Bicolano writers honored; Albayano named Writer of the year

By Sally A.Atento

LEGAZPI CITY, Oct 16 (PIA) -- Bicolano writers recently gathered for the awards rites of the 2012 Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon (PTALB) entitled "agrokyaw sa Pinakamaray-rahay na Panurat kan Taon (A Toast for the Best Literary Works of the Year)" at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary in Naga City.

The regional competition for literary writing in Bicol dialect is sponsored this year by the Naga City government and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in the region.

Named as the "Parasurat kan Taon (Writer of the Year)" is Niles Jordan Breis of Tabaco City.

Bries also won in the essay category for his entry, "Binareta kan Anghel: Minahubag an Ngabil." His entries, "Nasa Bitis kun Minsan an Kaogmahan" and "An Pigkukurahaw kan Saparupor na Kurakpaw" for poetry and fiction categories respectively were chosen as second prize winners.

The plays written by Richard Madrilejos, also from Tabaco, entitled "An Hikot ni Pay Ben" and "Nata Maaskad an Dagat" were respectively chosen as winners for the one-act play for children and one-act play for children categories.

Eden Elizan-Velarde of Naga City, writer of "Kan Magkulog an Buot ni Balete," won for the children’s story category while Jay Salvador III P. Salvosa of Naga City won for fiction category for his "Cinarding."

"Pagpangaran" by Eduardo E. Uy of Gubat, Sorsogon was chosen for poetry category. Third prize winner for this category is Jeffrey P. Regullano of Pili Camarines Sur for his "Mga Rawitdawit atang sa Itom."

Essayist Jose Fernado Obias was awarded "Masirang na Bituon kan Literaturang Bikolnon (Shining Beacon of Bikol Literature)," the Premio Arejola’s highest distinction, for his contributions on the Bikol language, arts, culture, and history.

Awarded with the Premio Bibiano Sabino sa Libro Bikol, the region’s only book prize, were "Doros asin mga Anghel," a Bikol translation of John Donne’s sonnets, elegies, and poetry by Victor Dennis T. Nierva and "Minatubod Ako sa Diklom" Bikol translation of Rainer Maria Rilke’s selected poems by Kristain Sendon Cordero.

Also honored for their contribution in Bicol literature were Maria Lilia F. Realubit, Abdon Balde, Gode Calleja, Luis Cabalquinto, Liberato Aureus, Leonor Dy-Liaco.

Posthumously awarded were James O’Brein, S.J. and Luis Dato. (MAL/SAA-PIA5, Albay)


Sorsogon Bishop describes the real “Kasanggayahan” as purity of heart, oneness of church and state

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Oct 15 (PIA) -- Kasanggayahan Festival 2012 opened at the Capitol Park on Monday to celebrate the 118th Foundation Anniversary of the province of Sorsogon.

Most Rev. Arturo Bastes, Bishop of Sorsogon

Most Reverend Arturo M. Bastes said mass and in his homily, the bishop emphasized on the meaning of Kasanggayahan which he said should not solely relate to material prosperity.

“Kasanggayahan is not merely progress in material sense,” he said in his sermon, “but, progress in love for God and the neighbor, in the purity of heart, in the erasure of corruption, in all honesty, and dutiful morality.”

“That is pure Kasanggayahan,” he added.

Bishop Bastes also stated that the church and the state should be together for one common purpose, which is for the progress of each one.

Kasanggayahan Foundation Inc (KFI) organizer Monsignor Francisco P. Monje went over this in his own message by saying that the bishop is calling on everyone to preserve the unity between state and church leaders. “Especially in promoting Kasanggayahan here on earth and Kasanggayahan in the next life,” he said.

This year’s Kasanggayahan Festival revolves around the theme “Sorsogon Paunlarin, Agrikultura’t Industriya Pasiglahin (Sorsogon Pauswagon, Agrikultura Nan Industriya Pakusugon)" which highlights the role of the local agricultural industry.

The festival departed from the usual activities and concentrated on the effective advancement of the province’s treasure, culture, industry, agriculture, and its people.

In his welcome message, the KFI organizer said that those who were involved in the planning of this year’s Kasanggayahan Festival, were consistently in agreement with one another that all activities and programs must highlight Sorsogon’s agricultural and industrial potentials; the Department of Agriculture took the lead.

All exhibits, cultural shows, activities therefore will depict Sorsogon’s rich natural resources from which if properly engage, all constituents will profit.

“We firmly believe that Sorsogon is a rich province because of its natural resources,” he said.

He said that tourists and guests who come to Sorsogon are so impressed by its greenery and are attracted by its hospitable people.

“Indeed, we have all reasons to be proud that we are Sorsoganons and we have all the reasons to rejoice because we live in a place that is called Sorsogon,” Monje said.

In attendance were local government unit (front-runners, national government agencies, provincial as well as local executives and respective personnel) in a sequence of formal procedures led by Governor Raul R. Lee.(MAL/BAR-PIA5/VAEL-PIO/Sorsogon)


16 poverty reduction projects ready for Bicol region

By Sally A. Atento

LEGAZPI CITY, Oct 16 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be implementing 216 poverty reduction projects in the Bicol region under its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program.

Jesseshan Manahan, DSWD 5 public information officer, said these projects will be implemented in the six provinces in the region with a total fund of P248 million coming from international partners for social development.

“The Kalahi-CIDSS projects in Albay, Masbate, and Sorsogon are funded by World Bank, while those in Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur are financed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation of the United States of America,” Manahan said.

The said fund will be released directly to the communities to be used for community projects usually chosen from the categories specified by the DSWD.

“While barangays are allowed to decide which projects to implement, these usually fall under the following sub-categories: general public goods or access projects, community enterprise projects, and human resource development projects,” Manahan said.

Public goods or access projects intend to deliver public services and/or address issues on access to basic services.

Community enterprise projects aim to increase the income of its intended beneficiaries while human resource development projects aim to increase local capacities and capabilities.

These projects are expected to be completed and inaugurated by the end of 2012.

Such projects under the Kalahi-CIDSS adopt the community-driven development (CDD) approach in helping the poorest municipalities in the country.

Kalahi-CIDSS aims to improve local governance, reduce poverty, and empower communities.

This is done by developing the people’s capacities to analyze their local situation, identify community needs, and implement small-scale community projects in partnership with their LGUs. (MAL/SAA-PIA5, Albay)



BOI, DTI holds investment forum in Naga City

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Oct 16 (PIA) -- The Board of Investment (BOI), in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with the Industry’s Regional Operations and Development Group (RODG) spearheaded on Friday the 2012 Investment Priority Plan (IPP) Investment Roadshow 2012 at Villa Caceres Hotel at Magsaysay Avenue in Naga City.

Naga City is among the 11 priority areas in the Philippines that the road show slated visit to promote investments opportunities. Other areas include Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dipolog, Pasay Puerto Princesa, Tacloban and Tagbilaran.

The activity endeavors to create awareness, particularly to the existing businessmen and potential entrepreneurs and clients on the benefits of registering their business at BOI and the countless possibilities of developing their industry with the help of other government agencies and private entities as partners.

For this year, DTI Undersecretary Merly Cruz enumerated the mandatory lists of businesses that require their inclusion in the IPP. It includes Industrial tree plantation which covers the extensive plantation of tree crops; exploration, mining, quarrying and processing of minerals; publication or printing of books or textbooks and the refining, storage, marketing and distribution of petroleum products.

Cruz added the establishment of waste recycling facilities and waste water treatment facilities under the ecological solid waste management and clean water projects respectively, are also part of the mandatory business inside the IPP program.

Also included in these priorities are the rehabilitation, self-development, and self-reliance of persons with disability and renewable energy and tourism.

Other areas of commerce cited under the 2012 IPP as investment priorities to further strengthen 2011’s investment generation agenda and continue its development this year include Agriculture or agribusiness and fishery, creative industries or knowledge-based services which includes business process outsourcing (BPO), shipbuilding, mass housing, iron and steel and energy.

Infrastructure activities, together with research and development, green projects, motor vehicles, strategic projects which include projects that exhibit very high social economic returns that will contribute to the country’s economic development, hospital and medical services and disaster prevention, mitigation and recovery projects were also listed in the IPP preferred activities.

BOI Director Domingo I. Bagaporo said that their office is basically in charge of creating the industry roadmap for the investors, target investment promotions, negotiate trade investments, register eligible projects and facilitate investments.

Bagaporo also encouraged business partners to register their businesses at BOI to avail of the various incentives that their office is giving, one of which is the granting of tax holiday which would exempt the qualified businessmen for at least six years of not paying his business tax, among others. (MAL/LSM-PIA5 Camarines Sur)