VOL. V, ISSUE NO. 3

Volume V

Kalibo, Aklan, (PIA6) -- Eight graduating elementary school pupils from various public and private schools here successfully passed the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Science High School (DOST-PSHS) National Competitive Examination given October 22, 2016.

The competitive examination was held at the Northwestern Visayan Colleges (NVC) in Kalibo, Aklan.

Of the passers, four (4) are from Aklan Learning Center (ALC) and one each from New Washington Elementary School, Infant Jesus Academy, Echelon Development School, and Kalibo Integrated Special Education Center.

From ALC, passers include Jeriah Borreros, Clark Andino Magada, Eunice Anne Maravilla, andJillian Pastrana.

Other passers are Princess Jasmine

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in the province of Aklan is all set for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Meetings in the island of Boracay, the information officer of Aklan Police Provincial Office said.

In a media interview, Senior Police Officer I Nida L. Gregas, APPO information officer, said that police officers here are now ready in terms of security preparations for the upcoming ASEAN meetings in Boracay Island.

“Authorities had already conducted briefings and ocular inspections in all of the venues of the meetings,” Gregas said, adding that dry-runs were likewise done.

Security will be beefed up at jetty ports, airports, roads, coastlines, hotels and meeting venues.

“At least 2,800 police officers and some 200 volunteers are tapped together with the members of the Philippine Army, Philippine Coast Guard and Boracay Action Group,” Gregas added.

She revealed that about 3,000 to 4,000 force multipliers will be deployed in mainland Malay and the whole island of Boracay.

Three task groups are formed to han-

Issue 03

Agustino of New Washington Elementary School; Rysa Antonette Ang of Infant Jesus School; Jashley Kate Paloma of Echelon Development School, and Rein Margarette Sarmiento of the Kalibo Integrated Special Education Center (KISEC).

As scholars, these young Aklanons’ privileges include free tuition fee, free loan of textbooks, monthly stipend and uniform, transportation and living allowance for low-income groups.

The PSHS system is an attached agency of the DOST. The PSHS is the country’s leading science high school that prepares its scholars to become world-class Filipino scientists dedicated to nation-building, according to the DOST. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

dle the peace and order, security, and emergency preparedness.

Security deployment will start five days before the meeting and end five days after the event.

Boracay will be hosting three key meetings of the 2017 ASEAN Summit in the country - the 23rd Meeting of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights on February 13 to 15; ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat on Feb. 19 to 21; and ASEAN Committee on Migrant Workers Meeting on Feb. 21 to 22. (JSC/SQP/PIA6 Aklan)

February 1 - 15, 2017

KALIBO, AKLAN, (PIA) - Consumers were warned against buying meat products sold in stalls with no permits from the local government here.

In a recent committee meeting of the Local Government Unit of Kalibo, Sangguniang Bayan Member Cynthia Dela Cruz, chairman of Committee on Health and Economic Enterprise, urged the public not to buy meat products in meat shops or stalls with no permits to ensure the safety of everybody.

“Consumers should look for the Mayor’s Permit, Sanitary Permit and Meat Inspection Certificate when buying meat products in any stalls or shops here in Kalibo to ensure that the products they are buying are safe and clean,”Dela Cruz said.

She added that the aforesaid permits should be posted in areas that are visible to buyers.

The CHEE had expressed their concerns with the increasing number of stalls selling meat products even besides the roads and streets; which giving sanitary permit would not be permitted.

According to CHEE, it is not an assurance if meats are slaughtered at the Municipal Slaughter House of LGUKalibo, because the manner of displaying and selling of the said products should be also considered to ensure food safety.

Meanwhile, SB Member Daisy Briones recommended that a dialogue with all the meat shop owners in Kalibo should be conducted to educate them of the violations owners should avoid and the process taken to have their business be accredited by the local government.

The Task Force on Public Safety, which was formed by the committee, is set to conduct thorough inspections twice a month, as soon as the LGUKalibo is done with the inventory of the total numbers of meat shops/stalls operating in this town. (JCM/SQP/PIA6 Aklan)

PIA AKLAN BALITA

Vol. No. V Issue No. 03

KALIBO, Aklan, (PIA6) -- All types of shellfish gathered and harvested from Batan Bay and its tributaries in Aklan like Altavas, Batan and New Washington in the province of Aklan are safe for human consumption, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) here.

The clearance to gather, harvest, market and eat all types of shellfish and alamang is contained in the recent BFAR shellfish Bulletin No. 03 dated January 17, 2017 stating that the said areas continue to be free from red tide toxins.

There are still areas throughout the country where coastal waters are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.

One of these areas is Gigantes Island in Carles, Iloilo – the only place listed in Western Visayas affected by red tide.

The other unsafe areas include coastal waters Maqueda and Villareal Bays in Western Samar; Biliran Province, Daram Island in Western Samar; Cambatutay Bay in Western Samar; Irong-Irong Bay in Western Samar;

Six out of 10 children were born illegitimate in Aklan in 2016 based on the record of Philippine Statistics Authority.

Of the 13, 943 registered births in 2016, 8, 502 children or 61 percent were born to parents out of wedlock, while 5, 441 or 40 percent were legitimate children.

The Municipality of Buruanga has the highest percentage of illegitimate children with 76 percent. The status increased by more than half from 261 in 2015 to 393 in 2016.

Other municipalities with highest proportions of illegitimate children are Malay, Madalag, Batan with 69 percent, respectively.

In contrast, legitimate birthsare higher in Malinao with 50 percent (157 are legitimate out of 315 babies), followed by Makato with 48 percent (133 out of 277), and Kalibo with 44 percent (2, 681 out of 6, 068).

Meanwhile, most mothers in Aklan gave birth at the age of 20-24 comprising of 26 percent or 3, 683, followed by mothers aged 25-29 years old with 3, 391 or 25 percent, and aged 30-34 with 2, 513 or 18 percent.

About 1, 427 live births were born to mothers with age 19 years old and below, which means that one for every ten births were mothered by teen-agers in 2016.

Leyte; Matarino Bay in Eastern Samar; Balite Bay, Davao Oriental; Dauis and Tagbilaran City, Bohol; and Carigara Bay in Leyte.

More areas however continue to be free from red tide – including coastal waters of Pilar, Panay, President Roxas, Roxas City and Sapian Bay in Capiz in Western Visayas and coastal waters of E.B. Magalona, Pntevedra, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Talisay City, Silay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, Cadiz City, Victorias City, Bago City Binalbagan and San Enrique in the Negros Island Region.

(JCMVGV PIA6 Aklan)

According to PSO Antonet B. Catubuan data on birth were generated from copies of birth certificates submitted to PSA by 17 local civil registry offices in Aklan every end of the month.

(PSA/PIA)

Local government units of Libacao and Kalibo recently implemented a series of livelihood programs for its localities through the Bottom-Up-Budgeting program in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry- Aklan.

BUB funds worth P0.5M, P0.7M and P0.5M were turned over last year to LGU Libacao, Kalibo, and Nabas, respectively. As to date, LGU Libacao has implemented four (4) livelihood projects out of its six (6) identified trainings/ seminars in support to the handicraft industry. Eighty-nine (89) local farmers, especially from upland areas of Libacao, have availed seminar/ skills trainings on (1) Basic Entrepreneurship, Product Pricing and Costing, Effective Marketing and Selling Techniques, (2) Abaca Slippers Making, (3) Abaca Macrame Bags Making and (4) Ban Ban Craft

PAGE 02

KALIBO, (PIA6) – The island of Boracay received a total of 169,843 tourists in the first month of 2017, record from the Economic Enterprise Development Department showed.

Based on the data of EEDD, an extension office of the Aklan Provincial Tourism Office in Caticlan, Malay, of the total tourist arrivals in Boracay in January this year, foreign tourists listed were 95,069; while domestic tourists were 67,643; and Overseas Filipino Workers were 7,131.

Tourist arrivals this January 2017 increased by 7 percent as compared to the same period last year which had 158,701 arrivals.

Among the foreign nationalities that visited the island this month, Chinese were recorded with the most arrivals with 34, 743; followed by Koreans with 34,040; Taiwanese 3,840; Russians 2,414; and Americans 2,039.

Also included in the top 10 foreign visitors in the island were Australians with 1,874 arrivals; British, 1,545; Malaysians, 1,381; Saudi Arabians, 1,152; and Germans, 1,025.

This year, Boracay targets to accommodate two million tourists.

Officials of the province are confident that this year’s target will be attained with the 15 lined up cruise ships arrivals in 2017; landing of regional and international flights at Kalibo International Airport and airbuses in Caticlan Airport; holding of international events in the island; and the aggressive promotions of the Department of Tourism, Aklan Provincial Government and the local government of Malay. (JSC/SQP/PIA6 Aklan) making. Two (2) more activities will be implemented to complete the BUB target for LGU Libacao, including skills training on Wood Craft Making and Marketing promotion assistance. For LGU Kalibo, seven (7) activities were identified to support the fiber and food industries. These are, (1) Basic Management System and Value Formation, (2) Food Sanitation and Hygiene, (3) Meat Processing, (4) Product Development, Packaging and Labeling, (5) Updating of Designs, (6) product Promotion and (7) Benchmarking mission on Fiber-based and Food products. All activities were implemented except the benchmarking mission which is scheduled first semester of this year. A total of one hundred sixty-nine (169) aspiring/existing entrepreneurs have been capacitated/ trained during these livelihood opportunities.

Continued on page… 02

PIA AKLAN BALITA

Vol. No. V Issue No. 03

The total registered marriage of Aklan in 2016 declined by 6.86 percent from 3, 148 a year ago to 2, 932 based on the records of Philippine Statistics Authority in Aklan.

The biggest drop in the number of marriages was in Buruanga with 50 percent (from 147 in 2015 to 74 in 2016), followed by Batan with 46 percent (from 152 in 2015 to 82 in 2016), and Balete with 32 percent (from 131 in 2015 to 89 2016).

On the other hand, Lezo has the highest increase in marriage with 74, followed by New Washington and Numancia with 40 percent and 28 percent, respectively.

On the average, there are a total of (8) marriages a day occurred in the province last year.

Among the 17 municipalities, the highest number of recorded marriages was in Kalibo with 588, Malay with 329, and New Washington with 233.

May was the most favored month for marriage in 2016 with 379, which translates to an average of 12 marriages a day. This is followed by the month of January with 350,and June with 338. In contrast, November was the least favored month with 132 or a daily average of 4 marriages a day.

The Philippine Statistics Authority in Aklantook the lead in celebrating this year’s Civil Registration Month with the theme: “PilipinongRehistrado, MatatagnaKinabukasan ay Sigurado.”

The activity kicked-off with the simultaneous hanging of streamers at the provincial office and in different municipal buildingsin cooperation with the local civil registry offices in Aklan.

Free mobile registration programs have been rolled out in identified barangays of the province which will last until

Meanwhile, most of marriages in the province were performed through civil ceremony as it accounted for 1, 460 or 50 percent of the total marriages, followed byRoman Catholicismwith 1, 399 (48 percent), and other religious rites with 73 (2 percent).

Both grooms and brides preferred to get married at the age of 25-29. About 38 percent or 1, 128 of the grooms contracted at this age bracket, while brides comprised 37 percent or 1, 076. Conversely, teen brides comprised of 100 or 3 percent out of the total registered marriage.

Likewise, number of men who settled down at age 50 and over (81 or 3%) was more than twice that of women (34 or 1%) of the same age group.

According to PSO Antonet B. Catubuan data on marriagewere taken DTI-Aklan’s BUB… fromcertificate of marriage submitted to PSA by local civil registry offices every From page 02 One of the highlights for the BUB imple- end of the month. (PSA-Aklan) mentation of Kalibo is the awarding of four (4) NegoCarts (food carts) to deserving/aspiring Kalibonhon entrepreneurs.

Nego-carts serve as their start-up packAklan’s annual inflation rate inage for Siomai and Siopao business creased by 1.3 percent at the start of the which includes two (2) layer steamers year according to the Philippine Statiswith gasulette and glass food keeper. tics Authority-Aklan.

Four (4) new MSMEs were generated as It went up by 0.9 percent in Decema result of this activity, namely, Ms. ber 2016 but lower compared to 1.5 perMargie Madula, Ms. Myla Victoria cent a year ago.

Cipriano, Ms. Sahlee Catubay and Ms. The annual uptick was primarily Jecell Martin. Said carts were awarded moved by eight of the eleven commodity to the above beneficiaries on January groups, namely: Alcoholic Beverages 23, 2017. For LGU Nabas, four (4) skills and Tobacco (6.55%), Furnishings, HH training on fish, meat, banana, packag- Equipment, and House Maintenance ing and labelling and one (1) market (6.53%), Transport (3.26%), Recreation development/exposure activity will be and Culture (1.86%), Restaurants and implemented for this year in support to Miscellaneous Goods and Services the food industry in Nabas. As an out- (1.42%), Clothing and Footwear (1.04%), come of the DTI BUB projects, a total of Food and Non-alcoholic beverages 250 aspiring/existing/new entrepreneurs (0.82%), Housing, Water, Electricity, were capacitated and trained on liveli- Gas (HWEG) and other Fuels (0.53%), hood improvement and development. and Health(0.32%).

More participants from the localities are The other commodity groups had expected to benefit this year. Beneficiar- slower annual increments. ies are assured of DTI’s continued supOn a monthly basis, consumer prices port through the operations of the Nego- in Aklan went up by 0.1 percent in syo Centers in different localities. (DTI- January with the following commodity Aklan) groups exhibiting higher mark-ups:

PAGE 03

the end of the month.

According to Provincial Statistics Officer AntonetCatubuan, this year’s celebration will focus on continuously improvingthe Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Decade program of the office, which aims for a universal registration of births and deaths, provision of legal documentation to all Filipinos, and provision of accurate, complete, and timely vital statistics based on civil registration records.

PSO Catubuan pointed out that nowadays civil registry documents, such as birth certificate, are already a necessity because it is usually required in entrance to school, employment, claiming for benefits, passport, and the like.

“But on top of that civil registry documents provides vital statistics data that can be used in planning, policyformulation, and development programs which will promote better life to all Filipinos,” PSO Catubuan said.

That’s why according to her there is a need to enhance the awareness and knowledge of the public regarding this matter.

Aside from the activities cited above, other programs slated for this celebration includecivil registration clinic and awareness campaign, quiz and poster making contest.

This annual observance is anchored on Presidential Proclamation No.682 “Declaring the Month of February of every year as Civil Registration Month.

(PSA-Aklan)

Transport (1.01%), Food and NonAlcoholic Beverages (0.19%), and HWEG and Other Fuels (0.08 %).

On the other hand, the price index of Restaurant and Miscellaneous Goods and Services dropped by 0.08 percent while the rest of the commodity groups have retained their previous month’s rate.

The increase in price index across heavily-weighted food items is attributed to higher price adjustments observed in meat (0.75%), fish (0.72%), vegetables (0.16%), bread and cereals (0.11%), and rice (0.11%).

According to Provincial Statistics Officer AntonetCatubuan inflation rate is the annual rate of change or the yearon-year change in consumer price index (CPI).

CPI, on the other hand, is an indicator of the change in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by the households relative to a base year.

(PSA-Aklan)