LMP Visayas calls on COA to assign auditors to municipalities
This was informed by Tanauan Mayor Roque Tiu who is the President of LMP Leyte Chapter, the general legal counsel of LMP and the presiding officer for the Closing Plenary of the LMP Visayas Island Cluster Conference held in Subic on August 18 to 20.
In passing said resolution, the Visayas Island mayors noted that in the recent issuance of Memo Circular by COA on selective pre-auditing of government transactions, many municipalities encountered difficulties in disbursing their local funds that resulted in the delay of transactions. Though the Mayors are elated of the re imposition of the Selective Pre-Auditing by COA as it will prevent filing of harassment cases before the Ombudsman, it somehow affected the delivery of basic services because of the delay of the audit due to lack of COA personnel.
The Mayors observed that the COA auditors assigned to municipalities only go to their assignments periodically. With the recent COA Memo Circular, the Mayors believe there is a need for COA Auditors to be in the LGUs more frequently.
This prompted the LMP Visayas Island Cluster Conference in Subic to pass a Resolution to ask COA to assign an Auditor in every Municipality or in every cluster of three municipalities provided the auditor will frequently visit the assigned municipality.
Mayor Tiu added that many of the Visayas Mayors present also observed that COA has yet to conduct orientation on the said recent COA Memo Circular.
He added that these are the same observations presented by the Luzon Island Cluster Conference which was held in July in Leyte. (PIA 
Forum calls on media to advocate International Humanitarian Law
This issue was tackled during the recent episode of Panindugan television program of the Philippine Information Agency with the Philippine Army and the local media as guests, in connection with the International Humanitarian Law Day on August 12 and the 60th Anniversary of the signing of the Geneva Conventions.
Major General Arthur Tabaquero, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, through his representative Major Leo Madronal, the lecturer for IHL, gave the assurance that the military is ever aware and has been observing the provisions of the International Humanitarian Law. He said that the AFP has many programs and projects aimed at strengthening awareness on the very important international law.
He also called on the local media practitioners to help in this endeavor so that suffering and loss of lives of innocent civilians will not be sacrificed in case of armed conflict.
The cases of people being displaced because of armed conflicts, children who are used as barricades or as couriers or as combatants, are tangible evidences that the day is yet to come when armed conflict does not occur in some parts of the world.
Thus, the participants in the forum, agreed that there is a great need to continue promoting this body of conventions to protect the rights of both combatants and those who are caught in the crossfire.
On August 12 each year, by virtue of Executive Order 134 signed by former President Joseph Estrada in 1999, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Day is observed to commemorate the signing of the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
This year, the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) leads the observance of International Humanitarian Law Month with the theme “Geneva Conventions: “Pagiging Makatao sa Gitna ng Hidwaan” (Humanity Amidst Armed Conflict)” to increase awareness on the basic principles of IHL and promote its observance in times of armed conflict.
The International Humanitarian Law, also known as the Law of War or simply Law of Armed Conflict provides emphasis on the protection of victims of armed conflict during warfare, the wounded and sick soldiers in the battlefield; civilians; wounded, sick and shipwrecked soldiers; and all prisoners of war.
It is composed of Four Conventions: (a) Convention on the Amelioration of the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field; (b) Convention on the Amelioration of the wounded, sick and shipwrecked among armed forces at sea; (c) Convention on the Amelioration of the Prisoners of War; and (d) Convention on the Amelioration of the Civilians.
The Geneva Conventions are among the most potent tools of the international community in preserving the precepts of humanity even in times of war or conflict. The Geneva Conventions specifically protect people who are not taking part in the hostilities (civilians, health workers, and aid workers) and those who are no longer participating in the hostilities, such as the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked soldiers and prisoners of war.
The Conventions and their Protocols call for measures to be taken to prevent or put an end to all breaches. They contain stringent rules to deal with what are known as grave breaches. Those responsible for grave breaches must be sought, tried, or extradited, whatever nationality they may hold.
Sixty years from ratification, the Geneva Conventions and its additional Protocols remain important documents that aim to preserve life even in the most dangerous times of armed conflict or war.
As adherents to the inviolable right to life, it behooves on the media practitioners and the public to call on the State leaders and to the parties in armed conflict, to remain observant of the rules of the Geneva Conventions. (PIA
PNRC leads “Walk for Humanity, Walk for a Cause” in Leyte
The Walk for Humanity is an grand public event where hundreds of PNRC supporters from the youth sector, volunteers, local government units, NGOs and the general public will gather at the Leyte Capitol grounds at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, to promote and heighten awareness on the International Humanitarian Law.
This year’s International Humanitarian Law Month has for its theme “Geneva Conventions: Humanity Amidst Armed Conflict”, which aims to increase awareness on the basic principles of IHL and promote its observance in times of armed conflict.
The IHL is a set of rules which place restrictions on the use of weapons and methods of warfare. It protects people who are not, or no longer, participating in hostilities.
Under the Geneva Law, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) plays as the protector of the International Humanitarian Law. Being an affiliate of the ICRC, the PNRC will take the lead in this year’s commemoration of the IHL month with a theme “Geneva Conventions: Humanity Amidst Armed Conflict”, which aims to increase awareness on the basic principles of IHL and promote its observance in times of armed conflict.
The IHL month is observed every August of each year. The day is a time to review of what needs to be done to revive humanitarian law and the world”s faith in its long-lasting values.
PNRC Leyte head Marcela Pagasartonga called on the public to join the Walk for Humanity and be counted in helping continue to spread the information on IHL and continue to help and alleviate suffering of the victims of armed conflict. (PIA
DOT apprenticeship program benefits 40 students from Tanauan
Tacloban City (August 22) — At least forty second year Hotel and Restaurant Technology students from the Eastern Visayas State University in Tanauan, Leyte are happy beneficiaries of the Apprenticeship Program of the Department of Tourism, Mayor Roque Tiu informed.
“In fact, Dir. Tiopes and Ms. Recarro disclosed that these 40 Tanauan students are very lucky because they are the first batch of students outside of Metro Manila to avail of this DOT program,” Mayor Tiu added.
Mayor Tiu said that DOT 8 Director Karina Rosa Tiopes and Ms. Marie Recarro, tourism operations officer of DOT Office of Products and Research, visited his office to inform him of this happy development – that DOT Secretary Ace Durano has approved the request of the students from EVSU Tanauan for them to avail of the DOT Apprenticeship Program.
The 40 Tanauan students were scheduled to travel to Cebu from August 18 to 21 where the Department of Tourism will shoulder their traveling, meals, tours and billeting expenses, and will take them to the major tourism destinations in Cebu as part of a comprehensive experience of the industry through educational visits and training in tourism establishments.
The students were billeted at the posh Marriot Hotel, an international tourism facility that stands right at the center of the Cebu Business Park.
The first two days will take the students to the major tourism destinations like the Twin City tour (Mactan and Cebu) and Cebu Heritage Walking Tour, Taoist Temple, Taboan where the popular danggit and pusit are sold, Mactan Shrine and Lapu-Lapu Monument, Guitar Factory and Mactan Resort Ocular inspection.
The students will have the chance to have buffet lunch at Maribago Blue Water Resort and visit Fort San Pedro on board a “Tartanilla” to Plaza Sugbu. From there, the students will have a walking tour to the Magellan’s Cross, Basilica Minore del Santo Nino Church, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Cathedral Museum of Cebu, Plaza Hamabor, Colon Street, among others, before having buffet dinner at Patio Isabel.
August 20 is the apprenticeship day in the hotel where the students had hands on training on hotel operations such as Food and Beverage, front office, sales and banquet and housekeeping. A buffet dinner at Chika-an Restaurant capped the day.
On August 21, a closing program will be conducted before check out and buffet lunch at Krua Thai Restaurant.
Mayor Tiu thanked Director Tiopes and the Department of Tourism for this apprenticeship program which he said will greatly boost the moral of the students.
For the apprenticeship program of the EVSU-Tanauan students, the DOT has budgeted about P1 million.
The DOT –Tourism Apprenticeship Program, which was launched in January, is a five-day tour that offers selected students a comprehensive experience of the tourism and travel industry through educational visits and experiential training in various tourism establishments.
The program is exclusively offered to the top twenty percent graduating students of tourism related courses, initially from the identified 20 universities and colleges in Metropolitan Manila.
Each run shall be composed of 40 students and two faculty members from each identified school. Two project coordinators from the DOT shall also join the group to ensure the smooth implementation of the program.
To date, a total of 350 students from 9 universities have availed of the program. These include students from San Sebastian College-Recoletos who went to Palawan; Philippine Women’s University to Davao; Far Eastern University to Palawan; Lyceum of the Philippines to Davao; Arellano University to Bohol; San Beda College to Cebu; La Consolacion College to Bohol; Centro Escolar University to Cebu; and Santa Isabel College to Davao. (PIA
DepEd East Visayas at 34 celebrates gains of strong partnership
Tacloban City (August 22) — The Department of Education in Eastern Visayas is in the middle of preparations for its 34th Founding Anniversary on August 24 to 26, the dynamic DepEd Regional Director Sol F. Matugas informed.
The activities for this year”s founding anniversary celebration will revolve around the theme “Celebrating the Gains of Strong Partnership,” Director Matugas added.
August 24 dubbed as AUS-AID Day, will be highlighted with the inauguration and turn-over of the Training and Development Center of the Learning Resource Development Center, Director Matugas disclosed. The guests will include among others, the Australian Representatives of Project STRIVE.
Various local and international groups are contributing a lot in the pursuit of improving the quality of and access to Philippine basic education, Director Matugas said. The Philippine Government partnered with the Government of Australia through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) to launch Project STRIVE, a capability-enhancement program for officials of the Department of Education in Regions VII and VIII. Project STRIVE envisions a strengthened implementation of basic education in the Visayas Region, specifically in the provinces of Bohol, Tagbilaran City, and Northern Samar.
Project STRIVE started off with designing a Master Training Plan to enhance the management competencies of selected DepEd officials in the central, regional, and division offices. The MTP focused on the development of competencies in the areas of educational planning, monitoring and evaluation, education administration and management, and policy formulation and standard setting.
August 25 will feature the launching of Project READ with the theme “Creating a Culture of Love for Reading.” This will be participated by about a thousand guests coming from the different cities and provinces who represent the reading advocates group per division. The very important guests are DepEd Undersecretary Vilma Labrador and Philippine Normal University President Lutgardo B. Barbo.
The evening activity is the Gab-i Han Pasidungog Ug Pasasalamat, the awarding of the “Strong Pillars of DepEd 8 and other Stakeholders.” The guest of honor in this activity is DepEd Undersecretary Franklin Sunga.
The launching of the project Barangay Education Strategic Team (BEST) is scheduled to be conducted on August 26. BEST is a tie up project of DepEd and the Department of Interior and Local Government. The participants for this activity are barangay chairpersons and other barangay officials with the special guest Secretary Jesli Lapus.
Press Conferences will be conducted on August 24 with the AUSAID representative and on August 26 with Secretary Jesli Lapus. Both will be at 7:30 in the morning at the RTTC, DepEd Regional Office Complex.
All activities are open for media coverage, Director Matugas concluded. (PIA
DPWH Negros to inspect bridges
Bacolod City (20 August) — The Department of Public Works and Highways-Negros Occidental 1st Dist. Engineering Office is assessing the condition of all the bridges within its jurisdiction for the opening of the milling season in the province.
First Dist. Engineer Sanny Oropel is dispatching technical personnel of the Maintenance Section to conduct the assessment.
The team is checking all structures to insure that bridges are safe and stable for all motorists and the commuting public passing.
A maintenance crew is also being mobilized for clearing sugarcane debris scattered along the national roads that sometimes cause accidents. (PIA/cad)
Cough of 2 weeks may be TB, DOH-7 says
Cebu City (20 August) — A cough of more than two weeks should not be treated lightly as this could indicate the presence of an infectious disease commonly known as TB or tuberculosis.
Department of Health (DOH-7) Regional Program Coordinator of the Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program Dr. Enrique Sancho said tuberculosis is a highly infectious airborne disease and could easily be spread to others but the danger posed is when one is asymptomatic of the illness except for the chronic cough.
Common manifestations of TB are cough of at least two weeks, fever, blood-tinged sputum and weight loss, this is learned.
Sancho said the chronic cough alone should be a warning not to be complacent and to immediately seek medical check-up.
The DOH-7 official said one can just go to their barangay health center to have a sputum exam to determine the presence of the bacteria mainy Myobacterium tuberculosis that usually attacks the lungs. The sputum exam is given for free in the barangay health centers.
Sancho said tertiary hospitals in Cebu City already have their own TB units where people can go for a sputum exam while a minimal fee of about P50 is paid in private hospitals.
The sputum exam is the standard test to determine the presence of the TB bacteria but in case the sputum exam tested negative, an x-ray examination is the next procedure of choice, this is stated.
In Central Visayas, there are 7,182 cases of TB last year broken down into 4,375 cases for positive smear based on the sputum exam and 2,807 cases tested negative smear and seen through x-ray findings, Sancho revealed.
TB is one of the top 10 causes of morbidity and mortality rates in the country, Sancho said.
Medications for the ordinary TB is also given for free by the National Government through the DOH and distributed to the different barangay health centers nationwide. The kit is good for six months and each cost about US $11.00 or over P500.
In 1987, ratio of TB incidence is 3:1000/population which was reduced to 2:1000/population in 2007 but the trend are increasing today, Sancho bared.
Last year, the country has 86,566 T cases with the region accounting for five percent of the total cases. The World Health Organization has estimated the TB cases for 2009 at 133 per 100,000 population while mortality rate is pegged at 12 per 100T population, Sancho said.
Sancho however said that for ordinary TB, cure rate is over 90 percent while the problem lies with patient who are drug-resistant to common medications and these cases called multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRT) is highly expensive to treat and the drugs not readily available in the market. Treatments costs for MDRT patients will reach at least P300,000 per patient with treatment period lasting between 18 to 24 months, according to Sancho.
The 2015 Philippine Medium Term Development Goal aims to reduce TB incidence at one per 100,000 population which is why the DOH is on an aggressive mode in its advocacy campaign, this is said.
The Month of August is celebrated as National Lung Month where TB is one of the top common lung diseases afflicting Filipinos after pneumonia and lung cancer. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
Info officers urged to educate people on climate change
Iloilo City (20 August) — Information officers of government agencies and local government units composing the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) in Western Visayas were urged to educate their publics regarding climate change.
Canadian Urban Institute (CUI)-Philippines graduate student volunteers Jed Kilbourn and Amaraine Laven said educating the public on the existing effects of global warming and climate change in the Philippines is necessary in the wake of seemingly inadequate correct information which people generally have.
Kilbourn and Laven have been interviewing people on the streets about climate change and their findings revealed some knowledge but very inadequate such that they are able to relate with the experiences they have.
Kilbourn said information and education activities are important as climate change is induced by human activity and though the Philippines is not a big contributor because it is not highly industrialized, the country bears adverse effects.
He said with knowledge, some risks and effects can be averted while lack of it can, and in the Philippines, had already brought disasters.
Laven said information officers should have in their hands appropriate knowledge and creative strategies to start information and education campaigns, like writing stories that cite local and actual evidences of climate change.
Most importantly, Kilbourn added, is the creation of awareness that particular localities have to address climate change in manners different from those in other localities as situations and impacts differ.
Most of the IOs, like those from the Office of Civil Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Tourism, and the local governments of Miag-ao, Passi City, New Lucena, Dumangas and Calinog said somehow they have started to conduct information dissemination on climate change but not on a big scale because of inadequate inputs and resources on their part.
In a paper presented before by DENR-RTD Dr. Alice Lustica said that the systemic nature of climate change impacts bigger challenges on health with weather-related mortality infectious diseases and air-quality respiratory diseases.
On agriculture, the impacts are on crop yields and irrigation demands, while on forests, there are the change in forest composition, forest health and productivity as well as shift in geographic range of forests.
Lustica also said that climate change bears impacts on water supply, water quality, and increased competition for water, while its impacts on coastal areas include erosion of beaches, inundation of coastal lands, and on high costs involving protection of coastal communities.
Species and natural areas are also affected by climate change as to a shift in ecological zones and loss of habitat and species.
DENR also underscores government response to climate change such as its being a signatory of the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, the Biofuels Program and the Biofuel Act (RA 9637), Solid Waste Management Program, Green Philippine Highways, Creation of Presidential Task Force on climate change and Adaptation Measures to Mitigate Effects of Climate Change.
Meanwhile, government IOs have committed to start advocacy and education right in their respective agencies by integrating in their programs and activities simple strategies and measures on adaptation and mitigation. (PIA6/ESS)
Solid waste management IEC urged in schools
Iloilo City (20 August) — The Regional Ecology Center (REC) 6 has urged schools, colleges and universities in Iloilo City to intensify solid waste management activities in their respective institutions and integrate environmental topics in subjects.
The REC made the call during the 3rd Media Information Day with schools, media and government agencies, which focused on Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008 (RA No. 9512).
RA 9512 provides for a collaborative interagency and multi-sectoral efforts in all levels to make environmental advocacy beneficial to the communities, including schools, and help them adapt and mitigate impacts of climate change.
The participants were briefed on the status of solid waste management implementation and of REC 6 activity highlights.
Regional Solid Waste Management Coordinator Collette Juntarciego said implementation of RA 9003 is still a challenge for LGUs and institutions even as efforts are gradually picking up, while EMB-GTZ is also intensifying their technical assistance to facilitate implementation.
Meanwhile, schools have also indicated some programs they undertake and their continuing efforts in integrating topics in their courses.
Further commitments to pursue and institutionalize environmental awareness education in the colleges and universities were expected as result of the forum.
GTZ-SWM4LGUs Team leader Johannes Paul said there are more options which the networks of media and academic institutions and the REC 6 members can do to bring implementation of RA 9512 vigorous. (PIA6/ESS)
PNP forms barangay peacekeeping action team
by JV Castillon & PS Mabaquiao
San Jose, Antique (20 August) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) through its Police Community Relations Office organized the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) in the municipality of Tobias Fornier in order to maintain peace and order in local communities.
Barangay Peacekeeping Operations (BPKO) is a comprehensive and “catch all” strategy of the PNP tapping the peace and order stakeholders in the community. It also aims to help in the data and intelligence report gathering. BPKO also serve as a means to ensure the effective prevention, control and suppression of crimes and efficient management of disasters and emergencies.
BPAT shall function solely for community-based activities, info campaign in support to PNP’s anti-criminality effort, crime prevention and on-the-spot conflict resolution. For some complex cases, it maybe referred to Barangay Justice System as the situation may require, if in need of police intervention, it shall be immediately acted upon by the police and for assistance to the delivery of basic government services it must be coordinated with the local government units concerned.
The Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) is composed of various sectors in the community envisioned to help PNP in the peacekeeping operations. In the town of Tobias Fornier, Barangay Igdalaguit was chosen as the pilot area.
Meanwhile, The Armed Forces Of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command (WestMincom) based in Zamboanga Peninsula deployed more combat troops in Basilan province as fierce gunbattle still rages where 20 Abu Sayyaf bandits were already reported killed and unaccounted number of others were critically wounded.
It has been reported that 22 government soldiers were killed in encounter with Abu Sayaff in Basilan province.
In her recent State of the Nation Address, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered the wiping out of Abu Sayyaf bandits to pave way for the full economic development in that southern tip province of Zamboanga Peninsula. (PNP/PIA)
