Vol 5 Issue 37 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 Sept. 14 - 20, 2015

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue ICC is fruit of ‗tuwid na daan‘

APEC intensifies moves to reduce aggregate energy

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UN official lauds recovery efforts in Leyte

CONSUELO B. ALARCON

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Sept. 16 (PIA) – A high ranking official of the United Nations visited Leyte recently to assess

the progress of the rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda affected areas.

Special Representative of the Secretary General on Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the UN International

Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Ms. Margaretha Wahlstrom did her field visits to the city of Tacloban and in the

municipalities of Tanauan, Palo and Javier, Leyte and she noted a big change in the rebuilding efforts particularly on the aspect

of economy, infrastructure and the spirits of the people. In her visit to Tanauan, Leyte, she made a remark that

two years is a long time in a person‘s life but a short time to recover after a big devastation. ―You know it takes courage to

make so much progress. After two years, as a visitor I noticed a big change in the economy, in housing and the people‘s

spirit," the UN official said. She likewise credited the local chief executives for their

efforts to rebuild their respective communities. Despite some challenges and issues on potable water and

electricity in some resettlement sites, the UN executive was elated at the progress that are evident in most of the affected

areas particularly Tacloban, which she said had the most of the "Yolanda" impact.

According to her, two years is a long time in individual

life but a short time to recover after a big devastation.

―Though housing still has to be done, the economy is rebuilding and the community is moving and I trust that in a

few months many more houses will be full of people,‖ she said. She credited the local chief executives for their efforts to

rebuild their communities. She said, she well understood some challenges on potable

water and electricity in some resettlement sites. According to her, these life lines including children in school must be

indicated as measures to quality life of the residents in resettlement areas.

Ms. Wahsltrom arrived Sunday afternoon at Tacloban airport. She was warmly welcomed by Leyte Governor

Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla, Office of Civil Defense 8 Acting Regional Director Edgar L. Posadas and other regional

directors of key DRRM member agencies in the region. She was accompanied by Mr. Ola Almgren, UN resident

and humanitarian coordinator; Ambassador Alex Lamadrid, Assistant Secretary, Office of Civilian Security and Consular

Concerns of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); OCD Defense Deputy Coordinator Director Romeo Fajardo,

Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), among others.

The Leyte visit of the UN official was part of her three-day mission to the Philippines from September 13-15, 2015. (aen/cba/PIA-8)

Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY, September 14 (PIA) --- President Benigno S. Aquino III said that the Iloilo Convention Center is a fruit of

―matuwid na daan‖, his administration‘s good governance policy.

During the inauguration of the ICC held Monday, September 14, Aquino said that the new world-class structure

in Iloilo City is a great example of the appropriate utilization of government funds.

―Kongkretong halimbawa po itong Iloilo Convention Center na sa Daang Matuwid, ang pera ng bayan, napupunta sa

taumbayan lamang. Ang halaga ng proyektong ito: P713.31 million,‖ he said.

The President said that the ICC aims to draw local and international guests for large-scale conferences and meetings

not only in the city and province of Iloilo and in Western Visayas but also in nearby regions.

―Tunay po itong maipagmamalaki ng mga Ilonggo. Bukod sa disenyo nitong hango sa inyong Dinagyang at Paraw Festival,

kahanga-hanga din ang world-class nitong kalidad,‖ he said. He said that the good news is that the ICC will be the

venue for upcoming meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Iloilo City this month and in

October. ―Balita ko po, may mga confirmed bookings at inquiries

na rin dito sa mga susunod na buwan hanggang sa susunod na

taon,‖ he shared. He also said that building world-class structures and

establishing better road networks are ways to attract more tourists to visit the provinces in the country like Iloilo.

―Ito namang pag-unlad ng turismo, direktang nakakalikha ng trabaho. At sa pagkakaroon ng higit na kakayahang paunlarin

ang sarili, nakikiambag din ang mga mamamayan sa pag-unlad ng ekonomiya at ng lipunan,‖ he added. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo).

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS Ferliza Calizar-Contratista

CEBU CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA)—Members of the Asia Pacific Economic Conference (APEC) agreed to renew

their commitment to intensify efforts reducing aggregate ener-gy intensity by 45 percent by 2035.

The APEC Expert Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EGEEC), in its 46th meeting held at Marco

Polo recently, reaffirmed its commitment to intensify efforts to reduce the aggregate energy intensity by 45% based on the

2005 level by 2035. Energy intensity is a comparative measure to determine

the energy efficiency of each economy calculated as units of energy per unit of gross domestic product (GDP).

Ways to have low energy intensities include application of energy efficient technologies in its buildings and industries;

utilization of efficient mass transport system and vehicles; adoption of energy conservation measures.

Highly productive economies also use high energy efficient appliances and equipment. In the meetings the APEC

EGEEC actively pursues its Energy Smart Communities Initiatives (ESCI).

There will be Knowledge Sharing Platforms (KSP) as a tool to consolidate ideas and best practices among the 21

APEC member economies.

The main pillars of the meetings are in pursuing Smart

Transport, Smart Buildings, Smart Girds and Smart Jobs and Consumers. APEC Senior Officials, Finance Ministers and

Other Related meetings concluded last week here in Cebu province.

Cebu hosted over 80 meetings and 3,000 delegates and entourage.

Meanwhile, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Cebu Action Plan was formally launched with the

unveiling of the commemorative marker yesterday. The unveiling marked the conclusion of the

Finance Ministers' Meeting of the 21 APEC member-economies, finalizing a milestone plan crafted and

named after the Province of Cebu. Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima along with next APEC host

Peru head of delegation Enzo Defillipi and China finance minister Lou Jiwei unveiled the marker at Shangri-la Mactan

during a press conference. It was China that hosted APEC prior to the Philippines,

while the next host country is Peru. The commemorative marker included significant features

representing APEC‘s cooperation and major thrusts in the building of more inclusive and resilient economies. (fcc/

PIA7-Cebu)

Department of Social Welfare and

Development (DSWD) secretary Dinky

Soliman (center) Margaretha Wahlstrom

(right), UN special representative of the

Secretary General and UN Resident and

Humanitarian Coordinator Ola Almgren

(right), DSWD and OCD officials during a

breakfast meeting in Tacloban City, September

14. (Vino R. Cuayzon/PIA8)

WESTERN VISAYAS

DA undersecretary Emerson Palad explains

the WB-DA PRDP and its project

components, which include intensified building

of infrastructure and logistics for development

to carry out the goal of increasing farm family

incomes in the six-year project term. With

him are Carolina Geron, World Bank Senior

Rural Development Specialist and Engr Arnel

de Mesa, National Deputy Project Director.

(rac/PIA-7/Bohol)

President Benigno S. Aquino III unveils the

marker of the Iloilo Convention Center during

its inauguration held Monday, September 14,

2015. The ICC (inset) is a state-of-the-art

convention center in the Iloilo Business Park in

Mandurriao, Iloilo City. (LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

President Benigno S. Aquino III said that the Iloilo Convention

Center (ICC) is a concrete example of ‗Daang Matuwid‘ during its

inauguration, September 14, at the Iloilo Business Park, Mandurriao,

Iloilo City. (PIA 6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

ILOILO CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA6) — President Benigno S. Aquino III‘s story of accomplishments is embodied in a song,

―Impossible Dream‖, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Drilon: PNoy makes Iloilo‘s impossible

dreams possible

By Elsa S. Subong

D rilon, who was with President Aquino

in his visit to Iloilo today, was profuse

in his thanks to the President for

transforming Iloilo into a an attractive tourism

and investment destination, which before he

thought was an impossible dream.

The Senate president said that five years

ago cleaning up the dying Iloilo River was an

impossible dream, but now the river is

rehabilitated, with an esplanade that has

become a premier tourist destination.

Further, five years ago also, Drilon said,

relocating the informal settlers living on the

banks of Iloilo River was an impossible

dream, but to day they are resettled in 1,000

units of low-cost housing in a model

resettlement site.

―Who would have thought that the

four-lane Senator Benigno Aquino Avenue

would be a 10-lane highway, with a red-tiled

bicycle lane,‖ Drilon said, adding that the lane

is the only one of its kind in the country.

These and many more ―impossible dream‖

projects came to being, according to Drilon,

narrowing down on the state-of-the-art and

world class Iloilo Convention Center which

Ilonggos never dreamed of, and the President

was inaugurating, September 14.

―We built the ICC because we recognize

the convention sector‘s immense potential to

contribute to tourism growth and to the

economic expansion of the province and the

region as well,‖ Drilon said.

The convention center will be the venue

of three APEC Ministerial Meetings from

September 21 to October 6, which is expected

to bring economic benefits to the province and

promote personal and cultural exchanges.

With this, Drilon added, the ICC will not

only boost Iloilo‘s reputation as an impeccable

location for convention, but will raise the

profile of Western Visayas as APEC meetings‘

host.

He further said that the realization of the

ICC proves that nothing is impossible with

strong political will and solidarity of sectors.

―Under your leadership, the Ilonggos

dared to dream the impossible. And we

succeeded,‖ he told President Aquino.

The ICC is one of the two world class

government-owned convention centers in the

country, the other one being the Philippine

International convention Center. (JCM/ESS/

PIA-Iloilo)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Sept. 18 (PIA6) - - Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director for Financial Consumer Protection

Department lawyer Prudence Angelita A. Kasala said financial awareness, like the concept and value of money, should be

instilled during the formative years as this becomes the basis of lifelong habits.

T his interactive exhibit which will run

until September 25 at the Grand

Ballroom of Circle Inn Hotel and

Suites in Bacolod City will teach children the

concept and value of money, determine fake

from authentic money and the different

currencies in the world, this aside from the

concept of a bank and an Automated Teller

Machine by having a mock bank and ATM.

They will also role play as bank manager,

teller, security and client where they will try to

use the mock ATM and learn how important a

Personal Identification Number is, what a

deposit account is and the services that could

be rendered by an ATM.

Kids will be given a budget and they will

be asked to shop in the ―pretend‖ grocery to

learn the difference between needs and wants.

Bacolod City Mayor Monico O.

Puentevella in his message during the opening

of the exhibit said that Bacolod needs this

program because aside from being the City of

Smiles, Bacolod is also a ―City of Spenders‖.

The Bacolod exhibit is the 7th run of the

BSP and the second in the Visayas next to

Cebu.

―We believe that the conduct of MMK in

Bacolod City is very timely considering that

based on the last census in 2010, children

below 14 years old comprised 29.1 percent of

Bacolod‘s household population which shows

quite a young population and signals a

burgeoning economy in the future,‖ Kasala

said.

To date, the exhibit was able to reach a

total of 21,600 students from 17 schools

excluding the 7,000 targeted students for

Bacolod City.

―We must remind ourselves that

childhood money memories will be

their foundation as to how they

will relate with money in their adult

life. We also urge parents and teachers

as well to be our advocates by

acquiring a better understanding of financial

concepts and by putting them into practice‖

Kasala added. *(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

Kids should be taught value of money

By Easter Anne D. Doza

Antiqueños help in clean-up activities

By Vicente W. Villavert

San Jose, Antique, Sept. 18 (PIA6) - - The organizers of ―Let‘s Do It Philippines‖ will engage the Antiqueños to remove trash

and debris from beaches and other areas during the conduct of coastal cleanup, and National Cleanup drive on September 19,

and 20, 2015, respectively.

“ Some five (5) percent of Antique‘s

population or 25,000 Antiqueños are

expected to participate to this noble

undertaking,‖ said Marizka G. Juliano, Let‘s Do

It Philippines Provincial Coordinator for

Antique during the PIA Radio program.

Juliano said that the activity of the Let‘s

Do it Philippines movement is aimed at

gathering five million Filipinos to work for the

safety of the environment and to send a

message to the rest of the countries of the

world that the Philippines is not their garbage

dumping ground. Juliano referred her

statement to the recent incident of garbage

shipment to the Philippines from other

countries.

Juliano was joined by Ian B. Coronongan,

Focal Person of Municipal Solid Waste

Management Board, Culasi, Antique during the

PIA Radio program, who also pointed out that

the cleanup drive is a coordinated campaign

involving the communities.

According to Caronongan, the activity will

also serve as an eye opener for everyone as

people do not bother throw their garbage into

bins properly.

―This is an ambitious program but we

believe that we will achieve our goal to

increase the level of awareness of the public

and hopefully bring forth changes in behavior,‖

Caronongan said.

Juliano on the other hand urged

participants to the cleanup drive to upload

their pictures using #Let‘s Do It Philippines; # I

am 5 Million; and #Let‘s Do It Antique.

She said that September 20 per

Memorandum of Agreement signed between

the Environment Management Bureau and Let‘s

Do It Philippines will now be observed as a

National Cleanup Day every year to strengthen

the program on environmental protection.

(JCM/VWV/PIA Antique)

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

ILOILO CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA6) --- President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the public that necessary measures are in place to

deal with the impact of the El Niño phenomenon.

I n a press conference after the

inauguration of the Iloilo Business Park

and the Iloilo Convention Center held

September 14, Aquino said that steps are being

taken to ensure adequate food production

including cloud-seeding operations and

distribution of drought-resistant seedlings.

―Isa sa mga ginagawa nating programa

ngayon yung continuous na cloud seeding.

Habang tag-ulan pinararami natin ‗yung ulan na

bumabagsak sa atin, sana pumunta doon sa

ating mga dams, mga dikes, sana makapasok rin

doon sa tinatawag na aquifer na para may

pagkukunan tayo pagdating ‗nung kasagsagan ng

El Niño,‖ he said.

He said that the Department of

Agriculture under Secretary Proceso Alcala will

implement necessary interventions to help

farmers and ensure that the country will have

sufficient rice and food supply during the

drought.

―Nakikipag-negotiations na rin ang NFA

para mag-angkat tayo ng dagdag na bigas para

nga masiguradong maski tamaan ‗yung ating

sariling ani, meron tayong bigas pagdating ng

kasagsagan nitong El Niño,‖ he said.

Meanwhile, DA Secretary Alcala said that

they have started distributing drought-tolerant

varieties of rice such as the Green Super Rice

which is primarily being tested in the country.

He said that aside from the continuous

cloud-seeding operations, the agency is also

distributing shallow tube wells in areas with

low-water level.

He also advised farmers to plant

drought-resistant crops as temporary

alternative for rice to cushion the effects of the

looming prolonged dry spell. (JCM/LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

PNoy: Gov‘t measures in place for El Niño

By Leonard T. Pineda I

Roxas City HIV/AIDS treatment hub up soon

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Sept. 17 (PIA6) – A satellite treatment hub for Persons Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) will soon be

established here to provide services for a growing number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in the province.

T he hub will be at the Roxas City Health

Office (CHO) which has already a

Department of Health (DOH)

– accredited HIV/AIDS counselor and a

proficient medical technologist who has been

trained on how to do the HIV screening

process.

It will be in addition to the two

existing treatment hubs in the region which

are at the Western Visayas Medical Center in

Iloilo City and the Corazon Locsin

Montelibano Memorial Hospital in Bacolod

City.

The proposal was among the priority

agenda of the Roxas City AIDS Council

(ROCAC) meeting last Sept. 17 to discuss the

preparations, requirements and accreditation,

among others, for the hub.

HIV/AIDS counselor and Roxas City

Health Education and Promotion Officer Fe

Salgado said that the hub will be timely as

there is an increasing trend of HIV/AIDS cases

in the province with already 68 reported cases

that include three casualties as of July 31 this

year.

The three AIDS casualties, all young male

professionals, were among those remembered

during the AIDS Candlelight Memorial last May

at the Capiz Provincial Park here. (JCM/AAL/

PIA6 Capiz)

By Alex A. Lumaque

LGUs move to stop human trafficking, illegal recruitment

KALIBO, Aklan, Sept. 14 (PIA6) – There are many ways to stop human trafficking, illegal recruitment and child labor, and

these were discussed during the hosting here of the municipality of Kalibo of the Executive Committee Meeting cum Advocacy

and Action Planning of the Inter-Agency Task Force-Child Labor, Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Person recently.

I nspiring the officials of the municipality of

Kalibo and the province of Aklan in general

to stop if not fully eradicate the problems

which had besieged the province for quite

sometime was Mayor Rolando B. Distura of the

municipality of Dumangas in Iloilo who shared the

success story of his municipality in fighting human

traffickers and illegal recruiters who use the ports

of the LGU to do their criminal acts.

Mayor Distura came together with heads

and representatives of various national

government agencies with mandates to protect

the people like the Department of Interior and

Local Government (DILG), Department of Social

Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department

of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Philippine

National Police (PNP), Prosecutor‘s Office, the

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

(CAAP), the Bureau of Immigration (BID),

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration

(OWWA) and many others.

The activity was aimed to expand the

Dumangas Protocol in Kalibo and to plan

strategies and action which will strengthen the

implementation of the agreed Protocol.

The activity was well-received by Kalibo

mayor William S. Lachica who said Kalibo needs

to have a network like that of Dumangas, as it has

the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) which is

being used by illegal recruiters and human

traffickers as entry or exit points.

Atty. Cedric Jaranilla, who represented

DILG 6, said human trafficking, illegal recruitment

and child labor is everybody‘s concern, and the

meeting is essential to avoid finger-pointing and

for the involved protocol members to be able to

know what to do when illegal activities arise.

Mayor Distura shared that his town has four

main routes and this made the town prone to

illegal activities.

Because of this, Task Force Puerto was

organized in Dumangas.

Mayor Distura shared that in Dumangas,

they have an ordinance giving P10,000.00 to

whoever could inform the LGU about any illegal

activities in the town.

He said the names of informers are not

revealed and the giving of information is built on

trust and respect for the local police.

He also cited one tip during his testimony to

catch a possible human trafficker – be curious.

―Kon nakita mo ang isa ka bata nga hala hibi

nga upod sang isa ka tawo, pwede ka man

magpamangkot kon ano niya ang bata. Kay kon

kilala siya sang bata, indi ini tani maghinibi,‖ (If you

see a crying child accompanied by a person, you

can also asked what his or her relationship is to

the child, because if the child knows him or her,

the child should not be crying), Mayor Distura

said.

He also said that one should get curious if a

building has a very high fence with the barb wires

bending inside than outside, with close, tinted or

boarded up windows, and with security camers

aimed inside rather than outside.

Sharings were then solicited from

participants particularly from Aklan through the

Prosecutor‘s Office, the PNP and the

Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office

on the ways these offices were able to

curtail the activities of human traffickers

here specifically at the Kalibo International

Airport and in Boracay Island. The

Dumangas Protocol has already a unified matrix

of steps, responsible agencies, focal

persons and contact numbers in the regional level,

and these the local participants in Aklan

committed to follow through the provision of

local personalities from responsible agencies, so

that when need arises, the appropriate person or

office can readily respond or assist. (JSC/

By Venus G. Villanueva

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

SIQUIJOR, Sept. 11 (PIA) — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Lazi Technical Institute

(LTI) will soon implement the Dualized Training Program (DTP) after having acquired accreditation for two qualifications

namely, Housekeeping NC II and Food and Beverage Services NC II.

D TP is derived from the Dual Training

System (DTS) which is also known as

DTS Act of 1994.

DTS and DTP are implemented pursuant to

the provisions of the Section 4 of Rule VI of RA

No. 7796, otherwise known as the Technical

Education and Skills Development Act of 1994,

which states that ―TESDA shall implement RA

No. 7686, otherwise known as Dual Training

system (DTS) Act of 1994."

In its pursuit of enhancing the employability

and productivity of TVET graduates by equipping

them with cognitive, psychomotor, and affective

skills in demand of the workplace, the LTI

encouraged partner industries to become

accredited establishments to implement the

program.

DTP in general is a TVET program that

combines in-plant and in-school training based

on a training plan collaboratively designed and

implemented by a TVI and its partner

establishment that have DTS Accreditation.

It has two schemes: the Block Release

Scheme and the Day Release Scheme.

The first one refers to the schedule

wherein the student/trainee spends full time in

the TVI to finish the 40% percent of the

training and then deployed full time in the

establishment to complete the 60% percent

in-plant training.

The second, on the other hand, refers to the

schedule where the student/trainee spends two

days weekly in the school and the remaining

working days of the week in the establishment.

Meanwhile, LTI found it convenient to adopt

the Block Release Scheme.

With the two Qualifications accredited,

there are already four establishments which are

now also accredited, namely The Sylvia, One

Sunset View Resort and Restaurant, The Bruce,

and Dagsa Resto Bar.

All four establishments are located at

Solangon, San Juan Siquijor.

Last batch of the regular training schedule

for Housekeeping NC II and Food and Beverage

Services NC II of CY 2015 will start in the month

of October before the DTP. (rmn/rac/

PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from Elsa B. Apiag-LTI)

TESDA-LTI to implement dualized

training program

CEBU, Sept. 17 (PIA) -- Sari-sari stores are not allowed to sell medicines even just basic drugs for flu or colds, an official of the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA-7) stressed.

FDA-7 warns public not to buy meds in sari-sari stores

F DA-7 has cautioned the public against

purchasing medicines in convenience

outlets.

Sariah Oriol, head of the Food and Drug

Section said under RA 6675 or the Generics Act,

said certified quality drugs can only be accessed in

legitimate drug stores or pharmacies that have

the legal license to operate.

―Without the license, this is a clear violation

of the law which can be subject to a filing of a

legal case against the establishment,‖ said Oriol

during yesterday‘s forum of the Association of

Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) that

tackled the annual observance of September as

Generics Month.

Oriol advised the public especially those

living in far-flung barangays to access basic

medicines in barangay health centers or in the

‗Botika ng Barangay‘ outlets instead of sari-sari

stores.

From January to August this year, Oriol said

112 out of around 800 establishments in Central

Visayas have been served with notice of violation

of the Generics Act with some having been

padlocked due to gross violation.

Majority of these cases are from Cebu, said

Oriol.

He said common violations are the absence

of a license from the FDA to operate and make

available in the commercial market drug products

and that some food and drug products are not

registered while other products alleged to contain

certain ingredients but actually do not based on

test.

The cases are elevated to the FDA legal

office in Manila that will decide and issue the

appropriate penalty, whether it be suspension

or closure depending on the gravity, disclosed

Oriol.

Penalties are defined according to three

categories, namely criminal, civil, and

administrative of which the latter can be decided

by the Secretary of Health to either revoke the

license of the drug store or ask the Professional

Regulations Commission to revoke the license of

the medical practitioner.

Oriol said penalties stipulated under RA

6675 are amended in RA 9502 or the Universally

Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of

2008 with more severe penalties sepcified. (rmn/

fcr/PIA7)

Fayette C. Riñen

Rizalie Anding Calibo

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Sept. 11 (PIA) – The province has created a Joint Task Force to beef up peace and security to maintain

the well-being of Negrenses and ensure economic development.

NegOr forms joint task force to intensify peace, security

T he task force is expected to strengthen

coordination and collaboration of efforts

among the more than 20 national and

local government agency-members in the conduct

of joint security operations.

In a workshop, Governor Roel Degamo

urged the participants to intensify peace and

order efforts to minimize if not eliminate all forms

of criminalities and illegal activities in the

province.

Gov. Degamo, however, recognized the

contributions made by government agencies in

strengthening the province‘ disaster risk

reduction and management programs.

He noted that with the concerted efforts

among stakeholders, the province has been

declared as ―conflict manageable and development

ready‖ last year by Defense Ssecretary Voltaire

Gazmin.

Nevertheless, both Army commander Col.

Allan Martin of 302nd IB and P/SSupt Dionardo

Carlos of the Philippine National Police said the

joint task force needs the participation and

support of the communities and local government

units to make the duties and responsibilities

well-organized.

The task force's scope of operations include

maritime safety and security, criminality, illegal

drugs, insurgency, smuggling, tourism,

environmental protection, disaster response, and

land transportation and traffic.

This initiative came to realize when some

reports of kidnapping by ASG is coming to

Dumaguete City from Dapitan and a ship loaded

with smuggled rice was intercepted in

Zamboanguita town, increasing apprehensions of

illegal drugs, human trafficking, and fishing.

With this, JTF intends to prevent the illegal

activities and lawless elements have been

apprehended and prosecuted.

However, the governor cited that the

province has recorded a low crime rate in

Central Visayas, as he also asked the participants

to maintain and sustain peace and order in the

province. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

Jennifer C. Tilos

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here has strengthened the

occupational and health programs for the labor force in partnership with the Occupational Safety and Health Network

(OSHNet) to minimize if not eliminate accidents in the workplaces.

DOLE boosts safety, health of workers

O S H Ne t i s a n on - g ove rn m e n t

organization (NGO) training arm of

DOLE that has already conducted 12

trainings for more than 500 trainees who are now

qualified to become safety officers in their

workplace.

To ensure workers‘ safety and health,

OSHNet provides two possible trainings, the

construction safety and health (COSH) and Basic

Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH) trainings.

―Once companies have safety program and

safety officer, accidents can be minimized,"

said OSHNet president Engr. Renato Infante.

Under the labor standard law, the trainings

are mandatory for safety officers which DOLE

pushes hard to assure zero work-related

accidents in the workplace.

Infante said the COSH training is given to

employees whose work focuses on construction

and BOSH to employees from any businesses.

The two trainings are conducted for 40

hours or four days with a registration fee of only

P6,000, said Infante.

However, the safety orientation for one day

is conducted for free, he added.

―We encourage all companies to let their

employees undergo such orientation."

Senior Labor and Employment Officer Engr.

Diego Amado Nochefranca of DOLE said

employers must ensure that workers "are safe

and healthy as their rights should not be

compromised.‖

Part of the corporate and social

responsibility of the companies is to provide

trainings for their workers as this is according to

the International Standard Organization (ISO),

said Nochefranca. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros

Oriental with reports from Ronelyn

Faith Vailoces, intern)

Jennifer C. Tilos

TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept 14 (PIA) -- Crucial roads that could spur agricultural development in otherwise impenetrable idle

areas, reduce hauling costs, cut travel time for basic services and local commute, as well as expand employment opportunities

- these are but some of the benefits of the partnership between the government and the World Bank (WB) as they aim to set

up in Bohol a total of 17.81 kilometers of key farm-to-market roads.

WB partnership to pave farm roads,

spur agri-development in Bohol

T he total farm access roads development is

from four areas which the World Bank

partnership with the government of the

Philippines and the local government units agreed

to fund under the Department of Agriculture's

(DA) Philippine Rural Development Project

(PRDP).

Benefitting from the DA PRDP Intensified

Building Up of Infrastructure and Logistics for

Development (I-BUILD) are the rehabilitation of

the 5.9838 kilometers of San Agustin-Canmaya

Diot Farm to Market Road (FMR) in Sagbayan, 5.5

kilometers of Alegria-Bugho FMR in Loboc, the

3.54 kilometers Ba-ang-Mahayag Norte FMR in

Catigbian and the 2.84 kilometers Del Carmen

Weste-Tugbas FMR in Balilihan town.

All the rehabilitated FMRs now sport the

all-weather Portland Concrete Cement Pavement,

road shoulders, box culverts, cross drains, and

lined canals.

The FMR rehab projects cut an average of

51% of travel time in those mentioned areas, cuts

47% of hauling costs for inputs and farm produce,

allows the entry of 70% more transport players,

develops over 300 more hectares of cogonal

lands, increases land valuation and spurs

employment opportunities as well as allows easier

access of government basic services, according to

project proponents.

Developing, upgrading and rehabilitating

these named areas cost P 152,368, 179.00 with

the WB partnering with the Government of the

Philippines, Provincial and Local Governments the

governments putting up equity funds, according to

project briefers distributed during a press

conference September 14.

The Press conference happened a few hours

after the First World Bank Implementation

Support Mission opened at the Pavilion of the

Bellevue Hotel in Panglao. The PRDP is a six-year

program national project under the DA designed

to establish an inclusive climate resilient and

market-oriented agri-forestry sector through

strategic investments in priority commodity value

chains, the press conference showed.

It aims to increase by 50% annual real farm

income of beneficiaries, 30% increase in

enterprise development from same beneficiaries

and some 20% increase in number of farmers and

fishers with improved access to agri-services.

PRDP components include investments

planning (I-PLAN), I-BUILD, Investments in Rural

Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries

Productivity (I-REAP) and Implementation

Support to PRDP (I-SUPPORT).

Along the spread of time, PRDP follows a

value chain analysis, which allows stakeholders

and communities to get inputs for their

commodity investments, explained Engr. Arnel de

Mesa during the press conference.

DA Regional Director Angel Enriquez also

said the baseline study which the project has

started could be a useful tool to fit all other

future plans for agricultural development.

The projects also use applied geo-tagging to

make sure it does not overlap with other similar

projects resulting in lost government resources,

adopts a document tracking system and puts up a

grievance redress mechanism in a flexed effort to

make sustainability and empowerment enable

communities and expand their opportunities.

(rmn/rac/PIA-7/Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

CEBU City, Sept. 11 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region has closed second

round of Listahanan household assessment.

D SWD Regional Director Mercedita

Jabagat said that the department's

enumerators are done gathering

information from the field.

―Our enumerators were able to assess

985,730 households or 97% out of the 1,016,269

target households of the region," she said in a

press statement.

"We achieved only 97 percent against the

given target because the target is big compared to

the actual number of households,‖ Jabagat

underscored.

The social and welfare officer attributed this

to the absence of respondent when

the enumerators conducted the house visit

because either they were out or they had to

attend to their livelihood.

―Enumerators would revisit the household at

least three times if there is no qualified and

available respondent at the time of their visit,"

said Listahanan Information Officer Kerwin

Macopia.

Jabagat said that families who were

not yet interviewee still has a chance to be

assessed.

"There will be validation and finalization

phase for families who were not visited during the

regular enumeration.

These families will be given the chance to

appeal and to be assessed," she said.

―We will ensure that there will be

announcements of the validation phase in all

barangays, so that everyone will be able to

participate in this,‖ Jabagat added.

The final list of Listahanan's identified poor

families will be established after the validation.

DSWD through the Listahanan or the

National Household Targeting System for Poverty

Reduction (NHTS-PR) has undertaken a

nationwide assessment to identify the families

who will become potential beneficiaries from

social protection programs and services of the

national government such as the Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-

Cebu/with DSWD7 report)

DSWD-7 closes Listahanan household assessment

Juju M. Empuerto

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Better health services seen with new

EVRMC OPD

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Sept.14 (PIA) – The out-patient department building of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical

Center (EVRMC) to be completed by February 2017 promises to improve the delivery of health services to the people of

Region 8.

H ealth Secretary Janette Loreto-Garin

emphasized this during the project

launching of the OPD building held

recently at brgy. Cabalawan, this city.

Garin said the presence of the OPD

building is not just a symbol of the continuous

assistance of Japan International Cooperation

Agency (JICA) in order for the region to build

back better after the havoc of typhoon Yolanda

but also a symbol of how we should be moving

forward.

In the said occasion, she likewise urged all

health workers to be committed in serving the

people particularly those who are sick to prove

that the region is worth helping for.

Meanwhile, Takahiro Morita, senior JICA

representative said through the EVRMC OPD,

we hope to continue what JICA had been

doing in the past to include the Philippines‘

health care services and contribute to nation

building.

The Outpatient Department Building of

EVRMC is a 3-story concrete structure

designed to follow the ―Build Back Better‖

principle of the typhoon Yolanda Rehabilitation

and Recovery Program of the National

Government.

Approximately, it has a 5, 270 sq. meters

space requirement which includes public spaces

such as waiting areas and lobbies, OPD Clinics

for Internal Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB

Gyne, Family Medicine, Orthopedic,

Dermatology, EENT, Opthalmology, Psychiatry,

Dental, Physical Rehabilitation, Oncology,

Dialysis, Public Health and Wellness and TB

DOTS. It also includes OPD Administrative

and Ancillary Spaces and the Attendant Building

Utility System.

The design calls set for OPD includes

disaster-resilient features, windows that can

withstand strong winds up to 287 kph and 1.5

times earthquake resistant or degree 12

earthquake with comfortable waiting spaces

and individualized clinics for better privacy.

To name a few, some of the grant aid

projects of JICA that have become integral in

helping improve the Philippine Health System

are Research Institute for Tropical Medicine

(RITM), Davao Medical Center, Vicente Sotto

Medical Center, Benguet General Hospital

and the National Tuberculosis Laboratory at

RITM.

The OPD building has 22 months

construction period. It commenced September

1, 2015 and will be completed for handover to

the hospital by the end of February 2017. (ajc/

cba/PIA-8)

By CONSUELO B. ALARCON

Leyte ‗Bahandi‘ trade fair generates P9.5M sales

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Sept. 16 (PIA) – The exhibitors from the province of Leyte generated more than P9.5 million (or 42

percent) of the total sales of the recently concluded Bahandi Eastern Visayas Regional Trade Fair held at the Megatrade Hall,

SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City.

A ccording to Leyte Provincial Director

Desiderio P. Belas Jr. of the

Department of Trade and Industry

(DTI), Leyte exhibitors from fashion

accessories contributed half of the income

amounting to (Php4,793,218.00 while the

processed food sector and the good, decors

and housewares sector both placed second in

sales.

The processed food sector has a total sale

of Php1,799,989.00 while the goods, decors

and housewares sector got a total sale of

Php1,792,873.00.

On the other hand, the Support to

Tourism contributed eight percent amounting

to Php818, 755.00 while the furniture sector

got four percent of the sales amounting to

Php350,100.00.

Meanwhile, DTI Leyte Public Information

Officer Diana M. Quiza informed that two

exhibitors from Leyte bagged major awards

during the mega trade fair namely the Taps

handmade products of Tanauan, Leyte and

Lechon ni Timo Romano of Tacloban, City.

Taps handmade products was declared as

the ―top seller‖ in both Regional Awards and

Leyte Special Award categories with a total

sales of Php4,041,500.00. Lechon ni Timo

Romano, on the other hand, was hailed as

―Best Product of the Processed Food Sector‖

with a total sales of Php86, 200.00.

Furthermore, the Rainbow Ticog Industry

of Tacloban City and the Burauen-Arado Sweet

Delicacies Producers Association of Burauen

were both cited as the among the ―Best

Dressed Booth in said event.

The Bahandi 2015 generated total sales of

more than P22 million surpassing its P13

million target.

The Department of Trade Industry (DTI)

through regional director Cynthia R. Nierras

initiated the Bahandi Regional Trade Fair 2015

with the special support of USAID aimed at

showcasing the region‘s SMEs build back their

businesses after super typhoon Yolanda and

increase the household income of SME,

their employees and their providers of raw

materials. (ldl/ajc/cba/PIA-8/DTI-Leyte)

DTI SoLeyte eyes virgin coco oil plant by 2016

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 17 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Southern Leyte Provincial

Office is hopeful that Virgin Coco Oil manufacturing plants will be established in the province by the first quarter of 2016.

D TI Provincial Directtor Michael Nunez

said, ―there are more local

businessmen who signify interest

investing in the production of Virgin Coco Oil

right in the province as demand for the said

healthy agricultural product abroad like Japan,

China, and Germany in Europe keeps rising.‖

However, the United States remains as the

major market, Nunez said.

He noted during the interview at Action

Center Cable TV program at the Senior

Citizen Center yesterday that aside from virgin

coconut oil, other products can be derived

from coconut, like coco sugar, coco syrup,

coco vinegar and even coco drinks, etc.

He said that VCO according to studies

bears low glycemic index, reduces bad

cholesterol, help reduction of virus in AIDS

HIV victims according to testimonies,

strengthens immune systtem, easily burns belly

fats, among others. Nunez further reported

that Congressman Damian Mercado is also

supporting for the VCO industry establishment

as he linked with German consultants to help

in the construction of plants to ensure that

VCO production quality shall be at par with

those sold at international market.

However, there is the need to campaign

for organic coconut farming in order to satisfy

the international accreditation agencies'

requirement for organic coconutts for VCO

production.

Early this month, Cong. Mercado

atttended to the personal visit of Chinese

traders, who are buying VCOs from the

province and willing to partner with local

businessmen in setting up VCO plants in the

province. One VCO plant establishment is

estimated to cost a maximum of P15M, it was

learned.

Meanwhile, PD Nunez looks forward to

the day when marginal farmers will soon

benefit with stable copra prices of coconuts as

soon as VCO industry shall be operational in

the province. Unlike today , when coconu

farrmers selling the traditional copra are

suffering from the very low and unstable prices

set by most traders. (ajc/esg/PIA8 SoLeyte)

CONSUELO B. ALARCON

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

NCSAA to construct centennial schoolbuilding

NAVAL, Biliran, Sept. 14 (PIA) – ―We want to leave a legacy to the institution that made us what we are now‖, Prosecutor

Edna Pitao-Honor, an alumna of the Naval Central School (NCS) and officer of the Naval Central School Alumni Association

(NCSAA), emphasized during her guesting at the Kapihan at Pulong-Pulong ng Bayan of the Philippine Information Agency

(PIA)-Biliran Provincial Information Center, live over Radyo Natin-Naval on Thursday, September 10.

H onor, together with Marilou Bernardes

-Lucente, secretary of the Sangguniang

Bayan of Naval and the president of

NCSAA said the proposal to construct a

classroom building, which she said can be called

as ‗centennial building‘ is one activity which will

mark the 100 years of existence of the

elementary school where she graduated.

An engraved marking of year 1915 in one

of the concrete posts of the Gabaldon building

of the NCS serves as the basis for reckoning

the centennial alumni homecoming celebration

which is this year, 2015.

―The names of the first 100 alumni of the

NCS who can contribute P2,000 will be

engraved in a book-like concrete marker‖,

Honor added, to recognize their financial

contribution including those who are no longer

part of the first 100 in a separate marker that

contributed to the realization of the proposed construction of a one-storey, one-room

classroom building.

―Anybody who is wiling to shell-out more

than the P2,000 minimum contribution is most

welcome‖, Honor added.

For her part, Lucente, who invited all the

graduates of the elementary school to join and

participate the NCS centennial alumni

homecoming set on October 1, 2015,

presented during the radio program the bank

account number where all the interested NCS

alumni can send in their P2,000 contribution

for the construction of the centennial

schoolbuilding.

A Metrobank account registered in the

name of Marilou Bernardes-Lucente and Edna

Pitao-Honor with account number

493-3-49327439-3 was opened on Thursday,

September 10, 2015 for the purpose of

receiving the P2,000 intended for the

construction of the proposed school building.

Bernardes encouraged all the NCS alumni here in Biliran province, in other parts of the

Philippines and abroad to contribute for the

realization of the proposed centennial building

which she said is one of the highlights to mark

the centennial alumni homecoming of the

elementary school.

The NCSAA president further explained

that this year‘s NCS centennial alumni

homecoming has a different twist as gathering

is not by batches of graduates but identification

of groups including the color representing the

group is based on the streets where they were

residing when they were still schooling at the

NCS.

Bernardes said the proposed activities of

the NCS centennial alumni homecoming starts

with a groundbreaking ceremony of the

proposed centennial school building at around

3:00 to 4:00 o‘clock in the afternoon on

October 1, 2015 to be followed by a

thanksgiving mass at the Naval Cathedral, then

followed by a torch parade around Naval poblacion and a fellowship at the Naval

Gymnasium. (ajc/fj/PIA8-Biliran)

RODRIGO S. VICTORIA

PNP North Samar expands force multiplier

T he undertaking was initiated by

Northern Samar Police Provincial

Office (NSPPO) through Police Senior

Superintendent Daniel Mayoni, acting Provincial

Director.

NSPPO started to conduct a seminar for

the TODA organization, where on its first

stride, they were able to train 78 participants

in the municipality of Lope de Vega and 140 in

the town of San Isidro. Jean Lao Amoyen, NUP

-PNP Public Relation Assistant informed that

the PNP-NSPPO through PD Mayoni who

religiously attends and supervises said activity,

will cover the whole province with its 24

towns for the said program.

Accordingly, the PNP-NSPPO believes

that with proper training and crime prevention

education of TODA officers and members, it

will surely help the PNP in its battle to

minimize if not eradicate crimes in this part of

the region.

Some topics shared and discussed during

the training, Amoyen relayed, were more on

duties and responsibilities of TODA officers

and members, first responders role, basic first

aid, among others. Discussions focused on how

to enhance their capabilities in the delivery of

basic services.

Mayoni said, organized TODA and

PNP will work hand in hand towards the

attainment of one common objective which is

peace in Northern Samar. (ajc/and/

PIA8-Northern Samar)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, Sept. 14 (PIA) – The organization of Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) was

launched as force multiplier that will serve and support the Philippine National Police (PNP) maintain peace and order and be

a partner in its crime prevention program in the province.

AILENE N. DIAZ

PCA to plant more coco in SoLeyte

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 17 (PIA) - The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) aims to plant 2,900 hectares more

to coconut in the province by next year.

A ccording to PCA Senior Staff Carmelita

Maturan, after enlisting those coconut

farmers who are willing to join the

growing and planting of coconut seedlings this

year, the coconut agency of the government

will start rolling its Participatory Coconut

Planting Project, a new planting program with

incentives by next year.

Maturan said coco farmers who are

participating in the said project will grow their

own coconut seedlings of their choice of

variety and will be paid by the PCA at P18.00

per good coconut seedling.

Then after five months when the good

seedling has already grown as high as two feet,

the coconut agency will again pay the amount

of P 22.00 per plant, she added.

―The project was conceptualized when

farmers complained of worn coconut

seedlings brought about by the transportation

pressures when these are being brought by

PCA down to their communities, ― Maturan

explained.

She said a farmer is entitled to at least

one hectare to be planted with coconut under

the project, wherein each hectare will be

planted with 120 nuts., according to the

project design.

However, a maximum of five hectares per

beneficiary can be availed if there is less

participation among the coconut farmers in an

area, she said.

A maximum of 2,900 farmers were

expected to benefit the full-of incentives

coconut growing and planting project, she

added. (ajc/esg/PIA8 SoLeyte)

Erna S. Gorne

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