Undas '12 in Camarines Sur, generally peaceful

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Nov. 5 (PIA) -- Police visibility, effective traffic scheme, fair weather, and cooperation among government offices have contributed to the peaceful commemoration of the All Saints and All Soul’s Day (Undas) here and in other neighboring towns of Camarines Sur.

Members of the the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camarines Sur and Naga City Police Office have exerted their efforts in manning a number of cemeteries in the city, particularly Concepcion Pequena Public Cemetery which is considered one of the biggest cemeteries in Naga City.

Eternal Gardens and Sto.Nino Memorial Park, two of the biggest private cemeteries in the city, were also secured by policemen to ensure the safety of visiting relatives particularly those who want to catch a glimpse of the tomb of Bicolano officials. Bicolano Senator Raul Roco’s remains lie in the Sto. Nino Memorial Park while the ashes of the late DILG Jesse M. Robredo were placed in a tomb inside Eternal Gardens.

Even before the start of All Soul’s Day, members of the Highway Patrol Group have already conducted road worthiness inspection on all buses plying the route Manila-Naga and vice versa to make sure vehicles were roadworthy.

Highway authorities particularly checked the fuel, engine, oil, brakes, lights, and tires of the buses, including the driver’s condition to safeguard all passengers. Public assistance desks were also placed in strategic locations to assist visiting relatives and visitors in various cemeteries here.

Meanwhile, PCI Efren Orlina, PNP Camarines Sur spokesperson, said they have only recorded minor crime during the duration of the Undas commemoration - a missing motorcycle reported in the police desk and a road accident that claimed lives.

During the PNP Command Conference held yesterday at the PNP Provincial Command Office here involving all the chiefs of police from municipalities in the province, Orlina said that as part of PNP’s tactical dashboard, the COPS are now mapping out crime solution and crime prevention scheme to aid the police heads in dealing with crimes incidents.

Orlina also thanked all government agencies who took an active part during the Undas 2012 operation for their assistance and support in maintaning peace and order all through out the entire duration of All Saints and All Soul’s day commemoration. (LSM/-PIA 5, Camarines Sur)

Boundaries among towns, barangays in CamSur, Masbate validated


LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 5 (PIA) -- Camarines Sur and Masbate provinces have validated their respective base maps clearing up confusions on boundaries set among barangays and municipalities.

The agreement is an offshoot of a memorandum of agreement forged by regional offices here of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and local governments of Masbate and five other provinces in the Bicol region.

The department only offers ways to settle conflicts but the decision of whether or not to agree on the base map emanate from the municipality and their adjoining municipalities, Regional Technical Director Pedro Noble of the Lands Management Service (LMS) of DENR said.

Noble said one of the surest ways to resolve conflict in boundary between and among municipalities or barangay is by reviewing the Code that created the barangay or the municipality in the form of an Ordinance for the Barangay and Republic Act or Presidential Decree or a national law for the creation of a city or municipality.

Engr. Josie Columna, chief of Surveys Division of DENR LMS, has sought the local governments’ cooperation and participation in thoroughly reviewing the base maps.

Cadastral surveys, Columna said, were undertaken 20 years ago by local governments, while only in 2007 when authority to conduct cadastral survey was returned to DENR.

In 2009, MOA was signed for the computerization of base maps and in 2012, DENR allotted P142 million as budget for political boundary delineation and cadastral survey.

Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales of DENR 5 meanwhile noted that the measure is “a breakthrough since boundary conflicts have often undermined any development projects thus, slowing down the region’s economic growth”.

Base maps are considered as the cornerstone of development projects in the Region.

In the said agreement, NEDA 5 will provide support, along with the Regional Development Council (RDC), in the the adoption of computerized base maps.

The Lands Management Bureau will duly certify the maps while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will use the maps as basis to determine internal revenue allotment (IRA) allotment apart from population size and income or revenue generated.

DENR V will provide survey and technical assistance while the local governments will provide P2.5 million as counterpart funds in the conduct of cadastral survey and mapping covering the entire region. (MAL-PIA5/DENR5)


Teacher donates to Kalahi-CIDSS project in Masbate town


LEGAZPI CITY, Nov. 5 (PIA) -- A high school teacher from Cataingan, Masbate gave P5,000 as her personal contribution to the upcoming construction of a concrete pathway in a far-flung barangay of the said town.

The Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) Donors’ Forum held in Cataingan Astrodome last October 24 paved the way for Belma Vistones to share her experience in barangay Abaca where she almost lost her twins when she was pregnant.

As a member of Department of Education (DepEd) Evaluation Team for their district, Belma had to take the rough path in Abaca for more than an hour just to reach the next community to conduct their yearly assessment.

It was in 1989 when the incident happened. The slippery path caused Belma, who was pregnant with her twins, to slide. According to her, the road was steep and difficult to tread, especially during the wet season.

“Dahil din sa daan, nahihirapan talaga ang mga tao na magdala ng kanilang mga produkto sa palengke [People find it very difficult to transport their crops to the market because of the path],” she narrated.

The miserable situation in Abaca coupled with Belma’s unforgettable incident prompted her to give her own money for the construction of the proposed pathway in Abaca.

It was when Kalahi-CIDSS came to Cataingan this year that the opportunity came for Belma to become one of its community volunteers. She serves as one of the members of the Barangay Representation Team (BRT) in the poblacion barangay in Cataingan.

During their actual inter-barangay site visit, Belma and other BRT volunteers came to see all 36 barangays of Cataingan. The group recognized the difficulty experienced by the residents of Abaca and came to an accord that the community needed financial support from Kalahi-CIDSS to construct a concrete pathway.

BRT members represent the barangay in the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum (MIBF) for criteria setting and for prioritization. In behalf of the community, they select the projects which sub-projects will be funded and implemented through Kalahi-CIDSS.

The BRT is composed of the Barangay Captain and another two members who are not public elected officials of the barangay.

Through MIBF-Participatory Resource Allocation (PRA), community proposals are ranked by the BRT members according to priority. At this stage of Kalahi-CIDSS project, proposed community projects like concrete pathways, school buildings, health centers, water systems, and other interventions are finally approved for funding.

Kalahi-CIDSS is the flagship poverty-alleviation program of the Philippine government which adopts the community-driven development (CDD) approach as its overall strategy in targeting the poorest municipalities in the country. It is one of the three core poverty alleviation programs implemented by DSWD in partnership with local government units (LGUs).

CDD empowers the communities by allowing the people themselves to determine what their needs are and what strategies can be utilized to address these. They also design and implement their chosen sub-project themselves, as well as manage the resources to be used in implementing this.

From 2003 to 2012, Kalahi-CIDSS project covered 48 municipalities from all of the six provinces of Bicol region, with a total of 1,327 barangays receiving development interventions for small-scale community projects. At present, 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.

In Cataingan, the total grant fund from Kalahi-CIDSS is P16,200,000 with 30% counterpart from the barangay and municipal local government units (LGUs). Cataingan is one of the new twenty (20) municipalities qualifying under the expansion of Kalahi-CIDSS in 2012. (MAL/JBMarbella-DSWD5/PIA5)