MikeLigalig.com

by Sunday Post

A P14 million rehabilitation project supposedly up for bidding as announced by Gov. Edgar Chatto Friday will have to wait a little longer as its Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) is yet to be received by the Department of Public Works and Highways First Engineering District. The rehab project is crucial for its importance as it involves the repair and rehabilitation of a stretch of the Cortes-Maribojoc highway where several landslides occurred in the past. The landslideâ€"prune area is in barangay Liloan in Cortes town. The stretch of highway which was carved out from a mountain located before reaching the town proper was declared a one-way street after it caved in due to landslides in the past.

Motorists in going to Maribojoc has to pass a circuitous route to the Cortes town proper before going downhill through a road bounding the landslide-prune site. The one-way street is for motorists going to this city from Maribojoc and other parts up north. Gov. Chatto happily announced Friday during his weekly radio program “Kita, ug ang Gobernador”, that the bidding of the rehab project was scheduled on October 14. But a check with the local DPWH showed that the SARO for the project was yet to be released. It was learned that the office of District Engineer Ted Castillo of the DPWH succeeded in having the allotment for the rehab project released to start the road’s repair. Not a few motorists were complaining of the inconvenience they encounter as they cruise the circuitous detour route.

By Sunday Post

He was in the mood for trash talking but it was one topic that many people wanted to hear. Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim yesterday discussed the garbage problem, saying he was concerned about the state of the dumpsite in Barangay Dampas. The mayor admitted that the problem has become very complicated but expressed confidence that he was “up to the challenge”. “I am not like other people who will simply wash their hands when there is a problem and especially when the problem is very big,” he added. He made no reference to anybody but most people knew who he was referring. Lim discussed the problem over his radio program “Ang Mayor Sa Dakbayan” aired live over Station DyTR every Saturday morning.

The mayor revealed that the road going to the dump site is in a very bad state but was quick to pin some of the blame on Dampas Barangay Captain Fredison Ingles. “He was boasting that he will be the one to solve the problem because he has his governor and congressman,” he added. The mayor said that he decided to take Ingles at his boast so he did not do anything about it. “I was hoping that they would do their best to prove their worth but it turned out it was not much different to all their empty promises,” he added. His critics accused the mayor of harassing the residents of Dampas in retaliation for the win of Ingles over his candidate in the last election. The mayor said people need to learn their lessons for rejecting his candidate. After waiting for one year after Ingles made the boast while campaigning for reelection, Lim said he has seen enough. “So now I have decided to solve the problem because it is within my responsibility,” he added.

He said that the difficulties that they experienced and the inaction on the part of the political patrons of Ingles should be enough to teach the residents of Dampas the lessons not to be swayed again next time. The mayor, however, admitted that that the state of the road is easiest problem to solve. “We will begin work on it soon and, who knows, we might finish it within the year?” he remarked. He said the bigger problem is the state of the dumpsite which is no longer capable of holding the trash dumped into it daily. Aside from the increase in the volume of garbage due to the population increase in the city, the trash from neighboring towns is also being thrown there. He said resorts and private establishments unload their garbage in Dampas. “So while the area of the dumpsite has not grown much even though we have acquired the adjacent lots, it is not enough to meet the ever-increasing volume of garbage that include those from the surrounding towns,” the mayor noted.

The mayor said that starting Monday, he will no longer allow garbage to be dumped in the area. He explained that unless traffic is closed, the road improvement project will not prosper. Lim also cited the increasing maintenance cost for the garbage trucks and equipment needed at the dumpsite. “At present, there are only about six serviceable trucks that break down now and then because they are already overused,” he noted. He revealed that the owner of the bulldozer that is used to level the garbage at the dump site has complained that his equipment depreciates faster than when used for other purposes due to the acid fumes from the garbage. “This is the reason why we are looking into the possibility of privatizing the waste collection and disposal services,” he added. If it will be cheaper for the city to do that, the mayor said he would be amenable to outsourcing.

by Edcom and Sunday Post

The newly-minted regional director of the Philippine National police has made Bohol as the first province where he made an official visit. Incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Director Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, Jr. came to Bohol Friday as his first official visit right after assuming his post in Central Visayas Gen. Garbo paid a courtesy call on Gov. Edgar Chatto last Friday with Col. Louie Oppus, regional PNP chief for operations, and Provincial PNP Director Constantino Paul Barot, Jr. to gladly inform the governor that Bohol is still 100% insurgency-free. Garbo further told Gov. Chatto that he just came from a joint peace and order coordinating team meeting in Lapu-lapu City but hastily departed from Cebu to honor his scheduled appointment with the governor.

The increasing problem on cyber sex crimes is “beginning to be a top priority project of the PNP because of the increasing number of sex-related crimes using high-tech equipment and gadgets,” said Gen Garbo. Moreover, Bohol’s tourism, said Garbo, is the Philippines’ only chance of making a major breakthrough to be known globally; and considering this, more attention should be given to police visibility in tourist-infested areas of the province. Garbo informed the governor that he, personally, has been promoting Bohol as an avid diver, and has been going around the island visiting the province’s “virgin places.” He further said that there are only 14 tourist destinations accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and that the islands of Bohol and Boracay have been lauded as models for tourist police visibility.

However, the PNP General admits that there is now a major problem in his agency’s recruitment for oftentimes, many applicants fail in neuro-psychiatric tests, a very important factor in law enforcement; which explains the decreasing number of police personnel in the country. But, Garbo also said, that he greatly admires Boholanos for the people’s ingenuity in “creating” tourist attractions like the Butterfly Station in Bilar and the “baksan” in Alburquerque and Maribojoc. Adding to this, the general is also very keen on following established protocol during drug-busting and other crime-related operations wherein, he says, a serious problem lies because some law enforcement agencies do not see eye to eye.

Truly Asian Beauty

By SEN GUINGGUING

A member of the Bohol Sangguniang Panlalawigan who is one of the mechanical contractors of the three mine sites whose equipment, barges and guest houses were burned down by New People’s Army guerillas in a coordinated raid Monday lost his Toyota Innova car worth P1.2 million. The car, a 2010 model, was strafed with gunfire by the attacking rebels. This was confirmed last night by Board Member Gerardo Garcia of the second district in an exclusive interview with the Post. Garcia, an engineer, is a contractor of Taganito Mining Corp. providing the mechanical requirements of the mining company whose partners are Japanese nationals who operate a nickel smelting plant inside the more than 400 hectares mining site. Aside from Garcia, other Boholanos who own heavy equipment like bulldozers, backhoes, loaders, and dump trucks are sub-contractors in the hauling of mined deposits in the vast mining area. During its peak, about 600 dump trucks were owned by Boholano sub-contractors but the figure has since been trimmed down to about 200.

According to one hauler who requested anonymity, the Surigao business was so lucrative that many local contractors resorted to borrow money in the banks to bankroll their Surigao operations. Many Bohol contractors made money in the Surigao hauling transaction but many others lost their shirts after they were milked dry by their own men manning the operations. The contractors who lost heavily in what otherwise was a profitable enterprise were those who operated by “remote control”â€"meaning, those who stayed behind in Bohol while their caretakers were running the business in the mine site. The take-charge guys in Surigao were said to have shortchanged their bosses in Bohol by under reporting deliveries prompting the owners to call it quits. The local contractors were lured with the prospect of participating in the lucrative contract of providing the hauling volume of 15 to 20 cargo vessels to haul nickel deposits in the three mine sites in Claver town alone in Surigao del Norte. Each vessel has a capacity of 3,350 truckloads of raw minerals for transport to either China, Japan and Australia.

The huge volume of hauling requirements prodded the many Boholano businessmen to take a plunge into the Surigao mines hauling business. Among the local businessmen who were lured into joining the exodus of local sub-contractors enticed by the juicy hauling contracts in Surigao were Balilihan Mayor Domiciano Chatto, Mayor Leon Calipusan, former Dagohoy mayor Sofronio “Moloy” Apat, Jr., Ricardo Lim, Butch Borja, Alberto Baguio, Lito Javier, Boy Jumamoy, to name a few. But some of these contractors have since chickened out from the Surigao business after complaining about alleged “interference” of both the military and the NPA. Monday’s atrocity on Surigao’s huge mining concessionaires that involved about 300 NPA rebels was reported to be about revolutionary taxes. The communist rebels attack resulted in the burning down of 10 dump trucks, eight backhoes, two barges and a guest house, according to police and military officials. The rebels also seized several guns from private security guards and smashed computers in offices.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which is currently holding peace talks with the Aquino administration. The military said the refusal of Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC), Taganito HPAL Nickel Corp. and Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC) to give in to the NPA demand for a revolutionary tax prompted the attacks. In the aftermath of the NPA hit, it was gathered that except that of the Toyota Innova of Engr. Garcia, all the heavy equipment owned by Boholanos were spared of the burning rampage. A Boholano contractor who just arrived from Surigao confirmed that all the Boholano-owned equipment used by the three mine operators for hauling purposes were spared apparently due to the owners’ a special concession’ with the attackers. A source told the Post that the local sub-contractors have acceded to an arrangement that the main contractor were making a cut for every truck load of raw materials supposedly representing the NPAs share of the transaction.

In the case of Engr. Garcia, he said the reason why he suffered a minor casualty was because of his good relations in the area including all the people involved in the operations like the local officials and the NPAs operating in the region. He did not elaborate. He owns the Taihei AllTech Construction (Phils), Inc. which bagged a multi-dollar contract in the fabrication of machines used in the nickel smelting process. As a contractor, he owns cranes and other heavy equipment but the same were spared during the burning spree except the strafing incident of his service vehicle. According to Engr. Garcia since the raid Monday, the mine site was declared off-limits to mine employees and sub-contractors after it was believed to have been littered with mines by the retreating rebels. Days before the raid, a rebel leader called for the dismantling of mining operations that wreak havoc on the environment and displace indigenous communities. TMC and PGMC are among the country’s leading exporters of nickel ore to Japan, China and Australia.

TMC is owned by Nickel Asia Corp., the Philippines’ largest nickel producer with Japan’s Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. as its partner. Taganito HPAL is a sister company of TMC. In June, Nickel Asia said its sales volumes were likely to increase about 20 percent this year, with about 60 percent of output going to China. The company was looking to sell about 10 million tons of ore this year, topping last year’s record of 8.3 million tons. The reason why Boholanos became part of the Surigao hauling business was the connection of Fernando “Ding” Borja as operations manager of Platinum Mineral Resources Corp., a partner of Taganito Mining Corp. Borja is a close ally of Salvador “Buddy” Zamora, top honcho of Platinum Minerals. On his own and his local partners like Lucio Lim, Jr. of Lite Shipping fame, Zamora and Borja also own the Orbistondo Mining Corp., another mining concessionaire in the Surigao area. Not only were there casualties in terms of heavy equipment, barges and buildings, there was also toll in human lives. Three TMC security guards, were killed in the attack, said Colonel Rodrigo Diapana, commander of the Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade based in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur province.

vrl is right. this racist does not represent the general character of New Zealanders.

by JLV Edcom

Bohol Gov. Edgar M. Chatto, Vice-Gov. Concepcion O. Lim and members of the Provincial Development Council (PDC) all came to a consensus to personally visit the proposed site of the Bohol Northeast Basin Multi-Purpose Dam in Danao.

This came about during the PDC’s Execom Meeting Friday to make sure that said project is indeed viable; and to erase doubts on the proposed dam’s viability to irrigate a vast area of land in the province.

The project, which National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Provincial Director Engr. Modesto Membreve presented to the PDC body talked about an Irrigation and Hydro Power Project which aims to provide services to the farmers of Danao, San Miguel, Trinidad, Dagohoy, Bien Unido and Ubay.

It is said to irrigate about 19,017 hectares with the Wahig River as its source and is said to be capable of storing 78.5 MCM backed up with a 52.5 sq. km. watershed.

It is further envisioned that 10 megawatts of hydroelectric power could also be developed in this same project.

Project proponents contend that it could provide substantial and dependable water supply for irrigation services to support the agricultural development program of the government.

They also emphasized that it can also make available a dependable irrigation water supply in the Northeastern part of Bohol and could generate cheaper and renewable source of energy to augment the local electric power needs of the province.

Meanwile First District Representative Cong. Rene L. Relampagos brought to the PDC’s attention some national roads in Albur which are already tagged by residents as accident-prone due to the increasing number of re-occurring mishaps in said places.

Cong. Relampagos, through the PDC, made a formal request to Engr. Teodoro Castillo to immediately look into the matter to prevent more accidents in the future.

by PIA

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Bohol, in an attempt to engage consumers into the habit of demanding receipts for any sales or service rendered by establishments, helps popularize the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Premyo sa Resibo promo by distributing information posters on the nationwide tax campaign.

To this, PIA distributes a customized tarpaulin poster on the Premyo sa Resibo (PSR) using the Cebuano dialect to help in the tax generation campaign of the government.

The posters are for every town in Bohol and are set for posting at the town markets, which is one of the most prominent locations in the town, said PIA sources.

The unmistakeable red and yellow poster disseminates the manner in which consumers can participate in the promotional activity which uses the Tax Identification Number of the establishment issuing the official receipts, sales invoice, cash register machines, point of sales or validated utility bills’ as a critical factor for one to get an entry number in the raffle draw that opens up a million pesos for the winners.

The text based promo, would then only allow receipts with the minimum P100 value, which should be texted to a BIR promo hotline which acknowledges the entry through a reply.

The draw however uses a specific syntax, and any mistake in the required format can invalidate the entry, said BIR representative during a press conference months ago.

The syntax should be: PSR Tax Identification Number Official Receipt Number of the establishment and the receipt whole rounded value excluding the centavos.

Text entries with a receipt value of more than P100 can be sent to 9777 or 9778, for P2.50 charge per text, the BIR said.

All entries sent to 9777 would get one single entry and would be on for a single draw.

Entries however that are sent to 9778 earns multiple entries depending on number of hundreds in the receipt value, BIR added.

Each draw is set every week, on Fridays where the winners can get P20,000 while a monthly draw can earn the lucky receipt sender a coo P1,000,000.

Winners of the promo get a notification from (632) 338-9777 or (638) 338-5599.

For more information, contact the PIA in Bohol at 501-8554 or your local BIR.

By Scott Stewart | October 13, 2011

In response to the 9/11 attacks, the New York Police Department (NYPD) established its own Counter-Terrorism Bureau and revamped its Intelligence Division. Since that time, its methods have gone largely unchallenged and have been generally popular with New Yorkers, who expect the department to take measures to prevent future attacks.

Preventing terrorist attacks requires a much different operational model than arresting individuals responsible for such attacks, and the NYPD has served as a leader in developing new, proactive approaches to police counterterrorism. However, it has been more than 10 years since the 9/11 attacks, and the NYPD is now is facing growing concern over its counterterrorism activities. There is always an uneasy equilibrium between security and civil rights, and while the balance tilted toward security in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, it now appears to be shifting back... more at Stratfor Website

By PIA Bohol

Over a thousand Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid) availed of the services from different government agencies on the recently conducted Pantawid Convergence Caravan at Ramon Magsaysay Gymnasium October 1, 2011.

According to Ubay Information Officer Virgie Dupa, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 7 initiated the program which highlights the different services offered by the National, Provincial and Local offices were offered at a one stop shop for Pantawid beneficiaries picked from the six(6) Metro Ubay barangays.

The choosing of the six barangays was said to be a way to minimize their fare expenses.

Dupa, designated town media liaison said the event started early morning, as a huge but disciplined crowd-participants milled at the gymnasium and quickly occupied the bleachers according to the paged instructions by Aileen P. Lariba, Pantawid Information Officer.

The event also was a perfect venue to remind Pantawid beneficiaries of the conditions they have to comply with to continue getting the benefits.

The event also gathered the four pillars of a successful program implementation in Bohol.

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, 2nd District Congressman Erico Aumentado, Ubay Mayor Eutiquio Bernales and Shalaine Marie Lucero Regional Deputy Project Manager of DSWD R7 representing RD Evelyn Macapobre had at times been seen huddling to discuss some details and possibly hone the program implementation to perfection.

All these leaders also resounded their calls for responsible citizenship and judicious use of the assistance as this was not to last forever.

Chatto also urged the people to avail of the programs his office launched for livelihood, backyard gardening highlighting vegetables, herbal medicines and free range native chicken production, to help augment their pay-out benefits every month.

For his part, former governor and Congressman Erico Aumentado put up the challenge “Kaya Natong Taga Ubay, Ipadayon Ang Kalamboan while asking for his people the support and commitment needed for a sustainable development for Ubay.

Bernales, meanwhile expressed his sincerest thanks to all partner agencies who were very supportive in the Caravan.

Services offered during the day were vegetable seeds and seedlings distribution and farm technology demonstration.

by JLV of EdCom

History had it time and again that a woman would always play an important role in everyone’s life.

Admitting this, Gov. Edgar M. Chatto called on all the provincial government’s department heads and heads of national agencies for a unified consultation to fortify the province’s 2012 Gender and Development (GAD) Plan.

Chatto said that it is the policy of the Chatto-Lim Administration to promote women’s empowerment, gender equality, women’s rights and gender-responsive socio-economic development.

Gearing towards this goal, a seminar-workshop was held Wednesday to ensure that a thorough and workable plan can be built which could become the guiding principles whereby development goals are set.

Chatto directed that each sector’s proposed design must give emphasis to, and have a direct impact on, gender and development.

Tagbilaran City Councilor Mariquit Oppus facilitated the burning of eyebrows through the support of the Great Women Project (GWP).

During the workshop, participants were divided into eight clusters, namely: Health; Local Governance; Justice and Safety; Labor and Employment; Environment; Education, Culture and Arts and Media; Trade, Industry, Tourism and Agriculture; and the Special Sector.

They were also asked to assess their respective offices in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and targets. Each office or department then presented theirs issues and concerns which needed to be addressed underscoring gender-sensitive issues.

A Committee of Six was tasked to consolidate the proposals and consequently present the workshop’s results to Gov. Chatto and Vice-Mayor Concepcion Lim, the Provincial Government’s GAD Focal Person.

from AFP Press Release

Carmen cluster is a model health district.

At the latest meeting of the Carmen Health District Board on Thursday in Pamilacan Island, Gov. Edgar Chatto lauded consolidated efforts of mayors and Rural Health Unit Doctors for the success story that is the Carmen Health District today.

Chatto, who envisions a working Inter-Local Health Zone system in 2012, is positive that by showcasing the Carmen health district, a liquid health zone with own funds and Security and Exchange Commission-registered, running a common drug facility, enjoying revenues and providing incentives to member LGUs, other health districts will realize the mutual benefits of a strong Inter Local Health Zone.

The Carmen health district has become venue for discussions on issues and concerns on primary health care delivery and even implementation of national programs.

It has also served as a learning mechanism among Local Government Unit members on health service delivery in their respective municipalities. Mayor Tom Gonzaga shared experience of Danao’s Subsidized Hospitalization Program with the E.A.T. Danao Adventure Park.

During the said meeting, Chatto as presiding officer also asked mayors of member LGUs to share current situation of health programs in their towns and asked to rate strength of purok systems in place in their municipalities. Chatto is bent on strengthening the purok network in the delivery of primary health care.

The Carmen Health District is composed of member municipalities of Carmen, Sevilla, Danao, Sagbayan, Pilar, Sierra Bullones, Batuan, Bilar, Loboc, and Dagohoy.

A health district is a system wherein provincial and municipal governments together with non-government organizations, communities, and the private sector in a well defined geographical area come into partnership through a memorandum of agreement to develop commitments to a shared vision and goals in providing accessible, equitable, and quality health services. The inter-local health zone is usually composed of but not limited to one core referral hospital, catchment rural health units, and barangay health stations.

The concept of inter local health zones came about after the implementation of the Local Government Code in 1991, transferring the responsibility of managing health services to the local government at provincial and municipal levels.

With health care as banner program, the Provincial Government of Bohol through the Provincial Health Office has been fast tracking the organization and operation of the four remaining health districts of Clarin, Jagna, Loon, and Tagbilaran City.

The health district meeting coincided with the turnover of a two-classroom building donated by Vaccines for the Philippines to Pamilacan High School.

American Philanthropist Peter Reichman explained Vaccines for the Philippines originally intended to construct a lying in clinic at the island. However, the Department of Health and the Provincial Government had already appropriated P1.5M for the construction of a lying in clinic. Seeing the need for a classroom building for the high school, Reichman’s organization decided to build their first classroom building in partnership with the 2nd Special Forces Battalion.

By Edcom

Never did a graduation rite mark the end of any endeavor; but conversely, it is always the beginning of facing up to new challenges down the road.

This is what Gov. Edgar m. Chatto and PInsp Romeo Sentinta, Jr. of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) meant when both dared the members of Class Genesis of the 4th Regional Public Safety Company Battalion 7 to preserve the peace and security of the province which would showcase the best years they have acquired through rigorous trainings.

The recognition rites last Monday which took place in Sitio Lawis, Brgy. Catagbacan Norte, Loon saw the Formal Recognition and Opening of Collars of the new team by PInsp Sentinta marking the culmination of each member’s life as part of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Gov. Chatto reminded the Genesis Team that “keeping our province safe is always the responsibility of all Boholanos” and that everyone should work together for “there is no development without peace and there is no progress without the concerted action of all.”

The governor also encouraged the men in uniform to serve as guide for the Boholanos and keep everyone away from any intrusion that will be a threat to the peace and security of the province.

To show his all-out support for the force, Chatto gave his word that the whole team of the Provincial Government of Bohol will be fully supportive, will continue cooperating and working in tandem with the PNP for the common objective of preserving Bohol and pave the way for development and progress.

“Safety and security is on top of the agenda for all Boholanos and all PNP personnel,” Chatto told the graduates. Therefore, “the Capitol is always open to support you all the way so you can do your tasks to the most optimum level,” Chatto added.

The governor advised Team Genesis to establish contact with Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, the Safety and Security Cluster Head at the Capitol, for faster and quicker response to emergency situations in the province.

By Bohol Standard

For agriculture-based municipality of Catigbian, a new farm-to-market road literally paves the way for economic growth. Gov. Edgar M. Chatto underscored infrastructure as a major concern of Agrarian Reform Communities (ARC) as it encourages farmers to become more productive.

Aside from reducing hauling cost, travel time, and product spoilage, the farm-to-market road increases commodity flow and opens additional lands for production, spurring economic activity, he said.

A partnership of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Local Government Unit of Catigbian, the 3.2 kilometer road traversing Barangays Poblacion Weste, Sinakayanan, and Ambuan is the first wave of implementation of a multi-million project in the municipality.

The road project is a component of the Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project III (ARISP III) funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).

ARISP III involves a tripartite approach, collaboration among the implementing agencies. It involves construction/rehabilitation of rural infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, farm-to-market roads, post harvest facilities, and rural water supply systems, agrarian reform information and marketing center building, development of coop-managed agri-business/rural enterprise/ livelihood farmers' organizations in the ARCs through appropriate training and capacity building approaches.

Set to be completed on March of 2012, the road is poised to be the longest concreted road yet in the town, according to Mayor Bert Salinas.

DAR Regional Director Rudolfo Inson assured the agency’s commitment to help agrarian reform communities, revealing that Catigbian is also a beneficiary of farm-to-market roads in Poblacion Weste â€" Rizal, Poblacion â€" Poblacion Weste â€" Rizal â€" Libertad, Poblacion Weste â€" Cambauane; the Catigbian Communal Irrigation Project; as well as a Post Harvest Facility.

Inson is positive that the construction of the farm-to-market road shall motivate farmers to produce more and augment their lives in the process.

By Ric V. Obedencio
Bohol Standard

There’s more to this 5th class municipality than just its name reflective to friendliness of the native chieftain Datu Sikatuna who befriended then Gen. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, if historical accounts were true years back.

Mayor Jose Ellorimo pointed this out during a huddle last week with members of Bohol Tri-media Association (BTMA) at his residence here following the painstaking tree planting undertaken by the media led by its president Mr. Fred Araneta in joining fight deforestation in this part of Bohol.

This was not the first activity that BTMA had taken. It took the cudgels in joining the government’s reforestation program of President Noynoy Aquino and planted hundreds of seedlings of various species ably provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by officer-in-charge provincial environment and natural resources officer Nestor Canda.

Canda told the media that Cambuac Sur, where the tree planting took place, was once a denuded and favorite haven for “slash-and-burn” kind of farming more than 10 years back. But now, the area is starting to progress with forests, not just trees of various species, including Hagbuyo, abound, he added.

He expressing gratitude to the media for the effort, saying the activity is for real because the media did not take this for granted unlike the previous one. Secondly, those seedlings sowed will be well taken care of by his forest rangers from being endangered.

Mayor Ellorimo said he laid down various programs for tourism development and those that are potential for the attraction.

He said that the town’s Tree Park of lush greenery and nature started to pick up along with Inland Fishery Park following the holding of the Provincial Government Family Day last week. The Park is ideal for camping, dry picnic and wholesome family bonding.

The mayor said that he will further push for the development of natural caves the town endowed with for spelunking enthusiasts. One of these caverns is said to be a sure attraction because of its accessibility, where one can pass through underground literally from entrance and exit in the other side of the mountain, said a farmer in an interview. It would be a wonderful experience for tourists, he added.

Canda also bared that, his office is developing a plan for a viewing deck and, if plans don’t go haywire, a canopy walk within the jurisdiction of the Tree Park. The mayor welcomed and elated over the plan.

Another attraction of the town is the booming furniture industry and housing potential because of its still untapped real properties around and proximity here to the city, said the mayor. The town is famous for furniture made of hard wood. He told the media that a lot of his friends and officials are inquiring if there are still lots available for them to settle down here for good.

This town could be one of the many potential tourism circuits, said an observer in an interview. Asked why, he said that from Tagbilaran City a tourist or group of visitors could pass through Corella town before here and see for themselves the stunning wonder of the smallest primate in the world at their natural habitat.

By Bohol Standard

Despite a relatively high yield characteristic of hybrid seeds, adopting the less costly certified and registered seeds is still consistent with the end goal of increasing harvests.

And the move in fact is more in line with Bohol’s adopted sustainable agriculture policy, says Provincial Agriculturist Liza Quirog at the Kapihan sa PIA Thursday.

Asked whether the option for the certified or registered seeds is consistent with the national policies, Quirog stressed that the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its local offices including the devolved Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) all push for these seeds.

The DA has an ongoing program on community seed banking and seed buffer stocking system where seeds of these kinds [certified and registered] are provided for farm adoption.

Both certified and registered seeds have proven themselves with the capacity to provide high yields similar to hybrid, and they cost about a third less than hybrid seeds, explained assistant provincial agriculturist Larry Pamugas, during the weekly forum aired live over DyTR.

The issue came as authorities explained anew the controversy roused by a statement that Bohol’s 2.5 ton average yield for every hectare of rice field is by far the lowest all over the country, as reported by a local paper.

The statement was accordingly quoted from a PhilRice executive who visited Bohol for a harvest festival which featured a hybrid seed demonstration farm, few weeks ago.

Earlier, Agricultural Promotion Center (APC) manager Engr. Eugene Cahiles said the option for the high yielding seed varieties alone could make the difference in harvests.

By high yielding seed varieties, Engr. Cahiles means hybrid seeds or certified seeds, which have been tested to provide equally huge harvests in demonstration farms and field tests in Bohol.

While the APC aggie expert talked of hybrid seeds, he was quick to clarify that in Bohol, the APC support for hybrid is for research purposes and that they assist farmers by providing them with alternative options for farmers.

As such, authorities said they would help private sectors going for hybrid only as far as the technology of fertilization, should they ask for assistance.

Bohol has since adopted a sustainable agriculture policy and the limiting cost of hybrid seeds can be its bane, farmers have disclosed.

Besides, hybrid, certified or registered seeds yields can always be dependent on the kind of soil it is planted, adds assistant provincial agriculturist Larry Pamugas at the forum.

By Bohol Standard

The Loboc Youth Ambassadors Band visited China for the 4th time as the official Republic of the Philippines band contingent brought by the Department of Tourism to participate in the Shanghai Tourism Festival from Sept 10 to 13, 2011 and to the 6th China Hangzhou International Leisure Industry Exposition from September 16 to 19, 2011. The Band’s tour in China was supported by Ambassador Carlos Chan and his OISHI Family. Their main purpose was to assist the Department of Tourism promote tourism destinations in the country such as Bohol, Cebu, Boracay, Manila, Palawan, Clark and Subic.

There were over 30 band contingents from 30 countries in the world who participated in both the Shanghai Tourism Festival and the Hangzhou International Leisure Industry Exposition.

The concert tour was also made possible with the support of the Cristal-E College, Bohol Island State University, BIT-International College, Holy Name University and the University of Bohol. Most of the band members who went to China are full time college scholars from these colleges and universities who supported the Loboc Music Project with scholarship grants to the band members.

The Loboc Youth Ambassador Band is a poverty alleviation project of the Loboc Youth Education Association, Inc. (LYEA) headed by Argee Melisimo and supported by LGU Loboc led by Mayor Leon Calipusan, Province of Bohol led by Governor Edgar M. Chatto, First Consolidated Bank (FCB), Philippines Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

By Ven Arigo
Bohol Standard

Boholanos are set to run in the simultaneous nationwide marathon for blood and the country’s title bid for the world’s Red Cross volunteer capital in the universal volunteer celebration in December.

The Red Cross Million Volunteer Run (MVR) can gather as many as two million running blood donors nationwide, hopefully breaking all world records of largest marathons ever assembled.

The event aims to build the Red Cross 1+43, an army of one leader and 43 member humanitarian volunteers in each barangay in Bohol and the entire country who respond to disasters and lives at risk, donate blood and alleviate human suffering.

The campaign is also known as Red Cross 143, the numerical way of saying “I love you,” thereby suggesting love and care for humanity in suffering and human lives at risk.

With 44 volunteers in each of the 42,000 barangays in the country, there will already be 1.8 million volunteers nationwide who are potential participants to the historic marathon for humanitarian cause.

Bohol Red Cross board chair Gov. Edgar Chatto is eager to maximize local participation to the event as it complements with the program to organize and reactivate the blood council here.

He presided over the board meeting on Tuesday during which MVR regional coordinator and Lapulapu City Red Cross Administrator Vic Jay Gonzal presented the mechanics of ambitious event. Among the directors of the board are Red Cross-Bohol Administrator Nenita Briones and Philippine Gift of Life President/Chief Executive Officer Francisca Baluyot, the former longest-serving Red Cross head here.

The marathon will be held on December 4 to coincide with the marking on the next day of the International Volunteer Day.

It will also highlight the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of the International Year of Volunteers.

Pursuant to the Red Cross 1+43, each barangay will have one volunteer leader and 43 members who not just respond to blood donation calls or serve in blood-letting activities.

They will be trained and equipped for disaster risk prevention, mitigation and response.

The marathon will thus likewise heighten public awareness to reduce disaster risks and the vulnerability of the community in the great interest of saving lives.

The success of the unprecedented run for life can help project and attain the target of the ambitious blood program in the province as Chatto would have blood supply ready and accessible.

Chatto vowed full support to improve the blood program facilities and capability of both the Red Cross and as many hospitals.

These hospitals include Bohol’s biggest, the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, and the devolved ones which Chatto also wants to have competent diagnostic facilities, laboratories and manpower.

In totality, the governor would want the blood program practiced and coordinated competently and harmoniously in Bohol.

Organizers of the humanitarian marathon encouraged the Boholanos join the event which will have simultaneous runs in not just key cities and municipalities across the country.

As the spearheading agency of the event, Chatto advised the Red Cross to present and promote the MVR in the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Provincial Congress this mid-week and the next meeting of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).

To achieve its noble goal, Red Cross will collect P500 “registration fee” from each marathon participant, particularly the adult and professional.

By Ven Arigo
Bohol Standard

Mayors and barangay leaders support the provincial thrust widening the coverage of Philhealth and implementing it to the maximum in Bohol.

Capitol has intensified its campaign for more Boholanos, notably the poorest of the poor, to avail of the subsidized, socialized health care insurance.

The administration of Gov. Edgar Chatto and Vice Gov. Concep[cion Lim has raised the province’s allocation for Boholanos’ Philhealth premiums.

In Calape, Mayor Junnie Yu responded to the earnest desire of the province by announcing on Thursday his creation of a special office to complement the Chatto’s Philhealth effort for the town constituents.

The mayor welcomed the capitol focal team dispatched to his place on the same day to further explain the different scopes of the Philhealth programs either totally sponsored by the province or counterparted by it with the national government and LGUs.

The team is composed of Reynaldo Gacayan who has been designated by the governor as Philhealth provincial coordinator, Eufronia Curambao of the Provincial Budget Office who is capitol’s focal person on Philhealth, and their counterpart in the provincial office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Nonita Gica.

A Philhealth-Tagbilaran team of Golda Javier and Anavic Pueblos accompanied the capitol group, who was also joined by Provincial Executive Assistant for External Affairs Isabelito Tongco.

The group interacted with the barangay captains on varied issues and concerns affecting Philhealth in the meeting of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) on the same day.

They distributed Philehatlh IDs, membership data records (MDRs) and masterlist.

From Calape, they proceeded to Loboc on the same intent.

The regional office of Philhealth supported the intensive information, education and communication (IEC) campaign of the province in collaboration with the municipal LGUs and barangay officials.

There are five province-sponsored Philhealth programs, namely, the regular, prosperity, Carmen Health District, universal coverage and special (for barangay officials) programs, tha latter to include SK chairmen starting next year.

While making the people aware of what the province has offered to them, the strategy helps the beneficiaries learn more and understand the existing and new national Philhealth policies.

Chatto admitted that there are certain national policies that “do not sit well” with the implementation of the Philhealth programs sponsored by the provincial government.

This condition has in fact been observed, too, by other governors, resulting in a unified position of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) so that the noblest intent of the pro-poor health care insurance program may not be sacrificed.

by Bohol Standard

A P5,000 no-interest livelihood loan from the government’s social service fund has now largely funded two college students, a high school and an elementary kid, all because of a family’s judicious spending and a sheer sense of entrepreneurship.

Seemingly set in a tight situation of economic hardship and with schooling children, Hermegias Perocho has to get moving or the vicious cycle of poverty and hopelessness takes a grip in his children too.

Accessing a Self Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) no-interest livelihood loan for a proposed Bingkahan Project as a primary means of livelihood, the Perochos have promised to work hard instead of sulk at their lot.

Now at 49 years old, and for the mild mannered father who has worked as a city blue guard, the decision has kept him from the grueling task of graveyard shifts and a pay that could hardly sustain a family of 6 kids in the city.

Finally deciding to come home to his town in Pilar for better chances of survival, Perocho has worked odd jobs, tended a garden and still faced a bleak like. Until a brother taught him how to bake oven bake ricecakes in 1997 when the futire started to make a decipherable shape.

A resident of Poblacion 7 which is also a beneficiary barangay of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) livelihood assistance funds under SEA-K, Perocho succeeded in tapping the cash boost to start off his family’s business with a new oven and some ingredients for the bingkahan.

Perocho is just one of the 25 SEA-K beneficiaries who each have tapped P5000.00 no interest loans for identified various livelihood projects aimed at conquering poverty and elevating their economic conditions.

At first, we were using crude tools to grind the rice as the main ingredient, now we have a small machine that performs two tasks at the same time. One grinds the rice and the other grates the coconut for our baking requirements, to save on the gas fuel, he excitedly shares.

Their improvement can best be pictured by the bicycle for deliveries they used then to a motorbike now, so they could serve five neighboring towns of Carmen, Sierra Bullones, Pilar, Alicia and Ubay.

“We now grind 10 kilos of rice daily for our baking requirement,” because it is not the peak season.

In peak times, and by that he means harvest season in this rice growing communities, the Perochos grind at least half a sack of rice for their cakes.

Once living on a small hut, Perochos have slowly started to repair their house using the meager income from the bingka, he shared.

Now working on repairs, he said a few more jobs and it will make the house fully comfortable.

We have to stop working on the repairs due to our two college kids and a high school student who is graduating this year, he added.

Perocho’s bingkahan (rice cakes bakery using crude ovens) would need two tin ovens, which deteriorate after about 4 months of continuous daily baking, he said.

One oven is heated more to produce the tempting cracks in the cake, while the other is on a constant low fire, to make sure each cake of a dozen per feed cooks just right, according to him during a chance interview.

Contented now but seeing that he still has more problems to go when his senior high school student graduates this year, Perocho openly dreams of converting his fuel source to biogas.

published by the Bohol Standard

The Bohol Medical Care Institute offers 20% discount on mammography procedures this October, in observance of the Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Mammography is the universally-acknowledged screening tool for diagnosis of breast diseases in women. Research shows that annual conduct of the procedure leads to early detection of breast cancers when they are at their most curable stage.

The offer is apt to the reported increasing incidence of the disease. Philippine Cancer network records show breast cancer as the leading killer of women ages 35 to 54 worldwide, with the Philippines having the highest incidence rate in Asia and the 9th in the world today.

The facility’s mammogram is a GE Senographe DMR+ model which features SharplQ grid for cleaner images. MaxiRay tube for better penetration, and 5 photocells for wider range of breast placement.

Mammography is among the roster of services offered at BMCI. Other services include

complete laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound, ECG, dialysis, and ambulatory surgical procedures.

Patients are guaranteed of prompt, reliable results and savings as rates are among the most affordable.

BMCI is open from Monday to Saturday, 7:00 to 5:00 pm. And may be reached at 235-7379 or 501-9524 for inquiries.

By Engr Jes Tirol

First Filipino Novel

Did you know that the first Filipino Novel entitled “La Teresa” was written in 1851 by Fr. Antonio Obeda in Bilar, Bohol? Even though the title is Spanish, the language used in the novel was Sugboanon Bisaya and the characters of the novel were Boholanos.

That novel was very successful that the lessons taught therein became the standard of morality and culture throughout the Bisayan regions. So I pay tribute to Fr. Antonio Obeda, a Parish Priest in different places in Bohol and later on in life became the Father Provincial of the Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines. He was really a good teacher.

By Bohol Chronicle

Defending champions Bohol Wisdom School Golden Dragons continued to breathe fire as they nipped arch rival Holy Spirit School Crusaders, 56-45 in the resumption of the ongoing elimination round of the 17th Bohol Schools Amateur Athletic Association (BSAAA) 2nd John Geesnell Baba Yap inter-School Hoop Cup at the IHMS hard court.

Both teams were offensively anaemic at the start as they missed terribly easy shots even with the presence of their best shooters on the floor. But slowly they found their range as strong boy Feilbien Coquilla, Kevin “speedster” Mascariñas, and slow moving Lindy! Binoya were able to give the Golden Dragons the upper hand, 11-6 at the end of the 1st period.

The duo of Rocha and Villaruel continued to play heads up basketball exchanging firepower against the formidable combination of Coquilla, Binoya, Mascariñas, and slow moving Lindyl Binoya were able to give the Golden Dragons the upper hand, 11-6 at the end of the 1st period.

The sweet shooting Angelo Marcel Rocha and the versatile Jeff Villaruel, the 1-2 punch of the Crusaders were full of arsenals as they fought the defending champions the hilt to be behind by 3 in the preceding period.

The duo of Rocha and Villaruel continued to play heads up basketball exchanging firepower against the formidable combination of Coquilla, Binoya, Mascariñas, and team captain Kyle Panong to get closer by a hairline, 19-20 at lemon time.

And as the game went through in the third canto the slippery point guard of the Golden Dragons, Ven Excel Garrote and bull strong slot man, John Paul Romo joined the prey to take a wider margins 33-24, midway in the period. But not be outwitted were the 1-2 punch of the Crusaders, Rocha and Villaruel, who fought as if there was no tomorrow to keep the score within reach, 38-35 as the buzzer sounded ending the 3rd canto.

Meanwhile University of Bohol Baby Lemurs routed an undermanned crew of the Holy Family of Nazareth School Nazarethanians, 86-51 which appeared on court without streak shooters Mula and Almasa. Both players were chosen to compose the Bohol Association of Catholic Schools I.

The Baby lemurs feasted on this opportunity as Jayson Rey Bolos, Kent Mark Bag-ao, Rex Bangalao, Joseph James Morata, and Glenn Laureto conspired to make a break away in the first half, 48-35.

And as we entered in to the 3rd period tall boy Bongalao took control of the backboard and continued to pile in points to keep the Baby Lemurs ahead in collaboration with Bag-ao, Morata, Laureto, and Bolos.

Coach Lenard Simbit of the Nazarethanians had a tough times of looking for the right combination as his wards could not do what he expected them to do. They badly missed the services of Mula and Almasa.

The Golden Dragons were redhot as we go to the final quarter of the game as anybody fielded in by Coach Jay Daganato would contribute in the point production compared to the Crusaders which scoring output defended only in the duo of Rocha (22 pts.) and Villaruel 19 pts.) to remain at the top as the horn blew to end the regulation time. The final score, 56-45

The 17th BSAAA 2nd John Geesnell Baba Yap inter School Hoop Cup is ably supported by Bohol Tropics Resort Club; First Consolidated Bank; Atty. Gamaliel Bonje; Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Hontanosas; Mr. and Mrs. Gerardo Bas Madanguit; Jocelyn Ortiz Chua; Mr. and Mrs. Lleo Bas Madanguit; Bennet Daquipil; Dr. Aurora Bas Madanguit; and Grandma's Purified Drinking Water.

By Ariel Fullido

Close to 7,000 runners, including top Kenyan contenders Benjamin Kipkazi and Willy Kepkemei Rotich who are veterans of international marathons, will hit the road today in the Tagbilaran leg of the 35th National Milo Marathon, which had just started early this morning at the Island City Mall ground.

Race organizers said this is 13th of the 18 total provincial stages of the country's biggest, grandest, longest and most prestigious running event, and the first time in Bohol that Kenyan runners will see action in the race which is contested in three categories, 3K Kiddie Run, 5K Fun Run, 10K, and 21K.

The 21K champion will each receive P10,000 and a trophy while the runners up will get P6,000 and a trophy each and the third placers will take home P4,000 and a trophy apiece. The fourth-placers will pocket P2,000 and a medal each while the fifth to 10th finishers will each receive P500 and a medal.

Male 21K runners who finish within one hour and 15 minutes will also qualify to the national finals slated Dec. 11 in Manila along with female 21K entries who reach the finish within 1:35:00. The 42.195K national finals stakes a whopping P300,000 each for the men's and women's titlists.

The top four 10K finishers will claim P5,000, P3,000, P2,000 and P1,000 while the next six runners will go home with P500 each. The first four 5K runners will win P2,500, P1,500, P1,000 and P500 while P250 each will be given away to the fifth to 10th placers. In 3K, the first to fourth placers will bag P1,500, P1,000, P500 and P250 while the fifth to 10th runners will each get P150.

Dubbed "More Shoes. More Dreams. More Champions," this year's edition will give away 10,000 more Milo running shoes. A portion of the registration fee paid by a runner will go to Milo's advocacy campaign of producing running shoes for selected public schools.

By Bohol Chronicle

The Holy Name University Falcons squeaked past the University of Bohol Flying Lemures, 70-69 to grab the solo lead in the Bohol Schools Athletic Association basketball tournament last night at the Talibon sports complex.

After defeating the Mater Dei College Seagulls in their opening game and the Bohol Institute of Technology Beavers last week the Holy Name University Falcons once again defied odds, after trailing the entire game by as much as 18 points. The Lemures who relied on their big three in Pogs Reyes, Jr Garcia and Joy Cheong ended the first half with a 10 point lead at 38-28.

During the second half the UB lead ballooned to 18 points at 50-32. In what looked like an easy win for the Lemures, the Falcons started the 4th quarter with a 10-0 run lead by Ian Ceasar Abraham who ignited the Falcons defense by applying a fullcourt press that panicked the UB offense. In the last 2 minutes the Falcons manage to trim down the lead to only by as point 65-64. With the timely insertion of streak shooter Jr Gabod who sank a three-pointer with only 50 seconds. HNU's Stephen Caballo fouled UB's Reyes who sank both his charities to tie the game with 20 seconds left, HNU's Jade Romanos made a basket to gain back the lead at 69-67. The UB fouled MC Polestico of HNU who split his charities. UB made a final attempt with 7 seconds left in the game but both Reyes and Garcia missed their three point attempts.

“I think our intensity gave us the win, everybody stepped up that's why we picked up our defense in the last minutes of the game”, said Justin Kibir of the Falcons who dedicated the game to his late father who was celebrating his death anniversary.

Jomar Fullido led the Falcons with 14 points and 8 rebounds while the Lemures was led by Reyes who tallied 18 markers.

In the first game the BIT-IC Beavers crushed the Bohol Northern Star College 112- 74 and in the 2nd game the PMI Navigators dominated the Mater Dei College Seagulls 139-74.

Box score:

HNU (70) â€" Fullido 14, Romanos 12, Abraham 9, Gabod 8, Caballo 8, Kibir 7. Dejaresco 5, Estoce 4, Tubac 2, Polestico 1, Supremo 0, Torcende 0, Ruiz 0, Jayag 0

UB (69) â€" Reyes 18, Garcia 12, Cheong 10, Man-on 8, Genovia 8, Saletrero 7, Autentico 4, Paumig 2, Payot 0, Bandija 0, Torrejos 0, Cagas 0

By Bohol Chronicle

Songwriter and singer Jose Mari Chan will come to Bohol to raise funds for the indigent patients who would come for assistance to dyRD's top-rated program "Inyong Alagad" and "Tagbilaran-By-Nite."

Chan will render his immortal love songs which every Filipino music lover would like to sing and hum-along with like the songs, "Beautiful Girl", "Please Be Careful with my Heart", Can We Just Stop and Talk Awhile", including his earlier recorded songs like "Deep In My Heart", "Constant Change" and "Afterglow", which was his first recorded hit song in 1967.

Chan who remains one of the country's well renowned composers has written no less than 50 songs excluding commercial jingles.

In 1989, he released his album Constant Change. The album was named Album of the Year by Awit Awards. Aside from that, it reached Diamond Record status by its sales record and took pleasure from the high patronage of international countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.

Christmas In Our Hearts was released and reached its triple platinum status in 1990. He became the first and the only recording artist who achieved Double Diamond Record Award for The Christmas In Our Hearts. Even until today, his album is quite sellable during Christmas seasons.

In 2005, Joe Mari composed the theme song of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games "We're All Just One".

On his 40th year, Jose Mari Chan gathered 21 of his favorite songs in one album entitled Love Letters and Other Souvenirs carrying its single "How Do You Fall In Love". The album featured several singers like Jojo Chan, Aiza Seguerra, Agoit Isidro, Rachelle Gerodias, Samantha Chavez, Suzy Unas and Laine Laudico. Of course, the main attraction of the album were Jose Mari Chan's solo numbers.

His voice of unique luster seems to transform this old world into a younger, romantic one.

He is considered as the "Filipino Jimmy Webb" because of his lyrics which are totally different from others. His songs were continually played over different radio stations and strengthening his popularity among his admirers.

He is best known for his "Beautiful Girl" and became one of the most-respected and most-enduring singer-songwriters of the country. He is the only singer/composer/producer that has been bestowed lifetime achievement awards by The Philippine Association of the Record Industry's Awit Awards, the composer's group called the Katha Awards and Aliw Award.

The Chan concert at Panglao Island Nature Resort on Oct 28, is expected to be a hit considering the thousands of music lovers captivated by the "Jose Mari" music magic.

Donations for Inyong Alagad (P500 and P1,000) will be accepted starting next week during the radio program while donors will be given concert tickets.

The concert-for-a-cause is supported by Philippine Airlines, Panglao Island Nature Resort and Disco Record Center for the benefit of the indigent patients in Bohol as part of the Golden Anniversary celebration of station dyRD

By Ric V Obedencio
Bohol Chronicle

CORELLA, Bohol-The setting up of a natural sanctuary at barangay Canapnapan of this town for the refuge of endangered species, Tarsius Syrichta, popularly known as Tarsier, by the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated has paid off day by day.

There has been no single day that the sanctuary become a no-visitor scenario, said the front desk officer of the sanctuary in an interview. It averages about 20 or more per day all year round, said desk officer Cle Ramo.

Last week, a lot of Chinese or Koreans and local tourists took a video and still photos on many angles of the mother and child Tarsiers cling on a shrub and a shy one on the big leaf of a tree appeared to be sleeping. Recently students from colleges outside the province come in droves bus loads to observe the primate and studies.

Once tourists wanted to see or watch the Tarsier, they have to pay for P50/head as entrance fee. And a guide tours them to the enclosed sanctuary of about a hectare composed of at least ten Tarsiers. Parking spaces are allotted for their vehicles while they are seeing up-close with the primate. The municipality got share of 40% of the proceeds quarterly.

According to the guide no one is allowed to come very near to the Tarsier because it bites if provoked. Using camera flash to shoot at the Tarsier is discouraged also.

How it came about?

The animal in what is now known as Tarsier is named Cercopithecus Luzonis Minimus until eventually it's known asTarsius syrichta based on Camels description in 1705. Since then, there are three known of the same species: Tarsius Philippensis in Samar and Leyte; Tarsius Fraterculus for Bohol; andTarsius Carbonarius for Mindanao. According to missionary J. G. Camel, the animal originated in the country.

It is considered one of the oldest living land animal living in existence since 45 million years back during the Eocene period.

Five species of Tarsiers have been classified into: Bornean tarsier - Tarsius Bancanus; Spectral tarsier --- Tarsius Spectrum; Lesser tarsier ---- Tarsius Pumilus; Dian's tarsier ---- Dianae Tarsius found in Sulawesi, Indonesia; and Philippine tarsius --- Tarsius Syrichta.

Locally it is called "Maomag." Others called it "Mago," ot "Magau," according to the information provided by the sanctuary center.

Protection

Tarsier has been included in the list of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the DENR issued Administrative Order NO. 38 in protecting the primate as among the national protected wildlife species. "In addition, the World Conservation Union/SSC Primate Specialist Group had given the species Conservation Priority Rating 4, which means that the species is highly vulnerable and threatened by habitat destruction and/or hunting."

The foundation is committed to conservation program in the Tarsier research, habitat management, community management and visitor management.

Then President Fidel V. Ramos issued on June 23, 1997 Presidential Proclamation No 1030, declaring the Philippine tarsier as a specially protected fauna species of the Philippines."

"It stated that the Philippine tarsier, which is endemic to the Philippines, offers immense ecological, aesthetic, educational, historical, recreational and scientific value to the country and to the Filipino people, and as such, is a matter of national concern since it forms part of the Philippine natural heritage."

It prohibits the hunting, killing, wounding, taking away, or possession of the Philippine tarsier but states that possession for educational, scientific, or conservation-centered research purposes may be allowed upon certification of the DENR secretary.

The "DENR was directed to spearhead the undertaking of all activities leading to the establishment of appropriate sanctuaries to preserve and protect the species as prescribed under the provisions of Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1991."

By Bohol Chronicle

At least 35 out of 53 local media examinees have passed the KBP Announcers Accreditation Examination which was done last September 17, 2011 at JJ's Seafood Village this city.

Examiners from different media outlet in province availed the opportunity which was sponsored by the Bohol Tri-Media Association through its president Fred Araneta.

Among those who passed the exam include Anthony R. Aniscal, Eduardo C. Macalandag, Elvira V. Macalandag, Ronald I. Pumatong, Cecilio E. Remolador, Danilo A. Reyes, Roger T. Balamad, Kristoffer Ian Catoto, Marjen A. Ermac, Baldomero T. Montreal, Jr., Maria Ira D. Pamat, Antonieto I. Pernia, Kenny June R. Requeron, Edgar B. Tumanda, Janet L. Villarojo, Paul Joseph J. Vistal, Finbar A. Abrau, Guillermo C. Aviles, Felix C. Pajo, Angie V. Apao, Edcel L. Closas, Mitos Jennifer A. Neri, Edwin G. Ranan, Charisse M. Sarabia, Nilo C. Ampon, Florentino F. Apor, Ronir A. Arboladura, Paulo V. Cajote, Teofilo A. Gupid Jr., Mercedita L. Magallanes, Victor A. Magallanes, Joven M. Millomeda, Jocelyn C. Ramires, Christopher D. Torrefranca and Dick T. Torrefranca.

Lawyer Virginia Jose of KBP's legal counsel and Vergie Velasco of KBP's standard authority personally came here from Manila to facilitate the said accreditation exam.

Certification was issued by the KBP national office to the exam passers which were signed by Diana C. Gozum, KBP chairperson.

Station manager of every passer will still submit a performance grade for the passers in order for the KBP to finally issue an accreditation card.

Meanwhile, examiners who failed to pass the accreditation exam were given temporary accreditation valid for five months to give them time to review and take the exam again.

By Bohol Chronicle

THE Sangguniang Panlalawigan has endorsed to the Senate and the Lower House seven bills seeking to nationalize as many provincial road sections.

Principally authored by Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District, Bohol), the bills, when approved, will also appropriate funds for the maintenance and improvement of the roads.

The endorsement came in the form of a resolution, copies of which were furnished to Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and Aumentado for their information.

The bills were similarly but separately endorsed by the Provincial Development Council chaired by Gov. Edgardo Chatto to the Central Visayas Regional Development Council.

These are House Bill 387 covering the provincial roads in President Garcia town, HB 1101 covering the Junction Tagbilaran East Road Jct. (TER)-Guindulman-Anda-Candijay Road and the Jct. (TER) Candijay-Mabuni-Ubay Road or the Anda Peninsula Highway, co-authored with Rep. Arthur Yap (3rdDistrict).

HB 4118 covering the Jct. Tagbilaran North Road (TNR) via Lapacan-Magtangtang (Danao) Road, HB 4192 covering the San Isidro-Catigbian via Caimbang Road, HB 4193 covering the JCT, Tagbilaran Interior Road (LIR) Mahayag-Danao Road, HB 4240 covering the Jct. (TER) Mabuhay (Ubay)-Bayongan, San Miguel Road and HB 4869 covering the Jct. TNR Cahayag (Tubigon)-Cabanugan (San Isidro)-Catigbian which he co-authored with Rep. Rene Relampagos (1st District, Bohol.)

The SP resolution stated that the conversion can save tremendous resources of the provincial government, freeing the funds to spend for other priority development projects.

By Bohol Chronicle

With reduced share in the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), the provincial government has limited the line up of proposed programs and projects for 2012 under the 20-percent development fund within the budget of P202,165,004.60, lower than the 2011 allocation by about five percent.

In his presentation during the Provincial Development Council Executive Committee (PDC-Execom) meeting last Friday at the Bohol Tropics, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator John Titus Vistal explained that they had to tightly screen priority programs and projects for next year in consideration to the 4.86-percent reduction of the share of Local Government Units (LGUs) in the IRA.

The Annual Investment Plan 2012 of the provincial government that the PDC-Execom approved covers Special Programs and Projects costing P36,286,299; LIFE HELPS Priority Programs costing P16,397,500; and regular programs and projects which include general public services amounting to P23,272,500, economic services amounting to P107,284,250, and social services amounting to P18,924,455.

The special programs and projects include HEAT Bohol priority programs such as Bahay Kubo FAITH (Food Always in the Home) and HOPE (Herbal Organic Plants Enhancement) Program (Backyard Gardening and Seeds) with proposed allocation of P2.5 million; Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) livelihood component program of BEMO, P1,562,799; expanded Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES), P2.850million; Product Development for Food Enterprises, P950,000.

It also includes Dairy Development and Comprehensive Health, Agricultural Technologies and Tourism Opportunities Development Program, P950,000; Sustainable Native Chicken Production, P3.325 million; LIVES (Livestock-Based Enterprises Support) and LIBRE (Livestock Breeder Assistance for Entrepreneurs), P950,000.

It also covers the HEAT Bohol Outreach Program, P3.500 million; HEAT Caravan Counterpart Fund, P1.800 million; Organic Agriculture Development Program, P2 million; P-NOY Corn Program, P2.85 million; P-NOY Rice Program, P1.9 million; P-NOY High-Value Commercial Crops Program, P1,396,500; P-NOY Fisheries Resource Management and Development Program, P1,729,000.

Also included among the special programs and projects approved are LETS HELP Bohol Program, P1,196,500; Animal Public Health Program, P855,000; Animal Rabies Program (Rabies Council), Meat Safety, Livestock Disease Preparedness, P1.61 million; Institutional Support (BALA Partners Convention and Provincial Livestock Farm), P1,111,500; Tourism Development Program/ Philippine Travel Mart and Other Exhibitions/ Tourism Marketing And Promotion (including collaterals production), P2 million; Investment Promotion Activities, P500,000; and Prosperity Fairs and Development-Related Services Initiatives including entrepreneurship fair, and mobile services, P750,000.

LIFE HELPS priority programs include Sports Development Program with allocation of P1,182,500; Effective Development Communications Program, P1,615 million; government buildings and parks improvement program, P4 million; Barangays Roads Development Program, P8.6 million; and Kauban sa Reporma Kalayaan Resettlement Center, P1 million.

The general public services include counterpart funding for LGUs, NGOs, NGAs, ODA programs amounting to P12 million; aid to barangays, P5.545 million;BDJ development program which includes completion of primary perimeter fence, P1 million; Bohol Integrated Water Resource Management Program, P190,000; Human Resource Development Program, P1.7 million; Information Technology Development Program, P700,000; environmental sanitation program (purchase of garbage compactor), P1.5 million; Electronic New Government Accounting System (E-NGAS), P237,500; and Establishment of Real Property History Information System among others, P400,000.

Economic services include Barangay Electrification Program, P2.5 million; Barangay Waterworks Program, P5 million; Cooperative Development Program, P755,000; EMS/ISO Certification & Other Related Programs, P800,000; Coastal Resource Management Program, P2.4 million; other BEMO Programs to be distributed for Ecological Solid Waste Management, Environmental Management Program, Forest Resource Management, Mineral Resource Management, Pollution Control, and Water Resource Management amounting to P950,000; and sand and gravel quarry monitoring operations, P2.2 million.

The infrastructure program, also under economic services, includes Provincial Roads Development Program, P66,179,250; PRMF-province counterpart for roads program (including P500,000 for office operations), P12.5 million; and Provincial Motorpool support program, P14 million.

Proposed projects under social services include Aid to Individuals/Indigents in Crisis Situations(AICS), P5 million; Sanitation Program/Latrine Construction, P1 million; Countryside Development Program for Nutrition (including feeding), P3.3 million; Rabies Treatment & Control Program (Human), P617,500; Water Testing Program (Laboratory Services), P500,000; Tuberculosis Prevention Program, P142,500; Drug Testing Program, P95,000; Dengue Prevention Program(Preventive and Curative Measures), P332,500; Provincial Government Educational Subsidy Program, P6 million; and Cultural Preservation and Revitalization/Annual Cultural Celebration Arts, Handicrafts and Creative Industries Program, P1,936,955.

On the other hand, the three district engineers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bohol also presented their respective line up of projects for 2012.

Engr. Teodoro Castillo of the 1st Engineering District proposed nine road projects amounting to P490 million which includes road upgrading (from gravel to paved) of national road standards along Junction of Tagbilaran North Road (TNR) in Maribojoc-Antequera-Catagbacan (Loon) costing P12.903 million; improvement of road to declared or strategic tourist destination along Maribojoc-Antequera-Catagbacan Road in Loon, P50 million; improvement or widening of Junction (TNR) Catagbacan Road leading to International Cruise Ship Port including works the causeway in Catagbacan, Loon, P20 million; road upgrading (gravel to paved) of national road standards along Antequera-San Isidro-Libertad (Tubigon) Road costing P26.844 million.

Castillo's proposed infrastructure program 2012 also includes concreting or widening of Dauis-Panglao Island Center Road leading to declared or strategic tourist destination P50 million; Tagbilaran-Corella-Sikatuna road section to declared or strategic tourist destination P50 million; concreting of Balilihan-Corella Road to declared or strategic tourist destination in the town of Balilihan P10.57 million; road upgrading (gravel to paved) of national road standards along Junction (TNR) Cortes-Balilihan-Catigbian-Macaas Road P11.675 million; and rehabilitatio/strengthening/reconstruction of bridges along national roads Bateria bridge along TNR, P18.8 million.

Engr. Gregorio Sayson of the 2nd Engineering District proposed an infrastructure program amounting to P293.125 million for 2012 covering road maintenance along Loay Interior Road costing P10.626 million; road upgrading from gravel to paved along Antequera-San Isidro-Libertad (Tubigon) Road, P130.673 million; roads to address critical bottleneck including opening of access road to roro port of Ubay via reclamation and concrete paving and construction of flatslab at bridge, P37.030 million; concrete paving, canalling and slope protection along Sagbayan-Danao Road, P48.67 million; and lowering of grade and concrete paving along Danao (barangay Concepcion)-Buenavista, Carmen Road, Danao and Dagohoy, including bridges amounting to P66.125 million.

By Angeline Valencia
Bohol Chronicle

The Provincial Development Council Executive Committee (PDC-Execom) prefer to subject the concept of the proposed P7-billion Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 3 that includes a hydro power component to further deliberation and scrutiny by mayors and stakeholders.

National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-7 Regional Manager Modesto Membreve presented the Bohol Northeast Basin Multi- Purpose Dam for Irrigation and Hydro Power (Bohol Irrigation Project Stage 3) before the PDC-Execom last Friday to seek endorsement for its US$5-million feasibility study and detailed engineering design proposed for funding through Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the KOICA or any other funding agency.

However, with the several concerns raised during the PDC-Execom meeting, Governor Edgar Chatto, as chair of PDC, will set another meeting solely intended to tackle the issues and a separate schedule for a site inspection to better assess the merits of the project.

The implementation cost of the project is estimated to reach US$ 177 million or a total cost of US$ 182 million or P7 billion including the feasibility study.

The project has been conceptualized by Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District) and Membreve took this move in an effort to maintain the rice self-sufficiency of Bohol and brace for increased demand of power supply in 10 years.

Aumentado said it is a Public-Private Partnership project, in consonance with the advocacy of President Benigno Aquino III, wherein NIA-7 will develop the irrigation component while Sun West Corporation takes charge of the hydro power facility.

Sun West Corporation was represented at the meeting by its president, Silvestre Natividad, and technical consultant, Michael Cañete.

After the feasibility study and drafting of the detailed engineering design, it would take at least 15 years to construct the multi-purpose dam, Aumentado added.

It is designed to "provide dependable irrigation water supply in the Northeastern part of Bohol and consequently to generate cheaper and renewable source of energy to augment the local electric power needs", he said.

Mayors Thomas Louis Gonzaga of Danao, Eutiquio Bernales of Ubay and Jacinto Narraga of San Isidro attended the PDC-Execom meeting at the Bohol Tropics to support the project.

It is proposed to be constructed in a public land in barangay Concepcion, Danao.

According to Membreve, the project will provide irrigation services for about 21,000 farmers cultivating 19,017.28 hectares of rice lands-1,353.95 hectares in Danao, 3,520.92 hectares in San Miguel, 5,945.59 hectares in Trinidad, 1,770.50 hectares in Dagohoy, 1,896.12 hectares in Bien Unido, and 4,530.20 hectares in Ubay.

Its main reservoir will be at Wahig River with four supplementary reservoirs and will be capable of storing 78.5 MCM backed up with a 52.5 square kilometers watershed, and 10-20 megawatts of hydroelectric power can be developed in the project, according to Membreve.

"It will be a zoned earth-fill dam. The main dam will be 100 meters in height and 1,200 meters in width. The four supplementary dams will have 60 meters average height and 400-meter average width. Its conduit will be a reinforced concrete barrel, and will have an Ungated Side Channel type of spillway," he added.

Its irrigation canal and structures include a main canal of 37.85 kilometers, laterals-185.50 km., drainage canal-15.60 km., canal structures-350 units, and an 8.95-km tunnel.

Membreve said that initial investigations conducted by NIA-Region 7 Engineering and Operations Division found out that the "proposed project is technically feasible and economically viable. However, a more extensive and in-depth study should be taken to validate its feasibility". Thus, Membreve and Aumentado sought PDC endorsement of the proposed conduct of a feasibility study and detailed engineering design of the project to be funded through a grant from KOICA.

By Ven Arigo
Bohol Chronicle

The new Bohol airport is one of the infrastructure projects to be funded under the "hybrid" public-private partnership (PPP) using funds thru the Official Development Assistance (ODA), according to Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Sec. Mar Roxas.

Roxas reported after his trip to Japan with Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III that the Japan International Cooperation Agency is positive and "receptive" about joining in the PPP venture tapping a hybrid scheme.

JICA is set to present its final report on the repackaging, including its new costing, of the new Bohol airport which will be built on Panglao island.

At the same time, the DOTC secretary bared more overseas funding that would this time come from international donors thru ODA.

Quoting Roxas, the Philippine Star reported that included with the Bohol airport for ODA funding are the development of new airports in Misamis Oriental and Puerto Princesa City, and the expansion of LRT from Baclaran to Bacoor in Cavite.

These top infrastructure ventures were further reported as currently worked out for hybrid PPP implementation.

Roxas said ODA will enhance the present PPP strategy in accelerating the essential projects prioritized by the Aquino administration.

In hybrid PPP, foreign funders enter and spend in major works like airport and railroad projects while a private consortium will give counterpart once the airport and railroad start operating.

The Bank of Tokyo - Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. is keen on investing in PPP projects from its ready $5 billion investment drawer.

Board of Investment managing head Cristino Panlilio confirmed this direct investment interest of the bank, which is a premier bank in Japan and one of the world's largest in terms of assets.

Panlilio said bank officials also met with Aquino during the president's recent visit to Japan.

By Bohol Chronicle

"Poverty will never be a hindrance to one's success if he diligently works while anchoring his faith in God," according to Dr. Manuelo O. Andot, a former newsboy of The Bohol Chronicle who ranked 3rd in the recent optometrists' board examination given by the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC). He got 88.40%.

Andot, now 23, recalled that since he was 11 years old, a 4th grader of the Lourdes Elementary School in Panglao, he was selling this paper in the streets of Tagbilaran in order for him to have his weekly allowance. Early Sunday morning, he wakes up so to catch a jeepney ride to the city to sell and deliver the Chronicle to his many "suki". Of the P100 he made as profit every Sunday, he spends P40 his allowance while the P60 he gave to his parents, Bartolome, a carpenter and his mother, Leonila who was selling "ukay-ukay."

He looked forward to Sundays as he would again be earning his living by selling the newspaper. He did this for five years until he was 3rd year high school.

He graduated valedictorian at the Lourdes Barangay High School while he bagged 19 awards, to include the Pres. Gloria Arroyo Academic Excellence Award, Phjl. Senate Gold Medal, Junior Chamber Int'l Philippine Youth Leadership Excellence Award, and BSP Leadership Award. Under his stewardship, the Lourdes High School emerged as the provincial jamborette champion.

Bringing the valedictorian medal of a public school in Bohol, he applied and passed the scholarship exam at Centro Escolar University in Manila where he was afforded full scholarship until he graduated cum laude and a recipient of the Gold Leadership Award given by CEU to exemplary student who excelled in both academic and extra-curricular activities. He was adjudged as one of the 10 Outstanding Students of CEU while elected twice as vice president of the Optometry Student Council.

"Everything I lifted up to God," he said while narrating his devotion to visit Quiapo Church every Sunday.

"God's generosity and goodness can never be outdone," he said when barely 10 days after the release of the board results, he was hired as lens consultant at Essilor International Co. in Manila and a visiting doctor at Cyber Vision Optical.

Asked who inspired him to take up optometry, he attributes to the inspiration of his elder sister, Pablita, who used to work in an optical clinic in the city.

Now as professional, his objective is to help his parents by sending his financial support to the family considering that he is the youngest of a brood of nine.

As he banners God's mighty blessing on him, he candidly said that "life is just simple as it only would require, two things: hardwork and faith in God." (with reports from Nice D. Fudolin)

By Anthony Aniscal
Bohol Chronicle

The collection of garbage in the city has become worst this week after seven out of 13 garbage trucks broke down due to engine trouble as spare parts need to be bought from Manila.

In fact, residents have to wait until wee hours just to have their garbage be collected by the sanitary officers.

City Solid Waste Management Office Head Edmund Jimenez admitted this last Tuesday.

Jimenez explained that most of the garbage compactors utilized by the city government were donated by Japan. With this, spare parts needed, when these compactors are out of commission, have to be purchased in Manila because there had been no available stock here and in Cebu City.

The Solid Waste chief added that since those garbage trucks were delivered by Japan at the same time, the possibility of breaking down together is almost inevitable just as what happened this week.

However, Jimenez assured the public that there is an appropriate budget being allocated for the purchase of spare parts. In fact, he already ordered these spare parts in Manila yet he has no idea when they will arrive.

“These trucks will immediately reactivated once the spare parts from Manila will be available”, Jimenez said.

Among the garbage trucks that were down this week include two colors blue and two colors yellow which are both ten-ton trucks capable of collecting huge garbage from the main streets in the city. Aside from those, two other 8 ton-garbage trucks were also down. Overall, un-utilizable garbage trucks include numbers 20, 28, 19, 4, 16, 15 and 9.

Due to the situation, small garbage trucks were the ones serving the routes of the bigger trucks just to collect the garbage from the residents. Since these small trucks have their own regular routes, subsidiary routes are only taken after their primary schedules.

Considering that the city has more than ninety thousand inhabitants, the current six running small garbage trucks cannot possibly compensate for the absence of bigger compactors.

In fact, a small garbage truck this week was bodily pushed by residents of Jansen Heights in Brgy Dampas as it appeared to have an engine trouble. It was learned from the driver that they had just done collecting garbage in Brgy Mansasa before proceeding to Brgy Dampas. The next day, that same garbage truck parked idly almost in the middle of the street going to HNU High School as it clearly appeared to have another engine trouble.

Jimenez added that the idea of renting private garbage compactors is not possible since no budget for that purpose is included in the annual procurement plan.

“Much as I want to rent private compactors just to compensate the temporary absence of our bigger trucks, the COA will run after my office because there have been no budget for such purpose”, Jimenez explained.

Jimenez asked the residents to extend more patience in dealing with the problem that the solid waste management is currently facing which also affected everyone. The solid waste chief assured that both the short and long term solution are being looked upon. In fact, Jimenez said that the city mayor plans to purchase brand new garbage compactors.

Aside from the problem of the garbage trucks, Jimenez also admitted that the current physical status in the garbage area in Brgy Dampas is becoming more serious. Residents of Brgy Cangguining Baclayon, who regularly pass by the garbage area going to the city, are finding it hard to utilize the road due to the presence of garbage even in the middle of the road.

Jimenez said that as of now, the bulldozer being rented by the city government to be used in pushing the garbage is unavailable as it is under repair. According to Jimenez, heavy equipment to be utilized in the garbage area will not last long due to the acids emanating from the garbage which destroy the spare parts easily.

The city solid waste management chief assured the public that there are pending plans for the garbage solution in the city which has the support of the city mayor.

by Bohol Chronicle

Bohol is now one of the very few provinces that produce high quality and safe feeds, both for aqua and livestock, with the opening of of Feedmill II of Marcela Farms of Alturas Group in Ubay town yesterday.

This capacity expansion also makes the feed mill one of the biggest in the country. In a nation whose people who largely partake of fish, chicken and pork along with the staple cereal (rice), the feed mill fills in a major link in the food supply chain.

By safe, it means its production of feeds is 100% non-use of anti-biotics to ensure the highest quality of feeds comparable with any imported brand.

The manufacturing breakthrough came after the company invested in constructing a nine-storey feed mill tower plant with the capacity of 20,000 tons per hour of hog and poultry feeds. . The upgrading of its original feedmill established in November 2000, came after Marcela Farms ventured in large scale processing of chicken and livestock which are all of "export" quality.

As technology evolved. the new feed mill became the first project of Van Aarsen of Europe using the latest state-of-the-art technology.

Because of its level of excellence in terms of high quality feeds, a major multi--national company is now negotiating with Marcela Farms to produce its feed requirement.

The expansion of the Feedmill Plant is an add-on image of Bohol as a province where livestock and aqua feed producing capacity has grown to become of the country's biggest. The project can be considered as an agro-industrial one - where the manufacturing output is used by agricultural mainstays like chicken , fish and livestock.

As a proof of its world class set-up, the country's famous Max Fried Chicken now buys its supply of dressed chickens from Marcela Farms while the leading Jollibee will follow suit The feed mill therefore partakes of a "backward integration" strategy as feeds are an important component for the chickens' growth and health.

With the opening of Feed Mill II, Engr. Irvin Mata, operations manager said the production for aqua feeds is now being handled solely at Feed Mill I while the newly opened freed Mill 2 caters to livestock feeds.

General Manager Marlito Uy of Alturas Group personally welcomed Gov. Edgar Chatto, Rep Erico Aumentado, Ubay Mayor Eutiquio Bernales and other guests during yesterday's opening while Fr James Darunday officiated the blessing rites.

by Bohol Chronicle

Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) has lower rates of power supply per kilo-watt hour compared to the rates of Visayan Electric Company (VECO) and Mactan Electric Company (MECO) in Cebu, even with the proposed translation to rate adjustment of the approved Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR).

This was disclosed by BLCI to media although there were no comparative data supplied for other Visayan provinces like Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Leyte and Samar.

Within the approved ARR, BLCI’s proposed power rate adjustment for the commercial customer class is only pegged at 5.68/kWh, while VECO imposes P8.89/kWh, and MECO sets their rate at P7.80/kWh.

For residential customer class, BLCI imposes P5.98/kWh, while VECO’s rate is higher at P9.19/kWh, and MECO at P8.15/kWh.

In a sample computation, BLCI General Manager Engr. Eulogio Signe explained that for a residential consumption of 100kW in one month, the bill would reach P644.49 based on the old rate. It would reach P671.03 if computed under the proposed new rate, or a difference of P26.54 as supposed increase per month.

Signe pointed out that the expected increase is even lower than the average daily expenses on load for mobile phones.

In another example the BLCI cited that the bill for an estimated consumption of 500kW will only be P3,127.13 under the old rate, and would become P3,186.99 under the proposed new rate or just a matter of P59.86/month difference which is even more affordable than one’s leisure drink session, Signe pointed out.

This proposed rate increase has been designed to improve BLCI services and for benefit of the circle of valued customers in the franchise area.

BACKGROUND

Under Section 43(f) of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA), and Rule 15, Section 5(a) of its implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR),authorized the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to adopt alternative forms of internationally accepted rate-setting methodology.

Performance Based Regulation (PBR) emerged to serve as a rate setting methodology using a price cap to set the distribution wheeling rates to be charged by distribution utilities to their customers.

Based on the law, ERC approved Resolution No. 54 on December 13, 2006 entitled “Adopting the Rules for Setting Distribution Wheeling Rates (RDWR) for Privately Owned Distribution Utilities Entering Performance Based Regulation for the Second and Later Entry groups as MERALCO, CEPALCO and Dagupan Electric were the first to be identified.

Then, ERC issued Resolution No. 10, Series of 2010, adopting the timeline for the Fourth Entry Group of Regulated Entities entering the PBR commencing on October 01, 2011 and terminating on September 30, 2015.

The 4th entrants include Angeles Electric Corporation; BLCI; Clark Electric Distribution Corporation; Panay Electric Company; Subic Enerzone Corporation; San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company.

On September 28, 2010, BLCI filed an application for approval of ARR and Performance Incentive Scheme (PIS) with ERC under PBR regime.

On November 23, 2010, a Jurisdictional hearing, expository presentation, pre-trial conference and evidentiary hearings regarding the ARR and PIS Application of BLCI were held in Governor’s Mansion, Tagbilaran City, was made within the franchise area

BLCI posted the Draft Determination of BLCI’s ARR and PIS Application on May 21 this year at the ERC website for further comments.

On June 08, a public consultation was made by the ERC on the Draft Determination of BLCI’s ARR and PIS Application.

Finally, last July 06, the ERC, in its Decision and Final Determination, approved BLCI’s ARR and PIS Application presenting its final decision on the price control arrangements that will apply to BLCI for the regulatory period with the smoothened Maximum Average Price (MAP) of P1.02 from 82 centavos or an average increase of 20 centavos.

The approved MAP will then be translated into rates for the different customer segment of BLCI such as Residential, Commercial, Public Buildings and Street Lights and Hospitals and Radio Stations. The translation of the approved MAP into rate by customer segment is still under application by BLCI with the ERC.

By Angeline Valencia
Bohol Chronicle

Inmates at the City of Tagbilaran Rehabilitation Center (CTRC) calmed down after the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Regional Director Romeo Vio assured them that their complaints of inhumane treatmentâ€" whether completely true or notâ€"will never happen in the future.

The inmates peacefully returned to their respective prison cells on Friday after a dialogue with Vio who arrived at the height of the tension at the CTRC.

They were appeased especially when Vio gave them his cellphone number for them to directly contact him whenever they have complaints in the future.

Gines Ronda, overall chairman of the inmates, gained courage to air out their woes when dyRD sought his comment after Jail Senior Inspector Josephus Jelianggao, jail warden of City of Tagbilaran Rehabilitation Center or CTRC, vehemently denied the alleged inhumane treatment they suffered under his watch.

LETTER AND

COMPLAINANTS

DYRD was furnished a copy of the letter-complaint of the CTRC inmates dated September 28, 2011, seeking the mayor's intervention against the alleged “cruel, unjust and inhumane treatment that they were subjected to by Jelianggao, the newly-installed jail warden”.

Three of the four pages of the letter contained the signatures of Ronda, Samuel Dacal-dacal as “selda mayor de mayores”, Retchie Signar as secretary, Meloy Laborte as auditor and leader of cell no. 2; three juries--Jairus Atup, Teofilo Cimafranca, Michael Cuñado; Ruel Pagsiat as “bastonero”, Carl Wynne Medel as property custodian and leader of cell no. 6; “prison cell leaders called “mayors”â€"Michael Torillo of cell no. 1, Melvin Capa of cell no. 3, Cloyd Tagab of cell no. 4, Dennis Yu of cell no. 5; cell no. 7 trustee Teofilo Sarabia and their member inmates in the seven prison cells.

Including their signatures, the last page contains those of 13 inmates of prison cell no. 1; 15 inmates of cell no. 2; 10 in cell no. 3; 12 in cell no. 4; 15 in cell no. 5; 14 in cell no. 6 and 10 in cell no.7.

INCONSISTENCIES?

The computer printed letter contained inconsistencies as Torillo signed as inmate in cell no. 2, Bernabe Dacal-Dacal-cell no. 1 (but no Samuel Dacal-Dacal in the list), Camilo Laborte-cell no. 3 (no Meloy Laborte in the list), Benz Capa-cell no. 4 (no Melvin Capa, Cloyd Tagab-cell no. 5, Dennis Yu-cell no. 6, Carl Wynne Medel-cell no. 7

This sparked the suspicion that a conduit outside the prison cell was preparing the letter for them and was guiding their arguments.

In the letter, the inmates alleged that the current system implemented by the warden violates their basic human rights because they were served with spoiled food unfit for human consumption; and that some inmates were forcibly awakened late at night only to be beaten up outside their cells.

They also mentioned in the letter that only the warden's favorite inmates were allowed to attend the Holy Mass and the group Rosary.

Other inmates wanted to attend these religious activities but were not allowed by the warden.

They also claimed that some inmates were prohibited from receiving visitors “without any valid reason and the jail has no guidelines or clear policy regarding this matter”.

However, Jelianggao denied all the allegations against him.

Jelianggao even claimed in an interview with dyRD Patrol Balita on Thursday that Ronda denied about the letter when he confronted him.

The city jail warden also said he welcomes any investigation or fact-finding just for truth to come out.

He also denied an allegation sent through dyRD Txtklamo center that he prohibits inmates to accept items brought by visitors if such items are available and can be bought from the store inside the jail.

Jelianggao also explained that limiting the number of inmates in every prayer gathering or mass at the chapel was just to avoid congestion and was never intended to discriminate anybody contrary to allegations of the inmates.

He said he is just strictly implementing the policies of BJMP, especially after some untoward incidents including the death of an inmate who was allegedly mauled by fellow inmates, and the instances when visitors were caught trying to sneak drugs, and some other prohibited items such as cellular phones.

Jelianggao said he was even surprised that Ronda was able to contact radio stations to air out the concerns of inmates through cellphone.

In an interview with Tagbilaran By Night (TBN) program that day, Ronda reiterated the content of the letter to correct Jelianggao's statement that the inmates denied having lodged a complaint.

The tension started to escalate that night when Ronda made it known to the public that the inmates would go on hunger strike until Jelianggao would allow them to take their dinner at the hallway.

But Jelianggao wanted them to get inside their cells first and the jail personnel would just serve their meals there as he avoids chaos if they be allowed to eat at the hallway, considering the tension.

Ronda called on the media to see for themselves the bruises that at least three of their fellow inmates sustained after having been mauled allegedly on the order of Jelianggao.

He named the three inmates as Armando Sumaylo, Bernabe Dacal-dacal and Gilbert Taghoy.

Ronda requested TBN to send a reporter to check them personally right then while the bruises are still there.

He also demanded for a dialogue with Jelianggao and that the media must document it for the public to know their situation inside the CTRC.

Ronda even told TBN that they wanted Jelianggao to be replaced.

TBN anchor Jerry Pabe explained that the reporters would be there first hour the following day since it was already very late at night.

Jelianggao agreed to have a dialogue with the inmates the following day, depending on the level of the tension in the jail.

He warned then to employ reasonable force if the inmates would continue to refuse to follow jail policies.

Indeed, dyRD reporters checked the CTRC first hour in the morning of Friday, but Jelianggao refused to grant the dialogue as he observed that Ronda's group had grown even more demanding and tried to assert that they are still left with some rights parallel to “free men” being not convicted yet.

Jelianggao remained firm on jail policies and continued to ask the inmates to return to their respective cells and eat their meals first. But Ronda said that once they go back to their cells they would be locked up so he tried to assure the media and the jail warden that they would stay calm while at the hallway within a padlocked area.

published by the Bohol Chronicle

A Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge was ordered suspended of receiving his salary and allowances after he was found out by the Supreme Court to have more than 70 undecided cases.

The High Tribunal, in its order asked the RTC judge to resolve all the pending cases in his sala within three months for the lifting of the suspension order.

An RTC judge told the Chronicle on condition of anonymity that an audit check was conducted by the Supreme Court on the status of cases pending at the 10 RTC courts in the province amid reports of a huge backlog of cases here.

The same source said the beleaguered judge was found by the audit team to have failed to resolve more than 20 criminal cases and 50 civil cases. Aside from the 70 cases, some 20 motions remained in limbo being left unresolved by the same judge.

Following the suspension of the release of the judge's wage and allowances, the cases were reportedly transferred to the sala of Branch 47 Executive Judge Suseso Arcamo. He was designated as the hearing judge starting Nov. 8 this year. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were the designated days to hear the pending cases newly transferred to Arcamo's sala.

Under the Aquino administration, the Supreme Court conducted a nationwide audit to address the clamor for litigants to fast track the disposition of cases. It maybe noted that in several detention centers, there are inmates who are languishing in jail even as their cases remain pending at the various courts. The audit report did not state the reasons on how come some 80 cases could not be resolved by the judge.

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by Dennis Fisher
Our Daily Bread

Prepare to meet your God! â€"Amos 4:12

In his book Long for This World, Jonathan Weiner writes about science’s promise to radically extend how long we live. At the center of the book is English scientist Aubrey de Grey, who predicts that science will one day offer us 1,000-year lifespans. Aubrey claims that molecular biology has finally placed a cure for aging within our reach.

But what difference does it make if, after living 1,000 years, we will eventually die anyway? De Grey’s prediction only postpones facing the ultimate question of what happens when we die. It does not answer it.

The Scriptures tell us that death is not the end of our existence. Instead, we are assured that everyone will stand before Christâ€"believers for their works and nonbelievers for their rejection of Him (John 5:25-29; Rev. 20:11-15). All of us are sinners and in need of forgiveness. And only Christ’s death on the cross has provided forgiveness for all who believe (Rom. 3:23; 6:23). The Bible says, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9:27).

Our appointed face-to-face encounter with God puts everything in perspective. So whether we live 70 years or 1,000, the issue of eternity is the same: “Prepare to meet your God!” (Amos 4:12).

What matters more than length of life
Is where you’ll spend eternity;
If you have placed your faith in Christ,
Then heaven’s glory you will see. â€"Sper

Only those who have placed their faith in Christ are prepared to meet their Maker.

by Bill Crowder
Our Daily Bread

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. â€"Colossians 4:6

Driving home from work, I heard a radio advertisement that got my attention. It was for a computer program that checks e-mails as they are written. I was familiar with “spell check” and “grammar check” programs, but this was different. This was “tone check.” The software monitors the tone and wording of e-mails to make certain they are not overly aggressive, unkind, or mean-spirited.

As I listened to the announcer describe the features of this software, I wondered what it would be like to have something like that for my mouth. How many times have I reacted harshly instead of listening firstâ€"and later regretted the words I had spoken? Certainly a tone check would have protected me from responding so foolishly.

Paul saw the need for us as believers to check our speechâ€"especially when talking to those who are not Christians. He said, “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6). His concern was that our speech be graceful, reflecting the beauty of our Savior. And it must be inviting to others. Talking with the right tone to unbelievers is vital to our ability to witness to them. Colossians 4:6 can be our tone check.

Tone of voice can be effective
If our spirit’s calm and meek;
Let us watch our words and actions,
Always careful how we speak. â€"Hess

Every time we speak, our heart is on parade.

by Julie Ackerman Link
Our Daily Bread

I have calmed and quieted my soul. â€"Psalm 131:2

My next record should be 45 minutes of silence,” said singer Meg Hutchinson, “because that’s what we’re missing most in society.”

Silence is indeed hard to find. Cities are notoriously noisy due to the high concentration of traffic and people. There seems to be no escape from loud music, loud machines, and loud voices. But the kind of noise that endangers our spiritual well-being is not the noise we can’t escape but the noise we invite into our lives. Some of us use noise as a way of shutting out loneliness: voices of TV and radio personalities give us the illusion of companionship. Some of us use it as a way of shutting out our own thoughts: other voices and opinions keep us from having to think for ourselves. Some of us use noise as a way of shutting out the voice of God: constant chatter, even when we’re talking about God, keeps us from hearing what God has to say.

But Jesus, even during His busiest times, made a point of seeking out places of solitude where He could carry on a conversation with God (Mark 1:35). Even if we can’t find a place that is perfectly quiet, we need to find a place to quiet our souls (Ps. 131:2), a place where God has our full attention.

Don’t let the noise of the world
keep you from hearing the voice of the Lord.

by Dennis Fisher
Our Daily Bread

Blessed be . . . the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. â€"2 Corinthians 1:3

Thomas Moore (1779â€"1852) was an Irish songwriter, singer, and poet. His talents brought joy to many who saw him perform or who sang his music. Yet, tragically, his personal life was troubled by repeated heartaches, including the death of all five of his children during his lifetime. Moore’s personal wounds make these words of his all the more meaningful: “Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish; earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.” This moving statement reminds us that meeting with God in prayer can bring healing to the troubled soul.

The apostle Paul also saw how our heavenly Father can provide solace to the hurting heart. To the believers at Corinth he wrote: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). Sometimes, though, we can be so preoccupied with an inner sorrow that we isolate ourselves from the One who can offer consolation. We need to be reminded that God’s comfort and healing come through prayer.

As we confide in our Father, we can experience peace and the beginning of healing for our wounded hearts. For truly “earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed. â€"Cushing

Prayer is the soil in which hope and healing grow best.

by Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread

Consider [the ant’s] ways and be wise, which, having no . . . ruler, provides her supplies . . . and gathers her food. â€"Proverbs 6:6-8

When the deck behind our house began caving in, I knew its repair would exceed my abilities. So I made some calls, got some bids, and picked a builder to construct a new deck.

Once the contractor was done, I took a close look at his work and noticed some problems. Seeking a second opinion, I called the local building inspector and got a surprise. The deck guy had not obtained a building permit. Working without official oversight, he had violated many points of the building code.

This incident reminded me of an important truth (other than asking to see the building permit): We often do less than our best if we don’t have any accountability to the authority over us.

In Scripture, we see this principle explained in two of Jesus’ parables (Matt. 24:45-51; 25:14-30). In both cases, at least one unsupervised worker failed when the master was gone. But then we see a different approach in Proverbs 6. We see the example of the ant, which does good work without a visible supervisor. It intrinsically does its work without being monitored.

What about us? Do we do good work only when someone is watching? Or do we recognize that all our service is for God, and so do our best at all timesâ€"even when no human authority is watching?

God sees and knows the work we do:
Our faithfulness He will reward;
With His authority in view,
Let’s do our best for Christ the Lord. â€"Hess

No matter who your boss is, you are really working for God.

by Joe Stowell
Our Daily Bread

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son. â€"Colossians 1:13

Buying and selling real estate in the US is tricky business these days. Housing prices have dropped significantly, and if you’re trying to unload commercial property it’s even more difficult. So, in the game of real estate, it remains important to keep this old adage in mind: “The three most important things to know about buying and selling property are location, location, location!”

The same is true of living for Jesus. Knowing our location spiritually is critical if we are to succeed in navigating through the greatly devalued territory of our world. Paul reminds us that we have a new location in Christ, having been delivered “from the power of darkness and conveyed . . . into the kingdom of the Son” (Col. 1:13). Knowing that we have been relocated by His amazing grace into the kingdom of Jesus makes a difference. Jesus now reigns as King in our hearts and minds, and we are His grateful subjects. His will is our will and His ways become patterns for all of life and behavior. And when we are forced to make a choice, our allegiance is to Him.

So, when the temptations and the seductions of the darkness from which you have been removed threaten His reign in your heart, remember your new postal code: Colossians 1:13!

Where Jesus reigns there is no fear,
No restless doubt, no hopeless tear,
No raging sea nor tempest dread,
But quietness and calm instead. â€"Anon.

The subjects of the kingdom
should display the manners of the court.

by Cindy Hess Kasper
Our Daily Bread

I was frustrated that despite my repeated calls, the streetlight in front of my house was still out. Because we don’t have sidewalks and there is such a large distance between the streetlights, it’s important that each light is functional to illuminate the darkness. I worried that I might hit one of the school kids as I pulled out of my driveway in the early morning hours.

The idea of light is used frequently in the Bible. Jesus said that He is the Light of the world (John 9:5). We are told to “put on the armor of light” by clothing ourselves with the Lord (Rom. 13:12-14). And Matthew 5:16 instructs that we should “let [our] light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works and glorify [our] Father in heaven.”

A light that doesn’t shine has lost its usefulness. Jesus said that no one hides a light under a basket but puts it on a lampstand to illuminate everything around it (Matt. 5:15). Our light (our actions) should point people to the One who is the Light. We don’t have any light in ourselves, but we shine with the reflection of Christ (Eph. 5:.

God has placed each of us in a specific environment that will best allow us to shine with His light. Don’t be like a burned-out streetlight. Shine on!

Lord, help us always put You first
In everything we say and do
So that Your light will shine through us
And show the world their need of You. â€"Sper

Whether you’re a candle in a corner
or a beacon on a hill, let your light shine.

by Anne Cetas
Our Daily Bread

Usually we’re told to smile before someone takes our picture. But in some parts of the US, a no-smiling policy is enforced when getting your photo taken for a driver’s license. Because of identity theft, these motor vehicle departments carefully check new photos that are taken to be sure they don’t match photos already in the system. If someone gets a picture taken under a false name, an alarm is sent to the operator. From 1999 to 2009, one state stopped 6,000 people from getting fraudulent licenses. But why no smiling? The technology recognizes a face more easily if the person has a neutral facial expression.

Jesus prescribed a good way to recognize a Christian. He told His disciples, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The ways to show love to fellow believers are as endless as there are people with needs: a note of encouragement, a visit, a meal, a gentle rebuke, a prayer, a Bible verse, a listening ear, even just a friendly smile.

The apostle John wrote, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14). Can others recognize, by our care for fellow Christians, that we know and love the Lord?

For Christians to be recognized
As people who follow the Lord,
Their love for one another is
A virtue that can’t be ignored. â€"Sper

One measure of our love for God
is how much we show love to His children.

by David McCasland
Our Daily Bread

When it was learned that the biggest football game of the 2011 season was scheduled to be played on Yom Kippur, the student government at the University of Texas petitioned school officials to change the date. They said it was unfair to make Jewish students choose between the classic football rivalry with Oklahoma and observing their most important and sacred holy day of the year. But the date was not changed. Even in societies where people have religious freedom, difficult choices are still required of every person of faith.

Daniel demonstrated the courage to obey God no matter what the consequences. When his political rivals set a trap to eliminate him from their path to power (Dan. 6:1-9), he didn’t challenge the law or complain that he had been wronged. “When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days” (v.10).

Daniel didn’t know if God would save him from the lions’ den, but it didn’t matter. He chose to honor God in his life whatever the outcome. Like Daniel, we are free to choose to follow the Lord.

What freedom lies with all who choose
To live for God each day!
But chains of bondage shackle those
Who choose some other way. â€"D. De Haan

You can never go wrong when you choose to follow Christ.

by Bill Crowder

During a documentary on World War I, the narrator said that if Britain’s casualties in “the war to end all wars” were marched four abreast past London’s war monument, the processional would take 7 days to complete. This staggering word picture set my mind spinning at the awful cost of war. While those costs include monetary expense, destruction of property, and economic interruption, none of these compare to the human cost. Both soldiers and civilians pay the ultimate price, multiplied exponentially by the grief of the survivors. War is costly.

When believers go to war with one another, the cost is also high. James wrote, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?” (James 4:1). In our own selfish pursuits, we sometimes battle without considering the price exacted on our witness to the world or our relationships with one another. Perhaps that is why James preceded these words with the challenge, “Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (3:18).

If we are to represent the Prince of Peace in our world, believers need to stop fighting with one another and practice peace.

The wars and fights within the church
Disrupt our unity and peace;
How can we show the peace of Christ
Unless our conflicts cease? â€"Sper

When Christians are at peace with one another, the world can more clearly see the Prince of Peace.

by David C. McCasland
Our Daily Bread

A long-time friend described the days surrounding his 90th birthday as “a time . . . to do a little reflecting, looking in the rearview mirror of my life, and spending many hours in what I call ‘The Grace of Remembrance.’ It’s so easy to forget all the ways that the Lord has led! ‘Forget not all His benefits’” (Ps. 103:2).

This was typical of the person I’ve known and admired for more than 50 years. Rather than reviewing disappointments, his letter was filled with thankfulness and praise to God.

First, he recalled the Lord’s temporal merciesâ€"his good health, the enjoyment of his wife and children, the joy and success of work, his enriching friendships, and the opportunities he’d had to serve God. He considered them all giftsâ€"none deserved, but all gratefully received.

Next, he reviewed God’s spiritual merciesâ€"the influence of Christian parents and the experience of God’s forgiveness when he accepted Christ as a teenager. He concluded with the encouragement he’d received from churches, schools, and Christian men who cared and prayed for each other.

It’s a model we should follow on a regular basisâ€"the joy of remembering. “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!” (v.1).

He knoweth best! His will for me
Is better than my plans.
Do not all good and perfect gifts
Come from my Father’s hand? â€"Doonan

Give loving thanks for the Lord’s lavish gifts.

by Our Daily Bread

When we quote The Apostles’ Creed, we say, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.” Author J. B. Phillips said, “Every time we say [this] we mean that we believe that [the Spirit] is a living God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.”

Sometimes we forget that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. The Bible describes Him as God. He possesses the attributes of God: He is present everywhere (Ps. 139:7-8), He knows all things (1 Cor. 2:10-11), and He has infinite power (Luke 1:35). He also does things that only God can do: create (Gen. 1:2) and give life (Rom. 8:2). He is equal in every way with the other Persons of the Trinityâ€"the Father and the Son.

The Holy Spirit is a Person who engages in personal ways with us. He grieves when we sin (Eph. 4:30). He teaches us (1 Cor. 2:13), prays for us (Rom. 8:26), guides us (John 16:13), gives us spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:11), and assures us of salvation (Rom. 8:16).

The Holy Spirit indwells us if we have received forgiveness of sin through Jesus. He desires to transform us so that we become more and more like Jesus. Let’s cooperate with the Spirit by reading God’s Word and relying on His power to obey what we learn.

God’s guidance and help that we need day to day
Is given to all who believe;
The Spirit has sealed usâ€"He’s God’s guarantee
Of power that we can receive. â€"Branon

The Christian who neglects the Holy Spirit
is like a lamp that’s not plugged in.

Geopolitical Journey: Riots in Cairo

By Reva Bhalla | October 11, 2011

The last time I visited Cairo, prior to the ouster of then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a feeling of helplessness pervaded the streets. Young Egyptian men spent the hot afternoons in shisha cafes complaining about not being able to get married because there were no jobs available. Members of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood would shuffle from apartment to apartment in the poorer districts of Cairo trying to dodge arrest while stressing to me in the privacy of their offices that patience was their best weapon against the regime. The Brotherhood, Egypt’s largest Islamist organization, could be seen in places where the government was glaringly absent in providing basic services, consciously using these small openings to build up support among the populace in anticipation of the day that a power vacuum would emerge in Cairo for them to fill. Meanwhile the Copts, comprising some 10 percent of Egypt’s 83 million people, stuck tightly together, proudly brandishing the crosses tattooed on their inner wrists in solidarity against their Muslim countrymen. Each of these fault lines was plainly visible to any outsider willing to venture beyond the many five-star hotels dotting Cairo’s Nile Corniche or the expatriate-filled island of Zamalek, but any prediction on when these would rupture was obscured by the omnipresence and effectiveness of the Egyptian security apparatus.

When I returned to Cairo the weekend of Oct. 9, I caught a firsthand glimpse of the rupture. The feeling of helplessness on the streets that I had witnessed a short time before had been replaced with an aggressive sense of self-entitlement. Scores of political groupings, spread across a wide spectrum of ideologies with wildly different agendas, are desperately clinging to an expectation that elections, scheduled to begin in November, will compensate them for their sacrifices. Many groups also believe that they now have history on their side and the momentum to challenge any obstacles in their way â€" including Egypt’s still-powerful security apparatus. The sectarian rioting that broke out Oct. 9 was a display of how those assumptions are grinding against reality.

by PNA

Department of Education (DepEd) 7 Director Recardo Borgonia has said he will issue a memorandum reminding school heads to strengthen their guidance counseling program, following the suicide of a 13-year-old schoolboy in a southern Cebu town.

Ramzel Halos hanged himself at the back of his classroom in Maghanoy Elementary School in the southern town of Barili, Cebu Wednesday afternoon.

His parents, who have separated and have families of their own now, reunited for his burial Saturday at the town’s public cemetery.

Prior to the incident, Halos expressed his desire that his mother and father visit him and his siblings.

Halos was reportedly a candidate for school valedictorian.

Borgonia said every teacher should act as a guidance counselor.

”Teachers are the children’s second parents,” he said, adding that teachers should closely observe their students’ behavior.

He said teachers should immediately talk to a pupil who shows signs of abnormal behavior.

But he said it’s difficult to tell what’s in a person’s mind.

“We can never really tell what is in the mind of a person. What is important is we are doing our best. We do our own share to respond to this kind of problem,” he said.

Borgonia also underscored the importance of family in deterring suicide among adolescents, saying the “family is the basic unit and the first source of security.”

Last April, a 13-year old boy in Minglanilla, Cebu took his life after being scolded by his mother for getting low grades.

The following month, a 12-year-old girl in Pardo, Cebu City hanged herself inside their house allegedly after her mother called her dumb.

reaction from Josefina Timogan, a teacher

The letter reflected to the teachers. It only shows that the teachers did not provide the right quality of education to students.We may laugh at it but it is not the child's fault. We must blame the teachers because in the first place teachers should teach their students how to speak and write English well. Can all teachers speak and write English well? It is the universal language which therefore we as teachers should know English speaking and writing so that we can teach our children the right English.

PAGMATA NA!!! LIHOK NA!!! Ang mga bata gatan-aw nato dili kay kita ang motan-aw ug mo correction sa sayop sa mga bata!!!

ISN'T IT A SLAP ON OUR FACE??? Huh, Teachers???

by Jerry Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Someone once said you should choose your words carefully because one day you may have to eat them.  US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. is eating, if not words, perhaps, humble pie.

Hammered in the media for saying that 40 percent of male tourists come to the Philippines for sex, the American envoy later said in published statements that he would not apologize for his remarks.

On Friday, in a text message to Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, Thomas seemed to have changed his mind.

“Sir, thanks again for taking time to meet with me twice this week,” Thomas said in his message, which Del Rosario forwarded to the Inquirer. “I am sending you a response expressing regret for my comments. I should not have used the 40 percent statistic without the ability to back it up. I regret any harm that I may have caused.”

Del Rosario, who is on an official trip to Vietnam, described Thomas’ message to him as “very straightforward.”

by Susan K
Radio Inquirer

OFWs are often beset with problems that have nothing to do with their jobs overseas. One of them is credit card debt.

In rich countries, getting a credit card is easy. Our kababayan there are almost pushed to avail of the plastic money cards.

Some overseas Filipino workers carry not just one or two cards but five or six, or as many as they can.

But some kabayan apparently don’t know how to handle finances wisely. They buy too much on credit, forgetting that they are going to have to pay for the debts eventually.

Signing receipts with no cash on hand is easy. This is evident from the flashy personal things of many OFWsâ€"like their cellular phones and hip gadgets which always seem new and top-of-the-line.

One of our OFWs recalled that her employer scolded her for buying a cellphone that was more extravagant and expensive than the one she was using.

We also have cases of OFWs scheduled for repatriation but who cannot get clearance because he or she is buried in credit card debts.

One Filipino worker thought that he was well on his way to escaping his debts after he bought a plane ticket home to the Philippines. He was shocked when he was not allowed to check in by an immigration officer because their database showed that our kababayan had a bad record of unpaid credit card debts. They checked him into jail instead.

by Tara Quismundo
PDI

The girl from Gagalangin in Tondo, Manila, counted Leonardo da Vinci among her idols. At first, however, the shy 13-year-old spoke so softly as Mona Lisa probably would, that you had to lean closer just to hear her.

But one look at her artwork and you’ll see how Trisha Reyes’ eloquence flows through her hands, her strokes on the canvas confident and emphatic like exclamation points, her colors a spectrum of emotions from fear to hope, from sadness to joy.

Combining these skills with inspiration drawn from a recent family outing, Reyes has sent out an urgent messageâ€"and the world is taking notice.

Her “Life in the Forest” topped the 20th United Nations Environment Programme’s (Unep) global painting competition. According to Bayer, a corporate sponsor of the contest, her entry bested some 4 million other children’s paintings from 99 countries.

The freshman from St. Stephen’s High School in Manila received the award and a $2,000 cash prize at the Tunza International Children and Youth Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia, earlier this month.

Her winning work, a 15” x 20” piece rendered in oil pastel and water color, will go on exhibit around the world and will be replicated in Unep posters and calendars, Reyes said in an interview last week.

“I’m very happy but at the same time I didn’t expect (to win).  Of all the entries, I was lucky to be chosen,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

by PD Inquirer

Tropical Depression “Ramon” increases its threat to eastern Visayas and northeastern Mindanao as it moves in a west northwest direction at 17 kilometers per hour, the state-run weather bureau said early Tuesday.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that as of 4 a.m., the center of Ramon was estimated at 360 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

It was sustaining maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center, Pagasa said.

Signal No. 1 has been raised over Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte Provinces, Bohol, Biliran, Camotes Island, Surigao Del Norte including Siargao Island, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, the Dinagat Group of Islands, and Camiguin Island.

Eastern Visayas and northeastern Mindanao will have rains with gusty winds and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough, the weather bureau said.

The Bicol region, rest of Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy over central Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and lansdlides, Pagasa said.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, Pagasa added.

The weather bureau said that Ramon was expected to be at 100 km northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur by Wednesday morning and at 90 km north of Cebu City by Thursday morning.

By Friday morning, it will be at 70 km north of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, it added.

from a newsletter of ChangeThis

My name is Dylan Schleicher, but when I log into the ChangeThis newsletter, I still log in as Amit Gupta. He helped build and launch ChangeThis, and served as its first Managing Editor. Amit was instrumental in the life of ChangeThis. And now, you could be instrumental in the life of Amit Gupta.

Amit was recently diagnosed with acute leukemia. After undergoing chemotherapy, Amit will need a bone marrow transplant, and finding a genetic match for bone marrow is complicated. The national bone marrow registry has 9.5 million records on file, yet the chances of someone of South Asian descent finding a match are only 1 in 20,000. (Incidentally, this email list usually hovers around 20,000 people--if only all of you were of South Asian descent, we'd be golden here.)

So, how can you help?

    If you’re South Asian, get a free test by mail. You rub your cheeks with a cotton swab and mail it back. It’s easy. And if you know any South Asians (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, or Sri Lanka), please point them to the links above.

    Attend the Brown Bones Benefit Party some of Amit's friends are throwing in New York City on October 14. If you can't make it to New York City, donate a few dollars to the fund set up for Amit at the Be the Match Foundation.

    If you're not in the U.S., enter the global registry. According to the foundation, "fifty-one percent of the transplants [they] facilitate involve either a U.S. patient receiving cells from an international donor or an international patient receiving cells from a U.S. donor," so this could really help.

    Organize your own drive by writing 100kcheeks@gmail.com.

The world could really use more men like Amit Gupta--the world could really use Amit Gupta himself. Please do all you can to help.

Go Do: How Hard Can It Be? by Lou Imbriano

“It’s important to realize that the only true barrier in life is you. Sure, there can be obstacles that you face every day and people who are impediments to achieving your goals, but ultimately, you will be the reason that you achieve or fail.”

The Power of Trust and Mistrust by Dr. Judith Bardwick

“When trust levels are high, so is the quality and performance of businessâ€"and the reverse is also true. These facts are demonstrated dramatically when we look at the financial outcomes of companies that are among the best to work for and their peer companies that aren’t.”

Reinventing the Wheel: Creating Lifetime Customers by Chris Zane

“Creating lifetime customers requires that you offer every customer or potential customer more service than they consider reasonable. Further, it means that you actively solicit customer feedback about what you could be doing better and use that information to expand and tweak your offerings to best service the customer.”

Responding Effectively to Workplace Bullying: Managing Behavior at the Time of an Attack by Aryanne Oade

“This manifesto is written against a backdrop of increasing bullying at work. Its objective is to equip you with the interpersonal know-how and the insight you need to respond effectively to incidents of bullying workplace.”

How Unplanning Your Business Can Make It Happen Faster How Unplanning Your Business Can Make It Happen Faster by Ian Sanders & David Sloly

“The problem with writing a fixed plan is that you can get stuck in amber mode. You get so bogged down with hypotheticals, financial modeling and revenue projections that your cool business idea gets stuck in a spreadsheet and the light never goes green.”

Guarding the Guards: Crushing the Bureaucratic Rules that Limit Success by Tom Rieger

“As managers are forced to do more with less, contend with limited resources, or battle for headcount and budget, many will begin to build walls to help protect their ability to meet their own local goals. Unfortunately, sometimes those walls become so high that those inside lose sight of the ultimate outcome. Their world becomes defined by the piece, and not the puzzle.”

Victor Ortiz vs Marcos Maidana Best Highlight
This is real boxing, real fight
Marcos Maidana vs Victor Ortiz

Violence has broken out in Cairo, beginning today at about 8 p.m. Demonstrators outside the state television station began firing on soldiers patrolling the area, according to reports from government sources. Two soldiers were reported dead and 25 soldiers were reported wounded so far. Other reliable reports say that multiple vehicle fires have broken out and that tear gas is being fired by the police at the crowd. Demonstrations are also under way at Tahrir Square.

Given elections scheduled for November, and the apparent magnitude of the violence, it would appear that this event is highly significant. We expect details and analysis to evolve as the events unfold. - Stratfor

Urban Gardening

mao ba, Bugz. sige maghulat ta sa iyang excuse letter kay basin pud ug ni-fly away si hubag bohol sa kadarohan.

unsa kahay reaction ni hubag hubol ani nga excuse letter

welcome back, islander. naabtan diay ka sa Pedring ug Quiel nga bagyo.

By Scott Stewart | October 6, 2011

U.S.-born Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, an ideologue and spokesman for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al Qaeda’s franchise in Yemen, was killed in a Sept. 30 airstrike directed against a motorcade near the town of Khashef in Yemen’s al-Jawf province. The strike, which occurred at 9:55 a.m. local time, reportedly was conducted by a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and may have also involved fixed-wing naval aircraft. Three other men were killed in the strike, one of whom was Samir Khan, the creator and editor of AQAP’s English-language magazine Inspire.

Al-Awlaki has been targeted before; in fact, he had been declared dead on at least two occasions. The first time followed a December 2009 airstrike in Shabwa province, and the second followed a May 5 airstrike, also in Shabwa. In light of confirmation from the U.S. and Yemeni governments and from statements made by al-Awlaki’s family members, it appears that he is indeed dead this time. We anticipate that AQAP soon will issue an official statement confirming the deaths of al-Awlaki and Khan.

Dear Ma'am - Sample of a Student's Excuse Letter

You're right Padre. I will correct that news item. Thanks.

by All Things Digital

Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, the charismatic visionary who reshaped both the computing and entertainment industries, died today. He was 56.

“Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being,” the company said in a statement. “Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built an this spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.”

by Techcrunch

According to a statement just issued by Apple’s Board of Directors, company co-founder and longtime CEO Steve Jobs has passed away.

Apple has also put up the following website in memory. They’re asking for “thoughts, memories, and condolences” to be shared by way of this email address: rememberingsteve@apple.com

It was only a little over a month ago that Jobs stepped down as CEO saying at the time, “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”

Jobs remained Chairman of the Board at the company, as well as director and an Apple employee. He recommended that company COO Tim Cook take his place as CEO. Yesterday, Cook gave his first keynote address as CEO, unveiling the new iPhone 4S.

While that device had been the focal point of Apple’s website for the past 24 hours, Apple.com is now simply dedicated to Jobs, using a famous picture of him (above) that will also grace the cover of his upcoming biography by Walter Isaacson due out next month.

Jobs had battled cancer, and in 2004 had an operation related to the disease. In recent years, illness had forced him to step back from his role as CEO of Apple on separate occasions. He also had a liver transplant in 2009 during one of those medical leaves.

But after each battle, he came back and continued his amazing work at Apple. In 2007, he unveiled the iPhone. In 2010, the iPad. His last appearance on stage was at Apple’s 2011 WWDC conference in San Francisco. There, he laid the groundwork for Apple’s latest innovations including iOS 5, OS X Lion, and iCloud.

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DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have proven its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:
Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningitis, kidney and urine diseases, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water
2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minute
3.. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.
4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for 2 hours
5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.
6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.
The following list gives the number of days of treatment required to cure/control/reduce main diseases:
1. High Blood Pressure (30 days)
2. Gastric (10 days)
3. Diabetes (30 days)
4. Constipation (10 days)
5. Cancer (180 days)
6. TB (90 days)
7. Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment only for 3 days in the 1st week, and from 2nd week onwards â€" daily..
This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you may have to urinate a few times.
It is better if we continue this and make this procedure as a routine work in our life. Drink Water and Stay healthy and Active.
This makes sense .. The Chinese and Japanese drink hot tea with their meals ..not cold water. Maybe it is time we adopt their drinking habit while eating!!! Nothing to lose, everything to gain...
For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you.
It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.
Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.
Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.
A serious note about heart attacks:
· Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting,
· Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
· You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.
· Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
· 60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up.
· Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to everyone they know, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life.
Please be a true friend and send this article to all your friends you care about.

by Sunday Post

With still a full quarter to go, indicators show there has been an upswing in business activities in Tagbilaran City this year. Records from the City Hall revealed that there has been a noticeable increase in processes related to business activity this year. The total number of new business applications this year was placed at 914 with three months more to go. A total of 316 permits were issued in the first nine months while 581 applications are still going through the process. Out of this total, 17 applications are now up for inspection.

City administrator Eduardo Macalandag said that at this point, the total number of business permits was placed at 3601. The three quarter total this year is already 221 more than the 3390 total for the entire year in 2010. He said that 2733 were merely renewal of existing business permits which is still slightly lower than the 2933 permits renewed for the 2010 total. So far, the city has already approved 316 new applications which is nearly double the 145 new permits issued last year. Macalandag also revealed that 562 applications are being reassessed at this stage, already 260 more than those reassessed at the end of the year in 2010. Asked to comment on the reasons for the increase, Macalandag declined to give specifics saying that the city has no scientific data to determine this.

Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim said he is pleased with this development because any increase in business activity is good for the city. “Of course, we are happy with that,” he replied when asked to comment on this. The mayor said that it does not need an expert to know that a significant increase shows confidence in the local economy. “I do not want to say the city government is a big part of that but it would not be fair to say we are not part of it too,” he added. Lim said investor confidence is very crucial because unlike other expressions of support, businessmen put their money where their mouth is. “It is one thing to say that you are satisfied with the how the city is being run but it is an entirely different thing when you prove that approval by investing in the city,” he added. The mayor said that the increase in business activity is significant considering that the economy is not doing well even in traditional economic powers. “Of course, let us count our blessings,” he replied when asked whether this is something to be grateful for.

by Sunday Post

The new chief of police of Ubay Police Station P/SInsp Homobuno Sayon led his men in a caravan around the public market area after the showdown inspection of motorcycle helmet  at the PNP Station morning of September 26 in implementation of RA 10054. The men and women in uniform who owned a motorcycle submitted for a showdown inspection in connection with the upcoming massive implementation of Republic Act 10054 otherwise known as the Motorcyle Helmet Act in the municipality of Ubay.  The inspection was hailed as laudable in the sense that 100% of his men were ready and equipped with the required paraphernalia.

The COP’s notion in the conduct of caravan was  simultaneous with the scheduled market day of the town where large amount of constituents are expected to benefit the information.  It was further disseminated that motorcycle owners were only given one week to prepare and buy the needed paraphernalia in order to prevent  road accident and loss of lives at the same time to prevent penalties impose the moment they will be caught violating the law. Sayon who is new to the town has started to familiarize the people around him uses his charm in attracting attention and letting the people understand he is approachable at all times.  He further stressed that the law should be carried out and as law enforcer and an implementing arm of the government by October 3, 2011cops will start apprehending violators in the road exempting no one and imposing the penalties based on the Republic Act.(virgie-mpio desig, ubay)

By: Jovenal G. Edquilag
RARE, Conservation Fellow

The Mabaw Reef Management Committee (MRMC) was formally created recently at JJ’s Seafood Village, this city. Ms. Wilma Gran, a former barangay councilor of Taloto district was elected as the chairperson of the Mabaw Reef ManCom. The other officers are the following: Vice- chairperson-Nelson Tayag; Secretary- Miniranda Alcantar; and Treasurer- Adolfo Yecyec. The other key officers include Gil Cabalit- Enforcement and Maintenance Team; Mary Jane Ruiz and Jovenal G. Edquilag- Information and Education Team, Flor Manlupig - Resource Monitoring Team; and Ms. Susan Abong and Cecilia Oroc- Financial Sustainability Team. The induction of the MRMC officers was made by City Councilor Doni D. Piquero.

Pursuant to Executive Order No.6 series of 2011 issued by City Mayor Dan Neri Lim, the Mabaw Reef ManCom is tasked to implement rules and regulations and to supervise the day-to-day operations for the protection, maintenance, and preservation of the reef. Moreover, the ManCom shall be in the forefront on implementing social marketing activities as part of the Mabaw Reef Pride Campaign Program. Slated to be formally launched sometime this month, the program is implemented by the city government through the Mabaw Reef TWG in partnership with the Maribojoc Bay Executive Management Office and RARE.

by Sunday Post

BIEN UNIDO. â€" How do you keep blast fishers from further ruining the country’s only double barrier reef?

For Mayor Rey Nino Boniel, the answer lies in hitting the right nerves of the people who use dynamite fishing as a way of living. With a seemingly infinite resource at their doorsteps, people from the town’s islands and some coastal barangays here find a no-sweat livelihood in their blast fishing, one that Mayor Boniel agrees would kill the goose that lays the golden egg in their front yard. “We recorded at least 20 blasts a day then,” the young mayor who has sought an end to blast fishing to make the town’s tourism through diving as a feasible economic engine. “There have been strict coastal laws implementation but it did very little to dent on illegal fishers who have islands and islets as easy refuge during apprehension drives,” he pointed out. “We just have to find a way to make a better campaign going.” For the local leaders however, the solution was right within their reach.

“Knowing our people and their fear of the sacred, we submerged religious images in the reefs creating an underwater grotto of the Fatima and an underwater coral garden guarded by a 14 feet-4 tons Santo Nino,” shared Mayor Boniel. Bien Unido, a town on the northeast of Bohol some 108 kilometers away from Tagbilaran is a fairly young town with only 5 of its 13 barangays in mainland Bohol. Fishing is the primary source of income for its 32,000 residents. Danajon is the town’s ace in the sleeve, as it sits on the doorstep of a rare frontier: a double barrier reef that forms as the central bank of fish and marine bounty in the region. Hugging most of the Danajon Double Barrier Reef, one which extends from Tubigon to Bien Unido, the town hosts most of the inner and outer reef system of shoals, islets and shallow waters that has become a favorite refuge for small and large fishes. In between the reefs are deep waters which has become a haven for adventure divers whose insatiable search for deep sea caves, caverns and walls is satisfied, says Alfie Fernandez, a marine protection and conservation advocate member of the Sea Knights.

Knight-Stewards of the Sea, Inc. or the Sea Knights helped Bien Unido reclaim its treasure by educating people of the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources through responsible communities. The ultimate aim is to empower coastal communities and assist local government units in adopting environment friendly practices, building and strengthening linkages and relationships, promoting and ing volunteerism and participation, protecting Danajon has become an urgent project, Fernandez said. The problem was not just law enforcement, because a cat and mouse game always happens. The islets also present as a perfect hideaways for pursued blast fishers, the young mayor said. Diving the double barrier reef is a high for sports dive enthusiasts but the presence of blast fishers makes dive in Danajon difficult if not dangerous. Blast fishing destroys the corals and underwater scapes as it also could dangerously daze a diver within the vicinity, Fernandez explains. The solution was brilliant: submerge religious images of the Holy Child (Santo Nino) and the Virgin of Fatima in the blast fishing grounds, the sea knight exclaimed.

The choice of the Santo Nino and Fatima was easy, devotion to the two religious patrons in this part of island is overwhelming and it would be understandable if fishers would respect the sites, mayor Boniel, whose name is also Rey Nino. So they would not feel deprived of their livelihood, SeaKnights and LGU Bien Unido taps communities in the island and teach fishers to find alternative livelihood, he adds. That time, government introduced seaweed farming which has helped decongest the tension in fishing. Bien Unido is declared the sea weed capital in the country, with an annual harvest of 73 tons, Boniel said. But still up to get its people moving, a series of trainings has been done to equip its people with the basics in dive guiding and tourism services is now ongoing to help lessen the tension. Recently, Bien Unido was launched as the home of the Bohol Yatch Club, another alternative move to bring the right people closer to protecting the reef, Boniel said.

by Sunday Post

A botched operation by Cebu operatives against a homicide suspect in Bohol is now being investigated following allegations that an agent of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) tipped her about it. Homicide suspect Bella Ruby Santos was reportedly sighted in Bohol prompting the manhunt for her by authorities. Santos and her British boyfriend Ian Charles Griffiths are facing criminal charges for the death of 6-year-old Ellah Joy Pique. The Cebu Daily News reported that Renante Pique, the victim’s father, alleged that an agent of the CIDG was found to have received “payola (grease money)” from Santos .

He claimed that a member of the PNP Task Force Ellah told him that Santos evaded arrest in an operation probably because she was alerted by her informer. Pique alleged that his source confided to him that incriminating messages was found in the cellphone of the agent that showed that he was receiving a monthly stipend of P20,000 from Santos. Both the agent and police officials have denied the allegation. There was no confirmation on the specific dates and places of the police operation against Santos in Bohol . The Office of the Ombudsman, however, is not going to allow the issue to go away.

Cebu newspapers said Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago will look deeper into the reported involvement of the agent with the homicide suspect who remains at large. This is the latest controversy to hit law-enforcement authorities. Last month, an agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was arrested in an entrapment operation and is now under detention. Meanwhile, a suspected drug personality was arrested by a composite team led by the PDEA in Loon town. The suspect identified as Sherwin Bautista claims he is a police asset who has allowed operatives to use his personal funds for entrapment operations.

By SEN GUINGGUING
Sunday Post

The three members of the notorious Budul budol Gang based in Cebu and trying to prey on gullible Boholanos escaped prosecution after two of their previous victims refused to file any complaint. The three who used a Starex van in their supposed operations in this city were arrested by elements of the city police after they were acting suspiciously while inside the Island City Mall, this city. They were identified as William Apas, 33, married of barangay Biasong, Balamban Cebu; Ramil Biray, 38, of San Isidro Talisay and Nolita Abandan, 37 of barangay San Isidro, San Fernando, Cebu.

The police team made up of SPO1 Yolando Bagotchay,PO1 Abraham Paeste and PO2 Alberto Kudemus were on foot patrol at the ICM when they chanced upon the three. The faces of the suspects must be familiar to the policemen that they lost no time in accosting them. When police operatives were led to the van, they found inside the vehicle paraphernalia for budol-budol operations like a wad of paper with real money on top.

The suspects were immediately brought to the city police station while the apprehending policemen called on possible victims to identify the three. Of the many supposed victims who trooped to the police station, at least two of them were positive in their identity of the three as the ones who victimized them. They, however, refused to press charges. This prompted the local police according to SPO1 Rey Calimbayan to release the detained suspects since no charges were being filed against the three. Meanwhile, the Starex van was impounded by authorities pending the appearance of its real owner identified in the registration paper as Janeth Candelario with address of National Capital Region.

by Sunday Post

The two vacant branches of the Regional Trial Courts in Bohol are up for grabs involving 12 applicants. This was announced Friday by Executive Judge Suseso Arcamo who said that he was directed by the Supreme Court through the Judicial Bar Council to give the widest publicity of the opening for application in the Bohol judiciary. Two of the 12 applicants are RTC Presiding Judges Irma Zita Masamayor of Talibon and Patsita Gamutan of Carmen. The other applicants are lawyers Clyde Asual, Jennifer Marcos, Ambrosio de Luna, Rodulfo Dizon, Jose Alfonso Gomos, Anna Marie Militante, Mario Quinit, Omar Sagadal, Sentillas Wilfredo and Sisinio Virtudazo. The lucky applicants will fill up the vacancy left by trial judges Teofilo Baluma of Branch ! and Baudillo Dosdos of Branch 1V. Both judges retired recently.

by Sunday Post

A long wanted fugitive and believed to be a member of a notorious robbery gang operating in Cagayan Oro City and neighboring Misamis Oriental municipalities was captured in a joint police operations in Poblacion, Jagna town Friday. For his capture, the wanted person has a bounty of P170,000. Police are checking the background of Exequiel Dayo Aniscal alias Ekil, 50, widower, and a resident of San Vicente, Maribojoc town. He was arrested in Poblacion, Jagna town where a sister identified as Georgia Aniscal took up residence. Evading arrest since 31 years ago, he was collared in Jagna after police tipped off his presence when the fugitive was said to have attended the annual town last Sept. 28. Police are investigating alleged links of Aniscal to a robbery gang operating in Region 10.

Police sources said, while on the lam, Ekil was a member of a robbery gang operating in the region. Police are also checking reports if he was connected with the notorious Kuratong Baleleng armed group. As to whether he has other pending warrants in his base of operations while on the run, police are also checking this possibility. Proving to be an elusive quarry, the Maribojoc native was wanted for robbery with homicide on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued in 1980 by then Regional Trial Court Judge Andres Santos. No details were available of this crime he was wanted of. Further investigations showed that he had also a standing warrant for murder issued by then Municipal Circuit Trial Court Judge (MCTC) Presiding Judge Agapito Hontanosas, Jr. of Branch. No other details were also available of this crime he was probably guilty of.

When arrested, the long wanted person yielded in his possession a black shoulder bag and a car key. The key was later found to be that of a car owned by her sister. When opened, the shoulder bag showed a professional driver’s in the name of one Michael Aniscal of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, used pre-paid Globe cell cards, and an identification card of Gen. Lisandro Lavadia (rert), chairman of the board of the Philvidec Industrial Authority, one Nokia cell phone, another cell phone Sony Erickson brand and other personal belongings. After being tipped off of his presence in Jagna town, a combined police team led by Police Chief Inspector Jovito Atanacio swooped down on his lair and arrested the long wanted person. He did not resist arrest. The other members of the arresting team were PC! Rene Kyamko, PSI George Badon, PSI Ramoncelio Sawan, PI Jojit Manaquil and an a member of the Maribojoc police identified as PI Enrique Asonio.

by Ven Arigo
Bohol Standard

The next Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) here will ‘supermodel’ for the 2011-2016 Pinoy homecoming years program as declared by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III.

This explains why the TBTK 2012 was launched simultaneouslywith the revival launching of the Balik Pilipinas campaign of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in New York last June, according to TBTK Chairperson Betty Veloso Garcia.

The New Jersey-based Garcia flew in here from the United States last week and presided together with Tagbilran City Councilor Anne Mariquit Oppus the meeting on TBTK preparation.

Opus is the overall coordinator of TBTK, which will be held here for the fifth time and the first ever to be done in the fiesta month of May instead of July durng which are the traditional Sandugo festivities.

Bonding is more pronounced in fiesta season because most Boholanos come home on the occasion.

Many Boholanos and their families already residing in other provinces can hardly find time to come in July because of the school season.

Garcia, a sister-in-law of Gov. Edgar Chatto, said the DOT is supporting the TBTK 2012 promotion and marketing.

Top Philippine tourism officials, some senators and congressmen, and Gov. Edgar Chatto himself witnessed the twin US launchings of the Balik Pilipinas program and next TBTK, also projected to be the grandest ever.

Accompanied by his wife and Bohol First Lady Pureza Veloso-Chatto, the governor was then on the way to the convention of the Confederation of Boholanos in the USA and Canada (CONBUSAC).

CONBUSAC officials and members are most eager to come home for TBTK, regarded as the grandest reunion of Boholanos and a phenomenon in Philippine provincial homecoming.

Two weeks ago, Chatto and First District Rep. Rene Relampagos guested the gathering of the Boholanos in Hong Kong where commitment to TBTK was further sealed.

In their meeting at capitol on Tuesday, Garcia, Oppus and other organizers tentatively set the TBTK and its major activities on May 8-18 next year.

Boholano grand homecomers from around the world are set to pay courtesy call on Pres. Aquino at Malacañang on May 8 and then proceed to their mother province.

The following are the other major activities as tentatively set.

May 8 -- Courtesy call on the governor at capitol, formal opening of Bohol Product Showcase, welcome party hosted by the province and Showcase of Boholano Talents

May 10 -- Swimming Competition, Miss Bohol International Talent Show, Presentation of Mrs. Bohol International Candidates and Final Canvassing, and Basketball Competition

May 12 -- Fun Run and Mrs. Bohol International Coronation Ball

May 13 -- Eucharistic Celebration and Awarding of the Ten Outstanding Boholanos Around the World (TOBAW)

May 14 -- School Reunions for the Holy Spirit School, Bohol Island State University and PMI Colleges, Investment Forum and Miss Bohol International Competition

May 15 -- School Reunions for the Holy Name University and University of Bohol, TBTK Meeting and Election, and CONBUSAC Midterm Meeting

May 16 -- School Reunions for the Bohol Provincial Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association (BPHSNAA), Bohol Institute of Technology and Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School

May 17 -- Gala Night for BPHSNAA and School Reunions for Bohol Wisdom School and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary

May 17 and 19 -- TBTK Derby

May 18 -- Family Reunions, TBTK Motorcade and Recognition Night

With prominent support, Garcia and Oppus hoped to convince airline companies, hotels, resorts and related establishments to grant discounts to the homecomers for TBTK.

The TBTK 2012 will be formally launched here probably in November. It was suggested to coincide with the first-ever Bohol Food Festival which was also mulled in the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by, among others, the governor’s wife who is a younger sister of Garcia; TBTK Philippine coordinator Betty Balatero; Liza Flores, provincial coordinator and head of the governor’ Special Project Unit; Jerome Gabin, DTI; N. Tolentino Gallares and Pie Pardon, FCB; Marissa Diadula, Office of the Provincial Agriculture; Marie Bernadette Manigque, Council for Culture and Arts Development; Maria Leticia Zafra, JCI Chocolate Hills; reigning Mrs. Bohol International Rose Soy, Glorivic Yap-De la Serna, Bayanihan Center; former PBA star Peter Naron and former City Vice Mayor Jose Veloso.

Also present was Babie Bonite of the DCPNHS alumni group. She represented, too, the overseas seafarers’ sector.

TBTK organizers planned to invite some of today’s hottest young stars to enliven a TBTK event such as the showcase of Boholano talents or Miss Bohol International competition.

Names of \Coco Martin, Anne Curtis, Jodi Sta. Maria, Mateo Gudoccilli, Maja Salvador, Angelica Panganiban and Derek Ramsey, all ABS-CBN properties, and Boholana Rich Asuncion of GMA were suggested.

Outside theTBTK meeting, some at capitol preferred KC Concepcion, citing her involvement in the global cause against hunger.

They hinted that a TBTK activity can at the same time raise funds for identified beneficiaries like a certified food-poor community.

Besides, they said, Sen. Kiko Pangilinan can assist the Boholanos in TBTK by helping bankroll Concepcion’s appearance here.

The actress is a daughter of the senator’s wife, megastar Sharon Cuneta, by her first husband and actor Gabby Concepcion. (Ven rebo Arigo)

by Bohol Standard

One common ground that Gov. Edgar Chatto and the Regional Development Council (RDC-7) see eye to eye is that both are now looking forward to seeing its struggles successfully rewarded in the long term by channeling its efforts towards global competiveness by enlisting the youth.

As a young member then of the now-defunct Kabataang Barangay, currently called Sangguniang Kabataan, Chatto cited that the youth, if and when properly trained and made aware of all their options, could be a very effective weapon in maintaining peace and order.

“As appointed leaders, our young could be very valuable in pursuing developmental goals,” the governor stressed.

RDC-7 has set its eyes on tailoring its proposed laws on established global rules, regulations and standards to fit into the picture of universal competence in micro and macro levels for its developmental efforts adding to its list of members the National Youth Commission (NYC).

The proposed membership of the NYC was taken into the floor as part of the meeting’s proposed agenda and was positively received and unanimously approved during RDC’s 3rd Quarter Full Council Meeting in Cebu last week.

Similarly, in Bohol, Chatto has earlier mandated that youth and student organizations, like the Bohol Provincial Youth Development Council, be included in all major associations known for fighting all forms of criminality.

The governor is also strongly behind Bohol’s Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s (PADAC) campaign in spreading awareness against illegal drugs in all schools throughout the province.

RDC Chair and Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama presided over relevant issues which got the council’s attention but the issue on youth participation got the nod of everyone as part of both implied and established strategies in regional development.

“Complacency has no room in the council when relevant issues concerning regional sustainable development and security and safety are concerned,” RDC members were one in saying.

The youth sector may be young but they are not naïve as to what is happening inside their homes and communities, acknowledged everyone.

As always reiterated by the President, the Aquino Administration’s 16-point agenda includes human, infrastructure and economic developments, as well as sovereignty, security and rule of law, and good governance.

Recognizing this, RDC-7 members have realized that without the help of the youth sector, programs, whether local or national in nature, may never succeed.

by Bohol Standard

Mayor Apolinaria Balistoy and Kagawad Lynn Iven P. Lim, who is of the same political fence with the former during the last elections of this town, share the same interest in their respective family business.

Both have the same type of trade, engaging in retail of petroleum products in the town. And their business outfits are in the names of their respective fathers.

Their respective gasoline stations are situated along the national highway. The mayor’s family gas station is located in barangay Malayo Norte here and that of Lims along the national highway in barangay Upper La Paz. Only that Lim’s gas station has yet to start and open for business while processing the documents is still hoped for.

Lim ran under the tandem of Balistoy and Vice-Mayor Danilo Montero and won.

But their companionship in the political arena and in running the government faded away and has turned sour lately for a lot of reasons, said Lim. He said that even just few days prior to the election, he and other companions under the Balistoy umbrella have divorced from her line-up because of very big “pot money” to the tune of PhP500 each of the candidate for kagawad while that of the vice-mayor was a million pesos asked by the mayor.

He did not agree, he said, because he finds no reason to spend that much of a very small town. He and his other candidates in the tandem broke away just few days before the elections, he said.

Lim, who did not hide interest in his family business and protect it in the name of fairness, has got another option---legal --- to compel Mayor Apolianrio Balistoy to “entertain” his family’s application to set up a gasoline station at barangay Upper La Paz.

Lim, who earlier cried harassment following the refusal of the mayor’s office to have the application received, said in an interview yesterday at his residence here that he is constraint to do it (legal action) if his business application is still not received by said office.

He said that his family has already complied with the many requirements and processing of the documents, such as the Environmental Compliance Certificate from the DENR, certification from the Dept of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), barangay clearance after due public hearing and others.

He said that he was told their application needs zoning clearance considering the proposed gas station is along the highway at Upper La Paz. But he said that how come he can comply with the said clearance for zoning since the mayor’s personnel refused to received his application.

He confirmed that under the old set-up, Upper La Paz is classified as residential are. But under the new zoning regulations, any area which is within the populated along the highway is already considered as commercial area. But he did not say if the town’s zoning measure has already classified as such.

He said that for fairness how come that the mayor’s family gas station retail business has been installed when he alleged that it has no ECC and “I’m sure it has not secure a DPWH certification,” he said in mixed English and vernacular.

Lim said that the SB is always at the receiving end because of the mayor’s penchant of putting the blame to them (kagawads and vice-mayor) for no legislative action to support for her program and projects.

He cited as their legislative actions for Barangay San Roque’s water reservoir in the amount of PhP700,000 and PhP1.2M for street lighting but none came out except few flash lights.

He said he was blamed by residents of San Roque, where he was number one in last elections, for not acting the said project. He said he told the barangay folk there that the SB has already acted on it, appropriating the amount of PhP700,000 for the said water tank but he cannot answer why the mayor allegedly failed to implement the project.

A visit to the mayor’s residence in Lindaville phase II in Tagbilaran City yesterday for comment proved fruitless since she was not around. There was no answer from her when contacted through her cell phone, either. (RVO)

by Bohol Standard

Farming was once and still is the chief way of life in most counrtries all over the world because without the crops and animals raised on farms, population would not survive. Sad to note though that not many would like to farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important occupation in the world.

Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers has helped double and even triple the yields of some major crops. Scientific livestock care and breeding have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. Some of these methods are alternatives on unfavorable conditions that beset the best of farming.

Many of our farmers and fisherfolks do not know that methods exist and there are those who are apprehensive to take on new methods and most of these are the poorest of the poor.

However, DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program paved the way for households of farmers and fisherfolks to once again trust the national government on its endeavor in improving their way of life. The introduction of “Cash For Work” and “Cash for Training” of the Rice Subsidy Program was a welcome endeavor for the small scale farmer and fisherfolks such as the likes of 42 year Jaime Binoro from the Municipality of Carlos P.Garcia, Bohol. Married to Marilyn, a Pantawid Pamilya grantee with two children ages 8 and 1 years old, farming is all that Jaime knows what to do. Going to school simply to learn to read and count was what mattered to Jaime’s father as he was growing up because for Jaime’s father education means learning to farm and earning your keep for the day which is why grade 2 is all the education he got.

“Pagka-apil sa akong asawa sa Pantawid Pamilya wa na ko mahadlok kung bati akong ani kay sigurado man ko nga maka eskwela man akong anak. Apan paet gihapon kay mao ra gyud ni akong nahibaw-an buhaton, ug kay mubo man ko ug grado wala koy lain matudlo sa akong anak nga panginabuhi. Apan sa iyang nakit-an murag dili gyud angay sundon akong mga lakang” (When my wife became a grantee of Pantawid Pamilya, I am not anymore afraid when harvest is bad because I know that my son can still go to school. However things are still hard because farming is all that I know and having very minimal education I do not have anything worthy to teach my son except farming, but with what he can see with how I make a living, it is something that is not worth following) said this father sadly.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a poverty reduction strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to extemely poor household for health, nutirition and education. An allocation of P500/month for health and P300/month per child but a maximum of three children only shall be given for five years as long as the following set conditions of going to the health center for monthly check-ups, immunization, weighing, pre-natal and post natal for pregnant women are complied and an 85% school attendance for schooling age children are met. Part of the program’s design is to have the family attend Family Development Sessions “sa sige ug apil sa akong asawa anang FDS daghan man siya ug nakuha nga hinay-hinay niyang gi gamit sa among pagpamuyo unya nindot man ang resulta” (my wife’s constant attendance to family development sessions taught her some things about family which she is slowly applying in the house and with good results) notes Jaime.

He further adds, ‘mau nga pag-ingon nga adunay ihatag nga seminar para sa mga bana nga mag-uuma ug mangingisda, wala ko magduha-duha nga mu-apil kay nakita na nako ang kaayohan sa Pantawid Pamilya mau nga nakasiguro ko nga kaayohan gyud ning Rice Subsidy” (When we were informed that a seminar would be given to the grantee’s spouses who are farmers and fisherfolks, I did not have second thoughts that it only brings good news. I have seen the good effects of Pantawid Pamilya and I am sure that the same would happen with the Rice Subsidy program) said Jaime.

After finishing the 11-days training and community work, Jaime only has this to say “sukad sa akong kinabuhi karon pa ko naka bati ug garbo sa akong pagka mag-uuma. Di na ko mauwaw mu-ingon sa akong anak nga puede ko niyang sundon kay na-a diay mga bag-ong pama-agi sa pag-uma. Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa Rice Subsidy ug Pantawid Pamilya sa DSWD kay bisan mubo ko ug grado gitaga-an ko nila ug oportunidad nga ma-edukar ko ug ang pinaka-importante para ni mabuhi akong pamilya ug makalingkawas sa tumang kapobrehon” (For the first time in my life, I felt proud in being a farmer. With the alternatives methods that I have learned I am not anymore ahsamed to show my son the life of farming. I have the Rice Subsidy Program and Pantawid Pamilya of DSWD to thank because even if I have a minimal education, I was given the chance to learn and most importantly I could cross my family across poverty). PR-Lariba)

by EDCOM

Bohol is set to come up with its own standardized statistical data on tourism as a new partnership between the provincial government and Bohol Island State University (BISU) was signed and sealed on Tuesday.

During the observance of the World Tourism Day, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by Governor Edgar M. Chatto and BISU President Dr. Elpidio Magante for linkage and collaboration towards the development agenda of the provincial government.

The MOA for research is specific to the enhancement of capacity for the establishment of tourism satellite accounts, a standardized statistical system to gather data which the province will use as basis for tourism planning.

Speaking to over five hundred Tourism and Hotel and Restaurant Management students from BISU, University of Bohol, and Bohol Institute of Technology, Chatto shared that tourism is the world’s fastest growing industry, employing 10% of the global workforce.

Chatto, who was chair of the Committee on Tourism of the House of Representatives and author of the Tourism Act of 2009 when he was in Congress, also imparted learnings from United Nations-World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) travels to Panama and Colombia where he learned that the Asian Region is fast rising as a travel destination in the world tourism market.

“Tourism arrival statistics in the country is growing. The greater challenge, therefore, for Bohol is to move upwards and to do that, we must be able to keep up with internationally observed standards,” he said.

The MOA signing coincided with a forum on green tourism organized by the Bohol Tourism Office. Themed “Greening Ourselves for a Greener Tourism Industry,” the forum tackled green infrastructure, healthy eating and healthy living.

Provincial Tourism Council Chairperson lawyer Lucas Nunag reminded the academe of one important aspect of the tourism industry in the province when he stated, “When it comes to abusing our environment and our culture, the phrase ‘The customer is always right’ does not apply.”

Resource speakers in the forum also included Zenaida Darunday and Marie Antonette Madrinan-Bolo.

Chatto underscored the vital partnership of government and the private sector in the growth of the tourism industry in the province. Tourism has been on top of the development agenda of the province, as an engine for equitable growth. (Leah/EDCom)

by Bohol Standard

No Boholanos were prouder than the Balilinhons marking on Thursday their town’s 183rd Founding Day with a zeal to grab a third award in a row for the Hall of Fame of the prestigious Seal of Good Housekeeping for LGU.

Balilihan got its second consecutive national Seal award and P1 million prize just on time for the week-long Sumad sa Balilihan celebration that climaxed on September 29.

Gov. Edgar Chatto, the town’s favorite son, led the guests in commemorating the founding of the place, then a part of Baclayon until separated into a new pueblo on September 29, 1828.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Jesse Robredo wished Mayor Dominisio Chatto and Vice Mayor Efren Chatto more success in their administration.

In the term of former Mayor Victoria Chatto, whose successor is the incumbent mayor, the town was awarded its first Seal of Good Housekeeping for LGU and P1 million prize.

The governor himself witnessed the mayor receiving the award, a badge of excellence in local government management, from the DILG in Manila last year. Balilihan was one of only 15 towns conferred the honor in the entire country when it got its first Seal. A third award will elevate the LGU to the Hall of Fame. The 183rd Sumad at the same time gave the Balilinhons the fit venue to honor their townmate governor himself for making Bohol the best-governed province in the country today.

The DILG also accorded the honor just in September.

Bohol got 4.9 out of the perfect score of five points, rating higher than the best- governed highly-urbanized and component cities in the country.

Other guests invited to grace the different Sumad activities were Regional Directors Leo Cañeda, Rowena Montecillo and Rodolfo Inson of the Departments of Agriculture, Tourism and Agrarian Reform, respectively, Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim and fellow capitol officials, First District Rep. Rene Relampagos, Provincial Local Government Operations Officer Louella Lucino and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Nestor Canda.

The vice governor marked her 74th birthday in hometown Valencia on the vesper of Balilihan 183rd birth anniversary.

Chatto, Lim and Relampagos reaffirmed their support to the sustainable development of Balilihan as they thanked the Balilinhon’s support to their leadership of the province.

Among the town’s major projects is the ongoing concreting of the vital road to Batuan via Hanopol.

The Sumad marking from September 23 to 29 opened in environmental activities like tree planting and riverbank cleanup, medical-dental mission, jobs fair and livestock clinic.

There was an exhibit at the municipal museum while best farm products were displayed in the agro-fair that enhanced the town’s agro-economic image.

True to its name that suggests greenery, the fertile interior locality is a growing source of vegetables, fruits and spices to major markets, hotels, resorts and restaurants in Tagbilaran City and other Bohol areas.

As verdant as the nature of the place were the fresh beauties who vied for the

Miss Sumad sa Balilihan 2011.

Mobile Philhealth services, blessing of Cabad and Haguilanan Grande water reservoirs, streetdancing, Pista sa Nayon, land title distribution, honoring of outstanding students, and awarding of agro-fair winners and best puroks under the Countryside Action Program (CAP) highlighted the founding day.

The CAP is a nationally-awarded innovation of the town introduced by Chatto himself while he was Balilihan mayor.

It has modified the purok system and made it a more effective tool for mobilizing basic communities and delivery of services down the grassroot.

It provided the blueprint for the province-wide implementation of purok power, which capitol leaders launched on Bohol Day last July. A Balilinhons’ “community way of life,” the CAP earned a gold medal from the GTZ German Foundation and Health and Management Information System (HAMIS) Award from the Department of Health in 1994 and 1997.

In 1995, the program bagged the Galing Pook Award, the Philippine Nobel Prize for best LGU practice, sponsored by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Local Government Academy (LGA) and Canadian International Development Assistance (CIDA).

Balilihan was adjudged having the cleanest and greenest town plaza and park during the term of the governor’s father, the late Assemblyman Eladio “Kiking” Chatto, as mayor.

Sumad beats in the very heart of the Balilinhons because it also falls on the death anniversary of the governor’s father, regarded as the “Grand Old Man” of Balilihan.

The town has instituted the HEAT Balilihan as its version of capitol’s HEAT Bohol, a strategy that has institutionalized the province’s unprecedented HEAT caravans.

The HEAT means “Health & sanitation, Education & technology, Agriculture & food sufficiency, Tourism & livelihood.”

Actions and accomplishments do the talking for the leaders of Balilihan, which has also been transformed into an eco-cultural tourism and educational-technical-vocational hub today.

Among its recent essential institutional landmarks are the growing Bohol Island State University (BISU) Campus, Bohol Congressional District Library which is the only of its kind in the province and one of only three in the country, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Training Center .

Even students from Tagbilaran City, Bohol’s learning capital, and far Mindanao provinces have enrolled at the state university established by a law principally authored by Chatto while he was in Congress.

One worthy attribute of Balilihan is noted in its people’s respect for their leaders who value their constituents’ active participation in governance.

Politically-charged criticisms against their leaders are taken as a motivation to work harder and sustain the development momentum.

For them, there is no better politics than a bunch of good deeds.

The theme of this year’s Sumad is to move forward in unison with more cadence, not make things done lame, “Padayon Balilihan sa Kahiusahan, Kalambuan ug Kaangayan sa Tanan.” (Ven rebo Arigo)

by Bohol Standard

A key agriculture official admits that irrigating Bohol’s vast rain-fed rice farms can increase the average harvest in Bohol.

This as a PhilRice executive director revealed that Bohol’s 2.5 tons average is the smallest production yield in the country, a fact that local aggie authorities point to factors contributing to the low yields.

The 2.5 tons per hectare roughly translates to 50 bags of 50 kilos per hectare, explained Engr. Eugene Cahiles of the Agricultural Promotion Center (APC).

Bohol Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) head Engr. Maximino Servillon said that Bohol has about 30,000 rainfed farms producing much lesser compared to the 19,000 irrigated rice fields averaging a little more than the 2.5 tons per hectare yield.

This is also despite Bohol boasting of about three mega irrigation dams, a good number of small-scale irrigation systems and small water impounding projects (SWIP).

APC manager Engr. Eugene Cahiles bared that of the about 50,000 hectares of rainfed and irrigated ricefields, only about 15,000 hectares are planted with hybrid and certified rice seeds.

According to Cahiles, certified rice seed adoptors easily make 4 tons per hectare while hybrid adoptors could make much more.

He cited that in Lila for example, hybrid adopters harvest 11 tons per hectare while the least yield still wen as high as 4 tons.

Here, other farmers do not follow the recommendations of the DA, use the right fertilizer and follow the schedules when to apply the fertilizer, according to him.

Independent analysts have also assumed that the increase in rice sufficiency recorded in Bohol could be attributed to the government subsidy on hybrid and certified rice seeds.

The past agriculture department leaders have subsidized fertilizers at half the cost, a huge reason why adoption has increased.

Since then, with hybrid and certified rice seeds not suited for replanting, adoption dropped which may have resulted in even lower harvests, analysts assumed.

Engr. Cahiles also said aside from low adoption rate for better yielding seeds, farmers also do away with the right fertilizers and applying them at the right time.

Because of this, Cahiles said that a government support on building small farm reservoirs for small-scale irrigation projects instead of building new dams is a better and faster, less expensive option to increase the yields.

We would rather fund the rehabilitation and restoration of old irrigations systems over building new one while the move for the more logical small water impounding systems could be pursued, said Cahiles.

A small water impounding system costs about 20,000 per unit and this can irrigate about 10 hectares, he said.

Even then, Cahiles still challenged private sector investors in making certified or hybrid rice seeds available for the farmers, while urging for more available services from financial institutions.

by EDCOM

Called by its proponents as the Magnificent 7, the Agriculture Training Institute (ATI)-Central Visayas, Bohol Agricultural Promotions Center of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bohol Field Office, Bohol Provincial Science and Technology Center of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Bohol Provincial Trade and Industry Office of the DTI, Bohol Provincial Office of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (BCCI), have pledged allegiance and unconditional support to this booming cottage industry in the province.

The project was set up under the Great Women Project (GWP) of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) with Emmeline Verzosa as Executive Director; and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) headed by Luke Myers, and consequently implemented by the Jagna Sustainable Micro-Enterprise Development (JaSMED) Unit.

JaSMED provides quality gender responsiveness services to improve the quality of life of micro-entrepreneurs focused on women.

“We call this the Calamay Convergence for the surest way to success is when agencies work together,” Chatto said.

With convergence as the key, these seven agencies are now partners with the Office of the Congressman of the Third District Arthur Yap, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Jagna, the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), and the Jagna Calamay Makers Cooperative (JACAMACO), the target group of the convergence.

LGUs usually resort to convergence as a support mechanism for sustainability and with Jagna being considered as the province’s “gateway to Mindanao,” it is very important that focus be given to product innovation through continuous research and development to expand the market.

This “marriage” among the stakeholders which is geared towards the empowerment of women has the absolute and serious commitment of everyone involved ever since its conception in March 2009 when it started its three-year uphill climb, a journey towards its realization.

Fondly called The Jagna Experience by its proponents, every agency is putting in its expertise to help in every way it can to boost the national economy and reduce poverty in Bohol.

The Chatto-Lim Administration has shelled out P700,000.00 as financial assistance for the equipment needed for the Common Service Facility in Brgy. Can-upao which had its ground-breaking ceremony and capsule-laying last Sunday.

Same day also saw the MOA signing of all its stakeholders for the support of the JACAMACO which fittingly coincided with the Jagna Agri-Product and Farmers’ Funfair 2011 within the municipal hall grounds.

The Provincial Government is now looking into the possibility of giving these micro-entrepreneurs access to credit thereby encouraging the private sector to give its usual support for this local joint-venture which has every reason and opportunity to succeed and be acknowledged globally.

by PIA

Department of Trade and Industry Bohol (DTI) has noticed prices of some canned sardines brands slightly going up.

But that is no cause for worry, according to Jose Hibaya, DTI consumer division chief.

He said the prices of some few brands may have risen but these are still within the suggested retail prices (SRP) as agreed by national processed food manufacturers and consumer networks.

Canned sardines, also considered a daily fare for the urban dwellers and the working class is among the DTI monitored prime commodities in as much as the agency assures consumers that the prices of these commodities are regulated.

The increase, which was monitored within a few days before the minimum daily wage increase effected here, was not connected to possible prospecting, hints DTI who said that there are some brands of processed food which programmed their increases after a few months.

Those that we monitored as increased have not done so in quite a long time, thus their increase could be justifiable.

These products come from different companies which do not have similar price movement timetable, said Hibaya at the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

Cursory look at the display shelves of a major grocery here revealed that Swan Sardines Bulilit sells their products at 10.50, Swan regular at P11.00, 555 sell their products at 12.20 while Mariko, Family and Sallenas sells their sardines at P12.25.

Youngstown sells at P12.60 while Mega and Unipak sells their products at P12.75.

Ligo is by far the priciest at P13.00.

At these developments, the working class, who make the canned sardines as among the easily within the budget fastfood has been troubled by the reported increase.

This came over reports that there have been an implemented closed fishing season for the fish made into sardines in the Zamboanga and Sulu seas until December.

Reports monitored bared that the closed season is hoped to allow the dwindling population of fish in the region to recover, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources there.

The reports also come in time when the price increase was monitored prompting speculations that the prospect of low supply of sardines in the near future could have pushed the increase.

by Fred Amora
Bohol Standard

Rice sufficiency in the region had reportedly slide down to 65% compared to the last year’s survey that yielded a high 130% rating, if based in the recent Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) report.

Irrigation authorities here, however, said such reports are inaccurate.

Region 7 Irrigation Manager Engr. Modesto Membreve said that reports blaming in particular, irrigation mismanagement, are malicious and must be verified on the ground for a factual look on agricultural situation in the region.

Rice sufficiency in the region is even confirmed by the Department of Trade and Industry as their price watch monitoring units reported a stable price for rice despite increasing demand.

A corn program group also said rice sufficiency is further threatened due to less corn production, with the current average yield in Central Visayas, of less than one ton per hectare.

Only 164,770 hectares are planted to corn in Central Visayas, composed of the four provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor and Negros Oriental.

The NIA-7 office disagreed on this.

Corn yield intensification is one major program of the agriculture department and it cannot affect supply; but instead is boosting the rice stability in the region, the office said.

NIA-7 pointed to some inaccuracy of reports reaching the media.

“In fact, NIA-7 posted a high 2010 evaluation rating as No. 1 in viability and as among the Top 5 in revenue generation nationwide in the 2010 Assessment Report, “ Membreve pointed out.

The two Bohol Integrated Irrigation Systems (BIIS-1 Malinao Dam and BIIS-2 Bayongan/ Capayas Dam) serve a large total area of about 10,040 hectares of irrigated rice lands. In just two years since its establishment in April 2009, the Central Visayas NIA regional office under the watch of Engr. Membreve was able to squeeze its way out of the financial slump and registered a net revenue income of P47-million in 2010.

NIA Administrator Engr. Antonio S. Nangel personally inspected the Reg. 7 service areas and had seen for himself how the strong partnership of NIA and farmers had resulted to a sustainable high rice yield. (FRED C. AMORA)

by Jes Tirol
Bohol Chronicle

Proem

Last Friday, September 30, 2011 the Rotary Club of Upper Tagbilaran, of which I am a member, made a visit to our adopted school which is the Primary School of Malayo, Cortes, Bohol. We distributed slippers and fed the school children. In previous visits, the RC of Upper Tagbilaran gave books for the library and a television set for the school.

While waiting for the program to begin I interviewed the Grade I teacher. From my interview with the Grade I teacher, it came to my mind that there is really much wastage in our educational system.

Old UNESCO Report

I had been reading an old (1972) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) report regarding wastage in school. This report lamented the fact that throughout the world the failure and repetition in grades was very high. It varied from 20 to 44% for every level in the elementary grades.

This report caused an extreme reaction in the Philippines that the procedure of “Mass Promotion” was instituted. Everybody was promoted to the next grade level even if the pupil did not know anything. Even today the policy of blaming the teacher for the failure of a pupil still remains.

The result was a disaster. The mass promotion produced graduates in the elementary wherein half of the graduates did not know how to read and write. But then our education officials could claim that there was no wastage in Philippine schools.

Present Situation

When I interviewed the school teacher I noticed that she was using English as a medium of instruction in Grade I. Aside from knowing how to read and write, the pupils learned lessons that are not related to their daily life. Basically the pupils “learned” their lesson without understanding.

I asked the teacher if she did not feel that her pupils were disadvantaged in terms of learning lessons. They were taught about things they do not know using a language that they also did not know. I asked the teacher how she would feel attending a class in which the language of instruction was German or Spanish, languages that she did not know. The teacher responded that of course she would not learn the lessons.

I asked why she did not use Sugboanon Bisaya in teaching. She said sometimes she used Binisaya, but then she did not know how to do it because she was not trained to teach using Binisaya. She did not know the difference between “Kinsay imong ngalan = Who is your name” and “Unsay imong ngalan = What is your name.” [Note: In “Kinsay imong ngalan” only the person asked could answer, while in “Unsay imong ngalan” anybody could answer.]

She heard that some teachers were already trained how to teach using the mother language or Binisaya. Yes, I know about the training because the Akademiyang Bisaya was advocating for the training. However, it was a queer kind of training. Instead of the Akademiyang Bisaya conducting the training, the ten (10) teachers in Bohol and those from Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor were sent to Tagaytay City and trained by “experts” who know nothing about the Bisayan language. I have a copy of the training output and it’s all written in English and Tagalog and nothing in Binisaya. And the teaching approach is in English, which is very different from Binisaya.

Wastage in Education

It is a fact in our educational system that out of 100 pupils who start grade I, only 20 will graduate in High School. The 80 pupils will drop out along the way.

Of the 80 that fall along the wayside, of what use will be the little education they obtained? The foreign languages they know are not applicable to their community situation. The lessons taught in school has no relation whatsoever to the needs of the community.

The 20 who can proceed to college will learn a foreign language; read books that are foreign bias, and think of serving in foreign countries.

Maybe the 20 that proceeded to college can be thought of as a success measure in our educational system; but what about the 80 that did not make it? We can say that it was wastage of education. What little they learned is useless in their communities. They were not taught how to apply their mathematics and science using the mother language used in the communities.

To Remedy The Situation

The best remedy is to train the teachers how to teach using his mother language aside from teaching using English and Filipino.

Beginning next school year, the Teacher Education students of the University of Bohol will study their mother language.

For those graduating this semester, three (3) weekends are allotted for their training how to teach using the Binisaya. It would seem that there is no difference in the teaching approach whether using English or Binisaya. Consider this for an eye opener; English starts with the particular like what, how, when, where, etc. and seldom is why being asked. In Binisaya you start with the general approach by asking why and then go to the particular by asking what, how, etc. Add to it the vocabulary in Binisaya, and you have a lot to learn.

If other schools are interested to involve their students in learning how to teach using Binisaya, the University of Bohol is willing to assist other schools. We have already trained the school teachers in Cordova, Cebu and they are now the ones teaching the other teachers in Cebu.