World Food Program conducts disaster risk preparedness training in 3 municipalities.

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 27 (PIA) -- The World Food Program (WFP) conducted a three-day training on disaster preparedness and risk reduction for three municipalities here in line with technical support it pledged to the country affected by a recent earthquake and floods, a WFP release said.

The training, which started Feb. 21, included participants from the local governments of Juban, Casiguran and Bulan in Sorsogon province, and officials from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (SPDRMO).

The activity will reinforce hardware and financial support and relevant training and planning activities in regional, provincial and local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices (DRRMOs), the WFP said.

The three municipalities were identified by the provincial government as areas with high vulnerability and recommended for inclusion in the training.

The WFP is the food arm of the United Nations System and acts in response to urgent situations specifically along disaster stricken areas. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

2nd Summer Barakalan set

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Feb. 27, (PIA)- A Summer Trade Fair will be held from April 3-12, 2012 at Plaza Rizal here in a bid to expand local industries and promote local products, the trade department’s provincial office announced Friday.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will spearhead the 2nd Barakalan sa Plaza Rizal with the battle cry, “Produkto Ta, Suportahan Ta ! Bakal Na !”.The local government of Virac and the Catanduanes Producers Association are co-sponsoring the activity.

Trade officials said Barakalan would be a big selling event, highlighting producers from Catanduanes who will display processed foods, wearables, gifts, holiday decor as well as agricultural produce.

The trade fair hopes to capitalize on the increase of visitors coming from the cities during the Lenten season and summer fiestas, the trade department said. (MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)

DOLE - ASPI Bicol pushes for safety in construction industry

LEGAZPI CITY, February 27 (PIA) – To promote health and safety in the construction industry, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) V and the Association of Safety Practitioners in the Philippines Incorporated (ASPI) conducted a training tutorial last February 7 – 11 where they provided 60 construction hard hats to participants for free, Exequiel Ronnie A. Guzman, DOLE V assistant regional director said.

Some 58 health officers, practitioners, engineers and aspiring safety practitioners attended the Construction Safety and Health Training seminar held at the Kanzo Hall restaurant here.

The training covered basic safety and health procedures particularly on machine handling and operation and the proper use of personal protective equipment such as hard hats and steel toe boots.

Organizers said that the government has required that construction firms in the region have at least one (1) accredited safety practitioner present in a construction site. A safety practitioner must have completed training for safety and health in order to be officially accredited.

The Construction Safety and Health Training was the first among a series of seminars scheduled this year as part of DOLE-ASPI’s Hard Hat Area Campaign orienting workers to basic safety rules. (MAL/SAA, PIA V/ALbay)

DOST V, now ISO accredited

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, February 27 (PIA) – An awarding body has presented the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional office here an ISO 9001:2008 certificate, indicating that it met international standards for the quality of its management and services.

The certificate’s scope covers “provision of scientific and technology transfer services, science promotion, S&T (Science and Technology) information, dissemination and S&T scholarships, Tomas N. Bringas, DOST director said..

The ISO certificate, awarded by the Certificate International Philippines Incorporated (CIFI), is valid from March 2010 to March 2013.

Some 30 personnel had actively participated in a DOST sponsored ISO seminar on Quality Management System in preparation for the anticipated awarding of the ISO accreditation, Bringas said.

Danilo N. Pilar, chief of the Technology Diffusion Division of Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) helped out in talks on Knowledge about the Basic Quality Concepts, Eight Quality Management Principles and ISO Requirements and Benefits during the seminar.

In accepting the certificate, Bringas said employees played an important role in supporting ISO implementation, maintenance and improvement in line with establishment requirements.(MAL/DBB, PIA V/ALbay)

DOT, DPWH Convergence Program to boost tourism

LEGAZPI CITY, February 27 (PIA) – Roads leading to tourist destinations will be improved under a joint program of the tourism and public works departments, a government official said.

Tourism officer Fe Reverente-Buela said the program aims to provide tourists fast, safe, and convenient travel to their destinations while they are in the country.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will evaluate which roads to prioritize in the DOT-DPWH Convergence program, considering factors such as distance, accommodation facilities and number of local and foreign guests.

In Bicol, tourism officials will be guided by criteria set out by the Technical Working Group of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST )and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Reverente-Buela said.

The DPWH would be able to fund the program under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed by DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez, Jr. and the DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson, she added. (MAL/EMM, PIA V/Albay)