DILG-Siquijor seeks LGUs support to Stop Sex Trafficking campaign 
By Rizalie Anding Calibo

Province of Siquijor, March 10 (PIA) – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) here is calling all local chief executives in the province to promote, support and participate  in the campaign against sex trafficking of children and young people.  

Echoing the call of DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo, Provincial Director Dominica Lacuesta said a memorandum circular on the petition to stop sex trafficking of children and young people was issued earlier to gather support through petition signatures from the provinces.

The Memorandum which Lacuesta said has been disseminated to all local government units (LGUs) here pushes for bigger and larger gathering of Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People Petition Signatures both online and offline in schools, universities, communities, organizations, government and non-government agencies including private companies.

All signatures will be presented to President Benigno Aquino III in July 2011, the memo said.

LGUs are therefore encouraged to support the campaign and submit the signed petition on the last week of April 2011 (April 25-29) directly to Josefina Alforque, Coordinator, Policy Legislative Advocacy and Networking, ECPAT Philippines, 143 Anonas Rd., Ext., Sikatuna Village, Dilliman, Quezon City.

This, Robredo said, is in response to the growing sex trafficking trade that victimizes children worldwide.

The Stop Sex Trafficking of Children and Young People campaign was launched in partnership between The Body Shop, a natural and ethical beauty company based in UK with shops across 84 countries worldwide, and ECPAT, a network of individuals and organizations operating in over 75 countries worldwide endeavoring to end the sexual exploitation of children.

The ECPAT-Body Shop Stop Sex Trafficking Campaign aims to raise awareness on the issue and strengthen children and young people’s protection against trafficking for sexual  purposes. (RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor/PIA-7)

DENR strengthens environment rehab program

by Rizalie Anding Calibo

Province of Siquijor, March 10 (PIA) – The local office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources here is strengthening move to rehabilitate the province’s marine and other natural resources particularly in areas where creeks and rivers are noted to have been damaged.

DENR Information Officer Rowena Magpiong said, the office is focusing through the Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program (ICRMP), the rehabilitation of areas that are seen to be in danger because of man’s neglect, citing specifically some creeks and rivers in Enrique Villanueva town.

She said the office is pushing for massive planting of mangroves and other trees of different varieties particularly along creeks and rivers.

Under the ICRMP’s mangrove rehabilitation contract, the DENR is currently conducting  mangrove planting in identified ICRMP target barangays of Lomangcapan and Tulapos in Enrique Villanueva (Talingting) town.

Currently and in line with the celebration of Women’s month in March, the office, spearheaded by its women employees is also undertaking bagging/potting of soil for mass seedling  production for free distribution provincewide.

Magpiong said, seedlings of different varieties are now available at their office and two other ICRMP nurseries in Guiwanon and Cangmalalag, Larena, Siquijor. Interested individuals or group are only adviced to bring of copy of land titles where seddlings are to be planted. (PIA-Siquijor/PIA-7)

POLICE DISPROVES KIDNAP RUMOR IN SIQUIJOR

Province of Siquijor, March 11 (PIA7)--Police authorities in the province of Siquijor particularly in Maria town dismissed “kidnap rumor” as just “hoax” circulated through text messages by pranksters to create public anxiety among Siquijodnons.

In a news report from The Siquijor Mirror, the text rumor about children being kidnapped in Maria and had their internal organs taken away by kidnappers proliferated following the recent news in Cebu City about a school girl being allegedly kidnapped and killed by her abductor.

Maria police said the text scare that is spread like wildfire around the island is untrue and is obviously designed only to create panic.

“Not a single parent came to our office to report that his child is lost/missing or killed by a kidnapper”, he said.

He said their station went on red alert and roved around the town to look for suspicious strangers on the prowl although all tourists coming in and out here are closely monitored.

The police said the text rumor is not a laughing matter and that text messages of that nature should not be taken true right away.

“We would like to remind the public that if you receive any text message that may cause you anxiety or fear, report it to the police immediately. Don’t forward it to anybody to break the scare chain”, the police added.

The police, however, said that the text rumor agitated community awareness and that they want to ask for community support in their drive against kidnapping or any form of criminality.

Meanwhile, Maria Mayor Rebecca Padayhag said public vigilance is the best response to this situation. “Panic will only make matters worse,” she said in reaction to the text rumor of kidnapped children and urged the public to immediately report unidentified persons in their localities.

“We really have to be more vigilant, we need to be more proactive in our activities to deter the occurrence of kidnapping incidents in the island,” she pointed out.

She said she called on the local PNP to adopt measures that would prevent criminals from carrying out their illegal activities, particularly kidnapping. (PIA-Siquijor/from the report of Eda Lou Manigo/TSM)

New Siquijor PNP chief admits police snags,

vows to bring changes

by Rizalie Anding Calibo

Province of Siquijor, March 11 (PIA7)—  Newly assumed Provincial Director Ernesto Agas of the Philippine National Police (PNP) here admits the police are not performing well so that crime volume in the province has increased a bit contrary to the latest claim of a zero crime rate in January this year.

Reporting matter-of-factly the peace and order situation of the province, Dir. Agas, however, said increase in crime volume should not be a cause of alarm but a cause of action for Siquijodnons because it is but normal in every place particularly with the tourist influx.

First on the PNP’s concern is the police population ratio which the PNP Director said is not meeting the minimum standard and therefore the need to augment police force.

To reinforce the depleted force, Agas said the PNP is strengthening barangay peace keeping action teams with special “tanods” mainly concentrating on tourists.    

This, he said, would answer the problem on the growing number of robbery and theft cases on the island particularly in beach resorts.

In merely two months (January to February this year), the number of robbery andtheft cases has more than doubled the number of the entire year of last year, the PNP report said.

Agas said, the PNP has to focus on this area and vowed to meet all PNP stations to map out strategy that will reduce the number by 50% this year.

This would include strategies such dialogue with beach resorts and storeowners, inspection on the installation of security facilities such as fence, perimeter lights in resorts within the province and conduct of foot and ronda patrol by the members of the Barangay Tanod and the PNP in close coordination with resort owners and in-house security.

Agas also admits that police stations on the island are not client-friendly due to lack of facilities, and some, with dilapidated buildings. Police officers, too, do not have capability on investigation as he noted that most of the effective and efficient investigators have already retired.

Renovation of police stations and seminar on investigation which will start next month will answer the need, he said.

To sum it all, the new Provincial Director said, he is bound to bring changes in the entire police force of Siquijor and assured that he is at the service of the province 24/7, if only  to maintain the image of the province as the most peaceful and terrorist-free province in the country. (RACalibo/PIA-Siquijor)