Information is our business.
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. 3 January 18-24, 2014
NEDA-7 holds RDP, RIDP roadshow and consultation SIQUIJOR, January 24 (PIA) –The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA-7) in cooperation with the provincial government of Siquijor conducted an Updated Central Visayas Regional Development Plan (RDP) roadshow and a consultation on the Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) 2014-2016 on January 24, 2014 at the Salagdoong Beach Resort in Maria, Siquijor. The RDP roadshow is to promote awareness and generate support to the thrust of Central Visayas in the next three
years as contained in the updated RDP, says Provincial Governor and Provincial Development Council (PDC) chairperson Zaldy S. Villa in his opening remarks. The workshop on the RDIP aims to incorporate the programs and projects of the provinces and ensure their consistency with the region’s development thrusts for 2014-2016, Villa also said. Central Visayas’ thrusts include rapid increase in employment opportunities; significant reduction in poverty incidence to come close
to the Melinium Development Goal (MDG); and sustain economic growth at higher levels. We want Siquijor to be connected and be active in the development process, NEDA7 regional director Efren Carreon said as he calls officials and other sectoral representatives to identify and give priority to projects that give high impact and improve economic performance in the region. He cited, among others, identification of infrastructure that will lead to the province’s tourist destination. We should double our efforts and put all our resources on where it matters most, said Carreon. Economic growth is a requisite to human development, he also said noting the private sector as the engine of economic growth. Development priorities for 20142016 also include post-disaster rehab and recovery; building adaptive capacity and community resilience to disasters; boosting competitiveness; expanding supply and reach of their basic facilities and services; and improving governance. Carreon presented the Highlights of the Central Visayas RDP 2014-2016 and Results Matrices while Maria Teresa Alambra also of NEDA-7 gave the Overview of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Project (DRR-CCA). Overview of Planning, Investment Programming and Budgeting Flow and Mechanics of the Workshop on Investment Program Generation was made by Rafael Tagalog, also of NEDA. Turonver of Laptop to Siquijor Provincial government was also done as part of the DRR-CCA project for S i q u i j o r. ( m b c n / R A C / P I A 7 - S i q u i j o r )
NEDA7 regional director Efren Carreon (standing above) presenting the Highlights of the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan 2014-2016 and Results Matrices with Governor Zaldy Villa (left above) during the RDP Roadshow at Salagdoong Conference Hall on January 24, 2014. (PIASiquijor)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Social Media seminar to boost profits of SMEs, tourism in Siquijor
SIQUIJOR, Jan. 24 (PIA) – Owners of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) in Siquijor as well as tourism in the island can now boost their
industries through the effective use of social media. This after a team of Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-7 personnel led by its Regional
PIA7 Regional Director Minerva BC Newman (standing) sharing the advantages of social media in information dissemination and product selling. (PIA-Siquijor)
Info officers, SMEDC, SETUP beneficiaries attend social media workshop SIQUIJOR, SIQUIJOR, January 23 (PIA) --- Information officers from different stakeholders in the province of Siquijor underwent Social Media Workshop to strengthen business, governance and tourism thrusts. Representatives from local and national government units, media, information officers and beneficiaries of the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) were all ears in listening to the newest tool that will instantly connect and promote Siquijor to the world. The workshop entitled “Maximizing Social Networking for Small and Medium Enterprises and Tourism Development” is a joint project of the Philippine Information AgencySiquijor, Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Siquijor and the Siquijor SMEDCouncil thru the Siquijor Provincial Government. Speakers are from PIA Central Visayas, Minerva Newman, Regional Director and Rachelle Nessia, Cebu Infocen Manager. Newman, who talked about the basics of social media said, it is now very easy to sell products, tourist spots , municipality and many more with the use of social media. Social media is also a tool to enforce transparency in governance citing Twitter Account of then Manila
Mayor Alfredo Lim. “We use social media tools for development communication. When you send a tweet, billions will read the info in your tweet instantly,” Newman said. Nessia then gave a lecture in setting up accounts in the Holy Trinity of Social Media: FB, Twitter and Instagram. She also defined the advantages of an account and a page according to the necessity of the owner. Aldrin “Braxton” Daguman, personal secretary of Maria town Mayor Meynard Asok said the workshop had enlightened him to the many other useful functions of the internet, the social media in particular. He eagerly learned the steps in setting up an account in Instagtam and in connecting these with other accounts in Facebook and Twitter. Instagram he learned from the workshop, is better in sharing information as it posts pictures with captions that does not limit the number of characters unlike Twitter. The attendees of the workshop include representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLW), Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Nagural Reaources (DENR), local tourism officers from LGU’s Larena, Maria and Siquijor, Siquijor. (mbcn/FCC/PIA7-Cebu)
Director Minerva Newman taught them the advantages of using social media in information dissemination and product selling during a seminar on Maximizing Social Networking for SMEs/ Tourism Development in Siquijor province recently. Participants of the seminar were SME owners, SMED-C members, information/tourism officers from different local government units and national government agencies who are interested in learning the good effects of social media. The seminar aims to teach SME owners how to maximize networking through the use of social media to bring development in Siquijor. Newman told participants that billions of people are now enrolled in different social networking sites specifically Facebook and Twitter. She encouraged all participants, especially those who are involved in business to do the same since it will give them a bigger market for their products and expand their network for potential clients. She used the PIA Weather Watch page, a Facebook page by PIA where updates on weather are frequently posted as an example of social media utilization for information dissemination. She showed them posts in the page that are immediately viewed by hundreds to thousands of people. Weather Watch was created during typhoon Juan in 2010 to inform the public especially the online citizens on the latest news on the typhoon. Right now, Weather Watch has gathered 25,630 likes or followers. The Facebook Page not only contains posts on weather but also pictures taken by PIA personnel during typhoons as well as photos and news items on other natural calamities like earthquake. Another social media site she introduced to them is www.twitter.com where information travels faster and posts are more direct and shorter than Facebook. With these two social networking sites more people will know about their products and offerings and will boost their opportunity for bigger busines and profits. Newman said more and more people can have easy access to these social networking sites due to the smartphone technology. Meanwhile, for local government units, social networking sites also give benefits to them since it is a free platform in sharing latest news stories happening in their towns. It could also be a venue for announcement of activities and publishing of photos of their activity. Government offices utilize social media for information that will help improve people’s lives. Newman said all the PIA Region 7 Information Centers in Siquijor, Bohol, Cebu and Negros Oriental have their own Facebook and Twitter accounts where news items and photos of event coverage are regularly posted. On the other hand, PIA Cebu Information Center Manager Rachelle Nessia, who was also one of the event speakers, taught them how to navigate and be familiar with Facebook and Twitter. Nessia demonstrated how to make a Facebook page and a twitter account and reminded them to always update their accounts so that it will have continuous activity. Nessia also shared to them how to link Twitter to Facebook so that twitter posts can also appear in Facebook. Aside from these, both speakers taught participants to be responsible in using social media accounts. They reminded the participants to be careful on what they post on their accounts because “your social media account is the extension of your character,” the speakers said. (mbcn/RAL/PIA7-NEGOR)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
Siquijor holds tourism awareness seminar on TOPCOP
SIQUIJOR (PIA)—Siquijor province is hosting the Phase I of the Tourism Awareness Seminar for Tourist Oriented Police for Community Order and Protection (TOPCOP) on January 28 – 30 at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall, Siquijor Provincial Capitol. At least 30 police officers are expected to participate to ensure implementation of the PNP’s TOPCOP program and that there will be adequate tourist police personnel that can provide safety and security to tourists in the island. This after Siquijor Provincial Vice-Governor Fernando “Dingdong” Avanzado got the support from Tourism Secretary Mon Jimenez during its meeting early part of December last year, says a Michelle Edayan of the Office of the Vice-Governor here. The Vice-Governor, she said, is truly doing his job in keeping his promises to help improve our island in terms of security and welfare of its inhabitants. “We are heading towards the goal of positioning Siquijor as the next prime tourist destination in Central Visayas,” Avanzado was quoted saying. Edayan said that during the meeting, Sec. Jimenez was said to have guaranteed assistance to Siquijor in relation to tourism and promoting the island. (mbcn/RAC/PIA7Siquijor w/ report from the Office of the Vice Governor)
POSITIONING SIQUIOR’S TOURISM INDUSTRY: To help Siquijor boost tourism, the Department of Tourism, Region 7 with the Office of Tourism Standards and Regulation conducted a Tourism Awarness Seminar for TOPCOP to train police to secure and assist tourists visiting the island. Above photo shows Senior TOurism Officer Jossette Armirola (right) discussing local tourist product and services and DOT7’s Rowena Lopez on the Tourist Behavior Patterns and Market Profiles during the TOPCOP training last January 28-30 at Salagdoong, Maria, Siquijor.
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
Cebuano news: Malakanyang miawhag pagsumpo sa online child abuse
MANILA, Enero 20 (PIA) -- Ang gobyerno nagkinahanglan sa tabang ug suporta sa publiko aron ma sumpo ang kalihokan nga on-line child abuse. Si PCOO Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. mipahibalo nga gihimo ang tanang paagi sa gobyerno pag sumpo sa child pornography apan kinahanglan ang suporta ug tabang sa katawhan para malikay ang mga kabataan sa dautang tao nga mopahimulos nila. “Ang gobyerno ga-awhag sa katawhan nga motabang ug bantay sa mga kabataan lakip na ang mga batan-ong lalaki ug babaye nga dili sila masugamak sa kalihokan sa mga sindikato,” matud pa ni Coloma. Ang Pilipinas nahimong sentro sa gitawag ug global cybersex industry diin gitumong nga biktimahon ang mga kabataan ug kabatan-onan. Gani usa ka sindikato na ang gikataho nga nasikop dinhi sa atong nasud bag-ohay lang pinaagi sa pagtambabayongay sa sa local ug international police. Mga ginikanan sa maong biktima nahibal-an nga lambigit usab ug mga kaso. Ang tinguha ug tumong sa gobyerno nga panalipdan ug ampingan ang katungod sa kabataan napatik diha sa atong Constitution nga subay sa standards of the United Nations ug sa international organizations lakip na sa atong nasyonal nga balaodnon nga gipasar sa kongreso ubos sa administrasyon ni Presidente Aquino. Tungod niini gimugna ang InterAgency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) pinangulohan sa Department of Justice aron maoy mangulo pag bungkag sa mga kalihokan nga trafficking in persons. Ang child pornography ug child abuse gitataw nga usa ka krimen nga pag pangabuso sa kabataan gani gipaubos kini sa balaod sa IACAT, dugang ni Coloma. Aron mapatuman ang balaod, ang Philippine National Police mi mugna ug antitrans national and cyber crimes division ubos sa Criminal Investigation & Detection Group. Usa kini ka special police unit nga maoy makigbisog pagwagtang sa cyber pronography sa mga lugar sa Metro Manila, Angeles City, Cagayan de Oro City ug Cebu. (mbcn/LPagunsan/PIA-7/Negros Oriental)
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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DOH-7 urges parents to avail of gov’t free measles vaccination CENTRAL VISAYAS, January 22 (PIA) – Parents are urged to have their children immunized against measles in any government health center amid the drastic increase of suspected measles cases in Central Visayas from January 1 to January 18 alone of this year. Dr. Maria Socorro Entera, chief of the Maternal and Child Health Section of the Department of Health (DOH-7) bared there are 61 suspected measles cases in Region 7 for the first 18 days of this year. The number is 78.6 percent higher compared to the same period last year, said the health official. “We are calling on parents to avail of the free measles vaccination at any barangay health center as measles is a highly contagious disease,” said Entera during the weekly forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7). The first dose of vaccination is at nine months of age which should be followed by a booster dose at 12 to 15 months of age. According to Entera, the transmission rate of measles is very fast with one case infecting 15 to 20 other persons. Of the 61 suspected cases, Loon, Bohol registered the highest number of cases at 12 followed by Cebu City with 10 cases. Third is Lapulapu City
with eight cases then fourth placer is Dumaguete City with five while completing the top five is Sibulan, Negros Orinetal with four cases. Entera said the 61 cases which showed clinical manifestations of measles will still be subjected for confirmatory test in Manila. Forty-seven percent of the 61 cases were above 21 years old followed by one to five years old then less than one-year old. “Usually, only around 20 percent of total cases submitted for confirmation yielded positive results,” said the DOH-7 official. Last year, the DOH-7 recorded a total of 147 measles cases in the region last year. T h e h e a l t h o f f i c i a l h o w e v e r, said case mortality rate of measles is only at one percent nationwide. Entera said around 193,570 children in the region aged nine months to one year have been immunized against measles which is equivalent to 82 percent. “The national target is at 95 percent and we want to achieve this goal,” said Entera as the Philippines is aiming for a measles-free country by 2017 as set by the World Health Organization. In order to attain the vision of a measles-free Philippines, Entera said the DOH will be undertaking a nationwide measles vaccination drive this coming September to already include adolescents. (mbcn/FCR/PIA-7)