PIA Dispatch - Wednesday, January 7, 2009

PGMA deeply moved by the sight of thousands of victims of massive flooding in Mindanao

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was visibly moved by the sight of thousands of evacuees as she continued to distribute relief and family food packs to victims of the massive flooding that hit the northern provinces of Mindanao last Saturday.

The President, upon her arrival at the evacuation center at the City West Central School in Barangay Carmen, led the local disaster and relief officials in assessing the extent of flood damage.

Assisted by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and Cagayan de Oro City Constantino Jaraula, the Chief Executive led the distribution of family food packs to the long line of flood victims in the area.

“I am happy that I have this bag of goodies. It’s a big help and I am happier that I saw President Arroyo in person,” said a 54-year old Miguel Cabacungan, who received the family packs of three kilos of rice, sardines and noodles.

Immediately thereafter, the Chief Executive visited another evacuation center in Barangay Macasandig, also in this city, to look into the situation of thousands of flood victims who found relief in the food packs brought to them by President Arroyo.

Barangays Carmen and Macasandig were hardest hit in the city, affecting some 3,065 families or 15,295 persons.

The city was placed under a state of calamity as 13 low-lying barangays were submerged, displacing some 6,180 families or 29,591 persons.

Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) Region 10 reported that 230 houses were totally destroyed while 552 others were partially damaged.

The President also proceeded to the evacuation center at the Restituto Baol Central School in nearby Gingoog City to give immediate assistance to flood victims.

An RDCC 10 report showed that five barangays in the city were flooded, displacing some 1,549 families or 7,702 persons.

Yesterday, the Chief Executive visited an evacuation center in Iligan City where 11 barangays were inundated by flashfloods, resulting to the displacement of 1, 690 families or 6,027 persons who looked tired and sad but whose faces brightened at the sight of the President.

Medical and dental missions by the People’s Government Mobile Action (PGMA) Team were also conducted in all evacuation centers.

One person died while two children were reported missing in the wake of the floods.

RDCC Region 10 identified the lone casualty as Rogenden Andig, 12, from Barangay 24 in Gingoog City.

The missing children were identified as Angel Vencio (6 years old) and Cristina Capusala (5 years old), both from barangay Macansandig in this city.

A total of 9,419 families or some 43,320 persons in 27 barangays in the cities of Iligan, Cagayan de Oro and Gingoog were affected by flashfloods triggered by the continuous and heavy rains and high tide.


Camiguin's elevation into a middle class province amazes President Arroyo

MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today expressed amazement at the resiliency and uncommon industry of Camiguinons who, within only two years, elevated this island into a middle-class province.

Gracing the 41st founding anniversary of the province this afternoon at the Camiguin Sports Center, the President congratulated the people of Camiguin for their feat and their readiness to face the possible negative impact of the global economic crisis, if ever it comes.

The President arrived 1 p.m. at the Camiguin Airport from Gingoog City where she visited thousands of flood victims taking shelter in the city.

Welcoming the President at the sports center were some 3,000 residents, students and local officials led by Camiguin Gov. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, Camiguin Lone Dist. Rep. Pedro Romualdo, Vice Governor Leo Lasacar and Mambajao Mayor Ma. Luisa Romualdo.

Accompanying the President were Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Davao del Norte 2nd Dist. Rep. Anton Lagdameo and Butuan City Rep. Joeboy Aquino.

In his welcome remarks, Governor Romualdo attributed the rapid development of Camiguin to various infrastructure projects of the President in the province.

Romualdo said these include the establishment of the roll-on roll-off (RO-RO) ferry system under the Central Nautical Highway, the completion of the circumferential road, potable water system, school buildings, tourism center and a hospital equipped with a modern x-ray machine.

As a result, tourist arrivals increased by 200 percent since 2007 and local patients no longer need to travel some three hours to Cagayan de Oro City to seek special medical intervention, said Governor Romualdo.

Governor Romualdo said the provision of agricultural implements, fertilizer subsidy and farm-to-market roads also helped farmers increase last year their productivity in rice by 11 percent, and in corn by two percent.

Speaking in Cebuano, the President said the national government was able to provide all these infrastructures and other projects to Camiguin and other needy provinces because of the various economic and tax reforms that were fully supported by the House of Representatives, including the congressmen present.

The President said these economic reforms also strengthened the country's fiscal position, making the Philippines one of the most resilient economies in 2008.

Stressing that the Philippines is also projected to do well this year, the President tasked Secretary Yap to assist Camiguinons in increasing the production of the sweet "lanzones" which the province is noted for.

"Secretary Yap will assist you to make sure this year that the harvest of Lanzones will be as productive as the harvest of your palay," the President said.

The President added that the natural attractions in Camiguin -- such as Mt. Hibok-Hibok, the famous dive sites of Mantigue Island, hot and cold springs, natural soda water which she has tried, handicraft, efficient crime solution, and the warmth of its people -- would continue establishing the province as among the favorite tourist destinations in the country.


Gov't rewards peace with livelihood

Roxas City -- The government has fulfilled its promise to provide livelihood to its people in exchange for peace.

A total of P18.813 million in livelihood assistance was granted by the government last year to former New People's Army (NPA) rebels who have given up the armed struggle in favor of living a peaceful and normal life, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. said.

Esperon, in the OPAPP online news, disclosed some 225 hardcore NPA members, 149 of them with firearms have returned to the fold of the law during the second half of 2008 to avail the livelihood assistance program of the government.

He said that under the agency's Social Integration Program (SIP), the 225 rebel returnees were given P20,000 each as immediate cash assistance upon their surrender for a total of P4.5 million.

He added that the government paid another P3.163-M for the 149 firearms surrendered by the rebels.

In six months alone, that is from June to December 2008, the government spent some P10.213 for socio-economic intervention for former communist guerillas.

According to Esperon, 91 of the former communist rebels came from Mindanao, 68 from Luzon and 58 from the Visayas.

Lawyer Reuben Lingating, SIP program manager, said that the Davao region had the highest number of rebels who surrendered with 45 returnees, 38 of them with firearms.

On the other hand, Northern Leyte and Quezon province had 32 rebel returnees, Lingating said, adding that NPA guerillas from Quezon yielded 24 firearms while 18 from Northern Leyte.

He added that Sarangani province had 28 returnees with 12 firearms, Kalinga has 25 rebels all armed, Negros Occidental has 26 rebels and eight firearms, and Agusan del Sur has 21 rebels and 19 firearms.

Meanwhile, Esperon noted that an M-16 rifle surrendered will fetch P50,000 while lower caliber will get lesser remuneration. (PIA)


NFA palay buying and rice distribution in 2008 helped spur RP economy

National Food Authority administrator Jessup P. Navarro said the NFA performed well last year both in domestic palay procurement and rice distribution that benefited its major stakeholders particularly palay farmers and consumers notably the poor.

At the average price of P 850 per cavan of palay plus fertilizer incentive of P1,800 per 50 kg for an effective price of P 886 per bag, the NFA has paid the farmers nationwide the amount of about P12 B which the government has ploughed back to the agricultural sector to help spur the economy.

Navarro said that as of the end of the year, the volume of rice distributed by the food agency reached 39.8 million bags or 87 percent of the 45 million bags targeted in 2008.

Meanwhile, on domestic palay procurement, he reported that the NFA was able to buy some 13 million bags of palay in 2008, the second highest recorded in the last 29 years.

Navarro said the timely infusion of NFA rice in the market particularly in the first half of the year gave consumers more access to the basic staple and stabilized the price of rice averting an otherwise uncontrolled rice price spiral.

“The quantity of NFA rice distributed last year manifested the consumers’ growing preference for the good quality but low-priced government rice. The volume of sales of NFA rice remains high even when commercial rice prices have already stabilized and new harvests started coming in particularly during the last part of the year,” said Navarro.

NFA rice is available in strategic outlets nationwide including the 13,383 Tindahan Natin, 3,812 Institutionalized Bigasan sa Palengke, 196 Tindahan ni Gloria rolling stores and at community based outlets such as the 1,554 local government operated Bigasan sa Barangay, the 1,292 Bigasan sa Parokya, 243 Bagsakan sa Barangay and the 1,212 accredited and licensed rice retailers. NFA rice is being sold at P25, P30 and P35 per kg.

However, Navarro informed that families in the National Capital Region that were issued with Family Access Card by the Department of Social Welfare and Development can still buy the highly subsidized P18.25 per kg at the TN and Bigasan sa Parokya outlets. In the provinces, the affordable NFA rice is being sold to consumers included in the Rice Allocation Ledger at the TN outlets.

With its active procurement and a higher support price of P17 per kilogram for palay, the NFA was able to provide farmers with better income and improved its grains inventory at the start of the new year. NFA’s rice inventory todate is placed at 18.5 million bags.

For more information on NFA programs, the public may send their inquiries via the Text NFA Program through mobile number 0917-6210927. ###


DA upgrading 35 organic fertilizer facilities

The Department of Agriculture (DA) aims to put its organic fertilizer support program in 2009 on the fast track by rehabilitating the existing 33 laboratories producing Trichoderma and 12 non-operational Bio-N Mixing plants that used to manufacture biofertilizer.

“Funds of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BWSM) for its ‘Tamang Abono Program-Organic Fertilizer Production’ will be used for upgrading the 33 Trichoderma Production Laboratories and 12 Bio-N Mixing Plants in sync with the recent DA decision to do away with its inorganic fertilizer support program beginning in 2009 in favor of providing organic fertilizer manufacturing assistance to small farmers so they can produce their own fertilizer requirements,” said BSWM Director Silvinio Tejada.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said earlier that the organic fertilizer manufacturing support that the DA is extending to farmers starting in the 2009 dry crop will go to some 2,600 clusters in 48 provinces where the palay harvests are below the national average of 3.8 metric tons per hectare.

These clusters cover adjacent or neighboring paddy fields.

“Trichoderma harzianum hastens the decomposition of organic and lignocelluloses materials like rice straw, corn stalks, grasses and weeds,” Tejada said. “Widely used in the Modified Rapid Composting Technology implemented by the BSWM, it shortens decomposition from 3-4 months to one month.”

He said there are 33 existing Trichoderma Production Laboratories, with BSWM having the largest production capacity (144,000 packets/year)

Tejada said, “Bio-N, a microbial fertilizer that could replace 30%-50% of the total nitrogen fertilizer requirements of major crops, is one of the most effective biofertilizer that is available in the market.”

There are 68 existing Bio-N Mixing Plants strategically located in the country, 56 of which are operational, he said. The remaining 12 mixing plants are proposed for upgrading.

These mixing plants are being run by the DA-Regional Field Units (RFUs), local government units (LGUs), farmers’ cooperatives or organizations, state universities and colleges (SUCs), and private corporations.

Of the 12 non-operational Bio-N Mixing Plants, one belongs to the DA, four are owned by cooperatives, six by LGUs and one by private companies.

“The Trichoderma Production Laboratories and the Bio-N Mixing Plants are crucial to the new DA program because these will supply Trichoderma and Bio Inoculants to the farm clusters where the Department will be intensively promoting the use of non-chemical fertilizers,” Tejada said.

He said that upgrading these facilities will mean providing them with new equipment like hammer mills or pulverizers, mixer ribbon types, over dryers, pressure cookers and top loading balance tools.

The DA is training small farmers in these 48 below-average, palay-producing provinces on how to produce their own organic fertilizer needs as part of a far-reaching policy overhaul that will funnel most DA funds into such “hard” projects as irrigation maintenance and postharvest facilities and do away with “soft” projects like petrochemical fertilizer support.

In lieu of the fertilizer discount coupons that the DA gave out last year to farmer-beneficiaries in partnership with LGUs, the Department will provide organic fertilizer manufacturing support to these farmers this year in 2,600 clusters or sites.

“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 our farmers away from expensive, imported petrochemical fertilizers,” Yap said.

Yap said that organic fertilizer manufacturing support and other intervention measures will go 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.

This will be the DA policy on farm production for the remainder of the Arroyo presidency, he said.

“The DA will concentrate on funding capacity building programs meant to encourage farmers to go into organic farming by producing their own organic fertilizers,” he said. (DA-PRESS OFFICE)


PGMA signs bill converting Mindanao Poly State College to state university

Cagayan de Oro City (07 January 2008) - President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed today, January 7 in Cagayan de Oro City Republic Act 9519, an act converting the Mindanao Polytechnic State College (MPSC) in Misamis Oriental into a state university to be known as the Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST).

The President made the historical move during a ceremony at the campus’ gymnasium and was witnessed by Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri along with the local chief executives of the region, government agency heads, the school board, faculty members and students.

The Act mainly mandates the University to primarily provide advanced education, higher technological, professional instruction and advanced instruction on Mathematics, Science, technology, Engineering and advanced research and extension work in human resource development in critical skills and competencies required for global competitiveness.

The conversion will also allow MUST to access domestic and international support for various programs and projects.

Prior to the event, President Arroyo visited two evacuation centers in the City, namely, the West Central School in barangay Carmen and the Macasandig Covered Court in barangay Macasandig to distribute food packs to victims of flashfloods that hit the City over the weekend, displacing at least five thousand families and affecting some 12 barangays.

After Cagayan de Oro, she is scheduled to visit flood victims in Gingoog City and convene a meeting with the Regional Disaster Coordinating Councils (RDCC) of Region 10 and 13 in Camiguin Province. (Brent M. Bravo/PIA-10)


TESDA says ladderized program designed to give jobs to students

MANILA (PNA) -- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General Augusto Syjuco expressed belief that the ladderized education program will be to the students’ advantage if they take tech-voc (technical-vocational) courses before pursuing college education.

Syjuco said that ladderized program is designed to help students, particularly the self supporting ones to pursue and finish college education without going the full circle.

He also said that a tech-voc graduate has a better chance of landing a job either in the country or in the international job market as skilled workers compared to those who finish four or five- year college course.

He said tech-voc graduates are issued certificate of expertise which can be credited to the curriculum corresponding to level of one expertise should they pursue college education.

Meanwhile, TESDA deputy director general, Rogelio Peyuan, said the agency will review its training courses being offered to the public to complement the demand in local and foreign deployment.

“The monitoring or the intelligence team is now reviewing jobs that are in-demand today, either here or abroad. But surely, this year we will give more attention on training people to become highly skilled workers," Peyuan said.

He disclosed that the training program will shift to courses that will produce highly skilled workers like welders, pipe fitters, electricians, carpenters and others.

He added that TESDA is closely coordinating with the industry sector and manning agencies to monitor the kind of manpower they need and, at the same time, check what happened to the people that took the TESDA courses. (PNA)


Gov't to step up livelihood, emergency programs

Iloilo City -- To help lessen the impact of the global economic meltdown, the government is set to step up livelihood and emergency programs said Chairman Domingo Panganiban of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) stressing that some one million jobs are expected to be created in the first six months of 2009.

The Malacanang press report disclosed that President Arroyo issued the directive to all government agencies during her Cabinet meeting recently.

During the Cabinet meeting, the President also directed all government agencies to step up the food program, especially in the 10 poorest provinces of the country.

The NAPC head also said that the out-of-school youth serving towards economic recovery (OYSTER) project, an emergency employment program for the out-of-work, out-of-school youths, is expected to generate 700,00 new jobs.

Jobs under the OYSTER project include hollow blocks making and road maintenance jobs.

In terms of new jobs to be created under the various livelihood projects, some 150,000 of them are expected to be available within the next six months, Panganiban said.

He said that by July, that one million new jobs will be created, aside from the government's goal of the one million new job opportunities.

As to the livelihood projects, the focal persons on the President's super regions were instructed to step up the implementation of the program countrywide.Funding for these projects will come from the savings of the different agencies concerned.

Panganiban also said that a special program for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who lost their jobs as a result of the economic meltdown, will be mapped out, the Malacanang press report disclosed. (PIA 6)