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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. 32 September 22-30, 2018

Sen. Villar, Cong. Rocamora boost Siquijor farmers

by Rizalie Anding Calibo

SIQUIJOR PROVINCE (PIA)-In a bid to boost farmers and fisherfolks motivation in the province, Senator Cynthia Villar and Congressman Rav Rocamora

Villar, as the Senate Committe Chair on Agriculture and Food assured farmers that agriculture is her top priority while citing the Philippines as an agricultural country with two thirds of its population surviving by agriculture.

One-third, of this she said, is composed of farmers and fisherfolks and another one third, from the supermarkets, hotels and restaurants like market vendors and processors, among others.

As a senator, Villar said she continues pushing for laws that bring reforms and benefits to the Filipino farmers and fisherfolks including the agricultural workers and the agriSenator Cynthia Villar and Siquijor Congressman Rav Rocamora turn over the coconut seedlings entrepreneurs and all to the Siquijor farmers during the Siquijor Coconut Farmer Leaders and Stakeholders Dialogue those involved in at the Siquijor State College Gym in Larena, Siquijor. (PIA/Siquijor) agriculture.

Villar said it is sad to note that despite our being an agricultural country, our farmers and fisherfolks remain among the poorest in the county, the coconut

The state-run Social Security System September 3 in response to the clamor from farmers being the poorest sector.

“Gusto natin baguhin ang sitwasyon (SSS) has released P49.78 million in pension senior citizens to put an end to the growing loans to 1,976 qualified pensioners during the incidence of pensioners falling victims to na iyan. Gusto natin iahon sa kahirapan ang first 12 days of pilot implementation of the lending firms that offer steep interest rates mga magsasaka at mga mangingisda (We Pension Loan Program (PLP), which is now and to help them with their short-term needs want to change this situation. We want to lift you up from poverty),” said Villar. being offered in 34 branches nationwide. like emergency medical expenses.

Villar said the average income of

“We are very much overwhelmed Top six SSS branches that received with the influx of applicants in our SSS the highest number of availees on the first a farmer in the Philippines is Php4,500 a branches. We hope that the loan privileges two weeks of implementation were Diliman month and it takes Php6,300 to feed a family under the PLP will help our dear pensioners (406 availees), Cebu (221), Zamboanga of five so it is disheartening to think that the to finance their emergency and short-term (157), Bacoor (119), Alabang (114), and ones producing our food cannot even feed their families well. financial needs,” SSS President and Chief Davao (114).

That has to change because food Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said.

To further serve pensioners who

S S S l a u n c h e d t h e P L P l a s t wanted to avail of the PLP, SSS announced to page 3 to page 3 met over 500 local coconut farmers leaders and industry stakeholders last week in a dialogue at the Siquijor State College, Larena, Siquijor.

SSS releases more than P49M in pension loans in 12 days

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Proclamation No. 1050 s. 1997 declared September of every year as Civil Service Month. For this year, the theme of the celebration is “Lingkod Bayani: Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makabayan!”

Civil servants get to enjoy fun activities and freebies during this month. Samples of these activities for 2018 include R.A.C.E to Serve Fun Run, Honor Awards Program (HAP), and Government Choral Competition.

In support to the celebration, officials and employees in Siquijor province renewed their vows of commitment with the Csc Siquijor at the Opening of the 47th Araw ng Lalawigan ng Siquijor at the Dugokanan sa Kapitolyo, Siquijor, Siquijor. #malasakitpamore | #EmpoweringCommunities

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SSS releases more than P49M ... that 50 more branches will soon receive PLP applications.

“Still in line with our 61st anniversary celebration, we are glad to announce that more SSS branches will receive PLP applications. This is our special way of saying thank you to all our pensioners for trusting SSS throughout the past 61 years” Dooc said.

Last September 19, additional 14 SSS branches in National Capital Region (NCR) have started accepting PLP applications, namely; Batasan Hills, Fairview, Cubao, Malabon, Antipolo, Marikina, PasigRotunda, San Juan, Binondo, Legarda, Pasay Taft, Makati Ayala, Makati-JP Rizal and Taguig.

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Another 36 branches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao areas will start receiving PLP applications on September 24. These include SSS branches in Laoag, Cauayan, Tuguegarao, Balanga, Cabanatuan, Camiling, Pampanga, Malolos, Olongapo, Angeles, Carmona, Lucena, Batangas, Lipa, Puerto Princesa, Legazpi, Daet, Masbate, Sorsogon Lapu-Lapu, Tagbilaran, Talisay, Ormoc, Bacolod, Dumaguete, Kalibo, Roxas, Butuan, Iligan, Dacao Ilustre, Tagum, Toril, Koronadal, Dipolog, and Pagadian.

“We would like to remind our pensioners that they are required to apply personally to the identified SSS branches and remind their Social Security Card or Unified Multi-Purpose Identification Card, or any two valid identification cards both with signature and at least one photo,” Dooc said.

The PLP is open to retiree pensioners who are 80 years old and below at the end of

from page 1

the month of loan term, have no outstanding loan balance and benefit overpayment payable to SSS, have no advance pension under the SSS Calamity Package, and have been receiving their regular monthly pensions for at least six months.

Approved loans will gain an annual interest rate of 10 percent until fully paid computed on a diminishing principal balance, which shall become part of the monthly amortization. The pension loan is payable within three, six, or 12 months depending on the loan amount and shall be deducted from the borrower’s monthly pension.

Qualified pensioners can borrow for as low as their basic monthly pension for two months plus the additional P1,000 benefit or as high as their basic monthly pension for six months plus the additional P1,000 benefit, not exceeding P32,000.

Villar, Rocamora boost Siquijor ... from page 1

security of our country lies in them, she said. We need to help them earn and be competitive so they won’t leave farming and fishing, and the country will have sufficient food, added Villar.

One of the bills she cited that was passed and has been approved by the bicameral conference committee, was the law creating the almost Php100-billion coconut levy trust fund. This, she said, happened after decades of waiting by some 3.5 million coconut farmers in the country.

Villar refers to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Act that is among the priority legislative measures pushed by President Rodrigo Duterte during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

The fund, Villar said, will be managed by the reconstituted Ph ilip p in e C o conut Author ity (PCA) which will be composed of four representatives from the government (one each from the PCA, Department of Finance, Department of Agriculture, Department of Budget and Management); one coconut industry stakeholder; and six representatives from coconut farmers (two representatives each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao).

Meanwhile, Siquijor lone district Representative Rav Rocamora in a report early last month, filed a companion bill to the proposed Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Bill, which has been approved by the bicameral conference committee.

The proposed measure, House to page 4

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Villar, Rocamora boost Siquijor ... from page 1 Bill No. 8062 (An Act Reconstituting the Governing Board of the Philippine Coconut Authority, providing for Greater Coconut Farmers’ Representation, Amending for the Purpose Presidential Decree No. 1468) will strengthen the representation of coconut farmers in the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) governing board so that they can effectively participate in the crafting and implementation of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan.

He stressed the urgency by which Congress must pass the proposed measure otherwise the Coconut Farmers and Industry will become a half-baked law.

“This proposed bill is necessary in order to effectively implement the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Bill should it become law. Without our companion bill reconstituting the PCA, the very spirit of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Bill will remain unfulfilled,” Rocamora said.

“The purpose of the proposed law is to ensure that coconut farmers’ have a greater voice in how the Coco Levy Fund is used. It is also a safeguard against the possibility that the fund is not used for the benefit of the farmers, their families, and the

coconut sector,” Rocamora added.

Rocamora lamented that Congress must now race against time to pass a companion bill because the provision of a Trust Fund Committee to manage the Coco Levy Fund was deleted from the bicameral conference committee’s consolidated version.

“Kaya tapos na ang paghihintay ninyong mga magniniyog, mapapakinabangan na ninyo ang pondong para sa inyo talaga. Taon-taon, Php5 billion ang amount na gagastusin mula sa Coco Levy Fund (For you, coconut farmers, the waiting is over, you will now benefit from the fund that is really for you, that is Php5 billion a year from the Coco Levy Fund) Villar told Siquijor farmers as she assured the passing of the accompanying bill that reconstitutes membership of the PCA board.

The Php5 billion fund, Villar and Rocamora explained, will be spent for the following: shared facilities, 30%; scholarship program, 15%; empowerment of coconut farmer organization and their cooperatives, 15%; farm improvement to encourage self-sufficiency, 30%; and health and medical benefits, 10%.

The Coco Levy Fund, they said is separate from the Php10 billion from the annual budget of the PCA that comes from the national budget for the development of the coconut industry.

The Php10 billion fund, she added will be earmarked for the following programs: infrastructure, 20%; planting, replanting and establishment of nurseries, 20%; intercropping, 10%; shared facilities, 20%; research and development, disease control and eradication, 10%; fertilization, 5%; new products and derivatives of cococut oil products, 5%; and credit through LandBank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines, 10%.

“Hangad natin na malaki ang maitutulong ng mga pondong iyan sa inyong lahat para mas mapalago ninyo ang inyong mga niyugan at ma-improve rin ang mga proseso, makinarya at iba pa, para lumago ang mga negosyo ninyo at umunlad ang inyong pamumuhay.

Napakalaki ng potensyal at napakaraming mga opportunities sa coconut sector (We desire that the fund will be of great help in expanding their coconut industries, improve processing and machineries, improve their business and their lives. There is a great potential and oppotunities in coconut sector),” Villar said. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)