POWER SECTOR IN BICOL MORE THAN STABLE

LEGAZPI CITY — The power sector here is ‘more than stable’ as assessed by the Department of Labor and Employment in (DOLE) Bicol during the recent Regional Industry Tripartite Council (RITC) forum early this month.

DOLE Bicol regional director and RITC chairman Ernesto C. Bihis said the eight local electric cooperatives have assured that their revenues and manpower development programs are intact and ’untouched’, thus there is ’no reason’ for panic among the rank and file.

To closely monitor the sector’s trend, DOLE Bicol initiated the creation of the RITC last year to strengthen the bond between the management and personnel in order to achieve a harmonious, dispute-free workplace and continuous service.

“A social accord was also crafted which provided better benefits to the workers and now also serves as an ’assurance’ of not losing any jobs,” he said.

“The social accord protects both ways: the workers are secure in crisis like this, while the management is assured of smooth, uninterrupted operations in times of disputes.

With this signed and agreed social accord, everybody is happy,” the director added.The power sector remains as one of the main employment contributors with more than 1,000 regular workers and some thousand-more contractual and project-based workers being hired for specialized projects.

DOLE’s Workers Income Augmentation (WINAP) program awarded some P1.5 million grant to three electric cooperatives and one geothermal plant for livelihood project for its employees’ union.

The move, which is specified under the social accord gives employees additional income while giving the management a lee-way in granting additional benefits.

“If employees are earning aside from their salary then they will not demand an increase in benefits. Our aim here, first, is to stabilize the workplace and second, to generate additional employment,” Bihis recounted.(RPEscalante, DOLE V/PIA)


SORSOGON INTIENSIFIES DRIVE AGAINST STD/STI, HIV THREATS

SORSOGON Province – Governor Sally A. Lee has convened today the chief executives of the 14 municipalities and Sorsogon City crafting policies and measures which will address the worsening problem and mounting threats of Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV).

”We need to establish a local coordinating mechanism that can lessen and further prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), particularly in the province,” Lee stressed.

Bicol Reproductive Health Information Network (BRHIN), a non-government organization, recently reported 60 HIV-positive cases were recorded in the Bicol region as of December 2008.

The BRHIN report further stated 23 cases were recorded in Albay, 15 in Camarines Sur, eight in Catanduanes, four in Camarines Norte and one in Masbate.

Sorsogon accounts for nine cases, the third highest in the region.Other types of sexually transmitted infections (STI) has also been noted rising in the region.

According to medical experts, the rise of STD cases is basically behavioral in nature as well as lack of education.

Critical to its prevention is the formation of advocacy measures especially through local government executives in hot spot areas for sustained local response on STI and HIV.

In order to address the health and societal threats of STD in the province, Lee has directed the Provincial Health Office (PHO) here to initiate a concerted effort between the local chief executives to formulate intensified measures against spread of STD as well as re-establish or foster a stronger link between the Philippine National Aids Council (PNAC), UNAID, other external partners and local government units.

These are viewed as urgent in identifying priority needs for initiating and/or sustaining local response.

Dr. Gladys Escote of the PHO said the past efforts to control the spreads of STD were not sustained which could have caused the increase of reported cases in the province.(MFD OPGS/PIA Sorsogon Release)


MGB-V INVESTIGATES ‘SOIL DROP’

SORSOGON Province — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau in (MGB) Bicol, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provincial office here, has investigated the phenomenal ‘soil drop’ that allegedly occurred at sitio Tigkiw-na-Saday in Barangay Tigkiw in Gubat, Sorsogon.

Quoting an investigation report by Senior Science Research Specialist, Diosdado R. Dizon of Geosciences Division, MGB Bicokl regional director Reynulfo A. Juan said the ‘soil drop’ is actually a mass movement or a landslide.

“The landslide occurred at Sitio Uban, Barangay Inlagadian in Barcelona not in Barangay Tigkiw in Gubat as earlier reported in the media,” Juan said.

He noted the ‘phenomenon’ started as a small headward soil erosion along a small tributary of Danlog River in November 2008 and moved en-masse as a debris slump on January 2009 triggered by heavy rains.

“The landslide occurred at the gully head of a tributary of Danlog River and since the gully head is at the edge of a volcanic footslope, base cutting processes coupled with saturated soil resulted to a ground failure on nearly flat ground,” he explained.

“The slump is 75 meters wide, 150 meters long and 20 meters deep. About 225,000 cubic meters of materials moved downslope towards Danlog River,” Juan pointed out.(LDValdez, MGB V/PIA)


TUNA-TAGGING PROJECT LAUNCHED

PILI, CAMARINES SUR — The Secretariat of the Pacific Community-Oceanic Fisheries Programme (SPC-OFP) has launched a tuna tagging research project across Western and Central Pacific Ocean to assess the stock, status and movement patterns of tuna species such as Bigeye, Skipjack and Yellowfin using different kind of tags.

The tagging project will help gather information regarding growth, fishing and natural mortality, and fish movements—all of which are important population parameters that are used to estimate the status of tuna stock, the impacts of fishing and provide invaluable information for conservation and management.

Tuna fisheries have to be assessed and managed among many nations because tuna are highly migratory fish and some species span across the Pacific, and thus are not always under the oversight of a single nation.

All tagged tuna have one (or sometimes two) plastic dart tags inserted below the second dorsal fin. An identifying tag number is printed twice on each tag and the words: SPC NOUMEA-REWARD-www.spc.int/tagging.

Most tags are yellow. If the tag is green or orange, the tuna will also have an electronic tag placed inside its body cavity. Tuna with a green dart tag also have a valuable acoustic tag that is not visible from the outside. Tuna with an orange tag have an archival tag which you can see because it has a clear antenna coming out of the body cavity.

A cash reward awaits each tag returned: $10 US for a yellow tag, $50 US for a green tag and $250 US for an orange or red tag. There will also be an annual lottery with large cash prizes.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) validates the returned tags and awards the cash prizes in the Philippines.

Just recently, three fishermen from Tabaco City were given a total of fifty dollars (P2,250.00) for returning five yellow tags from yellow-fin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught by hook and line and purse seine. They are Domingo Bansagales of Barangay Sagurong SMI who returned three yellow tags, Rogelio Biron and Fernando Esplana of Barangays Bacolod and Bangkilingan respectively who returned one yellow tag each.

BFAR Bicol regional dirctor Dennis del Socorro led the awarding of the cash prizes to these fishermen on February 4, 2009 at Tabaco City Pier Site.

A personnel of the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) of BFAR, Rose Bubuli coordinated with the fishermen in returning the said tuna tags.

The success of the project depends on the cooperation of all stakeholders especially those involved in tuna fisheries because the more tags returned, the more accurate information will be obtained, thereby providing the best scientific advice for future tuna fisheries and management.

With tuna fisheries believed as crucial to the economic development and future food security with the potential to increase export earnings and create jobs, the result of the project will contribute a lot in the sustainable management of fishery resources especially tuna.(RCanabe, BFAR V/PIA)


DOLE BICOL NOW HIRING NURSES FOR “NARS”

LEGAZPI CITY — Some 670 nurses in the Bicol region will be hired by the government under the “Nurses Assigned to Rural Service” (NARS) program, according to regional director Ernesto Bihis of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

“Registered nurses, who are unemployed for years and whose family-member is displaced by the global financial crisis, can now apply for employment through this 6-month program which will commence April 1, 2009,” he said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo launched February 9 the NARS program during the Multi-Sectoral summit on Global Financial Crisis (GFC) at Malacañan to cushion the effects of the global economic meltdown thru local job generation.

The President has tasked DOLE to take the lead in the implementation of the program, in coordination with the local government units all over the country.

“Some P5.3 million has been allocated for the Bicol region, but we are still lobbying for additional funds for additional slots here,” Bihis related in an interview recently this week.

The NARS program also intends to address issues on the accumulation of a glut in inexperienced nurses and the proliferation of volunteer nurses working in hospitals without being paid, but instead, the latter requiring them to pay in order to obtain Certificate of Work Experience.

“Imagine you’re already a nursing graduate, you’ve used up all your money for review and board exams, yet instead of getting paid you will be the one paying the hospitals for experience? This is nonsense.” the director lamented.

The NARS in Bicol, will be implemented in two (2) batches.Hired nurses will be deployed at an average of 5 per town in the identified 3rd and 6th class municipalities for a 6-months tour-of-duty with a minimum monthly salary of P8,000.00.

The first batch will start on April 2009, while second batch will be dispatched n October 2010.

Priority in hiring will be given to those nurses who are dependents of workers affected by the economic crisis.

“Unemployed registered nurses who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their hometowns who meet the requirements may qualify for the training cum employment under our NARS program” Bihis noted.

Qualified to apply are registered nurse will PRC license, not over 35 years old, resident of the identified municipalities, and has no nursing-related practice for 1-3 years.

Applicants may apply at the DOLE Bicol regional office and provincial offices. They may also apply thru the internet at http://www.nars.dole.gov.ph/, (RP Escalante, DOLE V/PIA)


CONCRETING OF TINAWAGAN-LIBOD FMR UNDERWAY

TIGAON, Camarines Sur — After years of waiting and hoping on the promises made by politicians every election year, the people of barangay Tinawagan and Libod in this municipality finally realized their dream of a walking on a concrete road with the groundbreaking ceremonies Wednesday (February 25) of Tinawagan-Libod farm-to-market road.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has allocated P3M for the concreting of the 430-meter Tinawagan – Libod farm-to-market road (FMR) as part of the government’s stimulus package to rev up economic growth thru agricultural productivity, especially in the countryside in the face of global economic slowdown.

When completed, the project is expected to benefit 1,321 households. Over 330 hectares of agricultural lands, planted to rice, coconut, corn, sugarcane, banana, abaca, pili, mango, citrus and vegetables, will also benefit from the FMR project.

DA regional executive director Dr. Jose V. Dayao and Tigaon Mayor Arnie Fuentebella led the launching ceremonies, followed by the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the two parties.

He said that this activity is but one of the nationwide simultaneous launching of various FMRs spanning over 2,000 kilometers across the nation that will generate an estimated 53,00 jobs.

He also explained the DA is shifting this year its focus on hard or “big –ticket” projects which include irrigation, post harvest facilities and farm-to-market roads in lieu of “soft” projects like fertilizer support to farmers as the former have greater and more sustainable impact.

Fuentebella for his part gratefully acknowledged the realization of the project for the people of barangay Tinawagan who have long been clamoring for the concreting of their road over the years.

He said that particular road section is often unpassable especially during rainy days as the water from the creeks and ricefields would all converge into in the middle of the road further eroding it .

He also related that it has always been a campaign promise by many-a-politician that they would work for the concreting of said road the moment they are elected but these had remained just a promise.

FMR projects are usually located within Key Production Area, marginal lands or new sites under convergence initiatives which link these areas to higher road class systems and major markets or trading posts.(EBBordado, DA V/PIA)


NEW BENEFIT FOR FILIPINO WWII VETERANS; IN-PERSON APPEARANCE IS NOT MANDATORY

MANILA -- For all Filipino World War II veterans applying to receive their benefit under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the U.S. Embassy is actively working to implement quickly this new law to ensure eligible veterans receive their rightful benefits as soon as possible.

In order to best serve the Filipino veteran community and to provide those eligible veterans the opportunity to apply at the earliest opportunity, the application process no longer requires an in-person appearance.

Veterans do not need to appear in-person. There is no fee to apply for this new benefit. Application forms are available at the U.S. Embassy, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City and the 13 Philippine Veterans Affairs Offices located throughout the Philippines.

For further details on these locations and dates when the U.S. Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office staff will be on duty to assist veterans applying for the new benefit, go to:http://manila.usembassy.gov.

Applications are now being accepted and will continue to be accepted for one year, until February 16, 2010. Those applications being mailed from within the Philippines may be mailed with required supporting documents, and should be sent to:

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
1131 Roxas Boulevard 0930
Manila, Philippines

Veterans needing assistance with their application may request an appointment with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office V by calling (2) 528-2500 within Metro Manila or 1 800 1888 5252 toll free, or via e-mail at https://iris.va.gov. In many instances, any assistance you may need to complete the application can be provided by calling these numbers and you will not need to appear in-person.

For additional information including eligibility requirements and required supporting documents for your application, go to “Frequently Asked Questions” located on our US Embassy website at: http://manila.usembassy.gov/wwwhs581.html. (PIA V Release)


PGMA TO ATTEND 14TH ASEAN SUMMIT IN THAILAND

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will join nine leaders of Southeast Asia at the 14th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit which opens here today and runs until March 1.

The theme of the summit, “ASEAN Charter for ASEAN People”, underlines the regional leaders’ vision of a new era for ASEAN.Aside from the Philippines, the other members of the regional bloc are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The President is expected to arrive in Thailand tomorrow (Feb. 28).Upon her arrival here, the President and the other heads of state of the ASEAN-member countries will participate in a series of high level meetings and conferences at the Dusit Hotel here.

The main focus of the summit will be ASEAN's efforts to help its export-dependent economies withstand the ravages of the global financial crisis, with some member nations already caught or on the brink of the recession.

The ASEAN leaders are also scheduled to sign a declaration on a roadmap for forming a European Union-style community by 2015 and formally initial a free-trade pact with Australia and New Zealand.

They will also discuss a $120-billion emergency fund which the ASEAN finance approved earlier Sunday.

The President is scheduled to return to Manila on March 1.(PIA V Release)


PGMA’s "ONE TOWN, ONE SCHOLAR” PROGRAM TAKES OFF

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s ‘One Town, One Scholar” program that will ensure the college education of at least one bright and deserving but poor high school senior from each of the country’s 1,500 municipalities every year, finally takes off the ground this school year (SY) 2009-2010.

The implementation of the program starting June this year was finalized in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed Thursday night during the 6th National Directorate Meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Torre Venezia Hotel along Timog Avenue in Quezon City.

Signatories to the MOA are Binalonan, Pangasinan Mayor Ramon Guico, LMP president; Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Emmanuel Angeles, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Eduardo Soliman, Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Vilma Labrador, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Mario Relampagos, and PASUC president Dr. Lauro Tacbas.

Esperon said the program will ensure that the best and brightest public high school graduate from each of the country’s 1,500 municipalities, especially those who have no financial means, will get a college education.

For SY 2009-2010, Relampagos said CHED would allocate P46.35 million from its existing budget for the program, while succeeding funding requirements for the scholars would be incorporated under CHED’s annual proposed budget.

Guico assured LMP fully supports the program and will encourage local government units to augment the scholarship benefits for their town scholars.He foresees the doubling or even tripling of the number of town scholars shortly, depending on the capacity of member municipalities.

Dr. Tacbas said the One Town, One Scholar program is one huge help for poor students since poverty is the main cause of dropouts in the 110 state universities and colleges nationwide.

Under the “One Town, One Scholar” Program, all scholars will each receive a scholarship grant for a four-year or five-year college degree program, including free tuition, transportation and living allowances, not exceeding P15,000 per semester for SY 2009-2010 and every year thereafter. The scholar, however, must pass the state college or university’s entrance examinations.

As conceived, Town Scholars must (a) be a natural born Filipino citizen residing in the municipality; (b) be a graduating student of a public high school in the municipality; (c) belong to the top 10 of the graduating class of their public school; (d) come from a family whose combined gross annual income is below P300,000; and (e) have good moral character and good health.

Interested applicants have to submit their letters of application to their respective schools, subject to the screening and selection process agreed upon by the municipal government and DepEd, aside from the program’s minimum requirements.

Period for application, screening and selection of grantees at the municipal town level is from March 1 to April 15, 2009, after which the town mayor will endorse to the CHED Regional Office (CHEDRO) the selected scholar. CHED will validate the grantee’s records prior to the final issuance of Scholarship Certificate.(PIA V Release)


PRIVATE SCHOOLS HEED GMA'S TUITION HIKE MORATORIUM CALL

MANILA — Most private universities and colleges have heeded President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s call for a freeze in tuition fee hike this school year to help poor students and their families cope up with the adverse effects of the global economic downturn.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Emmanuel Angeles bared this positive development during the signing Thursday night (February 26) of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the “One Town One Scholar” program of the government.

The program seeks to ensure the college education of at least one bright and deserving but poor high school senior from each of the country’s 1,500 municipalities every year, starting school year (SY) 2009-2010.

The MOA was signed by officials of agencies involved in the program during the 6th National Directorate Meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Torre Venezia Hotel along Timog Avenue in Quezon City.

In his recent visits to the regions, Angeles said private universities and colleges have manifested their support for President’s call for a freeze in tuition hike on account of the worsening global financial crisis.

He added that he is pleased by the positive response of private schools’ officials in other regions to the President’s appeal for a moratorium on tuition increase this year.

“Siguro baka wala pang ten percent ang mag i-increase kung sakali man (Perhaps only 10 percent of them will increase their rates, if at all). So it is working and we will continue our appeal to them,” Angeles added.

In addition to the moratorium on tuition increases, President Arroyo has also directed CHED to appeal to all private and public colleges and universities to allow the children of temporarily displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to continue their college education under a deferred payment scheme.

Earlier, President Arroyo likewise directed the temporary shelving of all tuition fee hike plans in al the 110 state universities and colleges (SUCs) nationwide to help reduce the college dropout rate and firm up an environment conducive to quality tertiary education.(PIA V Release)


PGMA TO LEAD WORLD'S FIRST AND LARGEST MARCH VS. ILLEGAL DRUGS

MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will lead more than 500,000 public elementary school children and their parents in what aims to be the world’s first and largest march against illegal drugs.

Dubbed the Grand BIDA March, this activity is a major component of the Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA) project spearheaded by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) Efraim C. Genuino and is supported by various government agencies, local government units and non-government organizations.

During the event, participants shall converge at the CCP Complex, starting at 1 p.m., then march along the length of Roxas Boulevard towards the Quirino Grandstand.

Through this effort, the organizations hope to earn for the country a place in history and a shot at a Guinness Book World Record.“We strongly encourage everyone, young or old and from all walks of life, to join this call for a drug-free nation,” Chairman Genuino said.

“Let us work together to make our country a safer place to live. We owe it to our children and to the future generations,” he stressed.(PIA V Release)