SALCEDA DISMAYED OVER RAJ'S OUSTER AS REIGNING BB. PILIPINAS UNIVERSE; ASKS ORGANIZERS TO EXPLAIN

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay Gov. Joey Salceda was dismayed over the decision of the organizers of Binibining Pilipinas Universe replacing Ms. Venus Raj, this year's Miss Binibining Pilipinas Universe, with a second rank winner.

Salceda said he would ask the organizers why Miss Diane Samar Necio, the 1st runner up, did not automatically take the place of Raj.

“I know, this is very parochial, even trivial to some, but I am asking the organizers why the 1st runner up, Ms Diane Samar Necio, my town mate, did not automatically take the place of Ms. Binibining Pilipinas Universe - Ms. Venus Raj who was ousted,” Salceda said.

“Typically, we send a morena to Ms.Universe and Ms. Necio was a morena beauty and she was proclaimed the 1st runner up,” he said.

Raj was dethroned for submitting questionable documents to the Bb. Pilipinas Universe organizers, a ground for disqualifications under the pageant rules.

Raj was born in Camarines Sur but she studied in this city (Bicol University) and was poster girl of Albay CIRCA (Center for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation), Salceda said .

Over the past three years, Albay has had a bountiful harvest of beauty trophies. Last year, Miss Melody Gerbasch first won as Miss Magayon 2009 before becoming Binibining Pilipinas International and was a semifinalist in China.

Necio, the Bb. Pilipinas Universe 1st runner up, was a runner up to Gerbasch in the Mutya ng Magayon Pageant.

Another Albayana beauty, Jane Banares, won as Mutya ng Pilipinas 2009 even after losing in Mutya ng Magayon but winning Miss Polangui.

Salceda said the titles were a source of local pride and to a certain extent a uniting force for Bicolanos.

The provincial government provided support, although private funded, these aspirations.

“ We provided assistance to three candidates in this year's Binibining Pilipinas (Raj, Necio and Santos from Daraga who was actually the winner of Miss Magayon 2009). We sent a delegation to China to support Ms. Melody Gerbasch,” Salceda said. (MSArguelles, PNA Bicol/PIA)

BSP TO RELEASE NEW CURRECY DESIGN BY END OF 2010

LEGAZPI CITY —Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to release the new design of the Philippine monetary bills and coins by the end of 2010.

Marlyn Paje, acting deputy director of BSP branch here, said that this is in accordance the New Central Bank Act or Republic Act 7653 giving the Central Bank Monetary Board, with the approval of the Philippine President, the power to prescribe denominations, dimensions, designs and inscriptions and other characteristics of notes issued by the BSP.

She added that the new face of the Philippine currency is to circulate by 2013. From this year on, current bills and coins will still be considered as legal tender while a 5-year exchange period for these is in place.

Paje said that the new currency design will have brighter colors and will feature the Philippines’ national wonders at the back side of the bills and Mayon Volcano may be included in the new design. Currently, historical buildings are featured at the back side of the bills.

Dorothy Colle, Officer-in-Charge of the Albay Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office, said that the possible inclusion of Mayon in the Philippine currency will be an opportunity for promotion for the province.

She added that local and foreign tourists will be made more familiar to where Mayon is and it may boost the province’s tourist arrival which is at 235,000, a far second to Camarines Sur’s roughly million tourist arrival in 2009.

BSP redesigns the Philippine currency every 10 years as a measure to avoid counterfeiters in mastering the country’s bank notes. (JMYee, BUCAL/PIA)

ANOTHER TOWN IN MASBATE TO BENEFIT FROM KALAHI-CIDSS

LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol, Provincial Government of Masbate and Municipal Government of Cawayan penned recently the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the poverty reduction project Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Community Integrated Development and Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) in Cawayan town.

DSWD Assistant Regional Director Evelyn Lontok was joined by Masbate Governor Elisa T. Kho, Cawayan Mayor Edgar S. Condor, Vice Mayor Ramon Abinuman and officials from the provincial government of Masbate.

Governor Kho said that communities from Cawayan should continue to support the programs and projects of the government especially the DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDSS and 4Ps or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

“The people should be involved right from the start of the project because the people from the barangays are our partners in development. All of us have a very important role for the success of this project,” Kho enthused.

Mayor Condor expressed gratitude for selecting Cawayan as the only municipality in Bicol for the additional 16 municipalities to implement KALAHI-CIDSS. Adding 16 more to the original 184 municipalities was a directive from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit in Arakan, North Cotabato last year. Cawayan will receive P16 million grant fund from KALAHI this year.

Condor affirmed his counterpart funding amounting to P8.1 million for the implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS in his municipality this year. “I am confident that with the support of the barangay officials and commitment from the community, Cawayan will pursue the goals of KALAHI-CIDSS which are to reduce poverty, improve local governance and empower communities,” Condor said.


Meanwhile, the Regional Project Management Team (RPMT) is in the process of selecting additional areas and negotiating the further expansion of KALAHI-CIDSS in the next three years. The DSWD in Bicol initiated screening of additional municipalities for KALAHI-CIDSS, adding five more additional areas, which are being assessed by the RPMT.

Considered for inclusion are the towns that are “currently covered by the DSWD’s 4Ps program” with “no previous arrangement with KALAHI-CIDSS” and those that have a “poverty incidence of 50 per cent and above,” said Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan.

The percentage of poverty incidence of municipalities is based on the 2003 Small Area Poverty Estimates released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

The municipalities already assessed were Dimasalang, Mobo, Palanas, Milagros, Balud, Mandaon, Placer and Cataingan.

KALAHI-CIDSS project in the Bicol region has funded a total of 667 community infrastructures. Projects that responded to the people’s prioritized problems from 2003 to 2009 in the amount of P779,668,600.26. Over 160,065 household beneficiaries presently reap benefits from the project.

KALAHI-CIDSS is the largest poverty alleviation portfolio of the World Bank (WB) in the Philippines. (CLMartinez, KCRSMO-DSWD/PIA)

2010 CENSUS SET ON MAY 17-JUNE 11

DAET, Camarines Norte (March 26) — The Provincial Census Coordinating Board (PCCB) has convened Friday (March 19) in preparation for the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) this coming May 17 to June 11, 2010.

NSO Provincial Statistics Officer Rodolfo Guevarra said that the conduct of census is pursuant to National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB) Resolution No. 12 declaring the May 2010 as the National Census Month.

He said that the 2010 census is designed to take an inventory of the total population and housing units in the country and collect information about their characteristics.

Guevarra said that the 2007 census focuses only in population while the 2010 census will be for population and housing.

He explained that CPH aims to provide government planners, policy makers and administrators with data on which to base their social and economic development plans and programs

He cited that population of the country is expected to reach 94 million in 2010 from the 88.8 million in 2007 while in Camarines Norte population is expected to reach 533 thousand in 2010 from the 513,785 in 2007.

He also cited that the CPH will be conducted nationwide in 17 regions with 85 provinces, 1,631 cities and municipalities, 42,000 barangays.

He added that the CPH will be conducted simultaneously in the country with teachers as priority enumerators.

The NSCB is composed of the following agencies: DAR, DA, DepEd, DOE, DENR, DOF, DOH, DILG, DOLE, DND, DPWH, DOST, DSWD, DTI, DOTC, DOT, Sec. Gen of NSCB, Administrator of NSO, DG of Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Director of the Statistical Research and Training Center and Private Sector Representative.

The Regional, Provincial, City and Municipal Census Coordinating Board are representatives from the said agencies in the locality. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)

BFP SORSOGON CITY TO EMBARK ON ‘TXTFIRE’ PHILIPPINES

SORSOGON CITY (March 25) – The Bureau of Fire protection (BFP) Sorsogon City launched over the week end the “TXTFIRE” Philippines at the Central Fire Station, this city.

Personnel coming from the Sorsogon City Central Fire Station and its two sub-stations together with the Sorsogon Fil-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade headed by its founder, Gerry Chua, participated to the said launching.

Sorsogon City Fire Marshal Chief Inspector Renato B. Marcial said the TXTFIRE Philippines is an very active firefighting organization that originated from Binondo, Manila.

TXTFIRE is an SMS dispatch system whose primary task is to inform the public particularly the responders on the latest news and ongoing fire alerts and incidences.

“What they have to do is to specify via their text messages relevant information such as the location, time and status of fire and send it to our txtfire hotlines,” Marcial said.

BFP Hotline for Sorsogon City is 09184390852, while 09099152075 for Bacon District sub-station and 09099152098 for Abuyog sub-station.

“Txtfire has the right to filter messages that is sent within the system and the organization abides by the rules and regulations set by the system’s administrator. If fire incident occurs in the area, the operator will dispatch the nearest firefighter to the fire scene,” Marcial explained.

“I also directed all my personnel to join the Txtfire Philippines organization for them to be aware of the fire incidents here as well as in the whole Philippines,” he further said.

Meanwhile, fire volunteer in the Philippines are now eligible to apply for a txtfire firefighter card and grouptxt for their own fire brigade group for free. They only need to accomplish the forms downloadable at www.txtfire.net. All application forms must be sent to Café Mezzanine 650 Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon/with reports from MBDollente and LGFuntanares, BFP Sorsogon)

YOUNG WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS START CHILDBEARING
EARLIER THAN THOSE IN URBAN AREAS

(National Demographic and Health Survey 2008)

Rural women marry younger and start childbearing earlier (21.1) than those in urban areas (23.2). Such situation may end up having large family size.

Based on the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), fertility in the Philippines for the past 36 years has been steadily declining. Of the 26 women age 15-24 years who have begun childbearing, young women in rural areas are more likely than those in urban areas. Although trends in fertility show a declining level, fertility is still high among those with low level of education, the lowest quintile (wealth index) and those from rural areas.

The total fertility rate (TFR) in the Philippines declined from 6.0 children per women in 1970 to 3.3 children per woman in 2008. Those women with college education have lower TFR (2.3) than with high school (3.5) and elementary (4.5) education. Rural women have more children than those residing in urban areas (TFR of 2.8 vs. 3.8). In the same manner, poor women have higher number of children per family. In Bicol region, the TFR trend is likewise declining from 5.9 in 1993 to 4.1 in 2008 and those women in rural areas have more children.

Some proximate determinants that influence fertility are: age of first marriage; first sexual intercourse, insusceptibility (sexual abstinence and amenorrhea); and birth spacing or limiting birth.

On sexual intercourse, half of the married Filipino women experience first sexual intercourse at age 21.5. Said event likewise happened in younger age among rural (20.6) than urban women (22.3). But other studies, like Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Studies (YAFSS), reveal that significant number of sexual debut among young females happened before turning 20 years or even younger. And that the behavioral trend is rising. For example in Bicol Region, incidence among females was 11.2 per cent in 1984 (YAFS 1) and jumped to 17.5 per cent in 1992 (YAFS 3).

The unmet need for family planning or the percentage of currently married women who either do not want any more children or want to wait before having their next birth is 22 per cent, or which 13 per cent is for limiting and 9 per cent is for spacing. Similarly, more women in rural areas (23.7) have higher unmet need than those in urban areas (21.1).

On fertility preference, around 82 per cent of married women want either to space births or to limit childbearing altogether. But over half (54%) of married women age 15-49 in the country do not want another child but many of them end up having pregnancies. In fact, one in three births (36%) are either unwanted (16%) or mistimed and wanted later (20%).

On the other hand, it is ironic to know that abortion in the country is high among married ad unmarried women. One study estimated that, despite legal restrictions, in 1994 there were 400,000 abortions performed illegally in the Philippines and 80,000 hospitalizatios of women for abortion-related complications. 12% of all maternal deaths in 1994 were due to unsafe abortion according to the Department of Health of the Philippines. Two-thirds of Filipino women who have abortions attempt to self-induce or seek solutions from those who practice folk medicine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_Philippines, accessed o 3/25/2010.

Respoding to the unmet need for family planning and contraceptive use, unwanted pregnancies and abortion could be prevended.

There are observed differences in contraceptive use. Women in urban areas (53.4%) are more likely to use a family planning method than in women in rural areas (48.0), reflecting wider availability and easier access to contraceptive method in urban areas than in rural areas. The contraceptive prevalence rate for modern methods is 53 per cent in urban areas, compared with 48 per cet in rural areas. Educational attainment and economic status influence use of contraception. Of the married women, only 19 per cent with no education are currently using contraception compared with 53 per cent with high school and college education.

On health care situation, over half (52.5%) women in urban areas received antenatal care from a Doctor, compared to over one fourth (25.9) in rural communities who also received 61.1 per cent the same services from midwives. Only 44 per cent of births in the Philippines are delivered in a health facility while the rest take place in a home. The data show that 70 per cent of mothers in rural areas and 40.3 per cent in urban areas delivered their babies at home.

Such realities imply a greater need for information and services in rural areas. More health workers are needed in the field. The Local Government Units should hire more midwives, at least there should be one midwife per barangay, and provide more incentives to community-based health volunteers such as the barangay health workers (BHWs), barangay nutrition scholars (BNSs), ad barangay service point officers (BSPOs).

With the forthcoming election, who among the national and local candidates take the issue of population, family planning ad reproductive health seriously in their agenda?

` We cannot postpone delivery of nor deny services especially to the women in the rural and far-flung areas. The situation is appalling; need is very evident and urgent. ACT NOW!

MALACAÑANG CLARIFIES APPOINTMENTS ROW, REPLACED ENVOY TO GERMANY SEES NOTHING WRONG

MANILA — Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said Monday (March 29) that all the recent appointments made by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo were a timely and legitimate exercise of her appointing powers, with the highest interest of the country in mind.

Stressing that nothing was irregular in the appointments, Mendoza said all, but one, were done in accordance with law, civil service rules and other regulations and before the 60-day election ban on appointments took effect.

Even the only exception, which was the change at the top post in the Department of Energy where Jose C. Ibazaeta was designated, in temporary and acting capacity, to replace the recently-resigned Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, was justified by Mendoza as a case of a “permitted executive appointment” covered by Section 15 Article 7 of the Constitution.

Newly-assumed Presidential Legal Counsel Raoul Victorino helped explain that the particular Constitutional provision allows temporary appointments when “continued vacancies will prejudice public service and endanger public safety”.

Victorino, a former Sandiganbayan justice and member of the Judicial and Bar Council, said the DOE appointment satisfied the required elements of “temporariness” of the appointment and the elements of public safety and service.

Earlier the Department of Justice said that the absence of a secretary at the DOE will prejudice public service especially in Mindanao where a power crisis is taking place on account of the El Nino phenomenon.

“I wish to clarify, once and for all, that all of the appointments recently made by President Arroyo constitute a timely and legitimate exercise of her appointing authority, consistent with law, civil service and other regulations, and invoking the highest national interest by putting in position only the most competent executives to assist in completing her legacy agenda for the country within the brief time remaining. “ Mendoza stressed during a Malacanang press briefing where he was joined by Victorino and Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar.

During the briefing, the Malacanang officials sought to put an end to the developing controversy over the alleged unceremonious replacement as ambassador to Germany of Delia Domingo Albert by businessman Alfonso Yuchengo, by allowing Albert herself to explain her replacement during the press briefing.

Forthwith, Albert clarified that nothing was wrong because in her ambassadorial posting to Germany, she is a “political appointee” serving at the pleasure of the appointing authority ---the President.

Albert said she has long retired from the career foreign service but was picked from retirement by the President. “ As a political appointee, I am co-terminous with the President, ” Albert made it clear.

Albert, who served as foreign secretary in 2003, said she is one of two former foreign affairs secretaries whose services have been extended by the President, the other being Domingo Siazon, who is ambassador to Japan.

Albert categorically said her replacement is “the prerogative of the President.”

She dismissed as conjectures reports that one reason why she was replaced has something to do with a report she made about Germany’s supposed doubts on the feasibility of the first-ever automated election in the Philippines.

“ I am surprised by the report,” she said, adding “it was pity that bilateral relations would come in” in her case. She said there was no such discussion in Germany on the matter.

The controversy notwithstanding, Albert said she was thankful for President Arroyo.

She said she was asked by the President to wait for her replacement as there is still a process to be done.

Olivar meanwhile, took critics to task especially the political opposition for injecting political intrigues into the Albert case. “Let us spare our foreign relations and bilateral relations (with Germany) from election politics.

Mendoza said no more appointments are likely as the recent reorganization forced by the 2010 election campaign has been completed. (PIA V Release)

NO NEED FOR PGMA TO TAKE LEAVE OF ABSENCE

MANILA — There is no need for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to take a leave of absence in the wake of the medical confinement of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo.

This, Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza emphasized Monday (March 29), saying the President is governing the affairs of the state from the hospital suite of her husband.

“There is no need for her to take a leave of absence. She has just transferred office ” Mendoza said during a Malacanang press briefing, in reaction to suggestions that the Chief Executive take time off from her duties to fully attend to the First Gentleman who had been admitted to St Luke’s hospital in Taguig for his heart ailment.

Mendoza said that while watching over the First Gentleman, governance remains foremost in the mind of the President as she calls everybody whenever there are important activities.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raoul Victorino said that taking a leave of absence is a matter solely for the President’s judgment. “ It is a presidential prerogative, ” he added, pointing out that there is no legal basis to force the President to do that.

“She is President and we have only one President,” Victorino asserted.

Accompanied by Deputy Spokesperson Gary Olivar, Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert and Victorino, Mendoza said the President has given instructions to the Philippine National Police (PNP) and The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), to ensure safety provisions for travelers this Holy week.

As to the scheduled foreign trips of President Arroyo next month, Mendoza said there have been no word yet on a possible cancellation. (PIA V Release)

DOJ says recent PGMA appointments “legal and valid”

MANLA — Justice Secretary Alberto C. Agra said Monday (March 29) that all appointments in executive department posts recently made by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are valid and legal, having been done in full observance of the law and the Constitution.

Agra, himself a professor of administrative law, pointed out that the presidential appointments were made on or before March 10, 2010, the last day for President Arroyo to appoint government officials without contravening the 60-day election ban on appointments.

Defending Malacanang, Agra dismissed as “bereft of legal basis” and purely “malicious talks,” criticisms questioning the legality of the presidential appointments.

“Even under the prohibitive period on presidential appointment under the Constitution, there are exemptions,” the new Justice Secretary said.

Among settled exemptions to the 60-day ban immediately prior to the next presidential election he added, are temporary appointments to executive positions “when continued vacancies therein will prejudice public service or endanger public safety.”

“This makes the appointment of an Officer-in-Charge for the Department of Energy to replace Secretary Angelo Reyes, valid. Having met the condition of temporariness, it cannot be denied that the continued vacancy will prejudice public service on account of the Mindanao power crisis and the worsening El Nino phenomenon,” Agra said.

He said that having no cabinet secretary at the helm of the Department of Energy will definitely undermine governance.

The justice secretary also said the prohibition on midnight appointments does not cover designations, details, transfers and re-assignments because all these acts presume previous or earlier appointments.

Another exemption to the ban is the appointments in the judiciary which was affirmed by the Supreme Court in a ruling last March 17, which gave the President the legal and valid premises, should she decide, to appoint the replacement for Chief Justice Reynato Puno who will retire on May 17, 2010.

“The Supreme Court reasoned, among others, that the establishment of the Judicial and Bar Council and their subjecting the nomination and screening of candidates for judicial positions to the unhurried and deliberate prior process of the JBC, ensured that there would no longer be midnight appointments to the Judiciary,” Secretary Agra explained further on the SC appointments issue.

Agra said the prohibition “applies only to the act of the President which is to appoint, and does not extend to other acts which are part of the overall appointment process. He was referring to events subsequent to the actual appointment, such as transmittal of the appointment papers and oath-taking.

“Please bear in mind that the appointing authority of the President in these cases of recent presidential appointments are absolute, as opposed to subjecting the same to assent or confirmation of another body,” the justice secretary said.

“It is long settled in the law of public officers that where the power of appointment is absolute, and the appointee has been determined upon, no further consent or approval is necessary, and the formal evidence of the appointment, the commission, may issue at once. Thus, the transmission of appointment papers, the acceptance of the appointment and the administration of oaths are clearly subsequent appointment processes, and do not in any way affect the appointing authority of the President,” Secretary Agra explained. (PIA V Release)

PGMA's public engagements remain on hold -- Icban

MANILA — Malacañang said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo cancelled all her public activities Tuesday (March 30) to be with First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo who remains confined at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City for a life-threatening heart ailment.

Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr. said in a phone interview this morning there was no word as of the moment when the President would resume her public engagements, including her campaign for a congressional seat in her home province of Pampanga in the coming May 10 elections.

Meanwhile, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said that despite the cancellation of the President's public engagements, she continues to run the government through her Cabinet members.

According to Undersecretary Olivar, some of the Chief Executive’s appointments have been delegated to Vice President Noli de Castro.

President Arroyo also put a satellite office at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig to be able to do some important tasks of governance while watching over her husband's condition, Olivar said.

He also said the Arroyo family is waiting for the new medical bulletins from the attending physicians of the presidential spouse if he would be fit to travel to Baguio City for the First Family’s annual Holy Week vacation.

Atty. Arroyo was rushed to St. Luke’s Medical Center last Thursday due to severe back pains and high blood pressure which doctors later diagnosed as “re-dissection of the thoracic aorta” which was similar to the dissecting aneurism the First Gentleman suffered in April 2007.

Olivar said the First Gentleman’s condition continues to improve daily and that he has started to receive "bedside rehabilitation" and medication. (PIA V Release)