DENR-7 creates regional task force pawikan
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 formed an eight-member regional Task Force Pawikan, following reports of a stewed dish of sea turtle or pawikan served by some ambulant vendors in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City.
“The task force is created to pursue and initiate an aggressive protection and conservation movement of the endangered marine turtles which are now on the verge of total depletion and to attain a balance necessary to perpetuate their existence,” said DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso.
Forester Dante Soria of the Office of the Regional Executive Director leads the task force with Wildlife Section Chief Reynaldo Yray as co-leader. The members include Michael Merilles, Raul Pasuc, Nolito Lapinig, Morley Baguio, Lucito Santañas, and Basilisa Pioquinto.
As indicated in the regional special order (RSO) dated May 21, 2012, the task force pawikan is expected to enforce existing rules and regulations pertaining to marine turtles; and conduct field investigations or surveillance on the reported trading, hunting, sale, and killing of marine turtles.
The task force will also conduct information and extension work aimed at making people responsive to and participative in the marine turtle conservation movement; and coordinate with other concerned government authorities, namely, Philippine National Polic, barangay local government unit, City/Municipal Government, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Coastal Guard, among others, for the smooth conduct of investigation.
“We received instructions from DENR Secretary Ramon JP Paje to initiate the immediate filing of the necessary cases to the violators or perpetrators if the situation or circumstances involved warrant it,” Dichoso said.
He added that these marine turtles are considered critically endangered species and are facing extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future.
He further urged the people not to harm, collect, or kill the sea turtles instead, work for their preservation and protection, as they play a critical role in promoting ecological balance and enhancing biological diversity.
“Killing, destroying, inflicting injury, trading, collecting, hunting, and possessing these critically endangered species is punishable under the wildlife resources conservation and protection act of 2001 or Republic Act No. 9174,” he explained.
“The best measure so that the collection and selling of marine turtles are prevented is to encourage everyone not to patronize by not eating them,” he added.
“We need a vigilant and responsive community to get involved in this campaign,” he concluded. (rmn-PIA 7/HFG/DENR-7)
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2 schools in Tuburan, recipients of native tree nurseries
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- Two elementary schools in Tuburan, Cebu are recipients of the native tree nurseries set up by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and a group of volunteers during the School Community Brigade on April 21.
The two participating schools were Bagasawe Elementary School and Tominjao Elementary School. These schools are beneficiaries of the Foundation's School Rehabilitation Program.
The Foundation will provide technical assistance to elementary schools of Bagasawe and Tominjao through training and coaching or mentoring for the maintenance of the indigenous tree nurseries.
The School Community Brigade in Tuburan mobilized parents, barangay captains of Tominjao and Bagasawe, and volunteers from the Department of Education (DepEd) of Tuburan, the local government unit of Tuburan, 78th Infantry Battalion, RAFI, parents-teachers association officers, youth from Barangay Luz, and mothers belonging to the RAFI Micro-finance Tuburan Branch.
The volunteers helped in the school clean-up, repainting, minor repairs, construction of the native tree nursery, and potting of seedlings for the nursery.
“The native tree nursery will help us a lot for we can sell the plants and generate income to provide for the needs of the school," said Nathaniel Talaugon, school principal of Tominjao Elementary School.
"It’s not yet late to plant trees. We still have a lot of time to save Mother Earth in our own simple way,” Rowena Bandola-Alensonorin, executive director of RAFI Integrated Development, said.
The native tree nursery is under the GREENIN Philippines Program (Generation REdemption and Expansion of Natural resources INitiatives in the Philippines Program) of RAFI's Integrated Development focus area. Other focus areas are Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage, Leadership & Citizenship, and Education.
For more Information about RAFI's native tree nurseries, please contact Max Palen at 418-72374 local 518, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com.ph/rafi.org.ph.(rmn-PIA 7/HFG/RAFI)
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DAR-Cebu holds basic news writing workshop for field personnel
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provincial office in Cebu has recently conducted a one-day basic news and feature writing workshop for 28 Municipal Agrarian Reform Officers (MAROs) and Development Facilitators (DFs) field personnel held at DARPO Conference Room, Cebu City on May 23.
Philippine Information Agency (PIA-7) regional director Minerva Newman was the resource speaker and facilitator during the workshops.
Chief Agrarian Reform Program Officer (CARPO) for Admin Dr. Andrea Paciana Labra said the workshop aims to equip the MAROs and DFs with the basic news and feature writing skills that will enable them to better communicate the CARP programs and projects to the public through their provincial quarterly newsletter, “Bidlisiw” and DAR regional newsletter, “Bagong Yutawhan” and various media outlets.
Among the topics discussed were clear effective writing, news writing, feature writing and current issues in journalism.
Officer-in-charge Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Isaganie Yee was thankful with the support of PIA-7. He hopes that the workshops would help the MAROs and field personnel improve their skills in communicating the good news and stories, gain in the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and strengthen the information drive of the department. (RMN-PIA7/HFG/DARPO)
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Naga City, other Cebu LGUs receive recognition for good governance
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- Naga City and at least 30 local government units (LGUs) in the province of Cebu earned the Seal of Good Housekeeping from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The seal is given to LGUs who have passed DILG's criteria on good governance under management system and internal housekeeping that covers the areas of good planning, sound fiscal management, transparency, and fiscal accountability.
The awarding was held concurrent to the ”Tapatan Roadshow” on Disaster Preparedness and Climate Change Adaptation: A Call to Action conducted at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICCC) in Mandaue City, organized by DILG.
Since it became a new component city of Cebu in 2007, Naga also received national recognition from the Federation of the Philippines Industries Inc. (FPI) for Mayor Valdemar Chiong’s zero-waste programs.
The city of Naga in particular received the most coveted Seal of Good Housekeeping due to the city’s good governance in the fields of social services, economic development programs and environmental protection and preservation.
In November last year, the city of Naga was awarded the most outstanding LGU in the practice of waste management by the Makati City-based FPI, a group composed of 21 industry associations and 70 corporate members nationwide.
This barely more than a year after it formed a partnership with FDRCon Company Inc., a private firm that manages, operates and maintains a five-hectare material recovery facility (MRF) in Barangay Pangdan.
The major criterion set for an FPI awardee is the proper disposal of waste and, maximization of its recyclable capability without harming the environment. (rmn/AS/PIA-7, CEBU with PR from Arnulfo Omani Naga City PIO)
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Cebu, RAFI presents TV program to improve LGUs’ status
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- The Cebu provincial government and the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) are working together for a project aimed on educating local government units (LGUs) on how to improve and uplift their status through the Expanded Green and Wholesome Environment that Nurtures Our Cebu program on Sugbo TV, which began last May 22.
Dubbed "Atong Sugbo," the show is a series of segments aired three times a week on primetime telecast which will highlight the best practices and significant lessons of the program and featuring inspiring changes in the towns and cities of the province.
"Atong Sugbo" on Sugbo TV airs every day at 11:30 a.m. to 12 n.n., with replays every six hours, on Sky Cable (Channel 14) and other select cable channels in Visayas and Mindanao.
“Our Cebu program is considered to be one of the most successful programs of Cebu. The provincial government has wanted to have a show, not to brag with what we have done but to promote and educate the other LGU’s on how to make advancements. So putting it in Sugbo TV, we’ll now be able to reach out to more people and make them aware that there’s this framework they can use to improve their state,” Rowena Alensonorin, RAFI Integrated Development executive director, said.
Another focus of said program is to create a liveable Cebu by empowering each town and city to look at the needs of their constituents. It also intends to develop in every Cebuano a sense of pride of place.
The said program also employed scorecard that sets indicators of liveability; cleanliness; sanitation and health; greening, protection and enhancement of the environment; creativitiy and aesthetic impact; nurturance of culture and heritage; and governance system and structures. (rmn/AS/PIA-7, CEBU with PR from RAFI)
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Cebu LGU intensifies health services, reaches remote areas
CEBU CITY, June 1 (PIA) -- The city of Naga in the southern part of Cebu intensified its services and obligations to the people by coming up with initiatives that will bring its services closer to the people, particularly in far-flung areas where access to medical services is difficult.
One of these initiatives is the provision of doctors who will regularly visit barangays every month, a move initiated by Naga City Mayor Valdemar M. Chiong.
The mayor said he believes it is more practical to send health practitioners to the villages rather than come up with medical missions in the remote areas of the city.
Chiong said that starting this year, all the city’s villages, except Barangays East and Central Poblacion, will have their own medical doctors who will visit the residents twice a month on specific dates.
The City Health Office will handle Barangays East and Central Poblacion.
The doctors will conduct thorough assessments on the medical needs of the residents and determine their health problems, recommend and provide medicines, and find ways of enhancing the delivery of health and sanitation services.
This move is seen to boost the city’s medical program intended for the poor since the presence of these doctors in the brarangays also beef up the work of midwives and nurses assigned in every barangay.
“This is our way of touching base with the residents by bringing the doctors right at their doorsteps, so to speak, to ensure our immediate medical response, detection and prevention of disease,” Chiong said.
This year, the City Government of Naga earmarked at least P28.5 million for its health and medical programs. (rmn/AS /PIA-7, CEBU with PR from Arnulfo Omani Naga City PIO)