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The official e-Newsletter of PIA Visayas.
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Vol 3 Issue 24 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 June 10 — 16, 2013
WESTERN VISAYAS
By Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, June 7 (PIA) -- The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) region 8 appealed to the public to be practical in food preparation and consumption in line with the Environment Month celebration the whole month of June.
Regional Executive Director Manolito Ragub said this is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 237, signed by then President Corazon C. Aquino in 1988 declaring the observance of Philippine Environment Month in June of each year.
The theme for this year is: “Think. Eat. Save.” adapting the theme of the United Nations (UN) World Environment Day last June 5, Ragub said.
The theme underscores the campaign to reduce food waste and food loss as food wastage has consequences on hunger and poverty, nutrition, health, income generation and economic growth.
It also draws attention both to the issue and to the fact that high volumes of perfectly edible produce are never making it from the farm to the fork.
“The theme encourages all to become more aware of the environmental impact of the food choices we make and empowers us to make informed decisions,” Ragub said.
To highlight the month-long celebration, DENR-8 is set to initiate activities geared not only towards increasing public awareness but also to sound a call to action aimed at sensitizing the various sectors from vendors, consumers to farmers on the importance of reducing food wastage from the various levels of the distribution chain.
Studies conducted by UN show that at least a third of everything people grow on this planet is lost between the field and the consumer. This is a big issue considering the enormous waste of inputs to produce food that is never eaten, Ragub said.
“Each one of us can do something about this,” Ragub said as he called on people in the region to make practical actions whether in their homes, in their farms, in the workplace, in the market or in the supermarket, in a canteen, in a hotel or anywhere else where food is prepared and consumed. (EPT/PIA 8)
In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue
By Leonard T. Pineda I ILOILO CITY, June 10 (PIA) -- The launch of the
“Destination Marketing Project” will strengthen the capacity and standards of Iloilo City for meetings, events, conventions or conferences and exhibitions or events (MICE) and make the city at par with international tourism destinations.
The project was formalized through the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Iloilo Business Club (IBC), the Local Government Support Project - Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED), and other stakeholders to strategically market Metro Iloilo and Guimaras (MIG) as a premier MICE tourism destination.
IBC Executive Director Maria Lea Victoria Lara said that this project came about with Iloilo City being shortlisted as one of the possible venues of the 2015 Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) meetings.
Lara said that through destination marketing, there will be improved service quality with international standards, infrastructure improvements and development of attractions to create jobs and investments.
She said that this approach will effectively market MIG and its tourism circuits to encourage greater numbers of domestic and foreign visitors to stay longer in Iloilo City and visit sites and attractions in Metro Iloilo outside the core areas of the city as well as on the island of Guimaras.
In the project brief, MIG and its private sector partners have already prepared tour packages based on the existing tourist attractions and activities of these circuits but there is still much room for improving these sites, as well as the circuits over-all.
To support destination marketing, the following are needed: (1) quality market-driven marketing information and communication materials to enhance visitor experience; (2) quality human resources to deliver both tourism services and experiences, (3) adequate and
functional tourism service centers and accommodation, and (4) ready tourism attractions are necessary to effectively promote MIG destinations.
MIG boasts of strong public-private partnership (PPP) that focuses on value for money in terms of reduced costs, better risk allocation, faster implementation, improved services and possible generation of additional revenue.
The goal of the partnership is to facilitate the conduct of priority trainings to improve the potential of the old Central Business District as tourism attraction in MIG’s Culture-Arts-Heritage Circuit and encourage DOT accreditation of tourism-related establishments.
Lara also said that trainings, marketing and promotional activities will be implemented by IBC with partners in public and private sectors in order to position Iloilo City and other MIG areas as a premier MICE destination beyond APEC 2015. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)
CEBU CITY (PIA) -- The no smoking policy in government offices is still in full force.
This, as the Civil Service Commission (CSC), the central human resource institution of the country, and the Department of Health (DOH) jointly issued a memorandum to effectively implement said policy.
There are now two ways that both agencies can monitor the compliance with the “No Smoking Policy” among government offices, based on the program entitled, “Race Towards Tobacco Industry-Free Civil Service”.
It includes the conduct of on-the-spot regular investigations or audits to assess the effectiveness of established enforcement and monitoring strategy and the other is the testing of standardized compliance monitoring systems in the field.
It also included the conduct of training and seminars to all state workers nationwide to fully achieve 100 percent smoke-free bureaucracy.
Nearly 6 million people each year die from tobacco effects, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
More than 5 million are users and ex-users and more than 600,000 are non-smokers but are exposed to second-hand smoke.
DOH and CSC encouraged all state workers nationwide to read the full version of JMC 2010-01 by logging on to http://www.smokefree.doh.gov.ph or via e-mail [email protected]. (rmn/FCC/PIA7)
No Smoking policy in gov't offices strengthened
'Destination marketing project' to boost Iloilo City’s 'MICE'
More on Region 8, pages 6-7.
Also CLICK Here...
More on Region 7, pages 4-5. Also CLICK Here…
More on Region 6, pages 2-3. Also CLICK Here…
‘Reduce food waste’ – DENR
EASTERN VISAYAS
CENTRAL VISAYAS
Leyte Governor Mimiette Bagulaya (left) delivers her 115th Independence Day message in a simple ceremony held at the terrace of the capitol building, Tacloban City, June 12. (Raul S. Tiozon/PIA8)
1 1 5 t h I N D E P E N D E N C E D A Y CELEBRATION. Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and PRO 6 Director P/Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr. lead the releasing of balloons and doves in front of the Iloilo City Hall which culminated the activities prepared by the city government for the 115th Independence Day celebration in Iloilo City, June 12. (PIA6)
Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama giving his message during the Philippine Independence Day celebration at the City Hall today. (RMN/PIA Cebu)
(From L) Iloilo Business Club (IBC) Trustee Antonio Jon, DILG-6 Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta, City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Head of Cooperation Luke T. Myers, Local Governance Support Program for Local Economic Development (LGSP-LED) Associate Field Director Francis Gentoral, IBC Chairman Juan Jose Jamora III, Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias and DOT-6 Regional Director Helen Catalbas led the signing June 6 of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to strengthen the capacity of Iloilo in Destination Marketing for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE). (Photo courtesy of Iloilo City Hall News/www.facebook.com/iloilocitygov)
WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, June 11 (PIA) -- Seventy-nine 79 farmers in Hacienda Victoria in Isabela town finally received Certificates of Land Ownership Award from the Department of Agrarian Reform after a long-drawn-out legal battle.
DAR6 finally installs 79 ARBs despite opposition
Graciano LopezGraciano LopezGraciano Lopez---Jaena (1856Jaena (1856Jaena (1856---1896)1896)1896)
13 Antique towns bag excellent ARTA rating
SAN JOSE, Antique, June 11 (PIA) -- Thirteen of the 18 towns in the Province of Antique garnered an “Excellent” rating in their compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007 or Republic Act RA 9485 during an assessment conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
R aymund Palanog, Cluster Head of DILG Antique, said that they are happy with the result of the
assessment wherein 67 percent of the towns got an Excellent rating with the score of more than 90 points while the other five towns were given the rating of Good with numerical score 80-89 points.
The assessment, according to Palanog, was conducted in October last year was meant to track the compliance of LGUs with the Anti-Red Tape Act. The ARTA Report Card Survey was developed by the Civil Service Commission.
DILG lauded the strategies and
mechanisms of LGUs to comply with the requirements stated under ARTA Law to provide people with quality services in step with the thrust of administration of President Benigno C. Aquino towards III “Tuwid na Daan”.
The towns who got the “Excellent” rating are Tobias Fornier, Anini-y, Hamtic, San Jose, San Remigio, Sibalom, Belison, Patnongon, Bugasong, Laua-an, Culasi, Sebaste and Caluya.
The Provincial Government also got the rating of “Good”, added Palanog.
Among the areas covered during the assessment are; the timeliness and quality
of frontline services in every local government unit, presence of Citizen’s Charter, physical working condition and overall satisfaction of clients, explained Palanog.
Results of ARTA Report Card will form part of the Seal of Good Housekeeping which are awarded to local government units.
Other criteria for the Seal of Good Housekeeping include full disclosure policy, accountability and transparency and loca l government per formance management system. ( JCM/PSM/PIAAntique)
By Pilar S. Mabaquiao
ILOILO CITY, June 11 (PIA6) -- The Department of Tourism in Region 6 (DOT-6) is strengthening its tourism campaign to attract more Japanese tourists to Western Visayas.
T he potential of the Japanese travel market is very strong but Region VI registered a low
turn-out of only 12,000 Japanese visitors for 2012, DOT-6 Regional Director Helen Catalbas said.
Catalbas said there is no direct international travel connection between the region and any city in Japan so a direct flight can convince more Japanese to
consider the sites and attractions of Western Visayas for their trips.
The DOT official also said that they are planning to host a familiarization tour to the Japanese media in the third quarter of this year to validate the presentation they made during the Philippine Business Mission.
“We need these Japanese journalists and the media to write about the good
things and their pleasant experiences here,” said Catalbas.
Catalbas further said that they are inviting travel agents who will sell our tours to Japan and meet with the local counterparts, hoteliers, resort owners, tour buses operators, among others.
“Together they can build partnerships and form tour packages that can attract Japanese to visit Western Visayas,” said Catalbas. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)
Campaign for more Japanese tourists to WVisayas on
T he 110-hectare property in Barangay Camangcamang was previously owned by the Avina
Agricultural Development Corporation and Wilson Jesena, and now is being leased by RISHI Developers, Inc.
The Certificates of Land Ownership Award for this property were registered in March 2006 and since then these had gone through various legal impediments until the final awarding last June 6 following the lifting of the Writ of Preliminary Injunction.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II OIC-South Lucrecia Taberna said that all CLOA holders in the list will be given their part of the land after the survey and
division of the area. “After this installation, we will all sit down whether you are a CLOA holder in the Task Force Mapalad group or on the administration side,” Taberna said.
DAR is also pressing charges against the legal counsel of the land owners for leading and initiating an opposition to the order of the DAR despite the lifting of the Writ of Injunction.
“DAR is determined in the implementation of the agrarian reform program and whoever is obstructing will be held liable,” Taberna told reporters who witnessed the installation.
Gerry Paternal, a beneficiary and leader from the administration’s side
vowed to cooperate with the other group after DAR officially installed them as agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).
“We see this as the beginning of the time that we will finally till our own land," Paternal said.
"What is important is that the land is already awarded to us,” he said.
Pepe Hilado, a leader of the Hacienda Victoria ARB Association which has more than 50 members, said they are thankful that DAR has finally installed them as ARBs.
DAR also assured security for the ARBs by requesting police and military personnel’s presence in the area.*(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)
By Leonard T. Pineda I
By Easter Anne D. Doza
WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333
Founder and First Editor of Founder and First Editor of Founder and First Editor of La SolidaridadLa SolidaridadLa Solidaridad
PhilHealth-6 bats for more responsive, faster customer service
ILOILO CITY, June 10 (PIA6) -- For PhilHealth in Western Visayas, there is no let-up in giving faster and better services to members and dependents.
A mong these services, according to PhilHealth Manager Dr. Dennis Mas, is reducing the length of
processing for each transaction every day.
Dr. Mas said that there was an increasing number of members from an average of 1,200 walk-in clients daily, PhilHealth aims to further reduce the processing time by 50 percent more.
“Members applying for initial registration and updating of their records will have their transactions completed in 10 minutes faster than the goal of 20 minutes, as stipulated in the Citizen’s Charter,” Mas said.
Mas also said that processing period for members paying for their premium
contributions, requesting for any PhilHealth record, like the PIN card, MDR, Cert i f icate of Premium Contributions and Certificate of Eligibility and release of benefit payment checks will also be reduced by half.
He added that all their frontline officers have been undergoing intensive training on Upholding ARTA and Excellent Public Service, conducted by the Civil Service Commission.
The office has also recently expanded its services closer to its members by putting up PhilHealth Express Offices in Robinsons Place in Iloilo City and Bacolod City as well as in the local government units of Guimbal, Iloilo and San Carlos City, in Negros Occidental. In terms of
benefit delivery, claims filed in the regional office are processed the fastest, based on their routine report, which revealed that hospital and member’s claim is paid in less than one week only from actual receipt of documents.
Dr. Mas said that the office has already been cited for being among the top leading agencies which passed the CSC’s Anti-Red Tape Report Card Survey. Capping it all was the +82 satisfaction rating in a nationwide survey of the Social Weather Station last year.
“We hope to receive the recognition of Citizen’s Satisfaction Center Seal for Excellence, for all our local health offices, after our three offices were cited,” Mas said. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)
By Elsa S. Subong
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, June 13 (PIA6) -- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is set to conduct a seminar on the pawnshop business for Capiz and neighboring provinces in Western Visayas.
T he event is intended for stockholders or proprietors, directors and officers and
employees who are directly in-charge of the operation of pawnshops, foreign exchange and money changing and remittance business.
Information Officer Lowen Andrew June Ligad of BSP Roxas City Branch disclosed that the joint briefing and seminar on June 20 and 21 will focus on
Presidential Decree 114 or the Pawnshop Regulation Act as well as Republic Act 9160 as amended by RA 9194, otherwise known as the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“Other rules and regulations governing the business of pawnshop or pawnbrokering, money changing and being remittance agents will likewise be discussed,” Ligad said.
Ligad explained that the seminar is one of the prerequisites for the issuance
of the BSP of the Acknowledgment of Registration, Authority to Operate and Certificate of Registration in doing such kind of business. A P500 seminar fee will be charged for the two-day briefing on Pawnshop Regulations and AMLA seminar or P300 for the one-day AMLA seminar only. Registration forms are available at the BSP Roxas City Branch, he said, adding that registration fees are likewise accepted by their office. (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)
BSP sets seminar on pawnshops By Jemin B. Guillermo
DENR to assist land owners in land titling
KALIBO, Aklan, June 13 (PIA6) -- Aklanons who are still not holding titles of the lands they are presently tilling or occupying can turn to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for help.
A ccording to the DENR, land titling is one of its services under its Land Management and Disposition
Services which focuses on the titling of alienable and disposable land of public domain through the different modes of land disposition, like Homestead and Public Land Subdivision Survey.
Homestead patent, said Land Management Services (LMS) Specialist Engr. Jurlie Zubiaga of DENR-Aklan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) is a public land grant which was not released for more than 30 years and produces agricultural products, with applicants at least 18 years of age.
Homestead patents, according to Zubiaga, cannot be transferred within 5
years. Free patent, on the other hand, is
granted by the government to applicants with incomplete ownership. There is no age limit to applicants, but they should show any proof of ownership like tax receipts or tax declaration.
After 5 years, land titled under the free patent could be sold already by the owner, Zubiaga said.
For those who want their occupied lands under the Residential Free Patent under Republic Act 10023, claimants should submit certified true copy of tax declaration and tax receipt for current year or any document to prove that they own the land.
Applicants must also be occupying the land for ten years.
For this year, Zubiaga said the DENR, through Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) offices in Kalibo and Boracay, is striving to attain its given target to process 800 residential patent applications – 500 for CENRO-Kalibo and 300 for CENRO-Boracay.
Applicants for patent titles only need to pay P50.00 for application and P45.00 for documentary stamps.
At DENR-Aklan, the OIC Land Management Sector (LMS) Specialist is Engr. Zubiaga for PENRO while Napoleon Maravilla Jr. is the OIC LMS Specialist for CENRO-Kalibo.
Theme of this year’s celebration is Think, Eat, Save, Reduce your Foodprint. (VGV-PIA6 Aklan)
By Venus G. Villanueva
CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) -– The four-day 'SanayGuro 13' art workshops for teachers in the Visayas conducted June 3-7 capped its activities with four artistic showcases.
W orkshop participants form Bohol, Cebu , Negros Oriental and Occidental all performed as actors,
dancers and instrumentalists, in their rendition of four numbers: Pangayaw: a Dance Drama of the southern tribes; Tubig, Kinabuhi: a dance drama performed to the tune of Joey Ayala’s Bathala; excerpts from Sina Maria at si Kiling in a musical; and a parodic comedy called Litaniya.
The workshop was held at Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School (CCPNHS) in Bohol .
These presentations explored different artistic staging genres that took the audience to three different venues in less than an hour as teachers in training, took the stage to show
what they could impart to their secondary school learners.
NCCA Drama Committee Chair and Boholano Lutgardo Labad explains that 'Sanay Guro' is a collaborative project of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Department of Education (DepED) to help train artistically inclined stu-dents to take up arts for a living after graduation by equipping the teachers in the Special program for the Arts (SPA).
In another short message, NCCA Visayas theater coordinator Tanya Lopez disclosed that teaching the arts is like teaching happiness in the classroom, a clever way to catch the short attention span of students, while
reclaiming the country’s lost arts. The Bohol Sanay Guro culmination
presentations explored Filipino culture and traditions themes, a direct application of the program aim of allowing SPA teachers to gain comprehensive skills in developing local or regional lessons based on heritage and cultural themes.
It may also be recalled that DCPNHS is among the 17 government schools in the Philippines which pilots the SPA, which has also been running and attracting students for more than a year, training organizers revealed. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)
SanayGuro ’13 caps workshop with heritage themed-shows
LapuLapuLapu---Lapu (1491Lapu (1491Lapu (1491---1592)1592)1592)
TAGBILARAN CITY (PIA) -– Free Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and urinalysis tests will be provided in three Bohol inter-local districts (Jagna, Loon and Carmen) within the week, according to Provincial Health Office personnel.
‘Kidney tests’ in some Bohol health districts on
R ecently rural health unit (RHU) doctors in the province also pre-screened individuals to get the 20
patients for the inter-local screening where complete FBS and urinalysis would be given, says Machiavelia Caliao, nurse and coordinator of the Bohol Renal Disease Prevention Program (REDCOP).
The screenings are in preparation for the medical consultation on June 20, which fellows at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) and the Department of Health (DOH) brings to Bohol in time for the National Kidney Disease Prevention Month in June.
NKTI and the DOH opens up a free medical outreach program for kidney patients on June 20 at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, aside from kidney fora and public consultations set for the day, according
to kidney month activities co-convenor, Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
On June 11, health authorities from the Provincial health Office (PHO) who advocate for renal disease prevention, come to Jagna District Hospital for a half-day free FBS and urinalysis to pick out patients who shall be in for the medical consultations on June 20, by the NKTI and DOH renal disease specialists.
Screening activities will be at the Teodoro B. Galagar District Hospital from 8:00-12:00 noon.
At the Jagna pre-screening, patients eligible to join are those who have been sent by RHUs in Valencia , Garcia- Hernandez, Jagna, Duero , Guindulman, Mabini, Candijay, Anda and Alicia; or from the towns in the Jagna health service catchment.
On June 13, the team moves to Loon
Health District, at the Natalio P. Castillo Memorial Hospital for similar pre-screening.
Here, another 20 patients pre-identified by the RHUs of the towns of Antequera, Maribojoc, Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin and Inabanga go for medical tests: FBS and urinalysis to be able to get free medical consultations on the 20th of June in Tagbilaran.
By June 14, the same team goes to Carmen Health District, which centers its kidney activities at the Cong Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital .
Another free FBS and urinalysis can be availed by 20 patients, each coming from the towns of Loboc, Bilar, Batuan, Carmen, Sevilla, Dagohoy, Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Danao and Sagbayan. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)
By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY (PIA) -- Do not wait for the fever to go beyond a day.
Don’t disregard dengue, 688 down with disease By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
T his sums up the advice from medical practitioners during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.
Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Greg Sodusta urged relatives of people with high and persistent fever to immediately seek proper medical treatment and not wait for hemorrhaging to set in.
Almost always, hemorrhaging in dengue becomes fatal, according to medical experts.
Bohol dengue coordinator Teresita Sarigumba warns that fever from two to seven days, headaches, muscle and joint pains, nose and gum-bleeding, nausea and vomiting, petichae and red spots are already the known symptoms of the disease brought by aedes aegypti mosquito bites.
But, due to the atypical characteristic of dengue, which has developed four strains since its coming out as public health threat, it is
always advisable to take due caution, Dr. Sodusta said.
PHO said this means early medical consultation, proper disease management and blood transfusion, if necessary.
Considering the disease is all caused by mosquito bites, Dr. Sodusta suggests a simple formula: “No Mosquitoes, No Dengue.”
Thriving in areas where breeding becomes easy, mosquitoes tend to stay near clean water which is hospitable to their breeding.
“In situations like this, all stagnant water collected in uncovered receptacles must be emptied, large bodies of stagnant water deployed with chemicals that can kill mosquito larvae,” according to Dr. Sodusta.
Also, Sarigumba added, water in vases must changed every now and then, rain gutters regularly cleaned from collected water and school children, when applicable, could wear
long sleeved shirts, pants and socks, including insect repellants to be protected.
The government, through the Department of Health launched Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue in order to engage communities into sustainably conduct clean-up operations to discourage mosquitoes which like dark and damp areas.
Sarigumba further reminded Boholanos to follow the 4S against dengue. Search and destroy mosquito breeding places, exercise Self protection by wearing protective clothing, seek medical consultations immediately and say no to indiscriminate fogging.
The PHO authorities said this in the light of a rising trend in dengue affectation in Bohol as noted in the beginning months of the year.
This early, dengue has claimed five lives and downed 688 Boholanos from January to date, PHO said. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)
CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY (PIA) -- Nearly 200 officials and employees participated in the 26th anniversary celebration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in a simple observance held on June 10 here in Region 7.
DENR-7 celebrates 26th anniversary Led the first successful Filipino armed Led the first successful Filipino armed Led the first successful Filipino armed resistance against Spanish aggressionresistance against Spanish aggressionresistance against Spanish aggression
SIQUIJOR (PIA) -- A two-day training on meat processing was conducted June 4 to 5, 2013 at the DOST-Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Center here.
DOST – Siquijor holds training on meat processing
DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) and the Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) have conducted a training for community residents of Barangay Candau-ay in Dumaguete City to prepare them against flooding amid the onset of the rainy season.
Smart, CNDR train Dumaguete community to be flood-ready
T he training aims to develop the manpower capability of Honeybeh Meat Shop, another entrepreneur
who has availed of the Department of Science and Technology- Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (DOST-SETUP).
This technology training is one of the planned interventions of DOST for Honeybeh in order to upgrade its technology know-how in meat processing.
Other interventions include equipment
upgrading, product diversification, process flow improvement through good manufacturing practices (GMP) and the Manufacturing Productivity Extension (MPEX) program, says Provincial Director Mario E. de la Pena of the DOST here.
He said that through this training, Honeybeh will produce another processed meat product which is not yet available in their processing area.
He said processing of meat products
(beef, pork and chicken) will provide new products to the consumers and at the same time it will generate employment in the municipality of Maria .
The two-day training is conducted by Ms. Josie F. Elli of DOST Regional Office in Cebu .
She is one of the food experts of DOST 7 who also handles trainings in Good Manufacturing Practices to DOST-assisted projects in the food processing sector. (rmn/DOST-MEP, RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)
B arangay Candau-ay, a flood-prone community with about 6,400 residents, was the hardest hit when
Typhoon Sendong struck in December 2011. Community residents were trained on
early warning and flood evacuation drill while it was Smart Communication’s second time to handle the training for Candau-ay.
Surrounded by three rivers namely Banica River , Mojon Creek and Ocoy River , the barangay and its 10 puroks were rendered nearly helpless by the floods that accompanied Sendong’s heavy downpour two-and-a-half years ago. Four lives were lost, 68 houses were wiped out while 254 houses were partially damaged, and 911 households of the 1,200 were displaced.
Arcel Dacir, project officer of the Noah’s Ark Project said the activity initiated by Smart aims to test the early warning system, communication protocol and evacuation plan developed by the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC) of Candau-ay.
Barangay chairman Gregorio Oira recalled Typhoon Sendong's wrath exclaiming that “the damage and loss of lives caused by the typhoon and the sheer amount of work that had to be done in its aftermath were just so overwhelming.”
The barangay was supposed to have a series of seminars conducted by the CNDR on
disaster preparedness for three succeeding Saturdays that fateful month of December. But after the first session, the disaster struck and the community was not prepared for it, said Dacir.
Relief from the international donor community and the private sector poured to the community in the wake of Sendong.
Having seen the damage to the community, Smart then identified Barangay Candau-ay as its pilot site for the Noah’s Ark Project in Dumaguete City .
The Noah’s Ark Project is a community-based initiative of CNDR in partnership with companies like Smart that aims to beef up the capacity of high-risk barangays and sitios in dealing with disasters particularly floods and as such, reduce their vulnerabilities.
“The barangay was able to execute the drill as they were trained to do so during the workshops. If they are able to execute the flood warning and evacuation plan as they did during the drill, then I am sure there will be zero casualties in the event of another disaster,” said Dr. Cedric Daep, CNDR consultant.
Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria said “This kind of initiative is very important in that it encourages a behavioral shift on community preparedness during disasters. Raising the level of consciousness and
awareness down to the barangay level on the need to have a contingency plan and being able to execute it well could very well spell the difference between life and death.”
“The infrastructure like the boulder dike that was recently constructed along the river is just a part of the solution. The community itself must also be ready and prepared to act decisively and purposely in disaster situations,” added Sagarbarria. One hundred eighty-three (183) students from Tandayag Elementary School in the municipality of Amlan have benefited from the e-library recently provided by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants.
Ei leen Bartolome from Ardent Communications representing Chevron Philippines said some Chevron volunteers helped turn into reality the dream of the school to have an e-library.
Bartolome said Chevron Philippines renovated an old classroom into a Caltex for Learning Center complete with volunteers building new bookshelves and partitions to create sections for the reading and computer areas.
Chevron also donated desks and some P30,000 worth of books and other learning materials to stock up the new reading room.(FCR/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
By Jennifer C. Tilos
D ENR 7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo Montejo led the celebration with the regional
directors from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-7) and Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) and four regional technical directors (RTDs).
The activity highlighted the 26 years of the establishment of DENR as the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development, and proper use of the country’s environment and
natural resources. It also served as an opening activity of the
environment month celebration, with a theme: “Think. Eat. Save” in support to the United Nations advocacy to promote anti-food waste programs and food loss campaign to reduce food print.
Montejo commended all officials and employees of the DENR for doing well for the past 26 years and encouraged them to continue in striving hard in pursuing excellence in environmental governance.
“More than just the goal of meeting our targets and accomplishing our required tasks, let’s have the heart of doing our job, let us love what we do, we will not stop for 26 years only, we will go beyond with the ‘bettering’ the best,” Montejo added.
In the same event, DENR-7 also launched its regional vision-- “a region that ensures sustainable development of the environment and natural resources through good governance in partnership with empowered communities”. (mbcn/HFG/PIA7/DENR-7)
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Coffee production to boost coco farmers’ income
EASTERN SAMAR, June 10 (PIA) – Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Provincial Head, Ms. Dory Pajanustan said ten Borongan City municipalities will be the subject of PCA’s new project, which is aimed to reduce poverty by increasing the income of coconut farmers, through coffee production.
D ubbed Kasaganaan sa Niyugan, Kaunlaran ng Bayan (KAANIB) said the project is expected to
“neutralize the effect of poverty to the coconut industry, uplift the plight of the coconut farm households, enhance food security in the coconut growing communities, and develop good practices to increase farmers’ incomes, generate employment at the community level, and to enhance support systems for sustainability”.
Pajanustan added that among the strategies to be employed in order to carry out its objectives, are: 1) develop the Community-Based Organization’s (CBO) capacity as village-level entrepreneurs and not mere suppliers of raw materials; 2) transfer village-level processing technologies to the communities that will empower resource-poor
farmers and the disadvantage women in the coconut-growing communities; and 3) provide technical support and marketing assistance to those implementing the income-generating interventions which include the following.
Specifically, intercropping or the production of coffee and livestock, such as carabao and goat raising will be encouraged for local farmers, so that they will not be solely dependent on the coconut trees.
She further said that Nestle Philippines have already assured to buy the Coffee that would be locally produced in the province, and market would not actually be a problem.
Ms. Pajanustan assured that skills training will be provided to the target farmers to equip them with the needed capacities and capabilities in Coffee production.
It is important she said that farmers are organized into groups so they could easily access the project, and it is doubly important that the farmers have the land to till and a place to tend their animals.
Farmers organization in the municipalities of Llorente, Oras, Sulat, Maslog, Jipapad, Balangiga, Maydolong, Arteche, Mercedes and the city of Borongan are set to benefit the DA and PCA interventions.
In some areas of the province, which are identified to have abundance of certain raw materials, another training is in the offing, she said. Mat Weaving and Basket Making for instance she said could be another project in some areas of the province, considering the availability of the material in the locality, she concluded. (PIA-Eastern Samar/aen)
DepEd holds awareness campaign on kidney disease in Samar schools
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, June 11 (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) Samar Division health team is conducting a kidney disease prevention awareness campaign this June in several schools in Samar.
D r. Angelica Rodriguez, DepEd Samar Division health and nutrition officer, leads the information campaign
which primarily tackles Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) that can lead to kidney disease.
She said teachers and students are exposed to UTI because of their eating habits and hygiene, that it is the most common ailment in teachers and students, and that the infection can lead to kidney disease if not prevented.
“Eating junk food, salty food and soft drinks are some of the causes of UTI,” she added. Rodriguez said that in general, urinary tract infections are harmless and easily
treatable. However, untreated urinary tract infections often turn into pyelonephritis, an inflammation of the kidney.
The doctor added that most people are not aware that kidney disease can be a silent killer. They may not show any symptoms until the situation becomes critical.
Rodriguez urges the public to have regular check-ups and always drink an adequate volume of water and fruit juices, eat a balance diet; not salty, not too sweet and for females, observe good hygiene to prevent renal disease.
Department of Health (DOH) data reveal that one Filipino dies of kidney disease every
hour. Kidney disease is ranked number nine among the top 10 killer diseases in the country.
One kidney failure patient Marissa Cabanesas, 51, said she had UTI when she was in her 40s which was left untreated. It led into a kidney infection that ultimately weakened her kidneys.
Cabanesas shared how she suffered from her disease and said, “Makuri han akon kahimtang, mahal an bulong amo nga danay diri ako nakapa-dialysis (It is unbearable, the medicines are expensive so I would sometimes skip dialysis),” she said in the dialect. (NIQ-PIA8 Samar)
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Biliran crime volume down
NAVAL, Biliran, June 11 (PIA) -- Crime volume in the province of Biliran has significantly decreased.
A total crime volume of 299 was re-corded from June 6, 2012 up to June 7, 2013 based on the provincial direc-
tor 1st annual accomplishment report of PSSupt. Diloy presented on June 7, 29013 at the BPPO Chapel.
The report showed that the crime volume is lower compared to the previous year which recorded a total of 618. A decrease of 319 total crime volume is noted.
It was reflected in the 1st annual accomplishment report of PD Diloy that out of the 299 recorded crime volumes, 165 were index crimes and 134 were non-index crimes.
Index crime significantly decreased by 166 compared to 331 and a decrease also 153 for non-index crime compared to 287 of the same period of last year, the report revealed.
Of the 165 index crime recorded at the BPPO, seven were recorded for murder, 14 for homicide, 74 for physical injuries, 12 for robbdery, 41 for theft, 14 for rape and three for carnapping.
The 1st annual report of PSSupt. Diloy likewise showed the decrease of the average monthly crime rate in Biliran province which posted 14.83 percent compared to 29.88 percent of the same period of last year.
On the other hand, crime clearance efficiency increased from 33.44 percent to 75.38 percent and crime solution efficiency also increased from 16.04 percent to 54.18 percent under Diloy’s watch.
Meanwhi le , BPPO’s operat ional accomplishments were significant on campaign against illegal activities like logging, fishing,
gambl ing , drugs ; wanted persons ; implementation of search warrant; arrest of most wanted person; loose firearms and other operational accomplishments on renewal of firearms “ Bilang Boga” and ”Pulis Makakalikasan” BPPO’s support to the national greening program of the Aquino administration.
The report also showed the significant administrative accomplishments of BPPO under Diloy’s one-year leadership such as the different improvements of the BPPO’s facilities which enabled for the inspectors of the Annual General Inspection-Operational Readiness and Security Inspection Test and Evaluation (AGI-ORSITE) for CY 2012 to recommend as best police provincial office.(PIA-Biliran)
By Rodrigo S. Victoria
By Alicia E. Nicart
By Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante
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DPWH 2nd LED achieves 36.42% accomplishment as of April
CARIGARA, Leyte, June 10 (PIA) -- The Second Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways has already achieved as of April a 36.4 percent project accomplishment, according to the DPWH Project Group Monitoring Report.
D istrict Engineer (DE) Margarita Junia said this includes 89 projects programmed for the District Office
to implement this year costing P585.60 million, the highest allotment for a district engineering office in Region 8,
DE Junia said at least three projects have been completed as of the month of April, 82 are ongoing, and only four have not yet started.
The four projects are expected to start soon after completing the process of approval, following revision of contracts and realignments. All projects had been bid out.
DE Junia said that the accomplishment is remarkable since the agency has just approached the second quarter of 2013.
“Full-blown construction can be attributed to fair weather condition during the first four months and early funding disbursements,” DE Junia said.
The district has only 33 regular projects and the rest are being funded through special funds including the priority development assistance fund of the House of
Representatives. Among the ongoing projects are the
P 2 0 . 0 2 m i l l i o n u p g r a d i n g o f Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P3.69 million rehabilitation of Parena Bridge along Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road, P18 million construction Balagnon Bridge along Burauen-Albuera Road, P6.86 million retrofitting of Talisay Bridge along Daang Maharlika Road, P4.2 million strengthening of Cotcot Bridge along Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road, P50 million road opening of Burauen-Albuera Road including bridges.
Also included are the P13.17 million construction of Patok to Kalipayan section of Jaro-Dagami-Burauen-La Paz Road, P4.24 million paving of Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P19.2 mi l l ion Busa Bridge a long Barugo-Babatngon Road, P7.76 million rehabilitation of Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P 2 2 . 4 9 m i l l i o n c o n s t r u c t i o n Kiling-Tanauan-Tabontabon-Julita Road.
Moreover, the other projects are the P 2 . 7 3 m i l l i o n i m p r o v e m e n t o f Jaro-Dagami-Burauen-La Paz Road, P7.98
million concreting of Jaro-Dagami-Burauen-La Paz Road, P23.19 million Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P8.97 million Jaro-Dagami-Burauen-La P a z R o a d , P 9 . 3 0 m i l l i o n Kiling-Tanauan-Tabontabon-Julita Road, P10.12 million Kiling-Tanauan-Tabontabon-Julita Road.
Also included are the P15.41 million paving of Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta. Cruz-Barugo-Carigara Road, P25.99 million improvement Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta. Cruz-Barugo-Carigara Road, P21.20 million construction of Libas Bridge along Burauen-Albuera Road, P37.82 million concreting of Burauen-Mahagnao Road, P 3 3 . 5 1 m i l l i o n i m p r o v e m e n t o f Jaro-Dagami-Buruaen-La Paz Road. Finally, the remaining projects include the P16.37 million rehabilitation of Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P13.66 million pgrading of Dulag-Julita-Burauen Road, P15.17 million rehabilitation of Jaro section of Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road, P32.41 million Capoocan Road Section of Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road, P6.52 million improvement of Daang Maharlika, and P28.12 million rehabilitation of Daang Maharlika. (PIA 8)
Leyte holds simple but meaningful Independence Day rites
L eyte Governor Ma. Mimietta S. Bagulaya led the commemorative celebration together with Leyte board
member Ma. Lourdes Go Soco, department heads and heads of several government agencies and their employees.
The celebration started with a holy mass at 7 in the morning at the capitol terrace officiated by Rev. Fr. Brian Murillo followed by a flag raising ceremony and the Panunumpa Sa Watawat recited by all employees led by Dionisio A. Balentong Jr., vice president of the Provincial Association of Government Employees. Bagulaya led the wreath-laying rites
assisted by Philippine Information Agency Regional Director Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu.
They also released multi-colored balloons.
In her commemorative message, Bagulaya stressed the significance of the celebration as she talked about the freedom the Filipinos have triumphantly gained 115 years ago.
She said Independence Day is a distinct and special moment in the lives of Filipinos as this symbolizes the end of a long struggle to attain independence from foreign oppression to become a sovereign country. She also reminded Filipinos to always remember the
victory of several martyr souls and heroes who sacrificed their lives in the battle that serves as the foundation of our independence.
However, Bagulaya said that despite this, the struggle continues in a different way.
This is the struggle for economic growth which will improve the lives of Filipinos, particularly the residents of Leyte.
“The vision of the government is not just to attain freedom but also to achieve independence from poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, hunger and disease,” she said. (Consuelo B. Alarcon/LDL/EPT/PIA-8)
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, June 13 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Leyte celebrated the country's 115th Independence Day in a simple but meaningful ceremony at the Leyte Provincial Capitol grounds in Tacloban City.
DPWH Southern Leyte classroom constructions underway
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, June 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Southern Leyte Engineering District is building 18 classrooms in eight public schools in the Southern Leyte Schools Division.
D istrict Engineer Carlos Veloso said during a press briefing held at the DPWH Southern Leyte Conference
Hall yesterday that five of the 18 classrooms have been completed in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd).
He said the overall classrooms construction accomplishment is already at 58 percent as of May 2013.
He added that the construction of the classrooms is funded by DepEd's Basic Educational Facilities as a result of a
memorandum of agreement between DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro and DWPH Secretary Rogelio Singson.
DepEd Southern Leyte will provide DPWH with the listing of classrooms needed by every municipality with specific indications as prioritized by the education arm in the province, Veloso said.
The completed classrooms are located in Katipunan Elementary School in Silago and Ilaya Elementary School in Hinunganan. It is a one storey building with two classrooms. The one
in Lunas National High School in Maasin City is also a one storey building with one classroom.
One-storey buildings with two classrooms are now being constructed in Cogon Elementary School in Pintuyan, Garsavic Elementary School in San Juan and in Dagsa Primary School in Sogod. Malinao Primary School has a one storey building with one classroom. St. Bernard has a one storey building with six 6 classrooms and Sogod National High School has a two storey school building. (esg/PIA8 SoLeyte)
By Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu
By Erna S. Gorne
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]
