iSIQUIJOR42_Dec17_2019

iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS

#EmpoweringCommunities

Congratulations, Philippine Red Cross Siquijor Chapter for the successful Million Volenteer Run (MVR5)!

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THE OFFICIAL E-NEWSLETTER OF THE PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.PIA.GOV.PH and the DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - SIQUIJOR | WWW.DOST.GOV.PH VOL. 07| No. 42 December 10 - 17 , 2019

Project Angel Tree seeks more ‘angels’ for Siquijor

PRC Million Volunteer Run 5: PH’s largest humanitarian run returns on Dec 8 (PIA) -- In a country that is no stranger to natural calamities, the catastrophic impact of disasters can be mitigated if local communities, through the Philippine Red Cross local chapters, are equipped with life-saving assets.

For this purpose, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is holding the fifth edition of the Million Volunteer Run (MVR) on December 8 with the goal of raising funds to build the capacity of its 104 chapters by acquiring life-saving equipment, such as ambulances, boats, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles; as well as conducting first aid and disaster resilience trainings in communities.

The funds will also further support the organization’s humanitarian interventions in areas hit by disaster and health emergencies.

Red Cross MVR, which is the country’s largest humanitarian run, will be held at the Quirino Grandstand and in multiple sites as supported by its local chapters nationwide.

“The environment in which PRC operates presents a host of challenges and opportunities in terms of scale of disasters, epidemics, emergencies and even crises brought by armed conflicts. Necessarily, there is an ever growing demand for humanitarian response and we can only do this if all communities are supported by an organization that is always first, always ready, and always there,” Chairman Richard Gordon said.

“This year, we are inviting the public to once again do something life-changing and help us address humanitarian problems before they even occur. Join the MVR!” Gordon added.

For only P700, one can contribute to the cause by joining the run, which has two distances - 3k and 5k. The rate covers a singlet, race bib, and an opportunity to be part of Red Cross 143 - a flagship program for community volunteers which enables them to be part of the frontliners during response and disaster operations.

“We are also inviting companies or individuals to sponsor runners as their donation to the Philippine Red Cross,” PRC Governor Ernesto Isla, MVR 5 Committee Head said. Interested runners may register through www.facebook.com/ MillionVolunteerRun.

Moreover, PRC encourages companies and organizations to partner in the event. Interested partners may contact +639175106343 or run@ redcross.org.ph. (PRC)

SIQUIJOR, Dec. 9 (PIA) -- Calling all “angels” out there! The Department of Labor and Employment, Siquijor Field Field Office (DOLE-SFO) is seeking more support as it launches in Siquijor this year the Project Angel Tree for the profiled child laborers in the province.

DOLE Siquijor Officer-In-Charge Nole Torres at the Pulong-Pulong with its stakeholders and the Siquijor Association of Information Disseminators (SAID), said the project hopes to gather support from private and government agencies and individuals who will serve as donors, benefactors, sponsors, patrons, or supporters of any form, whom they would call as “Angels.”

DOLE Siquijor is targeting at least 300 child laborers, depending on extent of support they get, to benefit from this first year’s implementation of the project, Torres said as he hopes to serve more, if not all of them in the following years.

The project hopes to heighten the interest of the child laborers in going (back) to school, and encourage parents to give value to education by giving them presents such as food/meals, snacks, bags, water bottles, umbrella, hygiene kits, school supplies, and other items which “angels” may wish to contribute.

This is also of our way of sharing and giving happines to disadvantaged children particularly this Christmas season, he added.

The province has a total of 439 profiled child laborers from at least 47 of the 134 barangays province-wide with the town of Lazi having the highest number at 134 and the lowest is Larena with 24 profiled child laborers this year.

San Juan town has 101; Maria, 27; Siquijor 62; and Enrique Villanueva, 51.

“It may seem unconceivable that we have child laborers in the province but the profiling was made based on the DOLE-issued guidelines and methodologies which aimed at providing more protection to children and effectively keep them away from the child labor situation,” explained Inacher Abatayo, Child Labor Community Facilitator for the province.

The profiling was made earlier this year to serve as basis for the provision of appropriate services and necessary interventions to remove the children from child labor, she added.

DOLE Siquijor Officer-In-Charge Nole Torres calling for support to the Project Angel for the child laborers in Siquijor. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)

Project Angel Tree is a component of the DOLE Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program that provides social services such as food, clothing, educational assistance or school supplies, and even work and training opportunities made available by sponsors or benefactors ( called “angels”) to child laborers and their families.

It aims to improve the economic and social conditions of child laborers and their families and increase the number of allies and advocates of child labor prevention and elimination.

It encourages children from identified barangays to continue their education and steer clear from doing laborious tasks that will endanger their lives and health.

This project is a manifestation of the efforts between the government and private sector in keeping children away from dangerous workplaces.

With the help of parents and community there will be an assurance that children are always protected and not exploited.

Project Angel Tree supports Repubic Act 9231 which defines child labor to be any work or economic activity performed by children under 18 years of age that subject

them to any form of exploitation or is harmful to their health and safety or physical, mental or psychological development.

DOLE, as the lead agency in the implementation of the Philippine Program against Child Labor and as the chairman of the National Child Labor Committee, will be responsible for monitoring and reporting if a child has already been removed from child labor.

These initiatives are aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, which targets to reduce the cases of child labor by 30 percent or 630,000 from the estimated 2.1 million child laborers nationwide.

Child labor refers to any work or economic activity performed by children under 18 years of age that subject them to any form of exploitation or is harmful to their health and safety or physical, mental or psychological development.

Child work, on the other hand, is simply helping in the household chores as a way of discipline or training for the child, and under supervision of the parents or guardians such as cleaning the house, dish washing, and other household tasks or family business where the child is not exposed to health hazards. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)

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PAG-IBIG offers 7% dividends for tax-free savings

(PIA) -- The national government, through the Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan, Ikaw, Bangko, Industryia at Gobyerno (PAG-IBIG) Savings Program, is offering a savings program that is worth a second hard look.

Compared to commercial banks’ maximum time deposit interest rate for P1,000 for six months can go as high as 1.13 percent or at the least .50 percent, nothing beats investing in PAG-IBIG, in theory and in real life.

‘CV to be free of insurgency by end of 2021’ - NICA

(PIA) -- The National Intelligence Coordinating Authority (NICA-7) believes Central Visayas will be rid of insurgency by the end of 2021.

According to NICA-7 Regional Director Augusto Marquez Jr., his agency has high hopes that the government will end local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) before the end of 2021.

It may be recalled that Presidential Assistant for the Visayas and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security in Region 7, Sec. Michael Dino, gave all the

clusters involved in ending insurgency in some communities in Negros Oriental a time frame to solve it before the end of 2021.

“The time frame to solve the local communist armed conflict is before the president turns over the administration (to the next leaders),” Marquez said.

The NICA official said they had a workshop with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police where they found out that the strength of the New People’s Army has been reduced.

He added that in infiltrated barangays of Negros Oriental, there were several firearms that have been recovered.

“If these things will go on for the next several months, we will achieve it by 2021,” Marquez emphasized as he pointed out the recent developments of ELCAC by the government.

The AFP has set parameters on determining if barangays are cleared of insurgency, such as conducting surveys and checking on the presence of armed groups and activities against the government.

Every three months, they also meet to discuss and validate the areas to monitor if they are really insurgency free. (fan/pia7)

With PAG-IBIG Fund’s Modified Pag-ibig (MP) 2 Savings Program, this voluntary savings program of P500 per remittance or more will earn governmentguaranteed and tax-free dividends at a higher rate than the already high interest rate of the regular PAG-IBIG Savings, according to PAG-IBIG Fund Information Officer Leonardo Cirujales.

During the Kapihan sa PIA, Cirujales bared that this savings program is designed for PAG-IBIG Fund members and those with other income sources who wish to save more and earn higher dividends

PAG-IBIG MP2 Savings Program allows members to save more with the assured seven percent dividend rate receivable in annual credits to Landbank or Development Bank of the Philippines savings, or through a check payable to the MP2 saver or upon the five-year maturity of the MP2 with compounded dividends, he added.

In fact, the fund’s information officer said the savings funds has no limit.

“One can save as much as one wants under the MP2 Savings Program.

If one wishes to remit an amount over P500,000, he will, however, have to issue a personal or manager’s check for the account,” he said.

The program is also open to retirees and pensioners who are spending lesser than what they get annually.

Regardless of age, retirees and pensioners with at least 24 monthly savings prior to retirement, can save under the MP2 savings, Cirujales stressed.

PAG-IBIG Fund’s MP2 Savings program offers a minimum P500 per remittance, or a one-time savings of a higher amount, is assured of at least 7.0 percent annual dividends compared to only 1.13 percent from other banks.

While the commercial bank’s minimum time deposits of P1,000 for a minimum of six months can earn 1.13 percent, MP2 can already earn seven percent in a year and onwards to maturity.

And then, bank accounts are always subject to taxes that the interest sometimes would be drowned by the taxes paid for the account.

And while MP2 Savings is locked on for the next five years, this tax-free savings program presents an opportunity for the saver to impose financial discipline considering that unlike ordinary bank accounts, the money can be easily drawn, causing the principal to be depleted and the plan to save can easily be drained away. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

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Cebuano News

DOLE, nagpagawas og holiday pay rules alang sa December holidays

(PIA) -- Nagpagawas og holiday pay rules ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) alang sa mga holidays karong buwan sa Disyembre.

Sa labor advisory sa DOLE, ang Disyembre 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary), Disyembre 24 ug Disyembre 31 mga deklaradong special nonworking days.

Base sa pay rules sa DOLE, kun ang empleyado dili mosulod sa trabaho sa maong mga petsa, ipatuman ang “no work, no pay” nga polisiya.

Apan kun mosulod sa trabaho, may dugang nga 30 porsiyento sa iyang sweldo alang sa unang walo ka oras nga pag-trabaho.

Bayran usab og dugang 30 porsiyente ang iyang hourly rate sa matag oras kun magovertime.

Samtang ang Disyembre 25 (Pasko)

ug Disyembre 30 (Rizal Day) nga parehong regular holiday, makadawat sa iyang 100 porsyento nga sweldo ang empleyado bisan dili siya mosulod sa trabaho sa maong mga petsa.

Apan kun mosulod sa trabaho

sa maong mga petsa, makadawat og 200 porsyento sa iyang sweldo ang empleyado.

Dugang nga 30 porsiyento usab sa iyang hourly rate ang madawat sa empleyado sa matag oras sa iyang pag-overtime. (ecb/ PIA7-Bohol)

Statement of PCOO Sec Andanar on the govt’s ceasefire implementation with the CPP-NPA-NDF

We laud President Duterte’s response in implementing a nationwide unilateral and reciprocal ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020.

This peaceful precedent is a shared commitment with the CPP Central Committee towards the resumption of formal peace negotiations as informal preparatory talks are soon to be undertaken.

Furthermore, this confidence-building measure has always been part of this administration’s campaign in ending the five-decade old armed conflict with the CPPNPA-NDF groups.

Our armed forces and authorities will continue to remain vigilant and attentive throughout the period of the ceasefire, at the ready to respond to any threats should there be any.

We will also continue the implementation of the initiatives under the GSIS pensioners makadawat National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as ug Christmas cash gift, its whole-of-nation approach to deliver basic social and security services and development, and to facilitate inclusivity is the best framework with which we sugod Disyembre 15 can end communist conflict.

We will continue to be serious and committed in attaining the peace that

(PIA) -- Sugod sa Disyembre 15, madawat na sa mga pensioner sa Government Service Insurance this nation has been longing for with the CPP-NPA-NDF as we want to achieve security, progress, and development together with all Filipinos.

System (GSIS) ang ilang Christmas cash gift.

We hope that this implemented ceasefire will allow everyone to enjoy

Sa usa ka pahayag, miingon si GSIS Chairman ug Acting President ug General Manager Rolando a period of peace and goodwill throughout the Yuletide season. Our deeper Ledesma Macasaet nga ma-credit kini sa eCard sa mga wishes are for everyone to celebrate the holidays with their loved ones, free pensioner pila ka adlaw sa dili pa ang adlaw sa Pasko. from any form of violence, and for the communist rebels to lay down their arms

Matud pa nga naa sa 324,348 ka pensioners and come back to the fold of the government and return to their families and ang modawat sa ilang Christmas Cash Gift o Christmas communities. (PCOO) bonus.

Mokabat sa P3.12 bilyon ang gigahin nga pondo sa GSIS alang sa Christmas cash gifts.

Sugod sa Disyembre 15, mosulod na ang cash gift sa eCard sa ilang mga pensioners.

Giingong apil sa mga makadawat og cash gift kadtong dugay nang nagdawat og pension.

Samtang kadtong mga bag-ong pensioner kinahanglan unang magpaabot og lima ka tuig usa mahatagan sa ilang unang cash gift, matud pa sa GSIS. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

iSIQUIJOR

is the Island of Siquijor’s first electronic newsletter produced by the Philippine Information Agency-Siquijor Information Center and the DOST - Provincial Science and Technology Center.

It contains snippets of information about Siquijor, Central Visayas and the Philippine Government.

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