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The Provincial Tourism and Environment Office conducted a coordination meeting for the upcoming Annual Healing Festival during the Holy Week Celebration that was not celebrated in the past two years due the COVID-19 pandemic.
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DOLE pushes for P24-B cash aid for wage earners President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with key government officials at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on March 15, 2022. JOEY DALUMPINES/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
This year, the island’s indigenous healing traditions will bring back the tradition and culture in keeping the integrity of Siquijor. During the meeting at the SP Session Hall, Provincial Capitol on March 18, a set of programs and activities like Huning Binisaya, Choral, On the Spot Painting, Folkdance, and Duet Competitions, as well as Way of the Cross, and the tradition event like “Pagpangamuyo, Pangalap, Pag-adlip, Pagpahiuli, and Pagluto” was lined up forthe Healing Festival on April 13-16.
The Siquijor Police Provincial Office (SPPO) will conduct a Crisis Emergency Response Exercises (CEREX) today, March 25 at the Primary School Barangay Poblacion, Siquijor, Siquijor. The CEREX will be about PNPs response to any Election related incidents. -------ooo-------ooo------The Duterte Legacy Caravan for the province kicked off today, March 28, 2022, at the Capital Square, Siquijor.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has proposed for the approval P24billion subsidy for Filipino minimum wage earners that will benefit about one million workers in three months. In her report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Wednesday, Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay said that aside from the cash aid to be given from April to June, DOLE proposed for the immediate appointment and reappointment of employers’ nominees and labor sector representatives to the National Wages and Productivity Commission and Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards. The nominees and representatives will hear petitions submitted by different regional wage boards. Rubia-Tutay said the DOLE has recognized the labor sector’s clamor for a minimum wage increase due to unabated fuel price increases primarily triggered by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The labor department also supports the economic managers in their continued economic recovery efforts focused on enabling domestic enterprises to bounce back and bring local jobs back to Filipino workers so that they would have sustained income for their families’ daily basic needs. “With the current wages, Mr. President, now extremely inadequate particularly for the minimum wage earners and the government’s economic recovery in full swing, subsidies po may still be extended to vulnerable workers particularly those most severely affected by fuel prices and its domino effect on prices in food and basic goods and services kagaya na nga po nung sa transport sector,”
she said during the President’s Talk to the People. The government support will benefit newly reopened enterprises, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), giving them the necessary breathing space for recovery and growth. The proposed wage subsidy is also in keeping with the objectives of Executive Order No. 140 signed by the President, which adopts the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) 2021-2022 and reinforcing job generating programs through the NERS Task Force. While the cash aid is being handed out, the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Boards will assess the wage petitions submitted by labor groups to wage boards at the regional level. Rubia-Tutay said that so far, six regions submitted their petitions for wage increase. Of the eight petitions, two manifestos are requesting for P750 daily minimum wage. The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on the other hand, is asking for more than P400 acrossthe-board increase for workers in the National Capital Region (NCR). Any adjustment in the minimum wage at this time shall focus on the recovery of erosion or lost purchasing power of workers, and closing of minimum wage and poverty threshold gaps. Simultaneously, the petition for the wage hike for domestic workers will also be tackled, in line with the process in the minimum wage fixing, according to Rubia-Tutay. Public hearings will commence 15 days after publication of Notice of Public Hearing in newspapers of general circulation and the issuance of new Wage Order may likely be in May or June based on the rules of procedure for minimum wage fixing, she said. PND
iiSIQUIJOR SIQUIJOR Information is our business.
THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH and the DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.DOST.GOV.PH VOL. 10| No. 11 March 21 - 28, 2022
PCOO/PIA brings DL caravan to Siquijor The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), through the Office of the Global Media and Public Affairs (OGMPA) and the Philippine Information Agency with various national government agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs), hold a #DuterteLegacy Caravan in Siquijor, Siquijor on March 28, 2022. The Duterte Legacy Caravan aims to showcase and promote the programs, policies and legacies of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Anchored on the President’s ‘Tapang at Malasakit’ brand of governance and people-centric public service, various government services are ready on the ground to be available to the public.
P r e s i d e n t Duter te signs amendments t o P u b l i c Ser vice Act
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday signed into law Republic Act No. 11659 amending Public Service Act (PSA) that will open several economic sectors to full foreign ownership. In signing the legislative measure, the President said the amendments will help the economy recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, thanking Congress for its timely ratification. “I believe that through this law, the easing out of foreign equity restrictions will attract more global investors, modernize several sectors of public service and improve the delivery of essential services,” President Duterte said during the ceremonial signing of the law and the presentation of other newly signed measures in Malacañang. “Indeed, the enactment of this amended law, as well as the amended Foreign Investments Act, shall help stimulate the economy, especially for local businesses.” “It is also expected to generate more jobs for Filipinos, improve basic services for Filipino consumers, and allow for the exchange of skills and technology with the country’s foreign partners.” The amendments to the PSA is aimed at encouraging investment in sectors essential to public welfare, most notably
telecommunications, airlines, expressways and tollways, railways, as well as shipping. The amendments classify the distribution and transmission of electricity, petroleum and petroleum products, pipeline transmission systems, water pipeline distribution and wastewater pipeline systems, seaports, and public utility vehicles as public utilities subject to the 40-percent foreign ownership cap under the Constitution. Other newly signed Republic Acts (RAs) presented on Monday were Amendments to the Foreign Investment Act (RA 11647), Increasing the Age for Determining the Commission of Statutory rape (RA 11648), and Instituting Policy and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education Act (RA 11650). Joining the President were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Executive Secretary
Salvador Medialdea, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, and Presidential Communications and Acting Spokesperson Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar. Also in attendance were Public Works and Highways Acting Secretary Roger Mercado, Acting Cabinet Secretary Melvin Matibag, Information and Communications Technology Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino, Anti-Red Tape Authority Secretary Jeremiah Belgica, PLLO Acting Presidential Adviser on Legislative Affairs Luzverfeda Pascual, and Senators Maria Imelda Marcos, Sherwin Gatchalian, Christopher Lawrence “Bong’ Go, and Francis Tolentino. PND
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS
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DOE spells out measures to cushion impact of high petroleum prices
The Department of Energy (DOE) has been carrying out measures to mitigate the impact of the current crisis in Europe to ordinary Filipino consumers, Secretary Alfonso Cusi said on Wednesday. In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during the latter’s Talk to the People, Cusi said among the measures include implementing the Pantawid Pasada program, encouraging industry players to give “diskuwento” programs, monitoring sufficient energy supply, preventing hoarding, and monitoring the selling or retailing of petroleum products. Cusi also said the DOE is also advocating for the unbundling of oil prices, and pushing for a legislation for the inclusion of minimum inventory requirements aimed at stabilizing the country’s oil inventory. “Ito po ay hinihingi natin, mahigit na po nating tatlong taong ipinaglalaban ito at ito pa nga po ay ipinalalagay natin sa batas. Kailangan po nating i-revisit ang pricing formula,” he told the President on the measure. “Dahil sa pagtaas po ng petrolyo kailangan nating bisitahin ito for transparency at makita po natin lahat, including the industry take. Gusto po rin po natin ipasabatas ang inclusion ng minimum inventory requirements para po sa ganoon hindi po tayo mabubulaga na kulang ang ating imbentaryo.” The DOE, he said, is also asking for intervention power to study the flexibility in fuel blending under Biofuel Law that regulates mixing ethanol or alcohol to gasoline, and coco oil to fuel. Blending affects prices because coco oil is more expensive than diesel and this is also true with ethanol, according to Cusi. The
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Region 7 (RDRRMC-7) conducts its 2022 1st Quarter Full Council Meeting headed by the Office of the Civil Defense-7. A total of 41 government agencies attended the meeting on March 24 at Bai Hotel, Mandaue City.
country imports large volume of ethanol but higher domestic price of the product affects prices and the government has to strike the right balance to protect the consumers. Another measure is putting up strategic petroleum reserve through the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), which will be funded through borrowings. “And tuloy-tuloy po ‘yung kampanya natin dahil sa ganito po naman talaga ang kailangan natin is energy efficiency at conservation. So ‘yung programang ito po tuloy-tuloy nating itinutulak, pinapaalalahanan ang ating publiko nang maayos na paggamit ng petrolyo,” the energy chief said. Cusi assured President Duterte that the country has sufficient energy supply with industry players promising continuous supply. The good news is that petroleum prices may go down after the price dropped to $104.7 per barrel during two tradings this week to compared to last week’s average of $122.61 for every barrel, Cusi said. “Kung magtutuloy-tuloy po itong sa ganitong trend at umabot po ng $104, $105, $100 per barrel, makaka-experience po tayo ng pagbaba ng presyo next week,” he said.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi shares his remarks on the oil crisis to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during a meeting with key government officials at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on March 15, 2022. ROEMARI LIMOSNERO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
“Sa gasolina, puwede po tayong bumaba ng mga P5 mahigit at sa diesel po, puwede naman pong magbaba ng P12 pataas.” Regarding electricity, Cusi told the President that power prices have increased due to high coal prices. But he made an assurance that the country has sufficient supply of the commodity, as the country maintains 30-day coal inventory. PND
U.S. Peace Corps renews MOU with Rare, trains LGUs on community-based coastal resource management On March 18, the U.S. Peace Corps and international nongovernment organization Rare signed a new five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly support sustainable coastal resource and fisheries management. Representatives from 29 local government units (LGUs) from across the Philippines joined the event, which coincided with the week-long U.S. Peace Corps-led training on community-based coastal resource management for office heads, fisheries and agricultural officers, and environment officers from LGUs that have a coastal resource management program. “The U.S. Peace Corps is pleased to be renewing its partnership with Rare to build resilient and sustainable coastal communities in the Philippines. Together, we can restore and protect marine habitats and promote sustainable fisheries management,” said U.S. Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman. “Our continued collaboration with the U.S. Peace Corps will amplify how sustainable fishing behaviors actually improve fish stock productivity, and enable us to continue co-designing and sharing innovative, practical solutions with LGU partners to protect the country’s marine environment,” added Rare Philippines Senior Director Lito Mancao. While organized by the U.S. Peace
Corps, last week’s community-based coastal resource management training for LGU partners was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is the first of a series of USAID-supported capacity development workshops planned for this year that will help local partners protect biodiversity in the Philippines. The U.S. Peace Corps is conducting a second training on zerowaste programming for youth councils (Sangguniang Kabataan) and their LGU counterparts this week, from March 21 to 25 in Bohol. Due to the ongoing pandemic, U.S. Peace Corps staff and Rare, rather than American volunteers, are providing technical assistance to LGUs and other partners. The U.S. Peace Corps is the U.S. government’s premier volunteer organization and has supported Filipino communities across the country for more than 60 years. Over 9,300 American volunteers have served as co-teachers, youth development facilitators, or in other roles requested by host communities over the decades. To date, approximately 300 Peace Corps volunteers have supported improved coastal resource management in the Philippines. (Information Office/ Public Affairs Section/U.S. Embassy in the Philippines)
iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS B o h o l k i n a - u n h a n’ g lalawigan nga na g MOU sa georisk.ph sa PHIVOLCS
Gihimo sa Bohol ug sa Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (DOSTPHIVOLCS) ang paglagda sa Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) kabahin sa pagaccess sa probinsya ug sa mga kalungsuran unya sa sistema nga usa ka disaster information resource hub nga iya sa maong ahensya nga nasudnon. Didto atul sa Bohol Resiliency Summit (BRS) niadtong Marso 14, 2022, didto sa Pavillion sa Bellevue Resort nga giapilan sa mga nagkadaiyang ahensya sa kagamhanan ug relief organizations ug mga donor agencies sa kalibutanug gipasiugdahan sa Kagamhanan sa Bohol, ang pagagdaay magtimaan sa pagsumpay sa lalawigan ug ang mga kalungsuran niini sa tinubdan sa kasayuran kabahin sa paglikay sa katalagman. Didto usab mingsaksi ang mga ahensya nga mahimong kapangayo-an ug tabang alang sa pagpahiuli sa Bohol human sa lampurnas sa bagyo nga Odette. Didto sa BRS nga gitambongan sa mga mayor sa Bohol, mga Municipal Planning Officers ug mga sakop sa management executive board sa Kapitolyo, may mga pagpasabut usab nga gihimo sa PHIVOLCS ug ubang mga ahensya nga nagtutok sa disaster mitigation kabahin sa mga risgo nga dala sa panahong nagkausab ug sa mga inisyatiba kabahin niini. Gipapasabot usab ang mga mayor sa unsa ang mga tabang nga ilang pwede nga magamit gikan sa ilang kaugalingon nga mga tinubdan, kadtong pwede nila pangayoon sa nasudnong kagamhanan, ug kadtong mapangayo gikan sa nga donor agencies. Apan, bisan pa niini, krusyal gihapon ang pagpapangandam sa mga local government units (LGU) aron dili magrabehan sa mga katalagman nga moabut, dason ni PhiVOLCS chief ug Usec. Renato Solidum. Dinhi, matud Undersecretary Solidum nga krusyal ang pag-akses sa mga LGUS sa resource center sa PHIVOLCS nga www.georisk.ph aron ang tanan nga mga plano sa lungsod, magpangandam na sa mga posible nga risgo sa katalagman nga mahimong mosamok sa mga katawhan ug mga natukod nga imprastraktura dinhi. Pinaagi sa MOU nga gilagdaan ni Gob Arthur Yap sa ngalan sa Bohol ug ni Usec Solidum sa katungod sa kagamhanan, mahimong maka-access na ang Bohol sa nahisgutan nga website nga maggiya sa mga local planners sa pagpahimutang sa mga komunidad ug built-up areas nga napanalipdan sa dayag nga hulga sa katalagman. Ang Bohol, matud pa ni Solidum maoy kinaunhan nga provincial LGU nga nagpirma sa MOU.
CEBUANO NEWS
PTAs sa mga eskwelahan gipalikay sa partisan political activities Ta l i w a l a s a n a g p a d a y o n g kampanya sa mga kandidato alang sa piniliay karong buwan sa Mayo, gipahinumdoman sa Department of Education (DepEd) ang mga school-based organization sama sa Parents Teachers Association (PTA) nga dili angay moapil sa mga partisan political activities ilabi na sulod sa school premises. Sa gipagawas nga pahayag sa DepEd, gitumbok niini nga angay sundon sa mga PTA ang tanang gipatuman niining patakaran ug sumbanan. Gitumbok niini ang DepEd Order No. 54, series of 2009, diin nakalatid nga
gidili ang pag-apil sa partisan political activities sulod sa mga eskwelahan ug angay nga tanang kalihokan sa PTA sa school premises adunay prior consultation ug approval gikan sa school head. Gipahinumdoman sa DepEd ang mga PTA organization nga angay nga magsilbi sila isip support group ug usa ka mahinungdanong kaabag sa mga tunghaan aron mapalambo ang kaayohan sa mga estudyante. Una na usab gipahinumdoman sa DepEd ang mga opisyal, mga magtutudlo ug non-teaching personnel niini sa paglikay sa pag-apil sa partisan politics karong nagsingabot nga eleksyon.
Siquijor Mayor Richard Quezon, in his message during the Duterte Legacy Caravan in Siquijor, Siquijor, said the Duterte Legacy is all about the reforms that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte has implemented during his administration. He hopes that the footprints left behind by Pres. Duterte will guide the next administration. Iyang gipasabut usab nga daghan na nga mga syudad ug highly urbanized cities ang nakaakses sa resource center alang sa pagpasibo sa ilang mga plano, apan labing unang probinsya ang Bohol nga mihimo niini. Matud usab nga Provincial Planning and Development Officer John Titus Vistal, ang MOU sa Bohol maoy kinasugdanan nga ang mga LGU makahimo na usab sa pagsulod sa nahisgutan nga site alang sa ilang pag-konsulta sa ilang planning ug land use. Ang MOU sa Bohol ug PHIVOLCS nagpasayon na sa mga LGU nga makasulod sa site, nga dili na sila magtagsatagsa ug pagpakigsabut pa sa DOST. Gawas sa access sa nahisgutang site, gipasalig sa gobernador nga ang mga local planners sa kalungsuran, ipa-enrol sa mga kurso kabahin sa climate change mitigation nga gitanyag sa Holy Name University sa Tagbilaran, kinsa kaabag sa Bohol sa pagpahigayon sa BRS.
iSIQUIJOR
is the Island of Siquijor’s first electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Siquijor Information Center and the DOST Provincial Science and Technology Center. It contains snippets of information about Siquijor, Central Visayas and the Philippine Government. THERE IS GOOD NEWS EVERYDAY.
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