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. 21 June 9-16, 2015
Rocamora calls on Siquijodnons to continue struggle for freedom LARENA, Siquijor, June 15 (PIA) – Larena town’s Independence Day keynote speaker Fiscal Ramon Antonio Vicente “Rov” Rocamora called on Siquijodnons to remain steadfast and unwavering in their commitment to the program of the government during the town’s celebration at the Queengate Center in Larena, Siquijor. “Our struggles for freedom were many,” Rocamora said, as he pointed out the many triumphs the country has achieved -- from its fight for freedom against foreign domination to its fight against dictatorial regime in the martial law days. “We continue to struggle for freedom, not from foreign domination nor from the tyranny of a despotic ruler, but independence from the institution of corruption,” he said. He said the struggle for freedom must continue and that Siquijodnons must be vigilant not to allow the “remaining Little boys eagerly wanting to join the Independence Day 2015 parade in Larena, Siquijior. vestiges of corruption” and the “patches of malignant cells” to revitalize itself. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor) “Reason teaches us that we must be one will and one mind to gain the strength we need to search out of the evil that reigns in our nation. This is the time for the light of truth to dawn; this is the time for us to show that we have our SIQUIJOR, June (PIA) -- The Asia Foundation and the provincial government won sentiments, our own honor, our own of Siquijor has initiated the tourism industry mapping following the road mapping shame and solidarity,” he said, quoting and the identification tourism as the economic prime mover of the province. Andres Bonifacio who started the struggle I n d u s t r y m a p p i n g i n c l u d e s n a m i n g , t a g g i n g a n d l a b e l l i n g for independence against the Spanish o f t h e d i f f e r e n t a c t i v i t i e s , a m e n i t i e s a n d s e r v i c e s o f t h e p r o v i n c e Regime in the “Cry of Biak na Bato”. t h a t a t tr a c t to u r i s ts b o t h f ro m b o t h l o ca l a n d i n te rn a ti o n a l m a r ke ts . President Aquino likewise Provincial Administrator Pedro Samson said that the provincial government called on all Filipinos here and abroad through the leadership of governor Zaldy Villa is striving to put the tourism code in place. to help fight corruption and attain T h i s w i l l b o o s t t o u r i s m c a m p a i g n s i n t h e p r o v i n c e , h e s a i d . an inclusive and progressive nation. Samson also said that the provincial government is working “Through the tides of fate have h a r d f o r r o a d a c c e s s t o t h e d i f f e r e n t a t t r a c t i o n s i n t h e i s l a n d . brought us to different shores, our Among the attraction activities in the province are caving, diving, rallying cry resonates with the same beach hopping, swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, overnight camping, mangrove dream for our countrymen: An inclusive, plantation visit, long boating, biking and visit to the local faith/folk healers. progressive nation,” Aquino said. Emar Montejo of the Asia Foundation advised that the province must Larena town’s celebration is also give a boost to the advertisement aspect of the tourism in the province. At present, Siquijor tourists can seek assistance and information started with a parade, followed by the through information desks at the local government units (LGUs), print ads, Flag Raising ceremony and the blessing s o c i a l m e d i a , t r a v e l a g e n c i e s , b r o c h u r e s a n d w o r d o f m o u t h . of two dump trucks for disaster risk TheAsia Foundation’s programs in the Philippines promote better governance to support reduction management of the town. A short program followed with economic growth, strengthen the rule of law, and foster peace and development in Mindanao. Building on its wide network of partners, the Foundation is helping government, local presentation from the barangays, nongovernment organizations, and the private sector strengthen democratic institutions and schools and other private and religious create sustainable economic growth. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from I.A.Abatayo) s e c t o r s . ( r m n / r a c / P I A 7 - S i q u i j o r )
Asia Foundation, prov’l gov’t craft industry mapping
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
Diet alert: What you should and
should not eat to prevent prostate cancer
Prostate cancer remains to be the most common cancer type that affects the male population. The prostate is a gland exclusively found in males. It plays a major role in sexual reproduction by producing fluids that nourish and protect sperm cells. While early stage of prostate cancer may not manifest any signs, the following symptoms may be indicative of an advanced stage: Frequent urination, mostly at night and slow passing of urine Presence of blood in the urine E r e c t i l e d y s f u n c t i o n Hips, back, and chest pains Weakness or numbness in the lower extremities (legs or feet) Urinary or fecal incontinence The risk of getting prostate cancer rapidly increases beyond the age of 50. While lifestyle-related risk factors such as smoking, diet, and alcohol consumption are linked to certain types of cancers, to date, the specific cause of prostate cancer is still unknown. So now what? Don’t fret gentlemen. You are not doomed, yet. It may seem like any man can unluckily be
struck by it but there are ways to prevent this from happening. Let’s examine what you eat or don’t eat. Diet and nutrition are the two most basic things that should be promptly addressed to stay healthy. 1. RED MEAT Do you consume generous servings of red meat? While it is good to get large amounts of nutrients such as iron, B-Vitamins, zinc, and phosphorus, excessive intake of red meat from pork, beef, and lamb may slightly increase your chances of getting prostate cancer. A good alternative is soy. It is high in protein and low in saturated fat. So try incorporating tofu, textured vegetable protein, and soy milk into your diet. 2. CALCIUM Are you taking calcium supplements or do you indulge in highfat dairy products? Some studies suggest that a diet high in calcium may also increase prostate cancer risk, although these studies are nonconclusive. Calcium has many health benefits including bone and heart health. Therefore, consume calcium-rich foods in moderation and avoid taking calcium supplements
without your doctor or dietitian’s advice. 3. OMEGA-3 Watch the type of fat you eat. Choose healthier options such as fatty fishes, nuts, and seeds to obtain the benefits of Omega-3. This fatty acid is good for the heart and brain. It also helps prevent the formation of cancer cells as well as decrease their growth rate. 4. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Lastly, we all know that we should eat fruits and vegetables every day but a number of people find this advice very difficult to follow, whether due to personal preference or availability. If you belong to this group of people, think twice. Fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, antioxidants that fight off cancer cells. Try to eat fruits and vegetables during meals at home or bring along whole fruits to snack on at work. Try to make a refreshing vegetable smoothie in the morning or when you get home from work. When dining out, savor vegetarian dishes at least once a day. If you are pressed for time, precut fruits and vegetables or buy ready-to-eat salads, which are readily available at grocery stores. (Cheshire Que)
Mandatory legislation for folic acid fortified foods discussed in DOST forum
Foods and ingredients fortified with folic acid such as rice and flour will easily find their way in stores and supermarket shelves once legislation is in place. This will provide more Filipina consumers with more amounts of a nutrient proven to help prevent the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in their future children. At a recent Roundtable Discussion on Folic Acid organized by the Department of Science and TechnologyNational Academy of Science and Technology (DOSTNAST), Food Fortification Initiative’s Executive Officer for Asia Dr. Karen Codling stressed the necessity of mandatory legislation to create an impact on public health. “Eighty-one countries currently have mandatory legislation for the fortification of wheat flour,” Codling revealed. “All but five of these require fortification with folic acid. The Philippines is one of the five countries with mandatory fortification of wheat flour that does not include folic acid.” In the same discussion, NAST Academician and UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla shared that the Institute of Human Genetics of the National Institutes of Health is proposing a legislation to establish a comprehensive policy on achieving adequate folic acid intake via food fortification and supplementation. This proposed bill, said Padilla, will hopefully be submitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives by August 2015. “We want to ensure that there is adequate supply of folic acid-fortified food and food products and folic acid tablets at an affordable price,” Padilla stated. Naturally found in legumes, liver, fruits, and green, leafy vegetables, folic acid helps prevent NTDs which are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. The neural tube is that part of an unborn baby which eventually develops into its brain and spinal cord. The onset of NTD occurs on the
first month of pregnancy, when most women are still unaware that they are pregnant. Spina bifida in which the fetal spinal column doesn’t close completely, and anencephaly in which much of the brain and skull do not develop, are the most common forms of NTDs which entail high cost of treatment. However, women cannot get enough amounts of folate or folic acid naturally found in food, from these specific food items. First of all, Filipino women of reproductive age have been found to have a low one-day intake of legumes, fruits, and vegetables, according to data by the 2008 National Nutrition Survey. Fortification of other foods with folic acid is one way of solving the problem. Wheat flour as well as maize flour fortification have specifically been recommended by WHO as effective interventions against NTDs. According to Codling, a review of 17 studies in 2012 comparing NTD prevalence before and after flour fortification indicated reductions in NTD incidence of 15.5% to 58%. Much of the evidence pointing to the efficacy of folic acid fortification was based on the use of wheat and maize flour. Wheat flour fortification, in particular, has been found to prevent 75% of folic acid-preventable NTDs at current levels of consumption. National Nutrition Council’s Chief of Nutrition Policy and Planning Ma. Lourdes A. Vega disclosed during the NAST discussion that the local flour industry has expressed openness to the idea of mandatory folic acid fortification, which was recommended during the 2012 review of mandatory food fortification. “We will request academe to resolve concerns on negative effects of mandatory folic acid fortification,” Vega added. Among these are safety concerns. However, Codling assured that there is no clear evidence pointing to folic acid as a cause of cancer, asthma, or cognitive impairment. (Espie Angelica A. de Leon S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
Australian gov’t grants P104.4B to fund disaster response
The grant—amounting to P104.2 million from the Australian Government-Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade—is for the implementation of a three-year support program for disaster response in the Philippines The project aims to enhance the Department’s capacity in providing leadership in disaster response and humanitarian assistance in times of calamities. The DSWD presented last week the inception report for the fund grant which shall have four major components for implementation such as prepositioning and purchase of non-food relief supplies; warehouse construction; capacity development; and, enhancement of project management to include monitoring and evaluation. DSWD Assistant Secretary Vilma B. Cabrera said, “We are grateful for the support program which will help the Department further enhance its disaster response operations. The implementation of the program is timely especially that the typhoon season is approaching.” She added that the program components are based on the lessons learned by the Department in recent major disaster operations. The Australian Government, through DFAT Counsellor Geoff King, expressed approval of the inception report, and hoped that the annual plan for implementation be drafted immediately to formally start the program. King added that their office will work closely with DSWD especially in ensuring purchase of international quality materials and the on-time completion of the components. The Support Program for Disaster Response is one of the many partnerships of DSWD with the Australian Government. (dswd.gov.ph)
Disaster Preparedness Dialogue with the local government Units (LGUs), natial government agencies (NGAs) and other stakeholders facilitated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) at the Siquijor State College AVR .
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
Malacanang invites Filipinos to watch documentary regarding West Philippine Sea
MANILA -- Malacanang invites Filipinos to watch and disseminate the documentary regarding the maritime dispute in the West Philippine and its impact to small fishermen and the maritime ecology.
Cebuano News
“Malugod naming inaanyayahan ang lahat na panoorin at i-share ang video na pinamagatang “Kalayaan: Karapatan sa Karagatan” upang lubos na maunawaan ang usapin hinggil sa West Philippine Sea.
Men & Women in uniform from the Larena town police station spearheading the parade during the town’s Independence day celebration on June 12 at the Queengate Center, Larena, Siquijor.
Dugang P2,000 sa binuwang SSS pension, aprubado na
MANILA (PIA)--Aprubado na sa Ubos Balay Balaoranan sa ikatulo ug katapusang pagbasa ang balaodnong nagtakda og P2,000 across-the-board nga dugang sa binuwang pensyon sa Social Security System (SSS). Ubos sa House Bill 5842, isaka na sa P3,200 gikan sa kanhing P1, 200 ang minimum monthly pension nga ihatag sa SSS sa mga neretiro nga adunay 10 ka tuig nga credited service. Alang usab sa mga SSS pensioners nga adunay 20 ka tuig nga credited service, isaka na kini sa P4, 400 gikan sa kanhi P2, 400 ang ilang madawat. Matud pa ni Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Neri Colmenares, ang nag-unang milagda sa maong balaodnon, tuyo niining makatabang ang SSS pension sa mga nag-unang panginahanglan sa mga pensyonado nga kadaghanan niini mga senior citizen. (mbcn/ecb/ PIA7-Bohol)
DBM, nipagawas sa P31.8-B pondo alang sa insaktong pagpatuman sa K-12 program
MANILA (PIA) -- Gipagawas na ang P31.8 bilyong pondo sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) alang sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) nga gideterminar usab sa Department of Education (DepEd) aron mapatuman ang planong kontruksyon o rehabilitasyon sa 22,325 ka lawak tunghaan sa tibuok nasud alang sa insaktong implementasyon sa K-12 program. Ang kantidad nga P31.8 bilyon kuhaon gikan sa Provision and Maintenance of Basic Educational Facilities sa DepEd o ang gitawag nga Basic Educational Facilities Fund (BEFF) sa ilang FY 2014 Budget (RA 10633, Continuing Appropriations) ug FY 2015 Budget (Republic Act 10651). Matud pa ni DBM Kalihim Florencio” Butch” Abad nga matag tuig, nanginahanglan og dugang lawak tunghaan tungod sa nagkadaghang tinun-an sa mga pampublikong tunghaan. Sa kinatibuk-ang P31.8 bilyon, P3.47 bilyon ang gikuha gikan sa P44.6bilyon FY 2014 GAA BEFF. Ang P3.47 bilyon espisipikong gigahin ngadto sa BEFF alang sa “construction, replacement, and completion
of kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school buildings and the construction of water and sanitation facilities,” nga nalatid sa GAA. Samtang ang nahabiling P28.3 bilyon, gi-bahin sa duha ka releases—gikuha gikan P53.9-bilyon FY 2015 GAA BEFF. Ang P28.3 bilyon espisipikong gigahin sa BEFF alang sa “construction, replacement, and/or completion of kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school buildings and technical vocational laboratories, and the construction of water and sanitation facilities” nga nalatid sa GAA. Ang duha ka kantidad gi-release deretso ngadto sa DPWH, ang may tahas nga e-implementar ang pagpatukod sa mga lawak tunghaan base sa list of school buildings and work program nga gi-submiter sa DepEd. Target nga ipatukod ang kadaghanan sa mga lawak-tunghaan sa mga Rehiyon VII, VIII ug IV-A. Tuyo niining proyekto nga insaktong mapatuman ang K-12 program ug makamugna og luwas ug maayong lugar alang sa mga tinun-an ubos sa palisiya sa gobyerno nga “Build-Back-Better”. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
Maaaring matunghayan ito sa Facebook page ni Pangulong Aquino na nakapaloob sa <president.gov.ph>, said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., in an interview with dzRB Radyo ng Bayan. The 21-minute long documentary hosted by Lourd de Vera, features an aerial tour of the Bajo de Mansinloc (Panatag Shoal), as well as testimonies of local fishermen who were harassed by the Chinese Coast Guards, and interviews with maritime experts. In the documentary, Atty. Henry Bensurto, Jr., Philippine Consul General in San Francisco, USA and the Head of the Legal Team on West Philippine Sea Issues of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), explained the history of the maritime dispute which first was only between Vietnam and China and how it reached the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. H e n o t e d t h a t i n t h e 1 9 9 0 ’s China began building structures in the Mischief Reef which is 124 nautical miles from Palawan and about 800 nautical miles from the Chinese island of Hainan. Bensurto also said that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) must be observed. This law said a country has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources including energy production from water and wind, which stretches from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles from its coast. While Undersecretary Asis Perez, the National Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, said China’s reclamation activities has destroyed the aquatic life, much of which are classified as endangered species. This is the first of a three-part documentary regarding the disputed maritime territory, which was released last Friday (June 12) coinciding with the celebration of the 117th Anniversary ofthe Proclamation of Philippine Independence. The first episode will continue to be aired on PTV-4 every 5:30 p.m. from June 15 to 19, with a replay every 10:30 p.m. While the second and third episode will be aired in late June and early July, respectively. The documentary was made possible by the coordination of the Department of Foreign Affairs and PCOO. (PND (ag
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.
THERE IS GOOD NEWS EVERYDAY.
FOLLOW US online! /Pia Siquijor /PIA Siquijor @PiaSiquijor