PIA Aklan Balita (April 1 - 15, 2022)

Volume 20

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) -Different government agencies in the province of Aklan recently convened during the Integrated Sustainable Assistance Recovery and Advancement Program (ISARAP) Convergence of Services carawan at ABL Sports Complex, Capitol Ground, in Kalibo, Aklan to extend their frontline programs and services to their respective beneficiaries.

ISARAP is a convergence activity of all government agencies to deliver assistance, programs and services to the people.

The convergence activity of the government agencies in Aklan, April 10, was the third leg of the ISARAP in Western Visayas. The first one was in Silay City, Negros Occidental on April 8 and then in Iloilo

Issue 07

April 1 - 15, 2022

City on April 9.

ISARAP Western Visayas leg lead convenor lawyer Jan Rubiato told fellow civil servants and beneficiaries of the different programs of the government present during the event that ISARAP is an expression of love of President Rodrigo Duterte to the Aklanons.

Rubiato, who is also the general manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), added that Aklan is highly regarded by the national government.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Joseph Encabo of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) emphasized that the caravan is a program

Staff from Department of Social Welfare and Development provides assistance to clients during the Integrated Sustainable Assistance Recovery and Advancement Program (ISARAP) at ABL Sports Complex.Kalibo, Aklan on April 10, 2022. The agency was able to distribute P5,000 financial assistance to 561 beneficiaries from Banga and Numancia who were affected by the typhoon Odette Continued on page… 02 during the caravan activity (SQP/PIA Aklan)

Aklan Public Information Officers line up for their turn to feed/insert their sample ballots to the Vote Counting Machine (VCM) brought by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) - Aklan to familiarize them of its functions during the recent meeting of the Aklan Public Information Officers Association.

At the meeting, COMELEC-Aklan briefed the IOs on its activities in preparation for the May 9, 2022 elections, and other updates and reminders. (PIA)

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) -- The Co mmis si on o n Ele ct io ns (COMELEC) Provincial Office here recently conducted a Voter’s Counting Machine (VCM) Roadshow with participants composed of officers and members of the Aklan Public Information Officers Association (APIOA).

The VCM Roadshow was held at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) – Aklan Provincial Office as one of the activities of the association’s first-ever face to face meeting held after two years.

Before the demonstration on how the VCM operates, COMELEC-Aklan’s designated Information Officer Chrispin Raymund Gerardo, first provided updates on the Commission’s preparation for the May 9, 2022

national elections, the scenario at various voting centers during the election day, as well as reminders and tips for a smooth and orderly voting process come the muchanticipated political exercise.

Aside from the VCM, Gerardo brought with him sample ballots which were shaded first by the information officers. Once shaded, the information officers individually fed/inserted the ballots in the VCM. Gerardo reminded the information officers to be very careful in handling their ballots during election day because any blotch or torn portion, especially at the side portion because this would invalidate their ballots.

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PIA AKLAN BALITA

Scholars from St. Gabriel College and Aklan Catholic College.

Among other government agencies that gave out programs and services during the convergence activity were the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Housing Authority (NHA), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, Department of Education, and Department of Agriculture. (AAL/SQP/ PIA Aklan)

KALIBO, AKLAN – The world famous Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan received a total of 267,278 tourists from January to March 2022, according to the Malay Municipal Tourism Office.

Based on the record of the local tourism office, of the total number of tourist arrivals in Boracay for the first quarter of this year, 262,334 were local tourists while the rest are composed of foreign tourists- 2,967, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW)-1,977.

For the month of January 2022, Boracay had tourist arrivals of 35,799 and gradually increased to 80,882 in February. In March, the arrivals increased by 86.19% which translates to 150,597 tourists visiting the island.

Most of the domestic tourists in Boracay Island came from the National Capital Region, Western Visayas and CALABARZON this first quarter of 2022.

Meanwhile, bulk of the international arrivals came from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.

In a media interview, Malay Chief Tourism Operations Officer Felix Delos Santos said that the Boracay’s tourism industry is starting to pick up as can be seen with the number of visitors the island received from January to March.

Delos Santos noted that although such number particularly in March 2022 was only 70% to 80% of the tourist arrivals during the prepandemic but the improvement is there and the economy on tourism is likewise slowly bouncing back.

Since the country opened its doors to foreign tourists on February 10 and travel restrictions have been relaxed, the local tourism chief said that the average daily of arrivals in Boracay was at 4,000 to 6,000 tourists.

The Malay Tourism Office and the Local Government of Malay have foreseen that more tourists and travellers are going to flock to the island this April due to relaxed travel restrictions, long weekends and the Lenten season. (AAL/SQP/PIA-Aklan)

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) – The Civil Service Commission – Aklan reminded information officers from local government units, national government agencies and campuses of Aklan State University in the province of Aklan not to engage in electioneering and partisan political activity throughout the national and local campaign period in the country.

Electioneering and partisan political activity, as defined in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and Civil Service Commission (CSC) Joint Circular No. 001, series of 2016 dated 29 March

2016, is any act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate/s or party/ies to public office.

“Engaging by the government workers in electioneering and partisan political activities are prohibited under the 1987 Constitution and other laws and statutes,” said CSC-Aklan Human Resource Specialist I June Mark Jardenil during the meeting of Aklan Public Information Officers Association on March 30, where he briefed information officers on the Election Dos and Don'ts for civil servants.

He added that such acts

are prohibited to uphold the principle of political neutrality in the government and to ensure that civil servants are focused on the discharge of their duties and functions, as well as to insulate them from politics.

Jardenil said that prohibited acts for the government workers during election season are provided by the aforesaid joint circular, which includes - forming organizations, associations, clubs, committees, or other groups of persons; and holding political caucuses, conferences, meet-

Tourists enjoying the white sands and beach of Boracay Isaland. Based on the record Malay Municipal Tourism Office, Boracay Island received a total of 267,278 tourists from January to March 2022.

Aklanons avail…

From page 01 not just for the ending of the term of the current administration but it is a message that President Duterte is still ready to give public service and to ensure that up to his last day of office his administration will deliver the government services and programs needed by the people.

One of the participating national government agencies during the ISARAP in Aklan was the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) here which provided their Tech4Ed program to six beneficiaries in partnership with the Department of Education; WiFi projects to 37 sites in Boracay Island and seven in mainland Akan; and digital jobs.

Next to extend frontline programs and services during the ISARAP were the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Aklan that distributed motorized fiberglass-reinforced glass boat along with various fishing gears to their identified beneficiaries and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which distributed P5,000 financial assistance for each of the 561 beneficiaries from Banga and Numancia who were affected by typhoon Odette.

Also, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Aklan awarded land titles to 105 beneficiaries of the “Handog Titulo” program in Aklan and the Technical Education and Skills D ev elop men t Au th or i ty (TESDA) distributed allowances to their 100 Diploma

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PIA AKLAN BALITA

CSC - Aklan…

From page 02 ings, rallies, parades, or other similar assemblies for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking any campaign for or against a candidate/party.

Likewise, making speeches, announcements, or commentaries, or holding interviews for or against the election of any candidate/ party for public office; as well as publishing, displaying, or distributing campaign literature or materials designed to support or oppose the election of any candidate/party; or directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges, or support for or against a candidate/party, are acts that civil servants should refrain from doing.

“To be a delegate to any political convention, or being a member of political committee or directorate, or an officer of any political club or other similar political organizations should also be avoided by the employees of the state as these are considered partisan political activities, same as with directly or indirectly receiving any contributions for political purposes; and becoming publicly identified with the success or failure of any candidates or parties,” Jardenil explained.

He also reiterated other prohibited acts which the circular identified, these are: wearing of t-shirts, pins, caps, or any other similar election paraphernalia bearing the names of the candidates or political party except as authorized by the Comelec; being a watcher for a party or candidate; consistently attending political rallies, caucuses of, and continuous companionship with political candidates and/or political party in said political activities, causing the employee to be closely identified with such candidate and/or political party; giving personal, financial, or other monetary contribution, supplies, equipment, and materials for the benefit of a candidate and/or political party; and utilizing government re-

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sources such as personnel including job orders or contract of service hires, time, and properties for political purposes.

“May we also remind that even government employees who are on leave of absence, are still covered by the prohibitions on electioneering and partisan political activities,” said Jardenil urging fellow workers in the government to remain neutral and nonpartisan at all times amid the election season.

Further, he stressed that per the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (2017 RACCS), a civil servant who will be found guilty of engaging directly or indirectly in partisan political activities will be meted with a penalty of one month and one day to six months suspension for the first offense; and dismissal from the service for the second offense. (AAL/SQP/ PIA-Aklan)

Civil Service Commission-Aklan Human Resource Specialist I June Mark Jardenil briefs information officers on the Election Dos and Don'ts for civil servants during the meeting of Aklan Public Information Officers Association held on March 30, 2022 at the Department of Agrarian Reform - Aklan office. He urged fellow workers in the government to remain neutral and non-partisan at all times amid the election season. (SQP/PIA-Aklan)

COMELEC holds…

From page 01

Social Security System (SSS) President and CEO Michael G. Regino announced that the compliance deadline for the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners’ Program (ACOP) for the calendar year 2021 has been extended from March 31, 2022, to June 30, 2022.

The ACOP covers the following pensioner types:  Survivor pensioners ( re ce iv ing pe n s ion s through Death Benefit),  Total disability pensioners,  Guardians and their dependents, and  Retirement pensioners residing abroad.

Retirement pensioners residing in the Philippines remain exempted from complying with the ACOP. Regino said the extension aims to give those who have not yet complied with the ACOP more time to do so for them to avoid the suspension of their monthly pensions.

“Originally, we have given covered pensioners a period of six months from October 1 last year to comply with the ACOP

for the calendar year 2021. But in view of the restrictions that were implemented at some point earlier this year due to the Omicron variant along with other considerations, we decided to extend the deadline for another three months or until June 30,” Regino said.

“We urge those who have not yet complied with the program to submit their compliance immediately for them to not miss the new deadline. We have various methods for compliance that we developed with the utmost consideration for their safety and convenience,” he added.

The guidelines and documentary requirements for the different methods of compliance such as through e-mail, mail, courier, drop box, video conference, and home visit (for total disability pensioners residing in the Philippines) can be accessed at https://bit.ly/3iwZBUE. Covered pensioners under the ACOP who have already complied for the calendar year 2021 are no longer required to re-submit their compliance. The usual schedule of the ACOP will resume on July 1, 2022. (SSS)

He called on the information officers to help in disseminating the election-related information they have learned from the briefing to their relatives, friends, coworkers and the people in their community.

He also assured the participants that the people who will be manning the VCMs at polling centers, mostly public school teachers from the Department of Education (DepEd), had been certified by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“They had been trained for three days, capped by a practical/ theoretical examination which they must all pass,” Gerardo said.

He also said that during election day, voters are allowed to bring their list of candidates they wanted to vote for, but they are not allowed to copy from other voters in the room, or ask for names of candidates.

Voters are also not allowed to bring their cellphones inside the polling precincts.

The province of Aklan, per data from the COMELEC, has a total of 409,938 voting population with 694 clustered precincts at 327 barangays.

COMELEC-Aklan is now headed by Acting Provincial Election Supervisor lawyer Reinier B. Layson. (JBG/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)