Vol 4 Issue 41 Published by: PIA 6, 7 & 8 October 13 - 19, 2014

WESTERN VISAYAS

In this IssueIn this IssueIn this Issue DENR-8 launches Leyte Gulf rehab project

PNoy calls on youth to ready for global warming

More on Region 8, pages 6-7.

Also CLICK Here...

NegOr guv says organic aggie helps vs climate change

BY: JENNIFER C. TILOS

DUMAGUETE CITY, Oct. 16 (PIA) --- Gov. Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental highlighted the importance of organic agriculture to address climate change and global

warming during his message at the this year's Buglasan Organic Farm Family Agri-Fair at the Provincial Nursery Compound, this city.

“This is to protect the environment, provide

livelihood and healthy safe food for our people,‟ the provincial chief executive stressed. He added that organic agriculture helps restore the fertility of the soil,

increases food production while providing better income f o r t h e f a r me r s . Du r i n g t h e tw o - da y Agri-Fair, over 500 delegates from the various local

government units will showcase their organic products,

demonstrate their skills in organic fertilizer formulation, organic food preparation, and indigenous cultural harvest

festival, dance show and attend organic farming lectures. Provincial Agriculturist Gregorio Paltinca said the

move of the governor gives significance to the

food security program as organic agriculture is the best avenue to sustainable development.

Paltinca said the P10 Million fund given by Gov. Degamo to the Provincial Agriculturist‟s Office will focus

on organic agriculture and livelihood program for informal groups in the province.

He said organic agriculture focuses on

increasing rice, corn and vegetable production both in the lowlands and far-flung barangays in the hinterlands.

“We are forming various training teams whose

expertise in rice, corn, and vegetable enhancement will be brought to the farmers' level.

An estimated 1,500 farmers will benefit from this

program,” Paltinca disclosed. The Livelihood Program includes organic livestock

and fishery production, food processing, bio-organic fertilizer formulation, and human resource development

trainings. This is expected to benefit 1,500 women and farmers

in various associations province wide. (rmn/JCT/

PIA7-Negros Oriental)

By: Consuelo B. Alarcon

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Oct. 14 (PIA) – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the region has formally launched on Tuesday the

Leyte Gulf Rehabilitation Project at Brgy. 89 Payapay, San Jose, Tacloban City.

Maita Reina G. Sucgang, Officer-in-Charge, Regional Public Affairs Office of the DENR-8 said, about 300 beach

forest Talisay seedlings were planted by the employees of the DENR and other government agencies, barangay officials and residents, employees from Divine Word

Hospital and members of the local media. The trees planted along the coastlines of San Jose, a

coastal barangay in the city which was terribly hit by storm

surge, shall form part of the 1.5 mangrove propagules and beach forest seedlings under the Leyte Gulf Rehabilitation

Project.

In his message, DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo

Sibbaluca once again calls for public participation in greening the coastlines.

Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin

Romualdez who graced the activity enjoined everyone to act together in protecting nature for the future generations.

The Leyte Gulf Rehabilitation Project is a top priority

project of the DENR where the barangays are being tapped through cash- for- work program for the site maintenance and protection activities.

The project to be implemented in three provinces in Eastern Visayas such as Eastern Samar, Samar and Leyte, hope to bring back the

lush beach and mangrove forest in these areas which were damaged by typhoon Yolanda last year. (CBA/

AJC/PIA-8)

More on Region 7, pages 4-5.

More on Region 6, pages 2-3.

EASTERN VISAYAS

CENTRAL VISAYAS

ILOILO CITY, Oct. 16 (via PIA6) – President Benigno

S. Aquino III called on the Filipino youth to be ready to face the various environmental concerns that plague the country and help establish eco-friendly societies.

The President made the call in a statement issued during the launching here today, October 16, of the Visayas-leg of “Greeneration”, a school-based campaign that envisions to create a unified movement of

empowered Filipino youth for a climate change resilient Philippines.

“Your sector plays a critical role in preserving the

environment and ensuring that we move forward in harmony with the earth,” he said, emphasizing that climate change is a growing global concern that requires

responsive mechanisms to raise public awareness and create actionable initiatives.

“May this event inspire you to help raise awareness

regarding this vital issue and enable you to become transformative voices in this movement to conserve our

resources and establish more progressive eco-friendly

societies,” the President said in his statement. Climate Change Commission Vice Chairperson

Lucille Sering added that Greeneration is a nationwide

campaign designed to raise awareness among the youth on

the fundamentals of climate change and make them active partners of the government in its efforts to keep communities safe from the adverse impacts of climate

change. “Since then, we have been going around universities

and colleges in Metro Manila to talk before students and encourage them to start projects within their school

campuses and communities that are designed to adapt to or mitigate climate change,” Sering said.

She also said that the Commission launched the

Mindanao-leg of Greeneration last month in Davao City which was attended by popular TV host and actress and climate change ambassador Bianca Gonzales.

The launching of the Visayas-leg Greeneration was attended by about 800 students from the different universities and colleges here.

It was also graced by Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and city councilors Jay Treñas and Jason

Gonzales.

Camarines Sur Governor Migz Villafuerte also attended the event as one of the climate change ambassadors of the Commission. (CCC/PIA-6)

Climate Change Commission Vice

Chairperson Lucille Sering explains the

impacts of climate change to student

participants during the Greeneration Summit

held Thursday at Sarabia Manor Convention

Center here. Greeneration is a gathering for

youth empowerment on climate change. (LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

PIA 8 OIC regional director Alicia Nicart talks

on Family Disaster Preparedness during the

student‟s forum on climate change at the

Cirilo Roy Montejo National High School,

Tacloban City, October 9. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

Breakfast Meeting with Cebu Media. DILG Sec.

Roxas says they will hire 15 engineers to assist

quake-affected LGUs in Bohol to help check

damaged local engineering structures and

assist in coming up with program of works,

which has delayed rehab efforts after province

suffered from 7.2 magnitude earthquake Oct,

15, 2013.

Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo. PIA 7 file photo

WESTERNWESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 222

ILOILO CITY, Oct. 16 (PIA6) --- The Climate Change Commission (CCC) said that Western Visayas is a pilot area for the

climate change curriculum that will be introduced in 2015.

Climate change curriculum to pilot in Region 6

I n the Greeneration Summit held

Thursday a t S a rab ia Manor

Convention Center here, CCC Vice

Chairperson Lucille Sering said that three

schools in Region 6 particularly in Iloilo will

have the climate change curriculum

integrated in various subjects.

“The curriculum will be integrated in

HELE (Home Economics and Livelihood

Educat ion) , Civ ics , Science and

Mathematics,” she said.

She said that the target grade levels will

be grades 3, 6, and 9 with one section per

grade level.

“Iloilo was picked by the commission

because it was well recommended and we

have good relations with the Department of

Education here,” she shared.

The CCC Secretary also said that the

Greeneration Summit is targeting those

students who are not taking Science

courses/subjects.

“We know that Science subjects in a

way already touched topics on greenhouse

effect and what can we do but there are

more students who are not taking Science

subjects/courses than those who do,” she

said.

The Greeneration is a nationwide

campaign designed to raise awareness

among the youth on the fundamentals of

climate change and make them active

partners of the government in its efforts to

keep communities safe from adverse

impacts of climate change. (JCM/LTP/

PIA-Iloilo)

WV Crime volume down

ILOILO CITY, Oct. 14 (PIA6) — The crime volume in Western Visayas, as of date, has lowered, according to the Police

Regional Office 6.

P RO-6 Information Officer Sheila

Sangrines said their records

showed that the total crime

volume for January to September this year

has significantly decreased to 97,043

incidents, from 126,297 incidents during the

same period last year.

Sangrines said this is because of the

implementation of various crime solution

initiatives and best practices by the PRO.

These are the flagship programs being

consistently implemented by the office, such

as the Prevention, Response Operations and

Strategy in Crime Suppression (PROSICS,

which is the integration of all anti-crime

strategies applicable in Western Visayas.

“There is also the unrelenting effort in

the accounting of most wanted persons and

implementation of warrant of arrest against

them,” Sangrines said.

She added that police operations

against loose firearms, illegal drugs, illegal

gambling and carnapping and other illegal

activities, have been among those

persistently pursued by the police all over

the region.

Meanwhile, in terms of Crime Solution

Efficiency, the PRO has improved, from

15.59 percent from January to September

2013, to 25.58 percent this year.

Crime Clearance Efficiency has also

increased by 33.76% for the period January

to September this year, from 17.07% for the

same period last year.

Police Chief Supt Josephus Angan,

PRO-6 Director, said that police community

relations should contribute much to the fight

against crime.

“Our focus should be in the reduction

of crimes and increase in crime solution and

clearance efficiency,” Angan said. (PRO6/

ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

By: Elsa S. Subong

DENR asks students to fight Climate Change

KALIBO, Aklan, Oct. 16 (PIA6) -- Climate Change is not just the concern of the government, so everybody must join in

combating its effects on the environment.

By: Venus G. Villanueva

T his was the message delivered by

Prov inc i a l Env i ronment and

Natural Resources Officer (PENRO)

Ivene D. Reyes here to students of the Aklan

Catholic College and other nearby schools

during the Campus Tour conducted on

October 10 as part of the advocacy campaign

on Climate Climate Change Mitigation and

Adaptation.

In his talk, Reyes appealed to the students

to get involved in protecting the environment

by planting trees in order to help prevent

floods and a host of other problems caused by

environmental degradation.

Reyes especially made mention of the

devastation suffered by Tacloban City last year

due to storm surge at the height of Typhoon

Yolanda, which could have been minimized had

the area been planted with mangroves.

He compared the effects of the typhoon in Aklan where the effect of storm surge was

so little because of the presence of mangrove

plantations in the coastal areas.

Because of this, Reyes told the campus

tour participants that the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

will be planting more mangrove trees this year

on some 670 hectares of mangrove areas this

year to further mitigate the effects of climate

change in Aklan.

“These mangrove areas will also provide

livelihood for our people”, Reyes told the

students.

Reyes also said the DENR is targets to

turn coastal areas into beach forests as part of

the government‟s National Greening Program

(NGP).

Under the NGP, the government targets

to plant 1.5 million hectares of land with 1.5

billion trees from 2011 to 2016. In Aklan,

Reyes said almost 9,000 hectares of land had been planted with trees already under the

program. The greening program also generates

livelihood for the province‟ People‟s

Organizations by raising and providing tree

seedlings at P12.00 per seedlings.

The seedlings are a mix of lumber and

fruit trees, and when the fruit trees already

produce fruits, the Pos will have additional

income.

Because of the livelihood opportunities

given to the POS through the NGP, Reyes said

the living condition of the sector also

improved.

“Some of them have already better

houses and are owners of motorcycles”, Reyes

said.

The holding of campus tours in several

schools in Aklan is a joint undertaking of the

DENR and the Philippine Information Agency

(PIA) for the advocacy campaign on Climate

Change Mitigation and Adaptation. (JSC/ VGV-PIA6 Aklan)

By: Leonard T. Pineda I

WESTERN WESTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 333

Nov. 8 is Thanksgiving Day in Capiz

By: Jemin B. Guillermo

SAN JOSE, Antique, Oct.14 (PIA) - - The Provincial Health Office (PHO) in Antique reported to have achieved good results for

the campaign to eradicate measles, rubella and polio through a month-long mass immunization drive.

“ Reaching „every Purok‟ strategy in its

planned mass immunization last

September , the children were given polio

drops and measles injections with the

help of doctors, nurses, midwives, barangay

health workers, local government

units and partner government agencies,” said

Medical Specialist II Dr. Leoncio Abiera of

PHO.

Health Education and Promotion

Officer II Irene Duldoco said that the

province targeted 66,608 children for measles,

rubella immunization and achieved 92.04

percent or 61,304 children reached for

immunization.

For oral polio vaccine, the province

achieved 88.56 percent or 69,251 children

were immunized, out of the 78,196

targeted children.

The activity is a special nationwide

vaccination campaign to interrupt measles and

rubella virus transmission.

The activity also aims to protect the

country‟s children against the spread of

imported wild poliovirus in view of the

country‟s risk status, and to link

the mass immunization by identifying

high risk communities for routine

vaccination using the „reaching every purok‟

strategy.

According to Expanded Program on

Immunizat ion program coordinator

Veronica Abella of PHO, the top five

performing municipalities is led by San Remigio,

Caluya, Valderrama, San Jose and Anini-y.(JCM/

VWV/PIA Antique)

Antique gets good results in measles, polio immunization drive

By: Vicente W. Villavert

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Oct. 17 (PIA) – Capiceños are thankful for the new life, unity and support amidst the great devastation

of super typhoon Yolanda.

I n a resolution unanimously approved by

the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Capiz

during its regular session, October 15, it

declares November 8, 2014 as “Thanksgiving

Day in the Province of Capiz.”

The resolution was authored by Board

Member Eduardo Magallanes, chairperson of

the Sanggunian‟s Committee on Ways and

Means.

The resolution stresses that in November

8, 2013, super typhoon Yolanda hit the

province of Capiz and the Visayas and left a

trail of massive destruction that includes loss of

lives and extensive damage to livelihood and

properties.

According to Magallanes, supertyphoon

Yolanda was not only a disaster but also an

opportunity for Capiceños to live a new life,

unite and support each other amidst the crisis.

He also pointed out that Capiceños have

more to be thankful for “because we are alive”

and in times of calamities such as Yolanda, the

people here can count on the help of one

another.

Magallanes likewise said that “Yolanda”

already exemplifies one of the adverse effects

of climate change which is already a pressing

global issue that needs to be given concerted

effort and attention.

In his explanations, he also cited that in

order to protect ourselves from the worse

effects of climate change, there is a need to

destroy apathy by changing the people‟s

mindset on climate change and instead take

mitigation and adaptation measures.

“It is imperative perpetuate the Yolanda

experience by undertaking meaningful

anti-climate change activities and to increase

public awareness about the issue,” the

resolution stressed.

On the other hand, the Philippine

Information Agency-led Capiz Association of

Government Public Information Officers led by

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Officer Esperedion Pelaez will be

conducting a tree planting activity and a

thanks-giving mass offering on November 8 at

the Meditation Hills, Sitio Bangkal, Barangay

Maninang, Sapian, Capiz.

Owned by Capiz provincial Administrator

lawyer Jose O. Villanueva, the forest tree

plantation in the Meditation Hills, which is one

of the tourist spots of Capiz, was not spared

by Yolanda, thus the group will be planting 300

fruit and forest trees in said area.

According to Pelaez this activity is part of

the activities for the province‟s holding of the

Thanksgiving Day and the group‟s contribution

to help address the problem on climate change.

(JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Oct. 13 (PIA6) - - Some 8,097 frail, sickly, disabled indigents, 77 years old and above without stable

allowance or pension can avail of the government’s Social Pension program through the Department of Social Welfare and

Development.

D SW D 6 Foc a l Pe r s on on

Socia l Pension Judith Marte

t o l d m e m b e r s o f t h e

media during a media forum held at

Nature ‟s Vi l lage Hote l that the

g o v e r n m e n t e a r m a r k e d a t o t a l

of P221,520,000 regionwide for the

program.

This is part of the more than P3-billion

appropriation for the indigent senior

citizens.

A P500 monthly stipend is given to

qua l i f ied ind igent sen iors star ted

in 2011 but was recently encountered

a halt after the provision in the

2014 General Appropriat ions Act

which al lows only those “poor”

i n c l u d e d i n t h e N a t i o n a l

Household Targeting System for Poverty

Reduction.

Since January, DSWD was able to

pay out P44.4-million out of the

more than P221-million total budget for

region 6.

“This is one benefit provided to

our old indigents as stated under Section 5 of

Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior

Citizens Act of 2010,” Marte said.

Marte added that the program

a s ide f rom augment in g for the

d a i l y s u b s i s t e n c e a n d m e d i c a l

needs of the beneficiaries, it seeks

to reduce incidence of hunger and

protect them from neglect, abuse or

deprivation. *(JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros

Occidental)

DSWD Social Pension targets 8,097 in NegOcc.

By: Easter Anne D. Doza

CENTRALCENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 444

CEBU CITY, Oct. 15 (PIA) --- The Philippine Climate Change Commission (CCC) in partnership with the Philippine Network

of Environment Journalists (PNEJ), recently conducted a media workshop in Cebu City for journalists from Regions 6, 7, and 8.

T opics tackled during the workshop

included a briefing on climate change, its

impacts and the need for adaptation from

scientist Dr. Rosa Perez; updates on policy

initiatives implemented by CCC from Vice

Chairperson Sec. Lucille Sering; Climate Change

Awareness Campaign from PIA-7 Regional

Director Minerva Newman; and reporting on

climate change from PNEJ President Imelda

Abano.

Sec. Sering disclosed that there is now a plan

to harmonize and rationalize water management

in the country with the Department of Public

Works and Highways (DPWH) tasked to be the

water czar.

“There are 30 national government agencies

handling water in the Philippines.

This is a new policy that will address water

use,” she said.

She added that Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III

has given the nod for 300 more Ecotowns in the

country in the next three years.

The Ecotown Framework developed by

CCC is the implementation of the National

Climate Change Action Plan into the local

community.

It aims to help raise adaptive capacity of

communities by making it economically stable and

environmentally-resilient.

Sering also revealed that Cebu and the

Visayas region play a key role to CCC‟s climate

advocacy efforts.

“Cebu is the second most important

metropolis next to Metro Manila.

While the commitment of the LGU is there,

they should look into their vulnerabilities such as

having only one airport.

They should start looking if the main entry

of transport to Cebu is declared as a safe area,"

she said in an interview.

The workshop capped with a round-table

discussion with journalists from Tacloban

who talked about their post-Yolanda

reporting challenges and the lessons

they learned from the reporting about the

disaster on-the-ground while themselves

having been affected by the storm surge. (rmn/PIA

Cebu)

CCC, PNEJ hold media workshop in Visayas BY: RACHELLE M. NESSIA

CEBU CITY, Oct. 16 (PIA) -- Philippine Air Force (PAF) Commanding General Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado presided over the

change of command of the 2nd Air Division of the PAF-Visayas based in Mactan, Lapulapu City early this week with the

retirement of Maj. Gen. Romeo Poquiz.

PAF Chief leads change of command at

PAF-Visayas 2nd division

BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN

S ide buoys honors were given to Poquiz

while arrival honors were also done for the

incoming commander of the 2nd Air

Division Maj. Gen. Eusaquito Manalo.

In his retirement speech, Poquiz said after 37

and ½ years in active military service, it is with

mixed feelings of sadness and joy that he would

be leaving an organization he spent the best years

of his life with.

“While the AFP may have its share of flaws

and weaknesses, it is an organization we can be

proud of. It continuously strived to improve itself,

more than any other unit or office in the

government bureaucracy,” said Poquiz in his more

than 30-minute speech that detailed his

frustrations, challenges and triumphs in the

military service.

Poquiz did not forget to thank his men in the

Visayas for their dedication and commitment in

helping and serving the victims of disasters that

witnessed three last year during his reign namely

the August 16 ship collision in Cordova, the

October 15 7.2 magnitude earthquake and super

Typhoon Yolanda last November 8 which killed

thousands of lives leaving thousands more injured

and homeless.

The Yolanda tragedy however, was a real

witness to the selfless, untiring service and

heroic deeds of the PAF-Visayas personnel, said

Poquiz.

“Ang maipagmalaki ko lang, ang katapatan at

kabayanihan ng ating mga Air Force dito sa

Visayas ay hindi kayang tawaran. Napatunayan ito

nung naghasik ng lagim si Yolanda. Maski sugatan,

duguan, hilo, tuliro, naghihina sa walang kain, tubig

at tulog at sakit sa matinding sinapit nila,” bared

Poquiz.

“I shall always treasure the opportunity of

having served our countrymen in their hour of

need and in the direst of conditions,” revealed the

outgoing 2nd Air Division commander.

Lt. Gen. Delgado in his remarks also

exalted the achievements of Poquiz as he

expressed optimism that the incoming

commander will also show great attainment in

various missions in disaster response, territorial

defense and internal security operations. (mbcn/

fcr/PIA-7)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 15 (PIA) -- Boholanos were told to celebrate God’s love as they commemorate the first year

anniversary of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake which hit the province on October 15, 2013.

Faithful told: Celebrate God’s love on 1st yr. anniversary of quake

“ Are we going to celebrate our broken homes,

damaged buildings, death of loved ones? The

gospel according to Luke tells about the

reality of looking at wider perspective of not

judging them as they happen. Behind all the

calamities that we experienced, we have to pick up

the pieces to have normal lives again," Tagbilaran

Bishop Leonardo Medroso said.

Tagbilaran Bishop Leonardo Medroso

officiated the Thanksgiving Mass on today at the St.

Joseph the Worker Cathedral as Bohol

commemorated the first anniversary of the

earthquake that killed more than 200 people in the

Visayas.

Medroso said that the people of faith saw a

miracle in Loon town when the statue was left

unscathed under the rubble, which is a sign of

God‟s love.

The province of Bohol was struck by a 7.2

magnitude earthquake for 33 seconds on October

15, 2013 at 8:12 a.m. It affected the whole Central

Visayas region, particularly Bohol and Cebu.

According to official reports by the National

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Council (NDRRMC), 222 were reported dead, 8

were missing, and 976 people were injured. In all,

more than 73,000 structures were damaged, of

which more than 14,500 were totally destroyed.

Bohol officials led by Gov Edgar Chatto,

Vice-Governor Conching Lim and Tagbilaran City

Mayor John Geesnell Yap II joined this morning‟s

quake commemoration.

With them was Metropolitan Manila

Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Francis

Tolentino who sent its rescue team to assist in the

rescue and retrieval operations last year.

Images of last year's rescue and retrieval

operations as well as the names of those who

perished during the fatal earthquake was flashed on

the screen near the altar when the mass was about

to end. A prayer for those who died followed.

Chatto spoke after the commemorative mass

and he said "we cannot just say we want to forget

that experience because there are beautiful things

that happened after that."

Mayor Yap then delivered his message of

thanks. He highlighted Boholanos' generosity and

gratefulness especially stressing gestures of

extending help to those stricken by

Yolanda victims despite being calamity victims

themselves.

After the mass, the ground breaking ceremony

for the Heroes Memorial Park & unveiling

of the proposed memorial shrine followed. Rains

greeted the provincial, city and church officials

during the inauguration but amid the pouring rain,

Bishop Medroso blesses the future site of the

memorial.

On the site will rise the memorial marker of

the powerful earthquake that tested Boholanos'

resiliency and faith. The memorial marker is located

at Banat-i Hill in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City,

overlooking Baclayon, Loay, Loboc, Maribojoc,

Panglao island, Balicasag island, among others.

MMDA Chair Tolentino and National

Economic Development Authority (NEDA-7)

regional director Efren Carreon were guests at the

ground breaking and inauguration. (mbcn/ecb/

PIA7-Bohol)

BY: ELVIRA C. BONGOSIA

CENTRAL CENTRAL VISAYASVISAYAS 555

TOLEDO CITY, Oct. 14 (PIA) --- Save the environment, it is yours. This was the thrust of the message of Toledo City Mayor

John Henry Osmena to the students of Awihaw National High School.

O smena gave his message during the

second Campus Caravan and said,

issues on environment are not

something to be taken for granted. “Whenever there are meetings and

consultations that deal with issues of the

environment, I always make sure that I am the

one attending,” Osmena said.

The Mayor, who has been a long time

Senator of the Philippines said, there are a lot of

simple things that anyone can do to protect the

environment.

He said he is already in his prime age and will

not be the one to benefit all these acts of

preservation.

“I am already old, I will already die so

these are actually for you, the youth,” Osmena

said.

Dr. Eddie Llamedo, regional information

officer of the Department of Environment and

Natural Resources (DENR-7) gave a presentation

on “Environmental Stewardship”.

The students were amazed upon learning the

negative effects of plastics and their products.

“Ordinary plastics take 10-70 years to

decompose, diapers 100 years,” Llamedo said.

The students were also given other simple

tips ranging from water conservation to saving the

electricity.

“Use pail in taking a bath, glass in brushing

teeth, and do not overcharge your cellphones and

other gadgets,” Llamedo said.

Cebu Infocen Manager Rachelle Nessia then

taught the high school kids, how to make a story

out of their simple and best environmental

practices with the use of the cellular phones.

“Any simple video of a good practice in your

home and in your barangay, record it on video

and upload it to our social media sites,” Nessia

said.

Nessia said, social networking sites, of which

the most common is Facebook, is already a good

tool that the students can use in becoming an

advocate for the environment.

The students participated in the trivia

portion and had their selfies and groupies taken at

the photo booth.

Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7)

regional director, Minerva BC Newman initiated

the citing of the Pledge for the Environment.

“I promise to take care of myself. In taking

care of myself, I'm taking care of the environment.

In taking care of the environment, I'm taking care

of Mother Earth! So help me God.”

The activity was capped with the planting of

more than a hundred narra seedlings in a hill near

the campus.

Toledo is the second venue of the Campus

Caravan jointly initiated by DENR and

PIA-Cebu.

The first was in tCantao-an National High

School in barangay Cantan-ao, Naga City,

Cebu. (mbcn/FCC/PIA7-Cebu)

Toledo school kids pledge to protect environment

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 10 (PIA) – Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddell and Counselor Geof King handed over to

Bohol governor Edgar Chatto a bundle of books from Books for Asia Foundation recently.

Australia, Asia Foundation hands 40K books to Bohol

I n a partnership with Asia Foundation, the

Australian government, with the bundle of

books it handed to Chatto allowed more

Boholano access to quality books that could

change lives and shape the way nations think.

The bundle of books also represent the

40,000 brand new books which Asia Foundation

puts in the hands of pupils, students, teachers and

community leaders.

According to Asia Foundation, the books

should enhance the reading resources of 250

public libraries in Bohol‟s 47 towns.

Asia Foundation Country Representative Dr.

Steven Rood and Books for Asia Program

Coordinator Reynald Ocampo with DepEd‟s

National Program Manager for Abot-Alam Gina

Estipona, and Bohol Education Development

Center Head Dr. Cerina Bolos handed over the

books to the different municipal mayors and

public school district supervisors in Bohol.

The handing over of the books also came in

time for the national launch of the Department of

Education‟s Abot Alam project.

Abot-Alam is a convergence initiative by the

DepEd with the National Youth Commission

(NYC), other national government agencies, civil

society organizations, and local government units,

in a bid to seek out the country‟s estimated 2

million out-of-school youths that were unable to

pursue careers for lack of education, training and

entrepreneurships skills.

The program intends to map all

out-of-school youths (OSY) in the country and

integrate them into available program

interventions in education, employment, and

entrepreneurship. The program, while being

implemented in the country and launched in

Bohol seeks out 15-30 years old OSYs to be given

the opportunity to improve their livelihood by

getting back to the mainstream schools, or to

train them with livelihood skills they can use and

to teach them with the skills to start their own

businesses, explains Bohol Schools Division

Superintendent Dr. Wilfreda Bongalos in a press

conference. (mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)

CEBU CITY, Oct. 10 (PIA) --- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-7) celebrates its 25th National Statistics Month (NSM)

on October 2014 with the theme ―NSM at 25 and beyond: Solid and Responsive Philippine Statistical System in support of

globalization and region economic integration.‖

PSA-7 celebrates 25th National Statistics Month

P SA-7 regional director Engr. Ariel

Florendo said, this is a month-long

celebration that kicked-off with a

motorcade on October 1.

Among the activities lined up for the

celebration include statistical symposia in schools,

media interview, trainings, on-air radio statistical

trivia, book display and hanging of streamers,

Florendo added.

NSM is being celebrated every

October pursuant to Presidential Proclamation

No. 647 signed by the late President Corazon C.

Aquino on September 20, 1990.

It aims to promote, enhance and instill

nationwide awareness and appreciation of the

importance and value of statistics to the different

sectors of society and to elicit the cooperation

and support of the general public in upgrading the

quality and standards of statistics in the country.

Florendo explained, PSA was established

through the Philippine Statistics Act of 2013

which merged the four major statistical

agencies; National Statistics Office (NSO),

National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB),

the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) of the

Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of

Labor and Employment Statistics (BLES) of the

Department of Labor and Employment into a

single agency now called the Philippine Statistics

Authority (PSA).

This envisions a solid and responsive agency

that can provide timely, accurate and useful data

or information to policy and decision makers and

various stakeholders that would help the country

and the Filipino people cope with the challenges

of globalization and regional integration, Florendo

said.

He also said these qualities are important to

support the preparations for the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic

Community (AEC) in 2015 which will transform

the region with free movement of goods, services,

investments, labor and capital flow. PSA officials

urged the general public and other civil society

groups to support the agency in ensuring the

availability of timely and accurate statistics that

could help the country respond to the challenges

of the changing times.(mbcn/HFG/PIA-7)

BY: REY ANTHONY H. CHIU

BY: FERLIZA CALIZAR-CONTRATISTA

BY: HAZEL F. GLORIA

EASTERN EASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 666

Catbalogan schools join Global Handwashing

Day

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Oct. 6 (PIA) – A Commemorative Walk from Magsaysay boulevard up to the City Hall

Grounds will highlight the one-year memorial of super typhoon ―Yolanda‖.

C ATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, October

15 (PIA) - Catbalogan City schools

joined the Global Handwashing Day

Wednesday as they performed simulated

handwashing sessions right after the morning

flag ceremony.

In Catbalogan 1 Central School, more

than 500 pupils assembled at the covered court

followed the instructions of Josephine

Floserfina Cases, health coordinator as she

demonstrated on stage the six steps in proper

handwashing using clean water, soap and clean

towel.

The kids follwed their teacher singing,"

This is the way I wash my hands!"

"We shall avoid illness, if we make it a

habit to always wash our hands," said Cases.

She also asked children when they should

wash their hands. To this the kids chorused

'before eating'. The health educator promised

to monitor them this recess time to check on

their commitment.

"We also wash our hands, after using the

CR (toilet), after coming home from a public

place and to avoid skin and eye infections," she

added.

Another event aimed to draw attention to

the importance of handwashing is a

poster-drawing contest this afternoon, said Dr.

Michelle Mustacisa, school principal.

She added that the DepEd passed

a memorandum circular to all schools to

ensure that kids will always "Choose

Hand-washing, Choose Health" as the

backdrop on the stage drumbeats! (ajc/nbq/

PIA8-Samar)

Statisticians plant trees to rehabilitate coastal areas after Yolanda

I n an interview with Evangeline Paran,

regional head of the National Statistical

Coordination Board, more than a

thousand seedlings of talisay and mangrove

species were planted in support of rebuilding

the environment particularly in the

rehabilitation of beach and mangrove forests

after it was flattened by the storm surges

brought by Yolanda.

What is significant this year, Paran said,

our mangrove forests were affected so the

more that we need to exert effort towards

environmental recovery to protect us from

disasters.

It was learned that the Regional

Statistical Coordination Committee has already

institutionalized the said inter-agency tree

planting activity during NSM celebrations in

support of the National Greening Program of

the government.

Paran added that the tree planting or tree

growing is one of the major activities as the

region joins the silver anniversary celebration

of the National Statistics Month with the

theme, “NSM at 25 and Beyond: Solid and

Responsive Philippine Statistical System in

Support of Globalization and Regional

Economic Integration.”

Other major activities in line with the

NSM celebration include the appreciation

forum on Gross Regional Domestic

Product back-to-back with the NSO launching

of the Annual Survey of Philippine Business and

Industry and the advocacy on the merging of

the four statistical agencies.

The activity was conducted in

collaboration with the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources 8 and

CENRO-Palo through Forester Wilfredo

Lacambra who facilitated the site

preparation and demonstrated the proper

handling and planting procedures. (jrc/ldl/PIA-8)

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Oct. 13 (PIA) – Some 200 statistical personnel joined the Philippine Statistics Authority

(PSA)-led inter-agency tree planting activity Friday conducted along the coastal areas in Brgy. Salvacion, one of the villages in

Palo, Leyte, devastated by super typhoon Yolanda 11 months ago.

Philippine Eagle soars in Samar Island Natural Park

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Oct. 13 - The Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and the Institute of Biology of the University of the

Philippines - Diliman recently reconfirmed the existence of the great Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) at the Samar

Island Natural Park (SINP).

A team from the PEF and the UP

Institute of Biology reports sightings of

the mighty bird at the forests of

Calbiga, Samar and Taft, Eastern Samar during

their expedition, September 19 to October 4,

2014.

The Philippine Eagle was sighted in the

thickly forested Barangay Buluan in Calbiga,

where the juvenile Philippine Eagle “Calbiga”

was captured by hunters in 2011. The second

sighting was within the Taft Forest Wildlife

(Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary, both areas within

the SINP.

Reports revealed that the Philippine Eagle

was first spotted in Paranas, Samar on June 15,

1896 by a British naturalist John

Whitehead.

It was followed by a sighting in 1997,

which caused then President Joseph Estrada to

declare the 3,720 hectares of Samar forest as Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary

on July 31, 1999 by virtue of Presidential

Proclamation No. 155.

The 2011 sighting of the Philippine

eagle at the SINP was followed by another

sighting in 2013 by Ms. Ruth Francisco an avid

birder from the Wild Bird Club of the

Philippines.

Mr. Giovanne Tampos of the Philippine

Eagle Foundation says that the retrieval of the

wounded Philippine Eagle “Calbiga” in Calbiga

Samar in July 2011 and the various reported

sightings within the SINP prompted the team

to conduct further research study and

observation.

The team also intends to check on the

status of the critically endangered Philippine

Eagle considered to be at high risk of

extinction as its numbers diminish in the wild

due to habitat destruction and poaching.

Meanwhile, Forester Angelito Villanueva, Protected Area Superintendent of SINP said

that the areas where the Philippine Eagle

w e r e s i g h t e d a r e d e c l a r e d

government -protected to preserve

the rare bird species from possible

indiscriminate hunting, loss of habitat through

cutting of trees and other related

interventions.

With this recent sighting, DENR Regional

Director Leonardo Sibbaluca once again urges

the people of Samar to protect Eastern

Visayas‟ remaining forests because the

existence of Philippine Eagle and other wildlife

depends on its condition.

The Philippine Eagle is a giant forest

raptor endemic to the Philippines.

The bird is known to be geographically

restricted to the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte

and Mindanao.

The critically endangered Philippine Eagle

replaced the maya bird as the country‟s national bird in 1995. (jrc/mrgs/DENR-8)

By: Leonilo D. Lopido

By: Ninfa Iluminda B. Quirante

EASTERNEASTERN VISAYASVISAYAS 777

Zero-Basura, songwriting tilts focus on climate

change mitigation start

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Oct. 13 (PIA) – At least seven puroks in Barangay Asuncion, Maasin City will compete on the

Inter-Purok Zero Basura contest and Songwriting competition are among the activities for the Climate Change Advocacy

(CCA) campaign in Maasin City.

C CA campaign is a coordinated project

of the Department of Environment and

N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s ( D E N R ) ,

Philippine Information Agency and LGU-Maasin

City in Southern Leyte.

At the orientation in Purok Ipil-Ipil on

October 8, Bong Pedalino of PIA-Maasin

presented the criteria for the said

competitions.

There are four categories of the contest

such as the Home-based level, Purok level,

Creativity and the Songwriting competition

that will focus on the Climate Change

Advocacy campaign dubbed as, “Nagbabago na

ang Panahon , P anahon na para

Magbago…..Nagbago na Ako.”

Some of the criteria for the Zero Basura

contest include segregated wastes at source,

properly labeled, color-coded receptacles;

household representatives should have

five or more occupants and the number of

participants during the information drive is also

considered as among the criteria.

Even if the training is set anytime this

October, the Creativity contest that is making

a product out of collected recyclables at the

Purok will push through, Pedalino informed the

residents.

The Songwriting competition will also be

based on the same theme with 30 years old

and below as the participants, he added.

Barangay Asuncion has a total of seven

Puroks comprising Sunkist, Talisay, Caimito,

Tambis, Sambag, Mangga and Ipil-Ipil. It has a

total population of 4, 861,.

The orientation for the Puroks is from

October 1-15, 2014.

On October 31, an evaluation team is set

to choose a winner at the Home-based Level

and will be the entry for the Inter-Purok,

Barangay Level.

First, second and third prize winners will

be chosen from each winner of the seven

Puroks, and the awarding ceremony is

tentatively set on November 29, the report

said. Corresponding cash prizes will be

allocated for the winners.

Meanwhile, City General Services

Officer II Benjase Lumen was also present

during the information drive at Purok Ipil-Ipil

and showed his support for the said

project, revealing how important waste

segregation is.

“We have to start segregating at our

own household by properly segregating wastes

from biodegradable and non-biodegradable

ones,” he said. (jrc/rgc/PIA8-SoLeyte)

Call for children's participation in family, community urged

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Oct. 13 (PIA) - In clebration of the 22nd National Children's Month, the City government of

Catbalogan held an Awareness Walk on October 7.

A dults and children alike joined the fun

led by mayor Stephany Uy-Tan along

with her two lovely daughters.

In her message, the mayor underscored

the importance of children‟s participation in

family decisions.

“Bisan kamo mga bata pa nga nadepender

ha iyo mga kag-anak, importante la gihapon an

i yo mga op in ion , an i yo mga

nahuhuna-hunaan,” (Despite your being young

and dependent on your parents, you are

important to us, we value your thoughts and

your opinions) the young mayor with two kids

said.

The city has designed activities for

children for the whole month of October as it

marks Children‟s Month with the theme “Bata,

Kasali Ka, Ikaw ay Mahalaga”.

The city also joined child‟s rights

advocates and Plan Philippines, a

non-government organization, in its bid and

petition to to support 4 million girls to get

education, skills and support to transform their

lives and the world around them, as part of

their global campaign.

In the national scene, as the is state part

to the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

the Philippines is committed to promote,

protect and fulfil the rights of the child to

meaningful participation in all government

undertakings where children‟s concerns

including their rights are at stake, according to

a statement from the Presidential

Communications Office.

This year‟s celebration focuses on the role

of children in nation building. Recognizing their

critical role in building a dynamic and

progressive society leads to actively pursuing

programs that will promote children‟s physical,

moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social

well-being. (jrc/PIA 8-Samar/nbq with reports

from Catbalogan City government)

By: Rebecca S. Cadavos

E Samar guv asks officials to support nutrition program

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Oct. 15 (PIA) --- The Provincial Government of Eastern Samar through the leadership of

Governor Conrado B. Nicart, Jr. called the leaders of Eastern Samar to support the Nutrition Program.

" I urge you to strongly support and

prioritized this program in your

respective municipality through the budget

allocation," Governor Nicart said.

Nicart addressed mayors, heads of

agencies, city and municipal nutrition

councils during the Nutrition Summit held in

October 10 at the Eastern Samar State

University (ESSU) Gymnasium, this City.

Nicart also said the Province has

allocated sufficient funds for the 2015

Provincial Budget in order to support the

health services specially to prevent

malnutrition.

Preventing malnutrition includes various

multi-sectoral initiatives such as poverty

reduction, improvements in basic health care,

infrastructure, sanitation, food security, better

response during and after emergencies and

many others.

He further said that this activity is in line

with his top priority program being the leader

in the province.

During this occasion, he thanked

and praised the hardworking and selfless

people of the Provincial Nutrition Council

through the leadership of the Provincial

Nutrition Action Officer, Ms. Sallie Jabinal,

friends from Health Organization for

Mindanao (HOM), United Nations

International Children's Emergency Fund

(UNICEF), Action Contre la Faim (ACF)

International, Plan International, Save the

Children, Terres De Hommes (TDH).

H e a l s o t h a n k e d o t h e r

Non-Governemnt Organizations (NGOs),

Nutrition Champions from the youth,

acadme, religious sector, media and other

stakeholders.

With all this combination of work

forces, the Provincial Government of

Eastern Samar is full of enthusiasm in

marching up towards the achievement of "Zero

M a l n u t r i t i o n N o w " i n t h e

province which is the theme for this year's

summit.

The governor hopes that the

summit would pave the way to reach his

dreams of sustainable economic and

inclusive growth in the province. (ajc/sdc/PIA8

-E. Samar)

By: Samuel D. Candido

One Visayas e-newsletter is published weekly by the Visayas Regional Cluster of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) comprising Region 6, 7 and 8. Its

main editorial office is located at PIA Region 6, Iloilo City.

One Visayas e-newsletter is part of the online news and information dissemination services of PIA and is powered by www.issuu.com. For inquiries and

suggestions, call Tel. Nos. (033) 3378719/3377301 or e-mail piaamo6@yahoo.com.

Editorial Consultants

Ms. Minerva BC Newman Atty. Ma. Janet C. Mesa, Ph. D. Ms. Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

Regional Director, PIA 7 Regional Director, PIA6 Regional Director, PIA8

Managing Editor

Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Contributors

All PIA Information Officers of Regions 6, 7 & 8

Production and Layout

Edson J. Bañares Lynnor C. Regalado

Regional Offices:

PIA 6, 2/F RC Building, Rizal St., Iloilo City, Iloilo 5000, Tel. Nos. (033) 337-8719/3377301/509-0993, Fax No. (033) 337-8719/509-0993, e-mail: r6_pia@yahoo.com/ piaamo6@yahoo.com

PIA 7, Room 304, 3/F Machay Bldg., Garardo Avenue, Cebu City, Cebu 6000, Telefax No. (032) 232-4062/232-4126, e-mail: pia7_cebu@yahoo.com.ph/r7_pia@yahoo.com

PIA 8, Children‟s Park Compound, Sen. Enage St., Tacloban City, Leyte 6500, Tel. No. (053) 325-5124, Telefax No. (053) 321-2029, e-mail: pia_ev@yahoo.com/r8_pia@yahoo.com