Climate sensitive talks boost tourism amidst Ibalong Festival

LEGAZPI CITY, August 19 (PIA)  – Organizers have secured sufficient and comfortable accommodation at the leading hotels here for some 1,000 participants to the First Philippine Tourism Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (PTCCCA) slated this coming Aug. 23-25.

One of them is the Oriental Hotel, Legazpi, the main conference venue which has assured reservations for delegates who chose to stay at said hotel which has a total of 115 rooms.

City Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal said the PTCCCA is a big boost to the city’s tourism activity side by side the Ibalong Festival which depicts local legendary heroes Handyong, Baltog and Bantong of the Bicol epic who fought man-made and natural calamities during the ancient Bicolandia.

The modern ‘heroes’ that ought to be molded within the premises of the conference will be the expected outcome of this historic and first of a kind Climate Change Adaptation strategy focusing on the tourism industry as a significant growth area for countryside to national economic development played by resilient stakeholders, policy makers, key government agencies, planners, scientists, business entities and communities, among others.

City Mayor Geraldine Rosal, Tourism-Bicol Regional Director Maria “Nini” Ravanilla and Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development (LCCAD) Inc. President and PTCCCA Conference Director Nong Rangasa are the prime movers in this national conference.

The PTCCCA coincides with the Street Carnival of the annual Ibalong Festival, will perk up investment ventures in the city in as much as the twin events will be highlighted by the inauguration of the Boulevard de Legazpi, a new road opening going to the South Luzon International Airport.

Aside from the walk-in confirmations, the on-line registration of participants continues to pour in from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

President Benigno S. Aquino III is invited to keynote this remarkable conference to find solutions to the disastrous effects of extreme weather events like the recent floods that hit Metro Manila and the nearby provinces.

The participants expressed anticipation on what the President’s pronouncements will be considering the brunt of “Hagupit ng Habagat” that caused so much hopelessness to the victims.

Besides the President, other key officials of the government are expected to grace the PTCCCA such as Vice President Jejomar Binay; Senator Loren Legarda, the UN Asia-Pacific Senior Champion on CCA and DRR; Secretaries Jesse Robredo of DILG, Ramon Paje of DENR, Lucille Sering and Heherson Alvarez of CCC, Elisea Gozun of PACC, and Nereus Acosta of PAEP, among others.

Senator Legarda, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Climate Change hopes to include the result of the PTCCCA deliberations in the framework plans to address the massive flooding in Metro Manila and the CAMANAVA area following the revelation of Dr. Fernando Siringan, an expert of the UP Marine Science Institute that Metro Manila has started to “sink” and why there is massive flooding even in the absence of a typhoon.   

While the major partners are all agog in the preparation of this significant event, local executives, development and planning officials, tourism officers, and other major stakeholders who have signified their attendance to the PTCCCA have already reached the maximum number of expected participants still more are placing reservations and hotel accommodations. 

Even as the countdown begins today, some national legislators other than the six Bicolano representatives have also manifested their interest in joining the event, not to mention the local officials in Bicol who were mandated by an Memorandum Circular (MC) from the DILG to attend the conference as well as officials of government owned or controlled corporations who were also mandated by an MC from the Civil Service Commission.

Rangasa disclosed that flood-damaged areas like Pampanga, Bataan, Alaminos and Nueva Vizcaya are sending more participants than the expected number. (MAL/LCCAD-PIA5)

Bikolanos join in prayers for the safe return of Robredo,two companions

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Aug. 18 (PIA) -- Supporters, friends and city officials gathered at the house of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo today in prayer as they implore Ina’s intercession for the safe return of Robredo and his companions.

The vigil is being held at the Secretary’s residence at Bulusan Street, Dayangdang here .

The social networking sites are also now flooded with prayer requests for the safe return of his group.

Atty. Leni Robredo, the secretary’s wife, knows that the aircraft was having an engine trouble after the secretary himself called her up to inform her of his situation.

Hour later, debris of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane were found by rescuers yet not the large portion of the aircraft. Robredo and the two pilots identified as Capt. Jessup Bahinting, owner of Aviatour Flight School, and Nepalese copilot Kshitiz Chand were also nowhere to be found.

Captain Jun Abrazado, Robredo’s aide, survived when he was thrown off from the plane and was later rescued by fishermen. He sustained a fracture in the arm. After being given initial medical treatment her returned to the site to help in the rescue efforts.

Naga City Mayor John Bongat has called on all the Naguenos to pray together for the safe return of Robredo who headed the city government for the past decades.

It was in 1988 when Robredo first impressed his constituents when he ran as City Mayor at the age of 29. He eventually won and became the youngest city mayor of the Philippines. Robredo during his incumbency has transformed Naga City into one of the most improved cities in Asia.

Tomorrow, Bongat and all the city officials will catch the fast craft for an early trip going to Pilar, Sorsogon bound to Masbate City to personally check the search and rescue operation.

They will be joined by barangay officials and members of the Naga City Press Corps.

President Benigno Aquino already instructed the Philippine Navy and other rescue groups to hasten the search. The President is also off to Masbate City tomorrow.

The plane failed to safely land after the pilot sent a distress call to the Masbate airport. (MAL/LSM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)

1st Philippine Tourism Conference on Climate Change Adaptation slated

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug 17 (PIA) -- Lessons learned from the recent monsoon-wrought flooding in Manila and other parts of the country will provide a great opportunity for brainstorming among tourism industry stakeholders in the upcoming 1st Philippine Tourism Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (PTCCA) scheduled on August 23-25 at the Oriental Hotel, here.

The first of its kind in the country, the PTCCCA is a convergence of decision makers, key government officials, policy makers and planning officers in the business sector and private entities according to conference director Manuel C. Rangasa, also the chairman and president of the Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development (LCCAD, Inc.), the initiator of this national conference.

Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal, co-convenor, also explained that the PTCCCA is a timely conference where fresh experiences and lessons learned (from “Hagupit ng Habagat”) can be shared by those who were directly affected by the flood from the torrential rains and help other areas of the country avoid the same plight from the effects of climate change.

Some dos and don’ts before, during and after floods may be discussed and given due reflections, assessments and corresponding policies may be recommended during the conference to make the tourism sector more resilient to calamities, particularly floods.

Contingency plans, vulnerability assessment tools, strategic pre-emptive adaptation and the quickest possible means of responding to emergencies such as rescue operations will lead to a pliant and productive tourism sector as a major boost to the economy from the countryside to the urban areas particularly Manila.

The PTCCCA is a national project spearheaded by the LCCCAD, a community adaptation practitioners (CAP) and national non-governmental organization (NGO) focused on climate change adaptation in partnership with the city government of Legazpi, Department of Tourism, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Office of the President-Climate Change Commission, Senate of the Philippines-Committee on Climate Change, the Philippine Information Agency, the Provincial Government of Albay, the Ako Bicol Party List, University of the Philippines Los Banos and among others. (MAL/LCCAD-PIA5 Albay)


CSC lines up activities for 112th anniv

By Analiza S. Macatangay

PILI, Camarines Sur, Aug 17 (PIA) -- Civil Service Commission (CSC) Camarines Sur office has lined up various activities in line with the celebration of its 112th anniversary on September.

Under the theme “Kawani Ikaw ay isang Lingkod Bayani,” CSC hopes to promote, showcase and celebrate heroism in public service and give recognition to government workers who have displayed commendable acts of delivering their services to the people.

The activity also aims to underscore stories of triumph and sacrifice among the men and women as significant part of the government workforce.

The month-long celebration will be capped with various endeavors that include fun run and fun walk, kick-off activity, bloodletting, tree planting and medical and dental mission.

CSC Camarines Sur Director II Jocelyn L. Marifosque hopes to encourage members of the community, particularly government employees and other stakeholders to take part in the said endeavor and be counted as one of the heroes in their respective line of professions.

“We want to instill in the hearts of every government worker, particularly those in frontline services, that their great deeds are being recognized by our government. No longer will they be called the unsung heroes. Their dedication and adherence to honesty and public service will surely be rewarded,” Marifosque said in an interview.

Pursuant to CSC Memorandum Circular (MC) No.8 series of 2012, the celebration will have its kick off activity on September 4. This will be marked by a fun run/walk activity starting off at 5 a.m. at SM City Naga.

CSC will collect P200 from the runners, which will cover the registration fee and singlet of the participant. This will be followed by a mass and the formal opening of the said event.

On September 11, CSC has also lined up a bloodletting activity at the Bureau of Fire Protection office in support of the blood program of the government.

“We are inviting all our voluntary blood donors to help us raise our target blood collection so that we can also help other members of our community who are in dire need of blood during times of urgent situations, specifically during the onset of a disaster,” Marifosque added.

Environmentalists and green enthusiasts are also invited to partake of the tree planting activity happening at Barangay Curry, in Pili on September 21. Capping the celebration is a medical and dental mission, feeding program and gift giving at San Ramon Tribal Community at San Ramon, Buhi, this province on September 26.

Interested participants may visit the Civil Service Commission Office at the Capitol Complex, Cadlan, this town or they may call telephone number 475-3429 for further inquiries. (MAL/LSM-PIA5 Camarines Sur)

COACHING FOR INTEGRITY & EXCELLENCE -- Civil Service Commission Chairman Francisco T. Duque III, delivers his speech  at the Coaching for Integrity and Excellence held  today  August 17, at St. Ellis Hotel, Legazpi City, Duque said let us help spread  positive change in the bureaucracy  and actively advocate for good governance. (Alex Cal/PIA).

NSO undertakes survey of enterprises

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Aug 15 (PIA) -- The National Statistics Office (NSO)-Catanduanes is undertaking the 2012 Survey of Enterprises in the Philippines (SEP) this August and September.

The survey is pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 591, Presidential Decree No. 418, Executive Order No. 121 and Executive Order 5.

The 2012 SEP will collect financial data and other information to derive indicators on output, gross fixed capital formation and value added in order to improve compilation of the Philippine Systems of National Accounts (PSNA) and related key economic indicators for macro-economic planning, policy formulation and decision-making by the government and private sectors.

Data at the enterprise level may provide a better understanding on the behavior and new ways on how businesses organize and are operating in the global economy.

This survey aims to: 1) provide reliable national estimates of total income, value added, gross fixed capital formation and total non-financial assets for the financial and non-financial corporations in the institutional sector of the PSNA by 1 digit industry and 2) rationalize response burden to establishment-based surveys through exploration of a new strategy in data collection, that is, to access the Financial Statements (FS) of sample enterprise from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and to complement those information not available in the FS.

The 2012 SEP results will: 1) provide estimates of total income, value added, gross fixed capital formation and total non-financial assets of the financial and non-financial corporation needed to complete the compilation of the accounts for the Philippine systems of Accounts and 2). Identify on a national and regional level the structure of enterprises, the legal and statistical units within the enterprise and their link to the owned and controlled establishments or economic units.

Like any other surveys undertaken by the NSO, the data that will be gathered in the said survey are for statistical purposes only and will be published in summary forms and shall be held strictly confidential and shall not be used for investigation, taxation and law enforcement purposes and shall not be divulged to any person except authorized NSO personnel acting in the performance of their duties

In the province, a total of nine sample establishments will be covered by the survey. (MAL/EAB-PIA5 Catanduanes)