PIA Aklan Balita, (December 1 - 15, 2022)

Volume 20

Issue 23

December 1 - 15, 2022

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) – Newly elected officers of Aklan Public Information Officers Association (APIOA) took their oath of office, Dec. 13, at the East and West Conference Room Sangguniang Panlalawigan Building, Provincial Capitol here.

Aklan vice-governor lawyer Reynaldo M. Quimpo swore in the newly elected officers, who will led the organization for 2022-2024, as he acknowledged the good The newly elected officers of the Aklan Public Information Officers Association (APIOA) for 2022 to 2024 take their oath partnership between the before Aklan vice-governor Atty. Reynaldo M. Quimpo on December 13, at the East and West Conference Room Sangguniang Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Panlalawigan Building, Provincial Capitol in Kalibo, Aklan. (SQP/PIA-Aklan) Aklan and the APIOA in information dissemination. nor’s Office-Aklan); Asst. Sec. Treasurer: Pamela M. Majaba“You have been a partner of the national and local govern- gue (LGU Numancia); Auditor: Rowena L. Hungay (LGU ments in the dissemination of information to our Kasimanwas Madalag); and Public Relations Officer: Jonell S. Gregorio here in the province as well as outside the province of Aklan,” (ASU Banga). said Quimpo as he congratulated the new set of officers.

Meanwhile, Philippine Information Agency-Aklan InforThe APIOA, now under the leadership of Ms. Leah M. Dela mation Center Manager Venus Villanueva thanked the inforCruz of the Aklan State University (ASU) - New Washington mation officers for sticking with the APIOA through the years Campus, expressed during her inaugural speech her commit- and expressed optimism that APIOA will be more active in ment to serve the organization the best that she can. the coming years.

“Also with humility, I am soliciting your unwavering sup“With the loosening up of restrictions due to COVID-19, we port and cooperation to whatever endeavour we are going to can do our thing better – and that is providing accurate, face in line with our service in this organization,” Dela Cruz timely, and real information to our respective audience. We said to her fellow information officers, noting the significance need to do this – this is our prime role as information officers of collaboration and teamwork in the success of the organiza- in this age of modern communication ways,” Villanueva tion. noted.

Joining Ms. Dela Cruz for the newly elected officers of She also urged fellow information officers, who are the APIOA for the year 2022 to 2024 are: Richie D. Oloroso of the most legitimate persons to do such work, to share the good Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan as Vice President; Secre- news from their respective offices and agencies to the people. tary: Aimy Joy Desaporado (Philippine Health Insurance (AAL/SQP/PIA-Aklan) Corp.- Aklan); Treasurer: Miriam Ildesa (Provincial Gover-

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) -- The province of Aklan emerged as the Best Performing Province in Region 6 in the recentlyconcluded awarding ceremonies of Excellence in Local Governance (EXCELL) Awards 2022.

This good news was shared by the Aklan Information and Media Affairs Division of the Provincial Government Aklan, which also added that aside from being the champion as Best Performing Province, the province was also awarded champion in Local Legislation, Public Safety, Peace and Order Governance, and Administrative Governance.

On the other hand, Aklan placed 2nd Runner-Up in Social

Governance, Economic Governance, and Administrative Governance.

The awarding program was held December 5, 2022 in Iloilo City.

The Aklan delegation, who went to Iloilo to receive the awards, was led by Aklan Vice Governor Reynaldo M. Quimpo, who represented Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores and the provincial government, together with Provincial Administrator Selwyn Ibarreta and the department heads of the provincial government.

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PIA AKLAN BALITA

Vol. No. 20 Issue No. 23

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) – The Local Government of Malay has encouraged tourists going to Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan to secure travel accident insurance for their safety and protection.

LGU-Malay issued Municipal Ordinance No. 444, series of 2021, which allows insurance companies to offer insurance coverage to tourists. Said ordinance was enacted on March 21, 2021 and has been implemented since November 23, 2022.

According to the ordinance, the insurance should provide protection coverage to answer for legal liability for bodily injuries and for death that may be sustained by tourists while staying in the Island.

In a media interview, Malay Mayor Frolibar Bautista clarified that purchasing of travel accident insurance is not a mandatory requirement to enter Boracay Island. However, it is encouraged especially to foreign tourists so that there may be immediate support to uneventful circumstances that may happen to vacationing tourists that will hinder their full enjoyment and recreation while in Malay.

Tourists could get the travel insurance for P100.00 for their safety, Bautista said.

The cost of travel insurance is added to the environmental fee worth P150.00 (P300.00 for foreign tourist) and terminal fee amounting to P150.00 that tourists should pay.

The ordinance also provided that only insurance companies accredited by the Department of Health and LGU-Malay are allowed to offer the insurance policy for tourists.

Meanwhile, the Quick Response Code (QR Code) entry requirement to Boracay Island has already been lifted since October 29, 2022 as per Executive Order No. 047, series of 2022 issued by Aklan governor Jose Enrique Miraflores.

KALIBO, Aklan (PIA) -- Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores voiced his commitment to continue and improve delivery of services for Aklanon children as well as to support good initiatives for their welfare.

This was contained in his Local State of the Children’s Re-

Governor Jose Enrique Miraflores of Aklan delivers his Local State of the Children's Report in celebration of the Provincial Children's Month. (Photo

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Tourist going to Boracay Island fall in line at the verification counter at Caticlan Jetty Port. Tourists must present their filled out tourist arrival form, hotel booking slip/voucher, valid IDs, birth certificate for infants and passport for foreign guests before going to Boracay Island. (SQP/PIA-Aklan)

Likewise, the online registration and submission of travel documents are no longer required.

However, for verification purposes, tourists are still mandated to present their filled out tourist arrival form, hotel booking slip/voucher, valid IDs, birth certificate for infants and passport for foreign guests upon entry at the Caticlan or Tabon Port in Mainland Malay, Aklan. (AAL/SQP/PIA Aklan)

port recently, which is one of the highlights of Aklan’s celebration of the National Children’s Month, observed nationwide in the month of November.

In his address, the Miraflores thanked various departments of the provincial government and national government agencies for their respective contributions for the welfare of the Aklanon children in the aspects of survival, protection, development, participation, and governance.

For survival, he thanked the Provincial Health Office (PHO) because despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the department was able to continue the province’ health programs for children.

“We have conducted COVID-19 vaccination to children below 18 years old,” the governor said.

He revealed that in 2021, the PHO reported a total of 2,683 cases of COVID-19 in children below 18 years old, but this was curved down to 484 this year because of the intensive efforts of the PHO to conduct vaccination to 192,356 Aklanon children.

For protection of the Aklanon children, he cited the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) for being in the forefront in delivering social welfare services to the children, and its high utilization rate of the 1% allocation for the protection of children despite the chalContinued on page… 04

PIA AKLAN BALITA

Vol. No. 20 Issue No. 23

In Aklan, the prices of all goods and services in November 2022, on the average, increased at a slower rate of 7.5 percent compared to the 7.7 percent inflation reported in the past month, according to Philippine Statistics Authority.

It is relevantly higher compared to the 2.1 percent inflation posted in November 2021 and recorded the second highest since January 2019.

The downtrend of inflation was primarily brought by the decreases in prices of the Transport commodity group with 13.1 percent in November 2022 from 15.9 percent in the past month. Moreover, Recreation, sport, and culture prices inflated by 2.4 percent during the reference period compared to 2.5 percent in October 2022.

On the other hand, faster inflations were observed in Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, from 9.4 percent to 9.5 percent; Clothing and footwear, from 1.1 percent to 1.4 percent; Furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance, from 7.8 percent to 9.0 percent; Health, from 0.9 percent to 1.4 percent; and Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 1.3 percent to 1.7 percent.

Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates, including the Food and non-alcoholic beverages with price inflation of 10.4 percent.

Among the sub-commodities under this group, the decrease in Rice price inflation of 9.6 percent from 10.3 percent in October 2022 contributed the highest to the downtrend of theprovincial inflation rate.

In addition, prices of Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals increased slowly by 11.6 percent compared to 22.7 percent in the previous month. Fish and other seafoods followed which recorded 7.8 percent in November from 5.0 percent a month ago.

CAMP PERALTA, Jamindan, Capiz – The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict 6 (RTFELCAC 6) conducted Panay Peace Summit 2022 in collaboration with the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) and the Army’s 301st Infantry Bayanihan Brigade, 3rd Infantry Spearhead Division in Iloilo National High School, Lapaz, Iloilo City on December 03, 2022.

The summit was a joint initiative of the RTF-ELCAC 6 through the effort of Prosecutor Attorney Flosemer Chris I Gonzales, Spokesperson and Chairperson, LCC/JFLAT 6, PRO 6 headed by PBGEN Leo M Francisco, Regional Director, the Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade under the leadership of BGEN Marion R Sison, Brigade Commander and the LGU that aims to promote the primacy of peace and end insurgency in the country.

This year's peace summit with the theme, “NaghiliugyonngaPanaynon para saKalinong" was attended by 881 youths from different provinces in Panay Island. Of said figure, 371 are KKDAT members, 299 ROTC Cadets, 169 YFPM members, 100 Sambayanan youth, and 41 IP youngsters.

During the activity, RTF-ELCAC 6 launched Local Peace Engagement, which was attended by 58 participants from Tubungan, Iloilo, Capiz, and New Washington, Aklan.

DSWD 6 led by Atty. Carmelo Nochete, Regional Director, distributed gift packs to all attendess of the said summit.

Some attendees at the activity were representatives of Hon

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Source: Retail Price Survey of Commodities for the Generation of Consumer Price Index, Philippine Statistics Authority

Furthermore, the consumer price index of all commodities which expresses the change in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by the households relative to 2018 prices, was estimated at 117.2this month.

This translates to a purchasing power of peso at 85 centavos per 1 peso in 2018 and further indicates that in order to buy the same 1000 pesos worth of goods and services in 2018, an individual needs an additional income of Php172 to buy them in November 2022. (Engr. Antonet B. Catubuan/PSA -Aklan)

Arthur R DefensorJr, Provincial Governor of Iloilo and Hon. Jerry P Treñas, Mayor of Iloilo City.

Other attendees were Major General Benedict M Arevalo, 3ID Commander and Acting Commander, Visayas Command; PLTGEN Patrick T Villacorte, Commander, APC-Visayas; PGEN Rodolfo S AzurinJr, Chief, PNP; LTGEN Emmanuel Salamat (Ret), Executive Director, NTF-ELCAC Secretariat; USec Alan A Tajunsay, Undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace-DSWD; DIR Pricilla A Escobin, Regional Director, NICA 6, and the video message of Hon Benjamin C AbalosJr, Secretary of the Interior and Local Government was read by Oscar F. Valenzuela, Undersecretary for Peace and Order.

Also present were MsRelissa S Lucena, Founding President of YakapngMagulang Movement Inc., a group of parents whose children were recruited by front organizations of the CPP-NPA and Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz, Chairman of Sentr ong Aly an sangM amamay an Par a sa Bayan (SAMBAYANAN), who expressed their alarm over how the idealism and dynamism of the CPP-NPA were capitalized to encourage armed struggle against the government and how militant organizations were recruiting the youth.

Meanwhile, MsJiesel "Ka Rachel" Castin and Ms Alma L Gabin, former rebels, shared their testimonies and experiences of how they were recruited and deceived by the front Continued on page… 04

PIA AKLAN BALITA

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Vol. No. 20 Issue No. 23

RTF-ELCAC 6...

Aklan is Best Performing...

From page 03

From page 01

organizations of the CPP-NPA and encouraged everyone especially youth to take part in nation-building and be part of the solution in achieving long and lasting peace.

Releasing of doves, which symbolized peace highlighted the peace summit.

In his message, MGen Arevalo enlightened everyone the consequences of joining the armed struggle against the government.

"I am appealing to everyone, especially the remaining members of the CPP-NPA and their supporters, to abandon the armed struggle and return to the fold of the law, embrace the importance of peace, and avail the government’s aid,” MGen Arevalo said.

He also challenged the youth to become an asset of change because they are the leaders of tomorrow and their commitment is very much required. (LTC MAGNO M MAPALAD III (INF) GSC PA/Phil. Army)

The EXCELL Awards is a project of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 6 to recognize the best-managed local government units (LGU) in the region that demonstrates best practices, achievements and innovations in governance, administration, social services, economic development, environmental management and local legislation. (JBG/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)

Aklan guv vows...

From page 02

The delegation from Aklan, led by Vice Governor Reynaldo M. Quimpo (6th from left), are all smiles as they proudly show the awards garnered by the provlenge of not being able to conduct face-to-face activities during ince at the EXCELL Awards 2022 held in Iloilo City recently. (Photo Courtesy the pandemic. of Aklan Information and Media Affairs Division)

“You were still able to create innovations on how to continue with the implementation of our programs and services on children,” the Miraflores told the PSWDO, which is led by Evangelina Gallega.

The governor also cited the presence of the Aklan Youth Center (AYC) in the province, which is a rehabilitation facility for Children in Conflict With the Law (CICL), that provides a comprehensive and intensive programs and services to CICLs with court cases, supported by a Gender Responsive Manual of Operation approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan.

Other offices that the governor acknowledged in his report for their services to the children were the Department of La-

bor and Employment (DOLE), Aklan Police Proovincial Office (APPO), Aklan Provincial Population and Gender Office (AKPPGO), Department of Education (DepEd)Persons With Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan.

This is his first delivery of said report as governor, witnessed by Provincial Capitol department heads, provincial government employees, local officials, representatives of various government agencies, child development workers and children at the ABL Sports Complex in Kalibo. (JBG/VGV/ PIA6 Aklan)