BFAR partners with other stakeholders, holds forum with vessel operators

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Regional Office V led the Bicol Fisheries Summit and Commercial Fishing Vessel Operators Dialogue held May 8 at Villa Caceres Hotel here.

The activity aims to gather and collate information on the current status of Bicol coastal ecosystem specifically on the area around Burias-Ticao Pass.

The attendees composed of 166 stakeholders representing the local government units, People’s organization, non-government organizations, academe, including 23 commercial fishing vessel operators all over the region were also briefed with the current, emerging and persistent issues of commercial fishing in the Bicol Region.

BFAR Director Asis G. Perez talked more about on “concentrating on the value of the fish produce and not more on its volume”.

“We should be more value-based rather than production-based. I also encourage everyone to stop using or producing fish mill for it endangers small fishes. There are more ways to collaborate than ways to fight,” Asis stated.

He also added that BFAR should also be able to identify who are the legitimate fishermen who should be protected by the laws governing the fishing industry.

Bicol has been known for its rich marine resources but is faced with the threat of over exploitation way beyond the level that it can sustain, BFAR said.

BFAR Regional Director Dennis V. Del Socorro reiterated these concerns, citing among others that every stakeholder, particularly the commercial fishing vessel operators should be wary of the ill effects of illegal fishing, harming other marine creatures in the process.

Aside from illegal fishing, the Bicol coast is also facing an “overfishing” problem.

Vince Cinches, Greenpeace Ocean’s Campaigner that all marine life advocates should aim to attain global marine diversity and not marine adversity.

“This month of May, as we celebrate the Month of the Ocean, let us remind ourselves of the significance of the ocean and its impact to us. We at Greenpeace also campaigns against global overfishing. No Fish, No Future,” Cinches said in an interview.

According to the record of BFAR Regional Office, there is a total of 389 commercial fishing vessels in the region, 139 licensed gears, 250 licensed operators, and 1,264 licensed fishermen. Among the identified major commercial fishing gears include bagnet, purse, seine, Danish Seine, trawl and ring net.

With BFAR in this endeavor are other stakeholders which include Greenpeace Southeast Asia, World Wide Fund-Philippines (WWF-Phils), Bicol Consortium for Development Initiatives (BCDI), Lingap Para sa Kalusugan ng Sambayanan, Inc. (LIKAS, Inc.), Social Action Center, Bicol Diocese and the Clergy and Bicol University.

Del Socorro said that he is hopeful that the said activity will be the start of the formulation of local initiatives against indiscriminate fishing towards coastal resource conservation. (MAL/LSM-PIA-Camarines Sur)


Comelec in Bicol activates speakers’ bureau for polls

By Joseph John J. Perez

LEGAZPI CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the Bicol region has formally introduced the members of its speakers’ bureau yesterday during the final briefing of the commission with its deputized agencies.

Comelec Bicol regional election director Atty. Romeo Fortes said that he will serve as the regional spokesperson himself for Bicol and spokesperson for each province will be the provincial election supervisors themselves.

According to Comelec, the speakers bureau was organized as early as February this year upon the recommendation of the provincial election supervisors themselves in preparation for the midterm election this May.

The seven-man speakers bureau is composed of Fortes as head, Atty. Annie Romero-Cortez for Albay, Atty. Romeo Serrano for Camarines Norte, Atty. Alberto Cañares III for Camarines Sur, Atty. Maria Aurea Bo-Bunao for Catanduanes, Atty. Noriel Badiola for Masbate and Atty. Calixto Aquino for Sorsogon.

The primary task of the team is to respond to media interviews, election coverage, radio and TV programs, fora and similar events related to the conduct of the election in their capacity as official representatives of the Comelec .

Meanwhile, the PIA is one of the deputized agencies of the commission as its information and education campaign partner. In Bicol, PIA is actively conducting its regular radio programs “Aramon Ta Daw” and “Ugnayan sa Bikol” and provides support to PTV 4’s regular airing of “Hatol ng Bayan” as its main information and education tool for voters education.

The other deputized agencies are the Departments of Education, Finance, Transportation and Communication, Energy, Public Works and Highways, Budget and Management, Philippine Postal Corporation, National Telecommunications Commission, Telecommunications Office, Electric Cooperatives, Philippine Airlines, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, Metro Manila Development Authority, government financial institutions, other government agencies, and other government owned and controlled corporations.

Comelec hotline numbers in Bicol are the following : (052)480-4812, 821-7961 and 820-5309 for Comelec Regional Office and Albay; (054)571-2307 for Camarines Norte; (054)477-0266 for Camarines Sur; (052) 811-1050 for Catanduanes; (056) 582-0396 for Masbate; and (056) 421-57-88 for Sorsogon. (JJJPerez/PIA5/Albay) 


Legazpi exceeds hybrid palay production for one cropping

LEGAZPI CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- The City Agriculture Office here expressed optimism that this year would be a good year for the rice production as it posted an initial yield of 402.53 metric tons (MT) of hybrid rice planted to 69.87 hectares of land in September 16 last year to March 15 this year.

City agriculturist Jesus Kallos said the data indicated an average of 5.76 metric tons per hectare and equivalent to 125.25 cavans per hectare production.

Kallos added that it also indicated an increase of 28 bags in yield per hectare compared to the previous cropping on March 16 to September 15 last year that posted only 97.39 cavans per hectare or 4.48 metric ton per hectare.

He pointed out the yield only comprised that of the 69.87 hectares out of the 125 hectares planted with hybrid rice.

“We expect the number to go up upon completion of the data from the farmers on the remaining areas that produced hybrid rice, his will give them an additional income of more or less P17,500 per hectare in every cropping cycle,” he added.

He also very optimistic in saying that the rice production this year has a very significant increase as reported by the farmers and this successful farming activity was due to the strong support of the city administration for them in terms of farm input assistance and the effective implementation of the agricultural modernization program and also to the aggressive participation of the farmers to the Hybrid Palay Commercialization Program of Legazpi.

The city agriculturist stressed that the present city administration under the care of Mayor Geraldine B. Rosal will build more irrigation systems to all the farm land areas of this city by way of sustaining water supply in every cropping cycle.

He also said that the city agriculture office will conduct more seminar training workshop to all the farmers as an additional knowledge for them on how to apply the right procedure of planting hybrid palay seeds to make their planting efforts more effective and productive through farmers field school.

He said that the city government has invested a total of P600,000 to the 121 farmers this cropping cycle who engaged in this program and expected to gain P5.5 million worth of hybrid palay yield.

Mayor Carmen Geraldine B. Rosal of this city has urged meanwhile all the legitimate farmers who have their own rice field in the territorial areas of this city to join in this Hybrid Palay Commercialization Program to give them also an opportunity to increase their income by way of planting more hybrid palay at their own farmlands.

The chief executive said that even she will step down on her post on June 30 as chief executive of this city, she will recommend to the next administration to continue the implementation of the program to pave the way the needs of the needy farmers and to give them an opportunity to uplift their lives.

The program was part of the Food staple Sufficiency Program established during the administration of former city Mayor Noel E. Rosal on 2008 and adopted by the present administration which aims to increase the production of hybrid palay in this city. (MAL/MPSolis-LGU Legazpi City/PIA5)


PPCRV invites citizens to volunteer for May polls

By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, May 10 (PIA) -- Diocese of Virac Social Action Foundation, Inc. (DVSAFI) is inviting interested citizens to be volunteers of the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL).

Also known as Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the organization aims to assure the safe conduct of clean, honest, and credible elections.

According to Rev. Fr. Laudemer Jose A. Gapaz, NAMFREL/PPCRV volunteers will establish Voter’s Assistance Desk in every polling center to ensure smooth flow of elections.

He added that they will undertake a widespread stakeholder voter’s education and training program to educate the public.

PPCRV is also going to conduct computerized voter’s list monitoring and will participate in Random Manual Audit and final testing and sealing of PCOS machines.

The organization also aim to secure the 4th copy of election returns from all precincts in the entire province within the next two days after the elections.

Interested individuals may come to their respective Parish Churches for municipal volunteers and Provincial Chapter volunteers may go to DVSAFI office at the Ground Floor of the Immaculate Conception Seminary Academy (ICSA) Building at San Jose, Virac, Catanduanes. (MAL/EAB-PIA5/Catanduanes)


Comelec all set for Monday polls in Bicol

By Joseph John J. Perez

LEGAZPI CITY, May 10 (PIA) -- It's all system go for the May 13 polls, assured Commission on Elections (Comelec) Bicol regional election director Atty. Romeo Fortes during the final briefing among front line implementing agencies and candidates yesterday. .

“We are all set in terms of transmission readiness, manpower deployment, testing and sealing of PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scan) machines, including contingency plans in terms of calamities,” Fortes said.

All manpower requirements for the elections such as the board of canvassers, board of election inspectors (BEI), including support personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army are totally met, Fortes said. “The entire region is secured to the precinct level with at least one-to-one ratio of PNP and army personnel per precinct,” Fortes said.

Election paraphernalia and documents are all accounted for in the region, Fortes said.

“We received a complete set of voters’ information sheet,” Fortes said.

All PCOS machines were delivered and secured upon completion of its testing and sealing, Fortes said. “Some are not working but the glitches are just minimal due to transport handling that are immediately repaired,” Fortes said.

There only seven PCOS that had minor malfunctions, two in Sorsogon, 3 in Albay and two in Catanduanes, Fortes said. “It’s good thing that the testing is done a week before the election, so we were able to repair minor malfunctions but we always have contingency PCOS on standby,” Fortes said.

“We are even prepared up to the contingency plans in terms of disasters,” Fortes said. Fortes admitted however that they were caught off-guard with the unexpected phreatic explosion of Mayon Volcano last Tuesday. “We assure you that we are already including in our contingency plan our preparations in case of volcanic eruptions,” Fortes said.

Part of the plan is to spare the classrooms being utilized as polling precincts as evacuation centers in case of eruptions, Fortes said. “We are also developing plans on how to secure the PCOS from ash falls since the machine is very sensitive and may malfunction,” Fortes said.

Philippine Institute Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Resident Volcanologist Ed Laguerta was invited at the briefing to give updates on Mayon’s activities. “What happened last Tuesday was normal and Mayon is maintaining its normal condition thus, any further volcanic activities in the coming days are none conclusive,” Laguerta said.

Meanwhile, Assistant Regional Election Director Lawyer Noriel Badiola called for the assistance of the deputized agencies to achieve clean, honest and credible elections. “We cannot protect the sanctity of the ballot without the deputized agencies, you are always our hope,” Badiola said. (MAL/JJJP-PIA5/Albay)