GOV COMMENDS SORSOGON'S DISASTER RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM
By: Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, (PIA) – The onslaught of torrential rains that battered the province of Sorsogon since late December 2010 to early January 2011 lasting for almost a month now, was a trying test to find out how well the disaster risk reduction program implementation in the province of Sorsogon was well-enforced and in-placed.

The La Nina Contingency Plan presented to the members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) as early as October 2010, calling all action officers of each municipality to map out highly disaster prone areas, was an operationalized document presented that provided even the local chief executives awareness on disaster risk reduction (DRR) readiness.

While almost six municipalities suffered immense impact of flooding and landslides like Pilar, Juban, Casiguran, Magallanes, Bulan and Donsol, no report of casualty was observed.

“Let us be pro-active, be aware and practice our own individual judgment call and should not wait for others or agencies to instruct us to evacuate specially if your area is already exposed to danger,” Gov. Raul R. Lee, PDRRMC chair stated.

“We can humbly say that while Sorsogon has been highly affected by the first salvo of the La Nina, no casualty on our end was reported,” Lee further stressed.

“Our local chief executives in the province are now well empowered and trained including all departments in implementing the DRR programs, hopefully this time the people in Sorsogon will always be aware to practice preemptive actions,” Gov. Lee concludes. (PIA Sorsogon/mal)

AGAPP PRE-SCHOOL PROJECT PURELY PRIVATE INITIATIVE – PPBCV
By Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – The Aklat, Gabay at Aruga sa Pag-angat at Pag-asa (AGAPP), led by the President Aquino’s sister Pinky Aquino-Abellada, turned-over two-classroom buildings in Legazpi City and Daraga town, last January 14.

Dr. Ofelia Samar-Sy, president PPBCV during the interview over PIA Bicol radio program Aramon Ta Daw Monday, said the pre-school buildings constructed at Taysan Elementary School, this city and at the Anislag Resettlement Center in Daraga, Albay were funded by San Miguel Corporation; the furnitures such as tables and chairs were donated by Uratex while the books for the library were from the National Bookstore.

Sy said AGAPP, in tandem with Pinoy Power Bicol Coalition of Volunteers (PPBCV), spent some P600,000 for each building, all from private initiative.

The typhoon-proof 104 sq. m. school buildings were constructed in a month time.

Sy explained that the turn-over in Bicol is the first outside Metro Manila.

She added that similar turn-over is expected to follow in Cebu and Bacolod City this month.

On the same date of the inauguration, the two-day training of the pre-school teachers assigned by the Department of Education also started.

At least 100 preschoolers are expected to benefit per school year for every school with four classes a day.

Sy further said that other than pre-school education, the children will benefit from feeding, primary health care and livelihood education for their mothers.

AGAPP targets 100 similar school buildings to be constructed before classes start in June this year and a total of 2,000 school buildings after the six-year term of President Aquino.

The AGAPP-PPBCV group visited Daraga North Central School and Albay Central School and Bagumbayan Elementary School both of Legazpi City for assessment as prospective beneficiaries of similar project last year.

Cabangan Elementary School in Camalig town, though not visited by the team due to the tight schedule of AGAPP, will still be considered for evaluation, Sy stated. (PIA V/Albay/mal)

DIARRHEA CLAIMS BABY’S LIFE, AFFECTED HUNDREDS IN CAMSUR TOWN
By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol has reported that a contaminated water has claimed the life of a nine-month baby and affected 250 villagers in barangay Butawanan in Siruma town in Camarines Sur.

In a press conference of the Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), Dr. Rose Rempillo of the Health Emergency Management Office of the DOH Bicol said that the cases of diarrhea are increasing in Barangay Butawanan prompting the agency to declare a diarrhea outbreak in the area.

Rempillo said that the baby was the first casualty of the water-borne disease while some 450 families or six percent of the 4,000 residents were already affected.

The DOH surveillance team sent to the village has reported that 250 out of the 450 residents examined on site were positive to cholera type of diarrhea and now undergoing treatment.

Rempillo said that of the 250 diarrhea patients, 25 patients are in serious condition, 150 were in the moderate stage, and 75 have mild diarrhea.

She said 90 percent of the village water sources come from spring, deep and shallow wells which were contaminated due to continuous rains since December.

The island village is an hour boat ride from Siruma town, which is a six-hour drive from this city.

Bicol Regional Director Raffy Alejandro Office of Civil Defense (OCD), also chair of the Bicol DRRMC, meanwhile said that with the assistance from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Air Force, Navy, Army), response team has set up a five-man field hospital equipped with doctors, nurses, and medicines in the area, where hundreds of the barangay residents sought medical consultation and treatment.

The DOH has also recommended a total rehabilitation of the village’s water system, inspection of household toilets and hold advocacy drive to improve sanitary practice and personal hygiene among residents in the village. (PIA V/Albay)

CATANDUANES GOV ASKS FOR P10M HEALTH ALLOTMENT
By Edna. A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes (PIA) — Governor Jospeh C. Cua last week challenged Congressman Cesar V. Sarmiento to channel P5 to P10 M of his yearly pork barrel to upgrade and rehabilitate health faculities and services in the province of Catanduanes.

In his message to officers and volunteers of the Catanduanes International Association Inc., during the Governor’s Night at the Capitol Dome last January 13, 2011, Cua said as previous governor and congressman gave less attention to hospital rehabilitation, his administration is inviting and seeking equivalent partners in the development of the hospitals.

“This is why we are happy when Congressman Cesar Sarmiento captured pictures of our rural hospitals,” Cua stated, referring to images shown on the presentation of the congressman during his welcome night for the CIA on Jan. 10. “If this will happen, this will be his way of saying “thank you” to the entrusted electoral mandate given to him by Catandunganons.”

The governor cited the tangible improvements introduced in the provincial hospital within his first term as chief executive, with a total of P27.5 million infused to renovate the Eastern Bicol Medical Center. In response, Congressman Sarmiento, who was present in the same affair, readily agreed to the governor’s proposal as health is one of Sarmiento’s priority concerns. (PIA Catanduanes/mal)

CATTPO HOLDS 17TH PNP ETHICS DAY CELEBRATION
By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, (PIA) — The PNP Leadership in Catanduanes recently observed its 17th PNP Ethics Day Celbration on January 10, 2011 at CATTPO, Camp Francisco Camacho with the theme: “PNP Leading the Straight Path Towards Excellent Service.”

This was contained in the consolidated report submitted by Provincial Director PSSUPT. Lito B. Pitallano to the regional director, PRO5, Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, Legazpi City.

Due to inclement weather, however, the flag raising ceremony led by PSSUPT. Pitallano was held inside CAPPO Social Hall with the PCOs, PNCOs, NUPS, and personnel of the PPSC, Catanduanes PPO in attendance, the report added.

One of the highlights of the one-day activity was the awarding of Plaque of Recognition to the deserving PNP Personnel. This year’s lone awardee was PCI Alvin L. Gruba, officer-in-charge of Virac, Municipal Police Station.

The celebration’s guest of honor and speaker, Dr. Susan T. Santelices, VP for Research Extension and Production of the Catanduanes State Colleges, was introduced by Operations Officer PCI Virgilio O. Olalia, Jr.

Dr. Santelices said that the police service is a noble profession, which demands from its members specialized knowledge and skills, as well as high standard of ethics and morality. She also reminded that as employees of the government, PNP members are supposed to conduct themselves properly at all times in keeping with the rules of the organization. (PIA Catanduanes/mal)

DA BICOL ESTIMATES INITIAL AGRI-LOSSES TO P17.4M
by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, JAN. 20 (PIA) – Due to the weather disturbance affecting Bicol in late December 2010 and early this month, the Department of Agriculture has initially estimated the losses to farmers to some P17.4 million.

DA Bicol Regional Public Information Officer Emily B. Bordado said that the number corresponds only for the 11 areas in Albay plus the town of Juban in Sorsogon.

Damaged farm areas in these two provinces total to 3,138.63 hectares of farmlands planted to palay and vegetables equivalent to losses of about 5,561 metric tons of farm produce.

Almost all or 97 per cent of the damaged farms are those devoted to palay while the remaining 67 hectares or 3 per cent are vegetable-planted farms.

Bordado explained that most of the palay-planted farms were either on flowering or seed bed stage when the continuous rains brought by the tail-end of the cold-front lashed especially Albay.

DA has identified the damaged farmlands in two cities and nine towns in Albay. These are found in Malilipot, Malinao, Sto. Domingo and Tabaco City in the first district; Legazpi City, Camalig, Daraga and Manito in the second district; and the municipalities of Guinobatan, Oas and Polangui of the third district.

Bordado declared that DA Regional Director Jose V. Dayao has already requested funds for the rehabilitation of damaged farms to assist affected farmers.

BAYER YOUNG ENVIRO ENVOYS LEAD ADVOCACY ON MDG ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — Alumni of the Young Environmental Envoy Program of BAYER Philippines in Bicol, in partnership with Bicol University NSTP Office, spearheaded an advocacy on enviro-care dubbed “BYEEnihan: Every Juan for the Environment” on Saturday (Jan 15).

The activity heeded to the call of responding to the call for the achievement of Millennium Development Goal (MDG) set by the United Nations which is to ensure Environmental Sustainability.

True to the word, BYEEnihan is an activity that recognizes the role each of us plays in saving the environment. These roles vary from person to person and thus underline the importance of unity and cooperation.

The organizers invited youth organizations and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members in the Bicol Region to conduct/organize environmental activities in their school or barangays/communities and be part of this simultaneous and region-wide environmental activity.

Each youth organization is given the freehand on what environmental activity and where to implement it. Organizations are not limited to one environmental initiative. Depending on the organization’s resources, they may opt for one or two local projects. (JMYee, BU-BAYER/PIA Albay/mal)

DOH BICOL MOBILIZES HEALTH TEAM TO STOP SPREAD OF DIARRHEA IN CAM SUR TOWN
By Ed de Leon

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) - The Department of Health(DOH) regional office here mobilized its health emergency response team to prevent the further spread of the number of persons who were downed by diarrhea which already and claimed one death in a remote village of Siruma town in Camarines Sur.

During a Press conference held at the Office of Civil Defense(OCD) regional office here this morning called by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC), Dr. Rose Rempillo of the DOH regional office emergency response team disclosed that a total of250 persons were initially diagnosed as having been afflicted by Diarrhea.

The patients were diagnosed at the DOH field hospital set up in barangay Butawan an island barangay of Siruma town last Saturday.

She said that out of the 250 positively diagnosed, 25 were severely affected, 150moderately affected while 75 were mildly affected.

Rempilo reported that Army soldiers with two of their M35 trucks assisted them in bringing the equipment, medicines and other supplies to bgy Butawan which can only reach through a long stretch of bad roads which took them 12 hours from Pili town.

She said the doctors and other health personnel were ferried last Saturday by Air Force helicopters from the Tactical Operations Group 5 of the Philippine Air Force based in this city last Saturday.

Barangay Butawan has 450 household or more than 4,000 persons.

She pointed out that the barangay water supply was the source of contaminated water which came from an open spring.

She added that the situation is now under control and refused to say that there is already an outbreak. (PIA V/Albay)

Aquino cites role of mosquito press in Martial Law

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday (Jan. 20) lauded the mosquito press like Malaya for its crucial role in educating and informing the people during the dark days of the dictatorship.

In a speech at the 28th anniversary of Malaya Business Insight at the Manila Polo Club, the President paid tribute to the newspaper for its fearless reporting during martial law regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

“We are not just celebrating 28 years of Malaya today; we are celebrating Freedom—the freedom of the people, and of the press, to be made aware of events that affect their lives. Today, we commemorate how Malaya, together with the Filipino people, chose to fight back and rebuild an ailing country,” he said.

The President said that because of Malaya’s existence, democracy has been returned to the people and they’ve been able to inform the public on the real status of the country in the midst of dictatorial rule.

“As a student, I was made to read newspapers and be informed. But during martial law, what you could only be sure of as true in the papers is the date and the movie listings, because the rest of it was propaganda,” he recalled.

He mentioned that aside from his late father, martyred Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. other oppositionists during that time were Pepe Diokno, journalist Chino Roces, Nap Rama and Teodoro Locsin. It was at that time Joe Burgos started a small newspaper, the We Forum that earned the distinction “mosquito press.” It was later renamed Malaya.

“We Forum, and later Malaya, was a catalyst in this historic struggle. It was one of the few voices brave enough to report my father’s murder and trigger the eventual demise of the dictatorship,” he said referring to its role when Senator Ninoy Aquino was slain at the Tarmac of Manila International Airport (now NAIA) upon returning from his exile in United States on August 21, 1983.

“Malaya is a continuation of that proud heritage. In the midst of darkness, your newspaper was there to bring forth light and to tell the truth,” he continued.

Quoting his late father, the President underscored the importance of the mosquito press in a free society. “According to my father, a free media is indispensable if a democracy is to function efficiently, if it is to be real. The people, who are sovereign, must be adequately informed all the time,” he said.

He said the “mosquito press” became loud enough to be heard in every corner of the country to inform Filipinos of wrongdoing in government and that a unified movement was needed for change to happen.

The 28th anniversary of Malaya Business Insight was a small gathering of selected personalities from previous administrations, business leaders, friends, families and relatives of one of the pillars of the Philippine media, Jake Macasaet, publisher of Malaya and president of the Philippine Press Institute.

“When I was invited to this gathering, I told myself, "How could I say no to Manong Jake (Macasaet) who is one of the pillars of the Philippine media?" And also, how can I possibly say no to this opportunity to pay tribute to the many heroes of the dark martial law era,” he admitted.

As the dark days of dictatorial rule are gone, the President assured that the present government will not tolerate muzzling the media or restricting them again.

“Rest assured, I will continue to do my job and follow through on what I pledged to our people. At the same time, I am counting on you to remain the publication that our people can believe in. I also ask you to be fair—to me, yes, but more importantly, to the Filipino people,” the President said.

“The Filipino people need and deserve an honest and transparent media—one that makes it easier for us all to work together and to achieve a high level of public discourse, which will, in the end, work for everyone’s benefit,” he added. (PIA V)

Palace allays fears on open skies policy

MANILA — Domestic airlines will continue to have profitable operations despite the impending liberalization of the airline industry.

This was the assurance given by Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Office Secretary Ramon Carandang, in a press briefing in Malacanang on Friday (Jan. 21).

Carandang said measures to protect the interest of local airlines will be included in an Executive Order on the open skies policy that will be issued by President Benigno S. Aquino in a few weeks.

“It will be a pocket open skies (policy),” Carandand said. “What we are trying to do right now is to try to find a balance of liberalizing air transport for the benefit of the public, and at the same time, not dealing a harsh blow to our domestic carriers. So, it has to be very measured and very deliberate when we begin to liberalize aviation. And I think, in a few weeks, you will see that EO.”

Carandand said some local airlines have expressed confidence that despite a liberalized environment, they will be able to compete. He cited Cebu Pacific, in particular, has said they have already begun to compete in other markets besides the Philippines.

“I think they’re confident that when we come out with it, there will be a balance between enhancing the value for consumers and providing an environment that the local airlines can still compete in,” he assured.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Carandang said will most likely retain local airlines control and that there will be open skies for other major airports. (PIA V)

Aquino wins Award for Political Communications

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III is the recipient of this year’s prestigious Public Affairs Asia’s Gold Standard Award for Political Communications.

Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ramon Carandang, in a press briefing Friday, in Malacanang said Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda accepted the award on behalf of the President Thursday night (Jan. 20) in Hongkong.

Carandang said the President was recognized for his efforts to put government publications online specifically the Presidential Gazette which aims to put all historical documents emanating from the government on line.

In the Gazette, presidential speeches, pronouncements, among other presidential activities are posted online allowing accessibility to the public.

Carandang further said that the President was also recognized for his ability to communicate his message “Kung Walang Corrupt, Walang Mahirap” both domestically and internationally.

The President, according to Carandang, won over Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor and first Prime Minister of Singapore and Ambika Soni, India’s Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

Public Affairs Asia, in its website said that: “These awards celebrate the achievements of corporations, governments and NGOs and identify those professionals, consultancies and governmental figures who are driving this important process of engagement and partnership in Asia Pacific.”

Public Affairs Asia is a network of senior government relations, public affairs and corporate communications professionals operating across the Asia Pacific region.

Last year, the award went to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his exemplary work in addressing corruption in Indonesia through his Corruption Eradication Commission. (PIA V)