BFAR-7 hands over 20 patrol boats to LGUs in C. Visayas

By Eli C. Dalumpines

CEBU CITY , June 2 (PIA) – The campaign against illegal fishing in Central Visayas received another boost following the formal turn over of 20 patrol boats to the different local government units (LGUs) in the region.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 7 Director Andres Bojos, in an interview, said LGUs that are recipient of the project have now the capability to run after illegal fishers in their respective areas.

Bojos expressed optimism that with this additional equipment, the enforcement of fishery laws throughout the region will be intensified.

The project is jointly funded by BFAR and the United States Department of Agriculture under Public Law 480 project.

Each unit, which costs P1.97 million, is equipped with a radio communication set and a global positioning satellite and is powered by a 135-horsepower outboard engine that can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots.

BFAR-7 Assistant Regional Director Allan Poquita, meanwhile, informed that the 20 patrol boats are part of 43 units purchased by the government under the Public Law 480 project to assist LGUs in their efforts to fight illegal fishing.

“It so happened that we were the one who initiated the proposal that’s why we got almost half of the 43 units,” he explained.

Of this total number, Poquita said, seven were given to ebu, seven to Bohol , five to Negros Oriental and one toSiquijor.

LGUs in Cebu who are recipient of the said project are the cities of Bogo and Lapu-Lapu, the municipalities of Liloan, Carmen, Badian, Alegria and the Province  of Cebu , according to Poquita.

He, however, said their office can recall any of these units if the recipient LGUs fail to deliver in their task of enforcing the fishery laws to protect their marine resources as stipulated in the memorandum of agreement (MOA) which they signed.

Poquita expressed confidence though that these equipment will greatly help in protecting the remaining marine resources in the region.(FCR/ECD/PIA 7-Cebu)

==========
Social mobilization, volunteerism needed to green CV with 2.816M seedlings

  

CEBU CITY, June 02 (PIA) --- Social mobilization and volunteerism through public-private partnership with various environmental stakeholders is a crucial strategy to green Central Visayas and the Philippines.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) strongly promotes the strength of social mobilization and volunteerism in order to hit the goal of planting 2.816 million seedlings in Central Visayas this year.

DENR-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso urges the business sector and non-government organizations to extend support and assistance to the regional implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP).

The objectives of NGP are; stability and productivity of watersheds; Improved farm level productivity and stability; Improved household incomes and general well-being of the people, and Increased production of food crops, timber and non-timber forest products.

Central Visayas’ target to plant 2.816 million seedlings of agroforestry, native and indigenous species will cover 5,632 hectares for the region.

Cebu province has the biggest target of 1,954 hectares for greening while Negros Oriental will plant trees in 1,864 hectares of land.  Bohol   has1,563 hectares and 251 hectares for Siquijor for greening.

“The DENR-7 would like to solicit the help and support of our business sectors so that we can ensure that those planted areas will be taken care of and that proper maintenance activities will be provided for with the resources available from them,” Dichoso explained. (PIA-7/mbcn/HFG and DENR-7)

========== 

AFP hopes for future collaboration with govt agencies 

By: Chrisley Ann C. Hinayas

CEBU CITY, June 01 (PIA) --- In order to expand its help to the people and to the state especially on the issue of peace and security, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) hopes for a better collaboration among government agencies in Cebu.

CentCom Information Officer Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus disclosed that the AFP needs the support of these agencies in order to widen its scope of
public service to its constituents.

"It is hard to involve these agencies on our campaign on peace and security because they too have their own mission." Tampus revealed.

According to him, the AFP will not endorse plans anymore but will subscribe to the plans of the government agencies and support it for further development of the people.

Tampus stressed that it would be a fruitful partnership if these participating agencies are able to facilitate their visits  to improve strong
relationships with them.

In addition, he said that peace and security will be fully achieved through the concerted and united efforts of all the stakeholders.

This is a way for the AFP to further expand its mandate as the protector of the people and state not just on peace and security matters but also to help
people improve their lives.

On the other hand, the AFP started implementing New AFP Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) in January this year.

This is based on the guidelines of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to make the AFP the real protector of the people and the state.

Tampus said that threats capabilities are reduced to significant level.  He noted that from the mid 1980's, there were 27,000 armed struggle and of the present time, it reduced to 4,500. (PIA-7/mbcn/CACH)

==========

June is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

CEBU, June 02 (PIA) --- Incidence and mortality rate of prostate cancer among male aged 50 and above years old are high.  June is prostate cancer awareness month.

This is according to the data from the Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) as it urged the public to engage in early detection and prevention measures to fight prostate cancer.

The date showed that within 1998 to 2007, about 615 cases of prostate cancer were reported and 180 were recorded to have died of the disease.

Ronald delos Reyes, program coordinator of EJACC said prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in men and the third leading case of cancer in males in the Philippines.

Prostate cancer develops when the cells of the prostate—which is found in the pelvis, under the urinary bladder and in front of the rectum, surrounding part of the urethra—mutate into cancer cells, delos Reyes explained.

These cells may spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes and the bones.

Prostate cancer may cause pain, difficulty in urinating, problems during sexual intercourse, or erectile dysfunction.

Although the exact causes of prostate cancer remain unknown, the risk factors have been listed as age and family history, delos Reyes added.

Evidence from some studies shows that Vitamin B6, selenium, Vitamin E, soy foods, and lycopene can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, according to delos Reyes.         

Many factors, including genetics and diet, have been implicated in the development of prostate cancer. Older men are also at higher risk of contracting the disease. Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms.

Because of the prostate’s location, symptoms of prostate cancer often include difficulty in urination and erectile dysfunction.

Prostate cancer, a slow-growing and symptom-free kind of cancer in most cases, tends to develop in men over the age of fifty.

Although it is one of the most prevalent types of cancers among men, many never have symptoms, undergo no therapy, and eventually die of other causes.

The EJACC program coordinator pointed out that prostate cancer is preventable through screening methods, such as physical examinations and digital rectal examination, as well as some prevention measures, such as regular exercise and maintenance of a well-balanced diet.

As with many cancers, prostate cancer may be more easily cured with early detection. Screening methods for prostate cancer include prostate-specific antigen, digital rectal exam, and biopsy, among others.

Further tests, such as CT scans and bone scans, may be performed to determine whether prostate cancer has spread. Treatment options are primarily surgery, radiation therapy, stereotatic radiosurgery and proton therapy. (PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman and RAFI/Nancy R. Cudis)

========

DSWD-7 releases P139T interest-free loan

to Pantawid Pamilya recipients in Sudlon 1, Cebu City

by Juju S. Manubag

CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) - The Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD)-7 yesterday released the financial aid for self employment to eligible household-beneficiaries of Sitio Sudlon I, Cebu City who are also recipients of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Under the Self Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K) Project, Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who have been categorized as the poorest of the poor families are the priority recipients who can avail of the SEA-K Project of the DSWD-7.

The financial assistance in the form of check worth P139,000  was released to Dionesia Burdas, president of the Sudlon 4Ps SEA-K Association that will benefit twenty (20) members.

Cebu City alone has 4,459 registered beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya Program that are prioritized to avail of the SEA-K while the program is being implemented in 23 out of the 80 barangays in Cebu City.

SEA-K is a non-interest cash loan payable in one year where recipients of the project can avail a minimum amount of P5,000 and a maximum amount of P10,000 each depending on the livelihood project study submitted, according to DSWD-7 Regional Director Evelyn Macapobre.

The SEA-K loan is a non-interest cash loan payable in one year’s time through weekly installments.

According to Burdas, one has to pay P170 weekly for a P5,000 loan and P340 a week for the P10,000 loan good for 12 months.

They will start paying the weekly installment payment of the SEA-K loan this Friday, Bordas added. 

The recipients of the P139T SEA-K loan who have availed of the maximum loan amount of P10,000 are Mary Jane Cabiles, Pacita Ladrazo, Saturnina Anobling, Algonsa Ibonalo, Lucia Mahusay, Lorena Lapuz, Buenaventura Bitor and Dionisia Burdas.

Others who each received the P7,000 loan amount are Jesus Sadio, Jennifer Bolo and Janet Bitor.

Only Nida Bacarisas received the amount of P6,000 and the recipients of the P5,000 loan are Rosita Apostol, Florencia Cabiles, Nenita Pasacan and Annajel Cabaluna.

The rest of the beneficiaries that received the P3,000 loan are Norma Cabiles, Evangeline Auia-ot and Neza Cabusas.

The livelihood projects that will be undertaken by the members and officers of the Sudlon 4Ps SEA-K Association for the SEA-K loan are mostly for vegetable vending and vegetable farming.

 Macapobre said the SEA-K program is a sister project of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program that has a unique feature of directly providing cash to the beneficiaries on conditions that they bring their children to school and to the health centers regularly for five years.

Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries received P6,000/year or P500/month per household for health and nutritional expenses, and P3,000 for one school year (10 months) or P300/monthly per child for educational expenses where a maximum of three schoolchildren under 14 years of age per household can avail.

  

SEA-Kaunlaran provides micro-credit to groups that form into an association. The program provides the association with basic business management training and interest-free, non-collateral capitalseed fund for income-generating projects of poor families.

It establishes a self-managed and sustainable community-based micro-credit organization for entrepreneurial development.

The components of the program are social preparation, capital assistance, savings mobilization and access to other services of DSWD.

“Kinahanglan adunay kahanas sa pagnegosyo, depended sa kaandam nga mosulod sa negosyo ug kulang sa puhunan ang mahimong makahulam sa SEA-K” Macapobre said.

Also present during the ceremonial giving of the SEA-K cash assistance are regional partner agencies of the Pantawid Pamilya Program like the Department of Health (DOH), DepEd, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Nutrition Council (NNC), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Population Commission (POPCOM). (FCR/JSM/PIA 7 –Cebu

==========

Jeepney drivers in Cebu to receive Pantawid Pasada Cards starting Friday By Fayette C. Riñen CEBU CITY, June 01 (PIA) - On Friday, Jeepney drivers in Cebu will start receiving their Pantawid Pasada Cards pre-loaded with P1,050 amount for fuel purchase assistance as the Department of Energy (DOE)  will formally turn-over the 11, 978 cards to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) here. Energy Usec. Jay Layug will lead the formal turn-over of Pantawid Pasada Cards on Friday morning at the SM City old terminal to LTO-7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos and LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon to be witnessed by members of two big jeepney drivers’ organizations --- Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (CITRASCO) and the Visayas United Drivers and Transport Cooperative VUDTRASCO. DOE-7 Regional Director Antonio Labios said around 100 people will be invited to witness the turn-over ceremony composed of drivers, partner agencies, media and other stakeholders. Out of the almost 12,000 cards, allotted for Cebu are 6,000 to 7,000 cards for jeepney drivers and the rest distributed to Negros Oriental and Bohol in Central Visayas, this was bared. Earlier last month, it was disclosed that the region will get slightly over 9,000 Pantawid Pasada Cards based on the LTFRB-7 list of legitimate franchise owners and registered public utility jeepneys in the region. Today however, the number of driver-recipients rose to almost 12,000 as the LTFRB-7 admitted that it is possible that the current number may still grow as long as the transport operators meet the criteria which basically are two requirements ---- legitimate franchise and the vehicle duly registered with LTFRB. Labios however, said that the cards can only be used five days after and only in gas stations with Point of Sale machines for card swiping. “We urge gas stations to please also check that the plate number of the vehicle written on the card matches with the plate number of the jeepney vehicle,” Labios said. Aguilos also warned operators that they face possible sanction in case they do not give the card to the intended beneficiary --- the jeepney driver. “WE will come up with a memorandum mandating operators to give the card to their driver or else face possible sanction,” Aguilos warned. The event on Friday is just the kick-off distribution of the Pantawid Pasada Cards but that the massive distribution will begin on Monday until Friday next week from 8:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the SM City Old Terminal, Aguilos further said. Cebu kicks off the first distribution of the Pantawid Pasada Cards in the Visayas Region. (PIA 7-Cebu)