Pres. Aquino to visit wake of ambushed soldiers in Tuguegarao City, Ilagan
by Oliver T. Baccay
Tuguegarao City (14 July) — President Benigno Aquino III is set to arrive tomorrow in this city and Ilagan, Isabela to personally visit the wake of three (3) soldiers who were among the seven (7) killed in an ambush in Bontoc, Mountain Province last Friday.
The 3 were among the 7 soldiers killed in an ambush by suspected communist terrorists including a military officer in Sitio Sugit, Brgy. Samoki, Bontoc, Mountain Province.
The group of the 52nd Division Reconnaissance based at Saddle in Barangay Talubin, Bontoc, was on its way to conduct a medical mission in a nearby town scheduled for the weekend when they were ambushed.
Other fatalities were identified as 1st Lt. Lito H. Punio (28) of Mindanao; Corporal Cornelio Balmez (34) of Pangasinan; PFC Windez Gazingan (30) and PFC James Tio-an (25), both of Kalinga.
The ambush is the latest attacks carried out by the New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels in the province, one of the areas of concern by the military’s North Luzon Command.
The rebels carted away from the victims four M16 rifles and two M203 grenade launchers, among other firearms. (PIA 2)
Gov Dy III to address malnutrition in Isabela
by Oliver T. Baccay
Cauayan City (14 July) — Isabela Governor Faustino G. Dy III has pledge to include nutrition programs on his priority agenda within his administration to address malnutrition rate in the province.
Dy lamented when he learned that Isabela province has the highest malnutrition rate in whole Cagayan Valley region in the past years.
During the launching of One Nutrition One Nation (ONON), Dy assured that he will seriously implement nutrition programs in the province and ordered nutrition action officers of each municipality to pursue programs and activities that will eradicate malnutrition within their areas of responsibility.
“I commit to include nutrition program as one of my priorities within my administration to regain our award as one among provinces who have outstanding programs on health and nutrition and with no malnutrition rate nationwide,” Dy said.
Meantime, Ms. Rhodora Maestre, Nutrition Program Coordinator for Region 2, said Isabela province was then awarded Nutrition Honor Award, the highest Presidential Award on Nutrition nationwide, but was not sustained because it became a lest priority of the past administration.
Maestre expressed her gratitude to the Governor for including nutrition on his priorities and believed that problems on nutrition in the whole province will be addressed with the commitment of the new governor.
“I am really happy that the officials now of Isabela, not only the Governor but also the mayors are taking their bit to seriously address nutrition related problems”, Maestre added. (PIA 2)
DSWD launches Senior Citizens Help Desk
Tuguegarao City (14 July) — To enhance the full implementation of the Republic Act 9994 or The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD) Field Office 02 launched the Senior Citizens help desk at the DSWD Office lobby on July 12, 2010.
Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia and Assistant Regional Director Ponciana P. Condoy s[erheaded the launching with the DSWD staff and covered by the local media.
Garcia said the senior citizens help desk aims to help senior citizens and inform the public on the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 without access to telephone lines and internet. This will also be merged with the existing Bilis Action Desk (BAD) of the agency.
“We are the first agency to put-up help desk designed for our senior citizens in the region and in the country. We hope that with this new innovation, we can addressed the implementation of R.A. 9994 to enable our senior citizens enjoy their benefits and privileges as provided by the law,” Director Garcia emphasized. (Angely-DSWD/Oliver-PIA)
DOT awards P1-M for GREET program beneficiaries
by Oliver T. Baccay
Tuguegarao City (14 July) — The Department of Tourism (DOT) Region 2 has awarded a total amount of Php1, 095, 733 worth of projects to proponents of the Grassroots Entrepreneurs for Ecotourism (GREET) program in Cagayan Valley Region.
She said the empowerment involved the provision of vital services for tourists as their community based ecotourism projects.
In Isabela, the program has benefitted the Palanan Wilderness Development Cooperatives (PWDECO) with their thrust to protect the Palanan wilderness area.
In Cagayan, the Palaui Environmental Protection Association (PEPA) in Palaui Island, Sta. Ana was given support for their eco-historical interpretative tour guiding.
In Penablanca, Cagayan, where the flagship destination of tourists in the region, the Sierra Madre Outdoor Club (SMOC) was given an amount for the purchase of their caving, rappelling, and rock climbing equipment for rent. Another 2 individuals from this municipality were granted funding support to establish their pasalubong kiosk at the Callao Caves tourist zone.
In Batanes, 5 recipients and an association were also supported in their trading of ecotourism friendly products, under water tour guiding and purchase of equipment, souvenir shop and other livelihood projects in connection to the furtherance of tourism development and promotion.
Diwa said the result of the first phase of the project was impressive and the phase 2 will further enhance the livelihood opportunities in the grassroots level.
“This will further enhance the livelihood their delivery of services in ecotourism sites since their organizations are known to have track records in carrying out their mandates and in implementing their programs”, Diwa added. (PIA)
DSWD core shelter program in Pangasinan now 90% complete
By Venus H. Sarmiento
Bani, Pangasinan (14 July) — The identical core shelter houses in barangay Dacap Sur, this town, sponsored by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the municipality of Bani are now 90 percent complete with 70 percent of the 100 units now occupied.
Engineer Virgilio Cave said the ladder -like structure was inspred by the terraces and was conceptualized primarily to prevent land slide. Huge corals were cemented together to finish the beach look of the slopes leading to the houses.
“Our construction started in February 1 and we hope to finish all the houses by July 23,” Cave said.
The DSWD allocated P7 million for the materials with each of the 4 x 5 square- meter- unit having a P70,000 budget. Bani’s counterpart is the 50 hectare lot, architects and engineers from the municipal government, pipelines for the water subsystem and electricity and waste disposal facilities.
Mayor Marcelo Navarro plans to invite President Benigno Aquino III for the project’s inauguration tentatively scheduled on September 28.
“DSWD gave P7 million, our LGU counterpart if monetized is close to P8 million and the Word Food Organization’s 4,200 sacks of rice could amount to P5 million. So, the project costs roughly P20 million. We already wrote a letter to the President to inaugurate the project and hopefully, he can come,” Navarro said during the media tour arranged by the DSWD.
The United Nations World Food Program provided five kilos of rice fro the workers-beneficiaries that forms part of the’sweat equity.’ This means, the family members who are the beneficiaries themselves assist in the construction of their own houses. Instead of cash payments, they receive five kilos of rice. Residents of other barangays who came to help were provided with 10 kilos of rice per daily work.
Navarro bared he plans to develop the relocation site into an eco-village which can be copied by other institutions.
The families were organized in the Neighborhood Assistance Shelter Association (NASA) and fondly call their place “Borobor Ti Ayat” (Spring of Love).
The core shelter beneficiaries are informal settlers whose light houses were washed out by floods and strong winds during typhoon Emong in 2008. They number around 100 families with population estimated at 600 individuals. (PIA-Pangasinan)
Army turns over fight vs rebels to Pangasinan PNP
By Danny O. Sagun
Lingayen, Pangasinan (13 July) — The fight against insurgents in Pangasinan is now in the hands of the provincial government thru the local police force.
This developed as the province under Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and the Philippine Army Monday declared Pangasinan as insurgency-free area in a simple ceremony at the PDCC conference room at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center here.
The 7th Infantry Division under Major Gen. Irineo Espino turned over the lead role in internal security operations (ISO) to the provincial peace and order council thru the police office under Sr. Supt. Percival Barba, provincial director.
Espino, in his remarks, however clarified that the 7th ID would continue to “perform our mission to finish off the remnants of the threat group.” He made the classification in view of earlier reports that the division would pull out its field units stationed in the province.
He said that the transfer of primary responsibility on internal security from the military to the police meant that the insurgency problem in Pangasinan “reached its inconsequential level.”
Gov. Espino, who during his Constabulary days had several encounters with the rebels including life-threatening ones, said he was “very happy” that the fight against insurgency is coming to its end now that he is the governor. “On a personal note, I?m very much involved in this, in my PC-INP days,” he said adding that he had figured in the capture of the highest political members of the Left.
An insurgency-free province means that the rebels have no base of operations in the area, the governor noted. “Patakbo-takbo lang mga yan mula Zambales magtago sila sa boundary areas,” he said, referring to the rebels who make incursions in Pangasinan.
He also noted that the rebels now do not have ideology to speak of as countries which used to be communists are now market-oriented societies. The only issue now for cause of complaints is too much injustice, he added. “Siyempre, gustong gumanti yong naapi at samantalahin ng nasa kaliwa,” he noted.
But with government interventions in remote areas, he said that the Left would have a hard time recruiting people in their side. A 27-kilometer long road is being built in Mabini town while other government projects in Dasol and Infanta towns which used to be NPA-influences areas are being implemented.
Mayors and barangay captains from formerly affected areas were present during the handover ceremony as well as ranking military and police officials. (PIA Pangasinan)
President Aquino orders speedy release of soldiers’ benefits
Manila (13 July) — In pursuit of his commitment of professionalizing the Armed Forces of the Phililippines (AFP), President Benigno Aquino III has put forward soldiers’ welfare and benefits as among his early concerns for the military.
During the first AFP command conference, President Quino conveyed to AFP leaders his concerns over the pace of delivery of soldiers’ benefits especially those personnel killed in action.
He said as far as he knew, there were arrears in benefit payments from Malacañang, which has set aside portions of the President’s Social Fund as assistance to AFP members killed in line of duty.
“Merong utang ang Office of the President through the President;s Social Fund for those killed in action. This was promised in 2000 and is now a sizeable amount. I will be consulting with the DBM this afternoon and the PMS who manages the fund to ensure na iyung utang ng OP ay nababayaran sa lalong madaling panahon,” the President said.
On same conference, President Aquino also tackled the issue of the AFP modernization, assuring the military that he is now looking into the problems that are besetting the program particularly those that hinder its funding.
“We are studying the pertinent laws that will enable us or are posing a hindrance to achieving these outlays without massive app[ropriations in the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” he said.
According to the President, modernizing the AFP which he has laid out as one of his priority program, will involve recruiting more soldiers and upgrading their equipment so they will be able to do their jobs well.
He stressed, however, that the government would not be able to do this alone, so he suggested soliciting the possible assistance of the private sector.
“Panag-usapan iyung proposal on how to fund the AFP modernization?and what was proposed today can really help achieve the aims of our modernization program the soonest possible time by actively soliciting private help to assist the government in this,” President Aquino said.
Before the command conference, the President, as Commander-in-Chief, was briefed on the military’s counter-insurgency operations as well as the country’s security situation and the AFP’s organizational structure. (OPS/PIA)
Sorsogon police celebrates 15th PCR Month
by BA Recebido
Sorsogon City (12 July) — The Philippine National Police celebrates anew the Police Community Relations Month this July, now on its 15th year after its inception in 1996.
This year’s celebration has renewed the police commitment to enhance the police image to gain support from the community in their functions.
PCR Month has officially kicked off on Monday, July 5, with a Flag Raising ceremony participated in by the different government agencies in the province along with other civilians at the Camp Salvador C. Escudero, Sr, this city.
It was followed immediately by a motorcade along the main thoroughfare of Sorsogon City.
Annually celebrated by virtue of the Presidential Proclamation No. 764, this year’s PCR month highlights the theme “Pulisya at Mamamayan Tungo sa Matatag na Pagkakaisa ng Pambansang Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran”.
Police Provincial Director PSSupt. Heriberto Olitoquit in his message expounded the value of camaraderie and friendship between policemen and community in achieving a strong and developed country adding that the PCR program of the PNP has effectively served its purpose of transforming the image of police force from negative to positive.
Sorsogon Police Provincial Office (SPPO) Public Information Officer PSupt Angela Rejano, meanwhile, said that in an awarding ceremony held on Monday, the Bulan Municipal Police Station under the able leadership of their Municipal Police Chief Efren Orlina was awarded by the SPPO as Best Police Community Relations Unit.
SPO1 Edgar A. Calupit, on the other hand, was cited as Best PCR Police Non-Commissioned Officer in recognition of his exemplary performance in the field of police community relations.
ejano further said that SPPO has also given due recognition to City Agriculture Office, Provincial Council of Community Elders and to Sorsogon College of Criminology Incorporated College Red Cross Youth Council because of their unrelenting support and contribution to the PNP specifically on their livelihood programs and activities initiated by the PCR office, which is relevant to achieving the PNP’s mission. (PIA Sorsogon)
NFA Bicol supports PNoy’s reforms in food security program
Legazpi City (12 July) — The National Food authority (NFA) in Bicol welcomes the reforms and changes that President Benigno Simeon “P-Noy” Aquino III recently pushed in line with the government Food Security Program.
President Aquino announced he was planning to end the government’s rice importation program where billions of funds are spent.
He directed agriculture authorities to end rice importation and instructed them to find ways to improve the country’s rice production program.
Edgar Ventulan, NFA regional director in Bicol said that he will support any reform in his agency specifically on the rice importation program where the agency is incurring hundreds of millions losses yearly in the form of subsidy.
Ventulan claimed that in Bicol from January to June this year, the agency bought 800,000 bags of rice but financial records indicated that it incurred a P757-million loss because of the rice subsidy program.
Ventulan said presently, the NFA has at least 2.8 million bags of rice stored in various agency-designated warehouse across the region.
He said the agency has an adequate supply of rice enough for the next eight months or 250 days.
Ventulan said the agency maintains a rice stock position and millions of bags are ready for disposal in times of calamities, wherein priority rice distribution will be given to the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate.
He said NFA has maintained a buffer stock from imported rice and some acquired through the agency’s rice procurement program.
Ventulan noted that agency statistics indicate that the daily rice consumption in Bicol is pegged at 14,000 bags. (PNA Bicol/PIA)
Kalinga farmers undergo season-long palaycheck system
Tabuk City, Kalinga (10 July) — Twenty seven agricultural extension workers (AEW) here are currently undergoing a Season-Long Training of Trainers PalayCheck System in the province.
Trainer Cristino Balancio from the Agricultural Training Institute based in La Trinidad, Benguet said that the participants will be engaged in the seed-to-seed training for at least four months or one cropping season.
This aims to update AEWs the principles and practices of the PalayCheck System enhancing their knowledge, skills, and performance in rice production and technology promotion.
Since the training requires a hands-on schooling in the farm, the participants will be working in demo farms to understand and experience first hand the system, Balancio said.
According to City Agriculturist Gilbert Cawis, the System had been very effective in Tabuk City after its full implementation this year as proven by the productivity of several farmers who have been employing the technique.
Just this year, rice farmer Joseph Dacio of Tuga, Tabuk City, was able to harvest 263 crop cut or an actual yield of 205 sacks per hectare during the recent dry season after strictly observing eight key checks of said farming system.
Using the same technology and SL8 hybrid rice seeds, Joyce Capuyan of Balong, Tabuk City was able to harvest an actual yield of 232 sacks per hectare last summer cropping, Cawis informed.
Piloted in Tabuk City in 2007, the PalayCheck System is a dynamic rice integrated management system that employs best key techniques and management practices as key checks and facilitates learning through farmers’ group to sustain improvement in productivity, profitability and environmental safety.
Said system which was adopted from the farm management system of Australia was designed to develop a core of rice specialists who will lead in implementing the training and extension component of the GMA-Rice Program.
The training facilitated by Balancio, Edwin Dicksen, Remy Baliao and Denecia Luces was conducted through the ATI-BSU CAR in partnership with the Office of Agricultural Services. (ggdumallig/PIA-Kalinga)
