MikeLigalig.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 14 -- Government forces have safely recovered the remaining Zamboangueño construction worker seized by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, a top military official said Monday.

Recovered by Navy forces was Edmundo "Moymoy" Ramos, a resident of Barangay Tumaga, this city.

Rear Adm. Rene Medina, Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) commander, said Ramos was recovered around 1 a.m. Monday at the vicinity of Tapiantana Island in the municipality of Tabuan Lasa, Basilan province.

Ramos said he was taken to Tapiantana Island by a "concerned civilian" whom he sought help after his escape on Sunday from the custody of the ASG.

Ramos said he immediately revealed that he just escaped from captivity when the Navy personnel intercepted them Monday upon disembarking from a motorized banca in Tapiantana Island.

Medina said Ramos was recovered by Joint Task Force Basilan through Naval Task Group Basilan, Naval Task Force 61, and Naval Intelligence Security Group Western Mindanao (NISGWM).

He said the injured Ramos was immediately taken to the hospital at Adm. Espaldon Naval Base that houses the NFWM headquarters.

Ramos was among the five Zamboangueño construction workers the ASG has kidnapped while they were asleep in their barracks at the Provincial Sports Complex on July 15 in Patikul, Sulu.

One of the five identified as Jenly Miranda escaped hours after they were seized.

Miranda jumped into a cliff while they were being taken to an Abu Sayyaf camp in Patikul town.

The other three namely Jason Vailoces, Joel Adanza, and Filemon Guerrero Jr. have escaped in the after of Thursday, August 10, and were safely recovered around 9 a.m. Friday, August 11, in Barangay Kagay, Talipao, Sulu.

Medina turned over Ramos on Monday to Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar and consequently to his family. (EED/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Aug. 14 -- Veterinary quarantine personnel have sealed off seaports, airports and transport terminals here and in parts of Region 12 in the wake of the declared bird flu outbreak in Pampanga.

Dr. Castor Leo Ejercito, chief of the Veterinary Quarantine Services (VQS) in Region 12, said Monday the move was aimed to prevent the entry of live fighting cocks, poultry and meat products from Luzon, specifically areas affected by the outbreak.

He said quarantine inspectors are mandated to seize and subject to quarantine all live fowl and meat products that would be shipped to the area.

On Sunday, VQS personnel at the city airport here stopped the entry of 16 fighting cocks that were brought in through a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila.

Its listed owner, Lucia Rulete, said the fighting cocks were from a farm in Cagayan de Oro City and shipped to the city via Metro Manila airport.

She said they were forced to use the route as there is no direct flight from Cagayan de Oro to this city and passenger vans did not agree to transport them.

Ejercito said the seizure of the fighting cocks was based on a memorandum issued by their mother unit, the Bureau of Animal Industry central office, and the Department of Agriculture, through Secretary Emmanuel Pinol.

"The movement of live fowl and meat products from Luzon is prohibited. Our quarantine stations are mandated to monitor and strictly implement this," he said in an interview over television show Magandang Umaga South Central Mindanao.

Owing to this, he said their personnel assigned in seaports, airports and major transport terminals in the region are presently on high alert.

He specifically cited the General Santos and Cotabato airports, and the Makar and Polloc ports.

Ejercito said such prohibition is necessary to prevent the entry to the area of bird-flu infected fowl and products from Luzon.

He noted that Visayas and Mindanao have remained free from bird-flu and the national government is doing everything to maintain such status.

"Mindanao accounts for 30 to 35 of our country's poultry production and that is value at around P10 billion. So just imagine the impact if it reaches here," he said.

But Ejercito said there's no need for residents to panic as the region remains clear of bird flu and the outbreak is mainly confined in San Luis, Pampanga.

"Visayas and Mindanao is still free and we're determined to protect our areas," he added.(AVE/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Aug. 14 -- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato has mandated the use of Filipino in its sessions and related activities this week in line with the observance of the "Linggo ng Wika."

South Cotabato Vice Gov. Vicente de Jesus said Monday the move is in adherence with the provision of Provincial Ordinance No. 04, series of 2011, and its enacting Resolution No. 224.

Ordinance No. 04 specifically mandates "the use of Filipino in the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of South Cotabato during the Linggo ng Wika."

This year's "Linggo ng Wika" formally started on Sunday, Aug. 13, and slated until Saturday, Aug. 19.

Provincial board members started the use of Filipino in the discussions during their regular session on Monday.

As provided for in the ordinance, de Jesus said the move aims to "promote love and proficiency in the national language and develop preference for Filipino instead of English."

The observance of the "Linggo ng Wika" is in honor of the late President Manuel L. Quezon, the "father of national language," and coincides with his birth anniversary on Aug. 19.

"Our proceedings were mainly in Filipino and the use of English was limited only to quotes and other technical terms and phrases," de Jesus said.

He said the use of English was allowed for some words that are impracticable to translate in Filipino and becomes "too wordy."

Under the ordinance, a fine of P300 will be imposed to any member of the provincial board, including the presiding officer, and P100 to any member of the legislative staff who violates its provisions.

As set, the fines are immediately due and payable to the board's Secretary, who shall keep the collected funds in trust for disposal by the body later on.

De Jesus added that aside from using the Filipino language, members of the provincial board earlier decided to wear national costumes or Filipiniana attire in its regular sessions for the entire month of August.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Aug. 14 -- Only eight of South Cotabato province's 199 barangays have remained affected by the illegal drug problem as the government's anti-drug campaign continues to gain ground in the area.

Gil Cesario Castro, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Region 12 director, said Monday this development was mainly the result of the continuing intensified anti-drug operations in the province by the agency and local police units.

Citing their assessment, he said the remaining "drug-affected barangays" represent 5.03 percent of the 199 barangays within the province's 10 towns and lone city.

Castro said they have already declared as "drug-cleared" a total of 191 barangays or 94.97 percent as of this month.

He said the eight still "drug-affected" barangays are Gen. Paulino Santos in Koronadal City, Ambalgan in Sto. Nino, Kematu in Tboli, Ned, Talisay and Seloton in Lake Sebu, and Poblacion and Kipalbig in Tampakan.

A report released by the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office showed that "the degree of affectation" in these barangays is classified as just "slight."

Kematu, which is part of the gold rush area in T'boli town, had been noted for the resurgence of illegal drugs, specifically metamphetamine hydrchloride or shabu, due to its thriving small-scale mining industry.

Barangay Ambalgan in Sto Nino is considered as among the province's most problematic area for illegal drugs being a known entry point of shabu supplies distributed in the province and the neighboring areas.   

Castro said the classification of the barangays may change from time to time, depending on the results of the continuing local campaigns.

He specifically cited interventions for drug dependents and other personalities who had surfaced and surrendered voluntarily to authorities.

"If the surrenderers will not undergo treatment and will continue to use illegal drugs, then the problem will continue," he said.

Meantime, police operatives in South Cotabato have netted around P1.9 million worth of illegal drugs in various operations from January to June this year.

Sr. Supt. Franklin Alvero, South Cotabato police director, said their units conducted a total of 155 "successful" anti-illegal drug operations during the period.

He said 86 of these were buy-busts, 37 based on search warrants, one from serving of arrest warrant, two in checkpoint operations, and 29 others in chance operations.

These operations resulted to the recovery of some 260 grams of suspected shabu and 197 grams of dried marijuana.

The Koronadal City police station posted the most number of operations conducted and the highest number of illegal drugs seized valued at P1.4 million.

A total of 211 suspected drug pushers and couriers had been arrested, and 652 cases were filed in local courts, he added.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique, Aug. 11-- Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao informed needy Antiquenos to avail the  Philippine Health (Philhealth) Insurance Corporation point of service program which has been allocated by the provincial government with PHP2 million for this year.

Cadiao said there are still many Antiquenos not knowledgeable of the program that is why they are apprehensive of seeking medical treatment.

The governor said the PHP2 million has been allocated by the province before Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, in his state of the nation (SONA) address, assured the sick people of the government support.

"Don't worry of going to the hospital,"Cadiao said in her media interview on Friday.

 Junie Sabusab, who heads the PhilHealth in the province, in an interview also informed Antiquenos about the point of service which is aimed to provide universal health coverage for every Filipino.  (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija, Aug. 11 -- All village officials of this first class municipality were warned against involvement in any illicit activities, particularly illegal drugs and illegal gambling, amidst police's intensified campaign against these.

Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martivez told village heads that she will never intervene nor ask favor from the police for cases involving drugs and gambling, owing to the national government drive against such vices.
 
"I will never ever ask favor from our policemen in regards to that matter," Martinez said.

She said the Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Supt. Antonio Yarra, has sent her a communication informing her of supposed illegal gambling activities within the municipality.

Situated north of Cabanatuan City, this municipality is fast becoming another center of business in the province.

"Be cautious with the activities in our villages especially in regard to illegal gambling and drugs because the campaign of the national government against that is really tough," Martinez added.

She asked village officials to expect more and frequent police operations against the vices.

She urged them to cooperate in maintaining law and order in their respective jurisdictions.

The mayor has also expressed support to the smoking ban in public places. Thus, a huge reminder on this is displayed in front of the town hall and other conspicuous places. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Aug. 11 -- The Local Government Unit of Malay has crafted a new project to provide solutions to the development challenges faced by the island.

Dubbed as Boracay Environment Enhancement Program or BEEP, the project will be implemented with a funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), according to Alma Belejerdo, Malay municipal development planning coordinator.

Belejerdo, in an interview on Friday, said solid waste management and flood control programs will be the core of the BEEP project.

BEEP was conceptualized after Malay was chosen as one of the recipient LGUs for ADB's Solid Waste Management Sector project. Other recipients of the project are the LGUs of Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte; La Trinidad, Benguet and Janiuay, Iloilo. 

Belejerdo said BEEP will include the enhancement of Boracay's material recovery facilities, acquisition of waste handling equipment as well as the adoption and establishment of waste-to-energy technologies.

Procurement of some waste handling equipment is already underway, Belejerdo said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Ceciron Cawaling said BEEP, which symbolizes the sound of jeepney horn aims "to awaken everyone to do their part in the protection of the island."

Cawaling said the project is eyed to become an "inclusive long term solution" to the current problem faced by the island and Malay in general.

"We need to address the menace of this island and the mainland for us to become a resilient community," he said. (Karen Bermejo/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, August 11 -- Two civilian commuters were seriously injured Thursday evening when communist guerillas detonated a landmine along the national highway in Marihatag town, Surigao del Sur.
The New Peoples Army's (NPA) Front 19 operating in parts of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur admitted the improvised explosive device (IED) they set up in Amontay village had detonated by mistake.
It hit the vehicle of the victims Philip Silva  Medrano, 47 of Tandag Cit,y and Joel Silyares, 47, of Butuan City, who sustained injuries and are now recuperating in a hospital.
Ka Amihan, spokesperson for  NPA Front 19, in statement sent via SMS, said the IED's intended target was the Army troopers and the patrolling police. She said the NPA members involved in the operation mistakenly set off the IED when the ill-fated vehicle passed by.
Ka Amihan assured they will compensate the victims, who were rushed to Adela Sy Memorial Hospital in Tandag City. Judith Suarez, manager of DXBP SURE FM in Tandag City, reported the victims were already safe and recuperating from their wounds.
Many other vehicles were stranded for 30 minutes at the time of the incident, police said.
The Army's 36th Infantry Battalion based in the nearby Tago town condemned the incident, saying the ambush was a clear violation of the United sanctioned Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, of which the rebel movement is a signatory.
"To the NPA Front 19, are you happy with what you did? Now you are asking sorry to the innocent civilian victims which you claimed were wrong targets?" said Lt. Col. Randolph Rojas, commanding officer of the 36th IB in a statement posted on the Army's Facebook page.
"We condemn the NPA for targeting civilains and we are in pursuit to serve justice to the victims," Col. Rojas added. (PNA/Chris V.Panganiban)

* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Augusy 11 — Authorities are now looking into the possibility that the live and spent ammunition seized from a Chinese national inside a warehouse here could have links to gunrunning activities of syndicates operating in Mindanao, a police official said Friday (August 11).
Chief Inspector Ariel Philip Pontillas, head of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office's Intelligence Branch, said they arrested a certain Jay Tan, who was caught in possession of various live and used bullets on Thursday night.
Pontillas said police raided the warehouse where the ammunition stash was located without resistance from Tan, a Chinese national, by virtue of a court-issued search warrant.
Seized were live rounds of 7.62mm, .50 caliber, 5.56mm, including two sacks containing spent .50 caliber and 40mm shells.
Pontillas said the ammunition arrived from Iligan City about a month ago and were brought by men on board a black pick-up truck believed to be locals of Marawi City.
This matched the tip police received that the men working in the warehouse were Marawi residents.
"Aside from the ammunition, we also received information that firearms were brought here from Iligan and Marawi and were intended for Davao City and other areas in the Davao region," Pontillas told reporters.
Part of the their investigation, he said, is to determine Tan's possible connection to the transport of some 8,000 rounds of live bullets that were intercepted by police here last June.
Tan could be involved with a big-time gunrunning syndicate in Northern Mindanao, the police official added.
"There will be more raids in the coming days," Pontillas said, adding that authorities are now scouring other storage facilities that could be used to hoard illegal firearms and ammunition.
Pontillas said the suspect has denied any knowledge of the seized items from his own premises.
Tan is now detained at the city police office detention area and will be facing charges for illegal possession of ammunition. (PNA/Jigger J. Jerusalem)

* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 11 -- The ongoing conflict in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur has displaced thousands of people, with more than 77,000 fleeing to hard-to-reach areas along the eastern shore of Lake Lanao.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross, completed from August 9-10 an aid distribution among 7,000 displaced people in Tamparan town.

Though aid has started to arrive, much more is required to meet the needs of people who have fled to this area when the fighting erupted on May 23.

Unlike those who fled towards the north or west of Marawi City, displaced families along the eastern shore of Lake Lanao have not received regular help owing to access, logistical and security issues.

"Displaced families in this side of the lake continue to struggle with very limited food supplies," Tomoko Matsuzawa, head of the Cotabato City ICRC office, said.

"Many of them have been staying with relatives for nearly three months. They have hardly any income, and their host families' resources are also running low."

Complementing the aid delivered by the authorities, the ICRC focused its distribution on evacuees staying with their relatives, who have been underserved till now.

The organization distributed a half-month food ration and household essentials, i.e. 25-kilogram (kg) of rice, 12 cans of sardines, one-liter of cooking oil, one-liter of soy sauce, one-kg of sugar, 500 grams of salt, two jerry cans to store water, one blanket and one mosquito net per family.

Among thousands who have received ICRC help is Asliya Casanali, a young mother of three from Marawi City who now sells spices in Tamparan market to try to make ends meet.

Her husband was a tricycle driver in the city until the fighting broke out. "Minsan kapag walang ulam, kanin na lang. Hindi namin naranasan yun dati (When there is nothing else available, we make do with rice. We had never faced such a situation before)," she said.

In Tamparan, the ICRC has also been providing the public hospital with essential medical supplies to handle the sudden influx of people in need of medical attention.

Its engineers have also set up a mobile water-purification system to improve the supply of drinking water in the hospital compound.

In the coming weeks, the ICRC will continue its efforts to help the thousands of displaced people along the eastern shore of Lake Lanao.

The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organization whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance.

The ICRC also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles. (ICRC-PR/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAVAO CITY, Aug. 11 -- Senator Cynthia Villar will push for the inclusion of "Gulayan" to the program handled by the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) to combat malnutrition.

Villar, who chairs the senate committee on agriculture and food, said malnutrition and hunger is a prevalent and persistent issue in the country which needs to be addressed.

"I know that the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Agriculture (DA) has a school-based feeding program to address undernutrition and short-term hunger among public school children. We can expand the program not only in schools but also to our respective barangays," Villar added.

She underscored that the "Gulayan Program" as a source of ingredients for the feeding program and it would encourage families to put up their own garden at home to ensure continuous nutritional improvement of the students.

Furthermore, Villar also said that she will also focus on the "Gulayan sa Paaralan Program(GPP)". "Sa Senado, isinusulong ko na paigtingin sa GPP, dahil sa pamamagitan ng programa, we are hitting two birds with one stone. We are providing proper nutrition and at the same time, we are making farmers out of our students. Nai-expose sila sa farming early in their lives, which is very important, lalo pa at tumatanda na ang mga Filipino farmers," Villar added.

As the guest speaker of the 4th National Conference of BNS here, Villar said, "We are thankful that BNS's are really devoted and dedicated in improving the nutritional status of families in the barangays. And this annual conference is really a good venue for all the stakeholders in the areas of health and nutrition to come together to discuss programs and projects that will lead to a healthier Filipino citizenry." (Cherry Mae Palicte/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LINGAYEN, Aug. 11 -- Because of insurgency concerns, work on the remaining portions of the Villaverde Trail linking Pangasinan to Nueva Vizcaya was temporarily suspended till the police and the military make an assurance of the safety of the construction crew working on the project.

This was revealed by Emmanuel Diaz, director officer-in-charge of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office, even as he said workers of a construction firm completing the remaining six kilometers of the Villa Verde Trail fear for their lives because of the possibility of attacks by New People's Army (NPA) terrorists.

He said although there was no actual threat yet, the construction workers based their fear on the recent encounter between elements of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 1 (RPSB) and the NPA rebels between Barangays Sta. Maria and Malico, San Nicolas.

In that encounter, one RPSB 1 member, PO2 Aries Tamondong, was killed while his comrade was wounded..

Diaz said the cessation of work is a temporary set back in the construction of that highway especially because of the fact that DPWH Secretary Mark Villar had given them up to Christmas this year to complete the project.

He said the DPWH is still optimistic of completing the project within the deadline set by Secretary Villar as he believes that the threat by the NPA in eastern San Nicolas is now over with increased police and military visibility in the area.

Still to be completed is the widening of a six-kilometer portion of the highway in Barangay Malico, San Nicolas -- the scene of a fierce firefight betwen RSPB1 elements and NPA rebels last July 28.

This portion is part of the 21-kilometer Pangasinan side of the Villa Verde Trail, construction of which started in 2013 with a budget of more than P2 billion, and implemented in three phases.

Diaz said to date, all types of motor vehicles can already pass through Villa Verde Trail in going to Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya but the remaining six kilometers are yet to be widened before it could be finally opened in December.

Once opened to vehicular traffic, travel time between Pangasinan to Nueva Vizcaya will be reduced by two hours, thus a big boon to motorists and traders.

It will be an alternate road to Cagayan Valley in case the Dalton Pass in Sta. Fe is closed due to landslide. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Aug. 11 -- The Provincial Government of Aklan has hired additional 40 new personnel, mostly for health units in the province.

The new hirees will be assigned to various departments for different government-operated hospitals in Aklan.

Aside from the new appointments, 12 personnel were also promoted, according to the Provincial Human Resource Management Office.

The new health personnel will be deployed in seven district hospitals in Aklan particularly in Boracay, Altavas, Ibajay, Buruanga, Liabacao, Madalag and mainland Malay.

Some personnel will also be assigned at Dr. Rafael Tumbukon Memorial Hospital in Kalibo.

The hiring of new personnel is eyed to improve the delivery of health services and to serve more indigents in the province.

To date, Aklan has 149,690 indigents. (Karen Bermejo/PNA) 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

IMUS CITY, Cavite, Aug. 11 -- City Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi suspended work in all public offices and canceled classes in all levels of both public and private schools due to possible aftershock of the Magnitude 6.3 quake felt in the province at 1:28 p.m. on Friday.

 

Maliksi issued the advisory through his official Facebook Page "Mayor Emmanuel Maliksi," at past 2 p.m.Friday.

 

In his post, Maliksi issued the work and class suspension due to the expected aftershocks, per Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology's (PHIVOLCS) earthquake information.

 

Although the earthquake's epicenter is in Nasugbu, Batangas, Intensity 4 was recorded  in the Cavite towns of Rosario, Maragondon, Noveleta and Dasmarinas City and its nearby locations.

 

Maliksi's post also asked everyone to stay safe and contact the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office at telephone number +6346.4710629 or through mobile +63 998.8499635 for any emergency. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TAGBILARAN CITY, Aug.11 -- The head of the Bohol Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRMMO) on Friday said the idea of a province-wide quarterly quake drill would make a lot of sense as the island has four faultlines and any of these could affect all the 48 local government units. 

PDRMMO head Anthony Damalerio said the activity would need the coordination of the Office of Civil Defense, the agency which would be spearheading the quarterly earthquake drill.

Damalerio added the idea is something worth considering since it would be useful in reducing the risks and any loss of life when a huge earthquake strikes Bohol.

As a measure to create force multipliers in giving basic first aid and to save lives during disasters, students are being trained by the local PDRRMO.

Tagbilaran schools asked the PDRMMO to conduct cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid training among their students.

Damalerio said the training for first aid among students would be handy during a crisis situation.

He said the same training would be given to tour guides and even media practitioners.

Tourism is a huge industry in Bohol and tour guides should be able to administer basic life support to tourists.

Just this week, the western part of Bohol was shaken by a 5.4-magnitude quake with the epicenter located near the town of Lila. (Dave Albarado/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 11 -- Police have arrested two suspects in the attempted killing of a female market supervisor of the Mercado de Bais market complex in Bais City, Negros Oriental Wednesday evening.

 A police report on Friday identified the suspects as Janjan Reposo, 32 years old, the suspected gunman; and Vincent Grampon, 18 years old and the motorcycle driver. Both are residents of Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

 The two were arrested Thursday evening after they separately turned themselves in to the police, said Chief Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig, the Bais City police chief.

Both admitted their participation in the shooting of the market supervisor, Marissa Benlota Silva, 58, married, a resident of Barangay Looc, Bais City. She was shot three times in the left leg, left thigh and left arm.

 The market supervisor was riding a motorcycle with her husband, Leonardo Silva, Jr., around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday on their way home to Barangay Looc when the suspects fired at them at Sitio San Jose, Barangay II in Bais City.

 Chief Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig disclosed that the first suspect to voluntarily surrender was Grampon around 7:40 p.m. Thursday.

 An hour later, a joint team of police operatives from Sibulan and Bais City proceeded to Tanjay City, where Reposo, said to be the uncle of Grampon, surrendered to the Tanjay police, said Chief Insp. Macasilhig.

 The police recovered from them seven rounds of ammunition and a caliber .45 firearm which the suspects said was the same gun used in the shooting incident.

 The arrest of the suspects was made possible because of witnesses who cooperated with the police.

Investigation based on the revelation of the suspects indicated that their employer, a certain Julito Sablada, also known as Joeboy, allegedly ordered them to shoot the market supervisor but did not give any reason, said the Bais City police chief.

 Sablada is the husband of a fish vendor, Ellen Sablada, at the Mercado de Bais. She is one of the petitioners who has filed a complaint against the Bais City local government unit (LGU) in line with the latter's move to have the Mercado de Bais leased to a private company, said Bais City Legal Office Lloyd Elmaco.

 The Bais City police said they are now preparing the necessary documents to assist the victim and her husband, as the complainants.

 Charges of attempted murder will be filed against Grampon and Reposo, who were scheduled for inquest Friday afternoon at the earliest, said Macasilhig.

 Meanwhile, the Bais City police chief said they are still seeking legal advice if Sablada can also be charged in court for allegedly ordering the shooting of Silva. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA) 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 11 — Employees of the Ilocos Norte government will level up their knowledge and skills on disaster preparedness particularly on what to do in case of a bomb threat.

At least three representatives from every department will join the training on disaster preparedness and response workshop set on August 16-18 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, courtesy of the Office of the Civil Defense Region 1 in partnership with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Resiliency Council.

Michael Pebenito of the PDRRMRC said Friday the participants will be specifically trained how to take blood pressure and oriented about improvised explosive devices and how K-9 operations work.

After the training, each department of the Capitol shall acquire its own emergency or medical kit.

Pebenito underscored how important it is for employees to protect themselves during disaster and to have a first aid kit.

Last Tuesday, the OCD and PDRRMRC also trained about 50 pregnant women and those with small children at the Rivermount Hotel, Sarrat town on disaster preparedness in an effort to strengthen quick response and avoid possible loss of lives and properties.

Meanwhile, the reserve command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is also reaching out to local government units in the entire province of Ilocos Norte for the conduct of advance search and rescue training. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Calamba City Aug. 11 – Afternoon classes have been suspended in the provinces of Laguna, Batangas and Cavite following the Magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Nasugbu, Batangas at 1:28 p.m. on Friday.

Regional Director Olivia M. Luces of the  Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Calabarzon and head of Regional Disaster risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), told PNA here that classes in all levels in both public and private schools were immediately cancelled in Nasugbu, Batangas.

The quake epicenter was traced around 18 kilometers southwest of the town of Nasugbu, with a depth of 177 km and tectonic in origin according to the PHIVOLCS bulletin.

Cancellation of afternoon classes in all levels in both public and private schools  were reported from Sta. Rosa City, Laguna; Imus City, Cavite; Calaca and Mabini, Batangas.

Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez has also posted in social media to advise residents "to pray and stay safe" as the provincial government continuously monitors the aftermath of the quake as PHIVOLCS expects aftershocks.

The Santa Rosa City government also ordered cancellation of work in all government offices.

The school management of the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in Barangay Paciano in Calamba City also ordered students, faculty, staff and university personnel to vacate the buildings and proceed to the track oval and open spaces in campus for their safety and security.

As of press time, no reported damages or casualties were monitored.

Luces said OCD-RDRRMC Calabarzon comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon is now continuously coordinating with the provincial and local disaster risk reduction and management officers (PDRRMOs/LDRRMOs) to monitor their respective areas of responsibility (AOR).

In the Calabarzon Region, Intensity 4 was felt in Nasugbu, Calatagan and Balayan, Batangas; Rosario, Maragondon, Noveleta and Dasmariñas City, Cavite.

Intensity 3 was reported in Tagaytay City; Canlubang and Calamba City; Indang and Alfonso, Cavite; Cainta and San Mateo, Rizal.

Intensity 2 occurred in Sta. Rosa, Laguna; Tanauan City, Batangas; and  Lucban, Quezon;  while Intensity I was felt in Talisay, Batangas. (Saul E. Pa-a/PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 11 -- Selected residents of Barangay Veterans Village in City Proper district of Iloilo City on Friday availed of services extended by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) as the latter celebrates its 116th Police Service Anniversary.

Senior Superintendent Marissa Billote, chief of the PRO6 regional health service, said that they have been tasked by Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne R. Binag to extend the medical-dental services to the community.

While the mission is in line with their service anniversary, she also looked forward to conduct similar activity in other surrounding barangays of the camp in the future.

The one-day mission was held in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH).

Meanwhile, Veteran's Village Barangay Captain John Eric T. David said that the activity is one venue for his constituents to become closer to the PNP and will "open" the way for them to communicate with the law enforcement agency.

He said that through their continuous interaction, his residents could reciprocate them by providing information in support to the programs of the PNP.

It was the second time that his barangay has availed of the medical-dental mission under his term.

Veterans Village is the host barangay of the PRO-6 Camp Martin Delgado.  The medical-dental mission pre-identified 150 recipients composed of 30 pedia, 70 adults and 50 for dental service. (PNA)

 




* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 11 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is eyeing six more Negosyo Centers in Negros Occidental this year after the inauguration of the ninth facility in the province this week.

The latest Negosyo Center opened on Thursday in Sipalay City , about 170 kilometers south of Bacolod, and it is expected to help stimulate the enterprise and tourism sectors in the locality.

The six additional centers are expected to open in the cities of Bago, Himamaylan, Cadiz, Silay and Escalante, and town of La Castellana.

DTI-Negros Occidental Provincial Director Lea Gonzales, in a report on Friday, said the Negosyo Center in Sipalay aims to capacitate entrepreneurs in various sectors essential to boost tourism initiatives.

Potential sectors to be further developed include food, fashion accessories and garments, furniture and furnishings, gifts, and decor.

The Negosyo Center in Sipalay is located within the Business Processing and Licensing Office to provide one-stop-shop services.

The center's regular services include business advisories, business information and advocacy, and training.

Last year, the DTI opened the eight Negosyo Center in Hinigaran town after the ones in the cities of Bacolod, San Carlos, Victorias, and La Carlota. In 2015, the Negros First Negosyo Center at the Provincial Capitol Complex in Bacolod and also those in the cities of Kabankalan and Sagay.

Gonzales said that Negosyo Centers is one of the DTI's sustaining measures to empower micro, small,and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The establishment of Negosyo Centers is provided under the Republic Act 10644, or the Go Negosyo Act.

It provides MSMEs the ease of doing business, and facilitates access to grants and other forms of financial assistance, and shared service facilities, among others.

The law also aims to ensure management guidance, assistance and improvement of the working conditions of enterprises, and facilitate market access and linkaging services for entrepreneurs.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 11 — About 300 students and out-of-school youth who were hired under the summer special program of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte will finally receive their salaries on August 15.

Sixty (60) percent of the beneficiaries' salary pegged at Php 280 per day,  came the provincial government while 40 percent came from the Department of Labor and Employment.

The release of funds could have been made earlier in time for the enrollment of students but due to the detainment of the so-called Ilocos Six for a period of two months, the processing of financial documents was delayed.

Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa "Imee" Marcos said she regretted that the payment was delayed due to some unpredictable circumstances.

The summer special program for the employment of students aims to provide Ilocano youth the opportunity to earn money for their studies during vacations.

Aside from SPES, the Provincial Tourism Office also hired tourist aides composed of students, out of school youth and senior citizens to generate more jobs last summer. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug.11 -- The top official of Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the former Negros Island Region (NIR) has proposed to convert the agency's regional headquarters here as a satellite office after its dissolution. 

Regional Director Stephen Leonidas said that having a regional office in Bacolod  would make the agency more accessible to Negrense farmers and landowners.

Once the two provinces will be reverted to their previous regions, those from Negros Occidental will be under the DAR Region 6 (Western Visayas) with a regional office in Iloilo City while those from Negros Oriental will be covered by DAR Region 7 (Central Visayas) whose regional office is in Cebu City.

Leonidas said Negros Island has the biggest balance of undistributed landholdings nationwide with a total of 89,794 hectares, and the target is to distribute 12,392 hectares this year.

He added that DAR-NIR has 23 permanent employees, who will be sent back to their previous units.

More than 30 job order workers maybe displaced if they will not be absorbed by the two provincial offices, he said.

Leonidas said they are still waiting for the directive from the DAR central office before conducting an inventory within a 60-day transition period.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 38 last August 7, revoking the creation of NIR for lack of funds.

EO No. 183, which created the NIR, was signed by former president Benigno Simeon Aquino III on May 29, 2015. It separated Negros Occidental from Western Visayas and Negros Oriental from Central Visayas to form a one-island region.

Both the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry have proposed to the National Economic Development Authority to make Negros Island a special area for development that will be directed and managed by a Negros Island Development Council.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 11 – The Department of Tourism in Region 7 (DOT-7) will conduct a week-long training this month for snorkeling guides in the world-renowned dive destination Apo Island in Dauin, Negros Oriental to boost its tourism industry. 

Provincial Tourism Officer Myla Mae Abellana disclosed Friday that the first batch of 30 trainees are among the 140 snorkeling guides who are all residents of Apo Island.

This is a pilot training, which the DOT-7 will conduct from Aug. 22 to Aug. 28, Abellana said.

Supporting the training are the provincial government of Negros Oriental, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (AIPLS) and the local government unit of Dauin, she added.

Abellana said they identified early this year the need to professionalize the snorkeling guides in Apo Island, which is constantly visited by people who mostly swim along with the turtles.

Sea turtles abound in Apo Island and snorkelers get to interact with these creatures, however, because they are endangered, the public is constantly cautioned against touching them or feeding them.

The snorkeling guides, who have previously formed themselves into an association, will be given identification cards and a formal place for them to set up their gear for rent in the island, the Provincial Tourism Officer explained.

It will be an extensive training which will cover a lot of areas, to include laws related to the environment, proper protocol, among others, with speakers coming from the DOT in Manila and Cebu, Abellana said.

While the first batch is being trained, the other guides can continue with their livelihood and later undergo the same training, Abellana said. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 11 -- Negros Occidental's anti-terrorism body, Task Force Buglas, is readying the detailed budget proposals to be covered by its PHP21-million allocation approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Ma. Lina Sanogal, task force executive director, said the funding approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will be used for various programs and activities. These include, among others, counter-terrorism training proposed by the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police. 

Sanogal said the budget has been sourced from the Capitol's disaster and peace and order funds.

For this year, Negros Occidental has more than PHP100 million in disaster fund and PHP50 million in peace and order fund.

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. ordered the creation of a task force in June to to counter terror threat down to the barangays. Marañon chairs the executive committee of Task Force Buglas.

He named Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson as vice chairperson, and Sanogal as executive director.

Task Force Buglas, which held its last meeting on Tuesday, includes task groups for anti-criminality spearheaded by the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office; internal security, Philippine Army; and coast watch, Philippine National Police Maritime Group.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office is in-charge of humanitarian assistance and disaster response; Provincial Environmental Management Office, environmental protection; and Public Information Office Office of the Governor, communications.

The governor directed Task Force Buglas to ensure proper coordination of different agencies to protect Negros Occidental from terrorism, crime and other lawless elements, and coordinate to efficiently provide humanitarian assistance during times of crisis and disasters.

He also tasked the body to strengthen communication linkages with communities to immediately gather information that needs swift action, and promote community awareness on their roles on law enforcement and public safety.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

KALIBO, Aklan, Aug. 11 -- The Department of Tourism (DoT) has expressed satisfaction over the continued positive performance of this resort island, which is described as "energetic" destination.

 

Acting  officer of the DoT-Boracay Kristoffer Leo Vellete, in an interview on Thursday afternoon,  said that Boracay has registered more than 1.2 million tourists from January to July this year.

 

"This showed that Boracay remains unaffected with the ongoing martial law declaration in the South. We remain positive of the Boracay tourism for this year," he said.

 

The DoT is currently preparing for September, the month when the so -called "super peak season " starts. The "super peak season" for Boracay usually ends June of the succeeding year.

 

Vellete was in Kalibo on Thursday afternoon as guest of the Sangguniang Bayan in its regular weekly session.

 

He said that while they are promoting Boracay as an energetic destination because of its rich night life activities. The town of Kalibo can serve as a relaxing destination for both foreign and local tourists. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Aug. 11 – A clash between elements of the Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO) and armed militants of the New People's Army (NPA) broke out Friday morning in the municipality of Taytay, a police senior official told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

PPO Director Senior Superintendent Gabriel Lopez said noontime Friday that raw reports from the Municipal Police Station (MPS) in Taytay stated that the confrontation is still occurring at Sitio Maubog, Barangay Alacalian, involving more or less 20 armed insurgents.

"It started around 10:30 a.m., I don't have any news yet if the encounter has ended but the Western Command (WESCOM) has already sent reinforcement," Lopez stated.

As a result of the encounter, Lopez said he has ordered checkpoints to be established to cordon the area. "I have ordered checkpoints to be set up to cordon the area. I'm waiting to hear from my field personnel now," he said.

It can be recalled that on July 19, two young soldiers of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-12 (MBLT-12) were murdered by members of the communist-terrorist group in nearby Roxas town, northern Palawan.

Taytay is a first class municipality in the province of Palawan. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 75,165 people. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 11 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its Go Negosyo center, conducted agro-farming seminar for 141 farmers displaced by the ongoing conflict in Marawi City.

The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) on Friday said the seminar conducted on Thursday was facilitated by the Joint Task Group Tabang, in partnership with the Go Negosyo.

The participants will soon develop a vegetable farm in Barangay Abaga, Balo-i, Lanao del Norte "to practice the knowledge and to eventually help them establish new means of sustenance."

"We are prioritizing humanitarian efforts for the sake of those who were affected by this (Marawi) crisis," Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Westmincom chief, said.

Soldiers will be deployed to ensure that people in the evacuation centers be looked after, taken care of and listened to," Galvez added.

Meanwhile, 420 internally displaced persons (IDPs) benefited on Thursday on the mobile kitchen project initiated by Mayor Majul Usman Gandarma of Marawi City.

The beneficiary-IDPs are temporarily sheltered at the evacuation center in Barangay Bubong, Saguiran, Lanao del Sur.

The soldiers prepared, cooked and distributed hot meals during the conduct of the mobile kitchen project dubbed as the "food for peace."

Also launched on Thursday were other humanitarian programs, in collaboration with the Joint Task Group Tabang and the different stakeholders.

Government troops facilitated the conduct of parlor games for kids and film viewing to 150 children from the evacuation center in Barangay Bubong, Saguiran town.

Col. Thomas Sedano, Joint Task Group Tabang commander, said that female soldiers were also deployed to specifically address the concerns of the female evacuees, the elderly, and the children.

Sedano said they have also established medical stations in all evacuation centers to attend to the needs of the evacuees.

"Hitherto, we are pushing for the prioritization of more humanitarian efforts to facilitate their (evacuees') emotional recovery," Sedano added. (TPGJR/PNA



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 11 — Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar is set to meet with four groups in the Cordillera during his visit on Saturday (August 12) to strengthen communication and information networks.

Andanar will start the day early with an interview with "Morning Sky" hosts Migs Velarde and Andrew Pinero followed by an interview with Radyo Pilipinas-Baguio.

After the media interviews will be a meeting with national line agency-Cordillera information officers where there will be a signing of commitment for the more efficient delivery of information from the agencies.

He will then meet with local chief executives from the Cordillera which will also be attended by the members of the Regional Development Council (RDC) including the regional directors of the different national line agencies.

In the afternoon, a press conference will be held where members of the media will have the opportunity to meet the secretary and throw questions pertaining to different topics, among which are the PCOO's programs and thrusts for communication networking, updates on the country's hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, federalism and updates on President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's programs and activities.

A separate meeting with the PCOO family which includes the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Radyo Pilipinas, Peoples Television (PTV) and Philippine News Agency based in the Cordillera will likewise be held.

Andanar will also have a chance to talk to the information officers of major private companies operating in the Cordillera before the day ends. (PNA) 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LUCENA CITY, Quezon Aug. 11 – The first-ever produced animated film about biodiversity conservation entitled "Popoy and Friends: Mata ng Karagatan" by a non-government organization (NGO) Tanggol Kalikasan was launched last week at the Dalahican Elementary School here.

Tanggol Kalikasan reported that more than 300 students and teachers came in droves from various public elementary and high schools along the city's coastline barangays during this week's film showing.

These schools included Dalahican Elementary School, Barra Elementary School, Lucena Dalahican National High School – Barra Annex, Dalahican Elementary School Annex, Dalahican National High School and Talao-Talao Elementary School.

Tanggol Kalikasan is an NGO engaged in empowering communities and key institutions to manage their ecosystem through lawyering for public interest and other creative mechanisms towards environmental protection and conservation.

The NGO's film show organizers said their environment partners from the Lucena City government and the Sangguniang Barangay of Dalahican also participated in the event.

They said the community engagement through the first animated film on the environment brings public awareness aligned with their vision "to empower society that relates with the environment in a just and sustainable manner for the equitable benefit for all Filipinos" especially among the millennials.

Elementary and high school graders were amused on the story featuring Popoy Pawikan, a friendly and kind-hearted marine turtle who lives in the sea with friends Gigi Galunggong (fish) and Ana Alimasag (crab). 

The school children were delighted on the film's opening which portrayed Popoy and friends who were out for a swimming excursion.

A scene however struck them when the dynamite used by senseless fishers blew the aquatic animal's home, killing every fish, corals and other marine life in sight. 

The young viewers were convinced that Popoy and friends realized they were not safe there anymore.

In the task of seeking new habitat, Popoy and his friends set out on an adventure to find the island he saw in his dream while learning more about the ocean and how to protect its biodiversity.

At the close of the animation showing, Tanggol Kalikasan representatives and organization distributed information-education and communication (IEC) materials including the DVD copies of the animation to the film viewers.

 Members of the Sangguniang Barangay of Dalahican, this city government, YES-O coordinators, school's principals and representatives also received the informative materials and digital copies of the animation.

 As part of the culminating activities, students and teachers were encouraged to have a selfie with the call outs and official frame of the project such as "I will conserve water; Water has Life, Water is life; Save the Endangered Species and I will Reduce, Reuse and Recycle."

Students were likewise elated to receive their give-away fans, bookmarks, stickers and pins with the message "I support Biodiversity Conservation" and the hashtag #TKforBiodiversityConservation. (Michelle Cedeño/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique, Aug. 11 -- The  Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in this province on Friday morning served the suspension order of Mayor Genevieve Lim-Reyes of Caluya, Antique after she was found guilty of oppression by the Office of the Ombudsman.

DILG-Provincial Director Victorio S. Pagapulan served the order at 11:00 a.m. immediately after he received an official copy of the suspension on Thursday.

The DILG director, who was interviewed earlier this week, said he could not come up with an official statement until such time that he gets an original copy of the suspension copy and a memorandum from their DILG regional office.

The suspension order on Mayor Reyes came after the Ombudsman on its Decision dated June 5, 2017 but issued on July 27, 2017 under OMB-V-A-15-0159 entitled "Juliet Ramos vs Genevieve G. Lim-Reyes" found Mayor Reyes to be guilty of oppression and imposes upon her the penalty of suspension for six months and one day without pay.

The Ombudsman's decision stemmed from Mayor Reyes to have unlawfully authorized the clearing operation on a five-hectare coconut farmland in Sitio Poocan, Barangay Tinogboc in February 2014.  

The clearing operation was reportedly undertaken to pave the way for a housing project to relocate residents from Sitio Sabang to Sitio Poocan. 

The Ombudsman, in its Resolution, ruled that "no sanggunian resolution supporting the housing project was presented as legal basis for respondent's directive to clear and level the land.  This reinforces the conclusion that the clearing operation was made without due process of law."

The Local Government Code of 1991 promotes a policy of consultation prior to the implementation of certain projects consistent with the spirit of due process. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 11 – Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs of the Department of Interior and Local Governance (DILG), Rico Judge Janvier M. Echiverri on Thursday discussed with over a thousand barangay officials the importance of having a federal government during the three-day First Cordillera Regional General Assembly of the Liga ng mga Barangay.

Echiverri, who was a speaker, explained the benefits of a shift from democratic to a federal form of government, especially considering the geographical set-up, location and structure of the Philippines. He also mentioned how it could help and reach out to even the farthest corners of the country where each place has a unique culture.

[http://media]

Assistant Secretary for External and Legislative Affairs of the DILG,  Rico Judge Janvier M. Echiverri talks about the benefits to barangays of a federal form of government. (Kris Chan) 

 

During the discussion, he mentioned that the archipelagic structure of the country affects the economic development of the Philippines as a whole.

Places that are distant from the central government receive less especially in programs that need budgetary allotment, he said.

Echiverri spoke of the situation in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) which generates a large amount of taxes, but which is not easily accessed by the region for its development.  

"Matagal ang komunikasyon kung dadaan pa sa sentral office, baka dapat immediate ang proposed project dito sa Cordillera. Sa dami ng pending projects, hindi na mapapansin yan (the communication takes time when it will still go through the central office, there might be a need for an immediate proposal of projects in the Cordillera and with the many pending projects, they might no longer be noticed," he said during the discussion.

He explained that in a federal state, the taxes from the region will be solely used for projects in the area, delivery of communication will be shortened as well as the submission and approval of proposed projects.

Aside from the internally generated taxes that the barangays in the region will benefit from, Echiverri also talked about assuring that the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of far-flung barangays will reach them. He reiterated that "IRA sometimes does not reach those from distant regions but with federalism, the barangay officials should fully experience and get the benefits of the IRA."

These statements from the DILG officer were also echoed by the Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB)  national president Atty. Edmundo Abesamis who said "when the smallest units of government will be working together and maximizing the budget for projects, the national level of economy will follow, sabay-sabay tayong aangat (we will all-together develop)."

The LnB CAR chapter officials also expressed positive feedback and unity for federalism.

Baguio Councilor Michael Lawana, the CAR LnB chapter president, said among the topics of discussion in the three-day conference are an information campaign on Cordillera autonomy, federalism, update on the drug situation of the barangays in the region and an update on the barangay election. (Kris Chan/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 11 -- Government troops safely recovered three of the four Zamboangueño construction workers who escaped from captivity in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Sulu, a top military official said Friday.

Recovered by joint military and police team were Jason Vailoces, Joel Adanza, and Filemon Guerrero Jr., all residents of Barangay Tumaga, this city.

Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said they were found at around 9 a.m. Friday in Barangay Kagay, Talipao.

Sobejana said they were safely recovered when the barangay captain of Kagay reported to the authorities the presence of the three victims in the village.

"At 9 a.m. today, 11 August 2017, unfamiliar-looking individuals were seen by the residents of Barangay Kagay, Talipao, Sulu. Immediately, the matter was reported to the barangay captain," he added.

He said the three Zamboangueño construction workers were immediately taken to the provincial police headquarters for documentation.

He said the three victims revealed that the Abu Sayyaf bandits led by Almujer Yadah moved them from one place to the other "pushing them away from the ASG stronghold where they don't avail of any community support anymore like provision of food, etc." because of continuous military operations.

He said the three kidnap victims took the opportunity to escape at around 4 p.m. Thursday while their Abu Sayyaf captors were praying.

"They ran for their lives until they reached a community in Barangay Kagay (Talipao) early this morning where the locals helped them and turned them over to the authorities," Sobejana said.

He said they will undergo medical examination and custodial debriefing at headquarters of the Joint Task Force Sulu in Camp Bautista, Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu.

He said they will be airlifted to this city to reunite with their families and loved ones after completing the mandatory procedures.

They were among the five construction workers the Abu Sayyaf bandits have seized on on July 15 from their barracks at the provincial sports complex in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu.

One of the five identified as Jenly Miranda escaped hours after they were seized.

Miranda jumped into a cliff while they were being taken to an Abu Sayyaf camp in Patikul town.

The escape on Thursday of the three hostages has left Edmundo Ramos in captivity in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Talipao, Sulu. (EED/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TUGUEGARAO, Aug. 11-- The Cagayan State University (CSU) administration bestowed the distinguished service award on 148 faculty and non-faculty members in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the life and mission of the University.

All of them received a certificate of recognition and token from CSU President Urdujah A. Tejada in a ceremony during the 39th anniversary celebration of CSU as a state university at the CSU Carig Red Eagle Gymnasium.

The award were given to  employees who have reached 30 years or more in service. Based on the official document from the human resources division, three members of the academic community topped the list with 42 years each. They are Ms. Martina Villanueva, Mr. Anastacio Rabe and Prof. Wilma Chua, all from CSU Aparri.

The awardees who have served the University for 40 years or more are Ms.Vita Bassig (41, CSU Andrews), Dr. Protacio Ibuna (41, CSU Andrews), Dr. Caridad Ibuna (40, CSU Andrews), Dr. Ferdinand Oli (40, CSU Aparri), and Dr. Flora Dayag (40, CSU Carig).

The recipients were personally congratulated by this year's anniversary celebration guest, the author of PD 1436, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, who gave a short message before the awarding ceremony, which was also graced by Vice Presidents Ranhilio C. Aquino (Finance and Administration, Nelia Z. Cauilan (Research Development and Extension), Mariden V. Cauilan (Academic Affairs), and Lina M. Garan.

PD 1436 which took effect in 1978 called for the merging of the Cagayan Valley College of Arts and Trades and Northern Luzon College of Agriculture into a state state university to be known as the Cagayan State University.  (PR/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 11 — Celebrating a bountiful harvest this season, the pioneering and largest dragon fruit farm in the country invites all farm enthusiasts and visitors to experience dragon fruit picking and taste-all-you-can on its dragon fruit varieties on August 12-13.

Located in Barangay Paayas village, Burgos, Ilocos Norte, REFMAD farms owned by a multi-awarded farmer-scientist and female innovation leader Edita Dacuycuy offers a unique farm experience, away from the hassle city lifestyle.

"This is part of our thanksgiving for all the blessings we reaped. So, we are inviting everyone to come and join us as we offer free picking and tasting of all the varieties that we have," said Mrs. Dacuycuy on Friday.

The annual picking event is held during the peak harvest month of the year. This year, it is in the month of August.

The farm will offer free tasting of dragon fruit varieties like Thai white, Vietnam white, Moroccan, Red China and Ilocos Saniata, a local variety named by the association of dragon fruit growers in the province.

From a pocket size backyard garden where Dacuycuy planted a few cuttings of dragon fruit plant in 2005, the REFMAD Farms has grown into a huge dragon fruit plantation and processing center where other plant hobbyists and farm entrepreneurs draw inspiration from. 

Now, Dacuycuy seems unstoppable in promoting dragon fruit cultivation technology, featuring a zero-waste management system.

With the assistance of various government research institutions and agencies including local governments, REFMAD Farms is among the well-established farms in the country, making Ilocos Norte the "dragon fruit capital of the Philippines."

Credit goes to the 71-year old-widow and mother of a person with cerebral palsy, who pioneered the cultivation of dragon fruit in her backyard over a decade ago and spread her passion to other farmers.

REFMAD Farms is also equipped with a swimming pool, cabanas and refreshment area offering different products with dragon fruit such as ice cream, jam, wine, vinegar, tea, cookies, pastries and bars of soap. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug.11  -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is hoping to get a clear picture of the extent of elderly abuse to back the passage of a law giving protection to senior citizens.

Social Welfare Officer 1 Jewel Rose C. Galila on Friday explained that they need data to prove elderly abuse, hence a data banking through the Reporting System and Prevention Program for Elder Abuse Cases (RESPPEC) was initiated.

RESPPEC is currently being piloted in Barangays Gines and Maribong in Lambunao, Iloilo. Lambunao was chosen to represent Western Visayas, one of the four regions in the country where the initiative was pilot tested. Others are in Regions 1, 11 and the National Capital Region (NCR).

Lambunao based on the latest information has around 11,000 senior citizens; Maribong has more than 330 while Gines has 103.

The profile of senior citizens in these areas was taken, to include their skills that they could impart on their peers.

A Protective Committee for Senior Citizens (PCSC) was established for a start. PCSC is a multi-sectoral council that looks into the welfare of the elderly.

Galila said that the pilot areas were "super active," especially in Gines. A core group was created to receive information on cases of neglect, which is a form of abuse.

In Maribong, they have a case of neglect, although it was unintentional on the part of the family. Galila explained that there are families, especially in far-flung areas, not equipped to take care of their elderly.

The case was being monitored and the elderly was provided with a medical assistance.

Meantime, 20 others were given livelihood assistance. They are identified to be on the "red flag for abuse," specifically neglect, hence as a measure they were provided with livelihood assistance.

They are also considering food suuport to those identified to be at risk. 

Apart from neglect, other forms of abuse could be psychological, physical, financial and even sexual, she said.

 Meantime, Galila urged family members of the elderly "not to let them feel that they are useless because they are old."

She said that they should understand them because they have a different dynamic.

Senior citizens should also come out and report if they feel that they are being abused. If they are ashamed to do so, which is usually the case,  then they can share the information with their peers for a start, she said. 

The pilot testing of RESPPEC will last for two years. A memorandum of agreement was entered into by the local government of Lambunao and the DSWD for the project. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Aug. 11-- A lawmaker from Leyte province has filed a bill to commemorate the Ormoc Flash Flood, asking Congress to declare November 5 as a special, non-working holiday in this city.

Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez filed House Bill No. 4209 seeking to declare November 5 as a local holiday.

November 5, 1991 was the day when a 15-minute flash flood, spawned by Typhoon Uring, devastated Ormoc City, killing an estimated 8,000 people.

The congresswoman, who was barely 15 that time, remembers her father Manoling ushering her and siblings up to the second floor of their house when water started pouring in. They were still living at Bonifacio Street then, where the water reached as high as 12 feet.

Gomez said the bill has hurdled the committee level on August 8. The congresswoman wants the holiday to be named "Ormoc Flash Flood Memorial Day" to honor those who died in the tragedy.

In the proposed bill, the congresswoman says, "most proposed legislation seek to commemorate foundation days or charter days of localities, epochal events in our history, natal days of prominent personalities, etc. But why memorialize a 'tragedy'?"

The congresswoman added, "Studies have persistently shown that Philippines is one of the countries in the world vulnerable to climate changes. Hence, adaptation and disaster-mitigation strategies have occupied increasing attention in government policy formulations."

Commemorating the Flash Flood, she said, would ensure that the tragedy will be remembered and its lessons.

The congresswoman said that during the August 8 deliberation of the bill, "there was a contention that tragedies should not be celebrated. But Rep. Miro Quimbo defended all such bills dealing with commemorating tragedies by saying that if that is an argument, then we might as well scrap Rizal Day because that was when Rizal was executed."

The congresswoman's allies in Ormoc met the news positively.

Councilor Mario Rodriguez said, "we hope this will finally become a law to give Ormoc time to look back. A people who does not know its past will not learn its lessons."

On the same day, Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Romualdez's bill asking Congress to declare November 8 as "Yolanda Commemoration Day" also hurdled the committee level.

Romualdez, during the deliberation, said that what will be celebrated on November 8 is not the tragedy "but the strength and resilience of our people, of our phenomenal capacity to survive that could prove to be an inspiration to our fellow Filipinos, many of which lie amidst adversities caused by disasters and conflict."

If both Gomez's and Romualdez's proposed house bills become laws, it will be another November holiday for Ormoc as the proposed "Yolanda Commemoration Day" also includes the city. Romualdez's proposed holiday covers the entire Eastern Visayas. (Ormoc Media Hub/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 11 -- Thirteen patients from Iloilo are the initial recipients of the medical assistance program extended by the office of Senator Nancy Binay coursed through the office of City Councilor Joshua Alim.

The staff of Senator Binay arrived in this city on Friday to validate the list of patients whose medical abstracts and referrals were submitted to her office.

Councilor Alim said that the medical assistance is extended to patients  admitted either in public or private hospitals.  A check is sent directly to the hospital where the patient was confined.

"This is her way of thanking the people of Iloilo City," Alim said. Most of those who trooped to Alim's office were undergoing dialysis, suffering from diabetes or about to undergo operation.

Binay's office also extended assistance to a family whose patient has already died but still have unpaid bills in the hospital.

Alim advised those who wanted to seek help to just avail their benefit from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and just send the remaining bill to the office of Binay.

As long as the fund is there, Alim said that the processing of the payment is fast.

The assistance is open to residents of the city and province of Iloilo. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 11 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here is encouraging local government units  in Western Visayas to replicate some of their completed social technology projects (STP) to be able to respond to specific need of their constituents.

DSWD gathered social welfare officers from Antique and Guimaras provinces on Friday for an orientation on the STP and also  update them on the various programs and initiatives of the department.

In her presentation, DSWD 6 information officer May R. Castillo said that STP is an "innovative social welfare and development concept, strategy or approach that is developed, enhanced and pilot tested to address emerging needs of the poor, disadvantaged, and vulnerable sectors in the society."  These are pilot tested by the DSWD Social Technology Bureau or field offices of the department.

Among these are the anti-abuse program for elderly known as the Reporting System and Prevention Program for Elder Abuse Cases (RESPPEC), Sharing Computer Access Locally and Abroad (SCALA), Family Drug Abuse Prevention Program (FDAPP) and the Special Drug Education Center.

"These are just some of the projects we would like to be replicated to respond to specific problems," Castillo said.  The department will extend technical assistance should there are LGUs that will take interest in adopting any of the projects.

RESPPEC seeks to ensure that elderly in the community are not neglected while SCALA provides opportunities for recipients to gain employment after completing the six-month training.

The drug education center serves as a resource center where children can go for research, counselling and establish camaraderie, among others.

The next orientation will be for social welfare officers of Capiz and Aklan while the Iloilo group is slated this coming August 21, 2017. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

PALO, Leyte, Aug.11 -- A Department of Education (DepEd) official in Leyte warned applicants on Friday against unscrupulous persons who extort money in exchange of teaching positions in the province.

"Teaching items have never been, never was, and never will be for sale in our division," said Jose Mariano Barril Jr, DepEd Leyte division office human resource management officer.

Barril's stern warning also came as a way of reminding the public that they "will not tolerate anyone dragging the name of the division office for their selfish intentions."

While the issue is "not directly referring" to the division, Barril said he "had to reiterate because others might take advantage of the newly-hired teachers."

In a statement, Barril urged anyone to report any information to their office if they know of some individuals who ask money from them in exchange for teaching items.

According to him, they have also maintained official social media accounts where teacher-applicants can report of any extorting activities. "We urge everyone to be vigilant enough and not to fall prey to this scenario," he said.

Barril earlier assured that hiring process in Leyte division has been transparent, adding that they are maximizing the use of social media in disseminating the status and hiring process of all qualified applicants.

"This is the very reason why we are doing our best to inform all applicants of their status and the information is given directly to them so that we can protect them and shield them from people who have ulterior motives," he added.

Meanwhile, Barril said that almost 1,000 items in Leyte division were already "filled in."

He, however, said that more items are still coming, especially bookkeeping and disbursing officer positions as they have over 150 vacancies for it. (PNA



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CEBU CITY, Aug.11 -- Operatives of Danao City Police Station's Drug Enforcement Unit arrested four suspected drug pushers early Friday morning in separate buy-bust operations.

Gerry Gallon Jr., Velmar Lavador, Robert Angtod, and Jose Quilaton were arrested in a series of operations that started at 2:48 a.m. and completed past 5:00 a.m. Friday in the different barangays of Danao City.

According to Danao City Police chief Chief Inspector Gerard Ace Pelare, the four suspects yielded several packs of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu with an estimated value of PHP2.3 million.

Pelare, who reported their achievements to the Police Regional Office-7 here, said the operation was part of the government's intensified campaign against illegal drugs and part of Danao City Police's "Oplan Limpyo Danao (Oplan Clean Danao)."

Pelare said the arrest of the four suspects was a big success for Danao Police as they have achieved their mission to cut the supply of illegal drugs in the city.

"The supply of drugs in Danao has significantly declined as we have arrested almost everybody involved in the illegal trade," Pelare said.

However, he added that for as long as there are drug users, the selling of illegal substances would never stop. So, he also called on drug users to stop the vice and help them make Danao City drug-free.

Danao Police also confiscated the motorcycles of the suspects which authorities believe are being used for the drug operation. The suspects are currently detained at the Danao City Jail. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Aug. 11 --  The local government here launched Friday "Task Group Kidapawan" to strengthen security and deter terror plots in the city.

Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista said the task force is composed of police and military personnel to ensure lawless elements could not enter the city and conduct terror acts.

The Task Group is led by Lt. Col. Noel Luoang, of the Army's 72nd Infantry Battalion, and under him are composite personnel from the Army's 39th and 72nd Infantry Battalions, both based in Makilala, North Cotabato.

"We already equipped them with the necessary training with regards to the manner of protocol, search, response, arrest and counter-tactical procedures," Evangelista said.

During the ceremony, the LGU also turned over one mobile patrol, eight tri-cabs and communication equipment to be used for its operation.

Evangelista said the creation of task group was recommended by the Kidapawan City Peace and Order Council (KCPOC) and was approved by the Kidapawan City council.

"This move is necessary to protect our constituents against the threat of terrorism and maintain the integrity of our city," Evangelista added.

He added that the action of the city council was in support to Pres. Duterte's declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. (John Andrew G. Tabugoc/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 10-- The city government of Ormoc has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte's declaration of state of calamity in areas badly affected by July 6 earthquake in Leyte province.

Mayor Richard Gomez ,  in a text message , said  the proclamation will "definitely" fast track the recovery of quake-hit Ormoc City and nearby town of Kananga.

"This is a welcome development. We are waiting for the help in the form of funds to get here. That will fast track everything," Gomez told PNA on Thursday night.

Duterte signed on August  7 Proclamation No. 283 declaring the two areas under state of calamity.

The declaration effectively implements a price control on basic goods and commodities and price ceilings could be imposed.

Under Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, Section 17(a) provides for the "imposition of a price ceiling on basic necessities and prime commodities by the President upon the recommendation of the implementing agency as provided for under RA 7581."

Duterte said the declaration would also "afford the government ample latitude to utilize appropriate funds for rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation efforts."

In view of this, the Chief Exectuive ordered all departments and concerned government agencies, including the affected local government units (LGUs), to implement and execute rescue, recovery, relief and rehabilitation work in accordance with pertinent operational plans and directives.

"All departments and concerned government agencies are also hereby directed to coordinate with, and provide or augment the basic services and facilities, of affected LGUs," the proclamation read.

The Kananga local government declared the state of calamity on July 7 or a day after the destructive tremor. Ormoc City made the same move on July 10.

In its August 8 update, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported a total of PHP220.21 million worth of damage in Leyte province.

The July 6 earthquake has killed at least three people and injured 310 others. Several aftershocks rocked the province in nearly two weeks. The strongest was magnitude 5.8 that injured 78 people, according to the NDRRMC.

The ground shaking has displaced more than 16,000 residents in 27 villages of the province.

A total of 113 schools, 10 health facilities, 35 government buildings, and seven commercial buildings in Leyte province sustained damages after the tremor.

In the past four weeks, Eastern Visayas region suffered rotational brownouts due to damaged power plants and transmission facilities.

President Rodrigo Duterte visited Ormoc on July 14 and assured residents of quake-hit Ormoc that the national government will be there to help the city get back on its feet. (PNA) 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 10 -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) announced the opening of its scholarship programs for poor but deserving secondary and college students here in Region 9.

Josephine Nohay, DOST center manager for scholarship, on Thursday said there are three available scholarship programs to choose from and these are: the Philippine Science High School; 2018 Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship; and, the 2017 Junior Level Science Scholarship for Third Year College Students.

The qualification for the Philippine Science High School are the following: must be a Grade 6 pupil; must have a final grade of 85 percent; Filipino citizen with no pending or approved application as immigrant to any foreign country; born on or after August 1, 2003; satisfactory character rating; have not taken the examination previously; and, in good health.

The applicant should also submit recent 2x2 picture and pay PhP100 testing fee for those in private schools. The deadline to submit application is on September 1 while the examination is on October 21.

The requirements for the 2018 Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship are as follows: must be a graduate of Senior High School Grade 12; and, a testing fee of PhP200 for merit scholar applicants. The deadline for filling of application is on August 25 and the examination is on October 15.

The 2017 Junior Level Science Scholarships qualifications are: the applicant must be a third year college student; and, a testing fee of PhP200 for merit scholar applicants. The deadline for filling of application is on September 22 and the examination is on November 19.

Nohay urged those who possess the necessary qualifications to avail of the DOST scholarship programs.

She said for more information of the program, they may visit the DOST Regional Office located at Pettit Barracks in this city. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAVAO CITY, Aug 10 -- A 17-year-old Dabawenyo got his first taste of victory as Philippines' bet to the International Geography Olympiad held in Belgrade, Serbia on August 2 to 8.

Dann Lawrence Ilabore, Grade 12 student of Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao campus bags the bronze medal for team Philippines. Ilabore ranked 67th out of 161 students who participated the yearly competition.

According to Ilabore's coach, Jefferson Nuṅeza, his student went through a hard time preparing for the competition and even had a joint review session in Philippine Science High School main campus.

"We had review sessions and they were somehow exposed to a field work, we tried to follow the type of exam in the igeo (International Geography)," Nuṅeza said in an interview Wednesday.

"The competition is very challenging for us, especially that in Phil Sci, our curriculum doesn't include geography, and we, coaches aren't geography major," he added.

Ilabore, admitted that winning the Philippine Geography Olympiad was already a sweet victory for him, especially that he lacks background in geography.

"Given the circumstances, and the lack of background and formal education in geography, being here is a success in itself, and wining bronze medal makes this success even sweeter," he said.

Ilabore excelled in written, response test, field work, and multi-media test that made him bags the sole medal for the team Philippines. The Philippine team was composed of 4 students; however, each student was scored individually. They were Ilabore, Jon Edilpert Morano, Uriel Victor Escobido and Aldwin Adiong. (Funny Pearl Gajunera/PNA)





* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 10 – A fire razed three houses and damaged another including the remains of the dead man during a wake early Thursday here.

Neighbors and friends attending the vigil ran for to safety, leaving behind the coffin of their departed one when they noticed that fire was eating up a portion of the house in Purok Masanagon, Barangay Mangnao in this capital of Negros Oriental.

The fire was tapped at 2:25 a.m. Thursday by a motorist who reported the incident to the fire station.

When firefighters arrived, the fire had already engulfed the three houses built of mixed materials and partially damaged the fourth one.

Investigation showed the fire started at the residence of one Rodrigo Pacija, spread to the next house owned by Estelita Pacija where a vigil was going on for her husband, Edward, who died recently. It also razed the next house owned by Bonifacio Organista and also partially damaged the house of Rosalina Corsame.

The four houses were situated in one compound.

Fire Officer 1 Mark Susaña said the cause of the fire is still being investigated with no estimate of damage yet.

Although placed inside a metal casket, the remains of the late Edward was almost cremated and shrunk beyond recognition. (Juancho Gallarde/PNA) (Photos by Syril Repe)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAVAO CITY, Aug 10 – Davao and Indonesian traders are holding talks aimed at enhancing the Davao-GenSan-Bitung Roll-On Roll-Off route service which kicked-off in April, this year.

Indonesian Consul General in Davao Berlian Napitupulu disclosed the ongoing talks of Davao businessmen with its Indonesian partners are follow up to several business meetings held this month in three cities of Indonesia.

Napitupulu said the traders are teaming up with IndoPhil Davao were four Davao businessmen joined the first set of business meetings by 25 Indonesian businessmen in Jakarta, 40 in Manado, and seven in Bitung.

Another business meeting in Indonesia will take place in September which the Indonesian Consulate help in coordinating with the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII).

Initially, Napitupulu said the business consultations in the three cities indicated the strong interests of businessmen from both counties in trading their respective products. He said four businessmen and their Indonesian partners are finalizing talks on their partnership.

Meanwhile, Napitupulu said there are business ventures being arranged as a result of the First Indonesian Manufactured Products Exposition held here last July.

He said cement products are being considered for distribution by a Davao trader even as the Semen Company, the biggest cement producer in Indonesia, will venture into partnership to set up a processing facility here.

The organic plant booster that will also reduce the use of fertilizer is another Indonesian product that was matched with an agri biz partner here he said. The pre-cast fabrication for construction was the third product that was matched with a Davao partner.

Napitupulu said the company's representative will meet this week with the National Housing Authority (NHA) to introduce the product to the housing agency for its socialized housing projects.

Napitupulu is also hopeful that the participation of the Indonesians to the First Budayaw Festival on September 20 to 24, 2017 in General Santos City and Sarangani Province will open new avenues.

The Festival is a multi-dimensional and multi-disciplinary festival of arts and culture of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP Eaga) that aims to locate areas of convergence in expanding people-to-people linkages and exchanges within the growth area.

He said understanding each other's culture and communicating with each other will broaden interests and eventually lead to forging partnership in promoting trade, tourism, and others.

"Now is the right time to strengthen our bilateral relations because as neighbours we share borders between Sulu Sea in the southern part of Mindanao and the Sulawesi Sea in the northern part of Sulawesi in the central part of Indonesia," Napitupulu added. (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 10 -- An estimated P94 million worth of properties went up in smoke in a six and a half-hour fire that razed a commercial establishment in this city, an official said Thursday.

Chief Insp. Clint Cha, Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) marshal, said the fire started at 10 p.m. Wednesday and was contained around 4:30 a.m. Thursday.

Razed was the Maker's Sales Center located along Gov. Camins Avenue in Barangay Camino Nuevo. It sells different kinds of dry goods to include house and kitchen wares.

It is owned by the Unirich Corp., whose shareholders consist of Taiwanese businessmen.

Cha said they exerted all efforts to contain the blaze within the sales center since the adjacent establishment is a gasoline station.

Cha said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire that reached fifth alarm. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

KORONADAL CITY, Aug. 10 -- Police are eyeing illegal drugs as behind the killing of a drug surrenderer in an outskirt village here on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident happened several hours after a barangay chair was ambushed and killed by motorcycle-riding suspects while on the way to the city proper here.

Chief Insp. Jomero Sentinta, deputy chief of the Koronadal City police station, said victim Clero Cabrido, 51, was on his way home aboard a motorcyle in Purok Ilang-Ilang, Barangay New Pangasinan at around 3:45 p.m. when he was waylaid by two unidentified gunmen.

He said the suspects, who were riding-in-tandem on a motorcycle, shot the victim several times and fled to an undetermined direction. Sentinta said the Cabrido, who worked as a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver, died instantly due to five gunshot wounds on his neck and body.

Responding personnel from South Cotabato Scene of the Crime Operations or Soco unit recovered six spent shells and two slugs of an unknown firearm, he said.

"Our investigation is still ongoing but we're initially looking at illegal drugs as among the possible motives," the police official said.

Cabrido, who is a brother of Barangay New Pangansinan councilor Deborah Cabrido Pader, was a self-confessed drug user who voluntarily surrendered to authorities last year in line with operation plan or "Oplan Tokhang."

Esperanza Cabdrido, the victim's mother, admitted that her son was a drug user but said the latter has already stopped and "started a new life."

She said they were stunned by the incident and noted that the victim had not confided any prior threat on his life.

But the victim's sister, Nimfa Cabrido Baclaan, told police investigators that they noticed two motorcycle-riding men tailing her brother prior to the shooting.

Police investigators could not say whether the incident was related to the murder on Wednesday morning of Barangay Topland chair Baltazar Bermil at a portion of Purok Garcia in Barangay Rotonda.

Bermil, who was driving a barangay service vehicle, was on his to a meeting of the city's barangay chairs when he was ambushed by still unidentified suspects.

Bermil had figured in a controversy after one of his nephews was arrested in a major drug raid in his village last July 30 that resulted to the recovery of around PHP2.36 million worth of metamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

The joint operatives nabbed eight other persons and seized several firearms and a rifle grenade.

On Tuesday, City Mayor Peter Miguel disclosed that three barangay chairs in the city and several other village councilors are being monitored by authorities due to their alleged involvement in illegal drug-related activities.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SANTA ROSA CITY, Laguna Aug. 10 -- The City of Santa Rosa hosted the simple yet meaningful culminating program on Thursday for the Drug Summit 2017 which gathered hundreds of drug surrenderers at the city auditorium here.

The activity capped the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) collaborative conference which committed to intensify its anti-illegal drugs campaign in line with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte's relentless "war on hard drugs".

Around 620 drug surrendererers received their certificates of participation in the 45-day rehabilitation program in their respective barangays and the three-day Simula ng Pag-Asa (SIPAG) Program as one of the summit highlights. 

The Drug Summit also included 22 patients from the Dangal ng Pagbabago Rehabilitation Center who graduated from the program.

Sta Rosa City Mayor Dan Fernandez, who led the certificate distribution said that the Dangal ng Pagbabago Rehabilitation Center is the first ever rehabilitation center in the country operated by a local government unit. 

The center was inaugurated last January 14 initiated by the Santa Rosa local government unit in partnership with private organization Bridges of Hope.

The facility, located in an old school building at the PUP compound in Barangay Tagapo provides community-based treatment program using its Eclectic Therapeutic Community Model with 12 Steps and AfterCare programs. This includes psychological and psychiatric evaluation, 24/7 medical services, therapy, and counselling.

Police Chief Superintendent Ma. O R. Aplasca, Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 4A (Calabarzon), who represented the PNP Chief and Director General Ronald dela Rosa, expressed elation at the results of the unified actions of various government sectors down to the barangay level in the government's fight against illegal drugs.

Aplasca hoped this program will be on a sustained basis in order to stop the proliferation of illegal drugs.

In an interview, Enrique Alcala, a 34 year-old tricycle driver from Barangay Tagapo who admitted to be a drug dependent for years, said he voluntarily surrendered under the PNP's "Oplan Tokhang" and enrolled in the rehabilitation program.

"Maganda ang naidulot sa akin ng programa at full support ang aking pamilya sa aking rehabilitasyon (I have benefitted from the (rehab) program and receive the full support from my family during the rehabilitation)," Alcala said.

He added that the rehabilitation program of Sta Rosa City is the first step he undertook so he can start a new life with a clean slate. (Roselle Aquino/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TUGUEGARAO CITY,  Aug.10--The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 02 in partnership with the Local Government Unit of Cauayan City and Isabela State University (ISU) will conduct the biggest S&T celebration in the region from August 14-18, 2017 at F. L Dy Coliseum, Cauayan City, Isabela.

DOST R02 Regional Director Sancho A. Mabborang said the celebration  aims to bring science and technology closer to the people, letting them get a first-hand experience on how science and technology work for a better and progressive life. This year's theme "Science for the People".

DOST R02 prepared various activities for the general public including S&T Quiz, Science Explorer, Technology Fora, Search for Ginoo at Binibining Agham at Teknolohiya, S&T Trivia, and many more.

Children will have a unique science experience in the Science Explorer, which is  a mobile interactive learning facility that provides access to audio-visual equipment, interactive exhibits, and countless learning materials letting the students learn concepts and ideas in science in a more exciting and fun ways.

Also, numerous DOS-assisted products owned by micro-, small- and medium- enterprises in the region will be displayed and sold in the S&T Bazaar.

Moreover, different Regional Testing Laboratories nationwide are expected to come for the first ever National Laboratory Summit. This will further strengthen the awareness of laboratory personnel and staff to various regulations and laws and the significant breakthroughs in laboratory testing.

Cash prizes will be given to researchers, inventors, faculties and students with the best research outputs and innovations during the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) scheduled on August 14-18, 2017. Winners from the regional level will compete to the national contest for the 2018 National Invention Contest (NICE).

The Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines (SARAI) Project spearheaded by the University of the Philippines Los Bańos will also be introduced during the S&T event.

SARAI aims to improve the forecasting and crop monitoring system of the Philippine crops including rice, corn, coconut, banana, coffee and cacao. SARAI team has developed various systems and technologies including Cost-efficient soil moisture sensors and meters, Smarter Pest Identification Technology (SPI Tech), SARAI-Enhanced Cost-Efficient Soil Moisture Sensors and Meters, Smarter Pest Identification Technology, SARAI-Enhanced Agricultural Monitoring System (SEAMS), Automatic Weather Station (AWS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AUV), and SARAI Knowledge Portal.

DOST key officials including Secretary Fortunato dela Peńa, Undersecretary for Regional Operations - Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano, Assistant Secretary for Finance and Legal Affairs - Emmanuel S. Galvez, DOST-Technology Application and Promotion Institute Director Edgar I. Garcia, other DOST regional directors and other representatives from DOST's attached agencies and research councils are expected to attend.

State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Regional Line Agencies, Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units and other partner stakeholders will also extend their support and presence during the celebration. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 10 – The "coolest Palarong Pambansa" could possibly be held here and other areas of Benguet province in 2018.

This is when the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) accepts the "10 hottest reasons" that this city and the province of Benguet are selling in their bid to co-host the 2018 Palarong Pambansa.

In Thursday's press conference that was part of the unity, convergence and signing of the pledge of commitment of support of the different stakeholders in Baguio and Benguet, Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan said "we have ready event venues and billeting. Crime rate is low coupled with all the amenities which the athletes can avail of". He also spoke well of the hospitality of the people in the city and province.



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 10 --- The Department of Education (DepEd)-Bicol highlights the relevance of K to 12 programs as support to the celebration of the golden anniversary of Association of South East Asia Nation (ASEAN) during the launching of its information kiosk, Thursday at the DepEd regional office in this city.

Ramon Fiel Abcede, DepEd regional director, said today the kiosk is a demonstration of support to the awareness campaign on ASEAN@50 and country's chairmanship and hosting of this year's ASEAN events.

"The kiosk, installed by the 13 schools divisions of Albay, showcased information, education and communications related to ASEAN and best practices on the implementation of the enhanced basic education curriculum or the Kto 12 program," Abcede said.

[http://media]Education

DepEd Assistant Secretary Revsee Escobedo, as the keynote speaker, said K to 12 is necessary to provide learners with much needed knowledge and skills that would capacitate the younger generation to compete not only within the ASEAN community but also globally.

Support is needed from the community and other stakeholders for the successful implementation of the K to 12 program and other DepEd plans, Escobedo added.

DepEd-5 has been hoisting the ASEAN flag and singing the ASEAN anthem during flag-raising ceremonies and prescribing the wearing of ASEAN-inspired attires every first Monday of the month to its employees as part of its awareness campaign.

Meanwhile, Aida Naz, PIA regional director, commended the agency's initiative of launching an ASEAN Info Kiosk --- as the first among DepEd's regional offices to install such a project in support of ASEAN@50.



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug. 10 – An insurance company with branches nationwide has finally reached the shores of Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, offering a variety of services for people who they believe should get protection for their assets in a booming city 

Oriental Assurance Corporation formally launched their branch in Dumaguete City Thursday afternoon at a local hotel here.

Kent Cotoco, Executive Vice President and Director of Oriental Assurance Corporation, in an interview disclosed that the company has finally decided to penetrate the Dumaguete market because of its rising economy.

People in Dumaguete need to protect their assets and that is why they are here to offer a variety of services, Cotoco said.

Dumaguete City is among the top five best retirement places in the world as announced by Forbes magazine this year.

Oriental Assurance Corporation is a non-life insurance company that carries all types of insurance to include fire, motor, personal accident, liability, and construction, among others, he added. 

Basically, all insurance companies are the same but the service differs, and it matters to the clientele, he pointed out. 

Oriental Assurance Corporation operates 16 branches across the country, to include those in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu, Leyte, Tacloban and Ormoc City. 

Cotoco, meanwhile, expressed the need to educate people more on the importance of insurance.

He said Oriental Assurance has different packages to offer that are affordable to the people in Dumaguete and neighboring places. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 10 — Farmers in Paoay, Ilocos Norte are the latest recipient of a brand new rice and corn harvester courtesy of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

Worth Php 2.2 million, the Banag-Lussoot-Laplapog (Baluspog) farmers' association in Nagbacalan village said they are grateful for the project as it will certainly boost their productivity while reducing their cost of input.

Compared to traditional harvesting system, Edward Tabili of Nagbacalan village said Thursday the use of mechanical harvester makes their work faster and easier.

During the harvest season, most farmers in this northern part of Luzon still resort to manual harvest which is labor-intensive.

As part of enabling farmers to be at par with Southeast Asian neighbors, the Department of Agriculture is promoting farm mechanization and consolidated farming systems to bring down the cost of labor.

The DA hopes to bring down total production cost of rice to Php8 ($0.18) or Php8.50 ($0.19) by combining mechanization with improved irrigation and affordable loaning schemes for farmers.

Backing this move, the local government unit of Paoay also provides soft loan assistance to farmer associations to ensure that they will no longer turn to big time capitalists whenever they are short of money to sustain the growth of their crops. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BATANGAS CITY Aug. 10 -- A columnist and his driver were wounded after being attacked by still unidentified suspect in Batangas City at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

 Batangas Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Randy Peralta identified the victims as Crisenciano "Cris" Ibon and his driver Gerry Ebreo.

 Ibon is the former Batangas correspondent of a Manila-based daily and currently a columnist of the tabloid Police Files.

Peralta said the victims were watching television in a house at Barangay Kumintang when shot several times by an unidentified suspect.

 Ibon was rushed to the Camillus Hospital while Ebreo was rushed to the Batangas Medical Center.

 Initial medical condition report divulged that the bullet entered Ibon's back from the right and exited to the left part of his chest while Ebreo was hit on the spine.

 Police are still investigating the incident. (Roselle Aquino/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BATANGAS CITY Aug. 10 -- A columnist and his driver were wounded after being attacked by still unidentified suspect in Batangas City at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

 Batangas Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Randy Peralta identified the victims as Crisenciano "Cris" Ibon and his driver Gerry Ebreo.

 Ibon is the former Batangas correspondent of a Manila-based daily and currently a columnist of the tabloid Police Files.

Peralta said the victims were watching television in a house at Barangay Kumintang when shot several times by an unidentified suspect.

 Ibon was rushed to the Camillus Hospital while Ebreo was rushed to the Batangas Medical Center.

 Initial medical condition report divulged that the bullet entered Ibon's back from the right and exited to the left part of his chest while Ebreo was hit on the spine.

 Police are still investigating the incident. (Roselle Aquino/PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 10 --- Two policemen were killed while four others were wounded including a chief of police in two separate attacks staged by suspected New People's Army (NPA) on Thursday in Barangay (village) Sagrada, Viga town in Catanduanes, report reaching the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol said today.

Killed were Police Officer 1 Eva Torcilino and Police Officer 3 Joseph Tupue assigned at the Viga police station, said Senior Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, PNP Bicol spokesperson.

Wounded policemen were Senior Inspector Ernesto Montes Jr., Viga town police chief, Senior Police Officer 1 Marwin de Vera and two still unidentified drug surenderers, the report said.

The first NPA attack occurred at about 11:20 a.m. Thursday. Two police patrol vans carrying 10 drug surenderers with four police escorts were negotiating a road at Sitio Pinarayan bound for Virac town when the police convoy was hit by an improvised explosive devise planted by NPA rebels. The explosion was followed by a volley of gunfire by at least 20 NPA rebels, Calubaquib said.

The blast wounded a policeman and two drug surrenderers. 

The second attack happened at 1:40 p.m. also today when responding policemen led by Montes went to the scene of explosion where the same group of NPA rebels were waiting and opened fire at the police convoy.

A fierce firefight ensued that led to the death of two policemen and the wounding of the town police chief. The suspected NPA rebels fled toward neighboring villages.

Montes who sustained a bullet wound at his back was rushed to the Viga District Hospital for treatment while the three wounded by the IED blast were brought to the Immaculate Hospital in Virac town. (Mar Arguelles/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Aug. 10 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region III, in partnership with the provincial government of Pampanga, on Thursday distributed farm machineries to 116 farmers associations in districts 1 and 3 of the province.

Evelyn C. Fernando, DA-III agricultural provincial coordinating officer, together with provincial agriculturist Edilberto Salenga and Vice Governor Dennis Pineda, led the distribution of 17 hand tractors with trailers; six rice transplanters; five units of rice reapers and 90 shallow tube wells for irrigation held at the Provincial Engineers' Office compound in Barangay Sindalan here.

Fernando said the farm equipment were given by the DA upon the requests by various farmers' associations.

She assured that the department will give more equipment in the coming years as a way to help and support the province's agricultural sector.

"The distribution of farm machineries does not end here because there are more agricultural equipment to be provided in the coming years. Anyway, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is our partner in the implementation of agricultural projects in Pampanga," she said.

Meanwhile, Salenga said the distribution of the farm implements is part of the farm mechanization program of the DA that aims to advance the rice and corn production in the province.

Vice Governor Pineda, for his part, thanked the DA for its unrelenting support to the farmers in the province. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LOS BAŇOS, Laguna Aug. 10 – Two college students in this town's state universities were apprehended on Wednesday by lawmen in the "One Time, Big Time" search warrant operations in Barangay Batong Malake here.

Police Senior Inspector Gerrry L. Sangalang, chief of the Laguna police public information office, disclosed on Thursday that the joint team was composed of the Los Baños police force, provincial intelligence branch (PIB) and Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 4A.

In his report to Laguna Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Cecilio Ramos Ison Jr., the Los Baños chief of police Superintendent Arvin B. Avelino identified the students as 23 year-old Joshua Camello Gregorio of the Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU)-Los Baňos Campus; and 22 year-old Dulce Amor Dadacay Carcosia of the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB).

Both students reside at the 11007 Searca Apartment, Palm Drive where they were arrested during the search warrant operations. Police said the two are not included in their High Value Target (HVT) list.

Avelino said that the search warrant was issued on Aug. 8 by Executive Judge Agripino G. Morga of the Regional Trial Court Branch 29-32 in San Pablo City.

Operatives seized two plastic sachets of suspected marijuana flowering tops, seedlings planted in plastic pots, fresh leaves and seeds.

Police also confiscated a glass pipe containing suspected marijuana residue; a resealable transparent plastic sachet containing suspected dried marijuana leaves and a small blue-colored weighing scale.

The seized evidence fetched an estimated street value of Php 50,000.

The operatives disclosed that the search warrant operation was conducted in an orderly manner as witnessed by Barangay Batong Malake Councilor Delfin Pabalate and media representative Levy Tatad.

According to the joint police search team, the suspects were apprised of their constitutional rights and were brought, including the confiscated evidence to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO) 4A for examinations.

The two students now face charges for violation of Sections 11,12 and 16 under Article II of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs act or R.A. 9165 before the Provincial Prosecutors Office in Calamba City. (Saul E. Pa-a/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 10—Public schools in the province of Ilocos Norte with idle lots may now apply what they have learned on organic farming systems.

Aiming for a zero-waste garden in schools, the Department of Education Schools Division of Ilocos Norte wants its teachers and students to have their own organic garden in schools. To do so, at least 30 participants from the Ilocos Norte Schools Division Office (INSDO) recently visited an organic farm in Victorias City, Negros Oriental where they plan to adopt its best practices of producing organic foods at minimum production costs. 

Schools Division Superintendent Vilma Eda said Thursday there are agricultural schools in the province which could facilitate the project. One of these identified is the Ilocos Norte Agricultural College in Pasuquin town with about 28 hectares ready for organic farming development.

INAC's main campus has a land area of 42 hectares. Majority of its land area can be planted with agricultural crops or raised animals. Its 52-hectare extension site located in Davila village is also being utilized for high value crops production and animal raising. 

Eda said the INAC could serve as a pilot project for organic farming where its students learn by doing.  If successful, other public schools in the province may emulate it in the long run, Eda added. (PNA)  



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug.  10 — Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal declared Friday, August 11, as a special non-working day here for all government officials, employees and public schools within the city in celebration of the grand opening of the Ibalong Festival 2017.

Rosal encouraged private and public establishments and national agencies within the city to support the said festival.

In order to fully celebrate the joyous and meaningful grand opening of the Ibalong Festival and entail the whole support of the city government of Legazpi, it is appropriate to declare August 11, 2017, as non-working holiday, he added.

The two-week festival this August will also feature its regular events including the Ibalong Festival Street Dance Presentation, Mutya ng Ibalong Beauty Pageant, and the Ibalong Epic.

Ibalong Festival is a yearly non-religious fiesta depicting Bicol's early beginnings based on the Ibalong Epic written by the late Prof. Merito Espinas that tells of mythical super heroes, villains, monsters and wild animals in the ancient times. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique, Aug.10  -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Office 6 is urging the local government of San Jose de Buenavista to create task force to monitor the reported dynamite fishing activities on its shores.

BFAR -6 Regional Director Remia Aparri, in an interview on Thursday, said they will be coordinating soonest with Mayor Elmer Untaran to form a task force to be trained by BFAR to monitor the seas.

"We will also intensify the information and education campaign to make the fishermen be aware  of the hazards of dynamite fishing,"she said.

The problem on rampant dynamite fishing on the shores between San Jose de Buenavista and Cuyo island was raised  during the face-to-face dialogue of local people with Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel "Manny" Pinol in Hamtic Gymnasium on Wednesday. 

Residents believed that those involved in dynamite fishing are from Batbatan island, who intrude the municipal waters of San Jose De Buenavista. 

During the dialogue, the need to intensify sea patrol activities was stressed while Pinol reiterated his previous commitment to give 15 patrol boats for Antique. (PNA)   



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique, Aug.10 -- Antique Vice Governor Edgar Denosta on Thursday called for the establishment of tourist-friendly comfort rooms in the six most visited munipalities in the province.

Denosta, in an interview, said that he will present his proposal before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in their next Thursday's session.

He said that with the growth of the tourism industry in Antique, tourists will definitely look for comfort rooms. More than 1.5 million visitors since January have reportedly visited the province.  

He added that the 100-square meter comfort rooms will be built in Anini-y, where the Siraan Hot Spring and Nogas island are nearby; in  Tobias Fornier, Aningalan in San Remigio where there is the zipline and beautiful sceneries; Malumpati in Pandan, Culasi where there is Mararison island, and Tibiao that boasts of several tourist attractions. (PNA) 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

PANDI, Bulacan, Aug. 10 -- Residents in this farming town are calling for a recall election in a bid to replace the incumbent mayor here.

On Thursday, some 2,000 townsfolk trooped to the Office of the Municipal Election Officer to support a recall petition against incumbent Mayor Celestino Marquez .

The 11-page petition for recall was filed by Elizalde Malindog, a resident of Santisima Trinidad, Barangay Bagong Barrio, Pandi town and was received  by Emelyn Mendoza, election officer of Pandi.

Lawyer Ricky Juab, legal representative of the petitioner, said that the ground for the petition filed against Marquez was "loss of trust and confidence" due to an overwhelmingly dearth of hope and trust against the mayor.

Juab said that they have attached the collected 19,000 signatures from registered voters in the said town who  agreed to conduct a recall.

Malindog cited in his petition the alleged rampant operation of illegal gambling/ quarrying and lack of proper action to curb the said illegal activities, which is tantamount to gross neglect in the mayor's performance of his duties.

The petition was also filed containing attached document for alleged lack of free medicines, support and utter disregard of indigent patients, livelihood programs, scholars and alleged refusal to give aid to individual groups that are not a member of Marquez's political party.

Supporters of the recall petition carried placards emblazoned with messages of grievances and loss of trust and confidence against the incumbent town executive.

An aide of the mayor, however, said the action is obviously politically motivated.

Chief Inspector Manuel De Vera, Pandi police chief, said that an augmentation team from the Bulacan PNP-Provincial Public Safety Company and the 48th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army arrived to maintain peace and order. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna Aug. 10 -- Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) has formally opened its trucks and buses dealership and service center for Southern Luzon on Wednesday at Barangay Real here in partnership with Hyundai Laguna, Inc. in a bid to boost investment and enhance economic dynamism in the area.

Richard L. Lee, chairman emeritus of HARI; and Ma. Fe Perez Agudo, president and chief executive officer of HARI; led the inaugural rites and the forging of the dealership and service agreement with Hyundai Laguna, Inc. president and Dealer Principal Cesar Areza.

Agudo commended the Areza group for having the advantage of knowing the market in the Calabarzon region comprising the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

Agudo said Hyundai can deliver their requirements to spur development in the Calabarzon region.

Meanwhile, Areza expressed his commitment to serve the company's clients to mark the event as a new milestone for the transport business in the region.

He said his son Ceasar Gabriel, vice president for Automative Division of Hyundai Laguna, will lead the management of the new dealership, putting youth and dynamism in the workplace.

Hyundai officials said their trucks and buses dealership business agreement is the first in Southern Luzon although the Korean firm has embarked on their luxury cars and utility vehicles way ahead. (Zen Trinidad/PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

CEBU CITY, Aug.10 -- Cebu City Hall received a bomb threat through text message on Thursday, disrupting official business in the executive and legislative buildings and nearby private establishments here.

The threat also alarmed some of the churchgoers in Basilica del Sto. Niño de Cebu, located in front of City Hall.

City Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for peace and order, immediately ordered the evacuation of employees and civilians out of city hall for safety, and called up the police who  searched the buildings for bombs or any explosive device.

The Special Weapons and Tactic Team and Bomb Squad declared the area cleared and business at City Hall went back to normal around 1:00 p.m.

The text message was received by Tumulak and some City Hall employees before 11:00 a.m.

The threat, sent by cellphone no. +639391349105, in the Cebuano vernacular said: "At exactly 11:30 a.m., a bomb will explode in City Hall, La Nueva (Supermarket), and Sto. Niño (Church). All of you are incompetent."

Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella said he found it improbable for a person to smuggle a bomb inside City Hall as visitors were thoroughly checked by strict security personnel prior to entering the premises.

However, he still ordered the CSU personnel and blue guards to tighten security at City Hall.

Vice Mayor Labella was designated acting mayor as Mayor Tomas Osmeña left for Japan on Wednesday for a personal trip. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug 10 -- The Department of Education (DepEd) here lauded the initiative of the Calinog National Comprehensive High School (CNCHS)  supporting the currency program advocacy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) particularly on the coin recirculation program.

Victor De Gracia Jr, officer-in-charge for the office of the assistant regional director of DepEd 6, said that the step the school has taken could be replicated, especially in schools that offer Accounting, Business and Management (ABM) track in their Senior High School.

The CNCHS project started as an income generating project (IGP) in 2013 following the onslaught of super typhoon "Yolanda". They were able to raise around PHP17,000 worth of coins, according to Janette Alcarde, Master Teacher 1 and adviser of the Math Bank.

With the help of one teacher, they were able to connect with the Progressive Bank in Iloilo, which adopted their school. The donation is being converted into an individual account once the money reaches PHP100.

The accounts have individual ledgers that are managed by ABM senior high school students. "We have a Math Bank receiving their coins and handled by our senior high school students," Alcarde said.

Last year, they have around PHP11,000 in deposits at the Progressive Bank from the accounts of around 20 percent of the 1,850 student population.

Ma. Emily I. Calumpang, Principal I of the CNCHS said that they will sustain the program to include  Grades 7 to 12.

De Gracia said that saving as small as 25 centavo coin is very affordable for students. "With that they would know how to save and invest for successful business," he said.

For three straight years the CNCHS has bagged the BSP award for their program. During Monday's ceremony, they received both the 14-inch 'Soaring to Greater Heights' brass trophy for the Gold Hall of Fame Award and the 'Dynamic Balance Philippine Eagle' trophy designed by Filipino visual artist Ferdinand Cacnio. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug 10 -- Close to 10,000 Overseas Filipino Workers and their dependents have availed of the free computer training by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) here.

In data gathered from OWWA, a total of 9,809 individuals have availed of the Tulay (Bridge) Project since it was launched in this city in April 2008.  It is being supported by the Microsoft Philippines under its Unlimited Potential-Community Technology Skills Program.

The free training aimed to equip returning OFWs, their relatives and those from the informal sector with computer skills to help them find better employment opportunities. It also eyed to  decrease the incidence of family break up due to absentee parenting, hence strengthen their ties through the use of internet facilities.

Conie H. Binarao of the OWWA program services division said that those interested to avail of the program can just proceed to their office, submit requirements and choose their schedule depending on their preferred module.

The modules available include computer fundamentals I that run for 10 days; computer fundamentals II that cover word processing fundamentals, presentation fundamentals, internet and world wide web fundamentals (15 days); spreadsheet fundamentals (four to five days); digital media fundamentals (four to five days) and Learn and Earn: Using Technology Wisely.

Binarao said that a night class from 5:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. was also made available to accommodate more interested learners. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

PALO, Leyte, Aug. 10 -- The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will exhibit the 15 best food products in  Eastern Visayas in the upcoming Regional Science and Technology Week celebration here on September19 to 21.

DOST Eastern Visayas regional information officer Ramil Uy said on Thursday that they have been preparing small and medium entrepreneurs for the big event meant to promote the region's excellent products.

Uy said that among the preparations are enhancement of food processing, improve its packaging, extension of shelf life, and improved sanitation.

Through technology, processors utilized high quality packaging materials, extended shelf life from six months to one year, and provision of food grade equipment to avoid contamination.

Among the region's native delicacies are binagol (sweet root crop inside molded in coconut shell), moron (a mix of sticky rice and cocoa wrapped with banana leaves), pastillas (candy made from carabao's milk), suman (a combination of white and brown glutinous rice), smoked fish, Roscas cookies, and chocolate tablets.

Aside from showcasing the region's best food products, there is also a Regional Invention Contest and Exhibit (RICE) to be joined by inventors, innovators, researchers and students.

RICE is a nationwide activity conducted in different regions to recognize the indispensability of the Filipino inventors in the  society and in the landscape of national economic development.

There are also scheduled forums meant to raise public awareness on the available technology to make every life of Filipino better.

 "We really have to discuss what DOST can do to different sectors like education, engineering, manufacturing, tourism, environment, and even food processing," he added.

The exhibit, which will be held at Robinsons Place Tacloban, is part of the 2017 Regional Science and Technology Week celebration on Sept. 19-21, 2017 that carries the theme "Science for the people." (With reports by Alecxis L. Panganiban, OJT/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAGUPAN CITY, Aug. 10 -- A modern technology costing USD 11 million that can convert solid wastes into diesel fuel and methane gas will be used in Dagupan City starting next year.

This was after the signing of a joint venture agreement (JVA) between the company SURE Global Waste to Worth Innovations (W2WI) Philippines and the Dagupan City government at CSI Stadia in Dagupan City Thursday afternoon.

The project, projected to eventually solve the city's more than 60-year-old garbage problem, is a state of the art facility that can take Dagupan's 30-ton a day garbage for conversion into useful fuel to help the economy of the country, said Jill Boughton, president and chief executive officer of SURE Global W2W1.

Boughton signed the JVA with Mayor Belen Fernandez who zealously worked for this project since she assumed post as the city chief executive in 2013.

The signing was witnessed by City Legal Officer Victoria Cabrera and Paul Puthenpurekul, director of SURE Global Waste to Worth Philippines Inc.

The mayor had to travel to Chile, and speak before the United Nations and Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) just to get the project for Dagupan.

In a talk to newsmen after the signing, Boughton said Dagupan's 30 tons of garbage generated per day is convertible into 6,000 liters of diesel for motor vehicles and 4,000 kilograms of natural gas which can be used for cooking and in lighting homes.

Two other such projects are are now already rising in Angeles City and Cabuyao, Laguna but Bougton said the project in Dagupan is different from the two because it can convert garbage to both diesel and methane gas.

Asked by newsmen if adjacent towns of Pangasinan can also avail of the facility, Boughton said the agreement is that the facility will take only garbage from the city.

She said the project can help boost the economy of the city and at the same time make it clean by turning used plastic into diesel, and green wastes and food wastes into methane gas for cooking and lighting.

The recyclable materials will still be recycled just like today which, she added, is also very important to the economy.

She said after the signing of the JVA, engineering works will follow and will take about six months to complete. Then, another six months will be needed to construct the complex to house the machinery.

The facility will rise on a two-hectare area segregated from the national park by a proclamation issued in 2016 by then President Benigno Aquino III.

"The signing of JVA marks the culmination of all the hard work, extensive research, and dedication of all the parties involved in the Waste to Worth project," said Shankar Viswanathan, general manager of Procter & Gamble Philippines, the company which initiated the project more than four years ago.

At the same time, Boughton assured that the facility will not cause any pollution and will abide by all the rules issued by the National Solid Waste Management Commission for companies engaged in converting garbage into fuel.

"We will be very strict in all the environmental controls that we must adhere to. We will not create another problem by solving one problem" she added.

Boughton said her company will finance the project and operate it as a business enterprise but assured that once it is operating, it will be environmentally-friendly.

Mayor Fernandez was elated that finally, the project is coming through after long hard work and sometimes, travel on bumpy roads.

She said as part of the preparations for the Waste to Energy project, the city government has ordered 10 new dump trucks, three of which already arrived.

The city of Dagupan through its Waste Management Division will be in charge of collecting all garbage from homes, market and factory for delivery to the Waste to Energy facility.

Crispian Lao, commissioner and vice chairman of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, lauded the project and expressed hope it can become a model for all local governments in the Philippines. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug 10 -- Ford Philippines is looking forward to roll out its road safety program in Iloilo, which is eyed to be launched in Cebu and in Davao this year.

Dubbed as driving skills for life (DSFL) is a global program of Ford Motor Company that educates drivers about safety driving, fuel-efficient driving as well as all the other elements to be able to drive safely, said EJ Francisco, assistant vice president for communications of Ford Philippines in a press conference on Thursday.

It was piloted in Manila last July with about 200 drivers of Uber, he added.

[http://media]Ford Philippines AVP for Communications, EJ Francisco

 

"Hopefully we can also have a roll out here in Iloilo but we are targeting some roll outs in Cebu and in Davao," he stated.

While the program focuses on drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs), Francisco said that it also reaches out to schools.

Meanwhile, Ford is inviting car enthusiasts to avail of their experiential test drive roadshow that will run from August 11-13, 2017 in this city.

The "Ford Island Conquest" allows customers to test drive the Everest mid-size suburban utility vehicle (SUV), EcoSport compact SUV and the segment-defining ranger pickup.   The test drive arena located at the SM City Iloilo Northwing Parking features an outdoor course with a water-wading drive-thru to highlight the key features and capabilities of the Everest and Ranger.

"Visit the booths and try for yourself the capability of our vehicles," said Ford Philippines brand manager Mark Cruz. Those who are interested only have to show their driver's license.

The experiential test drive is the first to be held outside of Luzon and Manila. It was meant to entice more customers as there is now a growing demand for SUVs and pickup trucks in the province.

Engr. Leo Jellicoe R. Villavert, branch manager for Iloilo, said that their company ranks second in terms of monthly sales in Western Visayas with an average of 100 cars.   Monthly, some 400 to 450 vehicles are being sold monthly in the region.

He added that 80 percent of their markets are overseas Filipino workers, particularly sea-based  workers and those in the medical field such as nurses. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug 10 -- The untold story of Tibiao, a northern town of Antique known for its "kawa" hot bath and other tourism attractions, has been revealed in a book written by a retired brigadier general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Former General Vicente Pangantihon, who retired from service April 19, 1999, spent his post-AFP t years writing books that included the Kinaray-a English Dictionary, Kinaray-a Rice Traditions and Thinking Aloud.

A native of Tibiao, he wrote  the book, "The Tibiao Story",  which was completed summer of 2016 before he passed away on June 24 of the same year.  It was written in collaboration with Alfeo T. Farren, also an Antiqueño, who passed away on October 7, 2012.

Glenda Lyn Pangantihon, Pangantihon's youngest child, said in an interview on Thursday, that  the book tells how the town got its name and the history of Tibiao starting from the pre-Spanish up to the American occupation.

[http://media]Glenda Lyn (L) and her mother Teresita (R) talk about the newly-published book of retired Armed Forces of the Philippines Vicente Pangantihon, Aug 10, 2017.

 

The daughter said that most of the time history books do not include significant events in Visayas and Mindanao.  "Which is sad because Philippines is not only Luzon," she added.

"People are not interested in history. But when you present history in a different manner, you present it as a story; it is not a tedious task to memorize. It's something interesting; you feel that you belong" she said.

The 90-page book was launched in Tibiao, Antique last August 1. Aside from the town's history, it also contains customs and beliefs of Tibiaonons, historical development, places and names, and some past-times and games played.

Glenda Lyn also helped in conceptualizing the cover design, showing the author's manuscript, eyeglasses and mug, according to Pangantihon's wife, Teresita.

The first printing was 300 copies.  Some were given to schools and significant individuals who contributed in the realization of the book. The rest were sold at PHP100 per piece now available at their residence in Calawgan, Tibiao.

The proceeds will be used to rehabilitate the chapel of San Pedro Calungsod that was built in Calawgan after typhoon "Yolanda" struck parts of Antique in 2013.

Tibiao is 172 kilometers away from Iloilo City. This agricultural fourth class municipality in the northern part of Antique has  a population of 26, 748 during the 2015 Census of Housing and Population by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The author, meantime, was posthumously awarded the Cavalier Award in Special Field on Literature and Literacy Advocacy among Cultural Minorities during the 118th alumni homecoming of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) held in Baguio City in February this year. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ORMOC CITY, Aug. 10 -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has earmarked PHP218-million for the improvement of the Ormoc airport so it can accommodate bigger commercial aircrafts.

Currently, only a 72-seater, turbo prop plane of the Cebu Pacific commercially flies at the airport, carrying passengers from Cebu-Ormoc and back. However, there is a demand for direct Ormoc to Manila flights, which can only be served by bigger planes like A320 family aircraft.

In a letter to Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, DOTr Undersecretary for aviation and airports Manuel Antonio Tamayo said that their assessment shows the Ormoc airport is actually capable of accommodating A320 family aircraft, albeit its runway needs widening at the ends to serve as "turnaround pads" for the bigger aircraft.

The airport, with a runway length of 1,860 meters, is one of the three airports in Leyte province.

For the purpose, some PHP85-million has been allotted for it and will be implemented before the year ends, Tamayo said. 

For 2018, another PHP128-million has been earmarked for its continued development and rehabilitation of facilities affected by the July 6 earthquake.

Torres-Gomez is all praises for the quick response attitude that she saw from President Rodrigo Duterte and his men.

In a presidential visit to Ormoc last July 13, after the city and nearby Kananga was badly affected by a magnitude 6.5 quake, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade told President Rodrigo Duterte that he couldn't help but notice the airport terminal that remains unrepaired.

The lady solon thanked Tugade and the national government. She said that the damaged airport terminal building was neglected despite her constant request to the past administration to have it repaired. (Ormoc City Media Hub/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique, Aug. 10 -- The Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC), which is the largest coal producer in the Philippines, has offered to host the Antique provincial athletic meet in Semirara island, Caluya.

Antique Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao told the media in her interview Thursday that per conversation with SMPC's vice chairman Victor Consunji and other officials during her recent visit in Semirara they expressed willingness to host the provincial meet there.

Cadiao said that indeed she's impressed with the oval track and Olympic size swimming pool of the SMPC which can be used during the meet.

"The oval track they have there is even nicer than what we have," the governor said.

The oval track at the Binirayan Sports Complex, which the governor referred to, was also donated by SMPC just before Antique's April hosting of the Palarong Pambansa.    

Cadiao then added most probably if the provincial meet particularly swimming and athletics would be held in Semirara then it should be summer month when the seas would be more serene and safer for students to travel.  (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY — The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) has advised consumers to take the necessary preparation and precaution for a scheduled power interruption set on Saturday, August 12.

Starting from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the power outage will affect the whole municipalities of Burgos, Bangui, and Dumalneg. 

Residents of Pasuquin town except Barangay Santa Catalina and the whole of Pagudpud except Barangays Balaoi, Pancian and Pasaleng, Bacarra town except Pasngal, Cabusligan, Cadaratan and Pungto villages will also experience power interruption.

<p>Noel Andres, Information, Education and Communication officer of INEC, said the power interruption is due to maintenance and upgrading of Northwind power firm and INEC. He said normal operations will immediately resume after work completion. (PNA)





* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Aug. 10 -- Children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) from Aklan who wants to avail scholarship programs of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) do not have to travel far to apply.

Qualified children of OFWs who are active members of the agency can already pass their application at the Public Employment Service Office at the Aklan Provincial Office, according to Aklan PESO Manager Vivian Ruiz-Solano.

Solano said children of OFWs can avail of the Overseas Dependent Scholarship Program of OWWA.

Solano said PESO will open even on Saturdays to accept  scholarship applications.

This will allow those from Aklan especially those who have classes to process and pass their requirements instead of traveling to OWWA regional office in Iloilo City.

Solano likewise stressed that even those who have already enrolled in college can still avail of the scholarship as long as they have no grades lower than 80 percent.

Qualified scholars can receive PHP10,000 per semester or PHP20,000 in a year.

The scholars will also have a PHP300,000 group insurance. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TAGBILARAN CITY, Aug.10 -- The Nagoya Institute of Technology, Bohol Island State University, and the provincial government teamed up to come up with a disaster risk-reduction management facility and training on sewage infrastructure.

Two experts from the Japanese university met with Governor Edgar Chatto on Thursday and presented key technologies that can mitigate the risks of disasters.

Yoshio Naguchi and Koki Saito with Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer Anthony Damalerio met with Chatto at the People's Mansion and presented to the governor the latest technology that may help in disaster risk-reduction.

The partnership also involves data sharing through aerial 3D imaging with the use of a Japan technology kite plane, said Leah Sumampong of the Effective Development Communication Department of the Provincial Capitol.

Disaster risk reduction is a huge deal in Bohol. In recent years, Bohol has been a victim of calamities both man-made and natural.

The use of technology will immensely improve the capabilities of the government to bring aid to the people in times of disaster.

Bohol has been known for its resiliency. It has shown the ability to bounce back from any adversity.

The province remains in constant disaster  threats..

On Thursday, a tremor shook Lila town, 37 kilometers away from capital Tagbilaran. No one got hurt and no reported damage. (Dave Albarado/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

San Pablo City dental association cautions public on "fake dentists"

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna Aug. 10 – A former officer of the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) chapter here on Thursday cautioned the public on "fake dentists" illegally practicing dental medicine in this city.

Dr. Aloha B. Sarmiento-Señido, immediate past president of the dental association here, cautioned against the dental practice by unscrupulous persons without license and title as Doctor of Dental Medicine issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). 

She said there are reports of persons claiming to be registered dentists or dental technicians who offer cheaper rates to clients that might endanger their health.

Señido said the professional occupation or practice is covered under Republic Act No. 9484 or the Philippine Dental Act of 2007 which penalizes offenders with a fine of not less than Php 200,000 but not more than Php 500,000, or imprisonment from two to five years.

She said the practice by a licensed dentist covers dentures; tooth extraction and prophylaxis or removal of plaque, tartar and cavity treatment; tooth filling; dental implant, bracket or braces; and the prescription of medicines for tooth ailments.

The dental association officer also urged colleagues and the public to report to the association, police or licensed dentists any such bogus practice for the protection and safety of patients.

The PDA chapter here has waged their poster campaign against the do-it-yourself (DIY) usage of braces and illegal practice of dentistry.  (Ruben E. Taningco/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 10 -- Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol has urged farmers from Miagao, Igbaras, Tubungan and Tigbauan to embark on onion and garlic plantation backed with necessary support in financing, training and marketing from the Department of Agriculture.

In a dialogue with farmers from the southern part of Iloilo afternoon of Wednesday, the Secretary announced that the department is offering a loan of up to PHP100,000 per hectare at six percent interest per year for those who would like to plant onions and garlic.

"The interest will directly go to your association or cooperative as the lending conduit," explained Piñol.

A PHP100 million credit assistance was also offered to farmers of Miagao for them to expand their production areas up to 1,000 hectares, according to a statement from the DA regional agri-fishery information section (RAFIS).

He added that DA can even provide up to PHP200 million if farmers from this province are interested.

Only six percent of the national requirement of onion and garlic are being produced. With the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) of DA-Agricultural Credit Policy Council, the agency seeks to expand up to 5,000 hectares of onion and garlic areas nationwide.

"Our five year-plan is to produce 50 percent of garlic's national requirement and 80 percent on onion," Piñol said.

To support the drive of improving the production of these high value crops, Piñol instructed DA-6 regional executive director Remelyn Recoter and Agricultural Training Institute Center Director Eden DLR Bautista, mayors of target municipalities and farmer leaders to learn the best cultural practices of onion and garlic production in India.

Piñol also committed PHP1 million-worth of cold storage facility with 10,000 metric tons capacity for Miagao.

 "This facility will address their marketing problem because they could store their produce here when farmers would opt not to sell their produce if the prevailing market price is low," he said.

In a previous interview Recoter said that the garlic plantation in Iloilo covers only around five hectares. (PNA with reports from DA 6 RAFIS)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug 10 -- The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental released on Thursday the amount of PHP20 million to the Municipality of Hinobaan for the acquisition of a resettlement site.

The check was turned over by Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to Mayor Ernesto Estrao in rites witnessed by other municipal officials at the Provincial Capitol.

The beneficiaries of the relocation area are the households to be affected by the establishment of the Southern Negros Industrial Estate in Barangay Bacuyangan, where Japanese firm Tsuneishi Heavy Industries Inc. has proposed to set up a ship recycling facility.

Estrao said the municipal government intends to purchase a 14-hectare property amounting to PHP14.3 million with a development cost of PHP5.6 million.

Each affected family will receive a 200-square meter lot.

Last month, the Provincial Board approved an amended ordinance creating the Negros Occidental Provincial Industrial Estate Office to supervise the Southern Negros Industrial Estate and cater to locators planning to invest in the southern part of the province.

The Negros Occidental Provincial Industrial Estate Office will be composed of a department head, assistant department head and project engineers, among other personnel.

The personnel to be assigned are existing employees of the provincial government, who will be appointed to assume the various positions. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 10 --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office here conducted a one-day reorientation program to the Local Social Welfare and Development Officers (LSWDOs) on residential care facilities held at Hotel Venezia in this city, Thursday.

Cresencia Deri, social welfare officer, said the activity aimed to retool the LSWDO partners on admission, programs and services of the residential care facilities and their roles in the care and after care service of the referred clients.

Highlights of the activity were: orientations on Alternative Parental Care & Business Process of Republic Act 9523, or An Act Requiring DSWD's Certification on Adoption; Parents' Readiness for Reunification and Gender Responsive Case Management.

Meanwhile, to sustain the Level III accreditation of the 3 center care facilities, a mid-year assessment is being conducted today until Friday.

This aims to assess the plans versus accomplishment and address the implementation gaps of the residential care facilities, Deri added.

Some 122 clients are currently being served in the residential care facilities of the DSWD Bicol. Twenty-five (25) are children from the Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC); 27 women from Haven for Women and Girls both located in Ligao City and 70 youth from Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) in Sorsogon City.

Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) is a child-caring institution that provides services to abandoned, neglected and/or surrendered children 0-6 years of age.

The primary aim of the center is to help the child achieve survival, development, and rehabilitation.

Haven for Women and Girls provides temporary shelter and protective custody to women ages 18-59 years old who are victims of involuntary or forced prostitution, illegal recruitment, battered/abused women, victims of sexual abuse, women in detention, women victims or armed conflict and others, Deri said.

The Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth (RRCY) provides temporary shelter, care and protection to children in especially difficult circumstances ages 7-17 who are either; neglected, maltreated, exploited, orphaned, abandoned and emotionally or physically abused.

The services aim to help the children develop self-worth and positive outlook in life and to reunite them with their families, relatives or their former custodian, Deri explained.

The said orientation was attended by the provincial, city and municipal social welfare and development officers of Albay. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 9 -- Officials of the city government here and the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) signed a memorandum of agreement for the  mangrove reforestation project dubbed as "One Resilient Team Tacloban Project".

A foreign organization, Global Resilience Challenge Water Window funded the US$135,000 to reforest  15 hectares of mangrove area  in Nula-tula and New Kawayan districts.

Mayor Cristina Romualdez and PRA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Janilo Rubiato signed the deal on Tuesday at the city hall.

The project will run for 18 months, focusing on the rehabilitation of the hectares of mangrove areas affected by the super typhoon "Yolanda" in 2013. It comes with livelihood and resiliency training for the host community as outlined in the Tacloban Disaster Risk Reduction Master plan.

"On that duration, the city government and the PRA with its partners will implement the project by restoring the mangroves in areas that are vulnerable to storm surges through plating mangroves as a soft protection," Rubiato said.

Rubiato added the project is not only for this city, but also includes nearby Palo town, which is also badly hit by the super typhoon.

"If this project is successful, we will be replicating this in other areas in the eastern seaboard of the country like Surigao, Samar and Bicol region, which are along the typhoon belt," Rubiato added.

"We are hoping that people of Tacloban will come together with the project so that we can show our funders abroad that we are doing well and for them to have confidence on giving us another grant for the benefit of other vulnerable places from this kind of projects," he added. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Aug. 9 – A Philippine Navy (PN) frigate apprehended a Vietnamese fishing vessel with 10 crewmen and around 70 pieces of slaughtered unidentified shark species in the territorial waters of northern Palawan, Tuesday.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-MIMAROPA OIC Regional Director Elizer Salilig said late Wednesday afternoon that Vietnamese vessel Hoa Huong was apprehended by the PN frigate BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15) at 9:48 a.m. 20 nautical miles off the Malampaya platform and 32 nautical miles off Tapiutan Island, Bacuit Bay in the town of El Nido.

Currently in the said town with teams from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and other concerned agencies, Salilig said the Vietnamese crewmen are now under custody of the navy.

The foreign vessel's shark hoard, on the other hand, is still being inventoried, according to Salilig.

PCSD Spokesperson Jovic Fabello told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) also late Wednesday afternoon that poaching charges are likely to be filed against the Vietnamese fishermen in violation of Section 87 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 or Republic Act 8550.

According to the law, it is unlawful for any foreign person, corporation or entity to fish or operate any fishing vessel in Philippine waters.

Any entry shall constitute a prima facie evidence that the vessel is engaged in fishing within the country's territorial waters.

"The protection of sharks, especially if they are rare or threatened species, has an extra layer because of their important role in the marine ecosystem. Most likely, cases of poaching will be filed against them," he said, adding the names of the foreign fishermen are not yet available.

Meanwhile, a Navy spot report obtained by the PNA disclosed that the Vietnamese fishermen tried to evade being pursued, and that the captain knew they were in Philippine waters.

The spot report furthered that the Vietnamese fishers have been in the area where they were apprehended since August 1.  (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 9-- Officials of Negros Occidental pushed for a continued collaboration with their counterparts in Negros Oriental despite the dissolution of  Negros Island Region (NIR).

Amid the sadness and disappointment over the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to revoke Executive Order (EO) No. 183 that created the NIR, Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Wednesday the decision of the President should be accepted and respected.

"We will continue to work and collaborate with Negros Oriental," he added.

On August 7, the President signed EO No. 38, revoking the creation of NIR on May 29, 2015 for lack of funds.

"The establishment of regional offices of departments and agencies in the NIR requires substantial appropriation to be fully operational, thus competing with government priority programs and projects for funding," the EO stated.

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson proposed the creation of a special body to continue the province's cooperation with Negros Oriental.

Third District Rep. Alfredo Benitez expressed sadness over the development, but said lawmakers will try to ensure it will not have a negative consequence to Negros.

"We, in the Congress, will work on having minimal effect to the island," he added.

Former governor Rafael Coscolluela, who now acts as Capitol consultant, said he is "sad and disappointed, but challenged."

Coscolluela, a member of NIR-Technical Working Group, said that in the meantime, both provinces can explore creating a Negros Development Alliance to keep the island's initiatives going.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 9 -- A street level drug personality was arrested in a buy-bust here Tuesday night that yielded P310,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as "shabu".

A report of Police Station 6 of Bacolod City Police Office showed the suspect, Don Ernst Gonzales, 29, a resident of Barangay Singcang-Airport, sold a sachet of "shabu" to a police agent for PHP1,200 during the operation conducted at Doña Juliana Subdivision in Barangay Taculing around 6:40 p.m..

Operatives led by Chief Inspector Jovil Sedel also seized from the suspect four big sachets and 57 elongated sachets of suspected hard drugs placed inside a white sock.

Other items confiscated included a Yamaha MEO 125 motorcycle and a Samsung cellular phone.

Sedel said in an interview the suspect, who is facing charges for sale and possession of dangerous drugs, supplies hard drugs in Barangays 2, Taculing, Singcang-Airport, and Banago.

Last August 2, seven persons were also arrested inside a hotel room in Bacolod following a buy-bust jointly conducted by operatives of the City Drug Enforcement Unit and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-18.

The operation led to the recovery of about 70 grams of "shabu" with an estimated value of PHP700,000.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BACOLOD CITY, Aug. 9 -- About 300 residents of various barangays here received a total of PHP1 million in financial assistance for various purposes from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

This was announced Wednesday by the Office of Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya, which facilitated the release of the aid with the DSWD-Negros Island Region.

The recipients were granted educational, burial, and medical assistance distributed during a two-day activity held on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Negros Occidental Multi-Purpose Activity Center in Bacolod.

The project was implemented through the Expanded Aid to Individuals in Crises Situation (EAICS) under the Protective Service Program (PSP) of the DSWD.

Last Monday, 200 vendors from various public markets of Bacolod also received a total of PHP2 million in livelihood assistance under the Sustainable Livelihood Program funded by the Bottom-up Budgeting of the DSWD.

Each vendor received an amount of PHP10,000 distributed by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and other city officials.

Department of Social Services and Development head Pacita Tero said the assistance was released in the form of a loan payable in three months.

The financial support is intended to empower the market vendors by providing them a cooperative loans system, she added.(Nanette L. Guadalquiver/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug. 9 -- Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol ordered the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to review and validate all existing fishpond areas.

In a press conference Tuesday evening attended by heads of the department's attached agencies, Piñol said that fishpond areas which are unutilized and unproductive shall be canceled.

"I will order the cancellation of fishpond leasing agreements (FLAs). We have to make our areas productive," he said.

Piñol made the order as he urged new graduates of fishery schools and agricultural schools to find investment opportunities, one of which is to develop fishpond areas.

"We are encouraging our young people, organize and identify what you want to do because we in the Department of Agriculture right now under the leadership President (Rodrigo) Duterte will finance agri people and lure them back in farms and the fishing grounds," he stated.

Meantime, BFAR-6 director Remia Aparri said that the directive is very timely and the law states that FLAs of abandoned fishponds  must be cancelled.

[http://media]

She confirmed that there a lot of abandoned fishponds where mangroves thrive.  Some lessors decided to give up due to financial constraint, such as capitalization or their income is not enough to cover their expenses.

Once the FLAs is cancelled the property will go back to the government. The concerned agency will determine if what will be done to the fishpond dependent on the status. She said that there are areas that could no longer be utilized as fishponds. Otherwise, BFAR will recommend the aquasilvi culture project.

Meantime, existing fishpond operators are provided inputs such as free fingerlings, technology and technical assistance to culture milkfish.

In exchange, they only have to provide BFAR with data on their production for data banking purposes.

BFAR data showed that Western Visayas has 1,523 fishpond arewas covering 14, 403 hectares.

Piñol, who visited Guimaras, Iloilo and Antique as part of his provincial sorties, August 8-9, turned over PHP233 million worth of farm support to qualified farmers and fisherfolks. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ILOILO CITY, Aug 9 -- A blog written by a Grade 11 student from Hercules, California, whose parents hail from Philippines, paved the way for 100 Indigenous People (IP) of a far-flung village in Lambunao, Iloilo to avail of solar lamps.

The entire family of Mary Perez, a global ambassador of the One Million Lights Foundation, went home to Iloilo to personally deliver the 100 solar lamps, according to Jennifer Osorio, the municipal tourism officer of Lambunao.

[http://media]Mary Perez  (L) writes a blog to campaign for solar lamp donations to IP households of Brgy. Panuran, Lambunao, Iloilo (Photo by CEC Information Center Lambunao )

The IP community is in Brgy. Panuran, about 16 kilometers away from the town, proper passing through a rough road.  While there are lights in the barangay proper, yet some of its far-flung sitios unfortunately are yet to be reached by the household electrification program.

Osorio relayed that Panuran IP Chieftain Romeo Loraña happened to talk with Miriam Lima who worked for the Department of Education (DedEd) during one of their cultural gatherings. Loraña shared that pupils of their far-flung sitios study using kerosene lamps.

Lima is the aunt of Perez. They are from Mandurriao district of Iloilo City.

Over the weekend, the entire family led by the parents –Edgardo and Myra Perez – went to Panuran to turn over the donations raised through Mary's blog.

Each lamp costs US$15.  However, since the recipients no longer have to buy kerosene, they were urged to save the money instead and used it to acquire for the replacement. The lifespan of the solar lamp is five years.

[http://media]100 households benefit from the solar lamp donations raised b Mary Perez, a global ambassador of One Million Lights Foundation (Photo by  CEC Information Center Lambunao)

 

Based on its website,  One Million Lights is an organization with a mission to "improve the daily lives of children and adults by providing clean and healthy lighting."

The Perez family was joined by Lambunao Mayor Jason Gonzales, One Million Lights Philippines Focal Person Raffy Tan Pho, DepEd personnel and other local officials during the turnover ceremony. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LAOAG CITY, Aug. 9 — Over the last 50 years, the Philippines and its nine other Southeast Asian neighbors continue to promote friendship and cooperation.

Seeing this history unfold with the symbolic lighting of ASEAN landmark in various parts of the country including Laoag and Paoay in Ilocos Norte on Tuesday evening, the Ilocano youth made their presence felt as they wore colorful attire representing a truly unique ASEAN community.

The  innovative, independent and outspoken youth of the north believe that they are not just future leaders of their own region but also have the potential to stretch the world's awareness of ASEAN and to nurture a strong sense of relationship.

With the organization's pillar of being outward-looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership with the Southeast Asian nations for a dynamic development and a community of caring societies, Ilocano youth understand the role of the ASEAN. 

"ASEAN is an organization in Asia that aims to boost trade of goods, create bigger job opportunities and improve influx travel among the said members of the organization," Josiah Navarro, a tourism student, said. 

Hillary Siazon of Mariano Marcos State University said, "ASEAN is where the leaders from Southeast Asian countries get together and talk about economy and global trades."

The youth emphasize that they play an important role in further strengthening the cooperation among the 10-member countries through sharing their hopes, aspirations and feedback in building the ASEAN community.

They also hope that Southeast Asian nations will have a more solid relationship and stronger unity, especially the leaders, being the ones taking the lead to forge peace.

"Let us be united, not divided. Build strong relations for the next generations. After all, young people are the hope of our world. We should invest in programs that will help them be more competitive and respected in the international community," Siazon stressed. 

ASEAN envisions partnerships where nothing and no one can divide these countries but linked together in friendship, cooperation and commerce. 

Ilocano youth desire for unity as they consider this as the starting point of every initiative the ASEAN community will make. 

With their voices being raised, the youth expect projects and programs that will benefit future generations. (with report from Jannahry Ann L. Campos,PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAGUPAN CITY, Aug. 9 -- The city of Dagupan is set to establish the first of its kind Digital Library set to be incorporated in the existing e-library hub earlier built by the city government with the help of the Department of Education to serve the needs of all students of the city.

This was after the city council passed Draft Ordinance No. 0611 authored by Councilor Maybelyn de la Cruz-Fernandez on Wednesday, August 9, that seeks to establish the Digital Library consistent with the clamor of students and other researchers in the city.

Fernandez said at least P4 million was set aside by the City Budget for buying computers that will be installed to form part of the Digital Library that be operated and sustained by the city government

Councilor Fernandez informed her colleagues that the establishment of the Digital Library was actually sought by this year's batch of youth officials under ther program "Manlingkor ya Kalangweran" (MYK) with Jillian Madison Kay Fernandez, a student of the Pangasinan Universal Institute (PUI), as young city mayor.

In defending the measure, Councilor Fernandez said the Digital Library is vital to the learning experience of students and to their academic achievements in order to provide them additional tools and resources.

Section 1 of the ordinance states that there shall be a Digital Library Website established in coordination with the city's e-library Hub, City Library and the Internet Communication and Technology (ICT) office.

She added that the Digital Library shall be an online archive of different e-books, articles, journals and other educational reading materials, serving as an up-to-date, credible and accessible source or reference for studies and research purposes without them going to any physical library or e-library Hub anymore..

Upon payment of the nominal library fee at P15 per month but free for all students of public schools, a digital library account shall be issued to qualified users with corresponding library card and password.

Initially, the Digital Library will be open during weekdays but depending on the need for it, the library may also extend its operations on Saturdays  and Sundays and on holidays, if necessary, said Fernandez. (PNA)

 



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 9 ---- The people of the "happy" island province of Catanduanes has regained a peaceful life since the discovery of the "shabu" laboratory in Virac town in November 2016, as shown in the latest index crime statistics, according to a police official today, Wednesday.

P/Senior Insp. Dexter Panganiban, Virac Municipal Police Station (MPS) deputy chief of police, in an interview said the number of index crimes which are serious in nature decreased from 160 crimes for the period of January-July 2016 to 92 crimes in the same period this year.

The Virac MPS personnel have done their best with diligence and dedication to their respective duties, resulting in notable accomplishments, Panganiban added.

Crime solution and crime clearance efficiencies of the station is also up this year by more than 10 percent.

"These were a result of the intensified, scientific and near surgical operations conducted by the Virac MPS, support of the local government of Virac and other members of community," the police official said.

Most notable are the decrease in robbery, from 20 cases last year to only 9 cases this year and the drop in theft incidents from 121 cases last year to only 65 this year.

This can be attributed to the deployment of personnel in strategic areas based on the "crime incident reporting analysis system" or CIRAS-Generated Crime Map and Crime Clock --- the provision of new patrol vehicles and other equipment, Panganiban said.

He added that the Crime Clearance Efficiency showed an uptrend as 196 out of 484 incidents for the period were cleared. This is 16.18 percent more than the Crime Clearance Efficiency in the same period of last year.

Panganiban said a crime is considered as "cleared" when at least one of the offenders has been identified, there is sufficient evidence to charge him or has been charged before the prosecutors or in court.

While crime is considered as "solved" when one of the perpetrator has been identified, case filed before the prosecutor and suspect has been arrested--- this is considered as "solved cases", he added.

The Crime Solution Efficiency also showed a positive trend as 178 incidents out of the 484 incidents were solved. This is 14.55 percent higher than the Crime Solution Efficiency during the period last year. (Jorge Hallare/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat, Aug. 9 -- A P100,000 reward has been offered for information that could identify and eventually prosecute the gunmen who shot dead a provincial radio-print journalist on Monday in Pres. Quirino, Sultan Kudarat, a police official said Wednesday.

Mayor Azel Mangudadatu of President Quirino has raised the bounty to immediately resolve the murder of journalist Leodoro Diaz, .of Barangay Katiko, President Quirino, according to Senior Supt. Raul Supiter.

Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police director, said Diaz, 60, columnist for Gen. Santos City-based Sapol tabloid and provincial correspondent of Manila Bulletin and Balita tabloid, was driving his motorbike going to Tacurong City with his son Cris Jay and a lady relative when two men riding tandem on motorbike opened fire on him in Barangay Kalanawi 2, Pres. Quirino.

He died instantly due to multiple gunshot wounds from .45 cal. pistol in the head and body.

Supiter said he created a multi-sectoral task force to help in the investigation and determine the motive of the attack against Diaz.

He said police are hunting down the perpetrators based on the statement issued by the victim's son.

"We are digging deeper, we have some leads and we are following it 9without let up," Supiter said. He refused to provide specific details on the investigation.

Chief Inspector Joan Resurrecion, Pres. Quirino town police chief, said Diaz' son Cris Jay and a lady relative were riding with him but they escaped unhurt.

Supiter said police are determining if the murder was work related or triggered by personal grudge.  Even the victim's son could not say if it was work related, saying his father has no known enemies.

However, Supiter said Diaz was a hard hitting newspaper columnist discussing illegal drugs and corruption in his daily column.

Supiter also appealed to anyone who has information about the Diaz murder to help the police locate the perpetrators.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat, Aug. 9 -- A drug suspect was killed after he tried, but failed, to set off a hand grenade on police officers during anti-drug operation in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat Tuesday afternoon, police said.  

Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police director, said Wednesday the suspect, Gilbert Golingay, was inside his home at Sitio Lawa, Barangay Saripinang when the police, armed with search warrant, arrived.

Supiter said the police were to implement search warrant for illegal drugs and gun possession against Golingay, a farmer.

But Golingay, Bagumbayan's most wanted drug personality, resisted arrest and tried to pull the safety lever of a hand grenade he was holding.

Police were quick to open fire on him before he can pull the safety pin.

Police found six sachets of suspected illegal drugs, a hand grenade and several bullets.

Golingay, Supiter said, had voluntarily showed to police station and admitted he was into drug pushing during the implementation of "Oplan Tok-Hang" in Bagumbayan.

He vowed to reform and do away with illegal drugs and illegal activities but police learned he was back to his old business.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

MIDSAYAP, North Cotabato, Aug. 9 –- The provincial board of North Cotabato on Tuesday placed the entire province under state of calamity due to natural and man-made calamities that hit the province this year.

Boardmember Rolly Sacdalan said the provincial council passed Resolution No. 10 in response to recommendation by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).

Sacdalan said the province was hit by both floods and armed hostilities perpetrated by outlawed elements that led to the displacement of civilians.

Hit by calamities were Kidapawan City and the towns of Makilala, Pigcawayan, Tulunan, Kabacan, Pikit, Carmen, Alamada, Magpet and Antipas.

The calamities affected more than 10,000 farmers and destroyed crops and infrastructure amounting to P400 million.

Among the man-made calamities that hit the province was the attack by outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters Malagakit that left two persons dead and about 3,000 villagers fleeing.

The attackers also vandalized a chapel in Barangay Malagakit, Pigcawayan, North Cotabato.

Floods also hit the villages in the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao due to torrential rains affecting Mindanao in June and July.

In January this year, more than 100 inmates of the North Cotabato District Jail escaped after gunmen attacked the jail facility to rescue comrades from detention.

Of the 130 escapees, about 80 remained at large.  A jail guard and two others were killed in the incident. Three other inmates were killed during manhunt operations after the attack.(PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

LA TRINIDAD BENGUET, August 9 – The local government of this town is heightening its effort to reduce the number of wastes generated to prevent experiencing a large scale problem in the future.

La Trinidad Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) Arthur Pedro on Wednesday told the Philippine News Agency that the "load back" policy of the town, which has been existing for many years is now being implemented in full swing and this has lowered the biodegradable waste generation from 17 to just three tons a day.

 "The vegetable industry of the municipality produces at least 17 tons of vegetable waste everyday. The stricter implementation of the "load back" policy is seen as a solution to prevent an over spill of vegetable trimmings or what is locally called "ub-bak".

"Ub-bak" are vegetable trimmings or the outer covering especially of the leafy vegetables which are removed prior to their packaging and transport to the different markets outside the trading post in this capital town.

 

[http://media]

Highland vegetables from Benguet are cleaned of trimmings at the trading

post before they are packed and transported to the different markets outside

Benguet, increasing the waste generation of the town. (Liza T. Agoot/PNA)

 

Pedro said prior to the load back policy implementation,  vegetable trimmings were all brought to the composting facility of the town near the same place as the location of the sanitary landfill in Induyan, Barangay Alno.

He explained that the load back policy is the transportation of all types of vegetable trimmings back to their origin or to the farm where the vegetables were grown. This is to prevent the accumulation of vegetable wastes being hauled to the composting facility.

 "We have to strictly implement the policy now," Pedro said.

He said that the policy has been existing for several years but due to the relaxed implementation, it was not observed. Farmers were allowed not to haul back their vegetable trimmings and these were simply brought to the composting facility for conversion to natural fertilizer.

 "Our composting facility is still working but it has exceeded its capacity already that it can no longer accommodate the wastes coming from the trading post," Pedro added.

To help strengthen their campaign, MENRO initiated a meeting with all the stake holders of La Trinidad trading post last week to reiterate the strict implementation of the said policy. Site inspection was also conducted at the composting facility. The meeting resulted in a reduction of the wastes collected from 17 tons to three tons per day.

The meeting was an offshoot of a memorandum order issued by La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda for stricter and full implementation of the policy.

While the policy does not carry a penalty, it needs to be implemented and complied with by those in the vegetable industry in support to the local government's effort to reduce its waste generation. (Dionisio Dennis Jr./PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAGUPAN CITY, Aug. 9 -- The city election officer of Dagupan has confirmed that a lot of public funds, as well as efforts, will go to waste if the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections set for Oct. 23 will be postponed again for the second time.

Lawyer Erickson Oganiza, city election officer of Dagupan, said not only the Comelec office in Dagupan but also other field offices of the agency are in the process and others have already finished printing their computerized list of voters.

In Dagupan, he said, they are now checking the list for possible errors as part of their preparations for the coming barangay and SK elections.

But in the national office, they have already started printing the official ballots for the October 23 barangay and SK elections numbering more than 77 million for distribution all over the country, he added in an interview on Wednesday.

These ballots, that will cost more than a billion pesos, may not be used if these two political exercises are postponed again for a latter day as these are intended to be used for a specific day.

" I don't think these ballots and other documents already readied and being readied can still be used for another date," said Oganiza but added this is all up to Congress, whether it will pass another law postponing these elections.

As to the report that lawmakers are inclined to pass a law resetting the election in May next year to hopefully coincide with a referendum on federalism yet to be legislated by Congress, Oganiza said this might be hard, but if the agency receives such mandate, it may find a way to do it.

He cited the fact that in these barangay and SK elections, the 18 to 30 years old people are SK members so therefore, they can also vote in the barangay elections as regular voters. Therefore, they are voting twice on the same day in two political exercises.

Oganiza said this poses a big problem to the Comelec since this is only the first time in the history of the country that voters, specifically those 18 to 30 years old, can vote twice on the same day.

He revealed that based on the computerized list of voters in Dagupan, there are 108,476 regular voters  and 41,273 SK voters.  (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

NAGA CITY, Aug. 9 ---Acting on the complaint of an environmental group against the cutting of centuries-old trees along the route where the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undertakes a road-widening project, a regional trial court (RTC) here has ordered the temporary halt of tree-cutting through a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) issued on Tuesday.

"The Court is convinced by the allegations in the Complaint as supported by the evidence adduced during the summary hearing that the matter is of extreme urgency and the plaintiff will suffer grave and irreparable injury if the cutting of trees will not be restrained," according to the disposition of Judge Leo L. Intia of RTC Branch 27 here.

In the complaint filed by Edgardo M. Castro and several others who represent the environmental group "They Grey, We Green", they asked the court to issue a TEPO to save the trees along San Felipe Road and Magsaysay Avenue in Naga City.

Also included under the TEPO are trees along Liboton-Magsaysay Road covering the Barangays of Liboton, Peñafrancia, Balatas and Concepcion within Naga City.

Another area placed under TEPO is Naga-Carolina-Panicuason Road, also in Barangay San Felipe here.

The group noted that in May-June this year, more than 23 trees had already been cut along Magsaysay Avenue here.

Reacting to the TEPO, Richard Ragrario, assistant district engineer of the second engineering district of Camarines Sur that supervises the road-widening project, said they will abide by the order.

But Ragrario said they will continue the road-widening work in San Felipe Road without cutting, which would result in trees being left in the middle of pavements.

Lucy Castañeda, spokesperson of the DPWH, confirmed that in cases where there are problems such as this, the DPWH usually avoids cutting the trees but continues with the road work.

She also said DPWH Regional Director Danilo E. Versola will issue a formal statement regarding the TEPO on Monday.

But the city government of Naga has approved the cutting of the trees along the road as revealed by a city councilor here during the regular session of the city council on Tuesday (Aug. .

Councilor Salvador Del Castillo said that last year, they passed a resolution asking the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the DPWH to cut trees along the road within Naga City.

But Naga City Mayor John Bongat said they respect the TEPO issued by the court.

The court was convinced "by the allegations" of the complainants that "aside from the beauty, shade, clean and fresh air contributed by the trees, the trees absorb carbon dioxide while giving off oxygen."

The TEPO also cited the argument of the complainants that "(t)here is no evidence that widening of roads ease traffic congestion. On the contrary, when a road is widened, more cars pass just like the EDSA---a very wide road where traffic congestion is a daily occurrence." (Juan Escandor Jr./PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

BORACAY ISLAND, Aklan, Aug. 9 -- A six-foot tall fiberglass lantern serving as an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) landmark was switched on Tuesday night here.

Officials of the local government unit of Malay, volunteers and liaison officers during the ASEAN meetings held here led the lighting ceremony at Balabag Plaza at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The officials wore white during the lighting ceremony. 

The landmark lighting ceremony was held simultaneously in other sites across the country in celebration of the 50th year of the ASEAN. The Philippines is the Chair of ASEAN for 2017 with the theme  "Partnering for Change, Engaging The World." 

Meanwhile, the local lighting ceremony spearheaded by the Malay Municipal Tourism Office opened with a cultural show showcasing talented Malaynons and fire dancing performance.

Rowen Aguirre, executive assistant of LGU-Malay who serves as the ASEAN focal person here , acknowledged those who volunteered  during the meetings held in this island.

Boracay hosted two ASEAN meetings including the 23rd meeting of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) from February 13 to 15 and the Foreign Ministers Retreat from February 19 to 21.

To be chosen as one site for such serious international events, Aguirre said hosting ASEAN is an achievement for Boracay. "We are privilege to host this international event," he said.

Malay Mayor Ceciron Cawaling, meanwhile, encouraged the audience composed of local officials, representatives from the business sector, among others to work together for Boracay and Malay in general.

The activity was likewise attended by local chief executives from other Aklan towns.

The lantern, with incandescent bulbs, featuring the ASEAN logo and colors, anahaw leaves, and sampaguita flowers will be mounted until November. (PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAVAO CITY, Aug 9 -- Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario awarded Filipino world boxing champion Jerwin "Pretty Boy" Ancajas for winning the IBF world super flyweight in Brisbane, Australia last month.

Ancajas received the DavNor Golden Sports Excellence Award from Del Rosario and two plaques of congratulations during his visit to the Tagum Development Corporation (Tadeco) where he was given a warm welcome by employees and students of the Don Antonio Floirendo Sr. High School.

Ancajas who was also joined by his father Cesario, said "I'm more inspired to train now after this recognition that has been given to me. "Lipay kaayo ko na naka anhi pud ko dire sa Tadeco (I am so happy that I am able to visit Tadeco)," said Ancajas, who is now slated to make his mandatory title defense against the winner between two Filipino boxers -- former two-time world champion Johnriel "Quadro Alas" Casimero (24-3-0, 15 KOs) and Jonas "Zorro" Sultan (13-3-0, 9 KOs) on September 6 in Cebu.

On Monday, Ancajas was given a heroes' welcome at his own hometown in Panabo City.Ancajas successfully defended his IBF world super flyweight title via a 7th round technical knockout against Japanese challenger Teiru Kinoshita last July 2 in Brisbane, Australia was toured around the city proper on a motorcade from the city hall. Mayor James Gamao thanked Ancajas for bringing honor to Panabo and for being an inspiration to the young athletes and the youth.

Ancajas, 25 was accompanied by his wife Ruth and two sons and some friends including Mindanao Professional Boxing Association (MinProba) president Engr. Jilson Basang (also a fellow alumni), treasurer Ricardo "Bong" Javier, Mindanao Ring Officials Association (MinRoa) president Brembot Dulalas, and Games and Amusements Board (GAB) Davao OIC Arlene Olondrez and Supervisor Datu Fahd Sinsuat.

They also visited the Congressional Office of Rep. Antonio "Tonyboy" Floirendo and at his nearby Barangay Una Boxing Gym. "Dito po ako galing sa Panabo amateur boxing team. Malaki po ang akin utang na loob sa kanila (I came from the Panabo amateur boxing team. I owe them gratitude)," said Ancajas, who also met his former teammates and coaches.

Ancajas, who was also earlier given a heroes ' welcome in Davao City last month will next visit his mother in General Santos City before he flies back to Manila on August 21 to resume his training at the Elorde Gym in Imus, Cavite. His trainer-manager Joven Jimenez is currently in the US for the fight of his stablemate Alexis Aguelo. (Lito delos Reyes/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com

DAVAO CITY, Aug 9 – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI launched its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) for five associations in Manay town, Davao Oriental.

The five SLP associations with a total of 105 members have ventured into various enterprise to boost their income. Among them are the SLP associations in Capasman, Kadayawan, Guza, Manreza Peanut Growers, and Davao Fish Cage SLP Associations.

They are into chicken production, tilapia, coco vinegar, peanut, and general merchandise retailing. The Sustainable Livelihood Program is a community-based capacity building effort that seeks to improve the beneficiaries' socio-economic status through Micro-Enterprise Development and Employment Facilitation. (Carmela Duron/PNA)



* Stay at Home and START YOUR OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at www.wirenine.com