Bohol establishes four more e-learning hubs in towns

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

TAGBILARAN CITY – The province of Bohol has now four electronic learning hubs with the opening of E-skwela hubs in Talibon and Ubay on April 22 and in Carmen and Jagna on April 23 in partnership and memorandum of agreement signed between Rep. Ronnie Ong of party-list Ang Probinsiyano and Gov. Arthur Yap of the provincial government of Bohol.

The project is a national initiative of Ong to provide e-learning centers through computers with installed software necessary for online classes, strong wi-fi connection and printers.  These e-learning hubs are for access of students and teachers to the essentials of blended learning amid the pandemic, according to Ven Arigo of the Provincial Information and Media Relations (PRIMER).

Arigo bared that there are 22 E-skwela hubs have so far been established in the country since August 2020 and Bohol has managed to secure four as lobbied for by the governor.

At the hubs, the students and teachers can use wifi-connected computers for free and even have free printing services for their assignments or researches.  "This will greatly help the Boholanos with the sudden demand for e-learning facilities.  We hope more accessible projects like this will be offered to the learners and teachers in Bohol," Yap said.

According to Ong that this is his way of helping the teachers continue their job and to avoid a high dropout rate among students.

The E-skwela hubs in Talibon and Ubay are located inside the municipal buildings.  The two other e-learning centers are respectively beside the Cong. Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital in Carmen and Cong. Teodoro Galagar Memorial Hospital in Jagna, Arigo revealed.

The project was piloted in Luzon in August last year in time for the resumption of classes under the new normal of learning.  Ong already opened hubs in Baguio, Metro Manila, Cebu, including Camotes island, Batangas and Cagayan.

More are set for launching in the country within the year, Ong said.  The hub set-up is adept to social distancing and those who like to use the facility are required to sign up prior to usage to avoid overcrowding.

The local government units (LGUs) that host the project shall provide staff to man the hubs.  Strict health protocols are followed inside each hub with the help of the LGU partner and all equipment are properly sanitized before and after use, Arigo said.

He added that no games are allowed since the hub is strictly for educational purposes.  Under the blended learning system, classes are done online and via printed module delivery.  Not all students have access to fast and reliable internet connection or printers at homes for their modules.

The E-skwela hub essentially serves as the community’s supplementary e-learning center for those having no access to internet or printer and it is like a free internet café in the barangay but for studying. (Photos: Ven Arigo/Google images)

 

LGUs in NegOr to receive aid for COVID-19 response

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

 DUMAGUETE CITY – The local government units (LGUS) in Negros Oriental are expected to receive one million pesos each from the province as financial aid to augment funds for COVID-19 response programs and those LGUS situated at the provincial borders are given additional one million to establish border control points.

Negros Oriental Assistant Provincial Administrator Atty. Froilan Joseph Pinili, in a meeting on April 20 with the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force - Emerging Infectious Disease (PIATF-EID said that there is already an “advice for allotment” for the release of funds.

 “We are just waiting for the various LGUs to sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental to complete the disbursement of the financial aid,” Pinili added.

According to him that border LGUs such as Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, Basay, and Mabinay including Sibulan and San Jose, due to the presence of seaport terminals there are requested to establish control points as part of the measures to prevent the entry of COVID-19 in the province.

These border LGUs have additional P1 million.  Included in the MOA is to hire personnel to man the borders and to provide transportation and meal allowances, Pinili bared.

Provincial COVID-19 Task Force Executive Director Adrian Sedillo who is also the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (PDRRMO) said that the financial assistance amounting to P31-Million is from the unexpended balances in the local DRRM funds.

Sedillo said that the LGUS have also the responsibility in the response phase in waging and winning the fight against the virus hence, governor Roel Degamo asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for additional financial aid to the various cities and towns in the province.

Sedillo revealed that the province had identified some substantial amount from the PDDRMC and recommended to the committee to use this financial assistance with the pandemic under the context of disaster.  The province also did the same in 2020 with each LGUs receiving two million pesos. (Photos: NegOr LGU)

 

 

Experience Cebu’s 5th district at the mall

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

CEBU CITY – Experience Cebu’s 5^th district in a weekend exhibit showcasing the best products and talents of the local government units of the district from April 23-25 at the Robinsons Galleria dubbed as “R’ Cebu Quinto Distrito” in its fourth event in collaboration with the mall.

Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia, in her opening message during the event said that in Cebu the policies are very clear.  “So, when de decide to reopen our economy, we move on and move forward because our decisions were based on data and not on rumor mongering.”

Garcia added that at that time it was only Cebu that said that now is the time to move on and not be afraid of the virus and here we are now to continue to help the micro, small, medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to bounce back.

“Daghan nag-antos dili tungod sa COVID, daghang nag-antos sa kapobrehon,” she added. (So many are in dire need not because of COVID, many are in dire need because of poverty.)

This event is a testimony that Cebu knows how to manage the pandemic vis-à-vis the economy. Garcia went on that she has seen in the faces of the Cebuanos, hope for the future and the need to continue to prosper and move forward in one direction for one Cebu.

R’ Cebu! Returns at the Robinsons Galleria showcasing the various delicacies, tourist spots and offerings from Borbon, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Compostela, Liloan, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, and Pilar, and the City of Danao.

It is presented by Robinsons Galleria Cebu in partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government to support the local farmers, fishermen, artisans and small business owners, according Floramie Adolfo, Robinson’s Sr. Regional Operations Manager.

Some local delicacies and products to buy

Queseo (White Cheese) from the Municipality of Compostela, a local cheese "queso" or "queseo" made from fresh carabao's milk.  It is the main theme of the annual festival of the town, the Queseo Festival.

Delicious wine or "Tuba" from Borbon. A sweet, fresh, mildly fermented sap taken from tapping the young expanded flowers of the coconut. Tuba or Coconut Wine is served at gatherings and is one of the main livelihoods of Borboranons.

 San Francisco’s banig made of "Soli-Soli" a kind of tall grass that grows by the lakeside in Lake Danao located in San Francisco. "Nigo" made of Bamboo, is a flat woven basket traditionally used for winnowing ("mag - ayag", in Cebuano term) or separating corn grits/rice still contain lots of hulls that feel grainy and rough when cooked or eaten. It is made of bamboo skin strips woven from the center to frames.

 Kabog Delicacies from Catmon. “Kabog” known in the municipality of Catmon is a small-seeded cereal plant known as MILLET in other countries.  Millet grew wild and in abundance in Catmon’s mountains, mostly in Barangay Agsuwao. Some kabog products: Budbud Kabog, Bingka Kabog, Kabog Grains and Butter Kabog Cookies.

Camote Delicacies from Poro, Camotes Island. Camotestiks (Sweet Potato Breadsticks), Baked Camote Polvoron, Tableya Camotekies (Cacao Sweet Potato Cookies), Mango Camotekies (Mango Sweet Potato Cookies), Camotetap (Camote Otap/Sweet Potato Puff Pastry)

Plant holder from Sogod. Elevate your indoor and outdoor plants with Sogod's positively fabulous woven high-quality natural rattan plant holders. Perfect for the plantitos and plantitas.

Lilo-an’s cco-Friendly Bamboo Products: Water Tumbler & Cutlery set. Lilo-anons starts up a business they call Eco Friendly PH that aims to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable living with their customized, eco-friendly products.

Kasahos from Danao City. Uniquely Danawanon, Kasahos is a beef or pork jerky that is sun-dried before it is sauteed and fried with a blend of different spices.

 Carmen’s ice cream, sinamay, and native hats.

Delectable Taste of Cassava Cookies from Municipality of Tudela. Savor Tudela’s Cassava Cookies varieties: plain cassava cookies, with peanuts, with chocolates; and with malunggay. These are all cooked and prepared by the women's association from Barangay Villahermosa.

Gov’t rehabs, upgrades Siquijor airport to boost island tourism

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

SIQUIJOR ISLAND—The Office of the Presidential Assistant for Visayas (OPAV) with the Provincial Government of Siquijor visited Thursday, April 22 the ongoing rehabilitation and upgrading of the Siquijor Airport which is included in the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program with a support fund of P68-Million for the rehab/upgrade of the airport terminal and P500-Million for the runway.

OPAV Undersecretary Anthony Gerard Gonzales with IATF-Visayas Chief Implementor ret. M/Gen. Mel Feliciano and his wife Mia and Engr. Ricardo Mendoza discussed with Siquijor Governor Zaldy Villa and Congressman Jake Vincent Villa the ongoing program of works.

According to Gonzales that the passenger terminal building, powerhouse, and the vehicle parking area of the airport were completed in October 2020 and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) spearheaded the construction of the terminal and runway following a grant of exception from P350-million limit.

The government also provided additional funding of P450-million to extend the runway equivalent to that of Dumaguete Airport’s runway length and another P350 million to expand or widen the runway to accommodate bigger planes.  The bidding for the runway extension project will start next month, Gonzales bared.

The Governor and Congressman Villa are now optimistic that more tourists will flock to the Island-province once the new airport will begin its operation.  The governor also bared that the Province has already prepared a master plan/urban plan for Siquijor.

According to Villa that Siquijor will receive one million pesos for the Masterplan from Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) with direct coordination with TIEZA Board Member Mark Lapid. (Photos: OPAV/Siquijor)

Silliman U orders vaccines for faculty, staff

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

DUMAGUETE CITY – Silliman University orders doses of the Covovax vaccine for its facuty and staff, including part-time and adjunct faculty, retirees, and one dependent for each employee with the roll-out dates may happen in July, August and September 2021 with the university to shoulder the cost of the vaccines.

Silliman University (SU) president Dr. Betty Cernol McCann emphasized the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible in the fight against COVID-19.

“In this battle against the pandemic, the more individuals we draw into our circle of health security, the better chance we have in winning this fight.  By extending preventive measures from the workplace to the home environment, we establish more allies to help us launch an effective campaign,” McCann said.

In one of the faculty and staff webinar on the SU vaccination program last April 14, Atty. Joshua Francisco Ablong, SU-Human Resource Development manager, said since only one dependent is covered by SU’s vaccination program, faculty and staff who wish to acquire additional vaccines for the rest of their household may order through the University but the cost must be paid by the employee.

The SU vaccination program is one of the University’s strategies to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.  McCann explained that the program aims to create a safer work environment on the campus.

She said that the combination of getting vaccinated and strictly observing health safety protocols against the virus continues to be the best measure to ensure protection and the sensible way forward to combat COVID-19.

SU ordered the vaccines from Unilab, Inc., the official distributor of Covovax for the private sector.  Covovax is a two-dose vaccine against COVID-19 developed by US-based Novavax and the Serum Institute of India.

Based on Novavax’s preliminary data from its clinical trials on individuals between 18 to 84 years old, Covovax has an efficacy rate of 95.6 percent against SARS-COV-2; 85.6 percent against the UK variant; and 60.10 percent against the South African variant.

According to Ablong in choosing the brand, the administration looked into efficacy rates, availability, cost, and the possible side effects of the vaccines.

Two doses of the Covovax vaccine costs P2,240 which includes the VAT and fees for other expenses like logistics and transportation, Ablong added.

Faculty and staff must first get a medical clearance from their attending physician to know if they are qualified to get the vaccine. When they arrive at the accredited vaccination facility where the vaccination will take place, they will first be assessed through a triage as part of the Department of Health’s protocol.

“The program is parallel to the vaccination efforts of the government and is purely voluntary,” Ablong said.

McCann said the administration has planned for the vaccination program since January this year.  The University has been monitoring vaccination programs on the international scene and has been studying various vaccine performances as published by regulatory bodies.

“In late January 2021, the university administration mulled over a vaccine plan for the institution as we prepare to open as a 'healthy' university in the event we transition in-person learning in August 2021. The Board of Trustees is fully supportive of this plan,” she bared.

The University administration is yet to distribute order forms for the vaccination program.

 

 

 

Island-wide celebration of Earth Day 2021 in Bantayan, Cebu

 BANTAYAN ISLAND—The Island municipalities of Bantayan, Madridejos, and Santa Fe, Cebu Province held an island-wide simultaneous Mangrove/Tree planting activity in their mangrove areas, Thursday April 22 to celebrate Earth Day 2021.

This island-wide activity aims to promote awareness of the growing problems of climate change, air, water, and land pollution. It was fully participated and actively supported by all stakeholders within the three municipalities of Bantayan Island.

 Aside from planting activities, the municipality of Santa Fe also organized the “Sikad Para sa Kinaiyahan”, a cycling competition and Zumba dancing exercise before conducting the Mangrove planting at Barangay Balidbid.

Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) in partnership with the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PCAPI-7) and PCAPI-Foundation conducted Seminar-Workshop on EMB Environmental Laws focusing on the Involvement of the Youth Sector in Environmental Management for the different youth leaders, and SK leaders in the three Municipalities. (Photos: EMB-7)