NIA bares
multi-million peso irrigation projects
By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern
Leyte)
May 8, 2008
MAASIN CITY,
Southern Leyte – The eighteen towns and one city of Southern
Leyte province stand to benefit some P82 million in irrigation
projects for calendar year 2008 alone, on top of over P600 million
total worth of similar water-for-ricefarms projects listed as
priority but qualified “for later years.”
This much was
disclosed by Engr. Jose Babiano, Provincial Irrigation Officer of
the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) office here, during
the recent Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting held at RK
Kangleon Function House, this city.
The disclosure of
the multi-million peso farm irrigation projects before the PDC
body was NIA’s way of seeking PDC intervention, wherein a
resolution was passed endorsing the said projects to the Regional
Development Council (RDC), National Economic Development Authority
(NEDA), and eventually to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for
funding requirements.
Babiano said the
NIA head office has made available at least three windows to
access financing for irrigation needs, like the
Balikatan-Sagip-Balik-Patubig (BSBP) program, P2 billion program,
and the P1 billion program.
All these, Babiano
said, were meant to rehabilitate damaged communal irrigation
systems (CIS), or build new ones, involving thousands of hectares
of ricefields nationwide, in a massive effort to intensify rice
production and, in the process, gradually stem the tide of the
lingering rice price crisis.
A copy of NIA’s
priority projects for 2008 which was obtained through the
provincial planning office showed six CIS due for rehabilitation,
consisting an area about to be restored at 82 hectares, with a new
CIS covering 20 hectares included to be built, and a combined cost
of P12.8 million.
These included the
Ilihan CIS in Hinundayan, another at Badiang, Maasin; San Vicente,
Malitbog; Hingatungan-Salvacion, Hinunangan; Sudmon-Guimbaloan,
Silago; and one at Bolod-bolod, Saint Bernard, a new project.
There was only one
project under the BSBP, and this was the rehabilitation of the
Catmon, Saint Bernard, communal irrigation, worth P3 million.
For the Agrarian
Reform Irrigation Supplementation project (ARISP III), two
irrigation projects in the town of Silago, for barangays
Hingatungan and Katipunan, will be served, for a combined cost of
P65.85 million, where 183 hectares of old irrigated farms will be
restored, and 317 hectares of new irrigated areas will be covered.
Meanwhile, a copy
for the list of priority projects for later years showed 26
irrigation projects in 14 local government units, covering an area
to be restored at 694 hectares plus 1,467 hectares targeted for
new irrigation, with a total cost of P648.32 million.
Southern
Leyte province has about 9,000 hectares of ricefarms, according to
the provincial agriculture office.
Pinabacdao in Samar
holds "Kamurayaw" peace festival
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
May
8, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– A two-day peace festival dubbed as "Kamurayaw" will be conducted
at the municipality of Pinabacdao, Samar on May 7 and 8.
The Social Inclusion
Project will start with a peace concert and SIP Advocacy Grand Ball
hosted by the Pinabacdao Community Advocacy Teams on the evening of
May 7, Mr. Neil Moraleta, Social Marketing Officer of the KALAHI-CIDSS
informed.
On the second day, May
8, an exhibit of Pinabacdao’s best agri-products will be featured. In
addition, the traditional Mayaw-Mayaw cultural presentations will also
be staged together with the awarding of winners in the Siday and Song
writing contests.
Mr. Moraleta informed
that "Kamurayaw" is a peace-building and social inclusion project
being implemented in eleven barangays of Pinabacdao, by the
Kalahi-CIDSS Project under the Japan Social Development Fund - Social
Inclusion Project (JSDF-SIP). The World Bank assisted project aims to
capacitate and help conflict-affected residents get more involved in
the development activities of their respective communities and local
government units.
The Japan Social
Development Fund - Social Inclusion Project (JSDF-SIP) was launched as
a complementary project to ensure the inclusion of indigenous peoples,
people in conflict-affected areas and women in mainstream KALAHI-CIDSS
activities in the community level.
A total of 37 KALAHI
CIDSS municipalities across 11 regions of the country have been
selected as JSDF-SIP sites through a Social Exclusion mapping study.
The core strategy of
the SIP is to create innovative approaches towards providing
much-needed lessons for maximum and genuine people participation,
particularly the vulnerable groups. This is to make them productive
members of the community towards sustainable community development, a
principle which forms the essence of KALAHI-CIDSS and the National
Anti Poverty Program of the Arroyo government.
Mr. Moraleta said
that a vehicle is available for the media practitioners in Tacloban
who are interested in covering the activity. Interested parties may
call Mr. Moraleta at the KALAHI CIDSS office at the DSWD Regional
Office.
Southern Leyte solon
distributes computers through PDAF
By REBECCA CADAVOS (PIA Southern
Leyte)
May 7, 2008
PROVINCIAL CAPITOL, Southern Leyte
– A total of 80 computer sets were distributed by the Lone District
Congressman Roger G. Mercado under his Priority Development Assistance
Project (PDAF) Friday at the lobby of the Provincial Capitol here.
The assistance, in
line with the Congressman’s computerization system development for the
province is one of the priority programs of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
the Solon said. The yearly program is around P3 million, it was
learned.
During the turn-over
ceremony, Cong. Mercado personally distributed the computer sets to
the (40) recipients identified from the provincial, municipal and
barangay offices throughout the province. The remaining (40) units
were allocated to the schools that submitted resolution through their
Parents Community and Teachers Association (PCTA), according to the
District Office staff.
Each recipient during
the turn-over ceremony were just required to sign the acknowledgement
receipt prepared by their office for the (11) boxes that composed of
(1) Pentium 4 computer set, which include the monitor, printer,
automatic voltage regulator (AVR), uninterrupted power supply (UPS),
multi-media speaker, computer table, chair among others.
Cong. Mercado during
his short talk at the turn-over rites was grateful with the continued
support extended for the good of the province and mentioned some of
his on-going projects like the construction of a training center for
vocational courses, livelihood assistance through the Self Employment
Assistance sa Kalunlaran (SWEA-K) memberships distribution for
indigents, construction of schools, agricultural developments
including farm-to-market roads and infrastructure projects throughout
Southern Leyte.
Present during the
turn-over ceremony were Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo II, Sangguniang
Panlalawigan Member Jason Calva, Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco, the
recipients and some provincial officials and employees.
Admission of P70-M
OWWA losses a cover-up to more fund misuses and mismanagement
Press Release
By Migrante ME
May 5, 2008
An alliance of
overseas Filipino Workers’ organizations based in the
Middle East on Sunday said that the admission of OWWA fund losses
by no less than the Labor Secretary is merely a cover-up to more OWWA
misuses and fund mismanagement.
“The admission maid by
Labor Sec. Marianito Roque that OWWA has incurred losses of about P70
million in pre-departure loans availed by OFWs if found to be true has
indeed validates that OWWA has been mismanaging the OWWA fund, a
compulsory collection of US$25 per OFWs on a yearly basis which is
believed to have reached P10-B held in trust to the government,” said
John Leonard Monterona, coordinator of Migrante Middle East.
“OWWA fund losses by
such admission from Sec. Roque is merely a cover up to the misuses and
mismanagement of OWWA fund and thus the official made it as a
justification why they have stopped OWWA Welfare programs and services
to OFWs and families,” Monterona added.
Monterona said that
Sec. Roque was only forced to divulge and admit such losses of OWWA
fund as the Congress, both Senate and House of Representatives, is on
the move to investigate the alleged misuses of OWWA fund.
Monterona said that it
has been noted that the pre-departure loans for OFWs have been
suspended right after when the OWWA Omnibus Policies have been passed
and implemented by OWWA Governing Board headed by then Labor Sec.
Patricia Sto. Tomas year 2003.
“Such admission of
OWWA losses is not new to us. We have been hearing same old story
every time the P10-B OWWA fund misuses and mismanagement is a hot
issue: the OWWA Administrator usually admits losses of OWWA fund to
cover up huge misuses and mismanagement of the fund,” Monterona
averred.
The OFW leader
recalled the admission made by then OWWA Administrator Virgilio Angelo
of the P260-M bogus claims of welfare programs such as loans for OFW
medicare and family assistance loans only to justify the transfer of
P4-B OWWA Medicare fund to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth)
prior to 2002 Presidential election.
“We suspect more
hidden misuses and diversion of funds have been done or charged to
OWWA fund. Thus, we reiterates our call to the Members of the Senate
and House of Representatives especially its respective committees to
pass a legislation defining the proper uses of OWWA fund, so as to
secure the OFW fund which has been misused by the present
administration,” Monterona added.
“We challenge Sec.
Roque to re-implement all the welfare programs OWWA has been removed
due to the implementation of OWWA Omnibus Policies and consider the
lowering of OWWA membership fee from US$25 (P1,050 if exchange rate is
1:42) to P500 per OFW,” Monterona averred.
Monterona said that
since the amount of OWWA fund is now reaching to P10-B now, it is but
prudent on the part of OWWA to consider lowering OFW membership fee
from considerable amount per returning OFWs and aspiring alike
especially in time of soaring prices of food, gasoline and LPG.
“Lowering of OWWA
membership fee and removal of other unnecessary government fees
charged and collected from OFWs and aspiring alike would surely bring
ease to OFWs and their families in time of economic crisis,” Monterona
ended.
Dependents of Agrarian
Reform beneficiaries enjoy scholarship program
By MARIVIC ALCOBER (PIA 8)
May
4, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) is once again calling on
dependents of agrarian reform beneficiaries to avail of the President
Diosdado Macapagal Agrarian Scholarship Program (PDMASP). The program
gives college education to children and direct descendants of
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program or CARP beneficiaries.
For school year
2008-2009, the different Provincial Agrarian Reform Officers has a
number of slots open to those who meet the pre-qualification
requirements set by the DAR.
According to DAR,
applicants will apply at the Municipal Agrarian Reform Office in their
respective areas for an initial interview, after which a final
interview will be conducted at the DAR Provincial Office on May 13,
2008.
It was also learned
that the implementation of PDMASP is in partnership with state
universities and colleges and in line with the 10-point agenda of
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to provide educational scholarship
to the deserving children of poor families.
DAR bared that the
PDMASP is deeply committed in developing a pool of highly motivated,
technically equipped and well educated dependents of agrarian reform
beneficiaries who are law-abiding citizens that will assume the
responsibility for managing the lands awarded to them under CARP.
Further, DAR aims to produce scholars who will serve as agents of
change to assist the government in the development and modernization
of agriculture and in improving the quality of life in the rural
communities.
On the other hand, it
was disclosed that the program offers free tuition and miscellaneous
school fees in an amount not exceeding P1,500 per semester to be paid
directly to the school where the grantee is enrolled. Likewise, a
monthly stipend in the amount of P800.00 will be paid directly to the
scholarship grantee for every month that he or she is in actual school
attendance in the first and second semester of the school year, plus a
P500.00 allowance per semester to pay for the books and other school
needs.
Biliran tops rice
sufficiency in EV, Northern Samar places lowest
By FRED PADERNOS (PIA 8 intern)
May
2, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– Rice traders in the Province of Biliran will find rice a saucy
business these days, as the place is on the top in the rice
sufficiency share for the whole region. Because of the reported rice
shortage, rice is selling like hot cakes which mean more profit to the
small and big rice business operators.
The Department of
Agriculture rice sufficiency index show that Biliran has 238 percent
share of the region's rice supply, followed by Leyte province at 171
percent, and third, Southern Leyte with 102 percent share. Other
provinces such as
Eastern Samar, Samar, and
Northern Samar are positioned in the lowest three share based on the
index with only 55.3%, 50.8%, and 37.6% respectively.
Very recently the
alleged rice shortage created a panic buying effect among consumers
that even prompted the national government conduct raids among giant
rice warehouses in the national capital region reportedly due to
hoarding which they (hoarders) intends to sell later at a blotted
price.
In a related story,
Robert Hernandez, National President of the Alyansa Ng Industriyang
Bigas (ANIB) disclosed that there is no actually rice crisis- but
price crisis. He said, the country has enough supply of rice, only
that these are commercial rice that are sold from P33 - P44 compared
to the NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo or from P1,400 - P2,000 per sack
depending on the variety and quality. What is in shortage now, he
said, is the cheap rice such as NFA that low income earners could
afford to buy on a daily basis.
PGMA eyes completion
of Eastern Nautical Highway projects
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
May
2, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– After the successful launching of the Central Nautical Highway,
President Arroyo is now eyeing the fast-tracking of government
projects on the Eastern Nautical Highway, the last segment of the
Strong Republic Nautical Highway.
"I instruct the DOTC
and the DPWH to work now on the Eastern Nautical Highway: Pilar,
Sorsogon to Masbate to Naval, Biliran to Leyte Island to Surigao
City," the President said during the 2nd SRNH conference on April 30
at the Xavier Estates along Airport Road in Cagayan de Oro City
attended by about 300 businessmen and government officials.
To complement the
Eastern Nautical Highway, the President ordered the Department of
Public Works and Highways to rehabilitate roads in the Pan-Philippine
or Maharlika Highway
linking Samar to Luzon.
The President
specifically instructed the DPWH to fix the old
Maharlika Highway
and to fast-track the Hinabangan-Catbalogan-Calbayog portion.
The Strong Republic
Nautical Highway which was conceived by President Arroyo in 2002, is
composed of three major routes: the Western Nautical Highway (WNH),
the Central Nautical Highway (CNH) and the Eastern Nautical Highway (ENH).
The SRNH was launched
when the Western Nautical Highway was completed in 2003 linking
Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, Roxas,
Mindoro Oriental and Caticlan, Aklan, cutting the travel time between
Dapitan to Batangas port by 12 hours and on to any point of Luzon by
land.
The President said the
SRNH was conceived in 2002 when she presented to the Cabinet a work
program to reduce transport costs from the food basket of Mindanao to
the large consuming population of Luzon, by decreasing handling and
wharfage costs.
The President thanked
in particular former Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) senior
vice president Marietto Enecio who retired March this year. The
President said, pulled from the DBP filing cabinet, an obscure master
plan of a Sustainable Logistics Development Plan initiated by their
SVP Marietto Enecio made up of 48 Road and Roll-on-Roll-off routes.
The RO-RO operations
have changed the way industries do business citing as an example the
Nestle plant here which kept its prices steady despite the worldwide
surge in the price of milk, the President said.
Furthermore, the
President said the SRNH also contributed to the generation of jobs and
upsurge in tourism traffic nationwide including in Dapitan which
recorded a 200 percent increase last year.
Exhorting the people
to "roll our sleeves and join hands," the President said that the
ultimate ultimate beneficiaries of RO-RO are the people. RO-RO is a
fulfillment of the vision based on a strong and growing economy.
Leyte presents double
header to the famed annual Aliwan Festival
By
Provincial Media Relations Center
(PMRC
Leyte)
April
30, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla is hopeful the province can
bag any significant place in the soon to be held Aliwan Festival at
the Quirino Grandstand in Manila as Leyte province presents a
double-header via the Buyogan Festival and Alikaraw Festival of Abuyog
and Hilongos respectively.
“It is the first time
ever that the province would be sending two contingents. And they are
not just mere contingents as these two festivals are already seasoned
dancers and performers who have joined many other and big cultural
presentations in other parts of the country,” Gov. Petilla said in an
interview recently.
To recall, Buyogan
Festival was the grand prize winner in the Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan
Festival in June 2007 while Alikaraw was its runner-up.
Hilongos’ Alikaraw is
likewise fresh from a third place win at the Sinulog Festival in Cebu
City last January and is out to defend its position too, if not
overtake its third position which it earned in last year’s Aliwan
Festival.
“I myself is feeling
the pressure. The province is giving these two festivals full support
because not only would they be representing themselves but they would
be bringing the province of Leyte as they dance their best in Manila,”
Gov. Petilla said.
The Alikaraw festival
of Hilongos showcases its equally fervent religious devotion
manifested by tribesmen who also learned to co-exist with their
environment, while the town of Abuyog bring life to the mystical bees
of the magical fairy Opayda in the Buyogan festival.
Leyte’s double-header
would be facing top festival contingents as this year’s Aliwan
festival showcases 24 festivals from as far as Angadanan, Isabela in
the north to Lamitan Basilan in the South.
This year’s Aliwan
contingents also include Panagbenga of Baguio City, Lang-ay Festival
of Bontoc, Mountain Province, Pamulinawen Festival of Laoag City,
Gakit Festival of Angadanan, Isabela, Desposorio Festival of Bulacan,
PintaFlores Festival of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, Sa-ad
Festival and the acclaimed Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo, Sinulog of
Cebu as interpreted by Aliwan Festival 2007 defending champion Lumad
Basakanon, Halad Festival of Midsayap, Cotabato, Bakhawan Festival of
Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, Shariff Kabunsuan Festival of Cotabato
City, Meguyaya Festival of Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan, Kang’ Gelal of
Sultan Kudarat, Buklod Festival of Parang, Maguindanao, Kalilintad
Festival of Mamasapano, Maguindanao and Lami-Lamihan of Lamitan,
Basilan.
The grand prize winner
of the 6th Aliwan Fiesta streetdance competition will receive a
whooping 1 Million Pesos and the bragging rights as the Philippines’
best festival.
Second Place winner
will get five hundred thousand pesos and third place winner will
pocket two hundred fifty thousand pesos. Fourth to tenth place winners
will each get fifty thousand pesos each.
The Aliwan Fiesta,
organized by the media outfit, Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC) and
the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), would be held on May
1-3, with the grand culminating parade traversing Roxas Boulevard from
Quirino Grandstand to the Aliw Theater at the CCP Complex.
Calbiga town undergoes
‘economic’ workshop
By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA
Samar)
April 30, 2008
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar
– Calbiga LGU officials led by Mayor Melchor Nacario and wife Board
Member Luzviminda Nacario participated in the Local and Regional
Economic Development (LRED) Sensitizing Workshop on Monday at
Calbiga’s Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Park or SPARK
Visitors Center.
The workshop to last
until April 30, is part of the implementation of the Small and Medium
Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Promotion (SMEDSEP)
Program.
DTI in partnership
with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) sponsored the workshop.
Mayor Nacario gathered
all his officials and barangay leaders to participate.
DTI Regional Director
Cynthia Nierras informed the participants that DTI believes in the
potential of Calbiga as an emerging growth area in this part of
Samar.
Added to this, she
said is the presence of tourist destinations that could compare to
prime tourist destinations in the country. Nierras mentioned trekking
to the Calbiga caves and Lulugayan falls branded by foreigners as
‘mini Niagara’ because it is fifty meters wide and cascades down
14-kilometer rapids from the source at Lake Kalidongan.
Nierras alo mentioned
the thriving business of Calbiga’s delicacy potentials used as
‘pasalubong’ by Balikbayans.
DTI Samar said that
among the Samar municipalities, it was Calbiga LGU that showed
interest in the social marketing done by DTI.
The LRED approach is
patterned among the more successful implementations in other LGUs in
the region like Ormoc City, Palompon, Carigara, Baybay City and Palo
in Leyte province.
Calbiga, aside from
the economic and tourism potentials also has a supportive LGU, with an
organization proven with a fine track record like Currents, and other
considerations that Calbiga seem to have.
The group is expected
to have a rapid economic assessment wherein DTI and GTZ will
facilitate.
Calbiga is the 10th
LGU in the region that has undergone the LRED workshop.
After Calbiga’s turn,
Catbalogan City will be next in line to attend this one of a kind
workshop geared towards development.
Nierras said that
implementation of the incoming projects to boost the economy should be
done from 6 months to one year.
The implementation of
this project aims to provide better living conditions for its
constituents and at the same time be ecologically sustainable, added
the DTI family.
Diaz vs. Pacquiao a
dream match in lightweight division, says Santillan
By Alex P. Vidal / PNS
April 30, 2008
ILOILO CITY,
Philippines – Former Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF)
welterweight champion Rev "Gentle Giant" Santillan said the Manny
Pacquiao-David Diaz showdown for Diaz's World Boxing Council (WBC)
lightweight belt "is a dream match in the lightweight division."
"They are saying that
Pacquiao will find it hard to deal with a natural lightweight, but I
tell you that this fight is a dream match in the lightweight division
because both fighters will slug it out in a non-stop action,"
Santillan said in Hiligaynon dialect during the recent baptism of his
four-month old daughter, Reanne, in Jaro, Iloilo City.
Santillan, who was
deposed as OPBF 147-lb king by Motaki Sasaki via 6th round technical
knockout (TKO) in Tokyo last February 16, described Diaz as a
"receiver" who will not run away from his Filipino challenger.
Being the receiver
does not mean that Diaz will no longer connect with his own bombs,
averred Santillan, who started punching mitts as a lightweight during
his checkered amateur days in the 90's.
"This time, one of
them will go down," predicted the 30-year-old Santillan (24-4, 17
KOs), who disclosed a plan to resume his sagging career with a
10-round non-title fight in July in Tokyo against a rated Japanese
banger before facing Motaki in a rematch sometime in September this
year.
Meanwhile, the 5 feet
and 11 inches Santillan said retirement is still far from his mind
saying he plans to regain the title from Motaki. He was supposed to
face junior middleweight terror Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. in
Queretaro,
Mexico
last April 27 (Philippine time) but was scrapped from the card after a
disastrous defeat to unheralded Motaki.
Chavez, Jr., son of
the legendary Chavez, Sr., tortured Italian boxer Tobia Guiseppe
Loriga, the man who replaced Santillan in the card, en route to a
ninth round TKO to preserve his unbeaten record.
Santillan said despite
Chavez's reputation, he was unfazed with the 21-year-old Mexican's
notoriety.
If he will regain his
regional belt vs Motaki, Santillan said he is ready to face Chavez "bisan
medyo taas sia diutay sa akon (even if he is taller than me)."
Gov. Mercado mulls
construction of new provincial hospital
By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern
Leyte)
April 28, 2008
MAASIN CITY, Southern
Leyte – The existing provincial hospital needs expansion, but
limited space in its present location has constrained any move to
expand it any further, and so this necessitates the creation of a new
one.
This plan to put up a
new health facility was revealed by Gov. Damian Mercado during the
Governor’s Time in the Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting
held at the RK Kanleon Function House, this city, last Friday, April
25.
In fact, this item was
listed number one in the other matters portion of the agenda for that
day’s PDC meeting.
Gov. Mercado noted
that the provincial hospital, which had undergone two name changes in
its more than forty years of life – first as Integrated Provincial
Health Office (IPHO), and lately since last year Salvacion Oppus
Yñiguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) – has always been
subsidized in its operations by the provincial local government unit.
But he added that he
was amused on learning that on its own, the SOYMPH generated P5.5
million in revenues for the first quarter of 2008 alone, with the able
leadership management of its head, Dr. Joselito Trumata, the
provincial Health Officer.
A vacant, spacious lot
in barangay Dongon which was owned by the Development Bank of the
Philippines (DBP) was recently purchased by Rep. Roger Mercado, and
this site will soon house the new provincial hospital if plans push
through, said Gov. Mercado.
A Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) will soon be signed between the city government, the
province, and the Congressman for the utilization of the lot when the
proper time comes, he added.
As this developed, a
resolution was passed in the PDC requesting financial assistance from
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the construction of the said
hospital at barangay Dongon.
No specific amount was
mentioned in the PDC resolution which was approved unanimously.
The new Dongon
hospital will be equipped with modern equipment and facilities for the
health needs and care of Southern Leyteños and others, Gov. Mercado
stressed.
Fishing village
rescues long snouted bottle-nose dolphin
By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA
Samar)
April 27, 2008
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar
– Villagers of the fishing
village of
Jiaan,
Jiabong were mystified by the big sea mammal that ‘kumpadres’ Rolando
Cupido and Pido Jabonero were towing to shore.
Rolly narrated that it
was only on TV that he sees dolphins, nothing prepared him for the
real big mammal that he saw weakly swimming near his fishpens.
He then asked the help
of Pade Pido and the duo decided to inform the barangay officials what
should be done. “We were worried that the dolphin may end up in the
wrong hands and might be butchered instead“, said Cupido.
One teen-ager said he
noticed the dolphin shedding tears. The tears were real as the poor
sea-mammal was whimpering. Lola Rebecca Jabien, 70, said it was the
first time she has seen a dolphin.
The villagers informed
agricultural technicians Sidney Uy and Glicerio Meniano from Jiabong
town who came immediately and in turn informed the Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in
Catbalogan
City.
Mr. Juan Meniano, a
fishery expert from the Samar Provincial Agriculture called on
PIA-Samar to document the rescue efforts of the villagers. Together
with BFAR and OPA, PIA mobiled to Barangay Jiaan.
The villagers
especially the children enjoyed the spectacle the dolphin showed. It
juggled the fish given by the villagers and flipped and flipped giving
them a real but free show.
The dolphin measured
eight feet in length and estimated to weigh some 70 kilos. It has a
deep gray color. Meniano said that the dolphin could be two years old
or more. He added that the dolphin maybe a little sick and was just
looking for less salty water. That was when the fishermen spotted him.
Dolphins, said Meniano can heal by themselves; they just have to be
away from the playful children in the village that may cause the
dolphin stress.
To recall, on April
26, 2007, some fishermen from Payao, Catbalogan were charged with
violations of RA 8550, otherwise known as Fishery Act, the fishermen
butchered and cooked the meat of two dolphins they caught from Samar
Sea.
The fishermen from
Jiaan are a different lot, they are aware that the dolphin is one of
the endangered species and that they should be left alone. One
teen-ager said he knows from the TV programs that dolphins are mammals
and should be conserved.
Meniano gave a short
lecture on the beach and instructed the fisherfolks assisted by the
two ATs to tow the dolphin off shore and free it in the deeper Samar
Sea.
With the ATs on
board Jiabong Fishery Law Enforcement Team motorboat, they led the
dolphin to its freedom while scores of Jiaan folks sadly waved to the
sea-mammal whose company they enjoyed for a few hours.
Southern Leyte
province to develop more ricefields
By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern
Leyte)
April 27, 2008
MAASIN CITY, Southern
Leyte – In the face of widespread clamor to devote additional areas
for planting hybrid varieties of rice to increase production, the
provincial government will face the challenge by doing exactly what
has been widely suggested to be done to address the problem, that is,
by developing other lands to be planted with the staple food.
Thus declared Gov.
Damian Mercado on Friday, April 25, at the start of the Provincial
Development Council (PDC) meeting held at the RK Kangleon Function
House, this city.
Speaking during the
Governor’s Time at the PDC meeting, Gov. Mercado said farmers in the
province can expect all-out support in terms of farm inputs like
fertilizers and hybrid seeds, among others, to encourage planting.
Citing a recent
meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Agriculture
Secretary Arthur Yap where the issue on increased rice yield and the
plight of farmers were intensively discussed, the Governor
acknowledged that the cooperation of the local government units in the
fields is crucial to the success of the latest initiative.
“The LGUs will be the
frontline in finding solutions to the rice price crisis,” he added,
even as he stressed that the problem is not just felt in the
Philippines but a global phenomenon.
He also allayed fears
of a shortage in rice supply in the province and other parts of the
country, while he quoted news reports seen on TV of rice hoarders that
were responsible in the soaring of rice prices.
He said the province
would take advantage of the many projects now made available through
the Department of Agriculture (DA), one of which was for the
acquisition of a mechanical mobile dryer, a post-harvest facility,
where 200 cavans of palay can be dried at one setting.
Because it can be
transferable, the dryer can be moved from one place to another so that
wastage and damage in the traditional process of drying the palay can
be eliminated.
A lack of space for
dying newly-harvested palay has been one of the concerns of the
farmers in the province, and this caused the streets to be used as
drying spaces where passing vehicles simply passed through, Gov.
Mercado observed.
Bigasan sa Parokya in
Samar, hits the box office!
By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA
Samar)
April 27, 2008
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar
– Bigasan sa Parokya in poor Samar hits the box office!
Poor parishioners from
the Immaculate Concepcion Parish of Motiong and St. James in Talalora
are grateful that their parishes have become outlets for the NFA rice.
Fr. Gil Cabujat of
Immaculate Concepcion Parish of Motiong said that they are given rice
allocation of 10 sacks per week, this easily sells like hotcake, said
Fr. Gil.
The priest said that a
religious affairs department of Malacañang has given the parish some
P15, 000 as capital to procure rice from NFA to be re sold to their
poor parishioners. To increase the number of bags bought at NFA, the
parish council loaned some P6,000 and now some 16 bags are bought on
Tuesdays. Each family is sold three kilos.
Just the news that NFA
rice will be sold brings out bigger crowd and before the day ends, all
bags are ‘sold out’!
In remote Talalora,
Parish priest Fr. Romy Manzanero said, the Bigasan sa Parokya somehow
has helped the parishioners of St. James. However, Fr. Romy said that
although this is one strategy to help the poor, the government must
design concrete programs to address poverty in general. He also
suggested that close monitoring should be done to discouraged hoarding
and overpricing.
Unverified rumors
reaching him say that the bags of cheap rice allotted to some
barangays end up in urban Catbalogan where retailers are said to have
contacts. The rice, he said end up in the wrong hands.
Fr. Manzanero also
shared the feedback, like Fr. Cabujat that some bags of rice when
delivered to them weigh less than the supposed weight which is 50
kilos.
As PIA made the
representations to NFA about the weight difference, Rosario Cadiz, NFA
economist advised that the parokya should write to the NFA manager
about their complaint.
On the brighter side,
Fr. Gil said that more parishes now have expressed enthusiasm to join
the Bigasan sa Parokya, whereas before there were only five interested
applicant-parishes, today, Fr. Cesar Aculan of the Calbayog Diocese is
being swarmed with additional requests.
NFA earlier said
that depending upon positive feedback on the trustworthiness of the
parishes, all parishes in poor Samar could be given the license to
operate “Bigasan sa Parokya”.
Leyte
Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival to be staged on June 27
Press Release
By
Provincial
Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
April 26, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The provincial government of
Leyte is showing its full support to the conduct of this Leyte
Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival which would be staged on June 27, two days
earlier than what has been practiced for the last several years.
Leyte Governor Carlos
Jericho Petilla in his recent interview over the province’s weekly
radio program Hingyap Han Leyteño, he assured this year’s Kasadyaan
would be as grand, even more so than with the previous years with
about 21 contingents from different towns in the province signifying
their intention to join the Kasadyaan Festival.
He said holding of the
yearly festival is not for anything else but to “pay homage” to Senior
Santo Niño, who is also the province’s patron saint.
He likewise disclosed
part of the provincial government’s thrust is to develop the
province’s many cultural richness through the formation of these
festivals, which he also acknowledged as one of the province’s plus
factor in increasing tourism in this part of the country.
Meanwhile, former
Leyte Representative and now vice chairman of the Philippine Amusement
and Gaming Corporation Remedios “Matin” Petilla who also heads the
executive committee of the Kasadyaan Festival promises this year’s
festivities would be as grand and colorful as before.
“All would be the
same. Only the date of the parade is changed from June 29 it would now
be on June 27,” she said.
Petilla also
personally attended to the invitations for
Leyte
municipalities to join the Kasadyaan, while disclosing choreographers
can be sent to the municipalities to help them in forming their own
festivals and guide and train them through rehearsals.
“I have talked to the
mayors and a number of them signified they would join this year,”
Petilla disclosed.
Last year’s winners
in the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival, the Buyugon Festival of Abuyog and
the Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos would be among the 24 contingents to
the prestigious Aliwan Festival in Manila during the first week of
May.
Congressman Chong
bares educational assistance to Biliranons
By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
April
26, 2008
NAVAL, Biliran –
When classes for the school year 2008-2009 open in June this year,
parents of pupils and students in the elementary, secondary and
tertiary levels in the province of Biliran have something to rejoice
with as Rep. Glenn A. Chong bares many educational assistance that
would mean a lot of help in reducing the financial burden of sending
their children to school.
In an interview with
Representative Chong, the young Biliran solon informed that he will
apportion some 12,000 backpack type of schoolbags to elementary pupils
from grades 2 to 6 in the entire
province of
Biliran
to an estimated 24,000 elementary enrollees this school year.
He said that he
allocated P1.5 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)
this year for this purpose.
Likewise, Rep. Chong
revealed that he will coordinate with a non-government entity for the
provision of school supplies aside from the school bags to the
elementary pupils.
The representative of
the Lone District of Biliran disclosed that he allocated another P9.5
million from his PDAF for the procurement of seven 55-seaters school
buses at one each for the municipalities of Almeria, Biliran,
Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Naval and another two L300
panel type bus will be given to the island municipality of Maripipi.
He informed that these
transportation facilities will provide free ride to elementary pupils
and secondary students in the eight municipalities including college
students in municipalities where there is a tertiary school.
“These buses will
ferry pupils and students from their respective homes to their schools
and vice-versa when classes start this year. This would be a big help
to our parents who will bear the financial burden of high
transportation cost in sending their children to school,” Rep. Chong
said.
According to Rep.
Chong, these school buses have the same features with the tourist
buses in Japan complete with air conditioning and television units and
soft reclining chairs in order to provide convenience and comfort to
the students.
He will allocate P1
million per year for the salaries of drivers to include the
maintenance and operation expenses of these buses.
The provision of
school buses in the eight municipalities in the province of Biliran is
one of the campaign promises of Representative Chong in the May 14,
2007 elections.
Aside from the
provision of school bags and buses, Rep. Chong revealed that he
allocated P1 million from his PDAF for the 200 scholarship slots at
P5,000 per qualified college student this school year.
For the 2nd semester
of school year 2007-2008, Rep. Chong was able to get 55 slots from the
7th batch of scholars from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
He was able also to get scholarship funds for 69 college students for
the second semester of school year 2007-2008 from Congressman Neptali
Gonzales, Jr. who represents a congressional district in the city of
Mandaluyong.
On top of this, he
said that he got another P5 million from CHED for this school year to
accommodate some 1,000 scholars to bring in a total of 1,324
scholarship slots in all since he assumed as representative of the
lone district of Biliran in July 2007.
For the Biliranons who
want to take vocational-technical courses, Rep. Chong disclosed that
there are 1,200 to 1,500 available slots in the Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Biliran. He said those who
are willing to avail of the scholarship slots, they may visit
TESDA-Biliran for additional information and assistance.
With his commitment to
further upgrade the equipment of the lone TESDA accredited
vocational-technical tertiary school in the
province
of Biliran, he gave P.5 million to the Cabucgayan National School of
Arts and Trades (CNSAT) for the purchase of welding machine, chiller
and other important equipment needed by the school.
As a lawmaker with a
passion to further improve the educational status of the Biliranons,
he filed House Bill No. 1927 converting Naval Institute of Technology
(NIT) into a university.
He said that he will
work hard for the conversion of NIT into a university within his term
which was not materialized during the term of the previous
representatives in the district.
He also sponsored a
bill for the creation of three high schools with specific field of
studies. These high schools are to be established in Barangay
Tamarindo in the municipality of Almeria to focus in the study of arts
and culture; another one in the municipality of Caibiran as the center
of study in information and communication technology and another high
school in the municipality of Biliran to specialize in science and
technology.
At present,
Representative Chong is in the process of consultation with the Local
Chief Executives of these towns since the establishment and operation
of these high schools entail big amount of money.
“All of these things
are geared towards providing the Biliranons the right kind of
direction in education in order to prepare them for the greater and
bigger opportunities not only in Biliran but anywhere in the
Philippines and throughout the world,” Rep Chong said referring to the
different education-related assistance he is working for the benefit
of the people in his district.
He said he will work
hard in order to provide of what is good and beneficial for the people
in Biliran province who have given their full trust and confidence as
their representative.
“I may not be able
to please everybody but I will try my best to attend and answer the
needs of the majority of my constituents,” Representative Chong said.
