FLU SPREAD IN CAMPUS ALARMS CITY EXECS

MASBATE CITY—This city’s top public health officials are alerting classroom teachers that flu viruses may spread rapidly, after 36 students of Masbate National Comprehensive High School (MNCHS) were infected in a span of just a few days.

Some of the students who were taken ill Saturday last week fully recovered after being treated and rested at home but a few others who were sick still attended classes, according to Dr. Victoria Manalo, chief of City Health Office here.

On Friday, Manalo and her medical tam began hoping from one school to another to conduct symposium on the seasonal flu and the novel H1N1 flu.

She said teachers were advised to strictly compel their sick students to stay in a hospital or at home for self-quarantine.

Manalo said Mayor Socrates M. Tuason immediately provided thousands of paracetamol tablets and Vitamin C capsules to MNCHS administration.

She said she went to MNCHS on Monday after receiving reports that 33 of the students developed flu-like symptoms during a camping of boy and girl scouts at the school campus Saturday last week. The spread of the virus continued, infecting three more MNCHS students a few days later.

MNCHS has a student population of around 4,000.

Rogen Esser S. Estrada, class of adviser of 29 of the 33 infected students, said the outbreak disrupted his Science and Technology Oriented Class (STOC) for several days.

Some of his students continued their self-quarantine at home but two others who said they didn’t want to miss the lessons attended the class before they recovered.

Dr. Manalo said she ruled out referring the students who had flu-like symptoms to Masbate Provincial Hospital which could conduct throat swabbing, a procedure to confirm H1N1 infection.

She said the procedure was premature since the parents of two infected students who had come from Manila and Cebu that had H1N1 outbreaks did not develop flu symptoms before their children caught the flu virus. (EADelgado, PIA Masbate)


LAGMAN PUSHES FOR DEBT-FOR-MDGs SWAP

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay first congressional district Rep. Edcel C. Lagman called for the creation of a Joint Legislative-Executive Council to pursue proposals on debt-for-millennium development goals (MDGs) swap as a debt reduction strategy and a resource generation scheme for sustainable human development.

In Joint Resolution No. 39, Lagman explained that the debt-for-MDGs swap “converts into debt repayment, with the conformity of the creditor country or institution, the amounts which a debtor country appropriates and utilizes for the achievement of MDGs, particularly the reduction of child mortality (Goal 4), improvement of maternal health (Goal 5), and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6), among other MDGs.”

Lagman added that since the Philippines “allocates a huge portion of its annual budget to debt service that crowds out badly needed resources for health and other social services, the debt-for-MDGs swap is pure benefit that the Philippines must pursue and avail itself of.”

The Joint Legislative-Executive Council will be composed of eleven (11) members, three (3) of whom will come from the Senate, three (3) from the House of Representatives and five (5) from the Executive department consisting of the Executive Secretary, the Secretary of Health, the Secretary of Finance, the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and the Governor of the Bangko Sentral (BSP). The chairperson of the council shall be appointed by the President.

Lagman also said that “the debt-for-MDGs is superior to the debt for equity swap which entails the conversion of debt repayment to equity investment in favor of the creditor country, which proposal may perpetuate foreign domination or influence over sensitive domestic industries and undertakings.”

Lagman emphasized that there is need to prioritize debt swap arrangements for reduction of infant mortality, improvement of maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other major diseases in order to further enhance the country’s meeting the targets on these MDGs by 2015.

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) documents that the resource gap in achieving the country’s MDGs on health at the national level amounts to a cumulative total of P45-B from the period 2007-2015. (Office of Rep. Edcel C. Lagman/PIA)


5 OF 10 FIRST YEAR ENTRANTS FINISH SECONDARY SCHOOLS

LEGAZPI CITY — A little more than half of first year entrants to the Bicol region’s secondary school system are able to graduate, according to education statistics of the Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol.

Data from DepEd regional office here show that Bicol region registered a secondary school completion rate of 52.01 per cent in school year 2006-2007. The figure is 13.3 percentage points lower than the rate recorded four schools years before.

Completion rate refers to the percentage of first year entrants in the secondary level who complete/finish the level in accordance with the required number of years of study.

The agency has noted, however, that the rates indicated here refer to public schools only.

Statistics also show performance indicators reveal a general deterioration of the region’s secondary school system between SYs 2002-2003 and 2006-2007.

The period saw a 10.6 percentage point decline in participation rate in the secondary level, an indication that more children who should be in high school were not. Participation rate is the ratio of school enrolment to the school age population.

The participation rate of 55.3 per cent during SY 2006-2007 also means that only a little over half of school-going age children who are supposed to be in high school were enrolled in s SY 2006-2007.

Notably, enrolment in private secondary schools between the school year dropped by 2.7 per cent and public secondary schools enrolment increased by 4 per cent. Overall however, enrolment in secondary schools increased by only 3 per cent.

Within the same period, retention rate in the secondary level dropped by 7.6 percentage points. This means that the percentage of enrollees in the secondary level who continued to be in school the following year declined.

Transition rate in the secondary level reached 88 per cent during SY 2006-2007, an improvement of 5.8 percentage points from school year 2002-2003. Transition rate is the percentage of students who graduated from one level of education and moved on to the next higher level, e.g. from high school to college.

While this means that there was a higher percentage of high school graduates who made it to college/technical courses in SY 2006-2007 than in SY 2002-2003, there was also lower perce3ntage of students who reached the final year of the secondary level in SY 2006-2007 as indicated by the 7.1 percentage points decline in the survival rate.

Repetition rate, or the ratio of the number of students who enrolled in the same year level in the current school year to the total enrollment in the previous school year, significantly increased from 2.7 per cent in SY 2002-2003 to 3.5 per cent in SY 2006-2007.

Similarly, dropout rate, or the ratio of the number of students who left the school for any reason during the school year to total enrolment, rose from 5.8 per cent in SY 2002-2003 to 6.1 per cent in SY 2006-2007.

Aside from the above indicators, results of the Achievement Tests for secondary schools indicate, and more alarmingly, the deterioration of quality in the secondary schools system. The NAT results cover both public and private schools.

On the average not once in the three years of cut-off (75 per cent) for the NAT. Moreover, the underperformance is apparent in all the five subject areas of the achievement tests.

Additionally, results in four of the five subject areas of the National Achievement Test (NAT) generally worsened between SY 2004-2005 and 2006-2007. These subject areas were English (by 1.4 percentage points), Mathematics (by 1.7 percentage points), Science and Health (by 5.7 percentage points) and Hekasi or Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika (by 2.4 percentage points). Only the Filipino subject area showed a measly 1.2 percentage point improvement during the SY 2004-2005 to SY 2006-2007.

On the average, the results of the NAT in the Bicol region weakened by 2 percentage points within the period.

DepEd accentuates anew that human resource is the most important resource of the country’s economy. The quality of human resources that enter the labor force bears heavily on the economy’s productive capacity.

Education and other human capital are important in promoting economic growth and a strong position in international markets. Deterioration in an education system can result to an inferior labor force affecting employability and productivity.

Education can be viewed as an investment that equips individuals with the necessary skills for their optimum contribution to the country’s economic and social well-being. Government and households therefore should invest in education with the expectation that higher benefits would accrue over time. (NSCB release/PIA)


DOH DECLARES SORSOGON MALARIA AND FILARIA FREE

SORSOGON CITY – “Finally, we won our battle!”

Thus exclaimed Dr. Noli Arevalo, team leader of the Department of Health-Provincial Health Team (DOH-PHT), following the declaration of Sorsogon as Malaria and Filaria Free province.

Dr. Jaime Y. Lagahid, National Center for Disease Prevention and Control (NCDPC) director, officially declared the province Malaria and Filaria Free in a ceremony held at the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium on Thursday (July 23).

Arevalo said that their gregarious efforts to combat these diseases that threatened the lives and dampened productivity of several individuals in the province since 1950’s have finally been rewarded.

“We thank the DOH for recognizing our sustained efforts and partnerships to curb these diseases, and are likewise grateful to the provincial government for making health among its priority agenda, and our NGO partners for their commitment and support in eliminating these diseases even before our target year in 2010,” he stated.

He also cited the local health workers, who in the past years have carried out house-to-house campaigns and mass drug administration (MDA) for residents aged 2-up in order to control the spread of these diseases.

Out of the 40 provinces in the country, only Southern Leyte and Sorsogon has been declared free of Malaria and Filaria diseases.

Arevalo averred Sorsogon province has attained a certain level based on the parameter of DOH wherein these diseases are considered no longer a public threat.

He related recent assessment revealed that only less than 1 percent of the entire population is affected by Filariasis, adding that the province has also maintained a zero case of indigenous malaria transmission over the past five years.

“However, such scenario does not mean we have to sit back, instead, perhaps work harder to prevent the recurrence of the diseases among locals,” he stressed.

“We are looking forward that Sorsogon can achieve the international standard for a Malaria and Filaria free province set by the World Health Organization (WHO),” he positively said.

Meanwhine, Arevalo advised the residents of Gubat, Pto. Diaz, Barcelona, Casiguran, Irosin, Juban, Donsol and Sta. Magdalena towns to take extra precautions and maintain a good environmental sanitation the possibility of recurrence is still there.

Malaria and Filariasis are both mosquito-borne parasitic diseases and endemic in the said areas, mostly with abaca and banana plantations.

Malaria can cause fever, shivering, joint pain, vomiting, anemia, and convulsions to persons inflicted with the disease, while Filaria is debilitating and disfiguring which primarily affects children, women and men living in endemic remote areas.

“The PHT will continue our massive information drive, monitoring and surveillance, partnership with the DOH and conduct border operations in order to sustain the elimination of these infective diseases,” he said.

DOH conferred to Sorsogon province a certificate of recognition and P1 million for successfully eradicating Malaria and Filaria diseases.

Arevalo noted the cash reward will be utilized anew on advocacy campaigns and other measures to prevent the re-emergence of the said diseases.

Present during the declaration ceremonies were Dr. Leda Hernandez, National Filariasis coordinator and NCDPC division chief, Dra. Florence Tienzo, WHO program management officer, Ms. Daisy Sembrano, Glaxo Mith Kline executive director, NGO partners and other stakeholders and cooperators of the program. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)


SORSOGON CITY, MAGALLANES RECEIVE P3M FISHERY LIVELIHOOD FUND ASSISTANCE

SORSOGON Province — Sorsogon City and Magallanes town have received a total of P3 million financial assistance for fishery livelihood projects for the local fisher folks.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), through its Bicol regional office, awarded the P2 million check to the local government of Sorsogon City to finance the implementation of fishery livelihood projects for fisher folks, especially those directly affected by red tide in Sorsogon Bay.

The amount was turned-over recently to Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic Dioneda in a ceremony witnessed by other city officials, Rep. Salvador Escudero III, BFAR Bicol regional officials, fisher folk-beneficiaries and stakeholders, and the media.

Escudero was instrumental in the release of the funds and facilitated the realization of the livelihood assistance for his constituents in the province’s first congressional district.

Dinoeda stated the city government intends to utilize the financial assistance for seven livelihood projects identified by the guidelines set by BFAR.

“These include sea weed farming, culture of bangus and saline tilapia in fish cages, culture of grouper and other high value species, provision of non-motorized bancas, technical skills development training, self-employment assistance through micro-enterprise and post harvest facility for marine products,” he said.

Nelson Del Socorro, BFAR Bicol regional director, said the financial assistance was extended to the fisher folks to eradicate pervasive poverty among coastal communities, specifically among those directly affected by the recurrence of red tide in Sorsogon Bay.

He noted red tide has been recurring in Sorsogon Bay for the past 3 years, displacing thousands from their means of livelihood and costing millions of pesos loses on the shellfish industry.

Magallanes town meanwhile has received the P1 million check from BFAR Bicol to purchase non-motorized bancas and fishing nets for subsistence fishermen who were greatly affected by calamities that this in the municipality recently.

Melchor Deramas, BFAR Bicol Fisheries Extension and Training Division chief awarded the check to Magallanes Mayor Abelardo Arambulo in the presence of Escudero, municipal and barangay officials, and local fishermen.

BFAR also distributed 300,000 prawn post larvae and 30,000 tilapia fingerlings to fishpond operators in the municipality.

The livelihood fund assistance is in consonance with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s directives to the Department of Agriculture to extend support to the fishery sector and to ensure sufficient and affordable food for everyone. (MALoterte/BARecebido, PIA Bikol)


MAINSTREAMING OF PWDs GETTING HEADWAY IN CAMSUR

CAMARINES SUR Province — The welfare of persons with disabilities (PWDs) remains one of the top most priorities of the provincial government here with various programs and policies carried out towards mainstreaming of the sector.

In time for the observance of the 31st National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week, the provincial government spearheaded a forum on “The Convention on the Rights of PWDs held Wednesday (July 29) at the Provincial Convention Center in Pili town on.

Governor Luis Ray Villafuerte stressed during the forum his incessant support manifested by the provincial government’s programs, projects and policies in ensuring and promoting the welfare and development of PWDs in the province

Alex Sanchez of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) V expound on opportunities for employment and livelihood programs specifically designed for the PWDs.

Sammie Buenconsejo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) V meanwhile briefed and updated the stakeholders on medical incentives, related discounts and privileges for the PWDs.

Atty. Edmond Paras of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) meanwhile made an extensive discussion on the pertinent laws that warrant protection of the rights and other privileges of PWDs.

The provincial government, according to Gilda Armero, has also distributed some 67 wheelchairs to PWDs, more over obtain more wheelchairs, including crutches and hearing aids for distribution to the marginalized sector the province.

Armero added that the provincial government, in partnership with DOLE V, has an ongoing skills training program for reflexology, shiatsu, and therapeutic massage, as well as college scholarships for the PWDs

Present during the interfacing were officers and members of the Provincial Federation of Persons with Disability (PFPWD), along with the local councils for the welfare of PWDs from the different municipalities across the province. (DCAbad, PIA CamSur)


STAKEHOLDERS REVIEW CATANDUANES ABACA DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

CATANDUANES Province — The Catanduanes Unlad Abaca (CUA) Program, a joint of project of the Provincial Government of Catanduanes, Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC), Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) and the Department of Science and Technology, sponsored an in-house research and development review recently and covered ten (10) completed and on-going research projects.

The panel, composed of Dr. Elena de los Santos of the Bicol Integrated Research Council, Catanduanes Colleges President Ephraim Antonio Garcia, DOST Provincial Director Jimmy Cabrera and PPDO planning and evaluation officer Romeo Aquino, reviewed the presentation of the researchers at the CSC Little Theater last July 22, 2009.

The CUA program was launched to address the challenges and concerns in an effort to bring about sustainability and stability of the abaca industry in Catanduanes. It has four major concerns: rehabilitation and densitification, production and mechanization, research and development and monitoring of evaluation.

It was funded for the period 2008-2010 a total project cost of P16.3 million. It also seeks to increase abaca production in the province through improved farming and techniques ensuring the province’s dominance in abaca industry in the country. (EABagadiong, PIA Catanduanes)


History will be a kinder judge of the President's legacy – Remonde

MANILA — Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Wednesday (July 29) history will be a kinder, more objective judge to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo legacy when she leaves office next year.

In a press briefing, Remonde said the “acts are clear that the President has steered the country to progress,” a truth, he said, her critics refuse to recognize.“And yet to judge from their expressions of indignation at her remarks about them, or their incredulity at her achievements despite all the facts she mustered, one wonders if her critics were in fact watching the same speech as the rest of the country,” the Press Secretary said.

“No matter: history will be a kinder, not to mention much more objective, responsible, and credible judge of the President’s legacy.”Remonde said under the leadership of President Arroyo, the economy posted uninterrupted growth for 33 quarters compared to 2001 when she took over a country on the brink of bankruptcy, a strong and resilient economy that redeemed the country from the global recession.

He described the President’s ninth SONA as one that made him and all of her cabinet members ” proud to be one with her in serving our people.”“The President yesterday delivered a memorable SONA—one that served as her report card for the year just past, a call to legislative action for the year ahead, a fitting valedictory as she prepares to leave office, and a restatement of the vision and mission she will bequeath to her future successor,” he said. (PIA V Release)

Local execs come out in support of PGMA feats

MANILA — Governors from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao went out of their way today to disprove allegations that the Arroyo administration has failed to uplift the lives of the Filipino people.

Attending the briefing of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde in Malacanang Wednesday (July 29), the 10 governors from various provinces said the data and statistics presented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) were true and accurate.

League of Provinces of the Philippines president and Misamis Occidental Governor Loreto Ocampos said they vehemently oppose such baseless allegations.

“We’d like to testify to the truthfulness of the data presented by the President yesterday. All the statistics are true in the different provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays all over the country,” Ocampos said.

He cited that in 2001 the province of Misamis Occidental is the seventh poorest among 79 provinces. But since the President personally delivered national government assistance to his province, they eventually moved out of the list of the 10 poorest provinces, he said.

Basilan Governor Jum Akbar noted that with the help and close assistance provided by the President, Basilan is now about to attain first class status as a province.

Dinagat Island Governor Geraldine Ecleo also testified that the President personally spearheaded the inspection of the major infrastructure projects such as national roads, ports, telecommunication facilities, and among others, and even livelihood training assistance for the residents of Dinagat.

“Ang totoo niyan dahil sa tulong ng national government marami sa aking mga kababayan ang nagtatrabaho na sa abroad dahil sa skills and training development that the TESDA had provided for our people,” Ecleo noted.

For his part, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan noted that the President also helped his province move out of the top 20 poorest provinces.

He said Sulu has been elevated as a second class province.Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua admitted that his island province is one of the beneficiaries of the successful and adventurous Roll-On, Roll-Off highway and ferry system under the Strong Republic Nautical Highway of the administration.

Other governors present were Sally Perez of Antique, Jose Antonio Carreon of Marinduque, Natalio Beltran III of Romblon, Dax Cua of Quirino, and Rodolfo Del Rosario of Davao Del Norte. (PIA V Release)

PGMA’s 9th SONA draws praises from whole nation – Palace

MANILA (PNA) -– President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s ninth State-of-the- Nation Address (SONA) which she delivered at a joint session of Congress on Monday elicited praises from the whole Filipino nation, Malacañang said today.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told a press briefing at Malacanang's New Executive Building (NEB) that the President delivered a memorable SONA that highlighted her achievements in keeping a strong economy, improving education and other social services as well as building modern infrastructure facilities nationwide.

Remonde was joined in the media briefing by local government unit (LGU) officials, including governors from 13 provinces.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo, in a separate interview with the Philippines News Agency (PNA), also noted that President Arroyo had a wonderful report to the nation.

“All her detractors were proven wrong as the Chief Executive outlined her economic recovery programs and accomplishments in the SONA. She’s very sincere in her commitments and this was really proven by those whom the President has helped,” Fajardo said.

For his part, Remonde noted in the media briefing that the President delivered a really memorable report to the Filipino people.

“It is one that served as her report card for the year just past, a call to legislative action for the year ahead, a fitting valedictory as she prepares to leave office, and a restatement of the vision and mission she will bequeath to her future successor," the Press Secretary stressed.

“It was also a stinging rebuke to the critics and oppositionists who have been hounding her of late, hoping to make political capital out of her refusal to take the low road which they themselves find so congenial for their own ambitions,” Remonde said in his opening statement.

“And yet to judge from their expressions of indignation at her remarks about them, or their incredulity at her achievements despite all the facts she mustered, one wonders if her critics were in fact watching the same speech as the rest of the country,” the Press Secretary added.

“Or if they were even listening to any thing else other than the own exhausting expostulations. No matter: history will be a kinder -- not to mention much more objective, responsible, and credible -- judge of the President's legacy than that crowd of wanna-bee's,” he said.

“The facts are crystal clear -- under this president: years of uninterrupted growth, redemption of our country from the global recession, short-term relief and long-term hope for the poor, international respectability and political stability, and a scrupulous compliance with the law, up to and including her intended departure from office next year,” Remonde said.

He concluded by saying: “Yesterday was a moment that made all of us in her official family, in her administration, proud to be one with her in serving our people.”
The LGU leaders present were Governors Loreto Leo Ocampos of Misamis Occidental, Sally Perez of Antique, Josephine Sato of Occidental Mindoro, Maximo Dalog of Mt. Province, Geraldine Ecleo of Dinagat Island, Jose Antonio Carreon of Marinduque, Joseph Cua of Catanduanes, Jun Akbar of Basilan, Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar, Abdusakur Tan of Sulu, Natalio Beltran III of Romblon, Dax Cua of Quirino, and Rodolfo del Rosario of Davao del Norte.

All the governors present asked all Filipinos to give the President a chance to do her duties to the nation. “Please understand what the Chief Executive is doing. She has done a lot for our provinces,” the LGU leaders chorused.

They also cited the SONA infrastructure gains such building of bridges, farm-to-market roads, school buildings, housing projects and public markets. The governors also thanked the President for the implementation of the Cheaper Medicines law.
Meanwhile, educators continued to hail President Arroyo for helping the education sector by building many school buildings and helping out in the Education for All (EFA) projects of the government.

”The President painted the country as a prosperous nation. Most of her achievements were overshadowed by corruption in the last nine years. I hope in the last years of her Presidency, she will focus in fighting corruption,” says Prof. Serafin Arviola of Philippine Normal University (PNU).

“I look forward to 2010 when we will decide on a new president again,” said Prof. Barry Barrientos of the University of the Philippines- Manila.

On the other hand, the Philippine National Association of School Securities Organization (PHILNASSO) said "President Arroyo is very sincere on her efforts for more global education high standard so that our graduates will be competitive worldwide professionals.” (PIA V Release)

Labor status in SONA accurate

MANILA — Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said local employment gains posted over 8 million in the past nine years as presented by President Gloria Arroyo during her 9th State of the Nation Address (SONA) are accurate and based on actual national statistics.

Roque made the clarification in response to unfair criticisms and reports questioning the veracity of the figure attributed to the DOLE.

Roque made it clear that the cumulative gains in employment from 2001 to 2009, which has total of 8.095 million, are based on the annual average rate as reflected meticulously and consistently by the National Statistic Office (NSO), a major agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

However, he stressed that while the gains in the country’s employment are not DOLE-generated results, the NEDA-NSO’s periodic Labor Force Survey (LFS) is an international standard-based measure or indicator that provides an accurate picture of the country’s employment situation.

“Indeed, its veracity is affirmed by the time-honored acceptance of the NSO survey as the main and most authoritative source of employment data obtaining in the Philippines among the major sectors and stakeholders, whether it be among labor, management and employers or the private sector, the government itself, the academe, international investors and institutions, and others.”

He contended that the 8.095 million jobs generated under the Arroyo administration since 2001 were not just mere figures but derived from the annual average of four LFS being conducted by the NSO in January, April, July and October of every year.

“As far as I remember since the 1980s, what the NSO does is that it gets the average of the four quarter surveys, once every quarter, and that is what you call the employment generation data for the year,” Roque noted. “And since the past administrations I have seen, it has consistently been the source of our employment data.”

Based on NSO data, the annual average of employment created from 2001 to 2008 are: 1.704 million in 2001; 906,000 in 2002; 573,000 in 2003; 978,000 in 2004; 700,000 in 2005; 323,000 in 2006; 924,000 in 2007; and 1.458 million for the first two quarters of 2009.

“These figures are based on the surveys which cover 51,000 households, so far the biggest survey sample that’s being taken by any organization,” Roque said.

He added that the employment increment registered during most of the current decade amounts to a plus or positive factor that has made the country resilient and able to withstand the onslaught and the worst effects of the global financial crisis that debilitated other economies worldwide.

Last Monday, President Arroyo cited these employment gains, underscoring the utmost importance of concerted efforts in employment generation, creation and facilitation of government and all sectors.

The President’s speech also positively dwelt upon positive aspects related directly to the strengthening of employment in the country, including provisions of microfinance for the informal sector workers, interventions to protect and assist overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) against displacement, gains in technical vocational education or the training and provision of productive skills to workers, and the vitality of the country’s Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry which is a vibrant contributor to Filipino workers’ employment. (PIA V Release)

House ratifies bicam report on CARP extension

MANILA (PNA) -- The House of Representatives on Wednesday (July 29) ratified the report of the bicameral conference committee extending the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Under the bicameral report, both the House of Representatives and the Senate agreed for the extension of the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of CARP for five years retroactive to July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2014.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, principal author of House Bill 4077, said funding support for CARP during the extended period will be at least P150 billion.

Under the approved bicameral report, conversion of irrigated and irrigable lands is prohibited in order to enhance food supply and security in the country.

It also stopped the voluntary land transfer (VLT) scheme component of CARP, which, according to lawmakers, has been documented to have been used for "simulated" and "flawed" coverage.

Effective July 1, 2009, the only modes for acquisition of the remaining private agricultural lands are compulsory acquisition and voluntary offer to sell (VOS), said Lagman.

The bicameral conference committee also approved the inclusion of "seasonal" farmers as agrarian reform beneficiaries in the extended implementation of CARP.

Members of the bicameral committee said that seasonal farmers could be considered as CARP beneficiaries but as last priority and/or provided the farmer beneficiary "waived" his/her right to own land.

In her state-of-the- nation-address last Monday, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called on both Houses of Congress to pass the CARP extension bill. (PIA V Release)