Vol 5 Issue 3 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 January 19 – 25, 2015

WESTERN VISAYAS

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue Papal visit in Leyte successful

Sugar law paves way for 3 major cane products

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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200 Canadians, American tourists to visit Negros Oriental in Winter Escapade

By Jennifer C. Tilos

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Jan. 22 (PIA) --About 200 Filipino-Canadian tourists are expected to arrive in Negros Oriental on January 30 as participants in the 2nd “Winter

Escapade: It’s More Fun in the Philippines Tour” of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Foreign

Affairs (DFA). This year’s tour program from Jan. 30 to Feb. 6 aims

at luring Canadian and American tourists and balikbayans to visit the Philippines which include the tourism hub of Central Visayas during the cold months in the west.

In a meeting of Negros Oriental Tourism Council (NOTC), Sr. Tourism Operations Officer Myla Abellana said the new tour package targets large concentrations of

Filipino snowbirds in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary in Canada.

Abellana said local officials and tourism councils of the

province and Dumaguete City will join the welcome reception with the Yagyag Festival, last year’s Buglasan

Festival champion at 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 30 at the airport.

This Winter Escapade initiative allows the provinces of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol and Cebu as its itinerary loop, to showcase the beauty of the islands, white

sand beaches, nature’s eco-tourism, scuba diving, and offer in terms of hospitality, culture, food, arts and crafts.

This is also to promote to travelers that the Philippines is a safe place to travel.

As soon as the group arrives in Dumaguete City, they proceed to a city tour to Silliman University, Claytown Pottery, Freedom Park, Convention Center, Public Market,

Cathedral Church and Belfry. On the same day, the tourists will visit Negros

Oriental Arts and Heritage, San Agustin Church in Bacong,

Forest Camp in Valencia then back to Rizal Boulevard and Sidlakang Negros in Dumaguete City.

Before the tourists proceed to Siquijor Island on the

following day, they will be treated with a dinner and Baile ng Bayan. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 19 (PIA) – “The visit of

Pope Francis to Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte on January 17, 2015 was successful,” said Reverend Father Amadeo Alvero, Parish Priest of St. Isidore Parish in MacArthur,

Leyte who is also the Mass Media Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Palo.

“The Papal Visit was really successful because everything went on smoothly and all activities of the Pontiff

here were done, although time was shortened due to the bad weather brought about by typhoon Amang that placed Leyte under signal No. 2," he said.

“The efforts of everyone involved in the preparation of the Papal Visit here in Leyte were compensated,” Fr. Alvero further said.

He said their estimate of 100,000 pilgrims who

attended the open air mass at the DZR airport spilled over to more or less 190,000 as more pilgrims were occupying

the space outside the quadrants at the mass area. When asked about the impact of the Papal Visit to

the people of Leyte and even people from Visayas,

Mindanao and Luzon which are near Eastern Visayas who came over to attend the historical event, Fr. Alvero said, it strengthened the spirituality of every Catholic faithful.

The visit gave new horizons and fresh hopes to the

pilgrims especially to the victims of super typhoon Yolanda that hit Eastern Visayas on November 8, 2013.

The engagements of Pope Francis in his visit to

Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte included an open air mass at the DZR airport at 9 o’clock in the morning; lunch with some of the survivors of typhoon Yolanda at the

Archbishop’s Residence in Palo; blessing of the Pope

Francis Center for the Poor and A brief meeting with the

priests, women and men religious, seminarians and families of victims of super typhoon Yolanda.

Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Palo has expressed

apologies for the tragic accident which killed a 27-year-old Kristel Padasas, who worked as a volunteer of the Catholic Relief Service (CRS) based in Eastern Samar, after being struck by a scaffolding at the site of the Papal mass

Saturday. Rev. Fr. Alvero said, "we are saddened and feel very

sorry for what had happened but will try our best to do

what we can to help the family". (ajc/fjackson/PIA 8 Biliran)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

BACOLOD CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA6) -- The proposed

Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2014 will pave the

way for the growth of two other major products from sugarcane instead of just sugar alone, said Metro Bacolod

Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) president, Frank Carbon.

In a PIA interview, Carbon said that the Sugarcane Act aims to develop fuel ethanol and power from biomass

from sugarcane in addition to the production of sugar in Negros.

He cited that about 60-80% of the Negros Island’s

livelihood and subsistence comes from sugar, and the addition of ethanol and biomass industries could lead to investments that will give more jobs to people.

The fuel ethanol and biomass will stabilize the sugar

industry because Negros will no longer rely on “1

crop, 1 product” or producing solely sugar from one crop,

he said. “The sugar industry must be preserved by

strengthening it through improved productivity of farms, efficient transport and proficient milling system,” stressed Carbon.

More than 300, 000 direct and indirect laborers will

be affected if the sugar industry will not be protected and preserved, he said

Direct labor consists of the production of the

sugar from the farm to the mill while indirect labor includes, trucking, fuel, wheel supplies, auto supplies and sack production, among others. (JCM/CBA-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

AGIO-7 Forum on Oil Price Slump. Engr. Saul

Gonzales, chief of the Energy Industry

Management Div. of DOE-Visayas says huge

drop in oil prices in world market is not

permanent and that based on past trend, oil

prices slide every three years. Gonzales urged

public to save instead. Beside him is Teresa

Chan, president of the Cebu Chamber of

Commerce and Industry. (PIA7)

Vice Gov Stephen James Tan and Carin Van

der Hor of Plan International sign the MOA re

protection and support for Anti-Human

Trafficking, Jan. 22, at the San Francisco Hotel

Catbalogan City.

DOST-PCIEERD Executive Director Dr.

Rowena Cristina Guevarra says the Green

Technology Business Incubation Facility will

bring out the R & D outputs of students and

faculty members and make them useful to the

Filipino people during the blessing and

inauguration of the GTBI Building at the

WVSU Main Campus in Lapaz district, January

21. The facility was built through the

collaboration of DOST-PCIEERD-TRC, CHED

and WVSU.

Pope Francis takes time to get close on board the Pope Mobile to

thousands of pilgrims including survivors of Typhoon “Yolanda”

gathered at the DZR Airport in Tacloban, Leyte where he led an

open air Mass morning of January 17. (PIA8)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

Pope visit impacts on tourism, foreign investments

By Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 21(PIA6) --- The successful five-day visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines can boost the tourism industry

and attract more foreign investments to the country.

I n a PIA interview, National

Economic Development Authority

(NEDA)-6 Assistant Regional

Director Raul Anlocotan said the papal

visit provided a positive outlook for the

country and reminded foreign tourists that

it is good to visit here.

“It created a positive impression for

the country as a major Christian

destination as covered by international

media and news organizations such as

CNN and BBC,” he said.

He said that the pope’s visit provided

exposure for the country’s economy

which can lure more foreign investors and

is good for tourism.

He said that the nation was able to

project itself as a peaceful country where

rules particularly for the common good

are definitely observed.

“Despite the huge crowd, we can be

orderly and while there were thousands

of people in the event, there was no

chaos,” he said.

The NEDA official also said that the

papal visit also paved way for the country

to show the world the social progress that

has been taking place here.

“It shows that the Philippines is going

on the right track,” he said.

He said that the visit also

provided an opportunity for people to

reflect on the teachings of the Pope such

as care for the poor, the sick and the

needy.

The papal visit to the country from

January 15–19, 2015, was the first state

and pastoral visit of Pope Francis to the

Philippines.

Pope Francis is the third pontiff to

visit the country after Popes Paul VI and

John Paul II. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Jan. 21 (PIA6) – An Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) worth P694,780,000.00 was turned over by the

Department of Social Welfare and Development to Roxas City as well as Panay and Pontevedra towns last Jan. 19 at the

Provincial Capitol here.

T he amount is intended for

supertyphoon Yolanda victims

in 2013 , whose houses

were partially or totally damaged houses.

DSWD 6 Protective Services Unit

head Rosario Sanagustin handed a check

worth P173,610,000.00 to Panay mayor

Dante Bermejo while P477,600,000.00 and

P43,570,000.00 ESA for Roxas City and

Pontevedra, respectively, were received

by concerned local government units

representatives.

During the turnover, the municipality

of Pilar also received a check worth

P7,000,000.00 for the Core Shelter

Assistance Program bringing the total

assistance to P701 million. Capiz Gov.

Victor A. Tanco witnessed the simple

turnover ceremony.

DSWD Field Office 6 Public

Information Officer Ely Abucay said that

the LGUs will take charge in the

distribution of ESA and CSAP to

identified beneficiaries in their respective

localities.

“LGUs with complete documents and

supporting papers will be given their ESA

or CSAP,” Abucay noted, adding that the

same assistance for other municipalities

are also being processed at the DSWD

regional office.

DSWD requirements for payment of

ESA include the validated list of those with

totally and partially damaged houses duly

signed by the mayor and the Local Social

Welfare and Development Officer,

certificates of eligibility and photocopy of

valid identification cards of each individual

in the list. (JCM/AAL-PIA6 Capiz)

4 LGUs receive P701M for Yolanda victims

By: Alex A. Lumaque

Buenavista farmers get P2.7M for livelihood projects

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 23 (PIA6) — The farmers of the town of Buenavista, Guimaras has been allotted P2.7 million for their

livelihood projects.

T he funding came from the

Department of Agriculture

-Bottom-up Budgeting (DA-BUB),

where the farmers’ associations presented

project proposals through the assistance

of the municipal agriculture office.

Dr. Joyce Wendam, DA-BUB focal

person, said that the funding is intended to

help marginalized farmers uplift their

economic status by enhancing their

production capability.

All 36 barangays of Buenavista are set

to receive livelihood projects like cattle

raising, swine raising, native chicken

production, duck raising and goat raising

for livestock and poultry.

For high value crops, PAKBET

vegetable seeds, calamansi seedlings,

cashew seedlings, and banana suckers will

be given.

“The beneficiaries will undergo

production training on livestock and

poultry and vegetable production under

our Organic Agriculture Program,”

Wendam said.

Meanwhile, the local government unit

of Buenavista has allotted a counterpart

fund of P486,000 to buy start up seeds,

livestock and poultry, organic fertilizers

and some farm tools.

Buenavista Mayor Eugene Reyes said

that they have a mechanism for the

sustainability of the projects.

The first batch of beneficiaries of the

project shall pay in kind the stocks

and inputs received from their

respective farmers’ associations, on a

scheme of one is to one to the next in-line

beneficiaries.

Reyes said the project is an

opportunity for farmers to make

the many idle lands in their barangays

productive.

“This will also contribute to the

production of organically-grown products

to boost agri-tourism initiatives of

Buenavista and also of Guimaras,” Reyes

said. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

By: Elsa S. Subong

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Over 7T avail DOLE‘s livelihood, emergency

programs

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA6) - - The Department of Labor and Employment 6 has released a total of P39,565,286.75 to 7,362

beneficiaries from the different provinces of Western Visayas through DOLE's Integrated Livelihood and Emergency

Employment Programs (DILEEP) as of December 2014.

D ILEEP aims to contribute to

poverty reduction and reduce

vulnerability to risks of the

poor, vulnerable, and marginalized

workers through enhance access to

emergency employment and livelihood.

The program has two components

the Kabuhayan or livelihood program

and the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating

Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers

(TUPAD) or emergency employment

program. Data obtained from DOLE 6

showed that of the total amount,

P28,586,066.75 was released for DILEEP

Kabuhayan while the remaining

P10,979,220.00 for DILEEP TUPAD.

The P28,586,066.75 as indicated in

the DOLE 6 data was released to

finance the 43 livelihood projects of 5,015

beneficiaries where almost half or around

2,359 are from Negros Occidental.

Some 59 projects coming from the

provinces of Iloilo and Antique were

approved under the DILEEP TUPAD, as of

December 2014, benefiting 2,347, mostly

from Iloilo.

To ensure the viability and

sustainability of the DILEEP projects this

year, Director Ponciano Ligutom has

recently directed DOLE 6 staff to look

into the quality of project proposals.

This is also to further strengthen inter

-unit coordination to improve the flow of

information which affects the evaluation

and processing of documents, according

to DOLE 6. (LAF/PIA-Iloilo

By: Lilibeth A. French

KALIBO, Aklan, Jan. 22 (PIA6) – In appreciation of their assistance in helping the province and the people during trying times,

the provincial government here recently feted Aklanon balikbayans to an Ati-atihan Night, ―an evening of dining and dancing‖

in their honor.

T he affair was one of the activities

conducted by the province in time

with the celebration of the Kalibo

Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival.

Aklan Vice Governor Gabrielle

Calizo-Quimpo, who welcomed the throng

of balikbayans who trooped to the ABL

Sports Complex to heed the invitation, said

the holding of the activity is a way of

extending to the balikbayans the Aklanons’

profound gratitude for returning to their

roots to celebrate the “Mother of all

Philippine Festivals” which is the Kalibo Sto.

Nino Ati-atihan Festival.

She also thanked them for their help

when Aklan experienced trying times.

“When Aklan needed you most, you

extended your help. You came to help us

when we suffered from Typhoon Yolanda”,

Vice Governor Calizo said to the

balikbayans, assuring them at the same time

that their help is reaching those really in

need.

For his part, Aklan governor Florencio

T. Miraflores updated the balikbayans on the

current development projects in the

province hand in hand with Aklan

Congressman Teodorico Haresco.

He told them about the new

Kalibo-Numancia Bridge undergoing

construction worth P300 million, and the

new terminal building and other structures

being constructed at the Kalibo International

Airport (KIA) worth P900 million.

He also told the balikbayans that a new

Kalibo circumferential road is now being

constructed to pass Tigayon, Kalibo up to

Makato, Aklan that will make travel time to

Boracay Island convenient. “Roads from

Kalibo are being widened – there is an

ongoing construction of a new highway to

Jawili and Bugtong-Bato, Ibajay – which is a

very scenic road”, Miraflores said. He added

many projects are in the pipelines – many

projects are pouring in especially in mainland

Kalibo, which he said remains a growth area

for Boracay Island’s needs. “The rest of the

province also shares the benefits from

Boracay”, he said.

Meanwhile, Aklan Congressman

Teodorico Haresco appealed to the

balikbayans for their help in the education

and training aspects of young Aklanons so

they will also get good positions at various

establishments in Boracay. In his appeal to

the balikbayans, Haresco said most

managerial or supervisory positions at

Boracay establishments are handled by

non-Aklanons, and only janitorial and related

positions are given to Aklanons.

“We need your help for the education

of our Aklanons. We need your expertise”,

Haresco told them. (VGV PIA6 Aklan)

Aklan officials fete balikbayans

By: Venus G. Villanueva

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA6) --- The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) reported that last year‘s crime volume in Iloilo

province went down by 15 percent.

Less crimes noted in Iloilo in 2014

I n a media release, IPPO provincial

director Cornelio Salinas said that the

province recorded a decline in the

crime volume in 2014 at 23,857 cases against

34,165 in 2013.

He said that the decrease can be

attributed to the institutionalized and

integrated patrol operations, checkpoints,

accounting of wanted persons and loose

firearms, including the arrest of people with

tendency to commit atrocities.

He said that IPPO also improved its

crime prevention efforts having posted 56.25

percent achievement in crime clearance

efficiency last year that exceeded the target

of 42.42 percent efficiency.

The crime clearance efficiency refers to

cases wherein an offender was identified and

charged, according to the IPPO.

The IPPO also registered an increase in

the arrest of wanted persons at 626 in 2014

compared to a total of 467 arrests made in

2013.

The IPPO also seized an estimated P6

million worth of illegal drugs in various anti-

illegal drug operations they have conducted

in 2014.

Meanwhile, Iloilo Governor Arthur

Defensor Sr. lauded the IPPO for its

performance last year and vowed to extend

all-out support to further strengthen their

efforts in achieving a peaceful atmosphere in

the province.

The governor said he will increase the

assistance to be given to police for their

diligent and dedicated performance of their

duties and responsibilities.

He also urged the IPPO to carry on

with their tasks in strengthening the fight

against illegal drugs and all forms of

criminality in the province. (JCM/LTP/PIA

-Iloilo)

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

CEBU CITY, Jan. 22 (PIA) --- Persons who are 50 years old and above are at high risk in developing shingles otherwise known

as herpes zoster which is characterized by fluid-filled blisters often accompanied by debilitating pain, depending on severity.

Ages 50 and above at risk of shingles disease

D r. Mitzi Montebon-Chua, associate

professor of the Cebu Institute of

Medicine bared that according to

studies, 95 percent of adults over 50 are at risk

to developing shingles and around 50 percent

of those that reach 85 years of age are likely to

acquire the disease.

“Shingles may not be fatal but the pain can

be severe and the period of recovery can take

up to one month due to the low immune

system of the elderly,” said Chua during a

recent roundtable discussion with media that

aims to hike public awareness about the

disease.

The virus that caused shingles is varicella

zoster virus (VCZ), the same virus that causes

chickenpox, said Chua adding that transmission

is airborne.

Those who have had chickenpox

already has the virus in their system and this virus just “sleeps” in the nerve roots that can

be reactivated later in life as shingles, said

Chua.

In shingles very early stage, abnormal

sensations or itching will be experienced even

before the rashes or blisters occur while

symptoms include rash eruption that is typically

painful, then blisters and eventually crusting

within seven to 10 days.

Unlike chickenpox where blisters are

spread throughout, shingles is usually

concentrated in one area only, said Chua who

has been trained on infectious diseases at the

University of the Philippines- Philippine General

Hospital.

In the Philippines, the incidence of shingles

is one out of 10 cases is the leading cause of

morbidity since 1989 while there are 35,306

cases reported in the country based on the

2001 data of the Philippine Health Statistics

(PHS).

The same PHS data also revealed that 45

Filipinos out of 100,000 population developed shingles.

Women are more prone to men and

commonly affected were the 51 to 60 age

group, said Chua citing the same PGH study.

Cases in the country further showed most

were found in the thoracic area equivalent to

52.04 percent mimicking angina and second

affected site is the lumbar usually mistaken as

suffering from kidney stone at 23.53 percent.

Complications from shingles include

hearing loss, skin infection, muscle weakness,

pneumonia and visual impairment if this occurs

around the eyes.

“Shingles can be a great burden for the

elderly because their tolerance to pain is

relatively lower. So this is not just a health

issue. It also diminishes their quality of life,”

explained Chua.

Chua urged high-risk individuals to be

vaccinated against shingles as this helps reduce

the risk of the virus reactivation which in turn

can lower the risk of developing shingles.

The only vaccine available in the country was launched just last October by MSD, a

tradename of Merck & Company in the US and

costs around P7,500. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-7)

TAGBILARAN CITY (PIA) -- The three-day Ubi Festival opened January 21 at Plaza Rizal in Tagbilaran City with this year‘s

festival bannering the theme: Ubi‘ng Bol-anon, Tubag sa Kagutom ug sa Nagka-usab nga Panahon‖.

15th Ubi Festival opens today

T he activity kicked-off with a

motorcade at 9am from the

Of f ice of the Provincia l

Agriculturist grounds in Capitol Annex

passing by Dao-ICM-J.A. Clarin

Street-CPG North Avenue-Maria

Clara-Gallares Street and passed-by at

Galleria Luisa Mall, where the opening

program was held from 10am til 12noon.

After the opening program at Galleria

Luisa, the ribbon cutting and opening of

the exhibit of Ubi followed at Plaza Rizal

with Gob. Edgar Chatto and other

provincial officials in attendance.

The 16 towns joining this year’s Ubi

Festival are Alicia, Antequera, Baclayon,

Balilihan, Carmen, Corella, Cortes,

Dagohoy, Dauis, Duero, Jagna, Lila,

Maribojoc, Panglao, Sevilla and

Sikatuna. While barangay Dao, represents

for Tagbilaran City.

The world’s favorite Ubi Kinampay

and other varieties of ubi such as

Baligonhon, Kabos-ok, Binato, Iniling, Tam

-isan, Binaang and Gimnay can be bought

at Plaza Rizal during the 3-day festival.

The Bohol Ubi Growers Association

(BUGA) and the Ubi Stakeholders agreed

to fix the prices of the different variety of

ubi with Kinampay sold at P60/kilo,

Baligonhon at P50/kilo and the white

varieties can be bought at P35/kilo.

The 3-day event also showcases other

agricultural products such as banana,

cassava, apale, taro, sweet potato and

other endemic rootcrops.

Assistant Provincial Agriculturist

Larry Pamugas said that the Ubi Festival

has become an annual celebration of the

province that promotes Ubi, stirs interest

in production and the culture of the

Boholanos. (mbcn/ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

CEBU CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA) --- The world renowned dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation

Center (CPDRC) staged a special performance for the visit of Pope Francis in the country.

C onsidering that the visit of Pope

Francis to the Philippines is a

momentous event, the YouTube

sensation CPDRC inmates made a special

presentation to show how grateful the

Cebuanos are for his visit.

According to the Cebu Provincial

Capitol, the inmates practiced the

presentation for two weeks.

They danced to the theme song of the

Papal visit, “We are God’s Children."

It culminated an hour-long

presentation which started with a three-

round friendly boxing showdown with an

inmate and a commercial boxer. The

dance presentation included CPDRC’s

first You Tube hit, “Thriller” by Michael

Jackson and “Gangnan Style” by Koren

singer Psye.

There was also a pass and review.

Guests who were police officials from

the region were impressed with the

inmates performances.

“You all are so good, if only you were

that good, you would not have landed

here,” joked Police Regional Office 7

Director Prudencio Banas.

The inmates follow a rehabilitative

exercise called “algorithm march”

wh i ch was in sp i red b y th e

documentary “Shawshank Redemption.”

The dance according to them was

Cebu’s contribution to the PapaL Visit

considering that the province is known to

be the cradle of Christianity in Asia. (rmn/

fcc/PIA7-Cebu)

CPDRC inmates perform ‗We are all God's Children‘

BY Elvie C. Bongosia

By Ferliza C. Contratista

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

CEBU CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA) --- More than a hundred public school students and abandoned kids benefited from eye refraction,

feeding and empowerment activities initiated by the Cebu Lumad Lions Club (Lumads) in Mandaue and Cebu Cities.

I n line with the celebration of “Melvin

Jones Week” the Lumads chose three

elementary schools in Mandaue City to

conduct free eye check-up or refraction.

Gaille Dejoras, project chairman for Sight

for Kids, said Jones was the founder of Lions

Club International and the compassion to those

who are visually impaired leads the values of

the club.

The project Sight for Kids chose students

from Subangdaku, Ibaba-Estancia and Maguikay

Elementary Schools.

Volunteer optometrists Dr. Myla

Venturillo refracted 80 students in all schools

and would have done more if not for time

constraints.

She said it is a good thing that there are

private organizations that are taking time to

take care of the issue on poor eyesight among

school children. Venturillo signed the prescription for

eyeglasses for the school kids which the Lions

Club will provide.

Unfortunately, some parents fail to

recognize that their children have vision issues

since childbirth or early years. Early treatment

and management could have prevented it.

Ryan Solon, a Lumad member, said having

assisted in the conduct of the project makes

one think as a parent to make sure all

necessary nutrients for growth and

development are provided to children.

Based on the interactions he had with the

school children', he said the parents were not

able to have the children's eyes checked due to

financial constraints.

He also learned that other than nutrition

deficiencies, the unregulated use of gadgets

such as cellular phones, tablets, computers and

even watching television instigate eyesight

problems. On the other hand, culminating the week

is the “Youngsters Project- a Youth

Empowerment” activity for a hundred children

at the SOS Village in Cebu City.

Rose Diaz, project chairman, said there

about a hundred abandoned and fostered

children at the SOS Village that were fed and

after which, the children underwent an

empowerment session. “We get to learn who

they are, their dreams, aspirations and taught

them tips on how to balance life and reach

these dreams,” Diaz said.

Cebu Lumad Lions have in lined for this

year, several activities with the public sector

for various services benefiting children, women

and others. Melvin Jones week is celebrated

every January commemorating the birthday of

Jones, January 13, 1879.

The Lions adapted Jones code of service,

“"You can't get very far until you start doing

something for somebody else”. (rmn/fcc/PIA7 -Cebu)

Cebu, Mandaue school, abandoned kids benefit

from ‗Melvin Jones Week‘

By Ferliza C. Contratista

CEBU CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) --- As oil prices continue to slide, some sectors anticipate a reduction in costs of prime commodities

but the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) bared the effect cannot be felt yet as retailers replenish their stocks only

after every three months.

DTI-7: Impact of oil price slump on prime commodities not yet felt

D T I - 7 p u b l i c i n f o r m a t i o n

officer Jojie Villamor said, the

pricing of prime goods in the

market is based on previous rates and any

effect of the continuing fall of oil prices on

costs of prime goods can only be seen after

retailers replenish their stocks after 90

days.

A the moment, there is a price freeze in

Cebu and Bohol after the declaration of a

state of calamity in both provinces in the

aftermath of Typhoon Ruby and Seniang, said

Villamor during the recent forum of the

Association of Government Information

Officers (AGIO-7) that tackled the topic on

the oil price slump and its impact to the

business and power sectors.

“The price freeze is in effect for

60 days,” said Villamor adding that in

Cebu it would end by the second week of

February.

Villamor said after the end of three

months, we would see if the oil price crash

would have any significant effect on prices of

prime commodities.

Though Villamor said there is a direct

effect because of lowered transport cost,

she clarified that there is no official

statement yet from their head office with

regards to the oil price slump and its direct

impact on costs of basic commodities.

President of the Cebu Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Teresa

Chan, in the same forum agreed that

retailers only restock their goods after three

months. She added there is a direct effect

between the continuing reduction of oil

prices and the prices of prime commodities

because of lowered transport cost.

“But transport cost in the overall

pricing of the product differs on the kind of

product,” said Chan.

Chan said she would take up the

plummeting oil prices in their next CCCI

meeting adding that she would appeal to

member-retailers to pass on savings

generated by the huge oil price reduction to

the end-consumers. (mbcn/fcr/PIA-7)

By Fayette C. Rinen

Central Visayas, Jan. 21 (PIA) ---- The Department of Energy (DOE) Visayas and the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and

Industry (CCCI) advised the public to use the advantage of the present oil price slump.

Public advised to save amid oil price slump

I n a recent Associat ion of

Government Information Officers

(AGIO-7) forum, Engr. Saul

Gonzales Chief of the Energy Industry

Management Division of the Department

of Energy (DOE) Visayas appealed to the

public to use this opportunity of the price

slump to save any possible resources as

this is not permanent.

“The drop of petroleum is not

permanent, start saving.” Gonzales said.

Seen as one factor that can contribute

for the public to save resources is the P 1

reduce in public utility vehicles’ fare.

Gonzales added that although at

present the impact and advantage seen

in the oil price drop is in the

ordinary citizens’ transport fare, still this

is seems to be a big factor for the public

to save.

Meanwhile Teresa Chan President of

the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and

Industry encouraged the public not to

spend their excess money on unnecessary

expenses but rather save it for

amortization.

“I advise them to save instead

and use it to increase their

payment on amortization like housing,”

Chan said.

At present as the oil price drops, the

public and the commuters have benefited

from the decrease in the public utility

jeepney (PUJ) fares by one peso, from

eight to seven pesos now. (mbcn/ays/PIA-

7/AGIO-7 Forum)

By Amor Y. Saludar

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

PNoy‘s supplemental feeding benefits 1,600

kids

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 21 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through Pnoy‘s

Supplemental Feeding Program allocated funds to benefit at least 1,600 day care children throughout Maasin City.

A continuing program of the

Aquino administrat ion, the

supplemental feeding will feed 120

days starting on the 1st week of January

2015, City Social Welfare Focal Person Fe

Nida Sy informed.

“Around P10.00 per day is allocated

for every day care child per day for 1

meal. There are 72 Day Care Centers

throughout Maasin City with a Day Care

Worker each center, she added.

A one kilo rice for every 10 children

is also allocated for every feeding, Sy

reported further.

The menu for the feeding is prepared

by the DSWD Regional Office 8 basing on

the availability of the products here in the

locality.

“The parents of the day care

children will be the one to prepare the

food on a scheduled basis, while the

parents will also handle the cooking

materials as their counterpart, Sy said.

It was learned that DSWD-8 also

supplied cooking materials during the start

of the supplemental feeding such as frying

pans, cooking pots, glasses, spoons and

forks to each day care center.

As of this writing, goods such as

vegetables, macaroni, fish, meats, chicken,

eggs, “tanghon” and “bihon”, to name a

few, that were delivered by the supplier

starting last week were already taken by

each day care worker of the barangays in

the locality.

The Pnoy supplemental feeding

was a separate feeding aside from the

regular feeding conducted yearly by

LGU-Maasin City to malnourished

children identified by the City Health

Units 1, 2 and 3, Sy informed. (ajc/rgc/

PIA8-SoLeyte)

Gov't takes care of Catbalogan landslide victims

D uring the Provincial Disaster

Risk Reduction Council meeting

on January 15, provincial social

welfare and development officer Luz Tacal

said that DSWD asst. regional director

Restituto Macuto personally gave the 22

families P10,000 each.

Reynaldo Guevarra, a Person with

Disability (PWD) confirmed this

information, as he tends to his mini store

inside the evacuation center at the Samar

Provincial Gym today.

Samar governor Sharee Ann Tan in a

meeting on January 6 also promised to

give P5,000.00 each to the families whose

houses were totally damaged by the

landslide.

It will be recalled that as Typhoon

Seniang poured torrential rains, part of

the mountain slopes of Barangay

Mercedes collapsed to the highway,

buried a passing van, and some

houses built in the slope and on the

bayside in the morning of December 30,

2014.

Presently, the evacuees are

temporarily housed at the provincial gym

where their food is supplied by the city

government and the IOM-an international

non-government organization.

It was also learned that their

dead were given funeral services

shouldered by the provincial government

and the city government of Catbalogan

City.

The two LGUs also plan to build

bunkhouses for 100 families (the 22 at the

gym included) in Barangay Payao,

Catbalogan City where Catbalogan LGU

will fund P 1 M, while the Samar LGU will

supplement the fund requirement, the

families will stay in the bunkhouses while

the local governments are looking for

permanent relocation sites. (vrc/nbq/

PIA8-Samar)

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 19 (PIA) - Government agencies are taking care of the landslide victims in Catbalogan.

P11M DOLE livelihood projects granted in SoLeyte

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 21 (PIA) – More than P11 million worth of livelihood projects under the Yolanda

Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Program (YRRP) was released Monday by the Department of Labor and Employment

(DOLE) Regional Office 8 at St. Bernard, Southern, Leyte.

D OLE-8 Regional Director Elias

A. Cayanong said that the

livelihood grants are concrete

proof that the government is making great

strides to achieve inclusive growth.

“We understand that this isn’t a

silver bullet that will magically pull

everyone out of extreme poverty but it’s

an important part of putting very poor

people on that pathway,” Cayanong said.

I n c l u d e d i n t h e

P11,253,291.00 funding proposals are ten

(10) livelihood projects to benefit 969

displaced skilled and semi-skilled workers

in the informal sector.

These livelihood projects are the

following: St. Bernard diversified

livelihood projects worth P1,152,161.00;

diversified livelihood projects of Abante

Magatas worth P1,140,000.00; diversified

livelihood projects for Brgy. Hinabian

worth P996,000.00; Sulong Sug-angon

worth P708,180.00; TulongPangkabuhayan

para sa Brgy. Hindag-an amounting to

P1,256,950.00; Kalambuansa Brgy. San

Isidro worth P1,440,000.00; diversified

livelihood projects of Brgy. Atuyan worth

P960,000.00; diversified livelihood projects

of Brgy. Asuncion worth P1,260,000.00;

diversified livelihood projects of Brgy.

Lipanto worth P996,000.00 and diversified

livelihood projects of Brgy.Mahayahay

worth P1,344,000.00.

The DOLE’s livelihood program is

aimed at targeting the poorest people in

the country, giving them opportunities to

improve their lives, to meet their basic

needs, and break free from the cycle of

poverty. (ajc/cba/PIA-8)

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

I respect 'let down' sentiments, Pope Francis tells Yolanda victims

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA) -- Pope Francis, who braved signal number two typhoon Amang when he came here

Saturday, has put his shoes on the victims and survivors of typhoon Yolanda, claiming their feelings at their lowest moments as

his own, too.

B ut he was firm and courageous,

his words inspiring, as he encour-

aged the pilgrims to keep on with

their faith.

He offered understanding, and shared

the endless love of God to them in spite

of what had happened. He comforted

them on the healing power of Lord Jesus

and Mother Mary, both of whom will

“never let you down.”

“I’d like to tell you something close to

my heart. When I saw from Rome that

catastrophe I had to be here. And on

those very days I decided to come here. I

am here to be with you – a little bit late,

but I’m here. I have come to tell you that

Jesus is Lord. And he never lets us

down”.

“Father, you might say to me, I was

let down because I have lost so many

things, my house, my livelihood. It’s true if

you say that and I respect those senti-

ments,” Pope Francis said in Spanish, inter-

preted by his close aide, at the DZR air-

port where Police estimated a crowd of

200,000 drenched and chilled with rains

since dawn.

“So many of you have lost everything.

I don’t know what to say to you. But the

Lord does know what to say to you. Some

of you have lost part of your families. All I

can do is keep silent and walk with you all

with my silent heart. Many of you have

asked the Lord – why Lord?

“And to each of you, to your heart,

Christ responds with His heart from the

cross. I have no more words for you. Let

us look to Christ. He is the Lord. He un-

derstands us because he under-

went all the trials that we, that you, have

experienced,” Francis said, pointing his

finger to the cross as he uttered those

lines.

Pope Francis spoke spontaneously for

fifteen minutes, without reading a pre-

pared statement, voicing out what he had

in his mind and heart as if speaking directly

and intimately to a person.

The eyes of many in the audience

were wet with tears, not just wet from

rains, as he talked.

The Pope told the crowd that “we

also have many brothers who in this mo-

ment of catastrophe came to help. And

we too, because of this, we feel more like

brothers and sisters because we helped

each other,” the Pope said.

Pope Francis paused for a moment of

silence - about one minute break from his

talk - putting action on his call that every-

one be silent. The 200,000 pilgrims also

felt silent, eerily a deafening kind of si-

lence.

“This is what comes from my heart.

Forgive me if I have no other words to

express myself. Please know that Jesus

never lets you down.

He conclude his talk by saying “know

that the tenderness of Mary never lets you

down. And holding onto her mantle and

with the power that comes from Jesus’

love on the cross, let us move forward

and walk together as brothers and sisters

in the Lord,” (ajc/mmp/PIA8-Southern

Leyte)

DSWD delivers relief aid to 'Amang' affected families TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 21 (PIA) - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas

immediately released some relief assistance to thousands of families affected by typhoon Amang in the three Samar Provinces.

B ased on the latest report of the

agency, more than nine thousand

families which is equivalent to 32,

488 individuals were displaced by typhoon

“Amang” when it passed Saturday in the

provinces of Samar, Northern Samar and

Eastern Samar.

The relief assistance given to affected

individuals included rice, noodles, sardines,

bottled water, ready-to-eat canned goods,

biscuits and other food packs.

To date, the Provincial Social Welfare

and Development Office of Northern

Samar has already received a total of

1,050 sacks of rice for distribution and an

additional 950 sacks of rice is scheduled to

be delivered.

Likewise, at least one thousand sack

of rice was delivered to the Province of

Samar.

Meanwhile, DSWD field Office 8

through the Quick Response Team (QRT)

has also extended assistance to 1, 220

pilgrims stranded due to the storm. Aside

from providing food packs and blankets to

some pilgrims, a number of them were

provided transportation fare. Three of

them were accommodated to stay

overnight at the Institution complex.

As of this writing, typhoon Amang

was downgraded to LPA and the weather

condition in Eastern Visayas has improved.

(ajc/cba/PIA-8)

DOST-SoLeyte releases P400,000 to empower

6 poor communities

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 21 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology Provincial Office initially released

P400, 000 financial assistance aimed to empower six poorest of the poor communities in the province for 2014.

A ccording to DOST- Southern

Leyte Dr. Dominador Clavejo, the

Community Empowerment thru

Science and Technology Program (CESTP)

financial assistance was turned over to the

Southern Leyte State University

(SLSU)- Bontoc Campus in the

management of said program.

Clavejo reported that SLSU -Bontoc

will facilitate in the identification six

sets of community beneficiaries

within the municipality of Bontoc, this

province.

The program further aims to create

livelihood opportunities and other science

and technology based projects to the soon

identified poor communities, it was

learned.

That each community will be assisted

in the identification of their needs

particularly on those projects that are

doable in their areas such as the presence

of materials and could be processed

further such as food processing, among

others.

It was learned further that

the municipality of Bontoc was

the only beneficiary for the province for

2014.

For the year 2015, the provincial

DOST is looking forward to finding

another municipality in the province that

will host the implementation of the

mentioned community empowerment

thru science and technology. (ajc/esg/PIA8

SoLeyte)

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. 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

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