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Archive for July, 2006

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P1M goat-raising project in CSEZ agrizone ‘vanishes’

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

P1M goat-raising project in CSEZ agrizone ‘vanishes’ – Sun.Star Pampanga!

CLARK ECOZONE — A P1 million goat-raising project funded by Tarlac Governor Jose “Aping” Yap located at the Sacobia Mountains in the agriculture subzone of the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) has unceremoniously disappeared.

Aeta farmers and tribal leaders said the agriculture project has been completely wiped out when Bamban policemen and capitol employees loaded the 40 heads of goats on government vehicles and moved these to an undetermined destination.

Oscar Dizon, San Martin barangay chairman and tribal chieftain, said he was surprised when the goats were seized by capitol employees without being notified even verbally or where the goats will be taken.

Dizon lamented that the goat-raising project was funded through the initiative of Governor Yap.

He said that prior to the start of the project and the signing of a pertinent memorandum of agreement (MOA), provincial officials made them understand that the project with a funding allocation of P1 million will absolutely belong to the Aetas in San Martin.

Dizon, one of the signatories in the MOA, complained that the goats were taken away without any apparent reason.

Oscar Rivera, Bamban Aeta Tribal Association (Bata) chairman and caretaker of the goat propagation project, said neither was he informed previously of the pull-out of the goats.

Dizon said their group received 37 heads of goats as part of the P1 million fund was used to build a goat’s house about 4 by 8 meters with concrete flooring, a meter-high hollow block wall wood posts and galvanized iron roofing on a steel trusses.

They said the sudden illegal confiscation of the goats came about one year since the start of the project.

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3-year term for military chief proposed

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

3-year term for military chief proposed – Sun.Star Manila!

THE defense department has recommended to Congress a National Defense Act of 2007 that would provide a three-year term for the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other top military officials and forced retirement of officers upon 30 years of service, unless promoted to the star rank.

The proposed act, submitted to the House of Representatives about two weeks ago, was prepared by a committee chaired by Defense Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Aida Roxas-Rivera with five military experts as members.

The committee members were former AFP chief Narciso Abaya; former defense undersecretary Feliciano Gacis, a retired colonel; former Navy commander Carlos Agustin; and Brigadier General Cardozo Luna, commander of the Army’s Fourth Infantry Division.

“By providing these officers occupying key leadership positions with a prescribed tour of duty, they will have a sufficient period to implement and complete the programs and projects they have developed for their respective units,” the proposal said.

Aside from the AFP chief, the other top officials proposed to have a three-year tour of duty are the AFP vice chief; the chiefs of the major services – Army, Navy and Air Force; commanders of the unified area commands; and the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).

The military has six unified area commands namely the Southern Command, Southern Luzon Command, Western Command, Central Command, Northern Luzon Command, and the National Capital Region Command.

The proposed act also gives the AFP chief the authority to come up with regulations that would provide a tour of duty for chiefs of military training institutions “to ensure stability and continuity” in the accomplishment of the programs and projects.

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Local execs persuaded to allow coal-fired plant: official says

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

Local execs persuaded to allow coal-fired plant: official says – Sun.Star Iloilo!

ILOILO City and the Province could say goodbye to power shortage threats after three years.

Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada revealed in his broadcast interview Saturday, that two companies have persuaded the local executives very recently to allow them to build a coal-fired power plant here.

The very popular one was the DMCI Company, which eyed the Municipality of Concepcion for their 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant.

Mayor of Concepcion Raul Bañas revealed that the DMCI, together with the group from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has undergone environmental impact assessment in Barangay Nipa, for their Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the DENR.

Bañas said there was 83 percent support from the residents of Nipa for the power plant. He said this would be added with the majority of the people in Concepcion who support the said project.

Though there were groups who are opposed to the project, the support for the project was high, he said.

When issued with an ECC, the DMCI would start the construction of the plant immediately by more or less the end of this year and will be operational after three years.

A company from Taiwan, the Formosa Heavy Industry, is set to construct the said plant.

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Brion allots $ 2M more for transport of Lebanon OFWs

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

Brion allots $ 2M more for transport of Lebanon OFWs – The Manila Bulletin Online!

By RAUL V. GONZALES

Labor Secretary Arturo D. Brion said the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), has allocated an additional million to the million standby fund made available earlier for the government’s ongoing repatriation efforts in war-torn Lebanon.

This was disclosed by the labor chief during a meeting held in Malacañang.

Brion said the new fund is on top of the P150 million released by President Arroyo from the National Treasury.

OWWA Administrator Marianito Roque also assured the public that the P7.6 billion OWWA fund is intact in two government banks – Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) – where OWWA signed an investment management agreement.

“The OWWA board, headed by Secretary Brion, met with representatives of the two banks and they submitted reports on the status of funds,” Roque said.

“In addition, OWWA has about P200 million in cash and savings account at Land Bank which we are now using to fund the present evacuation,” he said.

He likewise belied reports that evacuees staying at the OWWA halfway center have been selling their watches and cell phones because the OWWA has run out of funds for their fare to the provinces.

“In fact, those staying at the OWWA center are provided three meals a day and as of date, only 17 evacuees have remained at the OWWA halfway house waiting for their scheduled trip to the Visayas and Mindanao,” Roque said.

“As of today, OWWA has paid around $ 1.5 million for the airway evacuation cost of about 1,047 workers coming from Lebanon,” Roque said.

Meanwhile, Brion advised evacuees looking for new jobs to communicate with OWWA to get assistance in linking up with the proper offices of the DoLE.

“If it is local jobs you want, OWWA will link you up with the DoLE’s Bureau of Local Employment (BLE). If it’s overseas job, OWWA will link you up with POEA, and if it is training you want, we will link you up with TESDA,” Brion said.

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Police bat for public parking areas to curb carnapping

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

Police bat for public parking areas to curb carnapping – Sun.Star General Santos!

KORONADAL CITY — Police authorities urged local government units in South Cotabato and neighboring areas to designate public parking areas or convergence zones to ensure protection against carnapping syndicates operating in the area.

Acting South Cotabato police director Efren Saliganan issued the proposal to local peace and order councils in the province even as he admitted that the number of carnapping cases, especially involving motorcycles, has increased over the last six months.

Saliganan, who assumed post only last month, called a command conference Monday to discuss and set strategies to effectively curb increasing carnapping cases in the province.

“We really need to set the proper operational strategies and come up with a collective or united front to effectively neutralize these carnapping syndicates,” he told reporters.

As of Monday morning, Saliganan said they recorded at least 23 carnapping cases in the province since January, mostly involving motorcycles.

However, the figures increased to 24 later in the afternoon after another Honda XRM motorcycle was carnapped at the public market in Surallah town.

Saliganan said they have arrested at least five suspected carnappers since January.

“My analysis is that, we can prevent carnapping but vehicle owners should really be more responsible and exert extra efforts to protect or secure their vehicles,” he said.

Saliganan said the local governments should also pass an ordinance declaring official parking zones within public places so policemen or private security personnel can easily secure them.

He said owners of business establishments must also come up with their own security measures such as providing security tags to vehicle owners and designate regular security personnel to their parking areas.

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Pact on healthy lifestyle signed

Posted by Michille on 31st July 2006

Pact on healthy lifestyle signed – Sun.Star Dumaguete!

RANKING Government officials led by Assistant Secretary of Health Nemesio Gako and stakeholders signed Wednesday a pledge of commitment to promote the national vision on health during the 7th anniversary celebration of the Sta. Bayabas District Health System in Bayawan City.

The signatories included Provincial Board Member Ernesto Tijing representing Thrid District Representative Herminio Teves, Provincial Board Member Marcelo Adanza for Governor George Arnaiz, mayors German Saraña of Bayawan City, Leon Lopez of Sta. Catalina, and Beda Cañamaque, District Health Board Vice Chairman Fidencio Aurelia, and Provincial Health Officer Dante Domingo.

Recognizing their roles and responsibilities to achieve a healthy place to live, the signatories committed themselves to identify healthy messages and maximize their communication to the people in partnership with organized groups and different sectors through “multi-sectoral action, networking, and intersectoral linkages.”

They pledged to increase public awareness on the interaction between health, the environment, and development by strengthening advocacy campaigns and practice and address the socio-cultural, environment, religious, and ethnic concerns, and advocate for social transformation particularly among the poor through the Neighborhood Health Care Program.

Neighborhood health care

The signing followed the launching of the Neighborhood Health Care Program also at the Bayawan City Sports Complex.

Aurelia, founder of the healthy lifestyle program in Bayawan City, said the Provincial Government gave a P500,000 counterpart fund to build the center that will house the program’s operation.

The Municipal Government of Sta. Catalina gave P250,000 for the program, Basay P150,000, Bayawan City P600,000, and Representative Teves, P1 million.

Sta. Catalina, Bayawan City, and Basay compose the Sta. Bayabas District Health System, a 2005 Galing Pook Awardee.

Aurelia said the neighborhood health care program is committed to the national vision of providing, protecting and promoting the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

“The Sta. Bayabas District Health System will deliver quality integrated package of primary and secondary health care services through active partnership with the local government unit of Bayawan City, municipalities of Sta. Catalina, and Basay, the Provincial Government, Department of Health, department of Edcuation, civic, religious and non-government organizations, other government agencies, and private sectors,” the health officer said.

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