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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. 14 September 13, 2013
News Feature:
Siquijor congresswoman appeals leaders' support to uplift Siquijodnons' lives By Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR (PIA)—Siquijor lone district representative Dr. Marie Anne Pernes made an appeal to all local leaders and all working in the government to work together and do what they can, positively, to uplift the lives of the people of Siquijor. Speaking at the Araw ng Siquijor Agro, Trade and Food Fair Friday (September 13), Pernes said government should strive to make sure that there is enabling environment where entrepreneurs, regardless of size, can thrive. The congresswoman said government support is needed to ensure that healthy competition exists, public safety is assured and that technology and financial resources are made available. This she also said amidst personal observation on the seemingly lack of support from some political leaders in the island. She said that in the series of consultative meetings she and her staff made throughout the island, she found out that employment is one of the most needs aside from water and electricity. “Ngunit ako po ay talagang disappointed at dismayado sa ibang mga tinatawag nating mga political leaders,” says Pernes. Instead of focusing all their efforts and energy in finding ways to help their fellow Siquijodnons, political and personal interest still prevailed, she said. “Hindi po nakakatulong sa Siquijor kung pagbabawalan o gigipitin ang kahit sino na lumapit sa kahit sinong puwedeng makatulong at makapagbigay ng kahit kunting proyekto. Hindi po nakakatulong sa Siquijor na patuloy ang pagkakalat ng tsismis at intriga sa halip na magtrabaho sa ikauunlad ng isa’t-isa. Hindi po nakakatulong na pagsabihan ang mga community leaders na hindi i-entertain ang pupunta sa lugar kahit na ang pakay lamang ay tumulong at mag-identify ng proyekto. At lalong hindi nakakatulong ang pagiging inggit sa pinag-gagawa ng iba. Inggit po ang nakasisira sa pagsasama ng isang samahan,” she said. Instead of competing , let us all try to complement…. instead of dividing, let us strive to
Siquijor Congresswoman Marie Anne Pernes (right) and Governor Zaldy Villa (left wearing hat) cutting the ribbon to open the Siquijjor Agro, Trade and Food Fair at the St. Francis of Assisi Grounds in Siquijor, Siquijor. (PIA-Siquijor)
cooperate, the Congresswoman said. After expressing this, Pernes also urged entrepreneurs to avolid one of the deadly social sins that Mahatma Gandhi referred to: “Business of commerce without morality of ethics” as she urged entrepreneurs to earn profit in clean, just and legal ways by giving quality products with fair prices, and paying exact taxes. At the end of the day hindi naman tayo huhusgahan kung magkano ang pera nating naipon kung hindi paano natin ito kinita at paano ginamit ang ating kinikita, she said. As member of the Small Business
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and Entrepreneurship Development committee in the Congress, Pernes said Siquijor can expect programs towards business and industry development. She also assured Siquijodnons that she will find ways to answer the needs of the province, as also a member of the Committee on Appropriation. She said she also worked with the office of Senator Bam Aquino to bring to Siquijor the “Hapinoy” program that gives training to those who would want to engage into business. ”We have so many plans and programs to help you, entrepreneurs. Let us help work together for you to prosper in your respective businesses,” she said. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)
iSIQUIJOR SCIENCETECHNOLOGY
DOSTS hosts advocacy workshop on green schools, eco-efficient water infra ByAmor Y. Saludar with reports from DOSt-7
Cebu City (PIA) --- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) linked with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) for a free advocacy workshop on the Development of Green Schools and Eco-Efficient Water Infrastructure in the Philippines on September 17 at the DOST VII Conference Room-Elena O. Diola Memorial Hall, Sudlon Lahug, Cebu City.
and eco-efficient infrastructure. using the Korean technology.
With this system, rainwater This also aims to promote and storm water are collected for green schools and eco-efficient water infrastructure in the Philippines. treatment and are used for washing, toilet flushing, gardening purposes. In a press release from DOST, Currently, DOST-UNESCAP it is learned that topics for discussion project promotes Green Schools are divided into three sessions and will be administered by Korean that uses the ISWM facility, in which experts to include: Eco-efficient its proposed architectural designs Water Infrastructure Development will be presented in workshop. and Green Growth; Green School for Attendees of the workshop are key Eco-efficient Water Infrastructure; and stakeholders, LGU officials, national Best Practices on Eco-efficient Water government agencies, DOST related The workshop discusses Infrastructure for Green Economy. agencies, construction industry and concepts, models, and issues Part of the workshop is a developers, business, academe, related to green schools and eco- tour to DOST7 Integrated Storm water districts, university officials efficient water infrastructure as well and NGOs from relevant areas. as to strengthen the capabilities Water Management System (ISWM) facility that serves as the demo( m b c n / AY S / P I A 7 / w i t h of government officials and key facility of ISWM in the Philippines reports from DOST7) stakeholders on green schools
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
Army offers free health services Jennifer C. Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA)--Some 1,400 residents of Siquijor province availed of the free Medical and Dental Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) today served by army’s 302nd Brigade and 79th Infantry Battalion
with the reservists from 703rd and 704th Community Defense Centers. In coordination with local government of Siquijor, the health services offered in celebration of its 41st Araw Ng Bayan 2013 with the theme “Siquijor Atong
P17M from DSWD for job assistance to oil spill victims
CEBU CITY (PIA) --- A P17-million fund for oil spill affected areas here was recently approved by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In a press release by DSWD Regional Field Unit 7, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman approved the P17 million fund requested by the office to assist those affected by the oil spill brought about by the sunken M/V St. Thomas Aquinas. The fund will be used as a cash-for-work program for those affected under the 13 identified costal barangays whose main livelihood is fishing. According to DSWD, a total of 2,996 affected families in Cordova will be employed to clean oil-spill affected coastal areas and will be given P245 per day for a period of ten days. “They will be involved in the rehabilitation activities wherein one of its family members will help in the cleaning of the shoreline including dredging of the barangay canals and other greening activities” according to the press release. Jenifer Abastillas, focal person of Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Unit (DRRMU) of DSWD-7, said the town of Cordova and Talisay City already submitted the official list of affected families. There were also another 1,600 families in the affected coastal area of Talisay City. Aside from this project, DSWD-7 had also distributed family food packs consisting of canned goods and rice during the first and second weeks of the sea tragedy. Cordova received 9,561 food packs while Talisay City received 1,700. (rmn/FCC/PIACEBU)
PIA News Digest
Lungsod, Atong Panggaon” at the provincial gymnasium. The medical services include consultation and dental services, circumcision, eye examination, blood examination and blood pressure examination. According to information officer of the army Capt Cresencio Gargar the military reservists also offered free haircut and massage to the patients while waiting for their turn. For BGen. Francisco Patrimonio, 302nd Brigade Commander said that the involvement of different stakeholders consistent with the spirit of “Bayanihan” to address the health concerns of the Siquijodnons was a manifestation of commitment and dedication by peace loving citizens in order to serve the needy Filipino people. “The military’s participation in the MEDCAP in partnership with various stakeholders was part of our continuing efforts in delivering basic health services to the less privileged residents in the Brigade’s area of responsibility” said Patrimonio. The brigade contingents and civilian volunteers were ferried from Tandayag Port, Amlan to Siquijor and vice versa via Philippine Navy vessel, Gargar said. Other organizations involved in the MEDCAP include Siquijor Municipal Health Unit, civil society organization and civilian volunteers in the province. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7Negros Oriental)
Senate panel passes FOI bill The proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) bill that would give the public access to government records was approved by a joint panel in the Senate on Wednesday after holding only two hearings. The first hearing was held by the committees on public information, civil service, and finance last September 4 while the second and final hearing was conducted at 10 a.m. this Wednesday. Senator Grace Poe, head of the committee on public information, adjourned the hearing around 12 noon without saying whether the bill was approved or not. But when asked in a press conference about the status of the bill, she categorically said that it was already approved by the committees. A committee report on the approved bill will now be routed to members of the committees for signature before it will be submitted for plenary debates.
DFA renews call for Pinoys in Syria repatriation
Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Asec Raul Hernandez renewed the call to Pinoys in troubled Syria to avail of the government's repatriation program. In a DZMM interview, Hernandez encourages families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Syria to call the DFA hotline number 834-3333 to give details about their loved ones still in the said country. Hernandez admitted repatriation of Filipinos in Syria is a great challenge to the government as they were having difficulty to convince other OFWs to live Syria due to increased salary offers made by the employers and others still refuse to be repatriated. Over 3,000 Filipinos are still in Syria. 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 The Aquino administration scored a new public satisfaction rating high, with three Provincial Information Centers in Cebu, out of four Filipinos satisfied with its performance. Bohol and Negros Oriental. In its survey conducted June 28 to 30, Social Weather Stations (SWS) noted the administration scored improvements as well from the public on several issues. SWS said 75 percent of adults asked were satisfied while 16 percent were ambivalent and 9 percent were dissatisfied with the government's general performance. The SWS said this translated to a “very good” net score of +66, 13-point improvement from the “very good” +53 (68 percent satisfied, 15 percent dissatisfied) in on FB: PIA Siquijor March.
Satisfaction with Aquino gov't hits new record high
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iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
BOHOL
US envoy reads to Bohol children to promote marine conservation By Jennifer C. Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) --U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas led recently a reading session to more than 30 public school children in Barangay Taloto, Tagbilaran City to promote marine conservation. Thomas read a story about fish in Mabaw Reef, a marine protected area where children’s parents have been fishing as their main livelihood. Thomas said “The best way to ensure the success of our initiatives is to educate the younger generation about their responsibility to the environment as they will soon be the caretakers of the country’s rich resources.” The school children were also treated to play with three mascots that represent the flagship fish species of different Bohol municipalities. The mascots also represented the 'Pride Campaign' that is the signature program of Resource Assistance for Rural Environment (RARE) aims to inspire people to take pride in the species and habitats that make their communities unique. Pride includes a holistic combination of capacity building in management, enforcement and governance, underpinned by a strong community mobilization and behavior change campaign using social marketing. To date, Rare has partnered with 25 of the Philippines’ 850 coastal municipalities, focusing primarily on building community support and infrastructure for fishery “notake zones” and local enforcement. USAID supports Rare’s program ‘Coastal Climate Change Adaptation: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)’ which aims to strengthen MPAs as a platform for building community, ecological, and social resilience among coastal municipalities in the Philippines. This four-year program seeks to improve municipal MPA networks, covering 25 focal MPAs that total over 1,500 hectares of MPA. USAID mission director Gloria Steele was with Thomas during the visit was also welcomed by local officials of the province. Country Senior Director Rocky Tirona appreciated the Bohol provincial government as the site of past USAIDsupported coastal and marine management programs. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
Launching of the Junior and Kiddie Fire Marshall in line the Bohol Provincial government’s Heat Education Agriculture Tourism Information Technology (HEAT IT) Caravan on September 4, 2013)
PPOc alarms over soliciting groups resurge Rey Anthony Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY (PIA) –The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) here raised an alarm against the resurgence of groups roaming around Bohol, soliciting funds for “noble purposes” but with seemingly some hidden agenda. PPOC meeting at Jj's Seafoods restaurant, provincial social welfare and development dfficer Carmelita Tecson told the council that a group of bus-riding missionaries soliciting funds, but apparently without the necessary DSWD permits. At the Alona beach in Panglao, another group approaches unsuspecting tourists and hands in solicitation letters for a Young Achiever’s Club in Makati, without similar permits to solicit. Sources also report that groups also knock into houses in the towns to sing carols this early, Christian songs or social awareness songs and await for donations to the groups they represent. Most of them do not have DSWD permits, or barangay certifications, as most Barangay Peace and Order Councils mandate for groups doing businesses in their areas. A t t h e P P O C , Te c s o n relayed to the council a complaint by concerned citizens of Jagna about a group claiming to be Good Samaritan Missionaries raising funds for their works of charity. This group is composed of missionaries
who are "one with all the Christians who love the works of God," the group’s leaflet hand-outs state. The hand-out, signed by a certain Bro. Allan Estorco also said while giving donations, the people help the group do their mission. Despite an apparently noble intentions, concerned citizens from an eastern town asked the OPSWD the authenticity of such group, specifically asking if the group has the necessary permit to solicit. The group’s modus operandi is for its Tagalog-speaking representatives to ride on passenger buses from IBT in Dao, distribute the leaflets and then collecting them back while declaring the group’s mission, before disembarking and then boarding another bus, according to complainants. While the group does this with apparent tolerance from conductors and drivers, the concerned citizens want this investigated to protect the public from illegal and syndicated crimes. In the past according to Army Major Paolo Baylon, speaking for Col. Julius Tomines, the presence of groups soliciting money with “noble intentions” have been the ploys of scrupulous individuals raising logistics in support of underground groups, as well as mapping areas for possible mass base support, a military intelligence operative admitted. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)