PGMA swears in Icban as Press Secretary
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo this morning inducted into office Acting Press Secretary Crispulo Icban Jr.
Icban took over the position left vacant by the death of Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.
The induction, held at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacanang, was witnessed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Icban’s wife, Zenaida, his children and grandchildren, close friends and officials of the Office of the Press Secretary. Manila Bulletin chairman Don Emilio Yap was also present.
The President thanked Icban for accepting the post. The new secretary, for his part, asked the President how she manages such a taxing schedule as hers.
“I told her that I truly admired her stamina and hard work and joked that septuagenarians like Secretary Ermita and myself could not keep pace with her,” Icban said later in an interview.
Icban officially assumed office today. He attended a private lunch in his office, followed by a tour of each of the offices under OPS in the
Seated behind the Press secretary’s desk, Icban told the editors that he will take his cue from them because “you know better than I do what our work is all about around here.” (OPS)
Filipinos urge to take pride on historic Balangay boats’ feat
Voyage organizers and even crew members urged Filipinos to take pride on the feat of the historic Balangay.
“The significance of this voyage will not only show that the Filipinos despite surmounting odds can do it if we are united. It will also manifest that Filipinos are among the best in seafaring skills displayed by our earlier ancestors”, said former Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Art Valdez, leader of the Mt. Everest Team now crew leader of the epic Balangay voyage, which will start on February 4.
Last Jan. 31, Sunday, the 24.7-meter-long balangay, christened "Masawa Hong Butuan," was finally cut loose from its moorings and was greeted by a riot of cheers and applause from the crowd of well-wishers and tourists who witnessed the event.
It took more than four hours of hard work and two backhoes to lift the wooden boat from the muddy grounds of Luna compound and place it into the churning waters of
"Masawa hong Butuan" will join the newly-repaired "Diwata ng Lahi" when it leaves this city for the second phase of its voyage on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the coastal waters of Barangay Masawa.
A third boat, LEPA, will also join in the later part of the expedition, which will start with several stops in
"We are showing the whole world now that we Filipinos can do the impossible because we by nature are born natural seafarers," said expedition leader Art Valdez of Kaya Ng Pinoy Foundation.
“The Balangay will become the catalyst to stir up historical consciousness among Filipinos today, a sine qua non in transporting our people to our cherished goals. Without that keen knowledge of history, our people will continue to suffer as our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, aptly described Ang taong hindi lumilingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa patutunguhan”, Valdez said.
According to the expedition's one-page itinerary of the Mindanao voyage, the first stop will be the seaside resort
From
In Zamboanga del Norte, the all-Filipino crew will pay homage and respect to the Jose Rizal Shrine in
Once the Mindanao adventure is completed in March, the next phase of the voyage - one that will take the fleet to many island stops throughout Southeast Asia - will begin, according to
The construction of the wind-driven boat worth P1.6 million was shouldered by the Butuan Global Forum Inc., an association of Butuanons based locally and abroad; the Kaya Ng Pinoy Foundation; and the Butuan Historical and Cultural Foundation Inc.
Butuan folk consider the vessel meaningful after remnants of around eight ancient balangay boats were excavated around the province in 1978.
The oldest boat that was dug was carbon-dated at 320 AD. (PNA)
Assassins of Lakas-Kampi-CMD local leader arrested, Surigao solons commend PRO 13 for quick arrest
SURIGAO CITY (February 2) - The Lakas-Kampi-CMD leaders on Tuesday commended the leadership of the Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) for the quick arrest of suspects on the slaying of their local leader in Taganaan town, Surigao del Norte province Monday morning.
Pursuing police force arrested the two suspects after less than eight hours of extensive manhunt.
Rep. Fracisco “Lalu” T. Matugas (1st district, Surigao del Norte), vice-president of Lakas-Kampi-CMD for Mindanao and Rep. Guillermo “Jun” Romarate Jr., party’s provincial chairman of Surigao del Norte (2nd district), both extended their separate congratulatory message to PRO 13 under the leadership of Chief Supt. Lino D. Calingasan.
The two solons however requested the PRO 13 to fast-track the investigation for the immediate filing of murder charges against the suspects.
The victim Oscar Cayumo Anino, 55, a former Army soldier, was a local leader of Rep. Romarate under the ruling party and an employee of Taganaan town, said Rep. Matugas.
Anino was shot at close range while riding on a single motorcycle on way to Taganaan town proper by suspects in Sitio Binggale of Barangay Banban of that same town Monday morning.
Initial report reaching the police regional command and tactical operation center at Camp Rafael C. Rodriguez in
After learning of the incident, Chief Supt. Calingasan immediately mobilized pursuing police force to arrest the perpetrators. The order was “a region-wide manhunt” against the suspects.
In less than eight hours, pursuing police force arrested the two suspects where the .45 caliber pistol and 357 revolver were also recaptured from the suspects.
Identities of the suspects were temporarily withheld pending interrogation to determine the motive and possible identity of the mastermind of the killing.
“Both (suspects) were positively identified by the victim’s son,” said Chief Supt. Calingasan, based on the initial investigation.
Murder charges will be filed against the suspects, added the region’s police chief. (PNA)
LGU establishes “Barangay Bagsakan” terminal to help thousands of farmers in Agusan del Sur
PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur (February 2) - The provincial government of landlocked province of Agusan del Sur established “Barangay Bagsakan” (BB) terminal, also known as “Food Depot Terminal (FDT), to further assist thousands of farmers and strengthen the “food security” program of the province.
The creation of BB-FDT aims to address the five major concerns of the provincial government: food security, poverty alleviation, social equity, income enhancement and profitability of farm and global competitiveness and sustainability.
This program, through the Patin-ay Farmers Association in Prosperidad town, is also in line with the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of Republic Act 8435 under the Department of Agriculture’s Goal 2 Program.
The BB-FDT, solely operated by the farmers, with complete amenities such as weighing scales, modern food storages, freezers, water facilities has the capacity to cater various agri-products from nearby villages.
The project is designed purposely to eliminate the middlemen in the farm to consumer food supply chain, thereby offering low-price or affordable and quality food products such as meat, poultry, fresh vegetables and fruits from farms.
Besides ensuring stable, fair price of said food supplies and other commodities, the terminal develops alternative market to farm's produce and eventually increases the farmers' income.
With her incessant desire to help alleviate the farmers' income, Gov. Maria Valentina G. Plaza released an allocation amounting to P325,000 from the provincial coffers with counterparts of funds also from municipal, barangay, Department of Agriculture, through National Agribusiness Corporation.
“This program is a big help to our farmers in the province and also a contributory factor to our continuing higher income of the province," added Plaza.
Meanwhile, Pastor Sergio M. de Jesus, president of Farmers Association, has been so grateful for the livelihood project shared to them by the government, adding with a promise that they will give enough care and attention to it.
The BB is one of the priority projects of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the Department of Agriculture (DA) as the coordinating agency and local government units as the implementing agency.
The new FDT in the provincial capital town of
Recently, President Arroyo inaugurated the P68-million corn processing plant at “Pagkain ng Bayan”, in Barangay. Mabuhay,
The corn processing plant is also a big boost to the farmers in the Caraga region, especially in Agusan del Sur province, said DA officials.
Agusan del Sur is acknowledged as the “food basket” province in
