P11-M farming assistance for Cebu's CARP beneficiaries next year
By Ferliza C. Contratista
CEBU CITY, Dec. 13 (PIA) -- Over P11 million worth of farming equipment will be distributed in 2013 to farmer-beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in Cebu.
Atty. Jonathan Sinco, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Assistant Regional Director for Operations, said DAR already approved the funding for Cebu under the Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services Program (ARCESS).
Sinco said there are 2,149 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB’s) from 11 municipalities of Cebu that will benefit from the program through farming equipment acquisition.
“Even non-agrarian reform beneficiaries will also benefit from the project. In the list are 1,115 of them from five towns,” Sinco said.
DAR Secretary Virgilio De Los Reyes visited last month the town of Asturias which is set to receive hand tractors, power tillers and thresher through the lead farmer organization Pundok sa Mag-uuma (PUMAG).
Asturias along with Toledo City and Pinamungahan town will receive a total of P4.3 million for their enhanced rice project.
Bogo City and Medellin of the 4th District will receive four tractors for Enhanced Sugarcane and Vegetable Production worth P2.580 million.
Argao, Ronda, Sibonga, Moalboal towns of the 2nd District will collectively receive P1.2 million; another P1.2 million for both Carcar City and Sibonga.
In the fifth district, only one town is a beneficiary, Liloan, which will receive P2.2 million for a Milking Park Plant.
ARCESS is an inter-sectoral partnership program between government, state universities, colleges, civil society organizations, and private sector organizations which aims to provide a range of services to ARB organizations including access to markets and competing capabilities.
CARP is extended for another five years because of the difficulty in land acquisition and distribution. The program started in 1988.(rmn/FCC/PIA-7 CEBU)
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DSWD-7 prepares massage therapists for licensure exam
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Dec. 13 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7 (DSWD FO-7) is preparing its visually impaired masseurs and masseuse for an upcoming massage therapy licensure examination on January 2013.
The ongoing rigorous review and training is initiated by the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center II (AVRC II) maintained and operated by DSWD-7.
Recently accredited by the Department of Health (DOH) as a Training Institution for Massage Therapy, AVRC II is in line with the Presidential Decree (PD) 856 or the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.
The code requires all massage therapists to be licensed by the DOH Committee of Examiners for Massage Therapy (CEMT) before applying their skills and actual practice.
Thirty five Persons With Disabilities will take the examination this month, of which 26 are unschooled and 9 are high school graduates.
“Dili tungod kay PWD ug non-high school ko mahimu ning babag sa akong pag-asenso (Not because I’m a PWD and not a high school graduate, this would be a hindrance for my success),” said Ronald Marikit, a 23 year-old blind masseur and an active trainee of AVRC.
All examiners will undergo written, oral and practical tests.
The examination is based on the Reference Manual for Massage Therapy made by the CEMT. It consists of different modules namely; Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and Pathology, Fundamental Concepts of Massage Therapy, Application and Practice of Massage Therapy.
“Ganahan ko nga makakuha ug lisensya isip usa ka masahista ug ma-improve pa akung skills (I really want to have a license as a massage therapist and would like to further improve my skills),” Marikit added.
AVRC is DSWD’s non-residential institution that provides rehabilitation programs and services to PWDs through the various courses they are offering, ranging from therapeutic massage, motor rewinding, basic electronics, dressmaking, carpentry, commercial cooking and cosmetology.
The center aims to maximize the capacities of PWDs through assessment and guidance, social adjustment, medical, vocational training and placement services as well as bring maximum functioning of PWDs for their eventual integration into the community. (rmn/HFG/PIA-7/DSWD-7)