Seven Bohol barangays launching sites of coin-assisted water system

The provincial government of Bohol has launched a coin-assisted water system project, the first in the province, to solve the problem on potable water in far-flung villages.

Governor Arthur Yap on Thursday led the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Salintubig water system rehabilitation project under the "Accessible, Reliable and Timely (ART) Water for All" program in Barangay Guinobatan, Trinidad town.

In the coin-assisted system, one will just have to insert a PHP5 coin in the machine and water will flow, enough to fill up two 20-liter containers.

The project in Trinidad is only the beginning and the rest of the barangays in the province will be next in line.

In the said town, seven barangays have been listed for the ART Water for All program. These are Guinobatan, La Union, Kinan-oan, Tagum Norte, Sto. Tomas, Hinlayagan Ilaud and Banlasan.

“If we are going to evaluate the total water resources of Bohol, the surface water resource (those that need no drilling), the open water sources such as streams and rivers, Bohol has overcapacity in terms of water,” Yap said.

He said that during his visits to the villages before he became governor, he observed that the common problem in far-flung areas was water supply. Because of this, he made water one of his administration's priority projects.

Yap said water is significant not only for the people's daily routine but also in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), both in the efforts to contain it, and for food security. He said water is necessary to maintain hygiene and sanitation, and for the cultivation of rice, crops, fruits and vegetables.

The water projects will also be a revenue-generating venture for the barangays and the municipalities, he said.

Also present at the launching were Trinidad Mayor Judith Cajes, Vice-Mayor Manuel Garcia, former Second District Rep. Roberto Cajes, Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) head Tata Ganub, Guinobatan Barangay Captain Esteban Ibaoc, and 19 other village chiefs of Trinidad. (Content reposted from Philippine News Agency)

In photo: Governor Arthur Yap fills a container with water from the coin-assisted system in Barangay Guinobatan, Trinidad town in Bohol on Thursday (June 25, 2020). Yap led the inauguration of the first-ever coin-operated communal water system that is expected to solve the water supply problem in far-flung areas of the province. (Photo courtesy of Bohol Provincial Capitol PIO)

Barangay officials asked to assist enrollment in Antique

Barangay officials in Antique are requested to assist in the enrollment of pupils in public schools as the June 30 deadline for the modified regular enrollment of the Department of Education (DepEd) nears.

“I am requesting the barangay officials to help explain to parents that they should not fear about their children being exposed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) when they enroll them with the DepEd this school year,” said Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao in an interview Wednesday.

She also requested personnel of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to assist school-age children of beneficiaries to enroll.

Jeffrey Gabucay, 4Ps provincial link in Antique, said that as of Wednesday, 29,744 school-age children have been enrolled while 19,754 are yet to register.

Difficulty in accessing online registration, lack of information on the enrollment process, and health security are among the reasons why 4Ps members have yet to enroll their children, he added.

Cadiao said the provincial school board has allocated PHP5 million for the purchase of the transistor radios to be distributed to poor families with school-age children.

“DepEd will be having the lessons aired over the radio without yet the face-to-face classroom instruction,” she said.

Cadiao said that barangay officials should also assist DepEd to make sure that enrollment forms are available for parents to fill in.

In a recent press conference, DepEd Division of Antique Superintendent Dr. Felisa B. Beriong expressed her gratitude to barangay officials who help distribute in the house-to-house distribution of the enrollment forms.

“We have enrollment forms made available in the barangay halls,” she said.

She added that while forms are available in barangay halls, there were barangay officials who took the initiative to distribute them to households in their village.

“I am appealing to the other barangay officials if they could also distribute the forms house-to-house,” she said. (Content and photo reposted from Philippine News Agency)

In photo: Governor Rhodora Cadiao on Wednesday (June 24, 2020) requested barangay officials to assist in the enrollment as the June 30 deadline for the modified regular enrollment nears. Some 29,744 school-age children have been enrolled while 19,754 are yet to register in the province’s 590 barangays. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)

Over 18,000 barangays now 'drug-cleared' - PDEA

PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon. Photo PNA

More than 18,000 barangays across the country have already been cleared from illegal drugs since the start of the Duterte administration's crackdown on illegal drugs in 2016, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Tuesday.

Based on infographics posted on the #RealNumbersPH Facebook page, at least 18,582 out of the 42,045 barangays (villages) in the country have been declared drug-cleared as of March 31.

Meanwhile, a total of 15,388 barangays have yet to be cleared of illegal drugs.

PDEA spokesperson Derrick Carreon earlier said that before declaring barangay free from illegal drug activities, the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) must convene and validate the non-availability of drug supply in the area and the absence of drug transit activity, clandestine drug laboratory and chemical warehouse, marijuana cultivation site, drug den, drug pushers and users.

He said the activation of Barangay Drug Abuse Councils, or BADACs, is very crucial in the success of the implementation of the campaign.

In partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), PDEA conducted training-orientation to local government units (LGUs) all over the country on measures and indicators on declaring drug-cleared barangays.

Carreon said aligned with President’s vision of a drug-cleared country by 2022, PDEA intensified the implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Campaign.

He added that PDEA, as the lead agency against illegal drugs, adopted a three-pronged strategy in the national anti-drug campaign which focuses on reducing its supply, demand and harmful effects.

Meanwhile, a total of 9,164 high-value targets (HVTs) were arrested from July 1, 2016 to March. 31, 2020.

The figure included 3,623 HVTs arrested from high impact operations, 2,637 target-listed suspects, 733 drug group leaders/members, 356 government employees, 317 elected officials, 235 foreigners, 215 included on wanted lists, 87 uniformed personnel, 61 armed group members and 10 prominent personalities.

Authorities also arrested 235,030 individuals involved in illegal drugs during the said period.

As of March 2020, the consolidated report showed that 5,655 drug suspects have died during 162,685 anti-illegal drug operations.

From July 2016 to March 2020, authorities also rescued 3,085 minors involved in illegal drug activities. This includes 1,719 pushers; 822 possessors; 372 users; 150 drug den visitors; 11 drug den employees, eight drug den maintainers, two cultivators, and a runner.

In the same period, a total of 555,314 drug surrenderers attended and completed recovery programs.

Authorities also dismantled a total of 536 drug dens and 14 clandestine shabu laboratories and seized PHP42.85 billion worth of illegal drugs, which includes PHP33.49 billion worth of shabu. (Content  reposted from Philippine News Agency)

Baguio City barangay council for children’s protection urged to promote activities at home

The Barangay Council for Protection of Children (BCPC) has been urged to take a more important role during the quarantine period by keeping the children in their villages active through engaging in educational and development activities they can do in their homes. 

In a resolution, the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) asked the BCPC to utilize its allocated funds for such activities for children who are expected to stay at home when usually they are already in school at this time of the year. 

“The growth and development of children should be continuous. In fact, it is from ages zero to seven that the child’s brain has to be developed,” councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, the main proponent, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.

Tabanda said if classes will start in August, this may not happen for children below seven. 

“Physical classes will not be feasible, distance learning will really be a challenge. Besides, socialization for the children has to be considered,” she added.

Tabanda, a former teacher and a law professor, said every barangay has its own BCPC that will serve as the “nucleus” for the learning mode.

“There is a budget for the BCPC,” she said.

The BCPC is allotted 1 percent of the barangay’s budget to handle organizations responsible for the promotion of the welfare of children and adopting measures for children’s health.

Tabanda further said the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) has also a budget that can be utilized for the same purpose. 

“What needs to be done is to realign the priorities, activities and funds,” she said.

Sports, as well as “Got Talent” funds, can be used for books, art materials and other learning materials, she added. 

Tabanda underscored that such activities would help raise children’s level of interest towards learning which will make them more prepared when school reopens. 

She said it is necessary to conduct worthwhile activities for children in order to revive their spirit and make them feel productive despite staying at home.

Meanwhile, to bolster efforts to establish the learning program, Tabanda said she will file another resolution Monday asking the CSWDO “to orient us on what the plans are for the child development centers (day care).” 

“Home confinement brings stressors from the environment, such as boredom, frustration, anxiety, negative responses, and a feeling of inadequacy for being idle for a long period,” the resolution reads “This may be manifested through a surge or sudden change in behavior.”

The city council approved the resolution on June 15 and suggested certain activities that may be conducted amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic “to foster healthy behavior and positive attitude towards learning.” 

These include reading to improve vocabulary and comprehension, storytelling, art activities like drawing or painting, singing and playing musical instruments. 

“It is likewise stimulating to encourage the children to plant especially vegetable seedlings to make them experience the excitement of harvesting their own produce,” the resolution said. (News content and photo reposted from Philippine News Agency)