OWWA’s MICROSOFT TULAY PROJECT BENEFITS 2,194 OFWs AND KINS

LEGAZPI CITY – Some 2,194 overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their dependents in Albay have graduated from the free computer literacy training under the Microsoft Tulay Project of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Bicol since 2007.

OWWA Bicol Regional Director Jocelyn Hapal said the project has provided opportunities to OFW families in terms of learning new technology, enabling them to communicate with their loved ones abroad through e-mail, chat, blogging, and other social networking tools.

“We are preparing to make the computer training mobile and bring it to provinces, especially to Camarines Sur where there are many OFW families. This agency is already negotiating with the management of the Shoemart (SM) in Naga City for a space inside the mall to accommodate the training program,” she added.

Two batches of OFW families will be trained every Saturday and Sunday for two months at the OWWA regional office here. One personal computer is designated for every trainee to facilitate efficient fast and efficient learning.

Microsoft Corporation’s accredited trainers will provide training on at least eight courses, including basic computer fundamentals, word processing, spreadsheet, power point, database, internet use, digital media, and web design.

Hapal, meanwhile, told PIA News Service that OWWA in Bicol is also targeting affected families of Mayon eruption, particularly those displaced from their homes, to benefit from the same training program.

“Their livelihood and other sources of income were damage or lost in the course of the recent Mayon eruption, so the agency sees the need to provide these local with their needs and in the long run help them to mainstream their craft in putting up small business venture, the likes of printing of documents, cards, encoding service, technical, troubleshooting, designs, among others,” elaborated the OWWA Bicol chief. .

She bared that residents of Barangay Caguiao in Guinobatan town are already into the training program held at the barangay hall. OWAA brings along the hardware, particularly laptop computers, to the target barangay which locals used during the training.

The agency also plans to implement the same program in affected barangays Sto. Domingo, Albay, as well as for OFWs and their families in Sorsogon and Camarines Norte provinces.

Tulay project is a part of the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Community Skills Program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and OWWA since 2004. (MALoterte,PIA/MAIArana, BUCAL)

SSC CAMPUS IN BULAN OPENS NEW COURSES

BULAN, Sorsogon (February 15)— Sorsogon State College (SSC) campus here has offered since last year courses on Bachelor of Science in Accounting Technology ( BSAT) and Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education ( BSED), in response to the request of the business community and the locals themselves.

SSC President Antonio Fuentes averred the two courses, offered in many colleges and universities across the Bicol region, were approved for implementation in the Bulan campus by the Board of Trustees by virtue of Resolution No. 8, s. 2009.

“The college likewise implements the enhanced program for information and communication technology (ICT) courses by adopting CHED Memorandum Order 18, s, 2008 and the BS Entrepreneurship by adopting CMO 17, s. 2005,” he added.

BSAT is a four-year course under the Business Management Education (BME) department, with 21 enrollees in the first semester and 22 in the second semester for school year 2009 - 2010.

BSED, with Math and English as fields of specialization, was shelved for several years but reopened this current school year with 24 and 22 enrollees for the first and second semesters, respectivel.

“Approved policies on admission, retention, qualifying examination, and internship of Bachelor of Science in Accountancy were also implemented this year,” he further said.

In other development, Bulan campus admission sets promotion drive with the aim to increase college enrolment every school year.

Fuentes also said that the admissions office spearheaded the popularization of curricular programs of the campus to various high schools in Bulan and nearby towns.

“In order to bring SSC closer to far flung communities, the mobile admission scheme was already held in Gallanosa National High School, Gubat National High School, and San Andres Clemente Junior High School in Masbate and hopefully in other areas for the next school years for the purpose of public assistance,” said Fuentes.

“The campus here also launched an Open House and Synchronized Career Guidance activities for graduating students of secondary schools in the whole municipality,” he further added. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon with reports from HDemdam.)

MASBATE PEACE COUNCIL PRESSES FOR CCTV CAMERAS IN BANKS, TRADING HOUSES

MASBATE CITY (February 15) —Effective immediately, all banks and other big trading houses in this city must install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras in their establishments to deter robbery and help the police identify suspects.

This would become mandatory once a proposed ordinance that requires all banks and trading houses to have video surveillance devices within their premises is passed in the city council and approved by Mayor Socrates M. Tuason.

The measure, shelved for the time being at the city council after it was assailed in a public hearing as “additional burden for business,” received the endorsement of the multi-sectoral Masbate City Peace and Order Council.

Rogelio Magalang, city agriculture officer, sponsored the CPOC resolution, noting that the equipment would deter robberies and aid the police in their investigation.

“With the use of video cameras in and outside of their place of operation, the business houses can record all persons coming in and out of their premises and monitor the goings-on inside,” a draft copy of the resolution said.

The CPOC, convened by Tuason Wednesday last week, noted that criminal syndicates in other cities have become daring in their operation, often using high-powered firearms in their heists.

With the use of CCTVs, police investigators would have easier time piecing together information about the suspects, Supt. Jeffrey Z. Fernandez, chief of city police force, said.

Under the measure, the banks and trading houses should store their daily video recordings for at least 15 days. After 15 days, the recordings would be destroyed unless their preservation is required by a court order, the local police or the city mayor.

The ordinance also orders bank officials to give police investigators access to their recordings. Only those authorized by the city police chief, however, would be allowed to view the video footages.

The measure also decrees that it would be unlawful for any person to allow the unauthorized or unofficial use or viewing of any saved video-recording and the unauthorized public identification of any person or client seen in the video, except in the case of a complainant or a victim.

Those who violate the ordinance would be fined. (EADelgado/PIA Masbate)

TOO MANY LOOSE FIREARMS IGNITE MURDERS IN MASBATE, SAYS PNP CHIEF

MASBATE CITY (February 15) — In describing the scale of seeming lawlessness in the pistol-shaped island province of Masbate, Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa turned to Maguindanao, the site of the massacre of 57 people by some 100 gunmen last Nov. 23, for comparison.

Verzosa, who recently convened military, police and election officials involved in the security preparations for the upcoming elections here, sought to explain Masbate’s inclusion in what he has come to describe as “hot spots,” saying “halos sunod-sunod talaga ang patayan at hindi magandang nangyayari dito.”

The PNP chief attributed the propensity of Masbateños for murder to the proliferation of firearms in Masbate.

“As early as last year we have already concluded that the single instrument na ginagamit dito sa mga karahasan na ganyan ay baril.”

To support his conclusion, he cited the case of provinces of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), particularly Maguindanao.

“Doon sa Maguindanao and most areas in ARMM, ‘yan din ang cause ng kaguluhan. Almost all residents (have firearms),” he said.

He hastened to add: “Mukhang ganun din dito.”

To check the proliferation of firearms, he said the PNP has begun implementing a program called “National Firearms Control.” (EADelgado/PIA Masbate)

BFP “UGNAYAN SA BARANGAY” PROGRAM ON

LEGAZPI CITY – At least a hundred residents and officials of Barangay Taysan, this city, took part in the “Ugnayan sa Barangay” program of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Wednesday last week

SFO1 Sarena Socorro Tolarba, BFP Legazpi City Plans and Training head, said that the series of interfacing held and set in the coming days intends to inform and educate the people on fire safety tips and precautions, as well as emergency response measures in time of fire incidents.

BFP records last year showed that the most common cause of fire incidents in business establishments or offices were results of electrical short circuits, while unattended lighted candles triggered fires in residential houses.

During the information and education drive in Taysan, FO1 Norman Andes expounded on the “Chemistry of Fire and Theory of Extinguishment and Portable Fire Extinguisher”.

Tolarba, on the other hand, tackled Fire Prevention and Safety Hazards and Fire Brigade Organization.

SFO3 Rogelio Andes briefed the locals and staged an exercise of fire suppression and bucket relay.

The activity was conducted successfully with the active participation of the barangays residents, who in return were grateful to the bureau with the new and helful knowledge and skills to prevent fire and respond to emergencies brought by related incidents..

“Ugnayan sa Barangay” targets all barangays of Legazpi City to further educate and help the residents be aware on fire safety.

In preparation for the Fire Prevention Month this March, BFP has also lined up similar activities.

Tolarba enumerated posting of streamers, fun run, motorcade, distribution of information materials, conduct of lectures on all types of occupancy, on the spot drawing contest in primary level, in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepEd), open house for schools, television and radio news exposure-fire safety, conduct of industrial and commercial fire drill exercises, and organize fire control brigade for the Fire Prevention Month. (JTBTapel/SDLaguno, BUCAL/PIA)

INCREASE IN PRICES OF BREAD NOTED
…blames uptrend prices of sugar, other ingredients

LEGAZPI CITY — Increase in prices of bread has been noted recently here, with authorities passing on the blame to the upward trend of sugar prices in the market.

The price of loaf bread has increased by P2.00, with the big size from P27 to P29 and the small one costing P14 from P12.

Pan de sal (salt bread) was then sold 6 pieces for only P5, but now it is sold P1 per piece.

“Sugar is very expensive. If we are not going to increase the prices of our products, we will not only suffer from huge losses but it could also result to the closure of our business,” said a bake shop owner in Legazpi City Public Market who asked not be named.

“If sugar and other ingredients will have price rollbacks, we will follow suit,” he added.

The prices of sugar in the public market range from P52-P56 per kilo for refined sugar, P50-P52 for washed and P45-46 for brown variety.

Catherine Subido, statistician from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) here assured the public that the sugar price hike will not last long.

“At the end of January, we are already progressing. As the harvest progresses we will have an increase in the supply of sugar. As soon as this happens, there would be price rollbacks,” she explained. (AGBLatigay, BUCAL/PIA)

KALAHI-CIDSS BRINGS HOPE, DEVELOPMENT TO POOR COMMUNITIES

Below is an open letter which Wilma B. Cledera herself wrote for her sister.

“…I used to write letter to my sister. She left our family 10 years ago when I was just five years old. She was 17 and never came back since then. My parents seldom talk about her, especially my father. He was devastated when my sister went to Manila to work in a paper factory. Until one day, my mother caught me writing a letter to my sister. She asked me if she could read it. I didn’t know what came over me but I handed it to her. For the first time, she read one of the unsent letters I wrote.

My sister Dianne,

I don’t know where exactly you are but our family has been doing great since you left. You said that development is hard to come by in our isolated barangay. Like any of fellow villagers, I too had to walk several meters everyday just to go to school. The road leading to the school is hardly passable, especially when rain comes. I knew how hard it is for father to bring the root crops to the town center. Father has to leave the house at dawn on foot, carrying a big basket full of goods. By the time he reaches town, the basket would only be half-full. Given the terrain leading to the town, one gets the impression that development efforts are extremely difficult. But our people proved this wrong.

You could have seen the way our village has changed. The things that you hated had been given utmost attention by our local officials with the help of the social workers from KALAHI-CIDSS. KALAHI-CIDSS is one of the few CIDSS, our village received aa grant of P3.6 million that all went, understandably, to road project. Our local officials from the municipal and barangay worked fast in implementing the process of KALHI-CIDSS. Even our parents volunteered to do manual labor just to finish the road project on time.

With the help of KALAHI-CIDSS our barangay is slowly gaining public access. The road leading to the town proper had been passable. It was indeed a dream come true for all of us. You could have witnessed how father and is overjoyed with the blessing the program has given us father told me you wanted to be a doctor. You used to be upset when sick people were put up in a cradle and sometimes died in the middle of what used to be the troubled road.

Father thinks of you. There’s something in his eyes. I asked him if what he would do if you come back. He said, “I would love to ask her to accompany me in my walks on the road that she used to hate.”

His response made me smile. I was inspired to continue to pursue their dreams for a peace and prosperous community.

Your loving sister,

WILMA B. CLEDERA

My mother folded the letter. She embraced me and said “Nothing is impossible if there is determination, unity and cooperation, coupled with prayers”.

(Wilma B. Cledera is a community volunteer of The Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan, Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS): KKB in Barangay. Salvacion, Garchitorena, Camarines Sur. She manifested support to the project through her attendance and participation to the community trainings and assemblies.)

PGMA tells DepEd to continue English proficiency program

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today (February 15) instructed Education Secretary Jesli Lapus to continue the government’s English-proficiency training program for public school teachers.

The President issued the directive after observing the ongoing National English Proficiency Program (NEPP) for elementary teachers at the P. Burgos Elementary School along P. Guevarra St. in Manila this afternoon.

Noting that 100,000 of the country’s estimated 500,000 teachers have already benefited, the President wants the program to continue.

“We have made progress in many areas, but more is needed to be done. I instruct Secretary Lapus that English training should be a continuing program,” the President said.

The President said the government has allocated over P2.5 billion for teacher training over the last three years especially for English teachers.

The establishment of the NEPP in 2003 was an offshoot of Executive Order 210 mandating the use of English as a medium of instruction in the elementary grades and high school, particularly in English, Math and Science.

According to the President, the Department of Education (DepEd) is to be cited for their contribution to the English language proficiency. As a result of the teacher’s grasp of the language, she said the National Achievement Test (NAT) went up from 44 percent to 65 percent in elementary schools and from 36 to 47 percent in high schools.

The President said she would like to visit one of the 23 Centers of Excellence to observe how newly hired teachers are trained.

To further improve the country’s educational system, the President said a Presidential Task Force on Education was established headed by Jesuit educator Father Bienvenido Nebres.

“They have come up with what is called the Main Education Highway towards a Knowledge-Based Economy. It envisions seamless education from basic education to vocational school or college. And that is what we are trying to carry out,” the President said.

She said she will continue her hands-on governance until her term ends to further promote key initiatives that include providing quality education for all and a continuous focus on the youth, “our best hope for a brighter, better Philippines.”

The President said her administration has invested much in education and skills. She added she doubled the budget of DepEd, Technical Education and Skills Development Auhtority (TESDA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the state universities, to P180 billion from its P90 billion budget at the start of her term.

Also, the President said, 100,000 classrooms were built; miscellaneous fees eliminated for public primary schools; and school uniforms made optional.

To encourage the poor to keep their children in school, the President said her administration launched the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P) which provides conditional cash transfer of P 800 to P 1, 400 per family.

The current administration also extended scholarship to the GASTPE program.

Over 600,000 students taking up undergraduate and post-graduate college courses.

“We created 60,000 teaching jobs, and increased teachers’ pay. A Teacher I who was then receiving P9,000 now earns P14,000,” the President said amid the applause of the teachers present.

All this, the President said is meant to achieve the difficult UN Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015, a feat only Cuba has so far achieved. (PIA V Release)

PGMA's Super Regions tour shifts to Mindanao

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo flies tomorrow (Tuesday) to Mindanao for the third leg of her Super Regions tour, beginning with on-site inspection of an ongoing upgrading of the Surigao-Davao Coastal Road.

The road project links the eastern towns of Bacuag, Surigao del Norte and Mati, Davao Oriental. When completed, travel time between the two towns will be cut by one-half, or from the usual eight hours to only four hours.

Necessarily, this will speed up the transport of products and services in these areas, notably from the Caraga region and Davao Oriental to the Davao Port and nearby ports.

The Arroyo administration has mapped out several development projects for Mindanao to spur the southern regions’ economic growth under the Super Region strategy.

President Arroyo said she had identified two overriding objectives of her mission and visions for Mindanao.

First is to “unlock” the human and natural resource potentials of Mindanao and free the people from the threat of violence.

“We must free our young people in Mindanao from the scourge of poverty so that they may look to a brighter future. This future will be built on education, good roads and infrastructure, and jobs for them and their families,” the Chief Executive stressed.

The second is to restore peace and prosperity in the region. The President pointed out that the people of Mindanao have suffered long enough.

”I have made sure that every single day as President, I put the needs of Mindanao front and center. We are investing in Mindanao at every level, for only investment in hope—not fear—will set the region free to grow and prosper,” she said.

According to the President, the Mindanao Super Region is host to a number of companies, including multinationals that produce high value crops, fruits, vegetables for the domestic and global markets.

Mindanao produces also 100 percent of rubber and pineapple production, and 50 percent of coconut, considered as three of the country’s top agricultural commodities.

Government peace initiatives under the Arroyo leadership have also attained breakthroughs towards the conclusion of a peace accord with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), notably the resumption of the on Dec. 8-9, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The MILF strength has decreased by about 10 percent, or from 12,570 armed combatants nine years ago to 11, 352 as of third quarter last year. On the other hand, the manpower strength of the Abu Sayyaf Group was cut by almost one-half, or from 800 in 2001 to only 345 as of May last year.

“Peace and development go hand in hand. With agribusiness underpinning our unstoppable march towards peace and development in Mindanao, we are optimistic that the attainment of our development vision is at hand,” President Arroyo emphasized.

Reaping the fruits of peace and development

The gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of the Mindanao Super Region grew by 42.977 percent, from P175.93 billion in 2000 to P251.53 billion in 2008. The GRDP growth rate of the Super Region expanded by 14.29 percent from an average of 6.02 percent in 2000 to 6.88 percent in 2007. In 2008, Mindanao’s GRDP contributed 17.71 percent to national GDP.

The gross value added (GVA) of the Mindanao Super Region in agriculture and fishery increased by 38.95 percent from P64.52 billion in 2000 to P89.65 billion in 2008.

The inflow of investments and growth of the economy led to the increase in jobs and income in the Mindanao Super Region.

Employment rate increased from 92.5 percent in 2000 to 95.1 percent in 2009. More than half were employed in agriculture and other related sectors as of October 2007.

The average daily income of private sector workers increased from P110-P180 in 2000 to P195-P265 in 2009.

Citing government records, the President asserted that the much-improved peace and order situation in Mindanao has already resulted to growth of the agribusiness sector.

Supply of commercial fisheries grew by 28 percent from 737,600 metric tons (MT) in 2001 to 922,500 MT in 2008, accounting for 75.23 percent of the 1.23 million MT national production last year. On the other hand, chicken and hog industries grew by 28.3 percent and 18.64 percent, respectively, from 2001 to 2009.

Total banana exports increased by 13 percent from 418,654 MT in 2001 to 473,301 MT in 2009. Moreover, two giant banana exporting companies joined the Mindanao-based Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association.

Mindanao palay production increased from 3.14 million metric tons in 2001 to 3.79 million MT in 2008. This accounts for 23 percentof the 16.8 million MT national production in 2008. In addition, corn production went up by 32 percent, while coconut by 19.25 percent in 2008.

Approved investments in the Mindanao Super Region more than doubled from P23.01 billion in 2007 to P79.33 billion in 2009. Share of Mindanao investments to National Board of Investments-Philippine Export Processing Zone approved investment increased by four times from 6.5 percent in 2007 to 26.47 percent in 2009. (PIA V Release)

PGMA sets dinner with media begins with Agribusiness Mindanao tour

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will host a dinner for media practitioners in Davao City and other parts of Mindanao tomorrow.

The President, who is expected to fly to Davao City, will check on the status of the different infrastructure projects in Surigao and Davao.

The development of Mindanao takes high priority in the program of the current administration. In fact, Agribusiness Mindanao is one of five Super Regions.

Through the media practitioners, the President hopes to inform the people of Mindanao what her administration has accomplished in nine years.

The President's visit to Mindanao is the third leg of her Super Regions performance evaluation.

Under the Super Regions strategy, Mindanao's potential as the country's agribusiness center is being developed and harnessed through major infrastructure projects.

The President began her legacy tour two weeks ago with visits to the Cyber Corridor and the Urban Luzon Beltway.

She has yet to visit the North Luzon Agribusiness Triangle and Central Philippines Tourism Center super regions.

The Super Regions was first unveiled in her 2006 State-of the-Nation Address. That time, she noted the importance of grouping selected regions and provinces by their economic strengths to stimulate economic growth and development and make the Philippines in step with its ASEAN neighbors.

Mindanao's competitive edge is agribusiness. It supplies 40 percent of the country's food requirements and contributes more than 30 percent to the national food trade. (PIA V Release)

PGMA cites 3 Filipino, 2 Japanese

MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today (February 15) conferred Presidential Citations on three Filipinos and two Japanese in simple rites in Malacañang.

Teiko Inabata and Tsueno Tanaka were cited for their invaluable assistance to the Philippines through their Global Voluntary Service, a non-government organization engaged in community and social projects in the country since 1993.

Global Voluntary Service (GVS) was founded in 1992 to help people improve their living conditions.

Through GVS, Inabata and Tanaka implement projects that benefit the Filipino people in such areas as vocational training, health education and entrepreneurial development.

They have conducted seminars and training programs focused on poverty alleviation in numerous cities and municipalities in Batangas, Benguet, Cavite, Cebu, Davao del Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Laguna, Negros Occicdental, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, and South Cotabato as well as in Metropolitan Manila.

Also cited by the President were Makati City 1st District Representative Teodoro Locsin, Jr. and Drs. Ernesto Domingo and Mercedes Concepcion.

Locsin was conferred the Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of Grand Officer, one of the senior honors of the Republic, in recognition of his valuable and meritorious service in military affairs.

Locsin had been instrumental in upholding the honor and integrity of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a member of the House of Representatives.

Drs. Domingo and Concepcion were cited for their pioneering work in the field of gastroenterology and internal medicine and in demography, respectively.

Domingo is known for his studies on the nature of schistosome granuloma and its role in hepatosplenic disease.

Concepcion is recognized for her study on population composition and trends and their implications for social and economic development, the growth of urbanization, the situation of the elderly and of employment.

Present during the awarding ceremonies were Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro. (PIA V Release)

France, Monaco Consuls call on PGMA, begin 5-day RP familiarization tour

MANILA — Honorary Consuls from France and Monaco called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang this Monday morning (February 15).
Honorary Consuls Jean Jacques Rinck and Guy Alain Lafont de Sentenac of France and Patricia Zobel de Ayala of Monaco are on a five-day tour of the Philippines to gather knowledge that will help them promote the country as a trade and tourist destination in their places of origin.
Joining the President in welcoming the visitors were Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Minister and Consul General of the Philippines in Paris Rosalita Prospero.
The familiarization tour is an initiative of the Honorary Consuls themselves and the Philippine Embassy in Paris.
According to Ambassador Prospero, the two will represent the Philippines in Monaco, Lyon and Toulossa, and the tour will help them do their job.

Honorary Consuls are men and women of consequence who complement the efforts of the country’s foreign service. (PIA V Release)

Feb. 22 is special holiday in all schools

MANILA — It will be a special holiday in all schools on Monday, February 22, as the country commemorates the 24th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Pursuant to Republic Act No. 9492, all holidays, except those which are religious in nature, are moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation.

In July last year, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1841 declaring the regular holidays, special (non-working) days, and special holidays (for all schools) for the year 2010.

Under the proclamation, February 22, or the Monday nearest February 25, was declared a special holiday to serve as an “inspiration to all Filipinos everywhere as we continue to chart our collective course as a nation and as a people.”

The country yearly celebrates the February 25, 1986 People Power revolution which restored basic liberties such as free speech, freedom of assembly and a free press after 14 years of Martial rule. (PIA V Release)