Thursday, May 31, 2007

PAHIMANGNO BATOK SA “TEXT SCAM”

Ang publiko gipahimangnoan nga magbantay nga dili mabiktima sa “Text Scam Messages” nga gipadala sa mga tawong nagpahimulos sa mga inosenteng subscribers nga sila nakadaug ug premyo gikan sa mga telecommunication companies sama sa Globe, Smart ug Sun, ug mga ahensya sa gobyerno sama sa PAGCOR, PCSO, BANGKO SENTRAL SA PILIPINAS, ug uban pa, mga foundations sama sa ABS-CBN Foundation, GMA 7 Foundation, ug daghan pa.

Ang mosunod maoy mga timailhan nga ang mensahe usa ka “text scam”:

  1. Ang text message gikan sa ordinaryong 11-digit numero sa cellphone (e.g. 0917xxxxxxx; 0919xxxxxxx; 0920xxxxxxx ug uban pa).

  1. Ang mga nakadaug pangayoan ug kuwarta, padepositohon sa bangko para pangbayad sa VAT, buhis, ug uban pa. Magbalhin sa kuwarta sa bisang unsang rason o hinungdan ngadto sa bisan kinsang tawo, o magpadala ug prepaid load para kondisyon sa pagkuha sa premyo.

  1. Ang subscriber nakadaug bisan wala moapil sa bisan unsa nga promo o raffles.

  1. Usa ka binuang nga tawag o text ang ipadala para makapangayo ug kwarta sa bisag unsa nga hinungdan ug kasagaran giapilan ug usa ka higayon nga dinalian (usa ka emergency sama sa usa ka miembro sa pamilya nga naospital o naaksidente).

Kay ahensya sa gobyerno nga tinugyanan sa pag-regulate sa industriya sa telecommunications, ang NTC nagpabilin nga magbalantay sa mga illegal nga mga text messages.

Run for P.E.A.C.E.

Cebu City (01 June) --- The Regional Training School of the Philippine National Police in Central Visayas will run for P.E.A.C.E on June 10, 2007 at the South Reclamation project (SRP), Cebu City simultaneously with all units of the PNP-Training Institute nationwide.

P.E.A.C.E. stands for Planting a church; Equipping Servant Leaders; Assisting the Poor; Caring for the Sick; and Educating the next Generation.

According to the PNP-RTS-7, the mission of this event is to (a) press on towards a happier, healthier Philippines in 2010 and onwards; (b) build an institution that empowers and equips the students with value driven career skills founded on “Pagmamalasakit sa kapwa o bansa para sa Diyos;” and (c) nurture a physically fit, mentally sound, morally upright and above all spiritually strong blessed peacemakers.

The run starts simultaneously nationwide at exactly 5:00 a.m. and every finisher will be given a certificate, T-shirt and food after presenting their race numbers to the personnel assigned to the finish line.

A registration fee of P50.00/participant will be collected for the various projects of PNP7, DSWD-7, DOH-7, DepEd-7, CHED-7, TESDA-7, LGU’s/Youth and Sports Development Division and other operational expenses in support to their programs and projects that reach out to poor families. Some of the proceeds of the run will also be used to improve government facilities to be able to enhance their delivery of basic services to the people. (PIA-Cebu/hfg)

Prices of school supplies remain stable

Cebu City (31 May) -- “Prices of school supplies in Cebu are still stable.”

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu officer-in-charge Zaide Bation said during a media interview today. She said, the DTI monitoring team had been monitoring the prices of major stores that sell school supplies since last month and it noted that prices had been stable.

“We were monitoring the prices of school supplies every week so we can see the movement, if there is any but so far, there is nothing to worry because the prices are very stable,” Bation assured the public in the wake of the opening of classes on June 4.

According to the DTI monitoring team, aside from stable prices, the quality of school supplies had not deteriorated. The lowest priced notebook, for example costs P7>50 while the highest is at P21.75; paper prices range from P9.50 to 28 and pencils are sold from P3.50 to 5.50.

“We were only monitoring the fixed establishments and major stores that are selling school supplies. We did not monitor smaller stores and sidewalk stalls. We can’t guarantee the quality of the products sold at the sidewalks,” Bation commented.

Bation added that they also monitored the prices of basic commodities and they noted that prices are also stable despite the increases of petroleum products in the past two weeks. (PIA-Cebu/mbcn)

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

DENR’s ‘Beat the Heat’ campaign

Cebu City (31 May)—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in the region will celebrate June as Environment Month with “Beat the Heat, Let Us Work Towards a Safer Climate!” theme campaign.

In a forum, Atty. Isabelo Montejo, Regional Technical Director for Forest Management Service explained that we need to do something to protect planet earth from climate change that we are experiencing right now.

“This Climate Change or global warming is one of the greatest threats that the human race is facing today. I encourage everyone to participate in our programs and activities specifically in promoting safety and healthy environment so we can move on towards sustainable development,” Montejo said.

According to DENR that on June 5, 2007 at 6:30am, it will spearhead a Walk-A-Thon For the Environment called “Oplan Baktas” that will start from the DENR office at Banilad, Cebu City to SM-City. Government agencies, private and religious sectors are enjoined to walk with them.

The event aims to (a) raise the awareness and information on Global Warming and Climate Change issues; (b) while participants are walking (BAKTAS), the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) will instruct all the private and public utility vehicles that are plying along the walk route to stop and turn-off their engine to dramatize and lessen the amount of greenhouse gases emission for several minutes; (c) highlight the value of unity towards saving the environment; and (d) health aspect.

Other activities include tree planting, radio guestings, mine tour, symposia, exhibits and awarding of recognition to individuals and institutions that have created impact projects for the environment.

Meantime, Atty. Noel Empleo, OIC Chief of DENR-Legal and Information Education explained why the Environment Month celebration falls in June. According to him, it was on June 5, 1972 that the International Environment Day was first celebrated worldwide. “Each one of us has the individual responsibility to protect our environment,” Empleo added.

Atty. Montejo on the other hand stressed that the projected changes in climate are expected to have both beneficial and adverse effects on water resources, agriculture, natural ecosystems and human health.

“But the larger the changes in climate, the more the adverse effects will be. Human populations are expected to face increasing flooding, heat waves and infectious diseases will increase. However, this problem can still be averted if each one of us will cooperate and respond to the call of caring our Mother Earth.” Montejo concluded. (PIA7-Cebu/hfg)

Food irradiation to mitigate hunger incidence

Cebu City (3 May) -- Food irradiation has been identified as an alternative method to preserve food and agricultural products which could address the growing demand of food supply and mitigate hunger incidence in the country.

Food preservation is necessary as availability of food supply is insufficient with post harvest losses alone accounting for 30 to 50 percent in our agricultural supply, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Over 3.4M households in the country or a record high of 19 percent are said to have experienced voluntary hunger at least once over the past three months based on the results of the Social Weather Station 1st quarter survey.

Irradiation is the treatment of food with enormous doses of ionizing radiation in the form of gamma rays. The process destroys and eliminates spoilage-causing bacteria or microorganisms, reduces post-harvest losses and extends shelf-life of food and agricultural commodities.

Irradiation delays ripening of fruits and inhibits the sprouting of vegetables as well as allows food to withstand long distance shipments without spoilage.

Among the commodities that can be treated with radiation include fish (smoked, dried or fresh), frozen shrimp, fresh fruits, rice and corn, meat and meat products and poultry.

The Visayas Chamber of Mango Industry Multi-Purpose Cooperative on the other hand, is lobbying the government for a feasibility study on the installation of an irradiation facility in Cebu. The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) is supporting the construction of these facilities to irradiate mangoes, papayas, bananas and pineapple; this is contained in a fact sheet on food irradiation by a group called Public Citizen.

Food irradiation has gained worldwide recognition and about 50 countries have approved for irradiated food products.

The DA-7 in cooperation with the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and the BPI are undertaking an advocacy program on food irradiation that includes letting the public understand on the fundamentals of food irradiation and its application as well as its current status. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

RP to promote medical tourism

Cebu City (23 May) -- With the worldwide earnings from medical tourism expected to reach US $188B by year 2013, the Philippines wants to share a slice of the global market as government is focusing its efforts in promoting the medical and surgical services of the country's capital abroad.

Department of Health (DOH-7) medical tourism regional program coordinator Dr. Cora-Lou Aznar in a PIA forum said the Philippines Medical Tourism Program is a private-public initiative aimed at attracting foreign clients to the country for medical and health and wellness care on top of leisurely vacation trips to tourist spots within the Philippines.

Aznar said the government recognizes the potential strength of the Philippines in providing health and medical services on par with international standards with medical specialists who are best educated and even trained abroad while medical centers, although most located in Metro Manila, are already ISO (international standard organization) compliant.

In 2004 alone, India earned US $600M followed by Thailand with US $300M and Malaysia with US $140M from its medical tourism industry, according to Kintanar.

We are pushing for the medical and surgical type of services which foreign clients can avail here at lesser costs like in areas in cardiac, ophthalmology and cosmetic dermatology, Kintanar said.

Kintanar cited the low costs of medical surgery in the country comparing it with the United States like for coronary by-pass heart surgery, this would cost US$ 50T compared to only US$ 10-25T only in the Philippines.

Lasik eye surgery in the country only costs US $1,000 but the amount is tripled in the US while for cosmetic surgery like breast augmentation, average price in the Philippines is at US$ 2T while in the US, a client would spend US$ 5T, Kintanar added.

In terms of human resources, the Philippines also has a comparative advantage as medical specialists are well-trained with most having post graduate training abroad and speak excellent English so there is no communication barrier while our health personnel have been described as being more compassionate and caring, Kintanar stressed.

In Cebu, Kintanar said they are hoping to jumpstart the campaign before the year ends although she admitted that most private medical institutions here are already advertising their various medical and surgical services on the website.

The international market clientele targeted by the Philippines include North America, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, Western Europe, China and even our overseas Filipino workers, this is learned.

Due to the rising costs of health care in the US, United Kingdom, Canada and Europe, the growth of medical tourism in Asia has emerged. Other factors that make medical tourism favorable to Asia including the Philippines apart from the increasing medical expenses in developed nations are the long waiting period of medical appointment in Europe, the improved medical technology in developing countries and the ease and affordability of international travel, Kintanar further said. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Gov't offices to honor Nat'l Flag every Monday starting May 28

Cebu City (25 May) -- All national government agencies are mandated to place its own Philippine buntings around government buildings as RA 8491 has declared May 28 until June 30, 2007 as National Flag Days.

In honor of the National Flag, national government agencies, government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs) have been instructed by the Civil Services Commission to bestow a fitting Monday Flag ceremony complete with inspirational message obout the Philippine Flag and National Anthem.

The Flag Days advocacy will start this Monday, May 28 and every Monday henceforth with the following dates -- June 4, 11, 18 and 25.

Inspirational messages to be given every Monday must focus on the history of the Philippine Flag, its symbol and significance as well as its relevance in the Filipinos' struggle for freedom and nationhood.

On June 12, the country celebrates its 109th Independence Day under the theme "Sama-sama Tayo Tungo sa Pag-asenso" where simultaneous flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremonies at the various historical sites nationwide will be held as well as the conduct of the Independence Day Parade.


Symbol of the Philippine Flag

The symbols on the white triangle of the Philippine flag are an eight rayed sun and three stars in gold. The sun represents the dawning of a new era of self determination that was desired in 1897 (when the flag was first designed) after the Spanish-American war. The 8 rays on the sun stand for the 8 provinces that rose in revolt against Spanish rule in the late 19th century. The 3 stars stand for the 3 principal geographic areas of the country, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

To complete the symbolism of the flag, the red stripe represents courage and bravery and the blue stripe is for noble ideals. The white triangle stands for the Katipunan, a revolutionary organization that led the revolt against Spain and the color white represents peace and purity. This flag is unique in that in peacetime, the blue stripe is uppermost but during wartime, the red stripe is on top, an internet research on the Philippine Flag yields. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

DA-7 plans to set up barangay food terminals in every town

Cebu City (28 May) -- Helping the farmers earn bigger profits through direct selling to the consumers by doing away with middle traders and setting up the barangay food terminals in every municipality is one of the priority programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA-7) in the region.

DA-7 Regional Director Eduardo Lecciones bared that farmers are often exploited by middlemen who stand to gain more by buying the producers’ harvest at a lesser price. Farmers do all the sacrifices but their produce is bought at cheap prices by the traders, according to Lecciones.

In putting up the barangay food terminals, the DA-7 however, needs the help of the local government units to scout for the specific location of the food terminal, preferably rent-free, Lecciones said.

Lecciones however added that the DA-7 is willing to pay for the rent in case there the LGUs do not offer free space.

The DA-7 chief disclosed that they have already made a budget proposal for the particular project and it has already been endorsed to Agriculture Sec. Arthur Yap.

The barangay food terminals along with the ‘Gulayan ng Masa’ are part of the government’s hunger mitigation programs that President Gloria M. Arroyo wanted to speed up for implementation in order to fight poverty.

For the ‘Gulayan ng Masa’ program, the DA-7 conducts the distribution of one pack of assorted ‘pinakbet’ vegetable seeds including ampalaya, squash, eggplant, okra and string beans. This is aimed at encouraging the planting of vegetables to have a steady supply of food to decrease the risk of hunger incidence in the country. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)

Operation Tuli serves nearly 300 boys


Cebu City (May 30) --- Nearly 300 kids from Gethsemani Parish of Brgy. Casuntingan, Mandaue City and in the three barangays of Lapu-lapu City had availed of the services of “Operation Tuli” conducted by the Philippine Air Force - Tactical Operations Command (PAF-TOC) at the Gethsemani Parish Social Hall and at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base recently.

The activities were spearheaded by the Gethsemani Parish Council and coordinated by the Association of Government Information Officers in Region 7(AGIO-7) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Some Information Officers from various government agencies joined the whole day affair. Each one was given enough time to share with the public their programs and projects including their services to the barangay folks.

The medicines were sponsored by the Council and some local officials while Benedicto College of Nursing students also participated in the activity as part of their community outreach program.

In the same development, barangays Humay-humay, Pajo and Pusok in Lapulapu City also benefited with the same services that included Free Medical-Dental and Legal Services offered by the military and the association which was held recently at the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base.

Almost 200 boys availed of the “Operation Tuli” and other medical services. Some people lined up for the free consultation and medications that were sponsored by the Department of Health and the Fairchild Semiconductor Company also contributed their efforts and offered free medicines for the “Operation Tuli.”

The two events had strengthened the linkage between the military and civilians in the Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu areas. Community outreach services are good effort in delivering government services closer to the people.

This is also in respond to the programs and projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to uplift the living conditions of some Filipinos who are in need of efficient health care and other medical services. (PIA-Cebu)