Vol 6 Issue 11 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 March 14-20, 2016

Yu meanwhile said the Philippines

will officially host the 2017 ASEAN Leaders Summit of which Cebu is also being eyed

as one of the venues. (rmn/fcr/PIA7)

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue ASEAN senior information officials in Cebu for confab

NHA to complete Yolanda housing units before Aquino‘s term ends

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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UK grants zero-tariff for PHL products Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY, March 14 (PIA6) --- There is good news for all Ilonggo traders and businessmen who want to export

their products to the United Kingdom (UK). British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad said

that businesses and enterprises here can avail of the tariff-free access of their products to the UK market.

“The biggest opportunity for any business in the Philippines particularly over here is to take advantage of the

special offer the United Kingdom and the European Union have made,” he said.

He said the zero-tariff for Philippine products is in advance of the free trade agreement which was signed between

the European Union and the Philippines.

“It means that your mangoes, your vegetables, your garments, and whatever you think will sell in Europe can be

sold without a tariff,” he said. He said that businessmen now have many options on

how to ship their goods from here to direct flights in Manila to UK.

“This is something that business people should consider more seriously,” he said.

He added that their advocacy is more on investments in infrastructure for airports, ports, and other

facilities which will make trade and tourism conducive. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU (PIA) – The 14th Senior Officials Responsible for Information (SOMRI) Meeting Lapulapu City leading to the

13th Conference on ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) chaired by Secretary Sonny Coloma Jr. of

the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) is going on as of presstime here.

PCOO Usec. Jess Anthony YU, chairman of the pre-AMRI Conference of the 14th SOMRI Meeting, said the

event from March 14 to March 18 is attended by information senior officials or undersecretary level for the SOMRI and

information ministers or secretary level for the AMRI conference from the 10 ASEAN-member nations and three

dialogue-partners which are Japan, Korea and China. “Holding the event in Cebu is good for the local

tourism here as the delegates are information ministers and officials that can promote Cebu and spread and disseminate

information about Cebu and Lapulapu City, in particular,” said Yu.

The event is being held in Shangrila Mactan Resort in Lapulapu City and part of the itinerary is a tour around the

island provided by the Lapulapu City Government. Holding the event in Lapulapu City also cements the city

as an international events destination, said Lapulapu City Mayor Paz Radaza in the same press conference.

“Lapulapu City is known as an international events

destination and this is already proven as we have hosted a number of international events like the APEC, IEC and sports

(Ironman),” said Radaza. Usec. Yu on the other hand, said Cebu was not the

original venue as the meeting was supposed to take place in the capital. “But the delegates requested that it be held outside

Manila and preferably, near the beach area. Since Cebu is second to Manila with access to an

international airport, the venue was decided to take place here,” bared Yu.

The SOMRI chair said part of the agenda is the discussion on digital television and media information and communication

exchanges among ASEAN-member countries. “Official sessions are closed for media coverage while

only open are the opening ceremonies of both the SOMRI and the AMRI,” said Yu adding that the substantives that would

transpire would be disclosed only after the conclusion of the one-day AMRI Conference on Thursday in a press conference

by the AMRI Chair Sec. Coloma late afternoon.

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

Consuelo B. Alarcon

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 15 (PIA) – The National Housing Authority (NHA) in Eastern Visayas has

doubled efforts to complete the construction of Yolanda housing units in the city prior to the end of the term of

the Aquino administration. During the Panginsayod ha PIA recently, Ms. Marilyn

Lauzon, NHA project manager said that they are trying their best in order to meet the target date of completion which is

June 2016. But, Lauzon admitted that due to various challenges such

as weather condition and other unavoidable circumstances, the possibility of delay cannot be avoided.

She pointed out the processes required in land acquisition which took time considering that not all properties

in many areas are titled. In Eastern Visayas, 56, 140 housing units are

needed. Out of the said figure, 14, 433 housing units are for Tacloban alone.

To date, 8, 862 housing units were completed-4, 215 of which were physically completed and 4, 647 were partially

completed in the city. Lauzon informed that a total of 747 permanent houses

were already occupied by the beneficiaries-347 houses are located at Kawayanville 1 and 2; 47 permanent houses in

Kawayanville 3; 212 houses in Ridgeview Park and 103 in Villa Diana.

Meanwhile, four areas were already energized namely Ridgeview Park 1 located in Brgy. Cabalawan this city, Villa

Diana in brgy. Tagpuro and Tacloban North Villages located in Kawayanvilles 1, 2 and 3 and Villa Sofia.

Other beneficiaries would follow once the permit of occupancy will be issued by the city government of Tacloban

to more than one thousand occupants. It is estimated that each housing unit cost 290 thousand

pesos. (ajc/PIA-8)

WESTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

A formal turn-over of chairmanship of 14th

Senior Officials Meeting (SOMRI) from

Myanmar to Philippines was held March 15 at

the Shangri-La Mactan, Lapulapu City. The

formal turn-over is in line with the 14th

SOMRI Meeting and Related Meetings to be

held from March 14 - 18, 2016. (vvv/PIA Cebu)

Fire Prevention Month for Action Center

Kapihan sa PIA in Maasin City, March 15, 2016

with City Fire Marshall Kenith Casas, Fire

Officer II & IO-designate Raul Inocando Jr. and

Fire Officer I Earnswell Tan, hosted by ICM

Erna Gorne & Bong Pedalino. (PIA-8)

British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif

Ahmad provides updates on programs and

projects undertaken by the British government

in the country during a press conference held

held at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention,

Mar. 11, 2016. Also in the photo is PIA-6

Regional Director Atty. Ma. Janet Mesa who

served as moderator for the interaction. (LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

"Welcome To Cebu" dance and song number greet the

ministers and senior officials at the opening of the 13th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information at Shangrila Mactan.

Lapulapu City (right) Mayor Paz Radaza delivered the welcome message for the delegates from the 10-ASEAN member nations

(left). (PIA7)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

Women urged to fight for their rights, interest

KALIBO, Aklan, March 16 (PIA6) -- It is high time for women to put themselves at the forefront and participate in decision

making and be leaders in their own right.

T his, in essence, was the main message

of Aklan Vice Governor Gabrielle

Calizo-Quimpo in her talk during Aklan‟s

Opening Salvo of the Women‟s Month

celebration here on March 8 held at the lobby of

the Provincial Capitol Building.

Calizo-Quimpo emphasized in her talk that it

is important for women to be at the forefront of

decision-making to push the interests of women

in the agenda.

The lady vice governor said Aklanon women

can do this by starting at the smallest political unit

– the barangay, and eventually, if qualified, at the

municipal and provincial level, and be advocates of

the rights of women.

She cited as examples the various aspects

and situations where a woman‟s role as a decision

maker is vital – in Disaster Risks Reduction (DRR)

programs and in the Peace Process, where

there is a need to promote gender equality and to

ensure gender-responsive recovery through

lectures and seminars and the sharing of

knowledge down to the grassroots.

“The only way to achieve fulfillment of

programs of women at the lowest level is when

they become liberated, empowered and

respected in the community,” the vice governor

said, who, years earlier, also served as a

Sangguniang Panlalawigan member and the

first-ever female representative of the province of

Aklan.

Other provincial officials who gave messages

in the program were Aklan governor Florencio T.

Miraflores who was represented by SP Member

Soviet Russia de la Cruz, and Hon. Lillian Q,

Tirol, Committee Chair on Women, Children and

Family.

Meanwhile, apart from the messages

exhorting the important roles of women in the

society and citing achievements of the province in

championing Aklanon women‟s welfare and

protection, the opening salvo was also also an

opportunity for the province to make the women

pampered and loved by providing them free

health services, Make Over, and information from

other government agencies.

These came in the form of Blood Pressure

check up, pneumonia vaccines, blood typing and

dental examination through the Provincial Health

Office, Department of Health, Social Hygiene

Clinic, Philippine Association of Medical

Technologists and Philippine Red Cross; while the

Makeover for Women came in the form

hair-cutting, manicure/pedicure and massage

through the Technical Education and Skills

Development Authority (TESDA).

Information Desks where also provided

where representatives from Philhealth, GSIS,

Public Attornye‟s Office, Public Employment

Service Office, Provincial Social Welfare and

Development Office, and PNP Women‟s Desk

were on hand to provide answers to queries from

the public, especially women.

The Women‟s Month opening salvo was

spearheaded by the provincial government

through the Provincial Planning and Development

Office (PPDO) whose head, Engr. Roger M. Esto,

is the Co-Chair of the Aklan Gender and

Development Commission (AGADC).

By Venus G. Villanueva

DOH turns over TSeKaP equipment to Capiz LGUs

Alex Lumaque

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, March 16 (PIA6) – Three hundred twenty – eight Tamang Serbisyo Para sa Kalusugan ng Pamilya

(TSeKaP) packages were turned over by Sec. Janette L. Garin of the Department of Health (DOH) to local government units

(LGU) in the province last March 10 at the Capiz Gym here.

E ach of the health equipment package is

composed of thermometer, stethoscope,

blood pressure apparatus, dressing kits

glucometer and nebulizers.

“These packages endorsed to the LGUs will

be turned over by the Rural Health Units to

identified Barangay Health Stations (BHS) in

their locality,” said Capiz DOH head Dr. Elmer

Bucayan.

During the program, Sec. Garin has

thanked the LGUs and health workers in the

province for the voluntary help, commitment

and compassion in the health service delivery

activities.

“Those are the perfect ingredients that

allowed the DOH to achieve our strategies,

objectives and goals,” she stressed, adding that

the TSeKaP package is the effect of Daang

Matuwid governance by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino

III administration.

The DOH program makes primary health

care like preventive and promotive services

accessible to the population to keep them

healthy as well as well-informed on their health

condition.

The activity was graced by local officials led

by Capiz Gov. Victor A. Tanco, Sr., congressmen

Antonio Del Rosario and Fredenil Castro,

PhilHealth Board of Director Ronnie Dadivas,

DOH 6 director Marlyn Convocar and provincial

health officials, among others. (JCM/AAL/PIA6

Capiz)

DTI brings services to Caluya Island

SAN JOSE, Antique, March 15 (PIA6) - - The Department of Trade and Industry recently went to the Island town of Caluya

bringing with them their services and programs.

P rovincial Director Mercedes Young, on

March 11, 2016 visited the island

Municipality of Caluya to conduct various

activities to reach out to the community

residents.

Young went to see the BS Entrepreneurship

Students of University of Antique- Caluya Campus

where she was the Resource Speaker on

Entrepreneurship Seminar.

Young encouraged the students to open

their entrepreneurial mindset while learning new

strategies. She discussed the topics on risks and

rewards of entrepreneurship and some tips on

how to be successful in business.

Wilson Alian, Trade and Industry

Development Specialist of DTI checked on the

products of Imba Fisherfolks and Seaweeds

Farmers Association. The association produces

variety of seaweed-based products such as chips,

canton, kropeck and pickles.

DTI will extend further assistance to them

through consultancy on packaging and labeling to

improve the products marketability.

Caluya is also one of the beneficiaries of

Timbangan ng Bayan project of DTI. During the

visit Municipal Treasurer Efren Decena also

showed DTI the way this heavy duty weighing

scales served the consumers of Caluya Public

market. The other unit was brought to the Public

Market of Semirara.

As to regulations of business establishments,

DTI Information Officer Engr. Lynna Joy Cardinal

likewise conducted market monitoring and check

on the compliance of stores to fair trade laws.

She conducted an inspection of their

compliance to Business Name Registration, Price

Tag Law and Product Standards Law.

Cardinal also conducted registration of

business name. (JCM/PSM/PIA6Antique)

Pilar S. Mabaquiao

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, March 14 (PIA6) – A total of 30 Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) from Negros

Occidental were recognized for being ―good‖ borrowers of the Department of Agrarian Reform‘s Agrarian Production Credit

Program (APCP).

T he ARBOs from the province were

recognized during the 2nd Agri-Fisheries

Credit Program Assessment and

Planning Workshop for Visayas-Mindanao on

March 10 at the Mallberry Business Suite in

Cagayan de Oro.

They were awarded for paying on time,

since the inception in 2013 of the APCP,

a five-year credit and capacity development

program designed to respond to the credit needs

of ARBs on various economic projects such as

agricultural crop production, agri-enterprise and

livelihood projects.

These borrowers also followed the rules,

regulations and criteria set by DAR in order to

avail of the APCP.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala gave

the award, a plaque of recognition, to 19 ARBOs

from southern Negros and 11 ARBOs from the

north.

The 19 ARBOs from southern Negros

are Hacienda Pangulayan ARBF Association

of Bago City; Dama Farmworkers ARB

Association of La Castellana; Candumarao Cluster

Association of Hinigaran; Estela Agrarian Reform

Cooperative of La Carlota City; Hacienderos

Agrarian Reform Cooperative of Bago City; Haci-

enda Agueda ARB Association of La Castellana;

Hacienda Cahilamunan ARB Association of La

Castellana;

Hacienda Esperanza ARB Association of La

Carlota City; Hacienda Malaga-Cuenca ARC of La

Castellana; Hacienda Siga-siga ARB MPC of La

Castellana; Hacienda Trinidad MPC of La

Castellana; Minoro-Isabel ARB Association of La

Castellana; Occidental Negros ARB Planters‟

Association (ONARBPA) of Kabankalan City;

Victor U. Lopez Agrarian Reform Cooperative

of Pontevedra; Viscaya Agrarian Reform

Cooperative of Pontevedra; San Enrique

Multi-Purpose Cooperative of San Enrique;

Kasuco Workers Agricultural Cooperative of

Kabankalan City; Bajay-Patol Agrarian Reform

Cooperative of Cauayan and Mataba Women‟s

Association of Kabankalan City.

Meanwhile, the ARBOs from the northern

portion of the province that were also recognized

were Dalayapan ARB Association; Don Esteban

ARB Association; Hacienda Anita Farmworkers

Association; PFFC Workers and ARB MPC;

Hacienda Bernadita ARB MPC; Bulilis MPC;

Cambaol FMPC; Libertad MPC; CALIDAFA;

CARP UBMPC and San Jose ARB MPC. (JCM/

CBA/PIA6-Negros Occidental)

DAR awards ‗good‘ APCP borrowers

Carlson B. Alelis

ILOILO CITY, March 16 (PIA6) — This year‘s World Water Day Celebration on March 22 revolves on the theme ―Water and

Jobs‖, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-6.

T he Environmental Management Bureau of

the DENR is leading the activities for the

celebration.

Atty. Jonathan Bulos, EMB regional

director, said the theme underscores the

importance of water and jobs in transforming

people‟s lives.

“Businesses use water in their daily

operations, and the water industry and

water –related services are instrumental in

improving people‟s lives by giving them jobs,”

Bulos said.

The UN World Water Development

Report of 2015 stated that there are about 1.5

billion people who work in water-related

sectors and millions of them are unrecognized

and unprotected. The EMB will spearhead the

clean-up of identified esteros in Iloilo City,

together with the city government and the “adopt

-an-estero” partners, on March 19.

“Cleaning the estero may be a small thing,

including picking up garbage, but this collective

effort help our communities have clean esteros

for water to flow,” Ninfa Adolfo, chief of Special

Projects Section of the EMB.

Meanwhile, DENR-6 Regional Director Jim

Sampulna said that managing water resource is

important as it impacts on the economy and the

environment.

“There are still so many things to learn

about water-related issues,” Sampulna said, adding

that these issues transcends the other issues the

society faces today. On the other hand,

Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said the local

government units has an important role in

ensuring that the water bodies in their

respective areas are safe for its intended use.

“LGUs must take an active role in

rehabilitating the dying rivers, lakes and

other water bodies to benefit the people,” Paje

added.

The celebration of World Water Day

started in 1992 when the UN Conference on

Environment and Development recommended for

an observance on water.

T h e U n i t e d N a t i on s G e n e r a l

Assembly responded by designat ing

March 22, 1993 as the first World

Water Day, and has since then been celebrated

annually. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

World Water Day focuses on ‗Water and Jobs‘

Elsa Subong

ILOILO CITY, March 15 (PIA6) --- The Department of Health (DOH)-6 called on the local government units in (LGUs) Region

6 for the strict implementation of Republic Act No. 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.

LGUs urged to follow Anti-Rabies Act

Leonard T. Pineda I

D r. Elvie Villalobos, DOH-6 Head for

Infectious Disease and Environmental

and Occupational Health Cluster, said

that LGUs play a huge role in rabies control.

“The implementation of the Anti-Rabies Act

depends on the LGUs so there should be strict

enforcement on their part,” he said.

According to the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007,

the LGUs in their respective localities are tasked

to ensure that all dogs are properly immunized,

registered and issued a corresponding dog tag for

every immunized and registered dog.

The LGUs should also strictly enforce dog

impounding activities and field control to

eliminate stray dogs and ensure that dogs are

leashed or confined within the premises of the

owner‟s house or owner‟s fenced surroundings.

Likewise, the LGUs should also allocate

funds to augment the implementation of the

National Rabies Prevention and Control

Program, particularly on the financing of supplies

and human and dog vaccines needed for

immunization.

The DOH also cited the responsibility

of the pet owners, as per the Anti-Rabies Act of

2007.

The main responsibility of pet owners is to

vaccinate and register their dogs.

Pet owners who refuse to have their dog

vaccinated against rabies shall be liable to pay for

the vaccination of both the dog and the individuals

bitten by their dog.

There are penalties for pet owners who

violate the law.

These sanctions include a P2,000 fine for

owners who refuse to immunize or register their

dogs, and a P25,000 fine for owners who refuse

to pay for the medical expense of a victim bitten

by their dog. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo).

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

VALENCIA, Negros Oriental, Mar. 14 (PIA) – Renewable energy firm Energy Development Corporation (EDC) seeks to

expand its geothermal output in Negros Oriental.

Renewable energy to expand geothermal

output in NegOr

T he company seeks to expand its output from

222.5 megawatts (MW) to 282.5MW in which additional 20MW will be allocated for

its Nasuji Power Plant and the remaining 40MW will

be reserved for its future developments. The company is applying for an Environment

Compliance Certificate (ECCC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources

(DENR) in line with its proposed expansion.

As a requirement in securing an ECC, a public was held to solicit opinions from different sectors on

the proposed EDC expansion. EDC representatives were present in a public

hearing held recently at Yeva Gymnasium in Valencia

town along with hundreds of representatives coming from the religious sector, business, grassroots, and environmental groups.

Engr. Vicente Omandam, EDC project manage-

ment senior manager of its Negros Island Geothermal Business Unit (NIGBU), clarified that the expansion will cover 30 hectares inside EDC‟s 5,000

hectares development area. Aside from this, he also noted that the

company is taking necessary steps and considering all possible measures including engineering designs to

minimize the number of trees that will be affected by

the expansion. He also stated the company‟s commitment in

planting 100 trees to replace those that were cut down.

He also clarified that no new power plants will

be built in the expansion but will install equipment that will harness the steam beneath the earth.

As part of the requirements in securing an

ECC, EDC tapped consultancy firm GHD to make an

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of its existing geothermal facility in this town.

Dr. Felixberto Roquia was among the experts

who conducted the EIA presented some notable findings of the EIA during the public hearing.

Meanwhile, Robert Dy, a representative of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and

Industry (NOCCI), considers the expansion as a

welcome development since it can create employment for Valencianons and produce additional

income in the municipality. He acknowledges that there is a tradeoff when

development projects like this happens, but noted

that geothermal energy is cheaper than solar energy. (rmn/ral/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan

TAGBILARAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) -- Coinciding with the 451st anniversary of the Blood Compact, the City Government of

Tagbilaran commemorated it with a triple celebration which showcases Tagbilaran, as the City of Friendship.

451st Blood Compact anniversary marked with triple celebration

E arly today, Mayor John Geesnell „Baba‟ Yap II

led the time capsule laying for the P54-million Bohol Friendship Park in Baran-

gay Bool.

Today‟s occasion also witnessed the grand launching of the Saulog Tagbilaran 2016 festivities and Mutya sa Tagbilaran 2016 where the 15 lovely candidates graced the event to represent their

respective barangays. The Vanguardians Dance Company portrayed

the much-celebrated first International Treaty of

Friendship between Boholano chieftain Datu Sikatuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi during the commemorative program this

morning held at the soon-to-be Bohol Friendship

Park in Bool.

Gov. Edgar Chatto, Cong. Rene Relampagos, Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, Bohol Friendship Park Committee Head Peter Dejaresco, Bohol First

Lady Pureza Veloso-Chatto, Tagbilaran City First Lady Jane Cajes-Yap, City Sangguniang Bayan members led by Vice Mayor Toto Veloso graced the triple celebration.

Chatto congratulated the City Government on the triple celebration which he said showcases Tagbilaran as the City of Friendship and its tourism,

culture, and history as a microcosm of Bohol as a province and the life of its people.

The governor turned over today to Mayor Yap

and Vice Mayor Veloso the last tranche of funding for

the Bohol Earthquake Assistance sub projects in

Tagbilaran City, including the City Hall. Also turned over today was emergency shelter

assistance fund and cash for work fund for some

1,200 earthquake affected families in the city. Mayor Yap, for his part, said the activities

are a contribution to the promotion of unique heritage and the presentation of its history as a living

experience. He said the activities depict the universal

message of friendship and unity and also showcases

Tagbilaran City as a tourism destination itself and not just a gateway to the paradise that is Bohol. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

Elvira C. Bongosia

CEBU CITY, March 17 (PIA) -- Cases of violence against women (VAW) are on the rise in Cebu City and Cebu province.

I n 2014, there were 568 physical injuries and

47 psychological abuse cases recorded in the city, according to records from the Women

and Children Protection Center (WCPC) at Cebu

City Police Office. However, at the end of 2015, the number of

cases rose to 846 for physical injuries and 125 for psychological abuse.

Although the official count has yet to be collated for the first two months this year, WCPC officials already noted an increase.

“Our reports are done quarterly, but for January and February this year, we already see an increase in the cases,” said PO3 Geneve Undalok of

Cebu City WCPC during the Kapihan sa PIA held at the plenary hall of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) yesterday.

In Cebu province, VAW cases have also increased according to P/Sr. Insp. Marginette Yosores who heads the WCPC at Cebu Provincial

Police Office.

Yosores said majority of the VAW cases recorded in her office are from Talisay City followed by Bogo City.

Both WCPC officers attribute the increase to higher awareness among women victims of domestic abuse on where to go and what they need to do to avail of the assistance from WCPC.

“The cases are strictly confidential. In fact, we have what we call as the pink blotter to log VAW cases. They are not recorded in the regular police

blotter,” explained Yosores. However, authorities note that VAW victims

need to be more empowered as only a small

percentage of abused women who seek the help of WCPC actually end up filing cases against their abusive partners.

Of the total cases handled by Cebu City‟s WCPC, only around 16% of them file cases, said Undalok.

One reason for this is due to the women‟s lack

of financial independence, said Atty. Virginia Palanca-Santiago, president of the Legal Alternatives for Women (LAW), Inc.

“Most of them are economically dependent on their husbands, and this forces them to stay in the abusive relationship for years. We have had clients who endure the abuse for as long as 40 years,” said

Santiago. She urged women who are victims of abuse to

be empowered and stand up for their rights.

LAW Inc. is a non-government organization that offers free legal aid to women victims of abuse and violence.

The forum held by Philippine Information Agen-cy-Cebu is in line with this year‟s Women‟s Month celebration in March with the theme: “Kapakanan ni

Juana, Isama sa Agenda.” (rmn/PIA7 -Cebu)

Violence against women cases up in Cebu City

Rachelle M. Nessia

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

TAGBILARAN CITY, March 14, (PIA) — A key officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Bohol lauded the

government's move to decentralize the agency‘s recruitment to afford the sourcing for more personnel who are familiar with

their areas of responsibility.

F ire Chief Inspector Antonio Ortiz, Bohol

acting provincial fire marshal, called the proposed BFP plan to bring recruitment

to the towns a positive step that allows them to

position the right men for the task at hand. Speaking at the Kapihan sa PIA tackling Fire

Prevention, Ortiz said that the bureau practice of a

centralized hiring of firemen allows displacement of

men and separation from their families for periods of time on duty.

Moreover, with firemen‟s assignments, the

need to familiarize with the territory can bear the difference between a quicker fire response and

rescue.

Many believe that a decentralized hiring of firemen can motivate local government units to donate lots as an investment.

Towns without fire stations can have their own fire stations funded by the BFP with a fire truck and manpower complement.

This, however, is possible if the town positively

responds to the necessary land donation for the fire station to sit on.

The move to decentralize the hiring is an added

bet for the towns to respond, considering that the fire bureau puts up a P2.3 million building, another

P2 million fire truck and manpower complement,

which can be from their town. For towns without fire stations now,

responding to fire alarms can take a considerably

longer time as the response would have to come from the neighboring towns where they are clustered.

In fire alarms, after a fire break-out, crucial

minutes of response is necessary to put the fire in control, one which can hardly be attained with a fire station many minutes away. (rmn/rac/PIA-7/

Bohol)

Decentralized hiring of local firemen lauded

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

DUMAGUETE CITY, Mar. 14 (PIA) – Broadcast journalist and 2015 Marshall McLuhan awardee Joseph Morong encourages

young people to see the issue of the Mindanao peace process in a wider perspective.

Youths urged to look at peace process in wider perspective

M orong, who is a senior reporter of GMA-7,

was in Silliman University recently to give a talk on “Communicating the Message of the

Bangsamoro” as part of the Marshall McLuhan Forum

Series on Responsible Media which was sponsored by the Canadian Embassy.

Students from Silliman University and Negros Oriental State University, most of them enrolled in

mass communication, attended the forum. In his talk, Morong told students to view the

issue of the peace process and the Bangsamoro not

only through the lens of the Mamasapano debacle

but also through its historical context and other related issues.

He pointed out that there is a tendency to get emotional and become biased on the issue if they will only see it from the aspect of the Mamasapano

tragedy without having prior knowledge on the peace process and the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

He showed his audience the result of a survey

conducted by the Social Weather Station (SWS) in June 2015 which reveal that 44% of the respondents have little knowledge on the BBL while 37% say they

have no knowledge on the BBL, 16% have partial but sufficient knowledge on the topic, and only 3% have extensive knowledge on the issue.

The problem goes back to the colonial

period when the Treaty of Paris was signed and the Philippines was turned over by Spain to America.

Prior to this, early Muslims in Mindanao had

already established a political and military system in

island which became the reason why Spanish colonizers failed to conquer the island, therefore

Mindanao at that time was not subjugated to Spanish political existence and was not added to the Spanish colonies in the country.

However, with the signing of the Treaty in 1898, Mindanao became part of the Philippine

territory that was sold by the Spaniards to the

Americans. The broadcast journalist acknowledged that

there was a lack of focus in the media in presenting

the historical context of the Bangsamoro in the news and there was overemphasis given on the Mamasapano tragedy.

This was also reflected in the study conducted

by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) on the Coverage of the BBL, which he also presented in the forum.

Morong believes the way to solve Mindanao‟s

problems is to set aside prejudices on Muslims. He emphasized to his audience that they should

always remember that they are the same with the young people in the Bangsamoro states – they have dreams and they are also Filipinos. (rmn/ral/

PIA7-Negros Oriental)

Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan

TAGBILARAN CITY, March 15 (PIA) — Shell fish ban in the waters off Dauis town remains in place after ten months, along

with five more bays and coastal waters across the Visayas which have been tested positive for paralytic shellfish poison beyond

the regulatory limits, said Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Atty. Asis Perez.

Bohol red tide alert on shellfish ban continues

B FAR has warned people against harvesting,

selling, buying and eating shellfish and other bottom feeders from these areas.

Other than Dauis in Bohol, also with

continuing threat of paralytic shellfish poison commonly associated with red tide are the coastal waters of Daram Island in Daram, Western Samar, Cambatutay Bay also in Western Samar,

coastal waters of Pilar in Capiz, Coastal waters of Naval, in Biliran Island province as well as in the coastal bays of Leyte town in Leyte.

Atty. Perez said that through Shellfish Bulletin No. 8, series of 2016 dated March 8, 2016, based on the latest laboratory results done by BFAR and the

Local Government Units, all shellfish and acetes sp

or alamang gathered from the areas listed above are

not safe for human consumption. On the other hand, fish, squids, shrimps

and crabs form there may be safe for human

consumption provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly with the internal organs such as gills and intestines removed before cooking, BFAR advised.

It may be recalled that in June of last year,

around 12 people in Tagbilaran and Dauis areas were rushed to local hospitals after eating shellfish gathered from specific locations mentioned.

This also prompted BFAR to conduct a study and eventual issuance of an advisory for algal bloom, which is commonly known as red tide.

Any shellfish or shrimps, bottom feeders that

happen to feed on the algal bloom would tend to

ingest the poison, which when eaten by man, causes paralysis, upset stomach, vomiting, nausea and disorientation, according to health authorities.

Local fishery authorities continue to urge people to keep off from said areas, and especially refraining from transporting what they could gather to other areas to sell.

Dauis authorities as well as BFAR Bohol Leo Bongalos, who incidentally comes from the town, have been reportedly monitoring the

implementation of the BFAR shellfish ban, even as the one-month red tide scare has rendered many shell fish gathering and trading families helpless. (rac/

PIA-7/Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

CSC-8 still accepts nominations for HAP search

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, March 15 (PIA) --- The Civil Service Commission (CSC) regional office 8 announced that

nominations for 2016 Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees will be accepted until March 31, 2016.

T his is part of the Commission‟s

advocacy of promoting excellence

and recognizing as well as rewarding

civil servants for outstanding performance,

contribution and achievements and or

consistent manifestation of exemplary ethical

behavior.

In pursuance to Republic Act 6713

otherwise known as the “Administrative Code

of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and

Employees”, the CSC established the Honor

Awards Program (HAP) consisting of the

Presidential or Lingkod Bayan Award, the

Outstanding Public Officials and Employees

Award or Dangal ng Bayan Award and the Civil

Service Commission Pagasa Award.

Heads of agencies and government

workers are encouraged to submit

nominations to this prestigious search.

Nomination forms and guidelines maybe

secured from CSC regional and field offices in

the region or maybe downloaded at the CSC

website www.csc.gov.ph.

For more inquiries, the HAP

secretar iat may also be reached

through telephone numbers (02) 931-7993 and

9 3 2 0 3 8 2 o r e m a i l a d d r e s s

es: paio.paspd@csc.gov.ph and hapsecretariat

@yahoo.com. (ajc/PIA-8)

Consuelo B. Alarcon

Biliran candidates ink covenant for 2016 polls

Rodrigo S. Victoria

OSCA seeks payout for 860 senior citizens‘ social pension

A ccording to Felisa Diola, OSCA

president in Maasin City, some 860

indigent senior citizens need to catch

up in the preparations of the required

documents to be completed before the onset

of the local campaign period otherwise payout

of their social pension shall be postponed after

the election period.

Diola said some 800 indigent senior

citizens will be receiving P1,500.00 each for the

period April-June, 2015 for its social pension

receivables while other 60 newly registered

beneficiaries are set to receive at P6,000.00

each for the period from January- December

2016.

The social pension vouchers for the newly

registered beneficiaries in the city are prepared

separately hence the difference in the amount

to be received from the first batch of indigent

senior citizens, she said.

She is urging the beneficiaries of the social

pension on the completion of the requirements

or seek the assistance from their younger

relatives to fast track in the preparations of

documents needed.

Meanwhile, the city government

initiated- social pension for selected senior

citizens at P500 per month is definitely

suspended making way for the bulky

preparations of social pensions paid by the

national government thru the DSWD, Diola

added.

The city-initiated social pension shall be

paid out after the election period, she said.

(esg/PIA8 SoLeyte)

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 14 (PIA) - The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in Maasin City seeks to

complete the requirements for the hundreds of indigent senior citizens needed to payout for their social pension in the city

soonest.

Erna S. Gorne

NAVAL, Biliran, March 16 (PIA) - Candidates in Biliran province for the synchronized local and national elections on May 9,

2016 recently signed a covenant for the conduct of an honest, authentic, peaceful, clean and credible elections.

“ A covenant is a sacred vow that

each candidate must obey and follow,”

Cajipo said in her message to the local

candidates present during the covenant signing

of elective position of member of the House of

Representatives, Governor, Vice-Governor

and Sangguniang Panlalawigan members held

recently at the Naval Gymnasium.

In the covenant, candidates are refrain

from using force, violence or organized

armed groups to threaten, terrorize and

intimidate the voters to disrupt the holding of

free, honest, orderly, peaceful and credible

elections.

PSSupt.Lito T. Bigoy, provincial director,

Biliran Police Provincial Office (BPPO), who

was present in the covenant signing advised the

candidates not to engage in any violent act in

order to preserve the peaceful situation of the

entire province. He shared his experience when he was

still a city director in a city in Western Samar

where some politicians engaged private armed

groups to terrorize voters and ensure their

victory during elections.

He expressed hopes for the same

not to happen in Biliran this time under his

watch.

Earlier, the provincial office of the

Commission on Elections (Comelec) here,

headed by Atty. Karen C. Cajipo, provincial

election supervisor, in coordination with the

municipal election officers of the eight towns in

the province, conducted a series of lectures on

the Fair Elections Act and initiated the signing

of a covenant among the local candidates in the

province.

Vote buying, giving and offering or

promise of money, gifts or anything of

value were the things also emphasized among

the candidates which they must renounce and

refrain from doing.

Candidates and their supporters are prohibited from posting all propaganda

materials in areas not designated by COMELEC

as common poster and they are also obliged

to remove all campaign materials posted

outside the CPA at their own expense within

three days from notice.

Comelec assigned CPAs in every town in

the province of Biliran where candidates can

post their campaign materials.

It also reminded the candidates

during the covenant to follow the rules and

regulations promulgated by Comelec in

bearing, carrying and transporting of firearms

or other deadly weapons and not engage

themselves in any illegal activity and or

employ security personnel or bodyguards for

violent purposes.

Candidates were also warned not to

tamper the election returns and certificate of

canvass to avoid penalty for criminal acts.

They were also told to abide and follow

all election laws, rules and regulations promul-

gated for the conduct of elections and promote respect and professionalism to fellow

candidates. (FJ/rvictoria/PIA 8 Biliran)

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

Biliran local execs support women‘s welfare

NAVAL, Biliran, March 14 (PIA) – Top male local executives in Biliran province strongly support women‘s welfare as shown

in their presence during the 21st Women‘s Congress held at the Naval State University (NSU) gymnasium on March 8, also

celebrated as International Women‘s Day.

M aripipi Mayor Uldarico Macorol

sympathized with h is women

constituents as he joined in the

parade around the town proper of Naval

where some 2,655 women from the 132

barangays and 45 organized sitios joined in the

daylong activity.

The Women‟s Congress was graced

by Congressman Rogelio Espina of the

lone district of Biliran, Governor Gerardo

Espina, Jr., Vice-Governor Eriberto Tubis,

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Gerard

Espina, Caibiran Mayor Eulalio Maderazo,

and Mayor Dominador Agajan of the

municipality of Almeria.

In its effort to empower Biliran

women, the Provincial Council for

Women‟s Welfare, Inc. (PCWWI) headed by

PCWWI President, Dr. Cecil Espina, set a

plenary session where topics on gender

sensitivity, Magna Carta of Women or Repulic

act 9710, parents‟ role in drug prevention,

breast cancer awareness and prevention,

and women‟s role during disasters were

discussed.

To enrich Biliran women‟s personality in

the lighter side of the congress, they

competed in folk dancing, slogan making with

deliberation, and aerobics contest.

The municipality of Almeria championed

in the folk dance competiton, followed by

Naval and Caibiran.

For the slogan contest, Culaba won

the 1st place, Maripipi – 2nd place, and

Kawayan – 3rd place.

The best in hataw and aerobics contest

was grabbed by Caibiran, 2nd place went

to Naval, and 3rd place - Almeria.

The best in parade was awarded to the

municipality of Almeria, 2nd place to Naval,

and 3rd place to Maripipi.

At the end of the day-long activity, the

women participants expressed contentment of

the activities prepared for them and requested

the organizers to sustain the programs for

women in the coming years.

PCWWI, Women‟s Organization for

Rural Development-Kalipunan ng Lahing

Pilipina (WORD-KALIPI), and women

employees from both government and private

offices in coordination with the provincial

government of Biliran opened the Women‟s

Month Celebration on March 1 with a

motorcade around the province of Biliran

carrying the theme “Kapakanan ni Juana, Isama

sa Agenda!” (FJ/mlt/PIA8 Biliran)

Gov‘t allocates P1.28B for North Samar 2nd District infras

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, 14 March (PIA) – The national government through the Department of Public Works and

Highways allocates around P1.28 billion for infrastructure projects to be implemented in the second district of the province of

Northern Samar, this was learned from DPWH, NSSDEO PIO Unit.

F unded based on General Appropriation

Act (GAA) of the Department‟s 2016

Infrastructure Program, the project

specifically includes Asset Preservation of

National Roads covering preventive

maintenance/highway development and

management, rehabilitation reconstruction and

upgrading of damaged paved national roads

and rehab, reconstruction of national roads

with slips, slope collapse and landslides, among

others.

Another major projects funded for 2016

is Network Development, under this

category is the construction of missing

gaps connecting national roads and

off-carriageway improvement including

drainage. Part of the budget is also allocated to

the construction and maintenance of bridges

along national roads, speicifically retrofitting

and strengthening of permanent bridges.

In a meeting with technical personnel and

contractors early this year which was called by

DPWH-Northern Samar Second District

Engineering Office (NSSDEO), District

Engineer Ferdinand Briones advised

contractors to strictly adhere to the project

schedules and avoid incurring negative slippages

in the implementation of the project.

Dependent on the budget apportionment

of each project, the implementation will be

undertaken by either DPWH Central Office,

Regional Office or DPWH Northern Samar

2nd District Engineering Office. (ADiaz)

Mary Lailani Pitao-Tupaz

SoLeyte hospitals include elderly, PWDs in health care

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 14 (PIA) -- The provincial government here takes care of hospitalization costs in case

resident Senior Citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) would be admitted in any of the public hospitals managed by the

province.

T his was made possible through an

ordinance passed by the Sangguniang

Panlalawigan in its regular session

on October 12, 2015, and approved for

implementation by Gov. Roger Mercado on

October 29, 2015.

Ordinance Number 2015-77 provides a

unified hospital rates in all the provincial

hospitals and classified patients according to

their paying capacity, in which those unable to

pay will be absorbed using the indigency fund

set aside for this purpose from the provincial

coffers.

Another source of the indigency fund that

can be utilized was from the Department of

Health (DOH) under the name Medical Health

Care Assistance Program (MHCAP).

The ordinance specified that admission

costs of senior citizens and PWDs, in excess of

Philhealth claims, is charged 100% to either or

both the DOH-granted MHCAP and the

indigency fund initiative of the provincial

government.

Aside from old people and the

differently-abled ones, admitted patients who

are employees of the provincial government

are also covered by this privilege, according to

Section 3, No. 2 of the said Ordinance, a copy

of which was obtained by PIA.

The public hospitals in other places of the

province under the provincial government, in

addition to the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez

Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) in

barangay Dongon, this city, are Padre Burgos

Community Hospital, Sogod District

Hospital, Pintuyan District Hospital, Anahawan

District Hospital, and Hinunangan District

Hospital. (mmp, PIA8-Southern Leyte)

Marcelo Pedalino

Ailene Diaz

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 piaamo6@yahoo.com.

Editorial Consultants

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

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

Managing Editor

Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout

Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

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

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

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