INFOBYTES 33

Information is our business.

INFOBYTES

VOL. 2 l NO.33 l October 17 2012 THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-7 I WWW.PIA.GOV.PH VOL. 2 l NO.33 l October 17 2012

TOPSTORIES

'Graduating' 4Ps-recipients in C. Visayas face better future

By Fayette C. Rinen

CEBU CITY, (PIA) -- A legacy of an improved quality of life is the fulfillment left by government’s anti-poverty program dubbed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), to over 20,000 graduating household-recipients in Central Visayas.

Marites Augis, who lives near the Inayawan dumpsite in Cebu City is just one of the first of the 2,541 identified poorest of the poor families in Cebu City enrolled in the program when it started in 2008.

“Dako kay ko og pasalamat sa programa kay karon, nisaka jud ang among estado sa panginabuhi (I am very grateful to the program

M E D I C I N E DISTRIBUTION Staff from the Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office (DARPO) distribute medicines for free during the information caravan and medical-dental mission held at Barangay Canhabagat, M e d e l l i n , Cebu. The free medicines were sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Health (DOH).

(HFG/PIA7)

because now, our quality of life has improved)," said Augis during the recent PIA Kapihan that tackled the 4Ps.

Augis said that with no work and a husband with no clear income, it was very difficult for her to send her children to school.

And because her family was included in the Set 1 beneficiaries five years ago, two of her children below 14 years old were able to go to school.

As a recipient of government’s poverty alleviation program, Augis received P1,100 monthly financial assistance broken down into P500 for the health needs of her family and P300 each for the educational needs of her two children.

The 4Ps, implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), aims to reduce poverty incidence among the poorest of the poor families nationwide through the areas of education and health.

Since its launching in 2008, the program has already covered 3.2 million householdbeneficiaries nationwide, claimed Aileen Lariba, DSWD 7 4Ps information officer during the forum.

Lariba said the beneficiaries will receive financial assistance from government for a total of five years as long as they also meet their coresponsibilities which are to regularly visit the barangay health centers, regular attendance to family development sessions, and 85 percent school attendance of children-recipients.

“Augis fulfilled her co-responsibilities for five years and in fact, availed of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD under the 4Ps to start her own carenderia,” disclosed

Lariba.

Augis said her P6,000 loan from the SLP three years ago was already

By Hazel G. Gloria paid up and her small eatery business

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- A total of 31,466 agroforestry and native tree species were planted as of third is doing very well. “In fact, because of quarter this year by mining firms as their contribution to the implementation of the national greening program her hard work, she now owns a multi(NGP) in Central Visayas. cab,” proudly revealed Lariba.

The agency welcomes the active support and cooperation of operating mines and quarries in the In Central Visayas, the number region to pursue the “green” agenda of President Aquino and Department of Environment and Natural Resources of Set 1 household-beneficiaries or (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje as they have the necessary resources for nursery production and seedlings those who were the first recipients was plantation, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-7) Regional Director Loreto Alburo said.

20,442 but these families were only

Based on an inventory conducted by a multipartite monitoring team (MMT) as of September 19, the based in Negros Oriental and Cebu total number of available seedlings produced by the companies is 144,982.

City.

A total of 288.16 hectares or 110.41 percent increase of its 2011’s target of 261 hectares were grown “These over 20,000 families with 145,187 of different native tree species by nine operating mines and quarries. belonged to the highest poverty

MGB Acting Director Leo Jasareno issued Memorandum Order Number 2011-03 dated October 11, incidence level of 89 percent. This is 2011 on the guidelines in the implementation of the NGP for the mines sector in connection with Executive Order why they were given the highest priority Number 26 or the NGP.

The order aims to ensure the establishment of 34,000 hectares of reforestation areas outside of mining by government,” said Lariba.

Lariba said the 4Ps has certainly contract or permit areas, within three years from 2011-2013.

“It may be worth mentioning that while the mining companies are contributing very strongly the NGP, helped the first beneficiaries improved their quality of life citing the Augis they have continued to sustain the MGB’s mining forest program,” he said. household. “Now they can already

He added that 1,050.714 hectares were reforested since 2001 within the mining contract area.

In Cebu, it includes Naga City, Alcoy and San Fernando while Garcia-Hernandez in Bohol, Ayungon go on their own without the monthly financial aid from the government. I am in Negros Oriental and Lazi and Simacolong in Siquijor.

Tree growing and maintenance through the mining forest program was already put in place and these sure that all the rest are in the same plantations are continuously monitored by an MMT with other environmental programs and projects implemented situation as we make sure that they by the mining companies, Alburo said. can already be on their own,” added

“It has a survival rate of 70 percent,” he said.

Lariba.

President Aquino issued Executive Order 26 declaring the implementation of the NGP as a government The DSWD 7 is currently priority program to reduce poverty, promote food security, environmental stability and biodiversity conservation conducting registration for the Set 6 and enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation. (DENR7/HFG/PIA7) household beneficiaries in Region 7.

(PIA 7, Cebu)

31,000 agro-forestry, native trees planted in CV

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NEGROS ORIENTAL

RDC7 endorses NegOr bid to host 2013 Palarong Pambansa

By Jennifer C. Tilos

300,000 CV households classified as poor

By Hazel G. Gloria

CEBU CITY, Oct 16 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) Field Office-7 through its National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) has identified 314,654 poor households in Central Visayas.

This accounts for six percent out of the 5.2 million identified poor households in the country.

Most of these poor households are found in rural areas with 76.7 percent while 23.3 percent are in urban areas.

NHTS is an information management system that identifies who and where poor households are in the country.

The NHTS-PR is the first of its kind in the Philippines to give a face and a name to the poor households, DSWD-7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said.

The beauty of NHTS-PR lies on how focused the system is in identifying the poor households, which eventually become a recipient of social protection programs of different government and non-government agencies like the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Macapobre said.

The database is not only numbers and statistics, but we clearly identify the name of the household, she said.

For the last three years, DSWD has used this data system in implementing different social protection programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Sustainable Livelihood Program, rice subsidy, social pension for senior citizen and supplementary feeding for DayCare pupils.

To date, 77 local government units (LGUs) have signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with DSWD along with two national government organizations (NGOs), which benefited from the database through a shared online system.

NHTS-PR data gathering for household assessment began in 2009. A year after an ondemand application and validation was administered to support the household assessments and to address the issues on under coverage and inclusion of non-poor households.

Every four years the data bank is updated.

There will be a second assessment next year.

(DSWD7/HFG/PIA7)

URBAN AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL TOUR: Cebu City Agricultural Technologist Vicente G. Alcesto (far right) demonstrate the uses and benefits of herbal plants such as Aragon, Stevia, Rosemary, and "Balbas Pusa" before members of the CAOCAMPIO during their tour at the Urban Agriculture farm in SRP, Cebu City on Sept. 28, 2012. The tour was part of the CAOCAMPIO monthly meeting itinerary which brings the info officers to LGUs to expose them to the host LGU's best practices on economy, tourism, good governance, human development, etc. (VVV/AYSPIA7 Cebu)

NegOr inaugurates road cementing project in Dumaguete village

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- The provincial government has inaugurated a road rehabilitation project involving a barangay road in Cadawinonan, Dumaguete City.

Almost P1 million in funds were earlier poured in by the provincial government for the cementing of a portion of said barangay road, according to Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo.

During the inauguration ceremony, Gov. Roel Degamo said in his speech that Dumaguete City received the biggest share in the province's 20 percent economic development because he saw the need to fund infrastructure and facilities of quality in the city which, as the capital city, is the show window of Negros Oriental.

Facilities of good quality are important for the economic development of Dumaguete because the city is the center of economic activities in the province, he said.

He added that the development of Dumaguete will not be limited to the city but will also benefit other areas in the prvince.

The provincial government has also alloted funds to implement development projects in the barangays across the province.

Recently, the provincial government turned over a road-cementing project costing P3.5 million to Brgy. Narra, a remote village in Bayawan City.

The project involves the cementing of a road network connecting Sitio Banuyo to Brgy.

Nangka and Brgy. Narra.

Sedillo said this is one of the biggest road projects funded by the provincial government for a barangay.

(RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA)--The Regional Development Council (RDC7) in Central Visayas has endorsed today the Negros Oriental bid to host the 2013 Palarong Pambansa.

In its 3rd quarter meeting in Dumaguete City, Provincial Governor Roel Degamo requested the RDC to support Negros Oriental’s bid to host the national games next year.

In a resolution passed by Provincial Development Council (PDC), Degamo stated that the event will contribute to boost tourism, sports and other socioeconomic development in region 7 particularly Negros Oriental.

It is noted that the three provinces of Central Visayas also nominate and endorse Negros Oriental having adequate facilities and resources to host the Palaro.

Early this year, the province had hosted the 2012 POCPSC National Games to validate the province’s capability of hosting a multi-sports event competition.

Meanwhile, in the same meeting, RDC-7 also supported the establishment of three-unit truck-mounted mobile water purification system for Negros Oriental.

The mobile water system project costing P4,250,000 will be stationed at the strategic areas of the three congressional districts of the province.

The project is identified as pressing need as a consequence of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the province on February 6, this year cutting off water supply to the residents due to badly damaged water pipes and reservoirs.

With the recurring hydrometeorological hazards that threaten the continuous availability of potable water supply, this project is needed, said Degamo.

Considering the importance of the project to the health condition of people both in rural and urban areas, especially in times of calamity, the Provincial Development Council passed that resolution. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)

CEBU

INFOBYTESCOMMUNITYNEWS

Cebu students produce "Saving Mother Earth" video on solid waste management, tree planting

By Amorganda Y. Saludar

CEBU (PIA) -- Ten high school students from San Remegio National High school in Cebu produced a movie titled “Saving Mother Earth” that highlighted solid waste management and tree planting as their exchange project under the Global Connection and Exchange (GCE) Program tie up with the United States.

Community eCenter Manager Romarico Cabellon said these students were the first batch of trainees under the GCE program.

The GCE Program is a joint project of the Philippine Community Center eCenter Network, National Computer Center and the International Research Board.

Cabellon added that the GCE is funded by the US Department of State and was launched in the Philippines in December 2011 with 14 pilots Community eCenters chosen nationwide.

NEGROS ORIENTAL

The training program includes topics about Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) that involves youth in addressing Global Warming; information and communication technology and leadership training.

After the students successfully completed their training, they continue to exchange ideas and on-line discussions about their projects with the students and teachers in the U. S. via the internet.

“Saving Mother Earth” is a video of a tree planting activity in San Remegio, which the students presented to their counterparts in the U.S.

Highlight of the video is the solid waste and environmental management of the town and this was already uploaded at the GCE website and can be accessed worldwide.

Trained GCE teacher from San Remegio National High School Norman Fernandez assisted the students in making the “Saving Mother Earth” video. (mbcn/AYS/PIA- Cebu)

Dumaguete City to receive an award from BFAR 7

By Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 16 (PIA) --Dumaguete City government is adjudged as the regional winner of this year’s very supportive local government unit (LGU) to fisheries projects, according to City Agriculturist William Ablong.

Ablong said, he received a letter from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional director Andress Bojos informing the city to receive the award during the Fish Conservation Week awarding ceremony on October 18 at 2 p.m. at the BFAR-7 Conference room, Cebu City.

Ablong who is also the city administrator informed Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria regarding the award during the opening of the BFAR 49th Fish Fisheries Week held in sitio Canday-ong Barangay Calindagan.

BFAR-7 celebrates the Fish Conservation Week on October 14-19 with this year’s theme: "Maunlad na Pangisdaan Makakamatan sa Matatag na Balikatan”.

Director Bojos said the celebration is observed every third week of October throughout the country by virtue of Proclamation no. 176,which is part of the earnest campaign towards development,

management, conservation and protection of the fishery and aquatic resources to ensure sustainability.

The celebration also gives emphasis on the importance of fishery and aquatic products to the country’s economy and the wise management of coastal and marine environment to sustain biodiversity and improve quality of life for the local communities, Bojos added.

One of the highlights of the celebration is the Gawad Saka search for Outstanding Achievers in Fisheries in different categories. This is to acknowledge the contributions of organization and individuals who did exemplary performance and gave valuable support to fisheries programs and projects, Bojos said.

Dumaguete City mayor Manuel Sagarbarria assured the fisher folks association members of Canday-ong that the city government will support their projects.

Sagarbarria turned over 50 fish spots or "bobo" a specific kind of fishing gear to the members of the fishermen association to help them in their livelihood projects. (mbcn/JCT/ PIA-Negros Oriental)

BOHOL

AUDIO-Bohol hosts 20th RADIO-7 convention

By Elvira C. Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)-The Association of United Development Information Officers in Bohol (AUDIOBohol) with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) will host the 20th Regional consultative conference of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO-7) on October 24-26, 2012 at the Bohol Tropics Resort in Tagbilaran City.

About a hundred Information Officers (IOs) in Region VII are expected to participate in the RADIO-7 regional consultative conference with the theme: “Information Officers and the New Media”.

This year’s convention aims to enable the IOs to know the importance of new media and social networking in providing more public access of government’s information on its programs, projects and accomplishments of their respective localities.

This is also in line with the Aquino administration’s philosophy of governance to engage people in continuing conversation and extensive consultations.

Bohol Governor Edgar M. Chatto will deliver his welcome messages and will host a lunch for the delegates on the opening day.

Presidential Communications Operation Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma will be the guest speaker and he will discuss on Communication for Development/Open Government Partnership and Accountabilities.

PIA-7 Regional Director Minerva Newman will present to the IOs the End-toend Early Warning Communication System in the afternoon.

The election of officers and Board of Directors (BOD) for RADIO-7 will immediately follow after the presentations during the first day.

Induction of the new RADIO-7 officers and Board of Directors will be in the evening of October 24 with 1st District Rep. Rene Relampagos as inducting officer.

He will also host the welcome dinner and fellowship for the region’s information officers.

On October 25, SMART Communications will give a lecture on Internet Broadcast and Video Streaming and Social Media and Effective Use of Social Media and Infoboard for Development Communication.

RADIO-7 is a federation of all government information officers in the towns, cities and provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas.

It is composed of the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) of Cebu; Association of United Development Information Officers (AUDIO) of Bohol; Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers (ANOPIO) of Negros Oriental; and the Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators (SAID). (mbcn/ ECB/PIA-Bohol)

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SIQUIJOR

PNP scores public participation to solve crime

By Rizalie Anding Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA)—Public participation is vital in solving crime.

This was the statement made by Larena Police Station PPO1 Richel Perez during the monthly gathering of the clients and aides of the Parole

and Probation Office here.

He said everyone can contribute to a peaceful environment and urged everyone to take advantage of the technology in reporting to the police crimes or any suspicious actions within their barangays immediately.

1st farmer-scientist agri-business conference, workshop held in Siquijor

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA)— The Siquijor provincial government held Monday the first farmer-scientist agri-business c o n f e r e n c e a n d workshop at the Quicksilver Conference Hall in Siquijor, Siquijor.

Participants are selected Farmer Scientist Training Program (FSTP) -trained farmers or farmer-scientists actively engaged in the marketing of their farm products with annual incomes of more than P100,000, presidents or representatives of successful FSTP cooperatives /farmerscientists' associations, and some officials of Agri-Business companies in Siquijor who are now in processing, packaging and marketing of farm products.

Local government units (LGUs), Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAOs) with Agricultural Tecnicians (ATs) and other guests engaged in agri-business also attended the conference/workshop.

Program leader and 2012 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee Romulo Davide said in his overview that the First FSTP FarmerScientists Agri-Business Conference and workshop aims to identify suitable and appropriate FSTP farm production technologies developed by FSTP farmerscientists in Siquijor province, processing and packaging technologies suitable for

the local markets and farm-food products needed by the resorts, hotels in Siquijor.

It also seeks to develop marketing strategies for the local markets and organize a group that will be identified as the FSTP Agri-Business Club; and discuss, among others, important related matter.

FSTP started in Siquijor in 2003 and has trained already more than a thousand farmer-scientists.

He said more than 20,000 FSTP-trained farmer scientists in DOST Region 7 are now successfully engaged in agri-business. Their annual income has increased to more than 100%.

Some of our model farmersscientists have increased their annual income to more than 100,000 and a few are earning more than a million pesos annually from the sales of their farm products, he said.

He added that to sustain and inspire more of the FSTP-trained farmers to enlarge their agri-business operation, DOST Region 7 and the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) have recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide financial and technical assistance to FSTP.

The conference workshop is component of the project. (RACalibo/PIASiquijor)

7 Siquijor schools join DARE pilot program

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR (PIA) -- At least seven schools here are participating in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) pilot program this year

These are the elementary schools of Banban, Candanay, Siquijor Central, Bolos, Caipilan, Assisi and Cang-alwang, all in Siquijor town.

PO3 Dan Dindo Bation, DARE action officer, said Region VII has adopted the program only this year, following the success in General Santos City as pilot area outside Metro Manila.

Training for teachers was started in February after which Siquijor province adopted it in August, he said, while noting the support of the provincial government in the program.

Bation said graduation program will be on December 7, in time for the 350 pupils that are also expected to graduate this year. DARE officers from Metro Manila and General Santos will come to the island to witness the ceremony, he added.

DARE is a school-based drug abuse prevention program from DARE America that uses modules specially designed to teach children or answer questions often posed by young students about drugs and crime.

But prior to teaching, police officers handling the program have undergone special training in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques and communication skills, he said.

The DARE curriculum, according to Bation, offers a one hour per week for 16 weeks consisting of 17 lessons that focus on teaching pupils the skills needed to recognize and resist social pressures, decision making, building self-esteem and choosing healthy alternative to drug use.

The program was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles and has proven so successful that it is now implemented in 75 percent of the nation's school districts and in more than 43 countries around the world. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)

Another way of solving crime, he said is controlling emotions. He reminded especially the parole and probation clients to think first before committing any act rather than be overcome by emotions.

"Each of us has role in crime prevention, it is necessary that we exercise our role because we will never know who the next victim will be--our neighbor or maybe our loved ones," he said. (mbcn/RAC/

100 trainees benefit from TESDA program

SIQUIJOR (PIA) -- One-hundred trainee-beneficiaries from this province completed the training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II (SMAW) conducted by the Cebu Science of Welding Technology, Inc.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Information Officer Elsa Apiag said the graduates also underwent mandatory competency to be certified in SMAW NC II.

Out of the 100 traineegraduates, 97 were found competent indicating the quality in the training delivery of the program, said Apiag.

The second batch is undergoing training, starting July 23 with 90 beneficiaries.

As of September 2012, a total of 302 Siquijodnons were beneficiaries of the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), of which 190 were trained in SMAW.

TWSP is one of Tesda’s major programs implemented in cooperation with the local government unit of Siquijor province.

Graduates, aside from being trained, are certified if they pass the competency assessment and certification program of Tesda. They are prepared for wage or self-employment locally or can also be employed abroad.

Another program implemented in the province is the Tesda Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP) whose beneficiaries are certified Tesda National Certificate II holders.

They are provided with tool kits or starter kits to be able to start immediately what they have learned.

In Siquijor, three kinds of services are available, namely, Food and Beverage services or what is commonly known as waiters and waitresses, the Computer Hardware Services, and the Animal Production Specialistas.

The program hopes to help the beneficiaries earn living for themselves and their families to improve their lives, Apiag said. (RAC/PIA-Siquijor w/ reports from EAApiag/Tesda)