INFOBYTES, Issue No. 16 Vol. 1, July 14, 2005

Gary Teves appointed new finance secretary
Land Bank President and chief executive officer Gary B. Teves has been appointed by Malacañan as the new secretary of the Department of Finance, replacing former finance chief Cesar Purisima.

This was announced by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita during the pilot broadcast of the public affairs show "Dagundong" over NBN Channel 4.

Ermita said Teves is intelligent, reliable and competent to handle the job.

He added that Teves, who is the son of Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Herminio Teves, has impressed Malacañang with his track record as LBP president and former congressman.

Teves joins the roster of newly appointed Cabinet members to take over the recently vacated posts of the Arroyo administration.

Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has also appointed Labor Assistant Secretary Benedicto Ernest R. Bitonio, Jr. as chairman of the National Labor Relations Commission.

The new Cabinet will be composed of people whose commitment to the nation and the democratic principles will be beyond doubt, says the president.

"This is a new team that will work with me to move away from political bickering to doing what the people of the Philippines expect their leaders to do and that is get our economy moving and ensure the delivery of essential services such as health care, education and security to all parts of the country," she said.
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Enough rice supply for lean months- NFA
With the onset of the lean months from July to September, rice supply is the least of the worries of Oriental Negrenses following the National Food Authority's assurance of rice sufficiency in the province.

NFA has been adopting a rice distribution scheme nationwide to cushion the country from the drastic drop of palay harvest during the lean months.

For July alone, NFA here aims to inject 30,000 bags of rice to its currently three well-stocked warehouses in the province.

NFA Assistant Provincial Manager Francisco Lorico Jr. said around 32,000 bags of NFA imported rice are expected to arrive here from Cebu this month, augmenting NFA's current stock of 100,000 rice bags.

Of the total current stock, 68,000 bags are reserve rice and the rest are operational stocks, says Lorico.

The food agency supplies each of the six retailer (6) outlets in the city public market with 15 bags per day everyday.

Lorico said there are more than 60 outlets within public markets outside of Dumaguete, which NFA provides with 10 sacks per outlet each week.

According to NFA National Administrator Gregoril Tan Jr., the agency strategically injects rice in areas where supply tends to be insufficient to prevent unnecessary increase in the commodity's rice.

NFA rice is currently priced at P16 per kilo at the Dumaguete City Public Market and P18 per kilo outside the city.

To ensure that consumers will continue to enjoy quality and affordable NFA rice, the agency's monitoring and enforcement task force across the country have been fielded to check on and apprehend erring grains businessmen.

Lorico however assured that the incidence of overpriced NFA rice is not rampant in the province, although the local monitoring and enforcement team have fined some erring outlet owners mostly for not following NFA regulations.

Penalty for violating NFA regulations range between P1,000 to P4,000, depending on the gravity of the violation, says Lorico.
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Compressed natural gas buses to hit roads soon
In the midst of the seemingly unending wave of soaring prices of imported fuel and fare hikes, compressed natural gases or CNG buses might just be the badly-needed relief bus operators and commuters are waiting for.

The government's natural gas vehicle program for public transport offers bus operators a more than 50% reduction in diesel price for the first 200 bus units that will be registered under the program.

The increased utilization of alternative transport fuel is seen to reduce the 50% dependence of the transport sector on imported fuel.

The CNG is pegged at P14.50 per diesel liter equivalent, against the prevailing price of diesel at P29.50.

According to Sammy Gargaritano, manager of Vallacar Transit here, the CNG program is viable, as it requires low maintenance and keeps the vehicle's engine clean.

Gargaritano said 35 CNG units have already been tested in Manila and Batangas.

Seven bus operators have already been accredited by the Department of Energy, all of who committed to acquire 185 units by the end of the year.

Gargaritano said Vallacar Transit is contemplating of acquiring CNG buses, but their main concern is the supply of gas.

He said this was also the concern of the members of the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines during its recent meeting.

So far, the CNG mother-daughter refueling stations are currently being constructed only in Batangas and Laguna, which are set to be finished in August this year to hasten the commercial operation of the CNGs.

Several incentives are in store for those who apply for the CNG program, including a zero rate of duty on imported natural gas vehicle industry-related equipment, facilities, parts and components.

Vallacar Transit, which runs the Ceres bus liner, has 134 buses in its Dumaguete Branch and 28 units in its Bacolod branch.
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OFW deployment exceeds 1st semester mark
More than half a million overseas Filipino workers have been deployed even before the 1st semester of the year ended.

Acting Labor and Employment Secretary Danilo Cruz is confident that the target deployment of one million for this year is on a firm and stable track.

Kenric Villaluz of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here said more overseas recruitment agencies are participating in job fairs in the province compared to previous years.

Around 20 overseas recruitment agencies joined in the recent job fair conducted by DOLE in Sibulan on May 28 and 29.

Before, only around 10 agencies recruiting for overseas jobs joined in job fairs, says Villaluz.

From only one overseas recruitment agency last year, Villaluz said about five agencies have now started conducting recruitment at the local DOLE office almost every month this year.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier reported that the January to April 2004 OFW remittances rose from 2.6 to 3 billion dollars for the same period this year.

An international labor organization-standard based labor force survey as of April this year showed that OFWs continue to enjoy the preference of traditional and emerging labor market overseas.

Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas reported in a recent business forum that local employment grew by almost 700,000 nationwide and that as of April, the unemployment rate stood at 8.3%.

Land-based OFWs worldwide are also appreciated as more Filipino professionals like accounts, architects, engineers, medical and health professionals and others continue to make it overseas.

Philippines accounts for some 20% to 25% of the world's supply of maritime workers.
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Minimum wage earners to get additional COLA
Minimum wage earners could now regain their eroding purchasing power and cope with the rising cost of basic commodities and services after the Labor department reported the recent decision of giving the workers nationwide an additional cost of living allowance.

Provincial Extension Officer of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Ma. Teresa Tanquiamco in Siquijor bared that wage-setting process in Region 7 is already accomplished.

The regional wage board in its Wage Order No. ROVII-11 granted workers in the region a minimum wage hike in the form of additional P15 cost-of-living-allowance per day for class A areas and P12 per day for classes B, C and D.

Class A are cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao and Talisay and municipalities of Menglanilla, Naga, San Fernando, Carcar, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela and Cordova (or expanded Metro Cebu).

Class B comprises the city of Toledo and the rest of the municipalities in Cebu province except Bantayan and Camotes islands.

Cities and municipalities in the provinces of Bohol and Oriental Negros belong to Class C while Class D are municipalities of Siquijor, Bantayan and Camotes island.

"Establishments who registered as Barangay Micro-Business Enterprises (BMBEs) with certificates of authority are exempted from granting increases," Tanquiamco said.

Wage Order No. VII-11 provides that the adjustments apply to all covered workers and employees in private sector in the region, regardless of the position, designation or status of employment and irrespective of the method by which they are paid.

The wage order states that not covered from the wage increase are household or domestic helpers, persons in the personal service of another (including drivers), and workers of registered BMBEs with certificate of authority.
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DOST announces PSHS system search for scholar
The local of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Siquijor announces the search for scholars of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS).

Provincial Science and Technology Coordinator Mario de la Peña said the PSHS systems consists of schools which offer scholarship to deserving students who are trained under a curriculum designed to prepare them for careers in the field of science and technology.

It is one of the agencies of DOST contributing to the expansion and development of the country's scientific and technological manpower.

"To date, we have three scholars from Larena and Siquijor enrolled at the Philippine Science High School in Iloilo," says de la Peña.

Qualified elementary students who are interested to apply for the said scholarship will undergo a two-step screening process, first of which is the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) to be held on Oct. 15 at Siquijor State College in Larena, Siquijor.

The second step is the Science Math Aptitude Test (SMAT) consisting of tests in science and mathematics.

Students who pass the first screening will undergo the second screening on Dec. 10 at Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

Application forms are now distributed to all elementary schools provincewide.

Deadline for submission of application forms is on Aug. 25.
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San Juan PNP receives CDF grant for new office construction
The Philippine National Police in the fifth class municipality of San Juan is a beneficiary of a P300,000 CDF grant from CIBAC Representative Hon. Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva.

The new PNP office is established at the northern side bleacher of the San Juan Cultural Center at the Poblacion area.

With its new office now in a relatively more accessible location, the local PNP's zeal to serve and protect the people is given a boost, especially with the support of the current set of municipal officers headed by Hon. Edwin Quimno.
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Province's disaster plans already in place
The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) here has already put in place various disaster management plans in preparation for any man-made or natural disasters that might strike the province.

This was disclosed by Assistant Provincial Planning and Development Officer Joy P. Gongob in the recent Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency in observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month this July which banners the theme: "Safe Ka Ba? Programa Laban sa Kalamidad Tungo sa Pag-Unlad."

Gongob, who heads the plans and operations of PDCC, said the council has already set its plans to counter disasters such as La Niña, El Niño, and anti-terrorism on bomb threats.

PDCC has integrated the plans of its three management units to come up with a counter disaster management plan.

Engr. Ricardo Baculad of the Provincial Engineer's Office, which spearheads the transportation committee of PDCC, said the three district engineers in the province are prepared to carry out transportation assistance in case disaster strikes.

A disaster relief plan is also in place, says Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Alice Lagarde, who heads the relief and rehabilitation committee of the council.

The provincial government also has a stockpile of food commodities and used clothing from DSWD-7 in preparation for any calamity.

Identified disaster-prone areas in the province by the Office of the Civil Defense are Bayawan City, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Guihulngan, hinterlands of Pamplona, Bais City and Tanjay City.

Allen Cabaron of OCD here said the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) is stepping up its information campaign on disasters preparedness particularly focusing on four natural disasters, namely: typhoon, earthquakes, tsunami and volcanic eruptions.

A volcanic eruption plan is currently in the works in the province, says Gongob, although the plan still needs to be polished and pending approval from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Cabaron also urged local government units here to strengthen their disaster coordinating councils and to involve non-government and civic organizations in their relief and rehabilitation plans.
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