Issue No. 25 June 22, 2006

NORSU holds symposium on Charter Change
A symposium on “Charter Change: Issues and Concerns” will be conducted by the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) on June 26, 2006, 2:00 p.m. at the state university’s Cultural and Sports Complex to highlight the 2nd Charter Anniversary of NORSU as a state university.

NORSU, from being then Central Visayas Polytechnic College, became a state university on June 25, 2004 through Republic Act 9299 signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Local and national luminaries will compose the panel of speakers during the symposium, namely: Ambassador Jose Villanueva Romero Jr., Executive Director of Asian Center for the Study of Democracy; Dr. Jose Abueva, former University of the Philippines President and Chairman of the Advocacy Commission (AdCom) on Charter Change; Lawyer Raul Lambino, Spokesperson of Sigaw ng Bayan and convenor of the People’s Initiative; and Lawyer Alex Andrew Icao who will represent the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Negros Oriental Chapter.

Abueva, Romero and Lambino will speak in favor of Charter Change while Icao will present the stand of the IBP, which is against Cha-Cha.

Abueva was also in Dumaguete City for a similar forum conducted at St. Paul University last month during which he and AdCom member and former Senator Vicente Paterno discussed the pro’s and con’s of the proposed shift to a parliamentary form of government.

The symposium will be attended by students, faculty and staff of NORSU main campuses in Dumaguete and faculty and administrators of its satellite campuses, says Joy Perez, NORSU Information Officer.

Whether or not to change the constitution remains the hottest talk in the country.

Recently, Manila Mayor Lito Atienza declared with aplomb that “victory is at hand” for the overwhelming majority of Filipinos backing constitutional reforms.

Atienza made the bold declaration during the two-day series of “ULAP sa TOP” forums during which he pointed to independent surveys validating the vast public support for the parliamentary shift and the fact that the signatures for the People’s Initiative have already been verified in almost all of the country’s 213 legislative districts.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her opening statement with officials of the North Luzon super-region in Cauayan, Isabela said the millions of signatures gathered by the Sigaw ng Bayan movement have made charter change a legitimate issue.

“I am thanking all of you who were involved in the people’s initiative. With eight million plus signatures supporting people’s initiative as a legitimate issue, this gives the initiative and the Constituent assembly a life of their own,” she said.

ULAP sa TOP (Tao at Organisasyon sa Pagbabago) summits make up the information blitz that the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines launched nationwide to educate the public on the merits of the parliamentary system and get their feedback on what type of parliament, along with the powers of the President and the Prime Minister, they want to be adopted.

PAO to award 12 schools successfully implementing GPAK program
Twelve schools that have successfully implemented the Gulayan at Palaisdaan Alay sa Kabataan (GPAK) in the province will be recognized by the Provincial Agriculturist Office during the GPAK Awarding Program on June 27, 2006 at 9:00 a.m.

GPAK is now on its fourth year of implementation in the different public elementary schools in the province.

The winning schools were chosen after an evaluation conducted in the participating schools in the three congressional districts in Negros Oriental.

Prizes in the form projects will be given to the three top schools in each district under two categories, namely Gulayan and Palaisdaan categories.

The winning schools under the Gulayan category this year are:
First District:
- Tinaogan Elementary School, Bindoy (1st Prize)
- Pinocauan Elementary School, Vallehermoso (2nd Prize)
- Bindoy Central School, Bindoy (3rd Prize)

Second Disrict:
- Azagra Elementary School, Tanjay City (1st prize)
- Don Loreto Ledesma Memorial School, Tanjay City (2nd Prize)
- Bagtic Elementary School, Mabinay (3rd Prize)

Third District:
- AMRES Elementary School, Sta. Catalina (1st Prize)
- Minaba Elementary School, Bayawan City (2nd Prize)
- Caniogan Valley Elementary School, Sta. Catalina (3rd Prize)

Under the Palaisdaan category, the winning schools are Maayongtubig Elementary School in Dauin (1st prize), Baslay Elementary School in Dauin (2nd prize) and Liptong Elementary School in Valencia (3rd prize).

The winning schools will receive prizes through projects. First prize winner under the Gulayan category will receive projects worth P100,000, second prize winner P75,000, and P50,000 for third prize while winning schools under the Palaisdaan category will receive P50,000 for first prize, P30,000 for second prize and P20,000 for third prize.

It can be recalled that Negros Oriental has earlier been awarded as Galing Pook Awardee for 2005 due to its successful implementation of the GPAK program in coordination with the Department of Education, Provincial Agriculture Office and the local government units here.

PGMA opens more “Tindahan Natin” Outlets in CV
More than 100 store operators in Central Visayas have been identified for the PGMA’s Tindahan Natin project that went full swing this month of June.

According to the Department of Social Welfare(DSWD)-Region 7 in Cebu, almost 9,000 families from 17 identified depressed areas in Region 7 are seen to benefit from the project.

The identified areas in Oriental Negros are: Vallehermoso, Amlan, San Jose, Bindoy, Tanjay City, Bacong, Bayawan City, Pamplona, Dauin, Ayungon and Guihulngan.

In Bohol, the identified areas are Bien Unido, Balilihan, Anda, Loboc, Catigbi-an, Dimiao, Carlos P. Garcia, Dagohoy and Loon.

Meanwhile, four barangays in Cebu City were also identified, namely: Brgy. Mambaling, Pasil, Ermita and Tinago.

The families will receive their Family ID’s-cum-passbooks, which will be used for their purchase of low priced but nutrition-packed basic commodities such as rice and noodles through a store accredited by the National Food Authority (NFA).

Tindahan Natin is a national government initiative geared towards generating jobs, livelihood and food security. It initially broke ground in Manila to provide safety nets for the poor, prioritizing areas with high hunger incidence.

Under this project, DSWD in coordination with the local government units will identify the potential operators/outlets and provide necessary assistance such as financing, training, conduct of seminars and workshops for business entrepreneurs and other livelihood programs, issues the ID-cum-passbook and makes sure the prescribed selling price are sold to the target families.
NFA, on the other hand, licenses and accredits operator outlets and delivers the rice and noodles at wholesale prices for retail in the identified Tindahan Natin stores.

There are currently 115 store operators from Cebu City, Bohol and Oriental Negros that have been identified to serve the beneficiaries who are accredited by NFA.

Bayawan disaster council represents Reg 7 in NDCC Gawad Kalasag Awards
Bayawan City Disaster Coordinating Council (BCDCC) was chosen by top officials of RDCC to represent Region 7 for the 2006 National Disaster Coordinating Council Gawad Kalasag Awards.

The development came after the BCDCC landed first place during the recently concluded regional contest for the Best Pictorial Presentation of Different Disaster Management Activities in their localities where Larena and Siquijor tied for second place and Bais City for third place.

The contest was conducted during the 2nd Quarter Disaster Management Enhancement Forum for Civil Defense Deputized Coordinators at Plaza Ma. Luisa Hotel in Dumaguete City on June 15 to 16, 2006.

Entries were judged according to the following criteria: total number of disaster management activities conducted (40%); mitigation (20%); preparedness (30%); response (50%); and rehabilitation (5%) for a total of 100%.

The screening committee of the region were amazed by the number of disaster management activities being undertaken by Bayawan City Disaster Coordinating Council under the leadership of its vibrant Mayor German P. Saraña Jr.

The quarterly forum of deputized coordinators is in preparation with the onset of typhoon months and the disaster consciousness month celebration in July where it will be highlighted by the “Search for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance” with the theme: “Itaguyod ang Kaunlaran ng Bayan, Kalamidad ay Paghandaan.”

Meanwhile, the deputized coordinators elected their interim set of officers in Region 7 aiming to confederate themselves and to send a regional representative to the National Disaster Coordinating Council, composed of the following: President – Col. Nicolas S. Noble Jr. (Ret) of Bayawan City, three Vice Presidents represented by Col. Sozimo Magno (Ret) of Cebu province, Col. Jacinto S. Piquero (Ret) of Bohol province, and Engr. Rito Abapo for the province of Siquijor.
On September 21, 2006 Bayawan City will host the third Quarter Disaster Management Enhancement Forum for the Civil Defense Deputized Coordinators (CDCC) where different provinces will submit their ratified by-laws and hopefully on that meeting, Region 7 will be successfully confederated.


Water, sanitation dev’t council to discuss arsenic contamination
The Provincial Water and Sanitation Development Council (PWSDC) is set to meet on June 23 at Bethel Guesthouse to discuss among others arsenic contamination and some mitigating measures.

A resource person from the Silliman University Chemistry Department will expound on the subject matter from the academic point of view. To complement the presentation, another resource person have also been invited from BioQuel of Eurotrade Germany to present the processes and the equipment to filter arsenic substance from water.


PDMASP scholars in Siquijor top reg’l speech choir contest
Ten scholars under the Pres. Diosdado Magacapal Agrarian Scholarship Program (PDMASP) from Siquijor State College won the regional speech choir competition held in Ecotech, Lahug, Cebu City.

The competition, which culminated the Agraryo Escolars Convention held last June 5-6, 2006, was attended by PDMASP scholars from Bohol, Cebu, Oriental Negros and Siquijor.

The theme for the two-day event was “Delivering Sustainable Progress in the Countryside thru PDMASP.”

PDMASP is a DAR-initiated program catering to deserving children of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

The Department of Agrarian Reform is mandated to improve the lives and living conditions of the countryside through effective delivery of support services to farmer-beneficiaries and the scholars are envisioned to improve not only the lives of their respective families but their community as well.

The Agraryo Eskolars Convention, one of the activities of DAR Region 7 for the month-long celebration of the 18th CARP Anniversary, honors these selected and deserving students.

The PDMASP scholars now enrolled in Siquijor State College are: Roldan Andog, 4th Yr. BSCT; Blair Joy Agan, 4th Yr. BSE; Joylyn Ates, 2nd Yr. BSIT; Roselle Balongkit, 4th Yr. BSHRM; Maricel Mabalod, 2nd Yr. BSIT; Melita Manginsay, 4th Yr. BSBA; Jiff Kline Patay, 2nd Yr. BSIT; Chriselle Ponce, 2nd Yr. BSIT; Agustin Tamiat, 4th Yr. BSBA; and Marilyn Tumala, 4th Yr. BSEEd.

The Siquijor delegation was accompanied by the recently installed Provincial Agrarian Reform Office of DAR Siquijor, Ms. Teresita E. Depeñoso, DAR PDMASP Coordinator Leilani Jansalin, PIO Richard Leduna and Roel Taruc, Speech Choir trainor.

The participation of Siquijor scholars to the regional convention is jointly sponsored by the LGUs of Siquijor, San Juan and Maria.

ALTAMCO wins best drama in reg’l competition in Bohol
The Alanag sa Tanan Multipurpose Cooperative (ALTAMCO) Incorporated bested six other contestants as it emerged the Best Cooperative Improvement Drama Presentation with a cash prize of P15,000 and a participation prize of P1,500 during the Regional Team Work in Action (TWIA) 2006 Rally held at Demaluan Beach Resort in Panglao Island, Bohol on June 2, 2006.

The group represented Siquijor Province that competed other entries from Region VII and Region IX namely: Oriental Negros, Cebu, Bohol. Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte.

It can be recalled that the ALTAMCO Inc. entry has won first place in the role play contest during the TWIA 2006 Provincial Rally sponsored by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) under the auspices of the Belgian Integrated Agrarian Reform Support Program (BIARSP) held at Dondeezco Beach Resort and Restaurant on May 22, 2006.

“We are so thankful to the services rendered by one of your faculty members, Mr. Roel D. Taroc who served as the director of the ALTAMCO role play entry,” ALTAMCO Manager Cesar Bulaybulay said.

Classes open smoothly- DepEd Siquijor
Classes opened smoothly here with no reports of unusual incidents, says Division Superintendent Fernando T. Po of the Department of Education in Siqjuijor province.

“So far, our provincial office has not received any complaints of public schools refusing to enroll students,” says Education Supervisor Luzviminda basal in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here.

Basal appealed for teachers’ and parents’ cooperation in all school activities to ensure safety as well as quality education for students.

With the opening of classes, public schools have been warned not to reject enrollment of students who are unable to pay miscellaneous fees.

Basal said a memorandum order from DepEd Secretary Fe Hidalgo was sent to public school heads to remind them not to turn down enrollees based on inability to pay miscellaneous fees.

To reinforce the order, Provincial Superintendent Dr. Fernando T. Po has earlier created a team of monitoring officers composed of DepEd planning officer and education supervisors to address enrollment-related complaints.

More Kalahi projects completed, inaugurated in EV
The town of Enrique Villanueva in the province of Siquijor was a recipient of several completed projects particularly on road, school and daycare center construction involving a combined cost of P3,559,633.

Funded under the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KALAHI-CIDDS:KKB) these rural infrastructure are aimed at improving the economic and social conditions of the different target beneficiaries.

Completed and recently inaugurated projects include the Libo Elementary School Economics Building worth P915,369; the Parian asphalted FMR worth P979,756 that will benefit 205 direct and 550 indirect households; and the Manan-aon re-graveled farm to market road worth P284,777 to benefit 34 households.

On the other hand, pre-schoolers will soon enjoy their places of learning as the KALAHI program also fully completed the Poblacion Day Care Center worth P641,085 to benefit 49 direct and 12 indirect households and the Cang-mangki Daycare Center with a total sub-project cost of P738,646 to benefit 56 direct and 52 indirect households.

Local counterpart contributions from the community, municipal, barangay and the Department of Education have helped materialize the projects.