VOL. 2 l NO. 20 July 18, 2012
NFA assures stable rice supply for Central Visayas By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY July 18 (PIA) --The National Food Authority (NFA) Cebu Provincial Office assured that Cebu and the rest of the provinces in Central Visayas have stable rice supply. NFA Cebu Provincial Manager Nestor Rey Alcoseba said in a recent AGIO -7 forum that the NFA rice stocks plus those of commercial rice dealers are sufficient to meet the demand of the consuming populace throughout the
region. “Daghan ang bugas, unlike several years ago, walay tay problema sa bugas karon. In fact, the problem is how to sell the NFA rice,” (There is much rice unlike several years ago. We have no problem with rice supply),” Alcoseba said. Alcoseba said one of the basic programs of the agency is the Palay Procurement Program where the government undertakes the initiative to buy bags of rice directly from farmers at
P17 per kilo. But Alcoseba admitted there is a deficiency in the total rice production in the region versus consumption of the total population. But this is not a cause for worry since NFA and commercial rice dealers have sufficient stocks available to meet consumption demand, Alcoseba said. Central Visayas has a daily rice consumption record of 37,640 bags while Cebu province alone consumes 20,100 bags every day, he said. Alcoseba also assured the public there will be no hike in rice prices since there is enough supply and that Cebu is a premier market for rice suppliers and traders to sell their rice products. “Never will it happen that there will be no supply of rice in Cebu as all suppliers merge in Cebu. This is actually a blessing for the province due to its strategic location,” Alcoseba added. The NFA official here said their agency fully supports the program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on attaining food self-sufficiency which includes sufficient rice and other food supply. (FCR/AYS/PIA-7)
DOLE Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis -Baldoz (center) during the symbolic turnover of a P197,200 grant to fund the income-generating activities of the Kapunungan sa Gagmay nga Mananagat sa Tangculogan from Bais City during the July 16 launching of the Child Labor- and Human Trafficking-Free program in Brgy. Azagra, Tanjay City. Assisting the Labor Secretary is Usec. Lourdes Trasmonte (far left). (RMN/PIA NEGOR)
Foresters seize 203 pieces yakal lumber
By Hazel B. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 18 (PIA) -- A total of 203 pieces of yakal lumber with a volume of 2,913 board feet and an estimated value of P262,170.00 were seized last July 12, 2012 in Naga City, Cebu by a team of foresters and police officers. Dr. Isabelo R. Montejo, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, said “the operator of the seized forest products including the conveyances used will have to undergo administrative adjudication proceedings to determine its culpability to existing forestry laws and regulations and the appropriate criminal cases will be filed.” “The movement of logs, lumber, plywood, veneer, non-timber forest products
and wood-based or non-wood based products or commodities shall be covered with appropriate and original copy of certificates of origin,” Montejo added. Montejo explained the requirement of providing transport documents covering the said forest commodities becomes very important, not only as a basis for determining the resource drain but also in providing a control mechanism against the unauthorized movement and disposition of contraband forest products. The confiscated forest products are now at the DENR-CENRO Cebu City for safekeeping. The team who seized the said lumber included foresters Raul Pasoc, Nolito Lapinig, Lucio Cañete Jr, and police officers
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Remberto Empeynado, Reginald Galangan, Niel Villaceran, and Renier Noel. “The DENR is vigorously campaigning against environmental law violators as environmental law enforcement is one of the priority thrusts of DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje,” Montejo added. In a related development, Montejo has instructed all DENR 7 field officers to continuously conduct monitoring and apprehension on the illegal movement of forest products within their area of jurisdiction and to coordinate immediately with other law enforcement authorities. Illegal possession of timber products is a violation of section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 as amended by Executive Order 277 and as renumbered by Republic Act 7161 and Executive Order 23.(DENR 7/RMN/HFG/ PIA 7)
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NEGROS ORIENTAL
DOLE turns over P625,000 grant for Amlan fishers
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 17 (PIA) -- A group of fishers in Amlan received a P625,000 grant from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) under their DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program. The Tandayag Fisherfolks Association, composed of 34 marginal fishermen, received the check from Labor Sec. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz in a turnover ceremony held Monday along the coastline of Brgy. Tandayag
in Amlan, Negros Oriental. Virgilio Aviso, head of the Tandayag fisherfolks group, said they intend to use the grant to purchase 25 units of motorized boats to boost their income; all the members use paddle boats. “Dako kaayo among kalipay kay nakadawat mi aning kantidara kay dako ni siya ug tabang sa among asosasyon (This grant is a big help to our association and we are very grateful that we have received this livelihood assistance),” s a i d Av i s o i n a n i n t e r v i e w.
With the motorized boats, Aviso said they expect to see a boost in their income. Aside from this, the livelihood aid is also seen to help the fishers protect the six-hectare s t r e t c h o f Ta n d a y a g M a r i n e Sanctuary in the village’s sea waters which they co-manage with the municipal government. The grant was inspired by the success of the fishermen’s a s s o c i a t i o n i n B r g y. B i o - o s , Amlan, which was the recipient of a similar grant from DOLE. Viven Lagahid of the DOLE provincial office here said the 20 fishers under the Bio-os fishermen’s group received a P500,000 grant in 2010 under the same DOLE program. With the grant, Lagahid said the Bio-os fisherfolks acquired 25 motorized boats that they are now using in their livelihood. DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte in her speech urged the fishermen to form their association into a cooperative so they can have a legal personality and avail of other future grants. (RMN-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)
Brgy. Bajumpandan Councilor Crispin Patrimonio of Dumaguete City sharing his experiences as a PWD barangay official during the July 18 Kapihan forum in Dumaguete City held to mark this year’s 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week. (LJD/PIA)
DILG calls for creation of PWD affairs office in Dumaguete By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 18 (PIA) -- The chief of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Dumaguete City is pushing for the creation of a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in the city. F e l i x A b l i r, C i t y L o c a l Government Operations Officer of DILG in Dumaguete City said the creation of PDAOs in towns and cities is mandated by Republic Act No. 10070 which states that PDAOs shall be organized and established in every province, city and municipality. The PDAO will help in the formulation and implementation of policies, plans and programs for the promotion of the welfare of PWDs in coordination with concerned national and local government agencies.
DILG has also issued a memorandum to governors and mayors providing guidelines for the creation of a persons with disability (PWDs) affairs office to operationalize RA No. 10070, Ablir added. Dumaguete City was not able to set up a PDAO after the city government’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) was reduced by around P38 million following the creation of new cities nationwide, said Ablir. “In this case, it would be appropriate for the mayor’s office to designate an officer-in-charge for PDAO who will coordinate with the PWDs organizations,” said Ablir in a forum held to mark the 34th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week. The DILG memo states that
in consideration of budget restraints, local chief executives of fourth, fifth, and sixth class municipalities may designate a person in charge, who shall perform the functions of the PDAO. RA No. 10070 or an “Act Establishing an Institutional Mechanism to ensure the Implementation of Programs and Services for Persons with Disabilities” amends Section 40 of RA No. 7277 or the “Magna Carta for Disabled Persons.” (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
BOHOL
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Feature: Blind man seeks out other PWDs in Bohol By Rey Anthony Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 18(PIA) -- Mateo Quilas could have not cared for others, and no one would've blamed him. But Quilas' blindness did not hinder him from seeking other differently-abled people in Bohol. He believes it is only in binding themselves together that will they be heard. Fired with the passion to seek out all persons with dis-abilities to get the services they deserved, Quilas, who heads the Bohol Federation of Disabled persons Incorporated (BFDPI) has been organizing town chapters, wanting to form a network of local workers and come up with a detailed database of the province’s PWD sector. “Forming the database makes it easy for us to identify programs to help these people like me, get the proper interventions to be gainfully employed in the future,” Quilas said at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR. Born with a physical disadvantage that impedes them from competitively grabbing work opportunities, differently-abled persons adopt negative outlooks in life that complicates their productive capacity, he said. Guesting the radio forum on air, Quilas along with a therapist at the Stimulation and Therapeutic Activity Center came to announce the annual celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week which runs from July 17 to 23. Taking time to explain the celebration’s theme “Mainstreaming persons with disabilities in Economic Development, Quilas said his group has been into giving skills trainings that allow the Persons with disabilities (PWD) gain the necessary skills to work for his sustenance. The blind but active PWD advocate shared that they have couple members who have successfully sent their kids to college, using their earnings as blind masseurs. “At BFDPI, we train our members some basic skills that assure them of additional income so their families would stop treating CAPACITATING THE INCAPACITATED: Disability week. Bohol Federation them as a burden in the family,” of Disabled Persons Incorporated members show their best skills in body Quilas said. massage, a skill they learned to earn for their sustenance. This week’s National The trainings, which Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation celebration aims to mainstream are also fitted according to the persons with disabilities for economic development (rahc/PIA-Bohol) capacity of the member include body massage, beautician courses, furniture making and small electronic gadgets repair. He also cited laws which provide for the benefits of persons with disabilities including education, work training and By Rey Anthony Chiu even assuring them of work after successfully getting the trainings. TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 23 (PIA) -- The Province of Bohol through local executive For this, Quilas called on order-25 dated July 9, 2012 declared July 23 (today) as "Anti-Dengue Clean-up Day" in response Boholano PWDs and their families to the recent spate of heavy rains and the rising reported incidence of suspected dengue cases to have them listed in the database in the province. to facilitate program assistance. Bohol governor Edgar Chatto urges all Boholanos to conduct a concerted community clean And to centralize al their up on the said day to help prevent the spread of the dreaded disease, keeping in mind to seek advocacies in Bohol, Quilas said and destroy breeding places of dengue mosquitoes, such as discarded tires, drums, cans, bottles, they have successfully established gutters, and other places where there may be stagnant water. the Provincial Persons with Chatto further pushed for the need for every member of the community to take part in the Disabilities Affairs Office as a main clean-up stressing that dengue may strike anyone, whether rich or poor. hub for all sector-related activities The governor reminds the public of the Department of Health's 4S strategies against dengue: here. search and destroy breeding places of dengue mosquitos; self-protection measures; seek early Set for launching on consultation; and say "No!" to indiscriminate fogging. Thursday, July 17, the center is In a meeting at the Governor’s Mansion yesterday, involving all sectors of the community, a located beside the OPSWD along habit-forming activities against dengue were planned out to sustain efforts to eliminate dengue Tamblot Street. (mbcn/rahc/PIA- cases and deaths in the province. (MCBN/ECB-PIA7 Bohol) Bohol)
Bohol observes antidengue clean-up day
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SIQUIJOR
Siquijor joins green product showcase at trade expo in Bohol By Rizalie A. Calibo
SIQUIJOR, July 18 (PIA) -- Some of the local entrepreneurs in the food and non-food sectors from Siquijor will join the more than 80 Filipino exhibitors in the 2012 Sandugo Regional Trade Expo at the Island City Mall, Tagbilaran City on July 25-29. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director Nimfa Virtucio said they are the makers of furniture and woodcraft, cakes and pastries, banana crackers and other souvenir items in Siquijor. Local producers Douglas Balwit and Romblon weavers of barangay Napo, San Juan, Siquijor will also present some of the product prototypes designed by the Product Development and Design Center
of the Philippines (PDDCP) designers. The trade fair banners the theme, “Greening Products, Winning Markets,” and will feature innovative creations from MSMEs in Central Visayas as well as other neighboring provinces in the region. A major highlight of the trade expo will be the special settings that feature three different perspectives – Green Technologies for Tourism; the Raffia Country Branding Program of DOST; and a showcase of crafts and processed food in the region, DTI release read. Local ingenuity, organic products and other unique 'One Town, One Product' (OTOP) using indigenous raw materials will also be highlighted in the trade expo. The OTOP, another program of
the government is all about developing local skills, using indigenous materials and promoting entrepreneurship and partnerships. Side activities of the trade fair will include a Green Forum on July 26 and an MSME Caravan on July 27, both at Metro Centre in Tagbilaran City. N a ti o n a l a n d i n te r n a ti o n a l buyers are expected during the fair, including exporters, buying agents, wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers and subcontractors, DTI said. Booths will be set up in the Island City Mall to display the wealth of natural wonders and the related adventure and fun activities that are available for tourists and visitors who wish to explore the destinations on the rise. (MBCN/RACPIA7 Siquijor)
Some of the product prototypes developed by our local producers in Napo, San Juan (Douglas Balwit and Romblon Weavers) for the Sandugo Regional Trade Fair on Jul 2529, 2012 at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. Designs were given by Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP) designers. (PIA7, Siquijor w/ fotos from DTI-Siquijor)
DOST 7 supporters in Siquijor awarded during Kapihan forum By Rizalie A. Calibo
SIQUIJOR, July 18 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology, Region 7 gave recognition to individuals and organizations for their contributions to the goals of the agency. Siquijor Mayor Richard Quezon and Siquijor State College (SSC) President Baldomero Martinez and the SSC as the institution itself received the Award of Recognition from the DOST during the Kapihan forum conducted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)Siquijor and DOST to highlight the annual celebration of the National Science and
Technology Week commemorated in July. The forum banners the theme, "Science Technology and Innovation: Working Together for Growth and Development." DOST Provincial Director Mario de la Pena said the DOST 7 Award of Recognition is a special honor conferred upon individuals or organizations as a mark of distinction for their contributions to the advancement of science, technology and innovation as a catalyst toward socio-
economic development. Mayor Quezon, de la Pena said has been very supportive of the DOST in Siquijor, particularly in the donation of lot for the new Provincial Science and Technology (PSTC) building. Siquijor State College and its president, were recognized for their continued support to all DOST endeavors on Science and Technology programs in the province, de la Peña added. (MBCN/ RAC-PIA7 Siquijor) Tags: