PIA Dispatch - Monday, May 25, 2009

Government hands over Tiwi-Makban plants to Aboitiz

Private sector is getting more engaged in renewable energy.

Yesterday, the Department of Energy turned over the Tiwi – Makban plants to the Aboitiz Power Renewables in Makati. 

The hand-over was witnessed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant in Tiwi, Albay (Bicol region) is situated approximately 559 kilometers southeast of Manila and north of the Mayon Volcano.

The MakBan (which stands for Makiling and Banahaw) plant is located 70 kilometers southeast of Manila in the provinces of Laguna and Batangas and is situated in two non-active volcanoes—Mt. Makiling and Mt. Banahaw.

The Aboitiz firm bought both plants for US$446.9-M with 40 percent down payment. 

Aboitiz will also pay the lease rentals on the properties worth Php 492 million. 

DOE said using renewable energy will reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and in turn save government money.
 

PGMA teaches schoolchildren ways to deal with A/H1N1 

Authorities are preparing public schools to prevent A/H1N1 infections.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, along with Secretaries Francisco Duque and Jesli Lapuz demonstrated on Monday proper hand-washing while singing the standard birthday song at the Geronimo Santiago Elementary School in Manila.

Mayor Alfredo Lim and Congressman Benny Abante were also present in the occasion which was attended by more than 300 children. 

The demonstration is aimed at helping students understand how hand-washing and other personal preventive measures could help avoid catching A/H1N1.

Copies of the guidelines on the personal preventive measures were turned over to school administrators. 

The President stressed the importance of keeping hands clean. 

“Kasi ito ang number one na pam-proteksyon sa sarili laban sa mga sakit gaya ng flu ay malinis na kamay (having clean hands is the number one protection against infectious diseases such as flu),” said the President.

The six steps in hand-washing are the following: (1) Wet hands and apply soap; (2) begin scrubbing the left and right palms making sure to soap the nails and fingers; (3) scrub the sides of each finger; (4) scrub the back of each finger; (5) scrub the sides of each thumb; and (6) wash off soap with water.

The President and the children sang the birthday song twice to ensure that enough time was given in cleaning both hands. 

Earlier, Duque urged students to make the personal preventive measures a habit to help prevent the spread of the new flu. 
 
Aside from the right hand-washing, Duque said proper coughing and sneezing manners must be observed. 

“Kinakailangan gumamit ng panyo, ng tissue paper. Kinakailangan itapon ang inyong nagamit na tissue paper sa mga basurahan. Kinakailangan paramihan ang mga basurahan sa mga eskwelahan. Kinakailangan bawat eskwelahan magkaroon ng magandang hugasan at daluyang ng tubig (We have to use handkerchiefs, tissue papers. We have dispose the used tissue papers at trash bins. We have to add more trash bins in schools. Schools must also have good washing areas and source of running water).” Duque said. 

Meanwhile, the DOH is watching over 10 persons for possible A/H1N1 infection. 

One of the patients is from the Visayas and another from Ilocos; the rest of the cases are from the Mega Manila. 

As for the 10 year old child and the 50 year old woman who tested positive for A/H1N1, the DOH said both are now in good conditions and no longer demonstrating symptoms of the flu. 

However, the child and the woman remain under observation and will be discharged as soon as they tested negative of the virus.

For his part, Lapus assured that public schools across the nation will open as scheduled. 

He said the department put up help desks and action centers to assist students during the opening.


PGMA tells Lim to study oil depot issue very carefully 

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Monday asked Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim to study carefully the pros and cons of the controversial Resolution No. 7177 of the Manila City Council before signing or vetoing it.

The city council’s resolution calls for the re-zoning of the 36-hectare property in Pandacan, Manila to allow industrial companies, including the oil depots, to keep on operating as it will create zones in Manila for medium and heavy industries. 

Some quarters are contesting the re-zoning of the property, saying such action would be a direct contravention of a Supreme Court ruling on the Pandacan oil terminal issue.

Mayor Lim was with the President at the Geronimo Santiago Elementary School during the launch this morning of the Department of Health’s (DOH) campaign to prevent the spread of influenza A(H1N1) among school children in view of the opening of classes on June 1.

Aside from Lim, also present were Health Secretary Francisco Duque, Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz, Presidential Management Staff Secretary Hermogenes Esperon and several national and local government officials.

In an ambush interview, Lim told Palace reporters that the President urged him to study the various ramifications of the issue and to get all the views of all the concerned sectors on the matter.

The Manila mayor must act on the resolution, one way or the other, on or before May 28, 2009.

“I told her (President Arroyo) that relocating these industries—the oil depots of Shell, Petron and Chevron and the other multinational locators in the 36-hectare property being mentioned in the City Council Resolution—will result in a lot of displacements, particularly of those currently employed by these companies,” Lim told reporters.

“She told me to look very seriously into how this will affect the business community and the impact on our investment policies, particularly on foreign investments,” Lim said.

“The President said I should study the impact of my decision not just on the local community—meaning on Manila—but also on the entire country.

“I told her I have been holding dialogues with the different stakeholders, including the oil companies, so that I will get all the views from all affected sectors.

“I’ll make my decision on Thursday,” Lim said, adding that “the problem is completely in my hands.”


Coast guard relieves officers over sunken boat in Batangas 

The Philippine Coast Guard relieved officers in connection with a motorized boat that sank and left 12 persons dead over the weekend in Batangas.

Relieved are Petty Officer 3 Nolasco Ramirez, Petty Officer 3 James Lauriales, Petty Isabelo Nemapiles, Petty Officer 2 Leonardo Loniago and FN1 Julius Panopio.  

These officers were members of the PCG boarding team stationed in Sta. Clara in Batangas Port.

PCG Commandant Admiral Wilfredo D. Tamayo said they are in the process of validating information they have gathered regarding the sinking of M/B Commando 6 last May 23 as well possible maritime rules violations. 
 
Coming from Batangas port, the Commando 6 was on its way to Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro when it sank.  

The captain of the M/B Commando 6 remains missing as of this writing. 

Tamayo said the boat can ferry 47 persons including the crew.

But apart from the 12 fatalities, coastguard was able to fetch 50 survivors from M/B Commando 6, making 62 persons were on-board at the time of the incident.