FOR MEDIA RELEASE, Infobytes Issue No. 10 (June 16)

203 minors prevented from child labor in ‘04
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here reported a total of 203 minors in Negros Oriental were prevented from working in child labor situations, mostly from paaling fishing, in 2004.

Lilian Mondarte of DOLE here said 71 minors were prevented from working in paaling fishing and 25 from working as domestic helpers for Manila last year.

Some 33 minors were also prevented from becoming migratory workers for Luzon, mostly as plantation workers in sugar plantations and fishponds.

A total of 195 minors and children were rescued nationwide from child labor situations last year, on top of the 1,440 child laborers saved from 2001 to 2003.

As of May 2005, eight minors have been rescued from paling fishing in Dauin, where Mondarte said recruitment was being done for fishing in Palawan.

DOLE also rescued a minor from Mabinay town who worked as a domestic helper here. The said minor sought assistance from DOLE after complaining that she was not being paid by her employer.

Child labor activities in the province have declined particularly this year following the aggressive anti-child labor advocacy campaign in Negros Oriental, says Mondarte.

Negros Oriental has earlier been identified as a source of child laborers for paaling fishing in Palawan.
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IPHO cautions public against influenza
The Integrated Provincial Health Office here is urging the public to be safe against influenza.

The Department of Health has recently ordered local health units in Metro Manila to monitor influenza case after noting a rise in the number of individuals suffering from the flu-like disease.

This is also in accord with the focus of newly sworn Health Secretary Francisco Duque III who said he would zoom in on increased investments in health, universal access to essential health care, consistent quality and affordability of health goods and services and enhanced performance of the health sector.

Dr. Bernarda Cortez, chief of the technical field health services at the IPHO, disclosed in an interview that a total of 19,841 influenza cases have been reported provincewide in 2004.

There has been an average of 19,000 influenza cases reported in the province for the last five years, says Dr. Cortez.

DOH has likewise called on local government units to beef up their programs and campaign against malaria in their respective areas.

However, influenza is not included in the province’s top 20 killer diseases as the symptoms usually disappear after a week after treatment.

Although the number of cases is not a cause for alarm, Dr. Cortez said this viral disease can easily become rampant as it is airborne and is easily transmitted, especially in congested areas.

Influenza, she explains, is a self-limiting disease that will affect anyone with symptoms of high fever, common cold, and joint pains.

She urges individuals to cover their mouths when coughing especially in the public and to increase their body’s resistance.
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NegOr still enjoys clean air
Negrenses still enjoy fresh, pollution-free air compared to other highly urbanized provinces in the country.

This was the statement of an environment officer here in view of the Linis Hangin: Bantay Tambutso campaign of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources intensified recently in Metro Manila and various regions nationwide.

According to Mario Aragon, environmental officer at the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office here, the Linis Hangin campaign is a good initiative especially since it’s also in partnership with non-government organizations.

However, air pollution is not really worse in Negros Oriental particularly in Dumaguete City in terms of volume of vehicles, especially since it is ideally located beside the sea and surrounded by forests.

“The good thing is we have various emission testing centers here, since vehicles are required to go through emission testing prior to registration,” says Aragon.

Aragon said the air here is still at a safe level and not as polluted compared to Davao, Cebu and Metro Manila.

The Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources is currently celebrating Environment Month with the theme: “Green City.”

Aragon said focus is given on urban tree planting in parks and open areas in the province.
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Siquijor adopts one town, one product program
All towns in Siquijor province are finally set to enhance each town’s “specialty” for the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program.

DTI Provincial Director Ma. Elena C. Arbon said OTOP is a program that allows the locality to focus and converge on a priority product andabranding mechanism that allows people and markets to associate a product to a locality’s culture, raw materials and skills.

Under the said program, the following “specialties” have been identified by the towns: banana production/processing for Talingting (Enrique Villanueva); coconut processing for Maria; wood craft for Larena; ceramics for Lazi; dairy production for San Juan; and tourism for the town of Siquijor.

An adaptation of Japan’s successful OTOP program, OTOP Philippines is a priority program of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to promote entrepreneurship and create jobs.

Negotiators in the next World Trade Organization talks are instructed to take special note of the Philippines’ concern of obtaining new market access for its products while preserving the needed flexibilities for special products in the agricultural and industrial goods sectors.

The National Economic and Development Authority expects the country’s domestic economy to improve slightly in the second half due to better farm production.

Through OTOP, Arbon said local chief executives will take the leadin identifying, developing and promoting a specific product or service which has a competitive advantage.