PIA News Service - Friday, March 8, 2013

Policy Framework of RA 10354 set today in Surigao del Sur

By Nida Grace B. Tranquilan

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, March 8 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Surigao del Sur under Governor Johnny Pimentel through the Provincial Gender and Development (GAD) focal person led today, Friday, a Policy Forum on Legal and Policy Framework of RA 10354 held at Seminar Hall, Capitol Hills, this city.

The activity commemorates International Women’s Day and Women’s Month Celebration with the Legislator’s Committee on Population and Development – Local Advocacy team as facilitator.

The forum tackles issues and challenges at the level of the local government unit (LGU) implementation after RA 10354, otherwise known as Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, was signed last December 2012.

Participants are employees of the LGUs (Provincial & Municipal representatives) & national government line agencies within the province, women’s group representatives from different CSOs and stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Blood Donations & Free Blood Typing activity of the Philippine Red Cross and the Free Medical and Dental Consultation in coordination with the Philippines Medical Association & Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center were successfully conducted Thursday. The provincial office of Tesda also extended free services on beauty care like hair cut, manicure/pedicure and massage on the same day. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

Agusan del Sur, recipients of COSERAM program

By David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, March 8 (PIA) –- This province became one of the recipients of the Conflict Sensitive Resources and Asset Management (Coseram) program that supports an integrated approach of poverty reduction and peace building in Caraga Region.

Started in October last year, the joint program of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Philippine government will end on June 2014 with German contributing EUR 1,750,000, through the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

According to Dirk Euler, German representative of Coseram, the program will adapt indigenous knowledge and practice recognized and used for the conservation of biodiversity and are oriented towards a peaceful and sustainable governance of the natural resources in the Agusan Marsh.

“The reason for this is because Agusan Marsh has gained an official status through Presidential Proclamation No. 913 and has been named the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary," Euler said.

The official further said they will be focusing on the conservation and protection of Agusan Marsh, and will partner with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in planning that will focus on capacity development on the individual and also on constitutional and organizational level.

"It will support the intersectoral dialogue and cooperation processes to strengthen and enhance the political and legal framework conditions for a culture and conflict sensitive use of indigenous practices for biodiversity conservation,” he said.

Presently, Coseram supports in participatory land use planning and rationalization of different plans that contributes to the efforts in conservation and enhancement of the management of protected areas.

According to Euler, after initial community organizing to be undertaken by the NCIP, he and his non-government organization counterpart represented by Mae Carla Sharon Buico will frequently visit the areas covered by the Coseram in order that implementation be seriously implemented and monitored. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

News feature: The rise of women

With more women in the boardroom and increased visibility of women as impressive role models in every aspect of life, women indeed have come a long way from the past.

In the past, women were hindered from using their capabilities and knowledge because they were expected to just be in the house, said Heddah V. Largo, Gender and Development (GAD) focal person of Provincial Women and Children’s Commission (PWCC).

During the March 2 episode of “Pagtuki,” the official radio program of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), Largo shared that in the past, women had no voice in economics and political decisions. They even had no right to vote not until 1935.

She added that the issue concerning women's suffrage in the Philippines was settled in a special plebiscite held on April 30, 1937. In compliance with the 1935 Constitution, the National Assembly passed a law that extended right of suffrage to women.

“Women play active roles in our society. We now have women leaders who continue to campaign for women’s rights. In economic aspect, women have looked for ways to be economically sustainable and dependent through micro-enterprises,” Val Gatchalian, executive assistant of RAFI Micro-finance, said.

For Ma. Lydia Jamora, nanay-client of RAFI Micro-finance, both husband and wife should work to provide the needs of the family. This is especially for husbands who only earn little.

“Our meat business started only with P10, 000 capital. We did our best to rotate the money. For three years now, we were able to sufficiently meet the needs of our family, send our children to school, and also help some relatives. From a small capital, our life slowly changed for the better,” she shared.

She added that she also shares her blessings to others through annual feeding programs, which the family conducts for 20 years now.

Based on data, there are 63 million women-clients availing the services of micro-finance institutions (MFIs) around the world. One of the attributes of women that makes MFIs open to them, is that they are responsible clients, data reveal.

Gatchalian added that they see empowered women among their nanay-clients in Leyte, Bohol, and Cebu branches.

“In RAFI Micro-finance, we give our nanays productive opportunity to help not just themselves but also their families. Now, they can send their children to school and put food on their plates,” she said.

Rhodora Bucoy, an associate professor of Political Science in University of Philippines Visayas-Cebu College and vice president of Women Studies Association of the Philippines, shared that women have greatly contributed to economics and politics, among others.

“Groups and other institutions will still continue to educate women not just about their rights but also to give them leadership trainings. In our education system, we also incorporated the contributions of women in history and in the present society,” Bucoy added.

Largo disclosed that in PWCC, they do not just give economic opportunities to women but also conduct program interventions on morality. She said that technology poses a challenge to women.

March is Women’s Month, which serves as a nationally recognized period to celebrate the accomplishments, contributions, and histories of women.

Pagtuki is aired over DyLA every Saturday at 10-11am. The program, which is one of the Knowledge Sharing & Advocacy capabilities of RAFI, tackles timely and relevant issues on community development, politics and governance, micro-financing, education, environment, early childhood care and development, and culture and heritage that affect the Cebuano community.

For more information about RAFI’s radio program, please contact Chrisley Hinayas at 418-7234 loc. 540, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph. (RAFI/PIA-Caraga)

Cebuano news: Presidente Aquino mianunsyo sa duha ka bag-ong mga miyembro sa COMELEC

Ni Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, March 8 (PIA) -- Duha ka mga bag-ong miyembro sa Commision on Elections (Comelec) ang gitudlo ni Presidente Aquino kagahapon aron mohulip sa bakanteng mga posisyon nga gibiyaan sa duha niini ka mga commissioners niadtong niaging bulan.

Si kanhe ambassador Macabangkit Lanto ug election lawyer Bernadette Sardillo maoy mohulip nila Rene Sarmiento ug Armando Velasco nga pareho ng meretiro isip commissioners niadtong Pebrero 2.

tulo ka mga nominado nga gi-interbyu sa Presidente bag-ohay pa lamang si Lanto ug Sardillo maoy iyang napili ug pirmado na niini ang ilang appointment papers ug kini ipadala ngadto sa Kongreso alang sa ilang opisyal nga kumpirmasyon.

Matud sa Presidente si Lanto nagserbisyo isip diplomat sa Egypt ug lain pang mga nasod sa Middle East, siya usab naghupot og pipila ka mga portfolio sa gobyerno lakip na niini ang puwesto sa Department of Justice isip undersecretary.

Sa laing bahin, si Sardillo usa ka eksperensyado nga election lawyer diin naila usab sa iyang pagdepender sa mga katungod sa katawhan sa pipila ka mga election protest. (RER/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

PIA News Service - Thursday, March 7, 2013

City gov't launches program on recycling, art

BUTUAN CITY, March 7 (PIA) -- To strengthen its efforts in reducing the volume of garbage here, the city government launched recently, “Ang Pagbutwa Hong Balangay or From Waste to Work of Art,” through a simple ceremony at the old Sangguniang Panlungsod Building inside the city hall complex.

In his message, Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. encouraged everyone, especially the teachers, to start instilling into the minds of the children the importance of cleanliness.

He said that children should be taught early that garbage should be put into trash bins and not just anywhere. Amante also shared the city government’s intention to convert waste into energy.

SP Member and Chairman of the Committee on Health and Sanitation Virgilio Nery related that the project is in connection with the Butuan City's “Clean Ground Zero Waste Program,” launched Sept. 11, 2011.

The newly-launched program is being facilitated by the Local Youth Development Council which aims to achieve social transformation towards economic improvement through proper segregation of garbage and recycling.

Further, it pushes for the upgrading of recycled materials into wonderful works of art. Currently, 10 local artists are competing in the construction of balangay boats out of recycled materials. The awarding ceremony will be on March 8. (LGU-BC-PIO/PIA-Agusan del Norte)

DENR pursues geotagging of logs in Caraga Region

By Eric F. Gallego

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 7 (PIA) -- The DENR is pursuing “ Project Geo-tagging " in Caraga Region, a strategy to efficiently monitor the movement of logs sold to various wood-processing plants and hopefully, erase the stigma of the region as “source of illegal logs.”

Geotagging is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as a geotagged photograph or video, websites, SMS messages, QR codes or RSS (Rich Sites Summary) feeds and is a form of geospatial metadata, according to Wikipedia.

“A Geospatial metadata or simply metadata is applicable to objects that have an explicit or implicit geographic extent, in other words are associated with some position on the surface of the Globe. Such objects may be stored in a geographic information system (GIS) or may simply be documents, datasets, images or other objects, services, or related items that exist in some other native environment but whose features may be appropriate to describe in a (geographic) metadata catalogue (may also be known as a data directory, data inventory, etc.)”.

DENR 13 OIC, Regional Executive Director Nonito M. Tamayo said the top management of the DENR backs up the implementation of the geo tagging project in Caraga Region being a pilot area considering the rich experience of the region in logging activities. “We are reviewing the process and procedure in implementing the geo tagging to ensure its success," Tamayo said.

According to Tamayo, all PENR and CENR officers have been equipped with digital tablets in which they can easily access to the data, in this case, the logs being transported to its destination can be located at a flick of a finger.

“We hope this strategy can eliminate, once and for all, the movement of illegal logs in the region which has been considered a perennial problem," Tamayo said.

Tamayo said that he had also found out during a recent conference of top DENR officials in Davao City last week that that log smugglers from other regions dump illegally cut logs from the Forest Mountains of Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, and Compostela Valley through the Agusan River because of its geographic advantage.

“Everybody thought that illegal logging activities are frequent in Caraga region owing to this activity,” Tamayo said. “We had become an object of ridicule because of this system," he said.

He, however, was glad of the recent report of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) which cited an improvement in the campaign of the DENR-13 in the anti-illegal logging campaign through EO 23.

Last week, the PAOCC cited the “Decline of illegal logging activities by at least 75 percent compared from previous years.”

He said, “Geo tagging is helpful in finding a wide variety of location-specific information.” A CENR officer for instance, can now find images taken near a given location by entering latitude and longitude coordinates into a suitable image search engine, he said. (DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)

Tagalog news: Nagtatrabahong mga preso kasali sa proteksyon ng SSS kahit nakakulong

Ni David M. Suyao

MANILA, March 7 (PIA) -- Pinalawak pa ng Social Security System ang kanilang saklaw sa pamamagitan ng kanilang programang “AlkanSSSya” kung saan, isinali na rin ang mga preso na naghahananap buhay sa loob ng kulungan at gumagawa ng mga handicraft.

Sinabi ng Presidente at Chief Executive Officer ng SSS na si Emilio de Quiros Jr. na ang grupo na may 80 na babaeng preso ay siyang naging unang benepisaryo ng AlkaSSSya noong ito ay inilunsad ng SSS sa loob ng Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) sa pambabaeng dormitory noong Pebrero 26.

Pinatunayan ng mga preso na sila ay produktibo pa rin kahit nakakulong sa pamamagitan ng paggawa ng mga bag, basahan at iba pang gawaing kamay. Sa pamamagitan ng programang AlkanSSSya, makapag-iipon sila kahit nasa kulungan at makakaasa na magkakaroon ng pangmalawakang proteksyon galling sa SSS sa hinaharap,” sabi ni de Quiros.

Ang lumagda sa kasunduan ng AlkanSSSya ay sina SSS Assistant Vice President para sa NCR Central Division na si Alberto Alburo, SSS Diliman Branch Officer-in-Charge Leonora Nuque at QC Female Dormitory Officer-in-Charge J/CInsp. Elena Rocamora.

Maliban sa mga presong bago pa lamang naging miyembro ng SSS, kasali rin sa AlkanSSSya ang mga huminto sa pagbabayad ng kanilang kontribusyon nang sila ay mapasok sa loob ng kulungan. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroong higit kumulang mga 500 na mga presong babae na may mga nakabinbin pa na kaso na nakatira sa dormitoryo ng mga babaeng preso sa QC na posibleng sumali sa programang AlkanSSSya.

Ang programang AlkanSSSya na ang konsepto ay mula mismo sa ideya ng paggamit ng alkansya, ay tulad ng isang kabinet na may kani-kaniya compartment kung saan ang mga miyembro ay pwedeng maglagay ng kanilang iniimpok para sa buwanang kontribusyon sa SSS. Bawat pitak ng AlkanSSSya ay maaaring paglagakan ng mga miyembro na hanggang 160 ang bilang ng kanilang impok na buwanang kontribusyon.

“Ang mga miyembro ng AlkanSSSya ay maaaring maghulog ng P312 bawat buwan na siyang pinakamababa, na kung iisipin ay halagang P10 lamang bawat araw. Umaasa kaming ang programang ito ay patuloy na susuportahan ng mga informal sector ng mga manggagawa sa buong bansa dahil dito ay siguradong makapag-iimpok ang mga miyembro ng SSS at ito ay masmadali at abot-kaya,” sabi ni de Quiros.

Ang pagsali ng dormitoryo ng kababaihan sa lungsod ng Quezon ay nasimulan matapos ang presentasyon ng programang AlkanSSSya sa iba't ibang pangulo at representante ng mga ahensiya sa lungsod noong magpulong ang komiteng ehekutibo sa pangunguna ni Mayor Herbert Bautista noong Nobyembre 7 ng nakaraang taong 2012.

Daan-daang magbabasura mula sa Payatas ang sumali sa programang AlkanSSSya noong Disyembre 3, 2012 na siyang naging resulta ng naturang pagpupulong, na sinalihan din nina Col. Jameel RM Jaymalin, direktor ng Payatas Poverty Alleviation Foundation, Inc. (PPAF).

"Nagpasalamat tayo sa pamahalaang lungsod ng Quezon sa kanilang suportang ibinigay sa programang AlkanSSSya. Umaasa tayo na ang AlkanSSSya ay tatanggapin at susuportahan pa ng marami pang piitan at koreksyonal sa buong bansa para bigyan ng pag-asa ang lahat ng mga preso, babae man o lalaki,” ayon pa kay de Quiros. (RER/DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

Cebuano news: Sabah dili makababag sa kahiusahan sa ASEAN

Ni Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, March 7 (PIA) -- Wala gilantaw sa administrasyong Aquino nga mahimong babag ang kasamtangang standoff didto sa Lahad Datu sa Sabah aron makab-ot ang hiniusang komunidad sa Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) karong umaabot Disyembre 2015.

Si Presidente Aquino ug Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak nagtambayayong alang sa gilayon nga pagresulba sa krisis sa Sabah, matud ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda kagahapon.

Matud pa ni Lacierda nga ang Presidente wala lamang maghandom sa 180 ka mga Filipino nga natanggong didto sa Lahad datu ug sa mokabat 800,000 ka mga Filipinos nga atoa sa Sabah, apan siya naghandom usab sa interest sa mokabat 95 milyon ka mga Filipino nga ania sa Pilipinas, lakip na ang pagprotekta ug pagpasiugda sa national interest sa nasod.

Ang komunidad sa ASEAN nagabase sa tulo ka mga haligi nga mao ang security community, economic community ug ang socio-cultural community. (RER/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Cebuano news: Presidente Aquino masaligon sa katawhang Filipino nga mopili sa mga tukmang lider alang sa padayon nga mga reporma

Ni Nida Grace B. Tranquilan

MANILA, Marso 7 (PIA) -- Si Presidente Benigno S. Aquino III mipadayag og kumpiyansa nga ang mga katawhang Filipino mopili sa mga sumusunod nga may katakus ug maligdong nga mapadayon ang reporma nga iyahang gipa-ugdahan sa gobyerno.

Sa iyahang mensahe atol sa pulong-pulong uban ang mga local nga mga lideres sa General Santos City, ang Presidente miingon nga pipila sa mga katawhan ang nangutana sa iyaha kon unsaon niya nga masiguro ang inisyatibong reporma sa anti-corruption nga iyaha ng nasugdan sa gobyerno nga mamintenar human sa iyahang termino sa opisina.

“Tinatanong ako, ‘Paano ‘pag baba mo sa 2016?’ Ito ba nagbakasyon lang tayo, 2016, balik na naman sa dating kalakaran? Sabi ko, ‘Buo ang tiwala ko sa mga Boss ko; nahanap nila ako, makakahanap sila ulit nang papalit sa atin na magpapatuloy ng ating ginawa,’” siya miingon.

Hinuon sa kasamtangan, siya miingon sa katawhan sa General Santos City nga siya nagkinahanglan ug inibidwal kinsa makatabang kaniya sa reporma nga adyenda sa iyahang administrasyon.

Siya nihangyo nga suportahan ang senatorial slate sa kuwalisyon aron sa pagseguro nga ang reporma magpadayon sa lehislatura. Siya usab miapela ngadto sa katawhan sa syudad nga ibalik ang mga mga kandidato sa local ubos sa partidong administrasyon.

Ang President miingon siya masaligon nga ang mga katawhan mopadayon sa pagsuporta sa mga kandidato sa administrasyon tungod kay gihimo na nila kini kaniadto pa labina niadtong pagdanagan pa sa iyahang presidency sa tuig 2010, ang posisyon diin siya nagmadaugon sa maong piniliay.

Ang pakigbugno sa anti-corruption ug ang burokratikong reporma karon nagmabungahon, siya miingon. Para pananglitan ang gobyerno nakahimo sa paglimpyo sa “once-tainted” sa opisina sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), diin nakatigum ug dakong kantidad sa salapi sa ilahang bag-o nga mga proyekto.

Ang administrasyon usab mihimo sa pagpahimutang kon pag ayo sa mga anomaliya sa pag-import sa bugas sa National Food Authority (NFA).

“Dati tinataya 1.3 million tons of rice every year ang kailangan nating i-import. Ngayon, umaasa tayo malapit na tayong mag-export ng bigas dahil sobra na ang ating kabigasan,” Siya miingon.

“Kayo na naman ang dahilan niyan. Lahat ng nagawa ng pamahalaan natin, kayo ang naging susi diyan,” siya midugang sa pag-ila a suporta sa publiko.

Ang Presidente didto sa General Santos City niadtong Miyerkules aron sa pagbisita sa mga dagkong proyekto sa karsada nga gikatakdang mopalambo sa komersiyo sa maong syudad ug sa tibook Rehiyon 12. (RER/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

PIA News Service - Wednesday, March 6, 2013

DOH-Caraga intensifies fight vs dengue through ABKD program

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, March 6 (PIA) -- The recorded increase of dengue cases in the region had prodded the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga to intensify its campaign against dengue through the implementation of the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABKD) program.

DOH-CHD Caraga’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) Chief Dr. Gerna Manatad pointed out that with the increasing number of dengue cases in the region, the health department should find measures to counter this problem.

She emphasized further that the ABKD program aims to reduce dengue cases and deaths through a nationwide campaign for a massive clean – up drive starting from the smallest political unit – the barangay.

“This initiative intends to mobilize all sectors concerned to support and reinforce clean-up drive against dengue,” Manatad said.

Dr. Manatad explained the program includes the regular daily clean-up drive by stakeholders. It also consists of the conduct of re-assessment of the situation and an extension of the clean up drive, when deemed necessary.

The schedule of daily clean-up drive is at 4 p.m. (otherwise called the 4:00 o’clock habit) “in order to ensure the absence of breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes. All stakeholders will be mobilized to support the clean-up drive in their assigned areas,” she said.

Dr. Manatad also said there will be the conduct of relaying standard message focused on “searching and destroying” mosquitoes’ breeding sites.

The DOH official also informed the public to seek early consultation for fever, joint pains, and other early signs of dengue hemorrhagic fever such as nose and gum bleeding, blood in the stool, vomitus, and abdominal pain, among others.

Manatad likewise said fogging is only advised to be conducted in hotspot areas where increase in case is registered for two consecutive years.

The health department here earlier reported six dengue deaths from January 1 to February 23. These came from barangays Doongan, Tungao, Taligaman, Pangabugan, and Pagtapatan in this city; and in Barangay Poblacion Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur. (RER/PIA-Caraga)

 Butuan, national finalist in the national legislative award

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, March 6 (PIA) -- The Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Butuan has been chosen as one of the national finalists in the 2012 Local Legislative Award, vying as the Most Outstanding Sanggunian under the Highly-Urbanized and Independent Component Cities Category.

The awards is a joint project of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine Councilors League (PCL).

Awarding ceremony will held on March 7 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City.

The National Winners for each of the award categories will be announced during the ceremony. Expected guests include President Benigno S. Aquino III and DILG Sec. Mar Roxas.

It can be recalled that SP Butuan was chosen as the regional finalist during the initial screening because of its various projects.

The local legislature implemented a true and comprehensive computerization system called the Legislative Management, Codification, Tracking and Information System (LMCTIS) which enabled the employees to perform more efficiently and effectively.

With the system, all records of the Sanggunian such as the proposed and approved resolutions and ordinances, communications as well as the performance of the SP members can now easily be accessed by one click of the system.

Apart from the system, reforms in the SP were also implemented such as equipping the employees by sending them to various capacity and skills enhancement trainings and the installing all the necessary equipment that would enable the employees to be more efficient.

Currently, the SP office is the only office in the city government which employs the facial recognition biometrics machine in the employee’s timekeeping and salary system.

Very soon the SP will be launching its own website that will link the legislative system to the web. This would mean that all transactions can be accessed by the public through the website. This endeavor will again put the Sangguian of Butuan in the map being the first local legislature to have implemented such scheme.

Vice Mayor Law Fortun said having been chosen as a national finalist is already a big achievement not only on the part of the SP, but the entire local government as well. “Such recognition is already a manifestation that what we are doing in the Sanggniang Panlungsod is on the right track of giving genuine public service to our people,” Fortun said. (LGU-BC/VMO/PIA-Caraga)

Filipino envoys bring home ‘change’ from 39th SSEAYP

By Rodolfo ‘Sonny’ SB. Virtus Jr.

MANILA, Mar. 6 -- The Philippine youth ambassadors in the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP) 2012 made a historic first in the 39-year old program by inspiring the accomplishment of a project onboard Japanese liner Fuji Maru, which shall benefit the Yellow Boat Foundation in the country.

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) cluster, one of the eight discussion groups onboard, introduced a project, ‘Change’ for Change, which was supported by the participating youths (PYs) of the 39th SSEAYP.

In this project, the delegates donated the loose change (sukli) that they had saved for the Yellow Boat.

Under the leadership of Jona D. Alegre, who was also the Philippine youth leader, the project was inspired by the Philippine contingent’s presentation of the Yellow Boat of Hope, which featured efforts of the Foundation to provide boats for children who have to swim so they could go to school. The fundraising effort raised about P48,000 for one boat for a community has yet to be identified by the Philippine contingent.

Aside from CSR the PYs discussed other specific issues affecting the youth, such as environment, school education, corporate social responsibility, HIV-AIDS, youth leadership development and cross-cultural understanding, and food and nutrition. At the end the discussion, the groups formulated plans for collaboration to be realized after the program.

Each delegation was also required to plan for post-SSEAYP activities. The Philippine team decided to complement the ‘Change’ for Change project by helping improve the quality of education in the area where the yellow boat shall be donated. These outreach activities include, among others, leadership training, environmental education and health education.

Further, the Filipino ambassadors popularized on the ship the country’s tourism tagline It’s More Fun in the Philippines and showcased the country’s cultural heritage through traditional dances and choral singing in their National Day Presentation onboard. They also allowed their ASEAN counterparts to experience Filipino hospitality and friendship through personal interactions, and youth activism through sharing of their advocacies or leadership/volunteer involvement.

The 53-day cruise was not just limited to onboard activities. Before the cruise proper, the delegations had preliminary activities and Youth Leadership Summit in Tokyo and homestay experience in different prefectures in Japan. They then boarded the ship from Yokohama port, then sailed on to five other ports - in Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam. In these countries, the participating youth conducted courtesy calls with government officials, institutional visits, cultural presentations, interactions with local youth groups, and homestays. The youth leaders also went to Myanmar for similar activities. The country program allowed the PYs to deepen their immersion in different cultures, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding, tolerance and cooperation, which is the very goal of SSEAYP.

From Brunei, the last port-of-call, Fuji Maru brought the delegations back to Tokyo where the program officially ended on December 14. Upon the Philippine contingent’s return in Manila, the National Youth Commission facilitated the debriefing and evaluation activities of the group. In 2013, the group hopes to work on the turnover of donation to the Yellow Boat Foundation, and jumpstart its post-cruise program.

The 28 youth ambassadors are: April Joy B. Guiang, Region I; Aya Caraphina S. Abraham, Region II; Loreen P. Agulan, Region III; Brian Jay D. Ambulo, Joseph Victor F. Fresnoza (assistant youth leader)and Mary Grace D. Leaño, Region IV; Rodolfo SB. Virtus Jr. and Apple Allison B. Perez, Region V; Rex Docto and Rosa Lea S. Baldevarona, Region VI; Russ Raniel A. Ligtas and John R. Lumapay, Region VII; Philip Ariane C. Oledan and Maria Julie Anne T. Culibar, Region VIII; Ronald Cszar F. Villano and Normelyn A. Gallardo, Region IX; Catherine R. Victorio, Region X; Mayjee A. De La Cruz and Jona D. Alegre, Region XI; Meikko Jay D. Forones, Mae E. Ballena and Prince Noroddin B. Ibrahim, Region XII; Neil M. Lastimosa, CARAGA; Ryan Anthony M. Bestre, CAR; Nasrudin A. Buisan and Hanna-Tunisia F. Usman, ARMM; and Aaron G. Laylo and Ma. Lourraine T. Alerta, NCR.

They were joined in by their national leader, Mabel S. Acosta, political consultant at the Office of Vice Mayor in Davao City.

The SSEAYP is an annual cultural exchange program sponsored by the Japanese Government and supported by the ASEAN. In the country, the selection and training of the youth ambassadors are facilitated by the National Youth Commission, with the SSEAYP International-Philippines. The application for the 40th SSEAYP will be open sometime in March 2013. For more information, interested youth leaders aged 18 to 30 can visit www.nyc.gov.ph. (NYC/PIA-Caraga)

DA-PRDP logo contest is on

By Sherwin B. Manual

DAVAO CITY, Mar. 6 -- A major program or a commercial product needs a trademark or a logo. It should be simple and could be easily ‘recalled.’

The DA’s forthcoming Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) is no different.

It needs a logo that would capture its essence, its objectives and goals.

The DA is thus inviting everyone to join the PRDP logo design-making contest. The winner will take home P20,000 cash, and he or she will be part of the DA’s legacy to the Filipino people.

Four other finalists will be honored and will each receive P5,000 cash, and a certificate.

The logo should reflect the PRDP’s goal to create a modern, climate-smart or resilient, and value chain-oriented agriculture and fishery sector.

The PRDP is considered one of the DA’s biggest foreign-assisted projects, worth $670 million or P27.5 billion, funded by the World Bank. It will run for six years, and targeted to start third quarter this year.

The PRDP will complement current major programs of initiatives of the DA, aimed at attaining sufficiency in rice and major staples.

All DA family employees and non-employees are invited to join the contest, as long as they are Filipinos, 18 years old and above.

Contestants should submit original, digitally-created entries with resolution of at least 300 dpi and the width and the height of the logo must have a resolution of at least 700 pixels.

Each entry must have color settings for both RGB and CMYK modes and should predominantly use the colors green and blue with white, golden yellow or black as trimmings, strokes or highlights.

Contestants are required to include a description of the logo-design and colors, not more than 350 words.

Entries should be emailed to prdplogodesign@gmail.com, on or before April 20, 2013, with the accomplished information sheet and rationale.

The winners will be announced on May 15, 2013.

For more information visit www.da.gov.ph or www.damrdp.net. (MRDP/PIA-Caraga)

DOLE Caraga conducts ISO 10002:2004 Training on Quality Management

By Romelyn Braza

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 6 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment-Caraga conducted an in house training on ISO 10002:2004 Quality Management to ensure customer satisfaction through efficient and effective complaint handling and continuous process improvement.

DOLE personnel were taught on Customer Satisfaction, Guidelines for Complaints Handling and Continual Process Improvement. This was initiated by the DOLE-Caraga Region in coordination with the Certification International Philippines on February 25-28, 2013 held at the DOLE-Caraga Conference Room.

“The training will help sustain and improve our ISO Quality Management System” Director Ofelia Domingo said on her opening remarks. She further stressed that being certified to ISO is not the end of the quest, rather the beginning of the search for excellence.

Mr. Romeo M. Ramirez of the CIPI was the trainer for this three- day ISO training.

All Quality Management System committee members and the process holders were the participants in the said training.

Salient points discussed including the involvement and commitment of the top management in the complaints handling process, how to recognize and address the needs and expectations of complaints, how to enhance satisfaction and the continual process improvement approaches. “This training is aligned to the current system and standards of ISO 9001:2008”, Mr. Ramirez said.

Director Domingo said in closing that she expects more improvements, initiatives and to have this be part to our passion for service, love for service and raising the bar of DOLE-Caraga. (DOLE-13/PIA-Caraga)