DPWH reports P274.6 million damages to infrastructure due to Juaning

By Ed de Leon

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office here has reported an initial P274,697,000 damages to infrastructures in five provinces devastated by typhoon “Juaning” last week.

Engr. Tony Saguinsin, maintenance division chief of DPWH V, has reported during the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) meeting Friday last week that some P222,897,000 worth of damages were inflicted on national roads, P51,000,000 in flood control structures and P800,000 in local roads..

He said that on the national roads damaged by the flood waters of typhoon Juaning, the hardest hit was Albay with a total P180,593,000 in the three districts of the province, while Camarines Sur came next with P19,750,000 damages, third was Catanduanes with P12,804,000, fourth was Masbate which sustained P8,200,000 and Sorsogon with P1,550,000.

On flood control, Saguinsin said that some P51,000,000 worth of flood control structures were reportedly damaged in Albay .

He said that at the height of the fury of typhoon Juaning, work crews of the DPWH regional and district offices were immediately deployed by DPWH regional director Danny Dequito to clear national roads of fallen trees, electric posts, debris and boulders in some sections of the highway to ensure continuous flow of traffic.

Saguinsin said the agency also installed barricades, warning and informative signs while conducting clearing operations.

He added that they expect more damage reports from their district offices these coming days. (MAL/EDL, PIA V)

Albay needs potable water for evacuees, residents
... province, remains open for other disaster relief assistance

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA/LGU Albay) – Albay Governor Joey Salceda has reiterated that the province is open to any assistance coming from private companies and non government organizations to help provide the immediate needs of economically displaced families due to typhoon Juaning.

Salceda said that drinking water is the most important need of these families, particularly in Polangui and Malinao towns.

Water facilities in these two municipalities were totally destroyed by floods on the onslaught of Juaning.

“Health is the second priority concern of the local government to respond for any potential water borne related diseases,” Salceda said.

The governor said that since Albay has been declared as an open province, private and public donors could distribute their food and non food assistance to the affected families.

“Water is the most important because the source is very limited at this point in time,” he said.

Other essential needs of affected residents include medical commodities, school kits for displaced students both in elementary and secondary, kitchen utensils, clothing, hygiene kits for pregnant and lactating mother.

He also urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) to facilitate the provision of cash for work in order to prevent potential drop-outs among students in the tertiary level.

“We need to provide financial assistance through a cash for work/ tuition fees of displaced tertiary students to arrest possible drop-outs,” he said.

He also reiterated his call to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to include in the crop insurance all small farmers affected by landslide and floods due to heavy rains brought by Juaning.

“Inputs include crop insurance with planting materials and fertilizers as part of the recovery of farmers,” he said.

As of Sunday, more than 200 evacuated families from Barangay Sta Cruz, Libon are still at Agos Elementary School in Polangui, Albay.

Sta Cruz punong barangay Lilia Rosanes said that the main concern of her evacuated constituents is drinking water.

“We have no problem in terms of food assistance from the provincial government and other donors but drinking water is our main concern and the health of 9 pregnant women who are still in the evacuation center,“ she said.

Aside from nine pregnant women at Agos elementary school, there are 26 other lactating mothers in the area.

Albay provincial government has already deployed water purifying machine in Malinao town, however, in municipality Polangui there is difficulty in the purification of water because of mud. (MAL/MDR/LGU Albay)

Sorsogon City government targets power consumption reduction, strengthens Climate Change mitigation strategies

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Aug. 2, (PIA) -- Heeding the urgent call of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (CCAM) aside from addressing the issues on power rate increase and lessen power consumption, the city government here is bent to implement certain strategic measures to lessen the effects of Climate Change and address the issue on power reduction and consumption.

Mayor Leovic R. Dionedasaid in an interview recently said the move starts within the City Hall premises, solar energy powered lights replaced the old mercury bulbs with electric supply from the Sorsogon Electric Cooperative, installed 2 weeks ago, these solar powered bulbs now provides lighting to the national highway fronting the Sorsogon City Hall.

Dioneda this month issued a memorandum to city administrator, Ret. Gen. Ireneo Manaois, instructions to distribute the Light Emitting Diode (LED) to all barangays, a city government initiative to lessen power consumption , reduce power cost. and primarily as a strengthening mitigation and adaptation strategy to lessen the effects of Climate Change.

All barangays within the city received 20 units of LED to replace the existing street light bulbs or florescent lamps used in their barangays.

According to Dioneda, the research findings which was suggested by several students from the Sorsogon State College (SSC) using the LED as source for lighting proved to be one of the measures where power consumption can be reduced into half of the current power cost the city is paying.

He also said that by using the LED , Sorsogon City will be leading in the advocacy for a clean and safe environment.

"By replacing the existing florescent bulbs found out hazardous to human health because of its mercury content, Solar powered light will be now seen in major thorough fares of our city lamp posts"." Installing the LED.will eventually reduce power cost ", he said.

"As a staunch advocate of CCAM, together with the city council , we have identified certain programs and measures to be implemented that will reduce power consumption in the city hall and at the same time in the barangays through the use and installation of solar powered energy lighting facilities and now the installation of LED units." Dioneda expressed.

Four barangays here have already started with clearing and preparation in replacing and installing this power reducing lighting facility according to Manaois.

"In fact, the people from barangay Talisay through Barangay Captain Dennis Valladolid have expressed satisfaction and positive reactions in the initiatives being implemented by the city government", Manaois explained.

"The thrust of the city government is to make people aware of how as a community the City of Sorsogon can contribute in the reduction of carbon fossil fuel emission and at the same time reduce the power consumption here in our city and save funds. Savings can be used now for other needed programs specially health reforms and environmental conservation",he said.

Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation are now being strengthened by the city government by also scheduling power shut off in the offices on scheduled times according to Manaois..

"Eventually , Sorsogon City will be using these new technologies that are environmentally friendly and safe. This will also provide additional funds for the city government as power cost will be reduced", mayor Dioneda finally expressed. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

DTI holds anew session on doing business in free trade areas

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office here will have a second round of information session on “Doing Business in Free Trade Areas” to help local business people address new challenges in the global business environment and to help them maximize the benefits of FTA.

DTI V regional director Jocelyn Blanco said the session will also train business people to use the free trade agreements to make their products more competitive.

In November 2010, DTI V conducted the first part of the session for local businesses to take advantage of the opportunities available in Free Trade Areas.

Blanco said that this year’s DBFTA Part II (a sectoral approach) information session will cover discussions on market opportunities in free trade areas with focus on Food and Homestyle sector.

She added that there will be presentations to be made using the sectoral approach. There will also be discussions on tariffs, rules of origin and customs procedures that may be necessary in the availment of FTA benefits.

Exporters, importers, broker, freight forwarders, business support group, academe and the media are expected to attend this forum that will be held at Hotel St. Ellis, Legazpi City today (August 2) (MAL/JRBerango, DTI V)

Stakeholders show massive support to NGP

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 2 (PIA/DENR) — Saving the Bicol forest proved to be a worthy cause which have inspired local chief executives, various government agencies, non-governmental organizations, peoples organizations, academe, industry and other socio-civic groups to enlist and be part of the National Greening Program(NGP), a priority measure of President Aquino to reforest 1.5 million hectares with 1.5 billion trees in six years.

In one united movement, some 250 stakeholders expressed their intent to support and campaign for the greening program, led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office here.

The show of intent was laid down in a four-page memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed by local chief executives, heads of national government agencies, government security forces and leaders of socio-civic groups in the recent regional summit on NGP late last month.

Assistant Sec. Marlo Mendoza urged Bicol Region’s decision makers to help the DENR in the social mobilization process and to provide the public with the right information on the NGP.

DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada lauded all the partners that expressed their patronage of the NGP.

“The NGP relies primarily on social mobilization, instead of the DENR administering the reforestation projects, this time we are relying on our partners who help us in planting and maintaining all the trees we hope to nurture and grow for the next six years,” Director Fragada explained.

Director Fragada was keen of the positive turn out of the regional summit, “I’m very glad that the turnout of today signifies that you are truly willing and aware of the fact that there is a need to reforest our watershed areas, our protected areas in Bicol,” he said.

“Unless the general public knows the program, they will not be able to participate, so they have to understand why we are doing it, because of five main objectives, poverty reduction, food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation and environmental stability,” he emphasized.

According to RED Fragada, in Bicol Region an aggregate of 5,584 hectares of forest land and land of public domain will be reforested with 2.792 million trees in this year alone.

“NGP is all about shared responsibility and accountability, we will be concentrating in producing quality seedlings that shall have 90-95 per cent chance of survival,” RED Fragada bared.

He is optimistic that the regional stakeholders will do their part to plant, nurture and maintain these trees.

In the second phase of the summit, an advocacy, communication and social mobilization (ACSM) workshop ensued, with thematic templates that all the provinces devised as road map for future implementation. Stakeholders banded per province with a regional office group which drew their proposed prospectus for the next six years. (MAL/JSBasanta, DENR V)

22,718 4Ps beneficiaries in Sorsogon get P165,341,300

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, August 2 (PIA) -- A total of P165,341,300 million was the actual amount of grant released to the province of Sorsogon under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) provided to 22,718 beneficiaries in the form of Over the Counter Payment and G-Cash Release as of March 31, 2011.

This was the 1st quarter report released by the Provincial Social Welfare Development (PSWDO) here last week.

This official data was contained in a report forwarded to the office of Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee forwarded and signed by Remia T. Tapispisan, regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWDO) RO V.

According to Sonia Garcia-Mirasol , PSWDO provincial government department head, this updated 4Ps , First Quarter of 2011 report will provide the province the details of how the cash transfer fund allocation was disbursed and underlying attached programs were implemented under the 4Ps for the province.

For the status of fund utilization, the Over the Counter Payments and G-Cash transfer were provided to the following 4Ps beneficiaries : Donsol's number of beneficiaries served were 4,463 with a total grant release of P42, 427.200 ; Castilla 4,924 beneficiaries and fund released was P35,375.200 ; Pilar 6,580 beneficiaries with P54,109 ; Matnog 3, 232 and counter payment of P25,255.800 and Magallanes with 3, 519 beneficiaries and P7,873.600 G- cash release.

Mirasol said that the total investment of the cash transfer grant received by the 4Ps beneficiaries also included other added activities from municipal links related to the development of the 4Ps program.

"Aside from the cash transfer fund allocation, what is real important is the follow up activities provided to the beneficiaries through Community Assemblies for the Organization of the Parent Groups, Mobilization Groups, Attendance to the Meetings to the Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC), Capability Building and Compliance Verification.". " All these activities were well coordinated through the Barangay Officials " Mirasol explained.

" Social Preparation , Organization / Mobilization of Groups, Networking, Capability Building, Monitoring and Evaluation, Advocacy , Family Development Sessions and Creation of the Grievance Redress System were provided to beneficiaries so that they will be guided on how to utilize the fund according to its conditionalities", Mirasol said.

Meanwhile Myra P. Relativo, assistant provincial head of the PSWDO said that the community assemblies for Social Preparation were scheduled into Set 4 areas that started January of this year.

For the Set 4A listed from Magallanes were 3,812 Proxy Mean Test (PMT) listed target beneficiaries based from the National Housing Targeting System (NHTS) report but only 3,621 were verified as Registered Beneficiaries (RBs) ; Set4B Bulan with 8,084 PMT and RBs were 7,689 ; Bulusan, 1,762, PMT with 1,655 RBs ; Juban 2,499 PMT with 2.388 RBs and Prieto Diaz with 1,765 PMT and RBs were 1,716.

Set C4 listed the municipalities of .Barcelona with 1,832 PMT and 1688 RBs ; Casiguran 2,659 RBs 2,529 ; Irosin 3,857 RBs was 3.,709 and Santa Magdalena 1,464 PMT and RBs were 3,709.

Set 4D is Gubat with 4,048 PMT and RBs 2,904..

The total PMTs identified totaled to 31,782 while the actual RBs totaled only to 29,297.

"The conduct of the community assembly in these Set 4 areas led to the smooth flow of registration, clarification of expected conditions to be derived out of the program were laid out", stated.

The report also stated the number of Parent Group organized with Matnog having 113, Castilla 187,Pilar 285 with a total of 585 parent groups organized in these three municipalities.

7 meetings were conducted by the Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC) formed in these 5 4Ps municipalities for the first 3 months 2011.

The MAC resolves problems and clarifies concerns specially with the non-compliance issues and come up with necessary interventions that would make the beneficiaries more aware of their responsibility according to Relativo.

"So far we can say that the implementation of the 4Ps here in the province of Sorsogon has provided hope to these marginalized sector of society which under the PNoy administration is a priority program to alleviate poverty in the countryside", Relativo explained.

"In fact Donsol 4Ps beneficiaries who were the first to receive this cash transfer fund allocation now for almost two years .Families have been very greatful in the positive change and the better quality of their life they now are enjoying", she said.

"We here at the PSWDO are doing the intensive ground work in the implementation of the program .We religiously monitoring and constantly receive feed backs from our beneficiaries to better the program. We have also instituted the Grievance Redress System (GRS) and made it more functional so that members can ventilate their concerns ans resolve issues immediately ", she said. (IAG, PIA Sorsogon)