British Ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Peter Beckingham, is in Bais City today (October 19) to witness the presentation of the Bais City Integrated Coastal Resource Management Draft Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
The draft plan and ordinance are in line with the Program for the Protection and Management of Fisheries for Food Security in Bais City, a project undertaken by the Bais City government in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines (WWF) with financial assistance from the British Government.
According to Bais City Information Officer Amos Calidguid, the city government undertook the project as the LGU is steward to most of the natural resources flourishing in Bais Bay.
“Unfortunately, these resources are severely continuously threatened by the worsening problem of coastal pollution wherein the coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves and other animal species are no longer protected,” said Calidguid.
Under the said program, a series of trainings, workshops, writeshops, consultations with stakeholders, interactions and program advocacies were conducted by the city and barangat technical working groups in the 13 coastal barangays.
Joan Binondo, WWF Community Development Officer, disclosed that the Bais City Integrated Coastal Resource Management Plan and Zoning Ordinance will run from 2006 to 2015.
Presentation of the plan and ordinance is led by the City CRM technical working group which Binondo said has been instrumental in the preparation of the ICRM Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
The Ambassador is also set to enjoy a whale and dolphin watching at Tañon Strait followed by a walkthrough of the Talabong Mangrove Forest.
The presentation of the ICRM Plan and Zoning Ordinance is also be attended by the City/Barangay CRM-Technical Working Groups; local and national media men; city officials; WWF Staff; department/office heads, and Sangguniang Panlungsod Members and other functionaries and guests.
The national government is also spearheading efforts to ensure the country’s environmental sustainability during the United Nation’s stand up against poverty campaign.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the recent launching in Malacañang of the Philippine participation in the global campaign of the United Nations on "Stand Up Against Poverty, Stand Up for the Millennium Development Goals" which aim to halve the incidence of poverty by 2015.
The UN Millennium Campaign, dubbed "Stand Up Against Poverty, Stand Up for the Millennium Development Goals" is a global advocacy effort to have the greatest number of people to ever stand up and pledge themselves to the eradication of poverty.
The campaign is contained within the UN’s MDGs: a set of eight time-bound, concrete and specific targets to halve extreme poverty by 2015.
These goals are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop global partnerships for development.
NFA employees cited for more than 20 years of service
Five employees of the National Food Authority (NFA) were recognized for their more than 20 years of continuous service with NFA.
Awarded for 25 years of service are Mae T. Almero and Nicasio Gantalao while for their 30 years in service, the following were awarded: Antonio C. Pepino, Edilberto Amor II and Zosimo V. Moso.
All awardees received certificates of recognition and cash awards worth P5,000 each.
Also cited as this year’s Best Employee for NFA Oriental Negros is Rolando Lazalita, who juggles two responsibilities as the food agency’s Provincial Market Development Officer and Acting Public Information Officer.
NFA Provincial Manager Marianito Bejemino congratulated the awardees and encouraged them to keep up their good work and continue to adhere to the food agency’s vision and mission so that its “social responsibility especially to the needy could be achieved.”
Meanwhile, the Administration’s fiscal reforms stand firm and the cooperation of the people continues to bolster the country’s economic agenda.
The Government may have fallen short of the revenue target for September but this is an isolated setback as the BIR and other Government collecting agencies as well as our economic managers have already prepared an action plan to remain hitting the revenue targets and put forward effective measures to address the lackluster revenue collection performance for the month.
Phil Merchant Marine Academy to hold info dissemination in OrNeg
The Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) is set to hold an information campaign in Oriental Negros to encourage local students to avail of the scholarships offered by one of the most prestigious maritime institutions in the country.
Capt. Richard Yu Ritual, vice president for the Administration, Finance and Training of the PMMA, will arrive in Dumaguete City on October 20 to hold a two-day information dissemination on the courses and trainings offered by PMMA.
Oliver Lemence, Capitol Information Officer, said Capt. Ritual will speak before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members in a special conference on October 20 at 9:00 a.m.
Capt. Ritual is also scheduled to meet with local media members during a press conference on October 21 at 9:00 a.m.
Lemence said that Governor George P. Arnaiz has earlier sent a letter to PMMA inviting the school’s officials to visit the province and hold an information dissemination about the academy.
“Only a few of the graduates of PMMA come from Oriental Negros. The graduates of the academy are mainly from Luzon, and many of our constituents here are interested to avail of PMMA’s scholarship programs, trainings and expertise,” Lemence quoted the governor as saying.
Formerly known as the Philippine Nautical School, the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in San Narciso, Zambales is a pillar among maritime institutions in the country, churning out world famous Filipino PMMA cadets.
The Academy aims educate and train midshipmen/women to become qualified and competent merchant marine officers for shipboard and shore-based positions in response to the global requirements of the expanding international maritime industry, as well as to become competent and capable naval officers who can serve as naval and military auxiliaries in times of war and national emergencies, and to contribute to the improvement of maritime education and the pool of ship business managers through graduate school programs.
According to the DOTC website, the Academy is now offering two degree programs: BS in Marine Transportation, major in navigation and seamanship; and BS in Marine Transportation, major in steam engine and electrical engineering.
Since its establishment, the PMMA has been producing efficient and well trained merchant marine officers who could compare with those of the world's best. These graduates spearheaded the Philippines’ efforts in International trade although they could also serve as auxiliary officers capable of servicing naval needs in times of conflict.
Aside from ship officers, the Academy also trains its students in other fields of marine service, like marine surveying, port supervision, shipping office administration, ship management and others.
Lemence said that among the few graduates of the academy who come from Oriental Negros are Jeremiah Tagle, Arvin Hubert Yap and Capt. Allan Tingabngab, all of whom are now working overseas and enjoying the lucrative profession that is the marine merchant industry.
“The governor believes that through this information dissemination, more opportunities will open up for the underprivileged but deserving students in the province and in a way, helping stamp out poverty,” adds Lemence.
In a similar effort, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has vowed to stamp out poverty and give better living conditions to Filipinos in a United Nations campaign dubbed "Stand Up," in which the Philippines is also aiming to set a world record for the most number of people standing up against this social malaise.
Nileema Noble, United Nations resident representative, said the ceremony in Malacañang on Monday signified the country's participation in this worldwide campaign and in the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) with the target for one one million Filipinos from different parts of the country to stand up simultaneously in the fight against poverty.
Cecille Alvarez, Arroyo's adviser on culture, said the participants would stand up for 10 minutes.
She said they expected about 20 million people, mostly students, to join.
But more than the world record, Arroyo said she wanted to break the cycle of leaders making promises without turning them into reality.
"We are aiming for a record for the most number of people who will stand up simultaneously to demand action against poverty,” said Arroyo in Filipino, reading from the “Pledge Against Poverty.”
“Now is the time to end this heartbreaking reality. Let us all stand up to ask for justice and not for pity,” she said.
Bombings by communist terrorists is HR violation to the fullest - PNP
Police Supt. Alet Virtucio, chief of Operations Section of the Provincial Police Office here, said the recent bombings perpetrated by terrorists and killings by the Communist Terrorists (CTs) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel as well as civilians including CAFGus showed human rights violations to the fullest.
Col. Virtucio said the most recent violation of human rights that was committed by the CTs happened last September 6, 2006 when three unidentified persons believed to be members of the terrorist dissidents shot to death one Julwar Gantalao y Zerna at SItio Bunacan, Barangay Mandapaton, La Libertad, this province.
Initial investigations revealed that the victim was a military asset and an ex-CAFGU, when he was inside his house the perpetrators shot him and fled away.
Elements of La Libertad Police Station proceeded to the area of the incident to conduct a follow-up investigation.
The CPP/NPAs and other threat groups have been restless in spreading fear in the minds of the people who have stood against them or refused to give in to their terorristic activities. Many vital installations and establishments have been damaged and hampered while normal operations of businesses and other economic entities are disrupted.
However, Col. Virtucio said that law enforcers here in the province have been working relentlessly for the possible target of terrorism such as the Buglasan Festival.
Some 150 policemen were separately deployed to daily patrol around Capitol Area.
Meanwhile, Task Force Usig slammed the opposition for riding on the Communist Party’s propaganda line of extrajudicial killings, particularly in the cases of slain Aglipayan Church Bishop Alberto Ramento and parish priest Dionisio Estrada of Tago, Surigao del Sur.
The task force pointed out that the results of the investigations already established that criminal elements are the culprits in the slaying of Ramento and Estrada.
Weak El Niño now developing - PAGASA
PAGASA has confirmed that the heat wave El Niño Phenomenon is now on its early stage of development based on current oceanic conditions in the central equatorial Pacific.
In its first El Niño Advisory issued October 17, PAGASA Officer In Charge Prisco D. Nilo said that since August, a rise in sea surface temperatures within the level of a developing El Niño has been observed since May this yer.
Below normal rainfall conditions have been observed in some areas in the country for the past two months, particularly over parts of northern and western Luzon, most of northern Panay Island including Iloilo, southern Cebu, the western parts of Bohol and Zamboanga provinces, most parts of the Caraga provinces, Davao Oriental, eastern part of Davao del Norte and the southern tip of Davao del Sur and South Cotabato.
However, due to the typhoon Milenyo, above normal rainfall conditions were noted in areas affected by the typhoon.
The weather agency forecasts that the warming in the equatorial Pacific will persist through the early part of 2007 and is expected to affect rainfall patterns in the country that could adversely affect domestic water supply, agriculture and hydropower generation.
According to Provincial Meteorological Chief Edsin Culi of PAGASA here, there is a possibility of lesser development of tropical cyclones with the onset of the abnormal weather phenomenon El Niño.
He said the Philippines suffered from the worst El Niño development in the country in 1982 to 1983, heavily affecting the domestic and agricultural water supply in the Philippines.
The government has also asked the international community and the private sector to fund the P6 billion-peso rehabilitation of areas devastated by typhoon "Milenyo" (international codename: Xangsane), officials said.
The storm, which ravaged Metro Manila and the eastern portion of the country in late September, damaged P4.9 billion worth of agriculture, P1.9 billion worth of infrastructure, and P555 million worth of school buildings, said Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz Jr., concurrent chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC).
Meanwhile, there have been no reports so far of Filipinos having been killed or injured in the strong earthquake that jolted Hawaii Sunday, Ariel Abadilla, Philippine Consul General in the island said.
“So far no reports of anyone [Filipino or otherwise] killed due to quake. Over here in Honolulu, no apparent damage other than no electricity and outbound flights are suspended,” said Abadilla in a text message.
“Over at Big Island, 45 minutes by plane from Honolulu where [the] quake happened, Pinoys [ colloquial term for Filipinos] had lots of things [lamps, vases, glassware, cabinets etc] toppling over and breaking in homes,” Abadilla said, adding that reports indicate road damage and loose boulders and soil in the area.
MEDIA ADVISORY:
The media is invited to a luncheon press conference on Friday (October 20), 11:00 AM at the Circular House along North Road (in front of Uptown Garden Restaurant prior to reaching the National Statistics Office), this city.The presscon is regarding the upcoming opening of Japanese-Filipino Children and Filipino Global Associates College (JFCGA) Foundation, Inc., a specialized school in performing arts and skills enhancement.
Schools, LGUs in Siquijor receive PCs
At least eight high schools and two Local Government Units (LGUs) in the province of Siquijor received brand-new computers with printers and peripherals from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)’s Personal Computers for Public Schools (PCPS) project.
The project is the agency’s response to the compelling challenges posed by the fast-emerging Knowledge Economy. It aims to enhance the IT skills of Filipino youth as the country’s future knowledge workers and promote IT culture in the Philippine classrooms as an avenue to develop Filipinos’ skills to be at par with global standards.
The Philippines is now recognized for its competitive advantage in the IT services sector, being the second largest producer of computer services in Asia, next only to India, and having been ranked Number 4 worldwide in the category “Knowledge Jobs” in the 2002 Global New Economy Index by US-based Meta Group Research.
Through the project, the DTI strives to maintain this advantage and to provide a continuous pool of manpower in the IT sector, while promoting the need to incorporate IT in the basic levels of education by providing computers to public high schools.
Since its inception, the project has already established computer laboratories in 2,228 public high schools nationwide, distributed 32,240 brand new computers equipped with updated software, trained 24,389 high teachers on the use of computer technology as a tool for teaching and learning, and on basic PC operations, troubleshooting and preventive maintenance, and provided 250 pilot LGUs with computer package consisting of one computer-server and four workstations installed with eLGU application systems.
Symposium on pro-active programs for competitiveness/PQA slated
In line with its thrust to make local organizations globally competitive, the Department of Trade and Industry –Center for Industrial Competitiveness (DTI-CIC), the implementing agency of the Philippine Quality Award (PQA) in cooperation with the DTI-Siquijor Provincial Office will hold a Symposium on the Pro-Active Programs for Competitiveness/PQA Roadshow.
Provincial Director Nimfa Virtucio of the DTI here said, the activity aims to promote quality and productivity improvement programs that are essential to the well-being of the nation’s economy and our ability to compete effectively in the global marketplace.
The PQA, a national quality program which is institutionalized as the through Republic Act 9013 was created to help stimulate companies to improve quality and productivity for the pride of recognition while obtaining a competitiveness edge through increased profits and providing example to others, she said. The PQA also provides guidelines and criteria that can be used globally-minded organizations of all sizes and sectors, including both private and public organizations that wish to evaluate their own quality improvement efforts.
A brief overview of the PQA will be presented and guest speakers will share their quality strategies and successful performance practices on how their organizations were able to change their cultures and achieve eminence.
The activity will also introduce DTI-CIC’s Pro-Active Programs for Competitiveness, an array of training programs developed and designed to the needs of organizations aiming to further develop its human resources.
Meanwhile, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo welcomed reports the Philippines may soon get a credit rating upgrade from Moody's Investors Service, even as she urged the Senate to speed up deliberations on the proposed 2007 budget, which she said would define the development agenda of the government.
"We welcome the reports that the Philippines could be due for a credit
rating upgrade from Moody's," Arroyo said in a speech at the 58th charter day of Calbayog City.
"Fiscal disicpline is winning the day for the Philippines and we urge the Senate to speed up deliberations on the budget so that we can show the world our determination to bring the fruits of reforms to the doorsteps of every Filipino," she added.
PSYSC accepts applicants
Elementary and Secondary Schools’ Science Clubs are invited to join the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs, Inc. (PSYSC) – the umbrella organization of all highly esteemed science clubs nationwide.
The PSYSC conducts annual interactive workshops, science camps, leadership trainings and educational tours that aim to promote the public understanding of science, technology and environment.
Deadline for application is on November 30, 2006.
For more information, contact PSYSC at (02) 9298174 or (02) 9209561, send an email to psysc_inc@hotmail.com or visit the website www.psysc.org.
NSO celebrates October as nat'l statistics month
Statistics, both its practical and theoretical aspects takes center stage during the month of October as the whole country celebrates the National Statistics Month (NSM).
The month-long observance is celebrated by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 647 issued on September 20, 1990 by then President Corazon C. Aquino, declaring the month of October of every year as the National Statistics Month
This year’s celebration focuses on the theme “EMPOWERING CONSUMERS THROUGH RESPONSIVE ENERGY STATISTICS” and a Memorandum Circular was issued by the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB) enjoining all government agencies at the national and sub-national levels as well as the private sector to actively participate in and support in this month-long celebration.
The observance of this event aims to promote, enhance and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation on the importance and value of statistics to the different sector of the society.
Moreover, it elicits cooperation and support from the general public in upgrading the quality and standards of statistics in the country.
To highlight the event, the regional and provincial NSO offices in Central Visayas have lined-up several activities for the celebration.
The activities include the conduct of Statistics Quiz/Olympiad involving different schools/colleges, statistical radio trivia, lecture on statistics, book display and exhibits, mobile statistical and civil registration activities, orientation-seminars and lecture-forum on topics related to statistics. (RTG/NSO)
Siquijor 4-H members get pre-qualifying exam for training program in Japan
4-H members Elnard Ympal and Arnel Laranjo of San Juan, Richie Lapinig of Enrique Villanueva and Alexis Agan of Siquijor town took on Monday the pre-qualifying examination for young Filipino Farmers Training Program in Japan.
The exam set at the Provincial Agriculturist Office, Larena, Siquijor will determine if the examinees qualify for the regional level to undergo Module 1 (Home Stay with JAECAAP Host Farmers).
Nominees qualified for Module 2 (Pre-Departure Orientation Course) shall be based on the results of evaluation conducted by the National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC) and JAECAAP.
Qualified top three (3) regional nominees shall be required to provide counterpart fund of P15,000 from their respective LGUs or from any reputable organization or sponsors.
The program is a joint collaboration of JAECAAP and NAFC in coordination with Japan Agricultural Exchange Council (JAEC), the Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and the International Agriculture Exchange Association (IAEA).
The training program aims to provide modern training experience to deserving young Filipino farmers and acquire technical skills in agriculture, farm machinery and cooperative management. It likewise provides opportunities fro an exchange of agricultural information among participants of mutual interest to foster understanding and goodwill among Asian nations. (Pilar Macalino)
October 15 is Nat'l Rural Women's Day
Come October 15, rural women are paid with tribute as the nation celebrates the Rural Women’s Day with the theme Pagkilala ng mga Kababaehan sa Kanayunan sa Seguridad sa Pagkain at Tubig”
The celebration is in line with Presidential Proclamation 1105 declaring every 15th day of October as the National Rural Women’s Day in consonance with the celebration of the World Rural Women’s Day.
The occasion is to highlight the largely unrecognized contribution of rural women the world over to food security and to development of rural areas.
This year’s celebration is spearheaded by the Pambansang Koalisyon ng mga Kababaehan sa Kanayunan (PIA).
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