INFOBYTES

VOL. 2 l NO. 18 July 04, 2012

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12 Cebu youth leaders explore Europe

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, July 3 -- Twelve youth delegates and three adult leaders from Cebu were sent to an exchange visit in the cities of Haarlemmermeer in the Netherlands and Kortrijk in Belgium through the program Young Minds on Xplore (YMX) Season 3 of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) from April 14 to May 6 this year.

In a press statement, RAFI's communication team writer Hanna Aranas said, the program was in partnership with Vereniging Haarlemmermeer Cebu (VHC), the Meerlanden Youth Cebu and the City of Kortrijk.

"This cultural exchange is part of the sister-city relationship between Cebu City and the cities of Haarlemmermeer and Kortrijk," Aranas wrote.

According to Aranas, Young Minds on Xplore (YMX) Season 3 aims to provide an avenue for better understanding and appreciation of Cebuano and European cultures and for cultivating a deeper sense of nationalism among the participants.

For three weeks, the delegates

stayed with their Dutch and Belgian host families to better understand their culture and also visited various institutions, organizations and heritage sites.

To better appreciate European culture and understand best practices and systems in Europe, they also visited the Hague, which is the Netherland's seat of government, and the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium.

In Belgium, Kortrijk Deputy Mayor Alain Cnudde welcomed the delegates and conducted a brief discussion of the sister-city relationship between Cebu City and Kortrijk.

They visited institutions and organizations such as St. Michiels Church, NOC and the Youth Movement, Oxfam Wereldwinkel Fair Trade, Haaberkrats, AZ Groeninge Hospital, Groep Ubuntu and Acht Kanter.

The delegates were able to attend the Sunday Lowland Games organized by the City of Kortrijk in preparation for the 2012 Olympics.

In the Netherlands, a council session in the City of Haarlemmermeer was held, where the mayor welcomed the delegates.

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They went to the Meerlanden Sanitary Landfill, NEVISO-Roots for Development, the Cruquiushoeue Stable Center, Spaarne Hospital and various educational institutions.

The delegates toured around the Dutch capital city of Amsterdam and the Jewish Historical Museum and took part in the Dutch national holiday in celebration of Queen Beatrix's birthday.

Throughout the program, the delegates were provided opportunities to meet various groups, institutions and organizations that are in line with social welfare, youth development, culture and heritage, health and education and learned through observation the best practices of these groups.

Upon arriving in Cebu, the delegates started working on projects that support the "I Am A Hero" and Mega Cebu Project of RAFI.

They also held talks and discussions of what they have learned in Europe to SK officials, public school teachers and students and other student organizations. They are also planning to put up a youth center.

For more information about YMA, please contact 418-7234 loc. 110 and look for Mel, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook. com/rafi.org.ph. (MBCN/HFG/RAFI-PIA7)

INFOBYTES TOPSTORIES

NEGROS ORIENTAL

Army provides free social services to 3 remote villages

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- More than 2,000 residents in three hinterland barangays in Ayungon town benefited from a series of outreach activities led by the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army here.

The outreach campaign was held in the barangays of Carol-an (June 20), Nabhang (June 21) and Mabato (June 27), which are said to be the remotest villages in Ayungon town and shares the provincial boundary with Kabankalan town of Negros Occidental.

Of the total residents who took part in the outreach program, 574 came from Brgy. Carol-an, 396 from Brgy.

Nabhang and 1,408 from Brgy. Mabato.

The outreach drive was done in cooperation with the Ayungon municipal government and included free consultation, measles vaccination, circumcision, dental services, mass wedding, tree planting, massage and peace advocacy symposiums, said 11IB Capt. Ariel V. Quirog.

Quirog said medicines were also given to the beneficiaries for free.

Ayungon Mayor Edsel Enardecido officiated over the wedding of ten couples in Brgy. Carol-an and six in Brgy. Mabato.

A total of 150 school bags with school supplies and 800 packs of relief goods were also handed out in Brgy.

Carol-an.

Enardecido lauded the efforts of the troopers in assisting the Ayungon municipal government in delivery social services to the residents of the three farflung barangays. He said the “harmonious

relationship” between the 11IB and the local government unit greatly contributes to the progress of the society.

The outreach program was undertaken by the soldiers together with the Army’s medical team from the 11IB and the 302nd Brigade, municipal health officers, municipal agriculture officers, barangay officials, Department of Education, barangay health workers, and fire volunteers. (RMN/PIA7 Negros Oriental)

MEDICAL MISSION: Residents of Brgy. Carol-an in Ayungon, Negros Oriental availing of the free dental services during a series of outreach activities conducted by the Philippine Army's 11th Infantry Brigade and 302nd Brigade in the remote villages of Ayungon. The outreach was held in cooperation with the Ayungon municipal government. (PIA/11IB PHOTO)

112 trainees receive training certificates

B AYAWA N C I T Y, N e g r o s Oriental, July 2 (PIA) -- More than 100 trainees graduated in different vocational skills on June 27 in Bayawan City, Negors Oriental.

Of the 112 graduates, 39 completed the training on Personal Computer Operatio,; 24 in Consumer Electronics Servicing, 16 in Food Processing and Preservation, 16 in

By Jennifer C. Tilos Building Wiring Installation, and 17 in Rough Carpentry.

According to Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Information Officer Geraldine delos Reyes, the National Certificate (NC) or Certificate of Competency (COC) is very important now because most employers require their job applicants

to present this certificate before they are accepted.

The NC will be issued only after passing the competencies required on a certain qualification level.

Bayawan and the Tolong MultiPurpose Cooperative (TOMPUCO) funded the skills training for their 112 beneficiaries from different barangays.

Adonis Rivera, principal of Bayawan National High School, told the graduates to adapt to changes by quoting Charles Darwin, “It is not the strongest specie that will survive but he who adapts to change.”

City Mayor Rene Gaudiel graced the occasion, who also inspired the trainees to be more productive.

Delos Reyes confirmed the graduates in behalf of the TESDA provincial director Toni June Tamayo.

She encouraged the graduates to upgrade their skills acquired and take the competency assessment to be a certified skilled worker. (MBCN/JCTPIA7, Negros Oriental

BOHOL

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

Dengue fever shows more unusual symptoms

By Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 2 (PIA) -- If dengue fever can manifest in “by the books” symptoms then, health practitioners are now in for tougher times dealing with the disease that has claimed

lives of at least 10 Boholanos since January 2012.

A nurse who sits as Provincial Dengue Program Coordinator and a medical officer based at the Department of Education (DepEd) schools’ division office in Bohol confirmed that the new dengue

DepEd serves free breakfast for 8,000 schoolers in Bohol

By Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 1 (PIA) --The Department of Education (DepEd) continues serving free breakfast for 8,222 pre and primary schoolers in a bid to get to the 70% undernourished kids in Bohol this year.

Bohol pilots the Breakfast Feeding Program which DepEd implements for 160 days or roughly 8 months, DepEd sources said.

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA tackling July as National Nutrition Month Celebration, DepEd’s Dr. Aida Calamba told listeners that the move is being made because within these ages, school authorities note a high drop-out rate.

She added that breakfast is a crucial meal most kids miss to catch up for school, or their walk to school can easily use up the nutrition intake and thus would struggle with hunger to survive the entire morning class sessions.

A healthy person learns fast and tends to be more productive as he does not tire quickly.

When taken in a larger context, a healthy population is also generally more productive and bids well for the economy, Calamba said.

Started in 1997, the Breakfast Feeding Program is a government attempt to get to the 70% of the malnourished kids and

ascertain 80% of their attendance and class participation, Dr. Calamba explained.

The program also hopes to be sustained as the government engages parents’ cooperation and participation in preparing the nutritious food in the menu.

“We also hope that parents pick up the habit of preparing similar food at the home table, to make sure that kids get sustained nutrition boost even when they are out of the school,” Dr. Calamba shared.

She noted that kids lose weights during vacations, a fact that may link to low nutritional value of food at home, or to an excess of activities that sap the kids energies.

She said while the government provides the funds for the supplemental feeding program, it is in line with the 2012 Nutrition Month Theme “Pagkain ng gulay ugali-in, araw-araw itong ihain”.

The supplemental feeding menu puts in a basic vegetable which is malunggay, adds Angeles Bigcal, a nurse who is among the 22 nurses DepEd hired to attend to the school health service and nutrition education needs.

At the radio forum on air, Bigcal who is nurse in charge at the Bohol Division Office said the feeding program also encourages the establishment of school vegetable gardens in as much as the feeding ingredients promote locally grown vegetables. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-

Farmers from Bohol town get carabao, cattle

By Rey Anthony Chiu

CORTES, Bohol, July 1 (PIA) -- Fifty-one high school students leaders from the Infant King Academy (IKA) in Cortes and Saint Vincent Institute (SVI) in Maribojoc gathered on June 23 at the Parola Hall of the Municipal Port of Maribojoc for a one-day Leadership Enhancement Training Seminar (LETS) Workshop initiated by the Philippine Information Agency-Bohol.

The workshop was designed to equip them with the necessary skills as student leaders in their respective schools.

IKA Cortes Student Supreme Government (SSG) adviser Ma Rosario Baroso said the training suits the need of most students who got elected as officers in their respective organizations in class or school who have very little knowledge on how to become a good leader.

Aside from inputs on good leadership traits, the training workshop also included teambuilding game activities, officers’ rights

and responsibilities workshop as well as rules in parliamentary procedures.

Teachers noted that many students who get elected to key positions in their respective schools do not have the necessary skills to conduct meetings.

Vincent Gee Abrasado, IKA class adviser also hailed the training saying it is a crucial skills enhancement activity that boosts student leadership capabilities which most students do not always confidently show.

The workshop also included a mock meeting where students go through the usual meeting process but are assessed on their use of training inputs including the terminologies, procedures and the skillful use of efficient and proven methods for effective meetings.

Aside from the leadership training workshop, PIA-Bohol also offered news writing and school organ production training seminar series that

strain, brought by the aedes aegypti mosquitoes, carries symptoms that are not the usual indicators of the disease.

Nurse Polizena Rances and Dr. Aida Calamba of the DepEd here said that dengue then, can be confirmed following symptoms which can be “read” from their college books: headaches, three days of high fever, vomiting, exhaustion, rashes, swelling in the lymph nodes, intense joint and muscle pains and low platelet count.

Now, dengue fever however, has showed quite disturbing symptoms which may lead to conflicting diagnosis, both medical practitioners warned.

"Fever associated with dengue now may not be as high unlike then or platelet count can go erratic that proper medical monitoring is needed," Rances said.

Months ago, health sources revealed that dengue has become more virulent, and the disease comes out during rainy season, when mosquitoes breed in places where water collects after the rain.

At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA on June 28, Rances bared that dengue has hit 273 patients in Bohol from January to the third week of June.

Since then too, ten patients have died marking a case fatality rate of 3.66 percent in Bohol.

According to provincial epidemiology surveillance unit (PESU) Fritzie Olaguir, this is way too high based on the Department of Health standards of one percent of the total cases.

Olaguir also said most fatalities came to hospitals at a rather late admission.

While several patients arrived at the hospitals and health facilities in time, and were properly treated, some of them came too late, proving that tarrying is fatal in dengue cases.

Dr. Calamba, whose agency has spearheaded an anti dengue drive in schools said while prevention of the disease is still a layman’s best defense, seeking immediate medical attention is a crucial step in dengue treatment.

Dr. Calamba, nurses Olaguir, Rances and Angeles Bagnit all pressed that they need communities to join the drive by searching and destroying mosquito breeding places; patients seeking early medical attention; self protection and saying no to indiscriminate fogging. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol) detail the tasks and enhance the students’ skills in news production.

PIA's news writing seminar series are offered during regular HEAT Caravans in various towns in Bohol and the training is designed for pupils, students and barangay secretaries. (mbcn/rahc/ PIA-Bohol)

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

SIQUIJOR

Siquijor PNP launches e-blotter system

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, (PIA) -- The provincial government of Siquijor through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) inaugurated yesterday the newly-completed P1.5-million PDRRMC Operation Center.

PDRRMC Executive Officer Arturo Pacatang said the operation center is part of efforts to upgrade and stabilize

disaster communication system and other disaster response facilities.

"This will strengthen our reporting system and other preparations to easily manage disasters," he said.

He called on PDRRMC committees and member agencies to formulate action plans and be responsive of their functions in the event of disasters.

The operation center now stands

at the Provincial Capitol Area which will be manned by Civil Defense Assistant Blezel Omictin.

M s g r. C a n d e l a r i o C a t u b i g officiated the blessing with the presence of the provincial government officials led by governor Orlando A. Fua, heads of the national government agencies and other members of the PDRRMC. (RMN/RACPIA7 Siquijor)

HYDROPONICS: Healthy vegetables that Cyrus Garzo (right above), a 33 year-old Silliman University graduate of BS Agriculture in Agronomy grow in Caipilan, Siquijor. They are just but proof that hydroponics, indeed, work in Siquijor and can even be a very good source of income. (RACalibo/ PIA-7, Siquijor w/ photos from DOST-Siquijor)

Siquijor disaster council distributes disaster preparedness equipment

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA) -- The provincial disaster council has distributed 20 Kenwood hand-held radios with early warning systems, preparedness and response equipment to its four committees.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) will also distribute 12 heavy duty and four underwater flashlights, two underwater digital cameras, three transistor radios, two repeaters and 12 battery chargers.

During the PDRRMC meeting held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall, Siquijor Provincial Capitol PDRRMC Executive Officer Arturo Pacatang said the province has acquired at least 30 units of

handheld radios and other equipment from last year’s local disaster risk reduction and management fund (LDRRMF).

Four of these units were already turned over to the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), Provincial Social Welfare and Development (PSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the two barangays in Lazi.

He said the mitigation, response, rehabilitation and preparedness committees through the lead agencies should receive five hand-held radios and two flashlights each with charger.

One repeater is placed in Mt. Bandilaan and the other one will be placed at the IPHO.

The underwater camera and the

underwater flashlights were given to Bantay Dagat task force and the emergency rescue team, he said.

He added there is a regular inventory of equipment in the province and that in the event of disaster, these equipment are available.

Pacatang urged the PDRRMC to adopt a resolution allowing the use of the 2011 PDRRMC budget balance for the purchase of a rubber boat for water search and rescue, 135 horse power unit engine for the Samaritan boat or a new speed boat that would transport patients from Siquijor to Dumaguete as he admits Siquijor hospital’s constraints in handling emergency cases. (RMN/RAC-PIA7 Siquijor)