EN Camarines Sur: DOLE Bicol celebrates Labor Day with Job’s Fair and livelihood grants

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA City, May 4 (PIA)-- More than 6,000 job seekers lined up last Labor Day, May 1, at SM City Naga, all hopeful that they will be able to find an opportunity to fit themselves in the 6,575 vacancies fielded by 5,029 local companies and 1,546 overseas agencies during the 2012 Jobs and Livelihood Fair spearheaded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office here.

Two hundred twelve (212) of these applicants were hired on the spot by various local employers. Others were put on the waiting list after their resumes and curriculum vitae were sorted, matching their qualifications to the available positions as required by the participating agencies.

Minutes after DOLE Regional Director Nathaniel V. Lacambra formally declared the Job and Livelihood Fair open, 749 beneficiaries were awarded with livelihood grants amounting to P2,538,499.95.

The livelihood grantees included the Barangay Council of Dayangdang in Naga City which was granted P225,942.25 for its 60 beneficiaries ; LGU Polangui with P351,876.15 capital to assist 50 beneficiaries; INFORMATICS in Albay with P 207,901.50 for its 31 beneficiaries; LGU Bato and Baras in Catanduanes with P152,866.55 and P80,912.56 which will be shared by its 25 and 16 beneficiaries, respectively; and LGU Masbate with P220,777.00 for its 30 beneficiaries.

All were given with DOLE Kabuhayan Starter Kits to start the ball rolling.

The Women and Families of San Lorenzo Ruiz Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Camarines Norte were also granted with a start -up capital of P 397,978.00 to push for the commercialization of pineapple by-products processing. DOLE also granted an amount of P 540,861 to 41 beneficiaries of Daet Food Processors Association in line with their project on the commercialization of Food Processing.

The Swine Union of Innovative Society working for the establishment of meat shop and processing center, also in Camarines Norte was also given with P359,385 to be used by its 471 beneficiaries.

Aside from the livelihood grants, DOLE also launched the Joint DOLE-TESDA Convergence Program on the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES ) and Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP). A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was also signed to validate the said partnership.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) through OWWA Regional Director Jocelyn O. Hapal also spearheaded the awarding of a Net Café Project in Lagonoy, Camarines Sur and Legazpi City amounting to P100,000 each.

DOLE Bicol thanked the exhibitors for actively taking part in the said endeavor. Lacambra also expressed his gratitude to the fair’s partner agencies which include TESDA, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Camarines Sur, ABS –CBN , SM City Naga, Public Employment Offices, the local government of Naga City, Naga College Foundation and other media partners and stakeholders for the success of the said activity. (MAL/LSM-PIA Camarines Sur)



MOA signed for programs and services for rebel returnees in Camarines Norte

By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, May 4 (PIA) -- The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) and the provincial government of Camarines Norte recently signed an agreement for the establishment of programs and services for rebel returnees under the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) of the government.

The agreement was sealed in line with Executive Order No. 3 series of 2001 that calls for the pursuit of a comprehensive, integrated, and holistic peace process to address the internal armed conflicts through the implementation of programs to address the legal status and security of former rebels (FRs) and to respond to their economic, social, and psychological rehabilitation needs.

This also concurs with the Section 17 (B) (3) (v) of the local government code of 1991 that mandates the local government units to provide basic services and facilities to rebel returnees.

Through CLIP, the OPPAP and the provincial government will provide the reintegration assistance to new surfacing rebels to facilitate their mainstreaming in society.

The assistance for the former rebels will be provided by the OPPAP while the regional line agencies and civil society organization will provide the counterpart for the reintegration of former rebels.

In line with this, a Joint Validation and Assessment Committee (JVAC) was organized to validate the authenticity of those who surrendered for the reintegration program of the government.

The JVAC includes Governor Edgardo Tallado as the Chairperson, and members which consist of representatives of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Director; Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer and one representative from the Accredited Civil Society. (MAL/RBM-PIA5, Camarines Norte)


2010 Catanduanes PGR lower than 2000 - NSO

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, May 4 (PIA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 362 on March 30, 2012 declaring as official the 2010 Population of the Philippines by Province, City/Municipality and Barangay based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (2010 CPH) conducted by the National Statistics Office.

The total population of the province of Catanduanes as of May 1, 2010 was 246,300 based on the 2010 CPH. The 2010 population is higher by 30,944 compared to the 2000 population of 215,356. In 1990, the total population was 187,000.

This translates to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.35 percent for the period 2000 to 2010 which is slightly lower by 0.07 percent than the 1990-2000 PGR of 1.42 percent.

Virac has the largest population with 66,951, followed by San Andres with 35,779 and Caramoran with 28,063. The combined population of these three areas comprised 53.1 percent of the province of Catanduanes population.

Four municipalities had an average annual PGR which is higher than the provincial average for the period 2000 to 2010. These are Caramoran (1.66 percent), Bagamanoc (1.62 percent), Virac (1.61 percent), and San Miguel (1.46 percent).

Among the top five barangays with largest population are San Isidro Village (4,262), Cavinitan (3,484), Cabugao (2,989), Bigaa (2,777), and Cabcab (2,750). (MAL/EAB-PIA Catanduanes)


PNoy inaugurates Doppler radar, leads power plants switch-on

By Edna A. Bagadiong

BATO, Catanduanes, May 4 (PIA) -- President Benigno Simeon Aquino III visited Catanduanes Wednesday (May 2) and led the inauguration of the Doppler radar facility in Barangay Buenavista here and switching on of the Sulong and Hitoma I mini-hydro power plants.

In his speech, Aquino expressed his gratitude to the Japanese government for its invaluable support to the country’s efforts in nation building, while specifically in Wednesday event for the country's disaster risk reduction, preparedness and mitigation measures with the operationalization of the Doppler radar .

“Japan has been a true friend of our country, always ready to assist us in shaping a more progressive Philippines,” Aquino said.

The Doppler radar was brought to the country by the Japanese government through its grants-in-aid program and is one of the three state-of-the-art radar facility being built in the Philippines that uses the solid-state technology developed by Japanese engineers.

Due to the facility’s location in the pacific, Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said that the facility in Bato town is the most vital and strategic weather installation in the Philippines.

The 44-meter-tall radar tower built on top of a mountain in Barangay Buenavista amounting P560 million is expected to provide accurate weather and rainfall forecasting for the entire Bicol region and portions in Eastern Visayas.

Aside from inaugurating the Doppler facility, the President also led the switching-on of the Solong and Hitoma 1 mini-hydro power plants which according to the President is harnessing the power of nature.

“While this Doppler radar enhances our ability to deal with nature’s fury, we are also here to take advantage of nature’s bounty. By flicking on the Solong and Hitoma 1 mini-hydropower plants, we are harnessing the power of nature,” Aquino noted.

“We will be using the river currents that go through this island to provide power to the people of Catanduanes,” he stressed.

The Solong and Hitoma 1 mini-hydro power plants are the first ever to be developed by Sunwest Water and Electricity Inc. (SUWECO)- a private entity under the special power utilities groups (SPUG) of the National Power Corporation. (MAL/EAB-PIA 5, Catanduanes)


Bulusan Volcano Alert Level 1 status lowered

SORSOGON PROVINCE, May 4 (PIA) -- Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has finally lowered the alert level status of Mt. Bulusan from Alert level 1 or abnormal to Alert Level 0 or normal. This means that no eruption is foreseen in the immediate future.

Phivolcs Bulusan Volcano Observatory resident volcanologist Crispulo Diolata said that the lowering of the alert level status as stated in Bulusan Volcano Bulletin dated April 24, 2012, was due the overall decline of the monitoring parameters after the volcano’s last phreatic (steam-driven) eruption on May 13, 2011 as supported by the following observations:

(1) The frequency of volcanic earthquake occurrences has declined to baseline levels (0-2 events/day), indicating quiescence in the magmatic or hydrothermal system. Short-lived swarms (9-21 events/day) on 25 May, 10 August, 11 September and December of 2011, and 22 January of 2012, have been ascribed to crustal readjustments in the volcanic edifice after the May 2011 phreatic eruption.

(2) Results of precise leveling at both Inlagadian line on the north-northeastern slope and Mapaso line on the south-southeastern slope indicate that the volcano edifice has deflated since late November 2011. This suggests that no substantial pressure source in the subsurface, which could potentially trigger another eruption, can be detected.

(3) Steaming activity from the crater and known thermal vents has been frequently weak or wispy compared to the more moderate steam emissions during periods of unrest.

He also said that the bulletin issued on April 24, 2012 will be the last bulletin to be issued for Bulusan Volcano until new developments in monitoring parameters occur.

Meanwhile, in the light of the declaration, Diolata still remind the public to avoid entry into the 4-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) due to the perennial threat of sudden phreatic eruptions and rockfalls on the upper slopes. Furthermore, people living in valleys and along active river channels are cautioned to remain vigilant against sediment-laden streamflows and lahars in the event of heavy and prolonged rainfall.

Ha also said that tourists and mountain climbing enthusiasts are allowed to climb Mt. Bulusan, however, cautioned them to take extra caution against rock falls especially this time that there are barren spots along the mountain’s slope. (MAL/BAR-PIA 5, Sorsogon)