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iSIQUIJOR Information is our business.

THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH and the DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.DOST.GOV.PH

VOL. 3 | NO.15 April 21-30, 2015

Crime down by 14% in first quarter - PNP Siquijor

by Rizalie Anding Calibo

SIQUIJOR, May 5 (PIA) - - Total crime volume in Siquijor province decreased by 14% in the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2014.

Siquijor Police Provincial Office

(SPPO) said there were a total of 88 cases reported from January to March this year from last year’s 102 incidents.

Index crime occurrence went down by 7% from 58 to 53 incidents and non-index crime by

Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Siquijor Police Provincial Office gathered together to improve operations and services in the province and make more effective their crime prevention and solution efforts through the Performance Governance System (PGS).

PIA, DSWD empower Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries

SIQUIJOR, May 5 (PIA) -Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here in coordination with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) empowered the women beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya Program through a family development session.

A series of advocacy campaigns on issues concerning climate change, environmental care, agriculture, disaster management Gender and Development, Community Participation, and other government programs and services were discussed.

PIA Infocen Manager Rizalie Calibo stressed the big role of mothers in combating climate change and poverty.

She said it is the parents’ duty to teach their children and

to work for the protection of the environment and natural resources.

“The smallest act we do and teach to our children can go a long way in saving the earth,” she said while calling on the mothers to get involved in government programs and take care of the benefits it has given them.

DSWD Municipal Link Officer Eryl Grenia, also advised the beneficiaries to promptly exercise their responsibilities as beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya Program.

Siquijor Today Editor Inacher Abatayo talked on the topic which encapsulates RA 9262 or the Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act.

Each event ended with an open forum participated by the beneficiaries. (rmn/ rac/PIA7-Siquijor/Inacher Acabo-Abatayo)

21% from 44 in 2014 to 35 in 2015.

Police Chief Inspector Alexis Relado in his presentation of the provincial crime during the Provincial Peace and Order Council Meeting said the excellent performance was made in January having lowered the crime volume by almost 50%, or from 45 incidents last year to only 23 this year.

He said the police force from the six municipal police stations and the provincial police did fairly well in February by reducing the occurrence of crimes by 16%, but for the month of March crime volume shot up by 50% from 26 to 39 incidents.

T h e S P P O , h o w e v e r, attributed the spike in crime in March to the tremendous influx of local and foreign tourists who have chosen the island as their summer destination.

“Their satisfaction and enjoyment over the hospitality and the attractions the province have to offer somewhat made these adventure-seeking people to be unsuspecting and less watchful of their personal belongings, leaving them vulnerable to be taken away,” the SPPO said in its assessment report.

To o m u c h r e v e l r y a n d drinking have also caused vehicular accidents, particularly for foreign nationals who rented motorcycles during the duration of their stay and yet are unfamiliar of the terrain and traffic rules, the report added.

In its comparative breakdown of index crime for the period, physical injury is at the top spot with 35 incidents from last year’s 22 or an increase of 59%.

This was followed by robbery and theft with seven and six incidents, respectively.

Vehicular cases registered 24 or 68% followed by mauling, with four; slight physical injuries, three; and stabbing and others, two. This brings the total incidents t o 3 5 . (rmn / ra c / P I A7 - S i q u i j o r )

iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS

DOST turns over GIA equipment to SCCII

by Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing

SIQUIJOR, (PIA) -- Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Siquijor recently turned over Grant-In-Aide (GIA) equipment to the Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SCCII).

In a simple ceremony held at DOST Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Center, SCCII President Engr. Judy Booc together with Joy Dominie Chan received the equipment from Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Peña .

The equipment is expected to enhance the administrative, clerical, and ICT capabilities of SCCII.

SCCII has been in collaboration with DOST in organizing the Siquijor Small Enterprise and Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) Summit.

In February this year, DOST Siquijor and SCCII partnered to organize Siquijor SETUP Conference: Upgrading to Meet the AFTA Challenge, which aims to convene all SETUP beneficiaries in the province to discuss issues and concern regarding the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).

Engr. Judy U. Booc, President of SCCII, thanked DOST for the GIA equipment. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing/DOST-Siquijor)

Jessica Castillon of the Siquijor STate College (SSC) as one of the participants to the three-day Training on the Utilization of Coconut Husk and Shell into Gifts and Holiday Decors at the DA Training Center in Maria, Siquijor applying finishing touches to coconut GHD dubbed as “coco monkey”, a popular GTH which is exported to other countries. (mbcn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor/photo contirbuted by DOST-Siquijor)

DBM releases P1.2-B to aid elderly indigents The additional fund will boost the monthly pension of 200,000 indigent senior citizens.

In support of the Aquino The following is the breakdown of the numbers: administration’s goal to facilitate inclusive development, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P1.2 billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens.

Under Section 5 of Republic Act 9994 (or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010), elderly indigents can receive additional government assistance in the form of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens, which amounts to a monthly stipend of P500.

“We crafted the 2015 budget to prioritize the poor and the vulnerable, including indigent senior citizens. This release will allow us to address the basic needs of our elderly indigents, who do not otherwise have the resources to support themselves,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said.

“As our economy expands, Filipinos young

and old should benefit directly from our reforms. This is exactly what inclusive growth is all about,” he added.

Indigent senior citizens are defined under RepublicAct 9994 as: “any elderly who is frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in consultation with the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board.”

The P1.2-billion release—which will benefit a total of 200,000 elderly indigents aged 65 and above—was charged against the 2015 General Appropriations Act (GAA), under the DSWD’s P5.96-billion budget for Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens. Through the pension fund, the Administration plans to support 939,609 indigent senior citizens this year.

Prior to the release of P1.2-billion, the DSWD was required to furnish various documents, including the special budget requests with the support of a detailed Financial Plan, a Monthly Disbursement Program (MDP), a Physical Plan, and other documentary requirements.

“It isn’t enough that the budget can support our indigent senior citizens. We also need to improve how government works so that the funds will actually go straight to the beneficiaries. In working closely with our agencies and helping them improve their budget and project plans, we can make public spending more transparent and accountable,” Abad said. (www.dbm.gov.ph)

iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

PNP acquires 210 multi-role patrol jeeps

The Philippine National Police (PNP) now has 210 brand new, multi-role patrol jeeps that will be used for law enforcement and disaster response operations.

Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Roxas led the blessing of the jeeps at Camp Crame this morning. He said the vehicles will be used to support the PNP units’ troop movement/ deployment and other special operations such as civil assistance during civic actions, relief and SAR operation, Internal Security Operation (ISO) and other related activities.

They will be issued to all PNP Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC), City Public Safety Company (CPSC), National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) District Public Safety Company (DPSC), Special Action Force (SAF), Maritime Group, and NCRPO District Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT).

He emphasized that procurement of the vehicles was done “nang walang kontrobersiya, walang issue [no controversy, no issues],” adding that the original budget for the

procurement was pegged at almost P476 million. After bidding, the contract price was reduced to P397,950,000, generating almost P78 million in savings.

“Kabahagi ito ng Daang Matuwid kung saan tama ang paggastos ng pamahalaan at ng mga ahensiya nito [This is part of the Daang Matuwid, where the government and its agencies spend wisely],” he added.

For his part, PNP-OIC Deputy Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina thanked Roxas for the patrol jeeps. He said

when Roxas was appointed Secretary of DILG, “Ito ay time na bumuhos ang suporta ninyo sa PNP. [This was the time when support to the PNP overflowed].”

The 210 patrol jeeps are in addition to the 1,470 light patrol jeeps purchased by the PNP to be distributed to each municipality nationwide, “Anuman ang chaleco. Lahat ng kababayan natin may karapatan magkaroon ng patrol jeep.

[Whatever the chaleco. All our countrymen deserve to have a patrol jeep].”(dilg.gov.ph)

PH urges middle-income APEC economies to enhance support for skills upgrades, innovation of SMEs

The Philippines is urging other middle income countries particularly Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies to promote skills upgrades and innovation in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enable the poor to share the benefits of economic growth.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Asst.

Director-General Rosemarie G. Edillon underscored the importance of this initiative to enable these middle income countries to graduate to high-income status.

“Escaping the so-called middle income trap requires governments and the private sector -- both firms and individuals -- to do things differently and to continuously innovate to keep up with the growing demand associated

with globalization,” she said at the sidelines of the APEC seminar on the middle income trap recently held here.

The “middle income trap” is a term used to describe the situation of an economy that has escaped poverty but still unable to graduate into high income status due to uncompetitive industries and underdeveloped human capital, among others.

Nine APEC economies, including the Philippines, are currently classified by the World Bank as middle-income and have remained as such since 1987, when formal income-based classifications began.

Edillon said middle income countries need to upgrade their products and processes in the global value chains through focused interventions on SMEs and provisions for regulatory efficiency and greater incentives for skills upgrade.

The NEDA official said it is imperative for these countries to “offer a level playing field to ensure inclusivity.”

“Reforms in structural policies and regulations, infrastructure, education, and institutions, should be prioritized, as the main challenge really is to ensure that even the poor are able to participate in the growth process,” she added.

The seminar discussed the challenges of middle income economies in sustaining economic growth to become high income economies.

This will serve as an input to future APEC work on the area, especially to the Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting slated in September.

The Philippines is hosting some 31 APEC meetings all over the country this year. (PCOO/PNA (lv)

iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS

UP offers free online course on local governance

CEBU CITY (PIA) --- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on government employees to avail of a free online course on local governance.

In the hope of bridging the knowledge gap on governance and administration by those that are working in the government, the University of the Philippines came up with an online course that will run for four months.

DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero urged governors, city and municipal mayors, regional directors to let their personnel avail of the course.

The course is entitled “Massive Open Online Course on Inter Local Cooperation (MOOC-ILC)” and is set to start in June this year.

Juvy Lizette Gervacio,

Cebuano News

assistant professor on Public Management of the UP Open University (UPOU) Faculty Management and Development Studies (FMDS), said the course on Inter Local Cooperation will help in the proper and effective implementation of decentralization.

The Philippines has been continually facing the challenge of decentralization.

She said that the local autonomy of LGUs has been the center of debates as the national government is trying to balance central command and democratic governance.

“They can learn from each other’s best practices and improve local relationships leading to better programs for the people,” Gervacio said.

Gervacio said the UPOU Faculty had put together different critical ingredients needed in order to build and sustain an ILC.

K to 12 program, barugan sa gobyerno

Gibarugan sa Malakanyang ang pagpatuman sa K to 12 program taliwala sa mga petisyon batok niini sa Korte Suprema.

Matud pa ni Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Kalihim Herminio Coloma Jr., ipatuman pa gihapon sa gobyerno ang K to 12 program samtang walay kamanduan ang Korte Suprema kalabot sa gihimong petisyon ni Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.

“Mahalaga sa kinabukasan ng bansa ang K to 12 kaya’t paninindigan ng pamahalaan ang kahalagahan nito sa SC,” (Mahinungdanon sa kaugmaon sa nasud ang K to 12 maong gibarugan sa gobyerno ang kamahinungdanono niini sa SC), pasabot pa ni Coloma.

Kahinumdoman nga gi-kuwestyon ni Sen. Trillanes ug Magdalo Party ang K to 12 program sa High Tribunal nga giingong batok kini sa Konstitusyon.

“Ginagawa ang lahat para sa maayos na pagpapatupad ng program at isinasaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng mga mag-aaral at guro,” (Gihimo ang tanan alang sa maayo nga pagpatuman sa programa ug gihuna-huna ang kaayohan sa mga tinun-an ug magtutudlo) dugang pa ni Coloma.

Pasabot pa sa Kalihim, ang mga giingong disbentahang dala sa pagpatuman sa K to 12 gitubag na sa Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ug Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

DoH, wala nagpasagad batok sa HIV/AIDS – Palasyo

Gitataw karon sa Malakanyang nga wala nagpasagad ang Department of Health (DoH) sa kampanya niini batok sa gikahandlokang Human immunodeficiency virus infection ug acquired immune deficiency syndrome HIV/AIDS sa nasud.

Matud pa ni Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Kalihim Herminio Coloma Jr., nakatutok ang DoH ug gihimo nila ang tanang angay himuon aron mapugngan ang pagkatap sa HIV/AIDS sa nasud.

Dugang pa sa Kalihim, padayon ang pagpagawas sa kampanya o infomercials ang DoH gawas pa sa mga non-government organizations (NGOs).

Kahinumdoman nga gikumpirmar sa DoH ang 600 ka bag-ong kaso sa makamatay nga sakit sa nasud niadto lamang buwan sa Marso.

Una nang nigawas sa taho nga bisan ang pangedaron sa nataptan sa maong sakit nagka-bata na tungod sa pagka-aktibo sa pakighilawas sa samang lalaki o male-to-male sex.

Tungod niini, nanawagan usab ang gobyerno nga doblehon ang pag-amping ug likayan ang walay proteksiyong pakighilawas. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

These include legal basis of ILC, processes, financial policies, and simplified operations of each department of the LGU.

“We are hoping that at the end the course, each participant will be able to use the knowledge acquired to improve inter-local relationships with other LGUs and other stakeholders,” Gervacio said.

There will be group and individual assignments and other tasks which are to be accomplished at a given period of time.

The course can be accessed at the UP Open University Website http.//www2.upou.edu.ph and click on the MODel icon on the upper right of the screen and create new account.

N o d o c u m e n t a r y requirements are needed to register.

The course is free, however a minimal fee is required when a Certificate is requested. (rmn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)

Philippines is one of East Asia’s top export performers, as exports register growth in March see more at : http://www. gov.ph/2015/05/12/ph-exports-recover-last-march …

iSIQUIJOR

is the Island of Siquijor’s first electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Siquijor Information Center and the DOST - Provincial Science and Technology Center.

It contains snippets of information about Siquijor, Central Visayas and the Philippine Government.

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