Getting schools ready: How you can pitch in?

Davao Region to celebrate 21st Migrant Workers’ day

DENR spearheads Environment Month celebration

‘Saulog 2016’ showcases farm, marine products of Zambo. Norte

DTI holds free packaging training for food processors

XU all set for Senior High School confabDSWD completes P209 million Kalahi-CIDSS projects in Region 12

Refresher training on radio broadcasting held in Lanao Norte Tricycle drivers receive Family Card

DA extends assistance to Sta. Cruz farmers

DepEd-9 launches ‘Brigada Eskwela 2016’

Gensan Mayor eyes implementation transport code in 2nd term

ARMM provides humanitarian assistance to displaced families in Lanao del Sur

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Duterte to prioritize health, education of the people from PAGCOR funds

Gov’t lines up activities for this year’s Independence Day celebration

Gov’t strives to secure release of abducted Davao Oriental police chief

6-8 JUNE 2016 / VOL. 01 NO. 09

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Dolphins, swordfish wow Sarangani Bay swim fest

Gov’t lines up activities for this year’s Independence Day celebration

Goodbye El Nino; Welcome La Nina

The May 4, 2016 PAGASA advisory stating that the “ongoing El Nino continues to weaken in the tropical Pacific” and “is in decaying stage” is a welcome conciliation to the Filipino people especially those who belong to regions or provinces that have been ravaged by long drought. The spiraling El Niño phenomenon in the last quarter of 2015 has wreaked havoc to the lives of thousands of farmers whose livelihood depended much on farming. Region XII or popularly known SOCCSKSARGEN is among those severely affected regions with over a billion worth of crops and other agricultural produce being damaged, prompting some local government units (LGUs) to declare their areas “under the state of calamity.” Did we prepare enough for this? Of course, the government will automatically say “yes” since this has long been expected. PAGASA, as early as May 2014, made it already known to public using mainstream, traditional, and internet-based platforms to warn people of the potential occurrence of El Nino in the country. Except for few setbacks, the governments from national to barangay levels did prepare for El Nino. Suffice it to say, the national government poured billions of fund augmentation, food assistance, and even grants to LGUs through its frontline agencies like the DA and DSWD to mitigate the impact of the drought. The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) also made sure that all local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (LDRRMCs) with their corresponding offices from provincial, city to the barangays were activated and prepared for appropriate actions or response. We can say that both local and national governments did their jobs and are continuously doing so despite the many challenges they hurdle now and then. So kudos to both! Likewise, all hail the non-governmental organizations and fund/food donors, local or

international, individual or group for their extraordinary efforts. They really went their way and even went the extra mile just to extend help to affected farmers.

Truly that in time of trouble we see the positive and admirable side in every people. We see the Filipino’s spirit of unity, compassion, and volunteerism oozing out to help and hold the needy up to gain back their most needed strength.

While we are in a jubilant mood to readily send-off El Nino, we should not also overlook the fact that La Nina is mounting any time soon.

According to PAGASA, the possibility of a developing La Niña is favored during the second half of 2016. So that “La Nina Watch” begins now.

La Niña, PAGASA said, is characterized by a persistent cooler than average sea surface temperature anomalies (below -0.5 °C) over the tropical Pacific. Again we can’t fight nature. What we can only do is to be equipped with right information and to have a well-prepared disaster plan, the very same weapons we are using now to manage El Nino.

In an adverse weather condition, there is always losses and misery attached. Thus, we can expect from this early on that whatever amount of affliction the drought

has put us all through would be the same amount or even greater with La Nina. With this in the offing and with a rather positive note, let us consider this

perfect occasion for all of us to start caring again, that is-- the government at all levels and the Filipino people to work in unison to cushion the effects of La Nina and with our

preparations at hand, we shall not fail.

OLIVIA T. SUDARIAREGIONAL DIRECTORPIA SOCCSKSARGEN

PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCYSOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)Baustista Bldg., Zulueta Street, Koronadal City, South CotabatoContact no. (083)520-0249

Dolphins, swordfish wow Sarangani Bay swim fest

Gov’t lines up activities for this year’s Independence Day celebration

“It is exactly for this reason,” explains Dennis Galve of the South Cotabato Schools Division, “that days before classes open, the Department of Education (DepEd) holds Brigada Eskwela. At the first day of classes, our teachers should be able to begin the first lessons of the school year.”

Schools Division Superintendent Leonardo Balala aptly puts this matter in these words: “Most of these kids are eager to come to class in their new uniforms or clothes, new bags, new notebooks and new pencils and pens. It would be discouraging to these children if instead of getting them to sit down for the lessons we will require them to get bolos and other tools and clean up the entire school campus and their classrooms. Imagine how disappointed they will be.”

Galve, who is the provincial Brigada Eskwela coordinator, admits,

however, that teachers and school administrators

are in want of helping

hands from every stakeholder - parents, students, local government units, private companies, organizations, among so many more - to make certain that schools are prepped to comply with the department’s “First Day, First Lesson” policy and remain conducive to learning all year round.

“Teachers cannot do these much work on their own. Schools need public support,” Galve emphasized.

Here, therefore, are some of the things any person, organization or institution could do for the fruition of this noble cause for the development of the youth. Note, however, that these suggestions are not confined to the opening of classes, but may be done any time of the year.

1. Clean up the school surroundings

School environment, especially during summer vacation when most schools are unoccupied, accumulate a lot of wastes from dusts to dry leaves. Once well-kept vegetable and flower

gardens turn into unsightly mass of grasses and

twigs. Joining cleanup drives, Galve points

out, is one of the

Millions of children across the country are trooping to schools in barely a week in their quest to earn the much needed education, undeniably a ticket to

a better life. And many times over, education officials have appealed for public support to ensure that schools are in a fit state as they welcome into their gates these young minds.

Getting schools ready: How you can pitch in?

most inexpensive means to help get schools ready for the students at all times.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rogelio Aturdido, provincial health officer of South Cotabato, has repeatedly stressed that cleanup drives, specifically targeting mosquito breeding places, remain the most competent avenue to protect school children from the potentially fatal dengue fever. Installing chemically-treated nets as curtains and even the planned dengue vaccination by the DepEd are without match to the anti-dengue search and destroy initiatives, Dr. Aturdido accentuates.

2. Do some repairs

In a recent press conference, Antonio Maganto, information officer of DepEd 12, underscored that school facilities, including windows, chairs, tables, boards, and others “unfortunately, are more prone to wear and tear.”

“To cite an example,” he said, “in every 10 chairs about 5 to 7 would sustain some damage or are broken by the end of the school year.” Thus, he said, some assistance in carpentry jobs, fixing faulty electrical wirings, repair of ceilings and roofs and many similar contributions would certainly go a long way.

During Brigada Eskwela, every manual work contributed is counted, given monetary value and summed up to constitute the amount of contributions a school has generated, a criterion in determining the best Brigada Eskwela implementers.

3. Donate Although teachers and school officials are prohibited from soliciting, no body is prevented from donating.

What may be donated? Superintendent Balala has identified some. During the Brigada Eskwela, he said, schools may need construction materials such as, but not limited to, nails, lumbers, and GI sheets. As experienced by some schools in South Cotabato, charitable donors may opt to donate industrial fans, air-conditioning units, chairs and tables, and may others.

Meanwhile, DepEd -12 Assistant Regional Director Evelyn Fetalvero says, public school officials and teachers would be too happy to receive donations of hygiene and sanitation kits and emergency and first-aid kits for classes, learning kits (bags, notebooks, pencils,, pens, etc.) for schoolchildren, and teaching kits (manila paper, colored paper, chalk and erasers, etc.) for teachers.

4. Most importantly, enroll your kids before the opening of classes

No amount of preparation would be

meaningful without the real beneficiaries: the children who should be at school. So, please enroll your children.

“Let us not wait for the classes to begin before enrolling your children,” Supt. Balala appeals to parents to do away with what he described as an “extremely bad habit” of even waiting until July or August to enroll their school-age kids, often pointing at monetary constraints as reason.

“Remember, no fees are collected during enrolment period. Even arrears from previous years should not prevent a child from enrolment,” Balala emphasizes.

Balala further expounds that getting the actual number of enrollees within the first month of the year aids education officials in determining requirements for classrooms, chairs, books, teachers and the like.

And remember, classes for school year 2016-2017 will begin on June 13. (DEDoguiles)

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 20167

Speaking before an estimated 500,000 people who attended the “One-Love, One-Nation Thanksgiving Party #DU31” at the Crocodile Park in Davao City on Saturday night (June

4), Duterte said health and education would be his top priorities to address concerns of the people, especially the marginalized ones who cannot afford to pay hospital bills and medicines.

Duterte to prioritize health, education of the people from PAGCOR fundsPresident-elect Rodrigo Duterte plans to realign funds

from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) toward providing more subsidy on medicines

and hospitalization as well as education of the people.

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 20168

In education, Duterte said he is concerned with the problem now from the aberration created because of the K-12 program. He said there are many students that could run to hundreds who cannot enroll for senior high school and the marginalized teachers who will be out of job because they do not know where to go. He said he already talked to incoming Education Secretary Leonor Briones to address the many problems created by the K-12 program.Duterte sees the need to construct schools for senior high school students. If there are 20 to 35 students in a barangay, he aims to construct a school in the area so that students do not have to walk 20 to 30 kilometers to a nearest school. “Ako na mismo ang magdadala ng eskwelahan (I will be the one to bring school to you),” said Duterte, emphasizing that government must keep on spending even on small projects. During the mayorship of Duterte in Davao, the city government has been recipient of PAGCOR funds, especially on health and education, which is also part of the institution’s corporate social responsibility. The city hosts one casino operation. In May this year, PAGCOR remitted the highest contribution to the government coffers -- a total of P8.86 billion, of which P1.89 billion accounts for cash dividends for 2015. A PAGCOR press release stated that PAGCOR’s good corporate governance enabled the state-run gaming firm to continuously beat its targets and maintain its position as one of the government’s top-revenue earners. Report said PAGCOR has been remitting cash dividends to the national government from the ₱1 billion dividends remitted in 2012, making it to the GOCC Elite Circle or the Billionaires’ Club. (PNA)

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the Philippine Information Agency, which represents the Presidential Communications Operations Office, had joined the preparatory meetings for the celebration spearheaded by NHCP. Among the activities at the Rizal Park on June 13 include a job fair organized by DOLE, Diskwento Caravan of the DTI, and free medical and dental mission of the DOH. Coloma also said the public should wait for further announcements from the Historical Commission of the Philippines. With regards to President Aquino’s activities during the Independence Day celebration, he said the President will lead the traditional Vin d’Honneur for the diplomatic corps at the Malacanang Palace. The Vin d’Honneur will be held in the morning of June 12, he said. (PCOO)

Gov’t lines up activities for this year’s Independence Day celebrationThe public could

join several activities during

the Independence Day celebration this year such as job fair and medical and dental missions, the Palace said on Saturday (June 4).

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 2016 9

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte said he is no longer interested in rescuing the abducted cop due to his connections to illegal drug activities.Chief Insp. Arnold Ongachen was taken captive by the group of rebels who attacked the Governor Generoso police station in Davao Oriental Sunday evening (May 29). Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said he was not aware of Duterte’s comments but the government he said is sticking to the statement by the Philippine National Police.

The NPA said the police station was attacked due to the demand of the local residents to seek punishment for the protectors of illegal drug activities in their municipality. The Governor Generoso Police Station has served as a gateway for illegal drugs to be circulated in Davao Oriental, the rebels said. The locals also complained that policemen have been protecting land-grabbing activities of prominent families in the province, the group added (PCOO)

Gov’t strives to secure release of abducted Davao Oriental police chiefThe government said it will do everything to secure the release of the chief of the Governor Generoso police station who was abducted by NPA rebels following an attack on their police station in Davao Oriental.

Photo courtesy of metrocebu.com

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 201610

The exotic sea creatures seemed as if they wanted to join the 15-kilometer swim. Jeboy Villar of the GenSan Gliders (4th placer) immediately shifted to backstroke from freestyle for fear that he might bump into approximately 10 dolphins playfully swimming along with him. The dolphins roughly measure a

meter and a half each, according to Villar. His coach at the escort boat navigating about five meters away from him also warned him that more dolphins were crossing his way.Villar felt anxious and just synchronized his strokes with the marine mammals. The dolphins were sighted midway of the course where the

Dolphins, swordfish wowSarangani Bay swim festSwordfish and dolphins crossed paths with iron lunged contestants of the annual Sarangani Bay or Sarbay Swim-Across-the-Bay on Friday (June 3).

Photo courtesy of facebook/Sarangani Province

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 2016 11

current was noticeably strong. It was also the same spot where champion team leader Jazz Babagonio of Koronadal 1 said they were thrown off course, causing about 20 minutes of lost time. Event organizer Nemrad Butil said the current has always been the swimmers’ “ultimate burden” and might have also foiled the winning team from breaking its record last year of 2:54:35, a 17-minute and 59-second variance from Friday’s 3:10:34. Butil estimated the current strength can bring a 40-horsepower boat of the Philippine Coast Guard off course. “This is how challenging the race is this time,” Butil said. “But the swimmers said they were having more fun instead.” Butil said the erratic current was the reason he moved the mass start of the competition an hour late to 5:48 a.m. The sightings of the dolphins and swordfish, he said, was an indication that Sarangani Bay’s marine ecosystem “is still rich and the marine wildlife is friendly and tame.”

At least 18 teams initially signified to join the annual swim fest but was later reduced to 10 following stringent screening. Davao Merchant Marine Academy placed second this year with a time of 3:11:34 while the University of the Philippines Team clocked 3:12:19 for the third place. GenSan Gliders, Tinoto Team, Lagare Team, Kabacan Team, Pipay Team, Koronadal 2 and Polomolok Aqua Team finished 4th to 10th, respectively. The bay crossing event is one of the highlights of the two-day 2016 Sarangani Bay festival, which ends Saturday. It is also considered as one of the longest swim relay course in Asia.Every summer since SarBay was launched in 2006, Sarangani Bay has become a virtual swimming pool of professional and amateur swimmers craving to conquer the bay. The champion, second and third placers got P50, 000, Php 35,000 and Php 25,000, respectively while the rest of the finishers got Php 6,000 cash prize aside from the “Invaders” medal and trophies. (PNA)

National NEWS I 6-8 JUNE 201612

Gov’t lines up activities for this year’s Independence Day celebrationThe public could join several activities during the Independence Day celebration this year such as job fair and medical and dental missions, the Palace said on Saturday (June 4).

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said the Philippine Information Agency, which represents the Presidential Communications Operations Office, had joined the preparatory meetings for the celebration spearheaded by NHCP. Among the activities at the Rizal Park on June 13 include a job fair organized by DOLE, Diskwento Caravan of the DTI, and free medical and dental mission of the DOH. Coloma also said the public

should wait for further announcements from the Historical Commission of the Philippines. With regards to President Aquino’s activities during the Independence Day celebration, he said the President will lead the traditional Vin d’Honneur for the diplomatic corps at the Malacanang Palace. The Vin d’Honneur will be held in the morning of June 12, he said. (PCOO)

6-8 JUNE 201613

Refresher training on radio broadcasting held in Lanao Norte

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte — A four-day refresher training on writing for radio, anchoring techniques and advocacy plug production was held here recently at the Mindanao Civic Center (MCC) for 30 radio station personnel, anchors and members of the Community Radio Council (CRC) under the aegis of the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-10. Nutrition Officer Marilou R. Enteria of NNC-10 said the training aimed to improve the participants’ capabilities and skills in radio programming and

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operations especially those who had not undergone any training after the “Radyo Kalamabuan” was established in February 2013. “This training also aims to address various concerns such as equipment maintenance, hosting techniques for new recruits, radio programming, signal mapping, use of new media, sustainability, and functionality of the Nutriskwela CRC,” Enteria added. Resource speakers from DZMM Manila and MQ Mediazone - NNC DOH media partners shared with the participants their skills in voice development and dffective anchoring/hosting, writing for radio and field reporting, basic sound recording and editing, among others. It can be recalled that the NNC had partnered with the provincial government of Lanao del Norte in the establishment of Nutriskwela Community Radio Network Program, Radyo Kalambuan, DXNE 94.3 FM, located at the grandstand of the MCC sports complex in this town.

The Nutriskwela CRC is designed to empower communities through the establishment of community radio station that will disseminate nutrition, health and development-oriented information to the public. The CRC is composed of representatives from the local government units, the academe, agriculture, health, social welfare, women, senior citizen, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and the religious sector. On the last day of the said training, the participants were asked to assess the operation of the radio station by identifying the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities that will serve as the basis for preparing the radio station’s three-year plan. To date, the NNC has established 35 Nutriskwela Community Radio stations nationwide in partnership with local government units and state colleges and universities. (Lorry V. Gabule)

Gensan Mayor eyes implementation transport code in 2nd term GENERAL SANTOS CITY – In his sophomore term, Mayor Ronnel Rivera wants to implement the transportation code of Gensan. During a visit to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) recently, he said solving the different transport problems in the city is one of his top agenda in his second term. “Gensan’s transport sector is replete of problems, not only regarding tricycles but also concerning regulation of transport mediums,” Rivera said.

6-8 JUNE 2016 15

He pointed out the city is still facing problems in infrastructure. “Although Gensan is already a developed city 76% of our roads remain unpaved. All these require comprehensive solutions that is why the SP through Attorney Cloma is now crafting the transportation code of the city,” Rivera said. “Once the Transportation is in place, what is necessary is some courage for its effective enforcement. We know many drivers, especially those from Sarangani and Polomolok would object but have to implement it so that we can further develop Gensan,” the local chief executive added. The transportation code being formulated by the SP is derived from the output of the comprehensive transport study conducted by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) funded by the World Bank. It will serve as the “bible” for the city government to follow when it comes to addressing different transport concerns the city has. As of now, the collective clamor that Rivera is preparing to solve is the

proliferation of registered tricycles without franchises (colorum), the existence of illegal fabricators of tricycle side cars, and the unregulated fares of public utility vehicles. When the transportation code of Gensan will finally come into life, Mayor Rivera said, the residents should expect drastic changes in the transport sector. Mayor Rivera also revealed that the legislators of the new city council are now discussing to give the position to someone who has the same guts as lawyer Arturo Cloma. Cloma, the current head of the Committee on Transportation, will be exiting as a city councilor as he lost in the May 9 election. However, Rivera assured that Cloma would work hand-in-hand with him to furnish the necessary inputs for the transportation code before the new SP council comes in. “We want a smooth transition. That is why kahit natalo si Cloma, which is a sad news for us, we still have to be professional. We need to do this to serve the residents of this city,” Mayor Rivera said. (IJLagare/DEDoguiles)

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Municipal Agriculturist Roberto Florentino said this assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-11 and the provincial government of Davao del Sur came at the right time as the rainy season began. “We expect this assistance to further boost agricultural productivity especially to the farmers who were affected by the El Niño phenomenon.”The assistance included 20 sacks of Open Pollinated Variety of white corn seeds and 10 sacks of hybrid yellow corn seeds for identified corn farmers in the municipality.

Assorted vegetable seeds were also out for distribution such as ampalaya, squash, cucumber, tomato, patola, upo, okra, radish, peanut and ginger. Meanwhile, farmers from sitios Kibarangan and Langan in Barangay Coronon would receive rubber tree seedlings with knapsack sprayers and plastic crates. A total of 390 farmers from 13 farmer associations will benefit from the assistance. (CDIO-Sta. Cruz/Julius R. Paner)

DA extends assistance to Sta. Cruz farmersSTA. CRUZ, Davao del Sur – The Office of Municipal Agriculturist here has turned-over on Monday, June 6, several farm implements and agricultural inputs to some farmer-beneficiaries in this municipality as part of its continuing agricultural productivity measures.

‘Saulog 2016’ showcases farm, marine products of Zambo. NorteDIPOLOG CITY – Display booths set up at Dipolog City Boulevard by the different municipalities and cities of Zamboanga del Norte during the “Saulog 2016” festival have been teeming with farm and marine products from the bounties of the province’s lands and seas. Different kinds of root crops, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, dried fish, shells, seaweeds, processed foods and even handicrafts are ubiquitous and

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on sale at the booths starting June 1 to 7. Coastal towns Siocon, Baliguian and Labason brought along their famous “bulad” (dried fish) while Sindangan town came with its sweet mangoes and Spanish sardines. Aside from agricultural products, the municipalities also beckon the visitors to see the pictures of the beautiful spots displayed on their booths like caves, underground river, pristine beaches and many others. Siayan town, for instance, boasts of its “Pangase” wine, which is made of rice and cassava. This wine is being produced by Subanens, the indigenous people of Zamboanga

Peninsula. The Saulog Festival is held annually by the provincial government in commemoration of Zamboanga del Norte’s founding anniversary. Zamboanga del Norte had been carved out from the defunct Zamboanga Province by virtue of Republic No. 711 on June 6, 1952, which divided the Zamboanga Province into two independent provinces – Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. In 2001, another province was created from the third district of Zamboanga del Sur and was named Zamboanga Sibugay Province, the youngest province in region 9. (Franklin P. Gumapon)

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Various activities are slated from June 2 to 4 at the XU main campus to provide a glimpse of the vibrant university life Xavier offers to its SHS students. The three days will be filled with getting to know not just the academic side but also the kind of leadership formation that happens in the wide-ranging and extensive co-curricular and extra-curricular programs at Xavier. The Senior HS program comprises the additional two years of basic education, in line with the DepEd’s Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (Republic Act No.10533), which aims to strengthen the basic education system in the Philippines. From the conceptualization phase, student volunteers have been working hand in hand with the Office of Student Affairs, Student Activities and Leadership Development, faculty and staff of the university to ensure the OrSem activities are exciting for the eleventh graders and embody the spirit of being Xavier

Ateneans. A Eucharistic mass will be celebrated on June 2 at the XU Gymnasium to officially open OrSem 2016, to be followed by an academic convocation. Meanwhile, the split sessions include counseling, strand assembly, and small group discussions, while the parallel sessions are composed of OrSem games, student interest talks and scholars’ assembly. This year’s OrSem will end with an organizational tour and a talent exposition. SHS students are encouraged to share their OrSem experience using the hashtags, #MyORSEMStory and #ORSEMWanderlust. XU offers complete Academic and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood tracks. The university has been preparing for this transition since 2014 and it hopes to form globally competitive graduates who will meet the standards and fulfill the demands of the ASEAN Economic Integration. (XUComm)

XU all set for Senior High School confabCAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - “Aim High, Senior High” is not your average orientation seminar or OrSem but a grand welcome for the incoming Xavier University Senior High School students in Cagayan de Oro City.

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The event is part of the various activities to be undertaken by OWWA-11 to honor and empower migrant workers in the region. Other activities highlighting the said event include Regional OFW Congress and awarding of Outstanding OFW Family Circles, Outstanding OWWA Scholars, and Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship. The Regional OFW Congress is a multi-sector consultation process designed to draw up regional agenda for OFWs and their families. The outputs will form part of the national agenda which will be presented to the incoming administration for consideration and inclusion in the Presidential Policy and Program Directives for 2016-2022. This activity, which was held at the Apo View Hotel, was participated in by different representatives from the OFW Family Circles, academe, church, local government units and non-government organizations. Free medical checkup and medicines from Pascual Consumer Healthcare Corp. were provided to all participants while free eye checkup was also made available to those having eye problems, courtesy of Dr. Hailmarie Lañohan, Peñaplata OFC President. Various products of the OFW

Family Circles are also being displayed at the trade fair area. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), on the other hand, would provide tips and ideas in doing business and negosyong “Swak na Swak” for the OFWs while the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will showcase its skills training program for the OFWs and their families. About 800 OFWs and their dependents from the four provinces of Davao Region came to join this year’s celebration. DOLE-11 Regional Director Joffrey M. Suyao and Councilor Antoinette G. Principe also graced the event. This year’s celebration is made possible through the sponsorship of NCCC Mall of Davao, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Philam Life, Paramount General Insurance Corp., Pag-IBIG Fund, Land Bank of the Philippines, Pascual Consumer Healthcare Corp., AXA Philippines, DMMA College of Southern Philippines, and the Association of Recruitment Agencies in Davao, Inc. (ARADI). The celebration is made in recognition of the OFWs’ immense contributions to the national economy. (Maricel T. Sarabillo/OWWA-11)

Davao Region to celebrate 21st Migrant Workers’ dayDAVAO CITY – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)-11 is going to celebrate today, June 7, the 21st Migrant Workers’ Day at the Kadayawan Hall, NCCC Mall in the city with the theme, “Salamat OFW, Saludo Kami sa Inyo.”

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Tricycle drivers receive Family CardGENERAL SANTOS CITY - Around 130 tricycle drivers in General Santos City recently received CLEAN Gensan Family Cards from the city government here.

Mayor Ronnel Rivera, together with the Business Permits and Licensing Division (BPLD) head Geraldine Zamora and Integrated Barangay Affairs (IBA) action officer Sahara Cabreros, handed out the cards to beneficiaries, all members of the Modelong Drivers Association. Rene Pleños, president of the Modelong Drivers Association, said the card would help them insure their families.

“As tricycle drivers, we do not earn that much. It is difficult for us when a member of the family gets sick,”

Pleños said. “The CLEAN Family Card is a great help for us to be able to take care of our family.” In exchange for the mayor’s generosity, Pleños pledged that they will do their best to be role model tricycle drivers in the city, including being compliant to traffic rules and regulations, being courteous to their passengers, and billing passengers the correct fares. The CLEAN Gensan Family Card is a program launched by the IBA during the first term of Mayor Rivera to give health and other social benefits to indigent families here in the city.

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It is a partnership forged by the city government with insurance institutions such as SSS and Philhealth. Among the benefits that a family can acquire with the said card is free hospitalization at the Jorge P. Royeca Hospital (formerly General Santos City Hospital). Free Philhealth, SSS, and Red Cross membership are also some of the perks included in the CLEAN Gensan Family Card. “We in the IBA started the CLEAN Gensan Family Card on the idea to uplift the standard of living of our poor constituents. We want to ensure them that government services are always on their reach,” Mayor Rivera explained. “What we have noticed—not

only in Gensan, but in many parts of the country - that hospitalization and access to health services are among the biggest problems of the marginalized sector. So I intended to change that here in Gensan with the help of this card,” the mayor elaborated. According to Cabreros, around 3,000 CLEAN Gensan Family Cards have been distributed throughout the city. “We will continue this and every one who deserves will be given a CLEAN Family Card. This is not a selective project. The mayor strictly instructed that this program should be inclusive, especially to the poor,” Cabreros said. (IJLagare/DEDoguiles)

ARMM Vice-Governor Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman said residents who fled from Butig town are now taking shelter at the different evacuation centers in the municipalities of Lumbanayage, Masiu, and in Marawi City. He said that although there has been no civilian casualty reported, close to 2,000 families have been displaced and most of them are coming from the

town’s six barangays, namely, Barangay Bayabao, Poktan, Ragaya, Kuluyan, Samer and Sandag. He said the ARMM government saw the need to provide humanitarian aid to the affected families considering the hardship they went through. Lucman headed the humanitarian and relief operation that included the distribution of food packs and medicines

ARMM provides humanitarian assistance to displaced families in Lanao del SurMARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) through its Humanitarian Emergency Action and Response Team (HEART) has provided last June 1 relief assistance to around 2,000 families displaced by a military operation against a local rebel group in Butig town, Lanao del Sur.

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and conduct of free medical services. He said the region’s health department will also be closely monitoring the general health and sanitary conditions in the evacuation centers. He said the evacuees still fear

returning to their homes even if the fighting has already subsided. “The ARMM is ready to provide the necessary humanitarian intervention in the face of this conflict,” he said. (BPI/APB)

DepEd-9 launches ‘Brigada Eskwela 2016’

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd)-9 has re-launched its “Brigada Eskwela” program on May 30 to June 4 in preparation for the school opening here next week. Anchored on the theme, “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos at Handa Mula Kindergarten Hanggang Senior High School (We are all for safe, orderly and ready schools from Kindergarten to Senior High School),” the event kicked-off with a float parade and program held in Don Pablo Lorenzo National High School, which was participated in by some 25 schools offering senior high school program in the city. Brigada Eskwela or the National Schools Maintenance Week

encourages all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort and resources to make sure that schools are clean, safe, disaster-prepared and conducive to learning when students troop back to the schools in June. Meanwhile, the DepEd has also launched the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program recently to some 23 public schools in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Emergency Funds (UNICEF) as part of the Brigada Eskwela. (Omar Jaljalis)

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The lack of proper packaging and labeling had always been one of the pressing concerns faced with by most MSMEs (Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises) in the province due to the lack of access to suppliers of affordable packaging materials. Likewise, the minimum volume requirement and the freight cost (particularly for those who source their packaging from Metro Manila), hinder start-ups and emerging entrepreneurs from competing with products of other ASEAN countries in terms of aesthetics. This also prevents them from penetrating mainstream markets.The session also provided a venue for the MSMEs to meet with local suppliers of packaging materials and participate in a one-on-one consultation with them. More than 40 food processors from all over the province benefitted from the consultation. Most of them are emerging entrepreneurs who are on the process of introducing their products, while some already have established markets and are just looking for cheaper alternatives to their current packaging materials. Arnel Rodriguez, Senior Research and Development Specialist of the Department of Science and

Technology (DOST)-11 also shared his expertise on food packaging and labeling to the participants. Rodriguez discussed the importance of packaging, the advantages and disadvantages of various types of food packaging materials from aluminum cans to pet bottles and the basic requirements for food labels prescribed by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). “Having the proper packaging and label for your product gives you an edge over your competitors because consumers will most likely buy your products based on how it looks, not so much on how it tastes,” Maria Victoria D. Adriatico, supervising trade and industry specialist for SME Development Services of DTI-Davao del Norte explained to the participants. DTI-Davao del Norte has been regularly conducting free product development activities for the food and non-food sectors in the province as part of its effort to increase competitiveness of local products and aligning them with global standards. It is set to conduct a Labeling Consultancy Caravan during the second half of this year for start-up entrepreneurs around Davao del Norte. (Judecia H. Ponio)

DTI holds free packaging training for food processorsTAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte – In response to the challenge of the ASEAN Economic Integration, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Davao del Norte Field Office conducted a free packaging seminar and consultation for the province’s food processors at Heroben Hometel here recently.

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Bai Zorahayda T. Taha, DSWD-12 regional director said, that the amount represents a total of 134 projects that were completed through the assistance from World Bank with community and local government counterparts. Among the projects are school buildings, health stations, roads, electrification, flood control, water systems, bridges, post-harvest facilities and many others, benefiting thousands of villagers, especially in

the far-flung areas of the region, Taha said. “These projects were implemented through a strategy that encourages volunteerism in which communities are empowered to identify their pressing needs,” she explained. The different projects were constructed in towns of Bagumbayan, Isulan, Kalamansig, Lambayong, Lebak, Lutayan, Palimbang and Senator Ninoy Aquino in Sultan

DSWD completes P209 million Kalahi-CIDSS projects in Region 12KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in SOCCSKSARGEN has completed P209 million worth of community projects through one of its flagship poverty-reduction programs, Kalahi-CIDSS, an agency official said Thursday.

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Kudarat; Glan, Kiamba, Maasim, and Maitum in Sarangani province; Alamada, Aleosan, Banisilan, Carmen and Pikit in North Cotabato. “Local communities in these towns were also trained to craft their project proposals, present them to municipal inter-barangay forum for funding, then manage and sustain them,” Taha said. Taha added that the funds for projects were directly downloaded to the accounts, managed and controlled by chosen volunteers by the community.“The agency is expecting to complete

at least 50 more projects in the coming months,” Taha said. With the bottom-up development approach, Kalahi-CIDSS, which stands for Kapit-Bisig Laban Sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, was chosen as one of the awardees of the U.S. Treasury’s second annual Development Impact Honors Awards in 2013. Started in 2003 in the region, Kalahi-CIDSS has completed 954 community projects, amounting to some P1.03 billion. (HTEstacion/DEDoguiles)

This year’s theme is “Go Wild for Life, Combat Biodiversity Loss#GreenEnvironmentGawingForever.” “We celebrate Environment Month this year with a renewed and strengthened conviction to care for the land we live on, the air we breathe, and the water which gives us life. More than any time in this planet’s history, it is now that we must put our acts together to combat increasing threats to our ecosystem,” DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje said in a press statement. Meanwhile, DENR-IX kicked off the celebration in Lake Maragang

Rainforest Park, Mt. Timolan Protected Landscape (MTPL), a declared protected area by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 354 signed on August 14, 2000 pursuant to Republic Act No. 7586, also known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992. Regional Director Arleigh J. Adorable said, “the establishment of the NIPAS is primarily aimed to combat biodiversity loss and Mount Timolan is a perfect venue to launch the celebration of the Environment Month.”

DENR spearheads Environment Month celebrationPAGADIAN CITY –The month of June has been declared Philippine Environment Month by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 237 signed in 1998 by then President Corazon C. Aquino, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as primary focal agency, implementing different activities.

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The Philippines is part of the 18 “mega-diverse” countries in the world, and considered as a biodiversity hotspot. It also contains two-thirds of the earth’s biodiversity. “Combating biodiversity loss and being an advocate of wildlife protection starts with being vigilant. Report any illegal trade activities, any plant or animal species that are in the verge of abuse, maltreatment, or any illegal activities being held in protected areas to agencies like the

DENR, World Wildlife Fund and to local government units,” the DENR official urged everyone. Other environmental celebrations being observed in the month of June are as follows: June 5 – World Environment Day; June 4-10 Philippine Eagle Week; June 8- World Ocean Day; June 9 - Coral Triangle Day; June 17 - World Day to Combat Desertification; and National Arbor Day on June 25. (Claro A. Lanipa)

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