Iloilo City News May 2018

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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.

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.

‘Malasakit Center’ soon in Western Visayas

By Perla Lena (with reports from Jessa Mae Padilla-OJT/PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The government’s “Malasakit Center” will soon be expanded to Western Visayas.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go presented the perspective of the proposed project that will be established at the Western Visayas Medical Center in Manduriao district during Sunday afternoon’s press conference here.

Initial discussions have been made with the management of the WVMC to have the project realized in the region, Go said. The center is already available in Cebu for Region 7 and Tacloban City for Region 8.

Go said the center will serve as a one-stop shop to fast track the provision of health services to the public. He underscored that President Rodrigo R. Duterte does not want patients to suffer further; instead, they have to be assisted.

Go also met with several patients and their families who are recipients of a government assistance program during a series of engagements at the Diamond Jubilee Hall, this city.

One of the recipients is eight-year old Melissa Castroverde from Brgy. Dalid, Calinog. She was accompanied by her mother Diana Mar when she met with Go, who advised Melissa to eat more as he noticed that the child is getting better after undergoing surgery on frontonasal encephalocele.

Elldin Allen Llanera from Brgy. Ungka of Jaro district presented the Go with a “Please Be Careful with my Heart” heart-shaped coin bank.

The eight-year old Llanera suffers from a congenital heart disease. His family sells heart-shaped coins to raise fund for his surgery.

SPO2 Richard Gerafusco sought for housing assistance from Go. To recall, four members of his family including his wife and son perished in the fire that gutted their house on May 6 this year in Barangay San Isidro, La Paz district.

Go said his visit was meant “to check their condition”.

P63-M to upgrade sewerage treatment plant of Iloilo hospitals

By Perla Lena (with Jessa Mae Padilla and Marvin Mongao, WVSU-OJT/PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- A total of PHP63 million was earmarked for the upgrading of the sewerage treatment plant (STP) of 12 hospitals being managed by the provincial government of Iloilo.

The Department of Health appropriated PHP45 million and the provincial government provided PHP18-million counterpart fund.

While these health facilities are already equipped with STPs, there is a need for them to upgrade to be compliant with the regulations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The septic tanks used to focus only on the sewerage treatment plant but should now cover different waste products.

Dr. Raul Banias, Provincial Administrator and Chief of the Hospital Management Office, said that a design has been completed for each of the STPs to be procured using the design and build mode.

The Provincial Engineer’s Office determined the needed budget depending on the capacity and area of each hospital.

Design and build mode makes the construction of the project easier and faster; and the design will be contracted to a single company.

Banias hopes the project will be implemented in the next two to three months and be completed during the first quarter of next year.

Iloilo City to boost immunization coverage

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- A series of training for health workers is ongoing in this city to arm them with a new strategy to boost the immunization coverage in the metropolis.

Dr. Jennifer T. Anceno, Iloilo City EPI Medical Coordinator, in an interview on Thursday said that City Health Office (CHO) staff, midwives and barangay health workers (BHWs) were trained on the “Reaching Every Purok” strategy hoping to increase the inoculation coverage, which is now on a downward trend.

She said the immunization coverage for children not over one year old in Iloilo City was only 63 percent of the 12,505 target coverage in 2017.

Dr. Anceno said that the decline is “quite alarming.”

She said that program was affected by the recent issues on vaccination and parents have lost their confidence on its effect. Likewise, there are also parents with attitude problem, such as they will not go to the center unless are they are picked up from their places.

“Hopefully we can reach the benchmark, which is 95 percent,” said Anceno.

Using this strategy, health workers will go down to the “purok” or zone level instead of looking at their coverage as one barangay. They can come up with a zone visit each day until the entire barangay is saturated.

Anceno hoped that the health staff will be diligent with their work by “reaching out to every purok”.

The strategy targets children below one year old, making sure that before they go beyond this age they are fully immunized. It means that they have already received shots or doses of BCG, DPT, Hepatitis B, Haemophilus Influenza Type B and oral polio. At nine months, they should be immunized with vaccines against MMR (measles, mumps and rubella).

The training started with a review of the basic concepts of the expanded program of immunization and the involvement of the community, she said.

At the moment, they are doing a house-to-house visitation because of measles cases that were recorded, she said.

Iloilo City has two confirmed cases, with one adult.

“Measles per se is not deadly but be wary of its complications," she said, citing pneumonia, encephalitis, or blood infections.

In August they will be implementing a school-based immunization to administer booster dose of the MMR, tetanus and diphtheria to Grades 1 and 7 in public schools and human papilloma vaccine (HPV) to Grade 4 pupils.

‘Diskwento Sale’ offers up to 70% discount on school items

By Cindy Ferrer (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Less than a month before the opening of classes, parents are now starting to avail discounted school supplies through the “Balik Eskwela Diskwento Sale” of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

David Sinay, information officer of DTI in Western Visayas (DTI-6), said that the provinces of Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras and Negros Occidental already started to conduct their Diskwento Sale since second week of May.

Sinay said retailers are offering from 5 up to 70 percent discount on selected school supplies like notebook, pens, paper, crayons, pencil, among others, as well as in school bags, umbrella, shoes and uniforms.

Sinay said the schedule for the “Diskwento Sale” in Iloilo is slated May 28-June 10.

In previous years, the event is being conducted at the hallway of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol but this year, it will be conducted in stores, Sinay said.

He said the Diskwento sale in stores was decided upon by members of the Philippine Retailers Association and other interested establishments.

“Retailers find it hard to transfer their schools supplies and other items to the venue of Diskwento Sale unlike when they put it inside their establishments, which is less work on their part because they just have to prepare them in an area,” he said.

Sinay said public would know that establishments are joining the “Diskwento Sale” because they are required to post streamers on their respective areas.

He advised public, particularly parents, to avail of the “Diskwento Sale” so they could save money.

DTI seeks to boost coffee industry in W. Visayas

By John Michael Ramos, Isaiah Junio (OJTs/PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The Department of Trade and Industry 6 (Western Visayas) gathered some 50 coffee industry stakeholders from Iloilo, Antique, Capiz and Negros Occidental for a two-day regional roadmap localization and strategic planning workshop that culminated Tuesday afternoon.

The two-day workshop sought to offer solutions to commonly encountered challenges confronting stakeholders, such as how to raise farm productivity and learning how to tap the growing local and international demand for quality coffee. The event drew not only coffee farmers but also processors and buyers.

DTI Director for Iloilo Diosdado Cadena expressed confidence that coffee farms in the region have “big potential not only in the domestic market, but even in the international market.” It was revealed that coffee farms are currently under development in the municipalities of Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Janiuay, Leon, Lambunao, and Calinog.

Cadena, also the regional coffee coordinator, said Philippine coffee farm produce have an average annual yield of 400 kg. per hectare but the ideal output is one ton or 1,000 kg. per hectare. This is one issue that has to be addressed, he said.

He cited that in addition to DTI, the regional agriculture and agrarian reform offices and the Philippine Coconut Authority 6, have also launched their own initiatives to help develop the coffee industry in Western Visayas.

“The challenge is to develop the local brand of coffee for Filipinos and for the international market,” said Cadena.

Iloilo City institutionalizes office for PWDs

By Perla Lena (With reports from Caihra Santillan and Rosilfa Andrea Mallada, WVSU-OJTs/PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are now assured of an office that will look into their welfare after the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved an ordinance creating the Persons with Disability Affairs Office on Tuesday.

Councilor R Leone N. Gerochi, author of the ordinance, said the previous office was created through an Executive Order but this time it will already be a permanent office manned by permanent personnel.

“Our persons with disability is one of the most under represented sectors. We want them to have an office at the city hall. We want them to have access to services. It is through this office that it will be realized,” he explained.

He said that there are a lot of PWDs in the city but the exact number could not yet be ascertained. He said that one of the priorities of the office is to come up with a database of PWDs in the city so they would know whom to target in case of programs or projects intended for them.

Meantime, the passage of the ordinance is very timely as the city government also kicked off on Tuesday the distribution of the PHP500 social pension for some 2,000 PWDs in the city.

The beneficiaries were chosen through a validation conducted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Mark Espesor, president of the Federation of Persons with Disability Association in Iloilo City, said the assistance program is beneficial to indigent PWDs.

However, he looks forward for the city government to also develop a livelihood project for them so they would not solely rely on social pension.

Through this livelihood program, PWDs can make different handicrafts that they can use to earn more.

Officer-In-Charge of Persons with Disability Affairs Office, Ms. Blesilda Mabilog added that through the PDAO they also offered educational assistance for PWD's to finish their studies and find work with high compensation.

Espesor added that beneficiaries should widen their perspectives and strive more in order to earn on their own.

Rivermaya concert to benefit Aetas, fisherfolks in Iloilo

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The city government through the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here has exempted the Rivermaya concert for a cause slated on Friday from paying the local amusement tax.

Ex-officio member Reylan Hervias, during the SP regular session on Tuesday, said the concert organized by the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Iloilo Ilang-Ilang Inc. was intended to raise funds for Aeta community in Iloilo City and fisherfolks in the province.

It was conceptualized under the JCI’s “Heaven” program that stands for provision of health, education, assistance (legal), values formation, economic development and nutrition.

It aims to raise public awareness on the needs of the communities “in the hope of giving aid and alleviating their way of life,” Hervias said.

“Specifically, this concert aims to raise funds for the livelihood and educational program intended for Aeta community in Lanit, Jaro Iloilo City and (fishing) community in the fifth district of Iloilo,” he said.

Out of the proceeds, the livelihood program for the “Langit sa Lanit,” “Langit sa Isla” and other committee projects of the JCI will get 30 percent share each while the remaining 10 percent will serve as revolving fund.

The concert will be held at the car park of the newly-opened City Times Square along Diversion Road, this city.

Tickets are sold at PHP300 for general admission, PHP500 for VIP standing and PHP700 for VIP sure seats.

The JCI has adopted an Aeta community in Brgy Lanit, Iloilo City and fisherfolks in Isla Naburot in San Dionisio, Iloilo.

In 2017, 24 Aeta families were provided with 24 houses in a 3,000 square meter lot provided by the city government in Brgy. Lanit.

In the same year, the JCI donated one school motor boat for elementary and high school students of Isla Naburot because their school is located in another neighboring island barangay.

The motorboat will also serve as sea ambulance of the recipient island.

On the same year, some 98 men and women in the island received reading glasses.

Pension for Iloilo City PWDs, senior citizens up for release this week

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The city government will kick off the distribution of the social pension for 2,000 persons with disability (PWDs) and 5,000 senior citizens here on Tuesday.

Gene Garingalao, city social welfare and development officer, said in an interview Monday the social pension is sourced from the city’s local fund. Each PWD and senior citizen beneficiary is entitled to PHP1,000 annually.

Garingalao said Tuesday’s release will represent 50 percent of the annual pension. The distribution will accommodate PWDs first.

She added they hoped to complete the distribution before the month ends.

Garingalao explained that senior citizen beneficiaries for this local program were chosen in coordination with the Federation of Senior Citizens Affairs of the Philippines.

She said they are not recipients of the national government’s social pension program, and are still active senior citizens.

PWDs, on the other hand, were also chosen in coordination with their association, she added.

Meantime, Garingalao said the national pension for identified senior citizens is targeted to be released next month.

P7.7-B ROLL IT projects proposed in Western Visayas

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has received around PHP7.7 billion proposed projects under its Roads Leveraging Linkages for Industry and Trade (ROLL IT) for 2019.

DTI Western Visayas Regional Director Rebecca Rascon on Friday said that they received plenty of proposals from various proponents as a result of their massive orientation about the project.

ROLL IT is a convergence project of the DTI and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Rascon said these are “road projects connecting industries to the national road” so it would be easier to bring products to the market.

The proposals are now on their validation stage led by the central technical working group composed of the DTI, DPWH and industry experts from Manila.

Rascon said that upon receipt of the proposal, the regional offices of DTI and DPWH and industry expert evaluate their documents and determine whether they are situated in areas where priority industries are present. DTI has six priority industries namely coffee, cacao, bamboo, coco-based products, processed foods, wearable and housewares.

DTI and DPWH regional directors also certify the “necessity and importance” of the proposed projects.

Also, they make sure that there is no double funding because the Department of Tourism (DOT) has also its road projects under the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP).

The validation of proposed projects in Western Visayas ended Friday. The CTWG is expected to give their observation thereafter to be followed by another deliberation.

She emphasized that she is not certain whether or not all these projects will be funded.

Rascon said that since they could not cover all the proposed projects, what they probably do is “spot checking whether what we are endorsing is really true”.

Of the PHP7.7 billion proposal, the highest came from Iloilo with PHP3.478 billion for 17 projects.

Aklan has proposed PHP410 million for five projects; Antique, PHP1.44 billion for six projects; Capiz, PHP1.51 billion for 11 projects; Guimaras, PHP696 million for 16 projects; and Negros Occidental with PHP173 million for one project.

P45-M research hub opens in Iloilo university

By Perla Lena (with Isaiah Junio and John Michael Ramos-OJTs/PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT U) marked its third foundation anniversary by unveiling its PHP45-million research center on Friday.

“The establishment of the research hub was an excellent example of commitment in this area, opening up myriad opportunities for academics, students and professionals to seek ways to develop solutions targeted at critical sustainability issues in Iloilo and beyond from a multi-disciplinary perspective,” said ISAT U President Raul F. Muyong during a press conference.

It will also serve as the “center facility of the scientist, technologist and managers who will be engaged in knowledge in different aspects of science and technology,” added Dr. Carmelo V. Ambut, Vice President for Research and Extension.

The center was created with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

The inauguration was also graced by CHED Commissioner J. Prospero E. de Vera III, DOST Secretary Fortunato T. de La Peña, USAID STRIDE chief party David Hall, DOST 6 (Western Visayas) Director Rowen B. Gelonga and Director Ro-Ann Bacal of the National Economic and Development Authority’s regional office.

10K mangroves to be planted to mark Ocean month

By Cindy Ferrer (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Some 10,000 mangrove seedlings will be planted in Iloilo province over the weekend in celebration of Month of Ocean this May.

The seedlings will be simultaneously planted in the village of Bigke, Leganes town and the village of Ermita in Dumangas town, with each town getting 5,000 seedlings, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Chief Arturo Cangrejo said in a media interview Thursday afternoon.

As of press time, some 800 participants have already confirmed their attendance to the activity, consisting of employees of the provincial Capitol and volunteers from various government agencies and non-government organizations.

Cangrejo said the activity supports the provincial government’s Action for Regreening and Transformation for Climate Change Adaptation (ART for CCA).

Under the program, the province aims to plant 1.5 million trees annually, including fruit trees, in different parts of the province.

Cangrejo said the massive planting of trees will commence during the rainy season until December. He mentioned that the “Fiesta sa Kakahuyan”, a big tree-planting activity, has been conducted every September since 1999.

180 bulb onion, garlic growers train on farmers’ technology

By Fryan Abkilan (LTP/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- Some 180 bulb onion and garlic growers from the municipalities of Miagao and Igbaras here participated in the three-day farmers’ technology training on garlic and bulb onion production, post-harvest, and marketing.

April Joy Depamaylo, Miagao's bulb onion coordinator, said that the training, which started May 16 and will run until May 18, 2018, held at the Miagao Covered Gym, aimed to strengthen the capability of farmers in various production technologies and standards in garlic and onion.

“Likewise, the training aimed at enumerating good agricultural practices and equip farmers with skills in grading and classification standards for marketing requirement of garlic and onion,” she said.

The topics in the training included: National Situationer of Garlic and Bulb Onion Industry, Cultural Management for Bulb Onion and Garlic Production, Good Agricultural Practices, Records Management, and Basic Accounting and Financial Literacy for Farmers.

The three-day training is part of the Technology Trainings to be facilitated by the local government unit of Miagao, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office-6.

This training was funded by the DA National High Value Crops Development Program (NHVCDP), through a memorandum of agreement with LGU Miagao, as represented by Mayor Macario Napulan, and DA by Secretary Emmanuel Pinol.

The MOA was signed last November 17, 2017.

Iloilo City eyes presidential award for its child-friendly governance

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Iloilo City will vie for the 2017 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities (PACFMC) after garnering the highest score for the 2016 Seal of Child Local Friendly Governance in Western Visayas.

Merlyn Gison, focal person for child and youth welfare of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), on Wednesday said that they are in discussion with the Regional Sub-committee for the Welfare of Children of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regarding the nomination.

Gison said the good governance efforts of the city government and its partners paid off after winning the highest score in the regional validation conducted by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The annual validation seeks “to ensure that local government units follow their mandate that we are not only providing services to constituents but looking into the welfare and interests of children,” she said.

During the validation, DILG determines whether or not their programs are based on the category of children’s rights.

Iloilo City’s edge when compared with other local government units in the region include among others the utilization of its 1 percent fund for the programs, projects and activities of children, functional council for the protection of children down to the barangay level, available shelter facility for children undergoing rehabilitation and reformation program, continuous advocacy and influence barangays for functional Barangay Council for the Protection of Children and ensuring that rights of children in communities and schools are fulfilled by duty bearers.

In 2016, Iloilo City was rated 92 percent.

Lawyer Ferdinand Panes, Director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Iloilo City must be proud because it garnered the highest score among all recipient local governments in Western Visayas, sharing it with the town of Lambunao, which is a first-class municipality of Iloilo.

Panes said that the recipient LGUs will just be informed of the schedule of the conferment.

DILG partners with 5 LRIs for SK mandatory training

By Lilibeth A. French (laf/PIA-Iloilo)

ILOILO CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is partnering with five learning resource institutes in the conduct of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Mandatory Training in the province of Iloilo.

Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay of DILG – Iloilo identified the five LRIs as University of San Agustin (USA), Central Philippine University (CPU), University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV), West Visayas State University (WVSU), and Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U).

Sumagaysay said UPV will handle the mandatory training for SK officials from the first district of the province; CPU for the second district: WVSU for the third district; ISAT-U for the fourth district and USA for the fifth district.

She said the SK Provincial Management Team composed of representatives from DILG, LRIs, Provincial Local Youth Development Office, League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter and the National Youth Commission have already met as part of the preparations for the implementation of the program.

The one-day mandatory training will start on Thursday, May 17 and will run until May 26. It consists of three modules that include Decentralization, Local Governance, SK History and its Salient Features; Meetings and Resolutions, Planning and Budgeting; and Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Official and Employees.

Sumagaysay said SK officials are required to undergo the training program prior to their assumption of office.

As provided in Section 27 of the SK Reform Act, failure to participate in the training without valid reason shall be a ground to disqualify SK officials or subject them to disciplinary actions.

Per DILG-Iloilo record, there are six barangays in the province without candidates during the SK elections on Monday. These barangays are Binanua-an in Guimbal, Bagumbayan in San Joaquin, Ban-ag in Sta. Barbara, Crispin Salazar North and Crispin Salazar South in Janiuay and Badiangan in Lambunao.

“There are no guidelines yet on how to fill up the positions but eventually the DILG will come out with the guidelines,” said Sumagaysay.

PESO job expo offers over 33K vacancies

By Cindy Ferrer (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Some 33,120 vacancies are available for the upcoming June 1 Job Expo of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in Iloilo province.

The available jobs doubled compared to the previous 16,000 solicited by PESO as of the third week of April.

PESO Manager Francisco Heler Jr. on Thursday said that there are already 156 companies which confirmed their participation as of May 9.

Of the number, 127 companies are for local employment and 29 for overseas employment.

Heler said that the available jobs are expected to increase as more companies are still expressing interest to join the expo.

`The jobs available are call center agents, teachers, sales agent, nurses, physical therapist, medical technologist, doctors, pharmacists, carpenters, welders, engineers (mechanical, civil or electrical), drivers, technicians (electrical, mechanical or aircon), information technology technicians and computer operators maintenance.

As of the moment, there are already 348 jobseekers that pre-registered to PESO office.

Heler called on to more job applicants to pre-register in their office at the third floor or Iloilo Provincial Capitol to avoid long lines during the job expo.

“We are calling to interested applicants to take this opportunity because this is a big job fair,” he said.

Heler said the job expo is anchored with the theme “Trabaho, Negosyo at Kabuhayan sa Agricultura at Turismo.”

Aside from the available jobs, the event will also involve pre-employment orientation, basic entrepreneurship training, tourism awareness seminar and livelihood opportunities in agriculture through its partnership with the provincial tourism office and agriculture office, he said.

Free transport for the job hunters will also be provided several local government units in the province.

These towns include Alimodian, Anilao, Barotac Viejo, Cabatuan, Concepcion, Igbaras, Janiuay, Lambunao, Leon, Maasin, Miagao, San Miguel, Sta. Barbara, Tubungan and Zarraga.

Special lanes will also be available for persons with disabilities, solo parents, Indigenous People, and beneficiaries of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

City Library mulls production of mother tongue children’s book

By Leonard T. Pineda I

ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Iloilo City Public Library (ICPL) is aiming to produce children’s books in the mother tongue.

ICPL has slated a three-day training workshop on the development of children’s books in the mother tongue at the City Hall Penthouse on May 15 to 17, 2018.

In a media release from the Iloilo City Public Information Office, City Librarian Marion Aguirre said that the outcome of this activity is the production of books that utilize the mother tongue.

“These books for children and adult will be in Hiligaynon with illustrations. These will help children, particularly those taught in English to be familiar with and to be able to speak the mother tongue,” Aguirre said in the release.

About 50 public school librarians and teacher-librarians in this city will participate in this initiative.

Aguirre said the participants would be provided by the National Library with the Bloom Software, which will enable them to create their book.

Participants will have a Story Creation and Interactive Storytelling Workshops and tutorial on Bloom Software.

The training is in partnership with the National Library of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). (LTP/City-PIO/PIA-Iloilo)

Quality, affordable rice now available in west Visayas: NFA

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The National Food Authority’s (NFA) “Tulong ng Bayan” program is available in its 58 accredited outlets in Western Visayas in response to the “upward trend in prices of rice.”

“We are providing a choice for the less fortunate,” said NFA Assistant Regional Director Ruben Manatad.

“Tulong ng Bayan” rice was meant to “arrest the appreciating prices of rice,” he said. The project is being implemented nationwide.

In Western Visayas, they have pre-identified two accredited outlets on Aklan; four in Antique; 19 each in Capiz and Negros Occidental and 14 in Iloilo.

NFA also tapped the participation of 12 wholesalers and millers composed of one each in Aklan, Antique and Negros Occidental; four in Capiz and five in Iloilo.

Retail outlets have commitments to sell rice between PHP37 to PHP40 a kilo.

In Aklan and Antique the selling price is PHP39; and PHP38 in Iloilo and Capiz.

Prices vary from PHP37 to PHP39 per kilo in Negros Occidental.

Manatad said what is being sold are commercial rice. “We took the cudgel to gather them and seek their commitment wherein they would like to supply cheaper rice than the ones prevailing in the market,” he said, adding that they deliver good quality rice.

The pre-identified outlets were selected by the Grains Retailers Confederation. Manatad said that “outlets identified were voluntary on their part.” Prevailing prices of commercial rice in the market ranges from PHP39 up to PHP41 or even higher.

While there are low-priced rice, Manatad said that they “would like to ensure that we have sufficient supply, affordable rice accessible to our low-income consumers.”

He added that if there is no intervention such as this, then the prices could even increase.

Meantime, the project will continue until such time that the committed stocks of imported rice arrive in the region.

Of the 250,000 metric tons of imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand expected to arrive last week of May up to first week of June, Negros Occidental was allotted 4,000 metric tons.

DICT wants to interconnect more gov’t agencies in west Visayas

By Cindy Ferrer (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) wanted more regional line agencies in Western Visayas to be interconnected though its Integrated Government Philippines (iGovPhil) program.

DICT launched the Government Network (GovNet) and Government Cloud (GovCloud) to make the delivery of government services to the people faster, secured and efficient.

Alona Isidro, Project Manager of DICT, in an interview on Wednesday described GovNet as a project of DICT to “interconnect government agencies through fiber optics cable.”

“Why fiber optics? Because we are looking at big data. It is a future ready technology that can provide infrastructure to upcoming big data of the government,” she said.

GovCloud is a computing project to maximize the resources of the government and eliminating the duplication of software and hardware of whole government, she said.

Frederick Amores, cluster head director of DICT in Western Visayas, said that only about 50 agencies in the region have so far connected to GovNet.

DICT is advocating for more to be connected not only to GovNet but most especially to GovCloud.

Meanwhile, DICT Assistant Secretary Alan Silor said the two common telecommunications being used in the country are sometimes encountering problems with their lines.

“It would be better if we could connect them through fiber optic cable so that it will be faster and the bandwidth going to Manila or other offices of the line agencies will be easier to be connected,” he said.

Silor said there are already 160 government agencies connected in the National Capital Region and 319 in the regional centers.

The department is planning to connect 640 more agencies this year, covering Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Cotabato City, La Union, Marawi City, Batangas, Cebu City, among others.

Iloilo City set to give P1K monthly stipend to 200 new scholars

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Effective this school year 2018-2019, at least 200 qualified students get to enjoy the PHP5,000 stipend every semester or PHP1,000 per month under the city government’s Educational Financial Assistance Program.

On Tuesday, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed an ordinance creating a program that will benefit students, who will enroll in any undergraduate academic degree in colleges or universities accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

A fund of at least PHP1 million is also assured whether in the annual or supplemental budget of the city government.

The program is open to incoming first year college students whose parents or guardians have a total gross income of not more than PHP220,000.

They have to be graduates of any public or recognized private senior high school in Iloilo City.

Councilor Lady Julie Grace Baronda, chair of the SP Committee on Education, said they would like to set a standard and extend the program to exemplary students but are lacking in finances. The SP has set an 85 percent passing score for applicants to qualify for the competitive examination.

Upon passing, the recipient is also required to have a weighted average of 85 percent. Also, they must not have a failing grade, incomplete, no grade or unofficially dropped subjects.

A scholarship commission headed by the mayor was also created to oversee the program’s implementation.

The city administrator sits as vice-chair while the city superintendent of schools, chair of the SP committee on education and SP committee on appropriations will serve as members.

The Iloilo City Youth Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office shall act as the Secretariat.

'Small' Gilas battles Visayas in Iloilo All-Star Game

By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno (PNA)

MANILA -- Coach Chot Reyes will bring in a small lineup when his Gilas Pilipinas pool squad takes on the Visayas All-Stars in the final leg of the PBA All-Star Week at the University of San Agustin Gym in Iloilo City on May 27.

With national team mainstay Junemar Fajardo suiting up for the Chito Victolero-led All-Star squad, Reyes will put Japeth Aguilar at the center spot as he takes the responsibility of guarding both Fajardo and Greg Slaughter, Aguilar's teammate at Ginebra, at the low post.

Reyes also named Troy Rosario and Carl Cruz to his Gilas lineup, manning the power forward spot.

Taking care of the wings are Mac Belo, Allein Maliksi, Calvin Abueva, Gabe Norwood, and Matt Wright.

Jayson Castro and Jio Jalalon will take turns in the point guard spot for Gilas.

Iloilo City eyes P5K allowance for college scholars

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- The city government is strengthening its education program with its latest initiative to extend financial assistance to college students here.

During Monday’s regular flag-raising program, Mayor Jose Espinosa III announced he would endorse to the Sangguniang Panlungsod a proposed ordinance, which will provide for education financial assistance to college students of the city.

Under the proposal, each scholar will receive PHP1,000 allowance per month for five months.

Once it is passed, the city government will start accepting applicants for school year ‎2018-2019. The target is to have 200 scholars for the school year, The local government also operates the Iloilo City Community College (ICCC) that offers low tuition fees to indigent students.

Some 400 students enrolled in the community college will be enjoying the benefits for college students, as provided under Republic Act 10931, also known as Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.

P9.7M aid for poor patients in 10 district hospitals

By Ime Sornito (PN)

ILOILO City – Ten district hospitals in Iloilo province received P9.7 million from the Department of Health.

The amount shall cover the indigent patients’ hospital bill balance exceeding their PhilHealth coverage, said Provincial Administrator Raul Banias.

Some poor patients are forced to acquire debts when their bills go beyond the case rate of PhilHealth, he said.

“Ang pasyente malipay kay wala na sila sang pangitaon nga pang-utangan ukon indi na sila makapanghulam pa,” Banias added.

The recipient hospitals and the corresponding amounts they received are as follows:

• Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital – P2,000,000

• Aleosan District Hospital – P500,000

• Ramon Tabiana District Hospital – P1,000,000

• Dr. Ricardo Y. Ladrido Memorial Hospital – P1,000,000

• Dr. Federico Roman Tirador Memorial District Hospital – P1,000,000

• Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital – P1,000,000

• Iloilo Provincial Hospital – P,1,000,000

• Jesus M. Colmenares District Hospital – P1,000,000

• Sara District Hospital – P700,000

• Barotac Viejo District Hospital – P500,000

The Ramon D. Duremdes District Hospital in Dumangas and the Don Valerio Palmares Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Passi City were not among the DOH recipients.

But capitol allotted P12 million for the same medical assistance for all 12 district hospitals, Banias disclosed. “One million [pesos] for each hospital.”

Banias said they are just awaiting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s approval of the supplemental budget that includes this amount. He said they hope the budget gets approved during the regular session this Tuesday.

Nine of 10 patients heading to district hospitals in Iloilo every day are poor, or indigent, the provincial government said.

DOH6 to supplement iron, folic acid to female learners

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

ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH)-6 is slated to provide weekly iron folate acid (WIFA) supplementation to female learners in Western Visayas beginning this July.

In a media release, DOH-6 said that the WIFA supplementation is a health strategy in schools to prevent iron deficiency anemia among female learners.

WIFA, a strategy which started in 2017, aims to help improve school performance and reduce absenteeism due to ill health.

The DOH said that the WIFA supplementation is provided among Grades 7 to 10 female students in all government schools.

The supplementation will be given in two rounds yearly – every July to September and January to March.

Each female student will get one tablet of 60 mg elemental iron and 400 mcg folic acid.

Meanwhile, DOH-6 has strengthened its partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the delivery of school-based health services here in Region 6.

5T seen to join 5th Iloilo bike festival

(Iloilo City PIO/Panay News)

ILOILO City – Over 5,000 participants are expected to join the activities of the 5th Iloilo Bike Festival organized by the city government in partnership with Megaworld Corp.

This year’s festival, which opened on May 1 and wraps up on May 6, positions the metropolis as a “BIKEcation destination.”

“Biking has become an Ilonggos hobby. We have a very bike-friendly environment. We already have bike lanes for our bikers to be safe and more comfortable. Let’s all help ourselves be fit and healthy to avoid sickness by joining this activity,” said Mayor Jose Espinosa III.

Festival director Architect Wilfredo Sy said the week-long event’s goal is to make Iloilo City a bike destination while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

“Our goal is to be identified as the most bike-friendly city. We’re confident to be nominated since we have more bike lanes, new university loop, and bicycle ordinances. We have a very strong cycling community here,” Sy said.

“We would like to invite everyone to join the bike festival. Let’s make a fun and enjoyable week of various events,” he added.

Activities lined up include the following:

• Bike Tiangge at Festive Walk (May 3-6)

• Transport Forum and BMX Exhibition at the Iloilo Business Park Showroom (yesterday)

• MTB XC Challenge and Art Bike at Festive Walk, Amazing Bicycle Race, VisiTOUR and Fellowship Night at Park Square (today)

• Family Fun Day and Fun Race, Pinta Siklista at Festive Walk/PARK Square, and Porma Siklista, the 16-km Grand Fun Ride, and awarding of winners at the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Art (May 6)

There was a Bike Clinic and Bike Show at The Box on May 1; a Photo Exhibit Opening at ILOILO Business Park Showroom and SineSiklista Logo Animation Contest on May 2; and Cycling heARTS Exhibit at Gallery Eye on May 3.

Integrated school-based health services launched in W. Visayas

By Perla Lena (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Three government agencies in Western Visayas have agreed to collaborate and integrate their efforts to carry out various school-based health services.

Dr. Renilyn R. Reyes, head of the Family Health and Nutrition Cluster of the Department of Health 6 (Western Visayas), said they are partnering with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the integrated school health services.

The integrated health services will cover school-based immunization, deworming, and iron and folic acid supplementation.

The collaboration was marked with a three-day regional command conference on school-based health services that kicked off at the Punta Villa Resort in Arevalo district here Wednesday.

Reyes said that usually, the DOH is community-based but schools have served as “catchment of targeted children for targeted health services.”

With the integration, it is easier to extend the services because the children are already in school, she said, adding that this is “one big strategy that we would like to collaborate with DepEd.”

The participation of the DILG, on the other hand, is essential in terms of advocacy and during the mapping to determine “defaulters,” Reyes added in an interview.

Also, health workers coming from local government units (LGUs) are the ones handling the immunization, unlike the deworming and the weekly iron folate acid (WIFA) supplementation that are being administered by teachers with the help of school nurses.

Dr. Marie Jocelyn Te, DOH-6 Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases Coordinator, was hopeful that the integrated services would improve their coverage.

Deworming, which targets Kinder up to Grade 12 students, is held twice a year. It seeks to address soil-transmitted helminthiasis, which when left untreated could result in anemia, malnutrition, weakness, and impaired physical and cognitive development.

“Because of this integration of services, we can easily capture the target children. We expect for improved and increased deworming results,” Te said.

The result of deworming administered to secondary students in Western Visayas this January showed a 69 percent coverage of the 605,101 enrolled in public high schools.

The school-based immunization, meanwhile, will cover Grades 1 to 7 pupils, with Grade 1 pupils receiving Measles Containing Vaccine and Tetanus Diphtheria (TD), and Grade 7 students receiving Measles Rubella and TD vaccines.

All female students aged nine to 13 years will receive the Human Papillomavirus vaccine.

Moreover, Grades 7 to 10 students in all public schools will receive WIFA supplementation for 24 weeks, to be done in two rounds -- the first in July to September and the second in January to March.

Reyes underscored that all school-based health services have been proven effective and safe.

70 hired on-the-spot during Labor Day job fair

By Cindy Ferrer (PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- A total of 70 applicants were hired on-the-spot during Tuesday’s Labor Day job fair conducted by the regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in this city.

Salome Siaton, Assistant Regional Director of DOLE 6 (Western Visayas), said those hired on-the-spot were all for local employment.

“We are happy for them because immediately, after the end of the day, they were hired,” she said.

Siaton said other applicants were required by potential employers to submit additional requirements and will be considered upon further verification of their records.

They will also undergo follow-up interviews with the top management, she said.

Siaton added that they are planning to determine which among the available local jobs have usually more hired on-the-spot applicants.

Held at the Marymart mall here, the one-day job fair offered nearly 16,500 job vacancies from 54 local and overseas placement companies.

DOLE-6 registered 1,068 job applicants, 1,304 of whom were qualified for the jobs.

Siaton said there were more qualified applicants than registered applicants since some have applied for two or more available jobs where they also qualified.

Gov’t agencies unite to strengthen school-based health services

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

ILOILO CITY, May 2 (PIA) -- Three government agencies converged their efforts to strengthen the delivery of school-based health services in the Western Visayas region.

The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office-6, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), kicked off a three-day Regional Command Conference on School-based Health Services on May 2, 2018 at Punta Villa Resort and Convention Center, this city.

The activity seeks to strengthen collaborative strategies of these three agencies in implementing school-based immunization; deworming; and iron and folic acid supplementation.

“As we converged our efforts together with our partners in DepEd and the local government units, we hope that we attain our goals and realize our commitment to ensure that every child in our schools is healthier than ever,” the DOH said in a media release.

Under the school-based immunization, all Grade 1 pupils in all public schools will be vaccinated with Measles Containing Vaccine (MCV) and Tetanus Diptheria (Td), while Grade 7 students will receive Measles Rubella (MR) and TD vaccines.

Female students in Grade 4, aged 9 to 13 years old, will also be vaccinated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. The immunization will be conducted in August.

Meanwhile, the national school deworming is a nationwide effort targeting children aged five to 18 years old (from Kindergarten to Grade 12) enrolled in public schools. This is a twice a year campaign held in July (for the first round) and January (for the second round).

Deworming aims to address soil transmitted helminthiasis (STH), considered as a public health problem that has a detrimental impact on children’s growth and development.

STH can cause anemia, malnutrition, weakness, and impaired physical and cognitive development resulting to poor growth and school performance in children.

WIFA, or the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation, aims to address vitamin/mineral deficiency among adolescents, specifically Grades 7-10 female learners. These adolescents will be given one tablet of iron and folic acid on a weekly basis from July to September (1st Round) and January to March (2nd Round).

In implementing these school-based health services, the DOH recognizes the need to intensify collaboration and integration of efforts with the DepEd and DILG to achieve better health outcomes.

DOLE gives P6-M for Iloilo, Guimaras projects

(PNA)

ILOILO CITY -- Some six livelihood projects from the towns of Iloilo and Guimaras received an assistance worth more than PHP6 million under the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Integrated Livelihood Program.

The checks were awarded during the opening program of the Labor Day celebration held at the Mary Mart Mall here on Tuesday.

“This is our way of uplifting the condition of the livelihood of our fellowmen,” DOLE 6 (Western Visayas) Director Johnson Cañete said.

In Iloilo, the recipients will engage in hog fattening, cattle fattening/raising, and bamboo craft while for Guimaras, the beneficiaries intend to engage in Negosyo sa Kariton (NegoKart).

The recipients were parents of child laborers, senior citizens, youth, marginalized farmers, unemployed and self-employed but with no sufficient income, and ambulant vendors.

Barangay Alabidhan of the town of Bingawan was awarded PHP2.52 million; while barangays Buayahon, Cadagmayan, and Lacadon of Sta. Barbara town received PHP1.07 million, PHP1.22 million, and PHP844,470, respectively. Barangay Igkadyos in Leon received PHP671, 698.

Recipients from Barangay Sto. Rosario in Buenavista, Guimaras received a total of PHP400,000.

Cañete said the program is proposal-based and that upon passing the evaluation stage, DOLE provides the funds for the projects.

He said other agencies can also come in to develop their products.

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