30 isiquijor 9 15

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. 2 | NO. 29 September 1-8, 2014

Police reports rising vehicular accidents, road mishaps in Siquijor

by Rizalie Anding-Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA)—The Philippine National Police (PNP) here reported the rising incidence of vehicular accidents and road mishaps in the province.

Almost 70 percent of the recorded physical injuries in Siquijor are caused by traffic accidents, says Provincial Director Primitivo Tabujara during the Provincial Advisory Council (PAC) and Provincial Police Strategy Management Unit (PPSMU) meeting recently at the Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO) in Caipilan, Siquijor.

The local office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)

and the PNP-Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO) also knock on the local Land Transportation Office (LTO) to seriously look into the problem and to coordinate with their offices to avoid more accidents to happen in the future.

DILG-Siquijor said, there is a need to pass a Sanggunian Resolution on the issuance of citation tickets to drivers, traffic and/or road violations at the local level.

In a symposium during the celebration of Crime Prevention Week in Siquijor, a foreign national residing in the Island raised the issue of apparent traffic violations and rising traffic

Symposium on Crime Prevention at the Quenngate Center, Larena, Siquijor.

The activity isalso in lien with the observance of the 20th National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW) from September 1 to 7.

accidents involving local minors and tourists in the island.

“We see people and young children driving cars and motorbikes with no lights on, no registration, no insurance, and we do nothing,” he said traffic crimes are serious problems that authorities must look into.

The LTO have to control the flow of traffic in the Island, he added.

He however, commended the island and the police for the less than one percent crime rate which he said is very good.

SPPO provincial director PSSupt.

Primitivo Tabujara called for a strong support from local officials and the community to make police operations more effective.

Tabujara said that part of PNP’s commitment for 2015 are the reduction of theft cases and robbery incidence by 50%; reduction of crime that victimize tourists by 5%; crime solution and clearance efficiency by 10%; and drug free-commitment for the island province.

“We cannot achieve this commitment without your cooperation,” he added.

Larena municipal mayor Dean Villa and as president of the League of municipal mayors also pushed for an improved traffic system as he hoped for improved visibility of PNP officers and PDEA agents in the province.

aid he will sit down with PNP and the LTO to come up with a more aggressive approach in the surveillance and inspection that violators are warned especially on the wearing of helmets and driving minors.

Larena town, Villa said is coming up with a comprehensive traffic management plan as the show window for the entire province of Siquijor.

Included in the plan is a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the PNP and the local government unit of Larena to improve the implementation of local ordinances and national laws, Villa added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is celebrating the National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW) from September 1-7 with the theme, “Krimen ay Labanan, Karapatan ay Igalang tungo sa Mapayapang Pamayanan.”

The theme focuses on the respect for personal and property rights as a way to attain peace in the community. (mbcn/RAC/ PIA7-Siquijor)

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DOST pilots P. Siquijor for e-barangay project

SIQUIJOR (PIA)—The Department of Science and Technology (DOST-7) through its DOST-GIA program released a check to Barangay Poblacion in Siquijor, Siquijor amounting to P360,000 in order to build up its capability to demonstrate competence in e-administration.

This paves the way for full operationalization of e-governance systems with the following components: a computerized Barangay Information System and a WiFi Internet Access Area for the public within and nearby the Barangay Hall, says the DOST here.

In an interview, Engr. Mario E. de la Peña, Provincial Director of DOST-Siquijor said that the scarcity of updated, relevant and verifiable information at the different LGU levels has been a big factor in the government’s inability to make a pronounced dent in poverty sectors.

Lack of government transparency has also caused wastage in resource utilization, he said.

The Barangay Information System, he added, is one of the solutions provided by Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to address good governance and providing relevant information to the public.

He said that the specific objectives of the project are to institutionalize participatory systems in community development, functional planning bodies at all levels within the project areas.

This will allow making decisions based on updated, relevant and verifiable information, increased participation in governance by more effective feedback system between local government units and their constituents, increased efficiency in information gathering, information-sharing and management and increased capacity of LGUs to develop projects more effectively by using ICT to enhance management in the area of Health, Peace and Order, Education, Employment, Disaster Mitigation, Trade and Commerce.

Through the DOST assistance in a form of equipment, the Barangay Poblacion can provide services and outputs like Barangay Clearance Application Systemallows the storage, cross-reference & retrieval of data for various purpose (business license, employment, travel), residents’ Profile that allows the profiling of individuals and households for the purpose of easier attainment of household-directed government services, better disaster management, keeping peace and order and easier matching between locally available skills and employment opportunities, tax Collection System-enhances proper record keeping, billing and collection of real property tax.

It speeds up generation of reports for proper tax monitoring, Barangay JusticeAutomates the daily operation of the Lupong Tagapamayapa or the barangay justice system and maintains a wide sharing of information including patterns of domestic violence and protection orders.

De la Peña said that if this pilot project succeeds, the project will be expanded to LGU Siquijor and other LGU allied offices.

(RAC/-Siquijor w/ reports from DOST-Engr.

Mario E. de la Peña)

(L-R) Macbeth DalDOST Staff, Beverly Siangco, Brgy Treasurer, Engr. Mario de la Peña- DOST Provincial Director, D r. P e c k C o r t e s Barangay Chairman, Marner Samson & Franco Siangco-Brgy Kagawad) during the turn-over of DOST-GIA check to Barangay Pobl;oblacion, Siquijor

Success story

A “golden” taste of banana

Many people remember Duran, Duran as one of the most successful bands in the 80s.

But to the people of the “Healing Island of Siquijor”, Duran is the maker of the best banana fritters, crackers and sticks. Duran is the family name of Alejandro or Butch, as he is fondly called.

The making of banana fritters had its origins from a cooperative in their area, of which Butch’s wife is a member. With the disintegration of the group, the Duran’s decided to buy the utensils that the group had acquired and started their own home industry. While they were producing their own banana fritters, they took note of their customer’s feedback and adjusted their recipe. The trial and error lasted for a year until they finally developed the right mix. From Siquijor, their market expanded to Dumaguete, Bohol and Bacolod.

In an International Food Expo in the Mall of Asia in Manila sometime in 2000, Butch had to decline an order from a foreign buyer to supply 42,000 kilos of banana fritters a month. While he was ecstatic over the potential of his product, the order was simply unbelievable.

How DOST came into the picture is a tale that Butch loves to relate. In one of his visits to the province, DOST Regional Director, Burt Llanto, came to know about the sad state of Duran’s.

Only one big cooking vat (kawa), was used in a very limited space to produce his tasty banana fritters. A small grant was provided and this enabled him to purchase a two-burner ceramic stove, a stainless-top table and two cooking vats. It was also about this time that DTI assisted him in marketing his products.

DOST’s technology assistance through SET-UP finally came in 2004. To upgrade the capability of Duran’s banana processing, the following were acquired: vacuum sealer, mechanized banana sticks cutter, banana chips cutter, stainless tables, basins, and trays, and a digital thermometer. Trainings on the operation and maintenance of these equipment and Good Manufacturing Practices were conducted by DOST.

As a concrete impact of this assistance, the usual 30 kilos a day of banana crackers has now become 120 kilos, four times more than what they originally produced. “Kung wa pa ang DOST, dili ko ka produce ani.” (Without DOST, I could not produce this.) DOST likewise improved their packaging which was previously done in regular plastic and paper. Sales correspondingly increased way beyond the projected 100% through participation in events. An example of this is the fair during the Sandugo Festival in Bohol in 2005, wherein their products were all sold during the morning of the first day of the festival.

The fame of Duran’s products likewise resulted in the conversion of the main product of Lazi, from ceramics to banana, in the One Town, One Product (OTOP) program of DTI. And May 14 of every year has been named, “Saging Festival” (Banana Festival).

Duran was also awarded as a Regional Finalist of the “Idol of TESDA”. His contribution to the community and innovative approach earned him this recognition. He negotiated with three landowners of idle lands, to plant these spaces with banana for five years with an agreed sharing of produce, and return these lands after that time. To add to his knowledge, he took up horticulture classes.

This family endeavor, which started with a husband, wife and two children, now has 10 workers who are non-family members. Patience is a virtue that one needs to have in constant supply while starting a business. Butch remembered that when he started and approached sari-sari stores to buy his products, they refused since it was not only common but they alleged that they already know the taste of the product. But this has changed since then.

Asked what their secret is, Butch emphasized, “ Kinahanglan na happy ang grupo magluto.”

(It is important that the group is happy while cooking.) He added that there should be a harmonious working environment. He noticed that when there were attitudinal concerns among the workers, the products would taste different.

Whether his observation is in fact a factor to seriously consider, is not for anyone to prove.

What is significant is that Duran’s products have an unbeatable taste that only connoisseurs of banana products know (SET-UP Product Catalogue).

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

2M farmers, fishers seen to benefit from WB’s P22B financial package

MANILA -- Around two million farmers ad fishermen are expected to benefit from the US$ 508 million (P22.4 billion) loan and financial package from the World Bank (WB).

In a press briefing over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, Presidential Communications Operations O f f i c e ( P C O O ) S e c r e t a r y H e r m i n i o C o l o m a J r. s a i d t h e f i n a n c i a l p a c k a g e f o r t h e P h i l i p p i n e s h a s been earmarked for infrastructure and business and livelihood assistance for farmers and fishermen.

Coloma said the package, called the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), will be undertaken by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

He said that over 70 percent of the project will be used to fund infrastructure projects of the local government units (LGUs), including farm-to-market roads, bridges, communal irrigation, potable water systems, post-harvest facilities and production facilities.

“Lampas sa pitumpung porsiyento ng proyekto ay gagamitin sa pagpondo ng mga proyektong pangimprastruktura ng mga pamahalang lokal o LGUs kasama na ang mga sumusunod: farm-to-market roads, bridges, fire trucks, communal irrigation, potable water systems, post-harvest facilities, production facilities, fish landings, fish sanctuaries, storage facilities, trading post, green houses, solar dryers at slope stabilization works,” Coloma said.

The PCOO chief said the real household income of farmers and fishermen is expected to increase yearly by at least five percent in the next six years under the PRDP.

Coloma said target beneficiaries can also enjoy a 30-percent increase in income through business and livelihood programs, and a seven-percent value of the beneficiaries’ products sold in markets.

He added that also included in the PRDP is the US$ 7 million in financial aid or a grant from the global environment facility aimed to strengthen conservation of coastal and marine protected areas in Tayabas, Quezon; Green Island in Palawan; Ticao Pass in Sorsogon and Masbate; Guimaras; Danajon Bank in Bohol; and Guiuan in Eastern Samar.(PNA/PIA)

Candidates to the Miss Siquijor Tourism 2014 presented on September 5 during the Opening of Sports Activities in Lazi Siquijor. The beauty pageant will be on September 16 at the Capital Square at 8:00 pm.

iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS

iNFOBYTES

Provinces in CV ink MOU with NEDA, foreign partners for road, infra reforms

CEBU CITY (PIA) – Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor thru their respective governors inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-7), Australian Aid and The Asia Foundation in the Philippines for new roads and infrastructure reforms.

The signing was done during the formal launching of the Coordinating Roads and Infrastructure Investment for Development (CR+ID) project on August 27 at the Harold’s hotel in Cebu City.

In his keynote message, Australian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission, Hon. David Dutton said the Australian government through the Australian Aid (AusAID) has been a consistent partner of the Philippines in government development through its various projects in support to the country’s economic growth.

“We need to work creatively, to look for innovations to create economic

growth in the Philippines, Dutton said.

The Australian government has adjusted (in a couple of years) its programs to fit with the realities of development in the regions, Dutton added.

According to him, AusAID has been working closely with sectors that promote health, agriculture, infrastructure, gender equality, among others and always looking for innovations to achieved the very best results.

“Close alignment with our attitudes and objectives on development as basis of partnerships of both countries. We will introduce new programs including infrastructure to promote economic development of the partner countries,” Dutton added.

He particularly quoted a tagline from the SONA of President Benigno Aquino that “Good economics is good government “which sums up why the CR+ID expands in Central Visayas,” Dutton noted.

“We are delighted to work in Bohol where the CR+ID is being lauded today and we will be equally delighted to be working with the other provinces within the Central Visayas region,” Dutton said.

Bohol governor who is also the chair of the Regional Development Council (RDC) here said, “We are in for a long journey of partnership.”

Chatto validated the effectiveness of the CR+ID process as the mechanism used in creating, choosing or identifying projects from the ground up to achieve

more chances of approval from funding institutions both local and foreign.

The CR+ID project uses the value chain analysis with the private sector particularly the local chambers of commerce to identify strategic road links.

These are interconnected roads within the province, regardless of classification, and these are most often used in transporting goods and people.

The CR+ID project analysis is done through a technical and participatory process including consultations with various sectors and key informants and mapping of the roads using the geographic information system (GIS).

These strategic road links are used as “roads investment registry” where national and local government agencies with funds for roads can consider for their respective budget allocations.

T h i s y e a r, t h e A u s t r a l i a Government and The Asia Foundation jointly agreed to expand CR+ID in two ways; thematically, to include not only roads but also key infrastructure with disaster risk and hazard identification and geographically, to include all provinces in regions 7 and 8 as well as the three provinces in region 6.

The CR+ID also works to strengthen the Regional Development Council for broader participation in the realms of investment programming. (mbcn/PIA7)

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. Mass Renewal of PANUNUMPA NG LINGKOD KAWANI officiated by RTC Judge Alejandro Bahonsua in celebration of the 114th Philippine Civil Service Annivesary and in time with the opening of the Araw ng Siquijor sports activity on September 5 at Lazi Quadrangle, Lazi, Siquijor.

FOLLOW US online! /Pia Siquijor /PIA Siquijor @PiaSiquijor