NFA now sells well-milled rice at P28/kilo

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, July 27 (PIA) -- The National Food Authority (NFA) here is now selling Grade No. 1 well-milled rice to consumers at P28 per kilogram.

NFA Catanduanes Provincial Manager Oscar Tubalinal said the agency has started selling it to consumers after the arrival of 14,000 bags from mainland Bicol as part of the dispersal program.

Tubalina added that NFA has since carried out procurement of paddy, buffer stocking, processing activities, dispersal of paddy and milled rice to strategic locations and distribution of the staple grain to various marketing outlets at appropriate times of the year as part of the measures and strategies to ensure stability of supply and price of the staple grain-rice as well as food security.

He also assured the locals here of adequate rice supply in the province.

Tubalinal said the stock of rice available in their office is just enough to meet the demands of consumers in the entire province.

NFA is also selling same rice to accredited grain retailers at P1,300 each per bag. Moreover, the regular milled-rice is being sold for P1,250 per bag for accredited grain retailers and P27 per kilograms to regular consumers. (MAL/EAB-PIA5, Catanduanes)


Mines Bureau-5 to probe foreigners working in Bicol mining companies

LEGAZPI CITY, July 27 (PIA) -- Qualifications and working assignments of foreign nationals working with mining companies in the Bicol Region will be evaluated, Mines and Geosciences Bureau-5 (MGB-5) officer–in-charge Theodore Rommel E. Pestaño said.

Pestaño confirmed that seven mining companies have been requested to submit lists of foreign nationals working in their companies together with their resumes and certified copies of working visas.

“Our request in in accordance with Section 62 of Republic Act 7942 otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 in consonance with the Consolidated Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” Pestaño said.

The said regulations refer to the hiring of foreigners for technical and specialized work during mining operations.

Also stated are the requirements for employment and revised rules for issuance of employment permits to foreign nationals.

Among the mining companies requested by MGB for submission of papers are: Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation/Goodfound Cement Corporation, Investwell Mneral Development Corporation, Yenlu Bicol Mining Corporation, Philippine Bao Tong, Uni-Dragon Mining and Development Corporation, Bicol Chromite and Manganese Corporation, and Filminera Resources Corporation. (MAL/SAA-PIA5, Albay/LDV-MGB5/)


Albay tops KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Awards

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, July 27 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development named Albay the best province in Bicol in implementing the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

Remia Tapispisan, DSWD regional director, said Albay and the provinces of Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Camarines Sur were the recipients of this year’s KALAHI-CIDSS regional awards as best implementers.

At the awarding rites at Casablanca Hotel here Friday, Tapispisan lauded Albay Gov. Joey Salceda for giving financial support and effectively carrying out the program in the province.

According to a study of DSWD-ADB (Asian Development Bank), since 2008 the Provincial Government of Albay has accounted for much of P186 million in local counterpart funding to DSWD projects that amounted to P456 million infusion into Albay.

Tapispisan also congratulated the provincial government of Albay and its component local government units (LGUs) for being recipients of 22 awards.

She likewise challenged the others to match the performance of Albay.

Malinao town was the most awarded local government unit with five awards, which include Best Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee, Best Community Drive Development-Local Planning Process Harmonization, Best in Reporting and Database Management System, Best in Disaster Risk Reduction Mainstreaming and Best in LGU Finance Counterpart and Best Encoder.

Other town awardees were Libon for best in Social Mobilization, best in SPI, best in Monitoring; Rapu-rapu for best in Local Counterpart Contribution Delivery and best Municipal Financial Analyst; and Pioduran for best in sub-Project Sustainability Monitoring.

KALAHI-CIDSS is the Philippine government’s flagship poverty-alleviation project implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the financial support of the World Bank.

The program empowers the poor, supports poor LGUs in local development and invests heavily on people, not just projects.

Funds are released directly to the villager’s KALAHI-CIDSS bank accounts. Villagers also manage, monitor and supervise the implementation of sub-projects.

These sub-projects were implemented faster and cheaper compared to traditional implementation of projects in the Philippines. (MAL/MSA-PIA5, Albay)