VOL. 2 l NO.2 l January 12, 2012
Cebu officials favor new tourism slogan "It's more Fun in the PH" By Fayette C. Rinen
CEBU CITY, January 11 (PIA) -Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city can aptly adopt the new tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” especially during the annual Sinulog
celebration dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the country. Rama said Cebu City can take on the DOT slogan that it’s fun to be in Cebu especially during the Sinulog period.
Art exhibit features Cebuano contemporary artists
In a news article, Rama was quoted as saying that “Cebu City and the province can adopt the slogan 'It's always fun in Cebu. Be in Cebu.” Rama said the Sinulog Grand Parade, which is held every 3rd Sunday
Rain gauge. Aside from providing the communication technology to power the Automatic Rain Gauge (ARG)’s transmission of data, Smart also agreed to co-locate some of the ARGs in its cellsites. Photo shows the ARG in Smart's Cabatuan, Iloilo cellsite. (PIA-7 and SMART-Cebu)
of January, has proven to be the biggest festival in the Philippines based on the volume of tourists that flock to Cebu either to have “fun” during the mardi gras. Tourists include locals who are devotees to the Holy Child Jesus Señor Sto. Niño. Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale also expressed support for the DOT slogan. Gov. Gwen Garcia on the other hand, said that whatever the slogan, what is most important is the unity among all Filipinos in promoting the country. Garcia said that there will always be people who are in favor and not in favor of the new slogan amid criticisms that it is similar to Switzerland’s tourism slogan in 1951. But what should prevail is that the campaign is good for our country, thus, the need to promote it as an ideal tourism destination in this part of the region, Garcia added. (PIA-Cebu)
CEBU CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- Contemporary artists in Cebu showcase their works in an art exhibit at the Cebu City Museum at Osmena Boulevard on January 4-31, 2012. The works on display include paintings and sculptures of Palmy Pe-Tudtud, Marvin Natural, Kidlat of the Junks Collective, Karl Roque, Sio Montera, Ritchie Quijano, Vidal Alcoseba, and Tito Cuevas. Russ Ligtas will give Butoh performances on Jan. 12 and 13. During the opening ceremonies, Cebu City Mayor Micheal Rama lauded this initiative saying it is a way to recognize Cebuano talents in visual arts as well as to promote the Cebu City Museum. RAFI-Culture and Heritage executive director Dr. Jocelyn Gerra said, “Contemporary Cebu is a good opportunity for introducing the Cebuano audience to contemporary arts and for them to be familiar who the Cebuano contemporary visual artists are." Exhibition and programs curator JV Castro said that this annual event is designed to bring national attention to contemporary Cebuano artists and their works. Castro added this exhibition features some of the finest artists we have in Cebu . All the works are done by Cebuano artists who specialize in contemporary works. Dennis “Sio” Montera, one of the featured artists shared the inspiration and stories behind his paintings. “My art is more on expression of the things that have been relevant in my life—happiness, sadness, loss of loved one, any life experience," Montera said. For him, the best way to communicate or deal with his emotions is to paint. It is more likely the reflection of a current situation of his life. "It's like a diary, mirroring what is happening around me,” he noted. Contemporary Cebu is realized in its second year now through the collaboration of The Alternative Contemporary Art Studio, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), and The Grove by Rockwell. Alternative Contemporary Art Studio and RAFI have been partners since Contemporary Cebu’s inception in 2011. This year, they took in The Grove by Rockwell as a major partner. The first exhibit was held in June 2011 in Manila at the Ateneo de Manila University and Picasso Boutique Hotel. Other sponsors of the exhibit are the Cebu City Government, Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission of Cebu City, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Blue Shield Risk Management, Gothong Southern, Michelangelo Pizzeria, and Hola España. (mbcn/PIA-7 & CTU/Maryknoll B. Lague)
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NEGROS ORIENTAL
NegOr Gov seeks financial assistance to stormdamaged infra By Rachelle M. Nessia
Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo (far left) hands over the monetary aid from NDRMMC for the families of victims who died due to Typhoon Sendong that struck Negros Oriental on Dec. 17, 2011. With the governor is OCD-7 Regional Director Minda Morante (2nd from left). The aid worth P10,000 was given to each of the 38 beneficiaries on Jan. 5, 2012 at the Session Hall in Capitol, Dumaguete City. (RMN/PIA NEGOR)
SU's simulation lab project receives $500,000 grant By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) -- Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental received a grant of US$500,000 from the Office of the American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (ASHA) for the development of a virtual simulation laboratory. The grant was released through the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. This will allow the university to renovate its existing virtual laboratory, said Mark Raygan Garcia, director of SU Office of Information and Publications in a statement. “It includes purchase of equipment, including human patient and other robotic simulators which are critical to recreate various scenarios such as natural calamities and other disasters,” said Garcia. Said equipment will provide the university’s students and healthcare professionals in neighboring schools and provinces an opportunity to analyze decisions and courses of action by simulating different hospital-based conditions. Garcia said SU currently has a virtual laboratory set up at the Olivia Villaflores-Yanson Hall which features “STAN”, a human patient simulator. “The laboratory is being used by healthcare students in determining the proper administration of medicines and conduct of related medical procedures,” he added. With the grant, SU hopes to enhancing the capability of the virtual laboratory and expand its coverage. Part of the university’s plan is to to develop web-based courses and content from the simulation exercises to facilitate collective learning and interaction on real-life situations. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports form SU-OIP)
DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo is seeking financial assistance from the national government for the repair of local infrastructure that were destroyed by the flood brought by Typhoon Sendong last month. The provincial government needs a total of P1.2 billion to repair storm-ravaged roads, bridges, spillways, flood control and river dikes, schools, irrigation, among others. The governor has earlier submitted his request for financial aid in a report to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). According to Gov. Degamo, the provincial government’s calamity fund is not enough to cover the needed amount for the repair of said infrastructure facilities. “I hope the national government will immediately respond to our request the soonest time possible,” he said. Typhoon Sendong that hit the province on Dec. 17, 2011 caused Okoy, Banica and Tanjay rivers to overflow, triggering floods to sweep away houses and damage infrastructure facilities. The deepening, dredging and rechanneling of Okoy, Banica and other rivers in the province are currently underway after the provincial government allotted P8 million to rent the needed heavy equipment for said activities. Another P5 million was released for the construction of gabions as flood control dikes and the purchase of water pipes and service drop wires. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
BOHOL
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Bohol gov urges LGUs for creative solutions to waste problem By Rey Anthony Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 11 (PIA) –- Bohol governor Edgar Chatto urges local government units in the province to find creative solutions in waste management and garbage problem or Bohol government may be sued administratively for failure to comply with Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program. Chatto admits that “no LGU in Bohol could sufficiently say they have complied with the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.” While many people consider garbage disposal a serious problem, several local government units seemingly do not see it like they do, Chatto noted. During the recent Ecological Solid Waste Management Technical Working Group meeting at the Crab House in Mansasa, members of the provincial
monitoring and evaluation team detailed the apparent lack of concern from some local government units on trash. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) revealed that despite the law that banned the operation of open garbage dumpsites for solid wastes with the option to switch to controlled dumps since 2004, not a sanitary landfill facility has been constructed in Bohol. If according to Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program, even the controlled dumps that were allowed until 2006 or five years after the law took effect in 2001, should have been closed for sanitary landfills this time. Chatto recognized that resources are limited even if LGUs are determined to construct and operate sanitary landfill facility. “It is high time that local governments
By Rey Anthony Chiu
seal and qualify for the grant, they must comply with the SGH criteria in key governance performance areas in planning, budgeting, revenue and resource mobilization, fiscal management and budget execution and procurement, Quilas said. Passing the threshold for these criteria in the third round of evaluations are Tagbilaran City, Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Bien Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape. Corella, Danao, Dimiao, GarciaHernandez, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Lila, Loon, Sagbayan, San Isidro, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Talibon, Trinidad, Tubigon and Valencia. Earlier, the towns of Maribojoc, Catigbian and Balilihan received the awards during the first round of evaluations. Then, Loboc, Panglao, Dauis, Clarin, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, San Miguel, Jagna and Ubay snagged the awards during the second round of local government performance management system assessments. Eleven (11) more towns of Bohol hope to get the stamp soon. The third round of evaluations the DILG had also formally stamp to Bohol Province the Seal of Good Housekeeping, one of the very few provincial governments brandishing the citation, proudly said governor Edgar Chatto last week. (mbcn/rahc/ PIA-Bohol)
36 Bohol LGUs earn good governance seal stamp from DILG
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 11 (PIA) -– Thirty-six (36) out of 47 local government units in Bohol province earned the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently. The DILG awards the seal to local government units that have satisfactorily shown exemplary transparency and accountability, participation and performance innovation into institutionalized status for better service to their constituents and the country in general. All LGUS in the country are subjected to the test of good housekeeping. LGUs with exemplary performance in good governance and internal housekeeping which can be gleaned from good planning, sound fiscal management, values transparency and accountability and a good performance monitoring, are awarded the seal, reads the DILG website. DILG-Bohol Seal of Good Housekeeping focal person Maria Reina Quilas said, these 36 towns now qualify to get grants from the Millennium Challenge Fund for additional resource in their efforts to beat the United Nation’s established millennium development goals. But for LGUS to earn the
explore creative ways to finally bury the trash problem this year,” the governor stressed. A study by the National Solid Waste Commission Secretariat estimated that each person produces an average per capita of .5 kilos of garbage daily. With 1.2M population, Bohol produces a daily garbage average of 60 metric tons or 180 metric tons a month, according to DENR estimates. A member of Bohol Tourism council shared that with no clear garbage disposal and treatment facility, it is safe to assume that these trash will soon get into the river systems, clog canals and cause irreparable damage to the tourism industry in the province. While the cited law mandates the creation of the Environment Solid Waste Management (ESWM) Municipal Boards, Bohol Environment Management Officer Maria Socorro Trinidad said that based on their evaluation most of these boards do not even meet or could not present minutes of their meetings. In her report to the council members, Trinidad said “only 15 LGUS have a 10-year Integrated ESWM Plans which are adopted by the Municipal Development Councils and Sangguniang Bayans”. She identified these towns as Alburquerque, Baclayon, Balilihan, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Loon, Maribojoc, Sikatuna, Tagbilaran City and Tubigon. Trinidad further reported that as to ordinances there are Very few ordinances that are aligned with the 10-year Integrated ESWM plan of the LGU and very few LGUs have deputized ESWM enforcers. She noted that only 13 towns from the first district; six from the second and eight from the third districts have adopted their ordinances to the ESWM plan. According to the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) reports, only the towns of Corella, Cortes, Loon, Maribojoc and Tubigon in District 1 and Duero, Jagna and Loboc in the 3rd district have trained ESWM enforcers but most of them are not even deputized by the towns. (mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)
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SIQUIJOR
Siquijor woman farmer makes it to the national 2011 Rural Women Award By Rizalie Anding Calibo
SIQUIJOR, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- A Siquijor woman farmer was cited as one of the outstanding women in the field of agriculture during the 2011 Rural Women Award at the national level. A report from the Siquijor Provincial Agriculture Office said Martina TumalaInapan, 53, from barangay Cansayang, San Juan, Siquijor has engaged in Diversified and Integrated Farming System for years now. The citation was made by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and other members of the InterAgency Committee on Rural Women, the report said. Inapan received a P20,000 cash prize and a citation from the DA Gender and Development Focal System and the Inter-agency Committee on Rural Women. The search for outstanding rural women
aims to recognize rural women with exceptional abilities and contributions particularly in the fields of farming and fishing that uplifted the lives of the people in the community. Martina, the report said is wife of a retired military officer and a mother of five who are all involved in their family’s farming activities-- planting, weeding and harvesting operations and even in the marketing of their farm produce. Martina works from dawn to dusk to be able to augment their family’s income which comes mainly from her husband’s salary. With the one hectare lot inherited from her parents, Martina slowly transformed the once rocky soil into a productive rice farm, even as some portions were planted to vegetables and rootcrops. The almost seven-hectare farm land now offers various ornamentals plants, several ponds of tilapia, assorted fruit and forest trees and banana plants
DOST calls on Filipinos to make S&T an integral part of life By Rizalie A. Calibo
SIQUIJOR, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) commits itself to fully implement its 5-Point Development Program this year and beyond in line with the Aquino Administration’s national development agenda. This was said as DOST Secretary Mario Montejo cited in his 2011 yearend message the breakthroughs and achievements of the science department in the service to the nation in the last 12 months. “We want to enjoin everyone to make Science & Technology an integral part of your lives,” Montejo said. In his message shared by the Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) to the PIA, Montejo said the DOST will first, explore the avenues opened by public-private partnerships in order to use Science and Technology (S&T) to solve pressing national problems. “We will rely heavily on our research and development programs to address dengue, telehealth services, potable water, malnutrition, rice shortage, brown/ fortified rice, baby food program, coral reef rehabilitation, disaster mitigation, red tide control and management, and the Fusarium Wilt infestation problem affecting our banana plantations, among others,” he said. Second, Montejo said, the department will develop and diffuse appropriate technologies to create growth in the countryside, such as world class technologybased products, food processing technologies, and super farms. Third, the DOST vowed to improve industry competitiveness citing the already launched Automated Gateway Transit System, while under various stages of development and prototyping are technologies that can raise the productivity of industries spanning BPO, electronics, renewable energy (solar, wind), and mining industry (gold, copper, nickel pilot processing plant). Fourth, he said, is the use of S&T to enhance the delivery of government and social services. Initiatives along this line include the Government Broadband Network, National Telehealth Services, and the National 3D mapping, he said. “Finally, we will build and enhance capacity in emerging technologies such as biotechnology, nanotechnology, genomics, advanced food production technology, and advanced manufacturing systems like in robotics and automated process control,” he also said. “Our motto has always been “local technology works,” Montejo added that as such DOST will always promote local technologies toward the nurturing of a business environment that addresses the special needs of technology-based entrepreneurship. “It is our wish to impress upon our publics the impact of DOST’s mandate in accelerating the pace of knowledge-driven development in accordance with its growth potential in the country,” Montejo concluded. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor & DOST-Siquijor)
grown in patches . An advocate of the integrated pest management and environmental preservation, Martina produces her own vermicast and carbonized rice hull and compost as a source of fertilizer. The family also produces its own feed formulation for both livestock and tilapia feeds out of the rice and corn mill that they own and operate. The family also owns a floating tiller and thresher, and other farm implements, which they consider as their partners in making an enterprise out of farming, the report reads. Her neighbors have slowly been able to augmented their family income little by little after doing farming with Martina’s help. According to Cansayang Barangay Captain Lilia Tumala, Martina’s leadership is a very good example to the neighborhood. She let her neighbors learn farming technologies and her farm is open to all farmers and visitors. “Isip usa ka babaye nga gitagaan ug higayon ga mamahimong usa kalider sa among dapit, gikalipay nako’g dako nga makahatag ug maayong pagtulun-an nila ilabi na sa pagpanguma aron dugang makatubag sa panginahanglanon sa pagkaon,” Inapan said. (As a woman who has been given the respect to lead the women in the community, I am so pleased that I can teach them new farming techniques especially those that can augment family income.) DA Secretary Proceso Alcala has recognized that rural women are not just ‘helpers’of their farmer or fisherhusbands. Instead, rural women are also the decision makers in looking for capital, selecting the crops, record keeping of finances, and paying of debts. The DA in Siquijor headed by Agricultural Program Coordinating O ff i c e r B e r n a d i t h B u n a d o w i t h Institutional Development Service Staff of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Roseslyn Bonachita, Vidalita Gom-os and Chuchie Cherry Gamo expressed their appreciation to Martina for bringing "woman power" at the national level. Other outstanding women awardeess are Myrna Conmigo-Acayen of Barangay Digdigon, Goa, Camarines Sur as “Outstanding Rural Woman of the Year”; (1st to 4th runners-up): Remia Navarro-Apostol of Koronadal, South Cotabato; Rebecca CastroTubongbanua of Buenavista, Guimaras; and Virginia Dentero-Dureza of Brookespoint, Palawan. They also received cash prizes and citations. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor with reports from OPA/DA-PATCO)