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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. 16 September 27, 2013
Be public ser vant heroes, Siquijor gov't workers told SIQUIJOR, Sept 27 (PIA) --Civil Service Commision (CSC) Provincial Director Merlinda Flores-Quillano called on government employees here to live their lives as public servant heroes. Doing ordinary things in extraordinary
ways is one way for government workers to be heroes, said Quillano during the commemoration ceremony of the 113th Phillipine Civil Service anniversary at the CSC Conference room in Larena, Siquijor. Quillano's talk discussed the
Siquijor Congresswoman Dr. Marie Anne 'Doc Anne' Pernes (w/ mic) speaking at the Climate Change Conference with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Kaohshiung, Taiwan on September 6-9, 2013. (Photos from Office of Cong. Pernes/mbcn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor) Story on page 3.
2014 Regular Holidays and Special Days The following regular holidays and special days for the year 2014 shall be observed in the country: A. Regular Holidays New Year’s Day Araw ng Kagitingan Maundy Thursday Good Friday Labor Day Independence Day National Heroes Day Bonifacio Day Christmas Day Rizal Day
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1 9 17 18 1
- 12 - 25 - 30 - 25 - 30
January (Wednesday) April (Wednesday) April April May (Thursday) June (Thursday) August (Last Monday of August) November (Sunday) December (Thursday) December (Tuesday)
anniversary's theme this year which is "Tatak Lingkod Bayani, Isabuhay at Ipagbunyi." She said that one way of being a public servant hero is prioritizing work and working beyond office hours to meet deadlines without any expectation of a higher salary or promotion. She said it is high time that we should celebrate the ordinary things that we do for our agency or the office that we serve. “When we, public servants, render service with promptness, honesty, courtesy and professionalism, we are already adding the number of heroes in our country,” she said. Quillano stressed the importance of reciting the "Panunumpa ng Kawani ng Gobyerno" during flag ceremony so that state employees will be guided by the principle of service mentioned on the pledge. She advised all public servants to deepen their realization and act out the meaning of the pledge. To inspire more public servants to do good, Quillano shared the life story of Kulafo Ceballos, a laborer and a casual employee from Bayawan City, Negros Oriental. Ceballos is the lone government worker who made it to the semi-final level under the CSC Pagasa Award this year. CSC Pagasa Awards is given to an individual or group of individuals for outstanding contributions that directly benefit more than one department of the government. Quillano said she hopes that Siquijor will not only be known as a mystical island but also as an island where national awardees hail from. Activities that highlighted the anniversary here are, namely: tree growing activity at Olang, Maria; jail visit; trainings; and fun run, among others. (rmn/RACalibo with reports from I.A.Abatayo/PIA Siquijor)
B. Special (Non-Working) Days Chinese New Year Black Saturday Ninoy Aquino Day All Saints Day
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31 19 21 1
January (Friday) April August (Thursday) November (Saturday)
Additional special (non-working) days - 24 December (Wednesday) - 26 December (Friday) Last Day of the Year - 31 December (Wednesday) C. Special Holiday (for all schools) EDSA Revolution Anniversary - 25 February (Tuesday)
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iSIQUIJOR REGIONALNEWS
DOST-7 to conduct health lecture series BY: JUJU MANUBAG-EMPUERTO CEBU (PIA) --- Schools, companies, and organizations in the region are encouraged to join the "S&T Conference: Putting Science into Health," a two-day health-related conference for science and technological communities to meet with each other and exchange ideas. The conference will be on October 3 to 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at theDepartment of Science and Technology (DOST-7) Conference Room (Elena O. Diola Memorial Hall), 2nd floor, S&T Complex, Sudlon, Lahug, Cebu City. The gathering also aims to
popularize science and technology through information brigade for the topics on: Food Supplements and Herbal Medicine: Real Claims or Quackery; Student Investigatory Project on Health; Healthy Lifestle and Wellness; and Beauty and Health. Participants will be charged P600 per chosen topic which covers snacks, kits, and activity materials. However, a “4-in-1” special rate of P2,200 will be given to those who will register in all the topics. Interested individuals may fill up a registration form and ask for details at the DOST-7 Office thru (032) 254-8269 or 418-9032 and look for Ms. Kit.
DOT-7 conducts seminar on effective customer service to fast craft employees, crew BY: MINERVA BC. NEWMAN CEBU (PIA) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT-7) here conducted a two-day seminar workshop on 'Effective Customer Service' to fast craft employees and crew recently at the Cebu Grand hotel, Cebu City as one of the commitments to address issues on sanitation, passenger information, maintenance, comfort and accreditation of fast crafts. DOT-7 regional director Rowena Montecillo said this in response to the comments and complaints from tourists and riding public that had reached the Economic Development Committee of the Regional Development Council (RDCEDC). Complaints included sanitation and orderly conditions at Pier-1 terminal and its renovation schedule; facilities for passenger information; transport, taxis, and walking distance; safety and security; facilities for check-in, waiting and luggage claim areas; maintenance and comfort of vessels as prescribed in the MARINA guidelines for fast crafts; delays in arrival and departure of vessels and DOT accreditation of fast crafts. It can be recalled that on a May 23 EDC meeting, the committee formed a technical working group to look into the improvement of passenger services in the region's port terminals. It also requested the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) to monitor and strictly implement the quality standards for sea vessels especially fast sea crafts and submit monitoring reports to the EDC. Agreements to address those problems were immediately reached among the agencies concerned such as
the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and company representatives of fast crafts and other shipping companies. The DOT is one of the major agencies that plays a vital role in setting tourism standards on customer handling. Montecillo said, the training included standards on public announcements and airing of tourism videos while awaiting boarding completion. Shipping industry owners welcomed and received the matter well, Montecillo added. There were 24 participants from 2Go, Weesam Express, OceanJet, Lite Shipping and Starcraft that completed the seminar-workshop. Montecillo revealed that topics such as the overview and current tourism trends; effective communications, values formation and knowing basic welcoming techniques; gender and development; personality development and good grooming were discussed thoroughly by tourism professionals and experts on their respective fields. "We also include topics on managing crisis situations and child-wise tourism," Montecillo added. Lecturers came from the DOT, USJR, travels and tours operators, media, PCG, Children's Legal Bureau and Laban Bata and other non-government organisations. Montecillo said the workshop was fruitful, everyone was happy about it, the participants were cooperative and the spirit of willingness to learn was there. "DOT plans to continue training sea craft crew and personnel," she concluded. (mbcn/PIA7)
DOST-7 is spearheading the conference together with the Central Visayas Consortium for Health Research and Development Region 7, and the Confederation of Scientific and Professional Organizations. (rmn/JSME/ PIA7-Cebu/DOST-7)
D E N R - 7 speeds up issuance of land titles
BY: JUJU M. EMPUERTO CEBU (PIA) --- One hundred six barangays in the region under Component C lot for cadastral survey of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) are speeding up its issuance of land titling. This is in line with a directive from DENR Sec. Ramon Paje to complete the cadastral survey before the end of November this year, said DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo in a press statement. Of the 106 barangays, 90 of these are in Bohol and 19 in Cebu. Montejo said he has given instructions to his field officials to oversee and monitor the cadastral survey within their areas of responsibility (AOR). DENR-7 Information Officer Dr. Eddie Llamedo said the cadastral survey is supportive of the government’s various projects such as land titling, land use planning, taxation and internal revenue allotment (IRA) program for the different municipalities nationwide. The survey is being conducted by seven contractors who extend mostly surveying services and whose eligibility was obtained through a full bidding or procurement process. There are 24 barangays with approved survey, 58 with ongoing verification, and 27 are now for survey return preparation,said Llamedo. Reforms in the country’s land services are underway as it is a must to the overall productivity of idle lands in the country and will therefore ultimately increase economic prosperity, he said. Cadastral survey refers to the means to determine the metes and bounds of all parcels within an entire municipality or city for systematic land adjudication and internal revenue allotment (IRA) purposes. It consists of three categories, namely, categories “A” and “B” which involve the establishment of main and subsidiary controls for the political boundary survey and lot survey; and category “C” which is purely lot surveys. “The program has been seriously undertaken as it is instrumental in efficient patent distribution as it provides better data thus accelerating countryside development,” Llamedo said. (rmn/JSME/PIA-Cebu/
NEGROS ORIENTAL
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
News Feature: Siquijor Congresswoman on adapting to climate change in the Philippines By Rizalie Anding Calibo Climate change has become the major environmental issue today and everyone is talking about it – from its cause and effect to the various adaptation programs and measures that different countries are taking to minimize its impact. How a tropical country like the Philippines is dealing with climate change is the topic presented by the lone district representative of Siquijor Cong. Marie Anne Pernse or more popularly known as 'Doc Anne' during the Climate Change Conference with the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) in Kaohshiung, Taiwan on September 6 to 9, 2013. Doc Anne presented how the Philippines has joined the world community in addressing the problems brought about by climate change and in reversing global warming, according to a report from Pernes' staff, Marco Alex Misa. The congresswoman in her presentation explained that Philippines lies along the so-called typhoon belt which makes it a country of rains, typhoons, and floods, thus vulnerable to the ill-effects of climate change. An average of 20 typhoons visit the Philippines every year, bringing with them deaths and disaster, she said. “With a long history of disasters related to climate change, we had to get our act together and adopt measures to mitigate the impact of global warming,” said Pernes as she presented the necessary policies and legislation the Philippine government has crafted to address climatechange problems effectively, save lives and property, and join the rest of the world in reversing the tide of global warming. She cited the Philippine Clean Air Act in 1999 that puts emphasis on prevention, not just control, of air pollution. It strictly regulates emission of harmful gases and chemicals from industries and motor vehicles and requires annual mandatory emission testing for all vehicles. It also bans the use of incinerators and open burning of garbage. Another is the Ecological S o l i d Wa s t e M a n a g e m e n t A c t t h a t was passed in 2000, which mandates recycling and a reduction in the volume of solid wastes, garbage segregation, composting, and treatment of wastes. The law also bans the use of open dump sites and strictly regulates the operation of solid waste disposal facilities. The Clean Water Act, which was passed in 2004, designates watersheds, river basins, and water resource regions as water quality management areas and puts them under the management of a multi-sectoral board to ensure their preservation and protection from pollution and environmental damage. The law imposes strict waterpollution measures and heavy fines for violations. It requires those that cause p ollution to “ c l e a n up t hei r m es s . ” U n d e r t h e l a w, p r o p o n e n t s of projects and industries that discharge wastes are required to put
up an “environment guarantee fund.” The fund is used to maintain the health of the ecosystem and finance any clean up or rehabilitation that may arise from such projects. Another is the Renewable Energy Act that accelerates the exploration and development of renewable energy resources reduce dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate climate change and increases the use of renewable energy by providing incentives For decades, she explained, the Philippines had been dependent on imported crude oil for its energy requirements. Since the oil crisis of the 1970s, we have made significant strides in reducing this dependence by harnessing local alternative sources of energy, she said. In 2008, we passed a law to institutionalize a program to further reduce our use of fossil fuels. By 2020, we aim to double our use of renewable energy — from 5,500 to 11,000 megawatts. "These are primarily hydro and geothermal energy. But we have also made significant strides in exploring w i n d a n d s o l a r e n e r g y, " s h e s a i d . In keeping with its commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Philippines also enacted the Climate Change Act in 2009, the first law of its kind among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The law created the Philippine Climate Change Commission an independent and autonomous agency of government responsible for all efforts at addressing climate change. It mandates the formulation of a National Climate Change Action Plan and requires all local government units to have their own local action plans. The National Climate Change Action Plan approved in 2011 has seven strategic priorities: Food Security, Water Sufficiency, Ecosystems and Environmental Stability, Human Security, Climate-smart Industries and Services, Sustainable Energy, and Knowledge and Capacity Development. Learning from the devastation caused by Typhoon Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng in 2009, which claimed the lives of 929 Filipinos and destroyed infrastructure, properties, and crops worth almost one USD$1 billion, the government enacted the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act in 2010. The law established the National Disaster-Risk Reduction and Management Council to replace the old reactive disaster relief and response system. It required the creation of similar councils at the provincial and municipal levels. It puts emphasis on addressing the root causes of disasters and strengthening the capacity of vulnerable sectors. It establishes mechanisms to enhance the preparedness of government and communities to respond to emergencies and prevent them from turning into disasters.
P r e s i d e n t A q u i n o ’s N a t i o n a l Development Agenda established five key result areas of his administration. This is contained in Executive O r d e r 4 3 , i s s u e d i n M a y 2 0 11 . Recognizing the importance of climate change, the President made Integrity of the Environment and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation as one of these five key result areas. Executive Order 43 also established the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation as a high-level integration body for all government programs and projects that address climate change. It ensures consistency of policy and programs and commitment to the attainment of the key result areas. To put in place a responsive program for emergency preparedness and disaster prevention and mitigation, the Philippine Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched its Project NOAH, which stands for Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards. NOAH Project Team collaborates with all government agencies and local government units, civil society organizations, and the academe to promote and integrate advanced science and technology to improve their readiness and enhance their capacity to prevent and manage disasters. Among others, the project involved the construction of high-resolution hazard maps and the delivery of hazard information— such as forecasting the amount of rainfall and risks of floods and landslides in vulnerable areas—through various media, including through cell phones and the Internet. “With these programs and measures adopted, we have seen drastic reduction in casualties from typhoons and floods. The readiness of our communities and their response to emergencies have been vastly improved,” reported Pernes. In the case of Marikina City, for instance, which was among those badly affected by Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, people have become more aware of the dangers and cooperative with government efforts, she said Many local government units and business establishments have also taken efforts to reduce nonbiodegradable wastes by banning the use of plastic bags and containers. She also reported the National Greening Program that has planted more than 200 million tree seedlings on more than 300,000 hectares of land. “And lastly, our aggressive protection and conservation of our natural resources have earned for the Philippines a spot in the “strong performer” category in the 2012 World Environmental Protection Index,” she said. 'Doc Anne' is Vice-Chair of the Committee on Health and member of the Committees on Appropriations, Natural Resources, Tourism, Science and Technology, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development. She is also the Vice President of the Visayan Block, Association of Women Legislators. (rmn/RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor with reports from the Office of the Congresswoman)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
GSIS educ'l assistance loan window open until Dec 27
Active Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) members who have not yet availed of the one-time educational assistance loan (EAL) may still apply for the Educational Assistance Loan until December 27, 2013. All active members, regardless of salary grade, length of service, and status of agency and member accounts are entitled to avail of the EAL in the amount of Php 4,000.00. Eligible members may file their application for EAL over the counter or through their agency's liaison officer. Certification from their agency authorized officer or endorsement from their respective agencies is not required. The loan is payable in five years, with six percent interest per annum. Ă‚ The amortization for 59 months is Php 20.00 per month or Php 240.00 per year, with the first monthly amortization to start three months from the grant of the assistance. The GSIS Educational Assistance Program (EAP) was launched in 2012 following the Labor Day speech of President Benigno Aquino III, instructing both the GSIS and Social Security System to generate an educational assistance fund for their stakeholders. GSIS President and General Manager Robert Vergara said that through the EAP, the GSIS has been helping members defray their children's education expenses. He said over Php 2.49 billion has been released under the program. The application form for the EAL may be obtained from any GSIS offices. (Source: http://www.gsis.gov.ph)
GSIS Advisory: Average Monthly Compensation as basis in computing retirement and pension benefits
Please be advised that the Average Monthly Compensation (AMC) that is used as a basis in computing the amount of GSIS retirement and pension benefit is the average of the member's basic salary in the last three years or 36 months of his or her service in government. There is no truth to speculations that AMC will soon be based on the member's salary for the last ten years of service. The GSIS has no intention of revising the definition of the AMC under Republic Act 8291. The AMC is one of the factors in the computation of the Basic Monthly Pension is a weekly (BMP) of a GSIS member. Below is the formula for computing the BMP. electronic newsletter produced by the BMP = (.025) x (AMC + P700) x Periods with Premium Payments.( http://www.gsis. Philippine Information Agency-Siquijor gov.ph) 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, The implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of Republic Act 10606, otherwise Bohol and Negros Oriental. known as the National Health Insurance Act of 2013, was approved by the PhilHealth Board during a special meeting on September 12 at its main office in Pasig City. The said IRR aims to simplify member’s experience with PhilHealth especially in registration and availment of benefits and operationalizes the new law, some salient provisions of which include mandatory coverage of the marginalized sector; entitlement of indigent members to the No Balance Billing policy, among others. Under the new law, even on FB: PIA Siquijor pregnant women who are non-members and who are about to give birth can also be entitled on twitter: @PiaSiquijor to financial health protection from PhilHealth. (http://www.philhealth.gov.ph)
iSIQUIJOR
Implementing Rules of new PhilHealth law approved
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