BICOL INDIGENOUS CROPS SEEN TO BOOST LOCAL ECONOMY

PILI, Camarines Sur — The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Bicol has set eyes on revitalizing the region’s three major commercial crops that are potential export winners not only for the region but also for our country.

Marilyn V. Sta. Catalina, DA Bicol officer-in charge and regional technical director for operations and regulatory, told PIA News Service that the agency has designed a program to commercialize pili, abaca and coconut, which abound in different parts of the region, transforming them into export cash crops.

Sta. Catalina observed that production and full development of these crops and corresponding industries were hampered in the past due to frequent typhoons, decrease in productivity, low budgetary support, lack of technology and infrastructure support.

She, however, said that DA Bicol, in partnership with the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), will soon spearhead the massive planting and replanting of these three major crops in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon and Catanduanes to produce quality yields and meet the demands not only of the local but also of the international market.

The project will be implemented under the “Locally Funded Indigenous Crops Program”

Sta. Catalina further bared that DA Bicol, with the help of Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay first congressional district, was able to obtain P250 million budget for this program.

She added that the pre-implementation phase of the program, including the bidding process and procurement of supplies, materials and equipment, has already started last year.

The program, however, has been formally launched February 10, 2010 in Tabaco City, Albay, highlighted by the distribution of planting materials of the three crops to farmer beneficiaries and local government units (LGUs).

On Pili Development Program, DA Bicol targets to produce 400,000 sexually propagated and 300,000 asexually propagated pili seedlings. The seedlings will be distributed to the LGUs and farmer cooperators.

In tandem with the local governments, the agency will also establish 1,155 technology demonstration and orchard farms covering an area of 1,155 hectares; procure and distribute 35,000 bags of organic fertilizers and soil ameliorants; provide soil analysis services, market development support/services.

DA is also set to conduct trainings, extension and information support services including the publication of a coffee table book and other info materials, research and development and monitoring and evaluation activities to ensure sustainability of the program.

Some 5,000 hectares will be covered by the project of which 3,750 hectares will be in Albay province.

It can be noted that Bicol is the major producer of pili, accounting for 82 percent of domestic pili production. Pili has high potential for being a top export commodity for the Philippines as it can very well compete with macadamia, cashew, almond and walnut in terms of quality.

Today, pili nut confectionaries are already exported to Japan, US and European countries by local processors. Other than the nuts, the other by-products of pili – the resin or “manila elemi” from the pili trunk is used for the production of lacquer, thinner, and varnish. Pili oil is used for food and also as body scrub or lotion and other uses.

For Abaca Development Program, Fiber Development Authority (FIDA) will focus on disease eradication of 1,777 hectares infected by the bunchy top and mosaic disease virus; rehabilitation of also 1,777 hectares and expansion or opening of 331 hectares to be planted to this crop.

Bicol has regained last year its status as the top abaca producer in the country after several years of being overtaken by the Eastern Visayas because of the outbreak of bunchy top and mosaic viral disease.

FIDA Regional Director Dr. Edith Lomerio stated that abaca production in Bicol went up by 5.1 percent, totalling to 14,140 metric tons production, compared to Eastern Visayas production declining by 38.1 per cent.

With this locally-funded program Bicol can hopefully maintain its rank as top abaca producer, Lomerio claimed.

For Coconut Development Program, Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will put emphasis on production/procurement and distribution of 225,000 quality planting materials to cover 1,500 hectares; establishment of four nurseries; establishment and maintenance of seed garden stocked with 9,000 seednuts; embryo culture makapuno planting covering 60 hectares; coconut fertilization for a target area of 768.5 hectares; intercropping coconut plantation with a target of 145,000 cacao seedling covering 400 hectares.

From mere traditional commercial and industrial value of coconut, Bicolano entrepreneur Engr. Justino Arboleda, proprietor of Juboken Enterprise, has discovered the value of coco husks or coco coir as material for controlling soil erosion and enrichment.

The technology is now recognized worldwide and has earned Arboleda the prestigious BBC World Challenge Best Grassroot Project in the World, thus giving an added value and demand for coconut.

If only these three indigenous crops and natural wealth of Bicol will be revitalized and fully developed, Bicol will in no doubt be on its way to progress and prosperity, notwithstanding the constant threat of typhoons, volcanic eruptions, other calamities and adverse effects of climate change, concluded Sta. Catalina. (MALoterte, PIA V)

MGB BICOL BARES ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2009

LEGAZPI CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Bicol has disclosed Monday (February 8) its major accomplishments for calendar year 2009 ensuring safety, health and environmental commitments of mining industry and measures to mitigate the implication of geologic hazards.

Engr. Reynulfo Juan, MGB Bicol regional director, told PIA News service that the agency has successful organized a total of 15 Capacity-Building Seminars of Geologic Hazard Awareness and Disaster Preparedness in the municipalities of Bulan, Sta. Magdalena, Matnog, Prieto Diaz and Castilla in Sorsogon; Pili, Ocampo and Tigaon in Camarines Sur; and Rapu-Rapu, Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, Malilipot, Tiwi, Tabaco City and Malinao in Albay.

During said seminars, local disaster manager and residents as well were briefed on the concept of geologic hazards, occurrence, areas prone to these hazards, reading and interpreting geo-hazard maps

Juan said that the stakeholders were given information on how they could make use of the maps for preparedness planning, how to prepare and what to do during the occurrence of geologic hazards like flood and landslide.

MGB Bicol also distributed posters and flyers on flood and landslides hazards, geo-hazard maps with corresponding risk reduction, preparedness and mitigation measures

The bureau also turned over DVDs containing motion pictures on Living with Geologic Hazards and Community Based Flood Early Warning System.

A total of 408 barangays and 1,213 participants benefited from the capacity building seminar.

The bureau spearheaded Geo-hazard Identification Surveys to at least five subdivision/land development projects in Albay, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.

The bureau also had detailed investigation of areas threatened by landslides and other geologic hazards in Casiguran, Magallanes and Bacon in Sorsogon and in Bato, Catanduanes.

On mining, MGB Bicol regularly monitored the safety, health and environmental commitments of three active large-scale mines in the region, namely Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation, Rapu-Rapu Minerals Incorporated and Filminera Resources Corporation.

It investigated and resolved a total of 12 complaints, cases and conflicts involving illegal treasure hunting in Mt. Isarog National Park and Pacol in Naga City, all in Camarines Sur; seizure of MV Tina by the Esperanza (Masbate) Municipal Bantay Dagat Task Force suspected to be loaded with sand materials; alleged illegal magnetite sand extraction in the municipalities of Bulusan, Magallanes and Gubat including the reported extraction in Matnog, all in Sorsogon; against mining operation of Uni-Dragon Mining Corporation in Camarines Norte; alleged illegal small-scale mining within the watershed area in Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte; alleged mining activities in Libmanan, Camarines Sur; alleged siltation caused by Konka-Fulim Mining and Development Corporation in Paracale, Camarines Norte; and alleged extraction of Ara-al (dimension stones) in Sangay, Albay.

At least 25 mining rights or permits holders, including Rapu-Rapu Minerals Incorporated, Trans-Asia, Masbate Phils. Incorporated, Filminera Resources Corporation, Johnson Gold Mining Corporation, United Paragon Mining Corporation, Uni-Dragon, OroPhil and Nena Pimentel were validated to ensure compliance to policies of activities undertaken within the area of their operation.

The bureau also monitored the compliance to safety, health, environment and social programs during exploration, development and operation stage of Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation in Camalig, Albay; Rapu-Rapu Minerals Incorporated in Rapu-Rapu, Albay; UBS Marketing Corporation in Legazpi City and Filminera Resources Corporation in Masbate.

Lastly, MGB Bicol implemented measures to strengthen the Multi-Partite Monitoring Teams (MMTs) for Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation (IRDC) in Palanog, Camalig, Albay; Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project in Rapu-Rapu, Albay and Filminera Resources Corporation in Masbate to monitor these mining companies’ environmental and social commitments. (MGB V/PIA)

MAYON VOLCANO NOT SAFE FOR CLIMBERS, TOURISTS – PHIVOLCS

LEGAZPI CITY---Government volcanologists here warned anew climbers, tourist and guides against entering inside the six kilometer radius permanent danger zone of Mayon Volcano as it still poses danger under alet level two.

Ed Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), reiterated the warning against any human activity, to include climbing and lava watching inside the danger zone, following queries over the week coming from both local and foreign tourists if they could already get near the still abnormal volcano.

"We can not yet recommend activities inside the permanent danger zone as Mayon remains abnormal at this point," Laguerta stressed, clarifying though that their role is merely recommendatory.

Laguerta said that the 8,078-foot volcano has not yet returned to normal condition, with its emitted sulfur dioxide (SO2) until yesterday still nearly double the normal 500 tons a day.

"With still high SO2 emissions, magma-related degassing is still taking place inside Mayon," the veteran Mayon watcher explained.

Earlier, Phivolcs director Renato Solidum said that they could not yet lower further to one, which means normal, the alert status on Mayon now remains hoisted at level two.

Solidum said, although volcanic tremors detected in the past days were already very low, with zero record, SO2 emissions remained high and its crater glow was observed at intensity two, or still visible to the naked eye.

This development prompted Albay Gov. Joey Salceda to order again the putting up of at least three checkpoints in the entry and exit points at the boundary of Mayon's permanent danger zone in the portions of Daraga and this city.

Salceda also warned tour guides against bringing inside the danger zone tourists just to watch the lava that settled in the Padang-Buyuan channel here, or merely at the boundary of the six kilometer danger zone.

"For as long as Mayon remains abnormal, we will not allow any human activity inside its permanent danger zone," Salceda said.

He said if the situation persists, he might again order a massive patrolling of the Task Force Mayon personnel inside the danger zone. (CTDematera, BUCAL/PIA)

4Ps ENCOURAGE PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNAL ACTIVITIES IN MASBATE TOWNS

MASBATE Province — The establishment of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in San Pascual and in Mandaon towns, this province, has since paved the way to encourage active participation of families, especially parents, to collective activities and help out in community building.

4Ps has prompted heads of the families to comply with to the conditionalities, including participation in community activities, promote and strengthen the implementation of the program itself.

In the past, getting parents involve in school activities or attendance to meetings is generally a common problem of school officials.

Linda Caballero, teacher-in-charge of Bugtong Elementary School in Mandaon town, this province, observed that parents usually come to school only during enrollment and at the end of the school year for the graduation or closing exercises.

Caballero lamented that never these parents were aware of the importance of attending meetings particularly when the Parent Teachers and Community Association (PTCA) is being called for.

PTCA is an organization, which involves the parents, teachers and the community, also serving as an avenue for issues and concerns regarding the children’s welfare in school to discussed, or for planning of school improvement projects.

Caballero averred that most parents are aware of their school obligation, not only to enroll their children and pay the school fees but also the need to attend meetings and involve in school projects.

She further shared that parents ignore the invitation for meetings, and is also difficult to mobilize the parents involvement in other school activities for what is in their mind is the ‘monetary contribution.’

With 4Ps, Caballero noted, that there is an immense change in the community activities noting more participation from the parents now attending meetings and regularly checking their children’s attendance in school.

“Non-compliance to the conditionalities of the 4Ps would mean dropping them from the list of beneficiaries,” she stressed.

Vice Mayor Jojo Rivera of San Pascual town, this province, meanwhile, also shared the same sentiments.

“Hindi lang problema ang pagpapatawag ng miting sa eskwelahan. Kahit sa mga assemblies na pinapatawag ng barangay o munisipyo, iilan ilan lang ang dumadalo. Karamihan pa ay babae” (Getting the participation of parents in meetings in school is not the only problem, even in assemblies called in barangay and municipality, only few attends and most who come are women),” lamented Rivera.

Rivera later observed, upon implementation of the 4Ps, positive response of parents in community assemblies.

“Hindi na ngayon pinapalampas ang mga pagpupulong sa eskwelahan at barangay” (Community assemblies in schools and barangays are not anymore ignored),” Rivera added.

With the positive impact of the program in these areas, the teachers and local government leaders are happy. With the increase in the number of parents attending school activities, the teachers are also optimistic that there would also be an increase in the enrollment in the next school year.

4Ps is a national project implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that aims to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty by giving conditional cash grants to the qualified beneficiaries. (MZVillagomez, DSWD V/PIA)

SSC - BULAN CAMPUS AUTOMATES ENROLMENT

BULAN, Sorsogon — Students of the Sorsogon State College (SSC) campus here can get rid of the long queue in the coming years after the same institution has since implemented the Automated Enrollment System (AES) the second semester of this school year.

IT instructors Santiago Santiago, Mark Anthony Dipad, and Eddie Boy Gracilla, initiated the innovative and modernized procedure leveling up the previous manual enrolment system into an electronic scheme.

SSC President Antonio Fuentes said that AES is the first module of the SSC Bulan campus automation program that is currently under development.

“This system comprises different modules or functions of the program operation,” he said.

Among the modules applied are the Admission Module, producing the admission result to be presented by the freshmen for enrolment which includes their names, date of examination, course and major, and the rating in English Plus.

The Advising Module, meanwhile, produces advice slip from the lecturer’s module indicating whether the students qualify for enrolment, while the Enrollment Module produces the registration form with the breakdown of required fees.

There is also a Cashiering Module which issues the official receipt of the payment made by the students.

The Timetable Module shows the classroom utilization, Teacher’s Program and Class Program.

Lecturer Module shows the grade sheets while the Registrar Module shows official transcript of records and other certifications once students make a request supported by the official receipt and request form.

Fuentes bared that during the enrollment, seven sets of computer units are installed and are connected using the local area network at the Office of the Registrar, Cashier, Accounting, and at the Assessment Section.

The automated enrollment system used in Bulan Campus will also be put into operation at the Sorsogon City campus.

By the end of 2011, program developers and administrators of SSC envision the implementation of full automation system in all its campuses. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon with reports from HDemdam)

DSWD, UNDP TURN OVER CORE HOUSES IN ALBAY

ALBAY Province — One of the best contributing factors for the success of a project is when beneficiaries themselves unite and really lend a helping hand in the project implementation.

Such was the case of Bicol Recovery Project in Bicol region implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with more than a hundred typhoon victims and displaced families in the municipalities of Sto. Domingo and Tiwi, Albay now provided with new permanent shelters.

The beneficiaries recently received their certificate of completion and ownership from Social Welfare and Development acting Secretary Celia-Capadocia Yangco, who led the ceremonial turn-over of shelter units.

Yangco was joined by UNDP Assistant Representative Alma Evangelista, DSWD Bicol Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan, Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda and Sto. Domingo acting Mayor Edna Banda in awarding the certificate of completion and occupancy to the 70 beneficiary-families in Barangay San Andres, Sto. Domingo.

Tapispisan related that “unlike other relocation sites, Bicol Recovery Project is not merely doling out houses to victims. The community itself is given the role to build their houses on their own, to give them a sense of ownership and responsibility for their future homes.”

She added that each family was given materials and they built the house with vigor and dedication. Families worked together as a group to build a house with separate bedrooms, a kitchen and a toilet.

In her message during the turn-over rites, Yangco said that “government’s effort is nothing unless people start helping themselves. We need your help”.

Yangco added that “the construction of the shelter units for displaced families in Albay and the rest of Bicol region is in response to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s directive to provide immediate assistance and strengthen rehabilitation efforts to families affected by typhoons.”

Earlier, the UNDP provided electricity and water facilities to 30 family-beneficiaries of DSWD’s Core Shelter Assistance Project (CSAP) and funded the construction of the duplex type school building in Brgy. Joroan, Tiwi, Albay.

The CSAP is the provision to indigent families who have lost their houses to disasters of structurally strong and environment friendly shelter units which can withstand wind velocities up to 180 kph. It is a relocation and rehabilitation strategy that uses work teams composed of the beneficiaries themselves to provide labor for the construction of their houses.

In the Philippines, UNDP fosters human development for peace and prosperity. Working with central and local governments as well as civil society, and building on global test practices; UNDP strengthens capacities of women, men and institutions to empower them to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the objectives of the Philippine Mid-term Development Plan. (CLMartinez, DSWD V/PIA)

GOV’T TASK FORCE STEPS UP FARM MEASURES IN THE WAKE OF EL NINO

MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) and six of its attached agencies are carrying out assorted intervention measures that include optimizing water delivery to irrigation systems and deploying mobile animal diagnostic laboratories to mitigate the impact of the El Niño dry spell on the farm sector.

DA Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla said these measures will involve the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) as well as irrigators’ associations (IAs) in El Niño-affected areas; the Bureaus of Soils and Water Management (SWM), of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and of Animal Industry (BAI); National Food Authority (NFA); and the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).

El Niño refers to the unusual warming of sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Pacific that is usually characterized by below-average rainfall, which leads to a dry spell.

Fondevilla said these mitigation measures were taken up during the latest meeting of the interagency task force that had been created by President Arroyo to work on intervention programs for this latest dry spell, which is expected to last till July.

“Although the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) foresees the El Niño attack to be a moderate one, the weather bureau has projected that it will last longer this time until July,” he said.

The DA’s regional field units (RFUs) will help implement some of these measures especially those that need close supervision at the municipal level, Fondevilla said.

“Such measures include scheduling the release of irrigation diversion equipment for the Angat Maasim River Irrigation System (AMRIIS), which will be implemented by the DA and NIA, and the linking of canals from the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS) to the Angat-Maasim Dam covering 6,000 hectares in Bulacan, to avoid delays in the planting season,” he said.

He added that “the NIA will team up with IAs in optimizing water delivery and scheduling to national irrigation systems and rehabilitating existing irrigation canals through the drainage reuse system.”

With the assistance of the Philippine Air Force, the BSWM is now carrying out seeding operations in critical drought areas, Fondevilla noted.



BSWM and BFAR will also install 6,000 units of shallow tube wells and pumps or engine sets for fisheries, which will cover 18,000 hectares of El Niño-affected in 47 provinces, and establish open source wells for community food gardens producing high value commercial crops (HVCCs).

The DA’s field operations service and RFUs will help farmers shift to alternative crops to limit losses.

For instance, the Department is ready to help palay farmers shift to corn by providing them hybrid corn seeds, Fondevilla said.

The DA will also provide seed subsidies in the form of drought- and saline-tolerant rice variety seeds as well as corn, vegetables and root crops, he said.

Fondevilla said these intervention measures also include the continuous field surveillance in areas during highly susceptible crop stages; providing rodenticides to local government units and mobilizing communities for massive control activities; providing the livestock and poultry subsectors with veterinary drugs and biologics; and deployment by BAI of mobile diagnostic labs.

The Department, he said, is realigning P1.7 billion from its regular budget this year to bankroll these measures.

Of this amount, the DA is carrying out P570 million-worth of intervention measures for the palay sector, Fondevilla noted.

Under its 2010 El Niño Mitigation Program, the DA will also set aside P613.7 million to carry out intervention for the corn sector; another P411 million for the HVCC subsector; and P117.4 million more for fisheries.

As early as December last year, the DA had already created its own task force to carry out its program to raise crop production along with farmers’ incomes in the face of a then-looming El Niño” attack.

This DA task force is focusing its mitigation measures on 23 “highly vulnerable” areas and 24 “moderately vulnerable” areas in the country.

These areas considered highly vulnerable to an onslaught of El Niño are Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga City, Sarangani and South Cotabato.

Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt Province, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Romblon, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Samar, Zamboanga Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga Sur, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Davao Sur and Davao City are considered as moderately vulnerable to the El Niño phenomenon.

Total agricultural production losses under a mild El Niño scenario could reach P8.09 billion, and P20.46 billion under a severe dry spell, Fondevilla said.

Fondevilla said that based on studies made by the Department, a total of 453,204 hectares of land planted to palay, 227,843 hectares of corn areas and 14,160 hectares in the fisheries sector are threatened under a prolonged El Niño attack. (DA/PIA)

SALCEDA SAYS PGMA'S ECONOMIC RECORD BETTER THAN PREDECESSORS'

MANILA — The Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP), the measure of its overall economic performance, has posted an average of 4.4 percent growth annually during the nine-year term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, better than the yearly average recorded by her four immediate predecessors.

A comprehensive briefing held in Malacanang Monday (February 8) by Albay Governor Jose Salceda with some 70 representatives of major industry and business groups in attendance indicated that President Arroyo did better than her predecessors in terms of various economic indices, which economic planners utilize to project the annual GDP.

The economic indices cited by Salceda in neatly arranged statistics include gross international reserves (GIR), fiscal performance and reforms, foreign debt, credit ratings, tourism arrivals and revenues, foreign direct investments (FDI), cyber industry figures, and even the revenues and income performance of the country’s top 1,000 corporations.

“Better than others, better than the previous, better than expected and better in 2010”, Salceda stressed in his 100-page briefing at the Bahay Pangarap in Malacanang attended by the President, Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, and Press Secretary Cris Icban, Jr.

Zeroing in on the GDP averages, Salceda said President Arroyo’s average 4.4 percent performance outshone the annual growth posted during the terms of Presidents Joseph Estrada (3.4), Fidel V. Ramos ( 3.7), Corazon Aquino (3.6) and even Ferdinand Marcos (3.8).

Salceda summed up Arroyo’s economic performance by citing the following highlights:

• The country’s 33 quarters of uninterrupted growth
• The Philippines was one of the few countries to avoid negative growth during the global financial crisis, even securing a credit upgrade
• Average growth higher than all past periods since 1966
• Average inflation lower than all past periods since 1966
• GDP grew 2.23x since 2001 in peso terms
• GDP grew from $76 billion to $168 billion.
• GDP / capita increased by 87 percent.
• GNP / capita from $967 to $2,051 or +121 percent.
• Peak growth of 8.3% in 2Q07, the highest in 30 years, despite the drag /decrement impact of dysfunctional politics on investments.
• Saceda said the World Bank, after careful study, arrived at the decision that the Philippines has improved its economy based on the following six indicators:
• Efficiency of the customs clearance process (Rank #54)
• Quality of trade and transport-related infrastructure ( Rank #64)
• Ease of arranging competitively priced shipments (Rank #20)
• Competence and quality of logistics services (Rank #47)
• Ability to track and trace consignments (Rank #44)
• Frequency with which shipments reach the consignee within the scheduled or expected time (Rank #42).

The briefing was held to set for the record the country’s improved economic picture and to belie claims made by the political opposition.

The President, obviously satisfied by the statistical presentation, told reporters that the gains could not have been achieved without political will on her part.

“If one has political will, he/she should start with the difficult and the effort will bear,” she remarked.

Among the prominent businessmen in attendance were Corazon de la Paz of the Makati Business Club, Rizalino Navarro of the Management Association of the Philippines, and officials of Finex. Also present were representatives of the various industry groups. (PIA V Release)

PGMA ENDS CYBER CORRIDOR TOUR, NOTES .5M BPO-ICT JOBS CREATED

MANILA — From a fledgling industry with only a few thousand call center egents in 2001, the BPO (business process outsourcing) and ICT (information and communications technology) sector has become the biggest employer in the country.

To date, more than 500,000 young men and women, joined by a growing number of retirees, have found high-paying jobs in the industry.

In her keynote address at the two-day 10th e-Services Global Sourcing Conference at the SMX Convention Center at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noted the country’s BPO-ICT industry, now a global powerhouse, “will exceed $9 billion in revenues this year because of the government’s vision, determination and wise policies.”

The industry earned $7 billion last year.

“From scratch, we created a global powerhouse after nine years,” the President told an audience composed of corporate executives, technology experts, and businessmen from the United States, China, Japan, United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Germany.

The President lauded Trade Secretary Peter Favila for his foresight. It was the Cabinet secretary, she said, who urged the administration to create wealth by developing the labor-and skills-intensive ICT-BPO industry.

According to the President, her administration invested P46 billion or roughly $700 million to develop what is now called the Cyber Corridor, an amount “more than thrice than that of the three previous administrations combined.”

Of this, P1billion was spent to help scholars acquire English proficiency and other skills.

The BPO-ICT industry, the President said, owes its success to the establishment of digital infrastructure, creation of appropriate policy and legal environment, and development of human capital by the government.

It is because of the strategy adopted by the government that the Philippines was deemed the World’s Best Offshoring Destination of the Year in 2007 and UK’s National Outsourcing Association in 2009.

The President added that the BPO-ICT industry has graduated to the next level.
Originally confined to call center operation, the industry now offers complex knowledge-based services such as accounting, legal and medical transcription, animation, business administration, and software development, among others.

“I am so proud that after nine years, the Philippines has come to share with India the BPO supremacy,” the President said.

During the affair, the President was also presented a memorandum of agreement between the Philippine Government (departments of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Industry, and Science and Technology) on one hand and the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering and the Silicon Valley Chapter of Science and Technology Advisory Council on the other.

The MOA aims to foster cooperation between the academe and the business sector on matters related to the improvement of science and technology education, expansion of research and development, and creation of climate conducive to economic growth.

The e-Services Global Services Conference is the largest ICT/BPO event in the Philippines. The President ended her tour of the Cyber Corridor, which began last Monday, by attending the affair.

Today, she began touring the Luzon Urban Betlway. (PIA V Release)

PGMA WANTS STAR-SLEX INTERCONNECTION COMPLETE BY APRIL

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wants the STAR-SLEX (Southern Tagalog Arterial Road-South Luzon Expressway) interconnection be completed by April.

The President said she wants this big-ticket infrastructure project fast-tracked to give people the convenience of traveling to their hometowns in the south with ease.

In brief remarks at the construction site in Sto. Tomas, Batangas,, the President asked Isaac David, president of South Luzon Tollway Corporation, the operator of SLEX, if it would be possible for the company to assign round-the-clock shifts, seven days a week, so that the project could be completed in time for the summer school vacation.

In his reply, David told the President that he would inform their contractor and assured the President that the project would be completed by that time.

The President expressed satisfaction over the development and coined a new name for the "conjoined" highway. She called it STARLEX, which, she said, stands for Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Luzon Expressway.

Once completed, the STARLEX, which starts from Batangas City, will cut travel time to Makati City by an hour.

The road complex forms part of PGMA's Luzon Urban Beltway, one of the Super Regions, all designed to decongest Metro Manila and bring development and progress to nearby provinces. (PIA V Release)

PGMA'S LEGACY: STRONG REPUBLIC NAUTICAL HIGHWAY

MANILA — The Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) is one of the legacies President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will leave the Filipino people when she steps down in June.

The disclosure was made by Oscar Sevilla, general manager of Philippine Ports Authority in Batangas City.

According to Sevilla, the SRNH links Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao via the western seaboard. It connects Manila to Dipolog City in Mindanao, Biliran in Leyte to Surigao City, and Bicol to Cagayan de Oro.

It is thus instrumental in spurring growth in the entire country.

Envisioned as the “highway of the sea,” the 919-kilometer (land) and 137-nautical mile (sea) seamless transport infrastructure network connects the huge consumer markets of Luzon to the agricultural production centers of Mindanao. It reduces the cost of travel by 37 percent to 43 percent for passengers and 24 percent to 34 percent for cargo, and the time of travel by 10 to 12 hours when compared by conventional air and sea travel.

Because of this, Sevilla said, passenger traffic in and around the islands have grown from 2.6-million in 2001 to 4.9-million in 2009.

The infrastructure project has enabled tourist arrivals to breach the three million mark, while total domestic cargo and passenger traffic in 2007 by sea reached 72.8 and 44.5 million (MT), respectively.

The ro-ro (roll on roll off) shipping facilitates much of the traffic.

Traffic between Batangas City port to other SRNH destinations has substantially increased, to 85 sea vessel trips everyday.

Also, the ro-ro network has resulted in the reduction of port charges, with freight rates now based on the lane meter, which is the actual space occupied by the cargo on the ship, rather than on the tedious commodity classification system. It has also eliminated cargo handling and wharfage.

Because of competition, players in the domestic shipping industry, have improved their operations to improve profitability.

For instance, Aboitiz Transport Service (ATS), in partnership with Maersk Line, has introduced bigger ships to realize economies of scale. As a result, ATS net income grew by 130 percent, with ro-ro contributing much of the profit.

Based on a recent study done by the Center for Research and Communication (CRC), transporting goods via the western nautical highway is cheaper compared to conventional shipping.

For example, transporting fresh fish from Capiz, Iloilo, and Estancia to Manila has become economical.

Fish traders claim they are better off with the multi-trip schedules of ro-ro service compared with the limited daily schedules of big liners. Instead of shipping at the same time, fish traders now time their shipments properly.

The reduction in cost has changed the way shippers transport their goods throughout the country.

For instance, Nestle Phils, a multinational food conglomerate, has closed down 33 of its 36 distribution centers nationwide. It now makes small, frequent and direct deliveries to its clients, thus minimizing the need for inventories.

Universal Robina, which transports its products from its plant in Ugong, Pasig to the rest of the country, now makes 12 trips a day instead of once a week. . With the expansion of market coverage, the trucking industry is undergoing major transformation as well.

From a highly dependent shipper-client type of operation, the trucking business is expected to evolve into an entrepreneur/ marketing-based type of economic activity, where the truckers actively look for the products to move within and among islands. (PIA V Release)