by btpo | Jul 29, 2009 | Headlines
Almost all Cebuanos favor a law in the Philippines on reproductive health (RH) and family planning (FP). This is according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey in all the six congressional districts of the Province of Cebu. 87 percent of Cebuanos according to the survey favor an RH and FP law in the country while 9 out of 10 or 90% of Cebuanos favor a provincial policy in RH. According to the SWS survey 93% of those who took part in the survey are Catholics. “This survey proves yet again that being Catholic has no effect when it comes to people’s or couple’s decision in matters related to their health and their families.” Mr. Benjamin de Leon, President of the Forum for Family Planning said. “It has always been used by the Catholic hierarchy as leverage to scare politicians into making the right policy decisions when it comes to reproductive health.” De Leon added.
A few months ago, a similar survey was conducted in Districts 1 and 2 of Cebu province and yielded almost the same results that 9 out 10 Cebuanos from District 1 and 2 agree that the province should have a policy on reproductive health while 88% also agree that the Philippines should have a policy on family planning and reproductive health. The Reproductive Health Bill is currently pending in Congress and NGOs and local organizations like The Forum are urging Congress to put the bill to vote. “Anti-RH Bill legislators are deliberately delaying the proceedings and we are saddened and disturbed by the lack of respect for the legislative process.” De Leon said. But while government and legislators are still entangled in the discussions, majority of Filipinos have made their decision. Two other local surveys conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) in the cities of Manila and Paranaque reveal an overwhelming support for a national policy on reproductive health. Despite the huge amount of money used by government to promote natural family planning (NFP) method, the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) show that NFP was not the method preferred by Filipinos with a merely 0.1% of Filipinos using Mucus/Billings Method, 0.0% for Standard Days Method and 0.4 for Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM).
by btpo | Jul 28, 2009 | Headlines
Making strategic areas across the country, especially Bohol and 7 other provinces, into tourism enterprise zones takes effect the new law President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed recently, and which the president reiterated in her speech during her visit in the province as the guest of honor to the recently held Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) . It may be recalled that the move was through Bohol Representative Edgar M. Chatto and his counterpart at the Senate who authored the making of the Philippine tourism globally competitive and puts it as primary engine for investment, employment and national development. And prior to the president’s signing of the law, Representative Chatto explained that it will spur the creation of jobs and open additional channels for the infusion of much-needed investments as well as give the people the power to pull themselves out of the economic recession. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed May 12, the National Tourism Act of 2009 (Republic Act 9593) declaring a national tourism policy and attempts to integrate all tourism development efforts to boost the country’s competitiveness. The president in her recent visit in the province as the invited guest to the TBTK was impressed and overwhelmed on the unity that the Boholanos exhibited through their joint efforts in gathering Boholano folks coming from the different parts of the continent. The president said that such move could vastly promote tourism industry of the province and be globally competitive.
Other than Bohol, other tourism zones to be established are in Cebu, Davao, Laguna, Cavite, Boracay, Palawan and Iloilo: all of these to foreign investors and tourists to visit places rich in history and culture.
by btpo | Jul 28, 2009 | Headlines
In MARIBOJOC town in the province of Bohol. Chairman Ambeth R. Ocampo, of the National Historical Institute lauded the effective church-and-state relations of parish vicars and the municipal government headed by Mayor Leoncio Evasco, Jr. during the recent unveiling of the historical marker and declaration of the Punta Cruz Watchtower as a National Landmark at the Punta Cruz Watchtower Complex, Punta Cruz, this town.
“The joint efforts of church authorities and the local government unit resulted to this successful launching of this project,” the NHI Chairman Ocampo stressed. Earlier, Bishop Leonardo Medroso expressed the Church’s gratitude for this laudable project. The diocesan head accepted earlier the historical marker of the Sta. Cruz Parish Church, also known as the San Vicente Ferrer Shrine Church after the Eucharistic celebration officiated by Fr. Efren Dolauta, Fr. Johnson Ente and Fr. Oriel Echavia.
Jesuit Fr. Rene Javellana of the Society of Jesus explained the historical significance of the Punta Kruz Watchtower while Executive Director Cecille Guidote Alvarez expressed her appreciation of the place which she have often heard before but it’s only now have she personally have seen and felt the beauty of the historical spot. Alvarez represented Chair Wilma Labrador of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. In the unveiling ceremony, Mayor Evasco welcomed guests and audience in behalf of the municipality while Punta Cruz punong barangay Faustino de la Cerna welcomed them in behalf of his barangay. Later, Evasco read Sangguniang Bayan Resolutions expressing thanks and appreciation to Chairman Ocampo. A l5-minute presentation billed “Tawag sa Lantawan” that earned kudos at their Intramuros performance recently highlighted the affair.
by btpo | Jul 28, 2009 | Headlines
Deadline of registration for voters to vote in the 2010 elections is fast approaching. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminds those qualified to vote in the coming elections to register before the deadline to avoid the rush. According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), those who want to register must be: • At least 18 years of age on or before election day. • Has resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein he proposes to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. • Is not otherwise disqualified by law, such as any person who has been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than one year; any person adjudged by final judgment of having committed crimes such as rebellion, sedition, violation of the firearms laws and against national security; insane or incompetent person as declared by competent authority. Those who were de-listed—voters who were not able to vote in the last two national elections on 2007 and 2004—are urged to re-register at the local Comelec offices.
Those qualified to vote may register at the Office of the Election Officer in the district/city/municipality where they reside until Oct. 31. Comelec offices will accept applications during office hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) from Monday to Saturday (even on holidays).
Filipino citizens who intend to vote abroad may register until Aug. 31 so long as they are at least 18 years old on the day of the elections and are not otherwise disqualified by law.
by btpo | Jul 21, 2009 | Headlines
Independent Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan who was in the province on Tuesday for the “Rock the Vote” campaign spent ample time live on air over DYRD-AM and Kiss 102 FM. Rock the Vote is Senator Kiko Pangilanan’s advocacy to change politics and governance in the country. According to Pangilinan, it aims to gather group of students to convince first time voters to register and exercise their rights to vote for leaders believed to change the current government system. He said, “Rock the Vote” is meant to make the youth understand the campaign through songs and music found to be most effective in communicating with the young. Rock the Vote campaign is a caravan of students and artists together with Pangilinan and other senators routing nationwide. Earlier before coming to Bohol, Rock the Vote was in Cebu on July 17, 2009 at Abellana Sports Center with RIVERMAYA, HALE, MONNSTAR88, ITCHY WORMS AND LUKE MEJARES.
Sen Kiko during his interview also extended his sympathies to the daughter of a government drug agent who was raped by alleged drug syndicates. The Senator added saying that the recent clamor for re-imposing the death penalty is not the answer. The entire system of justice requires a top to bottom overhaul in order to ensure that swift justice is met in every case. Pangilinan, a justice reforms advocate, has been championing judicial modernization since becoming a lawyer. He has successfully passed the Judiciary Compensation and Modernization Act, which doubled the pay and other benefits of judges and justices thereby addressing the issue of huge vacancy rate in many courts. He says the Philippine judiciary is mired in bureaucracy and corruption.
