ISSUE NO. 40 Sept. 27, 2007

Guv bats for lower power
rate under Special Economic Zone
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
September 27, 2007

In the heels of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s declaration of special economic zone areas of which Negros Oriental has been included, Governor Emilio C. Macias II is batting for a separate power rate for Negros Oriental.

Gov. Macias, who welcomed the province’s inclusion in the country’s special economic zones, is pushing for a separate preferential rate for Negros Oriental power consumers, according to Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo.

Negros Oriental is currently covered by the One Grid, One Rate policy under an interconnected island grid in Visayas. Power rates for provinces sharing a unified grid were adjusted to uniform levels.

But as a geothermal host, the governor believes that Negros Oriental should have its own power-rating scheme. “There is a disparity in the uniform power rate because the other provinces in the Visayas Grid, like Cebu and Negros Occidental, have more power consumers than Negros Oriental. In short, we are sharing the same portions of the pie but gamay ra sila ug mabayran because daghan man silang magbahin. Kita dire, gamay ra ang power consumers so mas dako ta ug mabayran kay gamay ra tang magbahin,” explained Sedillo.

He added that power consumers are not just paying for the electric consumption to NPC but also for the facilities used in power distribution like power lines, etc.

Negros Oriental used to have its own power rate until the province was included in the unified grid and the One Grid, One Rate policy.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently signed an executive order declaring certain geothermal sites in the country as special economic zones to attract power-intensive industries to relocate into provinces covered by the said zone wherein industries will enjoy a special power rate.

The President has been an advocate of the development of clean alternative energy sources like geothermal power so as to lessen and eventually eliminate the country’s dependence on imported crude oil for power as well as contribute to the lessening of gas emission that contributes to climate change.

This is so because the Philippines is the second largest producer of geothermal energy in the world next to the United States.
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Negrense clinch 2 gold medals
in int’l Muaythai competition
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
September 27, 2007

A native of Mabinay came home bedecked with two gold medals in the Muaythai martial art from two international competitions held in India.

Romnick Ghie Pabalate, 19, clinched the two gold medals in two separate events during the Pre-Asian Indoor Games and the Federation of Muay Thai Amateur Asian Muaythai Championship both held in Bangalore, India.

Pabalate is a member of the 28-strong Philippine Muay Team. He is the only member of the national team who hails from Negros Oriental.

He is currently enrolled in STI Manila on a scholarship, taking up Computer Science.
The 19-year old Muaythai champ leads the pack of promising local Muaythai fighters who have shown much potential in this martial art.

Recently, six Muay Thai fighters from the Dumaguete-Negros Oriental Muaythai Team emerged victorious after they brought home six medals at the conclusion of the 2nd Philippine Olympic Festival held in Iloilo City on Sept. 10 to 16.

Two of the six clinched gold medals, namely: Dexter Melon, 16, in the 54 to 57 kg. category and Junjun Sinco, 18, in the 45 to 48 kg. category.

The silver medallists are Cris Lingcong, 16, in the 51 to 54 kg. category and Crisna Limbaga, 18, in the 45 to 48 kg. category while the bronze medallists are John Rey Bendijo in the 42 to 45 kg. category and Romnick Carbellido.

Paul Paras, public relations officer of the Dumaguete Muaythai Association, said they are eyeing to hold the Philippine Olympic Festival in Dumaguete next year.
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Weak La Niña now in RP- PAGASA
Flashfloods, landslides likely
By: Rachelle M. Nessia
September 27, 2007

ABOVE NORMAL rainfall conditions are expected to occur in Visayas and some parts of Luzon and Mindanao towards the end of September now that the early phase of a weak La Niña has been noted by PAGASA in the country.

Martin F. Rellin, Jr., acting director of PAGASA, in a statement said that wetter than normal conditions are likewise expected over Visayas and some areas of Luzon, including Metro Manila, from October through December.

PAGASA’s weather forecasts have reportedly shown that La Niña conditions will strengthen and persist through the end of the year and early months of 2008.

Below normal rainfall is likely over most areas of northern Luzon in November, Rellin said.
The abnormal weather phenomenon is expected to affect climate conditions and rainfall patterns in the coming season.

Rellin warned that the weak La Niña over the equatorial Pacific will further develop and possibly strengthen and may adversely impact the country’s domestic water supply, agriculture and health sector. “This may cause floods, flashfloods and rain-induced landslides in hazard-prone areas,” he stressed.

A statement from PAGASA said that recent oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the central and eastern equatorial regions signify the arrival of the early phase of a weak La Niña event here.

PAGASA urged the public to take the necessary and appropriate measures to mitigate the potential destructive effects of La Niña.

Meanwhile, Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo underscored that the preservation and protection of the environment for the Philippine must be alongside economic growth.

The Chief Executive said while other developing and developed nations believe that the environment must be sacrificed for economic development, the Arroyo administration “believes otherwise.”
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MEDIA ADVISORY

The Bayawan City government is inviting the media to a forum on the launching of the LAMP 2-ISF CLAIMS Project on October 5, 2007, 9:00 AM at the Function Hall, Annex Building of the Bayawan City Hall.

Please confirm your attendance not later than October 3 with PIA thru 225-1388 or 422-8062. Transportation and meals will be provided.

The Bayawan LGU was earlier chosen as one of the project sites and awarded an AusAID grant from the Innovation Support Fund (ISF) of the Land Administration Project Phase 2 (LAMP 2). Under this project, the LGU with partner government agencies will establish a streamlined computer-aided land administration and information management system (CLAIMS) to improve clients’ service access, land appraisals, and investment opportunities.

The forum on October 5 will also be attended by heads of offices and representatives of the stakeholder agencies (DENR, LRA-Registry of Deeds, DAR and BIR).
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Consumer advocates intensify
campaign vs fake sales
by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos
September 27, 2007

The National Consumer Affairs Council has warned major retailers, local government units and other concerned consumer groups in Negros Oriental to be more vigilant and aware against any deceptive and unfair sales practices.

The Council in coordination with local Consumer Advocates, Incorporated (CAI) and the Department of Trade and Industry has conducted a consumer empowerment campaign here last week in an effort to continue to provide information on consumer welfare protection as well as effective linkages in information network system.

CAI President Deo Salem said, the activity is needed to empower consumers in the province so that consumer rights and responsibilities would be practiced. Salem cited, that people should not always be dependent to government agencies but be responsible to seek redress on grievances directly to any seller or supplier of a certain products and services who take advantage through fraudulent manipulation.

However, going to the right agency speeds up the process and helps resolve issues effectively. The proper agency will have the authority and can immediately act on complaints.

Problems relating to manufactured product quality and safety, warranties, service and repair shops must be referred to the Department of Trade and Industry. For complaints on processed food and drugs, contact the Department of Health’s Bureau of Food and Drugs.

For fraudulent weights and measures, as well as foods in restaurants and eateries, go to the City/municipal Health Office; non-issuance of receipts, BIR; on telephone rates, cellular, TV and radio to National Telecommunication Company and other government agencies responsible to specific products and services.

With the proliferation of counterfeit drugs, in the same gathering, Food and Drug Regulation Officer, Therese Antoniette Cuyos of BFAD Region7, cautioned the participants of fake medicines and counterfeit drugs sold in the market which can cause-fatal results. Some medicines and counterfeit drugs do not contain the desired dose while, others are illegally manufactured as can be noticed in the label.

Counterfeit or fake drugs can be detected by its container and label without authorization trademark that is registered in the Bureau of Patent, unregistered imported product, and no active ingredients. BFAD officer said, these are prohibited acts of which the possession of such counterfeit drugs, the party/seller is liable for the crime and can be penalized.

True to her commitment to provide the people with greater access to quality and affordable health services, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now pushing for the “half-priced” medicine program.

The President also emphasized that the “half-priced” medicine program is not a monopoly of the Philippine International Trading Center (PITC) saying “anybody who wants to buy half-priced medicine from India can do so even without going through the PITC. “But the PTIC is there should a local government unit, national government agency or any entity need seed capital, technical assistance, marketing assistance and supplying assistance,” the President said.

“The PTIC only gets into all this because it is the pioneer of this program,” Arroyo explained, adding that “the local government units and private drugstores that want to get into this business are welcomed even without the PTIC.”

The cheaper medicine bill, which congress is going to pass, is expected to bring down the cost of medicines and give the people better access to health services.
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Rice Race 2007: Search for all-Pinoy rice beverage
By: Rachelle M. Nessia
September 27, 2007
The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) will hold a contest in search of an all-Filipino rice beverage in November 2007 at the Central Experiment Station, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

The nationwide search for the best rice-based beverages is open to participants from women’s groups, college and high school students, Hotel and Restaurant Management/Home Economics graduates and others.

The lack of an all-rice Filipino beverage has been noted amidst the proliferation of Filipino rice dishes and delicacies and the market for beverages.

Recipe entries should be original and 25% rice-based. Criteria for judging are the following: taste and appearance, 30%; product stability, 25%; originality, 25%; nutritional value, 10%; economy (cost and ease of preparation), 5%; and safety, 5%.

The contest’s Visayas wide competition (Regions 6, 7 and 8) will be held at PhilRice Negros in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

Prizes await regional winners, who will then be qualified to join the national competition level. Selected runners-up may also move on to the national competition.

The PhilRice Negros Branch Station in Negros Occidental will receive entries together with recipes and photos from October 1 to 12, 2007.

For more information, interested participants can visit or contact the Provincial Agriculture Office or the Provincial Nursery in Piapi, Dumaguete City with telephone nos. 225-2855 or 422-3658 and look for Nitz Bangay.

In a related development, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has committed to promote and develop the planting of the lowly malunggay as a revenue-generating industry under its biotechnology program, considering its myriad health and medicinal benefits.

Malunggay, dubbed as the “miracle vegetable,” is among the many indigenous plants in the country that has promising health benefits, which could be developed as an export crop and primary income source for farmers, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).
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Food for school prog mitigate
hunger among school kids
September 27, 2007

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has recently increased the budget for the Food-for-School (FSP) program in 2008 to P3.3 billion to bolster the government’s hunger and poverty mitigation measures.

In Negros Oriental, the fifth-class towns of Amlan and San Jose were earlier chosen as the recipients of the Food-for-School program, according to Farrah Gentuya of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) here.

The distribution of rice and milk feeding and hot meals under the said program the province was extended last April and May of this year.

Gentuya said one kilo of rice was distributed to each preschool or grade 1 child from April to May 2007 for a total of 40 kilograms of rice in forty days. Each child likewise received five kilograms of rice daily.

Under the said program, DILG is tasked to monitor the program’s implementation as well as conduct hunger mitigation complementary activities such as community food production, livelihood trainings and parent effectiveness and home care sessions.

Gil Ibarra, NFA provincial manager, said that their distribution of rice is ongoing. “We started distributing rice to the recipients in Amlan and San Jose last Sept. 10,” said Ibarra.
He said NFA’s role under the program is solely to supply and deliver the rice to the target beneficiaries.

He explained that DepEd identified Amlan and San Jose as the beneficiaries of the said program, with a total of 1,489 pupils ranging from primary school to Grade one as target beneficiaries .

The Food for School Program is one of the government’s hunger mitigation measures, including the Tindahan Natin outlets and the Barangay Food Terminals (BFTs), all of which have contributed much to the drop of hunger incidence rate in the country.

Hunger incidence in the country dropped considerably in the second quarter to 14.7 percent from the 19 percent recorded in the first quarter of this year. (PIA)
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Japanese grant open for
gov’t employees
by: Jennifer C. Tilos
September 27, 2007

The Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS) is now accepting 25 Filipino applicants who want to obtain master’s degree for scholarship at Japanese higher education institutions for Japanese fiscal year 2008-2009.

Qualified applicants must be a government employee, below 40 years old with permanent status, has 2 years of work experience in the public sector at the time of application; and has a performance rating of at least “very satisfactory.”

Thus, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA7) has urged qualified candidates from Negros Oriental to submit their application on October 19, 2007 at JICE JDS Project Office, Unit 2-F1, Island Plaza Salcedo, 105 LP Leviste St., Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Applicants are required to submit the official Forms with pictures (4cmx3cm), questionnaires to be filled out, registration form, NBI clearance, authenticated birth certificate from NSO, and some other requirements and information will be acquired or downloaded through the official website of JDS at: http://sv2.jice.org/jds/.

Target young government employee-applicants will be accepted on the following fields of study: Public Administration (8), Economics (8), Information Communication Technology (3), Industrial Development (2), and Business Administration (4). All courses are conducted in English.

JDS fellows will receive one round trip airfare between Manila and Narita; monthly living allowance in Japan, tuition at Japanese higher educational institutions, and designated allowances.

The JDS project is a long-term scholarship program of the Philippine Government through the assistance of Japan Government in order to support the human resource development policies here, and eventually to extend and strengthen the bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, the President welcomes and congratulates Mr. Yasuo Fukuda on his election as Prime Minister of Japan.

Mr. Fukuda brings to his high office a wealth of experience that auspiciously began with him serving as secretary to his late father Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda, whose "Fukuda Doctrine" --- announced in Manila in 1977 - - defined Japan's relations with Asia.

The President is confident that under the leadership of Mr. Fukuda, the close and friendly ties between the Philippines and Japan will further prosper, and that the principles and values embodied in the Fukuda Doctrine will continue to foster stability and prosperity in East Asia. (PIA)
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