PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, April 14, 2009

PGMA orders fast-tracking of economic resiliency program

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered all agencies to expedite their own economic resiliency program. 

At the National Economic and Development Authority –Cabinet group meeting in Taguig, the President directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to make sure that 60 percent of infrastructure projects will be bidded out within the first semester. 

The President wanted the DPWH to ensure that the implementation of projects will be carried out around the clock.

She also instructed Public Works and Highways Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. to ensure the continuous construction of the flyover project that connects Luzon Avenue and C5 road.

The fly-over project is envisioned to help solve Mega Manila’s traffic woes.

The President also ordered the completion of most farm-to market roads (FMRs) and irrigation projects and the strict implementation of the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP).

The National Anti-Poverty Commission has reported that CLEEP is currently employing some 75,000 workers.


PGMA to open Eastern seaboard trunk of Strong Republic RORO Nautical Highway
 
Tacloban City (April 14) – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is scheduled to launch the Eastern seaboard trunk of the Strong Republic RORO Nautical Highway on April 15 and 16.
 
A Roll On-Roll Off (RORO) sea transport system will first take her to the island of Leyte, particularly to the province of Southern Leyte, where she will inaugurate the San Ricardo Port Improvement Project.

From there, the President will inspect infrastructure projects that include among others the Sogod-Abuyog-Mahaplag road network and then on to Tacloban City.

The following day, Thursday (April 16), the President shall visit Naval in Biliran Province to inaugurate the Naval Port Passenger Terminal Building and RORO Ramp.
The President will then proceed north-westward to check on the RORO connection in the island province of Masbate through a two-hour trip to Cataingan Port.

Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH) in the Philippines is an integrated set of highway segments and vehicular ferry routes which, considered in combination with other road and ferry routes not formally part of the SRNH, forms the backbone of a nationwide vehicle-accessible transport system. This system reduces the usual travel time by 17 hours to the different key cities, enhances the accessibility of the prime tourist destinations, and minimizes the handling expenses of goods, all over the country.
 
The 919-Kilometer SRNH was opened to the public on April 12, 2003. Its route covers four seaboard trunks. The first plies the provinces and cities of Oriental Mindoro, Tagaytay City (Cavite), Marinduque, Romblon, and Batangas City in Luzon. 

The second trunk is the Western Nautical Highway links Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Dapitan City in Mindanao. 

The third seaboard trunk, the Central Nautical Highway Roll-on-Roll-off is the central trunk route connecting the province of Sorsogon to Balingoan in Misamis Oriental, passing through Central Visayas and connecting to the east-west trunk routes of Cawayan in Masbate, Bogo Port in central Cebu, Tubigon Port in Bohol, then to Jagna Port also in Bohol, and to the Mambajao Port in Camiguin.
 
The fourth is the Eastern Seaboard trunk which will connect Mindanao to Leyte islands through Surigao via a shorter route at San Ricardo, Southern Leyte, to Leyte and to Naval in Biliran. From Naval, commuters could save about six to seven hours travel time in going to Manila via Cataingan Port in Masbate.

Called the “highway of the sea,” the Ro-Ro system ferries trucks carrying goods and produce from Mindanao to Luzon and vice versa, directly to their destinations, without unloading in every port.

Several bus companies travel the route of Manila to Mindanao though RORO Nautical Highway via Samar and Leyte everyday. (PIA 8)


SBMA exec sees industries to rebound this year

Executives at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority are optimistic that most industries hit by global recession will start recovering soon. 

“Wag masyadong mabahala sa crisis (don’t worry about the crisis), we’re doing our best para madagdagan ang mga trabaho (so just jobs may increase),” SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza said in an interview with Radyo ng Bayan.

The first quarter, Arreza explained, is normally slow for most industries.

However, Arreza said tourism and manufacturing will peak up as soon as the country enters the second and third quarters.

He said Subic is preparing for specials events such as the summer regatta and the launching of two new ships, built in SBMA, sometime in May.  

“We are expecting na magba-bounce (industries) back in 2010,” he said.

 Arreza said those affected by recession last year, characterized by huge number of job order cancellations, are seasonal workers.

 “Importante ay wag lang mabawasan (what’s more important is that we don’t lose some more workers),” he said.

Subic Bay is hosting some 85,000 workers and recently gained 20 new companies.

Arreza is hoping that the new companies will generate a thousand fresh jobs.
 

CA orders prosecution vs persons involved in BW stock price scandal

The Court of Appeals ordered the prosecution of personalities involved in the Best World (BW) Resources Corporation which caused the almost collapse of the Philippine Stock Market in 1999.

The ruling effectively reversed the decision of a Pasig Regional Trial Court in 2007 that dismissed criminal charges against Dante Tan, Federico Galang, Eduardo Lim Jr., Hermogenes Laddaran, Raul de Castro, Emmanuel Edward Co, Mario Juan and Jimmy Juan. 

Tan and company were accused of insider trading and stock price manipulation which caused heavy losses to a lot of investors.
  
Tan left the country after Former President Joseph Estrada was ousted.


Government intensifies nutrition drive in schools

The Department of Health and the Department of Education will be distributing deworming tablets among elementary students this year.

The deworming program is part of the government drive to promote good health and nutrition.

DepED estimated that a sizeable portion of young elementary students, around 67 percent, have intestinal worm infection.

Once infection has been treated and removed, DepED expects affected students will perform better in classroom activities and improve their grades. 


Authorities began recovering Chemtrad plane crash victims

Recovery operations for the passengers of Chemtrad plane is now rolling.  

Reports received by Radyo ng Bayan said searchers found Tuesday decomposing bodies inside the plane which crashed between Peñablanca and Baggao, Cagayan. 

The Chemtrad plane with tail number 764 has been missing for 12 days. 

The plane left Tuguegarao Airport in Cagayan last April 2 bound for Maconacon, Isabela. 

Victims listed onboard the Chemtrad plan are Capt. Tomas Yañez, co-pilot Capt. Ranier Ruiz retired SPO2 Rolly Castanos, Celestino Salacup, Abelardo Baggay, Joel Basilio and James Bakilan.