Philippine Information Agency Central Visayas

  SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) — The Department of Health (DOH) and the Provincial Health Office here are urging the public to stay vigilant amid detected cases of zoonotic disease in the province. In his Facebook page post, Gov. Jake Vincent Villa confirmed the detection of zoonotic disease cases in the province as he called for increased public caution, especially among individuals frequently exposed to goats, carabaos, and other livestock. “Ang probinsya sa Siquijor aduna nay confirmed cases sa sakit nga zoonotic disease nga gikan sa masakiton nga hayop ug posibleng motakod sa tawo,”  Villa said. (The province of Siquijor now has confirmed cases of zoonotic disease, which originates from sick animals and can potentially be transmitted to humans.) Villa said that while the risk of human-to-human transmission is rare, animal-to-human transmission can occur more easily. “Dali ra hinoon matambalan, pero mas maayo nga makalikay tang tanan  (It is easy to treat, but it’s better ...

  A representative from one of DSWD’s partner civil society organizations in Siquijor sign the 4Ps convergence plan as part of their commitment to help the 4Ps beneficiaries. (DSWD photo) LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) – The partner civil society organizations (CSOs) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here pledged their support to help sustain the self-sufficiency of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries who have “graduated” from the program. In a recent dialogue between DSWD and its partners national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and CSOS in Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces, the CSOs committed to provide livelihood programs, skills training, scholarship, social advocacies, values formation, and spiritual enhancement for the former 4Ps beneficiaries. For Siquijor, the CSO partners committed to provide their programs and services to 2,765 4Ps households in 2025 and 1,403 in 2026, with an initial funding amounti...

  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...

  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...

  L-R: Siquijor Provincial Science & Technology Director Engr. Mario E. de la Peña, DepEd Siquijor Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Rosalie Pasaol, and Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Juliet Tuala during the MOA signing for the STARBOOKS project between DOST Siquijor and DepEd Division of Siquijor. (DOST photo) SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently signed an agreement with 69 public elementary schools and nine public high schools here for the rollout of the Science and Technology Academic and Research-Based Openly-Operated KioskS (STARBOOKS) program.  The partnership aims to boost science, technology, and research education in the province.  The MOA signing was done by Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Director Mario E. de la Peña and the heads of the schools.  This initiative aims to bridge the information gap in Siquijor's schools by providing students with accessible and interactive learni...

  LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) -- The Balay Silangan facility in Larena town is now open to cater to surrendered drug personalities in the municipality. Balay Silangan is a community-based reformation program of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) that provides temporary shelter for drug offenders to reform them into becoming self-sufficient and law-abiding members of society. Half of the space inside the Larena Evacuation Center has been temporarily converted to serve as the Balay Silangan to house the town's drug surrenderees who are undergoing reformation from the PDEA. The facility currently accommodates six reformees.  All six local government units in Siquijor province now have a Balay Silangan facility.  “Nagpasalamat ko nga naay Balay Silangan Rehabilitation Program para namo aron ma-erase og ma-clear na gyud among ngalan. Dili na gyud pug ko mousob,”  said Anna (not her real name), a 43-year-old reformee.  (I am thankful for the Balay Silangan ...

  Maite Resources Development Association president Evelyn Malicay (extreme left) receiving their certificate of turnover from DOST Siquijor Provincial Science and Technology Director Engr. de la Peña (3rd from left) during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair at Siquijor State College. Photo also shows Siquijor Gov. Jake Villa (extreme right), Speaker Martin Romualdez (2nd from right) and Cong. Zaldy Villa (3rd from right). (DOST-Siquijor PSTC) SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) recently handed over to the Maite Resources Development Association (MRDA) their certificate of turnover for the upgrading of their baking technology.  The simple ceremony was witnessed by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. Based in Brgy. Maite, San Juan, Siquijor, MDRA is one of the recipients of DOST’s Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) with a funding assistance of P423,480.  MDRA was formed in 2009 to help manage the 26-acre Maite Ma...

  Staff at the Mendero Dialysis Center in Caipilan, Siquijor, Siquijor attending to a hemodialysis patient. (File photo from Siquijor Dialysis FB page) SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) -- The provincial government of Siquijor has announced available slots for patients needing hemodialysis for free.   The Mendero Dialysis Center at the new Provincial Hospital in Caipilan, Siquijor has been catering to patients undergoing dialysis so that they no longer need to travel to another province to seek the medical procedure.  Interested patients who wish to avail of the free hemodialysis are urged to visit the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Caipilan, Siquijor town to secure their slots.  ‘Not a single centavo’ A dialysis patient since 2021, Rhiza Mae Maghanoy, 30, from Polangyuta in Siquijor town, is grateful to the provincial government for the healthcare facility.  “Thankful kaayo ko kang Guv nga iya gyung gi-open ang proyekto sa dialysis dinhi sa Siquijor ...

  LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) -- Malipayon ug mapasalamatong miabi-abi ang mga Siquijodnon sa pagbisita ni House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez kauban sa ubang mga kongresista ug uban pang mga opisyal sa gobyerno sa nasud. Tumong sa pagbisita mao ang paghatud ug nga programa ug serbisyo ngadto sa mga Siquijodnon pinaagi sa Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF) 2024 usa ka makahuloganong hitabo sa probinsya sa Siquijor nga gihimo niadtong Febrero 18-19 sa Siquijor State College (SSC). Dako ang pasalamat ni Lone District Rep. Zaldy Villa, kinsa nagsilbing lokal nga host sa Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair (BPSF), samtang mipahayag nga gawas sa pagdala sa labing dako nga service caravan sa nasud ngadto sa Siquijor, ang probinsiya gipasigarbo usab nga nahimong unang recipient-province nga ang  halos tanang pamilya nakatagamtam sa mga kaayuhan ug serbisyo nga dala sa  kapin sa 200 ka mga programa gikan sa 39 ka ahensya. Matod niya nga sa unang higayon, kapin sa 300 mily...

  SIQUIJOR (PIA) --The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has registered a total of 90,568 Siquijodnons aged five years and above as of December 21, 2023.  The count is part of the over 50 million PhilIDs or ePhilID that have been successfully printed and dispatched for Filipinos nationwide who have registered with the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), said PSA Siquijor Information Officer Rizalyn Teodora Gaviola.  Gaviola said the registered Siquijodnons have completed Step 2 Registration or capturing of biometric information such as iris scan, fingerprints, and front-facing photograph.   Benefits of National ID  The PhilID or national ID serves as a valid proof of identity that would help ease transactions with both government and private sectors through easier validation and authentication of identity.  Loregie A. Ursal, 21, of Barangay Cangomantong in Lazi town, said the national ID is a big help for her especially since she does not h...

SIQUIJOR, Siquijor, Dec. 5 (PIA) –- The 2023 Barangay and Sanggunian Elections (BSKE) in Siquijor province was a success as men and women in uniform along with the different government agencies, teachers and the electorates worked together for a peaceful, just, and clean 2023 BSKE, according to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) here.  Michelle Pusod, a teacher who served in one of the precincts in the Municipality of Siquijor, said she felt secured and protected with the presence of the security forces.  “I felt safe kay kabaw man ko nga naa ta’y mga (because I know that there are) uniformed personnel nga andam mo maintain sa kalinaw og ka organize sa election (who are ready to maintain peace and order, and the whole election was organized)," said Pusod.  She was impressed with the cooperation between the voters and watchers who contributed to a smooth flow of the election, from the casting of votes to the counting of ballots. For Ma. Rowena Guibone, a resident o...

  SIQUIJOR, Siquijor, Dec. 4 (PIA) -- Siquijor is home to a community of artisans and entrepreneurs who produce a variety of local products that showcase the island’s culture and creativity.   Visitors in the island will now have easy access to the province’s delicacies and handicraft after the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) opened a kiosk offering food and non-food products inside the Passenger Terminal of the Siquijor Port. The kiosk aims to promote the products of DTI-assisted Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and the farmers in the province.  It showcases 52 locally made food and non-food items from 37 enrolled MSMEs under the Siquijor Coconut Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Siquijor Association of Food Entrepreneurs.  The DTI Kiosk was one of the market promotion strategies identified under the Coconut Farmers Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) of the province with the goal of increasing consumer awareness on locally produced products...

  SIQUIJOR, Dec. 1 (PIA) -- Eighteen agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Siquijor benefit from the New Agrarian Emancipation Act or Republic Act 11953, which aims to write off farmers’ debts and award them land titles.  The ARBs are tilling 20 lots in the towns of Maria, Larena, and Siquijor. They are part of the first batch of 610,054 ARBs nationwide who will benefit from the government’s agrarian condonation program.  The New Agrarian Emancipation Act, which the President signed into law on July 7, 2023, is the fulfillment of his promise to pass a law condoning the farmers’ unpaid debts during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2022.  Thankful ARBs “Dako kaayo among pasalamat ni President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. ug DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III sa nadawat namong titulo gikan sa DAR ug sa pagwala sa among bayranan (We are thankful  to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos and DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III for the land tit...