DSWD bares anti-poverty campaign’s milestones

by Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA City, November 4 (PIA) -- Since 2005, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Office has strengthened and intensified the implementation of its various programs to alleviate the condition of poor families in the region.

Under the Aquino administration, the DSWD still continues working hand in hand with various government agencies and other stakeholders to ensure the eradication of hunger and poverty for the greater number of Filipino families.

During the regular Inter-Agency Committee Meeting conducted recently at Crown Hotel, Naga City, DSWD Bicol Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan bared the significant achievements of the government’s anti-poverty campaign under the Poder Y Prosperidad dela Comunidad or PODER program.

PODER is assisted by a grant from the Agencia Española Cooperacion International para El Desarolio (AECID). It has already completed five (5) phases of its project implementation here in the Bicol Region. Here, the municipalities of Minalabac and Presentacion in Camarines Sur and the local government units of Paracale and Sta. Elena were the lucky recipients of the said program.

Under the PODER 6 project, 25 barangays from Minalabac, Camarines Sur with a total of 8,517 households are now benefiting from the school buildings, day care centers, and health station constructed utilizing the PODER budget and a local counterpart from the LGU. Box culverts, drainage and water system including water ways were also constructed to facilitate easy transport of the farmer’s agricultural produce to the market.

In Presentacion, PODER 6 project focused its implementation in 12 prioritized barangays, benefiting more or less 3,819 households. The same structures in Minalabac were also erected here, with an additional flood control system, barangay roads and sea wall.

Tapispisan reported that in the course of the project implementation, they were able to see positive impacts to the members of the community.

“Through the processes undertaken by the project, community members became more active in terms of participation. They realize the importance of their contribution to the development even if they are just ordinary citizens of the community. They were able to recognize the true principle of transparency and this has been clearly and consistently applied while the project is in progress.”

These anti-poverty initiatives are meant to break the lingering string of dearth pinning the poor to the vicious cycle of dependency and scarcity. (PIA Camarines Sur)

Albay girl scouts undertake no smoking promotion via SFAN challenge

by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, November 4 (PIA) -- Children, girls at that can be effective advocates of no smoking.

Ligao City Vice Mayor Patricia G. Alsua said that when girl scouts throng in government buildings and public places in the city to promote no smoking she found the activity very effective.

Ligao, a no smoking city based on an ordinance passed by the sangguniang panglungsod this year was the exemplar for no smoking campaign by the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP) Albay Council and the Smoke-Free Albay Network (SFAN) of the Provincial Government of Albay.

Some 1,200 girl scouts who participated in the Albay encampment on the theme Girl Scouts Save the Planet willingly participated in the SFAN challenge in the afternoon of October 27.

The girls whose ages range from 10 to 16 were divided into four groups and enthusiastically did their tasks.

The S group posted stickers in public utility vehicles particularly, jeepneys and tricycles, while the F cluster visited the city hall and nearby public buildings looking for ashtrays and encouraged the owners to keep them if not throw them away. Ashtrays are prohibited in government offices based on Civil Service Commission Memorandum Circular No. 17 series of 2009 and DILG Circular no. 2011-15.

Meantime, the A gang appealed to smokers to stop smoking and if needing help to inform SFAN so that they can be enrolled in a cessation program. The N group posted no smoking sign in public offices.

According to Haidie Rivera of a non-government organization Advantage who accompanied the A group young, girls are effective promoters of no smoking as they were able to convince smokers to kick the habit.

Herbert Mayores, director of AMA College Legazpi described the positive reaction of people when the group he accompanied started posting signages in public buildings.

Each group was accompanied by adult scout leaders, SFAN members, and elements of the Philippine National Police during the SFAN challenge held at the poblacion of Ligao City.

Alma Lozada former GSP Albay executive director now SFAN member representing Bicol University Extension Service Center said that the SFAN challenge was the first ever in any GSP encampment.

The purpose of the activity did not only made the scouters promoters of no smoking but as an approach of educating girls that smoking is not good for the health whether one is a smoker or passive smoker.

The Albay Girl Scouts Encampment wash held October 24-29 at Kawakawa Ligao City, Albay. (MAL/AAN, PIA V)

Energy company, DOE to brief Irosin sanggunian and stakeholders on exploration activities

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, November 4 (PIA) -- The Summa Kumagai Industries (SKI) Construction Group, Inc. Geothermal Exploration Division will brief the members of the Sanggunian Bayan of the municipality of Irosin today, November 4 , regarding the geothermal exploration activity they are to conduct in the municipality of Irosin.

According to Irosin Mayor Eduardo E. Ong, the Department of Energy together with the SKI requested an audience with the members of the Sanggunian Bayan together with the Barangay Captains of Mapaso, San Benon,Gulang-Gulang, Cogon, Patag, Tinampo, Bagsangan, Bolos and barangay Guruyan of the municipality of Juban particularly to explain the benefits of renewable energy through the establishment of geothermal power plant,first undergoing the exploratory phase for which their area has been identified for such activity.

In a letter sent by SKI president, Albert D Altura to the local officials of Irosin, he expressed that this activity is a joint effort of the SKI and the Department of Energy (DOE) , particularly to provide the various stakeholders with the right knowledge regarding geothermal operations and gain first hand scientific insights regarding the project.

According to Engr. Benjamin Monzon of SKI, they hope that this meeting will open positive avenues to stakeholders to find out the importance of geothermal operation, as the cleanest source of energy.

Monzon said that they have primarily considered with utmost importance the appropriate and most convenient time of the local officials to sit down with the proponents so that both parties will be given the chance to see how government answers to people's needs through public and private partnership.

Altura's letter explained that SKI will present the activities they will undertake in the study and the areas to be covered by the scientific activities such as geological and geophysical investigations that will mainly involve site inspections and using instrumentations to measure the earth’s natural current without surface damage to property nor vegetation.

Expected to attend also are representatives from the office of the provincial government, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office -Local Government Unit, Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, Phillipine National Police, Protected Areas Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management System ,Philippine Information Agency, Phillipine Army and PhilVocs. (PIA Sorsogon)

Capitol multi-purpose cooperative bags most outstanding award

by Lizel S. Macatangay

PILI, Camarines Sur, November 4 (PIA) -- The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) awarded the most outstanding cooperative medium scale category for Luzon to the Capitol Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CMPC) in ceremonies during the 2011 Biennial Regional Cooperative Congress held at Sorsogon State College, Sorsogon City.

CDA chairman Emmanuel M. Santiaguel and PCC chairman Butz Aquino, Partylist Congressman Agapito Guanlao of Butil Partylist and Mrs. Dolly Payuyo, the wife of APEC Partylist representative Payuyo graced the occasion.

The award was received by Ms. Jane Marie Tria- Santelices, chairman of the CMPC board of directors and BOD member Eudeza “Sweet” Racadag who both represented the coop.

CMPC is a community-based cooperative with almost 2,000 regular and associate members to date. It was adjudged as the Most Outstanding Coop in the medium-sized category during the CDA Provincial Cooperative Month celebration. It also received the same honor on October 26 when it was acknowledged as one of Bicol’s 100 top grosser.

To qualify for the medium-sized category, the cooperative should have an asset ranging from Php P15M-P100M. CMPC’s current asset is pegged at P69M.

Other Luzon awardees include Calapan Labor Service Cooperative in Mindoro as 2nd placer while San Juan de la Cruz Parish Savings & Credit Cooperative grabbed the 3rd place.

The Gawad Parangal is one of CDA’s flagship programs which recognizes not just local cooperatives, but also local government units, partner organizations and cooperation leaders “for exemplary performance, best practices and good governance.” (PIA Camarines Sur)

Ako Bikol scholarship program has 100 scholars in Catanduanes

by Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, November 4 (PIA) -- The Ako Bicol (AKB) scholarship program now boasts of 100 student scholars from different schools in the province of Catanduanes as of October, 2011.

The 70 scholars from the Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC) formally signed together with their parents the contract which serves as an evidence that they are certified Ako Bicol Scholars in a contract signing, orientation and election of members last October 4, 2011 at CSC covered court.

AKB representatives Ely Calisura, AKB consultant and Camarines Sur Provincial Coordinator and Erika Lotino, Political Affairs Assistant III, AKB-Education and Scholarship Coordinator thru Mr. Maxwell Quides, Education and Scholarship Assistant, students and parents were present during the contract signing.

According to AKB partylist, 70 scholars came from CSC, 20 from Catanduanes Colleges (CC) and 10 came from the private colleges in the province who passed the entrance exam last May 16, 2011. They added that the number of the present scholars is bigger compared to the 20 AKB scholars province-wide last year.

AKB also confirmed that every scholar will receive P6,000 financial assistance per semester with a total of P12,000 per school year. The scholars also need not maintain their General Weughted Average (GWA) and instead strive not to have INC and failing grades from their respective colleges. (PIA Catanduanes)