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iSIQUIJOR 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. 2 | NO. 19 June 9-16 , 2014

Palace won’t let PDAF scholars quit school Siquijor Cong. endorses nearly 700 students provincewide

. Representative Dr. Marie Anne Pernes of the lone district of Siquijor in a pose captured at her 50th birthday celebration at the Manpower Center in Maria, Siquijor

LARENA, Siquijor (PIA)—Malacañang official assured the assistance of scholars who received financial assistance from the lawmakers’ defunct Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. gave the assurance amid fears that 100,000 scholars may no longer be enrolled this school year following the removal of PDAF due to reported corruption of the funds.

“We have no intention to let the schooling of our youth go astray, which is why the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is focusing on the problem and finding ways because financial assistance is part of the regular program of CHED,” Coloma said in an interview over state-run radio dzRB earlier.

Coloma vowed that the government will not abandon PDAF scholars.

In Siquijor province, around 700 old and new students are endorsed by its lone representative, Congresswoman Marie Anne Pernes to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

In a brief interview with District Officer Rikki Samson of the office of the Congresswoman here said that despite the abolition of the pork barrel, deserving students shall continue to enjoy the scholarship but final evaluation will have to be made by CHED.

He said 90% of the endorsed students are enrolled in the Siquijor State College (SSC) while the 10% are enrolled in other state colleges of universities outside the province.

He said the Congresswoman is focusing on helping poor but deserving students and is closely coordinating with the CHED who takes charge of the final evaluation of the students.

This is also the rationale behind the scholarships granted by state colleges and universities to deserving students, particularly those who live below the poverty line and cannot afford the cost of education.

And the CHED, according to Coloma, is one of the “vehicles” for students to avail of

Work, have fun to launch ‘Green Line Siquijor’ project on June 24

LARENA, Siquijor (PIA)--Who says environmental effort isn’t cool. Infact, it’s the “in” thing today.

“It’s work and fun,” supports Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Moreno Tagra as he invites all Siquijodnons to join in the launching of Green Line Siquijor Project on June 24 at Dumanjug, Siquijor, Siquijor.

Picnics, swimming and revelries will take place following the tree planting to also celebrate the feast St. John the Baptist.

Some 1,000 saplings of different varieties will be planted in the whole stretch of barangay Dumanjug which include “Bitaug” and “Langin” along shorelines, “Talisay” in the beach areas and fruit trees landwards.

We make it on June 24 so that after planting, participants will have fun swimming and enjoying the barangay’s beautiful beach front, says Tagra.

The project, he said is piloted in Dumanjug because aside from its “really good” beach front, its women’s association is strong that is seen to be capable of managing and sustaining the project.

He said ‘Green Line Siquijor’ will not only enhance beauty but will also establish shoreline, protect the place and its locals from storm surge, promote historical significance of the island and brings micro climate improvement as a whole.

We hope to involve students, schools, companies, government and non-government organisations so that eventually the whole province of Siquijor will be lined up with trees, he said.(mbcn/ RAC/PIA7-Siquijor)

scholarships.

With the PDAF gone, senators and members of the House of Representatives made sure that their more than 300,000 college scholars continue schooling by allotting nearly P4 billion for them in the P2.265-trillion national budget for 2014.

The fund was pooled from the realignments made by the SenateHouse conference committee on the budget, and these were carried in the

budget law signed by President Aquino on Dec. 20, 2013.

The funds were distributed among 113 state universities and colleges (SUCs) throughout the country.

The biggest recipient, though not the largest in terms of student population, is the University of the Philippines that received P1.275 billion in funds. The additional funding increased UP’s budget to P9.373 billion.

UP, the nation’s premier state university, eats up more than a fourth of the P36 billion in combined appropriations for 113 SUCs. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines received P25.2 million for scholarships, increasing its budget to P948.5 million. But PUP has a student population four times that of UP.

Some P22.5 million was added to the budget of Philippine Normal University, the country’s primary producer of teachers, bringing its total fund to P428.4 million.

Five other SUCs in Metro Manila received additional P53.3 million.

The allocations for the rest of Luzon are: P154.8 million for six SUCs in the Ilocos-Pangasinan region; P84.1 million for six SUCs in the Cordillera region; P71.5 million for five SUCs in Cagayan Valley; P144.8 million for 12 state schools in Central Luzon; P315.9 million for five SUCs in Southern Tagalog; P140 million for six SUCs in Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan region; and P288.6 million for nine government schools in Bicol.

In the Visayas, P233.6 million was given to 11 SUCs in Western Visayas, P160.6 million to five in Central Visayas, and P129.6 million to 10 in Eastern Visayas.

The biggest recipient in the south is Mindanao State University (MSU) that received P162.5 million for scholarships, increasing its budget to P1.940 billion. (mbcn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor)

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS CENTRAL VISAYAS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DOST 7 welcomes new director

The Department of Science and Technology – Regional Office No. VII (DOST 7) welcomes Engr. Edilberto L. Paradela as its new Regional Director.

Director Paradela is an alumnus of the Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) who holds a Masters Degree in Information Technology from

Cranfield University, United Kingdom.

He specialized in Information Systems Analysis and Development, Expert System or Knowledge Based and Database Management System.

He is involved in Energy Management System (EMS) as the Regional Coordinator of the Central

ENGR. EDILBERTO L. PARADELA

Visayas Audit Team of which he received a certification from ASEAN Energy Management Scheme (AEMAS) as a Certified ASEAN Energy Manager.

He is also a recognized National Expert on Energy Management Systems – ISO 50001 initiated by Department of Energy (DOE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the Philippine Industrial Energy Efficiency Project.

Further, Director Paradela played a key role in the successful formulation of government, academic and organizational accomplishments .

As former Assistant Regionall Director for Technical Operations, Paradela carried a vast wealth and knowledge in management that will also serve as his strong hold in making Region VII more competent in its S&T programs and services.

“I am very thankful to the Lord Almighty for this position as I can fully serve the Central Visayas Communities and to my family, DOST family & colleagues who have inspired and trusted me to this position. As an insider to the DOST System, I can continue the S&T programs initiated by my former bosses.

It’s a big challenge and hardwork to be in phase on the inclusive growth efforts.

One DOST 7 Family will lighten these challenges/hardwork to be of service to the communities”, said Paradela. (DOSTSiquijor)

DOH: patronize iodized salt only with DOH, FDA seal

CEBU CITY, June 22 (PIA) -- Health Usec. Dr. Enrique Tayag urged the public to patronize only iodized salt products that contain the government’s quality seal that guarantees adequate mixture of iodine dose.

In a recent soft launching on the ‘Saktong Iodine sa Asin’ in Cebu City, Tayag together with Asec. MariaBernardita Flores of the National Nutrition Council and Dr. Kenneth Hartigan-Go, acting director general of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) led the unveiling of the new banner of the quality seal.

“Please patronize only salt products with the banner seal so that you are assured of the adequate mixture of iodine in the salt,” said Tayag but was quick to add “To salt lovers, be careful with high blood pressure.”

The seal is a five-sided shape known as pentagon with the words ‘Fortified Saktong Iodine sa Asin’ and the ‘DOH’ and ‘FDA’ as well as what appears to be a smiling yellow-colored sun.

Tayag said Cebu is the first

venue for the soft launching as three of the country’s biggest salt manufacturers are either based or have big warehouses here. These salt manufacturers were Artemis Salt Corp., Arwin International Marketing, Inc. and Salinas Foods, Incorporated which were also given recognition during the launch for their support to the government’s salt iodization program.

A 2008 National Nutrition Survey showed 81.1 percent of households used iodized salt but only 25 percent of the households used adequate iodized salt as not all salt producers adequately iodized their salt.

According to the FDA, salt should contain 30-70 parts per million of iodine to attain the global standard of 15 parts per million.

In Central Visayas, a 2011 survey released by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology revealed that 94.6% of households test positive to potassium iodate higher than

the national average of 80.1 percent.

In the same FNRI survey, an estimated 49.5 percent utilization of iodized salt among households was recorded with Siquijor having the lowest consumption at 42.3 percent followed by Negros Oriental at 45.7 percent. Third was Cebu with 49.1 percent while Bohol was the highest at 55 percent.

The same survey also showed that Central Visayas registered 74.4 percent awareness level of iodized salt among households, lower than the national average at 79 percent. Awareness of households among provinces in the region was pegged from 67 percent to 75 percent.

The Philippine Government through the DOH has identified salt iodization as the cheapest method and best intervention in addressing iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Iodine deficiency can lead to mental retardation and poor physical development while goiter is the most common symptom of poor iodine level. (mbcn/FCR/PIA7)

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

NFA-7: Supply and prices of comm’l rice remain stable in CV

CEBU CITY (PIA) – Prices of commercial rice and its supply remain stable in Central Visayas assured the chief of the National Food Authority (NFA-7) amid reports that costs of commercial rice in Manila have risen to as much as P2/kilo.

NFA-7 Regional Director Atty.

Danilo Bonabon admitted that during the lean months from June to August, the prices of ‘palay’ usually goes up which is quite normal.

“If the ‘palay’ is bought at P23 per kilo, then the market price will increase almost double or over P40/ kilo,” said Bonabon during the weekly forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) this morning that tackled the topic “Rising Costs of Commercial Rice and Stability of Supply in Central Visayas.”

Bonabon said factors like post harvest losses must be taken into con-

Cebuano News DepEd, gipun-an and educ. assistance sa mga estudyante sa pribadong tunghaan

MANILA (PIA)--Gipun-an sa Department of Education (DepEd) ang subsidy o tabang pinansyal sa mga estudyante nga naapil sa Government Assistance for Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) gawas sa kaulohan.

“Our mandate is to provide every Filipino child with access to quality education. The decision to increase the tuition subsidy under the Education Service Contracting (ESC) is part of our continuing thrust to democratize access to quality education across the country,” matud pa ni Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro.

Gikan sa P6,500 subsidy sa niaging tuig, gisaka kini sa DepEd ngadto sa P7,500 matag estudyante kada tuig sa mga nisalmot nga mga tunghaan gawas sa Metro Manila karong SY 2014-2015.

Ang ESC usa ka scheme ubos sa GASTPE diin ang gobyerno mohatag og tabang pinansyal alang sa tuition fee sa mga estudyante nga gustong mopadayon sa secondary schooling sa mga pribadong eskwelahan. Giimplementar kini sa DepEd ug sa Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE).

Gisakaan usab sa DepEd ang gidaghanon sa slots alang sa mga estudyante aron usab daghan ang mahatagan og kahigayunan nga makatungha sa sekondarya.

Ang DepEd pinaagi sa ESC, mo-subsidize og halos usa ka milyong estudyante gikan sa Grades 7 ngadto sa 10 alang sa school year 2014-2015. Ang buhatan nihagin na og kapin sa 800,000 ka estudyante ubos sa ESC sa niaging tuig. (mbcn/ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

P139.77-B proyektong imprastraktura sa gobyerno gipalig-on sa NEDA board

MANILA, June 20 (PIA)--Kinatibuk-ang P139.77 bilyon ang kantidad sa tulo ka bag-ong proyektong imprastraktura ang gipalig-on sa National Economic Development Authority Board nga gipamunuan ni Presidente Benigno S. Aquino III.

Matud pa ni Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Kalihim Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr., ang gipalig-on nga mga proyekto naglakip sa P14.6 milyon Laquindingan Airport Development, Operations and Maintenance Project, Laguna Lakeshore Expressway Dike Project—P122.8 milyon; ug ang P2.4 milyon nga Bohol Airport Development and Operations Maintenance Project.

Gipalig-on usab sa maong pulong sa “NEDA Board” ang P9.35 bilyon nga naginusarang “bid” sa Light Rail Manila Consortium alang sa LRT Line 1 South Extension Project.

Kining maong proyekto ang magsumpay sa Manila ug lalawigan sa Cavite.

Gitugtan usab sa board ang pagbag-o sa kuhaan og pondo alang usab sa Umayan River Irrigation Project (URIP) nga pondong lokal imbes nga sa Official Development Assistance (ODA).

“Sa ginawang pagbabagong ito ay magiging P1.4 bilyon na lamang ang halaga ng nasabing proyekto buhat sa dating P1.56 bilyon,” pasabot pa ni Coloma.

Gi-uyunan usab sa NEDA Board nga lokal ang kuhaan sa pondo alang sa Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project—Irrigation Component.

Matud pa ni Coloma, tungod kay gibag-o man ang pagakuhaan sa pondo, imbes nga P7.61 bilyon ang gigahin niining proyekto, nahimo na lamang kining P5.45 bilyon.

Sa maong panagpulong, nihangyo si Presidente Aquino sa mga miyembro sa iyang Gabinete ug sa NEDA Board nga itutok ang ilang paningkamot nga tapuson ang mga susamang ginahimong proyekto ug i-andam ang himuong balaodnon alang sa malungtarong kalambuang panginabuhian ug halapad nga pag- uswag. (mbcn/ecb/PIA7Bohol)

sideration from handling to milling until it gets to the table which approximately will not fall below 10 percent and not to mention the transport costs.

The NFA-7 chief said Central Visayas has always been deficit in rice production with the exception of Bohol which is self-sufficient. “Our sufficiency level is only at 33 percent while the remaining 67 percent gap is filled by other regions,” said Bonabon adding that Manila is the region’s biggest supplier.

But even if prices of commercial rice are still within ‘normal’ range, Bonabon said he has instructed NFA employees to check rice prices in the different public markets prior to reporting to office and before going home.

“We are conducting regular monitoring on prices of rice to check whether there is an unusual or abnormal soaring of prices. But so far, everything is normal,” said Bonabon.

Bonabon also said he is coordinating with market officials and local government units for them to report any alarming rise of rice prices.

According to Bonabon, the modal cost of commercial rice is at P42/ kilo while the most expensive premium rice is ‘Ganador’ which costs P54/kilo.

Bonabon said when the harvest season begins by September, prices of rice varieties are expected to go down.

The NFA-7 on the other hand, also assured there is sufficient supply of rice for Central Visayas with over one million bags while the regional consumption level for one month is only estimated at 32,000 bags.

The buffer stocks will even be augmented with the arrival of more than one million bags with 700,00 for Region 7 and 840,000 bags for Region 8, said Bonabon.

The Philippines will be importing 800,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam which part of the volume will arrive in the country this week. (mbcn/FCR/ PIA7 with reports from Kristal Eduyan, PIT intern)

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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PIA DG Oquiñena: Climate Change best cope thru Bayanihan spirit

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) -- If US President Barack Obama funds almost $1billion in the campaign to win the combat on climate change, an officer of the communications group of the Aquino administration believes that extreme weather condition is best cope through the Bayanihan spirit, a Filipino tradition displaying the spirit of unity and cooperation.

Usec Jose Mari Oquiñena of the Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) concurrently Director General of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and also serves as executive director of the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation believed winning the campaign on climate change calls for a collective effort saying “ a collective wrong can only be corrected by doing a collective right”.

Oquiñena said the campaign does not all depend on money but by sharing of resources and being united in the movement against climate change.

“We must make this movement our life’s mission,” Oquiñena said to information and tourism officers who attended the 21st RADIO-7(Regional Association Development Information Officers) consultative conference in Cebu, as he called on them to share information that will lead to inspire the public.

The RADIO-7 convention banners the theme “Relevant Information: A Tool for Sustainable Development in Tourism, Environment and Disaster Preparedness,” where more than 100 public information officers and tourism officers in Central Visayas attended in Cebu City recently.

Oquiñena has seen how the Bayanihan spirit successfully worked for the Gawad Kalinga movement, where he is fully involved in alleviating poverty and providing homes to thousands of homeless families in the Philippines and abroad through the power of unity and cooperation.

Philippines is considered to be one of the countries that is vulnerable of the effects of climate change of which Negros Oriental suffered much during typhoon Sendong landed on December 17, 2011.

It may be recalled, the strength of typhoon Sendong affected more than 3,000 families and left over 30 reportedly dead.

The tropical storm then also caused damaged to properties, infrastructures, irrigation canals, farms and agricultural crops which cost over P730 million.

With the series of advocacy campaigns, it is said it may convince communities to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and insulate communities from the impacts of weather changes and patterns. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7Negros Oriental with reports from Des A. Tilos/PIO-Valencia)