Vol 4 Issue 46 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 November 17 - 23, 2014

WESTERN VISAYAS

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue Israeli delegation meets with Cebu bizmen

Archdiocese of Palo announces itinerary of Pope‘s visit

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Secretaries assess rehab efforts in Panay By Jemin B. Guillermo

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Nov. 17 (PIA) – Local chief executives in Panay Island expressed their thanks and

gratitude to the national government for helping them in the repair of their damaged infrastructures due to supertyphoon

Yolanda. During the consultative meeting with the Cabinet

Secretaries on Yolanda Rehabilitation Efforts, Nov. 12 here, the governors from Iloilo, Antique, Aklan and Capiz as well as

mayors from the said provinces expressed their gratitude to President Benigno S. Aquino .

They also thanked the Cabinet Secretaries led by Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas for the immediate

release of the funds under the DILG-Recovery Assistance for Yolanda (RAY).

In April this year, Roxas personally turned over to the local chief executives the funds for the immediate repair

of damaged municipal, city or provincial halls, civic centers and public markets which were damaged by supertyphoon

Yolanda. For Capiz alone, the DILG was able to release more than

P66.053-million for all the local government units here based on their submitted damage on said government infrastructures

in their respective areas. In his statement, Roxas said that they are conducting

the consultative meeting with the Yolanda-affected local

chief executives to assess the progress, status and problems in the rehabilitation efforts in their respective areas based

on the released funds and to ensure that everything is put in place.

Roxas, who was with Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and National

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Pama, also assured that

the national government will continue and will always be there to help in building back better, and for the public to become

more resilient and happier.

Roxas likewise directed the immediate liquidation of the released funds so that the Batch 2 funds intended for the repair

of damaged government infrastructures in the barangays will be immediately released.

He stressed that the second batch of RAY funds for the repair of damaged public barangay infrastructures will

be downloaded to their respective municipal or city governments.

On the other hand, Roxas revealed that the DILG will be purchasing 2,000 patrol cars for use by the Philippine National

Police in the different police stations. In addition, the DILG is also on the post qualification

phase for the purchase of additional fire trucks for the Bureau of Fire Protection, he said. (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)

By: Rachelle M. Nessia

CEBU CITY, Nov. 19 (PIA) --- Officials from leading Israeli companies involved in water and agro-technology

sectors met with Cebu businessmen yesterday to explore possible partnerships.

Representatives from seven Israeli companies pitched their technology, products, and services before local

businessmen during a one-day economic mission in Cebu City held by the Economic and Trade Mission of the Israeli Embassy

in Manila. The Israeli delegation was led by Israeli Ambassador Effie

Ben Matityau, who said that Israel itself is a successful business model.

“Israel is an enterprise of innovation and entrepreneurship. If you look at it from the business point of

view, Israel is one of the most successful businesses, born from scratch, from nothing... and it is now one of the leading

countries in the field of innovation and technology,” Ambassador Matityau said.

The companies included in the Israeli business delegation were chosen because they can give a “qualitative edge” to the

local water and agri-technology industry. Doron Hemo, head of Israel Economic and Trade Office

at the Embassy of Israel in the Philippines, said that bringing Israel‟s innovations and technological know-how bodes well to the Philippine agriculture Medium Strategic Plan for 2020 which

stresses technological investments.

“This two-day business event is a concrete step towards

a fruitful collaboration between Israel and the Philippines in the area of agriculture,” said Hemo.

Another batch of agriculture and water delegation will be coming to the Philippines for another round of economic

mission next year, said Hemo. He added that the Israeli companies can provide

solutions that Filipino companies can implement and integrate so they can become more efficient.

Hemo cited in particular Israel‟s desalination technology which turns saltwater into potable water. “Seventy percent of

our potable water now comes from the Mediterranean Sea,” he said.

Aside from this, 80% of Israel‟s used water is being treated and then recycled for agricultural use.

With 60% of Israel composed of arid desert, “we had to find solutions to all of our challenges,” Hemo stressed.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) President Ma. Teresa Chan, in her speech, said that the trade

event will give local businesses the opportunity to harness and acquire technology that will contribute much to the economic

growth in Cebu and the Visayas. The Israeli business delegation discussed irrigation

know-how, dairy production, turnkey projects for livestock, post-harvest treatment, crop protection, agronomy, greenhouse technology, water system control, and water

management. (rmn/PIA Cebu)

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EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS By Consuelo B. Alarcon

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Nov. 17 (PIA) – The Archdiocese of Palo has announced the itinerary of Papal visit

in Leyte next year. In a press conference held Friday at the Palo

Chancery, Palo, Leyte, Fr. Amadeo Alvero, Social Communications Coordinator of the Archdiocese confirmed

the coming of the Pope‟s visit in Tacloban, City and Palo, Leyte on January 17.

Fr. Alvero said, Pope Francis will arrive Tacloban City at 9:30 in the morning where he is scheduled to hold Mass near

Tacloban airport at 10:00 in the morning,, share lunch with

some Yolanda survivors at the Archbishop's Residence in Palo Leyte at 12:45 noon on that same day.

Afterwards, the Pope will lead the blessing of Pope Francis Center for the Poor followed by a meeting with

the priests, religious men and women, seminarians and families of the survivors at Palo Metropolitan Cathedral, in

Palo, Leyte. Millions of faithful not only from the region but also from

other places are expected to attend the mass and excited to see the Pope in person. (ajc/cba/pia8)

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources- Environmental Management

Bureau (DENR-EMB)-6 Regional Director

Atty. Jonathan Bulos keynotes the seminar/

workshop on safe closure rehabilitation plan of

open/controlled dump facilities and ecological

so l id waste management (ESWM)

implementation in markets and malls held

Wednesday at the Centennial Resort Hotel

and Convention Center.

Pupils of the Sabang Central Elem School in

Borongan City pledged to do their share to

care Mother Earth led by PIA-OIC RD Alice

Nicart during the Climate Change Advocacy

Campaign dubbed Kabataan Para sa Kalikasan.

(PIA 8)

Tree Growing to Address Climate Change.

PIA-7 & VECO along with masscom students

from UPCC, USJR & CNU hold a 'tree

growing' activity within the grounds of the

AFP-Central Command after the forum on

climate change.

The Cabinet Secretaries on Yolanda Rehabilitation Efforts led by

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas recently held a consultative dialogue in

Roxas City to assess the progress, status and problems in the reha-

bilitation efforts under the Recovery Assistance for Yolanda (RAY)

in Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo. (PIA Capiz)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

Boracay's tourist arrivals generate nearly P23 B

By Venus G. Villanueva

KALIBO, Aklan, Nov. 18 (PIA6) -- The 10-month tourist arrivals in Boracay Island in 2014 generated a total of

P22,994,085,403.80 in tourism receipts, based on the latest records of the Provincial Tourism Operations Office (PTOO) here.

T he touri sm rece ip ts were

generated by 579,329 foreign

tourists, 637,301 domestic tourists

and 36,177 overseas Filipinos who visited

the island from January to October of this

year.

The combined visitor arrivals reached

1,250,807, just more than 200,000 short of

attaining the 1.5 million target this year of

tourist visiting the island.

In several radio interviews here,

Caticlan Jetty Port Niven Maquirang said the

province is hopeful that this target will be

met as there are still two months before

yearend – November and December.

Last year, the December tourist arrivals

reached 111,949, the month after Typhoon

Yolanda ravaged the province, but

November tourists were clipped down with

only 77,027 visitors.

Of the monthly arrivals last year, only

one other month registered less than a

hundred thousand – September, which had

only 86,404.

For this year‟s monthly arrivals too,

September listed the lowest, with 81,633.

Based on records of the PTOO, tourist

arrivals from 2006 to 2013 registered

positive growth – with the highest listed in

2012 with 33%, followed by 2010 with 20%

and 2011 with 17%; while the lowest growth

rate was listed in 2009 with only 2%.

In 2013, growth rate was listed at 13%, while

it attained P25,067,622,623.40 in tourism

rece ipts with 1 ,206 ,252 tourist

arrivals. (JSC/VGV-PIA6 Aklan)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Nov. 21 (PIA6) - - Thousands of migratory birds from Siberia, China and Australia pass by, feed and

even breed in the wetlands of the province particularly the Bago up to Ilog area.

D irector for Field Operations of

the Philippine Biodiversity

Conservat ion Foundat ion

Incorporated Lisa J. Paguntalan

approximates there are about 109,000 of

migratory shorebirds in the area for the

month of January alone, a count more

than that the whole of Manila Bay, the

highest concentration for these migratory

birds.

“Bago-Ilog coastal wetlands host the

most number of migratory shorebirds

passing through its flyway.

About 73 species of migratory

shorebirds passes this way every year and

these birds stay within these wetlands for

about six months before they back to

Siberia or China to breed,” Paguntalan

said.

According to Paguntalan, Olango

Island in Cebu is most popular when it

comes to migratory shorebirds where

they have 20,000-30,000 birds passing its

flyway every year although lesser in

number compared to that of the province.

Rare greenshank, an endangered

species and rarely sighted in the

Philippines was also recorded to be found

only in Tibsoc wetland in San Enrique and

Pontevedra towns since 2012.

Joy M. Navarro, Ecosystem

Management Specialist of the Biodiversity

Management Bureau of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources said

wetlands regulate ecosystem services like

filtration of pollution going to the sea

especially in Negros where you have a lot

of tidal or mud flats that not only serve

the migratory birds for food but it is also

the womb of the sea where fishes spawn.

“Wetlands are very import in terms

of ecosystem services because these

absorb water. So whenever there are

flooding, when you have wetlands that are

in a sense “protected” they absorb so

much water that it actually controls

flooding. Many of these wetlands are also

protection against storm surges like

mangroves, mud flats, coral reefs and sea

grass beds protection and safety against

climate change,” Paguntalan explained.

Although coastal wetlands are all

threatened due to development and urban

settlers, Negros, according to Paguntalan‟s

assessment have better wetlands in terms

of species on biodiversity because the

number of birds they are actually

supporting is an indicator of the richness

of these wetlands.*(JSC/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

Negros Occidental wetlands host to thousands of migratory birds

By: Easter Anne D. Doza

ILOILO CITY, Nov. 18 (PIA6) --- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-6 Regional Director Evelyn

Macapobre urged tourism stakeholders to ensure barrier-free tourist destinations for persons with disabilities (PWDs).

I n the Regional Forum on Accessible

Tourism held Monday at Hotel Del

Rio here, Macapobre said that PWDs

should also get what‟s due them in tourism

areas and establishments.

“They deserve to also enjoy nature‟s

beauty. Things like access ramps or elevators

for those who are unable to walk and

booklets or reading materials that are in

Braille for the visually challenged should be

available,” she said.

She said that it would be interesting to

see tourist spot employees who are able to

use the sign language for the hearing and

speech impaired.

She also said that help desks for PWDs,

special seats in vehicles, restaurants and

other places of interest are things that can

make the lives of PWDs easier and more

enjoyable.

Likewise, the presence of people

who are trained to handle different kinds of

PWDs can ease the stress on their end.

The DSWD official called on local

government units and the private sector to

work together in the implementation of laws

for PWDs, which include Republic Act (RA)

7277 or the Magna Carta for Disabled

Persons; RA 9442 which is an amendment of

RA 7277; and the Batas Pambansa (BP) 344

or the Accessibility Law.

As per data from DSWD-6, there

are 87,519 recorded PWDs in Western

Visayas, as of December 2010. Of the figure,

42,990 are males while 44,529 are females.

The Regional Forum on Accessible

Tourism was spearheaded by the

Department of Tourism (DOT) Office of

Tourism Standards and Regulations, DOT

Central Office, DOT-6 and in partnership

with the National Council on Disability

Affairs. (JSC/LTP-PIA Iloilo)

DSWD urges tourism industry to be PWD-friendly

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

NOGAS ISLAND, Anini-y, Antique, Nov. 18 (PIA6) - - Efforts to rehabilitate the coral reefs in Nogas Island in Anini-y are

gaining momentum according to an army officer.

Things go well for coral reefs restoration in Nogas Island

1 LT Conrad Franz M. Bauzon,

Commanding Officer of the Alpha

Company, 82IB, 3ID, Philippine Army

said that some 30,000 coral fragments have

already been transplanted in the area

surrounding the island.

Bauzon said that the restoration

activity was conducted last year under

the program dubbed Filipinnovation with the

s u p p o r t o f S e n a t o r L o r e n

Legarda, Department of Science and

Technology-Phil ippine Council for

Agricultural Resources Research and

Development (DOST-PCARRD), and the

Philippine Army 3rd Infantry Division.

Coral reefs serve as shelter

and breeding ground of different species of

fish.

The Army soldiers were trained to do

the transplantation of coral fragments.

Bauzon lectured on Coral Reef

Restoration during the PIA-DENR Youth

Camp held in Nogas Island and participated

in by some 60 high school students, advisers,

local government of Tobias Fornier and

Aniniy, the Philippine Army, Philippine

National Police and Likas Tama of St. Antho-

ny‟s College.

The conduct of the youth camp is one

of the activities of the Philippine

Information Agency-Department of

Environment and Natural Resources

partnersh ip on Cl imate Change

Preparedness, Adaptation and Mitigation

advocacy, aimed to increase the level of

awareness of students so that at an early

age, environmental protection will become

part of their daily life.

Bauzon also urged the youth to get

involve on issues concerning environmental

protection.

He said that the good intentions

for the coral reefs‟ restoration have also

gained community support, and they are

now helping protect the environment from

any form of destruction.

The participants to the PIA-DENR

Youth Camp were shown a video

presentation as to how the coral reefs

restoration was conducted.

Nogas Island is a 24 hectare island off

the coast of the Municipality of Anini-y, and

its about 15 minute-ride from Barangay

Nato.(JSC/MLG/VWV-PIA Antique)

By Vicente W. Villavert

Right information is key to Ebola prevention - DOH

ILOILO CITY, November 17 (PIA) --- The Department of Health (DOH) in Western Visayas said that correct and accurate

information about Ebola is a crucial weapon against the spread of the disease.

I n a press conference held Monday at

Sarabia Manor Hotel here, DOH-6

Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Jesse Glenn

Alonsabe said the health department has

provided sufficient information so the

stakeholders and the general populace have

a better understanding of the disease.

“The lack of information became the

problem in affected countries in West Africa

because people there do not know what

kind of disease was Ebola,” he said.

He said that when it comes to

information and preparedness, the general

public has been saturated with what they

need to know about the disease.

“In social media, there are a lot of

cynicisms regarding the preparation for

Ebola not only in the Philippines but even in

other countries such as the United States to

the point of over-acting or hysteria,” he

stressed.

He said that the health department

would like to avoid the public getting into

hysteria.

“In our system, it is very hard to

manage the hysteria epidemic rather than

the true epidemic itself,” he pointed out.

He said, however, that they do not

want to develop the culture of complacency

among the stakeholders and the general

public.

“The right information in the right

time given by the right people is key to

preventing the spread of this disease,” he

said.

Meanwhile, the DOH appealed to the

public not to spread unconfirmed and

baseless reports about Ebola for these will

be sowing panic and fear that will only put

lives in danger.

For correct information about Ebola,

please visit the DOH official Facebook page

– Department of Health (Philippines) and

website – www.doh.gov.ph. (JCM/LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

Guimaras LGUs get P3.6M

ILOILO CITY, Nov. 18 (PIA6) - - Three municipalities in the province of Guimaras including the provincial government itself

received checks totaling P3,642,423.95 through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP).

L a b o r S e c r e t a r y R o s a l i n d a

Dimapilis-Baldoz awarded the

checks to the local chief executives

of the municipalities and to Governor

Samuel Gumarin and Vice Governor Vicente

de Asis during a program held in Jordan

town for the installation of the marker

declaring the province as labor law

compliant tourist destination, November 17.

The funds will help materialize the

various projects proposed by the LGUs

benefiting some 793 Guimarasnons.

Th is w i l l a l so ensu re the

implementation of DILEEP in the province.

Of the total amount of checks, Mayor

Luben Vilchez of Sibunag received

P800,000.00 for their Seaweed Processing

project; Mayor Jimmy Gajo of San Lorenzo

received P649,974.00 for the San Lorenzo

Livelihood Project for Fisherfolks

Association; and LGU Nueva Valencia got a

check of P613,500.00 for their Saba Banana

Production Processing.

The provincial government is a recipient

of two checks, one worth P736,278.95 for

the implementatation of TUPAD Emergency

Emeployment project (1st tranch) and

another one worth P842,671.00 to fund

their native bags production and marketing

project.

Baldoz also turned over during the

activity productivity toolbox tarps to

Gumarin under the Pier to Port (P2P), a

convergence program being implemented by

DOLE 6 together with the local government,

other national government agencies and

private sectors that have stakes in the

tourism supply chain.

P2P aims to boost employment

opportunities of local workers and key

players involved in the tourism industry such

as through the conduct of service quality and

productiv ity train ings and other

capacity-building programs. (JCM/LAF/

PIA-Iloilo)

By Venus G. Villanueva

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

SIQUIJOR, Nov. 15 (PIA) — Researchers, academicians and other stakeholders officially launched a research/documentation

entitled, ―Folk Healing Practices of Siquijor Island: Documentation of Philippine Traditional Knowledge and Practices on

Health and Development of Traditional Knowledge Digital Library on Health at Cantabon Barangay Social Center.

Documentation of folk healing practices

launched in Siquijor Island

U niversity of the Philippines Manila

and project consultant Dr. Isidro

S ia , a l so a professor o f

pharmacology in his rationale of the

research said the endeavor will assist the

communities in documenting and upholding

their healing traditions.

Provincial science and technology

director Engr. Mario de la Peña also stressed

the need for the protection of the island‟s

traditional health practices against piracy

through the Intellectual Property Rights

(IPO) with the help of Atty. Gilbert Arbon

of DOST Negros Oriental.

He said that the program would

succeed with the support of all cooperating

institutions such as Siquijor State College

headed by its president, Dr. Ma. Imogen

Quilicot; Negros Oriental State University

(NORSU) with Dr. Virginia Lacuesta; the

DOST and the local government units that

committed to support the program.

Siquijor town mayor Mei Ling Quezon

and Siquijor provincial governor Zaldy Villa

were happy that such undertaking was

initiated. Both leaders gave their

commitment and full support to the project.

Barangay captains of San Antonio,

Ibabao, Cantabon and Cangmatnog also gave

their consent and support in the conduct of

the research. (mbcn/RAC/PIA7-Siquijor/

with reports from Engr. Reinhold Jek Abing

& Engr. Mario E. de la Peña/DOST-Siquijor)

By: Rizalie A. Calibo

DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 18 (PIA) --- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Negros Oriental recognized

three of its pensioners aged 105 as the oldest in Negros Oriental.

GSIS honours 3 oldest pensioners in Negros Oriental

G SIS Dumaguete Branch Manager Atty.

Mercedes VPE Enriquez visited the

three oldest pensioners in their

respective residences who are still enjoying

their pension at 105 years old.

The pensioners were retiree Demetria

Aldecoa of Dumaguete City who turned 105

years old on June 21, 2014; Valencia

Socorro, aged 105 whose birthday was last

November 15; and Margarito Init, 104 from

Valencia.

Enriquez said Aldecoa retired in 1972

and started receiving her old age

pension in December 1977 in the amount of

P254.63.

She has been receiving pension for 37

years and her current pension is P5,054.42

by virtue of Board Resolution 110 dated July

2, 2012 which levelled the basic monthly

pension of pensioners receiving below

P5,000 to a minimum of P5,000 effective

January 2013, GSIS official said.

Pensioner Socorro retired in June 1973

with an initial pension of P256.10.

She is enjoying her pension for 38 years

in the amount of P5,054.42 similar to that of

Mrs. Aldecoa.

Init, on the other hand, who was born

on October 25, 1910 retired in June 1973

and currently receiving pension in the

amount of P5,058.77.

Engriquez said the families of said

pensioners were grateful to GSIS for the

special recognition and the Board of

Trustees, in particular, for coming up

with a policy which enables the

pensioners to receive higher pension for

their needs.

The retirees shared the same secret for

living a long life, and that is, to eat green

leafy vegetables and fruits everyday. (rmn/jct/

PIA7-Negros Oriental)

By: Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) --- Close to 400 leaders of civil society organizations (CSOs) and different local

government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental and Siquijor joined the launching of ―Milyong Mga Pirma Alang sa Bottom-up

Budgeting‖ campaign last week to express support to the budget reform initiative of the Aquino Administration.

T he civil society group Kilos

Mamamayan (KM) led the launching

of the campaign during the Local

Poverty Reduction Action Teams (LPRAT)

orientation organized by the Department of

Interior and Local Government (DILG-7) on

November 13.

The campaign aims to gather million

signatures from different CSOs and LGUs to

ensure the continuous implementation of

the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) process that

involves stakeholders from the grassroots

level.

KM national secretary Marco Polo Ferrer

explained these signature campaign documents

will be presented to DILG Sec. Mar Roxas and

to some members of the House of

Representatives who vowed to lobby for the

institutionalization of BUB.

“We want to convince our lawmakers that the people support the move to

institutionalize the BUB.

This way, the program will be

implemented by the country‟s next president

who we are looking forward to be

reform-oriented and has a solid track record

for good and honest service," Ferrer said.

The highlight of the campaign was the

symbolic signing on the wall of commitment by

the participants.

Copies of the “Milyong Lagda” signature

campaign documents will be spread by the

group through its network of CSOs based in

Dumaguete City and other parts of Negros

Oriental and Siquijor.

“We must take action to ensure that this

reform measure will be sustained beyond the

Aquino administration,” he adds.

The BUB was introduced in 2011 by the

late Sec. Jesse Robredo during his stint at

DILG.

The BUB process focuses on engaging

for 300 to 400 of the poorest municipalities

identified by the Cabinet‟s Human

Development and Poverty Reduction (HDPR)

cluster. Local-level engagement will be facilitated

via relevant government agencies, local

community leaders, LGUs, and partner civic

organizations.

As of now, Sec. Roxas is currently

pursuing implementing various anti-poverty

programs in coordination with different

national government agencies covering 1,226

LGUs across the country with a proposed

inter-agency budget amounting to P20.1 billion

for 2015.

During the LPRAT orientation, heads of

participating CSOs and LGUs discussed some

proposals that will help strengthen the

program.

Meanwhile, KM also did similar

activities in other provinces over the past two

months.

Last Nov. 10 and 11, the campaign was

also launched in Cebu.

Aside from Cebu, the campaign was

also launched in Palayan City, Nueva Ecija

for Region 3, Naga City, Camarines Sur for

Region 5, and Iloilo City in Iloilo for Region 6

to advocate for the institutionalization the

program through an act of Congress. Ferrer emphasized that they are

determined to gather a million signatures as

proof of a solid support of the people for

continuous implementation of the BUB

process. (rmn/ral/PIA7-NegOr with reports

from KM)

CSOs join call for continuous implementation of Bottom-Up Budgeting

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 16 (PIA) – A nationwide association of insurance assessors and evaluators handed to Gawad

Kalinga (GK) Bohol a sum of P280,000 in check and pledges during their recent convention at the Bellevue in Panglao.

T he money goes to build houses and

communities in earthquake affected

and poverty haunted Bohol,

according to Cresanto Sabanpan, of the Gawad

Kalinga Project.

The Actuarial Society of the Philippines

(ASP) who just had their 55th convention at

the Pavillion of the Bellevue in tourism

resort Panglao readied the papers for the

donation through a board resolution which

the group‟s officers prepared for the Bohol

event, according to ASP president Maria

Sachiko Pang.

Pang shared this news in front of the

delegates gathered who had earlier viewed a

video presentation on the GK in the Philippines

and its mission.

GK is an organization that started in the

Philippine which targets to heave out 5 million

poor Filipinos out of poverty by 2024.

This it does by restoring the poor‟s dignity

and build a new nation empowered by people

believing and loving the natioh, each one caring

and sharing and is bent on working to beat

poverty and regaining human dignity, according

to Sabanpan, in the presentation attended also

by the famed Loboc Children‟s Choir.

While other groups help communities by

building houses, GK characterizes itself by

making an integrated and self-reliant

community of service and making impossible

things possible, leaving no one behind.

GK finds its fiscal support from donations

in its social justice projects, banking on charity,

being brother‟s keepers by heroic response to

voluntarism, according to Rey Balatayo,

another GK worker in Bohol.

GK communities become active for

testing earth friendly technologies, sustainable

livelihood and innovations which could be the

community‟s quick way out of poverty.

With this, QK organizers aspire to attain

social progress by working on the successes of

voluntarism, caring and serving communities as

well as sharing, because GK also believes it is

not the lack of resources but the apparent

tendency to hoard that makes the Philippines a

poor nation.

In Bohol, a GK community is now rising in

Bayacabac, Maribojoc, with 16 houses now

completed at Purok 4, according to Barangay

Chairman Jun Aniscal.

Aside from vermiculture, composting,

organic farming, the people of this purok have

started planting tree guarded fruit trees along

the barangay road leading to the municipal

demo farm. (rmn/RAC/PIABohol)

Actuarians donate P280K to Gawad Kalinga Bohol

CEBU, Nov. 19 (PIA) --- Cebu‘s longest shoreline ―Lapyahan‖ was recently tagged as the first ―LakasLikasan‖ area in the

province.

San Remegio's ‗Lapyahan‘

T he “LakasLikasan” tagging is part of

the climate change advocacy

campaign of the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)

in places cited for environmental relevance.

San Remigio‟s “Lapyahan” is known to be

the longest white beach shoreline in Cebu and

its seas, according to information officer Nino

Ybanez, gives fishermen an average of five to

ten kilos of good variety fish everyday.

“All residents here are cooperating in

the protection of the lapyahan and the seas, we

do coastal clean up once in awhile,” Ybanez

said.

More than 300 students from three

schools made a Pledge of Commitment to take

care of the environment which include their

seas during a recent Multi-Schools Campus

Caravan held by PIA Cebu and DENR-7.

The students from San Remigio National

High School, Hagnaya Elementary School, and

San Remigio Central School were all ears as

they listened to DENRO Provincial Officer

Jose Cleo Cary Colis who discussed

Environmental Stewardship.

Colis narrated several “small” things most

people do not know are causing harm to the

en v i ronmen t , i n c l u d i ng t h e f a c t

that plastic takes several years to decompose.

“Bottle used in mineral water will take

450 years to decompose; styrofoams

unfortunately will not decompose,” Colis said.

On the other hand, Philippine Information

Agency Central Visayas Regional Director

Minerva Newman engaged the students in an

interactive story telling session.

Newman, after narrating the creation of

the universe and its destruction by man made

activities, asked the students to cite ways to

mitigate climate change.

“Plant trees, don‟t use plastic, save

water,” were some of the answers of the

students.

San Remigio Vice Mayor Alfonso

Pestolante welcomed the participants in behalf

of Mayor Mariano Martinez who was out of the

country.

Pestolante urged the students to put the

lessons at heart since there is only one world

that humanity can live in. (rmn/fcc/PIA-Cebu)

By: Ferliza C. Contratista

By: Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 15 (PIA) – A group attempting to finally match the quality of Philippine higher education

graduates to the stringent requirements of the globally competitive tourism industry is now ready to turn over to Bohol its

finding and recommendations for a more effective industry here.

Bohol tourism human resource devt plan up

T he Philippine Business for Education

(PBEd), in partnership with the United

States Agency for International

Development (USAID) Philippines, has indulged

Boholanos and tourism industry stakeholders and

higher education key workers, technical and

vocational experts as well as local government

key movers and support industries in interviews,

surveys, focused group discussions to come up

with a win-win solution to the problem.

Tourism frontline operations demand the

most proper attitude, and its support industries

should at least be able to handle basic languages

confidently, accomplish demanding mental tasks,

for the industry to pick up the pace and really

become globally at par with other nations.

The school curriculum which is crafted could

still be enhanced into a more responsive mill if

industry stakeholders and school administrators

collaborate in shaping up a design which

approximates the needs, tourism industry

observers have shared.

On the other hand, if the Tourism Act

provides for a system of rating tourism

establishments, it must also be applicable to

frontline workers so that accredited tour guides

would be professionally paid on a performance

based system, and not on the length of service

which tends to make older guides stagnate in the

old stock of spiels, an unpublished research from

a leading tourism institute stated.

"PBEd has been implementing the

Higher Education and Productivity Project.

Our main goal i s to address

concerns over the mismatch between the quality

of the Philippines‟ higher education graduates and

the needs of its industries through greater

industry participation in curriculum design,

quality assurance and accreditation," according to

Justine Eleonor Raagas, PBEd Sr. Program

Manager.

"In line with this, we have crafted a Human

Resource Development Plan for the Tourism

Industry of Bohol through the technical

assistance of Asia Pacific Projects, Inc. (APPI),

with funding support from the United States

Agency for International Development

-Philippines," he added.

Just in time when Bohol picks up the tourism

pieces which shattered during the earthquake,

PBEd is now ready to present and officially turn

over the Human Resource Development Plan for

the Tourism Industry of Bohol to the provincial

government.

The event is set for Tuesday, November 18,

2014 6:00pm-8:00pm at the Governor‟s Mansion,

Tagbilaran City. (rm/rac/PIABohol)

By : Rey Anthony H. Chiu

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Christmas comes in November for 1000 kids

in remote Samar town

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Nov. 17 (PIA) -- Christmas came early for more than a thousand kids in this remote Matuginao

town as Anne Turla of the Soldiers‘ Wives and Girlfriends (SWAG) brought cheers and goodies.

A s the convoy of army officials and

elements travelled to the heart of

Samar where Matuginao town is

located, the convoy meet the children

and their parents from nearby Barangay

Barruz hiking towards the town to get their

„gift‟.

It was proverbially raining cats and dogs,

but the kids did not mind and used even

banana leaves to shield them from the heavy

downpour.

“This is a promise fulfilled, the kids are

so excited!” said the visibly happy Mayor

Melissa dela Cruz.

It was not much for an urban kid, the

little bag containing a pad paper, crayons,

pencil and one notebook, but to Jazel Jean

Ostano it was an early Christmas gift and it

was hers, she held on tightly to her new

possession as her mother joined the line for

mothers to get shampoo and

conditioners.

Leoberto, 5, did not budge from where

he stood ogling at the PAMANA driver

putting air to the balloons.

He whispered to his mom if he could

get the blue one-his favorite color.

Hearing him the Pamana driver obliged

and gave him what he wished. The act of

kindness brought an endearing toothless

smile.

Ronalisa Velarde, a teen-age girl did not

get the gift of school supplies anymore, yet

she proudly bared her „loot‟ of fashionable

earrings and a choker. She said she also lined

up for the shampoo.

It was almost a Christmas party, there

were food which they also got lining up,

drinks and parlor games-all these lining up

and hollering and running while the rains

were pouring.

“I am happy to see their smiles which

are pure, they seem very grateful,” Anne

Turla, guest and gift giver mused.

The SWAG founder also assured the

young mayor she will link the town to other

charitable NGOs for services and livelihood

packages.

Turla was accompanied by Col Erwin

Alea of the 8th Infantry Division, Lt Col

Siegfreid Tubalado of the 43rd Infantry

Battalion, LtCol Edgar Yerro of the 546th

Engineering Battalion who is credited for

opening the 1.5 kilometer road to the town

and Imelda Bonifacio Payapa at Masaganang

Pamayanan (PAMANA) manager and the

media. (ajc/PIA 8-Samar/nbq)

Some 293 new defenders of the Philippine Republic graduate

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Nov. 20 (PIA) -- Samar community welcomes in its fold some 293 new defenders of the

Philippine Republic.

T hese were some of the words

uttered by Rep Emil Ong, as guest

of honor and speaker in the

candidate soldiers‟ graduation on Tuesday,

November 18, 2014 at the 8th Infantry

Division headquarters of the Philippine

Army.

In his message, Ong honored the

graduates who stood under the heat of the

sun while their parents proudly clapped and

watched their children who hurdled the

rigorous physical and mental training for

seven weeks.

Of these graduates, 20 come from

Luzon, 64 from Mindanao and 209 of them

come from Eastern Visayas.

The youngest is 18 years old while the

oldest is 33 with special skills though.

The graduates are a combination of two

batches, the first batch 365-14 is led by top

one soldier Pvt Jury Lanquino who yielded

an average grade of 95.05; the second batch

366-14 is led by Pvt Rey Marino with 95.85

general average.

As to educational background, 118 are

high school graduates, 154 of them are

college undergraduates while 21 are college

graduates.

“These are the smartest soldiers,” said

8th ID Commanding Officer Jet Velarmino.

As Pvt Noel Palacio ate lunch with his

parents after the ceremony, he narrated that

he is duty bound to give his parents a better

life as his father is a farmer in Jaro, Leyte.

His mom was teary-eyed as she talked

of convincing her first born to forget being a

soldier as she feared for his life.

“My son was determined and I am just

glad he did not complain during the training.

I see him now as a soldier who can defend

his country,” Joselita Palacio said.

Pvt Jovy Caluya ate his lunch alone, his

parents from Antique could not make it. But

he talked to them on his cellphone the night

before which was enough encouragement.

Like Palacio, Caluya is also the eldest son

and he wants to assume the responsibility of

taking care of his four siblings as his father is

also a farmer.

The two young soldiers along with 291

classmates took their oath as dedicated and

disciplined defenders of the country and to

uphold human rights as they perform their

duties.

The soldiers were also given rosaries.

The rosaries are to help keep in memory

certain principal events or mysteries in the

history of salvation and for God‟s blessings.

As the last part of the program

unfolded, the 293 new defenders met their

families with the hindsight that challenges

await them in the real battlefield. (ajc/nbq/

PIA 8-Samar)

GSIS-Maasin Branch unveils building marker at new office

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Nov. 20 (PIA) -- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Maasin Branch marked

the transfer of their new office at R. Kangleon St., Barangay Mantahan, Maasin City with a Holy Mass, ribbon cutting ceremony

and unveiling of the Building Marker, November 17, 2014.

T he Holy Mass was solemnized b

who also led in the blessing

ceremony assisted by City Mayor

Maloney Samaco, GSIS Maasin Branch

Manager Igmedio Ponay Jr., GSIS Vice

President for Operations Salvacion Mate,

Rosalyn Ramos and GSIS Pensioner

Estrella Castro, Department heads of

different agencies, GSIS Family were

among the visitors and guests.

The unveiling of building marker

signifies the transfer of GSIS Maasin

Branch to a bigger and better service area

and marks as a symbol of the Pension

Fund‟s commitment to provide responsive

service to the active and retired members

of the GSIS.

Manager Ponay in his welcome

message was grateful for the support of

each government agency.

He committed to serve better for the

welfare of the members of GSIS.

A consultative meeting with Public

Sector Union leaders and their

representatives was also included in the

day activity that was held after the blessing

and ribbon cutting ceremonies.

It was conducted at the Lourdes

Convention Center in Maasin City. (ajc/

rgc/PIA8-SoLeyte)

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

EMB-8 to conduct lectures in schools on

climate change

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Nov.20 (PIA) -- The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in the region will conduct a series

of lectures in some schools in Eastern Visayas in order to intensify awareness relative to the celebration of the Climate Change

Consciousness Week from November 19-26, 2014.

D u r i n g t h e r a d i o

program “Nagbabag-o na an

panahon, Panahon na para

magbag-o”aired over a local station,

Maribel Munsayac, Solid Waste

Management Program Coordinator of the

EMB-DENR in the region underscored the

importance of disseminating the

information to the students to be able to

understand what is climate change, what it

cause and its impact to the environment.

Munsayac further stated that aside

from lectures, artistic activities like poster/

painting contest will also be conducted to

help students appreciate the information

given to them through lectures.

It also helps instill in their young

minds their respective roles in minimizing

the disastrous effects of climate change.

Munsayac pointed some effects of

climate change such as increase in

temperature, sea-level rise, melting of

glaciers and extreme weather events like

super typhoons.

Through the conduct of Poster

Making Competition, artistic students are

encouraged to join.

The artistic competition will revolve

on the theme “Plan, Implement, Act and

Achieve”. (ajc/cba/pia-8)

RDC appoints new sectoral committee chairs, co-chairs

A ppointed as off icers of the

various Sectoral Committees

with a term of office up to 2016

are: Regional Director (RD) Cynthia R.

Nierras of the Department of Trade and

Industry, Regional Office No. VIII, as

Chairperson of the Economic Development

Committee, with Atty. Roy Bernard C. Fiel,

P S R - C C I / B u s i n e s s G r o u p a s

Co-Chairperson.

For the Socia l Development

Committee, appointed as Chairperson is RD

Edgardo M. Esperanci lla of the

Department of Science and Technology,

with Ms. Elnora C. Quebec, PSR-Health as

Co-Chairperson.

On the other hand, Department of

Budget and Management RD Imelda C.

Laceras Chairs the Development

Administrative Committee, with Dr.

Edmundo F. Gariando, PSR-Academe as

Co-Chair.

The last Committee which is the

Infrastructure and Utilities Development

Committee is chaired by RD Rolando M.

Asis of the Department of Public Works and

Highways with Mr. Tiburcio A.

Morales, Jr., PSR-Agribusiness/Cooperative

as Co-Chairperson.

Meanwhile, Section 7 of Executive

Order No. 325, as amended, partly provides

that “To assist the RDC in the performance

of its functions, the Council shall

create sectoral committees to handle

social, economic, infrastructure, and

development administration concerns,”

while Section J.2 of the Rules and

Regulations of the Reorganization of the

RDCs Implementing EO No. 325 states that

the Council shall create the above

mentioned Sectoral Committees which

shall be jointly headed by a Chairman and a

Co-Chairman who will be appointed

either by the RDC Chair or selected by the

members among themselves. (ajc/maa/PIA-8)

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 18 (PIA) -- To strengthen government and private sector partnership in understanding the mandates

of the Regional Development Council (RDC), and to promote regional development and inclusive growth, Leyte Governor

Leopoldo L. Petilla, RDC chairman, in coordination with the regular council members, reorganized its sectoral committee

chairpersons.

City pushes waste segregation to adapt, mitigate climate change

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Nov. 20 (PIA) -- The General Services Office of the city local government unit here intends

to revisit its waste segregation scheme that was started several years ago, this time with more focus on its implementation.

B enjase Lumen, a ranking staff of

the city‟s GSO, said in a recent

interview over Action Center

Kapihan sa PIA Cable TV program, that

the garbage disposal in the city will soon

be transferred to a distance of 15

kilometers from the city proper, in

barangay Bactol I.

And with this impending transfer,

only residual wastes will strictly be

collected by the garbage collectors, the

compostables retained in designated

composting centers in a barangay, or

cluster of barangays, while recyclables will

be left to households for their disposal to

willing buyers or for their re-use, Lumen

said.

“We will be enforcing waste

segregation by source, or by households,

so this early we should start practicing

segregation to make it a habit, so

eventually people‟s attitudes toward

garbage will change,” explained Lumen.

He said there is a need to change

perspectives on garbage as pure filth or

plain trash, because about 60 percent of

household garbage are good compost

materials, 30 percent can be re-used,

recycled, or even be sold to scrap buyers,

and only 10 percent are due for disposal,

such as plastics.

But even plastics and the so-called

“tsitsiriya” can be turned into creative

products that may command a good price

to willing buyers, instead of just throwing

them away, as what was done by some

individuals in barangay Asuncion, he

added.

The PIA and the DENR, with full

support from the City and Provincial

LGUs, is currently pilot-testing the waste

segregation at source in barangay

Asuncion since October and extended

until December to give way to their fiesta

on November 29.

The activity is part of a nationwide

advocacy campaign to mitigate and adapt

with changing climate conditions.

The Asuncion campaign also involves

a songwriting contest.

Lumen said the Asuncion initiative will

be replicated to other six barangays

around the city proper, to outskirt

barangays, and ultimately the whole 70

barangays of the city, at least on waste

segregation drive.

During the cable TV program, Lumen

demonstrated how household wastes can

be taken care of, like papers, tins of food

packages, sando bags, and other items that

are usually thrown away but still have uses

when kept. (ajc/mmp/PIA8-Southern

Leyte)

Marivic A. Alcober

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. 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:

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