Vol 4 Issue 28 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 July 14 - 20, 2014

WESTERN VISAYAS

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue More beach forests to be revived in WV

Best performing coops in CV get recognition

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

Resettlement beneficiaries assured of livelihood opportunities

TANAUAN, Leyte, July 16 (PIA) - The residents

of the Pago Resettlement Project in Tanuan, Leyte were

given assurance for livelihood opportunities by

Secretary Corazon Soliman of the Department of Social

Welfare and Development (DSWD).

This, after some 48 families who lost their houses

due to typhoon Yolanda, were given the chance to have

an audience with the President of World Bank, Dr. Jim

Yong Kim who visited the area together with Secretary

Soliman.

Kim and Soliman were informed by the residents

of their present condition, whom they said are already

safe and far from dangers of living near the sea.

However, problem on livelihood was also brought

out by said residents.

Sec. Soliman promised the residents that she will

meet with Mayor Pelagio Tecson of Tanauan and the

Regional Director of DSWD Nestor Ramos to discuss

the possibilities of putting up livelihood projects.

”This is the next step after the shelter and we will

help you with the livelihood opportunities.” said

Soliman.

President Kim for his part said that world bank

mourned for the people of Tanuan, and that they all felt

sad after what happened during the typhoon.

With his visit, Kim also said that he was inspired

by the people who keep on fighting and trying to build

new homes and new source of living.

He then assured them that the World Bank group

will be with the people of Leyte. (GTT/LAA/PIA8)

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY, July 17 (PIA6) --- The Department

of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-6 said

that more beach forests will be revived in Western

Visayas as part of the intervention in addressing the

impact of climate change.

In an edition of the radio program on climate

change "Panahon, Hibaluon, Handaan, Aksyunan",

DENR-6 Forest Resources Development Division

(FRDD) Chief Danilo Lorilla said the department has

allotted funding for the revival of beach forests in the

region even in just small areas.

The beach forest is a mixed association of

creepers, shrubs, and trees above the high tide level.

These species form an impenetrable thicket in

pristine forests and referred to as “beach jungle” by

early explorers.

Lorilla said that beach forests have served as

protection from storm surges which hit parts of

northern Iloilo and Capiz during the onslaught of super

typhoon Yolanda late last year.

It can be recalled that the Iloilo provincial

government established a beach forest in Tigbauan

town here to restore mangrove areas April this year.

The P197-million project covers 10 hectares of

shoreline spanning Barangays 9, Poblacion, Atabayan,

Barroc and Baguingin and is slated for one year of

implementation.

The provincial government said that the beach

forest has a bioshield function which serves as

protection against storm surges, prevents coastal

erosion, provides medicines and has a great potential

for industrial applications.

The establishment of the Tigbauan beach forest is

part of the Action for Regreening and Transformation

for Climate Change Adaptation (ART for CCA)

program of the provincial government. (LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim (right),

Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade and

Development Corporation Lilianne Ploumen

(left) and Social Welfare and Development

Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman (center)

look at some of the vegetables planted at the

“Bahay Kubo-Kimchi Demonstration Farm” in

Brgy. Anahaway, Palo, Leyte, July 14. (Vino R.

Cuayzon)

Governor Arthur Defensor awards the

certificate of recognition and cash prize of

P5,000 to Marivic Franco of Brgy. Poblacion

New Lucena, Iloilo who was chosen as Most

Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar during

the 40th Nutrition Month celebration of the

province of Iloilo, July 14. (PIA6-Iloilo)

BY: FERLIZA CALIZAR-CONTRATISTA

CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA)--- Well performing

cooperatives in Central Visayas get recognition by the

Cooperative Development Authority (CDA-7) this

year.

In a recent ceremony held at the Cebu Provincial

Capitol, 11 cooperatives from all over Central Visayas

were given recognitions or “Gawad Parangal”, for their

performance as a social enterprise.

CDA7 regional director Felipe Deri, said he is

appy to announce that there are already more

than 2 million residents in region 7 who are members

of cooperatives.

About a million are from Cebu province.

“Cooperatives bring about equity, social economic

development and social justice,” Deri said.

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, who was the

occasion’s keynote speaker said giving due recognition

to exemplary performance is an effective way to inspire

any endeavor.

The two Most Outstanding Cooperatives in the

large category or those with the biggest assets include

the consistent Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative in

Pinamungahan Cebu and the CFI Community

Multipurpose Cooperative as first runner up.

For medium category, Mactan Island MPC came

out as winner followed by University of San Jose

Recoletos MPC as first runner up.

For small scale category, Subaspa MPC from

Lapulapu City came out as winner.

In the union category, sole winner from Negros

Oriental, the NegOr Union Cooperative in Dumaguete

City was awarded and Mandaue City Cooperative

Development Office came out winner in the

development office category.

Special recognitions were also given to the

cooperatives of Department of Agriculture

(DA-7), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7)

and the Land Bank of the Philippines. (mbcn/fcc/PIA7

-Cebu)

PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Renato U. Solidum,

Jr. presents the topic, Disaster Imagination

that offers strategies and new technologies in

hazard, risk, and impact assessments as basis

for disaster preparedness, mitigation, and

response during the forum at RAFI-EADSC

Plenary Hall. (vvv/PIA Cebu)

DENR-6 Forest Resources Development Division (FRDD) Chief

Danilo Lorilla (left) underscores the value of beach forests as

protection against storm surges during the radio program on

climate change "Panahon, Hibaluon, Handaan, Aksyunan" anchored

by PIA6’s Information Officer I Leonard I. Pineda I. (PIA6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, July 15 (PIA6) - - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) gave out loans, certificates of land

ownership award (CLOA) and citations to program beneficiaries as part of their continuing support services during the 26th

anniversary celebration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program here.

DAR support services continue

M ore than P35 million worth of

loans as part of the Agrarian

Production Credit Program

(APCP) were turned over to 10 agrarian

reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs)

while seven ARBOs are awaiting release of

another P30-million worth of loans.

Meanwhile, 13 ARBOs fully paid their

APCP loans for Crop Year 2013-2014 worth

P29,607,387.

APCP is a joint DA-DAR-LBP five year

credit and capacity development program

designed to respond to the credit needs of

ARB organizations.

During the celebration, DAR also

distributed CLOAs to 319 farmer

beneficiaries sharing a total 302 hectares of

land acquired by DAR either through

Voluntary Offer to Sell, Compulsory

Acquisition or Operational Lease Transfer

from 25 landholdings.

DAR also recognized 10 of its scholars

who graduated Magna Cum Laude and Cum

Laude’s this year through its Programang

Agraryong Iskolar (PAI).

Magna Cum Laude graduates were

Joan Granda, Gerald Bello and Daisy

Dalguntas while Cum Laude graduates were

Jeannie Dimasuay, Gemma Valenzuela, June

Rey Manaog, Glennamhae Tambora, Jyrene

Marie Alipio, Chrismie Ching and Jason

Jungco.

These scholars took up bachelor

courses at the different campuses of the

Central Philippine State University and

graduated in April this year.

Since 2005 to date, the PAI

was able to produce a total of 133

graduates.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agrarian

Reform Negros South reached its all time

high of land distribution target at 1,509

hectares since the Comprehensive Agrarian

Reform Program with Extension and Reform

or CARPer in July 2009.

For the first semester of the year, DAR

South was able to distribute 1,509 hectares

of compensable agricultural land.

Assistant Regional Director for

Operations Florentino Siladan explained that

although it fell short of its target for the

period, but these are all compensable

agricultural land, which means these are

private agricultural lands that were acquired

and distributed to agrarian reform

beneficiaries unlike in other regions

which were distributing government owned

lands. Siladan posed a challenge to DAR

personnel during their anniversary

celebration to reach their target for land

distribution, double their efforts and not to

retreat or surrender. *(JSC/EAD-PIA6

Negros Occidental)

By: Easter Anne D. Doza

ILOILO CITY, July 17 (PIA6) -- The Regional Development Council VI (RDC VI) is hosting the 5th RDC Private Sector

Representatives‘ (PSRs) National Convention, scheduled on August 13-15 in Diversion21 Hotel, Benigno Aquino Drive, Iloilo

City.

T his year’s theme is “PSRs: RDCs’

Crucial Partners in the Pursuit of

Inc lus ive Growth and Job

Creation”.

A report prepared by the National

Economic and Development Authority

(NEDA) Region VI said delegates will share

ideas with a roster of subject matter experts

that includes the following notable names:

NEDA Deputy Director General Margarita

R. Songco, DTI Assistant Secretary Rafaelita

M. Aldaba, DOT Assistant Secretary Arturo

Pecision Boncato, Jr., Jones Lang LaSalle’s

Country Director David Leechiu, and

NATTCO Chief Executive Officer Sylvia

Okinlay-Paraguya.

The Convention is intended to

strengthen the role of the PSRs in the RDC

particularly in getting their full support and

cooperation in the implementation of the

Updated Philippine Development Plan, and

the Updated Regional Development Plan,

2011-2016.

Pursuant to Executive Order 325, the

private sector representatives (PSRs)

comprise one-fourth of the membership of

the fully constituted Regional Development

Council (RDC).

Given the important role of the private

sector in regional development, EO 325

specifically promotes their active

participation in regional planning, investment

programming, budgeting, monitoring and

evaluation.

More than a hundred delegates

h a v e a l r e a dy c o n f i r me d t h e i r

attendance to the 5th PSR National

Convention.

NEDA-6 said the national convention

will surely boost the economic activity of

Western Visayas as well as showcase the

Ilonggo cuisines and attractions including

the recent pub l ic and pr ivate

infrastructure developments in Iloilo City.

(JSC/CMP/NEDA 6)

RDC6 to host 5th PSRs national convention

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, July 12 (PIA6 ) – About 40,000 bags of Mabuhay brand cement were initially shipped to Capiz by a new

Mindanao – based supplier to address shortage of the construction commodity in the province.

D epartment of Trade and Industry –

Capiz Business Regulation and

Consumer Welfare Division head

Angelita Colmo said that the new supplier

was finalized in a recent meeting of cement

suppliers and retailers.

Mabuhay cement will be in addition to

existing brands like Excel, Premium, Portland

and Republic.

“These cement brands are supplied to

four big cement retailers here.

Small retailers get their supply from the

big four,” Colmo noted.

The province’ average cement

requirement is estimated at 325,000 bags

every month due to the various

supertyphoon Yolanda rehabilitation

projects.

The figure is about 50 percent

higher than the regular cement need

provincewide.

Each bag of cement ranges from

P240.00 – P245.00 from the big four

retailers. (JCM/AAL/PIA 6 Capiz)

Capiz gets 40,000 bags of cement to address shortage

By: Alex A. Lumaque

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Aklan campaigns for more blood

KALIBO, Aklan, July 14 (PIA6) -- The province of Aklan will be joining the nationwide celebration of Blood Donors Month this

July by holding a motorcade around Kalibo and a Grand Blood-letting at the ABL Sports Complex, Kalibo from 8:00 a.m. to 5

p.m. on July 15.

T he motorcade and blood-letting will

be simultaneously held in all six

provinces in Western Visayas and

two highly urbanized cities in the region, to

be spearheaded by the National Voluntary

Blood Services Program (NVBSP) of the

Department of Health (DOH) Regional

Office VI.

In Aklan, some 200 blood donors are

targeted to donate blood on the set date,

according to Dr. Cornelio Cuachon,

Provincial Health Officer I of the Provincial

Health Office (PHO), coming from schools,

government offices and local government

units. The motorcade and Blood-letting

activity on July 15 in Aklan aim to enhance

pub l ic awareness on vo luntary ,

non-remunerated blood donation and

increase blood collection in the region.

To drum up an extensive participation

and commitment for the event in Aklan, the

PHO here also conducted an orientation on

Rational Use of Blood and Blood Donor

Recruitment attended by municipal mayors,

Municipal Health Officers, Public Health

Nurses, Sangguniang Bayan members on

Health, Liga Presidents and heads/

representatives from other government

agencies. Meanwhile, the province of Aklan,

under the helm of Governor Florencio T.

Miraflores, is targeting to establish a blood

bank at the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon

Memorial Hospital (DRSTMH).

This blood bank, according to

Governor Miraflores in a radio interview,

will have a budget of P15 million.

The project intends to provide available

life-saving blood for Aklanons at all times.

(VGV-PIA6 Aklan)

BY: VENUS G. VILLANUEVA

2 Iloilo projects funded by DAP

ILOILO CITY, July 15 (PIA6) – Two projects in Iloilo have fund allocations from the Disbursement Acceleration Program

(DAP), records of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) showed.

T hese are the National Housing

Authority (NHA) Relocation Sites

for Informal Settlers along Iloilo

River and its Tributaries in Iloilo City

with P100 million from the 2011 DAP and

the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project

Stage II (JRMP II) in the province with P450

million.

Based on the DBM List of

DAP-Identified Projects as of July 14, 2014,

the fund allocation for JRMP II will cover the

first-year requirement for the Philippine

government counterpart to finance the

investment requirement including the

engineering design and other initial works

for the project.

It will be recalled that President

Benigno S. Aquino inspected and led the

unveiling of the relocation project marker,

also known as the Iloilo River Plains

Subdivision Phase 1, during his visit to

Iloilo, June 27. The project is located at

Barangays Camalig and Lanit in Jaro district

here.

The 1,000-housing unit project will

benefit informal settler families who have

been affected by the Iloilo River Plains

Development.

On the other hand, JRMP II is an

irrigation facility implemented by the

Department of Agriculture-National

Irrigation Administration (DA-NIA).

The P11.2-billion project will support

the call for self sufficiency in rice and other

agricultural commodities in the Philippine

Development Plan (PDP) and DA’s Food

Stap les Se l f - Su f f ic iency Roadmap

(2011-2016).

The project will develop an irrigation

facility which is designed with provisions for

a hydro-electric power plant and bulk water

supply.

It is the first large-scale reservoir dam

outside Luzon. Its service area will cover 23

municipalities and the cities of Passi and

Iloilo.

It is funded by the Korean

Export-Import Bank to the tune of P8.9

billion with a P2.2 billion counterpart from

the Philippine government.

President Aquino also led the

ceremonial groundbreaking of the project at

the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on February 21,

2013. (JSC-PIA6)

BY: JAIME S. CABAG JR.

Antique's Lupons are WV bets

SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA6) - - Two barangays in the province were declared winners in the search for Lupong Tagapamayapa

Incentive Award (LTIA) Regional Level recently facilitated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government .

B arangay Igbonglo San Jose for 1st

to 3rd Class Municipalities while

Poblacion, Belison was declared

winner for the 4th to 6th Class

towns. Raymund Palanog, Cluster Head,

DILG-Antique said these barangays will be

the entry of the region to the national

search.

Palanong explained that based on

records and onsite validation, these

Barangays are deserving of the award as

they complied with the criteria on

efficiency of operations, effectiveness in

securing the objectives of Katarungang

Pambarangay and creativity and

resourcefulness of the Lupong

Tagapamayapa.

As to their incentive, Punong

Barangay Farley M. dela Cruz of

Igbonglo, San Jose and Gerry M.

Chavez of Poblacion, Belison are given

P50,000 worth of projects for the

strengthening of their respective Lupong

Tagapamayapa.

Palanog said it can be in the form of

capability building activities or supplies and

equipment needed to sustain their

effective and efficient performance of their

duties.

DILG encouraged other barangays to

strengthen their Katarungang Pambarangay

as an indigenous conflict resolution

structure at the grassroots level.

With the effective performance of

Lupong Tagapamayapa, conflict can be

resolved at the barangay level so as cases

reaching the formal courts will be

lessened, said Palanong (JCM/PSM/PIA6

Antique)

BY: PILAR S. MABAQUIAO

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 14 (PIA) – Climate change affects the earth‘s energy balance that leads to either warming or cooling

effect in the atmosphere.

Climate change causes extreme weather

patterns

T his was bared by Engr. Oscar Tabada,

Chief Meteorologist of DOST

-PAGASA Visayas Field Office during

the training on “Disaster Preparedness vis-à-vis

Climate Change Using Social Media” for the

Association of Negros Oriental Public

Information Officers (ANOPIO), local media,

members of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Council (PDRRMC) and

some environmental communication students

from Silliman University held recently at the

Negros Oriental Convention Hotel.

Dubbed as the "Weatherman" Tabada

made a blow by blow presentation of extreme

weather condition patterns in the Visayas

showing the destructive impacts of climate

change.

Extreme weather condition patterns pose

many dangers such as more hot days felt, more

intense downpour of rain and uncertain changes in storms to come, Tabada explained.

He showed in his presentation the

depleted forest cover, decline in agricultural

production by 29-60%, more intense and

longer droughts and heat waves have become

more frequent now as directly observed of the

recent climate change phenomenon.

He added that increased wet season can

cause more flooding, risk to urban drainage

and more landslides.

Tabada urged everyone to take part in

mitigating the destructive effects of climate

change through information dissemination and

continuing advocacy campaign by simply

reducing all forms of burning so that emission

of greenhouse gases will be reduced thereby

slowing down the rise in the earth's

temperature.

More importantly, Tabada campaigned

for caring the environment by giving

more space to agriculture, parks, backyard gardens and proper waste disposal.

Stop all forms of logging and obeying rules

to protect our environment are the best

responses we can contribute to save the earth

and the future generations to come, ended

Tabada.

He also advised local government units

(LGUs) in Negros Oriental to intensify their

preparations to mitigate the adverse effects of

extreme weather conditions in the Visayas.

Tabada emphasized that ear ly

preparations can lessen the number of

casualties or extent of damage in times of

calamities.

He cited the damage and casualties

brought by typhoon Pablo and Yolanda in 2012

and 2013, respectively.

Tabada then assured LGUs that the

country’s weather bureau is doing its best to

compliment LGUs in early warning measures

when strong typhoons enter the PAR. (mbcn/lpp/PIA-7/Negros Oriental with RABL report)

BY: LEANDRIA P. PAGUNSAN

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 14 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Negros Oriental in coordination with the Department of

Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will sponsor a Provincial Convention of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) on July 23

at the Lamberto Macias Sports and Cultural Complex in observance of the 36th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilita-

tion (NDPR) Week on July 17-23.

T he activity will be a culmination

of the weeklong celebration

that will gather members

of the federation of PWDs in Negros

Oriental.

This year's celebration theme: "Talino

at Paninindigan ng Taong May Kapansanan:

Pasaporte sa Kaunlaran will showcase

talents in singing competition and

intermission numbers of PWDs.

Civil Service Commission (CSC)

Negros Oriental director Merlinda

Flores-Quillano will give updates on the

educational and economic development

assistance from CSC and how PWDs can

benefit from this program.

Negros Oriental provincial governor

Roel Degamo will deliver his inspirational

message and the provincial government’s

program to uplift the status of PWDs in

Negros Oriental.

There will be give-aways and

awarding of prizes to winners of

singing contest according to Benemerita

Badon of the Provincial Social

Welfare Office. (mbcn/lpp/PIA-7/Negros

Oriental)

NegOr PWDs celebrate NDPR week

CEBU CITY, July 10 (PIA) --- A Cebu-based non-government organization is set to hold a series of ―Mindshare‖ sessions in

Cebu City from July to August this year.

Cebu educational org to hold ‗Mindshare‘ sessions BY: RACHELLE M. NESSIA

T he Coalition for Better Education

(CBE) is holding the sessions to give

participants a view of how education

should be positioned that will lead schools to

practice, and for students to acquire, 21st

Century Learning Skills.

Dubbed the “LEAP Series,” the one-hour

pep talks are anchored on the theme of CBE’s

13th year founding anniversary: “Leading,

Enabling, Advancing and Promoting Education

for 21st Century Learning,” according to a

press statement from CBE.

The schedule for the sessions are:

“L-EADING” Sessions (for education

leaders, decision-makers) Date: July 11, 2 –

5pm, CBE Center for Teacher Excellence,

CNU Campus.

“E-NABLING” Sessions (for pre-service &

in-service teachers) Date: July 18, 2-5 pm,

University of the Visayas.

“A-DVANCING” Sessions (for all) Date:

July 25, 10am – 5pm, University of San

Jose-Recoletos, Basak Campus.

“P-ROMOTING” Exhibit of BEST

PRACTICES in 21st Century Learning, Date:

August 1, 3-8p.m., Harolds Hotel, Gorordo

Avenue.

The 21st Century Learning is focused on

three major themes: Learning and

Collaboration Skills (Critical thinking,

collaboration, communication and creativity),

Life and Career Skills, ICT and Media Fluency

Skills.

The sessions will discuss topics such as:

Building Schools of the Future, How does my

school rate under the 21st Century Score

card, Mind mapping, Using ipads and tablets in

Teaching, Advancing Education through ICT

and Media Fluency, Teaching Life and Career

Skills in the Classroom and other relevant

topics on education.

A blended approach will be used as

medium of communication where virtual and

F2Fsessions will be conducted in collaboration

with international and Philippine education

experts. Subsidized Fees are set at P250 for

all L-E-A Sessions (CBE Members) and Php 300

(non-CBE members).

For those opting to attend the “L” or “E”

sessions only, P100 for CBE members and

P120 for non-CBE members will be assessed.

“A” sessions cost P 120 for CBE members

and Php 150 for non-CBE members.

For more information, please contact CBE

at 4164624 to 25 or email their office

at admin@cbephils.net. (rmn/PIA-Cebu/with

reports from CBE)

BY: LEANDRIA P. PAGUNSAN

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 15 (PIA) -- With the growing intensity of typhoons visiting the country and in the province of Negros

Oriental and the imminent prolonged dry spell brought by El Niño phenomenon, the Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR)- Negros Oriental has called on the public to intensify planting more trees.

I n a recent training on "Disaster

Preparedness vis-a-vis Climate Change

Using Social Media" forester Raul Russel

of DENR told local media and information

officers to help them convince locals to

plant more trees to preserve and make

t he en v i ronment more r es i l i en t

against calamities.

Russel reported that Negros Oriental’s

five percent remaining natural forest cover

needs protection and urged the public to

“move fast” in the rehabilitation efforts.

Russel said in pursuit of protecting the

remaining trees and increasing forest cover,

the government has launched the National

Greening Program (NGP) that aims to plant

1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares in six

years which started in 2010.

It is noted that causes of forest

destruction include pressure from an increasing

population in need of land and wood,

overexploitation of forest resources, lack of

political will to curb illegal logging, low priority

given to forest conservation and environmental

protection among others.

In the same event, state weather bureau

chief Engr. Oscar Tabada of PAGASA

-Visayas also urged the public to prepare and

save water for the occurrence of El Niño

phenomenon which will hit the country in the

last quarter of 2014 and may last up to the first

quarter of 2015.

Engr. Tabada said saving water means to

help mitigate the effect of El Niño and advised

the public to stop cutting trees because this

greatly cause ecological imbalance.

El Niño is characterized as unusually

warm ocean surface temperatures in the

central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP).

More than just disaster preparedness,

information officers, local media & PDRRMC

got to learn the power of social media in the

entire disaster cycle.

Noel de Guia and Max Salazar of Get

Ready PINAS (Prepare, Inform & Act Smart)

highlighted the importance of delivering timely

and accurate information before, during, and

after disasters during the training organized by

PIA-Negros Oriental, SMART Communications

and the Dumaguete Press Club. (mbcn/JCT/

PIA7-Negros Oriental)

DENR-NegOr cites importance of planting trees in CC mitigation

BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS

SIQUIJOR, July 15 (PIA) — The province of Siquijor recently created the Provincial Program Management and Implementing

Unit (PPMIU) to serve as the local implementing body for the implementation of the Philippine Rural Development Program

(PRDP).

Siquijor creates PRDP-PPMIU for rural dev‘t

S iquijor governor Zaldy Villa signed an

Executive Order creating the PPMIU as

the principal mechanism through which

the provincial government shall seek

multi-sectoral inputs, advise, and assist on

matters related to climate-smart agriculture,

infrastructure facilities and sustainable

development in the island.

Siquijor is selected as one to the six

provinces in the country under the

PRDP-Global Environment Facility that will

strengthen the conservation of the coastal and

marine resources base through biodiversity

conservation and fisheries resources

management, says Department of Agriculture

(DA) provincial agriculture technology

coordinating officer Bernadith Bunado in a

PRDP briefing earlier.

It also hopes to enhance LGU institution,

technical management and financial capabilities

and environment government system, she said.

The PPMIU is composed of the Provincial

Planning and Development Coordinator as its

head, under which are the coordinating

agencies, PPMIU Secretariat, the i-plan unit

headed by the PPDO, i-build unit by the

provincial engineer’s office, i-reap unit by the

provincial veterinary’s office, and co-headed by

the office of the provincial and municipal

agriculturists and the i-support unit headed by

the provincial budget officer.

Under the i-support unit are the

monitoring and evaluation, procurement, social

and environmental safeguard and information,

education, advocacy and communication

sub-units.

PRDP is a six-year national government

platform for an inclusive, value-chain oriented,

and climate resilient agriculture and fishery

sector. It is the upscale version of the

Mindanao Rural Development Program

(MRDP) where new innovations are

introduced to address the present demand of

times especially climate changes to make rural

development more effective.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and

Industry (DTI)-Siquijor province started

mounting the Small and Medium Enterprise

(SME) Roving Academy (SMERA) program to

micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)

in all six towns in the province.

The activity will bring to provincial MSMEs

learning programs designed to promote

entrepreneurship, improve access to credit and

markets, and increase productivity and

efficiency, says DTI-Siquijor provincial director

Nimfa Virtucio. (mbcn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor)

BY: RIZALIE A. CALIBO

Cebu, July 10 (PIA) --- The Archdiocese of Cebu also stands as one unit exerting effort in the relief and rehabilitation

operations for the Yolanda hit areas specifically in North Cebu.

Cebu Archdiocese takes part in Yolanda relief,

rehab operations

I n a recent Post Yolanda Rehab

Operation press brief ing, Cebu

Archdiocese disaster focal person Fr.

Charles Jayme said that immediately after

typhoon Yolanda hit, Cebu Archbishop Jose

Palma then formed a Relief and Rehab

Operation Unit.

First Phase of which is Adopt a Parish

Program one church from the South Cebu has

to adopt and partner with one typhoon

affected parish from North Cebu.

“Parishes from the South assisted the

needs of these affected parishes in North

Cebu,” Fr. Jayme said.

He added that part of the assistance

delivered is to cater to the needs of the

people in the community where the parish

belongs.

The Cebu Archdiocese also partners with

Cebu Caritas in the relief and rehabilitation

efforts extended to the Yolanda devastated

communities in North Cebu.

March this year the created relief and

rehabilitation efforts of the Cebu Archdiocese

was already in close coordination with the

Caritas International with about 160 Caritas all

over the world.

Fr. Jayme said that the coordination

started with the assistance in North Cebu. This

assistance include Shelter, Livelihood, Water,

Sanitation, Hygiene and Education among

others.

"The Shelter Project of the Cebu

Archdiocese and the Caritas now adopted

a Yolanda Village in Lapaz Bogo City with 27

houses serving as relocation and resettlement

for the typhoon affected families in the area

with houses that are totally devastated by

typhoon.

Caritas Village in Tacup, San Remegio also

stood with 27 houses and Hagnaya, San

Remegio Cebu with 39 houses catering to the

families losing their houses as Yolanda hit the

areas. Soon to be built are 74 houses in

Bungtod Bogo City. (mbcn/ays/PIA 7)

BY: AMOR Y. SALUDAR

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

DENR-8 to plant 1B fruit trees in coastal

highways

T his was revealed by Provincial

E n v i ro n me n t a n d N a t u r a l

Resources Off icer (PENRO)

Ricardo Tomol, head of the DENR office in

Southern Leyte, during the Action Center

Kapihan sa PIA Cable TV program

Wednesday.

The Cable TV Kapihan taping at the

Senior Citizens building will be aired

Friday, July 18, as a special edition in

addition to its weekend regular showing, to

coincide with a simultaneous nationwide

launching of a joint PIA-DENR advocacy

project on Climate Change Adaptation

(CCA).

Planting trees, be it forest or fruit trees,

has long been proven as a way to mitigate

the effects of erratic climatic conditions,

because they absorb carbon dioxide in the

air and give off oxygen for people and

animals to breathe, aside providing shade

and acting as buffer against winds and waves

during bad weather.

Asked for updates on the nationwide

NGP for Southern Leyte province, Tomol

said that since the year 2011, they have

covered more than 4,000 hectares of

timberlands planted with varied species of

trees in coordination with various People’s

Organizations (POs).

This translates to over 2,000,000 trees

grown now at three years old at a

conservative estimate of 500 trees planted

per hectare at 85% survival rate.

As to the billion fruit trees campaign

specifically for Region 8 and implemented

through former Senator Panfilo Lacson, the

Presidential Adviser on Rehabilitation and

Reconstruction for post-Yolanda, Tomol

said they had finished the survey and other

necessary paperworks and submitted those

already to their central office.

The idea is to coordinate with private

landowners in open spaces and lots

in-between barangays and municipalities

along the coastal roads, so these areas, even

under coconut trees along the 40-meter

limit from shorelines, can be planted with

fruit trees provided by DENR but

“demand-driven” by landowners on what

kind of fruit trees they would like to plant,

Tomol explained.

Tomol said he is just waiting

for the final approval of their submitted

plans so they can start to implement,

if possible within the year, the

Yolanda-themed fruit tree planting in the

province as part of the Lacson-led initiative

for the entire Region 8. (mmp, PIA8

-Southern Leyte)

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, July 17 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Eastern

Visayas has an added mission on top of the regular National Greening Program (NGP) that began four years ago until

2016: plant a billion fruit trees more within the 40-meter no build zone limits along shorelines.

TESDA grants skills training to typhoon survivors

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, July 12 (PIA) – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority(TESDA) is

now engaged in conducting skills training to some ―Yolanda‖ survivors here as part of their ―Post Yolanda Activities‖,.

T his was learned from Engineer

Enrico Banario, TESDA Provincial

Director over station DYES.

Banario said that close to a thousand

now have already completed the skills

training, and in Balangiga town alone, more

or less 50 Out-of-School Youths aging 18

years old and above have undergone

recently, with the 15-day training in Basic

Carpentry, Electrical Installation and

Maintenance.

He added that after the training, the

graduates were given Tool Kits which they

can make use of, as they venture further,

using their acquired knowledge and skills.

For instance, they will soon be tapped

to repair the damaged school buildings of

Balangiga including the poultry house.

It was also reported that in February

this year, 50-trainees from Salcedo town

have likewise graduated from the same skills

training. T

his was assisted by the United Nations

Development Program(UNDP) and the

Eastern Samar State University(ESSU).

The Catholic Relief Service(CRC)

likewise extends a similar assistance to

typhoon stricken communities, the report

added. TESDA is working on a P4M budget

for “Yolanda” Rehabilitation and Recovery in

the southern municipalities of the province.

Engr. Banario also disclosed that these

graduates from their short-term skills

trainings, in Carpentry and Electrical

Installations are qualified to take TESDA’s

Competency Examination, which could

qualify them for permanent employment in

government or overseas. (PIA-Eastern

Samar/aen)

BY: ALICIA E. NICART

SoLeyte solon downloads P14M to CHED

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, July 14 (PIA) -- The office of Congressman Damian Mercado was able to tap

financial assistance from the national government for the tertiary education needs of his constituents in the lone district

of this province.

O n Friday, July 11, Commission on

Higher Education (CHED) Region 8

Director Maura Consolacion

Cristobal visited this province particularly in

Sogod and this city and personally

distributed notices of awards and

scholarship contracts to almost 2,000

student grantees.

In an interview with local media at the

Saint Joseph College (SJC) HRM room

shortly after the brief distribution ceremony,

Cristobal said the Congressman’s initiative

was on top of their regular program of

scholarship extended to qualified students

who are determined to pursue and finish

college schooling.

The basic difference is that under the

CHED program the student-scholar must

maintain an average grade of 2.5 or 85%,

while that of the Congressman’s, which is

under CHED’s Tulong-Dulong, a simple

passing rate is all that is required, Cristobal

said.

In both instances, though, the student

grantee/scholar is given the chance to finish

college, be it a four-year or a five-year

course, she added.

“That is why my advice to the

students is to make full use of this

opportunity,” Cristobal, who assumed as

CHED Region 8 head only in April this year,

stressed.

She also said that CHED directly

coordinated with the private or public

schools for the payment of tuition fees of

the scholars and grantees, and the excess

money, if there is any, will in turn be given

by the school to the students

concerned. (mmp, PIA8-Southern Leyte)

BY: MARCELO M. PEDALINO

BY: MARCELO M. PEDALINO

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

Calbayog cites contribution of rescue

volunteers

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, July 14 (PIA) – Calbayog City through Mayor Ronald Aquino gave recognition to rescue

volunteers as the city marked National Disaster Consciousness Month.

I n a news release penned by Aimee

Catalan, it said that the city

highlighted the recognition of

individuals and groups who, without

reservation, volunteered themselves in the

city’s quick response after Yolanda’s

devastation in Tacloban on November 8,

2013 and lately, in Binaliw, Calbayog on June

26, 2014.

In a simple ceremony held Tuesday,

Aquino distributed certificates of recognition

to the barangay rescue volunteers called

SALVAR (Saving lives by volunteers and

active rescuers) for their valuable and

untiring support to the City Government of

Calbayog through City Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Office

(CDRRMO).

SALVAR is known to be ever ready to

respond in the rescue, search and relief

operations of the city during calamities and

disasters.

CDRRM head Mr. Estanislao D.

Cortado, in his message, stressed that it is

everyone’s responsibility to lessen the

impact of a hazard or any disaster, and

minimize the loss of lives.

On the early morning of June 26 a

tornado hit Binaliw (a village located 20

kilometers from the city), and destroyed 92

houses, and left eight injured and 501

residents homeless.

The funnel-shaped whirling wind also

wrecked eight motorized and three

non-motorized “bancas”. (PIA 8-Samar with

Aimee Catalan- Calbayog City)

Southern Leyte PDRRMC braces for El Nino phenomenon

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, July 10 (PIA) - As the council members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management

Council (PDRRMC) met on its quarterly meeting, preparations were tackled to counter the adverse effects of the El Nino

phenomenon from June 2014 until the first quarter of 2015, to include emergencies and calamities situations as well.

A mong the preparations agreed upon

by the council were the preposition-

ing of food, fuel, listing of equipments

needed in rescue operations, among others

which should be made ready this early,

PDRRMC Chair Governor Roger Mercado

noted.

PDRRMC Chair Mercado also ordered

the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction

Management Office (PDRRMO) to draft and

facilitate for the memorandum of

agreements with local groceries and

pharmacy stores and gasoline stations where

these prime commodities can be readily be

withdrawn to be able to respond

immediately to the victim-people.

“All primary commodities and fuels

must be readily available and can be

immediately withdrawn and served to the

people stricken in times of emergencies and

calamities,” Governor Mercado noted.

PAG-ASA OIC Administrator Aldrin

Kaindoy in his presentation of the El Nino

phenomenon said that Southern Leyte must

prepare for possible infectious diseases

brought about by the air quality building up

along the region, according to an ENSO

experiment.

Provincial Health Officer (Technical)

Dr. John Matibag asked for the

prepositioning of medicines to immediately

respond to diseases such as dengue fever

cases, among other diseases expected to

mount during El Nino phenomeon in the

province.

During the regular meeting, PDRRMC

also moved for a resolution for the purchase

of handheld radio communication

equipments that could connect the

PDRRMC to practically all the municipalities,

barangays, police stations across the

province in the event of loss of electric

power due to calamities.

This followed after the brief

presentation of Scan Company.

PDRRMO Provincial Head Danilo

Atienza also wanted to put every plans,

preparations in place during peacetime, that

is before any occurrence of an emergency or

calamity in the province, he added. (esg/PIA8

SoLeyte)

BY: ERNA S. GORNE

TB free Philippines draws Samar guv‘s support

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, July 11 (PIA) - TB free Philippines has drawn the support of Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan.

D uring the organization of the Multi

-Sectoral Partnership to Achieve

Control of TB (IMPACT), Tan

signed a commitment for the total support

to eradicate TB in the province including

budget support.

She also pledged to strengthen TB

treatment delivery mechanism and ensure

access to TB treatment of disadvantaged

groups.

In addition, as the local chief

executive, the governor promised

to improve the compliance of provincial

district hospitals to Philippine Plan

of Action for TB (PhilPact) standards

and TB Directly Observed Treatment

Short Course(DOTS) and treatment

protocol.

TB DOTS embarks on partnership

where the patient is supervised by a partner

as he takes the drugs; this process ensures

that the patient continuously takes the drugs

until completion.

Governor Tan also vowed to

provide supportive policies and financing

support.

As to innovations, Tan plans to give

incentives to health workers who tracked

down tab cases and successfully effected

treatment.

To ensure that school children

are also TB free, Tan vowed to sponsor the

TB test known as purified protein

derivative (PPD) test for some 10 thousand

school children who are reportedly

malnourished.

Just this summer, Tan also

sponsored the X-ray tests of teachers in the

division.

While the provincial health office

reported that only some 315 TB

cases were reported in 2013, it does not

mean that they are the only cases, tracking

them also proves challenging, said health

authorities.

Other challenges plaguing the TB

control program in Samar include inadequate

number of trained treatment partners, poor

logistics management for TB control, health

facilities without proper sputum collection

area and many more.(PIA 8-Samar/ nbq)

BY: NINFA ILUMINDA 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.

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suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378718/3377301 or e-mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.

Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

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:

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