Vol 5 Issue 4 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 Jan. 26 – Feb. 1, 2015

WESTERN VISAYAS

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue Students, OSY train to become DRR advocates

Salt makers told to comply with law on iodine blend

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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Army exhumes NPA purge victims in Leyte

By Neil D. Lopido

MACARTHUR, Leyte, Jan. 26 (PIA) – Soldiers from the

Ormoc City-based 802nd Brigade of the Philippine Army led by its

commander, Col. Dinoh Dolina, unearthed Friday the remains of

two alleged liquidation victims of the New People‟s Army (NPA).

These were discovered by local residents in shallow graves in

barangays Lanawan and San Vicente, this town.

The killings were believed to have occurred three decades

ago.

The barangayas are located in the hinterlands of MacArthur

and reported to be once the hotbed of the rebels in the 80‟s.

The family of the victims identified the remains to be those of

Necostrates “Tasting” Novio from Brgy. San Antonio, this town and

Lolieto “Rudy” Custodio from Brgy. Mag-aso, La Paz, Leyte.

According to Nicostrates‟ 59-year-old son Reynaldo, his

father who was to serve as a cook was abducted on his way to

Manarog, a nearby barangay then celebrating a fiesta.

Reynaldo believed that the skeleton and clothes unearthed in

a farm in Lanawan belong to his father, the same polo and pants

worn when he [his father] left in August 1984.

While the remains of Lolieto which were exhumed in a steep

mountain of Brgy. San Vicente, was more intact with arms and feet

still tied up and the skull with blindfold cloth.

Lolieto‟s son Bartolome, 43, recalled that he was first year

high school that time when the rebels abducted his father at their

coconut farm in Brgy. Mag-aso where they tied him with his three

other relatives.

“Maybe, I am now at least a high school graduate as what my

father dreamt for me,” the sad Bartolome shared to reporters.

The families of the victims alleged that members of the NPA

abducted them because they were suspected to be working for

government forces as intelligence operatives.

Meanwhile, Col. Dolina said that proper identification of the

remains will undergo a thorough investigation, after which, these

will be turned over to the claimant families for proper burial.

Present also during the exhumation were members of the

Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO),

LGU and barangay officials, Human Rights and Religious sector,

members of the media, and families and relatives of the victims.

Col. Dolina has been encouraging more witnesses to surface

for possible location of burial sites of NPA purge victims.

Dolina is urging the dwindling member of NPAs to return to

the folds of law and work as one towards peace and development.

He noted that the rebel forces in Leyte continue to weaken after

super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The officer hopes that they will avail of the government‟s

Comprehensive Local Integration Program to start a new and

peaceful life with their families.

“We want to win the peace. I am sad when an NPA dies

during encounter. I am sad when we recover firearms during

encounter. But when we get arms when one surrenders, I am

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Jan. 26 (PIA) – Students and

out-of-school youth (OSY) have been the focus of capability training

of an international humanitarian organization helping Capiceños.

Education Officer Rommel Acejo of ChildFund disclosed that

in the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda that heavily hit Capiz,

ChildFund has been extending their support to children through

various activities in the community and schools.

Acejo said that part of their community activities for children

is the strengthening of the Barangay Council for the Protection of

Children (BCPC) and providing also assistance to health such as

the repair if health facilities in their identified target areas.

“Since children were among those who were

greatly traumatized by the said disaster, we had initiated a

Child-Friendly Space which is a psychological support for children,”

he said.

Acejo said that selected students from the various

secondary schools in Panay as well as out-of-school youth from

the said area were also trained on disaster risk reduction

and management for them to become DRR advocates to other

children.

He explained that the activity is part of their programs on

Rebuilding Institution and Safe Environment, a ChildFund project.

“We are empowering the children on disaster risk

advocacy because they are the potential force multipliers of the

various government agencies and private organizations in the

campaign on climate change which is one of the potent factors in

the experienced disaster here such as flood and other

emergencies,” Acejo said.

He said that the training for the students and OSY here in

Panay town will be replicated to other areas in Western Visayas

including in Regions 7 and 8.

Recently a more than 270 selected high school students from

the town underwent a three-day Youth-led DRR Emergency and

Survival Camp at Pawa National High School to promote resiliency

and developing their skills on basic emergency and survival situation

as well as developing them an environmental consciousness.

The planting of 300 forest trees in the area was one of the

highlights during their concluding activity which was attended by

RISE Project Manager for Visayas Michael Bismar.

ChildFund is implementing its projects and programs in five

towns and city in Capiz, namely Panay, Tapaz, Jamindan, Ivisan and

Roxas City. (JCM/JBG/PIA6)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

CEBU CITY, January 28 (PIA) --- Salt manufacturers are

reminded to comply with RA 8172 or the ASIN Law in

fortifying salt with the correct amount of iodine in order to get the

essential quantity in nutritional iodine requirement for human

needs.

Dr. Parolita Mission, regional program coordinator of the

National Nutrition Council (NNC-7), said under the law, salt

manufacturers or producers must fortify their salt with 30 to 70

parts per million (ppm) to allow a margin of iodine lost during the

distribution process.

“Iodine content of 15 ppm in household level is already

okay,” said Mission during the recent forum of the Association of

Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) in celebration of

Goiter Awareness Week from January 26 to 31.

The NNC-7 regional coordinator however clarified that salt

manufacturers have complied with the law in fortifying salt with

iodine but the question lies on the adequate quantity of iodate

potassium as required by law.

“In one of our random spot checks to test quality iodized salt

in the market, we found out that the salt sold

in Carbon and Taboan markets only yielded seven percent ppm of

iodine,” bared Mission, reiterating her call to salt manufacturers to

put the correct amount of iodine in the salt fortification process.

Mission said the ASIN Law was passed to address iodine

deficiency, one of the three top micronutrient deficiencies in the

country along with Vitamin A and iron.

Iodine is a mineral needed by the thyroid gland to make

thyroid hormones important in regulating cell metabolism and

growth.

One visible sign of iodine deficiency is goiter, said

Mission. But the more serious complications involved mental

impairment, cretinism, stillbirth and abortion among pregnant

women.

Dr. Marlon Co, president of the Cebu Medical Society, on

the other hand, bared the development of goiter is not due to

Iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) alone as other factors like over or

under function of the thyroid gland, nodules or tumors.

Co said the ideal amount of iodine needed by the body is 150

micrograms a day or less than one teaspoon of iodized salt.

He warned on the excessive use of salt intake which can

lead to hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. (rmn/fcr/

PIA-7)

After M/S Europa of Hapag Lloyd Cruises the

other day, another luxury ship, M/S Minerva of

Swan Hellenic Cruise is in Bohol today

carrying 293 passengers for brief tours to

some famous sites in Bohol. (PIA7)

Rev. Fr. Cris Militante of the Archdiocese of

Palo officiated a mass and the blessing of the

new PIA 8 regional office in Tacloban City on

January 8. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

AGRICULTURE Secretary Proceso Alcala

leads the turnover of 25 heavy duty

four-wheel drive tractors with implements to

local chief executives and representatives of

LGU recipients in Western Visayas during the

Regional Farmers‟ Forum held at WESVIARC,

Hamungaya, Jaro, Iloilo City, January 30.

SOCO operatives assisted by soldiers from the Philippine Army

exhumed the remains of a victim allegedly killed during the NPAs

purging in the 1980s in one of the mountain barangays in

MacArthur, Leyte, January 23. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

325 landless residents get patents

By Easter Anne D. Doza

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Jan. 26 (PIA6) - - Some 325 landless residents from Hinobaan town and Sipalay City got free land

patents from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ―Handog Titulo‖ program.

T he patents were distributed to

beneficiaries at the Sipalay City

Gymnasium graced by DENR

Regional Director Jim Sampulna,

6th District Representative Mercedes

Alvarez and Mayors Ernesto Estrao and

Oscar Montilla of Hinobaan and Sipalay,

respectively,a release from DENR said.

"Let others know that this is just one

of the help that the Government is giving,”

Alvarez told recipients. Sampulna

extended his congratulations to everyone

and told the recipients to protect the land

awarded to them and to responsibly pay

their taxes.

The turnover ceremony was also

attended by Provincial Environment and

Natural Resources Officer Andres

Untal, Kabankalan City Environment and

Natural Resources Officer Rally

Cagayanan, Sipalay City Community

Environment and Natural Resources

Officer Dr. Vilma Limates and Philippine

Army‟s Lt. Col. Pompeyo Jason Almagro.

Handog Titulo is one of the programs

of DENR for social upliftment and security

of tenure and is part of the national

government‟s thrust in providing land for

the landless.*(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Jan. 28 (PIA6) - - Aside from the financial assistance of P5,000 and livelihood programs from the

provincial government, former rebels (FRs) are getting more aid this time from the Office of Presidential Assistant on the

Peace Process and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

F ifteen former rebels (FRs)

from the different cities and

municipalities of the province

received financial assistance worth

P15,000 each during the culmination of

the Project Development Seminar

for FRs held at the Technology and

Livelihood Development Center in

Bacolod City, a release from the

Provincial Information Office said.

The assistance is a complementary

program of the national government to

the local government unit‟s peace-building

efforts.

Peace stakeholders - Board Member

Salvador Escalante, DILG Provincial

Director Ma. Joy Maredith Madayag,

303rd Infantry Brigade Commander Col.

Jon Aying, Provincial Peace Integration

and Development Unit (Pro-PIDU)

Action Officer, Ma. Lina P. Sanogal - told

the beneficiaries to fully participate in the

programs of the government for their

own advantage while the latter

expressed their gratitude to the assistance

given to them. *(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

Former rebels get more aid

By: Easter Anne D. Doza

DENR VI top performer in NGP implementation nationwide

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 27 -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Office VI (DENR VI) has recorded a

100.02 percent accomplishment in last year‘s implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP), as disclosed by

Regional Director Jim O Sampulna.

I n 2014, DENR VI has a target of

12,105 hectares to be planted with

various forest and fruit trees

species, including mangroves along the

riverbanks and coastal communities. The

office was able to establish 12,108

hectares of area plantation in the different

NGP sites regionwide.

“We could not have achieved this

success without the support of local

government units (LGUs) and its officials

who had been our partners in the

realization of our projects. LGUs play a

huge part in the success of our every

project,” Sampulna stressed during his

meeting in the region.

He likewise acknowledged “the full

cooperation and concerted efforts of our

field personnel, especially those in charge

of seedlings production and site

monitoring and inspection. We credit this

to all those who had been assisting us

reach our targets.”

Notwithstanding the challenges

confronted in the implementation of the

project, DENR VI was able to achieve its

target on time with the intervention and

motivation imparted by Director

Sampulna to field implementers, said

NGP Regional Coordinator Danilo L.

Lorilla.

Lorilla said that one of the challenges

is the location of planting sites.

To address this concern, Lorilla said

that they have tapped site-based people‟s

organization (PO) and barangay local

government units as partners in the

implementation of the project. He said

that seedlings production was mainly

contracted to site-based PO partners.

He said that this manifests the

important role of the LGUs. “LGUs

contribute a lot in the implementation of

our projects,” adding that, “extra efforts

were also done by forest extension

officers and field officials to hasten early

completion of our targets.”

In all his field visits, Sampulna

emphasized to all his field commanders to

closely coordinate with their respective

LGUs and extend whatever assistance

they need in terms of ENR program

implementation.

He continuously encouraged field

personnel to do their best and inject

initiatives and provide strategies on how

to address the deficiencies encountered in

the planting sites.

This year, 2015, DENR VI targets to

cover 10,966 hectares with forest and

fruit trees species.

The newly-assigned Assistant Regional

Director for Technical Service Jesse L.

Vego where NGP is under his command

and where implementation is under his

hands is optimistic that DENR VI could

reach its target on time and that it could

even surpass its performance last year.

The NGP is a massive forest

rehabilitation program under the

administration of President Benigno S.

Aquino III which seeks to grow 1.5 billion

trees in 1.5 mil l ion hectares

nationwide from 2011 to 2016. (DENR VI

- RegionalPublic Affairs Office/PIA6)

ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Aklan ready for 2015 WVRAA

KALIBO, Aklan, Jan. 24 (PIA6) -- The province of Aklan is prepared to host this year‘s Western Visayas Regional Athletic

Association (WVRAA) meet, slated February 8-13.

I n an interview with Department

o f Educat ion -Ak lan Spor t s

Coordinator Mary Ann Lopez, she

said that the DepEd here, headed by

Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Jesse

M. Gomez, in coordination with the

Provincial Government led by Governor

Florencio T. Miraflores, is 90% ready for

the regional athletic meet next month.

DepEd-Aklan and the provincial

government of Aklan are now preparing

for a grand and colorful opening ceremony

to be held at the Calangcang

Sports Complex in Makato, Aklan on

February 8.

Recently, DepEd-Aklan met with the

region‟s other schools division to inspect

sporting venues and billeting areas for

WVRAA officials and athletes.

Needed sports equipment like balls

had been inventoried too while the

program of activities had been approved

already by Deped regional officials, Lopez

added. Currently, preparation of facilities

at the Calangcang Sports Complex is being

spearheaded by the Provincial Engineer‟s

Office (PEO).

“Delegates from other WV provinces

will start arriving on February 5”, Lopez

said in the radio interview.

To monitor and get official results

of the athletic meet, Lopez said a media

center will be put up at the Calangcang

Sports Complex, to be managed by an

assigned DepEd supervisor. (JCM/VGV

PIA6 Aklan)

By: Venus G. Villanueva

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA6) --- Around 300 delegates from all over the world are expected to convene in the 2015 Urban

Environmental Accords (UEA) Summit to be hosted by Iloilo City on September 15-17.

I n a media release, City Mayor Jed

Patrick Mabilog said the UEA

Summit with the theme “Green

City, Livable City” will help boost the

city‟s growing potentials as an ideal

convention destination.

He said the big event will also attract

more tourists and prospective investors

to this southern city.

He said the city will share its own

environmental protection programs and

will showcase successful initiatives such as

the Iloilo River, wetland and bird

sanctuary, and cultural heritage.

Iloilo City is a signatory to UEA

composed of 158 cities in 53 countries.

Mabilog was elected member to the

UEA executive board, the only Filipino

mayor serving such position.

Meanwhile, the UEA Secretariat said

the summit will be great opportunity

to present their respective city‟s

environmental efforts and best

practices so it is calling its members to

take part.

Key projects of the UEA Secretariat

will be presented including Urban

Environmental Evaluat ion Index

(co-developed by UNEP), GHG Projection

& Diagnostics Program (GPD), Global

Low Carbon Green City, and

Expanded PoA to be implemented in Iloilo

City.

These sessions will be full of

productive information and expertise, as

speakers and panelist for each session will

be secured by each organization.

The following are the potential

organizations and sectors for the summit:

(1) Department of Environment and

Natural Resources (DENR) of the

Philippines – clean water resources, (2)

GIZ and Clean Air Asia – Air Quality

Management, and (3) International Council

for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI)

– resilient building.

The conference is in collaboration

and support with the Philippine

national government and international

organ izat ions in environmenta l

sector. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

Iloilo City to host global environmental summit

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 29 (PIA6) - - The local Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organizing committee visited Guimaras

on Wednesday to take a look at what Guimaras has to offer in line with the holding of the APEC ministerial meetings in this

city in September.

APEC team conducts ocular inspection in Guimaras

J unel Ann Divinagracia, Executive

Director of the APEC organizing

committee for Iloilo led the ocular

team who inspected possible sites that will

be visited by APEC delegates.

The team was joined by some

members of the Iloilo media.

Included in the itinerary of the group

are the Igang Marine Station of the

Southeast Asian Fisheries Development

(SEAFDEC) and the Taklong Island

National Marine Reserve of the

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources. Both facilities are located in

the municipality of Nueva Valencia.

APEC Nat ion a l Organ i z in g

Committee has chosen Iloilo City as the

venue of the Small and Medium

Enterprise ministerial meeting and the

High Level Policy Dialogue on Food

Security and the Blue economy and

related meetings.

The SME ministerial meeting will be

conducted on September 21 to 25 while

the Food Security meeting on September

28 to October 6, 2015.

These meetings are expected to draw

about 700 to 900 delegates, respectively,

excluding domestic and international

media who will cover the events.

Aside from Iloilo City, APEC meetings

will also be held in Boracay Island and

Bacolod City in Western Visayas and in

other areas of the country such as in

Metro Manila; Tagaytay City in Southern

Tagalog; Metro Cebu in Central Visayas;

Bagac, Bataan and Clark, Pampanga in

Central Luzon; and Legazpi City, Albay in

Bicol. “Building Inclusive Economies,

Building A Better World,” is the theme of

the 2015 APEC summit. (JCM/LAF/PIA

-Iloilo)

By: Lilibeth A. French

CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

CEBU CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) --- Cement company APO CEMEX today turned over a P2 million school building to the

municipality of San Remigio.

APO CEMEX gives P2M school building, training to San Remigio

T his is a concrete manifestation of a

strong public-private partnership,

said San Remigio Mayor Mariano

Martinez,

Nino Ybanez, San Remigio Information

Officer, said the turn over ceremony was

done at the Training Center in Barangay

Poblacion.

At the same time, they also held the

graduation of 30 San Remigiohanons from the

“EXPERTO AKO” Masonry Skills Training.

Ybanez said the 30 residents compose the

first batch of the training participants that was

purposely under the typhoon Yolanda

assistance of Cemex.

But for the formal masonry course,

Ybanez said that Cemex and the Technical

Education Skills and Development Authority

(TESDA) will have to be finalized along with

their PESO Manager Antonio Villamor.

Apo Cemex is located in Barangay Tinaan,

southern City of Naga. It was originally called

Apo Cement Corporation (APOCEMCO) until

it was acquired by Cemex Philippines in 1999.

It is among the largest cement producers

in the country. CEMEX Foundation's support

for education, environment, and livelihood

primarily revolves around the objectives of

promoting sustainability and welfare of the

community.

San Remigio was one of the northern

towns heavily affected by typhoon Yolanda in

2013. (rmn/fcc/PIA-Cebu)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) --- The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) under the Department of

Transport and Communications (DOTC) has allocated over P140 million to fast track the improvement of the Dumaguete

airport located in Sibulan town.

NegOr sees tourism boost with P140M

airport improvements

I n a tourism convergence forum on Local

Governance Support Program for Local

Economic Development (LGSP-LED),

CAAP head Elmer Ablir reported that projects

in the pipeline include the continuation of

asphalt overlay of runway and upgrading of

runway shoulder which cost P130 million,

improvement of drainage system worth P10

million which have been allotted last year.

While for 2015, some P3 million is set for

the rehabilitation of fire station building in the

airport.

With this development, tourism

stakeholders in Negros Oriental were pleased

to know of the airport improvement

which would also be a great boost to local

tourism industry.

However, the CAAP official expressed

concern on the aircraft or passengers‟ safety

due to some trees near the airport which

cause obstruction of aircrafts‟ final approach.

Ablir said the residential-owner of some

fruit trees refused CAAP‟s request to cut some

four trees which pose danger to the aircraft

passengers.

While the province is intensifying its

tourism development and attract investments,

the CAAP official raised the issue to local

officials to address the issue before an accident

happens.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government has

extended funding assistance worth P5.1 million

under the (LGSP-LED) to improve the business

climate of the local tourism industry of Negros

Oriental.

Through this project, the LGUs are

provided with technical advice and training on

how to improve their business environment to

be more competitive, attractive to

investments, and conducive to job creation.

In his message, Gov. Roel Degamo

encouraged participants to work together to

ensure that Tourism Circuit Development Plan

will be achieved as he noted that tourism

traffic in the city as well as in the province is

increasing.

The governor cited that Dumaguete

and Negros Oriental are among the top

seven places to retire worldwide and an

expatriate-friendly destination. (rmn/jct/PIA7

-Negros Oriental)

LA LIBERTAD, Negros Oriental, Jan .27 (PIA) – A new circular from the Department of Energy (DOE) amends certain

provisions of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 10531 which makes the qualification for sitting

board of directors of an electric cooperative less strict.

T his was announced by an official of

the Negros Oriental Electric

Cooperative (NORECO-I) in a

recent Kapihan forum here on the electric

cooperative‟s district election and

electrification issues.

NORECO-I will again conduct elections

for the Board of Director (BOD) post in three

districts namely La Libertad, Vallehermoso and

Bais City.

Lynn Manlalangit, Manager of Institutional

Services Division of NORECO-I, said DOE

department circular 2014-09-0017 revises the

criterion on being a member of the electric

cooperative with good standing as stated in the

IRR.

“A member of good standing shall mean

that said member has no unsettled or

outstanding obligations to the electric

cooperative weather personal or through commercial or industrial connection, three

months prior to the filing of certificate of

candicacy,” Manlalangit disclosed.

In the previous criteria, those who are

interested to run for BOD must be a member

of the cooperative with good standing at least

five years before the election.

An unsettled or outstanding obligation

refers to an account which has not been paid

within 7 days after the due date.

Manlalangit noted that this is a welcome

development and an advantage to those

members of the cooperative who are

interested to become part of the policy-making

body of the cooperative.

She explained that the previous criterion

was also a big concern even to other electric

cooperatives because a lot of the candidates

for BOD position have been disqualified due to

the 5-year requirement. The department

circular came out last September 1, 2014.

However, for those incumbent BODs

who will seek re-election, outstanding or

unsettled obligations deemed to include power

bills, cash advances, disallowances, including the NEA audit findings and materials and

equipment issuances reckoned from the time

of filing of certificate of candidacy.

Even though the criterion on good

standing has been revised, an interested party

must be able to meet other qualifications set

by law to be an eligible candidate for the

position. These include a graduate of any

4-yerar couse, at least 21 yers old but not over

70 years old on the date of the election, must

be of good moral character, a resident of the

district he/she represents and has been

attending Annual General Membership

Assemblies (AGMAs).

In addition, he/she and his/her spouse do

not hold any public office and has not been a

candidate in the last preceding local or national

elections. Those mentioned are some of the

important qualifications for those who want to

run for the BOD position of the electric

cooperative.

Meanwhile, NORECO-I has already set

the date for the elections of the earlier

mentioned districts. Election for La Libertad

will be on March 14, Bais City on March 7 and Vallehermoso on March 21. Deadline for

filing of certificate of candidacies is on Feb. 25,

Mar. 4 and March 11 for Bais City, La

Libertad, and Vallehermoso, respectively. (rmn/

ral/PIA7-NegOr)

New DOE circular amends criteria for electric coop BOD

ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

SIQUIJOR, Jan. 27 (PIA) — Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Moreno Tagra is pushing for forest

conservation in Siquijor province as he recognizes the significant role of forests in the biodiversity and in abating the effects of

climate change.

T agra said three of the six

municipalities in the province namely,

Larena, San Juan and Enrique

Villanueva have adopted the Forest Land Use

Plan (FLUP) of the Department of Environment

and Natural Resources (DENR) as one of the

best ways to preserve and conserve the

country‟s forests.

FLUP, said Tagra, contains comprehensive

forest land use plans that are important tools

in the holistic and efficient management of

forest resources.

It helps determine the optimum and

balance use of natural resources to support

local, regional and national growth and

development, he added.

With this development, Tagra said the

DENR will closely work with all the local

government units (LGUs) and other national

agencies for its implementation.

DENR record shows a total land area of

1,489,077 hectares for Region 7.

Thirty percent or 451,992 hectares of this

are classified as forestland; 904,053 hectares or

61% are alienable and disposable lands and

only 133,032heactares or 9% are protected

areas.

Only six percent of the country‟s orginal

forests remains, the DENR record also shows.

Supporting the effort, Larena Municipal

Mayor Dean Villa said FLUP has given the

DENR, the LGUs and the local communities

right direction to pursue for good management

of the forests and forestlands in accordance

with the ideals of sustainable services, disaster

risk reduction, biodiversity conservation, and

climate change adaptation for a resilient

community. (rmn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor w/

reports from IAAbatayo)

PENRO pushes for forest conservation in

Siquijor

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) – On February 1, a group of singing priests from the Diocese of Dumaguete together with

other artists of Silliman University (SU) will hold an interfaith benefit concert entitled ‗Amare Et Servire‘ at Luce Auditorium

of Silliman.

Diocese of Dumaguete, SU to hold benefit concert

T he event will have shows at 3:00 pm

and an 8:00 pm so more people can

watch the benefit concert.

„Amare Et Servire‟ are Latin words that

mean love and service.

Organizers want to show to the

public that different religious sectors can come

together and be unified in love and service to

the Lord.

“The whole idea here is to cement a unity

not based on differences but based on a

common purpose to serve and love others,”

SU President Ben Malayang said in a press

briefing today.

Fr. Jun Limbaga of the Diocese of

Dumaguete also shared that Dumaguete

Bishop Julito B. Cortes is interested on the

possibility of collaboration with SU.

“This will be an opportunity for us to

work together. He manifested interest because the Catholic Church believes in the inclusivity

of love. In spite of so many differences, we can

still work together in unity, in love and in

service to the Lord,” Fr. Limbaga adds.

Silliman University is covered by the

United Church of Christ in the Philippines.

The concert features performances from

the singing priests‟ group New Priests on the

Block, a medley of broadway songs from Fr.

Randy Falcon-Delos Santos and a dance

number from a group of priest performers. Fr.

Limbaga also announced that people should

watch out for a singing number from Bishop

Cortes.

Meanwhile, performers from SU include

SU Orchestra, SU Dance Troupe, soloists from

SU Church and students of College of

Performing Arts. SU President Malayang will

also give a song number to the audience.

Ticket prices are P500, P300, P200 and

P150.

Proceeds of the concert will go to the sectors of the society that are in need of big

financial support.

“The purpose is to raise some funds that

will be common to all of us for what we can

commonly decide. For sure the money that will

be raised will be divided together and most

likely this will be for helping who are really in

need such as old aged and retired clergy from

both UCCP and the diocese, our brothers and

sisters in Jail and brothers and sisters in mental

facilities,” Malayang explained.

With this, both the Diocese of

Dumaguete and officials of SU invites the public

to watch the interfaith benefit concert. The

two parties are also open to collaborating with

other religious dominations and institutions in

one goal, promoting love and service to the

Lord.

“This will be the first of hopefully, many

other initiatives to express our unity to

collaborate for the good of our people and to

manifest deeply the mercy and compassion of our God,” Fr. Limbaga said. (rmn/ral/PIA7

-NegOr)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 26 (PIA) --- The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing

Institutions (CARD-MRI) has targeted marginalize women to avail its micro-finance loans apart from its over 25,000

member-beneficiaries in Negros Oriental.

CARD-MRI targets women to avail its micro-finance loans

A ccording to corporate assistant

communications unit officer Raffy

Antes under CARD Mutua l ly

Reinforcing Institutions (CARD-MRI) projects

provides loans such as small scale livelihood

activities, agriculture, education, health and

disaster risk management especially to poor

women and their families in the countryside.

Antes said these women are trained on

how to manage their finances in the conduct of

their livelihood activities to improve their

business as well the quality of life.

Women‟s groups are organized from 10

to 30 members each group to be assisted for a

technical training on any skills from

agri-farming, sari-sari stores or buy and selling

among other small livelihood businesses.

Each member can avail a maximum of

P50,000 with an existing business and a

permanent resident on a particular barangay,

said Antes.

In Dumaguete City, Antes said some

1,289 member-recip ients are now

self-sustaining with different kinds of

small-scale businesses.

The CARD also assists disaster

victim-members in the relief and recovery and

rehabilitation in response to the need of the

clients.

In2013, CARD MRI reported 326 of its

member-cl ients perished with 170

still reported missing because of

typhoon Yolanda.

In the affected areas, a total of 179,388

members and 156 staff were affected, with lives

lost, houses destroyed and livelihood in

shambles.

This disaster has put a dent on CARD

MRI‟s maximum capacity to serve low-income

groups in the calamity-stricken areas.

CARD MRI is a group of mutually

reinforcing institutions comprised of CARD

Inc., CARD Bank, CARD-MRI Development

Institute and others. (rmn/JCT/PIA7-Negros

Oriental)

CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

BIR-8 kicks off 2015 tax drive preliminaries

PALO, Leyte, Jan.29 (PIA) – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Eastern Visayas has initially launched Tuesday its 2015

Tax Campaign Preliminaries at the BIR Multi-Purpose Building, Government Center, Palo, Leyte to increase revenues in the

region.

T his year‟s tax campaign carries

the theme “Angat Pa Pinas, Pay

your Taxes Promptly and

Correctly”.

Atty. Diosdado R. Mendoza, Regional

Director of the Bureau of Internal

Revenue (BIR) said, the agency is

committed to adapt to any circumstance

and challenge by enhancing taxpayer

service in the region.

Although the Bureau failed to meet

the P6.1 Billion target collection for the

year 2014, it has exceeded the previous

year‟s collection by P150 million.

However, Mendoza is very optimistic

that for the year 2015 the region will

definitely recover from the shortfall

knowing that everything will be done

online and with the establishment of a

new data processing division this year.

Du r i n g t he t ax c ampa i gn

preliminaries, a well-known HR

Consultant Enrico Victor B. Nisperas who

was the resource speaker during the

forum discussed the importance of

organizational development and change

management for the ASEAN Economic

Integration that will take effect on

December this year.

Mendoza further said that they

initiated the forum in order to raise

pub l i c awarenes s on ASEAN

economic integration and its effect on

local taxation.

The forum was attended by the

businessmen, professionals, students,

officials and representatives from

various government agencies. (AJC/CBA/

PIA-8)

Samar CENRO urges Samarnons to plant pili

I n an interview, Torres said that

aside from being deep rooted, pili

prevents soil erosion; it can also

produce the valuable pili nut, resin that

housewives can use to ignite fire when

cooking and the shells can be used as

charcoal.

He added that under the National

Greening Program (NGP) island town

Daram has embarked on a massive pili

planting involving some 25 thousand

seedlings. These will be planted in

Barangay Mayabay which has an area of 78

hectares.

Pili can bear fruits after seven years

with a price of P600.00/kilo, the seasoned

forester said.

With the location of Samar in

the „typhoon belt‟, the pili tree

is highly recommended to prevent

soil erosion during torrential rains, he

added.

Prevention of soil erosion through

planting pili will also prevent the topsoil

from flowing through waterways that

eventually causes siltation of the rivers and

their tributaries.

The DENR officer noted that due to

the diminishing forest cover in Samar,

rivers have become silted causing them to

overflow and flood the settlements in

low-lying areas.

This year 2015, as NGP continues,

DENR recommends pili for its

environment and economic benefits. (ajc/

nbq/PIA-Samar)

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 27 (PIA) - Mar Torres, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer in

Catbalogan, invites Samarnons to plant the pili tree as a typhoon resilient forest cover.

DTI grants starter kits to Yolanda-affected entrepreneurs

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Jan. 29 (PIA) --- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Provincial Field Office,

Borongan City will be distributing starter kits or grant assistance in kind through their Livelihood Seeding Program from

January 30 to February 6, 2015.

L ivelihood Seeding Program (LSP) is

intended to help and augment the

income of small businesses in the

communities who were affected by “Super

Typhoon Yolanda”.

According to Mr. Nathaniel Fabillar,

OIC-DTI, Provincial Caretaker, DTI focuses

on recovery and rehabilitation of the

industry and livelihood, trade and services

sector.

“We concentrate on the recovery and

rehabilitation of Industry and Livelihood

Sector,” Fabillar said.

Fabillar added that before the

distribution of grants, the agency conducted

orientations and seminars on Small Medium

Enterprise Roving Academy more specially

on Entrepreneurship, Business Planning and

Simple Bookeeping.

For the Province of Eastern Samar,

there are some 387 recipients or

beneficiaries who will be receiving the

grant.

The beneficiaries come from Priority

Sectors such as Processed Food, Sari-Sari

Store, Gift-Décors and Housewares (GDH).

From the Processed Food are105

beneficiaries, Sari-Sari Store has 262

beneficiaries and from GDH are 20

beneficiaries at P5,000 each or a total grant

assistance of P1,935,000.

The recipients of the said livelihood

come from the nine municipalities

heavily damaged due to the super typhoon.

The nine municipalities and their

priority sectors are: Guiuan - 58 Processed

Food, 20 GDH and 101 Sari-Sari

Store; Salcedo – 9 Processed Food and 23

Sari-Sari Store; Mercedes – 1 Processed

Food and 5 Sari-sari Store; Lawaan – 5

Processed Food and 15 – Sari-Sari Store;

Balangiga – 6 Processed Food and 21

Sari-Sari Store; Giporlos - 4 Processed

Food and 33 Sari-Sari Store; Hernani – 5

Processed Food and 16 Sari-Sari Store;

Balangkayan – 6 Processed Food and 21

Sari-Sari Store; and Quinapondan – 11

Processed Food and 27 Sari-Sari Store.

The contents of Starter Kits are: For

Processed food – 1 pc. burner gas stove

with 11 kgs. gas tank complete with

accessories and 1 pc. streamer or 1 pc. fry-

ing pan – big; For Sari-Sari Store – 1 sack

milled rice or 1 sack sugar, light brown, 1 pc.

weighing scale, table type, 10 kgs. capacity, 1

box laundry detergent bar, 1 pc. calculator

and 1 pc. record book and for GDH – 1

pc. electric jig saw or 1 pc. electric bench

grinder or 1 pc electric hand drill or 1 pc.

angle grinder. (AJC/SDC/PIA-E. Samar)

By: Consuelo B. Alarcon

By Samuel D. Candido

By Ninfa B. Quirante

ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015ILOILO DINAGYANG 2015

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

LGU-Alangalang reaps Kalahi CIDDS GAPAS national award

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 26 (PIA) – The Municipality of Alangalang, Leyte has been awarded as the GAPAS National

Awardee for Model LGU Implementing KALAHI-CIDDS Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development

(DSWD).

A lang-Alang Mayor Loreto Yu will

receive the award on January 29 at

DSWD Central Office in time for

the 64th anniversary celebration of the

agency.

The GAPAS Award or Gawad

Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan Award is a sub

-category of the Pagkilala sa Natatanging

Kontribusyon Ko Sa Bayan (PANATA)

Awards.

Said award is given to a local

government unit that has made

outstanding contributions in achieving

the objectives of Kalahi-CIDDS in the

last two years in providing the poor and

the vulnerable groups improved access to

social services, inclusive local planning and

budgeting and the implementation of

the Community-Driven Development

approach.

DSWD Regional Director Nestor

Ramos said that the success of

KALAHI-CIDDS is not solely attributed to

the Regional Program Management Office

but this can also be attributed to the

support of other stakeholders like the

LGUs.

“The award is DSWD‟s way of

appreciation and recognition of

partner-stakeholders support in the

implementation of poverty reduction and

social protection programs in the

municipal level,” Ramos said.

KALAHI-CIDDS or Kapit-Bisig Laban

sa kahirapan Comprehensive and

Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a

program of the government that seeks to

help alleviate poverty using the community

-driven development (CDD) strategy.

CDD strategy gives people the

capacity to make decisions on issues

contributing to their situation, a strategy

used by the municipality of Alang-Alang as

a KALAHI-CIDDS municipality for almost

three years. In 2013, the implementation

of KALAHI-CIDDS has been expanded

i n to KALAHI -C IDDS Nat ion a l

Community Driven Development

Program covering 136 municipalities in

Eastern Visayas, the biggest coverage in

the country. (ajc/cba/PIA-8)

Priest reflects on Tacloban Papal visit MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 26 (PIA) -- A diocesan priest on Sunday drew parallels and noted some coincidences

taking place when Pope Francis visited Tacloban as part of his five-day apostolic and state visit to the Philippines.

R ev. Fr. Lito Narit shared in his

homily at 11:00 AM Mass in the

Cathedral here that the prime

reason why the Pontiff came to the

country was to meet victims and survivors

of typhoon Yolanda as well as the Bohol

quake.

And there was bad weather when the

Pope did come on January 17, giving him a

taste of what was it like on November 8,

2013. “The name of the typhoon was

„Amang”. In Bisaya, this means mute, or

unable to speak. The Pope also was not

able to answer the human suffering caused

by Yolanda,” Narit said.

He added that in Tagalog language,

“Amang” means Father, and so the Holy

Father was around to console and to

comfort. The stormy condition also

showed that in spite of anything bad that

happens in a person‟s life, the Father, or

God Himself, is there all the time, Narit

mused.

But Narit did not mention the

accident involving a lady CRS volunteer

who died when a scaffolding holding a big

loudspeaker fell when gusts of wind blew

shortly after the Pope had said Mass at the

airport, and his motorcade had left.

Still, the Gospel reading on Sunday

was Christ‟s invitation to “Come, Follow

Me,” and Cristel Mae Padasas‟ fate may

have been just that, a literal obedience

until death, some observers noted.

The Pope also displayed humble

obedience when his pilot insisted that they

left early as the storm will worsen, cutting

short the papal engagement in Leyte. (ajc/

mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)

Hernani school gets 19 new classrooms

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Jan. 26 (PIA) - The Global Hope Network in mutual cooperation and confidence with

Ttokamsa Mission Church, FOREVER 21, Global Hope, Inc. and Shoemart (SM) Foundation turned over last Jan. 21 a

two-storey high school building with 19 classrooms, one library and one Korean Cultural Center to Pedro E. Candido Memorial

National High School (PECMNHS) in Brgy Nagaja, Hernani, Eastern Samar.

P resent during the turn-over were

Dr. Yong Joong Cho, Founder

and (CEO) of Global Hope Inc;

Rev. Bong Joo Chun, Vice President ;

Senior Pastor Ken Timothy Choe,

representative of Ttokamsa Mission

Church; Ms. Lina Kho, Marketing Manager

of FOREVER 21; Ms. Linda M. Atayde,

Executive Director- Education of SM

Foundation; Ms. Elena S. de Luna, Asst.

School‟s Division Superintendent; Hon.

Jose Tan Ramirez, former Governor and

Congressman of E. Samar; Hon. Wilmar S.

Candido, Vice Mayor of Hernani;

municipal officials, teachers and students.

After the turn-over ceremony, the

signing of Deed of Acceptance was

done by Mrs. Elena S. de Luna and was

then given to Mrs. Noime A. Villarino,

principal of PECMNHS.

In her acceptance message, Mrs.

Villarino thanked the stakeholder donors.

For his part, Dr. Cho said “we hope

and expect from this project that more

students will have higher hopes for their

bright future, and become global leaders

for their community.”

In an interview with PIA, one of the

students of PECMNHS, Bryan Sanchez,

said that he is very thankful to the donors,

because the new school building means

“new dreams, new hope”.

Mrs. Delina Calzita, a teacher, also

said that the donors “inspire us to keep

dreaming for the future”.

The two-storey building will benefit

some 846 students, 36 permanent

teachers, five non-teaching staff and the

principal. The said building is equipped and

complete with fixtures and facilities with

the total project cost of P16-M. (ajc/sdc/

PIA8-E. Samar)

CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015CEBU SINULOG 2015

One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

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Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Alicia E. Nicart

Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor

Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout

Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com

PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com

PIA 8, Children‟s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com