BFP intensifies fire prevention campaign

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, March 12 (PIA) -- As part of its campaign for a fire-free summer season, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) here in Catanduanes conducts activities to celebrate the National Fire Prevention Month.

The month-long celebration kicked-off with a Unity Walk on March 1, 2013 at downtown Virac participated by The government or the private agencies such Bureau of Fire Prevention, local government units, firefighting agencies, schools, and other institutions.

This year’s theme is “Sunog at Sakuna Paghandaan Kalikasan ay Pangalagaan nang Matamasa ang Pag-unlad ng Bayan.”

According to BFP Senior Fire Officer I, Danilo Tayobano, virac fire marshall, the theme aims to instill to the public the significance of practicing safety at all times.

Highlights of the planned activities are the Symposium on fire prevention at Catanduanes Colleges on March 20, slogan and essay writing on March 21 at Calatagan and the Training on Fire Prevention for all fire brigade marshalls in the 11 towns of the province.

March was declared as Fire Prevention Month due to the alarming increase of fire incidents nationwide being the hottest month of the year. (EAB/ PIA Catanduanes)



Balik Probinsiya to bring home 500 Albay families from Manila slums

By Sally A. Atento

LEGAZPI CITY, March 12 -- The Balik Probinsiya Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol will be bringing home some 500 families from Albay who are now living in Manila slum areas.

This program, according to DENR Bicol regional director Gilbert Gonzales, aims for social recovery and supplementation of the National Greening Program (NGP).

“The program per se has a two pronged approach, one is social recovery and the other is the supplementation of the National Greening Program (NGP),” said Gonzales.

The program beneficiaries including forest occupants in the region will in turn be developing and managing the relocation sites.

Currently, DENR has identified the denuded forestland in barangaysTapel and Nagas in Oas which covers an area of 1,115 hectares (ha).

This site, according to a report from Albay Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Imelda Baltazar, will be divided into five clusters with 200 ha per cluster. Each cluster will be managed by 100 families

Among the components of this program are establishment of a nursery suitable for production of livestock, rice and cash crop together with community facilities and infrastructure development such as farm to market road, health center, chapel and residential houses.

“First it will transform more than a thousand hectares into agricultural-silvicultural farming while empowering the recipient community with adequate financial and infrastructural support vis-à-vis the establishment and maintenance of the project area by the 500 household beneficiaries adopting the concept of NGP,” noted Baltazar.

In preparation for its implementation, field personnel from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) are currently conducting survey mappings and other planning processes.

“They have been busy laying down the pre-development strategies of the Balik Probinsya Program,” said DENR Bicol director.

This project, added Gonzales, is in tune with the convergence initiative advocated by President Aquino together with other partner agencies such as the departments of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, Agrarian Reform, Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, Public Works and Highways, and the National Housing Authority. (MAL/SAA-PIA5, Albay)


DTI, gender council to host Mini Trade Fair and Skills Competition

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, March 12 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office here in coordination with the Provincial Gender Advocacy Council (PGADC) intensified its promotion of GAD and women empowerment in the province through a mini-trade fair and skills competition open to aspiring Sorsogon women entrepreneurs specifically in the marginalized sectors.

As member of the PGADC, the DTI under the leadership of provincial director Leah Pagao led the activity.

Glenda Goingo, DTI’s GAD focal person, said that as women are once again highlighted this March, they have prepared activities that will enhance and promote the entrepreneurial skills of Sorsogon women especially from the marginalized sector, and at the same time help augment their livelihoods.

Dubbed, “Barakalan asin Patiribayan sa Kapitolyo sa Bulan nin mga Kababayihan,” the activity which will be held on March 14-16 at the kasanggayahan Village, Capitol Compound, Sorsogon City, will also be a venue to showcase and promote the locally-made products of Sorsogon’s micro, small, and medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

"It will feature an array of environmental friendly local crafts and food as well as agricultural products developed and made by our very own women,” says Goingo.

The skills competition that will held on the first day will showcase identified skills on “Pagsalad sin bayong (bayong weaving)" and “pagtilad sin pili (pili shell cracking)" to stir the entrepreneurial awareness and cultural appreciation on the essence of Women’s Month in line with the promotion of culture and tradition of the province.

Buyers can take pleasure of the local MSMEs products from the trade fair huts that will be mounted near the Provincial Tourism Compound. Products to be sold will include include handicrafts, processed foods/native delicacies, agri-products (fruits and vegetables), organic products, ornamental plants, and health and wellness products. The three-day selling period will be from 9 a.m. to 7pm.

“We have encouraged the local governments to select the best entry as contestant in their area to stimulate province wide participation. And because our main objective to this activity is to highlight our women’s entrepreneurial skills and showcase our locally made products, we deemed not to collect any participation fee,” Goingo articulated.

This year’s theme of the Women’s Month celebration is “Kababaihan: Gabay sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid na Daan”. (MAL/BAR-PIA 5, Sorsogon)