PNOY VISITS LEGAZPI TODAY
…oversees disaster relief operation

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan 14 (PIA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III is scheduled to visit this city today as the first leg of his visits to areas hit by flash floods due to the prolonged rainy days since December 24 last year brought about by the Tail-End of the Cold Front (TECF)

After landing at the Legazpi City Airport, the President will proceed to the Air Force Tactical Operations Group (TOG 5) headquarters VIP Lounge for a briefing on the effects of TECF in Bicol region from Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional director Bernardo Alejandro.

The Briefing will cover the effects of TECF in the three provinces of Bicol namely : Albay, Catanduanes and Sorsogon.

The President will also be briefed on the prevalent diseases affecting people both in and out of the evacuation centers. The top three ailments noted include Upper Respiratory tract Infection, Vascular Headache and Athlete’s Foot (or Alipunga).

After the briefing, the President will proceed to the TOG 5 hangar to lead the turn-over of relief goods to Gov. Joey Salceda and mayors of the five affected towns for distribution to evacuees.

The relief goods includes DSWD relief packs, and hygiene and first aid kit from DOH .

The President is expected to be accompanied by DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, Secretary Ricky Carandang and Usec Benito Ramos executive Director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

From Legazpi President Aquino will fly to Leyte and then to Butuan in Mindanao.(EDLeon, PIA V/Albay)


EMB OPTIMISTIC ESWM COMPLIANCE OF LGUs DESPITE SETBACKS

QUEZON CITY — The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) remains optimistic that local governments across the country can and will comply to Ecological Solid Waste Management Law or RA 9003 despites setbacks, according to the bureau’s top national official.

Assistant Director Gilbert Gonzales of EMB said the bureau, through its regional offices, has since been providing technical assistance to and closely monitoring the 360 LGUs given final notice to adopt the waste management law.

Gonzales bared some regional offices of the bureau were already readying, while some have already done, charges against LGUs that are remised in complying with the provisions of the law, usually on open garbage dump site operations.

RA 9003 requires LGUs to stop operating open dump sites and violators, after being reminded thrice of their violations could already be charged criminally and administratively in court.

Gonzales explained that the law forbids the usual practice of LGUs, particularly those urbanized towns and cities, of operating open dump sites for waste collected from communities.
“Some or most of these wastes had been found out to be hazardous to health and the environment,” he said.

The law, Gonzales stressed, provides that operating an open dump site five years after its effectivity in 2001 in the case of LGUs shall be punishable with P500,000 fine plus the forfeiture of five percent of its net annual revenue in favor of the national government as administrative penalties.

Gonzales, on the other hand, said the bureau has been providing assistance to LGUs in practicing the three aspects of ESWM, that is, the segregation of wastes at source, segregated collection, and operationalization of Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

“Segregation should start from every household, then with garbage collectors. It has been observed until now that though households segregate their waste yet truck collectors mixed them up,” he said.

The bureau has also urged local governments to establish and operationalize MRF to lessen waste thrown into dumpsites.

Gonzales furthered cited Legazpi City for pioneering the establishment of a sanitary landfill facility in a vast property in Barangay Banquerohan acquired from its private owner by the city government several years ago under then Mayor Noel Rosal.

“The city government was able then to avail cash grant from the Spanish government, through its Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para Desarollo (AECID), for the establishment of the facility,” adding that “others local government can replicate such feat by also networking with the same or other donor organization abroad.”

The present administration of Mayor Geraldine Rosal, the former mayor’s wife, had been continuously utilizing and developing the landfill and the MRF established in the area and providing livelihood to several families involved in its operations.

EMB furthermore is now upgrading the established National Ecology Center (NEC) and 15 Regional Ecology Centers (RECs) nationwide as well as preparing integration of ESWM in curriculum for the three levels of education.

The bureau, according to Gonzales, has renewed and will continue to strengthen partnership with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in its information and education campaign, development of multi-media information materials, and social mobilization.

“The same with other government agencies in strategic educators’ network and implementation in a nationwide scale of RA 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act,” Gonzales concluded. (MALoterte, PIA V/Albay)

FEATURE: MAMPUROG RIVER SURFACE WATER DEV'T PROJECT,
THE FIRST WATER SURFACE SOURCE IN CAMARINES NORTE

DAET, Camarines Norte, Jan 14 (PIA) — The Mampurog River Surface Water Development Project in San Lorenzo Ruiz, the first water surface source project of the Camarines Norte Water District (CNWD) will be operationalized in the middle of February this year.

The development of the said project was made to augment the scarcity of water in the seven service municipalities of the province. This was felt in the last El Niño Phenomenon and the CNWD realized the need for additional source of water in the province.

The present source of water are the springs of Boro-boro, Magana, Pimentel, Banban and Alinao, all in the town of Labo while 5 pumping stations also in the said town.

Maria Antonia BF Boma, General Manager, CNWD said that the development of the said surface water will deliver 12,000 cubic meters of water daily benefiting the seven service municipalities. The seven municipalities include the Basud, Daet, San Vicente, Mercedes, Talisay Vinzons and Labo. At present Basud and Daet South are experiencing low water pressure to no water at all, with this development is expected to have a 24 hour water supply after the completion of the said project.

Recently, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has approved the 30 million loan of the CNWD to partly finance the project.

The project commenced in September 2009 was put on hold during the last quarter of 2010 due to financial setbacks. The development of Mampurog River is funded by a P180 million from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in which 15 million is a grant and another P15 million is a loan with zerto interest rate. But LWUA has released only 50% of the total project cost enabling CNWD to seek for financial assistance from other lending institutions.

On the approved loan of the DBP, 15% of the amount approved will be initially released for the civil and electrical works, acquisition of machines such as Modular Filtration Equipment and the purchase of generator set. The succeeding and final releases will be based on work accomplsiments with 10% retention.

As of December 2010, the Mampurog River Water Development Project is 91.78% completed in the the following work items: construction of filtration building, supply of pre-filtration facilities and water treatment equipment, pipe laying of Mampurog transmission line and the Re-routing of Boro-boro transmission line. (RBManlangit/PIA CamNorte)

CHED EXTOLS CATANDUANES STATE COLLEGES

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Jan 14 (PIA) — Commissioner Nenalyn P. Defensor of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) commended the Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC) for its adherence to quality and excellence in higher education.

The Commissioner, who also serves as chairperson of the CSC Board of Trustees, thanked the CSC for “being all these years a supporting partner of quality and excellence in higher education.”

Defensor made her statement during the recent fourth quarter meeting of CSC BOT at CHED Central Office in Diliman, Quezon City. She is soon to be assigned in other state colleges and universities following the rotation of chairmanships of CHED Commissioners to the board of trustees and regents of state-run higher education institutions.

“As chairperson of the governing board of the Catanduanes State Colleges, I would like to believe that I have done my modest part to turn your school into a better higher education institution than when I came on August 1, 2005.”

Commissioner Defensor added that she has always been supportive of CSC by sharing the various programs and projects of CHED under its Higher Education Development Fund.

“You were able to receive money to upgrade your computers, laboratory equipment, and library books. Then, there was a year that we have given support fund in order not to increase tuition and other fees as well as fund for accreditation. You were also identified as Provincial Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries and Center of Development in Teacher Education,” the Commissioner further added.

Dr. Asuncion V. Asetre, CSC President and vice chairman of the CSC BOT said that Commissioner Defensor helped the CSC acquire some 11.8 million pesos grant from CHED Higher Education Development Fund.

The CSC President said these HEDF fund grant were: P180,000.00 for the purchase of tools and equipment for the Training on Abaca Production project (November 29, 2005); P1,907,360.00 for the Tuition Fee Support Fund to compensate for the non-increase in tuition and other fees for SY 2006-2007 (June 6, 2006); P1,000,000.00 for the Knowledge Based Projects for SUCs (June 22, 2006); P500,000.00 for the enhancement of instruction through acquisition of instructional materials and equipment (July 20, 2006);

P50,000.00 for the Preliminary Survey Assistance for Accreditation (November 14, 2006); P150,000.00 for the Institutional Development Assistance for Accreditation (IDAA) to support the library/laboratory facilities (November 14, 2006); P489,300.00 for the CHED Integrated Research Utilization Program (IRUP) for the University Network with Local Government for Agricultural Development (UNLAD) - Tilapia Hatchery project (December 20, 2006);

P1,500,000.00 for laboratory equipment for the Science Laboratory Building of the College of Arts and Sciences (October 31, 2007); P4,060,000.00 for Student Assistance Fund for Education (July 8, 2008); P1,000,000.00 laboratory equipment for Nursing and School of Midwifery (October 28, 2008) and P250,000.00 for the upgrading of College of Agriculture facilities as CHED recognized Provincial Institute of Agriculture (PIA) (September 29, 2010).

Chairman Defensor also commended President Asetre for ably steering the institution. She said the CSC President is one of the best presidents among state universities and colleges under her chairmanship. She also thanked the members of the CSC BOT for the smooth meetings.

Under the rules of Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997, the CHED Chairman is authorized to designate a CHED Commissioner as the regular Chairperson to the Board of a university or college and shall act as the presiding officer. Commissioner Defensor served as chairperson of CSC BOT since August 2005.

The CHED Commissioner promised that the projects granted to CSC will continue and expressed hope that the school will strive more to achieve quality education, carry on to sustain excellence in all its programs and reach its long-term goal in the succeeding years. (EABagadiong, PIA Catanduanes/CSC)

FLOOD WATER DESTROYS P 17.4 M WORTH OF CROPS IN BICOL

PILI, Camarines Sur, Jan. 13 (PIA)—More and more agricultural products are being submerged under flood water as heavy downpour of rain continue to wreck havoc over 3, 071 hectares of rice and 234 hectares high value commercial crops in 12 municipalities in Albay and 1 municipality in Sorsogon province.

The approximate total production loss is now pegged at 5,161 metric tons valued at P17.4 M. A total of 2,440 farmers are also affected.

Ms.Emily B. Bordado, DA Regional Office Spokesperson in a press release to the members of the local media here, said that the information came from the collated reports gathered and submitted by the affected municipalities and validated by DA personnel.

Marilyn V. Sta. Catalina, DA‘s regional technical director for operations and extension said that most of the damaged rice crops were newly planted. Some are in the seedbed and others are still in their vegetative stage. She added that of the total 3,071 rice fields damaged over 2,516 hectares have chance of recovery and only some 554 hectares have no chance of recovery.

Based on the report submitted by LGU, those areas greatly affected by heavy floods include the cities of Tabaco and Legaspi City and the municipality of Malinao . Other Albay towns who also suffered the same fate were Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Manito, Malilipot, Oas, Polangui and Sto. Domingo.

Amidst this unfortunate situation, DA Regional Director Jose V. Dayao told farmers not to lose heart. He told affected planters that they can still avail of the discounted palay seeds under the department’s Rapid Seed Supply Financing Project or RaSSFiP. The program allows eligible farmers to have one bag of certified inbred seeds per hectare.

Eligible beneficiaries could either be land owners, farm tenants, leaseholders and administrators. Their farms should be located in rainfed areas and lowland irrigated areas and should have an average yield of less than 3.8 metric ton per hectare.

Bordado also said that Dayao already assured the affected farmers that the regional office has already put in place rehabilitation plan and this was already submitted to the office of Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. (LSMacatangay/ PIA CamSur)

EU-SEARCA HOLDS RICE BASED FARMING SYSTEM IN CAMNORTE

DAET, Camarines Norte, Jan. 13 (PIA) -– A two day Re-Echo Training on Technology on Rice Based Farming System was conducted here by the European Union-South Asian Regional Center for Graduate Studies and Research in Agriculture (EU-SEARCA).

This is in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte and attended by Municipal Agriculturist, Municipal Agricultural Technologist and Staff of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg).

OPAg Focal Person Francia C Pajares, Planning IV, said that the training aimed to train the participants on the new technology especially on climate change ready technology.

The topics discussed for the first day January 12 include: best management practices for submerge and saline and drought prone areas and nutrient management.

For the second day January 13 topics include: water management, harvest and post harvest management, Pinoy rice knowledge bank, microteaching demonstration, organic vegetable production and finalization/critiquing of monitoring and coaching plan. (RBManlangit/PIA CamNorte)

NEW POLICIES OF RENEWING PHILHEALTH CARDS ANNOUNCED

DAET, Camarines Norte, Jan. 13 (PIA) – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) here announced the new policies of renewing PhilHealth cards for the indigents.
This is connection with the complaints of beneficiaries of PhilHealth cards of the local governments here.
Service Office Chief Ireneo A. Dacillo said that the policies were based in their Board Resolution 1417 and Executive Order No. 67 that those indigent chosen by the National Household Targetting System (NHTS) can renew free PhilHealth cards.

It will be recalled that the NHTS is a survey conducted by the Department of Social Services and Development (DSWD) that used machine to pinpoint the true indigent in the country.

In Camarines Norte the NHTS identified some 34,398 indigent and only some 5,884 were those registered in the conducted PhilHealth Sabado last Oct. 2 being one of the major program of President Noynoy Aquino.

He said that those who want to renew should approach the DSWD for them to evaluate.

On the other hand the provincial government has allotted some 18 million pesos to sponsor PhilHealth cards but beneficiaries should be chosen by the NHTS.

There are some 62,645 beneficiaries of the provincial government, 10,405 of the municipal government, 615 from the barangay and 172 from the inter local health zone of the Department of Health (DOH) but all should be identified by the NHTS. (RBManlangit/PIA CamNorte)