Vol 3 Issue 31 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 July 29 - Aug. 4, 2013

WESTERN VISAYAS  

NEDA-6 lists ways to sustain WV growth By Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

ILOILO CITY, Aug 1 (PIA) -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here enumerated the policy implications to regional development of the growth figures achieved by Western Visayas from 2011-2012 as measured by the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) reported at a news conference here recently that the economy of the region posted a sustained growth during the period at 7.5 percent in 2012 from 6.2 percent in 2011 and 4.5 percent in 2010.

Based on these growth figures and the regional strategic development framework, NEDA-6 Chief Economic Development Specialist and Head of the Development Research Division Cynthia Lumampao, said the policy implications call for the vigorous promotion of productive employment in preferred investment areas, business process outsourcing (cyber-services), tourism in areas of health and wellness, leisure and recreation and adventure, as well as hotels and restaurants, renewable energy or biofuels, mining and quarrying, construction, transportation and logistics, real estate development, and education will be promoted, among others.

Other policy implications call for the development of potable water supply, promotion of the services sector, more focused incentive package for tourism and ICT, enhancement of procedures and requirements in investments registration, strengthening of labor standards, promotion of microfinance,

active participation of local government units in attracting foreign direct investments, investment promotion campaigns, development and assistance for micro, small and medium enterprises, and adoption of measures that promote ease of doing business.

In the light of the poor performance of the Agri, Hunting, Forestry and Fishery (AHFF) Sector during the period, Lumampao said the following will be among the actions to be undertaken: promotion of environmentally sound farming practices including the use of organic fertilizers , improvement of rural infrastructures, rehabilitation and restoration of national irrigation systems, strengthening of support services to agrarian reform beneficiaries, and proper use and scientific management of agriculture and fishery resources.

The presentation on the region’s economic performance made by NSCB-6 OIC Head Nelia Losare showed that the sustained growth was fueled by the good performance of the Industry sector, which grew 19.9 percent in 2012 from a negative 0.9 percent in 2011, and Services sector, which posted a 7.6 percent growth in 2012 from 4.8 percent in 2011.

The third sector, AHFF had a negative performance of 0.1 percent in 2012 after a 19.9 percent growth in 2011.

The strategic development framework of the region has the reduction of poverty incidence and achievement of high and sustained economic growth as major development goals.

The economic growth seeks to increase employment opportunities, reduce economic dependency and spur further economic activities. (JCM/JSC-PIA6)

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue

By Jennifer C. Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY , Negros Oriental (PIA) -- A TV

White technology will be established to facilitate mobile fisherfolk registration in Panglao, Bohol.

The Department of Science and Technology’s Information and Communication Technology Office (DOST-ICT Office), Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Microsoft Philippines officials entered into a partnership that will help improve fisherfolk registration for municipalities located in the Danajon Reef Marine Key Biodiversity Area in Bohol early in July.

The partnership will use TV White Space – unused TV broadcast channels—to establish connectivity that functions similar to a Wi-Fi in remote areas and facilitate mobile fisherfolk registration in the municipalities of Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, Ubay and Carlos P Garcia.

This supports DOST-ICT Office’s Smarter Philippines Program and DA-BFAR’s National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration or FishR.

The registration, supported by USAID’s Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) Project, will support the Philippine government’s economic assistance to the fisheries sector that is suited to the local needs and sustainable in terms of restoring the health of ecosystems to produce more fish, to feed more people, and generate more jobs.

DOST-ICT Office’s Executive Director Louis Napoleon Casambre said, “This partnership will help the Philippine government to identify and implement targeted programs for fisherfolk communities based on the information that they will provide. We are glad that USAID and Microsoft Philippines are working with us to use this technology to further enhance the delivery of public services.”

USAID Mission Director Gloria Steele said in a message, “The U.S. government is pleased to continue our collaboration with the Philippine government and the private sector as part of our shared vision of broad-based and inclusive growth for the Philippines. This groundbreaking initiative demonstrates how win-win solutions for the environment and the business sector can be both profitable and sustainable.”

The initiative will allow local government units to access BFAR’s Fisherfolk Registration System (FRS) directly from the field, eliminating the tedious process of completing the forms on paper and encoding of entries back in the municipal hall, hence enabling municipalities to immediately distribute critical IDs, certificates and licenses to fisherfolk especially in remote areas.

BFAR-7 Director Andres Bojos commended the partnership for its potential to “increase registrants from hard-to-reach areas in the Danajon Reef area and give a much needed focus to the plight of small scale, subsistence fisherfolk as primary beneficiaries of the government’s poverty alleviation programs.” (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

GOVERNMENT CENTER, Palo, Leyte, July 29 (PIA) --The Eastern Visayas Region can definitely look forward to an improved economic performance in 2013, the National Economic and Development Authority here said.

NEDA Region 8 Director Bonifacio Uy made the pronouncement during the news conference on the 2012 report on the regional economy of Eastern Visayas held on July 25 at the Ritz Tower de Leyte.

Director Uy observed that in 2012, the growth rates registered by the Construction and Financial Intermediaries sub-sectors of Industries in the region, at 31.8 and 13.5%, respectively, are the highest nationwide.

Uy added that the Mining and Quarrying sub-sector of the region posted the second highest growth in the country at 26.0 percent.

Director Uy also noted that approximately 49,000 persons were added to the employed population of Eastern Visayas in 2012.

However, despite the national topmost growth in the above-mentioned sectors, the overall economic performance

of the Region contracted a 6.2 percent in 2012 due to the decrease of production of the manufacturing sub-sector which can be traced to the industrial fire incident in January 2012 at PASAR.

PASAR stopped plant operation for six month and as a result, manufacturing of copper cathodes and related products went down by half, from $1.4 billion or P49.6 billion in 2011 to only $.52 billion or P22.1 billion in 2012, Director Uy said.

Moreover, there are opportunities and key programs and projects which are expected to provide the impetus towards a higher economic growth path for the region, among them, the implementation of the Tacloban DZR Airport Development Project which was mentioned by the President during his State of the Nation Address, and the ongoing construction of the Secondary National Roads Development Projects in Samar with total project cost of around P6 billion.

Director Uy added that another reason for a rosy economic outlook for the region in 2013 is the expansion of the PASAR processing plant and coal power plant establishment. (PIA-8)

NEDA sees better performance for East Visayas in 2013

Tri-partnership to improve Bohol fishers registration

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

More on Region 7, pages 4-5. Also CLICK Here…

More on Region 6, pages 2-3. Also CLICK Here…

EASTERN VISAYAS  

CENTRAL VISAYAS  

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico “Mic” Petilla (left photo) expresses his support to the BNS program during the 2nd Eastern Visayas Barangay Nutrition Scholar Congress held at Leyte Provincial Convention Center, Palo, Leyte, July 29. (Raul S. Tiozon/PIA-8)

Members of the Capiz Association of Government Public Information Officers, Inc. learn about Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) in a training for information officers facilitated by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) last July 30 at the poolside of the Villareal Stadium in Roxas City. (PIA Capiz photo/A. Lumaque)

NCCA Arts Section Head Project Officer III Ferdinand P. Isleta (upper-left) and NCCA National Committee on Dramatic Arts Lutgardo Labad speak during the Kapihan sa PIA forum at the Philippine Information Agency -7 office at Gorordo Ave., Cebu City on July 24, 2013. NCCA is inviting Cebuanos to submit project proposals for the NCCA Grants Program for 2014. (VVV/PIA Cebu)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

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10 Antique brgys. picked pilot areas for DRR partnership

SAN JOSE, Antique, July 31 (PIA6) -- Ten barangays in San Jose, Antique were selected as pilot areas for the 'Pagpakigbuylog sa Pagpangaman' or Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction project during the culmination program of the National Disaster Prevention Consciousness Month held at the Evelio B. Javier Gym here.

D irector Rosario Cabrera of the Office of Civil Defense Region 6, who also is the chair of the Regional Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Council said that villages will benefit from the expanded public-private partnership initiative to better prepare the people in times of disasters.

These barangays are Barangay 4, Bugarot, Inabasan, San Pedro, Supa Durog, Maybato North, Maybato South, Bariri,and Cansadan-Tubudan.

Based on the rapid geohazard assessments conducted from 2006-2010, the provinces of Antique, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental have the most number of barangays with high vulnerability to landslides.

In Antique, eight municipalities topped the most number of barangays as highly prone to landslides namely San Remigio, Laua-an, Patnongon, Hamtic, Valderrama, Barbaza, Sibalom,and Tobias Fornier.

According to Cabrera the project seeks to facilitate the process of developing disaster resilient communities by strengthening the capacities of the local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs) of the pilot areas to reduce their risks to disasters by ensuring a community of healthy constituents.

"In order to achieve the objective of the project, the core group members of the

LDRRMCs shall undergo capacity-building activities which will focus on participatory risk assessment, contingency planning and on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation," Cabrera said as she emphasized that the project's special focus is on health services such as deworming, operation timbang, immunization, medical and dental mission and other possible activities that may help address health issues and help build a disaster resilient community."

The OCD 6 Director in the course of her speech cited the 2011 United Nation Global Assessment report which ranked the Philippines 3rd among 173 countries as the most disaster prone counry.

She also said that the country is second to Japan in terms of disaster mortality based on the annual disaster statistical review 2011 of the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters.

She explained that the 'Pagbuylog sa Pagpangaman' project is a partnership among the Pharmaceutical Health Care Association of the Philippines, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), Antique Provincial DRRMC, and San Jose Municipal DRRMC.

The project launching was also highlighted with the conduct of the project's Memorandum of

Agreement Signing, Signing of the Pledge of Commitment of partner agencies, medical and dental services and information drive on emerging hazards, and communication and radio licensing.

San Jose Mayor Rony L. Molina called on the people to work together in order to achieve a safer and disaster-resilient community.

PAGASA Visayas Region Senior Weather Specialist Alfredo Quiblat, Dr. Edgar Posadas, managing director of the Pharmaceutical Health Care Association of the Philippines, and Regional Director Nestor Antonio Monroy of the Natioanl Telecommunications Commission, Region 6 were also on hand to give support to the program.

In his briefing, Quiblat advised residents of San Jose not to be stubborn but to heed and make necessary preparations when storm signals are raised.

“Also, please don’t blame PAGASA for poor weather forecasts. Walang 100 percent accurate information on weather.

Forecast is just an estimate on what the weather will be like at a certain time,” he said.

PAGASA Visayas Region Senior Weather Specialist Alfredo Quiblat.

He reminded the public to always prepare for the occurrence of weather disturbances, stay at home and pray for God’s blessing, guidance and protection. (JCM/VWV/PIA 6-Antique)

By Vicente W. Villavert

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, July 31 (PIA6) -- Both public and private organizations are geared up towards the rehabilitation efforts to save the rivers, waterways and develop the watershed in Bacolod City.

Public-private partnerships plan to rehabilitate rivers, waterways

R epresentatives from the local government of Bacolod through Councilor Jose Carlos Lopez, chair of

the committees on environment and ecology, transportation and traffic, tourism and local, national and international cooperation with representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and its affiliated offices welcomed ABS-CBN Foundation Inc. Managing Director Gina Lopez to Bacolod City to conduct ocular and

assessment of the rivers. The group met with the officials of Barangay Punta Taytay on the update on Councilor Lopez’s 210 units of concrete artificial reef implemented in the barangay in 2011.

With the technical support from DENR, the artificial reefs aim to provide alternative fishing areas for fishermen and to allow degraded coastal reefs to grow and regenerate that will eventually increase coastal productivity in the area.

AFI chief Lopez was optimistic after seeing the Sum-ag River and committed to help rehabilitate the area while she urged DENR to provide for the mangrove trees to be planted at the riverside.

The watershed in Barangay Alangilan was also visited by the group and met with the barangay officials and representatives from the local water district.*(EAD-PIA6 Negros Occi-dental)

By Easter Anne D. Doza

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, July 30 (PIA) -- Three agri-tourism packages will be launched by the Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) in September to make it officially available by the last quarter of this year.

T he packaging of Capiz as the country’s agri-tourism destination was announced by President Benigno

S. Aquino III in Sigma town in his last visit as he directed Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. to ensure implementation of the project.

PTCAO head Alphonsus Tesoro said the tour packages were developed in a seminar conducted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) last summer here.

“We will conduct a familiarization tour on these tour packages in August to validate these

sites,” he stressed, without elaborating the details of each trip.

PTCAO and DOT are also conducting a continuing orientation among tourism frontliners like waiters and waitresses and the various transport group workers in preparation for the new tour packages.

The idea to develop the province as an agri-tourism site was an offshoot of Aquino’s engagement with Capiz Gov. Victor A. Tanco and other local officials at a seaside restaurant. The President has also urged local government officials and the private sector to

work with the national government in developing Capiz’ tourism potentials especially its seafood to lure tourists going to Boracay to choose Capiz as their next tourist destination.

The province is dubbed the "Seafood Capital of the Philippines" because of its daily production of tons of fresh fish and sea foods as well as high quality dried fish supplied to various cities and provinces in the country. (JCM/AAL/PIA 6 Capiz)

Capiz to launch 3 agri-tourism packages in September By Alex A. Lumaque

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DOLE-6 says most labor problems settled amicably

ILOILO CITY, July 30 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor in Western Visayas has settled 180 or 89 per cent of the 202 complaints filed in the office for the first six months of 2013, through the Single Entry Approach (SEnA).

D OLE-6 Information Officer Amalia Judicpa said SEnA is a voluntary means to settle labor issues through which parties arrive

at an amicable settlement within a 30-day prescribed period.

Judicpa said the SEnA employs the most economical and fastest way of resolving conflicts where both parties are given ample time to air their side on the issues.

For the period stated, some P4.26 million in monetary benefits were awarded to 503 workers through the SEnA.

DOLE-6 Director Ponciano Ligutom said the settlement rate is 17 per cent higher that of 2012 where 133 or 78.2 percent of the 170 complaints handled. “This shows that more workers have

become more aware of the value of adopting SEnA as an alternative mode of settling disputes, instead of the courts,” Ligutom said.

The settlement, which has an average of 9.8 days per complaint, includes full payment of the workers’ unpaid wages, holiday pay and other benefits, separation pay, illegal deduction, cash bond as well as payment of social protection benefits to SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-ibig, among others.

The DOLE has designated SEnA Desk Officers (SEADOs) to attend to complaints and deal with employers concerned.

Meanwhile, in terms of the average number of days to settle a complaint, the DOLE Iloilo Field Office has the lowest number of days (2.8 days per case), followed by antique (3.2 days), Negros

Occidental (8.1 days), Capiz (8.8 days) and Aklan (13.5 days).

Ligutom said what makes the SEnA effective in settling disputes is that the SEADOs have only 30 days to settle the conflict unless both parties agree to extend.

“With this, the SEADO has to exert more effort, do the extra mile, and create an effective strategy in conciliating and settling a conflict within the prescribed period,” Ligutom added.

On the other hand, as to number of complaints received, Negros Occidental had the highest at 126, or 62 per cent of the total received by the region, where 113 were settled with monetary awards amounting to P2,513,942.08 benefitting 291 workers. (ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, July 30 (PIA) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA-6) in Western Visayas recognized outstanding farmers and farmer’s groups in the 2013 Gawad Saka Regional Awards.

D A-6 Regional Director Larry Nacionales said these outstanding farmers exhibited the right virtues

such as discipline, perseverance, resourcefulness, and creativity in their agricultural endeavors and in keeping the country’s economy going.

This year’s Outstanding Sugarcane Farmer is Elenita C. Alarcon, from Silay City, Negros Occidental, who has been in the business of sugarcane farming for 43 years.

Alarcon said that her attendance to several agricultural trainings and seminars had significantly helped her in creating innovations in sugarcane farming.

Meanwhile, Engr. Oscar G. Garin is the region’s representative for the Outstanding Coconut Farmer category of the 2013 National Gawad Saka Search.

Garin owns a 2.44 hectare-farm situated in San Joaquin, Iloilo which aims to provide a bigger venue for technology transfer to other farmers and to cater to the increasing

demand for excellent business opportunity to coconut products and by-products.

The Outstanding High Value Crop Production Farmer award was given to John Eric Bernabe of Silay City, Negros Occidental, for his systematic and distinctive procedures in cultivating crops.

Bernabe said that he no longer uses commercial pesticides to stop infestation in his plants but resorts to hand picking and net trapping wherein he utilizes detergents and fabric conditioner for fruit fly trapping.

On one hand, Renato A. Catiempo of Bago City, Negros Occidental, awarded as Outstanding Organic Farmer, said that he has shifted to organic farming since 2010.

Catiempo said that organic farming produces healthy and quality crops and also contributed to the wellness of the environment.

Reynaldo M. Española of Isabela, Negros Occidental was hailed Oustanding Corn Farmer for his invaluable innovations in corn

production. Española has ventured into integrated, organic, and conventional farming systems for the production of corn, rice, banana, peanut, and vegetables.

The other 2013 Regional Gawad Saka awardees are Sipalay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council of Sipalay, Negros Occidental as Outstanding Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FARMC); Estancia Rural Improvement Club of Estancia, Kalibo, Aklan as Outstanding Rural Improvement Club; and Southern Iloilo Area Multipurpose Cooperative of Oton, Iloilo as Outstanding Small Farmers Organization.

The Gawad Saka, the search for outstanding Filipino farmers, is an annual undertaking of the DA which aims to give due recognition and pay tribute to dedicated individuals and institutions whose exemplary accomplishments contributed to the country’s agricultural development. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

By Elsa S. Subong

DA awards 2013 Gawad Saka regional winners By Leonard T. Pineda I

One Aklan baby born every hour in 2012 - NSO

KALIBO, Aklan, Aug 1 (PIA) -- In 2012, a baby was born every hour in Aklan, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO) here.

N SO records show that a total of 9,765 on time births were registered in 2012 in the

province. This number, however, is 4.7 lower

than the total number of registered births in 2011, which had 10,249.

Meanwhile, another data provided by the NSO reveal that Aklan’s total number of deaths in 2012 reached 3,68.

This, according to the agency, is higher by 1.7 percent than the number of deaths in 2011, which was 3,621.

Based on the 2012 data, this means that 10 persons died in Aklan everyday,

according to NSO-Aklan. Kalibo, the capital town, registered the highest number of deaths last year, which had 1,372 or 37.3 percent of the total deaths in Aklan.

The number of deaths in Kalibo in 2012 increased by 8.5 percent, as recorded deaths in 2011 reached 1,265.

Other Aklan towns which recorded a high number of deaths in 2012 include Ibajay with 295; Banga with 280; and Malay with 205.

Lezo, the smallest municipality of Aklan, had the highest increase in the number of deaths with 71 while the municipality of New Washington posted the highest

percentage drop in the number of deaths at 18 percent from 221 in 2011 to 180 in 2012.

Kalibo had the highest percentage increase in the number of deaths at 8 percent from 1,265 in 2011 to 1,372 in 2012.

Blas Solidum, Provincial Statistics Officer of NSO-Aklan said the births and data were taken from the civil registry documents submitted to his office by municipal civil registrars of the 17 towns of Aklan every end of the month. (VGV/JCM/ NSO/PIA6, Aklan)

By Venus G. Villanueva

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

DOST-Siquijor fast tracks deployment and installation of ARG

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CEBU CITY (PIA) -- A curriculum that would fit all types of students---with or without disability. This was the aim of a workshop recently conducted by the Edsa People Power Commission (EPPC) in Cebu.

EPPC advocates inclusive education

T he Workshop entitled “AGAKA: Workshop on Inclusive Education” was attended by representatives

from the different sectors. Inclusive education is one of the advocacies of EPPC.

EPPC Commissioner Anton Mari Lim in his welcome remarks said that it is the aim of EPPC to have all schools adopt a curriculum that is fair to all come 2014. EPPC wants to empower educators on how to implement inclusive education.

“Hindi na political ang EDSA. Its people coming together for a greater cause, its bayanihan,” Lim said.

Lim is the founder of Yellow Boat Foundation and last year accompanied Filipino Hero Dog “Kabang” to the United States. Inclusive Education allows children with disabilities to participate in all activities in school.

Evita Ngo, a Special Education teacher

said there will be different teaching strategies and an adaptive curriculum which can fit all types of students.

She said despite the laws which mandate inclusive education among schools, there are lesser school implementers.

“Hindi lahat naiintindihan kung ano ang inclusive education at kung pano gawin kahit may SPED schools pa,” (Not everyone understands what inclusive education is and how it should be done even with the presence of SPED schools) Ngo said.

The Education Act of 1982 provides free primary and high school education to children with disabilities.

Another law is the Philippine Plan of Action for Children which unifies all government efforts to provide education and welfare for these kind of children.

EPPC was created in 1999 to propagate the spirit of EDSA People Power Revolution.

Meanwhile, a pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca visited the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC II) in barangay Labangon, Cebu City to interact with the center's 50 PWDs in a social interaction activity conducted by its medical representatives and managers.

The activity aimed to provide AstraZeneca’s staff the understanding of the plight of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by way of simulation activities as wells as promotion of the center’s programs and services.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas that manages the AVRC observed the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week with the theme, “Building an Inclusive and Non-Handicapping Environment for Persons with Disabilities.” (mbcn/FCC/PIA7-CEBU with JSME) 

By Ferliza C. Contratista

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) -- Almost 90 percent of participants of the recent symposium on deceased organ donation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol signed up to become organ donors.

Boholanos sign up to become organ donors By Fayette C. Rinen

O f the 78 attendees of the activity, 67 people filled up forms to become organ donors; they will be given cards

officially certifying them as organ donors. In the form, one has the option to check

only one or more organs he or she wants to donate with the specific organ also identified in the form.

The campaign is part of strengthening information and education drive on the Philippine Organ Donation and Transplantation Program (PODTP) of government through the Department of Health – Philippine Network for Organ Sharing (PhilNOS).

Participants from Bohol are mainly healthcare professionals involved in organ transplant such as doctors and nurses among others.

The Bohol activity is the second symposium undertaken by DOH-PhilNOS in Central Visayas with Cebu as the first recipient of the advocacy forum last June.

Currently, the PhilNOS is in the process of establishing a Philippine Organ Donor and Recipient Registry System for a national database of a list of organ donors and recipients needing organs.

“Those who are organ donors are priority in the list as recipients in case they need organ transplant,” disclosed Dr. Antonio Paraiso, program manager of the PODTP.

Paraiso urged Boholanos to support the government's organ donation program by spreading the advocacy and educating the island residents on the significance of organ donation.

The top organ for transplant in the country is kidney, said Dr. Requeredo Baclig, kidney transplant surgeon of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

PhilNOS on the other hand, has created five zones throughout the country where each zone will house the Organ Procurement Office (OPO), usually based in a government tertiary hospital.

The creation of the OPO in each zone highlighted the importance of organ donation in order to save lives to those who need organ transplantation.

Baclig heads the Zone 3 which encompasses the whole Visayas Region while the OPO is based at the VSMMC in Cebu City. (PIA7)

SIQUIJOR (PIA) — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) –Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) Siquiijor through the Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) distributed Automated Rain Gauges (ARGs) in the Province of Siquijor.

P STC Director Mario De La Peña said they have successfully installed four ARGs in the municpalites of Larena,

Enrique Villanueva, Maria and San Juan in addition to the two ARGs in Lazi and Siquijor installed in 2012.

There are now six sites of ARG in the province which can monitor weather conditions and assists the PAGASA weather forecast.

ARG’s deployment is part of Development of Hybrid Weather Monitoring System and Production of Weather and Rain Automated Stations Project which measures how much rainfall falls in a given time.

The rainfall data are sent wireless through the cellular network as a text and are collected on a central database server and further analyzed.

The processed data and possible warnings can be accessed by the public over the internet.

Under the memorandum of agreement (MOA), DOST will provide and install one ARG at agreed site, provide technical orientation and training for the caretakers to be assigned by LGU’s referred as Lot Sponsor.

The Lot Sponsor likewise provide space for the ARG, provide materials and civil works needed for the installation and undertake the

provision and installation of a fencing based on the design prepared by the DOST-7.

Aside from ARGs, DOST is set to install one Water Level Monitoring Station (WLMS) in Seniora River , Lazi.

This device wil determine the water level of the river by sound wave and ultrasonic sensor and transmit the data to the central server. "We are lucky to have installed in the province five ARG’s, one Automatic Weather Station and one Water Level Monitoring Station because these will be of great help to us during extreme weather conditions," de la Pena said. (mbcn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor with PCL/MDP-DOST)

By Rizalie A. Calibo

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- Pag-IBIG Fund Cebu South and North branches implemented the new Short-Term Loan (STL) System effective August 1, 2013.

Pag-IBIG implements new Short-Term Loan (STL) system

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By Juju Manubag-Empuerto

Funds for Supplementary feeding poured to San Isidro, Bohol

SIQUIJOR (PIA) — Siquijor Island will be promoted by newly elected local officials as " Healing Island in Asia ."

‘Healing Island in Asia ’ new tourism thrust for Siquijor

L aunched in 2011, SFP is seen to benefit about 248 children enrolled in all the 12 Day Care Centers in

said town. SFP is the provision of food

supplementation in a form of hot meals to be served during snack or mealtime to children beneficiaries aged 3 to 5 years old, five days in a week for 120 days.

The feeding program will be managed by the parents based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food.

So far, San Isidro is the first local government unit (LGU) to implement SFP in all of the 132 towns and cities in the whole

region. SFP aims to improve the knowledge,

attitude and practices of children enrolled in government pre-schools through intensified nutrition and health education aside from providing augmentation support in their regular meals.

Meanwhile, a pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca visited the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center (AVRC II) in barangay Labangon, Cebu City to interact with the center's 50 PWDs in a social interaction activity conducted by its medical representatives and managers.

The activity aimed to provide

AstraZeneca’s staff the understanding of the plight of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) by way of simulation activities as wells as promotion of the center’s programs and services.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas that manages the AVRC observed the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week with the theme, “Building an Inclusive and Non-Handicapping Environment for Persons with Disabilities.” (rmn/JSME/ PIA-Cebu/DSWD-7)

S iquijor vice-governor and tourism ambassador Fernando “Dingdong” Avanzado, in his inaugural speech,

vowed to begin the task of transforming Siquijor from being “one of the poorest provinces" in the country into a vibrant progressive and developed province.

Avanzado said Siquijor is a beautiful island. “We just need to let the world know

that there exists a paradise known as Siquijor,” as he pushes special attention to the multi-trillion dollar wellness medical tourism industry to promote Siquijor as the healing island in Asia.

He also push for the adoption of a progressive health care program such as the modernization of the hospitals in the province.

Hospital, he said , is one of the very important factor that tourists make special notice in deciding whether to visit, stay or invest in Siquijor.

He urged the local legislators to pass ordinances and resolutions that strengthen the provincial health board and the provincial tourism council.

"To put more teeth into our tourism and

development services including the public information services and the civil defense administration because peace and order is a vital tourism concern," Avanzado added.

Meanwhile, the new tourism development thrust of Siquijor province will take off with the first Siquijor Tourism Forum (STF) on July 29 with the theme, “Siquijor within the Perspective of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP)."

The event is co-sponsored by the Provincial Government of Siquijor and the Department of Tourism (DOT) Central Visayas.

Provincial Vice Governor and Tourism Ambassador Fernando “Dingdong” Avanzado, in a letter said, the forum will feature DOT-7 Rowena Lu Montecillo who will present an overview of the Central Visayas Tourism Situationer and DOT Assistant Secretary Rolando Cañizal who will discuss the NTDP where Siquijor is identified as a Priority Development Area (PDA).

A workshop on Cultural Mapping will also be done to determine the immediate mark etability, positioning and branding of Siquijor as a unique tourism destination in the Asia Pacific

region, Avanzado said. Election of the new set of officers for the

Provincial Tourism Council will then follow. Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and

Industry (DTI)-Siqujor recently released P712,000 to the Larena Woodcraft Makers Association (LAWOMA) for the procurement of materials and equipment in woodcraft and furniture making.

The fund is taken from the new program, Shared Service Facilities (SSF) under President Aquino’s administration.

DTI Provincial director Nimfa Virtucio said the program aims to provide the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) a common service area with better and new technologies and equipment.

This is to improve the quality of goods and productivity, thus, increasing the competitiveness and helping them graduate into the next higher level where they could tap a better and wider market and be integrated in the global supply chain, she said. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor with reports from IAAbatayo )

By Rizalie A. Calibo

T his new system seeks to provide our members in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol , Negros Oriental, and

Siquijor with faster and more efficient processing of loan applications.

Under the new system, the member-applicant must be registered online and with Pag-IBIG Membership ID (MID) Number prior to availment of loans.

All employers are enjoined to ensure that all their employees have secured their

respective MID Numbers. If not yet registered, the employee may

register online at www.pagibigfund.gov.ph. They may also visit the offices for

assistance. Pag-Ibig Vice-President for Visayas,

Victoria dela Pena said, “while the Pag-IBIG Fund moves towards new and more efficient systems, we ask for the members and employers’ cooperation and understanding as we adjust to this new system.

Rest assured that we shall continuously work in further improving our services for the benefit of our members.”

Should you need further assistance, visit us at the Pag-IBIG Fund – WT Corporate Tower, Mindanao Avenue, Cebu Business Park , Cebu City or call us at 505-9759/ 4 1 5 - 5 0 0 3 o r e m a i l u s a t cebunorth_med@pagibigfund.gov.ph or cebusouth_med@pagibigfund.gov.ph.(mbcn/HFG/PIA7 & Pag-Ibig North)

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 has released P297,600 for the implementation of the third cycle of the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) in San Isidro , Bohol.

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

BFAR launches FishR Program in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, July 28 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Acquatic Resources (BFAR) launched Thursday its FishR National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration in Eastern Visayas.

T he launching was led by BFAR Director Atty. Asis G. Perez and BFAR Region 8 director Juan

Albaladejo and participated in by more or less 50 coastal and island municipal mayors in Eastern Visayas together with their agricultural officers, technicians for fisheries, Provincial Fishery Officers and many more.

The objective of the program is to fastrack, enhance and complete the municipal fisherfolk registration as required by the Fisherfolk Code of 1998.

The registration will also be used as a database necessary in making programs to help the local government units in protecting the fishery resources and in establishing a comprehensive fishery information system.

The data base will be used by BFAR in identifying the fisherfolks whom should be the beneficiary of the fishery programs and projects of the government.

Director Perez in a press conference said that a fisherfolk once registered, automatically

become a member of the health insurance program of the government.

Mayor Lilian Conejos of the coastal town of Sto. Nino, Samar said she is very glad upon knowing that BFAR has many proposals and plans for the good and welfare of the fisherfolks in her hometown which, according to her, will surely uplift the living condition of the poor.

BFAR in Eastern Visayas hopes to register more than 300,000 fisherfolks in the whole region. (PIA-8)

Gov't allots P10-M for damaged trees from MCC infras

T h i s , a c co rd i n g to h im , i s government’s counterpart for the $434-million (“Compact”) of the

United States’ Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) “that is focused in reducing poverty in the Philippines.

Arias statement was part of his report during the public consultation held recently for the continuing implementation of SNRDP.

Among others, MCC is implementing the SNRDP or the rehabilitation of the 234-kilometer road, connecting Eastern and Western Samar provinces with a total project cost of P7.9 billion.

The report added that Contract Package(CP)-3, covering San Julian to Balangkayan towns or some 64.58 kilometers of road, with the rehabilitation of 17 bridges is involving some P2.46B.

With the road widening, construction and rehabilitation, it was so projected that hundreds of trees would be destroyed or uprooted, thus, the government’s release of the fund for the replacement of damaged trees

to sustain or further enhance biodiversity in the area.

CP-3 which was awarded to Qingjian and Mac Builders generated employment to some 797 workers, including the 519 locally hired ones, 106 of them- women.

MCC reports that other CPs are: CP1, amounting to P808 million, for the rehabilitation of 16.36 kilometers of road from Buray to Tinani in (Western) Samar which was awarded to the joint venture of DM Consunji Inc. and CM Pancho Construction Inc., the only all-Filipino partnership among all the packages.

CP- 2, the biggest among all CPs in terms of value, covers Hinabangan to Sulat in Eastern Samar, which also includes the rehabilitation of 20 bridges and the reconstruction of five others, construction of slope stability measures on landslide areas, construction of new drainage structures, and installation of road safety measures.

CP4, from Llorente to Guian, costs P2.2 billion and was awarded to the joint venture of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd. and Yakal Construction.

In terms of length, this is the longest road project with 77.51 kilometers of road and the rehabilitation or reconstruction of 16 bridges.

Other MCC projects include tax reforms and KALAHI-CIDSS which are implemented by BIR and DSWD, respectively.

As MCC Country Director Matthew Bohn puts it, Philippines is a country with great contrasts, it has great opportunities, its people beautiful but its poverty incidence is also tremendous, he said.

An MCC report also said that majority of Filipinos live with less than a hundred pesos a day.

However, with the construction of better roads believed to last in 20 years, the entire MCC hopes that the peoples lives here will be uplifted, with the fund granted as it fully believes, that “the fight against global poverty need not discriminate nor should it favor nationalities, religions, political ideologies, and ethnicities—not even gender”.(PIA-Eastern Samar)

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, July 31 (PIA) -- Engineer Rudy Arias, Director of Secondary National Road Rehabilitation and Development Project (SNRDP) said the national government has shelled out some P10 million for replanting and replacing of trees that will be uprooted in the course of infrastructure project implementation here.

Jackfruit Jackfruit Jackfruit

By Alicia E. Nicart

By Consuelo B. Alarcon

Southern Leyte rep assures PDAF download to LGUs

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, July 29 (PIA) -- The lone district representative of this province has assured the public that his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) will be shared to local government units down to the barangays as funds for their priority projects.

C ong. Damian Mercado made the assurance at a dinner after attending the anticipated Mass last Saturday with

family members, close friends and relatives at the Maasin Cathedral.

In a casual chat with the local media at their family residence, the neophyte lawmaker said he intended to meet with the concerned parties first as soon as possible to get feedback on what are the pressing needs they desired for inclusion in the PDAF-assisted list.

Mercado said this needs a serious review since the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has laid out a menu of projects for financial assistance under PDAF, so to access funding, the LGUs’ needs must be contained in the menu.

For the current year, the remaining PDAF allotted per lawmaker is P35 million consisting of P15 million soft and P20 million for hard allocation, he added. “Soft” projects refer to outlays for social services while “hard” is funding for infrastructure projects.

Pressed on what he thought would be best for his PDAF, Mercado said he wanted to set aside money for a scholarship program, for the province’s hospitals and some priority infrastructure projects.

He also hinted on having a budget for a workable and sustainable livelihood project for sincere and qualified persons in the province, but he did not elaborate, saying everything is still being studied. (PIA-Southern Leyte)

By Marcelo M. Pedalino

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

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30 Samar barangays to receive Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA project

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, July 31 (PIA) -- Thirty barangays in Motiong, Samar will receive P300,000 each under the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

P roject representative Maria Kristina Manicani during the PAMANA Technical Working Group (PTWG)

meeting at Motiong Municipal Hall, Motiong, Samar recently said the project anchored on community-driven development (CDD) approach gives the community control on development decisions on how they want to use the funds they receive.

"This is a grant to PAMANA barangays from various conflict-affected provinces under

Pillar 2, in which P300,000 per barangay is allocated for community-driven peace building and development interventions," Manicani said.

She added that PAMANA Pillar II strategy is facilitating the delivery of basic services at the community level through community driven development and community livelihood interventions.

This poverty reduction strategy of the Aquino administration aims to reduce poverty incidence to 14.2 percent.

The lady worker said that the project was given to municipalities with existing PAMANA projects.

Presently, the project in focus complements the program’s main strategy which is to bring back government to PAMANA areas, ensure that the communities benefit from the improved delivery of basic social services and are served by responsive, transparent and accountable government unit. (PIA-Samar Avha Hilario)

North Samar recipient of PRDP I-Plan project

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, July 31 (PIA) -- The province of Northern Samar is one of the recipients of the Philippine Rural Development Programme (PRDP) I-Plan, a six-year special project for 2013-2016 proposed by the Department of Agriculture for World Bank funding.

P rovincial Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Romeo M. Cardenas said that I-Plan or investment planning is aimed

at strengthening the framework and linkages for the delivery of devolved but integrated agriculture and fishery services by the national and local government units through the institutionalization of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan as basis for the rationalization of DA plans and budget.

He said the project will introduce science-based tools and involve the participation

of the concerned stakeholders in the identification of priority commodities and the preparation of plans.

Cardenas explained that PRDP will partner with provincial LGUs and the private sector in providing key infrastructure, facilities, technology and information that will raise income, productivity, and competitiveness in the countryside.

The project has four components, I-Plan investment planning in the local and national levels; I-Build intensified building up of infrastructure and

logistics for development; I-Reap investment in rural enterprise and agriculture and fisheries productivity; and I-Support implementation support to PRDP, he added.

In line with this, the planning coordinator was invited during the orientation seminar in Cebu on July 24-26 to have a functional knowledge with its operating manual and internalize their roles in the value chain analysis and provincial commodity investment planning. (PIA-Northern Samar)

By Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante

Agrarian reform coop ventures from farming to commercial banking NAVAL, BILIRAN, July 26 (PIA) -- After years of engaging in farming, members of a farmers’ cooperative here has ventured into another field, this time as bankers.

“ Very inspiring is the story of the Lico Agrarian Reform Cooperative or LARCoop,” Department of Agrarian Reform Region 8 Director Eliasem Castillo

said. From a struggling farmers organization, slowly but

surely, LARCoop is now among the more stable organizations in the province of Biliran, Director Castillo said.

The Lico Agrarian Reform Cooperative (LARCoop) added not so long ago quasi-banking into their list of income generating projects.

With some members who are college graduates, the coop bravely gave this practically new field a try.

As preparation, its management team together with other cooperatives attended in 2012 the Microfinance, Governance and Administration (MIGOA) seminar-workshop held here in Naval.

Chairperson Rebecca Payos afterwards together with seven other coop members, as a follow through activity, underwent a seminar on Microfinance Basic Capacity Building (MBCB) in Cebu City and a five-day on-the-job training in Siaton, Negros Oriental.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recommended LARCoop to National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) to avail of the latter’s credit facilities and other assistances.

Unfortunately, LARCoop failed to get NATCCO’s nod in its first try. Determined, however, LARCoop in its second attempt finally became the 56th cooperative and the first from Region-8 to be able to avail of NATCCO’s microfinance assistance which included a P1-million loan payable in five years at 13 percent interest per annum.

From this loan, the LARCoop opened a quasi-bank on December 18, 2012 at the downtown area of Naval, the provincial capital of Biliran with DAR officials, representatives from the NATCCO and local government units in attendance to witness the event,

which was a monumental manifestation of the growth of the said cooperative.

The quasi bank according to Bibian Sereño, microfinance operations manager, offers savings deposit, time deposit, kiddie deposit as well as loan assistance (providential, productive and microfinance), though limited to members only. Its primary goal is to address the financial needs of its members at very low interest rates.

On its launching day alone, 35 member-depositors opened accounts. As of this writing, Sereño reported that the quasi bank has already 524 depositors.

According to Mr. Joel Soria, DAR Regional Information Officer, LARCoop was organized by DAR in 2003 and registered as Lico Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi Purpose Cooperative (LARBMPC) and registered with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) on February 21 of the same year with only 23 members composed of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and other farmers from the Naval-2 Agrarian Reform Community (ARC).

The cooperative initially engaged in micro-lending activities and food processing business with the joint effort of the DAR and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which painstakingly assisted them in their struggling years.

But the meager income of the cooperative then was not enough to provide the growing needs of its members, particularly the rice farmers who needed bigger amount during planting season that would serve them as capital for their farm operations.

Though apprehensive, the cooperative took the risk of availing of production loan assistance from DAR’s Credit Assistance Program for Program Beneficiaries Development (CAP-PBD) thru the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The cooperative was able to maintain a good standing with the bank. From the coop’s income they

were able to acquire a 120 sq. m. lot in their village where they built their office.

In 2012, they changed their name to Lico Agrarian Reform Cooperative or LARCoop.

From 23 members, the cooperative has ballooned to 120 by December 18, 2012.

Eighty of them are ARBs. Since the opening of the quasi bank, 636 members

more were added, bringing the total members of the organization to 705.

From P4,600 initial paid-up capital, LARCoop now posts a total asset of more than P5.6-million.

These include the 120 sq.m. lot and an office in Barangay Lico, and the recently inaugurated quasi bank.

As the coop expanded its operations, LARCoop opened their membership to residents of other barangays and adjacent towns.

During the inauguration of the cooperative’s quasi bank, DAR Regional Director Eliasem Castillo advised the officers and members to never give up when faced with challenges. He added that DAR will always be there to guide and assist them.

Further, Castillo disclosed the many assistance which include credit facilities being extended by DAR to its beneficiaries .

Recently, according to Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Ismael Aya-ay, the coop was chosen by his office to be the lead agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO) who will take charge of the farm machineries distributed under the Agrarian Reform Communities Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS), which will be used in realizing their agribusiness activities, such as their “Rice Productivity Enhancement Project”.

These machines, he added, may give them additional income in the form of rentals. (PIA-8)

By Teresita B. Cardenas

One Visayas e‐newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.  One Visayas e‐newsletter is part of the online news and information dissemination services of PIA and is powered by www.issuu.com. For inquiries and suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378718/3377301 or e‐mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.   

Editorial Consultants Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com PIA 8, Children’s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com