PACT urges schools, barangays to lead the campaign against trafficking

by Jennifer Catan-Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 6 (PIA)      The Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT), Negros Oriental Chapter has encouraged the schools and barangays in the province to  actively campaign against child trafficking.

Local PACT convenor Judith Alpuerto said the communities must play a more active role in the campaign against child trafficking by conducting awareness raising activities in its respective areas where children may be possible targets of traffickers.

This is also a united call of the more than 40 nationwide chapters of PACT in observance of International Day Against Trafficking.  More than 16,000 students, barangay officials and residents will be taking part all over the country in a week-long series of activities from December 5-12 with the theme “Komunidad Palakasin, Child Trafficking Sugpuin,” (Empower Communities to Combat Child Trafficking) and conducted in partnership with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT).

According to Alpuerto, the December 12 International Day Against Trafficking is held annually in celebration of the signing by majority of the countries of the Protocol to prevent, suppress, punish trafficking in persons especially women and children, supplementing the UN Convention on transnational organized crime, also known as the Palermo Protocol.

Moreover, according to PACT national coordinator, Maria Salome Uja said children are often at risk of being exploited and trafficked because of circumstances in the community. 

“Trafficking lurks in our family, our schools and our community, when there are no income opportunities and people live in poverty, when men consider it their privilege to buy children and women for sex and when people especially children are sold for exploitative labor, when people are ignorant of their rights and of laws that affect them and when government does not establish mechanisms to effectively implement the law,” she added.

Children living in abusive or violent families are also vulnerable.  Ujano also warned children and their parents to be cautious in using the internet and other modern technology which traffickers may use this to lure or deceive their victims.

Ujano called on “parents to fill their homes with love and support their children’s needs, especially education.  If parents need to migrate for work, they must ensure that their children are under the care of trusted and responsible adult caregivers.” 

The PACT pushes the schools to discuss the issue of child trafficking and other forms of abuse and exploitation among their students so they can protect themselves and provide scholarships opportunities for children so they can continue their education uninterrupted.  Finally, barangays are responsible for raising the conscious of parents on the issue, and supporting local livelihood opportunities so that their children will not be forced to work, it is said.

PACT official said the barangays should mandate recruiters to register with the barangays, monitor recruitment activities in the communities and activate their Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) or the Barangay Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) desk for the implementation of programs for children and against all forms of violence”. (PIA/JCT)

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50 new rescuers complete NegOr search, rescue training

By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 6 (PIA) --- A total of 50 individuals in Negros Oriental has completed the ten-day intensive Search and Rescue (SAR) training sponsored by the Negros Oriental provincial government to strengthen the province’s capability to respond to emergency situations.

Of the 50 new rescuers, 20 are soldiers from the Philippine Army 11th Infantry Battalion based in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental while another 20 are cops from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and ten from the Bureau of Fire (BFP) here.

Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo said the newly-trained rescuers will form the rescue team who will respond to calamities and emergency situations in the areas under the first congressional district in the province.

The SAR training came in the wake of instructions from Gov. Roel Degamo for the executive officers of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to enhance the province’s disaster management preparations in view of the unpredictable weather brought about by the climate change.

PDRRMC has tapped a team of trainers composed of personnel from the Bureau of Fire (BFP), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the newly-organized ONE Rescue to conduct said training.

Degamo said the training is a boost to the province’s SAR capabilities in addition to the already available rescue teams in the second and third congressional districts here.

The governor, however, clarified that the search and rescue are just among the many components of the disaster management plan of the provincial government for the next five years.

Degamo vowed to continue to be on a pro-active mode in order to minimize the effects of both man-made and natural calamities in the province.

Sedillo disclosed that before the year ends, the PDRRMC is again scheduled to conduct another round of SAR training for provincial government employees, PNP, rescue volunteers, and the BFP. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

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Dumaguete observes World AIDS Day
By Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 6 (PIA) --- City Hall employees in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental sported tiny red ribbons on December 1, 2011 as workers from the City Health Office went around to hand out the ribbons in observance of World AIDS Day.

The move aims to drum up awareness in the community leading to the city government’s World AIDS Day celebration on Dec. 9, 2011 at theQuezon Park, this city.

A statement from the Dumaguete Information Office said that City Councilor Dr. Noel de Jesus who chairs the Committee on Health will give a message during the program outlining the city government’s program for local HIV/AIDS victims.

City Health Officer Dr. Sarah Talla earlier urged business establishments, government offices, non-government organizations and the public to wear red ribbons or something red to show they care for patients afflicted with AIDS or the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and HIV or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

The red ribbon is the international symbol for AIDS awareness, which is worn by advocates year-round to demonstrate support and commitment to the campaign to stamp out AIDS and HIV.

Dr. Talla said the city government here observes said celebration every year to remind HIV and AIDS victims that the government supports the search for a cure to the deadly virus.

After the program, a parade will be held on the city streets to be participated by students, barangay health workers, barangay officials, city hall workers, city government officials and representatives from local non-government organizations.

Prizes will be handed out for Best in Costume and Biggest Contingent after the parade. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Syril Repe)  

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EDC, DENR establish Philippines’ 1st arboretum in NegOr

by Jennifer Catan-Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Dec. 5 (PIA)       Energy Development Corporation (EDC), the geothermal leader spearheads the establishment of a seed bank and arboretum using 96 endangered Philippines tree species in sitio Panhilakan, barangay Puhagan, Valencia, this province.

With EDC are the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the municipality of Valencia that signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) recently to set up a 9.35 hectare arboretum where a collection of different rare and endemic prime trees be propagated, according to EDC public relations supervisor, Toni Nieva.

DENR Region 7 Executive Director Maxino Dichoso and EDC Senior Vice-President Agnes de Jesus endorsed the MOA to pave the way for the establishment of the arboretum. 

Nieva said the arboretum serves as learning and training facility for students, faculty, plant enthusiasts, ecotourists and other people of various walks of life. It will also serve as a research laboratory for biological and environmental scientists.

The EDC Arboretum will host the 96 species of Dipterocarp and non-Dipterocarp families. These species are categorized into threatened, vulnerable, rare and endangered status based on the rules of DENR and the International Union of Conservation of Nature.

Dichoso lauded EDC for another groundbreaking green initiative.  “This is the first arboretum initiated by the private sector that will focus on the genetic conservation of 96 endangered premium native species.  It is a major effort that is consistent with the National Greening Program.”  

Based on the MOA, EDC provides the concept and design as well as the budget for the establishment of the arboretum while DENR undertakes site identification, survey and assessment of 10 hectares of forestland suitable for an arboretum within the Southern Negros Geothermal Production Field (SNGPF).

The EDC official said this project is a component of EDC’s landmark greening project BINHI which aims to help restore the country’s forest cover, enhance forest ecosystems, and contribute in rescuing and securing the gene pool of endangered premium Philippine timber species.

“Together with the DENR, our reforestation efforts have led to the increase in the forest cover of SNGPF by 14%.  Now that the forest is protected, we are expanding the area and preserving biodiversity for climate change adaptation through BINHI,” de Jesus explained.

BINHI is aligned with the government’s National Greening Program (NGP).  The arboretum project is part of the MOA on NGP.   One of BINHI’s primary targets is to educate the general public about the importance of planting not just any tree but especially those that are most precious to the Filipinos’ sustainable development and national identity. 

Ultimately, BINHI seeks to empower the target publics so they may go the extra green mile individually or collectively. (PIA/JCT)