by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
PHILIPPINE government agencies have started coordinating their efforts to protect the public
from the avian influenza (bird flu) virus after Hong Kong officials confirmed this week its first
infection in seven years.
Passengers from Hong Kong will be strictly monitored at the airport to prevent the entry of
bird flu in the country, Health Secretary Enrique Ona said Friday.
Ona said the Department of Health (DOH), in coordination with airport authorities, will re-
intensify the monitoring of in-bound passengers through installed thermal scanners at the
Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
He added that the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources have intensified their bird flu watch.
The DOH has also said that it has enough stockpile of Tamiflu in case the bird flu enters the
country.
The World Health Organization revealed that human cases of bird flu or the H5N1 virus
have only been reported in 6 countries – Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, and
Vietnam. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
Tubigon- Noted for its impressive pool of talented and academically gifted students from its top
schools, Tubigon joints local school administrators in celebrating pay off.
Principals from Holy Cross Academy, Salus Institute of Technology, Holy Family of Nazareth, Gods’s
Little Flock Learning Center and Mater Dei College, all in this town are in jubilation for harvesting the
much coveted awards and recognition from the Bohol Association of Catholic Schools (BACS) Meet.
The athletic, literary and musical meet is for high school levels and the Bohol Association of Private
School Elementary Administrators (BAPSEA).
Fresh from the competitions, the students from both elementary and high school here are still feeling
the hype and euphoria.
Holy Cross Academy ranked over-all Champion and romped with the Miss BACS Athletics 2010 award
for Alyssa Quinones.
Salus Institute of Technology took the 2nd Place Over-all and reaped the Miss BACS Academics 2010
through Judiel Israel.
On the other hand, Holy Family of Nazareth School took the 7th Place Over-all and bagged the Miss
BACS Personality 2010 through Dianne Mascarinas.
On the elementary and pre-elementary pupils, Tubigon could not be outdone at the Bohol Association
of Private Schools’ Elementary Administrators Meet.
Now on its second year, the meet showcases the talents and abilities of elementary pupils in the field
of academics, literary and musical.
This year’s winners are Mater Dei College for general information through Viah Mula, Vocal Duet
Elem. Division 1st Place (Sophia Mae Zoilo and Liahona Lorzano), Modern Dance Pre-Elem. 1st Place
& Dance Sports Elem. 1st Place (Crisha Valer & Christian Enoc).
On the other hand, God’s Little Flock Learning Center took the first place in the Pre Elementary
general information with John Alpfe Cubillo as well as the Oration’s 1st Place through Joshua Gerigdig.
Holy Family of Nazareth School took the vocal Solo’s 1st Place with Noreen Faith Cruz, Declamation 1st
Place with Rhea Marie Cabilla and Balak 1st Place with Kate Charlyn Lanoy. (rbd/MPIO)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
IT is still long way to go for tourist destination Bohol in terms of its buildings and tourism facilities.
Still lagging behind in vertical infrastructure especially for tourism services, the dream for Bohol to become a
wholesome tourism destination practically finds wanting if services and standards to this end is concerned.
With the few establishments set up, as far as compliance to accessibility laws, several of them are not
compliant yet, says a person with disability mobility advocate said.
Here, of the few public buildings and tourism establishments that are compliant, they also have access
facilities that are sub-standard.
This surfaced Thursday at the Kapihan sa PIA when the forum resource persons took to the question: what
happens when a tourist who visits Bohol is a person with disability (PWD)?
Here, the leader of a strong Bohol Federation of Disabled Persons (BFDP) said the decade long advocacy to
bring awareness to get the law implemented and allow access to PWDs has not been that much, especially in
Bohol.
Mateo Quilas, a blind man however said he is happy that some establishments here have shown best efforts in
compliance.
The Kapihan segment, which was aired live over DyTR tackled the law enhancing the mobility of disabled
persons by requiring certain buildings, institutions, establishments and public utilities to install facilities and
other devices to ensure access of PWDs.
Some best efforts however prove to be only for compliance.
There are buildings and establishments with the access ramps but these are so steep that a PWD on a wheel-
chair can not negotiate it by himself, elaborates Haidee Cubarol, a physical therapist and Bohol Stimulation
and Therapeutic and Activity Center chief.
Cubarol, whose group has been giving therapies to indigent children with disabilities hinted that the law is
specific on enhancing the mobility of PWDs by putting up standard ramps with the right slopes, sidewalks with
railings and grab bars as well as custom amenities at specialized rest rooms for PWDS.
Even alleyways, doors and facility design should be considerate of the PWD where the floor areas should allow
enough space wheel-chair to maneuver, the lavatories installed with lever type faucets and grab bars running
along the edges of the rest rooms, she cited the law.
Now with the biggest investments still in tourism, both forum resource persons hope that the town planning
and development officers as well as engineers are keener in getting true to the intent of the law and make
thus Bohol a better place for tourists, be he able or with disability. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) cautions everyone against scams in this season of bonuses and cash
windfalls.
“Giving bank account numbers, even without personal identification number (PIN) taught countless scam victims a hard
lesson”, DTI said.
“The modus operandi is a text message, which claims that the promotion has a DTI permit,” shares Information Officer
Lucille Autentico.
Under the law, sales promotion campaign should first secure permits from DTI to ensure that the public is protected
against deceptive or irresponsible sales promo scheme, she revealed.
DTI through Autentico cited the case of a 23-year old young professional and office girl in Makati.
The victim just received her 13th month pay when she received a text message from an unknown cell phone number,”
Autentico said.
The text message said: “Congratulations! Your cellphone number has won P680,000 at the Philippine Charity Foundation’s
third anniversary raffle draw last November 5. For more info, send your name and address. Call Sec. John Fuentes. Per
DTI Permit No. 000812. Thanks.”
Thinking that was a scam but also trying her luck, she accordingly replied with a fake name and address.
The texter, who introduced himself as a Manila-based lawyer then asked for her bank account number where he can
deposit the cash prize.
Thinking that her account is safe if she does not give her signature or Automated Teller Machine’s PIN number, she gave
him her bank account number, DTI added.
It was after two weeks later, when she got back after the vacation breaks, did she realized she was victimized, Autentico
relayed.
When the victim withdrew from her savings account, which she knew had a balance of about P10,000, she was shocked.
She was surprised when she learned from the ATM that she only had P.080 and her account was closed”, she told PIA.
Checking with the bank to trace her bank activities, the victim learned about a one time withdrawal on a holiday.
On this, the DTI warns everyone engaging in negotiations with strange persons or numbers through text.
“Be advised that when you are asked to provide your bank account number and the sender offers to deposit money into
it, it surely is a scam”, DTI said.
Even if the text message appears to be credible because it comes from a trusted government institution or well known
government official, never give your personal data and account numbers, warns Autentico.
Further, for prizes exceeding P500, the law requires that the winner be notified through registered mail, and not through
text messages alone, she sums. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Nov 20, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
ADMITTING a debacle where they only have few agents whose identity they have to protect, the
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has appealed to the public for help.
Now faced with the singular task of curbing an alarming increase of drug concerns popping up in
Bohol and likely trend of drug related crimes, the local PDEA is forced to make their best efforts, and
appreciates the public’s help in building up the information linking known drug personalities to set up
an information database.
Any information that can help us build a stronger case against these personalities would be a great
help, said a PDEA agent at the Kapihan sa PIA last week.
If any among you notices within your neighborhood an endless stream of activities especially when
these involve strangers coming in and out of the neighborhood, that’s a big chance that a drug deal
within a community is happening, said the agent who asked not to be named.
He said that along with the police authorities, the PDEA keeps a hotline number open for any
information leading to the capture or conviction of the persons involved in the illegal and harmful
trade.
Any information can be coursed through 501 8730, he said as he assured calls and information
received would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
Meanwhile, Bohol Police at Camp Dagohoy are also putting up a Provincial Tactical Operations Center
(PTOC) hotline manned by a desk staff 24 hours a day, said PSSUpt. Constantino Barot.
Police hotlines are 0917-305-1833 and 0912-808-9279, he added.
The drug agent also called on parents, guardians and landlords to keep a tight watch with their
wards in as much as shabu, the most common abused substance in Bohol can now be sold at P500
packs.
This is well within the affordability of students who may decide to pool their money for a drug
session, according to him.
Parents who start to suspect drug use may find their wards finding difficulty sleeping, reduced or loss
of appetite and may manifest involuntary twitching of facial muscles.
He said, “indications of pot session is the presence of tin or aluminum foils, disposable lighters, tissue
papers, improvised burners and denatured alcohol.”
Finding any of these implements, parents can call the hotlines, PDEA said. (PIABohol)
