Victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines commemorated by Korean musicians in Hong Kong

By Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
October 24, 2006

HONG KONG – Solidarity can be expressed in many ways. Seven South Korean musicians expressed theirs for the victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines through a concert in Hong Kong on Sunday Oct. 22, 2006.

The Korean musicians who performed during the Kim Hyunok Composition Recital at St. John’s Cathedral were composer and pianist Kim Hyunok, sopranos Pahk Kay, Park Gyeongsuk and Lee Chansoon, pianist Lee Sangrog, violinist Yang Semi and cellist Lee Hoosung.

The 90-minute concert was followed by a worship service led by Fr. Dwight dela Torre of the Philippine Independent Church to commemorate the victims of this violence that the Philippine human rights group KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights) claims has taken the lives of more than 700 people since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took office in 2001.

Prior to the concert and worship service, Basil Fernando, executive director of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), drew attention to the fatal stabbing of Bishop Alberto Ramento of the Philippine Independent Church in his convent room in Tarlac City in the early morning hours of Oct. 3, 2006.

“Now they have begun to kill the good people in the Philippines,” passionately exclaimed Fernando in his introductory remarks. “How can they kill a bishop who devoted his life to justice for the poor, an advocate for peace and human rights in his country?”

Fernando blamed the Philippine government for failing to protect Ramento, a leading public figure who had received death threats before his death like many other victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines in recent years.

“International standards require the Philippine government to protect its citizens,” explained Fernando. “Obviously, the Arroyo government has failed to meet its international obligations in the case of Bishop Ramento and hundreds of others since President Arroyo took control of the country.”

“Not only has the Philippine government not met this international benchmark,” Fernando added, “but it is even suspected by many observers inside and outside of the country, including the Asian Human Rights Commission, that agents of the state – the military and police – are responsible for these deaths, are the perpetrators of these killings.”

“Until legal remedies are provided for the victims and their families and the perpetrators are brought to justice, including the masterminds – no matter who they are – these killings are likely to continue,” concluded Fernando. “This is the yardstick by which President Arroyo and her government will be held accountable by the people of the Philippines and the international community.”

He encouraged the audience to become involved in stopping these killings and to continue to express their solidarity for the Filipino people in another dark hour of their history. Among the suggestions he offered for further expressions of support was to sign the online petition at http://www.pinoyhr.net/.

The event was jointly organised by the Gwangju International Centre in Gwangju, South Korea, the International Campaign to Stop the Killings in the Philippines in Manila and the AHRC in Hong Kong.

Tanauan won 2006 Most Business-friendly municipality in the country

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
October 22, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, during the Closing Rites of the 32nd Philippine Business Conference held at the Manila Hotel on October 20, personally presented the awards to the 2006 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Units of the Philippines, the Province of Bulacan, the City of Naga and the Municipality of Tanauan, Leyte.

This year’s Most Business-Friendly Municipality of the Philippines was awarded to the Municipality of Tanauan, Leyte. The award was received by Atty. Roque A. Tiu, the mayor of Tanauan, and PIA 8 Director Olive Tiu.

The Most Business-Friendly City of the Philippines for this year is the City of Naga. Mayor Jessie Robredo and Mr. Ruel Oliver received the award and the Hall of Fame Award for being the winner for the third consecutive year.

The 2006 Most Business-Friendly Province is the Province of Bulacan which is also a Hall of Fame Awardee for winning the category for the third consecutive year. Governor Josie dela Cruz and Board Member Boy Aniag received the award in behalf of the Province.

The winners were nominated by their respective Chamber of Commerce and Industry and have been earlier adjudged as the winner in their respective Areas (Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao).

The Municipality of Tanauan for example, was earlier adjudged as the Most Business-Friendly Municipality in the Visayas Area. It then competed with the Most Business-Friendly Municipalities in Luzon and in Mindanao before it was proclaimed as the Most Business Friendly Municipality of the Philippines.

The Local Government Most Business-Friendly Awardees made different innovations in order to encourage more investors in their respective local government units and at the same time increase the LGU income. This is in answer to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s call to enhance business environment in order invite more investors and to create more jobs in order to improve the economy of the local government units and the country as a whole.

An annual activity of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the President was joined by PCCI President Ambassador Donald Dee, Past PCCI President Jimmy Tang and FCCI President Francis Chua in giving the plaques of Recognition and certificates for one school building to the winning local government units.

Eastern Visayas SCUAA games to be officiated by national sports organizations

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
October 22, 2006

NAVAL, Biliran  –  It could be the first time in the history of the yearly regional State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) 2006 here in Eastern Visayas that the officiating officials of some major sports events will be officiated by members coming from the different nationally acclaimed sports organizations in the country like the sports event in basketball, softball, volleyball, soccer football and boxing.

In an interview Friday during the special PIA Kapihan at Radyo Natin-Naval with Leoncio Sambitan, sports coordinator of the Naval Institute of Technology (NIT) and at the same time the over-all sports coordinator of the 22nd State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) meet this year, he revealed that some major sports events will be officiated by members of well-known sports organization nationally known for their expertise in their respective field of sports event.

He said that what makes this year’s SCUAA meet different from the past SCUAA meets is that the officiating officials came only from selected personnel coming from the different state colleges and universities in the region who are the usual official participants in the regional sports event.

Sambitan mentioned that basketball games will be officiated by Philippine Basketball League (PBL), accredited referees who have already been officiating amateur and professional basketball leagues in the country.

He added that the volleyball games for this year’s SCUAA will be officiated also by referees of the Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF), a nationally and internationally accredited association of referees of volleyball game.

The soccer football game, a group ball game that now draws more attention among the youth in the province of Biliran, will be officiated by referees coming from the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), Sambitan said.

In the case of softball games that will be played by men and women representing the different athletic delegations, umpires coming from the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) – Philippines will be the one to officiate the softball games for this year’s SCUAA, he added.

The NIT sports coordinator also said that the boxing event that will be held in the New Naval Gymnasium will be officiated by referees coming from the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP). However, the organization has tapped only the services of ABAP accredited boxing referees coming from Ormoc City.

He said that the boxing matches that will probably be hotly contested by six schools with complete entries to be held at the still unfinished New Naval Gymnasium will be one of the much awaited sports events of the SCUAA 2006 since Navaleños as well as Biliranons are avid enthusiasts of the game.

Meanwhile, Sambitan disclosed that NIT chooses four previous SCUAA players of the school who excelled in their respective field of sports and had brought honors to the school to carry the lighted torch during the opening ceremony on Sunday (October 22).

He mentioned the names of David Stetson, Remegio Dela Cruz, Freddie Nazario, all gold medalists in athletics and Romeo Baco who earned the highest points in the 800, 1,500 and 3,000 meter runs to be the designated torch bearers that will light the ceremonial torch during the opening day to signal the official opening of the regional sports event.

He further said that the host school is expecting some 3,000 athletes and officials coming from the 11 participating athletic delegations which is supposed to be composed of 12 delegations had the University of the Philippines (UP)-Tacloban not declined to participate lately.

He also urged all the Biliranons including the people from mainland Leyte and to the other people from other neighboring provinces to watch the different games of the SCUAA meet 2006 here in Naval particularly in NIT and most especially during the official opening of the game where NIT has prepared a grandiose and spectacular opening ceremony.

All systems go for Eastern Visayas SCUUA Meet in Naval

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
October 21, 2006

NAVAL, Biliran – It’s an all systems go when the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association (SCUAA) athletic meet in region 8 will formally open this Sunday (October 22) at the Naval Institute of Technology (NIT), as the preparations in the hosting of the big regional event are in full blast, Dr. Edita S. Genson, NIT President said in an interview recently.

Dr. Genson said that all the people in NIT are working double time to fastrack all preparations that are needed, NIT being the host for this year’s 22nd SCUAA.

“I already pity the workers who sometimes will work until evening time just to finish some important structures needed and to prepare many other things required in the holding of the event” she said.

The NIT President bared that all the 11 athletic delegations composed of Leyte State University (LSU), Sogod Southern Leyte State University (SSLSU), Leyte Normal University (LNU), Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), Eastern Samar State University (ESSU), Samar State University (SSU), Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (TTMIST), Samar State College of Agriculture and Fishery (SSCAF), University of Eastern Philippines (UEP), Palompon Institue of Technology (PIT) including the NIT delegation will be billeted only in one venue which is at NIT.

She said that the billeting of all delegations of some 2,000 athletes and officials in only one venue was the decision reached by majority of the presidents of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) in region 8 during a meeting.

“It is such a big task to accommodate this big number of people in NIT but we could not complain because that was agreed by the majority and besides the holding of such big regional sports event is a great honor and prestige for the school” Dr. Genson added.

Dr. Genson added that the regional sports event will also help boost the economy of Naval town and promote the tourism industry in the province of Biliran.

She said that the different venues for the holding of the different sports competitions that will begin on October 22 up to 26 like athletics, basketball (men & women), volleyball (men & women), volleyball (men & women), softball (men & women), baseball (men), soccer football (men), swimming, lawn tennis (men & women), table tennis (men & women), badminton (men & women), sepak takraw (men), chess (men & women), boxing, taekwondo (men & women) are already prepared and ready.

Dr. Genson added that the school has constructed 50 improvised toilets in an area inside the campus in order to answer the call of nature of the competing delegations and to maintain good sanitation in the area.

She said that she also coordinated with the Local Government Unit (LGU) in Naval through Mayor Gerry Espina and the provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) headed by Engr. Celerina B. Barrot in the enforcement of fair trade laws like the putting of price tags in the commodity sold in the market in order not to mislead and likewise not to take advantage of the visitors.

Dr. Genson also coordinated with the management of the Naval Water District (NWD) thru Manager Mario Robenta in order to ensure sufficient supply of water and also requested LGU-Naval for gathering of garbage inside the school campus everyday to maintain cleanliness and sanitation within the school compound.

As to the finances in the hosting of the sports event, Dr. Genson admitted that NIT has already spent a million pesos taken from the school’s income on its Income Generating Projects (IGPs) because each member school of PASUC 8 contributed only P23,500.00 and P1,500.00 for the program. However, because of her initiative, the school was able to raise a considerable amount that forms part of the amount used in the preparation like the amount of P128,000.00 from the advertisements of the SCUAA program, proceeds of tickets from Mr. & Miss NIT 2006 and contributions from the employees and the amount of P10,000.00 given by Governor Rogelio J. Espina to be used during the welcome party.

Dr. Genson said that she wanted to make the preparation well and good as to the best of what she can do with the help of all the members of the NIT family and the people in the community in order to make the hosting of the regional sports event a successful one.

DepEd 8 extends loan assistance to teachers

By JONNIE H. BUENAVENTURA (PIA 8)
October 21, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  With the prolonged and economic difficulties experienced by most of the Filipinos nowadays, the Department of Education (DepEd) thru it’s Regional Director Sol F. Matugas has provided special assistance to DepEd family through its Provident Fund Program.

The program aims to provide DepEd employees and officials assistance in emergency needs, education for their children, hospitalization, and immediate needs of their dependents, minor repair of their houses, and other similar purposes.

The beneficiaries of the Provident Fund are those teachers defined in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers and the administrative support staff (non-teaching) who have permanent status of employment and who incur official payroll deductions. Casual employees are likewise encouraged to avail of the program provided that they meet the required number of years in service and have at least one hundred (100) days of leave credits.

A maximum of fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) can be availed of depending on the type of loan they are applying for and the borrower’s capacity to pay, with an interest of six percent (6%) per annum, on an add-on and straight computation.

This particular program is a standpoint of DepEd’s policy to support and extend financial assistance to its teacher’s who on their efforts and sacrifices in molding the minds of their students; somehow lessen their financial burden.

“We are on the right track to make use of our financial capability to help ease the financial constraints suffered by our employee’s specially the teachers who are the image of DepEd and the shadow behind the success of DepEd’s thrusts and programs, “ said Dir. Matugas.

All interested parties who want to avail of the said program may secure application form at the Regional/Division office or may call the Administrative Division, Department of Education, Regional Office No. VIII at Tel. Nos. 323-3855/ 323-6075.