LEGAZPI CITY — Mayon Volcano spewed ash at dawn Wednesday (November 11) producing at least a kilometer high brownish column that drifted and fell in several towns in Albay prompting disaster authorities to warn residents of the volcano’s display of heightened restiveness.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the ash explosion occurred around 1:58 am at the volcano’s crater summit lasting for about three minutes and had produced a brownish ash column that drifted Southwest quadrant of the volcano due to the prevailing Northeast monsoon.
Alex Baloloy, Phivolcs resident volcanologist, explained the event was recorded by the seismic network as explosion type earthquake accompanied by rumbling sounds.
Baloloy added incandescent rock fragments at the upper slope were observed in barangays Lidong in Sto. Domingo and Tumpa and Anoling in Camalig.
Phivolcs inspection team noted traces of one millimeter ash fall in the villages of Tumpa in Camalig; Travesia, Maipon, Masarawag, Doña Tumasa, Muladbukad Grande, and Pequeño in Guinobatan; Nabonton and Nasisi in Ligao; while light ash fall was noted in San Rafael in Guinobatan.
According to Baloloy, the recent abnormal activities of the volcano displaying an interval of ash explosion since September are indications that the volcano’s eruptive stage is following the 1999 eruption.
Phivolcs seismic network recorded 20 volcanic earthquakes signifying that magma intrusion is developing at the volcano’s vent for the past 24 hour period.
The institute also observed that the volcano’s display of fluctuating ground deformation, SO2 (sulfur dioxide) gas emission, quakes, ash puffing, crater glow and evolving lava dome at the volcano’s summit are signs that magma is building up and moving towards the crater vent. Sulfur dioxide gas emitted by the volcano on Tuesday significantly dropped at 50 tons compared to the 364 tons recorded on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) chair, has already directed disaster managers of affected towns and barangays to be on 24-hours alert in the wake of Mayon Volcano’s heightened abnormality and for eventualities that the volcano’s restive condition worsens.
Farmers, residents, mountain climbers and orchid collectors were advised to avoid the recommended danger zones in the southeast and southwest sectors covering the towns of Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, and the cities of Ligao and Legazpi.
Residents, motorists and school children in the southwest of Mayon volcano covering the towns Camalig, Guinobatan, Oas, Polangui, Libon and Ligao city were also advised to protect themselves for ash inhalation by using damped cloth or handkerchief.
Alert level 2 remains hoisted over Mayon Volcano demonstrating that the state of unrest could lead to more ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption.
Phivolcs reiterated that the 6-km radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and the seven-km Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the southeast flank of the volcano are off limits to the public due to dangers from sudden explosions and rock falls from the upper slope of the volcano.
Phivolcs also warned resident living along active river channels and areas perennially identified as lahar prone in the southeast sector to be on constant alert for possible lahar flows and swelling of the river during bad weather condition or during heavy rains. (MALoterte, PIA V)
DSWD LAUNCHES MOVE IN BICOL
LEGAZP[I CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) field office in Bicol led the launching of Men Opposed to Violence Against Women (MOVE), an organization pursuing advocacy campaigns to prevent and stop incidence of violence against women.
Remia T. Tapispisan, DSWD Bicol regional director, said the agency commends its men employees for initiating such campaign and in pursuing measures to eradicate gender violence and discrimination.
“We are encouraging men to join and be a part of this organization to illustrate that Bicol has violence-free environment, especially among women and children” she added.
MOVE Bicol is an organization of principled men from various sectors of society whose primary goal is advocating on elimination of Violence Against Women (VAW).
For the past two years, MOVE has spearheaded several related advocacy activities, both local and international, initiated capacity-building undertakings, established its organizational structure and internal mechanisms and formulated its plan of action.
Recently, MOVE advocates underwent orientation seminar on RA 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 as well as elected it new sets of officers.
Elected MOVE Bicol officers include Alfredo Bocato, President; Ranulfo Pasano, Vice-President; Sammy Buenconsejo, Secretary; Renato Millena, Treasurer; Carlos Tolibas, chair on membership committee; Gilberto Logronion on education; Jose Yanto on livelihood; and Antonio Joaquin, Jr. on finance.
MOVE officers recently met discussing action plan and formulation of constitution and by-laws. (CLMartinez, KCRSMO-CSWD/PIA)
BICOL TO HOST SOUTHER LUZON S&T FAIR
NAGA CITY — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Southern Luzon Cluster has slated the Science and Technology Fair on November 25-29, this year at the SM City Naga.
Regional Director Tomas B. Briñas said that this coincides with the Regional Science and Technology Week Celebration with the theme “Responding to Global Challenges thru Science and Technology”.
Highlights of the said fair include foot parade in front of SM City Naga, ribbon cutting and opening of the S&T exhibits, press conference, Regional Nutri Quiz competition, public viewing of exhibits, and fellowship night on the first day.
The following days will feature Stakeholders’ Forum, seminars on Food Safety, GMP, HACCP and Packaging for MSMEs, for MSMEs; Scientific Forum by PCARRD/BCARRD, Techno Demo on Nutritious Snack Foods by FNRI; and, DOST Bicol GAD activity
The fair will also showcase various S&T services, achievements and contributions in manpower development through DOST-SEI/HRDP scholarship programs; products technology upgrading, employment and investment generation and enterprise development through DOST SET-UP/GIA programs aimed towards a massive advocacy, promotion and publication of S&T among the citizenry.
Top officials of DOST, including Sec. Estrella F. Alabastro, Asec. Carol M. Yorobe, and regional directors, local officials and national media correspondents, are expected to the 5-day fair,
DOST Southern Luzon Cluster is composed of NCR, Region 3, Region 4-CALABARZON, Region 4 – MIMAROPA, and Region V- Bicol. (DCAbad, PIA CamSur)
“MALUNGGAY IN THE CITY” PROJECT LAUNCHED
PILI, Camarines Sur --- To promote the planting of malunggay in the backyard and to produce this commodity for consumption and as business enterprise, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol, along with the National Agribusiness Corporation (NAC), recently launched the "Malunggay in the City Project", seedling production component.
Dr. Jose V. Dayao, DA Bicol regional executive director, said that the project is part of the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP) of the agency, emphasizing that planting malunggay is one strategy to address malnutrition in the region.
Dayao disclosed that thee agency has already ventured intro processing of malunggay into tea, polvoron, cookies, pastillas and powder.
He encouraged residents to plant more malunggay not only for their consumption but also for sale to achieve the goal of making Camarines Sur as the leading producer of malunggay in the country.
Initially, the project will be pilot tested in the cities of Naga and Iriga, Camarines Sur, wherein residents are encouraged and will be provided with malunggay seedlings which can be planted in their backyards. The project will soon be carried out in barangays and schools.
Dr. Edgar Madrid, RTD officer-in-charge for Research of DA Bicol, said the project is funded by NABCOR and targets to produce 30,000 malunggay seedlings. Today, 1,500 seedlings are ready for distribution.
He urged the local officials to promote malunggay in their barangay as seedlings are available for free.
Meanwhile, Ralph Camelo Mariano, technical specialist and in-charge of the NABCOR project, said that their corporation is active in its advocacy to promote malunggay propagation in the backyards.
Malunggay leaves are rich in vitamin A higher than carrots; its vitamin C is higher than calamansi, calcium higher than milk and protein higher than meat. Its seeds are also a good source of high value oil.
Moreover, Mariano announced that a Malunggay Congress is slated on November 24, 2009 to be held at De La Salle University where all aspects of malunggay business, production and processing will be highlighted during the congress.
Quoting the statement of Dir. Alicia Ilaga of the Biotech Program he reiterated that "Ang bayan na matamlay, pasisiglahin ng malunggay." (DCAbad, PIA CamSur)
PHILHEALTH PROVIDES GLOBAL BUDGET TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
LEGAZPI CITY — Almost half a million of the Filipino population felt the distraught brought about by Typhoon Ondoy that left damages that indicated years of rehabilitation.
The Philippine Health insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), taking its part in promoting social responsibility in the path to recovery from the recent calamity, has issued Circular No. 36, s. 2009 creating an Interim Reimbursement Scheme for accredited hospitals affected by the mentioned typhoon.
The global budget payment mechanism will initially be applicable to hospital/facilities located in the National Capital Region and Rizal province as identified and validated by the PhilHealth.
This same scheme may also be implemented in other “Ondoy” affected areas subject to evaluation and validation of PhilHealth.
In determining the amount of global budget, the following shall be considered:
1) the average volume of claims submitted to PhilHealth for a period of three months, and
2) the average value per claim.
With the implementation of the scheme, it could facilitate in the immediate recovery of HCIs to become fully operational to render health care services to PhilHealth members and their dependents.
In addition to the global budget, accredited facilities with claims applications that were supposed to be filed to PhilHealth but were destroyed during the calamity will be duly compensated based on the average reimbursement per day and the number of days covering one week prior to the last submission date to September 25, 2009, but not beyond the said date.
To avail of this scheme, hospitals under the affected areas can coordinate with the PhilHealth office nearest to them. (PhilHealth V/PIA)
BICOL YOUTH CONFAB HELD
LEGAZPI CITY -- 157 officers of the Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP) municipal federations from 12 municipalities and three cities in Bicol took part in the recent Regional Youth Congress, spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Bicol regional office.
The congress was aimed at increasing awareness on the government programs for the youth sector as well as issues and concerns related to the welfare of the youth.
Remia T. Tapispisan, DSWD Bicol regional director, said PYAP is a duly constituted barangay-based organization of the out-of-school youth aged 15 to 24.
Tapispisan explained PYAP has been organized nationwide and federated from the municipal to the national level providing a venue for interfacing on issues and concerns affecting the youth and other related programs, projects and policies
Topics discussed during the two-day congress were Alternative Learning System; Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation; and, Drug Abuse Prevention and Control.
The two-day activity was also highlighted by the re-election of the PYAP regional officers and the selection of the Miss and Mr. PYAP of Bicol, to wit:
President – Monette C. Villanueva of Labo, Camarines Norte
Vice President – Erwin Gallanosa of Sta. Magdalena, Sorsogon
Secretary - Jhomer Rosal of Iriga City
Treasurer - Sher Ann Galueg of Castilla, Sorsogon
Auditor - Jonelle Gepulle of Bulan, Sorsogon
P.I.O. - Karen Camu of Malinao, Albay
Board of Directors:
Camarines Norte - Nilo Florete
Camarines Sur - Mary Mae Bernaldez
Albay - Jacky John Carral
Sorsogon - Aiza Nicera
The Miss PYAP is Miss Fatima Adisa of Donsol, Sorsogon and Mr. John Eric Candido of Iriga City is Mr. PYAP. (DSWD V/PIA)
PGMA-Clinton meeting to focus on US military aid
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham-Clinton will hold a dinner meeting in Malacanang tomorrow.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita in a press briefing Wednesday (November 11) said the President and Clinton will take up the matter of US military assistance to the Philippines and the participation of American soldiers in relief and rescue operations in times of disasters.
He said the two officials might also discuss ways that will enable the Philippines to meet its millennium development goals (MDG).
Conceptualized by the United Nations, MDG aims to measure the standard of living in less developed countries through 17 indicators such as access to electricity and potable water and better infant and maternal care.
Ermita expressed confidence that the Philippines would retain its eligibility status under, and obtain a grant from, the US-funded Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) in 2010.
MCC had earlier upgraded the country’s category from low-income last year to lower middle-income this year.
The MCC upgrade, Ermita observed, is a reflection of the country’s continued commitment to economic and governance reforms despite the global financial crisis.
Based on the 2009 World Governance Indicators, published by the World Bank Institute, the Philippines has demonstrated significant improvements in four out of six governance indicators, namely, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law, and control of corruption.
As a result, the MCC has extended a $21-million grant to the Philippines to further improve the Department of Finance’s revenue collection and anti-corruption programs at the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs. (PIA V Release)
PGMA orders Reyes to solve looming oil shortage
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, Jr. to avert a looming oil shortage after the latter announced that fuel of inventory was good only for 8 to 13 days.
But Reyes at the same time sought to alloy fears of an actual shortage taking place, saying the government would take the necessary remedy.
He said he had deployed his people to check the levels of inventory in oil depots.
“We can see this problem through. There is no need to panic. We are solving this problem,” he added.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita confirmed reports that oil companies had offered price discounts on their products in exchange for the lifting of Executive Order 839. These proposals, according to him had already been submitted to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera.
The discounts will be available to public conveyances in identified areas in Luzon still reeling under the effects of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, discount of oil on public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and freezing of prices on automotive and motorcycle lubricants among others.
The DOJ and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) are now studying the proposals. After analyzing the proposals, two government agencies will make the appropriate recommendation to President Arroyo.
The Executive Order was issued by President Arroyo to prevent unreasonable oil price hikes in typhoon devastated cities and provinces. (PIA V Release)
PGMA cites Smart’s role in computer literacy
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cited Wednesday (November 11) the Smart Communications and the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co. for their support to the government’s computer literacy program.
The sister-companies donated to Paguiruan High School IN Floridablanca, Pampanga a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), which will give students access to the Internet.
“This is a God-sent contribution to the school’s aspiration to have computer connectivity,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
Realizing that Information Communications Technology (ICT) was necessary for progress and development, the President endeavored to build the telecommunications infrastructure in the country.
“Interconnectivity is a must,” Mrs. Arroyo said, echoing her 2001 State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) at which time she observed that skills-intensive service sectors such as ICT and tourism are the key to prosperity.
She said that Internet connections in public high schools will serve as telecommunications center in the rural communities as well.
For his part, Manuel Pangilinan, chairman of the PLDT Group, said that with Internet access teachers and students can enhance classroom learning.”
PHS is the first to be connected to the Internet via WiMax. Smart Communications is setting up a network of computer connectivity that will eventually include 270 schools in the country.
Aside from connectivity, the PHS also received a Smart Teacher's Learning Resource Center (STLRC) consisting of two computers, two webcams, a printer, and a scanner. (PIA V Release)
New PGMA impeach try will not succeed – Palace
MANILA — Malacanang is confident attempts to impeach President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo anew will not succeed due to lack of evidence.
In a media briefing Wednesday (November 11) morning in Malacanang, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said similar moves in the past did not succeed because complainants failed to show evidence. She added charges against the President were based purely on hearsay.
She was reacting to questions raised on the Senate blue ribbon committee report recommending further investigation on the cancelled national broadband network with China’s ZTE Corp.
Fajardo said the President already acted on the cancelled national broadband network with China’s ZTE Corp. and even asked Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno to conduct an investigation on the matter.
Fajardo said she is hoping the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report would be the end of the impeachment complaints against the President.
The President, according to her has more pressing concerns that need to be addressed such as the calamity situation in Luzon.
Atty. Ruy Rondain, lawyer of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, said the Ombudsman had already ruled that there has no evidence to justify the accusation.
“It is the Ombudsman’s evaluation that will prevail,” he said. (PIA V Release)
‘RP must define position on climate change talks’
LOBOC, Bohol -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo suggested Tuesday (November 10) that the country firm up its position on climate change so that such position could be submitted to the plenary session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference in Singapore late this week and in Copenhagen in mid-December.
''We need to define our position now,” said the President at the Cabinet meeting held at the Children’s Palace in this town. “We need not insist on deep and early cuts in carbon emission, but we should require countries to make a commitment.”
According to the President, she does not want to see negotiations on climate change stall as they did at the Doha Round in Qatar. That time, she noted, debates went nowhere.
It was hoped that delegates would come up with a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is set to expire by 2012, but the talks collapsed over which countries should make the most cuts, at what rates, and the amount of funds available to enable developing countries institute programs to help arrest the greenhouse effects.
For the sake of the planet, the President said, she will agree on different cuts, as long as the countries commit themselves to implement such cuts, once they agree on a treaty
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change notes that industrialized nations must cut carbon emissions by at least 50 percent in 2050, on climate change becomes irreversible.
However, President Macapagal observed, it is useless for developing countries like the Philippines to push for such ambitious cuts if the US and China won’t go along. “We have to give them room to decide how much they could afford to give,'' she said. (PIA V Release)
PGMA formally signs two laws in Cebu
LAPU-LAPU CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally signed Tuesday (November 10) two laws, the first creating a congressional district in Lapu-lapu City and the second converting the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST) into a state university.
In a simple ceremonies held at the Most Important Persons (MIP) Lounge of Mactan Cebu International Airport, Mrs. Arroyo presented a copy of R.A. 9726 to the officials of Cebu province and the city.
On hand for the occasion were Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia; Lapu-lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza; 6th District Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, author of House Bill 5007 (now R.A. 9726), and members of the city councils, and barangay leaders.
Also present were Cebu City North District Representative Raul Del Mar, Cebu City South District Antonio Cuenco, and Representatives Red Durano, John Garcia, and Eduardo Gullas.
Through Republic Act 9744 (former House Bill 5641) the Cebu Technological University (CTU) was created out of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST).
Now known as CTU, the learning institute provides professional and technical instructions in industrial trade, agriculture, fishery, forestry, aeronautics, arts and sciences, health sciences, and information technology, among other courses.
Its satellite campuses are the College of Fisheries in Moalboal; the Agro-Industrial and Fisheries in Argao; Polytechnic College in Tuburan; College of Fisheries in Daanbantayan; College of Industrial Technology in Danao City; College of Fisheries Technology in Carmen; and the Experimental Station in Sibonga. (PIA V Release)
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