Albay receives P3-M worth of learning materials for its day care centers

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) -- Some P3 million worth of assorted of teaching materials for day care workers, and learning materials and books for day care children are being distributed to different day care centers in Albay by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

Yolanda Guanzon, provincial social welfare officer, said that the teaching materials will benefit a total of 715 day care workers serving 713 day care centers in the province.

“The provision of books, learning materials is part of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) of the provincial government of Albay,” Guanzon said.

ECCD intends to help achieve the balanced development of the child’s physical, mental, language, and social attributes using these learning materials.

She said that the provincial government is allocating fund for the procurement of ECCD learning materials for both day care workers and children.

ECCD specifically aims to provide caregivers with age-appropriate materials for enhanced activities with children improve the quality of play in early learning centers and play groups, improve attendance of children to organize ECCD sessions, and encourage parents and day care workers to support and participate in early learning activities.

Aside from P3 million budget for these materials, the provincial government has an allocation of P5 million (annually) for the additional incentives of day care workers throughout the province.

“To date, there are 715 day care workers in the province befitting the additional P500 per month incentives,” Guanzon added.

However, the provincial social welfare office is still in the process of reviewing the qualifications of 42 remaining day care workers in order for them to receive the P500 additional incentive. (MAL/MDR, LGU Albay)

Watchdogs mobilized against profiteering

MASBATE CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA)-- Business regulators here have been mobilized to ensure that no entity in Masbate province’s trading hub will abuse the current escalation in commodity prices and engage in profiteering.

Socrates M. Tuason said that the local price coordinating council (LPCC) will conduct regular inspection of public markets. This will prevent vendors from jacking up prices on a whim.

Price tags in retail outlets and wet markets would also be regularly checked if these are compliant with government-mandated suggested retail prices or at least within the current average prevailing prices for certain goods.

Also, the LPCC will conduct regular inspections of weighing scales and set up price billboards in public markets.

To help ensure proper pricing of basic necessities and prime commodities in markets and retail outlets, the provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry will serve as the deputy leader of the price council and run the body’s monitoring efforts. Tuason serves as head of the council.

“The mayor is mobilizing the price watchdog to ensure that prices remain affordable and to prevent unscrupulous businessmen from taking advantage of the spikes in oil prices as a reason to jack up prices,” city administrator Isaias T. Bigol Jr. said in the LPCC meeting on Jan. 12.

Venus Bayaga of the DTI regulatory unit clarified in the meeting that the government was looking at imposing price controls during calamities only as a last resort. (MAL/EAD-PIA Masbate)

DILG spearheads communication Confab

In NABUA, Camarines Sur, Feb.3 (PIA) -- In line with the government’s thrust to creatively manage its information dissemination campaign, the Department of Interior and Local Government spearheaded a communication seminar held recently at the Macagang Business Center.

Communication Specialist and Consultant Jose Reuben Alagaran, reiterated the very core why communication should be given a significant place for the effective management of the local government. Communication, he said, creates awareness, educate the public, drums up support for the LGUs programs , promotes public acceptance of government policies and programs, modify behavior and generate mutual understanding between the local government officials and their constituents.

The participants were also taught how to make a communication plan which allows a system for allocating, prioritizing and ensuring the equitable and efficient use of the limited communication resources of the municipality. Communication plan can also be used to reinforce the LGU’s advocacy and address a specific concern or issue.

The Media and Communication Exercises for municipal information officers was meant to utilize the writing prowess of each participant and embark on a worthy endeavor of informing their respective constituents of the government’s programs and activities.

In order to materialize this endeavor, the participants created an organization that would embody the set of guidelines that they intend to equip themselves. Thus, the Bicol Information and Communication Officers League or BICOL was formed.

Elected BICOL Officers includes includes : Allen Reodaga of Naga City, president; Jojo Cortes of Masbate City, executive vice president; Kathleen Baroma of the DILG is Secretary; Frank Penones of Iriga City, treasurer; Ely Dolot of LGU Legazpi, auditor; Paul Guysayko of Juban, Sorsogon and Ralph Carranza of Magallanes, Sorsogon, business managers.

Six Vice Presidents were also elected representing their respective provinces: Noel Ordona of LGU Pioduran for Albay, Antonio Teope of LGU Mercedes for Camarines Norte, Daniel Abalayan of LGU Calabanga for Camarines Sur, Gilbert Yuga of Caramoan for Catanduanes, Nelson Padera of LGU Cataingan for Masbate and Annie Peter from LGU Pilar for Sorsogon.

The elected officers were inducted by DILG regional director Blandino Maceda. They will once again convene to draft the constitution and by-laws of the organization to govern their purpose and future actions and to provide the cornerstone to further strengthen their organization. (MAL/LSMacatangay, PIA-Camarines Sur)


Sorsogon prov'l. government turns over water tourism facilities to Bulusan town

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) -- Some P2.9 million worth of new water tourism facilities comprising of 10 kayaks; three rowboats with six to eight person capacity; two patrol boats; eight aqua trike with two-person capacity, and another four four-row boats with a maximum of four- person capacity each were turned over by the Sorsogon provincial government to the local government of Bulusan this week.

The new facilities are to drumbeat the activities that tourists will love and enjoy to go around the lake of Mt. Bulusan and to give life to the tourism monicker "It's more fun in the Philippines."

All these boats are made of fiberglass and sizes vary depending on the number of tourists who would like to avail as each has specifications for the number of persons who will occupy the boat.

According to Cristina Racelis, tourism officer designate of the province of Sorsogon, these new water facilities are still part of the tourism initiatives made way back during the time of former governor Sally Lee but was only now acquired due to the technical descriptions to be followed as prescribed by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Governor Raul R. Lee, together with USEC Antonio Cleto of the Department of Agriculture (DA); Jose Dayao, regional director DA RFU 5, former governor Sally A. Lee, and Sanggunian Panlalawigan Tourism committee chair, Eric Ravanilla turned over the facilities to Bulusan mayor Michael Guysayco in the presence of the local residents and some visitors coming from abroad.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the provincial government and the local government of Bulusan as to the use and manner of safekeeping.

According to mayor Guysayco, the additional water tourism facilities were the complementary facility provided by the provincial government especially now that the road component going to Bulusan has been already completed through the national government initiative.

Guysayco also thanked the national government in looking into the tourism value of local governments and the livelihood opportunities that will trickle down to basic communities and the hope of people to also interface with other people coming from different places and countries according to Guysayco.

The province of Sorsogon has been known as one of the best ecotourism sites globally with the presence of the famous whale shark of Donsol,and with the added water equipments in Bulusan Lake, the local government of Bulusan expects more tourists, local and foreign, this year. both the local.(MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)