Require dam operators to get indemnity insurance for flood victims – Chiz

LEGAZPI CITY, October 11 (PIA) -- The Department of Energy (DoE) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) should require all dam operators in the country to get indemnity insurance to cover victims of flooding caused or aggravated by the release of water from dams, Senator Chiz Escudero said.

This after typhoons Pedring and Quiel wreaked havoc in Central Luzon last week, with the massive flooding aggravated by the unilateral release of water from San Roque and Angat dams, leaving casualties, thousands homeless and billions of properties damaged.

Escudero, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources, said DoE and NIA should now carefully study and consider making indemnity insurance mandatory for all public and private dam operators.

“Appropriate regulations for indemnification should be in place to ensure compensation for any actual losses due to flood brought about by dam water releases. And the imposition of mandatory indemnity insurance addresses this squarely,” Escudero said.

The senator added that the government may also come up with an insurance fund similar to the environmental guarantee fund, pursuant to the EPIRA law (Republic Act 9136). On the dam operators’ side, there should be an appropriate and viable insurance coverage from their corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund to cover the premium.

“Yes, the typhoons are force majeure that no one can control but the severity of downstream flood brought about by water withdrawals from these dams exacerbated the massive flooding that residents claim to be the worst in history,” Escudero explained.

In the congressional oversight committee hearing on climate change last Monday, lawmakers and environmental groups slammed government officials and dam operators for lack of coordination and overlooking the severity of the situation at the height of the typhoons, saying this contributed to the devastation of Central Luzon.

“The miscalculation and vacillation from both parties greatly affected the response to the imminent dangers of the typhoon forecast. We know we are in the rainy season, whether we are looking at moderate or normal rainfall, both should already have made projections on the absorptive and storage capacities of the dams in case of heavy and strong rainfall. Isn’t it appropriate to prioritize public safety first than maintaining a certain water level to generate water and supply irrigation?” Escudero asked.

He added that standard and codes of dam operations and its water release protocols should now be revisited, adding that the government should now require all hydro plants to have a contingency plan in cases of emergency like the construction of a cistern where excess water can be dumped. (MAL/Office of Sen. Escudero)

No. 2 drug pusher in Albay nabbed

LEGAZPI CITY, October 10 (PIA) -– Campaign to curb illegal drugs in Albay province got another boost following the arrest of the second in the list of most wanted by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) provincial office here, the agency’s top regional official said today.

PDEA Bicol regional director Archie Grande said the operatives of the agency apprehended one Ameroding Cadayon y Abellano alias “Oding” of Barangay 34, Oro Site, this city in a buy bust operation Saturday, October 8.

Grande bared that earlier reliable information disclosed Cadayon is one of the main distributors and sellers of illegal drugs in the province.

“The series of these information had prompted PDEA Albay to conduct surveillance and eventually laid an anti-drug net operation resulting to the arrest of Cadayon upon actually caught in flagrante delicto selling to a PDEA poseur-buyer one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance commonly known as “shabu” in exchange of a pre-marked P500 peso bill as buy-bust money on or about 12:05 o’clock in the early morning of October 8, 2011 in Barangay Arimbay, this city,” he narrated.

Recovered from the suspect’s possession, custody and control consisted of, among others, one small heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet and another one medium heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet, both containing white crystalline substance commonly known as “shabu”; one tape-sealed cube containing dried marijuana; one piece P500 bill bearing serial number WN537939 used as buy-bust money; one piece fragmentation grenade; P4,400.00 cash in different denomination; one piece Nokia cellular phone Model N1280; one unit Yamaha Mio motorcycle with no plate number and registration paper; and one non-drug evidence which was duly marked, photograph and inventoried in the presence of the suspect and several witnesses and in accordance with law.

The confiscated shabu and marijuana weighed a total of 21.098 grams.

Appropriate charge, according to Grande, was filed against him for violation of Sections 5 and 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 or “The Comprehensive Drug Act of 2002” and he is presently under detention.

Grande stressed that the active involvement of the concerned citizens has greatly contributed to the arrest of the said second top ten target list of drug personalities in Albay and will definitely affect the distribution pipeline of illegal drugs in the area.

Nonetheless, PDEA Bicol operatives will relentlessly pursue their mandated task to identify the main source in order to attain a drug-free Bicol region. (MAL/TDRCaparroso, PDEA V)

NSO to conduct Bangko Sentral's consumer survey

VIRAC, Catanduanes, October 11 (PIA) -- The National Statistics Office (NSO) Catanduanes is undertaking the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES)on October 1-15, 2011.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in order to collect comprehensive information on the business conditions of the country in the household sector, contracted the National Statistics Office for the conduct of the survey.

The NSO responsibility will undertake the data collection and encoding of the questionnaires while BSP will do generation of tables and analysis of the results.

The CES is a household-based survey on the consumers’ assessment of their financial situation, the economic condition of the country and the overall performance of the government.

The objectives of the survey are 1) to provide a quick and regular assessment of the financial condition of the consumers and economic condition of the country

at present and in the near future, from the consumers’ own view points; 2) to generate forecasts in the direction of the country’s economic activity based on

the consumers’ outlook in the next twelve months and 3) to provide quick and regular assessment of consumers’ outlook in terms of their income and expenditures.

Consumer spending and saving decisions have an important influence in determining the course of the national economy.

The respondents household heads or any responsible member of the household present during the time of interview who can provide reliable answers to the questions asked by the enumerator.

Information obtained from the respondents shall be

held strictly confidential and shall not be used for investigation, taxation and law enforcement purposes and shall not be divulged to any person except authorized NSO personnel acting in the performance of their duties. (MAL/EAB/NSO, Catanduanes)

Proposed ordinance pushes for a plastic-free city

by Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, October 11 (PIA) -- While it has proven itself as a convenient and expedient material for its users, plastic bags are fast becoming major contributors to waste, clogging the creeks and water passageways and harming the environment.

In this city, they now belong to the lingering source of litters which cannot be recycled or processed into compost.

This is the premise of the proposed ordinance filed by Councilor Maria Elizabeth Q. Lavadia which aims among other to “prohibit the use the plastic bags on dry goods and regulating its utilization on wet goods and prohibiting the use of Styrofoam within the City of Naga .”

Lavadia, together with co-authors, Councilors David Casper Nathan Sergio, Ray-An Cydrick Rentoy, Salvador Del Castillo and Jose Tuazon believes that the said ordinance will be one of the best strategies to achieve a well-balanced and healthy environment in order to attain rhythm and harmony of nature, which is in line with the provisions of the Philippine Constitution.

In her succeeding arguments, Lavadia stated that Styrofoam and plastic bags remain to be a serious problem of the city despite its efforts to segregate compostable, recyclable and reusable wastes materials.

“The city has been spending a lot of money trying to put these garbage and wastes into their most recyclable forms but plastic bags almost always end up in trash bins, meaning they remain wastes which we cannot process, thereby contributing to the big bulk of residues which contribute to the degradation of our environment, “ Lavadia added.

The proposed ordinance also encourages the utilization of alternative wrapping or packaging materials such as woven native bags or bayong, cloth bags or katsa, paper bags and other similar materials.

Section 6 of the said ordinance explicitly says that “business establishments shall not offer or sell plastic bags to be used as secondary material or as primary packaging material on dry goods. It further stated other prohibited acts under Section 11 which includes selling and providing Styrofoam as containers and disposing plastic wastes.

Once approved, establishments who will be found liable will be penalized with Php 1,000.00 for the first offense; Php 2,000.00 and 5,000.00 for the 2nd and 3rd offense and / or imprisonment of more than 6 months upon the discretion of the court. The establishment’s license to operate can also be cancelled once proven guilty.

Lavadia will soon be conducting a series of consultation with owners of various business establishments in Naga and representatives from other sectors. (MAL/LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)

1st LGU inter-office ballroom competition set

VIRAC, Catanduanes, October 11, (PIA) -- In connection with the celebration of the Catandungan Festival 2011, an LGU Inter-Office Ballroom Competition will be held on October 26, 2011, 8:00 p.m. at the Provincial Capitol Dome, Virac, Catanduanes.

The said contest is open to all municipal LGUs and to local and national offices in the province. There will be three (3) categories to be contested namely: Cha-cha, Tango and Rumba. Only permanent employees will be allowed to join the contest with only one pair representing each office or agency. The time allotment is only two minutes per dance category, hence a total of 6 minutes per agency. Live band will play the music during the competition.

Criteria for judging are the following: Interpretation (grace, rhythm, expression and rapport with partners), 30%; Mastery (precision, uniformity, steps and movements), 25%; Variety of steps (easy and difficult), 25%; Stage Presence (discipline and projection), 10% and Appropriateness of attire is 10% for a total of 100%.

Members of the committee for the siad event are Prof. Rico M. Romero, Chairman; Prof. Chatita Lorenzana, member; Mr. Carlos Donn Bagadiong, Member, Mr. Christopher Tud, member and Ms. Jeny Magallanes, member.

In line of this, a workshop will be conducted before the said competition and a final rehearsal will also be held. (EABagadiong, PIA Catanduanes)