DSWD 7 augments city welfare staff for IEC2016

CEBU CITY, January 22 (PIA)—Sixty Department of SocialWelfare and Development (DSWD) staff will augment the local social welfare department for the International Eucharistic Congress (IEC)  next week.

According to Evelyn Macapobre, Regional Director of DSWD7, there are 60 staff identified to assist during the event on January 24 until the 31st.

In a press release, the 60 regional personnel will be augmenting the Department of Social Welfare Services (DSWS) of the Cebu City Government who are mainly assigned for camp management and emergency situations.

“We have committed 60 staff mostly composed of social workers to help manage the help desk where lost and found children will be stationed,” Macapobre said.

Initial symposium related to the IEC are already being done this week.

It will be formally opened with a Mass by Cardinal Maung Bo of Sri Lanka at the Plaza Independencia.

The Pontifical Mass on January 24 will be celebrated by Cardinal Bo in behalf of Pope Francis who will not be able to make it to the IEC.

 

Cardinal Maung Bo representing Pope Francis 

On the 28th Manila Archbishop Luis Cardinal Tagle will be the congress’ speaker at the IEC Pavilion.

There will be a Visita Iglesia or church visit on that day  will also be held among parishes in Metro Cebu including the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in Capitol, Redemptorist Church, Santo Rosario Church, Basilica del Santo Niño, AsilodelaMedallaMilagrosa, Sacred Heart Parish, and the Cebu Cathedral.

 These will also be the venues where the delegates will have encounters with local parishioners. 

 On January 29, the delegates will also be brought to their foster families as part of the immersion activity while a procession will be held from Capitol to Plaza Independencia in the afternoon.

 There will be Masses to be held on January 28 at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City, Capitol building quadrangle on January 29, and the closing ceremonies at the South Road Properties on January 31.

 IEC is an international gathering of people which aims to promote an awareness of the central place of the Eucharist in the life and mission of the Catholic Church, help improve our understanding and celebration of the liturgy and draw attention to the social dimension of the Eucharist.

 The event is expected to gather millions of pilgrims during the opening and closing ceremonies. (rmn/fcc/PIA-Cebu with reports from Phoebe Jen Indino, Pantawid Pamilya IO)

Sports, arts, faith - Sinulog2016 updates

It is going to be a feast of faith, arts and sports this Sinulog 2016.

This is how Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of Sinulog Foundation Inc., describes this year’s overall celebration of the feast of the Patron of Cebu, the Sr. Santo Nino.

For the religious activities, there will be a total of ten masses to be celebrated everyday beginning January 8 until feast day on January 17.

This will nclude the Walk with Jesus dawn procession (January 7), Walk with Mary (January 15), Fluvial Parade, re enactment of the Christianization of the Cebuanos, and then the Solemn Procession on January 16.

On the other hand, fiesta committees are all out with the regular highlights of Sinulog other than the festival on January 17th.

These include Search for Sinulog Idols, Festival Queens, contests for Best Sinulog Films, Photos, Sinulog documentary, short film and Music Videos, Cebu Pop Music Festival and chorale competition, and the Miss Cebu pageant.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is also mounting its annual Sinulog Trade Fair at SM City North Reclamation Area.

Department of Tourism (DOT), on the other hand, will start welcoming balikbayans on January 13.

In the sports side, a Cebu City Marathon is set on January 10 and the first ever Cebu City Triathlon on January 24.

Another first for this year is the 1st DJ mixing competition.

The City will also open the “Devotee City” near the Maritima Building to cater to pilgrims and devotees who have no abode in the city.

Sinulog sa Kabataan is scheduled on January 10, a week before the Grand Parade.

The Pyromusicale Show will culminate the festival.

Cultural shows and band performances will also be held at the Fuente Osmena Circle.

Police authorities have assured enough manpower to secure the festivities and religious activities.

This year is the 451st fiesta celebration of the province.

Other details click on to Sinulog website 

Cebu Lions treated Pasil kids with gifts, footwear and reading

More  than 200 kids of Pasil Elementary School  benefit from the Gift Giving and Reading initiated by Cebu Council of Lions Presidents.

Philippine Information Agency Cebu under Project Inspire led the Reading of over 200 kids with stories of environment conservation, culture and good manners.

Cebu Lumad Lions Club President Ferliza Contratista also of PIA-Cebu reads to kids.

Council President Jose Mari Gastardo of Cebu Queen City Lions Club said, this is an activity initiated by the Council representing the 17 clubs in the District.

Cebu Downtown Lions Club

Gastardo said, the different clubs pitched in for the distribution of shoes and slippers for the children who are seven to 12 years old.

Cebu Lions Club 

They were also provided with packed meals which was different from the usual feeding program.

Cebu Queen City Lions Club with Council President Atty. Jose Gastardo 

“We choose Pasil because we know that the place where some of the sad stories about children came from, there are stories on drugs and peace and order, we just want to make the children happy,” Gastardo said.

Some clubs also brought along with them, packs of goodies and other treats.

Officials of Pasil Elementary School and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) on the other hand, prepared dance and song numbers.

Lapulapu City Host Lions Club 

PIA Cebu had coordinated with LIONS Clubs on programs with children.

USC Campus Lions Club 

Aside from the Reading which is one of the advocacy of PIA Cebu, they also coordinated with the Cebu City Police Office Women and Children Protection Office (CCPO-WCPO) in the annual Childrens Month Talent Showcase.

Cebu Centennial Lions Club 

Cebu Hamili Lions Club 

Last November, the Council also sponsored the food for the 300 street children under the care of CCPO during the kick off activity.

Cebu Lumad Lions Club

Participating Lions Clubs include Cebu Centennial Lions Club, Cebu Downtown Lions Club, 

Cebu Bayanihan Lions Club 

Cebu Bayanihan Lions Club, Cebu Diamonds Lions Club, Cebu Lakandula Lions Club, Cebu Hamili Lions Club, Cebu Lumad Lions Club, Cebu, Mandaue Host Lions Club, Cebu Lions Club and Cebu Queen City Lions Club.

The Holidays for Next Year 2016 base on Proclamation 115

Here is a list of the nationally proclaimed holidays in the Philippines. 

It does not include the local holidays in Cebu and those declared in the component cities.

REGULAR HOLIDAYS:

January 1 (Friday) New Year's day

March 24 (Maundy Thursday)

March 25 (Friday) Good Friday

April 9 (Saturday) Araw ng Kagitingan

May 1 (Sunday) Labor Day

June 12 (Sunday) Independence Day

August 29 (Monday) National Heroes Day

November 30 (Wednesday) Bonifacio Day

December 25 (Sunday) Christmas Day

December 30 (Friday) Rizal Day

SPECIAL NON WORKING DAYS

February 8 (Monday) Chinese New Year *

February 25 (Thursday) EDSA People's power revolution

March 26 (Saturday) Black Saturday

August 21 (Sunday) Ninoy Aquino Day

November 1 (Tuesday) All Saint's Day

ADDITIONAL SPECIAL (NON WORKING) DAYS (Proc 1105)

January 2 (Saturday) Day after the New Year

October 31 (Monday) Day before All Saints Day *

December 24 (Saturday) Day before Christmas

December 31 (Saturday) Last Day of the Year

NOTE: Eid'l Fit'r and Eid'l Adha has yet to be proclaimed based on the Islamic calendar.

For holiday pays, click on www.dole.gov.ph 

Brisk sales enjoyed by local exhibitors in Cebu Agro Fair 2015

Provincial local government unit in the trade fair exhibitors enjoy brisk sales.

In a press release of the C ebu Provincial Information Office,  Officer-in-Charge Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Saragena Roldan said the exhibitors in the annual Christmas Provincial Agro Trade 

Fair enjoyed brisk sales during the four day duration.

There were 20 participants Local Government Units, 25 private exhibitors and eight food stalls.

Annie Feliciano, a supplier of hand woven rattan products in San Remigio town admitted earning P28,000 from December 14-17.

Feliciano said she regularly join the Capitol fair since it gives her the opportunity to earn more profits other than her daily at home.

She sold woven storage baskets and boxes, tissue boxes, caddies flatware, spoon and fork organizers, fruit trays, among others.

"It also gives me an opportunity to meet new clients, who will my contact number for more orders,"

From the town of Ronda was Wilma Villarena, who sold its famous native chicken.

"I sold 40 pieces daily while in Barili town that we attain record sales only on weekends," said Villarena.

Capitol annually conducts two trade exhibits. One in August during the Provincial Charter Day and the other in December.

Trade exhibits allows the farmers to sell their fresh vegetables and crops straight to the buyers.

Food products aside, there were also garments, handicrafts, ornamental plants, among others, in the fair. (FCC / PIA-Cebu with reports from Xerxes Alkuino City PIO) 

Cebu farmers become licensed seed growers

22 graduate scientists farmer growing seed certification course.

The Provincial Government recently trained 22 local farmers as seed growers to boost local production of corn seeds in Cebu given last December 16 to 18.

Officer-in-Charge Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Saragena Roldan said the training will support the Farmer Scientist Training Program (FSTP) of the Capitol.

" It will also give chance for farmers to earn more , "Saragena said.

The Capitol has been importing corn open-pollinated variety (OPV) seeds from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and in Mindanao for FSTP.

The trainer-speakers were Catalino Higida of the Cebu Technological University (CTU) -Barili Campus, Jun Acabal of the Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC), Department of Agriculture (DA), Nancy Quinapon-, Provincal Agriculturist Office (PAO).

Higida lectured on the balanced nutrients needed by corn plants.

He also stressed the need for seed growers in Cebu. 

Acabal on the other hand, taught the farmers of integrated pest management while Quinapon- presented the measures how to prevent post-harvest losses.

Mirabel Amado, Agriculturist II, said the farmers are assured of a market since it will be the Province will be the one to buy the corn seeds from them.

However, these locally produced OPV seeds must first pass the standard of the National Seed Quality Control Services (NSQCS) of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

" If it passes the standard, it will be called certified seeds and can be sold to the market and a higher value, "said Armado.

The current market price of certified seeds is P35 per kilo. Those without certification are only priced at P15 per kilo.

With the availability of OPV corn seeds, the farmers will have the option other than utilizing native corn seeds again. (Fcc / PIA-Cebu with reports from Xerxes Alkuino City PIO)

CAOCAMPIO learns to blog!

It was no ordinary yearender for the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (Caocampio) as they learn step by step, how to blog!

No less than Mary Tinio Narvasa, of the Cebu Blogging Community made them realize on the importance of blogging for the government.

One can become a social influencer when one blogs.  She said.

The information officers were walked through in the creation of a blog, personal or official..

Carlo Dugaduga, president of CAOCAMPIO come up with Padayon Pilipino blog with address www.carlodugaduga.blogspot.com

Dugaduga was able to participate in the first ever "InfoTourism Adventure Race", a one of a kind convention of the Regional Association of Development Information Officers (RADIO) this year which was held in the island of Siquijor.

There is a separate blog and series of blogs about it.. Follow links.

Nino Ybanez, from the town of San Remigio came up with a blog that showcases the features of the town. It has the longest recorded beach line in the province.

Check this out www.sanremlapyahan.blogspot.com.

By next year, it is the aim of PIA and CAOCAMPIO that majority of the towns will already be in the blogging world.

For comments and suggestions... just leave a comment. =)