One Visayas e-Newsletter Vol 5 Issue 9
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Transcript of One Visayas e-Newsletter Vol 5 Issue 9
Vol 5 Issue 9 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 March 2 - 8, 2015
WESTERN VISAYAS
In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue Gov't works on 'Yolanda' coconut rehab in EV
LGUs strengthen solid waste management plans
More on Region 8, pages 6-7.
Also CLICK Here...
New equipment, facilities to improve Mactan’s immigration services
Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY (PIA) --- The Bureau of Immigration
(BI) has installed new equipment and facilities for
better services at the immigration counters for
International-bound passengers at the Mactan Cebu
International Airport (MCIAA).
“These upgrades have been lobbied for quite
some time and we are very happy with the new
development," said BI commissioner Siegfred Mison.
Recently, there were 29 new passport readers and
20 computers were installed at the counters while the
immigration arrival counters were moved to the
newly-renovated International Arrival Area 2.
“The new counters and equipment will ease
passenger congestion at the arrival area and cut
waiting time by more than half”, said Mison.
In 2014, the Anti-Fraud Laboratory was set
up at MCIA, complete with the necessary equipment to
detect fraudulent documents.
Last year, BI-MCIA was able to process 13,940
flights and 1,763,470 passengers.
“These numbers are expected to receive on a
yearly basis and we are confident that the BI is
fully-equipped and ready to receive the demands of the
international passengers,” Mison concluded. (rmn/HFG/
PIA-7/BI)
By Consuelo B. Alarcon
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 4 (PIA) –
Secretary Francis Pangilinan of the Office of the
Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural
Modernization (OPAFSAM) has doubled efforts
towards accomplishing the Yolanda Coconut
Rehabilitation and Recovery Program in Eastern Visayas.
During his visit recently in the city, Pangilinan said
he wants to get the job done in coordination with the
Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), the local
government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders.
Pangilinan said he also welcomes feedback
mechanism to know what‟s happening in areas funded
by the rehabilitation program.
“If there is information that you think will help us,
please relay to us and we will validate and we will check
and cross check and double check, “Pangilinan said.
Relative to this, a helicopter survey will be
conducted soon to validate reports of accomplishments
relative to the implementation of the Yolanda Coconut
Rehabilitation and Recovery Program in Eastern Visayas.
Some 2.8 million coco trees reportedly destroyed
by Yolanda in the region were already cut during the 30
-day operation from January 25 to February 28, this
year.
However, OPAFSAM Undersecretary Fredelita
Guiza said that even if the targets were met and even
exceeded, said figure has to be validated first by way of
ocular survey, drone or ground validation by various
parties. An estimated 2.9 million remaining coconut
trees are targeted to be cut by March 30, 2015.(ajc/cba/
PIA-8)
More on Region 7, pages 4-5.
Also CLICK Here…
More on Region 6, pages 2-3.
Also CLICK Here…
EASTERN VISAYAS
CENTRAL VISAYAS
Elsa S. Subong
ILOILO CITY, March 2 (PIA6) --- Local
government units in Western Visayas are set to
implement strengthened solid waste management
(SWM) plans this 2015.
The Regional Ecology Center (REC)-6 reviewed
and evaluated the SWM plans by the different LGUs in
the region during its first meeting and workshop with
member-agencies held February 25-27, 2015 at Eon
Centennial Hotel here.
The plans are based on the standard framework
established by the National Solid Waste Management
Commission as prescribed on the 10-Year SWM Plan
outline.
According to the Department of Environment
and Natura l Resources - Env i ronment a l
Management Bureau (DENR-EMB)-6, some 80 local
government units from the provinces of Aklan,
Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, and Guimaras submitted their
SWM plans.
Atty. Jonathan Bulos, DENR-EMB 6 Regional
Director, said the review and evaluation
conducted by REC will fast-track the endorsement to
the NSWMC.
He said that there is a need to hasten the
implementation of the SWM plans as this has been long
overdue.
The SWM plan is mandated by Republic Act 9003
or the "Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of
2000".
Meanwhile, the REC is a multi-sectoral body,
comprising government agencies and organizations,
that advocates the benefit of a good environment. (JSC/
LTP-PIA6 Iloilo)
TESDA Director General and Secretary Joel
Villanueva talks about job opportunities for
skilled workers abroad as well as TESDA's
training programs for the public in a short
meeting with members of Dumaguete press
recently. Villanueva also disclosed that for
2015, the agency has P3.2B budget intended
for its training programs. (PIA7-NegOr)
Ilonggo Senate President Franklin Drilon
articulates the importance of improving
facilities and infrastructure in the Iloilo Fish
Port Complex (IFPC) in the rehabilitation of
the Iloilo River during the inauguration of
various IFPC developmental projects held
Thursday, March 5 at Brgy. Tanza, Iloilo City.
(PIA6)
Philippine Information Agency OIC Regional
Director Alicia E. Nicart leads students and
teachers of the Eastern Samar National
Comprehensive High School in making a
pledge of commitment to climate change
advocacy. This happened during the Kabataan
Para sa Kalikasan Students Forum held on
February 27. (Daniel Mausisa)
Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and
Agricultural Modernization (OPAFSAM) secretary Francis Pangilinan
(2nd from left) hands in a check worth P23M to governor Sharee
Ann Tan of Samar for the rehabilitation and recovery of the
coconut industry affected by super typhoon Yolanda during the 2nd
meeting of the Task Force – Yolanda Coconut Rehabilitation and
Recovery Program held at NIA regional office 8, Brgy. Marasbaras,
Tacloban City, March 2. Others in photo are (l-r) PCA admin
Romulo Arancon, Leyte governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla,
OPAFSAM Usec Fredelita Guiza and Leyte vice-governor Carlo
Loreto. (Raul S. Tiozon, Jr./PIA-8)
WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222
NIA inaugurates communal irrigation project
in Aklan
KALIBO, Aklan, March 3 (PIA6) -- The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) recently inaugurated its communal irrigation
project in Lupo, Altavas, Aklan.
T he Agbalili Communal Irrigation
Project, which took 14 years
to be realized by the NIA
for people of Altavas, has a potential
to serve some 200 hectares of ricefields
benefiting 180 farmer beneficiaries
o f B a r a n g a y L u p o a n d t h r e e
other neighboring ones – Odiong, Ginictan and
Man-up.
The inauguration was led by NIA
Administrator Florencio Padernal who came all
the way from Manila to grace the event
together Deputy Administrator Estrella
Icasiano.
Also present during the inauguration were
Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores,
Congressman Teodorico Haresco, Altavas
local officials led by Mayor Denny Refol, NIA
Aklan and Capiz officials and employees,
Altavas barangay officials and irrigators
associations and the local media.
In his message, Administrator Padernal
said the irrigation project will now make it
possible for farmers in the area to be able to
have 2 to 3 croppings a year compared to a
single cropping when the ricefields were yet
rain-dependent or rainfed.
Padernal said the project will enable the
farmers to increase their income and improve
their living conditions.
For his part, Governor Miraflores told the
farmer-beneficiaries of the irrigation system to
take care care of the project and to cooperate
with each other when availing of irrigation
water for their respective ricefields.
“This is the result of your long wait and
this will be a big help to your livelihood”,
Miraflores said.
He also praised NIA Administrator
Padernal for personally gracing the event. “In
my years as a provincial governor, this is the
first time that an administrator from NIA came
to Aklan to inaugurate a project”, he said.
On the other hand, Rep. Haresco told the
farmer beneficiaries that with the availability of
irrigation water, they could avail from the P249
million livelihood for cooperatives and be able
to plant high value crops like lettuce and other
vegetables through the Aklan State University
(ASU).
After the inauguration, the group
proceeded to Sigcay, Banga, Aklan for the site
visitation of the proposed Diversion Dam of
Aklan River Irrigation System, then to Aklan
State University (ASU) Banga campus for the
project presentation of the proposed diversion
dam. (JSC/VGV-PIA6 Aklan)
By Venus G. Villanueva
ILOILO CITY, March 5 (PIA6) --- The Port of Dumangas has brought the municipality into the limelight of progress and
development.
Port opens new development opportunities for Dumangas
By: Leonard T. Pineda I
I n the recent inauguration of the
new terminal building in Dumangas
port, Mayor Rolando Distura said
that a number of businesses have been
e s tab l i shed s ince the port was
opened and more investments are expected to
pour in.
“The port‟s development is a vital
component of plans to put up an economic
zone in Dumangas,” he said.
He said the port is an immense
contribution to the efforts of developing the
municipality into becoming Iloilo‟s second
component city.
He said that the population also increased
due to migration as people see the municipality
as a secure and peaceful place to live in.
The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)
allocated a P180-million grant for the upgrade
of the Port of Dumangas which serves
passenger ferries and roll-on-roll-off (RORO)
vessels.
The port is a vital link in the SRNH
(Strong Republic Nautical Highway) Western
Nautical Highway.
The port links to the Port of Pulupandan
in Negros Occidental where basic commodities
such as fish, vegetables, meat and dairy
products, cement and animal feeds pass
through.
The Port of Dumangas operates on a 24/7
service with an average of 23 trips daily. (JSC/
LTP-PIA6 Iloilo)
SAN JOSE, Antique, March 5 (PIA6) - - The National Food Authority (NFA) here is buying palay from farmers which will
likewise help farmers improve their lot, and beef up the buffer rice stock and food security of the province.
A ssistant Regional Manager Hedy G.
Jardeleza, who is also acting as the
Provincial Manager of NFA Antique,
urged farmers to bring their rice at the NFA
buying stations in order to avail of additional
incentives.
NFA would be buying dry palay at P17.70
for individual farmers, and P18.00 for
Farmers‟ Organization with additional incentive
of P0.20 for drying and up to P0.50 delivery
incentive.
In Antique, there are only two buying
stations located at the NFA-Antique
Provincial Office, Barangay San Fernando, San
Jose de Buenavista with telephone number
(036) 5403697 or mobile no. 09278557191;
and at GID Culasi Warehouse, Barangay
Caridad, Culasi, Antique with tel. no. (036)
2778593. Jardeleza said that the issuance of
farmer‟s pass book is now simplified and free
of charge.
To secure an individual farmer‟s/ master‟s
pass book, a farmer should submit any of the
following requirements: certification from the
Barangay Captain, Municipal Agricultural
Officer, NIA, Municipal Agrarian Reform
Officer indicating hectarage and whether the
area cultivated is irrigated or not, as basis in
determining procurement allocation for
individual farmers.
Likewise, for farmers coop/associations/
organizations, they must submit CDA or SEC
Registration or any registration certificate from
any government registering agency and list of
farmer-members certified by Municipal
Agricultural Officer indicating hectarage, yield
per hectare and location of farm as basis in
determining procurement allocation of the
farmer association.
Meanwhile, the new NFA administrator is
Renan B. Dalisay.
The agency is now back with the
Office of the President along with three
other agencies, namely, Philippine Coconut
Authority, National Irrigation Administration,
and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority
under the newly created Presidential
Assistant on Food and Agricultural
Modernization with Secretary Francis
Pangilinan as head.
NFA is keeping its linkage with the
farmers with its slogan “Agrikultura ay
pagyamanin, buhay Pinoy ay paunlarin.” (NFA/
JSC/VWV-PIA6 Antique)
NFA Antique beefs up buffer rice stock By Vicente W. Villavert
WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333
Capiceños thank Japan gov’t for help
By Jemin B. Guillermo
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, March 5 (PIA6) – Capiceños are grateful to the Japanese government for the continued help to
super typhoon Yolanda-affected residents in the area.
P anay mayor Dante Bermejo said that
they are very thankful to the
government of Japan for the various
assistance to his people who were among the
victims of the November 2013 typhoon Yolan-
da.
He said that the Japan government
through the Japan Heart was the first to
respond to his town after the devastation of
the typhoon that displaced many of his
residents. “Aside from the Japan Heart, several
other Japanese organizations have likewise
extended their help to us particularly in
providing livelihood opportunities for the
coastal and island residents,” he said.
Bermejo added that the Japanese
government has likewise partnered with the
UN Habitat and Department of Social Welfare
and Development in the construction of 70
houses. He also expressed his appreciation to
the said government for positively responding
to their request for food for work program in
the area.
The Japan government through its
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
donated to Panay town a total of 175.11 metric
tons of rice for the identified 5,837 families in
the area for the food for work program. The
donation to said municipality is part of the
580.08 metric tons of rice donation for victims
of Yolanda in Carles, Iloilo and Balete, Aklan.
The rice donation, for which Panay is the
only recipient in Capiz, was made through the
ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve
(APTERR) for the Tier 3 program. Bermejo
said that each beneficiary is given a total of 30
kilograms of rice after rendering five days
works such as clean-up and clearing activity in
the barangay roads and highways as well as
dredging of canals and drainage.
The donation turnover, March 5, in
Panay town was personally attended
by APTERR General Manager Wiroj
Saengbangka, MAFF-Japan Director General
Akira Karasawa, Japan Embassy in the
Philippines First Secretary Ryutaro Aoki and
other Japan officials.
Also present were top officials
of the National Food Authority led by
Deputy Administrator Ludovico Jarina and
NFA Assistant Administrator Joseph Dela
Cruz, DSWD representatives, as well as
those from the provincial governments of Iloi-
lo, Aklan and Capiz. (JSC/JBG-PIA6 Capiz)
BFP encourages hiring of expert for electrical installations
ILOILO CITY, March 3 (PIA6) - - As the country observes Fire Prevention Month this March, the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) here in Western Visayas advised the public to consult knowledgeable person for the installation of their electrical
systems to prevent fire.
T he BFP 6 consolidated report
showed that electrical connections
are the leading cause of fires in the
region last year. Around 460 electrical fire
incidents were recorded.
In a radio interview on Sunday, BFP 6
Director Sr. Supt. Eleuterio Yturriaga
encouraged the public to hire knowledgeable
persons such as professionals or master
electricians to perform the job to prevent
electrical system overloading that puts them at
danger and risk.
Likewise, Yturriaga reminded parents to
put matches and lighters in safe places or to
keep them out of reach of their children.
Based on the same BFP 6 data, lighted
match sticks or lighters that are often played
by children are the second cause of fires in the
region in 2014 numbering to 193.
Other causes of fires are cigarette butts
and open flame due to unattended cooking or
stove and candle or „gasera‟. Over-all, BFP 6
recorded a total 1,571 fire incidents in 2014,
about 93 more as compared to 1,478 listed in
2013. The damage to property of the recorded
fire incidents in 2014 was estimated at
P217,750, 170.12.
Of the 1,571 recorded fire incidents in
the region, 750 are categorized as structural
fires and 821 as non-structural fires. Under the
structural fires, residential fires recorded the
highest with 509 incidents while under the non
-structural fires, accounting the most incidents
are grass, forest and rubbish fires with 755.
To further intensify their fire prevention
awareness campaign, Yturriaga said they
continue to enlist the support of the public,
especially those in the grassroots or the
barangays, to their various activities that
include the establishments of barangay fire
volunteer brigades.
He encouraged barangay officials to have
their own barangay fire brigades who will act
as first line of defense during the occurrence of
fire in their localities.
Yturriaga said the BFP mission is “to
prevent and suppress destructive fires,
investigate its causes, provide emergency
medical and rescue services, and enforce other
fire related laws with active involvement of the
community”. (JSC/LAF-PIA6)
By Lilibeth A. French
BACOLOD CITY, March 4 (PIA6) – The local government of Bacolod welcomes the entry of more investments from the first
branch in the country of a premium Korean coffee chain to real estate investments and new mall locations.
B acolod is the first site in the country
of the popular Korean coffee brand
Tom N Toms Coffee with chain
already found in the United States, China,
Australia, Mongolia, Qatar, Thailand, Singapore
and Vietnam.
This franchise is bringing their
international flavor to the City of Smiles as well
as their taste, quality and services, a release
from the City Public Information Office said.
Aside from Tom N Toms, the city will
soon see the rise of two CityMall Commercial
Centers Inc., a subsidiary of DoubleDragon
Properties Corporation.
Bacolod City Mayor Monico O.
Puentevella disclosed that DoubleDragon
Properties Corporation has purchased a 1.1
hectare corner lot in Goldenfields Commercial
Complex and a 1-hectare prime property along
Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan.
Ayala Land Incorporated is also set to
ground-break its new locations for
development in Bacolod City although these
properties are previously owned by the
Provincial Government.
“This is good news for Bacolod,”
Puentevella said while adding that the city is
doing well with the influx of investors.
Meanwhile, President and Chief Operating
Officer of CMCCI Ferdinand Sia in his letter
addressed to Puentevella said that they
strongly believe that Bacolod is one of the
most economically prosperous cities in the
Visayas and an attractive destination for
investors and the decision to put up two
CityMalls is a worthwhile investment.
“We believe that this additional
investment in Bacolod City will further spur
substantial local economic growth and will
provide decent employment to the local
workforce of your vibrant city,” Sia expressed
in his letter. Tom N Toms Coffee President
Kim Do-kyun who was here during the shop‟s
opening February 27 is impressed with Bacolod
because the people are very kind and they
always smile, adding he wanted to come back
soon, this time to play golf here. *(JSC/EAD
-PIA6 Negros Occidental)
Bacolod City welcomes more investments By Easter Anne D. Doza
CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444
DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 27 (PIA) – A Cabinet official announced that government will intensify its climate change mitigation
and adaptation interventions to areas that are highly susceptible to the ill effects of this climate crisis.
Gov’t ups climate change mitigation and adap-
tation interventions
S ec. Neric Acosta, the Presidential
A d v i s e r o n E n v i r o n m e n t a l
Protection, said they will concentrate on
introducing adaptive technologies and other
climate change mitigation innovations to the
most vulnerable provinces, cities and coastal
communities in the remaining days of President
Aquino‟s term.
He cited that Eastern Visayas as well as
Cebu, some parts of Mindanao, areas
surrounding the Laguna Lake and Metro Manila
are included in areas where the government
will focus their interventions.
Acosta was in Dumaguete City for a
speaking engagement in Foundation University
on environmental imperatives for present
environmental initiatives.
In a meeting with members of the
press, Acosta talked about his office‟s initiative
in capacity building of communities and
engaging local government units, schools, ba-
rangays to take actions against climate change.
“We are here to engage schools, the
community, barangays, non-government
organizations because that‟s what really what
counts,” he said.
Acosta also encouraged local leaders to
have science and empirically driven policy
decisions and community engagement kind of
intervention that will enable citizens to shift to
green design as part of climate change
adaptation and mitigation measures.
The Presidential Adviser also lauded
Foundation University‟s environmental
sustainability programs and projects and he
hopes that this could be replicated to other
parts of the country.
Meanwhile, also made an emphasize to
Manila Call to Action on Climate Change, a
joint statement of the Philippines and France
addressing the climate problem during the visit
of French President Francois Hollande in the
country.
Acosta said Manila‟s call to action will also
set the direction or focus to government‟s
intervention against climate change in the
coming days. (rmn/ral/PIA7-NegOr)
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb. 25 (PIA)—The Department of Social Welfare and Development allocated over P110 million
for its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) in Bohol this year, according to the Regional Program Coordinator.
DSWD allots P110M budget for Bohol’s SLP
D SWD‟s SLP Bohol coordinator Cher-
ry Merin revealed this during the
recent Convergence Strate-
gy Orientation for the Media held at the
Reynas Garden and Haven, February 24.
SLP is a community-based capacity
building program that seeks to improve the
program beneficiaries‟ socio-economic status,
implemented through a two-pronged
program,.
SLP gives focus on microenterprise
development, where it empowers communities
into micro-enterprises development by
capacity building people in small venture
organizations to become organizationally and
economically viable.
On the other hand, it is also into job
facilitation, when it helps community
members access appropriate employment
opportunities. As the DSWD empowers through
community driven development, it
implements its SLP by an approach
called Community-Driven Enterprise
Deve lopmen t (CDED) , w i t h th e
end goal of creating 2.3 million
self-sufficient Conditional cash Transfer families
in 2016.
This trains and capacitates the
program benef ic iar ies to act ive ly
contribute to production and labor markets by
looking where these workers are necessary,
where markets and employment chances are
open.
For its SLP, DSWD puts in Self
Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K),
which provides entrepreneurship trainings,
facilitates access to business service providers,
provides start-up capital and increase business
portfolio through mentoring and coaching,
Merin points out. For SEA-K, DSWD allocates as much as
P25, 470, 000 capital seed fund for Bohol in its
2015 budget.
This however pales in comparison to the
P77, 940, 000 for technical-vocational trainings,
which should get family member beneficiaries
the right skills to land in jobs.
In fact, another allotment for pre
-employment assistance at DSWD SLP
reached P1,945,000, according to DSWD.
Again, DSWD allots Cash for Building
Livelihood Assets (CBLA) at P1,683,000.
This would be in form of compensation to
members who work to build communal or
privately owned livelihood assets from DSWD
assistance.
Project community mobilization fund sums
up as a locally counterparted amount of P3,
225, 960.00 from the DSWD and P32,000 from
Local Government Units.
Over all, the SLP budget runs to P110, 305, 960.0, Merin said. (rmn/RAC/PIABohol)
Central Visayas, Feb. 27 (PIA)--- The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) here revealed an increase in the number of operations
conducted and cases filed involving illegal drugs from 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Intensified illegal drug drive boosts operations, cases
I n the recent Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis
(TSIP) Forum PRO 7 data showed that
cases filed in courts involving illegal
drugs rose from 372 in January to February 19,
2014 to 867 of the same period this year.
The same data then showed that illegal
drug operations intensified from 286 in January
to February 19, 2014 to 389 covering the same
period in 2015.
PRO -7 also recorded a 168% increase in
the cases filed on illegal drugs in the region
from 1, 622 cases in 2013 to 3, 605 in 2014.
As to operations conducted on illegal
drugs in Central Visayas, PRO-7 reported that
from 1, 390 in 2013 it then rose to 2, 526 in
2014.
With this development, PRO-7 reported
that at present of the 142 barangays in Central
Visayas 4.72% of it were already cleared from
illegal drugs mostly from Siquijor.
Deputy chief of operations division of
PRO -7 and acting Cebu City Police Chief P/
SSUPT. Conrado Capa said that although illegal
drugs is peculiar and one of the social
problems in Central Visayas the police force
here were able to find ways to combat against
it.
All police units in the region is strictly
implementing weekly target on illegal drugs
from identification of person involved up to the
conduct of the operations.
PRO-7 also revealed that factors seen to
be effective in the campaign against illegal drugs
include intensified operation on street
pushing, secret raid and f irearm
recovery. (rmn/ays/PIA 7/TSIP Forum)
Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan
By Amorganda Y. Saludar
Rey Anthony Chiu
CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555
SIQUIJOR, March 2 (PIA)— Coordinating Roads and Infrastructure Investments for Development (CR+ID) project of the Asia
Foundation and the Australian Embassy in the Philippines, in partnership with the Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and
Industry Inc. (SCCII), will focus on tourism and agriculture the priority sectors for Siquijor province.
T his is made as an offshoot of the
Provincial Consensus Building
workshop held February 13, 2015
where multi-stakeholders arrived at an
agreement on tourism and agriculture,
particularly banana and coconut as
the priority sectors and subsectors of the
province.
To help multi-stakeholders trace the
movement of goods and services from the
production, processing and marketing areas
and identify Strategic Road Links (SRL) and
Strategic Infrastructures (SI) in the province,
the SCCII conducted on February 25
to 26 Value Chain Analysis Workshop on
Tourism and Agriculture (Coconut
and Banana).
This facilitates the movement of certain
products as they flow through key market
actors such as farmers, traders, processors,
transporters, wholesalers and retailers to be
lobbied for inclusion in the 2016 budget, says
SCCII Chair Judy U. Booc.
CR+ID, according to regional project
coordinator Condrado Pono, is a successor to
the CRID project or Coordinating Road
Investments for Development, implemented
over the last two years in five provinces: Bohol,
Cebu, Guimaras, Surigao del Norte, and
Surigao del Sur.
It coordinates and rationalizes road
investments through the use of Value Chain
Analysis in identifying strategic road links
(SRLs) with local government units (LGUs) and
national government agencies (NGAs) adopting
a more regionally coordinated and integrated
infrastructure investment program, Pono
added.
It partners with the private sector, SCCII
for Siquijor, LGUs, NGAs that are funding road
and infra projects, and Congressmen who are
using their PDAF as well as other legislation to
support road projects, he also said.
Last year, the Australian Government and
the Asia Foundation jointly agreed to expand
CR+ID in two ways: thematically, to include
not only roads but also key infrastructure with
disaster risk and hazard identification, and
geographically, to include all provinces in
Regions VII and XIII, as well as three provinces
in Region VI.
The Australian Government‟s support
enables The Asia Foundation to provide
assistance to provincial governments to
complete their road network and key
infrastructure maps, identify strategic roads and
infrastructure with the private sector, and
c o n d u c t m u n i c i p a l l e v e l r o a d
investment planning workshops. (rmn/RAC/
PIA7-Siquijor)
CR+ID program in Siquijor to focus on
tourism, agri dev’t
CEBU CITY, Feb. 27 (PIA) --- The Social Security System (SSS) has opened a full-service branch at Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall
in Tabunok, Cebu on February 4, 2015.
T his new branch will serve members
in the municipalities of Talisay,
Minglanilla, Naga, San Fernando and
Carcar, Cebu covering a total of 14,442
employee members and 3,000 self-employed or
voluntary members.
It is also expected to help boster SSS
membership in the southern part of Cebu with
17,000 members in the area.
SSS Assistant Vice President for Central
Visayas Helen Solito said that one of
their priority thrusts is "to make SSS
accessible to our current and potential
members especially to the informal sector
workers.”
SSS Talisay Branch offers issuance of SS
number, accepts and processes applications on
benefit claims such as sickness, maternity,
disability, funeral and death applications as well
as UMID Data Capture Section.
SSS President and chief executive officer
Emilio S. De Quiros Jr. and Cebu Vice
Governor Agnes A. Magpale formally opened
the said branch.
Meanwhile, bloggers and media from
Cebu went home with inspiring stories from
the two-day ecovoluntourism event held in the
island of Bantayan recently.
Around 20 selected members of Cebu‟s
press and the Cebu Blogging Community
(CBC) went back to the mainland with pictures
and stories of the island‟s beauty, people‟s
resiliency, and how the Bantayanons
rose victorious after being hit by typhoon
Haiyan, so far the most devastating storm to
batter the Philippines.
The participants also staged a show of
force as they painted, cleaned and do
other carpentry works, in helping in the
construction of houses in the Gawad Kalinga
site on the island. (rmn/HFG/PIA-7/SSS with
FCC report)
SSS opens new office in Cebu
By Rizalie A. Calibo
Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, March 3 (PIA) --- The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. and the Probe Media Foundation, Inc. are set to launch in
Cebu the Search for Journalists of the Year (JOY) on March 5, 2014 at Crown Regency Hotel, Fuente Osmeña Blvd, Cebu City.
Visayas launch of Metrobank Foundation's Journalists of the Year set in Cebu
T he Search will recognize three (3)
journalists as paragons of their
p ro f e s s i on an d t h e m ed i a
industry.
Each of them will receive a Php 300,000.00
cash prize and a specially designed medallion.
The awardees will also be bestowed the
title “Metrobank Foundation Fellows in
Journalism”, where they will share their
expertise and experience through professional
lectures for students, academic professionals,
and media practitioners in different parts of the
country.
Interested parties are requested to
register via online form at http://bit.ly/
JOYCebu.
Now on its 2nd year, the JOY
Search recognizes excellence in Philippine
journalism.
It celebrates and honors Filipino
journalists from print, television, radio and
online media whose excellent stories have
contributed to the development of the nation,
and have influenced and inspired their
colleagues and the broader media industry
over the years.
The first journalists recognized by MBFI in
2001, and then known as the Search for
Outstanding Journalists (SOJ), were Sheila
Coronel, Jessica Soho, and the late Armando
Malay. In 2013, it was re-launched to become
the Search for JOY with Malou Mangahas,
Jarius Bondoc, and Jiggy Manicad as the
awardees.
For further information, please contact
the Probe Media Foundation, Inc. (PMF) at tel.
n o . ( 0 2 ) 4 3 3 - 0 4 5 6 o r e - m a i l :
[email protected] or visit
t h e f o l l o w i n g l i n k s t o a c c e s s
downloadable forms: http://bit.ly/2015JOY,
w w w . m b f o u n d a t i o n . o r g . p h o r
www.probefound.com. (rmn/PIA Cebu/PR)
By Rachelle M. Nessia
EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666
89 LGUs earn seal of 'Good Financial
Housekeeping'
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 4 - Eighty-nine (89) or about 60% of local governments in Eastern Visayas passed the Seal of
Good Financial Housekeeping for 2014.
T his was revealed by Regional
Director Pedro A. Noval Jr. of the
Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG) in Eastern Visayas who
cited the official list released recently by the
DILG Bureau of Local Government Supervision
(BLGS).
“I am glad to report that all six provinces
in our region, namely: Leyte, Southern Leyte,
Biliran, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern
Samar passed the Seal of GFH. So did six
cities: Tacloban, Ormoc, and Baybay in Leyte;
Maasin, Southern Leyte; Borongan, Eastern
Samar and Catbalogan, Samar, ” said Dir.
Noval, adding that 77 of 136 municipalities also
passed the GFH.
The GFH, a component of the Seal of
Good Loca l Governance (SGLG),
was formerly known as the Seal of Good
Housekeeping (SGH), which the Department
initiated in 2010. GFH applies the same SGH
minimum criteria: that a local government must
have an Unqualified or Qualified COA Opinion
for the previous year, and full compliance with
the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP).
Director Noval explained that for an LGU
to be a recipient of the stepped-up SGLG, it
should also pass the two other essential
assessments on Disaster Preparedness and
Social Protection. It should likewise pass at
least one of the three essential assessments on
Business Friendliness and Competitiveness,
Environmental Protection and Law & Order
and Public Safety.
Noval said that the assessment was
conducted last year through cross posting of
Regional Assessment Teams (RATs) composed
of DILG Field Officers, representatives from
CSOs and NGAs. The complete list of GFH
passers is available at the DILG website
www.dilg.gov.ph. The GFH Certification is a
requirement for local governments in order to
access loans pursuant to Local Finance Circular
No. 1-2012, and to avail of programs such as
Grassroots Participatory Process (GPP) and
Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat
(SALINTUBIG) program of DILG.
LGUs that failed to pass the GFH have
some immediate recourse if the reason was
non-compliance with the FDP. They simply
have to fully observe FDP requirements on
posting to avail of the “After Assessment
Compliance” and secure GFH certification
without waiting for the next assessment
period. On the other hand, if the LGU was
subjected to an “Adverse” or “Disclaimer”
opinion from COA, it should fully comply with
all the findings in order to garner a passing
opinion on the next Annual Audit Report
(AAR). (DILG-8/PIA-8)
Biliran towns to roll out 'Oplan Listo'
NAVAL, Biliran, March 4 (PIA) – Just right after the launching of the Oplan Listo in the province of Biliran, the eight towns in
Biliran province have already prepared lists of activities for the roll-out of the Oplan Listo initiated by the Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG).
D ILG in Biliran province headed
by Marilyn Saboy, provincial
director, launched Oplan Listo on
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at the Naval State
University (NSU) Hostel with municipal
mayors, municipal disaster risk reduction and
management officers, officials and personnel of
the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire
Protection and members of the Biliran
provincial disaster risk reduction and
management council in attendance.
One of the activities in the launching
of Oplan Listo was for each town to present
the plan of activities they have prepared which
will help the people in the community have a
clear understanding and better grasp of what
Oplan Listo is all about. “Oplan Listo is one of
the components of disaster preparedness
initiated by DILG to strengthen the capacity of
LGUs in responding to disasters anytime and
anywhere they strike” Saboy informed.
Cabucgayan town, the first to present,
listed down activities like conducting a forum
with barangay officials and residents on Oplan
Listo, meeting with the members of the
municipal disaster risk reduction and
management council and conducting other
Oplan Listo-related activities that would best
inform the public on this disaster preparedness
activity. Other towns like the municipality of
Almeria will conduct a motorcade around the
town as a way of bringing awareness to the
constituents in the town on the importnce of
Oplan Listo in terms of saving lives and
properties through putting preparedness on
top anytime and anywhere disaster strikes.
Meanwhile, the provincial office of DILG
in Biliran province will conduct two more big
activities to solicit the support of the private
sector especially coming from the different civil
society organizations, people‟s organizations
and non-government organizations including
the youth sector in the province.
DILG-Biliran will conduct the provincial
dialogue on March 17 to be joined in by the
different civil society organizations, people‟s
organ izat ions and non -government
organizations and will hold a Wenboree on
April 15-16 to be participated by the different
youth organizations in Biliran province. (ajc/fj/
rvictoria/PIA 8 Biliran)
By Rodrigo S. Victoria
Foundation turns over 48 new classrooms to Leyte schools
T he new classrooms, costing P1.2
million each, will benefit more than
4,000 students in 18 schools in
Kananga, Merida, Isabel, Albuera and Ormoc
City.
The Lopez Group constructed the said
classrooms using funds donated to ABS-CBN
Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI)
while the Energy Development Corporation
(EDC), which operates the Leyte geothermal
power plants, donated P4.5 million and
supervised the construction of the classrooms.
In his speech during the turnover
ceremony, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Petilla
lauded the project and said that “what the
Lopez Group is doing is not just building
classrooms but building the future of the
students.”
Clarissa Ocampo, Managing Director of
ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc.
(ALKFI) and Richard Tantoco, President and
Chief Operating Officer of Energy
Development Corporation (EDC) led the
turn-over of the new classrooms.
The rebuilding project has programmed to
construct 64 new classrooms and repair of 10
classrooms in 23 schools in Ormoc, Kananga,
Albuera, Merida, Palo and Isabel using
donations to ALKFI.
An additional 32 classrooms will also be
constructed in Ormoc City and Kananga using
funds from companies under the Lopez
Group.
This project will support the Adopt-a
-School Program of DepEd.
Last September 2014, the Lopez Group
finished construction of 24 typhoon-resistant
classrooms for the following schools: New
Ormoc City National High School and Milagro
Elementary School in Ormoc City, Matlang
Elementary School in Isabel, and San Joaquin
National High School in Palo. (EDC/PIA-8)
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Feb. 27 – A total of 48 typhoon-resilient classrooms were turned over recently by the Lopez Group
to 18 schools in the province of Leyte as part of its Leyte Rebuilding Project.
EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777
Discipline your child when no longer angry, says parent-advocate
BORONGAN CITY. Eastern Samar, March 4 (PIA) - ―I now wait until my anger passes,‖ Oliva Bajado, a positive discipline
parent-advocate said when asked how she switched to positive discipline on her children.
B ajado, a mother of four, faced
members of the local media during a
briefing sponsored by the European
Union through Plan International on March 3,
2015 at Hotel Doña Vicenta in Borongan City.
According to Bajado, she avoids
confronting her children when she is still angry.
Once her anger passes, she discusses the
misdeed with her children and tries to get
them to realize their mistake.
Bajado who is married to a police officer
has even convinced her husband to adopt
positive disciplining as well.
“My husband was always the strict
disciplinarian but after I attended the training
on positive discipline, I shared to him what I
learned and he was also convinced,” she
shared.
“I am proud to say that today, my husband
is trying to change his discipline methods,” she
said.
Plan has been pushing for local
government units to pass ordinances that
prohibit corporal punishment and in 2011 the
town of Llorente passed one.
The town has even allocated 1% of its
internal revenue allotment for the promotion
of non-violent discipline approach and training
of parents and educators.
According to Plan, in the towns of
Llorente and Maydolong, several day care
workers and parents groups have gone through
trainings with regards to positive discipline.
“I was also raised in a family that
employed corporal punishment,” Llorente
Mayor Tito Codoy, Jr. said but this did not
stop him from supporting the positive
discipline advocacy.
According to the mayor, parents need not
be divided on the issue because it is all about
providing unending support to children.
Instead of physically and verbally punishing
children, Jayson P. Lozano of Plan Int‟l urged
parents to provide a loving and caring home so
children will know right from wrong. “I always
remember a quote from mass media figure Boy
Abunda. He said, pain is never an expression of
love,” Lozano said. (ajc/mnq/PIA8-ESamar)
DOH award shows active public health sector
in SoLeyte
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 3 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) recently conferred the 2014 Health
Excellence Award for this province, dubbed Kalusugang Pangkalahatan Second Prize, and this clearly showed that DOH-driven
programs and projects had reached their intended targets at the grassroots level where it mattered most.
F urthermore, the citation likewise
recognized the concerted efforts of
all stakeholders, the political leaders
down to frontline wellness workers in the field,
in the effective implementation of
health-related activities to ensure maximum
compliance.
This was the common assessment shared
by leading health professionals as to how the
province landed for the first time at
second place in a nationwide ranking of 80
provinces.
On Friday, February 20, the province was
cited in a ceremony held at Pasay City “for
best performance in achieving systems-based
approach in local health reforms,” with a
corresponding P400,000.00 cash prize.
Dr. Noel Lumen, Provincial Health Officer
I, during the Provincial Report cable TV
program last week, recalled that for some
years now, the province was the very first LGU
cited by the DOH nationwide as having
eliminated the filariasis illness, hence the DOH
granted the Filariasis-free tag, the first ever.
Health concerns that happened in the
province thus far had not reached epidemic
proportions, while health advocacy campaigns
were duly carried out, making the province a
show window in Region 8 for DOH program,
project implementation.
DOH Representatives Dr. Verna
Fernandez and Letty Tan called on the people
to continue complying the health campaigns of
the DOH like the rabies-free campaign, dental
care, among others, even as they thanked their
cooperation that eventually was a big factor for
the overall Pangkalusugan award.
Dr. Edmund Villa, Provincial Health
Officer, was also grateful to the local chief
executives and the health workers for
supporting the health programs of the province
and the national level, and he rallied them to
exert more efforts to win the number one
spot for the next round of evaluation. (ajc/esg/
mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)
RDRRMC-8 monitors 'Yolanda' efforts
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 3 (PIA) - More than a year after typhoon ―Yolanda‖ hit Region 8 on November 8, 2013, the
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) again gathered its member agencies to tackle the
intervention measures provided by different thematic areas to address the needs of its beneficiaries.
A ccording to Director Blanche
Gobenciong, Office of Civil Defense
(OCD-8) and chair RDRRMC, the
thematic areas involved are social services,
infrastructure, livelihood, and resettlement that
the RDRRMC is spearheading to mobilize efforts
in addressing the needs of all typhoon “Yolanda”
affected areas and other disasters that hit Region
8.
Based on the data provided by the
Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) there are 3,002 families still living in
bunkhouses and 508 families located in
transitional shelter, and around 152 families had
already been placed in the permanent shelters
commissioned by ridgeview which provided 66
permanent shelter and GMA Kapuso Foundation
which provided 86 permanent shelters.
The DSWD had served 50 trafficked
persons for the period January to August 2014
and 14 of which had been provided financial
assistance.
The Department of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH) had implemented a total of
Php286M out of Php1.6B funded amount worth of
infrastructures which involves repair and
rehabilitation of national roads, national bridges,
flood control projects, local or access roads
connecting to the national roads.
The Office of the Presidential Assistance for
Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) had
targeted a total of Php 75.67B worth of
resettlement projects which involves 205,128
housing units involving 116 municipalities and
cities that would construct disaster resilient hous-
es that can withstand a wind load of up to 250
kph.
It informed though that the project cannot
be totally implemented because of some pressing
issues that prevent its implementation such
as land availability, island barangay, coastal
communities, livelihood opportunities and unsafe
areas that are dependent on the suitability and
unsuitability of such facilities.
Dir. Gobenciong said that the best thing that
the government should do is to coordinate,
collaborate, and cooperate to address the needs
of its beneficiaries. Dir. Gobenciong thanked all
the member-agencies of the RDRRMC for their
support and cooperation on the success of the
year 2014 program of work even if the
responsibilities, duties and accountabilities are
broad to consider everything.
Dir. Gobenciong was teary-eyed when she
spoke before the council that soon she will be
assigned to OCD central office and Assistant
Regional Director Rey Gozon will take over until
a replacement had been chosen. She anticipates
that her successor can equal or even surpass her
accomplishment. (ajc/jhb/PIA-8)
By Medora Nimfa Quirante
By Marcelo M. Pedalino
By Jonnie H. Buenaventura
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.
One Visayas e-newsletter is part of the online news and information dissemination services of PIA and is powered by www.issuu.com. For inquiries and suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378719/3377301 or e-mail [email protected].
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: [email protected]/ [email protected]
PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]
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: [email protected]/[email protected]