WOMEN'S CAUSES UPDATE: Magna Carta RA 9710 to protect women in media and film. The task of monitoring and evaluating the implementation of gender equality guidelines, specifically Section 19 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Magna Carta of Women, fell on the hands of a Gender Equality Committee, headed by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), with members as the Philippine Commission on Women and self-regulatory bodies involved in telecommunications, movie and television, and film production. The Committee formulated three documents, namely, Gender Equality Guide, Code of Ethics for Media, and Guidelines to Protect Women from Discrimination in Media and Film. These documents will be integrated in the government and non-government-related organizations to ensure that women’s needs, issues and concerns in all forms of media, communication, information and dissemination and advertising, are appropriately presented.

Protecting women in media and film | Opinion, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "The President, through Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., issued Memorandum Circular No. 48, directing all concerned government agencies to adopt the Gender Equality Guidelines in the development of their respective media policies and implementing programs in order to promote gender mainstreaming."

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CHILDREN'S CAUSES UPDATE: Kids with disabilities in NCR gets free medical evaluation and diagnosis as part of the celebration of 2013 National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week. The activity is a partnership of the Department of Health - National Capital Region (DOH-NCR) in coordination with the Philippine Association for Citizens with Developmental and Learning Disabilities (PACDLD. ) “We would like these children to be to properly identified, appropriately diagnosed by medical professionals and be provided with the proper treatment and intervention for their care and treatment,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo stated. “We will also educate the parents of these children for them to fully understand their disability and give them the proper care based on their needs,” he added. Medical professionals and hospitals involve in the activity were from the Philippine Children's Medical Center and National Children’s Hospital. DOH-NCR earlier announced that a medical team will evaluate and diagnose children with disability from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DOH-NCR Amphitheater, Blk. #6, Barangay Road, Welfareville Compound, Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) gave an estimate of 10% or about 8.5 million Filipinos have disability and 3.9 million needs rehabilitation services on a regular basis. But only 0.9 million were given access to health services. A 2005 study conducted by the Department of Education also reveals that there are 2.7 million Filipino children with disability. Of these only 78,144 (1.9%) are attending school.....

PIA | Philippine Information Agency | Children with disabilities in NCR gets free medical evaluation, diagnosis: "In Metro Manila there is an estimated 100,000 children with disabilities that are yet to be identified and properly diagnosed by a medical professional. Janairo emphasized that DOH-NCR will provide financial support and manpower to perform assessment for targeted children.“We will conduct five medical campaigns for PWDs all over the region to seek out and identify more children with disabilities and provide them their much needed care and medical attention," he said.From 2007-2012, the PACDLD together with DOH-NCR have conducted three batches of Training on the Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention of Disabilities Among Children from selected staff of local government units and parents of PWDs. " CLICK ABOVE LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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PEACE UPDATE: Govt & Muslim Rebels Forge Wealth-Sharing in Peace Accord. “In a show of true commitment, the parties extended the meeting, originally scheduled for four days to six days, to be able to overcome their concerns and reach an agreement,” the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front said in a statement. The pact provides “sufficient guidance” to draft wealth-sharing and revenue-generation provisions of a law expanding Muslim autonomy in a region to be known as Bangsamoro, they said....

Philippines, Muslim Rebels Forge Wealth-Sharing in Peace Accord - Bloomberg: "Muslims will get a 75 percent share of metals resources and an equal split on fossil fuels, Ghadzali Jaafar, the front’s vice chairman, said in a phone interview yesterday. “We are going into the meat of the final deal,” he said. The statement didn’t provide details on the agreement. Ending one of Southeast Asia’s most entrenched conflicts could help bring investors to Mindanao and unlock mineral deposits worth an estimated $312 billion. The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had per capita gross domestic product of 26,004 pesos ($599) in 2011, about a fourth the national average of 103,366 pesos and the lowest among 17 regions, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board." CLICK ABOVE LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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WELLNESS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: Filipino made MOSES tablet leads 'smart' tech at national science week. Filipino-made tablet computer specially built for disaster preparedness is one of the "smart" technologies highlighted at the 2013 National Science & Technology Week (NSTW) this week. The Mobile Operational System for Emergency Services, or MOSES, an 8-inch tablet computer designed for use by government officials and disaster response personnel, was unveiled on the first day of the NSTW. The tablet is locally designed and produced, and is meant for use by officials to monitor and plan for upcoming natural calamities.

MOSES tablet leads 'smart' tech at national science week: "Information flow is two-way: It can receive real-time weather, flood, and disaster information from the state weather bureau PAGASA and from the National Operational Assessment of Hazards (Project NOAH), through pre-installed applications. Users, on the other hand, can provide data and images of their location, particularly during calamities, such as floods and landslides. Data from the field are collected by the project's command center, and will be mapped to give an accurate view of the situation on the ground. The information will also be used for warnings and alerts during disasters." CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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Wellness in Trade & Industry: Hopes for China-ASEAN Expo to boost ties. The 10th China-ASEAN Expo, known as CAEXPO, will be held from September 3 to 6 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. The Philippines is scheduled to be the Country of Honor. Responding to the marine disputes between China and some ASEAN members, including the Philippines, Vice Minister of China Gao Yan said the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines has confirmed the schedule and set up a team to prepare for the event. "The approaching CAEXPO aims to boost economic cooperation between China and ASEAN members. We expect all sides to focus on cooperation and develop a positive atmosphere," Gao said.

Hopes for China-ASEAN Expo to boost ties|Business|chinadaily.com.cn: "China is the largest trade partner of ASEAN members while they are China's third-largest trade partner.Bilateral trade between China and ASEAN members experienced fast growth over the past decade and hit $400.1 billion in 2012 with Chinese exports amounting to $204.3 billion and imports standing at $195.8 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $8.5 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce. China has long had a trade deficit from the bilateral trade. The deficit volume registered $16.4 billion in 2003, accounting for 21 percent of the year's bilateral trade size, and reached $20.1 billion in 2004, about 19 percent of the two-way trade volume in the year, Gao said. "In the near future, China is likely to maintain a trade surplus with ASEAN members," said Zhao Jianglin, an economics expert at the China Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies." CLICK ABOVE LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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WELLNESS IN BUSINESS: DOST MICROFINANCE for small businesses created P73B sales, 44,000 jobs and penetrated over 2,200 new markets within 10 years. The half billion-peso alloted this year for DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program or SET UP will be expanded next year . Science Secretary Mario G. Montejo refused to name an exact number citing organizational, logistical factors that should also be considered...

Malaya Business News Online - Philippine Business News | Online News Philippines - DOST MICROFINANCE: P73B sales, 44,000 jobs: "SET UP is a no interest, no collateral, proposal-driven funding that must be paid back to the DOST after three years. “We would like to expand the budget but  only to a point that we can manage it properly,” Montejo said. “We are very careful about this.”  “It’s a very good program,” he observed, saying the returns are impressive. Montejo estimated that for every P50,000 that SET UP provides, one job is created, meaning the value in sustained wages for one year is higher than the financial support given. " CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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WELLNESS IN EDUCATION: Philippines, Czech Republic sign an agreement in culture, education, science and sports. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario inked the pact on behalf of the Philippines while Czech Ambassador to the Philippines Josef Rychtar represented the Czech Republic. The agreement was proposed in 2005 and sets the stage for an expanded partnership that would harness the strength and best practices of both countries into a mutually-beneficial cooperation in culture, education, science and sports, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

Philippines, Czech Republic sign culture, education agreement | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "The deal provides a framework for both sides "to strengthen and promote their respective capabilities and institutions covering the above mentioned areas and, in the process, contribute to the overall growth and developments of both countries," the department said. Upon the entry into force of the agreement, the old cultural agreement between the Philippines and the now-defunct Czechoslovakia, which entered into effect in 1974, will cease to apply." CLICK LINK ABOVE TO READ THE ARTICLE

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WELLNESS IN ARTS: Art exhibit for cancer patients. People Caring and Engaging Partners (PCEP), an NGO founded by neurologist Dr. Henri Lu, mounts an exhibit on July 26, 4 p.m. at the Cancer Center of Makati Medical Center, and from July 29 to 31 at the Ricco-Renzo Galleries, LRI Bldg., Nicanor Garcia St. (Formerly Reposo), Bel-Air 3, Makati City.

Art exhibit for cancer patients | Arts and Culture, Lifestyle Features, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "PCEP, together with resident artist Lysa Tiongson San Agustin, aims to help alleviate the condition of cancer patients and their families thru art, which can help them cope with the emotional and physical challenges. It is the goal of PCEP to be the first in the Philippines to utilize art as therapy for cancer patients.

For information, call Ces P. Paje, RN Nursing and Administrative Services head of MMC Cancer Center, at 888-8999 locals 7120/7122, or e-mail cecilia.Paje@makatimed.net.ph." CLINK ABOVE LINK FOR MORE

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