THE MINDANAO POST MAY 16-17 2023

FPRDI urges public to learn

wood,

skills via free webinars

By Ma. Cristina Arayata

MANILA – The Forest Products Research and Development Institute

(FPRDI) announced on Tuesday the provision of free online training on bamboo and wood skills and technologies set on March 23 to November 23.

Topics include resin lamination, charcoal briquetting technology, wood and bamboo waste utilization, handmade paper production, wood and non-wood forest products (NWFP) preservation and treatment, NWFP dyeing and bleaching, lumber kiln drying, basic finishing techniques for wood and

bamboo, and bamboo craft making.

"These training webinars are open to everyone. These will provide participants with the technical information and processes involved in producing FPRDI technologies," Director Romulo Aggangan said in an interview. He added that the online training serves as an initial step for those who may be interested to move on to face-to-face training activities, as well as adopt the technolo -

from GIP to becoming a lawyer

OROQUIETA CITY –

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

This verse is what Gladys Myr Espiga takes with her in her day-to-day endeavor to become a lawyer.

Espiga started working at the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office (DOLE)-10 as an intern through the Government Internship Program (GIP), June 15, 2015, after working for a private corporation when she realized that public service was her calling.

She was then absorbed as a job-order employee after completing the six-month program. While following her aspiration to become a lawyer, Espiga enrolled as

a Juris Doctor at Misamis University in Ozamiz City. Proving enthusiasm in the government service, Espiga was hired as Labor and Employment Officer (LEO) II, September 25, 2017 and then promoted on January 3, 2019 as LEO II. Throughout Espiga’s employment, she was exposed to different programs of the department and was able to gauge a good balance between labor and management relations. Assimilating the concerns and plight of the workers, she realized that she could help through the practice of fair treatment.

Her opportunity to work under the GIP was perfect timing for her. She took it as her first step in advancing her career in government service.

"I started as just an in-

gies.

Webinar participants will also receive a certificate of participation upon filling out the necessary forms.

Webinars will be held via Zoom and will accommodate up to 100 participants for ease in management and for the FPRDI to accommodate their questions and concerns, FPRDI Technical Services Division chief, Maria Cielito Siladan, said.

The FPRDI will post announcements with registration links on its Facebook page every Monday. Interested individuals

should answer the registration form, and the Zoom link will be sent to them a day before the webinar.

The training usually lasts for one hour to an hour-and-a-half, and starts at 10 a.m. Siladan said the faceto-face training, on the other hand, could accommodate a maximum of 25 participants, and would not require a training fee. She clarified, however, that there is costsharing in face-to-face training.

"The training materials, including raw materials, chemicals,

tern, and becoming what I wanted to be is all that I still cannot imagine at this time. At first, I merely wanted to realize the dream of my father, and along the way, I came to realize that becoming a lawyer indeed makes me proud, satisfied, and fulfilled. I’d like to help those people who seem to get lost in our justice system. The journey was not easy, but it was all worthwhile," she shared.

Espiga's coworkers describe her as a natural leader who frequently takes the lead and manages things through her own initiative. She is capable of exercising critical thinking and rational reasoning. She is also a quick learner and works well under pressure.

Not only was her career thriving, but Espiga recently

Gladys Myr Espiga (left) and Lei Garette Miraflor, former DOLE-10 labor inspector in Misamis Occidental. (DOLE MisOcc)

Educ group to DepEd: ‘Own up’ laptop mess

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

EXPRESSING its continuing support to provide a better quality of education for Filipinos, a Mindanao-based group of educators denounced

LAWYER,

from p1..

married her co-employee a month before the Bar Examinations of 2022 were released.

It is believed that her beginnings are in DOLE, and all the best is yet to come in her personal life and work life in the department.

“I am beyond grateful to this office,” she remarked. “This has been my journey, and it has shaped me into the person that I am today. As a way of giving back, I pledge to serve the public with utmost diligence and renewed devotion. I chose to be here in the department because, if not for my work, my career and personal life would not have been as bright and promising as they are today. Thank you, DOLE; to you I am forever grateful.”

(DOLE-10 | PIA-10 | Misamis Occidental)

the alleged illegal sale of Department of Educationprocured laptops for public schools in retail stores and on Facebook.

Apart from violating the public trust, the Media Educators of Mindanao (MEM) also stressed that the said illegal act also deprives the basic education teachers of their “right to government support.”

“It is crucial to hold accountable those who have

BAMBO,

from p1..

equipment, transportation and accommodation of the training team should be shouldered by the requesting party. The team’s handouts, certificates, and expenses in preparation for samples and trials will be shouldered by the FPRDI,” Siladan said.

She added that there were instances when training sessions pushed through even when there were only one or two trainees.

According to the FPRDI, about 2,600 participants benefited from the 31 webinars and 23 onsite training that the Institute conducted in 2022. (PNA)

violated the rights of the teachers and to ensure that such incidents will not happen again,” MEM said in its statement released on Friday, May 12, urging the involved parties to “take responsibility for this incident” by conducting a thorough investigation.

It can be recalled that online news site Rappler published a two-part investigative report exposing how laptops procured by DepEd for public schools ended up being sold in retail stores and on Facebook

Marketplace. According to the said report, at least four Coby NBPC 1958 laptops being sold in the HMR store in Rizal province were inspected and checked by the said news organization against the serial numbers of laptops “known to have been supplied to DepEd.”

MEM released the statement following the said investigative report and commended the journalists—Rappler reporters Ryan Macasero and Bonz Magsambol—who brought

up the story.

In February this year, DepEd confirmed that some laptops were being sold in a surplus store in Cebu.

The said laptops were part of the DepEd Computerization Program and were not procured by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management.

On Tuesday, May 9, Makabayan bloc lawmakers filed a resolution calling for an investigation in aid of legislation on

the illegal sale of DepEdprocured laptops.

Despite the concerns and tensions caused by the said incident, the media educators still believed that “accountability and peace can coexist,” urging the involved parties to engage in a peaceful and constructive dialogue in resolving the issue.

The call to protect the rights of the educators was also raised by the group, stressing that their welfare has a great impact on the students. (MT)

Mambajao underscores importance of mental health among youth

CAMIGUIN – Following Mambajao Mayor Yñigo Jesus Romualdo’s noted concern for the youth’s mental state in a council meeting discussion, Camiguin Polytechnic State College (CPSC) Guidance Counselor Maya Sanchez reiterated the importance of mental health during the “Alerto” radio program, here, on May 9.

Sanchez discussed how strong emotional pain, like the feeling of loneliness, can have a grave impact on mental health.

“Strong emotional pain is really one of the reasons

why some end up taking their lives; they can’t find any escape. It’s difficult for depressed people to change the negative pattern in their way of thinking,” she said.

She further explained that to be diagnosed with depression, its symptoms would last about two weeks or longer.

Symptoms of depression would include, but not be limited to, the feeling of emptiness, a lack of pressure even in previously enjoyed activities, a lack of sleep or oversleeping, changes in appetite (ei -

ther a lack of eating or overeating), and suicidal agitations.

Sanchez highlighted the significance of eliminating the stigma of asking for help. She said fear of being judged for asking for help leads to a heightened rate of anxiety and depression.

“That’s why it’s really important to have a strong support system—to have family or friends that can be confided in and spoken to when it comes to having problems. Different government agencies and the LGU also have responsibilities for creating programs for these

people,” said Sanchez. She further promoted the Mental Health Act, otherwise known as RA 11306, which protects those utilizing psychiatric, neurologic, and psychosocial health services and aims to enhance the same services.

Sanchez urges parents to be responsive to their children’s needs in mental health through regular monitoring of their activities, behavior, and anxiety. She encourages people to seek professional help upon finding symptoms of poor mental health. (TAAG | PIA-10 | Camiguin)

Operatives from various government agencies such as the National Bureau of Investigation, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and the Philippine Army’s Special Forces mount a joint operation against Chinese nationals and Filipino workers allegedly involved in illegal mining operation between the boundary Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental boundary Saturday morning, May 13. (Photo courtesy of Michael Tolang)

Politics behind demol? LGU exec denies

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

SEVERAL occupants of the illegal structures who were affected by the demolition conducted by the city government in a relocation site at Zone 10, Calaanan, Barangay Canitoan, suspected that “politics” could possibly be the main reason behind it, a zone leader said Thursday, May 11.

“Sa akong tan-aw, gipolitika ni. Why man ako lang? (In my perspective, this was being politicized. Why am I the only one?),” Ruby Madriaga, Zone 10 president, said in her protest amid the demolition, saying that she has been allegedly reported by some of the residents of the same place who are supporters of the current administration.

A total of 12 structures—stalls for vendors— were being demolished by the Task Group Demolition, as the said area is prohibited for vendors and has been designated as an “open space.”

The demolition is part of the Department of Interior and Local Government’s directive to local

government units (LGU) to clear the roads.

The said number of structures also didn’t have building permits, which is why they received a “notice of violation” from the Office of the Building Official.

Madriaga explained that in 2017, they asked for permission from the City Housing and Urban Development Department (CHUDD) to use the area for their livelihood, but the alleged approval from CHUDD had only been “verbalized” and had no proper documents.

Lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy, chairperson of the city’s Regulatory Compliance Board (RCB), who led the demolition team, said “verbal approval” couldn’t be used as proof, clarifying that the government won’t provide an approval if it’s prohibited.

The RCB chairperson also debunked the allegation that the demolition in Zone 10, Calaanan, Brgy. Canitoan is politicallymotivated.

“Carmen man gani nga diha ang atong mayor gapuyo, nag-demolish man gani ta didto. Wala ni giingon nga gipili kay

LGU Gingoog, DMFI ink MOA on water system rehab project

By Vincent Bautista

GINGOOG CITY – The Local Government of Gingoog City in collaboration with Del Monte Foundation Inc., held a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing for a water system rehabilitation project in Barangay Mimbalagon on May 5.

The water system rehabilitation project serves to connect potable water from Sitio Abante to the center of Barangay Mimbalgaon while also ensuring water utility access during calamities or heavy

kontra-politika (Even in Carmen, where [Mayor Rolando Uy] is residing, we conducted demolition there. It didn’t say that it was chosen because it’s anti-politics),” Lawyer Uy said.

Uy confirmed that there are other areas in barangay Canitoan that are set to undergo road clearing, as well as other areas in the city.

He clarified that the

task group couldn’t conduct a simultaneous demolition due to limited manpower.

The zone president, together with the other occupants, personally asked the mayor during his People’s Day program on April 26 this year to allow them to use the said area, but their request was accordingly rejected.

“Pasayloa ko mayor pero ipagawas gayud nako

akong hinanakit. Dapat imo unta mi’ng gipaminaw mayor, dili lang unta ka one-sided. Palangga ka namo mayor (I’m sorry, mayor, but I will express my resentment. You should have listened to us, mayor, you shouldn’t have been one-sided. We love you, mayor),” Madriaga said.

The RCB chairperson understood the situation of the affected occupants, but he asked for their under-

standing as they were also doing their job. Lawyer Uy has already coordinated with the CHUDD to profile the occupants to determine if there are still qualified for the housing program of the city government. When asked about their plan after the demolition, Madriaga said they were considering raising their concerns with Senator Raffy Tulfo in his “Raffy Tulfo in Action.” (MT)

rains.

The Del Monte Foundation Inc. will fund the project, while Barangay Mimbalagon will provide manpower with the LGU’s support and technical assistance to expedite the project’s completion.

Gingoog City Mayor Erick Cañosa expressed his gratitude for the initiative of the Del Monte Foundation Inc. and asked the residents of Brgy. Mimbalagon to extend their cooperation in programs that will bring more development to their barangay. (VPSB | PIA-10 | Misamis Oriental)

Gingoog City, in collaboration with DMFI, holds a MOA signing for a water system rehabilitation project in Barangay Mimbalagon. (LGU Gingoog)

Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division participate in a five-day basic life support training held at the 4ID headquarters recently. (Photo courtesy of the 4th Infantry Division)

Why Andres Bonifacio deserves a place at Libingan ng mga Bayani?

1896 to try to settle a raging dispute between two revolutionary factions in that province -- those of the Magdalo and the Magdiwang groups.

As the Filipino people prepare for the celebration of their 125th Independence Day on June 12, I have in mind what I think is a very relevant question: Why we are not giving one of our foremost heroes a rightful place at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB)?

Of course, I am referring to Gat Andres Bonifacio, considered as the founder of the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng

Bayan (KKK) and Father of the 1896 Revolution against more than 300 years of Spanish rule in the Philippines (1521-1898).

Most adult Filipinos today know that Bonifacio was executed by his fellow revolutionaries in Maragondon, Cavite on May 10, 1897 for alleged guilt of treason and sedition. He has not yet been given a proper burial until now as his remains continue to be missing.

The Katipunan Supremo went to Cavite in December

It was his second and last visit to Cavite until his tragic death at age 33. His first visit to that province was in April 1896 to organize a provincial council of the Katipunan in Noveleta, according to the book “The Katipunan and the Revolution: Memoirs of a General” written by revolutionary Gen. Santiago V. Alvarez.

Various historical accounts said Bonifacio’s bones got lost or destroyed while deposited at the old National Library and Museum during the last war. There were also doubts about the authentication of such remains.

Bonifacio’s death came just four months after the execution on Dec. 30, 1896 of Dr. Jose P. Rizal by Spanish authorities at Bagumbayan or Luneta, now the Rizal Park in Manila.

During the centennial of Bonifacio’s death on May 10, 1997, a group of Bonifacio admirers, spearheaded by the civic organization “Kampanya para sa Kamalayan sa Kasaysayan” (KAMALAYSAYAN), then headed by journalist Ed Aurelio C. Reyes (RIP), held a “symbolic funeral ceremony for him” inside the Pamitinan Cave in Montalban, now Rodriguez town in Rizal.

A Facebook friend of this writer, Rosabella Fernandez of Quezon City, was among those who attended the ceremony. She noted with sadness that many of today’s young Filipinos, including students, appear to be unaware of Bonifacio’s important role in Philippine history.

It was said that Pamitinan Cave was where Bonifacio and other KKK leaders first declared Philippine Independence from Spain on April 12, 1895. On June 21, 1996, Pamitinan Cave was declared a historic site by the Philippine Histori-

Politics II: Short form content and politics

Generation X individuals like me still remember these short repeating segments and the lessons they taught. The advent of new technology and social media platforms such as TikTok, however, have taken short form content to new heights. Short form content is now the norm in social media and has made inroads in research, learning, marketing and politics.

cal Institute, now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

As I was composing this column, I was thinking of the decision in September 2016 by then newly seated President Rodrigo R. Duterte to bury the remains of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. at the LNMB in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Anti-Marcos groups tried to block the burial by petitioning the Supreme Court to invalidate Duterte’s order.

The High Court, in a 9-5 vote with one abstention on Nov. 8, 2016, dismissed the petitions, saying “there is no law prohibiting the burial of a former President of the country” at the said cemetery. The burial of Marcos at the LNMB took place on Nov. 18 of that year.

Majority of the justices also said Duterte did not abuse his discretion as head of state when he decided to allow the burial of Marcos in the country 27 years

“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is making a chore for the reader who read.”

- Dr. Seuss

Recently, there were several news articles in international media about some researchers’ warnings on the continuing and unabated rise of short form content and its effects. According to standard definition, “short-form content is any type of content your audience can easily and quickly consume, whether they’re reading, watching, or listening.” Examples of short form contents are the TikTok and YouTube short reels which

are viewed daily by a large number of people on social media. In its written form whether in social media posts or email, short form content should have 1,000 or fewer words.

Short form content is nothing new. When the famous children’s show Sesame Street first debuted in 1969, it popularized the use of short, colorful, lively and often funny segments to teach young kids about math and the alphabet among others.

The show’s aim, in the words of one of its producers, was to “educate poor preschool children while holding their shorter attention span with salient subliminal stimuli.”

Even after a few decades,

Researchers now say that this continuous exposure to short-form videos have irreversibly shortened people’s already short- attention span even further. There are many studies on the effects of this short form addiction to concentration especially on tasks that require longer undivided attention to accomplish. Harmful or not, it appears that short form content will be a part of society for years to come.

In the world of politics, recent elections worldwide have shown the rising impact of short form content especially in political short videos or reels. Social media was full of these short political reels all over the world in all its various forms.

Many are now predicting

that short form content in politics will also affect other aspects of political campaigning. In particular, face to face political campaigning will now have to adjust to the new realities of engaging a voting population with extremely short attention spans.

Having each candidate give speeches is a standard practice in political activities. Sometimes, the candidates follow time limit rules for their speeches. Unfortunately, most of the times many politicians give lengthy speeches. One of the longest political speeches I heard was from a gubernatorial candidate in North Luzon who was able to talk for six hours straight.

At the Center for Alternative Election Reforms (CAER), a political strategy think tank group, a research team is experimenting on several models of town hall meetings using short form content- related techniques.

In these sessions, multiple speakers with short and lively speeches using video, music and other tools combined with short message chunks are being employed to test message

penetration and staying power.

In essence, there are common elements which are apparently needed for the new type of short form political speeches. Other than speeches being short, they must: a) have a starting hook; 2) appeal to emotion; 3) use video and entertainment; 4) stick to one central message; 5) use narratives; 6) sound plausibly true; and 7) use simple language.

With this rise of short form content in campaigning, election operators must still remember that the core message within any short form platform is still very important. How do you craft messages that can still be effectively conveyed through short form content? Ah! That is a story that can be tackled another day.

This is my short form oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.

Nat’l hotline takes note of delayed wages in Oro

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

THE City Legal

Office

(CLO) confirmed they received the complaint of an unidentified worker of the local government here over the alleged delay in the salary of workers through the 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center, which has circulated on Facebook and was posted by a media news outlet here.

The exact number of days or months delayed has not been specified, but the complainant stressed the financial burdens that have been experienced due to the said problem.

“Dili lang sa kantidad sa kwarta, pero nag-antos sab ang akong panglawas, pamilya, ug panginabuhian (not just in the amount of the money, but my health also suffered, as did my family and my livelihood),” the complainant said.

The complainant said that there were allegedly lapses on the part of the Human Resource Management Office and City Legal Office, saying that the personnel of the said offices were allegedly not around during the payroll processes.

It was also stated in the complaint that the complainant heard that there were city hall employees who received their salary first because they allegedly provided money or presents to the personnel of the accounting office.

Antonio Resma Jr., a representative from the City Legal Office, said they’re validating the complaint after it was received by city legal officer Lawyer Kenneth Tamala, who is also the 8888 focal person in the local government unit (LGU) of Cagayan de Oro.

“Maybe this was being sent in January and it was relayed to us just now, so maybe [the complainant] already received the salary. But since it was raised already, we will look deeper into our payroll system,” Resma said in an interview on Thursday, May 11, debunking the allegations of the complainant that the said offices were not around during processing the payroll and the paying of personnel from the accounting office.

When Resma mentioned the flow of city hall’s payroll system, the office of Human Resource Management was not included among the concerned offices that handle the payroll, as claimed by the complainant.

Each city hall department, he said, has payroll officers for regulars, casu-

als, and job order workers, respectively.

The said officers would submit the payroll first to the City Budget Office for the charges and appropriations, before it would go to the City Accounting Office (CAO) for the pre-audit, to the CLO as the alternate office of the City Mayor, and to the City Finance Office for the disbursement.

On the part of the CLO, Resma said they can forward the payroll to the next office with a maximum of two days from the

date received. As to the other offices, he wasn’t sure about their timelines, especially for the CAO that does the pre-audit of the payroll.

One of the noted reasons for the delay is an incorrect computation, which prompts the CAO to return the payroll to the payroll officers. This is apart from the lacking submission of daily time records (DTRs) and other necessary documents.

Meanwhile, for the job order workers, the CLO

representative explained that all contracted workers under the same request for employment (RE) would also be paid together. However, if there’s a worker who fails to submit the necessary documents, the salary of the entire batch would also be delayed.

Resma said if the payroll has been submitted to the City Budget Office and no problems have been encountered, the workers will receive their salary within five days.

To provide an immedi-

ate response to salary concerns, the CLO directed the payroll officers to submit a report within five days after the 15th and 30th of the month that contains the list of workers’ salaries that have already been processed and have not yet been processed.

This is in connection to the “Payroll Management Feedback System” made by CLO, where city hall workers can file a form and raise their queries about salary concerns. The said new system will be launched

Monday, May 15.

A May 9 statement released by the City Mayor’s Office said Mayor Rolando Uy has ordered the bimonthly releases of city hall personnel salaries.

“The mayor also reminded all City Hall department managers to see to it that payrolls for regular, casual and job order personnel are filed on time. With this order, job order personnel will be receiving their salaries every 15 days,” the statement added. (MT)

Travel&Tourism

PH international visitor arrivals

2M in 5 months

Boracay Island, Aklan province (Courtesy of Malay-Boracay Tourism Office Facebook)

MANILA – The Philippines breached the two million mark in international arrivals for the first five months of 2023, surpassing last year's baseline target.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) announced the good news over the weekend, cit-

ing the latest data of 2,002,304 international visitor arrivals from January 1 to May 12 that exceeded the entire 2022 target of 1.7 million foreign visitors.

“Notwithstanding the challenges and difficulties that our country faced, a pandemic and the vari-

ous calamities that come into our shores, the good news is that these have done nothing to break the Filipino spirit or to diminish the beauty of the Philippines,” DOT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said in a news release.

“We’re very optimistic for the prospects in out

country in terms of being a tourism powerhouse in Asia, anchored on the strength of our Filipino culture as well as the values of sustainability, resilience and global competitiveness.”

South Koreans made up almost a quarter of the total number of visitors with

487,502 (24.35 percent); followed by Americans with 352,894 or 17.62 percent; Australians, 102,494 (5.12 percent); Canadians, 98,593 (4.92 percent); Japanese, 97,329 (4.86 percent); Chinese, 75,043; Taiwanese, 62,654; British, 62,291; Singaporeans, 53,359; and Malaysians,

36,789.

Citing the same report, DOT recorded PHP168.52 billion in inbound visitor receipts from January to April, or 782.59 percent higher than the PHP19,093,427,035.59 generated during the same period last year. (PNA)

Former online teacher, hired as telemarketer in 121st Labor Day mega job fair

CAGAYAN DE ORO

CITY – A displaced online teacher was hired on-thespot (HOTS) by Thinklogic Media Group as a store clerk/telemarketer during the 121st Labor Day celebration Mega Job Fair at the SM Downtown, here, on May 1.

From Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur, Andrea Vanessa Rimarate came to this city solely to join the said job fair.

With an increasing financial need for her growing family, she decided to return to work in the formal sector after she was displaced as an online teacher when schools held classes face-to-face as part of a new normal after lockdowns were lifted from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Rimarate said she chose Cagayan de Oro since it is a flourishing city, meaning, it has more jobs to offer.

She also attended her first job fair with the Department of Labor and Employment-10 (DOLE10) last year, and she was also thankful to have been hired during that time.

But when she got pregnant, she decided to go back to her hometown in Aurora. She and her hus-

band opened a “lechon” [roasted pig] business but it was not enough to sustain the needs of her three children.

Moreover, Rimarate’s story was only one of the 135 HOTS highlighted in the job fair as of 3:00 p.m. on May 3, 2023, in the final report.

Director Estrella Pahalla of DOLE-10 said the job fair was timely for the displaced, unemployed, and underemployed job applicants as an economic recovery measure for the country due to the pandemic.

DOLE-10 once again partnered with the Department of Tourism-10 (DOT-10) to boost the tourism industry sector in the region to improve their situation among the badly hit sectors during the pandemic.

About 92 companies brought 5,000 vacancies to the 3,012 jobseekers who registered for the job fair. About 253 were near hires, those with lacking requirements, or those for further interview, and 2,351 were qualified as of the May 3 final report.

Pahalla said 84 labor policy-compliant local

companies were invited by DOLE-10 with their 3,890 vacancies and eight POEA-licensed overseas manpower agencies with their 1,110 vacancies, all with approved job orders from POEA, now the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

The mega job Fair was in collaboration with the city government through Kathleen Kate Sorilla, manager of the Job Placement Bureau-Public Employment Service Office (JPB-PESO).

The job fair was declared open by Pahalla during the opening ceremonies through a ribboncutting with partners: SM Downtown Vice President for Marketing Russel Alaba; Regional Tripartite Industrial Peace Council Labor Sector Representative Nicandro Borja; and Management Sector Representative Vivien Lawansa; Councilor Joyleen Mercedes “Girlie” Balaba, representing Mayor Rolando Uy; DOT Officer Decius Esmedalla, representing Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan; Marigold Cherie Garrido, Technical Education and Skills Development

Authority assistant regional director, representing Director Dan Navarro, was witnessed by the heads and officials of DOLE-10, its attached agencies through its Regional Coordinating Committee-10, the Department of Trade and Industry-10, the Department of Agriculture-10, the National Food Authority-10, and the National Housing Authority-10.

Pahalla read Labor Sec. Bienvenido Laguesma’s message during the ceremonies.

Laguesma highlighted the millions of Filipino workers in the country who gave honor and dedication to the country by giving happiness, hope, and strength to their families.

He emphasized the workers’ contributions to the country’s economic re-

covery from the pandemic and continued growth, which is worth emulating.

Moreover, among the walk-in public, 275 were referred to TESDA-10 for skills enhancement; 15 for livelihood assistance; two for entrepreneurship opportunities; and 275 were referred to other participating agencies like the Social Security System, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine

Statistics Authority, the Philippine National Police, NHA-10, and the DOLEattached agencies.

The job fair is an employment facilitation strategy aimed at fast-tracking the meeting of jobseekers and employers/overseas recruitment agencies in one venue at a specific date to reduce cost, time, and effort, particularly on the part of the applicants.

(DOLE-10 | PIA-10)

Open communication helps curb depression in youth: CDO psych exec

MALITBOG,

Bukidnon – The Cagayan de Oro City government on Monday urged families to have open communication among their members to help curb incidents of depression.

Jayme Leonen-Pagaspas, head psychologist at the Psychosocial Division of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), said most young people having issues with depression and mental health, need consistent communication with parents and elder family members.

“Tell them that you will always listen, and you will not judge what they are going through,” she said during Monday’s convocation of city government employees.

Pagaspas said cases of depression and mental

health issues often lead to suicides, whose victims are mostly youths.

As a precaution, she said government agencies and the private sector will provide a wider reach to affected individuals.

“Our mayor (Rolando Uy) and the local government have created actions and received help (from partners) to address mental health,” Pagaspas said.

Over the weekend, there were reported attempts by several individuals to jump off bridges in Cagayan de Oro City but were halted by barangay officials who have since guarded the areas after a series of such cases.

Apart from 911, the CSWD has launched a helpline number for a free consultation on mental health concerns. (PNA)

Rice Congress to tackle emerging threats to productivity

By Pot Chavez

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna –

The upcoming 6th International Rice Congress (IRC), to be hosted by the Philippines for the first time, will focus on providing holistic science-based solutions to the combined impacts of climate extremes, looming rice crisis, conflict, and economic shocks to the rice value chain.

The quadrennial IRC will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on Oct. 16 to 19.

It is co-organized by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“We look forward to meeting long-time partners and collaborators as well as new players in the agri-food, climate change, and nutrition sector and learn from each other,” Jean Balié, director general of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said in a statement on Tuesday.

This year’s theme is “Accelerating Transformation of Rice-Based Food Systems: From Gene to Globe.”

Previous IRC editions were held in Beijing (2002), New Delhi (2006), Hanoi (2010), Bangkok (2014), and Singapore

(2018).

Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, who heads the DA’s rice industry development arm, said participants can expect to “learn about recent advancements in genetic, digital, and nature-based solutions, offering valuable insights to address the various challenges faced by the rice industry in the Philippines.”

He emphasized that the IRC is responsible for one of the priority areas of the Philippine government, which is achieving food self-sufficiency and improving the lives of Filipino farmers.

The IRC is the world’s largest gathering of rice scientists, industry experts, policy-makers, entrepreneurs, as well as other interested parties from academia and civil society. The event allows international stakeholders in rice research and production “to share the results of their work; intelligence on market trends, drivers, and developments; and together learn about factors that affect the rice industry and technologies in the short and long term,” according to the Rome-based Global Forum on Agricultural Research. (PNA)

SAMONTE | from p4

after his death on Sept. 28, 1989.

In the case of Bonifacio, I am thinking that the present members of the Philippine Congress can enact a law providing for the ceremonial state burial of Bonifacio either at the LNMB or at his imposing monument in Grace Park, Caloocan City or any other appropriate public place in the National Capital Region, preferably his birthplace in Tondo, Manila.

The country’s lawmakers can let the Supreme Court decide on the legality of such a law. For his part, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. can approve it since he will be acting in accordance with his oath of office under the 1987 Philippine Constitution (Article VII, Executive Department, Section 5) which states:

“Before they enter on the execution of their office, the President, the Vice President, or the Acting President shall take the following oath or affirmation: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President (or

Vice President or Acting President) of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, DO JUSTICE TO EVERY MAN, and consecrate myself to the service of the nation. So help me God.” (I capitalized the phrase “do justice to every man).

Nobody can dispute Bonifacio’s heroism, bravery and love for his country. He is a certified Filipino hero. He has a national monument in Caloocan City and is among those honored during the celebration of Independence Day (June 12) and National Heroes’ Day, which used to be last Sunday of August until it was moved to the succeeding Monday under the Republic Act No. 9492 signed into law on July 24, 2007 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Bonifacio’s birthday on Nov. 30 of every year is also celebrated as a national holiday instead of the date of his death.

(He retired as executive news editor in 2003. He also served as executive editor of the Malacanangbased Presidential News Desk from 1993 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2008.)

MENTAL HEALTH. Jayme Leonen-Pagaspas, head psychologist at the Psychosocial Division of the City Social Welfare and Development, speaks during the flag ceremony program in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday (May 15, 2023). The local government urges open communication among family members to help prevent depression that may lead to suicide. (Photo courtesy of CDO-CIO)

SUPPORTING RICE RESEARCH. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (standing, right) is joined by International Rice Research Institute director general Jean Balié (center) when he visited the institute's facilities in Los Baños, Laguna on Nov. 29, 2022. Marcos is the concurrent Agriculture secretary. (PNA Photo by Rey Baniquet)

Lakers, Heat move to NBA Conference Finals

ISTANBUL – The Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat qualified for the Western and Eastern Conference Finals, respec-

tively, after beating the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks on Friday.

LeBron James led the

Lakers to a 4-2 series win with 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists while Anthony Davis racked up a double-double

with 17 points and 20 rebounds at Crypto.com Arena.

“It was great to be able to play one of our most efAVAILABLE AT

BLUEPLASTIC MARKETING

ficient games, one of our best games of the series, and it started because of the defensive matchup we had,” James said after the game.

“We defended at a high level, and when we do that, we can be extremely good. I thought we were locked in for as close to 48 minutes as possible tonight.”

Austin Reaves scored 23 points and D’Angelo Russell netted 19 points in their 122-101 win over the Warriors.

Stephen Curry was Golden State’s highest scorer with 32 points, while Donte DiVincenzo added 16.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets will face off in the Western Conference Finals.

Heat advance to finals in East

The Miami Heat moved to the Eastern Conference Finals after beating the New York Knicks 96-92 in Game 6 of their secondround series.

In the 4-2 series win, Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and Bam Adebayo helped the Miami side with 23.

Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks 41 points, but his effort was not enough to ensure a win.

“Just got to give them a lot of credit. They didn’t play like an 8 seed – at all. They were unbelievable. The utmost respect for them and that organization. I liked the way we fought,” Brunson said.

The Miami Heat is set to face the winner of the Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers game. (Anadolu)

Bren's MLBB gold highlights PH team's surge to 5th place

BIÑAN, Laguna — Bren

Esports won the gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Mobile Legends Bang Bang (MLBB) event after sweeping Malaysia in the grand finals, 3-0, at the NABA Theater in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Sunday night.

It was the third straight time the national team program for esports, Sibol, racked up the gold for the SEA Games MLBB event, winning all the editions since its inception in 2019.

The championship put midlaner Angelo "Phewww" Arcangel in the history books as he became the first player to win the gold multiple times. He was also part of Sibol's inaugural MLBB team in the 2019 edition in San Juan City.

This time, though, he was with the entire Bren side, which also has David "FlapTzy" Canon, Michael Angelo "KyleTzy" Sayson, "Super" Marco Requitano and Rowgien "Owgwen" Unigo.

The Filipino side bounced back in the midgame and stole the series opener after Malaysia, made up of an all-star lineup of Muhammad Halim, Mohammad Lim, Muhammad Najmi, Muhammad Fuad, and Mohammad Noor, had a shot at repeating that group stage upset.

Bren would dominate the Malaysians in the next two games to seal the gold.

Petecio, Paalam deliver gold medals in boxing

Bren's successful conquest was just one of a nine-gold haul for the Philippine team on Day 10 of the Games.

Olympians Nesthy Petecio and Carlo Paalam's golds for boxing were also among the main highlights.

Petecio and Paalam beat their Indonesian opponents even as Paul Bascon downed Rujakran Juntrong of Thailand in the junior welterweight final to cap a three-gold Sunday for the boxers.

Elreen Ando, on the other hand, set new SEA Games records to rule the women's 59-kilogram weightlifting event.

Also winning golds were Rena Furukawa for judo, Jason Balabal for wrestling, and Charlotte Ann Tolentino and Jedah Mae Soriano for arnis.

As of 8 p.m. Sunday, the Philippines is in fifth place in the medal count with 46 golds, overtaking Singapore, which had a slow day and currently has 42.

Vietnam kept the top spot with a 107-92-95 gold-silver-bronze tally, followed by Thailand (9168-87).

Unless No. 3 Cambodia (65-61-104) and No. 4 Indonesia (68-61-80) go cold in the last two days of competition, the Filipinos' chances of matching their fourth-place finish in Hanoi, Vietnam last year appear slim. (PNA)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James scores past Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry during the second half in Game 6 of an NBA basketball Western Conference semifinal series. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)