Spirit of EDSA in Bicol Run
By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – Bicol celebrates the 25th EDSA I People Power anniversary through the Bicol Run in the same time that similar commemoration will be held in EDSA and nine more provinces nationwide.

The fundraiser run to be held on February 27 in this city has accepted the early registration of 3,300 participants from the different sectors of society said Pinoy Power Bicol Coalition of Volunteers, Inc. (PPBCV) president Ofelia Samar-Sy, M.D.

In yesterday’s meeting, the confirmation of initial “runners” was endorsed by those in assembly that converged in a big group representing the government sector, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, local government units, academe, transport, banking community, civic organizations, business, young professionals, even “gay” organization.

Government agencies based in Camarines Sur like Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the National Commission on Indigenous People stationed in Iriga City attended the late afternoon meeting held at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office.

Sy announced that the Bicol Run will be joined by guests from Manila that will include the new chairman of the Youth Commission Leon Flores III who will give a message and an intermission number from Mae Panet, a.k.a. Juana Change at the opening program and a message at the closing activity.

Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda will deliver an inspirational message while Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol acting regional director Orfelina O. Tuy will convey the words of thanks as the education department will be beneficiary of the fund accrued from the run.
The EDSA Run is spearheaded by the Ninoy and Cory Foundation (NCAF) I am Ninoy, I am Cory Runners in observance of the 1986 People Power Revolution.

The 25th EDSA anniversary as far as the February 27 activity is a new form of people power that will build classrooms to ease the public schools classroom shortage, said NCAF president Rafael Lopa.

The Bicol Run is a joint undertaking of the civil society PPBCV, provincial government of Albay, city government of Legazpi, Jaycees, and the Regional Directors Association in coordination with NCAF.

Said fun run hopes to raise funds from the donations of institutions and runners themselves via contributions and the purchase of t-shirts and ballers. So far, some P35,000 donations have been received.

Sy said in yesterday’s meeting that a target of 8,000 participants may be feasible with the early commitment of would-be participants and based on the attendance during the February 8 light-a-candle ceremony for peace which drew a motley crowd of 6,752.

Pre-registration is extended until February 24 especially for those ordering the specially designed T-shirt, the official garb of the fun run. Inscribed in said t-shirt aside from proclaiming the Bicol Run is the caption, I am a classroom donor.

Walk-in participants are likewise encouraged to register early on the day of the run, February 27 starting 3 a.m. at the Peñaranda Park where the jog will commence up to Embarcadero in Legazpi City.

Bicol Run will begin 4:45 in the morning with an opening program. The jog starts at 5:30 a.m. at the same time that Edsa Run and other provincial runs will commence.

A runner can select whether to take on 3 kilometers or the longer 5 kilometers.

Albay provincial police officer Director Supt. William Macavinta announced that starting 4:30 on Sunday, February 27, the whole stretch of Rizal St. from Peñaranda Park to Lapu-Lapu St. then to Embarcadero will be closed for traffic until all runners have cross the finish line.
Motorists are to take Washington Drive then Tahao Road, Rizal St. route or vice-versa during the duration of the run.

As this is a fun run, the organizers will start with a warm-up exercise, set up three to five water stations with bands to encourage them to finish the course.

Prizes await the fastest runners while all finishers will receive certificates of completion, Sy added.

Other provincial run will be held in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Clark, Pampanga; the cities of Cebu, Davao, Dipolog, Zambaonga; and the provinces of Zambales, Sultan Kudarat and Zamboanga Sibugay.

Interested groups or individuals desiring to join the Bicol Run can visit the PPBCV office at Bicol Medical Plaza, Rizal St., Legazpi City or call (052) 481-5087 (052) 481-5087, 820-5087 or CP#0920-96000760920-9600076. (PIA V/Albay)

Bicol holds Kabikolan conference on language education
…To promote awareness of linguistics, multilingualism
By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – At least some 500 stakeholders in education sector will meet in a three-day Kabikolan Conference on Language and Education starting today to boost instruction of the young through the use of local language.

This morning’s opening program will be attended by Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo.
Said conference is being held at La Piazza Hotel and Convention Center, Tahao Road, Legazpi City from February 24-26.

Teachers and non-teacher participants will be divided into clusters as parallel session will be held on topics such as orthography development, writing Bicol songs, family literacy, teaching math in the mother tongue, cultural math, retrieving folklores, the art of storytelling, production of materials among others.

Likewise, all participants will join the discussion on K+12 curriculum and the early childhood care development.

Speakers from the University of the Philippines Diliman and Los Baños along with those from the Department of Education and the non-profit private organization Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) are on hand to steer the sessions.

SIL has set up activities in the country since 1953. Its services include linguistic research, documentation of Philippine indigenous languages, and translation.

Display booths will be set up at the venue whose opening is set in the afternoon of February 24.

In the evening of the first day a cultural night will take place with the Bangladeshi Ambassador H.E. Munir-Uz-Zaman of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as guest of honor.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) consider languages as a factor in development, ensures cultural diversity, and an important part in attaining quality education for all.

It also believes that mother language like Bicol is an important toll for identify, communication and social integration. (PIA V/Albay)

CamSur enters Guinness record for massive simultaneous tree planting
By Lizel S. Macatangay

CADLAN, Pili, Camarines Sur, (PIA) --- Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte was in high spirits after Seyda Gemici, Guinness Book of World Record adjudicator announced in front of foreign and local correspondents and El Verde participants that the province was able to beat India’s record of simultaneous planting yesterday, February 23.

At around 4 p.m. yesterday, Seyda handed a Certificate of Guinness Book of World Records to Governor Villafuerte signifying Camarines Sur’s triumph to beat India for the most number of trees planted in just a matter of 15 minutes.

India, the former holder of the title, recorded a total of 50,000 trees which were planted by more than 10,000 people in a span of one hour. The activity happened on October 10, 2010, giving India the Guinness slot during that time.

In Camarines Sur had planted, 64, 096 trees all together by more than 6,000 planters in the town of Siruma within the duration of 15 minutes.

Seyda said that the total number was derived from their tagging activity where a bar code or tag is placed for every seedling planted during the event. This, she said is Guinness way of getting the actual number of trees to avoid doubts on the figures that they are going to proclaim.

The El Verde 12 Million Trees by 2012 project initiated by the province of Camarines Sur aims to help save the environment by planting more trees that would help curb the effects of global warming.

On the eve of the main activity, President Benigno Aquino III spearheaded the formal launching of the event at Barangay Sto. Nino, Pili, Camarines Sur signifying his strong support in this endeavor.

The El Verde movement was launched as the whole world celebrates International Year of Forests (IYF)this year. This also runs in concurrence to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ National Greening program which aims to help save the environment for the future generation.

One of the most flood-prone areas and often visited by strong typhoons in the past, Camarines Sur has seen the project as a seamless way to avoid, if not totally eradicate, severe damages caused by these catastrophes. (PIA Camarines Sur)

Alleged members of LTO nabbed for extortion
By Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY (PIA) -- The long months of surveillance and tailing finally paid off for members of Task Force Marshall after finally capturing the suspects in the act of extortion.

The entrapment operation headed by Wiljur Urmaza, vice chairman of Task Force Marshall together with operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation and office of the Ombudsman finally captured Jonnel Agapor, Manolito Dimaano, Victor Delos Santos, and Ronnie Albis , all residents of Libmanan, Camarines Sur.

Found under the suspects' belongings were four professional driver’s license, logbook, a plate card bearing the initials XEB 905, identification card of LTO deputized agent, white envelope which contains P2,500 believed to be part of the day’s collection and the P50 marked money used by the operatives during the operation.

The suspects upon questioning denied any involvement in the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and even denied that they were extorting from truck drivers plying the route of the Maharlika highway. Yet earlier video recording revealed otherwise.

The suspects were caught red handed while accepting the marked money from the task force operative member who posed as one of the truck’s helpers at the LTO checkpoint area at Barangay Mabolo, Naga City.

The suspects are now facing robbery and extortion cases and usurpation of authority which will soon be filed by the task force once they complete the inquest proceedings. (PIA Camarines Sur)

Lake Bulusan spared from ashfall says AGAP Bulusan
By Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – Philip Bartilet, president of the Aggrupation of Advocates for Environment Protection (AGAP) Bulusan, Inc., the officially designated organization to manage tourism activities inside the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP) and its surrounding environment, says business goes on in Bulusan Lake and other tourism destinations in Bulusan town and was not affected by the recent restiveness of Mt. Bulusan.

Bartilet said the announcement was issued, since foreign and local tourists are now afraid to visit the town thinking that Bulusan Lake was affected by ashfalls.

Nestled high on the slope of Bulusan, with its surface waters 2,084 feet above sea level, Bulusan Lake is a place frequently visited by nature lovers and visitors seeking an escape from the bustle of modern life. It has also an eco-park that is perfect for kayaking, hiking, sailing, and aqua biking.

“We did not suspend any tourism activity in Bulusan because the lake and the rest of the tourism destinations here are already outside the 4-km radius Permanent Danger Zone declared by Phivolcs,” he said.

“And since the wind moves in the southwest direction, it has not affected any part of the municipality of Bulusan,” Bartilet said.

It can be noted that Mt. Bulusan after barely three months of being quiet emitted ashes anew on Monday, February 21, reaching as high as 3-km from the summit’s crater affecting the towns of Irosin, Bulan and parts of Casiguran, Juban, and Masbate City.

Town mayor Michael Guysayko, meanwhile, shows optimism that Sorsoganon will continue to support the tourism activities in Bulusan.

“In fact we kept developing more potential tourism destinations here like Dancalan Beach Resort, Miliga-biga Beach, Bayugin Falls, Crystal Spring and Palogtok and Masacrot Mineral Springs, among others,” he added. (PIA Sorsogon)


Tiwi MFARMC wins Natl Gawad Saka search

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — Bicol Region has another milestone achieved in the fisheries sector, as the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) of Tiwi, Albay bagged the 2010 National Gawad Saka Search for Outstanding FARMC by the Department of Agriculture.

BFAR Bicol regional director Dennis del Socorro said that Tiwi MFARMC bested five other finalists from other regions by being the most complete council in terms of accomplishments since its inception in 1999.

Tiwi MFARMC was an achiever on Coastal Resource Management (CRM), law enforcement, livelihood projects for the fisherfolk associations, information dissemination and advocacy activities, fund sourcing and filing of resolutions on fisheries which they recommend for enactment by the Sanguniang Bayan such as the Municipal Fishery Code and consolidated CRM Plans.

The town’s fishery council has received a cash prize of P300,000 and a Presidential plaque of recognition during the awarding rites in Malacañang.

The same council also won the Best Scrapbook award given by the National Technical Evaluation Committee.

Tiwi MFARMC also boasts of having its own funding from the local government unit (LGU) and a FARMC Resource Center in Barangay Bolo.

In 2006, Tiwi MFARMC received US$40,000 or P2.4 million from United Nations Development Project – GEF-SGP as project grant winner in the Panibagong Paraan 2006 (Marketplace of Ideas) Likas Yaman Kabuhayan Project for its CRM activities.

The FARMC is organized in every coastal, lakeside, or riverside municipalities or cities nationwide by virtue of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 and Fisheries Administrative Order 196. It is composed of municipal and commercial fisherfolk, LGU officials and representatives from the private, non-government organization, women and youth sectors.

The 2010 Gawad Saka Search for Outstanding City or Municipal FARMC is the maiden year for this category, making Tiwi MFARMC its first national winner.

Moreover, the MFARMC in partnership with Chevron Geothermal Philippines Holdings, Inc. also won an award of excellence in the 46th Anvil Awards competition given by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines and the 46th Anvil Awards Committee for the Coastal and Fishery Resources Management Program in Tiwi. Awarding ceremonies is on February 18, 2011. (RCAnabe, BFAR V/PIA Albay/mal)

AKO Bicol party list urges PSALM to return Php 2.1 billion to consumers

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-List solon has strongly urge the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) to immediately pay back the Php 2.1 billion pesos collected from 8 million member-consumers of electric cooperatives between 2001 and 2004.

AKB Rep. Rodel Batocabe, vice-chairman of the House on Committee on Cooperative Development said that prior to the effectivity of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA)on June 26, 2001, amortization payments of the loans incurred by electric cooperatives from the National Electric Administration (NEA) as a result of their rural electrification programs were passed on to consumers through their monthly electric bills.

However, with the passage of EPIRA on June 26, 2001, the financial obligations of electric cooperatives which amounted to Php17.9 billion pesos were written off and said obligations were assumed by PSALM.

Batocabe, in an interview, pointed out that technically, since the financial obligations of electric cooperatives were already condoned and there was no more obligations to be passed on to consumers, this in effect would bring down the electric rates of electricity consumers across the country.

At the Joint Hearing of the Committees Cooperative Development and Energy chaired by Coop-Natco Rep. Jose Ping-ay and Rep. Henedina Abad (LP, Batanes) , respectively, PSALM and NEA were pointing at each other as to which agency would shoulder the overcharges imposed on the consumers.

PSALM and NEA at the joint committees said that they will submit the issue to arbitration before the Office of the Solicitor-General.

Batocabe, however, urged both committees to exercise their respective oversight functions to ensure a speedy and impartial arbitration process for the benefit of the consumers.

However, it took some time after June 26, 2001 for PSALM and NEA told the committee that their agency took some time to validate the amount of actual loans due by various electric cooperatives and the corresponding decrease in the monthly charges of consumers.

Moreover, the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) has also to approve the decrease in the rates charged, as a result most electric cooperatives started only to decrease their rates sometime in 2003 and 2004.

Meantime, electric cooperatives continued to pass on to the consumers the amortization payments for the loans it incurred with NEA, Batocabe said.

“Under the EPIRA, the financial obligations of electric cooperatives incurred in their rural electrification program as of June 26, 2001 were supposed to be assumed by PSALM.

In effect, the EPIRA law writes off all financial obligations the cooperatives incurred thus relieving consumers of additional charges passed on to them by the cooperative.

However various electric cooperatives continued to impose additional charges which they remitted to NEA even up to 2004.

“This unwarranted payment of consumers estimated to have reached P2.1 billion, this amount should have been the obligations of PSALM to NEA and not of our consumers .” stressed Batocabe.

Ako Bicol Party List is especially concerned on the additional burden such overcharges caused its constituents in Bicol.

Bicol's electric cooperatives, particularly Aleco, have long been considered as problematic cooperative because of mismanagement and alleged graft and corruption. (Office of Ako Bicol Partylist/PIA Albay/mal)