Vizcaya town honors tricycle drivers
Joseph Lacerna, 27 of barangay Osmena bagged this year’s search, followed by Marcial Naguit, 35 of barangay Quezon, 2nd; Albert Victorino, 24 of barangay Quirino, 3rd; Jerix Salazar, 32 of barangay, 4th and Arvin Lance Bermudez, 18 of barangay Roxas as 5th awardee.
The winners were selected after passing the final screening and elimination by the search committee, said Aurelio Polonio, assistant event organizer of the search.
According to Polonio, since the town does not have enough natural and manmade tourism spots that will boost the business and industry, the real Filipino culture particularly values are also being promoted for tourism.
“It is on this conviction that we are investing on our people-the tricycle drivers because they are the frontliners in our tourism industry being in the transportation sector,” he stressed.
The search for “Maginoong Tricycle Driver 2009″ aims to bring out the best qualities of tricycle drivers showcasing not just their physical abilities but also intellectual, psychological, social and religious well-being, to bring out the true value of town residents representing the distinct qualities, showcase a vibrant driver who possesses the traits of honesty, hospitality and courtesy who can promote and advocate the town’s tourism potentials and to bring out the potentials of tricycle drivers who can represent the town in its social and official functions and activities outside and inside the municipality. (BME/PIA NVizcaya)
DOT to step up promotion of Camarines Sur, Bicol’s tourist hubs
by MA Loterte
Pili, Camarines Sur (11 September) — Camarines Sur has earned its niche as world class tourism destination.
The recent visit of Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” H. Durano, along with officials of Department of Tourism (DOT) and tourism stakeholders has reaffirmed the province’s top spot in the country’s most visited tourist destination with the reputation as an extreme sports hub and eco-tourism showcase.
Durano and tourism officials were in this province to look over top tourist destinations in the country in preparation for DOT’s marketing package and intensive promotion abroad to increase tourist arrivals.
Tourism attaché’s assigned in tourist-rich countries like the United States, China, Rome, London, Frankfurt and other European countries were with the DOT chief during the CamSur sorties to give them a first-hand view of local conditions that will be essential in marketing local destinations abroad.
“CamSur was the last place visited, a sort of saving the best for the last,” a DoT official said.
Next step of the country’s tourism marketing strategy will be selling local destinations to ranking tourism operators in their countries of assignment.
In a series of interviews, Durano disclosed that the promotion of CamSur is only part of a tourism tactical support package for the province.
Durano pledged to continue providing financial support to major tourism-related activities in CamSur like international wakeboarding, dragon boat and Ironman competitions.
He also assured DOT will prioritize the recommendation of Governor LRay Villafuerte to upgrade the Naga Airport, a vital component to beef up the industry, through extending the length of the runway to accommodate bigger planes and installation of modern lighting to allow night flights and interconnecting flights to and from other major international airports.
Earlier, the tourism execs led the inauguration of the newly-installed lighting and other facilities in Ligñon Hill Park, a prominent landform in the Legazpi City, Albay located behind the Legazpi Airport Tower and beside the Albay Wildlife Park.
Aside from the Mayon Volcano standing serenely behind it, Ligñon Hill Park is one of the first landmarks that greet visitors upon stepping down from an airplane. The hill’s summit offers a breathtaking 360 degree view of the city scape and the deep blue Albay Gulf, nearby towns and islands, and of course the majestic Mayon Volcano. It is becoming one of the most popular destinations for locals and visitors alike.
The tourism secretaty also made a side trip to Embarcadero Philippines, a major waterfront development also in Legazpi City that is becoming a destination for both local and international tourists alike, and spent the night at Misibis Bay Resorts, a prime commercial and residential estates nestled in the Pacific that boast of a wide stretch of pristine white sand and a scenic route along the Sula Channel putting it firmly on the International tourist map.
Durano capped his city sorties speaking at the International Academic Colloquium, sponsored by Bicol University, expounding on “Tourism Challenges to Higher Education Institutions”. (PIA V)
CALABARZON sectors ink covenant on road safety
In this 15th year National Crime Prevention Week Celebration (Sept. 1-7) with the theme: Labanan Ang Krimen, Pamilya Patatagin,” the organizers focused on the safety of the family thru the prevention of road accidents in their respective communities.
Trece Martires City Mayor Melencio De Sagun who is the co-host of the event said the agreement reached by the participants in road safety measures should be implemented as soon as possible and with no exceptions.
“In the United States of America, even national and local political figures are not exempted when they commit traffic violation, police officer will issue them traffic violation receipt”, Mayor Sagun quipped to the delight of the participants.
Also, Mayor Ramon Ilagan of Cainta, Rizal presented to the body the on going programs and projects on effective traffic management in his town.
He explained that proper information and educational campaign on road safety should be the responsibility not only by the implementing arms of the local government, but the citizen itself.
Prior to this, P/C Supt. Perfecto P. Palad, PNP Regional Director of Region IV-A recommended that strict law enforcement, less political interventions, peaceful and law abiding citizens are essential for a successful road safety program in the region.
Director Palad also mentioned that media plays an important role by way of monitoring the traffic situation and guard against abuses committed by the law enforcers.
“Media people can lend respectability and clout to any road safety campaign and be an integral part in educating the public”, Director Palad said.
Presidential Proclamation No. 461, dated August 31, 1995, declares September 1-7 of every year as National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW).
The week-long celebration aims to promote community involvement and participation in crime prevention. Also, to build and maintain public commitment and participation in activities that effectively deters commission of crimes. (Ruel Francisco, PIA-Cavite)
NVizcaya-NEcija road now passable
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (10 August) — Local commuters can now continue to travel coming and going to Cagayan Valley with ease as the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) and local government units have restored the national highway after it was blocked by a series of landslides since Thursday (August 6) afternoon.
The reported landslides blocked hundreds of commuters along the national highway in barangay Pungkan in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija as it was triggered by strong rains due to typhoon ‘Kiko’.
“It is now over and our commuters can now travel safely and comfortably,” said Police Supt. Pedro Danguilan, provincial director here.
Danguilan said the clearing operations became fast since the two provinces jointly undertook earth moving operations within the landslide areas.
The national highway was opened at 4 P..M. Friday(August 7), bringing relief to stranded commuters which filled the national highway. Some of the stranded commuters since Friday have opted to walk, braving the intermittent rains while other waited for more than 24 hours, relying on bread and biscuits as food, according to disaster coordinating council officials here.
Danguilan said the closure of the national highway in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija was due to a huge vehicle that was hit by a major landslide including minor landslides in other areas which totally blocked the road. (PIA NVizcaya)
Tourism frontliners to be tapped to conduct the Baguio Historical Tour
by Lito Dar
TESDA, under its Pangulong Gloria Scholarship Program, will sponsor 40 qualified participants to a three -day seminar, slated on August 6-8.
DOT Regional Director and Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE) President Purification Molintas said these frontliners will also be tapped to conduct the Baguio Historical Tour around the city’s tourist spots from August to December.
In relation to tourism, director Molintas stressed that the government is working hard, through effective planning and efforts to establish highways, airports and seaports. “Malaki kasi ang epekto nitonito sa turismo, and to boost our economy,” she said. In Cordillera, presidential projects such as the Halsema Highway and the Baguio-Banaue road are a big boost to tourism, she added.
In the State Of the Nation Address (SONA), delivered by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, she reported that in the last four years, tourism almost double, as it is now a $5 Billion industry.
To boost local tourism for Baguio and its surrounding municipalities, Molintas also confirmed that airline company Sea Air will soon be starting to service Baguio (from Poro Point) and practice flight is scheduled on August 21.
Centering at Baguio as a tourism hub, the tourism department is also working to increase international flights. According to Molintas, they are working to establish an international flight from Central Korea to San Fernando International Airport and probably to Poro Point.
“We are now just waiting for a technical requirement, for the flight from Central Korea to San Fernando International Airport to push through. For Poro Point, there are already initial talks/discussions,” Molintas said. (PIA)
Rebel Returnee Group Seeks Gov’t Help to Fast-track Claims, Village Road Network Projects
Cabarroguis, Quirino (28 July) — A rebel returnee group in the province of Nueva Vizcaya has sought the intervention of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) to help all rebel returnees in the region to fast track all their claims when they turn to the folds of law.
Rebel returnee leader Calvin Magno of Nueva Vizcaya sought the help of RPOC Chairman Dakila Carlo Cua during the Regional Peace and Order Council meeting (RPOC) held here last Thursday (July 23) to make the necessary move to fast track all the necessary claims so that his active rebel comrades will follow his footstep to surrender to the government and live a normal life.
However, Mr. Magno lamented on issues relating to the procedures in extending of financial assistance being offered to the rebel surrenderees which he said would discourage other rebels to go down.
He also voiced out the concern of his fellow rebel returnees regarding the construction of roads in far flung barangays in Nueva Vizcaya that are often the route of NPA rebels between the boundaries of Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija.
Magno said he is asking the council’s action for the construction of road networks linking the remote barangays in Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija whom the residents in the said areas are claiming that the national government can take to deliver its services and prevent insurgency uprising in said areas.
On the part of the 5ID Philippine Army, newly promoted Brigadier General Fajardo of the 502nd IB, who represented Maj. General Nestor Ochoa said that the 5ID is doing its part in the implementation of the “Balik Baril Program” and the Social Integration Program (SIP) of the present administration.
On road construction, Gen. Fajardo said he will refer to the 5ID engineering battalion the concern of Mr. Calvin Magno and will coordinate with the local government units before the engineering brigade would enter the area.
RPOC Chairman Dakila Carlo Cua assured action on Mr. Magno’s concern for his fellow returnees and will support their aspiration to trust to the government once again. (PIA Isabela)
Cervantes-Mankayan Road implementation on track
by SC Aro
La Trinidad, Benguet (25 July) — The implementation of the Cervantes-Mankayan National Road project is still on track despite the observed sluggish work performance brought about by the heavy rains this season.
The Provincial Board presided by Vice Governor Crescencio Pacalso made an audience last week with Project Manager Xiao- Jia, the contractor of the national road project representing China Harbour Engineering and the Department of Public Works and Highways Philippine-Japan Highway Loan Project Management Office represented by its Project Manager Francisco Sawali, to clarify allegations on slow project implementation.
Sawali admitted that project implementation is slow but they are still way ahead of schedule by 16.2 percent. The reason for the slow project accomplishment is due to the heavy rains, he added.
As of July, actual accomplishment reached 55.3 per cent as against the targeted accomplishment of 39 percent according to Sawali.
The P682 million project funded under the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), now Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is initially targeted to be completed by February 15, 2010 was extended to May 2010 due to variation in project design. The project involves a 31.55 kilometer road stretch.
The details of the project are improvement of existing gravel road to concrete originally designed as asphalting, replacement of drainage system and slope protection structure, improvement of bridges, and the provision of traffic safety measures.
There were suggestions made by members of the board based on the observations gathered such as consideration of the redesigning of slope protection for more reinforcement. It was observed that some of the crib wall slope protection structures were damaged due to the continuous rains.
The board also requested for standby equipment during the rainy season in case of road closure in slide prone areas. The board is also requesting the contractors to construct two toilets along Poblacion, Mankayan and Poblacion, Cervantes. This is aside from the suggestion of Sawali for the board to request from the DPWH.
Should there be some queries, issues or information on the progress of the project, Sawali said they could visit their office located at Mankayan, Benguet. (PIA-Benguet)
ARMM official to speak in Cordillera autonomy forum
by Lito Dar
Baguio City (25 July) — This month of July, Cordillera is celebrating its 22nd founding anniversary with the theme, “Cordillera at 22, Rising to the Challenges of Regional Development and Autonomy.” In line with the celebration, an Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) official was invited to be a resource speaker for a scheduled autonomy forum.
Through the Regional Development Council Sectoral Committee on Economic Development, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR-CAR) was tasked to invite a resource speaker from ARMM. ARMM Deputy Executive Secretary Atty Ishak Mastura will be the guest speaker of an autonomy forum, entitled “The ARMM experience”, 1:00pm of July 29.
According to DAR Regional Director Renato Navata, as part of the RDC’s Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaign on its renewed pursuit of autonomy, a resource speaker from ARMM was invited so that we may directly learn about the experiences of ARMM on autonomy.
“In the spirit of learning, we could hear (on hand) about the experiences of our Muslim brothers, with regards to running an autonomous region, so that in the end we may learn from their experiences and decide which (of their experiences) we should follow or not,” Navata said adding that in CAR’s renewed pursuit for autonomy, comparison with ARMM cannot be avoided.
Aside from RDC members, various church/religious groups, members of the academe, private sector representatives, provincial/municipal local government units, student council members and former members of the defunct Cordillera bodies are also invited. (PIA)
Funds released to speed up land acquisition for Bicol Airport
by MA Loterte
Legazpi City (23 July) — The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has transferred to the Albay Provincial Government P85 million to pay for the 140-hectare prime land straddling the areas of Daraga and Camalig town to be developed for the Bicol International Airport.
DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza recently turned-over to Albay Governor Joey Salceda the funds for the purchase of the new airport site.
DOTC officials and Albay local officials, including Camalig mayor Irwin Baldo and Daraga mayor Cicero Triumfante, and officials of the five barangays on the actual site of the proposed airport witnessed the turn-over ceremony.
Mendoza said construction works on the proposed airport are expected to start shortly and set its completion within 30 months or two and a half years.
Salceda conceptualized the idea of the Bicol International Airport and has since pursuing the construction of the new airport in Albay province to fast track and catapult the region’s economic development.
He said the proposed airport and its facilities will answer the need for a modern airport in Southern Luzon that will cater to more business activities in the area and conveniently links Bicol to the rest of the country and the world.
He added the air transport facility would further improve the performance of the region in tourism arrivals, employment generation and business investment.
The Bicol International Airport easily qualifies as among the biggest and most ambitious government projects in the Bicol Region to date, with prospects of even greater returns on investment. (PIA V)
DBP loan jumpstarts missionary route in Luzon
Manila (20 July) — State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Northeastern Luzon Pacific Coastal Service, Inc. (NLPCSI) signed recently a P64.7 million loan agreement to finance the acquisition of two ferry vessels that will ply the missionary route in northeastern Luzon.
The ferry vessels will serve the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora, providing an affordable, reliable and convenient mode of transportation to move passengers, agricultural and marine products from coastal towns to mainland markets.
DBP president & chief executive officer Reynaldo G. David said the initiative is in line with DBP’s flagship project, the Sustainable Logistics Development Program (SLDP) and supports the national government’s Strong Republic Nautical Highway.
He added that the opening of a missionary route will improve economic conditions and harness the tourism potential of northeastern Luzon, subsequently generating more employment opportunities for residents of coastal towns in the area.
NLPCSI president and chief executive officer Sec. Jose Mari Ponce, who is also administrator of the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) said the initiative will link two economic zones — the Aurora Economic Zone and the Cagayan Free Port. He expressed optimism that the initiative will boost economic activity in the three provinces.
Isabela Governor Ma. Gracia Padaca, on the other hand, said the project will also help in promoting eco-tourism in the area while supporting the campaign against logging activities in the Sierra Madre mountain range.
The project supports the Road Roll-on Roll-off Terminal System which is one of the three components of DBP’s Sustainable Logistics Development Program (SLDP). This is an investment financing facility for a comprehensive and integrated transportation system as well as related infrastructure and support services. The other components are the bulk grains highway which facilitates the transport of corn from Mindanao to Northern Luzon, while the cold chain highway is aimed at re-engineering the logistics system for perishables.
Founded in 2003, NLPCSI was formed by the provinces of Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan, and the CEZA to establish a RORO system along the northeastern coast of Luzon. (PIA)
photo credit: Jun Acullador
