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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. 2 | NO. 32 September 23-30, 2014

Siquijor gets P9.3M TESDA scholarship program for 2014

by Rizalie Anding-Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA)—The province of Siquijor gets a total of P9,345,992 from theTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholarship program for this year.

This was bared during the Industry Forum conducted recently to the Provincial Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council (MSMEDC) at the DTI Conference Room, Siquijor, Siquijor.

The funds are sourced out from the TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA) and the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting for 2014 (GPB), says TESDA-Siquijor provincial director Engr. Samuel Jordan.

Engr. Jordan in his opening message said SMEs participation helps in the effective implementation of the tech-voc program in the province.

Technical Education and Skills Development (TESD) program is anchored on the skills priority plan of the province-which are tourism and agri-fishery as well as middle level manpower skills of the large and media industries in Region VII, and skills requirements of other regions and overseas, says TESD specialist Fletcher Gumahad in his presentation during the Industry Forum.

Scholarship programs offered are Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM) for Siquijor and Lazi towns in four batches with a fund allocation of P550,000 and Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) for Maria, Enrique Villanueva and Siquijor, 10 batches amounting to 2P2,446.500.

Larena town gets P210,000 for animal production in barangay Basac; Lazi will have P210,000 for horticulture, P115,500 each for bartending and housekeeping, P80,000 for bread and pastry production, and P96,000 for food and beverages services (FBS).

Another P305,500 from TWSP fund and P273,492 from PESFA are allotted for Computer Hardware Servicing (CHS) for Siquijor and P1,235,000 from GPB also for Siquijor and San Juan towns.

San Juan town gets another P300,000 from GPB for food and beverage services, P472,500 for animal production, and P400,000 for dressmaking, also for Siquijor and San

Technical education and skills development specialist Fletcher Gumahad (lecturing above) with TESDA-Siquijor provincial director Engr. Samuel Jordan (observing, left below) conducting the Industry Forum to the provincial SMEDC at the DTI Conference Room.

Juan.

Another P196,000 is allotted for San Juan and Lazi for tailoring and P1,315,00 for SMAW NC II for Siquijor and San Juan.

Of the six towns, San Juan gets the more allocation for training with P137,000 each for bartending, housekeeping, and EIM; P100,000 each for longganisa, smoked fish and fish ball processing; and P212,500 for cookery, among other scholarship programs already mentioned.

TWSP beneficiaries must be at least 18 years old at the time the scholar finishes the training program.

Educational attainment shall be based on industry requirements or as prescribed in the applicable Training Regulations.

Pursuant to the Special Provision of the 2014 GAA, priority is given to those who are from regions or provinces where the absolute number of poor residents and the incidence of poverty are high.

The regional and provincial offices shall ensure that these areas are provided access to TWSP.

Other clientele groups such as persons with disability (PWDs), indigenous

people, solo parents and their children and senior citizens shall be afforded access to scholarship opportunities in the qualification/ courses where they can qualify.

OFW returnees, members of the families of AFP and PNP personnel killed in military and police operations and other marginalized groups may also avail of the scholarship program subject to prequalification.

Likewise, PESPFA beneficiaries must be a High School Graduate, at least 15 years old; have taken the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) or have undergone the Youth Profiling for Starting Careers (YP4SC); have an annual family income of not more than PhP120,000; and must not be a recipient of any previous TESDA scholarships (2006 to 2013).

Meanwhile, TESDA Siquijor encourages active involvement of concerned sectors, particularly private enterprises, being direct participants in and immediate beneficiaries of a trained and skilled workforce, in providing technical education and skills development opportunities. (mbcn/rac/PIA7Siquijor)

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DOST promotes the use of technology to address climate change

(PIA)—The Department of Science & Technology (DOST) came up with various technological inventions to address climate change.

In a statement, DOST assistant secretary Raymund Liboro said building technological self-reliance in the country can address climate change.

“Technology is out there, but we should have mastery over these technologies for us to continue and come up with appropriate programs that can directly benefit our people,” Liboro said.

He added that technological selfreliance is “achievable, saves time and cuts cost.”

He mentioned the early warning information provided by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other agencies has helped people and communities cope with weather nuances.

“The daily weather bulletin, current rainfall, seven-day forecast, rainfall warning, flood monitoring, and hazard maps, among others, have more detailed information to help people make informed decisions. Moreover, these can be easily accessed by the public,” said Liboro.

He cited that the use of flood early warning system, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) 3D mapping, and sensors are just some examples of technological selfreliance that helped in providing weather and geographical coverage in the country.

DOST’s aggressive push in providing and promoting the use of said technologies resulted in more number of technologies being used at a lesser cost and more advantage to the country.

One example is the use of flood early warning systems.

“From 1972-2011, there were only 100+ systems deployed,” revealed Liboro.

“But with Project NOAH and DREAM, it only took four years from 2011-2015 to increase the total number of sensors deployed to 1,400+.”

In addition, the cost of 3D mapping has dipped from $300 to $78 per km2 through the DREAMLiDAR project.

For the sensor development, the automated weather station unit cost narrowed down from Php880,000 (foreignsourced) to Php235,000 (localsourced) while the automated

rain gauge unit cost narrowed down from P280,000 (foreign-sourced) to Php95,000 (local-sourced).

Liboro mentioned that LiDAR technology can be used in governance, infrastructure planning, resource and recovery, and assessment.

Liboro said the use of remote sensing, for example, facilitated the rapid assessment

Part of the PIA-Siquijor’s Climate Change advocacy efforts are lectures and video shows of DOST’s Disaster Information for National Awareness (DINA) project on Flood, Cyclones, Landslides, and Emergency Kit preparation to the 4Ps beneficiaries in barangays..

of the Visayas region after Yolanda, and monitoring of “cocolisap” infestation and recovery.

“This technology enables people to

get information on a certain phenomenon or object without physical contact, using only satellite and aircraft,” Libroro added. (DOSTNCR/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR).

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

DOH-7 says depression is the #1 cause of suicides

CEBU CITY, Sept. 29 (PIA) --- The Department of Health (DOH) through the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) found out that severe depression is the number one cause of committing suicides.

DOH7 Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Health program head Dr. Emmalyn Fernandez said depression carries

a high risk of suicide and anybody who expresses suicidal thoughts or intentions should be taken very seriously.

During the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) Forum, Dr. Fernandez emphasized that members of families should be sensitive enough to its members especially those who are suffering from any depression.

Tagging the “Karagatan” at Siquijor Baywalk.

Effective communication in fostering family resiliency

DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 25 (PIA) – Church group leaders in Dumaguete City appealed to family heads to promote a culture of openness to avoid conflicts within family members.

In a Kapihan sa PIA on Wednesday and in line with the observance of the National Family Week, Dr. Emigdio Omictin, President of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) -- Negros Oriental, explained resilience as the ability to bounce back after undergoing crisis.

Omictin’s explanation of resiliency was in line with this year’s National Family Week Celebration theme ‘Celebrating Filipino Family: Resilient and Caring,’ two traits that are evident among Filipino families, he said.

“Resilience can be related to ‘katatagan ng loob’ which portrays the sense of stability, durability and endurance,” Omictin said.

Omictin as well as other religious leaders agreed that family resiliency can be nurtured and fostered through effective

communication between parents and children.

Omictin believes respect and trust in the family springs from good communication among members and communication and quality time are vital factors in resolving family problems and conflicts.

Glynda Descuatan, Chairman of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) – Negros Oriental, mentioned that the challenge to modern families is to maintain effective communication among family members.

Descuatan notes that effective communication among modern families is barred by different hindrances that confront family relationships like parents working abroad and advancements in technology that made communication a less priority among family members.

“One of the challenges in our households is to create an atmosphere of openness, where we can all express our feelings,” Descuatan suggests.

“Be especially concerned if a person is exhibiting any signs and has attempted suicide in the past,” Fernandez continued.

She said the following should be considered a warning sign for people with suicidal plans: always talking or thinking about death, losing interest in things one used to care, making comments about being hopeless, helpless, restless, worthless, visiting or calling people to say goodbye and among others.

On the other hand, Dr. Roberto Cañete, medical specialist at VSMMC Psychiatric Department said they will soon put up a 24-hour “suicide hotline” before the end of this year in support to people with suicidal tendencies.

Cañete explained that this will be manned by people who will give advice and willing to listen to people in distress.

He also said that DOH central office has started training personnel to man the hotline.

Based on records at VSMMC, from August 19, 2011 to August 1, 2014, majority of those who committed suicide were single males aged 18 years old to 35 years old, said Cañete.

VSMMC offered two weeks of psychosocial process for people who encountered depression as long as they will seek help at the center and if it is a serious depression it will take one month treatment.

Cañete said a monthly average of 1,200 patients come to t h em com pl ai ni ng o f d e p re s s i o n .

“With this, our mental health officials are trying to make an awareness, educate and treat depressed people so that suicide does not become an option,” Cañete said. (mbcn/HFG/PIA-7)

Descuatan added that through the culture of openness in the family, suicidal tendencies among family members can be prevented.

Rogelio Montemayor, the councilor of the Dumaguete state of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, also shared that part of having a culture of openness is involving children in the decision making process in the family since it encourages to voice out their opinion in concerns involving their family.

Apart from effective communication, family resilience can also be fostered by church teachings.

“A family that has a deep understanding on the (family) doctrine will be a resilient family,” Montemayor adds.

The kapihan is one of the activities set by the Family Week Steering Committee of the City Government of Dumaguete in observance of the Family Week from September 28 to September 30, 2014. (mbcn/ral/PIA7NegOr)

iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS

iNFOBYTES

US Embassy calls for applicants for Winter 2015 YSEALI Institute on Religious Pluralism

CENTRAL VISAYAS, Sept. 25 (PIA) --The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Emb a ssy-Ma n i l a a n n o u n ce s th e call for applications for the Winter 2015 YSEALI Institute on Religious Pluralism.

The Institute will take place from January 10- February 14, 2015 at Temple University in Philadelphia, United States.

Deadline for nominations is October 10, 2014.

All nominations must be electronic and addressed to Ej Bautista, Cultural Affairs Assistant, at philippinesyseali@gmail.com

The purpose of this intensive academic program is to provide undergraduate student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States, while enhancing their leadership skills.

The Institute on Religious Pluralism in the United States will consist of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures.

Educational travel, local site visits, and volunteer opportunities will complement coursework and classroom activities.

The Institute will include an academic

residency component of approximately four weeks and a domestic travel component of approximately one week, to include a 2-3 day closing program in Washington, DC.

The Institute will explore U.S. history, society, and institutions within the context of religious pluralism and interfaith dialogue.

Participants will meet with U . S . c o m m u n i t y l e a d e r s o f d i ff e r e n t faiths that advocate for collaboration and tolerance among religious groups.

They will also examine the leadership role that religious officials play in their own societies and develop ideas for positive social change.

During their four-day study tour, participants will travel to Florida where they will have the opportunity to visit historical and cultural sites and discuss topics related to immigration and the Native-American experience.

The United States Embassy will cover all participant costs, including: international

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airfare; insurance coverage; program administration; domestic travel and ground transportation; incidental allowances; housing and subsistence; and per diem for meals.

Participants will be expected to share a room with another student of the same gender.

Care will be taken to ensure that any special requirements regarding diet, daily worship, housing and medical care are respected.

Candidates for this program should: Have a strong interest in religious pluralism; represent diverse ethnic and religious groups; be fluent in English; be between 18 and 25 years of age; be willing to share their U.S. experience with peers, community groups and other relevant organizations upon their return home, as local circumstances allow.

They must also be willing to join the broader YSEALI network; have at least one semester remaining in their university studies and be committed to returning home to complete their degree; demonstrate strong leadership qualities; indicate a serious interest in learning about the United States.

They must have a high level of academic achievement, as indicated by grades, awards, and teacher recommendations; have demonstrated commitment to community and extracurricular university activities; have had little or no prior study or travel experience in the United States or elsewhere.

Candidates must be mature, responsible, independent, confident, openminded, tolerant, thoughtful and inquisitive; be willing and able to fully participate in an intensive academic program, community service and educational travel; and, be comfortable with campus life, prepared to share living accommodations, and able to make adjustments to cultural and social practices different from those of their home communities. (mbcn/PIA7/with reports from the Public Affairs/U.S.Embassy)

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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