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INFOBYTES THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-7 | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH VOL. 2 | NO. 22 September 20, 2013
TOPSTORIES
DSWD says NGOs must first get accreditation
By Juju Manubag-Empuerto
By Juju Manubag-Empuerto with reports from DSWD-7 CEBU (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas urged non-government organizations (NGOs) to register and get a certificate and license to operate as a welfare agency first to be a legitimate organization. DSWD-7 regional director Mercedita Jabagat revealed that the region is the second
highest in the number of registered NGOs nationwide, second to the National Capital Region (NCR) and all have complied with the necessary requirements to operate. DSWD-7 information officer Kerwin Macopia said there are 165 NGOs in CV that are currently recognized by DSWD of which 114 are in Cebu, 26 are in Negros Oriental while the remaining 25 are in Bohol. DSWD requires NGOs to secure
Civil Service Commission (CSC -7) officers (upper right photo, r-l) Chief Personnel Specialist Prolaine Daclan and Personnel Specialist Brian Arquillano, Sr. as guest speakers during the Kapihan sa PIA on the observance of Philippine Civil Service Anniversary Month on September 18, aired live over DYMR-Radyo ng Bayan,10:00 am - 11:00 am. PIA-Cebu Information manager Rachelle M. Nessia and Wen Celen of Radyo ng Bayan moderate the forum. (mbcn/VVV/PIA-Cebu)
DOLE-7 launches KAPATIRAN project By Hazel F. Gloria with reports from emmanuel Ferrer/DOLE-7 CEBU (PIA) --- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-7) and the Makati Development Corporation (MDC) formally launched the 2013 KAPATIRAN project at the City Sports Club, Cebu City recently with the theme “Kapatiran Para sa Mas Ligtas, Produktibo at Malusog na mga Manggagawa.” The program which was first advocated by the Bureau of Working Condition features the “Big Brother” “Small Brother” concept. According to DOLE-7 information officer Emmanuel Ferrer, large companies (Big Brothers) as part of their corporate social responsibility, using their own resources and expertise help and assist the small companies (Small Brothers) to be compliant with labor standards including safety and health in the workplace.
In her message during the launching, DOLE-7 regional director Chona Mantilla thanked the MDC for its voluntary involvement and for choosing to enroll under the DOLE KAPATIRAN project. “We hope the companies under this program would see this undertaking as an investment rather an expense, Mantilla said. She also described how robust the construction industry in Cebu is with 145 percent year-on-year growth and the multiplier effect to other industries e.g. transport, food, grocery, hotel, others. The highlight of the program was the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the stakeholders of the KAPATIRAN program. Signatories to the landmark document were DOLE–7 Dir. Chona
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Certificate of Registration from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and/or from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). Organizations who are already in operation should submit their annual accomplishment reports and audited financial statements for the last two years to determine their capability to sustain operations, Jabagat said. “We have an organized monitoring system to check the veracity and legitimacy of the applicant NGO and that includes visiting their office addresses and interacting with its board of directors,” Jabagat added. The department has stringent processes because we don’t want to have bogus and fly by night NGOs, she added. After recognizing the organization through registration and licensing, DSWD conducts accreditation of the programs and services of the NGO six months after the issuance of its registration certificates and licenses to operate. The agency also conducts quarterly meetings with the NGOs through the AreaBased Standard Network (ABS-Net), an organization of DSWD registered and licensed NGOs. The meeting serves as a venue to share new guidelines, discuss updates on various programs and services, share good practices and resolve issues and concerns. DSWD is not alone in fighting poverty in the country and it is but important to build stronger partnership with them especially in the implementation of the core poverty alleviation programs. Jabagat underscored the importance of partnerships between DSWD and NGOs. (mbcn/JSME/PIA7-Cebu with reports from DSWD-7)
Mantilla, Ferdie Mangali representing the Makati Development Corporation, Chairman of the Board (ITC for construction) Benjamin Alfred Jose and its members. Companies were recognized as well, during the event for adherence to Occupational Safety and Health Standards compliance, namely: 1016 Residences for reporting 2.005,989 safe man-hours; ACC PLB project site 4,480,123 safe man-hours; AVIDA Tower 1 – 3,456,614 safe man-hours; AVIDA Tower 2 – 1,550,247 safe man-hours. AMARA North Expansion project site for having no loss time accident within the duration of the project and Certificate of Recognition to Makati Development Corporation for being the Champion of the Cause of Construction Safety through its enrollment in the KAPATIRAN Program. (mbcn/HFG/ PIA-7/DOLE-7)
INFOBYTESTOPSTORIES
NEGROS ORIENTAL
DPWH encourages LGUs to avail its infra programs, projects by
Roi Lomotan
DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Negros Oriental appealed to municipal and city information officers in the province to inform their mayors on DPWH’s programs and projects that can bring development to their areas. In a recent briefing-orientation of the Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO), Engr. Edna Ravelo, Information Officer of DPWH NegOr Engineering District II encouraged city and municipal information officers to urge their leaders to avail of the department’s programs. “In your end, help your locality to avail of these programs because the focus of the President is to use the money (of the government) for the people,” Ravelo told ANOPIO members. She said the DPWH is ready to partner with the local government units (LGUs) in constructing roads and other public facilities that will benefit the public. Ravelo also shared infrastructure projects the DPWH is implementing together with other national government agencies. One of these projects is the Department of Tourism (DOT) Convergence Project that aims to concrete all roads leading to tourist destinations in the province for better tourism access.
In the second district, the DPWH has started concreting roads to six tourist spots identified by the DOT such as the roads going to the Twin Lake in Sibulan; Casaroro falls and the Japanese shrine in Valencia; the board walk in Tanjay City; the road going to the port near the whale watching site in Bais City and the roads leading to the network of crystal caves in Mabinay. DPWH aims to complete the all concreting projects of these roads by 2016. Ravelo added that the President directed the DPWH to complete the construction of all national roads by 2016. In line with this, the DPWH NegOr Engineering District 2 is now focusing on the completion of the Mabinay-Kabankalan, Negros Occidental national highway; Bayawan City-Mabinay national highway; Dumaguete-Tanjay-Pamplona-Sta. Catalina national highway and the Mabinay-Ayungon national highway. She said the DPWH NegOr Engineering District 2 has P623 million for the regular infrastructure projects to be used for the completion of these national roads. On the other hand, the DPWH is also in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) in constructing health centers and extension of health facilities in every town in the province.
“The DPWH is implementing DOH projects like health centers. You just have to write to us if there are health centers that needs expansion or construction,” Ravelo advised ANOPIO members. Aside from these, the DPWH also help in constructing comfort rooms in different schools in partnership the Department of Education (DepEd). Meanwhile, the bidding for 2014 infrastructure projects will start in November. “The directive of DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson is to start the bidding of 2014 projects on November then award the project (to contractor) by January 2014. We will start the project by January and will be finished by December 2014,” Ravelo said. Ravelo also told ANOPIO members that DPWH implements 54 infrastructure projects within the year. She even clarified that some of the funding came from the pork barrel of the congressman in the second district of the province. Ravelo was the guest speaker in the recent ANOPIO briefing orientation at the PIA -NegOr Provincial InfoCen. ANOPIO is an organization of information officers from different towns and cities in Negros Oriental including those in the national government agencies that have offices here. (mbcn/RAL/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
GSIS lifts suspension of EC survivorship benefit By Amor Y. Saludar
Cebu City (PIA) --- State pension fund of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) recently announced the lifting of the suspension of payments for survivorship pension of qualified Employees’ Compensation (EC) pensioners and dependents. This came after the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) resolved to lift the suspension of its payment beyond the five-year guaranteed period. As granted under Employees’ Compensation program implemented by ECC, the EC survivorship pension mandated under Presidential Decree 626, is among the benefits given to employees who died from workconnected accident, disease, or disability. It can be recalled that in 2006, the previous GSIS administration suspended the
payment of the pension after the five-year guaranteed period. In a report from GSIS, agency’s President and General Manager Robert Vergara said that qualified EC survivors whose pension has been stopped as of August 2012 and those who should be receiving their pension beginning August 2012 will benefit from the ECC resolution. Letters have been sent to EC survivorship pensioners with list of requirements to comply. GSIS requires surviving legitimate spouses (of deceased EC pensioners) to submit a certificate of no marriage (CENOMAR) issued by the National Statistics Office. GSIS clearly stresses that ECC board resolution disqualifies them from the benefit if they remarried. All qualified EC survivorship pensioners will also be asked later to enroll for eCard, through which their monthly pension will be credited, after the GSIS has created their
pension records. When submitting documents to the nearest GSIS office, pensioners are further advised to bring two valid government-issued identification cards and a copy of the letter from the GSIS for easy reference. Under PD 626, EC contributions are paid solely by employers in case of work-related contingencies incurred by their employees, such as accident, disease, disability, or death. Employees do not contribute to the Employees Compensation Insurance Fund. The GSIS and the Social Security System are the implementing agencies and fund managers of the EC Insurance Fund for the public and private sectors, respectively. Questions on the EC survivorship pension may be directed to the GSIS Contact Center at 8474747. Qualified EC pensioners may also send an email to ecc_mails@ yahoo.com oreccpension@gsis. gov.ph. (mbcn/AYS/PIA7-Cebu with report from GSIS)
BOHOL
INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS
BCCI seeks Bohol leaders' official peace assessment By ReY Anthony h. Chiu
BOHOL (PIA)-- Hurting from the bad publicity with the ongoing war in the south, Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) President Atty. Emmanuel Tumanda asks police and military leaders in Bohol for official peace assessment. At the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting at the Reynas Garden recently, Tumanda, who owns a beach property in Panglao, said the war in Zamboanga has cautioned tourists who are about to come to Bohol.
Action (SA) Committee to assess the current peace and Order situation in Mindanao especially in Zamboanga and its impact to the country and to Bohol in particular.
He also shared that the office of the governor has emphasized the need for concerted action among residents in Bohol coastal towns as well as mountain barangays. The governor has called on all town and barangay peace councils to convene
to plan out for any eventuality especially the landing of rebel troops in Bohol out to take advantage of the Mindanao turmoil. The SA Committee also recommends the immediate reporting to Tarsier 117 or to any town of any sighting of armed men who are not part of the usual movement of troops. Chatto said while there are no reasons for alarm, a cautious approach has always been our p o l i c y. ( m b c n / r a h c / P I A 7 - B o h o l )
Tumanda said that due to the online and phone inquiries from tourists planning to go to Bohol about their safety and security in the island, chamber members need to come up with univocal reply to the querries. “We would appreciate an official statement from the PNP and the army” [on the peace situation in Bohol], Tumanda noted. Tumanda and his influential group of high end resort owners have also felt the tourism slump brought about by international travel advisories against the Philippines. Both newly assumed police senior superintendent Dennis Agustin and Army colonel Julius Tomines personally reported that there no report hinting risks of a similar war reaching Bohol. Recently, Bohol governor Edgar Chatto who is also the PPOC chairman said that the council has hailed its Special
City of Naga, Cebu Environment and Pollution Control Officer Jose Ramiro P. Hilado (upper-left ) and FDRCon Company, Inc.project Development Manager Margot Omega (center) answer querries from Asturias PIO Mark L. Supatan (lower-right) and Moalboal PIO Pedro Abrenica (lower-left), respectively during the open forum on the Holistic Strategy to Solid Waste Management during the (CAOCAMPIO) monthly meeting at the City of Naga �Multi Purpose Hall on September 20, 2013. (vvv/PIA Cebu
PPOC slams group's use of children in Sept 9 rally
BOHOL, Sept 19 (PIA) -- The Bohol Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) chaired by Gov. Edgar Chatto slams the Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (HUMABOL) for allegedly using children as blankets against possible police dispersals during a protest/rally staged at Plaza Rizal in Tagbilaran City recently. The PPOC did not take lightly the military reports on the HUMABOL rally to commemorate the 7th death anniversary of slain peasant leader Victor Olayvar on September 9. Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnel Yap said police operatives in charge in keeping order during the mass action reported that the farmers used the children to discourage forceful dispersal. The rally organized by HUMABOL, drew a starting crowd of less than 200 at the Plaza Rizal and eventually grew, but observers also noticed the presence of children carrying placards. “It was a Monday and children ought to be in school,” pointed out Tecson, who raised the alarm, further saying that involving innocent children in political
activities jeopardize their development. While staging rallies to express protest and grievances against government is a constitutional right, even for children, using them especially when it interferes with their education, mental, moral and social development is against the international convention. Mayor Yap confirmed to the PPOC that Humabol sought a permit to gather, but assured him that their issues are based on the call for justice for Olaivar. Sadly however, the rally also took up other miscellaneous issues like the controversial Priority Development Assistance Funds, the Provincial Government’s Purok Power Movement and other politically incendiary issues. Yap also shared that HUMABOL has clearly violated the trust of the city mayor when they picked other issues in the rally despite assurances that it was only to commemorate the farmer leader who was ambushed in Danao, Bohol on September 8, 2006. Meantime, Bohol Local Monitoring Board coordinator Romeo Teruel
hinted the use of children as fronts in rallies and or protests is a violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). "A complaint to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) is in order," Teruel said. CARHRIHL is one of the substantive agreements which the country’s state agents and the rebel armed groups follow, even as they settle polarizing political beliefs. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)
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
NAPC head dares Siquijor officials anew: Fulfill at least 3 of your promises By Rizalie Anding Calibo SIQUIJOR (PIA)—National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary and lead convenor Jose Eliseo Rocamora challenged anew all elected officials in the province of Siquijor to fulfill at least three of their campaign promises before their term ends. Rocamora was the Keynote Speaker during the Festival of Festivals that highlighted the 42nd Araw ng Siquijor grand celebration, Tuesday (September 17) at the Siquijor Capital Square. The celebration’s theme is “Pagbag-o Alang sa Kauswagan”. (Change for Development) In his brief speech, Rocamora reminded all elected officials of their promises made when they were yet campaigning for election. Improvement of the hospital, water and electricity for all Siquijodnons are at least three of the most concerns that the officials should focus and look into, he said. It must be recalled that upon assumption into office, the new leaders of Siquijor have outlined and presented to the Siquijodnons programs and legislative agenda to hasten the process of transformation and fast-track socio-economic development in the island province. Among other priorities and programs promised were job
generation, poverty alleviation through livelihood and other income generating projects, corrupt-free governance, tourism development and other strategies that to improve the lives of every Siquijodnon. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)
CSC spearheads government agencies' tree growing activity B Y :
R I Z A L I E
A .
C A L I B O
LARENA, Siquijor (PIA)—The Civil Service Commission (CSC) spearheaded on September 14, the Tree Growing of at least 1,000 rattan seedlings at Barangay Olang, Maria, Siquijor, one of the identified sites for the National Greening Program (NGP) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Siquijor. CSC-Siquijor Supervising Personnel Specialist Resil Daniot, said the activity is in celebration of the 113th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary for the month of September 2013 with the theme: “Tatak Lingkod Bayan: Isabuhay, Ipagmalaki at Ipagbunyi.” Daniot in a short program prior to the actual tree planting, thanked all national and local government agencies for their participation and support to the activity.
Some of the native Siquijor dishes made during the Lutong Lunsay Siquijodnon, an inter-LGU cooking contest, in support to the Araw ng Siquijor activities spearheaded by the Provincial Tourism Office and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), assisted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). (PIA-Siquijor) She said Region-wide Tree Growing is only one of the activities spearheaded by the CSC with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the monthlong celebration that encourage public servants to transcend from being ordinary civil servants to being servant heroes. It supports the National Greening Program pursuant to Executive Order No. 26, s. 2011 which mandates every government personnel to plant 10M trees a year, and highlight servant heroes’ efforts in climate change mitigation, she said. With the activity being held on a Saturday, agency heads may grant compensatory time-off to their participating employees equivalent to the number of hours spent for such activity, Provincial Director Merlinda Flore-Quillano said in her letter to all national and local offices. Simultaneous with the Tree Growing, a community tree planting was also conducted by Barangay Tulapos of Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor at the new water sources in barangay Mananao of the same town. Each family was provided with at least five seedlings to be planted at the identified sites. The community tree planting was also done in support to the 42nd Araw ng Siquijor celebration. (mbcn/RACalibo/ PIA7-Siquijor with CSC-Siquijor reports)
PIA-Siquijor staff join the Tree Growing Activity by planting 10 rattan seedlings at the PIA-assigned site in Barangay Olang, Maria-Siquijor. Spearheaded by the Civil Service Commision-Siquijor, the activity is part of the celebration of the 113th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary and the 42nd Araw ng Siquijor. It also supports the National Greening Program of the government. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor)