DENR-7 implements 5-year tree improvement program in CV
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, November 26 (PIA) -- A five-year tree improvement program for indigenous and endangered species in Central Visayas is being implemented by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, through its Ecosystems Research and Development Service (ERDS).
DENR 7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo Montejo said this aims to establish sustainable sources of superior seeds and vegetative materials of indigenous and endangered species. The program will also promote seedling production, rehabilitation, biodiversity conservation and commercial production.
Tree improvement is the application of genetic principles to attain faster rate of growth, disease resistant and high-quality tree plantations, Montejo added.
With an initial allocation of more than P300,000, five species are up for mass production in five years, namely, mamalis or Pittosporum pentandrum; narra or Pterocarpus indicus; almaciga or Agathis philippinensis Warb; molave or Vitex parviflora, and dipterocarp and other important indigenous species that are available regionwide.
Citing a scarce supply of indigenous species, Montejo wanted these demand-driven and lightly distributed species to be available for biodiversity conservation and at the same time mitigate climate change.
Premium species like narra, molave, ipil and other important species are also scarce and can only be found in remote areas of the region.
“This project complements our continuing efforts to attain the objectives of the national greening program while addressing the need for quality seedlings,” Montejo said.
The scarcity of these species has resulted to difficulty of producing planting materials of indigenous species plus the absence of appropriate technology for its massive production.
Indigenous species are among the forest tree species which gain importance on the account of their ecological and socio-economic significance in the forest ecosystem. (rmn/HFG/PIA-7/DENR-7)
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Over 500 media to cover Calungsod event in Cebu‘PNoy to grace religious occasion’
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, Nov 26 (PIA) -- All eyes will be on Cebu as a religious historic event takes place on Friday, November 30 with over 500 tri-media accredited for the sacred occasion and graced by President Benigno S. Aquino III.
Msgr. Trinidad G. Silva Jr., chairman of the Commission on Social Communications (CSC) for the National Thanksgiving Mass of San Pedro Calungsod on Friday in a recent media briefing said the number of media wanting to get accreditation is growing.
“We have already issued a deadline for media accreditation last Tuesday (November 20) but more and more names are being submitted,” said Silva.
A volunteer staff of the CSC showed a list of the total media being accredited that had reached over 500. Apart from Cebu-media, major television, print and radio, networks from Manila also sent their teams to cover the event. Also, members of the Malacañang Press Corps with the presence of President Aquino will be there.
An estimated 500,000 to one million devotees, bishops and priests from all over the country, local and national officials will be present to attend the mass that will start at 5 p.m.
Silva advised those who will attend the mass at the South Road Properties to bring their own umbrella with the erratic weather and also to expect muddy grounds as only 10 percent of the 27-hectare area is covered in concrete and the rest in limestone.
According to William Mensenares of Radio TV Malacañang (RTVM), “We will put up a press center where a monitor will be placed and telephone lines for local calls only. The center will be wi-fi ready which will be provided by the Cebu Archdiocese.”
RTVM will take charge of broadcast concerns and assist and provide the media with audio and video outputs.
Considering the vast area, screen monitors will also be strategically placed so people at the back could see the ongoing mass in the templete.
Meanwhile, at 6 a.m., a dry run for the fluvial procession for the actual event was conducted where 15 media personnel were invited.
(PIA 7)
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Poor households in CV exposed to natural disasters
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Nov 26 (PIA) -- Poor households in Central Visayas are exposed to dangers and have been victims of natural disasters, a study by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) revealed.
The National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) study showed that the poor households in the region live in houses made from light materials, and have no access to safe water and electricity.
Data showed that more than half of the poor households, numbering 181,775 in Region 7, are using light materials for their walls, making them vulnerable and at risk to natural disasters like typhoons.
The highest numbers of these families are in Cebu Province.
NHTS-PR also identified half of the total poor households (155,920) which have no access to safe water. They obtain their water from springs, rivers, streams, dug wells and from peddled or collected rainwater.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 3.4 million people die each year from water, sanitation, and hygiene-related causes. Nearly all deaths, 99%, occur in developing countries like the Philippines.
The same report said that three out of five poor households in the region do not have access to electricity as most of them still relying heavily on kerosene and wood for their lighting and cooking needs.
These families are vulnerable to loss of their properties due to fire.
DSWD FO-VII urged legislators, local government units and non-government organizations to use the data of NHTS-PR to identify prospective beneficiaries and to formulate appropriate social protection programs and services.
Currently, all of the identified poor households in the region are now beneficiaries of PhilHealth’s Primary Care Benefit 1 (PCB) Package.
The database of poor households shows various poverty thresholds like the composition of poor households, the household members’ highest educational attainment and occupation, features of the housing structure and access to basic services or facilities like water, electricity, and sanitary toilet, households’ ownership of assets, tenure status of housing among others.(HFG/PIA-7/DSWD-7)
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DSWD-7 sets consultation dialogue on household assessment
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Nov 26 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas will have a consultation dialogue on its National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) program on Nov. 27-28 at the Cityscape Hotel, Mandaue City.
DSWD-7 regional director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said the dialogue will be attended by city and municipal executives, social welfare officers and planning development coordinators.
The participants will hear updates on the NHTS-PR database and adopted it as mechanism in identifying poor households to beneficiaries of different social protection programs and services like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Rice Subsidy for small scale farmers and fisher folks and Social Pension for Senior Citizens, Macapobre added.
There are currently 96 local government units in Central Visayas that have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DSWD for data sharing since 2011. This covers 72 percent out of 132 cities and municipalities in the region.
Non-government organizations (NGOs) have also utilized this database like the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and the Outreach Program on Trainings, Integral Organizing and Networking for Solidarity Inc.
“As stakeholders and indirect beneficiaries of our database, it is but important to engage and consult them,” Macapobre said.
Macapobre added that DSWD had been constantly exerting efforts to generate feedbacks from stakeholders as basis to improve the NHTS-PR second cycle of household assessment.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Bohol inked an agreement with DSWD FO-VII. Likewise, the 1st Congressional District of Negros Oriental and Bohol.
NHTS is an information management system that identifies who and where poor households are in the country.(HFG/PIA-7/DSWD-7)