Vizcaya solon, gov vow cash assistance to village officials
Cuaresma made the assurance during the induction of BCLP officers at the Ammungan Hall here.
“Let us forget partisan politics and unite for the development of our communities. Rest assured of my support to your plans and programs,’ Cuaresma said.
On the otherhand, Representative Carlos Padilla also vowed to provide financial assistance through his Provincial Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).
Padilla also urged the BCLP members to learn their roles well, develop their leadership and good governance in accordance with the Local Governmetn Code of 1991.
“One does not have a monopoly of governance and wisdom. By communicating with your fellow members you can improve your qualities. Therefore, take advantage of it,” Padilla explained.
The BCLP-Nueva Vizcaya chapter consists of barangay councilors from the 275 barangays of Nueva Vizcaya. (bme/PIA NVizcaya)
NFA implements new buying price scheme for corns
Provincial Manager Armando Rey C. Villacorta informed that effective September 14, 2009, their buying prices are already set in two levels; P12.30 per kilogram for 40 percent of the net marketable surplus volume and 10 pesos per kilogram for 60 percent of the net marketable surplus volume of yellow corn to be sold to them.
Villacorta explained that the scheme means, if a farmer has about 150 bags of corn, 40 percent of it is allowed to be sold to NFA at a buying price of P12.30/kilogram. If the farmer wants to sell the remaining 60 percent, the buying price will be pegged at P10.00/kilogram.
He also informed the farmers that the drying and delivery incentive for individual farmers, cooperatives and farmers organizations is pegged at 20 centavos per kilogram as delivery incentive while the cooperative’s development incentive is pegged at P.30/kilogram.
Moreover, Villacorta also stated that the procurement of corn shall be on a’first come first serve’ basis and the corn produce must be pre-classified before delivery to avoid unnecessary handling and transportation expenses on the part of the farmers.
On the other hand, Villacorta also announced that they will strictly follow the deadline for filing of applications for farmers’ passbooks which is on September 30, 2009.
Passbooks are needed to accommodate the farmers’ corn produce to be sold to NFA. (Oliver B/PIA 2)
Farmers’ group hails NFA for early corn buy
PFAC Chairman Katho Moreno said that farmer organizations in the province benefited in terms of direct and indirect marketing support.
The corn procurement program of the agency has been beneficial to farmers, he said, noting that during the harvest season the farm gate price of corn is very low and usually dictated by the private traders. In this situation, farmer cooperatives benefit, he said, because NFA buys corn at a higher price.
He said that NFA Western Pangasinan bought a total of 27,280 bags of corn from the farmer organizations amounting to P853,727.528.
Because of the procurement incentives, he said that post harvest facilities may put up by the cooperatives. (NFA/PIA Pangasinan)
WHO assures equitable distribution of swine flu vaccines when available
Manila (23 September) — THE World Health Organization (WHO) has assured equitable distribution of vaccines against swine flu once it is available.
WHO through Director-General Margaret Chan issued the commitment while making sure that developing countries are not left empty-handed in dealing with the A(H1N1) pandemic.
WHO projects that it will be able to obtain donations and funding for procurement of at least 300 million doses of vaccine against the A(H1N1) virus.
They said it should be enough to cover 15% of the population of the developing world.
As for the Philippines, Health Secretary Duque said, D-O-H would give the highest priority to their frontline health workers, pregnant women, people with co-morbid conditions and the very young and very old with immuno-compromised health status. (PIA)
DSWD leads review of day care services
by EE Jerusalem
Legazpi City (23 September) — The Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), is undertaking a survey research named as “State of the Art Review of Day Care Services in the Philippines”.
The survey of day care services focuses on: people of the day care workers, the day care supervisors and the day centers.
Evelyn Lontok, DSWD Bicol assistant regional director, explained that the result of the survey will be used in policy formulation, crafting of possible legislative agenda and develop a more focused and renewed government strategy in order to strengthen the implementation of the day care service.
Lontok added that the baseline data will also serve as inputs in crafting a 5-year ECCD Master Plan.
A joint memorandum between the ECCD Council and DSWD was issued to ensure the efficient and successful implementation of the research.
In close coordination with the local government units in Bicol, the State of the Art Survey is now on its full implementation. (DSWD/PIA)
CSC Bicol holds socio-med mission in Bgy. Pigkale
Legazpi City (23 September) — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) regional office here has slated today (September 23) a socio-medical support for indigent residents of barangay Pigcale, this city.
The activity coincides with the 109th anniversary celebration of the Philippine Civil Service offering free medical and dental services and medicines to the barangay residents
The Department of Health (DOH), Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), and the Aquinas University Hospital dispatched their medical doctors and personnel, provided medicines and food supplement for the medical and dental mission.
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Bayer Philippines, Zuellig, Pfizer and Pharma also shelled out free medicines.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Food Authority (NFA) also distributed rice and other relief goods to some 100 families and senior citizens.
The Bicol Regional Council of Personnel Officers (BRCPO) earlier solicited used clothing from the other agencies and distributed the same to barangay residents. (CSC V/PIA)
Lapus welcomes release of 3 kidnapped Zamboanga Sibugay teachers
Pasig City (23 September) — Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli Lapus today welcomed the release from kidnapping of three public school teachers of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Teachers Jocelyn Inion of Bangkaw-bangkaw Elementary School, Noemi Mandi of Naga, and Jocelyn Enriquez of Zamboanga Sibugay were kidnapped last March 13.
“The release of our three teachers is the best gift for the worldwide Teachers’ Day celebration which is meant to exalt and thank the teaching profession and not to harm these noble missionaries,” said Lapus in a statement.
Lapus thanked “those who were instrumental for their release,” adding: “The prayers of half a million Filipino teachers have been answered.” (PIA/DepEd)
Pangasinan livelihood assistance benefits small industries, marginalized sectors
Dagupan City (23 September) — A total of P1 million worth of livelihood assistance has benefitted 10 different women’s associations which qualified for the third batch of livelihood beneficiaries of the province’s livelihood loan assistance program.
The beneficiaries were: Imbo Women’s Association in Anda, Quinaoayanan in Bani, Sapa Grande in Burgos, Calzada in Mabini, Aliguas Cooperative Enterprise of Songkoy Multi-Purpose Coop in Calasiao, Kalipi ng Mapandan in Mapandan, Angayan Sur in Balungao, Nama Women’s Association in Pozorrubio, Mejia-Sison Trading Furniture Shop in San Nicolas and Zeus Lucky Pancit Misua in Tayug town.
Each association received check worth from P90,000 to P120,000.
There are now 37 associations and 825 individuals who benefited from the program which started in October 2008. Of the P4.5 million released, some P1.1 million was already collected.
The loan assistance program mostly caters to different sectors engaged in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) including marginalized farmers/fisherfolks, community-based women’s group and individual entrepreneurs.
Facilitated by the provincial population office, the province’s livelihood program aims to generate more livelihood and employment opportunities for the underprivileged to increase their income and improve access to basic needs.
Ellsworth G. Gonzales, program population officer who heads the 10-man team which monitors and evaluates the program’s beneficiaries said the province’s livelihood program has a 100 percent repayment rate.
The province provides a maximum credit assistance of P100,000 with four percent interest in six months. However, a rebate of 2.5 percent is given if payments are made before the due date. The rebate will go back to the association as capital share.
This repayment scheme strategy, he said, encourages borrowers to become responsible and thus help the association sustains itself to the benefit of its members. (PIO/PIA Pangasinan/dos)
UN’s Billion Tree Campaign hits seven billion goal target
Global climate change initiative inspires millions in run-up to crucial Copenhagen conference
New York/Nairobi (21 September) — The global public’s desire to see action on climate change was clearly spotlighted today with the announcement that the Billion Tree Campaign has reached 7 billion trees—one for every person on the planet.
Over the past three years millions of people ranging from scouts to presidents and from schoolchildren to city dwellers and corporate heads have been rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty for the environment through tree planting.
Today’s milestone was reached with the news that the Government of China has planted 2.6 billion trees as part of this unique campaign, bringing the total to 7.3 billion trees planted in 167 countries worldwide.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said: “Seven billion trees, seven billion commitments to action and seven billion reasons why governments should be inspired to Seal the Deal at the crucial UN climate change convention meeting in Copenhagen in less than 80 days’ time.”
“When this campaign was launched in 2006, there were those who said it could not be done. But day after day and week after week, people have got out into their gardens, parks and cities and into the countryside and the rural areas to prove the doubters wrong,” he added.
“Above all the Billion Tree Campaign shows that the simple act of planting a tree resonates and unites the child in the slums of Africa with a president in Mexico, or a corporate CEO in Paris with UN peacekeepers in Timor-Leste. It is the kind of solidarity that now needs to be expressed at the level of all governments and heads of state between now and December in order to move economies towards a low carbon, sustainable path,” said Mr Steiner.
The Billion Tree Campaign was launched jointly with the World Agroforestry Centre during the UN climate convention meeting in November 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya, under the patronage of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Professor Wangari Maathai and His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Its initial goal was to catalyze the pledging and the planting of one billion trees as a way of giving public expression to the challenges of climate change and also forest and ecosystem degradation.
Since then the Billion Tree Campaign has more than surpassed its aims, evolving into a true ‘People’s Campaign’ – more than half (52 per cent) of all the participants are private individuals.
Furthermore, tree planting has become both an inter-faith and an inter-generational activity, with the trees symbolizing connections between children and parents and bringing together people from different religious backgrounds.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, the founder of the Kenyan Green Belt Movement and the campaign’s co-patron, said: “Let’s plant even more trees to celebrate this wonderful achievement, the fruit of collective action from people all over the planet. By making the Billion Tree Campaign such an incredible success, people from every continent are calling their governments to truly start caring for the planet and to find unity in the fight against climate change.”
His Serene Highness Albert II, the Sovereign Prince of Monaco and the campaign’s co-patron, said: “I have always had a strong belief in the symbolic strength of the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign and I am delighted that it has exceeded our greatest expectations, far beyond the welfare linked to replanting trees, to benefit future generations.”
Highlights of the Billion Tree Campaign
In the past eight months China planted 6.1 billion trees, of which 2.6 billion have been given to the Billion Tree Campaign. With the announcement of these 2.6 additional billion trees, the grand total number of trees planted for the campaign stands at 7.3 billion as of 21 September. The government planted 260 different species of trees in eleven provinces around China, from Inner Mongolia to Yunnan and from Shandong to Sichuan.
The announcement was made in New York on 21 September at a press conference attended by international dignitaries, including Campaign Patrons Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert II of Monaco, UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, China’s Minister of the State Forestry Administration Jia Zhibang, and Mohamed Nasheed, the President of the Maldives. The announcement coincided with Global Climate Week, an event launched to mobilize global mass action around the UN high-level event on climate change – including the Global Tree Planting Drive on19 September where people were encouraged to plant trees on every corner of the planet.
A number of other countries around the world have planted impressive numbers of trees since the campaign was launched. Countries that have planted more than a hundred million trees range from Ethiopia (with 1.4 billion trees) and Turkey (711 million trees) to Mexico (with 537 million trees) and countries including Kenya, Cuba, and Indonesia.
In addition to bringing governments to take concrete action to reforest their lands, the Billion Tree Campaign has succeeded in catalyzing tree planting from all walks of society, bringing together creative, original and pioneering initiatives around the world.
To name a few, the Replant New Orleans Initiative sponsored a planting of fruit trees to help breathe new life into a community struggling with the aftermath of the 2005 Hurricane Katrina; the Greening Soweto Campaign is transforming dustbowls into treed lanes in Soweto by capitalizing on South Africa’s preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup; and 132 children in 56 countries have pledged to plant a total of one million trees as part of the ‘Stop talking, Start planting’ campaign, which was started by an eleven-year-old boy.
The economic gains of tree planting are powerfully illustrated by the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative. As well as being close to planting 38 million trees in the Appalachian region, the North American organization has also devised a green job tree planting proposal to stimulate the economy of Appalachia and reap the ecological benefits of a region-wide reforestation effort.
In addition, the Campaign has mobilized groups and individuals in post-conflict areas around the world, bringing the seeds of hope to communities in Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iraq, Liberia and Somalia among others.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has planted 9 million trees in and around refugee camps around the globe, helping to plant hundreds of thousands of acres of trees in Asia and Africa since the 1990s.
The United Nations Departments of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and Field Support (DFS) have also participated in the campaign, with thirteen peacekeeping missions having pledged 117,848 trees. Of this number 33,184 trees have already taken root across various countries hosting peacekeeping missions. The campaign, which encouraged the planting of indigenous trees appropriate to the local environments, has not only witnessed the participation and enthusiasm of UN staff, but also of the local communities in the different areas of operation.
The private sector has become a key player in the global campaign, accounting for almost 15 per cent of all the trees planted. Multinationals from Accor to Bayer and from Toyota to Coca-Cola East and Central Africa and Yves Rocher have been active tree planters, along with hundreds of small and medium-sized companies the world over.
The campaign’s universal appeal is clear from its success on social networking sites, with some 4,000 blogs adopting the cause early in the campaign.
Proving true its motto that ‘Every tree counts, and we count every tree’, the Billion Tree Campaign’s phenomenal success is a result of the participation of people of all walks of life and from every corner of the planet. (UN/PIA)
PNP bares peace and order situation in Region 2
Tuguegarao City (22 September) — P/CSupt. Roberto M. Damian, Vice-Chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Region 2, has presented the peace and order situation in the region highlighting the significant accomplishments on crime related cases.
Damian related the relentless efforts of the police in the interception and confiscation of pebbles in Aparri, Cagayan; the arrests of 9 Vietnamese in Batanes caught of illegal poaching; and the arrest of 3 fishermen in Buguey, Cagayan of illegal fishing.
He further presented the arrest of 4 persons for rape, kidnapping with murder, murder and statutory rape cases, respectively. He also stated that they were able to neutralize 3 gangs doing illegal activities in the region, and their accomplishments on the confiscation of illegal logs in Isabela.
Damian said despite these incidents, Region 2 remains secured and stable.
He also informed that there are about 230 newly recruited police in the region and additional 26 applicants were hired and are now assigned in Region 5 due to lack of eligibles in the said region.
In addition, RPOC Chair and Quirino Gov. Dakila Carlo E. Cua also informed that a certain Norman Dela Cruz of Nueva Vizcaya has returned from Canada and is now detained in Pasay City jail for a case of illegal recruitment.
“He should be charged of syndicated estafa having fooled not only Quirino businessmen but also corn traders as far as Aparri, Cagayan,” Cua said.
Cua also urged the RPOC to make a resolution informing the office of the DILG Secretary about the problem and ask them to intervene in compelling Dela Cuz to return the money to his victims. (Oliver B./PIA 2)
