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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. 4| NO. 37 October 26-November 2, 2016
e r u t a e Siquijor Beef: not just any beef F l a i c e Sp but a healthy meat
by Rizalie Anding Calibo, PIA7-Siquijor Do you know that there is one commodity in the island province of Siquijor that will soon add to its fame? One of the Siquijor’s best and pride is its beef cattle. According to the study presented by Dr. Agapita J. Salces of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), Siquijor native cattle has the exceptional beef quality that makes it very competitive with the rest of the best beef cattle in the world. In that study, Siquijor Beef Cattle is found out to be capable of producing very healthy kind of milk and meat no other country has, so that the Department of Agriculture (DA), the UPLB and the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) and the UPLB are one in supporting the province boost its potential. Siquijor native cattle, the study said stands out as a distinct type due to its low genetic relationship with other native cattle in the country. “Because it is grass-fed cattle meat, it is not just premium and high quality beef but meat excellent for health,” Salces said. According to the UPLB study, the native cattle population of Siquijor island is predominantly taurine by descent named as Bos taurus. Bos Taurus, the study said, are known to have genes for marbling and milk production therefore the native cattle in Siquijor can also be exploited for good quality milk. Siquijor native cattle stands out as a distinct type due to its low genetic relationship with other native cattle in the country, it further said. As domesticated animal the province’s pride easily ‘fits’ or adapts to the environment, hardworking and docile draught animal, has high tolerance to heat, strong resistance to disease, exists on natural, farm-based, non-medicated feeds and low water requirement. “We have seen how great is God’s endowment to Siquijor, you have to take care of it and make full of its potential,” DA Regional Director Angel Enriquez once said while assuring the provincial government of its full support. With the development, another multiagency collaborative research project entitled “Developing a Sustainable Dairy Cattle Genetic Stock in the Philippines: Phase II – Crossbreeding with Aussie Red” led by Dr. Salces and funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development (STRIDE) Program in the amount of P4.3 million pesos is now approved. The research project will be utilizing
Siquijor’s very own native cattle as the breeder bases due to its unique dairy attributes. An inception meeting for the research project was made earlier at the Coco Grove Beach Resort, San Juan, Siquijor with the provincial government officials and other stakeholders. Phase I of the project was entitled “Developing a sustainable dairy cattle genetic stock in the Philippines: Phase 1 – Establishing the Base for Future Breeding” also funded by USAID – STRIDE which aimed to develop breeding objectives and strategies to suit smallholder and commercial dairy cattle program. The project collaborators were the University of North Carolina-Raleigh Campus; Bohol Island State University- Bilar Campus, Bohol; DA 7, Ubay Stock Farm, Bohol; Provincial Government of Siquijor, and the Philippine Asian Biotechnology Research & Development Corp (PABRD). In phase I, the project research team was also able to show that the Siquijor native cattle produce milk up to five liters per cow with high level of fat at 4%. Their DNA profile further suggests high potential (93% possess betalactoglobulin desirable allele) to produce milk with superior cheese-making property. Phase II project with the DA7 (Ubay Stock Farm); Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), Catulayan Community Multi-Purpose Coooperative, Bohol Dairy Producers Association (BoDPA), Aces Credit Development Incorporated ( ACDI) Multi Purpose Cooperative, and the PABRD as the collaborators, will study and genotype at least 300 Siquijor native cattle from the island. It aims to recruit and capacitate farmers toward participatory breeding program and dairy cattle management as it monitors the growth performance of the study animals with emphasis
on milk yield and quality. Eventually it hopes to develop a specialty cheese recipe from Siquijor native milk and establish commercial breeding objectives. The Siquijor dairy cattle was used because of its heat and disease tolerance as well as being prolific despite minimum input, also says Project Leader Salces in her presentation. According to the International Livestock Research Institute, Siquijor province is second highest in cattle density in the country with Ilocos Norte in Luzon as the first. “This means that the potential of our cattle industry is really good,” said Provincial Veterinarian Bernadita Tabada. Siquijor farmers, Tabada said are excellent caretakers of beef cattle. They integrate cattle raising to their farming system to augment the meager income from crop production. Provincial Governor Zaldy Villa lauded the agriculture office headed by the PVO for the support and expressed elation over the development. “We hope this information would encourage our local cattle raisers to produce more in order to cater to the projected increasing demand for the market outside of Siquijor province,” he said. Vice-Governor Mei Ling Quezon also assured support from the legislative department to put in place related projects and programs in support to the governor’s vision. “Ang baka sa probinsya mahimo na pud untang tourist delicacy, mahimong bantugan ug pinakalami nga karneng baka sa tibuok Pilipinas. Atong paningkamotan nga modaghan pa ang atong baka,” (Our beef will soon become a delicacy for tourists, to be known as the best and most delectable meat in the whole county. We will strive to make it flourish) the vice governor said. Salces, in her presentation said, Siquijor can benefit from the increase in demand for grassfed beef citing that the United States of America is world’s top beef consumer , the no. 1 exporter of grain-fed beef but also imports grass-fed lean beef for ground beef requirements . In 2010, the study said only 3% of cattle in America were grass-fed, in 2015 it has increased to 20%. Meanwhile, the UPLB, DA, PRDP and other project collaborators reiterated support to the beef cattle industry in the province with the aim of commercializing and optimizing production of Siquijor beef and milk and other by-products. (PIA)
ISLAND VIEWS
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The Enchanting Cambugahay Falls at Lazi, Siquijor
Repost: http://www.lakadpilipinas.com/2012/06/siquijor-cambugahay-falls-at-lazi.html
Down some hundred steps from Lazi town’s main road is a scenery as magical as Siquijor’s mystical reputation. The afternoon was progressing as we made our slow way down some stone steps that leads to Siquijor’s famous three-tiered Cambugahay Falls. The treads were evenly made with natural stones, probably procured from the river that feeds the waterfall. The falls cascade all the way from a small rainforest above the mountains, some freshwater springs and watersheds. A hint of light green waters, reminiscent of Palawan’s famed Kayangan Lake, slowly springs to view in between lush trees as we made our ever downwards progress. And in less than five minutes, we were holding on to our jaws, lest it fall all the way downstream with the Down Stone Steps Towards Siquijor’s Cambugahay Falls green gushing waters of Cambugahay. Cambugahay Falls’ First Drop I have seen quite a few waterfalls during the years and I’m not one to base grandness on height. It’s like saying the greatest basketball players are the tallest ones (as if I know a thing about basketballs, but hey, right?). It’s no Niagara Falls but for me this is by far the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve ever seen. Cambugahay Falls rises three times, by my estimate, in ten-foot increments from the UNEVEN STONE STEPS TO CAMBUGAHAY FALLS lowest pool; which eventually snakes for another three kilometers down before emptying in the Bay of Lazi. The water is light turquoise green and looked very inviting. A Stray Puppy Following us Around Cambugahay Falls in Siquijor A STRAY PUPPY FOLLOWING US AROUND The waterfalls were deserted except for us and a couple of very small puppies which were tailing us wherever we go. Our guide said the dogs might have been left there by the owners who probably don’t want to spend for vaccinations and stuff for the puppies; Siquijor apparently enforces a strict law regarding stray dogs. I guess the owner took comfort in leaving them in the area since Cambugahay attract visitors everyday and everyone loves dogs; these puppies wouldn’t get hungry at all. Watch Out for Huge Rocks if you Plan to Swim at Siquijor’s Cambugahay Falls HUGE ROCKS ON THE WATER After taking my time capturing each levels of Cambugahay, I finally gave in and took a dip. The water is surprisingly warm, unlike most waterfalls. The bottom varies from soft clay to hard rocks. Huge boulders appear out of nowhere and can seriously hurt your foot, so care must be taken, especially if you’re planning to jump. Water height varies from knee-deep to more than a man’s height, with the catch basin on the lowest falls the deepest of the three. Siquijor’s Cambugahay Falls, Second Level According to our guide, a company has been courting the local government to develop the area as a resort. I’m just glad that the offer has been turned down. Privatizing Cambugahay Falls would in all probability mean cottages along its banks, bridgeways in between waterfalls and concretized catch basins. We already have those in artifical swimming resorts; let’s not ruin a real one, please. It was interesting to note that unlike most waterfalls I’ve visited, there was hardly any litter in the area; so that’s another hooray for the local government. Third Level of Cambugahay Falls in Siquijor The sun is hurrying its way down as I took my final lap and waded my way to shore where the two little puppies were waiting. Another group of tourists arrived as we finished feeding the little doggies and delegated the responsibilities to the next guys. I wasn’t really expecting anything when we went down the stone steps towards the falls an hour before and I was completely surprised with what we found. Cambugahay Waterfalls’ drop may not be hundred feet high, but its small size and placid green waters makes it three times more poetic than the largest falls I’ve seen. STUPID TOURISTS LEFT THOSE MARKS ON THE ROCK SURFACE It was still drizzling lightly as we wended our way down the 138 stone steps to Cambugahay Falls. It was my second time visiting this place, but still, I was very much looking forward to seeing it again, especially after Lugnason Falls. Unlike my first time, Cambugahay was packed when we arrived; the crowd, a combination of Filipinos, Koreans, Chinese and European tourists. A queue was forming on one edge of the first basin and soon enough, someone was propelled into the water, swooshing from a rope tied from a tree above, whooping all the way down. CAMBUGAHAY SWING! We went in line ourselves, waiting for our turn to do the Tarzan-style jump to the turquoise waters of Cambugahay a few feet down the natural platform. Swinging down looked effortless for those who were ahead of me, so I was a bit surprised at how much energy it took for me to hold on before letting go. Well, with my weight, I really shouldn’t have been surprised at all, lol. I knew, even from my previous outing here, that there’s a rope swing in the area, it’s actually just now that I saw where it’s located. And it’s only now, obviously, that I’ve tried it. Old places, new experiences.
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CEBUANO NEWS
Agrikultura, edukasyon ug kahimsog, bag-ong prayoridad sa Presidente
MANILA (PIA) -- Mauna sa makapahimos sa mga pondo gikan sa mga kasabotang naumol sa pagbisita ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte sa China ang sektor sa agrikultura. Matud pa ni Presidente Duterte, mahimong prayoridad sa iyang administrasyon ang agrikultura, edukasyon ug kahimsog. Kini nagpasabot nga dakong parte sa naule niyang gibanabanang $24 bilyong kantidad sa kasabotan ang maadto sa tulo ka nahisgotang sektor. Gibutyag usab sa Presidente sa iyang mensahe sa Isabela nga gimanduan na niya ang Philippine Amusement a n d G a m i n g C o r p . ( PA G C O R ) n g a
Bag-ong high-tech postal ID, madawat na isip valid ID sa alang sa uban pang transaksiyon
MANILA, October 24 (PIA) -- Ang bag-ong hich-tech ID sa Philippine Postal Corp. madawat na karon isip valid ID sa tanang remittance centers, sa pagkuha og clearance sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), pag-apply og pasaporte ug uban pang transaksiyon. Gawas niini, ang postal ID maÂgamit dili lamang sa mga remittance centers apan apil na usab sa pagbukas og mga accounts sa bangko ug pagpirma sa mga dokumentong legal. Kini human mismo ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) nagÂpagawas og direktiba sa tanang mga remittance centers ug bangko kalabot niini. Sa improved postal ID, may biometric information sa card holders niini kauban na ang ilang pirma ug uban pang impormasyon sa ilang pagkatawo. Garantisado usab nga dili ma-peke ang improved postal ID tungod kay may mga security features kini nga makita ug nakatago. Ang kinahanglan lamang mao ang proof of identity ug proof of address aron makakuha og postal ID nga madawat sa Metro Manila sulod sa 15 ka adlaw ug 20 ka adlaw usab sa mga ubang lungsod ug probinsiya. Sa mga isla ug lagyong dapit, e-deliver sa PhilPost ang ID sulod sa 30 ka adlaw. Adunay 260 ka capture stations sa paghimo sa postal ID sa tibuok Pilipinas ug ang kumpletong listahan niini makita sa 1,300 ka buhatan sa PhilPost sa tibuok nasod. (ecb/ PIA7-Bohol)
idirekta ang ilang kita sa pagtabang sa pagpatambal sa mga adunay sakit sa nasod. Gitataw usab sa Presidente nga bisan nagbaton na og mga kabag-ohan sa iyang mga prayoridad, nagpabilin pa
gihapon ang hugot nga kampanya sa gobyerno batok sa ilegal nga droga. Matud pa nga dili mahunong ang ingon niining sitwasyon hangtud dili mapatay ang katapusang drug lord sa nasod. (rmn/ecb/PIA7)
Dobleng Christmas bonus, madawat sa mga magtutudlo karong Pasko
(PIA) -- AdunayMay maayong balita alang sa 720,000 ka public school teachers sa tibuok nasod. Kini tungod kay sa dili pa matapos ang tuig, gipaabot nga dobleng Christmas bonus ang madawat sa mga magtutudlo kun itandi sa nadawat nila sa niaging tuig. Matud pa sa Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), mokabat gikan P34,000 hangtud P64,000 ang mga madawat nga bonus sa mga public school teachers karong tuig. Matud pa ni TDC chair Benjo Basas, ang magtutudlo nga adunay basic salary nga P19,077 makadawat sa mga mosunod: dili moubos sa P5,000 nga performance-based bonus (PBB); year-end bonus nga nagkantidad og P19,077; P5,000 nga cash gift ug lain pang P5,000 nga productivity enhancement incentive (PEI). Apan alang sa mga magtutudlo nga mokabat sa P35,000 ang madawat nga PBB, posibleng makadawat og maximum nga kinatibuk-ang kantidad nga P64,077. Gipasabot ni Basas nga madawat na sa mga magtutudlo ang ilang PBB, year-end bonus ug cash gift karong bulan, samtang ang PEI usab ihatag sa Disyembre. Ang PBB parte sa productivity-based incentive system ubos sa Salary Standardization Law-3 diin ang mga magtutudlo ug ubang empleyado makadawat og bonus nga gikan P5,000 taman P35,000, depende sa ilang nahimong performance sa tibuok tuig. Apan matud pa ni Basas, naa sa 2 porsiyento lang sa teaching force sa Department of Education (DepEd) ang makadawat sa maximum amount sa PBB tungod kay giingong lisud usab nga makakuha og kapin sa P5,000. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
DOST Siquijor holds session on packaging, labeling for food processors
SIQUIJOR, October 28 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) here conducted a one-day Technical Session on Product Packaging and Labeling, according to DOST Siquijor staff Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing in a press release. The session was held at the SP Session Hall of the Provincial Capitol, Siquijor, Siquijor. Participants were the food processors of peanut brittles, lubiscuit, banana chips, breads, vegetable noodles, squash sticks, kolo chips and other food pasalubong items. Representatives from the Isalnd Packaging (iPak) of Treasure Island Corporation served as resource persons. Senior SRS Josie F. Elli of DOST 7 also gave a presentation on labeling requirements. The event served as a venue to communicate and coordinate with iPak as possible supplier of quality packaging and labeling materials like stand out pouches, laminated labels, product seals, shrinkable seals, and shrinkable labels, among others. During the technical session, Zyriel Abejero presented the company profile while Mr. Gideon Ostrea focused his discussion on the company’s product which is quality packaging. He emphasized the advantages of having quality food packaging and stated that processed foods with quality packaging last longer compared to others which use generic packaging. He said that quality packaging is a factor in prolonging the shelf life of the product which is essential to avoid market recalls. On the other hand, Josie F. Elli of DOST 7 presented slideshows on the required and optional labeling standards. She stressed that having appropriate labeling in the packaging of food products is essential nowadays because customers are now constantly checking on the labels. In the province, DOST Siquijor advocates improved Larena Rural Health Unit (RHU) staff monitoring the Blood Pressures (BP) of product packaging and labeling as means to upgrade quality of some senior citizens at the public assistance desk at the public cemetery in the products and to prolong the shelf life of the products. During the event, participants were showed different Cangbagsa. (Larena Review) varieties of product packaging and labeling which were produced by iPak and which were used by some of the big food processors in the country. During the event, Vice-Governor Mei Ling Quezon thanked the agency for organizing the event aimed at upgrading the knowledge of the participants in terms of product packaging and labeling. Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Peùa also urged the participants to grab this opportunity to converse directly with the representatives of iPak. DOST Siquijor organized the event in line with the Halad sa Katawhan 2016. At the end of the event, the participants were given a new perspective of how product packaging and labeling should Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) Training be. (rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from Engr. Reinhold Jek conducted by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Abing/DOST Siquijor) and Management Council (PDRRMC)
4Ps Provincial Link and Social Welfare Officer Jessabel Tabares in one of the Youth Development Sessions (YDS) for 4Ps beneficiaries in Larena, Siquijor
Supervising Labor Employment Officer Ma. Theresa Tanquiamco of the Department of Labor in Central Visayas discusses labor contractualization at the Larena Triad Coffee sho, Larena, Siquijor. )
SPIRITUALITY
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Path of Descent
from Richard Rohr’s Daily Meditation
Image credit: Le Bateau-atelier (detail), 1874, by Claude Monet (1840-1926), Kröller-Müller Museum, Otterlo, Netherlands
A Clod of Earth
Ending the Cycle of Violence
The path of descent involves letting go of our self-image, our titles, our public image. I think this is one of the many meanings of the First Commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). What is at stake here is not just false images of God (which mostly serve our purposes), but also comfortable images of ourselves. That’s probably what the saints meant when they said we have to move to the place of faith, to the place of self-forgetfulness, of nothingness, which ironically is the place of abundance! The German Dominican mystic Meister Eckhart (c. 1260—c. 1328) said in essence that the spiritual life has more to do with subtraction than with addition. But in the capitalistic West, we keep trying to climb higher up the ladder of spiritual success. Some Buddhists call it spiritual materialism or spiritual consumerism. We’ve turned the Gospel into a matter of addition instead of subtraction. When we are so full of ourselves, we have no room—and no need—for God or others, or otherness in general. When C. G. Jung was an old man, one of his students read John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, and he asked Jung, “What has your pilgrimage really been?” Jung answered: “In my case Pilgrim’s Progress consisted in my having to climb down a thousand ladders until I could reach out my hand to the little clod of earth that I am.” [1] That’s a free man. We aren’t really free until we’re free from ourselves: our ego, our reputation, our self-image, our need to be right, our need to be successful, our need to have everything under control, even our need to be loved by others—or to think of ourselves as loving. The word “human” comes from the Latin humus, which means earth. Being human means acknowledging that we’re made from the earth and will return to the earth. For a few years we dance around on the stage of life and have the chance to reflect a little bit of God’s glory. We are earth that has come to consciousness. If we discover this power in ourselves and know that we are God’s creatures, that we come from God and return to God, that’s enough. As a human, I’m just a tiny moment of consciousness, a small part of creation, a particle that reflects only a fragment of God’s glory. And yet that’s enough. In the words of St. Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022): What I have seen is the totality recapitulated as One, Received not in essence but by participation. It is just as if you lit a flame from a live flame: It is the entire flame you receive. [2] It’s really that simple. If we have not experienced that connection, knowing that we are indeed a fragment of the Great Flame, we will most certainly need to accumulate more and more outer things as substitutes for self-worth. This, of course, is the great spiritual illusion. We needn’t acquire what we already have. Our value comes from our inherent participation in God.
Picture yourself before the crucified Jesus; recognize that he became what you fear: nakedness, exposure, vulnerability, and failure. He became sin to free you from sin. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21.) He became what we do to one another in order to free us from the lie of punishing and scapegoating each other. He became the crucified so we would stop crucifying. He refused to transmit his pain onto others. In your imagination, receive these words as Jesus’ invitation to you from the cross: My beloved, I am your self. I am your beauty. I am your goodness, which you are destroying. I am what you do to what you should love. I am what you are afraid of: your deepest and best and most naked self—your soul. Your sin largely consists in what you do to harm goodness—your own and others’. You are afraid of the good; you are afraid of me. You kill what you should love; you hate what could transform you. I am Jesus crucified. I am yourself, and I am all of humanity. And now respond to Jesus on the cross, hanging at the center of human history, turning history around: Jesus, Crucified, you are my life and you are also my death. You are my beauty, you are my possibility, and you are my full self. You are everything I want, and you are everything I am afraid of. You are everything I desire, and you are everything I deny. You are my outrageously ignored and neglected soul. Jesus, your love is what I most fear. I can’t let anybody love me for nothing. Intimacy with you or anyone terrifies me. I am beginning to see that I, in my own body, am an image of what is happening everywhere, and I want it to stop today. I want to stop the violence toward myself, toward the world, toward you. I don’t need to ever again create any victim, even in my mind. You alone, Jesus, refused to be crucifier, even at the cost of being crucified. You never asked for sympathy. You never played the victim or asked for vengeance. You breathed forgiveness. We humans mistrust, murder, attack. Now I see that it is not you that humanity hates. We hate ourselves, but we mistakenly kill you. I must stop crucifying your blessed flesh on this earth and in my brothers and sisters. Now I see that you live in me and I live in you. You are inviting me out of this endless cycle of illusion and violence. You are Jesus crucified. You are saving me. In your perfect love, you have chosen to enter into union with me, and I am slowly learning to trust that this could be true.
Gateway to Silence: The way up is down.
Gateway to Silence: Be peace.
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iNFOBYTES
DSWD-7 kicks off National Children’s Month celebration The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) recently kicked off the National Children’s Month celebration on with 400 participants attending the opening salvo.
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DSWD-7s Regional Information Officer Leah Quintana said the kick-off activity started with an awareness walk from Fuente Osmena Circle going to Plaza Independencia in Cebu City where a brief program was held. During the program, Regional Council for the Welfare of Children, represented by its Vice Chairperson, DILG-7 Director Rene Burdeos, handed the donated pencils to Department of Education (DepEd-7) representative Dr. Luz Jandayan in a ceremonial turn-over. “We would like to express our gratitude to DSWD for initiating this one million lapis campaign and surely this will benefit the underprivileged students in the region,” said Jandayan, chief of Education Support Services Division of DepEd-7. DSWD-7 collected 143,307 p e n c i l s f r o m J u l y t o O c t o b e r. DepEd-7 will now determine the elementary schools from 4th to 6th class municipalities in the region that will receive the pencils. Other activities lined-up for the
month-long celebration are a technical session on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) cum orientation on the Early Years Act on November 22-25 to be participated in by City and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (C/MSWDO), Day Care Workers and ECCD Focal in Cebu Province and the Regional Children’s Contest on November 29, added Quintana. This year’s celebration carries the theme “Isulong: Kalidad na Edukasyon Para sa Lahat ng Bata!” which is in response to Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) No. 4: to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities to all. Education plays an important role in helping children develop, reach their potentials, be able to engage meaningfully and build resilience. This means that ensuring education of a child promotes child protection by empowering them to build resiliency. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu/DSWD-7)
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REGIONAL NEWS
Consultations in CV for wage hike petitions set Commercial and Industrial Workers’ Union
CEBU CITY, October 30 (PIA) --The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7) and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-7) scheduled a series of wage consultations and public hearing in Central Visayas. According to DOLE-7 Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga, who is at the same time acting as the Chairman of Board, the wage consultations will tackle the petitions for minimum wage increase filed before the office of RTWPB-7.
He added that there are three wage hike petitions which will be subjected to public consultations. The first petitioner is the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) seeking for a P161 across-the-board daily wage increase in Region 7. The Sentro or Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), the second petitioner, sought for a P140 across-the-board daily wage increase. The Philippine Agricultural,
DSWD-7 distributes social pension to senior citizens As of now, there 67,667 senior CEBU CITY, October 29 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 is now distributing Social Pension to Indigent Senior Citizens at P500 per month. DSWD-7 Social Welfare Officer IV Artemia Degamo said during the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) - Philippine Information Agency (PIA) – 7 Forum that Social Pension is the monthly stipend of P500 received by the Indigent Senior Citizens under the provision under Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9994 otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.” The Senior Citizens who can receive the stipend are those 60 years old and above, without permanent source of income or support from the families or relatives and those without pension from the GSIS, SSS or AFPMBAI and other private insurance company in order to improve their living condition, continued Degamo.
citizens in Region 7 (excluding Negros Island Region) who will receive the social pension. According to Degamo, in 2011 only 11,402 beneficiaries received the social pension and it keeps increasing every year since it started five years ago. Only senior citizens aged 77 and above could qualify as beneficiaries before and now, all those who reached 60 years old can avail of the pension. The pension is transferred to the beneficiaries in three ways: through pay-out, fund transfer to the local government units (LGU), or door-to-door delivery. For this year, Degamo said they are targeting to enroll around 102,000 indigent senior citizens who are all in the wait list. For next year, she said they are proposing a P1.2-billion budget for the social pension program that would benefit the 170,000 beneficiaries. (rmn/hfg/AGIO-PIA7 Forum)
(PACIWU-TUCP) also filed for a wage increase of P101.34, P90.61, and P86.87 per day for all workers in the private sector of Negros Island Region (NIR). According to Board Secretary Grace Carreon, Negros Oriental is still under the jurisdiction of RTWPB-7 up to present. She added that all interested parties who might wish to oppose the aforesaid petitions may file their oppositions before the Board prior to the scheduled date of the Regional Public Hearing. “Concerned parties may request that before the date of the Public Hearing, they be furnished with copies of the petitions by the petitioners,” she said, adding that any interested party may examine the petitions and other pertinent records filed at the office of RTWPB during the usual business hours. The first wage consultation will be on November 9 at Sarrosa International Hotel & Residential Suites, Mabolo, Cebu City. On November 16, another wage consultation will be conducted in Bogo City, which will be followed by the same event scheduled to take place on 25 November in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. The last leg of the series of wage consultations be in Dumaguete City on 2 December 2016. Apart from the wage hike petitions, also to be discussed during the public consultations is the wage rate of domestic helpers or Kasambahay in the Region. Based on a survey, the current average wage rate of domestic helpers in Region 7 is at P2,500. When all wage consultations are done, Sarcauga said the board and other stakeholders involved will convene again on December 9 for the Regional Public Hearing at Sarrosa International Hotel & Residential Suites, Mabolo, Cebu City. The public hearing, he said, aims to ensure that the respective ideas, rejoinders, issues, and concerns of different sectors could be put in place. “It targets to ensure broad participation of stakeholders and other parties affected by wage adjustment. It also helps generate data on the views or position of stakeholders on petitions for such move,” Director Sarcauga clarified. Currently, the Wage Board is composed of the following: Sarcauga as Chairman; Director Efren Carreon of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-7) and Director Asteria Caberte of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) as Vice-Chairmen; Atty. Ernesto Carreon and Mr. Jose Tomongha as Labor Representatives; and Atty. Hidelito Pascual and Philip Tan as Management Representatives. (rmn/jsme/
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
24th CHILDREN’S MONTH CELEBRATION: November of every year is Children’s Month This is the time when they are being recognized, appreciated and to remind them of their rights.
POLICE SERVICE
PULIS MAKAKALIKASAN,
This year’s theme is “Isulong: Kalidad na Edukasyon Para sa Lahat ng Bata”
a clean-up drive was
Personnel of this Enrique Villanueva PS, SPPO conducted an information drive to the active students of Roxas Elementary School on November 14, 2016. Information dissemination on the Rights of a Child, RA 7610, Drug Awareness and film showing on “Taghoy sa Dilim”. Distribution of flyers was also conducted.
initiated by the Siuqijor
Fifty five (55) students participated the said activity.
orderliness of the station.
Police Station to maintain the cleanliness and