MIGEDC-JICA puts up traffic surveys, experiments
The workshop will be run by the UP Technical Center for Transportation Studies experts, to be participated in by traffic personnel from MIGEDC member municipalities, namely Pavia, Oton, Sta. Barbara, San Miguel Guimaras and Iloilo City.
UP Prof. Lorenza Padojonig, JICA MTM-MIG consultant said the participants will be trained to undertake surveys on traffic volume, speed, travel time and delay, queue length and vehicle origin-destination.
Padojinog said the training exercise will have for its site the busy intersection fronting UPV-Iloilo and the Jollibee at Gen. Luna St., the area being identified as almost always congested and difficult to regulate.
She said the TWG members will either conduct surveys or run social experiments way back in their respective towns after the workshop, with financial assistance from the JICA.
Padojinog added that the capacity-building activity seeks to lay the ground for the drafting of the Traffic Management Action Agenda, intended to gather the transport and traffic problems and issues around Metro Iloilo and Guimaras, to arrive at some level of improvement.
The action agenda is expected to reflect concrete action plan which the localities will pursue in the next five years. (MIDGEC-JICA/PIA6/ESS)
8,000 Capiz farmers turn landowners
by Jemin B. Guillermo
According to Planning and Monitoring Unit head Vivia Gelera of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Capiz, a total of 8,858 farmers here were granted Emancipation Patents (EPs) and Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs).
Gelera said that since 2001 to June 2009, they were able to distribute a total of 9,399 CLOAs and EPs covering an area of 12,785 hectares.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in her 9th State of the Nation Address (SONA) said that with the government’s determination to implement the CARP, millions of Filipinos have benefited from the land distribution program.
In particular, President Arroyo spelled out that about 700,000 ‘katutubo” and CARP beneficiaries are now proud land owners.
Land distribution to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from the CARPed lands has been one of the President’s long term contributions to progress.
With her remaining months as Chief Executive of the Republic, President Arroyo has urged Congress to immediately pass the extension of the CARP as well as the condonation of P42 billion agrarian liabilities.
Congress has recently approved the CARP Extension bill with Reforms. It is poised to ratify the harmonized version that resulted from the Bicameral Conference Committee meetings held by the House and Senate Panels on Agrarian Reform during the recess.
The President is scheduled to sign the CARPER bill into law on August 7, 2009 to coincide with the anniversary of the signing of RA 3844 or the Agricultural Land Reform Code in honor and as a tribute to the Father of Land Reform, President Diosdado Macapagal, the DAR online news disclosed.
Meanwhile, Gelera revealed that the Capiz DAR office has still about 12,000 hectares of CARPed lands for distribution to qualified farmer beneficiaries until 2014.
She said that with the approval of the CARP extension, more Capiceño farmers would be benefited. (PIA)
Student journalists urged to write about climate change
Jed Kilbourn and Amaraine Laven said Ilonggo readers get low exposure to media stories because local papers, including school publications, have not dealt much on stories which explain climate change or illustrate its occurrences.
Kilbourn and Laven were resource persons on climate change during the PIA-sponsored Basic Journalism workshop, July 27, attended by more than 250 campus paper writers in Western Visayas.
Kilbourn said, although the Philippines is not a big contributor to global climate change, it will be profoundly affected by it, hence, the people should prepare for the risks and uncertainties they have to face.
Kilbourn and Laven said that their interviews with people in the region revealed a lack of full understanding of the total effects of climate change Western Visayas can face, like increased flooding, typhoons, crop failures and others, that could intensify.
They also said that local evidence of climate change vary from place to place so localized stories can focus mitigation and disaster risk management.
Kilbourn said campus writers can do much to increase awareness of the public so that they can advocate for poverty reduction and a cleaner environment.
He said further that no country has so far been doing much about global climate change, but a country can always begin on its local scenario.
“Public information and education is the first step. Journalists can do much in this,” Kilbourn and Laven said. (PIA6/ESS)
Capiceños enjoy benefits of RORO routes rehab
by Jemin B. Guillermo
In fact, more Capiceños opted to take the RORO routes to easily bring their farm products to other areas in the country, particularly Metro Manila with lesser transport cost using the RORO bus.
They insisted that using the RORO transport system is more affordable, fast as well as safe.
Engineer Nilo Gavia, head of Capiz Second Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), revealed that the Capiz section of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway that runs for 50 kilometers from Sapian to Dumarao and links the province with Aklan and Iloilo is undergoing rehabilitation.
Gavia said that the rehabilitation of the national highway is part of President Arroyo’s Strong Arroyo’s SRNH major legacy project that she spelled out in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2006.
He pointed out that the SRNH was conceived to support tourism development and promotion in the Central Philippines Super Region that has been designated by President Arroyo as the country’s tourism belt.
During President Arroyo’s 9th SONA which was delivered July 27, the President revealed that with the economic measures that her administration has implemented to boost government revenues, the country was able to develop critical infrastructures like seaports, airports, and roll-on-roll-off routes.
She cited as an example the development of the Subic-Clark Expressway that has helped create wealth for Subic and Clark, Pampanga.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza said that the programs and projects under the administration of President Arroyo are all focused on providing excellent services for the ordinary Filipinos.
He said that the advances in the transportation and infrastructure sector have productively benefited the poor Filipinos throughout the country.
Mendoza said that under President Arroyo’s term, the RORO project was put in place and three nautical highways which have linked the major islands in the country were established. (PIA)
Leyte consumer prices drop from March-June 2009 levels
By Neil D. Lopido
Tacloban City (July 30) — The Prices of goods and services in the province of Leyte registered a significant drop since March 2009 according to report from the Leyte Provincial Statistics Office through its provincial statistics officer, Wilma A. Perante.
Perante informed that the biggest drop was noted from March to April by 3.4 percentage points and followed by a 1.7 percentage points from May to June 2009. The 11 percent year-on-year rate of price change in May 2009 had considerably dwindled to 9.3 percent for the month-in-review which means that increase in prices of goods and services was slower in June 2009 compared to that of the previous month, Perante further informed.
The statistics officer revealed also that the decline on the inflation rate of the major commodity groups accounted the significant decrease of the inflation rate in the province of Leyte in June 2009. These commodity groups include fuel, light and water which dropped by 3.7 percentage points, services by 2.2 percentage points, and food by 1.9 percentage points.
On the other hand, a slight increment of 0.5 percentage point was observed on the month-on-month price change in the province due to considerable increase of the month-on-month price change of services by 3.4 percentage points and on housing and repairs by 1.2 percentage points, Perante disclosed.
On the purchasing power of the peso (PPP), a one-centavo fall was noted from May to June 2009, posting the province PPP at 61 centavos for the month in review, Perante further disclosed.
Inflation Rate (IR) is the general rise of prices over a specified period of time. It indicates how fast or how slow price changes over two-time periods. Contrary to common knowledge, low inflation does not necessarily mean that prices are falling; rather, it means that prices continue to increase at a slower rate. On the other hand, Purchasing Power of Peso (PPP) is a measure of how much the peso in the base period is worth in another period. It gives us an indication on the real value of the peso in a given period relative to the peso value in the base period. (PIA-8)
Calbayog partners with PNP, Army for security
By Ninfa B Quirante
Calbayog City (July 30) — Calbayog Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento met with the so called Security Cluster Tuesday for the update on the investigations being made by the PNP on the reported shooting incidents in Calbayog.
Also discussed was the coordination to be made between the PNP and the Philippine Army and their respective tasks to maintain peace and order in the city.
As reported earlier, the police troops from the Police Regional Mobile Group (PRMG) will be conducting checkpoints in Calbayog.
The Philippine Army through the 34th Infantry Battalion (34th IB) will conduct propelactic patrols in some barangays in Calbayog District particularly in the Upper and Lower Happy Valley areas, while the 20th IB will go on with its operations in the Tinambacan and Oquendo Districts.
As per report made by Calbayog PNP Chief PSupt Lito Bigoy, (as of July 22, 2009) the number of shooting incidents reported was at 27; and most of these incidents are results of personal grudges.
As of the meeting on Tuesday, nine cases have been filed in court; one case was reportedly settled amicably, another case found one suspect dead, 12 cases are being investigated while four cases are due for filing.
In an earlier interview dated July 14, 2009 Samar Provincial Director PSSupt Pancho Hubilla said that Samar is ‘very peaceful’.
Although the PNP chief admitted he was concerned with the killings in Calbayog City and other areas in the first district.
Two days after the interview, Matuginao Mayor Carlos dela Cruz was gunned down and killed by unidentified assailants in his very home in Catbalogan.
Matuginao is a municipality that belonged to the first district.
Dela Cruz, along with a cousin named Joel Adel were gunned down in the mayor’s house in Catbalogan, Adel however survived but could not identify the assassins.
Police are now pursuing all angles in this killing and have identified a suspect based on witnesses accounts, the suspect though remains elusive.
Hubilla meanwhile said his PNP force is addressing the problem.
In addition, a new batch of SWAT graduates have been deployed to problematic areas in Samar.
Peace and order is a high priority of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
In her final SONA delivered on July 28, PGMA mentioned her concern for security and peace and order.
“High on our agenda will be peace and security issues. Terrorism: how to meet it, how to end it, how to address its roots in injustice or prejudice—and first and always how to protect lives”, PGMA cited.
She urged congress to : fund more policemen on the streets. (PIA Samar with Ron Ricafort)
Nat’l economic reforms felt in barangays
by Jemin B. Guillermo
Roxas City (29 July) — More projects and services could now be benefited by the barangay folks after stringent national economic reforms were implemented in the countryside.
Barangay Captain Lorenzo Mentino of Agcococ, Tapaz, Capiz said that because of the economic reforms implemented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, particularly on revenue collection, their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) has significantly increased.
With more barangay IRA share, they can also provide more services to their barangay people, especially on social services and infrastructure support programs and projects, Mentino said.
He said that they are now ready to set aside augmentation fund to their elementary school to address the malnutrition problem of school children.
Mentino added that they can also utilize part of said IRA share for the improvement of their day care center and health station as well as other facilities for the benefit of their people.
Other barangays in Capiz also are investing on the health and accident insurance of their service providers such as day care worker, barangay health workers and barangay tanods.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, during her 9th State of the Nation Address (SONA) stressed that “our reforms gave us the resources to protect our people, our financial system and our economy from the worst shock that the best in the west failed to anticipate.”
President Arroyo said that the Philippine economy remains strong despite the global economic slump, attributing it to the bold fiscal and economic reforms she introduced when she took over in 2001.
She pointed out that among the fruits of said economic and fiscal reforms are better healthcare, surge in infrastructure, a strong education system, housing for the poor, food security and increased income for farmers and fisherfolk.
The said reforms also resulted to increased Internal Revenue Allotment for local government units, increased resources for social welfare and increase in the salary of state workers, among others. (PIA)
PNP-7 warns against prank texters on bomb threats
Silk Air flight delayed yesterday due to bomb scare
Cebu City (29 July) — PRO-7 Deputy Regional Director for Operations S/Supt. Marcelo Garbo warned prank callers or texters against pulling a joke such as a bomb scare and instilling fear among the public.
Garbo issued the warning as the Silk Air Airbus 320 flight bound for Singapore from Mactan Cebu International Airport was delayed for about five hours yesterday after a bomb threat was received by airport general manager Danilo Francia through text.
The text message received by Francia read “Mga kapatid, Allahu Akbar. Ipagdasal natin and kaluluwa ng kapatid natin namatay sa pagsabog ng Silk Air minuto ngayon patungo Singapore allahu akbar – JL.”
The flight due for takeoff at 1:45 p.m. yesterday was aborted and the 127 passengers and crew disembarked as airport authorities conducted a thorough inspection of the isolated aircraft including each baggage for any bomb presence. At 5:45 p.m., the plane was cleared for takeoff, this is reported.
Garbo during the ‘Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis’ (TSIP) Forum this morning said they are now investigating the source of the text. “There will be a closure at the end of the day as to the identification of the source of the text,” Garco stressed.
Garbo said those who pull prank jokes such as a bomb threat are liable under the law and must face the consequence of their actions. Even a careless remark jokingly issued by any air passenger that he or she carries a bomb in his or her luggage will not be taken casually as terrorism is not an issue to be taken lightly, emphasized Garbo.
The PRO-7 official appealed to the public to refrain from making prank text or calls that could create unnecessary anxiety and fear among the public. (PIA-Cebu/FCR)
OSYs avail of DSWD’s Youth National Service Program
By R.G. Cadavos
Maasin City, Southern Leyte (29 July) — At least forty out-of-school youths availed the Youth National Service (YNS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Felisa D. Maturan, Social Welfare Officer I of the City Social Welfare Office here said in an interview Monday, July 27.
Youth National Service program is one of the priority projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in coordination with the National Youth Commission (NYC) to underscore the importance of the youth in community action in the wake of the global economic crisis.
Maturan reported that out of the 50 applicants, 40 of them passed the screening held at the CSWO Livewlihood and Training Center last Friday, July 24 by the DSWD Regional Office 8 Team led by Alice Severino, DSWD-8 YNS Focal Person with Virgie Idano Bebot Alapag and Clyte Estravilla, all from the DSWD Regional Office.
The qualifiers for the project will render services based on two components, one is the “skilled workers’ and the other is the ” less-skilled”. Skilled workers refers to out-of-school unemployed or underemployed youths who has reached college level or finished a technical or vocational course or can be an acquired skills on the job certified by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). While the “less-skilled” refers to those who are High School level/graduates only.
The OSYs will be hired for work for a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 2 years. They will be paid a P250 per day, funds allocated by the national government, the report said.
Participating agencies involved in the program include the Department of Education (DepEd) that will provide skills training to the beneficiaries so that they will be ready for any livelihood opportunities; the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through infrastructure projects like welding, carpentry, mason and others; the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through tree planting, potting and gardening services; the Philippine National Police (PNP) through computer encoding, draftsman, bantay dagat, among others.
Maturan further disclosed that the program’a requirements include 18-24 years old, medical certificate, certificate from the barangay, preferrably member of Pag-asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP), and a memorandum of agreement signed by the youth, concerned agency and the DSWD.
As a whole, the service program will focus on the potential contributions of unemployed or underemployed skilled and non-skilled youths to education and community service programs.
It ws learned that Southern Leyte is one of the four pilot areas that will be initially implemented the Youth National Service program, other three are the provinces of Bukidnon, Pampanga and Cotabato City. (PIA-soleyte)
PGMA’s SONA boosts people’s morale, says Siquijor SMEDC chair
By Rizalie A. Calibo
Siquijor Province (29 July) — While it is true that the country is reeling from global economic and financial crunch, the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered MOnday will somehow boost the morale of the people, says businesswoman and chair of the Siquijor Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council Judy Uy Booc today.
She said Filipinos may have felt the effect of global economic downturn but President Arroyo’s recognition of some Pinoy achievements have boosted the people’s morale and pushed them to work even harder amidst all the economic challenges, she said.
Even President Arroyo’s achievement during her administration herself are notable, she said, while citing the continued pouring in of infrastructure projects and the much improved services of the government which she said were not so visible during the past administrations.
“Sa una kuli ang dalan ug uban pang mga projects moabot pero karon sayon ug dali na kaayo moabot nato ang mga basic services ug assistance gikan sa gobyerno,” she said. “This is because the government is keeping abreast with technology,” she also noted.
Meanchile, economic activity also gets a boost while small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the island province of Siquijor have marked a significant rise in earnings following the development of the port and other infrastructure in the island.
SMEs are now enjoying the benefits of a modern port, complete with a roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ramp which ushered in the arrival of shipping lines that link up the province of Siquijor to other points in the Visayas. Added to this are the good road networks and other infras that the province are undergoing.
“My business is booming and I have reached out to nearby areas like Dumaguete and Bohol following the development of the Siquijor port”, said Butch Duran, proprietor of Duran’s Banana Products.
Starting out with a small capital outlay of only P2,000 in 1999, to include the purchase of cooking facilities, Duran said he is thankful to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for paving the way for increased business opportunities through the construction of a modern port facility in Siquijor.
“I am now looking at acquiring a delivery van so I can expand my business to other points in the region, and perhaps beyond that, now that we have a RORO ramp at the port,” said Duran.
The Siquijor port is one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s commitments made during her State-Of-The-Nation-Address in 2007 where she identified priority development projects in the Super Regions under the Strong Nautical Republic Highway.
Records from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Dumaguete, which covers the Siquijor sub-office of the PPA, showed that the reclamation and RORO ramp project at the Siquijor port had a project allocation of more than P53.3 million.
While the project was originally scheduled for implementation and construction in 310 calendar days and targeted for completion February 7, 2008, the Siquijor port development project was finished ahead of schedule, the PPA said.
The slippage of about almost three months brought in more revenues to the province as shipping lines deployed fast ferries and RORO transport ships to the island.
According to Mario de la Peña, provincial director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Siquijor, the province’s economy received a boost following the expansion and development of the Siquijor port.
De la Peña disclosed that the DOST continues to provide assistance and training to local producers, such as those in the food processing and furniture businesses, as their marketing horizons have also broadened with the modern port facility in place.
De la Peña, who co-owns the Mar & Peck Souvenir Shop at the port, said local producers display their goods there for local and foreign tourists.
Guided tours organized by the island’s resorts also include the souvenir shop as part of their itinerary, he added.
“It’s a one-stop shop for the tourists to make it easier for them to buy their souvenirs and at the same time it also provides a venue for the producers,” De la Peña said.
Duran, one of DOST’s graduates in food processing, supplies on a regular basis banana chips and banana crackers to the souvenir shop.
At least nine regular employees of Duran are now enjoying a stable income as his business has already expanded, he said.
While agriculture still remains as the province’s main form of livelihood, Siquijor entrepreneurs are now slowly rising to the surface to explore other income opportunities.
DOST’s Mario de la Peña said the province and its constituents deeply appreciate the inclusion of the Siquijor port in the President’s SONA commitments to fast track development and progress in this still very peaceful but resource-rich island. (PIA)
