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THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-7 | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH VOL. 2 | NO. 4| April 17, 2013

INFOBYTESTOPSTORIES

BOHOL (PIA) –The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) in Central Visayas brings to Bohol, 11 ASEAN countries representatives

for its 2nd Conference on Working toward a Cyber Pornography and Cyber Prostitution-Free Southeast Asia on April 23-25 at Bohol Tropics in Tagbilaran City. DSWD7informationofficerJaybee

By Rey Anthony h. Chiu Binghay said the Bohol conference is an offshoot of theASEANfirst conferencein Manila in June 2012 that tackledthe dynamics and realities of cyber pornography and cyber prostitution as well as the development of a comprehensive

Bohol to host ASEAN cyberporno, prostitution gab

and responsive interventions to address this issue. “ T h i s c o n f e r e n c e specif ical ly aims to share various enabling mechanisms in addressing the issue on cyber pornography and cyber prostitution," Binghay added. She said the gathering will also determine effective, preventive and responsive strategies; identify good practices to combat cyber pornography and cyber prostitution issues and to formulate regional agenda to address these cases. T h e 3 - d a y e v e n t w i lL inc lude a var ie ty o f methodologies: lectures, group discussions and workshops, she said. T h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y technological advancement facilitated the production, storage and distribution of information and at the same time, brought in new forms of human exploitation through cyber pornography and cyber prostitution. These situations also provided a convenient window to violate the inherent worth and dignity of numerous women and children in the region. “This happens due to poverty and lack of stringent laws to address the problem,” Bingjay pointed out. A g g r a v a t i n g t h e proliferation of cyber pornography and cyber prostitution are: public’s lack of information on the problem and addressing cyber-pornography and cyber prostitution as well as non-cooperation of cyber café owners and operators in disclosing any information of their users, Binghay said as she cited the results of various researches. This makes tracking of victims and perpetrators almost impossible, DSWD noted. Participating ASEAN countries in the Bohol conference include: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and the Philippines. (mbcn/RAHC/PIA7-Bohol&JB/DSWD7)

Child Wise Tourism Launching in Bohol : The highlight of the Child Wise Tourism Programme held at the Alona Kew White Beach Hotel & Resort in Panglao, Bohol on April 12 is the signing of the Covenant of Commitment for the Protection of Children in Tourism which lists the pledges that concerned organizations will uphold to ensure the safety of children. (PIA-Bohol)

TOPSTORIESINFOBYTES

DOST awards STARBOOKS to LGUs in Negros Oriental

By JennifeR C. tilos

.PCOSmachinedemoandtestinginSMCityCebu:Afirst-timevotergetsabriefingandarealfeelofvotingusingaPCOSmachineatSMCityCebu.Thedemonstration runs for one month and is open to the public. (FCC/PIA CEBU)

NEGROS ORIENTAL

LGU Manjuyod, Hedcor ink MOA for hydro project

ByJenniferC.Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- The municipality of Manjuyod, Negros Oriental signed recently a memorandum of agreement with AboitizPower’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Hedcor, to build a hydropower plant. Corporate communications officerKarenPadawagofHedcorInc.said the Mabinay-Manjuyod Hydropower project is expected to have a generating capacity of 21.9 megawatt of clean and renewable energy. B a r a n g a y o f f i c i a l s o f Kauswagan, Manjuyod led by barangay chairmanAanthonyGuillen,andJesusDaguman of New Namangka, Mabinay also signed the MOA. The agreement contains the benefits the host communitieswouldreceive from the project. These include farm-to-market roads, education and employment opportunities, health services, and generation shares on top. Padawag said the generation shares will be given once the plant is operational, over and above the minimum found in the Energy Regulation 1-94. “Aside from focusing on education, health, livelihood and infrastructure, we are also committed to lead the way in reforestation activities and watershed management programs,” Vice president for business developmentBoyJabonillosaid. Jabonilloadded“Wewillalsobring inclusive growth to the community of Negrenses. This means we will provide sustainability programs for the community’s progress.” The hydropower project, the first project ofHedcor inVisayaswilltap the Ilog River in Manjuyod which will generate 84 million kilowatt hours annually. Padawag said the project will be an addition to the 19 plants in Ilocos Sur, Davao and Benguet provinces that Hedcorcurrentlyoperates.(mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negors Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY (PIA) -- The local Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will launch thefirstonlinescienceandtechnologylibrary which will be turned over to the three local government units in Negros OrientalonApril17atDOST’sOffice,Dumaguete City. Dubbed 'STARBOOKS' or the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly-Operated Kiosk Stations, will be awarded to public libraries of Dumaguete City, Mabinay town, and Bayawan City for their eLibrary on science education and technology. Prov inc ia l S&T d i rector, Atty. Gilbert Arbon of DOST said STARBOOKS is a stand-alone library

portal that is intended to provide the public with free access to digital science and technology information materials for academic and livelihood uses. It is a new academic resource for students and researchers equip with key access portals in strategic areas in the Philippines, said Atty. Arbon. Users can have access to the latest data and information contained at DOST (SciNeT), Philippine eLib project sources, freely-available online resources, and subscribed databases. Th i s cons i s t o f a pod , computer server, printer, and a UPS or uninterruptible power supply, however, this does not require internet connectivity but has to be maintained by and IT specialists. This project is an initiative

of DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) of which the technology is available for transfer to interestedLGUs.(mbcn/JCT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

COMMUNITYNEWSINFOBYTES

INFOBYTES is a weekly electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Region 7 with stories submitted by its Provincial Information Centers in Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

CEBU

CEBU CITY (PIA) -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has opened a PhilHealth Express in Ayala Center Cebu. The PhilHealth Express-Ayala is located on the fourth level of Ayala mall at the Servicesareaandisopenfivetimesaweek,MondaysthroughFridaysfrom10a.m.to7p.m. The PhilHealth Express-Ayala can process applications for registration of individuals and establishments, correction or amendment of member data and requests for

issuance of Member Data Record (MDR) and PhilHealth ID. I t wi l l also receive premium payments two days a week, every Thursdays andFridays,from10a.m.to3p.m. On other days, members can pay premium at PhilHealth-accredited collecting agents and to LBC and Bayad Center branches located at the same area of the mall. They will also receive premium payments from individually-paying members for a minimal transaction fee. PhilHealth Express is also at SM City Cebu from Mondays through Fridays,

PhilHealth Express in Cebu mallsBy JuJu MAnuBAg-eMpueRto

10a.m.to7:00pm. Cashiering services at PhilHealth Express-SM is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays upto3:00pm. ThePhilHealthExpress-JCenterMall in Mandaue City is open on Tuesdays toSaturdays, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm,whilethePhilHealthExpress-PacificMall,alsoinMandaue City, is open Mondays to Saturdays, 9:00amto6:00pm. PhilHealth Express is an innovative approach of bringing services closer to the people as it provides basic frontline services, particularlyinvitaltraffichubssuchasmallsorshoppingcenters.(rmn/JSME/PIA-Cebu/Philhealth)

D U M A G U E T E C I T Y (PIA) --Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR7) regional director, Dr. Isabelo Montejo challenged about 500 chemistryteachers, researchers, industry practitioners and students from all over the Philippines to create better and effective measures in minimizing pollutants that are present in the environment. On its 28th Philippine Chemistry Congress hosted by Silliman University, Dir. Montejo in his message, placed the task to the participants in formulating simple yet efficientways for localcommunities to mitigate the harmful effects of worsening environmental degradation. "The intent is to have people in place that can address the chemistry of air, water, soil, sediments, space and biota of the environment so that we can effectively carry out the mandate of managing and protecting our environment and natural resources," said Montejo. He emphas i zed t he importance of having a strong partnership between DENR and chemists. " In the scout ing and screening for strategies and methodologies for sequestering Green House Gases, chemists would be the partners that biologists cannot do without," he said. M o n t e j o c i t e d t h e indispensible role of chemists in monitoring and goal attaining activities in the flagship project of DENR which is the National Greening Program.

DENR7 cites chemist role in environmental growth

By JennifeR C. tilos

National Year of Rice launching in Siquijor: DA-7 Regional Executive Director Angel Enriquez (w/ mic)speaksduringthelaunchingof2013NationalYearofRiceinSiquijor.ShesaidCentralVisayasis food secured because we have all the available food requirement. (RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)

He mentioned several studies which the DENR and chemists can support each other, namely: "analytical methods of assessment to monitor water and air quality; studies on household cleaning materials that will not be harmful. Studiesonmaterials thatcanbest insulatehomesandspaces forEnergyefficiencyandconservation; studies in gain-loss of carbon sequestration vis-a-vis reforestation efforts undertaken by DENR; and studies on carbon sequestration of particular plant species, Montejo added. With the theme“Chemistry in3D:Discovering,Defining,Developing”, the28thPhilippineChemistryCongressaimstoprovideanswers throughtheuseofscientificprocess inchemistry tosolve the underlying problems present in the physical environment which include issues on energy, environment, industry,agriculture,foodsustainability,healthandnutrition.(mbcn/JCT/PIA7-NegrosOriental)

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SIQUIJOR

MGA KATANGIAN NG MGA KARAPAT-DAPAT

NA LINGKOD BAYAN

Mga katangiang dapat makita sa isang karapat-dapat na Lingkod Bayan ay ang mga sumusunod:•Dapataymayhangaringtapatatmahusaysa kanyang paglilingkod sa publiko. •Dapataymaypantayatmakatarungangpakikitungo sa sinumang lumalapit sa kanyang tanggapan. • Dapat ay may integridad at walanghangaring gamitin ang kanyang tungkulin sa kanyang pansariling kapakanan.•Dapataymayintegridadatpaninindiganna hindi tatanggap ng anumang uri ng suhol o lagay. • Dapatmaka-Diyos atmay damdamingpagserserbisyo lalo na sa mga mahihirap.

Siquijor unites for 2013 National Year of Rice

LARENA, S iqu i jor (PIA) - - Pres ident Aquino dec lared 2013 Na t i ona l Yea r o f R i ce unde r P roc lama t i on No . 494and it was launched throughout the country on January 28, 2013. In the province of Siquijor, among the highlights, said Gay Therese Bucol of the Department of Agriculture, was the signing of commitment by all stakeholders and program implementers and the joint recitation of the rice pledge. TheNationalYear ofRice dubbedasNYR2013aims to achieverice self-sufficiency and minimize, if not totally stop, rice importation. This advocacy campaign aims to promote the need for everyone’s help through intensified informationcampaignandsocialmarketing - fromthe producers, policy-makers down to the general public/consumers. NYR2013 is part of theFoodStaplesSufficiencyProgramof the country. "SapatnaBigas,KayangPinas(RicesufficiencycanbeachievedbyPinas)"isthethemeforNYR2013.Thisishopedtobeachievedthroughthejointefforts of all Filipinos. The producers/rice farmers are urged to adopt recommended technologies. This means that higher rice yield can feed more people. Policy-makers are also urged to create policies that promote farm productivity, and eaters are urged to be conscientious rice consumers. For the consumers, attaining rice sufficiency can be achieved by reducing rice wastage and eating alternative staple foods such as "Saba (a kind of banana)", sweet potato, corn, and the like. Everyone is also encouraged to eat brown rice as it has higher mil l ing recovery and is more nutrit ious than white rice. In2012,Siquijorhasariceareaof639.67hectares,approximately3.46percentofitsentireagriculturalarea.Notwithstanding,atotalof2,316.07metric

By gAy theRese M. BuCol

COMMUNITYNEWSINFOBYTES

Pulong-pulong for Siquijor: Some women of Purok Bougainvilla, Tulapos, Enrique Villanueva,SiquijorposewithPIA-SiquijorInformationOfficerRizalieA.Calibo(thirdfromright)priortothePulong-Pulongconductedtomorethan40barangaywomen folks of the Tulapos Fishermen Association (TUFA) and the Kapunungan samgaAnaksayutaugDagat(KAYOD)onMarch31,2013(EasterSunday)tocelebratetheWomen’sMonth.Someoftheparticipantsarealsobeneficiariesof the Pantawid Pamilya program. (RACalibo-PIA-Siquijor)

Siquijor towns urged to adopt organic agri law

SIQUIJOR(PIA)--Theprovincialgovernment of Siquijor through the Provincial Organic Agriculture Board

tons (MT) were produced on the same year. This resulted to a 2.14 percent increaseinyieldcomparedtothe2011data.It also has the highest average yield per hectareof3.68MT/hainthewholeofRegion7. Furthermore, the province of Siquijor is only 14.88 percent sufficient in rice. The difference is satisfied with rice coming from other provinces and the consumption of other food staple like corn. (mbcn/rac-PIA 7, Siquijor/Gay Therese M. Bucol/OPA)

(POAB) urged its six municipalities to adoptRepublicAct 10068 otherwiseknown as Organic Agriculture Act. This is in line with the provincial government’s thrust to boost ‘agri-eco-tourism’ and its farmers’ productivity and income, according to the POAB. Members of POAB and its technical working committee said as they unanimously agreed to request all municipalities to support the law through its adoption and creation of the Municipal Organic Agriculture Committees (MOACs) and Technical Working Groups (TWGs). The P rov inc i a l O rgan i c Agriculture Board (POAB) and its Technical Working Committee have been created early last year along with the formulation of the Organic Agriculture Roadmap for the province and a development plan for this year. As one its activities for this year, the POAB has scheduled the whole month of February this year for a series of meetings with the members of the municipal councils and March for the orientation on RA 10078 and the importance ofthe creation of MOAC and TWGs. This, the PPOAB said will provide for the development of a comprehensive organic agriculture for the province and its municipalities. (mbcn/RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)

By RizAlie A. CAliBo