Cabinet meeting focuses on disaster preparedness, risk reduction
LOBOC, Bohol -- Disaster risk reduction, disaster preparedness, and climate change were on top of today’s agenda during the full Cabinet meeting presided by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the
The President asked Vice President Noli de Castro to prepare the draft revoking Proclamation 704 issued by then President Fidel Ramos in 1995 that opened Lupang Arenda, then protected wetlands, to informal settlers.
The Vice President said the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) is no longer allowing an estimated 60,000 families to return to Lupang Arenda because the rise in the the average water level of Laguna Lake to
The 200-hectare Lupang Arenda blocks the natural pathway between
At the same time, the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to come up with a comprehensive plan to clear canals or esteros, river basins, and other waterways.
The President also instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to further strengthen its campaign against the cutting of trees and slash-and-burn farming or kaingin.
Mrs. Arroyo stressed there is a need to continue implementing sustainable forest management even as she noted that deforestation is one of the main causes of flooding.
PGMA awards P4.72 M to 23 coops
LOBOC,
The recipients were the Bohol Local Development Foundation, Inc. and Bohol Federation of Women Cooperatives with P1.5 million each; Cabilao Loon Multi-Purpose Cooperative with P150,000; and United Angilan Antequera Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Tupas Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Quinapon-an Rural Improvement Club, Balbas Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Anislagan Cabog Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Tontunan Multi-Purpose Cooperative with P100,000 each.
The Cayacay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Mocpoc Loon Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Quinogitan Loboc Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Camputud Multi-Purpose Cooperative also received P100,000 each.
The Cambasag Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Taming Loom Weavers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Palo Loay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Cabilao Romblon Weavers Network, Bugho Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Bahaybahay Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Imelda Duero Abaca Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative each received P50,000 each while the New Canguha Calape Multi-Purpose Cooperative got P20,000.
Mrs. Arroyo also inspected the P15-million Municipal Fish Port of Loay enroute to a Cabinet meeting at the
Funded by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, the project includes landing and trading facilities.
When completed, it will attract fishermen and fish traders, thus increasing economic activities in the area.
The President also cut the ceremonial ribbon for the P4.78-million Loboc Fish Landing and
One of the favorite tourist destinations in the country, Loboc attracts 1,000 visitors a day.
PGMA formally signs two laws in
LAPU-LAPU CITY – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo formally signed today two laws, the first creating a congressional district in Lapu-lapu City and the second converting the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST) into a state university.
In a simple ceremonies held at the Most Important Persons (MIP) Lounge of Mactan Cebu International Airport this afternoon, Mrs. Arroyo presented a copy of R.A. 9726 to the officials of
On hand for the occasion were Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia; Lapu-lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza; 6th District Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz, author of House Bill 5007 (now R.A. 9726), and members of the city councils, and barangay leaders.
Also present were Cebu City North District Representative Raul Del Mar, Cebu City South District Antonio Cuenco, and Representatives Red Durano, John Garcia, and Eduardo Gullas.
Through Republic Act 9744 (former House Bill 5641) the Cebu Technological University (CTU) was created out of the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST).
Now known as CTU, the learning institute provides professional and technical instructions in industrial trade, agriculture, fishery, forestry, aeronautics, arts and sciences, health sciences, and information technology, among other courses.
Its satellite campuses are the
Basilan PNP launches intensified manhunt vs. captors of three factory personnel
MANILA, November 10 – The Basilan Provincial Police Office (PPO) has launched intensified manhunt against suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits who snatched three staff members of a plywood factory in the province shortly after midnight Tuesday.
Senior Supt. Abubakar Tulawie, Basilan PPO director, identified the kidnap victims as Michael Tan, Oscar Lu and Mark Singson, who were forcibly taken by more or less 30 heavily-armed men who stormed inside the compound of a plywood factory located in Sitio Tehem, Barangay Townsite in Maluso town.
Tulawie said the fully-armed men were wearing camouflage uniform when they swooped down inside the compound at around 12:10 a.m. by destroying the wooden fence of the factory. The suspects, believed to be members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), then forcibly took the three victims.
”Said abductors forcibly entered by destroying the wooden fence located at the back portion of the said factory and forcibly took the victims,” said Tulawie.
”Accordingly, suspects were wearing camouflage uniform with more or less 30 heavily-armed men and the victims were brought to unknown directions. Case is now under investigation,” said Tulawie.
Prior to the abduction, Tulawie said concerned citizens reported they heard guns being fired in the vicinities of the factory.
Tulawie said he subsequently ordered intensified manhunt operations to track down the suspects.
Basilan province is a known stronghold of the terrorist ASG which has been involved in high-profile kidnappings.
The ASG gained notoriety following the abduction of more than 20 guests, including Europeans, of a posh Sipadan island resort in Malaysia in 2000 and the Dos Palmas kidnapping of more than a dozen tourists, including three Americans – missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham and Guillermo Sobero, the following year.
Most of the Sipadan hostages were either recovered or released after payment of ransom. There were reports then that the Abu Sayyaf earned millions of dollars in ransom. Same happened to the Dos Palmas guests, except for Sobero who was beheaded and Martin Burnham who was killed in a rescue operation that led to the safe recovery of his wife Gracia.
Determination and perseverance for a brighter future, so believes Deo Ylagan, an ECC rehabilitee
When Deo Ylagan figured in a vehicular accident while he was on his way home from work three years ago, he was anxious over his fractured leg. But his worry was quickly put to rest through the assistance extended by the Employees’ Compensation Commission’s KaGabay program.
The Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang May Kapansanan or KaGabay Program is a special economic assistance project aimed at facilitating occupationally-disabled workers’ (ODWs) re-integration into the economic mainstream through physical restoration, honed vocational skills and entrepreneurial training for small or home-based business.
Deo Ylagan was formerly an assemblyline worker of Kawasaki Motors in Cupang, Muntinlupa. He was on his way home from work when the passenger jeep he was riding figured in an accident at the South Luzon Expressway. Three of the passengers died while Ylagan sustained a leg fracture. He could no longer return to his job at
Subsequently, he was offered assistance by the ECC’s KaGabay Program and he was enrolled at the MFI Technological Institute for shielding metal arc welding course.
Recently, Ylagan was rehired as a welder and carpet fitter on board a luxury ship based in
Ylagan claims that he is able to pay the college education of his sister, expand his sari-sari store, purchase a piece of land for their future home, and send his daughter to a private school. Indeed, the KaGAbay Program helps ECC rehabilitees secure a brighter future.
