PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, July 20, 2010

P-Noy swears in VP Binay as HUDCC Chair

President Benigno S. Aquino III administered the oath of office to Vice President Jejomar Binay as chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council in a simple ceremony this morning in Malacañang.

Joining the Vice President were members of his family led by his wife Elenita and son Makati Mayor Jun-Jun Binay.

As HUDCC chair, Binay will be charged with overseeing the agency’s functions of coordinating the activities of the government housing agencies to ensure the accomplishment of the National Shelter Program.
He will also lead the agency in:

Formulating national objectives for housing and urban development and to design broad strategies for accomplishment of these objectives;

Determining the participation and coordinate the activities of the key government housing agencies in the national housing program;

Monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the effectively of these agencies’ exercise of their assigned functions;

Assisting in the maximum participation of the private sector in all aspects of housing and urban development;

Recommending new legislation and amendments to existing laws as may be necessary for the attainment of the government’s objective in housing;

Formulating the basic policies, guidelines and implementing mechanisms for the disposal or development of acquired or existing assets of the key housing agencies; and,

Exercising or performing other powers and functions as may be deemed necessary, proper or incidental to the attainment of its purpose and objectives.

Immediately after the oath-taking rites, Vice President Binay joined President Aquino and the rest of the members of his official family for a Cabinet meeting in the adjoining Aguinaldo State Dining Room.


P-Noy receives representative of US President 

President Benigno S. Aquino III met with US State Department Under Secretary for Political Affairs William Burns today at the Malacanan Palace.

Burns holds the highest rank among career ambassadors in the State Department and is so far the highest US official to meet with President Aquino since he assumed office on June 30. 

Talking to Palace reporters after his audience with the President, Burns said his visit underscores US President Barack Obama’s determination to renew and extend the US-Philippines partnership in the spirit of mutual respect. 

“I am delighted to be here in Manila, and very pleased to have the opportunity to convey congratulations and best regards from President Obama to President Aquino,” Burns told Palace reporters.

During the visit, Burns discussed with President Aquino a range of issues including bilateral relations, ASEAN concerns and the efforts of the new Philippine government towards poverty reduction, health, education, job creation, protection of human rights, judicial reforms and improvement of accountability and transparency. They also discussed the status of US development assistance to the country, especially in Mindanao, where Burns is scheduled to visit.

“I emphasize that the US wants to do everything we can in health, in progress, and in all of those areas which we saw important to creating a better future for the people of the Philippines,” said Burns.

Asked about the significance of his scheduled trip to Mindanao, Burns said it is an indication of the continuing commitment of the US to working with the Philippine government in trying to create a greater sense of economic fruitfulness throughout the Philippines, including Mindanao.

“We contribute a considerable percentage of our development assistance in the Philippines and I look forward to the opportunity to observe some of those programs. And we do take pride in the advice and training that our security forces can contribute as well as the efforts of the Philippine government. This is an ongoing effort,” Burns said. 



Gov’t acts to mitigate water shortage 

The government today announced that it will hold Massive cloud seeding operations to generate rainfall above the Angat area in Bulacan to mitigate the effects of low water supply in Metro Manila and the surrounding areas, which are served by the Maynilad water concessionaire.

In a press briefing today in Malacanang, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson said efforts are underway to bring water levels back to normal in several areas after it has reached critical condition because of the substantial reduction of water in Angat dam.

Singson disclosed government remedial measures a day after President Benigno S. Aquino III ordered an evaluation of the water situation in the country, particularly Metro Manila, in light of the water shortage in several areas. 

According to Singson, 344 barangays, or 49 percent of the Maynilad concession area, are already undergoing water rationing, while some portions are benefiting from less than 6 hours of water supply. He said they have already mobilized 40 tankers to distribute water to affected areas. 

He said the current supply of Maynilad is down to 1,800 million liters per day instead of the normal 2,400 million. 

Singson said the 167-meter water level of Angat dam would only last 60 days, assuming no water or rainfall. He noted that the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) released the equivalent of three months’ supply of domestic water from Angat dam after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng hit the country, which may have contributed to the current water levels. 

The dam is currently being repaired for leaks.

About 98 percent of water supply in Metro Manila comes from Angat dam. Maynilad Water Services Inc. serves about seven million people.

On the other hand, Manila Water, the other water concessionaire, has an affected area of 21 percent, but fairs better because it impounds their supply of water in the La mesa Dam.

He said his department has requested for the assistance of the DILG to help disseminate water conservation measures to local government units. 

He added that the government is looking for alternative water sources such as the Marikina river, Laguna lake and the Pampanga river.


DA conducts briefing to corn farmers in RM

Some 130 corn farmers from the municipality of Ramon Magsaysay (RM), Zamboanga del Sur convened last week to participate in the corn briefing. It was held at their Corn Postharvest Processing and Trading Center (CPPTC), a facility obtained from the Department of Agriculture- National Agribusiness Corporation (DA-NABCOR), congressional funds from district I and the local government of RM.  

Opening the briefing is a video presentation of the country’s corn industry which showed the uses of corn as a source of food and food products for human and livestock consumption. It emphasized that poultry and swine feeds utilize 70% corn as its main ingredient. Corn is also a source of raw materials for industrial products such as construction materials, textiles and fertilizers. 

Discussed were biological control agents for corn pests such as trichogramma evanescens and balanced fertilization. Mr. Felizardo Salomes, Regional Corn Banner Coordinator said that Trichogramma controls corn borer by parasitizing its egg. “For a hectare, we need to apply 80-100 trichocards twice. Twenty-five days after sowing, apply trichocards on the third leaf. Repeat application after a week.” Trichocards cost 2 pesos per card and can be procured at the DA’s Regional Crop Protection Center (RCPC) at Barangay Sudlon, Molave, Zamboanga del Sur and the Western Mindanao Agricultural Research Center (WESMIARC) in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay. 

However, if farmers plant corn during off-season, they can avail of Trichogramma for free through the DA’s corn banner program says Mr. Alex Pulmano, Assistant Operations Division Chief. 

Salomes also encouraged the farmers to use balanced fertilization by proper combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers. He reintroduced Bio-N inoculant that contains nitrogen fixing bacteria that can save 30-50% nitrogen requirement for corn.  

Engr. Dante Franco, CPPTC Plant Manager for his part proved that through balanced fertilization method, plant growth is healthy as manifested in the corn planted near the grains center which is now on its tasseling stage . 

Ramon Magsaysay Municipal Mayor Pacifico Bulahan, Jr. in his message encouraged farmers to plant more corn because of the ready market provided by the grains center. “Gidasig ko kamong tanan sa pagtanom ug daghan pa nga mais tungod kay bulahan kita niining planta nga anaa sa atong lugar nga diin mopasalig sa pagpalit sa atong mga abot nga mais, ingon man matagbo niini ang kinahanglanong 50 thousand kilos nga mais sa matag proseso.” Mayor Bulahan also added that the municipality of RM is an agricultural area that whatever crops planted to its rich soil, it will surely grow and bear fruits. 

For his impression RM corn farmer Mr. Arsenio Magsayo expressed his gratitude to the DA for its effort of imparting and educating them on existing technologies that would lead them to better yield and income. “Nindut ang kamaisan kung maayo ug higala sa kinaiyahan ang gamiton nga abuno.”

Complementing the briefing was the distribution of corn information materials. Salomes said the farm visit allowed them to observe and assess good standing of corn. With continued good weather condition, he is optimistic that the first cropping season would reap good harvest. This could address the volume requirement of the grains center in the region. He announced that corn farmers can avail of infrastructure project and some farm machineries like farm tractors, village type Corn Postharvest, and corn mill through farmers association on a counterparting scheme. 

On a larger scale, the grains center in RM buys corn-on-cobs. This facility is worth P32-miilion where DA-NABCOR counterparted P20M, 10M from ZDS 1st District represented by Hon. Victor J. Yu and 2M from the Municipality of Ramon Magsaysay. This facility allows continuous supply of corn and produces premium quality grains at 14 per cent moisture content and reduces drying and processing costs by 50 per cent. The center is producing food grade quality. (MB-Laride & D-Abenes/DA9)