ALBAY DRR PROGRAM AND A2C2 CITED IN UN CONFERENCE

LEGAZPI CITY— Albay province has received another accolade from the United Nation Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Conference held recently in Geneva, Switzerland citing the provincial government’s programs on disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, who attended the conference last June 16-19, said the province has been cited for its preemptive evacuation, which has since achieved a “zero casualty” in times of disaster, and mangrove plantation program as deterrent to climate change.

The governor, pioneering the climate change research and adaptation in the province and perhaps in the country as well, represented the country’s local government unit (LGU) sector in said four-day conference.

Salceda said Senator Loren Legarda in her plenary keynote address hailed Albay as LGU model for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, referring to the programs of the province in pursuing preparedness and management operations in times of natural disasters and other calamities.

Legarda cited in her discussion the creation and institutionalization of the Albay Provincial Safety, Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) pursuing preemptive evacuation procedures during calamities, and mangrove plantation as deterrent to climate change.

APSEMO is the first of its kind in the country to serve as the technical and administrative arm of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) due to the geographic and geologic location of the province highly vulnerable to various types of natural hazards like typhoons, flood, mud/debris flows, storm surges, tsunami, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

“The province has also recently entered to a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the P2 million joint projects on mangrove plantations and development in hundreds of hectares of swamp areas in various provincial coastlines,” Salceda said.

Meanwhile, OxFam GB of the United Kingdom also featured Albay’s disaster management program in a documentary and information materials on its best practices on disaster risk reduction.

It can be recalled Albay has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Outstanding Governance Programs in the Search for Galing Pook 2008 for its innovative approaches in institutionalizing the APSEMO. (MALoterte, PIA V)


SORSOGON CHOSEN PILOT AREA FOR RA 9003 REVIEW

SORSOGON CITY— Sorsogon province will be the venue for the Omnibus Review of the provisions of Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as “The Solid Waste Management Act of 2003, according to Gov. Sally Lee.

Lee said the Southeast Asia Urban Environment Management Application (SEA-UEMA), under the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has identified Sorsogon as learning resource center and pilot province for the assessment of RA 2003.

“Sorsogon was chosen among the 81 provinces all over the country. Being chosen as venue for the one-year policy review is an offshoot of our continuous networking efforts with other local and foreign organizations,” she averred.

Lee added a Flagship Project Inception Workshop was recently conducted in the province as part of the policy advocacy component of the SEA-UEMA project.

”We also launched the project and signed the Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement among the Provincial Government, Local Government Academy (LGA) and La Salle Institute of Governance (LISG) last March, this year. These activities were all part of the preparation stage before the project will be fully implemented,” she said.

”Dr. Francisco Magno, LISG director, and Mr. Marlon Era, also of La Salle-Manila, facilitated a consultation dialogue for the creation of the technical working group that will review RA 9003,” she also said.

Lee noted the policy review is necessary because some provisions in RA 9003 were found out difficult for local government to comply with or implement.

RA 9003 mandates waste segregation in every household, recycling and composting of wastes in the barangay level, and the collection of wastes which are un-recyclable or which cannot be composted by the municipal or city government to be dumped in a sanitary landfill.

Barangays Pangpang here and Zone 2 in Bulan town will be the venues for the assessment projects on the Solid Waste Management Program.

Following the 1-year policy review, the technical working group will submit a proposal to the national government on amendments, including issues and concerns on the non-compliance of some provisions in RA 9003, particularly the implementation of sanitary landfill. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)


PCSO MEDICAL AND DENTAL MISSION IN DAET

DAET, Camarines Norte— At least 1,000 patients benefited from the free medical and dental services conducted by the Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) at the Agro Sports Center here.

Estrella Abasolo, PCSO provincial district officer, said more than 900 patients availed of the medical services, some 150 patients benefited from the dental services

“Patients were also provided with free medicines and vitamin supplements,” she added.

She said volunteers from the “Kaibigan ng PCSO”, especially doctors, nurses and barangay health workers, assisted PCSO medical team during the mission
.
She said “Kaibigan ng PCSO” volunteers were recruited during the first day of PCSO charity caravan wherein more than 300 registered.

“Kaibigan ng PCSO” volunteers also pledged to help in the nationwide dental and medical mission set on September 6, highlighting the PCSO’s 75th diamond anniversary celebration.

PCSO celebrates its Diamond Jubilee year on September 8.

Abasolo said that the nationwide medical and dental mission targets at least 30 percent (42,000) of the total number of barangays in the country.

The PCSO Charity Caravan is being held in some 20 towns and cities across the country, including one in Daet town held in time for the week-long celebration of th Pinyasan Festival 2009. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)


DOH, TEAM NAVY, JCI LEAD AWARENESS DRIVE ON AH1N1

DARAGA, Albay — Team Navy, Department of Health (DOH) Bicol and the Junior Chamber of Commerce (JCI) Daraga Chapter spearheaded various awareness campaign in various schools here intensifying campaign on prevention and mitigation of Influenza AH1N1.

The one-day information drive is part of the series of campaigns lined-up by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) Bicol to inform and educate school administrators, teachers, parents and students on basic concepts about the dreaded Influenza AH1N1, proper hygiene, handling of “case under observation”, among others.

Among those visited were elementary schools of barangays Penafrancia, Gapo, Inarado, Alubo, Tabon-tabon, and Bascaran with a total number of 2,057 participants.

The team also distributed posters and alcohol-based sanitizers for the use of the schools.

The awareness campaign complements the effort of DOH increasing awareness among the local residents, providing venue for a synergy and cohesive efforts of all concerned agencies, organizations and other stakeholders in order to prevent the spread and mitigate the implications of Influenza AH1N1in the region.

It can be recalled RDCC Bicol launched the Influenza AH1N1 Awareness Caravan last June 6. (DFNieva. NAVFORSOL)


DTI TRAINS FPFA ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

DAET, Camarines Norte — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office here will be conducting a Basic Skills Training on Record Keeping for the Fabrica Pineapple Farmers Association (FPFA) of San Vicente, Camarines Norte.

Ernesto Pardo, DTI provincial director here, said this is part of DTI’s series of trainings on skills development and technology transfer on managing or operating a small business.

He said the training program will enlist some 40 participants from the FPFA and the beneficiaries of the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program, under the auspices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The training program is being implemented under the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. (RBManlangit/PIA CamNorte)


DSWD BICOL EMBRACES A ‘’KALAHI’’ IN IZA CALZADO

LEGAZPI CITY — Officials and employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol Field Office here felt profoundly grateful to former Q-TV At Your Service host Iza Calzado for acceding to be the official endorser and spokesperson of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay or KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB.

Calzado, who is a half-Bicolana and already included Breast Cancer Awareness and Gawad Kalinga as her advocacies, said she is pleased to be part of the project.

Remia Tapispisan, DSWD Bicol director, has expressed support to Calzado in her advocacy to fight poverty in the country.

“This is a very good example of successful partnership. We are very proud that Calzado was chosen as the spokesperson for KALAHI-CIDSS because she has a heart for the Bicolanos. Her late mother is a Bicolana,” she said.

“We are all united in this endeavor because we want to continue to make progress in achieving the overall development objective of the KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB,” she added.

With the KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB, Calzado crusades for the empowerment of the poor from all walks of life – women, children and men alike.

According to her, she was impressed with the project methodology of teaching the poor to be responsible because she herself learned to stand on her own by taking on responsibilities.

The project empowers the poor to make decisions among themselves and identify the problems in their community.

KALAHI-CIDSS provides grant for the needs of communities that range from water systems, Day Care centers and school buildings, etc.

“By becoming the celebrity spokesperson of project, I am hoping to become a source of inspiration,” she said.

Meanwhile, at least 491 community sub-projects or 81 per cent of the total project under the KALAHI-CIDSS were already completed in the Bicol region.

Community projects implemented included roads, water system, school buildings, irrigation system and health stations, with total project cost amounting to P565-M, while the KALAHI-CIDSS grant amounted to some ___.

KALAHI-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation project implemented by the DSWD and funded by the World Bank. The Project covers 184 of the poorest municipalities in 12 regions nationwide.

In Bicol, the areas covered are the municipalities of Pilar and Juban in Sorsogon; Sta. Elena and Del Gallego in Camarines Norte; Presentacion, Siruma, Sangay, Minalabac, Balatan and Pasacao in Camarines Sur and Bagamanoc in Catanduanes. (CLMartinez, DSWD v/PIA)


LGU EXECS AIDING NPA FACE SANCTIONS

MASBATE CITY – A new Executive Order by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo authorizes peace and order councils (POCs) to recommend sanctions on top officials of local government units providing material and political support to communist rebels.

The implementation of EO 739, which reorganized the POCs, was being pushed by government forces at the forefront of counter-insurgency drive. The need to apply the directive became apparent after the military and police noted that the campaign against the communist insurgency required the cooperation of various sectors.

It seems, however, that EO 739 was not enough to rouse POCs in Masbate that have been inoperative. Most POCs have yet to convene themselves in order to carry out the reorganization.

With EO 739, the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) as well as the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) and Municipal Peace and Order Council (MPOC) will be a bit leaner than their predecessor.

Besides three representatives of the private sector and one from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, those who will sit in the new PPOC are the provincial counterparts of heads of national departments, offices and agencies that have offices in Masbate.

They are the Department of Justice (DOJ), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The CPOC and MPOC are composed of the counterparts of these offices in the city and municipalities.

As in the old PPOC, the governor and vice governor will sit in the PPOC as chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively, while mayors and vice mayors will be the presiding officers and vice presiding officers of the CPOC or MPOCs.

The Arroyo administration, which aims to obliterate the communist insurgency by the end of the term of Ms. Arroyo in 2010, is optimistic that EO 739 will serve its purpose in the run-up to the 2010 elections when the New People’s Army (NPA) asks candidates for money or firearms in exchange for permits to campaign in areas where the underground movement operates.

Under EO 739, the POCs would need to develop a process of investigation and cull evidence before imposing sanctions on officials suspected to be helping NPA.

The 6,000-member NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and has been waging a Maoist insurgency since 1968.

It is in Washington’s list of international terror groups. (EADelegado, PIA Masbate)


Palace cites need to bolster democratic processes

MANILA — Malacañang rallied the people behind government efforts to strengthen “our democratic processes and institutions, including the election process.”

The appeal was made by Press Secretary Cerge Remonde, in a phone-patch interview over dzRB from Hong Kong where President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to dialogue with the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Today, the President will meet with top executives of the Kuok Group, which operates the Shangri-La Global Hotel and resort chain, and anti-graft consultant Anthony Kwok.

Reacting to concerns over the first-ever automation of the Philippine election, Remonde said: “We really have to work together in order to strengthen our democratic processes and institutions, including the election process.”

A priority program of the Arroyo administration, Remonde said the President was grateful to both houses of Congress for the passage of the election automation measure.

She also commended the Commission on Election (Comelec) for doing everything possible to implement the poll automation program.

Remonde was pleased that the Comelec has issued a statement that it will prepare for the worst, referring to possible snags in the poll automation, “because after all that we hope for the best we also must prepare for the worst,” Remonde said.

At this stage, “we should all help to strengthen our democratic processes and institutions if we truly love our country,” Remonde said.

In another phone-patch interview from Hong Kong, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez allayed the apprehensions of Sen. Francisco Escudero that the automation could lead to a failure of the 2010 election.

“Let us not jump the gun on the work of Comelec because they know what they are doing .They will not push through with their mandate if they do not know what they are doing,” Golez said.

“Let us wait and make the Comelec explain, if something needs to be explained. Everybody is waiting and very anxious for our elections to be automated which is what Comelec is doing to reform our election system,” Golez added. (PIA V Release)


Benefits of PGMA Japan, Brazil visit cited

MANILA — When President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo arrives today (June 29) from her weeklong trip to Japan and Brazil, she will be bringing with her the proverbial bacon to Juan de la Cruz.

The four-day, three-city state visit to Brazil, netted five bilateral agreements and a joint statement between the Department of Agriculture and the Brazilian Association of Girlondo Breeders.

Two of the accords focus on agricultural and commercial cooperation. The others are on Bioenergy Cooperation between the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Brazil; employment remuneration for dependents of diplomatic, administrative and technical personnel; and biofuel development between the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and Brazil’s National Confederation of Industry.

In Brasilia, Brazil’s capital city, she met with her Brazilian counterpart, President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and discussed ways and means to enhance bilateral cooperation between the Philippines and Brazil, and people-to-people linkages.

In Japan, Trade and Industry Minister Toshiro Nikai expressed satisfaction over the implementation of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), saying he is optimistic about its smooth implementation. He added that Japan will support the promotion of tourism exchanges between Filipino and Japanese youths.

Nikai said study grants from Japan, to be sourced from ODA funds, will be provided for four-year courses, the graduates of which will be allowed to work in Japanese companies.

Other gains from the four-day trip to Japan include:

A Y1,013,000,000.00-Grant Agreement between the Philippine Government and JICA for the Flood Disaster Mitigation Project in Camiguin Island.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) President Hiroshi Watanabe under which JBIC guarantees the floatation of up to $1 billion yen-dominated foreign (Samurai) bonds in the Japanese capital market in the next two years through the Philippines’ Department of Finance (DOF).

Japanese companies, including Toshiba, Marubeni and Tokyo Electric, Toyota, Sumitomo, and Mitsubishi UFJ also made firm commitments to invest and/or increase their investments in the Philippines.

Marubeni Corporation, one of Japan’s largest trading companies, has committed $500 million for the expansion of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 2; and $100 million for the Air Traffic Control Project Package 1 that will provide new communications, navigation, and surveillance/air traffic management systems to Philippine airports.

MRT 7, a private-sector project of Universal LRT Corporation (ULC), was awarded the contract for the build-operate-transfer (BOT) project by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC). The project cost, which was estimated to reach $1.5 billion, will be funded by JBIC buyer’s credit.

Other commitments reached during the President’s visit include the supply of high performance construction and machinery for large-scale infrastructure development and mining operations; supply of agricultural machinery for increased agricultural productivity and improvement of food self-sufficiency.

Toyota Tsusho Corporation has committed to develop five jathropa plantations, each with an area of 20,000 hectares, to produce 300,000 tons of biodiesel fuel annually and generate some 12,000 new jobs. A&nnu7al sales from the project was estimated to hit about $200 million.

The corporation also said it would put up 40 windmills in Burgos, Ilocos Sur.

Aruze Corporation, the world leader in the manufacture of gaming machines, has committed $4 billion to $6 billion for the construction of a hotel resort and convention complex in the Philippines

During his meeting with President Arroyo, Japan’s Trade and Industry Minister Nikai sought the cooperation of the Philippines in the implementation of Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) under the Comprehensive Asian Development Plan as part of Japan’s stimulus plan for Asia.

The stimulus plan includes infrastructure and industrial development. (PIA V Release)


PGMA top salesperson for RP in globalized world

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the top salesperson of the Philippines who must actively engage in international cooperation and other bilateral affairs to bolster the economy.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde stressed this during a phone-patch interview over state-run Radyo ng Bayan DZRB from Hongkong where he is accompanying the President in a working visit.

Remonde said well-meaning critics including the opposition should fully understand that the world has now been reduced to a global village and our economy has become globalized.

“No nation can exist on its own and therefore any responsible leader, any responsible head of any government must engage actively in international affairs because the global engagement is the key for our economy to be strong at home,” Remonde said.

“It has been said that today we live in a very complex and interconnected world and it is critical that the leader of any nation ensure that their economy and their people are fully integrated into the opportunities and benefits that come from active participation in the global arena,” he said.

“It is therefore, the responsibility of the President to be the top salesman of the country,” he added.

Remonde assured the President’s working visit to Japan and state visit to Brazil have reaped huge benefits for the country that include more trade, investments, development assistance, tourism promotion, new job opportunities and improvement of the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as part of our overall strategy to shore up the economy.

Remonde said the President’s working visit to Hong Kong is primarily to check on the welfare of our OFWs, and to give recognition to their remittances that contribute to increased domestic consumption, one of our firewalls against the global financial crisis. (PIA V Release)


PGMA gives marching order to DOH and DA on influenza AH1N1 problem


MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to strengthen the country’s response to the milder type of Influenza A H1N1 cases.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde bared this during a phone patch interview from Hong Kong over the state-run Radyo ng Bayan (DZRB) over the weekend.

Remonde, who accompanies the President in her working visit to Hong Kong said the Chief Executive has directed the DOH to undertake the following:

1. Organize quick reaction teams with mobile clinics that can be easily deployed in areas affected by the virus;

2. Prepare well-equipped isolation wards in all state-run hospitals and health facilities for the treatment of A H1N1 influenza cases;

3. Raise the alert level for AH1N1 influenza to the World Health Organization (WHO) level for increased alertness and preparedness; and

4. Tap the pool of still to be employed nurses in helping organize information and education teams to elevate public awareness on proper hygiene and mitigation efforts against the disease.

Aside from the DOH, Remonde said the President also directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) “to help the tens of thousands of silent but hurting victims whose plight have been largely ignored.”

Remonde said these are the hog raisers – backyard, medium-sized and commercial -- whose farm gate prices have dropped because of baseless fears about the alleged unsafe pork.

“The DA should inform consumers that there is no swine flu infestation of local hog farms. Local pork is safe to eat,” Remonde said

Remonde said there is no report of local swine flu infestation from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC).

On top of properly informing the public, Remonde said the DA should carry out all preparations necessary to prevent swine flu from infecting local hog farms.

Remonde said the President issued her directive while constantly monitoring the A H1N1 problem in the country.

After a hectic official working visit to Japan and state visit to Brazil, Remonde said the President is currently on a working visit to Hong Kong to check on the plight of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). (PIA V Release)