"Bicol Express", "Mayon Limited", "Matnog Extension" railway prospects to boost development in the countryside -- Salceda

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- Albay Governor and Bicol Regional Development Council chair Joey Sarte Salceda sees the Railway Development Summit next month as a way of convincing President Benigno S. Aquino III to put railway development at the center of the national agenda.

Salceda said that the development or modernization of the railway system in the country will play a key pillar of national development and as a conduit of net resource transfers to the countryside.

The development prospects for the railway development are the central recommendations that will be presented to the Railway Development Summit, also a brainchild of Salceda, set on June 21 in Metro Manila.

Salceda said the summit hopes to gain strong support from President Benigno Aquino III who will be invited as its keynote speaker.

Salceda noted that the southern backbone of the national railway will take only a travel time of six hours from Legaspi City to Manila with a railway service extending up to Matnog in Sorsogon where a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) sea port is located.

Meanwhile RDC secretariat led by Engr. Luis Banua, the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 and the Bicol Regional Development Plan identified the revival, rehabilitation and modernization of the railway system as a priority infrastructure development program.

The train stations will also be developed as mix use commercial zones to spur economic growth in its environs.

Salceda said, "Recommendation is also up for the revival of spur lines to Legaspi and Tabaco ports, construction of spur lines to Daet, Caramoan and other major towns in Bicol for passenger and multi-purpose freight services."

National and Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Bicol assistant regional director Luis Banua said that Luzon regions including Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and RDC of CaLaBaRZon has signified interest on the railway development initiative of RDC for the interconnection of the north and south railways and the Metro Manila railway system.

The business community, on the other hand, has emphasized that cargo and passenger train services will propel trade and industry in Bicol.

Known as “Bicol Express” in the past decades due to its role as Bicol’s most popular mode of transportation, the railway industry had an observable slowdown and off-track direction in recent years that was overtaken by other reliable and efficient modes of transportation in the region.

Another line called Mayon Limited is a direct touristic line from Tutuban up to the historical station of Legazpi City, Albay.

The summit is expected to fuel anew the engines of the “Bicol Express”, "Mayon Limited" and the "Matnog Spur Line" back to its tracks to regain its past glory as the region’s favorite mode of transportation. (MAL/JJJP-PIA5/Albay)



TESDA Bicol opens 427 scholarship slots for TWSP, TMTP

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Bicol has opened 427 scholarship slots for new batches of scholars in the province Albay this year for its Training for Works and Scholarship Program (TWSP).

Aileen Lozada, TESDA technical education and skills development specialist, said the program communes with the agency’s mandate to provide accessible and relevant high quality technical vocational education and training especially to the youth.

Lozada said 102 slots will be provided to the two training centers in Albay, including 60 slots in Guinobatan effective this semester and 42 slots in Malilipot for the third semester of this year.

The remaining 325 slots, on the other hand, will be allotted for Trainers Methodology Training Program.

Lozada explained that the program provides more individuals with high quality technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and encourage technical-vocational institutions to offer programs in higher qualification catering to in- demand industry requirements.

The TWSP will cater to poor high school graduates that may avail of scholarships on commercial cooking, housekeeping, dress-making, food and beverage, welding, machining and refrigeration and air-conditioning courses, Lozada said.

She added that aside from helping the poor students to get quality education the scholarship program also aims to promote technical-vocational courses in a particular area either through school-based or center-based trainings.

"We want to help our young people realize their dreams through the scholarships we provide. Many of them are not able to go to school due to the escalating tuition fees charged by the schools,” Lozada said.

“With the scholarships, TESDA hopes to offset if not eliminate one of the factors that gets in the way of pursuing their dreams", she said.

TESDA, however, expects that the deserving ones chosen to receive the free education should do their part in insuring that they complete the course, undertake the assessment and pass it to get the certification from the agency which will prove that they possess the knowledge and skills and can demonstrate the competencies of workers required by companies here or abroad.

The new batch of scholars will be given the option to enroll in qualifications or courses of their choice but will also be directed to take up courses which will offer greater opportunities for employment in their localities.

The official also said that their agency will assist the trainees in getting rightful employment or where they can maximize their skills immediately after their training.

"TESDA will lend its support from the training, assessment and certification to employment. But we hope the scholars do their part by studying hard and completing the course”, she stated. (MAL/ Princes S. Dupitas-OJT-BU/PIA5)


Comelec proclaims poll winners in Sorsogon

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, May 20 (PIA) – The Commission on Election (Comelec) Provincial Board of Canvassers last Friday proclaimed the provincial level winners of the May 13 elections.

Among those proclaimed were Sorsogon first district Representative Evelina Escudero who got 87,904 votes. Escudero popularly known as “Nanay Evie” is the wife of former Congressman Salvador H. Escudero III and the mother of Senator Francis Escudero.

Incumbent second district Congressman Deogracias Ramos, Jr. remains undefeated with a landslide vote of 102,000 against his nearest opponent Guillermo De Castro who got 41,265 votes.

For Governor, Sorsogon incumbent Governor Raul R. Lee took the lead with a total of 123,232 votes against his tough rival, incumbent Board Member Mark Eric Dioneda who got 118,889 votes, a difference of 4,343 votes.

Incumbent Vice-Governor Antonio Escudero won the same position with a total of 133,745 against his lone opponent incumbent Board Member Vladimir Frivaldo who got 86,903 votes.

Proclaimed winners as Provincial Board Members for the first district are Krunimar Escudero, incumbent board members Rebecca Aquino and Eric Franco Ravanilla, Roland Anonuevo and Everesto Relativo.

For second District Provincial Board Member, winners are incumbent board member Renato Guban, incumbent Bulusan Mayor Michael Guysayko, Arze Glipo, incumbent board members Bernard Hao and Angel Escandor.

In Sorsogon City, the Board of Canvassers also proclaimed on May 17, 2013 the newly elected officials with former Governor Sally Lee as the new city mayor who got 33,895 votes against her lone opponent, incumbent city mayor Leovic Dioneda with 32, 692 votes, a difference of 1,203 votes.

Sally Lee was the first Sorsogon city mayor and served the city for two terms from 2001-2007 before she ran and won as governor of Sorsogon in 2007.

For city vice-mayor, incumbent city councilor Ma. Charo Dichoso won the vice-mayoralty race with 23,282 votes taking an edge of 2,074 votes against nearest opponent former city vice ayor Edmundo Atutubo.

Proclaimed as Sangguniang Panlungsod winners for Bacon District are incumbent City Councilors Inigo Destacamento and Roque Divina, Emmanuel Diolata and Hilario Dioneda; for East District, winners are incumbent City Councilor Florencio Jamisola, Jr., Atty. Joven Laura, Mary Ellen Jamisola and Ralph Walter Lubiano; and for West District, winners are incumbent City Councilors Aldin Ayo and Rogelio Jebulan, Sr., Dave Duran and incumbent City Councilor Pedro Alindogan.

Meanwhile, it can be noted that canvassing for the provincial level was four times reset after Bulan town and Sorsogon City failed to transmit the election returns.

Chairman of the Provincial Board of Canvassers and election supervisor Atty. Calixto Aquino, Jr. said that the compact flash (CF) cards including the back-up cards of precinct counting optical scan (PCOS) Machines for Barangays Balete and Sampaloc in this city and Barangay Beguin in Bulan town malfunctioned causing the non-transmittal of over-all results from the two areas.

Board of election inspectors (BEIs) have to wait for the replacement of CF cards from Manila before they are able to continue with the Sorsogon City and Bulan municipal canvassing. The slow delivery of the new CF cards also added to the delay of transmission.

Following the receipt of CF cards on May 16, 2013, Sorsogon City transmitted the election returns to the Provincial Board of Canvassers at 10:15 PM of the same date while Bulan was able to transmit 15 minutes past midnight.

Earlier, 13 municipalities have already proclaimed their respective newly elected mayors as follows: Barcelona – incumbent Mayor Manuel Fortes, Jr.; Bulusan – incumbent City Councilor Domingo Halum; Casiguran – incumbent Mayor Ma. Ester Hamor; Castilla – unopposed incumbent Mayor Olive Bermillo; Donsol – Josephine Alcantara, daughter of former re-electionist Mayor Jerome Alcantara who died before election; Gubat – Roderick Co; Irosin – incumbent Mayor Eduardo Ong, Jr; Juban – Antonio Alindogan; Magallanes – incumbent Vice-Mayor Augusto Manuel Ragrario; Matnog – incumbent Mayor Emilio Ubaldo; Pilar – incumbent Mayor Dennis Sy-Reyes; Pto. Diaz – incumbent Board Member Benito Doma; and Sta. Magdalena – incumbent Mayor Alejandro Gamos. Bulan was the last municipality to proclaim its new elected officials with incumbent Vice Mayor Marnelli Robles as the new mayor.

Meanwhile, Election supervisor Calixto Aquino, Jr. urged the people to support those who won the race, and work for what is best for the community toward a more productive and developed province of Sorsogon. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)


2013 Election turns out generally peaceful in Sorsogon and Masbate

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, May 20 (PIA) – The strategic deployment of government troops in the provinces of Sorsogon and Masbate resulted in generally peaceful conduct of elections.

This was the over-all assessment of the 903rd Brigade of the May 13, 2013 polls having no reports of election violence.

Capt. Mardjorie Paimela P. Panesa, 903rd Brigade spokesperson, said the Brigade under the supervision of Colonel Joselito E Kakilala sent over a thousand of soldiers in his area of operations to ensure safe elections.

The soldiers in full-election duty composed the Task Unit “Rodeo” led by Colonel Samuel Felipe in Masbate with two sub-units: Task Sub-unit “Samaritan” of the 9th Infantry Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Julian Pacatan and Task Sub-unit “Steadfast” of the 80th Infantry Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Ted Dumosmog; while the Task Sub-unit “Charge” of the 31st Infantry Battalion covers Sorsogon.

The Task Group Bicol of the 9th Infantry Division also sent teams to the two provinces for monitoring of election situation.

“Though there were some election-related incidents and violations noted a day before election, our men together with other security officers did it well to apprehend negative elements even before they can do evil deeds that may affect the peaceful conduct of elections,” said Panesa.

Capt. Panesa also said they have received reports coming from Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) that some Precinct Counting Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in some areas in Masbate and Sorsogon experienced technical problems, however Comelec immediately responded to it by troubleshooting and replacing malfunctioning machines.

Colonel Kakilala expressed appreciation and is grateful to his men and all those who showed commitment and support realizing a Secured And Fair Elections and achieving a generally peaceful May 2013 polls. He further assured the public that the Philippine Army will always be available to defend the country and its people against any threat, and in winning the peace that everyone has long been dreaming of. (MAL/BAR-PIA5/Sorsogon)


PRO 5 recalls augmentation troops deployed for election duties

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, May 20 (PIA) – The Police Regional Office in Bicol last week recalled and accounted augmentation personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who were deployed in one city and four provinces in the mainland Bicol for election duties.

Police Supt. Renato Bataller, PNP Bicol spokesperson, said the recall of police personnel deployed for election duties has already accounted for 571 assigned in Naga City and provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon to their respective offices.

Bataller added that police regional leadership in Bicol have also assessed whether the cops had indeed performed their duties in areas assigned to them.

He explained that this could be determined through comparing the total number of cops deployed and the total number of cops who were able to return to their respective offices.

Bataller furthered that the number of cops deployed and cops who were able to return remained the same in which a total number of 69 cops had been accounted from Naga City, 146 in Albay, 84 in Camarines Norte, 178 in camarines Sur and 94 in the province of Sorsogon.

The official explained that only the PNP personnel deployed in the mainland Bicol will be included in the simultaneous recall and accounting, those deployed in the island provinces of Masbate and Cantanduanes will have separate schedule of the same activity. (MAL/ Monaliza Z. Eser-OJT-BU/PIA)


Catanduanes to host 2013 Bicol Int’l Museum Day

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, May 20 (PIA) -- The Provincial Tourism Office of Catanduanes will host the 2013 International Museum Day celebration cum capability-building workshop for Bicol region today until tomorrow at Rakdell Inn here.

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to increase public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society.

The two-day activity will revolve on the theme: “Museums (Memory + Creativity) = Social Change”.

According to Mrs. Carmel B. Garcia, Provincial Tourism Officer, this year’s theme was chosen by the museum community.

She said that the theme summarizes the complexity of museum tasks and recalls that they are meant to contribute to community development and gathering together.

Registration of participants will start today at 8:00 o’clock in the morning to be followed by an opening ceremony.

Expected to grace the opening are Governor Joseph C. Cua and Congressman Cesar V. Sarmiento together with Ms. Alice A. Alaurin, President, Bicol Association of Museums.

Different lectures and workshops include the following: A social space rooted in its territory; Laws and legislations on the protection of cultural properties; Innovative practices for a better conversation; and Workshop on care and conservation of museum collection.

Participants in the said activity are museum curators, cultural workers and other stakeholders.

A guided tour will also be provided to the participants on the second day of the event. (MAL/EAB-PIA5/Catanduanes)