INFOBYTES

VOL. 2 l NO. 23 l August 8, 2012

Visayan forum hails Senate concurrence to int'l treaty for domestic workers

By Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug 8 (PIA)-- Visayan Forum praised the Senate for its approval of the International Labor Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers during its August 6 session.

Visayas coordinator Romualdo Señeris of the Visayan Forum, and human rights awardee Ma. Cecilia Flores Oebanda jointly commended the Philippine Senate for concurring ILO 189.

Señeris said, “This is a historic moment for the Philippines as it signifies the start of better protection and improved working and living conditions for more than three million Filipino domestic workers inside the Philippines and even those who are working in other countries.”

With the Senate vote, the Philippines will now be the second country to formally ratify ILO Convention 189 after Uruguay. The Convention will enter into force as soon as PHL formally delivers the ratification instrument to ILO Geneva.

“Millions of domestic workers in the Philippines and all over the world have been waiting for this moment. They have been traditionally excluded from labor laws and other regulations protecting the rights of workers against abuse. It is high time that domestic workers get the recognition and the protection that they deserve,” stated Oebanda.

The Convention mandates ratifying ILO member countries to establish standards for decent wages, employment conditions, social protection coverage, and effective protection against forced labor, debt bondage, and other forms of abuse.

The Senate vote has been eagerly anticipated by the international community.

The petition for the Philippine ratification to ILO Convention 189 has garnered more than 50,000 signatures from all over the world, through the efforts of anti-slavery group, Walk Free.

The VF said the unanimous vote brings the message of the Senate, loud and clear – domestic work is indeed decent work!

Domestic Workers are not slaves.

Meantime, Oebanda also called for urgent approval of the Domestic Workers Act, pending the third and final reading at the House of Representatives. The Senate has already approved its version of the Bill since 2010. (mbcn/JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)

The fourth batch of applicants, about 85 of them, hired as trainees by Cebu Mitsumi during their pre-deployment briefing at the PESO Provincial Office, Capitol Area, Dumaguete City. PESO Provincial Focal Person Jose Ramon Benedicto said this is the 4th batch that will be deployed to Cebu to work at the electronic company Cebu Mitsumi as electronic assemblers. Cebu Mitsumi is set to hire a total of 4,000 workers from Negros Oriental.

MBG-7 warns public on landslides, flooding

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, August 8 (PIA) -- The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7 has warned anew against the possibility of landslides and flooding as a result of the southwest monsoon enhanced by the tropical storm “Haiku.”

MGB 7 Regional Director Loreto Alburo made the call in wake of reports by the weather bureau that heavier rains are still expected.

Nearly portions of 80 barangays within Cebu province were identified as highly vulnerable to episodes of ground failure or subsidence and flood.

“It is very important that local chief executives should give more attention of critical areas that are found to be highly vulnerable to flooding and landslides which have been known to them an indicated in the geohazards threat advisory issued to them,” Alburo stressed.

Areas which have been declared as “highly susceptible” to flooding and landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau should be carefully monitored by the local government officials.

Alburo strongly recommended to local chief executives to prohibit habitation in areas declared as “highly susceptible” to flooding and landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the DENR to protect people’s lives.

“Let us not be complacent instead be pro-active when it comes to disaster preparedness and response to preserve lives most of all,” he added.

On the other hand, Alburo revealed that there are five barangays in Cebu City that are considered to be most hazardous to flooding and these are Kasambagan, Kinasangan, Labangon, Mabolo, and Bonbon; and seven barangays in Mandaue City to include Subangdaku, Mantuyong, Umapad, Opao, Alang-alang, Guizo, and Pakna-an.(HFG/PIA-7/ DENR-7)

FOR MORE REGIONAL STORIES, LOG ON TO: http://pia7news.blogspot.com

CEBU

INFOBYTES TOPSTORIES

DENR-7 operates the 2 million regional clonal nursery

By Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, August 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7 has started operating a P2.3-million regional clonal nursery in Camp 7 Minglanilla, Cebu.

DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo said the project is in line with the national greening program (NGP) of the government and is one of the strategies implemented to meet the national target of planting 1.5 billion trees in some 1.5 million hectares until 2016.

The newly completed 3-hectare clonal nursery intends to produce 20 million seedlings until year 2016 with a project cost of more than P18 million.

Supervised by the Ecosystems Research and Development Services (ERDS), the said clonal nursery is now presently accommodating 230,000 seedlings in its hardening area, 26,310 cuttings per cycle in its rooting beds or mist system, and 6,944 cuttings per cycle in its recovery area.

In May 2012, ERDS started the operation of the nursery and it has already produced some 8.8 million seedlings of indigenous and fruit tree species.

Montejo said, “our intention is to produce high quality planting materials for the NGP requirements in the region as we set aggressive greening efforts purposely to reduce poverty while ensuring food security, biodiversity conAservation and address climate change.”

In an inventory conducted by DENR 7 last July, 23.4 million seedlings are now produced in various field offices in the four provinces of Central Visayas.

Meanwhile, Montejo instructed all field officials to ensure the proper maintenance of the existing nurseries so that they would be able to supply the needed seedlings for various tree planting and growing program.(HFG/PIA-7/ DENR-7)

About 60 jobseekers taking the exam administered by the provincial Public Employment Services Office (PESO) of Negros Oriental on Aug. 9, 2012. The exam is in line with the requirements set by Cebu Mitsumi, an electronics company, which is hiring a total of 4,000 trainees from Negros Oriental. PESO Provincial Focal Person Jose Ramon Benedictor said his office has already deployed about 590 trainees for the company from Negros Oriental. (RMN/PIA)

NEGROS ORIENTAL

Efforts to amend smoke-free ordinance in Dumaguete fastracked

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, August 8 (PIA) -- Smoke-free advocates are pushing for the amendment of the Smoke-Free Ordinance in Dumaguete City which is set to be enforced in all public places and government-owned buildings in the city on September 1, 2012.

In a press conference called by the city government Tuesday, Bernie Maniego of the Seventh-Day Adventist Health and Communication Center disclosed that they are pushing for Dumaguete Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria to issue an urgent appeal to the city council to fastrack the proposed amendments to the ordinance before it takes effect on Sept. 1.

“We are now in the process of amending the ordinance, changing the penalty of first-time offenders from reprimand only to a P100-fine,” said Maniego.

Maniego’s group along with the Framework Convention Alliance on TobaccoFree Philippines have been working closely with local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental for the adoption of the smoke-free law.

The smoke-free ordinance in Dumaguete, which was passed in April 2011, mandates that penalty for first offense violators are reprimand and participation in an orientation the ill-effects of smoking.

The proposed amendment to replace the reprimand to a P100-fine will help effect a behavior change among smokers in the city which is the main goal of the ordinance, said Maniego.

During the presscon, City Administrator William Ablong said the ordinance will be strictly enforced on September 1.

“There will be no grace period. Violators will be arrested and penalties will be enforced,” said Ablong.

The city government earlier conducted two batches of training for the ordinance’s enforcers numbering around 100. They are composed of Task Force SAGARR members, barangay tanods, and police personnel.

City Councilor Manuel Arbas, one of the smoke-free ordinance’s authors, said the public should not only rely on the enforcers in the law’s implementation.

“Any person who witnessed a violation of the law can file a complaint with the task force,” he said in the same presscon.

To date, there are now only three remaining LGUs out of the total 25 in Negros Oriental that are yet to adopt a smoke-free ordinance. (RMN/PIA Negros

NEGROS ORIENTAL

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

DTI opens helmet sticker issuance desk in Bohol mall

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) opened a service desk in a local mall in Bohol to provide consumers and motorists easy access in securing the proper stickers for their helmets.

DTI consumer division chief

Jose Hibaya said this at the Kapihan sa PIA recently, as the country implements the mandatory motorcycle helmet law on August 1 for all motorcycle drivers and riders on the road.

The DTI set a product standards (PS) or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) marks in these hologram stickers, available at the Activity Center of the Island City Mall for the whole month of

SPO1 Jennifer Atanacio of PNP-BPPO giving updates on the distribution of 'Be safe be secured' stickers from during the AUDIO (Association of United Development Information Officers) -Bohol General Assembly.

Updates on the implementation of helmet law by Mr. Florencio Balazuela of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)

August, Hibaya said.

"This is for consumers and motorists to have easy access at the DTI, now on the second floor office of the FCB Building along CPG North Avenue," Hibaya said.

The chief said the refunds on certification fees for those who have previously paid to the DTI is still served at the local office.

In the implementation by joint memorandum with the Department of Transportation and Communication, the DTI is mandated to check on the standards of each motorcycle helmet in the market while making sure that proper and standard crash helmets are used.

According to Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Law, the DTI, through the Bureau of Products Standards, will conduct a mandatory testing of all manufactured and imported motorcycle helmets in the Philippines.

"A PS or ICC mark is issued to all manufacturers and importers of standard protective motorcycle helmets whose products pass the standards tests,� said DTI Bohol provincial director Ma. Elena Arbon.

Hibaya said all motorcycle helmets that can be secured in the markets today should already have the ICC or PS marks. The DTI will not be issuing the standard stickers to new helmets without stickers anymore.

However, some enterprising businessmen have sold in the market helmets of dubious origins, having no PS or ICC marks. This makes the DTI task equally challenging, admits Vierna Teresa Ligan, DTI Bohol spokesperson.

According to Arbon, the local DTI is tasked to issue certifications to previously purchased crash helmets that have passed the Bureau of Products Standards (BPS) of the Philippines if the product has not been stamped with the correct markings. This has been set at the DTI office, which is not as accessible compared with the mall venue.

The DTI issues the certification to old helmets based on a partial list of accredited helmet manufacturers whose products passed Philippine standard tests from 2009 to 2012.

Manufacturers of helmets that secured the BPS green light earlier than 2009 may not be in the list anymore.

On this, Hibaya said the BPS list has grown to 64 certified local and imported manufacturers, a list that can be available via the DTI. (mbcn/rahc-PIA 7, Bohol)

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

SIQUIJOR

DTI holds SME caravan to support Siquijor eco-tourism

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Aug 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in coordination with the Siquijor Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development

Council (PSMEDC) and the provincial government of Siquijor held on August 2 to 3 an Enhanced Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Caravan at Dondeezco Beach Resort, Dumanjug, Siquijor, Siquijor.

newsmansblog (printed with blogger's permission)

Salagdoong Beach Resort, Maria Siquijor

I was here in 1995 and the beach was still pristine then. No structures but the natural contour of Salagdoong crags w/ mangroves on them.

Now, the place is developed into a resort run by the local government of Siquijor.

There are now buildings & cottages atop those craggy hills and on the beach shore itself.

The restaurant is privately owned & managed by a local business, food is available @ 7a.m. until probably 8p.m.

Bring some food & water with you just in case you arrive late in the evening.

With the present facilities, Salagdoong could be a profitable tourism potential if managed well.

Travelers want comfort, good food, & local hospitality at all times of their stay in the place.

What do you get, or what do you do while you are in Salagdoong?

The beach is ok but not spectacular . Maybe in the evening, you can catch fireflies-there were swarms of them 15 years ago! I'm not sure now.

It's quiet here. Nothing much you can do but swim, walk, run/jog, stare at the horizon ruminating.

If you the adventurous kind, this isn't your place!

If you are contemplative & living a complicated life, perhaps you need Salagdoong.

If you just want to spend sometime, say a few hours, okay come & swim relax & hit the road to another destination.

By the way, renting a tricycle from Siquijor to Salagdoong will cost you P500-- local tourism approved rate.

The Enhanced SME Caravan, said DTI-Siquijor Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio is a smaller version of the SME caravan regularly conducted by the DTI that is tailored to the capability of the people and the local resources in the province.

It involves four seminars and training simultaneously conducted that included managerial training, training on branding, values formation seminar and skills training on “bayong-making� that all supports the initiative of the province for eco-tourism of the SMEDC for responsible production, Virtucio said.

The caravan aims to provide MSMEs access to comprehensive and focused support for enhancing managerial and technological capabilities, Virtucio added.

It also aims to provide MSMEs with skills training on livelihood to enable them to build on their competencies and to create more entrepreneurs thereby increasing livelihood and employment opportunities for the marginalized sector, she added. (MBCN/ RAC-PIA7 Siquijor)