DOLE says 1M jobs a year, attainable

Cebu, Philippines (30 July)—The Department of Labor and Employment here in Cebu said, PGMA’s promise to create one million jobs every year until 2010 is attainable.

Elias Cayanong, DOLE-7 regional director said, to do this, government must maintain the decreasing unemployment rate in the country through job generation.

According to Cayanong, the unemployment rate in Central Visayas has been decreasing since the last quarter of 2006 to the 1^st semester of 2007 by 7.3% from 7.8% in the late part of 2005 until early 2006.

He cited the lack of skills among graduates as the biggest factor why government could not erase unemployment in the country.

The decrease meant 40,000 jobs in region 7. “If the trend is replicated in other regions, there is a big possibility of achieving the 1M jobs every year,” Cayanong said optimistically.

Employment rate in Central Visayas on the other hand is between 2.4M to 2.6million and most of the job openings are related to tourism industries and call centers.

Cayanong added that at least there are 80,000 to 100,000 job openings for call centers every year in the region but these are not filled in because applicants do not have the needed command in the English language.

The government however has vowed to focus on modernizing the country’s education to become globally competitive. It has acknowledged the lack of English facility of the graduates and is now addressing the problem through extensive training programs on English, Math and Science education. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Tech/Voc education needed in various industries

Cebu, Philippines (30 July)--In recent visit of DOT secretary Joseph Ace Durano to Cebu, he noted that the tourism industry needs vocational skills more than theoretical or academic aptitude.

“There will be no shortage of demand for your services,” he told the students of the Banilad Center for Professional Development (BCPD), a TESDA recognized vocational-technical school that offers 2-year hotel and restaurant management course to young women for employment and entrepreneurship in the industry. Secretary Durano was in Cebu to attend the inauguration of the center’s upgraded kitchen-classroom.

He added that in Cebu alone, 1,000 hotel rooms will open soon and based on industry standards of hotel classification, whether 4 or 5-star, each room will directly employ two to four people. Bohol and Boracay Island will also open 500 to 1000 rooms respectively in the next coming years.

“The demand of the time is really vocational skills. We have been working closely with the Commission on Higher Education to make university courses on hospitality management relevant to the demands of the time,” the DOT chief said.

According to the BCPD principal Mary Ann Ruiz, presently, the center has 102 students that come from poor families in the Visayas region whose parents could not afford to send them to higher education.

“We equip the students with the necessary skills when they go out on field because we are implementing TESDA’s ‘dualized’ training program—school and on-the-job training with our partner establishments in the industry,” Ruiz added.

Since the inception of the center in 1992, BCPD had already graduated 867 students with a hiring rate of 75%. “Our industry partners include Cebu City Marriotte Hotel and Shangri-la’s Mactan Island Resort and Spa,” she proudly said.

The government has really paid extra focus to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in terms of expanding the coverage of technical and vocational education as more companies and work abroad are in need of skilled manpower.

According to the President, in 2006 alone, the government spent P2.4-Billion for its training programs, including P600-million for scholarships in all TESDA offices in the country.

This year, 1.5 million students will graduate in technical and vocational education, almost double in the 2004 figure. The Arroyo administration is set to spend P1.1Billion for ladder-ized education, a major program of TESDA in the next 3 years.

In Cebu recently, Emma Ramas, a local representative of a European consultancy-PUM encouraged the local government units in the province to tap European consultants to help them in improving vocational and technical courses that are commonly offered in schools in the municipalities.

Ramas said, out of 66 consultants who came to the country last year, 46 were sent to Cebu. “Dutch consultants are experts in improving vocational and technical courses and there are really many of these consultants that are experts in various fields such as education, port development and agriculture.

According to Ramas, earlier this year, the Harvest Christian School International (HCSI) was a recipient of PUM’s consultancy. The school received 4000 euros or P244,000 from the Hans Blankert Fund that the school used to build a computer laboratory and buy computer units to improve the IT education of its technical and vocational students.

Meanwhile, TESDA programs are gaining popularity in skills training abroad. Secretary Augusto Boboy Syjuco, TESDA director general said that TESDA’s training program is now part of the 2006-2008 Memorandum of understanding and cooperation in technical and vocational education and training between the Saudi Arabian government represented by GOTEGOT and the Philippines represented by TESDA.

In the MOU, TESDA spearheaded the 3-week training program for trainers of 77 Arab techVoc instructors in various trade areas that included digital video production; digital photography; computer networking; electro-mechanical maintenance; air-conditioning and refrigeration, and vocational inspection.

Aside from completing the TechVoc courses, secretary Syjuco sees the TESDA-GOTEVOT training partnership as a venue for a continuing exchange of ideas and experiences among techVoc instructors of Saudi Arabia and the Philippines. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Improved education to attract investors in the country

Cebu, Philippines (30 July)—Good standard in education is very important for Cebu especially because it is aiming to be globally competitive in attracting foreign investors, said the former secretary of the Department of Finance Jesus Estanislao during a business forum here hosted by the Cebu Business Club recently.

Estanislao noted the “uncompetitive” standard of universities and colleges in Cebu compared with that in Manila and even abroad adding that Cebu is still very far in terms of quality and standard.

“Investors are equally concerned in the quality of graduates that are being produced in the preferred sites; availability of infrastructure and other basic requirements for investments,” Estanislao said.

He actually challenged the Cebu businessmen to take stock and assist the academe and the government in improving the quality of education in Cebu.

Francis Monera, president of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry answered that CCCI has focused on projects that would accelerate in making Cebu province as an economic zone.

“We have also crafted several programs that are geared towards improving the standard of educational system especially for college,” Monera said.

He specifically mentioned the collaboration of the academe, government and the Cebu Educational Foundation for Information Technology (CEDFIT), an NGO here that encouraged all stakeholders to improve the quality and standard of the IT-related educational system in Cebu.

CEDF-IT executive director Bonifacio Belen reported earlier that the IT sector has very slow improvement of manpower skill-ability. “It needs at least P25-Million to raise and develop the quality of manpower skills in the IT-sector in Cebu.

In one of the roundtable discussions with the President earlier this month, PGMA vowed to improve and modernize the country’s educational system before the end of her term in 2010 because she believes that knowledge is the greatest creator of wealth in the present global economy.

The President then revealed that the government has increased the budget allocation in education from P129-Billion in 2006 to P150-Billion this year in “our efforts to modernize the educational system of the country.”

In a gathering of officers and members of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) that held its 2007 Corporate Social Responsibility Expo in Manila early this month, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo launched a special P4-Billion education fund for student loans, business-funded training and to finance the expansion of state colleges and universities all over the country.

The President said, the fund is expected to increase the beneficiaries of student loans from 40,000 in 2006 to 200,000 this year. She also lauded the LCF for its support and recognizing the importance of education as a sustainable solution to poverty.

Arroyo further said that in the next three years, her administration will also invest some P3-Billion in engineering research and development technology to achieve a critical mass of R&D-capable manpower.

“The next three years will see an unprecedented, well-thought out and firm commitment of unstinting effort and generous funding for better schools, higher teacher pay, and more scholarships for gifted students, and better English language training,” the President announced.

She also thanked the private sector for its contribution to link 1500 out of 5000 public schools in the country through computer linkage. She hoped though that all public schools could be linked by the end of her term in 2010. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

NNC MIPASIDUNGOG SA MGA R7 LGU’s

Cebu City – Sa pagpupos sa National Nutrition Month niadtong Biyernes, nangharos og mga pasidungog ang mga probinsya og pipila ka mga lungsod sa Bohol.

Nidawat isip outstanding province nga nag-implementar og maayong programa sa nutrisyon ang probinsya sa Bohol.

Samtang ang mga lungsod sa Bohol nga niani sab og pasidungog mao ang Garcia Hernandez isip outstanding municipality sa nutrition program samtang ang lungsod sa Inabanga og Calape maoy nidawat sa national nutrition maintenance award.

Dinhi sa Sugbo ang nidaug mao ang Danao City nga usa sa syudad nga nidawat sa pinakataas nga award nga madawat sa usa ka local government unit, nga mao ang National Honor Maintenance Award.

Ang Danao City nasayrang nidaug sa ilang nutrition program, unom ka tuig na sa pagkakaron.

Samtang ang Mandaue City, gipasidunggan sab nga maoy syudad isip consistent regional winner in nutrition kon CROWN Award tungod sa pagsige og kadaug niini, tulo ka tuig na pagkakaron.

Ang syudad sa Lapu-Lapu nidawat sab sa ilang unang pasidungog isip maoy outstanding city sa nutrition programs ning tuiga.

Samtang sa Negros Oriental, ang lungsod sa Pamplona mao ang nidawat sa award isip outstanding municipality tungod sab sa ilang nutrition program.

Nasayran nga pipila sa gibasehan nga criteria sa award mao ang pagmenos sa malnutrition sa nahisgutang mga lugar. Lakip sa gibasehan mao ang epektibo og maayo nga pag-implementar sa pito ka kategoriya sa nag-unang programa sa nutrition nga gihingusgan karon sa kagamhanan.

Kini naglangkub sa food production, food security, home og community nutrition programs, micronutrient supplementation, food fortification o ang pagbutang og mga bitamina og mirales sa mga pagkaon nga naunang way gibutang nga bitamina og minerals, information-education-communication campaign, food and livelihood assistance, og ang maternal og child health care programs.

Ang mga mananaug nidawat og tropiyo ingon man plaque of recognition.

Matud ni Letlet Mission, Regional Coordinator sa National Nutrition Council sa Central Visayas, ang rehiyon nasayrang nimenos ngadto sa onse porsiyento karong tuiga gikan sa trese porsiyento sa niaging tuig.

Gilauman ni Mission nga ang syudad og probinsya sa Sugbo modaug na gyud sunod tuig. Matud niya, ang programa sa syudad niabot na sa kabarangayan apan kulang lang kini sa proper documentation o kaha sa lig-on og konkreto nga implementasyon sa nutrition programs sa barangay level.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

‘GO NEGOSYO’ catches fire in CV

Cebu, Philippines (27 July)—‘GO NEGOSYO’ catches fire in Central Visayas with the government launching recently the very first Small & Medium Enterprises (SME) Industrial Park at the special economic zone at barangay Cantao-an, Naga, Cebu province.

Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia in her speech said, the provincial government will focus for the next 3 years on projects that will improve the needed infrastructure such as first-class seaports to make Naga as the nautical crossroads of the province.

“We will make the countryside a viable investment alternative to the overburdened and congested City,” Garcia stressed.

The SME Industrial Park in Naga is envisioned to become the center for world-class SMEs that will showcase the country’s excellent export products in the global market, the governor proudly said.

Amb. Jesus Tambunting, the country’s ambassador to the Republic of Ireland and CEO of Planters Development Bank (that funds the SME Industrial Pak) said that Cebu’s fast growing economy is the main reason why the country’s pioneering industrial park for SMEs is located here.

“Cebuano’s creativity, talent and cosmopolitan taste have time and again caught the appreciative eye of the world’s most exacting buyers and consumers,” Tambunting added.

As a special economic zone, SME locators in the park are offered tax incentives and tax holidays to them enough time to establish their businesses, Tambunting said.

In the same event, PMS chief Cerge Remonde who is also the cabinet oversight official for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) development sees a vibrant MSME sector that would play a vital role towards the creation of 10-million jobs for 2010.

As can be recalled, the government recently released P150-Billion for the MSME program. Remonde reported that the government has generated over 1.1-million jobs from July 2006-March 2007 through the MSME micro-finance development program exceeding its target of 950,000 jobs for the period.

Remonde quoted government data that showed that the MSME sector accounts for 70% of the total workforce in the country that generated capitalization of roughly about P3Million.

From 2004-February 2007, government lending institutions had already released some 47,198 SME accounts that actually supported 1.5Million jobs where 462,143 of which are new employment.

“By the end of this year, the government MSME program is expected to release P32.2Billion in loans that will create 2.2M jobs,” the PMS Chief added.

Remonde also said that the MSME sector comprises 99% of total business establishments in the country with about 91% are into micro enterprises and 8.6% are in the range of small and medium business.

According to Remond, the P150Billion funding that was allotted for the MSME program included the P96Billion fund for the SME Unified lending Opportunities for National growth (SULONG) program and the DSWD’s Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program.

In a meeting of MSME development stakeholders in Manila recently, Edgar Generoso, President, People’s Credit and Finance Corp. (PCFC) reported that for the 6-year period, about 55.6% of the 2Million microfinance jobs target had already been achieved in less than 3 years.

Meanwhile, the Small Business Guarantee Fund Corp (SBGF) also noted that the SME sector, through the government’s SULONG program has also generated over 122,000 jobs as of end of April 2007.

The microfinance lending institutions have already laid out plans to expand the reach of MSME through an intensified texting and internet campaign for public awareness to promote entrepreneurship in the country in cooperation with non-government organizations such as the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship and GO NEGOSYO.

To further support and promote the culture of entrepreneurship among the government employees, “GO NEGOSYO, GO GOBYERNO” was launched in Cebu in May this year at the Cebu International Convention Center as one of the activities of the Cebu Business Month celebration.

Secretary Cerge Remonde said that the government has allocated some P2Billion to fund the Livelihood Lending Facility for Government Workers program as part of PGMA’s commitment to promote the welfare of public sector employees.

According to Remonde, this will enable government employees and their families to set up and manage their own micro and small businesses from a loan that is collateral-free with a loanable amount ranging from 3,000-150,000 that will be paid in 2 years with a 12% interest per year.

Government employees’ cooperatives and associations become the conduit of the fund that will come from the various financing institutions such as the LBP, DBP, PCFC, QUEDANCOR, the national Livelihood Support Fund and the Small Business Guarantee Fund Corp. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

LAMPPOST WHISTLEBLOWER MISUGYOT UNSAON PAGBATOK SA KORAPSYON

Cebu City (July 24, 2007) - Sa iyang bahin, ang ASEAN Summit lamppost scam whistleblower, Cris Saavedra, nihulagway nga bisan tuod og gipasalig ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang pagpahunong sa pangurakot sa mga buhatan sa kagamhanan, giisip kini niya nga imposible nga makab-ot kung way political will ang mga namunuan.

Niingon sab si Saavedra nga sa iyang personal nga panglantaw, nagkagrabe ang pangurakot karon sa mga buhatan sa kagamhanan tungod kay magpakabuta ra man ang mga namunuan kung ang giakusahan nga kurakot ilang kapartido.

Nanghinaut hinuon si Saavedra nga ang kagamhanan magmatinud-anon sa kampanya batok sa korapsyon pinaagi sa pagsilot sa mga kurakot, kapartido man o oposisyon og sa pagtudlo sa mga ligdong og kwalipikado nga mga tawo nga makigbisog batok sa mga kurakot og nagbinuang nga mga government officials og dili tungod sa politikanhong rason.

AGIO 7 MITOO SA MGA SONA NI PGMA

Cebu City (July 24, 2007) – Ang State of the Nation Address ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo , niani og pagdayeg gikan sa Association of Government Information Officers dinhi sa Kabisay-an.

Matud ni Dale Mark Antonio, presidente sa AGIO 7 niaprubar siya sa mga pamahayag ni Presidente Arroyo sa iyang SONA kagahapon tungod kay nakita man niya nga sakto lang og on schedule ang mga proyekto nga gi-implementar sa nasod sama sa superregions nga dako kaayo og nahimo dinhi sa Central Visayas.

Dugang niini, ang bise presidente sa AGIO 7 Josephine “Jojo” Layco, naka-obserbar usab nga sukwahi sa niaging tuig nga SONA, ang pamuno nasod wa na kaayo mohan-ay sa iyang mga plano sa mga mosunod nga tuig kon dili mga pamahayag na lang sa kung unsay nakab-ot sa iyang administrasyon sa niaging tuig.

Naglaum sab si Layco nga maimplementar pa gyud og maayo ang mga proyekto sa presidente labi na sa agrikultura.

RED ALERT KARON ANG CPPO

Cebu City (July 23, 2007) – Padayon nga nakared alert karon ang kapolisan sa probinsya sa Sugbo.

Sa interbyu sayo karong buntag, namahayag ang Deputy Director sa Cebu Provincial Police Office, Senior Superintendent Erson Digal nga duha na ka semana nga nakared alert ang kapolisan sa probinsya human nataho ang kalihukan sa mga rebelde sa norteng bahin sa Sugbo.

Sa pagkakaron, matud ni Digal, ang mga kasundaluhan, special reaction units, og ubang pwersa sa kapolisan sa probinsya, andam sa tanang higayon sa unsa mang mga pag-atake nga himoon sa mga rebelde og sa unsa mang panghitabo atol sa State of the Nation Address sa pamuno nasod karong hapon.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

Feature: Nutrition Month celebration focuses on adolescents’ health

Cebu , Philippines (18 July)—“Cooking and dining promote bonding,” seems to be the slogan that the Regional Nutrition Council (RNC) in Central Visayas is adopting in celebration of nutrition month.

Parolita Mission, RNC-regional director explained that this year’s nutrition month focuses on adolescents’ nutrition and health needs particularly on the preparation and consumption of nutritious foods such as vegetables and fruits.

Mission, a nurse herself said, when you talk of adolescents, “kabarkadahan” is such an important phase of growing up and what better way to spend time with the “kabarkadas” but cooking, eating, drinking and ‘gimmick’ time.

However, she quoted a WHO-study that the increasing prevalence and incidence of non-communicable diseases during adulthood are the results of faulty nutrition and lifestyles practices during pre-adolescence and adolescence phase.

Mission added that due to these findings, there is a greater need to teach the youth today to practice healthy lifestyles and proper nutrition that will prepare them to become healthy and productive adults in the future.

In a nutrition forum held in Cebu City recently, DepEd nutritionist Grace Espos prevealed that 16.46% of the high school students in the region weighed below normal at the start of the school year of 2005-2006 but this decreased by 1.31% at the end of the year due to the sustained supplemental feeding program of the government.

According to the NNC, poor nutrition among adolescents (10-19 years old) may lead to slow growth and development; poor school performance; poor nutrition in adulthood and micronutrient deficiencies.

Mission , who is also the nutrition program coordinator in region 7 said, “It is time to address the nutrition needs of the adolescents.

Mission revealed that one way to address the nutrition needs of the adolescents is to conduct sessions on cooking. One of the highlights of this 33^rd year observance of nutrition month in Cebu is a vegetable cooking contest among the youth dubbed as “Barkadahan Bonding, Utan Cooking Contest,” on July 20 at the SM Entertainment Hall, SM-Cebu.

Thirteen teams having 2-3 members that are composed of five (5) teams of out-of-school youth groups and 13 teams from the in-school groups in Cebu City are expected to join the “Utan cooking contest” this Friday at the mall.

Participants must enter as a team or as “barkadas” with a recipe that calls for low-cost and either be a one-dish meal; a side-dish or a snack dish using vegetables as the main ingredients.

The contestants may use any kinds of vegetable; leafy, fruit, root crops and legumes and all participants are required to bring their own ingredients and cooking paraphernalia and utensils but no open fire stove.

There will be two winners each for the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd prizes at P5000, 3000 and 1500 respectively. Consolation prizes will also be given at P500 each.

Mission said the out-of-school youth organizations entries come from lapulapu City, Cebu City, Regional Haven in Labangon, House for Girls and San Fernando, Cebu while the in-school groups come from Abellana Nat’l High School; Don Vicente Rama memorial Nat’l High school; Camp Lapulapu nat’l High school; Busay nat’l High School; Regional Rehab center for Youth in Argao; Cebu Normal University and Lapulapu City.

Other activities that have been lined up for this month’s celebration include the following; month-long exercise for the adolescents in the public and private schools; mural painting at the SIH Nurses’ Home depicting health and nutrition concerns; Nutrition Officers’ Congress and the Grand Nutrition Awards on July 27.

In similar developments, the Regional Nutrition Council revealed that the government’s supplemental feeding program has contributed greatly in improving the nutritional status of pre-school children ages 3-5 years old in the region. Malnutrition rate in Central Visayas has dramatically decreased says Parolita Mission, the region’s RNC director.

Statistics from the national Nutrition Council (NNC) showed that about 209,620 of the more than 800,000 school children weighed during the school year 2005-2006 were underweight but after the implementation of the supplemental feeding program in 2006-2007, underweight children decreased from 209,620 to 201,118.

Supplemental feeding consisted of hot milk and enriched bread, according to Mission was implemented to preschoolers in DSWD-accredited day care centers in the region daily, Monday to Friday throughout the summer period.

The supplemental feeding program have benefited about 9,040 school children in 16 towns in Central Visayas with Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor having three (3) pilot areas while Oriental Negros had seven (7).

This program also educates parents on how to prepare nutritious meals for their children, espouse values and promotes nutrition-friendly schools and community.(PIA-cebu/MBCN)

NSO 7 MILAUM NGA MOLAMPOS ANG POPCEN 2007

Cebu City (July 19, 2007) – Bisan pa man sa mga problema og kontrobersiya nga naglambigit sa rehiyonal nga buhatan sa NSO, gilauman ni National Statistics Office regional director Attorney Lilia Tandoc nga way masugatan nga problema ang pagpahigayon sa Census sa populasyon karong sunod bulan.

Matud ni Tandoc, padayon na karon nga gibansay-bansay ang duol tres mil cingko ka mga enumerators nga maoy mosuroy sa kabalayan og mokutlo sa mga importanteng impormasyon bahin sa gidaghanon og kahimtang sa katilingbang Pilipino dinhi sa Kabisay-an sugod Agosto uno hangtud biente nueve.

Ang census importante aron sakto og haum nga mga plano sa pagpalambo ang mahatag sa katawhan.

Gihangyo sab ni Tandoc ang mga sakop sa media sa paghinay-hinay sa paghatag og iresponsable nga komentaryo bahin sa ilang buhatan. Tungod kay matud niya, puno sa trabaho ang mga empleyado sa NSO human tanang motrabaho og moeskwela gimanduan na man pagkuha og papeles nila sa NSO.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR MIPUPOS SA IYANG TERMINO

Cebu City (July 19, 2007) – Ang opisyal sa Israel nga usa sa nitabang pagluwas sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers sa Lebanon, nitapos na sa iyang pag-alagad isip ambassador sa Israel dinhi sa Pilipinas sayo ning semanaha.

Mahinumduman nga si Israeli Ambassador Yehoshua Sagi maoy nihangyo sa mga opisyal sa Tel Aviv paghatag ug luwas nga agianan alang sa mga Pinoy nga nababoy sa niulbong gubat sa Lebanon sa niaging tuig.

Sa iyang pamahayag, gipasalamatan ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang Israeli amabassador sa pagpalambo sa relasyon sa Pilipinas og sa Israel.

Nasayran nga gawas sa pagtabang sa mga Pinoy sa Lebanon, nibubo sab og mga programa sama sa scholarship sa teknolohiya sa agrikultura, og minugbong kurso sa medisina og panglawas, community development og pagtuon sa pagpalambo sa mga kabarangayan og dakbayan si Sagi.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

PNP MAGRED ALERT TUNGOD SA AMM

Cebu City (July 18, 2007) – Gipaabot nga ibutang ang kapolisan tibuok nasod og dinhi sa rehiyon sa red alert agig pagpangandam alang sa ASEAN Ministerial Meeting nga ipahigayon sa kauluhan sa katapusang bahin ning bulana.

Ang maong panagtigum, giisip sa kapolisan nga di hinuon kaayo lisod kung itandi sa ikadose nga ASEAN Summit dinhi sa Sugbo niadtong bulan sa Enero.

Gipasalig sab sa hepe sa kapolisan sa nasod, Police Director General Oscar Calderon nga himoon nila ang tanan aron lang masegurong luwas ang mga motambong sa tigum.

Si Calderon nipadayag sab sa iyang pagsalig nga mahimong malamposon ang ASEAN Ministerial Meeting nga ipahigayon sa PICC sa kauluhan duha ka semana gikan karon. (Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

MALACAÑANG MISUPORTA ALANG SA CEASEFIRE

Cebu City (July 18, 2007) – Ang palasyo sa Malacañang misuporta sa tinguha ni Heneral Hermogenes Esperon, hepe sa armadong kusog sa Pilipinas sa temporaryong paghunong una sa gubat tali sa kasundaluhan og sa CPP-NPA.

Kabahin niini, si Press Secretary og Tigpamaba sa Malacanang, Ignacio Bunye, niingon nga ang Communist Party of the Philippines og National Democratic Front og ang ilang armadong grupo, New People’s Army gipaabot sa kagamhanan nga mosanong sa maong lakang alang sa kalinaw pinaagi sa ilang pagpakita sa ilang kamatinud-anon sa duha ka partido.

Giklaro ni Bunye pag-ingon nga ang pamuno nasod gusto gyud nga ipadayon ang pagsabot-sabot alang sa kalinaw apil na ang pagkondenar sa di makatarunganong patay nga nahitabo karon sa nasod. (Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

OCD chief urges LGUs to form disaster management plans

With the onset of the southwest monsoon which normally brings heavy rains to all parts of the country, Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Angel Gaviola urged the local government officials to be serious by putting in place disaster management plans.

Director Gaviola, during the opening of the two-day regional conference on Relief and Rehabilitation Services Wednesday, said disasters could be effectively prevented and managed if LGUs are prepared to handle such incidents.

According to Gaviola, this is possible only if there exist in LGUs a strong disaster coordinating councils and a well-formulated disaster management plans which will outline the necessary interventions in case such incidents occur.

“Natural hazards cannot be prevented. It will surely occur. What we can do is to prevent them from becoming disasters”, Gaviola said.

The OCD chief likewise stressed the need to educate the public on disaster management issues and to establish an early warning system to ensure their safety.

He issued a call to the participants of the conference who represented the various LGUs, non-government organizations (NGOs), national government agencies (NGAs), church-based groups and the business sector in the region concerned with disaster relief to unite to foster harmony when disaster strikes.

Gaviola noted that the Philippines is located along the typhoon belt and it is but proper to make necessary preparations so that its effects to human life and property can be minimized.

Data from the country’s weather bureau shows that an average of 20 typhoons enter the Philippines every year, a number of which wrought considerable damage to property and, at times, caused deaths. PIA-Cebu/ECD

Dutch youth visits Cebu for cultural exchange

Cebu, Philippines (12 July)--Thirty-three 33 youth from Netherlands visit Cebu for the Pinoy-Dutch Xplore program that aims to facilitate multi-cultural understanding and educational exchange about Filipino and Dutch cultures.

The Pinoy-Dutch Xplore program, that started in 2006, is made possible through the Sister City relationship between Cebu City and Haarlemmermeer , Netherlands .

This year’s second run from July 8-29, is a joint undertaking between Meerlanden Youth Cebu, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) - the overall project coordinator, Cebu City Government, and other Cebu-based organizations.

Cebu City Mayor Tommy Osmeña, welcomed the participants during the opening program held at the Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center on July 9.

To know more about the City, the participants had a guided tour at the various heritage and cultural sites such as the Magellan’s Cross and Port San Pedro. They also visited Mandaue City Hall where they meet with Mayor Jonas Cortes and tasted some Mandaue delicacies like the tagaktak and bibingka.

In the 3-week program, the Pinoy and Dutch youth will experience the adventure-based leadership training through RAFI’s Kool Adventure Camp (KAC).

They will also be immersed in the various institutions like the Batang Pinangga Center– an orphanage based in Carmen; Don Bosco Boys’ Town in Liloan; college farm of Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST) in Barili; and the Justice Peace and Integrity in Creation (JPIC) fishing and dumpsite communities in Mactan.

“(We are here) looking for similarities. Differences don’t matter,” said one of the Dutch participants upon sharing his expectations in the program during the press briefing last July 9.

The delegates will also build 10 houses for the Gawad Kalinga site in Bogo; undergo environmental exposure in selected marine sanctuaries in Mactan and Olanggo islands; and plant trees at the watershed area in Pung-ol Sibugay, Cebu City on July 28.

All these activities aim to provide opportunities for the youth to enhance their knowledge, skills, and competence, as well as shape their character, attitudes, and values towards becoming pro-active citizens.

Joining the Dutch youth are counterparts from two RAFI programs, namely; the Young Minds Academy , a citizenship education and youth leadership development program, and Timawa Adventure Leadership Inc. – a post camp program for the KAC alumni.

Other organizations involved in the program are FORGE, Share-A-Child, KAPAI, St. Arnold Janssen Community Learning Center, SOS Childrens’ Village, SAPAK Foundation, Cebu Micro-Enterprise Development Foundation Inc. and Cebu City Medical Center .(PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Council sees decline in hunger incidence in Central Visayas

Cebu City (11 July) -- National Nutrition Council (NNC-7) regional coordinator Parolita Mission expressed optimism that hunger incidence in Central Visayas has declined with the strong collaborative efforts of partner agencies in implementing the various hunger mitigation programs.

Mission during the Kapihan sa PIA this morning that tackled the problem of hunger incidence in observance of July as National Nutrition Month said they are awaiting the 2nd quarter results of the Social Weather Station (SWS) on the country's hunger incidence expected to come out at the end of the month.

The 1st quarter results of the SWS survey this year, showed that families who experienced voluntary hunger at least once for the past three months has reached a record high of 19 percent or about 3.4M households. The Visayas Region had the least incidence of hunger at15 percent.

Mission said there is a direct link between hunger and malnutrition although she admitted that hunger incidence is multi-factorial but that poverty is the root cause of the problem.

Other factors attributed to malnutrition aside from poverty is the lack of education on what nutritious foods to eat as nutrition is essentially eating a balanced diet with less on fats and more on high fiber foods such as green leafy vegetables and fruits, large family size and eating habits, this is learned.

In response to address the hunger incidence in the region, two major hunger mitigation programs of the Dept. of Agriculture (DA-7) are the Barangay Food Terminals (BFT) and the ‘Gulayan ng Masa.’

DA-7 regulatory division chief Marina Hermoso in the same forum, said the BFT is envisioned to increase farmers’ productivity level by providing them a specific market area where to directly sell their goods eliminating middlemen in the process which could earn more profits for the farmers.

Putting up BFTs on the other hand, needs the help of the local government units in identifying the specific area for the BFT, this is said.

The DA-7 is also distributing one pack of assorted vegetable seedlings for planting under its ‘Gulayan ng Masa’ program. Seedlings include ampalaya, squash, eggplant, okra and string beans as a measure to decrease hunger incidence with a steady supply of food in one’s own backyard.

Both DA-7 programs however, are more concentrated in Oriental Negros where hunger incidence is quite high compared with the rest of the provinces in the region, according to Hermoso.

In order to promote good nutrition, the Dept. of Health (DOH-7) launched two programs namely breastfeeding and complementary feeding under the infant and young child feeding program.

DOH-7 nutritionist Juliet Tutor said their infant and young child feeding program is divided into two phases --- the hospital-based and the community-based where they conduct advocacy training on the importance of breastfeeding to achieve good nutrition for the child.

Tutor said they have accomplished their breastfeeding advocacy to 11 hospitals in Cebu, two in Bohol and one in Oriental Negros while all the four provinces in the region down to the municipal level have been oriented.

Mission bared the activities for the month-long nutrition celebration which include a mural painting and vegetable cooking contest on the 19th at SM Entertainment Plaza while their culminating activity on the 27th of this month will award LGUs that are considered best implementers of nutrition-related programs during the National Nutrition Action Officers Congress. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Pre-schoolers in 10 Cebu City barangays found highly malnourished

Cebu City (11 July) -- About 10 barangays in Cebu City located in coastal areas have a high prevalence rate of malnutrition among pre-schoolers last year, according to National Nutrition Council (NNC-7) regional coordinator Parolita Mission.

Mission identified some of the barangays as Ermita, Sawang-Calero, Pasil and Alaska

High population, poor environmental sanitation and high incidence of upper respiratory tract infections among schoolchildren that led to a rapid loss of weight are the factors attributed to the high malnutrition prevalence rate, according to Mission.

Last year, Cebu City ranked fourth among cities regionwide in the high malnutrition prevalence rate among the pre-school age population with 7.87 percent, Mission declared.

Bais City in Oriental Negros topped in the number of pre-school children that are malnourished with 14.79 percent while Talisay City followed with 12.19 percent, and the fourth placer was Kanlaon City in Oriental Negros with 11.9 percent, this is learned.

The Cebu City Nutrition Council in response to the problem increased its micronutrient supplementation to targeted beneficiaries particularly children on iron, Vit. A and iodine. It also implemented a deworming program as parasitism among schoolchildren became a problem.

Mission bared hunger is the root cause of malnutrition while incidence of hunger is basically attributed to poverty. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

PAF ON COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Cebu City (11 July) --- In celebration of their 60^th Foundation Anniversary, the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Command (PAF-TOC) conducted a series of community outreach activities within the months of June and July 2007 in Brgy. Bangbang, Cordova, Cebu.

The activity was cooperation with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) and the Association of Government Information Officers in Region 7 (AGIO-7).

Hundreds of people benefited the medical-dental services rendered by the PAF medical-dental team at the Brgy. Bangbang Elementary School. Medicines were sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and financial assistance were given by some private companies of the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ).

Bangbang Brgy. Captain Jesus Pacaldo expressed his gratitude to the government agencies involved especially the Philippine Air Force led by MAJ CUPID ORTIZ in his initiative to have these activities in his poor barangay.

“Dako gyud ang among pasalamat sa tanang ahensya sa gobiyerno nga ania karon sa among barangay aron sa pagdulot ug mga serbisyo kanamo,” said the barangay captain.

Another good thing that happened during the outreach program was the restoration of the barangay deep well which was not functional for two (2) years due to lack of budget. The PAF sponsored all the materials needed and even provided manpower to repair it.

In the same development, 63 malnourished children ages 2 months to 7 years old benefited the one-month feeding conducted by the PAF and Cebu Microelectronics, Incorporated (CMI) on June 2-July 2, 2007.

In an interview, Toshihisa Kodama, Director of CMI truly expressed his willingness to support this kind of charity act to these children who are victims of poverty. Kodama added, the company is allotting money for this kind of activity.

Another activity in the barangay was an Information Caravan that was also conducted by PIA-7 led by OIC Minverva Newman and AGIO-7 President Dale Mark Antonio in respond to the need of the constituents in that barangay.

Some Information Officers joined the activity and shared their programs and projects and even offered services of their respective agency.

As their contribution to the environment, PAF personnel and some students from the Mactan Air Base School planted more than 600 hundred mangrove seedlings and propagules in the shores of Brgy. Bangbang on July 7, 2007. (PIA-7 Cebu/hfg)

PAF denied allegations they abandoned the crash victims

Cebu City (10 July)--- The Philippine Air Force denied allegations that it abandoned its obligations to the family members of those who died in the Huey helicopter crash in Lapu-Lapu City last April 28.

MAJ GEGENRAL PEDRO IKE INSERTO, of the PAF Tactical Operations Command, said that their office has been in constant coordination with the families of the nine fatalities and had offered whatever livelihood program that may be available for them.

During their special flag ceremony at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base yesterday, the PAF had given two tricycles to Edwin Guinoo and Danilo Olimba who are relatives of the victims.

The PAF also installed four (4) newly enlisted personnel of the family members of the victims namely; Michelle and Cheryl Jumao-as, Erika Nagao and Danilo Olimbao.

In a media interview, the four said that they joined the military force on their free will because they believe in the Air Force and they want to move on with their lives.

Reportedly, some of the family members of the victims filed complaints at the military Ombudsman accusing the PAF of failing to give them the results of the investigation and to deliver the supposed assistance to them.

GEN INSERTO denounced the allegations of victims’ families and their filing of criminal and administrative complaints against some PAF officials. He said that they are ready to face any charges filed by these people. (PIA-7 Cebu/hfg)

RPOC 7 to launch Search for Outstanding Tanod Teams

Tanods in the Central Visayas region may now be given due recognition for the role they are playing in keeping their respective barangays safe and secure.

This after the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) adopted a proposal presented by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director Pete A. Noval, Jr. in a meeting Friday, July 06, to launch a regional Search for Outstanding Tanod Teams.

Dir. Noval stressed that the search is a way of acknowledging the accomplishments of the Barangay Tanods who are actively fighting criminality at the grassroots level but who are sometimes working unnoticed.

The search aims to encourage cooperation in maintaining peace and order in the community, Noval informed.

The criteria for the search will be composed of the performance factor (60 %) and the critical factor (40 %). The search, which is first in the country, will start at the municipal level.

The mayor, who is the chairperson of the municipal POC, will head the awards committee at the municipal level while the governor and the RPOC chair will head the provincial and the regional awards committees, respectively.

Winning tanod teams at the municipal level will receive P5,000.00 and will automatically represent the contest at the provincial level.

RPOC 7 Chair and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia said the search is timely since the Council already has money for the contest but there is a need to inform its local counterparts so that they will have time to look for funds for the awards at their level.

BFP-7 receives disaster response equipment from Canadian Embassy

Cebu City (4 July) -- To immediately respond to man-made disasters caused by any chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agent, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-7) received 19 boxes of assorted equipment and materials donated by the Canadian Embassy for such purpose.

BFP-7 Regional Director S/Supt. Eleuterio Iturriaga in a PIA Kapihan this morning disclosed that he is still awaiting a list of inventory of the 19 boxes but that the equipment and tools given by the Canadian Embassy include entry suits, boots, goggles, helmets, gas masks and injectable medicines.

Iturriaga however, said the equipment donation may not be for the BFP-7 alone but include members of the police, military and the health department in the region.

Two months ago, the Canadian Embassy conducted a seminar in Cebu to members of the BFP-7, Philippine National Police-7, Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force and the Department of Health-7 relative to disaster risk management on CBRN, this is learned.

By October, personnel from the Canadian Embassy will come back to Cebu to train the participants on how to use these equipment and tools in CBRN rescue operations, according to Iturriaga.

Iturriaga cannot say how much the total value of the equipment donation is but said an entry suit costs about P300T each.

The BFP-7 helps in extending emergency services especially in rescue and retrieval operations in times of disastrous events as a member of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC).

Though Iturriaga admitted their agency lacks sophisticated equipment particularly in the rescue and retrieval efforts but that their personnel have sufficient training on rescue and emergency situations.

"Basic emergency rescue training is now included in the BFP program," Iturriaga said.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD-7) Regional Director Angel Gaviola however clarified that fire situations do not warrant as a disaster incident. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Cebu holds forum for 2008 budget

Cebu City (4 July) -- To have their budget proposals in place this early, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the region convened the top officials of some government agencies and state universities and colleges (SUCs) recently.

DBM Regional Director Atty. Carmela Fernan, in a forum, oriented the officials of the Department of Education (Deped), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), NEDA and SUCs on the thrusts of the National Budget Memorandum No. 100 which laid the framework for the 2008 budget.

The memorandum, Fernan said, aims to balance the national budget in line with the goals set in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP).

NBM 100 prioritizes key strategic programs that support the 10-point Legacy Agenda outlined by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year and with the Millennium Development Goals, she stressed.

The medium term plan's priority concerns, as approved by the president, are infrastructure build-up and the improvement of the quality of basic education and of health services, Atty. Fernan said.

The said budget memorandum pegged the ceiling of each government agency. DepEd's budget can never exceed P135 billion while that of the Department of National Defense (DND) and DPWH were set at P78 billion and P75 billion, respectively.

Fernan said that the central offices of the National Government Agencies should inform their respective regional offices of their program thrusts and the supposed distribution of funds to serve as guide in preparing the budget proposals at the regional level.

The proposed national budgets are scheduled to be submitted to Congress this coming July 23. (PIA-Cebu/\ECD)

OCD-7: 80% of local disaster councils in Central Visayas already formed

Cebu City (4 July) -- As the nation celebrates July as "National Disaster Consciousness Month," about 80 percent of the disaster coordinating councils from the province down to the city, municipal and to the barangay level has already been organized.

Office of Civil Defense (OCD-7) Regional Director Angel Gaviola in this morning's PIA Kapihan that tackled on disaster preparedness said local disaster councils have been formed but cannot say whether these are functional.

Gaviola said it is the responsibility of the Department of Interior and Local Governments (DILG-7) to check whether these local disaster councils are operational.

The OCD-7 acts as the vice-chair of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council in Central Visayas chaired by the Philippine National Police (PNP-7).

Gaviola however, said provincial, city and municipal disaster councils in the region are quite active but the major problem lies in the barangay level.

The RDCC, an inter-agency government body, offers various services from search and rescue operations to relief and rehabilitation but only in augmentation of the direct services provided by respective local government units (LGUs) in their areas of jurisdiction.

Gaviola told reporters to check on LGUs what they are doing relative to disaster preparedness especially with the onset of the rainy season where typhoons, flooding and landslides often occur.

For the past two years, the RDCC has provided seminars and trainings to LGUs that include disaster risk management, incident command system training, capability building and skills enhancement.

Central Visayas is lucky as incidence of disaster is not that frequent with the worst disaster recorded back in 1990 where Typhoon Ruping caused almost a week of blackout in Cebu and water supply was a problem. Damages of crops and houses were also massive, according to Gaviola.

Gaviola said the celebration of Disaster Consciousness Month every July has been observed for the past seven years aimed at raising the level of public awareness on disaster preparedness. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Philip Morris launches Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards

Cebu City (3 July) -- To give recognition to Filipino journalists who are promoting the country's agriculture industry, Philip Morris Philippines Manufacturing, Inc. (PMPMI) launched the first Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards this year.

The contest, which is open to all Filipino professional journalists 18 years old and above, will focus on agriculture and other issues that gear towards the promotion of sustainable development.

In an invitation letter sent to the various print and broadcast media outlets throughout the country, the Awards Secretariat said this news and feature competition aims to bring the country's agriculture industry to the forefront of the Filipino's consciousness.

This is in response to the increasing need to communicate agriculture considering the significant role the sector is contributing to the country's economy, the Secretariat noted.

The Secretariat expressed hopes that the Bright Leaf Awards will become institutionalized as an annual event which will acknowledge both the contributions to journalistic excellence and the dissemination of information on best agriculture practices and the development of quality crops that protects the environment and encourage the workers' safety and support sustainability.

The winner for the Agriculture Story of the Year Grand Award will receive a brand new laptop, a trophy/plague and P50,000) in cash while the winner for the Tobacco Story of the Year Special Award will receive a laptop, a trophy/plague and P20,000.

Winners for other categories, such as the Best Agriculture News Story, Best Agriculture Feature Story, Best Agriculture Photo, Best Agriculture TV Program/Segment and Best Agriculture Radio Program/Segment, will each receive P20,000 and a trophy/plaque.

Entries whether news or feature stories, should be published or broadcast within the period from July 2006 to June 30, 2007 in the Philippines. They may come either in English or in any of the Regional languages.

For those who intend to join the contest and would want to make further inquiries may contact the Awards website at www.brightleafawards.com. Deadline for the submission of entries is on August 10, 2007 at 7 p.m. (PIA-Cebu/ECD)

NEDA mobilizes gov't agencies for population census 2007

Cebu, Philippines (2 July) -- The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in the region (NEDA-7) convened the regional census coordinating board (RCCB) recently to mobilize government agencies and institutions to establish appropriate mechanisms for statistical coordination at the local levels (regional, provincial, city and municipal) to ensure the successful conduct of the 2007 Census of Population that will be conducted in August this year.

NEDA-7 regional director Marlene Rodriguez said, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) issued several resolutions enjoining government agencies and institutions to assist the National Statistics Office (NSO) with available facilities, publicity and any form of assistance that it requires to conduct the POPCEN 2007.

NSO-7 regional director Atty. Lilia Tandoc on the other hand revealed that the NSO could not conduct the census of Population in 2005 due to budgetary constraints and the uncertainty of funds to support the remaining activities.

In lieu of this, the 2007 Census of Population was planned and the President proclaimed August 2007 as “National Census Month” to highlight the significance and importance of a census undertaking this year, Tandoc added.

In the same meeting, NEDA-7 regional director said that the RCCB shall assess and assist the needs of NSO in the region in terms of transportation, communication, security and publicity.

At the outset, state colleges and universities in the region that include Cebu Normal University, Cebu State College for Science and Technology, Siquijor State College and Negros Oriental State University will be used as venues for enumerators’ trainings in their respective provinces as well as recommend some students as census enumerators while the military, police, department of Agrarian Reform and local government units committed to provide whatever assistance needed by the NSO to secure and ensure the complete coverage of the areas for census.

As far as publicity and promotions are concerned, all government agencies and institutions were enjoined to include the POPCEN 2007 information in their respective offices’ gatherings, forums and or meetings.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) in the region has already lined-up the NSO and other members of the RCCB for tri-media (print, radio and TV) guesting in Cebu, Bohol and in Oriental Negros within the month of July 2007: July 2, NSO is guest at DYLA; July 3, at AGIO Forum; July 12, at Kapihan sa PIA in Bohol; July 18, at Kapihan sa PIA in Cebu and OrNeg (live over DYMR, delayed telecast at SkyCable 15 and RPN-9) and on July 27, at CCTN.

In the same development, Cebu City has also convened the Cebu City Census Coordinating Board said City administrator Francisco Fernandez in a media interview over the weekend. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña issued an executive order creating the CCCB and this will be forwarded to the cebu City council for appropriate action.

Fernandez added that the CCCB is tasked to coordinate with the NSO to provide the agency with whatever assistance it needs for the full coverage of the Census of Population in the city. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Oil and gas prospects in Central Philippines most promising

Cebu, Philippines (01 July) -- Oil and gas prospects in Central Philippines are most promising, says the Department of Energy (DOE) in the region after it completed its seismic surveys in the seas of Cebu and will soon start searching for oil and natural gas deposits in the seas of Bohol.

DOE regional director Antonio Labios in a media interview last week said, "DOE and the contractor officials are actually having a continuing dialog with the local officials and NGOs in Bohol since stakeholders in the province opposed the survey but definitely, the seismic survey in the Bohol seas will start this week."

In a briefing conducted by DOE to the members of the RDC-Infrastructure Development Committee (IDC) during its June 8 meeting, a delegation from DOE-Manila led by its undersecretary Guillermo Balce presented to the body updates on the government’s exploration surveys in the Philippine area.

Balce revealed that the DOE has scheduled seismic surveys in June and July 2007 in the Cebu Strait within the vicinity of Argao town to explore the prospects of oil and gas resources in the area. The project is called “2007 Trinity Marine Seismic Survey Services Contract 51 LEG in Cebu,” or SC-51.

According to Balce, the contract was awarded to NorAsian Energy Ltd., and SC-51 is just one of the many exploration projects of the Philippine government and whatever oil and gas resources that will be discovered are government-owned.

DOE further said, most of its oil explorations are done in the Palawan and Sulu Sea areas but one of the most promising areas is in the Visayas Basin that covers some 80,000 sq.km in the Central Philippines and 60% of which lies offshore.

The prospects of oil and natural gas resources that are found on both sides of Cebu and Bohol that NorAsian will explore cover some 2040 sq.km portion in the Cebu Strait and another 2400 sq.km mostly on-shore areas of northeastern Leyte and some offshore areas too. These areas had been assessed as “moderate risk, matured prospects with high to very high recoverable reserves potential” for both natural gas and oil, the exploration team explained.

In the same RDC-IDC briefing, the local officials of Bohol and Cebu expressed their concerns on the effect of the survey to the marine life in the areas and to the livelihood of the marginal fishermen.

The DOE has assured the local government officials that NorAsia has already coordinated with the concerned LGUs, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), dive operators and all other organizations and has done an extensive information campaign and consultations with stakeholders relative to the exploration project. Balce added that the contractor had taken all necessary precautions and safety measures before it undertook the surveys.

For safety measures according to NorAsia, they have already requested sea crafts plying the route to keep a distance of 8.5km from the seismic survey vessel while swimming activities must be done at 10km away from the vessel.

The contractor added the survey areas were cleared of fishing gear such as “Payaw” and similar structures. Fishes and whales were also driven away from the survey areas through what they call “Test shots.”

“All these measures are necessary because the seismic survey vessel has limited ability to maneuver and it cannot stop immediately and furthermore, the survey operations emit sound energy of up to 200 decibels, exceeding the sound levels that are considered safe to the hearing of human and whales and other sea mammals,” NorAsia explained.

NorAsia experienced delays in the conduct of the seismic surveys in Cebu’s waters when the affected fishermen in the towns of Argao and Sibonga raised the issue on compensation to their inability to fish for ten days when their “payaws” were dismantled. However, the issue was immediately resolved and the contractor paid about P287,000 and some P250,000 to the affected fishermen in Sibonga and Argao respectively.

As the surveys were on-going, several environmental groups and NGOs in Bohol led by Lawyer Raul Barbarona, ELAC executive director, with City Legal Officer and environmentalist Doni Piquero, Integrated Bar of the Philippines Bohol representative and lawyer Florendo Columnas and Bohol Alliance of Non-Government Organizations (BANGON) went to court for a temporary restraining order on the survey.

As these developed, DOE regional director Antonio Labios said, as soon as the search for oil and natural gas deposits are completed, consultations and public hearings are conducted before the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) issues an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) for the exploration to begin.

According to EMB-7 director Allan Aranguez, “because the project is wide scale, the issuance of the ECC to the project must be supported with resolutions from the affected LGUs that they have conducted public hearings and that they have understood and approved of the project.

Arranguez added, “That will take some time because before the municipalities approve such resolutions, they must also have the endorsements of every affected barangay.”

Meantime, the search for oil and natural gas resources in the Central Philippines continues as the DOE boldly embarked on an aggressive petroleum exploration, development and production to improve the country’s energy self-sufficiency. Oil and gas discoveries will not only increase energy sufficiency, it will also lead to the growth of the energy industry; attract overseas investments; and create more jobs, national pride and technology transfer. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)