Vol 5 Issue 38 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 Sept. 21 - 27, 2015

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue DILG urges CSOs to help BuB project implementation

COMELEC urges qualified voters to validate, bares ‘no bio, no vote’ policy

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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DRR needs sustainable APEC-wide interventions - Gazmin

ILOILO CITY, Sept. 22 (PIA6) – Disaster risk

reduction is not just a concern of a single or small group of economies but it requires a robust and sustainable inter-economy cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region,

according to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin. In his keynote message at the opening of the two-day

9th Senior Disaster Management Officials Forum of APEC 2015 here, September 22, Gazmin said the prevalence of

disasters in the “new normal” manifestation has serious

implications to our inter-economic relations as it cuts across several APEC concerns and priorities.

The “new normal” manifestation referred to by the Philippine government official is the present nature of disasters wherein they are becoming unpredictable with

increases in frequencies, magnitude and scope. This new normal phenomenon causes major

disruptions to trade relations, businesses and investments

across the Asia-Pacific region, he said. The official cited the actions already made by APEC

member-economies on the issue for the past years with

present initiatives focused on introducing innovations,

developing policies, and organizing working groups to

address disaster impacts. With the emerging concept of the new normal,

Gazmin said what is needed is a more holistic, proactive,

multi-stakeholder, and longer term interventions, specifically to make APEC member economies resilient. (JCM/JSC-PIA6)

BY JENNIFER C. TILOS

DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has encouraged the civil society organizations (CSOs)

to participate in the implementation of the Bottoms-Up Budgeting (BuB) projects.

DILG provincial director Dennis Quiñones cited this in a training on Citizen‟s Monitoring and Evaluation to fast

track the implementation of the BuB projects in Negros Oriental. DILG‟s continuing training activity for its field officers, CSOs monitoring teams and local planning and

development coordinators in different cities and municipalities was held this week.

This is to achieve BuB program implementations

which started in 2013 to help the country in attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for inclusive

economic growth and poverty reduction. Quiñones said,

“DILG will continue to partner with the CSOs for capacity-building interventions relative to the BUB Program.”

Quiñones also emphasized his message on the role of CSOs in the local governance. He encouraged the participants to actively participate in the monitoring and evaluation of the BuB projects as this is very important to

achieve genuine transparency in respective local

government units (LGUs). To date, according to DILG director only 42 percent

of the 2013 BuB projects were implemented or are being

implemented. For 2014 and 2015 approved projects, only 34.1 percent and 1.8 percent of the BuB projects respectively have been implemented.

Local government operations officer VI Aquilina

Eltanal said, “As of now, we are trying to inculcate the elements of good governance, transparency on the part of the CSOs and government, to attain our goals and to

maximize the use of fund resources to different projects as identified, to make a reality.”

Interacting with the local poverty reduction action

team (LPRAT) and implementing agencies, Eltanal said after all projects been monitored, the group has to discuss the

findings and make recommendations to formulate a catch

up plans for those projects. LPRAT Co-chair of LGU Dauin Victorina Elumir said,

“We are very grateful that we are involved in this program

of the government and to know more on how we can help DILG and LGU in the implementation of BuB in the municipality of Dauin.” (mbcn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental/ with reports from Ronelyn Faith Vailoces, SU intern)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

Ma. Rebecca G. Cadavos

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sep. 24 (PIA) – In a joint Regional Development Council-Development Administration Committee (RDC-DAC) and the Southern

Leyte Provincial Development Council meeting held Friday here, Commission on Elections Provincial Supervisor Atty. Antonio Gulay, Jr. informed that there are still 6.2% remaining registered voters in Eastern Visayas having

incomplete or without biometrics data. He stressed that in the coming 2016 National

Elections, Comelec will impose the “no vote, no

biometrics” policy, hence urging those who have not yet

validated their data to visit nearest Comelec office since the deadline will be on October 31, 2015.

Gulay said that the validation process started last year yet, saying that the registered voters without biometrics will be automatically deactivated from their

records. In Southern Leyte, out of the total registered voters

recorded at 248,148, whle 9,190 of whom have not yet

validated or without biometrics data or 3.7% without validation, Atty Gulay reported.

For Samar, out of 407,722 voters registered, 42,514 remains to have incomplete biometrics data; Northern

Samar with 323,727 and 25,477 without biometrics;

Eastern Samar, 271,482 total voters with 17,270 without biometrics; Leyte province at 1,086,297 total registered voters and 54,673 with no biometrics data yet; and for the

province of Biliran that has 102,107 total registered voters, 2,048 not yet validated.

“Validation is the process of taking the biometrics of voters whose biometrics such as picture, signature and

thumb mark have not yet been captured,” Gulay revealed. In his presentation during the joint meeting,

Gulay tackled activities regarding the upcoming 2016

National Elections like the filing of Certificates of

Candidacy for all elective positions which will be on October 12-16, 2015, the use of security personnel on

election period, inclusive dates of campaign period, among other activities and prohibited activities on election matters.

The RDC-DAC joint meeting with the PDC of Southern Leyte presided by its Chairman, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Director Imelda C.

Laceras, was attended by municipal mayors, some Provincial Board members, local department heads, among other members of the RDC-DAC. (rgc/PIA8-SoLeyte)

Climate Change Youth Forum with Elpidio

Simon PENRO @ Wright National High

School, Paranas, Samar Sept. 23, 2015 (pics by

JunArc)

WESTERN VISAYAS

Undersecretary Alexander Pama, Executive

Director of the National Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Council, provided

the media with updates on the disaster risk

reduction framework presented in the 9th

Senior Disaster Management Officials' Forum

during a press briefing held Wednesday, Sept.

23 at the International Media Center at Amigo

Hotel here. Also in the photo is Usec.

Ferdinand Cui, Jr., SOM Vice Chair. (LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

PCOO Sec. Sonny Coloma delivers his

keynote message during the Launching of the

Search for Outstanding Barangay Treasurer in

Cebu City initiated by FINEX-Cebu held at

Gallery, Ayala Center Cebu.

Defense Secretary and NDRRMC chair Voltaire Gazmin delivers the

keynote message during the opening, September 22 of the 9th

Senior Disaster Management Officials‟ Forum of the ongoing

Asia-Pacifi Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Iloilo City. (LTPI/PIA6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

ILOILO CITY, Sept. 21 (PIA6) - - Local micro, small and medium enterprises play a crucial role in realizing the goal of making

Iloilo City the top destination and the best liveable city in the Philippines.

MSMEs are engines of growth in Iloilo City

Lilibeth A. French

I n his welcome remarks during the

opening of the 2015 National MSME

Summit at the Iloilo Convention Center,

September 21, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said

the city government under his administration is

now focused on maintaining the growth of the

MSME sector here as they believe it is not only

an important sector of the economy but also

plays a crucial role in realizing their goal to

make the city as the top destination and best

liveable city in the country.

Mabilog said MSMEs are also engines of

growth in any development oriented economy

in the world and because they have inherent

labor intensive production processes, they

provide a viable platform for inclusive growth

and job creation.

“Iloilo City today has more than a fair

share of MSMEs in operation. They have

bolstered the metro economy, helped the local government unit reduced poverty and are

helping shape the business environment while

developing entrepreneurial potential and

stipulating competition,” said Mabilog.

He bared some of the initiatives

undertaken by the city government for the

development and growth of the MSME

sub-sector here.

These include the trimming of the

processing time of business permits and

creating business-friendly framework

conditions and market development fir services

relevant to MSMEs, including meeting with the

banking sector to improve access of MSMEs to

short, middle and long-term financial credit,

among others.

Securing business permits in this city now

only takes 30 minutes.

Appropriate free hands-on livelihood,

vocational and technological training to

unemployed youths and adults through the

Iloilo City Technical Institute were also

provided as part of the efforts of the city

government to create and nurture a steady stream of Ilonggo entrepreneurs.

The city government continues to take

the initiative and to partner with both public

and private sectors to assist MSMEs compete

in the global market, according to Mabilog.

He said the national summit will unite

everyone in the national MSME community.

United in purpose and intent, MSMEs could

easily fuel the nation‟s nonstop drive for a

better future.

Around 600 participants composed of

members of the various provincial SME

Councils in the country and development

partners are attending the two-day

summit here which coincide the holding of the

APEC Ministerial Meeting on Friday, September

25.

Some of the summit participants will also

join other APEC events which will be held to

support the Ministers‟ meeting.

Other APEC events which also began

today are the APEC Workshop on Facilitating

SME Trade through Better Understanding of

Non-Tariff Measures in the Asia Pacific Region for Agriculture, Food Processing and

Handicrafts Sectors and APEC Accelerator

Network (AAN) Forum II: From Start Up to

Scale Up. (JCM/LAF/PIA6-Iloilo)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Sept. 22 (PIA6) - - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-6 is holding its 4th Regional

Career Advocacy and Employment Congress on September 23-25 at Planta Hotel and Residences, in Bacolod City.

A release from DOLE 6 said, more than

300 delegates from the Regional

Networks of Guidance Counselors

(GC) and Career Advocates, Public

Employment Service Office (PESO) Managers

and Human Resource (HR) Officers as well as

representatives of the national government

agencies and intermediaries are expected to

join the congress.

The congress with the theme “Building

Human Capital: Backbone of a Full and Decent

Employment” aims to provide the avenue for

participants and stakeholders to have more

technical learning and to be seriously involved

in molding the minds of the youths by giving

them (youth) the needed support as they

prepare for the real world.

According to the release, the Philippines is

home to globally competitive workers but an

increasing gap between the competency levels

of graduates here with that of other countries

is noted.

Topics include Labor Market in the Local

and International Arena; Career Coaching:

The 21stFilipino Youth; K to 12 Career

Development Program and Career

Decision-Making; and, Human Capital: The

Essence of Organizational Success which will

be discussed by experts from all over the

country.

Those interested to join, may confirm

their attendance to Ms. Lucy U. Muralla,

Department of Labor and Employment

Regional Office No. 6, Iloilo City at contact

numbers 033 3206905/09173276818/

09173276515 or to DOLE Field Office in

Negros Occidental at the following contact

numbers (034) 7091690 or 09173275919. *

(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)

DOLE congress focuses on labor meeting market demands

By Easter Anne D. Doza

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Sept. 23 (PIA6) – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has established coconut nurseries in shaded

areas in order to protect coconut seedlings from direct sunlight in anticipation of the El Niño phenomenon.

P CA – Capiz manager Jeffrey Delos

Reyes said that there are about

50,000 seedlings in the nurseries up

for planting in view of the Yolanda Replanting

and Rehabilitation Program (YRRP) which

targets 328,000 seedlings in 3,280 hectares

provincewide this year.

Some of the seedlings for the

program are sourced out by PCA from local

suppliers.

De los Reyes added that PCA targets to

plant 46,000 coconut seedlings on top of the

Yolanda replanting initiative.

Based on PCA records, there are

about 1.1 – million fruit bearing trees left by

supertyphoon Yolanda provincewide.

However, the damages on the local

coconut industry will be restored with the

massive planting and replanting activities since

2014.

By end of this year, at least 85 percent of

the damaged coconut trees have been restor

Coconut farmers are also urged to

intercrop coconuts with banana, corn, coffee,

vegetables and sweet potato or camote as

additional source of income during the

drought. (JCM/AAL/PIA6 Capiz)

PCA measures readied for El Nino

Alex A. Lumaque

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Kalibo conducts Public-Private Partnership orientation

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA6) – The Municipality of Kalibo conducted a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) orientation in its desire to

fully understand the PPP Code of the Provincial Government of Aklan before its adaptation.

A ttorney Alberto C. Agra, a Certified

PPP Specialist and the only one in

Southeast Asia having such distinction,

which he obtained from the Institute for Public

–Private Partnership (IP3) in Arlington, Virginia,

USA, was the resource speaker of the

orientation.

Atty. Agra defines PPP as a contract

between two consenting bodies wherein there

is trust, own contribution to the arrangement

and have the desire to last the partnership up

to the end of time.

“The only challenge of PPP is when

the formal leadership changes because

the project may be dissolved depending

on the new leader, but can be answered with

the stakeholders‟ role in the partnership - that

is maintaining stability of the project,” Agra

said.

Agra stressed that before implementing a

PPP project, LGUs must have a framework to

be consistent, to be followed by everybody and

to be transparent.

The LGU can create its own framework,

refer to templates, or adopt the provincial

ordinance for the PPP project.

The Provincial Government of Aklan is

currently adopting Atty. Agra‟s framework in

the implementation of the PPP projects of the

province.

Meanwhile, the Office of the

Sangguniang Bayan of Kalibo, proposed

resolution to adopt the PPP Code of

the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the Province of

Aklan.

Atty. Agra recommended LGU Kalibo to

conduct an intensive study regarding PPP to

fully understand and appreciate the importance

of the PPP.

The orientation was participated in

by the officials and department heads

of the municipality of Kalibo, National

Government Agencies , media, and

other stakeholders of PPP. (JSC/SQP-PIA6

Aklan).

Sheila Q. Patoza

Financial inclusion, connectivity to markets, keys to MSMEs growth

ILOILO CITY, Sept. 22 (PIA6) -- - To increase the participation of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in boosting

economic development in the Asia Pacific Region, these businesses must be financially included and are well connected to

markets.

D oris Magsaysay Ho, Chair of the

APEC Business Advisory Council

(ABAC), said that financial inclusion

is key for MSMEs to access opportunities in the

regional and global trade.

“Unfortunately, many MSMEs are

unable to access financing, thus, stifling

their ability to grow their business, pursue

innovation, or comply with minimum standards

to enable their participation in local

supply chains, much less global value chains,”

she said.

She said that financial inclusion requires

access to financial services and improving bank

lending efficiency as well as broadening the

range of financing instruments available to

SMEs.

“ABAC also calls for innovation. We need

financing instruments that will provide financing

start-ups as well as financial innovation that

responds to the changing business models,” she

stressed.

She also encouraged initiatives

promoting an enabling environment for trade

and supply chain finance and alternative

financing mechanisms and to identify best

practices for strengthening MSMEs resilience

against disasters and financial crises.

“As Asia-Pacific is the world‟s most

natural disaster-prone region, we have to equip

MSMEs with responsive financial instruments

that will allow them to mitigate disaster risks

and to recover quickly,” she said.

She said there is also a need to look at

digital financing solutions that potentially allow

deeper penetration than financial services

providers in many economies.

“The economic evolution brought

about by the digital revolution affords us

options that we have never had before,” she

said.

She added that it is necessary to address

digital finance issues that impact financial access

and their alignment with global and regional

efforts. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

Leonard T. Pineda I

Antique products need more exposure

to lure investors

By Vicente W. Villavert

SAN JOSE, Antique, Sept.23 (PIA6) - - The Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Trade and Industry Chair said that

Antique’s local products need exposure in order to attract both domestic and foreign investors.

S P Member Dante Beriong said that the

Iloilo City‟s hosting of APEC Meeting is

expected to also promote other

locations in the region, and Antique

should consider this as an opportunity to

showcase its resources to attract new

investments in the province.

“This is an opportunity for our products

to reach international markets and heights,”

Beriong said in a PIA interview.

Just recently, three Pasalubong Centers

were established at the Iloilo International

Airport, SM City, and in Boracay where some

60 micro and small enterprises are

showcasing Antique‟s products in the pursuit

of local tourism promotion that shall certainly

redound to socio-economic multiplier in the

local economy.

Governor Rhodora Cadiao in her aim to

promote Antique as a tourist and

investment destination also said that a

booth that will showcase the best of

Antique was put up at the Iloilo Convention

Center in time for the opening of the APEC

Summit in Iloilo City. The Department of

Trade and Industry also said that ten

entrepreneurs also joined the National SME

Summit in Iloilo City.

In a Malacanang news report, Trade and

Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo said that

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

are vital to achieving the Asia-Pacific Economic

goal of inclusive growth.

MSMEs cover 97 percent of all businesses;

create 50 percent to 80 percent of jobs in

APEC economies; contribute 13 percent to 60

percent of the gross domestic product (GDP);

and comprise 35 percent of exports.(JCM/

VWV/PIA Antique)

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) – The Dumaguete City Social Welfare Office (CSWDO), in cooperation with the Family

Steering Committee, is inviting families to join the Family Week Fun Run on September 27, Sunday.

Dumaguete City invites families to Family Week Fun Run

T he event is part of the activities in

observance of the National Filipino

Family Week from September 20

to 27 with the theme “Gender Equality

and Children‟s Rights in Contemporary

Families."

According to City Information Officer

Syril Repe, there are two categories in the fun

run: 5K run for families with children aged 12

years old and above; and 3K run for families

with children aged 12 years old and below.

Starting point of the fun run will be at the

Kiwanis Bldg. at Sta. Catalina Street to start

at 5:45 a.m. while the start of the 3K run is at

6:00 a.m.

Registration period begun last Sept. 5 and

will end on Sept . 25. The event is free of

registration.

Contestants should fill up registration

forms and submit it to the Family Week

Steering Committee at the City Social Welfare

and Development Office, Flores Ave., Brgy. 1,

this city.

Contestants can claim their race sash

during the check-in time on Sept.

27. Contestants should wear their race sash in

the duration of the race.

One important rule in the fun run is that

families should finish the race together.

On the other hand, contestants will be

provided with drinking water at designated

water stations while medical aid will be

available at certain points along the way and at

the finish line.

For more inquiries, interested

participants may contact Ike Villaflores,

head of the City Sports and Youth

Development Office through 422-8109 or the

Family Week Steering Committee through the

CSWDO at 225-0637 or 422-8117. (rmn/ral/

PIA7-Negros Oriental/with reports from Syril

Repe, City PIO)

Roi Anthoni B. Lomotan

TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- From 120,000 liters produced in 2015, Bohol Dairy Processing and Marketing Enterprise

(BDPME) taps a P9,227,528.64 loan and equity from local sources to hit close to a production of 200,000 liters of carabao milk

in 2020.

Bohol dairy group eyes 20T liters caramilk production in 2020

T his will mean between 5% to 7%

a n nu a l i n c r e a s e o f f am i l y

income from this year onwards.

With a loan from World Bank at

P4.470 million, another P1.490 million from

Philippine government and the Provincial

Government, and P1.777 million equity, the

Bohol Dairy Processing and Marketing

Enterprise enhances the present enterprise in

Bohol already set up in the National Dairy

Farm Complex in Lomangog, Ubay, Bohol.

Still picking up what can be salvaged from

the fire that razed its assets and freak accidents

that caused substantial losses in capital and

manpower, the new pitch relies on the Bohol

Dairy Producers Association (Bohol Dairy),

according to a project brief provided by the

World Bank Implementation Support Mission

now gathered in Bohol until Wednesday.

The marketing enterprise will do this

ambitious plan by procuring raw milk products

for the 23 identified clusters to 27 after 4

years, involving some 504 farmer dairy carabao

growers to a projected 2424 farmers in 2020.

The plan also intends to expand to other

farmers and increase farm animal holding

capacity for maximized dairy production.

Now helping farmers set up milk

production in 35 barangays in Ubay, Mabini,

ALicia, Dagohoy and San Miguel, BDPME

aspires from the stock infusion from the near-

by Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).

Resting inside the PCC, the dairy

processing plant also proposed to ask the PCC

to upgrade local carabao breeds via genetic

development or cross breeding to increase

milk production.

The project then entails milk collection,

consolidation of milk collected from farmer

members to the association of Bohol Dairy,

tolling and processing at the PCC and national

Dairy Authority Plant to storage as well as

marketing in identified retail outlets, which the

NDA plans to be located in tourism areas in

Bohol, according to PCC sources.

BDPME is now set for funding by the

World Bank-Department of Agriculture

Philippine Rural Development Project (WB-DA

PRDP) for Investments in Rural Enterprises and

Agriculture and fisheries Activity Program

(I-REAP). (rmn/rac/PIA-7/Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

CEBU, Sept. 21 (PIA) -- The local government unit of Mandaue City, Cebu is among the three LGUs considered for funding

for environmental sustainability efforts this October from among the 21 member economies of the Asia Pacific Economic

Conference (APEC)

Mandaue City, nominated for APEC2015

funding for environment strategies

I n a press release, the nominees

are Krasnoyarsk City, Russia; Mandaue

City, Philippines and Subang Jaya,

Malaysia. The funding in particular are the

strategies leading to the reduction of carbon

use.

According to the Department of

Energy (DOE) undersecretary Loreta

Ayson who is also the Philippines Senior

Official on Energy, the Low Carbon Model

Town (LCMT) Project of the APEC Energy

Working Group (EWG) will choose in next

month's gathering in Cebu, who will receive

the technical assistance.

"We are constantly looking for potential

LCMT candidates and it impresses me to find

Mandaue City with such a comprehensive plan

involving land use, green building and

transportation,” Ayson said.

Mandaue City accordingly has a clear

target for reducing its CO2 emissions and has

long been crafting measures to establish a

sustainable city to address air pollution and

traffic congestion.

Its proposed project consists of

developing green growth areas and

interconnecting these areas within Metro

C e b u . A n o r d i n a n c e i s a l s o

proposed promoting disaster-resilient buildings

in the city.

The LCMT Project of the APEC EWG has

been greatly instrumental in encouraging

communities in the region to embark on city

planning initiatives promoting low carbon

technologies to manage the rapidly increasing

energy consumption and consequently, mitigate

the adverse effects of greenhouse gas

emissions on the environment.

Previous winners include the city of Da

Nang in Vietnam which implemented an

innovative system of electric motorbikes and

charging facilities.

Samui Island in Thailand also got support

for its feasibility study to utilize solar, wind and

small hydro power; reliance on electric

vehicles and reforestation and protection of

existing forests.

They also adapted Green technologies for

resort and hotel developments such as solar

water heaters, solar panels on rooftops,

biomass power generation of kitchen waste

and increased ventilation for natural cooling.

Mandaue is located on the central-eastern

coastal region of Cebu, and is one of the three

highly urbanized cities on the island and forms

part of the Cebu Metropolitan area.

It is connected by two bridges to the

island of Mactan. Mandaue is also known as

t h e “ f u r n i t u r e c a p i t a l o f t h e

Philippines.” (mbcn/fcc/PIA7-Cebu)

Ferliza Calizar-Contratista

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

DUMAGUETE CITY, Sept.18 (PIA) -- A group of six mass communication students of Silliman University (SU) has organized

the ‘Bottles Out Campaign’ symposium recently to raise awareness of the negative impacts of plastic bottles in the

environment at Silliman Hall, Dumaguete City.

SU MassCom students hold symposium on water bottles

T he group students of Environmental

Journalism 53 called themselves

Training from Roots to Enrich the

Environment (TREE), held the symposium in an

NSTP-CWTS session to reach out to the

freshmen.

Invited speakers include Integrated Solid

Waste Management Program of Environmental

and Natural Resources Office (ENRO)

coordinator Armand Adanza; Edwin Romano

Jr., chair of the Negros Oriental State

University chemistry department; and Ra‟z

Salvarita, founder of the Gugma Gaia.

Adanza talked about existing programs in

the city on solid waste management.

He believes that managing plastic bottles,

like plastic bags, is one of the main problems of

Dumaguete City.

“The problem with Dumagueteños is that

they don‟t segregate their wastes, making it hard for the city government to manage solid

waste,” he said.

Some of the local initiatives of ENRO

include reducing the volume of garbage waste

in Dumaguete from 60 tons to 30 tons, strictly

implementing the Integrated Solid Waste

Management of Dumaguete City or City

Ordinance No. 115, among others.

The ordinance requires the segregation

of solid waste into biodegradable,

non-biodegradable, and toxic and hazardous

wastes.

Adanza, also an SU alumnus, added that

he knows Sillimanians are environment lovers.

The TREE members are Kateleen

Ogabang, Alana Gayle McCulloch, Richelle

Osumo, Santia Onnycha Ursabia, and Lovelein

Catubay.

TREE also aims to reduce the use of

plastic bottles in Silliman University (SU).

Meanwhile, Romano spoke on the effects of water bottles in the human body. Plastic

bottles usually belongs to the polyethylene

terephthalate (PETE) family of plastics, said

Romano.

“PETE is also used in soda cans. It is an

endocrine disruptor, affecting the hormones in

your body like estrogen and other

reproductive hormones,” Romano said.

Salvarita, the 3rd speaker, shared in his

lecture titled “Junk to Funk” that there are

2.6 trillion garbage in the world, and reducing it

is in the matter of attitude of people towards

it.

“I think that if we have the desire to

change our attitude of throwing everything

after using these, then to make a difference is

possible,” Salvarita said.

He added that society has to transform

the materials they use to something creative

and useful than throw them away. (mbcn/jct/

PIA7-Negros Oriental/with reports from Andrea D. Lim, SU intern)

BY JENNIFER C. TILOS

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Sept. 16 (PIA) --- A technical working group (TWG) composed of religious, academe, labor, and the

business sectors will conduct a validity study on the claim that Negros Oriental is indeed Conflict-Manageable and

Development Ready (CMDR).

I n a recent Provincial Peace and Order

Council (PPOC) meeting, Father Thadeu

Enrique Balongag, vice-president for

Academic Affairs of Colegio Sta. Catalina de

Alejandria (COSCA), presented the outline

of the study that will look into the

conflict situation in Negros Oriental and an

analysis of the circumstances that will

support whether or not the province is conflict

-manageable.

Balongag added that the TWG will also

take into consideration the indicators of the

development readiness of the province and an

assessment of the circumstances surrounding

the province's development readiness.

Relative to this, a field study will be

conducted to gather local indicators as

respondents coming from National Economic

Development Authority (NEDA), Department

of Trade and Industry (DTI), Negros Oriental

Electric Cooperative (NORECO) ll,

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR), Philippine National Police

(PNP), Commission on Higher Education

(CHED) and from the Disaster Risk

Reduction & Management Councils of the

city and province. Furthermore, Balongag

said that respondents to be interviewed

in verifying the truthfulness of its

conflict-manageability will come from the

conflict-areas in the hinterlands of Negros

Oriental.

The study, according to Father Balongag,

will start in October and will be completed

by December 2015. (rmn/lpp/PIA7-Negros

Oriental)

TWG to hold validity study of NegOr as conflict-manageable

Leandria P. Pagunsan

TAGBILARAN CITY, Sept. 17 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) listed about 56,628 Bo-

holano families as active beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as of September 2015 and are found in

Bohol's 47 towns and in Tagbilaran City with Ubay town as having the biggest number of beneficiaries.

4 Ps Program and evaluation officer Karen

Ferrolino said those families with an

annual per capita income of below

P18,847.00 are aided with the cash grants

called conditional cash transfers.

Family beneficiaries get cash grants with

conditions: P300 each for a maximum of three

kids aged 0-18 and P500 for health assistance,

allowing a family a two months pay-out of

P2,800.

The cash are given to screened family

beneficiaries with kids from 0-18, with incomes

below the poverty threshold, whose kids

regularly attend classes and get to the rural

health centers for de-worming and nutritional

weigh ins and who regularly attend the Family

Development Sessions.

The Family Development sessions are

venues where families get tips on health,

nutrition, livelihood, personality development,

disaster reduction and management, counseling

and several other self-help topics. These

FDSs happen once every two months, Ferolino

said.

DSWD 4Ps provincial Grievance officer

Joan Florable Felicio bared that the DSWD had

cleaned up the lists from complaints that the

local grievance teams deliberated and found

that some family beneficiries do not deserve

the grants anymore.

Felicio said there are cases of of missing

beneficiaries now in Bohol. They mean those

who, after the calamities that hit Bohol,

decided to leave town and could not be traced

anymore.

4Ps information officer Phoebe Jen Indino

called on these missing beneficiaries on the list

to just simply inform their municipal links and

do some paperwork, and DSWD can just

transfer the cash grants to their new

residences.

Indino added that if the absence of the

beneficiaries is noted for three periods,-6

months, it will be another cause of delisting.

(mbcn/rac/PIA7-Bohol)

DSWD lists 56,628 4Ps beneficiaries in

Bohol

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Team work, unity spells SGLG conferment

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Sept. 22 (PIA) - Team work, unity, one direction are the top three strategies done by the local

government of Gandara to achieve the Seal of Good Local Governance.

T he SGLG is awarded by the DILG

to local government units who

comply with the best local

governance parameters and spells millions

worth of projects as incentive, for Gandara it is

Php 3 M.

In his state of the municipality address

delivered on Sunday, Mayor Eufemio Oliva

shared the honor to all the LGU department

heads and elected officials by regularly

mentioning their efforts as he raved on with his

accomplishments.

The chief executive said that it is only in

Gandara where despite the elected officials

belonging to different political parties, they

still find their common goal to achieve

development.

His seven-fold accomplishment he said

focused on health, social services, peace and

order, agriculture, infrastructure, disaster risk

reduction and general services.

The chief executive also greatly

acknowledged the role of the national

government in his „moving upward‟ to new

heights, especially in relief operations after

typhoon Ruby.

He also recognized the assistance of

non-government organizations and some

people‟s organizations.

Municipal and barangay officials donning

their best Filipiniana wardrobe listened to the

speech that lasted for more than an hour.

The mayor delivered his speech in Tagalog

and received more than a dozen applause.

The mayor particularly prided himself in

constructing a 4 storey-green building, beside

the town hall, which could serve as an

evacuation center in the upper floors and

offices in the ground floor.

DILG personnel who rated the LGU said

that all department heads are hardworking and

befit their designation.

Regional Director Pedro Noval of the

DILG commented that Gandara scored on

disaster preparedness, social protection, and

good financial housekeeping; and one essential

Indicator which was peace and order. The

director challenged them to continue the good

governance practices and comply with the full

disclosure policy.

Reports said that it was only Gandara

town out of the 26 LGUs in Samar province

that was an SGLG awardee, along with the

provinces of Biliran and Northern Samar, and

the municipalities of Barugo, Carigara and Jaro

in Leyte; and Limasawa in Southern Leyte. (ajc/

nbq/PIA 8-Samar)

NINFA B. QUIRANTE

DOH holds Hi5 Kalusugang Pangkalahatan roadshow in Maasin City

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sep. 24 (PIA) -- The Department of Health in close coordination with the Provincial Health

Services Office of Southern Leyte and the Maasin City Health Unit conducted the Hi5 Kalusugang Pangkalahatan (Universal

Health Care) Roadshow, September 22, 2015.

T he Kalusugang Pangkalahatan focuses

on the Hi5 health services of the

health department such as the

Maternal Care, Child Care, Infant Care, HIV/

AIDS /STDs prevention and the Service

Delivery Network.

DOH Development Management Officer

V Dr. Verna Fernandez said that the

activity dubbed as “Kalusugang Tuloy-Tuloy

Para sa Pamilyang Pinoy,”is responding to

clients such as mothers, pregnant women and

women in their productive age, children and

infants, senior citizens/elderly, the youth,

including the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and

Transgender (LGBT), and teens, among the

few. Fernandez said that high impact

breakthrough is targeted to reach the goal of

the Philippine Universal Health Care Agenda

under the Millennium Development Goal

(MDG) on May 2016.

The Hi5 roadshow which started with a

motorcade around the city proper, conducted

a short program thereafter at the city

gymnasium, and service delivery network was

conducted afterwards at the same venue.

The services delivery network activity

catered clients for family planning, dental

services, blood typing, immunization and those

defaulters, blood pressure, Penumococcal

injection, nutrition education, u4u teen trail,

healthy lifestyle tips, men‟s nutrition, usapang

maginoo, HIV/AIDS testing, including oral

health and ultra sound for pregnant women,

among other health services.

Dr. Fernandez said that the health team

will be holding the same activity in Barangay

Ichon Multipurpose Hall in Macrohon and

Padre Burgos Multipurpose Hall, Padre Burgos,

both in Southern Leyte on September 23 and

24, 2015, respectively.

She added that the Universal Health Care

High Impact Five Plan focuses on the critical

Universal Health Care interventions with high

impact on health prioritizing the poor,

providing tangible outputs which are “felt”

within a breakthrough period and with

synchronized nationwide implementation of

activities. (rgc/PIA8-SoLeyte)

Ma. Rebecca G. Cadavos

PCA aims to plant 2,900 hectares more to coconut in Southern Leyte

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 17 (PIA) - The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) aims to plant 2,900 hectares more

to coconut in the province by next year.

A ccording to PCA Senior Staff Carmelita

Maturan, after enlising those coconut

farmers who are willing to join the

growing and planting of coconut seedlings this

year, the coconut agency of the government

will start rolling its Participatory Coconut

Planting Project, a new planting program with

incentives by next year.

Maturan said coco farmers who are

participating in the said project will grow their

own coconut seedlings of their choice of

variety and will be paid by the PCA at P18.00

per good coconut seedling.

Then after five months when the good

seedling has already grown as high as two feet,

the coconut agency will again pay the amount

of P 22.00 per plant, she added.

“The project was conceptualized

when farmers complained of worn coconut

seedlings brought about by the transportation

pressures when these are being brought by

PCA down to their communities, “ Maturan

explained.

She said a farmer is entitled to at least

one hectare to be planted with coconut under

the project, wherein each hectare will be

planted with 120 nuts., according to the

project design.

However, a maximum of five hectares per

beneficiary can be availed if there is less

participation among the coconut farmers in an

area, she said.

A maximum of 2,900 farmers were

expected to benefit the full-of incentives

coconut growing and planting project, she

added. (ajc/esg/PIA8 SoLeyte)

ERNA S. GORNE

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

Samarnons scour coastal areas for marine debris

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Sept. 22 (PIA) - More than a thousand Catbaloganons joined the International Coastal Clean-up

Day Saturday, September 19.

T ons of marine debris were collected

as the Samarnons from office girls to

beauty queens and hunks scoured

the beaches of Catbalogan.

Edgar Guya, Catbalogan City Environment

and Natural Resources Officer said that aside

from those deployed at Pier Uno, the residents

of some 28 coastal barangays were also

mobilized for the same purpose.

“ Our program continuously advocate

for taking responsibility in cleaning up our

marine debris to save the environment,” he

said.

The department is pushing this program

through constant education, habit formation,

discipline and providing good examples for a

sustainable environment, he added.

As this reporter noticed that fish

vendors are the first offenders of the clean

Catbalogan, he added that his office will

never tire reminding them and even

reprimanding them about disposing their waste

properly.

Rummaged garbage include several plastic

containers, styrofoams. mineral water

containers, damaged fish nets, umbrellas, plastic

cups and plastic spoon and forks.

The whole Samar Sea has virtually

turned into a big waste basin, one „cleaner‟

commented.

CENR Officer of the DENR Mar Torres in

an earlier interview said that it takes many

years for plastic to melt.

International Coastal Cleanup provides

an opportunity to clean up the beaches,

coastal regions and surroundings.

It is considered the largest volunteer

event in the world.

Last year, in the Philippines, some 107

thousand volunteers scoured the coastal areas.

September 19 is the 30th International Coastal

Clean-up Day. (ajc/nbq/ PIA 8-Samar)

Limasawa island-town mulls solar power

for energy needs

W ell, not exactly a pure, full-speed

reliance from the sun‟s boundless

energy, for they will still use the

existing generator, like what they are

using now for evening light only, said Mayor

Melchor Petracorta, but just the same the

use of hybrid power system is a history-in

-the-making event.

“The National Power Corporation

will provide the materials to generate

electricity using the sun, our counterpart is

the site, and as of now we are waiting for

the deed of donation from the lot owner,”

Petracorta told PIA in an interview during a

break on the occasion of the DILG conferment

of Seal of Good Local Governance early this

month.

That translates to a P 50 million to P 60

mil l ion investment for the state

power-generating firm and no equity on the

part of the LGU except for the provision of

enough land space for the solar power plant,

which is more or less half a hectare.

The prospect on using solar energy for

the island came about when PIA inquired on

updates of a submarine cable line proposed

two years ago by former Energy Secretary

Jericho Petilla.

On July 1, 2013, Petilla, the guest speaker

during the 53rd Southern Leyte founding

anniversary, spoke about the island‟s inclusion

for submarine cable projects.

Petracorta said the plan was eventually

shelved due to prohibitive costs, and

solar power was seen as a more viable

alternative.

With stable, 24-hour power supply, other

tourism-related projects may follow, like the

long-held idea to put up a huge, tall cross in the

island, in which visitors can climb by elevator,

and the horizontal side of the cross utilized as

internet café and other business uses, the

Mayor mused.

He exuded confidence the solar project

can start the soonest possible time once the

deed of donation for the lot from the private

owners to the name of the LGU can be

perfected. (mmp, PIA8-Southern Leyte)

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, Sept. 24 (PIA) -- If plans do not miscarry, this historic place will stake another claim in the

country’s history as the first local government unit to go solar for electricity needs of its residents.

Marcelo M. Pedalino

OCD-8 conducts 4-day regional contingency plan workshop

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Sept. 23 (PIA) – Around 50 participants from different areas in Eastern Visayas are converging for a

4-day regional contingency plan formulation workshop at Hotel Alejandro this city which begins Monday until Thursday.

T he activity is aimed at strengthening

the capacity of the local government

units towards disaster mitigation,

preparedness, response and recovery

capabilities to reduce risks to human life and

properties as well as build resilient

communities.

Office of Civil Defense 8 acting

regional director Edgar L. Posadas emphasized

the importance of a contingency plan to

address whatever challenges that may come

along the way in case a similar catastrophic

incident like Yolanda happens again in the

future.

“Planning plays a crucial role. We have

to carefully map out the response to effectively

and more efficiently address the threats

that hazards pose in our communities

and in the immediate environment,” Posadas

said.

“We have to customize plans that

we could effectively activate as needed to

reduce the impact of devastating events as

well as allocate meager resources in times of

disasters,” he further said.

At the beginning of the workshop, OCD-8

acting assistant regional director Rey M. Gozon

discussed in detail the Philippine Disaster Risk

Reduction (PDRR) Profile including the major

disasters that hit the country and the paradigm

shift in the PDRRM‟s.

With the geographical location of the

region, it is but timely to draw out plans that

would be responsive to the needs of the

people that will ultimately save lives and

properties.

After the workshop, it is expected that

the participants could come up with a draft

integrated plan based on the prioritized

hazards in the region.

The final draft plan will be submitted to

the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Council (RDRRMC) for approval

and this will be endorsed to the National

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Council (NDRRMC) and will serve as a

regional plan to be crafted down to the LGUs.

(ajc/cba/PIA-8)

CONSUELO B. ALARCON

NINFA B. QUIRANTE

One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

One Visayas e-newsletter is part of the online news and information dissemination services of PIA and is powered by www.issuu.com. For inquiries and suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378719/3377301 or e-mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.

Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Alicia E. Nicart

Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor

Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout

Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com

PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com

PIA 8, Children‟s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com