handling Complaints
Against Child Labor, Illegal Recruitment and
Trafficking In Persons purposely to orient the
member-agency representatives who are new
to the Committee to attain the goal of
delivering the best and appropriate service to
the clientele, said Ferrer.
Ferrer said that the meeting was well
attended by the 40 members from different
g o v e r nm e n t a g en c i e s ( G A ) an d
non-government organizations (NGOs).
He added that this is just the first of a
series of capacity-building activities for RCLC-7
members‟ empowerment and enhancement
and there will be more to come. (rmn/jsme/PIA
-Cebu/DOLE-7)
Reg’l Child Labor Committee holds 1st planning session
BY: JUJU MANUBAG-EMPUERTO
EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666
SoLeyte Children and Youth Summit focuses on
disaster mgt., environment protection
P articipants on the said three-day
activity were composed of youth and
children from 15-35 years old,
the source informed.
According to the organizers, first day
of activities included a Summit Orientation
and Preliminaries and levelling of
expectations and Team Building, while
a Structured Learning Sessions with
simulations on Water Safety Basic Course,
Basic First Aid Course and Fire Safety was
conducted.
The ceremonial opening was at the Maasin
Public Plaza with invited guests such as Cong.
Damian G. Mercado, Gov. Roger G. Mercado,
Maasin City officials and different heads of
national line agencies and provincial/city
government.
A film showing featuring disaster-related
and protection of the environment was also
lined up.
Activities for the children and Youth
Summit included Inputs on Ridge to Reef
Ecosystem by Regional Climate Change Center
from the Visayas State University; DRR
unlocking of terms and other reminders
of key messages for clean air; sharing of local
initiatives on DRR, among other best practices
from the Municipal Mayor of San Francisco,
Camotes in Cebu, a United Nations
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
(UNISDR) Champion.
Among other activities during the
summit included Session on Clean Air
with focus on anti-smoking; wellness and
fun walk for Smoke-Free environment;
and simultaneous environmental activities
for conservation and protection such as
mangrove planting, coastal clean-up and river
clean-up.
Also on line was a presentation of the
Provincial Children‟s Code and its legal
basis by Provincial Board Member Aileen
Estrera, followed by a workshop and
presentation of outputs. Election of PCY
Council officers.
The three-day activity concluded at the
Provincial Garden with the Induction of new
PCYC set of officers and a Solidarity Night to
be hosted by the provincial government of
Southern Leyte. (PIA8-SoLeyte)
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) -- The provincial government of Southern Leyte hosted a Children and Youth Summit
on May 28-30, 2014 at Cacao Mountain Resort, Barangay Combado here in coordination with the city government of Maasin,
Philippine National Red Cross and Plan International.
Samar needs billions for recovery and reconstruction
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 28 (PIA) - The province of Samar needs P7.4 billion for recovery and reconstruction.
D uring the Provincial Development
Council meeting on Monday,
members of the (PDC) approved the
proposal to be elevated to the national
government.
The meeting presided by the Provincial
Planning and Development Officer, Arthur
Cuneco had some 14 local chief executives in
attendance with the department heads and
other members of the council.
In the meeting, Cuenco presented that the
total damage from typhoon Yolanda was
estimated at P2.944 B which represented the
value of destroyed physical assets, losses he
added, totals P.342 B which represents the
reduction in production, sales and income.
The impact was most heavily felt by the
productive and social sectors which sustained
51.94 percent and 26.29 percent respectively,
infrastructure meanwhile suffered 21.47 percent of the total damages.
As to figures, infrastructure damages and
losses totals Php.863 B, education infra had the
biggest damage; as to roads the total damage
costs P.315 B. Other damaged infra were day
care centers, barangay halls, covered courts,
waiting sheds, power lines, water
infrastructure, and other physical structures in
the barangays and towns which stood in
typhoon Yolanda‟s path.
“This amount though includes provision
for enhanced resiliency as part of the
reconstruction cost,” said Cuenco.
As to agri and fisheries, damages were
estimated at P1.425 B. Yolanda destroyed
crops, irrigation systems, fish pens, fishing
boats and gears, and livestock. Farmers,
fisherfolks and livestock folks were displaced
and lost income.
In trade, industry and services, damages in
private businesses in small and medium
enterprises was pegged at P103 M. This
includes the physical structures, equipment/
machinery and stocks.
As to social sector, the PDC reported of
245 deaths, more than 2 thousand injured and 30 missing persons in the towns of Basey and
Marabut.
Damages in education were worth P3.11
B w h i c h i n c l u d e s c l a s s r o o m s ,
books,information and technology equipments.
In health and nutrition, damages worth
Php .032 B was reported. Damaged
were hospitals, equipments and other
health paraphernalia, mostly in Basey and
Marabut.
As to the housing sector, the
p o s t a s s e s s m e n t n e e d a n a l y s i s
revealed that more than 9 thousand houses
w e r e t o t a l l y d a m a g e d w h i l e
more than 12 thousand were partially
damaged. It may take some P3.267 B for
reconstruction.
The province of Samar provided
immediate food relief assistance for months in
Basey and Marabut towns and some barangays
of Sta Rita town.
It also provided fishing gears and gill nets
for the fisher folks whose fishing gears were
washed out by the super typhoon.
The province also distributed free rice
certified seed and vegetable seeds to the three highly devastated towns.
Governor Sharee Ann Tan in her recent
visit to Marabut during the launch of GK Bayani
Challenge said she purchased lots for the
permanent housing units of some Marabut
beneficiaries. (PIA 8-Samar)
Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Word University) in Tacloban CityWord University) in Tacloban CityWord University) in Tacloban City
By: Rebecca S. Cadavos
CSC North Samar announces result of paper and pencil test
CATARMAN, Northern Samar, May 22 (PIA) – The Civil Service Northern Samar Field Office announces the result of the
Career Service Examination Paper and Pencil Test conducted on April 6, 2014. This was learned from CSC Director II Ma.
Trinidad L. Costibolo.
O ut of 496 professional and 56
sub-professional passers from Eastern
Visayas, North Samar accounted 114
new career eligible for professional level and
17 for sub-professionals.
Passing the CSC paper and pencil test is a
pre requisite for government employment.
The CSC is the only government
institution commissioned to administer the said
examination.
Costibolo also announces the scheduled
CSE-PPT on October 26, 2014 in Maasin City,
Catbalogan City and Tacloban City.
Acceptance of application is now open
and interested applicants may just visit the Civil
Service Commission Capitol Site, Brgy. Dalakit,
Catarman, Northern Samar.
For the complete list of passers, you can
visit our website at www.csc.gov.ph, Costibolo
informed. (PIA8-Northern Samar)
By: Ninfa Quirante
By: Ailene N. Diaz
EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777
UN OCHA official visits Tacloban and Palo, Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 24 (PIA) – An official of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
visited the city Saturday to assess the humanitarian response and the transition to recovery after six months since Yolanda
devastated most areas in Eastern Visayas.
A ssistant Secretary General and Deputy
Emergency Rel ief Coordinator
Kyung-Wha Kang of the UN Office for
the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs met
with Yolanda affected communities in worst hit
areas in Tacloban like Barangay 88 in San Jose
district and Barangay 52, Magallanes District.
Accompanying the UN OCHA official was
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and
Leyte Congressman Ferdinand Martin
Romualdez who took a look on the initiatives
and challenges faced by the survivors
particularly the fisherfolks, for them to rise
again and build back better.
Thereafter, Kang also visited the
bunkhouses at Government Center, Palo Leyte
where she got a first-hand understanding of the
condition of the families still living there. He
was accompanied by Leyte Vice-Governor
Lawyer Carlo P. Loreto and Councilor
Jonathan Chiquillo who represented Palo
Mayor Remedios L. Petilla.
In a short press briefing, Kang emphasized
the progress in the Yolanda-stricken areas
more than 6 months ago, adding that the
challenges are still present.
“Six months later the place really looks
different but if you look closer, the challenges
are still there,” Kang said.
Thus, the International Community is
committed to continuously supporting the
recovery efforts undertaken by the national
and local government. When she was asked as
to until when the UN OCHA will stay in the
region, Kang said, as long as there is a need a
for coordination of the humanitarian efforts for
the recovery or rehabilitation of
Yolanda-stricken areas.
This is the second visit of Kang, the first
of which happened last December 21, 2013,
more than a month after super typhoon
Yolanda struck the region.(PIA-8)
ChildFund needs Finance Manager
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 26 (PIA) – ChildFund Philippines, a Non-Government Organization is informing the public of a
vacant position for Finance Manager under their Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) Humanitarian Response Program in the Visayas
region.
M s. Rowena D. Cuanico, Human
Resource and Administrative
Officer of ChildFund said through a
press release sent to Philippine Information
Agency that the contract period is until
December 2014 and the package is
commensurate to the applicants‟ experience
and qualifications.
The post is based in Tacloban City where
ChildFund is implementing various programs
aimed at assisting families and children affected
by typhoon Yolanda. The Finance Manager will
ensure the setting up and maintenance of
general accounting system, procedures and
controls for the grant project.
Likewise, she will ensure reliability and
timeliness of accounting records, financial
reports, inventory of consumables and
non-consumable office supplies and other
materials; review and verify financial documents to ensure compliance with
generally accepted accounting principles,
policies and donor reporting requirements as
well as prepare and analyze monthly, quarterly
and annual financial reports for the grant
project.
The applicant must possess a relevant
and progressive work experience preferably
in an international non-government
organization, strong technical capacity in the
required areas of work; in depth knowledge
and practical experience on standard
humanitarian guidelines; demonstrated
high-level interpersonal and cross-cultural
skills including the ability to build
collaborative relationships internally and
externally with sensitivity to cultural, ethnic,
social and political issues; self-guided,
independent with strong facilitation, analytical,
problem-solv ing, organizational , and
t ime-management ski l ls ; support ive
attitude towards processes of strengthening local organizations and building local
capacities for self -management and
above-average written and oral communication
skills in English.
Other qualifications are: 5 years
progressive work experience in accounting
including analysis, financial reporting, budgeting,
financial software and reporting systems or 3
years experience in the management role;
proficiency in Microsoft Office Programs
including Excel, Word and Outlook.
Preferably, he/she must have prior
experience in financial aspect of Grants
Development and Management. Interested
applicants are advised to forward their letter of
intent together with their resume and contact
information for 3 professional references to
Ms . Row ena Cuan i co a t ema i l
address [email protected].
Only shortlisted candidates will be invited
for interviews.
Deadline for submission of letter of intent, resume and other requirements is on May 30,
2014.(PIA-8)
Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Liceo de Verbo Divino (formerly Divine Word University) in Tacloban CityWord University) in Tacloban CityWord University) in Tacloban City
By: Consuelo B. Alarcon
By: Consuelo B. Alarcon
SMC donates 500 houses to typhoon victims in Palo, Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 28 (PIA) - San Miguel Corporation thru its President and Chief Operations Officer (COO) Mr.
Ramon S. Ang will be donating 500 houses in Barangay Barayong, Palo, Leyte within a three hectare lot owned by Local
Government Unit (LGU) of Palo, Leyte. These will serve as permanent shelter of the beneficiaries identified by the LGU
concerned.
A ccording to Mr. Ang, these houses will
be built by the Habitat for Humanity
Philippines and that they ensure that
these will be long-lasting and resilient to other
forms of calamities.
He also promised that 5,000 more houses
will be donated by the San Miguel Corporation
in nine other places affected by the typhoon.
Mr. Ang appealed to the beneficiaries that
they should take good care of the houses and
not sell nor use it for other purposes.
Rehabilitation Czar Sec. Panfilo M. Lacson,
who was present during the activity, assured
the beneficiaries that the houses soon to be
built will conform to the international
standards and can withstand to other forms of
calamities.
Lacson said that the site undergone
multi-hazard mapping in order to make sure
that they are safe against floods, storm surges,
soil erosions and other forms of calamities.
Lacson also assured the typhoon victims
of continued support from the national
government as the rehabilitation will soon
start. He likewise revealed that 171 cities and
municipalities were tagged as Yolanda corridor,
but further stressed that donors will look at
Tacloban City first before looking into other
areas affected by the typhoon.
Lacson finally appealed to the LGUs to be
proactive in handling the recovery and
rehabilitation efforts especially in public and
private partnerships. (PIA-8)
By: Jonnie H. Buenaventura
One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its
main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.
One Visayas e-newsletter is part of the online news and information dissemination services of PIA and is powered by www.issuu.com. For inquiries and
suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378718/3377301 or e-mail [email protected].
Editorial Consultants
Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu
Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8
Managing Editor
Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.
Contributors
All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8
Production and Layout
Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado
Regional Offices:
PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: [email protected]/ [email protected]
PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]
PIA 8, Children‟s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]
