One Mindanao - August 28, 2014

Catherine T. Apelacio SOCCSKSARGEN Region

Kicking off the day with tree growing

COVER STORY

No basis to impeach the President, people still supportive of ‘daang matuwid’ agenda, says official

Dipolog holds public hearing on proposed revision of real property taxes

DAR Surigao Norte joins Mindanao Trade Expo

DENR gives 28 land titles in Siargao

by Mary May A. Abellon

by Daryll M. Tumbaga

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Page 4

NATIONAL

Information to Empower Filipinos

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WESTERN MINDANAO

CARAGA REGIONDepEd launches Mobile Open High School in Misamis Oriental

73 Pantawid beneficiaries hurdle DSWD-SLP, TESDA assessment service

LGU pushes cultural awareness among Tboli children

DavOr town gets P1.7M grassroots participatory budgeting project from DAR

by Alfonso T. Ruda

by Danilo E. Doguiles

by Yadz Geyrozaga

NORTHERN MINDANAO

CENTRAL MINDANAO

SOUTHERN MINDANAO

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by Eric F. Gallego

by Elaine O. Ratunil

RDC-X holds 102nd meeting, endorses major development projects for northern Mindanao 27by Peleta B. Abejo


It was a beautiful fair day indeed as the right mix of warmness and coolness settling well in the atmosphere just perfect for planting trees or what they now described as tree growing. Yes, tree growing is

government’s way of making it up with a messed up Mother Nature. Being government’s long-time communications frontline, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) XII has made its

mission to initiate a tree growing that would also kick off its Climate Change Advocacy Campaign in Region XII. In partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XII, the

Sunrise gradually looms in the horizon signalling the breaking of the new day.

by Catherine T. Apelacio


plan has been put in motion at sitio Basak, Malandag, Malungon, Sarangani over the weekend. Joining PIA and DENR were other key government entities like the 1002nd Brigade, 10ID, PA, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) XII, and the DENR’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officers (PENROs) from the different provinces in the region as well as some groups from the local secondary schools. PIA-12 regional director Olivia Sudaria expressed her gratitude to the 1002nd Bde for its support to the climate change campaign kick-off, which she described as imperative now that climate change is in our midst. The mere fact, she lamented

that most of the ordinary folks do not understand what climate change was all about, sends so much encouragement that something must really be done on the ground. Director Sudaria emphasized the need to help people understand better climate change- especially what it does to the psyche of a person when misfortunes like a highly-magnitude quake or tsunami form of disaster comes ramming around. “Ignorance of these things is not an excuse,” she quoted a popular saying while commending DENR-12, EMB-12 and the 1002nd Bde for all their efforts and partnerships in this crusade for climate change adaptation and mitigation. According to her, time has drastically changed much over the years so people’s attitude toward the environment should also change citing the current climate change battlecry: “Nagbabago Na Ang Panahon. Panahon Na Para Magbago.” Sudaria said the goal is to make people adaptive to climate change through the right information that the agency and its partners are providing.

She also explained the importance of mitigation saying adaptation and mitigation is entwined. With the warmest welcome he could utter, Col. Ronald Villanueva, commander of 1002nd Bde, PA acknowledged the effects of global warming and climate change noting then the importance of tree growing. He said it was his personal advocacy to plant trees and have them nurtured after. Villanueva also thanked the 207 participants that joined in the tree growing activity, planting at least 700 pieces ornamental seedling called “caballero” in an approximately 600 meters stretch of a highway. He then expressed optimism saying that with the joint efforts that the government and the various non-governmental organizations are currently

exerting, it is not far-fetched that, in time, the goal of resurrecting the once lushness of the forest will come full circle. For his part, DENR-12 regional director Datu Tungko Saikol also

urged all key players to prioritize the population categorized as C and D, which are the mass base in the information, education, and communication campaign of the government and its partners. He said these are the groups of all sectors that really need the right information about climate change adaptation and mitigation and its effects.

AUGUST 2014 | PAGE 7

Government ready to hold dialogue with water providers, regulators to ensure

sufþcient water supply

Maynilad and Manila Water recently complained after the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) allowed the release of water to irrigate parts of Bulacan. They argued that this threatens the supply of water in Metro Manila. In a press briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the concerns of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), Maynilad, and Manila Water are for long-term water supply. “They are looking at a situation where there is a possibility that there will be a water shortage, and for that particular reason, we are all with them in proactively making sure that we try to conserve water,” Lacierda told reporters.

“There is a concern because of El Niño—a possible El Niño—by the end of this year or by early next year, and so people should be prepared for this particular concern.” He however assured the public that the government is already addressing the problem, and as such, Maynilad, Manila Water, as well as government officials in charge of water security, are ready to hold a dialogue to ensure enough water supply in the metropolis. He said the NWRB will certainly be able to explain its decision to release irrigation water in Bulacan. “I understand that because of the irrigation, they were able to save some of the agricultural lands in Bulacan,” Lacierda said.

The government will work with water providers in Metro Manila as well as other stakeholders

to mitigate the impact of a looming water shortage next year due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, a Palace official said Wednesday.


No basis to impeach the President, people still supportive of ‘daang matuwidõ agenda, says ofþcial

“We believe that there is no basis for that,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing. The House of Representatives’ justice committee said on Tuesday that the three impeachment complaints filed against the President are sufficient in form, which means that the complaints meet the requirements for submitting a verified complaint under impeachment rules. Opponents of the administration are entitled to their own opinion and they can take the advantage of the process that is enshrined in the Constitution, Lacierda said. “That is understandable. That is how the

Constitution has provided a mechanism for that,” he said. “But the majority of the Filipino people are with us in the ‘tuwid na daan.’ We believe that the President has not done any impeachable offense,” he added. Lacierda further said that the members of Congress will see no merit in the allegations against the President. While the deliberations are important proceedings in Congress, he said the Palace is more concerned with the country’s problems than with the impeachment complaints. “What we are more concerned with is really how to address all the concerns of the country that affect our countrymen,” he said. PND

The Palace believes there is no basis for the impeachment complaints filed against President Benigno S. Aquino III, whose reform agenda still has the support of the people, an

official said Wednesday.


DTI lauds MSMEs as engine of economic development

for Mindanao

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) lauded the holding of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) summit here as the sector remains the engine for economic growth of Mindanao even the number of MSMEs

still below Luzon. “Mindanao had a share of 18.7 percent while Visayas only had 15.6 percent of the total MSMEs all over the country,” said Zenaida C. Maglaya, Undersecretary for Regional Operations Group of the Department of Trade and Industry at the

conclusion of the Summit. Some exhibits are still ongoing at SM Premier at Lanang, Davao City. She said Luzon’s MSMEs employed the highest number of workers at 71.7 percent which is understandable because of their distribution.


“But while Mindanao had more MSMEs compared to Visayas, the 14 percent employment generated by the island’s MSMEs is almost equivalent to the 14.3 percent generated by the Visayas MSMEs,” she said. Overall, the country’s MSMEs has generated a total of 1,555,544 new employment generated from 2011 to June 2013 as shown by the Mid-term Evaluation of the 2011-2016 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Plan conducted in June 2013. The Plan was crafted in 2011 to encourage the sector’s growth and raise its contribution to the country’s gross value added and employment generation. It also intends to improve Business-Enabling Environment, Access to Finance, Access to Markets and Productivity and Efficiency, the same MSME-significant issues tackled during the two-day National MSME Summit held in the city last week. “The sector is expected to generate at least two million new employment by 2016. The review shows that we have already achieved 75 percent of the target halfway through the Plan. It also aims to increase its contribution to the country’s gross value added from the current 35.72 percent to 40 percent during the same period. The review was conducted not only to determine the present status of the Plan but also to identify further measures that could be done to achieve the targets. N a t i o n a l E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t Authority (NEDA) 11

director Ma. Lourdes Lim said Lourdes Lim earlier reported that 926 local government units of the 1,634 LGUs in the country have streamlined their business registration process from 82 in 2010 to only 5 days in June 2013. The implementation of Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act campaign, which paved the way for the Streamlining of Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) Reform Project in 2011, is also expected to further bolster the competitiveness of the MSMEs as it will encourage small businesses and even those in the informal economy to register and be covered by legal and institutional protection that comes with registration. Lim said that as of last year, around 41 cities and municipalities out of 49 have already adopted the BPLS. She said 53 offices in the region were subjected to the Anti-Red Tape Act-Report Card to evaluate and assess the quality of their frontline services and 37 of the first-timers got acceptable to excellent ratings. All the LGUs were found compliant with the Full Disclosure Policy when it comes to publicly disclosing their financial documents and transactions.

PCWC set activities for international children’s month celebration on October

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur - The Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children (PCWC) on Tuesday convened in order to discuss and set activities for the month-long celebration of the International Children’s Month with the theme “Bata, Kasali ka! Ikaw ay Mahalaga,” on October.

by David M. Suyao

As agreed by the council, hanging of streamers will start before the first day of October, 2014 as the first salvo of information dissemination of the celebration. On the

first Monday, October 6, simultaneous fun walk will open the day of the 13 municipalities and the lone city provincewide, where members of the PCWC will join the municipality of San


Francisco, bringing along streamers bearing the theme of the celebration and the various responsibilities of children. Starting the same day also, children from different high schools provincewide will start to host the convocation during the Monday flag raising ceremony of the provincial provincial government at the Naliyagan Plaza Cultural Center and will take turn every Monday thereafter for the whole month of October. As highlight of the celebration and as mandated by the Children’s Code of Agusan del Sur, the 11th Children’s Congress will start on October 18 and will end up October 19 in the evening after the election of young elected provincial officials such as child Governor, Vice Governor, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and other elected o f f i c i a l s . Appointment of chiefs of offices will also take place except that of the the PNP/ security p e r s o n n e l , d o c t o r s , n u r s e s , f i r e m e n and other l i f e - s a v i n g

positions. The following day, the third Monday of October, the young elected officials will take the posts of the official elected officials of the provincial government including the posts of the different chiefs of offices. At the end of their duties for the day, the young provincial officials will receive the salary equivalent to the one day salary of the posts they occupied. At the start of the Children’s Governance Day (Monday, October 20, 2014) Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza will deliver his State of the Children’s Report during the flag raising ceremony, in front of the children, employees and officials of Agusan del Sur and other invited guests to portray children’s status and participation in building a strong and productive Agusan del Sur.


The expo gathered Mindanao’s best manufacturers that converged at the mall’s activity center from August 8-15, 2014. Six products from the assisted Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) of DAR-SDN were chosen to be displayed at the expo. The ARBOs were all recipients of DAR’s Village Level Processing Center Enhancement Project (VLPCEP). The farmers’ products were the Turmeric Salabat Tea of Garcia Farmers Fisherfolks Credit Cooperative of Brgy. Garcia, Sta. Monica; the Dried Pijanga of Magpayang Rural Farmers Producers Cooperative of Brgy. Magpayang, Mainit; the Nipa Vinegar of Cabugao First Farmers Consumers Cooperative of Brgy. Cabugao, Bacuag; the Pure Tableya of Honrado Farmers Credit Cooperative of Brgy. Honrado, San

Francisco; the Papaya Pickles of Brgy. Uno Poblacion Credit Cooperative of Brgy. Uno Poblacion, Dapa; and the Banana Chips of Trinidad Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Brgy. Trinidiad, Surigao City. Elizabeth L. De Guzman, Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer (CARPO) for Program Beneficiaries Development Division of DAR-SDN led the provincial team. “Our purpose in going to the Expo is to display VLPCEP products of Surigao del Norte and get some vital information on improving our farmers’ products and some techniques in processing raw products for value adding to make it more marketable and attractive to buyers,“ De Guzman said. The Mindanao Trade Expo is one of the much anticipated events in Davao City’s celebration of the Kadayawan Festival.

DAR Surigao Norte joins Mindanao Trade Expoby Daryll M. Tumbaga

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte- The provincial of-fice of the Department of Agrarian Reform-Surigao del Norte (DAR-SDN) re-cently joined the 2014 Min-danao Trade Expo held at the Abreeza Mall in Davao City.


“This is a continuing program under the ‘Handog Titulo ng Pangulo’ Program of the Aquino Administration for the landless people to own the lands they have been tilling for several years,” Tamayo said. The 28 land titles which covered a total land area of 59,884 hectares were given to the beneficiaries by Governor Sol F. Matugas together with Congressman Francisco F. Matugas. They were assisted by Director Tamayo, regional technical director of Land Management Services Atty. Paquito R. Rosal, CENRO Iniego S. Collantes Jr., OIC PENR Officer

Zaldy Perater and the OIC of the Register of Deeds Emily B. Quines. In her message, Governor Matugas reminded the beneficiaries to treasure the land title document which are practical solutions in fighting poverty. “The lands that you are tilling now can be enriched with rice crops and other agricultural products to bring in additional income to every family,” Governor Matugas said. She said “A properly managed-land is a good security that can improve the standard of living of a beneficiary.”


BUTUAN CITY - The Department of Environment and Natural Re-sources (DENR) Region 13 officials headed by regional director Non-ito M. Tamayo distributed 28 land titles under Free Patents to land-less families in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte during a ceremony held at Kapitolyo Nan Siargao in Dapa recently.

by Eric F. Gallego

DepEd, humanitarian agencies join hands for IDP children’s education By Dominic I. Sanchez

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Education for the hundreds of children affected by last year’s siege has regained a sense of normalcy two months after the opening of classes last June, as the Department of Education (DepEd) and humanitarian agencies have appropriated classrooms and provided interventions for this purpose.


In a report, Acting City Schools Superintendent Pedro Natividad shared, “the pupils coming from displaced families are now attending classes in temporary school sites and in composite schools in the transitory sites.” Hundreds of schoolchildren were displaced last year, and now they are attending school in Baliwasan Central School and in the Zamboanga East and West Central Schools, and in Taluksangay and Tulungatung transit sites. Classes have also resumed in Rio Hondo and Talon-Talon elementary schools. In addition to the existing classrooms, Natividad bared that 13 makeshift rooms and temporary learning spaces (TLS) were provided by UNICEF and the Tzu Chi Foundation. “More help for the students came from various civil society groups and non-government organizations in

the form of feeding programs, child protection and counseling, provision of school kits and teachers’ kits, WASH facilities and water supply,” he added. Teachers for Taluksangay and Tulungatung were already appropriated with daily traveling expenses, considering that the areas are far from the original campuses that were destroyed during the siege. Meanwhile, some teachers are worried over the presence of several IDP families in the campuses, particularly in the Zamboanga West Central School. They noted that some adults are smoking inside the campuses. Moreover, IDPs dispose of garbage and waste improperly, and water pipes were destroyed. Electric bills remain unsettled particularly in Talon-Talon, now amounting to over a hundred thousand pesos.


Dipolog holds public hearing on proposed revision of real property taxesBy Mary May A. Abellon

DIPOLOG CITY – The city government here through the City Assessor’s Office (CAO) in collaboration with the Sangguniang Panlungsod is now conducting a series of public hearings on the proposed revision of real property taxes in eight clustered barangays. This undertaking is in response to the directive issued by the Department of Finance (DOF) urging the assessor’s office to effect revisions on the market values and assessment level including the classification of real properties in the city for the 2014 General Revision of Real Property Assessment as mandated by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991. The last revision on real property assessment made by the city government was in 2007. “Supposedly, as provided under the law, the provincial, city or municipal assessor shall undertake a general revision of real property assessments every three years but it is only this year that we will make revisions from 2007,” Liza Rasonable of the City Assessor’s Office said in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

She added that for purposes of assessment, real property shall be classified as residential, agricultural, commercial, industrial, mineral, timberland or special including the buildings built thereon. The said public hearing will conducted in four remaining clusters remaining clusters, namely: Barangays of Galas and Olingan on Sept. 1; barangays Punta, Sinaman and San Jose on Sept. 3; barangays Cogon, Diwan and Sangkol on Sept. 5; and barangays Central and Miputak on Sept. 8. Taxpayers are also encouraged to pay their taxes before Jan. 31, 2014 to avail themselves of 20% discount on their real property taxes. The public hearings gained positive response from the people who hope that their taxes will be judiciously used for projects that benefit the masses.

The DepEd has already sought the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the local government and

other agencies to help resolve the problems confronting the schools and pupils.


The said activity has been conceptualized through a collaborative effort of the two government agencies to help the 4Ps beneficiaries, who have skills in carpentry, masonry, plumbing, welding, and electrical installation, to obtain National Certificate (NC) II for possible employment here and abroad. Among the 73 passers, 23 are for carpentry; 26 for masonry; 19 for Electrical Installation Management (EIM), and 5 for plumbing. Those who failed to pass the assessment would again take the said assessment to be able to get NC II certification from TESDA. Provincial Director Nilda Espiritusanto of TESDA-Zamboanga del Norte commended the DSWD-SLP personnel in

coordinating and collaborating with them for the conduct of the said activity. “This initiative is our agency’s way of supporting the Pantawid participants in improving their livelihood capabilities,” Espiritusanto said. Some 122 4Ps beneficiaries from the municipalities of Manukan, Roxas, Katipunan, Polanco, Piñan, Mutia, La Libertad, Sibutad, and Rizal, including Dipolog City and Dapitan City participated in the two-day assessment, which was simultaneously conducted at the Senior Citizens Covered Court at Barangay Sta. Isabel and Dipolog Medical Center College Foundation Inc. Assessment Center in Barangay Sta. Filomena on July 31 to Aug. 1, 2014. (with reports from Maria Isabel D. Poracan and Lunrey B. Bagor)

73 Pantawid beneficiaries hurdle DSWD-SLP, TESDA assessment service By Alfonso T. RudaDIPOLOG CITY - A total of 73 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries of Zamboanga del Norte successfully passed the free assessment jointly conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Social Livelihood Program (SLP) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) through its National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Competency Assessment and Certification Program recently.

73 Pantawid beneficiaries hurdle DSWD-SLP, TESDA assessment service

DOH to launch massive measles, polio vaccination anewby Jorie C. ValcorzaCAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - In bid to raise the resistance and protection of children, the Department of Health (DOH) is set to launch a special nationwide vaccination campaign to bring measles down to very low levels, reduce rubella, and keep the country polio-free. The ‘Tigdas-German Measles-Oral Polio Vaccine Mass Immunization is set to start on September 1 until September 30 to children nine months to below five years old for measles vaccines and zero to below five years old for oral


polio vaccine regardless of previous immunization status. Mothers may submit their children on these dates to the nearest health centers or designated community immunization posts. WHO Representative Maricel Castro said in a press conference held in the city today that this is another opportunity to be protected as routine immunizations for children below nine (9) months only guarantee 85 percent chances of protection or 95 percent for 12 months and above. “This extra dose will raise their resistance to measles and ensure the child’s protection from serious

complications like pneumonia, encephalitis, and ear infection, among others,” Castro added. Dr. Elen Santua, Department of Health 10 (DOH 10) Family Health Cluster Head, meanwhile, said that everybody is vulnerable to the disease but children are most at risk since their immune system are not fully developed. Since the last measles mass immunization in 2011 the country initially had a significant reduction in measles and rubella transmission in 2012. However, it began to spread again in 2013 leading to some significant outbreaks last year and in 2014.

DepEd launches Mobile Open High School in Misamis Orientalby Elaine O. Ratunil

MISAMIS ORIENTAL - The Department of Education in Misamis Oriental provides another opportunity for learners to complete secondary education as it launches today Mobile Open High School Program (OHSP) in Lugait town.

Dubbed Diploma Ko, Kaya Ko!, the Mobile OHSP, a combination of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and the OHSP, in partnership with the local government unit (LGU), is a new initiative of DepEd. According to Division Superintendent Cherry Mae l. Limbaco,

it is designed and simplified to make out-of-school youth and out-of-school adults, aged 15 years old and above, fulfill their dreams of finishing high school. The program is a modular, self-pace instruction suited for the learners’ needs and convenience


DepEd launches Mobile Open High School in Misamis Oriental

and a community-based learning where teachers visit the areas of the learners. Upon completing all the requirements of the modules and passing the tests, learners can graduate and accorded with all the benefits a regular high school graduate can have. Dr. Limbaco further said that this program is geared towards the full implementation in 2015 the government’s vision

“Education For All.” With the Diploma Ko, Kaya Ko! Mobile Open High School Program, the secondary education for all is now within reach, Limbaco said. Meanwhile, the Diploma Jo, Kaya Ko! Mobile Open High School Program was launched on August 7 at Guinalaban Elementary School (GES), Guinalaban, Salay town, Misamis Oriental.

During the meeting, the Council has endorsed the Bulanog-Batang Hydro-Electric Power Plant Project; Opening and Construction of Road Connecting the Laguindingan Integrated Transport Terminal to the National Highway and Laguindingan Airport; Designation of Tagoloan River Basin as Water Quality Management Area; Capacity-Building on Applied Geo-Tagging Tool for Project Development, Results-based Monitoring and Evaluation; and Region X’s National

Road Development Projects. The Council also endorsed the updated Regional Technical Education and Skills Development Plan and Investment Program, 2014-2016 and approved the 2015 RDC-X Work and Financial plan. The body also expressed support to the concerns raised during the 2014 Mindanao Shipping Conference particularly on improving access to the base port of Cagayan de Oro City, and the conduct of a policy

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Members of the Regional Development Council of Northern Mindanao (RDC-X) gathered on August 19 here for its 102nd full council meeting.

RDC-X holds 102nd meeting, endorses major development projects for northern Mindanaoby Peleta B. Abejo


review to ease the cabotage practice in the Philippines; implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Maternal Neonatal Child Health and Nutrition Project; creation of an inter-agency regional task force under the Social Development Committee for the management of emerging infectious diseases in the region; proposed amendments to the Personal Income Tax Schedules and Tax Rates; and Coin Recirculation Program and Clean Note Policy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Moreover, the Council adopted the private sector representatives’ (PSR’s) proposed priority agenda raised during the 5th RDC PSRs National Convention which include, among others, the conduct of a summit among academe and industry leaders to forecast manpower skills requirement, and a dialogue with concerned agencies to simplify business permit applications and encourage more investors in the regions. The results of the 2014 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) was also presented which ranked Cagayan de Oro as the second most competitive city next to Makati among 136 participaticing cities. The municipality of Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon was also the 9th most competitive municipality among 399 participating municipalities nationwide. The Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA-X)

represented by director Edgar A. Sales also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Northern Mindanao Poultry Industry Cluster represented by the cluster chair, Manuel G. Boniao, for the Manpower Capability Building Program which will improve the skills of 200 existing flockmen and incoming workers in the poultry industry. The MOA signing was witnessed by OIC-Director Linda O. Boniao of the Department of Trade and Industry, Region X (DTI-X). The DTI takes a proactive role in espousing the Industry Cluster Approach in developing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the countryside. The Poultry Industry Cluster of Northern Mindanao has been identified as one of the priority industries for development and promotion under the National Industry Cluster Capability Enhancement Program (NICCEP) funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Director Alvin P. Principe of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) Center for Governance also briefed the body about the Public Management Development Program (PMDP), a government scholarship program for senior executives and middle managers aimed at enhancing the image of the Philippine government by developing leaders with competence, integrity, and commitment.

Indonesia cruising rally to start in Samal

DAVAO DEL NORTE - The Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) will be the jump off point of an international cruising event this September. Sail Sangihe, an international cruising rally organised by the Indonesian government, will kick off at Holiday Oceanview Marina, IGACOS on September 3. Malen Faune, officer in charge for sales and marketing of Holiday Oceanview Marina, said that since 2012, the

I n d o n e s i a n gove rnmen t conducts a yearly cruising rally to showcase its festivities and the Raja Ampat islands in West Papua. “We are glad that the Indones ians chose Samal to

be their starting point,” she said. Faune revealed that 16 teams coming from the different parts of the world will participate in the Sail Sangihe. She said that like the previous years, the participants were offered free docking for two weeks in the marina and free participation in all pre-departure events. Faune also bared that this placed Samal City in the cruise map of the world. (PIA 11, Michael Uy)


DavOr town gets P1.7M grassroots participatory budgeting project from DARSULOP, Davao del Sur– The mu-nicipality of Sulop in Davao del Sur province has recently been a recipient of a P1.7 million worth of drainage canal rehabilitation proj-ect provided by the Department of Agrarian Reform. The project is part of the P2.9 million funding allocation under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) of DAR, bared Davao del Sur Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Atty. Juancho P. Calud. Calud said the first project aims to rehabilitate the 1,092 meters of drainage linings through grouted riprapping in Barangay Poblacion which is a catch basin of rainwater cascading from Mckinley ranges being a low-lying area. Flooding has been a natural occurrence during rainy season in said barangay whose residents have been employing adaptation measures every time flooding happens. Mayor Jimmy Sagarino expressed his heartfelt gratitude for this long awaited project “which is a lift in our dire need of minimizing flooding in Barangay Poblacion.” The mayor, who personally

received the check, hoped to secure additional funding for this project, saying “but right now, having something to start with is already a big thing.” Standing to benefit the project are the 7,900 residents of Barangay Poblacion, 104 of whom are agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs). “Once the drainage system is improved, flooding especially along ARB production areas will be minimized, subsequently, it will also minimize damage on barangay roads, houses and other infrastructures,” Sagarino stated. The mayor added, “Most of all, it reduces fear in the minds of the people every time dark clouds beacon.” The GPB, previously called Bottoms-Up Planning and Budgeting (BUB), is adopted as a strategy in pursuing the Millennium Development (MDG) of reducing poverty. DAR is among the 13 national government agencies that implement the GPB. (PIO-DAR Davao del Sur/Yadz Geyrozaga w/reports from Mayet Sasuman)

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato– Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz wants the public to be acquainted with the new DOLE’s new Labor Law Compliance System (LLCS).

Baldoz urges public campaign on new Labor Law Compliance SystemBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

In her visit in nearby General Santos City Friday, August 22, Secretary Baldoz challenged labor law compliance officers, regional directors, program implementers, and tripartite partners to work together in raising public awareness about the LLCS.

LLCS is an integrated framework of voluntary compliance and enforcement of labor laws and social legislations issued pursuant to the rule-making and visitorial and enforcement power of the Secretary of Labor and Employment. It is being managed by DOLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions.

LLCS ensures compliance to labor laws through joint assessment, compliance visit, occupational safety and health standards investigation.

Establishments that pass the assessment through the LLCS are issued certificates of compliance, signed by the DOLE regional director, attesting their adherence to the labor laws. The certificate is valid for two years.

Baldoz was in General Santos for the first-ever industry-wide labor laws compliance assessment of the fishing, canning and processing, aquaculture, and other allied industries attended by over 300 stakeholders.


The labor and employment chief emphasized that everyone involved in the LLCS implementation should “go out and inform” the people not only about the system and its processes but also about the tremendous benefits and advantages they could derive from fully complying with all labor laws, including occupational safety and health.

Delegates to the event came from the South Cotabato Purse-Seiners Association with 23 member-companies; Umbrella Fish Landing Association (UFLA) Fish Producers

with 21 member-establishments; Tuna Cooperative of GenSan (TUNA COOP), 8; Tuna Canners of General Santos (TACGS), 7; and Fresh Frozen Seafood Association of the Philippines (FFSAP), 22.

Fifteen companies with active collective bargaining agreements were also represented as well as eight companies with accredited safety practitioners.

“As of today, I can see that the public’s awareness about the LLCS is low. We have to go out and inform them about it,” the secretary said during a press conference after


the event. “We have to tell and share the

stories of those who are already enjoying the benefits from voluntarily complying with all labor laws, such as the management and workers of mining companies and security agencies in the Caraga Region who, the other day, related to me how clients have come knocking on their doors because they knew they are certified by the DOLE to be compliant.

“It is only by increasing people’s knowledge and awareness, especially those of business establishment owners and their workers, that they will appreciate what we are doing for them. Understanding is the key to voluntary compliance,” she added.

Undersecretary Rebecca Chato, head of the DOLE’s internal and labor relations cluster, who joined Secretary Baldoz at the press conference, said Secretary Baldoz has been traveling extensively to the regions to personally promote the LLCS and to see for herself how it is being carried out.

“We are one with the Secretary in showcasing strategies to accelerate the implementation of the LLCS. She is very serious in this, particularly in addressing compliance issues, such as the issue of ‘5-5-5’ and ‘contractualization’ across all

industries, not only in fishing and allied industries,” Usec Chato said.

Also among the participants at the activity in Gensan were 56 labor laws compliance officers from DOLE Regional Offices in Northern Mindanao, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and CARAGA.

The industry-wide labor laws compliance assessment was an offshoot of an agreement arrived during a earlier consultative meeting between the DOLE, the Industry Tripartite Council (ITC)-Fishing and Allied Industries, and the Socsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc.(SFFAII), in response to allegations of prevalence of the ‘5-5-5’ work arrangement and ‘cabo’ system in the fishing, canning and processing, aquaculture production, and other allied services.

The consultative meeting was organized by the DOLE 12 with SFFAII in a bid to fully inform the region’s fishing industry players, not only on their responsibilities to their workers, but also on the new program of the DOLE that seeks to elicit full and voluntary compliance with all labor laws, including occupational safety and health, in the fishing, fish canning and processing, aquaculture production, and other allied industries (DEDoguiles-PIA 12


TBOLI, South Cotabato-- The local government unit of Tboli is currently pursuing school children in a campaign aimed at preserving the munici-pality’s rich indigenous culture and traditions among the younger gen-erations.

LGU pushes cultural awareness among Tboli childrenBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

On August 18 to 22, the LGU through the Tribal Affairs Unit held a culture-awareness seminar at Laconon Integrated School involving some 75 Grade 4 to Grade 6 pupils.

The five-day seminar-workshop included learning of various Tboli dances and playing of indigenous musical instruments.

They were also taught the art of making traditional ornaments out of beads.

Another similar activity is set in another school next week, according to a report from the Office of Mayor Dibu Tuan. The same will also be conducted in other schools to reach school children in all 25 barangays of the municipality.

Said report also indicated that the project has been going on for more than 5 years, anchored on the objective to orient the young generations of their roots as an ethnic group.

Such initiative of the LGU, it says, has brought positive impacts among Tboli children to take pride of their cultural heritage and create a sense of honor for their identity as an important indigenous people in this part of the Philippines.

Tboli LGU’s Tribal Affairs Unit, which oversees the cultural awareness seminar, is being supervised by social worker Mizpah Sunshine Perong. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from BLugan-Tboli LGU)

One Mindanao - August 28, 2014

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Transcript of One Mindanao - August 28, 2014