VOLUME NO. 2, ISSUE NO. 2, JAN. 18, 2006

Job growth in NegOr seen to pick up; IT companies to hire more workers
More job opportunities will open up in the province this year as local and multi-national information technology (IT) companies with businesses in the province are set to hire more employees before the year ends.

Representatives of local IT companies have announced in a recent Kapihan sa PIA forum held by the Philippine Information Agency that they will be hiring more employees in the following months to meet the rapid increase in the global demand for IT services.

Javier Fortunato Jr, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here, said that with this development, NegOr might just reach the 1,000-mark this year.

IT companies that have already set up businesses here span the varied stretch of technology services, from business process outsourcing, medical transcription, and - just recently - call center, web development, software services and broadband services.

Suzanne Lu Bascara, general manager of SPI Publishing Services located at Brgy. Sacsac, Bacong town, said SPI plans to increase its current 339 employees to 600 by the end of this year.

Often mistaken for a call center, SPI is a leading global provider of business outsourcing services and solutions that help advance science and technology, explains Bascara. “SPI in Bacong supports content production of scientific, technical and medical journals. We help create academic journals,” she said.

Another IT company, Entheos IT located at Foundation University, is eyeing to double its current number of workers as it expands its services from medical transcription to include animation and architecture and later on, legal, finance and accounting transcription. “We will hire more employees for IT CAD, more animators and medical transcriptionists not later than middle of this year,” says Rolo Ceno, Entheos General Manager.

Efforts from the local government along with DTI have been wielded to prime Negros Oriental, particularly Dumaguete City with its reputation as a University Town, to become an IT capital in the country in response to the growing need in the IT industry.

The call center industry alone has started the year with a need for 7,500 agents, and this demand can be expected to pick up as the year progresses, notes Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas in a statement.

Fortunato said Dumaguete continues to attract more IT investors despite being what he calls a second tier city. “Most companies, when they open up new businesses, often set up in Manila or Cebu. But because of our promotion, we have been able to convince them to give a second look at Dumaguete, at the talented human resources here,” he stressed.

Majority of establishments in NegOr follow fire-safety precautions
Almost all of the establishments in Oriental Negros are following the fire-safety regulations required by law, says SFO1 Gerardo Gonzales, chief fire prevention non-commissioned officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection in the province.

Gonzales says majority of the total 13,497 establishments inspected here last year are equipped with the fire-safety requirements such as fire exits, fire extinguishers and emergency lighters stipulated by PD 1185 or the Fire Code of the Philippines.

The establishments inspected include mercantile, residential occupancy (dormitories, boarding houses, hotels), business occupancy (clinics, government buildings, schools, hospitals) and public assembly (restaurants, bars, beerhouses, department stores).

Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes has earlier ordered BFP to step up the inspection of public buildings, dormitories and boarding houses following a fire that left eight students injured in Manila.

The BFP here conducts an annual inspection of all establishments under their jurisdiction, which covers 13 municipalities, namely: Basay, Zamboanguita, Dauin, Bacong, Sibulan, Amlan, Pamplona, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Ayungon, Jimalalud, La Libertad and Vallehermoso.

These are areas that do not have a fire station managed by BFP, says Gonzalez.

Gonzalez also warned single family dwelling residential homeowners to immediately inform BFP of any change in their occupancy status, like if they start accepting boarders. “They need to secure an occupancy permit from us first, then we have to inspect their residence again,” he said.
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Prov’l agriculture personnel undergo waste conversion training
About 50 agricultural personnel in the province will undergo a five-day training on integrated waste conversion and farming bio-system from January 16 to 20, 2006.

Provincial Agriculturist Office Information Officer Nitz Bangay said the training aims to familiarize local agriculturists with the technology to convert various organic farm wastes to an improved bio-organic fertilizer.

The training will serve as a venue for a technology transfer from two trainer-scientist and technicians from the ECO-LOGIC Ventures, Inc. (ELVI) with the use of four modules including lectures, discussions, workshops and hands-on processes, says Bangay.

The information officer said the participants are expected to learn improved bio-organic fertilizer production and utilization using different organic waste materials and microbial inoculants to increase farm production, including the use of probiotic for highly productive aquaculture ventures.

The training will be held at the Technology and Livelihood Development Center, Provincial Agriculturist Office compound, this city and will be attended by BADC coordinators, agricultural technologists and other technical staff from the provincial agriculturist office, says Bangay.

Meanwhile, a recent study of the University of the Philippines Los Baños revealed that bacillus thuringiensis corn - or corn infused with the genetically modified Bt bacterium used as organic pesticide – is potentially more lucrative than other corn varieties.
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PWDs can now access computers at SU-KDC
Sight-impaired people in Dumaguete City can now see and experience for themselves the world of electronic technology with the launching of the Accessible Center for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) at the Silliman University-World Bank Knowledge for Development Center.

World Bank has furnished the Knowledge for Development Center (KDC) located inside the SU Main Library, with two sets of computers that are installed with assistive technology, thereby enabling visually impaired users to use the computer and navigate their way into the electronic information highway.

Tony Llanes, president of the Adaptive Technology for the Rehabilitation, Integration and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV), during the launching held January 19, demonstrated how blind people can learn to type and read scanned documents.

Llanes presented the use of the technology before an audience made up of representatives from different sectors like the church, media, government, academe, health and the local PWD association.

Llanes, himself a blind person, began exploring the use of technology to ‘bridge the opportunity gap between the sighted and the blind’ in the early 90s, and now that gap is fast closing in. Since ATRIEV was instituted in 1999, some 200 persons with sight impairment have been trained, most of whom were able to pursue further education and training while some have done internships or been employed.

According to Leonora Gonzales, external relations officer of World Bank-Manila, disability affects a huge number of people globally, majority of whom are living in developing countries. “They are often excluded from the schools and workplace, and this is one of the major reasons why many kids are not in school in the Philippines,” says Gonzales.

In the Philippines, close to one million PWDs have been recorded, but Gonzales suspects there’s still more who haven’t been counted.

With World Bank’s initiative to further augment the services of KDCs nationwide to become also as a center for PWDs, access to information and technology is now open to the disabled, thereby including them in development efforts. “We should make them contributors to and not just beneficiaries of development,” Gonzales stressed.

However, it turned out that World Bank’s efforts did not just stop at offering assistive technology to PWDs, as it has triggered another change geared towards making Silliman University more accessible to PWDs.

Apparently, SU President Agustin Pulido has realized that most of the university buildings are not PWD-friendly. “The new buildings that were constructed in recent years have ramps but I found out that the older buildings are not,” relates Pulido during his message at the launching.

The university president said that plans are now in motion to install ramps and retro-fit the building designs to make them more accessible.

Meanwhile, Engr. Dominador Dumalag, city administrator in Dumaguete, during the launching applauded the said program, calling it “a miracle” that PWDs, particularly the blind, can see through their hands and communicate better.
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IAE trainee trains 3 nominees for Japan
At the start Arnel Ongue did not like farming at all. He wanted to venture into some other businesses. He was then an active member of the Pangi 4-H club. For many years, he led the club. But having seen his potential, extension workers from the municipality of Siquijor and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist were persistent in assisting and encouraging him to embark in agricultural projects.

It was in year 2000 when Arnel was nominated as one of the trainees in Japan for one year sponsored by the International Agricultural Exchange Association. Of all the pioneering nominees, Arnel was chosen as president.

Arnel was assigned at the vegetable nursery of his foster parents. During his training, he learned that Japanese farmers are hard working and time-conscious. Not a single minute is wasted doing nothing. Farming in Japan is modern, systematic, and using the recent technologies. For the Japanese, farming is a business.

His foster parents liked Arnel’s attitude towards them and at work. In fact, he has been to Japan for six times already after his training. When queried what was his unforgettable learning while in Japan, he said that he learned to love agriculture and that he acquired Japanese traits (hard work and time consciousness). These are the things that became part of his life.

In year 2003 the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC)l provided Ongue financial assistance (in a form of loan without interest) amounting to P62, 000 for swine breeding which he engages at present and hopes to pay it in two years.

At present Arnel Ongue has been conducting on-field trails on different vegetable seeds which he brought from Japan. His foster parent wanted these seeds planted in the Philippines since a Japanese company here plans to venture into vegetable production somewhere in Luzon where Arnel also hopes to work. Based on his field trials, he successfully grew veges.

With his experiences in farming as well as his fluency in Niponggo, Arnel was tasked in trining 3 nominees from Oriental Negros – Gregorio Tenel, 28; Romel Baranggan of Timbao, Bacong; and Denis Lozada, 25 of Magatas, Sibulan. These three 4-H members are qualified for their one-year training in Japan as International Agricultural Exchange trainees. The training, in preparation for their stay in Japan, was aimed to orient them the Japanese language and the Japanese work ethics.

The training started in November 15 and ended in December 15. They were evaluated by personnel of the Provincial Agriculturist Office and the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC).
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LNAS stude wins gold at PNSC
Ernie King Magdalan, a student of Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) and a winner in the Central Visayas Regional Skills Competition (RSC) 2005 in the filed of lectronics application held at Bayawan City, Oriental Negros last October 4-7, 2005 won again a Gold Medal in the Philippine National Skills Competition (PNSC) 2005 held at GBFT Training Center, Pasig City last December 6-8.

Magdalan was Fourth Placer of the said field but was given a gold for reaching the 500 point-requirement in the International Calculation Standards (ICS) for a Certificate of Excellence.

Other Region VII contestants Anthony C. Amistoso of Cebu also won Gold in Commercial Wiring while Abilympics contestants were also awarded Gold in the areas of Waste Reuse and Photography.

Philippine National Skills Competition is a yearly undertaking of TESDA to promote and uplift the technical vocational education training (TVET) in the country and also to recognize the skills, talents and abilities of our brothers and sisters with disabilities through Abilympics. (VCM/TESDA-Siquijor)

CENTRAL COMMAND ON RED ALERT
Following orders from its headquarters in Manila, the Central Command is on red alert amidst the reported escape of 4 Oakwood mutineers in Fort Bonifacio last night. Centcom Public Information Officer Jefferson Omanda, this morning, said that as of now the entire camp and satellite camps in the Visayas are on red alert and has intensified its information gathering activities as the manhunt for the escapees continues.

Omandam also said that although he doubts if the mutineers have a place to go in the Visayas, Centcom officials do not want to take that possibility for granted. He also shared that even if it may be true that like in any organization there are a few of their members who are disgruntled but Omandam believed it is not against the government but because they (members) have administrative problems (charges). “I think that (allegation of disgruntled officials in the military ranks against the government) is an exaggeration,” he said.

The Central Command is the major military unit in charge of Eastern, Western, and Central Visayas. The escapees are members of the Oakwood mutineers in 2003 most of whom are composed of junior military officers.

In a press conference in Fort Bonifacio aired on television this morning, Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Commanding General of the Phil. Army, considers the act of the four Oakwood mutineers as “pure escape” and not a destabilixation move against the government.

SMEDC to focus on OTOP, tourism
Bristling with renewed enthusiasm, the Siquijor Provincial Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council (SMEDC), in its effort to help keep the local economy afloat, is taking its steps to revitalize the province’s small and medium enterprises.

In a meeting earlier, Siquijor SMEDC discussed this year’s plans and programs to position the province into its rightful place in the business industry,

“We have to focus more on OTOP development”, chairperson Judy Booc said, and give our local manufacturers foresight in shaping trends that provide them the means to optimize their products and resources.

The SMEDC’s major undertaking this first quarter of the year is the submission of training proposals and recommendations that set criteria for monitoring and evaluation of our thriving SMEs.

A local study mission geared towards capability training and OTOP development is set this first week of February in Cebu City. Local participants for this three-day seminar are the CJP and Pajermo’s Furnitures, Duran’s Banana Chips, Kababayehan Alang sa Pagpalambo sa Nasudnong Indistriya sa Gatas (KAPANIG), and the Licoan Women’s Cooperative (LIWOMCO), among others.

DTI Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio said this focus on OTOPs will put Siquijor on the map of the country’s top tourist destinations.

SOUNDBYTES

Economy will perk up
The Arroyo administration has expressed expectations that the economy will further perk up once the General Appropriations Act of 2006 is signed into law. Like3wise, the palace sees this as a signal to RP’s creditors that the government is serious in winning a gold medal in governance. Hence, more fresh investments, more jobs would flow in the country. Malacañang is confident our legislators will pass the 2006 national budget to uphold the people’s welfare.
After ending the discord on PGMA’s term of office, Malacañang remarked that the Lakas-CMD party has always upheld an agenda of unity and democracy, and resolve issues with statesmanship. Meanwhile, PGMA intends to lead the ruling party as a powerhouse in the parliamentary system. Accordingly, the party shall lead the nation to the pinnacle of democracy, the rule of law and equitable development and prosperity.

Palace welcomes deliberation on Cha-Cha
Malacañang welcomes Senate’s move to start the deliberations on Cha-Cha soon. While hopeful that the consensus will be the result of statesmanship of both houses of Congress, the palace believes that the national should allow first institutional process to work before jumping on contentious issues that divide the nation.
Though respectful of FVR’s opinion, PGMA should not cut her term unless under the face of constitutionally sanctioned process.

Davide eyed as country’s UN delegate
Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. is reportedly being groomed to become the country’s next permanent representative to the United Nations, considered one of the most coveted posts in the foreign service.

DoTC, LTO beef up drive vs erring emission testing centers
Three smoke emission test centers had their accreditations from the Department of Transportation and Communications cancelled, while 18 others were suspended by the Land Transportation Office.

GSIS pensioners granted 3% increase
The Government Service Insurance System’s board of trustees has approved a 3-percent increase in the monthly pension of its regular pensioners.