ONE VISAYAS Vol. 2 Issue 2 (corrected)

Vol 2

Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8

Issue 2

In this Issue

No terrorist threat in Cebu’s Sinulog, Cebu City police assure

will be dispatched in the parade routes, this is learned.

Buenafe however, also urged the public to also cooperate and get involved in making the Sinulog celebration a success by imme diately reporting any suspicious people in their area.

by Amor Saludar

WESTERN VISAYAS

Embroidery on the spot. A young woman embroiders a barong made of pina right in the display area of her company's pina cloth products during the opening of the Kalibo Ati-atihan Products Expo 2012. The products expo is a regular attraction of the Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival and an opportunity to Aklan's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their unique products and attract buyers. (PIA/vgv)

More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

Also CLICK Here…

CENTRAL VISAYAS

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo (far left) hands over the monetary aid from NDRMMC for the families of victims who died due to Typhoon Sendong that struck Negros Oriental on Dec. 17, 2011. With the governor is OCD-7 Regional Director Minda Morante (2nd from left). The aid worth P10,000 was given to each of the 38 beneficiaries on Jan. 5, 2012 at the Session Hall in Capitol, Dumaguete City. (RMN/PIA NEGOR)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

EASTERN VISAYAS

Leyte governor Jericho Petilla (right) answers questions from the private media and members of the Association of Government Information Officers 8 (AGIO8) during the Harampang ha PIA at PIA regional office, Tacloban City, January 13. Also in photo is PIA 8 regional director Olive Tiu, moderator. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

January 9—15, 2012

CEBU CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe said there is no intelligence report that indicates any possible terrorist attack in Cebu City during the ongoing Sinulog Festival.

“We want to assure the public that there is no report on any possible terrorist attack in Cebu City’s Sinulog event. But your police continues to remain vigilant against any criminal elements that are out to disrupt the occasion,” Buenafe said Millions of spectators are expected to watch and join the grand parade, the highlighted event of the Sinulog fiesta celebration in Cebu City.

Cebu City policemen on full red alert status starting today while the permit to carry firearms in Cebu City has been suspended until the 26th to ensure that the Sinulog festivities will remain The Sinulog Festival celebration in Cebu City. peaceful.

To ensure the safety of the people particularly “The police cannot do it alone. We need the on Sunday’s grand parade, 10,000 combined support and cooperation of everybody to make sure members of the police, military, criminology that the Sinulog event is a peaceful one,” Buenafe students, fraternities and other civilian volunteers stressed. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)

Leyte festivals join Sinulog 2012

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 13 (PIA) -- The Lingganay Festival of Alangalang and the Karatong Festival of Dulag are two festivals in the province of Leyte that will participate in the forthcoming Sinulog Festival 2012 in Cebu City come January 15.

Alangalang’s Lingganay Festival was the grand champion while Dulag’s Karatong Festival was the second placer in the 2011 Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.

Leyte, under the leadership of governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, is giving its full support to the two contingents to the Sinulog Festival.

Both the Lingganay Festival and the Karatong Festival were given financial assistance from the provincial government of Leyte, in the amount of P800,000 each.

Governor Jericho “Icot” Petilla said the province is committed to support and conserve

Leyte’s cultural heritage by engaging local festivals in national festival competitions as colorful and prestigious as the Sinulog Festival.

Gov. Petilla said fielding and maintaining a contingent in various festival competitions around the country is no joke, considering the preparations both physical and financial just to be able to compete.

Meanwhile, Alangalang Mayor Loreto Yu and Dulag Mayor Manuel Sia Que, expressed their gratitude for the governor’s unending support to make the various festivals in Leyte grow and flourish.

Lingganay Festival is vying for the first time, in the nationally acclaimed Sinulog Festival in Cebu City this January.

Both mayors are hoping against hope that they will be able to represent Leyte well in the prestigious Sinulog Festival. (PIA-8)

Boracay posts 908,875 tourist arrivals in 2011

by Venus G. Villanueva KALIBO, Aklan, Jan. 10 (PIA6) -- A total of 908,875 foreign and domestic tourists visited Boracay Island in 2011.

In his monthly Governor’s Report to the People program aired over a local radio station here, Governor Carlito S. Marquez said that the number of visitor arrivals in 2011 was 16.57 percent higher than in 2010, an increase of 129,209 tourist arrivals.

In 2010, 779,666 visitors were recorded to have visited Boracay Island.

Of the arrivals last year, April posted the highest number, with 121,301 visitors, followed by May with 98,279 and December, with 88,615.

Tourist arrivals last year were recorded, thus: January, 69,603; February, 67,534; March, 73,666; June, 68,359; July, 65,431; August, 63,438; September, 52,994; October, 71,175 and November, 67,432.

Earlier last year in his radio reports, Governor

Marquez predicted that the 2011 tourist arrivals could reach 900,000 with the trend of the monthly arrivals.

Presently, the provincial government is preparing much needed facilities for the convenience of tourists, domestic or foreign, as it braces for the arrival of 1 million tourists this year or in 2013.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) here under Airport Manager Percy Malonesio expressed optimism that the additional international flights soon to land at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) will further increase tourist arrivals in the province, particularly Boracay Island.

Malonesio said that in March of this year, Cebu Pacific will have direct flights from Hongkong to KIA. Malonesio also revealed that presently, KIA receives 7 daily flights from South Korea and Taipei, Taiwan. (JSC/VGV-PIA 6 Aklan)

WESTERN VISAYAS

2 DA to focus WVisayas

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ILOILO PROVINCIAL CAPITOL by: Vicente W. Villavert ILOILO CITY, Jan. 11 (PIA6) -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) here said that it will actively promote the use of agricultural machinery among farmers in Western Visayas to jumpstart the Aquino government’s farm mechanization and post-harvest program.

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nder this program, the DA will assist farmers acquire modern farm technology. Government will shoulder 85 percent of the equipment’s value while the remaining 15 percent will be paid for by the proponent or farmers’ association.

“It is high time to introduce to our farmers in Western Visayas to adopt modern farming by using farm machineries and equipments and other post harvest initiatives to attain efficiency in rice farming and likewise attain self-sufficiency,” DA 6 Regional Director Larry Nacionales said in a PIA interview.

Nacionales said that Region 6 posted a good harvest in year 2011 with more than two million metric tons “which helped pushed us to the number two slot in the country as rice producing region.”

With the good rice harvest last year, the DA 6 director expressed hope that the region’s rice produce would improve further if the use of modern farm equipments are in full scale.

Only very few farmers in the region are using modern farm equipments,” Nacionales said as he noted that several of our farmers are still not free from the

farming chores like the required backbreaking manual labor in land preparation, planting the seed, and reaping the harvest, itself a complex and hazardous task of cutting, collecting, bundling, threshing, and loading.

Nacionales cited as example the Rice Combine Harvester, a machine that combines harvesting, threshing, cleaning, and bagging in one operation which will help farmers for a fast post-harvest activities where in some occasion manpower for harvesting are not available or insufficient. (JCM/TWV/ PIA6-iloilo)

Capiceños benefit from Diskwento Caravans in 2011

by Alex A. Lumaque

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Jan. 11 (PIA 6) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Provincial Office in Capiz has conducted two Diskwento Caravans here last year to provide an alternative market for cheaper goods and basic commodities among Capiceños. bout 2,655 Capiceño buyers the activity has generated P62,715 total the DTI initiative last year to give more benefited with a total of P1.7 sales. people a chance to buy basic commodities, million worth of items sold in the Consumer products sold at the medicine and even school supplies at week-long in-house Diskwento Caravan recent caravan, include among others, lower prices. last May, which was participated in by 11 cheese, ham, sausages and other food In 2010, there were only about nine local retailers. products, flavoring and spices, pasta, bath caravans.

A similar event was staged last Dec. and laundry soaps, toilet bowel cleaner, However, the pro-poor program was 15 at the public plaza here which was dishwashing detergents, noodles and conducted in various areas nationwide in supported by four manufacturers and six softdrinks.

2011 following Pres. Aquino’s directive to distributors.

The administration of Pres. Benigno S. expand the program. (JCM/AAL/PIA 6 Based on records of DTI in Capiz, Aquino III has expanded the coverage of Capiz)

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Dinagyang 2012 sets P1.4 cash prizes for contest winners

by Jaime S. Cabag, Jr. ILOILO CITY, Jan. 13 (PIA6) -- Organizers of Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival are preparing a total of P1.4 million in cash prizes for the major and minor awards in this year’s edition of the festival.

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f the cash prizes at stake, P510,000 will go to the Dinagyang Ati Contest, P390,000 to the Kasadyahan Regional Cultural Competition, P103,500 miscellaneous Events, P190,000 to Tambor Trumpa Martsa Musika and P250,000 to Dinagyang Pyrolympics: Luces in the Sky. The prizes were approved by the Finance Group of the Steering Committee chaired by former city councilor Ramon Cua Locsin, who also sits as vice chair of the Dinagyang 2012 Festival Board and Marissa Segovia, Finance Group festival treasurer and budget in-charge.

The events set to receive prizes are distributed throughout the festival period and will culminate in the Kasadyahan cultural on Jan. 21 and Ati tribe

competitions on Jan. 22.

The prizes will be handed in to the winners during the culminating program on the evening of Jan. 22.

Meanwhile, the organizers have released the updated schedule of activities of the festival, which highlight specific events. Opening salvo for the feast of Senor Sto. Nino is on Jan. 11. Santo Nino novena masses shall be held Jan. 11-19.

Opening salvo is on Jan. 13. Dinagyang 2012 Mayor’s Cup Golf Tournament is on Jan. 14-15. Miss Teen Dinagyang coronation is on Jan. 16. Coronation of Queen Juana 2012 and Nino Dinagyang and Miss Iloilo Dinagyang coronation is on Jan. 18. Dinagyang Pyrolympics: Luces in the Sky is on Jan. 19-20. Sineng Pambansa: 2nd Iloilo International Film FestivaL is on

Jan. 19-21. Dinagyang IHRRA Food Festival is on Jan. 19-22. TAMBOR TRUMPA MARTSA MUSIKA, the 1st Iloilo Chinese-Filipino Trade Expo and fluvial procession is set to happen on Jan. 20.

Kasadyahan regional cultural competition is on Jan. 21 and the Dinagyang Ati Contest is on Jan. 22.

A thanksgiving mass will wrap the Dinagyang festivities on Jan. 23.

Iloilo’s Dinagyang is one of Western Visayas major religious and cultural festivals and tourist attractions. Regional development planners would be initiating moves to align it with other major festivals in the region in order that they would complement and enhance each other for overall tourism development and promotion in the region. (JCM/JSC/PIA6)

WESTERN VISAYAS

NEW GOVERNMENT CENTER—BACOLOD CITY

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Infra dev't projects improve Iloilo's rank as IT-BPO hub by: Elsa S. Subong

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 12 (PIA6) -- Recent infrastructure development projects have helped improve Iloilo City's standing as a hub for information technology and business process outsourcing (IT-BPO) firms.

Tholons Advisory Investments and Research, a global outsourcing and investment firm, has recently cited Iloilo City for improving its ranking by six notches, from rank 98 in 2010 to rank 92 in 2011, in its 2012 Top 100 Outsourcing Destinations.

Mayor Jed Mabilog said these infrastructure projects include the coal-fired power plant, the land and building developments and the widening of roads.

Other Philippine cities had maintained their 2010 ranking: Manila, 4th; Cebu, 9th; and, Davao, 69th.

A press release from the City Information office said that this is the biggest improvement Iloilo has made so far, which according to Mayor Mabilog, showed Iloilo City is making a mark as an international outsourcing destination.

The Tholons report said Iloilo City has seen fast-rising infrastructure development for the IT-BPO sector, and has shown determination to accelerate this industry in the Southeast Asian cities.

Tholons further stated that Iloilo City is among the fast-rising BPO centers in the Philippines, which is touted as the world’s

call center capital.

Meanwhile, President Aquino, in a Malacanang dispatch, said that there is no need for the Philippines to lobby against the anti-outsourcing bill in US Congress that may affect Philippine jobs, considering that this is election year in America.

The US House Bill 3598 or the Call Center and Consumers Protection Bill provides that call center operators will be required to identify their location, giving US callers the option of choosing a US-based operator. (JCM/ESS/ PIA-Iloilo)

One-stop-shop saves time for business, gains investments in San Jose

by Pilar S. Mabaquiao SAN JOSE, Antique, Jan. 10 (PIA6) -- The one-stop-shop for business registration of San Jose de Buenavista has saved business precious time and attracted investments.

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he One-stop-shop business permit registration in San Jose is open until January 20.

Concerned departments of the Municipal Government, national government agencies are lined-up in one location. There is no need for the applicant to go to different offices and seek for approval or have their signatures in the application form, disclosed Jubilan.

San Jose Mayor Rony Molina said that as local chief executive, "we should be facilitative of the needs of the business group in our locality to attract more investment".

“There’s a need to hasten the process and short cut bureaucratic requirements to create an enabling business

environment and encourage the growth of business sector,” he explained.

In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry(DTI) who is also a close partner of LGU San Jose in this endeavor, commended Mayor Molina for personally supervising the operation of one-stop-shop since it started in 2008.

Provincial Director Jose Divinagracia said that DTI has high regard of the workforce of LGU San Jose for institutionalizing a one-stop-shop every January where business permit renewal is at its peak.

This is a laudable effort worth emulating by other local government units (LGUs) in compliance to the Business Permit Licensing System Reform Standardization, he said.

“ Ou r d e p a r t m e n t a n d t h e Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) are working towards the competitiveness of LGUs in attracting more investments and one of the approach is the simplification and standardization of permit and licensing system,” explained Divinagracia.

On the other hand, Molina mentioned that peace and order also contributed a lot in maintaining conducive business atmosphere.

Business permit registration and renewal is expected to reach 2,000 way ahead of 2010 registered permit which is 1,517 with total business tax earned amounting to 14,181,818.

(JCM/PSM/PIA6 Antique)

Australia to hold expo in NegOcc

by Carolina A. Dionela BACOLOD CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA6) -- Januario John Rivas of the Philippine Consulate to Australia called on Neg.Occ. Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. recently to discuss preparations for a Trade and Tourism Expo to be held in Negros Occidental in March, a press release from Capitol said.

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he expo is expected to bring tour operators from Australia to the Philippines and serve as an avenue for the hiring of Negrense skilled workers and the promotion of study-migrate and tourism and retirement programs.

Rivas said Australia is outsourcing

about 4.8 million skilled workforce from various countries including the Philippines.

Gov. Marañon expressed interest in the study-migrate program of Australia, and plans to provide scholarship programs to interested Negrense graduates provided they pass the qualification

standards, the press release said.

Marañon assigned the Negros Occidental Language and Information Center to coordinate with the Office of the Consul for the upcoming event.* (Capitol News/JSC/CAD-PIA6 NegOcc)

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CENTRAL VISAYAS

Cebu officials favor ‘It’s More Fun in the PH’ CEBU PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

by Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, Jan. 11 (PIA) -- Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city can aptly adopt the new tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” especially during the annual Sinulog celebration dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the country.

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ama said Cebu City can take on the DOT slogan that it’s fun to be in Cebu especially during the Sinulog period.

In a news article, Rama was quoted as saying that “Cebu City and the province can adopt the slogan 'It's always fun in Cebu. Be in Cebu.”

Rama said the Sinulog Grand Parade, which is held every 3rd Sunday of January, has proven to be the biggest festival in the

Philippines based on the volume of tourists that flock to Cebu either to have “fun” during the mardi gras.

Tourists include locals who are devotees to the Holy Child Jesus Señor Sto. Niño.

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale also expressed support for the DOT slogan.

Gov. Gwen Garcia on the other hand, said that whatever the slogan, what is most important is the unity among all

Filipinos in promoting the country.

Garcia said that there will always be people who are in favor and not in favor of the new slogan amid criticisms that it is similar to Switzerland’s tourism slogan in 1951. But what should prevail is that the campaign is good for our country, thus, the need to promote it as an ideal tourism destination in this part of the region, Garcia added. (PIA-Cebu)

Silliman U’s Simulation Lab Project receives $500,000 Grant

by Rachelle M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) -- Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental received a grant of US$500,000 from the Office of the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) for the development of a virtual simulation laboratory. he grant was released through the Garcia. healthcare students in determining the United Board for Christian Higher Said equipment will provide the proper administration of medicines and Education in Asia. university’s students and healthcare conduct of related medical procedures,” This will allow the university to professionals in neighboring schools and he added. renovate its existing virtual laboratory, provinces an opportunity to analyze With the grant, SU hopes to said Mark Raygan Garcia, director of SU decisions and courses of action by enhancing the capability of the virtual Office of Information and Publications in a simulating different hospital-based laboratory and expand its coverage. statement. conditions.

Part of the university’s plan is to to “It includes purchase of equipment, Garcia said SU currently has a develop web-based courses and content including human patient and other robotic virtual laboratory set up at the Olivia from the simulation exercises to facilitate simulators which are critical to recreate Villaflores-Yanson Hall which features collective learning and interaction on various scenarios such as natural “STAN”, a human patient simulator. real-life situations. (RMN/PIA Negros calamities and other disasters,” said “The laboratory is being used by Oriental with reports form SU-OIP)

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36 Bohol LGUs earn good governance seal stamp from DILG

by Rey Anthony Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 10 (PIA) -– Thirty-six (36) out of 47 local government units in Bohol province earned the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently.

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he DILG awards the seal to local government units that have satisfactorily shown exemplary transparency and accountability, participation and performance innovation into institutionalized status for better service to their constituents and the country in general.

All LGUS in the country are subjected to the test of good housekeeping. LGUs with exemplary performance in good governance and internal housekeeping which can be gleaned from good planning, sound fiscal management, values transparency and accountability and a good performance monitoring, are awarded the seal, reads the DILG website.

D I LG - B oh ol Se a l o f G o o d

Housekeeping focal person Maria Reina Quilas said, these 36 towns now qualify to get grants from the Millennium Challenge Fund for additional resource in their efforts to beat the United Nation’s established millennium development goals.

Passing the threshold for these criteria in the third round of evaluations are Tagbilaran City, Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Bien Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape.

Corella, Danao, Dimiao, Garcia-Hernandez, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Lila, Loon, Sagbayan, San Isidro, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Talibon, Trinidad, Tubigon and Valencia.

Earlier, the towns of Maribojoc, Catigbian and Balilihan received the

awards during the first round of evaluations.

Then, Loboc, Panglao, Dauis, Clarin, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, San Miguel, Jagna and Ubay snagged the awards during the second round of local government performance management system assessments.

Eleven (11) more towns of Bohol hope to get the stamp soon.

The third round of evaluations the DILG had also formally stamp to Bohol Province the Seal of Good Housekeeping, one of the very few provincial governments brandishing the citation, proudly said governor Edgar Chatto last week. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)

CENTRAL VISAYAS

CEBU CITY HALL

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NegOr Gov seeks financial aid for repair of storm-damaged infra

by Rachelle M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo is seeking financial assistance from the national government for the repair of local infrastructure that were destroyed by the flood brought by Typhoon Sendong last month. he provincial government needs a not enough to cover the needed amount rivers in the province are currently total of P1.2 billion to repair storm for the repair of said infrastructure underway after the provincial government -ravaged roads, bridges, spillways, facilities. allotted P8 million to rent the needed flood control and river dikes, schools, Typhoon Sendong that hit the heavy equipment for said activities. irrigation, among others. province on Dec. 17, 2011 caused Okoy, Another P5 million was released for The governor has earlier submitted Banica and Tanjay rivers to overflow, the construction of gabions as flood his request for financial aid in a report to triggering floods to sweep away houses control dikes and the purchase of water the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). and damage infrastructure facilities. pipes and service drop wires. (RMN/PIA According to Gov. Degamo, the The deepening, dredging and Negros Oriental) provincial government’s calamity fund is rechanneling of Okoy, Banica and other

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Siquijor woman farmer makes it to the national 2011 Rural Women Award

by Rizalie Anding Calibo SIQUIJOR, Jan. 9 (PIA) -- A Siquijor woman farmer was cited as one of the outstanding women in the field of agriculture during the 2011 Rural Women Award at the national level.

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report from the Siquijor Provincial Agriculture Office said Martina Tumala-Inapan, 53, from barangay Cansayang, San Juan, Siquijor has engaged in Diversified and Integrated Farming System for years now.

The citation was made by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and other members of the Inter-Agency Committee on Rural Women, the report said.

Inapan received a P20,000 cash prize and a citation from the DA Gender and Development Focal System and the Inter-agency Committee on Rural Women.

The search for outstanding rural women aims to recognize rural women with exceptional ab ilities and contributions particularly in the fields of farming and fishing that uplifted the lives of the people in the community.

With the one hectare lot inherited from her parents, Martina slowly

transformed the once rocky soil into a productive rice farm, even as some portions were planted to vegetables and rootcrops.

The almost seven-hectare farm land now offers various ornamentals plants, several ponds of tilapia, assorted fruit and forest trees and banana plants grown in patches .

An advocate of the integrated pest management and environmental preservation, Martina produces her own vermicast and carbonized rice hull and compost as a source of fertilizer.

The family also produces its own feed formulation for both livestock and tilapia feeds out of the rice and corn mill that they own and operate. The family also owns a floating tiller and thresher, and other farm implements, which they consider as their partners in making an enterprise out of farming, the report reads.

According to Cansayang Barangay Captain Lilia Tumala, Martina’s leadership

is a very good example to the neighborhood. She let her neighbors learn farming technologies and her farm is open to all farmers and visitors.

DA Secretary Proceso Alcala has recognized that rural women are not just ‘helpers’of their farmer or fisher-husbands. Instead, rural women are also the decision makers in looking for capital, selecting the crops, record keeping of finances, and paying of debts.

Other outstanding women awardeess are Myrna Conmigo-Acayen of Barangay Digdigon, Goa, Camarines Sur as “Outstanding Rural Woman of the Year”; (1st to 4th runners-up): Remia Navarro-Apostol of Koronadal, South Cotabato; Rebecca Castro-Tubongbanua of Buenavista, Guimaras; and Virginia Dentero-Dureza of Brookespoint, Palawan. They also received cash prizes and citations. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor with reports from OPA/DA-PATCO)

TESDA opens Technopreneurship Program in NegOr

by Jennifer Catan-Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has announced the initial launch of TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) in Negros Oriental. ccording to Information Officer business on their own, said Delos Reyes. providing manpower support especially to Geraldine Delos Reyes of TESDA, In Dumaguete City, f i v e the Typhoon Sendong victims. the project aims to organize community-based service aggrupations are Those interested to avail of the TESDA trained and National Certificate organized with 10 Specialista per group. services of these TESDA Specialistas may Level II (NC II) graduates into small The members include workers in contact Shiela Ocariza at TESDA entrepreneurial groups to carry out their Computer Hardware Servicing, Welding, Provincial Office or at telephone number trade in the community.

Building/House & Maintenance Services, 422-9481 or CP No. 09263261179.

These graduates forming the Automotive/Vehicle Maintenance Service TESDA Director General Joel aggrupation will be nurtured by TESDA in and Appliance Repair Services.

Villanueva will formally launch the TSTP, partnership with local government units The TSTP is attuned with the nationwide in January, 2012. (PIA/JCT) (LGUs) until such time they can do government’s rehabilitation efforts by

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EASTERN VISAYAS

Eastern Samar gets more CCT beneficiaries

by Samuel D. Candido

LEYTE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 8 (DSWD)-8) recently identified 7,187 new registered households beneficiaries for the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) subsidy program.

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his was reported by Ms. Febie N. Palines, Social Welfare Officer III/ Provincial Coordinator of 4Ps. She said that the seven municipalities include: Borongan with 2,744 beneficiaries; San-Julian-744; Balangkayan-572; Oras-315; Can-avid-1,158; Quinapondan-882 and Balangiga-772.

She added that there are also 4, 317 new household beneficiaries which are registered and are being validated or partially tabulated to date in five municipalities namely: Dolores-2,200, Llorente-997 (additional), Hernani-74 (additional), Maslog-56 (additional) and Salcedo-990.

Aside from the abovementioned, another 9,426 new targeted potential household beneficiaries are subject for registration and validation by staff of Pantawid Pamilya Cluster Operations Unit Field Office in seven more municipalities namely: Merecedes-409, Guiuan-3,492, Lawa-an-985, Sulat-1,063, Giporlos-1,078, Maydolong-952 and Taft-1,447.

Last year there were 5,484 families who are still enjoying the cash subsidy until to date, at a maximum of P1,400 monthly in seven municipalities: Arteche-1,297, Hernani-544, Maslog-430, Llorente-437, Jipapad-694, San Policarpo-1,052 and Mac-Arthur-1,030.

The report added that this new registered household beneficiaries will receive their first payment in March, while those subject for registration and validation will receive theirs in April or May. These new additional beneficiaries were identified through DSWD’s National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHT-PR) and were validated through the coordination with the local government units (LGUs) of E. Samar.

For 2012, all 22 municipalities and one city of the province are already under the CCT coverage.(PIA-Eastern Samar)

Catbalogan City braces for disaster response

by Ninfa B Quirante CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 12 (PIA) -- Catbalogan City is beefing up its disaster preparedness as the city has been experiencing heavy rains these past weeks.

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lliot Lopez, Disaster Risk Reducation Management Council Action officer said that they will hold a meeting tomorrow at the city hall to prepare mitigation strategies.

He also reported that two houses in Barangay Guinsurungan have been damaged due to movement of the earth, this he reported to the Office of the Civil Defense today.

“We have repeatedly warned these barangay folks to stay somewhere safe but sometimes they are obstinate and reason

out that they will not sleep there, but I told them landslide does not necessarily occur only when they are asleep,” said Lopez.

He added that he instructed Barangay chairman Alfredo Piczon to monitor the place, Guinsurungan is the next barangay to Bunuanan, Catbalogan where a family and a boy perished in a landslide in October and November 2011.

“The city government is going to relocate them somewhere safe which the Office of the Civil Defense and the GTZ

will support,” added Lopez, “but the LGU will still inspect both the relocation site and the present dwelling of these rural folks.”

In an earlier report, some 103 families from barangay Bunuanan have been recommended for relocation to safer grounds.

This will be one of the agenda in the meeting tomorrow which Mayor Ceofredo Uy will preside. (PIA-Samar)

BILECO to hold public hearing for approval of 2011-2016 capital expenditure program

by Rodrigo S. Victoria NAVAL, Biliran, Jan. 11 (PIA) - - The Biliran Electric Cooperative, Incorporated (Bileco) will hold a public hearing that will involve the future financial outlook and how it will relate to the improvement in the delivery of quality services of the lone electric cooperative in the province of Biliran.

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he public hearing is scheduled on January 24, 2012 at around 10:00 a.m. to be held at the Bileco main office located in Barangay Caray-Caray , Naval, Biliran, according to a Bileco press statement dated January 5, 2011 furnished to PIA. The public hearing will tackle the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Case No. 2011-157 entitled, “In the matter of the application for approval of capital expenditure program for the years 2011-2016 with prayers for authority to secure loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and

provisional authority,” it said.

The ERC delegation will be led by Commissioner Alfredo J. Non who will preside the public hearing that will be conducted.

Meanwhile, in the ERC application for approval of capital expenditure program for the years 2011-2016 of Bileco, the projects are as follows with its corresponding total project cost: substation sub-transmission development projects-P54,378,211; primary distribution development projects-P21,425,326.50; asset renewal projects-P7,777,386.30;other capital

expendi ture: network projects-P19,063.587.7; other capital expenditure: non-network projects institutional development (ISD)-P4 ,359,900 ; other capit a l expenditure: non-network projects finance services department (FSD)-P3,275,819.8; other capital expenditure: non-network projects technical services department (TSD)-P3, 209,661.90.The grand total of the network and non-network projects is P113,358,561.22. (PIA-Biliran)

EASTERN VISAYAS

7

Police say NSamar generally peaceful in 2011 TACLOBAN CITY HALL

by Ailene Nalazon-Diaz

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, Jan. 12 (PIA) - - "Generally peaceful,” this was the assessment of PNP provincial director Brigido B. Unay of the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office (NSPPO) in appraising the peace and order situation of Northern Samar for year 2011. Police recorded 509 crime incidents which were lower than that of 2010.

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his, he disclosed during a one-hour radio interview in “Huruhimangraw sa Panginudto,” a PIA hosted radio program aired over DYSM. For 2012, Unay said, they will pursue and intensify the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) to further strengthen the crime prevention efforts in the locality.

“The PIPS is an effective strategy in reducing if not eradicating criminality in the area and preventing criminals in executing their lawless activities,” Unay

added.

The police will employ four strategies for PIPS: intensify police visibility to stave off street crime operations; recover loose firearms where they will put an end to the proliferation of loose firearms; apprehension of those with warrant of arrest; and strengthen police-community partnership.

One of the best strategies too is in involving the community through the establishment of Barangay Peacekeeping

Action Teams (BPATs), a community based support envisioned to help the Philippine National Police (PNP) in peacekeeping operations, Unay explained.

"Although we prioritize these areas, we will not however slow down on anti-drug campaign and apprehending those committing violations against special laws." Unay stressed. (PIANorthern Samar)

Maasin City gets P20-M DILG support fund from DILG

by Bong Pedalino MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- The city local government unit here was a recipient of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the amount of P20 million. he city government received the Information Agency (PIA). was earlier estimated at around P47 said grant for having garnered This also showed that the city million. numerous awards and citations, succeeded in clinching the Seal of Good Hatayna said among the project and which the DILG duly considered, said Housekeeping as part of the full disclosure proposed in the use of funds were City Mayor Maloney Samaco a radio policy, Samaco added. improvements of the Maasin Commercial program this morning.

On Friday, City Councilor Rene Complex, roads, bridges, and a Also considered in LGSF is an LGUs Hatayna told PIA that the P20 million new slaughterhouse slated to be compliance with the full disclosure policy grant can do much to cushion the impact c o n s t r u c t e d a r o u n d barangay of the DILG, Samaco said in a follow-up of the expected decrease in this year's Dongon-Bato I area. (PIA-Southern Leyte) phone interview by the Philippine Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), which

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First-ever Regional Taboan to gather creative writers in Eastern Visayas

By Neil D. Lopido TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 12 (PIA) - - The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in cooperation with Katig Writers Network Inc. and the Leyte Normal University (LNU) - Panrehiyong Sentro sa Wikang Filipino through the leadership of Voltaire Q. Oyzon will be holding its first-ever Katig Han Sinirangnan Bisayas: 2012 Regional Taboan Satellite Activity, a gathering of creative writers in Eastern Visayas next month at the Leyte Normal University, this city.

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his was learned from Harold L. Mercurio, the regional coordinator of the National Committee on Literary Arts who said that this writers g a th e ri n g i n Re g io n 8 i s a committee-initiated project of NCLA jointly implemented by the Katig Writers Network Inc. and LNU to promote creative writing in the region and establish camaraderie among the writers in Samar, Leyte, Biliran and Capul.

The said activity is geared to decentralize NCCA projects, activities, and at the same time, establish a core group of writers that will spearhead the preservation of the writings in Waray, Sebuano and Inabaknon in Region 8,

Mercurio said.

The activity, he said, has two components: the writers’ forum and the literary performances.

Mercurio further said that activities during the forum include the introduction of representatives from various organizations under the Katig Writers Network Inc., paper presentations, open-forum, and election of the new set of officers of Katig for 2012.

Meanwhile, the literary performances spearheaded by the Sinirangan Culture and Arts Development Center of LNU will feature local writers from Leyte and Samar in dramatic reading and mini-theatrical performances.

Writers will also be given the chance to read their newly-written poems as part of the said literary showcase.

All expenses which include the materials, fare and food during the duration of the activity will be shouldered by the NCCA, while LNU will provide an overnight accommodation for participants living outside Tacloban City, Mercurio concluded.

Katig Writers Network Inc. is an umbrella organization of local writers in Eastern Visayas which includes the NwSSU -Lamiraw Literary Arts Organization and CALAO Writers Inc. in Calbayog City and Abaknon Literary Arts Guild Inc. in Capul, Northern Samar. (PIA-8/KWNI)

One Visayas e‐newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

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Editorial Consultants Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Regional Director, PIA6

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