iSIQUIJOR GOVERNMENTNEWS Christmas Village (Juvy Figues fB photo)
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at the Siquijor Oval
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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. 44 December 26 - 31 , 2019
The lucky winners of the Christmas Tree-Decorating Contest “Pasigarbo Sa Pasko Sa Larena” Season 2: First - Siquijor State College (SSC) with P30K cash prize Second - Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with P20K cash prize Third - Province of Siquijor Electric Cooperative (PROSIELCO) with P10K cash prize Congratulations! (Larena Review FB photo)
S i q u i j o r s ch o o l o n e o f POPCOM-7 best docu films
by Rizalie Anding Calibo (PIA) -- Siquijor Provincial Science High School’s documentary film entitled “Kalampusan” was awarded as one of the regional finalists during the 2019 Regional Adolescent Health Development Film Festival conducted recently by the regional office of Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM-7) at Montebello Villa Hotel, Cebu City. The other finalists were Cebu City Science High School’s “Carousel” and Bais National High School’s “Mamang.” Best Documentary Film was awarded to “Hagip-ot,” (or “Cramped”), the entry of high school students from City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy. A documentary film that intends to make young people aware about reproductive health, “Hagip-ot” is a 15-minute film that talks about the story of Siela Ortega-Maloon as she struggles to raise seven children. Early marriage and early pregnancy are contributing facts in her life to the Philippines’ high birth rate and sluggish living standards as it is still in stage two of its demographic transition and is currently heading into stage three. “Hagip-ot” also won special awards in Writing, Direction, Cinematography, Audio Use, and Production Value. It will be the official regional entry of POPCOM-7 for the national competition in Manila next year. Now in its fifth year, the independent inter-school film-making contest is an annual activity open for all public and private high schools in Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental. It focuses on Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) to address the wellbeing of adolescents on concerns about youth sexuality, reproductive health, and their rights. This year’s genre is documentary filming of people in communities with real life situations with the theme: “The Youth and the Demographic Transition.” (rac/PIA-Siquijor w/ POPCOM7 PR)
Warmest congratulations to Enrique Villanueva National High School for being the Outstanding Secondary School of Region VII. (Sire Cabz photo)
DOLE Siquijor Officer-In-Charge Nole Torres calling for support to the Project Angel for the child laborers in Siquijor. (rac/PIA7-Siquijor)
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Pope Francis’ Message of Love for Christmas:
‘Jesus did not change history with a flood of words, but by the gift of His life’
“Jesus did not change history with a flood of words, but by the gift of His life,” Pope Francis said in his Christmas Night Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. “He did not wait until we were good before He loved us.” The Holy Father said we should follow that example and not wait “for our neighbors to be good before we do good to them, for the Church to be perfect before we love her, for others to respect us before we serve them. “Let us begin with ourselves. This is what it means freely to accept the gift of grace.” The Christmas Night liturgy began with the chanting of the Kalenda, the proclamation of historic events leading up to Jesus’ birth., reported Vatican News. Immediately afterward, the Pope unveiled the image of the Christ Child at the foot of the altar. In his homily during the Mass, Pope Francis focused on the theme of God’s grace: “bringing salvation to all” and shining “on our world this night”. The Pope described this grace as “divine love, the love that changes lives, renews history, liberates from evil, fills hearts with peace and joy”. This love is revealed to us as Jesus, he explained: “In Jesus, the Most High made Himself tiny, so that we might love Him”. In a world where “everything seems to be about giving in order to get, God comes down freely. His love is non-negotiable”, said the Pope.
St. Isidore Parish, Lazi, Siquijor (Rejane P. Monte FB photo)
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Agri chief: Buy, promote local fruits In keeping with the local tradition of preparing round fruits during the New Year to bring luck and prosperity, Agriculture Secretary William Dar urges Filipinos to patronize and buy local fruits. The move achieves twin goals of increasing farmers’ incomes and supporting the development and commercialization of
the local fruit industry, said Dar. “Let’s promote and take pride in our local fruits. Let’s give the tradition a deeper meaning by nurturing our agricultural sector,” he added. Most Filipinos prefer to buy imported apples, oranges, and grapes to decorate their dinner table on New Year’s
Today, December 30, is an important day to commemorate and honor Dr. Jose P. Rizal whose life and legacy have inspired countless others to dedicate their lives to serve the nation.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, E. Villanueva, Siquijor,
“Christmas reminds us that God continues to love us all, even the worst of us”, continued Pope Francis, because we are precious in His eyes. His love is unconditional; it does not depend on us. “How often do we think that God is good if we are good and punishes us if we are bad”, said the Pope. “Yet that is not how He is… His love does not change. It is not fickle; it is faithful. It is patient”. ”Grace is a synonym of beauty”, continued Pope Francis, and in the beauty of God’s love, “we also discover our own beauty, for we are beloved of God”. In His eyes, we are beautiful, “not for what we do but for what we are”. Pope Francis continued his reflections inviting us to “contemplate the Child and let ourselves be caught up in His tender love”. At Christmas, the question is: “Do I allow myself to be loved by God? Do I abandon myself to His love that comes to save me?”
San Juan, Siquijor (Jean Rose Garalda FB photo)
Our Lady of Divine Providence Parish, Maria, Siquijor (Nenita Cortes Panzo photo)
Accepting this gift of grace means “being ready to give thanks in return”, continued Pope Francis. “Today is the right day to draw near to the tabernacle, the crèche, the manger, and to say thank you. Let us receive the gift that is Jesus, in order then to become gift like Jesus. To become gift is to give meaning to life. And it is the best way to change the world”. Pope Francis then related the legend of how, “at the birth of Jesus, the shepherds hurried to the stable with different gifts”, but there was one who was very poor and had nothing to give. Seeing that shepherd, embarrassed and with empty hands, Mary put the baby Jesus in his arms, continued the Pope.
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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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eve. “There are local fruits that can adorn our tables and they are as nutritious and cheaper than imported ones,” the newly-confirmed DA chief said. “For instance, instead of imported oranges, we can buy Perante, Satsuma, or Vizcaya ponkan, which are grown in Nueva Vizcaya. There are also local grapes from La Union, as well as citrus fruits from Central Luzon and Bukidnon,” Dar added. Other popular Pinoy fruits include melon, watermelon (pakwan), lanzones, chico pomelo, rambutan, mangosteen, sineguelas, tiesa, guava (bayabas), atis (custard apple), duhat (black plum), rambutan, santol, dalandan or sintunis (Philippine orange), aratiles (local cherry), bignay (currant), mabolo, papaya, avocado, and fresh coconut, among other fruits. For non-traditional consumers, he said there are round varieties of langka (jackfruit), pineapple, mango, macopa, durian, balimbing (star fruit) and dragonfruit that can be bought from farmers. Also, there are indigenous fruits like anang, sapote, yambo, sapinit, katmon, kalumpit, lipote, binukaw, or paratungon — that are often overlooked, not because they are not as delicious and as nutritious as their imported ones, but because most Filipinos are unfamiliar with them. “Buying Pinoy fruits will indeed increase incomes of farmers and their families who are into fruit orchard production,” Dar said. (Rita dela Cruz, DA Communications Group)