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.18 May 18 - 24, 2015
SIQUIJOR (PIA) - - The Siquijor State College (SSC) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) held a seminar recently on intellectual property rights and community validation on traditional health knowledge. The event took place at four different locations in the municipality of Siquijor where traditional health practices had been widely practiced and where there is abundant source of traditional health medicines. These are in barangays Ibabao, Cangmatnog, Cantabon and San Antonio, attended by local folk healers, community members, research team from SSC and representatives from DOST. Siquijor State College through its project leader Dr. Josel Mansueto organized the event and supported by the Department of Science and Technology which was represented by Provincial Science and Technology director (PSTD) Engr. Mario de la Peña of DOST Siquijor and PSTD Atty. Gilbert Arbon of DOST Negros Oriental as members of the team. During the seminar, the local community were taught on the basics of intellectual property rights and how the law can be applied to the traditional health practices. Atty. Gilbert Arbon served as the resource speaker who gave a presentation on the said topic. After the discussion, Dr. Mansueto along with project assistants showed to the local community the output of their research during the “pangalap season”. The team explained to the community and requested it to give their consent to publish or not to publish relevant information pertaining to the traditional medicines located in their community. Dr. Mansueto explained that the team needed the approval of the local healers and the community to post the information on the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library on Health. In the end, the folk healers and the local community agreed to publish the needed information to the internet. To note, the study entitled “Documentation of Philippine Traditional Knowledge and Practices on Health and Development of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library on Health (Folk Healing Practices of Siquijor Island)” is funded by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of DOST while SSC is the proponent and implementing agency of the project. (mbcn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor/with reports from Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing/DOST-Siquijor)
Siquijor State College (SSC) and DOST representatives take a group picture together with the locals of Siquijor. Inset photo shows provincial science and technology directors Atty. Gilbert Arbon of DOST Negros and Engr. Mario de la Peña of DOST Siquijor conversing with a local healer. On the other picture, PSTD Arbon discussed about IP Rights during the seminar on intellectual property rights and community validation on traditional health knowledge recently in the province. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ DOST photo)
Old banknotes good up to December 31, 2015 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo today reminded the public that the old banknote series launched in 1985 can still be used for daily transactions up to December 31, 2015. From January 1, 2016 up to December 31, 2016, the old banknotes can still be exchanged in authorized agent banks and the BSP Cash Department. However, starting January 1, 2017, the old banknote series will be fully demonetized or without monetary value. This means that the New Generation Banknotes introduced in December 2010 will result in the circulation of a single currency series in the country. The New Generation Banknotes have more and enhanced security features to protect the safety of the public against counterfeiters. The demonetization process of the old banknotes is in line with the provisions of Section 57 of Republic Act No. 7653, otherwise known as the New Central Bank Act, which authorizes the BSP to replace banknotes that are more than 5 years old. The old banknotes have been in circulation for almost three decades. The public is advised of the following important information: 1. The public may continue to use the old banknotes up to 31 December 2015 in paying and buying of goods and services and other business or financial transactions requiring the use of cash.
Thereafter, these old banknotes will no longer be accepted for payment transactions; 2. From 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016, the public may exchange with authorized financial institutions, namely universal and commercial banks, thrift banks, and rural as well as cooperative banks, their old banknotes with the New Generation Currency (NGC) Series at full face value, without charge. The public may also opt to exchange their old banknotes with the BSP or any of its regional offices/branches around the Philippines. 3. Government institutions holding old banknotes which could not be exchanged during the prescribed period, such as banknotes used as evidence in a litigation case, will have to request the BSP Cash Department in writing, within the period of exchange, for a special exchange arrangement; 4. For Overseas Filipinos (OFs) abroad, who have in their possession old banknotes which could not be exchanged within the prescribed period, they may register online starting 1 October 2016 to 31 December 2016 through the BSP Website. These old banknotes may be exchanged with the BSP within one (1) year from date of registration; and 5. Starting 1 January 2017, NDS banknotes that have not been exchanged shall no longer have any monetary value, and are considered demonetized. (bsp.gov.ph)