by anyajulia | Aug 1, 2009 | Headlines, National News
BOHOLANOS who have emigrated legally get a lot of support system, but those who may have been “trafficked” may not have the same opportunity, say authorities from the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA.
Support system, CFO’s Ivy Miravalles said could be pre-departure orientation seminar for emigrants and linking with Filipino organizations abroad.
To date there are about 7,612 Boholanos who have permanently emigrated to other countries since 1988, but admittedly several still have been unlisted and came out of the country through the backdoors.
CFO also estimates 8.72M overseas Filipinos. 3.89M of them are permanent residents of countries outside and about 10.32% of them are irregular dwellers, posing more work for the government to account and help them should any of them have problems.
“Technically, these people are either trafficked or have been arranged in marriage through mail-order brides, some may even have been pushed by parents to want to join the bandwagon of rags to riches tales,” Miravalles clarified.
Some of the tales however do not end happily ever after.
Often cases documented by CFO are of Filipinas getting into whirlwind marriages but end up being enslaved, beaten and because they are illegally staying in a foreign country, they hesitate to report to authorities.
Over these, CFO embarks on community education programs (CEP) in Guimaras and Siquijor to campaign for more awareness especially when the recent global crisis has pushed people to the new job frontiers in Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
The CEP seeks to raise public awareness on various issues concerning migration, intermarriages and existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, fraud documentation and human trafficking, CFO press release stated.
This year, annual CEP billed as “Handa ka na bang mag-abroad? Ano ba ang dapat alamin?, puts CFO officials into conducting activities like pulong-pulongs with religious leaders, local government units, community members and school symposia to advance their advocacies. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 1, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
PROVINCIAL leaders here turned over new Barangay Livestock Aides (BALA) kits to 1300 livestock volunteers as the province celebrated its annual BALA Congress and Governor Aumentado Horse Show Cup July 29, 2009 at the CPG Sports Complex here.
“This is simply our way of thanking the BALAS for their commitment and support for Bohol’s livestock industry, said Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera a few minutes after the turn over of the kits.
The kit includes a belt bag, surgical needles, scissors, surgical blades and forceps and a custom printed t-shirt for the volunteers.
In a province, which lacks livestock technicians and veterinarians, Bohol through the OPV launched the BALA to make available at least a ”quasi-livestock technician” in each of the barangays, says Provincial veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz.
BALA then became an innovative “animal paramedics” and livestock support group working as force multipliers for clearly undermanned Office of the Provincial Veterinarian, explains Dr.Lapiz.
The PVET simply cascades livestock technology trainings to these volunteers in the barangays and they in turn disseminate the information to every livestock grower in the province, she said.
Previously skeptic barangay residents are now eager to raise their own backyard piggery and poultry farms as they are certain that a “livestock doctor” is available for assistance, OPV sources reveal.
Since the implementation of the program, there has been a marked increase in the number of households engaged in livestock rearing, they add.
Now networked for more services especially in extending technical help to major livestock dispersal projects here, Bohol’s award winning BALAs play so much for the success of the Lets Help Bohol Programs 1 and 2 and the Livelihood Integration for Family and Food Enhancement program (LIFFE).
Trained but provided with little equipment for the job, the Provincial Government deemed it necessary to pay them back with the big thing they have done for Bohol.
According to Governor Erico Aumentado, Bohol livestock industry has grown so much that it has become a reliable supplier of beef and pork for the region at 44%.
At the BALA Congress, volunteers and project beneficiary organizations witnessed the Rodeo and farm events competed by teams from Inabanga, Catigbian, Mabini and Ubay cowboys. (PIA)
GRATITUDE for the invaluable services of the BALAS were shown Wednesday when Provincial Officials and the Boholanos abroad gave kits to livestock volunteers during the annual congress at the CPG Sports Complex. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Jul 30, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
The Police Regional Office (PRO-7) has already reached beyond its three-percent monthly target relative to the renewal of expired gun licenses. This is in response to the directive of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for a three percent monthly reduction on the number of loose firearms circulating in the country through EO No. 817 or the National Firearms Control Program (NFCP).
Classification of loose firearms is those that are being carried by threat groups, criminal gangs or syndicates and those gun owners with expired license.
PRO-7 Regional Director C/Supt. Lani-O Nerez previously disclosed that there are an estimated 52,000 loose firearms in Central Visayas and 1.1M loose firearms nationwide.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) at the forefront in the campaign against loose firearms needs to target 33,000 loose firearms by end of August as the EO officially takes effect on August 1 after the implementing rules and regulations of the NFCP have been signed last week.
A one-month amnesty from October 1 to 31 is likewise given for gun owners whose weapons have never been registered.
After October 31, those guns whose licenses were not renewed and those weapons that were not registered will face stiffer penalties.
Those gun owners whose license have expired only need to pay P650 for the renewal of the license under the amnesty program while a P1,000 fee is paid for the registration of those weapons that were never registered. (PIA/FCR)
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by anyajulia | Jul 30, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The next President of the Republic is “very lucky” as he would inherit from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a better economic climate, improved education for all and infrastructure projects that are vital to development. This is according to Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Sergio Luis Ortiz. He adds,”The next President is lucky to inherit a Republic with a better economic climate that has survived the global economic slump much better than its neighbors.”
Ortiz emphasized that Arroyo has worked hard and fast to practically reverse an economy fast on a decline when she inherited it by implementing fiscal and economic reforms. The result was an economy that has been continuously growing, achieving record-highs. Even with the global economic crisis that started last year, the country remained generally resilient due to the macroeconomic reforms instituted by the President. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Jul 30, 2009 | Headlines, National News
The state of health of the Filipinos have been successfully uplifted due to the flagship programs and projects initiated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo since she assumed power in 2001. This was the information disclosed by the Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Secretary Duque said that the hunger incidence in the Philippines decreased from 23 percent in the last quarter of 2008 to 15 percent today. He noted that President Arroyo increased the budget of the Department of Health twice which did not happen in previous administrations.
He pointed out that part of the accomplishments of President Arroyo is the increase of PhilHealth’s coverage, saying that about 86 percent of the country’s population is now covered as compared to 36 percent before the Chief Executive’s term.
Duque also cited the establishment of thousands of Botika Ng Barangay where prices of medicines were sold at lower rates to benefit the poor and the marginalized sector of society.
The other vital accomplishment of the Chief Executive, according to the Health Secretary, is the pharmaceutical companies’ voluntary reduction of prices in 16 essential medicines. (PIA)
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