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. 9 March 10-16, 2014
Cong. Pernes assures support for corn sufficiency in Siquijor SIQUIJOR (PIA)— Siquijor lone district representative Marie Anne Pernes assured local farmers of support to increase productivity and for the province to achieve corn sufficiency. “Nandito lang po ako at handang tumulong sa inyo,” (I’m just here, ready to help you) Pernes said during the corn production and marketing conference held recently at the office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) conference hall in Helen, Larena, Siquijor. She said she is bound to help secure from the national government the necessary funding for the inputs, equipment and other logistical support to increase corn production in the island. “We can make representation with the different national agencies and make sure that there will be allocations in the national budget in the coming years,” Pernes also said. Pernes noted the need to boost the province’s agricultural production and commended the National Food Authority (NFA) and its line agencies for initiating the conference for this year. She said it as a helpful tool to share ideas to make Siquijor self-sufficient in food, specifically increase grains production so that farmers can earn higher income. The formulation of ways to increase corn production and obtain farm inputs and technology support are tools to boost the island’s agriculture sector, she added. Agriculture, she noted, is the backbone of the economy where majority of the provinces and its people are, and that despite the advances in many urban centers, Philippines remains an agricultural country. It must be noted that as part of the government’s effort to boost food sufficiency, the DA and DOST are developing crops through biotechnology, using two of the most common methods of modifying the genetic encoding (DNA) of crop - from similar crop or from an
Siquijor Congresswoman Marie Anne Pernes speaking at the Conference on Food Self Sufficiency Program on Rice and White Corn with the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, National Irrigation Administration, Municipal Agricultural Officers, and the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Office at Helen Village,Larena Siquijor.
Siquijor remains the only rabies-free province in CV
SIQUIJOR, March 11 (PIA)— Siquijor remains the only rabies-free province among the four provinces in Central Visayas says regional director Angel Enriquez of the Department of Agriculture (DA-7) during her recent visit here. This despite the tough and challenging task of maintaining and keeping the high mark, also says provincial veterinarian Bernadita Tabada citing that the entire province’s dog population is more or less 6,000 dogs. Tabada said the veterinarian office conducted measures to maintain the status of Siquijor as the only rabies-free province. These include vaccination of all dogs province wide, free castration and spay of dogs to control its population. Another measure being intensified is “stray dog control” where techniques in catching stray dogs in a more humane way are taught. Tabada attributed the success of the program to the strong support of the provincial government, the DA, the local government units, the barangays and its locals and the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation that initiate various programs and projects for a rabies-free Siquijor. The rabies prevention and control program of the province based on Republic Act No. 9482 that provides for the control and elimination of human and animal rabies. (mbcn/RAC/PIA-Siuqijor with reports from IA ABatayo)
altogether different organism, and the more conventional method of hybridization or the crossing of desirable traits from different varieties of same crop—to produce more climate resilient and fast growing varieties of food and industrial crops. The debate, however, ensues between the proponents of this technology and that of organic or natural farming systems, both within the Department of Agriculture and among the academe and non-government organizations. But citing the value of agriculture in the development of both local and national economy and the upliftment of the lives of Siquijodnons, in particular, Pernes also said she believe in personal endeavour, in enterprise, and in the capacity of the Filipinos to be economically productive.(mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from IAAbatayo)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
SETUP success story
“Ever” delicious peanuts
He worked in the factory of a famous maker of peanut products in Iligan City. In less than a year, he decided to go back to Siquijor to make his own peanut-based products – roasted peanuts, peanut brittle, peanut balls. With savings from his work, Oliver (Ever) Ogoc registered Ever Specialties in 2003. Packed in ordinary plastic sealed using the heat from a lamp,Ever sold his products by going from house to house in his municipality in San Juan, all the way to Siquijor proper. He was determined to make his products known for its taste and quality. As a regular member of the Siquijor Association of Food Entrepreneurs (SAFE), he was knowledgeable of the assistance and services that various government agencies provide. It was no wonder then that Ever’s Specialties was included in the 13th cycle of the Manufacturing Productivity Extension (MPEX) for the food processing industry. Results of the MPEX study recommended the improvement of the layout of its facility to ensure production efficiency and quality. Through the technology upgrade in the SET-UP Program of DOST, the MPEX recommendations were implemented in 2007. The peanut roaster made cooking easy since it only required gas as contrasted to the original cooking vat or “kawa” utilizing firewood, which was a very hot process. The capacity of the traditional roasting method is only five kilos which takes more than two hours to cook. The upgraded
equipment’s capacity is 15 kilos and cooks in one hour. One need not do any mixing while the cooking is in progress to evenly roast the peanuts, unlike in the vat where peanuts are still not evenly roasted despite continuous mixing. The peanut granulator made the crushing of peanuts fast, safe and efficient. Before SET-UP, peanuts were crushed using long neck bottles. Nine kilos of peanuts would take four hours to crush, while it only takes the same amount in 10 minutes, using the granulator. Turning a switch on is all it takes to do the work. The continuous electric sealer can seal two or three packs at the same time compared to the electric manual sealer which can only seal one pack at a time. DOST also designed the packaging of the products to make it more attractive and to increase shelf life. Production has more than doubled including sales. Rejects are very minimal. Marriage in 2010 changed not only Ever ’s status, his residence in another municipality, but also the business. Capital and marketing are now the major concerns of Jessie who sees the great demand for th e p r o d u c ts . It i s “ a g o o d b u s i n e s s ” , h e s a y s . While Ever has not been active in the operations of the business that carries his name, he has left with his family, a skill that produces the taste of peanut products that will forever be distinct from the rest of the few peanutbased makers in Siquijor (SET-UP Product Catalogue).
A call to address solid waste management problem By
Darlene
Way back 2010, the Municipality of Enrique Villanueva was declared under a state of calamity because of the heavy rains that caused flood waters to ruin computers, documents and properties in the municipal hall, church, convent, nearby offices, police stations and neighbouring houses. This article will have to be based by this incident regardless of the fact that it happened years ago because everyone knows flooding and garbage are closely related. I am not singling out Enrique Villanueva Municipality, however, because this is an issue that is faced by local governments all over the archipelago. You may ask what I contributed to help minimize this problem. As a Science teacher, I felt the need to do something about it. I initiated segregation of trash/garbage at Enrique Villanueva National High School in the school year 2011-2012. I placed sacks in every corner of the school campus and closely worked with other teachers most especially the class advisers. At that time, weekly garbage collection done by the municipal government was still conducted religiously. However, the practice was no longer carried out later on that it came to a point when the second gate of the school campus was literally strewn with sacks full of garbage. I just couldn’t rest without investigating what happened to the garbage after they were collected. As a part of my lesson, I accompanied my students to visit the temporary municipal dumpsite at Barangay Poblacion in July of 2011 from where I personally witnessed that the garbage collected from the school (or maybe from houses) were burned and were not even segregated after all. I also notice as I drive for work from home and vice versa that there is garbage dumped at the roadside near the old cemetery
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Patagoc
of the municipality. There were even instances when these dumped garbage are being burned. When I visited the local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and handed my letter asking for seedlings that I could use for my mangrove planting activity, I shared these concerns to the head of office. As far as I can remember, these are the words he said, “ It is very difficult to find a good dumpsite at Enrique Villanueva because of its geological structures or land forms. It has many creeks or ‘sapa-sapa’ that would harm or affect the marine ecosystem if allowed.” Listening to this explanation, I couldn’t help but ask myself if there is still some way possible for effective garbage disposal within the municipality. If no other means is in sight, how long are we going to deal burn our garbage when we know it just isn’t friendly to nature? Enrique Villanueva National High School, in order to address this problem within its level, constructed five compartments for garbage segregation. Its Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) teachers also utilize the composting process for biodegradable garbage for use as fertilizers. But what happens after the constructed garbage disposal area reaches its limit? Are we going to resort to burning garbage collected from classrooms all over again? Knowing that the LGU officials of the Municipality of Enrique Villanueva have it in their hearts to place the welfare of their constituents first and foremost, it is my fervent hope that one of these days, those directly concerned will find ways and means to solve the nagging problem on solid waste management within the municipality since past calamities taught us that improper management of waste can be hazardous to both lives and properties.
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
IN FOCUS: Gender and development Both women and men play important roles in development. The global consensus is that development objectives should promote gender equality. Women should have the same
access to education, health, and other social services; can freely participate in the political processes; and have the same economic opportunities as men. Gender gaps in economic,
social, and political opportunities still remain, however, that limit women’s socioeconomic advancement and full participation in the development process. Recently, the Philippines gained global recognition for addressing gender gaps. In the latest Gender Gap Report of the World Economic Forum, the country rose by three notches to fifth in the global ranking due to some improvements in economic participation and opportunity. The Philippines also topped all lower-middle income countries as well as the Asia-Pacific region. “[The] Philippines is the only country in Asia and the Pacific that has fully closed the gender gap in both education and health,” the 2013 report said. Still, critical issues remain. Maternal health remains a challenge in the Philippines’ commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals. PIDS research has found evidence of inequality in maternal and child health services utilization across economic classes and across regions, which requires government intervention. Gaps also emerge when gender issues intersect with the need to provide opportunities to certain sectors such as persons with disabilities (PWDs). For PWDs, data show that more women are unable to complete any grade in school, and the disparity is wider in rural areas. Among PWDs, women are also left out in terms of employment.
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Studies by PIDS have also shed some light on other gender and development issues, especially with respect to the analysis of genderdisaggregated data. Resident fiscal expert Dr. Rosario Manasan argues that budget analysis must be informed by gender analysis. While there is no gender bias in the formal policies and procedures that govern the delivery of services of various government agencies, gender bias might result from informal rules, attitudes, and behavior not only of service providers but also of the target clientele. Consultation mechanisms are thus important. You may access these and other PIDS studies on women and gender and development using the SocioEconomic Research Portal for the Philippines . Simply type the relevant keywords in our Search box.
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
BFP-7 calls for more public cooperation to prevent fire incidents
CEBU CITY, March 11 (PIA) – Fire incidents in Central Visayas rose by as much as 105 percent in the past two months of this year alone compared to the same period last year as officials of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-7) appealed for more public cooperation.
Inspector Arra Alpajaro, chief of the Fire Safety Enforcement Section of the BFP-7 bared that from 88 fire incidents recorded from January to February last year in the region, the figure rose to 181 incidents in the past two months of 2014. Cebu recorded the highest
‘ MANILA, Mar. 12 (PIA)--Sa tuig 2016, nagtinguha ang Department of Health (DoH) nga papason sa listahan ang sakit nga malaria isip usa sa makamatay nga sakit sa nasud. Kini ang gipaniguro ni DoH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag sa gipahigayong tigom sa Asia Pacific Malaria Elimination Network (APMEN) ning bag-o lang. Ang APMEN gilangkoban sa mga eksperto gikan sa 15 ka nasud nga adunay positibong programa batok sa malaria. Sa talaan sa DOH, mikabat sa 46,000 ang naigo sa malaria niadtong 2005, apan mikunhod kini og 83 porsiyento niadtong 2013
o tukma sa kapin 7,000 ka kaso. M a t u d p a n i Ta y a g n g a niadtong niaging tuig, 12 ang natala nga namatay sa sakit nga malaria diin napamatud-ang epektibo ang programa sa gobyerno kalabot niini. Sa kasamtangan, migawas nga ang lalawigan pa gihapon sa Palawan ang gibantayan sa buhatan kalabot sa malaria, apan nikunhod na ang gidaghanon sa mga nasakit niini. Mao nga karong summer vacation, gitambagan na usab ni Tayag ang mga mobisita sa maong lalawigan nga mag-amping gayud ug mo-inom dayon og mga tambal batok sa malaria. Giingong angay usab magpahid og mosquito repellant, mogamit og moskiterong adunay insecticide nga gihatag sa DOH ug kun hilantan, ipahibalo dayon sa dokor nga gikan ang pasyente sa lugar nga adunay malaria. Samtang gidayeg usab sa World Health Organization (WHO) ang administrasyong Aquino sa pagpatuman og mga programa unsaon pagsumpo sa malaria sa nasud. Ang malaria makuha sa pinaakan sa lamok nga anopheles nga kasagarang naa sa mga kabukiran ug duol sa baybayon. (mbcn/PIA7-Bohol/ECB)
Cebuano News ‘Malaria-free Philippines’ sa 2016 gitinguha sa DOH
DOH, nipasidaan sa publiko batok sa mga sakit sa ting-init M A N I L A , M a r. 11 ( P I A ) -Nipasidaan ang Department of Health (DoH) sa publiko batok sa mga sakit nga mahimong makuha sa panahon sa ting-init. Matud pa sa DoH, kasagaran mokatap karon ang sip-on ug ubo tungod sa pagbag-o bag-o sa panahon. Giingong angay magpabakuna batok sa flu aron dili dayon taptan og sakit. Apil na usab ang pagsuka tungod sa mga kontaminadong pagkaon. Angay usab bantayan ang mga pagkaon nga ginadala sa mga picnic matag summer tungod kay dali kining mapan-os nga mahimong makaingon sa pagpanakit sa tiyan. Gitambagan sa DoH ang publiko nga amping gayud ilabi na ang mga namaligya aron masiguro nga hinlo ug luwas ang mga pagkaong gibaligya. (mbcn/ECB/PIA7-Bohol)
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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number of fire incidents from 47 in the first two months of last year to 114 cases of the same period this year. This is higher by 142 percent, Alpajaro said. “All the four provinces in the region registered an increase in fire incidents. Except for the Lapulapu City Fire Department in Cebu which had four fire incidents last year which went down to three cases this year,” said Alapajaro. Negros Oriental came in second with 20 fire incidents from January to February last year which increased to 35 cases or 75 percent higher. Third placer Bohol registered 15 fire incidents in the first two months last year which climbed to 25 cases this year or up by 66 percent. Siquijor also noted an increase of 100 percent in fire incidents covering the period January to February from two cases last year to four cases in 2014. In Cebu City alone, 17 fire alarms have already been responded by the Cebu City Fire Station (CCFS) since March 1 until today or equivalent to 10 days. This comes amid the annual observance of Fire Prevention Month this March, according to Inspector Eulalio Muñez, chief of the CCFS’s Fire Safety Enforcement Section. Both Alapajaro and Muñez appealed for more public cooperation to adopt measures at home to prevent unnecessary loss of properties and most significantly, loss of lives. Among the fire safety tips espoused by the BFP-7 officials include keeping matches out of reach from children, placing gas or oil lamps away from curtains, not keeping flammable materials inside the house, immediate repair of damaged electric fuse, and regular check-up of electrical installations. Alapajaro said one of the most common causes of fires is problems on electrical connections. “Overloading of electricity or using too much appliances at one time is highly likely to cause fire,” said the BFP-7 official. The BFP-7 official said they are strengthening their information and education drive as one of the activities for the month-long celebration is the conduct of lectures and fire drills in schools. “We are doing all we can to educate the community to help prevent fire incidents. It is also the duty of the public to help and cooperate with the government as much as they can,” stressed Alapajaro. (mbcn/PIA-7)