Pilar town on alert, prepares for typhoon “Ramon”
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 11 (PIA) -- All the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils (BDRRMC) are on alert and the town’s search and rescue teams on standby in the Municipality of Pilar in Camotes Island, north of Cebu as the entire island is placed under storm signal number one.
Pilar Mayor Jesus Fernandez Jr. said he has instructed the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council to be vigilant and to warn the residents especially those living near coastal areas to be prepared as the PAGASA warned of intensified rains in the coming hours.
“Though rains are still minimal at this point packed with only slight winds, but we have to be prepared at all times,” Fernandez said during a radio interview at 8:00 a.m. this morning.
The Camotes Island composed of three municipalities namely Pilar, Poro and San Francisco and the province of Bohol in Central Visayas have been placed under storm signal number one.
Fernandez said classes in the elementary level have already been suspended.
The Philippine Coast Guard –Visayas has also suspended sea travels to Camotes Island.
In northern San Remigio town, trifling rains with no threatening winds are observed as of 9:30 a.m. today, according to Venicio Dajuya, the municipal public information officer.
Dajuya said the local government unit of San Remigio is also doing close monitoring as it was reported that northern Cebu would be affected by Typhoon “Ramon.”
Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) here chaired by the Office of Civil Defense-7 has issued an advisory to all RDRRMC members to conduct preparedness measures amid the coming typhoon.
Among the recommended measures are the conduct of pre-emptive evacuations and aim for zero casualty, identification of evacuation centers for longer utilization and coordination of relief efforts by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, conduct of information drive to emphasize responsibility and consequence of action, consolidate and activation of SAR assets and equipment, activation of respective operations center and contact persons, undertake clearing operations to ensure transport accessibility and constant monitoring of weather bulletins.
PAGASA-Mactan stated that unless it changes its course, Typhoon “Ramon” is expected to linger 90 kms. north of Cebu City by tomorrow morning as officials of the cities of Cebu and Mandaue are currently preparing for massive flooding.
Residents in landslide and flood-prone areas have been advised to be vigilant and to seek safe shelter when heavy downpour occurs. (PIA-Cebu)
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Cebu province intensifies Philhealth insurance program for indigents
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY October 11 (PIA) -- Over 200 poor families from various municipalities of Cebu province recently registered for Philhealth insurance offered by the Cebu Provincial Government.
Cebu Integrated Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cristina Giango said that most of the families that availed of the Philhealth insurance belong to the lower level of society or those categorized as indigent people that cannot afford to be confined in the hospital.
Giango added that this initiative is part of the strengthened effort of the provincial government to assure that poor families of Cebu will have access to medical treatment in hospitals in case they get sick and needs immediate medical care.
She also pointed out that the said program of the province will be augmented because this is a priority of the current administration under the umbrella of the national poverty alleviation program dubbed “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of President Benigno Aquino III. (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
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1st Indigenous Peoples cultural summit in the country on Oct 13
by: Minerva BC Newman
CENTRAL VISAYAS, Oct 11 (PIA) -- The 1st Indigenous Peoples (IP) national cultural summit will happen on October 13, 2011 at the National Museum with the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities spearheading the pioneering event of the year in the country.
The Summit is the culmination of the three regional Indigenous Peoples regional assemblies in Baguio City, Tagum City and Iloilo City in the past weeks of September that brought to discussion various concerns and issues of the indigenous cultural communities in the three major regions of the country.
According to Senator Loren Legarda, chair of the senate committee on cultural communities tthat he Summit will present the results of the regional assemblies and the inter-agency flagship projects for IPs.
There will also be a plenary discussion on IP concerns to ensure that all the main issues of ICCs are covered.
The Summit will also showcase the indigenous artistry of various IP groups through cultural presentations and an IP exhibit.
“Cultural identity is the core and indispensable source of socio-economic empowerment,” Legarda pointed out.
Legarda said to effectively engage IPs in discourse with policy-makers and development partners, the Summit highlights the need to support the IPs in their efforts to have full mastery and confidence of their cultural identity.
Finally, the Summit aims to reinforce the voices of IPs as they articulate their struggles, through firm and fervent multi-stakeholder support for cultural survival, Legarda added.
The 1st Indigenous Peoples Cultural Summit is organized by Senator Loren Legarda, the chair of the committee in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Department of Tourism, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the International Labor Organization, and the German Technical Cooperation, among various partners.
Prior to this national summit, there were regional assemblies that brought to the open the unmet needs of the various IPs as well as finding possible resolutions on these concerns.
The assemblies also showcased the unique talents, skills and cultural diversity of the country's indigenous cultural communities (ICCs).
“Through these regional assemblies and summit, we realized that the indigenous peoples' rights to ancestral lands and domains, self-determination and governance and social justice and human rights must be further advanced, Legarda concluded. (PIA-7/mbcn & Office of Senator Legarda)
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Juvenile Justice Act needs to be amended, PNP-7 says
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Oct. 10 (PIA) – As more crimes today are being committed by minors while the law protects juvenile offenders from being jailed, top police officials here admitted that some provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act of 2006 should be amended.
Cebu Provincial Police Director S/Supt. Patrocinio Commendador said police blotters would attest that petty crimes like snatching and theft are often committed by children on the streets but the problem is they cannot be imprisoned because RA 9344 or the Juvenile Justice Act (JJA) exempts children below 15 years of age from criminal liability.
The law likewise exempts children above 15 years old but below 18 years from criminal liability unless proven that he or she has acted with discernment, this is said.
Commendador said certain provisions of the law need to be carefully studied of which the critical factor is the age limit.
“On our part, we do our job in law enforcement and apprehend the criminal. But in this case, when the criminal concern is a minor, we are duty bound to release him or her because the law exempts these juvenile offenders from criminal liability,” according to Commendador.
Commendador who used to be the chief of the Cebu City Police Office disclosed that in 2007, 62 percent of the crimes in Cebu City were committed by minors.
Although the CPPO director said the law is good but certain provisions just have to be amended if we are to maintain and improve peace and order.
S/Supt. Rey Lawas, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office (PRO) -7 likewise agreed again citing the age limit as well as the mandate of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to rehabilitate erring juveniles.
“Under the law, the juvenile offenders are turned over to the DSWD for rehabilitation in a halfway house. But the agency has no money to operate a halfway house while the law also specified that local government units should establish their own halfway house to rehabilitate juvenile delinquents. Again, this is not done because of lack of budget on the side of the local government units which now presents a problem to the police who does the enforcement,” Lawas stressed.
Lawas said the law needs to be amended to include the provisions for budget as well.
Both Commendador and Lawas said they are in favor on the move of Cebu legislator Congressman Pablo John Garcia of the 2nd District to seek amendments to the law.
Garcia who filed a bill in Congress seeking to amend the JJA expressed confidence that it will be passed before yearend. In his bill, the lawmaker proposed that minors who commit the crime even at the age of 12 can be arrested and be put to prison as well as be charged in court while those above 15 years old but below 18 years of age are considered youthful offenders and can be charged in court. If convicted, their sentence is suspended and they will be referred to DSWD for intervention programs, this is reported.
The offender will be released once he or she reaches the age of 21 upon recommendation of the DSWD. In case another crime is committed by the same erring juvenile, their sentence will be enforced, this is learned. (PIA-Cebu)