CSU students win prov’l Robredo essay contest

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Nov. 16 (PIA) -- Two Catanduanes State University students won the provincial elimination competition of the 2012 Bicol Essay Writing Contest on the life of the late Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo.

John Ely Templonuevo, 3rd year BSEd student and Yllaisa Mae Gianan, 4th year high school student of Catanduanes State University were declared champions of the tertiary and secondary categories , respectively, during the provincial elimination held on November 10, 2012 at the provincial capitol dome.

The competition was conducted by the Bicol Harvest Magazine and Kaya Natin Movement, in coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Catanduanes provincial office and Philippine Information Agency Provincial Information Center.

The theme: “The living Legacy of Secretary Jesse Robredo" aims to honor the late DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo for his achievements in service.

It aims to inspire local leaders to advocate for good governance; and inculcate in the minds of the youth his legacy as a good public servant and leader.

Templonuevo and Gianan will represent Catanduanes to the regional competition on December 8, 2012 at SM Naga.

Only three schools competed in the tertiary category and 26 vied for the secondary level.

Winners will recieve P5,000 each to be awarded in Naga City, with the top three regional winners getting P10,000, P7,000 and P5,000, respectively. (MAL/EAB-PIA5/Catanduanes)




On-the-spot contest in Masbate to honor Robredo

By Ernesto A. Delgado

MASBATE CITY, Nov. 16 (PIA)—Campus writers in Masbate can express their thoughts on the legacy of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and win cash prizes and trophies in the “Bicol 2012 On-the-Spot Essay Writing Contest” jointly sponsored by Kaya Natin Movement and Bicol Harvest Magazine.

The office here of the Philippine Information Agency said elimination on the provincial level will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 17, Saturday, at the Masbate National Comprehensive High School.

High school juniors and seniors will compete in the category I while first and second-year college students will vie in category II. Ten winners in this elimination will be picked out from each category, with the top three receiving P5,000; P3,000 and P2,000.

Consolation prizes of P500 each will be awarded to the next seven.

The first-place winners in both categories will advance to the regional finals, where the following cash prizes await the top three winners: P10,000; P7,000 and P5,000.

Singer-composer Noel Cabangon who along with others including Robredo founded the Kaya Natin Movement before Robredo’s death in a plane crash in the waters off Masbate City last Aug. 18, launched the contest last Sept. 21 in ceremonies at the Heritage Center in Daet, Camarines Norte.

The prize is named after Robredo, who is venerated in his country for his “what you see is what you get” attitude, his quiet but diligent work ethic, simple living and closeness to the masses.

The late secretary had served for nearly two decades as mayor of Naga City before joining the Aquino administration in 2010.

In recognition of his work as mayor, Robredo received individual awards for local governance including the 2000 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the 1996 Outstanding Young Persons of the World Award, the 1998 Konrad Adenauer Medal for Excellence as Most Outstanding City Mayor of the Philippines, the Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines, and the first ever “Dangal ng Bayan” Award of the Civil Service Commission.

Each public and private high schools and college can send one participant to the contest. Entry forms are available at the provincial office of the Department of the Interior and Local Governments, City Schools Division Office and its counterpart in the province, and PIA office at the City Hall Compound.

The contest is sponsored in part by SM Naga, ABS-CBN Naga, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, the municipal government of Daet, DILG and PIA. (MAL/EAD-PIA5/Masbate)



DOLE steps up drive against child labor, leads advocacy run

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, Nov 16 (PIA) -- Alarmed over the increasing incidence of child labor in the Bicol region, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is seeking people’s participation to address this social menace.

DOLE 5 Regional Director Nathaniel V. Lacambra said the agency will spearhead the “Run Against Child Labor” to inform, educate and call for action among the various sectors and general public in campaign against incidence of children engaged in hazardous work.

Lacambra said the fun run cum information and advocacy drive is a five-kilometer run that intends to raise people's awareness on the hazard of children working in hazardous environment.

The rising incidence of child labor in the region has prompted the agency to intensify related campaigns in partnership with local chief executives and the Department of Social Welfare and Development .

A survey by the National Statistics Office (NSO) has indicated that some 300,000 children in Bicol have been engaged in hazardous work.

NSO and the International Labor Organization (ILO) last year, indicated that Central Luzon tops the list of areas that have the highest incidence of child labor with 316,000 followed by Bicol region with 300,000, Western Visayas – 250,000, Northern Mindanao – 248,000, and Central Visayas with 225,000 child laborers.

Lacambra said they aim to remove Bicol from the list of regions with high incidence of child labor.

The study indicated that the country has a total of 30 million children with ages ranging from 5 to 17 years. Of this figure, 5.4 million or 19 percent are considered as working children.

“We are still in the process of validating the results of the survey. It’s hard to accept that we have this figure. This is the reason why we need to step-up our child labor program,” he said.

Taking part in conducting the “Run Against Child Labor” marathon are the DOLE 5 Employees Cooperative (Dolevecco), DOLE 5 Employees Union (DOLEV EU), and DOLE Regional Coordinating Committee as collaborators.

The fun run is one of the regional office's celebratory activities for the DOLE's 79th Foundation anniversary on December 8.

At stake during the fun run, Lacambra said, are prizes ranging from P7,000 for 1st prize, P5,000 for 2nd prize, and P3,000 for 3rd prize.

The proceeds of the marathon will be allotted for the 2013 Project Angel Tree, which gets 30 percent share. Project Angel Tree is an annual gift-giving and feeding event sponsored by the DOLE in partnership with private establishments.

Participants in the “Run Against Child Labor” will be charged a registration fee of P200, inclusive of a t-shirt.

Dolevecco chairman and DOLEV EU president Raymond Escalante said the fun run is the organizations' way of showing their support to the leadership of Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and her anti-child labor agenda.

"The employees' union and the cooperative also share the burden on how to achieve our goal of eliminating child labor, particularly in its worst forms. Through cooperation with our leaders here in the region and at the central office, we know we could end this child labor menace in Bicol," he said.

For more details about the fun run, enthusiast can coordinate with Imelda E. Romanillos at 0939 7721296; Ching Banania at 0919 3588950; Cyre Cabredo at 0929 1503282 or at (052) 480-5830 to 31; or Ms. Ella Verano at 480-5987 or 0921 7118178. (MAL-PIA5/Albay)