PEACE UPDATE: Aquino flies to besieged Zamboanga City. President Benigno Aquino III has flown to Zamboanga City Friday amid an ongoing standoff between the military and renegade members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). “President Aquino en route to Zamboanga City to assess the situation on the ground w/ concerned agencies,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said via Twitter. Aquino left Manila 7:30 a.m. and is expected to arrive in the besieged area at around 10 a.m., Palace officials said. His visit comes amid reports that some members of the so-called Nur Misuari faction of the MNLF are planning to lay down their arms. - Yahoo! News Philippines

Aquino flies to besieged Zamboanga City - Yahoo! News Philippines: "Interior Secretary Mar Roxas denied rumors that some 80 armed men surrendered Thursday night, even as he noted that talks continue.

Armed Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala meanwhile said they are confirming reports that 20 MNLF members have been killed.

The firefight in Zamboanga City erupted after a Monday attack by alleged followers of MNLF leader Nur Misuari who has earlier declared independence for Mindanao.

Violence has crippled the city and has forced thousands of Filipinos to stay in cramped evacuation centers.

In a statement Thursday, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda warned the MNLF fighters to stand down or face the full force of the military.
“[T]hey should not entertain the illusion that the state will hesitate to use its forces to protect our people,” Lacierda said.   "

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WHO News: International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization are encouraging people all over the world to light a candle in observation of the 11th annual World Suicide Prevention Day. "For us, it's an opportunity to get the word out about the programs we have on the prevention side," Deborah Heim, co-chair of the Schuylkill County Suicide Prevention Task Force, said Monday. The suicide rate has been on the rise in Schuylkill County in recent years, Heim said. "The only thing that we see a lot of are people with relationship issues and a lot of drug and alcohol involvement. But I don't know if there are any trends, if you will," Heim said. According to the website for the U.S. Census Bureau at census.gov, the population in Schuylkill County in 2012 was 147,063. "From 2002 to 2008, there were, on average, 18 suicides per year in the county. Then in 2009, the year after the Great Recession, if you will, it jumped up to 35," Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David J. Moylan said previously. Heim said there were 20 suicides in 2010. In 2011, there were 19 and in 2012, there were 32. In July, Moylan said there had been 14 suicides in Schuylkill County so far in 2013. As of Monday, it was up to 17, Heim said. The theme of this year's World Suicide Prevention Day is "Stigma: A Major Barrier for Suicide Prevention" according to IASP website at www.iasp.info. "Nearly 1 million people worldwide die by suicide each year. This corresponds to one death by suicide every 40 seconds," according to the site. It's estimated that 25 percent of people who commit suicide suffer from mental illness, according to the site. "Yet a significant number of those with mental illnesses who die by suicide do not contact health or social services near the time of their death. In many instances, there are insufficient services available to assist those in need at times of crisis. This lack of access to appropriate care is one of the many factors that magnify the stigma associated with mental illness and with suicidal ideation and behavior," according to the site. There are numerous resources in the area for people suffering from depression, community groups looking to learn more about suicide prevention and families suffering from the loss of a loved one who took their own life.

Organizations encourage everyone to observe World Suicide Prevention Day - News - Republican Herald: "There are numerous resources in the area for people suffering from depression, community groups looking to learn more about suicide prevention and families suffering from the loss of a loved one who took their own life.

At Schuylkill Health, the emergency department at Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street performs mental health screenings for people with suicidal tendencies.

"Its not a free service but we would never turn anybody away, and if anyone is suicidal, they can come right to the emergency department and we can screen them to see what level of treatment they needed," Helene Creasy, program director for behavioral health services at Schuylkill Health, said Monday.

People with suicidal tendencies can also call a Local Crisis Line promoted by the Schuylkill County Suicide Prevention Task Force, 877-9WE-HELP, according to Heim.

The task force was formed in 1996 in response to state statistics that showed Schuylkill County had one of the highest suicide rates in the state, Heim said."

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HEALTH UPDATE: DOH begins high school vaccination program. Health department officials launched the program at the Baguio City National High School with a simple program and a ceremonial vaccination. Health teams will go from classroom to classroom to provide the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine to students who have a letter of consent from their parents. The program is part of the country’s 2007 commitment to eliminate vaccine preventable diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella and diphtheria. As part of the program, the department’s goal is to provide booster MMR and Td vaccines to approximately 19,600 high school students in 22 public high schools in Baguio City. The department will also provide vaccines to students in the provinces of Apayao and Abra | Vaccine News Daily

Philippines DOH begins high school vaccination program | Vaccine News Daily: "The program is part of the country’s 2007 commitment to eliminate vaccine preventable diseases, including measles, mumps, rubella and diphtheria. As part of the program, the department’s goal is to provide booster MMR and Td vaccines to approximately 19,600 high school students in 22 public high schools in Baguio City. The department will also provide vaccines to students in the provinces of Apayao and Abra."

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WOMEN'S CAUSES: To advance women's role in the economy, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and a local private sector organization, will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation-Women and the Economy Forum (APEC-WEF) in Bali, Indonesia this month. "We look forward to the opportunities in the upcoming Women and the Economy Forum will present for the Philippine hosting of the APEC Women and the Economy Summit in 2015," DTI Undersecretary for Management Services Nora K. Terrado said. This forum is the third WEF, which is organized under the main theme of "Women as economic drivers". It is a follow up to the Women and the Economy Summit 2011 in San Francisco, and the WEF 2012 in St. Petersburg.

Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic o : DTI to attend APEC Women and the Economy Forum in Bali: ""Through our participation in the discussions during this forum, we hope to contribute substantially in the collective efforts to advance women's role and participation to achieve gender equality in economic development in the Asia-Pacific region," Terrado added. "As the lead government agency in the country's hosting of the APEC-WES in 2015, the DTI has recently collaborated with a local women's private sector organization," she said."

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WELLNESS IN EDUCATION: Outstanding Teachers Awarded by Metrobank. These are: Fely A. Batiloy of Special Education Integrated School for Exceptional Children (Iloilo City); Dr. Mitchel V. Rodriguez of Odiongan Central School (Gingoog City); Cherry G. Vinluan of Guagua Elementary School (Guagua, Pampanga); Rodel C. Sampang of Pedro Guevarra Elementary School (City of Manila); Dominique J. Maquiran of the University of the Philippines High School in Iloilo (Iloilo City); Dr. Maria Teresa M. Bautista of Bacnotan National High School (Bacnotan, La Union); Marcelo T. Otinguey of Ampusongan National High School (Bakun, Benguet); Maria Lorna L. Garnace of Philippine Science High School, Eastern Visayas Campus (Palo, Leyte); Dr. Alfredo C. Robles, Jr. of the De La Salle University (City of Manila); and Dr. Emilyn Q. Espiritu of the Ateneo de Manila University (Quezon City).

Metrobank Foundation confers outstanding Filipinos | Sun.Star: "Since 1979, Metrobank Group founder and Chairman Dr. George S.K. Ty believes that leadership in business entails leadership in community service as well. Beyond serving as an expression of gratitude and a reward for their excellence, its recognition programs for outstanding Filipinos have become a testament to the abilities and potential of our democratic institutions and people to bring about change.

Now on its 29th year, SOT, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education, honors the teaching profession, recognizing those who exhibit competence, remarkable dedication to their work, and effective educational leadership, as well as their various community involvements.

WELLNESS IN BUSINESS: Insurance products readied for Philippine farmers. International Finance Corp. (IFC), the private sector funding arm of the World Bank, is working with partners to design new insurance products that aim to protect Filipino farmers against costly typhoon-related losses. Filipino farmers have lost an estimated $2.5 billion to inclement weather since 2009, IFC said in a statement released on Wednesday. The 2012 World Disaster Report ranked the Philippines as the third-most disaster-prone country in the world, with an average of 20 typhoons per year. IFC said it had teamed up with the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Insurance Agency (CARD) and Pioneer Insurance and Surety Corp. to design the new product. The project is seen enabling CARD Insurance and Pioneer Insurance to offer indemnity insurance to thousands of farmers and rural entrepreneurs as an affordable means to protect their assets and livelihoods. “Farm insurance has not taken off in the Philippines because premium costs are high and payment delays discourage potential clients,” said IFC resident representative Jesse Ang. “The lack of insurance makes farmers vulnerable to losses from calamities. We hope that our latest initiative will help address this problem.” Pioneer Life president Lorenzo Chan Jr. said this was a step to help farmers manage the risks they were facing. The indemnity insurance will be complemented by index-based insurance, which pays benefits by using a pre-determined index that takes into account factors such as wind speed and rainfall levels to estimate losses brought about by bad weather and catastrophes. This approach eliminates the need for traditional insurance claim assessments, enabling farmers to get their compensations more quickly. With these insurance products offered by CARD Insurance to its members, the country’s biggest microfinance institution aims to expand its agricultural lending while helping farmers protect their assets. “This new partnership will help our farmer-clients, who make up nearly half of our 1.8 million clients, mitigate risks,” said CARD chair Jaime Aristotle Alip. | Inquirer Business

Insurance products readied for Philippine farmers | Inquirer Business: "The Global Index Insurance Facility, a multi-donor trust fund managed by IFC, will provide funding and technical advice for the project. The facility is funded by the European Union, Japan and the Netherlands and their implementing partners have insured more than 228,000 farmers and micro-entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Agribusiness contributes about 11 percent to the domestic economy and provides more than a third of the total number of jobs in the country.
IFC said insufficient risk management was a major disincentive to agricultural investment, further hindering economic growth."

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WELLNESS IN ENVIRONMENT: Philippines Bicycle Made of Bamboo. In 2010, McClelland founded Bambikes, a company that turns locally sourced bamboo into bike frames. The Bambikes workshop is located in the countryside, in the town of Victoria, 130 kilometers from Metro Manila. Bamboo bicycles Out here, the bamboo is harvested from farms and the wild. Bambike’s workers cut, treat and process the material into specialized bike frames. The finished products are not cheap. They start at around $1,200. McClelland said much of the profit, however, goes back into this poor community. “We can produce world-class certified bamboo bicycles for the global market while keeping jobs at home in the rural provincial areas so that the workers can stay with their families and have gainful employment,” he said. Many of the municipality’s 60,000 inhabitants work in rice farming, but that is not a year-round job. McClelland and Victoria’s mayor, Candido Guiam, see mutual benefits in working together. Already, some of Victoria’s farmers are planting bamboo propagules, or seedlings. “So this is an alternative program where we can provide people with work. They plant, they cut, they produce propagules of bamboo, we pay them 15 pesos, that’s good enough for them," said Guiam. "The good thing is after producing the propagules of bamboo, they bring them back to their own backyard. And hopefully in three years they can cut it up and make money out of it.”

Philippines Bicycle Company Says Its Products Protect Environment: "Green material

McClelland visits one of the bamboo nurseries the town supports. He said that in just a couple years this plant will be strong enough to be harvested.

“Bamboo is arguably the greenest building material on Earth. Bamboo is as strong as steel if you use the right species. Its very durable, very strong and can stand up to the demands needed by a bicycle frame,” he said.

McClelland said bamboo can be used to build a lot more than just bike frames. He hopes Bambikes is just the start of a bamboo revolution in the Philippines.

Producer Malte Kollenberg also contributed to this story."

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PEACE UPDATE: UN ready to help civilians displaced in Zamboanga clash. "The United Nations stands ready to support the government of the Philippines in its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and to alleviate the humanitarian needs of the civilian population affected by the armed clashes in Zamboanga," U.N. resident coordinator Luiza Carvalho said today. At least 15,000 people were displaced after Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) forces, belonging to the faction of the group's founding chairman Nur Misuari, attacked Zamboanga City Monday and took dozens of hostages over allegations that the Philippine government terminated an earlier peace pact. Carvalho called on all parties involved "to respect and protect the rights of the civilian population, provide special attention to women and children and avoid unnecessary human suffering by reaching agreement to end the standoff." "The United Nations Country Team calls for an immediate end to the violence, deeply regrets the loss of innocent civilian lives, and calls for safe passage of civilians caught in the cross fire," she said. | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

UN ready to help civilians displaced in Zamboanga clash | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "Thousands of residents have fled their homes and took shelter in evacuation centers in a gymnasium and schools amid the violence. Food supply is running low. The MNLF used to be the largest Muslim rebel group seeking a separate state in Mindanao until it dropped secessionist demand and settled for limited autonomy under a signed agreement in 1996. But many of its guerrillas held on to their firearms and periodically staged rebellions in the past, complaining the government has reneged on its promise to fully develop impoverished Muslim regions. MNLF's leader, Misuari, opposed the crafting of a peace deal by the government with the currently dominant Muslim rebel group, Moro Islamic Liberation Front."

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GLOBAL PINOY: Two Pinoys Join Race to Space - Two Filipinos have been chosen to go to space camp in a bid to become the country's first astronaut. Evan Rey Datun, a 24-year-old former hotelier, and Mario Mendoza Jr., a 31-year-old Air Force pilot from the military, have been named the winners in the recently concluded AXE Apollo National Challenge held in Bonifacio Global City last August 31. AXE initially received over 28,000 applicants from the Philippines, a list trimmed down to 400 of the best contestants who faced physical challenges. At the event, participants went through an obstacle course to test their fitness and the hundreds were narrowed down to 52. The 52 remaining participants went on to compete in the final round called ‘Last Hero Standing,’ where they were made to stand on a wooden platform and had to carry metal plates or perform physical exercises. One by one, the contestants stepped down until it was just Mario and Evan there.- Yahoo! News Philippines

Two Pinoys join race to space - Yahoo! News Philippines: "AXE Philippines Brand Manager Gem Laforteza says that they will undergo three to four days of astronaut training, flight and G-force simulation. Laforteza advises Mario and Evan to be the best version of themselves once they are in the space camp. “I’m very happy. I think it will be interesting to find out who will eventually go to space given their backgrounds,” he says.

Astronaut wannabes still have a chance as AXE announces a ‘wild card’ candidate that will be selected through an electronic raffle. Details are available at www.AxeApollo.com."

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WHO News: Life Expectancy Grows for Women Age 50 and Up. Life expectancy for women who live to age 50 is going up around the world, but poor and middle-income countries could easily make greater gains, according to a new World Health Organization report. Heart disease, stroke and cancer kill most women over 50, said Dr. John R. Beard, director of the W.H.O.'s department of aging, so countries should focus on lowering blood pressure with inexpensive drugs and screening for cervical and breast cancer. Those diseases can be prevented or treated, said Dr. Beard, who was also an author of the study, which was published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Getting women to avoid smoking, excessive drinking and being obese is also crucial, he said. Japanese women live the longest on average. But women in most countries now live longer than they did 40 years ago, thanks to progress against infectious diseases like flu, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Some countries have improved less than others: South Africa has an AIDS epidemic, Russian women suffered when the Soviet health system collapsed, and growing prosperity in Mexico has led to more lung cancer and obesity-related diabetes. - NYTimes.com

Life Expectancy Grows for Women Age 50 and Up - NYTimes.com: "The bulletin also included a report on older women’s right to protected sex, also co-authored by Dr. Beard.

“To some extent, we treat women as vessels of reproduction, and once they’ve done that we don’t pay much attention to them,” he said.

As more women live alone and more older men get drugs for erectile dysfunction, stereotypes about sex and older people need to change, Dr. Beard said, and women should be offered advice on protected sex and screened for sexually transmitted diseases."

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WELLNESS IN TRADE & INDUSTRY: Boosting Philippine exports to Europe - The Philippines seeks to increase its exports to the 27-nation European Union (EU) by applying for more duty-free privileges under the revised Generalized System of Preferences (GSP+) EU scheme to support less developed economies starting January 1, 2014. The country now benefits from the general GSP arrangement which covers 6,209 products, 2,442 of which are subject to zero duty, while 3,767 are subject to reduced tariffs. Philippine top GSP exports to EU include crude coconut oil, pneumatic tires, spectacle lenses, canned tuna, prepared fruits, activated carbon, and imitation jewelry. Last year, the country shipped 1.076-billion euros or P62.8-billion worth of products under the GSP. The GSP+ arrangement has a larger coverage of 6,274 products, all of which are subject to zero duty. Major products that will enjoy zero duties include textiles with 1,125 product lines, agriculture with 918 lines, and fisheries with 292 lines. If the Philippines qualifies for GSP+, the Department of Trade and Industry estimated that Philippine exports to EU may increase by 12% and create 270,000 jobs.- | Tempo - News in a Flash

Boosting Philippine exports to Europe | Tempo - News in a Flash: "Zero-duty preference under GSP+ will benefit other items the Philippines is exporting under the regular GSP, including animal/vegetable fats and oils, machinery and mechanical appliances, chemical, and plastic products. In 2012, Philippine GSP exports to the 27-nation bloc reached €1.07 billion, the largest of which were chemical products (€101.0 million), vegetable products (€5 million), wood and articles of wood (€5 million), and jewelry (€31 million).
To avail of GSP+, a country must meet two conditions. First, products comprise less than 2% of Europe’s GSP imports. Second, countries must have ratified and are abiding by 27 international conventions on human and labor rights, sustainable development, environment, and good governance."

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WELLNESS IN SCIENCE & TECH: Aquino approves law for science, math teachers - President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into law a bill aimed at expanding the coverage of the Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship Program and building a pool of highly qualified science and math teachers in the country, Malacañang said today. "This Act builds on the current Science and Technology Scholarships offered by the Department of Science and Technology ( DOST), through its Science Education Institute (SEI), as provided for in Republic Act No. 7687, otherwise known as the 'Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994,'" the president said. The law envisions a fast tracking of more science, technology, and engineering graduates by offering scholarships to deserving students in their third year of undergraduate study, based on their competitiveness and merit.- | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Aquino approves law for science, math teachers | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "The state also offers additional incentives to attract the graduates of the scholarship program to pursue a career in teaching science, mathematics and technology in high schools, especially in their home regions.  "

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WELLNESS IN EDUCATION: DepEd: Training starts for coaches for differently-abled athletes. Education and sports officials started over the weekend a training for coaches for differently abled athletes, the Department of Education said. The DepEd said it is undertaking the training with the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently-Abled National Paralympics Committee of the Philippines. “These athletes are equally capable and deserving of all the state support they need,” DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said.- | Sports | GMA News Online

DepEd: Training starts for coaches for differently-abled athletes | Sports | GMA News Online: "Luistro added the training seminar also aims to establish a pool of coaches, trainors, technical officials and classifiers who will "help differently-abled athletes in all levels of competition."

A news release by the DepEd issued Sunday cited DepEd Memo no. 159 providing for the training of trainors, technical and classification seminars for the differently-abled persons."

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GLOBAL PINOY: Filipino artist Rodney Yap's 'Primeval' exhibit rocks Wroclaw | Arts and Culture, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

Filipino artist Rodney Yap's 'Primeval' exhibit rocks Wroclaw | Arts and Culture, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "Yap adds that art should be with purpose and honesty and without fear. His multi-layered approach fuses hypnagogic images that are both intentional and unexpected. The artist admits that his mind already has the finished work in his head even before the first brushstroke lands on the canvass.

He notes that the exhibit came at the right time as the Philippines and Poland celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

The exhibit was made possible through the efforts of art advocate Mabel Guia Acosta. It will move to the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw on September 6."

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Wellness in Business: The ASEAN Business Outlook Survey 2014, taken from May 10 to June 10 among 475 American firms in the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also showed that 39 of the companies doing business in the Philippines registered the biggest increase in satisfaction over the local business environment from 2008 to 2013. The survey, taken by the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Chambers of Commerce in the ASEAN, showed satisfaction with the Philippines improving in 14 out of 16 business factors including the availability of low-cost labor, trained personnel and raw materials. Improvements were also noted in the fight against corruption, housing costs and new business incentives. The biggest improvement was registered in the stability of the government and political system. The survey also showed the companies projecting higher profits this year and in 2014.- EDITORIAL - Improved environment | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com

EDITORIAL - Improved environment | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "After giving itself a pat on the back, the government should address the key concerns of the companies, which are not new. These include the tax structure, inadequate infrastructure, laws and regulations, the ease of moving goods through Customs, and yes, corruption. While the Philippines is deemed to have shown the most improvement, the country continues to lag behind many of its neighbors in attracting foreign direct investment. The FDI is needed to create the jobs that will make economic growth inclusive — something that has eluded the government despite positive economic performance."

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