Security upped in Dumaguete Airport; Passengers asked to cooperate
Security measures in the local Dumaguete Airport have been upped after the Air Transportation Office directed all airports in the country to heighten its security in the wake of the failed terrorist plot to blow up US-bound airplanes departing from Heathrow Airport in London.
Dumaguete Airport Aviation Security Supervisor SPO1 Zosimo Umbal said starting August 11, new and tighter security measures have been implemented at the airport.
Passengers are no longer allowed to hand carry toothpaste, gels, lotions and mineral water.
He explained that these items, when mixed with chemicals, can become explosives.
“These items should now be placed in the check-baggage, along with lighters, laptops, and knives,” says Umbal.
Passengers are also subjected to thorough body search while luggage will undergo manual inspection. “Our main problem at the airport is we do not have an X-ray machine so what we do is still manual inspection,” Umbal said.
He advised aircraft passengers to take note of the changes in the security measures and cooperate with the new aviation rules.
Most passengers reportedly got annoyed when the new security measures were first implemented.
“But this is for their safety. So we ask for their cooperation,” adds Umbal.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has earlier alerted the country’s intelligence units to intensify their intelligence activities and heighten security in all airports, seaports and land transportation terminals.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government is taking extra precautions and appealed to the public to cooperate with the authorities and bear with the inconvenience as the government continues to work hard to ensure the safety of all the citizens.
Security measures have also been intensified in the bus terminals and sea ports in Oriental Negros, according to SPO4 Hilbert Arinaza, chief intelligence unit police non-commissioned officer of the Provincial Police Office here.
Arinaza said that police officers have been posted in all seaports and wharfs to conduct baggage searches.
An ongoing lecture on bomb awareness is also being conducted by the Explosive Ordinance Demolition (EOD) Team in police stations, business establishments and schools provincewide.
In August 10 British police authorities have foiled an alleged plot to blow up aircrafts in mid-flight between Britain and the United States with the use of “liquid chemical device”.
Both the United States and Great Britain have stepped up their security measures and raised the threat level to high for all commercial aircrafts and forbid passengers from bringing liquids, including drinks, aboard the plane.
In the local front, the Philippine government has scored success after success in the campaign against evil and will continue to use the hand of steel in flushing out its cells and clandestine networks.
CFO conducts migration info campaign in OrNeg
The Commission on Filipinos Overseas is set to conduct its annual community education program on migration in Oriental Negros on August 24 to 27, 2006.
The information campaign in the province will start with a pulong-pulong between local officials in Bais City and a team from CFO on August 24 (Saturday).
On August 25 (Friday), a press briefing will be conducted followed by a Cineforum on Migration at Silliman University and a pulong-pulong with officials of the Dumaguete City government.
The CFO team is also scheduled to meet with members of the local Philippine National Police (PNP) and the non-government organization GWAVE.
According to CFO Deputy Executive Director Jennifer Gonzales, the inter-agency community education and information campaign program seeks to assist prospective migrants in making informed decisions regarding settlement abroad, as well as generate community involvement in migration concerns.
Gonzales said the information campaign aims to raise public awareness on various issues concerning migration, intermarriage and existing government policies and programs directed against illegal recruitment, documentation fraud and human trafficking, among others.
Meanwhile, the government has assured that its concern for Filipinos in Lebanon will not waver under any circumstances.
Malacañang said it will not relent in all its contingency measures to keep OFWs out of harm’s way.
Potential of OrNeg for sports tourism eyed Sports officials in Oriental Negros are eyeing the province’s potential to become a sports tourism hub for sports enthusiasts, particularly on marathon races
Dr. Aparicio Mequi, former Philippine Sports Commissioner, said that the province has a sports culture that can help put the province on the map of sports tourism.
Tourism being a $45-B industry, the country can cash in in the tourism dollar through sports.
“Even Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said that we should now concentrate on promoting sports tourism in the Philippines,” says Mequi during a recent Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency.
He said thousands of marathon races are being held around the world in order to promote tourism. “If there is one sport capturing worldwide attention as far as sports tourism is concerned, it is marathon running,” Mequi said.
Dr. Benjamin Silva-Netto, Secretary General of the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA), was recently in the province to accredit courses and routes that will be used for local marathon races.
Silva-Netto, in the same Kapihan forum, said the three types of races commonly used in the country are: (a) 3K, 5K or 10K, half marathon, 42 K marathon and ultra marathon; (b) road relays; and (c) cross country.
Silva-Netto is the first Filipino to represent the country in an Olympic marathon event back in 1968 during the Mexico Olympics.
The Dumaguete City Sports Office has also lined up sports programs in time for the Dumaguete City fiesta celebration.
City Sports Coordinator Joe Guirit said he has proposed to City Councilor Manuel Sagarbarria that all sports events during the fiesta celebration will be kicked off by a marathon race. “Fun run will be held first followed by a road race,” says Guirit.
Guirit said the city is also represented during the Congressional District runs held by the Provincial Sports Office.
Provincial Sports Coordinator Ernesto Ravello said that for the past three years, the provincial government has been successful in holding the Buglasan Run Eliminations in the three congressional districts here.
“Prior to this, we expect the mayors to hold their own eliminations in the local government units to discover, promote and then participate in the congressional eliminations,” says Ravello.
Winners during the congressional runs participate in the Buglasan Festival marathon race. However, the Provincial Sports Coordinator lamented the seeming lack of interest among local chief executives. “In some cases, the local government unit head is not interested. If you cannot get the support of the LGU head, you will have a difficult time promoting sports,” he said.
But upon the encouragement of Governor George P. Arnaiz, municipalities are now holding runs during their fiestas, said Ravello.
He disclosed that the Congressional district runs will be held in the three last Sundays of September. “Then selection for the big run is in the second week of October which will end at the capitol area,” adds Ravello.
Native trees for our highways
Five years from now, expect layers of indigenous or native trees to line our national highways and other major thoroughfares in the country.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will lead a simultaneous massive nationwide tree planting on August 25 which will take place along the country’s three major highways from Laoag City to Zamboanga City, covering a total length of 3,439 kilometers.
Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo T. Reyes during his visit in Dumaguete City on August 15 said the “Green Philippines Highways” projects aims to promote the image of every Filipino as a planter of trees.
“We badly need trees to pull down the pollution and to beautify our thoroughfares. Trees can also reduce the heat of the summer, minimize noise pollution and provide a shade and refreshing breeze,” Reyes said.
Around 516,000 seedlings and saplings of indigenous tree species and ornamental plants are set to be planted during the massive tree planting activity.
“When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hopes. We also secure the future of our children and our children’s children,” Reyes adds.
He has ordered field offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to hold consultation meetings with local government officials to formulate memoranda of agreements on the proper maintenance and protection of the planted trees to ensure their survival and growth.
Trees are important in converting carbon dioxide to oxygen and in lowering temperature especially in urban areas. In one year, an average tree inhales 26 pounds of carbon-dioxide the amount emitted by an automobile in an 11,300-mile trip. It exhales enough oxygen to keep a family of four breathing a year. It is also estimated that 10 trees can offset the pollution caused by car while hundred trees should be planted for every smoke belching trucks.
Ornamental plants also remove gaseous and particle pollutants from the atmosphere. Gases may enter the leaf via stomata.
Among the common indigenous species to line Philippine roads include mahogany, narra, banaba, yemane, caballero, golden shower and tekoma. These species abound throughout the country, from northern Luzon to Palawan in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and in most or all islands and provinces.
According to Reyes, many of the trees endemic to the country maintain a thick crown that is ideal to provide shade as well as in absorbing carbon dioxide apart from their medicinal values. They also serve to protect coastal communities from strong winds during typhoons.
“Most importantly, since they are indigenous, they are not delicate to grow and they can easily thrive along our highways,” he said.
The areas that will be covered during the simultaneous launching of the Green Philippine Highways Project will include the 2,176-kilometer Pan-Philippine Highway from Laoag City to Davao City; 439-kilometer Manila North Road from Laoag City through La Union to Bulacan; and the 824-kilometer West Nautical Highway stretching from Batangas City through Mindoro, Aklan, and Oriental Negros to Zamboanga, Sibugay.
Massive campaign to turn Siquijor “green”, says PENRO
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Oscar Magallones is talking green as he wants Siquijor to become not just a hub of tourism but also a big part of what is called “Green Philippines.”
He says Siquijor province needs reforestation since most of what used to be tree-covered mountains have now become brown, denuded hills.
“We must take back our forest and replenish the fallen trees with new, protected forests to protect our land and our people. We must reforest those idle lands and bring back their beauty we all love and want through this campaign,” says Magallones during an OPLAN Green Philippine Highways meeting set recently here.
As President Arroyo stressed, we need the leadership of Central Philippines to move the rest of the country to embrace the new, clean, green Philippines, Magallones said.
The meeting attended by local officials was to map out the strategies to enhance the competitive edge in Siquijor, being a part of Central Philippines, which is positioned as the country’s tourism center due to its vast, natural, coastal and marine resources.
“With our competitive advantage, we can bolster our economy and encourage greater tourism investments,” he said.
Green Philippines is a massive environmental campaign of the government that will take place within the next five years.
“By heeding this call, we can have the chance to redevelop our province into a green, clean, healthy, productive and beautiful environment,” he added.
He said he wanted to tap the enthusiasm of everyone to clean up the environment which includes tree planting along national and provincial highways, beautifying the villages and barangays, cleaning up trashes that are eyesores and unhealthy.
Citing the 5,550 registered and unregistered vehicles in the province, Magallanes wants Siquijor free from too much pollution caused by these.
Araw ng Siquijor to push through despite stringent budget
Despite stringent budget, this year’s 35th Araw ng Siquijor on September 17 still promises to be a celebration replete with exciting activities.
Plans for the upcoming occasion were initially discussed at the Provincial Capitol recently.
Would-be activities include the sportsfest (comprising inter-town basketball (men), inter-agency volleyball (men and women), lawn and table tennis, maratahon, etc.), the agro-trade fair of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Council (SMEDC), dance festivals of the participating municipalities, and the Miss Siquijor Tourism 2006.
Venue for the opening sportsfest program will be in the town of Enrique Villanueva set on the first week of September.
Provincial Planning Development Officer (PPDO) Gladys Estrellada, however, said the different committees for the celebration must confine themselves to the tight budget the province is allocating this year. She said the budget that amounts to only P800,000 will be equally divided to the sportsfest, the agro-trade fair and other activities.
On the other hand, changes may yet come out as initially-set activities are still up for a final discussion.
Larena police sets up official celphone for complaints
For better police service, the Larena Police is setting up official cellular phone for complaints, reports and other related concerns.
Chief of Police Enrique L. Belcina said this is in compliance to the directive received from the Police Regional Office 7 and that it is the agency’s move to pursue with “even greater vigor” the drive against criminality and terrorism.
It has been noted that complaints and concerns sent thru PNP Text 2920 were not directly relayed, thus resulting to delayed responses and affecting the immediate and better police services to the community, COP Belcina said.
Although peace and order situation in Siquijor is manageable, today’s threat of terror has assumed stronger urgency, Belcina added, calling for public/community support to the program.
The newest official PNP number in Larena is 0910-7348381 while HOTLINE 166 is changed into 035-377-2166. The change was made because the previous hotline was not accessible through cellular phones, said Belcina.
Information regarding these developments was already dispatched/disseminated and displayed/posted in all barangays, municipalities, and other different conspicuous places within the AOR.
Recently ranking no. 1 region wide in the performance evaluation rating, other safeguards undertaken by the Larena PNP are police visibility, regular monitoring and beat patrol in designated areas of the town
In line with this move, President Arroyo earlier commended the Armed Forces, being in equal footing with the PNP, for gaining ground and pushing ahead in its offensive against terror.
A Malacanang official said we have the support of the people in pulling away the tentacles of evil from hapless communities and restoring security and development and vowed that the government shall continue to use the hand of steel in flushing out the network of evil. .
The officials renewed calls on Congress to pass the anti-terror bill to further neutralize the movement of terrorist arms, funds and personnel across communities and borders and to nip the threat on the bud without need for massive military operations.
CDA issues guidelines on the reg of electric coops
The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) as the sole registering agency of all types of cooperatives, issued Guidelines on the Registration of Electric Cooperatives previously registered with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) created under Presidential Decree No. 269.
CDA Administrator Fulgencio A. Vigare. Jr. stated that it is pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 6938, the Cooperative Code of the Philippines and Republic Act 6939, that created the CDA.
Vigare said, coverage of the guidelines are: Electric Cooperatives (ECs) previously registered with the CDA with Certificate of Provisional Registration and Electric Cooperatives that field to obtain a Provisional Certificate of Registration.
Electric Cooperatives with Certificate of Provisional Registration have to be registered with the CDA. They have to submit one copy each of the following documents for their re-registration: 1) Certificate of Provisional Registration issued by the CDA; 2) Duly audited financial Statements for the last two years; 3) List of the incumbent names and addresses of the Board of Directors, certified by the Board Secretary and attested by the Chairman of the Board; 4) Sworn Statement of the Treasurer that within six months from registration, the ECs should submit to the CDA the statement on the authorized share capital, subscribes share capital and paid-up capital of the members; and 5) Bond of Accountable Officers of the Electric Cooperatives.
On the other hand, Vigare further stated that electric cooperatives that failed to obtain Provisional Certificate of Registration from the CDA can also be registered with the CDA by submitting the above-mentioned documents files with the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
In line with the principle of subsidiarity, the CDA shall regulate electric cooperatives registered with the CDA on the following matters but not limited to: 1) Rights and privileges of members; 2) Rules and procedures of meetings of the General Assembly, Board of Directors and committee members; 4) allocation and distribution of surplus, and tax treatment to electric coops.
Electric cooperatives registered with the CDA and issued a Certificate of Registration shall be covered by the provisions of the Cooperative Code of the Philippines and these guidelines as well as future rules and other issuances of the CDA.
Electric cooperatives are given two years from the effectivity of these Guidelines to register with the CDA. After the lapse of the said period, such cooperatives shall undergo the required procedure for registration of a new cooperative.
Energy independence is a permanent feature of the country’s national policy as laid down by the Arroyo administration.
The volatility of world oil prices and pockets of instability in the Middle East and Africa – and the finite supply of fossil fuels – must drive all government agencies, institutions and communities to search and exploit all alternative sources of energy for the next generations.
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