Iloilo City News February 2012

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Iloilo City - Archived News

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-aerial.jpg
Aerial View of Iloilo City

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.

News Feature: Partnership project seeks to build resilient communities

By Jaime S. Cabag, Jr. (OCD/JSC-PIA6)

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA6) -- Strengthening the capacities of national and local government units (LGUs) together with the partner stakeholders in building disaster resilient communities is the foremost advocacy of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 otherwise known as R.A. 10121., according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) here.

The OCD which also chairs the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) said its objective encompasses the following:

- uphold people’s rights to life and property and adherence to internationally accepted principles, norms and standards for capacity building in DRRM and humanitarian assistance; - adoption of a holistic, comprehensive, integrated, proactive and multi-sector approach in addressing the impacts of disasters, including climate change and other related aspects; - and the development, promotion and implementation of a comprehensive NDRRM Plan while mainstreaming it in national and local development plans and development processes.

This is the rationale behind the special project embarked on by the RDRRMC entitled “Pagpakigbuylog sa Pagpangaman” or Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction with the intent to widen and intensify advocacy activities on the provisions of R.A. 10121 with its partnership with Pharmaceutical and HealthCare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) charitable trust arm which is the PHAP Cares Foundation, Inc.

The partnership seeks to take a pro-active stance on preparedness, mitigation and rehabilitation.

The OCD in a press release said a comprehensive advocacy and provision of humanitarian assistance is envisioned since government alone could not respond to any emergency situation. In this area, different partner agencies like the non-government organizations and government organization forge cooperation to make appropriate actions.

Twelve (12) barangays in Jaro district here will be the pilot areas of the newly launched project initiated by the OCD regional office which also seeks to engage the community stakeholders on DRR preparedness by strengthening the capacities of local DRRMCs in the pilot areas.

The pilot barangays are Dungon-B, Desamparados, Calubihan, Tacas, Simon Ledesma, Benedicto, Cubay, Taytay Zone II, Lanit, Balabago, Sambag, Dungon-A which have been identified as calamity prone areas.

The municipalities of San Jose and Sibalom in Antique are the other pilot areas of the project in Western Visayas.

During the launching of the project recently, simultaneous activities were held at Jaro Covered Gym to address priority aspects such as medical services which included consultation, de worming and Out Patient Treatment and vaccinations rendered by the Department of Health while Dental examination and tooth extraction were managed by the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Nutritional briefing was conducted by the Department of Health for mothers from the pilot barangays, stressing the need to enhance nourishment of infants and their families.

The environment concerns of the community were addressed by the Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A ceremonial turn-over of seedlings was undertaken among the DA, DENR and OCD for the eventual seedling distribution.

The OCD, National Telecommunications Commission and RDRRMC’s Communications and Warning Group held a briefing on Early Warning System and Information Education Campaign with IEC materials distribution to barangay residents.

The City of Iloilo under the auspicious leadership of its incumbent officials is sustaining its support and participation in the pursuance of the advocacies of building disaster resilient communities.

A memorandum of agreement was also signed amongst partner agencies in the delivery of services and their active involvement in the project.

Under this, five (5) government agencies pledged support to the said project and its advocacy namely the offices of DILG, DSWD, NEDA, DOST AND DOH.

Guest speaker was OCD Undersecretary for Special Concerns Proceso T. Domingo who emphasized the importance of Disaster Risk Reduction in the barangay level and commended the effort and support of all agencies involved.

PDEA closes another drug den in Jaro

By Jun Icban Legaspi

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) closed down another drug den resulting in the arrest of the owner and visitor of the illegal facility for selling and using shabu in Jaro, Iloilo.

PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. identified the suspects as Jomarie A. Obregon, alias “Loncio”, 42, and Edwin Jaspe, 39.

Operatives of PDEA Regional Office 6 nabbed Obregon in his residence utilized as a drug den in Bgy. San Isidro, Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City, after he sold one sachet of shabu to a poseur-buyer.

Obregon yielded more shabu bundled in one big plastic pack and five plastic sachets in varying sizes. PDEA agents also recovered empty sachets with shabu residue and drug paraphernalia. Jaspe, who was in Obregon’s house when the operation was conducted, was also arrested.

Obregon and Jaspe face charges for selling (Section 5) and possession (Section 11) of dangerous drugs in violation of Article II, Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Additional charges for violating Section 7 (Employee and Visitor of Drug Den) of the anti-drug law were also filed against the suspects.

Meanwhile, three male drug pushers were nabbed by PDEA-RO11 agents in two separate entrapment operations.

Kamal Munib, alias Tamal, 29, and Jade Christopher Reyes, 26, were arrested in Sto. Niño, Agdao, Davao City, after selling one plastic sachet of shabu to a poseur-buyer.

Five hours later, Terence Jumamil, alias Renz, 27, was nabbed after selling two plastic sachets of shabu to a PDEA agent along Lapu-Lapu Extension.

Police official seeks reconsideration of suspension

By Merlinda A. Pedrosa

FORMER Station 10 commander, Police Senior Inspector Terence Paul Sta. Ana, will file his motion for reconsideration before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas after he was suspended for six months.

Sta. Ana said Friday he will file the motion for reconsideration within this month before the Office of the Ombudsman to lift his suspension order, adding that he received last January 25 yet the order suspending him effective February 1 until July 31.

Sta. Ana was relieved on Friday as Station 10 commander after the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas issued a suspension order against him signed by deputy ombudsman Orlando Casimiro which was implemented and signed by Police Regional Office-6 director Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Jr.

Sta. Ana, together with Police Officer 1 (PO1) Jomar Efundo, PO1 Richard Ivan Lopez, PO2 Arnold Albansa and PO3 Anthony Alvarez who were assigned in Iloilo City Police Office, were suspended after a complaint for grave misconduct and abuse of authority were filed in 2010 against them before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Sta. Ana said the charges were filed by PO1 Joebert Castillo, assigned in Estancia Police Station in Iloilo.

He explained that on August 5, 2010 when he was assigned as deputy officer of the City Mobile Group in Iloilo City, they received a complaint that Castillo was creating alarm and scandal at Zone 8, Barangay Veteran, Iloilo.

They responded and arrested Castillo. He said they filed charges for direct assault, resisting arrest and illegal possession of firearms against Castillo. While the case was ongoing, Castillo tried to convince them to settle the case. Without their knowledge, Castillo also filed a case against them before the Office of the Ombudsman, Sta. Ana added.

Sta. Ana and the four policemen were suspended for six months without pay.

Sta. Ana was replaced by Police Senior Inspector Ruel Culanag, the deputy chief of Station 6, while Culanag was also replaced by Police Inspector Leo Canag of the BCPO Public Safety Company.

DENR-MGB cautions LGUs with landslide-prone areas

(PNA), LAP/ajp/DFSinay/vlo

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 10 (PNA) – Local government units with identified highly and moderately susceptible areas to landslides should exercise caution following the earthquake on Monday, advised the Department of Environment and Natural Resources VI (DENR VI).

“The recent earthquake could have contributing factors on landslide-prone areas in the region,” said DENR VI Regional Executive Director Julian D. Amador.

DENR – Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Director Leo Van V. Juguan stressed that with the continuous occurrences of minor aftershocks and the frequent rain shower “could aggravate things.”

Juguan clarified that the geohazard maps distributed by the agency to the LGUs have only identified “rain-induced” landslides. He said that earthquakes are the primary responsibility of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

But Juguan stated the tremors might have further weakened the soil of these landslide-prone areas. “LGUs with landslide-prone areas must exercise caution,” he emphasized.

He said that his office will write the governors and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils in the region and advise them of possible geohazard incidents waiting to happen.

“LGUs should be advised on that,” Juguan said.

Following the completion of its geohazard mapping, the MGB distributed data to all LGUs in the region to form part of their respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

Amador stressed that the geohazard maps are a great help in preventing massive damage on lives and properties during calamities, citing that the data provided the identified disaster-prone areas in a community.

Earlier, Environment Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje reminded LGU officials that these geohazard maps were more than a planning tool. “These maps are a lifesaver,” he said, citing the series of catastrophes that had hit the country.

Paje said the geohazard maps are critical planning tools in the government’s risk reduction plan, under President Benigno Aquino III, as they contain information on the level of susceptibility of areas to flooding and landslide.

It also included areas that could be used for relocation sites during calamities.

Quake leaves 20 city buildings with cracks

By Lydia C. Pendon

THE City Engineer's Office (CEO) reported a total of six government buildings and 14 private commercial buildings downtown Iloilo City to have gotten cracks caused by the 6.9-magnitude quake that hit Tayasan town in Negros Oriental on Monday.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the quake, which jolted various areas in the Visayas, was felt at intensity 5 in Iloilo City as reported by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The five-story Justice Ramon Q. Avanceña Hall of Justice suffered deflection of a portion of the second floor and ground floor slabs while there are noticeable cracks on the walls of most offices and cracks on the exterior walls.

The inspection team recommended the temporary closure of the Hall of Justice portions affected by the earthquake until such time rehabilitation and remedial measures are in place.

Other government buildings with superficial cracks are the Registry of Deeds, City Social Hall building, SPED school, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The PhilHealth Office, renting a building owned by businessman Alfonso Tan, also suffered widening of existing detached bottom slab and cracks on the third floor.

Aftershock disrupts work in gov’t offices in Iloilo

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr. (Inquirer Visayas)

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The operations of government offices here, including the courts, were disrupted Wednesday morning after a moderately strong aftershock sent employees out of buildings.

The 5.2 magnitude aftershock around 8:41 a.m. rattled employees at the Metro Iloilo Water District, six-story Iloilo provincial capitol and three-story Chief Justice Ramon Q. Avanceña Hall of Justice in Iloilo City.

The employees went out of the buildings and gathered outside the ground floor for around 15 minutes. Some complained of dizziness.

A Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology bulletin placed the epicenter of the earthquake 11 kilometers north of Guihulngan in Negros Oriental, among the areas hit hardest by Monday’s 6.9-magnitude earthquake. Wednesday’s tremor was felt at Intensity 4 in Guihulngan and Intensity 3 in Tanjay, Negros Oriental, and the cities of Iloilo and Kanlaon. Dumaguete and La Carlota Cities in Negros Occidental and the towns of Loboc and Sikatuna in Bohol experienced tremors at Intensity 2.

Schools, business establishments urged to strengthen earthquake preparedness

By Lilibeth A. French (JCM/LAF/PIA6)

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 7 (PIA) -- Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has called on school authorities and owners of other establishments in this city to reinforce their earthquake preparedness following the midday tremor that occurred on Monday which led to early suspension of classes and work.

Mabilog advised people as they go back to school and work today to check on the structural preparedness of their buildings and readiness of their students and employees.

He asked them to report unusual cracks and encouraged owners of establishments with three or more floors or higher, to get Civil or Structural Engineers to check on their buildings.

Mabilog said based on the report of the City Engineer’s Office, the new Iloilo City Hall, big malls and the two fly-overs in General Luna St. are structurally safe.

The City Engineer’s Office will continue their inspection today focusing on the city’s heritage buildings.

Mabilog, in a radio interview, also advised residents, especially in the coastal barangays to remain vigilant and watchful amidst the aftershocks and to tune in to their radio for updates.

On the other hand, Department of Education Division of Iloilo Schools Superintendent Raymundo Lapating said classes in public schools in the province are back to normal.

As part of the precautionary measures, he also advised school authorities to remain vigilant and alert as the school children have already participated in earthquake drills and disaster prevention.

Lapating also told them to report immediately if there are structures in their schools affected by the earthquake for speedy solutions. He said, together with a team of supervisors and engineers, they will conduct inspection today, particularly in schools in the Northern part of the province.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake yesterday with epicenter in Tayasan, Negros Oriental was felt at intensity 5 in Iloilo at about 11:49 in the morning.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology – Capiz head Ramil Atando said there are already 896 aftershocks registered, as of 11:00 a.m. Feb. 7.

Offices, classes in Iloilo temporarily suspended due to tremor

By Lilibeth A. French (Jsc/pia6)

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 6 (PIA6) -- Classes in all levels in both public and private schools in Iloilo were suspended after an Intensity V earthquake of tectonic origin rocked this city at around 11:49 a.m., Feb. 6.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) based in Roxas City, Capiz said the tremor measured at Magnitude 6.9 with a depth of 10 kilometers. It was felt in other parts of Western Visayas at Intensity IV in San Jose and Pandan, Antique, and parts of Aklan.

PHIVOLCs said Dipolog City also experienced intensity 4, while in Butuan it was intensity 3.

It also aired a tsunami alert no. 2 in a part of Tayasan Negros Oriental and called on residents in the coastal areas of Negros and Cebu for possible rise of water.

The provincial and city governments of Iloilo also advised their employees to put their work on hold for the rest of the day to give way for their top officials to ascertain the safety of the buildings that they occupy; both the Provincial Capitol and City Hall are multiple-storey buildings.

Power supply in Iloilo city also went off right after the tremor occurred but has been restored.

The Philippine Coast Guard 6 announced that it has suspended the departure of all seacrafts in the region due to a tsunami alert that accompanied the earthquake bulletin issued by PHIVOLCS.

At least seven persons inside a commercial mall reportedly fainted or experienced elevated blood pressure during the earthquake incident.

As of this writing, no damages caused by the tremor were reported.

More participants expected in 40th Iloilo Paraw Regatta

By Lilibeth A. French (JSC/LAF-PIA6 Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 4 (PIA6) - - Organizers of the 40th Iloilo Paraw Regatta Festival are expecting some 50 to 70 participants to join the largest traditional sailing competition in the country on February 12 to 19, according to the Iloilo City Public Information Office.

The Iloilo City PIO reported that the sailing event promises to be the best edition as it celebrates its Ruby Anniversary in time with the city’s Charter Diamond Jubilee Year.

Aside from the 30-kilometer race at Iloilo Strait of colorful paraws or sailboats, PIO said some 20 special events were lined up to further add colors to the sailing contest also considered as the longest-running in Asia.

Some of the events are jetski, beach volleyball, Frisbee, football, miniature paraw and slalom race, sail-and-body-painting, deep-sea fishing, rowing and paddling, Sinamba sa Paraw Regatta cultural contest, Ms. Paraw Regatta, skimboarding, rapid chess tournament, and fireworks display.

As early as December last year, the Iloilo City government has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Iloilo Paraw Regatta Foundation, Inc. for the organization and management of the festival to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of the event this year, which also signified the continued strong partnership of the government and private sector in developmental endeavours. The event is supported by the Department of Tourism 6 and the Iloilo provincial government.

The Paraw Regatta Festival has been recognized as the Best Sports Tourism Event in 2009 by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines.

PhilHealth sets forums on Case Rate and 'No Balance Billing'

(JSC/ESS-PIA6 Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- Five months after the implementation of PhilHealth’s Case Rate and “No Balance Billing” policies, the agency has set a series of forums to tackle concerns.

PhilHealth-6 Information Officer Larry Tabsing said the assessment will be done with its various accredited health care providers and institutions, to include municipal health officers, PhilHealth in-charge personnel of accredited maternity clinics.

A separate forum will be conducted for chiefs of hospitals, administrators and PhilHealth clerks of levels III & IV accredited hospitals on Februay 6, while for level II and level I hospitals will be on February 7 and 8 respectively.

PhilHealth Regional Vice President Dennis S. Mas said as they work doubly hard to hasten benefit claim processing, they also urge their partners as well, to do their job well so that the members will get their full benefits, at the shortest possible time.

Case rate payment scheme allows the members to avail of a fixed or packaged amount of benefit when confined with any of the 23 medical and surgical cases identified in the case rate.

Included in the 11 medical cases are dengue 1 and 2, pneumonia 1 and 2, essential hypertension, cerebral infraction and hemorrhage, acute gastroenteritis, asthma, typhoid fever, and Newborn Care Package (NCP).

The surgical cases, on the other hand, include radiotheraphy, dialysis, normal deliveries and deliveries by caesarian section, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, dilatation and curettage, thyroidectomy, and mastectomy.

Meanwhile, PhilHealth has also scheduled a dialogue with accredited collecting agents on February 17, and will cater to on-line membership registration at the Iloilo doctors’ Hospital and Western Visayas Medical Center on February 6 and 10.

As part of its 17th anniversary, PhilHealth will also set up an information desk at SM City-Iloilo.

“This will form part of our month-long celebration of genuine and quality service to our partner-stakeholders, as the sole administrator of the state-health insurance program,” Information Officer Tabsing said.

Electric Tricycle

(Manila Bulletin - Visayas Newsbits # 1)

ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PNA) — The Department of Energy (DOE) is pushing for the use of electric tricycle on a national scale this year. The promotion of e-trike is a pet project of Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, according to Engr. Eduardo L. Amante, chief of the Energy Resources Development and Utilization Division of the DOE-Cebu. The project was piloted in Mandaluyong City but it is also being adopted by 13 other local government units (LGUs) in the country. The use of e-trikes, he said, would allow drivers to earn more aside from the fact that it could help reduce the country’s dependence on imported fuel.

PNP info officers receive commendation medals

BY ELSA S. SUBONG (PIA-Iloilo/PN)

ILOILO City – Three police officers designated as information officers in their respective units were given the Commendation Medal or Medalya ng Papuri, during the 21st Philippine National Police (PNP) Foundation Anniversary here.

PO3 Francisco Lindero Jr., president of the Association of Government Information Officer (AGIO) Western Visayas, was second runner-up and Most Active Blogger Award during the 1st Journ.ph Information Officer Blogger Contest jointly implemented by Smart Communications and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Region 6.

As AGIO president, Lindero has initiated various trainings to upgrade the skills and knowledge of information officers, besides his own personal initiatives to improve his writing ability by maintaining a column in local publications.

Another award recipient was PO2 Nida Gregas, of Aklan Provincial Police Office – one of the Best Performing Information Officers cited by PIA-6. Her strong media relations gave the office some savings of P216,000 in radio time and print ads.

Gregas is among the 46 adjunct instructors for the Transformation Program in the entire PNP organization.

PO2 Ria May De La Cruz is another award recipient for being among the Best Performing Information Officers for 2011.

De La Cruz is known for her active advocacy, information dissemination activities, and for re-organizing the Antique PNP Press Corp, which contributed to the good media relations they have established.

The awarding was done during the regular Monday flag-raising and the celebration of the 21st PNP Foundation Anniversary in Camp Delgado, Iloilo City.

Other police awardees, recipients of the Medalya ng Kasanayan were Supt. Antonietto Y. Cañete, Senior Insp. Anthony G. Grande, PO3 John Derrick G. Capunong and PO3 Rune Quirico B. Bandola of Himamaylan City Police Station, Negros Occidental.

The four were cited for the arrest of Jose Zulueta, Mitchie Ann Macasa and Joy Cervales for violation of RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 8294 (Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition.

On the other hand, Certificates of Appreciation were given to officials and members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team, of Brangay Nazaret, Buenavista, Guimaras, for their invaluable assistance during the hot pursuit operation which led to the arrest of Julius Gabayeron, accused of rape.

The awardees were Hon. Zenaida T. Carumba, Mirjohn Gabiota, Dennis J. Gabileño, Leonard G. Celiz and Hernane Gabiota Jr.

PAGASA to install Doppler radar station in Iloilo City

(PNA) , LAP/ajp/PGLena/vlo

ILOILO CITY — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is now preparing to install its weather monitoring facilities here following its closure a year ago, this time using the modern Doppler Radar Station instead of the original plan of just a synoptic station.

The facility would still be established at the Department of Agriculture-Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (DA-WESVIARC) in Barangay Hamungaya, Jaro following a memorandum of agreement that was entered into by the PAGASA and the Department of Agriculture last year.

Engr. Rowen Gelonga, Science and Technology regional director for Western Visayas, said the Doppler Radar Station has a bigger capacity compared with the ordinary synoptic station. It can help forecast the volume of water being carried by rain clouds thus it could prove useful to those situated in flood prone areas.

The ordinary synoptic station on the other hand is equipped only with an instrument to measure the rainfall, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure and sunlight recorder.

Gelonga said that the equipment has already been bid out last year by PAG-ASA while the fund for the construction of the radar tower and station was transferred to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

At the local level, the technical study is also ongoing, he added.

Gelonga, however, said that it would take around one to two years before the Doppler Radar Station would be operational because it has to undergo configuration and other technical adjustments.

Meantime, the synoptic station would probably become operational within the year.

This city is one of the three areas that have been identified for the Doppler Radar Station that could aid PAGASA in the monitoring of weather condition coming from the West Philippine Sea. The two others will be installed in Palawan and Zamboanga.

Currently, the available Doppler Radar Station is situated at the country’s eastern seaboard.

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