Difference between revisions of "Catanduanes News"

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<center>[[Catanduanes Province, Philippines|<font size=4>'''Province of Catanduanes'''</font>]] - [[Catanduanes Archived News|<font size=4 color=green>'''Archived News'''</font>]]</center>
<center>[[Catanduanes Province, Philippines|<font size=4>'''Province of Catanduanes'''</font>]] - [[Catanduanes Archived News|<font size=4 color=green>'''Archived News'''</font>]]</center>
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==90 nurses completes RN HEALS program==
==Catanduanes to host 9th Regional OSY Encampment==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841330930537
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841336486212
*By: PIA
*By: Edna A. Bagadiong
*''March 05, 2012''
*''Friday, May 11, 2012''
 
BATO, Catanduanes- The Bato Central Elementary School in Bato East District, Catanduanes will host the 9th Regional Alternative Learning System (ALS) Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Summer Encampment 2012 of the Department of Education (DepEd) from May 21 to 25.
 
The event with the theme, “Kung ALS Learner Ka, Naiiba Ka," will be participated by 13 divisions from Bicol region.
 
According to Mayor Rodriguez, the hosting of the said camp is part of the preparation on being a Hall of Famer of their town in the National Literacy Awards.
 
The activity aims to: (a) equip OSYs with life skills (LS) and lifelong learning (LLL) necessary to become effective, efficient, and responsive citizens; (b) inculcate in the minds of OSYs spiritual and moral values; (c) strengthen self-reliant, dynamic, and creative future leaders to become effective catalysts/agents of change; and (d) acquaint the OSYs on ALS programs and projects.
 
Participants in the activity are ALL OSYs enrolled in ALS learning programs.


VIRAC, Catanduanes- A total of 90 nurses completed the RN-HEALS of the Department of Health (DOH) in collaboration with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Social Welfare and Development.
There will be a registration fee of P550 per participant for training materials and food for resource speakers. Around 500 are expected to participate in the camp.


RN HEALS, an acronym for Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement And Local Service, is expected to address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in 1,221 rural and unserved or underserved communities for one year.
==Virac to hold Chess fest==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841336542214
*By: Edna A. Bagadiong
*''Wednesday, May 09, 2012''


It was started last year to provide essential health services to all Filipinos and as well as address the issue of nurses’ unemployment.
VIRAC, Catanduanes- Virac is spearheading a chess tournament from May 26-27 to be held at Virac ABC Hall.


In this connection, an exit conference was held last February 15, 2012 at Rackdell Inn wherein the 90 nurses received certificates of Deployment and Competency warded by Governor Joseph C. Cua who was the guest speaker of the event, Provincial Health Team Leader Dr. Gladys Escote and representatives from supporting agencies.
The activity aims to develop and promote sports awareness of the participants especially the youth. It intends to bring out youth excellence in sports as a way to divert their attention from unconstructive and harmful activities that could ruin their lives and future.


Aside from P8,000 monthly stipend, an additional P2,000 allowance were also provided by local government units for each nurse.
The tournament offers P5,000 for the first placer in the open category, with the age 16-under champion and age 12-under champion to earn P2,500 and P2,000, respectively. A Eureka chess set will also be given to champions in the three categories.


Meanwhile, the next batch of nurses that will qualify for the RN HEALS program succeeding the previous batch will be announced this week.
According to tournament coordinator Bonifacio Molina, those who are interested must bring a valid ID or photocopy of birth certificate. A registration fee of P200 for the open category and P100 for the age categories will be required per participant.


According to Dr. Escote, out of the 130 nurses who applied for the program, only 95 will get their slots.
Deadline for the registration of enthusiasts is on May 25.


==Business one-stop-shop increases tax collection in 7 towns==
==6-hr brownouts plague Catanduanes==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=841330499066
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/189165/6-hr-brownouts-plague-catanduanes
*By: PIA
*By: Fernan Gianan
*''February 29, 2012''
*''Monday, May 07, 2012''
VIRAC, Catanduanes- All it had to do was hasten the process of business permits and the buiness sector fully appreciated, as shown by the increase in tax collection.


A significant increase in business taxes has been observed in seven towns here in Catanduanes following the implementation of the Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) Upscaling Reforms Program of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
VIRAC, Catanduanes–Just three days after President Benigno Aquino III led the ceremonial switch-on of the much-touted mini-hydroelectric plants of Sunwest Water and Electric Co. here, the entire Catanduanes grid began experiencing six-hour brownouts beginning Saturday when a bunker-fuel generating set conked out and the three hydro power plants on stream failed to deliver due to low water levels.


The BPLS program is aimed at limiting  the processing time of the local government unit to issue business permits and licenses to a maximum of 10 days from the date of submission of the application form as required by the Anti-Red Tape Law, using a unified form each for new applications and renewals and limiting the number of steps in processing applications for new applications and renewals.
The First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative Inc. (Ficelco) began implementing “load shedding” in all 11 towns after the 3.6-megawatt generator set of the Catanduanes Power Generation Inc. (CPGI) broke down.


Among the towns that experienced higher taxes and fees paid by business establishments in their respective locale as stated in a report submitted by DTI and DILG, Caramoran town has the most number of increase with registrants increasing from six in January 2011 to 118 this 2012 wherein its tax collection from business registration boomed from P52,193.73 to P296,338.24 or nearly five times the figure for the previous year.
This immediately took out 2.5 MW from the grid, resulting in a deficiency of 2 MW during peak load and 1 MW during off-peak hours.
Viga came in second with 92 registrants increasing by 171 percent in collection from P139,541.75 to P378, 670.32. The province's capital town is in 3rd with 127 percent increase from 14 to 754 registrants with an increased revenue from P3.9 million in 2011 to P8.9 million this January, 2012.


Moreover, Pandan listed an increase of 73 percent in business taxes from P143, 052.76 to P247,545.48 with registrants rising from 100 to 182. Meanwhile, Bato town recorded 121 registrants from 84 with a tax collection growing from 29 percent to P774,079.18.
Despite its admitted lack of funds for the continued operation of its genset, CPGI recently resumed power generation, although for 10 to 11 hours daily, after shutting it down for a few weeks.


San Miguel town still does not have data while San Andres registrants grew from 256 to 284 but its tax revenue fell from P1.06 million to P884,680.85 this year.
An official of the cooperative, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to disclose details, told the INQUIRER last weekend that the company sent technicians from Manila to repair the genset.


According to William Aldea, Local Government Operation Officer, the significant increase in tax collection was due to the establishment of Business One-Stop Shop desks in the said towns which sped up the approval of permits and licenses in January, 2012.  
“The CPGI plant was repaired Sunday night but it operated for only two hours while unannounced, short duration brownouts continued to be experienced,” said this coop official.


==Suspected NPA leader captured in Catanduanes==
Edwin Tatel, plant supervisor of the National Power Corporation’s (Napocor) Catanduanes grid, revealed that Sunwest’s three mini-hydro power plants–Solong, Hitoma I and Balongbong–have been contributing barely 25 percent of its nominal capability due to low water levels in their respective reservoirs brought about by the lack of rain in past weeks.
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/148209/suspected-npa-leader-captured-in-catanduanes
*By: Mar S. Arguelles
*''February 18, 2012''
Government troops captured a suspected leader of the New People’s Army in Catanduanes in an encounter Friday morning, an Army commander in the Bicol region said Saturday.


Colonel Arthur Ang, commander of the 901st Infantry Brigade, identified the alleged NPA  leader in a telephone interview as Lorenzo Jimenez “alias” Enzo, 33, a native of Gigmoto who was believed operating in the eastern side of Catanduanes. Friday’s encounter occurred on the outskirts of Gigmoto.
The trio account for 80 percent of the total power demand during rainy days when they deliver a total of 5.4 MW.


Ang said that at around 9:30 a.m. Friday, Jimenez and five other NPA rebels were cornered after a five-minute firefight with troops from the 83rd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Sioron, six kilometers away from Gigmoto  and 52 kms  from Virac, the provincial capital.
Part of the slack is taken up by the Monark mobile gensets which is rented by Napocor at high cost and operating for at least 12 hours daily as per contract.


Captain Edmar Gambot, leader of the government troops, said in his report that the captured rebel had raised his hands in surrender. “I instructed my combat medics to check for wounds upon his capture,” said Gambot.
Napocor officials have said that should CPGI’s genset be sidelined, the Monark gensets would be operated beyond the contracted hours but this would severely impact Napocor’s budgetary allocations for the Catanduanes grid.


Troops seized an Uzi sub-machinegun from Jimenez while an M16 armalite rifle was recovered during clearing operations.
Among the issues presented to Malacañang officials for possible consideration by the President during his May 2 visit here were the possibility of the Department of Budget and Management’s restoring the budget for the aborted purchase of three new diesel gensets for Napocor’s Marinawa plant and funding for the 69-KV transmission line.


Ang directed pursuit of the five fleeing rebels and turned Jimenez over to the Gigmoto Municipal Police Office.
The request for the restoration of the genset funding was allegedly set aside but Governor Joseph Cua said he was able to ask the President to reconsider the provision of P250 million for the transmission line, with the matter referred to Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras during Cua’s brief conversation with Mr. Aquino during the latter’s visit in the province for the inauguration of the state-of the-art Doppler radar in Bato town.


==Communist rebel killed in Catanduanes clash==
The island grid has around 35,000 member-consumers paying probably one of the highest power costs in the country at about P12 per kilowatt hour despite the operation of the three hydro plants.
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/147393/communist-rebel-killed-in-catanduanes-clash
*By: Frances Mangosing
*''February 17, 2012''
A communist rebel was killed while another was arrested after a clash with soldiers in Catanduanes Friday, a military spokesman said.


Major Harold Cabunoc said troops from the Philippine Army’s 83rd Infantry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Rodolfo Batang encountered an undetermined number of guerrillas in Barangay Sioron, Gigmoto town at around 9:30 a.m.
==2010 Catanduanes PGR lower than 2000 - NSO==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841335793779
*By: Edna A. Bagadiong
*''Friday, May 04, 2012''


“We acted on the report by concerned residents that heavily armed rebels were extorting money in the area,” said Batang.
VIRAC, Catanduanes- President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 362 on March 30, 2012 declaring as official the 2010 Population of the Philippines by Province, City/Municipality and Barangay based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (2010 CPH) conducted by the National Statistics Office.


The rebels fled after the clash that lasted five minutes, added Cabunoc.
The total population of the province of Catanduanes as of May 1, 2010 was 246,300 based on the 2010 CPH. The 2010 population is higher by 30,944 compared to the 2000 population of 215,356. In 1990, the total population was 187,000.


The soldiers were able to confiscate an M16 rifle and uzi sub machine gun from the rebels.
This translates to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.35 percent for the period 2000 to 2010 which is slightly lower by 0.07 percent than the 1990-2000 PGR of 1.42 percent.


No one was hurt among the troops, he said.
Virac has the largest population with 66,951, followed by San Andres with 35,779 and Caramoran with 28,063. The combined population of these three areas comprised 53.1 percent of the province of Catanduanes population.


==Girl Scouts conduct tree planting activity==
Four municipalities had an average annual PGR which is higher than the provincial average for the period 2000 to 2010. These are Caramoran (1.66 percent), Bagamanoc (1.62 percent), Virac (1.61 percent), and San Miguel (1.46 percent).
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841329375444
*By: PIA
*''February 16, 2012''
SAN ANDRES, Catanduanes- Girl Scouts from the San Andres Vocational School (SAVS) participated in helping in greening the environment through a tree planting activity on February 4, 2012 at 8:00 a.m.
The said activity was undertaken as part of the Girl Scouting Program and SAVS’ Green Surroundings Program.


The former is an action plan covering the whole Girl Scouting environment of fun, adventure, and challenges where girls working alone or in small groups live the Girl Scout Promise (GSP) and develop themselves in self-reliance, self-esteem, and service with the guidance of able and caring adults.
Among the top five barangays with largest population are San Isidro Village (4,262), Cavinitan (3,484), Cabugao (2,989), Bigaa (2,777), and Cabcab (2,750).


This is also under the eight-point challenge of GSP which is the Challenge of Environment stating that protection and conservation of the natural resources is very important local and global issue.
==Gas Find At Recto Bank To Address Energy Woes==
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/358623/gas-find-at-recto-bank-to-address-energy-woes
*By: MADEL R. SABATER
*''Thursday, May 03, 2012''


On the other hand, the school’s greening program is in support of the nationwide endeavor to protect and preserve the environment.
BATO, Catanduanes – President Benigno S. Aquino III yesterday said the Philippine government will exercise its rights at the Recto Bank, noting it would help the country in its goal towards energy sufficiency.


The tree planting coincides with the yes-o camp wherein aside from GSP members, students of SAVS and faculty members of the school were able to participate in the activity.
“We will exercise all of our rights,” the President assured.


==FICELCO: Power rates remain below P11 per-kilowatt-hour==
Business conglomerate Manny V. Pangilinan had said the standoff between the Philippines and China may affect oil and gas explorations at the Recto Bank, which was discovered to contain more natural gas than the Malampaya natural gas field in Palawan.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R05&article=841328856089
 
*By: Edna A. Bagadiong
The Malampaya natural gas field currently supplies about 40 percent of Luzon’s energy needs.
*''February 12, 2012''
 
“There are realities, they’re a very big country economically, po¬litically, and even population-wise when there is no comparison with us. But that doesn’t change the fact that we believe we are in the right and we are obligated to fight for that which is right,” he stressed.
VIRAC, Catanduanes- First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) said that power rates in the province in overall are still below P11 per kilowatt-hour for residential and commercial users.
 
The President added there are other oil and gas finds within Philippine territory that would help the country in its goal towards energy sufficiency.
Clarification came after the announcement of National Power Corporation that there will be a P1.43/kwh hike in the generation rate.
 
He said 66.8 percent of the country’s energy requirements are met by indigenous resources.
According to FICELCO management, the low electric rate is due to contribution of the three hydroelectric power plants to Catanduanes grid. However, they made it clear that the NPC rate hike has yet to be reflected in the power bill for the period December 26, 2011 to January 25, 2012 and will be imposed this month.
 
“But we expect that to increase as we go along,” he said.
In a computation released by FICELCO, the power bill for January, 2012 will be lower than the bill last November, 2011 except for public buildings. Said decrease is due to the lower generation charge for the month with P3.6900 per kwh compared to P5.1998 for November 2011 since renewable power contributed a big portion of the total generation mix.
Therefore, actual cost for a residential consumer with 100-kwh consumption will be P10.5121/kwh while commercial users will be charged P9.3525/kwh due to lower distribution and supply system charges.
Moreover, public buildings will be charged P9.1282/kwh while street lights will have P14.5312/kwh.  


==OPPAP extends livelihood assistance to former NPA rebels==
President Aquino said the country continues to conduct a dialogue with China to resolve the territorial dispute, but insisted that the Recto Bank is part of Philippine territory.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=841328855513
*By: Edna A. Bagadiong
*''February 11, 2012''


VIRAC, Catanduanes- The Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP) recently awarded checks ranging from P10,000 to P50,000 in funding for livelihood projects to 12 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Catanduanes under the Social Integration Program (SIP).
“Sumama ‘yung problem sa Recto (Recto Bank became part of the problem) because of the nine dash theory that was espoused publicly in 2009,” he said.


The former members of the rebel group received their checks in a simple ceremony held last week at the headquarters of the Philippine Army 83rd Infantry Battalion in Lictin, San Andres. Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial director Senior Superintendent Lito Pitallano, provincial consultant on social welfare and development Priscilla Navar and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) representative William Aldea awarded the checks to the individuals.
“The UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) gives us, we believe, certain rights together with China who is also a signatory, amongst them the exclu¬sive economic zone. This is clearly within our exclusive economic zone. Recto (Bank) is about 150 kilome¬ters from Palawan, and China’s closest island or territory is Hainan at 570-plus kilometers. The UNCLOS gives us 200 miles which will not be equivalent to 500,” he stressed.


The recipients of the project are: Jolito Eugenio of Pandan, P50,000; Pablo Antonio of Caramoran, P50,000; Mary Jane of Viga, P40,000; Clarita Frias of Pandan, P50,000; Rowell Fernandez of Baras, P20,000; Joseph Interior of Panda, P50,000; Mergilda Tevar of Caramoran, P10,000, Ronnel Eugenio of Pandan, P20,000; Alfredo Base of San Andres, P45,000; Michael Rodriguez of Pandan, P50,000; Juanito Lucero of Caramoran and Almir Español of Viga with P12,000 each.
It can be recalled that a service contract owned by Pangilinan discovered that Recto Bank contains some 16.612 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Said individuals underwent prior evaluation conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office.


Navar said 10 more former rebels are now being processed while evaluation will be scheduled for new the surrenderees.
Malacañang had said it is a welcome development, particularly to secure the energy needs of the country.


Major Gaspar Panopio, the representative of 83rd IB commander Lt. Col. Rodolfo Batang expressed gratitude to OPPAP, provincial government and national agencies for their support to the program. He also advised the recipients to develop the projects for the benefit of their families and to change their life for the better.
==Japan finances upgrade of Philippine weather stations==
*Source: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/35407/japan-finances-upgrade-of-philippine-weather-stations
*By: Jerry E. Esplanada
*''Tuesday, May 01, 2012''


He likewise encouraged and assured those who are still members of the group that the government will help them to regain their former lives.
Japan financed the modernization of the government’s meteorological radar stations in Catanduanes, Cagayan and Samar to the tune of 3.35 billion yen (about P1.77 billion), according to the Japanese Embassy.


On the other hand, the recipients who were all absorbed by the army as Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) volunteers were thankful since the project will help them start a new life.  
Consul General Motohiko Kato, the embassy’s deputy chief of mission, is scheduled to attend Wednesday’s inauguration of the refurbished radar station in Virac, Catanduanes.


==NSO celebrates Civil Registration Month==
“The project, funded by a Japanese government grant amounting to 3.35 billion yen, aims to effectively prevent damages that tropical cyclones and other severe weather phenomena may cause by enhancing the weather monitoring and information dissemination capability of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration,” the embassy said in a press statement.
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=841328585092
*By: PIA
*''February 07, 2012''


VIRAC, Catanduanes- The National Statistics Office is celebrating the Civil Registration Month (CRM) pursuant to Proclamation No. 682 “Declaring the Month of February of every year as Civil Registration Month” with the theme: “Tamang Rehistro Pananagutan ng Bawat Pilipino."
It said the project included the “installation of meteorological data display and satellite data communication systems and the replacement of old meteorological radar systems in Virac, as well as in Aparri, Cagayan and Guiuan, Samar, with Doppler (S-band) radar systems.”


The observance of Civil Registration Month aims to remind the citizenry of their duty to register acts and events concerning the status of persons, enhance nationwide awareness and appreciation of the legal, administrative, and statistical values of civil registry documents and underscore the necessity for Congress to provide adequate funds for enforcement and administration of laws on civil registration.
The embassy said “this project is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines, as well as consolidate the bonds of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.”


The system of civil registration was established in the Philippines on the 27th of February 1931 through the enactment of Act 3753, “An Act to Establish A Civil Register”. Act No. 3753 requires the continuous and compulsory recording of births, deaths, marriages, and other acts and events concerning the civil status of persons. The civil status of a person starts at birth and ends in death.
Last weekend, the embassy announced the release of an additional 600 million yen (about P315 million) in fresh development aid to the Philippines.


As part of the celebration, there will be free issuance of certifications and authentications in NSO Manila and NSO Regional Offices and the Office of the Civil Registrars will issue certifications on births, deaths and marriages for free on February 27. The office of the NSO and MCRs had lined up activities like display streamer/poster and conduct civil registration forum, mass weddings, mobile registration, information dissemination, BUNTIS Congress and slogan contest during the whole month of celebration.
The grant will go to the rehabilitation of an undisclosed number of roads and other public infrastructure damaged by recent typhoons, the embassy said.

Latest revision as of 14:36, 11 May 2012

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Province of Catanduanes - Archived News

Catanduanes to host 9th Regional OSY Encampment

BATO, Catanduanes- The Bato Central Elementary School in Bato East District, Catanduanes will host the 9th Regional Alternative Learning System (ALS) Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Summer Encampment 2012 of the Department of Education (DepEd) from May 21 to 25.

The event with the theme, “Kung ALS Learner Ka, Naiiba Ka," will be participated by 13 divisions from Bicol region.

According to Mayor Rodriguez, the hosting of the said camp is part of the preparation on being a Hall of Famer of their town in the National Literacy Awards.

The activity aims to: (a) equip OSYs with life skills (LS) and lifelong learning (LLL) necessary to become effective, efficient, and responsive citizens; (b) inculcate in the minds of OSYs spiritual and moral values; (c) strengthen self-reliant, dynamic, and creative future leaders to become effective catalysts/agents of change; and (d) acquaint the OSYs on ALS programs and projects.

Participants in the activity are ALL OSYs enrolled in ALS learning programs.

There will be a registration fee of P550 per participant for training materials and food for resource speakers. Around 500 are expected to participate in the camp.

Virac to hold Chess fest

VIRAC, Catanduanes- Virac is spearheading a chess tournament from May 26-27 to be held at Virac ABC Hall.

The activity aims to develop and promote sports awareness of the participants especially the youth. It intends to bring out youth excellence in sports as a way to divert their attention from unconstructive and harmful activities that could ruin their lives and future.

The tournament offers P5,000 for the first placer in the open category, with the age 16-under champion and age 12-under champion to earn P2,500 and P2,000, respectively. A Eureka chess set will also be given to champions in the three categories.

According to tournament coordinator Bonifacio Molina, those who are interested must bring a valid ID or photocopy of birth certificate. A registration fee of P200 for the open category and P100 for the age categories will be required per participant.

Deadline for the registration of enthusiasts is on May 25.

6-hr brownouts plague Catanduanes

VIRAC, Catanduanes–Just three days after President Benigno Aquino III led the ceremonial switch-on of the much-touted mini-hydroelectric plants of Sunwest Water and Electric Co. here, the entire Catanduanes grid began experiencing six-hour brownouts beginning Saturday when a bunker-fuel generating set conked out and the three hydro power plants on stream failed to deliver due to low water levels.

The First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative Inc. (Ficelco) began implementing “load shedding” in all 11 towns after the 3.6-megawatt generator set of the Catanduanes Power Generation Inc. (CPGI) broke down.

This immediately took out 2.5 MW from the grid, resulting in a deficiency of 2 MW during peak load and 1 MW during off-peak hours.

Despite its admitted lack of funds for the continued operation of its genset, CPGI recently resumed power generation, although for 10 to 11 hours daily, after shutting it down for a few weeks.

An official of the cooperative, who requested anonymity as he was not authorized to disclose details, told the INQUIRER last weekend that the company sent technicians from Manila to repair the genset.

“The CPGI plant was repaired Sunday night but it operated for only two hours while unannounced, short duration brownouts continued to be experienced,” said this coop official.

Edwin Tatel, plant supervisor of the National Power Corporation’s (Napocor) Catanduanes grid, revealed that Sunwest’s three mini-hydro power plants–Solong, Hitoma I and Balongbong–have been contributing barely 25 percent of its nominal capability due to low water levels in their respective reservoirs brought about by the lack of rain in past weeks.

The trio account for 80 percent of the total power demand during rainy days when they deliver a total of 5.4 MW.

Part of the slack is taken up by the Monark mobile gensets which is rented by Napocor at high cost and operating for at least 12 hours daily as per contract.

Napocor officials have said that should CPGI’s genset be sidelined, the Monark gensets would be operated beyond the contracted hours but this would severely impact Napocor’s budgetary allocations for the Catanduanes grid.

Among the issues presented to Malacañang officials for possible consideration by the President during his May 2 visit here were the possibility of the Department of Budget and Management’s restoring the budget for the aborted purchase of three new diesel gensets for Napocor’s Marinawa plant and funding for the 69-KV transmission line.

The request for the restoration of the genset funding was allegedly set aside but Governor Joseph Cua said he was able to ask the President to reconsider the provision of P250 million for the transmission line, with the matter referred to Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras during Cua’s brief conversation with Mr. Aquino during the latter’s visit in the province for the inauguration of the state-of the-art Doppler radar in Bato town.

The island grid has around 35,000 member-consumers paying probably one of the highest power costs in the country at about P12 per kilowatt hour despite the operation of the three hydro plants.

2010 Catanduanes PGR lower than 2000 - NSO

VIRAC, Catanduanes- President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Proclamation No. 362 on March 30, 2012 declaring as official the 2010 Population of the Philippines by Province, City/Municipality and Barangay based on the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (2010 CPH) conducted by the National Statistics Office.

The total population of the province of Catanduanes as of May 1, 2010 was 246,300 based on the 2010 CPH. The 2010 population is higher by 30,944 compared to the 2000 population of 215,356. In 1990, the total population was 187,000.

This translates to an average annual population growth rate (PGR) of 1.35 percent for the period 2000 to 2010 which is slightly lower by 0.07 percent than the 1990-2000 PGR of 1.42 percent.

Virac has the largest population with 66,951, followed by San Andres with 35,779 and Caramoran with 28,063. The combined population of these three areas comprised 53.1 percent of the province of Catanduanes population.

Four municipalities had an average annual PGR which is higher than the provincial average for the period 2000 to 2010. These are Caramoran (1.66 percent), Bagamanoc (1.62 percent), Virac (1.61 percent), and San Miguel (1.46 percent).

Among the top five barangays with largest population are San Isidro Village (4,262), Cavinitan (3,484), Cabugao (2,989), Bigaa (2,777), and Cabcab (2,750).

Gas Find At Recto Bank To Address Energy Woes

BATO, Catanduanes – President Benigno S. Aquino III yesterday said the Philippine government will exercise its rights at the Recto Bank, noting it would help the country in its goal towards energy sufficiency.

“We will exercise all of our rights,” the President assured.

Business conglomerate Manny V. Pangilinan had said the standoff between the Philippines and China may affect oil and gas explorations at the Recto Bank, which was discovered to contain more natural gas than the Malampaya natural gas field in Palawan.

The Malampaya natural gas field currently supplies about 40 percent of Luzon’s energy needs.

“There are realities, they’re a very big country economically, po¬litically, and even population-wise when there is no comparison with us. But that doesn’t change the fact that we believe we are in the right and we are obligated to fight for that which is right,” he stressed.

The President added there are other oil and gas finds within Philippine territory that would help the country in its goal towards energy sufficiency.

He said 66.8 percent of the country’s energy requirements are met by indigenous resources.

“But we expect that to increase as we go along,” he said.

President Aquino said the country continues to conduct a dialogue with China to resolve the territorial dispute, but insisted that the Recto Bank is part of Philippine territory.

“Sumama ‘yung problem sa Recto (Recto Bank became part of the problem) because of the nine dash theory that was espoused publicly in 2009,” he said.

“The UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) gives us, we believe, certain rights together with China who is also a signatory, amongst them the exclu¬sive economic zone. This is clearly within our exclusive economic zone. Recto (Bank) is about 150 kilome¬ters from Palawan, and China’s closest island or territory is Hainan at 570-plus kilometers. The UNCLOS gives us 200 miles which will not be equivalent to 500,” he stressed.

It can be recalled that a service contract owned by Pangilinan discovered that Recto Bank contains some 16.612 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

Malacañang had said it is a welcome development, particularly to secure the energy needs of the country.

Japan finances upgrade of Philippine weather stations

Japan financed the modernization of the government’s meteorological radar stations in Catanduanes, Cagayan and Samar to the tune of 3.35 billion yen (about P1.77 billion), according to the Japanese Embassy.

Consul General Motohiko Kato, the embassy’s deputy chief of mission, is scheduled to attend Wednesday’s inauguration of the refurbished radar station in Virac, Catanduanes.

“The project, funded by a Japanese government grant amounting to 3.35 billion yen, aims to effectively prevent damages that tropical cyclones and other severe weather phenomena may cause by enhancing the weather monitoring and information dissemination capability of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration,” the embassy said in a press statement.

It said the project included the “installation of meteorological data display and satellite data communication systems and the replacement of old meteorological radar systems in Virac, as well as in Aparri, Cagayan and Guiuan, Samar, with Doppler (S-band) radar systems.”

The embassy said “this project is expected to further strengthen the strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines, as well as consolidate the bonds of friendship between the peoples of the two countries.”

Last weekend, the embassy announced the release of an additional 600 million yen (about P315 million) in fresh development aid to the Philippines.

The grant will go to the rehabilitation of an undisclosed number of roads and other public infrastructure damaged by recent typhoons, the embassy said.

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