Bicol hosts live point on World Water Day forum
By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – President Benigno S. Aquino II will officiate the dialogue on water resources in connection when the country celebrates World Water Day on March 22.

While the multi-sectoral forum will officially be held in Mall of Asia in Pasay City, two live points outside Metro Manila - this city and Cagayan de Oro City - will participate in the dialogue.

At Bicol University here and SM Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will converge sectoral leaders for the teleconferencing from 9 to 10 a.m.

Whether in Pasay, this city, or Cagayan de Oro, sectoral participants including students and media may suggest, ask questions, or provide feedback relative to the agenda.

Issues and concerns posed will be utilized as inputs to the executive-legislative agenda on water, particularly in the long-term plan of government.

The annual celebration has for its theme, "Water for Cities Responding to the Urban Challenge."
DENR reports that the country has water resources equivalent to 146 billion cubic meters not properly managed. The department focuses its advocacy on conserving water sources so as to combat water crisis.

The department also disclosed that people must learn to use other sources of water. In many areas, potable water is used for washing clothes, watering plants, and even for washing cars.

DENR says that it is high time that water catchment in rural areas be established to trap rainwater.

At the household level, collecting rainwater is advisable while conservation and reuse of water is highly desirable.

Aside from the DENR, the National Economic and Development Authority and the Department of Interior and Local Government are at the forefront of the activity. (PIA V/Albay/mal)

I-Rice Re-launch kicks off in Camarines Sur
By Lizel S. Macatangay

PALESTINA, Pili, Camarines Sur, (PIA) -- To combat the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency among schoolchildren, the National Food Authority (NFA) in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) re-launched the I-fortified rice in a simple yet momentous ceremony held at the LRV Multi Purpose Building at Palestina Elementary School here.



The activity, which is also being simultaneously introduced in various parts of the country, was attended by stakeholders coming from various government institutions and private organizations. All have sealed their commitment to help the government in its campaign to fight malnutrition, particularly among the undernourished schoolchildren.

I-Rice or Iron Fortified Rice is a mixture of white milled rice and I-Mix or iron rice premix which was processed thru fortification.

Fortified rice is advisable for those children with severe calorie and protein deficiency since it replaces nutrients lost during the milling process. It is also in compliance with the Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000 otherwise known as Republic Act 8976.

NFA Provincial Manager Eliseo B. Caliwag said that their agency is giving its all out support for the government’s fortification program citing among others its important role in promoting the health condition of the children in the province.

“Actually, the use of fortified rice was already launched a few years back, but it experienced a setback due to some reasons so now we are re-launching its use, promoting its importance and recognizing this program as an effective and sustainable means to fight micronutrient deficiency.”

Caliwag also assured the public that I-rice is safe to eat since its fortification is a result of careful and extensive studies involving its partner agencies, like the Department of Health (DOH), Foods and Drugs Administration (FDA), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The Food and Development Center (FDC) of the National Food Authority is also involved in the said process.

Some of the nutritional benefits of I-rice include anemia prevention and prevents child birth defects and mortality during pregnancy. It also boosts healthy red blood cells, enhance body system against infection, improves mental and physical development, helps maintain alertness and endurance and improves productivity. (PIA Camarines Sur/mal)

Road maintenance works ready for lent –DPWH

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol Region is preparing for the Lenten season in terms of maintenance activities on all its road networks.

“We have to double-time to make our arterial and secondary roads comfortable to the traveling public,” said DPWH Regional Director Danilo Dequito during an interview after attending a Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) in Legazpi City.

It will be recalled that Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda declared the province under the state of calamity when it experienced incessant rainfall from the 3rd week of December 2010 until the 2nd week of January 2011.

“There are road sections in Albay and Camarines Sur that were damaged by floods and landslides estimated to cost P122 M for its restoration,” the director further said.

While waiting for funds for the complete rehabilitation of affected damaged roads, concerned District Engineers were instructed to undertake necessary measures to make the highway safe and free from potholes.

“We have to take advantage of the good weather condition now prevailing in most parts of the Region particularly those sections that were submerged in water and mud,” instructed Assistant Regional Director Jesus Salmo in one of the meetings with District Maintenance Engineers in the Region.

DPWH reported a 97.65% completion of its routine maintenance work, as of today. “By end of this month, expect a certain degree of smoothness in the pavement riding surface of our roads in Bicol Region,” ARD Salmo concluded. (LVCastaneda, DPWH/PIA Albay/mal)

PNP inks MOA on crisis situation with local tri-media
By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes (PIA) -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) Catanduanes Provincial Office and the local tri-media in the province mutually and voluntarily agreed to come up with a protocol thru a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed Wednesday at Camp Francisco Camacho, Virac, Catanduanes.

The said protocol is to be observed in case a crisis situation, like hostage-taking, etc. arises. It was indicated in the MOA that the PNP Catanduanes Provincial Office shall enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order and ensure public safety and internal security with the active participation of the community while the Catanduanes Provincial Press Club, Inc. which is a local tri-media in the province will pursue its vital role in nation building through media empowerment, in the light of truth, justice and development.

Included in the protocol to be followed by the local media are the following: report immediately to law enforcers the occurrence of a hostage/critical incident that was brought to your attention; look for the designated spokesperson upon arrival at the scene of the crime.

If none, stay at the police designated media broadcast area (outside of the police line); always put in mind personal safety. If no police line has been established yet, look for a safe place and refrain from making moves that may aggravate the situation; always assume the terrorist, gunmen, hostage takers, etc. have access to the reporting (radio, television, etc…). live coverage (blow-by-blow account) is discouraged except for the following: news flash/breaking news and regular updates from the designated PNP spokesperson.

According to the agreement, in order to be successful and effective, the relationship between police departments and the news media must be both cooperative and communicative
Signatories to the MOA were PSSupt. Lito B. Pitallano, Catanduanes PNP provincial director,and engr. Fernan Gianan, president of the Catanduanes provincial Press Club Inc.

The signing was witnessed by PSI Edgar Bitarra, C, PCR/PIO; Edna A. Bagadiong, PIA Infocen Manager and Arlene O. Bagadiong, Station Manager of DZVC Radyo ng Bayan Virac.
(PIA/Catanduanes/mal)

DOLE Sorsogon conducts anti-illegal recruitment seminar
By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Sorsogon provincial office has conducted a one-day orientation seminar on Anti-Illegal Recruitment at Paradise Hotel, here Wednesday.

Imelda Romanillos, DOLE Field Officer said that the orientation seminar is primarily aimed to create awareness on how illegal recruiters operate, how barangay officials should coordinate and could be of great help in abating such incidence if and when cases of illegal recruitment is observed in their barangays.

"We have recorded several cases of illegal recruitment but the concern is more on the preventive side now. We deemed it necesary to conduct this training since a lot of people specially those seeking work abroad are victimized and fall prey into wrong recruitment agencies" Romanillos explained.

Ruben Romanillos, Provincial Field Operation Officer, DOLE Camarines Norte lectured on the Laws and Regulations on Illegal Recruitment otherwise known as RA 8042 as amended by RA 10022.

"The salient feature of this law is to provide the public information on what should be considered as legal recruitment thus outside of its parameters then the activity becomes illegal", Mr. Romanillos explained.

He said that the problem in illegal recruitment exist alongside legal migration and illegal recruitment maybe committed by both parties because sometimes victims if requested to stand against illegal recruiters become indifferent and would only demand for the return of their money.

While DOLE is trying to assist through their legal division in pinning down illegal recruiters, victims are hesitant to witness in court according to Mr. Romanillos.

Atty Alvin Villamor, DOLE regional director, RO5 said that the seminar is also a call for convergence of agencies to collaborate in the anti-illegal recruitment advocacy campaign.

He said that under illegal recruitment comes the two problems too, the child trafficking and human trafficking.

"Our awareness as workers in this call should be translated into three specific actions: apprehension, prosecution and conviction", Atty Villamor stressed.

" While we have our regional, provincial and municipal task forces, what is disheartening usually is the outright refusal of these victims of illegal recruitment to pursue their cases and we are left with no option but to close the case ", he said.

Meanwhile the problem of illegal recruitment has always been a prevailing problem that mostly some of those who would like to go abroad are sometimes victimized by these unregistered and money making entities who would disguise as acknowledged recruiters by the DOLE so vigilance and collaboration is needed according to director Villamor.

Raymund Escalante, DOLE administrative officer and information officer provided the participants with the Modus Operandi and the 10 Don'ts to Avoid Illegal Recruitment which falls on the following schemes:

Modus Operandi:

1. Tourist worker scheme - workers leaves as tourists but are actually
leaving for employment.(countries: Kuwait, UEA and Oman0

2. Escort Services - workers are scorted at the airport and seaports and
allowed to leave even without necessary papers.

3. Backdoor Exit- workers leave through the backdoor exit where
immigration control is lax. (Malaysia)

4. Assumed Identity- workers leave under another's name or another
person's passportor through the "baklas system" or obtaining passport
through fake birth certificates.

5. Trainee-Worker Scheme- workers are recruited as trainees on a training
agreement for hotels abroad but eventually landing jobs in host countries
(Korea and Japan)

6. Tie-Up or Kabit system -Unlicensed recruitment agencies tie-up with
licensed agencies and recruit workers through the facilities of the latter.

7. Visa Assistance or Immigration consultancy Scheme-entities operating
under the guise of consultancy or offering services for visa facilitation and
are actually engaged in recruitment by offering placement abroad or
immigration visa.(USA, Canada, Ireland and Switzerland)

8. Direct Hiring- workers are recruited allegedly through dirict hiring by
foreign employers and deployed either as tourists or through other legal
means.

9. Non-Visa Countries- workers deployed to country that requires no
visa. (Singapore and Malaysia)

10. Comouflaged Participants/ Representaatives in Seminars or Events-
workers leave as participants to trainings or seminars, sports events,
entourage in concerts abroad but actually intend to work there.

11. Au Pair- an international program wherein a host family sponsors a
person to study language and culture for a certain period of time but is
actually expected to do household chores for a monthly allowance in
exchange of the housepay.(Italy)

12. Mail Order Bride- marriage are arranged by brokers between a Filipino
women and foreigners. The filipino wife ends up as a domestic helper
to her husband and family or worst being trafficked.(Korea and Japan)

13.Referral System- Personal recruitments by agents of Taiwanese fishing
operators thru house to house operations among families in coastal
villages.Referrals system by former recruits to "agents" (Taiwan)

14. Cyber Crimes-advertisement and recruitment of workers through nternet
for overseas employment.Various internet users have complained of
being victimized by websites.

Sending appointment letters to applicantworker and asking them to send money to travel agencies to arrange for requirements
Use of mobile phones or emails of contact alleged employer/ agent
(scammer) without giving any landline
Designation of unathorized partners or agents and in some cases alleged immigration officers to assist their work permits or visas
Use of scanned recruitment documents such as special power of attorney, recruitment agreement, manpower request
Giving fake websites that purportedly contain employer's information and other details which are expectantly incorrect.

15. Blind Ads- advertising from overseas employment published in the dailies do not indicate the name of the recruiter but provides PO Box to which application maybe submitted.PO Box usually leased by illegal recruiters using fictitious names to avoid prosecution.

16. By Correspondence-Interested applicants are encouraged to submit the
requirements for application through mail together with semingly minimal
fee.

10 DON'Ts to avoid Illegal Recruitments:

1. Don't apply with recruitment agencies NOT licensed by the POEA
2. DON'T transact with licensed agencies without job orders.
3. DON'T transact with any person who is not an authorized
representative of licensed agency.
4. DON'T transact business outside the registered address of the
licensed agency.If recruitment is done in the province check if the
agency has a Special Provincial Authority (SRA)
5. DON't pay more than the allowed placement fee which is equivalent
to ONE MONTH SALARY, exclusive of documentation and
processing costs.
6. DON'T pay any placement fee unless you have a valid employment
contract and ask for an official receipt.
7. DON'T be enticed by adds , brochures requiring you to reply to Post
Office (PO) Box and to enclose payment for application forms and
processing of papers.
8. DON'T transact with Training Centers, Travel Agencies or foundations
who promise overseas employment.
9. DON'T accept tourist or visitor's visa.
10. DON'T deal with fixers.


Escalante explained " Always ask assistance from the provincial DOLE office or Provincial Employment Service Officer or coordinate regularly with DOLE regional office for updates and guidelines."

In attendance in the activity were the president of the League of Barangay Captains, the15 LGU Public Employment Service Officers (PESO) , the Provincial PESO and the Philippine National Police womens' desk oficers in the 15 municipalities. (PIA Sorsogon/mal)

Transport strike in Cam Sur fizzles off
By Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, (PIA) --- After gaining a tepid and half hearted support from other transport organizations and from a mass of commuters who got used to perennial threats of being left waiting for rides on the street, the region-wide transport strike fizzled off even before it reached its expected conclusion.

The Concerned Drivers and Operators (CONDOR-PISTON) only got an apathetic support from about 10 per cent in Naga and neighboring towns judging from the number of public utility jeepneys, buses and cabs plying their regular route in and out of the city.

While paralyzing the usual bulk of passengers in the provinces of Albay and Sorsogon, the transport strike staged in Camarines Sur was just like an ordinary work day. It also left the busy streets of Naga as busy as it was during a normal day.

In an interview, Mr. Jaris Vida of Bayan Muna cited the low turn-out of strikers was due to the non- participation of two transport organizations in Naga, particularly the transport cooperative headed by Mr. Raffy Doque and the Naga City Jeepney Federation under Mr. Pio Samonte.

Doque stated that while they sympathize with the clamor of the transport sector, they have decided that a one-day transport strike will not immediately resolve their clamor for a petroleum rollback. He added that they also understand the plight of the commuters who are now shouldering an additional Php1.00 increase in their regular fare pursuant to an earlier resolution recently approved by the Sangguniang Panlunsod of Naga City.

The militant transport group staged the region-wide transport strike in order to air out demands concerning the sector of drivers and operators. The demands include scrapping the oil deregulation law, reasonable roll back of the prices of petroleum and its by-products, abolition of tax being imposed on petroleum and the removal of unjust overpricing of petroleum products. (PIA Camarines Sur/mal)

BIR asks tax payers to pay right taxes
By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, (PIA) - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) RDO 64 asked the support of the tax payers here to pay the right taxes to reach their goal of 592.3 million this year.

In the Tax Campaign Kick Off and press conference held yesterday, BIR OIC RDO Nemesia C. Diano said that tax payers should pay the right taxes and file early before the deadline on April 15, 2011.

She said that in order to exceed their collection target, they will increase voluntary compliance, intensify audit investigation, intensify collection enforcement measure and other administrative measures.

In return, RDO Diano said, they will improve tax payers’ satisfaction by improve quality customer service, enhance e-service and implement a reliable information technology system.
Asst. RDO Modesto Avila Jr., on the other hand, explained they have already requested to deduct P 94 million from their target due to the transfer of three big taxpayers to BIR Manila. (PIA Camarines Norte/mal)

US MCC Grant Now Implemented in the Country
by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – Months after President Benigno S. Aquino III witnessed the signing of the $434 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant to the country, projects for which it was allocated are now to see its realization at the barangay level.

Among the three projects funded by the MCC Account-Philippines is the $120 million Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) which is being implemented in 187 municipalities of six regions, Bicol among them.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) implements said KC-MCC over a period of five years starting 2011 until 2015.

To boost its implementation, the Bicol DSWD needs 15 new employees to focus on the attainment of the projects. Interested individuals have until Monday, March 14 to submit their applications to the regional office located at PBN-Buragwis, Legazpi City addressed to Director Remia Tapispisan.

DSWD is in need of a deputy regional project manager, deputy regional community development specialist, deputy regional community infrastructure specialist, infrastructure assistant, regional financial analyst, financial analyst III, financial analyst II, monitoring and evaluation officer II, regional training assistant, procurement assistant, regional bookkeeper, budget assistant, administrative assistant II who shall function as cash clerk, administrative assistant I and an administrative aide IV who will be designated as driver.

For those who are interested, DSWD Bicol recommends to applicants to download the application form and send same along with the letter of application to kalahi.dswd.gov.ph.

With the KC-MCC, DSWD sees the improvement of community participation in local governance activities and improve access to sustainable basic social and economic services in the rural areas of poor municipalities.

The project too, envisions community mobilization and implementation of community-driven small-scale infrastructure.

Last September 23, 2010 Department of Finance Sec. Cesar Purisima and MCC Chief Executive Officer Daniel Yohannes signed a five-year economic development Compact making available $434 million to support the Philippine Government’s aim for sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction through investments in roads, community-driven development projects, and revenue administration and reform.

President Aquino and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton presided over the signing held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

The Compact program is administered by MCC Account-Philippines (MCA-P) and supports the following projects, Revenue Administration Reform Project (RARP) (approximately $54.4 million) to raise tax revenues and reduce tax evasion and revenue agent-related corruption; Secondary National Roads Development Project (SNRDP) (approximately $214.4 million) designed to reduce transportation costs through the rehabilitation of an existing 222 kilometer road segment in Samar and the KALAHI-CIDSS (approximately $120 million).

KALAHI-CIDSS is a community driven development projects which involve giving small grants to communities with poverty incidence exceeding the national average.

The KALAHI-CIDSS project under the Compact is an expansion of an initial KALAHI-CIDSS Project that was funded by a loan from the World Bank and implemented between 2003 and 2010. The community-driven projects under KALAHI-CIDSS will improve lives of the poorest communities through the direct provision of infrastructure and services associated with community-selected and managed sub-projects, strengthened community participation in development and governance activities and improved responsiveness of local government to community needs.

Created by the US Congress, the MCC has spent billions of dollars for countries that meet a certain criteria after a rigorous evaluation to fund country-led solutions for reducing poverty through sustainable economic growth. (PIA V/Albay/mal)