Information is our business.
INFOBYTES
THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-7 | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH VOL. 2 | NO. 30 | SEPTEMBER 26, 2012
CEBU
TOPSTORIES
Military celebrates Int'l Day of Peace By Hazel F. Gloria
Police officers carrying, segregating and distributing mangrove seedlings and propagules for planting after the Fun Run on September 21 initiated by the Rotary Club of Siquijor Central, Local Government Unit of Larena and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) as part of the celebration of the 112th Philippine Civil Service and 41st Siquijor charter anniversaries. PNP-Siquijor alone planted about 1,000 mangrove seedlings that day, plus the 1,000 seedlings by the rest of the participating government and private entities, making a total of about 2,000 mangrove seedlings planted that day at Cangmalalag coastal area in Larena, Siquijor. (PIA-Siquijor)
FOR MORE REGIONAL STORIES, LOG ON TO: http://pia7news.blogspot.com
CEBU CITY, Sept 26 (PIA) -- Military personnel from different units under Central Command (Centcom) converged to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21. Almost 550 officers joined the activity in celebration of the World Peace Day to show their commitment in “Winning the Peace” in the Visayas region. A mass was officiated by Rev. Fr. Bart Sagadal, chaplain of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Region 7. After his homily, soldiers were requested to recite the “Pledge of Peace” inside the St. Jude Chapel in Camp Lapulapu. Candle were lit after the signing of the Pledge in front of the chapel. Acting Centcom Commander Major General Jose Mabanta Jr. emphasized that with its campaign plan “Bayanihan,” the winning of peace is more than just a mission but a commitment of every military personnel. In 2004, the government issued Proclamation No. 675 declaring September of every year as National Peace Consciousness Month to instill greater awareness among Filipinos on the comprehensive peace process and to promote a culture of peace based on nonviolence, respect for fundamental rights and freedom, tolerance, understanding and solidarity. This year’s theme: “Ako. Ikaw. Tayo. Magkakaiba, Nagkakaisa sa Kapayapaan” emphasizes the importance of unity despite diversity and the individual participation of each Filipino in moving the peace process forward. Now on its ninth year, the annual festivity continues its aims of harnessing a culture of peace among different sectors and inspiring them to play their part in achieving a just and lasting peace for the country. (RMN/HFG-PIA 7, CentCom)
NEGROS ORIENTAL
INFOBYTES TOPSTORIES
Child dev'l center opens in Mabinay By Rachelle M. Nessia
D U M A G U E T E C I T Y, S e p t 25 (PIA) -- A learning facility for undereducated children and adults opened its doors in Mabinay town. The Mabinay Bidlisiw Child
Development Center (MBCDC) was inaugurated early this month and witnessed by officials from the provincial government led by Gov. Roel Degamo and the Mabinay local government led by Mayor Ernie Uy.
NegOr turns over 5 infra projects in Basay town By Rachele M. Nessia DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept 25 (PIA) -- The provincial government last week turned over four completed infrastructure projects in Basay town. A statement from Capitol said the projects are among the infrastructure programs that were given a budget of P3.3 million as part of Basay's share from last year's 20 percent economic development fund. In a ceremony, Gov. Roel Degamo symbolically turned over to Basay Mayor Dandilgust Abrio the following completed projects: street lighting, two-classroom school building at Bal-os Elementary
School, improvement of Bal-os Public Market, and two cementing projects of portions of roads in Brgy. Bongalonan. Degamo said the P200,000 street lighting project is the initial phase of a bigger electrification program slated for Basay. For the cementing of a 100-meter stretch portion of a road in Brgy. Bongalonan, the provincial government shelled out P300,000. The road project is seen as critical support infrastructure for the ongoing development of the marine protected area and mangrove rehabilitation project in Basay. On the other hand, the cementing
MBCDC was initiated by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines Mabinay Central aimed at educating undereducated children in Mabinay, aged nine years old up to adults aged 22 years old. “These are children and adults who have either not undergone formal education or were unable to finish their studies,” said Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo in a statement. During the inauguration, officials from the provincial government and the local government signed a document pledging their support for the MBCDC program which supports the alternative learning system of the Department of Education. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
of a portion of Tiabanan-Sandig Road in the same barangay amounting to P250,000 is seen to benefit not only residents in the area but also members of the Cabongbongan Small Farmers Association (CSFA). With the road now usable, CSFA members can easily transport their produce to sell at the municipal public market. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
Keeping a healthy lifestyle prevents kidney disease
By Rizalie A. Calibo
DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept 23 (PIA) -- "Keep a healthy lifestyle to prevent kidney disease," says Silliman University Medical Center (SUMC) nephrologist Roy Diamond Arco in a Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Forum at Bethel Guesthouse, Dumaguete City. Arco discussed the importance of kidney, its significant functions, and prevalence of renal disease in the Philippines. The information is in support of the advocacy of government to kidney care and disease prevention. He said kidney disease is the ninth leading cause of death in the country and is attributed to the people’s lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. He cited the 2008 National Nutrition Health Survey that says 2.6 percent of Filipinos have kidney disease, of which 11,000 are undergoing dialysis and about 40 percent have died because of their inability to pay for the
treatment. Kidney disease often cannot be cured, but fortunately, it can be prevented if detected at an early stage. He said prevention and early management, although very extensive, can achieve significant benefits for the public and has become the advocacy of the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI). Through the years, he said, the NKTI has reached out to several sectors nationwide and continuously disseminates health information, provides medical services, shares expertise, and renders assistance to better prevent and treat different kidney ailments. Arco encouraged everyone to have a regular urinalysis or laboratory test of urine for early detection to prevent kidney disease. The kidneys are two vital organs that keep the blood clean and kidney disease can be detected through
urinalysis. He said kidney is responsible for removing toxins or waste products from our body. Aside from filtering waste products, it also controls water, blood pressure, vitamin D, calcium absorption, among other functions of the human body so when it fails, everything else fail. Regular dialysis comes as the next alternative but it cannot replace all these functions and is very expensive, Arco said. So, to stay away from kidney problems and to be healthy, one should keep a healthy lifestyle which includes proper exercise and a healthy diet, Arco added. (mbcn/RAC-PIA7, Siquijor)
LET US KNOW! We welcome questions, clarifications and feedback: infobytes-editorial@gmail.com
BOHOL
INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS
NFA assures enough rice despite importation cuts By Rey Anthony H. Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 25 (PIA) -- There are more than enough supply of rice at the National Food Authority (NFA) bodegas although the national government decided to cut heavily on import volume. This was assured by Bohol NFA Manager Maria Fe Evasco in a Kapihan sa PIA where she was a guest.
Evasco said government imported 2.2 million metric tons (MT) of rice from stapleproducing countries in 2010, one that was drastically cut to 800,000 MT by 2011. This year, government decided to import only about 500,000 MT by securing the 120,000 MT from Thailand and Vietnam while allowing private sector participation in the importation pegging a quota of 380,000
Bohol to host RADIO-7 convention next month By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 25 (PIA) -- Bohol information officers from local and national government agencies are preparing for the upcoming Regional Association of Development Information Officers (Radio) convention slated on October 24-26. The Radio convention to be held in Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City will be hosted by the Association of United Development Information Officers (Audio) of Bohol. The gathering brings to Bohol Central Visayas-wide, a network of information officers from local governments and national government agencies of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor to discuss topics in the use of the new media in the development of information dissemination. Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma is invited to be guest speaker. Other interesting topics for the gab include internet broadcasting, video streaming, and the social media including its effective use and the popularity of information boards as strategic launch pads for disaster and development communication.
The event's theme, “Information Officers and the New Media,” gives a perfect opportunity to engage information officers to a network of information disseminators which take on the technology not as a threat but an opportunity to advance government information agenda, Bohol Provincial Information Officer Augustus Escobia said. Escobia is this year's Radio-7 president with a network of information officers from towns and cities as well as national government agencies within Central Visayas. The member organizations of Radio-7 include Audio-Bohol; Association of Negros Oriental Public Information OfficersNegOr; Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators; Association of Government Information Officers, and the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers. Last year, Radio-7 convention was held in Dumaguete City and energy conservation issues with the Department of Energy were discussed. These engaged Visayan information officers in the national campaign for energy conservation and cleaner and greener energy sources. (mbcn/rahcPIA7, Bohol)
MT to supply the country’s need for the staple crop, she said. While non-industry people have started airing concerns of possible shortfall in the supply of rice, Evasco assured that none of such will happen here. She said Bohol has a share of the national government procured rice and the supply comes in according to a preprogrammed marketing plan and there is also a local procurement program that assures the public that NFA bodegas are full. “Fortunately, we have a big volume, hold-over inventory plus harvests from palay producing provinces, that should keep us supplied for a time until the next delivery from Cebu arrives," she added. Evasco came with NFA Bohol Operations Manager Ramon Banluta and Acting Information Officer Jhoel Lim to the Kapihan sa PIA to announce the National Grains Industry Week and the NFA’s 40th Anniversary. Banluta requests farmers to sell their harvests to NFA, which buys palay at P17 or at P17.70 per kilo with premiums for delivered, dried and cooperative member farmer sellers. The palays also end up milled and stocked at NFA store houses to form part of the local inventory. These stocks could be mixed with iron fortificants as the government advocates for iron supplementation, according to Lim. Lim said that this is part of the NFA rice fortification program where the mineral requirement of Filipinos is responded by the I-Rice (iron fortified). The iron-fortified rice packs have some yellow rice streaks in the pack. These are the iron fortified rice that enhances the mineral in the cooked rice, Lim added. Some people might think these are dirty but these yellow colored grains, Evasco said, are the iron content of the rice. (mbcn/ rahc-PIA7, Bohol)
Crimes increase in August in Bohol By Rey Anthony H. Chiu
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 25 (PIA) -- Crimes in Bohol increased by 17 cases more from July 12 to August 12, according to police reports at the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting held at the Crabhouse, September 18. Bohol Police Chief Senior Superintendent Constantino Barot however added that total crime volume this year is still lower by 31.7 percent compared to last year when total crimes in Bohol registered a high of 274 over this year’s 187. This increase breaks the trending decrease in crimes recorded since the continued down-slide sustained its momentum from March 12 until August. Police noted that Bohol crimes peaked from February 12 to March 12 when 288 crimes got into police blotters.
The monthly tally of crimes then dropped from 288 in April to 209 in May; 193 in June and 170 in July before picking up again at 187 in September. T h i s m o n t h ’s 1 8 7 c r i m e s comprised 75 non-index and 122 index crimes, Barot said in his PPOC report. E a r l i e r, C a m p D a g o h o y authorities explained that a high crime volume can also be telling of how the local police are getting pro-active against criminality. Central Visayas Police Assistant Regional Director for Operations Louie Oppus explained that even with a high crime volume recorded in a locality, if the high volume is brought about by high non-index crimes, it meant that the police are getting more proactive by initiating operations on their own against crimes punishable by special laws. In Bohol, outgoing Police
Director Barot credited the effective implementation of the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) that helped the police in its crime prevention efforts. Barot agreed though that there is a need to intensify and improve intelligence monitoring at the station level with concentration on motorcycle riding criminals and robbery groups. He also asked for community vigilance, which plays a vital role in the overall crime prevention of the entire province. (mbcn/rahc-PIA7 Bohol)
INFOBYTES
is a weekly electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Region 7 with stories submitted by its Provincial Information Centers in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
INFOBYTES COMMUNITYNEWS
SIQUIJOR
Civil servants, civic organization hold fun run, mangrove planting By Rizalie A. Calibo
SIQUIJOR, Sept 25 (PIA) -Nearly 500 civil servants, students and members of the Rotary Club of Siquior Central (RCSC) joined the fun run and mangrove planting on Friday, September 21. These are parts of the
celebrations of the 112th Philippine Civil Service anniversary and 41st Founding Anniversary of the province of Siquijor. The activity was spearheaded by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Siquijor field office in cooperation with the RCSC and the local government unit of Larena.
The fun run started at 6 a.m. at the Larena Port Area Rotunda and ended at Cangmalalag, Larena, Siquijor where the runners planted about 2,000 mangrove propagules and seedlings. Registration fees of P100 for the head of office, P50 for department heads, P20 for rank and file were collected by the Rotary club to help construct a school building for the New Corrigedor School in Calunsan, Larena, Siquijor. CSC-Siquijor Provincial Director Gina Crucio in her brief message said, the activities were not only meant to celebrate the two important events in the province but to enhance and help our finite environment. She said she was glad that people of Siquijor joined hands in protecting and rehabilitating Siquijor's coastal and marine resources. Mangrove planting is a way of bringing back the diminishing fireflies for which Siquijor has been known for as famed by Isla del Fuego, she said. Provincial Prosecutor Jim Palmitos, also an officer of the RCSC lauded the joint efforts and hoped to make it a regular project of the Rotary. (MBCN/ RACalibo-PIA7 Siquijor) Siquijor Council of Administrative Officers (SICAPO) president Nila Caroro (above left) and Civil Service Commission (CSC)-Siquijor provincial director Atty. Gina Crucio (above right) are seriously planting while employees of the local government unit of Larena (below) took time to smile and pose after doing their share at the mangrove planting in Cangmalalag, Larena, Siquijor. (RAc-PIA-Siquijor)
115 DeEd Accreditation, Equivalency test passers graduate By Rizalie A. Calibo ENRIQUE VILLANUEVA, Sept 26 (PIA) -- At least 115 passers of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Alternative Learning System (ALS)- Accreditation & Equivalency (A&E) program from Siquijor received their diploma Friday during the 2012 ALS Day celebration and graduation of A&E test passers at the Social Center in Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor. Nine of the passers were for the elementary level, 103 for secondary level, and three in livelihood class earning diplomas on Computer-Basic encoding and Dressmaking from all six towns in the province. Siquijor Division Superintendent Joseph Irwin A. Lagura said the program is a great blessing, especially to the out-of-school youths who now have the chance to complete
elementary or secondary education on their own schedule. The ALS A&E test is a national government program that aims to provide an "Education for All.� It is a free paper and pencil test which is designed to measure the competencies of those who have not finished either the formal elementary or secondary education. It offers examiners certification of learning achievements equivalent to the elementary or secondary level of the formal school. Passers of this test are given a certificate/diploma certifying their competencies as comparable to graduates of the formal school system, which makes them qualified to enroll in high school for elementary level passers and to enroll in any college course for secondary level passers.
ALS, he noted, is a free education program implemented by the DepEd under the Bureau of Alternative Learning System which benefits those who cannot afford formal schooling and follows their individual available schedule. The program provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction, encompassing both the nonformal and informal sources of knowledge and skills, he said. Lagura encouraged the graduates to pursue college and avail of the scholarship or subsidy of both the national and provincial government as he also asked the local officials to continue the initiatives for education. He also asked the ALS learners to share the blessings by encouraging others to also join the program. (RMN/RAC-PIA7, Siquijor)