DTI declares milestones gained by SME WOW and Diskwento Caravan

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, JULY 7 (PIA)-- "The two-day Small and Medium Enterprise Work an Wheels (SME-WOW) and Diskwento Caravan held here last month, hosted by the province of Sorsogon for the whole Bicol Region, in an overall assessment and evaluation, achieved its primary set targets", thus declared Leah Pagao, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here during yesterday's regular SMEDC meeting hosted by the Postal Bank Sorsogon Branch.

"We exceeded from the expected 300 number of participants with the heavy turn out of the 513 participants in all which is way beyond our expectation", she said.

139 participants attended the session on Business Plan Preparation with participants mostly would be entrepreneurs. Food Safety session counted 93 attendees; 72 went to Putting Business on Line whereas 100 participants attended the session on Good Manufacturing (GMP),; Credit Sourcing with 82 participants and 27 participants went to the Franchising Forum.

Said sessions were conducted simultaneously.

According to Pagao this regional hosting of DTI Sorsogon made a very remarkable way of promoting the thrusts of the SMEDC. Would be entrepreneurs were provided the basic knowledge , technical know -how and expertise by the roll of speakers of high caliber and successful businessmen in their own right.

Business establishments who also participated in the Diskwento Caravan generated P130.000.00 in total sales for two days despite the bad weather brought about by Typhoon Falcon.

The Tagumpay Forum according to Marinella Hernandez of DTI was also well-acclaimed with the sharing provided by two of Sorsogon's most successful entrepreneurs, Ryan Detera of Tia Berning's Pili Products and owner of Sorsogon Foods Miss Linda Corciga.

They shared their stories of success on stage while video-taped by GMA 7 Go Negosyo under the Ten Top Patok Products of the Philippines and was telecast on their Saturday and Sunday show.

These milestones according to Pagao, achieved in the two- day forum have now opened more avenues for private sector to participate in the countryside development, the very thrust of the Pinoy administration.

Opened and inaugurated also was the SMEDC pasalubong center located at Magsaysay St. here , dubbed as "Tindahang Pinoy" to showcase Sorsogon's best products.

To date according to Hernandez it has already generated quite an amount in sales.

"The success of the activity was through the collaborative efforts of all the SMEDC members, the local government unit's support, the leg work of DTI personnel, participation of business establishments and the very able leadership of Mr. Cita Hababag, chair of the SMEDC" Pagao said. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

3 tech-voc school in Catanduanes receive 50 desktop computers

by Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, July 7 (PIA)-- Three tech-voc schools in the province received 50 units of computers with n-computing technology, internet ready, WiFi connectivity and network printer from Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office-Tech-Voc-Task Force last June 13, 15 and 17, 2011.

The said 50-unit computers was the second wave of technical support by DepEd to 1ll 282 tech-voc schools in the country which aims to strengthen and empower them as venues for affordable technical training grounds needed by students who may have not reach tertiary education.

Last year, DepEd allotted multi-million pesos tools and equipment provided to the same school necessary to their Technical-Vocational Education (TVE) subjects of specialization such as electronics, welding, food processing, fish preservation, fish capture, dress making, cosmetology, agriculture, drafting, automotive and other technical courses.

The delivered virtual desktop computers which use n-computing technology means that those computers called as clients use only one CPU called host. Seven host PC's, which serve six virtual computers each, are connected to the server which directly control all 49 computers through a software called net support.

Meanwhile, other high schools in the province already received 11 units of computers each early this year. (MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)


Feature Story: On PNoy’s 2011 Budget Philosophy

LGU San Jose : An Exemplar of Transparent Governance

by Lizel S. Macatangay

SAN JOSE, Camarines Sur, July 7, 2011 (PIA) ---- When he assumed his post as chief executive of this town, Mayor Antonio B. Chavez promised to move this slumbering municipality towards a progressive and developed community, citing among others the need to lift its morale and imprint a value-laden atmosphere among his constituents.

This is also in consonance with the battle cry of President Benigno Aquino III to create a transparent governance in pursuit of “Matuwid na Daan.”

In his State of the Municipality Address held yesterday, Chavez stood humbly pleased before the presence of his constituents while citing his numerous accomplishments.

After one year, he knew that he is on the right track towards the realization and fulfillment of his promise, anchored on President Aquino’s campaign to clean the nation with sloppy personnel and replace it with performing leaders.

GOOD GOVERNANCE and FISCAL MANAGEMENT

Punctuating his campaign on transparency and good governance, Chavez hailed the composition of the Management Committee (MANCOM) composed of various department heads of economic enterprise.

He allowed democracy to rule with everyone in the team freely discussing the implementation of various plans and projects for the benefit of the community.

“We need to trust our own people, while ensuring that they are following the best example of what we really intend to do. The creation of the MANCOM, I can say, is where our adherence to transparency is best exemplified,” Chavez said.

To ensure that his constituents’ call for assistance is immediately attended, Chavez created a separate office for the General Services, Information Management, Municipal Environment and Natural Resource Office and an office for the municipality’s special project.s

In line with this, the chief executive established partners who would help him strengthen and implement priority programs and ensure the efficient delivery of the basic services to his people, as also mandated by the Local Government Code of 1991.

He moved to reinforce and give a boost to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee (MDRRMC), People’s Law Enforcement Body (PLEB), Local School Board, Municipal Development Council, Municipal Health Board, Local Verification Committee of the DSWD, the Peace and Order Council and the Asset Management Office.

Chavez administration also showed his strong adherence to the government’s campaign to conscientiously require business establishment owners to pay their taxes. He meted penalty to the violators and strictly supported the “Task Force Kandado” thru the local branch of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

In May this year, LGU San Jose was cited by the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Department of Finance as tone of the top performers in terms of revenue collection in Bicol region for CY 2010.

San Jose ranked first in the collection of Income from Economic Enterprises among all 4th class municipalities in the Region with more than 1.66 million pesos actual collection from their target of 0.657 million pesos. They were able to record the highest collection efficiency of 253% in year 2010.

Chavez also cited the notable and unprecedented increase in collection of Business permits and licensing fees covering the following periods: July to July to December 2010 amounting to P404,264.93; January to June 2011 amounting to P949,358.82 resulting to an impressive collection of P1,353,623.748 within a year of his administration.

ON TRANSPARENCY

In order to gain the trust of his constituents, Chavez created an interactive LGU Website and Facebook account. He directed the concerned department heads to regularly post the LGU’s financial activities in the said website. This is also in line with the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) being pushed by the Department of Interior and Local Government thru DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo.

The website includes among others the LGU’s Annual Budget Report, Quarterly Statement of Cash Flows, Statement of Receipt and Expenditures, Trust Fund Utilization, Quarterly Reports on Special Education Fund Utilization, Internal Revenue Allotment Utilization and other financial transactions. Added tot this, San Jose ’s Bids and Awards Committee conducts their public bidding with the presence of religious observers coming from three parishes.

Chaves believes that transparency and accountability will make an effective approach to combat corruption towards better public financial management. The list of these good deeds may still add up and with LGU San Jose’s continuous commitment to strongly adhere to President Aquino’s Budget Philosophy of using its resources to where it should go, there is no doubt that we will soon be traversing the Matuwid Na Daan, as envisioned by the Aquino Administration. (MAL/LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)