ISSUE NO. 36, Dec. 9, 2005

DPWH to construct new bridges in Tanjay City
Two new bridges are seen to rise in Tanjay City after the Regional Development Council (RDC) endorses the bridges' construction to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The RDC is set to endorse the construction of Tanjay Tabuc-San Isidro Bridge and the Tanjay-Pamplona Concrete Bridge through a resolution to be approved during its full council meeting on December 9 at Bethel Guesthouse, Dumaguete City.

The City of Tanjay through the Oriental Negros Provincial Development Council has earlier requested the RDC to endorse the construction of the said bridges under the President's Bridge Program of DPWH.

The Tanjay Tabuc-San Isidro Bridge is an existing Bailey bridge that needs to be replaced immediately since its southern end has collapsed, therefore endangering lives, paralyzing traffic and adversely affecting three rural and nine urban barangays in Tanjay City.

The Tanjay-Pamplona Concrete Bridge will serve as an alternate to the Tanjay Bridge so that traffic coming from the north and south will not be cut off in case the latter becomes impassable.
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Police draw up safety measures for holiday season
The city police force here have already drawn up public safety measures in anticipation of an increase in people going out to do their Christmas shopping and attend church mass.

According to SPO3 Felomino T. Laure of the city police station, two policemen have each been detailed at Redemptorist Church, Cathedral Church and Immaculate Church in view of mass goers attending the Misa de Gallo this December.

Laure said they also plan to put up police assistance centers in major department stores in the city starting December 22 to January next year.
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Low awareness among Filipino youths may lead to AIDS epidemic
Young people in the Philippines have an alarmingly low knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases but are taking risks, making the country ripe for an AIDS and HIV epidemic.

In the recent Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency, Dr. Fe Sycip-Wale, reading from the message of Unicef Representative to the Philippines Dr. Nicolas Alipue, said that three out of four young Filipinos thought they were immune to HIV.

Almost one out of every 4 (23%) young Filipinos aged 15 to 24 practice premarital sex while half of sexually active males have had multiple partners. "Yet only 40% of them use condoms for their first sexual experience," Dr. Wale said, quoting Dr. Alipue.

Dr. Wale sits as project manager of the HIV/AIDS Prevention Project at the Silliman University Extension Program-Marina Clinic.

A recent Unicef study shows that in Dumaguete and Cebu, almost half (48%) of the 12 to 20 year-olds surveyed agreed that AIDS was a punishment from God.

According to Dr. Alipue, every 60 seconds, four children lose one or both parents to an AIDS-related illness and every 15 seconds a child is infected with HIV while one dies every 60 seconds because of it.

However, only 3% of all global funding generated to address AIDS is going to children, said Dr. Alipue.
"Even from the little that we know, the message is clear. We must step up our collective efforts in the Philippines to address HIV and AIDS," states Dr. Alipue's message.

Based on records from the Department of Health, a total of 2,333 people in the Philippines have been diagnosed with HIV from January 1984 to August 2005.

This is a cause for alarm as these people can infect others, warns City Health Officer Dr. Ava Vios.
Dr. Vios said that 70% or 1,611 of the cases are asymptomatic or those who do not show any symptoms yet while those in the full-blown AIDS stage number 684 or 30%.

Among the people infected are overseas contract workers (765 or 33%), seafarers (273 or 36%), domestic helpers (127 or 17%), employees (69 or 9%), nurses (56 or 7%), entertainers (51 or 4%) and waiters (13 or 2%).

The national AIDS-related death toll in the same period has reached 268.

There have been 5 AIDS-related deaths recorded in Oriental Negros. The latest case was of a commercial sex worker in Looc, Sibulan about 4 years ago, disclosed Mrs. Flor Dublas, HIV/AIDS Coordinator at the Integrated Provincial Health Office, in the same forum.

RA 8504
AIDS is now a growing concern of the national government. The first AIDS positive case in the country was recorded in 1984 and since then there were only small cases until 1994 when the figures suddenly jumped. What used to be an increase of 10 cases per month has now doubled. "It has gone up to an average of 20 cases per month," says Dublas.

The government is now stepping up its program on HIV and AIDS through RA 8504 or the Philippine AIDS Prevention and Control Act which Dublas said is slated for full implementation by next year.

RA 8504 was approved in 1998 under the administration of then President Fidel V. Ramos but it was not fully disseminated until now. "This is why DOH has not conducted any activity on prevention and control of HIV and AIDS before," says Dublas.

She is optimistic that under the lead of new Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque, the government plan on HIV and AIDS will fully take off next year.

In the province, local efforts to promote AIDS awareness have started with the help of Unicef through the Sixth Country Programme for Children (CPC-6).

Dublas disclosed that AIDS advocacy has been conducted in the six pilot areas under CPC-6, namely Sta. Catalina, Dauin, Dumaguete City, Sibulan, Amlan, Pamplona, Ayungon and Tayasan.

According to Joy Gongob, provincial coordinator of the CPC-6 here, more advocacy efforts are focused in Dumaguete City, particulary in the Brgys. 8, Calindagan, Cadawinonan and Bajumpandan. "These areas are reported to have a significant number of commercial sex workers," says Gongob.

CPC-6 is the child-friendly movement funded by Unicef, which is working with government, NGOs and other sectors in 157 countries worldwide to combat AIDS.
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Publication of service guides in government offices urged
The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Central Visayas is set to approve a resolution urging all regional line agencies and local government units in the region to inform the public of their polices, rules and procedures through the publication of thei respective agency service guides.

The council led by RDC Chairman and Negros Oriental Governor George P. Arnaiz is expected to pass a resolution enjoining government agencies and LGUs in Central Visayas to implement Memorandum Circular N0. 35 during the council's meeting on December 9, 2005 at Bethel Guesthouse, Dumaguete City.

The move is in line with the council's strategy to improve the delivery of public services as stated in the Central Visayas Medium-Term Regional Development Plan for CY 2004-2010.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has earlier issued Memorandum Circular No. 35 directing all government departments, bureaus, offices and agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations to implement the publication of service guides and the posting of workflow charts.

The circular is pursuant to RA 6713 or the Implementing Rules of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, which states that all government agencies and offices should inform the public of their policies, rules and procedures.

The service guides should contain the following: (a) brief information about the agency including its mandate, functions and services provided to the public; (b) procedure to be followed; (c) documents required; (d) amount of fees and its legal bases; (e) service standard; (f) service pledge of the agency; (g) rights and responsibilities of the client availing of the service; and (h) the procedure for filing complaints, suggestions and feedback.

On the other hand, the workflow chart should show the documentary requirements, amount of fees and its legal bases, name and/or designation of the officers/employees in charge of each step, normal processing time required for each step and service standard or total amount of time for processing until the delivery of the service.
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9 pupils qualify for PSHS second screening
Nine pupils from the province of Siquijor passed the Philippine Science High School first screening conducted by the Department of Science and Technology last Oct. 15, 2005 at the Siquijor State College, Larena, Siquijor.

According to Engr. Mario de la Peña, Provincial Science and Technology Coordination, 65 pupils from the different elementary schools provincewide took the first screening. Of these, nine qualified for the second screening on December 10, 2005 at Silliman University. The qualified pupils came from five elementary schools in the province.
They are:
1. Butalid, Vince Patric Lugatiman - Siquijor Central Elementary School
2. Gallardo, Caryl Kilaplap - ditto-
3. Cabasag, Charity Claire Tiguman - Maria Central Elementary School
4. Inguito, Jacob Noel Maghanoy -ditto-
5. Vios, Victoria Shade Lubguban -ditto-
6. Duhaylungsod, Rigie Cedeño -Banban Elementary School
7. Macalisang, John Fritzel Narca -Tambisan Elementary School
8. Morados, Franzel Mae Agan -ditto-
9. Saguenza, John Calunsag - San Juan Elementary School

If the nine pupils will pass the second screening, they will have to choose among the eight PSHS Campuses nationwide:
Ilocos Region Campus, San Ildefonso, Ilocos Sur
Cagayan Vally Campus, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
Bicol Region Campus, Goa, Camarines Sur
Western Visayas Campus, Iloilo City
Eastern Visayas Campus, Palo, Leyte
Central Mindanao Campus, Lanao del Norte
Southern Mindanao Campus, Davao City
Main Campus, Diliman, Quezon City

Gifted children with high aptitude for science and math are the main reason for the existence of the Philippine Science High School.

The quality of its students, the focus given to science and technology, and the scholars' duty to pursue careers in the sciences and engineering set the PSHS apart from the other schools. The education acquired by PSHS prepares them to explore the larger dimensions of science and technology.

True to its mission, the PSHS continues to contribute to nation-building by helping the country reach a critical mass of professionals in science and technology. That this is so is partly seen in the special achievements of PSHS students and staff, some which we highlight in this website. Their present successes foreshadow the many future successes of its alumni as leaders in the academe, research, industry, government, and other professions.

It is hoped that our students continue to serve as a guiding inspiration to young people aspiring to be PSHS scholars.

And most of all, may they develop a deep love for our country and the genuine desire to serve the Filipino people, de la Peña said.
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NFA, Dep Ed launch food for school program II
The National Food Authority and the Department of Education have recently launched the "Food for School Program II" in Siquijor Province on the basis of a Memorandum of Agreement signed by and between NFA and DepEd Central Office officials.

Spearheaded by the Deped, Food For School Program II is conceptualized to benefit Grade I pupils and pre-school children in the 5th and 6th class municipalities nationwide and identified schools of the National Capital Region.

It includes the provision of food assistance through the distribution of one kilogram of rice in exchange for their attendance to school and at the same time conduct values information activities and productivity skills training to their parents.

In Siquijor, a total of 689 beneficiaries from 19 will benefit from the program, said NFA-Siquijor Information Officer Elvira M. Calibo.

Out of the 19 schools, 15 are in Lazi town, with one central school, two elementary schools and one primary school in the municipality of Enrique Villanueva.

As of press time, NFA has initially delivered to the identified schools 66 bags or 3,275 kilograms of well-milled rice which will last for five days.

A total of 1,240 bags or 62,010 kilos of NFA rice is alloted for this program in Siquijor Provine as provided for in the MOA.

The stocks will be given to the beneficiaries daily for 90 days or up to the end date of school years 2005-2006.

The program aims to (?) hunger and prevent decline of nutritional (?) status of disadvantaged Grade I pupils and preschoolers by providing food assistance; prepare and enable their parents to undertake family and community-oriented activities; instill relevant values and attitudes toward work, families and communities, and provide livelihood/employment opportunities. *