Issue No. 27, Sept. 29, 2005

Don't go near migratory birds, DA warns
As the seasonal migration of birds to the Philippines draws near, the Department of Agriculture (DA) have laid down measures to protect local shores from the threat of a bird flu pandemic in the country.

Oriental Negros Chief Quarantine Officer Dr. Alfonso Tundag of the DA here disclosed that they have intensified inspection of incoming shipment of animals and animal products for permits.

Quarantine officers have been deployed to keep check on incoming shipments at the Dumaguete and Sibulan ports.

"There have been instances when we confiscated shipments of smuggled goods like processed meat because there were no permits," says Tundag who added that confiscated goods are burned right away.

DA Secretary Domingo Panganiban has earlier issued an order strictly banning the importation of live chickens and other poultry products from avian-influenza or bird flu infected countries, like Malaysia.

The DA here is also keeping an eye on identified areas in the province where migratory birds tend to congregate, namely Tanay City, Bais City, parts of Amlan and Manjuyod.

Residents in the said areas are warned not to go near the migratory birds. Tundag said that in other countries with bird flu cases, most of the affected humans were poultry workers who come in contact with the animals.

He explained that migratory birds that are virus carriers do not exhibit noticeable symptoms. "But they shed the virus and quickly infect local birds," Tundag stressed.

He also advised residents in the said areas to fence in their chickens so it will not come in contact with droppings of the migratory birds, where the avian influenza virus may be transmitted, for the duration of the migratory season.

"Also, clean and disinfect poultry farms and surrounding areas," Tundag added.

Poultry owners are urged to immediately report to the DA or the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian if they spot unusual symptoms in their poultry.

Bird flu or the avian influenza is considered a zoonotic disease, or an animal disease that's transmissible to humans.

Migratory birds are expected to arrive in the country during the last quarter of each year. "This is the time when winter starts in the home countries of the migratory birds and they fly here to seek warmer climate, and go back when winter starts to clear up," explains Tundag.

Philippines, which Tundag said is now the only bird-flu free country in Southeast Asia, is particularly at risk to a real threat of a bird flu outbreak because of its location. According to Agriculture Secretary Panganiban, the country has close borders with avian influenza infected countries and it is in the path of migratory birds traveling from northern countries to escape the severe winter season.

Just recently, bird flu has claimed six lives in Indonesia, bringing to 65 the number of deaths caused by avian influenza in Southeast Asia since 2003.
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Ablong urges parents to inculcate values in kids
A high-ranking government official in Dumaguete City is reminding families to go back to the basics of values and spirituality in the midst of overwhelming "social realities that not only threaten the family bond but even shatter it."

City Vice Mayor William Ablong in yesterday's Kapihan sa PIA forum stressed that parents, now more than ever, should inculcate the values of self-discipline, self-sacrifice and abstinence among their children.

Ablong, who was one of the guests during the forum held to mark Family Week this month, cited global aging, massive poverty, global corruption, abortion, gambling and population as the realities that put the family at risk.

Because of poverty, parents are compelled to work abroad. Statistics show that 8 million Filipinos are currently working abroad and about 2,000 Filipinos are leaving the country daily. "And this exodus continues," warns Ablong.

He said the social cost of absentee parents is enormous, among which are neglected children and infidelity leading to broken families.

Ablong, a former provincial area coordinator of the Couples for Christ (CFC) and currently the CFC's Pro-Life Ministry Provincial Coordinator, also lamented the innovations in information technology, which although he admits has made information available "at the click of a finger," yet spawned opportunities for pornography, pedophilia and trafficking of women and children.

With the Internet readily accessible to young people, Ablong linked pornography to the commission of sexual offenses and child sex abuse. "This is a family issue because it destroys relationship and family values."

The vice mayor also downplayed reports of an overpopulation crisis in the country. "Contrary to the population explosion scare we warned of decades ago, the problem regarding population we face today is not of overpopulation but depopulation," he said.

He however urged the government to bring economic development to rural areas where the families tend to have more children.

Ablong has authored several "pro-life" ordinances in the city, including Ordinance No. 65 or the Anti-Indecency Ordinance and Ordinance No. 49 or the Anti-Tigbakay Ordinance.

In the same forum, Dr. Ma. Ava Vios, officer-in-charge at the City Health Office (CHO), said the CHO continues to provide health care services that will contribute to the family's well-being like safe motherhood, child care, prevention and control of infectious diseases, promotion of healthy lifestyle and basic curative services.
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Fishing operators, recruiters, gov't agencies ink MOA to stamp out child labor in OrNeg
Some 50 fishing operators, recruiters of paaling and kubkub, representatives of concerned government agencies and barangay officials in the province have forged to implement the labor laws effectively to eliminate child labor in the fishing industry.

The signing of memorandum of agreement was achieved as the Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7), Rodolfo Sabulao, made an appeal to the fishing sectors to reassess the condition of children working in hazardous situation during the Forum on Labor Inspection with Special Focus on Child Labor this week.

With this, Sabulao said the collaboration among the sectors has to put into action through the Time Bound Program of the government the enhanced labor inspection against child labor.

Recognizing the incidence of child labor even in the small-scale fishing industry in the province, Director Sabulao called on the group to assist the labor agency and give full support in the elimination if not reduction of the worst form of child labor in the fishing industry.

However, Jess Macasil, field coordination of ILO-IPEC, said Oriental Negros has already reduced to 132 households its number of children working in deep sea fishing from more than a thousand households before the anti-child labor program of ILO-IPEC implemented in year 2000.

Nevertheless, Macasil said this data is not conclusive since there are still parents who push their children below 18 years old to work and tamper their birth certificates.
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Join forces, Guv urges tourism stakeholders in OrNeg
Provincial Governor George P. Arnaiz has called on those in the private sector that engage in tourism to organize and help strengthen the tourism industry in the province.

Speaking before a gathering of some tourism stakeholders, the governors encouraged them to join forces not only to accelerate tourism development of the tourism industry but also give economic benefits in the province.

Arnaiz said the provincial government has allotted a big amount for tourism development and promotion and the stakeholders here would complement and not to compete.

As tourism in the province is gaining prominence in the national level, the governor is initiating many activities to sustain the momentum.

Likewise, Provincial Tourism Officer Myla Mae Abellana is also inviting all travel agencies; tour guides; sea, air and land transportation operators; hoteliers, porters, divers, masseurs, restaurants, beauty parlors, souvenir shops and others directly or indirectly involved in the industry to actively participate in the development efforts of the province to make the tourism industry stronger and more professional.

Governor Arnaiz said the provincial government is planning to pass a tourism ordinance setting up a tourism governing board which will be represented by sectoral tourism associations and tourism councils in the province. He then encouraged the tourism investors to give inputs for the finalization of the ordinance.
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TLDC holds training on pizza pie, sopao, buko pie making
The provincial government of Oriental Negros through the Technology and Livelihood Development Center will hold a training on how to make pizza pie, siopao and buko pie.

The training will be on September 30, 2005 (Friday), 8:00 a.m. at the TLDC Training Hall, Provincial Nursery Compound, Piapi, this city.

Registration fee is set at P150.00.

For more details, contact 422 9278.
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FOR ALL REPORTERS:

In view of the upcoming Southeast Asian Games on November 20 to December 5, 2005, the Bacolod SEA Games Organizing Committee (BaSOC) is inviting the Dumaguete media to cover the 9 SEAG events, which Bacolod City will host.

According to BaSOC Media Group Chairman Allen V. Del Carmen, the said events are men's football, men and women's boxing, men and women's indoor volleyball, men and women's beach volleyball, and men and women's weightlifting.

Del Carmen said that BaSOC will operate the SEAG Media Center at the Business Inn which will accommodate 350 international, national, regional and local sports journalists.

Ten accreditation forms are currently available at the PIA office for interested media practitioners. Reporters who wish to cover the said events are requested to fill out the forms and mail them immediately to BaSOC, Bacolod BAYS Center, San Juan Street, Bacolod City.

Del Carmen said the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, which will process and approve the applications, have set the deadline on October 10.
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Women, PWDs receive DOLE grants
Self-help groups from the towns of Enrique Villanueva and San Juan, Siquijor received grants from the government through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Funded under the DOLE and Promotion for Rural Employment thru Self Employment and Entrepreneurship Development (PRESSED) program and the Tulong Alalay Alang sa Taong may Kapansanan (TULAY 2000), the Matinabangon Women's Association (MWA) of Enrique Villanueva and the Timbaon, Catulayan and Cangmunag Association of Differently-Abled Persons (TICCADAP) received one hundred thousand pesos (P100T) each for their livelihood projects.

The MWA is a Basic Ecclesial Community pilot organization registered thru the DOLE which has availed of the PRESSED Program in a form of a common facility grant for its Restaurant and Catering Services. It will be assisted and closely monitored by its Accredited Co-Partner (ACP), the Sta. Barbara Katilingbanong Credit Cooperative of the municipality.

The TICCADAP, on the other hand, is an organization of physically-challenged persons of the Poverty Free Zone (PFZ) in San Juan, also registered thru the DOLE and will be assisted and closely monitored by its ACP, the Timbaon Rural Improvement Club. The group has availed of the training grant and will be undertaking Comprehensive Training Cum-Production on Handmade Paper Development in September 2005.

The program is part of the government's effort to empower women and physically-challenged persons to make them socially and economically independent.

"These two rural workers associations hve gone a thorough evaluation of the provincial and regional staff of our office through project proposals and the capability of each member thru meetings and regular activities conducted by the organization based on their annual plans of action", DOLE Provincial Extension Officer Ma. Theresa Tanquiamco said.
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DOT holds Korean language training
In view of a big number of Korean tourists visiting the region, the Department of Tourism Region 7 in Cebu will hold a Korean language training starting October for workers in resorts, hotels, souvenir shops and other establishments catering to tourists.

The training aims to equip the workforce in the hospitality industry with the opportunity to understand and thus better serve Korean tourists, says DOT-7 Administrative Officer Red Gonzales.

Gonzales said that DOT will also hold a tourist handling training for transport and taxi drivers in the region. He explained that DOT has received various complaints on overcharging drivers and of misunderstanding between drivers and tourists due to the language barrier.
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DFA Cebu conducts two-day mobile passport service on Oct.8&9
Those who are interested to apply or renew their passport can avail of the two-day mobile passport service conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs Regional Consular Office VII during the International Immigration and Education Exposition on October 8 and 9, 2005 at the SM City Cebu Trade Hall.

Applicants are advised to bring the following requirements:
1) For first time applicants:
* duly accomplished passport application form
* original birth certificate (BC) in Security Paper issued by the National
Statistics Office (NSO) or certified true copy and photocopy of BC issued by the Local Civil Registrar duly authenticated by the NSO
* any two documents (original and photocopies) indicating full name, date and place of birth and citizenship (i.e office ID, voter's affidavit, & NBI clearance)
* three copies of 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm new photos (colored with plain white background) while photo should show applicant in decent attire
* personal appearance except when the applicant is eight years old and below, 65 years old and above and mentally or physically incapacitated.
* or married women, submit marriage contract in Security Paper issued by the NSO or certified true copy issued by the Local Civil Registrar duly authenticated by NSO.

2) For passport Renewal
* duly accomplished passport application
* old passport to be submitted for cancellation
* photocopy of old passport
* three copies of 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm new photos (colored with plain background)
* For minors - below 18 years old: personal appearance by either parent (NOTE: If minor is not traveling with parent, submit an original and photocopy of DSWD clearance and affidavit of support and consent. If both parents are abroad, such affidavit must be authenticated by the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate General) and original passport and photocopy of the passport of person traveling with the minor.
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Application forms are available at the DFA-7 booth provided by the Exposition or it can be obtained at the DFA-7 Office or via the DFA website: www.dfa.gov.ph. The two-day Exposition will start from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For regular processing which takes six working days, passport with 32 pages costs P500 and P600 for 64 pages while an expedited processing that takes two days only will entail an additional cost of P250 on top of the regular fee.

Fee for amendment of passport is P100 while replacement of lost valid passport is P700 for 32 pages and P800 for 64 pages.

For further inquiries, one may contact Ms. Merle Puruganan or Ms. Rutchel Canama of DFA-Regional Consular Office VII at tel. nos. 253-6798 or 256-3193. (PIA-7)