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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. 8 August 2, 2013
"Healing island in Asia" new tourism thrust for Siquijor By Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR (PIA)— Siquijor Island will be promoted by newly elected local officials as "Healing Island in Asia." Siquijor vice-governor and tourism ambassador Fernando “Dingdong” Avanzado, in his inaugural speech, vowed to begin the task of transforming Siquijor from being “one of the poorest provinces" in the country into a vibrant progressive and developed province. Avanzado said Siquijor is a beautiful island. “We just need to let the world know that there exists a paradise known as Siquijor,” as he pushes special attention to the multi-trillion dollar wellness medical tourism industry to promote Siquijor as the healing island in Asia. He also push for the adoption of a progressive health care program such as the modernization of the hospitals in the province. Hospital, he said , is one of
the very important factor that tourists make special notice in deciding whether to visit, stay or invest in Siquijor. He urged the local legislators to pass ordinances and resolutions that strengthen the provincial health board and the provincial tourism council. "To put more teeth into our tourism and development services including the public information services and the civil defense administration because peace and order is a vital tourism concern," Avanzado added. Meanwhile, the new tourism development thrust of Siquijor province takes off with the first Siquijor Tourism Forum (STF) on July 29 with the theme, “Siquijor within the Perspective of the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP)." The event is co-sponsored by the Provincial Government of Siquijor and the Department of Tourism (DOT) Central Visayas. T h e f o r u m f e a t u r e d D O T- 7 Rowena Lu Montecillo who presented an overview of the Central Visayas
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Tourism Situationer and DOT Assistant Secretary Rolando Cañizal who discussed the NTDP where Siquijor is identified as a Priority Development Area (PDA). A workshop on Cultural Mapping was also done to determine the immediate marketability, positioning and branding of Siquijor as a unique tourism destination in the Asia Pacific region, Avanzado said. Election of the new set of officers for the Provincial Tourism Council followed. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA7-Siquijor)
PIA News Digest PHL economy could grow higher than 8% in 2015
Standard Chartered Bank forecasts that the PHL economy could already grow higher than 8% starting 2015 due to the 'correct policies and strong fundamentals driving investor confidence now.' Marios Maratheftis, global head of macro research at Standard Chartered Bank said the Philippines is moving into the right direction and "there is no reason why the Philippines will not grow by 8 percent plus by 2015." The statement compares with Standard Chartered’s official forecast of 7 percent growth by 2015. For this year and the next, the economy is expected to expand by 6.9 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively. The Aquino administration has set the following medium-term growth targets: 6-7 percent this year, 6.5-percent to 7.5percent next year, 7-8 percent by 2015 and 7.5-8.5 percent by 2016. Maratheftis said the “positive story” of the Philippines has reverberated across the world given that “right plans,” especially on infrastructure, are in place. The bank also credited the public-private partnership (PPP) initiative. National Tourism Development Plan is pointing out to the development of tourism in Siquijor province, says Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Rolando Canizal in a Tourism Summit July 29 conducted by the provincial government and the Department of Tourism (DOT) region 7. (RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)
iSIQUIJOR SCIENCETECHNOLOGY
DOST PAGE
"Kaninyumanggi", the rise of DOST's brown rice By Rodolfo P. de Guzman, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII
Kaninyumanggi what? This is actually a coined term for “kanin” (rice) and “kayumanggi” (brown), literally “brown rice.” The “nickname” originated from the Department of Science and Technology that launched a recipe book titled Brown Rice Recipes Para sa Lahing Kayumanggi on July 26 as part of the National Science and Technology Week 2013 celebration. The cookbook features 23 innovative recipes using brown rice as appetizer, main course and dessert. It is a result of rigorous experimentation and testing by a team of nutritionists who developed and compiled kitchen tested recipes to serve as a menu guide for a healthy eating habit. The nutritionists are based in DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute. During the launch, Chefs Luchi Callanta and Timothy Neil Abuela from the renowned Center for Culinary Arts (CCA) conducted a cooking demonstration featuring a nouvelle cuisine called Pahiyas Rice [considered a rice dish], named after the famous fiesta in the town of Lucban, Quezon. As expected, the recipe included the very tasty Lucban longganisa (sausage). “This dish is very colourful and appeals to the senses…. it is very important to create a healthy relationship with food,” relates Chef Luchi. The other recipe demonstrated was a dessert called “onde-onde” (onde is a Malaysian word for sticky or “malagkit” in Pilipino) that looks like the common round-shaped “buchi” and cooked like the “palitaw”, a native rice-based delicacy that is boiled or immersed in boiling water. There to taste the food were DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo, who is a staunch advocate of brown rice and supporter of healthy living; FNRI Director Mario V. Capanzana; and Assistant Secretary Raymund E. Liboro. Some of the recipes in the book include tinapa (smoked fish) sa brown rice, brown rice vegetable medley, sweet Italian brown rice, brown rice a la spaghetti, kalamay sa gata brown rice, Hawaiian rice balls, Pinoy maki, everlasting turon, kalamay sa salabat brown rice and a number of interesting and intriguing delights. Also included in the recipe book are instructions on the proper way of preparing and cooking brown rice Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (left, holding brown rice bag) checks out since it takes a different the brown rice developed by the DOST- Food and Nutrition Research Institute as Secretary approach. Because the Mario J. Montejo explains its nutritional benefits. With them is DOST-FNRI Information bran is still intact, brown Officer Salvador Serrano. (Rodolfo P. de Guzman, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII) rice has to be cooked with a ratio of one cup of rice to two cups of water. Further, brown rice has to be soaked first in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking to make it softer and more palatable. Today, more and more people are turning to healthier food alternatives and doing more exercises and workouts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With the fast-paced life of urban living and the proliferation of fastfood restaurants, it is quite difficult to sustain a healthy eating regimen. But DOST-FNRI’s offer DOST Assistant Secretary and Director of Science and Technology Information Institute of an alternative diet Raymund E. Liboro (left) expresses his delight on the on-going cooking demonstration in “kaninyumanggi” as he is an advocate of healthy living and brown rice. Joining him on stage are (L-R) TV5 is one good option host Ice Martinez with chefs Timothy Neil Abuela and Luchi Callanta, both from the Center towards healthy living. for Culinary Arts, who prepared the Pahiyas Brown Rice and the unique dessert called “onde-onde.” (Rodolfo P. de Guzman, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
PagIBIG to implement new short-term loan system By Hazel F. Gloria CEBU CITY (PIA) -- Pag-IBIG Fund Cebu South and North branches inform all Pag-IBIG members in the Provinces of Cebu, Bohol , Negros Oriental, and Siquijor on the implementation of the new Short-Term Loan (STL) System effective August 1, 2013. This new system seeks to provide our members
with faster and more efficient processing of loan applications. Under the new system, the member-applicant must be registered online and with Pag-IBIG Membership ID (MID) Number prior to availment of loans. All employers are enjoined to ensure that all their employees have secured their respective MID Numbers. If not yet registered, the employee
may register online at www. p a g i b i g f u n d . g o v. p h . T h e y may also visit the offices for assistance. Pag-Ibig Vice-President for Visayas , Victoria dela Pena said, “while the Pag-IBIG Fund moves towards new and more efficient systems, we ask for the members and employers’ cooperation and understanding as we adjust to this new system. Rest assured that we shall
continuously work in further improving our services for the benefit of our members.” Should you need further assistance, visit us at the PagIBIG Fund – WT Corporate Tower, Mindanao Avenue , Cebu Business Park , Cebu City or call us at 505-9759/4155003 or email us at cebunorth_ med@pagibigfund.gov.ph or cebusouth_med@pagibigfund. gov.ph.(mbcn/HFG/PIA7 & PagIbig North)
TESDA-LNAS conducts career guidance advocacy SIQUIJOR (PIA)--The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Lazi National Agricultural School in Lazi, Siquijor conducted a Career Guidance and Advocacy Seminar to public Secondary Schools in the province in line with Department of Education's (DepEd) celebration of the Career Guidance Week in the last week of July 2013. The TESDA-LNAS Career Guidance and Advocacy Team graced the Career Guidance and Advocacy Seminar in DepEd-Lazi National Agricultural School and in Cang-alwang National High School recently. Topics include “High School Students and Their Career Path” facilitated by Elsa A. Apiag, Instructor I and the Designated Guidance Counselor and Registrar of TESDA-LNAS, Entrepreneurship and Gender and Development Mainstreaming in TVET facilitated by Brenda C. Bation, another Instructor I of TESDA-LNAS and Jose Chiquito M. Mahinay, Head Teacher I and Training Instruction Supervisor of the same school. The activity was participated by the high school graduating students and third year high school students for Cangalwang National High School who took the challenge of becoming successful in the near future by landing into jobs of their chosen career. (mbcn/rac/PIA7Siquijor & EAA-TESDA-LNAS) TESDA-LNAS Career Guidance Advocacy team (above photo) conducting Career Guidance Advocacy Seminar to students of Lazi National Agricultural School (in pink uniform) and Cang-alwang National High School in blue).
iSIQUIJOR
ON AUGUST 2013 HOLIDAYS:
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.
Fitr (source: Proc. No. 629, August 1, 2013)
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PUBLIC ADVISORY August 9, 2013 - Regular Holiday in observance of Eid'l NATIONAL HOLIDAYS (source: Proc. No. 459 - August 16, 2012) August 26 - National Heroes Day - Regular Holiday
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
Over 43T families in CV benefits Pantawid Pamilya in 2013
PIA News Digest DILG allots P170M to renovate police stations nationwide
By Jennifer C. Tilos (PIA)--This year’s seventh set of beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya include the 43,329 households in Central Visayas from the more than 889.000 households Department of Interior and nationwide. Of the total number from Region7, its first batch of 1,731 household- Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II said a total budget of beneficiaries shall begin its registration this August. All four provinces have its share of new members, with Bohol having P170 million has been allotted for the 177 families from 43 municipalities; Cebu with 708 households from 50 local renovation of around 1,700 dilapidated government units (LGUs); for Negros Oriental, 723 from 18 LGUs and 123 from police stations nationwide. Roxas said each police station the four municipalities in Siquijor. can receive a minimum of P100,000 Before this year ends, the first set of more than 25,000 beneficiaries would for the renovation work “to give lawmen undergo a transition from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s dignity in their place of work.” (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilya program to the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood He emphasized that the budget Program as they continue their journey in crossing poverty. can help improve ventilation and repairs According to DSWD information officer Aileen Lariba this program started of roofs, toilets, lightings, and other in 2008, DSWD’s conditional cash transfer program gained popularity and benefits fixtures. by increasing the number of children in school and their participation rate, reducing Roxas has already asked the drop out and child labor. police commanders to identify things or Lariba said for these alone, it was able to put 7.3 children in school items they want to repair or renovate at nationwide. The once negative now turned positive health seeking behaviour of their stations with corresponding costs mothers especially the pregnant and lactating. per item. The program is dubbed as Oplan As of 2012 impact evaluation of 83.6 percernt of the poor under the program Hilamos. are prioritizing their health such as vitamins, de-worming and weight monitoring. “Having worked for some countries, it is now the flag bearer of hope in terms of poverty alleviation and social development for the Philippines because of its scientific targeting system and transparency,” said Lariba. DSWD personnel will conduct the orientation and registration of new Pantawid Pamilya members. Documents such as birth certificates of children of both parents and children, baptismal and marriage certificate if available and 2x2 picture are needed for the registration. However prior to these household to be officially declared a member, they are to understand and sign the Oath of Commitment that they would follow the set conditions of the program. Conditions include pre-natal and post-natal, delivery a trained health professional, preventive health check-up once a month; enrollment of their children and 85% attendance in school and attendance to family development sessions once a month. Failure to commit to these conditions would mean non-registration, Lariba added. (mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)
N U T R I T I O N CULMINATION PROGRAM: Larena town's nutrition month celebration is capped with screening for anemia, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterolnemia among adults and children, deworming and vitamin A supplementation for children, iron supplementation for children and adult, body mass index determination, and a Healthy Lifestyle symposium on July 31 at Nonoc Barangay Hall. S u p p l y distribution to families with malnourished preschoolers and agricultural product exhibit and "pinaka" contest also follow in the afternoon. (RAC/ PIA-Siquijor