BU STUDE IS CPA BOARD TOPNOTCHER, MAKES TOP TEN IN ME

LEGAZPI CITY — Ivan Rhett Macabeo topped the national board examinations for Certified Public Accountants (CPA) held this month.

Macabeo, who attained a rating of 91.71% in the CPA board, hails from Guinobatan, Albay, and has constantly given honor to his family, having graduated as valedictorian of St. Benedict’s Academy in his hometown, as magna cum laude and College Outstanding Student for 2009, and now as top board passer nationwide.

His dream was simply to equal his predecessor, Hazel Angeline Q. Abenoja, who made it to 5th place in the same national exams last year.

Kaiser Ballecer, on the other hand, placed 7th Ballecer, a native of legazpi City, garnered a rating of 90.57%. He showed similar promise as a student, having been a consistent honor student since his elementary years.

Both are 2009 graduates of BS Accountancy, the former being magna cum laude, and the latter, cum laude.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Santillan and Christopher Sanchez made their university equally proud by placing 3rd and 7th respectively, in the national board exams for Mechanical Engineers (ME) held October 14 and 15. Both are similarly 2009 graduates of Bicol University, with Santillan finishing cum laude.

Santillan, who graduated cum laude, achieved a rating of 88.55% in the recent Mechanical Engineering board exams, while Sanchez got 87.2%. Santillan hails from Legazpi City, while Sanchez is a native of Ligao City.

All in all, Bicol University has a passing rate of 75% in the CPA board exams. The national passing rate is only 41%. Prior to this year, ten of the department’s graduates had already made it to the prestigious Top 20 in the country, among which Janeth T. Nuñez was 4th in 1996, Janel D. Mujar was 1st in 1998, and Hazel Angeline Q. Abenoja was 5th in 2008.

Meanwhile, passing rate of Bicol University for the ME board exams this year is 73%, while the national passing rate is 60.5%.

Besides Accountancy and Engineering, Bicol University likewise excels in other courses, specifically Nursing and Social Work.

In the latest Licensure Examinations for Midwifery, the university once again achieved a 100% passing rate, as it has in the past five years.

For the Nursing Licensure Exams this year, BU obtained an 81% passing rate, having maintained a passing rate of 75% and above since 2005.

The Social Work department has likewise brought prestige to the university by having passing rates in their Licensure Examinations not lower than 86 %, its highest turnout being in 2004 when 100% of the takers passed.

Because of all these achievements, Bicol University has been recognized as a Top Performing School in the country, though as such, it is also given a greater challenge to perform equally well in the coming years. (CGMeneses, BU/PIA)
ALBAY LEADS NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CCA +2
LEGAZPI CITY — Its all systems go for the National Conference on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) +2 slated on October 26-28, this year at the Diamond Hotel in Malate, Manila.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, lead convenor of the conference, said national and local environment managers will hold a second round of talks on the gains of the first NCCA conference after two years of concerted efforts among government and private sectors and assessment of national and local policies translated into actions in the light of international development.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will keynote opening of the 3-day conference, while Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Heherson Alvarez, Presidential Adviser on Climate Change, Senator Loren Legarda, chair of th Standing committee on Climate Change and German Ambassador Christian Ludwig Weber Lortsch as resource persons.

Salceda said participants from national agencies and local governments, academe, non-government organizations and other interest groups will be informed of the developments in domestic and international policy discussions on climate change, particularly adaptation as it relates to disaster risk reduction and mitigation.

He added the conference, with a theme “Moving Forward on Albay Declaration 2007”, aims to identify the Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation.

The conference will also provide a venue for knowledge sharing on CCA and disaster risk management and give a thematic platform of Regional Development Council (RDC) cooperation towards common agenda in moving forward CCA and DRR and management initiatives.

It will also look into the progress of international policy discussions on CCA and DRR and management and the country's action agenda on CCA on technology transfer, financing, capacity building and research and development.

The second conference is organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the provincial government of Albay, National Economic and Development Authority and the Republic of Germany the funding institution.

Manuel Rangaza, Executive Director of the Centre for Initiatives and Research on Climate Change Adaptation (CIRCA) said it is expected that the NCCA +2 would list the various CCA best practices and science-based information.

A consensus would also be drawn with national, regional and local governance framework strategies for the Philippine Strategic Framework on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA).

Rangaza said the framework will be consistent with the international commitment for sustainable development, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the CCA framework in the United Nation Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the implementation of the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA).

Salceda said Albay has spearheaded the First National Conference of Climate Change Adaptation in October 2007; the conference brought the concern on CCA exploring concrete adaptation options to address the potential impacts of Climate change and discuss the policy implications for local government units.

He said “it is now widely recognized that climate change is real and a major threat to social, environmental, economic and human development.” (MSArguelles, PNA/PIA)

NFA ASSURES ENOUGH RICE SUPPLY FOR BICOL

LEGAZPI CITY — Bicol will have an adequate supply of rice enough for the next three months, from October to December this year, according to the top official of the National Food Authority (NFA) regional office here.

Edgar Ventulan, NFA Bicol regional director, said the agency maintains a rice stock position of at least 1.7 million bags of rice ready for disposal in the next three months.

Ventulan said that NFA has a buffer stock including the 1.150 million bags of imported rice and some .683 million bags acquired through the agency’s rice procurement program.

Among the provinces of the region, Albay has a stock position of 650,382 bags that can last up to 123 days, Camarines Sur with 227,351 good for 44 days; Sorsogon, 99,931 for 67 days; Camarines Norte, 92,722 for 69 days; Masbate, 50,174 for 36 days; and, Catanduanes has some 30,412 good for 22 days.

He added that some 1.051 bags of palay were also purchased by NFA from the local farmers under the palay procurement program.

The agency, according to Ventulan, has purchased some 750,673 from Camarines Sur, 127,131 from Albay, 84,979 from Camarines Norte, 44,638 from Masbate, 40,638 from Sorsogon, and 3,971 from Catanduanes.

The director related that the daily rice consumption in Bicol pegs at 42,980 bags, while the daily average sale of the agency is around 16,000 bags.

Rice importation for this year for Bicol allocation is some 2.6 million bags.

“We expect to import more next year since palay production, according to Dr. Jose Dayao, Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol regional director, is expected to go down until the end of this year following several typhoon that wrought havoc to our rice plantations in the region,” Ventulan noted. (MALoterte, PIA V/ NMediavillo, RNB)

KABISIG NG KALAHI FEEDING PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN BICOL

LEGAZPI CITY — The Kabisig ng KALAHI, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Mead Johnson Nutritionals, has recently launched the Supplemental Feeding Program in the provinces of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon benefiting 450 malnourished pre-schoolers.

Remia Tapispisan, DSWD Bicol regional director, said the feeding program will be implemented within 156 specifically in the towns of Del Gallego and Ragay in Camarines Sur; Magallanes and Bulusan in Sorsogon, Tiwi and Malinao in Albay.

Tapispisan noted, “These areas were identified having high prevalence of malnutrition.”

Kabisig ng KALAHI is a non-government organization which implements feeding programs for poor, malnourished children.

Mead Johnson Nutritionals is a division of Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Philippines, Inc. that provides milk through its Milk Feeding Program now called “Feeding Hope”.

Meanwhile, DSWD is closely coordinating with the respective local government units in strengthening the delivery of day care services and supplemental feeding program for the pre-schoolers. (EEJerusalem, DSWD/PIA)

CAMARINES SUR PADDLERS BAG 3 GOLDS
IN SINGAPORE TOURNEY

PILI, Camarines Sur ― The CamSur Dragon Boat team added another feather in its cap by capturing the championship in three categories - International Freestyle, Corporate Club Crew Open and 200 m men open in the prestigious SAVA Sprints International V in Singapore last October 11 and 12.

The SAVA Sprints International V featured teams from Canada, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, England, Japan, United States, Malaysia and several teams from the Philippines.

CamSur Governor LRay Villafuerte, who has relentlessly shown his support to the CamSur Dragon boat Team, was exuberant of the team’s consistent outstanding achievements in dragon boat race in international competitions.

What was remarkable was CamSur paddlers’ performance in 200 meters men when the team defeated the Mountbatten CSC to snatch the championship. The CamSur Dragon Boat Team completed the 200 meter course in record time of 45 seconds.

In the International Freestyle, the CamSur team registered 46.03 seconds to trounce vaunted paddlers from the University of the Philippines and Drago Filipinas to capture the gold medal.

In the Corporate Club Crew Open, the CamSur team was a runaway winner to capture the gold with a time of 45.81 seconds. The Drago Pilipinas A was good for the second place honors with a time of 48.44 seconds. (SNieves, MMEC/PIA)

CAMARINES SUR EPP NOW IN FULL SWING

PILI, Camarines Sur – With the fastest growing global industry of business process outsourcing (BPO) making mark in the country today, the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur continues to bolster its free English Proficiency Program (EPP) to equip jobseekers in CamSur with the enhanced communications adeptness and technical skills of a call center agent more.

Some 5,876 graduates have successfully completed training in the continuing EPP and now enjoyed well-paying jobs in top call center companies like the Sutherland Global Services with most of its employees having gone through the program.

Sutherland is an international outsourcing company at the heart of the provincial capitol complex here employing close to 1,000 local and is expected to grow to 2,000 by the end of the year.

A large number of EPP graduates have also gained employment in other BPOs in different parts of the country with their adept oral communications skill while those already employed have made a distinct improvement in their command of the English language.

Initially geared at enhancing the communications skills of enrolees and for increased chance of employment for jobseekers, the EPP has now grown into an indispensable undertaking to most who intend to work in call centers as well as to those who needed help in English proficiency.

The 100-hour training program is an ongoing program of the provincial government, and has been a frontier in the administration of Villafuerte in the advocacy on enhancing the competency of his constituents as a major component in his comprehensive human resources development program

For details about the English Proficiency Program, interested person may visit the 2nd floor of the Camarines Sur Trade and Investment Center, BMC Hospital Road, Panganiban Drive, Naga City or call (054)473-03-94. (ANDujar, MMEC/PIA)

PGMA signs Climate Change Act of 2009

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law on Friday the “Climate Change Act of 2009” that will create a national strategy in dealing with the global climate change and warming.

President Arroyo signed Republic Act 9729 on Friday in a simple ceremony in Rizal Hall of Malacañang with several legislators from the House of Representatives and the Senate and local officials in attendance.

Under the new law, a Climate Change Commission will be created as an autonomous policy-making body that coordinates the programs of the government and represents the country in international climate change conferences.

The commission, which is attached to the Office of the President, will be chaired by the President, who shall appoint three commissioners.

The signing of the law comes two months before global leaders approve a new climate change treaty during a conference in Copenhagen in December.

The treaty will chart the world's carbon emissions future, after the first commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.

The new treaty will be voted upon by world leaders at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP-15) in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December.

Among the officials who witnessed the signing were principal author Sen. Loren Legarda, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri.

Deputy speakers Amelita Villarosa and Eric Singson, Senior Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II and Senior Minority Leader Roilo Golez.

Legarda, in a chance interview, said the Climate Change Act was a long-awaited measure that would consolidate government efforts in dealing with the impact of extreme weather, including the unusual rainfall and flooding from tropical storm Ondoy that ravaged parts of metropolitan Manila and typhoon Pepeng that devastated Northern Luzon.

Legarda also said the recent cyclones show that the climate change issue iss no longer limited to environmentalist advocates, as it affects everyone. Unless the country acts immediately, Filipinos would find their livelihood and even their own lives at risk from the changing climate.

The law aims to mainstream mitigation and adaptation measures in government policies from the national to the barangay level through a “National Framework Strategy and Program on Climate Change," which is expected to be crafted within six months.

The framework strategy and program includes the development of measures to protect vulnerable communities from the impact of climate change.

The Commission would have an Advisory Board composed of selected Cabinet members and representatives from the academe, business, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the presidents of the League of Provinces, League of Cities, League of Municipalities, and the Liga ng mga Barangay.

A panel of experts on climate change and disaster risk reduction will also provide advice, risk assessments and enhancement measures to the commission.

Also present in the signing were Cabinet officials led by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza and Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change Heherson Alvarez; and local government units led by Antique Governor Sally Perez.

Alvarez said that under the law, a National Climate Change Action Plan will be crafted to provide the government with a roadmap for mitigation, with emphasis on the voluntary reduction of local carbon emissions and adaptation measures. (PIA V Release)


Give oil consumers cash rather than fix market prices – PGMA adviser

MANILA — It is better for the government to put money in the pockets of consumers than intervene in market prices.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s economic advisers, said price controls have never proven to be correct.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, the governor shot down proposals to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law. He also said it is not good for government to run private business.

“A better option for government to take is to “just give them (the poor) money,” he said. “This is what the President is doing---giving conditional cash transfer and loan moratorium.”

He explained that if government will regulate the supply side, the natural reaction would be for the market to shrink. “That is why we approved the P86 billion demand-side relief for individuals and small and medium entrepreneurs,” he stressed.

Salceda pointed out that it is better for government to buy the oil and give it at subsidized prices to the transport sector.

Oil firms on Tuesday hiked their pump prices “due to the drastic change in prices in the international market.”

Oil prices in the world market was pegged at $79 to $80 per barrel last week.

Independent oil player Eastern Petroleum implemented a P2.00 per liter increase for diesel and P1.50 per liter for all its gasoline products.

Pilipinas Shell increased prices per liter of diesel by P2.00, unleaded premium gasoline by P1.25, regular gasoline by P0.85, and kerosene by P1.50.

Petron Corp. increased the pump price of premium gasoline by P1.25 (value-added tax included); regular gasoline by P0.85; diesel by P2.00, jet fuel/kerosene by P1.50; and fuel by P0.75.

In other areas except Northern Luzon, independent oil player Total Petroleum adjusted pump prices by P2.00 per liter for diesel, P0.85 per liter for regular gasoline and P1.25 for liter on premier unleaded, E10 and Protec (all VAT included). (PIA V Release)

Golez inducted as new OPS undersecretary

MANILA — Press Secretary Cerge Remonde swore into office Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Anthony Golez III as undersecretary of the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) in simple ceremonies at the Media Briefing Room in Malacanang on Thursday (October 22).

On hand to witness the oath-taking were Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Presidential Spokesperson for Economic Affairs Professor Gary Olivar and newly appointed Public Works and Highways Secretary Victor Asis Domingo.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Remonde immediately designated Golez as OPS Officer-in-Charge (OIC) while he joins President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the 15th Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits at the seaside resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin in Thailand from Oct. 23 to 25.

Golez was also designated as OIC when Remonde leaves with the President in the forthcoming 2009 Asia Pacific Economic (APEC) Leaders Summit to be held in Singapore next month.

Prior to his appointment, Golez was deputy administrator of the Office of the Civil Defense, Department of National Defense (OCD-DND) from 2004 to September 30 this year. He was also the spokesperson of DND from 2005 to September 30, 2009.

An added feather to his cap was the award he received as The Outstanding Young Man (TOYM) of the Philippines for Disaster Management in 2007.

The new OPS undersecretary obtained his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Santo Tomas in 2000. He finished his Masters in Business Administration in Healthcare at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in 2005. (PIA V Release)

PGMA calls for prayer

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called on all Filipinos to pray for divine protection as typhoon "Ramil" (international codename: Lupit) moved closer to Northern Luzon.

In her keynote speech before the 3rd Philippine International Sisterhood and Twinning Association, Inc. (PHISTA) at the Batangas Provincial Auditorium in Batangas City Thursday (October 22), the President also called for prayer “for our countrymen in Luzon who have lost loved ones, their homes and properties as a result of the twin typhoons that hit the country one after the other.”

"I am also calling for prayer especially for those who have lost hope in the face of natural calamities that are still wreaking havoc on parts of our islands," she added.

The President maintained that prayers work. She pointed out that because of prayers, typhoon Ramil's winds, originally measured at 195 kilometers per hour, has weakened to 160 kilometers per hour.

“Its rain band or scope of rainfall has also considerably grown smaller, the President said.

She noted that the high pressure area in the vicinity has slowed down the typhoon’s movement "to allow us more time to prepare for its coming."

"Let us pray that the typhoon's strength further weakens and that it misses hitting our country altogether," the President said. (PIA V Release)

PGMA calls for town twinning to improve economy

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo called for town twinning as a way to improve the economy of participating communities through the exchange of ideas, technology, services and manpower.

Town twinning or city sisterhood is an agreement between towns or cities in geographically distinct and adjacent areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.

In her keynote speech before the 3rd Philippine International Sisterhood and Twinning Association, Inc. (PHISTA) general membership assembly and 1st Tourism Summit at the Batangas Provincial Auditorium in Batangas City Thursday (October 22), the President said that both parties benefit from the agreement.

“Malaki ang maitutulong ng konsepto ng twinning ng mga bayan at lungsod. Madalas, ang ka-twin ay nagre-resulta sa pag-unlad ng ekonomiya,” the President said.

“Ang magka-twin na mga lungsod ay may matututunan na mga bagong pamamaraan mula sa bayan ng ibang bansa lalo na sa mga makabagong sistema at teknolohiya na nagaganap sa mga mayayamang ekonomiya,” she added.

The President said the concept can also work among countries. She pointed out that while the Philippines may not be as technologically advanced as other countries, “the Filipino trait of helping one another in the face of adversity is something tour neighbors may learn
from.”

“Sila naman, meron naman silang matututunan sa atin lalo na kung ipapakita natin na maari tayong magsama-sama upang harangin ang mga hamon ng pandaigdigan kalamidad sa ekonomiya at magtrabahot magkabalikat upang maghandog ng tulong at maglaan ng mga bagong paraan para labanan ang mga kalamidad ng kalikasan,” the President said. (PIA V Release)

Election gun ban starts Jan. 10

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will enforce a total gun ban during the 2010 election period, which runs from Jan. 10 and ends on June 9.

Comelec chairman Jose Melo said the total gun ban would reduce election-related violence.
The commission expects to issue a resolution on the ban next week.

Melo said the ban prohibits persons to carry firearms during the start of the election period until the second week of June.

Only the detailed security personnel of mayoral candidates and higher positions may carry firearms, Melo said adding that only two security personnel in uniform were allowed per candidate.

Melo reiterated its earlier statement that the Comelec would no longer give exemptions.
However, Melo said the only people who are exempted from the ban are the security escorts of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Vice President Noli De Castro.

He also said that the commission would be asking for pictures of the security personnel assigned to each candidate. (PIA V Release)