ISSUE NO. 34, August 24, 2006

CFO conducts nationwide information sorties on migration issues
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) is now conducting its annual Community Education Program (CEP) in 23 provinces and nine regions across the country with the information campaign dubbed as “Handa Ka Na Bang Mag-Abroad? Ano Ang Dapat Mong Alamin?”

The campaign in Oriental Negros kicked off today, August 24, with a pulong-punlong at Bais City between a team from CFO and local government leaders in Bais.

A press briefing will be conducted in Dumaguete City on Friday, August 25, followed by a cineforum on migration at Silliman University and pulong-pulong with local government leaders and non-government organizations.

CFO expects around 23,000 attendees to participate in its various information awareness activities during its information campaign sorties in different regions in the country with a high number of migrants abroad.

The community education program will be conducted in Ilocos, Central Luzon, CARAGA, CALABARZON, MIMARO, Bicol, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Northern Mindanao.

The commission aims to raise public awareness about various issues concerning migration, intermarriages and existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, documentation fraud and human trafficking, among others.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the national government is taking steps to save the country’s image abroad following the recent leakage during the Nursing examination here.

The Department of Foreign Affairs through the embassies will issue bulleting on the actions of the Philippine government especially in countries heavily recruiting Filipino nurses.

The National Bureau of Investigation is fast tracking its investigation to clearly pinpoint responsible parties and exact accountability.

Malacañang said this should not be cause for any stigma on Filipino nurses or other professionals who remain to be among the best in the world, for their honesty and professional integrity.


Province boosts anti-trafficking in persons campaign
The Provincial Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) in Oriental Negros is set to put up task forces in different ports in the province in a bid to intensify efforts to combat trafficking in persons in the province.

The council in a meeting held last month has stressed the urgent need to put up task forces in the ports as some incidents of trafficking are prevalent in these routes.

Negros Oriental has earlier been identified as a trafficking hotspot in the country as it is one of the major recruitment grounds for victims and potential trafficking of victims.

Thus, the province has a strategic role to play in the anti-trafficking initiatives in the country, says Vic Abedesco, Visayas Coordinator of the Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. in a Kapihan forum conducted by Philippine Information Agency early this year.

The Provincial IACAT was formed in April this year after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan through Resolution No. 372 enacted Ordinance No. 14 creating the council that would coordinate all efforts towards combating trafficking in the province.

Resolution No. 372 notes that there due to cases of trafficking in persons here, it is “imperative to ensure stronger and more effective coordination of efforts among agencies and stakeholders.”

Under Ordinance No. 14, the council is tasked to undertake steps to prevent trafficking in the province, rescue and recover victims, cause the prosecution of offenders and ensure healing and effective reintegration of trafficking victims in Oriental Negros.

Students urged to avail of ladderized education program
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) here is encouraging students in the province to avail of the government’s ladderized education program that aims to empower young Filipinos by allowing them to progress between and among technical-vocation courses, college degree programs and progressively gainful employment.

The ladderized education system addresses the present compartmentalization of tech-voc and college degree programs that hinders the recognition and accreditation of tech-voc competencies in college degree programs and vice-versa.

According to Beth Tubog, TESDA administrative officer, there are so far only three registered programs/courses under the ladderized program in Dumaguete City, namely Bachelor of Science (BS) in Hotel and Restaurant Management in Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) and BS Marine Engineering and BS Marine Transportation in Negros Maritime College Foundation.

The embedded Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) qualification for Marine Engineering is engine seafaring NC1 while for Marine Transportation, Deck Seafaring.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed in July 2006 Executive Order 358 institutionalizing a ladderized interface between TVET and higher education.
Under EO 358, the ladderized tertiary education system will allow certification or recognition of units gained in TESDA registered tech-voc programs for equivalent credits under CHED-recognized programs.

Through this system, students acquire the skills for a job and with units earned in training, the graduate earns equivalent credits for higher education.

Through the income gained and the credits earned, the technical vocational graduate can enroll in a related higher education courses through which the tech-voc graduate ultimately earns a college degree.

Similarly, a college student or graduate wanting to take up TVET programs will also be given equivalent credits in a related TVET program.

Through this system, the government hopes to facilitate the transition and progression between TVET and higher education.

Tubog said that TESDA here is currently receiving applicants for second semester of school year 2006-2007 for the three registered courses here.

Slots are available for ten students per semester for each course/program, says Tubog.

“We only have three applicants so far for this program,” she adds.

She also disclose that NORSU is applying for the registration of the following programs: BS Automotive Technology, BS Civil Technology, BS Computer Technology, BS Electrical Technology, Garments Technology, Mechanical Technology and Refrigeration Air Conditioning.

Tubog also urged the different schools in the city to participate in the said program “as this improves the competency of the students.”

Education is among the top priorities of the national government as Malacañang in its proposed 2007 budget of 1.126 trillion pesos, reflects heavy spending on education and infrastructure.

Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said this is the “payback” to the people for shouldering the burden of additional taxes.

As in previous years and consisted with the provisions of the Constitution, the Department of Education will get the biggest chunk of the allocation with 134.7 billion pesos.

SU School of Communication holds Balik Talent lecture
The Silliman University School of Communication is set to hold a Balik Talent lecture by Dr. Alexander G. Flor, an alumnus of the School of Communication, who is one of this year’s ten Outstanding Sillimanian Awardees.

The lecture is in line with Silliman University’s celebration of its 105th Founder’s Day and the School’s 40th year celebration.

Dr. Flor, who earned his Bachelor of Journalism degree from Silliman University in 1975, is now the Dean of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU).

A respected scholar of development communication here and abroad, Dr. Flor will speak on the topic “Sustaining Silliman’s Mission: A Communication Perspective” on Tuesday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m. at the SU Audio Visual Theater.

Communication students from other universities and colleges in Dumaguete are also expected to attend the lecture.

The SU School of Communication is also set to co-sponsor a forum with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) dubbed as “Kapihan sa Silliman” on the topic “Challenges and Expectation in Community Journalism.”

The panel of speakers is headed by Dr. Crispin C. Maslog, former professor and director of the School of Communication with other panelists coming from the academe, government and non-government organizations.

The School of Communication is also spearheading the MassCom Ruby Year Alumni Potluck/Fellowship on August 26.


GMA backs Green Highways project, urges Cabinet officials, gov’t agencies to hold info drive
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is urging Cabinet officials and heads of government-owned and controlled corporations to give their active participation to the massive tree-planting activity dubbed as “Green Philippines Highways.”

The President, in a memorandum, encouraged all government agencies to lend their support by mobilizing their personnel and stakeholders to do their part by “adopting” their own greening of highways in their respective territorial jurisdictions, and conducting information campaigns that will raise the awareness of the public about the importance of tree planting.

Considered as one of the biggest and ambitious projects launched by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so far, the Green Philippines Highways will gather two million participants to plant about half a million seedlings and saplings on the 2,175-km stretch of the Pan Philippine Highways.

Environment Secretary Angelo T. Reyes, in his visit to Dumaguete City early this month, said the green highways project needs to be owned and championed by a movement of diverse environmental stakeholders, adding that “planting and maintenance activities will be carried out throughout the year to cover other stretches of the Green Philippines Highway to sustain it.”

He called on all Filipinos to demonstrate their concern for the environment, saying that this can be done by participating in the biggest tree planting activity in the country on August 25.


Furniture makers in Siquijor gains insights on waste materials reduction
Maximizing the use of recyclable processing wastes from the shops instead of just disposing them is one area of concern posing in the country’s furniture and handicraft industry. Generation of wastes is an integral part of the furniture and handicraft manufacturing operation system and it has significant impact to the productivity and profitability of the industry as a whole.

Just recently some members of the newly revived United Siquijor Furniture Makers Association (USFMA) underwent a third round of skills development training on waste materials reduction at the Pajermo Furniture Shop in Cangbagsa, Larena, Siquijor.

Initiating the training activity was the Department of Science and Technology – 7 thru the Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC-Siquijor), in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Siquijor thru the Siquijor Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (SMEDC) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Siquijor. It was aimed to provide participants valuable insights on how to minimize/reduce volume of wastes materials through an efficient waste processing system.

The three-day lecture-discussion and actual demonstrations on the processing and utilization of scrap materials from furniture and handicraft production taught and encouraged furniture makers to recognize the value of wastes materials, learn concepts on product development from generated processing wastes in their respective shops; and develop sample or prototype products using a particular or combination of waste materials.

Resource speakers during the training-seminar were Forester Robert A. Natividad, Chief Science Research Specialist of the Forest Products Research & Development Institute (FPRDI), Los Banos, Laguna thru the Science and Technology Experts Volunteer Pool Program (STEVPP) of the DOST; and Mr. Eduardo M. Atienza, a Science Research Analyst of the same DOST institute.

Attending in the open forum were PENRO Oscar M. Magallones of Siquijor, DTI Provincial Director Nimfa M. Virtucio; Engr. Mario E. de la Pena of PSTC-Siquijor and Larena Municipal Mayor Gold L. Calibo.

In the end, nice and creative finished products from cheap bamboo and wood-wastes materials made by the furniture makers were displayed on the last third day of the seminar. Samples of these products will be exhibited during the upcoming Siquijor Day Halad Siquijodnon 2006.

The participants who all received certificates of attendance couldn’t help but gleefully say: “We’re able to transform wastes into money!”.


Siquijor joins walk for peace in celebration of int'l humanitarian law
SIQUIJOR-- In celebration of the International Humanitarian Law Day and as an expression of gratitude for the gift of peace in Siquijor, some 119 people here joined the walk for peace recently.

Spearheaded by the Siquijor Red Cross, the three-kilometer walk for peace held in the town of Siquijor was well-represented by different groups in the province.
Red Cross Officer-In-Charge Rowena Lapinig said the activity was a call for the respect of peace of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) or Law of Armed Conflict.

She said it is a celebration of the birth of one of the most powerful tools that the international community has at its disposal to ensure safety and dignity of people in times of war made during the Geneva Conventions wherein 190 of the world’s states are part of the convention.

IHL is a set of rules which places restrictions on the use of weapons and methods of warfare applied in international armed conflicts which involve at least two countries and in armed conflicts that take place in one country like those between the government and the rebel forces and applies to all parties to a conflict regardless of who started it, explains Lapinig.

IHL is centered on the principle “Inter Arma Caritas (Humanity in the Midst of Conflict).

The International Committee of the Red Cross serves as the guardian of IHL as a neutral, impartial and independent organization working in armed conflicts and other situations of violence.

Lapinig, who noted that Siquijor is one of the few provinces in the country that is peaceful, did not discount the fact that its neighboring islands like Mindanao and the Philippine’s neighboring countries in the world are in trouble. “Peace is everybody’s concern”, she said.

This year’s IHL’s theme is: “Per Humanitatem Ad Pacem” or From Humanity to Peace.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said that President Arroyo is determined to take all necessary measures to protect human rights and uphold the rule of law.

The President is bent on getting to the bottom of the extrajudicial killings in the country with the creation of the Melo Commission.

The Commission is moving swiftly to fulfill its mandate as it is now organizing and mapping out its priorities.

Malacañang urged the administration’s detractors to adopt a fair attitude and refrain from labeling a body that is just starting its work.


PNP Dir joins call for swift passage of Anti-Terror Bill
Siquijor Police Superintendent Orlando Domingo Ualat of the Philippine National Police here recently expressed support to the President’s call for an immediate passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill which was reiterated following the discovery of an alleged plot in Britain to blow up US passenger aircraft over the Atlantic.

In an interview with the PIA, the PNP provincial director said he joins call for the immediate passage of the law especially now that acts of terrorism abound. “I’d like to take this opportunity to call on the people to support the move because it is for our own good. Terrorism is a serious problem we must look into,” says Ualat.

Last Friday, British law enforcement and intelligence operatives in London foiled a supposed plot to bomb several airlines bound to the United States with the arrest of 24 suspected terrorists who were supposed to smuggle in hard-to-detect liquid IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) in US-bound airlines from London's Heathrow Airport.

Philippine authorities' views the latest terror act with greater relevance as it closely resembled another terror plot unearthed and foiled in 1995, which involved the bombing of American airliners from Manila bound, a plot which was codenamed Operation Bojinka.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the London bomb plot is compelling enough reason to aggressively pursue the government's stand on an all-out war campaign against terrorist groups and insurgents.

Bunye said the uncovered terrorist plot is an eye-opener to prioritize the passage of the Anti-terrorism Bill as this gives teeth to our waging battle against terrorism.

The National Government is likewise asking for the full cooperation and support of the public by sharing information that can halt any conspiracy or plan to wreck havoc and destroy lives of innocent people.

Meanwhile, the military dared disgruntled troops recently to make good their threat to resign en masse, as it stressed that "no one was indispensable" in the Armed Forces.

Responding to the threat of the shadowy Nationalist Officers Union (NOU) of a mass resignation, military spokesmen said troops would not be stopped from leaving the service if this would make the military a "more responsive, efficient, and stable organization."

But the spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the NOU does not exist. Neither, he added, do intelligence reports of any planned mass resignation from the service.

Malacañang said the people is growing weary of faceless and nameless mutineers obviously manipulated by political puppet masters.

The best thing to do is to leave it all to the proper authorities to investigate, stressed Malacañang. (RAC/PIA)

Gov't bent on sending home OFWs in Lebanon despite truce
Even as the guns fall silent in Lebanon, the government is bent on working for the repatriation of Filipino workers there deploying teams to scout for more OFWs to send home.

“Task Force Lebanon continues to account for every Filipino national in the areas of danger of danger and secure their condition and welfare as the government is assessing course of events in the political and operational levels,” Malacanang officials said.

“We must deal with the situation with prudence and caution because it is better to act on the side of caution rather than allow Filipinos to be caught in cyclical conflict,” Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.

“Normalcy could be restored in months and we urge the OFWs to stay at the evacuation centers and continue to wait for the chance to be repatriated or transported to safety,” he also said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has earlier vowed to secure OFWs “no matter what the cost and the evolving situation may be” and urged Philippine officials to continue implementing her directive for the mandatory repatriation of all OFWs in Lebanon.

“I shall spare no effort to keep every Filipino safe and sound until they are brought back home or to safe sanctuary elsewhere,” she said.

The government, however, assures the OFWs that Lebanon will be open again for employment as soon as it is already safe to go back. (RAC/PIA)

5 rescued, 2 missing in sea mishap
Five fishermen were rescued last week near Siquijor seas by a search and rescue team operation of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council and the Philippine Air Force.

The rescue team was sent out after a fishing boat FB St. Mary capsized in the middle of the sea in Siquijor Island while encountering huge waves and strong winds as it sailed back to Basay, Negros Oriental from Plaridel, Misamis Occidental.

Civil Defense Officer Welino Gubuan of Siquijor named those rescued as Joel Lapasaran, 21, Junasky Alcantara, 23, Johnny Anlap, 15, and Roomel Noso, 37, all of Basay Negros Oriental.

Other crew members who are still missing until now are Jay Totiac, 30, and Domy Maganao, 50.

Meanwhile, CDO Gubuan said that the recent typhoon brought several woes to the island causing minor delays to sea travels and damaging few crops and properties.

Gubuan said preparedness is still the best answer in times of disaster. It is done through the effective use of manpower and financial resources, proper information and coordination and alertness, and timely judgment of the officials concerned”.