One Mindanao - May 20, 2015

EDITORIAL ADVISERS

SEC. SONNY B. COLOMAPresidential Communications Operations Office

JOSE MARI M. OQUIÑENA Director General Philippine Information Agency

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EFREN F. ELBANBUENACluster Head, Southern, Western and Central MindanaoRegional Director, PIA Region XI

MANAGING EDITOR ABNER M. CAGACluster Head, Northern & Northeastern MindanaoRegional Director - PIA Caraga Region

REGIONAL DESK EDITORS FRANKLIN P. GUMAPON, PIA Region IX

ALMA L. TINGCANG, PIA Region IX ELAINE O. RATUNIL, PIA Region X RUDOLPH IAN G. ALAMA, PIA Region XI DANNY E. DOGUILES, PIA Region XII FRYAN E. ABKILAN, PIA Caraga Region

COPY EDITORS

FRYAN E. ABKILAN, PIA Caraga Region NORA C. LANUZA MOLDE, PIA Caraga Region

VENUS L. GARCIA, PIA Caraga Region

SENIOR GRAPHICS LAYOUT ARTIST

GERIE MAE G. COCO, PIA Caraga Region

Western Mindanao (Zamboanga Peninsula)

P. Urro Street, San Francisco DistrictPagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur 7016Telephone no. (062) 215-1480 / 925-0038Cellphone no. 0919-9994516E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]: www.piazampen.blogspot.comFacebook: PIA WesMin Info BlizTwitter: https://twitter.com/PIAIX

SOCCSKSARGEN Region

Bautista Bldg., Zulueta St.Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506Telephone no. (083) 520-0249Telefax no. (083) 228-9736 / 228-9739 / 520-0100Cellphone no. 0921-6873373 / 0928-5204307E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Northern Mindanao

Graces’ Building, Antonio Luna StreetCagayan de Oro City 9000Telephone no. (088) 856-8178 / 729-594Telefax no. (08822) 72-66-83Cellphone no. 0928-5204305, 0917-3084969E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]: www.pia-10.blogspot.com Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga)

J. Rosales Avenue, Butuan CityTelephone no. (085) 341-5285Telefax no. (085) 341-2370Cellphone no. 0917-7188834Email: [email protected] , [email protected],phWebsite: www.piacaraga.comFacebook: PIA Caraga Updates, PIA Agusan del Norte, Pia Agusan del Sur, Pia Surigao del Norte, Pia Surigao del Sur, Pia Dinagat Islands Power FM - CaragaTwitter: https://twitter.com/PIACaraga

Southern Mindanao (Davao Region)

Ground Floor Kanto Motors Bldg.,Quimpo Blvd., New MatinaDavao City 8000Telephone no. (082) 297-0991 / 301-8580Telefax no. (082) 297-0992 / 304-2044Cellphone no. 0917-7053606 / 0918-9202950E-mail: [email protected]

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

NOEMI B. EDAGARegional Director, PIA Region IX

THELMA B. OLIVERRegional Director, PIA Region X

OLIVIA T. SUDARIARegional Director, PIA Region XII

EDITORIAL BOARD

PIA REGIONAL OFFICESOne Mindanao

LAYOUT ARTISTS

EMMANUEL D. TAGHOY, PIA Region IX RETCHIE TOLINERO, PIA Region X

ZENER DUMAGUING, PIA Region X

DAISY JANE APIT, PIA Caraga Region

DSWD cites gains in 4Ps/MCCT-IP implementation in SurSur

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Leadership confab calls on youth as advocates for peaceful, progressive nation

NEDA Board approves projects on transpo, irrigation, fire safety and local development

Manila law makers: We owe it to fellow Filipinos in Mindanao to pass BBL

DSWD-9 to assess over 600-T households in region 9 for “Listahan”

Employees Compensation Program campaign reaches CDO hotel, restaurant industry

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By: Franklin P. Gumapon

Cover Story

CARAGA NORTHERN

WESTERN

INFOCUS

SOUTHERN

NATIONAL

25 PIA-XI shares pool of speakers to coop Journalism training

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34OUR COVER

Contents

By:Lorry V. Gabule

By: Jeanevive Abangan

CDO local price coordinating council conducts IEC to market vendors

45By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

ASELCO MCOs flooded the coop’s 33rd AGMA

By: Dominic Sanchez

SOCCSKSARGEN100 children in NorthCot join Summer Reading ProgramBy: Shahana Joy E. Duerme

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30 RBOI engages private firms to promote investments in ARMMBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

By: Greg Tataro, Jr.

4 MAY 20, 2015One Mindanao

By Lorry V. Gabule

Leadership confab calls on youth as advocates for peaceful, progressive nation

Cover Story

5MAY 20, 2015 One Mindanao

Around 166 in- and out-of-school youth joined the Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) held at Suarez National High School, Iligan City, the host school to the five-day activity which started May 11 to 15, 2015.


YLS is one of the major activities under the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan, giving attention and care to the youth, said Col Gilbert Gapay, brigade commander of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade, Philippine Army (PA) with headquarters at Ditucalan, this city. The event is spearheaded by the 4th Mechanized Battalion, Philippine Army, under LTC Anthon G. Abrina, in partnership with the Office of the Lone District of Iligan City, the City Government of Iligan, six local

government units from six towns of Lanao del Norte, the Department of Education (DepEd), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and in collaboration with the PA’s different s t a k e h o l d e r s , from the business and plant industries, as well.

IPSP highlights the importance

of increased involvement of stakeholders, the national and local government agencies, non-government entities and the citizenry in addressing peace and security concerns. It gives equal emphasis to combat and non-combat dimensions of military operations, said Gapay. IPSP considers the youth as one of the active member and a potent force in the society because they have talents, but however, the most vulnerable sector of society because they would be the target of drug menace.

Thus, through this summit, it aims to develop the youth


participants as pro-active, and unity among the youth--the Muslims and Christians alike, regardless of the status--rich or poor, they stood as one community and become advocates of peace and development.

They will have a voice through the organization on the last day of the week-long event. Being organized representing the youth sector, they are made aware of their rights, share their thoughts with the authorities and what they can contribute to the society.

During the opening day, Acting City Mayor Ruderic Marzo of Iligan delivered with an inspiring message for the young generation to be well equipped and inculcate in them the value of a good leader. He then thanked the 4th Mech for this noble undertaking, in partnership with the local government units (LGUs)--the city and in the province, and so with the Office of the Lone District of Iligan, and vast support of all its stakeholders.

The activity on the first day focused on the Levelling Off and Getting to Know God, You and Others. It’s knowing Youth Today, handled by the Youth Affairs Office. It is to acquaint the facilitators and participants of their role in the summit, honoring God and knowing the value of others.

The day’s activity include lecture on IPSP Bayanihan Leadership, handled by a competent army officer of the battalion, followed by a talk on Environmental Care of the City Environment and Natural Resources Officer. Spiritual Enlightenment through interfaith sharing from the Imam, Catholic and religious clergy added utmost gestures


from the participants’ interests.

On the second day, was discussion on the Youth to be Aware of his Rights, Laws Protecting their Rights, and Role in Promoting Culture and Personality as well. Topics include Culture Sensitivity and Gender Sensitivity, with speakers from Gender and Development (GAD) and DepEd representative. Other presentations of the day also include Improvised Explosive Devise (IED Awareness by the EOD team, Drug Awareness by the PDEA and Career Orientation Program by the TESDA.

The third day dealt with Developing Skills and Gaining Confidence for the Future. It aims to equip the participants with skills and confidence to motivate them in their future career. It talked about Article/

News Writing, Public Speaking and Personality Development.

While, the fourth day focused on the involvement of the youth in disaster preparedness effort so that they could help other people in times of emergency. Early morning activity was a Clean Up Drive at Barangay Suarez. A topic on Disaster Preparedness, and First Aid presentation, shared by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) representative and Red Cross personnel, respectively.The evening activity was highlighted with the Search for Ambassador and Ambassadress for Peace from among the participants coming from the 33 barangays of Iligan and youth from the five municipalities of Lanao del Norte, a Muslim-dominated municipalities in the province.


Morning activity on the 5th day include the ‘Voice of the Youth through Poster Making and Slogan Writing with their facilitators to check on their output. The event has volunteers to act as facilitators, mostly come from DepEd.

Static Display of armor assets and Mechanized Infantry Squad Capability Demonstration at the 4th mech headquarter ground, and photo opportunity of the participants with the armor facility and a chance to ride within, highlighted the last day event.

Moreover, the participants couldn’t forget the boodlefight-lunch prepared for them by the 4th Mech.

On the last day was the creation of Youth Organization and the Induction of Set of

Officers, and were made to formulate the Youth Action Plan, their role in nation-building. The grand closing was held at the city plaza where they took their oath as officers elected for the post. Lone District House Representative Vicente Belmonte was the guest speaker to the closing rites.

“To prepare and strengthen the youth of today is not just a task of one because it is not an easy feat to all. There should be unity in our goal—to raise, create and build a courageous and brave generation,” said Congressman Vicente Belmonte in his inspirational message to the youth.


MANILA -- The Department of Budget and Management on Tuesday reaffirmed the government’s positive outlook for public spending this year, citing the implementation of broad structural reforms and greater inter-agency cooperation as jump-starters for swifter disbursements in 2015.

Key reforms to fuel spending efficiency in 2015


The DBM’s statement came in the wake of a GlobalSource Partners report, which expressed concerns over the government’s spending performance in the first three months of 2015, and noted the creation of Administrative Order (A.O.) No. 46—which was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III last March—as a sign of slow spending from January to March this year. The Washington, DC-based think-tank also observed the lack of government data on government disbursements in the first quarter. However, the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) explained that the absence of monthly reports was a result of the government’s transition to a unified account systems and a new reporting format. “President Aquino’s order for more efficient spending was a direct result of last year’s spending shortfall, and not of

slow spending in the first three months of 2015. The year 2014 was a most instructive one for us. We have since designed strategic fixes for the bureaucracy’s structural weaknesses, which were getting in the way of efficient spending. “The creation of A.O. No. 46 is meant to be a sustainable solution for better spending and cooperation among government agencies. It’s a solution that should work this year and beyond, and not just on a piecemeal basis,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch”Abad clarified. Abad was likewise supportive and understanding of the changes made by BTr to its reporting practices, adding that the initial delay is temporary and meant to enhance data releases in the long-term. “BTr’s transition to a more open and transparent reporting


system will help us gather data faster and more accurately. As a result, we expect to gain quicker access to key fiscal management information, which will in turn help us in developing responsive budget policies and measures,” Abad said. The DBM publishes reports on the status of allotment releases and of utilization of Notices of Cash Allocation (NCA) every month. Meanwhile, BTr issues the Cash Operations Report (COR), which comprises figures on cash receipts, disbursements, and the resulting surplus or deficit. A.O. No. 46 came about after consultations undertaken by the DBM with various agencies revealed that almost half of the 2014 spending deficit was due to capacity weaknesses within agencies and Government-O w n e d - a n d - C o n t r o l l e d Corporation (GOCCs).

The measures under A.O. No. 46 also cover the establishment of better procurement practices, more effective monitoring and evaluation, and the involvement of dedicated officials and staff in ensuring faster disbursements in their respective agencies. “Aside from A.O. No. 46, the budget reforms that we’ve been pursuing will cure the structural problems and spending bottlenecks that have hampered agency spending all these years. We thus look forward to stronger government spending this year, in line with the Administration’s drive for greater economic expansion and inclusive growth,” Abad said. (DBM)


NEDA Board approves projects on transpo, irrigation, fire safety and local development

MANILA–The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board approved projects on transportation, irrigation, fire safety, and local development and restructuring of two infrastructure-related projects in its meeting on May 19.


Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Benigno Aquino III presided over the NEDA board meeting in Malacanang “to approve vital public infrastructure projects that seeks to further spur economic development in key growth areas.” The NEDA Board approved the LRT Line 2 West Extension Project under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The project involves the design and construction for the extension of the existing LRT Line 2, which will run from Recto Station extending westward to Pier 4 area including the turn-back track. This will have a total length of approximately 3.02 kilometers and with three proposed additional stations that include: 1. Tutuban Station (located next to the

Cluster Mall); 2. Divisoria Station (located west of the Recto Avenue and Asuncion Street intersection; and 3. Pier 4 Station (located 50 meters north of Zaragoza Street). The total estimated cost of the project is PhP10.118 Billion which will be locally-financed.

Under the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the Agno River Irrigation System Extension Project, was approved. The project aims to improve the operating efficiency of the Ambayaoan-Dipalo River System


(ADRIS) through modernization-based upgrading package and to increase crop yield and cropping intensity. It includes the civil works in the Agno River Irrigation System and ADRIS, institutional development of farmer beneficiaries, and linking agriculture offices and non-government organizations to synchronize the implementation of agricultural development programs and services. The project is estimated at PhP2.630 billion through local financing.

Also a project of the NIA, the Balog-Balog Multipurpose Dam Project (BBMP) Phase II was approved. The project involves the construction of a 105.5 meter high dam with a crest length of 1.473 kilometers and a storage capacity of about 420 million cubic meters (MCM), including irrigation canals and appurtenant structures. The cost of the project is PhP13.37 billion through local financing.

Also approved was the Capability Building Program of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Phase II to augment the number of fire trucks of the BFP and reduce the present requirement gap. The project entails the acquisition of 76 units of fire trucks to be deployed in selected cities nationwide. The project has also the following components: Supply and delivery of personal protective equipment (PPEs), breathing apparatus and ancillary equipment and accessories; Supply and delivery of spare parts equivalent to 5% of the cost of fire trucks; and. Training of personnel on the operation and maintenance of the fire trucks. Total project cost is PhP1.426 billion, partly financed through Official Development Assistance (ODA).

Another is the approval of the Local Government Unit Investment Programme


Supplement III of the Land Bank of the Philippines. The program aims to facilitate the access of local government units in Mindanao to viable financing for local development. The investments that can be financed include local roads, bridges, sanitation, drainage and flood control, water supply, public market and bus terminal, rehabilitation/modernization/construction of public facilities, among others.

The total cost of the project is estimated at PhP231.1 million, which is the third replenishment following the initial EUR15.0 million in 2005 with a supplemental loan amounting to EUR4.7 million in December 2008 and another EUR7.0 million in May 2010. This will be financed partly through ODA from the Government of Germany and with an implementation schedule from 2015-2017.

Also, the NEDA Board approved the restructuring and changes for two projects.

First is the change in scope, increase in cost, and loan extension of the Road Improvement and Institutional Development Project (RIIDP) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). These changes include the deletion of six sub-components under the Institutional Capacity Development and inclusion of the reconstruction/replacement of typhoon-damaged Macasoy Bridge along Dipolog-Oroquieta Road in Zamboanga del Norte. Also, the cost was increased to PhP6.93 billion from the previously approved cost of PhP6.24 billion due to change in scope and currency adjustment. A 24-month loan extension was granted, from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2018.

Next, a proposed project


restructuring was also approved for the World Bank-funded National Roads Improvement and Management Program, Phase II of the DPWH. The NEDA Board approved DPWH’s proposal to restructure/reallocate US$60 million of US$232 million loan of the World Bank to assist local government units (LGUs) in expediting the rehabilitation efforts in Typhoon Yolanda-devastated areas in the Visayas. Also, the two-year extension

of the World Bank loan was granted, which was moved to December 2016 from December 2014.

The total project requirement is PhP28.943 Billion with foreign Funding of PhP10.452 Billion from World Bank ODA Financing and local counterpart of PhP18.491 Billion

“These projects are part of our strategy to make the Philippines’ agriculture, industry, and services sectors more competitive. The approved projects on irrigation and roads in provinces will help facilitate local growth and development among the projects’ covered regions or areas in the country,” said Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan in a


Manila law makers: We owe it to fellow Filipinos in Mindanao to pass BBL

Caloocan City Representative Edgar Erice said that Congress owes it to our fellow Filipinos in Mindanao to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). “Basta tayo sa Kongreso gawin natin yung trabaho natin, ibigay natin yung para sa mga kababayan nating Muslim (For us in Congress, let’s do our job and give our Muslim countrymen what they deserve),” Erice said

during a forum on the proposed law organized by the House of Representatives Committee on Metro Manila Development at the Microtel Hotel, Quezon City last April 7.


“I also sympathize with our Muslim brothers. Before they [were the] majority in Mindanao, now they have five small poor provinces and I think we really owe them, that we give these five small poor provinces to them,” Erice emphasized. According to Erice, his support is despite the fact that most of the district representatives in the National Capital Region were not members of the Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL.

“We’ll really be relying heavily on the Ad Hoc Committee report on the BBL,” Erice admitted. “So hanggat di namin makikita, mababasa, mapag-aaralan yung Ad Hoc Committee report (So until we see, read, and study the Ad Hoc Committee report), we’ll have a very limited knowledge of the discussions, the pros and cons of the issues raised.”

However, Erice said “I would like to believe that our Constitution is alive and it should be able to unite our people whether we have divergent views, different religion or culture, dapat ma-unite niya yung ating mga kababayan, ang mga Pilipino (it should unite our countrymen, all Filipinos),”

commenting on the contentious provisions of the BBL. Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo noted the importance of the proposed BBL, and emphasized that the forum was organized to aid Metro Manila legislators especially when voting on the proposed law comes.

“The very intention of this forum is to discuss the controversial provisions of the bill…so that we as legislators may enrich our understanding of the bill,” Castelo said.

Present during the forum were Government of the Philippines (GPH) peace panel chair Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, GPH panel member former Agriculture Secretary Senen Bacani, and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal.

Aside from Castelo and Erice, members of the House Committee present at the forum were Representatives Francisco Calalay Jr., Benjamin Asilo, Rodolfo Biazon, Carlo Lopez, Romero Federico Quimbo, Enrico Echiverri, Juan Johnny Revilla, Marcelino Teodoro, Jose Cristopher Belmonte, Eric


Olivarez, and Alfredo Vargas III. Ferrer appealed to the legislators to put themselves in the shoes of the Bangsamoro in order to understand what the BBL aims to achieve, which is to close the gap between those in “the metropolitan core of the Republic of the Philippines” and the minority Muslim population in the periphery.

She also noted that the Constitution clearly provided for more powers to the autonomous region compared to regional development councils and to a metropolitan authority such as the Metro Manila Development

Authority. “Autonomous regions are special because of their distinct historical, social and economic features,” she said, citing provisions in the Constitution.

PAGADIAN CITY – More than 360 authorized agency officers (AAOs) from the different local government units (LGUs), line agencies, state colleges and universities, government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), schools divisions and other government agencies based in Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay have attended a re-orientation seminar held here yesterday by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)-Pagadian City Branch.

GSIS-Pagadian holds re-orientation seminar for AAOs By Franklin P. Gumapon


Invited speakers were Mr. Elmer C. Baguio, manager, Membership Department, Visayas-Mindanao Area and his division chief, Joeffrey Moleño who talked on the importance of “ensuring that the records of all GSIS members are regularly and properly maintained as basis for loans granting, accounts management and claims settlement.” Baguio said the AAOs play a very important role in updating the members’ records to have clear, correct and exact entries in the membership data to be provided by every government agency to the GSIS, as he

emphasized the three pillars of the government insurance system – the agency, the members and the GSIS. Moreover, Baguio announced that the GSIS is going to extend an enhanced consolidated loan program starting June this year saying those who have been members for 15 years but less than 25 years can avail themselves of a loan equivalent to 12 months salary and those who are 25 years or more are eligible to apply for a loan corresponding to 14 months salary. “The term of payment of the enhanced consolidated loan has also been


ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-9 here is gearing up for the second round of assessment for Listahanan, which will identify poor households this June with an estimated target of 149,253 households in Zamboanga City and a total of 688,496 in the entire region.

DSWD-9 to assess over 600-T households in region 9 for “Listahan”

By Dominic I. Sanchez

increased to 10 years,” Baguio added. In a related development, GSIS-Pagadian Manager Leoncito Manuel disclosed that the GSIS had allotted 200 slots for its 2015 scholarship program, which is open nationwide to incoming college students who are children of members with the lowest salary grades. He, however, said the 20 slots are reserved for the children of the members who are solo parents, indigenous peoples and/or persons with disabilities. Each scholar will receive a monthly stipend of P2 thousand and a tuition fee of P40 thousand

per year. The scholar has to enroll in CHED (Commission on Higher Education) priority courses in GSIS-accredited schools. The GSIS-accredited schools in Zamboanga Peninsula are the Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) and Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU), all in Zamboanga City. Manuel further said that six of the seven scholarship slots for region 9 in 2014 went to qualified recipients from Zamboanga Sibugay and Zamboanga del Sur and one was given to a scholar from Zamboanga City.


The assessment will be done to update the list of the poor households. Some 1,768 field workers from the different provinces will be hired to conduct the assessment. These workers will personally visit the households to observe the family’s situation and interview them. The timeframe for the assessment is scheduled for a month. All households will be evaluated through the Barangay Community Characteristics and pass through the Proxy Means Test (PMT), a computer system that will analyze every data entered to come up with the results. As for the assessment, every household will be re-

assessed or be given random re-assessment after a few weeks by different field workers so that they will be able to validate the results. Households that will be tagged as poor will qualify as beneficiaries

of not only DSWD poverty-alleviation programs, but also that of other government agencies. Listahanan will be the basis for the government agencies to come up with certain interventions for these poor households. Yuri Choi, Information Officer of the DSWD-IX said “the results will be confidential but can be shared with government agencies if they need it for poverty-alleviation programs.” He added that those already assessed recently would no longer be re-assessed since their database would still reflect as the latest data. (with reports from Shiela May Aquino)

PIA-XI shares pool of speak-ers to coop Journalism training

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte- Philippine Information Agency 11 recently brought a pool of speakers to conduct a Journalism seminar-workshop for key em-ployees of Tagum Co-operative. During the opening program of the three-day Journalism Seminar Workshop, PIA XI Re-gional Director Efren F. Elbanbuena explained his intention to share the expertise of PIA 11 for Tagum Cooperative to maximize the informa-tion, education and com-munication (IEC) cam-paign in its operation. He also lauded the home-grown billionaire cooperative for conduct-ing in-depth journal-ism seminar workshop done on May 14-16, dubbed as “Communicat-ing Tagum Cooperative”. Done at the 4th Floor of Tagum Coopera-tive Main Office along Dalisay Road, Tagum City, the seminar-work-

shop brought in as par-ticipants the Coop branch managers, editorial staff of its newsletter “Coop Watch”, and members of the special committee for the 50th anniversary of Tagum Cooperative. Journalism sub-jects tackled were Radio Broadcasting discussed by PIA information officer III Joey Sem Dalump-ines; News Writing and News Feature Writing by PIA information officer III Carina Cayon; Photo-journalism by Davao del Norte Provincial Informa-tion Officer IV Noel Ba-guio; and Social Media by PIA information officer III Rudolph Ian Alama. Director Elbanbue-na conducted a lecture on Media Relations while PIA information officer IV Jeanevive Abangan served as the training fa-cilitator. (PIA 11/ Jean-evive Duron-Abangan)


DepEd-XI assures readiness of Grade 10 teachers

DAVAO CITY – The Department of Education in the region has as-sured that its teachers are ready to teach the curriculum under the Grade 10 level of the Junior High School this school year 2015-2016. The incoming Grade 10 high school students are the first batch to undergo the enhanced sec-ondary education program under the K to 12 Program which start-ed implementation in 2012-2013. Dr. Luzminda O. Onor, DepEd-XI chair of K to 12 program, made sure that Grade 10 teachers in the region have all been well trained and

have the capacity to handle the enhanced curriculum under the said grade level. Onor said the public teachers have undergone massive training in a private institution the whole summer to prepare them for the last year level of the Ju-nior High School. DepEd–XI offi-cials also said they are already 97 per-cent ready for the full implementa-tion of the Senior High School in pub-

lic schools in 2016-2017. SHS is the two years spe-cialized upper secondary educa-tion where students may choose a specialization based on apti-tude, interests, and school capacity. Onor said part of the prepara-tions is the identification of schools offering SHS including 43 private schools which were already given probationary permits to operate SHS. She said almost all pub-lic secondary schools in the re-gion are allowed to put up SHS. In Davao City, three stand alone SHS have been identified, namely


the Davao City National High School, Daniel R. Aguinal-do National High School and Sta. Ana National High School. Onor explained that stand alone SHS will be built separately and outside their original schools. “These are the schools with more than 5,000 population,” she added. DepEd–XI regional director Atty. Alberto Escobarte said the K to 12 Pro-gram is also offering an SHS Voucher Program which supports public school Grade 10 completers who cannot be accommodated in public SHS or have the interest to enroll in private SHS. Escobarte said the Voucher Pro-

gram provides about P20,000 as-sistance as subsidy from DepEd per student to offset the cost of tuition in the private SHS. “This strategy is more vi-able, than creating new schools for the SHS,” he stated. According to DepEd, SHS covers eight learning areas as part of its core curriculum, plus specific tracks same as college courses based on four dis-ciplines: Academic, Technical-Voca-tional-Livelihood, Sports, Arts and Designs. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

facts and figures

1,169 Number of persons with HIV/AIDS in the country as of 2015.

100 children in NorthCot join Summer Reading Program

By: Shahana Joy E. Duerme

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato, May 20-- Some 100 children from the village of Paco here in the city partici-pated in the provincial government’s Summer Reading Program 2015.

The three-day activity attended by children aged 6 to 10 years old was held at the Cotabato Provincial Library and Information Center (CPLIC), Capi-tol Building in Barangay Amas of this city.

Aurora Nebrija, Librarian III of the CPLIC said that the program is on its second year; the first batch in 2014 were 100 children from Barangay Binoligan, also in Kidapawan City.

“The event encourages children to be more enthusiastic in reading which is very impor-tant for them,” Nebrija stated adding that the event is also a venue for the children to write, play and sing while making use of the library.

She further noted that the program has three objectives namely: to provide oppor-tunity for children to develop their reading skills and comprehension; to reach out with less fortunate children especially those with physical disability and provide them with


tools for learning; and to promote literacy and academ-ic performance through read-ing and other related activities.

A team composed of personnel from the provincial library handles the sessions and sees to it that the children learn from the activities and enjoy the entire program.

Knowing the importance of reading and the effectiveness of its activity design, Vice-Governor Gregorio “Dodong” Ipong em-phasized that the Summer Read-ing Program is an effective way to reintroduce and revive the love of

reading books among the youth in the face of today’s technology.

“We must rekindle the con-sciousness of reading and its benefits to our children and let them appreciate the value of text-books in their lives,” Ipong said.

This year’s Summer Reading Program was an-chored on the theme, “Ak-lat ng Bata, Bukas ng Bansa”.


RBOI engages private firms to promote investments in ARMMBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

COTABATO CITY, May 20 -- Firms registered with the Regional Board of Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Min-danao have extended their assistance to encourage more in-vestments in the autonomous region.

Just recently the RBOI-ARMM convened registered under its auspices to organize the region-al Promotion of Investment Sus-tainability Organization (PISO)

In a statement, Lawyer Ishak Mastura, RBOI chairman and man-aging head, noted that the for-mation of the PISO was formed to advance the unprecedented increase in investments in the region in the past two years.

The ARMM has been enjoying record multi-billion peso invest-ments in the region since 2013 at the start of the administration of Re-gional Governor Mujiv Hataman.

In 2013, the RBOI registered P1.46 billion investments, whixh more more than doubled in 2014 with P3.86 billion investments.

In the first quarter of 2015, the RBOI was able to register P863 mil-lion and is expected to match or

exceed last year’s investments.The infusion of private sector

investments in the ARMM has been largely attributed to two fac-tors: the conducive business cli-mate and stability brought about by the peace process culminating in the signing of the Comprehen-sive Agreement on the Bangsam-oro in 2014 between the Philip-pine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and continuing ARMM gover-nance reform that has made the region more business friendly.

It is on this premise, he em-phasized that the PISO was or-ganized in order to advocate for investment policy stabil-ity in the autonomous region including its improvement.

“PISO is timely now that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is being debated in Congress


and eventually passed into law. ARMM investors currently en-joy the convenience of getting their permits, licenses, approv-als, administrative consents and their regulatory framework from the ARMM regional government without need to go to national agencies in Manila or their re-gional administrative offices,” he said.

“If there will be changes to BBL it should not lessen the ARMM autonomy but should seek to im-prove the investment friendly en-vironment of the region by giv-ing more local autonomy to the region. Considered the poorest region in the country, investment “rules of the game” in the autono-mous region must be maintained, improved and not lessened.”

Congress should not lose sight of the ease of doing business in the region to encourage more private sector development and not to unduly burden them. So the only way to have stability of investment policy for private sec-tor development in the region is to make sure that the level of AU-TONOMY currently being experi-enced in the ARMM is not less-ened or reduced by the proposed changes to the BBL,” he said.

Aside from being one of the PISO conveners, RBOI will also

acts as its secretariat. Presiding duties during meetings will be rotated among the conveners.

All registered firms of RBOI are considered members of the PISO.

Present as PISO conveners at the organizational meeting were the Unifrutti Group Phils, Lamsan Corp., La Frutera, Inc., Power Up Ventures Inc., ARD-EXCOR, Matling Corp., Philip-pine Trade Center Inc., ABS-COR, AMARDI, Bangsamoro Oil & Fuel Corp., Maguindanao Ha-lal Food Center, Al-Nor Group of Companies and ARMM Special Economic Zone and Free Port of Polloc. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from RBOI-ARMM)


DAR steps in to settle tri-boundary conflict in Central Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato, May 20 -- The Department of Agrarian Reform in North Cotaabto has rolled out prepara-tions for the settling of tri-boundary land dispute in two munici-palities in SOCCSKSARGEN Region.

Marion Abella, provincial agrar-ian reform program officer II, said DAR has sent-off 13 vali-dators and two survey teams to look into the relocation and sub-division survey of affected areas in Columbio in Sultan Kuda-rat and adjacent municipality of Tulunan in North Cotabato.

Said validation team from North Cotabato is composed of Wilmer Andoy, Oding Yusoph, Alexis Untal, Leopoldo Torrejos, Luzel Marie Antes, Reno Olivares, Roquito Pragados, Emma Cortez

The team from Sultan Kuda-rat Team is composed of Jay Embajador, Levi Perales, Am-pawa Ampang, Rahyll Saga, Mohammad Saudi Adam.

“Prior to sending-off of the validators and survey teams, we have conducted a meeting with the affected farmers informing them the purpose of the activ-ity to avoid resistance and com-motion in the area,” Abella said.

“The relocation survey of the conflicted areas and identifica-tion of actual occupants will be conducted in the 92 lots affecting 435 agrarian reform beneficiaries. Out of 92 lots, 55 were contest-ed while 37 were uncontested.”

Abella added the relocation and subdivision survey will be done in three separate sites with a com-bined area of 2,478 hectares.

Since 2014, DAR have con-ducted series of meetings with the Committee of Land Conflict of Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, LGUs of Tulunan & Columbio, Re-gion XII DILG Director, Chairman/Representative CCCH –GPH; and chairman/representative of the CCCH-MILF to formulate a sys-tematic action plan to facilitate the speedy resolution of the Colum-bio-Tulunan Boundary Conflict.

Abella said that DAR has cre-ated the Regional Task Force on Columbio-Tulunan Tri-boundary


conflict.Composing the said task

force are Atty. Adela Rodin, Wilmer Andoy, Oding Yusoph,

Alexis Untal, Leopoldo Torri-jos, Luzel Marie Antes, Reno Oli-vares, Roquito Pragados, Emma Cortez, Rose Marie Orig, Atty.

Edwin Baraquia, Jay Emba-jador, Levi Perales, Ampawa Ampang, Rahyll Saga, and Mohammad Saudi Adam.

Meanwhile, Tulunan Mu-nicipal Mayor Lani Candol-ada enjoined her constitu-ents and everyone who is involved in the implementa-tion of the workplan to co-operate for the speedy res-olution of the land dispute.

“We will never give up. I want to settle it the soonest so that our vision for peace, development, and security for Cotabato, Sultan Kuda-rat and Maguindanao will be realized,” Candolada said.

The ground validation and relocation survey will be con-ducted from Mondays to Fri-days from May until July, 2015. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from ROr-ejudos/DAR North Cotabato)

Search is on for Caraga outstanding volunteersBy: Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY - To highlight the exemplary performance and dedication to service of Filipino volunteers and recognize the role of volunteerism in development and nation-building, the Search for Outstanding Volunteers (SOV) regional search has already started.


The annual search is composed of two award categories namely: the National Outstanding Volunteer Award (NOVA) and the Volunteer Lifetime Achievement Award (VLAA). NOVA is conferred to an individual or organization for outstanding volunteer service that has made a significant contribution to uplifting the lives of the people and communities they served while the VLAA is conferred to an individual or organization for consistent and outstanding volunteer service and whose achievement is regarded as a role model in the field of volunteerism. NOVA is divided into individual and organization. Individual is categorized into youth and adult while organization is categorized into non-profit and corporate. To qualify for the NOVA under Individual category, a volunteer must have provided volunteer assistance for three years and for the youth category and at least five years for the adult category at the time of the submission of nomination. Conversely, to meet the criteria for the VLAA, the

individual or organization must have been engaged in consistent volunteering activities for at least 25 years and must have been a recipient of regional, national or international awards in relation to volunteerism. The search is open to all individuals of Filipino citizenship; Filipino or local chapters of foreign/international non-profit organizations; and Filipino or local chapters of foreign/international corporate organizations. The duly filled out nomination forms must be submitted to National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Caraga regional office. And screening and validation will be done by an inter-agency Regional Search Committee chaired by NEDA-Caraga. The deadline for the submission of nominations is on June 30, 2015. Nomination forms are available at NEDA Regional Office XII, Nimfa Tiu Bldg., J.P. Rosales Avenue, this city.


ASELCO MCOs flooded the coop’s 33rd AGMA

The province-wide attendance tallied an overwhelming 25,497 number of MCOs. “The coop anticipated an increase of MCO attendance but never this many,” said Dir. Corazon D. Cullantes, ASELCO Board President.

It can be recalled that a total of 19,892 MCOs attended the assembly in 2014. Boy Ocariz, 67 years old MCO from Napo, Prosperidad, this province also commented in the vernacular that for three

AGUSAN DEL SUR -- Member-Consumer-Owners (MCOs) of the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ASELCO) affirms their support as they come in mass to attend the coop’s 33rd Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) held recently here.

By: ASELCO


consecutive years of attending the coop’s AGMA this year is the most crowded. “It is still early in the morning and people have already piled up at the coop’s entrance gate,” said Ocariz. The official registration time was at 10:00 am to 1:00 pm yet as early as 6:30 a.m., a huge number of MCOs waiting to register have already crowded the coop’s entrance gate. “I have never attended years before because we – I and my neighbors – never knew that the coop conducts an AGMA. The crowd and the long queue speak for the commendable information dissemination effort of ASELCO,” Ocariz added. Asked why he keeps coming back after his first attendance he answered, “We, members must attend the AGMA because it is here where we get to understand what is happening with the coop. This includes why we are experiencing blackouts.” Among the participants are Agusan del Sur’s local chief executives: Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Edward P. Mellana, Mayor Albin D. Magdamit of Prosperidad and Melchor Demegillo, Sangguniang Bayan Member in the Municipality of Talacogon. Also in attendance are Gregorio T. Ybañez, Secretary of

the Rural Electric Cooperatives Board of Directors Association (RECOBODA) & Board of Director President of DANECO; Pedrito H. Baculio, former President of the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperative (PHILRECA); and Cong. Edgardo R. Masongsong of the 1-CARE Party-List who is also this year’s guest speaker. “Your cooperative, ASELCO, is a top performing electric cooperative, not only a distribution utility but entrepreneurial as well, a social development agency, and a people’s organization,” said Cong. Masongsong in his speech. Cong. Masongsong explained that ASELCO has become entrepreneurial because it was able to gain revenue in 2014. He said that an electric cooperative – a special non-profit cooperative –must be entrepreneurial to be able to finance the much needed developments and modernization for the benefits of its MCOs. He then commended the management of ASELCO for attaining such feat. ASELCO has been making drastic innovations to cater its growing membership. “In 2013, the coop started to conduct its AGMA simultaneously in four venues: ASELCO Covered Court, San Isidro, San


Francisco; Lope A. Asis Memorial Gymnasium, Poblacion, Bayugan City; RM Billanes Gymnasium, Poblacion, Trento; and Talacogon Municipal Gymnasium, San Agustin, Talacogon. All venues are linked by internet connections run through the coop-installed fiber optic lines. Each venue is installed with LED screens so the MCOs can see the reports clearly even at broad daylight. With our current attendance, it seems we need to consider opening-up another venue next year,” happily and half-jokingly remarked by ASELCO gen. manager Engr. Emmanuel Galarse. The fiber optic connections in the province are among the mode rn i z a t i o n efforts of the coop. These connections currently link the area offices’ billing records and status. Soon, this would speed up meter reading and billing with the installation of automatic voltage meters developed in South Korea. More importantly, these connections

are very helpful in real-time load and distribution line glitches monitoring through the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. “The coop is really improving and you can see it physically,” said Marivic Quicos, treasurer of the Barangay Power Association (BAPA) in Bayugan 3, Rosario, this province. “ASELCO is keen of making its stakeholders understand the situation by constantly reaching over through conducting fora and massive information dissemination drives.


DSWD cites gains in 4Ps/MCCT-IP implementation in SurSur By: Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office in Caraga Region bared on Monday the latest updates on the implementation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) simultaneous with the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Indigenous People (MCCT-IP) in Surigao del Sur. According to Meiraflor Cabigon, social welfare officer IV (SWO IV)/provincial link here, a total of 47,570 households have stood to gain from such programs, citing the breakdown as follows: 45,527 for 4Ps while 2,043 for MCCT-IP. Correspondingly, the DSWD provincial link added that the

total cash grants/payout last year amounted to P514,716,100. In the summary of active households per city/municipality submitted to Governor Johnny Pimentel, Cabigon indicated all details and information possible of how the 4Ps/MCCT-IP programs have been carried out particularly during the preceding year.

CDO opens Brigada Eskwela 2015 with Zumba

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The City Central School in Cagayan de Oro opens the week with the Department of Education’s (Dep Ed) annual activity, Brigada Eskwela with a Zumba.

By Jose Angelo Lorenzo S. Gomos

This year, Brigada Eskwela holds the theme, “Tayo Para sa Kalinisan, Kaligtasan at Kahandaan ng Ating mga Paaralan” and aims to prepare school campus and classrooms for a conducive learning environment for students enrolled in the upcoming academic year. After the orientation on 18 May 2015, teachers led the dancing of Zumba alongside parents. “Brigada is nationwide,” says City Central School Assistant Principal Basilisa Gayramara. “Manglimpyo na daan ug kung unsa’y mga guba-guba sa iskwelahan, ayuhon na para pag sulod sa


Stella Mae Obice, Information Officer from Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) Regional Extension Unit No. 10 said that almost all members of COHARA have sent their representatives to attend and participate in the seminar which was held in March 2015. She also added that the event

was held in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. 10 Being the “Gateway of Northern Mindanao,” the hotel and restaurant industry is one of the economic drivers of the region as it takes care of the needs of its local and foreign visitors. Cagayan de Oro is also a choice venue

Employees Compensation Program campaign reaches CDO hotel, restaurant industryCAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The intensified awareness campaign on the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) has found its way to the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association (COHARA).

mga bata sa June, ready na. (We will clean beforehand, whatever broken things in the school, we will fix so that comes June, everything is ready.)” Gayramara stressed that Brigada is not only limited to teachers and parents, but can be participated by everyone. “The alumni may be involved, members of Local Government Units (LGU) and Non-Government Organizations (NGO).” Held in the City Central School campus, an estimated number of 1,000 volunteers have committed to participate in the activity which will last until May 23. Marinel Israel, a mother of two children enrolled in City Central,

volunteers for Brigada and shares her experience, “I have bonded with other parents while volunteering.” Volunteers composed mostly of teachers and parents maintain the cleanliness of the classrooms by sweeping floors, arranging tables, and piling books. Gayramara encourages able-bodied people in the city to volunteer for the event for the cause of sustaining a suitable and clean place for education, saying, “Kita tanan part sa education. Tanan ta involved. (We are all part of education. We are all involved.) Anyone can be a stakeholder for education.”


for national conventions—events where the service of the hotel and restaurant industry is best utilized. In 2012, the City Planning and Development Office of Cagayan de Oro recorded 550,249 tourist arrival in the city. “With the multitude of local and foreign visitors flocking to Cagayan de Oro it is just fitting that the men and women behind the hotel and restaurant industry of the city should be assured that when unexpected

things happen in their performance of their jobs, they can rely on the government, specifically the ECC, to support them. That way, they will become more productive, more confident in doing their jobs,” ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said. The COHARA, in turn, appreciated the effort of the DOLE and the ECC in informing them of the benefits and services of the ECP. (Employees Compensation Commission)

CDO local price coordinating council conducts IEC to market vendorsCAGAYAN DE ORO CITY --The Cagayan de Oro City Local Price Coordinating Council (CDO-CPCC) conducted on 18 May 2015 an Information Education Campaign (IEC) to market vendors of barangay Carmen and Bulua Westbound Terminal.

Composed of vendors particularly in the cafeteria, cooked food, wet market section of Carmen market and Bulua Westbound Terminal, the IEC aims to inform and educate market vendors of the services of the government, their responsibilities and a better understanding of the law in terms of doing business in the market. Engr. Peter Abejuela, Manager-Designate of the City Economics

Enterprise Department (CEED) said that this IEC started last year with over 300 market vendors from Cogon Public Market in attendance. He said that the public market is the image of the City. If the market is dirty then it follows that the City is dirty. Aside from the IEC, this is a venue where there will be a

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat


greater understanding of the role of government agencies involved in making sure the public markets are managed well. Meanwhile, Almer Masillones, Chief Trade and Industry Specialist of the Department of Trade and Industry-Misamis Oriental (DTI-MOR) enumerated concerns of market vendors gathered from last year. Most common issues include excess stalls of side walk vendors, overflow of drainage, no cleaners inside the market, foul smell of canal, and the need for daily collection of garbage and daily sanitation inspection in the area. In terms of rental, market vendors also expressed their desire to go back to the daily payment of rentals just like in the past. They aired that they wanted daily rental collection back. Also, they want all meat vendors to get business permits. Engr. Abejuela said that with a total of approximately 5,000 vendors for Carmen and Cogon Market in the city, it is not overnight that they can reform the market. Rest assured, they are implementing the law by means of closing down stalls with no business permits and making sure that everyone has a leveled playing field, he said. At the moment, 70% of the stall owners in Cogon market have business permits. Meanwhile, he said that they are implementing monthly rental because the CEED wants market vendors to pay directly to the cashier everytime they pay their rent. The practice before was someone will collect their daily

rental; however, some payments did not reach the cashier. Now, they want market vendors to take full responsibility of paying their rent. One market vendor from Bulua terminal shared their plight with “rugby” boys in the market during 12am to 3am everyday where they cause disturbance to the vendors and customers. The Philippine National Police (PNP) Cagayan de Oro City represented by PInsp Nelson Salaan said these kids are always caught by the police and brought to the Department of Social Welfare Division (DSWD) but they always escape. However, they will still go to the area during the time requested. Also, some of the requests of the market vendors there is the regular collection of garbage in the market and for CEED to not allow vendors selling outside the market. The agencies who presented their functions include the City Health Office, City Veterinarian Office, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), CEED, City Treasurer’s Office and Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA). There will be two more sessions with other government agencies to be held in Brgy Carmen covered court with the same participants on 25 May and 1 June 2015 at 1:00 p.m.

One Mindanao - May 20, 2015

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