Rice supply in Bicol sufficient, stockpile to last more than 5 months
By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – The National Food Authority (NFA) Bicol assured the consumers that there is enough supply of rice that will last more than 5 months equivalent to 161 days as of February 15.

This announcement was made by NFA’s Regional Information Officer Nelsie Alcantara during Wednesday’s episode of PIA radio program Ugnayan sa Bicol.

Alcantara said that a total 1,589,894 sacks of 50 kilogram bags are safely positioned in the warehouses of said grains office.

Sixty-five per cent of the stock corresponding to 854,861 was acquired through the rice procurement program of the agency while the remaining 735,033 are imported rice.

Other than the 2,000 bags of damaged rice during the January floods in this city, all NFA stocks are fit for human consumption. No case of spoiled rice is reported in Bicol unlike what turned up in Zambales, recently.

The estimate on rice supply is based on the sales pattern of said staple food of Bicolanos, where the daily average sales are 9,924 sacks of 50 kg. rice.

Camarines Sur being the biggest province in terms of population and land area has the highest number of daily sales equal to 3,896 bags, followed by Albay province with 2,462 sacks.

The island province of Masbate and Catanduanes have almost similar daily sales at 1,060 and 1,039 bags, respectively. Sorsogon everyday rice trading is 976 bags while Camarines Norte is 491 sacks.

NFA sells rice at P26 per kilo to wholesalers who in turn sell to consumers at P27 per kilo.

Alcantara encouraged consumers to contact the nearest NFA office if they meet problems regarding sales of government rice.

With the coming harvest season, NFA will continue to undertake its procurement scheme from farmers said Alcantara. Its 70 buying stations scattered across the region are ready to buy palay from farmers at P17 per kilo or P17.70 for farmer organizations as incentive. They are reminded to bring their passbook.

Meantime, NFA continue to help farmers especially those hit by the early 2011 flooding. The agency goes on selling certified seeds at 50 per cent subsidized price.

The certified seeds are sold to farmers at P600 per bag. These planters are encouraged to see the Municipal Agricultural Officer found in their area for speedy purchase of seeds. (PIA V/Albay)

Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees 2011 on

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has announced the start of the Search for Outstanding Public Officials and Employees for 2011

CSC Bicol Regional Director Cecilia Nieto said the honor awards program is being implemented as mandated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Executive Order Nos. 292 and 508, and as amended by Executive Order No. 77 and Republic Act No. 6713.

Nieto said the awards program is an annual undertaking of the commission that recognizes government officials and employees who have displayed outstanding work performance.

She added that at stake for the awards program include the Presidential or Lingkod Bayan Award, the Outstanding Public Official and Employee or the Dangal ng Bayan Award and the CSC Pagasa Award.

The program, according to the director, aims to motivate or inspire government employees to improve the quality of their performance and instill deeper involvement in public service.

The search culminates with the recognition and conferment of awards to deserving public servants during the celebration of the anniversary of the Philippine Civil Service in September 2011.

Popularizing the program, Nieto said all agencies are enjoined to set up the event promotional streamers and CSC regional and provincial offices have since commenced visiting different agencies to encourage nominations of public servants and organizations.

“While in 2009 Bicol had a handful of nominees and even became national finalist and awardees, but last year we failed to nominate even a single government worker wherein I believe that there are scores of Bicolano government workers or institutions deserving the recognition,” Nieto noted.

Nomination forms and the required documentation may be secured at any Field/Regional Offices or may be downloaded at www.csc.gov.ph. For inquiries you may call the CSCRO5’s Public Assistance and Liaison Division (PALD) at 482-0699, or you may add our Facebook account, cscregion5pald@yahoon.com. for more updates as regards the program. (MALoterte, PIA Albay)

DENR Bicol wants confiscated lumbers utilizaed for building classrooms and production of school facilities

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will donate some 25,000 board feet of wood products to the Department of Education (DepEd) in Bicol to build classrooms, make desks, chairs and tables, according to the agency’s regional chief.

DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada has already ordered the immediate transfer of confiscated lumber and other forest products for the said purpose.

The move of DENR Bicol came after the issuance of a directive from DENR Sec. Ramon Paje that all confiscated logs and lumbers should be donated to the DepEd instead of public auctioning.

“This, according to the Secretary, to curb shadowy practices wherein unscrupulous financiers benefitted,” Fragada said.

Fragada furthered the donation of confiscated logs and lumbers is one of the priority programs of the DENR this year, adding that field officers are preparing all legal instruments for the handover.

Fragada said that out of the total volume, 17,000 board feet of confiscated logs and lumbers will be initially donated to DepEd Camarines Norte Division Office.

Camarines Norte Provincial Environmental and Natural Resources (PENR) Officer Elpidio Orata meanwhile reported that these logs shall be made available at any time the memorandum of agreement is signed by DENR, DepEd and the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte.

“The logs and lumbers were apprehended by a joint task force of DENR, Phil. Army and Phil. National Police operatives abandoned in Bicol National Park in Camarines Norte” Orata said.

“At present, these confiscated lumbers are under the safekeeping of the Provincial Government impounded in their motor pool at Vinzon, Camarines Norte”, he added.

The reported wood products donations across the country toted up 1,273,685.67 board feet, with output results equivalent to 2,474 arm chairs, 124 pieces desks, 3 table set, 7 cabinets, 42 units of buildings repaired, a city hall renovation and a low-cost housing in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental. (MALOterte, PIA Albay/DENR V)


CWC kicks-off 2011 Presidential Award for friendly LGUS

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — The Bicol Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) is encouraging anew local government units (LGUs) in the region to join the 2011 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities.

Taking the lead in the implementation of the program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol has since been coordinating with local governments and promoting the awards program in various media to get the most number of nominations from LGUs.

DSWD Bicol Director Remia Tapispisan said that the Presidential Award will be conferred to deserving local government units in recognition of their vital role in promoting children’s rights to survival, development, protection and participation as well as in ensuring child-friendly governance.

The council, according to the director, has also sent entry forms to the Local Chief Executives. Entry forms are also available at CWC and DSWD Field Offices and downloadable through their websites.

Guided by an Award timetable, CWC shall give the Awards in October this year.

Validation visits are scheduled in June to July at the regional level and August to September by the National Award Committee to select the Presidential Awardees.

Interested municipalities/cities may submit the duly filled-up Entry Forms and corresponding documents to the Provincial Award Committee (PAC) or to their Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office on or before March 12, 2011.
Highly Urbanized and Independent Component Cities shall directly submit to their respective Regional Award Committees (RAC) care of their DSWD Field Office on or before April 30, 2011. (MALoterte, PIA Albay)

Fun run concludes NSO civil registration month celebration
By Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, (PIA) — The National Statistics Office (NSO)– Camarines Sur, in cooperation with the Camarines Sur Civil Registrar’s Association concluded the Civil Registration Month celebration through its first ever Fun Run activity dubbed as “Lakad Takbo Para sa de Kalidad na Rehistro” held February 27.

Participated in by more than 400 government employees coming from partner agencies and health buffs in the province, the fun run aimed to promote public awareness on the importance of complying with the registration that NSO is implementing.

Clemente Manaog, NSO Camarines Sur provincial statistics officer, said that the activity also served as a reminder to the public that they have the legal obligation to register acts and events concerning the status of persons, and enhance nationwide awareness and appreciation of the legal, administrative and statistical values of civil registry documents.

“We are happy with the positive turn out of the event and we hope to sustain this activity along with other stakeholders in the years to come given the encouraging response from our participants.”

The 5-km fun run started before 6 a.m. in front of the NSO Ooice. The route covered the road along Panganiban Drive, Naga City Subdivision, St. Joseph , Mayon Avenue then back to Panganiban Drive where the NSO office is situated. The first finisher arrived at 6:18 a.m.

Under the theme “Quality Civil Registration in Support of National Development Goals,” the said endeavor is also pursuant to Proclamation No. 682 which was issued on January 18, 1991, declaring the month of February as Civil Registration Month. (PIA Camarines Sur)

DIPECHO team monitors PRC project sites
By Lizel S. Macatangay

SAN FERNANDO, Camarines Sur, (PIA)— With the Integrated Community Disaster Preparedness Project now in full blast at Barangays Marangi, Cotmo, Pinamasagan, Gnaran, and Bical here, members of the monitoring team are also carefully monitoring the venture’s implementation to ensure that the program components are being properly carried out.

Last weekend, the DIPECHO monitoring team, headed by Thearat Touch, DIPECHO assistant director for Southeast Asia; together with Emilio Terejeira, German Red Cross delegate; Patricia Escudero Renedo, Spanish Red Cross delegate; and Victor de Leon, national project coordinator, visited the project sites for their mid year monitoring and evaluation activity.

Nanette Rodrigazo, Philippine Red Cross Camarines Sur Chapter administrator in an interview said that the project is simultaneously being implemented in 10 barangays of San Fernando and Garchitorena.

“These barangays were chosen as recipients of the Disaster Preparedness Program attached and funded by the Department of the European Community Humanitarian Office or DIPECHO through the consortium of the German Red Cross and the Spanish Red Cross.”

The 15-month project aims to reduce the risks of natural disasters like typhoon and flood and help the constituents of the affected barangays to be resilient in dealing with the results of these catastrophes.

The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of local communities to manage and reduce the risks caused by natural disasters, increase the awareness of the schools on hazards and advocate the integration of DRR in the school curriculum; and strengthen coordination and cooperation between local communities, LGUs, and Philippine Red Cross by strengthening local disaster management (DM) structures.

The project intervention includes organization, training, provision of equipment, and mobilization of Barangay Disaster Action Team (BDATs); hazard, vulnerability, and capacity assessment; support to small-scale mitigation project; hazard mapping and information-education-communication campaign.

Providing support to the project aside from the main donor which is DIPECHO are the provincial government of Camarines Sur, the local governemnt units of San Fernando and Garchitorena , the German Red Cross, and the Spanish Red Cross. (PIA Camarines Sur)

Sorsogon to host WOW Go Negosyo Caravan
By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, (PIA) — Sorsogon province will be hosting this May 19-20, 2011 the Department of Trade and Industry's national program for countryside development Work on Wheels (WOW) Go Negosyo Caravan.

In the meeting of the Sorsogon Provincial Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (SPSMEDC) conducted last week here at Ouas Restaurant, Sorsogon Department Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial director Leah Pagao said that the DTI national office has identified the province of Sorsogon as host to the WOW Go Negosyo Caravan primarily to provide hands on knowledge to those who are willing to start small and medium enterprise business and to those who are now in their 2-3 years business implementation to be globally competitive.

The SMED council is targeting 500 participants coming from various sectors specially those who are now graduating from business courses and would like to have their own business, participants from women's organizations, cooperatives and from the Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO).

"We are now referring this activity to the SMEDC so that we will be able to come up with the needed plan to undertake this program." Pagao said.

Through the meeting the council was able to identify the participants as suggested by member agencies.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has committed 50 participants coming from the beneficiaries of their kabuhayan assistance project. Marilyn Luzuriaga said that it will be beneficial to the beneficiaries of their program to have a working knowledge on the several modules that will be provided by the speakers.

The menu package of topics that will be given during the two-day training on Go Negosyo, will focus on three modules: Access to Finance, Productivity and Efficiency and Green Manufacturing.

"We will try to share the benefits of this program to our people and the SMED council will assist them access capitalization." Mrs.Cita "Baby" Hababag president of the SMED council said.

"I started my business through hard work and networking with DTI our government banks and true enough today I would like to share my success to women in the grassroots who are willing to venture in business"

The hosting of the province in the WOW Go Negosyo Caravan will open opportunities to SMEs in accessing national government initiated programs and promote the 3PS which is public- private- partnership, improve productivity and efficiency in the rural communities.

The caravan is PNoy's enabling mechanism to inspire local and countryside development through SMEs. (PIA Sorsogon)

Fire prevention month celebration kicks-off March 1
By Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, (PIA) – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is all set for the official kick off of activities for this year’s Fire Prevention Month to be held tomorrow, March 1.

In his coordination with the Philippine Information Agency Sorsogon Information Office, Sorsogon City Fire Marshall CInsp Renato B. Marcial laid down the month-long activities the city BFP plans to do.

With the theme “Kahandaan sa Sunog… Tungo sa Kaunlaran”, a motorcade along the city’s main thoroughfare will open the Fire Prevention Month activities to stimulate the public’s awareness on fire prevention.

Other activities lined up include information drive and fire truck visibility in different barangays here, a feeding program in Brgy. Sampaloc and first aid training in a private school in Sorsogon City.

City fire personnel will also conduct company and school inspections particularly in elementary schools as well as Ugnayan sa Komunidad in at least four barangays of Sorsogon City. An open house is also scheduled on March 11 at the Sorsogon East Central School in Brgy. Burabod.

On March 26, a Clean-up drive is also set in Bacon District and a Tree Planting activity in Barangay. Abuyog.

A bloodletting activity will culminate this year’s Fire Prevention Month Celebration.

“Firefighters always come when there is already a fire, so we should always be cautious and follow at all times the guidelines set by the BFP. Let us make everyday a fire safety and fire prevention day”, Marcial stressed out. (PIA Sorsogon)

Buy RTBs, treasury exec urges Masbatenos
By Ernie Delgado

MASBATE CITY, (PIA) —The office here of the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) is urging Masbateños to buy retail treasury bonds (RTBs), saying it is a safe, high-yielding investment for their money.
Raul A. Berja, BTr’s chief operations officer here, said the five-year RTBs fetched a coupon rate of 6 percent while the 10-year RTBs got 7.375 percent.

Interest is paid every quarter, but the amount is subject to a 20-percent withholding tax, Berja added.
Berja said the current issue of RTBs is aimed at small investors who can put out a minimum investment of P5,000.

Reports filtering from the BTr main office showed authorized banks had already sold a combined P44.888 billion on Thursday, Wednesday and Tuesday, the first three days of the offer period that will end on March 1, Tuesday.

Berja said those interested should visit the local branches of the selling agents, namely, Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, Metrobank, China Bank, United Coconut Planters Bank, and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

Secure details by calling the BTr local office in these numbers: 333-2258. (PIA Masbate)

3,560 pili seedlings given to agrarian reform beneficiaries
By Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, (PIA) - A total of 3,560 pili seedlings from the Daet seed farm were distributed to some 40 agrarian reform beneficiaires (ARBs) and landowners in this province.
The pili seedlings were distributed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Senior Trade Industry Development specialist Ricky A. Eboña, engineer, said that this will help ARBs and landowners to produce more and will develop the pili industry in the province.

He said that pili production will become an additional source of income of the ARBs and landowners.
Eboña said that this is in connection with the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed last year, that the DA will provide pili seedlings to ARBs beneficiaries/land owners and will conduct site validation and help them in the planting of pili.

It is also stipulated in the MOA that the DTI will give the listings to the DA and will assists them in site validation and the distribution of pili seedlings.

He added that they will also conduct trainings for the farmer beneficiaries/land owners of the program (PIA Camarines Norte)

Physical fitness and sports development council created in CamNor
By Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, (PIA) – The provincial government has created the Provincial Physical Fitness and Sports Development Council (PPFSDC) for their sports for all program in this province.

Earlier an Executive Order No. 2011-07, was issued by Governor Edgardo Tallado for the creation of the PPFSDC which shall act as the provincewide organization and network to assist him in the planning, information, dissemination, and actual implementation and monitoring of the sports for all program in the province.

The PPFSDC was created in connection with Articles XIV, Section 19 (1) of the constitution that, “The state shall promote physical education and encourage sports program, league competitions, and amateur sports including training for international competition to foster self-discipline, teamwork and excellence for the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.”

Also, it is stipulated in the Section VII of RA No. 6847 that it, “provides that the Philippine Sports Commission shall encourage, promote and sustain the creation and establishment of regional, provincial, municipal, and barangay or school district sports promotion and development councils.”

The PSFSDC shall be composed of the Governor; DepEd Division Superintendent; DILG Provincial Director; LGU, PNP, AFP, NGO, and GO representatives; and SK provincial federation president. (PIA Camarines Norte)


CSC prof wins best paper award in Int'l Research Confab

VIRAC, Catanduanes, (PIA) — For her pioneering documentation of a folk knowledge as benchmark for disaster mitigation, Dr. Minerva I. Morales, professor VI of the Catanduanes State Colleges Graduate School, bagged the Best Paper Award in the International Conference and Scientific Meeting on Environmental Education.

Prof. Morales’ research focused on Ethno-meteorological Knowledge (EMK) as Anchorage of Disaster Risk Mitigation of Fishers in Parongpong Island, Caramoran, Catanduanes, Philippines. It identified and documented indigenous knowledge of fishers in the island which are used in charting typhoons and associated atmospheric disturbances.

Seventy researches from 31 research institutions, universities, and colleges participated in event that was conducted by the Environmental Education Network of the Philippines on February 16-18, 2011 at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture.

According to the study, the recorded EMK’s help the fishers survive from the dangers associated with high seas fishing. It also pointed out EMK as a potential springboard for teaching disaster awareness and mitigation since people in the communities can easily relate to their local knowledge.

The research documented 21 ethno-meteorological knowledge—six observed changes in the behavior of organisms, 10 observed environmental and atmospheric phenomena, three activated sensory perception of the fishers and two specific months and dates with consistently experienced disastrous events in high seas.

Observed changes in the behavior of organisms which signals an approaching storm include: coiling of a sea snake (amberan); appearance of luminous organisms (gara-gara) which are more active and visible at night and make the underwater bright and well lighted; fishes sporadically caught by hook and line (gasubad) and which do not follow a pattern (paudlot-odlot) and appearance and eventual desertion of cuttlefish; seaweed (labod) washed ashore; flying of duck (pato) higher than the roof of a house and the sprouting of numerous bamboo shoots.

Approaching storm on the other hand could also be observed in environmental and atmospheric phenomena such as the kabud-kabud or the row of stars (or as described by the fishers, when it ascends from the east, then descend to the west); westerly winds (dumagsa and amihan) that prevail in October to December; surf zone (disi-disian) is excavated, appears like a canal or river bank (gakari, ga pangpang) caused by strong lashing of waves; a short rainbow (burarangaw) that is not in full arc (putol) appearing close to the sea before sunset.

Other signs of impending storms are cloud (panganud) formation and movement; rising sea (nag-alsa), higher wave crest (nagturon) and eventually appearance of white caps and foams during a fine, calm day; simmering sand bottom (ga arimbukad); stronger than normal currents (surog nin dagat); stars appear to twinkle very fast; and occurrence of single roar of thunder (bogtong na darogdog).

Fishers can also sense an approaching typhoon when the smell of the sea, especially the continental shelf (hunasan), is too fishy; an explosion is heard from the nearby-uninhabited island of Kalabagyo; and a defeaning sounds like the breaking of plates and glasses is heard underwater.

Meanwhile, lessons from fatal accidents and bad experiences of fishers in the island are also included in their EMK.

Parongpong fishers consider the last quarter of the year as period of wrecking winds, gigantic waves, and torrential rains. They have also indigenously recorded the fatal fishing trips to Kalipungawan, a renowned rich fishing ground, which all occurred on the first week of March in 1976, 1986 and 1996.
These incidents, which happened in a span of 30 years, served as a grim lesson to the fishers of the island not to venture fishing from March 2-10 of each year. These dates were declared by the community as fishing holidays.

The extent of accuracy of EMK documented by the study was found to be highly accurate based on the results obtained and the extent of influence of this knowledge to fishing trips.

“The unpredictability and climactic turbulence besetting Catanduanes is a given phenomenon that its people have to live with. Through time, the people in the island have profoundly learned to predict weather by means of signs, symbols, indicators, or phenomena for mitigating risks caused by typhoons. This is the evolution of indigenous knowledge system on weather forecasting that served as the bedrock of the islanders to ingeniously develop various coping mechanisms for survival,” the study emphasized. (GSR/CSC/PIA Catanduanes)

Catanduanes State Colleges has 14 new nurses

VIRAC, Catanduanes, (PIA) — Fourteen graduates of the Catanduanes State Colleges passed the recent Nurses Licensure Examination given by the Professional Regulations Commission last December 2010 in 18 testing centers nationwide.

The initial 13 passers identified by the CSC College of Health Sciences as of press time are Regina Salve Balin, Ma. Cinderella R. Ifurung, Carrol Gay F. Jacob, Ignatius Ll. Jordan, Exequiel U. Mariano V, Jayzzon B. Pereyra, Paula Bianca S. Salameña, Nelrose G. Sarmiento, Rosa Aurea A. Tabirara, Salve Tresmanio, Coolen J. Torrecampo, Gayle T. Tuboro, and Jennifer D. Uchi.

PRC announced that 29,711 out of 84,287 or 35.25 percent passed the licensure examination.
CSC had 14 passers out of 38 takers or with 36.84 percent passing rate. Its first takers, however, all passed in the said examination.

PRC also announced that the oathtaking of the new nurses as well as the previous ones who have not taken their Oath of Professional will be held before the Board on March 14 and 15, with morning and afternoon sessions at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. (EABagadiong, PIA Catanduanes)