Oriental Negros holds one of the lowest crime rates in Region 7
Oriental Negrenses are basking in what a top police official describes as an "atmosphere of peace and tranquility" in the province that has been identified to hold the second to the lowest crime rate in the region this year.
With an average monthly crime rate of 8.27%, Oriental Negros has been cited in a recent Regional Peace and Order Council meeting as one of the localities enjoying the low crime rate, disclosed P/Supt. Orlando Walat, deputy provincial director of the Provincial Police Office here, in a Kapihan forum yesterday.
Statistics presented during the Region 7 Peace and Order Council meeting held August 19 in Dumaguete City show that Cebu City holds the highest recorded incidents, followed by Cebu province and Bohol.
Based on records from the Provincial Police Office here, a total of 745 crimes were recorded in Oriental Negros from January to August this year, of which 479 are classified as index crimes and 266 as non-index crimes.
Crimes against person ranked highest among crime incidents reported with 163, followed by murder, 108; homicide, 52; and rape, 31.
Some 40 street crimes were reported in the same period of which 43% were theft or snatching incidents and 35% were illegal drug activities.
The provincial police force has been persistent with the conduct of its anti-crime activities from January to August this year, during which Police Community Precincts were put up in various strategic barangays in the province.
Walat added that a Community Police Action Center (COMPACT) was also established. "This allows the policeman to stay outside of the police station and take post in places accessible to people to attend to petty crimes and serve the public most hours of the day and night," he said.
The national government has also come up with a strategy to firm up anti-crime efforts in the barangay level with the creation of the expanded barangay peace and order council (EBPOC).
Jofralito Lorico, provincial director of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) here, in the same forum said the EBPOC will consolidate the various anti-crime bodies in the barangay such as the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Brgy. Intelligence Network and Brgy. Against Narcotics Abusers and Traffickers.
Meanwhile, speaking in the same forum held in celebration of National Crime Prevention and Control Week, Dumaguete City Police Chief Insp. Manuel Hidalgo urged residents in the city to be cautious against making themselves vulnerable to crime.
"Sometimes we give snatchers the opportunity, like using our cellphones while walking on the street or counting money out in the open," says Hidalgo.
The city police chief however assured that Dumaguete City is safe with "no organized crimes or syndicated crime groups."
Records show that Dumaguete City ranks fifth in the top ten crime-prone localities in the province with an average monthly crime rate of 15.88%.
The full list of the top ten crime-prone areas here based on the average monthly crime for the first eight months this year are Jimalalud (24.89%), Valencia (20.67%), Bacong (17.81%), Zamboanguita (16.73%), Dumaguete City (15.88%), Amlan (13.94%), La Libertad (10.24%), Ayungon (9.99%), San Jose (9.71%) and Basay (9.69%).
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CSC exam on October 16 will be held in Dumaguete
Civil service examinees in Oriental Negros and Siquijor no longer need to travel to Cebu to take the Career Service Examinations.
The Civil Service Commission (CSC) Negros Oriental Field Office recently announced that they will conduct the Career Service Professional and Sub-Professional tests in Dumaguete City on October 16, 2005 for examinees from Oriental Negros and Siquijor provinces.
This developed following numerous requests from examinees in Oriental Negros and Siquijor provinces, said local CSC OIC-Supervising Personnel Specialist Prolaine de la Calzada.
For the past years, examinees from Bohol, Siquijor and Oriental Negros had to travel to Cebu City where the CSC testing center for the Career Service Examinations is located.
The conduct of the said exam in Dumaguete City is still at a "testing" stage, and if everything goes well, then "hopefully we can make it permanent," says De la Calzada.
Deadline for examination applications is set on September 16, 2005.
De la Calzada is urging prospective applicants to grab the chance to maximize the opportunity of taking the career service examination in the city "because the next scheduled examination may not be here in our locality."
Meanwhile, a house bill has been filed seeking to criminalize cheating in civil service examinations.
House Bill 4435, authored principally by Rep. Henedina Abad of the lone district in Batanes seeks to impose six (6) to twelve (12) years imprisonment and a fine of not less than P50,000 to violators.
Abad said cheating refers to any act of omission before, during, or after examinations that will directly or indirectly undermine the sanctity of the process.
"These forms of cheating include impersonation, the use of crib sheets or "codigo", employing a "poste" or a person who disguises as an examinee during examination, tampering with examination records," Abad said.
According to Ms. Prolaine de la Calzada, the house bill, if approved, will enhance the CSC's jurisdiction over civil service examination irregularities.
The CSC imposes administrative and civil penalties on examinees caught cheating in the civil service tests.
The highest penalty is dismissal from government service for examinees who are already state employees and for others, disbarment from entering government service and taking any future civil service examinations.
According to De la Calzada, exam irregularities in Region 7 are not rampant. "The usual case is impersonation, wherein a person would take the exam in behalf of another person who took the test previously and failed," she added.
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Prov'l gov't creates Bird Flu Task Force
Prompted by the possibility of a bird flu outbreak in Oriental Negros, the provincial government here recently created the Bird (Avian) Flu Task Force.
According to Executive Order 05-05 issued by Governor George P. Arnaiz, the bird flu outbreak in the neighboring Asian countries have affected a total of 109 persons of which 55 died as of July 29, 2005.
Arnaiz stated in the said executive order that there is a strong possibility that the province will be infected by the said disease following reports from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on the presence of migratory birds in Tanjay-Bais area and Olango Island in Cebu.
The creation of the said task force came in the heels of a recommendation from the Avian Flu Protection Program created by the national government, which called for the "establishment of linkages between and among local government units, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health to respond to whatever emergency may arise."
Chaired by the governor, the provincial Avian Flu Task Force is composed of teams on surveillance/vaccination evaluation, poultry/bird movement and control, public information, data/GIS and legal support.
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Siquijor to celebrate 34th day
This year's 34th Araw ng Siquijor will put the province on center stage, and rightly so.
The island, now a byword among tourists for its natural and cultural sites, will come full circle this September in fiesta and celebratory mood.
Exciting events that spice up this year's Araw ng Siquijor have been lined up and finalized recently at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall.
Larena will play host to the opening sportsfest program simultaneous to the Philippine Civil Service Commission's 105th celebration.
Highlighting the occasion are the four-day Agro/Trade Fair and Exhibits, which run from September 14-17 at the St. Francis of Assisi Church grounds. A joint undertaking of the Provincial Government and the different agencies composing the Siquijor Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (SMEDC), it is meeting of maturity and experience of seasoned entrepreneurs on one hand and the creative fresh air and enthusiasm of beginners on the other. More so, it will offer a taste of everything from processed food products to woodcraft and arts. It will also be an opportune time to give honor to our island's bests and agri/trade achievers.
Sure presence will be the Solili dance festival, a "Lumad Siquijodnon" showdown on the day of September 17 that will no doubt gather people into a biggest crowd.
There may be rains in September and upheaval in the national political arena; however, Siquijor people are ready to brave hell and high water to push through with the celebration. This month promises to be a showcase and a reminder of everything that makes us truly Siquijodnon.
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PGMA calls for peace and understanding for unity and progress
LAPU-LAPU CITY-- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo thanked last night the leaders of various religious groups and organizations in the country who have made a clear call in promoting a culture of peace and fostering of understanding not only in the Philippines but in the whole world.
The President sounded her expression of gratitude when she addressed Wednesday night the closing of the National Summit of Religious Leaders Towards a Culture of Peace attended by some 180 leaders of various religious and ethnic denominations at the Crown Regency Suites here.
"I am grateful to you, our religious leaders, and to the many well-meaning Filipinos who have made a clear call of prudence, sobriety, dialogue, understanding, and peace in these trying times. Because you have called for and conducted dialogue, you have tempered the onslaught of hate and manned the perimeters of prudence, understanding, sobriety and the rule of law, the President said.
The two-day summit which envisions to unite and galvanize peoples of diverse religions and beliefs towards addressing peace and order issues was spearheaded by the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) -- Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month 2005.
The summit participants came from various religious groups/organizations such as Islam, Roman Catholic, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches 9PCEC), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Greek Orthodox, Brahma Kumaris, Hindu, Bahai, Sikhs, Buddhist, Seventh Day Adventist, and the indigenous peoples.
The President said what the country needs now is "less talk but more dialogue and more action on jobs, high prices especially coming from the world oil upsurge, hunger, law and order, and corruption, which, she noted, is "the very sentiment mentioned in the summaries and statement presented to her by the summit participants.
"Yesterday Congress spoke with the mighty voice of the people they represent and I thank all of them. Their voice is clear -- let us work for peace not conflict. Let us get back to work not in the streets but in our offices and industrial centers, in our farms and communities. Let's bury the conflict of the past and gather around a brighter, peaceful tomorrow, the President said.
The President said she has instructed her entire Cabinet to "get down to brass tacks and let the people feel in their bones, and in their hearts, in their spirit the power of honest and efficient service. "These are things that you our religious leaders can fully help internalize in your public servants, the President added.
According to the President, her personal pain or political triumph is of no moment to the task of building this nation and putting the economy in order. "I offer the olive branch of peace to all my critics and detractors for a principled partnership for the people, driven by responsible governance and responsible fiscalization, she said
The President asked for the guidance and support of the summit participants to help save the Philippines from the "rapidly degenerating political system that breeds not only the compartmentalization of ideas and the misunderstanding among religions, ethnicity and culture, but also compartmentalization of work, "a system that foments division not only across the institutions of our national government, but also along the axis of national and local governance and also across different religions and ethnic cultures.
"Now is the time to begin to change the system. You in this dialogue, in this promotion of peace is part of the changing of the system and I thank you for that, she said.
Extending the hand of peace to her detractors, the President invited the citizenry, including her critics and supporters, to an earnest and sincere debate to amend the Constitution, "which many of you want, to bring power back to the people and to cast the demons that have haunted our politics.
The President said the National Summit of Religious Leaders Towards a Culture of Peace "transcends all politics and partisan concerns, and I thank you for your statement and I look forward to the follow up that we will be making.
The President also tasked Ma. Isabel Tobias, Secretary General of the Presidential Council for Values Formation, to study the possibility of integrating the summit's recommendation to create an Interfaith Commission, together with the recommendation of evangelical bishops to organize a Council on Moral Values.
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PGMA calls for peace and unity for development
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo chose Cebu for her first public appearance and public statement as she reached out a hand of peace to her critics and detractors alike after the recent controversial foiled impeachment rap against her in Congress.
Mrs. Arroyo was briefly in Cebu yesterday afternoon to grace the first-ever "National Summit of Religious Leaders Towards a Culture of Peace" in Lapulapu City attended by 180 leaders of 11 faiths throughout the country. Those in attendance were from different religions such as the predominant Roman Catholic, Buddhism, Hindu, Islam, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches, National Council of Churches in the Philippines, Indigenous people, Orthodox, Brahma Kumaris, Bahais, Sikhism, and 7th Day Advenstist.
Pres. Arroyo in her message stressed that "we need development to sustain peace and we need peace for development to flourish" as both are inter-related to fight the common enemy which is poverty.
Mrs. Arroyo called on the opposition and her critics to bury the past and transform the weariness of our people into a fresh dynamism for action, enterprise and reform. She further said that in these trying times of world oil price upsurge, hunger and corruption, what are needed are less talk and more action on jobs.
Arroyo described to the delegates that the Philippine seemed to live in two countries: one that is poised for economic takeoff, and the other that is held back by discord sired by a degenerating political system.
Instead of going to the streets for demonstrations, the President appealed to the people to get back to work in the offices and industrial centers, in the farms and communities for a brighter tomorrow.
As the President is set to leave for the United States next week to preside over the United Nations (UN) Security Council, she wished to deliver the same message that she is working for One Philippines and One God.
For her part, the President ended that she would continue to open all doors towards keeping our nation together in achieving One Philippines.
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9/01/2005
INFOBYTES, Issue No. 23, September 1, 2005
CSC clarifies government's rationalization plan
The Civil Service Commission yesterday dispelled apprehensions of government executives in the province on the government's rationalization plan during a Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency here in celebration of CSC's 105th anniversary.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has earlier signed Executive Order No. 366 which underlines the government's rationalization plan and calls for the elimination of duplication of government functions and excess people in the government.
CSC Commissioner Cesar Buenaflor, speaking in yesterday's forum attended by heads of national government agencies in the province, stressed the need to trim down bureaucracy so that the government can become "an effective instrument to attain a just and humane society."
Buenaflor said allegations of a bloated government abound in the face of statistics that show the entire bureaucracy has ballooned to 1.4 million. "Dumami ang tao sa gobyerno, kaakibat nito ang economic problems at ang bulging increase in the population, which is now around 87 to 90 million Filipinos," says Buenaflor.
With the government being the biggest employment agency in the country, Buenaflor lamented that almost 80% of its budget goes to personnel services, leaving only a small amount for development projects.
So we need to make the government lean and mean but without abandoning its services and giving incentives for those who have to leave, and this is what the rationalization plan is all about, says Buenaflor.
The CSC Commissioner explained that EO 366 affects only national government agencies, especially executive departments, and employees holding plantilla positions. "This provides an opportunity for the national departments and agencies to look into their organization, prioritize important functions and do away with redundant positions in the government," Buenaflor said.
He said that the savings generated from the rationalization plan could justify a salary increase for government workers "and also more money for development projects for the public."
Affected personnel will be offered a silver parachute or an incentive package on top of the regular retirement pay they will receive from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Buenaflor revealed that a total of P30 billion have been allocated for the cash incentives offered by the government for affected employees. Half of the total amount is from the World Bank and the other half is the government's counterpart.
For affected employees who have been in government service for 31 years and up, they are entitled to an incentive bonus equivalent to 100 % of their basic salary, while those between 20 to 30 years of service will receive 75%. Employees with below 20 years but over 3 years service will be entitled to 50%.
Employees who avail of the EO 366 cannot return to government service for a period of five years, except those in the medical and educational services.
Buenaflor is in the province to attend an executive forum in Bayawan City with elected officials from Bayawan, Basay and Sta. Catalina in line with CSC's long-month anniversary celebration
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Bayawan City hosts 2005 Regional Skills Competition
Bayawan City will play host to this year's 2005 Regional Skills Competition on October 4 to 7, 2005 during which skilled workers aged 18 years and below from the different provinces in Central Visayas will pit their skills against each other on various trade areas.
According to Engr. Samuel A. Jordan, Officer-in-Charge of the Technical Skills Development Authority here, the Regional Skills Competition is a venue to recognize the skills excellence of young skilled workers in Central Visayas.
"This activity hopes to develop competitive Filipino workers who possess world-skills, work values and attitudes," said Jordan.
A total of 2.5 million will be turned over to the Skills Olympic Foundation Inc. for the conduct of the said competition, of which P1M is from the Bayawan City government as its counterpart fund and P1.5M is from the Technical Education and Sills Development Authority (TESDA) in Region 7.
Participants in the competition are winners of the provincial skills competitions from the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor and Oriental Negros.
The winners in the regional competition will represent Central Visayas in the National Skills Competition.
The trade areas of the regional skills competition are automotive mechanic, computer aided design and drafting, cookery, electrical technology, electronics technology, information technology, hotel and restaurant service, dressmaking and wielding.
Jordan said there will also be an open-category for 19 years old and above on the following trade areas: masonry, carpentry, bulldozer operation, plumbing (NC1), motor grader operation and wheel loader operation.
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Public info officers told to report national government's achievements 'to counter disinformation campaign by anti-Arroyo groups'
League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) president Bohol Gov. Erico B. Aumentado issued a challenge to government information officers in the region to report the more positive component of the administration's achievements and performance as purveyors of information.
Gov. Aumentado was speaking during the recent regional consultative conference of information officers in Region 7 in Panglao Island, Bohol.
Aumentado made the challenge amid the slanted reports of media particularly in Manila that caps political scandals like the jueteng issue, 'Garci' tape and the impeachment complaint as daily headline stories rather than focus on the policy direction of government to enhance the country's economy and well-being of the people.
In developed countries like the United States and Singapore, developmental journalism is given emphasis so their people will know what their government is doing, according to Aumentado.
"You should do your share in giving light to our people by being biased to developmental communication," Aumentado told the over 50 government information officers from regional line agencies and local government units during the 16th Consultative Conference of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) in Tagbilaran City, Bohol August 24-26, 2005.
Aumentado, who is also the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), admitted that the government is losing in the propaganda war of the opposition and leftists combined. These few people in Metro Manila of which majority are from the left and the opposition who demand for Pres. Arroyo's ouster because they want her to step down are inflicting more damage by worsening the divisiveness among the Filipino people, Aumentado added.
The Bohol Governor said it is time to harness the public information officers in the rural areas to combat the disinformation campaign by anti-Arroyo groups.
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Public asked to brace selves as oil crisis expected to worsen in few months
A Malacañang official asked the public to brace for harsher times ahead since the possibility for gasoline to hit the P50/liter and diesel at P45-47/liter in the next few months is not far from reach.
Sec. Renato S. Velasco, Director General of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), said world prices of fuel soaring to records high and currently pegged at US$70/barrel may increase by October or November due to the demand of countries like the US for their winter season needs. Countries enjoying four seasons use higher fuel consumption during the winter period for their heaters.
The Philippines on the other hand, is 90-95 percent dependent on imported oil so any increases in the prices of fuel in the global market will have adverse impact and domino effects to our national economy, Velasco told government information officers during its recent annual gathering in Bohol.
Velasco said the emerging oil crisis is far worse than the political crisis facing the nation. He then told the info officers from regional line agencies and local government units in Central Visayas to help the national government make the people understand that the oil crisis is not brought about by any government program or policy.
Velasco made the appeal amid fears that government may be blamed on the oil situation.
Velasco bared that President Arroyo's bold initiatives to address the oil crisis included AO 126 mandating all branches of government including LGUs to cut fuel consumption by 10 percent on top of the order to decrease fuel and power use by 10 percent under AO 103 or the austerity measures.
The austerity program has earned P300 M savings for the government in two months in April and May, this year during the implementation of the four-day workweek, Velasco stressed.
The long-term solution in addressing the aggravating oil problem is the development of alternative sources of energy.
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FEATURE STORY
Dream of a better life
It started with a dream to help his poor parishioners. For Fr. Susano Arbas, a sermon is not just enough. Words alone cannot satisfy empty stomachs nor raise the poor from their misery. He knew something has to be done and someone has to start. But where to begin?
Opportunity shopping
Fr. Arbas' hope of bringing help for the poor in his parish grew each day. Over the past years, since his assignment to Sta. Barbara Parish in Campalanas, Lazi, Siquijor up to his transfer to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Enrique Villanueva (Talingting), Fr. Arbas has been trying to raise the social level of the local populace through his Sunday and daily homilies. He is convinced that a community can emancipate itself given the right opportunity, motivation and training.
Haunted by that strong desire, Fr. Arbas in 1998, began to knock the doors of several government agencies and saw what they have to offer for the people. He called it "opportunity shopping."
With a prospect already in mind coupled with his background in Management, Fr. Arbas introduced his idea of forming a credit cooperative, first to his lay ministers, then to the Parish Pastoral Council. That way, he could, at least help free his poor 'brothers' from the bondage of loan sharks. He knew any knowledge he could offer would be valuable if the project he was considering was to succeed.
Birth of a coop
Undeniably, banks and lending agencies charge very high interest rates and the people who are already poor are not in a position to earn and save at the same time.
These conditions and the realization of Fr. Arbas and some parishioners that if they do not act to help themselves and their community, no one would, gave birth to a community-based, grassroots credit cooperative known as the Sta. Barbara Katilingbanong Credit Cooperative (SBKCC), the first parish-initiated coop in the province of Siquijor.
It started with the priest and his seven lay ministers grouping themselves, putting up a little of their money and eventually pulling together an amount of P2,000 as their capital build ups (CBU) and savings. The first borrower had availed P800 with a very minimal interest. After a few months, the group was able to recruit more members allowing them to form a cooperative. In 1999, the group, with its 25 members, was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). In 2001, the cooperative was accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as its co-partner to the different livelihood components of its Integrated Livelihood Program after which the office granted the cooperative some P100, 000 for the construction of its coop building in Campalana
"It was not easy to begin with," confesses Fr. Arbas, "but the commitment of a few parishioners and government agencies to support the project helped materialize the plan."
Slowly, membership along with the savings deposit and CBUs grew. The priest's transfer to Talingting in 2002 paved way to a branching out the coop in the same town.
From a mere 25 members in 1999, the present membership bloated to 505 full-fledged members coming from different barangays and towns in the province. Currently, it has generated a total CBU of 4,269,166.92 both from the main coop (2,760,770.30) and branch (1,508,396). "First time in the history of the province of Siquijor that the people were able to pool together this much of their resources as CBUs," the priest beams with joy.
Savings and time deposits reached 2,919,703.51 as of this date, 1,528,114.39 of which come from Talingting branch and 1,391,559.51 from Campalanas. The coop released some 6.4 million in loan (productive and providential) to 521 borrowers in 2004. In July this year alone, total loan released was P1,111,200.
Economic, social benefits
Today the coop is providing diversified credit facilities and allied services accessible and affordable to its members. It also provides trainings for self-help group where they are taught to earn and save. Money is loaned to the members at only 3% interest, half of which will be automatically added to the borrower's CBU. After a brief training, the members are able to set up a business which allow them to earn their living and save money so as to improve their social and economic position. They take part in project such as rearing of pigs, 'buy and sell', etc. This encourages personal initiative and offers the poor the means to uplift their lives.
Julien Torres, with the credit she received, was able to put up a small business. She smiles enthusiastically and shows us the ready-to-wear items she displays in her store. Her husband has no regular income. Before being a member, her family was barely able to make ends meet. Their wages were just enough to buy food, substantial for three meals a day. Now, with her business, she is able to contribute towards maintaining her family. The loan has changed her life forever.
Another hope has also been fulfilled to a mother of two. Emma Boncales started her small business with a capital of 5,000 she loaned from the coop. "I have to work to augment my husband's (a security guard) meager income," says Emma. After a year or two, Emma was able to acquire a Honda motorcycle which she now use in delivering goods to her costumers.
All this aside from the many testimonies we hear from members who have availed of the loan packages such as emergency loan, special loan, etc. that they use especially for their children's education.
Government development aid
The seeming success in SBCC went well beyond expectations simply because at the helm of the project there was the 'right person at the right time'.
Zero based management, that was it. There was no coop office. Financial transaction has to be done in the parochial office with the assistance of Celia Sonlit, then Parish Secretary, now the manager of its branch coop in Talingting.
The staff and regular volunteers made enormous efforts, but alone they could not cover all necessary functions. Fr. Arbas therefore decided to ask help from government offices in the province. Getting it was tedious. It took months, sometimes years, before it was granted. In the meantime he never became discouraged. He went on motivating the staff and Board of Directors to work hard.
Finally in 2004, the government through the DOLE granted P100,000 financial assistance for the construction of a coop building in Campalanas. In the same year, the coop has availed of a P600 thousand loan from the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) under the Magniniyog Tungo sa Tunay na Pag-unlad (MATUTUPAD) program of the government for relending to coco farmers/coop members for livelihood activities.
The coop since then have been making great stride. This year, coop buildings can already be seen in both main and branch office.
True therefore, the coop envisions an empowered, improved community. By providing community services it aspires to help bring about a better quality of life not only for the members and their families but also for other people of the community. And this condition is not only for the present, but for all time. Of course, these are big ideals and aspirations. And the Sta. Barbara Katilingbanong Credit Cooperative can only be one of the forces of growth. But it is prepared to do its part to the best of its capabilities.
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PMHA awards F. Tayko Memorial School in Siaton as outstanding performance in mental health practice
The Philippine Mental Health Office (PMHA) has awarded the Felipe Tayko Memorial School in Siaton in recognition of its outstanding performance in mental health practice this week during a gathering of Department of Education supervisors at Plaza Ma. Luisa, this city.
School Principal Erlinda Cleope of the Felipe Tayko Memorial received the check worth P20,000 and a plaque as prizes from Dr. Betsy Joy Tan, board chair of PMHA, as winner in the "Search for the Best Mental Health Practice in Workplace."
In her message to the education manager, Joy Tan said that to earn the merits of recognition, the schools should have varied mental health programs on sports, psychological, social for the school children, community, parents as well as the faculty and staff as practiced and documented by the winner.
Mental health practice promotes the well-being of all personnel of the school, effective stress management and balance between work and play.
Felipe Tayko Memorial School, as provincial winner, will view for the national search in October, this year.
The Civil Service Commission yesterday dispelled apprehensions of government executives in the province on the government's rationalization plan during a Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency here in celebration of CSC's 105th anniversary.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has earlier signed Executive Order No. 366 which underlines the government's rationalization plan and calls for the elimination of duplication of government functions and excess people in the government.
CSC Commissioner Cesar Buenaflor, speaking in yesterday's forum attended by heads of national government agencies in the province, stressed the need to trim down bureaucracy so that the government can become "an effective instrument to attain a just and humane society."
Buenaflor said allegations of a bloated government abound in the face of statistics that show the entire bureaucracy has ballooned to 1.4 million. "Dumami ang tao sa gobyerno, kaakibat nito ang economic problems at ang bulging increase in the population, which is now around 87 to 90 million Filipinos," says Buenaflor.
With the government being the biggest employment agency in the country, Buenaflor lamented that almost 80% of its budget goes to personnel services, leaving only a small amount for development projects.
So we need to make the government lean and mean but without abandoning its services and giving incentives for those who have to leave, and this is what the rationalization plan is all about, says Buenaflor.
The CSC Commissioner explained that EO 366 affects only national government agencies, especially executive departments, and employees holding plantilla positions. "This provides an opportunity for the national departments and agencies to look into their organization, prioritize important functions and do away with redundant positions in the government," Buenaflor said.
He said that the savings generated from the rationalization plan could justify a salary increase for government workers "and also more money for development projects for the public."
Affected personnel will be offered a silver parachute or an incentive package on top of the regular retirement pay they will receive from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Buenaflor revealed that a total of P30 billion have been allocated for the cash incentives offered by the government for affected employees. Half of the total amount is from the World Bank and the other half is the government's counterpart.
For affected employees who have been in government service for 31 years and up, they are entitled to an incentive bonus equivalent to 100 % of their basic salary, while those between 20 to 30 years of service will receive 75%. Employees with below 20 years but over 3 years service will be entitled to 50%.
Employees who avail of the EO 366 cannot return to government service for a period of five years, except those in the medical and educational services.
Buenaflor is in the province to attend an executive forum in Bayawan City with elected officials from Bayawan, Basay and Sta. Catalina in line with CSC's long-month anniversary celebration
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Bayawan City hosts 2005 Regional Skills Competition
Bayawan City will play host to this year's 2005 Regional Skills Competition on October 4 to 7, 2005 during which skilled workers aged 18 years and below from the different provinces in Central Visayas will pit their skills against each other on various trade areas.
According to Engr. Samuel A. Jordan, Officer-in-Charge of the Technical Skills Development Authority here, the Regional Skills Competition is a venue to recognize the skills excellence of young skilled workers in Central Visayas.
"This activity hopes to develop competitive Filipino workers who possess world-skills, work values and attitudes," said Jordan.
A total of 2.5 million will be turned over to the Skills Olympic Foundation Inc. for the conduct of the said competition, of which P1M is from the Bayawan City government as its counterpart fund and P1.5M is from the Technical Education and Sills Development Authority (TESDA) in Region 7.
Participants in the competition are winners of the provincial skills competitions from the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor and Oriental Negros.
The winners in the regional competition will represent Central Visayas in the National Skills Competition.
The trade areas of the regional skills competition are automotive mechanic, computer aided design and drafting, cookery, electrical technology, electronics technology, information technology, hotel and restaurant service, dressmaking and wielding.
Jordan said there will also be an open-category for 19 years old and above on the following trade areas: masonry, carpentry, bulldozer operation, plumbing (NC1), motor grader operation and wheel loader operation.
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Public info officers told to report national government's achievements 'to counter disinformation campaign by anti-Arroyo groups'
League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) president Bohol Gov. Erico B. Aumentado issued a challenge to government information officers in the region to report the more positive component of the administration's achievements and performance as purveyors of information.
Gov. Aumentado was speaking during the recent regional consultative conference of information officers in Region 7 in Panglao Island, Bohol.
Aumentado made the challenge amid the slanted reports of media particularly in Manila that caps political scandals like the jueteng issue, 'Garci' tape and the impeachment complaint as daily headline stories rather than focus on the policy direction of government to enhance the country's economy and well-being of the people.
In developed countries like the United States and Singapore, developmental journalism is given emphasis so their people will know what their government is doing, according to Aumentado.
"You should do your share in giving light to our people by being biased to developmental communication," Aumentado told the over 50 government information officers from regional line agencies and local government units during the 16th Consultative Conference of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) in Tagbilaran City, Bohol August 24-26, 2005.
Aumentado, who is also the president of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), admitted that the government is losing in the propaganda war of the opposition and leftists combined. These few people in Metro Manila of which majority are from the left and the opposition who demand for Pres. Arroyo's ouster because they want her to step down are inflicting more damage by worsening the divisiveness among the Filipino people, Aumentado added.
The Bohol Governor said it is time to harness the public information officers in the rural areas to combat the disinformation campaign by anti-Arroyo groups.
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Public asked to brace selves as oil crisis expected to worsen in few months
A Malacañang official asked the public to brace for harsher times ahead since the possibility for gasoline to hit the P50/liter and diesel at P45-47/liter in the next few months is not far from reach.
Sec. Renato S. Velasco, Director General of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), said world prices of fuel soaring to records high and currently pegged at US$70/barrel may increase by October or November due to the demand of countries like the US for their winter season needs. Countries enjoying four seasons use higher fuel consumption during the winter period for their heaters.
The Philippines on the other hand, is 90-95 percent dependent on imported oil so any increases in the prices of fuel in the global market will have adverse impact and domino effects to our national economy, Velasco told government information officers during its recent annual gathering in Bohol.
Velasco said the emerging oil crisis is far worse than the political crisis facing the nation. He then told the info officers from regional line agencies and local government units in Central Visayas to help the national government make the people understand that the oil crisis is not brought about by any government program or policy.
Velasco made the appeal amid fears that government may be blamed on the oil situation.
Velasco bared that President Arroyo's bold initiatives to address the oil crisis included AO 126 mandating all branches of government including LGUs to cut fuel consumption by 10 percent on top of the order to decrease fuel and power use by 10 percent under AO 103 or the austerity measures.
The austerity program has earned P300 M savings for the government in two months in April and May, this year during the implementation of the four-day workweek, Velasco stressed.
The long-term solution in addressing the aggravating oil problem is the development of alternative sources of energy.
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FEATURE STORY
Dream of a better life
It started with a dream to help his poor parishioners. For Fr. Susano Arbas, a sermon is not just enough. Words alone cannot satisfy empty stomachs nor raise the poor from their misery. He knew something has to be done and someone has to start. But where to begin?
Opportunity shopping
Fr. Arbas' hope of bringing help for the poor in his parish grew each day. Over the past years, since his assignment to Sta. Barbara Parish in Campalanas, Lazi, Siquijor up to his transfer to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish in Enrique Villanueva (Talingting), Fr. Arbas has been trying to raise the social level of the local populace through his Sunday and daily homilies. He is convinced that a community can emancipate itself given the right opportunity, motivation and training.
Haunted by that strong desire, Fr. Arbas in 1998, began to knock the doors of several government agencies and saw what they have to offer for the people. He called it "opportunity shopping."
With a prospect already in mind coupled with his background in Management, Fr. Arbas introduced his idea of forming a credit cooperative, first to his lay ministers, then to the Parish Pastoral Council. That way, he could, at least help free his poor 'brothers' from the bondage of loan sharks. He knew any knowledge he could offer would be valuable if the project he was considering was to succeed.
Birth of a coop
Undeniably, banks and lending agencies charge very high interest rates and the people who are already poor are not in a position to earn and save at the same time.
These conditions and the realization of Fr. Arbas and some parishioners that if they do not act to help themselves and their community, no one would, gave birth to a community-based, grassroots credit cooperative known as the Sta. Barbara Katilingbanong Credit Cooperative (SBKCC), the first parish-initiated coop in the province of Siquijor.
It started with the priest and his seven lay ministers grouping themselves, putting up a little of their money and eventually pulling together an amount of P2,000 as their capital build ups (CBU) and savings. The first borrower had availed P800 with a very minimal interest. After a few months, the group was able to recruit more members allowing them to form a cooperative. In 1999, the group, with its 25 members, was registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). In 2001, the cooperative was accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as its co-partner to the different livelihood components of its Integrated Livelihood Program after which the office granted the cooperative some P100, 000 for the construction of its coop building in Campalana
"It was not easy to begin with," confesses Fr. Arbas, "but the commitment of a few parishioners and government agencies to support the project helped materialize the plan."
Slowly, membership along with the savings deposit and CBUs grew. The priest's transfer to Talingting in 2002 paved way to a branching out the coop in the same town.
From a mere 25 members in 1999, the present membership bloated to 505 full-fledged members coming from different barangays and towns in the province. Currently, it has generated a total CBU of 4,269,166.92 both from the main coop (2,760,770.30) and branch (1,508,396). "First time in the history of the province of Siquijor that the people were able to pool together this much of their resources as CBUs," the priest beams with joy.
Savings and time deposits reached 2,919,703.51 as of this date, 1,528,114.39 of which come from Talingting branch and 1,391,559.51 from Campalanas. The coop released some 6.4 million in loan (productive and providential) to 521 borrowers in 2004. In July this year alone, total loan released was P1,111,200.
Economic, social benefits
Today the coop is providing diversified credit facilities and allied services accessible and affordable to its members. It also provides trainings for self-help group where they are taught to earn and save. Money is loaned to the members at only 3% interest, half of which will be automatically added to the borrower's CBU. After a brief training, the members are able to set up a business which allow them to earn their living and save money so as to improve their social and economic position. They take part in project such as rearing of pigs, 'buy and sell', etc. This encourages personal initiative and offers the poor the means to uplift their lives.
Julien Torres, with the credit she received, was able to put up a small business. She smiles enthusiastically and shows us the ready-to-wear items she displays in her store. Her husband has no regular income. Before being a member, her family was barely able to make ends meet. Their wages were just enough to buy food, substantial for three meals a day. Now, with her business, she is able to contribute towards maintaining her family. The loan has changed her life forever.
Another hope has also been fulfilled to a mother of two. Emma Boncales started her small business with a capital of 5,000 she loaned from the coop. "I have to work to augment my husband's (a security guard) meager income," says Emma. After a year or two, Emma was able to acquire a Honda motorcycle which she now use in delivering goods to her costumers.
All this aside from the many testimonies we hear from members who have availed of the loan packages such as emergency loan, special loan, etc. that they use especially for their children's education.
Government development aid
The seeming success in SBCC went well beyond expectations simply because at the helm of the project there was the 'right person at the right time'.
Zero based management, that was it. There was no coop office. Financial transaction has to be done in the parochial office with the assistance of Celia Sonlit, then Parish Secretary, now the manager of its branch coop in Talingting.
The staff and regular volunteers made enormous efforts, but alone they could not cover all necessary functions. Fr. Arbas therefore decided to ask help from government offices in the province. Getting it was tedious. It took months, sometimes years, before it was granted. In the meantime he never became discouraged. He went on motivating the staff and Board of Directors to work hard.
Finally in 2004, the government through the DOLE granted P100,000 financial assistance for the construction of a coop building in Campalanas. In the same year, the coop has availed of a P600 thousand loan from the Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF) under the Magniniyog Tungo sa Tunay na Pag-unlad (MATUTUPAD) program of the government for relending to coco farmers/coop members for livelihood activities.
The coop since then have been making great stride. This year, coop buildings can already be seen in both main and branch office.
True therefore, the coop envisions an empowered, improved community. By providing community services it aspires to help bring about a better quality of life not only for the members and their families but also for other people of the community. And this condition is not only for the present, but for all time. Of course, these are big ideals and aspirations. And the Sta. Barbara Katilingbanong Credit Cooperative can only be one of the forces of growth. But it is prepared to do its part to the best of its capabilities.
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PMHA awards F. Tayko Memorial School in Siaton as outstanding performance in mental health practice
The Philippine Mental Health Office (PMHA) has awarded the Felipe Tayko Memorial School in Siaton in recognition of its outstanding performance in mental health practice this week during a gathering of Department of Education supervisors at Plaza Ma. Luisa, this city.
School Principal Erlinda Cleope of the Felipe Tayko Memorial received the check worth P20,000 and a plaque as prizes from Dr. Betsy Joy Tan, board chair of PMHA, as winner in the "Search for the Best Mental Health Practice in Workplace."
In her message to the education manager, Joy Tan said that to earn the merits of recognition, the schools should have varied mental health programs on sports, psychological, social for the school children, community, parents as well as the faculty and staff as practiced and documented by the winner.
Mental health practice promotes the well-being of all personnel of the school, effective stress management and balance between work and play.
Felipe Tayko Memorial School, as provincial winner, will view for the national search in October, this year.
8/25/2005
PGMA visits Oriental Negros (Aug. 24, 2005)
The following are photos of the PGMA Aug. 24 '05 visit to Valencia, Oriental Negros. Please feel free to download (right click over the pic+save as) and print in your newspapers. Our only request is that you please indicate PIA as the source (Ex: Photo by PIA). Thanks.
(Note: Scroll down to read the Infobytes news items for August 25).
PNOC President showing Pres. Arroyo a scale model of the additional
20MWe power plant that PNOC will put up out of the excess
steam from the Palinpinon geothermal plant in Valencia.
(Note: Scroll down to read the Infobytes news items for August 25).
PNOC President showing Pres. Arroyo a scale model of the additional 20MWe power plant that PNOC will put up out of the excess
steam from the Palinpinon geothermal plant in Valencia.
The President underscoring some advantages ofusing geothermal power in the country.
PNOC President Paul Aquino (far left) giving the Presidenta brief rundown on the project.
A scale model of the proposed geothermal power plant. 
The President meets the presidents of the farmers organizationsof the three host barangays in Valencia as each presented
their produce to Pres. Arroyo
INFOBYTES, Issue No. 22 (August 25, 2005)
Invest in Valencia, PGMA urges power-intensive industries
Investors whose industries rely heavily on electricity may soon find their roads leading to Oriental Negros after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo openly invited investors yesterday to invest in the province's geothermal power-heavy town of Valencia.
Pres. Arroyo said that investors can find economic relief in the 50 percent electric bill subsidy enjoyed by Valencia town as host to the geothermal steamfields of Philippine National Oil Company this side of Central Visayas, particularly in the midst of apprehensions of an impending oil crisis
The President made the invitation during her visit to Oriental Negros yesterday to inspect the proposed P1.7-billion Palinpinon geothermal expansion project of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) in Sitio Nasulo, Brgy. Puhagan, Valencia.
Valencia's 50 percent electric bill subsidy is shaved off from 80 percent of the multi-million royalty tax it is receiving from PNOC.
PNOC is tapping geothermal energy from Valencia's three hinterland barangays of Puhagan, Caidiocan and Malaunay through power plants producing roughly 195.5 megawatts of geothermal power.
For this year, the municipal government is receiving a royalty tax at an average of P12,664,000 M per quarter.
In his briefing before the President, PNOC President Paul Aquino said the Palinpinon geothermal project has the highest percentage utilization in the country of about 88 percent, making it the most efficient Napocor power plant in the country today.
PNOC is building what will be the third power plant in Palinpinon, a 20MW geothermal plant in Brgy. Puhagan costing about P1.7 billion and is pegged to generate between 20 to 25 MW of geothermal power out of the excess steam in Palinpinon geothermal plants.
Congratulating PNOC and Napocor for this project, Pres. Arroyo said, "it is important that we move away from oil-based fuel" as she disclosed that Philippines is now the no. 1 user of geothermal power in the world.
With the shadow of a power crisis looming ahead, the President has been inspecting energy projects around the country to promote the use of alternative fuel, paving the way for the country to attain independence from foreign oil supply.
Pres. Arroyo has proposed to Congress a P1.05T national budget for 2006 as a strategic weapon against the looming oil crisis and poverty.
According to local Napocor manager Engr. Rodolfo Pacaña, in 2004, the government was able to save on almost 2 million barrels of oil due to the operation of its various geothermal plants nationwide. "If we can load up to 100 percent to our quarry units, we can save around 2,772,000 barrels of crude oil every year."
The surge in oil prices in the world market is seen to ripple its way harshly into the country's economy. Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said that in 2004, the country's oil import bill was pegged at $4.5 billion, while from January to May 2005, the country's oil already hit $2.31 billion.
Lotilla said that if the price of oil in the world market hikes up by another $10, the country's oil import bill would soar to $5.5 billion by yearend.
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OrNeg has high number of Filipinos leaving abroad
Oriental Negros is among the provinces in the country from where a big number of Filipinos are leaving for abroad, disclosed officials from the Commission of Filipinos Overseas (CFO) who were in Dumaguete City recently to conduct an awareness campaign on issues concerning migration and intermarriages.
According to Ma. Regina Angela Gallas of CFO in a press conference conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here, between 1998 to 2004, around 4,887 Filipinos from the province left the country to work or live overseas. Of the total, almost half are from Dumaguete City with 2, 237.
In the period from 1993 to 2004, there was a total of 1,692 Negrenses who married foreigners, of which 696 are from Dumaguete.
Janet Ramos of CFO in the same activity disclosed that as of December 2004 already 8.08 million Filipinos left the country, or around 10 of the total Filipino population are now based overseas.
About 3.19 million of the total are permanent residents abroad. Some 70 % are in USA, 14% in Canada, 7% in Australia, 6% in Japan, 1% in Germany and .5% in United Kingdom.
Ramos said the number of Filipinos going abroad has been increasing in the recent years, and based on the trend, she said that the number is expected to increase in the following years.
There were a total of 55,137 Filipinos who left the country as immigrants in 2003, and this increased to 64,824 in 2004.
She said that an average of 300 to 350 Filipinos leaving the country as immigrants register for CFO's pre-departure and guidance counseling sessions daily.
CFO is an agency catering to Filipino immigrants, either through petition or intermarriage, and holds pre-departure and guidance counseling sessions for Filipinos about to leave the country.
The agency conducts annual awareness campaigns in provinces identified to have a high number of Filipino immigrants.
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FBRE calls for action vs. billboards advertising alcohol drinks
The Friends of the Banica River and the Environment spearheaded a petition submitted to the Provincial Board Aug. 18, 2005 calling for action on the highly visible proliferation of billboards advertising alcohol drinks along national and other roads in the province.
FBRE is spearheading the campaign which was signed by various concerned citizens and those from the academe and the local government.
In a press statement, FBRE stated that billboards advertising alcohol and cigarettes purport to "welcome" or direct the traveling public to virtually every municipality and city, barangay and even an elementary school.
FBRE's press statement said that irresponsible messages are being directed at youth, citing the advertisements of Colt 45 with their tags "Kaya mo na, tol!" and "Colt 45, Kool sa driving!"
These are dangerous as the provincial police has noted that many road accidents are caused by drunk driving, said FBRE's press release.
The same statement added that while the province is being extolled as a nature tourism destination, the view of nature here is marred by billboards and the alcohol hard-sell. "Urbanized areas too are a visual clutter of adviertising streamers, billboards and posters plastered anywhere and everywhere, on walls, electric poles and tree trunks. Torn, faded, peeling off or new, they deface almost every city street."
The FBRE is calling for a sense of public order that should extend to eliminating worse forms of what it describes as "visual pollution and commercialism" if Negros Oriental is truly to become a nature destination.
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Nursing grads asked to serve country first before working abroad
Anticipating a shortage of health care providers in the country as the exodus of nurses and doctors-turned-nurses continue to rise, a government doctor appealed to fresh nursing graduates to serve the country at least two years before entertaining the idea of working abroad.
Dr. Helen Retuta of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in a Kapihan sa PIA this morning admitted that she does not blame nurses and even doctors-turned-nurses who want to pursue better opportunities in other countries. Beyond economics, the feeling of security for their families come first in case things don't work well here, Retuta said.
Retuta, a nursing graduate before proceeding for a doctoral degree, said the VSMMC suffers from a shortage of nurses. In one ward alone, there are only two nurses catering to 60 patients. While the VSMMC that has a 400-bed capacity accommodates more than 600 patients from the Visayas and Mindanao, this was learned.
Given an impending shortfall of nurses in the country due to the surge of demand for health care professionals abroad, Retuta asked nursing graduates to practice their profession first in the country for two years to hone their nursing skills and gain them the necessary experience.
Dr. Marilou Viray, president of the Cebu Medical Society, in the same forum bared that every year, 3,000 doctors are taking up nursing, which is double the figure of newly- licensed practicing doctors.
Viray cited three major reasons why doctors are changing profession to become nurses in order to work overseas. First, the opportunities call for it, the country's political instability and financial security.
But there is also a good side to the brain drain of health care providers, Viray noted. Because aside from helping the country's economy through dollar remittances, these health care providers can also apply and share the technology they learned abroad in the Philippines as she has known of some medical professionals who have worked abroad for a long time and came back to retire here. "The Philippines is a good retirement haven and even foreigners opt to migrate here," Viray quoted.
The remittances of overseas Filipino workers for the first six months of this year alone has reached P4.9B and the amount is expected to double by yearend, according to the Central Bank. It was surmised that the growth of dollar remittances is attributed to the mass deployment of medical professionals mainly nurses.
Atty. Roy Ligad, information officer of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA-7) bared that for the first semester this year, their office has processed 815 nurses for deployment abroad including 49 working visas for the US. The figure however, does not include nurse-immigrants for the US while most are off to the United Kingdom followed by Ireland.
Last year, the POEA-7 processed 1,510 nurses. Arnulfo Jaranay, president of the Operating Nurses Assn. of the Philippines (ORNAP) - Cebu chapter said the mass exodus of nurses and doctors-turned-nurses will create a vacuum of health care providers in the health care sector. Albeit the shortage can be augmented with new nursing graduates, he added.
Jaranay said the absence of opportunities in the country and the offer of attractive compensation abroad is a temptation they cannot refuse. On the positive side, working abroad is one way of helping the country's economy and provide decent lives to our families left behind as this is also a huge sacrifice on our part, Jaranay claimed.
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LTFRB-7: Commuters assured of no fare increases despite rising fuel prices
As more oil price hikes are expected in the coming weeks due to the spiraling prices of crude in the global market, commuters can heave a sigh of relief as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) assures the riding public of no fare increases until December 31, this year.
LTFRB-7 information officer Eugenio Ibo Jr. said that an agreement forged with the transport sector is the non-demand of another fare hike until December 2005 with the recent implementation of the P1 fare increase of public utility vehicles. Also recently, public buses have been given the go signal to up their fares.
As government called on the use of alternative fuel in both public and private vehicles to cope with the rising costs of oil, taxi operators in Manila urged the government to provide incentives for those willing to convert their petrol-fueled vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
In Cebu, Ibo said that so far, there has been no known similar request by taxi operators and agreed that LPG would be much cheaper. The alternative use of LPG instead of imported oil can also be used by jeepneys, according to Ibo.
As this developed, Liquefied Philippines Corp. based in Luzon is looking at the possibility of supplying autogas to the transport sector after some public drivers expressed interest in LPG.
To cushion the impact of the continuing costs of imported fuel, government is recommending the public to use bicycles or walk, in case of short distances to their destinations.
President Arroyo has reduced the tariff on imported oil products and is planning to abolish excise taxes as well to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices. The President likewise has convened her economic team to map out safety measures to mitigate the effects of increasing oil prices.
As part of efforts to conserve energy in the face of the oil crisis, Pres. Arroyo in a radio interview just this afternoon said she favors the re-implementation of the four-day workweek scheme in government offices. Government agencies involve in security, health services and those that have daily transactions with the public are exempted from the four-day workweek scheme.
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Another 1M school building completed in Lazi
Another P1 million four-classroom school building was completed in Lazi this middle of the year.
Appropriated from Congressman Shane Fua's Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the construction and repair of this school building in Lazi Elementary School was completed last July 30, ten days ahead of targeted schedule. This was made possible through the perseverance and team effort of the technical team of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the leadership of the district engineer, Construction Engr. Jerauld Villaverde stressed.
On the other hand, Engr. Gena Sugabo, Project-In-Charge, said that the construction of the said building was done in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the department that resulted to high quality of workmanship.
Mrs. Cresencia Boncawel, principal of the school, during the turn-over activity, expressed her gratitude to Congressman Shane Fua, Jr. for slicing a reasonable amount of his congressional funds to fund the project and to the DPWH as well for fast tracking the construction in time for this school year. She is optimistic of better times ahead for the children since the school has been producing professionals through the years.
"Our students can now enjoy the benefit of this school building. In fact, these were the same classrooms our governor and congressman had been entering during their early school days", Mrs. Boncawel said.
Meanwhile, James Dellosa, District Engineer of the DPWH said they have an enormous task that lies ahead of them. "As public servants, we will show to the Siquijodnons the real essence of public service. We really need to supervise and monitor closely all on-going projects based from the approved plans and specifications mandated by the department because if we do this, it will be more advantageous on the part of the government as it will become cost-effective", said Dellosa.
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LNAS, SSC ladderize programs
The TESDA-administered Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) & the Siquijor State College (SSC) have ladderized three of their respective regular programs namely: (1) Agricultural Technician Course - Bachelor in Agricultural Technology (ATC-BAT), (2) Hotel & Restaurant Services Technology - Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (HRST - BSHM), and (3) Textile & Apparel Technology - Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Major in Garment Trades (TAT - BSIT Garment Trades).
Under the program, a student can take up the first two years of his study at LNAS, graduate as a technician, and proceed to SSC for the remaining two years and graduate with the baccalaureate degree.
The programs were formally ladderized in a workshop jointly conducted by focal persons of both institutions at SSC on May 25, 2005. The program is in compliance with Executive Order No. 358 which provides for the interfacing and articulation of programs between Technical - Vocational Education & Training (TVET) and Higher Education (H.E.) thereby effectively removing barriers.
This is a welcome development for the communities in Lazi and the nearby areas who do not have the luxury of sending their college students for four straight years in Larena.
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Investors whose industries rely heavily on electricity may soon find their roads leading to Oriental Negros after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo openly invited investors yesterday to invest in the province's geothermal power-heavy town of Valencia.
Pres. Arroyo said that investors can find economic relief in the 50 percent electric bill subsidy enjoyed by Valencia town as host to the geothermal steamfields of Philippine National Oil Company this side of Central Visayas, particularly in the midst of apprehensions of an impending oil crisis
The President made the invitation during her visit to Oriental Negros yesterday to inspect the proposed P1.7-billion Palinpinon geothermal expansion project of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) in Sitio Nasulo, Brgy. Puhagan, Valencia.
Valencia's 50 percent electric bill subsidy is shaved off from 80 percent of the multi-million royalty tax it is receiving from PNOC.
PNOC is tapping geothermal energy from Valencia's three hinterland barangays of Puhagan, Caidiocan and Malaunay through power plants producing roughly 195.5 megawatts of geothermal power.
For this year, the municipal government is receiving a royalty tax at an average of P12,664,000 M per quarter.
In his briefing before the President, PNOC President Paul Aquino said the Palinpinon geothermal project has the highest percentage utilization in the country of about 88 percent, making it the most efficient Napocor power plant in the country today.
PNOC is building what will be the third power plant in Palinpinon, a 20MW geothermal plant in Brgy. Puhagan costing about P1.7 billion and is pegged to generate between 20 to 25 MW of geothermal power out of the excess steam in Palinpinon geothermal plants.
Congratulating PNOC and Napocor for this project, Pres. Arroyo said, "it is important that we move away from oil-based fuel" as she disclosed that Philippines is now the no. 1 user of geothermal power in the world.
With the shadow of a power crisis looming ahead, the President has been inspecting energy projects around the country to promote the use of alternative fuel, paving the way for the country to attain independence from foreign oil supply.
Pres. Arroyo has proposed to Congress a P1.05T national budget for 2006 as a strategic weapon against the looming oil crisis and poverty.
According to local Napocor manager Engr. Rodolfo Pacaña, in 2004, the government was able to save on almost 2 million barrels of oil due to the operation of its various geothermal plants nationwide. "If we can load up to 100 percent to our quarry units, we can save around 2,772,000 barrels of crude oil every year."
The surge in oil prices in the world market is seen to ripple its way harshly into the country's economy. Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said that in 2004, the country's oil import bill was pegged at $4.5 billion, while from January to May 2005, the country's oil already hit $2.31 billion.
Lotilla said that if the price of oil in the world market hikes up by another $10, the country's oil import bill would soar to $5.5 billion by yearend.
-30-
OrNeg has high number of Filipinos leaving abroad
Oriental Negros is among the provinces in the country from where a big number of Filipinos are leaving for abroad, disclosed officials from the Commission of Filipinos Overseas (CFO) who were in Dumaguete City recently to conduct an awareness campaign on issues concerning migration and intermarriages.
According to Ma. Regina Angela Gallas of CFO in a press conference conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here, between 1998 to 2004, around 4,887 Filipinos from the province left the country to work or live overseas. Of the total, almost half are from Dumaguete City with 2, 237.
In the period from 1993 to 2004, there was a total of 1,692 Negrenses who married foreigners, of which 696 are from Dumaguete.
Janet Ramos of CFO in the same activity disclosed that as of December 2004 already 8.08 million Filipinos left the country, or around 10 of the total Filipino population are now based overseas.
About 3.19 million of the total are permanent residents abroad. Some 70 % are in USA, 14% in Canada, 7% in Australia, 6% in Japan, 1% in Germany and .5% in United Kingdom.
Ramos said the number of Filipinos going abroad has been increasing in the recent years, and based on the trend, she said that the number is expected to increase in the following years.
There were a total of 55,137 Filipinos who left the country as immigrants in 2003, and this increased to 64,824 in 2004.
She said that an average of 300 to 350 Filipinos leaving the country as immigrants register for CFO's pre-departure and guidance counseling sessions daily.
CFO is an agency catering to Filipino immigrants, either through petition or intermarriage, and holds pre-departure and guidance counseling sessions for Filipinos about to leave the country.
The agency conducts annual awareness campaigns in provinces identified to have a high number of Filipino immigrants.
-30-
FBRE calls for action vs. billboards advertising alcohol drinks
The Friends of the Banica River and the Environment spearheaded a petition submitted to the Provincial Board Aug. 18, 2005 calling for action on the highly visible proliferation of billboards advertising alcohol drinks along national and other roads in the province.
FBRE is spearheading the campaign which was signed by various concerned citizens and those from the academe and the local government.
In a press statement, FBRE stated that billboards advertising alcohol and cigarettes purport to "welcome" or direct the traveling public to virtually every municipality and city, barangay and even an elementary school.
FBRE's press statement said that irresponsible messages are being directed at youth, citing the advertisements of Colt 45 with their tags "Kaya mo na, tol!" and "Colt 45, Kool sa driving!"
These are dangerous as the provincial police has noted that many road accidents are caused by drunk driving, said FBRE's press release.
The same statement added that while the province is being extolled as a nature tourism destination, the view of nature here is marred by billboards and the alcohol hard-sell. "Urbanized areas too are a visual clutter of adviertising streamers, billboards and posters plastered anywhere and everywhere, on walls, electric poles and tree trunks. Torn, faded, peeling off or new, they deface almost every city street."
The FBRE is calling for a sense of public order that should extend to eliminating worse forms of what it describes as "visual pollution and commercialism" if Negros Oriental is truly to become a nature destination.
-30-
Nursing grads asked to serve country first before working abroad
Anticipating a shortage of health care providers in the country as the exodus of nurses and doctors-turned-nurses continue to rise, a government doctor appealed to fresh nursing graduates to serve the country at least two years before entertaining the idea of working abroad.
Dr. Helen Retuta of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in a Kapihan sa PIA this morning admitted that she does not blame nurses and even doctors-turned-nurses who want to pursue better opportunities in other countries. Beyond economics, the feeling of security for their families come first in case things don't work well here, Retuta said.
Retuta, a nursing graduate before proceeding for a doctoral degree, said the VSMMC suffers from a shortage of nurses. In one ward alone, there are only two nurses catering to 60 patients. While the VSMMC that has a 400-bed capacity accommodates more than 600 patients from the Visayas and Mindanao, this was learned.
Given an impending shortfall of nurses in the country due to the surge of demand for health care professionals abroad, Retuta asked nursing graduates to practice their profession first in the country for two years to hone their nursing skills and gain them the necessary experience.
Dr. Marilou Viray, president of the Cebu Medical Society, in the same forum bared that every year, 3,000 doctors are taking up nursing, which is double the figure of newly- licensed practicing doctors.
Viray cited three major reasons why doctors are changing profession to become nurses in order to work overseas. First, the opportunities call for it, the country's political instability and financial security.
But there is also a good side to the brain drain of health care providers, Viray noted. Because aside from helping the country's economy through dollar remittances, these health care providers can also apply and share the technology they learned abroad in the Philippines as she has known of some medical professionals who have worked abroad for a long time and came back to retire here. "The Philippines is a good retirement haven and even foreigners opt to migrate here," Viray quoted.
The remittances of overseas Filipino workers for the first six months of this year alone has reached P4.9B and the amount is expected to double by yearend, according to the Central Bank. It was surmised that the growth of dollar remittances is attributed to the mass deployment of medical professionals mainly nurses.
Atty. Roy Ligad, information officer of the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA-7) bared that for the first semester this year, their office has processed 815 nurses for deployment abroad including 49 working visas for the US. The figure however, does not include nurse-immigrants for the US while most are off to the United Kingdom followed by Ireland.
Last year, the POEA-7 processed 1,510 nurses. Arnulfo Jaranay, president of the Operating Nurses Assn. of the Philippines (ORNAP) - Cebu chapter said the mass exodus of nurses and doctors-turned-nurses will create a vacuum of health care providers in the health care sector. Albeit the shortage can be augmented with new nursing graduates, he added.
Jaranay said the absence of opportunities in the country and the offer of attractive compensation abroad is a temptation they cannot refuse. On the positive side, working abroad is one way of helping the country's economy and provide decent lives to our families left behind as this is also a huge sacrifice on our part, Jaranay claimed.
-30-
LTFRB-7: Commuters assured of no fare increases despite rising fuel prices
As more oil price hikes are expected in the coming weeks due to the spiraling prices of crude in the global market, commuters can heave a sigh of relief as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB-7) assures the riding public of no fare increases until December 31, this year.
LTFRB-7 information officer Eugenio Ibo Jr. said that an agreement forged with the transport sector is the non-demand of another fare hike until December 2005 with the recent implementation of the P1 fare increase of public utility vehicles. Also recently, public buses have been given the go signal to up their fares.
As government called on the use of alternative fuel in both public and private vehicles to cope with the rising costs of oil, taxi operators in Manila urged the government to provide incentives for those willing to convert their petrol-fueled vehicles to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
In Cebu, Ibo said that so far, there has been no known similar request by taxi operators and agreed that LPG would be much cheaper. The alternative use of LPG instead of imported oil can also be used by jeepneys, according to Ibo.
As this developed, Liquefied Philippines Corp. based in Luzon is looking at the possibility of supplying autogas to the transport sector after some public drivers expressed interest in LPG.
To cushion the impact of the continuing costs of imported fuel, government is recommending the public to use bicycles or walk, in case of short distances to their destinations.
President Arroyo has reduced the tariff on imported oil products and is planning to abolish excise taxes as well to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices. The President likewise has convened her economic team to map out safety measures to mitigate the effects of increasing oil prices.
As part of efforts to conserve energy in the face of the oil crisis, Pres. Arroyo in a radio interview just this afternoon said she favors the re-implementation of the four-day workweek scheme in government offices. Government agencies involve in security, health services and those that have daily transactions with the public are exempted from the four-day workweek scheme.
-30-
Another 1M school building completed in Lazi
Another P1 million four-classroom school building was completed in Lazi this middle of the year.
Appropriated from Congressman Shane Fua's Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the construction and repair of this school building in Lazi Elementary School was completed last July 30, ten days ahead of targeted schedule. This was made possible through the perseverance and team effort of the technical team of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the leadership of the district engineer, Construction Engr. Jerauld Villaverde stressed.
On the other hand, Engr. Gena Sugabo, Project-In-Charge, said that the construction of the said building was done in accordance with the plans and specifications approved by the department that resulted to high quality of workmanship.
Mrs. Cresencia Boncawel, principal of the school, during the turn-over activity, expressed her gratitude to Congressman Shane Fua, Jr. for slicing a reasonable amount of his congressional funds to fund the project and to the DPWH as well for fast tracking the construction in time for this school year. She is optimistic of better times ahead for the children since the school has been producing professionals through the years.
"Our students can now enjoy the benefit of this school building. In fact, these were the same classrooms our governor and congressman had been entering during their early school days", Mrs. Boncawel said.
Meanwhile, James Dellosa, District Engineer of the DPWH said they have an enormous task that lies ahead of them. "As public servants, we will show to the Siquijodnons the real essence of public service. We really need to supervise and monitor closely all on-going projects based from the approved plans and specifications mandated by the department because if we do this, it will be more advantageous on the part of the government as it will become cost-effective", said Dellosa.
-30-
LNAS, SSC ladderize programs
The TESDA-administered Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) & the Siquijor State College (SSC) have ladderized three of their respective regular programs namely: (1) Agricultural Technician Course - Bachelor in Agricultural Technology (ATC-BAT), (2) Hotel & Restaurant Services Technology - Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (HRST - BSHM), and (3) Textile & Apparel Technology - Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology Major in Garment Trades (TAT - BSIT Garment Trades).
Under the program, a student can take up the first two years of his study at LNAS, graduate as a technician, and proceed to SSC for the remaining two years and graduate with the baccalaureate degree.
The programs were formally ladderized in a workshop jointly conducted by focal persons of both institutions at SSC on May 25, 2005. The program is in compliance with Executive Order No. 358 which provides for the interfacing and articulation of programs between Technical - Vocational Education & Training (TVET) and Higher Education (H.E.) thereby effectively removing barriers.
This is a welcome development for the communities in Lazi and the nearby areas who do not have the luxury of sending their college students for four straight years in Larena.
-30-
8/23/2005
PGMA to inspect geothermal project in Oriental Negros
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to arrive in Oriental Negros on August 24 to inspect a 20-megawatt geothermal power project in Sitio Nasulo located in the hinterland barangay of Puhagan in Valencia town, some 35 kilometers away from the province's capital city of Dumaguete.
Costing about P1.7 million, the Nasulo geothermal project is seen to meet the projected growth in energy demand and supply stable electricity throughout the Visayas Grid.
This is to address the impending energy crisis resulting from the skyrocketing oil prices in the global market.
The Philippine National Oil Corporation's Palinpinon geothermal expansion project includes the development of the Nasulo power plant, which is the newest addition to the "seat of power" in the region, the Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field (SNGPF).
The Nasulo power plant now brings to four the total power plants providing indigenous, clean, renewable and reliable geothermal power in Western and Central Visayas.
Geothermal energy has earlier been found to be one of the more advantageous energy options in the country in terms of lesser greenhouse gas emissions, lower investment, high power plant reliability and renewability.
The President is also expected to grace two inaugural activities - the newly constructed P97.14 M-worth public market in Tanjay City with a total of 540 stalls and the newly completed Hall of Justice in Dumaguete City, which costs P86.4 M.
Two memoranda of agreement will likewise be inked before the President, namely: a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two governors of Negros Island, Oriental Governor George P. Arnaiz and Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon, and another agreement between the Philippine Ports Authority and Dumaguete City Mayor Agustin Perdices for the release of a P12M grant from PPA to complete the Flores Avenue Rehabilitation Project in the city.
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to arrive in Oriental Negros on August 24 to inspect a 20-megawatt geothermal power project in Sitio Nasulo located in the hinterland barangay of Puhagan in Valencia town, some 35 kilometers away from the province's capital city of Dumaguete.
Costing about P1.7 million, the Nasulo geothermal project is seen to meet the projected growth in energy demand and supply stable electricity throughout the Visayas Grid.
This is to address the impending energy crisis resulting from the skyrocketing oil prices in the global market.
The Philippine National Oil Corporation's Palinpinon geothermal expansion project includes the development of the Nasulo power plant, which is the newest addition to the "seat of power" in the region, the Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field (SNGPF).
The Nasulo power plant now brings to four the total power plants providing indigenous, clean, renewable and reliable geothermal power in Western and Central Visayas.
Geothermal energy has earlier been found to be one of the more advantageous energy options in the country in terms of lesser greenhouse gas emissions, lower investment, high power plant reliability and renewability.
The President is also expected to grace two inaugural activities - the newly constructed P97.14 M-worth public market in Tanjay City with a total of 540 stalls and the newly completed Hall of Justice in Dumaguete City, which costs P86.4 M.
Two memoranda of agreement will likewise be inked before the President, namely: a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the two governors of Negros Island, Oriental Governor George P. Arnaiz and Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon, and another agreement between the Philippine Ports Authority and Dumaguete City Mayor Agustin Perdices for the release of a P12M grant from PPA to complete the Flores Avenue Rehabilitation Project in the city.
8/18/2005
INFOBYTES, Issue No. 21 (August 17)
DOLE urges employers to hire PWDs
Business owners in the province are missing out on tax incentives offered by the government because they are not employing differently-abled but highly skilled persons or persons with disabilities (PWDs).
This was the concern raised by local officials from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) during a Kapihan forum held August 17 by the Philippine Information Agency.
In the forum, Kenrick Villaluz, labor and employment officer II of DOLE here said the lukewarm attitude of employers when it comes to hiring PWDs mainly stems from unawareness.
About 40 local employers were recently invited by DOLE here to discuss about employment opportunities for local differently-abled persons. "But sadly, no one showed up," laments Villaluz.
The labor officer said the negative mind-set prevalent among business owners towards employing PWDs mainly stems from unawareness. They do not know the benefits that await them if they hire PWDs nor are they aware that there are highly capable PWDs who are qualified to work, said Villaluz.
Employers who hire PWDs can avail of tax deductions like 25% of the total amount paid as salaries and wages of differently-abled persons and 50% of the direct cost on the improvement or modification of facilities as required by BP 344 or Accessibility Law, which naturally follows if an establishment has a PWD employee.
Aside from this, the employment of PWDs is mandated by the law under RA 7277 or the Magna Carta which pushes for equal protection for employment in the differently-abled sector.
Villaluz said his office is set to conduct a series of dialogues with business owners, managers and employers about the said benefits, starting with the members of the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.
DOLE has been soliciting jobs for PWDs under a program dubbed Tulay Alalay Para Sa Mga Taong May Kapansanan (TULAY) which is a special program aimed at bringing differently-abled persons into mainstream society.
With the country's unemployment rate currently at 11.4%, differently-abled people have a tough time competing for jobs with able-bodied individuals, said Atty. Jose Ogang, provincial director of DOLE here.
Ogang admitted that they find it hard to find jobs for PWDs.
To compensate for this, Ogang said grants are available for organizations of PWDs through the TULAY program, under which DOLE conducts trainings and provides opportunities for employment and livelihood to skilled PWDs.
Villaluz explained that first, DOLE registers the capabilities of the PWDs and then they are counseled. "After this, we refer them to establishments where their skill might be of use," he said.
DOLE also provides grants to qualified PWD organizations to jumpstart livelihood activities for the differently-abled sector.
Ogang said the TULAY program is different from other livelihood programs because it offers grants, not loans, and therefore it is not repaid.
The Dumaguete City Handicapped Association was among the first beneficiaries of the said grant as DOLE conducted a training on food processing for the association's members. "Now they have an oven, freezer and kitchen utensils," said Villaluz.
-30-
36 gov't workers avail of gov't housing program in NegOr, Siquijor
Around 36 state workers in Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces have already turned their dream of a decent and affordable house into concrete through the housing program offered by the Government Service Insurance System to its members.
"Bahay Ko" is a direct lending program which aims to provide decent and affordable homes to qualified GSIS members, said Jaydon Villaverde, information officer of GSIS here.
Members who are eligible to apply for the loan are employees in active government service with a permanent status and a holder of a regular GSIS Policy Contract; not have been previously granted a housing loan by GSIS; below the compulsory retirement age; not a co-maker of an outstanding GSIS housing loan; and up-to-date in the payment of his or her social insurance premiums.
Contractual and casual employees with at least five (5) years of continuous service are also qualified to borrow.
The maximum loanable amount is P500,000 per qualified member and this can only be used for the construction of a house on a lot either owned by the borrower or on a lot purchased and/or mortgaged by the member but still with an outstanding balance and the purchase of a residential house and lot.
The loan is payable up to 25 years for loan packages of P181,000 to P500,000 and 30 years for P180,000 and below.
Borrowers also have the option to choose from several GSIS house designs, of which he will be provided with free building plans and specifications, bill of materials and labor cost estimates based on the chosen house design.
Aside from this, house construction is economical since the material requirements are evaluated for minimal wastage.
Interested applicants may call up the GSIS for further details through tel. no. 2255476.
-30-
Dauin's tourism earnings in 2005 soar to P2.3 M
Tourism is fast becoming a booming industry in the coastal town of Dauin as the town reported a big jump to more than P2 million in earnings from tourist ticket sales from January to August this year.
The fee ticketing system installed within the nine marine protected areas (MPAs) in Dauin generated a total of P2.3 million for the first eight months this year compared to the P264,064 posted from January to December 2004, revealed Marife Tenido, Dauin's public information officer.
The ticketing system generates its sales from diving and ecotourism activities within the MPAs located in eight barangays of Dauin, one of which is Apo Island, the province's major tourist attraction and a premier diving spot in the country.
The other barangays are Bulak, Lipayo, District I, District II, Masaplod Norte, Masaplod Sur, and Maayongtubig.
The Fisherman's Association with support from the barangay and the municipal government manages the MPAs.
Tenido said this year's initial income also partially resulted from fines collected from erring local and foreign tourists who violated the Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Plan and Ordinance, which bans, among others, spear fishing and scuba diving inside the marine sanctuary.
The CRMP is a five-year ordinance that is now implemented and enforced in Dauin's MPAs. It has become a big success that it has attracted several study tours from other provinces and municipalities, says Tenido.
Dauin was earlier awarded as best implementer of the Coastal Resource Management in both the province and Region 7 in 2003.
-30-
Save energy, gov't urges Filipinos
In the face of relentless upsurge on prices of oil and other domestic products in the world market, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of the Communications Director to initiate a nationwide awareness campaign on energy conservation.
The president has called on the public to "close ranks" in conserving energy following the jump in the price of oil per barrel which already hit $67 in the world market.
According to DOE's Kuryentipid Tips, electricity conservation does not mean doing without electricity but rather doing it wisely.
"Electricity conservation means using the least amount of electricity without reduction in standards of basic goods and services," states the energy department's website (www.doe.gov.ph).
All households are urged to use fluorescent lights instead of incandescent bulbs as a 40-watt fluorescent lamp produces more light than a 100-watt incandescent bulb at half the cost.
When cooking, use flat-bottom pans with light covers to lessen heat transfer loss while frozen foods should be thawed thoroughly before cooking. The electric stove should also be turned off at the last minutes of cooking since the remaining heat will make the food simmer.
Ironing clothes should be done when it is cooler and more comfortable as this lessens the demand for electricity during peak hours. DOE also advises against excessively dampening clothes, as these would take longer to iron.
Pres. Arroyo recently signed Administrative Order No. 126 directing all government offices to implement a mandatory 10 percent reduction of their average monthly fuel consumption for the first semester of this year.
The president has earlier assured the public that the government is "working round the clock" in implementing measures to cushion the harsh impact of skyrocketing oil prices on basic commodities and services.
Under AO 26, all government agencies and offices are prohibited from using vehicles, aircraft and watercraft for "purposes other than official business." Exempted from this are vehicles used by intelligence and investigative agencies of the government.
Government offices with adequate ventilation are also told to avoid using air-conditioning facilities especially during the cooler months from August to February.
To ensure government offices' strict compliance with the directive, state offices will submit a monthly report of their energy consumption to DOE.
-30-
Teves, clarifies palace's stand on E-VAT
Finance Sec. Margarito Teves clarified that Malacañang is firm on its stand on the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT).
This was Teves's response to the opinion of Albay Cong. Joey Salceda that the Arroyo administration should stop the EVAT implementation amidst the continuing oil price increases to avoid an economic meltdown.
Teves said that the Palace does not intend to follow the advice of Salceda as the non-implementation of EVAT will just put the country at greater risk of economic disaster.
He added that it is important to strengthen the fiscal position of the country to avoid a financial crisis that will surely hamper the delivery of basic services especially those for the poor.
EVAT is expected to generate additional revenue for the government at about P60 to P80 billion.
The government is hoping that with the impending economic crisis in the country, conflicts among Filipinos will be pushed aside to give way to a better solution to the economic woes of the country.
-30-
Info officers in Central Visayas to meet for annual consultative conference
Recognizing the crucial role of effective information delivery in good governance, the public information officers in Negros Oriental will participate in a regional consultative conference of information officers in Panglao Island, Bohol on August 24 to 26, this year.
Bannering the theme "Enhancing Skills of Information Officers for Effective Communication," the conference is hosted by Philippine Information Agency (PIA), which annually convenes all public information officers regionwide.
Close to 60 information officers composing the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) in Central Visayas are expected to attend the three-day conference.
The conference aims to enhance the basic communication skills of government information officers as well as educating them on libel and media ethics.
PIA Director-General Sec. Renato Velasco will deliver the keynote message during the conference while Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, 1st District of Bohol Cong. Edgar Chato and Dauis Mayor Luciano Bongalos will likewise give their respective messages.
For three days, the participants will have the opportunity to confer with local experts in the information business in Bohol.
RADIO-7 is federation of all government information officers in the towns, cities and provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Oriental Negros and Siquijor
The Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers' president, Bayawan City Information Officer Eliseo Manlangit, sits in the RADIO-7 Board of Directors.
-30-
LNAS gets P200T-soybean processing equipment
With foods processing as its distinctive area of competence among the institutes of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) has acquired a P200,000-worth set of equipment for milling soybeans for processing into various food preparations like soya milk, taho, tokwa, and others.
Contracted to perform the fabrication of the equipment was Kwikway Engineering of Dumaguete City. The equipment will significantly lessen the milling time of soybeands due to its bigger capacity compared to the earlier machines procured by the school.
Along with this, the school has been offering free training on soybeans production, processing and utilization to various groups in the province since the times the technology was acquired from the Institute of Food Science at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
A versatile crop, soybeans contains high levels of protein, a fact for the zero prevalence of malnutrition even in populous mainland China due to the heavy consumption of the beans and its various food products among the Chinese.
In the farms, soybeans is a good intercrop for corn, because of its nitrogenous nature. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, particularly rhizobium brady, residing in its root nodules enhance nitrogen levels in the soil thereby aiding growth and development of the crops grown in the field.
-30-
Dengue suspect crisis on the rise in Siquijor
Siquijor remains in the grip of a dengue threat as the deadly disease have already affected about 170 people with 7 deaths reported this year.
Based on records from the Siquijor Integrated Provincial Health Office, suspect cases admitted to the Siquijor Provincial Hospital totaled 143, with 53 cases and 1 death from Siquijor town; 33 cases and 22 deaths, Larena; 23 cases and 1 death in San Juan; 20 cases in Lazi; and 14 in Maria.
On the other hand, Siquijorians going to Dumaguete City and admitted in any of the three hospitals there totaled 27 cases with 3 deaths.
IPHO's records show that 13 cases have been reported in the first quarter of this year, 24 for the second quarter, 29 cases for July and 11 cases as of August. This year's cases increased compared to last year's 5 cases in the first quarter, 1 case in the second quarter, 6 in the third quarter and 17 during the last quarter with no human deaths reported.
In view of this, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging the public to draw defense actions against dengue.
The community is urged to observe cleanliness in their surroundings, dispose possible containers which may serve as breeding places of mosquitoes, cover water storage, use mosquito nets and observe good environmental sanitation.
-30-
Business owners in the province are missing out on tax incentives offered by the government because they are not employing differently-abled but highly skilled persons or persons with disabilities (PWDs).
This was the concern raised by local officials from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) during a Kapihan forum held August 17 by the Philippine Information Agency.
In the forum, Kenrick Villaluz, labor and employment officer II of DOLE here said the lukewarm attitude of employers when it comes to hiring PWDs mainly stems from unawareness.
About 40 local employers were recently invited by DOLE here to discuss about employment opportunities for local differently-abled persons. "But sadly, no one showed up," laments Villaluz.
The labor officer said the negative mind-set prevalent among business owners towards employing PWDs mainly stems from unawareness. They do not know the benefits that await them if they hire PWDs nor are they aware that there are highly capable PWDs who are qualified to work, said Villaluz.
Employers who hire PWDs can avail of tax deductions like 25% of the total amount paid as salaries and wages of differently-abled persons and 50% of the direct cost on the improvement or modification of facilities as required by BP 344 or Accessibility Law, which naturally follows if an establishment has a PWD employee.
Aside from this, the employment of PWDs is mandated by the law under RA 7277 or the Magna Carta which pushes for equal protection for employment in the differently-abled sector.
Villaluz said his office is set to conduct a series of dialogues with business owners, managers and employers about the said benefits, starting with the members of the Tripartite Industrial Peace Council.
DOLE has been soliciting jobs for PWDs under a program dubbed Tulay Alalay Para Sa Mga Taong May Kapansanan (TULAY) which is a special program aimed at bringing differently-abled persons into mainstream society.
With the country's unemployment rate currently at 11.4%, differently-abled people have a tough time competing for jobs with able-bodied individuals, said Atty. Jose Ogang, provincial director of DOLE here.
Ogang admitted that they find it hard to find jobs for PWDs.
To compensate for this, Ogang said grants are available for organizations of PWDs through the TULAY program, under which DOLE conducts trainings and provides opportunities for employment and livelihood to skilled PWDs.
Villaluz explained that first, DOLE registers the capabilities of the PWDs and then they are counseled. "After this, we refer them to establishments where their skill might be of use," he said.
DOLE also provides grants to qualified PWD organizations to jumpstart livelihood activities for the differently-abled sector.
Ogang said the TULAY program is different from other livelihood programs because it offers grants, not loans, and therefore it is not repaid.
The Dumaguete City Handicapped Association was among the first beneficiaries of the said grant as DOLE conducted a training on food processing for the association's members. "Now they have an oven, freezer and kitchen utensils," said Villaluz.
-30-
36 gov't workers avail of gov't housing program in NegOr, Siquijor
Around 36 state workers in Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces have already turned their dream of a decent and affordable house into concrete through the housing program offered by the Government Service Insurance System to its members.
"Bahay Ko" is a direct lending program which aims to provide decent and affordable homes to qualified GSIS members, said Jaydon Villaverde, information officer of GSIS here.
Members who are eligible to apply for the loan are employees in active government service with a permanent status and a holder of a regular GSIS Policy Contract; not have been previously granted a housing loan by GSIS; below the compulsory retirement age; not a co-maker of an outstanding GSIS housing loan; and up-to-date in the payment of his or her social insurance premiums.
Contractual and casual employees with at least five (5) years of continuous service are also qualified to borrow.
The maximum loanable amount is P500,000 per qualified member and this can only be used for the construction of a house on a lot either owned by the borrower or on a lot purchased and/or mortgaged by the member but still with an outstanding balance and the purchase of a residential house and lot.
The loan is payable up to 25 years for loan packages of P181,000 to P500,000 and 30 years for P180,000 and below.
Borrowers also have the option to choose from several GSIS house designs, of which he will be provided with free building plans and specifications, bill of materials and labor cost estimates based on the chosen house design.
Aside from this, house construction is economical since the material requirements are evaluated for minimal wastage.
Interested applicants may call up the GSIS for further details through tel. no. 2255476.
-30-
Dauin's tourism earnings in 2005 soar to P2.3 M
Tourism is fast becoming a booming industry in the coastal town of Dauin as the town reported a big jump to more than P2 million in earnings from tourist ticket sales from January to August this year.
The fee ticketing system installed within the nine marine protected areas (MPAs) in Dauin generated a total of P2.3 million for the first eight months this year compared to the P264,064 posted from January to December 2004, revealed Marife Tenido, Dauin's public information officer.
The ticketing system generates its sales from diving and ecotourism activities within the MPAs located in eight barangays of Dauin, one of which is Apo Island, the province's major tourist attraction and a premier diving spot in the country.
The other barangays are Bulak, Lipayo, District I, District II, Masaplod Norte, Masaplod Sur, and Maayongtubig.
The Fisherman's Association with support from the barangay and the municipal government manages the MPAs.
Tenido said this year's initial income also partially resulted from fines collected from erring local and foreign tourists who violated the Coastal Resource Management (CRM) Plan and Ordinance, which bans, among others, spear fishing and scuba diving inside the marine sanctuary.
The CRMP is a five-year ordinance that is now implemented and enforced in Dauin's MPAs. It has become a big success that it has attracted several study tours from other provinces and municipalities, says Tenido.
Dauin was earlier awarded as best implementer of the Coastal Resource Management in both the province and Region 7 in 2003.
-30-
Save energy, gov't urges Filipinos
In the face of relentless upsurge on prices of oil and other domestic products in the world market, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Office of the Communications Director to initiate a nationwide awareness campaign on energy conservation.
The president has called on the public to "close ranks" in conserving energy following the jump in the price of oil per barrel which already hit $67 in the world market.
According to DOE's Kuryentipid Tips, electricity conservation does not mean doing without electricity but rather doing it wisely.
"Electricity conservation means using the least amount of electricity without reduction in standards of basic goods and services," states the energy department's website (www.doe.gov.ph).
All households are urged to use fluorescent lights instead of incandescent bulbs as a 40-watt fluorescent lamp produces more light than a 100-watt incandescent bulb at half the cost.
When cooking, use flat-bottom pans with light covers to lessen heat transfer loss while frozen foods should be thawed thoroughly before cooking. The electric stove should also be turned off at the last minutes of cooking since the remaining heat will make the food simmer.
Ironing clothes should be done when it is cooler and more comfortable as this lessens the demand for electricity during peak hours. DOE also advises against excessively dampening clothes, as these would take longer to iron.
Pres. Arroyo recently signed Administrative Order No. 126 directing all government offices to implement a mandatory 10 percent reduction of their average monthly fuel consumption for the first semester of this year.
The president has earlier assured the public that the government is "working round the clock" in implementing measures to cushion the harsh impact of skyrocketing oil prices on basic commodities and services.
Under AO 26, all government agencies and offices are prohibited from using vehicles, aircraft and watercraft for "purposes other than official business." Exempted from this are vehicles used by intelligence and investigative agencies of the government.
Government offices with adequate ventilation are also told to avoid using air-conditioning facilities especially during the cooler months from August to February.
To ensure government offices' strict compliance with the directive, state offices will submit a monthly report of their energy consumption to DOE.
-30-
Teves, clarifies palace's stand on E-VAT
Finance Sec. Margarito Teves clarified that Malacañang is firm on its stand on the Expanded Value Added Tax (EVAT).
This was Teves's response to the opinion of Albay Cong. Joey Salceda that the Arroyo administration should stop the EVAT implementation amidst the continuing oil price increases to avoid an economic meltdown.
Teves said that the Palace does not intend to follow the advice of Salceda as the non-implementation of EVAT will just put the country at greater risk of economic disaster.
He added that it is important to strengthen the fiscal position of the country to avoid a financial crisis that will surely hamper the delivery of basic services especially those for the poor.
EVAT is expected to generate additional revenue for the government at about P60 to P80 billion.
The government is hoping that with the impending economic crisis in the country, conflicts among Filipinos will be pushed aside to give way to a better solution to the economic woes of the country.
-30-
Info officers in Central Visayas to meet for annual consultative conference
Recognizing the crucial role of effective information delivery in good governance, the public information officers in Negros Oriental will participate in a regional consultative conference of information officers in Panglao Island, Bohol on August 24 to 26, this year.
Bannering the theme "Enhancing Skills of Information Officers for Effective Communication," the conference is hosted by Philippine Information Agency (PIA), which annually convenes all public information officers regionwide.
Close to 60 information officers composing the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) in Central Visayas are expected to attend the three-day conference.
The conference aims to enhance the basic communication skills of government information officers as well as educating them on libel and media ethics.
PIA Director-General Sec. Renato Velasco will deliver the keynote message during the conference while Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, 1st District of Bohol Cong. Edgar Chato and Dauis Mayor Luciano Bongalos will likewise give their respective messages.
For three days, the participants will have the opportunity to confer with local experts in the information business in Bohol.
RADIO-7 is federation of all government information officers in the towns, cities and provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Oriental Negros and Siquijor
The Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers' president, Bayawan City Information Officer Eliseo Manlangit, sits in the RADIO-7 Board of Directors.
-30-
LNAS gets P200T-soybean processing equipment
With foods processing as its distinctive area of competence among the institutes of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Lazi National Agricultural School (LNAS) has acquired a P200,000-worth set of equipment for milling soybeans for processing into various food preparations like soya milk, taho, tokwa, and others.
Contracted to perform the fabrication of the equipment was Kwikway Engineering of Dumaguete City. The equipment will significantly lessen the milling time of soybeands due to its bigger capacity compared to the earlier machines procured by the school.
Along with this, the school has been offering free training on soybeans production, processing and utilization to various groups in the province since the times the technology was acquired from the Institute of Food Science at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños, Laguna.
A versatile crop, soybeans contains high levels of protein, a fact for the zero prevalence of malnutrition even in populous mainland China due to the heavy consumption of the beans and its various food products among the Chinese.
In the farms, soybeans is a good intercrop for corn, because of its nitrogenous nature. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, particularly rhizobium brady, residing in its root nodules enhance nitrogen levels in the soil thereby aiding growth and development of the crops grown in the field.
-30-
Dengue suspect crisis on the rise in Siquijor
Siquijor remains in the grip of a dengue threat as the deadly disease have already affected about 170 people with 7 deaths reported this year.
Based on records from the Siquijor Integrated Provincial Health Office, suspect cases admitted to the Siquijor Provincial Hospital totaled 143, with 53 cases and 1 death from Siquijor town; 33 cases and 22 deaths, Larena; 23 cases and 1 death in San Juan; 20 cases in Lazi; and 14 in Maria.
On the other hand, Siquijorians going to Dumaguete City and admitted in any of the three hospitals there totaled 27 cases with 3 deaths.
IPHO's records show that 13 cases have been reported in the first quarter of this year, 24 for the second quarter, 29 cases for July and 11 cases as of August. This year's cases increased compared to last year's 5 cases in the first quarter, 1 case in the second quarter, 6 in the third quarter and 17 during the last quarter with no human deaths reported.
In view of this, the Department of Health (DOH) is urging the public to draw defense actions against dengue.
The community is urged to observe cleanliness in their surroundings, dispose possible containers which may serve as breeding places of mosquitoes, cover water storage, use mosquito nets and observe good environmental sanitation.
-30-
8/11/2005
INFOBYTES, Issue No. 20, August 11, 2005
Rabies still a public health concern
3 human deaths reported this year
Rabies continues to take a foothold in Oriental Negros as top health officials in the province urged the local mayors to put more teeth into rabies eradication programs at the municipal and city levels.
Three persons have already died from rabid dog bites in Dumaguete City, Bindoy and Mabinay from January to June 2005, according to statistics presented during the mid-year evaluation and planning workshop on the province’s rabies eradication program held August 9.
Provincial Veterinary Officer Dr. Antonio Mutia disclosed that his office has been submitting dog heads to Cebu for examination almost every month this year. Of the total 26 heads examined since January, five were tested positive for rabies.
Provincewide statistics from Provincial Veterinary Office also show a total of 136 dog bite cases recorded for the first six months of this year.
To help put a stop to the spread of the deadly disease, Mutia appealed to local chief executives to integrate rabies eradication in their public health programs.
Governor George Arnaiz, speaking during the said workshop, stressed that the “solution to rabies lies at the municipal level.”
The governor disclosed that on average, almost everyday people go to him asking for assistance for dog bite victims.
He said he has witnessed human rabies cases on several occasions and described them as “painful” experiences.
The provincial government is currently continuing the Rabies Action Program-Visayas, a five-year rabies eradication program initiated by the national government in 2000 under which assistance was given for anti-rabies programs in the provinces.
Since RAP-V ended last year, Mutia said the provincial government is implementing the program this year on its own.
So far, some 22,686 dogs of the total 106,604-strong dog population in the province have been immunized. This represents a 26% accomplishment based on the PVO’s target to immunize 80% of the dog population.
The dog population in the province remained steady at 106,604 since 2003. Guihulngan is the most dog populated town with 12,900 followed by Dumaguete City with 11,483.
Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bernarda Cortez in the same workshop said the ideal dog population should only be 10% of the total human population in an area.
Cortez explained that rabies is a highly fatal disease and is one of the oldest known and most feared of human illnesses.
Rabies remains to be an endemic in the Philippines, causing approximately 300 to 600 deaths every year.
Cortez said that based on research findings, 88% of the admitted dog bite cases were by pet dogs and only 10% from stray dogs.
Pet owners are urged to help stamp out rabies from the province by being responsible. Keep your dogs leashed and regularly vaccinated with anti-rabies shots, stressed Arnaiz.
-30-
PRO-7 urges LGUs to activate community public safety plans
The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) in Cebu has made an appeal to local government units to activate their Integrated Area Community Public Safety Plan (IACPSP).
PRO-7 Deputy Director for Operations S/Supt. Ronald Roderos said the plan aims to encourage each resident to contribute to the safety of their area as terrorist attacks remain a possible threat in the country.
According to Chico Pastor, local government operations V of the Department of Interior and Local Government here, IACPSP is implemented each in cities and towns in Oriental Negros. “All LGUs are required to submit their plan at the start of the year,” said Pastor.
He said all LGUs in the province have already activated their plan.
He explained that the IACPSP is a program that focuses mainly on peace and order while also giving attention to disaster management and environmental protection.
Barangays also formulate their own IACPSP.
Meanwhile, Pastor in an interview said that his office is currently re-organizing the barangay intelligence network (BIN) in the total 557 barangays in the province.
BIN is an expansion network program that aims to strengthen intelligence gathering particularly in the barangay level .
-30-
NEGORNET holds prov’l consultation on governance concerns
Civil society leaders and various representatives of basic sectors in the province will convene for the Provincial Consultation on Governance Concerns on August 11, 9:00 a.m. at the YMCA Hall, this city.
According to Greg Fernandez Jr., executive director of the Negros Oriental Network of NGOs, the consultation will be highlighted by a message from former Department of Education Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad who has been invited as the guest speaker.
NEGORNET President Msgr. Merlin Logronio will welcome the participants and present the consultation’s rationale and background. .
Registration will start at 8:00 a.m.
-30-
Tabo sa PAO enforces zero-plastic bag shopping
From now on, consumers who regularly buy from the “Tabo sa PAO” at the Provincial Nursery Compound here will have to bring their own containers or shopping bags as Tabo vendors will start implementing its “zero-plastic bag policy.”
Vendors at the Tabo will no longer sell or provide free plastic bags for customers following a special forum held August 6 between the Provincial Agriculturist Office and Tabo vendors.
During the forum, the vendors agreed to slowly stop using plastic bags in wrapping their produce, disclosed PAO Information Officer Nitz Bangay.
Bangay said this will be the practice at the Tabo from now on until consumers start getting used to a plastic-free shopping at Tabo.
The move is a bid to boost the plastic bag eradication campaign in the province, as Bangay said plastic has been reported to contribute to garbage woes because it is non-biodegradable.
She said Tabo customers are encouraged to use the bayong, a bag crafted from the local material known as buli, which will be made by local farmers here to augment their income.
-30-
CFO to hold awareness campaign on international migration, intermarriages in Dumaguete
A team from the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) will be in Dumaguete City on August 22 to 25, 2005 to conduct its annual Community Education Program dubbed as “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-Abroad? Ano Ba Ang Dapat Mong Alamin?”
Representatives of other government offices will join CFO officers in this inter-agency effort seeking to raise public awareness on various issues concerning migration and intermarriages.
The program will also tackle existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, documentation fraud, and human trafficking.
The team is expected to conduct school symposia, meetings/dialogues with NGOs, GOs, religious leaders and members, pulong-pulong with local government units as well as community leaders and members, press briefings and radio interviews.
The CFO team’s visit in Dumaguete City is the third leg of the commission’s national awareness campaign.
From Dumaguete, the team will proceed to Tagbilaran City, Bohol on August 25 to 27.
-30-
PNP holds recognition day on Aug 12
The Police Provincial Office here will hold a Police Constabulary/Integrated National Police Recognition Day on August 12 (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. at Camp Francisco Fernandez in Agan-an, Sibulan, this province.
The activity will honor deserving active uniformed personnel and retired uniformed personnel as well as other special awardees.
The awarding will be graced by P/Deputy Director General Ricardo F. De Leon who now sits as the Deputy Chief PNP for Administration.
Gen. De Leon was the provincial police director in Oriental Negros from 1987 to 1989.
A testimonial program and thanksgiving dinner in honor of Gen. De Leon will follow.
-30-
Dairy coop receives P1M loan grant; inaugurates processing center
The Kababayehan Alang sa Pagpalambo sa Nasudnong Industriya sa Gatas (KAPANIG), the only dairy-producing cooperative in Siquijor, received a 1 million loan grant from the “Isang Bayan, Isang Produkto, Isang Milyong Peso” program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the provincial government of Siquijor.
The loan is in line with Pres. Arroyo’s poverty alleviation program under the BEAT THE ODDS agenda and the One Town One Product (OTOP) program conceptualized to develop businesses in the locality.
Nanette Arbon, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here, said the project aims to develop local brands aside from boosting the small and medium enterprises in the province.
Arbon said the move jibes with the province’s aim to boost local tourism which can be achieved by the means of creating “pasalubong” products.
“It is the small and medium enterprise development council’s (SMEDC) and the DTI’s long-term goal to develop SMEs as we promote convergence and focus efforts on certain projects that will generate stable and viable jobs for more people,” says Arbon.
She urged the public to patronize local products as away of giving market support for budding businesses.
Instead of using branded products, our locally-produced fresh milk can be utilized for our children’s supplemental feeding which is part of the government’s nutrition program, stressed Arbon.
Adding significance to the occasion was inauguration of the milk processing center in Cangmunag, San Juan, Siquijor.
In his message, Governor Orlando Fua gave credit to the members’ achievements for taking the path to progress and development through self-reliance.
Citing factors for possible downfall, Fua urged the women of KAPANIG to wisely make use and maximize resources given to them.
The governor pledged to continue giving his full support to the program as he again committed to allocate a P200,000 budget for the repair of a road near the center to ensure a smooth delivery of products and for people’s convenience.
-30-
NFA sets up more rice outlets
In its desire to ensure that good quality government rice is always available and accessible in public markets and far-flung areas, the local National Food Authority is increasing the number of accredited outlets in the province.
A rolling store is also deployed daily to serve the areas not reached by the Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (BGPs) outlets.
The following are the strategic locations of BGPs that are operated by licensed retailers who have grouped themselves to serve their areas and neighboring barangays:
Larena- Poblacion and Basac
Siquijor – Public Market, Cang-alwang and Cangasa
San Juan – Public Market and Cangmonag
Lazi- Poblacion and Campalanas
Maria- Poblacion, Liloan and Candapanig
Enrique Villanueva- Poblacion and Libo
NFA Provincial Manager Clyde S. Omictin assures the public that the agency has laid in place measures to ensure ample rice supply and to stabilize rice prices especially during the traditional lean months of July to September.
He disclosed that the local office is now revalidating the passbooks of accredited retailers.
NFA rice remains priced at P16/kilogram for regular milled rice and P18/kilogram for well-milled varieties even with the rising cost of fuel.
To ensure strict implementation of set prices and other NFA rules and regulations, monitoring teams are keeping close watch over these outlets.
The public is also urged to report irregularities that may be committed by grains businessmen.
As of press time, NFA Siquijor has a total of 32,466 bags stored in its 30,000-bag capacity warehouse. At any given time, it has to maintain its food security stock of 8,220 bags to prepare for any calamity that may strike the province.
Results of an NFA survey show that Siquijor’s daily rice consumption requirement is 274 bags while that of corn is 459 bags or 50 kilograms.
Based on daily consumption requirements, stocks available will last for 118 days.
-30-
KNN goes to Siem Reap, Cambodia
This week, the Kabataan News Network takes you to Cambodia to present the recent 7th East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation on Children which tackled, among others, vital issues affecting the world’s young population.
A sub-conference called Children and Young People’s Forum discussed such relevant topics such as education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, culture change and the role of media, and employment of young people. The episode will be aired this Saturday, August 13, at 4 p.m. over ABC 5.
The forum, which was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia and participated in by children from countries in East Asia and the Pacific, is aimed at strengthening the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines is a signatory to.
According to Unicef former Executive Director Carol Bellamy, there have been improvements in the implementation of agreements upholding children’s rights but much remains to be done.
In the Philippines, KNN fosters to the Filipino youth’s right to participate by staunchly advocating their freedom to express their views and sentiments on issues affecting them. In fact, KNN is the only television program in the Philippines which gives its writers, producers and directors (all aged 15-18 years old) the freehand in conceptualizing and producing their segments.
In the same episode, KNN takes a side trip to the various tourist sites in Siem Reap, the most progressive city in Cambodia, and touches on the country’s rich history and culture, which is one of the most colorful in Asia.
Join KNN’s young reporters as they go around the city to take shots of its big hotels, motorcycles that rule the roads, Buddhist temples, and of course the world-famous Angkor temples. Siem Reap also has its own version of tuktuk, one of the most common means of transportation in the city.
KNN is a project of the Probe Media Foundation and Unicef Philippines. It is also aired on NBN 4 at 11 a.m. on Sundays and daily on Nickelodeon as short segments. If you have your own story idea, tell KNN about it by sending an email to knn@hotmail.com and receive special gifts from KNN.
3 human deaths reported this year
Rabies continues to take a foothold in Oriental Negros as top health officials in the province urged the local mayors to put more teeth into rabies eradication programs at the municipal and city levels.
Three persons have already died from rabid dog bites in Dumaguete City, Bindoy and Mabinay from January to June 2005, according to statistics presented during the mid-year evaluation and planning workshop on the province’s rabies eradication program held August 9.
Provincial Veterinary Officer Dr. Antonio Mutia disclosed that his office has been submitting dog heads to Cebu for examination almost every month this year. Of the total 26 heads examined since January, five were tested positive for rabies.
Provincewide statistics from Provincial Veterinary Office also show a total of 136 dog bite cases recorded for the first six months of this year.
To help put a stop to the spread of the deadly disease, Mutia appealed to local chief executives to integrate rabies eradication in their public health programs.
Governor George Arnaiz, speaking during the said workshop, stressed that the “solution to rabies lies at the municipal level.”
The governor disclosed that on average, almost everyday people go to him asking for assistance for dog bite victims.
He said he has witnessed human rabies cases on several occasions and described them as “painful” experiences.
The provincial government is currently continuing the Rabies Action Program-Visayas, a five-year rabies eradication program initiated by the national government in 2000 under which assistance was given for anti-rabies programs in the provinces.
Since RAP-V ended last year, Mutia said the provincial government is implementing the program this year on its own.
So far, some 22,686 dogs of the total 106,604-strong dog population in the province have been immunized. This represents a 26% accomplishment based on the PVO’s target to immunize 80% of the dog population.
The dog population in the province remained steady at 106,604 since 2003. Guihulngan is the most dog populated town with 12,900 followed by Dumaguete City with 11,483.
Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bernarda Cortez in the same workshop said the ideal dog population should only be 10% of the total human population in an area.
Cortez explained that rabies is a highly fatal disease and is one of the oldest known and most feared of human illnesses.
Rabies remains to be an endemic in the Philippines, causing approximately 300 to 600 deaths every year.
Cortez said that based on research findings, 88% of the admitted dog bite cases were by pet dogs and only 10% from stray dogs.
Pet owners are urged to help stamp out rabies from the province by being responsible. Keep your dogs leashed and regularly vaccinated with anti-rabies shots, stressed Arnaiz.
-30-
PRO-7 urges LGUs to activate community public safety plans
The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) in Cebu has made an appeal to local government units to activate their Integrated Area Community Public Safety Plan (IACPSP).
PRO-7 Deputy Director for Operations S/Supt. Ronald Roderos said the plan aims to encourage each resident to contribute to the safety of their area as terrorist attacks remain a possible threat in the country.
According to Chico Pastor, local government operations V of the Department of Interior and Local Government here, IACPSP is implemented each in cities and towns in Oriental Negros. “All LGUs are required to submit their plan at the start of the year,” said Pastor.
He said all LGUs in the province have already activated their plan.
He explained that the IACPSP is a program that focuses mainly on peace and order while also giving attention to disaster management and environmental protection.
Barangays also formulate their own IACPSP.
Meanwhile, Pastor in an interview said that his office is currently re-organizing the barangay intelligence network (BIN) in the total 557 barangays in the province.
BIN is an expansion network program that aims to strengthen intelligence gathering particularly in the barangay level .
-30-
NEGORNET holds prov’l consultation on governance concerns
Civil society leaders and various representatives of basic sectors in the province will convene for the Provincial Consultation on Governance Concerns on August 11, 9:00 a.m. at the YMCA Hall, this city.
According to Greg Fernandez Jr., executive director of the Negros Oriental Network of NGOs, the consultation will be highlighted by a message from former Department of Education Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad who has been invited as the guest speaker.
NEGORNET President Msgr. Merlin Logronio will welcome the participants and present the consultation’s rationale and background. .
Registration will start at 8:00 a.m.
-30-
Tabo sa PAO enforces zero-plastic bag shopping
From now on, consumers who regularly buy from the “Tabo sa PAO” at the Provincial Nursery Compound here will have to bring their own containers or shopping bags as Tabo vendors will start implementing its “zero-plastic bag policy.”
Vendors at the Tabo will no longer sell or provide free plastic bags for customers following a special forum held August 6 between the Provincial Agriculturist Office and Tabo vendors.
During the forum, the vendors agreed to slowly stop using plastic bags in wrapping their produce, disclosed PAO Information Officer Nitz Bangay.
Bangay said this will be the practice at the Tabo from now on until consumers start getting used to a plastic-free shopping at Tabo.
The move is a bid to boost the plastic bag eradication campaign in the province, as Bangay said plastic has been reported to contribute to garbage woes because it is non-biodegradable.
She said Tabo customers are encouraged to use the bayong, a bag crafted from the local material known as buli, which will be made by local farmers here to augment their income.
-30-
CFO to hold awareness campaign on international migration, intermarriages in Dumaguete
A team from the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO) will be in Dumaguete City on August 22 to 25, 2005 to conduct its annual Community Education Program dubbed as “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-Abroad? Ano Ba Ang Dapat Mong Alamin?”
Representatives of other government offices will join CFO officers in this inter-agency effort seeking to raise public awareness on various issues concerning migration and intermarriages.
The program will also tackle existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, documentation fraud, and human trafficking.
The team is expected to conduct school symposia, meetings/dialogues with NGOs, GOs, religious leaders and members, pulong-pulong with local government units as well as community leaders and members, press briefings and radio interviews.
The CFO team’s visit in Dumaguete City is the third leg of the commission’s national awareness campaign.
From Dumaguete, the team will proceed to Tagbilaran City, Bohol on August 25 to 27.
-30-
PNP holds recognition day on Aug 12
The Police Provincial Office here will hold a Police Constabulary/Integrated National Police Recognition Day on August 12 (Friday) at 2:00 p.m. at Camp Francisco Fernandez in Agan-an, Sibulan, this province.
The activity will honor deserving active uniformed personnel and retired uniformed personnel as well as other special awardees.
The awarding will be graced by P/Deputy Director General Ricardo F. De Leon who now sits as the Deputy Chief PNP for Administration.
Gen. De Leon was the provincial police director in Oriental Negros from 1987 to 1989.
A testimonial program and thanksgiving dinner in honor of Gen. De Leon will follow.
-30-
Dairy coop receives P1M loan grant; inaugurates processing center
The Kababayehan Alang sa Pagpalambo sa Nasudnong Industriya sa Gatas (KAPANIG), the only dairy-producing cooperative in Siquijor, received a 1 million loan grant from the “Isang Bayan, Isang Produkto, Isang Milyong Peso” program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the provincial government of Siquijor.
The loan is in line with Pres. Arroyo’s poverty alleviation program under the BEAT THE ODDS agenda and the One Town One Product (OTOP) program conceptualized to develop businesses in the locality.
Nanette Arbon, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here, said the project aims to develop local brands aside from boosting the small and medium enterprises in the province.
Arbon said the move jibes with the province’s aim to boost local tourism which can be achieved by the means of creating “pasalubong” products.
“It is the small and medium enterprise development council’s (SMEDC) and the DTI’s long-term goal to develop SMEs as we promote convergence and focus efforts on certain projects that will generate stable and viable jobs for more people,” says Arbon.
She urged the public to patronize local products as away of giving market support for budding businesses.
Instead of using branded products, our locally-produced fresh milk can be utilized for our children’s supplemental feeding which is part of the government’s nutrition program, stressed Arbon.
Adding significance to the occasion was inauguration of the milk processing center in Cangmunag, San Juan, Siquijor.
In his message, Governor Orlando Fua gave credit to the members’ achievements for taking the path to progress and development through self-reliance.
Citing factors for possible downfall, Fua urged the women of KAPANIG to wisely make use and maximize resources given to them.
The governor pledged to continue giving his full support to the program as he again committed to allocate a P200,000 budget for the repair of a road near the center to ensure a smooth delivery of products and for people’s convenience.
-30-
NFA sets up more rice outlets
In its desire to ensure that good quality government rice is always available and accessible in public markets and far-flung areas, the local National Food Authority is increasing the number of accredited outlets in the province.
A rolling store is also deployed daily to serve the areas not reached by the Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (BGPs) outlets.
The following are the strategic locations of BGPs that are operated by licensed retailers who have grouped themselves to serve their areas and neighboring barangays:
Larena- Poblacion and Basac
Siquijor – Public Market, Cang-alwang and Cangasa
San Juan – Public Market and Cangmonag
Lazi- Poblacion and Campalanas
Maria- Poblacion, Liloan and Candapanig
Enrique Villanueva- Poblacion and Libo
NFA Provincial Manager Clyde S. Omictin assures the public that the agency has laid in place measures to ensure ample rice supply and to stabilize rice prices especially during the traditional lean months of July to September.
He disclosed that the local office is now revalidating the passbooks of accredited retailers.
NFA rice remains priced at P16/kilogram for regular milled rice and P18/kilogram for well-milled varieties even with the rising cost of fuel.
To ensure strict implementation of set prices and other NFA rules and regulations, monitoring teams are keeping close watch over these outlets.
The public is also urged to report irregularities that may be committed by grains businessmen.
As of press time, NFA Siquijor has a total of 32,466 bags stored in its 30,000-bag capacity warehouse. At any given time, it has to maintain its food security stock of 8,220 bags to prepare for any calamity that may strike the province.
Results of an NFA survey show that Siquijor’s daily rice consumption requirement is 274 bags while that of corn is 459 bags or 50 kilograms.
Based on daily consumption requirements, stocks available will last for 118 days.
-30-
KNN goes to Siem Reap, Cambodia
This week, the Kabataan News Network takes you to Cambodia to present the recent 7th East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation on Children which tackled, among others, vital issues affecting the world’s young population.
A sub-conference called Children and Young People’s Forum discussed such relevant topics such as education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, culture change and the role of media, and employment of young people. The episode will be aired this Saturday, August 13, at 4 p.m. over ABC 5.
The forum, which was held in Siem Reap, Cambodia and participated in by children from countries in East Asia and the Pacific, is aimed at strengthening the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Philippines is a signatory to.
According to Unicef former Executive Director Carol Bellamy, there have been improvements in the implementation of agreements upholding children’s rights but much remains to be done.
In the Philippines, KNN fosters to the Filipino youth’s right to participate by staunchly advocating their freedom to express their views and sentiments on issues affecting them. In fact, KNN is the only television program in the Philippines which gives its writers, producers and directors (all aged 15-18 years old) the freehand in conceptualizing and producing their segments.
In the same episode, KNN takes a side trip to the various tourist sites in Siem Reap, the most progressive city in Cambodia, and touches on the country’s rich history and culture, which is one of the most colorful in Asia.
Join KNN’s young reporters as they go around the city to take shots of its big hotels, motorcycles that rule the roads, Buddhist temples, and of course the world-famous Angkor temples. Siem Reap also has its own version of tuktuk, one of the most common means of transportation in the city.
KNN is a project of the Probe Media Foundation and Unicef Philippines. It is also aired on NBN 4 at 11 a.m. on Sundays and daily on Nickelodeon as short segments. If you have your own story idea, tell KNN about it by sending an email to knn@hotmail.com and receive special gifts from KNN.
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