AKB pursues education, livelihood, health and nutrition programs

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Aug 1 (PIA) -- The AKO Bikol (AKB) Partylist discussed their programs on education, livelihood and health and nutrition, among others.

Representative Rodel M. Batocabe guested Friday at the Forum@PIA, a program initiated Philippine Agency – Camarines Sur Provincial office, to bare their accomplishments which benefited its constituents.

He said one of their programs is on education through their scholarship program. Among them are achievers like Ramish Baldoza from Central Bicol State University of Agriculture and Marlon Pontillas of the University of Saint Anthony, who are national qualifiers for the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines.

Ma. Clarissa Bombase of the University of Nueva Caceres was also hailed as a recipient of the Most Outstanding Students of Bicol (TOSB) and Daniel Philip Dy of Ateneo De Naga University as TOSB finalist.

“AKB is so proud of our Bicolano scholars. All of our achievers, especially our qualifiers for TOSP and our winners and finalists are also our distinguished AKB Ten Outstanding Students of Bicol,” Batocabe said.

Aside from educational assistance, AKB in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, recently donated farm equipment in Brgy. Capuy. Sorsogon City.

Batocabe also mentioned their ongoing program in housing, in partnership with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, which will benefit settlers in far-flung and disaster prone areas.

One of the municipalities that AKB identified for the said project is the municipality of Buhi. Buhi was chosen due to perennial flooding here every time the Buhi Lake overflows. More than 400 units will be distributed to beneficiaries.

On health, AKB extended funding assistance to 25 rural health units in the region, in coordination with other national legislators and government officials.

AKB also initiated the donation of a dialysis machine in Catanduanes, allowing locals to have an ease in their dialysis needs.

Currently, the party list is pushing for House Bill 6386 to penalize bullying of the marginalized, oppressed and powerless.

This is a follow up of its earlier house bill on anti-bullying, which is now in the Senate for deliberation.

HB 6386 aims to penalize and prohibit bullies who perform written, verbal or electronic acts of bullying meant to despise or embarrassed the victims. (MAL/LSM-PIA5/Camarines Sur)


DTI intensifies helmet campaign on motorcycle riders

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Aug 1 (PIA) --Republic Act 10054 or the “Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009" requires all motorcycle riders to wear standard protective helmets that comply with the specifications issued by the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade & Industry.

Basically, this means that all riders must wear the standards set by government and not the cheap, easily to break helmets that one usually sees. Standard helmets are a bit pricey, hence, it is understandable why there is resistance to comply with this particular law.

By “standard,” it means all helmets and visors in use by motorcycle riders should bear the PS or ICC Mark to prove its conformity with the safety standard issued by the Bureau of Product Standards.


As mandated by the same law, DTI and the Department of Transportation and Communications issued Joint Administrative Order No. 1:2011, providing the guidelines for its implementation.


DTI Provincial Director Ireneo B. Panti Jr. said the campaign promotes safety in the road for all motorcycle riders and to minimize damages caused by road accidents.


Any person caught not wearing the standard protective motorcycle helmet shall be fined P1,500 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, P5,000 and P10,000 for the third offense plus confiscation of the driver’s license.

For those who already have helmets and visors before the law became effective, they may submit their helmets to DTI Catanduanes provincial office for proper inspection and free issuance of ICC sticker until September 30, 2012.

Alhough motorcycle riders in the province are optimistic with the campaign since it promotes road safety, they find it costly to purchase a standardized helmet. Back riders also need to wear standard helmets.(MAL/EAB-PIA5, Catanduanes)


70 barangays now have human rights action center in Legazpi City

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug 1 (PIA) -– With the establishment of a Human Rights Action Center in the 70 barangays across the city, village residents will now have a nearer institution protecting their rights against abuses.

Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal said Tuesday that over a hundred village officials have already undergone training to manage the Barangay HRAC.

Rosal said they were also equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills in adopting and confronting human right concerns in the community.

She added that a training workshop was conducted July 18 at the city hall by the city government in partnership with Councilor Melissa Abadeza, chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights of the Sangguniang Panglungsod.

The training was in compliance with the Department of Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 94-194 on October 27, 1994 enjoining all barangays to pass and adopt a resolution for the establishment of an HRAC.

Rosal said the Human Rights Workshop will give village officials more knowledge on the rights of every individual and to protect them from any abuse and other violations of the laws to maintain peacefulness in the community.

She said the city has been considered a haven for investment in Bicol, because it has been regarded as one of the models of a peaceful place.

“We will work together to maintain our good image in order to attract more investors to do business here and will create more job opportunities to our constituents,” Rosal said.

Meanwhile, Abadeza said the HRAC would be strengthened by crafting necessary legislative action that would protect every individual right and to ensure that the justice system will become more effective in the barangays.

Abadeza said she has submitted the proposed measures to the Sangguniang Panglungsod for the creation of Barangay Human Rights Action Center in the city’s 70 villages.

She said the main functions of the BHRAC is to receive complaints of any human rights violation in a particular locality and to refer it to the nearest Commission on Human Rights regional office or sub-office for investigation.

It is also tasked to conduct human rights information and education activities in the village. (MAL/MSA-PIA5, Albay)