Philippine Information Agency Central Visayas

  ELCAC Bohol coordinator Romeo Teruel asking relatives of former rebels to convince their family members who left the underground movement to avail of the government’s amnesty program now that there is a  Local Amnesty Board (LAB) in Bohol.  (PIA Bohol) TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – The Legal Cluster of the Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) in the province is urging former rebels to apply for Presidential Amnesty, especially now that a Local Amnesty Board (LAB) office has opened in Bohol.  According to ELCAC Bohol coordinator Romeo Teruel, rebels who left the underground movement may apply for the government’s amnesty program to extinguish their criminal liability for acts committed in pursuit of political beliefs.  “These people have one option to be cleared of their crimes done in pursuit of their political beliefs – get an amnesty,” said Teruel.  Former rebels or members of a guerilla front organization who have a pending case...

  Fisherfolk members of the Pundok sa Progresibong Mananagat sa Bangbang (PPMB) in Barangay Bangbang, Cordova, Cebu enjoying their fish catch. (Photo from PPMB) CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA)— A fisherfolks’ group in Cordova town is giving credit to the government on how they were able to boost their post-harvest methods and add value to their products.  Nicasio Baguio, president of Pundok sa Progresibong Mananagat sa Bangbang (PPMB) and  a fisherman for 30 years, is grateful for the trainings they have attended that were facilitated by various government agencies in partnership with the private sector.  “Nagpasalamat sad mi nga naa gyud ming ingo nga nahibaw-an sama atong training sa FISH Visayas katong bahin sa among nahisgutanan na packaging, budgeting sa among mga income. Nagpasalamat jud sad mi atong seminar, kung wala pa mi naka seminar wala jud mi kahibaw sa among nahibaw an nga angay jud diay mag tipid,”  said Baguio.    (We have learned a lot from the ...

  Women participants show off their culinary skills during the Mother’s Love Cooking Contest in Siquijor. (PIA7 Siquijor)  LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) — The provincial government of Siquijor reaffirmed its commitment to empower women as it celebrated the National Women’s Month on March 7, 2025. During the provincial celebration, lawyer Dale Tudtud, provincial chief of staff and provincial tourism officer, highlighted the importance of recognizing the invaluable contributions women make to society every day. “This is truly your day, your time to shine. Women’s Day is the day women should be highlighted for how unique, beautiful, perfect, and how worthy each and single individual is,” said Tudtud. He also reaffirmed the province’s commitment to empower women. “The Capitol and the office are open for your plans, for your actions, to clear your thoughts, we are really here for you. Please do not be ashamed, do not be afraid, we are always here. There is no discrimination, we care for y...

  CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Makapahisalaag ug depekto. Mao ni ang paghulagway sa usa ka international law lecturer sa University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu sa mga pagsaway ug pagpangdaot tali sa isyu sa isyu sa pagkasikop ni kanhi Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte mahitungod sa iyang kaso nga giatubang sa International Criminal Court (ICC). Gitawag sa mga kritiko sa ICC ang pagdakop sa kanhi presidente nga “foreign interference” o pagpanghilabot sa mga langyaw. Matud pa ni Lawyer Ian Vincent C. Manticajon, magtutudlo sa UP Cebu sa Journalism ug Media Law ug sa University of Cebu (UC) sa Special Issues in International Law, nga kinahanglan lantawon ang proseso sa ICC isip oportunidad sa pagkat-on kabahin sa mga sukaranan nga prinsipyo sa internasyonal nga balaod lakip na ang Rome Statute ug ang balaod sa nasud ubos sa Republic Act No. 9851. Dugang pa ni Manticajon nga samtang ang mga estado adunay hingpit nga kontrol sa ilang mga internal nga kalihokan, ang mga estado usab adunay oblig...

  CEBU CITY, Cebu City (PIA) — Mahinungdanon ang ‘media literacy’ o ang pagkahibalo sa media sa pagkig-batok sa disinformation ug sa pagsiguro nga ang publiko maka-access sa tukma nga impormasyon nga mahimong basehan sa maalamon nga desisyon, ilabi na sa mga isyung nasudnon. Kini ang gipasiugda ni Prof. Ma. Theresa Angelina “Mayette” Tabada sa University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu, samtang iyang giawhag ang publiko nga susihon una ang impormasyon sa dili pa kini ipaambit online. “We check our facts and our biases. We triangulate or verify information before we believe and share the information on social media,” pasabot ni Tabada. (Atong susihon ang mga kamatuoran ug ang atong mga bias. Atong i-triangulate o i-verify ang impormasyon sa dili pa motuo ug magpaambit sa impormasyon sa social media.) Ingon niya nga adunay panginahanglan alang sa ‘self-regulation’ o pagpugong sa kaugalingon ug ‘ethical journalism’ aron sa pagsuporta sa kamatuoran ug pakigbatok sa disinformation. Gitumbo...

  CORE Connect Boot Camp participants during their workshop held Feb. 21-22, 2025 at the DOST Cebu Innovation Hub Cebu. (Photo courtesy of CORE DAO Philippines) CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — The Department of Science and Technology Cebu is inviting technology developers, startup builders and those who are into digital technology to use the DOST Innovation Hub in Cebu. The Innovation Hub aims to provide a space for collaboration among stakeholders in emerging technology, startup founders, researchers, entrepreneurs and technology enthusiasts to gather and share insights, and provide support and capacity building. “This facility can be your laboratory, can be your collaborative space, can be your catalyst, and can be a pathway for experience that opens opportunities and provides solutions to emerging technology,” said Rino Dominic Cabungcal, science research specialist II of DOST Cebu and Innovation Hub manager. The Innovation Hub at the DOST Cebu Provincial Science and Technology Office i...

  CEBU CITY (PIA) –  The Bureau of Customs in the Port of Cebu destroyed a shipment of frozen mechanically deboned chicken meat from Jan. 13 to Feb. 5 as part of the BOC’s public health and port efficiency measures through the proper disposal of forfeited goods. The forfeited shipment consisted of two 40-foot containers, with 27 and 29 pallets of frozen chicken MDM consigned to Virginia Food Inc. These goods were forfeited in favor of the government and disposed of under Sections 1139, 1145 and 1148 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act, which govern the proper handling of seized, abandoned and forfeited goods. The condemned MDM was destroyed via thermal destruction by the accredited service contractor, RRDS Environmental Services Inc., in Mandaue City, Cebu. Lawyer Vincent Philip Maronilla, BOC assistant commissioner, emphasized that the disposal process followed strict guidelines, ensuring only accredited “condemnators” handle the destruction of forfeited goods. “Usual...

  CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Sugod sa Marso 15, 2025, ang state deposit insurer nga Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) nagtakda sa maximum deposit insurance coverage (MDIC) gikan sa P500,000 ngadto sa P1 milyon matag depositor matag bangko, nga naghatag og mas lig-on nga proteksyon alang sa mga depositors. Kini nagtimaan sa usa ka makasaysayanon milestone isip unang independent adjustment sa MDIC sa PDIC human sa mga bag-o nga mga amendment sa Republic Act 3591, ingon nga gi-amend o ang PDIC Charter. Ubos sa giusab nga PDIC Charter, ang PDIC Board of Directors karon adunay awtoridad sa pag-adjust sa MDIC nga dili na magkinahanglan og pagtugot gikan sa Kongreso, nga makapahimo sa mas paspas nga pagtubag mahitungod sa deposit insurance. Sa pagdeterminar sa bag-ong lebel sa MDIC, ang mga nag-unang konsiderasyon sa PDIC naglakip sa mga trend sa inflation ug ang nominal gross domestic product (GDP) per capita. Gipahiangay alang sa inflation, ang kanhing MDIC nga P500,000 nga g...

  TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — For the 4th consecutive month, effects of the price increases especially for the bottom 30 percent income households in the province continue to dip, this time at 0.3 percentage points from its January inflation rate of -1.0. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Bohol’s inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households is 2.8 percent lower than the national rates and 3.0 percent lower than the regional inflation rate for this group. Provincial statistician Jessamyne Anne Alcazaren, during the monthly Inflation Rate Data Dissemination for February 2025, showed that the February 2024 inflation rate for this income group was at 9.8 percent high. As to the sustained dive of the overall inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households in Bohol, the PSA credits this to the lower year-on-year average growth rate of transport and restaurants and accommodation. Also contributing to the eased prices for the sectors are the tam...

  Ang mga personnel sa  Lapu-lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office  mibuhat sa mga functional exercises atol sa gipahigayon nga 1st Quarter  Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) niadtong Marso 13 sa Lapu-Lapu City. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu) CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – Ang mga personnel sa Lapu-lapu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) nahatagan og higayon nga mapalambo ang ilang kapabilidad sa aspeto sa ‘incident management’ pinaagi sa gipahigayon nga 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) niadtong Marso 13 nga gipangulohan sa Lapu-Lapu DRRMO ug Office of Civil Defense (OCD) 7. Sa maong aktibidad nga naga sentro sa mga ‘functional exercises’ gitudloan sila sa mga sistema ug proseso sa saktong pagdulama sa sitwasyon nga adunay mahitabong linog nga kinahanglan respondehan. Gitan-aw usab ang kahimtang ug kaandam sa ilang mga pasilidad nga gamiton sa nahisgotang panghitabo. Lakip na niini ang paghamtang sa ilang ‘Incident...

  Heavy rains did not dampen the spirit of the young journalists as they join the opening parade for the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) that the province of Siquijor hosted for the first time. (PIA7 Siquijor) LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) — The Siquijor Province’s first hosting of the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) 2025 was a huge success, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Siquijor and the Siquijor Police Provincial Office (SPPO). DepEd Siquijor schools sivision superintendent Rosalie Pasaol thanked the local government units, government agencies, and delegates who participated in the event. “I am proud to say and I am very grateful that it was a huge success. If we can see from the different delegates from the 20 divisions in the whole Region 7, they gave us the feedback, and as they say, the best hosting goes to the province of Siquijor,” said Pasaol. On the other hand, Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO) provincial director Police Col...

  TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – Siradohan una ang tulay nga puthaw sa Abatan sa Maribojoc, nga naa sa Tagbilaran City North Road, ug nunot niini, buksan sa two-way traffic ang bag-ong sementado nga tulay. Kini maoy kasayuran nga gipagawas sa Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bohol First Engineering District, human mamatikdi nga kabahin sa approaches sa nahisgutan nga tulay, nadaut tungod sa nahumokan nga embankment. Matud ni District Engineer John Paul Gascon, kinahanglan nga sirad-an dayun ang tulay nga puthaw kay ang slab nga anaa sa approaches sa tulay, nangabuak tungod sa pagpangalu-ag sa sansan sa embankment kay nahumukan. Subay niini, matud sa DPWH, ang tanan nga mga sakyanan ug motorista nga gikan sa Maribojoc nga adto unta moagi sa tulay nga puthaw, nga adto na moagi sa sementado nga tulay, hangtud nga libkason na sa DPWH ang temporaryo’ng pagsira. Nanaad ang DPWH nga magbutang og mga aviso ug traffic signs aron makabantay na nga daan ang mga motorista aron ma...