Iloilo City News July 2015

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Iloilo City - Archived News
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Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

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Molo Church, Iloilo City
Iloilo dinagyang festival.jpg
The Dinagyang is a religious and cultural festival in Iloilo City, Philippines held on the fourth Sunday of January, or right after the Sinulog In Cebu and the Ati-Atihan in Aklan.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Iloilo in talks for air service to Incheon, Xiamen

By Louine Hope Conserva

ILOILO CITY -- The Iloilo City government is in talks with carrier AirAsia Philippines over the possibility of offering flights to the South Korean gateway of Incheon and Xiamen in China, the Tourism department said.

The push for more connectivity comes as the city hosts meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this year, raising the region’s profile among international tourists, the Department of Tourism in Region 6 (DoT-6) said

“With Iloilo’s hosting of the APEC meetings this July, September and October, we do hope that more visitors will be coming in from the 21-member economies of APEC that will impact our number of flights and hotel accommodation,” said lawyer Helen J. Catalbas, DoT-6 director.

Ms. Catalbas said Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog is currently leading talks with AirAsia Philippines, Inc. with the aim of launching services next year.

South Korea and China are both APEC members, along with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, the United States,and Vietnam.

For domestic flights, Ms. Catalbas said she has participated in discussions for the introduction of flights between Iloilo and Cotabato.

“For Mindanao, our flights for Davao, General Santos and Cagayan de Oro are going strong. We are looking at adding Cotabato. What is important is we can sustain the flights,” she said.

The airport’s current local routes include Manila, Cebu, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa, General Santos, Davao and Cagayan de Oro.

The Iloilo International Airport, located in the town of Cabatuan, will be bid out for upgrade works under the public-private partnership (PPP) program. The contract cost is P30.4 billion covering expansion, operation and maintenance over a 30-year period.

It is part of the PPP airport Bundle 1 that includes the Bacolod-Silay Airport with an indicative cost of P20.26 billion.

Prospective bidders, based on the PPP Center Web site, include GMR Infrastructure Ltd.-Megawide Construction Corp., the Metro Pacific Investments Corp.-JG Summit Holdings, Inc. consortium, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, San Miguel Corp., Philippine Skylanders, Inc., and Union Equities, Inc.

The submission of qualification documents has been moved to Aug. 10 from July 27.

Iloilo City tops Government Efficiency ranking

By Lydia C. Pendon

ILOILO City has been recognized by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) as the number one in the list of top 10 cities in the Philippines for Government Efficiency ranking.

The City received an award from the NCC during the 3rd Regional Competitiveness Summit, Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index held July 16 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Metro Manila.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, who received the award, dedicated the victory to all City hall workers, barangay officials and the people of Iloilo City who supported his dream of a better and livable city for the present and future generations.

Iloilo City garnered a total score of 24.52 points, followed by Naga with 23.03 points, Cagayan de Oro with 22.55, Makati with 22.27, Davao with 21.80, Kidapawan with 21.70, Valenzuela with 21.44, Cebu with 21.02, Angeles with 2.86, and Balanga with 20.20.

The recent award also validated the early recognition of the city by the Department of Interior and Local Government as the yearly champion in Administrative Governance since 2011.

Mabilog said that Iloilo is now considered one of the major cities in Southeast Asia, as major business players in Metro Manila, Asia and the Pacific have their presence felt in Iloilo.

Private business sector capital infusion is estimated to be more than P200 billion since five years ago that provides job generation, livelihood and showcases the Ilonggo pride.

NCC, a non-government organization headed by businessman Guillermo Luz, is composed of top business leaders in the country, government officials and leaders of professional groups.

Aside from Government Efficiency, a total of 142 cities and 978 municipalities were also ranked in the index based on pillars of Economic Dynamism and Infrastructure using a total of 28 indicators.

This 2015, the NCC has introduced new award categories, recognizing third to sixth class municipalities, first to second class municipalities, component cities and highly urbanized cities.

Villages get P10-M projects

By GLENDA SOLOGASTOA (PN)

ILOILO – A total of P10.011 million was distributed to barangays here yesterday at Casa Real de Iloilo or the old provincial capitol.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. led the distribution of funds to finance 124 projects in the villages of 22 towns that included Lambunao, Miag-ao, Ajuy, Calinog, Lemery, Concepcion, Tubungan, Tigbauan, Alimodian, Leon, New Lucena, Maasin, Pototan, Cabatuan, Dumangas, Oton, Leganes, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, Calinog, Janiuay, and Dueñas, and the component city of Passi.

Projects to be financed included the rehabilitation or construction of bridges, day care centers, streetlights, gymnasiums, multipurpose pavements, multipurpose halls, barangay health centers, and water systems.

“I do not hesitate to give assistance to municipalities. The political leanings of their leaders are never a consideration,” said Defensor.

The funds distributed yesterday were in the form of checks and received by the mayors and their barangay captains.

International flights increasing in Iloilo

By Lydia C. Pendon

INTERNATIONAL flight arrivals at the Iloilo airport posted a significant increase since it opened for direct flights in 2013, said Department of Tourism Western Visayas Director Helen Catalbas.

Catalbas said that from 64 flight arrivals in 2013, international flight arrivals went up to 65 in 2014 and 67 in 2015 for the first quarter of the years reported.

"The data may only show a gradual growth in terms of flights but we can see a huge impact in passenger arrivals. From 26,871 passenger arrivals in 2013, the numbers went up to 27,154 in 2014 and with the Visit Philippines Year this 2015, a large volume of visitors coming in the region," she added.

In 2013, three flights from Singapore and two flights from Hong Kong arrived at the Iloilo International Airport weekly, while two flights from Singapore and three flights from Hong Kong weekly were reported in 2014.

In 2015, flights were arriving alternately from Singapore and Hong Kong four to six times a week.

The year 2013 recorded 6,917 passengers and 84.2 percent were Filipinos and 15.8 percent were of foreign nationalities. In 2014, there were 6,441 passengers and the first quarter of 2015 posted with 6,607 passengers.

Iloilo Hotels, Restos ready for APEC

By Leonard T. Pineda I (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, July 16 (PIA) --- The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Western Visayas assured that hotels and restaurants in Iloilo will deliver excellent service to delegates and guests of the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting here next week.

DOT-6 Tourism Operations Assistant Khariza Joy Sofia said that DOT has conducted seminars and training sessions to hotel and restaurant staff to equip them with fundamental knowledge and attitude at par with acceptable standards and upgrade their skills to international level.

“The trainings were specifically requested by the APEC local organizing committee to upgrade the services of hotels here,” she said.

DOT-6 conducted a training on front office operations last July 29-30 to enhance the effectiveness of hotel personnel in dealing with guests.

A housekeeping operations seminar was conducted from July 1 to 2, while training on effective customer service and work values was held last July 3.

DOT-6 said there is an ongoing training for hotel personnel assigned on waitering, bartending, and effective customer service. This training started July 14 and will conclude on July 17.

Over 26 hotels, restaurants and other establishments participated in the trainings organized by DOT-6.

The first APEC meeting in Iloilo City slated on July 23-24 will focus on Fostering APEC's Infrastructure through Long Term Investment and Capital Market Development.

Mabilog eyes intelligent transport system for Iloilo City

(PNA), LAP/AJP/PGLENA/VLO

ILOILO CITY, July 15 (PNA) -– Mayor Jed Patrick is eyeing the replication of the intelligent transport system in this city following his exposure to the technology during a three-day Sustainable Urban Transport workshop at City of Danang in Vietnam last week.

Mabilog during his Wednesday regular press conference said that the system is armed with plenty of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that monitor vehicles plying major thoroughfare.

Through the system, traffic violations can easily be detected including the pedestrians.

Moreover, cameras could very well help during emergency response if there are road accidents, among others.

“It is about time that we could introduce this to Iloilo City through public consultation,” he said.

The mayor said that it is important that the city government consults the public to know if the system is acceptable to them. At the same time, they will be made to know of the benefits the system would give them.

He said that it was very timely that there was one company that offered the said technology upon knowing of the “traffic challenge” in the city.

The company was referred to his executive assistants and will be sent to the city council for them to also be properly informed about the system.

“It maybe a little costly but I think if the city wants it, we can afford it. But it has to be publicly consulted,” he stressed.

The summit that was attended by delegates from South East Asia also presented the idea of the bus rapid transit (BRT) where there is one convergence area where commuters could leave their vehicles and take a bus going to their destination.

Meanwhile, Mabilog will be meeting with his executive assistants every Tuesday to properly address traffic issues in the city.

Iloilo now ready for next week’s APEC meeting

(PNA), LAP/AJP/PGLENA/VLO

ILOILO CITY, July 14 (PNA) –- Iloilo is now ready to host the Strengthening Capital Market and Infrastructure Development meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on July 23-24.

This was assured by Junel Ann Divinagracia, executive director of the 2015 Iloilo Organizing Committee (IOC) as she cited that the committee is ready to facilitate whatever is needed such as enhancement of the venue as well as manpower.

“Venues for the event have been checked,” she said.

The meeting that is spearheaded by the Department of Finance (DOF) is expected to gather around 120 delegates from the Asia Pacific and other high officials who will be invited to the meeting.

This July 18 a team from the National Organizing Council (NOC) will arrive in Iloilo for the needed preparations.

On the other hand, she added that Iloilo is just waiting for the completion of the Iloilo Convention Center (ICC) that will serve as venue for the September and October APEC meetings.

She added that works at the ICC are being done 24 hours to ensure that the facility will be completed as committed by end of the month.

Iloilo will be hosting the Senior officials Meeting for Disaster Risk Management, Small and Medium Enterprise Ministerial Meeting and Food Security Week & High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security & the Blue Economy and Related Meetings in September and October.

SSS WV collections breach P1.35 B

By Leonard T. Pineda I (JCM/LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, July 13 (PIA) --- The Social Security System (SSS) collected a total of P1.35-billion in contributions from Western Visayas since January 2015 which is 7.6 percent higher than the P1.25-billion collected from January to April last year.

In a media release, SSS Officer-in-Charge for Western Visayas Division Raul A. Casiano said the improved collections was due to the increasing presence of SSS in the region.

He said that SSS offices in the region have extended their resources to remote communities to enable residents in these areas to have easier access to social security services, including registering as members and updating their membership.

“SSS branches in Kalibo, Dumaguete, and Iloilo deployed Mobile E-Centers, or temporary SSS desks usually put up in far-flung areas, to make SSS services such as SSS registration, salary loan application, ID capture, member data change request, and status inquiry within reach of potential and existing members,” he said.

He said that they have set up Mobile E-Centers in the islands of Siquijor and Guimaras, and the cities of Bayawan and Passi from November last year to April of this year.

“The deployment of mobile E-centers, which in total accounted nearly 3,000 transactions from said areas, is part of the SSS initiative to cover hard-to-reach and informal sectors,” he said.

He said SSS also participates in the monthly “Gobyerno sa Baryo,” a joint program of the Aklan Provincial Government and Congressional District Office for the benefit of the province’s constituents in remote and rural communities.

As of April 2015, SSS members in Western Visayas inched up by 3.4-percent from 1.78 million in 2014 to 1.84 million, of which about 70 percent or 1.25 million are regular and household employees.

SSS recorded about 351,384 self-employed members and 241,812 voluntary members.

“There is a modest increase in the number of self-employed and voluntary members which grew by 6.7 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively. So we want to focus on those sectors under the informal economy, considering the vast number of micro and small businesses engaged in crop production and active fishery activities around the area,” Casiano said.

The SSS official also noted that the thriving tourism, specifically in the Municipality of Malay, has prompted the SSS to closely monitor employment activities in the province.

“We have conducted a saturation drive for 11 days in Boracay this month to comb the area for erring employers and employees who are still not reported for SSS coverage. From that alone, we were able to compel around 250 employers with about 1,300 employees to register with the SSS,” he said.

As of date, SSS has 14 branches and eight service offices strategically located in the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.

Council sets probe as traffic lights cost P3.2m each

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr. (Inquirer Visayas)

ILOILO CITY—The Iloilo City council will investigate alleged irregularities in the purchase and installation of nine traffic lights in the city worth P29 million.

Voting 6-5 during the council’s session on July 7, the councilors approved a motion of Councilor Plaridel Nava to investigate the traffic light contracts entered into by the city government and private suppliers.

“We just want to know the truth because we believe that P3.2 million for one set of traffic lights is too expensive,” said Nava, chair of the council’s committee on transportation.

The councilors are divided on the issue.

Nava said the vote to investigate was not against Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Mabilog, in a statement, said the voting simply showed the council was independent.

“As always and as usual, the city government does not hide anything,” said the mayor.

Mabilog had defended the traffic light project as a measure to ease increasing traffic congestion in the city’s main streets.

Streets in the city’s central business district, the old commercial center, were built during the Spanish and American colonial period and designed for horse-drawn carriages. These have become congested with the increase in both private and public vehicles in recent years.

The city government and traffic officials have implemented re-routing experiments and tightened the implementation of ordinances but gridlocks regularly occur during peak hours.

Nava said he supports the installation of traffic lights in certain areas in the city.

But he said the location and operation of these should be based on a scientific study on the volume and pattern of pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

“There should be case studies and dry runs to determine the ideal location of the traffic lights,” he said.

Transport groups, under the Western Visayas Transport Coalition, have asked the city government to stop the operation of traffic lights near the provincial capitol and in downtown because these have worsened, instead of eased, road bottlenecks.

The groups also requested that the traffic lights in major intersections be turned off during rush hour.

The investigation, which would be conducted jointly by the council’s committees on transportation, good government and rules, will also look into the procurement process involving suppliers KIV Marketing and Triune Electronics.

The city bought four traffic lights worth P14 million from Triune Electronics Systems Inc. and five others worth P14 million from KIV Marketing.

10,000 Iloilo City voters face disenfranchisement

By MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA (PN)

ILOILO City – Some 10,000 registered voters here will be disenfranchised if they fail to have their biometrics taken on or before Oct. 31 this year.

They make up 4.7 percent of the 240,000 total registered voters in the city, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

These voters stand to lose their right to suffrage unless they comply with Comelec’s computerization program, according to Jonathan Sayno, assistant city election officer 2.

Since May 9 last year, said Sayno, Comelec has been reaching out to such registered voters in all the districts here through the biometrics registration and validation campaign dubbed “No Bio, No Boto.”

Comelec personnel here have been busy with the campaign — on top of registering first-time voters and processing applications for transfer of residence and correction of entries — just to ensure every registered voter gets to vote in the May 2016 election, he said.

“We are reaching out [to those] without biometrics to prevent any disenfranchisement,” Sayno said, but he also warned that voters without biometrics after the deadline will be “deactivated.”

Sayno said they plan to hold caravans in universities and more mobile registrations per district, and hope to finish all these before October.

By that time, Comelec personnel will accommodate the certificates of candidacy (COCs) of people seeking elective posts.

It is highly likely that the filing of COCs from Oct. 12 to 16 will interrupt their work in registering voters and recording and validating biometrics, Sayno admitted.


Iloilo City 'ripe for educational tourism'

(LCP/Sunnex)

THE Department of Tourism (DOT)-Western Visayas Director Helen Catalbas said Iloilo City is ripe for educational tourism, with the growing population of foreigners availing themselves of education from universities and colleges within the city.

Catalbas said the schools being patronized by foreigners are state universities and private schools that offer specialized training courses.

These schools, she added, are considered tourism education assets, because they attract foreign students who seek higher quality education.

Catalbas also said that Iloilo City is the center of academe and higher education in Western Visayas; hence, it makes sense that educational tourism is one of the tourism products in Iloilo marketed by the DOT.

World Population Day highlights poverty and development

By Elsa S. Subong (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, July 10(PIA)—Population Commission-6 Regional Director Harold Marshall said it is one with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFA) in the observance of World Population Day, to enhance awareness of the public of population issues in relation to poverty and development.

He added that Efforts in ensuring that the dignity, safety and reproductive health of women and girls and of vulnerable youth in emergencies need to be further strengthened.

This, as the nations observe World Population Day, Jul 11 this year.

“We will be coordinating with the local government units in carrying out advocacy activities which can be done simultaneously all over the region,” Marshall said.

The observance spotlights women, children and young people as among the most vulnerable, forcibly displaced from their homes by conflict and disasters in many parts of the world today.

UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotemehin said that when a crisis strikes, humanitarian response must be swift and adaptable to the needs of affected population.

“Women and young people may especially require targeted support and aid must be sustained from the onset of an emergency until recovery,” Osotemehin said in a press release.

The UNFPA Director added that the observance of World Population Day 2015 will surface these issues faced by these marginalized sectors and underscore the neeed for more responsive and purposive solutions.

IOs, liaison officers join to form stronger info network

By Elsa S. Subong (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, July 8(PIA)— Information officers coming from the local government units, private organizations and academe have come together as a group to form stronger networks.

It used to be that information officers organized by the Philippine Information Agency Iloilo Information Center were only those from the local government units.

“There are more advantages when we include those from other private entities and the academe because they also contribute much to local development,” said Jerry Anas, information officer of Leganes and President of the Organization of Tourism Officers in the Province of Iloilo, during the first meeting of the group.

He added that there are common agenda for development which the liaison and public relations officers and the LGU information officers can pursue for more impact projects.

The IOs also formed their own group apart from those coming from national government agencies but assured convergence of activities when needed.

The group assumed a new name which is Information Officers of Iloilo to include all member-liaison and public relations officers of private entities and the provincial offices of government agencies.

The new set of officers are President- Nereo C. Lujan, Iloilo Province Public/Community Affairs Office; Vice President –Erlyn Alunan, San Joaquin-LGU; Secretary – Susan Jovero – Pavia-LGU; Asst. Secretary – Lilibeth French, PIA-Iloilo; Treasurer – Cesar Recabar – Janiuay-LGU; Auditor – Jerry Anas, Leganes-LGU.

The IOs also elected its Board of Directors, namely, Olive Ledesma, MIWD; Joan Paulette Mary Libo-on/Charles Von Alava, JBLFMU System; representative from Comelec-Province; Jayzon Baldesues, Tigbauan, Analyn Constantino, New Lucena; Jennifer Osorio, Lambunao; and, Novem Sazon, Barotac Nuevo.

Nereo Lujan, president-elect, said that the officers and the BOD will have to sit down and formulate policies on membership, annual dues, and activities, after the induction set on August 6, at the Casa Real.

PIA-6 Director Janet Mesa told the members that they should try to be consistent in their participation and attendance in meetings despite the fact that their stints may just depend on the local chief executives.

“Your role as Information Officers are significant in the development of your respective LGUs,” Mesa said, adding that their performance is reflective of the performance of their local officials.

Iloilo gets P7M reward for ‘good housekeeping’

(PNA), CTB/PR/VLO

ILOILO CITY, July 6 (PNA) - - The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is awarding this province with P7-million Performance Challenge Fund (PCF) for getting last year’s Seal of Good Housekeeping.

The subsidy will be released upon the signing of Memorandum of Agreement between Governor Arthur Defensor Sr and DILG Regional Director Anthony Nuyda later this month.

Defensor already asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) to grant him the authority to sign the agreement and it is expected to be bestowed to him by Tuesday during their regular session.

The P7-million is intended for the improvement of core road network of Iloilo to boost local tourism and other projects that can spur economic development.

Specifically, the financial support will fuel the construction and concreting of Cabugao-Banban-Tuyungan Road in Barangay Cabugao, a village where some of the indigenous people of Calinog town are living.

PCF is a flagship program of the DILG that helps stimulate LGUs to put premium on transparency and accountability to enable them to avail themselves of financial support to jumpstart and sustain local socio-economic development initiatives supportive of national government goals and priorities.

Other recipient LGUs can use the fund to finance projects in compliance with the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2010 and Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Meat from city abattoir safe, Pavia residents assured

By MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA (PN)

ILOILO City – Meat from hogs and cattle slaughtered at the city’s abattoir is safe for human consumption.

This is the benefit that the people of Pavia will get from the agreement between their municipality with the city government, said Ariel Castañeda, chief of the city’s Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO),

On Friday, the city government agreed to accommodate hog and cattle raisers of Pavia at the city’s abattoir in Barangay Tacas, Jaro district.

According to Castañeda, his office was addressing several concerns that the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) raised early this year over the slaughterhouse’s operation.

NMIS is the government body regulating abattoirs across the country.

“There are procedural concerns. The facilities will be improved, too,” Castañeda said.

The slaughterhouse failed the NMIS inspection early this year.

Aside from structural deficiencies, the lack of skill among meat inspectors was among the reasons that it failed to attain the “AA” classification.

Under Executive Order No. 137, “AA” abattoirs are those “with facilities and operational procedures sufficiently adequate that the livestock and fowls slaughtered are suitable for sale in any market, domestic or international.”

Castañeda expressed confidence that the city’s slaughterhouse can achieve that status.

The slaughterhouse is currently categorized as “A”, which means it has “facilities and operational procedures of minimum adequacy.”

Meat from “A” abattoirs are suitable for distribution and sale only within the city or municipality where the slaughterhouse is located, stated Executive Order No. 137.

Castañeda said Pavia hog and cattle raisers may start taking their animals for slaughtering at the city’s abattoir starting next month.

The arrangement is beneficial to both Pavia and the city government, he said.

While Pavia consumers will be ensured of clean and safe meat, the city’s slaughterhouse will be earning more, said Castañeda.

Pavia hog and cattle raisers will pay the appropriate fees and have to follow the slaughterhouse’s schedule, said Castañeda.

Some of the reasons that the slaughterhouse failed the regional NMIS evaluation on Feb. 6, 2015 were insufficient water supply, nonfunctional hand-washing facilities, accumulation of dirt on walls and tanks, odorous comfort rooms, clogged drainage, and presence of cobwebs, among others.

Some of the meat inspectors had not passed the NMIS test, too, according to Councilor Rodel Fullon-Agado, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committee on markets and slaughterhouse, in a previous interview.

Ilongga represents PH in Japan arts festival

By Tara Yap

Iloilo City— A 16-year-old Ilongga student was the lone representative of the Philippines during the 2015 International High School Arts Festival in Japan.

Eouia Aum Gonzales Dueñas just came back from Japan’s capital city of Tokyo after participating in an exhibit organized by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC).

Exhibited was her painting “Amburukay’s Gold Hair.” That particular painting of Dueñas is a visual rendition of one of the female characters in the Hinilawod (Epic of Panay), the oral literature of the indigenous group Panay Bukidnon or Sulodnon who dwell in the mountains of Central Panay.

“I was very happy to share our culture as portrayed in my art work,” said “Dueñas.

Her participation in the international art exhibit began last March when she emerged as winner of a painting contest amongst students of the Philippine High School for the Arts, where she is currently a 10th grade student.

More popularly known as Om, Dueñas learned to draw and paint at a very early age.

When she was two, she could identify secondary colors and started water-based paintings with assistance from her father Guijo, an artist and photojournalist.

By three-years-old, Om was beginning to sketch and paint flowers, rainbows, butterflies, and dinosaurs.

Om began exhibiting works of art when she was four-years-old. “My Own World”, her first solo exhibit in Iloilo featured 21 acrylic paintings.

On March 2006, Om’s second solo exhibit dubbed as “My Dreams” also featured acrylic paintings.

By November 2011, Om had her third solo exhibit dubbed as “Iwag sa Laragway.” It featured pastels on paper boards.

Aside from her solo exhibits, Om also won the 2007 painting contest that was part of the European Commission’s Global Gender Equality project.

Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/ilongga-represents-ph-in-japan-arts-festival/#r2XxbfM4UgFEXvrC.99

Engineers, architects urged to build quake-resistant houses

By Lydia C. Pendon

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) urged engineers and architects to help people build earthquake-proof houses, as it conducted a forum on earthquake risk reduction and disaster preparedness Friday.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum challenged engineers and architects to give back to their communities and get involved by designing and building houses that can withstand an earthquake.

Solidum was the main speaker in the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s second quarter meeting and earthquake disaster awareness forum held on July 3 at the Iloilo Grand Hotel.

He said there are technologies today that can help houses nearly earthquake-resistant and housing materials used, such as hollow blocks and reinforcement bars should also conform to safety measures.

The local government units (LGUs) must ensure house building safety even if it’s the building owner’s responsibility. The LGUs should help potential victims of earthquakes and protect the families as part of its governance development, he added.

The Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) has a checklist on standard materials while the regional disaster risk reduction management council should lead in the survey of safe houses and buildings.

“The major goal is to develop governance and business buildings and houses must be earthquake-resistant”, the Philvolcs chief said.

Solidum also pointed out the presence of West Panay fault line, which is the major earthquake generator in Western Visayas.

The municipalities near the West Panay Fault are the towns of Ibajay, Malinao, Madalag in the province of Aklan; Pandan in Antique; Jamindan and Tapaz in Capiz; and Lambunao, Janiuay, Maasin, Alimodian, Tubungan, Leon, Igbaras, Miagao and San Joaquin in the province of Iloilo.

However, warning is up in Iloilo City, Kalibo in Aklan, Roxas City in Capiz and San Jose in Antique as these areas have rivers prone to liquefaction and possible road fissures. Where there are rivers, there is liquefaction underground that may start ground rupture and ground shaking to earthquakes and landslides.

Solidum also said that Western Visayas tsunamis are mostly related to earthquakes, adding that southern Iloilo and Antique may have tsunamis two to four meters high.

More skills training eyed to boost IT industry in Western Visayas

(PNA), FFC/AJP/PGL/VLO

ILOILO CITY, July 2 (PNA) -- Western Visayas is positioning itself for the continuous growth of the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry in the region by seeing to it that it could meet the manpower requirement of around 12,000.

In line with this, through a resolution that was enacted by the Economic Development Committee (EDC) of the Regional Development Council (RDC) has urged the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) to expand its training for work scholarship program (TWSP) on IT.

Data from the RDC disclosed that IT-BPO investment in the region has increased from PHP6 billion in 2012 to PHP11 billion in 2015, thereby creating 142,000 indirect jobs.

Currently, TESDA has 200 TWSP vouchers for IT courses.

The EDC in a resolution submitted to the RDC cited that increasing the number of vouchers “will improve the skills of more individuals and increase their eligibility for employment in the IT-BPO industry.”

DENR-DPWH Roadside tree planting, answer to tree-cutting

By Lilibeth A. French

ILOILO CITY, July 1 (PIA6) - - The regional offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH in Western Visayas have agreed to further enhance their partnership in the tree planting and growing along roadsides of the region.

DENR 6 Director Jim Sampulna and DPWH 6 Director Edilberto Tayao formalized the agreement with the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Tuesday, June 30, at the DPWH 6 Conference Room here. DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Demetrio Ignacio, Jr. and DPWH Undersecretary for Technical Services Raul Asis also signed as witnesses to the MOA.

In his message, Ignacio commended the DPWH for the initiative and hoped that this will be replicated nationwide.

He said roadside tree cutting has become a major issue in infrastructure projects “maraming infrastructure projects natin, yong pinakamalalaki yan po ay naantala, nadedelay yan dahil sa isyu ng tree cutting.

Ignacio said the roadside tree planting activity of the DPWH is an ideal solution to the roadside tree cutting problem.

“Mawawala ang problema sa tree cutting sa roadside kung ang DPWH ang magtatanim dahil alam niyo kung saan magtatanim,” said Ignacio.

Under the agreement, DENR shall assist the DPWH in the survey and mapping of identified areas in the determination of appropriate species to be planted which it will provide. It will also provide technical assistance to the DPWH in their tree planting and growing activities and assist in the conduct of periodic monitoring and documentation of the said tree plantation.

On its part, DPWH in coordination with DENR will identify and conduct survey and mapping of roadsides that will be subjected to tree planting activities it will undertake as an integral part of its regular road maintenance program. It will also maintain a close coordination with DENR in the implementation of the activity. Likewise, conduct a periodic monitoring and decumentation of the established plantations.

The initiative is also in accordance with DPWH Department Order No. 15 series of 2000 and DPWH being a partner of DENR in the implementation of the National Greening Program as mandated under Executive Order No. 26 issued by President Benigno Aquino III.

DPWH Department Order No. 15 makes the planting of trees along national roads as a standard component of all road construction and improvement projects requiring the inclusion of said activity to the engineering design, program of work, estimates budget, and bidding and contract documents of these projects.

All the provincial and city environment and natural resources officers of DENR and district engineers of DPWH in the region are also involve to ensure that the implementation of the program at the field level will be successful.

The joint efforts seeks to address the following: to add value to urban areas; to mitigate climate change; to enhance beauty of the roadside; to provide shed to commuters; and to minimize glare from sunlight to drivers along the roads. (JCM/LAF/PIA-Iloilo)


- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/931435735187/denr-dpwh-roadside-tree-planting-answer-to-tree-cutting#sthash.WCXUJThf.dpuf

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