40 beneficiaries receive Kabuhayan Starter Kit from DOLE

By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, Feb. 29 (PIA) -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) provincial office have distributed Kabuhayan Starter Kits to 40 beneficiaries from the towns of Capalonga and Talisay.

DOLE regional director Nathaniel V. Lacambra led the distribution of the kits to the said two municipalities with 20 beneficiaries each town.

The Kabuhayan Starter Kit distributed amounted to P273,597 wherein P138,840 worth of kits were given to the beneficiaries of Capalonga for the used in automotive servicing, consumer electronics, computer hardware servicing, massage therapy and cellphone repair.

In the town of Talisay, the kits amounted to P134,756.50 to be used for the wiring installation, computer hardware servicing, electronics and cellphone repair, carpentry tools, automotive mechanic, massage therapy, baking and pastry making, barber shop and welding.

Camarines Norte DOLE chief Ruben L. Romanillos said that the program encourages beneficiaries to use the kits to start their own livelihood especially those unemployed in the barangay.

The 40 beneficiaries were chosen through the Public Employment Services Office of the Capalonga and Talisay towns who are graduates from the Technical Education Skills Development and those certified skilled workers of the barangay.

He said that they are also preparing for the selection of beneficiaries from the town of San Lorenzo Ruiz for the distribution of equipment for pineapple production under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program on March.

The distribution of kits is one of the major programs of their agency named DOLE Kabuhayan Starter Kit. (MAL/RBM-PIA5 Camarines Norte)

3 river control projects construction underway in Sorsogon

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 29 (PIA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) first district engineering office in Sorsogon has since been working on the completion of three river control systems in this city and Casiguran town to ensure the projects will be ready in time for the rainy season to mitigate effects of heavy flooding along river banks and neighboring areas.

DPWH I District Engineer Romeo D. Doloiras said that the non-stop rains have caused rivers in some areas in the province of Sorsogon to swell and overflow and the lack of river control structures continues to endanger lives of people living near river banks.

The agency's projects, anchored on DPWH new thrust of the “Right Project, Right Cost, Right Quality,” has earmarked the right funding to construct these river controls so as to abate the effects of flooding and stop soil erosions that usually silt rice fields, flood low lying areas and pose danger to people living within the area.

Doloiras averred that construction is underway for the the Ponong River Control in Casiguran town with a total funding amounting to of P4,146,750 which construction started last Nov. 4, 2011 to be completed on May 22, 2012.

On-going in the same manner is the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Sta Cruz-Storom River Control, also in Casiguran, in the amount of P12,371,151.80 started last Nov. 4, 2011 and to be completed this May 22, 2012.

Meanwhile, the construction of the Buhatan River Control here started last October 28, 2011 and has been completed last Feb 24, 2012 which costed P5,932,165.66.

Doloiras said that these projects would not anymore worry people of their safety aside from under the regular infrastructure program of the DPWH this also falls under the preventive maintenance category program of their agency and as the complementation mechanism of their agency under the Disaster Risk Reduction Program.

"Part of DPHW's mandate is to be highly effective and efficient so that it can provide quality infrastructure support to the National Development Goals as envisioned by President Benigno Simeon C.Aquino III," Doloiras explained. (MAL/IAG-PIA5 Sorsogon)