iSIQUIJOR Information is our business.
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. 06| No. 05 February 06-13, 2018
IsraAID Phils, prosecutor’s office strengthen fight vs human trafficking, gender-based violence by Rizalie Anding-Calibo “Awareness, willpower, and solution to make a difference!” This is how IsraAID Program Manager of PsychoSocial Support and Disaster Management Team, Anva Ratzon, encouraged Siquijor locals to join in the fight against human trafficking and gender-based violence (GBD). “You have your responsibility not only because it is part of your work in your organization, but because you live here,” she said to the participants of the Training on GBV and Human Trafficking composed of service providers from the social welfare and development offices, Department of Education (DepED), Philippine National Police (PNP), tourism sectors, local government units (LGUs), and other national government agencies (NGAs) and non-government
to page 3 Provincial Prosecutor Ulysses Andora discussing the Salient Features of Laws involving Trafficking.
Anva Ratzon, IsraAID Program Manager of PsychoSocial Support and Disaster Management Team, emphasizes the importance of coordination, information and education to raise the awareness of the locals on Gender-Based Violence and Human Trafficking issues. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)
PDRRMO urges Siquijodnons to take EQ drills seriously SIQUIJOR, Feb. 8 (PIA) -- Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRMO) Blezela Mae Omictin urged Siquijodnons to take earthquake drills seriously. This she said in one of the earthquake drills here where she emphasized the importance of preparedness and vigilance during earthquakes and other forms of calamities. “We do not know when earthquake strikes. it cannot be predicted, either,” she said. Schools, offices, and establishments cannot be closed in advance nor can we suspend the different operations like we do when there is a storm warning, she added. Omictin said all earthquake drills should be taken seriously and the “culture of preparedness” be instilled among the public to ensure everyone’s safety. She pointed out that everyone should participate and properly execute the “Dock, Cover, and Hold” and make sure to cover their heads and walk at a faster than normal pace when going to the evacuation area. Proper execution of earthquake drills will also help prevent panic that might lead to accidents when overwhelmed with fear during a strong earthquake, she said. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from IAAbatayo)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
Patrol vehicles from Japan turned over during PRRD’s visit in Cebu CEBU CITY, Feb. 12 (PIA) -- President Rodrigo Duterte witnessed the turnover patrol vehicles worth P24 million donated by the Japanese government to the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) . In his first visit in the Province of Cebu, Duterte witnessed the turnover of the 20 Mitsubishi Montero Patrol vehicles worth P1.25 million each to PNP represented by Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa. Japanese officials led by His Excellency Koji Haneda and Dr. Hiroto Izumi, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister, gave the key representing the turnover to PNP. PRO7 Director Police Chief Supt. Robert Quenery was also at the ceremony. Ten of the units will be turned over to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), five will be for Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), and another five for Lapulapu City Police Office (LLPO). Present were Lapulapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna. Meanwhile, Duterte was also presented with the P1.5 million worth of loose firearms seized from the city of Danao recently. The gun industry went underground after the gun shops were unable to renew permits. Also, San Fernando Police Office personnel PO2 Aristeo Tampus received the Order of Lapulapu Rank of Kampilan prior to the conduct of the Command Conference with all the law enforcers of the country. Tampus was wounded during the pursuit of drug personality Benjamin Acero who also perished during the operation. (fcc/PIA7-Cebu)
iSIQUIJOR
is the Island of Siquijor’s first electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information AgencySiquijor Information Center and the DOST - Provincial Science and Technology Center. It contains snippets of information about Siquijor, Central Visayas and the Philippine Government. THERE IS GOOD NEWS EVERYDAY.
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#EmpoweringCommunities
Ms. Anna Mae Y. Lamentillo, Chairman of the #BuildBuildBuild Committee of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), urges public communicators to engage the public to support government infrastructure programs. #EmpoweringCommunities
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director-General Harold E. Clavite underscores the importance of improving the capabilities of public communicators and harnessing these capabilities to enhance their engagement with the general public, at the same time, being accountable to every information they release. #EmpoweringCommunities
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IsraAID Phils, prosecutor’s office strengthen fight vs human trafficking...from page 1 organizations NGOs) in the province. She said the fight should start with the community which calls for a stronger coordination, advocacy, awareness, and education. Siquijor is a small community and it is easier to start the CHANGE, she pointed out. She urged the Siquijodnons to use their time and financial resources to make a difference instead of dwelling on the deficiencies and limitations that were identified during the workshop, such as insufficient funds, lack of manpower, and lack of priority from the LGU. Echoing Ratzon’s claim, Deputy Provincial Prosecutor Ulysses D. Andora said in his lecture that trafficking in persons is the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world today. It is second to drug trafficking and fluctuates from second to third along with the illegal arms industry. Andora discussed the Salient Features of Laws Involving Trafficking and some of the accomplishments, initiatives, and best practices on investigating and prosecuting cases of trafficking in persons (TIPs) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) in Region 7 through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). Public reluctance to cooperate due to lack of education on the aspect of TIPs, indigence, corruption in government, linguistic barriers, customs, advance technology in communication and transportation, government’s lack of resources and logistics, violators’ ample resources and lack of knowledgeable enforcers, specialized prosecutors and social workers are among its top challenges, Andora said. Victims’ stigma or exposure to society, fear of reprisal, lack of family and community support, victims and witnesses’ feeling of lack of incentives, and no other means or option of livelihood, delay in obtaining justice thru litigation, and unfamiliarity of the legal procedure also added to the list. Other challenges and limitations include witnesses’ indifference, inadequate facilities during temporary custody of victims, lack of after-care institutions and programs, relatives of victims influencing and meddling of some politicians, victims’ inability to communicate and or relate the ordeal, financial indebtedness of the victim and of her family to the trafficker with victims vulnerability to be paid or corrupted, denial or confusions or exaggeration of the victims’ account due to trauma, victims ignorance on the true identity of the trafficker and some problems with legal procedure in the filing of cases. Andora said the IACAT strives to
Gender-Based Violence and Human Trafficking Training participants in one of the learning sessions/workshop with Fiscal Andora and facillitators from the IsraAID Philippines. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor) address these issues through policy formulation, coordination and monitoring and information, education, and communication. Admitting that the Provincial IACAT in Siquijor is still up to now in the infancy stage, Fiscal Andora said the team helped the LGUs in the drafting of resolutions and ordinances while acting as their consultant in the implementation relating to TIPs particularly in the province and towns of Siquijor and Larena. He especially called on the municipality of San Juan to fast-track their ordinances and implementation being the island’s center of tourism. The provincial prosecutor hopes that Human Trafficking and gender-based violence in the province will be given attention. There could still be many of these cases in the province but are not reported because people are not aware or simply are afraid to report, the prosecutor said in support to his claim that majority of those reported cases are of victims who are educated and are brave enough to report. GBV or gender-based violence, according to IsraAID Philippines’ Grace Lucero in her lecture, refers to violence directed against a person because of his or her gender and expectations of his or her role in a society or culture.
It includes acts that inflict physical, mental or sexual harm or suffering, threats of such acts, coercion and other deprivations of liberty. It both reflects and reinforces inequalities between women and men. Lucero shared that Filipino women may be considered more advanced compared to women in other countries but they suffer from domestic violence, economic disadvantages, discrimination, exploitation, and become trafficking victims. The most common GBV in the Philippines, she said, is domestic violence, particularly wife battering and rape. Human trafficking, on the other hand, is an act against humanity. “It is a syndicated and process crime and is the top three syndicate in the world,” Lucero shared. Poverty, dysfunctional families, globalization, lack of education and information, social or peer pressure, aftermath of war, armed conflict and natural calamities are some of the “push” factors while materialism, adventurism, gender issues, cultural factors, modernisation and development schemes, out-migration networks, and corruption and collaboration are the “pull” factors why people become victims of human trafficking, she added. (rac/PA7-Siquijor)
iSIQUIJORGOVERNMENTNEWS
Cebuano News
DOE mipahimangno nga ginadili ang pag gamit sa mga LPG refilled canisters DUMAGUETE CITY, Pebrero 15 (PIA)—Ang buhatan sa Department of Energy (DOE) striktong mipahimangno sa dili pag gamit sa butane canisters nga gi refill ug liquefied petroleum gas (LPG.) Atol sa gihimong Kapihan sa PIA forum bag-ohay lang namahayag ang Science Research Specialist sa DOE si Evander Diola nga ka usa ra mahimong
gamiton ang butane canister ug dili angayan nga gamiton pag –usab pinaagi sa pagrefill niini ug LPG. Gitumbok ni Diola nga peligro ang pag refill tungod sa kusog nga pressure sa LPG kung i-kumpara kini sa butane nga maoy mahimong hinungdan sa pag-ulbo ug sunog. Mipahimangno usab ang mga
TAGBILARAN CITY ( P I A ) -Magpatuman na og ‘speed limit’ ang mga lokal nga kagamhanan sa ilang mga karsada. Kini, agi og pagsunod sa Joint Memorandum Circular 20118 – 001 tali sa Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) ug Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Tuyo niining malikayan ang mga aksidente sa kadalanan pinaagi sa pag-agni sa mga local government unit (LGUs) sa pagpalabang og ordinansa aron han-ayon ang ilang mga karsada ug
magtakda og speed limit. Gi-proponer ang 20 kilometros matag oras nga speed limit sa mga barangay road o sa karsadang gip-ot ug daghang tawo. Samtang sa mga highway tugotan ang 80 kilometros matag oras sa mga kotse ug motorsiklo, ug 50 kilometros matag oras alang usab sa mga bus ug trak. Pahamtangan og silot ang mga molapas sa ordinansa ug mahimong pabayron og multang taman P3,000.00 o posibilidad nga ma-impound ang sakyanan ug pagka-bilango. (ecb/PIA7Bohol)
‘Speed limit,’ ipatuman na sa LGUs
SSS initiated the Kontribusyon Mo Sulit na Sulit! campaign. This program include the System’s offer to members to pay loans and cotributions through GCash, the KaltaSSS Collect Program inclined towards government job-order and contractual government workers and the SSS P.E.S.O (Personal Equity and Savings Option) where members can have the option to contribute more to gain additional benefits in the future.
tinugyanan sa DOE sa mga kunsumidor sa LPG nga segorohon nila nga maayo ang kundisyon sa ang tangke nga ilang paliton ug husto sa timbang. Importante nga masayran sa kunsumidor ang tukmang kabahin sa LPG ug butane alang sa ilang seguridad. Base sa kasamtangan nga balaod sa Philippine National Standards alang sa mga gas containers ang “welded steel cylinders” lamang ang kwalipikado alang sa storage, transportation ug distribution. Midugang si Diola pagpahibalo nga ang mga butane canisters dili mahimong e refill ug LPG kay mu resulta kini sa leaking ug exploding nga maoy hinungdan sa sunog. Importante nga masayran sa kunsumidor ang tukmang impormasyon ug hustong pag gamit sa LPG ug butane aron malikayan ang disgrasya ug sunog, matud ni Diola. (lpp/PIA7/Negros Oriental)