SUMMER GETZAWAYS >>>visit the pristine beaches of matnog, sorsogon -- this one's ZUBIC's PINK SAND BEACH -- and enjoy summer to the fullest before June, the school commencement month, sets in... tara na, tangkilikin ang Gayon Bikol!!Tuesday, May 18, 2010
PGMA ACCENTUATES IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND IT IN NATION-BUILDING
SIRUMA, Camarines Sur--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has received warm applause and loud cheers from the constituents of this coastal town following her announcement that a satellite broadband will be installed in this municipality as part of her legacy program in modernizing the educational system.
The President made the statement before a jam-packed crowd at Siruma High School Sports Complex here Thursday (May 13), barely three days after the successful conduct of the first automated election in the country.
The visit was part of the President’s legacy tour in various learning institutions, particularly those located in the countryside.
Siruma Mayor Nonito Vier said that President Arroyo’s visit came as a surprise adding that “for a small, coastal town to be visited for the first time by the highest official of the land, is indeed one of the greatest honor for all of us—and to think that a few days from now, her term of office as our president will already expire.”
The President in her speech said that the her administration have already done so much to improve the educational system yet thinks that more is still to be done.
“We already have a lot of gains in education, we have constructed classrooms and we have provided our teachers with trainings but I would like to reiterate the need to modernize our educational system by having available internet access to all our teachers, particularly our students.”
This town, dubbed as Camarines Sur’s hidden paradise, still lags behind when it comes to modernization. Located at the northern portion of the province some 85 kilometers away from Naga City, this little coastal town is hardly reached by investors due to the bad road network that connects its constituents to the nearest city.
Apparently, the President was able to learn about the woes of frequent travelers, and have promised that a separate budget will be allocated for the re-blocking and maintenance of the Siruma road.
The President also scored on her advocacy to lower the cost of medicine and make them affordable by establishing Botika ng Barangays in various municipalities all over the country. In Siruma alone, there are already nine (9) botika ng barangays since 2005. They are situated at Barangays Poblacion, Pamintan, Salvacion, Nalayahan, Tandoc, San Ramon, Vito , Fundado and at Matandang Siruma.
After her speech, the President visited several stalls tagged as “Tindahan ng Palengke, formerly referred to as “Tindahan ni Gloria” and Botika ng Barangays situated at Siruma’s Poblacion Area. (LSMacatangay, PIA CamSur)
ALBAY MULLING TO USE SIMCLIM TO EXAMINE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
LEGAZPI CITY— The Provincial Government of Albay is mulling to utilize the customized SimCLIM software, a computer model system for examining the effects of climate variability and change over time and space, according to the chief of the Center for Initiative and Research Center for climate Adaptation (CIRCA).
CIRCA Executive Director Nhong Rangasa averred Albay would be the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to use the SimCLIM in the province’s program on climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and other development applications.
Rangasa explained that SimCLIM is an open framework modeling system which allows user to customize the model for geographical area and spatial resolution and to attach models.
The software has the capacity to assess baseline climate and current variability and extremes, present and future risks, investigate present and future adaptation, create scenarios of climate and sea level change, conduct sensitivity analyses, impact and others.
CIRCA in Albay is proposing to the national government to create a customized SimCLIM software modeling system for the Philippines.
Rangasa said that it could be applied in the work programs of several agencies in the country.
Albay is the only province in the country using the SimCLIM software for revisiting the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
A version of SimCLIM customized for the Philippines will include the statistical downscaled Global Climate Monitoring (GCM) patterns, rather than directly bilinear interpolated GCM patterns in that characterized earlier version of the software.
Rangasa further said that SimCLIM outputs are multifaceted and applicable to a wide range of planning and sustainable development application and sustainable development applications.
“It is perhaps the first and foremost a tool for creating possible scenarios of climate change that are then linked with various sectors, such as coastal, agriculture, water, health and the planning required to reduce the risk borne by societies and environments as a result in shifts in climate,” he noted.
Rangasa said Albay is moving advance in terms of climate change adaptation response.
Albay is the first province in the country to institutionalize CIRCA and declared as Global LGU model for Climate Change Adaptation by United Nation International Strategy Disaster Reduction Report 2008 and World Bank.
The province, through CIRCA, develops climate change integration in curriculum in all learning area, hosted two separate national conferences that resulted to the Manila Declaration as a tool for the early passage of disaster management bill and creation of the Climate Change Commission. (MALoterte, PIA V)
SORSOGON 2010 ELECTION WINNERS PROCLAIMED
… LGUs back to business as usual
SORSOGON Province — Following the rush last week due to the Philippines’ first ever national and local automated polls and the proclamation of winning candidates, local government units (LGUs) across the province are back to business as usual.
“We thank those who pushed the country’s automated election, the counting and canvassing done manually in the past stretching the proclamation process for week were now reduced to 24 to 48-hr period,” the Boards of Election Inspectors and Canvassers here stated.
It can be noted that the Provincial Comelec here on Wednesday afternoon (May 12), proclaimed Raul Lee (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), ex-governor and husband of incumbent governor, as the winning governor garnering a landslide victory of 160,251 votes as against Jose Solis (Kampi) who only got 60,830 votes.
Former Vice-Governor Antonio “Kruni” Escudero (Independent) succeeded his comeback bid as vice-governor by winning 115,946 votes as against his four opponents.
For the 1st district congressional seat, Jose Edwin Hamor (NP) who got 63,287 votes loses to incumbent Congressman Salvador Escudero III (NPC) who got 89,512 votes.
Incumbent Gubat Mayor Deogracias Ramos, Jr. (LP) topped the congressional seat in the second district edging a slim margin against Ricardo Golpeo (NPC), his closest opponent.
The province of Sorsogon has 397,419 total registered voters in 692 clustered precincts. Of the total number of registered voters, 323,191 have actually voted.
Meanwhile, Irosin town was the first to proclaim their winning candidates on May 11, 7:36 A.M., while Donsol town was the last to proclaim on the afternoon of May 12.
In Sorsogon City, Leovic Dioneda (LP) holds on to his post as the city mayor by winning a gap of 11,037 votes against his lone opponent, incumbent City Vice-Mayor Edmundo Atutubo (Kampi).
Robert Rodrigueza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), son of incumbent governor Sally Lee and governor-elect Raul Lee won a big margin as Sorsogon City vice-mayor against his lone opponent incumbent city councilor Roel Sta. Ana.
The following municipal mayors were also proclaimed winners in their respective towns,
Barcelona – current provincial administrator Atty. Manuel Fortes, Jr. (LP); Bulan – incumbent Mayor Helen Rose de Castro (Lakas-Kampi-CMD; Bulusan – Michael Guysayko (NP), son of incumbent Bulusan Mayor and League of Municipalities Sorsogon chapter president Juan Guysayko who did not make it in the second district congressional race; Castilla – incumbent Mayor Olive Bermillo (LP); Casiguran – incumbent Mayor Ester Hamor (NP); Donsol – incumbent Mayor Jerome Alcantara (LP); Gubat – 29 yr-old Ronnel Lim (NP); Irosin – Eduardo Ong (PDP-Laban); Juban – Jimmy Fragata (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) and husband of three-termer and incumbent Mayor Tess Fragata; Magallanes – former mayor of the same town Roque Carranza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD); Matnog – former Matnog mayor Emilio Ubaldo (Kampi);
Pilar – incumbent Mayor Dennis Sy-Reyes (NPC); and, Prieto Diaz –incumbent Provincial Board Member Jocelyn Lelis (Lakas-Kampi-CMD).
Meanwhile, both the defeated and proclaimed winners vowed to set aside politics after the election and start to work on genuine public service to help make Sorsogon move forward.
Sorsoganons, meanwhile, anticipate that the newly elected leaders will vouch to what they have promised. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)
DOST LAUDS PASSAGE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LAW
By Danny O. Calleja
LEGAZPI CITY — The whole science community has hailed the enactment of the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009 which would serve as the blueprint for nationally coordinated technology transfer framework of government-funded researches, the regional office for Bicol of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) here said.
Republic Act No. 10055, otherwise known as “An Act Providing the Framework and Support System for the Ownership, Management, Use and Commercialization of Intellectual Property Generated from Research and Development Funded by Government and for Other Purposes,” was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last March 23.
Quoting a statement of DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro, DOST Regional Director Tomas Briñas said, “We are optimistic that this new law, a landmark policy on technology transfer, will revolutionize the commercialization of technologies generated by researches funded by taxpayers’ money.”
Briñas also echoed Albastro’s optimism of the new law’s merit in promoting technologies to the market as well as preventing brain drain and out-migration of science and technology (S&T) professionals and encouraging students to pursue research and development (R&D) studies.
Albastro also lauded President Arroyo and Congress for taking into account such a much-needed legislation for the science and technology sector, Briñas said.
A key provision in the law provides for incentives to researchers by providing them share in the royalties as well as allowing them put up their own start-up companies, Briñas said.
The law was Alabastro’s brainchild, having recognized the need for a national backbone and framework that would push technology generation and application to its maximum potential through efficient and coordinated transfer capability and intellectual property assertions around the country, similar to the Bayh-Dole Act in the United States, he said.
Briñas explained that taking advantage of the new law would hasten the process of technology commercialization and broadens the scope of protection of intellectual property rights in government research and development institutions.
“For the longest time, we rely mostly on breakthroughs from outside, while our local technologies generated through public funds remain untapped or archived in laboratories around the country. Hence, this is a significant break for us to roll this out to the market and be availed by the public,” he added.
Once fully in place, the new law is expected to provide the mechanism to allow important technologies to be commercialized and be made available to the public, Briñas explained.
Dr. Patricio Faylon, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) executive director, in a statement, meanwhile, expressed elation with the enactment of R.A. 10055.
He described it as a leap for the inter-agency policy advocacy collaboration and a feat in the Council’s policy development and advocacy mandate relating to S&T development.
PCARRD, the central planning council of DOST in the agriculture, forestry and natural resources, has led the department’s efforts in the bill’s legislative advocacy and public awareness activities since 2006.
Faylon said the enactment of the law came after three years into legislation. It was principally sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Edgardo Angara and co-authored by Senators Manuel Roxas II and Loren Legarda. Senators Pia Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Zubiri served as co-sponsors.
In the House of Representatives, Cavite 1st district Rep. Joseph Abaya was at the forefront of the bill’s passage serving as its principal author. Angara and Abaya are chairs of the Committees on Science and Technology at the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
Meanwhile, the technical and financial support given by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Philippines, DOST Planning and Evaluation Service, and DOST councils and institutes were instrumental in the legislative advocacy of the law. Currently, DOST and IPO are preparing the basis for the Act’s implementing rules and regulation (IRR). (PNA Bicol)
DA GRANTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE TO BAGSAKAN CENTERS IN CAMARINES NORTE
DAET, Camarines Norte — The National Food Authority (NFA) provincial office and Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) here has distributed some 120 bags of rice to the three barangay food terminals or ‘bagsakan’ centers in three towns of the province.
Dr. Helen Abordo, Camarines Norte provincial agriculturist, disclosed that each barangay terminal has received as grant of 40 bags of rice amounting to P50,000 funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Abordo said that identified food terminals in the province include Barangays Canapawan, Labo; Batobalani, Paracale and Pambuhan, Mercedes.
Respective barangay councils will manage and sell the allotment of 40 bags of rice and the sales will become their capital for the next purchases of rice.
She explained that ‘bagsakan’ center serve as venue for selling of agricultural and marine products, among others of locals.
It can be recalled that the ‘bagsakan’ centers were provided recently each with a freezer, weighing scale, grinder and crates as their equipments for the selling of their products.
PAO, on the other hand, is tasked to monitor the operations of the center, furthermore, has urged local producers and suppliers to trade their yields or products at the centers. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)
MGB BICOL, 3 MINING FIRMS SLATE INFO DRIVE ON PPAs
LEGAZPIO CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Bicol and the three large scale mining firms operating in the region recently agreed to stage a joint information campaign on the state mining industry in Bicol.
MGB Bicol Regional Director Reynulfo A. Juan said the campaign will basically focus on the programs, projects, and related activities of the government mining regulatory office, on the other hand, of the three big mining firms to ensure environmental law compliance and sustainable development of the mining industry.
The information drive, according to Juan, will commence on June and end in December, this year, to utilize all forms of media in order to completely reach out the target audience.
“The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project in Rapu-rapu, Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation/Goodfound Cement Corporation in Camalig, both in Albay province, and the Filminera Resources Corporation in Aroroy, Masbate will be be joiing EMB in these worthwhile endeavor addressing several pressing issues in order to protect the environment,” he elaborated.
“The campaign is specifically targeting pre-selected audiences or covered communities in order for them to better know what our office and these three mining companies are doing,” Juan further said.
Juan pointed out that the joint information campaign will also focus on the importance, benefits and contributions of mining in the local communities and to the country’s economy; roles of MGB in regulating the mining industry and of enforcing mining laws against erring mining companies; responsible mining; mining and geosciences; the Social Development and Management Program; protection of the environment in every stage of mining operation; equitable sharing or economic benefits derived from mining among various units of the government as well as the affected communities – taxes paid; and nature and operations of mining project.
He explained that this effort is carried out in lieu of the Philippine Mining Law of 1995 and its implementing rules and regulations which requires mining companies to inform the public about its operations and benefits through information and activity centers; information dissemination, consultation and media; research, scholarships and trainings; and other activities approved by the MGB chief. (MGB V/PIA)
PGMA'S BREASTFEEDING PROGRAM USHERS NEW DIRECTION
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s policies and programs increased the exclusive breastfeeding rate almost four times and ushered in a new direction for breastfeeding as an important part of public healthcare and national development.
Dra. Elvira Henares-Esguerra, founding president of Children for Breastfeeding Inc. (CfB), said the President’s compassion and political will saved breastfeeding from the brink of extinction, reversing 20 years of frustration from among its advocates.
The Chief Executive received this morning a copy of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) promoting the importance of breastfeeding between the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the Department of Science and technology (DOST) and the Children for Breastfeeding Inc. (CfB). The MOU was presented to her by Esguerra and PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya in simple ceremonies this morning at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall.
Esguerra said the MOU further promotes researches in breastfeeding that include the intake of virgin coconut oil for breastfeeding mothers to increase the anti-microbial properties of human breast milk.
Esguerra said the President emphasized the importance of infant and young child feeding practices and its crucial role in national development as a means to reach the country’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of significantly reducing maternal mortality and deaths among children under the age of five.
In 2005, Esguerra said the President issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1113 promulgating the yearly celebration of World Breastfeeding Week every August 1-7.
Esguerra said the President also launched the National Plan of Action on Infant and Young Child Feeding 2005-2010; and made available a bigger budget for the hunger mitigation program which provided funds for training and education materials on breastfeeding.
Esgeurra said the President’s program and policies have averted the rapid decline of breastfeeding rates among mothers.
“Thanks to your support Madame President, the number of children who were never breastfed decreased from 13.2 percent in 2003 to only eight percent by 2008 and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding increased almost four times, from 24 days to almost 90 days,” Esguerra said.
Also presented to the President this morning was the Department of Health (DOH) Guidelines for Physicians on the Promotion, Protection and Support of Breastfeeding.
Esguerra noted that the DOH guidelines allow no exemptions to the national policy of regulating milk advertisements for children up to three years of age and forbidding nutritional claims that undermine breastfeeding.
Researches have pointed out the importance breastfeeding in reducing the prevalence of diarrhea, infections, allergies and other diseases among infants.
As part of a global public health recommendation, Esguerra said infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months up to two years to achieve optimal growth and development.
Among those present in Malacanang were other breastfeeding advocates, DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro, and DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla. (PIA V Release)
PGMA OPENS FIRST GERIATRIC CARE HOSPITAL IN MANILA
MANILA — Senior citizens of Manila and nearby areas are now assured of quality and affordable healthcare after the first ever hospital to cater to the specific needs of aging citizens opened its doors to the public this morning (Sunday, May 16).
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo led the blessing and soft launching of the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) located along General Solano Street in Malacañang, Manila.
The geriatric health center will serve as the country’s premier specialty center for providing better healthcare for senior citizens who comprise 8.7 million of all Filipinos in the 60 year old and above age bracket.
Statistics reveal this number, recorded as of 2007, is steadily increasing at a rate of 2.3% per year.
Formerly called the Singian Hospital, a Chinese-run hospital which was later converted into Tahanan ng Masa by former President Joseph Estrada, the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health is a 50-bed hospital facility housed in a four-storey building with a total floor area of 5,477 square meters.
The building will also house other important hospital facilities and rooms such as a pharmacy, a business office, emergency assessment room, out-patient clinics and a physical therapy room.
The second and third floors will contain the hospital’s clinical laboratory, x-ray and dialysis rooms as well as a research, medical records and training center on the fourth floor.
Built at a cost of P200-million, the hospital will be under the management of the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, pending the enactment of House Bill No. 6245 entitled An Act Establishing the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) into law.
Prior to the blessing and soft opening ceremonies of the geriatric center, President Arroyo and the First Family attended a Eucharistic celebration, officiated by Bishop Emeritus Federico Escaler S.J., at the nearby San Miguel church in commemoration of the 11th death anniversary of Doña Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal. (PIA V Release)
PALACE URGES NEXT PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT CORONA AS CJ
MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo L. Saludo issued Saturday (May 15) this statement, urging the incoming president to accept Justice Renato Corona as the duly appointed next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, effective next week:
“We echo the call of our esteemed Chief Justice (Reynato) Puno for the next president to respect the rule of law and accept Justice Corona as the duly appointed next CJ.
“Justice Puno is right in saying: ‘Without the rule of law, our society will disintegrate. All of us should observe the rule of law. No one can excuse himself and say he is not covered by the rule of law. The higher you are in the government, the more you should respect the rule of law.‘
The next president should also heed CJ Puno's urging to lead in healing the many wounds of society.” (PIA V Release)
CORONA'S ASSUMPTION AS CHIEF JUSTICE ENDS SUCCESSION ISSUE, SAYS AGRA
MANILA — The assumption of Justice Renato Corona today as Chief Justice closes the long-winding succession issue touched off by the retirement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno, according to Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said.
Agra, who is also Solicitor General, said that Puno himself helped settled such issue when the latter recognized Corona as the country's 23rd Chief Justice during his retirement speech at the Supreme Court last Friday.
Earlier, Puno, ex-officio chairman of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), nominated Corona as the next Chief Justice.
"What is clear is that it is settled that the incumbent President can make the appointment which can be effective on the first day of the vacancy. No one can diminish this prerogative and right by President Arroyo," Agra said.
Agra said that the appointment by President Arroyo was now complete and final, adding that, SC Justices may only be removed by impeachment.
However, Agra said that the acceptance by Chief Justice Corona of his appointment cannot subject him to impeachment such that none of the grounds exist.
Agra said that there was no culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust in the sense that the SC already 'wrote finis' to this issue.
"This is already settled and the appointment cannot be recalled," Agra said, adding that, "The constitutional provision on revocations by the succeeding President refers only to an Acting President's appointments to the Executive Department."
The other nominees were SC Associate Justices Arturo Brion and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval. The nomination was submitted by JBC to the Office of the President for her consideration.
In turn, the President has a period of 90 days within which to make such appointment to fill up such vacancy in the Judiciary.
"The incumbent President exercised her constitutional duty and made the appointment from that list within the prescribed time," Agra said. (PIA V Release)
LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY POST GAINS IN Q1 AMID EL NINO
MANILA — The livestock and poultry subsectors managed to post modest gains in the first quarter of the year despite the onslaught of El Niño on key food-producing areas in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday.
Crops like coconut, mango, tobacco, cabbage, cassava and onion also registered positive growth rates but their gains were not enough to offset the significant production losses from palay and corn, according to the first-quarter official report of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
In general, Philippine agriculture contracted by 2.84%, along with its primary growth driver—the fisheries subsector—owing to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on this sector, the same BAS quarterly report said.
Production losses in palay and corn for the first quarter were estimated at 300 thousand MT and 175 thousand MT, respectively.
Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said “the Department is now reviewing protocols on water management in dams and irrigation systems nationwide, along with an array of other measures, to mitigate the adverse effects of future dry spells on Philippine agriculture and fisheries.”
“Alongside revisiting protocols on water releases from dams, the Department is also planning to expand its programs on small water impounding projects and communal irrigation systems, he said, to help mitigate the adverse impact of future El Niño attacks on farm yields.
Installing more water impounding and communal irrigation facilities, Fondevilla said, will allow farms to tap alternative water sources in case big dams dry up during El Niño-induced dry spells.
The DA will likewise stock up on drought-resistant seeds and will spearhead programs to either protect watersheds or reforest denuded ones, he said.
"So these are the things we can prepare for the future. Of course the other things are, we look at the way we are using up water as well. We need to look at our water sheds to make sure that they are either protected, and those that are already denuded, maybe we can embark with other agencies of the government to reforest them and renew them," Fondevilla said.
In its report, BAS said the livestock subsector grew by a modest 0.51% in the first three months of 2010, as production increases were recorded for hog, goat and cattle, while dairy posted a hefty 17.22% output gain.
The poultry subsector expanded 2.02% on the back of increases in chicken and chicken egg production of 1.81% and 4.43%, respectively.
These two subsectors accounted for close to 30% of the total agricultural output for the first quarter, BAS said.
It said the growth of the crops subsector, which shared 47.75% of the total agricultural production, dropped by 6.15% as palay posted production losses of 11.41% with 3.49 million metric tons and corn output at 1.6 million MT declined by 16.76% as compared to the same period last year.
"The dry spell caused by the El Niño pulled down area harvested and yield in the major palay producing regions of Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN, " the BAS said in its report.
Meanwhile, "yellow corn production was adversely affected by hot weather as area harvested in Cagayan Valley , SOCCSKSARGEN, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Cordillera Administrative Region contracted in the first quarter of the year," BAS likewise noted.
The biggest gainer in the crops subsector was onion with an output increase of 11.22%. Coconut grew by 1.75%; banana by 1.26%; mango, 3.10%; tobacco, 9.66%; cassava, 6.99%; tomato, 7,05%; eggplant, 1.21%; and cabbage, 3.55%.
However, sugarcane, mongo and rubber posted big production cuts.
Total fisheries production, which accounted for 24.84% of the total agricultural output, dipped by 0.63% in the first three months of the year. Commercial and municipal fisheries posted production declines of 3.5% and 0.15%, respectively, but aquaculture managed to grow by 0.36%.
The impact of the dry spell on agricultural production would have been worse had the DA failed to retool its budget in the previous years to enable Philippine farms to meet the twin challenges of this phenomenon along with increasing global free trade.
It allocated 86% of its P47 billion budget to various support services, such as the provision of flatbed dryers, corn drying centrals, fishports, and storage warehouses for farm produce; market linkages; strengthening of regulatory and disease eradication capabilities; and the establishment of satellite-based remote sensing and geographic information systems.
Moreover, the DA strengthened its statistics and forecasting capabilities; developed and distributed climate-ready crops seeds, which are submergence, drought and disease tolerant; engineered climate-change adapted infrastructure for production and processing; enabled more financing for agriculture through innovative weather-based insurance schemes; and disseminated more information, knowledge and training in crops science and planting techniques. (DA Press Office/PIA)
SIRUMA, Camarines Sur--- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has received warm applause and loud cheers from the constituents of this coastal town following her announcement that a satellite broadband will be installed in this municipality as part of her legacy program in modernizing the educational system.
The President made the statement before a jam-packed crowd at Siruma High School Sports Complex here Thursday (May 13), barely three days after the successful conduct of the first automated election in the country.
The visit was part of the President’s legacy tour in various learning institutions, particularly those located in the countryside.
Siruma Mayor Nonito Vier said that President Arroyo’s visit came as a surprise adding that “for a small, coastal town to be visited for the first time by the highest official of the land, is indeed one of the greatest honor for all of us—and to think that a few days from now, her term of office as our president will already expire.”
The President in her speech said that the her administration have already done so much to improve the educational system yet thinks that more is still to be done.
“We already have a lot of gains in education, we have constructed classrooms and we have provided our teachers with trainings but I would like to reiterate the need to modernize our educational system by having available internet access to all our teachers, particularly our students.”
This town, dubbed as Camarines Sur’s hidden paradise, still lags behind when it comes to modernization. Located at the northern portion of the province some 85 kilometers away from Naga City, this little coastal town is hardly reached by investors due to the bad road network that connects its constituents to the nearest city.
Apparently, the President was able to learn about the woes of frequent travelers, and have promised that a separate budget will be allocated for the re-blocking and maintenance of the Siruma road.
The President also scored on her advocacy to lower the cost of medicine and make them affordable by establishing Botika ng Barangays in various municipalities all over the country. In Siruma alone, there are already nine (9) botika ng barangays since 2005. They are situated at Barangays Poblacion, Pamintan, Salvacion, Nalayahan, Tandoc, San Ramon, Vito , Fundado and at Matandang Siruma.
After her speech, the President visited several stalls tagged as “Tindahan ng Palengke, formerly referred to as “Tindahan ni Gloria” and Botika ng Barangays situated at Siruma’s Poblacion Area. (LSMacatangay, PIA CamSur)
ALBAY MULLING TO USE SIMCLIM TO EXAMINE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
LEGAZPI CITY— The Provincial Government of Albay is mulling to utilize the customized SimCLIM software, a computer model system for examining the effects of climate variability and change over time and space, according to the chief of the Center for Initiative and Research Center for climate Adaptation (CIRCA).
CIRCA Executive Director Nhong Rangasa averred Albay would be the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to use the SimCLIM in the province’s program on climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk management and other development applications.
Rangasa explained that SimCLIM is an open framework modeling system which allows user to customize the model for geographical area and spatial resolution and to attach models.
The software has the capacity to assess baseline climate and current variability and extremes, present and future risks, investigate present and future adaptation, create scenarios of climate and sea level change, conduct sensitivity analyses, impact and others.
CIRCA in Albay is proposing to the national government to create a customized SimCLIM software modeling system for the Philippines.
Rangasa said that it could be applied in the work programs of several agencies in the country.
Albay is the only province in the country using the SimCLIM software for revisiting the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
A version of SimCLIM customized for the Philippines will include the statistical downscaled Global Climate Monitoring (GCM) patterns, rather than directly bilinear interpolated GCM patterns in that characterized earlier version of the software.
Rangasa further said that SimCLIM outputs are multifaceted and applicable to a wide range of planning and sustainable development application and sustainable development applications.
“It is perhaps the first and foremost a tool for creating possible scenarios of climate change that are then linked with various sectors, such as coastal, agriculture, water, health and the planning required to reduce the risk borne by societies and environments as a result in shifts in climate,” he noted.
Rangasa said Albay is moving advance in terms of climate change adaptation response.
Albay is the first province in the country to institutionalize CIRCA and declared as Global LGU model for Climate Change Adaptation by United Nation International Strategy Disaster Reduction Report 2008 and World Bank.
The province, through CIRCA, develops climate change integration in curriculum in all learning area, hosted two separate national conferences that resulted to the Manila Declaration as a tool for the early passage of disaster management bill and creation of the Climate Change Commission. (MALoterte, PIA V)
SORSOGON 2010 ELECTION WINNERS PROCLAIMED
… LGUs back to business as usual
SORSOGON Province — Following the rush last week due to the Philippines’ first ever national and local automated polls and the proclamation of winning candidates, local government units (LGUs) across the province are back to business as usual.
“We thank those who pushed the country’s automated election, the counting and canvassing done manually in the past stretching the proclamation process for week were now reduced to 24 to 48-hr period,” the Boards of Election Inspectors and Canvassers here stated.
It can be noted that the Provincial Comelec here on Wednesday afternoon (May 12), proclaimed Raul Lee (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), ex-governor and husband of incumbent governor, as the winning governor garnering a landslide victory of 160,251 votes as against Jose Solis (Kampi) who only got 60,830 votes.
Former Vice-Governor Antonio “Kruni” Escudero (Independent) succeeded his comeback bid as vice-governor by winning 115,946 votes as against his four opponents.
For the 1st district congressional seat, Jose Edwin Hamor (NP) who got 63,287 votes loses to incumbent Congressman Salvador Escudero III (NPC) who got 89,512 votes.
Incumbent Gubat Mayor Deogracias Ramos, Jr. (LP) topped the congressional seat in the second district edging a slim margin against Ricardo Golpeo (NPC), his closest opponent.
The province of Sorsogon has 397,419 total registered voters in 692 clustered precincts. Of the total number of registered voters, 323,191 have actually voted.
Meanwhile, Irosin town was the first to proclaim their winning candidates on May 11, 7:36 A.M., while Donsol town was the last to proclaim on the afternoon of May 12.
In Sorsogon City, Leovic Dioneda (LP) holds on to his post as the city mayor by winning a gap of 11,037 votes against his lone opponent, incumbent City Vice-Mayor Edmundo Atutubo (Kampi).
Robert Rodrigueza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD), son of incumbent governor Sally Lee and governor-elect Raul Lee won a big margin as Sorsogon City vice-mayor against his lone opponent incumbent city councilor Roel Sta. Ana.
The following municipal mayors were also proclaimed winners in their respective towns,
Barcelona – current provincial administrator Atty. Manuel Fortes, Jr. (LP); Bulan – incumbent Mayor Helen Rose de Castro (Lakas-Kampi-CMD; Bulusan – Michael Guysayko (NP), son of incumbent Bulusan Mayor and League of Municipalities Sorsogon chapter president Juan Guysayko who did not make it in the second district congressional race; Castilla – incumbent Mayor Olive Bermillo (LP); Casiguran – incumbent Mayor Ester Hamor (NP); Donsol – incumbent Mayor Jerome Alcantara (LP); Gubat – 29 yr-old Ronnel Lim (NP); Irosin – Eduardo Ong (PDP-Laban); Juban – Jimmy Fragata (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) and husband of three-termer and incumbent Mayor Tess Fragata; Magallanes – former mayor of the same town Roque Carranza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD); Matnog – former Matnog mayor Emilio Ubaldo (Kampi);
Pilar – incumbent Mayor Dennis Sy-Reyes (NPC); and, Prieto Diaz –incumbent Provincial Board Member Jocelyn Lelis (Lakas-Kampi-CMD).
Meanwhile, both the defeated and proclaimed winners vowed to set aside politics after the election and start to work on genuine public service to help make Sorsogon move forward.
Sorsoganons, meanwhile, anticipate that the newly elected leaders will vouch to what they have promised. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)
DOST LAUDS PASSAGE OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER LAW
By Danny O. Calleja
LEGAZPI CITY — The whole science community has hailed the enactment of the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009 which would serve as the blueprint for nationally coordinated technology transfer framework of government-funded researches, the regional office for Bicol of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) here said.
Republic Act No. 10055, otherwise known as “An Act Providing the Framework and Support System for the Ownership, Management, Use and Commercialization of Intellectual Property Generated from Research and Development Funded by Government and for Other Purposes,” was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo last March 23.
Quoting a statement of DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro, DOST Regional Director Tomas Briñas said, “We are optimistic that this new law, a landmark policy on technology transfer, will revolutionize the commercialization of technologies generated by researches funded by taxpayers’ money.”
Briñas also echoed Albastro’s optimism of the new law’s merit in promoting technologies to the market as well as preventing brain drain and out-migration of science and technology (S&T) professionals and encouraging students to pursue research and development (R&D) studies.
Albastro also lauded President Arroyo and Congress for taking into account such a much-needed legislation for the science and technology sector, Briñas said.
A key provision in the law provides for incentives to researchers by providing them share in the royalties as well as allowing them put up their own start-up companies, Briñas said.
The law was Alabastro’s brainchild, having recognized the need for a national backbone and framework that would push technology generation and application to its maximum potential through efficient and coordinated transfer capability and intellectual property assertions around the country, similar to the Bayh-Dole Act in the United States, he said.
Briñas explained that taking advantage of the new law would hasten the process of technology commercialization and broadens the scope of protection of intellectual property rights in government research and development institutions.
“For the longest time, we rely mostly on breakthroughs from outside, while our local technologies generated through public funds remain untapped or archived in laboratories around the country. Hence, this is a significant break for us to roll this out to the market and be availed by the public,” he added.
Once fully in place, the new law is expected to provide the mechanism to allow important technologies to be commercialized and be made available to the public, Briñas explained.
Dr. Patricio Faylon, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) executive director, in a statement, meanwhile, expressed elation with the enactment of R.A. 10055.
He described it as a leap for the inter-agency policy advocacy collaboration and a feat in the Council’s policy development and advocacy mandate relating to S&T development.
PCARRD, the central planning council of DOST in the agriculture, forestry and natural resources, has led the department’s efforts in the bill’s legislative advocacy and public awareness activities since 2006.
Faylon said the enactment of the law came after three years into legislation. It was principally sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Edgardo Angara and co-authored by Senators Manuel Roxas II and Loren Legarda. Senators Pia Cayetano, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Jinggoy Estrada and Juan Zubiri served as co-sponsors.
In the House of Representatives, Cavite 1st district Rep. Joseph Abaya was at the forefront of the bill’s passage serving as its principal author. Angara and Abaya are chairs of the Committees on Science and Technology at the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively.
Meanwhile, the technical and financial support given by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of the Philippines, DOST Planning and Evaluation Service, and DOST councils and institutes were instrumental in the legislative advocacy of the law. Currently, DOST and IPO are preparing the basis for the Act’s implementing rules and regulation (IRR). (PNA Bicol)
DA GRANTS CAPITAL ASSISTANCE TO BAGSAKAN CENTERS IN CAMARINES NORTE
DAET, Camarines Norte — The National Food Authority (NFA) provincial office and Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) here has distributed some 120 bags of rice to the three barangay food terminals or ‘bagsakan’ centers in three towns of the province.
Dr. Helen Abordo, Camarines Norte provincial agriculturist, disclosed that each barangay terminal has received as grant of 40 bags of rice amounting to P50,000 funded by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Abordo said that identified food terminals in the province include Barangays Canapawan, Labo; Batobalani, Paracale and Pambuhan, Mercedes.
Respective barangay councils will manage and sell the allotment of 40 bags of rice and the sales will become their capital for the next purchases of rice.
She explained that ‘bagsakan’ center serve as venue for selling of agricultural and marine products, among others of locals.
It can be recalled that the ‘bagsakan’ centers were provided recently each with a freezer, weighing scale, grinder and crates as their equipments for the selling of their products.
PAO, on the other hand, is tasked to monitor the operations of the center, furthermore, has urged local producers and suppliers to trade their yields or products at the centers. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)
MGB BICOL, 3 MINING FIRMS SLATE INFO DRIVE ON PPAs
LEGAZPIO CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Bicol and the three large scale mining firms operating in the region recently agreed to stage a joint information campaign on the state mining industry in Bicol.
MGB Bicol Regional Director Reynulfo A. Juan said the campaign will basically focus on the programs, projects, and related activities of the government mining regulatory office, on the other hand, of the three big mining firms to ensure environmental law compliance and sustainable development of the mining industry.
The information drive, according to Juan, will commence on June and end in December, this year, to utilize all forms of media in order to completely reach out the target audience.
“The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project in Rapu-rapu, Ibalong Resources and Development Corporation/Goodfound Cement Corporation in Camalig, both in Albay province, and the Filminera Resources Corporation in Aroroy, Masbate will be be joiing EMB in these worthwhile endeavor addressing several pressing issues in order to protect the environment,” he elaborated.
“The campaign is specifically targeting pre-selected audiences or covered communities in order for them to better know what our office and these three mining companies are doing,” Juan further said.
Juan pointed out that the joint information campaign will also focus on the importance, benefits and contributions of mining in the local communities and to the country’s economy; roles of MGB in regulating the mining industry and of enforcing mining laws against erring mining companies; responsible mining; mining and geosciences; the Social Development and Management Program; protection of the environment in every stage of mining operation; equitable sharing or economic benefits derived from mining among various units of the government as well as the affected communities – taxes paid; and nature and operations of mining project.
He explained that this effort is carried out in lieu of the Philippine Mining Law of 1995 and its implementing rules and regulations which requires mining companies to inform the public about its operations and benefits through information and activity centers; information dissemination, consultation and media; research, scholarships and trainings; and other activities approved by the MGB chief. (MGB V/PIA)
PGMA'S BREASTFEEDING PROGRAM USHERS NEW DIRECTION
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s policies and programs increased the exclusive breastfeeding rate almost four times and ushered in a new direction for breastfeeding as an important part of public healthcare and national development.
Dra. Elvira Henares-Esguerra, founding president of Children for Breastfeeding Inc. (CfB), said the President’s compassion and political will saved breastfeeding from the brink of extinction, reversing 20 years of frustration from among its advocates.
The Chief Executive received this morning a copy of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) promoting the importance of breastfeeding between the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the Department of Science and technology (DOST) and the Children for Breastfeeding Inc. (CfB). The MOU was presented to her by Esguerra and PCHRD Executive Director Dr. Jaime Montoya in simple ceremonies this morning at Malacanang’s Rizal Hall.
Esguerra said the MOU further promotes researches in breastfeeding that include the intake of virgin coconut oil for breastfeeding mothers to increase the anti-microbial properties of human breast milk.
Esguerra said the President emphasized the importance of infant and young child feeding practices and its crucial role in national development as a means to reach the country’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of significantly reducing maternal mortality and deaths among children under the age of five.
In 2005, Esguerra said the President issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1113 promulgating the yearly celebration of World Breastfeeding Week every August 1-7.
Esguerra said the President also launched the National Plan of Action on Infant and Young Child Feeding 2005-2010; and made available a bigger budget for the hunger mitigation program which provided funds for training and education materials on breastfeeding.
Esgeurra said the President’s program and policies have averted the rapid decline of breastfeeding rates among mothers.
“Thanks to your support Madame President, the number of children who were never breastfed decreased from 13.2 percent in 2003 to only eight percent by 2008 and the duration of exclusive breastfeeding increased almost four times, from 24 days to almost 90 days,” Esguerra said.
Also presented to the President this morning was the Department of Health (DOH) Guidelines for Physicians on the Promotion, Protection and Support of Breastfeeding.
Esguerra noted that the DOH guidelines allow no exemptions to the national policy of regulating milk advertisements for children up to three years of age and forbidding nutritional claims that undermine breastfeeding.
Researches have pointed out the importance breastfeeding in reducing the prevalence of diarrhea, infections, allergies and other diseases among infants.
As part of a global public health recommendation, Esguerra said infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months up to two years to achieve optimal growth and development.
Among those present in Malacanang were other breastfeeding advocates, DOST Secretary Estrella Alabastro, and DOH Undersecretary Alexander Padilla. (PIA V Release)
PGMA OPENS FIRST GERIATRIC CARE HOSPITAL IN MANILA
MANILA — Senior citizens of Manila and nearby areas are now assured of quality and affordable healthcare after the first ever hospital to cater to the specific needs of aging citizens opened its doors to the public this morning (Sunday, May 16).
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo led the blessing and soft launching of the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) located along General Solano Street in Malacañang, Manila.
The geriatric health center will serve as the country’s premier specialty center for providing better healthcare for senior citizens who comprise 8.7 million of all Filipinos in the 60 year old and above age bracket.
Statistics reveal this number, recorded as of 2007, is steadily increasing at a rate of 2.3% per year.
Formerly called the Singian Hospital, a Chinese-run hospital which was later converted into Tahanan ng Masa by former President Joseph Estrada, the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health is a 50-bed hospital facility housed in a four-storey building with a total floor area of 5,477 square meters.
The building will also house other important hospital facilities and rooms such as a pharmacy, a business office, emergency assessment room, out-patient clinics and a physical therapy room.
The second and third floors will contain the hospital’s clinical laboratory, x-ray and dialysis rooms as well as a research, medical records and training center on the fourth floor.
Built at a cost of P200-million, the hospital will be under the management of the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, pending the enactment of House Bill No. 6245 entitled An Act Establishing the Dr. Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) into law.
Prior to the blessing and soft opening ceremonies of the geriatric center, President Arroyo and the First Family attended a Eucharistic celebration, officiated by Bishop Emeritus Federico Escaler S.J., at the nearby San Miguel church in commemoration of the 11th death anniversary of Doña Eva Macaraeg-Macapagal. (PIA V Release)
PALACE URGES NEXT PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT CORONA AS CJ
MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo L. Saludo issued Saturday (May 15) this statement, urging the incoming president to accept Justice Renato Corona as the duly appointed next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, effective next week:
“We echo the call of our esteemed Chief Justice (Reynato) Puno for the next president to respect the rule of law and accept Justice Corona as the duly appointed next CJ.
“Justice Puno is right in saying: ‘Without the rule of law, our society will disintegrate. All of us should observe the rule of law. No one can excuse himself and say he is not covered by the rule of law. The higher you are in the government, the more you should respect the rule of law.‘
The next president should also heed CJ Puno's urging to lead in healing the many wounds of society.” (PIA V Release)
CORONA'S ASSUMPTION AS CHIEF JUSTICE ENDS SUCCESSION ISSUE, SAYS AGRA
MANILA — The assumption of Justice Renato Corona today as Chief Justice closes the long-winding succession issue touched off by the retirement of Chief Justice Reynato Puno, according to Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said.
Agra, who is also Solicitor General, said that Puno himself helped settled such issue when the latter recognized Corona as the country's 23rd Chief Justice during his retirement speech at the Supreme Court last Friday.
Earlier, Puno, ex-officio chairman of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), nominated Corona as the next Chief Justice.
"What is clear is that it is settled that the incumbent President can make the appointment which can be effective on the first day of the vacancy. No one can diminish this prerogative and right by President Arroyo," Agra said.
Agra said that the appointment by President Arroyo was now complete and final, adding that, SC Justices may only be removed by impeachment.
However, Agra said that the acceptance by Chief Justice Corona of his appointment cannot subject him to impeachment such that none of the grounds exist.
Agra said that there was no culpable violation of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, or betrayal of public trust in the sense that the SC already 'wrote finis' to this issue.
"This is already settled and the appointment cannot be recalled," Agra said, adding that, "The constitutional provision on revocations by the succeeding President refers only to an Acting President's appointments to the Executive Department."
The other nominees were SC Associate Justices Arturo Brion and Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval. The nomination was submitted by JBC to the Office of the President for her consideration.
In turn, the President has a period of 90 days within which to make such appointment to fill up such vacancy in the Judiciary.
"The incumbent President exercised her constitutional duty and made the appointment from that list within the prescribed time," Agra said. (PIA V Release)
LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY POST GAINS IN Q1 AMID EL NINO
MANILA — The livestock and poultry subsectors managed to post modest gains in the first quarter of the year despite the onslaught of El Niño on key food-producing areas in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday.
Crops like coconut, mango, tobacco, cabbage, cassava and onion also registered positive growth rates but their gains were not enough to offset the significant production losses from palay and corn, according to the first-quarter official report of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS).
In general, Philippine agriculture contracted by 2.84%, along with its primary growth driver—the fisheries subsector—owing to the impact of the El Nino phenomenon on this sector, the same BAS quarterly report said.
Production losses in palay and corn for the first quarter were estimated at 300 thousand MT and 175 thousand MT, respectively.
Agriculture Secretary Bernie Fondevilla said “the Department is now reviewing protocols on water management in dams and irrigation systems nationwide, along with an array of other measures, to mitigate the adverse effects of future dry spells on Philippine agriculture and fisheries.”
“Alongside revisiting protocols on water releases from dams, the Department is also planning to expand its programs on small water impounding projects and communal irrigation systems, he said, to help mitigate the adverse impact of future El Niño attacks on farm yields.
Installing more water impounding and communal irrigation facilities, Fondevilla said, will allow farms to tap alternative water sources in case big dams dry up during El Niño-induced dry spells.
The DA will likewise stock up on drought-resistant seeds and will spearhead programs to either protect watersheds or reforest denuded ones, he said.
"So these are the things we can prepare for the future. Of course the other things are, we look at the way we are using up water as well. We need to look at our water sheds to make sure that they are either protected, and those that are already denuded, maybe we can embark with other agencies of the government to reforest them and renew them," Fondevilla said.
In its report, BAS said the livestock subsector grew by a modest 0.51% in the first three months of 2010, as production increases were recorded for hog, goat and cattle, while dairy posted a hefty 17.22% output gain.
The poultry subsector expanded 2.02% on the back of increases in chicken and chicken egg production of 1.81% and 4.43%, respectively.
These two subsectors accounted for close to 30% of the total agricultural output for the first quarter, BAS said.
It said the growth of the crops subsector, which shared 47.75% of the total agricultural production, dropped by 6.15% as palay posted production losses of 11.41% with 3.49 million metric tons and corn output at 1.6 million MT declined by 16.76% as compared to the same period last year.
"The dry spell caused by the El Niño pulled down area harvested and yield in the major palay producing regions of Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN, " the BAS said in its report.
Meanwhile, "yellow corn production was adversely affected by hot weather as area harvested in Cagayan Valley , SOCCSKSARGEN, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao and Cordillera Administrative Region contracted in the first quarter of the year," BAS likewise noted.
The biggest gainer in the crops subsector was onion with an output increase of 11.22%. Coconut grew by 1.75%; banana by 1.26%; mango, 3.10%; tobacco, 9.66%; cassava, 6.99%; tomato, 7,05%; eggplant, 1.21%; and cabbage, 3.55%.
However, sugarcane, mongo and rubber posted big production cuts.
Total fisheries production, which accounted for 24.84% of the total agricultural output, dipped by 0.63% in the first three months of the year. Commercial and municipal fisheries posted production declines of 3.5% and 0.15%, respectively, but aquaculture managed to grow by 0.36%.
The impact of the dry spell on agricultural production would have been worse had the DA failed to retool its budget in the previous years to enable Philippine farms to meet the twin challenges of this phenomenon along with increasing global free trade.
It allocated 86% of its P47 billion budget to various support services, such as the provision of flatbed dryers, corn drying centrals, fishports, and storage warehouses for farm produce; market linkages; strengthening of regulatory and disease eradication capabilities; and the establishment of satellite-based remote sensing and geographic information systems.
Moreover, the DA strengthened its statistics and forecasting capabilities; developed and distributed climate-ready crops seeds, which are submergence, drought and disease tolerant; engineered climate-change adapted infrastructure for production and processing; enabled more financing for agriculture through innovative weather-based insurance schemes; and disseminated more information, knowledge and training in crops science and planting techniques. (DA Press Office/PIA)
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
ROSAL, ROCES, TEN OTHERS PROCLAIMED WINNERS IN LEGAZPI CITY POLLS
LEGAZPI CITY — The Board of Canvassers (CBOC) here has formally proclaimed the newly elected officials in this city on Wednesday (May 12), at 12:57 a.m. at the Ibalong Conference Room here.
Geraldine Rosal, wife of incumbent Mayor Noel Rosal, won the mayoralty race garnering 56,930 votes against Lorna Cristobal, 31,959 votes. Incumbent Councilor Vitorio Roces, on the other hand, was elected vice mayor with 32,887 votes against Michael Imperial who got 31,288 and Ismael Buban, with 20,978 votes.
Newly elected city councilors are Rolly Rosal with 46,891 votes, Jim Andes - 36,017, Cerilo Chan - 34,050, Alex Sy – 32,221, Chito Baldo – 31,596. Chito Ante – 31,516, Melissa Abadeza – 28,462, Oscar Santillan – 28,343, Alan Rañola – 27,955 and Elmo Inzon – 27,613.
The incumbent city dad meanwhile said that with this turn of events, he will give strong support and assistance to the new mayor-elect, particularly on the major and sensitive decisions.
He likewise said that the huge number of votes garnered by his wife is God’s grace bestowed upon the Legazpeños, adding that the victory is an offshoot good governance manifested by his administration and dedication to the people.
On the other hand, Mayor-elect Rosal has thanked all the Legazpeños, mentioning those who supported and shared their efforts and sacrifices during the campaign period until Election day.
Rosal likewise said that she will continue to pursue good governance best practices and programs started by her husband, and she will also push the construction of more roads, school buildings and day care centers, create more jobs for the Legazpeños.
Rosal likewise said that she will focus on Agriculture, Education, Tourism and Health.
At present almost 67 per cent of the population of this city depends on agriculture.
She vowed to improve the irrigation system in all agricultural barangays to supply the needs of the farmers and increase the value of production. She also committed to promote organic farming to trim down the expenses during planting seasons and initiate effective programs for the organizations of the fishermen and farmers.
On Education, Rosal stressed that she will focus on intensifying the local scholarship program tha will provide students the opportunity to be in school, especially those who cannot afford to continue higher education in far-flung barangays.
If necessary, noted Rosal, the city government will form a monitoring team to assess and assist students to ensure of their needs to pursue higher education.
On Tourism, Rosal averred she will pursue extensive promotion of the tourism industry of this city through festivals, media blitz, updated website and tourism mapping like transports, hotels, restaurants and travel agencies.
For the health sector, she vowed to add more barangay health workers and craft and implement an effective program to fight malnutrition and anti-tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor-elect Roces said that he will focus on the legislative tracking by means of transparency and monitoring of all the ordinances and resolutions, professionalization of employees trainings and seminars.
He will see to it that councilors will be working effectively with their respective committees.
Roces likewise said that he will work for the creation of a website where all ordinances, resolutions, other local policies to educate the public, also vowing to support all the long-term development plan of the city government. (MPSolis, Legazpi City LGU/PIA)
COMELEC PROCLAIMS WINNERS OF ELECTION 2010 IN ALBAY
ALBAY Province — Incumbent Albay Governor Jose Ma Clemente Salceda (LP) has retained his post garnering and overwhelming 466,605 votes trouncing aspiring Maria Linda O. Montayre of LKKK, with 17,638, Marcelino C. Gallardo of PGRP, with only 5,397.
The BOC proclaimed Salceda Wednesday (May 12) as the duly elected governor of the province.
Salceda said, “I thank Albayanos for the 98 percent affirmation of our Albay Rising Vision and strategy for economic and social progress, adding that I am indebted to my constituents and pledged to repay it by working hard to further improve the quality of life of the Albayanos, specially the underprivileged.
Salceda’s running mate Harold Imperial got 185,330 votes edging Jesus Calisin of NP, with 142,287; Raul Borejon, with 116,122; and, Gil Goyena, with 11,757, in the vice gubernatorial race.
Incumbent Rep. Edcel Lagman (LAKAS KAMPI CMD), running for his third term in Albay first congressional seat, has defeated Wilfredo Brizuela (LP).
Rep. Al Francis Bichara (NP) holds on to his post in the second congressional district by winning a big margin against Amelia Bonita Apin (LP), Ricardo Ayala (Ind.)
Former Albay Governor Fernando B. Gonzales (LP) topped the congressional seat in the third district claiming the seat from incumbent Representative Reno Lim (NPC) and Brando Sael (NP), Armando Redillas (Ind.)
In Legazpi City, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also proclaimed Wednesday (May 12) the newly elected set of local officials.
Atty. Jasmin Banzuela, city election officer here, proclaimed Geraldine Rosal and Vitorio Roces (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)as newly elected mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
Geraldine Rosal, wife of outgoing Mayor Noel Rosal of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, got a total of 56,930 votes as against her opponent Lorna Cristobal with 31,909 vote casts.
Incumbent Mayors Krisel Lagman Luistro (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) has retained her post in Tabaco City and Linda Gonzalez (LP) in Ligao City.
Meanwhile, other winning candidates are re-elected town executives Carlos Irwin Baldo Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Camalig, Juan Miguel Garcia (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Guinobatan, Agnes Pacencia Dycoco (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Libon, Avelino Ceriola (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Malinao, Caesar Daep (NP) of Manito, Gregorio Ricarte (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Oas, Dante Arandia (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Pioduran, Jaime Villanueva (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Tiwi
Newly elected were Tobias Betito (LP) of Bacacay, Gerry Jaucian (NP) of Daraga, Jorem Arcanghel (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Jovellar, Roli Volante (NPC) of Malilipot, Cherilie Sampal (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Polangui, Nora Oñate of Rapu-rapu, Herbie Aguas (NP) of Sto. Domingo. (MALoterte, PIA V)
TEAM NAGA SWEEPS CITY COUNCIL POSTS ANEW
Naga City ---Still working wonders, the “Ubos kung Ubos, Gabos kung Gabos” election battlecry of Naga City pertaining to a landslide win of the administration’s candidates, now dubbed as “Team Naga” made waves again and is now a phenomenal part of this city’s political history.
This after the entire Team Naga , headed by its winning tandem , Naga’s mayoralty bet Atty. John Bongat and Vice Mayor Gabriel Hidalgo Bordado, along with the full line up of their city councilors were officially declared as winners by Atty. Cinderella Lozano, Naga City Comelec Supervisor in a simple proclamation rite at City Hall yesterday (May 11).
Bongat, Mayor Jesse Robredo’s anointed successor and protégée garnered a total vote of 32, 231 representing 78 per cent of the city’s total votes. Bongat’s closest opponent, Atty. Adan Botor, collected a total of 13, 370 votes. Former Congressman and Naga City Mayor Cho Roco, also not successful in his comeback bid, placed third in the mayoralty polls.
The wide disparity between Nagueños’ choice was also reflected in the scores garnered by the vice mayoral candidates. Incumbent city vice mayor Bordado carted a total of 37, 238 votes, catapulting him back to his old post as vice mayor of the city for the next three years. His closest rival, Benjie Lucena only managed to hurdle with a total of 14, 261 votes.
Naga City has a total registered voters of 78, 500, with 101 clustered precincts.
All 10 aspiring councillors under the Team Naga ticket were able to make it. Topping the list is Nene De Asis garnering a total vote of 34,000, followed by Atty. Nelson Legacion with 32, 670 votes and Atty. Esteban Abonal who raked in a total of 31,021 votes. Other councillors who will be serving the city council for the next three years were: Nathan Sergio, Babeth Lavadia, Ryan Rentoy, Jose Tuazon, Salvador Del Castillo, Joaquin Perez Jr and Raul Rosales. (LSMacatangay, PIA CamSur)
NEWLY-ELECTED CHIEF EXECUTIVES IN CAMARINES NORTE PROCLAIMED
DAET, Camarines Norte —Governor Edgardo A. Tallado was proclaimed anew winner this morning (Wednesday, May 12) as Governor of this province winning only by 158 votes against incumbent Labo Mayor Winniefredo Oco.
It can be recalled that Tallado has just assumed governor last May 25 after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc proclaimed him as the winning governor in 2007 elections.
For vice gubernatorial race incumbent Board Member Jonah G. Pimentel won by overwhelming votes against former Board Member Senen Jeres and 3 termer and incumbent Jose Panganiban Mayor William Lim.
Former Congressman Renato J. Unico Jr. also won by landslide against Wilfredo Chato, son of lone district incumbent Congresswoman Liwayway Vinzons Chato, while Elmer Panotes trounced Congresswoman Chato for the second congressional district.
In Daet, re-electionist Mayor Tito Sarion was proclaimed yesterday winning by more than 4,000 votes against former Governor Jesus O. Typoco Jr.
The
Meanwhile in Labo, the town with the most number of registered voters in the province, former Vice Mayor Dindo Pardo and former municipal administrator Severino Francisco Jr. won as mayor and vice-mayor respectively. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)
POLITICAL SUPPORTER SHOT AND WOUNDED BY A LOSING MAYORALTY CANDIDATE IN MASBATE
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, CamSur – A political supporter was shot and injured by a losing mayoralty candidate in Masbate yesterday, a military official said.
Major Harold M Cabunoc, 9th ID Philippine Army spokesman, said that mayoralty candidate Esteban Ballesteros shot and injured a certain Junior Argote while riding a motorcycle with two other unidentified companions in Burgos village, in Batuan town.
Cabunoc said that Ballesteros was with a certain Bobong Ballesteros when they flagged down the victim’s motorcycle and fired upon him.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds on his leg but was able to flee towards the town center in Batuan to seek medical help and report the incident to the local police.
Soldiers and policemen assigned with the Joint Special Task Force Masbate immediately proceeded to the crime scene but the suspects have already fled to an unknown location.
Manhunt operations are underway to arrest the suspects and shed light on the shooting incident.
Argote was reported to be a loyal supporter of Lakas-Kampi mayor-elect Charlie Yuson III who garnered 2,721 votes against PMP candidate Ballesteros’ 2,152 tally (unofficial COMELEC tally). The motive of the shooting is still under investigation as of this writing.
The shooting incident occurred despite the surrender of 53 firearms by prominent politicians in the province, namely now re-elected congressional candidates Antonio Kho and Narciso Bravo Jr., and former Congresswoman and now, Governor-elect Rizalina Lanete.
Prior to this latest incident, Masbate has logged a total of 11 election-related violent incidents (ERVI) in this year’s automated elections.
Colonel Alvin Tiamwatt, AFP Special Task Force Masbate commander, said that the efforts of the AFP and PNP, coupled by the support of the local political leaders, paved the way for the waning number of ERVIs this year.
“From a total number of 22 in 2004 elections, 18 were recorded in CY 2007 midterm elections. Now, we have only logged 11 ERVIs, the latest of which still need to be validated. In general, the conduct of the elections in Masbate was successful due to the over-all efforts of all the stakeholders,” said Tiam Watt. (Maj. HMCABUNOC, Chief DPAO 9ID P/PIA)
NAGA CITY CITED PRESIDENTIAL AWARDEE, HALL OF FAME FOR BEST CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY
NAGA CITY — The city government here hurdles Presidential Award, Hall of Fame for Best Child Friendly City, independent categoryfor the year 2009.
With the effort of its leaders who strongly believes in the principles of doing more with less and shared responsibility, the local government’s desire to be child-friendly city became a commitment. It became famous for the many innovations that made Naga stand-out as a LGU to emulate.
The city earned the award based on the efforts of the city government under the leadership of Mayor Jesse Robredo on its innovations and sustained programs for the welfare of children.
Using the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) as framework, this city has invested on key initiatives that target on achieving the child-focused millennium goals. It has sustained its efforts particularly in the education sector with the following programs: NEED-Naga Early Education and Development Program, a comprehensive pre-school education that addresses the need for improved access, equity and quality of education, EDU-CARE, the city’s education Montessori where 49 of its centers have already been accredited by the DSWD using its new standard tool.
The city’s breastfeeding support groups are active in maintaining vegetable and herbal gardens to support their members. Rice allocation and school supplies are provided to less-privileged children through the Sanggawadan Program-Naga City’s localized innovation of the Aus-Aid-assisted Street Urban and Working Children Project (SUWCP). Sanggawadan is an effort to wean or drive children away from the streets and ensure school participation.
Naga City’s vision for the children is embodied in the 2009 State of the City Report delivered by Mayor Robredo states that “The best indicator that we have defeated oligarch politics in Naga is if our society enables even the poorest young Nagueños – a talented, self-driven child from the ranks of our urban poor family, who is able to finish school with flying colors and who is able to realize his parent’s dream of a college degree.” Having planted and nurtured the seeds of his dream, Robredo hopes to see this happen as his legacy for the future generation.
Robredo received a plaque and a cash prize of P800,000 from Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the awarding ceremony held at Malacañang Palace last April 22, 2010. He was joined by City Councilor Seling Tuazon, DSWD director Remia Tapispisan, Mr. Jim Reblando, the City Social Welfare and Development Officer, Superintendent of City Schools Carlito Boni and Brgy. Captain Ricardo Buena.
The search for the Most Child-Friendly City/Municipality which was launched in November 1998 aims to: a) give national recognition to municipalities and cities and are considered “child-friendly, b) to encourage LGUs to prioritize and address issues and concerns affecting/effecting the full realization of the rights of children, c) heighten the awareness of the LGUs on the rights of children, and d) monitor and evaluate the implementation of programs and services for children. (EEJerusalem, DSWD/PIA)
ARTS COUNCIL HOLDS DOODLE EARTH VISUAL ARTS WORKSHOP
SORSOGON CITY – The Sorsogon Arts Council, in partnership with the Red Root Artists and Artisans Cooperative, has announced the holding of the “Doodle Earth Visual Arts Workshop” on May 17 to 21, 2010 at the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council (PAFC) Training Center in Barangay Burabod, this city.
The workshop is open to participants ages 6 to 12, with a limit of 50 participants on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The workshop aims to develop and enhance the creativity of the children particularly in the field of visual arts and nurture the advocacy for environmental stewardship.
According to Red Root Administrative and Support Services Department chief Thea Cristina Gile, Red Root is the FIRSTArtists cooperative in the Philippines.
“Our cooperative offers diverse field of expertise in design innovation, audio-visual communication and marketing strategy development,” Gile said.
Her sister, Teresa Paula, is Red Root’s creative director and a Fine Arts alumna of the University of the Philippines and will be one of workshop’s resource persons. Both of them hailed from this city and daughters of SAC Adhoc Committee members Buenaventura and Isabel Gile.
For interested participants, please contact Totep Perez at cp # 09189443656 or Ella Jamoralin at cp# 09326457457. (JJJPerez, SAC/PIA)
Poll automation is PGMA's legacy to Filipinos
MANILA — Malacañang said Tuesday (May 11) the successful conduct of the first-ever automated elections in the country is part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s legacy.
“The nation had spoken. President Arroyo had delivered on her promise to hold the first- ever automated national elections,” said Press Undersecretary for Operations Rogelio Peyuan in his opening statement before the regular press briefing.
Peyuan described last Monday’s election as generally successful, with a big voters’ turnout and less election-related violence than in previous presidential elections.
“With automation, the people were able to observe immediately the counting of their ballots in different polling centers of the country, which is due to the cooperation of teachers, the election inspectors, the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police, the media, the church and so many other volunteers,” Peyuan said.
Peyuan said that in the last three weeks, the entire government machinery has been preparing for the smooth transfer of all materials, funds and programs and an inventory of what has to be turned over to the incoming administration.
On whether the Arroyo administration is confident that the incoming administration will pursue its programs and projects, Peyuan said “we will finish until June 30 what we have started. We are hoping and praying that whatever programs we have painstakingly finished will not be discarded as these are now all part of national wealth and heritage.”
“We pray that President Arroyo’s successor will be a uniting president, that there will be a continuing effort at national reconciliation unlike the political culture of the past where succeeding administrations discarded everything started and finished by their predecessors,” Peyuan said.
Peyuan praised administration party bet, Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. for having conducted himself well in the campaign for the presidency, “never hitting anyone below the belt but focusing his campaign on his plans for the country. We can’t say the same of the other candidates”
“Of course, many of the Cabinet members are unhappy about Teodoro’s poll loss but, at the same time, we take pride in proving our critics and doomsayers wrong about this historic automated election and about their prognosis of failure of elections,” Peyuan said. (PIA V Release)
Palace assures seamless transition of administration
MANILA —To ensure the uninterrupted delivery of public serves during the transition period before the new President assumes office on July1, Malacañang is asking all government departments to immediately prepare individual transition blueprints.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn said the directive is included in Administrative Order (AO) 285 which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued last May 9.
In a media briefing today in Malacañang, Horn said AO 285 created the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team (PTCT) and the Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) to put in place a blueprint for the seamless transition and to orient the incoming administration.
“We will definitely be working cooperatively with them to make sure that there is a seamless transition of administration,” Horn said.
Chaired by Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, PTCT will have as members the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Education (DepEd), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and PMS.
Horn said the PTCT will serve as the overall central coordination team on the preparation of the detailed transition blueprint; and consolidate Operational Transition Reports (OTRs) and Functional Transition Reports (FTRs) to be prepared by each agency.
Horn said the PTCT will orient the incoming administration and readily provide information, such as the vision, mission, mandate, and structure of each agency.
Included in the orientation, Horn said, are the organizational structure, pending projects, and inventory of key plantilla and co-terminus positions.
Horn said the PTCT will also help in the recommendation to give out due recognition to individuals and non-government and civic organizations, which provided help and undertaken notable projects during the President’s term.
Meanwhile, the agencies under the ATCT will provide the OTRs, which include information on the assets, budget, plantilla, vacant positions, and ongoing rationalization plan.
Horn said agencies will also prepare the FTRs that include the inventory of policies and priority projects, other orientation materials and how to provide technical support like trainings for the incoming officials.
Horn said all government agencies must submit their respective output by May 17 in time for the transitional planning session on May 20-21 to formulate a blueprint which will be then submitted to the Cabinet. (PIA V Release)
Two-tiered transition process set up
MANILA — Transition teams in two levels – one based in Malacañang and the other in executive department agencies -- will make sure that the new administration will have the benefit of a strong and stable structure ready to continue working once governmental powers are turned over to the next President of the Republic.
The elected successor to President Gloria Mascapagal Arroyo is required by law to assume office on June 30.
President Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 285 last May 9 creating the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team (PTCT) and Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) to oversee the transition to the next administration.
The PTCT shall be responsible for the overall implementation, coordination and supervision of the entire transition blueprint.
Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza has been designated to head the PTCT with Foreign Affairs Secretary Romulo, Education Secretary Mona Valisno, NEDA Director General Augusto Santos, PMS Director-General Maria Elena Bautista-Horn and PIA Director General Conrado Limcaoco as members.
The Office of the Executive Secretary and the PMS will provide the technical and secretariat support to PTCT.
The AO also created the Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) that shall be responsible for the preparation of each government agency’s Organizational Transition Reports (OTRs) and Functional Transition Reports (FTRs).
The ATCT will be led by the head of agency with the senior undersecretary as vice-chair and senior career officials as members.
A transition coordinator in each agency shall be appointed to regularly coordinate with the PTCT Secretariat.
A transition planning session will be conducted on May 20 to May 21 to establish and define the processes and parameters that shall guide the government during the transition period.
Results of the planning will be the formulation of a Transition Blueprint which will provide for the efficient and effective turn-over and the continued functions of the bureaucracy in the early days of the next Administration.
The Blueprint shall cover all government departments, agencies, bureaus, government-owned and –controlled corporations (GOCCs) and other instrumentalities including attached agencies under the Office of the President. (PIA V Release)
RP democracy winner in May 10 vote
MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said everybody -- the voters, election officials, election volunteers and the security forces -- deserve commendations for the conduct of today’s historic vote.
In a statement Tuesday (May 11), he described the May 10 political exercise as a triumph of a sovereign Filipino people and their opportunity to display a strong stable and vibrant democracy.
He said the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will proceed with the transition to the new government on June 30.
Saludo however expressed sadness over the sporadic violence that marred the conduct of elections in some areas, but hoped the incidents would not be enough to invalidate the polls.
Text of the Saludo’s statement in full:
“We commend our patient and patriotic voters, our hardworking election officials, workers and volunteers, and our dependable security forces for bearing the heat, the crowds, the threats and the occasional glitches, for the cause of fair, free and credible elections under the direct control of the independent Commission on Elections.
With tens of millions of voters in 76,340 precincts and the first use of vote counting machines in our country, problems, delays and violations are inevitable. But with patience, sobriety, vigilance and cooperation, we can make this historic democratic exercise a triumph of the sovereign will of the people.
We are hopeful that the generally fair, free and peaceful conduct of the elections, as well as the transition to a new administration on June 30, shall show the world and our investor friends that how strong, stable and vibrant our democracy is, where global enterprises can take root and flourish, as we have seen in over nine years or uninterrupted economic growth under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Vibrant democracy with a growing economy – that’s the Philippines.
We are saddened by sporadic violence in some areas, and we call on the PNP and AFP to protect our people, neutralize the threats, and allow electoral processes to go on with freedom, integrity and credibility. While the attacks do not invalidate the polls, our strong, swift response is needed to buttress our people’s faith in the elections. (PIA V Release)
PGMA to name Corona as next SC chief justice -- Palace
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has chosen Associate Justice Renato Corona to become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) once Chief Justice Reynato Puno retires on May 17.
Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the President picked Justice Corona from the shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).
Aside from Corona, among the shortlist of JBC nominees were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Arturo Brion and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval.
Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said on Wednesday during his media briefing at the New Executive Building in Malacañang on Wednesday that Justice Corona is the most senior justice among the nominees submitted by the JBC to the President.
Meanwhile, Presidential Legal Counsel Raoul Victorino clarified that President Arroyo has only announced that Justice Corona will be the successor of Puno and his appointment as the new Chief Justice will be done on May 17, which is the date of retirement of Chief Justice Puno.
Corona was born in Tanauan City, Batangas on Oct. 15, 1948. He was appointed by President Arroyo as member of the High Tribunal on April 9, 2002.
Justice Corona obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila Law School and his master of law from the Harvard University in 1982.
Corona had served as Presidential Legal Counsel and Deputy Executive Secretary to former President Fidel Ramos.
In 1998, Corona became the chief of staff and spokesman of Mrs. Arroyo when she was then vice president. In 2001,
Corona became the Presidential Chief of Staff of President Arroyo in 2001. (PIA V Release)
Exports up 43.7% in March
MANILA — Sales of Philippine-made goods abroad rose double digits in March as shipments of electronic products and coconut oil continued to expand, the government reported Wednesday.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) said merchandise exports in March went up by 43.7 percent to $ 4.176 billion from $ 2.907 billion in the same period a year ago.
In the first quarter of the year, exports grew 42.9 percent to $ 11.326 billion from $ 7.926 billion posted during the same three-month period in 2009.
This was higher than the government growth target of 18 percent, which was revised from 10 percent to 14 percent.
The NSO attributed the growth to the strong demand in electronic product shipments and higher sales in the country’s major markets like US, Japan, Hong Kong and China.
Electronic, which accounted for 57.9 percent of the total export revenue in March, grew 49.1 percent to $ 2.416 billion from $ 1.620 billion in March 2009.
Month-on-month, electronic products went up by 16.6 percent from $ 2.071 billion in February 2010.
Exports of articles of apparel and clothing accessories valued at $ 146.07 million, up by 8.5 percent from $ 134.63 million in March last year.
Sales of cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper went up by 113.6 percent to $ 111.53 million from $ 52.21 million in March 2009.
Coconut oil exports amounted to $ 102.83 million, 212.9 percent higher compared to its year ago level of $ 32.86 million.
Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of March were ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships amounting to $ 97.94 million; wood crafts and furniture, $ 94.33 million; other products manufactured from materials imported on consignment basis, $ 59.18 million; Tuna (includes fresh, frozen, prepared or preserved in airtight containers), $ 32.49 million and copper concentrates, $ 31.06 million.
The US remained as the country's top destination of exports for March with revenue amounting to $ 703.32 million. It was higher by 39.8 percent from $ 503.04 million recorded a year ago.
Japan followed with export earnings of $ 682.49 million, up by 52.8 percent from $ 446.56 million reported a year earlier.
Exports to People's Republic of China amounted to $ 487.32 million from $ 308.03 million.
Hong Kong's export earnings valued at $ 359.06 million, higher by 31.6 percent from its March 2009 level of $ 272.79 million.
Other top ten markets for March were Singapore, $ 343.80 million; Germany, $ 251.47 million; Netherlands, $ 233.70 million; Republic of Korea, $ 175.48 million; Thailand, $ 148.48 million; and Malaysia, $ 127.10 million.
Total export receipts from the Philippines' top ten markets for the month of March 2010 amounted to $ 3.512 billion or 84.1 percent of the total. (PIA V Release)
LEGAZPI CITY — The Board of Canvassers (CBOC) here has formally proclaimed the newly elected officials in this city on Wednesday (May 12), at 12:57 a.m. at the Ibalong Conference Room here.
Geraldine Rosal, wife of incumbent Mayor Noel Rosal, won the mayoralty race garnering 56,930 votes against Lorna Cristobal, 31,959 votes. Incumbent Councilor Vitorio Roces, on the other hand, was elected vice mayor with 32,887 votes against Michael Imperial who got 31,288 and Ismael Buban, with 20,978 votes.
Newly elected city councilors are Rolly Rosal with 46,891 votes, Jim Andes - 36,017, Cerilo Chan - 34,050, Alex Sy – 32,221, Chito Baldo – 31,596. Chito Ante – 31,516, Melissa Abadeza – 28,462, Oscar Santillan – 28,343, Alan Rañola – 27,955 and Elmo Inzon – 27,613.
The incumbent city dad meanwhile said that with this turn of events, he will give strong support and assistance to the new mayor-elect, particularly on the major and sensitive decisions.
He likewise said that the huge number of votes garnered by his wife is God’s grace bestowed upon the Legazpeños, adding that the victory is an offshoot good governance manifested by his administration and dedication to the people.
On the other hand, Mayor-elect Rosal has thanked all the Legazpeños, mentioning those who supported and shared their efforts and sacrifices during the campaign period until Election day.
Rosal likewise said that she will continue to pursue good governance best practices and programs started by her husband, and she will also push the construction of more roads, school buildings and day care centers, create more jobs for the Legazpeños.
Rosal likewise said that she will focus on Agriculture, Education, Tourism and Health.
At present almost 67 per cent of the population of this city depends on agriculture.
She vowed to improve the irrigation system in all agricultural barangays to supply the needs of the farmers and increase the value of production. She also committed to promote organic farming to trim down the expenses during planting seasons and initiate effective programs for the organizations of the fishermen and farmers.
On Education, Rosal stressed that she will focus on intensifying the local scholarship program tha will provide students the opportunity to be in school, especially those who cannot afford to continue higher education in far-flung barangays.
If necessary, noted Rosal, the city government will form a monitoring team to assess and assist students to ensure of their needs to pursue higher education.
On Tourism, Rosal averred she will pursue extensive promotion of the tourism industry of this city through festivals, media blitz, updated website and tourism mapping like transports, hotels, restaurants and travel agencies.
For the health sector, she vowed to add more barangay health workers and craft and implement an effective program to fight malnutrition and anti-tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor-elect Roces said that he will focus on the legislative tracking by means of transparency and monitoring of all the ordinances and resolutions, professionalization of employees trainings and seminars.
He will see to it that councilors will be working effectively with their respective committees.
Roces likewise said that he will work for the creation of a website where all ordinances, resolutions, other local policies to educate the public, also vowing to support all the long-term development plan of the city government. (MPSolis, Legazpi City LGU/PIA)
COMELEC PROCLAIMS WINNERS OF ELECTION 2010 IN ALBAY
ALBAY Province — Incumbent Albay Governor Jose Ma Clemente Salceda (LP) has retained his post garnering and overwhelming 466,605 votes trouncing aspiring Maria Linda O. Montayre of LKKK, with 17,638, Marcelino C. Gallardo of PGRP, with only 5,397.
The BOC proclaimed Salceda Wednesday (May 12) as the duly elected governor of the province.
Salceda said, “I thank Albayanos for the 98 percent affirmation of our Albay Rising Vision and strategy for economic and social progress, adding that I am indebted to my constituents and pledged to repay it by working hard to further improve the quality of life of the Albayanos, specially the underprivileged.
Salceda’s running mate Harold Imperial got 185,330 votes edging Jesus Calisin of NP, with 142,287; Raul Borejon, with 116,122; and, Gil Goyena, with 11,757, in the vice gubernatorial race.
Incumbent Rep. Edcel Lagman (LAKAS KAMPI CMD), running for his third term in Albay first congressional seat, has defeated Wilfredo Brizuela (LP).
Rep. Al Francis Bichara (NP) holds on to his post in the second congressional district by winning a big margin against Amelia Bonita Apin (LP), Ricardo Ayala (Ind.)
Former Albay Governor Fernando B. Gonzales (LP) topped the congressional seat in the third district claiming the seat from incumbent Representative Reno Lim (NPC) and Brando Sael (NP), Armando Redillas (Ind.)
In Legazpi City, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) also proclaimed Wednesday (May 12) the newly elected set of local officials.
Atty. Jasmin Banzuela, city election officer here, proclaimed Geraldine Rosal and Vitorio Roces (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)as newly elected mayor and vice mayor, respectively.
Geraldine Rosal, wife of outgoing Mayor Noel Rosal of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, got a total of 56,930 votes as against her opponent Lorna Cristobal with 31,909 vote casts.
Incumbent Mayors Krisel Lagman Luistro (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) has retained her post in Tabaco City and Linda Gonzalez (LP) in Ligao City.
Meanwhile, other winning candidates are re-elected town executives Carlos Irwin Baldo Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Camalig, Juan Miguel Garcia (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Guinobatan, Agnes Pacencia Dycoco (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Libon, Avelino Ceriola (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Malinao, Caesar Daep (NP) of Manito, Gregorio Ricarte (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Oas, Dante Arandia (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Pioduran, Jaime Villanueva (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Tiwi
Newly elected were Tobias Betito (LP) of Bacacay, Gerry Jaucian (NP) of Daraga, Jorem Arcanghel (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Jovellar, Roli Volante (NPC) of Malilipot, Cherilie Sampal (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) of Polangui, Nora Oñate of Rapu-rapu, Herbie Aguas (NP) of Sto. Domingo. (MALoterte, PIA V)
TEAM NAGA SWEEPS CITY COUNCIL POSTS ANEW
Naga City ---Still working wonders, the “Ubos kung Ubos, Gabos kung Gabos” election battlecry of Naga City pertaining to a landslide win of the administration’s candidates, now dubbed as “Team Naga” made waves again and is now a phenomenal part of this city’s political history.
This after the entire Team Naga , headed by its winning tandem , Naga’s mayoralty bet Atty. John Bongat and Vice Mayor Gabriel Hidalgo Bordado, along with the full line up of their city councilors were officially declared as winners by Atty. Cinderella Lozano, Naga City Comelec Supervisor in a simple proclamation rite at City Hall yesterday (May 11).
Bongat, Mayor Jesse Robredo’s anointed successor and protégée garnered a total vote of 32, 231 representing 78 per cent of the city’s total votes. Bongat’s closest opponent, Atty. Adan Botor, collected a total of 13, 370 votes. Former Congressman and Naga City Mayor Cho Roco, also not successful in his comeback bid, placed third in the mayoralty polls.
The wide disparity between Nagueños’ choice was also reflected in the scores garnered by the vice mayoral candidates. Incumbent city vice mayor Bordado carted a total of 37, 238 votes, catapulting him back to his old post as vice mayor of the city for the next three years. His closest rival, Benjie Lucena only managed to hurdle with a total of 14, 261 votes.
Naga City has a total registered voters of 78, 500, with 101 clustered precincts.
All 10 aspiring councillors under the Team Naga ticket were able to make it. Topping the list is Nene De Asis garnering a total vote of 34,000, followed by Atty. Nelson Legacion with 32, 670 votes and Atty. Esteban Abonal who raked in a total of 31,021 votes. Other councillors who will be serving the city council for the next three years were: Nathan Sergio, Babeth Lavadia, Ryan Rentoy, Jose Tuazon, Salvador Del Castillo, Joaquin Perez Jr and Raul Rosales. (LSMacatangay, PIA CamSur)
NEWLY-ELECTED CHIEF EXECUTIVES IN CAMARINES NORTE PROCLAIMED
DAET, Camarines Norte —Governor Edgardo A. Tallado was proclaimed anew winner this morning (Wednesday, May 12) as Governor of this province winning only by 158 votes against incumbent Labo Mayor Winniefredo Oco.
It can be recalled that Tallado has just assumed governor last May 25 after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc proclaimed him as the winning governor in 2007 elections.
For vice gubernatorial race incumbent Board Member Jonah G. Pimentel won by overwhelming votes against former Board Member Senen Jeres and 3 termer and incumbent Jose Panganiban Mayor William Lim.
Former Congressman Renato J. Unico Jr. also won by landslide against Wilfredo Chato, son of lone district incumbent Congresswoman Liwayway Vinzons Chato, while Elmer Panotes trounced Congresswoman Chato for the second congressional district.
In Daet, re-electionist Mayor Tito Sarion was proclaimed yesterday winning by more than 4,000 votes against former Governor Jesus O. Typoco Jr.
The
Meanwhile in Labo, the town with the most number of registered voters in the province, former Vice Mayor Dindo Pardo and former municipal administrator Severino Francisco Jr. won as mayor and vice-mayor respectively. (RBManlangit, PIA CamNorte)
POLITICAL SUPPORTER SHOT AND WOUNDED BY A LOSING MAYORALTY CANDIDATE IN MASBATE
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, CamSur – A political supporter was shot and injured by a losing mayoralty candidate in Masbate yesterday, a military official said.
Major Harold M Cabunoc, 9th ID Philippine Army spokesman, said that mayoralty candidate Esteban Ballesteros shot and injured a certain Junior Argote while riding a motorcycle with two other unidentified companions in Burgos village, in Batuan town.
Cabunoc said that Ballesteros was with a certain Bobong Ballesteros when they flagged down the victim’s motorcycle and fired upon him.
The victim sustained gunshot wounds on his leg but was able to flee towards the town center in Batuan to seek medical help and report the incident to the local police.
Soldiers and policemen assigned with the Joint Special Task Force Masbate immediately proceeded to the crime scene but the suspects have already fled to an unknown location.
Manhunt operations are underway to arrest the suspects and shed light on the shooting incident.
Argote was reported to be a loyal supporter of Lakas-Kampi mayor-elect Charlie Yuson III who garnered 2,721 votes against PMP candidate Ballesteros’ 2,152 tally (unofficial COMELEC tally). The motive of the shooting is still under investigation as of this writing.
The shooting incident occurred despite the surrender of 53 firearms by prominent politicians in the province, namely now re-elected congressional candidates Antonio Kho and Narciso Bravo Jr., and former Congresswoman and now, Governor-elect Rizalina Lanete.
Prior to this latest incident, Masbate has logged a total of 11 election-related violent incidents (ERVI) in this year’s automated elections.
Colonel Alvin Tiamwatt, AFP Special Task Force Masbate commander, said that the efforts of the AFP and PNP, coupled by the support of the local political leaders, paved the way for the waning number of ERVIs this year.
“From a total number of 22 in 2004 elections, 18 were recorded in CY 2007 midterm elections. Now, we have only logged 11 ERVIs, the latest of which still need to be validated. In general, the conduct of the elections in Masbate was successful due to the over-all efforts of all the stakeholders,” said Tiam Watt. (Maj. HMCABUNOC, Chief DPAO 9ID P/PIA)
NAGA CITY CITED PRESIDENTIAL AWARDEE, HALL OF FAME FOR BEST CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY
NAGA CITY — The city government here hurdles Presidential Award, Hall of Fame for Best Child Friendly City, independent categoryfor the year 2009.
With the effort of its leaders who strongly believes in the principles of doing more with less and shared responsibility, the local government’s desire to be child-friendly city became a commitment. It became famous for the many innovations that made Naga stand-out as a LGU to emulate.
The city earned the award based on the efforts of the city government under the leadership of Mayor Jesse Robredo on its innovations and sustained programs for the welfare of children.
Using the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) as framework, this city has invested on key initiatives that target on achieving the child-focused millennium goals. It has sustained its efforts particularly in the education sector with the following programs: NEED-Naga Early Education and Development Program, a comprehensive pre-school education that addresses the need for improved access, equity and quality of education, EDU-CARE, the city’s education Montessori where 49 of its centers have already been accredited by the DSWD using its new standard tool.
The city’s breastfeeding support groups are active in maintaining vegetable and herbal gardens to support their members. Rice allocation and school supplies are provided to less-privileged children through the Sanggawadan Program-Naga City’s localized innovation of the Aus-Aid-assisted Street Urban and Working Children Project (SUWCP). Sanggawadan is an effort to wean or drive children away from the streets and ensure school participation.
Naga City’s vision for the children is embodied in the 2009 State of the City Report delivered by Mayor Robredo states that “The best indicator that we have defeated oligarch politics in Naga is if our society enables even the poorest young Nagueños – a talented, self-driven child from the ranks of our urban poor family, who is able to finish school with flying colors and who is able to realize his parent’s dream of a college degree.” Having planted and nurtured the seeds of his dream, Robredo hopes to see this happen as his legacy for the future generation.
Robredo received a plaque and a cash prize of P800,000 from Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the awarding ceremony held at Malacañang Palace last April 22, 2010. He was joined by City Councilor Seling Tuazon, DSWD director Remia Tapispisan, Mr. Jim Reblando, the City Social Welfare and Development Officer, Superintendent of City Schools Carlito Boni and Brgy. Captain Ricardo Buena.
The search for the Most Child-Friendly City/Municipality which was launched in November 1998 aims to: a) give national recognition to municipalities and cities and are considered “child-friendly, b) to encourage LGUs to prioritize and address issues and concerns affecting/effecting the full realization of the rights of children, c) heighten the awareness of the LGUs on the rights of children, and d) monitor and evaluate the implementation of programs and services for children. (EEJerusalem, DSWD/PIA)
ARTS COUNCIL HOLDS DOODLE EARTH VISUAL ARTS WORKSHOP
SORSOGON CITY – The Sorsogon Arts Council, in partnership with the Red Root Artists and Artisans Cooperative, has announced the holding of the “Doodle Earth Visual Arts Workshop” on May 17 to 21, 2010 at the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Council (PAFC) Training Center in Barangay Burabod, this city.
The workshop is open to participants ages 6 to 12, with a limit of 50 participants on a first-come-first-serve basis.
The workshop aims to develop and enhance the creativity of the children particularly in the field of visual arts and nurture the advocacy for environmental stewardship.
According to Red Root Administrative and Support Services Department chief Thea Cristina Gile, Red Root is the FIRSTArtists cooperative in the Philippines.
“Our cooperative offers diverse field of expertise in design innovation, audio-visual communication and marketing strategy development,” Gile said.
Her sister, Teresa Paula, is Red Root’s creative director and a Fine Arts alumna of the University of the Philippines and will be one of workshop’s resource persons. Both of them hailed from this city and daughters of SAC Adhoc Committee members Buenaventura and Isabel Gile.
For interested participants, please contact Totep Perez at cp # 09189443656 or Ella Jamoralin at cp# 09326457457. (JJJPerez, SAC/PIA)
Poll automation is PGMA's legacy to Filipinos
MANILA — Malacañang said Tuesday (May 11) the successful conduct of the first-ever automated elections in the country is part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s legacy.
“The nation had spoken. President Arroyo had delivered on her promise to hold the first- ever automated national elections,” said Press Undersecretary for Operations Rogelio Peyuan in his opening statement before the regular press briefing.
Peyuan described last Monday’s election as generally successful, with a big voters’ turnout and less election-related violence than in previous presidential elections.
“With automation, the people were able to observe immediately the counting of their ballots in different polling centers of the country, which is due to the cooperation of teachers, the election inspectors, the Armed Forces and Philippine National Police, the media, the church and so many other volunteers,” Peyuan said.
Peyuan said that in the last three weeks, the entire government machinery has been preparing for the smooth transfer of all materials, funds and programs and an inventory of what has to be turned over to the incoming administration.
On whether the Arroyo administration is confident that the incoming administration will pursue its programs and projects, Peyuan said “we will finish until June 30 what we have started. We are hoping and praying that whatever programs we have painstakingly finished will not be discarded as these are now all part of national wealth and heritage.”
“We pray that President Arroyo’s successor will be a uniting president, that there will be a continuing effort at national reconciliation unlike the political culture of the past where succeeding administrations discarded everything started and finished by their predecessors,” Peyuan said.
Peyuan praised administration party bet, Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. for having conducted himself well in the campaign for the presidency, “never hitting anyone below the belt but focusing his campaign on his plans for the country. We can’t say the same of the other candidates”
“Of course, many of the Cabinet members are unhappy about Teodoro’s poll loss but, at the same time, we take pride in proving our critics and doomsayers wrong about this historic automated election and about their prognosis of failure of elections,” Peyuan said. (PIA V Release)
Palace assures seamless transition of administration
MANILA —To ensure the uninterrupted delivery of public serves during the transition period before the new President assumes office on July1, Malacañang is asking all government departments to immediately prepare individual transition blueprints.
Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn said the directive is included in Administrative Order (AO) 285 which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued last May 9.
In a media briefing today in Malacañang, Horn said AO 285 created the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team (PTCT) and the Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) to put in place a blueprint for the seamless transition and to orient the incoming administration.
“We will definitely be working cooperatively with them to make sure that there is a seamless transition of administration,” Horn said.
Chaired by Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, PTCT will have as members the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of Education (DepEd), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and PMS.
Horn said the PTCT will serve as the overall central coordination team on the preparation of the detailed transition blueprint; and consolidate Operational Transition Reports (OTRs) and Functional Transition Reports (FTRs) to be prepared by each agency.
Horn said the PTCT will orient the incoming administration and readily provide information, such as the vision, mission, mandate, and structure of each agency.
Included in the orientation, Horn said, are the organizational structure, pending projects, and inventory of key plantilla and co-terminus positions.
Horn said the PTCT will also help in the recommendation to give out due recognition to individuals and non-government and civic organizations, which provided help and undertaken notable projects during the President’s term.
Meanwhile, the agencies under the ATCT will provide the OTRs, which include information on the assets, budget, plantilla, vacant positions, and ongoing rationalization plan.
Horn said agencies will also prepare the FTRs that include the inventory of policies and priority projects, other orientation materials and how to provide technical support like trainings for the incoming officials.
Horn said all government agencies must submit their respective output by May 17 in time for the transitional planning session on May 20-21 to formulate a blueprint which will be then submitted to the Cabinet. (PIA V Release)
Two-tiered transition process set up
MANILA — Transition teams in two levels – one based in Malacañang and the other in executive department agencies -- will make sure that the new administration will have the benefit of a strong and stable structure ready to continue working once governmental powers are turned over to the next President of the Republic.
The elected successor to President Gloria Mascapagal Arroyo is required by law to assume office on June 30.
President Arroyo issued Administrative Order No. 285 last May 9 creating the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team (PTCT) and Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) to oversee the transition to the next administration.
The PTCT shall be responsible for the overall implementation, coordination and supervision of the entire transition blueprint.
Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza has been designated to head the PTCT with Foreign Affairs Secretary Romulo, Education Secretary Mona Valisno, NEDA Director General Augusto Santos, PMS Director-General Maria Elena Bautista-Horn and PIA Director General Conrado Limcaoco as members.
The Office of the Executive Secretary and the PMS will provide the technical and secretariat support to PTCT.
The AO also created the Agency Transition Cooperation Team (ATCT) that shall be responsible for the preparation of each government agency’s Organizational Transition Reports (OTRs) and Functional Transition Reports (FTRs).
The ATCT will be led by the head of agency with the senior undersecretary as vice-chair and senior career officials as members.
A transition coordinator in each agency shall be appointed to regularly coordinate with the PTCT Secretariat.
A transition planning session will be conducted on May 20 to May 21 to establish and define the processes and parameters that shall guide the government during the transition period.
Results of the planning will be the formulation of a Transition Blueprint which will provide for the efficient and effective turn-over and the continued functions of the bureaucracy in the early days of the next Administration.
The Blueprint shall cover all government departments, agencies, bureaus, government-owned and –controlled corporations (GOCCs) and other instrumentalities including attached agencies under the Office of the President. (PIA V Release)
RP democracy winner in May 10 vote
MANILA — Presidential Spokesperson Ricardo Saludo said everybody -- the voters, election officials, election volunteers and the security forces -- deserve commendations for the conduct of today’s historic vote.
In a statement Tuesday (May 11), he described the May 10 political exercise as a triumph of a sovereign Filipino people and their opportunity to display a strong stable and vibrant democracy.
He said the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will proceed with the transition to the new government on June 30.
Saludo however expressed sadness over the sporadic violence that marred the conduct of elections in some areas, but hoped the incidents would not be enough to invalidate the polls.
Text of the Saludo’s statement in full:
“We commend our patient and patriotic voters, our hardworking election officials, workers and volunteers, and our dependable security forces for bearing the heat, the crowds, the threats and the occasional glitches, for the cause of fair, free and credible elections under the direct control of the independent Commission on Elections.
With tens of millions of voters in 76,340 precincts and the first use of vote counting machines in our country, problems, delays and violations are inevitable. But with patience, sobriety, vigilance and cooperation, we can make this historic democratic exercise a triumph of the sovereign will of the people.
We are hopeful that the generally fair, free and peaceful conduct of the elections, as well as the transition to a new administration on June 30, shall show the world and our investor friends that how strong, stable and vibrant our democracy is, where global enterprises can take root and flourish, as we have seen in over nine years or uninterrupted economic growth under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Vibrant democracy with a growing economy – that’s the Philippines.
We are saddened by sporadic violence in some areas, and we call on the PNP and AFP to protect our people, neutralize the threats, and allow electoral processes to go on with freedom, integrity and credibility. While the attacks do not invalidate the polls, our strong, swift response is needed to buttress our people’s faith in the elections. (PIA V Release)
PGMA to name Corona as next SC chief justice -- Palace
MANILA — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has chosen Associate Justice Renato Corona to become the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (SC) once Chief Justice Reynato Puno retires on May 17.
Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the President picked Justice Corona from the shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).
Aside from Corona, among the shortlist of JBC nominees were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Arturo Brion and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Edilberto Sandoval.
Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said on Wednesday during his media briefing at the New Executive Building in Malacañang on Wednesday that Justice Corona is the most senior justice among the nominees submitted by the JBC to the President.
Meanwhile, Presidential Legal Counsel Raoul Victorino clarified that President Arroyo has only announced that Justice Corona will be the successor of Puno and his appointment as the new Chief Justice will be done on May 17, which is the date of retirement of Chief Justice Puno.
Corona was born in Tanauan City, Batangas on Oct. 15, 1948. He was appointed by President Arroyo as member of the High Tribunal on April 9, 2002.
Justice Corona obtained his law degree from the Ateneo de Manila Law School and his master of law from the Harvard University in 1982.
Corona had served as Presidential Legal Counsel and Deputy Executive Secretary to former President Fidel Ramos.
In 1998, Corona became the chief of staff and spokesman of Mrs. Arroyo when she was then vice president. In 2001,
Corona became the Presidential Chief of Staff of President Arroyo in 2001. (PIA V Release)
Exports up 43.7% in March
MANILA — Sales of Philippine-made goods abroad rose double digits in March as shipments of electronic products and coconut oil continued to expand, the government reported Wednesday.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) said merchandise exports in March went up by 43.7 percent to $ 4.176 billion from $ 2.907 billion in the same period a year ago.
In the first quarter of the year, exports grew 42.9 percent to $ 11.326 billion from $ 7.926 billion posted during the same three-month period in 2009.
This was higher than the government growth target of 18 percent, which was revised from 10 percent to 14 percent.
The NSO attributed the growth to the strong demand in electronic product shipments and higher sales in the country’s major markets like US, Japan, Hong Kong and China.
Electronic, which accounted for 57.9 percent of the total export revenue in March, grew 49.1 percent to $ 2.416 billion from $ 1.620 billion in March 2009.
Month-on-month, electronic products went up by 16.6 percent from $ 2.071 billion in February 2010.
Exports of articles of apparel and clothing accessories valued at $ 146.07 million, up by 8.5 percent from $ 134.63 million in March last year.
Sales of cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper went up by 113.6 percent to $ 111.53 million from $ 52.21 million in March 2009.
Coconut oil exports amounted to $ 102.83 million, 212.9 percent higher compared to its year ago level of $ 32.86 million.
Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of March were ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships amounting to $ 97.94 million; wood crafts and furniture, $ 94.33 million; other products manufactured from materials imported on consignment basis, $ 59.18 million; Tuna (includes fresh, frozen, prepared or preserved in airtight containers), $ 32.49 million and copper concentrates, $ 31.06 million.
The US remained as the country's top destination of exports for March with revenue amounting to $ 703.32 million. It was higher by 39.8 percent from $ 503.04 million recorded a year ago.
Japan followed with export earnings of $ 682.49 million, up by 52.8 percent from $ 446.56 million reported a year earlier.
Exports to People's Republic of China amounted to $ 487.32 million from $ 308.03 million.
Hong Kong's export earnings valued at $ 359.06 million, higher by 31.6 percent from its March 2009 level of $ 272.79 million.
Other top ten markets for March were Singapore, $ 343.80 million; Germany, $ 251.47 million; Netherlands, $ 233.70 million; Republic of Korea, $ 175.48 million; Thailand, $ 148.48 million; and Malaysia, $ 127.10 million.
Total export receipts from the Philippines' top ten markets for the month of March 2010 amounted to $ 3.512 billion or 84.1 percent of the total. (PIA V Release)
Monday, May 10, 2010
ILANG BOTANTE, NAG-ALBUROTO DAHIL SA MABAGAL NA BOTOHAN
Posted 5/10/2010 5:05:55 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Kasabay ng mas lalong tumaas na temperatura ngayong tanghaling tapat ay ang pag-init ng ulo ng ilang botante sa Ibingay Elementary School at Nursery Elementary School dito na tinuligsa ang board of election inspectors.
Inirereklamo ng mga botante ang mahabang pila at mabagal na botohan. Ayon sa mga nagrereklamo, mahigit dalawang oras na silang nakapila at sa bagal ng pagusad ng pila at botohan tinatantiyang tatlong oras pa bago sila makaboto.
Ilan sa mga nagrereklamo ang umalis na sa pila at nagdesisyong di na lang sila boboto.
Sa mga desididong bomoto, good news naman daw sa kanila ang pag-urong ng voting hours sa 7PM.
VOTE BUYING NG MGA LOKAL NA POLITIKO, RAMPANT AYON SA MGA BOTANTE
Posted 5/10/2010 5:02:13 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Wala kahit isang namimili ng boto ang naaresto na pero kung paniniwalaan ang kwento ng mga botante, hanggang P2,000 ang natanggap ng bawat isa para iboto ang partikular na kandidato o lineup.
Ayon sa mga botanteng umaming nakatanggap ng pera sa mga political leaders, mga kandidatong magkaribal sa lokal na posisyon lamang ang namili ng kanilang boto.
Sa ilang lugar naman, may mga nakausap tayong mga botanteng naka stand-by malapit sa mga polling places na nagrereklamo. Naghihimutok sila dahil walang lumalapit sa kanila upang bilhin ang kanilang boto sa kabila ng mga balita na umabot na sa P3,000 ang bilihan ng bawat boto. (EADelgado)
3RD DISTRICT NG MASBATE TENSYONADO DAHIL SA BROWNOUT
Posted 5/10/2010 4:59:26 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PLACER, Masbate—Nagdulot ng pangamba sa mga botante sa third district ng lalawigang ito ang brownout na nagsimula kaninang alas 3 ng hapon.
Mahaba pa rin ang pila ng mga botante sa polling places hanggang sa oras na ito at lalo pang pinababagal ng maraming illiterate voters ang pag usad ng pila kaya nangangamba ang mga botanteng sumapit na ang dilim ay hindi pa matatapos ang botohan.
Pag brownout at madilim, pinangangambahang may milagro o himala na mangyayari sa mga PCOS machines.
Walang ibinigay na katiyakan ang mga opisyal ng power generation at distribution firms kung kalian maibabalik ang kuryente sa 3rd district.
Naiulat din na low battery na ang ilang PCOS machines sa 3rd district. (EADelgado)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Masbate... BOARDS OF CANVASSERS SA MASBATE ACTIVATED NA
Posted 5/10/2010 4:46:18 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Pagsapit ng 12 noon, convened at naghihintay na ng elections returns ang Masbate Provincial Board of Canvassers.
Kumpleto at ready na rin ang counterparts ng provincial board of canvassers sa Masbate City at 20 bayan.
Dahil sa inuurong ng Comelec ang voting hours sa 7PM, tantiya ng mga municipal board of canvassers, 4 a.m na sila makakaproklama ng mga nanalong kandidato. (EADelgado)
PAG member harasses voting precinct in Masbate
Posted 5/10/2010 4:40:59 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
A voting precinct in Placer town in Masbate was marred by an indiscriminate firing today of a gunman believed to be a member of a political armed group, a Philippine National Police report said.
The reports said one Bobit Dubongco armed with a .357 handgun in said fired several rounds into the air sending people at the voting center scampering for safety.
Police investigators said the incident took place at around 9:00 a.m. Monday at an public elementary school in barangay Santa Cruz, Placer, Masbate.
Special Task Force Masbate (TFM) operatives are hunting down the suspect who hurriedly fled leaving the behind his handgun.
STFM operatives said the suspect is believed to be a member of a political armed group who wanted to harass and disrupt the election proceedings there. (PIA Albay)
PCOS nagkaaberya sa Tabaco City, ALbay
Posted 5/10/2010 4:32:47 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY - Hindi lang sa bayan ng Daraga at lungsod ng Legazpi, nagkaroon ng aberya angmga PCOS machine kundi pati na rin sa Tabaco City.
Sa unang distrito ng lalawigan ng Albay, nasira ang dalawa makina na ginagamit ng polling precincts sa Tabaco habang nasa kalagitnaan ng pagboto and mga botante.
Nagkaaberya ang mga makina sa Barangay Marirok at Cabangan, Tabaco City.
Ginagawa naman lahat ng mgatechnicians ng Smartmatic ang nasabing mga pulayang makina para muling magamit ng mga nakapila pang mga botante. (PIA Albay)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 4:23:35 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
SORSOGON CITY - As of press time, not even one of more than 500 voters in three polling precincts in Brgy. Dao, Pilar, Sorsogon has voted yet.
It can be noted that the election paraphernalia for one polling precinct in Brgy Dao was accidentally swapped with the election paraphernalia intended for one polling precinct in Bulan town. As of the moment, the problem has not yet been resolved.
Voters, though impatient, keep waiting for whatever development the Comelec will advise them.
Comelec meanwhile, is still in the process of resolving the problem. Said three polling precincts has some 500 voters.
[4:07:15 PM] PIA Sorsogon: Meanwhile, majorityof polling precincts in Pilar has already recorded a 50% voting turn-out.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 4:21:38 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
SORSOGON CITY - The Comelec here through City Election Supervisor Atty. Ryan Filgueras announced that they are ready to extend the voting time until 7:00pm or beyond just to accomodate all the voters as per the Comelec national Office directives.
However, he also made it clear that only voters who are within the prescribed perimeter will be allowed to vote during the given extension time. This is in response to fear that voters may not be accomodated within the ten-hour voting schedule from 7am-6pm due to slow-paced voting procedure.
As observed, the long queue of voters remains as is since that of 6:00 this morning.
Meanwhile, Filgueras said that this year's positive turn-out of voter's is an indication of full and active participation of the people. (PIA Sorsogon )
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 3:57:24 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMARINES SUR - SAMANTALA, BANDANG ALAS DOS AY NAKATAPOS NA RING BOMOTO SA POTOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANG PRESIDENTIAL SON NA SI DATO ARROYO KASAMA ANG KANYANG ASAWANG SI CACAI.
SI DATO AY RE ELECTIONIST PARA SA KARGONG KONGRESISTA SA BAGONG IKALAWANG DISTRITO NG CAMARINES SUR.
ANG LIBMANAN AY ANG ITINUTURING NA PINAKA MALAKING BAYAN SA CAMARINES SUR KUNG SAAN MERON ITONG 75 NA BARANGAYS.
MERON ITONG 88 CLUSTERED PRECINCTS AT BINUBUO NG 47,409 NA BOTANTE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 3:57:24 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMARINES SUR - SAMANTALA, BANDANG ALAS DOS AY NAKATAPOS NA RING BOMOTO SA POTOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANG PRESIDENTIAL SON NA SI DATO ARROYO KASAMA ANG KANYANG ASAWANG SI CACAI.
SI DATO AY RE ELECTIONIST PARA SA KARGONG KONGRESISTA SA BAGONG IKALAWANG DISTRITO NG CAMARINES SUR.
ANG LIBMANAN AY ANG ITINUTURING NA PINAKA MALAKING BAYAN SA CAMARINES SUR KUNG SAAN MERON ITONG 75 NA BARANGAYS.
MERON ITONG 88 CLUSTERED PRECINCTS AT BINUBUO NG 47,409 NA BOTANTE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 1:52:11 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Camarines Sur
Source: pia bicol - marlon
NAGA CITY -- NAGPAABOT NG SUMBONG ANG ISA SA MAYORALTY CANDIDATE NG LUNSOD NG NAGA NA SI ATTY. ADAN BOTOR DAHIL SA DIUMANOY PAGBABALE WALA NG COMELEC SA HAYAG HAYAGANG PAGLILIBOT AT PAKIKIPAG KAMAY NI MAYOR JESSE M ROBREDO SA MGA BOTANTE SA ILANG POLLING PRECINT DITO SA LUNSOD.
AYON KAY ADAN, ISA ANYA ITONG MALINAW NA PAGLABAG SA KAUTUSAN NG COMELEC NA NAGBABAWAL NA PAGKAMPANYA GAYONG TAPOS NA ANG CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
NAKITA RIN ANYA NIYA ANG MADAMING BILANG NG LIBERAL PARTY POLL WATCHERS SAMANTALANG ISA LAMANG ANG OTORISADO NG COMELEC BAWAT PRESINTO.
BUNSOD NITO AY NANAWAGAN ANG HULI SA COMELEC NA MAGPADALA NG PULIS O DEPUTIZED AGENTS UPANG MAITABOY ANG SINO MANG ANIMOY NANGANGAMPANYA PA RIN SA MGA POLLING CENTERS.
SAMANTALA, SA KASALUKUYAN AY TAHIMIK NAMAN ANG NANGYAYARING BOTOHAN SA LUNSOD, MALIBAN NA LAMANG SA PAGKAWALA NG ILANG PANGALAN SA COMPUTERIZEDVOTER’S LIST AT PAGKA ABALA NG PAGBOTO DAHIL NA RIN SA IBANG MALFUNCTIONING NA PCOS MACHINE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 12:45:50 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY -- Voters in the province of Albay are one in welcoming announcement of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) today extendeding the automated voting process in all precincts nationwide until 7 p.m. to accommodate more registered voters.
Observers noted that this will somehow cope up with the lost time in view of some glitches or malfunctions of a few PCOS machines as observed in some areas.
Authorities, meanwhile, has assured the public that lighting facilities and other needs are in placed as the casting of votes ends at night time. (PIA Albay)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:27:33 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Patuloy ang pagdagsa ng mga botante sa mga polling centers. Ayon kay Atty. Maria Aurea C. Bo-Bona—provincial election supervisor, mula sa 343 kabuuang bilang ng PCOS machines ay isa ang nagkaroon ng aberya kung saan ay hindi gumana ang PCOS Compact flash card na naitala mula sa Villa Aurora, Viga, Catanduanes.
Sa kabila nito, patuloy pa rin ang proseso ng pagboboto habang hinihintay na mapalitan ang nasabing flash card.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:26:28 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Iniulat ni PNP Director Rodegelio Gerero na maayos at mapayapa pa rin ang eleksyon sa lalawigan at nananatiling alerto ang buong kapulisan sa tulong ng AFP sa pagtugon sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan at kapayapaan ng halalan.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:25:33 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Malawakang “vote buying” ang naganap sa lalawigan mula kahapon hanggang medaling araw. Pangkalahatan, naging maayos ang pagbubukas ng 343 voting precincts sa buong lalawigan.
Iniulat ng Smartmatic dito na walang problema at maayos na naikabit ang mga PCOS machines at may nakahanda umanong mga reserbang PCOS machines sa oras na magkaroon ng aberya.
PRIVATE ARMIES TAHIMIK SA MASBATE
Posted 5/10/2010 12:19:54 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Hanggang sa oras na ito, nanatiling tahimik ang mga private armies ng mga pulitiko habang nagkalat ang mga sundalo at pulis sa lalawigan ng Masbate.
Ang peacekeeping forces sa hot spot na lalawigan ng Masbate ay binubuo ng 9th Infantry Battalion at 85th Infantry Battalion at daan-daang pulis na kinabibilangan ng mga commandoes.
Dalawang helicopters ang dinala ditto ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at ginagamit ng Joint Special Task Force Masbate sa pagdedeploy ng personnel sa mga liblib at kritikal na pook ng lalawigan. In addition, may limang (5) armored trucks ang dinala ditto ng Philippine Army.
Sa harap ng firepower na ito ng pamahalaan, kapuna-punang naging tahimik ang mga private armies na naghasik ng karahasan nang Election Day noong 2007.
Ayon naman sa Joint Special Task Force Masbate commander na si Senior Supt. Victor Deona, mananatiling nasa pinakamataas na level ng red alert ang state forces sa Masbate upang ang botohan at bilangan ng boto ay maisagawa ng mapayapa. (EADelgado, PIA Masbate)
1 kasapi ng rebelde sa sagupaan ng Militar at NPA sa Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 11:51:20 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY - Arestado ang isang kasapi ng rebeldeng New Peoples Army (NPA) makaraan ang nangyaring sagupaan sa pagitan ng tropa ng militar at mga bandido sa kasagsagan ng halalan ngayong araw sa bayan ng Oas, Albay.
Ayon kay Maj. Harold Cabunoc, tagapagsalita ng 9th ID ng Army, nangyari ang engkwentro sa pagitan ng tropa ng 2nd Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army, sa pamumuno ni Lt. Col. Leoncio Cirunay at abutin sa limang kasapi ng NPA, habang nagsasagawa ng operasyon ang mga sundalo laban sa mga vote buyers.
Kinilala ang naarestong bandido na si Reynante Mortel, 40- anyos, residente ng Balete, Guinobatan, Albay.
Narekober sa pinangyarihan ng sagupaan ang isang M16 armalite rifle, hand grenade, permit to campaign cards at iba pang subersibong dokumento.
Nasa kustodiya ngayon ng 2nd Infantry Batallion ang naturang bandido at nakatakdang i-turnover sa Oas PNP ngayong araw.
NPA Rebels Continue Campaigning for Their Political Bets in Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 11:21:31 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMP OLA, Legaspi City- The local terrorist group of the CPP-NPA-NDF were caught by security forces while campaigning for their political bets in the hinterlands of Albay, a military official said.
Major Harold M Cabunoc, 9th Infantry Division Spokesman said that a 9-man squad of soldiers who were sent on a security patrol in a remote village of Oas, Albay clashed with more or less 10 communist terrorists in Bgy Rosario of the said municipality at around 4:30am today.
Firefight lasted for about five minutes after which the terrorist rebels escaped towards the forested area of the said barangay, leaving behind one of their comrade who surrendered with his firearm.
LtCol John Oberio, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion said that the said encounter resulted to the capture of one of the rebels identified as a certain Renante Mortel and the recovery of a Cal 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle and an MK2 hand grenade.
LtCol John Oberio, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion said the soldiers confiscated 50 pcs of PTC cards and hundreds of sample ballots containing the names of Satur Ocampo and Liza Masa as well as their supported party list BAYAN MUNA were recovered during the said encounter.
“We received a ‘hot info’ from a barangay official that some heavily-armed rebels were campaigning in his village. I immediately sent my soldiers to check the enemy presence,” said Oberio.
“My soldiers confiscated sample ballots containing the names of senatorial candidates Ocampo and Masa and their party list group Bayan Muna. They are really aggressively supporting the candidacy of their own bets,” added Oberio.
The terrorist rebels are actively campaigning for their political bets in remote areas of the baranggay. The field units of the 9th ID are consistently receiving reports about armed rebels who are campaigning for their own local and national bets.
Mortel is now brought to the 2nd IB camp for tactical interrogation. Oberio said that he will turn-over the captured bandit to the Oas Municipal Police Station for filing of criminal cases.
The CPP-NPA-NDF has admitted to the PTC/PTW collection of their members in the Bicol Region. Their admission came after the discovery of over six hundred PTC cards during an encounter with NPA extortionists in Caramoran, Catanduanes on February 19, 2010.
Major General Ruperto Pabustan, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division has directed all Army forces in the Bicol Region to intensify their security patrols to ensure the conduct of honest and peaceful elections. (PIA Albay)
MASBATE NANATILING MAPAYAPA, BOTOHAN NAGMISTULANG FIESTA
Posted 5/10/2010 11:16:40 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY —Sa oras na ito, tatlong oras ang nakalipas matapos magbukas ang mga presinto, lalong dumagsa na ang mga botante sa mga polling precincts sa Syudad ng Masbate at nagmistulang fiesta na ang atmosphere dito.
Sa pagtaya ng opisina dito ng Commission on Elections, aabot sa 80 porsyento ng total na bilang ng botante sa lalawigan ng Masbate ang lalabas ng kanilang bahay upang bomoto sa kaunaunahang automated elections sa bansa.
440,959 ang kabuuang bilang ng mga botante sa Masbate, at 41,795 nito ay nasa Masbate City.
Samantala, isang Precinct Count Optical Scanner o PCOS machine sa Barangay Lubigan, bayan ng Pio V. Corpus ang naiulat na hindi gumana.
Solusyon dito ay palitan PCOS subalit hanggang sa mga oras na ito ay patuloy na naghihintay sa pagdating ng bagong PCOS machine.
Kabaliktaran naman sa mga nagdaang araw na may mga insidente ng pamamaril na isinisisi sa mga private armies ng mga pulitiko, walang naiulat na ontoward incidents magmula ng magbukas ang mga polling precincts kanina.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 11:14:35 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
Sorsogon Situationer:
Inabot lamang ng tatlong minuto at patuloy namang gumana ang PICOS machine ng Comelec kung saan ito rin ang kanina lamang ay pumalya sa nasabing Barangay bibincahan Sorsogon presinto numero 13.
Ayon sa pahayag ng Comelec personnel hinggil sa naging dahilan kung bakit nag malfunction ang nasabing makina. Mali diumano ang ginawa ng isang botante dahilan sa hindi muna nito hinintay na mag-confirm ang makina bago isalang ang panibagong balota. Na nagsasabing confirmation sa kaniyang napiling mga kandidato kung kayat ganun ang naging reaksyon ng picos machine.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 11:08:02 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
Sorsogon Situationer:
Nagkaroon sa kasalukuyan ng pagpalya ng makina ng PICOS machine sa isang presinto ditto sa bibincahan Sorsogon. Presinto 13, ayaw tanggapin ng PICOS machine ang balota at ang lumalabas sa screen nito ay paper jam at rejected. Agad namang inasistihan ito ng Comelec personnel upang maayos agad ito.
Kung kayat nagkakaroon ng kunting kaguluhan dahilan sa marami pa ang nakapilang botante at patuloy silang natatagalan dito sa pag-aantay.
Posted 5/10/2010 5:05:55 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Kasabay ng mas lalong tumaas na temperatura ngayong tanghaling tapat ay ang pag-init ng ulo ng ilang botante sa Ibingay Elementary School at Nursery Elementary School dito na tinuligsa ang board of election inspectors.
Inirereklamo ng mga botante ang mahabang pila at mabagal na botohan. Ayon sa mga nagrereklamo, mahigit dalawang oras na silang nakapila at sa bagal ng pagusad ng pila at botohan tinatantiyang tatlong oras pa bago sila makaboto.
Ilan sa mga nagrereklamo ang umalis na sa pila at nagdesisyong di na lang sila boboto.
Sa mga desididong bomoto, good news naman daw sa kanila ang pag-urong ng voting hours sa 7PM.
VOTE BUYING NG MGA LOKAL NA POLITIKO, RAMPANT AYON SA MGA BOTANTE
Posted 5/10/2010 5:02:13 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Wala kahit isang namimili ng boto ang naaresto na pero kung paniniwalaan ang kwento ng mga botante, hanggang P2,000 ang natanggap ng bawat isa para iboto ang partikular na kandidato o lineup.
Ayon sa mga botanteng umaming nakatanggap ng pera sa mga political leaders, mga kandidatong magkaribal sa lokal na posisyon lamang ang namili ng kanilang boto.
Sa ilang lugar naman, may mga nakausap tayong mga botanteng naka stand-by malapit sa mga polling places na nagrereklamo. Naghihimutok sila dahil walang lumalapit sa kanila upang bilhin ang kanilang boto sa kabila ng mga balita na umabot na sa P3,000 ang bilihan ng bawat boto. (EADelgado)
3RD DISTRICT NG MASBATE TENSYONADO DAHIL SA BROWNOUT
Posted 5/10/2010 4:59:26 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PLACER, Masbate—Nagdulot ng pangamba sa mga botante sa third district ng lalawigang ito ang brownout na nagsimula kaninang alas 3 ng hapon.
Mahaba pa rin ang pila ng mga botante sa polling places hanggang sa oras na ito at lalo pang pinababagal ng maraming illiterate voters ang pag usad ng pila kaya nangangamba ang mga botanteng sumapit na ang dilim ay hindi pa matatapos ang botohan.
Pag brownout at madilim, pinangangambahang may milagro o himala na mangyayari sa mga PCOS machines.
Walang ibinigay na katiyakan ang mga opisyal ng power generation at distribution firms kung kalian maibabalik ang kuryente sa 3rd district.
Naiulat din na low battery na ang ilang PCOS machines sa 3rd district. (EADelgado)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Masbate... BOARDS OF CANVASSERS SA MASBATE ACTIVATED NA
Posted 5/10/2010 4:46:18 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Pagsapit ng 12 noon, convened at naghihintay na ng elections returns ang Masbate Provincial Board of Canvassers.
Kumpleto at ready na rin ang counterparts ng provincial board of canvassers sa Masbate City at 20 bayan.
Dahil sa inuurong ng Comelec ang voting hours sa 7PM, tantiya ng mga municipal board of canvassers, 4 a.m na sila makakaproklama ng mga nanalong kandidato. (EADelgado)
PAG member harasses voting precinct in Masbate
Posted 5/10/2010 4:40:59 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
A voting precinct in Placer town in Masbate was marred by an indiscriminate firing today of a gunman believed to be a member of a political armed group, a Philippine National Police report said.
The reports said one Bobit Dubongco armed with a .357 handgun in said fired several rounds into the air sending people at the voting center scampering for safety.
Police investigators said the incident took place at around 9:00 a.m. Monday at an public elementary school in barangay Santa Cruz, Placer, Masbate.
Special Task Force Masbate (TFM) operatives are hunting down the suspect who hurriedly fled leaving the behind his handgun.
STFM operatives said the suspect is believed to be a member of a political armed group who wanted to harass and disrupt the election proceedings there. (PIA Albay)
PCOS nagkaaberya sa Tabaco City, ALbay
Posted 5/10/2010 4:32:47 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY - Hindi lang sa bayan ng Daraga at lungsod ng Legazpi, nagkaroon ng aberya angmga PCOS machine kundi pati na rin sa Tabaco City.
Sa unang distrito ng lalawigan ng Albay, nasira ang dalawa makina na ginagamit ng polling precincts sa Tabaco habang nasa kalagitnaan ng pagboto and mga botante.
Nagkaaberya ang mga makina sa Barangay Marirok at Cabangan, Tabaco City.
Ginagawa naman lahat ng mgatechnicians ng Smartmatic ang nasabing mga pulayang makina para muling magamit ng mga nakapila pang mga botante. (PIA Albay)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 4:23:35 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
SORSOGON CITY - As of press time, not even one of more than 500 voters in three polling precincts in Brgy. Dao, Pilar, Sorsogon has voted yet.
It can be noted that the election paraphernalia for one polling precinct in Brgy Dao was accidentally swapped with the election paraphernalia intended for one polling precinct in Bulan town. As of the moment, the problem has not yet been resolved.
Voters, though impatient, keep waiting for whatever development the Comelec will advise them.
Comelec meanwhile, is still in the process of resolving the problem. Said three polling precincts has some 500 voters.
[4:07:15 PM] PIA Sorsogon: Meanwhile, majorityof polling precincts in Pilar has already recorded a 50% voting turn-out.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 4:21:38 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
SORSOGON CITY - The Comelec here through City Election Supervisor Atty. Ryan Filgueras announced that they are ready to extend the voting time until 7:00pm or beyond just to accomodate all the voters as per the Comelec national Office directives.
However, he also made it clear that only voters who are within the prescribed perimeter will be allowed to vote during the given extension time. This is in response to fear that voters may not be accomodated within the ten-hour voting schedule from 7am-6pm due to slow-paced voting procedure.
As observed, the long queue of voters remains as is since that of 6:00 this morning.
Meanwhile, Filgueras said that this year's positive turn-out of voter's is an indication of full and active participation of the people. (PIA Sorsogon )
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 3:57:24 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMARINES SUR - SAMANTALA, BANDANG ALAS DOS AY NAKATAPOS NA RING BOMOTO SA POTOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANG PRESIDENTIAL SON NA SI DATO ARROYO KASAMA ANG KANYANG ASAWANG SI CACAI.
SI DATO AY RE ELECTIONIST PARA SA KARGONG KONGRESISTA SA BAGONG IKALAWANG DISTRITO NG CAMARINES SUR.
ANG LIBMANAN AY ANG ITINUTURING NA PINAKA MALAKING BAYAN SA CAMARINES SUR KUNG SAAN MERON ITONG 75 NA BARANGAYS.
MERON ITONG 88 CLUSTERED PRECINCTS AT BINUBUO NG 47,409 NA BOTANTE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 3:57:24 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMARINES SUR - SAMANTALA, BANDANG ALAS DOS AY NAKATAPOS NA RING BOMOTO SA POTOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANG PRESIDENTIAL SON NA SI DATO ARROYO KASAMA ANG KANYANG ASAWANG SI CACAI.
SI DATO AY RE ELECTIONIST PARA SA KARGONG KONGRESISTA SA BAGONG IKALAWANG DISTRITO NG CAMARINES SUR.
ANG LIBMANAN AY ANG ITINUTURING NA PINAKA MALAKING BAYAN SA CAMARINES SUR KUNG SAAN MERON ITONG 75 NA BARANGAYS.
MERON ITONG 88 CLUSTERED PRECINCTS AT BINUBUO NG 47,409 NA BOTANTE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Camarines Sur
Posted 5/10/2010 1:52:11 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Camarines Sur
Source: pia bicol - marlon
NAGA CITY -- NAGPAABOT NG SUMBONG ANG ISA SA MAYORALTY CANDIDATE NG LUNSOD NG NAGA NA SI ATTY. ADAN BOTOR DAHIL SA DIUMANOY PAGBABALE WALA NG COMELEC SA HAYAG HAYAGANG PAGLILIBOT AT PAKIKIPAG KAMAY NI MAYOR JESSE M ROBREDO SA MGA BOTANTE SA ILANG POLLING PRECINT DITO SA LUNSOD.
AYON KAY ADAN, ISA ANYA ITONG MALINAW NA PAGLABAG SA KAUTUSAN NG COMELEC NA NAGBABAWAL NA PAGKAMPANYA GAYONG TAPOS NA ANG CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
NAKITA RIN ANYA NIYA ANG MADAMING BILANG NG LIBERAL PARTY POLL WATCHERS SAMANTALANG ISA LAMANG ANG OTORISADO NG COMELEC BAWAT PRESINTO.
BUNSOD NITO AY NANAWAGAN ANG HULI SA COMELEC NA MAGPADALA NG PULIS O DEPUTIZED AGENTS UPANG MAITABOY ANG SINO MANG ANIMOY NANGANGAMPANYA PA RIN SA MGA POLLING CENTERS.
SAMANTALA, SA KASALUKUYAN AY TAHIMIK NAMAN ANG NANGYAYARING BOTOHAN SA LUNSOD, MALIBAN NA LAMANG SA PAGKAWALA NG ILANG PANGALAN SA COMPUTERIZEDVOTER’S LIST AT PAGKA ABALA NG PAGBOTO DAHIL NA RIN SA IBANG MALFUNCTIONING NA PCOS MACHINE…
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 12:45:50 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY -- Voters in the province of Albay are one in welcoming announcement of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) today extendeding the automated voting process in all precincts nationwide until 7 p.m. to accommodate more registered voters.
Observers noted that this will somehow cope up with the lost time in view of some glitches or malfunctions of a few PCOS machines as observed in some areas.
Authorities, meanwhile, has assured the public that lighting facilities and other needs are in placed as the casting of votes ends at night time. (PIA Albay)
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:27:33 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Patuloy ang pagdagsa ng mga botante sa mga polling centers. Ayon kay Atty. Maria Aurea C. Bo-Bona—provincial election supervisor, mula sa 343 kabuuang bilang ng PCOS machines ay isa ang nagkaroon ng aberya kung saan ay hindi gumana ang PCOS Compact flash card na naitala mula sa Villa Aurora, Viga, Catanduanes.
Sa kabila nito, patuloy pa rin ang proseso ng pagboboto habang hinihintay na mapalitan ang nasabing flash card.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:26:28 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Iniulat ni PNP Director Rodegelio Gerero na maayos at mapayapa pa rin ang eleksyon sa lalawigan at nananatiling alerto ang buong kapulisan sa tulong ng AFP sa pagtugon sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan at kapayapaan ng halalan.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Catanduanes
Posted 5/10/2010 12:25:33 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Catanduanes
Source: pia bicol - marlon
PIA Catanduanes Situationer:
Virac, Catanduanes- Malawakang “vote buying” ang naganap sa lalawigan mula kahapon hanggang medaling araw. Pangkalahatan, naging maayos ang pagbubukas ng 343 voting precincts sa buong lalawigan.
Iniulat ng Smartmatic dito na walang problema at maayos na naikabit ang mga PCOS machines at may nakahanda umanong mga reserbang PCOS machines sa oras na magkaroon ng aberya.
PRIVATE ARMIES TAHIMIK SA MASBATE
Posted 5/10/2010 12:19:54 PM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Masbate
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY—Hanggang sa oras na ito, nanatiling tahimik ang mga private armies ng mga pulitiko habang nagkalat ang mga sundalo at pulis sa lalawigan ng Masbate.
Ang peacekeeping forces sa hot spot na lalawigan ng Masbate ay binubuo ng 9th Infantry Battalion at 85th Infantry Battalion at daan-daang pulis na kinabibilangan ng mga commandoes.
Dalawang helicopters ang dinala ditto ng Armed Forces of the Philippines at ginagamit ng Joint Special Task Force Masbate sa pagdedeploy ng personnel sa mga liblib at kritikal na pook ng lalawigan. In addition, may limang (5) armored trucks ang dinala ditto ng Philippine Army.
Sa harap ng firepower na ito ng pamahalaan, kapuna-punang naging tahimik ang mga private armies na naghasik ng karahasan nang Election Day noong 2007.
Ayon naman sa Joint Special Task Force Masbate commander na si Senior Supt. Victor Deona, mananatiling nasa pinakamataas na level ng red alert ang state forces sa Masbate upang ang botohan at bilangan ng boto ay maisagawa ng mapayapa. (EADelgado, PIA Masbate)
1 kasapi ng rebelde sa sagupaan ng Militar at NPA sa Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 11:51:20 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
LEGAZPI CITY - Arestado ang isang kasapi ng rebeldeng New Peoples Army (NPA) makaraan ang nangyaring sagupaan sa pagitan ng tropa ng militar at mga bandido sa kasagsagan ng halalan ngayong araw sa bayan ng Oas, Albay.
Ayon kay Maj. Harold Cabunoc, tagapagsalita ng 9th ID ng Army, nangyari ang engkwentro sa pagitan ng tropa ng 2nd Infantry Battalion ng Philippine Army, sa pamumuno ni Lt. Col. Leoncio Cirunay at abutin sa limang kasapi ng NPA, habang nagsasagawa ng operasyon ang mga sundalo laban sa mga vote buyers.
Kinilala ang naarestong bandido na si Reynante Mortel, 40- anyos, residente ng Balete, Guinobatan, Albay.
Narekober sa pinangyarihan ng sagupaan ang isang M16 armalite rifle, hand grenade, permit to campaign cards at iba pang subersibong dokumento.
Nasa kustodiya ngayon ng 2nd Infantry Batallion ang naturang bandido at nakatakdang i-turnover sa Oas PNP ngayong araw.
NPA Rebels Continue Campaigning for Their Political Bets in Albay
Posted 5/10/2010 11:21:31 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
CAMP OLA, Legaspi City- The local terrorist group of the CPP-NPA-NDF were caught by security forces while campaigning for their political bets in the hinterlands of Albay, a military official said.
Major Harold M Cabunoc, 9th Infantry Division Spokesman said that a 9-man squad of soldiers who were sent on a security patrol in a remote village of Oas, Albay clashed with more or less 10 communist terrorists in Bgy Rosario of the said municipality at around 4:30am today.
Firefight lasted for about five minutes after which the terrorist rebels escaped towards the forested area of the said barangay, leaving behind one of their comrade who surrendered with his firearm.
LtCol John Oberio, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion said that the said encounter resulted to the capture of one of the rebels identified as a certain Renante Mortel and the recovery of a Cal 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle and an MK2 hand grenade.
LtCol John Oberio, Commander of the 2nd Infantry Battalion said the soldiers confiscated 50 pcs of PTC cards and hundreds of sample ballots containing the names of Satur Ocampo and Liza Masa as well as their supported party list BAYAN MUNA were recovered during the said encounter.
“We received a ‘hot info’ from a barangay official that some heavily-armed rebels were campaigning in his village. I immediately sent my soldiers to check the enemy presence,” said Oberio.
“My soldiers confiscated sample ballots containing the names of senatorial candidates Ocampo and Masa and their party list group Bayan Muna. They are really aggressively supporting the candidacy of their own bets,” added Oberio.
The terrorist rebels are actively campaigning for their political bets in remote areas of the baranggay. The field units of the 9th ID are consistently receiving reports about armed rebels who are campaigning for their own local and national bets.
Mortel is now brought to the 2nd IB camp for tactical interrogation. Oberio said that he will turn-over the captured bandit to the Oas Municipal Police Station for filing of criminal cases.
The CPP-NPA-NDF has admitted to the PTC/PTW collection of their members in the Bicol Region. Their admission came after the discovery of over six hundred PTC cards during an encounter with NPA extortionists in Caramoran, Catanduanes on February 19, 2010.
Major General Ruperto Pabustan, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division has directed all Army forces in the Bicol Region to intensify their security patrols to ensure the conduct of honest and peaceful elections. (PIA Albay)
MASBATE NANATILING MAPAYAPA, BOTOHAN NAGMISTULANG FIESTA
Posted 5/10/2010 11:16:40 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Albay
Source: pia bicol - marlon
MASBATE CITY —Sa oras na ito, tatlong oras ang nakalipas matapos magbukas ang mga presinto, lalong dumagsa na ang mga botante sa mga polling precincts sa Syudad ng Masbate at nagmistulang fiesta na ang atmosphere dito.
Sa pagtaya ng opisina dito ng Commission on Elections, aabot sa 80 porsyento ng total na bilang ng botante sa lalawigan ng Masbate ang lalabas ng kanilang bahay upang bomoto sa kaunaunahang automated elections sa bansa.
440,959 ang kabuuang bilang ng mga botante sa Masbate, at 41,795 nito ay nasa Masbate City.
Samantala, isang Precinct Count Optical Scanner o PCOS machine sa Barangay Lubigan, bayan ng Pio V. Corpus ang naiulat na hindi gumana.
Solusyon dito ay palitan PCOS subalit hanggang sa mga oras na ito ay patuloy na naghihintay sa pagdating ng bagong PCOS machine.
Kabaliktaran naman sa mga nagdaang araw na may mga insidente ng pamamaril na isinisisi sa mga private armies ng mga pulitiko, walang naiulat na ontoward incidents magmula ng magbukas ang mga polling precincts kanina.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 11:14:35 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
Sorsogon Situationer:
Inabot lamang ng tatlong minuto at patuloy namang gumana ang PICOS machine ng Comelec kung saan ito rin ang kanina lamang ay pumalya sa nasabing Barangay bibincahan Sorsogon presinto numero 13.
Ayon sa pahayag ng Comelec personnel hinggil sa naging dahilan kung bakit nag malfunction ang nasabing makina. Mali diumano ang ginawa ng isang botante dahilan sa hindi muna nito hinintay na mag-confirm ang makina bago isalang ang panibagong balota. Na nagsasabing confirmation sa kaniyang napiling mga kandidato kung kayat ganun ang naging reaksyon ng picos machine.
Bicol Updates on HNB 2010: Sorsogon
Posted 5/10/2010 11:08:02 AM by pia-bicol
Region: R05
Province: Sorsogon
Source: pia bicol - marlon
Sorsogon Situationer:
Nagkaroon sa kasalukuyan ng pagpalya ng makina ng PICOS machine sa isang presinto ditto sa bibincahan Sorsogon. Presinto 13, ayaw tanggapin ng PICOS machine ang balota at ang lumalabas sa screen nito ay paper jam at rejected. Agad namang inasistihan ito ng Comelec personnel upang maayos agad ito.
Kung kayat nagkakaroon ng kunting kaguluhan dahilan sa marami pa ang nakapilang botante at patuloy silang natatagalan dito sa pag-aantay.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)