Lingap Kawal Foundation donates new ambulance for 8ID

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 10, 2012

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City, Samar  –  The 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Catbalogan City Samar, officially received at 7:30 in the morning of January 9, a brand new ambulance donated by the Lingap Kawal Foundation through the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The blessing of one unit brand new ambulance was held at the 8ID Headquarters during the flag raising ceremony with Major General Mario F. Chan, Commander of 8ID gracing the occasion.

This simple yet meaningful ceremony signals that the new vehicle is now ready for service, Lt. Colonel Niceforo Diaz, 8th ID spokesman said.

According to Lt. Colonel Diaz, the vehicle will be used by the Camp Lukban Station Hospital (CLSH) of Headquarters 8ID, primarily for evacuation of patients.

With the addition of this vehicle, the CLSH now has (3) three ambulance further enhancing its lift capability for evacuation, the 8th ID spokesman said.

Aside from catering to military patients and their dependents, the ambulance units of the Division have figured in the evacuation of civilian victims of accidents or disaster related incidents in the Region, he added.

To recall, the 8ID as part of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has been very active in disaster response and rescue operations in the Region.

Meanwhile, Major General Chan welcomed the new addition to the 8th IDs equipment as enhancement to the military’s public service for the people of Eastern Visayas.

“The new ambulance will certainly make the 8ID more effective in performing its tasks in accordance with IPSP Bayanihan,” Major General Chan said.

US in-sourcing push underscores clamor to end call center-centric and foreign investment-driven economy – CPP

Press Release
January 10, 2012

MANILA  –  The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) cited the push in the United States to in-source call-center jobs of American companies, saying it underscores the clamor of the Filipino workers and people to put an end to the call center-centric and foreign investment-driven local economy and uphold policies for national industrialization and land distribution to spur domestic economic production and demand.

The Obama government is supporting the Call Center and Consumers Protection Bill filed in the US Congress which encourages in-sourcing of call center jobs by American firms and penalizing companies that deal with business process outsourcing (BPO) firms overseas.

Aquino government officials fear that the enactment of the in-sourcing law in the US will stymie the growth of the local BPO enterprises in the Philippines, touted as the “sunshine industry”. Last year, the Philippines surpassed India in call-center employment. Local BPO operations employ around 600,000 Filipinos with 70% employed in call centers. As much as 90% of listed available jobs in the Philippines are those for call center positions. Local call center agents receive an annual average pay of $3,600 compared to the annual pay of $30,000 for American workers.

“Local BPO operations are bound to suffer the fate of export-oriented textile and electronics production which eventually slowed down from its peak in the 1980s after foreign investors eventually found labor markets that were cheaper than the Philippines,” said the CPP.

“The increasing possibility of massive retrenchment in BPO centers in the Philippines in the face of the US push for in-sourcing drives down the basic criticism against the economic policy of dependence on foreign investments,” said the CPP.

“The Aquino government, like all past regimes since the 1940s, has advocated the policy of attracting foreign investments as the main engine of economic growth. The slowdown and eventual demise of the BPO industry in the Philippines, like all previous so-called ‘sunshine’ industries, emphasize the fact that foreign investments have never brought long-lasting growth to the Philippines.”

"The Filipino people’s longstanding clamor for national industrialization and land reform is brought to the fore by the impending sunset of BPO operations in the Philippines," added the CPP. “The Filipino people demand decent and stable jobs. Young workers are fed up with the inability of the puppet state to provide them with work outside of call centers and overseas employment.”

PWJA, PPA expound on Anti-Sextortion Toolkit

By MARIVIC ALCOBER, PIA 8
January 10, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  The Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA) headed by Judge Jocelyn White of the Municipal Trial Court of San Policarpo, Eastern Samar recently conducted a Seminar-Workshop on Sextortion for representatives from the different sectors.

This was bared by Probation and Parole Officer Lovella C. Libertad of the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), Tacloban City Office.  According to her, the Seminar-Workshop which was in coordination with PPA Tacloban City Office headed by City Parole and Probation Officer Cornelio Q. Brazil was conducted at the Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City.

It was learned that a total of ninety-eight (98) participants representing the different sectors of the community took part in the said seminar-workshop through the invitation of the Association.

Ms. Libertad shared that the group of participants was composed of barangay and community officials, students, city and provincial prosecutors, public attorneys, probation and parole officials, social workers, police officers, volunteer probation aides, and school guidance councilors, among others.

The seminar-workshop was formally opened by Judge Jocelyn White who warmly welcomed the participants.

The affair was also graced by Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez who delivered an opening remarks followed by a brief message from Congressman Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, according to Ms. Libertad.

The main discussion during the seminar, which was centered on the topic Anti-Sextortion Toolkit, was tackled by Atty. Lila Czarina A. Aquitania, Legal Consultant of the Tacloban City Mayor’s Office.

Meanwhile, Ms. Libertad disclosed that the primary objective of the seminar-workshop was to inform the participants on the Anti-Sextortion Toolkt, a step-by-step guide on how to deal with and how to process cases on sextortion, which was developed by the PWJA in coordination with the International Association of Women Judges.

Further, the seminar also aims to enlighten the participants of that fact that there are already laws in the country formulated in response to the needs of a sextortion victim.  Meanwhile, it was shared that sextortion is the term used to describe the abuse of power or authority to extract sex or sexual exploitation.

Eastern Samar gets more CCT beneficiaries

By SAMUEL D. CANDIDO, PIA Eastern Samar
January 10, 2012

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar  –  The Pantawid Pamilya Cluster Operations Unit, Provincial Field Office, Eastern Samar, of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-8, has recently identified 7,187 new registered households beneficiaries for the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) subsidy program.

This was reported by Ms. Febie N. Palines, Social Welfare Officer III/Provincial Coordinator of 4Ps.

She said that these seven municipalities include: Borongan with 2,744 beneficiaries; San Julian - 744; Balangkayan - 572; Oras - 315; Can-avid - 1,158; Quinapondan - 882 and Balangiga - 772.

She added that there are also 4,317 new household beneficiaries which are registered and are being validated or partially tabulated to date in five municipalities namely: Dolores - 2,200, Llorente - 997 (additional), Hernani - 74 (additional), Maslog - 56 (additional) and Salcedo - 990.

Aside from the abovementioned, another 9,426 new targeted potential household beneficiaries are subject for registration and validation by staff of Pantawid Pamilya Cluster Operations Unit Field Office in seven more municipalities namely: Merecedes - 409, Guiuan - 3,492, Lawa-an - 985, Sulat - 1,063, Giporlos - 1,078, Maydolong - 952 and Taft - 1,447.

Last year there were 5,484 families who are still enjoying the cash subsidy until to date, at a maximum of P1,400 monthly in seven municipalities: Arteche - 1,297, Hernani - 544, Maslog - 430, Llorente - 437, Jipapad - 694, San Policarpo - 1,052 and MacArthur - 1,030.

The report added that this new registered household beneficiaries will receive their first payment in March, while those subject for registration and validation will receive theirs in April or May.

These new additional beneficiaries were identified through DSWD’s National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHT-PR) and were validated through the coordination with the local government units (LGUs) of Eastern Samar.

Palines further said that they make sure that the new households have no children aging beyond 14 years old; they do not have stable source of livelihood and have agreed to comply with the requirements of the program.

For 2012, all 22 municipalities and one city of the province are already under the CCT coverage.

CCT is being implemented by the Aquino administration through DSWD is an extended version of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides cash subsidy to extremely poor households for them to improve their health, nutrition and educational status particularly the children aged 0-14.

DOST awards facilities to improve productivity of handicraft producers in Northern Samar

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 10, 2012

CATARMAN, Northern Samar  –  The Department of Science and Technology Regional Office 8 turned over on January 10, common service facilities that are envisioned to improve the productivity of handicraft producers in three selected communities in Northern Samar.

DOST-8 Regional Director Edgardo Esperancilla and Governor Paul Daza presided over the awarding of the common service facilities that include 3 units of cylinder bed sewing machines and 3 units of Flat bed sewing machines which will be used by the members of the Northern Samar Handicraft Producers Association particularly in Las Navas, Allen and San Antonio towns. They were joined by Ms. Lucia Dauz, DOST 8 GIA coordinator, Engr. Veronica A. Laguitan, PSCT Catarman and Ms. Marissa Azanza of PLDO.

The occasion was also highlighted by the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement by Hon. Paul Daza, Mayor Rudy Baguioso of San Antonio, Mayor Rod Laurean D. Suan of Allen and Mayor  Minda Tan of Las Navas.

Director Esperancilla said that the establishment of common service facilities for handicraft production in selected communities of Northern Samar was proposed by the Provincial Livelihood Development Office of the Provincial Government of Northern Samar with the members of the Northern Samar Handicraft Producers Association as the target beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries hope to improve their productivity through the acquisition of tools and equipment. Eventually, this will generate additional employment and livelihood opportunities.

In order to sustain the project, the Northern Samar Provincial Government opted to collaborate with DOST-Provincial Science and Technology Center for technical and funding support through the DOST-8 Grant in Aid Program. The local government units as project co-implementer will provide the funding counterpart for the improvement of space and building of the production centers.

San Antonio Mayor Rodolfo Baguioso committed the vacated Municipal Agriculture Office as the production center for San Antonio Weavers Association.

Allen Mayor Rod Laurean Suan committed the Barangay Cabacungan Multi-purpose Hall as Barangay Cabacungan Weavers Association Production Center.

Las Navas Mayor Arlito Tan in coordination with the DENR-PENRO Northern Samar will provide the DENR defunct building at Barangay Bukid, Las Navas, as Barangay Bukid Weavers Association Production Center.

The Province of Northern Samar has an abundant supply of raw materials for handicraft production such as sea grass, tikog, buri, takay, romblon, pandan and other indigenous materials which are left untapped due to lack of appropriate knowledge and skills of weavers on various weaving styles, color blends, latest fashion, trends and designs on handicraft particularly handbag making.

With the Northern Samar Handbag Project in 2009, then Governor Raul Daza sent five women to Cora Cares Foundation Training School in Meycawayan, Bulacan to undergo trainers’ training on handbag making. As a result, 107 skilled weavers from the municipalities of San Antonio, Allen and Las Navas underwent a series of skills and entrepreneurial training, organized per municipality, elected their officers and were federated into the NSHPA composed of 31 members.

Maasin City gets P20 Million LGSF from DILG

By BONG PEDALINO, PIA Southern Leyte
January 10, 2012

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  The city local government unit here was a recipient of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the amount of P20 Million.

The grant was an incentive given out of the many awards, citations, and recognitions the city LGU garnered, a record feat which the DILG duly considered, said City Mayor Maloney Samaco during the city-paid radio program this morning.

In a follow-up phone interview by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Samaco said the DILG-led LGSF which the city was privileged to have received was also in compliance of the full disclosure policy of the agency.

This also showed that the city succeeded in clinching the Seal of Good Housekeeping as part of the full disclosure policy, Samaco added.

On Friday, City Councilor Rene Hatayna told PIA the P20 Million grant can do much to cushion the impact of the expected decreased Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share for this year, 2012, which was earlier estimated at around P 47 Million.

Hatayna said the city had submitted proposals as required on what project or program was intended for the LGSF, but he was unable to provide some details.

Samaco gave a few specifics, saying that among the proposals submitted on deadline last week, January 4, were improvements of the Maasin Commercial Complex, roads, bridges, and a new slaughterhouse slated to be constructed around barangay Dongon-Bato I area.

Some procedural requirements to avail of the LGSF are still forthcoming, but nevertheless Samaco was optimistic the projects as stated and approved can be implemented within this year.

Meanwhile, Samaco said he had extended an invitation to DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, coursed through provincial director Johnny Badocdoc, to be one of the guests during the opening ceremonies of the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) meet in the city on January 29.

Army’s 19th IB welcomes new commanding officers

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 9, 2012

KANANGA, Leyte  –  The officers and men of the 19th Infantry Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division welcomed, on Saturday, January 7, as Lt. Colonel Alejandro Nacnac, took over the command from Lt. Colonel Francis Cabugon.

The installation of Lt. Colonel Nacnac as the 30th Commanding Officer of the 19th IB, was attended by local chief executives, police counterparts, members of the media and civilian guests.

Before his appointment as commanding officer of the 19th IB, Lt. Colonel Nacnac was a general staff of the 8th Infantry Division.

A member of PMA class ’90, Lt. Colonel Nacnac hails from Piddig, Ilocos.  He graduated number one (1) when he took up the Command and General Staff Course Class 53 at AFP Command and General Staff College.

GSC is the highest career course for Philippine military officers. He also served as 8th ID’s Assistant Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operation (CMO) prior to his designation as commanding officer of 19th IB, the second battalion he commanded in his 22 years of military service.

As the new battalion commander, Nacnac’s first marching order to his troops was to maintain high standard of discipline of the 19th Infantry (Commando) Battalion while serving the people.

“19th IB had a ‘bishop’. Now I’m installing a ‘knight’ in the person of Lt. Col. Nacnac who is equally skilled as his forerunner”, Major General Chan, 8th ID Commander who presided over the ceremony,  said.

Maj. Gen. Chan said he expects more than what Nacnac’s forerunner had accomplished. The 19th IB topped other Army Battalions during the third quarter of year 2011 and hopefully, the whole calendar year.

Moreover, Leyte has been declared Manageable Conflict-Affected and Development Ready province under Cabugon’s tenure, a legacy which the new commanding officer is expected to uphold.

Before leaving 19th IB, Lt. Colonel Cabugon wrote a book entitled, The Implementation of Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) in Leyte, a book which records his experiences on how he battled the communist insurgency in Leyte in barely six (6) months.

Lt. Colonel Cabugon was awarded with one (1) Military Merit Medal and a Command Plaque during the change of command ceremony.

Leyte guv pushes for completion of Burauen-Albuera road

By Provincial Media Relations Center
January 9, 2012

TACLOBAN CITY  –  Leyte Gov.Carlos Jericho Petilla says completion of the Burauen-Albuera road is one priority road project of the Regional Development Council in Eastern Visayas this 2012.

The governor, who sits as chair of the RDC-8 says completion of the Burauen-Albuera road will help address insurgency problem in the area, as well as provide more economic activity in the villages that the road traverses.

In a recent gathering with the Vice-Mayors League - Leyte Chapter, Gov. Petilla disclosed that the RDC through the Department of Public Works and Highways in the region has already called on the support of the national government to complete the project.

The road opening project started in 2008. It traverses some rebel-infested villages in the borders of northern and western Leyte. However, the number of insurgents existing along these areas have waned over the years which led to Leyte’s declaration as a “development-ready” province prior to the conclusion of 2011.

The governor sees the road project as a big contribution in maintaining peace and order in the area. But more than that, he added that once opened, the road would open up economic possibilities for municipalities in the second district and the fourth district.

Gov. Petilla said, as a priority project, the RDC is targeting for it to be completed this 2012. A major part of the Burauen side of the road is already reported completed, while the Albuera side, the governor reports, is the part that needs more funding.

About 6.26 kilometers of the road is still unopened in Albuera side and 2.17 kilometers in the Burauen side. A DPWH report stated that the National Government has already released P244 million for the project.

The report claimed that first phase and second phase of the 12-kilometer new road was completed in May 2010 and April 2011, respectively. The third phase of the road opening is now 59 percent complete.

The project will provide alternate road between northern, central and southwestern part of Leyte. It is expected to shorten travel time between the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban.

BILECO to conduct public hearing on application for approval of 2011-2016 capital expenditure program, authority to secure loan

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA, PIA Biliran
January 9, 2012

NAVAL, Biliran  –  The Biliran Electric Cooperative, Incorporated (Bileco) will hold a public hearing that will involve the future financial outlook and how it will relate to the improvement in the delivery of  quality services of the lone electric cooperative in the province of Biliran.

The public hearing is scheduled on January 24, 2012 at around 10:00 o’clock in the morning to be held at the Bileco main office located in Barangay Caray-Caray, Naval, Biliran, according to a Bileco press statement dated January 5, 2011 furnished to PIA.

The public hearing will tackle the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Case No. 2011-157 entitled “In the matter of the application for approval of capital expenditure program for the years 2011-2016 with prayers for authority to secure loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and provisional authority”, it said.

The press statement added that Bileco’s capital expenditure application was already published in Leyte-Samar Daily Express on November 23, 2011 and order and notice of public hearing was also published on January 2 and 9, 2012 in Philippine Daily Inquirer. Copy of capital expenditure application and notice of public hearing were furnished also to the local government units in the province.

The Bileco press release prepared by Maria Theresa Sambitan, MDO/BAPA Coordinator and approved by Samuel G. Trinidad, Jr., ISD Manager also invited the electric cooperative’s member-consumers to attend the public hearing for them to be able to know the objective of the capital expenditure project that will be implemented by Bileco to improve its facilities and to ensure its continued good service.

It mentioned also that the ERC delegation will be led by Commissioner Alfredo J. Non who will preside the public hearing that will be conducted.

Meanwhile, in the ERC application for approval of capital expenditure program for the years 2011-2016 of Bileco, the projects are as follows with its corresponding total project cost: substation sub-transmission development projects - P54,378,211; primary distribution development projects - P21,425,326.50; asset renewal projects - P7,777,386.30; other capital expenditure: network projects - P19,063.587.70; other capital expenditure: non-network projects institutional development (ISD) - P4,359,900; other capital expenditure: non-network projects finance services department (FSD) - P3,275,819.8; other capital expenditure: non-network projects technical services department (TSD) - P3, 209,661.90. The grand total of the network and non-network projects is P113,358,561.22.

Some of the big projects to be undertaken by Bileco that are part of the 2011-2016 capital expenditure program include the construction of 69KV sub-transmission line (Biliran to Caray-Caray, Naval) 16.5 kms., construction of new substation 3.15MVA at Brgy. Caray-Caray, Naval, installation of additional line protection for feeder 1 and 2, construction of double circuit line Caray-Caray-Atipolo Naval (2.8 kms.) and Caray-Caray-Naval Poblacion (5 kms.), upgrading of distribution line from 1-phase to 3-phase (Bliss Calumpang to Brgy. Cabibihan, Caibiran) 20.8 kms., replacement of rotten poles and defective kilowatthour meter , new connections and distribution transformer requirement.

Moreover, it was reflected in Bileco’s application for authority to secure loan that the total project cost of P116,759,318.07 will be financed through a 15-year term loan from National Electrification Administration (NEA) with interest of nine percent annually subject to its present lending policies on loan approval and releases and through internally generated fund known as Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable Capital Expenditure.

Out of the total project cost of P116,759,318.07,  P92,159, 378.92 will be sourced out from NEA and the P24, 599, 939.15 will be sourced out from member’s contribution for capital expenditures based on the summary of proposed financiers and the corresponding desired borrowing of Bileco.