PIA Dispatch - Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Aquino welcomes U.S. congressmen in Malacañang

President Benigno Aquino III welcomed to Malacanang Palace the members of the United States House of Representatives who called on him as part of the lawmakers’ overseas trip to keep its close cooperation in many areas including the Philippines and its neighboring nations in South East Asia.

The President, who was joined by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, received the US Representatives led by Dana Tyron Rohrabacher on Tuesday at the President’s Hall of the Presidential Guest House in Malacanang.

In a statement, the six lawmakers from the United States lower house visited the Philippines as part of their routine overseas trip in order to maintain its close relationship with their counterparts.

“U.S. House of Representatives Members Dana Tyron Rohrabacher and James Manuel “Jim” Costa from California; Lloyd “Ted” Poe and Louis Boller Gohmert, Jr. from Texas; John Russel “Russ” Carnahan from Missouri; and Jeffrey Duncan from South Carolina are visiting the Philippines this week as part of a routine overseas trip,” the statement said.

“In light of our close cooperation in many areas, the U.S. Congressmen will meet with Philippine government officials, Embassy officers, and others to learn about important bilateral and regional issues," the statement added.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas accompanied the six congressmen during their visit and meeting with the President. (PCOO)


Palace says national and local gov’t units must work together to prevent fish kill

Communities must learn to protect the environment and the national and local government units (LGUs) must work together to prevent incidence of fish kills in the future, a Palace official said on Wednesday.

In a press briefing at the Palace on Wednesday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said one of the lessons that the government has learned from the recent fish kills in Batangas and Pangasinan is that the environment could get back at the people who abuse it.

The second lesson, Valte said, is that the national government needs to work closely with the local government units. She said there must be regulation to prevent overstocking by fish cage owners.

Valte said the government has assisted affected areas by giving fingerlings to fisherfolks.

Agriculture and fishery officials said overstocking led to the massive fish kill in Batangas province, affecting nine towns around Taal Lake.

The ideal size for fish cages is 10 by 10 meters with a depth of six meters, but some cages are 15 meters deep. Fingerlings should be from 30,000 to 50,000 per cage, but some cages have 100,000, they said.

In Pangasinan, experts said there are more cages than what is allowed and this resulted to fish kill incidents in 2002 and 2004. In Bolinao, Pangasinan, fishery officials estimated the damage to be around 39 metric tons of bangus and tilapia. (PCOO)


Aquino declares June 11, 2011 as a special non-working day in Sagay, Negros Occidental in celebration of its 15th Charter Day

President Aquino has declared June 11, 2011 as a special non-working day in the city of Sagay in Negros Occidental in celebration of the city's 15th Charter Day.

By virtue of Proclamation Order No. 180 signed on May 31, 2011 by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr., the President declared June 11, 2011 which falls on Saturday as a special non-working day to give the people of Sagay the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

Representative Alfredo G. Marañon authored House Bill No. 6543, “An Act Converting the Municipality of Sagay into a component city of Negros Occidental.”

On May 3, 1996, then Senator Raul Roco sponsored the Senate version of the Sagay cityhood called Bill No. 1191.

On June 11, 1996, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed into law Republic Act 8192, which gave birth to the City of Sagay.

Sagay is found in the Northern tip of Negros Island, Philippines. It is bounded in the North by Asuncion Pass and Visayan sea; West by Cities of Cadiz and Silay; East by the City of Escalante and Municipality of Toboso; South by the City of Talisay and Municipality of Calatrava.

It is approximately 84 kms. from Bacolod City which is the Provincial Capital.

One of the city’s main attractions is its natural prestine beauty and rich marine resources.

The city is also known for its Sagay Marine Reserve, a 32,000-hectare marine reserve composed of Carbin Reef, Maca Reef, the Molocaboc Islands, Panal Reef and other fringing reefs is an ideal place to experience nature in its natural beauty.

Snorkeling & Sea Ranching are ideal activities on the Reserve. (PCOO)