DSWD provides continuous relief assistance to calamity victims
by Lito Dar
Baguio City (19 December) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR) is continuously giving assistance to about 17,000 disaster affected families in the region particularly Benguet and Mt. Province.
DSWD Regional Director Porfiria Bernardez in a year-end media forum, Friday bared that based on the assessment they have made, most of the typhoon affected families still need further help. Thus, the DSWD is now implementing a “Continuing Relief Assistance” program.
“What’s new with the said program, is that the beneficiaries are asked to do community works like clearing their community surroundings and schools, so the assistance do not come out as just “relief” or a dole out, Bernardez said.
DSWD-CAR Operations Division chief Janet Armas, stated that each of the 17,000 family beneficiaries is being given 25 kilos of rice per month since October. Aside from this, the DSWD is also ready to provide noodles or other basic relief assistance like clothings and tents.
Bernardez also stressed that if a disaster affected individual or family needs another form of assistance, other DSWD programs are ready to come in such as the Cash for Work and Food for Work program. In the case of the affected families in Tublay, they are now engaged in clearing work in the identified resettlement or relocation area where they would relocate, Bernardez added.
In a related issue, Bernardez stressed that the DSWD is mandated to help the marginalized sector to help alleviate them from poverty and to give them a better quality of life.
To ensure that the poverty alleviation programs of the government will really benefit the poorest people in the country, DSWD is about to finish the National Household Targetting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), which shall be the basis of all agencies for their anti-poverty program beneficiaries. Aside from this, Bernardez also stressed that the government is now having an inventory of all the poverty alleviation programs, to see if the program is helping or not. (PIA)
Catholic faithful attend first-dawn Misa de Gallo
Cauayan City, Isabela (December 16) — Roman Catholic faithful and devotees gathered at the century-old church to participate in the first day dawn mass celebration of the Christmas season.
This nine-day celebration is observed by the Catholic Church in the whole world in preparation of the coming of Jesus Christ.
Children, youth, married couples, senior citizens, including local officials who are Catholics were the age-population who attended the dawn mass.
In Gamu, Isabela, residents of that town also attended the dawn mass at the Our Lady of Guibang which is located along the Maharlika Highway here.
The mass has caused some traffic problems among passing motorists in front of the church.
The same situation was also observed in Our Lady of Atocha in Alicia, Isabela and Saint James Parish in Santiago City.
Some Catholic devotees said they will complete the 9-day dawn mass while others are not sure if they can complete especially now that cool weather is felt in the whole province and it is hard to wake up early in the morning. (PIA Isabela)
Comelec registers 1.8 million voters in Region 2
Tuguegarao City (16 December) — The Commission on Election (COMELEC) Region 2 has registered the highest number of voters in the election history of Cagayan Valley.
Based on their report, Isabela province posted the highest number of voters with 867,053, followed by Cagayan with 606,580, Nueva Vizcaya has 233, 331, Quirino- 106,442 and Batanes posted the smallest number of voters with only 10,194.
Because of this, Comelec sees bulk of voters in next year’s election who will try the new system of election and to exercise their rights with the hope to be able to bring change in the country’s government system.
Though the number of voters has increased, the number of clustered precincts decreased with only 3,110 as compared to 8,197 precincts in 2007 election because of the implementation of the poll automation.
Despite problems on the arrival of counting machines, COMELEC Region 2 is still very optimistic that the needed machines will reached the region early next year to be utilized in the May elections.
The COMELEC had also laid down the lists of contenders in different public offices from governor down to Sangguniang Bayan in different municipalities of Cagayan Valley.
For Governorship, Cagayan has 3 candidates; Alvaro Antonio, Manuel Mamba and Joven P. delos Santos; Isabela- Fustino G. Dy III and Ma. Gracia Cielo M. Padaca; Nueva Vizcaya- Luisa L. Cuaresma, Florante S. Gerdan and Edith Taylan, Quirino- Pedro Bacani, Junie Cua and dante C. Valencia and for Batanes – Telesforo Castillejos, Vicente de Sagon Gato and William Agsunod. (Oliver B./PIA 2)
DA 2 official, Cua lead inauguration of grains processing center
Diffun, Quirino (December 16) — Lone District Congressman of Quirino Junie Evangelista Cua and an official of the Department of Agriculture region 2, led the inauguration of the Diffun Saranay Development Cooperative (DISADECO) grains processing center.
The mechanical drying machine was donated by the Department of Agriculture through the intervention of Congressman Cua while the grains storage facility is donated by Cua.
The inauguration rites was conducted before the holding of DISADECO Christmas party with its members.
Cua is presently the chairman of the committee on appropriations in the House of Representatives of the 14th congress.
He congratulated the coop’s management for their efforts to put up such important facility to benefit the farmer-members of the cooperative.
Cua assured DISADECO officers and members that he will always put priorities on the development programs of the said coop in the bustling municipality of the province. (PIA Isabela)
DOH, DTI promote safe and healthy Christmas
Tuguegarao City (16 December) — To ensure safe and healthy celebration of the yuletide season, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said they are conducting massive information and dissemination campaigns on the safety rules on the use fireworks and healthy Christmas diet.
Floro Orata, the Health Education and Promotions Officer of DOH said there is a significant decrease in the number of firecracker-related incidents in Region 2 for the last five years.
The decrease in the number of firecracker blast victims was attributed to the concerted efforts of the Philippine National Police and other government agencies in the campaign for safe festivities and in support to the’Oplan Iwas-Paputok’ drive of the Department of Health (DOH).
To avoid accidents, Orata has called on the Region 2 residents to refrain from using firecrackers and use drums, horns (torotot) instead.
Orata also reminded the public to avoid eating too much. “Unhealthy diet especially with foods rich in salt, sugar and fats is the main cause of coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity and cancer.
“Be disciplined in the foods you eat, avoid foods that can harm your health and you should eat in moderation this Christmas and new year,” Orata stressed.
The DTI, through its Consumer Welfare focal person, Lourdito Antonio assured that there is no price increase especially on food products for the media noche buena.
Antonio reminded the public to be meticulous in the food products and Christmas decors they will buy. “Be vigilant against unscrupulous businessmen who will impose prices which are above the suggested retail price (SRP),” Antonio warned.
The DTI representative likewise advised the consumers to buy only quality and safe Christmas decorations specially christmas lights. He explained that the products should bear the name and address of the manufacturer, brand name, rated voltage ant wattage of set and lamps, batch or lot number the country of origin and the ICC markings.
To avoid fire, he further advised the public to avoid octopus electrical connections (a bunch of outlets crammed together) and always follow the instructions found at the label of the products. (PIA 2)
More Pangasinan women groups get financial assistance
Lingayen, Pangasinan (16 December) — The provincial government has awarded P1.2 million worth of livelihood assistance to some 11 small and medium enterprises in Pangasinan thru the province’s Livelihood Assistance Program.
Provincial Population Officer (PPO) Luzviminda Muego said that the recipients belong to the seventh batch of women and entrepreneur associations to be awarded of such help. More groups are slated to avail of the loan program in February next year, she said.
“Ang programang ito ay tuloy-tuloy at naglalayon na makatulong at madagdagan ang kita ng ating mga kababayan,” Muego said.
She said that the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. has already released P7.7 million since July 2007.
Muego said that the associations were thoroughly evaluated. After passing the screening, the PPO provides them with training and other technical assistance.
“Inoorganize namin sila at tinutulungan namin sila para lumakas upang sa ganun ma-manage nila ang kanilang livelihood at makabayad sila ng kanilang loan,” she said.
The PPO chief also said that each association is entitled of up to four loan availments.
Muego noted that the livelihood program is a big help in view of the recent calamities that struck Pangasinan causing heavy damages.
The province released the loan checks to the following groups: San Juan Women’s Club, Laois Women’s Association, Franciscan Women’s Association, Inmalog Norte Amazing Women’s Association, Capas Women’s Association, Kapuso Multi- Purpose Cooperative, Saint Paschal Baylon Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Rangtay ti Rang-ay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Organic Pares Multi-Purpose Cooperative, PCB Boneless Bagoong Retailer and Five Kids Food Products.
At present, a total of 1,440 individuals coming from 66 women’s associations and eight entrepreneurial groups already benefited from the loan assistance program. (PIO/PIA Pangasinan)
Isabela election office starts IEC campaign for poll automation
Ilagan, Isabela (December 15) — The province’s election office has started its information, education and communication campaign for the 2010 poll automation as it started its IEC to provincial officials and employees.
In a flag raising ceremony held here today, no less than the acting Provincial Election supervisor Atty. Manuel Castillo informed and discussed to provincial officials and employees the advantages of using computerized elections next year.
Atty. Castillo said the use of computers during the 2010 election will shorten the burden of manual counting and transmission of election results from precinct level to municipal and provincial board of canvassers.
He also said that there will be faster transmission of election results through electronic transmission with only five to ten minutes from precinct level to municipal and provincial board of canvassers.
After the transmission of five to ten minutes, the poll computerized machine will produce and print the election result which will served as official election returns which are used as basis in proclaiming winning candidates.
The poll official said that the use of the new poll automation machine for the first time in Philippine election history would erase the doubts of losing candidates that there are poll manipulations of election results.
“The use of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) will shorten the burden of too long manual counting and dangers in the transmission of election returns and will erase doubts from losing candidates that there are manipulation of election results,” Castillo said.
The IEC activity in the provincial capitol will b a start of series of IEC activity to be conducted by the election office here.
There will also be conducted an IEC campaign for the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas (KBP- Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Kalinga Chapter) to be conducted by the Comelec and the election computer supplier Total Information Management-Smartmatic (TIM-SMARTMATIC) that will be held tomorrow at Isabela Hotel and Restaurant with the support of Coca Cola Philippines -Ilagan Plant.
Coca Cola-Ilagan has made arrangement with the Comelec to enable media personalities to know the computerized voting process and that will served as information multipliers regarding the computerized election process for the public.
Coca Cola Philippines’ hosting of such IEC activity is part of Corporate Social Responsibility in helping government programs and projects. (PIA Isabela)
Relief of Agno flood control chief sought
Dagupan City (15 December) — The sangguniang panlalawigan yesterday asked the Department of Public Works and Highways to relieve Philip Meñez, project director of the Agno River Flood Control System.
The move stemmed from Meñez’s consistent failure to attend SP hearings on the cause of the massive flooding at the height of Typhoon Pepeng.
Board Member Alfonso Bince, who authored the resolution for the purpose, said that the SP action was a “milder rebuke” since initially, he bared, the provincial board was contemplating on declaring him a persona non grata.
Meñez failed to attend the October 26 meeting presided by Governor Amado T. Espino. Jr. which was attended by all mayors. He also snubbed the subsequent invitations of the provincial board on November 9 and 16 and on December 7 and failed to even send a representative.
The board said that Meñez’ persistent disregard of the legal invitations by the legislative body was “an act of disrespect and discourtesy, if not indifference, to the welfare of Pangasinan and its inhabitants.”
The provincial board asked that a permanent and regular project director be appointed immediately to replace Meñez, who was just detailed from the central office. (PIO/PIA Pangasinan)
NEDA improves ODA project monitoring
by T. Villavert
Manila (15 December) — Alert mechanisms for foreign assisted projects, the Reporting on Results, and the Good Practice Awards, are three innovations developed by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to monitor Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded projects.
According to the NEDA press report, Deputy Director-General Rolando G. Tungpalan disclosed that “the innovations will not only improve the efficiency of ODA project implementation, but will also provide a mechanism to monitor project effectiveness in line with Philippine development goals.”
The NEDA Deputy Director-General explained that “the importance of the alert mechanism system is to increase public accountability while providing top management advance information and a guide to proactively address implementation bottlenecks,”
Tungpalan said the Reporting on Results system comprises a one to two-page supplement to the NEDA project profile. The “project highlights” submitted by implementing agencies would contain the projects’ results, outcomes, project beneficiaries, clarificatory information, and recognitions received.
The Good Practices Awards aim to encourage implementing agencies to document good practices generated from the implementation of ODA projects, the NEDA press report disclosed.
“We hope to showcase good practices generated from the implementation of ODA projects, good practices from the ground that can be replicated elsewhere,” Tungpalan said.
The three enhancements are continuing efforts that would further promote ODA project efficiency and advocate a results-based outlook for development projects, the NEDA press report disclosed. (PIA6)
Medical mission serves 231 patients in Tinoc
by Mhars B. Lihgawon
Tinoc, Ifugao (12 December) — The Provincial Government in coordination with the 54th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP), conducted a two day dental and medical mission serving 231 people here.
Ms. Marcela Cortez, Provincial Civil Defense Officer said that the dental and medical mission was conducted in two venues to serve more people coming from the far flung barangays.
“The first venue was in barangay Gumhang that served the barangay folks of Binablayan, Wangwang and Tuccucan while the second venue was in Poblacion”, Cortez stated.
On the other hand, the Provincial Police Office (PPO) here urged the different municipalities of the province to train municipal and barangay health workers in acupuncture.
According to the PPO report, acupuncture is an accepted treatment of some ailments of the people in the far flung barangays of the province.
The report further revealed that members of New People’s Army were using medical mission as a frontline to gather people and afterwards conduct meeting with those who availed their service like the acupuncture.
Meanwhile, a symposium on the effects of insurgency and communism was also conducted at Poblacion Tinoc attended by municipal and barangay officials, women’s organization and students.
The PNP said that during the symposium, the people expressed their sentiments and stand of not being in favor of the presence of NPAs in their municipality as they don’t want to feel what they had experienced in the 1980s and 1990s. (PIA Ifugao)
