Vol 2 Issue 5 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 Jan.30-Feb.5, 2012

WESTERN VISAYAS  

T ANAUAN, Leyte, Jan. 28 (PIA) -- The Community eCenter of Tanauan, this province is bringing digital literacy to

women right in their respective barangays. Mr. Eugene Ramos, the CeC manager and this

year’s Knowledge Worker, said since many women in the 54 barangays of Tanauan cannot afford to go to the center in the town proper to learn about digital information technology, the CeC staff brings the technology to the women right at their barangays.

The CeC of Tanauan which emerged as the grand winner for both the CeC and the Knowledge Worker categories of the 2nd Philippine CeC Excellence awards, has conducted digital literacy training in three barangays, Canramos, San Roque

and Bantagan, Mr. Ramos said. He said he is happy that many women really show their interest to learn about the course.

He added that as far as he knows, the undertaking is the first of its kind among the country’s CeCs.

This project, Ramos added, is in support to the Philippine Digital Literacy for Women Campaign (PDLWC) which aims to empower 10,000 women from the poor and marginalized communities in the Philippines through digital literacy training.

The campaign is spearheaded by the Commission on ICT, together with the members of the PhilCeCNet and the telecentre.org Foundation.(PIA-8)

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue

By Fayette C. Riñen CEBU CITY, Feb. 2 (PIA) -- Apart from reduc-

ing the country’s dependence on imported petro-leum, the E-Trike Project of the Department of Energy (DOE) is also an initiative of the national government to mitigate the effects of climate change.

DOE-Visayas Field Office Regional Director Antonio Labios bared that the government through the DOE is promoting the use of e-trikes because fuel consumption is much less and no smoke emissions that cause air pollution are emitted.

Labios said the incessant rising prices of oil in the global market are making the country captive to costly fuel since we are over 90 percent de-pendent on imported petroleum.

“We need to fast track measures to lessen the dependence of imported fuel and the adoption of e-trikes is one of them,” Labios declared.

Labios said promoting the use of e-trikes hopes to see the gradual phase-out of conventional tricycles although he did not disclose a timeline.

On top of reducing our dependence on fuel import, e-trikes are also environmentally-friendly because they do not discharge smoke so no carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere, Labios further said.

Carbon dioxide is one of the major greenhouse gases that destroy the earth’s ozone layer, contributing to global warming and climate change, this is learned.

Unlike conventional tricycles with combustion engines that produce smoke, e-trikes produce no noise and zero emissions, Labios said. (PIA-Cebu)

Q UEZON CITY, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- President Benigno Aquino III launched the new website of the Philippine Information Agency

and underscored the agency’s role in uniting government departments and agencies during PIA’s 2 5 t h a n n i v e r s a r y celebrtion. “Sa pagpapaunlad sa inyong website para sa mas epektibong pagbibigay ng impormasyon tungkol sa mga programa ng gobyerno, pinagbubuklod din ninyo ang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan sa pagtataguyod ng ating agenda ng pagbabago gamit ang teknolohiya sa modernong panahon (In improving your new website to better provide information about the government’s programs, you also unite the government agencies in pushing for reform, through modern technology),” President Aquino said.

President Aquino also thanked the PIA employees for their efforts to disseminate the good results of projects and reforms of the government which the mainstream media fail to report.

Aside from bringing relevant news to the public, PIA also conducts surveys, the results of which are sent to government agencies to help them in crafting appropriate policies and programs to address the people’s concerns, and enabling citizens to participate in solving the problems of the nation.

This development is a far cry from the media situation during the Martial Law era. President Aquino said that during the Martial Law era, the people had no means to know the right and accurate information from the government.

However, Executive Order 100 which created PIA in 1986 clearly set the agency’s mandate – to promote effective communication between the government and the people. (PIA-GHQ)

PIA website unites government agencies, says PNoy

E-trikes to reduce fuel import, address climate change

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

More on Region 7, pages 4-5. Also CLICK Here…

More on Region 6, pages 2-3. Also CLICK Here…

Model Community eCenter brings digital literacy to women in barangays

DSWD 6 Regional Director Minda Brigoli (center) signs a Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Livelihood Program Implementation for beneficiaries of the government's social protection programs including the 4Ps with WVCST President Luis Sorolla (left) and DTI Iloilo Provincial Director Wilhelm Malones during the celebration of the agency's 61st anni-versary here recently. (PIA6)

EASTERN VISAYAS  

PIA NegOr staff at the La Libertad SB Session Hall for a Kapihan forum on NORECO I district elections, p o w e r s i t u a t i o n a n d r u r a l electrification program updates. This is the last in a three-fora series of info campaigns in NORECO I coverage areas.

CENTRAL VISAYAS  

Parents accompany their children to the Early Registration Day at Catbalogan 1 Central School where the teachers came as early as six in the morning to register students in kinder, Grade one and first year high school, today, January 28, 2012. (NInfa Quirante)

Members of the PIA family headed by PCOO Secretary Herminio Coloma and PIA Director General Jose Fabia pose with President Benigno S. Aquino III at the launching of the new PIA website during the agency’s 25th anniversary celebration recently. (PIA6)

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

T his need, aired over a local radio station here, was reiterated by Congressman Florencio T.

Miraflores of the lone district of Aklan, which he said is evidenced by the long queu of arriving and departing passengers, foreign and local, at the KIA daily.

Besides an additional terminal building, Miraflores said in the radio interview that the airport runway also needs to be widened, as presently only 3 airplanes could occupy the runway at the same time.

It was reported by airport officials that last weekend, an air traffic at KIA ensued as both domestic and foreign flights arrived at the airport at the same time, and had to wait for planes on the ground to take off before the hovering planes could land.

Miraflores said he has already written Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) about this problem being experienced at KIA.

Based on records from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) records here, a total of 629,750 passengers, both foreign and local, passed through KIA from January to December 2011.

Domestic passengers numbered 383,459, while foreign passengers totalled 246,291.

The Kalibo International Airport, according to CAAP, is now one of the busiest airports in the country. (JCM/VGV PIA 6 Aklan)

Aklan solon reiterates need for additional airport building

KALIBO, Aklan, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- An additional terminal building is badly needed at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA).

I t is all systems go for the clean up drive on Saturday, February 4 with Bacolod City of f ic ia ls and

employees, barangay officials, and volunteers from private organizations to do volunteer clean up work, a press release from the City Public Information Office said.

The Bacolod City Clean and Green Task Force led by Lions’ Club Myrna Servando and lady Councilors Em Ang, Sonya Verdflor and Mona Dia Jardin are all ready with the first set of volunteers to do clean up from 6:00 to 9:00 in the morning.

The formation of the task force was the positive response to the call of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia to relaunch the clean and green movement in the city.

The Task Force Clean and Green was created under his Executive Order No. 21 series 2011 inorder to inculcate in the minds of the city residents the values of discipline, self-reliance, resourcefulness, c o o p e r a t i o n , c l e a n l i n e s s a n d environmental awareness; and to mobilize all sectors of society in transforming and helping their communities into clean and green areas at the least expense to government.

In a memorandum to city officials and employees and letter to Barangay Captains, Leonardia emphasized that a cleaner and greener Bacolod will attract more tourists, visitors and investors to the city which has shown sustained rapid economic growth from the robust performance of its tourism and call center sectors, and also inspire

at private and people organizations and citizens to throw their support to the city’s clean and green movement.

The volunteers will tear down banderetas, banners and streamers, paint gutters, walls and bridges to erase graffitis, trim down or weed out grasses, de-silt sidewalks and clean litters on the roadsides, the release added.

Leonardia is hoping that private citizens and institutions located along the roadways where the general cleanup drive is to be conducted will extend support to the volunteers and also be encouraged to join them.*(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)

Volunteers to do general clean-up drive

BACOLOD CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA6) - - In the spirit of public-private partnership, the streets of Bacolod will be filled with volunteers for the clean-up drive in the hope to revive the clean and green movement in the city.

by Venus G. Villanueva

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Feb. 3 (PIA6) -- An intensity meter will be installed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in Panay Island this year.

PHIVOLCS to install intensity meter in Panay Island

T his will be preferably installed in Iloilo as the center of the region, according to PHIVOLCS – Capiz

head Ramil Atando. The seismic sensor is among the 100

earthquake intensity meters that will be established in the various parts of the country for a more precise and faster readings of earthquake.

A huge number of the seismic sensors will be scattered in highly populated areas

surrounded by fault lines like Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The facility is a box like structure equipped with a small monitor capable of calculating the intensity of the earthquake and transmitting on real-time the data into the PHIVOLCS database for an accurate description and measurement of the tremor’s intensity.

Atando said that the project is realized through the help of Japan

International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and will help the seismologist for a faster issuance of landslide and tsunami alerts to save lives in the event that earthquake will strike the country.

Meanwhile, based on PHIVOLCS – Capiz records, only intensity two earthquake which were felt in San Joaquin and Igbaras towns in Iloilo were registered in Panay Island this 2012. (JCM/AAL/PIA 6 Capiz)

by Alex A. Lumaque

by Easter Anne D. Doza

ILOILO PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333 Provincial population data show need for population management by Elsa S. Subong

ILOILO CITY, Jan. 30 (PIA6) -- The initial results of the comprehensive population data gathering initi-ated by the Iloilo Population Office showed a need for managing population so that it will be responsive to the growth government is undertaking.

P rovincial Population Officer Ramon Yee said that the data they have consolidated have

shown a trend which he considered a real-ity in the province and even all throughout the country.

“This reality calls for effective imple-mentation of responsible parenthood and family planning,” Yee said.

One of these, he said, were the find-ings that low income households were found to have low practice of family plan-ning, and another is that low income households with low education, have low practice of family planning.

On the other hand, households with higher income and higher educational at-tainment, have small family size.

Although this is still too early to make a generalization, Yee said that some impli-cations can already be made as to the

need for population education across the segments of the population.

Yee said the data bank they are work-ing on now is in the process of encoding and cleansing, merging and statistical analy-sis.

He said all the 1,721 barangays in Iloilo have been surveyed, covering 237,920 households, with 1,193 of these barangays already encoded in the system.

Yee said he was pleased that the population data bank is beginning to take shape, which can serve as reference for local officials especially the barangays, in formulating plans and projects that truly respond to the actual needs.

“This is actually a bias for the importance of data in governance, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n p o p u l a t i o n management, which we usually ignore,” Yee said.

Yee was himself a local chief executive, and he said that he did not have such data for basis, so the local planning was merely “shooting the stars.”

He added that the data bank is a boost to the national government’s thrust for population and development integration planning.

Yee said the data bank can also aid in addressing poverty-related concerns because of information on poverty level through distribution of income and other economic data.

Further, Yee said, the data also cover food production, health and other social services.

When completed, the population data bank will present updated, reliable and comprehensive information, Yee added. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

DTI sets SME caravan in Capiz

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Feb. 2 (PIA6) -- A Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) caravan will be conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Capiz on Feb. 16 to 17 to enhance the competitiveness of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the province.

T he two-day activity in view of DTI’s Work on Wheels (WOW) project will particularly capacitate

MSMEs through learning sessions on the various topics that are appropriate to their needs and interests.

It will include discussions on Entrepreneur ia l Mindset , Food Contamination that may affect Food Safety, Building Quality Culture, Finding

the Right Market, Cleaner Production, and Wealth Management.

An opening program that will be graced by DTI Undersecretary Merly M. Cruz, local government executives and DTI regional and provincial officials will kick off the activity.

About 300 MSME participants are expected to attend the caravan which is in partnership with the Bureau of Micro,

Small and Medium Enterprises (BMSMED) and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC).

The participants will represent various sectors such as food processing, manufacturing, service, and retailing and wholesaling, among others. (JSC/AAL-PIA 6 Capiz)

by Alex A. Lumaque

NEW GOVERNMENT CENTER—BACOLOD CITY

SAN JOSE, Antique, Feb. 3 (PIA6)--Varied species of migratory birds find their home in Antique’s wetlands.

T his was revealed in the latest Asian Water Fowl Census conducted by the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources on January 14-29, 2012 in the Province of Antique.

According to Vivian Develos, Protected Areas, Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Coordinator of DENR Antique, their analysis showed that some migratory birds have found their habitat in Antique because they are seen almost all year round.

“Although bird censuses are con-ducted every January, the peak season for

migratory birds to come in the Philippines because of winter season in the north pole, but it seems that the egret or locally known as “tulabong” are seen in swamps, marshland and ricefields almost year round’, explained Develos.

They have found the wetlands in Antique a fertile feeding ground and a favorable roosting place. To our analysis they have found their habitat in the province, she added.

Among the migratory birds seen are egrets, sandpiper, bittern, plover, greenshank, heron among others. More than a thousand population are seen in

some identified wetlands of the province but the most number are in Hamtic, (south) and in Culasi (north) along the fishponds, swamps, and ricefields.

Asian Water Fowl Census was conducted in compliance to the directive of monitoring migratory birds for bird flu preparedness.

In line with this, Develos said, they have not seen any signs or characteristics of migratory birds to doubt for invasion of bird flu. Antique remained negative of the said disease. (JCM/PSM/PIA6 Antique)

Antique’s wetlands home to a number of migratory birds by Pilar S. Mabaquiao

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444 DOE 7 assures Cebu has enough power supply for 2012

D OE -7 Regional director Antonio Labios said Cebu has enough power reserves for

2012 due to the additional 400MW power supply from newly installed power plants in Cebu including the two100-MW each coal-fired power plants of Salcon-Kepco in the City of Naga and another 100-MW power plant in Toledo City.

“Cebu has a total of around 1,600-MW power capacity but actual demand is only about 1,300-MW power.

So there is an excess of about 300-MW power,” Labios declared during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

Labios added that “we can assure the public that we still have enough power reserve in Cebu and the region as well and that power shortage is least expected,” Labios clarified.

But Labios however warned that the critical stage would be in 2015 to 2017 when minimal power shortage would likely be experienced.

Any critical power situation that might happen in the future will however, depend on investors coming in, Labios said.

“This is why the DOE is encouraging investors in the power plant

industry to put up power plants here,” Labios said.

Meanwhile, the DOE 7 is currently evaluating the performance of the service contractors given permits to explore renewable energy resources in the Visayas.

Labios said they have to determine whether the service contractors given permits are actually conducting survey and examination in identified areas spotted to have a possible source of renewable energy. (FCR/AS/PIA-CEBU)

TAGBILARAN CITY , Bohol , Jan. 27 (PIA) – Agrarian reform’s integrated support for stirring the rural economy can never be more eloquently manifested that its slowly rising bagsakan centers with a wider scope now.

Siquijor readies disaster risk management plan By Rizalie Anding Calibo

D u r i n g i t s J a n u a r y 17 meeting the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction

Management Council (PDRRMC) said the plans and programs and purchase of equipment need endorsement from the Provincial Development Council (PDC) and approval by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Siquijor.

Provincial Board Member and PDRRMC executive officer Arturo Pacatang said that of over P14.6M calamity fund, 70 percent or P10,287,075.79 can be programmed for disaster preparedness and mitigation

while the 30 percent or P4,408, 746.77 is allotted as standby quick response fund.

Among the ac t i v i t i e s and programs lined up are training and seminar on Water and Safety Rescue (WASAR) with a budget of P700,000 for the whole module with equipment needed for the Basic Life Support, Standard First Aide, Life Guarding, and Water Search and Rescue trainings.

Other sets of training are the Incident Command System with a budget of P50,000; Mountain Search and Rescue (MOSAR), P500,000 for the three modules: Basic Life Support, Standard First Aid, and Mountaineering; Mass Casualty

Incident Training, P50,000; and Stress Debriefing, P50,000.

Some P100T is also allotted for Contingency Planning as recommended by Assistant Regional Director of the Office of Civil Defense Welino Gubuan.

Also included in the program is the purchase of a rescue vehicle complete with equipment worth P3M.

Meanwhile, a provincial disaster operation center at the Provincial Capitol site is set for completion in April this year, says Pacatang. The center which was funded out of the 2011 calamity fund will also house the Capitol’s fire station, he said. (mbcn/rac/PIA-Siquijor)

SIQUIJOR, Jan. 18 (PIA) -- With some P14M calamity fund allocation in 2012, Siquijor prepares for its disaster risk management plans and programs that includes the series of trainings and inventory of needed equipment for quick response to any disaster and calamity.

4 ARC towns to have farm marketing centers by Rey Anthony H. Chiu

O fficially termed Agricultural Information and Marketing Center (AIM-C) for Agrarian

Reform Communities (ARCs), the complex of the Bagsakan Centers also annex in them information and marketing center and offices.

Other than the AIM-C, Department o f Agra r i an Re form ’ s (DAR)

implementation of the country’s flagship social justice program in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Extension and Reforms brings to four towns in Bohol stimulus funds through the foreign funded Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Program (ARISP III).

This also opens for Alicia, Balilihan, Catigbian and Danao the chance to access support funds from Japan Bank for International Cooperation of its the AIM-C Post Harvest Facilities (PHF).

ARISP spends for the warehouse building construction while the local government spends for the display center and office in the AIM-C.

CEBU PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

by Amor Saludar

CEBU CITY Feb.2 (PIA) -- The Department of Energy (DOE-7) assured that Cebu has enough power supply for this year brushing off concerns of power shortage due to insufficient power supply.

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 31 (PIA) --- Some 75 houses located in off-grid areas in Negros Oriental are expected to be lighted up using solar energy during the first quarter of this year.

S aid houses are located in off-grid areas in Vallehermoso, La Libertad and Guihulngan towns which are

within the coverage area of Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative I (NORECO I).

The solar home system technology will be installed in 25 houses in each of the three towns.

Off-grid areas are places situated in remote hinterland areas that are not connected to the power transmission grid.

A total of 300 off-grid households covered by NORECO I are already

enjoying electricity through solar home system technology last year, according to Lynn Manlalangit, NORECO I institutional services division manager.

The solar system units were purchased using a P10.5 million grant from the Department of Energy (DOE).

The testing districts chosen last year were the towns of Guihulngan, Ayungon and Bindoy.

Although installation of the solar system units is free and there are no power bills to pay, consumers still pay a monthly flat rate fee depending on the wattage they availed.

Consumers who availed of solar panels running on a 50-watt peak pay a flat rate of P195 while those with 75-watt peak, P295.

The 50-watt peak solar panels can energize up to three electric bulbs at 7 watts each. For 75-watt peak panels, consumers can use four bulbs.

NORECO I is one of two electric cooperatives distributing electric power supply in the province. It covers 11 towns and cities in the northern part of Negros Oriental. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

Solar energy to light up more houses in off-grid areas in NegOr by Rachelle M. Nessia

CEBU CITY HALL

T here are 1,326 potential beneficiaries of the program in 26 ba rangays i n

Dumaguete City, according to Bella Tse, provincial coordinator of the Pantawid Pamilya program in Negros Oriental.

The implementation kicked off with an orientation conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for members of the program’s city advisory committee and city action team.

Participants during the orientation were social workers, midwives, city health personnel, school principals, barangay

officials and staff from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

Leonidas Cañete, who heads the Pantawid Pamilya program’s Compliance Verification Unit, said the orientation is a crucial part in the program’s implementation.

“ P a n t a w i d P a m i l y a i s compliance-based, so our partners in implementing the program should know how to verify compliance of the beneficiaries and do it accurately,” said Cañete, who also served as the resource person during the orientation.

Asked why the poverty alleviation program is being implemented in an urban area like Dumaguete, Cañete said: “What we are trying to reach here are the pockets of poverty. Even in big cities, poverty still exists.”

Cañete stressed that said program is not implemented as a solution to poverty but rather helping reduce the incidence of poverty in the country.

Pantawid Pamilya is the national government’s flagship program for poverty alleviation targeting the poorest families with children up to 14 years old across the country. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 31 (PIA) --- The national government’s poverty alleviation program, Pantawid Pamilya, officially rolled out in Dumaguete City on Jan. 27, 2012.

DSWD brings Pantawid Pamilya program to Dumaguete City

DOE launches nat’l e-trike AutoCAD design contest

I f you or your friends are 18 years old or over, residents of the Philippines and familiar with

computer based Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing, then designing the new generation electric tricycles (e-trikes) could be a starting challenge.

This, as the Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Nationwide e-trikes Design Contest through two-dimensional (2D) or three dimension (3D) CAD design for the best aesthetic and functional design of the three-wheeled electric vehicle which sits a maximum of six passengers excluding the driver.

The catch however is that you will have to compete and assert your creativity by clawing to the top, where three designs are assured of a cool P200 thousand to pocket.

Top 3 design winners automatically become DOE’s property and may be used, copied, reproduced and printed by DOE in any size or medium for exhibition, advertising and promotions or similar purposes.

Contest criteria includes aesthetics and creativity (50%), originality and innovation (20%), Safety and Functionality according to Land Transportation Office

standards (20%) and ergonomics which include ease of accessibility, space requirements and total passenger comfort (10%).

Contest rules, which can be accessed by opening the DOE porta l through www.doe.gov.ph, said one only needs to produce a 2D or 3D etrike design using AutoCAD software, with its corresponding design descriptions and specifications.

Official Registration Forms may be downloaded at the DOE portal or at www.pia.gov.ph.

TAGBILARAN CITY , Bohol , Jan. 27 (PIA) – Here is something for Boholano CAD graphic designers. by Rey Anthony H. Chiu

By Rachelle M. Nessia

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Biliran DENR to plant 300,000 seedlings for NGP in 2012

NAVAL, Biliran, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- Some 300,000 seedlings of different varieties of fast-growing trees like narra, lawaan and other species and different kinds of fruit trees are set to be planted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the province of Biliran for the year 2012 in line with the National Greening Program (NGP) of President Benigno S. Aquino’s government.

Prawn hatchery launched, first stocking done in Samar

A ccording to a press release filed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources –Regional Training Cen-

ter (BFAR-RTC) the participants gathered as early as three in the morning to witness the preparation of the prawn fries to be ‘stocked’ in the fishponds in Sta Margarita and Calbayog City.

Dr, Norberto Berida of BFAR-RTC then turned over the ‘prawn fries ‘ to Cruz and his members.

Cruz gladly accepted the ‘first stock’ from the Sea Frannz Hatchery owned by the Tenedero family and funded by BFAR-Regional Office 08.

“The hatchery will not only boost the prawn industry in the country but will also

ensure a sustainable livelihood and income for the hundreds of fishpond operators in Samar,” Cruz said in his acceptance speech.

Mayors Alfredo Serrano of Sta Margarita, Emily Olaje of Tarangnan and Ruben Pulma of Pagsanghan took part in the ceremonial ‘stocking’ of the fishpond of Mr Cruz. (PIA-Samar)

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 29 (PIA) -- A prawn hatchery housed at Sea Frannz, Tenedero Com-pound in Barangay Maginoo, Calbayog City was launched last week.

By Ninfa B. Quirante

LEYTE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

DENR selects greening sites in SLeyte as national model

A c c o r d i n g t o P r o v i n c i a l Env i ronment and Na tu ra l Resources officer (PENRO)

Ricardo Tomol, the NGP sites at barangays Bogo and Laboon, and another at barangay Lunas, caught the attention of the agency’s higher-ups, thus its selection as model sites.

The sites are in barangay Bogo which is supported by Cong. Roger Mercado, the one at Laboon, an accredited NGP site is managed by CENRO-Maasin, while the Lunas site is managed by a people’s

organization (PO), in which their areas were enrolled as NGP sites as well.

Meanwhile, Tomol also said that CENRO-San Juan emerged as number one in NGP implementation for the year 2011 in Region 8, having planted its target of 400 hectares from the congressional initiative and another 930 hectares from regular NGP.

For areas under CENRO-Maasin, Tomol said the targets of 930 hectares regular NGP plus 100 hectares from Cong. Mercado were also finished well

ahead of time. The DENR field coverage in Southern

Leyte was divided in two, the CENRO-Maasin which covers Maasin city up to Sogod, and CENRO-San Juan, which covers Libagon, the four towns of Panaon island, and the six towns in the pacific area.

Overall, the NGP aspires to plant close to two million trees in millions of hectares of timberland areas around the Philippines to mitigate the ill effects of climate change. (PIA-Southern Leyte)

By Marcelo M. Pedalino

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- The central office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was so impressed with the panoramic view of two tree-planting sites here under the National Greening Program (NGP) that these were declared model NGP areas.

T his was revealed by Genny Rose Salas of the planning unit of the DENR-Biliran provincial office in

an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

She said that some 600 hectares are earmarked by their office for the tree-planting activities in various schedules for the year 2012 at 500 seedlings per hectare in Biliran province.

She added that they have already identified three municipalities in the province as sites for tree planting activities: Biliran town, Culaba, and Cabucgayan.

“The students , government em p l o yee s , p a r t i c i p an t s f r om non-government organizations and other groups will be involved in the tree planting activities in these areas,” she added.

All government employees and students are required to plant at least 10 trees every year.

Likewise, all residents of the community where they belong are also required to plant trees as part of the NGP of the government.

A l l g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s , i n s t r u m e n t a l i t i e s , i n c l u d i n g government-owned and controlled

corporations (GOCC), state universities and colleges (SUCs) are mandated to give full support and assistance to the NGP.

NGP is a multi-sectoral greening program of the government that integrates all the greening effots or tree planting activities of the public or private sector.

The implementation of the NGP which started in the year 2011 and to end in 2016 targets to plant some 300 million seedlings covering 300,000 hectares nationwide. (PIA-Biliran)

By Flordelis E. Jackson

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

M ayor Fe Abunda received from DOLE Regional Director Atty. Forter G. Puguon the

assistance in a simple yet meaningful ceremony before the island’s barangay officials and the beneficiaries of the DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program.

In her short message, the lady mayor

expressed elation at the much needed assistance for her constituents which she likewise has longed for.

Information Officer Cora Basada informed that the said marginalized fishermen will also be enrolled with PhilHealth and Social Security System (SSS).

She added that the city government has shared the 20 percent counterpart for the said project.

Divinubo Island, known for its white beaches which have invited local and foreign tourists, is also home to Tuna, Blue Marlin and a more shell fishes. (PIA-Eastern Samar)

M s. Marimar Zabala, information officer of PhilHealth Tacloban, informed that early this year,

PhilHealth announced the increase in premium contribution from P1,200 to P2,400 per year.

Ms. Zabala said that per announcement of PhilHealth President and CEO Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon, LGUs that opt to renew their sponsorship for two years until December 31, 2013 and undertake the renewal through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on or before June 30 this year, will be entitled to

an additional three-month extension of validity date up to June 30, 2012.

Under this arrangement, the LGU will enjoy an effective premium rate for a two-year enrolment of only P1,800 per enrolled family.

Meanwhile, if the LGUs decide to bring in new or additional enrollees into the Sponsorship Program and commit to provide them with coverage until December 31, 2013, they will be able to enjoy a two-year premium of P2,400.

However, the new enrollees should be committed into the Sponsorship

Program on or before June 30 this year for the LGU to enjoy this premium rate.

Otherwise they will already pay the new rate of P2,400 for every year of coverage, Ms. Zabala said.

Moreover, PhilHealth announced that LGU-sponsored underprivileged families whose health insurance coverage expired last December 31, 2011 can still avail of the health care benefits from PhilHealth-accredited facilities until March 31, 2012. (PIA-8)

New PhilHealth payment scheme addresses LGUs’ concern over premium rate hike

DOLE-8 grants Borongan fishers P272K

BORONGAN City, Eastern Samar, Feb. 1(PIA) -- Through the city government of Borongan, some poor fishermen of Divinubo Island received 42 paddled bancas costing P272,496 from the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE), Regional Office 8.

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of Leyte recently hosted the Local Government Support Program for Local Economic Development Forum on Engaging the Private Sector and the Academe.

T he Forum was a sharing of Canadian and Filipino concrete examples and experiences on

how the Local Government Units can link with the private sector to develop and diversify their local economies resulting in more investments, jobs and an increased tax base.

The Forum was participated in by select LGU alliances namely the desig-nated Local Economic and Investment Promotion Officers from across the country particularly from Allah Val-ley Landscape Development Alliance com-posed of South Cotabato and Sultan Kuda-rat, Panglao Dauis-Baclayon Marine Trian-gle of the province of Bohol, the province of Northern Samar and the province of

Leyte. The Forum aims to deepen the

part ic ipants ’ understanding and appreciation of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as an alternative measure to provide the needed infrastructure and other public services that are better and more affordable to fuel local economic d e v e l o p m e n t a n d e n h a n c e competitiveness.

The Forum’s speakers were global experts on developing innovative local economies.

The Forum had one message, that Public Private Partnership is not just for infrastructure, it could be in the areas of public transportation, information technology, and tourism promotion,

among others. These opportunities should also be explored in the Philippine context.

LGSP-LED is an eight-year co l l aborat ive Program of the Governments of the Philippines and Canada, through the DILG and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). It is managed by a consort ium o f two Canad i an organizations: the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC).

Now on its 4th year, LGSP-LED is geared towards strengthening the enabling environment for good governance and sustainable local economic development. (PIA-8)

Leyte hosts forum on stronger economic collaboration through LGSP-LED

TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, Jan. 27 (PIA) -- In order to address the LGUs’ concern over the increase in pre-mium contribution rate starting this year, PhilHealth has developed a new payment scheme that will make it easier for Local Government Units to renew their sponsorship of the indigent families’ coverage.

TACLOBAN CITY HALL by Alice E. Nicart

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) 3378718/3377301 or e‐mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.   

Editorial Consultants Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

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