Pilipinas Natin launching kicks off with Bayanihan activities

by Lizel S. Macatangay

HIMAAO, Pili, Camarines Sur, September 23 (PIA) -- Before the formal launching of Pilipinas Natin, a pet project of President Benigno Aquino that spells out the value of volunteerism, various Bayanihan activities were simultaneously done in different parts of the province. In Himaao, this town, no less than Secretary Sonny Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) graced the site inspection of a one-classroom building that will rise inside Himaao Elementary School.

Sec. Coloma, in his brief but snappy message conveyed that the heart of volunteerism boils down to the inner value of every Filipino—the act of “bayanihan.”

“This is a call for unity, for volunteerism and for solidarity. This is a realization of P-Noy’s vision to alleviate the country from poverty. Pilipinas Natin is one of the integral components of his economic program stipulated in his Philippine Development Plan and on top of this is his campaign for a better education,” Coloma added.

Close to a hundred volunteers composed of students, Parent-Teacher’s Association (PTA) members and officers, members of the Philippine Army’s Engineering/9th CMO Battalion and other stakeholders will join hands in completing the said classroom which will house more or less 50 pupils.

Mrs. Beatriz Teoxon, Himaao Elementary School Principal conveyed her gratitude to the local government of Camarines Sur, through Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte and to Pili Town Mayor Tomas Bongalonta for choosing them as a recipient of the said edifice. She also extended her appreciation to Secretary Coloma for being the first Secretary to set foot in their school.

Gawad Kalinga (GK) Founder Tony Meloto and Bula Mayor Ben Decena also graced the site visit at the 2-hectare site of a housing project at Barangay Pawili, Bula, Camarines Sur that will benefit more or less 44 poor families. Meloto, also dubbed as the “Builder of Dreams” has already spearheaded similar activities with the objective of providing homes to the homeless by encouraging bayanihan system in erecting the said edifices.

“ We need to prove to the world that Filipinos can afford to stay in decent houses and not as squatters in their own communities. Our President’s vision for Pilipinas Natin is the same vision that we want to show the world- that Filipinos, by helping each other, can reach their dreams and join hands in nation-building.”

Meloto also thanked the family of Mr. Denisio Eusibio for donating the lot which will serve as one of the landmarks of GK Community.

Thousand of youth volunteers and members of the community also trooped simultaneously at five (5) El Verde Tree planting sites this morning. 100,000 trees were allocated at Barangays Sto. Nino and Curry; 75,000 seedlings at Barangays Harubay and Lugsad in Calabanga; 65,000 trees in Barangays Villaflorida and Guinaban, all in Ocampo; 12,500 in Barangay Libod in Tigaon and 75,000 trees in Barangay Lupi, Tinambac, Camarines Sur. (LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)

New airline to fly Legazpi-Virac route

by Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, September 23 (PIA) -- An airline based in Legaspi City is set to start its non-scheduled operations in Virac, Catanduanes on October 15, 2011.

The South West Air Corporation, headed by Al Francis Bichara, Albay II District Congressman and Legaspi Savings Bank owner, will start its operations with an eight-seater Britten Norman Islander for short-run flights twice a week under the Bicol Air Express line which is expected to reach Virac in 45 minutes.

According to Captain Ramon Torres, airline management representative, the SWA is in the marketing stage to promote the flight to areas with popular resorts, with Phase 2, non-scheduled trips, by October. Expected passengers in the flights are tourists with confirmed holiday package bookings.

The company will lease two 50-seater Nihon YS-11 jetprops for its third phase of scheduled airline operations, with travel time between Virac and Legaspi further reduced to just 15 minutes.

Torres added that the company is seeking the endorsement of the local government units in the proposed destinations so that it would be granted a permit to operate by the national government.

The said airline targets to serve tourists in the province. (MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)

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Army's 'Tarabangan sa Brgy. Pandan', a convergence initiative to reduce poverty

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, September 23 (PIA) -- Dubbed "Tarabangan sa Barangay Pandan", a local convergence initiative highlights a public-private cooperation and the spirit of Bayanihan with the inauguration of a two-room school building in Pandan village, Castilla, Sorsogon.

Col. Felix Castro, brigade commander of the 903rd Infantry Brigade, 9ID, Philippine Army (PA), said the infrastructure project was accomplished through the assistance of ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation Inc. and the support of Castilla town government.

Castro explained that the completion and inauguration of the classroom manifested the efforts and interventions of the government to accomplish community projects and pursue similar projects following the "Tarabangan" scheme.

He said that the activity during the inauguration was more of a "celebration of partnership", with the government being truly sensitive of the needs of the barangay and its residents, likewise showing concern through their (locales) labor support and commitment to sustainably take care of these projects accomplished, the on going and those that are programmed.

The army commander furthered that with the intervention of Secretary Imelda Nicolas of the Commission on Filipino Overseas (CFO), some five units of computers and eight ceiling fans were donated for the new building inaugurated.

The donation of the equipment was made also made possible through the efforts of the Asociacion Valencia de Asistencia Sanitaria y Social Voluntarios (AVASSV) and National Development Support Command (NADESCOM)

Simultaneous with the inauguration activity, AVASSV, with the help of doctors from the military, also conducted medical mission and provided free medicines.

Meanwhile, Castro also bared that "Tarabangan" was also able to pursue improvement project of the road in Barangay Dinapa, funded by the national government carried out by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

"Tarabangan" was also credited to complete construction of a school building, funded under the office of Sorsogon I Rep. Salvador H. Escudero III, while another was also completed, trough funding from the Department of Education.

More projects were also underway with ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Inc. sponsoring six bayanihan scholars of Barangay Pandan now studying at the Lewis College here .

The same barangay will also be a recipient of a feeding program for four months commencing September 20 to benefit the elementary pupils of Pandan Elementary School through the Bantay Bata program of ABS-CBN.

Under the convergence program, the concreting of the Pandan Irrigation Canal worth P30 M is already on the pipeline with funding from the Department of Agriculture.

An additional P500,000 repair of the building of Parent Teacher Association office of the village primary education school will be provided by the provincial government of Sorsogon.

Sorsogon Governor Raul Lee also directed the implementation of project for the re-gravelling of the Pandan-Saclayan road and the repair of the Farm to Market Road of the Pandan-Tomalaytay- Cogon worth P4.5 million. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Loboc Youth Ambassador Band adds color to the inauguration of Casiguran Gymnasium

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, September 23, (PIA) -- The P30 M Casiguran Gymnasium, the first and biggest gymnasium in Sorsogon was inaugurated Wednesday, September 21, with thousands witnessing the first concert offered by the local government of Casiguran, featuring the famous Loboc Youth Ambassador Band of Bohol (LYABB).

Most Rev. Bishop Arturo M. Bastes officiated the blessing and inauguration rites and the thanksgiving mass as main celebrant and with an additional 15 more visiting-invited priests as co celebrants.

"We, the local government of Casiguran would like to give our people a feel of cultural maturity , we would also like to provide the constituency an atmosphere of something that only can be seen in cultural centers in Manila aside from venturing into a private enterprise making government financially capable to have a return of investment out of the money we have loaned", Mayor Maria Ester E. Hamor explained.

"We will be bringing to Casiguran local and nationally acclaimed performers of world class category also. We will also provide opportunities to hone the local talents of our young people as one of my flagship programs is the "Oo sa Kaakian" (Yes, to Children) and we have been recognized already nationally as a Child Friendly Municipality ", Mayor Hamor said.

"With this gymnasium, another component of good governance will be provided which is the the development of culture and arts. We will also strengthen our sports activities, open this gymnasium in hosting conventions so that the local government of Casiguran will inspire the young generation to excel and know that government is alive ", Mayor Hamor also explained.

"We in the church, would like to complement government in making our young people develop their talents so that they will not be swayed to do things that are not contributing to the development of their community'', Bishop Baster said in his homily.

"The LYABB as you will witness today here in the Casiguran Gymnasium comes from Bohol, the place where I was born and I was honed too to play different musical instruments, they will be performing here to show us that young people if properly guided by government and church combined can become their pride, bring honor to one's place and parents" Bishop Bastes also stressed.

The LYABB comprising of 40 members, mostly teenagers, wowed the audience with a one and a half hour performance. Rendering famous international and local musical band repertoire complete with dancing . The audience was truly very amazed and entertained with their presentation showing flawless synchronized choreography, truly eye catching and breath taking.

"The LYABB will have also a second performance after this 3:00 PM presentation, it will be at 7:00 PM and this will be opened to the whole community of Casiguran, mostly the senior citizens and those from other municipalities whom I have invited" Mayor Hamor also explained. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)


Disaster preparedness measures up, Bayanihan Program to benefit Rapurapu residents

LEGAZPI CITY, September 23 (PIA) -- With the country still expecting several typhoons to come before the year ends, Albay Governor Joey Salceda has ordered the prepositioning of 300 sacks of relief goods containing 3,000 food packs to Rapu-Rapu Island Friday, September 23, as the province continues to build up its disaster preparedness posture.

In a meeting Wednesday, Director Raffy Alejandro of Office of Civil Defense (OCD) V, chairman of Bicol Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC), cited reports that a low pressure area (LPA) will enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Friday or Saturday that may intensify into a tropical depression by Sunday.

According to reports from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa), the LPA will enter the country by Sunday, and is expected to intensify into a tropical depression and will be named “Pedring”.

“The prepositioning of relief goods is just one of the services to be brought in by the Joint Community Outreach Program for the island municipality,” said Captain Abraham F Celzo commander of Naval Forces Southern Luzon (Navforsol).

The program highlights the “Bayanihan” concept of the AFP Internal Peace and Security Plan by bringing several services from various partner agencies and organization to the island municipality of Rapu-Rapu, Albay.

Bicol regional office of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for its part will also preposition 500 relief packs in Rapu-Rapu as the agency’s counterpart in the Bayanihan program.

The local government of Rapu-Rapu, through its Municipal Health Office, in cooperation with Simbag sa Pag-Asenso Incorporated (SEDP) of the Diocese of Legazpi, and Navforsol will also conduct a medical and dental mission for some 600 patients.

Joining the humanitarian mission are medical teams from Police Regional Office V and other military units in the region.

Children will be also treated to a day of fun and learning as Junior Chamber of Commerce – Daraga Chapter will sponsor a Read Along project and fun games. Dios Mabalos Po Foundation Incorporated, a Daraga-based NGO will also facilitate a feeding program and other services.

Navy vessel BRP Bienvenido Salting (PG112) stationed at Legazpi City Port will ferry the multi-service caravan.

Recognizing the accessibility challenges those island communities faces compared to other areas, the Navy expresses optimism for the continued partnership for island communities. (MAL/Navforsol)