NSO reports reveal more male deaths than females
LEGAZPI CITY, MArch 2 (PIA) — There is more registered male deaths compared to females as revealed in the latest data released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) here.
This city exhibited the highest registered death of 1, 732 comprising of 997 males and 735 females, followed by Daraga and Tabaco City with 1, 504 and 872 deaths respectively. The municipality of Jovellar had the least registered deaths of 85.
NSO noted lesser registered death from ages 0 -14. However as the age increases, the number of deaths likewise increases. At ages 60 and over, the rate abruptly increases with 2, 492 males and 2, 230 females or 57.05 percent of the total registered deaths.
Top 4 causes of the said recorded deaths are Pneumonia, Cardiac Arrest, heart attack and other cerebrovascular diseases like stroke.
Meanwhile, a total number of 26, 240 births were registered in Albay for 2011. Male births with 13, 741 were higher by 1, 242 than that of females with 12, 499 live births.
The top 3 municipalities with the highest number of live births are Legazpi City with 5,311, Daraga with 3, 712 and Ligao City with 2, 906.
For the monthly birth registration, September had the highest number of registered live births with December having the least births at 1, 232. NSO said that the live births for December are registered in the next months and are not yet included in the data.
NSO also noted that births attended by hilots are the most prevalent practice in Albay for 2011 with 8,789 deliveries or 33.49 percent of the total registered live births. Physicians follow with 8,660 or 33.0 percent. Midwives ranked third in preference with 8, 044 or 30.66 percent.
Furthermore, teenage mothers contributed 2, 328 or 33.33 percent births. Five births of which are born from mothers with age younger than 15 years old.
Mothers with ages 20 -24, which NSO noted as the peak age for giving birth, contributed 7,285 live births.(MAL/SAA, PIA V/Albay)
PNoy to inaugurate 2.1 megawatt Linao Cawayan Mini Hydro power plant
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, March 2 (PIA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III will inaugurate the 2.1 megawatt Linao Cawayan Mini Hydro power plant today at around 10:00 a.m.
Although the powerplant is located within the Linao Cawayan River in the municipality of San Teodoro, the inauguration will be held in the compound of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO) in Sta. Isabel, Calapan city. The president will lead the Ceremonial Switch-On of the 45 Sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program.
According to Romeo Cuasay, ORMECO general manager, the project is a run-of-the-river hydro incorporating a gross head of 81.57 meters and a rated flow of 4.10 cubic meters per second at 35 percent at a time. The power capacity is 2,100 kilowatts.
The plant is now fully operational, serving directly the consumers from the site through the town of Baco leading to substation transformer in Calapan City to synchronize the electricity available to the system.
Meanwhile, the president will also be presented a copy of the book “ The ORMECO Odyssey,” by ORMECO’s first president Atty. Zosimo Mendoza. It describes the journey of the electric cooperative from its organization 39 years ago. It also shows the efforts to tap the renewable energy to meet the growing demand of power.
Also expected to attend the ceremony are Energy Secretary Rene Almendras, Governor Alfonso Umali, Jr. and other local officials. (LTC/BSD/PIA4B/CALAPAN)
CHED offers college scholarships
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Feb. 26 (PIA) — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) now accepts applications for its student financial assistance programs (StuFAPs) in a bid to make tertiary education accessible to all.
Grant-in-aid is sub-categorized into four. First is the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process-CHED Study Grant Program for Rebel Returnees (OPAPP-CHED SGPRR) which is intended for former rebels and the legitimate and legitimized dependents which expands the access to college education opportunities. Second is the DND-CHED-PASUC Study Grant Program (DCP) which is intended for dependents of killed-in-action (KIA) battle-related, Complete Disability Discharged (CDD-Combat) and active Military Personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Third is the CHED Special Study Program for Congressional district and party lists and Senate which is intended for the constituents for Congressmen, Party List Representatives, and Senators. The fourth category is the Tulong Dunong (TD) that includes other scholarship programs not covered under items 1, 2 and 3.
Cordova added that interested applicants must be a Filipino citizen of good moral character, a high school graduate or a candidate for graduation from high school, must have at least 80 percent general weighted average (GWA) based on Form 138 and a general scholastic aptitude (GSA) of National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE). NCAE passers with a 90 percent mark and higher gets full merit scholarship, 85 percent mark passers get half merit and 80 to 84 percent mark passers qualify for the Grant-in-Aid and student loan programs.
The applicant’s combined annual gross income of parents or guardians must not exceed P300,000. He or she must not be more than 30 years old at the time of application except for CHED Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process-Study Grant Program for Rebel Returnees (OPAPP-SGPRR).
Entering freshmen and/or college student in any curricular year level are qualified to apply.
For student borrowers, applicants must enter into a loan agreement with CHED Regional Office and must have a co-borrower who is a member of SSS/GSIS in good standing, at least paying contribution for six months for the last 12 months, and has not yet availed of any government scholarship and/or grant.
Cordova explained that the needed documentary requirements for the application are accomplished StuFAPs Application OSS Form 01 which is available at CHED Regional Office at the Diosdado Macapagal Government Center in Barangay Maimpis, High School Report Card (Form 138), Annual Income Tax Return or Certificate of Tax Exemption of parents/guardian from Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), certificate of good moral character from the high school principal or guidance counselor, certified true copy of grades during the previous semester attended (SNPLP applicants only), notarized contract between CHED and student-borrower (SNPLP only) and proof of SSS/GSIS premium contribution of co-borrower (SNPLP only).
Cordova disclosed that incoming freshmen and new grantees shall receive a package of financial benefits per semester but not to exceed eight or 10 semesters for a four- or five-year program.
Under the scholarship program, full merit scholars shall be eligible to receive P15,000 while half merit scholars will receive P7,500.
For Grant-In-Aid program, those who qualify for the TD shall receive P6,000 while those who qualify for the CSSGP-CDs/Senate gets P2,500.
Moreover, Scholars under the Student Loan will receive P7,500 as financial assistance.
The deadline of submission of StuFAPs applications is on April 30, 2012. (WLB/JGB-PIA3)
President Aquino leads turnover of housing units to AFP, PNP personnel
TRECE MARTIRES, Cavite, Feb. 24 (PIA) — President Benigno S. Aquino lll today led the symbolic turnover of over a thousand housing units for low- salaried personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police at Ciudad Adelina 2, Barangay Luciano, Trece Martires City, Cavite.
After the turnover, President Aquino inspected the model housing units. The event is part of a series of activities lined up for the EDSA celebration on Saturday. This activity also serves as a symbolic act to commemorate the collaboration between civilian and military forces during the peaceful revolt of Filipinos against the dictatorship in 1986.
After the turnover of keys of the housing units to AFP personnel and their families, the President proceeded to the PNP housing area (units) to inspect the same. He was briefed by the concerned agencies regarding the housing units.
As of posting time, a crowd of around 3,000 uniformed men and women from the PNP and AFP as well as local executives, heads of national agencies and beneficiaries have gathered at the event.
He arrived at exactly 10: 15 am and was received by Vice President Jejomar Binay, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma, Cavite Vice Gov. Recto Cantimbuhan, Trece Martires City Mayor Melandres De Sagun, Cavite 6th District Representative Antonio Ferrer and Edsa People Power Commissioners Cesar Sarino and Milagros Kilayco. (PIA/GHQ)
Over 200 couples tie knot in Pangasinan’s biggest mass wedding
SAN JACINTO, Pangasinan, Feb. 20 (PIA) – At least 226 couples tied the knot here yesterday in the biggest mass wedding event in the province.
Dubbed ‘Kasalan ed Baley’ (Kasalan sa Bayan), the couples came from the 19 barangays of the town, dressed in white gowns and barong tagalog with some grooms donning a coat and tie.
The San Jacinto gymnasium was filled to capacity with the brides and grooms, families, relatives and individual couple’s ninongs and ninangs.
Each couple was given a slice of cake and wine glasses which they could toast just like in a traditional wedding reception.
Mayor Robert De Vera, who officiated the ceremony, said the event aims to legitimize the affairs of the couples and at the same time ease them of the financial burden of wedding preparations which are often costly.
De Vera noted the great increase in the number of couples this year and attributes this to the local Civil Registry Office’s strategy to go directly to the barangays to process the papers and documents of the ‘applicants’ for the wedding, in coordination with the National Statistics Office (NSO).
Last year, there were only 30 pairs who took part in the mass wedding.
Newly-wed couple Kenneth and Angel Baniqued expressed happiness for the holding of the mass wedding which spared them from the tedious processing of papers, wedding coordinations and financial woes.
Fourth district Congresswoman Gina De Venecia and former Senator Ernesto Maceda (De Venecia’s brother –in-law), stood as principal sponsors who wished the couples a strong union and happiness in their married life. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1 Pangasinan)
LandBank launches offsite ATMs for 4Ps beneficiaries
MANILA, Feb. 20 (PIA) — LandBank recently launched offsite ATMs in Caloocan City to aid in the distribution of cash grants to beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a statement on its website said.
According to the bank, it forms part of its plan to eventually deploy mobile ATMs for the 4Ps payout initially in selected areas in the National Capital Region. The 4Ps is the Aquino administration’s flagship poverty reduction measure.
The mobile ATMs are offsite ATMs that can be relocated from one place to another via customized vehicles.
With the mobile ATMs, LandBank is expected to provide convenient cash banking services to 4Ps beneficiaries especially those in the remote areas across the country. A total of 400 4Ps beneficiaries in Caloocan were serviced during the payout.
The 4Ps, which is administered by the DSWD, provides cash grants to extremely poor households. LandBank serves as the depository and disbursing bank of the program.
Aside from the LandBank Cash Card, cash grants can also be claimed through over-the-counter transactions in its branches and other conduits such as rural banks, cooperative banks, cooperatives, non-government organizations, and telecommunication companies. (LB/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)
DBM releases guidelines on participatory budgeting in gov’t
QUEZON CITY, Feb. 8 (PIA)–To institutionalize participatory budgeting in government, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released a set of guidelines to standardize its partnership program with civil society organizations (CSOs) and other concerned stakeholders
In a news release, Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said that the guidelines reaffirm the Aquino administration’s desire to institutionalize participatory budgeting in government.
“We want to nurture a strong relationship with CSOs, non-government organizations, and people’s groups in crafting the 2013 budget, so that our expenditure program will truly be community- and results-oriented,” Abad said.
It identifies key parameters for citizen participation, especially in the preparation and submission of agency budget proposals for the next fiscal year.
The guidelines, released as National Budget Circular in January 31, 2012, also covers partnerships that will be formed between civil society groups and government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).
The circular also include set of governing principles for DBM-CSO engagement, rules for implementing CSO partnerships, procedures for consultations, and the necessary feedback mechanisms for proper documentation of the consultation process.
The guidelines also specify eligibility requirements for partner CSOs to ensure the qualification and proper authority of partner organizations.
In addition, the circular re-emphasizes the approach of bottom-up budgeting as a complement to the CSO consultation process.
The DBM confirmed that guidelines for the implementation of the bottom-up scheme will soon be released in a separate memorandum.
At the end of the formal consultation process, the DBM will organize various fora to assess the effectiveness of citizen participation in budget preparations, the DBM chief said.
“Government agencies and GOCCs shall follow through with their CSO engagements in the 2013 budget preparation process, however, if an agency fails to enter into a BPA with the proper organizations, they must address a justification letter to the DBM, which should be included in their budget proposal submissions,” Abad added. (DBM/RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)
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.
In this week’s edition of the ‘Tipon-Tipan Sa PIA,’ most of the BFAR officials said that for the last decade, boats in the area could hardly pass through the mouth of the lagoon, part of the 14-kilometer Buguey River, into the sea because of heavy siltation.
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.
“We extend our sincerest condolences to the families of Cris Daguio and Liza Grimaldo who died in the explosion along with SAF troopers PO2 ELizalde Bisaya and PO3 Jose Torralba,” said PNP spokesperson Agrimero Cruz.
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 BI announced the resumption of the scheme after it released the revised implementing rules and regulations for the SVEG that were approved by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
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)
