Wednesday, February 01, 2023

DTI Dinagat Islands conducts business management training

SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands -- The Department of Trade & Industry-Dinagat Islands in partnership with the United Nations Development Program through the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Local Government Unit of Basilisa conducted a three-day Business Management Training. 

Ms. Saira Shade G. Yaco, Senior Trade Industry Development Specialist of DTI Dinagat Islands and Ms. Youreallylove Sango, PBSP Training Coordinator, both facilitated the activity. 

The activity aims to teach the beneficiaries about visual merchandising, proper store layout, product placement and the target consumer approach. In addition, these strategies will help the beneficiaries improve store image, attract customers, and ultimately increase sales.

To cap the three-day activity, a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DTI Dinagat Islands represented by Provincial Director Elmer M. Natad, and the UNDP-PBSP was held at the same venue. 

The activity was witnessed by LGU Basilisa Vice Mayor Manuelito Piodo and STIDS Ms. Saira Shade G. Yaco. (DTI-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)

 

 

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte -- The Department of Science and Technology boosts competitiveness of our micro, small, and medium enterprises by providing packaging and labelling (P&L) services to help them create and establish their identity, enhance product quality and safety,  and have a marketing leverage.

The P&L services include packaging solutions, through consultations with an accredited P&L expert, specifically in the design, selection and execution of appropriate labelling and packaging materials to increase shelf-life, protect products, and make them more appealing to consumers. 

In the Province of Surigao del Norte, an exclusive one-on-one meeting between the Proprietors and the hired accredited P&L Designer-Consultant of DOST Caraga, Mr. Elpsalms David Franco, was conducted on January 17, 2023, at the DOST-SDN Office, Surigao City. 

Separate consultations were conducted with Aquariane Food Products Manufacturing owned and managed by Mrs. Gemma S. Rebuta; Gellan’s Sweets, Cakes & Pastry Needs by Ms. Genievive Camporedondo; and, with Mr. and Mrs. Tirso and Rosanna Lisbos of Lisbos Cacao Trading.

DOST Caraga provides P&L service to MSMEs in the region in the forms of (1) packaging materials based on technical requirements of the food products to improve shelf-life, (2) printed labels containing information required by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and (3) nutritional facts and shelf-life analyses assistance. 

Nutritional facts analysis provides detailed information about the food’s nutritional content such as the amount of fat, sugar, sodium, and fiber it contains. 

Shelf-life testing is a detailed laboratory analysis that measures the number of days until a product is safe and of good quality for consumption. These analyses are required by the FDA on most packaged food and beverage products. (DOST-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

 

 

Wednesday, February 01, 2023

US Peace Corps volunteers return to the Philippines

BUTUAN CITY -- Nearly forty American volunteers arrived in the Philippines on Monday (January 30) to resume the U.S. Peace Corps’ work in the sectors of education, youth development, and coastal resource management for the benefit of communities across Luzon and Visayas. 

The 37 newly arrived volunteers are the 279^th U.S. Peace Corps batch to serve in the Philippines since 1961.  At the invitation of the Philippine government, the volunteers will fulfill a range of roles requested by host communities for the coming 27 months.  These roles include co-teaching English in public elementary and secondary schools, serving as youth development facilitators in Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-accredited organizations and residential shelters, and supporting local governments in establishing marine protected areas and implementing coastal resource management plans.  

Starting in April, the American volunteers will be deployed to their permanent sites in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, La Union, Laguna, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, Camarines Sur, Bohol, Cebu, Capiz, and Negros Oriental.  They will undertake two months of language, technical, and cultural training prior to deployment. 

 

Additional volunteers will arrive in the Philippines in May, August, and September as the U.S. Peace Corps ramps back up its operations this year. 

 

“We are thrilled to welcome the first group of American Peace Corps volunteers to the Philippines since the start of the pandemic,” U.S. Peace Corps Country Director Jenner Edelman said.  “We are ready to meet this historic moment with our community partners and staff.”  

 

The U.S. Peace Corps suspended its global operations and repatriated American volunteers from more than 60 countries, including from the Philippines, in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Despite the absence of American volunteers, U.S. Peace Corps staff in the Philippines continued to work closely with the Philippine government and other local partners to vaccinate over 27,000 Filipinos against COVID-19, support nationwide distance learning, prepare schools for safe resumption of face-to-face classes, introduce alternative income-generating activities to communities recovering from the pandemic, and strengthen community-level volunteerism. 

 

For decades, the U.S. Peace Corps has engaged in critical global health work, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception.  American Peace Corps volunteers will continue to work alongside community members to make progress on the biggest development challenge the world has faced in more than a century. 

 

Peace Corps Philippines is the United States Government’s premier volunteer program in the Philippines.  Since 1961, over 9,300 Peace Corps Volunteers have worked alongside Filipino community members in support of government and community development priorities.  For more than six decades, Peace Corps Philippines staff and volunteers have served as co-teachers, youth development facilitators, environmental experts, or filled other roles requested by the Philippine government and host communities. (US Embassy in the Philippines/DMNR/PIA-Caraga)

 

TOP STORIES - Wednesday, February 01, 2023

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)

01 February 2023, Wednesday, as of 9AM

1. New Social Welfare chief: 

-Marcos appoints Rex Gatchalian as DSWD chief

-Gatchalian assures 'business as usual' in Valenzuela despite new post

-Senators, ex-chief Tulfo welcome Gatchalian’s DSWD appointment 

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, Business Mirror, Inquirer, Philstar, Rappler, Manila Times, Manila Bulletin]

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/31/marcos-appoints-rex-gatchalian-as-dswd-chief/

2. Maharlika bill a priority but won’t be rushed in Senate – Zubiri [ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, Philstar, Inquirer]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1723772/maharlika-bill-a-priority-but-wont-be-rushed-in-senate-zubiri

3. US Defense chief Austin arrives in PH to meet with Galvez [Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/859277/us-defense-chief-austin-arrives-in-ph-to-meet-with-galvez/story/

4. House renews IBC-13’s franchise for 25 years [Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/31/House-approves-IBC-13-franchise-.html

5. House OKs lowering optional retirement age for gov't workers to 56 [Manila Bulletin, News5, ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/31/House-approves-lowering-retirement-age-government-workers-.html

6. DOJ junks Bantag's bid to transfer complaint to Ombudsman [Philstar, ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/31/DOJ-junks-Bantag-motion-for-reconsideration-transfer-complaint.html

7. Student suicides on the rise —DepEd [GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Philstar]

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/01/2241662/student-suicides-rise-deped

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit

TOP STORIES - Tuesday, January 31, 2023

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)

31 January 2023, Tuesday, as of 5PM

1. Gov't housing projects:

-At QC housing launch, Marcos says government to help beneficiaries pay for units

-Marcos mulls P1-B subsidy fund for gov't housing tenants

-Marcos tells Congress to provide budget for housing

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Philstar]

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/01/31/2241545/qc-housing-launch-marcos-says-government-help-beneficiaries-pay-units

2. DSWD's 72nd anniv, inaugurates new building:

-Marcos tells DSWD to continue giving cash grants to poor Filipinos

-Marcos commends DSWD for stability, public service reliability

-Social protection programs get P151 billion funding under 2023 budget, says DBM

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, News5, Philstar, Manila Bulletin, Inquirer]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1723419/fwd-marcos-tells-dswd-to-continue-giving-cash-grants-to-poor-filipinos-2

3. Vergeire says she is now ready to become Health Secretary [ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, News5, Manila Bulletin, Philstar, Rappler, Inquirer]

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1723421/vergeire-says-she-is-now-ready-to-become-health-secretary

4. DOJ seeks to deport 2 of 4 Japanese fugitives by end of week [Philstar, Rappler, ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/859173/doj-seeks-to-deport-2-japanese-fugitives-by-end-of-week/story/

5. Efforts underway to bring home detained Filipino tourist in Myanmar [Manila Bulletin, Philstar, GMA News, CNN PHL]

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/31/detained-Filipino-tourist-in-Myanmar-repatriation.html

6. Inflation to remain elevated in January — BSP [Philstar, ABS-CBN News, GMA News]

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/economy/859166/inflation-to-remain-elevated-in-january-bsp/story/

7. World Bank to lend Philippines $600M for pandemic recovery, climate financing [CNN PHL, GMA News, Philstar]

https://www.philstar.com/business/2023/01/31/2241552/world-bank-lend-philippines-600m-pandemic-recovery-climate-financing

8. PHL expecting arrival of bivalent COVID-19 vax donation from Covax in March —DOH [ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, Inquirer, Philstar, Manila Bulletin]

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/31/ph-expecting-arrival-of-bivalent-covid-19-vax-donation-from-covax-in-march-doh/

9. Voter registration deadline:

-COMELEC sees surge in registrants on last day of voter registration

-New registered voters now at 1.5 million — COMELEC

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, GMA News, DZBB, Rappler, Manila Times]

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/01/30/news/comelec-sees-surge-in-registrants-on-last-day-of-voter-registration/1876535

10. US reinvigorating relations with ASEAN after years of neglect, says ex-envoy [Manila Bulletin, CNN PHL, GMA News, ABS-CBN News]

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/01/31/23/us-reinvigorating-ties-with-asean-says-ex-envoy

 11. Missing plane:

-No letup in search for missing Cessna plane

-Plane searchers getting sick from rain, cold weather

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, Philstar]

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/01/31/2241378/no-letup-search-missing-cessna-plane

12. OFW arrested for cracking bomb joke in plane in Davao [ABS-CBN News, News5, Philstar, Rappler]

https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/overseas-filipino-arrested-bomb-joke-plane-davao-january-29-2023/

© Philippine Information Agency Monitoring Unit