DTI, LGU confiscates 20 weighing scales

VIRAC, Catanduanes, May 15 (PIA) --A total of 20 illegal weighing scales were confiscated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Local Government Unit (LGU) of Virac last May 10 at the Virac Public Market.

The confiscation is part of the ”Operation Tamang Timbangan” campaign of DTI in cooperation with LGUs of the different municipalities of the province.

Four of the weighing scales were defective while the rest have no seal or were not calibrated by the Municipal Treasurer’s Office.

Joining the enforcement team were Vic Romero of Virac LGU, Sammy Cavada of DTI and two police officers, PO1 Froilan Gianan and PO1 Jayson Lim.

The composite enforcement team of DTI, Virac LGU and PNP will continue to monitor compliance to Weight and Measures and Price Tag Laws of business establishments.

DTI further state that same operations will continue to be conducted by their department in the 11 towns of Catanduanes. (EA Bagadiong/ PIA Catanduanes)


LGU Naga pushes for the special employment program for students

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The city government here has successfully launched the Special Program for Employments of Students (SPES) and with the initially employment of 89 students in various establishments here.

The Employment and Manpower Development Center (EMDC) of the METRO Public Employment Service (PESO) disclosed that the first batch of SPES, which have already finished their contracts last week, started their summer jobs on April 3. Eighteen of them were assigned in private companies within the city and to other establishments.

Some were employed in various establishments that are supportive of the city’s objective to provide short-term employment to selected students. Another batch will be entering another contract this coming June until October 2012.

SPES aids poor but deserving students to augment their educational and financial needs by facilitating their employment. The program has two categories; E4E which stands for Earn for Enrollment is applicable to secondary students during summer and Christmas vacation and L& E or Learn, covering only one semester.

E4E is applicable to 4th year high school graduating students where they are given a chance to earn for their entrance in college while L&E is intended for college and tech-voch students to help them sustain their daily expenses. Here, college students work for three hours per day for 80 days.

This program is pursuant to the Joint Memorandum Circular signed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Department of Finance (DOF) pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 9547, amending Republic Act 7323 otherwise known as SPES.

Roderick Reforsado, EMDC head, said that they are continuously conducting advocacy activities, including pledging sessions to as many prospective private employers that can be accommodated by the allocated SPES funds.

“We see to it that there is equitable allocation of SPES funds among the participating private and public employers in its areas of jurisdiction,” Reforsado said in an interview.

The DOLE on the other hand, shall serve as the program manager of the SPES. It will provide the necessary technical and administrative assistance to its regional and field offices. (MAL/LSM-PIA 5, Camarines Sur)


609 “hired-on-the-spot” on Labor Day jobs fair
2,122 to be hired upon completion of requirements

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, May 15 (PIA) --A total of 609 job seekers were “hired-on-the-spot” (HOTS) by local and overseas companies during the Labor Day’s Mega Jobs Fair held May 1 at SM City mall in Naga City, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office here.

DOLE V assistant regional director Exequiel Ronnie A. Guzman observed more than 6,000 hopefuls from all over the region braved the summer heat and mammoth crowd just to take the opportunity to land in their long desired job.

De Guzman said that among the HOTS, 600 were hired by local companies while nine by overseas recruitment agencies comprising 17 percent of the 3,550 total job applicants who were lucky to have officially registered.

Aside from HOTS, some 2,122 Bicolanos, broken down to 1,572 for local and 550 for overseas jobs, were considered to be hired, and only need further interviews, with pending submission of additional requirements and succeeding interviews scheduled days after the fair.

“There were really a lot of people. If you’re not persistent enough you will probably leave. I was there 7am but when I arrived I was at the middle of the line already,” 20-year old ‘Raprap’ (not real name), a management graduate from a prominent school in Pili, Camarines Sur, said in Bicolano.

“I and my friends went home at 3:00 p.m. The line was just too long! We know that we won’t be accommodated anymore. Next time we’ll be very early. I hope there will still be next time. One of our classmate was HOTS. He’s very lucky!” said Jomar of Magsaysay Naga City.

DOLE V Regional Director Nathaniel V. Lacambra meanwhile said that jobs fair remains the best job matching facility of the government.

He added that the government has a sure Return of Investment (ROI) on the jobs fair, citing that in the Labor Day affair the agency spent a total of P135,000.00 and considering the number of registered applicants who were ‘serviced’ by the fair, then the government only spends at least P40.00 per applicant. (MAL-PIA5 Albay)


Siglang Pinoy project promotion underway, seeks media help

By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, May 14 (PIA) -- The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources and Development (PCAARRD) forged partnership with the media sector in Camarines Norte to pursue promotion and gather people's support for the implementation of the Siglang Pinoy in the province.

Divorah V. Aguila, Science Research Specialist I of the FNRI-DOST V, said the agencies concerned identified Siglang Pinoy project pilot areas the Labo and Basud towns among the six other sites in the country.

Siglang Pinoy project is a community-based project that aims to empower six selected food poor and undernourished areas in the country through a mix of interventions on nutrition communication and technology transfer.

She said that interventions include nutrition promotion, food and nutrition training, nutrition-school-on-the-air and media dialogue.

Aguila said that the project is a 3-year program wherein it started in Labo in 2010 and in Basud in 2011.

The six identified sites of the project with submitted proposals include squash catsup for Labo and nata de coco for Busud towns of Camarines Norte, cassava products for Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte; seeweed canton for Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay (proposals already approved); complementary blend/rice base for Bayawan City, Negros Oriental and squash noodles for Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.

For nutrition promotion the project focused on the six core messages to include the exclusive breastfeeding for baby for six months; complementary feeding after six months and continue breastfeeding up to 2 years, proper exercise, avoid of alcohol and smoking; and the consumptions of vegetables and rootcrops.

She said that based on the 7th National Nutgrition Survey in 2008 results revealed in the country that two in every 10 Filipino children 0 to 5 years old are underweight, and two in every 10 Filipino Children are underheight for age or stunted.

She added that they have already formulated high-impact technologies and solutions to combat problems in nutrition not only in six selected areas but also in the country. (MAL/RBM-PIA Camarines Norte)