DA establishes 35 barangay bagsakans in CAR
by Joseph B Zambrano
DA-CAR Regional Executive Director Cesar Rodriguez said basic food commodities like rice, meat, fish, vegetable, sugar, salt and noodles and other basic household necessities like soap are also available in the kantina.
Rodriguez said this is one of the programs of the government to help solve hunger, alleviate poverty and address malnutrition problem in the countryside. “A cooler and refrigerator are provided in each kantina to maintain the freshness of the produce, a grinder to process food products, a weighing scale and rice dispenser,” Rodriguez added.
He said those who want to avail of the kantina can be provided a cash grant of P100,000 to P200,000 but they need to submit a project proposal to the Department of Agriculture for evaluation and validation. This will also be subject to regular audit procedures.
Rodriguez explained that applicants must be an association with three years of good standing record, endorsed either by the barangay captain, mayor or the governor.
Meanwhile, the DA is also willing to help finance the establishment of a bagsakan center (trading post) by providing a cash grant from P500,000 to P 2 million. However, this has to be in partnership with a local government unit whose counterpart should be provision of a lot and labor in putting up the trading post through their Priority Investment Plan (PIP).
Rodriguez added that the DA-CAR obligated an amount of P 2million to the province of Benguet as part of its cold chain operations. (PIA-CAR)
Comelec Ifugao bares number of registered voters
by Vency D. Bulayungan
Provincial Election Supervisor, Atty Ricardo Bolintao, said that as per their official records, the total number of registered voters has gone up to 101,387.
Topping the highest registrants is the municipality of Alfonso Lista with 15,286. Lamut comes next with 12,562. The municipality of Banaue has the third highest registered voters at 11,448. Aguinaldo has 9,341 registered voters ; Asipulo-6,806; Hingyon-7,376; Hungduan-5,705; Kiangan-8,662; Lagawe-10,233; Mayoyao-6,790; Tinoc-7,178.
Bolintao said that the official lists were posted in the different COMELEC offices throughout the province thus he encouraged interested individuals to check their names before the election day comes. “In the past we experienced problems on missing names thus in order to minimize this problem, we encourage our voters to check it now,” Bolintao said. (PIA-Ifugao)
Abra women rallied to end violence
by Maritess Benas
The theme of this year’s 18-Day End Violence Campaign is “Mga kalalakihan, kaakibat ng kababaihan laban sa lahat ng uri ng karahasan.” The campaign started November 25 until December 12, 2009.
This year’s campaign is very timely in Abra as the candidates for elective positions in the provincial and municipal levels had their mass filing of Certificate of Candidacy (COC) and urged them to be mindful of the peace and security of their constituents in the upcoming electoral exercises.
After the motorcade, a forum was held at the Provincial KALIPI Center based at the Office of the Philippine Information Agency. Myrna Ruth Borgonia, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer of Bangued talked on the provisions of the Anti-Child Trafficking Law since there are already cases of child abuse and even rape of minors in the province. She explained how women, particularly the KALIPI could be of help in averting the occurrence of such kind of abuse against children who are the most vulnerable sectors of society.
Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Decimia D. Cabang, emphasized the great role of women in rearing a family especially the protection of children and how violence against women and children could be prevented through their responsible and caring attitude and determination to uphold the safety and protection of their family members.
Plans for the Christmas celebration of the KALIPI were later discussed with the provincial focal person, Ms. Noemi Bachiller. (PIA-Abra)
Baguio City launches 18-day campaign to end violence vs women
by Lito Dar
Baguio City (28 November) — The Save Our Women Foundation, in cooperation with the city’s Gender Equality and Development (GEAD) Council’s Inter-agency Committee on Violence against Women and Children (VAW-C) launched its own 18-day campaign in a Kapihan forum at the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Wednesday.
The 18-day campaign to end Violence Against Women and Children is observed nationwide from November 25 to December 12 by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 1172. This year’s theme is “Commit, Act, Demand: we can end Violence Against Women.”
Locally, the observance is centered on a “Pledge to never commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women”.
In the said forum, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan confirmed that reported cases of violence against women are increasing. She attributed this to the increasing awareness of women about their rights under the law.
In Baguio City alone, collated reports from the CSWDO, Baguio City Police Office Women & Children Protection Desk (BCPO-WCPD), Baguio General Hospital – Women & Children Protection Unit (BGH-WCPU) and Save Our Women Foundation, show that for the first three quarters of 2009 alone, there were already 493 VAW cases reported, compared to the 429 VAW cases reported for the whole of year of 2008.
Fangasan bared that majority of the cases were physical abuses, while other cases reported involved sexual abuse and economically abused women.
Patricia Gallardo, of Save Our Women Foundation, informed that as part of the launching activity, they have started a signature campaign along Session Road, for a pledge to never commit or condone violence against women, girls and children. They are also initiating the wearing of white ribbon as a sign against Domestic and Intimate Relationship Violence (DIV).
April Lippi Sudango of BGH-WCPU, Atty Debbie Dulay of the Public Attorney’s office, PO1 Grace Marron of the BCPO-WCPD and Marvin Gaddang of Save Our Women Foundation also shared their respective offices experiences and programs offered in relation to violence against women.
Tthe panelists enjoined all women to resolve to speak out against the abusive behavior of other men toward women, girls and children. There are existing laws that give them rights and protection, as well as government and private sector programs that could give them assistance in such endeavor, they said. (PIA)
PGMA bares plan to set up weather forecast assets
Manila (28 November) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo revealed in Bohol the government plan to equip itself with weather forecasting assets, during her recent one-one one interview with a local media representative in Loboc.
This as she stresses that weather forecasting is one very important things, at a meeting with the press prior to a cabinet meeting on disaster preparedness set in Bohol two weeks ago.
“What is most important is that we have to be ready,” the president told Bohol Chronicle chief Peter Dejaresco.
Dejaresco, the son of the paper’s founder and the current chief executive officer of the Bohol Chronicle Radio Broadcasting Corporation asked the President, is the Philippines ready for disasters with all the preparations.
Over that, Mrs Arroyo cited America and her advanced technology, “and they were still proven to be not ready”.
Mrs. Arroyo pointed out that weather forecasting is one important thing, and so we are improving our capabilities to track rainfall amount.
She was talking about a system of Doppler radars installed all over strategic locations in the country.
A doppler radar makes use of the doppler effect to produce data about objects at a distance, by beaming a microwave signal towards a desired target and listening for its reflection. It also includes analyzing how the original signal has been altered by the object that reflected it.
Variations in the frequency of the signal give direct and highly accurate measurements of a target’s velocity relative to the radar source and the direction of the microwave beam, according to wikepedia.
President Arroyo told the media in Bohol that the country has already installed radar in Baler Quezon, Tagaytay, and is testing in Baguio and Subic.
The country is also putting up one in Surigao and South Cotabato, Catanduanes, Virac and in Guian Samar next year, she narrated.
Weather system forecasting has popped up as a necessary capability after the country, especially Southern Luzon, bore the brunt of floods spawned by a series of storms dumping rains all over the places.
With the system of radars installed, the president hopes that the country can have pre-emptive evacuations, she said.
To secure the country’s food supply, the President also ordered the Department of Agriculture (DA) to fast-track all irrigation infrastructure projects in time as the government intensifies preparations to help the agricultural sector deal with the damage of the storms and the El Nino weather phenomenon.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo added that the President has also instructed the Pro-Performance Team to work with the private sector to monitor the progress of the president’s State-of-the- Nation commitments projects.
The DA has been pushing upland rice production in anticipation of the dry spell that is threatening the agriculture industry.
Now, the DA is prioritizing farm-to-market roads, irrigation systems, extension services, loans, dryers, and certified seeds in anticipation of the widely held belief El Niño will “put pressure on the agriculture sector”. (PIA)
NVizcaya hosts regional KALAHI meet
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (November 25) — The province will be hosting the Regional Development Council(RDC) – Regional KALAHI Committee(RKC) at the provincial capitol here on December 2, 2009.
Undersecretary Monina Plan, chairperson of the RKC and Presidential Assistant for Cagayan Valley said following agenda will be tackled during the 4th Quarter Meeting:
National Anti-Poverty Council(NAPC), 1st semester KALAHI report, Generation of commitments for KALAHI barangays of Biruk in Dupax del Norte town, Pelaway in Alfonso Castaneda town and Villa Santiago in Aglipay town in Quirino province, ststus of commitments for the 6 barangays where the KALAHI program was launched from April to May 2009 and the 3rd quarter Comprhensive Emergency Employment Assistance(CLEEP) status report.
Before the meeting, a project visit in barangay Poblacion, Villaverde, Nueva Vizcaya will be made by RKC members to monitor the Level II Water System Project funded under the NAPC-WASCO in 2008. (PIA NVizcaya)
NVizcaya towns get P8.6-M for community irrigation projects
Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya (November 25) — This town recently received P8.6 million – worth of irrigation projects to be utilized by upland farmers in protecting critical watershed areas of various barangays here.
The amount was given by the Japanese government to fund small scale community irrigation systems in the town which will benefit upland farmers in barangays Tidang and Sinapaoan in Kayapa town and barangay Antutot in Kasibu town.
The assistance was released under the project “Promotion of Participatory Forest Management in the Critical Watersheds of Nueva Vizcaya.
The project, now on its second phase also provides trainings for selected extension workers/farmer cooperators on organic fertilizer production, efficient use of biological residues and other environmental activities including marketing of agricultural and forest products to augment meager income of the beneficiaries.
The project will be supervised by the GLM Institute, a Japanese non-government organization, recipient local government units and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement.
It was conceived to rehabilitate the watershed areas of Nueva Vizcaya, whose forest cover has dwindled over the years due to slash and burn system of agriculture, illegal logging and increasing upland settlement.
With its environment and natural resources potentials, Nueva Vizcaya serves as the watershed haven of Cagayan Valley. (bme/PIA NVizcaya)
Isabela Comelec awaits COC filers
Ilagan, Isabela (25 November) — The provincial election office here has yet to receive Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) from aspiring politicians who intend to run for the different posts, while the Comelec is waiting for candidates who wish to file COCs anytime of the day until midnight of December 1, 2009.
The election office, now headed by former Santiago City Election Officer Manuel Castillo, is open 24 hours to candidates who wish to file their COCs for the provincial posts from governorship to Sangguniang Panlalawigan members.
Llocal politicians are still busy finalizing their respective line-ups before deciding to file their Certificates of Candidacy especially for municipal positions anytime these coming days until December 1, 2009.
Earlier, election assistant Marites Salvador said that all municipal Comelec offices in the entire province are ready to receive COCs from aspiring candidates until the deadline of filing.
She said the Comelec COC forms for municipal candidates are available at the municipal election office and candidates may get a copy of the documents at the same time advised candidates to accomplish the COC and submit to the Comelec offices. (PIA Isabela)
PGMA directs agencies to prepare for El Niño
by PS Mabaquiao
Manila (25 November) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered concerned national agencies to fasttract the completion of projects as the government intensifies preparations to cushion the impact of El Niño next year.
The President ordered the Department of Agriculture to rush completion of farmland irrigation projects in anticipation of the looming effect of El Niño during the Joint National Economic Development Authority and National Anti-Poverty Commission meeting held in Malacañang.
NEDA Deputy Director General Margarita Songco, had earlier reported that, based on scientific studies, a long dry spell would most likely hit the country early next year. She said that data gathered in the past several months showed that the weather phenomenon, characterized by extreme temperature rise with little rainfall, has begun affecting various areas of the country.
She also said that the Visayas and Mindanao regions have been experiencing below-normal rainfall conditions despite the three typhoons hitting Luzon in the past month.
In Antique, the National Irrigation Administration under Engr. Jose Oredina is doubling its efforts in preparing not just irrigation facilities but also farmers to participate in mitigating the effects of long dry spell.
Julito Pamiroyan, Senior Irrigation Development Officer said that they have already outlined activities in anticipation of the dry phenomenon. Among which are the regular maintenance of irrigation facilities especially canals to maintain continuous flow of irrigation water to farmlands and water scheduling for the 3rd cropping season.
“Rice planting for the 3rd cropping is also discouraged especially in downstream areas to avoid damage in crops. Instead farmers are advised to plant other crops like monggo, peanuts and other nitrogen fixing plants not only for food production but also as means to bring back the fertility of the soil”, said Pamiroyan.
Rehabilitation of some irrigation facilities damage by typhoon frank last year was already completed and facilities are being used by the farmers, however, Pamiroyan said, there are areas which were severely damaged by typhoon whose funds were not yet released like in the case of Bugo and Banayan irrigation dams which serve wide farmlands in San Remigio.
Pamiroyan appealed to farmers to be cooperative and follow the water distribution schedule (on rotational scheme) especially those in the upstream to allow the irrigation water to flow downstream so that farmers in outlying areas can avail of it. They are also urged to participate in the maintenance of irrigation canals and repair if necessary. (PIA)
PGMA, Salceda to ink P977.3-M for 4Ps in Albay
by MA Loterte and NI Mediavillo
Legazpi City (24 November) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Governor Joey Salceda of Albay will sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) tomorrow (November 24) in Malacañang.
Salceda disclosed that President Arroyo has approved some P977.3 million to fund the implementation of 4Ps for Albay, which will be carried out through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Salceda said that from Libon town as the sole beneficiary since the inception of the program, 4ps will expand its coverage to other 11 municipalities including Polangui, Daraga, Libon, Jovellar, Pioduran, Rapu-rapu, Manito, Sto. Domingo, Malilipot, Bacacay, Malinao and three cities namely Tabaco, Legazpi and Ligao.
He added that every identified family-beneficiary will receive P1,400 monthly financial subsidy for five years.
The provincial government of Albay targets 180,370 households, however, some 69,803 of which have been identified and qualified based from the criteria set by DSWD.
4Ps is a poverty reduction strategy of the government providing cash grants to extremely poor households to improve health, nutrition, and education in the family, particularly of children aged 0-14 years old.
Salceda noted that a total of P977.3 million is the annual budgetary requirement of 4Ps in the province per year, adding that the amount is much higher than the annual budget of the provincial government.
Cash grants will only be released to the most responsible adult member of every household, usually the mother, through electronic card banking system of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
Program beneficiaries will be identified based on a scoring system, utilizing the socio-economic characteristics of the household, such as non-ownership of assets/appliances, type of housing unit, level of educational attainment of household head and non-access to water and sanitation facilities.
Salceda stressed that parents or heads of the family must see to it that their children will go to school regularly, avail of the necessary health services and come up with a livelihood in order for them to receive regular cash grant.
“Failure to comply with these conditions means the grant will be automatically suspended,” he said.
4Ps aims to pursue the country’s commitment to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), such as eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achievement of universal primary education, promotion of gender equality, reduction of child mortality and improvement of maternal health.
The program also intends to provide social assistance, providing cash grants to poorest families for their immediate needs (short term poverty alleviation); and pursues social development, breaking the intergenerational poverty cycle through investments in human capital.
4Ps has since been carried out in the provinces of Sorsogon, Masbate and in Libon town in Albay.
Salceda is optimistic that the expanded 4Ps will be implemented by June 2010. (PIA V/RnB)
