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INFOBYTES
By Juju Manubag-Empuerto
THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-7 | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH VOL. 2 | NO. 18 August 23, 2013
TOPSTORIES
DENR-7 attains more than half of NGP target to date
By BJyuju Manubag -Empuerto Juju Manubag -Empuerto
Government officials and other stakeholders (seated) led by Department of Tourism--7 affix their signatures on the Covenant of Commitment for the Protection of Children in Tourism during the launching of ChidWise Tourism Programme at Plaza Independencia, Port San Pedro, Cebu City on August 17, 2013. (VVV/PIA Cebu)
News Feature: Cebu says NO to Child Sex Tourism By Ferliza calizar-contratista CEBU CITY (PIA) --- Cebu made a resounding commitment for a Child Wise Tourism in the province. This after thousands of Cebuanos from different parts of the province joined a caravan on Aug. 17 covering one municipality and three cities bringing with them banners, leaflets, balloons, shirts, and caps bearing one strong message which is "NO to Child Sex Tourism." The caravan passed by the following local government units: Municipality of Cordova, Lapulapu City in the island of Mactan, and cities of Mandue and Cebu. Cordova, a fishing municipality, made headlines recently after the clandestine industry on internet pornography involving children was exposed to be operating in the town. On the other hand, Lapulapu City has over 60 resorts and hotels and an average of 3,000 tourists quarterly. Mandaue and Cebu cities have facilities and services catering to the tourism industry. Maria Rica Bueno, director of Office of Tourism Standards and Regulations of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Cebu is becoming a prime tourist destination in Asia and in the whole world. The Philippines, as a whole, has a rising market economy because of tourism accomplishments. “But despite the good news, much more is to be done to sustain and most specially in containing the downside of tourism, to protect our national treasure, our children,” Bueno said. She said there is a need to get the
support of local government units to continue the advocacy since they are the ones who can monitor closely the front liners of the tourism industry. She said street children are at a high risk of being lured into the sex trade. The ages of children involved in pornography and sex videography are getting younger, Bueno added. Josephine Alforque, advocacy officer of End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT), said that sex tourism is a lucrative industry whose growth is driven by the demand for children in tourist destination. She said that unlike adult prostitution, the child prostitute is always the victim. “There are no excuses for the sexual exploitation of children at any time and any place, that is why we measure our success with the cooperation of the local government units who are on their own crafting setting up local legislations addressing the issue,” Alforque said. Grace Paulino, Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer, said Cebu already has a Women and Children’s Code that covers children’s protection and development. Lapulapu City Tourism Officer Hembler Mendoza said they also have a local ordinance for women and children and they constantly meet with hotel and resort owners for security reasons and share reports of suspicious looking tourists. Cordova Vice Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho, for her part, said the CWT is a welcome initiative since her town needs all the help from the local, national, and international levels to stop the child sex industry from proliferating. Teodolo Romo, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), said they had always been a partner with DOT and other agencies in empowering the
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CEBU CITY (PIA) -- More than 50 percent of Central Visayas' target coverage under the National Greening Program (NGP) plantation establishment have already been met to date, according to Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7 Information Officer Dr. Eddie Llamedo. Llamedo said 12,413.73 hectares were covered with various native and agroforestry tree species. This is more than half of the total 24,361 hectares of plantation establishment targeted by DENR-7 in Central Visayas under NGP. DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo has earlier pushed to speed up the plantation activities in various selected forest land areas in the region to meet at least half of the target on or before August 15. Montejo said that aside from conducting massive tree planting or growing activities, "it is our responsibility also to ensure that these planted seedlings would result to a high survival rate through the conduct of regular monitoring and validation." Based on records from forest management services (FMS), as of August 15, the partial accomplishments of the region are, namely: Cebu with 4,797 hectares planted with 2,694,106 seedlings; Bohol with 2,630.00 hectares planted with 2,385,795 seedlings; Negros Oriental with 4,921 hectares and 2,707,222 seedlings; and Siquijor with 66.5 hectares planted with 13,303 seedlings. Montejo added that NGP’s intention is to put back trees on hundreds of thousands of hectares of land where they once stood. He said: “Our goal is to meet the plantation establishment requirement of 24,361 hectares before November 30 this year and with this 50 percent mark already, we are confident that we will be able to meet our target for NGP for 2013." NGP also seeks to improve water quality in rivers and irrigation of farmlands, reduce the potential for flooding, soak up carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, and lay the foundation for an expanded wood-products economy. disadvantaged. “DSWD is deeply involved with DOT with the 5.2 million assistance for poor households particularly those living within or near tourist sites,” Romo said. During the launching at the historical Plaza Independencia, a Covenant of Commitment for the Protection of Children in Tourism was signed by representatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Education (DepEd), DSWD, LGUs, and partner agencies. CWT Program was established in 2001 encouraging tourists and the public not to turn a blind eye to situations wherein children are placed at risk. The public can report suspicious incidents that might lead to child sex prostitution to a 24 hour-hotline: 0919-777-7377. (rmn/ FCC/PIA-Cebu)
INFOBYTESTOPSTORIES
NEGROS ORIENTAL
Tourist arrival in Dumaguete City up by 94 percent
By Jennifer c. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- International tourist arrivals in the city reached 214, 045 during the first semester of the year. This is a 94 percent growth from last year's 202,046 arrivals. According to City Tourism Officer Woodrow Maquiling Jr., the top ten foreign tourist visitors recorded were Americans, Germans,
A visit to Siquijor Mayor Mie Ling Quezon to discuss strengthening the coordination with army, police, LGUs and stakeholders in Siquijor recently in a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council meeting. (In photo) 302nd Brigade Commander BGen Facisco Patrimonio (2nd from left clockwise direction), Lieutenant Colonel Harold Anthony Pascua, Bde Ex-o (1st from left) together with Gov. Zaldy Villa (4th from left) and P/Supt Prinito Tabuara, Police Provincial Director of Siquijor (5th from left).
Feature: Tips to parents how to serve healthy meals to kids by
Roi Lomotan
It’s always a struggle for parents how to feed their children a balanced meal. Kids would always insist on eating foods they like, which most of the time lack substantial nutrients that would make them healthy. A common lament of parents is that they find it hard to make their kids eat vegetables. Children would always demand for hotdogs, chicken, pork, and burgers but not vegetables. In grocery stores, youngsters would make a beeline to the junk food section and select nutritionless food. To solve this dilemma, young parents are advised that at the earliest, even after being weaned away from milk, children must be taught the importance of eating healthy foods so that they can develop healthy eating patterns as they grow older. One way of doing this is to involve children in the food preparation process. It can be a venue for both parents and children to bond and an opportunity to teach their kids the advantages of eating healthy foods. As a guide to parents, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) shared some ideas on how mothers and fathers can make their kids love eating nutritious foods. Here are some tips for parents: 1. Try modifying a meal. Simple foods like oatmeal can become more interesting, nutritious, and appealing to kids if you add fruits in serving it. Parents can put apples, mangoes or grapes in oatmeal to bring color to it. Children are more enticed to eat it because of its colorful appearance. 2. Plan foods with the kids. Parents should engage kids in planning the menu. In that way, parents will be able to balance the food of their children and inform them on the benefits of having a proper diet. Children will also appreciate the food they eat if parents would let them participate in food preparation like washing potatoes, carrots, and other kinds of vegetables. 3. Take kids to the market. This is a fun way of introducing fruits and vegetables to children. Sometimes, let them pick the vegetables they want to eat. 4. Make it simple. Healthy meals don’t need to be complicated. Simple dishes can become nutritious as long as you have the right ingredients. You can use vegetables growing in your backyard or the foods easily available in the market. 6. Cut vegetables in small slices. Children don’t eat vegetables if they see a big chunk of it on their plates. Cut small pieces of potatoes, cabbages, carrots, beans or other vegetables and mix it with ground meat or other viands. In that way, parents will be able to feed their children vegetables. 7. Put creativity in serving food. A little creativity in the presentation can attract kids to eat the food. Try putting style and color in it by garnishing the plate of food. Most importantly, parents should encourage and not force their kids to eat healthy foods. If parents force them to eat vegetables, they may develop a great dislike to it. Mothers and fathers should be patient in feeding their kids. Moreover, parents must allow their kids to discover what kind of vegetable they prefer eating but they must continuously educate them on the benefits of healthy eating. (RAL/PIA Negor/ RAFI)
Canadians, Britons, Australians, French, Chinese, Koreans, and Swiss nationals. Maquiling said the month of March experienced the highest number of foreign arrivals with 5,612. This was followed closely by the month of February with 5,589; June, with 5,406; January with 4,883; April with 4,058; and May with 2,983 foreign tourists. The month of April saw the most number of Philippine residents’ arrivals with 41,246 which can be attributed to the Palarong Pambansa event. There were close to 20,000 athletes, game officials, school administrators, coaches, members of the media and other guests who attended the Palarong Pambansa. This is followed by the months of May with 32,161; June with 30,199; March with 25,402; January, 22,448; and February with 21,473 local tourists. International tourist arrivals this year reached to 107 percent or 28,531 compared to the whole year of 2012 with only 26,504 foreign guests, Maquiling revealed. Local tourists reached nearly 200 percent increase, totaling to 172,929 compared to to only 87,047 for the same period of last year, Maquiling said. “Not only the Negros tourism destination more than likely to exceed the number of tourists visiting from abroad and meet the goal revenues, but the prospects for the next months are already pointing further growth,” he added. Maquiling explained that this dramatic development can be attributed to a lot of factors, topmost of which are the recent awards such as the ‘Galing Pook Award for Environment’ for its best practices in innovating and implementing the city-wide septage management program in the country and one of the “Top 10 New Wave Cities” for outsourcing locations in the country by the information and communications technology (ICT) office and the Information Technology and Business Process Association in the Philippines. Maquiling also mentioned that the efforts of City Mayor Manuel “Chiquiting” Sagarbarria and government officials contributed to this achievement in making Dumaguete City a “better place”. Maquiling added that the city’s initiative to make Dumaguete a smokefree city and the passage of the City Ordinance 231 with its implementing rules and regulations to reduce the use of plastic bags and styrofoam in the city also attracted visitors to choose Dumaguete. Several national events where Dumaguete has actively participated in, such as “Showtime” in ABS-CBN wherein Dumaguete's Prime Machine Dance Group represented the city, and other national and regional shows where local talents contributed fame to Dumaguete, said Maquiling. He also, expected that local tourist arrivals will pick up on the last week of August for the 112th Founder’s Day celebration of Silliman University.(rmn/JCT/ PIA7-Negros Oriental)
CEBU
INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS
P14.4M agri projects turned over to Cebu farmer groups By Juju Manubag-Empuerto
Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Officer of Visayas Elmer Cruz (upper right) briefing the Cebu media on the functions and role of National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) during the Power Orientation 102 at Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu on August 16, 2013. (VVV/PIA Cebu)
Feature: Keep your family safe: Don't refill butane canisters with LPG Rachelle M. Nessia Portable gas stoves are becoming more and more popular in households across Visayas. This is particularly true for butane camping stoves which are designed for use during outdoor activities like camping. Due to its portability, these camping stoves are now becoming a fixture in many kitchens in the region. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), butane camping stoves use butane gas as fuel that is sold in 250-gram net capacity. The gas is sold in canisters made of tin metal sheet with no welded joints. Pure butane gas is similar to the gas content that you can find in disposable lighters. Using the butane camping stove pose no threat to one’s safety. However, using butane canisters that are refilled with LPG make it dangerous. The Department of Energy (DOE) here has received reports that used butane canisters are now being refilled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and sold in the market. The cheaper price of LPG-refilled canisters compared to buying a new one is attracting many butane gas stove users for economic reasons. But DOE-7 Regional Dir. Antonio Labios explained that butane canisters refilled with LPG are in danger of causing an explosion because LPG does not have the same characteristics with that of butane. Butane canisters are not designed and suited to the gas pressures of LPG. In closed containers, butane gas produces pressures that are lower than that of LPG, thus the canisters are manufactured to withstand this minimum pressure. On the other hand, LPG - which is a combination of butane and propane – has a higher pressure than that of butane, needing a much stronger type of material to contain it. Labios added that most of the butane canisters sold in the market are imported Korea and are manufactured to be sold for one-time use only. “These canisters are non-refillable,” he said. DOE has also received reports of individuals resorting to backyard refilling facilities which are now mushrooming around Cebu province. “We have yet to pinpoint the exact location of these illegal activities,” he said. He warned that these activities do not have business permits from the government nor do they have fire safety certificates from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). To keep your homes safe from fire accidents, do not forsake your family’s safety in exchange for saving a few pesos. Although you can save money by resorting to refilling your butane canisters with LPG instead of buying original butane canisters, it also puts your and your family’s lives at risk. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
CEBU CITY (PIA) --- The Department of Agriculture (DA) recently turned over P14.4 million in agriculture projects to farmer organizations in Cebu. Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala led the turnover ceremony of the projects to representatives of identified farmer organizations here during his brief stop at DA regional office in Mandaue City recently. He said the projects aim to boost corn production in Cebu and other areas where the crop is suitable to help ensure enough food stock during the lean months. The Secretary stressed that the country is almost sufficient in food staples now and credited this to Filipino farmers. Alcala said, "After for about 40 years now, the country is already selling fancy and organic rice to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is receiving repeat orders of the rice." He added thatDA will continue its endeavor of matching the farmers produce with possible markets. Among the recipients of the P14.4-M agriculture projects were, Asturias Balamban Communal Irrigators Association; Arpile-Buanoy Irrigators Service Association of Balamban, Cebu who received a hand tractor valued at P128,500 each; Bulak (Dalaguete) Irrigators Association floating tiller worth P87,900; Barili Rice Farmers Irrigators Association, a rice thresher worthP106,700; municipalities of Asturias, Poro, Pilar, San Francisco and Tudela who each received one unit of four-wheel drive tractor worth P2.4 million. Other recipients of said projects were Cebu City which received plastic drums and knapsack sprayers worth P1.6 million; Argao with two concrete small farm reservoirs that cost P150T; Dalaguete with a cultivator/tiller valued at P250T; and CAMPINSA MANIPES Multipurpose Cooperative with five heads working animals with plow worth P175T.(rmn/JSME/PIA-Cebu/ DA7)
INFOBYTES
is a weekly electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Region 7 with stories submitted by its Provincial Information Centers in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
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INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS
SIQUIJOR
DAR-Siquijor launches 1st CP-WASH project in E. Villanueva By JB Villamil/DAR-Siquijor
SIQUIJOR (PIA)—The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Siquijor province recently launched the Community-Managed Potable Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (CP-WASH) Project in barangay Tulapos in Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor. CP-WASH is a low-cost water supply technology and sanitation systems for agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in greatest need of potable
water supply and sanitation systems, says the DAR office here. For Siquijor province, the first community to get the project is barangay Tulapos. Stakeholders here determined their priority needs through the participatory water and sanitation resource inventory assessment via its proponent organization, the Kapunungan sa mga Anak sa Yuta ug Dagat (KAYUD). Counterpart funding from the local government unit of Enrique
Villanueva and the DAR formed the investments that the communities themselves manage and develop for the sustainable operation and maintenance of the facilities through the CP-WASH project. DAR said, community workers will be trained to use lowcost technologies for installing potable water and sanitation systems. The project further introduced waste management and sanitation technologies such as the biogas digester and wastewater treatment to enhance the agrarian reform beneficiary ( ARB) households’ access to potable water and sanitation services. Enrique Villanueva LGU committed P75,000 and the rest come from the DAR with little counterpart from KAYUD. The launching was attended by former mayor Melojean Orquillas, representative from the DAR Beneficiaries and Coordinating Division, the Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee, Barangay Captain Dicky Atienza and members of KAYUD.(mbcn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor with reports from JBVillamil/DAR-Siquijor) DTI7 RD Asteria Caberte talks to members of the NAPO Romblon Makers Association during the turnover of Shared Services Facilities (SSFs) project sewing machines in Siquijor.
Turn-over of machines under the Shared Services Facilities (SSFs) project to the to president of Napo Romblon Makers Association Gina Dandoy (far left). Looking-on are Mayor of San Juan Wilfredo Capundag Jr. (3rd from left), DTI Siquijor provincial director Nimfa Virtucio (next to the mayor) and DTI Regional Director Asteria Caberte (holding the microphone)