Dumaguete boosts disaster preparedness
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 15 (PIA) -- The Dumaguete City government conducted a series of fire drill trainings for emergency awareness and preparedness in the barangay, business establishments, and schools in the city.
Dubbed “Drill and Activity,” the Dumaguete City Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) started the fire and earthquake drills with city hall employees last month.
DRRMO head Jose Chiu said the rescue team Thursday started the training at the Central Bank located at Daro Highway.
Chiu said Negros Oriental right now is not safe because of the global warming and climate change.
"The province has experienced two calamities recently, namely tropical storm Sendong and 6.9 magnitude earthquake, thus, the public must prepare for every emergency," said Chiu.
The DRRMO will undergo planning sessions beginning this year to respond to any emergency.
In the months of May and June, a series of trainings are scheduled to be held for the 30 barangays in Dumaguete which include the barangay captains and local leaders that will target 300 participants in the training, Chiu said.
According to him, the trainees will be divided by three groups with about 100 participants.
"A drill and equipment review will also be conducted twice a year,” he added.
He said his office have already requested the barangays to prepare emergency facilities like ropes and flash light and everything that will be needed during emergencies.
Meanwhile, Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria lauded the initiatives of the office of the City Disaster Council for scheduling activities at the barangay levels and other establishments in the city, as part of the city’s continuing awareness program on disaster. (rmn/JCT/PIA 7, Negros Oriental)
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NegOr ex-rebels receive cash assistance
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 15 (PIA) -- Former rebels who left a communist group recently received cash assistance for livelihood as they return as members of society.
Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, together with the Philippine Army's 302nd Brigade commander Col. Francisco Patrimonio, handed over on Friday financial assistance of P50,000 to each of the five former rebels at the governor’s office.
Patrimonio said the former rebels who left the communist group New People’s Army (NPA) are: Rymel Macatiguib and Manuel Lagrama, both from Mantiquil, Siaton; Alfie Gadiane of Apoloy, Siaton; Gerardo Guillermo and Bobby Sinda, both from Sta. Catatsalina town.
The rebel returnees personally received the checks with a total of P250,000 for livelihood packages.
The cash assistance is under the government’s Social Integration Program (SIP) as seed capital to start a small business to sustain each of the rebel returnees' family as they return to the mainstream of society, said Patrimonio.
With the funding capital, the returnee may use it to acquire a farm implement or livestock, operate a sari-sari store, among others, he added.
This turnover of checks is part of the last phase of the SIP implemented by the former administration when President Benigno Aquino III terminated it upon his assumption and replaced with the new integration program dubbed Comprehensive Local Integration Plan.
The activity was witnessed by Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Alice Lagarde, Provincial Administrator Arnel Francisco, Office of the Presidential Assistance on the Peace Process (OPAPP) representative and some military officials. (RMN/JCT-PIA Negros Oriental)
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TESDA Specialistas trained on entrepreneurship, marketing skills
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 15 (PIA) -- Twenty six specialists of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Specialistas in Negros Oriental were trained on marketing and Industrious, Systematic, Time conscious, Innovative value for work (ISTIV)
Bayanihan Thursday in Dumaguete City.
According to TESDA Information Officer Geraldine delos Reyes, the TESDA in coordination with the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) of Cebu City conducted the training.
To equip them with entrepreneurship skills, the participants were taught the principles of market research, how to prepare a marketing plan and on how to set selling prices of their products or services, said delos Reyes.
In one of the sessions, RTWPB Chief Atty. Glenn Tabon discussed marketing research to complement the entrepreneurship training.
Delos Reyes sad the trainings are part of the nurturing activities of TESDA for its Specialistas under the TESDA Specialista Technopreneurship Program (TSTP).
The system aims to provide alternative job opportunities and contribute to the creation of livelihood enterprises to Tesda-certified graduates.
The TSTPs are TESDA-trained and certified skilled workers organized into different entrepreneurial groups to perform their trade in the community for reasonable fees.
TSTP is also designed to be an enterprise development model for communities with the mission to help Tesda-certified graduates to get into productive undertakings through the provisions of services required by their environment.
In Dumaguete City, there were already aggrupations in computer hardware servicing, automotive servicing, appliances repair and building/house repair and maintenance and appliance repair, delos Reyes said. (RMN/JCT-PIA Negros Oriental)