BFAR supports responsible dredging
by Benjie S. De Yro
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Jan. 29 (PIA) — Officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said they are for the responsible dredging project in the Buguey Lagoon to improve the navigational course of fishermen in the said coastal town.
Earlier, local and foreign experts have undergone independent study on the lagoon due to its prominence as a land of international importance declared during the 1998 Ramsar, Iran Convention sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Educational Council (UNESCO).
“While dredging the lagoon is very important for navigational purposes, habitats of endemic species should be protected,” Dr. Evelyn Ame, chief, Fisheries Resources Management Division said.
The lagoon is home to a variety of endemic species in the area particularly ‘siganids’ (Malaga), shrimps, shellfishes and most importantly, crabs and crablings in the wild.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said at least 27 species of migratory birds from Asian countries do visit the area during winter months. The presence of the fowls is an indication of the ecological balance existing in the wetlands of the lagoon, the agency added.
As early as a decade ago, the local government unit has seen the necessity of dredging the mouth of the river in Barangay Minanga as the fishermen has reported decreasing catch as an after effect of the heavy siltation in the area.
The fishery bureau expressed hope it will be included in the planning stage of the activity to suggest areas that should not be dredged as these are habitats of endemic species. (TCB/BSY/PIA-2)
PNP extends condolences, financial assistance to families of bomb blast victims
by Jimmyley I. Guzman
QUEZON CITY, Jan. 29 (PIA) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has extended its condolences to the families of blast victims after a vintage bomb recently exploded while being defused in a junk shop in Taguig City.
The incident has left four persons dead including two members of the PNP Special Action Force while injuring 11 more.
Cruz added that the PNP is also offering the services of the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City to blast victims who need further medical treatment, while financial assistance will also be given to the families of casualties.
He also assured that the PNP supports the investigation conducted by the SAF and Taguig City Police to determine the status of the incident and to establish administrative and criminal responsibility of those involved.
Meanwhile, Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano in her official statement said that she has ordered the Taguig City Police to immediately resolve the recent unfortunate incidents that happened in the city.
Cayetano assured that the recent incidents, including the bomb explosion, are “isolated incidents” that should not affect the reputation and image of Taguig as a fast growing city.
She added that the city government will fully help the victims.
The local chief executive vowed that the city will further strengthen its campaign against crimes. (PNP-PIO/TAGUIG-PIO/RJB/JEG-PIA-NCR)
Immigration bureau resumes implementation of special visa for employment generation
by Susan G. de Leon
MANILA, Jan 25 (PIA) — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has resumed the implementation of the special visa for employment generation (SVEG) which would grant indefinite stay privilege to foreigners with investments in business enterprises employing at least 10 Filipinos each.
The SVEG was first introduced in 2009 pursuant to Executive Order No. 758 but the bureau suspended the program last July pending revision of its rules to make it more responsive and relevant to the purpose of the law.
Immigration Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said in a news release, holders of the SVEG, also known as the job generation visa, enjoy multiple entry privileges, thus they can enter and leave the country as they wish without the need to secure reentry or exit permits.
David said that the BI has been encouraging foreign businessmen to avail of the visa as it would generate employment opportunities for Filipinos.
The visa is still subject to restrictions imposed by the Constitution and existing laws on foreign investments.
Under the new rules, household service workers are no longer to be counted in the 10 employees a foreigner has to hire in order to avail of an SVEG.
The BI also scrapped the old rule providing for the grant of a one-year probationary SVEG while the employer complies with the requirements.
Failure to comply with the requirement of hiring at least 10 Filipino workers remains a ground for the revocation of the SVEG. Under the old rule, the holder is given a year to comply with this requirement; the new rule shortened the period to just 30 days.
The new rules also lengthened the time for the annual reporting of SVEG holders from one month to two months.
The commissioner was also authorized to conduct periodic inspections to ensure compliance, to promulgate additional rules, and to create an oversight committee to monitor implementation of the rules.
SVEG applications may be filed at the BI main office or any of its field offices in the country. (BI/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)
TESDA sets first ever training course on tour guiding in Batanes
BASCO, Batanes, January 19 (PIA) — The Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) will be conducting the first ever training course on tour guiding in the province starting January 21.
Juanita Acacio TESDA administrative officer said the training is set for 196 hours or 25 days at the TESDA-supervised school, the Batanes Technical Skills Development Center.
Acacio said the tour guiding course is designed to enhance knowledge, skills and attitudes of an individual in the field of tour guiding services (TGS) national certificate (NC) ll, such as coordinating tour program/ itinerary; guiding and accompanying tourists in the locality in accordance with industry standards.
“The course will cover basic, common and core competencies so that TESDA will no longer hire tour guiding trainers from outside Batanes in the future trainings because the product of this training could already serve as future trainers,” Acacio after this tour guiding training course.
The lead lecturer on tour guiding will be Dr. Florecita Barsana Acacio, an Australia-based Ivatan. She is the hospitality management consultant, and University of the Philippines curriculum consultant on hospitality management.
The local trainers are National Certificate (NC II) holders Rogelio Doplito, an employee of the provincial government, and Juliet Cataluña, a national broadsheet correspondent.
Doplito is a private part time tour guide for the past eight years, tour guiding local and foreign tourists to historical sites in Batanes Islands. On the other hand, Cataluña was the former chairman of the Batanes Eco-tourism cooperative for five years and had been tour guiding in her private capacity for the past seven years. (TCB/NGA/PIA Batanes)
DSWD’s Supplemental Feeding program serves 19,438 pre-schoolers
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Jan. 19 (PIA) — The supplementary feeding program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has served a total of 19,438 pre-schoolers enrolled in the different day care centers in the region for the year 2011.
Regional director Arnel Garcia said the feeding program was aimed at improving malnutrition problems in the region. Food and regular meals provisions are given to currently enrolled day care children ages 3-4 years old, and 5-year old pre-school enrolled in the day care centers not catered by the Department of Education (DepEd) for 120 days.
Of the 19, 438 children, 4,945 are Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, 1,318 from Cagayan; 2,667 from Isabela; 856 in Nueva Vizcaya and 104 from Quirino.
“In this program, the parents manage the feeding program based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous and locally processed food materials. The children are weighed at the start of the feeding and a monthly weighing thereafter is being done to determine improvement in their nutritional status,” Garcia explained.
The supplementary feeding complements the goal of Pantawid Pamilya to improve the nutritional status among children who belong to poor families.
The DSWD region 2 has started implementing the program in the region by the third quarter of 2011. This is spearheaded by the Operations Division in coordination with the Local Government Units thru the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), Day Care Workers and Parent Groups. (TCB/BM/OTB/PIA-2)
Conservation Int’l to conduct training on mango production
by Oliver T. Baccay
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Jan 18 (PIA) — The Conservation International Philippines (CIP) is set to conduct a training on mango production to more than 100 upland farmers in the five barangays of southern Peñablanca, Cagayan.
Technical staff for agroforestry development Exiquiel Malanos said the project aims to provide feasible alternative livelihood opportunities for the upland farmers to alleviate poverty and reduce dependence to the natural forest resources.
He said the project also aims to facilitate mango production for agroforestry farmers under the Philippine Sustainable Reforestation Project (PSRP) in the pilot barangays of in Bugatay, Cabasan, Sisim, San Roque and Manga.
Malanos said the training is one way to engage farmers to become producers of mangoes of good quality which could be sold locally and abroad.
He said that although mango production is quite expensive considering the cost of farm inputs, CIP will train the beneficiaries on farm management practices to reduce the cost and to gain income.
The training include marketing and post harvest technology transfer to be able to facilitate skills on marketing and to impart to the beneficiaries the possible benefits they can get from the said project, Malanos added.
CIP is a non-government organization concerned on the protection and conservation of natural resources, especially the forest resources of the Philippines. (TCB/OTB/PIA-2)
International conference on K to12 program set in Pangasinan
by Venus H. Sarmiento
BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan, Jan. 17 (PIA) — A three-day academic international conference workshop on the K to 12 program of the Department of Education will be held on January 19-21 at the Sison Auditorium in Lingayen town.
The conference dubbed “Addressing the K to 12 Curricular Enhancement in the Philippine Education 2012,” is open to all private and public schools teachers, faculty of higher education and college students taking up teacher-education courses.
Registration fee is P2,500 for students; P3,500 for public school teachers and P5,000 for private school teachers.
The event aims to gather perspectives of Filipino education stakeholders on K to 12 curriculum, and identify working knowledge, standards, content-based instructional materials, approaches, innovative learning assessment and learner-based action research on K to 12 for sustainable development in basic education.
The event will feature international speakers from the United States of America, Japan and Australia who will talk on the global condition of the K to 12 program.
Philippine speakers will include Sen. Antonio Trillanes III, who will speak on the topic ‘Senate and the K to12 Curriculum Reform Legislation.’
Other speakers are DepEd Undersecretary Yolanda Quijano, Congressman Mariano Piamonte, Jr and officials from teacher-education institutions, students’ group and non-government organizations.
The K-12 (Kindergarten to 12th grade), is a DepEd program which seeks to expand the Philippines’ basic education to 12 years from the current 10 years to make Filipino students globally competitive.
Interested participants from other provinces and countries can contact the Pangasinan State University-Baymbang Campus for accommodations at telephone number (075) 592-2704. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1 Pangasinan)
DILG, World Vision to promote children’s welfare
by Jerome Carlo R. Paunan
MANILA, Jan. 16 (PIA) — To promote children’s welfare by further enhancing the functionality of the local council for the protection of children (LCPC) in the communities, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the World Vision Development Foundation inked a memorandum of agreement over the weekend.
DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and World Vision executive director Elnora Avarientos signed the memorandum of agreement that aims to pursue a capacity building and participation program that will enhance the effectiveness and functionality of the LCPC.
The signing ceremony was held at the DILG Central Office building in Quezon City, witnessed by DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero, National Barangay Operations Office Director Virgilio Castro, and World Vision Public Engagement director Filomena Portales.
World Vision is a child-focused, development, relief and advocacy organization dedicated to alleviating the plight of children, families and communities, particularly those in depressed areas and depressed and disaster-affected communities nationwide.
Robredo said that the DILG and World Vision share the same vision of promoting the best interest of children by creating an environment that is caring and safe for children to develop their full potential.
“To help us achieve this objective, we need to ensure the effectiveness and functionality of our LCPCs in order to have a caring environment for children and uphold their welfare,” he said.
Article 87 of Presidential Decree No. 603 of the Child and Youth Welfare Code, as well as Section 15 of Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, mandate the establishment of the LCPCs down to the barangay level.
Records from the NBOO show that at present, there are 5,169 LCPCs (37 provinces, 66 cities, 307 municipalities and 4,759 barangays) with ideal functionality that work for the advancement of children’s rights and welfare at the local level.
Under the project, World Vision shall collaborate with the DILG on the development and execution of a Barangay Council for the Protection of Children training program in World Vision- assisted areas, as well as coordinate and assist the Department in all activities required in the implementation of the project, including logistical and technical support.
It shall also identify its staff and partners who will undergo the BCPC training of trainers, and share in the LCPC/BCPC training costs where it operates through its Area Development Programs.
On the other hand, the DILG is tasked to develop a program of activities and provide resource persons in the conduct of LCPC capability training activities for World Vision staff and partners, and work with World Vision in the monitoring of BCPC in areas where the organization has programs.
“We welcome the partnership and support of World Vision in this effort of ensuring the well-being of our children,” Robredo said. (DILG/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)
BFAR to release funds for fishing boats of fisherfolks in Isabela
by Oliver T. Baccay
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) region 2 is set to release funds to replace fishing boats of fisher folks in the coastal towns of Isabela.
These boats were destroyed during the onset of typhoon “Juan” in December 2010.
Regional director Jovita P. Ayson stated that they are yet to determine the number of beneficiaries based on the reported number of victims during the said calamities and the number of boats to be built by the beneficiaries.
Ayson also stated that they will let the fisher folk build their own fishing boats and BFAR will finance the materials needed to implement counter parting scheme wherein the beneficiary shall be responsible for the labor and the materials will come from the government.
Typhoon “Juan” was one of the most devastating disasters in the region where many families lost their homes and livelihood. A lot of casualties were also recorded. Most of the victims were from the coastal towns of Isabela and the 1st district area.
“This is our efforts in helping the fisher folk restore their livelihoods and part of our rehabilitation and recovery plan which we contributed in the disaster management council,” Ayson said.
She mentioned that the fishing boats will both be motorized and non-motorized, depending on the needs and to where it will be utilized.
On the other hand, Ayson further stated that they will also release some fishing gears to the fishermen and provide post harvest facilities to help boost their productions and upgrade the quality of their products. (TCB/OTB/PIA-2)
PNoy to grace grand opening of bag manufacturing facility in Tarlac
by Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu
TARLAC CITY, Jan. 15 (PIA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III will grace tomorrow the grand opening of the D’ Luxe Bags Philippines’ manufacturing facility in barangay Sta. Rosa, Concepcion town, Tarlac.
The Chief Executive shall lead the unveiling of the marker located at the main entrance of Production Building 1 and tour the facility before heading towards the program venue to deliver his keynote speech.
A subsidiary of Hong Kong-based Luen Thai Holdings, D’ Luxe is one of the outsourced manufacturers of American firm Coach’s designer bags.
It was incorporated on December 2010 and was registered with the Board of Investments (BOI) on January 2011.
As of December 2011, D’ Luxe has 1,200 employees and is producing 90,000 to 100,000 pieces per month. On March, employment will reach 1,700 and investments will be at US$ 5 million.
The establishment of a bag manufacturing facility in Tarlac was one of Luen Thai’s commitments to the President during their September 2010 meeting in New York City.
Others were the expansion of its production plants in Mactan, Cebu and Clark Freeport. (WLB/CLJD-PIA 3)
