Ombudsman launches anti-corruption book
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU, June 20 (PIA) --- The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas will launch an anti-corruption book entitled “Kakistocracy: Rule of the Unprincipled, Unethical, and Unqualified” on June 21 at the Cebu Grand Covention Center , Banilad, Cebu City .
Dr. Ronnie Amorado who is currently the national coordinator of the Ehem Anti-Corruption Group of the Philippines wrote the book.
The book tackles corruption in the PHL government and its initiatives to restore public trust.
This activity is in line with the campaign against corruption as one of the major thrusts of the Aquino administration.
Dr. Amorado is a member of the Society of Jesus that advocates a process of self-check and cultural reforms in the fight against corruption in the Philippines.
“Kakistocracy” is the product of Dr. Amorado’s research on leadership, citizenship and corruption in the United States as a Hubert H. Humphrey’s Fellow in 2009-2010.
This is also a sequel to his first book entitled “Fixing Society” that came out in 2007.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsors the book launching with the Visayas Executives Council of Leaders (VECL), Visayas Resident Ombudsmen Council of Leaders (VROCL), Visayas Federation of Corruption Prevention units (VFCPU) as co-sponsors.
EHEM, AHEM! Anti-Corruption Network and other anti-corruption partners of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas also supported the activity. (PIA-7/mbcn/hfg)
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Three students from Cebu complete the 35 ‘Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar’ nationwide
By: Minerva BC Newman
CEBU, June 20 (PIA) --- Three (3) young students from the secondary and tertiary level schools in Cebu joined the 32 others that completed the 35 youths nationwide that took their oath as ‘Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar’ on June 17 at the CCP Complex in Pasay City.
The three youths from Cebu are Miko Cabatingan representing Abellana National High School; Serge Lorenz Villasica from Mandaue City Science High School and Ezekiel Majan of the Cebu City National Science High.
Based on a nationwide search initiated by the Philippine Center for Gifted Education (PCGE) this year, 35 children and youth were chosen as “Exemplar” who are willing to commit their lives to the ideals and principles of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal in line with the celebration of his 150th birthday on June 19, 201.
They will also commit their lives to emulate Rizal, the national hero, and help elevate Filipino consciousness for a life of integrity, dignity, truth, honesty and love of country and be eager to motivate other Filipinos to do the same.
Miko, Serge and Zeke were overwhelmed and could not believe when they were informed that they were included as part of the 35 Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar to represent Central Visayas .
They attended a 2-day leadership training and workshop in Manila and they were treated to a grand show and performances during the June 17 awarding at the CCP.
According to Zeke and Serge, “everything was worth it.” The speakers during the leadership training blew their minds off. The sessions included various topics such as knowing yourself, goal setting, valuing leader, the value of nationalism and patriotism, all about Jose P. Rizal and planning.
Upon return to their respective places, they are expected to propose a project that can be implemented in the region and how to help the country, specifically the youths.
Miko, Serge and Zeke proposed a program called (YES program) or “Youth for the Empowerment of Students. Serge said that they will conduct tutorials to 60 elementary pupils in all subjects from grades 1-6. Each of them will select a school; choose 10 pupils with very low grades from grades 1-6.
According to Serge, each one of the ‘Exemplars’ will also recruit 11 more high school student volunteers that will help in the tutorials that will be conducted every Saturday at the school gym or in a classroom for the entire year.
Serge and Zeke also revealed that they will also closely monitor every grading period the grades and progress of the students they tutored whether they and their grades have improved.
As Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar, each received a trophy, a framed copy of their Oath as Rizal youth exemplar and a laptop.
The three youth exemplar will be the guests at the full council meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) this Friday, June 24 and they will be awarded as the region’s Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplars that embody the ideals of the Filipino National Hero.
This project was also supported by the National Historical Commission, the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Tanghalang Pilipino as well as the various regional development councils in the country. (PIA-7)
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Three students from Cebu complete the 35 ‘Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar’ nationwide
By: Minerva BC Newman
CEBU, June 20 (PIA) --- Three (3) young students from the secondary and tertiary level schools in Cebu joined the 32 others that completed the 35 youths nationwide that took their oath as ‘Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar’ on June 17 at the CCP Complex in Pasay City.
The three youths from Cebu are Miko Cabatingan representing Abellana National High School; Serge Lorenz Villasica from Mandaue City Science High School and Ezekiel Majan of the Cebu City National Science High.
Based on a nationwide search initiated by the Philippine Center for Gifted Education (PCGE) this year, 35 children and youth were chosen as “Exemplar” who are willing to commit their lives to the ideals and principles of the country’s national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal in line with the celebration of his 150th birthday on June 19, 2011.
They will also commit their lives to emulate Rizal, the national hero, and help elevate Filipino consciousness for a life of integrity, dignity, truth, honesty and love of country and be eager to motivate other Filipinos to do the same.
Miko, Serge and Zeke were overwhelmed and could not believe when they were informed that they were included as part of the 35 Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar to represent Central Visayas .
They attended a 2-day leadership training and workshop in Manila and they were treated to a grand show and performances during the June 17 awarding at the CCP.
According to Zeke and Serge, “everything was worth it.” The speakers during the leadership training blew their minds the sessions included various topics such as knowing yourself, goal setting, valuing leader, the value of nationalism and patriotism, all about Jose P. Rizal and planning.
Upon return to their respective places, they are expected to propose a project that can be implemented in the region and how to help the country, specifically the youths.
Miko, Serge and Zeke proposed a program called (YES program) or “Youth for the Empowerment of Students. Serge said that they will conduct tutorials to 60 elementary pupils in all subjects from grades 1-6. Each of them will select a school; choose 10 pupils with very low grades from grades 1-6.
According to Serge, each one of the ‘Exemplars’ will also recruit 11 more high school student volunteers that will help in the tutorials that will be conducted every Saturday at the school gym or in a classroom for the entire year.
Serge and Zeke also revealed that they will also closely monitor every grading period the grades and progress of the students they tutored whether they and their grades have improved.
As Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplar, each received a trophy, a framed copy of their Oath as Rizal youth exemplar and a laptop.
The three youth exemplar will be the guests at the full meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) this Friday, June 24 and they will be awarded as the region’s Jose P. Rizal Youth Exemplars that embody the ideals of the Filipino National Hero.
This project was also supported by the National Historical Commission, the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Tanghalang Pilipino as well as the various regional development councils. (PIA-7)
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Pag-IBIG calls on all employers to register, update info using the online registration system
by: Hazel F. Gloria
by: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 19 (PIA) ---Pag-IBIG calls on all employers to register and update their information using the online employer registration system of the Fund that can be accessed atwww.pagibigfund.gov.ph.
Effective July 1, all transactions with PAG-IBIG Fund will be based on the Members Identification (MID) or Registration Tracking Number (RTN).
Employers must also ensure that their employees are registered with the Fund. Those who do not have MID or RTN must register online.
Members without MID or RTN due to non-registration may experience difficulty or delay in the posting of their contributions.
Upon the implementation of this new policy, the employers must indicate the MID or RTN of each of their employees in the Membership Contribution Remittance Form (MCRF) and on the statement of deduction of loan amortization remittances.
For more details, please call 415-5002 or visit our office located at the Pag-IBIG Fund-WT Corporate Tower, Mindanao Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City or Dumaguete Extension Office, Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross Bldg., Legaspi St., Dumaguete City with tel. no. (035) 225-7713.(PIA-7 & Pag-IBIG Fund Cebu)
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Cebu prov’l government to join “Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines ”
By: Minerva BC Newman
CEBU, June 19 (PIA) --- Through a signed memorandum circular 2011-16, Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia mandated all the Cebu provincial employees to take part in the “Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines” that involves a run segment of 1K, 5K and 8K to choose from and the subsequent planting of native tree species in a five-hectare forestland on June 25 at Barangay Jaclutan, Talisay City.
“Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines ”, aims to expand the forest cover of the country and is being initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) in collaboration with the Cebu Provincial Government, local government units, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and various government institutions and corporate groups.
Upon the governor’s instruction, the Cebu Provincial Engineering Office coordinated with RAFI in transporting 12,500 native tree seedlings from the RAFI Native Tree Nursery in Busay, Cebu City to Jaclupan, Talisay City and preparing the planting sites.
The event targets to plant 100,000 native tree species. The “Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines ” in Talisay City is the central event with the other towns and cities simultaneously holding a similar event in their localities hence making it a province-wide event.
Garcia earlier issued an Executive Order on March 21 that institutionalizes the Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines in Cebu and directing all local government units to take part in the implementation.
The event is specifically designed this way to promote the health of the people by running and health of the environment by planting native tree species that will become vibrant forests in the next few years.
RAFI’s GREENIN Philippines Program, which stands for Generation REdemption andExpansion of Natural resources INitiatives in the Philippines .
It seeks to develop, protect, enhance and co-manage denuded forestlands, brush lands and degraded residual natural forests by planting native tree species.
Earlier, RAFI expressed support and committed its GREENIN Philippines Program to complement DENR’s National Greening Program developed to reforest 2,900 hectares of denuded forestland.
For more information about Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines , or to register, please contact 418-7234 loc. 519 and look for Myryl Mendoza or Donna Arago. Or visitwww.rafi.org.ph for more details for online registration and for more details. (PIA-7& RAFI)
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LGUs urged to intensify act vs poaching
By: Maryknoll Lague
CEBU CITY, June 17 (PIA) ---- In line with the current alarm over several occurrences of marine life exploitation in the country, Local government units (LGUs) nationwide were asked to exercise strong political will in effectively dealing with anti-illegal fishing in their provinces.
This call was made by Senator Loren Legarda, head of the Senate Committee on Climate Change as she expressed the need of the urgent action in protecting the country’s marine resources.
"We have to bear in mind that this 15-kilometer stretch often holds the most precious marine ecosystems that sustain our oceans, rivers and seas. This is where we find our mangroves, our fingerlings, and our corals. This area reaches our whale sharks which graze to feed on plankton, our dolphins that play and feed in the middle of straits and where our turtles feed on the seagrass," she explained.
Same call was made by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 Regional Director Andres Bojos during a recent media forum where he stressed the need to heighten the operations to stop illegal harvests of endangered coral species and urged the public to report to them if they observe such violations.
Known for its rich marine life, many ornamental fish in the waters of Central Visayas - composed of the island-provinces of Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor and Negros Oriental on Negros Island - were being driven away by the degradation of their habitat.
Bojos has also called for public vigilance especially in coastal areas where such illegal practices are expected to take place.
As remembered, in Cebu City alone three confiscations of sea corals have been recorded.
Last March, thousands of dried corals and clam shells were also seized by authorities in Brgy. Punta.
In part of the heightened campaign against poaching, the city government and provincial government of Cebu widened the coverage of the Anti-illegal fishing task force around the coastal areas of the Cebu Province.(PIA-7/mbcn/ML)