Albay sets up Help Desk for OFWs in Libya

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – Albayano overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) trapped in Libya which is still in political turmoil can now keep in touch with their families and relatives through the Help Desk Assistance Program of the Albay Provincial Government.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said that as of Sunday (Feb. 27), the desk had assisted some 350 Albayanos seeking assistance to evacuate from Tripoli to Tunis in Tunisia.

“Salvador Refran, an Albayano working in Arab Drilling and Workover Company based in Libya emailed me that he and his co-workers mostly Albayanos are still trapped and worried of their safety because of different armed factions,” he said.

“According to Refran the only option for 350 Albayanos is to take a ferry boat from Tripoli to Malta or Tunisia,” Salceda said.

Governor Salceda said that Help Desk Assistance operates 24 hours in Albay Embassy based in Makati City and at the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO based here.


The desk has since been conducting monitoring regarding the status of OFWs and provided feedback to their families at home and relayed information to government agencies concerned for further and necessary measures

APSEMO maintains a 24-hour operation for Libya using the following communication facilities like in Albay, families can use communication equipment including phone calls and texting/SMS, landlines at (63) (52) 480-3772, 480-5222, 820-1755 (Legazpi numbers). In Albay Embassy, families can use the (63) (2) 877-7672, 381-31-61. (MALoterte, PIA 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)


4’S Laban sa Dengue pinaiigting ng DOH Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA)— Isa ang Dengue sa nangunguna at kinatatakutang epedemya ngayon sa Pilipinas kung kaya naglaan ang Department of Health(DOH)sa rehiyong Bicol ng programang makapagbibigay ng tamang impormasyon upang magabayan ang publiko sa dapat gawin upang makaiwas sa naturang sakit.

Ayon kay Camilo H. Aquino, RN, regional coordinator ng DOH Bicol Dengue Monitoring Unit, ipinapatupad ng ahensiya ang pinaigting pang kampanyang “ 4’s Against Dengue”, na naglalayong makontrol ng naturang sakit kasabay ng pagdidisiplina sa publiko at pagtuturo ng tamang gawin.

Ipinaliwanag ni Aquino na ang ang 4 na S ay ang mga sumusunod:

1. Search and Destroy- sinisiguro ng DOH na mapanatiling malinis ang kapaligiran upang mapuksa ang pinamamahayan ng mga lamok.

2. Seek early Consultation- hinihingi ng ahensya na magpakunsulta agad ang sinumang nakakaramdam at nakakaranas ng mga sintomas ng nasabing sakit. Ang maagang kunsultasyon ay napakahalaga upang maiwasan ang paglala ng Dengue.

3. Self Protection measures- mga dapat gawin at sundin upang mapangalagaan ang sarili at maiwasan ang sakit.ito ay nasa sariling pangangalaga na mismo at pananatili ng kalinisan sa katawan. Katulad ng paghuhugas ng kamay.

4. Say no to indiscriminate-pakikinig at pagtitiwala. Sa pamamagitan nito, matutulungan ang sarili na malunasan at maiwasan ang Dengue. HLLomibao

Ayon kay Aquino, ang sakit na ito ay hindi nakakahawa bagamat mabilis itong kumalat. Wala din itong pinipiling edad, mapa bata o matanda pwedeng dapuan nito, ang nakaka alarma pa, wala pa ding bakuna laban dito.

Dagdag pa niya na mali din diumano ang mga sabi- sabing nakukuha ito sa pamamagitan ng karayom, sa kabilang dako ay direkta itong nakukuha sa lamok na “dengue carrier” lamang.

Pagdurugo ng ilong, pananakit ng tiyan, panghihina at pagkahilo- ilan lamag ito sa mga sintomas ng Dengue. Kadalasan ay hindi mapapansin ng biktima ang mga sintomas na ito gayunpaman inirerekomenda ng DOH na kumunsulta agad oras na may maramdamang kakaiba sa katawan. (HHLomibao, BUCL/PIA Albay/mal)

TMG Bicol releases tips on how to avoid carjacking

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — Due to rapid increase of carjacking cases in the country, the Traffic Management Group (TMG) regional office here advised vehicle owners or users on how to avoid being victimized by car thieves.

Police Superintendent Andre Felix, TMG Bicol regional chief, said the agency has urged the vehicle owners or users to observe the 11 simple guidelines that could help prevent carjacking.

Felix advised motorists to “always lock car doors and windows while travelling or while parked,” noting recent carjacking incidents when armed suspects forcibly took vehicles from drivers or owners at gun point.

Other tips, according to the TMG Bicol chief, include always park car at a safe and secured place; avoid leaving valuables inside the car to preclude temptations; avoid waiting inside the car while parked; avoid making stops in isolated places; avoid stopping for strangers; when being stopped by strangers, continue driving to a lighted, safe and crowded place.

Felix also urged vehicle owners to install security alarm and security devices in cars; never entrust car keys and your car to interested buyers; keep number of the police in your mobile phone, and lastly, when buying a secondhand vehicle or motorcycle, have it checked with the TMG.

TMG Bicol, according to him, hopes that these tips would help the motoring public to be more security conscious of their vehicles. (HHLomibao, BUCAL/PIA Albay/mal)

PCG supports programs in pursuit of MDGs

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) office here has been one of the front liners implementing programs in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations (UN).

Captain Felipe Macababad, deputy commander of the PCG Legazpi District Station, said the office regularly conducts mangrove planting and clean-up operations on coastal areas here in Albay.

Macababad added that these programs aim to achieve environment sustainability as one of the goals of MDGs, particularly by maintaining the cleanliness of the sea.

“One of the major functions of PCG is protecting our marine environment, so we have these programs to carry out this function,” said Macabbabad.

With the cooperation of the Local Government Unit and Maritime schools here, PCG successfully enacted the clean-up operation in barangay Puro which started last September and mangrove planting in Banquerohan last October.

The next target area of PCG is Bacacay, which is scheduled next month. (KENavarro, BUCAL/PIA Albay/mal)


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)

Provincial GAD spearheads 2011 Women's Month celebration
By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, (PIA) – The Provincial Gender Advocacy and Development (PGAD) Council in Sorsogon spearheads this year’s activities for the Women’s Month celebration.

Board member Rebecca Aquino, chair of the Committee on Women and Family Relations convened the members of the PGADC for the listing of activities that will highlight Women’s Role as Development Partners in Governance and Development.

For this year, the Women’s Month celebration will focus on the “Different Faces of Women”. This will be showcased in a photo competition, providing photographers to capture women at their best. The competition is opened to all and criteria will be announced through the Philippine Information Agency Sorsogon Information Center.

A coffee table book highlighting “Empowered Women of Sorsogon” will be one of the projects to be undertaken by the PGADC. The preparation, conceptualization, and write up will be within this 2011 and the book launch will be on March 8, 2012. The book will feature empowered women in the province whose contribution in their different field of expertise has made a significant dent in either their communities, in the province, or in the national development as well.

Several other activities were taken up and discussed that to include the PGAD Logo Making Contest, Poster Making Contest, and Extemporaneous Speaking Competition. Handicraft and Kakanin Making Contests were also included to showcase the versatility of different women in each municipality and to highlight their talent and skills.

To emphasize women’s stand on certain issues and concerns, a forum will be conducted specifically on the proposed revision of the Juvenile Law. The PGADC will lobby for the review and revision of the law since there are certain provisions that have to be amended. Another issue in the forum that calls for the attention of women will be to re-launch the Character Program, started by former Governor Sally Lee.

The PGADC believes that strengthening the values of the young through the character program promotion will eventually create positive changes among our new generation.

Care for the environment will also be taken up in the forum. The presentation will not be the lecture type but will deal more on situational cases and statistical data presentations of issues pertaining to women and children her in the province and in the national scene.

The culminating activity of the March 2011 Women’s Month Celebration will be highlighted on March 31. It will start with a Fun Run at 6:00AM to be participated in by women from all sectors in all municipalities and will start from the provincial government going around the main thoroughfare of Sorsogon City.

To finally culminate the celebration is an evening event dubbed as “A Night for the Empowered Women of Sorsogon”. It will honor the significant contributions of women in Sorsogon from politics, business, academe, media, and other fields. Commendation and recognition will be categorized as individual, group, organization, or sector.

“I am very positive that this year’s celebration of the Women’s Month will focus on the very significant contribution of women as catalysts of change and development. Let us not always picture women as oppressed or victims. It is high time that our role in the Gender Advocacy and Development Program be acknowledged. It is also a time for women to celebrate life and live it,” former governor and now the executive director of the Sorsogon Provincial Management Office (SPMO) Sally A. Lee expressed during the meeting, where the SPMO was the venue and host of the event. (PIA Sorsogon/mal)

Feature: Women of Sorsogon taking the lead in nation building
By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY (PIA) -- Women significantly have evolved themselves into diverse persons self-propelled transformative leaders to impressive empowered individuals.

Society has shaped and accepted them as now playing key roles mainstreamed as remarkable contributors to development and taking lead roles in any given field.

For so many years women were just there as plain housewives, baby carers, food preparers, and quiet bed warmers. Before, they were contented to be at the back seat.

Today, in certain fields where before only given to men, with the Gender Advocacy and Development Program, the work place has become a level playing field where now most women especially here in Sorsogon are taking the lead in governance, in development work - like councils, committees, foundations etc. and particularly are known as best partners in progress.

"I never thought that after being just a plain housewife I have never seen myself as the first City Mayor of Sorsogon City in 2000 and also the first lady governor of the province of Sorsogon," Sally Ante Lee would always share in forums, meetings, and certain occasions where she feels that being a woman one has to play second fiddle.

"I also never thought that I would be exposed to some very remarkable women like Remy Rikkens who now I consider as my mentor and one of the movers and shakers of the women empowerment programs. Remy has been a great inspiration to me in my advocacy for participatory and transformative governance. Now I am no longer afraid to face a crowd to explain the meaning of good governance and how women can evolve themselves to become leaders too," Lee further explained.

The celebration of this year's women's month in the province of Sorsogon has been well-thought of by the technical working group of the provincial Gender Advocacy and Development (PGAD) in a series of meetings together with the very strong organization of the Sorsogon Womens Network (SWN) and other women organizations in the province.

This year's celebration will also focus on the many faces of the women in Sorsogon, their contribution in the different fields, and how their contributions became the rallying point to push for development agenda.

"My entering the government service now as Undersecretary of the National Anti- Poverty Council (NAPC) has been a well-meant step for me to help address poverty seen in the many faces of women.

Believing in the credibility of President Aquino that he is sincere and can do just the right thing to address women's issue I have decided to pursue government service after working for so long as an NGO,” Usec Florencia "Oyen" Dorotan explained to me in one of our candid conversations.

Usec Dorotan is a resident of Irosin, Sorsogon for quite sometime and now occupying a cabinet post under the PNoy administration.

In the same manner Imelda Nicolas, Lorna Dig Dino are women from Sorsogon who are nationally acclaimed and are solid posts of leadership. They have attained a niche for respectability and dedication to serve our country. They are considered our homegrown exports making a difference and contributing in the national development of our country. (PIA Sorsogon/mal)