PIA Dispatch - Monday, August 24, 2009

New PGMA bridge relinks Botolan to Subic, Olongapo

BOTOLAN, Zambales, Aug. 24 - Residents here warmly cheered President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the opening of a new bridge relinking this town and other Zambales municipalities to Subic and Olongapo City.

Travel to the northern part of the province had to be made through Pangasinan after typhoon "Kiko" wrought havoc last August 6.

The President cut the ceremonial ribbon formally opening the 60-meter steel bridge in Barangay Carael shortly after arriving here at 11 a.m. The bridge was constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in two weeks.

Assisting the President were DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Botolan Mayor Rogelio Yap, Zambales Governor Amor Deloso, Vice Governor Annie Gordon, and former Governor Vic Magsaysay.

During the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) meeting here last August 10, the Chief Executive directed the DPWH to immediately put up the bridge after typhoon "Kiko" brought water and lahar flows cascading down Mt. Pinatubo, breaching a kilometer stretch of the Bucao dike.

The resulting strong water and lahar flows from the dike created a 100-meter wide river which eroded and made impassable a portion of the national highway in Barangay Carael that isolated most parts of Zambales.

The DSWD reported that the typhoon has affected a total of 4,783 families in 10 barangays of Botolan, aside from totally damaging 284 houses and partially damaging 337 others.

After the rites, the President distributed relief goods to 1,290 families still housed in six evacuation centers at the Technology Learning and Resource Center (TLRC) resettlement area in Barangay Taugtog.

Cheering the President at the TLRC building in Barangay Taugtog were more than 4,000 evacuees, residents, and local officials.

The evacuees received rice, noodles, canned goods, milk, water, sugar, coffee, water jugs, used clothing, candles and toothbrushes


'Pangulong Gloria' scholars in Pampanga express deep gratitude to PGMA

MAGALANG, Pampanga, Aug. 24 -- Bright prospects for the future now await William Vitanzos and Marlon Gozum who took advantage of the scholarship program being offered by the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Through the Pangulong Gloria Scholarship (PGS) program, Vitanzos and Gozum acquired more knowledge and skills that would serve as their jumping board for more profitable jobs.

With this free scholarship program being offered by the government, they, together with other 90 beneficiaries, thanked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who took time to visit this municipality.

“We are very much grateful with all your support, Madam President. Through PGS program, we are now confident that we would get better jobs,” Vitanzos said, who took up bartending course under TESDA-accredited school in the province.

Vitanzos formerly worked as head bartender and, at the same time taught, Japanese language course at Clark Freeport before he availed of the PGS program.

“It is my desire to gain more knowledge and skills, that’s why I availed of this program,” he said as he interacted with the President at the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) here.

Vitanzos was also a former overseas worker who worked in Japan for ten years. He said he was forced to return to the country due to recession.

“This is indeed a good project by TESDA, especially for the youth who instead of doing nothing can study for free,” he said.

Gozum also expressed his deep gratitude to the President for giving him an opportunity to continue his study through ladderized educational system.

At present, he is in a first year college level at the PAC, taking up Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Animal Husbandry.

“This is indeed a big help for me and my family. I can now finish my schooling,” he told the President.

“Congratulations to all of you,” the Chief Executive told the PGS scholars.

Aside from PAC, the PGS scholars are studying in the various TESDA accredited vocational-technical schools scattered in the province.

Among the short courses being offered by TESDA include bartending, building wiring, call center agent course, carpentry, commercial cooking, computer hardware servicing, consumer electronics servicing, food and beverage services, health care services, household housekeeping, medical transcription, massage therapy, masonry, pipefitting, plumbing, welding, automotive servicing, driving, haircutting, small engine servicing, among others.

After graduation, the graduates undergo assessment tests prior to the award of certification, an important requirement for employment or for further training.

The PGS program is TESDA’s response to President Arroyo’s directives on government-business-labor initiatives to combat the effects of the global economic downturn. It is also TESDA’s platform to link job training directly to job recruiters, displaced workers and overseas Filipino workers.

The training package includes the training cost, institutional incentive package, training allowance and assessment fees.


Filipino, Malaysian businessmen eye P20-M resort investment in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 24 - A conglomerate of Filipino and Malaysian businessmen is pouring in an initial investment of P20 million to open up a resort in the town of Bongao in Tawi-Tawi, south of this city.

Nurben Project Engineer Hadji Benjamin Hamid said the resort’s structures will be a combination of native and western designs, although it would be patterned after resorts in Sipadan, Malaysia.

Hamid said that initially they are building 65 cottages with complete amenities for guests of the resort which will be built at Pastagan Beach in Bongao town.

Hamid, who is a member of the Tawi-Tawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., said the amenities include a hook and line fishing place for the resort guests.

He said the cottages will be for family and single accommodation.

He disclosed that a group of Tawi-Tawi businessmen have forged a tie-up with a business group from Lahad Datu, Malaysia for the realization of the project.

The business tie-up also includes the tourism aspect to market the resort not only in the country but also abroad, Hamid said.

He said the resort, the construction of which will start early next year, will cater to both domestic and foreign tourists who would travel to this southern frontier.

Hamid’s group expects a boom in Tawi-Tawi’s tourism industry once giant airline firms will open a route from and to Tawi-Tawi.

The Tawi-Tawi stakeholders foresee an increase in economic activity as well as tourism following the recent upgrading and expansion of the Sanga-Sanga Airport.

The Sanga-Sanga Airport runway has been upgraded and extended from 1,608 meters to 1,920 meters, and widened from 18 to 30 meters.

The upgrading and expansion of the Sanga-Sanga Airport could pave the way for the entry of the giant airline firms that operate bigger planes.

Tawi-Tawi Gov. Sadikul Sahali disclosed that representatives from the Cebu-Pacific Air recently visited and conferred with him about the firm’s plan to open a route from and to the province.

Philippine Airlines’ Flight Technical Division Manager Selino Jalalon inspected last week the facilities at Sanga-Sanga Airport to determine if it is already within the aviation standards.

Jalalon is submitting a report as well as photographs he has taken to the PAL’s management for evaluation upon his return to Manila to determine what type of aircraft the company will use in opening up a route to Tawi-Tawi.

“We need this (big airport) kind of facility for our economy and tourism industry to move forward,” Hamid said.

Tawi-Tawi comprises 11 towns and has more than 300 islands and islets within its political jurisdiction and has pristine beaches, which are ideal spots for scuba diving and snorkeling.


Comelec asks Congress to revise election law on substitution of candidates

MANILA, Aug. 24 - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is asking Congress to revise the election law on the substitution of candidates in any position.

Comelec Chairman Jose Melo said they are hoping that Congress will consider their proposal favorably in relation to the automated May 2010 elections.

“Ang aming proposal is that no substitution except in case of death or disqualification. The present system is that a vote for the substituted will be a vote for the substitute,” he said.

The Omnibus Election law states that the substitute’s name should be hand-written, but Melo fears that by writing the name on the ballot, the machine might not read it since the 2010 polls will be automated.

“Dahil ang law ngayon e isulat daw ‘yung name nung substitute, we fear that the machine will not read any writing there,” he explained.

Melo said they plan to submit the proposal before Congress go on recess in October, adding that they have already talked about it with Senator Richard Gordon and Makati City Rep. Teddy Locsin.

Under the present law, substitution can be made even during the election day, Melo said as he cited the case of then Senator Gaudencio Antonino who died a day before the elections when his plane crashed. He was substituted by his wife, Magnolia.

“Until the election day, puedeng mag-substitute, gaya noong case ni Senator Gaudencio Antonino. His wife, Mrs. Antonino immediately filed her certificate of candidacy as a substitute but under the name of Mrs. Gaudencio Antonino..., so a vote for Gaudencio is a vote for her,” he explained.


Gov't gears up for commercial exportation of yellow corn

MANILA, Aug. 24 - Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap has announced that the government, for the first time in history, is gearing up for the commercial exportation of yellow corn.

The National Food Authority (NFA) has gotten in touch with its counterparts in Vietnam who have committed to prioritize buying Philippine corn.

"The government is ready to export 50,000 to 150,000 metric tons of corn. This will come from Isabela, Pangasinan, Mindoro, Bukidnon, among other provinces," NFA Administrator Jessup Navarro said.

Corn production for the second semester is expected to spike up from 656,723 MT to 802,964 MT in Region 2, while Northern Mindanao and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are expected to post significant increases as well.

With the increased of yellow corn production in the country, Yap sees this as a good opportunity for the country to export corn.

This new development in the corn sub-sector seeks to help farmers, mostly in corn producing provinces, such as Isabela and Pangasinan, to earn more despite the looming price drop-off foreseen in the local corn industry due to surplus in production.

“We have consulted with the local corn farmers, and we have reached in agreeable terms,” Yap said.

Upon the proposal of Yap, the government and the farmers have agreed on a new buying price of corn pegged at P10.00 per kilo instead of the prevailing market price of P6.50-P7.00 and the cost of production of corn at 7.81 per kg.
“This will enable the government to buy more grain as well as provide income to the farmers,” he said.

“As per our arrangement, the farmers have agreed to sell their produce at P10.00 per kilo. Para maiwasan din ang pagkalugi ng mga magmamais,” he added.

NFA has reached the total buying of corn to 600,000 metric tons because of the P10 buying price. Yap said more corn produce will be bought by the NFA from the local corn farmers at P10 per kilo.

“With this, the NFA has to work round-the-clock by extending working hours and implementing a seven-day operation and to do double-shifts daily,” Yap said.

Earlier, Yap has ordered the National Food Authority (NFA) to increase corn procurement by as much as 200 percent as part of the government’s strategy to counter the effects of the looming price-crash of the grain and support the Filipino corn farmers.

Yap, who presented strategy measures as early as May 19 to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during a Cabinet meeting held at General Santos City, instructed NFA Administrator Jessup Navarro to increase corn grain buying target from 100,000 metric tons to 300,000 MT as an affirmation of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) commitment to the farmers.

“We have funds for this and we will continue to support our farmers,” Yap said. He further instructed the NFA to look for other innovative ways to expand the support to the country's corn farmers.

DOH did its job in Manila Bay cleanup

The Department of Health (DOH) today belied allegations that the agency is not complying with the Supreme Court (SC) decision concerning the Manila Bay cleanup.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said that on May 5 this year, the DOH reported to the Department of Environment & Natural Resources that it has issued a memorandum (dated February 2, 2009) to all directors of the DOH-Centers for Health Development nationwide regarding the requirement of the SC decision.

“I directed them to undertake necessary actions to ensure the strict compliance of all septic and sludge companies as require by the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines,” Duque said.

The health chief also said that a meeting with Sanitation Officers/Heads of all local government units (LGUs) and septic tank desludging operators in Metro Manila was conducted on March 31, 2009 to orient them on the DOH rules and regulations governing the collection, handling, transport, treatment, and disposal of domestic sludge and septage.

“During the meeting, we requested the LGUs present to monitor the operators to make sure that the instructions have been followed to the letter,” Duque stressed.

Duque said that under the SC decision, the DOH is directed to determine if all licensed septic tank and sludge companies have the proper facilities for the treatment and disposal of fecal sludge coming from septic tanks.

Duque also reported that septic tanks of Metro Manila residences are being cleaned by the Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (MWSI) and the Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) on a regular basis with the collected sludge from the septic tanks treated and disposed in their treatment facilities.

“All regional health offices, in coordination with local government units, are monitoring private desludging operators and require them to secure the Environmental Sanitation Clearance from the DOH,” Duque assured.

The DOH urges the public to tap only legitimate septic tank desludging operators, such as MWSI and MWCI, to service their septic tanks.