DOST invites inventor students, professionals to RICE

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Jan. 8 (PIA) - The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. 10 (DOST-10) is calling on interested Filipino professionals and students with research projects, inventions, prototypes, industrial designs and software applications related to science, technology, engineering, medicine, health and the environment to join the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE).

DOST Region 10 Director Alfonso Alamban says that this Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) will be held on January 15-17, 2014 at the SM City Event Center, Cagayan de Oro City.

RICE, with its theme, “Science, Technology and Innovation:  The Road to Smarter Philippines,” aims to recognize the outstanding local inventions, innovations, researches and utility models with significant and potential contribution in the development of the industry and the economy. By showcasing them in a conducive venue, these products of Filipino ingenuity and inventiveness will gain public awareness and thereby bring in potential inventors and commercialization partners.

RICE contestants will be vying for the following categories: Outstanding Inventions (TUKLAS AWARD), Outstanding Utility Models, Outstanding Industrial Designs, Outstanding Creative Researches (LIKHA AWARD) and Outstanding Student Creative Research (SIBOL AWARD) for High School and College Students.

There will be three winning entries for each category and winners will receive corresponding cash prize.

The cash rewards that await winners for the Outstanding Inventions (TUKLAS AWARD) are:  25K, 1st prize; 15K, 2nd prize; 10K, 3rd prize.

For the Outstanding Utility Models, winner will be rewarded with 20K, 1st prize; 10K , 2nd prize and 5K, 3rd prize.

Winners for the Outstanding Industrial Designs will be given 20K, 1st prize; 10K, 2nd prize; 5K, 3rd prize.

For the Outstanding Creative Researches (LIKHA AWARD) awardees will get 20K, 1st prize; 10K, 2nd prize; and 5K, 3rd prize.

In the student categories, cash prizes of 20K, 1st prize; 10K, 2nd prize; and  5K, 3rd prize each will be awarded to the winners for the Outstanding Student Creative Research (SIBOL AWARD) for High School and Outstanding Student Creative Research (SIBOL AWARD) for College Students. 

Winners will represent Region 10 in the 2014 National Invention Contest and Exhibit (NICE).

Aside from the Regional Invention Contests, 2013 RICE will also feature a forum on Intellectual Property Rights and Protection.

For more details and more information, please contact Ma. Christina Elena Lisondra at 858-39-31, local 26. (TSBaluyos-DOST/JMOR/PIA10)

DepED Camiguin educ’l leaders, teachers grab awards in reg’l writing tilt

MAMBAJAO, CAMIGUIN, January 9 (PIA) - The Division of Camiguin excelled in the “Communication Festival Writing Competitions” held earlier in Cagayan De Oro City.

Standing up to its reputation as the regional champion in journalism competitions for the pupils/students category in the last three consecutive years, educational leaders and teachers here, likewise take home top awards for the comfest.

Grabbing first spot in the Education Program/ District Supervisors (EPS/DS) category for editorial writing (English), second place in editorial writing (Filipino), second place in news writing (English), and third place in feature writing (Filipino).

The School Administrators Category, meanwhile, hit first place in news writing (Filipino and English), first in editorial writing (English), and second place in editorial writing (Filipino).

For the Teachers Category, the island-division was also awarded second for the memorandum writing contest in Filipino and third in English.  

Department of Education (DepEd) Camiguin Division Supervisor Lailane E. Lopena and teachers Verlyn T. Genoso, Emma B. Bacuahon, and Jean S. Cabeguin were among those who placed first in the recent regional comfest.

Others who also received awards were Carina J. Sasil, Luisito C. Acero, Miraflor C. Abaluyan, Engr. Annabelle M. Mamaclay, Jennifer Ann Valenzuela, and Fabio A. Capito Jr. (LELopena & JCV, PIA)

2013 PCF to cover LGU passers of CY 2012 SGH – DILG

By Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 9 (PIA) – The 2013 Performance Challenge Fund will cover local government units (LGUs) that passed the Calendar Year (CY) 2012 Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH).

                                      

This is among the operational guidelines in the implementation of the CY 2013 PCF per Memoramdum Circular No. 2013-148 of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) signed by Secretary Mar Roxas and released last December.

                       

However, these LGU’s must have no uncompleted previous PCF-supported projects, except those projects released with subsidies on December 2012, and target recipients are prioritized according to the following ranking: 1st Priority, 4th – 6th class LGUs, 2nd Priority, 3rd class LGUs and 3rd Priority, 2nd class LGUs.

Since the remaining balance allocated supposedly for 1st class LGUs is insufficient, such balance will be given to LGUs, which were affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in the Visayas region.

The 2013 PCF is allocated as subsidy for the 2012 SGH passers, which shall be apportioned according to LGU level: Province, P7,000,000, City, P3,000,000 and Municipality, P1,000,000.

Meanwhile, Sanivier G. Patoc, Provincial Director of DILG-Misamis Occidental, said the PCF subsidy shall be used to finance the following local development projects:

Achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), such as, school buildings, rural health units/health centers, birthing or lying-in facilities, water and sanitation, and housing and settlements, and maintenance of Core Road Network to boost tourism and local Economic Development, such as, core local roads and bridges, access roads, drainage.

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, such as, flood control, reforestation, storm drainage, dikes, seawall and related flood protection measures and slope protection, evacuation centers, rainwater collection facility, early warning system/devices and rescue equipment.

Promote transparency and accountability in all government transactions and Ecological Solid Waste Management, such as, sanitary landfill, material recovery facilities and sewerage system. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)

Iligan City dad cites changes in governance

ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, January 9 (PIA)—City Mayor Celso G. Regencia of Iligan cited the changes he instituted in the first six months of his administration.

In his message during the first flag raising ceremony for year 2014, he mentioned to city hall employees some of the accomplishments implemented when he assumed his post,   like cleaning of two public markets in Pala-o and Poblacion, closure of Santiago dumpsite, intensified campaign against illegal drugs and criminality, and protect the interest of the city in the boundary dispute with a neighboring province.

Likewise, he pointed out the need for effective public service of city hall employees, providing fair wages for job orders or casual employees and getting rid of ghost employees at city hall.

The mayor, addressing to around a thousand city hall employees stressed the practice of a ‘transparent governance’ of all transactions through the delisting of suspicious suppliers and bogus transactions including observance of the proper process in the purchase of equipment, office supplies and medicines.

Regencia said this is in consonance with the local government code. He also expressed gratitude to the city hall employees for their cooperation in the delivery of services to the public. (RJAl-CIO/PIA-10 LDN)

CDRRMC trains DSWD youth clients on disaster preparedness 

GINGOOG CITY, Misamis Oriental, January 9 (PIA) – The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) recently discussed disaster preparedness to the youth residents of the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) based in Northern Mindanao.

According to Bradge Jumo, CDRRMC representative, the Philippines has experienced several calamities including floods, tsunami, and earthquakes and based on a report from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), there are over 22 typhoons that enter the Philippine area of responsibility every year.

Jumo stressed that five to six of these calamities are noted to be catastrophic. He also stated that the country also experience drought, volcanic eruptions, landslide, trash slide and complex insurgencies and technical hazards.

Taking into consideration the tragic effects of these occurrences, Jumo provided a number of tips to the young people of RRCY on what to do when calamities strike in their area.

The RRCY is a residential facility for male children in conflict with the law whose age range from nine to 18 years old. The residents undergo institutional rehabilitation instead of being mixed with hardened criminals in jails. The general objective of the facility is to enable boys to resolve their problems and restore their normal functioning, thus regaining self-esteem and dignity through rehabilitative services.

(CPTadlas/RTP/PIA10)