PGMA CONDOLES WITH FAMILIES OF SLAIN SOLDIERS;GRANTS P1.45M CASH ASSISTANCE

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarine Sur – Family members of the soldiers who were killed and wounded in ambush staged by NPA rebels in Camarines Sur have received cash assistance amounting to P1.45 million from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during her visit in 9ID Army headquarters today.

Five soldiers were killed while four were wounded in a series of ambuscades staged by the NPA rebels in Presentacion town, Camarines Sur last Saturday, May 29.

The soldiers were deployed in the area to secure PGMA’s flagship road network project that links Presentacion to the tourist-magnet town of Caramoan.

Several family members came to witness the awarding ceremony held in the 9ID chapel and inside the camp’s hospital.

Edwin Britannico Sr, father of slain soldier Pfc Edwin Britannico Jr, has mixed emotions about the P250,000.00 cash assistance that he received from the President.

He is one of the 5 direct dependents of the fallen soldiers who benefited from the government’s cash assistance.

“I am very thankful that our beloved President has not forgotten the plight of her soldiers’ family members. I may be in deep sorrow but her presence has made me smile for this moment,” said Edwin Sr.

Four other soldiers who were wounded in action (WIA), received P50,000.00 each from the President.

One of them, Private First Class Jerry Magdasoc, was very happy for the fund support that he personally received from PGMA.

“I can use this amount to start a sari-sari store that will be attended by my wife. I proudly salute the President for this financial help,” Magdasoc said.

Major General Ruperto Pabustan, 9ID Army commander, assisted the President during the awarding ceremonies.

The soldiers also received the award of Military Merit Medals for heroism in combat as well as the award of the Wounded Personnel Medal.

The soldiers were cited for their heroic actions during the one-hour firefight after being ambushed by a superior enemy force in an upland village of Presentacion town two days ago.

Though outnumbered and being bombarded with landmines and Molotov bombs, the soldiers held their positions to engage the NPA terrorists until they run out of ammunition after the intense hour-long firefight.

Presently, about 300 soldiers have joined the massive manhunt operations supported by helicopter gunships and artillery units to locate the perpetrators of the bloody ambush.

Meanwhile, security patrols for the construction company that implements the road project have been resumed immediately.

“We will continuously support this important infrastructure project of the government. This will surely alleviate the hardships of the people in this part of CamSur,” said LtCol Ernesto Cruz, commander of the 42nd Infantry Battalion. (HMCabunoc, chief 9ID PAO/PIA)

ARAW NG PAMBANSANG WATAWAT MARKS START OF FREEDOM DAY CELEBRATION

MANIL A— The National Historical Institute (NHI) has led Friday (May 28) the celebration of the National Flag Day or Pambansang Araw ng Watawat honoring the country’s national emblem and also commencing the commemoration of the 112th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, this year.

This year’s Freedom Day’s theme is “Kalayaan: Tagumpay ng Bayan”.

Department of Education Secretary Mona Valisno keynoted the National Flag Day program in Imus, Cavite highlighted by flag raising and wreath laying ceremonies, parade around down town and tableaux in commemoration of the Battle of Alapan.

Valisno, addressing national and local government officials, school administrators, teachers and students, averred the agency just completed this year’s first batch of the Seminar Workshop on the Flag and Heraldic Code, which was participated by private school administrators, teachers and students.

Valisno added she has issued DepEd Memorandum No. 210 directing all schools nationwide for the display of the Philippine flag from May 28 to June 12, 2010.

NHI chair Ambeth Ocampo and Executive Director Badoy expressed enthusiasm in activities set for the big day, with thee display of flags and tarpaulins along major thoroughfares and in all government offices, schools and universities to be led by DPWH, DepEd, DILG and CSC.

Musikalayaan, a free concert of the AFP Band in celebration of Flag Day, was also at Open Air Auditorium Rizal Park last Friday.

SM Supermalls, meanwhile, organized the largest human flag composed of 15,000 people in Cavite together with a special program and parade in SM Molino, SM Rosario, SM Dasmariñas, and SM Bacoor.

Further, DILG Usec. Austere Panadero issued Memorandum Circular 35 enjoining all local chief executives (LCEs) all over the country to conduct simple but meaningful activities such as flag raising ceremonies, wreath laying rites in honor of national and local heroes with a display of the National Flag in government buildings, major thoroughfares, as well as in public parks, hospitals, restaurants, hotels, department stores, malls and banks starting May 28 to June 12, 2010. (BLPeñera, PIA)

APFTI LEADS WORLD FAIR TRADE DAY 2010 IN NAGA CITY

NAGA CITY —“Don’t just buy- buy just.”

Thus states the battle cry of the Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. (APFTI) who spearheaded the celebration of the World Fair Trade Day (WFT) 2010 held here.

APFTI, together with the Bicol BEST Producers, the Metro Naga Development Council and the World Fair Trade Organization-Philippines (WTO-Phils.) led the week-long celebration here to promote people’s awareness on responsible buying.

The activity aimed to encourage people to consider the impact of their lifestyles to small producers, their immediate communities and the environment.

Ma. Gemma I. Malapo, APFTI area coordinator, said that the events that the organization has staged in line with the World Fair Trade Day Celebration are intended to raise the awareness of Bicolanos about the importance of trade fair and their ability to change lives.

“By making small changes, for example buying Fair Trade products, consumers can make a big difference in the lives of our small producers, and most importantly, to our environment,” related Malapo.

APFTI believes that by patronizing trade fair products, consumers are assured that small producers get a fair deal, paid proper compensation, and that they are working under safe conditions. Fair trade also secures livelihood. Three million disadvantaged producers from poor communities around the world are benefiting from Fair Trade. Income from Fair Trade helps poor communities to build houses, create new jobs and improve quality of life.

By supporting these locally-made products, consumers are also guaranteed that environment-friendly procedures are carefully taken into consideration.

Ms. Esther Gamboa, APFTI advocacy manager, made mention of their organization’s dream to have an empowered community of entrepreneurs fighting poverty and contributing to sustainable development through Fair Trade.

“Fair Trade provides opportunities to disadvantaged Philippine producers, provides fair and equitable working conditions and helps address climate change, whilst generating profits,” she said.

Fair trade conserves the environment by continuously harnessing local resources and protecting their source of living. Producers on the other hand, responsibly increase their role as stewards of the environment by ensuring that their production process is not in a way detrimental or causing harm to the environment.

“Scrap and discarded materials are still being used, re-used and recycled. In this manner, we are helping mitigate the effects of climate change by doing our share as responsible consumers and producers,” Gamboa added.

The World Fair Trade Day celebration also calls for the transformation in the consumer’s buying behaviour and instilling new perspectives among people. (LSMacatangay, PIA CamSur)

KALAHI-CIDSS CONVERGENCE HELPS MORE COMMUNITIES IN MASBATE

LEGAZPI CITY — Poverty remains the country’s greatest nemesis and over the years, strategies have been developed and refined to defeat poverty that has gripped the Filipinos for many decades.

One revolutionary strategy developed was the Community Driven Development or CDD approach which is being implemented in 12 regions nationwide through the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

In Bicol Region, KALAHI-CIDSS covers 24 municipalities with 633 barangays participating in CDD process. The project has funded a total of 666 community interventions that respond to people’s prioritized problems from 2003 to 2009 in the amount of P7.6 million and over 160,065 household beneficiaries presently reap benefits from the project.

In March 2010, KALAHI-CIDSS was officially launched in the municipality of Cawayan in the province of Masbate. Cawayan is the only municipality in Bicol for 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.

Shortly after its launch, the project has gained major headway with the institutionalization of CDD by forming a 20-member Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC), which has the widest representation among KALAHI-CIDSS areas in Bicol. At the onset, the LGU has also provided a complete Municipal Coordinating Team (MCT) as partner implementers in the field whose primary task is to ensure the implementation of Local Counterpart Contribution (LCC) Plan and start-up plan which was prepared by the municipal officials.

To identify other activities and strategies in sustaining CDD at the municipal level, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) headed by Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan, spearheaded the conduct of ACT-MCT-MIAC Assessment Workshop.

She said that one of the major responsibilities of the LGU that is stated in the Memorandum of Agreement is the institutionalization of Participation, Transparency and Social Accountability (PTA). She added that among the strategies that can be explored is the convergence of national poverty reduction projects and programs implemented at the LGU. Inasmuch as Cawayan is implementing DSWD programs like Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K), Tindahan Natin, 4Ps or the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Supplemental Feeding (SF) and the KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB.

During the workshop, members of the MCT-ACT and MIAC explored new initiatives to address the development gaps in the implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS in the areas of project implementation, institutionalization and convergence, operation and maintenance (O&M) and gender and development. They also rationalize training initiatives, which were found to be useful in KALAHI implementation.

One key recommendation identified during the planning workshop was the need to firm up agreements on undelivered commitments of the LGU based on the LCC plan.

One of the very helpful topics identified was the clarification of roles, duties and responsibilities of ACT, MCT and MIAC. Ester Mapa, District Guidance Coordinator, said “the topics discussed are very interesting and a great help for me. It equipped me in facilitating community activities with the use of new information and updates discussed in this workshop.”

Aside from the members of the ACT, MCT and MIAC, the meeting was attended by representative from PLAN International and other funding donors.

After the planning workshop, the DSWD through the Regional Project Management Team (RPMT) will monitor and provide technical assistance on the implementation of the action plan.
(CLMartinez/KCRSMO-DSWD/PIA)

FNRI DOST, NCC TO HOLD INTERFACING ON SCIENCE OF HYDRATION

LEGAZPI CITY — The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-FNRI), National Nutrition Council (NNC) in Bicol and Coca-Cola Export Corporation have jointly slated interfacings for scientists as well as lay people on recent scientific findings and applications on hydration, water and beverages.

The organizers set the Science of Hydration H2010 Symposium at 8:00–11:00 a.m. and Science of Hydration H2010 Lay Forum at 1:30-4:30 p.m. at Villa Caceres Hotel in Magsaysay Avenue, Naga City on 17 June 2010.

The morning symposium will offer an educational opportunity for the scientists, academic community, public health workers, food industry representatives, researchers and many others involved in the related fields to learn and discuss recent scientific knowledge and recommendations on hydration, water and beverages.

On the other hand, the lay forum in the afternoon is intended for teachers, representatives of fitness centers and related establishments, parents and the general public who are interested to learn and discuss practical knowledge on the topics water, fluids and hydration: Importance, functions and fluid balance; status of consumption and supply of beverages in the Philippines; fluid needs throughout the lifecycle; water, beverages, energy drink in physical exercise and sports; myths and facts behind soft drinks and beverages; and, industry’s response to fluid needs for health and wellness

Heads and representatives of concerned individuals and organizations are invited to attend the said activities.

For more information, please contact Dr. Pilita O. Lucena or Ms. Arlene R. Reario, Legazpi City Organizing Committee, at telephone nos.: (052) 8205385; 8205388; 4834358 or at email address: tsd.dostrov@gmail.com (c/o Mr. Bong Noguera) or Ms. Rowena Manalansan at 0920-286-1535 or email address: rowenamanalansan@yahoo.com or Ms. Gemma P. Yuchingtat at gemma_y2004@yahoo.com. Registration is free. (POLucena, DOST V/PIA)

DTI BEEFS UP MONITORING OF PRICES OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES IN BICOL

LEGAZPI CITY —The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office in Bicol has intensified, through their provincial offices across the region, its monitoring of prices of school supplies in preparation for the opening of classes on June 15.

DTI regional director Joy Blanco said “The public can expect in increase of prices in terms of school supplies but it would be very minimal.”

All provincial offices of the DTI have been conducting simultaneous monitoring both in public market and malls.

Blanco said that immediate sanction will be imposed if the monitoring team will find unnecessary increase in price of school supplies.

DTI Camarines Norte chief Ernesto Pardo said that the agency's monitoring team is staging a weekly check of basic commodities to prevent unreasonable increase in the prices of the said supplies.

He said that recent monitoring of prices of school supplies remains normal based on the suggested retail price (SRP) implemented by the DTI.

"The prices of school supplies, however, may vary depending on the brand of the commodity," he said.

Pardo has urged consumers to canvass the prices before buying them. (MDRama, PNA Bicol)

PALACE THANKS BISHOPS FOR ACKNOWLEDGING PGMA'S ACHIEVEMENTS
IN INFRA, ECONOMIC GROWTH -- OLIVAR

MANILA — Malacanang thanked the Catholic prelates for their acknowledgment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s achievements in infrastructure projects and economic growth and stability, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Gary Olivar said on Monday.

Undersecretary Olivar, in his opening statement at a media briefing at the New Executive Building, also thanked the bishops for recognizing the principled stand of President Arroyo against aggressive population management, which is consistent with economic theory about the demographic dividend and the advantages of having a large domestic market.

”We accept that much remains to be done in education, even though the President has already built more classrooms, distributed more textbooks and scholarships, and trained more teachers than any president before her," he said.

"Education outcomes are still mixed, which is why she formed the Presidential Task Force on Education (PTFE) some years ago to overhaul the entire education strategy, and also why education reform is at the very top of her legislative agenda as a neophyte congresswoman,” Olivar added.

He also stated that they were puzzled at the failing marks the prelates gave President Arroyo on poverty, considering the improvement over the years in poverty statistics, with self-rated poverty going down to 43 percent last quarter, its lowest since the Marcos years, and the "wide array of anti-poverty programs that cushioned our poorest countrymen" through the depths of the global recession.

"I am reminded of all those candidates during the campaign who said they couldn't believe they were behind in the surveys because of the large crowds they were seeing at their rallies.

Likewise, our daily experience with the images of hunger and poverty can persuade us that such misery is widespread. But those images, no matter how compelling, cannot controvert the numbers, which tell a different story -- one of slow but sure improvement in the lot of the poor," Olivar said.

”We are likewise puzzled at the bishops’ failing marks on environment for a President who sets aside half a day every week on these issues, who is building one materials recovery facility (MRF) in every barangay, and who has received international acclaim, especially for her strategy of sustainable development and her regional advocacy against climate change.

"Perhaps the bishops may be opposed to any kind of exploitation of nature's resources -- such as through large mining projects -- no matter how equitable and ecologically sensitive these projects are. If so, they should remember that nature exists for the use of man, and that denying this truth -- regarding nature as some kind of earth mother, or Gaia -- veers too close to the heresy of pantheism,” the Palace spokesman explained.

"Lastly, we will simply have to agree to disagree with the bishops about issues that long preceded and will long survive the Arroyo presidency -- such as our political culture of patronage -- or issues about her personal likability and popularity. This is the stuff of transient surveys only, and not the impartial judgment of history which even now is already unfolding, and which will look only at how all the numbers posted under this President brought about a permanent upliftment in the lives of our people," Olivar said. (PIA V Release)

PALACE ADMITS 7.3% 1ST QUARTER GDP HAS YET TO CREATE MORE JOBS

MANILA — The Palace cited factors why the country’s 7.3 percent growth in gross domestic product (GDP) or total goods and services produced in the country has not translated to more jobs.

“There is the entry of many Filipino graduates in the labor force. And maybe, the economy’s improvement is applying more to capital-intensive industries rather than labor-intensive sectors,” said Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar.

Olivar said the primary reason the highest year-on-year growth by quarter in the last 30 years is the ongoing global economic recovery.

“As the rest of the world recovers, our imports and exports are growing. In the GDP growth, manufacturing moves up to 20 percent year-on-year for the first quarter,” Olivar said.

Olivar also said critics should bring their complaints to the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) instead of the Palace.

“Ito ang lumabas na datos tungkol sa paglago ng ekonomiya: 7.3 percent year-on-year first quarter ng GDP at 9.5 percent ng gross national product (GNP). Ito ay galing sa NSO at NSCB. Mga professional na ekonomista at statistician ang nariyan. Sila po ang kastiguhin ninyo, huwag ang palasyo tungkol sa bagay na iyan (The data on economic growth indicating 7.3 percent year-on-year first quarter growth in GDP and 9.5 percent growth in GNP or total goods and services produced by the country here and abroad, including remittances came from the NSO and the NSCB, which have professional economics and statisticians. Critics should direct their questions to them, not to the Palace),” Olivar said. (PIA V Release)

PALACE TO NOYNOY: BE CAREFUL IN MAKING NEGATIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT ECONOMY

MANILA — Malacanang has cautioned presidential frontrunner Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III from making negative statements about the country's economy.

In a press briefing, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Gary Olivar also challenged Aquino to show evidence that the 7.3 percent Gross Domestic Product growth was a result of campaign spending alone and not due to wise economic policies implemented by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

"We want to see evidence... hindi puwedeng puna ng puna na wala namang ebidensiya. In fact, numbers and statistics show otherwise," Olivar said.

"We can only hope na kapag siya na ang pangulo, realistic, impartial, responsible ang mga statements na bibitawan niya lalo na sa economy," he said

Olivar also advised Aquino not to close his options about raising new taxes, saying that he might eat his own words.

"If in the end you find out that you have to raise taxes, if you're closing out one possible solution, hindi responsible na magsalita na babawiin in the end," Olivar said.

This is in reaction to Aquino's hard stance in rejecting outright the Department of Finance (DOF) proposal to raise the 12-percent expanded value-added tax (E-VAT) to 15 percent to plug the deficit.

Aquino, however, indicated that the incoming administration could effectively address the revenue shortfalls without raising taxes. (PIA V Release)

PALACE UPBEAT ON RP ECONOMY IN Q2

MANILA — Malacanang is optimistic that the Philippine economy will grow further in the second quarter of this year.

"The trend looks encouraging," Malacanang economic and deputy presidential spokesperson Gary Olivar said Monday during a briefing.

Such positive trend includes the 9.5 percent gross national product (GNP) and the record 7.3 percent gross domestic product (GDP) gains, both of which the country posted during 2010's first quarter, he said.

The government earlier partly attributed the gains to elevated levels of manufacturing and construction as well as to increased remittances from overseas Filipino workers and election-related spending.

Olivar also said the improving global economy augured well for better days ahead.
"It's already moving forward," he said.

The National Statistic Coordination Board (NSCB) also sees the Philippine economy to improve further during this year's second quarter from its first quarter level.

"The way we see it, growth then can be higher," NSCB director Raymundo Talento said during the briefing.

He said the second quarter covered the months of April and May when nationwide election campaign was at its peak.

Poll-related spending will help boost economic growth during this period, he said.

Talento said government would revisit its economic projections for 2010 since the Philippine economy grew significantly during this year's first quarter.

"We have a history of understating our estimates and tend to be on the conservative side," he said.

MALACANANG MEDIA OFFICER HENRY A. REVECHE: 61

MANILA — Henry A. Reveche, head of Malacañang’s Media Accreditation and Relations Division (MARD) under the Office of the Press Secretary, succumbed to a heart attack Saturday (May 29) while on an official mission to Shanghai, China. He was 61.

Reveche was with a Malacañang team doing an ocular inspection of the Philippine Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo site in Shanghai, which President Arroyo is scheduled to formally open on June 8. Reveche’s part in the mission was to prepare Philippine media accreditation and arrangements for the President’s visit and RP pavilion inaugural.

The deceased MARD head had been in government service for 37 years, mostly spent with government communication entities. He started his government media career in 1973 as a public relations assistant and junior media strategist with then the National Media Production Center (NMPC), now Philippine Information Agency. He rose to become PIA Senior Development Information Officer and a later as Special and Technical Assistant at the Office of the Press Secretary in Malacañang. He took over MARD, a unit of the News and Information Bureau, OPS, in l998.

Reveche completed a BA Philosophy course at the Mount Carmel Seminary and BA in Sacred Theology at the University of Sto. Tomas.

He earned a Master’s degree in National Security Administration (MNSA) at the National Defense College of the Philippines (Regular Class 36 -2000 to 2001) with which he was inducted as Reserved Officer in the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the rank of Commander in the Philippine Navy.

Reveche is survived by wife Marilou and children: Jean, Bam and Pyn. Burial arrangements will be announced later after his remains had arrived from China. (PIA V Release)