DOT 7 to send boatmen to Sorsogon for immersion on butanding care
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 14 (PIA) -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) 7 will be sending a number of selected boatmen from Oslob town in Cebu to Donsol, Sorsogon for an immersion program on steps in the proper care of butanding (whale sharks), a major attraction that has catapulted Oslob as a tourism spot.
Renelyn Villegas, DOT 7 Planning and Statistics Staff said the Oslon boatmen will immerse with the other fishermen in Sorsogon and be made aware on how to treat butanding properly.
The five-day immersion activity in Sorsogon that is expected to take place this Friday, May 18 is being sponsored by the Cebu Provincial Government.
Sorsogon has been chosen as the site of the immersion activity because it is widely known as a favorite spot for Whale Shark or Butanding watching in the Philippines.
Training Oslob boatmen on the proper treatment of butanding hopes to prevent another case of inappropriate behavior after a town resident drew flak after uploading a picture of her riding atop the butanding in the Facebook.(FCR/Nikki Martee B. Apao/ CNU Communication Intern/PIA 7 Cebu)
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Urban poor families in Cebu receive GK socialized condo units
By Fayette C. Ri�
CEBU CITY, May 14 (PIA) -- Some urban poor families of Barangay Lorega San Miguel in Cebu City were given keys to their new Gawad Kalinga (GK) socialized housing condo units late last week.
Initially, 40 poor families would benefit from the GK new three-storey socialized housing condo units dubbed Condoville 1, which consists of 60 condo units, of which 20 units are still being readied for occupancy.
Usec. Jose Mari Oquinena of the Presidential Communications Operations Office attended the turnover ceremony last May 11, who witnessed 18 identified beneficiaries personally receiving the keys to their new condo units.
“Pasalamat ko’g daku sa among bag-ong balay. Wa koy kabutangan sa akong kalipay karong adlawa. (I am really thankful for our new house. I can’t expain how I happy I am right now),” beneficiary Vicky Pantio said upon receiving the key to her new home.
Together with the 17 other beneficiaries, she thanked the GK partners, officers and Cebu City and barangay officials for their support to the GK project.
The GK project also demonstrated the "Bayanihan" spirit of the Filipinos as the beneficiaries themselves personally helped in constructing the building rendering 1,000 hours of service.
The lot where the socialized condo building stood used to be the Lorega Cemetery where these identified beneficiaries used to live. In 2005, the Cebu City Health Department recommended the closure of the old cemetery on the basis that it was no longer compliant to the Sanitary Code. The Cebu City Council through Resolution No. 12-49-2010 then declared the closure and the conversion of 9000-square-meter portion of the Lorega Cemetery into a socialized housing site.
Its conversion into a socialized housing site then paved the way for the GK project to build the condominium that costs around P13 million. Funding was taken from the P10M Priority Assistance Development Fund of former Rep. Raul Del Mar of Cebu City’s North District coursed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7, P2 million from the non-government organization Action for Nurturing Children (ANC), P150,000 from GK partner Cebu Home Builders, while the Cebu City Government undertook the site development of the donated city lot costing P641,581.65, including technical assistance.
Del Mar who was present during the turnover ceremony said there is still enough space to build more GK condo units in the area. He assured to get funding for future housing projects but that the GK also has to guarantee that the site is ready for the housing project.
Around 350 to 500 urban poor families are living in the old cemetery site, but priority is given to those families that lived on top of tombs.
Also present during the ceremony were Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama, Cebu City North District Representative Rachel “Cutie” del Mar, GK Executive Director Luis Oquinena, GK Lorega Project Director Tanny Go, DSWD 7 Regional Director Evelyn Macapobre, ANC’s Fr. Max Abalos, Housing Committee Chairman and Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon, and Lorega Barangay Captain Fritz Herrera. (FCR/Nikki Martee Apao and Ma. Mitchi Ablay/CNU Communication Interns/PIA 7 Cebu)
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OWWA 7 urges OFWs to avail of programs on micro enterprise dev’t
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 14 (PIA) -- Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are urged to maximize the gains of overseas employment as government, through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), provides entrepreneurship capability training and offers a special loan program to undertake micro enterprise development.
Maricel Regasajo, labor communications officer of the OWWA 7, said their National Reintegration Program (NRP) for OFWs aims to address the impact of forced repatriation, disinterest in going back to work abroad, and even health reasons that affect their overseas employment.
The NRT program promotes the delivery of responsive, productive, and sustainable reintegration services to OFW returnees that will enable them to maximize the gains of overseas employment, mitigate the social cost of migration and cushion the impact of forced repatriation due to unexpected events.
“In case an OFW wants to use his hard-earned money as capital to start a business, the OWWA can help him by providing training, counseling or capability building. And if his money is not enough to start a preferred business then there is another program that enables him to apply for a loan,” said Regasajo.
Regasajo said there is a special loan program in partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Land Bank of the Philippines that is intended to support enterprise development among OFWs and their families.
Under the special loan program, OFWs can apply for a minimum of P300, 000 to a maximum of P2 million.
The schedule of loan repayment and loan maturity are monthly, quarterly or annually depending on the project cash flow. For short term loans, maturity is for a maximum of one year while for long term loans, the maturity is up to seven years inclusive of the two year grace period on the principal amount.
It is however, a collateralized loan and the interest rate is 7.5 percent per annum, this is said.
Beneficiaries of the program are OFW returnees (those who no longer have the intention of working abroad), returning OFWs (those that still desire to leave for overseas employment) and distressed OFW returnees who are victims of human trafficking, illegal recruitment or with employment and health related problems.
Under the NRP, services offered included Counseling, Training and Capability Building, Wage Employment and Entrepreneurship or Micro Enterprise Development.
The reintegration program was institutionalized in 1995 with the creation of the Replacement and Monitoring Center (RPMC) pursuant to R.A. 8042 and with the establishment of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) under the Department of Labor and Employment. (FCR/Ma. Mitchi Ablay/CNU communication intern/PIA 7 CEBU)
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CSC 7 announces 2nd Civil Service Exam for 2012
CEBU CITY, May 14 (PIA) -- The Civil Service Commission (CSC) 7 announces that the conduct of the 2nd 2012 Career Service Professional Examination and Career Service Sub-professional Examination Paper-and-Pencil Test will be held on October 21.
Civil service examinations are done to establish a register of eligibles, from which certification and appointment to the second and first level positions in the civil service shall be made, provided the said eligibles meet the qualifications and other requirements of the positions.
Acceptance of the applications shall be on a first-come first-serve basis while the filing of applications will be on May 28 to September 6, 2012.
The CSC 7, however, advises applicants to check carefully whether they meet the admission requirements as only those who meet the admission requirements are eligible to apply for the examination.
Approval of applications may be recalled any time upon discovery of applicant’s disqualification. Accordingly, the examination fees paid shall be forfeited.
Interested applicants are advised to visit the Civil Service Commission website, www.csc.gov.ph, for further information about the examinations. (FCR/Nikki Martee B. Apao/ CNU Communication Intern/PIA 7 Cebu)