ONE VISAYAS E-NEWSLETTER

Vol I

Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8

Issue 3

September 12– 18, 2011

In this Issue WESTERN VISAYAS

Rene Patron, a tri-sikad driver and a single parent to four kids from Lopez-Jaena Norte, Iloilo City thanks the government for its help to his family as one of beneficiaries of 4Ps or CCT program at a recent DSWD press conference. To his left are DSWD officials. (PIA6/TVillavert)

♦ No more childbirths at home for 4 Iloilo towns

♦ CCT beneficiaries in WVisayas to be employed

♦ Aklan’s excess fruits will be turned to wine ♦ Antique bizmen learn best P.2-3 practices of Naga City

CENTRAL VISAYAS

by Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

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LOILO CITY, Sept. 13 (PIA) -- Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Regional Director Alfonso Bedonia, Jr. said the government can save a lot of money through centralized electronic procurement, which is now required in all government agencies and offices under a recent administrative order of President Benigno S. Aquino III. Bedonia pointed out at recent Regional Development Council-DevAd Committee meeting here that instead of procuring common-use supplies including bond paper, ballpens, pencils, and ink and for contracting infrastructure projects thru the usual method, government entities including local government units are now required to purchase online through the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS).

Bedonia said this way, the government can save some P568 million from advertisements for procurement and project bids. Earlier, the DBM estimated that national savings from procurement expenses could run up to P6 billion a year.

The directive, embodied in Administrative Order No. 17 issued by President Aquino in July this year, is in accor-

Signing of MOU on child labor elimination set

by Ailene Diaz Education. Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries believe education is still the key to freedom from the bondage of poverty. These children enjoy going to school now because they already have the means to do so from the program's cash grants. (PIA7/DSWD7)

♦ P-Noy, up close and personal with Pantawid beneficiaries in Bohol

♦ NGCP plants power infra lures Bohol investments

♦ Valencia mayor to discuss LGU practices in int'l tax summit

♦ Siliman University to host regional economic summit

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EASTERN VISAYAS

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ATARMAN, Northern Samar, Sept. 15 (PIA) -– Key agencies of the province of Northern Samar led by the Provincial Government and International Labor Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC) will finally enter into a written agreement to signify and capture their collective commitment in eliminating child labor as well as outline their specific roles in addressing child labor in the area.

Northern Samar is one of the four provinces in the Philippines to be the recipient of the International Labour Organization-International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC) that seeks to reduce the worst forms of child labor by as much as 75%.

In the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the agencies and ILO are bound to a common vision of pro-

dance with Republic Act No. 9184, the 2003 law providing for the modernization, standardization and regulation of procurement activities of the government. Its primary purpose is to promote transparency, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in government procurement process and implementation of procurement contracts.

The new system is also designed to help hasten the entire government procurement process, added Bedonia.

The supplies can be obtained from registered online suppliers and designated regional depots. The regional depot for Western Visayas is located in Negros Occidental. (JCM/JSC/PIA6)

DBM Regional Director Alfonso Bedonia, Jr. says that the government can generate substantial money savings via electronic procurement. (Photo by NEDA 6)

tecting the rights and welfare of Filipino children.

Specifically, various government, civil society, private sector and workers’ organizations and institutions in the province of Northern Samar affirmed to commit resources and assumed responsibilities in order to complement the ILO-IPEC Project to ensure that child laborers and at-risk children, especially those identified by the ILO-IPEC commissioned baseline survey, will be removed and prevented from conditions that are harmful to their proper development and their rights to education and development are fully upheld.

IPEC on the other hand, aimed to promote conditions which would enable the participating States to progressively regulate, restrict and prohibit child labor with the view to bringing about full observance of international labor standards.

Further, the signatories of the agreement shall pursue the mandate of the Constitution which provides: “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being.” (AND/PIA8)

Bohol, Negros Oriental named to DILG’s top 10 provinces list

by Jennifer Catan-Tilos

PIA 8 Regional Director Olive Tiu welcomes guests and participants to the First Aid Training for Media Practitioners in observance of the recent World First Aid Day. The training was led by PIA in cooperation with the provincial government of Leyte, Association of Government Information Officers 8, RDRRMC and PRC at Governor's Hall, Leyte Provincial Capitol, Tacloban City. (PIA-8) Cuayzon)

♦ GAs, NGOs, youth groups to hold coastal clean up in Tacloban

♦ “Orgownic” fashion show contest highlights 5th regional SWM summit

♦ NSO to lead state agencies in “Statistics Month” celebration

♦ Health summit awards inspire rural health units in Eastern Samar

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UMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 13 (PIA) – Bohol and Negros Oriental have been recognized by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as among the top performing provinces in the country.

Bohol ranked 1st while Negros Oriental ranked 4th among the top 10 provinces in the DILG's Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS) with a score of 4.8331, according to Farah Gentuya of DILG Negros Oriental.

The top 10 high performing provinces according to rank are: Bohol (4.9370); La Union (4.9115); Bulacan (4.8628); Negros Oriental (4.8331); Pangasinan (4.8185); Ilocos Norte (4.8185); Albay (4.8064); Cavite (4.8031); Compostela Valley (4.7812); and Tarlac (4.7773).

The 10 provinces joined 20 cities in the country recognized by DILG as top performing local government units (LGUs) for 2010 based on their high scores in the latest local government state of performance report.

The 10 governors and 20 mayors were cited for initiating and implementing programs designed to improve the lives of their constituents and on environmental protection, financial accountability and commitment to transparency.

These local government units (LGUs) garnered high performance scores in DILG’s Local Governance Performance Management System (LGPMS), a web-based, selfassessment tool that measures LGU performance in key governance areas and provides information on the status of LGUs in terms of local governance and development, said local government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

The LGPMS assesses LGU performance on the following areas: administrative, social, economic, and environmental governance, and fundamentals of good governance which include transparency, participation and financial accountability, said Gentuya.

The 10 provinces and 20 cities top performing LGUs got an average overall performance index ranging from 4.6415 to 4.9370, with one (1) as the lowest and five (5) as the highest. (JCT/PIA7)

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WESTERN VISAYAS

No more childbirths at home for 4 Iloilo towns

by Elsa S. Subong ILOILO, Sept. 12 (PIA) -- Four towns in Iloilo have already passed a municipal ordinance prohibiting pregnant mothers from giving birth at home. Instead, babies should be delivered at a birthing clinic or any accredited health facility.

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he said towns include Dingle, Concepcion, Estancia, and Bingawan, according to records from the Iloilo Provincial Capitol. The Provincial Board Committee on Health is reviewing the ordinance for ratification.

Provincial Board majority floor leader and chairman of Committee on Health Macario Napulan said the ordinances passed will help reduce, if not eliminate maternal and neonatal deaths in the province.

While some sectors including lawyers consider the ordinance “inhuman” and violates the pregnant woman’s right to choose where to give birth, Napulan said that this right ends when a mother’s life is in danger.

Napulan, also a practicing doctor, said the state will not allow a pregnant woman’s right to be compromised if that choice cannot guarantee safety.

The newly passed ordinance in Bingawan will help the town avail of capitalization fund

from the Department of Health.

A fine of P2,500, or six-month imprisonment will be imposed on violators of said ordinance.

Napulan said the creation of the ordinance prohibiting pregnant women from giving birth at home is in line with the national government’s implementation of the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Strategy. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

CCT beneficiaries in WVisayas to be employed

by TWVillavert ILOILO CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 6 will help recipients of the Conditional Cash Transfer program avail of guaranteed employment under the Trabahong Lansangan program.

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SWD project development officer Mary Ann Masculino said the agency has initially identified 29 families from Iloilo City, and the provinces of Antique and Aklan. The said families have been with the CCT of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program for three years.

Masculino said that the DSWD and the Department of Public Works and Highways have signed a memorandum of understanding at the national level that allows CCT beneficiaries to be employed for road maintenance, national bridges construction and

street sweeping, among others.

Masculino also said that for some beneficiaries who have entrepreneurial skills, the DSWD will help them and make sure that the activities they will engage in are market driven and resource based. “We will provide them with capital to help them start with their business so that they can address the problem on poverty and attain the level of self-sufficiency,” said Masculino.

As to the “Trabahong Lansangan” the DSWD and DPWH here will further thresh out matters for the efficient implementation of

the program, Masculino said.

So that other CCT beneficiaries can avail of guaranteed employment, the DSWD will sign a memorandum of understanding with line agencies engaged in micro-enterprise development. These include the Department of Trade, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Masculino said. (JCM/ TWV-PIA6 Iloilo)

Aklan’s excess fruits will be turned to wine

by Venus G. Villanueva KALIBO, Aklan, September 12 (PIA) – Instead of ending up somewhere else, Aklan’s oversupply of seasonal fruits like rambutan, santol, duhat, bugnay and many others will soon be processed into wine.

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he technology on wine-making using these extra fruit produce was taught to interested Aklanons during a seminar held Sept. 14-15 by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) at the DOST PST Center in Kalibo.

Jairus Lachica, DOST-Aklan Provincial Director also said that besides wine-making, participants comprising food processors,

private individuals and entrepreneurs interested to produce wine and vinegar were also taught how to turn coconut water into vinegar during the 2-day training-seminar.

“Aklan has abundant fruits during certain seasons, like rambutan and santol which are only left to rot on their trees," Lachica said.

Sometimes they are sold at very low prices, he added.

Lachica also said that coconut water, which is only thrown away, could also be processed to produce vinegar.

The DOST conducted the seminar in coordination with the DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) and Aklan Food Processors Development Cooperative (AFPDC). (JCM/VGV PIA 6 Aklan)

Antique bizmen learn best practices of Naga City

by Pilar S. Mabaquiao SAN JOSE, Antique, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- Members of the Antique Chamber of Commerce and Industry went on a study and learning visit to Naga City to learned about the best practices of Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI)

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he ACCI learned about strategies undertaken by the MNCCI to become effective partners of local government units and national agencies particularly in developing local businessmen, disclosed Romeo Baldevia, Executive Director of Antique Federation of Non-Government Organizations (AFON).

ACCI has also gained insight on how the chamber could sustain the operation of small

entrepreneurs despite the challenge of multi-nationals and big business establishments like malls and supermarkets.

The “Great Naga Sale” Baldevia said, was among the strategies they employed so that consumers could patronize small businessmen and keep the local market alive.

The Antique businessmen also learned about waste disposal practices, and maintenance of cleanliness in business

establishments.

The visit coincided with the holding of Bicol Business Week where ACCI was privileged to join some of their activities.

Among the participants in the learning trip were six officers of ACCI (six) led by Nelson Liu Chang, ACCI President, Jocelyn Perez of DTI, Romeo Baldevia of AFON and Hermina Lagdamen, Local Economic Development (LED) Strategy Officer of TRIAS.

WESTERN VISAYAS

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PEMO strengthens monitoring to regulate use of minerals by: Lorenzo O. Lambatin Jr. Bacolod City, Sept. 12 (PIA) – The provincial government of Negros Occidental has taken steps to ensure the effective monitoring and enforcement on the use of mineral resources.

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ne of these steps is the one-day assessment seminar conducted recently for deputized monitoring committee members of the municipalities and cities.

This will ensure the effective monitoring and enforcement in the province, not only by the Task Force Balas Bato, but by the City/ Municipal and Barangay Monitoring Committees, as well.

The one day assessment aimed to identify issues and concerns on the use of mineral

resources and finally recommend measures and strategies to address them as well discuss the basic legal framework and regulations on the exploitation, utilization and disposition of minerals will be fully understood. Also, the activity aimed to transfer skills to participants for them to carry out compliance monitoring and enforcement functions.

Resource persons were Atty. Wilmon Peñalosa and Atty. Jona Villanueva Rubica both from the Provincial Legal Office who talked about Legal Framework and Penal Provision of

Tax Ordinance and Conducting Administrative Hearings for City/Municipal Monitoring Committees respectively and Eriberto Madalag of the Provincial Environment Management Office who tackled the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Procedures.

Participants came from the 54 organized Barangay and 24 deputized City/Municipal Monitoring Committee members in the province. (PEMO/OHS/JCM/LOL-Negros Occ.)

97 WV LGUs eligible for Performance Challenge Fund in 2011 by: Jaime S. Cabag Jr. ILOILO CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- A total of 97 local government units in Western Visayas has been awarded with the Seal of Good Housekeeping by the Department of the Interior and Local Government

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erformance Challenge Fund (PCF) incentive for LGUs this year.

This was announced by DILG Regional Director Evelyn A. Trompeta during the recent meeting of the Development Administration Committee of the Regional Development Council at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here.

Trompeta also chairs the said RDC committee.

Forty-two of these PCF eligibles qualified in Round 1 (4th to 6th Class component cities and municipalities) of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) evaluation while 55 LGUs including all provinces in the region made it during Round 2 (1st to 3rd Class municipalities, cities and all provinces) of the SGH program.

The good housekeeping seal is a program designed to institutionalize DILG’s commitment to scale up interventions to elevate the practice of governance that values transparency, accountability, participation and performance.

The areas covered by the evaluation of good housekeeping seal are sound fiscal management on one hand and transparency and accountability on the other hand.

Fiscal management includes the COA

annual audit report, use of financial resources, and presence of local revenue code and statement of receipts and expenditures.

Transparency and accountability include compliance with Anti-Red Tape Law and full disclosure of local budget and finances, bids and public offerings.

It will be recalled that DILG memo circulars on the full disclosure of local budget and finances, bids and public offerings and that on strict adherence to Section 90 of the 2011 General Appropriations Act direct LGUs to post either at conspicuous places within public buildings, in print media of community or general circulation, and in the website certain documents ranging from their annual budget to the abstract of bids as circulated for the current year pursuant to the full disclosure policy of the government.

The Seal of Good Housekeeping qualifies LGUs to avail of the PCF which is a facility envisioned to help stimulate LGUs to put premium on transparency and accountability to enable them to avail themselves of financial support to jumpstart and sustain local socio-economic development initiatives supportive of national government goals and

priorities.

The fund can be availed of by eligible LGUs upon submission of the requirements set by the PCF guidelines including a letter of intent, project proposal based on their annual investment program, and a Sangguniang Bayan resolution authorizing the local chief executive to enter into a memo of agreement for the PCF subsidy, among others.

LGUs can avail of the PCF up to a maximum amount of P1 million for a municipality, P3 million for a city, and P7 million for a province. The PCF subsidy should be matched by the LGU recipient on a 50-50 counterpart sharing scheme.

The fund may be used for projects that are aligned to the achievement of the following national thrusts and priorities: attainment of the Millennium Development Goals; local economic development; and, adaptation to climate change, preparedness for disaster and solid waste management.

Last year, only two LGUs in the region qualified for the PCF subsidy. These were the municipalities of Anilao in Iloilo and Balete in Aklan. (JCM/JSC-PIA6)

Award inspires local governments to do more

by Jemin B. Guillermo ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Sept. 12 (PIA) -- Winning the Seal of Good Housekeeping shows the commitment of the local government in ensuring good governance and delivery public service.

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ecently, the DILG conferred on the Roxas City government the Seal of Good Housekeeping award for 2011, thus giving the said local government unit access to the P3-million Performance Challenge Fund by putting up the same amount from its 20-percent development fund for project implementation.

Roxas City Vice Mayor lawyer Ronnie Dadivas said that the recent award received from the Department of the Interior and Local Government is an inspiration and a challenge to work for more and better quality of work.

Dadivas said that the award is a recognition of the work being done by the

Roxas city government have been working and its accountability to the people.

He added that accelerated and improved delivery of services as well as good governance is a priority thrust of Mayor Angel Alan Celino’s administration.

Roxas City is among the 13 local government units in Capiz that won the 2010 Seal of Good Housekeeping awards, DILG Provincial Director Helen Mestidio revealed.

She said that other winners include the Capiz provincial government with a P7-million performance challenge fund prize, Panay, Dumarao, Jamindan, Mambusao and Pontevedra which belong to the 1st to 3rd

class towns, and Cuartero, Dao, Dumalag, President Roxas, Ivisan and Sigma.

Mestidio stressed that the project aims to recognize LGUs with good performance in internal housekeeping particularly on the areas of sound fiscal management, transparency and accountability, and valuing performance management.

Recently, the city also won the 2011 Red Orchid Award of the Department of Health for instituting a 100-percent compliance to the no smoking ordinance. (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)

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CENTRAL VISAYAS

P-Noy, up close and personal with Pantawid beneficiaries in Bohol

by Minerva BC Newman CENTRAL VISAYAS, Sept. 10 (PIA) -- The image of over a thousand hands trying to shake the hand of President Benigno S. Aquino III in Trinidad town in Bohol during his recent visit there, was the most up close and personal scene you can get from a country’s president and the “ordinary poor” people.

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antawid Pamilya beneficiaries in Trinidad, Bohol tried to shake the hand of President Aquino, to personally express their thanks for the cash grants, said Aileen Lariba, DSWD-7 Pantawid Pamilya regional coordinator.

Lariba said, the beneficiaries could not contain their gladnness when the President said “may pondo na inala-an ang gobyerno na P21B. Dahil nakatipid tayo sa interes ng mga utang may savings ang gobyerno na P2B na siyang sumagot sa kulang na P2B, sa madaling salita,sigurado na ang budget sa Pantawid Pamilyang mga benepisyaryo na P23B.” The very presence of P-Noy on a simple occassion such as the inauguration of the Trinidad hall meant so much to the townfolks of Trinidad who gave the President a thunderous applause when he said, “Kayo ang

Boss Ko.” “Dahil kayo ang BOSS ko, magsilbi tayo ng tapat at mabuti sa taong bayan at ang munisipyo ng Trinidad ay isang ehemplo na bunga ng masusing ugnayan ng lokal at pambansa na pamahalaan,” P-Noy said.

According to a town official, even before PNoy was elected to the Presidency, he was already a key player in the continuing renovation of the newly inaugurated Municipal Hall of Trinidad which was finished three months ahead of schedule.

The Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries of Trinidad likened the completion of the municipal hall as a symbol of the President’s call for “Tuwid na daan para sa Pilipinas.”

According to the town officials, to support such a call, Trinidad is the very first town in Bohol to implement a full disclosure

policy where its financial statements are displayed at bulletin boards for the public to read and scrutinize.

On helping the poorest households in Bohol, DSWD-7 reported that to date more than 28,000 households are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya program and that is 26 percent of the total poor in Bohol living below poverty threshold.

All these do not only give social assistance to the poor, it ensures that they definitely have a future to look forward to.

“And that the beneficiaries are not only verbally assured of a better way of life, Pnoy is up close and personal with them as they actually cross over to a better future one step at a time. (PIA-7 & DSWD-7/al)

NGCP plants power infra lures Bohol investments

by Rey Anthony Chiu CORELLA, Bohol, September 11 (PIA) -- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) held a ground breaking ceremony last September 8 for the Bohol Backbone Transmission Project (BBTP). Local leaders here planted a time capsule containing the detailed blueprint of the P1.4 billion project.

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n the site will rise the new Corella Substation in Barangay Sambog.

The groundbreaking signaled the start of construction of the new transmission line that will bring power from Imelda substation in Ubay, Bohol to Corella, some 10 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City.

The project includes the erection of overhead steel towers to string high tension wires that will carry boosted 138 kilovolts of power 95 kilometers away.

The line passes through scenic countryside in nine towns and sixty barangays to Sambog Corella, where the new substation will rise.

Power passes on from Imelda substation, which also receives power from across the channel in Leyte through the clean energy

supply from Tongonan Geothermal Plant.

This was made possible because of the completion of phase 1 of the Leyte-Bohol Power Interconnection Project (LBIP-1) years ago.

From Imelda however, much of power is lost over the distance and this is compounded by problems of power outages as obstructions like tree branches reach the lines strung in wooden or concrete posts running parallel to roads and highways to Tagbilaran.

Sudden inclement weather almost always means power outages--the downside of relying on one source, a businessman in the city said.

When this happens, sometimes most of Bohol is blanketed in darkness, he added.

To remedy the problem, the National Economic Development Authority Investment

Coordination Committee approved the BBTP which sets up the 138 KV overhead transmission lines on steel towers, which can also carry a fiber optic connection to wire the entire Bohol from Ubay to Corella.

NGCP president and Chief Executive Officer Henry Sy Jr., who was not able to come sent in Guillermo Redoblado during the occasion.

Redoblado said according to Sy, he believes the BBTP brings in more reliable transmission services in Bohol that will attract more investments and create job opportunities in the province.

Aside from a strong eco-cultural tourism dream, Bohol also envisions light and agro industries, which demand reliable and efficient power service, one that the BBTP provides.

Valencia mayor to discuss LGU practices in int'l tax summit

by Jennifer Catan-Tilos VALENCIA, Negros Oriental, Sept. 16 (PIA) -- Valencia Mayor Enrique Gonzalez was in Bonn, Germany to speak during the International Tax Compact (ITC) from September 12 to 15 at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

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TC activity aims to strengthen international cooperation with developing countries and organization. It aims to promote tax systems that allow partner countries to be more effective in fighting tax evasion and wrong tax practices with the intention to achieve national and international goals.

Mayor Gonzalez was to discuss best practices and experiences of Valencia in implementing the Integrated Taxation Management System (ITAX)--a software that offers local government units (LGUs) a faster and easier way of performing non-tax and tax transactions

such as collections, billings and assessments.

Since the implementation of ITAX in 2008, Valencia has been a consistent top-notcher in revenue collection in the province.

This year, the Bureau of Local Government Finance announced that Valencia now ranked number one, besting 116 other local government units, in the Central Visayas region.

In his speech, Mayor Gonzalez was expected to highlight the challenges and its recommendation in implementing ITAX system for different purposes.

The attendance of Mayor Gonzalez to the ITC is upon the recommendation of Dr. Herwig Meyer, director of the GIZ (German International Cooperation) Decentralization program in the Philippines that developed the ITAX. Practitioners from developing countries as well as bilateral and international organizations were expected at the workshop. The program was spearheaded by the German Federal Ministry, French Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs, the Spanish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and cooperation. (PIA NegOr/JCT)

CENTRAL VISAYAS

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Siliman University to host regional economic summit

by Rachelle M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- Economists from Region 7 will converge in Silliman University (SU), Dumaguete City on Sept. 26 and 27, 2011 for the Philippine Economic Society (PES) conference.

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he conference will try to work out a cross-sectoral approach to curbing carbon emissions in line with its theme: “Curbing Carbon Emissions in Response to Climate Change: A Corporate Social Responsibility,” according to a press statement from Mark Garcia, director of the SU Office of Information and Publications.

Speakers in the two-day event are: Mary Ann Lucille Sering, commissioner of the Climate Change Commission who will talk about “Philippine Climate Change Initiatives”; Divina Chingcuangco, Chief of Party of the Climate Change and Clean Energy Project, on “Greenhouse Gas Management Benefits and Success Stories”; and Dr. Ben S. Malayang III, Silliman President and environmental

governance specialist,who will talk on “Corporate Social Responsibility: Curbing Carbon Emissions/Rethinking How We Think When We Do Environmental Science.”

“Parallel sessions on clean energy and solid waste management will also be conducted for local chief executives, sectoral representatives, and economics professors and scholars,” said Garcia.

Monetary Board Member Juanita Dy-Amatong, who is the immediate past chairperson of the Silliman University Board of Trustees and former Finance Secretary, will also grace the event.

PES serves as one of the strongest networks of economists in the academe, government, and business sector recognized in

the international community of professional economic associations and is a founding member of the Federation of Asean Economic Associations.

Garcia added that Silliman, on the other hand, is regarded for its strong academic programs in business and finance.

It offers a degree in business administration major in economics which has in its elective a course in Environmental Economics and Natural Resources.

The conference is being organized in coordination with Silliman’s College of Business Administration. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from SU-OIP)

BSP tackles security features of new PHL banknotes in NegOr, Siquijor forums

by Rachelle M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 13 (PIA) -- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently held an information campaign on the new generation banknotes in four major localities in the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

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SP officials from Manila conducted public forums in Tanjay City on Sept. 6, Bayawan City on Sept. 7, and Dumaguete City on Sept. 8 in Negros Oriental province and on Sept. 9 in Larena, Siquijor province.

Said forums are in line with a nationwide public information drive launched by BSP after it released the new banknotes, namely P20, P50, P100, and P1,000 peso bills, with upgraded security features in December last year.

The awareness drive is focused on familiarizing the public on the features of the new generation banknotes to protect them from counterfeiters.

During her lectures in the forums, BSP currency expert Cecilia Hortal explained that genuine banknotes are rough to touch, with the paper made of 80 percent cotton and 20

percent Philippine abaca.

Another security feature is a watermark showing a portrait’s shadow image and the bill’s denomination on the banknote’s blank space.

Other security features include banknote’s concealed value that is revealed at the upper left of the note if tilted; serial numbers that increase in size from left to right; and the word “Pilipino” written in the ancient Filipino Baybayin alphabet at the banknote’s lower right corner that can be seen in full if the note is viewed against the light.

The printing of the portrait, signatures, “REPUBLIKA NG PILIPINAS,” and the banknote’s spelled-out value (e.g.

“DALAWAMPUNG PISO”) is also embossed on the notes.

A statement released by BSP explained

that another security feature integrated in the new currency is a vertical thread that appears when the 20 and 50-peso notes are viewed against the light.

On the other hand, the security threads for the 100, 200, 500 and 1,000-peso notes shift color from red to green and bear the imprint “BSP” and the banknote’s value.

Aside from Hortal, the forums were attended by BSP Deputy Director Nicasio Parco, Victoria Gonzaga, Jocelyn Ladero and Divina Salve Labitad of the BSP Dumaguete branch; and Jemimah Fay Alentajan and Joshua Ayuste of BSP’s Corporate Affairs Office.

(RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from BSP)

DENR lists disaster-prone barangays in C. Visayas

by Fayette C. Riñen CEBU CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has furnished local government units (LGUs) in Central Visayas with a list of barangays prone to landslides, flooding or flashfloods to guide officials in disaster management.

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ver 3,000 barangays in the whole region have undergone assessment by our Mines and Geosciences Bureau for the geohazard mapping, Ed Llamedo, public information officer of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) -7 disclosed.

The map categorizes barangays based on their susceptibility to landslides, flooding or flashfloods, he added.

Llamedo said the list will help guide LGUs

formulate proactive measures against disasters, as the country still expects eight typhoons this year. Two typhoons are likely to hit the Visayas area.

Out of the four provinces in Central Visayas, Cebu has the most number of barangays that are susceptible to landslides and flooding but the figure is not alarming, Llamedo declared.

“There are slightly over 1,600 barangays in Cebu, and less than 15 percent or less than

240 barangays are prone to either landslides or flooding,” Llamedo said.

In Cebu City alone, 19 barangays are vulnerable to landslides while five (5) barangays are susceptible to flooding, Llamedo added.

Apart from providing the above-mentioned list, DENR-7 geologists also recommended safety measures that may be adopted by LGUs in the areas.(PIA-Cebu)

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EASTERN VISAYAS

GAs, NGOs, youth groups to hold coastal clean up in Tacloban TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, Sept. 15 (PIA) -– On September 17, various government and non-government groups will conduct coastal cleanup in Tacloban City, in solidarity with the worldwide movement for this year’s International Coastal Clean Up Day.

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eptember 17 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, an event spearheaded by the Ocean Conservancy.

All over the world, people will gather on beaches to pick up a bit of trash. It's a great way to engage with the community, and can serve as an act of solidarity with environmentalists across the globe.

The first group which is composed of no less than 2,000 bodies from 20 government agencies in the Region, will clean the coast from Balyuan Area to the National Maritime Polytechnic at the foot of the San Juanico Bridge in Cabalawan.

The other group is the partnership of DOT-8 and Nature Unlimited Outdoor Club led by Mr. Jayson Garrido, and NSTP students in Tacloban City who will clean the coastal areas from the Airport to Balwarte and from

Payapay to Balwarte in San Jose District. The two teams will meet at Balwarte where a program which will be attended by no less than the City Mayor of Tacloban, Hon. Alfred S. Romualdez.

Mr. Santiago Acera, administrative officer of MARINA-8 who is coordinating the activity as part of the National Maritime Week Celebration this September, told the Philippine Information Agency that all the 20 government agencies have been given specific assignments for the coastal cleanup.

As early as 6:00 o’clock in the morning of Saturday, September 17, the volunteer Beachureros will go to their respective designated areas to answer the call to take part of the innate responsibility of mankind to protect the environment.

What makes this year’s coastal cleanup in

Tacloban unique is that through the Department of Tourism, the cleanup has officially linked with the International Coastal Clean Up Philippines.

Volunteers are requested to make teams composed of four persons. Volunteers are requested, not only to pick up litter but also to identify and record the rubbish in a user-friendly data card.

The data cards will be collected and through the DOT will be sent to the database in Manila, for analysis by pollution specialists who are racing against time to develop solutions to the problems that the marine debris crisis has spawned, the most serious of which is the destruction of fish habitats, high wildlife casualties due to choking, suffocation, entanglement of wildlife and dangers to navigation. (PIA 8)

“Orgownic” fashion show contest highlights 5th regional SWM summit

by Rodrigo S. Victoria TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- The coined word is new yet everybody has to see for themselves what an “Orgownic” is as it will be paraded by contestants representing the cities and provinces in Eastern Visayas which will take part in the 5th regional Solid Waste Management summit scheduled for next month.

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he holding of the Fashion show cum contest dubbed “Eco-Fusion in Fashion” is a special feature segment on the fellowship night during the two-day 5th regional SWM summit scheduled to be held on October 26-27 at Archbishop Cirpriano V. Urgel (ARCIVU) Hall located beside the Palo Cathedral in Palo, Leyte.

According to Professor Tito A. Aure of Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) and organizer of the fashion show, the activity will highlight the need and importance of promoting environmental consciousness by using materials that are sustainable, eco-friendly and has strong potentials for wearablity.

Orgownic is the term used in Filipiniana inspired formal evening gowns that will be used by contestants during the fashion show cum

contest activity. It is made of 100% organic materials (e.g. jusi, piña, tikog, ruffia abaca, sinamay and other organic materials), Aure said.

However, the members of the Regional Ecology Center (REC) in Region 8 decided to have the Orgownic to be made of 60% organic and 40% recycled materials.

In the production number which is one of the two exposures in the fashion show cum contest, contestants will wear upcycled materials or recycled materials that are given new life through different forms and functions like tetra packs transformed to belts and other accessories, he added.

Aure also stressed that each submitted creation/design should be an original piece and must not have been paraded or shown in any stage or have been used in any performance in

the past.

The EVSU professor proposed that the activity is open to all local government units in the region but the REC members decided to just have one pair of contestant composed of one male and one female contestant from each of the six provinces and seven cities in Eastern Visayas.

The pair of contestant coming from the identified LGUs must be formally endorsed by an LGU, people’s organization and non-government organization in the locality, he further said.

Aure disclosed that prizes at stake for the activity are the following: P5,000-1st prize, P4,000-2nd prize, P3,000-3rd prize and P500 as consolation prized for the non-winning entries.

(PIA 8)

NSO to lead state agencies in “Statistics Month” celebration

by Alice Nicart CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Sept. 14 (PIA) –- The month of October will once more steer all government agencies, academic institutions and private sectors as the National Statistics Month would be observed.

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hus, Provincial Statistics Officer (PSO), Letecia C. Chu enjoins all concerned agencies to actively participate and support the 22nd National Statistics Month with the theme: “Quality Social Protection Statistics for Focused Targeting: Improving Outcomes, Changing Lives”.

The celebration which is covered under Proclamation No. 647, issued by then

President Corazon Aquino aims “to promote and enhance public awareness and appreciation on the importance and value of statistics to the different sectors of society”.

NSO stressed that the public, particularly those from the barangays, should not disregard the government’s need for accurate data, whenever they are asked about numbers pertaining to their households by their

enumerators, because these are the basic information that government planners consider in determining programs and projects for the poor.

For the next month celebration, PSO Chu expects more participation of the government agencies as a result of a series of coordination which are set to be held as scheduled.(PIASamar/Alice Nicart)

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Health summit awards inspire rural health units in Eastern Samar

by Ninfa B Quirante BORONGAN CITY , Eastern Samar , Sept 14 (PIA) -- The recently concluded health summit awards serve to inspire the rural health units (RHU) to work towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

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n the awarding held at the capitol, the rural health unit of Hernani that received an award on Measles-Rubella Special Immunization admitted that the team headed

by Dr. Aikee Lacdao will work harder to maintain provision of excellent health care to their ward.

Other RHUs recognized for this special project include Gen, MacArthur; Lalawigan, Borongan ll; Can-avid; San Policarpo and Balangiga.

Dr Marian Isiderio, provincial health officer said that the teams who were awarded were those “who risked their lives, worked 24/7, climbed mountains, crossed rivers, braved the rains and reached the unreached just to immunize the target children.”

Another team of Lawaan health workers who were interviewed by the local media through Radyo ng Bayan-DYES committed to work more to advocate breastfeeding, the team of Erlinda Antok, midwife of Barangay Bulusao, Lawaan and Helen Grace Elacion, nurse of Lawaan RHU. “We never get tired reminding expectant mothers the benefits of breastmilk,” Antok said.

The Lawaan team came in full force to receive the award.

Although they were led by the Municipal Health Officer-Dr Maria Chona Cardoso, she declined to be interviewed as she gave the honors to the two health workers.

“I have just been appointed as MHO and I

can not share the honors yet, “Cardoso told PIA. There were six awards and seven citations awarded this morning.

No less than Governor Conrado Nicart gave out the awards and added a “bonus amount” to the plaques given.

Ms Ugochi Daniels, United Nations Population fund (UNFPA) Country Program Representative joined Gov. Nicart in the award rites.

The Health Summit is a showcase of best practices where health providers can share with each other to improve their health care.

Isiderio said they will hold the health summit annually. (NBQ/ PIA 8-E Samar )

Naval LGU prepares to celebrate 151st Pueblo Day

by Flor Jackson NAVAL, Biliran, Sept. 14 (PIA) –- The local government unit (LGU) of Naval through Mayor Susan Parilla is preparing to celebrate its 151st Pueblo Day on September 26, 2011.

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his was revealed by Vice-Mayor Redentor Villordon who is the focal person of all the activities related to the celebration, in an interview with PIA-Biliran.

He said various activities have been lined up by the LGU of Naval to make the occasion memorable for each and every Navaleño as they reminisce the day when Naval first became a “pueblo” or town.

In order to strengthen the unity of all the 26 barangays and their barangay officials as well as the barangay residents, he said, a barangay night will be held on September 26 at the Naval gymnasium.

Days before the celebration, LGU-Naval has set the opening of the agro-industrial fair at the Naval Municipal grounds. The fair will showcase the best agricultural produce of the

farmers in the 26 barangays of Naval. Likewise, the fair will give an opportunity for the local producers to display their best products such as the native creations of bags, mats, suman and other products and delicacies offered for sale at low, low prices.

He added that a nightly live band show to entertain Navaleños, both young and old, will be held at the Naval gymnasium, one week before the celebration of the 151st Pueblo Day on September 26.

The activities include a beer drinking contest as the San Miguel Corporation local dealers are set to put up beer kiosks during the celebration.

On the day of the celebration, the activities will be started with a thanksgiving mass at 6:00 o’clock in the morning at the Naval Cathedral church. This will be followed

by a parade to be participated in by the officials and employees of the LGU-Naval, national government agencies, students of the different schools in the municipality and the provincial government of Biliran around the main thoroughfares of Naval, after which the commemorative program follows at the municipal grounds.

Vice-Mayor Villordon said that for the agro-industrial fair, the 26 barangays have been clustered to put up their own display of products.

This year’s celebration of the 151st Pueblo Day of Naval carries the same theme as the celebration of its annual Fiesta on October 1 which is “Naval: Balancing Economic Development with Environmental Protection”.

(FEJ/PIA 8 Biliran)

SOLECO leads in implementation of Senior Citizen’s power discount in Region 8

by ES Gorne MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 13 (PIA) -– In its implementation of the Senior Citizens Act of 2010, otherwise known as RA 9994, the Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative, Inc (SOLECO) has granted the minimum five (5) percent discount to the monthly utilization of the 1,081 households of the senior citizens in the province.

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ccording to Member Development Officer Benson Mindajao of SOLECO, in their latest meeting among all electric cooperatives in the region in the first quarter, only SOLECO reported to have started giving discounts to the senior citizens households, so far.

Mindajao said that every month since February 2011 several senior citizens kept enrolling with the local electric cooperative in order to avail of the discounts as follows: February – 118, March – 254, April – 279, May – 203, June -65, July – 104 and August – 58, that resulted to the total of 1,081 households of

senior citizens now being served by them.

He added that prior to the implementation, SOLECO already conducted several meetings in all municipal Offices of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in the province to solicit questions and suggestions from them with regards to the provisions of the Law. Even before the last quarter of 2010, SOLECO Staff were already prepared for the implementation of the Senior Citizen’s discount based on the implementing Rules and Regulations, he said.

Meanwhile, due to growing electricity demand in Sogod Bay, SOLECO plans to put

up a new substation in Bontoc It will upgrade it from 5 MVA to 10 MVA in order to accommodate the needs of Gaisano Capital Mall being established in the locality, Mindajao added.

He further said that other substations in Maasin City and Himay-angan, Lilo-an were also considered to be upgraded due to the increasing demand for electricity especially for Maasin City where there are big department stores such as Metro Gaisano, Novo, Prince Marketing, Brodeth Marketing, among others.

(PIA SoLeyte/esg)

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

Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor Jaime S. Cabag, Jr. Contributors All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8 Production and Layout Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado Regional Offices: PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com PIA 8, Children’s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com