NEGORNET cites success in its 8th anniversary
| by Jennifer Catan-Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug 4 PIA) -- The Negros Oriental Network or NEGORNET of non-government organizations and people's organizations recognized its success stories during its 8th anniversary celebration. NEGORNET president, Msgr. Merlin Logronio specifically mentioned the "Timbayayong Awards" that the organization created that was considered a landmark achievement when it was established eight years ago. The annual awards continue to recognize the efforts of NGOs, POs and the local government units to build strong partnership working together for local development projects, Msgr. Logronio said. In a press conference for Negornet's 8th Annual NegOr NGO & PO Week from August 2 to 6, Executive Director Greg Fernandez, Jr. also shared that the passage of a provincial ordinance declaring the first week of August of every year as "NGO/PO Week" is part of the network’s accomplishments. This is to recognize the importance of private sector or civil society working together for effective local governance, Fernandez said. With 27-member NGOs and POs, NEGORNET is involved in various collaborations with the provincial government in promoting good and effective governance and development, Fernandez went on. Negornet also serves as a mechanism in consolidating the NGOs and POs along local development and in facilitating meaningful participation in local governance. Msgr. Logronio also the president of another NGO the St. Ma Goretti Development Education Foundation, Inc said his organization is non-profit that works closely with the LGU of Ayungon, to provide trainings and consultancy services; scholarship program; children and youth formation; elimination of child labor, environment protection and rehabilitation; gender and development; and advocacy. Logronio said they now closely monitor the reported cases on illegal recruitment and human trafficking with the barangay residents or recipient areas in Ayungon to prevent such acts. Goretti’s program strengthens families towards value-based holistic development which provides families not only series of value formation training but also livelihood programs. Logronio said the recipient-youths have been engaged in livestock production and are now active working in organic farming to help augment family income. (PIA-NegOr/mbcn/JCT) |
===========
| PEZA orients NegOr officials on ecozone operation by Jennifer Catan-Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug 4 (PIA) The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) conducted an ecozone operation orientation seminar yesterday to officials from the province of Negros Oriental and the municipality of Valencia. The orientation seminar is part of the effort of Valencia Mayor Ricky Gonzalez to maximize the operation and economic potential of the town’s industrial zone. Mayor Gonzalez said the agro-industrial site, now known as Valencia Special Economic Zone, following a Presidential Proclamation issued by President Aquino on April 16, is a potential job generator for the town and the entire province. Invited participants of the orientation-seminar include officials from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and the Investment Promotion Center. The Valencia Special Economic Zone the lone industrial site declared by the President in Negros Oriental is located in Brgy. Palinpinon. The Valencia Hydraulic SystemTechnologies, Inc., engaged in the production of underwater equipment, is the first company to operate in the said economic zone. LGU Valencia, which hosts the geothermal facilities run by the Energy Development Corporation, took the initiative of establishing the industrial park in a bid to generate more livelihood and work opportunities to local folks. Valencia town has been identified by the government as a suitable site for micro-industrial companies as it provides electric subsidy to its electric consumers. PEZA is a government agency tasked to promote investment, facilitate business operations and provide incentives to export-oriented manufacturing and service facilities operating in declared economic zones throughout the country. (PIA NegOr/JCT) |
============
Family health survey ongoing in Negros Oriental
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, August 3 (PIA) --- The National Statistics Office (NSO) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on August 1 kicked off the one-month Family Health Survey now being conducted by NSO nationwide.
Local NSO Provincial Director-Officer in Charge Engr. Ariel Fortuito in an interview said that enumerators and statistical researchers are now making its rounds in barangays across the province until the end of August.
The sampling will be done in some 16 households in around 40 sample barangays in the province. “Each enumerator has an average target of four households in a day,” said Engr. Fortuito.
NSO earlier conducted a second-level training for its regional and provincial offices staff supervisors and statistical researchers with personnel from the Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 for the implementation of the maternal and health survey.
The local NSO chief appealed to residents to cooperate with the NSO personnel who knock on their doors to conduct the survey. “We are asking the residents to let the enumerators and statistical researchers into their house for the interview and to answer their questions accurately,” said Fortuito.
The survey is part of the National Demographic and Health Survey undertaken every five years. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
===========
GSP NegOr-Siquijor Council ranked outstanding in Visayas
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, August 3 (PIA) --- The Negros Oriental-Siquijor Council of the Girl Scouts ofthe Philippines (GSP) and its council executive were ranked as outstanding among the GSP councils in Visayas for this year.
The council covering Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces, for the third time, topped the other 15 GSP councils in Regions 6, 7 and 8 during the annual Council Performance Appraisal Report done July 22 this year by Mayor Paz Radaza of Lapu-Lapu, Cebu who sits as GSP Regional Chairman, and Aida Saromines, Visayas Regional Executive Director.
Local GSP Council Executive Officer Rosario Rosales, herself a three-time consecutive Outstanding Council Executive awardee since 2008, said that one of the factors that led to the council's top achievement is its increased membership.
The council's roster of members rose significantly between 2010 to 2011 after several local government units (LGUs) in Negros Oriental in 2009 started allocating funds to sponsor the scouting movement's registration fees of 25 percent of the “girl potentials” in their districts.
Its membership is currently at 39,771 as of June 30, 2011.
“The subsidy given by the LGUs is one of the important factors why we were ranked as outstanding, because this is being done only in Negros Oriental,” said Rosales.
She explained that the council suffered a dip in its membership following the “no-collection” rule imposed by the Department of Education (DepEd) in all public schools across the country.
GSP is one of the organizations authorized to annually collect voluntary contributions from students.
With the help of then Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Licerio Napao, Rosales met with the mayors and budget officers in the province seeking their assistance in addressing the council's declining membership.
“I hope that other local government units who have not yet responded to our request will now be encouraged to do so, so that we can reach our goal of 100% membership,” said Rosales.
The council also saw a higher membership among its district committees and barangay committees with functional council boards.
Aside from this, Rosales also attributes their award to the council's effective implementation of quality GSP programs which earned top marks among the seven responsibility areas that the council was rated on.
“We have been effectively delivering quality programs like batchwork, troop camps, district encampments and community development projects such as the ones under the Chief Girl ScoutMedal,” she said.
Rosales added that the council is now enjoying a higher monthly base compensation assistance (BCA) from the national GSP office as a reward for their outstanding performance.
“All councils are given the monthly BCA to help defray our expenses. The amount is increased everytime a council is ranked oustanding,” she explained.
The Negros Oriental-Siquijor council, with current Council President Dr. Profetiza Lim, is assisted by its implementing arm, the district field advisors and DepEd superintendents and supervisors in carrying out GSP programs in the two provinces. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)