PIA Dispatch - Monday, December 22, 2008

Communist, Abu, Al Khobar terrorists are on the run in RP, says PGMA

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today congratulated the men and women of the Armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the big drop in the number of the Communist rebels fronts, the neutralization of Abu Sayyaf and Al Khobar operators and three foreign terrorists.

Speaking at the 73rd Founding Anniversary of the AFP at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, the President, who is also the commander-in-chief of the AFP, said:

“The communist guerilla fronts have dropped to 63 from 107 in 2005. this year alone, our troops neutralized 150 of the most notorious communist insurgents, 58 Abu Sayyaf and Al Khobar operators and three foreign terrorists. Congratulations to all our soldiers.

The President also cited the men and women of the AFP for their role in time of calamity like typhoon, floods, typhoid outbreak, repair of roads, bridges, school houses and sea disasters.

“Mga sundalo ang una nating tinatawag tuwing may sakuna dahil sa bagyo, baha at iba pang mga kalamidad: Noong lumubog ang barkong Princess of the Stars sa Romblon. Noong kasagsagan ng bagyong Frank. Noong nagkaroon ng typhoid outbreak sa Quezon at sa pagtulong sa mga pamilyang apektado ng bayo’t mga kaguluhan sa Mindanao,” President Arroyo said.

The President also said that the national government is committed to bring peace in Mindanao and restart the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

She pointed out that in order to pursue these objectives, the military should bring stability, regain order, and bring the renegade elements responsible in the bloody attacks against civilian populace to justice.

But before doing that, the President stressed the need for the MILF to regain lost confidence and show its sincerity for the reactivation of the peace talks with the national government.

“The peace process must proceed. We are assembling the pieces to get the peace process started again in a way that upholds our commitment to peace, to the strong sentiments of the communities, and to the rule of law,” she said.

“The key to resolving peace in Mindanao is for all sides to be committed to peace, progress and prosperity. This must include reaching out to all sides and hearing the voices in the community,” the President noted.

“We must all be willing to put ourselves in each other’s shoes and understand various points of views and be willing to give and take to bring permanent peace to the island,” she added.S

he also lauded the leadership of the armed forces for keeping themselves away from politics, which according to AFP Chief of Staff Alexander Yano, is the number one enemy of the military.

She thanked Yano for crushing "the enemy that is called politics" within the military.

The President said that while other countries fell into recession, the Philippine economy grew by 4.6 percent.

"This is a time when our nation’s leadership must give all its attention to managing the impact of the global crisis so that it does not become a Philippine crisis. The national leadership attention must not be on politics but on the economy," she stressed.

The President also assured the soldiers that the upgrading of the country’s defense capabilities shall continue, including the purchase of new helicopters, squad automatic weapons, inflatable boats and other facilities and equipments.

"Upgrading will continue particularly in the training of the soldiers,” she said. “We will make Philippine defense work to stop insurgency by 2010."

She also informed the soldiers that additional benefits, including doubling their hazard pay and increasing their subsistence pay, are also the main concern of her leadership.

As Christmas approaches, she urged the Filipinos to remain optimistic.

"This Christmas, let us all count our blessings and look at the future with hope, confidence and optimism," she said.


Manny Pacquiao, 15 others receive awards at AFP founding anniversary celebration

Sixteen soldiers, including boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, a master sergeant in the military reserve force, were awarded medals by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this morning in recognition of their gallantry in the performance of their duties to advance peace, freedom, development and human security.

The President personally handed the medallions to the awardees during the celebration of the 73rd Founding Anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) held in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

The Distinguished Service Medals were awarded to BGen. Rommel Gomez (AFP), Capt. Edgar Abogado (Philippine Navy - GSC) and Col. Richard Siga-an (PAF, GSC) for “eminently meritorious and valuable service rendered in a position of major responsibility.”

The Gold Cross Medal (GCM) awardees were 2Lt. Kenneth A. Gutleng, Philippine Army (posthumous); and Sgt. Ricky M. Villar of the Philippine Navy (PN).

The President also awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor (PLOH) to Lt. Gen. Cardozo M. Luna AFP, the First Bronze Anahaw Leaf to the PLOH; Lt. Gen. Rodrigo F. Maclang, First Bronze Anahaw Leaf to the PLOH in the Degree of Officer; M/Sgt. Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, PLOH Degree of Officer (as Reservist in AFP); and Dr. Emilio T. Yap, First Bronze Anahaw Leaf to the PLOH.

Pacquiao, an army reservist, and 15 soldiers were cited for bringing pride to the country through sports.

Pacquiao is the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win four world titles in four different weight divisions. He is now considered as the top pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

On Dec. 6, Pacquiao stunned the boxing world when he battered American-based ring superstar Oscar de la Hoya to submission in eighth rounds of “The Dream Match” held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Outstanding Achievement Award was given to LTC Rizaldo A. Limoso PA (GSC) and T/Sg. Hercules L. Regis, PA; while the Distinguished Aviation Cross Medal (DAC) was awarded to Capt. Jonathan C. Ybanez (PAF), while the Bronze Cross Medal was given to Lt. Victor J. Ramos, PN.

The Kagitingan sa Barangay (Category of Datu) was given to CAFGU AA Nonito A. Cabarles Sr. Cabarles received the award while sitting in a wheelchair and escorted by two lady nurses.

T/Sg Antonio O. Domingo, PA, was cited as the AFP Enlisted Personnel of the Year, while Dr. Luz S. Quintana and Dr. Marie Antonnette A. Castanos won recognition as the AFP Civilian Supervisor/Employee of the Year.

The AFP ROTC Cadette and Cadet of the Year award was given to Cdt Maj Farvy O. dela Cruz 1CL and Cdt Maj. Josephil J. Nestor 2CL, respectively.

The AFP CMO NGO Awardees of the Year 2008 were Aniceto Sobrepena of the Metro Bank Foundation, and Raul Ibrahim Ibus of the Mindanao Tulong Bakwet Inc.


Statement of Deputy Spokesperson Lorelie Fajardo on SWS Survey

The administration has strong anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs in place, but the past months have been difficult for us and the President has made it her personal mission to help the poorest among us survive this global financial meltdown.

The DSWD, for one, will get a P5B budget increase to support its pro-poor programs, particularly the 4Ps, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the flagship project of the President which provides subsidies to poor families and is expected to help 321,000 households.

Over 200,000 households have benefited from the program since January 2008.


Gov't workers thank PGMA for performance bonus

Tacloban City -- It will not be a bleak Christmas after all for the government workers as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued AO 250 granting the release of performance bonus for government employees.

The government workers in Region 8 welcomed the good news and expressed their appreciation to the President for taking cognizance of their plight and their contributions to national development through the responsibilities they fulfill and the quality service they extend to their countrymen.

What makes the President's Order more welcomed is the fact that the performance bonus will be awarded to all employees, may they be permanent, temporary, casual or contractual, of all national government agencies, including personnel of government owned and controlled corporations and government financial institutions.

Manager Flordeliz Menzon of the Region Eight Administrators League, said that the President's performance bonus for the government workers will really brighten their Christmas season.

President Arroyo issued on December 12, AO 250 authorizing the one time grant of performance bonus for 2008 in the amount of not more than P10,000 each to be given not earlier than November 15.

Workers serving less than four months will be entitled to a pro-rated performance bonus. Those who worked for three months will be entitled to 40 percent of the P10,000, or P4,000 while those who served for two months get 30 percent. Those who have worked for a month get 20 percent, while those who have worked for less than a month get 10 percent.

For the funds needed to implement AO 250, additional funds will be released by DBM to cover P7,000.00 for each government personnel chargeable against savings from unreleased appropriations under FY 2008.

The remaining P3,000 will come from the savings in the respective agency allotment.

It is hoped that the government workers will see the President's gracious gift as an inspiration to work even harder and provide better service to the people in the coming year.

For those government employees who have not been really giving good service to the clients and have not been performing well, may this President's move, rekindle their enthusiasm to work according to what they are being paid by the government for. (PIA 8)


Gov’t issues pay rules for long holiday

MANILA (PNA) -- The government on Monday reiterated the pay rules for the regular holidays on December 25 (Christmas Day), December 30, 2008 (Rizal Day) and January 1, 2009 (New Year’s Day), as well as the special non-working days on December 26, December 29, and December 31, 2008 (Last Day of the Year).

Labor and Employment Secretary Marianito D. Roque said that based on Proclamation No. 1463 issued by President Arroyo on February 18 this year, she declared December 26 (Friday) and 29, 2008 (Monday) additional special (non-working) days throughout the country, “in order to enable our countrymen to have a more meaningful observance of Christmas and New Year, to strengthen their ties with one another.”

At the same time, Roque said that the President, in her Proclamation, maintained that Christmas Day on December 25 (Thursday), and Rizal Day on December 30, 2008 (Tuesday) are regular holidays.

Furthermore, the Labor Chief said, New Year’s Day on January 1, 2009 (a Thursday), by virtue of law, remains a regular holiday nationwide.

Roque, in a Labor Advisory consistent with the President’s directive to the DOLE to promulgate the implementing guidelines for Presidential Proclamation No. 1463, said that pursuant to the provisions of the country’s Labor Code, as amended, the rules for pay on the said regular holidays and special non-working days shall apply as follows:

A. For the regular holidays on December 25 (Christmas Day) and December 30, 2008 (Rizal Day), and January 1, 2009 (New Year’s Day):

1. If it is the employee’s regular workday:

¨If worked, [the employee] is entitled to 200 percent of his [or her] basic wage for the first eight hours and, for work in excess of the eight hours, an additional 30 percent of his hourly rate on the said day;¨

If unworked, he is entitled to 100 percent of his daily rate, provided he was present or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.

2. If it is the employee’s rest day:

¨If worked, he is entitled, for the first eigth hours, to 200 percent of his daily rate plus 30 percent and, for work in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of his hourly rate on the said day;¨

If unworked, he is entitled to 100 percent of his daily rate, provided he was present or was on leave with pay on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.

3. Where the day immediately preceding the holiday is a non-work day in the establishment or the scheduled rest day of the employee, he shall not be deemed on leave of absence on that day, in which case he shall be entitled to the holiday pay.

B. For the special (non-working) days on December 26 and 29, and December 31, 2008 (Last Day of the Year):

1.If worked, the employee is entitled to 130 percent of his [or her] daily rate for the first eight hours, and to additional 30 percent of his hourly rate on said day for work performed in excess of 8 hours;

2.If unworked, he is not entitled to any payment, unless there is a favorable company policy, practice or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment for special days even if not worked;

3.If worked and falling on the employee’s rest day, the employee is entitled for the first eight hours to 150 percent of his regular daily rate, and for work performed in excess of eight hours, plus 30 percent of his hourly rate on the said day.Any clarifications regarding the holiday pay rules may be made with the DOLE’s Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) at tel. nos. 920-2381 and/or 920-2482. (PNA)


Fertilizer prices down by as much as 53%

Fertilizer prices have dipped further at the onset of yuletide, with retail rates now as much as 53% lower than their month-ago levels as crude oil costs continued to decline in the world market, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has reported.

Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel Paras said low crude oil prices abroad and the nonstop DA efforts to have such a positive trend impact on the domestic cost of petrochemical-based fertilizer have led to the steady drop in the market rates of popularly used farm inputs like Urea, Triple 14, 21-0-0 and 16-20-0.

In his report to DA Secretary Arthur Yap, Paras said that as of last week, the prices of Triple 14 fell 40.7% from P1, 940 to P1,150 per bag, while 21-0-0 dropped 53% from P1,065 to only P499 per bag. The cost of 16-20-0 declined 18.4% from P1,410 to P1,150 per bag.

The week before, the prices of Triple 14 was P1,399 a bag, which means that its cost had dropped 17.8% as of mid-December. The price of 21-0-0 dropped 16.6% from P599 a bag; and 16-20-0 fell 17.8% from P1,399 a bag.

In response to Yap ’s call for private sector assistance in providing cheap fertilizer to farmers, the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corp. said it will also subsidize up to 50% of the trucking delivery cost from its designated warehouses to drop-off areas nearest the sites where farm producers purchase their fertilizers.

“Each Philphos warehouse will display the regular trucking rates to specific areas and the corresponding subsidy,” said Philiphos executive vice president Dennis Mate in his letter to Paras dated Dec. 17.

The trucking subsidy program will be valid until Feb. 14 next year.

Earlier, Mate informed Paras that urea, which will be available in Philphos warehouses by Jan. 8 next year and will cost only P999 per bag compared with its price of P1,900 per bag last October, which translates to a 47.4% drop.

Paras reported to Yap that Philphos warehouses in Poro Point, Bulacan, Naga, Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu, Leyte, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, and General Santos are already selling petrochemical-based fertilizers at these lower prices.

He said that an aggregate volume of 143,994 bags of Triple 14, 115,006 bags of 16-20-0, and 90,180 bags of 21-0-0 are available and ready for sale in these warehouses.

Paras noted that the decline in the prices of petroleum-based fertilizers was the result of the DA’s call to suppliers to make available at the lowest possible cost, these farm inputs amid the sharp drop in crude oil prices in the world market.

Last November, Yap said that the downtrend in the prices of oil-based fertilizers was good news for the agriculture sector, especially with palay farmers having started planting for the 2009 dry or summer crop.

To ensure that the costs of petroleum-based fertilizers remain low as a result of the decline in world crude oil prices, Yap directed the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) last November to keep a tight watch over the prices of these farm inputs and check against the “price gouging” activities of certain dealers and retailers who refuse to slash their retail prices.

FPA data also show that the import prices of major grades of fertilizer have sharply dropped as of the last week of October. For instance, the import price of urea plunged to $330 per metric ton from $702 per MT in September, while the cost of 18-46-0 fell from $1,270 to $950 and 21-0-0 from $390 to $366.

Fertilizer prices almost doubled this year as a result of the nonstop jump in oil rates in the world market and big demand by other countries during the first three quarters of 2008, touching off a DA-monitored 30% decline in fertilizer usage by farmers during the wet crop as a result—and leading to a corresponding drop in per-hectare yields for those who have scrimped on this input.

FPA data bared that the average retail price of urea spiraled from P1,036.95 per 50-kilogram bag to P1,797.58 during the same January-June 2008 period; that of 14-14-14, from P1,013.04 to P1,921.21; of 21-0-0, from P725.94 to P993.80; of 16-20-0 from P956.02 to P1,874.04; of 18-46-0, from P1,645.52 to P3,138.40; and of 0-0-60, from P1,102.85 to P1,881.68.

Oil prices breached the $100 per barrel level earlier this year, reaching an all-time peak of $147 last July. But world market prices have since retreated following the US-induced global financial contagion, with the per-barrel cost falling recently to below $40. (DA-PRESS OFFICE)


DA trains more agri-technicians

The Department of Agriculture has thus far trained eight batches comprising 235 agricultural technicians at the local government level as part of its program to teach rice technologies, organic fertilizer manufacturing and other environment-friendly farming practices and technologies to over a half-million farmers nationwide by the end of the 2009 wet crop.

In a report to DA Secretary Arthur Yap, Agricultural Training Institute director Asterio Saliot said these eight batches are on top of the four batches of agricultural technicians earlier trained by the ATI under this new program.

These agricultural technicians, will, in turn, serve as trainors on these organic farming technologies in farmers’ field schools.

Saliot reported that the latest batches of trainors come from the provinces of Cagayan, Rizal, Albay, Sorsogon, Iloilo, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, and Basilan.

The ATI is targeting to train 1,800 of these agricultural extension workers in 60 batches this year, and 144 more batches comprising another 4,320 technicians starting March till July 2009.

Saliot said these remaining 4,320 trainees make up the bulk of the 6,120 agricultural technicians covered by this DA program to help educate over 500,000 farmers in new environment-friendly farming technologies.

These technicians, in turn, will serve as trainors to some 500,000 farmers in field schools located in the 2,600 clusters or sites where the DA will channel a bulk of its funds for intervention measures in 2009, he said.

He said the training of these farmers in the field schools began this December and will go on till October 2009.

The ATI conducts its hands-on training workshops in its centers as well as in the facilities of the DA and the local government units (LGUs) throughout the country.

Besides providing training on organic fertilizer manufacturing, Saliot said the ATI is also teaching trainors on new technologies to boost the production of palay such as “Palay Check,” vegetables and root crops.

The 1,800 agricultural technicians who completed training in 2008 will, in turn, train 80,997 participants in farmers field schools during the December 2008 to March 2009 Dry Cropping Season, and another 439,123 in 2009 under this program, which is in line with the new DA policy, as laid out by Yap, to funnel most of its funds into “hard” projects like irrigation maintenance and postharvest facilities rather than on “soft” initiatives like fertilizer or seed support.

As part of this policy overhaul, the DA is also training small farmers in 48 below-average, palay-producing provinces on how to produce their own organic fertilizer needs starting next year.

In lieu of the fertilizer discount coupons that the DA has been giving out this year to farmer-beneficiaries in partnership with LGUs, Yap said that the Department will provide organic fertilizer manufacturing support to farmers in 2,600 clusters or sites where the DA will channel a bulk of its funds for intervention measures in 2009.

Organic fertilizer manufacturing support and other intervention measures will be channeled to these 2,600 clusters as a way to rapidly boost palay harvests by raising up to the national average of 3.8 MT—or higher—the per-hectare outputs in these relatively low-yielding provinces.

These clusters of adjacent or neighboring farms are spread out across 48 provinces, mostly in rainfed areas.

Yap said this major shift in farm production support is in step with one component of the DA reform program, which is the intensified promotion of ‘balanced fertilization’ as a long-term, calibrated approach to wean Filipino farmers away from expensive, imported petrochemical fertilizers.

“Balanced fertilization” means the use of a combination of chemical and organic fertilizers in crop production. (DA-PRESS OFFICE)


BI delisted from list of top 10 red tape-plagued agencies

MANILA (PNA) -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has been removed from the top 10 list of government agencies plagued by problems of red tape and delays in the processing of documents.

This was based on an update submitted by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC) which showed the BI is no longer in the list of the top 10 agencies with business problems.

The BI was previously ranked third in the list due to the lengthy period that it had taken the agency to process the working visas of expatriates.

Formed in October 2006, the NCC is a public-private task force that aims to improve the country’s business competitiveness from the bottom third of the rankings to the top third by 2010.

It is co-chaired by Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila for the public sector and Ambassador Cezar Bautista for the private sector.

The council focuses its efforts on improving the country’s competitiveness in the areas of human resources; public and private sector management; access to financing; infrastructure; energy cost and self-sufficiency; and in the Congress, Ombudsman and judiciary.

According to the latest NCC update, the BI was dropped from the list as the problem of delay in processing working visas was already addressed with the launching of the bureau’s visa-issuance-made-simple (VIMS) program.

The VIMS succeeded in reducing the processing time for visa applications by 80 percent and documentary requirements by 40 percent.

Also dropped from the list aside from the BI were the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Philhealth, and Bureau of Food and Drugs.

Earlier, the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC) also cited the BI for its success in cutting red tape because of the VIMS’ implementation.

The PAGC even elevated the BI’s rank from seventh to third place in the list of the 100 government agencies that are periodically evaluated by the commission for their performance in fighting corruption.

The BI is also an active participant in the performance management system – the office performance evaluation system (PMS-OPES) project of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) which aims to institute meritocracy in the bureaucracy.

Then CSC Chairperson Karina David had proclaimed the BI valedictorian in the program when she visited the bureau early this year. (PNA)


Govt implements pro-poor programs in Central Luzon thru DepEd

MANILA (PNA) -- In line with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s directive to implement pro-poor programs in all regions, the Department of Education (DepEd)-Region III on Monday implemented the Emergency Employment and Livelihood Projects in the region.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said that the projects shall target to benefit the middle, lower middle and poorest families in the divisions of Angeles City, Pampanga, City of San Fernando, Tarlac province and Tarlac City.

Under the emergency employment projects, the target divisions shall employ utility workers to be fielded in public elementary and secondary schools.

For livelihood projects, DepEd shall implement the cash for health care program which will engage families and out of school youths (OSYs) in the target divisions in producing herbal soaps.

Lapus said that the herbal soap making shall start in January 2009.

He said that the schools superintendents of the target divisions are directed to coordinate closely with the Regional Office and the Office of the Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary for special Programs and Projects for speedy delivery, effective implementation and monitoring of the projects.

With this, Lapus earlier said that Christmas will be brighter for OSYs of Pampanga and Tarlac this year as the government undertakes a massive P56.5 million employment and livelihood program that is expected to benefit them. It is expected that some 14,000 OSYs will benefit from the program.

Under the Out-of-School Youth Serving Towards Economic Recovery (OYSTER), OSYs are given employment in schools and livelihood opportunities to ease their financial needs.

"This program will have a multiplier effect on the local economy as it will lead to the creation of more jobs and the generation of additional income," Lapus said.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assigned Lapus as steward of Region III.

DepEd employed nearly 14,000 OSYs beginning Monday last week. More than 12,300 of them were employed in soap making and the 1,500 will be deployed as utility workers in public schools.

Under the cash-for-health-care livelihood project, 12,300 OSYs are trained in producing bars of Citronella, Acapulco/Guava, and Calamansi soap. Each OSY is expected to produce 2,000 bars of soap per day and will be paid P2.00 for every bar or about P200.00 pesos per day. The 20-day production period will put out about 24.6 million bars.

The soaps produced will be given to public elementary school pupils who will receive their year's supply of four bars of Citronella soap for their head lice, four bars of Acapulco or Guava soap to combat skin diseases, and 20 bars of Calamansi soap for personal hygiene. Each bar will cost the government only P7.00 compared to existing market price of pharmaceutical products.

“We are hitting two birds with one stone here," said Lapus. "We provide income to out-of-school youths and at the same time address the health and hygiene needs of our schools and students. There is great possibility of sustaining this livelihood project, considering the minimal cost to keep our school children free from head lice and skin diseases and the opportunity to develop hygienic habits among them.

"Meanwhile, under the emergency employment program, one utility worker will be hired for elementary schools with less than 1,000 students, two for schools with population of between 1,000 to 2,500 and three for those with above 2,500. A P7.5 million budget has been earmarked for the program.

In secondary schools, two additional workers will be hired in schools with 1,500 – 2,500 enrollees, and three additional workers for those with enrollment above 2,500.

The workers, who will be paid P200 per day, will be hired from within the districts or barangays where the schools are located.

The utility workers will be deployed in 1,200 elementary and secondary schools under the Divisions of Angeles City, Pampanga, San Fernando City, Tarlac and Tarlac City.

Studies showed that 46 percent of the more than 1.2 million children in Region III have pediculosis or head lice while 40 percent have skin diseases.

The OYSTER program of President Arroyo is implemented by cabinet secretaries in the regions where they are assigned as stewards. (PNA)


PhilHealth extends coverage of maternity care package

Cebu City -- PhilHealth launched the expanded coverage for the Maternity Care Package this year which would cover up to the fourth normal spontaneous delivery as per Circular No. 20, series of 2008.

This new benefit applies to normal (uncomplicated) deliveries, and may be availed in PhilHealth accredited hospitals and non-hospital facilities such as birthing homes, lying-in or midwife-managed clinics.

Normal delivery/birth would mean spontaneous onset of labor; low risk at the start and during labor, and delivery. It also indicates a 37 to 42 weeks of completed pregnancy, with the infant in vertex position.

However, maternal age under 19 years old, first pregnancy of patients aged 35 and older, and placental abnormality are some of the conditions that are excluded in availing of benefits in non-hospital facilities.

The Maternity Care Package will take effect for admissions starting January 1, 2009. (PIA7-Cebu/PHIC)


14.5-M Filipinos benefit from Tindahan Natin outlets

Iloilo City -- Some 14.5 million Filipinos have benefited from the Tindahan Natin outlets established nationwide.

n its year-end report, the DA said it has already set up around 14,585 Tindahan Natin outlets nationwide as of December 15, 2008.

The Tindahan Natin outlets which sell basic food items like rice noodles at prices lower than those in regular retail outlets are part of the government's efforts to reduce hunger and poverty amongst the poorest of the poor.

To further ensure the sufficient supply and stable prices of goods, the DA has also established "bagsakan" centers or drop-off centers where farmers and fishermen can directly sell their produce to seller without going through middlemen.

The same year-end report showed that 189 barangay bagsakan or food terminal and 37 bagsakan centers or drop-off points for agricultural goods have been set-up during the same period.

Some 397, 683 families have benefited from the barangay bagsakans set up in Metro Manila while 583,690 households from bagsakan centers established in the metropolis and the regions.

DA also reported that regular dialogues are held with industry leaders to find ways on how to pull down the costs of prime commodities as part of its efforts to keep prices of basic goods within the reach of Filipino consumers.

For instance, according to DA, it convinced major players in the hog industry to pull down the cost of prime pork cuts ahead of the Christmas season by agreeing on a "reference price" ranging from P140 to P150 per kilo of choice cuts like pigue, kasim and liempo. (PIA)