PIA Dispatch - Friday, April 15, 2011

Malacañang supports observance of ‘no plastic bags’ day by malls

Malacañang has welcomed the move of some malls that observe “no plastic bags’ day,” once a week to lessen the environmental impact of plastic bag use, as the government shifts quickly to finding alternatives.

In a press briefing at Malacanang on Thursday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda stressed the importance of the further study by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) to find alternatives to plastic bags.

The government started taken steps to address the business considerations while shifting to finding alternatives to plastic bags.

One of the business considerations that need to be addressed is identifying manufacturers and distributors that can provide sources of alternative products for plastic bags.

The DENR is supporting two Senate bills that seek to regulate the use of plastic grocery bags and push for the use of environment-friendly alternatives.

Senate Bill No. 1103 filed by Senator Manny Villar seeks to promote sound waste management by requiring all department stores, malls, and commercial establishments to utilize reusable environment-friendly shopping bags and provide them free of charge to customers and patrons.

On the other hand, Senate Bill No.1543 filed by Senator Miriam Santiago seeks to regulate the use of plastic grocery bags.

Due to a request by environmentalists, some malls and supermarkets in Manila and other urban areas dedicate “one day” as Reusable Bag Day. The Environmental Network said the measure was necessary to force customers to use eco-friendly, reusable bags.

According to environmentalists, there are many alternatives available for consumers. Some of the alternative products are good for the environment such as paper bags, boxes, biodegradable plastic bags, and reusable bags. (PCOO)


Government is doing its best to protect consumers from oil price increases - Aquino

President Benigno S. Aquino III assured the Filipino people that the government is doing its best to protect consumers from possible disruptions of imported oil supply in the country as a result of the recent turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Our government is not taking this lying down. We are taking steps to protect our people from possible disruptions in supply and the volatility of the world oil market,” the President said in his speech at the 35th anniversary of the Philippine National Oil Company – Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC) on Friday at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

The President said the initial P450 million financial assistance for the Pantawid Pasada Program is one of the immediate steps that the Department of Energy initiated to help all legitimate passenger jeepneys and tricycles franchise owners from the impact of the continued oil price hikes.

“Energy Secretary Rene Almendras has spearheaded the Pantawid Pasada, a temporary financial assistance program for the public transport sector. The initial 450 million pesos for this has been set aside and legitimate transport operators will be able to avail of this in the coming weeks,” he stressed.

The Chief Executive noted that the recent turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has made life more difficult for the Philippines because the country is still dependent from imported oil.

“We are a country where a large portion of our oil requirements are imported; making us vulnerable to forces we have no control over. As we have seen, if something happens in Libya, Bahrain, or Egypt, we pay the price—in the form of higher fuel cost,” he said.

In order to become independent from imported oil products, the President said, the PNOC-EC has started to produce electricity by using geothermal power and established Malampaya natural gas power plant to prevent possible supply disruptions.

The President expects that in the soonest possible time, the PNOC-EC’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) distribution of Malampaya can fuel public buses plying the streets not only in Metro Manila but all over the country.

The Department of Energy’s Philippine Energy Efficiency Project is an ambitious multi-year plan to wean public utility vehicles from the use of gasoline and diesel and to encourage the transport organizations to shift to alternatives like natural gas, electricity, and hybrid engines.

During the program, the President witnessed the turn over of P3 billion check dividends of the national government from retained earnings of the PNOC by PNOC-EC chairman and chief executive officer Gemiliano Lopez Jr. to Secretary Almendras.

Acknowledging its efforts to improve energy and fuel security of the country, the President cited the men and women of the PNOC-EC for remitting its dividends to the national coffer.

“This money will fund the much needed projects that we are undertaking for our people. But more important than the money that you remit, you are helping realize a dream of a better Philippines. As an important partner in our Energy Efficiency Project, you are helping to usher in a new day for the country—a day in which our people are no longer hostage to the rising price of a scarce commodity,” he said.

The President also witnessed the presentation of a special citation awarded by Lopez to Teresito Morales and Edrito Archay for their dedicated service to the country despite their hardships while working 300 meters under the ground. The two mine workers have worked on the coal of the PNOC for almost two decades and have survived several mine accidents.

Another special citation was awarded to Rufino Bomasang for being a true public servant, honest and competent. Bomasang spearheaded the birthing of the natural gas industry in the country and the development of indigenous coal. (PCOO)


Government forges partnership with private telecommunications firms

The national government has forged a partnership with three leading telecommunication service providers to send free public safety text messages from number 1456 to their subscribers during calamities, disasters and emergencies to prevent panic brought by “hoax messages.”

Dubbed as Partnership in Public Safety and Disaster Communication, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma announced that the government forged a partnership with Digitel-Sun, Globe and PLDT-Smart to provide subscribers accurate and timely advisories and notices of impending disasters and calamities.

During typhoons, floods, earthquakes, tsunami, other calamities and disasters, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has provided Hotline numbers (911-1406/912-2665/912-5668) which the public can contact at any given time.

The major telecommunication companies assured that they can immediately send the government’s official advisory to their subscribers. “We are committed to provide an official, quick and accurate advisories and notices,” they said.

“The objectives are to avoid panic, lessen anxiety and build confidence among our people,” said Sec. Coloma in a regular news briefing on Friday.

Another objective, Sec. Coloma stressed, is to provide guidance on necessary actions that our citizens should take to safeguard lives and properties.

Ramon Isberto of PLDT-Smart, Yolanda Crisanto of Globe Telecom and William Pamintuan of Digitel-Sun, expressed the full commitment of their companies to the partnership during the regular press briefing in Malacañang Tuesday.

“We have also taken measures to make sure that official information and advisory is free from infiltration or hackers,” Isberto told reporters. “We make sure that all our services and networks keep running. This is a big challenge,” he added.

Crisanto also said the pre-paid and post-paid subscribers will receive official text advisories.

Pamintuan lauded the government for the initiative and assured their full commitment and cooperation to the endeavor. “In behalf of Digitel-Sun, we are indeed pleased to be part of this public-private partnership. We believe that as we have shown in the past, government and private sector working together are able to provide a much-needed service to the public,” he said. (PCOO)


Government crafts protocols to implement public safety and disaster communications

Government agencies and offices have crafted protocols to effectively implement the new public safety and disaster communication in times of disasters and calamities.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) through the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) have agreed on protocols that will be observed in validating information and in issuing safety advisories and notices in time of calamities and disasters.

PCOO Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma said the guidelines was framed to guide the concerned government agencies in coordination with Digitel-Sun, Globe and PLDT-Smart to enforce the new communication system in providing subscribers accurate and timely advisories and notices of impending disasters and calamities.

The NTC issued Memorandum Order 06-04-2011, the Guidelines for Public Safety Broadcast of Text Messages during such incidents to ensure that the public will be well informed.

The telecommunication firms will be sending free public safety text messages.

Under the guidelines, the NDRRMC will alert the concerned government agencies on the report of emergency situations and transmit the said information to PIA.

In a regular news briefing on Friday, Director-General Jose Fabia of PIA assured that the agency will serve as the “clearing house” to help NDRRMC validate the veracity of the information before it will craft the government’s “Official Advisory” and forward it to NTC.

In instances where the report/information is from a government agency such as Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA,) Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), Philippines Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI,) Department of Health (DOH), and others, Executive Director Benito Ramos of NDRRMC said that the National Council along with the 42 other line agencies of government will validate the information and use their usual protocols to address the situation.

NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba emphasized that after receiving the notice/advisory from the PIA, the NTC will send the advisory to all TELCOS (Sun-Digitel, Globe and PLDT-Smart) that will, in turn send the “official text message” to their subscribers.

“The official text message will come from the number 1456. I am calling on the public to memorize the number so they would know if the advisory is official or from other sources (hoax). We have done this kind of system before and this is a very effective tool reaching out to the public and helping them respond during emergencies, calamities, and disasters,” said Gen. Ramos.

The NDRRMC will transmit the information to concerned offices, bureaus or agencies as well. Among the information to be covered by the official text messages are typhoons and other weather related emergencies and calamities (PAGASA), earthquakes and volcanic activities (PHIVOLCS), radiation-related emergencies (PNRI), flooding and other similar emergencies (MMDA), bomb threats, terrorism and other related scenarios (Local government units/local police emergencies. (PCOO)