ISSUE NO. 45, Nov. 8, 2006

Organic agriculture agenda launched

The Organic Agriculture Agenda will be launched in Dumaguete City on Friday, November 10, 2006 to draw the sustainability of organic agriculture in the entire Negros Island.

According to Eugene Quirante of Organic Negros Alliance of Oriental Negros (ONA), the activity will also set the guidelines in the implementation of some alternative agrarian livelihood projects in the sugar land plantation areas.

It will be recalled that last year, Governors George P. Arnaiz of Oriental Negros and Joseph Maranon of Negros Occidental jointly signed a memorandum of agreement declaring the Negros Island as the Organic Food Island ion Asia.

Both governors have accepted the challenge of achieving a unified sustainable agricultural rural development, especially for small-holder communities, centered upon diversified organic produce for the entire island.

Subsequently, the Kaisampalad- Philippine NGO Council for Food Security and Fair Trade facilitated the NGOs and Pos in the two provinces develop appropriate responses to the said initiative.

With this, Quirante expected the launching -workshop will recognize the importance of implementation of the program

Meantime, assessing the Philippine economy this year, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has described 2006 as a "very good year" for the country.

Ifzal Ali, ADB chief economist, projected that the Philippine economic growth, boosted by the agricultural sector, would hit 5.4 percent this year.

"Agriculture production was strong in the first half and industry performed better than expected. This dampened inflation pressures," the ADB economist said.

PNP intensifies anti-insurgency drive to fight poverty in OrNeg

The Philippine National Police (PNP) here has intensified its anti-insurgency campaign to address the poverty problem in the province.

Chief Intelligence Officer Hilbert Arinaza of the PNP Provincial Office said, the PNP is not only strengthening its internal security operations but also promote livelihood projects in the affected insurgency area-barangays in the province.

The National Economic Development Authority (NEDSA7) reported that in Central Visayas, Oriental Negros and Siquijor registered the increase of poverty incidence. The number of poor in Oriental Negros increases to 6.3 percent from 37.1 percent in 2000 to 43.4 percent.

The threat of insurgency perpetrated by NPA rebel terrorists is attributed as one of the possible factors that caused the increased of poverty incidence in Oriental Negros, while Siquijor has not affected the business spillover trend from Cebu unlike in some areas in the Visayas, NEDA7 reported.

Chief Social Development Division Rafael Tagalog of NEDA7 is not worried of the SWS survey result that 16.9 percent of Filipino people are suffering from hunger, since the poverty incidence in the Visayas is decreasing from 36.2 percent to 28.3 percent in 2003. Tagalog said the SWS should validate the programs and projects of the government.

Whereas, according to Arinaza, CPP-NPA is not only engaged in terrorist acts against facilities and installations of vital service to the people, it is also robbing communities of jobs and livelihood by scaring investments away and perpetuating abject poverty.

The government assures the investment community that security forces are focused on meeting this challenge alongside a strong effort to strike at the roots of insurgency through high impact social and development programs.

With that, NFA rolling stores will be repackaged, along with the strengthening of the extension services of DA to ensure that marginal farmers and fishermen are given assistance. The food for work program of the DSWD and the employment program using the road users’ tax under the DPWH are also being intensified to meet the Filipinos’ needs. The LGUs are also working to provide local funds to fight hunger among their most impoverished constituents. (JCTilos)

Typhoid fever claims six in Oriental Negros

Typhoid fever brought about six (6) fatalities in Oriental Negros from January to October this year compared to three casualties recorded last year.

Records from the Department of Health (DOH) here showed that the six victims of typhoid fever recorded as of October this year are from Guihulngan, Bais City, Mabinay, Tanjay City and Sibulan, which recorded two casualties.

A total of 347 typhoid fever cases have been reported in Oriental Negros as of October this year based on records from DOH.

Dumaguete City registered the most number of typhoid fever cases with 78, followed by Tanjay with 37 and Sibulan, 26

In 2005, Sibulan recorded the most number of cases following an outbreak that resulted to 319 typhoid fever cases in the municipality.

Last year’s figures pegged typhoid fever cases at 1,146 in the province with three (3) fatalities recorded from San Jose, Dumaguete City and Mabinay.

According to Mrs. Cristita Gloria of DOH here, the figures are based on hospital charts from the three sentinel hospitals in Dumaguete City.

Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Edgardo Barredo said his office is persistent in their campaign on the prevention and control of typhoid fever which he says is part of the Provincial Health Office’s regular provincewide health and environmental sanitation campaign.

According to Barredo, typhoid fever is a result of eating food and water contaminated with human feces.

He urged local government units in the province to ensure that all barangays in their areas have access to safe drinking water.

“Food handlers in restaurants, food establishments and in homes should also make sure that proper hygiene is practiced in the preparation of food,” he stressed.

To ensure that drinking water is safe, the health official said that all that needs to be done is to boil it. “Just a few minutes of boiling will already kill the bacteria that causes typhoid fever,” Barredo said.

An advisory from DOH Central Office said that typhoid fever is caused by the salmonella typhi bacteria which is transmitted by ingestion of food and water contaminated with human waste.

Symptoms include sustained high fever, headache, malaise (weakness), loss of appetite, diarrhea or constipation and abdominal discomfort.

The public is advised to boil water for 3 minutes, cook food well and make sure food is always covered to prevent flies from contaminating them, wash thoroughly all vegetables and fruits especially those that are eaten raw , avoid eating unsanitary street foods, wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating and keep surrounding clean to prevent breeding of flies.

DOH is upping its campaign against typhoid fever after around 480 residents of Brgy. Libertad, Bunasan, Agusan del Sur were rushed to the hospital due to the disease.

DOH sent representatives to investigate the said cases as the CARAGA Regional Health Office deployed more doctors to accommodate the patients.

P5,000 cash gift eyed for gov’t workers; Capitol to release bonus before Nov 30

Capitol is now starting to process the release of bonuses for around 1,350 regular employees of the provincial government.

According to Capitol Information Officer Oliver Lemence, provincial government employees are expected to receive their bonuses on or before November 30.

Capitol employees, along with other state workers, may soon also enjoy a cash gift after Malacañang announced that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo plans to authorize a cash gift for all government employees this year.

This is in keeping with the state’s practice of augmenting the income of workers in the bureaucracy during Yuletide.

This was announced by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya who added that the President had instructed him to draft an executive order for the release of the cash gift.

Andaya said the President would make a final decision on how much the cash gift this year would be after she gets a review on the status of government’s finances.

“But it’s safe to say it won’t go below that,” said Andaya when asked whether it would be near the average P5,000-peso cash gift given in previous years.

DOLE, NOAPESOM readies for job fair on Dec 2

Preparations are now underway for the first job fair to be conducted by the Negros Oriental Association of Public Employment Services Office Managers (NOAPESOM) set on December 2 at the City Central Elementary School, this city.

According to Kenric Villaluz of DOLE here, they plan to only invite recruitment agencies with good track record for overseas work during the job fair.

NOAPESOM is the association of PESO managers in the different local government units in the province with Provincial Peso Manager Mariz Ramirez as the association President.

PESO managers serve as front liners of DOLE in the local government unit level. “We implement the programs and services of DOLE down to the barangays,” said Amos Calidguid, Bais City PESO Manager.

DOLE has already conducted two job fairs in the province in 2006. “We held a job fair in Bais City and Bayawan City. This fair on December 2 will be our third,” said Villaluz.

Meanwhile, a total of 231 of the 652 overseas Filipino workers in Kazakhstan have decided to go home and flight arrangements for 11 of them have been made, a Philippine labor official based in Riyadh said.

Siquijor furniture maker gets govt’s SETUP assistance

A lot of “cool” Filipinos today have followed the footsteps of those pioneering entrepreneurs and are making it big in their own business ventures. These entrepreneurs sure have what it takes to go for it – determination, creativity, imagination, guts and skills that can translate their vision of a successful business enterprise into reality. Their success stories serve as inspiration especially to other aspiring entrepreneurs.

One of these successful entrepreneurs is Mr. Robert Pajermo, owner of Pajermos’ Furniture in the town of Larena , province of Siquijor . At the onset, his furniture business also underwent growing pains and was on the verge of failure. But despite of it all, the business continued its uphill climb until the DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program or SET-UP came into the picture. SETUP is a government initiative designed to spur entrepreneurial and job generation activities in the province. It provides a package for micro, small and medium-scale business firms in the areas of productivity, product quality, manpower development, production cost, waste management and other operation related activities. It helps modernize the production line of SMEs.

Pajermo is well-equipped and ready to stand its ground against the big players in the market. Our country badly needs people like him because these business people keep the Philippine economy alive and kicking even if the global economy is in bad shape.

And he is also one with the business group’s call for unity and better service from politicians.

Earlier, the country’s businessmen aired concern that politicking would eventually destroy economic gains achieved by the country.

Francis Chua, president of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCCI) noted that with elections next year, it seems that some politicians are doing everything to pull down the administration. “Unfortunately, politics is destroying the economy,” he said.

He pointed out that instead of fighting the administration, all politicians should work together and focus on further beefing up the economy to ensure greater good for the people.

DOST scholars expected to give back to the country

The Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) has been supporting out hundreds of graduate scholars each year. These scholars are expected to help the country recover from what seemed to be an eternal commitment to underdevelopment. But there is no way of telling how many of these young achievers will stay and see this country develop, and how many of these will be lured to explore greater possibilities outside the country after they’ve paid up their dues to the government.

Among the scholar-recipients of the past year graduates, one graduated with a high honor distinction (Cum Laude) in the person of Mr. Barry Villahermosa from Catulayan, San Juan, Siquijor.

To qualify in the said scholarship, a student has to be “poor, talented and deserving whose socio-economic status does not exceed the set values of certain indicators (for instance, family gross income, electric consumption).”

According to Provincial Science and Technology Officer Engineer Mario de la Peña, the DOST Scholar graduates have a good chance of landing a good job because of the On the Job Training (OJT) Program in which they will be possibly hired after the training.

Most of the scholars had a chance of being hired with the companies within the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) in Mactan, Cebu because their course are in lined with science and technology.

To date, there are 21 DOST Scholars from the province enrolled at Silliman University and Negros Oriental State University in Dumaguete City and University of San Carlos in Cebu City. The benefits enjoyed by the scholars are monthly stipend ranging from P2,200 – P4,000.00, book allowance of P 1,500.00 per semester and a tuition fee of P 4,500.00 per semester. The DOST is allocating approximately P 52,000.00 per scholar per year or P 208,000.00 per scholar for a four year course or P 260,000.00 per scholar for a five year course.

Meanwhile, the government is focusing on microeconomic reforms to improve competitiveness, create more jobs, reduce poverty and hunger.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo L. Neri said that microeconomic reforms will increase job-creating investments, improve productivity, reduce cost of doing business and enhance global competitiveness.

This is in line with the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's State of the Nation Address to improve the country's competitiveness. One is making food plentiful at reasonable prices to make our labor costs globally competitive. Second is reducing the cost of electricity to make the cost of running our mchines and manufacturing processes regionally competitive.

Children’s contest held in Siquijor province

Day Care children here once again showcased their talents as the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office held Monday a Children’s contest that highlights the Children’s month celebration in October.

Centered on the theme ‘Bright Child: Yaman ng Pamilya, Yaman ng Bansa,” the contest was held in three categories, namely: singing, draw and tell and folk dance.

Winners of the three categories are Angelo James Laure from Basac Day Care Center for Draw and Tell; Jay Mark Pajar of San Antonio Day Care Center for Singing and Day Care Children from Cang-agong Day Care Center for the Folk Dance contest. They will represent in the regional contest on November 8, 2006 at the Ayala Center , Cebu .

Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo officially launched today the National Year for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NYPCAN) in simple ceremonies held at the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul along United Nations (UN) Avenue in Manila.

The NYPCAN launch is embodied in Proclamation No. 1137 issued by the President last Sept. 8 which declares October 2006 to October 2007 as Child Abuse Prevention Year (CAPY).

This proclamation is part of the advocacy program of the Child Protection Unit (CPU Net) and the UP-Philippine General Hospital Child Protection Unit (PGH-CPU) to create public awareness about child abuse and neglect.

Joining the President during the occasion were representatives of different government and non-government groups behind the anti-child abuse advocacy.

They include Bernadette Madrid, CPU Net Director, Jean Marc Olive, World Health Organization (WHO) representative to the Philippines, Justice Amuerfina Herrera, representing the judiciary; Philippine National Police (PNP) Gen. Yolanda Tanigue (law enforcement), Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Alice Bala (social workers), and CPU Net legal consultant Atty. Katrina Legarda, (NGOs).

DOLE reg'l director is a Siquijodnon

The Region X Office that handles affairs of the provinces of Misamis Oriental and Occidental, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Camiguin Island of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has a leader coming from the flock of the Siquijudnons. Its Regional Director comes from a humble family in Talayong, Lazi, and is fondly called as “Nonoy” by his family, relatives, friends, and well-wishers. He has served for long in the DOLE, has previously been working in Cebu ’s regional office, and he rose from the ranks. Since his promotion to the third level career position however, Region X Regional Director Ponciano M. Ligutom has served several leading capacities mostly in the Mindanao regions.

Incidentally however, Director Ligutom has also been conferred as the 2006 Outstanding Career Executive Officer of the Philippines by the Career Executive Service Board (CESB) last September 25, 2006 at Malacanang Palace , Manila graced by Her Excellency Gloria M. Arroyo. The Annual CESB Search was launched to honor Third Level Civil Servants for distinguished and exemplary leadership in their work.

While receiving a plaque of recognition, and a Php 50,000 cash award, Director Ligutom earned his nomination for the Honor Awards Program of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). He is scheduled to undergo a Scholarship Grant sponsored by the AusAID and the Philippine Government. Aldo part of the incentive, he is set to go to Australia on November 2, 2006 for a one-month short-term study/observation program planned, organized, and coordinated by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) through the Philippine-Australia Human Resource Development Facility program.

State of municipality reports will soon be ready

Following the LGU Users’ Enhancement Course on the Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s Bureau of Local Government Supervision held at the Crown Regency Residences in Cebu city last October 17 and 18, all of the six Municipalities of the island-province are expected to produce their respective State of Local Governance Reports by the end of the year.

The course was attended by the designated LGPMS municipal focal persons and personnel from the respective municipalities. As advised during the two-day enhancement seminar, the LGU Users will have until the 17th of November for the web-based entry or update of the LGPMS data capture on-line where the system will be closed. After the data monitoring and data clean-up by the DILG and LGPMS Teams, municipal profiles and data may be viewed through the internet by the LGU focal persons and other users for information and whatever purpose/s the material would serve them best.

The LGU Users’ Enhancement Training was mainly designed on how LGUs can make the best use of the data available through the internet and how to effectively transmit it to the powers that be for resolve. Related topics discussed during the course include processes and techniques on problem identification, prioritizing problems, analysis and interpreting a problem and how to apply information towards a solution. The process involves a hierarchy in prioritizing a problem which delves a deeper analysis in the performance area gaps, to service area gaps until a specific indicator have been identified. It also treats the primary, secondary and tertiary causes that influences the problem. External factors such as the extent, severity, the administrative capacity of LGUs and other reinforcing factors are also considered.

While the State of Municipality Report will be prepared mainly by the designate LGU focal persons and the municipal LGPMS Committee, the Report becomes a rich material for planners, policy and decision-makers and researchers, both from the public and private sector towards a guided program/project implementation or contribution. The report will be produced in hard copies, copies of which will be submitted to DILG Provincial Office as a reference document and for submission to higher offices of the Department when required.

The strategy departs from the previous one in which the MLGOOs are burdened to present the State of Local Governance Report that appeared as unsolicited advises to LGUs. A “sense of real ownership” is more apparent as the present LGPMS reporting strategy will now be made by the municipality, for the municipality and of the municipality.

Hopefully, this will be institutionalized and will provide the next batches of local government unit administrative, social services, economic services, and environmental protection services.

SOUNBYTES:

LPG dealers slash prices by P0.50/ kg anew

Dealers of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) announced another P0.50 a kilogram reduction in product prices, the first installment in what is expected to be a staggered P1.50-price cut this month.

Arnel Ty, president of the LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA), said the P0.50 price adjustment will take effect midnight Tuesday.

With the new rates, an 11-kilogram regular LPG tank should now sell for about P454.

International congratulations for RP’s win in UN body polls

THE Philippines has been receiving congratulations from both developed and developing countries for its "impressive" and "massive" victory in elections for seats in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), said Ambassador Lauro Baja Jr., Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Saturday.

The Philippines topped the elections for 18 new members of the 54-member council, which is one of the six principal organs of the world body. It garnered 188 of 192 votes from member-states; there were three abstentions and one stray vote.

The Ecosoc win marks the first time that the Philippines came out as number one in an election to a major organ of the UN and follows a similar impressive win in the Security Council two years ago.

Statement of Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye: China Trip Gains

President Arroyo arrives home with great hopes for the Philippines in terms of the economic and security advances of the whole of East Asia.

The ASEAN-China summit has paved the way for an auspicious meeting of regional leaders in Cebu come December.

As Chair of the ASEAN and Co-Chair of the ASEAN-China summit, the President was able to bring into regional focus the aspirations of all Filipinos for shared stability and prosperity under a realm of freedom and democracy.

NBI execs arrive in US to get Atong Ang

Two officials of the National Bureau of Investigation arrived in Los Angeles, California Friday morning (Manila time) to escort businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang back to the country to face the plunder charges filed against him before the anti-graft court, ANC reported.

The report said Deputy Director for Regional Operations Service Reynaldo Esmeralda and Interpol Division chief Claro de Castro Jr. arrived at the Los Angeles airport around 11 a.m. Friday.

Both officials have confirmed that the alleged bagman of former president Joseph Estrada will be extradited next week after a United States district court in Nevada rejected Ang’s last attempt to remain under house arrest.

Cruz holds ‘no rancor, animosity,’ says DND official

DEFENSE Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr. holds "no rancor" and "no animosity" against government, despite his resignation, which he had been considering even before he allegedly drew Malacañang's ire for opposing the administration-backed people's initiative, a close associate said Monday.

"It [resignation] is nothing personal. It's purely professional. No rancor, no animosity," defense undersecretary Rodel Cruz told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.

When asked if the defense chief's resignation was linked to the reported rift in the Arroyo Cabinet between those for and against the people's initiative, the undersecretary said: "I don't think so. The resignation has been made. That's it."