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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. 34 October 9-16, 2018

4th Negosyo Center opens in Siquijor

SAN JUAN, Siquijor (PIA)--The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Region 7 recently launched the Negosyo Center (NC) in San Juan, Siquijor. The NC is in Capilay Spring Park, one of tourist destinations, right at the heart of the town. This is the 4th in the province, the first was in Siquijor town, followed with Maria and Larena. DTI-7 Regional Director Asteria Cabarte and San Juan Mayor Alberto “Dodong” Ocay officially opened the 4th NC, together with DTI-Siquijor team headed by Provincial Director Angeline Pauline Gonzalez and representatives from national government agencies that compose the Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (PSMEDC), department heads and employees of San Juan local government, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders. In his opening statement, Mayor Ocay said that he is thankful that DTI had chosen the town of San Juan to host the new NC. Caberte also congratulated the mayor and commended the economic dynamism in San Juan, saying that it has improved. She said that the increasing number of resorts and business establishments is a sign of economic boom that shows that people are now activating their purchasing power. “I am sure that if we do our documentation so properly and exhaustively, my guess it at least sa usa ka (in one) category ang San Juan most-improved,” Caberte said. The NC will be a hub in the town of San Juan where all businesses, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can ask for assistance and advisory services for businesses for free. “Our reason (for choosing) San Juan is because it’s a tourism capital. It is not a de facto tourism capital, it is indeed a tourism capital. It is fully acknowledged, at least by us,” explained Caberte.

(Top) San Juan Mayor Alberto Ocay giving his message during the launching of the Negosyo Center in San Juan, Siquijor. He commended DTI for bringing their services to the locality through the establishment of the center. (Bottom) DTI-7 Regional Director Asteria Caberte, (center), Provincial Director Angeline Pauline C. Gonzalez (left) and Mayor Ocay (right) sign the Memorandum of Agreement of for the newly opened Negosyo Center in San Juan, Siquijor (PIA7-Siquijor)

She also encouraged the town of San Juan to hit the benchmark by 2019. “Let’s hit it. Let us show that we have improved. We have so much to see around. The environment shouldn’t be compromised, of course,” she added. Caberte also mentioned that they have given assistance to the dairy farm in Cangmunag and the basket weaving project in Napo by providing market assistance such as market test and product pricing, trainings, and designs. With the boost of businesses in the

island, DTI will also educate the Siquijodnons on consumer protection to balance the consumerism and development. “Atong i-educate atong consumers aron makahibalo sila sa mga responsibilidad nila ug mga katungod nga di pud sila matumban sa atong mga negosyante. (We will educate the consumers so that they will know their responsibilities and their rights and be protected.) It’s a balance of consumerism and balance development,” said Caberte. (rac/ PIA7-Siquijor/MJB/PIA-GIP)

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DOST Siquijor orients 23 schools on scholarship by Engr. Joelline Ann D. Ates SRA&IO-designate/DOST Siquijor PSTC SIQUIJOR(PIA) --The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) conducted orientation to 23 senior high schools in the province for the upcoming examination for the 2019 DOST

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Science Education Institute (SEI) Science and Technology (S&T) Undergraduate Scholarship Program. The orientation was attended by qualified Grade 12 students and their teachers. Grade 10 students were also invited to enhance their inclination to enroll under the STEM strand in senior

Grade 10 and qualified Grade 12 students from Ponong High School listen to the orientation of DOST Siquijor about its SEI S&T Undergraduate Scholarship Program (DOST Siquijor)

RDC 7 calls on port officials to upgrade ticketing services

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Oct. 11 (PIA)--The Regional Development Council (RDC)-7 has passed a resolution urging the shipping companies in Central Visayas to integrate its port terminal fee into boat tickets booking to reduce passenger queues at the ports. National Economic Development

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is the Island of Siquijorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 THERE IS GOOD NEWS EVERYDAY.

Authority (Neda)-7 Director Efren Carreon said in support of RDC, the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) will confer with shipping lines for the online inclusion of terminal fees into the tickets in the system in a full council meeting of RDC-7 in Dumaguete City. The RDC has reported that as of July this year, 7 of the 21 shipping lines operating in Cebu port have already adopted the inclusion. It is noted that shipping companies with high passenger loads had not yet joined the integration initiative, thus requesting Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), as regulatory agency to call on the concern companies to implement the RDC policy direction. So far, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Negros Oriental/Siquijor have started to consult with shipping companies and brought the issue to the PPA Board. Nevertheless, Port Manager Sarah Mijares said though PPA has the jurisdiction over port operations, she said they still have to meet up with MARINA which has the regulatory power over the shipping lines, to instruct them to actually integrate the terminal fee in the passenger passage tickets. It is also noted that most of the

high school which would give them better opportunity in the future if they opt to apply for the scholarship, Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. Mario de la Pena said. On the basis of the current scholarship policy, all graduating Grade 12 students under the STEM strand are qualified to apply, while only the upper 5 percent of the total graduating Grade 12 students under the non-STEM strands in a school are qualified. Among the schools that were visited were Cang-alwang National High School, The Siquijor Provincial Science High School, Assisi High School, Quezon Memorial Institute of Siquijor, Tambisan National High School, Banban National High School, Ponong High School, San Antonio High School, and BIT International College for Siquijor town. The town of San Juan has Catulayan National High School and St. John High School and for Lazi town, Campalanas National High School, Kinamandagan High School, Lazi National Agricultural School, St. Isidore The Farmer School, and Leon Parami High School. Maria town has Candaping National High School and Ave Maria Academy; Larena town has Basac National High School, Cabulihan Integrated School, St. Vincent Academy and Siquijor and Siquijor State College; and Enrique Villanueva National High School for the town of Enrique Villanueva. Date of examination is on October 21, 2018 at Siquijor State College. Details about the e-Scholarship Application System as well as the entire application procedure can be found at the DOST Siquijor PSTC official Facebook page. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor/Engr. Joelline Ann D. Ates/SRA&IO-designate/DOST Siquijor ticketing offices in the region, especially in Dumaguete City, are located outside the terminal, and passengers have to queue in an open area without roof or top covering. Carreon cited that the ticketing booth and other port transactions should be inside the port terminal. In support of RDC policy, the Cebu Port Authority provided some guidance to PPAs of Bohol and Negros Oriental on the venturing into ICT initiatives on online inclusion of terminal fees into tickets booking. (jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

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DTI establishes OTOP PH Hubs in Siquijor

SIQUIJOR, October 15 (PIA) -- In an effort to provide a venue for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) to showcase their products, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be opening a One Town, One Product Philippines Hub (OTOP PH Hub) in Siquijor province at the Pasalubong Center in Campalanas, Lazi on November 26. According to DTI, OTOP PH Hubs are centers where MSE can display their products that have been given assistance by DTI. OTOP PH Hub, as explained by DTI on its website, is the demand side of the OTOP program of the government that provides the physical and online channels and market access platform where OTOP products are showcased on a day-to-day basis. The OTOP PH Hub is one of the two components of DTI’s OTOP Program. The other is the OTOP Next Gen, which serves as a way for MSMEs to develop their products through various assistance from DTI. #

SSS extends LRP until April 1, 2019

JAGNA, Bohol, Oct. (PIA)—Now, here is good news to all member-borrowers of the Social Security System (SSS) funds who have past due calamity or salary loan early renewal program (SLERP) payments, or member-borrowers with past due shortterm loans in calamity disaster-stricken areas, the SSS Loan Restructuring Program (LRP) or better known as SSS Loan Condonation Program has been extended. Initially offered until October 1, 2018, the SSS LRP has been extended until April 1, 2019, according to SSS Information Officer Michael Ian Mission. Mission said the extension should provide member-borrowers who have unpaid loans, ample time to avail of the condonation of penalties offer. SSS clarified that when one applies for an SSS loan, it is not the contributed premium that one borrows, but rather part of the SSS funds. Members who have been default in paying for their loans have reasoned out that it is wrong for SSS to ask them to pay as what was borrowed was the SSS Premium. This is a wrong notion, SSS authorities said. According to the SSS, the money you borrowed from the SSS comes from the funds

and is not necessarily the contributed amount, that a failure to pay will necessitate the full sum including the accumulated penalties and interests taken off from the member’s retirement or death benefit. “That is why if you have a long overdue SSS Loan, the SSS Loan Condonation is your chance to pay,” clarifies Mission. As one applies for the LRP, the accumulation of penalties and interests on his outstanding Loan will stop, or at least until one again defaults in paying the agreed amount and

schedule of payment of the restructured loan. With the penalties waived, the amount of obligation will be smaller. As per policy, SSS would demand an unpaid loan or outstanding balance from the SSS Pension, that a retiree may not get his initial months of pension until it can fully pay for the borrowed and unpaid amount. The SSS said, one thing about being able to pay for the loan is the possibility of getting another loan in times of need. (rahc/ PIA-7/Bohol)

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Cebuano News

Anti-plastic use ordinance suportado sa RDC

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA)—Nagkahiusa ang mga sakop sa Regional Development Council sa rehiyon 7 (RDC7) sa pag-awhag sa mga lokal nga kagamhanan sa Central Visayas pagpasar na sa ordinansa nga mopakunhod sa pag gamit sa plastic. Sa gipahigayon nga RDC7 full

council meeting sa Dumaguete City bag-ohay lang namahayag ang mga miyembro niini nga ang nasud sa Pilipinas anaa sa ikatulo nga dapit sa may labing daghan’g plastic nga basura nga natambog sa kadagatan ug nag-una kini sa “trash collection rates” sa Southeast Asia. Ang environment committee sa

SIQUIJOR, Nov 12 (PIA)— Pagabuksan kon ilusad karong Nobyembre 26 sa may alas 9:00 ang takna ang Siquijor OTOP (One Town One Product) Hub didto sa Pasalubong Center nga nahimutang sa Balete Fish Spa sa Campalanas, Lazi, Siquijor. Sumala pa ni Dr. Angeline Pauline Gonzalez ang hepe sa Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sa lalawigan, ang maong launching pagatambungan sa mga kadagkoan sa national, rehiyonal ug probinsyal nga buhatan, busa giaghat ang mga lumupyo ug mga bisita sa pagtambong aron usab makahibalo sa mga kalihokan ug proyekto nga gitanyag sa atong kagamhanan ilabi na alang sa gagmayng magpapatigayon. Adunay libreng pagkaon (snacks) nga ihatag ang DTI alang niadtong unang 50 ka mga “walk-in guests,” sumala pa ni Gonzalez.

Sahi sa ubang lugar sa nasud diin ang kasagarang OTOP Hub ipahimutang sa mga “malls” o “department stores,” dinhi sa lalawigan sa Siquijor lamang mahitabo nga kini ipahimutang sa usa ka tourism destination sa lungsod sa Lazi tungod kay wala ma’y dagko nga “malls” sa Siquijor, matud pa sa DTI. Tubag kini sa dugay na nga gipangandoy sa mga gagmay nga mamumuhunan nga adunay kabutangan sa ilang mga produkto, aron mas mapasayon pa ang pag-ila ug paghalin niini. Matud pa, usa sa mga suliran sa mga mamumuhunan mao ang pagpamaligya sa ilang produkto busa ang DTI nihimo ug daghang mga lakang aron mahatagan ug igong tabang ang mga gagmayng magpatigayon. Lakip niini mao ang OTOP Hub ug

SIQUIJOR, Oct. 11 (PIA)--Nipasalig ang Malacañang sa katawhan sa Pilipinas nga andam ang gobyerno nga proteksyonan ang nasud batok sa hulga sa terorismo. Mao kini ang gipamahayag sa tigpamaba sa Pamunong-nasud, Harry Roque Jr. atol sa gipahigayong regular press briefing sa palasyo. Dason pa niya nga andam ang Pilipinas sa pagsangka sa mga terorista ug sa pagpatuman unya sa tukmang balaod sa Pilipinas. Sunod kini sa gipamantala sa The Washington Times diin sumala pa, aduna’y panon sa mga IS fighters gikan sa Syria ug Iraq nga nagtago karon sa Mindanao aron sa pagtukod ug probinsya sa HabagatangSilangang Asya. Pasalig ni Roque nga bisan pa sa maong taho, ang gobyerno nagpabiling andam sa pagprotekta sa katawhan sa Pilipinas batok

sa giingong hugpong sa mga terorista. Dugang pa niya nga mismo ang United States Department of State niila sa mas malambuon nga counterterrorism capabilities sa Pilipinas. Gitumbok usab sa tigpamaba sa Presidente nga lakip nga kontrolado sa gobyerno ang seguridad sa tibuok nasud. Lakip nga gipasalig ni Roque nga dili gani ang giingong laraw nga “Red October” makapugos sa pamunong-nasud sa pagdeklara sa Martial Law sa tibuok nasud. Sumala pa niya nga wala’y bisan unsang hulga ang makapuk-an sa administrasyon tungod kay lig-on ang suporta sa katawhan sa pamunong-nasod. Hinuon, giklaro niya nga gipatuman lamang sa pamunong-nasod ang Martial Law sa Mindanao kung diin kini mas kinahanglan, apan dili sa Visayas ug Mindanao. Samtang sa laing bahin, gidason

OTOP Hub Siquijor pagabuksan sa Balete Tree, Campalanas

RDC mipasabot sa dautang epekto sa plastic waste sa panglawas sa katawhan ug sa atong kalikopan, didto sa tigum. Samtang ang Environmental Management Bureau (EMB7) mi kumpirmar nga ang mga plastic nga ka-usa lang gamiton, kini ang nagdala sa grabe nga plastic pollution sa tibook nasud. Ubos sa Local Government Code kon RA 7160 ang mga lokal nga kagamhanan gitahasan pag-patuman sa maong balaod ubos sa programang “solid waste management.” Gimandoan usab sa RDC ang EMB pagmugna sa “template ordinance” aron himoon kini nga sumbanan sa pag implementar sa mga lokal nga kagamhanan. (lpp/PIA7/Negros Oriental) mga Negosyo Centers nga nimutang sa upat ka mga lungsod sa lalawigan sa Siquijor. Buot pa usab DTI nga lukpon ang unom ka lungsod pagbutang sa Negosyo Centers dili lamang alang sa mga negosyante kon dili alang usab sa mga konsumedor ug mga ordinaryong katawhan nga nanginahanglan sa serbisyo s kagamhanan. Ang OTOP Hub PH usab, sumala pa sa DTI, maoy tubag sa gobyerno aron mahatagan ang mga microsmall and medium enterprises (MSMEs) ug usa ka lugar diin ipahimutang kon i-“display” ang ilang mga produkto nga nahimo. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)

Terorismo, kontralado sa gobyerno - Palasyo sa opisyal sa gabinete nga gapabilin sa Kongreso ang desisyon kalabut sa sugyot nga amendasyon sa Human Security Act of 2007. Tumong niining amendasyon nga lugwayan ang detention period sa mga suspetsadong terorista aron malikayan ang pag-iskapo ug pagguba sa mga nakalap nga ebidensya. Pasabot sa tigpamaba nga matawag nga usa lamang kini ka pretrial kun magpabilin sa kasamtangang detention period ang nakapatik sa maong balaod. Dugang niya nga kasamtangan na kining gidiskursohan sa Senado. Gitumbok usab sa tigpamaba ang pasalig sa pamunong-nasud nga sumala pa, hingpit kining musuporta sa tanang kalihukan nga magpalig-on sa kasamtangang balaud kalabut sa anti-terrorism. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor/ Mary Jane Banglos/GIP/PIA-Siquijor intern)