DOT-9 invites tourists as ZamPen opens more destinations

By Omar O. Jaljalis

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 27 (PIA) – The Department of Tourism 9 (DOT-9) gradually opens new tourism activities to promote Zamboanga Peninsula in the ‘new normal’ tourism experience. 

More resorts, beaches and hotels in ZamPen are opening its doors again for domestic and foreign tourists.

“We have more than 200 destinations across the region that is now serving both our domestic and foreign tourist, hopefully we will pick up, with the alert level classifications downgraded and with the eradication of the virus,” Giselle Machutes, DOT-9 Supervising Tourism Operations Officer said.

DOT-9 reported that the rate of the number of tourists recorded first quarter of this year have increased to about 30 percent compared last year. DOT also said that within 2 to 3 years the tourism will have a complete recovery after the pandemic since the tourism in ZamPen is gradually picking up and things are getting back to normal.

Moreover, with the opening up again of the tourism industry in the region, DOT-9 is now looking at developing more activities, tourism products and services; collaborating with ZamBaSulta region to create more tourism products for Mindanao.

Aside from that, they will be starting with the enhancement of the five-year Regional Tourism Development Plan and the conduct of more training programs for stakeholders and tourism establishments.

DOT-9 still reminds the tourist to strictly follow the minimum public health standards and safety protocols. However, DOT assured that accredited establishments are compliant with the minimum health and safety protocols, and are also compliant with the guidelines issued by Department of Health and the National Inter-Agency Task Force.

“We would like to invite everyone to come and visit ZamPen, we assure safety to tourists and experience the diverse culture of ZamPen,” Matchutes added. (RVC/EDT/MLE/OOJ/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

Zambo OCVET extends assistance to ASF-affected hog raisers

By Gemerick E. Zapanta

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jun 28 (PIA) – Zamboanga Office of City Veterinarian (OCVET) visited Barangay Mangusu, one of the barangays with most numbers of reported African Swine Fever (ASF) infections to explain the assistance to be given to all
hog raisers.

During the Demand Generation Information session together with City Public Information Office, Philippine Information Agency, City Health Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the team shared information to the barangay leaders and hog-raisers that may help them address the needs of the barangay.

One of the pressing issues identified by the barangay is the effect of ASF to hog raisers, which are their main source of income and livelihood.

Some 23 hog-raisers already reported and submitted their pigs to OCVET for testing, while the barangay reported that some hog raisers also reported deaths.

Dr. Reynald Miculob Jr. from Zamboanga OCVET emphasized during the information session with the hog-raisers present, that up until now there were no vaccines available to mitigate the transmission of ASF in the City and advised the residents that it is not yet safe and convenient for them to raise pigs.

Although OCVET confirmed that pigs are the only animals that can be infected by the virus and it does not bring any negative effect to human being and to other living animals, the residents are still advised to avoid swill feeding and maintain cleanliness in their area.

Moreover, OCVET clarified that hog raisers will get 2,500 cash incentive from the government for each surrendered pig and 5,000 cash incentive per house hold for hog-raisers who refused to surrender their pigs and later got infected by ASF.  They also encourage hog-raisers to initiate an alternative livelihood for the meantime and introduces rabbit meat production and poultry products for the residents. (RVC/EDT/MLE/GEZ/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

DOH-9 still recommends continuous use of face mask

By Omar O. Jaljalis

ZAMBOANGA CITY, June 27 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH)-9 continuously reminds the public to still use face mask and practice the minimum public health standards.

As other cities and local government units are practicing the voluntary used of face mask, DOH 9 still encourages the residents to maintain using the face mask as this is proven to protect us from COVID-19.

“We are still waiting for the official guidelines from the central and Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) if we will be implementing this in the region. As of now, we will still continue to implement the use of face mask both for outdoor and enclosed areas,” Dr. Punzalan added. 

DOH-9 reported that active COVID-19 cases now at forty-eight (48), as per the regional case bulletin dated June 24.

“We are seeing minimal cases in past few weeks, Zamboanga Del Norte and Zamboanga City now has low cases while in Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay and Isabela are classified as minimal new normal. Our Average Daily attack Rate (ADAR) is 0.12 and is lesser compared last year,” DOH 9 Medical Officer Dr. Mary Germeyn D. Punzalan said.

More recoveries were also recorded with 57,780, mortality rate maintained at 2,546 and DOH emphasized that this will not be possible without the support of the general public, in terms of following the public health protocols in order to contain the spread of coronavirus disease.

“We are continuously in collaboration with other government agencies especially in the implementation of the new BIDA solution,” Dr. Punzalan said.

DOH would like to emphasize following the BIDA campaign in monitoring establishments and institutions; use best fitted mask,  isolate if you have symptoms, double-up our protection with primary and booster doses and maintain airflow in work and schools. (RVC/EDT/MLE/OOJ/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

70% of individuals in ZamPen fully vaccinated

By Gemerick E. Zapanta

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jun 22 (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH)-9 reported that Zamboanga Peninsula region has achieved its goal of 70% COVID-19 fully vaccinated individuals.

During the PIA Kapihan na Zamboanga COVID-19 update on June 21, Dr. Mary Germeyn Punzalan said the country was able to hit the 70 million mark of fully vaccinated individuals in the entire Philippines.

“It was a huge milestone for us,’’ she said.

ZamPen is already at 2.2 million fully vaccinated individuals or 71.43% of the population. However, the region still has low coverage in the first booster dose vaccination counting only 355,000 individuals or 21% recorded out of the 1.7 million eligible population. 

DOH-9 continuously urged parents to get their children vaccinated. As of this report, only 25% out of the total target pediatric population is recorded in the region. 

Aside from the pediatric vaccination and first booster dose, ZamPen also started the vaccination for the second booster dose for the frontline health workers, senior citizens and immunocompromised priority groups.

Eligible individuals can get the second booster shot within the four months interval from the first booster dose.

DOH-9 is still waiting for the guidelines and target date of second booster dose vaccination for the general population.

Dr. Punzalan emphasized the importance of the booster dose to address the low coverage on booster vaccination where it can provide additional protection to the people and the community against COVID-19.

“One thing we can really do now is to make them understand the need for booster and to intensify our social mobilization activity, and we talk to people,” she added. (RVC/EDT/MLE/GEZ/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

Zambo City mandates sign language interpreter in media platforms

 By Myra Cel Espinosa

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jun 20 (PIA) – Zamboanga City approved Ordinance No. 574 that institutionalizes inclusivity in news and public affairs programs of television and other media platforms operating in Zamboanga City, thereby requiring simultaneous sign language insets and descriptive programming or subtitles.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod enacted the ordinance on May 24, 2022 and approved by Mayor Beng Climaco on May 30, 2022 and will take effect 15 days after the approval of the ordinance in accordance with the Local Government Code of 1991. 

Councilor Rogelio 'Gerky' Valesco, the principal author of the ordinance, emphasized the obligation of the State to have an inclusive governance and programs for Persons with Disability (PWD) who is deemed to be the most deprived and neglected sector that should have a voice in decision making and community efforts program.

“By having this Filipino sign language ordinance in place, we are giving importance to the voice of the PWDs,” Councilor Valesco added.

Under Section 3 of the ordinance provides that news and public affairs programs, including others as may be deemed feasible, produced by the multimedia platforms operating in Zamboanga City shall have simultaneous sign language inset or captioning, or both, administered by trained professional sign language interpreters.

Councilor Valesco together with Department of Education, City Social Welfare and Development Office and Non-Government Organizations supported the ordinance. In the ordinance, there is a proposed 3-million pesos budget to encourage those interested to attend and learn sign language at Colegio de Zamboanga.

Further, the sign language interpreters must be accredited by a duly recognized national sign language organizations as may be accredited by any government agency. The ordinance also mandates as a requirement for application and renewal of pertinent business permits the document reflecting an action plan on the implementation of sign language inset or captioning as well as descriptive program dissemination, particularly news and public affairs programs of multimedia platforms operating in Zamboanga City. (RVC/EDT/MLE/PIA9-Zamboanga City)

DOST turns-over 3D-printed replica of Dr. Jose Rizal in Dapitan

 By: Emmanuel D. Taghoy

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte, June 19 (PIA) - A nine-inch replica of the three-dimension printed monument of Dr. Jose P. Rizal “The Filipino Scientist”, was turned-over by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-9 to the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan as part of the commemoration of the 161st birth anniversary of the National Hero.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña led the turn-over ceremony which was attended by the Head Curator of the Rizal Shrine, Ms. Sofia Eguia-Bagolboc of the National Historial Commission of the Philippines.

Other DOST officials from the different provinces in the Zamboanga Peninsula region, as well as a representative from the local government unit of Dapitan also participated in the event.

In his message, Sec. Dela Peña stressed the contributions of Dr. Jose Rizal as a medical scientist, engineer/surveyor, agriculturist and naturalist-environmentalist.

“Mahalaga ang aktibidad na ito bilang pagkilala kay Dr. Jose Rizal sa kanyang kontribusyon sa teknolohiya at siyensiya. Walang ibang Asian na mayroong rebulto sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo kundi ang ating pambansang bayani lamang,” he said.

Ms. Bagolboc has also expressed her gratitude to DOST for choosing Museo ni Jose Rizal, Rizal Shrine, in Dapitan City as the recepient of the 3D-printed monument.

Dr. Jose P. Rizal the Filipino Scientist is the first and largest 3D printed monument of the National Hero built in the Philippines. 

It was executed by Professor Jose Manuel Sicat, 3D-scanned and 3D-printed at the Advanced Manufacturing Center (AMCen) of Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC). It is made of Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) material. (EDT/PIA9-Zamboanga del Norte)

Basilan HR Monitors undergo training to promote, protect human rights

By: Nilda Delos Reyes

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, June 14 (PIA) – A total of 40 Human Rights Monitors in Basilan were trained to effectively promote and protect human rights in the province.

The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission-Basilan Provincial Office conducted a one-day training dubbed "Basilan Human Rights Monitors Conference" in Isabela City on June 9, 2022 as part of its efforts to promote and protect human rights in the region and more specifically in the island province of Basilan. This event is anchored on the participatory approach to deterring the prevalence of human rights violations (HRVs) which has haunted the province ever since the decades-long conflict in the islands.

The activity was attended by volunteers’ human rights monitors from different municipalities including the island municipalities of Tabuan-Lasa and Hadji Muhtamad. This activity helps them to build their skills and learn about human rights laws, the BHRC and its roles and responsibilities and the state of human rights in the province.

In his message, Atty. Alman-Najar L. Namla, BHRC Provincial Director expressed gratitude to the participants as he inspired them to efficiently perform their roles and responsibilities.

"We see so much potential in working with the grass-roots monitors, community leaders because you are the ones who are actually witnessing the HRVs in your vicinities. Our collaboration and coordination can strengthen not just the protection mandate of the Commission, but also its promotion mandate," Atty. Alman expressed.

He also added that the activity is just the first step of the Commission in establishing a network that will be composed of members of the community, such as civil society organizations (CSOs), non-government organizations (NGOs) and international non-government organizations (INGOs) including the Local Government Units (LGUs). He said that the network will then be a place to protect and promote human rights and a safe place to talk about problems with human rights in the province.

Furthermore, Investigator Umma Omar R. Edding presented the salient features of the BHRC as provided in the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 4 or the Bangsamoro Human Rights Act of 2019. He reiterated that the BHRC as the human rights institution of the region has the main mandate to protect and promote human rights in the Bangsamoro.

The participants also engaged in a fruitful discussion on Basic Human Rights, which tackled the reporting mechanism for human rights cases.

Moreover, Ms. Jocelyn Zabala who is a prominent municipal leader and an active CSO member in the province served as main resource speaker focusing on Human Rights Monitoring and Reporting for community members.

Ms. Zabala who has a shared commitment to human rights in the province believes that grass-roots monitoring play a huge role in protecting the human rights of the people. She also gave a short history of what Basilan used to be in terms of peace and order and the consequent human rights violations it caused. She also emphasized that documentation (of human rights cases) is about collecting stories, establishing truths and sounding alarms.

"The success of any investigation into human rights cases can depend on one’s ability to access those stories and give meaning to them, for example through showing patterns of abuse. Since human rights violations are often traumatic experiences and often happen to people who are severely marginalized and oppressed, a significant degree of empathy and understanding of the circumstances surrounding the incident is required as much as understanding the incident itself," she opined.

Ms. Zabala added that several years of experience in human rights practice in the province have shown that collaboration and coordination with community members at the grass-roots level strengthens information-dissemination on the existence of human rights violations and their subsequent investigation.

Meanwhile, most of the participants shared their unique experience during the reflection workshop of Atty. Namla, in relation to human rights that includes discrimination, brutality by state and non-state actors, martial law, and the Abu Sayyaf, all surfaced.

Atty. Namla reiterated at the end of the activity that the work of Human Rights Monitors as grass-roots informers is crucial in human rights protection considering that they are in areas where they can hear and see things that are not within the immediate attention of the BHRC. (RVC/NDR/PIA9-Basilan with reports from Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission-Basilan)