One visayas enewsletter vol 7 issue 16 20170421 r6

Vol 7

In this Issue WESTERN VISAYAS

Dr. Marqueza Reyes, Team Leader, ASEAN Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Programme, explains the development patterns as well as risk patterns which necessitate ASEAN cohesion and collaboration, in today's sub-national consultations. #PartnerForChange

More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

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CENTRAL VISAYAS

Philippine Information Agency Director General Harold Clavite delivers his keynote message, where he highlights the benefits that Filipinos can gain from #ASEAN2017 and the important role of PIA in providing cred ible inf o rmation to the p ublic. #EmpoweringCommunities

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

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EASTERN VISAYAS

April 17 - 23, 2017

Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8

Issue 16

DOH: Palaro bets assured of safe food, water Leonard T. Pineda I Safe food and drinking water for the delegates of the 60th edition of the Palarong Pambansa will be a priority of the Department of Health (DOH)-6 when the province of Antique hosts the national event from April 23 to 29.

DOH-6 Medical Specialist III Dr. Elvie Villalobos said that one primary role of the agency is to ensure food safety and drinking water to be served to the delegates comes from a safe source.

“We are preventing any untoward adverse effect in terms of food safety for the delegates, the players, and the visitors,” he said.

He said that the department has laid out policies and implementing rules and regulations to the local government unit regarding food safety and safe drinking water.

“We are making sure that establishments are monitored on how they should handle food, the sources of food especially the caterers,” he said.

He said that personnel of local government units in Antique are already equipped with trainings on food safety and sanitation.

He added that the regional office is also planning to bring a filtration machine for water treatment and ensure that only safe drinking water is served to the Palaro delegates.

DOH also said that the provincial government of Antique is coordinating with the health department regarding emergency preparations. (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

Gov‘t forces tighten security in Negros Oriental Jennifer C. Tilos NEGROS ORIENTAL, April 12 (PIA) – Law enforcement agencies in the province has strengthened its security measures particularly along the coast lines following the reported presence of unscrupulous elements in the Visayas region.

In an emergency meeting of the joint security task groups Leon Kilat and Deter, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo called on the groups to work hand in hand in order to avert any threat on the peace and order situation in the province.

The governor has discussed with the law enforcement groups the pressing concerns on the law and order and internal peace and security in general and the alleged presence of Abu Sayyaf Group planning to conduct criminal activities especially kidnapping, Provincial Information Officer Adrian Sedillo said.

While authorities have earlier allayed fears of possible attacks from criminal elements and ensured the maintenance of peace and order in the Visayas region, Governor Degamo urged them not to let their guards down in the face of the reported movements of the criminal elements from Mindanao.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the AFP Central Command, had assured the public that there is nothing to worry about at present since the authorities are working hard to prevent criminal elements from doing their criminal acts in the region.

Sedillo said the Army is continuously monitoring and validating reports regarding the presence of these elements in the Visayas region.

“In fact, during the meeting, authorities received information that an encounter between the 47th IB and an armed group ensued in Inabanga, Bohol,” said Sedillo.

Degamo said there is a need to further strengthen security measures amid all these reports since the Visayas region has gained back its momentum in terms of tourist influx.

He added one single incident of criminal act against tourists will certainly cause the tourism industry in the region to collapse.

“This is what I do not want to happen under my watch as governor of the province and as chair of both the provincial and regional peace and order councils,” the governor said.

He then proceeded to task law enforcement agencies to tap force multipliers such as the bantay dagats, the tanods, the barangay officials, and even the habal-habal drivers and the local government units to be part of the target hardening measures to address the

threat.

Leon Kilat is the creation of the provincial government under the peace and order council and is composed of the different law enforcement and civilian authorities while Deter is the creation of the AFP focusing on anti-terrorism and anti-kidnapping activities.

The two task groups have combined efforts after the workshop held early this year which was called upon following reports of movements of criminal elements from Mindanao to unknown point of destinations possibly in the Visayas area.

Degamo has appointed Bimbo Miraflor as the executive director of Task Force Leon Kilat and has also provided a space for JTG Deter in one of the provincial government-owned facilities.

The meeting was presided by Degamo and was attended by representatives coming from the different law enforcement agencies from the various branches of the AFP, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Coast Guard, the civilian authorities and intelligence community, among others. (rmn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

President Rodrigo Duterte and cabinet members led by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Cabinet Sec. Leoncio Evasco, DBM Sec Benjamin Diokno, DOF Secretary Carlos Dominguez, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Año, DTI Sec Ramon Lopez, DND Sec Delfin Lorenzana, DENR Usec Arturo Valdez, PNP Gen Ronald dela Rosa, DILG Usec Catalino Cuy and DTI Asec Anna Maria Rosario Rubenoil listened to the Security Briefing on the Inabanga incident and the current #ASEAN2017 in #Bohol.

Religious leaders, local officials participate in double barrel reloaded Marcelo M. Pedalino 5th REGIONAL YOUTH DAY 2017. Brother Lou Vinceter Curso informs today (April 20) during the Kapihan at Pulong-pulong ng Bayan hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Biliran InfoCenter live over Radyo Natin-Naval that the Diocese of Naval headed by Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol, D.D. is the host to the 5th Regional Youth Day (RYD) 2017 on April 20-23.

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

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MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, April 18 (PIA) - Since its re-imposition last month, the anti-drug campaign operation of police authorities here in the province got an ally from the religious sector, barangay officials, and prominent individuals in the community.

According to Police Sr. Supt. Warren De Leon, provincial PNP director, with the re-activation of double barrel reloaded since March 1, police teams were joined by a barangay official usually a member or chair of the peace and order council, another from a faith-based group, and someone whose name is well known in the area.

So far, some 2,947 drug surrenderers out of a total of 9,118 had been revisited at their respective houses by the new composite teams mentioned, De Leon said during the press conference at his office last week.

He explained that the thrust of the level-up anti-drug campaign was two-fold, one was to revisit those that were subject-

ed to Oplan Tokhang before, this time with the cooperation of civil society, and the other was to intensify arrests of high value targets (HVTs).

In under two months, arrested were two HVTs both residents of this city, along with five street level targets from different towns of the province.

Also in the same period, De Leon said 2.63 grams of shabu were confiscated resulting from buy-bust operations, and 23 kilos of marijuana seized on the seawaters off San Ricardo town in March 7.

The PNP in the province was always subjected to internal cleansing by way of surprise drug testing, daily formation, and weekly inspection to field units either announced or unannounced, De Leon declared.

In one such sudden drug test in March 20 mostly involving anti-drug operatives, all 160 cops were found negative, De Leon proudly reported. (ajc/mmp/PIA8-Southern Leyte)

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WESTERN VISAYAS

NegOcc has 19 new IP scholars Carlson B. Alelis NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Apr. 20 (PIA6) – Forty-nine Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Negros Occidental are now college scholars of the province after they signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the provincial government led by Gov. Alfredo G. Maranon, Jr.

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aren Dinsay, provincial information officer, said that the IP students under the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program (NOSP) are Ati, Aeta and Bukidnon.

“We concentrated on the education of our IPs because there are now IPs who are already working,” Dinsay said during the regular meeting of the Negros Association of Information Officers and Liaisons (NAGIOL) at the Department of Labor and Employment – Sugar Workers’ Development

Center.

In total, there were 70 scholars who signed the agreement with Maranon at the Provincial Capitol on April 19.

“IPs are getting hired, they also want to study and they also want to improve the quality of their lives and that’s our way to help them,” Dinsay added.

Dinsay also said that their former IP scholars are now working as focal persons at the Department of Agriculture (DA) –

Negros Island Region, after graduating with Latin Honors.

Fifteen of the scholars are under the Degree Completion Scholarship, three under the Provincial Educational Assistance for Capitol Employees Category, and three under the NOPMANS – Medicine Category.

The grantees underwent a series of examinations and interviews before they were qualified for the NOSP. (JCM/CBA/PIA6-Negros Occidental)

Capiz Agro – industrial fair opens April 21 Alex A. Lumaque ROXAS CITY, Capiz, April 20 (PIA6) – At least 55 Micro Small and Medium Enterpreneurs from the processed food, handicraft and horticulture/cutflower sectors will join the Capiztahan 2017 Agro – Industrial Fair from April 21 to 23 at the Provincial Park here.

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The show aims to provide venue that products during the show. will showcase the best products from The three – day fair is organized by Capiz and help local MSMEs generate more DTI Provincial Office in coordination with sales. the Capiz provincial and Roxas City It also intends to enhance the negotiation skills governments, United Capizeños Foundation, of the producers as well as promote locally Inc., Provincial Micro, Small & Medium produced products,” said Department of Trade Enterprise Development Council, Capiz MSME and Industry (DTI) provincial director Ermelinda Center, Inc., and Office of the Provincial Pollentes.

Agriculturist.

The 16 municipalities and Roxas City will also Products developed as a result of showcase their fresh and processed agricultural product development consultancies provided in the

previous year will be showcased during the exhibit, Pollentes added.

New product designs and food variants will be available for the buyers to enjoy.

She noted that the fair will pave the way for market expansion for MSMEs as she is encouraging the public to support Capiz’ entrepreneurs as they propel to success and provide more employment opportunities to Capiceños. (JCM/AAL-DTI/PIA6 Capiz)

DTI reminds vendors of Fair Trade Laws Pilar S. Mabaquiao SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) - - The Department of Trade and Industry met with the retailers/market vendors of San Jose Tradetown in relation to the "Provision of Support Mechanisms to San Jose Tradetown Operation" project which will be launched on Friday, 21 April 2017.

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rovincial Director Mercedes Young of DTI spearheaded the briefing on Fair Trade Laws including orientation of the rights of consumers.

She likewise called for the support of retailers and business owners to the 2017 Palarong Pambansa by providing adequate supply of goods at reasonable prices.

Joy B. Cardinal, Senior Trade and Industry

Specialist also of DTI - Antique Provincial Office emphasized to the San Jose Tradetown retailers the need for their cooperation in ensuring improved market operation through fair business practices and compliance to laws and ordinances.

San Jose Tradetown is one of the progressive public markets in the province located at the capital town, said Cardinal.

Salvador Villavert of the Municipal

Economic Enterprise Development Office - LGU San Jose, presented the proposed price tags which will be used in the different market sections as part of the mechanism to ensure compliance to Price tag Law. The activity was attended by the officers of the Tradetown Market Vendors Association and the market section heads at Negosyo Center, DTI San Jose. (JCM/PSM/PIA6Antique)

WESTERN VISAYAS

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Northern Iloilo residents to benefit from ―Infocast‖ Elsa S. Subong ILOILO CITY, 20 April (PIA) — More than 48,000 residents in the farming villages of Estancia, Ajuy and Concepcion in Northern Iloilo are seen to benefit from the web-based short message advisory platform of Smart Communications.

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alled Infocast, it is an effective emergency communications solution which allows the sending of alerts via text message for free.

According to Smart, this enables registered subscribers to connect with other infocast members through text broadcasts using a common, unique access code.

This is made possible in the above-mentioned towns, through the partnership of Smart Communications and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), to make Iloilo communities better prepared for calamities.

In the recent turnover ceremony in Iloilo City, Smart Senior Manager Nova Concepcion

said Smart Infocast has been of great service to the local government units and government agencies that use it.

“Through this partnership with ADRA, we hope to help the Yolanda-affected residents in Iloilo not only in preparing for disasters but in re-building their lives,” Concepcion said.

ADRA is a global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, which delivers relief and development assistance to individuals in more than 130 countries, regardless of ethnicity, political affiliations, or religious organizations.

Following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, ADRA has been helping improve the economic well-being of residents of Ajuy,

Concepcion and Estancia through its Restoring, Empowering and Protecting Livelihoods (REAP) Project.

Thomas Pignon, ADRA director in the Philippines said that its target beneficiaries are mostly fisherfolk, farmers and women – the poorest sectors in the Philippines and hardest hit by Yolanda.

“These communities are trapped in poverty, highly exposed to climate risks and are not able to quickly recover from shocks,” Pignon said.

Smart, under its #SafePH advocacy, promotes resilience and quick response through the use of technology and communications.

(JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

NFA assures enough rice for Aklan Venus G. Villanueva KALIBO, Aklan, 20 April (PIA6) -- Aklan has sufficient rice supply, according to the National Food Authority (NFA) here.

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his assurance came from NFA-Aklan Provincial Manager Josephine Venus Castillo, who, in a recent interview in a local radio station here, said Aklan is a rice-surplus province and there are no problems as to current inventory of the food staple in Aklan.

Castillo also clarified that the NFA’s role as far as palay procurement is concerned, is on price -support function as the agency cannot control farmers if they wish to sell their produce to

private rice traders who are offering higher palay prices.

The NFA, however, as in the past, is appealing to farmers to sell them part of their produce which will serve as palay buffer stock of the province to be stored at the government warehouse.

As of now, Castillo said NFA-Aklan has a total of 14,422 bags of rice in its warehouse.

Castillo also shared that in case of rice shortage in Aklan due to calamities, the depot

warehouse of NFA-Capiz could also provide because this province is also a rice-surplus one.

Meanwhile, in a recent meeting of the Aklan Public Information Officers Association here, NFA-Aklan, through Christine Pinuela, Information Officer-Designate, called on local government units in Aklan to have their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the food agency renewed this year so that in case of calamities, these municipalities could readily retrieve or source NFA rice for their constituents. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)

ARBs get CLOA, credit support Easter Anne D. Doza NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, April 18 (PIA6) - - About 40 agrarian reform beneficiaries from Barangay Luna in Cadiz City received their Certificates of Land Ownership and credit support program from the Department of Agrarian Reform-North.

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f the 40 ARBS, 31 ARBs from Tres Hermanos Small Farmers Association got credit support program as part of the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) to fund their 25-hectare collectively-managed sugarcane production.

The APCP program is in partnership with Land Bank of the Philippines, Department of

Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources to provide farmer organizations with a working capital for their agro-enterprise and livelihood projects with a lowest interest rate of 8.5% per crop year.

LBP offers the ARBs the lowest interest rate, a release from DAR-North said. The Land Tenure Improvement (LTI)-Program Beneficiaries

Development (PBD) implemented the integration strategy in assisting Tres Hermanos with the LTI processing the land titles while the PBDD conducting capacity building empowering the ARB organizations with readily available credit facility to finance farm inputs to prevent the ARBs from falling victims to loan sharks.*(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)

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CENTRAL VISAYAS

4Ps beneficiaries start receiving rice subsidy PIA 7 SIQUIJOR, April 11 (PIA) -- Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Central Visayas have started receiving their monthly P600 rice assistance/subsidy for the month of January 2017.

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he rice subsidy is a commitment of President Rodrigo RoaDuterte made during his first State of the Nation Address in 2016 to ensure that all Filipinos be free from hunger and poverty in the amount of P600,which shall be given to all beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.

For the six payouts covering the December 2016 to January 2017 compliance, 213,502 active households in Central Visayas are expected to receive the rice subsidy.

The rice subsidy will be paid bi-monthly along with the education and health grant.

Of the total active beneficiaries in Central Visayas, 148,805 are from Cebu Province, 60,858 from Bohol Province, and 3,839 from Siquijor.

“These beneficiaries have started receiving the

rice subsidy last March 9, 2017 while there is an ongoing pay-out all thoughout the region,” said Dir. Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, DSWD-7 Regional Director.

Pantawid Pamilya is a social protection program of the national government.

It invests in the health and education of poor households primarily of children aged 18 and below.

Households shall receive their cash grant provided that they comply with the program conditionalities.

These conditions include school attendance of at least 85 percent per month for children enrolled in the elementary or high school.

Children aged 5 and below would need to undergo preventive check-up as mandated by the Department of Health (DOH), while children en-

rolled in the elementary must receive deworming pills twice within the school year.

On the other hand, pregnant women must receive pre and post-natal care based on DoH’s protocol. Lastly, parent/s or guardians are required to attend the monthly Family Development Session (FDS).

“We are hopeful that the additional cash grant will be used for its intended purpose. We will use FDS to ensure that the beneficiaries are informed of the relevant provision on rice subsidy,” Macapobre reiterated. The additional cash grant as Rice Assistance/Subsidy is included as part of the P72, 115,230 cash grant budget approved for calendar year 2017. (Rmn/rac/PIA7-Siquijor w/ reports from Phoebe Jen Indino/IO)

Dimiao nature inspires visual on-the-spot painting Rey Anthony H. Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY, April 12 (PIA) — Toting primed canvas, oil paint tubes in satchels, folding easels, carving tool kits, newly-charged batteries and a choice of lenses, Bohol visual artists made Dam-agan Falls in Dimiao Bohol as their inspirational subject for the Sunday Open Air painting session on April 2.

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he falls, or more appropriately a cascade lazily bursting out into an aquamarine pool, is hidden in a pocket of forest in Barangay Catugasan. It also provides a space for swimming, before it continues its cascade to rock strewn spring bed before joining the sea vial barangay Balbalan.

The second of a series of outdoor painting sessions by a small group of visual artists in the oil and acrylic media, the plein air session is a recreation of the 19th century French impressionism which draws its inspiration from the open air, explained oil painter Rhants Anunciado.

The first plein air session happened in the down rivers of Lagtangan in Sevilla.

Last Sunday, artists including St. Joseph Cathedral ceiling fresco restorer Joey Labrador, artists Glen Lumantao, Anunciado, Victor Bulala,

Vincent Omar Dagdayan, Elvin Perocho Vitor, Emerald Marie Salipong, driftwood sculptor Gab Café and retablo restorer Jun Lagura ventured the arduous trek to the session location some 600 meters from the barangay road.

The trek along a canal that supplied irrigation water to the blooming nearby rice fields prepared no one to the sight that revealed itself following a treacherous descent via carved steps to the cascade’s collecting pool.

Screened by a thick forest and dense vegetation, the beauty of the cataract of bustling fresh water can only be appreciated when one stands before the large pool. The gush of gurgling to the roar of the falls fill the senses, inspiring artists' senses. The outdoor painting session is Bohol visual artists’ effort to sustain the local visual arts industry by assuring continued production while announcing

and promoting local places in Bohol with tourism potential, added Dimiao tourism Officer Virgilio Namalata.

Namalata guided the visual artists to Dam-agan Falls and helped contextualize the session’s goals to the participating visual artists.

Moments later, the artists picked their chosen spots to install their easels and worked on daubing paint in the blank canvas, their subjects: Dam-agan environment. A place that feature the ideal bright and dark contrasts, the texture of flood mellowed rocks and the chiaroscuro of lights filtering through the leaves of forest canopy and the gnarled roots and vines climbing to the shades were in almost everyone’s canvas.

At the end of the session, the artists took time to pose with their outputs, while talking of initial plans of the next session. (rmn/rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

NOPH central block opens to decongest old hospital Jennifer C. Tilos NEGROS ORIENTAL, April 12 (PIA) – The Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) central block was formally opened recently to address the perennial problem of patient overcrowding at the old NOPH building.

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uring the opening, some 120 OB and surgery patients already admitted in the old building were given the privilege to first occupy the state-of-the-art hospital central block.

Provincial Information Officer Adrian Sedillo reported that the new 250-bed capacity four-storey hospital structure is now considered the key to decongest the hallways of old hospital crowded with patients due to lack of rooms.

The central block now hosts the eight operating rooms located in the ground floor, six of which are intended for various surgical cases and two are for obstetric related cases.

Aside from the eight ORs, the ground floor also hosts the neo-natal ICU, Post anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU), the information section, the delivery room, the recovery rooms and other facilities.

The second floor is intended for surgery wards, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and some isolation rooms for highly contagious diseases, while the third floor

will be for OB wards, private rooms and isolation rooms.

The fourth floor is for additional wards, private rooms and more isolation rooms for highly contagious diseases.

Sedillo said the official opening can be considered as being long overdue considering the fact that the central block building was already considered completed as early as January 2016.

However, the budget for the acquisition of hospital beds for the central block, its additional fixtures and features, including the budget for the structure’s monthly electric bill, was contained in the 2016 delayed budget that was supposed to complement its full operation, NOPH Admin Officer III Inocencio Obligar said.

Obligar added that the central block building was the main facility used for surgery cases during the Alameda Medical Mission early this year.

To ensure the efficiency of the operation of the

central block building, Obligar said the provincial government started hiring additional health personnel since last year.

He said 60 nurses were initially hired on a part -time basis but was later elevated to permanent status. The hospital administration also hired another 40 nurses also on part-time status, additional pharmacists, medical technologists, radiologists and even doctors.

Earlier, Negros Oriental Governor Roel Ragay Degamo and Provincial Administrator Richard Enojo clarified that the P350M loaned from the DBP was intended only for the construction of the four-storey central block building and did not include the budgetary requirement for supplies and equipment for it to be fully operational.

Obligar said that Gov. Degamo immediately ordered for the start of the operation of the central block building after the beds arrived recently. (jct/ PIA7-Negros Oriental with reports from Adrian Sedillo, PIO)

CENTRAL VISAYAS

Evasco affirms conservation plan

Philippines

5 heritage

Rey Anthony H. Chiu MARIBOJOC, Bohol, April 12 (PIA) — The Philippine Government continues to affirm its commitment to the protection of the vitality of the country‘s cultural heritage.

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he statement of affirmation came from no less than Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco who met international delegates and participants of the Asia Pacific Tropical Climate Conservation Art Research Network (APTC-CARN) meeting at the Holy Cross Parish in Maribojoc, Bohol on April 4 to 6.

Sec. Evasco said among their meeting agenda was preparing for the “Big One,” a projected earthquake that could originate from the Marikina Valley Fault.

Truly a new challenge, heritage conservation and protection with the adverse effects of climate change and natural disasters have made it necessary for government to implement steps to mitigate and project plans, said Evasco to the 45 participants during the first day of the international experts’ forum held in Maribojoc.

Admitting that heritage conservation is not part of the educational curriculum for priests, Evasco said that many of the Bohol churches have been man-

aged by parish priests who see conservation differently. “Everyt ime [you] see decay in the structures, [they] demolish and replace [them] with hollow blocks," he said.

Now seeing the cultural and the emotional value of built heritage in centuries old coral stone churches, Evasco called the magnificent structure now laid to ruins a tangible repository of people’s fond memories.

The earthquake of 2013, however, toppled the church and had many of its movable heritage including its priceless gothic retables, antique icons, and rare archival books that detail the history of the town once called Karaang Dunggu-an.

Before the community could dig through the pile of rubbles for the buried treasures, typhoon Haiyan ravished the region and sent rains, further rendering the archival documents beyond salvage.

Recalling how he played as a child in the ruined church courtyards of Maribojoc, Evasco admitted that the country has not been as bullish with heritage

conservation until recently.

In the Philippine Development Plan, there is now a separate chapter on culture and another separate chapter on mitigating the impacts of disaster, Evasco revealed to the delegates which included international conservation experts from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, The Philippines and Australia.

Citing the importance of the APTC CARN to foster regional collaboration, Evasco also urged more proactive policies on the conservation of retables, heritage structures, antique canonical books and movable heritage against unfavorable weather, termite and insect infestation as well as property inventory and capacity building trainings for communities.

The APTC CARN in Bohol, hosted by the National Museum of the Philippines, banners the theme "Natural Disasters and Cultural Heritage in the Philippines: Knowledge Sharing, Decision Making and Conservation." (rmn/rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Heritage experts learn from Bohol‘s conservation efforts Rey Anthony H. Chiu TAGBILARAN CITY, April 12 (PIA) — The earthquake of 2013 has turned Bohol into a learning area for conservation and its recognized people‘s democratic forms of conservation mitigating the effects of tropical climate.

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o less than the Thai Center Director of the South East Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO-SPAFA) Dr. Rujaya Abhakorn declared this during his message during the fifth gathering of the Asia Pacific Tropical Climate Conservation Art Research Network (APTC CARN5) April 4 to 6 in Maribojoc and Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

The National Museum of the Philippines hosted the international forum here in Bohol which bannered the theme "Natural Disasters and Cultural Heritage in the Philippines: Knowledge Sharing, Decision Making and Conservation."

Art conservateurs and heritage conservation experts from Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines met community knowledge holders and cultural heritage practitioners in a bid to deepen people-to-people linkages across a diverse range of skills, capabilities and experiences of cultural heritage recovery and disaster management in Bohol, as well as in southeast Asia and the Pacific, explains National Museum Assistant Director Dr. Ana Labrador.

From its foundation, APTC CARN has already seen the need of geographically focused cultural materials conservation, and in 8 years, it has built a

community of practice which has revealed important information about culture and the conservation challenging conditions in the region, she added.

The Bohol forum focused on the effect of natural disasters on the build and movable cultural heritage, the people and places.

While the forum participants saw the impact of the 2013 earthquake, typhoon Haiyan proved to be the coup de grace for heritage structures and movable treasures surviving the tremor.

During the forum’s site visits, participants and experts talked with local heritage keepers into salvage, rehabilitation and sustained management of Bohol’s cultural assets and heritage.

This also presented to Dr. Abhakorn the chance to see and listen to Evasco, who detailed how the crumbled church of his hometown in Maribojoc stood as a people’s identity.

Evasco recalled how his massive centuries old church, now a pile of coral stone tablets stacked for restoration, has marked milestones in the life of Maribocjanons.

Himself already counted as a community knowledge holder, Evasco along with Bohol cultural heritage practitioners see a brighter future for heritage conservation, despite the fact that the Philippines ranks high in its vulnerability to the

impacts of tropical climate and climate change and natural hazards.

From the experience, Dr. Abhakorn has declared that the country and the region would be looking at Bohol as a model for disaster management and teacher for cultural heritage conservation.

“Here we have seen the birth of construction innovations and the rise of heritage consciousness,” the SPAFA Center director pointed out specifically hinting at Rev. Fr. Milan Ted Torralba’s works.

Fr. Torralba, a Boholano chair of the Commission on the Cultural Heritage of the Church in the Diocese of Tagbilaran, has long been sitting as executive secretary to the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines’ Episcopal Commission for the Cultural Heritage.

Dr. Abhakorn, as well as the forum experts also interacted with Escuella Taller, an innovative initiative of the Spanish Embassy in coordination with the Philippine Government and Diocese of Tagbilaran.

Escuela Taller is a program of retraining out-of-school youth on the lost arts of woodworks, stone masonry, painting and carpentry, in the long term vision of capacity building communities to help in the restoration and conservation of heritage structures. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

MSWD-Siquijor upgrades water services PIA 7 SIQUIJOR, April 11 (PIA) -- The Metro Siquijor Water District (MSWD) is now upgrading and rehabilitating water services for its consumers in four municipalities in the province of Siquijor.

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ngr. Leonido Catiel, during the monthly meeting of the Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators (SAID), said the MSWD wants to give better services to its consumers from the towns of Maria, Lazi, Siquijor and San Juan. The upgrade includes the establishment of additional deep well and water service distribution

lines.

Currently, the MSWD is implementing the P5M Salintubig Project for the rehabilitation of the transmission lines from Solangon to Paliton in San Juan, Siquijor to service at least 300 households. The fund source is 50 percent grant and 50 percent loan.

In Barangay Caipilan, Siquijor, Siquijor, an

additional deep well was constructed tthat spills 4.2 liters per second. This will address the existing demand for water supply.

Water services rehabilitation and development for Lazi amounting to P400,000 and Maria towns were also constructed and are now operational. (rmn/rac/PIA7/Siquijor/IAAbatayo/ST)

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EASTERN VISAYAS

SOLECO shares ways to conserve electricity consumption Marcelo M. Pedalino MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, April 18 (PIA) - The power distribution utility in this province shared some valuable inputs so electric consumers can save on energy costs, especially with the high cost of electricity now prevailing.

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he sharing was done through three ranking personnel of the Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO) during the taping of the Action Center Kapihan sa PIA cable TV program Tuesday at the Senor Citizens office, barangay Tagnipa.

This will be aired this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23, at 9:00 in the morning.

Foremost, and the most basic energy conservation tip, is to turn off gadgets and other home appliances when not in use, said Benson Mindajao, member services department head.

A television used for 24 hours certainly consumed more electricity than one that is turned off regularly when no one is watching, Mindajao said by way of giving a concrete comparison and example.

In using an air-conditioner these hot summer days, Mindajao advised that this must be turned off when the cool air is already felt, although he hastened to add that most air-con units now sold carried a built-in timer that automatically shuts off when the right temperature is reached.

Without this feature, a conscious effort of manually turning off the air-conditioner in the room is necessary to cut on electricity expenses.

Allan Ferrer, member development officer, offered a different take on how power consumers can maximize the use of their appliances, in particular the refrigerator.

At this time of the year when demand for ice is high, so why not stock the freezer with ice for sale - this way the income out of the sales can help in paying off the power bill, Ferrer explained, as he

encouraged homeowners to consider his business-wise approach.

Ferrer also urged the use of voltage regulators to shield appliances from fluctuating currents brought about by sudden power interruptions.

Francis Basco, head, system planning and design, called on those who are ironing their clothes using electric iron to do it during non-peak hours of the day, usually the early hours of dawn.

Meanwhile, Basco also reported that the brownout experienced last week especially in the Panaon and pacific area of the province was caused mainly by an electric post somewhere in Libagon that had to be transferred due to its dangerous inclining position. (ajc/mmp/ PIA8-Southern Leyte)

PSA conducts 2017 labor force survey in EVisayas Consuelo B. Alarcon TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, April 18(PIA) - A total of 2, 707 systematically and randomly selected sample households in Eastern Visayas were identified as respondents for the 2017 Labor Force Survey this month.

T

he LFS, a quarterly nationwide survey of households aimed at gathering data on the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population as well as providing a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market.

According to PSA regional director Wilma A. Perante, the LFS serves as a tool in measuring the distribution of household population aged 15 years old and over as well as the employment status of the

interviewee whether employed, unemployed and underemployed.

The survey is also used to determine various employment characteristics such as industry, class of worker, nature of employment and basis of payment.

Questions on hunger experienced by any member of the household and the frequency of occurrence will also be asked.

All information gathered by the statistical researchers who were deployed by PSA since April 8

to 30, 2017, will be held strictly confidential and shall not be used as evidence in court for purposes of taxation, regulation or investigation as provided for in section 26 of Republic Act 10625.

Hence, the public is enjoined to cooperate and support the said undertaking and for more inquiries interested parties may contact PSA office at telephone numbers (053) 321-8392 with email address psa_reg8@yahoo.com. (ajc/cba/PSA8/PIA8)

DA provides loans for agricultural/ fishery households Ninfa B Quirante CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, April 18 (PIA) - The Department of Agriculture (DA) provides assistance for agricultural/ fishery households through the Program for Unified Lending in Agriculture ( PUNLA) which aims to give additional support to marginal farmers and fisher folks.

P

UNLA is a loan with no collateral or known as character loan.

This is less complicated way for agricultural/ fishery households to have an additional source of income.

An agricultural/fishery household means any member of the family of a farmer or fisher folk who can borrow as long as their family member is registered in one organization or association of farmers/fisher olks or cooperative, this is a

requirement in the lending program.

This was announced in PIA's Huruhimangraw radio program last week by PUNLA Focal Person Rowena Alcazar in Samar province.

For those interested, they are advised to visit their local agricultural office to seek assistance in accomplishing the requirements.

Borrowers can avail of up to Php 30 thousand.

PUNLA is another effort of the government to provide support to the ten poorest provinces i n th e co u n tr y w h i ch a r e A p a ya o , Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Northern Samar, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga Del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, Sarangani and Maguindanao.

I n We s ter n S ama r, i t ha s l en t farmers/fisherfolks in Sta. Rita, San Jorge and Motiong towns. (ajc/nbq/PIA 8-Samar)

EASTERN VISAYAS

Navy reservists: Kalikasan‘

‗Ingatan

7 ang

Inang

Ninfa B Quirante CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, April 18 (PIA) - Navy reservists of Samar cry for the care of Inang Kalikasan as they engaged an island community for its protection and preservation.

T

agged as "Ingatan Inang Kalikasan," some 20 navy reservists led by Lt Commander Genna Mabansag 533 Naval Squadron Commander sailed yesterday, Monday for three hours to the island barangay Cabungga-an, Sto Nino Samar for the gig.

About a hundred islanders gathered led by their Punong Barangay Johannes Adana.

The reservists advocated the preservation and

care for the mangroves that have been abused due to man's activities. Mabansag enumerated the benefits of a healthy mangrove that she said provides food and protects the communities during storm surges.

The navy reservists also engaged the villagers in parlor games where they were awarded with grocery items, given snacks and love offerings.

"Dire damo an nabisita san amon isla,

salit nagpapasalamat kami san pagbisita, ngan mabulig kami pag bantay san mangrove."

(We don’t get many visitors to the island, we thanked them for coming and yes, we will help them.), PB Adana said.

Ingatan ang Inang Kalikasan is a regular program of the navy reservists that every year they would sail to different communities to seek help to protect the environment. (ajc/nbq/PIA 8-Samar with reports from Jun Arceno)

PDC approves NSamar commodity investment plan Teresita B. Cardenas CATARMAN, North Samar, 17 April (PIA) – The Provincial Development Council approved the Northern Samar Commodity Investment Plan (NSCIP) as a means of fostering inclusive growth and reducing poverty incidence in the province during its recently conducted quarterly regular meeting at Ibabao Hall, Capitol Building, Catarman.

P

rovincial Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Romeo Cardenas said that PCIP is a 3-year rolling consensus plan that rationalizes the intervention within the various segments of the value chain of commodities that are of significance to the province and that will contribute to the national goal of the agriculture and fishery sector.

He said the province will focus on the processing of Coco Geonets considering that the province ranks second in terms of coconut production in the region as it produces 366,874,618 metric tons of coconut annually.

He explained that as of now there are three (3)

operational decorticators in the province located in three towns namely: Huzety Enterprise located at Barangay Daganas, Catarman; Lope de Vega Decorticating Facility, Lope de Vega; and Aksyon Kalinga Para sa Masa (AKMA), Barangay Tingzon, San Jose.

These three (3) decorticating facilities currently operating utilized only 5% of the 50% husks available for decortication thus, there is still 95% of the available husks that could be possibly collected and processed into coir, he added.

To maximize the full potential of the coco coir industry, the following investments are vital to make

the Coco Geonet Industry successful and sustainable: setting up husk collection system/ policies/agreements, establish strategic farmers dropping/collection centers, provisions of collection trucks, constructions of farm to market roads, and provision of a brand new (specially fabricated) high capacity one-pass decorticator with conveyor and accessories.

Other mechanisms will also be put in place such as skills training for machine operators and the latest weaving technique for the weavers, among others should be conducted once this project will get a funding. (ajc/ tbc-pia8northsamar)

LTO District Office says ―No Registration, No Travel Policy‖ Samuel D. Candido BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, April 18 (PIA) - The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Borongan Disrict Office issued the strict implementation of ―No Registration, No Travel Policy.‖

M

s. Narcisa Tabarnero, LTO Supervising Transportation Regulation Officer said all new vehicles should be registered within seven days from the date of Vehicles Sales Invoice (VSI).

In an interview with PIA, Tabarnero clarified that she is strictly imposing the said policy saying "I am not allowing vehicles not registered in LTO travelling in public highways."

Tabarnero disclosed that if the vehicles is registered already at the LTO, he/she must present

the following documents: Certificate of Registration (CR), Official Receipt (OR) for payment of Motor Vehicle User's Charge (MVUC) and license plate numbers.

Tabarnero added that even though there is conduction sticker (or temporary licensed plate no) issued by the dealer, still the new four-wheel vehicles and new motorcycles will not be allowed to be used in public highways pending the LTO registration within seven days period.

“The conduction sticker is only used from the

manufacturers, assemblers, dealers (display rooms) to the house of the buyer. If the vehicle processed the CR and OR, the owner can travel in the private highways not in the public highways such as thoroughfares,” Tabarnero added.

Drivers who have no registration of their vehicles and violated the said policy will be given penalties: P10,000 without registration, P2,000 additional accessory penalty for reckless driving and P1,000 for driver.

The LTO Memorandum took effect last February, 2017. (ajc/SDC/PIA-E. Samar)

One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

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Ms. Fayette C. Riñen OIC - Regional Director, PIA 7

Editorial Consultants Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Regional Director, PIA6

Ms. Alicia E. Nicart Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor Jaime S. Cabag, Jr. Contributors All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8 Production and Layout Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado Regional Offices: PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com PIA 8, Children’s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com