Vol 2 Issue 8 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 Feb. 20—26, 2012

WESTERN VISAYAS

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, Feb. 20 (PIA) --- The Department

of Health (DOH) is sending teams of professionals to

help survivors of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the

northern part of Negros Oriental.

In a forum with information officers, DOH-7

regional director Susana Madarieta explained that two

types of teams will be sent to affected

communities: 1) the Water and Sanitation Team,

which will assist the victims on sanitary measures to

prevent diseases; and 2) the Psychosocial Team,

which will help in debriefing family victims for them to

recover from the traumatic experience they had.

The Water and Sanitation team is composed of

doctors and nurses from DOH-7 and Vicente Sotto

Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), Madarieta added.

To date, the medical team is still stationed in the

areas to conduct consultations and provide medicines

to those who are still in need.

The common illnesses that affect the patients in

the area are coughs and colds, fever, hypertension and

headaches.

Madarieta also advised the people to boil or

purify the water before drinking. They also distribute

hydrosol solution to help purify drinking water in the

evacuation centers and in the quake-hit areas.

On the other hand, the Cebu provincial health

team will leave for NegOr anytime this week to give

support to the earthquake victims. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7)

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue

By Vicente W. Villavert

ILOILO CITY, Feb 22 (PIA 6) -- Director

Romulo L. Aguila, Jr. of the Bureau of Internal

Revenue Region No. 11 is optimistic that the agency’s

target revenue collection target of P6.2 billion this

year will be met following the successful launching in

Western Visayas of the tax campaign, “I love

Philippines, I Pay Taxes”.

Director Aguila disclosed in a PIA interview that

he expected to meet the target “because that is only

around 18.89 percent higher than the tax

generatedlast year”.

In the launching ceremony of the 2012 Tax

Campaign held at the SM City Iloilo, Aguila appealed

to all the local government units, business,

entrepreneurs, professionals and the all the tax payers

in the region to work closely with the BIR.

He emphasized that that collected taxes will

trickle down to our LGUs and taxpayers in the

countryside in the form of internal revenue

allotments, congressional development funds and

other allocations and projects initiated by the national

government.

Aguila said that “our business and professionals

will be assured of their business opportunities, once

all the infrastructure services are in place, there will

be more business activities which make better life and

security for the people”.

He issued a stern warning that the BIR really

means business in its tax campaign. The launching of

2012 tax campaign in Western Visayas was highlighted

with the recognition of top individual and corporate

taxpayers in the region.

The event was graced by BIR Deputy

Commisioner Nelson M. Aspe, Deputy Commissioner

Celia C. King, Assistant Commissioner Lucita G.

Rodriguez, and ACIR Margaret Mary C. Lauron.(JCM/

VWV/PIA6-Iloilo)

By Flordelis E. Jackson

NAVAL, Biliran, Feb. 21 (PIA) -- Biliran is one of

the top 10 outstanding provinces in the entire country

that earned recognition and received an award in the

2011 Search for the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers.

It was learned by the Philippine Information

Agency that Biliran province was endorsed by the

Department of Agriculture regional office No. 8

through Regional Executive Director Antonio

Gerundio for its exemplary performance in rice

production.

Also part of the factors considered that enabled

the province to earn the prestigious award were the

funding and technical support extended by the

provincial government through the Office of the

Provincial Agricultural Services (OPAS) to the rice

farmers in the area.

To validate the results of the evaluation done by

the DA officials in region 8, the DA national

committee for the 2011 Search for Agri-Pinoy Rice

Achievers Awards visited the province of Biliran on

January 27 this year to conduct field inspection of the

rice farms and other aspects of the search.

The 2011 Search for Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers

Awards aimed to identify and recognize top

performing provincial, city and municipal LGUs,

irrigation administrators, and agricultural extension

workers in the field of rice production as well as

sustain and step up awareness and commitment of the

LGUs to the rice self-sufficiency program of DA that

will contribute to the country’s self-sufficiency in food

program by the year 2013.

The awarding ceremony was held Feb. 10 at the

Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in

Manila. (PIA-Biliran with reports from DA-8)

Biliran one of top 10 provincial Agri-Pinoy rice achiever awardees

P6.2-B tax collection target ‘doable’, says BIR-6

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

Also CLICK Here…

More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

Also CLICK Here…

DOH-7 sends psychosocial, sanitation teams to assist quake victims in NegOr

DIRECTOR. Bureau of Internal Revenue

Regional Director lawyer Romulo

Aguila, Jr. asks the help of Capiz media

in their tax campaign which is the

bloodlife of the nation. He stresses that

the taxes being paid to the government

will in turn result in development and

progress through different programs

and services to the people. (PIA/

JBGuillermo)

EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

Completed school building at the Leyte

National High School through the

Department of Public Works and

Highways – Tacloban City District

Engineering Office led by its project

Engineer Eduardo B. Pelias with the

JELM Construction. The said school

building, with funding sourced from the

Upper House Project, has an area of 126

square meters and is now functional for

the secondary students. (DPWH-

TCDEO/PIA-8)

Regional Director PCSupt. Marcelo P.

Garbo, Jr. and bikers upon arrival at the

Siquijor Police Provincial Office in

Caipilan, Siquijor. (PNP/PIA-Siquijor) Director Romulo L. Aguila, Jr. of the Bureau of Internal

Revenue Region No. 11, Iloilo City appeals to the various

sectors of taxpayers in Western Visayas to work closely

with the BIR, as he emphasized that collected taxes will

trickle down to our LGUs and taxpayers in the countryside

in the form of internal revenue allotments, congressional

development funds and other allocations and projects

initiated by the national government. The 2012 tax

campaign in Western Visayas was launched at SM City

Iloilo recently. (TVillavert/PIA 6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

A ccording to DOLE Provincial

Director Laura Villarico, a total of

145 sugar migrant workers or

popularly known as ‘sakadas’ in the towns

of Laua-an, Bugasong and Culasi will

receive livelihood starter kits under the

Integrated Services for Sugar Migrant

Workers (I-serve sakada) project of

DOLE.

The town of Culasi DOLE reported

has already received its livelihood starter

kit in total amount of P268,000 while the

town of Laua-an is set to get their kit in

the amount of P175,148 and an additional

P226, 160 also for sakadas under the

Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating

Disadvantage workers or TUPAD also of

DOLE.

DOLE reported that Culasi town

received livelihood starter kits, amounting

to P268,000. The town of Laua-an is set to

get their P175,148 worth of kits, together

with an additional P226,160 for sakadas

under the ‘Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa

Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD)’

from DOLE.

Sugar migrant workers from the town

of Bugasong also has P286,700 livelihood

starter kits from the I-serve sakada

project.

Villarico emphasized that with this

assistance, the sugar migrant workers will

have the option to stay in their barangays

to start a livelihood activity to earn

income instead of going to the sugar fields

of Negros.

“It is a way of empowering sakadas

and providing opportunities to earn,”

Villarico said.

Eventually, the project, I-serve sakada

hopes to make sugar migrant workers

self-reliant and going to the sugar fields of

Negros will then only be an option for

them, she added.

It can be recalled that DOLE Antique

has employed intervention with these

sakadas towards their empowerment.

One of which is the pre-departure order

or PDOS conducted to all sakadas as a

matter of requirement for a contractor to

be allowed to ship them to Negros.

PDOS has helped sugar migrant

workers be aware of their rights and their

responsibilities including the content of

the contract they have signed in.

“Antique has sent numerous sakadas

in the past years but with the continuing

support to them especially in terms of

livelihood projects we hope to reduce the

number of sakadas going out of the

province,” Villarico concluded. (JCM/PSM/

PIA6 Antique)

DOLE hands out livelihood starter kits to migrant sugar workers

SAN JOSE, Antique, Feb. 21 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will distribute

livelihood starter kits to migrant sugar workers in the three towns of Antique.

T hese towns are Banga and

Numancia – the former located

in the eastern side of Aklan and

the latter, just across the Kalibo

Bridge, both meandering along the Aklan

River.

The awarding, held at the Philippine

International Convention Center (PICC)

February 10, was led by DA Secretary

Proceso Alcala, other DA officials and

guests, according to Frank Iturriaga of the

Office of the Municipal Mayor of

Numancia.

As awardees, both towns will each be

given P1,000,000 worth of projects related

to agricultural activities.

For Banga, the award was received by

Gelly Maypa, Municipal Agricultural

Officer, Nineveh Ron (who was also an

Agricultural Extension Awardee) and Hon.

Joselito Fernandez, Banga SB Member,

while for Numancia, the award was

received by Brenda G. Marte, Municipal

Agriculturist, and Jaimma V. Maribojo,

Municipal Budget Officer in representation

of Mayor Adolfo Maypa.

Numancia’s Agri-Pinoy trophy is now

proudly displayed at the office of Mayor

Adolfo M. Iligan. (JCM/VGV PIA 6 Aklan)

Two Aklan towns are Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers awardees

KALIBO, Aklan, Feb. 20 (PIA6) -- Two municipalities in Aklan had recently been adjudged winners in the

Top 50 Municipalities/Cities category of the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

By Pilar S. Mabaquiao

More than 13,000 indigent Capiceños benefit from 4Ps

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Feb. 20 (PIA6) – The government’s poverty reduction program has already benefitted

more than 13,000 indigent Capiceños.

I nformation 0fficer Eliseo Abucay of

the Department of Social Welfare

and Development-Capiz Field

Office disclosed that as of February 17 this

year, a total of 13,049 beneficiaries of the

Conditional Cash Transfer known as

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)

were already given their cash assistance

for the months of November to

December last year.

The beneficiaries come from eight

towns, namely, Dumalag, Cuartero,

Panitan, Dao, Dumarao, Ivisan, Mambusao

and Jamindan, he said, adding that the

distribution for the remaining towns have

already been scheduled this week until

March 7.

He added that Roxas City’s 4,901

program beneficiaries will receive the

government’s assistance today, February

20.

“The assistance for the months of

January and February will be distributed by

March,” he said.

Abucay revealed that after the

pre-validation and delisting of disqualified

program beneficiaries, Capiz has now a

total of 37,487 extremely poor

households who will benefit from the 4Ps

program.

The 4Ps is a poverty reduction and

social development strategy of the

national government through the DSWD

that provides cash grants to extremely

poor households to improve their health,

nutrition and education particularly of

children aged 0-14.

It provides conditional cash grants to

beneficiaries P6, 000 a year or P500 per

month per household for health and

nutrition expenses and P3,000 for one

school year or 10months or P300 per

month per child for educational expenses.

A maximum of three children per

household is allowed.

A household with three qualified

children receives a subsidy of P1,400 per

month during the school year or P15,000

annually as long as they comply with the

conditions. (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)

By Jemin B. Guillermo

By Venus G. Villanueva

ILOILO AIRPORT

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Sight-saving surgeries start in Iloilo By Vicente W. Villavert

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 23 (PIA 6) -- Residents of Western Visayas who are visually impaired will directly

benefit from sight-saving surgeries conducted by the FedEx and ORBIS International at the Flying Eye Hospital at the Iloilo Airport as part of a global initiative to combat preventable and treatable blindness.

A t the opening program held

February 21 at the Iloilo Airport,

Governor Arthur Defensor

welcomed the medical program as “this

will give the poor the opportunity to avail

of the generosity to save and restore their

sight, and your work will be long

remembered and treasured in the hearts

of the grateful people.”

Dr. Jose Mari C. Fermin, Medical

Center Chief of the Western Visayas

Medical Center said that about 10 persons

are undergoing eye operation at their

hospital every day but lamented that “we

cannot sustain it alone with our minimal

budget.”

Fermin said that about 3 to 5

persons for every 50 people in Western

Visayas are bilaterally blind.

“The coming of the Orbis is a very big

help to us because of your state of the art

facilities and the trainings that will be

conducted with our local eye care

providers,”Fermin said.

Flying Eye Hospital Medical Director

Dr. Carlos Solarte said that the eye care

program has been carried out in 89

countries and provided treatment to more

than 15 million blind and visually impaired

persons, through the Flying Eye

Hospital- a converted DC-10 aircraft and

the world’s only ophthalmic surgical and

training hospital with wings.

“Orbis is an organization that

promote the improve and sutainable eye

care in the place where we go by training

and teaching all those involve in the eye

care community like the ophthalmologists,

nursies, anaesthesiologists, biomedical

engineers and every single position that

play proper eye care and the promotion

of eye health,” Solarte said.

Dr. Josefina Salazar-Yap, President of

the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology

-Western Visayas Chapter noted that the

“technical expertise that we will imbibe

out of this rare opportunity will directly

benefit the eye patients of Western

Visayas”.

For two weeks in Iloilo, in partnership

with the Western Visayas Medical Center,

the ORBIS medical team will conduct an

intensive skills exchange program for eye

care professionals and deliver sight-saving

surgeries to pre-screened patients

suffering from visual impairment.(JCM/

VWV/PIA 6-Iloilo)

NEW BACOLOD-SILAY AIRPORT

BACOLOD CITY, Feb. 22 (PIA6) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in

Negros Occidental. in collaboration with Brgy. Villamonte, launched the Samahang Spesyalista for beauty and wellness services. The group is composed of massage therapists, hairdressers and nail art technicians

who are holders of TESDA National Competency (NC) II, a press release from TESDA said.

A launching ceremony and turnover

of tools and materials to

TESDA Spesyalista was attended

by TESDA staff, ABI-eTech school

administrators, Victory Business College

faculty and staff, which are partner schools

of TESDA, and a barangay official and

employees of Brgy.Villamonte, the largest

barangay in the city of Bacolod.

A memorandum of agreement was

also signed between TESDA and Brgy.

Villamonte represented by TESDA

Director Lorena Yunge and Friday Solinap

who is the program coordinator for

TESDA Spesyalista Technoprenuership

Program in Brgy. Villamonte.

The TESDA Spesyalista will render

their services in Brgy. Villamonte for six

months until the trainees become more

independent and competitive in

entrepreneurial skills and competencies.

Rolan Anthony Halili, blind massage

theraphists, and one of the members of

spesyalista said that he is so much blessed

for the opportunity given to him by

TESDA and Brgy. Villamonte because he

can use his skills through the materials and

consumnables provided by TESDA.*

(TESDA/CD/JCM/PIA6)

TESDA launches Samahang Spesyalista in Bacolod City

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 22 (PIA6) -- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has put up more

G-W@PS kiosks in Western Visayas--61 as of date from only 30 kiosks in 2010, to make its services accessible and convenient to as many members and pensioners as possible.

T he establishment of additional

G-W@PS kiosks is one of the

measures and innovations made

by GSIS to enhance its programs and

services, said GSIS branch manager

Eleanor D. Gregorio during the

1st quarter meeting.

They have installed kiosks aside from

those located within their branch office in

the Division offices of the Department of

Education, city halls, and selected

municipalities and government agencies

throughout the region, said Gregorio.

The GSIS has also implemented the

cancellation of the Annual Renewal of

Active Status (ARAS) for pensioners

except for those who are on suspended

status and those living abroad.

Also, GSIS has expedited the release

of retirement benefits provided

requirements are submitted at least 90

days prior to date of retirement. It has

also a housing loan program implemented

jointly with the Home Development

Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG, scholarship

program for qualified dependents, relatives

or any other scholar of choice of the

members, and discounts on selected

medicine purchases under a public-private

partnership scheme.

The Development Administration

Committee, which is chaired by DILG 6

Regional Director Evelyn A. Trompeta and

one of the sectoral committees of RDC,

convened for its first quarterly meeting

for the year to tackle various sectoral

concerns including the proposal to revert

to a 3-year budgeting process, disaster

risk management initiatives in the region,

inter-local government unit cooperation

on disaster response protocol, and the

accomplishments of members-agencies for

calendar year 2011 on the Philippine

Development Plan and Regional

Development Plan. (JCM/JSC/PIA6)

By Carolina A. Dionela

GSIS puts up more G-W@PS kiosks in WV By Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

Angel Enriquez, regional technical

director of the Department of Agriculture

(DA) 7 said the quality seeds are more

flood-tolerant so farmers need not worry

much about extreme bad weather

conditions brought about by climate

change. More so now that frequent rains

are being experienced due to La Niña, she

added.

“The use of quality seeds really

makes a difference in terms of high

production output. This is why we are

now promoting the use of these certified

seeds in order to help our farmers

increase their rice harvest and at the same

time increase their income,” Enriquez said.

Enriquez led the pack of DA 7

officials as main panelists during the PIA

Kapihan this morning that tackled on the

agency’s Agricultural Roadmap in

Response to Increasing Demand and

Climate Change.

Under the DA’s blueprint or

agricultural roadmap from 2011-2016,

four major components are given due

priority namely rice, corn, livestock and

high value crops.

The rice program of the roadmap

aims to increase the rice production in

Central Visayas from 270,499 metric tons

in 2011 to 392,806 metric tons by 2016

through the use of certified seeds.

In order to achieve its increased rice

target production, the DA 7 is

implementing the community-based-seed-

banking scheme. The scheme sees the

distribution of quality or certified seeds to

farmers’ associations and irrigators

associations, this is said.

Since the scheme was implemented

last year, the DA7 was able to distribute

around 861 bags in Central Visayas of

which 234 bags were given to Cebu. (PIA-

Cebu)

CEBU AIRPORT

By Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, Feb. 22 (PIA) -- Agriculture officials in the region are now promoting the use of certified

seeds to farmers in order to yield quality harvest amid the threats of La Niña and climate change.

DA 7 pushes use of certified seeds to hike rice production amid La Niña threat

Bohol formulates core messages to boost tourism

B ohol governor Edgar Chatto

unrolled the new tourism banner

marketing for Bohol.

“These are the core messages that

we are sending out to the world through a

strong, sustained tourism promotion and

marketing program,” Chatto said during

his State of the Province Address

delivered before the Sangguniang

Panlalawigan (SP) on February 17.

When he was vice governor, Chatto

orchestrated the crafting of a

province-wide vision and mission and

identified eco-cultural tourism as among

economic engines for Bohol’s holistic

development.

Chatto then cited that Bohol’s rich

natural resources, high biodiversity and

gentle friendly people make it an ideal

magnet for tourists.

Hailed as the place where the

friendliness is so eloquently shown by the

Sandugo: first recorded international

treaty of friendship and consequently the

place where the seed of the United

Nations was sowed, Bohol’s hospitable

people makes the island a destination

because of its people.

“We want tourists and visitors to

realize that Bohol is “Authentically

Philippines,” and with our pristine

environment and emphasis on local arts

and culture, through our Center for

Culture and Arts Development, they will

see what is “authentically Filipino,” Chatto

said.

Chatto added, Bohol Tourism thrust

is all about recognizing what Bohol truly is

– the heart of the Philippine Islands – both

geographically and culturally.

The governor wants the world to

understand that much more than the

‘trifecta’ of Loboc, Chocolate Hills and the

Tarsier, we have the five pillars of tourism

and we want Bohol to be discovered and

rediscovered annually by tourists,

eventually becoming a perennial

destination.

Chatto explained the marketing

program is an outcome of the Tourism

Summits conducted through the Bohol

Tourism Office (BTO) that aimed to

ensure sustainable growth in the tourism

industry and unify the tourism marketing

of [our] municipalities with one voice.

(mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb. 18 (PIA) --- “Bohol: Heart of the Islands,” and “Bohol has it all, and it’s all

in Bohol.”

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

SIQUIJOR, Feb. 20 (PIA) — An automated weather station (AWS) is now in place in Siquijor, Siquijor and

has been part of a major television network's weather report since December 2011.

Automatic weather station now in Siquijor By Rizalie A. Calibo

D epartment of Science and

Technology (DOST)-Siquijor

Provincial Director Mario de la

Pena said that the AWS provides reliable

information on weather or climate

occurrences by measuring wind velocity,

wind direction, atmospheric pressure,

atmospheric temperature, and amount of

rainfall with gadget attached to measure

solar radiation.

De la Pena said that Kuya Kim of TV

network ABS-CBN has used the AWS in

his primetime weather forecast since

December last year.

The installation of AWS in the

province is based on the request of the

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction

Management Council (PDRRMC) that was

approved by the DOST-Philippine

Atmospherical Geophysical and

Astronomical Services Administration

(PAGASA) sometime in September 2011,

said de la Pena.

He added that PAGASA has allocated

some P1 million for the foundation of the

10-meter tower, raingauge, solar panel

and three anchorages for the guy wires,

with other accessories such as Sensor

(Temperature, Pressure, and Humidity),

Solar Radiation Sensor, Wind Instrument

and Lighting Arrester.

The Provincial Government has also

allocated some P300 thousand for the

perimeter fence to secure the site.

Started on November 5 and was

completed on November 11, 2011, the

AWS now stands at the Department of

Education Athletics Compound in

Pulangyuta, Siquijor will be maintained by

the provincial government.

A memorandum of agreement (MOA)

w a s e x e c u t e d b e t w e e n t h e

DOST-PAGASA and the province of

Siquijor for the province to serve as the

caretaker with its assigned provincial

engineers to ensure, among others,

maintenance and protection of the

equipment. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor)

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

CEBU CITY, Feb. 21 (PIA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PHIC) 7 has called on PhilHealth

non-members to avail of the low premium contribution payment before the implementation of the new increased rate on July this year.

P hilHealth 7 Information Officer

Atty. Karina Agraviador said that

starting July 1, all PhilHealth

premium contributions will increase by

100 percent. The increase is based

under PhilHealth Circular No. 22

signed by Philhealth President Eduardo

Banzon.

Instead of paying P1,200 per year, the

premium contributions will now be raised

to P2,400 per year beginning July,

Agraviador said.

Agraviador advised all who want to

become PhilHealth members and who are

under the categories of Individual Paying

Members and Self-Employed to advance

their premium contribution payment

before July so they can still avail of the

P1,200 per annum rate.

“Members under said categories are

given until June 30 to pay the annual

contributions to avail of the incentives,”

Agraviador said.

Annual premium contribution for

overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) on the

other hand, will likewise be increased

from P900/annum to P2,400 per year

beginning July 1, this year.

Agraviador also bared that Philhealth

is working for the inclusion of the

out-patient and regular maintenance

medicines for hypertension and diabetes

to be included in the health insurance

coverage.

This is in line with President Benigno

S. Aquino III’s health agenda of Universal

Health Care that primarily aims to provide

access to quality health care services to all

Filipino families.

As of December 31 last year,

Agraviador stated that Central Visayas

already has 1.98 million members. Cebu

Province has the largest volume of

membership at 1.3 million or about 66

percent, Agraviador added.

Agraviador stressed their agency’s

ultimate objective is for 100 percent

coverage among Filipinos to become

m e m b e r s o f P h i l h e a l t h .

(FCR/JSME/PIA-Cebu)

PHIC 7 urges public to avail low premium rate until June By Juju Manubag-Empuerto

TAGBILARAN AIRPORT

D epartment of the Interior and

L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t

(DILG)-Siquijor officer-in-charge

Kenneth Kilat said a DILG memorandum

advised LGUs that the LGPMS online data

capture form (DCF) for 2011 is now

available, so that LGPMS LGU-data

encoders can now enter data or

information into the system.

The LGPMS is an online tool that

assesses LGU performance in the areas of

administrative, social, economic and

environmental governance. It also included

assessment on the fundamentals of

governance which include transparency,

participation and financial accountability,

Kilat said.

LGUs that fail to enter data to the

said database will not be able to generate

an LGPMS electronic report, the Memo

also said.

Kilat said that the LGPMS can help in

preparation of annual reports by

automatically generating data such as state

of local governance performance, state of

local development, and financial

performance.

To ensure the completion and

validation of data entries within the

prescribed timeline, the DILG has advised

the local government operation officers or

LGPMS focal persons to provide

assistance to the LGUs within their

jurisdiction. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor)

SIQUIJOR, Feb. 20 (PIA) -- Local government units only have until March 23, 2012 to enter and update

data in the local governance performance management system (LGPMS) web database.

LGUs given until March 23 for LGPMS data entries, updates By Rizalie A. Calibo

BFAR-7 conducts experimental test blast fishing By Amorganda A. Saludar

CEBU CITY Feb. 24 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-7) is set to conduct an

experimental test blast fishing, February 24 at BFAR-7 Regional Fisheries and Development Center in Calape, Bohol.

B FAR-7 assistant regional director

Allan Poquita revealed that the

main objective of this experiment

is to determine the impact of blast fishing

at the different development stages of

fishes as well as the various damages

caused by blast fishing.

Poquita further disclosed that BFAR-7

that the blast fishing experimentation aims

to achieve stricter measures and policies

on the prohibition of fishing with the use

of explosives.

“Kay sa pagka karon gud ang Republic

Act 8530 ‘Fishing with the use of

Explosives’ kay medyo gamay ra ang

penalty so we are hoping to come up with

policies and measures and more

administrative memorandum that will

define the illegality of blast fishing,”

Poquita said.

Experimental test blast fishing is set to

be conducted in a controlled area-a 2

hectare fishpond inside Fisheries and

Development Center in Calape with fishes

of various stages form eggs to larvae, fry,

and fingerlings, juvenile and adult up to

marketable sizes, Poquita explained.

“Fishes will be placed in” hapa” nets

inside the pond and lined up at various

distances from the blast site,” he added.

This is an undertaking with the

presence of BFAR National Director Atty.

Asis Perez and representatives

from StateUniversities and Colleges, LGU,

PNP and fisher folk leaders.

Since this a BFAR national project in

which BFAR-7 is the chosen host, all

regional directors from the various region

in the country were expected to witness

the experimentation.

BFAR 7, ARD Poquita that the

experimentation only takes a short time

but they will have to analyze the fishes

used in the experimentation.

Poquita said that these fishes will be

dissected for internal and external

manifestation in order to determine the

extent of damages brought by blast fishing.

Safe and security is also observed in

the test blasting since this is properly

coordinated with the Firearms and

Explosives Division of the Regional PNP as

w e l l a s L G U i n B o h o l .

(mbcn/AS/PIA-CEBU)

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

‘Kalanggaman’, Leyte’s emerging destination, beacons

With the lingering need to get away from it all, there is a place in the province of Leyte where Juan and

his family can commune with nature.

Padre Burgos LGU leads drive vs. crown-of-thorns starfish

T he crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS),

a coral-eating underwater creature,

has been blamed for destroying a

partial stretch of coral reef in this dive

destination. If the destruction is left unchecked,

the number of divers who frequent the site is

likely to diminish, affecting local tourism, he

said.

Fishermen living along the coasts who

depended on fishing as their main livelihood

have already complained that fishes have

migrated to other places as a result of the loss

of coral material in the area, Crisostomo said.

The campaign has resulted in more than

3,000 COTS averaging 12 inches in diameter

being collected before noon Wednesday and

later buried across the street. Called “Dap-ag

Lanay” locally, COTS are differentiated from

normal starfishes, which are star-shaped, in

that the former have thorny projections

resembling a crown.

Their proliferation is reported to have

resulted from the absence of natural predators

such as oysters and some species of fish that

feed on them. Overfishing and climate change

have played in part in the imbalance, by

reducing the population of the COTS natural

enemies.

Divers from private dive businesses, fisher

folk from the neighboring barangays, and

several personnel from the Coral Cay

Conservation (CCC), a non-government

organization from Britain stationed at Barangay

Napantao, San Francisco, helped in collecting

the COTS from the sea floor, Crisostomo

said.

Over the past month, seven out of 10

coastal barangays of Padre Burgos have already

collected more than 50,000 pieces of COTS.

Three other barangays have separate schedules

of COTS collection in March, he added. (PIA-

Southern Leyte)

PADRE BURGOS, Southern Leyte, Feb. 23 (PIA) -- The local government is leading a campaign to rid the

coastal areas here of a deadly specie of starfish that poses a threat to the town’s tourism industry and also to the livelihood of marginal fisher folk, Agriculturist Juliet Crisostomo said.

ORMOC AIRPORT

DOST eyes the operationalization of muscovado plant in Ormoc

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Feb. 23 (PIA) -- The "poor man's sugar" may soon become the "rich man's sweet

pot." The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Eastern Visayas is eyeing muscovado production in Ormoc City, noting that consumer interest in healthy and organic foods has revived the

interest in muscovado sugar.

S uch place is “Kalanggaman,” an island

jeweled with ivory white sands, crystal

clear waters with mixed aqua marine

and blue colors that blend well with the palm

trees in the place.

Kalanggaman is approximately 12

kilometers from the town proper of Palompon,

Leyte and located close to the province of

Cebu.

With an estimated less than 10 hectares in

size, this strip of land is traditionally a fishing

ground and favorite site for recreation and

social gatherings of the residents of Palompon.

Kalanggaman’s root word, “langgam” is

Tagalog for ant. Before Juan could think that

this is an ants' world, it means actually means

bird in the Visayan dialect, thus it is oftentimes

called Birds Island.

For what it is, Kalanggaman Island is

emerging as a beach holiday getaway in Leyte. Foreign tourists hop on the Island from nearby

Malapascua Island of Cebu.

On weekends, it is full of local tourists -

families, employees, yuppies, marine sports

buffs, and nature lovers. Always, on various

occasions, Kalanggaman offers varied

experiences and lasting impressions.

Kalanggaman is striking an equipose as it

strikes a sensitive balance between tourism and

preservation of its natural charm.

As Juan enjoys swimming in its clear

aquamarine waters and frolicking in its white

sandy beaches, one would always hope that its

picturesque shorelines, mangrove, and marine

life would remain intact for succeeding

generations.

The romanticism of pristine nature would

seem to be the trade-offs for the little physical

discomfort of guests. In lieu of the big hotels

that could be found in any place of the world,

Kalanggaman is equipped only with the basic

tourist facilities, accommodations with basic

facilities like restrooms, kiosks, canteen and

battery - powered electricity. It may or may not need appropriate and minimal development

interventions.

Kalanggaman is friendly to children and

non-swimmers. The waves are not intimidating.

Its special attraction is a white sand bar that

appears and disappears along the western part

of the islet depending on the direction of the

waves.

A briefing is given on activities and areas

suited to scuba diving, swimming, bird

watching, snorkeling, boating, etc.

What is a day and night like in

Kalanggaman? Camping is fun. Juan is safe and

can get a sound sleep on the beach. Have a

mosquito repellant, just in case. More travel

tips: sun block to protect your skin, sunglass,

hat, flashlight, sleeping gear, mineral water, ice

cubes and foodstuffs.

Different strokes for different folks,

however. Local picnic treats are typically

Filipino - food galore from crispy lechon,

adobo to rootcrops.

Travel ways: Take the two-hour ride to

Palompon from Tacloban Bus Terminal; Kalanggaman is 45-minutes approximately from

the town wharf. (PIA-8)

R ecently, the DOST Region 8 led by

Director Edgardo Esperancilla

conduc ted a t ra in ing needs

assessment in Ormoc City at the sugarcane

farm of 4th District of Leyte Congresswoman

Lucy Torres-Gomez.

Paul Quinones, information officer of

DOST-8 said that the Torres-Gomez

requested the DOST to help in the

operationalization of the family’s old

muscovado plant in order to convert it into a

livelihood opportunity for her constituents.

Ormoc is a known sugarcane growing

area in the province with an industry dating

b a c k t o t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y .

“Muscovado,” locally known as “panocha”,

“calamay,” or “sangkaka” is a type of unrefined,

pure, and non-centrifugal cane sugar in a

semi-spherical block wrapped in dried banana

leaves. Other product lines include muscovado

syrup and sugar.

Having realized this great value and

potential of muscovado, Congresswoman

Torres-Gomez thought that venturing in the

production of quality muscovado and other

related food items would give livelihood

opportunities to her constituents.

Aside from this product advantage, there

are other quality and affordable muscovado

products. A pair of muscovado block is sold at

P 30/kg. The muscovado sugar and syrup are

sold at P 35/kg and P90/gallon, respectively.

The DOST is currently completing the

assessment after which, help will be given

through the DOST-Small Enterprise

Technology Upgrading Program's (SETUP)

assistance for the project “Muscovado Plant in

Ormoc.” (PIA-8)

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

S adiri’s appeal was made during the

orientation program for the

“National Green Project” (NGP) of

the Aquino government, where he spoke

before an audience of high school students

and college seminarians.

He even cited Section 16 of the 1986

Constitution which provides that “the

country shall protect and advance the

right of the people to a balance and

healthful ecology in accord with the

rhythm and harmony of nature”.

According to him however, this can

only be done with the participation and

cooperation of all government agencies,

local government units, academe, people’s

organization and civil society who are

likewise mandated to protect the

environment.

He stressed to the students, the

concept of sustainable development, that,

while the present generation enjoy the

forest resources and all other treasures of

Mother Earth, they should also ensure

that the future generation will not be

deprived to enjoy the same. Hence, while

they live in the present, utilization of all of

the earth’s resources, the trees

included should be done with utmost

care, protection and considerations for

the next generation.

“We should protect our forest

ecosystem because of the benefits that

follow,” he said. “Trees produce oxygen

for daily lives, they serve as the habitat of

our wild life, they serve as the wilderness

area, where we can best unwind our

stresses and be reinvigorated again, trees

are sources of foods and medicines, they

provide construction materials, they give

water to our dams, they serve as

windbreaks against strong winds and surf,”

Sadiri enumerated.”

An increase in the occurrence of

erosion and landslides could also happen

and wood materials for construction and

hence would be inadequate and

worse , Global Warming is possible.

That is why, it was in this premise

that the Aquino administration issued the

E x e c u t i v e O r d e r f o r t h e

country’s sectors to plant trees.

It is believed that Global Warming

could not be prevented anymore, but its

effect to mankind can be slowed down by

planting more trees in order to save and

reinvigorate the forests which is one of

the major protection of man against

natural calamities. (PIA-Eastern Samar)

B alik na Sangkay is a locally initiated

program reintegrating former

rebels and former militias to the

mainstream of society. The program

covers monetary incentives to facilitators

of voluntary surrender of any member of

the communist rebel group operating in

the Province of Northern Samar.

The program seeks to achieve a just,

comprehensive and enduring peace in

Northern Samar particularly shaping up

environment conducive for healing and

reconciliation and development in conflict

affected areas, reconcile former rebels

with their respective families and

communities and create opportunities for

change as productive citizens, among

others.

Tasked to ensure that this peace

initiative is effectively communicated to

target audience, the CAANC recently

held information caravan to the

municipalities of Catarman, Catubig, Las

Navas and Pambujan. Local Government

Units Liga ng mga Barangay were the first

target audience tapped as strategic

partners in generating community

awareness and acceptance in the

grassroots level.

The LIGA signify support to the

program believing this is one positive

approach for the rebels to find

opportunities to change and be a

productive citizen and to achieve lasting

peace and development as a whole.

CAANC membership include,

Provincial Information Office (PIO) as

chairman, Philippine Information Agency

(PIA) as Vice-Chair, 803rd Brigade, DILG,

PNP, Diocesan Pastoral Director, DSWD,

IBP, ABC Federation President, PCL

and Department of Agriculture as

members. (PIA-Northern Samar)

Community awareness and acceptance and networking committee initiates LSIP info caravan

CENRO tells studes to help protect ecosystem

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Feb. 23 (PIA) – Forester Sadiri Pastores, Forester of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO) here, sought students support in the Department’s effort to lead in the protection of the

balance of ecosystem.

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Feb. 20 (PIA) - School cadets and reservists have started a massive

tree-planting and beach clean-up in response to President Benigno S. Aquino’s National Greening Program (NGP), a student cadet officer said Monday.

A ssistant Commandant Malik Rafon

of the Samar State University’s

Reserved Officers Training Corps

(ROTC) said his school would begin a

massive start tree-planting program in

March this year.

In Catbalogan, some 1400 Naval

ROTC reservists and Naval ROTC cadets

from the 535th ROTC Command at the

Samar State University (SSU) have signed

up to plant two or three seedlings to

support the program, with a pledge to

plant 10 trees each yearly until 2016,

Rafon added.

The cadets and reservists have also

started a coastal clean-up, collecting more

than 50 sacks of non-biodegradable

garbage from the island’s littered beaches,

he said.

President Aquino’s NGP targets the

planting of 1.5 billion trees all over the

country in the next four years. (PIA-

Samar)

NGP gains support from ROTC cadets, reservists

CATARMAN, Northern Samar - The Northern Samar Community Awareness and Acceptance and

Networking Committee (CAANC) sets off information caravan to targeted municipalities on Local Social Integration Program tagged as “Balik na Sangkay.”

DANIEL Z. ROMUALDEZ AIRPORT

By Ailene N. Diaz

By Alice Nicart

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) 3378718/3377301 or e-mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.

Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

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