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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. 1 | NO. 11 August 23, 2013
Guv vows to boost Siquijor tourism By Rizalie A. Calibo
SIQUIJOR (PIA)— Siquijor provincial governor Zaldy Villa vowed to support tourism programs in Siquijor province. I n a To u r i s m S u m m i t h e l d recently, Villa said he will fasttrack the implementation of infrastructures that are needed to boost the tourism industry. He said the new administration have already identified the roads that lead to the tourist spots and other provincial roads that have to be improved for the convenience of the travelers. Among his priorities are the repair and improvement of Cang-alwang airport and building a decent airport terminal to provide an alternative mode of transportation
to tourists coming to the island especially those who are afraid to travel by sea. The provincial government is also bent on improving Siquijor port by widening the pre-departure area, maintaining clean toilets and widening the parking areas, Villa said. Other things that he said should
Public warned anew on text scam
DENR-7 attains more than half of NGP target 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
be prioritized are building reliable water systems, reducing cost of electricity, and improving the capability and capacity of the provincial hospital so that everybody including the tourists will be assured of excellent medical care. As part of good governance of Siquijor, Governor Villa stressed that one of his major thrusts is to increase employment opportunities in order to improve the living standard of the Siquijodnons. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)
By Jennifer c. Tilos
Siquijor Provincial Governor Zaldy "Jecoy" Villa said he would support programs that boost the province's tourism. (PIA-Siquijor) 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.
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DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 (DSWD) warned anew the public against circulating scam text messages particularly targeting the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya program. DSWD learned about the scam text messages after it circulated to some recipients of Pantawid Pamilya program in the region. Said text messages claim that the recipient won P950,000 from the "President Noy-Noy Aquino Foundation 4Ps Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program" as "second prize winner in the 'Handog Pangkabuhayan' raffle promo with DTI P#9513 s’12.” DSWD emphasized that it is not true that the Department holds raffle promos or draws. Recipients are then asked to text their complete name, age, address, and work. DSWD urged recipients of said messages to report it to the nearest DSWD office or text to 09173815555. DSWD-7 stressed that Pantawid Pamilya does not give away prizes but the program provides cash grants to poor households in exchange for complying with the program's conditions. Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program that invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 0-14. (rmn/JCT/ PIA7-Negros Oriental)
iSIQUIJOR SCIENCETECHNOLOGY
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
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: Keep your family safe: Don't refill butane canisters with LPG Rachelle M. Nessia
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)
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.
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
CEBU
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)
NEGROS ORIENTAL
Tourist arrival in Dgte City up by 94% 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, 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 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. Am o n g th e r e c i p i e n ts o f 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)
iSIQUIJOR
is a weekly electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Siquijor Information Center and the DOST Provincial Science and Technology Center with stories submitted by local and national government agencies and from other Provincial Information Centers in Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental.
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iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
DOH-7 boosts campaign to reduce TB cases in CV
By Amorganda Y. Saludar CEBU CITY (PIA) --- The Department of Health (DOH) 7 is set to strengthen their advocacy against tuberculosis (TB) cases in the region. In a recent Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) 7 forum, Program Coordinator for Rabies and TB Control and Prevention Program of DOH 7 Jocelyn Tabotabo said the health department aims to publicize the services and free medicines from the government offered for those afflicted by tuberculosis. DOH aims to increase the cases of TB under medication to assure that its contagious virus will not spread spread to other people. “If it cannot be treated within a year, ten people will be infected of tuberculosis from an untreated patient,” said Tabotabo. In connection with this, DOH will boost the TB program in private and public hospitals in the region as well as the services in the health centers of barangays ang
LGUs. “Nurses and doctors in both public and private hospitals are trained to implement TB program. If they don’t have the available proper medication at least they would know what hospitals that patients with TB can be referred to,” Tabotabo said. She added that DOH hopes to finish the training in all hospitals in the region by the end of this year. Hospitals that will not commit to cater to sensitive cases of TB are requested to refer the patients to DOH or other hospitals implementing the TB program. DOH-7 is also extending its services to address TB patients in prisons in Central Visayas. "We are now negotiating for the treatment of TB cases in jails in the region, wherein we have already recorded more than 100 hundred cases," Tabotabo relayed. She also added that of the 36 jails under the Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology (BJMP) 7, around 110 TB cases have already been recorded from January to June this year. Of this, five are considered as multiple drug resistant cases, which are now being closely monitored by DOH for proper medication. “Our next target will be the industrial firms, followed by construction firms, then the Badjao, and urban poor community in the region," Tabotabo said. DOH is targeting to cater to around 16,000 TB cases every year before 2016. She then reiterated that the government, through the DOH, is giving free medication, examination, and other services for TB in both public and private hospitals and in health centers of every LGU. “We are asking those who have tuberculosis to please do not hesitate to come out and be treated, because the government is really providing proper medication and other services for TB, all for free,” Tabotabo said. (rmn/AYS/PIA 7)