INFOBYTES

VOL. 2 l NO. 24 l August 15, 2012

RDC7 forms Task Force 'Tabang' for flood-hit victims in Luzon

By Fayette C. Rinen

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- The Regional Development Council (RDC) 7 yesterday formed Task Force ‘Tabang’ to help flood-hit victims in Luzon.

In a meeting, RDC 7 Chairman and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama

appealed to local government units, regional government agencies, business sector and shipping lines to help solicit donations to address the urgent needs of thousands of evacuees affected by the heavy flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

“Let us help our unfortunate brothers in Luzon who badly need

PIA-7 & MIMAROPA staff pose for posterity on the last day of the Joint Mid-Year Program Review and Staff Dev Training Workshop at the Legend Hotel, Puerto Princesa City. (FCR/VVV&JSME/PIA Cebu)

Dumaguete nutrition scholar receives reg'l outstanding award

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- A barangay nutrition scholar in the city was awarded as the City Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar in Region 7.

Lanilyn Orlina of Barangay Motong received the award during the 2012 Grand Nutrition Awards and 8th Regional Nutrition Action Officers Congress held Aug. 3 in Cebu City.

Since 2003, Orlina has been serving underprivileged families in the local community for eight years now.

“She initiated the sowing of eggplant seeds and distributed seedlings to the parents of undernourished children in her barangay,” said City Nutrition Action Officer Lourdes Tabaraza in a statement.

Orlina also led the a livelihood project where she raised native chickens, gave them to parents-beneficiaries who in return, gave back two female chickens as payment. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

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

immediate assistance,” Rama said. “If it is not now, when? If it is not us, who?”

Immediate needs of the evacuees are towel that can also be used as blankets, canned goods, biscuits, choco bars, tetra pack milk (for infants), other ready-to-eat food items and used clothing, Alvin Santillan said, chief of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“The evacuees only eat once a day which is usually bread. It is really a pitiful sight to see,” Santillan stated, who was sent by Rama to Manila to determine the immediate needs of the victims.

Rama for his part, has committed P5M in cash assistance to Luzon to be taken from the city’s calamity funds.

Prudencio Gesta, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) said that early this week, they have already solicited a fund-raising campaign from their members for the Luzon victims.

TF Tabang would each do its share in soliciting donations from Cebuanos and other generous Filipinos to share and give what they can to the evacuees.

Identified drop-off centers are the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development 7, which is open 24/7; Provincial Capitol; Talisay and Lapulapu City Halls; all police stations in Central Visayas and the office of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.

“We are targeting before the end of this month to be able to ship the donated goods to the thousands of evacuees in flood-stricken areas in Luzon,” said Efren Carreon, assistant regional director of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 7.

NEDA 7 is the secretariat of the RDC Central Visayas.

Sulpicio Lines also gave its commitment to ship free of charge the donated goods and items to Luzon.

Rama said it is better to help than be the one being helped and that Cebuanos should thank God that the region never experienced heavy flooding of such magniture.

The RDC 7 chair, however, said this does not mean that a similar disaster would not happen here. “We just have to keep on praying to Señor Sto. Niño to continue to protect us and make us safe,” he added. (FCR-PIA7 Cebu)

NEGROS ORIENTAL

INFOBYTES TOPSTORIES

Negros Oriental to boost tourism dev't plan

By Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -The Negros Oriental tourism officials started to improve on the province’s tourism development plan with similar strategies set up in the National Tourism Development Plan.

In a workshop held recently, the Department of Tourism (DOT) with tourism officials from Puerto Princesa and Bohol, whose tourism industries are well-advanced, has urged local government units in Negros Oriental to come up with doable tourism plans in their localities.

“Negros Oriental has a lot of tourism assets and destinations to offer to foreign and local tourist but somehow it lacks technical knowhow on product development, infrastructure support, marketing and promotions,” said DOT officer Warner Andrada.

Tourism is the second industry in the world, while it stimulates economy it also creates local pride, Andrada said as he noted that tourism development should be more sustainable and inclusive.

Andrada challenged the province to replicate the Puerto Princesa and Bohol best practices in tourism development to catch up with the world of tourism industry.

Local government units play a very important role in tourism development to influence other stakeholders to support the industry to grow positively, said tourism operations officer Rebecca Labit of Puerto Princesa City.

“We expect also industry players to be considerate by providing accurate data, for instance the number of foreign and local tourists coming in the province so that the government can create strategic infrastructure development,” Labit said.

The DOT also outlined some factors crucial to tourism development such as the mismatch of promotion of eco-tour destinations, high prices of services and products, ecocultural against mainstream tourism, uncontrolled environmental law violation, waste disposal problem, lack of marketing strategy and unstable power supply, among others. (mbcn/ JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)

CEBU

Rachelle Nessia (2nd from left) of PIA-7 - Negros Oriental Dumaguete orients PIA MIMAROPA staff led

by Asst. Regional Director Thelma Oliver on the stepby-step blogging starting with setting up of a social media account for use in spreading developmental communication news. (FCR/VVV &JSME/PIA Cebu)

Mayor says community vital to implement local programs

By Fayette C. Rinen

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- Oslob Mayor Ronald Guaren said the ‘purok’ system strategy for good governance need the active involvement of the community to implement local programs.

The southern town of Oslob, 125 kms. away from Cebu City, is among the 19 municipalities in the province that is using the ‘purok’ approach to gain the cooperation and involvement of the people to support local programs and projects.

Guaren cited his environmental cleanliness and sanitation program and beautification project of his town where the municipal government had to hire personnel to do regular cleaning of major public roads and areas.

“Everywhere there is plastic garbage. We had to hire people to clean public roads and other public areas of wastes. But the problem of garbage persisted because the people continue to practice indiscriminate throwing of wastes just anywhere convenient for them,” lamented Guaren.

It was then that he sold the purok concept to the barangay officials where the latter would play a major role in organizing puroks in their respective barangays, Guaren said.

“Every 100 households in the barangay composed one purok,” Guaren added.

With the purok system, each purok would now be responsible in greening and cleaning its environment, the mayor said.

Guaren also cited the big problem on waste segregation in the household level which was addressed through the purok approach.

“At first it was very hard to let residents comply in waste segregation in their own households but with the establishment of the puroks, they themselves volunteer to do it, which was followed by other community residents,” revealed Guaren.

“We have to remember that the people are part of the political system of the government,” as Guaren said it is very important to involve the people.

Guaren said part of his campaign on environmental cleanliness and sanitation is the construction of one sanitary toilet per purok.

“But our goal is to have each household possess their own toilet and we are happy to see that members of each purok are helping each other attain this,” Guaren further said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Gwen Garcia is pushing for the purok strategy for all of Cebu towns and component cities.

“If we want to attain real development, then grassroots governance is the best practice,” the governor said.

Garcia has included the ‘purok’ strategy for implementation by all local government units in the annual eGWEN contest under the governance structures and system which include other criteria on environment, cleanliness, health, heritage and culture promotion.

(FCR-PIA7 Cebu)

BOHOL

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

Feature: Dreaming of Florentine Wedding?

Marry at the Assumptiom Church

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

DAUIS, Bohol (PIA) --In case one wonders why the interiors of the Church of our Lady of the Assumption in Dauis figures prominently among the top choices of the most romantic venues of the exchange of “I dos” in Bohol, the reason could be traced in the human subconscious.

There is something differently romantic in the interior of the Dauis Church, said a wedding coordinator who has also asked why most of his clients pick the Assumption Church as a wedding venue.

Dauis Church is the next best religiously romantic venue and the most economically sound option, considering its lovely interiors, admits the wedding planner who asked not to be named.

It was however a no-nonsense art connoisseur and museum curator who was able to establish the uncanny semblance of the church interior with that of an ancient basilica in Florence Italy that should make one Dauisnon feel so proud.

Former Metropolitan Museum Director and now National museum curator and heritage buff Victorino Manalo showed the

A showcase of tourism attractions of Bohol during the three-day 23rd Philippine Travel Mart at the SMX Convention , Pasay City. (RACalibo w/ Tourism office photo)

Perilous highway in Bohol undergoes repair

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, (PIA) -- A perilous portion of a highway in Cortes town in Bohol is being repaired.

Contractor of the project, Ven Ray Construction, said the Junction Road at Cortes going to Balilihan (kilometer 8+892 to kilometer 9+434) is closed for the concreting project.

The characteristic dangerous curve branching off the highway in Cortes immediately takes an ascent, which has caused less powerful engines to falter at this section, causing accidents.

Recently, the landslide in Sitio Lilo-an has caused a reroute where vehicles were diverted to the junction road, causing the asphalt road to deteriorate fast, jeopardizing a sub-base not designed for heavy traffic.

According to the Bohol Engineering District 1 of the Department of Public Works and Highways, the job needed the alteration of the grade of slope and some corrective engineering to the sub-base to stabilize the soil upon which the concrete highway is to be laid.

The contractor advised those who wish to travel through the area to take the National Road along Tagbilaran North Road until Sitio Lilo-an Poblacion and then go up by the Southern Industrial Project onward to their destinations.

For those who would be inconvenienced by the development, since Cortes would be celebrating the feastday of Saint Roche (San Roque) on August 15-16, the contractor also assured that the road section would be partially opened.

Last August 6, Cortes access from junction Salvador to Cortes Central Elementary School was closed to traffic due to construction of the portion of the highway. (mbcn/rahc-PIA 7, Bohol)

unusual likeness of the interior shot of the Dauis Church to one of Italy’s largest basilicas; Basilica di San Lorenzo di Medici.

Dauis church’s characteristic renaissance architecture somehow is a copy of a 1419th century basilica located some thousands of miles away in Florence Italy.

It’s an eerie resemblance, Manalo pointed out, picking the trompel‘oeil artistic style that shows an attempt to paint realistic imagery to portray an optical illusion of carved square blocks in its frescoes.

I n wedding photographs, what stands out over the images of the couple is a scene picked out from a 14th century romantic Florentine Cathedral, that’s what makes the wedding attain a classy value that transports the entourage from Bohol to Italy, Manalo said.

San Lorenzo de Medici, a church largely financed by the affluent Medici family of Italy who were parishioners of Florence’s main seat of the bishop then, like Dauis, took a good mix and match of artisans and years to complete the structure that later displayed a lot of diversions from the original plan.

I n a historical tablet shared by Dauis Municipal Tourism Office, it said that the 18th century Dauis Church, dedicated to “La Senora dela Asuncion” underwent so many changes starting from its inception when the Spanish missionaries arrived in town in 1697.

Originally built of light materials, the church has had a long list of builders who each left their own styles according to the bias of the local artisan.

Evidenced by a classic Pinoy notion of the beautiful, which is a mix and match of architectural styles, Dauis Church would surely pass a one great masterpiece of Pinoy artisan ingenuity.

Now the 5th church after so many attempts, Dauis Church manifest unmistakable Gothic style in its towers complete with pointed spires, lancet windows, arches and crockets.

The church façade shows a neoclassical style, which is again reflected in the massive posts separating the central nave and the side aisles.

Go around the church and the Romanesque style floats in the integral part of the church design. (mbcn/rahc/ PIA-Bohol)

INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS

SIQUIJOR

Smart opens 2nd Journ.ph blogging contest

By Rachelle M. Nessia

Smart Communications has announced its 2nd Journ.ph Best Information Officer (IO) Blogger contest which is now underway for information officers in Regions 6, 7 and 8.

The contest aims to find the best bloggers among information officers in said regions who are registered as mentors at journ.ph.

Smart partnered with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 6 for the launching of the contest last year.

As part of its Online Campus Journalism program, Smart and the Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center (AJWCC) opened journ.ph, a Wordpress-powered blog where student journalists can publish campus and community stories.

Journ.ph also engages experts in the journalism industry to serve as mentors for future journalists in the country.

The contest is open to all information officers (regular, contractual and casual) working in government agencies and local government units in Regions 6, 7 and 8.

Participating IOs must register as mentor at journ.ph by filling out the online contest registration form at http://goo.gl/ iXE7p.

The Journ.ph team will evaluate the registration. Approved contestants will receive an agreement form.

Registered contestant are expected to blog on the following topics: tips on writing, tips for writers/journalists, cyber laws/ethics, career tips for writers/bloggers and work experience as information officer that can be helpful for campus paper journalists.

At stake are Smart premium items and cash prizes ranging from P5,000 for the Best IO Blogger award, P3,000 for first runner-up, and P2,000 for second runner-up.

Special awards will be handed out for the Most Active Agency and Most Active Blogger. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)

(Above) Siquijor Tourism Officer Jossette A. Armirola with her staff Perla Tomogsoc at the Siquijor booth during the 23rd Philippine Travel Mart at the SMX Convention , Pasay City on August 10-12, 2012.

(Below) Differemt attractions of Cebu. Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor as backdrop at Department of Tourism -Central Visayas booth. (RACalibo w/ Tourism office photo)

DTI holds SME caravan to support Siquijor eco-tourism

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, (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.

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)