“ORGULLO KAN BIKOL” TRADE FAIR SET ON OCT. 7-10

LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bicol will stage anew the the “Orgullo kan Bikol” Regional Trade Fair on October 7-10, 2010 at Megatrade Hall 2, of the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

DTI Bicol Regional Director Jocelyn L.B. Blanco said the trade fair is an annual marketing event where Bicol’s homegrown entrepreneurs are afforded valuable market exposure showcasing the region’s distinct products, ethnic foods, and delicacies, among others.

Blanco averred that the “Orgullo kan Bikol” is now on its 14th year and acclaimed to be the longest running DTI-organized trade fair in the country.

Blanco furthered that DTI remains committed to provide its clients – the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) better avenues to promote their fine products.

“By way of trade fairs, we enjoin domestic and foreign buyers to take a closer look and become more aware of what our homegrown MSMEs produce. We also encourage our MSMEs to continuously improve and become more globally competitive despite difficult times,” she explained.

The agency has aptly chosen this year’s theme “Weaving Opportunities”, to unite opportunities in pursuit of fresh markets for these entrepreneurs.

For this year, a total of 103 manufacturers/exhibitors will join the event, including 32 traders coming from Albay; Camarines Sur, 22; Catanduanes,10; Sorsogon, 18; Masbate, 5; Camarines Norte, 10; and, 8 from beneficiaries of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

“It will feature 20 new participants, who will now be given full marketing assistance by the DTI via this trade fair,” she said.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol will also join as an institutional exhibitor.

DTI has also slated the Bicol Investment Conference (BICon) on October 8 at 1:00 pm at the SM Megamall Conference Center, also highlighting the trade fair.

BICon aims to present potential Bicol investment areas/projects for promotion to investors and synchronize investment promotion activities by stakeholders and concerned institutions in Bicol. (JRBerango, DTI V/PIA/mal))

DA CHIEF VISITS BICOL, PUSHES AGRI DEVT PROGRAMS

PILI, Camaries Sur — Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has met and interfaced with some 700 farmers and local chief executives of Camarines Sur in his first Bicol’s sorties on Thursday (September 23) since he assumed his post in the agency.

Alcala led the awarding of checks amounting to some P1.6 million for several livelihood projects of rural-based organizations, rural youth organizations, farm machineries and postharvest equipment for farmers association.

He also turned-over certificates of ownership to the recipients of 26 units of green house and three units of packaging house as well as certificates to operate three units of “Bagsakan Centers” and 25 units of “Barangay Bagsakan” to LGU recipients.

Alcala was the guest of honor during the graduation ceremonies for some 200 farmers who completed the course on postharvest technologies via the school-on-the air which DA Bicol conducted in collaboration with the Philippine Postharvest Research Center for Development and Mechanization (PhilMech).

DA Regional Executive Director Marilyn V. Sta. Catalina said the secretary visited the Regional Freshwater Fisheries Training Center of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Barangay Fabrica, Bula town leading the inauguration of the newly-constructed facilities funded by the Japanese government.

The DA chief also met with the heads of DA attached bureaus and Camariens Sur’s local chief executives and local media discussing the “AgriPinoy” concept anchored on the principles of sustainable agriculture, natural resource-based management, food security and local development.

A techno clinic was also be conducted at the Capitol Convention Center providing opportunity to farmers, extension workers and other stakeholders to get updates and consult with those concerned on matters pertaining to agriculture.

Participating agencies included the National Food Authority (NFA), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Agricultural Technology Institute (ATI), PhilMech, PCIC and local manufacturers/fabricators of farm equipment/machines. (EBBordado, DA V/PIA/mal)

RANKING NPA REBEL SLAIN IN CAMARINES SUR ENCOUNTER

LEGAZPI CITY — A ranking New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was slain in encounter with Army troopers on Wednesday in a village in Goa town in Camarines Sur, Philippine Army (PA) report said.

The slain NPA leader was identified as Elmer Osila alias Ka Fredo, Secretary General of Guerrilla Front Committee (GF) 75 operating in Camarines Sur.

Cabunoc said the incident took place at around 7:15 pm Wednesday (September 15) in Barangay Lamon a remote village in Goa town where a platoon of soldiers engage a 10-man band of NPA rebels led by Osila in a 5 minute running gun battle.

Cabunoc quoting a report from 1st Lt. Dion Elliot leader of the Army platoon said during the exchange of gun fire between the Army soldiers and the rebels Osila was fatally hit killing him instantly.

Elliot said “the first volley of gunfire send the NPA leader down as his companions sensing their defeat immediately fled leaving their leader at the encounter site.”

Soldiers at the clearing operation found Osila’ s body with his .45 cal. Handgun, they also recovered from the fight scene a 9mm pistol and a blood soaked jacket left by the fleeing rebels.

According to Elliot, they were responding to an information send by residents there that the NPA band led by Osila was campaigning for their favoured candidate for the October Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election.

Elliot said the informant told him the group were either convincing or harassing the villagers to support their candidates for the barangay election.

The body of Osila was brought to the town hall for police documentation purposes.

Military and police records indicate that Osila gained notoriety after his involvement in attacks on heavy equipment by private contractors implementing infrastructure projects in the area.

He was responsible for the ambush that claimed the lives of four soldiers including 2nd Lt. Michael Logronio in Presentacion town last July.

Military report said his group was also involved in the burning of two heavy equipment owned by the Sunwest Corporation and the killing of two militiamen in Presentacion town in Camarines Sur.

Army Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, commanding general of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in Pili, Camarines Sur said Osila death was considered a “big blow” on the NPA in Bicol, as he directed his field commanders to pursue the remnants of Osila’s group. (PNA Bicol/PIA/mal)

LAGMAN, ROSAL LEADS INAUGURATION OF NEW PADANG BRIDGE

LEGAZPI CITY — The newly-completed Padang Bridge here was formally inaugurated last September 11 (Saturday) by Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay first congressional district and Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal of Legazpi City.

The bridge, once destroyed by typhoon “Reming” in 2006 and lahar cascading from Mayon Volcano, costs some P32 million to complete the 282 meter stretch of the bridge and approaches and constructed by WCS Construction under the supervision of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Albay 2nd Engineering District Office, headed by Engineer Manuel Azurin.

Furthermore, The construction of the new bridge was made possible through the efforts of Lagman, who thanked Rep. Al Francis Bichara of Albay second congressional district and then Mayor and now Administrator Noel E. Rosal of this city for giving him an opportunity to push for the completion the said bridge even if is it not his jurisdiction.

Lagman recalled that commuters, travelers, traders, among others from both first and second congressional districts of the province, as well as emergency cases and the transport of goods and commodities were greatly affected by then detour lane temporarily constructed especially in times of heavy traffic, rainy days, mud flows and flooding who stalled the flow of traffic prior to the completion of the bridge. .

On the other hand, Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal was grateful Lagman for his indefatigable efforts that made headway after the successful construction of the said bridge.

The city chief executive likewise said that this new bridge is very important for the locals first and foremost because this will resuscitate the accessibility and other business activities in this part of the province. (MPSolis, LGU Legazpi City/PIA/mal)

Int’l Coastal Cleanup Day 2010
PAGCOLBON MINERS, STAKEHOLDERS COLLECTED
3,700 KG OF TRASH FROM RAPU-RAPU WATERS

RAPU-RAPU, Albay — Workers at the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP) and mining stakeholders picked up a total of some 3,700 kilos of garbage in two separate cleanup drives in Barangay Pagcolbon here in line with the celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day 2010 on September 18.

According to Carmelita Pacis, RRPP environmental department manager, the clean-up of Malobago Shoreline and Project Wharf Underwater netted some 3,000 kilos of waste —1,000 kgs from the shorelines, mostly plastics, and 2,000 kilos from underwater near the project wharf, comprised of debris such as rubber tires, sacks, PVC pipes and scrap metals.
Eighty (80) employees, workers and officers at RRPP and 21 company scholars from the barangay conducted the one-hour shoreline cleanup while a group of company scuba divers carried out the 3-hour underwater cleanup.

The project was implemented after Rapu-Rapu Minerals Inc. president Rogelio Corpus and Vice President Alex Limosnero, together with Pacis, paid a courtesy call to barangay captain Reynold Asuncion.

The other activity, the Rapu-Rapu Poblacion Shoreline Cleanup, conducted a day earlier on Sept. 17 collected some 700 kgs of trash. The Municipal Police Station of Rapu-Rapu, Albay spearheaded the hour-and-a-half cleanup drive at the pier site and Poblacion shoreline joined by some residents and the 31-man RRPP contingent, led by the Security Manager Francis Suan and the Special CAFGU (SCAA).

The International Coastal Cleanup Day is conducted every year under the banner of the Clean Up the World/Clean up the Philippines campaign of which RRPP is an adherent. (ANP/CACalleja, RRPP/PIA/mal)

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
IN BICOL REGION: AUGUST 2010

PRICE SITUATION: YEAR-ON-YEAR

The year-on-year inflation rate of Bicol Region continued to slow down at 3.8 per cent in August from 3.9 per cent in July. However, compared to the 1.6 per cent inflation rate in the same period last year, the August 2010 rate was higher by 2.2 percentage points.

The slight decrease in the inflation rate for August can be attributed to the decline in the annual price increments recorded in the fuel, light and water index (6.4 per cent from 7.7 percent); services (2.2 percent from 2.7 percent); and clothing (1.2 percent from 1.3 percent). On the other hand, the previous moth’s annual inflation rate was maintained in the indices of the remaining commodity groups as follows – food, beverages and tobacco (4.5 percent), housing & repairs (1.8 percent) and miscellaneous items (2.1 percent).

Across provinces, higher annual inflation rates were noted in Albay (3.2 percent from 3.0 percent), Camarines Norte (4.7 percent from 3.8 percent) and Catanduanes (3.4 percent from 3.3 percent). On the other hand, a slower rate compared to the previous month was recorded in Camarines Sur (3.6 percent from 3.8 percent), Masbate (4.0 percent from 5.1 percent) and Sorsogon (4.5 percent from 4.8 percent).

PRICE SITUATION: MONTH-ON-MONTH

On a month-to-month basis, the consumer price index (CPI) for all income households in the region was registered at 167.3 in August 2010, slightly higher by 0.6 index point than the July CPI of 166.7. In terms of rate, the all items month-on-month inflation rate was registered at 0.4 percent in August from zero growth in July.

The overall rate of food, beverages and tobacco (FBT) index increased to 0.7 percent in August from 0.1 percent in July. The increase in FBT was influenced by the higher price increments in the indices of cereal and cereal preparation (.07 percent from 0.0 percent), dairy products (0.2 percent from 0.1 percent), eggs (0.4 percent from 0.1 percent), fruits & vegetables (2.1 percent from 1.6 percent) and miscellaneous foods (1.8 percent from 1.2 percent). Upward adjustments in the prices of sugar and cooking oil pulled up the miscellaneous foods index to its current rate. The effect of those increases were counteracted by the negative rates recorded in fish (-0.9 percent from -1.8 percent) and meat (-0.1 percent from 0.5 percent). Enough supply of selected fish species and broiler chicken in the markets
primarily brought down the fish and meat indices at its respective rates. Meanwhile, the same rate as in July was registered in the indices of beverages (0.1 percent) and tobacco (0.3 percent).

Under the no-food group, prices of housing and repairs item items continued to post a zero growth since June 2010. On the other hand, the fuel, light and water index (FLW) still posed a negative rate (-0.7 percent from -0.9 percent) due to the price decline in LPG. Similarly, services index recorded a negative rate (-0.1 percent from 0.2 percent) because of the rollbacks in the prices of gasoline and diesel. On the other hand, the previous month’s rate was maintained in the indices of clothing and miscellaneous items at 0.1 percent. Overall rate or non-food remained negative at -0.2 percent from -0.1 percent.

With such prices of the commodities and services, the Bicol Region’s purchasing power of peso (PPP) remained at P0.60. Across provinces, the previous month’s PPP was maintained in Albay (P0.59), Camarines Sur (P0.62), Catanduanes (P0.55), Masbate (P0.60) and Sorsogon (P0.59). On the other hand, PPP in Camarines Norte declined by one centavo at P0.58 from P0.59. (NSO V/PIA)