Nine public hospitals in Albay receive ambulances from PCSO, PGA

LEGAZPI CITY, June 9 (PIA) – Nine district hospitals in the province of Albay are recipients of brand new ambulances from the provincial government of Albay (PGA) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Governor Joey Sarte Salceda and PCSO Albay Branch Manager Eden Banzuela led the distribution of ambulances at the Penaranda Park this morning purchased through PCSO and PGA funding with 60-40% cost sharing scheme.

The recipients of said ambulances are Josefina Belmonte Duran Memorial District Hospital, Pantao District Hospital and district hospitals in Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu, Jovellar, Tiwi, Malilipot, Pioduran and Ligao City.

Dr. Nathaniel Rempillo, Provincial Health Office head, said public hospitals in the province receive new ambulance almost every two years.

He furthered that the provincial government aims to purchase additional transportation units for their office to be used for medical services next year but that will depend on the income of hospitals in the province.

 Banzuela added that Albay has been a beneficiary of their Ambulance Donation Program for several years citing the 60-40 PCSO-PGA cost sharing wherein 4th and 5th class municipalities receive the ambulance for free.

The said units are set to augment health facilities in medical emergency services.(MAL/SAA-PIA5/Albay)

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Indian community helps public schools in Albay

LEGAZPI CITY, June 9 (PIA) – School supplies, stand fans and plastic chairs were among the items donated by a community of Indian nationals to four public elementary schools in Albay.

Indian community spokesperson Suhkpal Singh said they coordinated with local officials to determine school beneficiaries citing further plans of their fellow Indians in the province to help the community.

“It's our pleasure helping these kids. We asked the officials, we consult and came up on its priority. Our organization then decided what particular items to be given away so this is it, we're glad and we never stop helping the community. My fellow Indians are planning to do more and bring the spirit of sharing to others".

The beneficiaries are public school pupils from Tagas and Binitayan in Daraga Albay and Bogtong and Cabangan in Legazpi City.

"We are so thankful to them. This is something needed in our school,” Tagas Elementary School OIC head Nilda Ramirez said.

Ma. Carmen Llacuna, Binitayan Elementary School principal, said “this is beneficial to our students. It’s such a pleasure of receiving a donation from our friends in the Indian community.”

Among the items donated are school supplies, 12 stand fans and 75 plastic chairs and 22 orbit fans.(MAL/SAA-PIA5/Albay)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2571465458923/indian-community-helps-public-schools-in-albay#sthash.7CIMPpp4.dpuf

Albay’s 24K exhibit to feature local artists’ master works of art

By Sally Atento-Altea

LEGAZPI CITY, June 8 (PIA) – Some 24 local artists tagged as masters in their respective artistic medium will be showcasing their works of art at the Art Exhibit slated this month in the province.

Albay artist and designated curator Apo Gonzales will be leading the exhibit dubbed 24K Arts at the Albay Capitol Artrium Art Gallery, Albay Capitol Building in this city on June 9 – 30, 2016, which he considers as his “graduation” or last exhibit under outgoing governor Joey Sarte Salceda.

“The 24K Arts exhibit will feature works of 24 local artists who are currently making and will make good in the future. They are active, patented and productive artists who can be role models for the younger ones,“ Gonzales said over the Ugnayan sa Bicol radio program of the Philippine Information Agency Bicol.

“The artists are masters in different medium – pencil, water color, acrylic and even ball pen and pentel pen. It’s really amazing how they turned it into art,” he furthered.

Gonzales said the exhibit also aims to give recognition to local artists and help them promote their works of art, which is also part of his advocacy.

“My advocacy is to help local artists. As of now, many local artists have emerged and promoted their works of art. Hopefully we’ll have more. There have been supporters who appreciated and brought their works.  It would be better if there are buyers,” he said.

Twenty four panel boards or one masterpiece per artist will be featured and will also be up for sale.

“Each masterpiece has its own identity. The price range will depend on the artist, how they price their work. It may depend on the size or if it’s old or new. It’s best if they could go to the gallery and check the quality,” Gonzales said.

Aside from the 54 art exhibits produced in four years, Gonzales added he is planning for more art exhibits at different venues along a lecture series on art or artist workshop for them to further enhance their knowledge and skills.

“I am planning for more art exhibits at venues that are nearer to people and are easily accessible such as malls, terminals or cafes. For artists, hope we could start with the Art Talk lecture series or artist’s workshop to enhance their knowledge and acquire more skills,” Gonzales said.

The front liners in this exhibit are Cesar Gueta, Maria Magdamit, Renato Jimenez, Djai Tanji,Pat Noveno, Toy Nantes, Benny Santayana, Bert “Sili King” Gonzales, Duchesne Vasquez, Ting Negrete, Carlo Magno Vargas, Emilio De Vera II, jake Roldan, Vicky Balunso, Camilo Reverente, Rene Aldecoa, Art Borlagdan, Alex Scarella, Buddy Relorcasa, Anne Cadiz, Jopermeister Red, Al Baleda, Jef Quintano and Frank Lloyd Cadag. (SAA-PIA5/Albay)



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Mining engineers confab in Legazpi City at the newly completed state of the art Convention Center

LEGAZPI CITY, June 8 (PIA)  -- The facilities of the newly constructed Legazpi City Convention Center here is all set to house at least 2,000 delegates for the National Convention of Philippine Society of Mining Engineers (PSME) starting today until June 10.

Mayor Noel E. Rosalof this city said the PSME confab is the first national gathering to use the convention center following its completion just recently that showcase state of the art facilities including sound system, air conditioning, dressing rooms, rest rooms, lounge, and functions among others.

Rosal said the PSME is a highly respected group of mining engineers which helps crafts programs and policies to work responsibly as professionals for the development of the mining industry much as provide opportunities and assistance for its members and promote the welfare of the organization

The mayor said the construction of the convention center was made possible by a P50 million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) Legazpi City Branch as requested by the city to finance the civil works of the building.

The original design of the project was a multi-purpose hall but due to the increasing number of international as well as national and local organizations that want to hold their meetings in the city, Rosal decided to convert it into convention center.

Rosal said the newly built edifice can be considered as one of the most modern convention centers in the entire Bicolandia with an acoustical wall panel that will guarantee the good sound waves of the sound systems.

The building is located at the adjacent lot of the city motor pool in Washington Drive and only a walking distance from the Legazpi City Airport.  It has a total floor area of 2,165.55 square meters with a total parking space good for 104 cars.  It can also accommodate 1,000 sets in a restaurant setting or 3,000 sets in a theater setting, the city mayor said.

“It will help complement the needs of the continuously increasing number of tourist arrivals in our city in order to achieve our target to become one of the top five convention cities by year 2020,” Rosal said.

Based on data gathered from the City Tourism Office, Rosal said the city has an annual average of 35 different kinds of gathering, with an increase of 45 percent in tourist arrivals or a total of 967,396 visitors recorded in 2015 compared to 666,210 tourist personalities posted in 2014.

“All big events conducted here have improved indirect taxes that benefited so much the city’s business sector like restaurants, hotels, bars and other entertainment establishments that resulted in the continuous increase of tax collected by the city and improved income for the transport sector,” Rosal pointed out.

He said the improvement of business activities in this city will continue to increase its share of the internal revenue allotment from the national government because its share from the IRA is based on the computation of taxes collected here by the Bureau Internal Revenue.  (MAL/EPS-CGL/PIA5/Albay)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/3211465283107/mining-engineers-confab-in-legazpi-city-at-the-newly-completed-state-of-the-art-convention-center#sthash.ZuxvFIMn.dpuf

P459.1 M KALAHI projects completed, underway in Camarines Norte

DAET, Camarines Norte, June 7 (PIA) – More than P459.1 million worth of projects has been implemented in this province under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Service (KALAHI-CIDSS), a community-driven development project under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Under the program, a total of 398 projects throughout the province are being implemented, of these 298 were completed and 174 are on-going which were started in 2014 and will finished on 2017.

DSWD Bicol assistant regional director for Operations Arwin Razo said during a press conference held recently that projects implemented were identified and approved by the community beneficiaries wherein they manage the funds granted for the projects with DSWD for the technical assistance.

He said that projects aimed to empower the community while the local government unit or the barangay help through equity which maybe in the form of mobilization of the people in their area.

He urged media to report projects which were not implemented accordingly for the DSWD to take appropriate actions.

Razo also said that misuse of the cash granted from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to the beneficiaries may also be reported to their office.

Camarines Norte has 32,190 poor household as of February 29, 2016 Listahanan Second Round Household Assessment.

He said that they wanted 4Ps beneficiaries to be responsible and part of their program is to conduct Family Development Sessions to change beneficiaries’ perspective and habits or behavior.

The DSWD also allotted more than P56.5 million pesos for 2016 to support 4Ps beneficiaries’ livelihood under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The program is in partnership with stakeholders who implements the projects wherein this year the DSWD targeted 2,648 families in this province.

In 2015, the DSWD also provided more than P14.8 million to some 3,805 clients throughout the province under the Expanded Aid to Individuals in Crisis Situation (E-AICS).

On the other hand 5,502 senior citizens were provided pension under the Social Pension Program amounting to P33.012 million allocated for the program in 2015.

Meanwhile a total of 1,043 cases of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) in 2015 and 317 on the first quarter of this year were recorded in the region by the Philippine National Police (PNP). This is alarming and it should be slowdown, he said.

Razo said that Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) should be reactivated to help minimize cases involving children.

On the other hand the DSWD chaired the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council (JJWC) which is a policy making, coordinating and monitoring body tasked with the implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act, as amended, through its member and coordinating agencies. (MAL/RBM-PIAV/Camarines Norte)