Vol 6 Issue 3 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 January 18 - 24, 2016

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue BFAR launches Fish CORAL project

Full ASEAN integration needs more infra dev’t

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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PRO-7: No terror threat to IEC event

Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU, Jan. 20 (PIA) -- No terrorism threat has been monitored so far but the police said it would not be

complacent as thousands of delegates are expected to arrive here in time for the start of the 51st International Eucharistic

Congress (IEC) on Sunday, January 24. PS/Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, deputy regional director for

operations of the Police Regional Office (PRO-7) said although security preparations are set in place for the international

religious event, these remain ―a work in progress‖. ―The police are in constant collaboration with concerned

agencies to ensure public safety,‖ said Lawas during the recent forum of the Association of Government Information

Officers-Philippine Information Agency (AGIO-PIA7) adding that every individual has a role to play in ensuring the 8-day IEC

event would be successfully peaceful. Lawas said part of their security measures is to increase

police visibility in the streets especially near the IEC venues, more conduct of random checkpoints and the establishment of

police assistance desks in roads, off-site venues and inside establishments.

Fr. Joseph Larida, in-charge of the IEC Security

Committee said that as of today, there are 8,000 foreign and

local delegates that have registered and expects the figure to increase to 12,000 in the coming days. ―We totally depend on

the police and other agencies to help us ensure peace and order while we are in constant coordination with them with

regards to security matters,‖ said Larida in the same forum. The police official called on the public to support and

cooperate by reporting immediately any suspicious individuals or activities in their surroundings so the police could undertake

the special necessary measures and thwart possible criminal incidents. ―All our preparations are for nothing if there is no

public support. So please let us all take an active role in making the IEC peaceful,‖ said Lawas.

Meanwhile, Lawas also asked parents who plan to bring their children along to IEC activities to make sure they wear ID

tag that contain the child‘s name and her or his parents, contact number and home address.

Lawas said a child getting lost in a crowd is a usual occurrence as similar incidents have happened during the

recent Sinulog Grand Parade. An ID tag is very helpful and save time in reuniting both parents and child, said Lawas. (mbcn/fcr/

PIA7)

Ninfa B. Quirante

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 21 (PIA) - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources launched Tuesday, the

Fisheries Coastal Resources and Livelihood (Fish CORAL) project in Tacloban City.

The total project cost is estimated at Php 1.8B that will benefit more than a thousand communities, 190 thousand

households in 11 target coastal areas in the gulfs of Ragay, Asid and Albay in the Bicol Region; Leyte Gulf, Matarinao Bay, Silago

-Cabalian Bay and Maqueda Bay in Eastern Visayas; Butuan Bay and Lianga-Bislig-Hinatuan Bays in CARAGA and Illana and Sulu

Sea in the ARMM region. The project will be financed through a loan and grant

from the United Nations-International Fund for Agricultural Development (UN-IFAD) and counterpart contributions from

the national, local governments and communities. The UN-IFAD is a special agency of the UN committed in

financing projects related to agri development in the Philippines. Its efforts are focused on poverty reduction and

improvement of the socio-economic condition in the rural areas.

Asis Perez, BFAR Chief said that fisherfolks need interventions as they are very poor; the project will implement

sustainable community-based enterprises to generate livelihood opportunities for fisherfolks. The womenfolk will also be given economic opportunities by the project.

In Samar province, Rolando Ay-ay, Provincial Fishery Officer said that some 14 coastal municipalities are included in

the project and these include Pinabacdao, Daram, San

Sebastian, Calbiga to mention some. The project, said Ay-ay will empower coastal

communities for the sustainable management of their coastal and fishery resources.

―If these are managed, there will be increased production of fish and other marine species which would mean more

income to the poor farmers,‖ Ay-ay said. Fish CORAL is another concrete step of the government

to empower the fisherfolk whose contribution to the economy is indispensable. (PIA 8-Samar)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA6) --- Increased spending for

infrastructure projects is necessary for the country for the upcoming full integration of the ASEAN Economic Community

(AEC) this 2016, said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

DBM-6 Regional Director Alfonso Bedonia said that infrastructure projects are needed to accelerate trade and

investment and create an enabling environment for businesses to prosper. ―If we compare ourselves to the rest of the

countries in Southeast Asia, we are among the lowest that spends for infrastructure projects,‖ he said.

In the AEC, there is a single market and production base which allows the free flow of goods, services, investments, and

skilled labor, and the freer movement of capital across the region.

―In the ASEAN integration, they can do business here and we can also do business in other Southeast Asian

countries. If we lack infra projects, we will be left out so there is massive implementation of these projects now,‖ he said.

According to DBM, a total of P829.6 billion has been allocated under the P3.002-trillion 2016 National Budget to

strengthen the country‘s public works and communication

infrastructure to sustain the country‘s growth momentum as

well as support its economic expansion for this year under the Aquino administration.

That includes a 29.7 percent increase in spending allocation for the Department of Public Works and

Highways‘ (DPWH) alone to P394.5 billion from the previous year‘s P304.1 billion.

Under the 2016 budget, the allocation for public infrastructure now stands at five percent of the Gross

Domestic Product (GDP), higher than the 4.3 percent of GDP for infrastructure outlays in 2015, and in line with the

Administration‘s budget goal for infrastructure investments. For 2016, DPWH aims to complete the paving of all

national arterial and secondary roads, and continue developing the national road network—including tertiary roads—and the

preservation of road assets, the DBM said. The DPWH will also handle various works on access

roads leading to airports, ports, and tourist destinations. Meanwhile, Western Visayas has been allotted P17.84

billion under the proposed spending plan for public infrastructure development of DPWH for 2016. (JCM/LTP/PIA-

Iloilo)

WESTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

DTI-7 Assistant Regional Dir. Nelia Navarro

said their move to promote the coffee indus-

try in the Philippines is in line with NEDA's call

for the government to continue coming up

with measures that will increase income of the

poor and generate investments in agriculture.

"Prioritizing agri-based industries is our re-

sponse to this call, for the increased produc-

tion in rural areas. Coffee can be a tool for

inclusive growth," she stressed during the

Coffee Industry Investment Forum held at

Ceremonial turnover of Glucometer Kits and

BP Apparatus with Dr. Paula Paz M. Sadiongco,

OIC-Director III, DOH RO VIII @ Covered

Court, Provincial Capitol Catbalogan City

January 20, 2016. (PIA-8)

Students perform their dance routine during

the Tambor Trumpa Martsa Musika event held

Friday, Jan. 22, 2016 at the Freedom

Grandstand, Iloilo City. (LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

Stakeholders sign commitment to Fish CORAL project during its

national launch at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City. The project is

intended mainly for poor fisherfolks. (PIA-8)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

KALIBO, Aklan, Jan. 21 (PIA6) -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has started putting up checkpoints in various

municipalities here in connection with the forthcoming May 9, 2016 local and national elections.

COMELEC closely monitors firearms thru checkpoints

By Venus G. Villanueva

B ased on COMELEC Resolution No. 10029

promulgated late last year, the

establishment of checkpoints is important

to be able to effectively implement the firearms

ban during the election period.

The election period for this year‘s political

exercise started January 10 and will end June 8,

2015.

The guidelines on the checkpoints

establishment were recently shared here to the

Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed

Forces of the Philippines (AFP) through a briefing

during the COMELEC-AFP-PNP 1ST Provincial

Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) Command

Conference held at the Aklan Police Provincial

Office (APPO) by Atty. Rommel G. Benliro,

Election Officer III of COMELEC-Kalibo.

COMELEC partners in the establishment and

operations of the checkpoints are the PNP and

the AFP. The guidelines state that there shall be at

least one COMELEC checkpoint in each city or

municipality.

There could be however additional

checkpoints, including those coming from other

PNP/AFP commands outside the city or

municipality in coordination with the Election

Officer having jurisdiction over the municipality or

city.

In the case of Kalibo, the capital town of

Aklan, Atty. Benliro said 3 checkpoints will be set

up at strategic areas of the town, especially at the

entry and exit areas, now that the Kalibo

Ati-atihan celebration is over.

As instructed by the resolution, a

COMELEC checkpoint must have a signboard

with the name and address of the Election Officer

and the name of Commanding Officer or Team

Leader.

An adequate number of AFP and PNP

personnel manning the checkpoints must be in

complete uniform with the name plates and other

identification tags clearly visible and readable, and

shall not be under the influence of liquor or drug.

Besides the guidelines on the establishment of

checkpoints, Atty. Benliro also briefed the

participants, composed of PNP Municipal Chiefs

of Police, 12th IB officers, and Municipal

COMELEC officers of the province, on the

conduct of preliminary examination of violations

of the ban on firearms and other deadly weapons.

The conference, which was presided by

COMELEC-Aklan Provincial Election Officer II

Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, also became a venue for

the APPO, led by newly designated OIC PSSupt.

John Mitchell Jamili and the 12th IB, led by LTC

Paulito R. Idul and represented by Major Antonio

A. Tumnog, Executive Officer, to express their

support and cooperation in the conduct of a

clean, honest and peaceful national and local

elections on May 9, 2016. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

SSS Capiz: Aquino’s veto is right

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Jan. 20 (PIA6) – President Benigno Aquino III is right in protecting not only the present but also

future pensioners.

C apiz Social Security System head Angelo

Blancaver said that the President‘s action

to veto the proposed P2,000.00 increase

in the monthly pension was a justified move

―because he is concerned with the present

pensioners and the future of all the SSS

members.

―President Aquino only did what is proper

and right and was not concerned with the

applause from the public even if he is ending

his term of office soon,‖ Blancaver said, adding

that if the President is only looking at the

political side, he should have approved the

proposed bill.

With approximately 30,000 SSS members

in Capiz, he said that so far they have not

received any complaint with the President‘s

act of not approving the bill for pension‘s

increase.

The monthly pension is just one of the

benefits availed of by the SSS members, Blancaver

said, stressing that other benefits include the

sickness, maternity, loans, death claims, funeral

and disability benefits.

While there are a number of SSS members

and pensioners who hoped for the increase in

their monthly pension because of the value of the

pension in the current situation to address their

needs, they are optimistic that better benefits will

be given to them.

They also said that the SSS must be

transparent especially in presenting the real

financial status and they expect better

management of the agency.

Earlier, SSS President and Chief Executive

Officer Emilio S. de Quiros, Jr. said that the

P2,000 pension increase would lead to a

projected deficit of P26 billion for 2016 from an

expected income of P41 billion.

―As the number of pensioners grows, the

initial P56 billion in additional benefit outlay per

year would increase, which in turn contributes to

the rising annual deficit or net loss incurred by

SSS,‖ he said.

De Quiros pointed out that the P2,000

increase and resulting shorter fund life will greatly

affect our 33 million members and pensioners as

well as their dependent spouses, minor children

and other beneficiaries who are also mandated to

receive their own share of SSS benefits. (JCM/

JBG/PIA6)

By: Jemin B. Guillermo

Iloilo Dinagyang FestivalIloilo Dinagyang FestivalIloilo Dinagyang Festival

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 21(PIA6) — The immediate passing of the Conditional Cash Transfer now pending in Congress will assure

the beneficiaries of continued assistance.

T his, according to the more than 2,000

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (4Ps)

beneficiaries who gathered for a rally at

the capitol grounds of the province of Guimaras

the other day.

The rallyists were part of the more than

8,000 4Ps members from the towns of Jordan,

Sibunag, San Lorenzo, Buenavista and Nueva

Valencia.

Racel Arquiola, 36 year-old mother,

president of 4Ps parent-leaders in Buenavista said

they are calling for the institutionalization of the

CCT so that no matter who the President of the

country is, they will continue to receive the

benefits.

―4Ps is helping me send my children to

school,‖ Arquiola said in dialect, adding that her

children have been attending school for the last

three years now.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

provides improved health and education of the

children, improve maternal health, and encourage

parents to make their family life better through

the Family Development Sessions (FDS).

Meanwhile, similar rallies were also held in

Aklan and Iloilo, with civil society organizations

joining, calling for the immediate passing of the

bill, with signature campaigns launched for the

members of Congress to pay attention to the

clamor.

The parents in Guimaras also engaged in a

44-second noise barrage standing for some 4.4

million 4Ps beneficiaries. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

4Ps beneficiaries push for passage of CCT bill

Elsa S. Subong

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA6) — The National Economic and Development Authority here said it is confident that Western

Visayas will reach its 2015 goal of 5.9 percent growth.

A major contributor to this are the

service sector followed by the industry

and the agriculture sectors.

Based on the 2014 Gross Regional Domestic

Product data of the Philippine Statistics Authority,

the services sector as the main contributor to the

region‘s economy, accounted for about 52

percent.

The services sector include trading, housing,

finance, and tourism.

In a media interview, NEDA-6 Director

Ro-Ann Bacal said these sectors are picking up

despite the constraints brought by calamities.

―We were very bullish in 2015, as during the

early part, we were busy preparing for the APEC

meetings, while at the same time, catching up with

rehabilitation efforts for Yolanda,‖ Bacal said.

She attributed the economic upbeat to the

growth in infrastructures and investments

especially in the energy sector.

The Department of Trade and Industry

reported a 172 percent growth in investments in

2015 particularly in energy, tourism and housing

sectors.

On the other hand, Bacal said there is a

need to look into the fishery sector as the region

enjoys rich and diverse marine resources.

―As an island, Panay and Guimaras, we are

facing a diversely populated marine resources, yet

we are not taking advantage of it,‖ Bacal said,

adding that there is little of marine processing

activities here.

―We then need to increase our presence in

the manufacturing and processing of marine

resources,‖ Bacal added.

Meanwhile, the confidence in reaching the

5.9 percent growth springs from the fact, that it is

one percentage point higher than the 4.9 percent

in 2014. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

NEDA: WV will reach 5.9 percent growth rate

By: Elsa S. Subong

Sinulog FestivalSinulog FestivalSinulog Festival

Antique smoking regulation ordinance up for implementation

SAN JOSE, Antique, Jan 20 (PIA6) - - After a series of consultation and public hearing, the implementing rules and regulations

of the Antique Anti-Smoking Ordinance is finally up for implementation.

I rene Dulduco, Information Officer,

Provincial Health Office at the same

time Focal Person of the Provincial

Anti-Smoking Task Force, said the ordinance was

approved in May 2014, however the crafting of

the implementing rules and regulations was done

in 2015 after a series of workshops and consulta-

tions with other agencies and stakeholders.

To equip the law enforcers with knowledge

on the provisions of the ordinance, PHO has

conducted the training of law enforcers in the

town of San Jose. Among the participants are

Punong Barangays, Barangay Sanggunian, Tanods,

Police Officers and Traffic Enforcers.

Other municipalities in the province have

also approved the Smoking Regulation Ordinance

namely Hamtic and Pandan while the town of

Patnongon is still in the process of conducting

public hearing and consultation.

The towns of Libertad and Sebaste have also

passed the said ordinance but which needs to be

updated.

Dulduco said the Department of Health will

conduct Training of Trainers for the province of

Antique to step up the training of law enforcers.

The ordinance is in compliance with World

Health Organization (WHO) Framework

Convention on Tobacco Control, Philippine Clean

Air Act of 1999 and Tobacco Regulation Act of

2003.

Section 5 of the Antique Smoking Regulation

Ordinance stated that smoking including the use

of electronic cigarettes shall be prohibited in all

places fixed or mobile that are accessible or open

to the public or places for collective use

regardless of ownership or right to access such as

the following schools, playgrounds, plaza, parks

recreational areas and other facilities intended for

or frequented particularly by minors.

Also included for non-smoking areas are

hospitals, health centers, medical clinics and other

health facilities; transport terminals and gasoline

stations; buildings, offices and elevators;

indoor work places; shopping malls, hotels and

restaurants subject to sections 6, 7 and 8 of the

ordinance where designated smoking areas are

allowed.

Smoking in buses, taxis, jeepneys and similar

vehicles and other government owned vehicles,

passenger areas inside ships, ferry boats,

passenger bancas, and similar vehicles is also

prohibited except for inter-island vessels with

smoking areas that conform to the prescribed

standards.

Section 10 of the ordinance also prohibits

minors from selling, purchasing or smoking

cigarettes or any tobacco products.

PHO is giving priority to the implementation

of the Smoking Regulation Ordinance this year,

said Dulduco. (JSC/PSM-PIA6 Antique)

By: Pilar S. Mabaquiao

NIR has best models in environmental governance

By Easter Anne Doza

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Jan. 18 (PIA6) - - Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Demetrio L.

Ignacio Jr. said the Negros Island Region (NIR), with its two provinces, has the best models in environmental governance,

however it has the worst polluters as well.

I gnacio said this in his message during

the installation of Sophie Manuel as

the first Environment Management

Bureau (EMB) regional director for the Negros

Island Region at the Grand Regal Hotel in Bacolod

City.

―The two provinces here (NIR) are the most

environmentally fragile provinces in the country

having the worst polluters and where you can

also find the best models in environmental

governance,‖ Ignacio said.

Ignacio added that since the NIR has the

best and the worst, the challenge is not so much

on how to make these industries comply with

regulations but how to prevent these industries

from committing these violations.

Meanwhile, Manuel likened her new

assignment to motherhood where as an expectant

mother, she bears all the difficulty of pregnancy

from morning sickness, nausea and labor pains but

all these vanish when a child comes to life – that

is finally the establishment of the EMB for NIR

which currently sits at the Provincial

Environment and Natural Resources Office –

Negros Occidental at Barangay 39 in Bacolod

City.

At 60, Manuel‘s career, being a chemical

engineer, spanned through various government

posts when she started as a sanitation officer of

the Department of Health before moving on to

serve most years as a Community

Environment and Natural Resources Officer in

Region 12.

―We have to sustain, if not surpass, what

Region 6 and Region 7 had started because we

have one goal that is to protect the

environment. We will help one another,‖ Manuel

assured.

According to Manuel, EMB related

transactions are already done here but existing

ones are still with respective regions although

now they are being involved in the process during

this transition phase while they also accommodate

online permit processing. *(JCM/EAD-PIA6

Negros Occidental)

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

CEBU CITY, Jan. 22 (PIA) — Sixty Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) staff will augment the local social

welfare department for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) which starts January 24.

DSWD-7 to augment Cebu City staff for IEC event

A ccording to Evelyn Macapobre, Regional

Director of DSWD7, there are 60 staff

identified to assist during the event on

January 24 until the 31st.

In a press release, the 60 regional

personnel will be augmenting the Department of

Social Welfare Services (DSWS) of the Cebu City

Government who are mainly assigned for camp

management and emergency situations.

―We have committed 60 staff mostly

composed of social workers to help manage the

help desk where lost and found children will be

stationed,‖ Macapobre said.

Initial symposium related to the IEC are

already being done this week.

It will be formally opened with a Mass by

Cardinal Maung Bo of Sri Lanka at the Plaza

Independencia.

The Pontifical Mass on January 24 will be

celebrated by Cardinal Bo in behalf of Pope

Francis who will not be able to make it to the

IEC.

On the 28th, Manila Archbishop Luis

Cardinal Tagle will be the congress‘ speaker at

the IEC Pavilion.

There will be a Visita Iglesia or church visit

on that day will also be held among parishes in

Metro Cebu including the Our Lady of the Sacred

Heart in Capitol, Redemptorist Church, Santo

Rosario Church, Basilica del Santo Niño,

AsilodelaMedallaMilagrosa, Sacred Heart Parish,

and the Cebu Cathedral.

These will also be the venues where the

delegates will have encounters with local

parishioners.

On January 29, the delegates will also be

brought to their foster families as part of the

immersion activity while a procession will be held

from Capitol to Plaza Independencia in the

afternoon.

There will be Masses to be held on January

28 at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Capitol

building quadrangle on January 29, and the closing

ceremonies at the South Road Properties on

January 31.

IEC is an international gathering of people

which aims to promote an awareness of the

central place of the Eucharist in the life and

mission of the Catholic Church, help improve our

understanding and celebration of the liturgy and

draw attention to the social dimension of the

Eucharist.

The event is expected to gather

millions of pilgrims during the opening and

closing ceremonies. (rmn/fcc/PIA-Cebu with

reports from Phoebe Jen Indino, Pantawid Pamilya

IO)

Ferliza Calizar-Contratista

CEBU, Jan. 20 (PIA) --- With canyoneering becoming the latest attraction in the south, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Office (PDRRMO) has trained water rescuers in Alegria.

PDRRMO trains water rescuers for canyooneering

D ennis Cortes, PDRRMO chief of

operat ions, sa id the munic ipal

government of Alegria requested for the

training as more adventure seekers the Kanlaob

Falls in Brgy. Compostela is becoming a popular

site for canyoneering.

At least 30 participants joined the training.

Fifteen of them were tour guides and the other

half were municipal employees.

Previously, the Department of Tourism

(DOT) conducted training for the tour guides but

not really focused on water rescue, according to

Cortes.

The training lasted for five days, from

January 11 until January 15 with a series of

lectures and simulation of a rescue operation on

the site where a tour guide drowned two years

ago.

Canyooneering enthusiasts may choose to

start in Compostela and end up in the

municipality of Badian, Kawasan Falls.

Hence, Cortes said, they are also planning to

hold similar trainings for the tour guides in

Badian.

R e che l e To r s i en de o f A l e gr i a

DRRMO stated that Brgy. Compostela

has identified at least 90 individuals who will be

trained for water rescue operations.

She said they were hopeful that there

will be no more accidents during canyoneering or

in case there is, they will be able to handle the

emergency by themselves.

It will be recalled that Aldrin Carba,

regarded as the pioneer in canyoneering and

acclaimed tour guide among his colleagues, went

missing in July 2014 when he was assisting visitors

at the canyoneering site.

Due to the lack of rescuers, his body was

found only after 29 hours of search.

The present rates of the activity in Alegria

include P50 entrance fee, P150 for the gear, and

P500 dive fee. (rmn/PIA Cebu/Cebu Capitol PIO)

Rachelle M. Nessia

NEGROS ORIENTAL, Jan. 18 (PIA) – The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) here is set to form a joint task force at

the Dumaguete City port area to intensify intelligence-gathering and security operations to prevent the entry of illegal drugs in

the province.

P hilippine Drug Enforcement Agency

(PDEA) reported the proliferation of

illegal drug supplies in Negros Oriental

coming from Metro Manila, Mindanao, and Cebu

heavily utilizing the Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo)

inter-island vessels.

It has been noted that the growing drug

abuse problem in Dumaguete City and in the

province is closely linked to the spate of shooting

incidents.

Aside from its archipelagic location, Negros

Oriental has 19 piers including 13 private and

six public seaports, and this has become a

problem to monitor in view of the limited

resources of the Philippine Ports Authority

(PPA).

PPA representative Cenando Catalan cited

the lack of closed-circuit television (CCTV)

system, x-ray machines, and trained personnel to

detect contraband or illegal drugs in the port

terminal.

―We are only allowed to inspect rolling

cargos in plain view although the Coast Guard is

around with a canine unit,‖ Catalan explained.

However, provincial administrator Atty.

Richard Enojo, in a PPOC meeting, clarified that

the limitation to plain view applies only to

checkpoints.

―When a person is riding in a public

utility, he is submitting or surrendering his rights

because the interest of the majority is more

paramount than the right of one person,‖ Enojo

explained.

―Any passenger in the port should be

examined and every portion of the vehicles

coming in and out should be checked to prevent

any possible threats. So these are the things that

we have not been doing and this is the way of

escaping criminal liabilities,‖ said Enojo.

To pursue an intensive and relenting

campaign against the use of dangerous drugs, the

task force is set to come up with a plan to

prevent the entry of illegal drugs in Dumaguete as

well as in the province.

PPA is tasked to take the lead in guarding

the port with the assistance of the Philippine

National Police (PNP), PDEA, Philippine Coast

Guard, National Bureau of Investigation, and

other law enforcement agencies.

Col. Dionardo Carlos of PNP said private

vehicles have to pass through security inspections

or detectors and their passengers have to disem-

bark for screening.

The task force would also bring the Highway

Patrol Group to check the status of the vehicle

while the tourist police for the passengers, Col.

Carlos said. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

Joint task force created to prevent drug smuggling

Jennifer C. Tilos

Iloilo Dinagyang FestivalIloilo Dinagyang FestivalIloilo Dinagyang Festival

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

CEBU CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) --- The Cebu City Government is utilizing the Listahanan database of the Department of Social

Welfare and Development (DSWD) in serving the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the city.

A ccording to Kerwin Macopia, Information

Officer for Listahanan, Cebu City

currently serves 10,168 PWDs who

receives financial assistance in the amount of

P5,000.00 each per year through its Department

of Social Welfare Services (DSWS).

Out of the 10,168 individuals, there

are 476 individuals identified to be poor in the

Listahanan database based on the name

matching conducted by the DSWD Field Office

VII, he said.

―As a local government unit, we opted

to use the Listahanan because it is important

that different government agencies will be

given a list of poor households that

need their specific area of responsibility

expertise,‖ said Dr. Ester Concha, DSWS

OIC-Department Head.

According to Concha, ―priorities will be

focused on, plan of action will be formulated,

budget will be assessed accordingly and

implementation of giving out specific needs will be

done in a timely and orderly manner‖.

Aside from the given f inancial

assistance, DSWS also provided other

services like issuance of PWD ID card and PWD

booklet, provision of assistive devices such as

wheelchairs, canes, hearing aids and social

enhancement such as personality development

sessions.

Listahanan was formerly called the

National Household Targeting System for

Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), an information

management system that identifies who

and where the poor households are in the

country.

Listahanan aims for the government

and civil society to establish objective

targeting system on the social protection

programs and services to the poor, according to

the DSWD-7 official. (rmn/jsme/PIA7-Cebu with

DSWD7 report)

Cebu City uses DSWD's Listahanan to serve PWDs

Juju M. Empuerto

TAGBILARAN CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) — Bohol will obtain 90 more skilled blue collar job workers as Technical Education and

Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in partnership with a technical-vocational institution (TVI), granted certificates of

completion to a pool of three skills on January 20 in Balilihan town.

90 graduates in Bohol complete techvoc skills training

B ohol TESDA Provincial Director Engr.

Samuel Jordan and Governor Edgar

Chatto with host mayor Pureza V. Chatto

handed out the certificates to 50 graduates of

Shielded Metal Arc Welding Btach 1 and 2 and 20

cookery as well as 20 for driving courses.

Along with the local officials handing

proofs of competencies in the National

certification 2 rating would be Romelito

Mantuhac, head of the Cebu Science of Welding

Skills and Technology Incorporated (CSWSTI),

training coordinator Manuel Dumaguit, TESDA

specialist Florencio Bitang, welding technology

trainer Sabino Sefuentes Jr., cookery trainer Mary

Anniver Dalaguan and driving trainer Jonard

Zabate.

CSWSTI is just one of the many TVIs

conducting the trainings in Bohol.

This, too, as the government continues to

dangle technical and vocational training courses to

increase workers competencies and elevate their

hiring chances amid an integration of nations in

2016.

TESDA provides direct financial assistance to

deserving TVET enrollees across the country

through a variety of scholarship programs.

Among them are Private Education Student

Financial Assistance (PESFA) or the Expanded

Government Assistance to Students and Teachers

in Private Education (GASTPE) Act, Training for

Work Scholarship (TWSP) which provides

immediate response to the need for highly critical

skills, the program which has become a

mainstreamed regular government scholarship has

produced world class workers.

TESDA also implements Special Training for

Employment Program (STEP), a community-based

specialty training program that addresses the

specific skills needs of the communities and

promote employment, particularly through

entrepreneurial , sel f -employment and

service-oriented activities.

Training programs offered are generally

short-term or modules based on the

TESDA-promulgated training regulations, but its

objectives still maintain to provide skills and

training opportunities for the beneficiaries in the

barangays and communities to make them

employable and productive.

Both public and private techvoc providers,

mostly local government training centers and

TESDA Technology Institutions, deliver the

training programs under STEP. (rmn/rac/PIA-7/

Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) — The votes counting machine (VCMs) which would be used this May 9 elections would

have more security features.

Comelec: PCOS to have more ‘security features’

C ommission on Elections (Comelec) Bohol

Election Supervisor Atty. Eliseo

Labaria during the recent Kapihan sa PIA

in Bohol said the VCMs - or more officially called

the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) -

which would be used could be newer and with

more security features.

PCOS has been, by law, embedded with four

security features to assure voters that their votes

are exactly the same with the data sent out to

election servers at the COMELEC central

servers as mandated by Republic Act (RA) 939 or

the Automated Elections Law.

He said COMELEC is set to put up

roadshows on the PCOS to help people better

understand its operations.

These roadshows may also be the poll

body‘s venue to consult election stakeholders

on the pro's and con's of the safety features of

the counting machines and its potential

reactivation.

Filipinos are not new to PCOS machines, but

while these were used in the 2010 and 2013

polls, COMELEC reportedly deactivated some of

the security features.

These security features include the ballot

verification using ultra violet detectors, a source

code review by an independent audit company,

the digital signature in the transmittal, and the

voter verified paper audit trail.

There were also no details of which of these

were deactivated, and which ones were active.

Reports earlier quoted COMELEC chairman

Andres Bautista saying that they might re-activate

three of the four security features.

COMELEC has earlier allowed the opening

of the source code by an independent

company last December, all to make sure that the

codes act as they have been programmed.

It may be recalled that in 2013 elections, the

source code became a butt of controversy as the

code review was done hastily, six days before the

polls.

The source code is basically an independent

auditor to ensure that the system is running free

from possible malicious lines or malware designed

to manipulate the results of elections, explains the

COMELEC.

As to the digital signature, Bautista was also

quoted as saying ―they were looking to introduce

human signatures."

In Bohol, Labaria said a training for trainors

on the PCOS is slated soon and COMELEC is set

to call the BEIs for this.

―We need to get them to know the PCOS

better," the Bohol poll supervisor stressed.

He said a mock election would also happen

in test areas, while a simultaneous testing of the

PCOS could happen between May 2 to 6. (rmn/

rac/PIA-7/Bohol)

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

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EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Tacloban to pilot Ombudsman‘s Blue

Certificate Program

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 19 (PIA) - The Office of the Ombudsman (Visayas) Regional Office No. VIII, Tacloban City is set

to conduct the pilot implementation of the Blue Certification Program in the City Government of Tacloban.

T he Program prescribes certain

standards to address the problem of

‗‘Red Tape‘‘ in the regulation of

businesses of local government units and

assesses the LGU‘s in their level of

compliance with these standards. It is similar

to the ISO (International Organization for

Standardization) certification for compliance

with prescribed management system

standards or to the Green Business

Certi f icat ion in meet ing certa in

environmental standards and criteria.

The Blue Certification process

establishes a methodology to guide the

LGU‘s in clarifying their systems and

producers in the regulation of businesses

with the end in view of reducing the burden

of ‗‘Red Tape‘‘ in doing business in their area

or jurisdiction.

As an incentive, an award/recognition

will be accorded of LGUs that will

adopt simple and efficient regulatory systems

and procedures that could easily facilitate

business holdings in their respective

localities.

Independent assessors from Office of

the Ombudsman will assess the level of

compliance of LGUs with the 87 standards,

grouped into 9 broad categories that were

set by the office.

Based on the result of the

assessment, the LGU will be given

certification consisting of three levels: Level

I, if at least 60% or 54 standards have

been met. Level II if the at least 75% or 67

standards have been met and Level III

if 90% or 80 standards have been met or

satisfied.

Hon. Alfred S. Romualdez, City Mayor

of Tacloban, signified his full support to the

implementation of the said program.

The 5-day on-site assessment was set to

wrap up on January 22, 2016 which

coincides with the period for renewal of

business permits. (PIA-8/Ombudsman-8)

Evacuation a must for Yolanda-like typhoons

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 21 (PIA) -- Learning from the lessons of the strongest storm to hit the country thus far,

Provincial Disaster Management Officer (PDMO) Danilo Atienza vowed to implement pre-emptive and forced pull-out of

residents in danger areas in case a Yolanda-like typhoon is spotted again.

D ays before such a weather

disturbance is expected to hit

land, pre-emptive transfer of

residents in places plotted as likely path will

be enforced and, later, especially for the

hard-headed residents living in critical points,

a forced evacuation would be ordered in

coordination with the police and the

military.

This will be carried out to ensure a

zero casualty and injury in all the places in

Southern Leyte province, Atienza said during

the live dydm/dysl Kapihan sa PIA interview

Friday.

Storms with strength like Yolanda,

which pummeled the Visayas on November

13, 2013, falls under storm signal number 4,

with wind velocity of more than 300

kilometers per hour.

Recently, the Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical and Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA), the country‘s

weather bureau which monitors incoming

cyclones, added storm signal number 5,

indicating a level-up intensity.

Meanwhile, Atienza said his office will

continue the conduct of training at the

barangay level, an activity that began last

year, barangay officials being the first

responders in emergencies.

The PDMO also initiated printing a

booklet, in Bisayan dialect, on what-to-dos

during, before, and after a disaster which

Atienza personally turned over to Gov.

Roger Mercado last week.

It was the first kind of publication

on the subject of natural disaster all over

the region, published in 2000 copies,

which will be distributed to all the 500

barangays of the province including

munic ipa l i t ies and c ity , At ienza

added. (mmp, PIA8-Southern Leyte)

Marcelo M. Pedalino

Health office warns of El Nino-borne health problems

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte Jan. 21 (PIA) – Provincial Health Service Office (PHSO) wastes no time in warning the public

of life threatening diseases borne by El Nino phenomenon in the next six months.

A ccording to Dr. Noel P. Lumen in an

interview during the Action Center

Kapihan sa PIA last Tuesday, that

several ailments particularly heat stroke

might occur due to persistent heat from

January until June this year. That at the onset

of El Nino, people should be careful not to

expose themselves too much out in the

open, to the burning heat of the sun at it

might cause heatstroke.

Dr. Lumen issued this warning

especially to those with heart diseases, high

blood pressure among others, who are

more at risk.

Heat stroke is the result of dehydration,

a state when the body losses enough water.

To prevent the occurrence of heat stroke,

which begins with cramped legs during these

hot days.

He advised drinking a minimum of eight

glasses of water daily just to compensate for

the water lost by the body due to heat.

El Nino borne-diseases also includes

dengue virus caused by day-time

mosquitoes, which may populate at clean

waters being kept in containers due to

scarcity of water; respiratory diseases like

cough, colds which might aggravate into

more complicated bronchitis, pneumonia,

among others, he said.

People were also advised to be careful

in the food preparations, which can easily be

spoiled due to heat. Spoiled food may cause

food poisoning resulting in a person vomiting

and ultimately succumbing to diarrhea, he

added. (PIA8 SoLeyte)

Erna S. Gorne

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EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

Completed Leyte diversion road project inaugurated soon

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 22 (PIA) — The 5-kilometer concrete diversion road project in Baybay, Leyte is set to be

inaugurated anytime after its completion by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

T he Baybay Diversion Road is a

national road which serves as the

trunk line and the fundamental

component of the road network of Baybay

City from Maasin City to Tacloban City and

Maasin City to Ormoc City.

According to Tonette Lim, regional

information officer of the DPWH here, the

project aims to minimize traffic congestion

in the city proper by diverting vehicular traf-

fic to the new diversion road thereby reduc-

ing convergence in the busy streets.

The project is expected to reduce

the travel time along the road as well

as dust and air pollution in said area,

paving the way for an increased

commercial activities and job opportunities

for Leyteno‘s that will ultimately improve

the socio-economic condition of Baybay

City.

The road network which is

interconnected with one bridge has a total

cost of P395 million for calendar year 2013-

2016. This is composed of road-

way opening of 5, 002.50 meters;

concrete paving of 3, 015.50 meters

including bridge approaches and

construction and construction of

embankment protection substructure

on file foundation, construction of

steel craneway, concrete coping

for slope protection supported by

steel pile & concrete blocks for

pier foundation; completion of 151.50

meters bridge, provision of embankment

protection structures, informative signs

and paving of shoulders and proposed

linear meter slope protection. (ajc/DPWH

-8/PIA-8)

Consuelo B. Alarcon

New projects for Eastern Samar bared

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Jan. 22 (PIA) – The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) gave

funds for Yolanda Recovery and Rehabilitation Project in this province.

E astern Samar Congressman Ben

Evardone said that more than Php2

billion had been released by

PAGCOR.

From said amount, Php500 million was

given to Eastern Samar while the remaining

amount went to Antique, Iloilo and Leyte.

On the other hand, the flood control

projects were already implemented by the

Department of Public Works and Highways

(DPWH) in most coastal towns of the

province.

The solon added that the protection of

the national highway was given priority since

its protection has not yet been included in

the design of the Millennium Challenge

Corporation‘s secondary national road

development project.

He further said that based on the

survey conducted by DPWH, an amount of

Php2 billion is needed for the maintenance

of more than 22 kilometers of the SNRDP

Project.

Included in this maintenance is the con-

struction of breakwaters and tetrapads,

among others.

The solon also informed that in the

2016 budget, a fund of Php500 million

has been allocated for road maintenance and

has already been downloaded to the

DPWH.

This amount is also a buffer fund in case

the contractors will not be able to finish the

project on time.

Slated to be finished this 2016, the

solon said that the implementation of

the MCC-SNRD Project is now almost

done, notwithstanding some problems

encountered.

According to him, the contractors

promised to straighten these problems out

and to finish the project on time.

He emphasized that infrastructures

implemented in Eastern Samar are line items

or listed in the agencies that will implement

them, unlike during the time that the Priority

Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) was

still in existence –wherein representatives of

the different provinces in the country have

the discretion over the spending of the

Php70 million PDAF.

Declaring the PDAF as unconstitutional

had not stopped the solon from

implementing projects in the province.

Through his efforts, these projects had

been included in the budget of different

agencies.

For the year 2016, the solon‘s

priority project within the Php2 billion fund

are infrastructure projects, especially the

road concreting project from Maydolong,

Eastern Samar to the boundary of Basey,

Samar including the construction of bridges,

maintenance of the national highway and the

various bottom-up budgeting (BUB) projects.

(PIA-E.Samar)

Eastern Visayas 2015 tax collection up

T ax collection data of the Bureau of

Internal Revenue, Revenue Region

No.14 showed that from January to

December 2015, a total collection of P6,

522, 716, 333.67 was recorded, which is

over the P5, 199, 904, 747.87 in 2014.

Taxes collected come from Revenue

District Offices in Catarman Northern

Samar, Borongan Eastern Samar, Catbalogan

City, Tacloban City, Ormoc City and Maasin

Southern Leyte.

BIR regional director Norberto D. Vitug

said that the region has surpassed the tax

collection in the previous year and exceeded

its target collection for 2015 because of the

concerted efforts of the employees of the

agency, business sector, media, taxpayers

and other stakeholders.

The tax collection goal for 2015 in

Eastern Visayas was pegged at P6, 391, 586,

000.00. (ajc/PIA-8)

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 19 (PIA) --- The region’s tax collection performance in 2015 has increased by 25.4 percent

compared to the previous year.

Consuelo B. Alarcon

Samuel D. Candido

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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