DSWD sets up grievance systems for Pantawid program
by: Maryknoll Lague

CEBU CITY, Jan 5 (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has set up the grievance redress system (GRS) nationwide to attend and respond to complaints and grievances on non-compliant, undeserving and unqualified beneficiaries including personnel who take advantage of the Pantawid program for personal gains and benefits.

According to DSWD-7 Pantawid program coordinator Aileen Lariba after the nationwide simultaneous training on the Grievances Redress System (GRS) the office has now received 1,741 grievances complaints for Central Visayas. 

Lariba said that in the latter part of 2011, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program faced many implementation challenges considering the continuous expansion of the coverage of the program. 

"Some of these are complaints on undeserving beneficiaries or Pantawid cards being sold to loan sharks and personnel that are taking advantage of their positions," Lariba added.

In response to this, DSWD implements the GRS to establish a systematic, professional, rules-based procedures for handling grievances and appeals that are essential to minimize and manage risks to ensure that the program achieves its goals and meets the need of the poor.

Lariba bared that as of this time, some 814 Pantawid Pamilya households have already been delisted from the program in Central Visayas. 

This figure includes those households that have been delisted under the GRS such as those who have voluntarily waived from the program, while the rest of the figures are still under thorough investigation, Lariba said.

To ensure efficient and transparent procedures of termination, Lariba revealed that it is the Pantawid Pamilya’s National Advisory Committee that provides a resolution recommending sanctions for some identified cases, and is duly approved by secretary “Dinky” Soliman for immediate implementation.

The following grievances cases that were identified in the resolution included misbehavior of beneficiaries; giving out false information such as assuming the identity of a potential beneficiary during registration and validation process; conduct Unbecoming of LGU officials; conduct unbecoming of partner agencies and conduct unbecoming of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilya Workers.(mbcn/ml/PIA-7)

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Sinulog Festival boosts Cebu’s local tourism sector

By Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, January 5 (PIA) -- A big boost to the local tourism industry, the yearly Sinulog Festival has hiked up accommodation rates from 20 to 50 percent. And yet, despite the increased rates, hotels and even small pension houses are 90 percent full as of today with slightly over a week to go before the Sinulog Mardi Gras on January 15.

Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc. (SFI) claimed that they now have a hard time accommodating friends and relatives that want to come to Cebu to witness the grand parade next Sunday.

“The Sinulog event is always a lucrative time for the hotel sector and even pension houses in Cebu City because this is the time when their occupancy rates are at its highest,” Ballesteros said.

“Hotels hike their room rates at an average of 20 to 50 percent. Last year, some hotels even tripled their room rates to 300 percent,” Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros said that with the influx of tourists to Cebu during the Sinulog event, not only the accommodation sector is benefited. “Restaurants, malls, other small traders and even the transportation sector as well can gain from the large number of tourists that flock to Cebu every Sinulog event,” according to the SFI executive director. 

Even the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 7 has taken advantage of the occasion to hold the Sinulog Fiesta ‘OTOP Fair 2012’ at the SM City Cebu. The OTOP Fair will run from January 11 until 22 and features the best of Cebu products, food and non-food items alike.

OTOP which stands for One Town, One Product is a priority program of the government to promote a specific product or service distinct of every city or municipality with the end-goal of promoting entrepreneurship and create jobs at the same time. (PIA-Cebu)

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P-Noy invited to grace Cebu’s Sinulog Festival

By Fayette C. Riñen

CEBU CITY, January 5 (PIA) – President Benigno ‘Simeon’ Aquino III has been invited by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to again witness the Sinulog Mardi Gras set next Sunday, January 15 at the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Rama said an invitation has been sent to Vice President Jejomar Binay as well.

“But of course, that depends on their schedule. They are always invited to witness how we give honor to the Holy Child Jesus --- Señor Santo Niño --- through the dance performances of the different contingents participating in the grand parade,” Rama said during the regular Kapihan sa PIA that tackled the groundwork preparations of the Sinulog Festival 2012.

Cebu’s Sinulog Festival, dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the country, is a tourist crowd-drawer where an upsurge of tourists, both foreign and domestic alike including the balikbayans come to Cebu to participate in the celebration.

A much-awaited event in Cebu every year, the Sinulog is not only a tourism event but “we must also bear in mind that it is a religious celebration as well that also speaks of our spiritual faith to Santo Niño and our cultural history as well,” Rama said

The Sinulog 2012 will kick off tomorrow starting with a solemn mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño at 2:00 p.m. followed by a parade from the church down to the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC), Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc. (SFI) said in the same forum.

Starting tomorrow until January 15, the SFI has organized 10 days of street parties where live bands will be performing at the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda, trade activities, cultural shows and beauty pageant among others.

For the religious activities, the opening salvo was done at 4:30 a.m. with the ‘Walk with Jesus’ solemn procession from Fuente Osmeña to the Basilica del Sto. Niño. Other religious events are the fluvial procession early morning of January 14 and in the afternoon will be the solemn procession.  

From January 13 -15, the Cebu City Government has organized the Devotees City to provide shelter to out-of-town poor devotees of  the Holy Child Jesus who cannot afford to stay in hotels and pension houses. The number of pilgrims is also increasing every year where from 2009, 1,990 devotees were accommodated which grew to 2,100 last year as more container vans are needed to accommodate a larger number this year, this is learned.

In case Pres. Aquino will confirm his attendance, this will be his second visit to witness the highlight of the Sinulog Festival which is the grand parade.

Pres. Aquino was in Cebu last year for the Sinulog event. He was the only President given the honor to deliver a speech before thousands of crowd at the CCSC. The Sinulog Festival has been in existence for 32 years. (PIA-Cebu)