TESDA Biliran is RP’s 2nd top performing TESDA provincial office
Director Loreta D. Banario informed that having satisfactory rating in physical accomplishment such as training inputs, competency assessment and employment rate and financial aspect, TESDA-Biliran received awards as 3rd Best TESDA Provincial Office in Region 8 and 2nd Top Performing TESDA Provincial Office nationwide for the year 2008.
On June 25, 2009, Dir. Loreta D. Banario received the plaque of recognition from Dir. Juan M. Sabulao, Jr., TESDA Regional Director, stating TESDA-Biliran as one of the Best TESDA Provincial Offices in region 8. Anent to this, TESDA-Biliran was also recognized as the 2nd Top Performing Provincial Office in the region way back on the year 2007.
Furthermore, TESDA-Biliran also received another award as 2nd Top Performing TESDA Provincial Office Nationwide. This award recognized TESDA-Biliran as one of the outstanding TESDA-Provincial Offices throughout the Philippines.
These recognition will serve as an encouragement and inspiration to TESDA-Biliran officials and staff to continue their effort in implementing relevant programs and services for Biliranons.
TESDA-Biliran’s back-to-back success in the regional and National levels was realized not only due to the leadership of the provincial director but largely due to the full support and commitment of the staff, Dir. Loreta D. Banario said. (PIA 8 with TESDA-Biliran)
Negrenses Rally to Preserve The Country’s Organic Farming Capital
Greenpeace put up two doors signifying an organic, GMO-free Negros (Green) and a GMO-contaminated future (Black), and requested members of the SP to take a stand and pass through the door that signifies their position.
Negros Occidental pioneered the ban on GMOs when it passed the ordinance, also called the “Safeguard Against Genetically Modified Organisms,” in 2007. The province, along with Negros Oriental, has been putting measures into place to turn Negros into an organic food island. Last April, the local government upheld the ban by rejecting shipments of illegal GMO corn at the capital’s port in Bacolod City.
This prompted GMO producing companies to field lobby groups to challenge the ordinance. The provincial government reiterated that it is maintaining the ban. Last month, however, anti-organic farming parties were able to sway the SP into holding hearings to reconsider the ordinance.
“It is now time for members of the provincial council to show their support for a future of agriculture that provides real solutions to food security and does not depend on unreliable, unproven techno fixes such as agrochemicals and GMOs” said Daniel M. Ocampo, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Sustainable Agriculture campaigner. “We are calling on the SP to look into lasting solutions that provide income and growth for the province without compromising the health of people and the environment.”
Organic farmers in Negros are looking towards the SP to uphold the ban protecting their means of livelihood – and their way of life – from contamination. “We are spending less on materials to get the same yield of crop when using organic means rather than the chemicals that some entities are pushing,” Jose Winston Cordoba of the Canaan Farmers Association (CFA) said in Ilonggo, his native tongue. “We, and especially our children, are also safe from harmful chemicals when there are no GMOs,” added Arturo Artucilla, also a board member of CFA, an organization of grassroots farmers in the Municipality of Magallon in Negros Occ
idental.
Greenpeace has documented projects on millions of farms in more than 50 countries around the world, and findings reveal that switching to sustainable farming methods increases harvests by an average of 73% — showing that the world’s poor can feed themselves by using cheap, locally-available technologies that will not damage the environment.
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.
Army Engineer Brigade bares status of Kalayaan Barangay projects in Eastern Visayas
In a report submitted to Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas, Hon. Cynthia Nierras, Lt. Colonel Rizalito A. Tibon, the commanding officer, disclosed that these Kalayaan Barangay projects are under Batch 2 (CY 2008).
The completed projects include the construction of 2 classroom school building; construction of 1 Health Center and farm to market road at Barangay Trojillo, in the municipality of Bobon, Northern Samar.
Among the completed projects are the 2 classroom school building, one Health Center, installation of streetlights at Barangay Geguinta; and the installation of streetlights at Barangay San Andres, both at Las Navas, Northern Samar.
At Barangay Guindaulan, in the town of Rosario, Northern Samar, the construction of 2 classroom school building and the construction of one Health Center have also been completed.
Always upholding its motto “to build not destroy, to bring happiness not sorrow”, the 543rd Engineer Construction Battalion of the 53rd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army, has also started the implementation of the remaining 48 KB projects in Samar and Northern Samar.
Several of the projects are already near completion while the others are less than 50% completed, the report prepared by Operations Officer, Major Tomas Tabangcura, indicated.
The Kalayaan Barangay Projects being implemented by the 543rd Engineer Construction Battalion will benefit the people in 12 villages of Northern Samar namely Barangay Imelda and Barangay Alejandro Village in Allen; Barangays Calantiao, Barangay Sumuroy and Barangay Trojillo in Bobon town; Barangay Geguinta and Barangay San Andres in Las Navas; Barangay Caburihan and Barangay Malikoliko in Lavezares; Barangay Guindaulan in Rodario and Barangay Caglanipao and Barangay Happy Valley in San Isidro town.
About 11 barangays of Samar province are also beneficiaries of the Kalayaan Barangay projects. These are Barangay Makabetas in Gandara; Barangay Concepcion, Barangay Jose Rono and Barangay Paco in Paranas; Barangay Poblacion 1 and Barangay Poblacion 2 of San Jose de Buan; and Barangays Bugtong, Cagmanipis, Malaga, Pena and Tinaplacan in Calbayog City.
The Kalayaan Barangay Project of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which is being implemented by the Department of National Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, aims to address the needs of the poor communities in conflict areas or in areas which have peace and order issues.
This is a government initiative which is a non-combat approach to solve the insurgency in areas affected by the problem, Lt. Colonel Tibon said.
Kalayaan Barangay Project (KBP) was conceptualized to promote peace and development in the countryside. Specific program interventions include, core Infrastructure projects and services like improvements on transportation, communication, road and rail network, electrification and water supply facility as well as classroom buildings and educational establishments.
For the 2006 and 2007 batch, the 53rd Engineer Brigade has turned over 16 school buildings in the 16 barangays of the three Samar Provinces; 3 water supply system projects in three barangays of Calbiga, Samar; 4 water supply system projects in 4 barangays of Jiabong and San Jose de Buan in Samar; and 3 Health Centers for 3 barangays, one each for Bobon, Las Navas and Rosario, all in Northern Samar. (PIA 
Majority areas in Aklan insurgency-free, says Army
What’s more, the Philippine Army said that based on recent assessments of the 3rd Infantry Division, most of the incidents reported now may be classified as petty criminalities that the local Peace and Order Councils could address at their levels.
“This is not to say that the Philippine Army will abandon Aklan once the responsibility is handed over to the PPOC and the PNP”, said 1Lt Mark Andrew T. Posadas, Public Information Officer of the 3rd Infantry Division.
“Your Army will continue to maintain our presence in Aklan and will always be readily available when called upon,” Posadas assured.
With the eventual handover of Aklan’s peace and order concerns to the PPOC and the PNP, the Philippine Army could now focus on major areas of concern in Panay Island, specifically in Central Panay.
“The 3rd Infantry Division believes that the success in Aklan may be replicated in other areas of Region 6 and we enjoin the cooperation of all stakeholders to continue working with your Army so that we may see the end of this communist insuregency”, Posadas said.
The plan of the Philippine Army to declare Aklan as insurgency-free and to turn over the responsibility of maintaining peace and order to its local government was earlier announced at a press conference by Maj. Gen. Vicente Porto, commanding general of the 3ID based in Dingle, Iloilo.
Gen. Porto cited there have been great changes in the insurgency situation in Aklan compared with the other provinces in Panay. He attributed the successful campaign to the support coming from the local government of Aklan and the PNP.
Aklan and the Northern portion of Antique were once covered by the by the Northern Front Committee but Col. Gerardo T.Layug, Brigade Commander of the 301st Brigage, 3ID, Dingle, disclosed that based on the information that that they gathered from rebels availing of the social Integration Program (SIP), the group was already neutralized two years ago.
The Philippine Army plans to turn over the peace and order maintenance to the provincial government of Aklan, led by Governor Carlito s. Marquez as the the PPOC Chair and the PNP before 2009 ends. (PA/PIA/vgv)
Cebu has higher incidence of TB cases in Central Visayas
Cebu City (19 August) — Cebu has the highest number of cases of tuberculosis (TB) in the region while Central Visayas is included in the top 10 regions nationwide with the highest incidence rate of TB cases.
Dr. Enrique Sancho, program coordinator of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program of the Dept. of Health (DOH-7) bared in this morning’s Kapihan sa PIA that tackled the observance of August as National Lung Month bared Central Visayas has slightly over 7,000 TB cases last year with almost 50 percent of these cases found in Cebu.
“TB is an urban disease and highly infectious” as we expect the disease to quickly spread among families living in close quarters, Sancho declared.
TB is a common and contagious disease caused by a bacteria mainly Myobacterium tuberculosis in humans which usually attacks the lungs. Symptoms include chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats and weight loss, this is learned.
Sancho said the region contributes five percent of the total TB cases in the country where the National Capital Region tops with the highest incidence nationwide with 21,000 cases while other regions included Western Visayas with 16,000 cases and Calabarzon with 15,000 cases based on last year’s data.
TB is one of the top 10 leading cause of morbidity and mortality rates in the country, according to Sancho.
In 2007, the Philippines recorded over 86,000 TB cases based on the 2009 World Health Organization Report but the trend is increasing as for this year, it is estimated that 133 people out of 100,000 population has TB, Sancho said.
Sancho said the Philippines ranks 8th in the most number of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis (MDRT) cases among 22 identified highly-burdened countries and ranks 9th worldwide in the incidence of the ordinary TB disease which can easily be treated unlike the MDRT.
Recovery rate among ordinary TB cases in the region is pegged at 90 percent, Sancho added.
Sancho said the problem lies with drug-resistant cases as treatment is highly expensive and medications are not readily available at the market. In Cebu, there are 33 MDRT cases but five of the outpatients have graduated while 28 are still continuing treatment at the Eversley Child Sanitarium in Mandaue City.
Treatments costs per MDRT patient is at the least P300,000 which involves 20 tablets and one injectable drug and will last from 18 to 24 months. Treatments costs of the 28 MDRT are shouldered by international funding agencies, this is said.
The DOH-7 tuberculosis regional program coordinator said for ordinary TB cases, funding for their medication treatment is free which is available at the various health centers. For an ordinary TB case, the national government spends at least US $11 per medication kit good for six months, Sancho further said.
Today, August 19 is declared as National TB Day in commemoration of the late President Manuel Luis Quezon who died of tuberculosis while the DOH-7 is observing the celebration with the conduct of the 3rd orientation seminar on Childhood Tuberculosis for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
Sibalom-San Jose irrigation system to be rehabilitated
San Jose, Antique (19 August) — The Sibalom-San Jose Irrigation System, the biggest irrigation infrastructure that covers 5,065 hectares of rice lands in Antique will be rehabilitated soon. Once finished it will boost food security not only of Antique but of Region 6 as well.
At the height of typhoon Frank last year, vital infrastructure components of Sibalom-San Jose Irrigation System (SSJIS) were damaged that affected production of 3,816 farmers in 6 towns in the province who depended on water from the irrigation system.
According to Engr. Jose Oredina Provincial Irrigation Officer and concurrent Irrigation Superintendent, National Irrigation Administration, if the system is properly working, it can produce 607,800 bags of rice per cropping season, a big boost to food security given the fact that Antique is a surplus province in terms of rice production and are supplying rice to other parts of the country.
The National Irrigation System (NIA) has already completed the inception phase of the rehabilitation project where consultants have visited the irrigation site and conducted consultation with farmers and irrigator’s association as to the processes in rehabilitation.
The proposal was already approved by the Provincial Board of Antique and endorsed to the Regional Development Council.
After the completion of the inception phase, NIA will conduct the feasibility study of the proposed irrigation structures and once validated it will be submitted to the Irrigation System Operation Efficiency Improvement Project (ISOEIP).
ISOEIP is a government strategy stated in Medium Term Development Plan 2004-2010 that aims to reduce rural poverty, increase agricultural productivity and enhance food security. In relation to this, NIA has proposed investment package in Region 6 aimed at improving irrigation services and upgrading rural infrastructure such as roads and post harvest facilities.
For Antique, SSJIS is the beneficiary of the project while in Aklan-Aklan River Irrigation System, San Jose Communal Irrigation System; Capiz- Mambusao RIS and Guimaras-Cabano Communal Irrigation System.
ISOEIP is funded by the Asian Development Bank. The rehabilitation of irrigation system shall begin as soon as ADB approved the loan which is programmed in 2010. (Grace Aquillo/NIA/PIA)
Cebu hospitals, drug stores cut prices of drugs under Cheaper Medicine Act
Cebu City (19 August) — Hospital pharmacies and big drug retail stores in Cebu have slashed by half its regular prices the 21 identified essential drugs as mandated under Executive Order 821 signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in accordance with the Cheaper Medicine Act.
Officials from the Dept. of Health last Saturday went around various private hospitals and big drug stores in Cebu City to ensure that the identified drugs have really been reduced by 50 percent.
August 15 was the start of the implementation of the compulsory price cuts of the identified drugs. EO 821 prescribes the maximum drug retail price (MDRP) for five selected drugs and medicines for diseases that are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality rates in the country as well as the 16 other common and expensive drugs whose prices have been voluntarily reduced by the pharmaceutical companies.
The five selected drugs are two anti-cancer medicines Doxorubicin with prices ranging from P1,465.75 to P2,265.74 and Cytarabine with price range between P240.00 to P1,980.00; anti-hypertensive medications Amlodipine with price ranges from P9.60.00 to P38.50; Azithromycin which is a medication against common infection whose price ranges from P108.50 to P468.00; and anti-high cholesterol drug Atorvastatin with price range between P34.45 to P91.00.
“So far, all the private hospitals and big drug stores in Cebu have abided with the order and have reduced the prices of identified drugs,” according to Dept. of Health (DOH-7) public information officer Suzette Limbaga.
The DOH-7 has pasted posters within the vicinity of the hospitals and drug stores visible to the public eye to ensure the latter the type of medicines included in the compulsory price reduction.
Limbaga bared smaller drug stores with manual systems are given until September 15 to comply with the mandatory price cuts of the essential drugs while non-compliance after the deadline will face stiff penalties such as payment of fines and revocation of their license.
Hospital pharmacies and drug stores that have bought the said drugs at higher prices can ask for the rebates from the drug manufacturing firms as price differentials due to the mandatory price cuts must not be shouldered by the retailers, this is learned.
The DOH has ordered all regional offices to put up complaint desks nationwide to entertain any reports regarding non-compliance by drug outlets. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
5th blue desk in Capiz opens
by A. Lumaque
Roxas City (19 August) — A “Blue Desk” will be set up August 19 by the Hercor College – Lawaan campus here to facilitate employment and other forms of assistance especially for its Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) scholar-graduates.
“Blue Desk” is a mini-employment facilitation office that provides services such as labor market intelligence data, career guidance, referral and placement for wage employment (local and overseas), emergency employment including OJT and Apprenticeship and Referral for Business Development Support for self-employment.
“We have now 5 blue desks in the province including the one at Hercor College,” said TESDA Capiz Public Information Officer Julie Baraquia, adding that Tekbok Training school – providers are required to establish the desk.
The other blue desks were set up at Colegio dela Purisima Concepcion (CPC) as well as Filamer Christian College (FCC), Provincial Capitol and Roxas City Hall.
The employment facilitation service is in view of the President Gloria Scholarship (PGS) program that has already distributed 809,000 scholarships nationwide.
The program is in support to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s call for the government’s economic resiliency program to enhance job creation and preservation. (PIA)
DAR dev’t facilitators undergo training
Iloilo City (19 August) — Some 40 Development Facilitators (DFs) involved in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in the province of Iloilo participated in a training workshop conducted by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the municipality of Concepcion, Iloilo recently.
The three-day workshop aimed to equip participants of the common knowledge, understanding and skills in carrying out their tasks in developing the Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) located in various municipalities all throughout the province.
Yvonne Senobin, DAR-Iloilo Information Officer said the DFs are front-liners of DAR in CARP implementation.
“They are specifically assigned in the ARCs facilitating the much needed program beneficiaries development interventions for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in compliance with the mandate of the program of providing various support services that aims to capacitate the farmers and provide them access to the necessary support services to make their lands more productive, enable them to venture in income generating projects and actively get involve in community governance,” said Senobin.
Iloilo Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Eberardo N. Erispe was one of the resource persons of the three-day training-workshop. He talked on personal development for a successful performance, as means of motivating and inspiring the DFs to be more effective and efficient in their work performance in the field.
In her talk, Sally A. Ortega, Chief of the Beneficiaries Development Coordination Division (BDCD) of DAR-Iloilo, emphasized that more challenging task is in store for the DAR to foster the implementation of CARP, more so, that this has been extended for another 5 years with reforms by virtue of the newly signed law called Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) or RA 9700.
It was on August 7, this year, when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed the CARPer Law at the Don Cesario San Diego Gym in Plaridel, Bulacan.
Ortega added that the training workshop will be of great help to the DFs in identifying and resolving issues and concerns challenging the development of ARCs in the countryside. (PIA)
PCA 6 leads Coconut Week celebration in Western Visayas
Iloilo City (19 August) — The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) VI leads the celebration of the 13th Regional Coconut Week in the region starting today, August 19 until 21.
The three day event also carries the theme of the 23rd National Coconut Week which is “Natatangi Itong Yaman, Oil na, Ginto pa”.
Presidential Proclamation No. 142 series of 1987 marked the commemoration of the National Coconut Week in August of every year.
PCA 6 Regional Manager III Jose Cruz in its invitation sent to the Philippine Information Agency said the celebration intends to pay tribute to the stakeholders of the coconut industry and refresh public consciousness on the importance of coconut to the Filipino life.
The event will be formally opened today, August 19, by a program and an exhibit at SM City Activity Center in Mandurriao. Congresswoman Jeanette Garin of the 1st District of Iloilo province is expected to be the guest speaker during the opening ceremonies.
In the afternoon, an event dubbed “Coconut Rampahanay” will be conducted composed of several contests such as On-spot poster making contest, binalaybay and composo and parampa lubi.
Symposia on VCNO:Oil 4 of Season, COCO Flour, COCO, SAP/Sugar and CME: Bio-fuel of the future will be conducted on August 20.
PCA Administrator Oscar Garin will be the keynote speaker during the Awarding and Closing Ceremonies which will be held in the afternoon of August 21.
The Coronation of the Tatay and Nanay sang Kalubihan will follow after the closing ceremonies which will formally culminate this year’s celebration.
All the activities during the three-day event will be held at the lower ground floor of SM City, Mandurriao. (PIA)
