PNoy invited to grace Cebu’s Sinulog Festival
by Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, January 5 (PIA)– President Benigno ‘Simeon’ Aquino III has been invited by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to again witness the Sinulog Festival set next Sunday, January 15 at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
Rama said an invitation has also been sent to Vice President Jejomar Bina.
Cebu’s Sinulog Festival, dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the country, is a tourist crowd drawer where an upsurge of tourists, both foreign and domestic come to Cebu to participate in the celebration.
A much-awaited event in Cebu every year, the Sinulog is not only a tourism event but “we must also bear in mind that it is a religious celebration as well that also speaks of our spiritual faith to Santo Niño and our cultural history as well,” Rama said
The Sinulog 2012 will kickoff tomorrow starting with a solemn mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño at 2:00 p.m. followed by a parade from the church down to the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC), Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc. (SFI) said in the same forum.
Starting tomorrow until January 15, the SFI has organized 10 days of street parties where live bands will be performing at the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda, trade activities, cultural shows and beauty pageant among others.
For the religious activities, the opening salvo was done at 4:30 a.m. with the ‘Walk with Jesus’ solemn procession from Fuente Osmeña to the Basilica del Sto. Niño. Other religious events are the fluvial procession early morning of January 14 and in the afternoon will be the solemn procession.
From January 13 -15, the Cebu City Government has organized the Devotees City to provide shelter to out-of-town poor devotees of the Holy Child Jesus who cannot afford to stay in hotels and pension houses. The number of pilgrims is also increasing every year where from 2009, 1,990 devotees were accommodated which grew to 2,100 last year as more container vans are needed to accommodate a larger number this year, this is learned.
In case Pres. Aquino will confirm his attendance, this will be his second visit to witness the highlight of the Sinulog Festival which is the grand parade.
Aquino was in Cebu last year for the Sinulog event. He was the only President given the honor to deliver a speech before thousands of crowd at the CCSC. The Sinulog Festival has been in existence for 32 years. (PIA-Cebu)
Application now open for Silliman University’s 51st National Writers Workshop
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Jan. 2 (PIA) — Silliman University (SU) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental is now accepting applications for its 51st National Writers Workshop, which will run from April 30 to May 18, 2012 at the SU Rose Lamb Sobrepeña Writers Village, this city.
Applicants must submit manuscripts in English on or before February 10, 2012.
Manuscripts should be submitted in hard copy on short-size bond paper, using Times New Roman or Calibri in 12 pt. font type.
Applicants for Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction fellowships should submit three to five entries while applicants for Poetry fellowships should submit seven to ten poems.
Applicants for Drama fellowship should submit at least a One-Act Play. For plays exceeding the one act length, a scene accompanied by a synopsis of the entire work should be included.
Each fiction, non-fiction, or drama manuscript should not be more than 50 pages in double-spaced format.
“We encourage applicants to stay below the 50 pages since a submission half that length is more than sufficient as a critical gauge,” the press release said.
Manuscripts should be submitted along with a letter of recommendation from a literature professor or an established writer, resume, a notarized certification that the works are original, and two 2×2 ID pictures.
Entries that fail to comply with said requirements will automatically be disqualified. Applications must be sent to Dr. Evelyn F. Mascuñana , Chair, Department of English and Literature, Silliman University, 6200 Dumaguete City.
For inquiries, email atnwworkshop_su@yahoo.com or call (035) 422-6002 loc. 350. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Ian Rosales Casocot)
DBM releases P450-M for Phl-Korea irrigation project in Iloilo
MANILA, Jan. 4 — The Aquino administration has ramped up its investment in agriculture sector by backing the construction of the Stage II of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Irrigation Project (JRMP II) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“The DA’s National Rice Program highlights the Aquino Administration’s commitment to rice self sufficiency by 2013. We are investing this much in Iloilo to bolster its production capacity as one of the major rice basins of the country,” Abad said.
“This project was pushed by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Senator Franklin Drilon, who wanted to convert the perennial flooding and dislocation problem in Western Visayas into an opportunity for rural growth and development,” he added.
The JRMP II, an irrigation facility designed with provisions for a hydro-electric power and bulk water supply, is supported by an P8.95-billion official development assistance (ODA) extended by the Korean government through its Export-Import Bank’s Economic Cooperation Fund. The government counterpart fund of P2.2 billion includes the initial P450-million release.
Abad said the project will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, amounting to P11.2 billion, entails the construction of the Jalaur and Albunan dams and other irrigation infrastructure such as the afterbay and highline canals.
The project—the first large-scale reservoir dam outside of Luzon—will provide uninterrupted irrigation water supply to 31,840 hectares of land in most part if Iloilo. This increases the irrigated lands in the region by around 10 percent and the annual regional rice production by around five percent. It will likewise expand the production areas of sugarcane and other crops.
“The project is very timely as it will contribute to the productivity of our farmers and to our target of a 7.6 percent increase in annual rice production,” Abad said.
Meanwhile, the second phase will entail the development, operation and management of the project’s power generation and water supply component through a Public-Private Partnership.(DBM)
Antique PNP records zero indiscriminate firing, fire incident
by Pilar S. Mabaquiao
SAN JOSE, Antique Jan. 3 (PIA) — The Province of Antique has not recorded any case of indiscriminate firing or fire incident in celebration of New Year.
Christmas and New Year celebration in Antique was generally peaceful with only three reported cases of firecrackers incidents in the town of Hamtic (two) and Pandan (one), APPO noted.
PSSupt. Ruperto T. Floro, Jr. Provincial Director of APPO commended his men and women in uniform for doing their job well, adding that there was no recorded victim of indiscriminate firing.
Floro said “We thank the responsible gun holders, including the police officers, for their adherence to the guidelines for not firing their arms in welcoming the new year.”
The PNP also attributed the success of the campaign to the massive information dissemination on APIR (Action Paputok Injury Reduction) by the health authorities, plus the campaign on safe use of electrical devices and designation of fire cracker zone by the concerned agencies like the Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Trade and Industry and the Local Government Units.
During the Christmas holidays, Antique likewise celebrated Binirayan Festival, a big event in the town of San Jose, and hosted the Regional State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association Meet in University of Antique, Sibalom.
All the activities were successful and peacefully carried out due the cooperation of everybody involved including the public in general with the intensified police visibility, and strict implementation of security plans, Floro said. (JCM/PSM/PIA6Antique)
Firecracker related cases in Capiz down
by Alex A. Lumaque
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Jan. 2 (PIA) -– Only 13 firecracker and “boga” – related injuries have been recorded in Capiz from Dec. 21 to Jan. 1 in view of the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“The figure is approximately 50 percent less than the 24 firecracker-related injuries in 2010,” according to Provincial Health Office (PHO) – Capiz Public Information Officer Joeffry M. Espiritu.
Espiritu noted that all of the victims were only brought to the public hospitals for first aid medication except for a blast burn victim who was admitted at the Roxas Memorial Provincial hospital here.
“A six year old boy is the youngest victim due to a piccolo blast while a 41-year old male who was hit by a skyrocket (kwitis) is the oldest victim,” he added.
Boga, also known as a PVC cannon, topped the list of injury-causing noisemakers in the Capiz with four cases recorded. The device is widely used in the province, despite being banned.
“Most of the victims suffered blast burn and eye injuries,” Espiritu stressed.
Roxas City and Mambusao have four and three cases of firecracker-related injuries, respectively, while the towns of Dao, Pilar, Dumarao, Jamindan, Pontevedra and Panit-an have one victim each.
The PHO’s monitoring of firecracker – related injuries will be until Jan. 5. However, surveillance for possible cases of tetanus out of the firecracker victims will be until Jan. 21 this year.
It was noted that injuries due to firecrackers in the province in 2009 and 2008 were 30 and 32 cases, respectively, which only covered those victims who were brought to the hospitals for treatment. (JCM/AAL/PIA 6 Capiz)
Over 1,200 families in Cebu affected by severe flooding due to recent heavy downpour, RDRRMC 7 says
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY, December 29 (PIA) — Over 1,260 families in the province of Cebu have been affected by the extreme weather condition early this week that brought non-stop heavy downpour and thunderstorms resulting to severe flooding in some areas.
Based on the latest progress report issued by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) 7, there were 27 barangays in nine towns and four cities in Cebu that have been severely affected by the continuous heavy downpour that caused flooding to the said areas.
The affected families were temporarily housed in identified evacuation centers such as barangay halls, sports complex or gym and public markets.
The RDRRMC 7 said preemptive evacuation efforts were also conducted as precautionary measures in case the situation would worsen in some affected areas due to river swelling.
Floodwaters also invaded about 300 houses in Cebu City alone, although no major damages were reported, the same RDRRMC 7 report stated.
In Mandaue City however, four houses were totally washed out with the affected families currently housed in the evacuation center. Likewise, nine families also reported minor property damages to their houses.
But the aftermath of the continuous heavy downpour left three casualties who drowned due to heavy flashfloods; two in the northern town of Tabogon and one in Mandaue City.
Two persons were also reported injured in Toledo City when big rocks hit the bunker house where the victims stayed.
The affected, families except for those whose houses were totally washed out, have returned to their respective homes as the floods have already subsided, this is reported.
RDRRMC-7 Operations Officer Neil Sanchez said they have regularly updated and disseminated weather advisories to RDRRMC members, OCD Provincial Offices and other local DRRMCs for appropriate measures and pre emptive actions.
The AFP-Central Command, likewise, notified OpCon Units and coordinated with the local DRRMCs to monitor hazard- prone areas and to provide manpower augmentation in case of preemptive evacuation and staging of equipment and response.
Sanchez said the various barangay disaster response teams have also conducted warning notices to hazard-prone areas and activated the Barangay SAR Teams.
The Cebu Coast Guard meanwhile, is continuing its weather monitoring and regularly coordinates with the police, not to allow fishing crafts to venture in case of bad weather conditions to prevent sea accidents. (FCR/AS//PIA-CEBU)
PhilHealth trains local government point persons
by Elsa S. Subong
ILOILO CITY, Dec. 28 (PIA6) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has trained Barangay Health Workers and some residents in Iloilo City and Bacolod City as PhilHealth local government point-persons.
PhilHealth Information Officer Lazaro Tabsing said in a press release, that these point persons are called PhilHealth AKO, an acronym which means PhilHealth Advocate and Knowledge Officer, serving as partners in promoting and advocating the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP).
Tabsing said PhilHealth AKO aims to ensure that beneficiaries and other stakeholders are aware and knowledgeable of their entitlements and responsibilities under the NHIP.
He added that because PhilHealth’s manpower resources cannot reach out to the millions of people included in its coverage, it taps AKO and other government providers to help in information dissemination.
The training provided to the PhilHealth AKO has equipped them with ample information needed so that they can assist members, beneficiaries and potential members to know how to become members, the benefits, contributions and availment procedures.
PhilHealth Regional Head Dennis Mas said that AKO trainees will become part of its roster of advocates who will ensure that information about PhilHealth will reach the most remote localities in the country.
“This will ensure that every Filipino would have health insurance coverage and access to quality health care at all times,” Mas said.
Universal coverage of PhilHealth is a component of the Aquino administration’s thrust for “Kalusugang Pangkalahatan.”
Tabsing said Philhealth aims to have well-trained Philhealth AKO in every barangay in every city and municipality in Western Visayas by 2012. (PhilHealth/ESS/JCM/PIA-Iloilo)
DBM reminds LGUs to exercise prudence in granting PEI to personnel
TACLOBAN CITY, Dec 9 (PIA) –- The Department of Budget and Management in Eastern Visayas called on local government units to exercise prudence in granting the Productivity Enhancement Incentive to personnel.
provided by the Budget Circular 2011-4 issued on December 5, 2011, the grant of the PEI to LGU personnel shall be determined by the Sanggunian subject to several conditions, DBM Region 8 director Imelda Laceras said.
These conditions include that the PEl shall be charged against LGU funds, subject to the Personal Services limitation in LGU budgets pursuant to Sections 325(a) and 331(b) of RANo.7160 said Laceras.
The LGUs are advised to determine whether the PEI will already be over and above the Personal Services limitation in LGU budgets.
The guidelines on the grant of the PEl under sub-items 5.1 to 5.5 of this Circular shall be adhered to; the amount of the PEl shall be determined by the respective Sanggunian depending on the LGU financial capability.
Laceras said that the LGUs must adhere to the guidelines regarding personnel who have served less than one year as of November 30, 2011, as provided for under sub items 5.1 to 5.5 of the Budget Circular.
LGUs are, however, reminded to exercise prudence in the use of government funds for the purpose. The Sanggunian shall ensure that the amount of the PEl and the corresponding expenditure there for are reasonable and will not, in any way, adversely affect the delivery of services to the public.
The clarification was made due to many observations that some LGUs give exorbitant amount of PEIs while it is a common knowledge that for most of the LGUs, their budget ceiling for PS have been eaten up by the big number of personnel.
The payment of the PEl to all government personnel shall be made not earlier than December 8, 2010. (PIA 
Bohol’s tarsiers now back in their natural habitat
by Hazel Gloria
CEBU CITY, Dec. 6 (PIA) — The once held captive and maltreated tarsiers or Tarsius Syrichta in Bohol are now back in their natural habitat in the towns of Corella and Sikatuna, Bohol.
This after a series of consultations took place between the local government units, Bohol Tourism Association, permit holders and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 7 (DENR-7) in Bohol.
The consultations were triggered by a report from the Tarsius Project of the Czech Republic, presented by Dr. Milada Petru.
Petru is a field zoologist from the Decin Zoo in the Czech Republic, who conducted a study on the tarsiers in Bohol, made possible thru a grant from the Czech Republic in 2009.
She pointed out how the shy, nocturnal animals that thrive in Bohol island are allegedly abused and cruelly mishandled.
The study found that tarsiers were living in appalling conditions with no space to hide and rest, poorly planted, noisy and open, and the behavioral rules on the proper handling and care of the animals were not followed.
DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso said the tarsiers are subjected to stress since many visitors or tourists want to interact with them by day, disrupting their nocturnal lifestyle.
This contact alters their biological processes making them weak and vulnerable to diseases, he said.
Results of Petru’s study on the condition of Bohol’s tarsiers were submitted to Environment Secretary Ramon JP Paje who promptly ordered a moratorium on the issuance of wildlife farm permits (WFP) late last year.
Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatt and the local chief executives in the province, along with members of the Bohol Tourism Association, reportedly concurred and supported the findings of Dr. Petru.
After the consultations, an association by all Tarsier Centers was created, during which stakeholders agreed to transfer all the captive tarsiers into a 167-hectare Tarsier Conservation in Bohol.
The conservation site is manned by German Palapar of the Tarsier Centers Association with DENR-7 providing technical assistance.
According to Dichoso, tarsiers are classified as “near threatened” in the International Union on the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) List of Threatened Species, requiring adequate protection and conservation.
Prohibited acts include hunting, killing, wounding, collecting or possessing of Tarsier for commercial purposes and the destruction of its habitat.
“However, possession of the same for educational, scientific or conservation research may be allowed with DENR clearance or approval,” he said.
The Philippine Tarsier’s habitat is the second growth, secondary forest, and primary forest from sea level to 700 m (2,300 ft).
Its habitat also includes tropical rainforest with dense vegetation and trees that offer it protection like tall grasses, bushes and bamboo shoots.
Tarsiers prefer dense, low-level vegetation in secondary forests, with perching sites averaging 2 meters above the ground.
It is the smallest primate in the world and can be found in Bohol, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.
Meanwhile, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between DENR-7 represented by Dichoso and the Wings of Serenity, Inc. on November 21, 2011, for the establishment of a Tarsier breeding and research center in Bilar, Bohol.
Cemex Philippines and Conservation International also signed a MOA with DENR-7 to conduct research on Tarsiers within and outside Bohol.
With the transfer of Tarsiers, the conservation area has been collecting a daily income of P50,000 per day and tourists are now limited to observing and taking pictures. (PIA-7/HFG/RMN/DENR-7)
3,000 TESDA scholarships up for grabs
by Carolina A. Dionela
TALISAY CITY, Neg. Occ. Dec. 5 (PIA) — Technical Education and Skills Development Aunthority (TESDA) provincial director Lorena Yungue announced the availability of scholarships under the Training for Work Program for 2011-2012, recently.
With additional funds from President Benigno Aquino III’s Economic Stimulus Program, more than 3,000 slots will be available through TESDA accredited partner schools/training providers, a press release from TESDA said.
The trainings include Finishing Course for Call Center Agents NC II, Contact Center Services NC II and Housekeeping NC II.
Consumer electronics Servicing NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC I and NC III, Flux Cored Arc Welding NC I and Carpentry NC II are also among the courses.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old, high school graduate, physically fit and willing to train continuously for two to four months and have not availed of any TESDA scholarship in prior years.
Applicants shall undergo assessment by partner-companies and aptitude profiling before they are referred to TESDA partner Training Institutions in Negros Occidental.
Interested parties may visit the TESDA Negros Occidental Provincial Office at Talisay City, Negros Occidental.*(CAD/JCM/PIA6/TESDA)
