PIA-AKLAN BALITA VOL. 1 Issue no. 8

Volume 1

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6)—The shorter time for a voter to stay inside the polling place to vote, the designation of a specific polling place for senior citizens, pregnant women and persons with disabilities and the deployment of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel at polling places contributed much to the conduct of a peaceful and orderly barangay elections in the province of Aklan.

This observance was the general sentiment of the voting public in the province when they trooped to polling precincts to vote for their new batch of barangay officials in their respective barangays and towns.

In Poblacion Kalibo, with 9,641 voters – the highest in the municipality, voting started upon opening of precincts at 7:00 a.m. at two designated polling places – the Kalibo Pilot Elementary School (KPES) and the Kalibo Integrated Special Education Center (KISEC).

Aklan has been identified by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to have two election areas of concern which were Barangay Sigcay in Banga and Barangay Mataphao in New Washington, Aklan, which were given proper attention by the government by deploying elements of the PNP and the P h ilipp in e A rm y f ro m t h e 12th Infantry Battalion based at Camp Jizmundo, Libas, Banga, Aklan.

Except for a complaint from a household who were barred from voting in Sigcay as their forefingers were already tainted with indelible ink when they showed up to vote, no other untoward incidents were reported emanating from the said areas.

The Castro Family composed of 5 members who were barred from voting, alleged that their forefingers were tainted with indelible ink already early in the morning by a barangay tanod.

Meanwhile, 85 inmates of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) were also able to

Issue 8

exercise their right of suffrage for the barangay elections.

According to BJMP-Aklan Information Officer Jail Officer Allan Lariosa, the voting process was very short, and lasted only until 8:30 in the morning.

Based on COMELEC-Aklan records, a total of 676 candidates throughout the province ran for the position of barangay chairman, while 5,620 ran for barangay kagawad.

Some candidates for barangay chairmen also ran unopposed, like those in Balete, with 10 running unopposed out of the town’s 12 barangays. Other towns had their

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- There will always be some customers who are difficult to handle, but the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here advises business establishment owners and their staff to always be calm and humble when dealing with these customers.

Being calm and collected in dealing with customer complaints, according to Deana Ruiz, Senior Trade and Industry Specialist of DTI-Aklan, is a social responsibility of establishment owners, so that after the concern or problem had been settled or solved, the customer would feel satisfied and would come back to the same establishment again and again.

“They could even tell their friends and relatives how well the business owners or the staff attended to their concerns, so this will create more patrons of the estab-

October 6 - 29, 2013

Voters of Poblacion Kalibo look for their names outside polling centers which take time as some names are not found on the former precincts. where they voted before. Some were not able to find their names in the list and opted to go home.

share of unopposed candidates for barangay chairman, but not as many as those in Balete. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

Consumer Welfare Month. Rene Retiro (left) of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) -Aklan explains the importance of buying products which are of standard and good quality to ensure longevity of these items and to prevent accidents during the radio program aired over IBC-DYRG hosted by Philippine Information Agency-Aklan.

With Retiro in the program is Deana Ruiz (right), DTI-Aklan Senior Trade and Industry Specialist (STIDS) and Information Officer. The radio program guesting of DTI-Aklan is one of the activities of the agency in observance of Consumer Welfare Month this October, and the Philippine Standards Week and World Standards Month. (PIA/ VGVillanueva)

lishment,” Ruiz said during a radio program over IBC-DYRG hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here as one of DTI’s activities in celebration of Consumer Welfare Month.

Ruiz also called on establishment owners to assist well the disabled and elderly customers, because “ if you deal good with these people, you will also blessed”, she said.

As to those customers with complaints, Ruiz said they could go to the DTI as the agency has an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Ruiz is the Mediation Officer of DTI-Aklan and as such when there are complaints, she facilitates a meeting between the complainant and the establishment owner to settle the problem.

Continued on page 07

PAGE 02

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Fourteen (14) business establishments in Kalibo will be joining the In-Store “Diskwento” Sale Project here organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as one of the major activities of the agency in celebration of Consumer Welfare Month this October.

DTI-Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena Jr. said these establishments include AIM School Supply, Baclaran Sa Kalibo, City Square Traders, Gaisano Capital, Kalibo, Kok’s Stitch and Crafts (3 branches in Kalibo), Lind’s Dry Goods Store, Maxx Enterprise, New Fu’s Merchandise, New Magdalena Marketing, Otto General Merchandise, Startline Furniture, Stella’s Marketing, Susan’s Dry Goods Store and Thumbelina Books and Supplies.

These establishments, which offer school supplies, school shoes/ uniforms, ready to wear items, fashion accessories, gift items, kitchen wares, furniture, cellphones, and Christmas lights/decors, will be selling at discounted prices ranging from 5%, 10%, 20% and 50%.

Cadena said the holding of the “Diskwento” Sale Project intends to give consumers the chance to buy a wide variety of consumer products at discounted and affordable prices.

At the same time, the project, which will be held from October 18

Municipal Consumer Association Induction.

Engr. Roger M. Esto (left) , who represented Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores in the Forum on Consumerism spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), inducts into office the officers of the Batan Consumer Association held recently at Hernani's Mix and Match in Kalibo. The Forum on Consumerism was one of the major activities of DTI-Aklan in observance of Consumer Welfare Month. Two other municipal associations - from Nabas and Madalag were also inducted during the forum. (PIA/ VGVillanueva)

PIA AKLAN BALITA

OCTOBER 6 - 29, 2013 heads and representatives of national government agencies and provincial offices and the media, and radio guestings to talk on the essence of consumer welfare, responsibilities of consumers and business establishments and other issues and concerns.

This year’s theme is “Health products’ quality, efficacy and transparency…everybody’s concern. (DTI/JCM/VGV/PIA6 Aklan)

DTI and consumer advocates. DTI-Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado P. Cadena Jr. (left) and Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) Coordinator Engr. Roger M. Esto (extreme right) pose with the officers of the Consumer Advocates Club of Aklan State University (ASU) New Washington Campus after their induction during the Forum on Consumerism held recently by the DTI in celebration of Consumer Welfare Month. The forum was held at Hernani's Mix and Match Consumer Advocates of Aklan. Consumer in Kalibo. (PIA/VGVillanueva) Advocates Clubs officers of Aklan State Unito 20, will also be an opportunity for versity (ASU) New Washington Campus, manufacturers and dealers to prac- Madyaas Institute in Numancia, Aklan and tice their corporate social responsi- Linabuan National High School in Kalibo are inducted into office by Engr. Roger M. Esto, bility to consumers.

Besides this “Diskwento” project, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator who represented Aklan Governor Florto celebrate Consumer Welfare encio T. Miraflores in the Forum on ConsumMonth, the DTI conducted early erism held recently at Hernani's Mix and this month a forum on Consumer- Match in Kalibo. The forum was one of the ism attended by various municipal major activities of the Department of Trade consumer associations and school- and Industry (DTI) in celebration of Consumer based consumer advocates clubs, Welfare Month. (PIA/VGVillanueva)

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Candidates vying for barangay posts in the October 28, 2013 barangay elections should do away with giving anything of value to registered voters in their areas because this is also seen as vote-buying by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

According to Atty. Dennis Ausan in an interview over a local radio station here, Regional Election Director of COMELEC 6, people should take the barangay elections and the imposed prohibitions seriously, to avoid charges and get penalized through imprisonment.

After the conduct of barangay elections, candidates, just like those who ran in the national and local elections, are also required to submit their expenditures.

Atty. Ausan said a candidate in the barangay elections only need to spend P5.00 per voter, warning that those who will be found overspend-

ing will be charged.

“Even winners could be disqualified if the COMELEC finds out that they overspent”, Ausan said.

Ausan also appealed to voters to refrain from selling their votes, because they are supposed to protect their rights of suffrage.

“Selling your votes is like smoking. You smoke and when you get sick, you blame the government because you claim you were not informed enough of the hazards. When you sell your votes and later become dissatisfied with the barangay officials who won through vote-buying, please don’t blame the COMELEC”, Ausan said.

Ausan also called on everybody to be vigilant in protecting their votes in order to reach the objectives of the exercise – and that is to truly reflect the will of the electorate.

He also reminded the people of Continued on page 03

PAGE 03

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Two major events in Aklan will mark this year’s celebration of Consumer Month this October spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry.

These events, according to DTIAklan Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena Jr. are the Forum on Consumerism, to be held October 2 at Hernani’s Mix and Match, and the In-Store “Diskwento” Sale Project on October 18-20 joined by various commercial establishments mostly located in Kalibo.

To be graced by Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores and Kalibo Mayor William S. Lachica, the forum, according to Cadena, intends to raise consumers’ awareness on the different consumer advocacy programs of the government.

On the other hand, the forum’s resource persons will come from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Environment and

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- As the nation celebrates Children’s Month this October, the Men Opposed to Violence Against Women Everywhere (MOVE) Aklan Chapter is calling for more vigilance and concerted action to put an end to violence against the province’ children.

MOVE-Aklan issued this call amidst report from the Child Protection Unit (CPU) here housed at the Daeangpan it mga Kababayenanit Aklan that as of October 8 of this year, child abuse cases reached 73.

Of these cases, 55 were victims of sexual abuse and 14 suffered physical abuses, with ages of victims ranging from 12 to 15.

“The report also cited that there were more victims whose ages range from 2-8 years old”, MOVEAklan said in its issued statement on Children’s Month celebration.

The men’s movement said that Children’s Month is an opportune time for all sectors of Aklanon Society to make a stand to put an end to exploitation of children, as in most cases, the persons who are the sup-

PIA AKLAN BALITA

OCTOBER 6 - 29, 2013

Natural Resources (DENR), DTI and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

Six newly-organized consumer groups composed of municipal level consumer associations and schoolbased consumer advocates clubs – Aklan State University Consumer Advocates Club, Madyaas Institute C o n s u m e r A dv o ca t e s C l u b , Linabuan National High School Consumer Advocates Club, Batan Consumers Association, Madalag Consumers Association and the Nabas Consumers Association, will also be inducted by Governor Miraflores.

For the In-Store “Diskwento” Sale Project, Cadena said ten (10) major stores in Kalibo selling grocery items, household supplies, garments, school supplies and furniture have confirmed to join.

The project intends to provide consumers with low-priced commodities and generate more sales for local major stores of basic and prime goods to manifest their social responsibility.

This year’s theme of the celebrations is “Health products’ quality, efficacy and transparency… everybody’s concern. (DTI VGV PIA6 Aklan)

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is batting to make everyday in Western Visayas a Flower Festival by making roadsides of the region colorful with planted flowering plants.

DOT 6 Regional Director Atty.

Helen Catalbas said the planting of flowering plants could be started first from Kalibo International Airport (KIA) to Caticlan, Malay, the jump-off point to Boracay Island, and then duplicated all over the region to make the roadsides colored “like the rainbow”.

Catalbas shared this plan with

radio listeners in an interview here recently on the arrival of a cruise ship in Boracay Island.

Catalbas said she plans to take up this matter with Aklan Governor Florencio T. Miraflores for this project to successfully take off.

She also appealed to barangays folks, the private sectors and other entities to help make this project successful. (VGV PIA6 Aklan)

posed protectors of these children are the abusers and perpetrators of said dastardly acts.

To end the abuses, MOVE-Aklan called on all Aklanons, concerned agencies, families, parents, schools and non-government organizations to operationalize the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), educate children of their rights and appealed to all Aklanon men to respect and love not only the women but also the boys and girls – the children.

MOVE-Aklan also said everyday should be made a Children’s Day by freeing the children from violence and abuse.

MOVE-Aklan, currently headed

by Jones Arrieta of Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) here as President, is an organization of principled Aklanon men working towards the elimination of Gender-

Giving anything…

From page 02

the existing gun ban and reported that started September 28, with 57 violators already listed, with Region 6 having the highest number of violators.

Ausan said the gun ban will be up to November 12, end of election period, while campaigning is strictly prohibited on October 27, eve of the election.

Other acts prohibited on the eve of the barangay elections are selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving or taking intoxicating liquor, giving and accepting free transportation, food drinks and other valuable things. (VGV PIA6 Aklan

EDITORIAL STAFF VENUS G. VILLANUEVA

Editor JOSELITO EDWIN R. RAMOS

Assistant DONATO I. SANTIAGO, JR.

Continued on page 04

Production/Circulation

PAGE 04

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Ever wondered why the 1 kilogramdressed chicken you bought from the market shrunk upon going home and shed water?

Chances are, according to a lecture of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute – Department of Science and Technology (FNRIDOST) here during the NUTRICOMNET monitoring meeting and media forum held October 24 at the DOST-Aklan Provin-

Is the customer…

From page 01

She said solving the problem in this level is much better than having the problem blottered or tackled by the media.

“Chances are, the customer and the establishment owner can agree to a solution, like changing or returning the item. There are instances when complaints get blottered and the establishments would refuse to deal with the customer anymore, having been shamed,” Ruiz said.

She said however that through DTI-Aklan, complaints had 99% resolution.

If there are complaints, customers should go to the right government agencies, Ruiz said.

Also with Ruiz during the radio guesting was Rene Retiro, Trade and Industry Development Specialist, who talked on the observance of Philippine Standards Week and World Standards Month spearheaded by the DTI this October.

Retiro said these observations emphasize the need for all consumers to ensure that they are buying products which are of standard and good quality.

These products, according to Retiro, like building construction materials, electrical appliances, consumer goods, and electrical supplies should always have Product Safety (PS) marks and if imported, Imported Commodity Clearance (ICC) to ensure that these are safe, to prevent accidents.

This year’s theme of Consumer Welfare Month is “Health Products’ quality, efficacy and transparency ……everybody’s concern. (Jcm/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

PIA AKLAN BALITA

cial Science and Technology Center, Provincial Capitol Compound, Kalibo, the chicken might have been plumped, by injecting it with water to add weight to the meat.

This and other current issues on Food Safety, like nitrates and nitrItes and “botcha”, were presented

by Victor Alfonso, who lectured on Food Fortification and Food Safety.

Alfonso said that in the United States, plumping is a process by which some chicken companies inject raw chicken meat with salt water, chicken stock and seaweed extract supposedly to make the meat tastier and juicier.

In the Philippines however, Alfonso said the practice is done by unscrupulous businessmen in order to earn more, at the expense of the consumers.

Plumping chickens is very disadvantageous too, as it will be more expensive for consumers because of additional 15-39% additional weight; unhealthy because the chicken contains 200-500 mg sodium per serving versus 45-70 mg in unplumped chicken, increases risk of hypertension and heart attack; and may be unsafe, because in the Philippines, where plumping is unregulated, the safety of the solution used in plumping is unsure.

As for nitrates, its use could form

OCTOBER 6 - 29, 2013 carcinogenic nitrosoamines in meat when exposed to high temperature, but this could be countered with the addition of Vitamin C and E as these antioxidants may inhibit the formation of nitorsoamines.

“Botcha”, on the other hand, or meat taken from an animal that has died of disease, must not be consumed, instead, the dead animal should be properly disposed by burning or burying the diseased animal carcass, Alfonso said.

He also cited Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag who said that people who eat meat of diseased pigs can contract all sorts of illnesses which can lead to death.

There are also no assurances that after cooking botcha, the meat is already safe to eat, or all the bacteria are gone.

Also with Alfonso at the NUTRICOMNET monitoring-meeting and media forum was Marilou Galang, Sr. Science Research Specialist, who talked on the country’s Nutrition Situation and Consequences of Malnutrition.

The activity, which was facilitated by DOST-Aklan headed by Provincial Science and Technology Director Jairus Lachica, was attended by Aklan’s local media, government information officers and representatives from the academe. (VGV PIA6 Aklan)

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Cause: Salmonella Typhi Bacteria Mode of Transmission:  Ingestion of food and water contaminated with human waste Signs and Symptoms:  Sustained high fever  headache  malaise (weakness)  anorexia (loss of appetite)  diarrhea or constipation and abdominal discomfort Prevention and Control:  Boil water for drinking.

(Upon reaching boiling point, extend boiling for two or more minutes) or  Do water chlorination  Cook food well and always use food cover to prevent

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flies and other insects from contaminating them.

Wash thoroughly all vegetables and fruits especially those that are eaten raw.

Avoid eating street vended foods.

Wash hands with soap and water after using the toilet and before eating.

Keep surrounding cleam to prevent breeding of flies.

http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/317.html

Aklan men's…

From page 03

Based Violence and adhering to the principle of never to commit and condone Violence Against Women (VAW).

This year’s Children’s Month theme is “Kahirapan Wakasan, Karapatan ng Bata Ipaglaban!”(VGV PIA6 Aklan)