Crime Incidence in Bicol drops by 12 percent
by Ed de Leon

LEGAZPI CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- Crime incidence in Bicol region has declined by 12.09 percent during the first six months of 2011, according to the report of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office during the recent Regional Peace and Order Council (PROC) held in this city.

In his report during the RPOC meeting, Police Supt. Adelio B. Castillo, Regional Operations Division chief, conveying reports of Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) regional director Chief Supt. Cecilio B. Calleja, Jr., presented by said that during the period from January to June 2011 a total of 5,527 crime incidences were reported by the six police provincial commands in Bicol, 107 towns and seven city police stations.

Castillo said that compared to the same period of 2010 which recorded a crime incidences of 6,287 or down by 760 from the 2011.

Of the total crime incidence reported for the first semester this year 3,051 were index crimes while 2,476 were non-index crimes.

He explained that index crimes are committed in violation of the revised penal code while non-index crimes are crimes committed in violation of special laws and local ordinances.

Based on the report , Castillo said that a decrease of 734 index crimes recorded or 17.20 percent decline from the 3,685 recorded for the same period last year. While on he non-index crime a drop of 126 cases was reported or was 4.84 percent lower than the 2,602 recorded for the same period last year.

He reported that the most prevalent among the index crimes committed was physical injury with 1,320 cases or 43.26 percent , followed by theft with 856 cases or 28.06 percent , robbery with 389 cases or 12.75 percent , murder with 197 cases or 6.46 percent , rape with 133 cases or 4.36 percent , homicide with 89 or 2.92 percent , carnapping with 55 cases or 1.8 percent and cattle rustling with 12 cases or .39 percent.

Castillo said Albay recorded the highest crime incidences with 1,609 while Catanduanes had the lowest with 305 cases and the island province of Masbate was second with 1,154 cases

On the crime solution efficiency of the5,527crime incidences reported during the period , 1,342 were solved or equivalent to a 24.63 percent crime solution efficiency rating. This was 15.95 percent higher than the 8.33 percent rating posted during the same period last year.

Castillo said that the decline in the crime incidence was attained due to the implementation of an innovative crime prevention strategies and the effective police visibility system that fielded some 388 additional new policemen recruited last year to identified crime prone areas and the and the active support of the community.

This year, he said, that a total of 327new policemen will be recruited to further boost the manpower strength of the PNP in Bicol. (MAL/EDL, PIAV)


4Ps uplifts quality of life of at least a million poor families – Salceda

LEGAZPI CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- The first year of President Benigno Aquino’s administration has brought a remarkable improvement in bringing down hunger incidence in the country.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, one of the country’s top economists and a close associate of President Aquino, said the government-sustained conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, popularly known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, has freed at least a million poor families across the country from hunger during the first year in office of PNoy.

Salceda, quoting a recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey, said the study indeed showed that there was a significant improvement as the overall hunger incidence dropped by six percent from 3.9 million families in the second half of 2010 to three million families in the second quarter of this year, freeing 977,000 families from hunger.

He said despite the spikes in food prices, the drop in the hunger incidence may be attributed to the expansion of the CCT.

Some 1.3 million poor families were enrolled in June 2010 then increased this to two million by May 2011 and 2.3 million by June 2011.

Salceda furthered that the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) conditional cash grants of P1,400 per month were instrumental in enabling poor families in buying at least one 50-kilogram bag of well-milled rice.

Aside from improving education and health outcomes, the Aquino administration has exploited its potency as a weapon against hunger, he said.

Citing government economic indicators, Salceda said the improvement in hunger reduction is made more impressive since it was achieved in a period of higher food inflation.

As the country’s hunger incidence improved, he proposed that the current 4Ps coverage be expanded, its national roll-out be accelerated and conditionalities targeted for other poor households to cover the rest of the 4.77 million poor households across the country under possibly different conditionalities or overlaid on top of targeted anti-poverty programs for special sectors.

The proposal also includes increasing the budget for 4Ps from P21 billion in 2011 to P34 billion in 2012.

“The funding for 4Ps has proven to be an inspired move while prompting positive and significant consequences in the lives of ordinary families particularly food-poor rural families,” Salceda claimed. (MAL, PIA V)

Measles-Rubella immunization now on its 84% implementation in Sorsogon

by Irma a. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- "We are now ready to say that in the province of Sorsogon , the Measles Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR - SIA) is now 84 % implemented,

"Dr. Napoleon Arevalo, representative of the Department of Health, RO 5- Center for Health Department (DOH-CHD) in the province of Sorsogon said in a report forwarded to this office.

He said that the efforts of the government to really provide the constituency the needed services specifically on health are urgently implemented and are given wide acceptance by the people especially in all areas now here in the province.

"The willingness of mothers to submit their children for vaccination and to be provided health care assistance is now well-accepted and supported by the local chief executives", Arevalo said.

The campaign launched this year by DOH is one of the government's interventions to eliminate the fear for measles that usually has a grave effect to children and lactating mothers when affected.

According to Dr. Arevalo, the cohesive efforts provided by the health workers in the barangays have made a very positive influence on mothers who voluntarily and readily submitted their children to vaccination.

Media campaign done nationwide and the efforts extended by local officials supported by the members of the local media community here in the province also contributed to the fast accomplishment of the program, he said.

"We are very thankful that today here in the province we are left now only with 16% of identified children to be vaccinated. Hopefully before the third quarter of this year we can already achieve the 100% target implementation of the MR-SIA ", Arevalo stressed.

"In our scheduled visits to the municipalities and barangays , mothers and relatives of these young children who are identified by our health workers for immunization had been made already available for vaccination. Although done door to door those who were not around during their scheduled dates were brought by their parents to the barangay health stations for vaccination", he said.

Meanwhile in a submitted report forwarded to PIA Sorsogon yesterday, Charito Diaz, in charge of the MR-SIA activity reports that two municipalities in the second district has already conducted a 100% MR-SIA implementation.

Sta Magdalena has already accomplished MR-SIA to their target of 3171 children and Matnog with a total of 7,228 children given immunization., both have successfully conducted the 100% implementation of the program

Ms Diaz said that Mayor Alejandro Gamos of Sta Magdalena and Mayor Emilio Ubaldo of Matnog has provided the easy facilitation of the implementation of the program together with their health workers.

MR-SIA is now on its 99% implementation in Juban ;98% in Pilar and Donsol while in Casiguran and Castilla its now on its 97% implementation with Irosin having a 96 % accomplishment also.

Other municipalities are now almost in their 87-90% implementation .

Meanwhile because of their big population like the city of Sorsogon and the municipalities of municipalities of Bulan, Gubat and the others are still below the 90% implementation.

To date, according to the report, the program has a target of 159,391 children to be immunized. A total of 156,415 has already been visited and a total of 134,465 children were already provided immunization broken down as follows: for 9-11 months 4,283; 12-25 mos 16,115 and 24-95 mos with a total of 114,067.

Diaz also said that the implementation of the program has been within the time frame and within the expectation of the Department of Health program implementation target.

Public health and safety is now the emerging trend of the DOH primary targets and sed on the thrust of the Aquino Health Agenda program according to Arevalo.

All DOH instrumentalities and facilities has beeb tapped to support and collaborate effectively in the cohesive implementation of all health programs, he said.

"We can say that here in the province of Sorsogon, public health concerns are now becoming more on the preventive and reflective side and not just reactive . Just like in the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) where mitigation is the best service we can do to abate certain situations, so does goes the saying, "An once of prevention is better than a pound of cure"., Arevalo disclosed. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Buruniyogan Fest in Catanduanes town promotes coco industry

SAN ANDRES, Catanduanes, July 6 (PIA) -- “Buruniyogan” has been aptly chosen a moniker of the first community festivity in this municipality depicting the locals gathering in unity at the same time recognizing the bounty and economic returns from the coconut industry.

The first week-long “Buruniyogan” Festival was held here on June 13-18 focusing on the significance of the coconut industry as major source of income for local residents and revenue for the local government.

The festivity’s theme evolved on “From Calolbon (old name of the town) we came, San Andres in now our name… come to the Buruniyogan”.

This town became a municipality on June 18, 1964 by virtue of RA3948, marking this year its 47th foundation anniversary.

The word ‘burunyog’ is an old Bikolano word for united or gathered in unity and harmony.

Combining the ‘burunyog’ with ‘niyog’ (coconut), “Buruniyogan” has been adopted now the official town’s annual festival – a gathering offered to the bounty of the “tree of life”.

Highlights of the activities in last month festivities include coconut tree planting at the Ecology Park and in Barangay Belmonte on day 1; film showing and IEC campaign on coconut industry and prospects on day 2; coconut fun games in day 3; handicraft making and ‘dress your coconut’ contest on the fourth day; and, coconut-based cooking competition on the last day.

“Buruniyogan” Festival 2011 was made possible through the initiative of the municipal government here, in cooperation with the Provincial Tourism Office, provincial offices of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology here and National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and Department of Tourism, Department of Agriculture. MAL, PIA V/LTTasara, PCA V)


Inflation, Price Index in Catanduanes drop

by Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, July 6 (PIA) -- According to the year-on-year price situation, the provincial inflation rate decreased from 2.4 percent in May 2011 compared to the 4.7 percent in May 2010 wherein this month's rate is 2.3 percent lower.

By commodity group, inflationary effects were noted in Services (4.9%); Food Beverages and Tobacco (4.2%)l Miscellaneous (1.2%); Clothing (0.9%); Non-Food (0.6%); Housing and Repairs (0.2%).

Negative percentage change was noted in Fuel, Light and Water (-7.2%).

On the other hand, the month-on-month price situation shows that the CPI for all income households registered a slight decrement of 0.2 percent change of 138.8 in April 2011 to 18.41 in May 2011.

Percent change was noted in Food Groups. This may be attributed to the minimal increases in prices in food items. Meat (1.2%); cereal and cereal preparations (0.7%); Beverages (0.4%); Miscellaneous (0.3%); Tobacco (0.0%); Dairy Products (0.0%); same index.

Negative percentage change was noted in Fish (-2.5%); Eggs (-9.0%); Fruits and Vegetables (-1.5%).

With regards to non-food groups; Fuel Light and Water 0.4 percent change from 229.9 to 230.8; Services 1.0 percent change from 203.3 to 205.4; Housing and Repairs 0.1 percent change from 187.9 to 188.0; Clothing 0.0 no percent change.

With the price trends reported during the month of May 2011 the purchasing power of the peso (PPP) for the province of Catanduanes maintained its value at P0.54. (MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)

CSC warns public vs. career service exam modus

LEGAZPI CITY, July 6 (PIA) -- The Civil Service Commission Regional Office V in this city warns the public against bogus CSC employees who sell application form for the upcoming career service examination.

In an advisory released by CSC, Regional Director Cecelia Nieto warns the applicants for career service exam to directly transact to the nearest CSC office to avoid being a victim of some unscrupulous individuals, who particularly operate in Camarines Sur.

The commission earlier received complaints that they are about five individuals who use the agency in their modus operandi in said province.

According to CSC, the suspects posed as employees of the commission and sell the application form at P500.00. They also issued fake receipts and alleged documentary stamps.

Nieto cleared that the application form can be secured for free at any CSC field office and the P500.00 will be paid upon submission of the duly accomplished forms. No documentary stamp is required for the examination.

CSC also urged the applicants to be extra vigilant and report to their office similar incidents.

Meanwhile, CSC is still accepting applicants for the examination scheduled on October 16, 2011. Deadline for submission of application is until September 1, 2011. (MAL/JMM, PIA V)