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==PAGASA expects rain showers over parts of PHL==
*Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/257919/news/nation/pagasa-expects-rain-showers-over-parts-of-phl
*Saturday, May 12, 2012
:by  LBG, GMA News


==Pupils in Catholic schools renew brotherhood==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=68924
*Tuesday, December 20, 2011
:by  PIA Press Release


Rain showers may fall over parts of the country as a potential cyclone, a low-pressure area, heads for the West Philippine Sea Saturday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, December 20 (PIA) --Dubbed “Pupils’ Encounter,” Rev. Fr. Nestor J. Adalia, Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan Parochial Schools (AVCPS) Superintendent, gathered hundreds of pupils from the 13 Catholic schools of Oriental Mindoro to renew their spirit of brotherhood in Christ at Puerto Galera Academy in Puerto Galera.
PAGASA forecaster Fernando Cada said their models show the LPA is not likely to intensify into a cyclone while still inside Philippine territory.
With the theme, “Journeying and Celebrating with God’s Creation,” participants from the said parochial schools started of the activity with a parade around the town showcasing their costumes made of recycled materials. This is their way of expressing ways of conserving, protecting, and defending God’s creation.
Moreover, a cultural show with songs and dances was also held which encouraged the participants to join in the campaign to celebrate with God’s blessings.
The “Pupils’ Encounter’ is a yearly activity of all parochial schools in order to strengthen and renew brotherhood among pupils in the
elementary level of the province. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


“Ito ay papalabas papunta sa West Philippine Sea.... Hindi na ito makakaapekto sa ating bansa," Cada said in an interview on dzBB radio.


But he also said the rain to be expected on Saturday does not yet mean the rainy season is already here.


He said the rainy season is due to set in during the second half of May, when the southwest monsoon begins to become dominant.


PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the LPA was estimated at 270 km west of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, embedded along the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Palawan and Mindanao.


It also noted the diffused tail-end of a cold front is affecting the eastern section of Southern Luzon.


“The whole archipelago will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms,” PAGASA said.


Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the west to southwest over the rest of the country, it said.


The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added.


==7 day care centers in Calapan receive new tables, chairs==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=68094
*Wednesday, December 14, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, December 14 (PIA) –- Seven Barangay Day Care Centers received new tables and chairs from the provincial capitol, under the education program of Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. The program was funded by the Provincial Social Welfare Development Office (PSWDO) under the Early Childhood Care and Development Program, in partnership with the Department of Education.
The day care centers which received the new school furnishings are found in the barangays of Subaan, Socorro; Inclanay,Pinamalayan; G. Antonino, Gloria; Proper, Bansud; Cantil, Roxas; Nasucob, Bulalacao and Barangay Zone I of Pinamalayan town.
Previously, the provincial capitol had also awarded chairs and tables to another set of day care centers, which were done in simple ceremonies at the capitol.
Education is one of the priority programs of Umali’s administration. (LBR/LTC /PIA-4B)


==Nonstop rains make roads impassable==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=67576
*Sunday, December 11, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Or Mindoro, Dec. 11 (PIA) –- The newly inaugurated national highway in the municipality of Puerto Galera, some 39 kilometers away from Calapan City, had become impassable to any type of motor vehicle due to
nonstop heavy downpour yesterday brought about by flash floods in barangay Villaflor in that town. The road had been heavily damaged.  Four major landslides occurred.
Some 50 passenger and private vehicles got stranded in between the landslides in the area and at the town proper.
The municipal government of Puerto Galera under Mayor Hubbert Christopher A. Dolor had taken action to ease the situation of the trapped commuters. 
Continuous heavy rains rendered rehab work very difficult. If rains persist, it may take some two weeks to one month to fully open the road to traffic, it was gathered.
Due to the risks involved in commuting passengers, the usual fare of P80 had been upped temporarily to P300 from Puerto Galera to Calapan. Only single motorcycles and tricycles could traverse the highway. (DOS/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Calapan Mayor among this year’s TOYM awardees==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=67501
*Saturday, December 10, 2011
:by  Lanie Bolina Ronquillo




CALAPAN CITY, Dec.10 (PIA) -- This year, seven distinguished young Filipinos made it to the prestigious list of this year’s Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) search including City Mayor Paulino Salvador Leachon.
The TOYM award is widely recognized as the country’s most prestigious recognition for young men and women whose selfless dedication to their field resulted in significant contributions to the country and the people.
Leachon had juggled odd jobs as taxi driver and fastfood chain crew member before he became a lawyer and eventually a public servant. Leachon is also the national vice chairman of the League of Cities of the Philippines.
President Benigno Aquino III awarded the trophies at a ceremony at the Rizal Hall in Malacanang on Wednesday.
Other winners this year included Ma. Antonia Arroyo, for biotechnology adocacy; Raul Destura,medical science; Sherwin Gatchalian,public service; Edgar Sia II, business entrepreneurship; Gerard Salonga,arts and music; and Antonio Tiu, agribusiness. (DOS/LBR/piaregion4b)


==DTI warns users of moped helmets and visors without PS and ICC markings==
==4 charged with tax evasion==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=67245
*Source: http://www.tempo.com.ph/2012/4-charged-with-tax-evasion/#.T6zkWOgzCsE
*Thursday, December 08, 2011
*Friday, May 11, 2012
:by PIA Press Release
:by  Jun Ramirez
 
 
Manila, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed yesterday two separate tax evasion cases against four individuals for “doctoring“ transaction papers to save on tax payments totaling more P53 million.
BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares submitted the complaints to the Department of Justice (DoJ) for preliminary investigation and the filing of the cases in courts if probable cause is established.
 
The first case concerned a Manila City Hall contractor identified as Oscar Badillo of Wack-Wack Twin Towers who was commissioned by the city government to construct the three-storey Balagtas Elementary School in Tondo in 2009.
Badillo was paid P49.2 million for the schoolbuilding project but the amount was not reported in his Income Tax Return (ITR) for the year.
The second case involved a land seller in Oriental Mindoro and buyers who allegedly conspired to undervalue the transaction to save on tax payments.
They were identified as Lerma Lasala and Flemming Remmer and Annbrit Remmer, president and corporate secretary, respectively, of First Flemming Properties.
 
==Philippine Consular Corps plants 30k mangroves in Baco, OrMin==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R04B&article=741336352411
*Tuesday, May 8, 2012
:by  Luis T. Cueto
 
 
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, May 8 (PIA) -- The Philippine Consular Corps recently planted 30,000 mangrove propagules in barangay Pulantubig (formerly known as Mayagao) in Baco, Oriental Mindoro.
 
This is part of the rehabilitation project of the national government against climate change in partnership with Conservation International (CI).
 
Like many coastal areas in the Philippines, Baco’s mangrove areas have suffered over the years, making the area more vulnerable to climate change impacts such as sea level rise and stronger, more frequent storms.
 
“We are happy to support this endeavor as a continuing partnership with Conservation International,” said Armenia Honorary Consul Jose Periquet, Jr., Dean of the Consular Corps.
 
Country executive director of Conservation International Romeo Trono said, “Rehabilitating and expanding mangrove greenbelts are among the most cost-effective ways of enhancing a community’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts. Mangrove belts protect communities from storm damages and help stabilize coastlines.”
 
“In fact,” he added, “the mangrove rehabilitation project was launched simultaneously with SICAD (Strategic Intervention and Community-focused Action towards Development) in Pulantubig, Baco to pursue a holistic and integrated approach to alleviating poverty in the coastal communities with the end in view of capacitating them to become development partners in sustaining local environmental management efforts.
 
“We are bent on implementing an honest-to-goodness coastal resource management development program, dispensing with the idea that this is only for publicity,” said Gov. Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. who led the launching of a mangrove rehabilitation project, part of the provincial government’s climate change adaptation efforts.
 
The participants planted Rhizophora propagules, one of the mangrove varieties chosen as most appropriate to the area and most likely to thrive given the site’s conditions. The rehabilitation site is a sand bar and river delta formation, which serves as the community's barrier against strong waves.
 
It can be recalled that when a tsunami hit in 1994 which killed at least 41 people in the affected communities, the area helped shield the residents from devastation that caused flooding and beach erosion.
 
According to Conservation International, the combination of true mangrove and associated species that will be planted under this initiative will enhance the stability of coastal ecosystems in the area. It will provide the community with a more efficient means of protection from climatic factors and other natural events and likewise improve habitats that will serve as homes for fishes, crabs, clams and other provisioning functions of a healthy mangrove forest.
 
“Aside from enhanced coastal protection, this project is expected to provide additional benefits to fisherfolks engaged in aquasilvi projects or crab culture,” said Marilyn Alcañices, head of the Fishery and Coastal Resources Management Division of Oriental Mindoro’s Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
 
“Rehabilitating mangrove areas will increase aquasilvi project sites and increase the population of crablets and other marine finfish like milkfish, grouper that need mangrove areas as their nursery and feeding grounds,” she explained.
 
Meanwhile, the Consular Corps of the Philippines Environmental Concerns Committee, chaired by Sweden Honorary Consul General Carla Limcaoco, held a charity bike run in Makati City to raise funds to support mangrove reforestation efforts. She was assisted by her Co-Chair, El Salvador Honorary Consul Ma. Josefina Ortigas-Duarte, and project coordinators: Jordan Honorary Consul Michael Alexander Ang, Italy Consul Dr. Adriano Stefanutti, Guatemala Vice Consul/Corps Secretary Marc Thomas Ablaza, and other committee members. They plan to hold a second charity bike run for environmental protection sometime this year.
 
The Bantay Dagat group of Baco will take on the task of monitoring and taking care of the planting site to ensure a high survival rate. As part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts, the municipality is also in the process of establishing new marine protected areas. (LBR/PIO/LTC/PIACALAPAN)
 
==Driver bashes live-in partner to death over friend’s unpaid P200 debt==
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/189199/driver-bases-live-in-partner-to-death-over-friend%E2%80%99s-unpaid-p200-debt
*Monday, May 7, 2012
:by  Jeannette I. Andrade
 
 
MANILA, Philippines–A truck driver spent his birthday behind bars after he allegedly turned his own party into a bloody scene when he beat to his live-in partner to death in Tondo, Manila Sunday over a friend’s unpaid P200 debt.
Suspect Erick Jun Paglinawan, in an interview with the INQUIRER, claimed he could not remember how he killed 54-year-old Mercedes Dela Rosa, of 5-C Venus Street, Herbosa Extension in Tondo, who had thrown him the party.
“I was drunk,” said 41-year-old Paglinawan, an employee of the Mazen Transport Service and a native of Oriental Mindoro.
Senior Police Office 1 Mario Asilo, of the Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide Section, said that based on witness accounts Paglinawan had broken a bottle of beer over Dela Rosa’s head before grabbing her by the hair and repeatedly bashing her face against a concrete wall. The woman died instantly from massive head wounds.
Asilo pointed out that after the attack, Paglinawan was accosted by his birthday guests at Dela Rosa’s house and turned over to police custody. He remains detained at the MPD Homicide Section holding cell pending the filing of a homicide charge against him before the city prosecutor’s office.
Asilo said the incident supposedly stemmed from a P200 debt that Paglinawan’s co-worker owed to Dela Rosa. The truck driver, apparently embarrassed by his live-in partner’s act of taking his helper’s mobile phone in payment for the debt, attacked her.
Judith Belves, 43, a guest during Sunday’s celebration at Dela Rosa’s house told the INQUIRER that the co-worker, whose name was not given, borrowed the P200 from the victim several years ago.
“She (Dela Rosa) took his cell phone as payment for that debt which angered Erick who said that it was shameful for her to do something like that on his birthday. He said that she had embarrassed his best friend,” Belves narrated.
She claimed that she was surprised when Paglinawan suddenly grabbed a bottle of beer, broke it over Dela Rosa’s head and ordered everyone to get out. He then allegedly grabbed his live-in partner’s hair with both hands and started slamming her face against the concrete wall near the door.
“We tried to tell him to stop and take pity on her. But he was so angry and he would not listen. I tried to return for Mercy (Dela Rosa) but he threatened to do the same to me and I had to get out,” Belves told the INQUIRER.
As Dela Rosa lay lifeless, the other guests grabbed hold of Paglinawan, beat him up before turning him over to the police.
Paglinawan simply maintained that he could not remember anything that happened the previous day and claimed he knew nothing of the P200 debt that apparently triggered the killing. With a report from Julliane De Jesus, Inquirer trainee
 
==Seares: Kingmakers Erap, PNoy==
*Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/2012/05/03/seares-kingmakers-erap-pnoy-219433
*Thursday, May 3, 2012
:by Atty. Pachico A. Seares
 
PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino must be a reluctant kingmaker. Until last weekend, when in Oriental Mindoro he fired his first campaign salvo, he hadn't been active in mending Liberal Party fences.
The 2013 election must hold scant interest to PNoy: he won't face reelection in 2016 and no coup, impeachment, or post-term lawsuit threatens him.
PNoy is no Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. From year one, GMA beat back threats of uprising by wooing police and armed forces and won local politicians to her side, which required year-round campaigning.
PNoy being on the campaign trail means he has realized he has a debt to pay his party, it would help LP if the next president is a Liberal, and he could return the favor Mar Roxas gave him in 2010.
The payback argument is pretty strong but more persuasive is that another LP president could continue PNoy's fight against corruption and poverty.
Redemption
Joseph Estrada very much wants to be a kingmaker.
If Vice President Jojo Binay would win in 2016, it would prove Erap's clout and offer some redemption after his ouster from office and conviction of plunder.
Erap would've preferred the vote of confidence in 2010, which would've wiped out the slate that a pardon couldn't. Binay's becoming president would be the next best thing.
A rematch for PNoy and Erap though not as principal fighters but as handlers. And the clash begins next year.
They are the kingmakers although a lot would depend on the would-be kings: who between Binay and Roxas could get the nation's mandate and fate's blessing?
 
==PNoy pledges support for electrification, tourism for OrMin==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=423001
*Tuesday, May 1, 2012
:by   Lanie B. Ronquillo
 
 
BONGABONG, Oriental, Mindoro, May 1 (PIA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III pledged to support the province's electrification and tourism promotion programs during his visit here where he led the ceremonial harvesting of “king crabs” and bangus at the farm at Barangay Anilao, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, April 29.
 
The Chief Executive pledged to provide necessary support for the development of Oriental Mindoro, particularly in harnessing renewable energy resource projects such as the hydro-power resources in Linaw Kawayan and research on possible utilization of wind panels, which will be managed by the cooperatives, increasing the power generated for the province from 2.1 Megawatts to 4.5 Megawatts.
 
He also added that it is important to promote the scenic spots that may be ordinary to the locals but extra-ordinary to tourists, as this will help the local economy and provide livelihood to the communities. He cites aqua-culture in Mindoro as one of its unique features which has the potential to attract tourists, having seen the king crabs that each weighs one kilo per piece.
 
He shared that the tourism department reported that in January alone, there were 411,000 tourists who came to the country, and is projected to reach 4.8 million by the end of the year. Also, it is expected that by July, more tourists will be coming here. The government targets to boost tourism by 10 million in 2016, which is more than thrice last year’s three million tourism data. He emphasized the need to be ready for the influx of tourists by fast-tracking the government’s infrastructure development efforts.
 
Incidentally, the affair coincided with the 57th birthday of Gov. Alfonso V. Umali. Some of the governor’s other guests who came to greet him were Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, Sec. Neric Acosta of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), Rep. Sonny Angara, Sec. Joel Villanueva of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon, and the other mayors in the different municipalities of Oriental Mindoro.
 
The event was witnessed by the Farmers Organization for the Urban Upliftment of Mindoro (FORUM), barangay officials from various municipalities in the province, and people in the community who warmly greeted the President when he arrived.(LBR/PIA4-B)
 
==Aquino maintains that the PHL wants to de-escalate tension with China on Scarborough Shoal territorial claims==
*Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=423001
*Monday, April 30, 2012
:by    (PNA)
DCT/LAM/TPG/ssc
 
 
BARANGAY ANILAO, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, April 30 (PNA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Sunday that the Philippines will continue to support its stand to resolve territorial claims over contested Scarborough Shoal diplomatically and to de-escalate any tensions between the country and China.
 
This after a Chinese general recently called for decisive action against the Philippines.


The President expressed confidence China would not take any action against the Philippines as both countries believed no one would benefit if military force was used to end the dispute.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Dec. 8 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office here has strictly warned riders from buying and using motorcycle helmets and visors without Product Standards (PS) or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) markings.
“We don’t think that at this point in time they will engage in any military activities. Purposely, our actions have been geared towards de-escalating the situation,” the President said.
In an interview, Sammy M. Linatoc, DTI Chief of Consumer Welfare Division, said that prohibiting such use of helmets and visors without markings is in observance of Department Administrative Order (AO) No. 10 issued by their office recently.
Linatoc clarified that said AO aims to protect the welfare of motorcycle riders and passengers against the use of low quality helmets and visors that do not protect the riders whenever accidents occur.
“The public must be alert enough in buying helmets and visors and they must see to it that there is ICC sticker stuck on the material which proves that it is DTI certified,” Linatoc added.
The DTI provincial office headed by Oscar M. Agbay is now strictly monitoring stores that are continuously selling uncertified helmets and visors in the province. The department is encouraging people’s participation in its advocacy not to sell and use products without the required DTI markings. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA MIM)
)


==DTI to consumers: Buy ‘noche buena’ products early==
“It's clear that it is to nobody’s benefit and there are a lot of repercussions if any military force happens to be employed here,” he added.
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=67122
*Wednesday, December 07, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto


He said the continued presence of Chinese vessels and crew at the disputed island is being documented “so that when we make our case in the appropriate body, we have the necessary evidence.”


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, December 7 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office has advised consumers to pruchase their ‘Noche buena’ products earlier to avoid hassles and price hike this season.
He also said the government will continue reviewing all relevant local and international laws to determine the rules that will operate in the area.
“Mag-umpisa nang mamili ng ‘noche buena’ products habang malayo pa ang pasko at bagong taon (Start buying ‘noche buena’ products while it is still weeks before Christmas and New Year),” said DTI Provincial Director Oscar M. Agbay in an interview.
He said that it would be better for consumers to buy products earlier to avoid possible price increases due to unstable pricing nowadays. The DTI also recommended consumers to buy “unpopular brands” but are of high quality for practical reasons.
Agbay gave some reminders for the consumers this holiday season. First, consumers must watch for the purchased goods while paying for them. Consumers must also see to it that the expiry dates and the price tags are accurate. Agbay added that consumers should check if the price tag of the purchased product is the same as the price reflected on the receipt. Also, he said that consumers must be alert on how the vendors use their weighing scales as well as the weight of each products they buy.
He said that the DTI-Oriental Mindoro provincial office is open during weekdays to entertain complaints or inquiries and may be reached through its hotline number 2867093 or e-mail address dtiorminro4@yahoo.com. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Or. Mindoro holds jobs, livelihood fair==
==PNoy believes China won’t take military action vs PH==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=66945
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/04/29/12/pnoy-believes-china-won%E2%80%99t-take-military-action-vs-ph
*Tuesday, December 06, 2011
*Sunday, April 29, 2012
:by Louie T. Cueto
:by   Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Dec. 6 (PIA) –- A total of157 applicants have qualified for jobs offered by 25 employment agencies including those looking for workers abroad during the recent Provincial Job and Livelihood Fair at the Jose J. Leido, Jr. Memorial National High School gymnasium in this city.
BONGABONG, Oriental Mindoro - Despite reports that a Chinese general had his government to take "decisive action" against the Philippines over a territorial dispute, President Benigno Aquino III believes that China will not launch a military action against the country.  
Some 100 applicants, who underwent follow-up interviews, were asked to submit additional requirements for the jobs they had earlier applied for.
During the program, the provincial government awarded 15 ‘Nego Karts’ to qualified beneficiaries who also received P2,500 each as initial capital for their business.
Aquino is convinced that the Chinese general's statement may be more metaphorical than substantial, adding that the general being quoted may not have a direct command of the Chinese military.
The ‘Nego Kart’ program is a joint project of the Department of Labor and Employment regional office and the provincial government. It aims to uplift the welfare of the people especially those who wish to start small businesses.
Other government agencies also offered their services during the jobs fair like the Professional Regulation Commission, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Home Development and Mutual Fund, Social Security System, National Statistics Office, Government Service Insurance System, and Bureau of Internal Revenue. (DOS/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)
Aquino added that the Philippines' actions over Scarborough shoal are aimed at "de-escalating" the tension.
"I think basahin mo siguro 'yung iba-ibang headline nung People's Daily na mas matindi pa. Meron 'yung isa na 'prepare to hear the sound of canons,' etcetera. But it's a question of style. Mahilig silang mag-ganun e, 'yung parang…metaphoric siguro magsalita,” he said.
“We don't think that at this point in time that they will engage in any military activities… Purposely, our actions have been geared towards de-escalating the situation. So 'yung clear it is to nobody's benefit and there are a lot of repercussions if any military force happens to be employed here. So we think that is more a statement… that lacks substance. Hindi indicative of the real intentions," Aquino told reporters. 
Asked if Philippine authorities would arrest Chinese poachers, Aquino said the priority is not to escalate the situation but said activities there are being documented so that there would be evidence if cases are filed.
He said the government is also reviewing all relevant local and international laws to determine the rules that will operate in the area.


==Social protection support initiative urged==
==30,000 mangrove propagules to be planted in Oriental Mindoro town==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=66662
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/183561/30000-mangrove-propagules-planted-in-oriental-mindoro-town
*Monday, December 05, 2011
*Friday, April 27, 2012
:by  Louie T. Cueto
:by  Karen Boncocan
INQUIRER.net




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, December 5 (PIA) -- Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. recently urged members of the Provincial Convergence Coordinating Committee to speed up the processes on Social Protection Support Initiative (SPSI) to fully implement the program in the province.
MANILA, Philippines—Some 30,000 mangrove propagules will be planted in Oriental Mindoro as part of a rehabilitation project in Baco town, a conservation group said Friday.
SPSI is a health-related program that aims to ensure that all public hospitals here will have functional referral system.
Implementing agency Conservation International (CI)-Philippines said that the project, launched on Thursday in coordination with 37-year-old Consular Corps of the Philippines (CCP), was part of the province’s climate change adaptation efforts and was the initial salvo to take mangrove rehabilitation efforts further.
There are three important programs under SPSI, namely: Sustaining Interventions in Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG), where the Pantawid Pamilyang Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is included; Watching Over Mothers and Babies or WOMB of the Department of Health (DOH); and the Securing and Guaranteeing Insurance of the Poor (SAGIP) program of PhilHealth.
It was launched alongside Strategic Intervention and Community-focused Action towards Development (SICAD) for a holistic and integrated approach to getting rid of poverty in the coastal communities by making them development partners.
According to Umali, the programs will be implemented for the next three years which will start on May next year.
According to CI-Philippines, the Bantay Dagat group of Baco will monitor and take care of the site to ensure high survival rate while the municipality will be establishing new marine protected areas as part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts.
On its first year, the system management & development and hardware procurement will be done, while the succeeding years will be intended for its full-blast implementation.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali, who was present during the launch, said the province was determined to conduct this “honest-to-goodness coastal resource management development program, dispensing with the idea that this is only for publicity.
Based on the report of DSWD MIMAROPA, under the SIPAG program, they have already conducted trainings on Social Welfare Indicator (SWI) Toolkit and Enhanced Social Case Management Manual to the beneficiaries of six municipalities like Pola, Naujan, Bansud, Bongabong, Mansalay and Bulalacao.
The initial batch of Rhizophora mangrove propagules were planted in Pulantubig village (previously known as Mayagao) in Baco town—a part of the Verde Island Passage, a globally-important marine biodiversity area and one of CI-Philippines’s priority project sites.
Just this September, more than 70 percent target households underwent SWI administration in the province of Oriental Mindoro. It covered some 25,904 household beneficiaries. Likewise, DSWD has approved the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Electronic Case Management System (e-SCMS) of SIPAG.
The said variety was chosen as it was the most appropriate to the conditions in the project site, a sand bar and river delta formation, and will most likely thrive in the area. The project site acts as a natural barrier to the community against strong waves.
Meanwhile, the SAGIP program of PhilHealth is expected to expedite its transactions by making database update, sponsored program, referral, alert & communication, monitoring & tracking modules and also provision of Identity Authentication & Kiosk Transaction Subsystem in the province. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)
But the area has become more vulnerable after suffering losses in mangroves and Romeo Trono, CI-Philippines country executive director, saw the rehabilitation project as one of the “most cost-effective ways of enhancing a community’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts.
“Mangrove belts protect communities from storm damages and help stabilize coastlines.
CI-Philippines said that propagating a mix of true mangrove and associated species that will improve the stability of coastal ecosystems in the area and give the community with protection from climatic factors and other natural events.
While it improves coastal protection in the area, the project is also expected to “provide additional benefits to fisherfok engaged in aquasilvi projects or crab culture,” said Marilyn Alcañices, head of the Fishery and Coastal Resources Management Division of Oriental Mindoro’s Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgO).
According to her, the project will help “increase aquasilvi project sites and increase the population of crablets and  other marine finfish like milkfish, grouper that need mangrove areas as their nursery and feeding  grounds.”
The Bantay Dagat group of Baco will take on the task of monitoring and taking care of the planting site to ensure a high survival rate. As part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts, the town is also in the process of establishing new marine protected areas.


==Provincial Government supports DENR’s ‘Legacy Tree Growing’ program==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=66463
*Friday, December 02, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, December 2 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government here now supports the ‘Legacy Tree Growing’ program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Through this program, people in the community were able to plant trees again at Heritage Museum located at Sitio Ariguy of San Teodoro town.
The Earth Day Network Philippines joined in this endeavor to continuously promote the ways of caring for the Earth.
According to Ryan Vita, Trees for life Supervisor, they promote proper ways of caring trees especially the Philippine native trees for bio-diversity conservation.
He said that this activity is also a move to enlighten the community on the importance of planting trees to one’s life.
More than 80,000 seedlings are to be planted in a 2,000-hectare land in the area.
This project has been implemented through the joint efforts of DENR, Provincial Capitol’s Environment & Natural Resources Office, local government of San Teodoro and other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Search on for Outstanding Calapeños==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=65489
*Thursday, November 24, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 24 (PIA) -- Nomination for the ‘Outstanding Calapeño Awards 2012’ or ‘Gawad Rotary’ of the Rotary Club of Calapan is now open.
Working on the theme, “Reach Within to Embrace Humanity,” the Rotary Club of Calapan is set to identify outstanding men and women of different fields of expertise for them to become an inspiration to others.
Gawad Rotary is the highest award bestowed on an individual from this city.
The search is open to all bonafide city residents aged 15 and above and with extraordinary
performance in their services and dedication to the development of the city.
The awardees will be chosen according to the criteria, HOPE, for holistic, ownership-based, participative, and empowering.
The categories or fields for nominating individuals are as follows: 1) Agriculture, 2) Arts/Culture/History, 3)Community/Humanitarian Service/Heroic Acts, 4) Ecclesiastical /Religious Work, 5) Ecological/Environmental Conservation, 6) Education, 7) Government/Public Service Recognition, 8)Literature/Journalism/Media, 9) Military/Police work, 10) Sports, 11) Youth Development, 12) Health, 13) Engineering, 14) Science/Invention, and 15) Special Recognition.
Documents to be submitted are executive summary of the candidates which includes nomination of not more than 40 pages, impact on public welfare and citywide development, participation in government (professional, socio-civic, religious organizations and non-governmental organizations), awards and recognition and impact on their fields of endeavor.
Also to be submitted are important documents like the original copy and five photocopies of nomination form and nomination book, six pieces of 2 x 2 ID pictures, original copy of birth certificate from the National Statistics Office, and original copy of NBI clearance.
A candidate is to be nominated in one category only. Nominations may be submitted anytime now until February 1 next year to the office of the Rotary Club of Calapan at the Mindoro Rescue and Training Center in barangay Camilmil. (DOS/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Calapan day care centers get rice, kitchen utensils==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=65359
*Wednesday, November 23, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 23 (PIA) -- The 69 Day Care centers here received a total of 345 sacks of rice and kitchen utensils from the city social welfare office last November 11 as requirement for the city’s feeding program.
City Social Welfare Officer Juvy L. Bahia said that her office also provided 68 pieces of casseroles, 68 frying pans, and 2,199 pieces of plates, spoons, forks, bowls, and tumblers. An additional P10 budget for each Day Care pupil was likewise provided.
This project is a big help to the beneficiaries especially now that prices of commodities are continuously going up, she said.
While the feeding program is not enough to avert poverty and malnutrition in the country, City Mayor Doy Leachon noted that the program could help even in a little way ease the living condition of the parents and their children.
He said he was proud about the proficiency and capability of the Day Care teachers in taking care of the pupils in their respective areas of jurisdiction. (DOS/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==FMO provides motor engines to fisherfolks of Barangay Ibaba==
==Ex Mindoro town councilor gunned down==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=64993
*Source: http://new.philstar.com/nation/luzon/799273/ex-mindoro-town-councilor-gunned-down
*Monday, November 21, 2011
*Thursday, April 26, 2012
:by Louie T. Cueto
:by Juancho Mahusay




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Nov. 21 (PIA) -To correct the ways on illegal fishing activities being practiced by fisherfolks and improve their living conditions, the Fishery Management Office (FMO) provided recently 18 motor engines to fishermen of Barangay Ibaba West in this city.
CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – A former municipal councilor in Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro was gunned down by an unidentified hitman in an ambush Tuesday (April 24) morning at a crowded public market in the town.
FMO, through its Fishery Management Officer Virgil Cantos, aims to orient fishermen on the right way of fishing and encourage them to stop using compressor in their fishing activities. A compressor is a breathing apparatus or device that supplies oxygen under the water.
Although fishermen can use oxygen under water, Cantos said it is still illegal because it is hazardous or unsafe to their health. It destroys the lungs of a person and the pressure coming from it would damage their hearing.
The use of compressor also affects the habitat of fish in the water. The bubbles from the air compressor which drive the fish into the fish nets would cause to wreck the corals under the sea.
Lack of equipment in fishing is one of the reasons why fishermen continuously engage in this practice. And now, the City Government of Calapan provided the fishermen of said barangay engines for their boats and fishing nets in order for them to stay away from illegal practice of fishing in the area.
City Mayor Doy C. Leachon said, ‘it’s not necessary to sacrifice one’s health for living without sure success.’ He believes that by means of FMO’s efforts to help them, fishermen of said barangay will gradually uplift their living conditions and they help the City Government of Calapan.
This undertaking of the City Government is in line with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) of the national government wherein development efforts need to focus on transforming the sector into one that is not only highly productive but also environment-friendly and sustainable.
(Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==City agricultural services projects a success==
Police Supt. Jonathan P. Paguio, chief of police of Pinamalayan, identified the victim as Nilo L. Panaligan, 63, a resident of Morente St., Brgy. Zone 2, Pinamalayan.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=64695
*Friday, November 18, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto


According to the initial police reports by Paguio to Oriental Mindoro Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial director Sr. Supt. Anthony Alcañeces, Panaligan was about to leave the public market with his daughter,Melissa, 30, and was boarding their private vehicle when a man wearing denim jacket casually approached and fired three successive shots at the victim.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 18 (PIA) -- The Farmer’s Field School (FFS)and Palay Check System projects of the City Agricultural Services Department (CASD) turned into a success during the graduation rite activities of the 27 farmers who underwent the so-called field school in Barangay Managpi last month.
A gunshot wound in Panaligan’s temple and two other similar wounds in his lower bodies killed the former councilor.
The primary aim of the projects is to educate farmers with conventional and modern techniques of planting and caring of palay.
It includes the right preparation of the planting site, variety of palay, proper ways of applying fertilizers, application of pesticides and identification of insects that help the plants grow.
City Agriculturist Carlos Domingo shared his knowledge on post harvesting to farmers to prevent wastage of palay every time a calamity occurs and also ensure its production.
Barangay Captain Roberto Sanchez of said barangay gave his welcome remarks and recognized all participants during the event. It is followed by giving overview of Palay Check System rendered by Domingo while Nonilon Velazquez, a participant, presented the data on the assessment analysis of key checks result.
On the other hand, a barangay councilor gave an impression about the activity while Nilda Cabatay, Agriculturist II of CASD challenged the
participants about the knowledge they learned from the trainings and how they would apply them in the field. Likewise, Provincial Agriculturist Petronilo Dimailig encouraged all participants to apply their skills in this endeavor.
Moreover, City Mayor Doy Leachon in his message said that it is a must for the farmers to be updated on the latest trends of farming in their
respective area for them to be successful and uplift their living. He also mentioned that palay production of Calapan City does not only
contribute to the needs of MIMAROPA but also in the country.
Is is true that agriculture provides primarily food and vital raw materials for the rest of the economy. This program of the City Government of Calapan is anchored to the competitive and sustainable agriculture program of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) of 2011-2016. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Mayor Leachon to represent PhL young leaders summit in India==
After the shooting, the suspect climbed to a waiting motorbike driven by another unidentified man and sped off in the direction of the town proper.
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=64542
*Thursday, November 17, 2011
:by  PIA Press Release


Panaligan died on the spot in the driver's seat of his vehicle, a Toyota Innova.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 17 (PIA) -- Calapan City Mayor Paulino Salvador C. Leachon has been named recently among the 150 next generation leaders from 30 countries in the Asia Pacific region to participate in the Asia Society’s sixth annual Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in New Delhi, India from November 18 to 20, 2011.
Police recovered three empty shells of a .45 caliber revolver at the scene of the crime, as well as the .45 caliber handgun of the victim, who was said to have taken his service firearm but failed to fire a shot.
Leachon joins a multi-sectoral network of his peers, all under age 40, who will engage in discussions about “Worlds Apart Together: Shared
Values for an Asia-Pacific Community.” The diversity of representation – from business, government, academia, media, civil society, and the arts - brings a wide range of perspectives to the discussions, which will explore issues such as developing a sustainable energy policy for
Asia, whether corruption is hampering the region’s development, and whether food security should take precedence over civil rights,
amongst others.
The Asia Society’s Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit is part of a larger initiative designed to help emerging leaders from across the region to develop common approaches to meet its shared challenges.
“The Asia 21 young leaders represent the future of the Asia-Pacific region. The work that this incredible community of leaders is doing today and will do in the future is laying a strong foundation for regional collaboration for decades to come,” said Asia Society Executive Vice President Jamie Metzl.
The Asia 21 Summit is supported by founding international sponsor Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “Bank of America is committed to making a
positive impact on the social and cultural fabric of the society that we live and work in. As such, we are particularly pleased that the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit is being hosted in India this year,” said Kaku Nakhate, President and Country Head for India.
“By partnering with global initiatives such as Asia 21, Bank of America can leverage its resources to encourage and support young leaders from across sectors, including social enterprise, non-profit, media, economic and arts, to enable a better and brighter future for business, politics, and civil society in Asia,” Nakhate added.
Mayor Doy Leachon is the National Vice Chairman of the League of Cities of the Philippines where he also serves as the focal person for the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management. He is the man behind the cultural transformation of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, which, under his leadership as Mayor, was recognized by the Asian Institute of Management in 2008 as one of the Most Competitive Cities of the Philippines.
In a breath-taking sweep, Calapan City was promoted from a 4th Class City in 2007 to a 2nd Class City in 2010, on account of its innovations in public service, modernization programs, increased revenue collection, and overall economic improvement.
It can be recalled that last September 2011, Calapan City was adjudged as one of the 12 Most Business-Friendly Cities in the Philippines. The
historic Oplan Sandbag in 2005 was his brainchild as City
Administrator and Operations Head of the City Disaster Coordinating Council. During the tragedy in December 2005 that struck Calapan City thrice in the form of floods, he was able to summon a people power of 35,000 volunteers to make sandbags and construct a sand dike along the
river banks.
More than .5 million bags were produced and almost a kilometer of sand dike was constructed. Not only did it save the city from flood waters,
but it also saved P62-M worth of reconstruction, which only took 10 days of rebuilding instead of 2 years.
Mayor Doy juggled odd jobs as taxi driver and fastfood chain crew before he became a full- fledged lawyer and eventually a public servant
in a position of immense national influence.
Established by the Asia Society with support from Founding International Sponsor, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the Asia 21 Summit is the pre- eminent gathering of Asia’s most dynamic young
leaders from the Asia-Pacific region, from banking and global markets businesses of Bank of America and is among the world's leading wealth
management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world.
In the Asia Pacific, Bank of America Merrill Lynch has a long history and has had an on-the-ground presence for over 60 years. Today, it is
one of the region’s leading financial services firms with a full service platform encompassing Global Markets, Corporate and Investment Banking, Global Treasury Solutions, Research and Global Wealth Management across 12 countries, five time zones and more than a dozen languages. (Abigael Pacquing/CGC-CIO/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Dutch ex-missioner gets tribal award==
Police are still investigating the incident. Panaligan served as a municipal councilor in the 1980’s.
*Source: http://www.ucanews.com/2011/11/16/dutch-ex-missioner-awarded-for-tribal-service/
*November 16, 2011
:by  Madonna Virola, Oriental Mindoro


==Puerto Galera highlights Mangyan culture on Earth Day==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R04B&article=741335230883
*Tuesday 24th of April 2012
:by Luis T. Cueto


A Dutch anthropologist who lived with the Mangyan tribal people in the northern province of Oriental Mindoro for 53 years has received an award for outstanding contribution to the promotion of indigenous culture.


Anton Postma, 82, a former missioner of the Divine World (SVD), was given the Alay Katutubo Award on Monday by local officials in Baco, Oriental Mindoro. The award was accepted on his behalf by his daughter Anya.
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 24 (PIA) -- Puerto Galera, a booming tourism town in Oriental Mindoro celebrated Earth Day on Sunday highlighting the rich cultures of the Mangyan natives in Mindoro Island.  


The award coincided with the launch of a heritage museum and the 61st anniversary of the founding of the province.
French expatriate Hubert d’Aboville, the lead organizer of the event which had as its theme, “Belongingness to Nature,” said they highlighted the rich cultures of the Mangyans on Earth Day because they wanted the world to emulate the lifestyles of the Mindoro aborigines who protect and conserve the environment in their own way, as they feel that they belong to nature.  


“My mama (father in Hanunuo language) extends his gratitude for this recognition. He could not come because he is not as fit as before,” Anya said.
In cooperation with the municipal government of Puerto Galera, D’Aboville, a French businessman who declared Puerto Galera Bay as “one of the most beautiful bays in the world,” led the participants during the whole day program in his demonstration farm at Mount Malasimbo, the town’s highest peak.  


Postma is best known for being the first to decipher the inscription in a controversial copper plate found in Laguna province. Dated at 900 AD, it is the earliest written document found in the Philippines. He is also known for his comprehensive documentation of the Hanunuo Mangyan tribe.
The celebration featured rituals, songs, and dances of the Mangyans; a community mass; an environment-inspired on-the-spot drawing contest; and a bike contest.  


He first came to Mindoro as a priest in 1958, became interested in the uniqueness and wealth of the Mangyan heritage, and devoted his life to it, including publishing books and articles on the Mangyan culture.
The Earth Day celebration will now become an annual occasion in Puerto Galera to create environmental awareness among the people in the community, the French environmentalist said. (LBR/DOS/JRMahusay/LTC-PIA4B, Calapan City)


In 1989, he left the priesthood and married Yam-ay Insik, a Mangyan teacher. They have four children.
==CHED grants P1M aid to college scholars==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=741335143857
*Monday 23rd of April 2012
:by  Luis T. Cueto


He made the Surat Mangyan, one of the remaining three asyllabic writing systems in the country, appreciated by both Mangyans and non-Mangyans.


Postma is fondly called Bapa, which means “uncle” in Hanunuo.


==DWCC to conduct reproductive health forum==
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 23 (PIA) -- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has awarded almost P1 million worth of educational aids to scholars in Oriental Mindoro.  
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=64146
*Tuesday, November 15, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto


Under the Kabuhayan, Kaunlaran, Kalikasan at Kinabukasan (K4) program and Priority Development Assistance Program (PDAF), educational aids were awarded to 178 scholars in the first district of the province.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 15 (PIA) -- The Divine Word College of Calapan (DWCC) in cooperation with Calapan Cable Center,Inc. and Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan’s (AVC) Commission on Family and Life will conduct a reproductive health forum on Friday, Nov. 18, 1:00 p.m. at DWCC gymnasium.
Amounts ranging from P2,500 to P10,000 were given for the coming school year, depending on each student's college program; this amounted to P1,008,000 given to the scholars.  
The forum titled ‘Ang Dalawang Mukha ng RH Bill’ will focus on medico-legal aspects of the bill with guest experts like Ms. Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, spokesperson of AKBAYAN Partylist; Fr. Vicente R. Uy, AVC’s Judicial Vicar; and medical advocates from Pro-life Manila and Center for Women’s Health, Inc.
This will be participated in by the students and teachers of DWCC, heads of the national and local government offices, private schools, NGO’s and other religious groups in the province of Oriental Mindoro.
Prior to the forum, there will be a press conference at 10:30 a.m.with the local media, campus writers and editorial staff of DWCC
Gazette at DWCC Basic Education Centennial Hall.
The coverage of the program will be aired live over Calapan Cable Community Channel 8 through the television program dubbed ‘No Holds Barred’ produced by Mr. Don Stepherson V. Calda, External and Alumni Affairs Officer of DWCC and Executive Producer of the program. (Louie
T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Mindoro power plant starts operations==
In a turnover ceremony held at the Filipiniana Resort Hotel in Calapan City, council president Nico Valencia said that they are also supporting students taking up technical-vocational courses on Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and those under the Technical Education Extension Program (TEEP) of K4, guided by the Mindoro Kabuhayan Foundation, Inc. (MKFI).  
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/341014/mindoro-power-plant-starts-operations
*November 13, 2011, 8:00am
:by  MYRNA M. VELASCO


Barangay chairman Robert Baez of Mangangan, Baco and one of the youth scholars, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity given to the youth (LBR/JRMahusay/LTC-PIA4B, Calapan City)




MANILA, Philippines — The island-grid of Mindoro will have its power supply shored up with the kick-off of commercial operations of the 6.4-megawatt power facility of Ormin Power Inc. a subsidiary of publicly-listed Jolliville Holdings Corporation.


The project sponsor’s parent firm also announced via the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that the facility had the first day of its commercial operations on Friday (November 11).


“OPI will supply generated power to Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative,” the company has noted. The facility is sited in the capital city of Calapan.


The company emphasized that it was able to secure its license to operate the plant last November 8, via the certificate of compliance (CoC) issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission.


The facility has been designed to run on bunker fuel. It has four modular units – with the three to be utilized as main generating units and the other one taking on the function of heavy fuel oil (HFO) treatment system.


The project was propelled into construction phase immediately after the approval of the P275.889- million loan for the project by the Development Bank of the Philippines.


Considerably, Mindoro is one of the island-grids with vast potential for economic growth – with it already hosting various tourism facilities as well as some mining projects.


In fact, given the area’s growth potential, proposals have already been advanced by system operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to have the island get connected eventually to the main grid so it can draw more competitive power from other Luzon providers.


The longer term prospect for the grid operator would also be to link the other islands to the main grid, including those sprawling close to Mindoro.
==President Aquino urges LGUs to play major role in reducing maternal deaths by 2015==
*Source: http://positivenewsmedia.com/blog/2012/04/president-aquino-urges-lgus-to-play-major-role-in-reducing-maternal-deaths-by-2015/
* Apr 21, 2012
:by  Jelly F. Musico


Meanwhile, after the completion of the oil-fired facility, Ormin Power is exploring investments next in the renewable energy sector.


The firm already made previous announcement that it has been working on a project design for a proposed 10-megawatt hydropower project in the municipality of San Teodoro, also in Mindoro province.
MANILA, April 21 (PNA) – President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the local government units (LGUs) on Friday to play major role along with the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 or reduction of maternal mortality ratio from 162 to 52 per 100,000 live births by 2015.
”Allow me to use this opportunity to appeal to our partners in the LGUs. Your support means a lot in saving the lives of your constituents,” the President said in his message read by Health Secretary Enrique Ona during the 162 to 52 Summit: Accelerating Collective Impact on Maternal and Child Health at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
President Aquino also recognized the continued support and commitment of the private sector to achieve a daunting task of reducing the maternal deaths before the term of the President ends in 2016.
”With just three years left, the Philippines is behind the target maternal mortality ratio. All sectors both in the private and public fields, from government partners and in the civil society, can unite and make strong push to attain MDG 5,” the President emphasized.
Aside from improving maternal health, President Aquino said his administration is also determined and committed to reduce child mortality and fight other diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and human immune deficiency or HIV through strengthened vaccination campaign nationwide.
”To achieve these goals, we have formulated a health reform plan that centers on promoting universal health care and we called this Kalusugan Pangkahalatan (health for all) or KP,” the President said.
The President revealed that for the last two years, the government has spent P15 billion for the improvement and construction of health facilities, including health centers with operating rooms nationwide to prevent maternal deaths.
President Aquino also said the Department of Health (DOH) hired more than 20,000 nurses and 7,000 midwives to serve in the barrios, including in the far-flung areas where the poorest of the poor hardly get properly medical care.
”We need more equipment, we need more medicines, we need more trained and compassionate, committed people to man our hospitals. The more people manning our health facilities means more lives will be saved,” President Aquino said.
Due to the health reform program implemented by the Aquino administration, more than 15 million infants and children have been given proper care all over the country.
The President commended the DOH, the LGUS, private sector as well as the national government organizations (NGOs) for coming out with the multisectoral organization called the “162 to 52 coalition” which is envisioned as the catalyst for strategic, targeted, and innovative public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the attainment of better maternal indicators.
”This coalition needs to prosper for us to achieve MDG 5 and reduce maternal mortality. The bottom line, this is not just about saving the lives of people, we are also saving the lives of our future generation,” the President said.
In a press conference, Ona stressed the importance of coming out with updated and accurate data on the real number of mothers who died due to inadequate pre- and post- natal to achieve the MDG 5.
Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. of Oriental Mindoro, president of the League of Governors of the Philippines, agreed with the DOH chief that all the stakeholders should come up with uniform data on the number of the maternal mortality rate.
Based on the data provided by the United Nations Fund for Population Agency, 11 mothers die everyday in the Philippines due to maternity-related causes, leaving more than 30 children motherless.
”As of 2008, the Philippines has an adjusted maternal mortality ratio of 162 per 100,000 live births. This is far from MDG target of 52 deaths per 100,000 live births,” Ona said.
”The shortfalls are brought about by inadequate investments in health and not enough political will of our leaders do to what needs to be done to achieve our goals,” the DOH head added.
UNPFA country representative Ogochi Daniels said the Philippines is one of 68 countries accounting for 95 percent of all maternal and newborn deaths in the world and “there has been no notable decrease during the last several years.”
”The good thing is we know the cures. The solutions aren’t complicated. If women have access to Family Planning so she can get pregnant only if she wanted to, we could prevent almost a third of maternal deaths,” Daniels said.
Umali vowed to convince his colleagues to support the coalition’s goal “to make a it a successful one.”
Rafael Cofa, executive director of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), also made commitment to continuously support to uplift the lives of every Filipino through responsible business practices in the country.
”PBSP engages companies to promote health in the workplace by integrating health projects and promoting access to health services for employees and communities,” Cofa said.
The 162 to 52 Summit has been organized to provide the non-profit sector and the governors a venue to forge partnerships and commit to improve maternal and child health through PPP at the local government level.
”Solving the maternal mortality problem requires the expertise and skills of both the public and private sectors,” Ona said. (PNA)
scs/jfm


==Gov. Umali calls on the people to help cops on arresting violence==
==LGUs, national gov’t to conduct dialogue on flood mitigation measures==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=63644
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=741334719320
*Saturday, November 12, 2011
*Friday 20th of April 2012
:by PIA Press Release
:by The Philippine Star




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 20 (PIA) -- The local government units (LGUs) of Oriental Mindoro and other concerned national government agencies (NGA) will have a dialogue on flood mitigation measures on April 28, to be held at the Provincial Capitol Square, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, November 12 (PIA) -- Sounding alarmed on the recent spate of “riding-in-tandem” gun-killings in the southern parts of Oriental Mindoro, Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. has called on the people here recently to help preserve the province’s peaceful image by working or closely coordinating with the local law enforcers.
It can be recalled that a month ago, several barangays in the province particularly in the areas of Naujan, Baco, Mansalay, Victoria, and some parts of Calapan City experienced massive flooding caused by a low pressure area.  
Umali, who is also a member of President Aquino’s official cabinet representing local government units (LGUs) in the country, made the appeal following the series of murders involving motorcycle riding-in-tandem suspects which happened mostly last October.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) here, headed by Provincial Police Director, Sr. Supt. Anthony S. Alcañeses, is proposing all LGUs in the province of Oriental Mindoro to pass a local law or ordinance mandating all motorcycle owners and drivers to wear helmets with printed or inscribed figures corresponding to their vehicles’ plate numbers when driving.
According to Alcañeses, his office has recorded in October alone a total of nine cases of shooting incidents, six of them were committed by motorcycle riding-in-tandems.
Umali stated in a hastily-called press conference he called at the provincial capitol recently that while the provincial government, together with the local PNP command, maintains that Oriental Mindoro is generally peaceful despite the latest shooting incidents, he still calls on Mindoreños to work and coordinate with all law enforcers here in averting similar occurrences.
Umali wants the people here to help preserve peace and order as the province welcomes its 61st founding anniversary on November 15.
The governor called on all police chiefs here, led by Col. Alcañeses, and some mayors to face the media here to tell what they are doing in their respective areas in this province in responding to these latest criminalities.
Oriental Mindoro Bishop Warlito Cajandig, of the Apostolic Vicariate of Calapan, also attended the press briefing and issue a statement calling on the PNP here to “get its acts together” and plan prevention not only solution against crimes.
It can be noted that from October 27 to October 30, three gun-slaying incidents involving high-profile individuals and riding-in-tandem suspects happened all in the southern parts of the province.
Riding-in-tandem suspects shot dead the husband of the provincial social welfare officer in Pinamalayan town last October 30, while on October 29 and 27, a local politician and a husband of local broadcaster, respectively, were shot dead in similar fashion. (J. R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Vintage bomb found in Mindoro coastal village==
The dialogue was initiated by Gov. Alfonso Umali who said that it is time to prepare mitigating measures for the safety of individuals especially those who are in flood-prone areas of the province. Umali said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) is ready for the distribution of relief goods in case of shortage of relief goods in the municipal level when disaster strikes.  
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/88263/vintage-bomb-found-in-mindoro-coastal-village
*5:55 pm | Friday, November 4th, 2011
:by  Madonna Virola
Inquirer Southern Luzon


The dialogue will also tackle how government agencies can use their available funds to integrate programs on flood mitigation measures and other solutions.


Meanwhile, a flood summit will also be held in the province on May 8 with the provincial government as lead LGU. (LBR/LTC/PIA-Calapan City)


CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro —A 105 mm bomb, described to be vintage but live, was recovered by police Friday morning near an oil depot in the coastal village of Lazareto in this city.
==Public school tanker shines in Umali meet==
Superintendent Christopher Abecia, Calapan police chief, said explosive ordnance experts retrieved the bomb after villagers reported their find to their local officials.
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/04/15/12/public-school-tanker-shines-umali-meet
Abecia said the bomb was brought to the Mimaropa (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) headquarters, in Barangay (village) Suqui here, for disposal by the EOD.
* 04/15/2012 5:50 PM | Updated as of 04/15/2012 5:50 PM
RPSB deputy group director Chief Inspector Nolie Asuncion said the bomb has been emitting smoke believed to have been caused by a leakage of phosphorous materials.
:by The Philippine Star
Superintendent Ronaldo de Jesus, head of the RPSB in Mimaropa, said Chief Superintendent Artemio Hicban, the police regional director, has been informed that the bomb was temporarily deposited at the ammunition dump behind the firing range of the regional police headquarter before its disposal.


==786 indigents get free health services==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=61922
*Monday, October 31, 2011
:by  PIA Press Release


MANILA, Philippines - Ten-year-old public school swimmer Khiel Libat won all five events in his age group and emerged the most outstanding swimmer in the Philippine Swimming League 22nd leg, dubbed Gov. Alfonso Umali Cup, yesterday at Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.


Libat, from the Lipa Mediatrix Swimming Club, outclassed the opposition in the 50m butterfly (35.01), surpassing the American AAAA age group motivational time of 35.09.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 31 (PIA) -- A total of seven hundred eighty six (786) indigent patients from the Municipality of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro were accorded free health services during the two-day long medical and dental mission at Roxas Gymnasium in Brgy. Bagumbayan last October 20-21, 2011.
Libat also reached the AAA mark in the 50m backstroke (39.61), 50m breaststroke (44.05) and 50m freestyle (34.69) and AA in the 100m breaststroke (1:38.8).
The Medical and Dental mission dubbed as “Hospital on Wheels” is considered one of the biggest medical and dental missions conducted in the said municipality. It was participated in by four medical and dental Doctors, thirteen medical students, five registered nurses, five volunteer health workers and soldiers from the Philippine Army (PA).
Of the total number of patients, 530 were medical cases, and 256 were dental patients. The indigent patients who received free health services were one in expressing their gratitude to the health workers and organizers of the said medical and dental missions.
Mayor Dy of Roxas expressed gratitude and fulfillment over the successful conduct of the medical and dental missions.
“Health services are one of the priority concerns in my administration. I am very thankful to the concerned citizens of Roxas, doctors and other health workers and the military for the untiring support to the local government of Roxas in the conduct of medical and dental mission,” remarked the Mayor.
The medical and dental mission was spearheaded by the local government unit of Roxas led by Mayor Jackson C. Dy, Department of Health- Philippine Center for Specialized Health Care, National Kidney and Transplant Institute from Fort Ave, Diliman Quezon City headed by Marian Bernadette M. Din, M.D., Municipal Health Office led by Dr Leonor M Nuñez, 203rdBde Dental personnel led by Maj. Joselito S. Garcia and the 4th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Wilbur C. Mamawag.
Meanwhile, Mamawag said that the delivery of free health services to indigent patients through the collaborative efforts of all sectors of society is part of the Internal Peace and Security Plan of the AFP dubbed as “BAYANIHAN” and the “CONVERGENCE OF EFFORTS” program of the municipality of Roxas.
The 4th Infantry Battalion also implemented the 203rd Brigade’s “ABOT-KAMAY” program as part of the AFP’s Campaign Plan “BAYANIHAN” aimed at assisting the indigenous people to improve their socio-economic life through community works and convincing the communist insurgents and their families to join the mainstream of society. (WC Mamawag/G.V. Molina/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Search for 9 crewmen launched==
Fifteen-year-old Michael Sangalang of the host Raging Paddlers topped the 200m breaststroke while Andrei Manzo (17), a candidate for 2013 Summer Universiade, topped the 200m, 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle.
*Source: http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/national/16364-search-for-9-crewmen-launched
*Sunday, October 30, 2011
:by    Efren Montano


PSL president Susan Papa said the monthly PSL competition drew the full support of the Calapan City and provincial government headed by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr.


Other most outstanding girl swimmers were Isis Arnaldo (6), Iris Arnaldo (7), Bernice Anne Magtibay (8), Charize Esmero (9), Bela Louise Magtibay (10), Veevien Vance Herrera (11), Angelica Eunice Mascarinas (12), Trisha Anne Oliveros (13), Mia Mantaring (14), Jemcy De la Cruz (15), Jackilyn Orig (16), and Denise Angela Tiquia (17 and over).


THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has launched a search for the nine crewmen of a cargo ship which sank off Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, after encountering difficulties at sea Friday night, People’s Tonight gathered yesterday.
Most outstanding boy swimmers were Eddrian Galeno (6), Lanz Alonzo Ventabal (7), Carl Jude Tence (8), Marione Patrick Barcelon (9), Khiel Libat (10), Christopher Catelo (11), Lyndon Baines Herrera (12), Emmanuel Adornado (13), Joey Lavina (14), Ron Angel Serrano (15), Mhikcoloe Abina (16) and Andrei Lorenzo Manzo (17 and over).


Initial reports revealed that the crew of “M/V Arayat” hurriedly abandoned the ship after the vessel began taking in water.
The Ibalong Magayon Aquagliders Swim Club (IMASC) took the overall team championship with five swimmers won most outstanding awards.


There was no immediate report of casualties.  
==Tubbataha Reef, The Canyons among world’s best dive sites==
*Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/top-stories/21003-tubbataha-reef-the-canyons-among-worlds-best-dive-sites
*Saturday, April 14, 2012
:by Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz, Reporter


PCG units in the area are now combing the vicinity where the ship sank, it was learned.


“M/V Arayat” was carrying a cargo of salt when the incident occurred.
DIVING is definitely more fun in the Philippines.  


The PCG said that a full investigation will be conducted to determine what caused the vessel’s sinking.  
Palawan’s renowned Tubbataha Reef and Oriental Mindoro’s The Canyons were recently named among the best dive sites in the world.


In another development, Coast Guard in a belated report said that 105 passengers and crew of a motor vessel which conked out of the vicinity waters off  Bgy. Pula, Aroroy, Masbate, are all safe.
Travel website www.cnngo.com named Tubbataha Reef as the eighth best dive site in the world in an article, titled Into the deep: World’s 50 best dive sites.


Coast Guard spokesperson LCdr. Algier Ricafrente said the incident was reported to PO2 Labaja, PCG of CGS Masbate, by Rainier Villanueva, OIC for Operations of Montenegro Shipping Lines, at around 12:55 p.m. Tuesday.
Written by Jade Bremner, the article noted that the water in the reef “is exceptionally clean,” among others.


MV City of Masbate, skippered by Captain Jonel Ferry, encountered engine trouble at the vicinity 1 nautical mile off Bgy. Pula, Aroroy, it was learned from reports reaching the main headquarters of Coast Guard commandant Admiral Ramon Liwag.
“Super-size your dive experience at Tubbataha where everything comes in giant form. The main advantage to diving at Tubbataha is that the water is exceptionally clean, so the marine life lives much longer, making it grow to silly proportions,it said.


==Coast Guard searches for crew of distressed ship off Mindoro Oriental==
“These two small atoll like reefs in the middle of the ocean offer an inner lagoon with overhangs, slopes, crevices and caves with more than 300 different types of coral and 379 species of fish,” it added.
*Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236955/regions/coast-guard-searches-for-crew-of-distressed-ship-off-mindoro-oriental
*10/29/2011 | 04:52 AM
:by  ELR, GMA News


The dive site has a depth of five meters to 60 meters and has very clear visibility for a few meters. It is located 182 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City, the province’s capital.


“Expect kaleidoscopic colors combined with guitar sharks, black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, gliding blue-spotted lagoon rays, unicorns, boxfish, scorpion fish and more,” the website said further.


The Philippine Coast Guard is now searching for at least nine crewmembers of a cargo vessel that reportedly encountered trouble off Oriental Mindoro Friday night.
Likewise, The Canyons in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is included in the list of the best dive sites.


A report on radio dzBB early Saturday cited initial reports reaching the Philippine Coast Guard showing the crew of the “MV Arayat" abandoned the vessel after water started entering it.
“Schools of spotted and ribbon sweetlips, shiny trevallies and weird-looking batfish make up the scene at this first-rate drift dive site… There’s also an explosion of coral and plant life including beautiful delicate gorgonian sea fans and hollow barrel sponges; look inside for critters lurking within,” Bremner said in his report.


The report said there was no initial report of casualties as of early Saturday.
The Canyons has a depth of up to 30 meters and visibility of 10 to 30 meters. It can be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from Puerto Galera.


It added the Coast Guard learned of the incident at about 6 p.m. Friday, with initial information showing the vessel encountered trouble off Calapan in Oriental Mindoro.
The top 10 best dive sites in the world are composed of Barracuda Point, Sipadan Island, Malaysia (1st); Yongala, Queensland, Australia (2nd); SS Thistlegorm, Red Sea, Egypt (3rd); Blue Corner Wall, Palau, Micronesia (4th); Richelieu Rock, near the Surin Islands, Thailand (5th); Gordon Rocks, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (6th); Great Blue Hole, Belize (7th); Tubbataha, Palawan, Philippines (8th); Big Brother, Red Sea, Egypt (9th); and Maaya Thila, Maldives (10th).


On the other hand, the Coast Guard is still looking into what caused the ship to take in water.
==OrMin Scholarship program still open==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=741334203552
*Friday 13th of April 2012
:by Luis T. Cueto


The ship was reportedly carrying a cargo of salt when it encountered trouble.


==Solon questions projects cost overruns==
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Apr. 13 (PIA) -- The provincial government’s Oriental Mindoro Integrated Scholarship Program is still open for qualified applicants until today.  
*Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/338710/solon-questions-projects-cost-overruns
*October 23, 2011, 5:13pm
:by  BEN R. ROSARIO


Under the program, the provincial government will shoulder the expenses for tuition fees of qualified scholars. In order to qualify for the program, applicants must have the following qualifications: a) High School graduate with general average of 85% and above; b) A full-fledged Filipino citizen residing in the province; c) Applicants must not be more than 21 years old; and d) The income of parents must not exceed P150,000 yearly as reflected on their Income Tax Return (ITR) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).


The examination will be held at Jose J. Leido, Jr. Memorial National High School (JJLJMNHS), Calapan City on April 18 at 9 a.m.


MANILA, Philippines -- A senior administration lawmaker Sunday urged the Aquino administration to go after project engineers blamed for changing original plans for the construction of bridges and other infrastructure projects that cost government hundreds of millions of pesos in additional expenses.
For details regarding the program, please contact the Secretariat, Provincial Scholarship Committee, Governor’s Office-Integrated Scholarship Program Section, Provincial Capitol Compound, Calapan City at Telephone No. 043-2882184. (LBR/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-Calapan City)


Oriental Mindoro Rep. Rodolfo G. Valencia said the P112.5-million Abaton-Maidlang II Bridge in Calapan City is one classic example of how failure to follow the design and engineering plans bloated the cost of the project by over 100 percent of the original budget.
==Motor banca encountered engine trouble at Oriental Mindoro==
*Source:http://www.ufs.com.ph/?page=2059
*Wednesday 11th of April 2012
:by ufs.com


Valencia revealed that the Abaton-Maidlang II Bridge collapsed barely five years after it was completed.


Reconstruction or repairs have been rejected because of irreversible faulty engineering works. Instead the Department of Public Works and Highways opted to build a new bridge to guarantee safety of users of the infrastructure.
A passenger motor banca encountered engine trouble while navigating at Oriental Mindoro, a report reaching the headquarters of Philippine Coast Guard today. Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL) received information from Coast Guard Station (CGS) Romblon that M/bca Alad Expressed 1 encountered engine clutch malfunction at vicinity waters between Tablas and Sibale Island.


Valencia lauded Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson for the decision that would cost government at least P163 million.
Immediately, Coast Guard Station (CGS) Calapan and Coast Guard Detachment (CGDet) Conception conducted search and rescue (SAR) operation at vicinity of Maestro De Ocampo Island where the team rescued ten passengers onboard the said motor banca and safely towed it to Port of Conception.


An investigation conducted on the collapsed bridge showed that the original design plan was prepared by the consultant EH Sison Engineers Co. and CODES Consultant.
Upon arrival at Conception Port, all passengers onboard were safely disembarked in good physical condition. Initial investigation stated that the said motor banca departed Port of Romblon enroute to Conception Island, Romblon without submitting Master Oath of Safety Departure (MOSD) through which CGD Conception issued Maritime Violation Receipt (MVR).


A Pile Integrity Test conducted by the Bureau of Research and Standards indicated a “discrepancy on the length of abutment bored piles constructed at 16.50 linear meters.
CGDet Conception also conducted Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Inspection and advised the Boat Captain to file marine protest regarding the incident. M/bca Alad Express 1 of 8.25 gross tonnages is skippered and owned by Naptali M Molina with business address at Brgy Alad, Romblon.


The BRS said the length of the abutment bored piles was shorter than the required length of 24 meters in order to reach the hard strata which would have guaranteed the structural firmness and strength of the bridge.


==NSO conducts Labor Force and two rider surveys==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=59712
*Tuesday, October 18, 2011
:by  PIA Press Release






CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 18 (PIA) -- The National Statistics Office (NSO) is currently conducting nationwide the October 2011 round of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) with the 2011 Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF) and the Survey on Children (SOC).
According to Efren C. Armonia, provincial statistics officer of NSO-Oriental Mindoro, the three surveys started last October 8 and enumeration will be until the end of this month.
“The LFS is conducted quarterly and aims to provide statistics on levels and trends of employment, unemployment and underemployment in the country, as a whole, and in each of the administrative regions,” Armonia said.
The LFS also provides a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans and formulation of policies affecting the labor market.
The SOF, on the other hand, aims to provide data on overseas Filipinos, particularly the Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs) and their contribution to the economy. It aims to obtain estimates on the number of overseas Filipinos, their socio-economic characteristics and the amount and mode of remittances to their families.
Meanwhile, the SOC is designed to collect demographic and socio-economic characteristics of working children 5 to 17 years old. Its objectives include estimation of the proportion of children in employment to the total children 5 to 17 years old, indicators of child labor and hazardous child labor.
‘Like all other surveys, the data that will be provided shall be confidential and shall only be used for statistical purposes and will be published in summary forms. The data will not, in any way, be used for investigation and law enforcement purposes,” Armonia said.
In this undertaking, NSO would like to request for the full cooperation and support of the pubic so that accurate and relevant data will be obtained. (NSO-ECA/Louie T. Cueto)


==NSO MIMAROPA to set 2011 PSQ regional championships==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=59074
*Thursday, October 13, 2011
:by  Louie T. Cueto






CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 13 (PIA) -- The National Statistics Office (NSO) MIMAROPA Region will conduct the 2011 Philippine Statistics Quiz (PSQ) on November 17 at the Capitol Square, this city.
In a meeting called by NSO MIMAROPA Regional Director Flordeliza J. Monteclaro last Monday (Oct. 10), she said that PSQ is open to all Filipino first-time college freshmen who are currently enrolled in the second semester for the school year 2011-2012 in any recognized tertiary academic institution in the country.
During the meeting, Monteclaro asked participating member agencies to prepare questions which will be used in the provincial elimination in the MIMAROPA region. PSQ provincial level elimination will be held within the month of October 2011 in different dates.
The PSQ is an annual contest designed to test freshman college students’ knowledge of statistics. This competition has been conducted jointly by NSO and Philippine Statistical Association (PSA) since 1992.
Among the objectives set of the PSQ are as follows: 1) to assess the competency and skills of students in statistics as required from the secondary education curriculum; 2) to promote, enhance, and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of science, statistics in particular; and 3) to generate public awareness on the importance of statistics in all development-planning activities and win overall support for all government statistical activities.
For the successful conduct of this year’s competition, the 2011 PSQ in the regional level is looking for partners who may provide financial assistance and incidental expenses to cover the PSQ activities in the province.
Interested individuals who want to be PSQ partners may visit the NSO Regional Office at Camilmil, Calapan City and get in touch with Dir. Monteclaro or call 043-2867491. (Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==VP Binay leads land use preparation program launching==
==2 dive sites in MIMAROPA listed as among world’s best==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=58642
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=741334107907
*Tuesday, October 11, 2011
*Wednesday 11th of April 2012
:by PIA Press Release
:by Luis T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 11 (PIA) - Vice-president Jejomar C. Binay led national and local government officials here in the launching of the “Cluster Approach to Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) Preparation and Updating” for Region 4B (MIMAROPA) during the Pabahay Caravan in this city last October 7.
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 11 (PIA) -- Two tourist destinations in Region 4B or MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) have been listed as among the best diving sites in the world, according to last week’s posting of the travel news website of the Cable News Network (CNN).  
The “cluster approach” is a program of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) of which Binay is chairman of the board.
Particularly in MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) Region, Binay stated the lack of land use plan as of this time makes hard for the concerned LGUs in the area to fully develop and utilize their natural resources. That is why the national government, through the different housing and related agencies under the Office of the Vice-President continuously implementing the cluster approach program, the vice-president added.
Binay explained the cluster approach aims to fast-track the preparation of updating of CLUP and zoning ordinances (ZO) by the different LGUs, including the identification of land for socialized housing, as prescribed in Republic Act 7279, or the Urban Development and Housing Act. Accordingly, the CLUP provides a rational approach of allocating equitably available resources among competing uses.
“We cannot undermine the importance of CLUPs and ZOs in the implementation of the housing program as well as the economic development of local government units. The cluster approach is our way of fast-tracking the provision of technical assistance to LGUs in the formulation or updating of their respective CLUPs and ZOs. We are glad to finally launch the program in the MIMAROPA Region,” Binay said.
Under the eight-month program, a cluster of LGUs will undergo four planning modules administered by the HLRUB.
The Pabahay (Housing) Caravan was organized by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to build a stronger partnership with LGUs in addressing the country’s housing gap.
Meanwhile, Binay congratulated Oriental Mindoro First District Congressman Rodolfo G. Valencia for developing Neo-Calapan, a middle class to high-end type of subdivision in this capital city of Oriental Mindoro, noting the said subdivision as a “model development housing program in the whole country.”
The vice-president also awarded checks representing the housing loan proceeds and transfer certificates of title (TCT) to Pag-IBIG housing loan borrowers under the Housing Loan Program for End-Users. Four other titles were awarded to beneficiaries of the ‘Nagkakaisang Mamamayang Naninirahan sa Dulong Ilaya’ in this city who have completed payment of their loan obligations under the Community Mortgage Program of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), another agency chaired by Binay. (J.R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==30,000 sacks of rice damaged in Occidental Mindoro==
The CNN’s list of best dive sites in the world ranked eighth the Tubbataha reef, located southeast of Palawan, and 45th place “The Canyons” in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.  
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=58332
*Monday, October 10, 2011
:by PIA Press Release


According to the said website, one can feel a “super-size dive experience at Tubbataha, where everything comes in giant form.” It also said the main advantage to diving at Tubbataha is that the water is “exceptionally clean, so the marine life lives much longer, making it grow to silly proportions.”


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 10 (PIA) -– The National Food Authority (NFA) reported that some 30,000 sacks of rice were damaged when a vessel carrying it ran aground in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro amid rough seas at the height of Typhoon “Pedring.”
“Expect kaleidoscopic colors combined with guitar sharks, black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, gliding blue-spotted lagoon rays, unicorns, boxfish, scorpion fish, and more,it added.  
The NFA provincial manager in Batangas, Edward Damian, reported over the weekend that the said sacks of rice have been damaged after sea water entered the cargo barge, identified as M/T Martham, which were carrying it in the last week of September.
As a result, Damian said the affected rice can no longer be used for human consumption.
The rice supply was supposed to be shipped to the NFA office in Coron, Palawan. NFA officials stated the damaged rice cost an estimated P30 million.
For their part, the owner of the cargo barge, Martham Shipping Company, said insurance will cover or pay the costs of the damaged rice.
Meanwhile, the NFA regional office reported that it has enough rice supply to assist nearby regions if necessary.
It also said that rice fields in MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) areas, particularly in Mindoro Island, comprising Oriental and Occidental Mindoro provinces, were not affected by the recent typhoons. (J. R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Regional committee evaluates ‘Ulirang Nakatatanda Awards’==
Tubbataha is located 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan Province. The reef is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometer wide channel. Its diving area has a depth of five to 60 meters.  
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=57611
*Wednesday, October 05, 2011
:by PIA Press Release


It is also part of Tubbataha National Marine Park, which was established on August 11, 1988 and was declared a “World Heritage Site” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December 1993. It is under the protective management of the Department of National Defense (DND), and under the technical supervision by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR).


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, October 5 (PIA) -- The Regional Committee of the MIMAROPA region conducted yesterday an evaluation for ‘Ulirang Nakatatanda Awards’ in the province of Oriental Mindoro and the provincial winner during the recent evaluation of the committee is Ms. Cecilia Manahan.
Another dive site in the Philippines that made it to CNN’s list is “The Canyons" in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.  
Manahan is a retired school teacher and the principal of Catiningan Elementary School. She is now the president of the Association of Senior Citizens in the municipality of Socorro.
During an interview with the team composed of personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Manahan related her life story. Manahan said her sold delicacies to have money for school. Now, she was able to send her children to college despite the early death of her husband.
Based on the papers presented to the evaluators, Manahan's exemplary performance and leadership are worthy to be emulated by her fellow senior citizen. Her background in terms of education, family and leadership in the community makes her worthy to receive the award. (Louie T. Cueto)


==Calderon clings to LBC Ronda lead ==
“Schools of spotted and ribbon sweetlips, shiny trevallies and weird-looking batfish make up the scene at this first-rate dive site. There’s also an explosion of coral and plant life including beautiful delicate gorgonian sea fans and hollow barrel sponges; look inside for critters lurking within,” the website said about The Canyons, which was rated as a five-star diving site and located at the northeast of Escarceo Point, some five minutes away by boat from Brgy. Sabang.  
*Source: http://www.philstar.com/sportsarticle.aspx?articleid=732737&publicationsubcategoryid=69
* October 01, 2011 12:00 AM
:by Joey Villar


With a depth of up to 30 meters or about 95 feet to a maximum of 200 feet, The Canyons’ area was designated as a “Man and Biosphere Reserve” of United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1973. (Source: J. R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto-PIA 4B))


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines – Nueva Ecija’s Joel Calderon withstood the charge of his pursuers and remained in control even as 7-Eleven’s Irish Valenzuela snatched stage honors from Bicol’s Alvin Benosa in the out-and-back Stage Four of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas here yesterday.
==Philippines chosen as recipient of solar-powered lights==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R04B&article=741334037700
*Tuesday 10th of April 2012
:by (TBO/Louie T. Cueto-PIA4B)


Valenzuela, who blew his bid for a win in Stage Three, pounced on Benosa’s misfortune in the final 800 meters to rule the 86.7km race that passed through the popular tourist destination of Puerto Galera and ended on a hilltop in the outskirts of the city.


The stage was originally set at 93.7kms but race officials decided to extend the neutral zone to seven kms to avoid one sharp turn near the city proper.
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 10 (PIA) -- Energizer and the One Million Lights organization has chosen the Philippines as one of the 4 country-recipients of the energizer solar-powered lights, together with Argentina, Kenya and Ethiopia.  


Valenzuela, the 24-year-old Tabaco, Albay native, clocked two hours, four minutes, 35.2 seconds to beat Benosa, who suffered a flat tire in the closing stretch, and Pangasinan’s Renato Sambrano, who checked in at second and third in 2:04:36.0 and 2:04:36.7, respectively. He took the stage purse worth P50,000.
According to Alvin A. Marayan, Media Relation Officer of Publicity Relationship-building and Communication, Inc. (PRC, Inc.), their office will distribute on April 16-18 some 400 solar-powered lights to the people of Oriental Mindoro as part of their advocacy to “light up the lives” of Filipino communities.  


Valenzuela, who topped the Tour of Camsur early this year and pocketed P1 million, thus upped his earnings to P75,000 after a runner-up finish to 7-Eleven skipper Lloyd Lucien Reynante in last Wednesday’s Iloilo-Caticlan Stage Three where he led majority of the way only to fade out in the end.
Beneficiaries of the said solar-powered lights will come from the towns of Victoria and Naujan, specifically sitios of Pamuwisan, Loyal; Alyanay, Sibayay, Puting Bato, Centro, Catinginan, Malayas, and Paray, all of barangay Villa Cerveza, Victoria together with barangays Leido and Bagong Silang; and Malta Village in the municipality of Naujan.  


This time, however, Valenzuela hung tough.
“More than 1.6 billion people worldwide lack access to electricity and Energizer is helping to raise awareness for this important issue. It’s the first global activity of Energizer’s new platform called ‘That’s Positivenergy™’, which combines performance plus responsibility and demonstrates Energizer’s long-standing commitment to responsible power and serving the community,” Marayan said.  


“In Stage Three I led most of the way but finished only second,” said the 2008 Manila-Baguio race winner who also finished second overall to 2006 Tour champion Santy Barnachea in his rookie season, in Filipino.
Moreover, Energizer raises awareness for the need for clean and healthy lighting in communities without access to electricity. Working with the global nonprofit organization 'One Million Lights,' Energizer donated 11 million hours of solar light in 2011 and has pledged to donate an additional 12 million hours of light in 2012 to help rural families work, study and play a little longer each day.  


“I tried to stay close to the lead pack and waited for an opportunity to come. When it came, I took advantage it,” he added.
“Lights for the barangays Leido and Bagong Silang will not be distributed during the April 16-18 activity due to logistical constraints. The Rotary Club of Victoria will handle the distributions and provide documentation,” Marayan added.


It came in the final 800m when the 31-year-old Benosa, from Iriga, Camarines Sur, suffered a flat rear tire that slowed him down in the mad dash to the finish, enabling Valenzuela to scoot home to victory.


“I was leading all the way before that flat tire,” rued Benosa. “Maybe I’ll try again in the next stages, I hope I get a little bit lucky next time.”


Valenzuela’s effort propelled him to fourth overall from seventh in the individual standings with a total time of 16:26:04, a little over two minutes behind Calderon, who held on to the lead with a four-stage clocking of 16:23:57.


Youthful George Oconer of the Phl Under-23 team gained 16 seconds on Calderon with an aggregate time of 16:24:31 heading into Stage Five of the event sponsored by LBC Express Inc., the leading courier firm, and backed by Rudy Project.




“I was just trying to be with the leader and hoping for an opening but they’re really strong,” said the 19-year-old Oconer, a student at Kalayaan National High School in Caloocan.


Calderon, however, found the route’s super-sharp bends too risky for even the highly skilled cyclists.


“The route has many razor-sharp curves, very critical and dangerous to the cyclists,” said Calderon.


It actually claimed a victim in Southern Tagalog’s Alexie Camerino, who crashed and suffered minor contusions and abrasions on his left shoulder and right thigh while tackling one of the curves. He, however, fought back and finished the race.


American Vinyl’s Rudy Roque remained in third overall with a 16:25:08 while Barnachea, the 2002 and 2006 champion, fell from No. 4 to No. 5 in 16:26:31.


Rounding up the top 10 are former two-time winner Arnel Quirimit of Pangasinan (16:28:12), Benosa (16:28:50), Cris Joven of American Vinyl (16:28:50), Jay Bop Pagnanawon of Cebu (16:29:21) and another two-time titlist Warren Davadilla of the National Capital Region (16:30:27).
==NDRRMC: 17 killed, 62 hurt in Holy Week incidents==
*Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/254287/news/nation/ndrrmc-17-killed-62-hurt-in-holy-week-incidents
*April 9, 2012 10:20am
:by VVP, GMA News


American Vinyl stayed atop of the heap in the team race with an aggregate time of 49:19:28.28 followed by 7-Eleven (49:28:28.38) and the Calderon-skippered Nueva Ecija squad (49:34:00).


Stage Five is set today with the riders disputing top honors in the shortest lap, from Batangas to Tagaytay City (59.7 kms), in the 12-leg, 20-day race event which stakes a total prize fund of P7 million with the individual and team champions getting P1 million each.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said as of Monday, 17 people have died and 62 people were hurt during the Holy Week.
On its 8:00 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said the 17 fatalities from April 1 to 9 included:
10 people who died from drowning,
three who perished in a fire incident, and
one who died in a maritime incident.
The NDRRMC said the most recent fatalities included:
Carlo Waggay Garcia, 9, who drowned in San Gabriel, La Union on Holy Saturday at 11:15 a.m.;
Mark Anthony Talban, 19, who drowned at Anilao Beach Resort in Batangas on Good Friday;
Abraham dela Cruz, 33, a barangay captain of San Manuel in Tarlac who died 2:55 a.m. Sunday after his vehicle hit a tree in San Manuel town
Andy Gramo, 40, whose body was found floating at the Barangay Suqui coastal area in Calapan City in Mindoro Oriental at 2:20 p.m. on Easter Sunday.
The NDRRMC said the 62 people who were reported injured included:
61 who were injured from vehicular accidents, and
one from a maritime incident.
Two people are still missing because of a maritime incident, it said.
Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said a grenade explosion occurred 7:45 p.m. last Good Friday along Moreno Street at Rosary Heights II in Cotabato City.
While the explosion caused tension among residents gathering near the local cathedral for Lenten prayers, no casualty was reported.
The NDRRMC said the local police and Army are investigating the incident.


The lead pack lost its way in the traffic city proper or the final stretch of the race as directional signs earlier installed were removed from the site.


“We got lost in the final stretch, some of us took a wrong turn because we didn’t see any sign or marshall in that part of the route,” said Reynante, currently way behind at 11th overall with 16:30:39 clocking.


==Oriental Mindoro LGUs strategize flood relief program==
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=56779
*Thursday, September 29, 2011
:by PIA Press Release




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, September 29 (PIA) -- Amidst the battering of typhoon Pedring last Tuesday, the local government units (LGUs) in Oriental Mindoro led by the provincial government conducted yesterday a strategy meeting and agreed to formulate long and short term solutions on the province’s perennial flood problem.
During the meeting, they agreed to rehabilitate its stream and riverbanks that cause floods on many areas here, especially in this city and Naujan town, through the joint tree planting undertaking to be implemented this second week of October.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. emphasized during the meeting he presided at the provincial capitol square here September 27 that while the LGUs in this province are drawing up so many flood mitigation plans, such as the dike proposal as studied by the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD) and the creation of a big Sabo dam which was proposed by researchers from the University of the Philippines (UP), LGU leaders and the concerned or affected sectors should rush the implementation of short and medium term plans to avoid another negative or disastrous effects by this rainy season.
Umali noted the massive floodings that were experienced by Oriental Mindoro in 1998 and successively in 2005-2007 should serve as stern reminders to everyone here and to institute a united effort to avert it nowadays and in the near future.
It can be recalled that during the last part of 2005 to 2007, thousands of Mindoreños were severely affected and millions of pesos worth of public and private properties such as rice fields and other properties had been destroyed by floods spawned by continuous heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, the former mayor of Naujan town here, Nelson Melgar, reported that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here is prioritizing the study and immediate implementation of flood control project on another big and critical river here, the Mag-Asawang Tubig River. He said that no less than DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson told them in a letter to Umali that the department is tasking its flood control and Sabo engineering to oversee it. (J.R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==BJMP, DepEd sign MOA on the provision of educational materials==
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=54310
*Thursday, September 15, 2011
:by Louie T. Cueto




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, September 15 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) headed by Insp. Denver S. Tirao signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the provision of reading materials for the inmates with the Department of Education (DepEd), Calapan City Division Supt. Araceli R. Salmorin last September 12.
In an interview with Tirao at PIA Office yesterday, he said that he (Tirao) and his staff JO1 Carie Mae Q. Aficionado went to DepEd Office at Adriatico Memorial School where said signing of agreement was made.
The said agreement between BJMP and DepEd Calapan City Library Hub primarily aims to help inmates reduce recidivism through the delivery of educational materials like books and other reading materials for the inmates’ personal growth and development.
Likewise, the books will be used as reading materials in support for DepEd’s Alternative Learning System (ALS) and these will be placed at the mini library of BJMP located at the second floor of its building in Osmeña St., Calapan City. (LTC/PIA-4B)


==Road trip to Mindoro==
==Boat operators in Puerto Galera hike fares==
*Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/opinion/6805-road-trip-to-mindoro
*Source: http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=200&articleid=794283
* Thursday, September 08, 2011
*April 04, 2012 10:36 AM
: By THELMA DUMPIT-MURILLO
:by Juancho Mahusay




ANY public relations practitioner worth his salt necessarily must know his “product” before he can start selling it. And so off we went to Oriental Mindoro as part of a fam tour of Region 4B or MIMAROPA for a look-see and to talk to a couple of SMEs. With my photographer and staff writer in tow, our road trip started at the BOI building in Makati at 6:30 in the morning with the first stop at a gas station on SLEX for breakfast. After a brief repast, we were on our way to Batangas Pier where we would take a Supercat ferry to Calapan City. The roads were good all the way and wished it was like this to all our tourist destinations.


Oriental Mindoro opens its doors to everyone, from the regular travelers and tourists to the businessmen and investors, so says their official website. A visit to Oriental Mindoro accords visitors a peaceful retreat from the complexities of city life. The serene and rejuvenating atmosphere of its white sand beaches and clear blue waters, and the fascinating view of its majestic mountains embellished with lush green forests are wondrous sights to behold. As attested by local and multi-national investors, the island–province is regarded as the new gateway to the south — the Visayas and Mindanao — which paves the way to better business opportunities and exciting tourist destinations. It has now the capacity to be one of our country’s economic centers presently attributed to Subic, Cebu and Davao. Soon, it will be known as a tourism Mecca comparative to Boracay, Palawan and the likes.  
CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – Fares for all motorized boats bound for Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro will increase starting Maundy Thursday because of the rising prices of fuel, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) reported here.


You will find a number of hotel resorts to accommodate your travel and tour requirements in the province, as well as links to several lists of ideal tourism sites to complement one’s stay in the island. Through the nautical mile, you can take a ro-ro up to Boracay or Iloilo. Mindoro is the 7th largest island in the Philippine archipelago. It was on November 15, 1950 thru Republic Act 505 that this island was divided into two separate provinces, the province of Oriental Mindoro on the eastern half and Occidental Mindoro on the western part of the province.  
The one-way passenger fare will rise from P230 to P250 while the round-trip ticket will jump to from P450 to P500.


Oriental Mindoro measures 4,364.72 square kilometers. It has 14 municipalities and one component city, namely: Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Calapan City (the provincial capital), Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay,and Bulalacao. Oriental Mindoro is also known as the “Rice Granary” and “Fruit Basket” of Southern Tagalog. It still is the Banana King and Calamansi King of the region. Its total agricultural area is 169, 603.34 hectares. Based on agricultural statistics, 85, 244 hectares are devoted to palay production while 21, 671 hectares to coconut plantation. The province, for the past years, registered an average of 1 to 2 million cavans as surplus in rice production. Oriental Mindoro, with all these potentials, has become a premium destination for tourists and a fine ground for both local and foreign investors.  
The Marina said that promotional fares of all boats arriving and departing in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas City ports will also be suspended because of the anticipated volume of influx of passengers and tourists.


We were met by DTI Region 4B Director Joel Valera at Calapan City. After freshening up, we then proceeded to our first SME – Merl’s Suman sa Lihiya factory. Merl’s has been in business for ten years now but like any success story, hers was a product of many years of kitchen testing. Today, she supplies not just local distribution outlets like SM supermarkets and Tiendesitas but her product has already gone across the globe. Merl’s is a perfect example of a social enterprise that is profitable at the same time sustainable. Who would have thought that her business will be able to earn as high as 25 thousand pesos a day on holidays and a low of 10,000 pesos on regular days. You can taste Merl’s Suman sa Lihiya at the OTOP National Trade Fair at the SM Megatrade hall from Sept 22-25, 2011.
An estimated 10,000 tourists usually flock to Puerto Galera’s White Beach, about 130 kilometers south of Manila, during Holy Week.


Oriental Mindoro is touted as the country’s “emerging eco-tourism destination”. It evokes images of a genuine tropical paradise — white sands, crystal clear water, lush green forests covering majestic mountains and splendid waterfalls. Tamaraw, an indigenous specie of the water buffalo, various flora and fauna found on slopes of Mount Halcon and the native Mangyans, all together add to the richness of nature and culture of the province.
Shipping lines, meanwhile, added more trips to the town of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro as it also increased the seating capacity to 700 passengers.


In an article, Minina Servano writes:
The Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have beefed up security measures at the Batangas Port and at the ports of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.
“When the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, they discovered islanders who had their own script and even women who could read and write.


“Eventually the conquerors identified about a dozen different scripts in the archipelago, all originating from India and related to the writing modes of their Southeast Asian neighbors. By the 19th century most Filipinos had replaced their indigenous syllabic writing system or baybayin script with the Roman alphabet of the colonizers. Due to their relative mountain isolation the Hanunuo-Mangyan of Mindoro have managed to retain this indigenous way of writing until the present day, engraving it on bamboo joints or slats with a small knife.
The security alert will remain until after the Holy Week for the anticipated return of thousands of passengers to Manila.


“Out of all the regions in the Philippines and around 110 indigenous peoples (IP) groups in the country, only the Hanunuo and Buhid Mangyan, together with the Palawan and Tagbanwa of Palawan, have retained their original syllabary. The syllabic writing systems of these four IP groups were declared as National Cultural Treasures in 1997, and inscribed in the Memory of the World Registers of UNESCO in 1998.
The PCG’s rubber boats and K-9 units of the PNP have been deployed at the ports.


==Mt. Halcon hike moratorium: Who really benefited?==
“Oplan Ligtas Kwaresma” passenger assistance desks have also been set up near the ports’ ticketing booths.
*Source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/12679/mt-halcon-hike-moratorium-who-really-benefited
* Wednesday, September 7th, 2011
: Jommell Estillore Romero


==9 drown in Visayas due to rains==
*Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/04/02/12/9-drown-visayas-due-rains
*04/02/2012 9:50 AM | Updated as of 04/02/2012 1:49 PM
:by ABS-CBNnews.com


CALAPAN CITY, Philippines—One rainy morning on the 27th of August this year, a group of outdoor enthusiasts from Calapan City went to Paitan, a barangay in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. They biked their way to the village before embarking on a trek in the hills of Sitio Bugnay.


Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, they could not wait to see the pristine sceneries this side of Mount Halcon is famous for. It was supposed to be a relaxing journey despite the ruggedness and steepness of the terrain.
A brief rest—a pause perhaps.. “taking nothing but pictures, leaving nothing but footprints” while regaining  lost energy amid a refreshing beauty of the surroundings.
But something caught their attention—felled trees, big and small. A few meters away, a group of indigenous Mangyans could be seen approaching. They were carrying huge sacks of charcoal on their back, crossing a makeshift bridge.
The scene looked surreal.
A brief chat with the natives revealed that the charcoal were to be sold to lowland markets. One of the hikers asked how much money they make from a sack of charcoal. The Mangyan smiled and answered, “One hundred 10 pesos.” The natives also warned them not to go further, saying they were not allowed to explore  the area.


They just ignored the warning.
MANILA, Philippines – Nine people drowned at the height of rains in the Visayas region, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
It was a disquieting realization about the threats to Mount Halcon. Amidst global environmental changes, and the many laws, programs, protocols, moratoriums, etc. made to protect the environment, activities like this still occur.
In 2005, a five-year ban on climbing Mt. Halcon was imposed. The moratorium was supposedly meant to allow this already ecologically fragile mountain a time to regenerate.
But was it able to do so? Or the years that the mountaineers were barred from exploring Mt. Halcon could have been the time that destructive activities went unchecked?
Mt. Halcon is a precious wealth of Oriental Mindoro. It is an important natural resource and watershed for the province. It needs special protection.


==AFP conducts free medical, dental services for Mangyans==
Seven of the fatalities were from Capiz. They were identified as Diomer Albay, 14; Kathlene Padilla, 3; Jolly Dioso, 14; Karen Denunbo, 10; Rey Reyes, 9; Rey Ricaforte, 17; and Henrey Hulyete, 47.
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=1&t=1&id=51786
* Wednesday, August 31, 2011
: Pia Press Release


The other fatalities were Negros Oriental resident Jean Academia, 50; and Northern Samar resident Angelo Lobos Sergio, 8.


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, August 31 (PIA) – After the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Calapan created a “Mangyan desk” or a special unit tasked of handling criminal and other cases involving Mindoro’s indigenous people, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the Philippine Army’s 203rd Brigade, gave free medical services to some 239 Mangyans.
The NDRRMC said Oriental Mindoro, which suffered from intermittent rains last week due the low pressure area, sustained a damage in agriculture and infrastructure worth P89.55 million.
According to a report by Capt. Simplicio R. Guyong, Jr., civil military operations officer, a total of 239 Mangyan residents of Brgy. Dulangan III,Baco, Oriental Mindoro, had been given free medical and dental services, circumcision, and foods under the AFP’s Food Feeding Program last weekend.
The said activity was also supported by Mangyan Kalakbay Mission Director Danilo F. Besoro, and MCKS Caring Heart Foundation Inc, Manila headed by Ma. Donna Bagsic. Provincial Health Dentist Dr. Juanita A. Lalia, local police officers of Baco town, and local officials of Brgy. Dulangan III also took part in the said event.
Of the 239 Mangyan beneficiaries, 10 boys had undergone circumcision, 80 people were given free dental services, and 149 have availed of medical treatment. Free medicine and vitamins were also given to the undernourished indigenous children.
Last week, the Oriental Mindoro PNP Command, under Police Sr. Supt. Anthony Alcañeses, formally created the Mangyan Desk in their camp to monitor and handle crimes against and involving the said ethnic groups in the province. (J.R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)


==Oriental Mindoro continues bloodletting activities==
Meanwhile, a total of 24,843 individuals were displaced in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=35&id=51601&si=0
* Tuesday, August 30, 2011
: Pia Press Release




CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, August 30 (PIA) -- In an effort to augment the supply and stock of bloods needed by sick people especially those suffering from dengue nowadays, Oriental Mindoro, through its Oriental Mindoro Blood Council (OMBC), is continuously conducting mobile blood donation activities in different parts of the province.
==[[Mindoro Oriental Archived News]]==
From January to July 2011, there were already 1,652 people who voluntarily donated their own blood through the said mobile blood donation activities by the OMBC that were conducted in different places through the support and help from the local government units and private organizations and institutions in Oriental Mindoro.
The older news reports are kept [[Mindoro Oriental Archived News|here]]
In the most recent bloodletting activity conducted this month in Bongabong town in Oriental Mindoro, a total of 106 people voluntarily donated blood, while in Bulalacao municipality, some 57 gave blood donations.
Last week, the Municipal Blood Council (MBC) of Victoria town, led by Mayor Alfredo Ortega, Jr., undertook their own bloodletting act in the municipal compound there with the support of men and women from the Philippine Army’s 203rd Infantry Brigade, under Col. Carlos F. Quita and 1st Lt. Michael T. Geniston, and members of the Philippine Guardians Brotherhood, Inc. (PGBI).
Some 100 people donated blood there, which aggregated to a total of 14,750 cc.
OMBC was ably supported in the bloodletting activities in Bongabong and Bulalacao by local officials there, led by Mayors Hercules Umali and Ernilo C. Villas, respectively.
In Bongabong, among those who joined and donated bloods there are reservists from Philippine Air Force (PAF), members of 1 Guardians Nationalist of the Philippines (1 GANAP-Guardians) led by Sgt. Arnold Vargas, and local folks from 36 barangays of the said municipality. They were assisted by personnel from the municipal government, Bongabong Community Hospital, Philippine Medical Association-Oriental Mindoro Medical Society, and staff from the Mindoro State College of Agriculture and Technology (MinSCAT)- Bongabong campus.
OMBC is headed by Governor Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. as its honorary chairman, Vice-Governor Humerlito A. Dolor as chairman, Provincial Board Member Romeo G. Infantado as vice-chairman and Dr. Jojo Leviste, a pathologist of Oriental Mindoro Provincial Hospital (OMPH). (J.R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-4B)

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Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

PAGASA expects rain showers over parts of PHL

by LBG, GMA News


Rain showers may fall over parts of the country as a potential cyclone, a low-pressure area, heads for the West Philippine Sea Saturday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

PAGASA forecaster Fernando Cada said their models show the LPA is not likely to intensify into a cyclone while still inside Philippine territory.

“Ito ay papalabas papunta sa West Philippine Sea.... Hindi na ito makakaapekto sa ating bansa," Cada said in an interview on dzBB radio.

But he also said the rain to be expected on Saturday does not yet mean the rainy season is already here.

He said the rainy season is due to set in during the second half of May, when the southwest monsoon begins to become dominant.

PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the LPA was estimated at 270 km west of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, embedded along the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Palawan and Mindanao.

It also noted the diffused tail-end of a cold front is affecting the eastern section of Southern Luzon.

“The whole archipelago will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms,” PAGASA said.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to northeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the west to southwest over the rest of the country, it said.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added.






4 charged with tax evasion

by Jun Ramirez


Manila, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) filed yesterday two separate tax evasion cases against four individuals for “doctoring“ transaction papers to save on tax payments totaling more P53 million. BIR Commissioner Kim S. Jacinto-Henares submitted the complaints to the Department of Justice (DoJ) for preliminary investigation and the filing of the cases in courts if probable cause is established.

The first case concerned a Manila City Hall contractor identified as Oscar Badillo of Wack-Wack Twin Towers who was commissioned by the city government to construct the three-storey Balagtas Elementary School in Tondo in 2009. Badillo was paid P49.2 million for the schoolbuilding project but the amount was not reported in his Income Tax Return (ITR) for the year. The second case involved a land seller in Oriental Mindoro and buyers who allegedly conspired to undervalue the transaction to save on tax payments. They were identified as Lerma Lasala and Flemming Remmer and Annbrit Remmer, president and corporate secretary, respectively, of First Flemming Properties.

Philippine Consular Corps plants 30k mangroves in Baco, OrMin

by Luis T. Cueto


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, May 8 (PIA) -- The Philippine Consular Corps recently planted 30,000 mangrove propagules in barangay Pulantubig (formerly known as Mayagao) in Baco, Oriental Mindoro.

This is part of the rehabilitation project of the national government against climate change in partnership with Conservation International (CI).

Like many coastal areas in the Philippines, Baco’s mangrove areas have suffered over the years, making the area more vulnerable to climate change impacts such as sea level rise and stronger, more frequent storms.

“We are happy to support this endeavor as a continuing partnership with Conservation International,” said Armenia Honorary Consul Jose Periquet, Jr., Dean of the Consular Corps.

Country executive director of Conservation International Romeo Trono said, “Rehabilitating and expanding mangrove greenbelts are among the most cost-effective ways of enhancing a community’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts. Mangrove belts protect communities from storm damages and help stabilize coastlines.”

“In fact,” he added, “the mangrove rehabilitation project was launched simultaneously with SICAD (Strategic Intervention and Community-focused Action towards Development) in Pulantubig, Baco to pursue a holistic and integrated approach to alleviating poverty in the coastal communities with the end in view of capacitating them to become development partners in sustaining local environmental management efforts.

“We are bent on implementing an honest-to-goodness coastal resource management development program, dispensing with the idea that this is only for publicity,” said Gov. Alfonso V. Umali, Jr. who led the launching of a mangrove rehabilitation project, part of the provincial government’s climate change adaptation efforts.

The participants planted Rhizophora propagules, one of the mangrove varieties chosen as most appropriate to the area and most likely to thrive given the site’s conditions. The rehabilitation site is a sand bar and river delta formation, which serves as the community's barrier against strong waves.

It can be recalled that when a tsunami hit in 1994 which killed at least 41 people in the affected communities, the area helped shield the residents from devastation that caused flooding and beach erosion.

According to Conservation International, the combination of true mangrove and associated species that will be planted under this initiative will enhance the stability of coastal ecosystems in the area. It will provide the community with a more efficient means of protection from climatic factors and other natural events and likewise improve habitats that will serve as homes for fishes, crabs, clams and other provisioning functions of a healthy mangrove forest.

“Aside from enhanced coastal protection, this project is expected to provide additional benefits to fisherfolks engaged in aquasilvi projects or crab culture,” said Marilyn Alcañices, head of the Fishery and Coastal Resources Management Division of Oriental Mindoro’s Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).

“Rehabilitating mangrove areas will increase aquasilvi project sites and increase the population of crablets and other marine finfish like milkfish, grouper that need mangrove areas as their nursery and feeding grounds,” she explained.

Meanwhile, the Consular Corps of the Philippines Environmental Concerns Committee, chaired by Sweden Honorary Consul General Carla Limcaoco, held a charity bike run in Makati City to raise funds to support mangrove reforestation efforts. She was assisted by her Co-Chair, El Salvador Honorary Consul Ma. Josefina Ortigas-Duarte, and project coordinators: Jordan Honorary Consul Michael Alexander Ang, Italy Consul Dr. Adriano Stefanutti, Guatemala Vice Consul/Corps Secretary Marc Thomas Ablaza, and other committee members. They plan to hold a second charity bike run for environmental protection sometime this year.

The Bantay Dagat group of Baco will take on the task of monitoring and taking care of the planting site to ensure a high survival rate. As part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts, the municipality is also in the process of establishing new marine protected areas. (LBR/PIO/LTC/PIACALAPAN)

Driver bashes live-in partner to death over friend’s unpaid P200 debt

by Jeannette I. Andrade


MANILA, Philippines–A truck driver spent his birthday behind bars after he allegedly turned his own party into a bloody scene when he beat to his live-in partner to death in Tondo, Manila Sunday over a friend’s unpaid P200 debt. Suspect Erick Jun Paglinawan, in an interview with the INQUIRER, claimed he could not remember how he killed 54-year-old Mercedes Dela Rosa, of 5-C Venus Street, Herbosa Extension in Tondo, who had thrown him the party. “I was drunk,” said 41-year-old Paglinawan, an employee of the Mazen Transport Service and a native of Oriental Mindoro. Senior Police Office 1 Mario Asilo, of the Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide Section, said that based on witness accounts Paglinawan had broken a bottle of beer over Dela Rosa’s head before grabbing her by the hair and repeatedly bashing her face against a concrete wall. The woman died instantly from massive head wounds. Asilo pointed out that after the attack, Paglinawan was accosted by his birthday guests at Dela Rosa’s house and turned over to police custody. He remains detained at the MPD Homicide Section holding cell pending the filing of a homicide charge against him before the city prosecutor’s office. Asilo said the incident supposedly stemmed from a P200 debt that Paglinawan’s co-worker owed to Dela Rosa. The truck driver, apparently embarrassed by his live-in partner’s act of taking his helper’s mobile phone in payment for the debt, attacked her. Judith Belves, 43, a guest during Sunday’s celebration at Dela Rosa’s house told the INQUIRER that the co-worker, whose name was not given, borrowed the P200 from the victim several years ago. “She (Dela Rosa) took his cell phone as payment for that debt which angered Erick who said that it was shameful for her to do something like that on his birthday. He said that she had embarrassed his best friend,” Belves narrated. She claimed that she was surprised when Paglinawan suddenly grabbed a bottle of beer, broke it over Dela Rosa’s head and ordered everyone to get out. He then allegedly grabbed his live-in partner’s hair with both hands and started slamming her face against the concrete wall near the door. “We tried to tell him to stop and take pity on her. But he was so angry and he would not listen. I tried to return for Mercy (Dela Rosa) but he threatened to do the same to me and I had to get out,” Belves told the INQUIRER. As Dela Rosa lay lifeless, the other guests grabbed hold of Paglinawan, beat him up before turning him over to the police. Paglinawan simply maintained that he could not remember anything that happened the previous day and claimed he knew nothing of the P200 debt that apparently triggered the killing. With a report from Julliane De Jesus, Inquirer trainee

Seares: Kingmakers Erap, PNoy

by Atty. Pachico A. Seares

PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino must be a reluctant kingmaker. Until last weekend, when in Oriental Mindoro he fired his first campaign salvo, he hadn't been active in mending Liberal Party fences. The 2013 election must hold scant interest to PNoy: he won't face reelection in 2016 and no coup, impeachment, or post-term lawsuit threatens him. PNoy is no Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. From year one, GMA beat back threats of uprising by wooing police and armed forces and won local politicians to her side, which required year-round campaigning. PNoy being on the campaign trail means he has realized he has a debt to pay his party, it would help LP if the next president is a Liberal, and he could return the favor Mar Roxas gave him in 2010. The payback argument is pretty strong but more persuasive is that another LP president could continue PNoy's fight against corruption and poverty. Redemption Joseph Estrada very much wants to be a kingmaker. If Vice President Jojo Binay would win in 2016, it would prove Erap's clout and offer some redemption after his ouster from office and conviction of plunder. Erap would've preferred the vote of confidence in 2010, which would've wiped out the slate that a pardon couldn't. Binay's becoming president would be the next best thing. A rematch for PNoy and Erap though not as principal fighters but as handlers. And the clash begins next year. They are the kingmakers although a lot would depend on the would-be kings: who between Binay and Roxas could get the nation's mandate and fate's blessing?

PNoy pledges support for electrification, tourism for OrMin

by Lanie B. Ronquillo


BONGABONG, Oriental, Mindoro, May 1 (PIA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III pledged to support the province's electrification and tourism promotion programs during his visit here where he led the ceremonial harvesting of “king crabs” and bangus at the farm at Barangay Anilao, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, April 29.

The Chief Executive pledged to provide necessary support for the development of Oriental Mindoro, particularly in harnessing renewable energy resource projects such as the hydro-power resources in Linaw Kawayan and research on possible utilization of wind panels, which will be managed by the cooperatives, increasing the power generated for the province from 2.1 Megawatts to 4.5 Megawatts.

He also added that it is important to promote the scenic spots that may be ordinary to the locals but extra-ordinary to tourists, as this will help the local economy and provide livelihood to the communities. He cites aqua-culture in Mindoro as one of its unique features which has the potential to attract tourists, having seen the king crabs that each weighs one kilo per piece.

He shared that the tourism department reported that in January alone, there were 411,000 tourists who came to the country, and is projected to reach 4.8 million by the end of the year. Also, it is expected that by July, more tourists will be coming here. The government targets to boost tourism by 10 million in 2016, which is more than thrice last year’s three million tourism data. He emphasized the need to be ready for the influx of tourists by fast-tracking the government’s infrastructure development efforts.

Incidentally, the affair coincided with the 57th birthday of Gov. Alfonso V. Umali. Some of the governor’s other guests who came to greet him were Ilocos Sur Governor Chavit Singson, Sec. Neric Acosta of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), Rep. Sonny Angara, Sec. Joel Villanueva of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Calapan City Mayor Doy Leachon, and the other mayors in the different municipalities of Oriental Mindoro.

The event was witnessed by the Farmers Organization for the Urban Upliftment of Mindoro (FORUM), barangay officials from various municipalities in the province, and people in the community who warmly greeted the President when he arrived.(LBR/PIA4-B)

Aquino maintains that the PHL wants to de-escalate tension with China on Scarborough Shoal territorial claims

by (PNA)

DCT/LAM/TPG/ssc


BARANGAY ANILAO, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, April 30 (PNA) -- President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Sunday that the Philippines will continue to support its stand to resolve territorial claims over contested Scarborough Shoal diplomatically and to de-escalate any tensions between the country and China.

This after a Chinese general recently called for decisive action against the Philippines.

The President expressed confidence China would not take any action against the Philippines as both countries believed no one would benefit if military force was used to end the dispute.

“We don’t think that at this point in time they will engage in any military activities. Purposely, our actions have been geared towards de-escalating the situation,” the President said.

“It's clear that it is to nobody’s benefit and there are a lot of repercussions if any military force happens to be employed here,” he added.

He said the continued presence of Chinese vessels and crew at the disputed island is being documented “so that when we make our case in the appropriate body, we have the necessary evidence.”

He also said the government will continue reviewing all relevant local and international laws to determine the rules that will operate in the area.

PNoy believes China won’t take military action vs PH

by Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News


BONGABONG, Oriental Mindoro - Despite reports that a Chinese general had his government to take "decisive action" against the Philippines over a territorial dispute, President Benigno Aquino III believes that China will not launch a military action against the country.

Aquino is convinced that the Chinese general's statement may be more metaphorical than substantial, adding that the general being quoted may not have a direct command of the Chinese military.

Aquino added that the Philippines' actions over Scarborough shoal are aimed at "de-escalating" the tension.

"I think basahin mo siguro 'yung iba-ibang headline nung People's Daily na mas matindi pa. Meron 'yung isa na 'prepare to hear the sound of canons,' etcetera. But it's a question of style. Mahilig silang mag-ganun e, 'yung parang…metaphoric siguro magsalita,” he said.

“We don't think that at this point in time that they will engage in any military activities… Purposely, our actions have been geared towards de-escalating the situation. So 'yung clear it is to nobody's benefit and there are a lot of repercussions if any military force happens to be employed here. So we think that is more a statement… that lacks substance. Hindi indicative of the real intentions," Aquino told reporters.

Asked if Philippine authorities would arrest Chinese poachers, Aquino said the priority is not to escalate the situation but said activities there are being documented so that there would be evidence if cases are filed.

He said the government is also reviewing all relevant local and international laws to determine the rules that will operate in the area.

30,000 mangrove propagules to be planted in Oriental Mindoro town

by Karen Boncocan

INQUIRER.net


MANILA, Philippines—Some 30,000 mangrove propagules will be planted in Oriental Mindoro as part of a rehabilitation project in Baco town, a conservation group said Friday. Implementing agency Conservation International (CI)-Philippines said that the project, launched on Thursday in coordination with 37-year-old Consular Corps of the Philippines (CCP), was part of the province’s climate change adaptation efforts and was the initial salvo to take mangrove rehabilitation efforts further. It was launched alongside Strategic Intervention and Community-focused Action towards Development (SICAD) for a holistic and integrated approach to getting rid of poverty in the coastal communities by making them development partners. According to CI-Philippines, the Bantay Dagat group of Baco will monitor and take care of the site to ensure high survival rate while the municipality will be establishing new marine protected areas as part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts. Oriental Mindoro Governor Alfonso Umali, who was present during the launch, said the province was determined to conduct this “honest-to-goodness coastal resource management development program, dispensing with the idea that this is only for publicity.” The initial batch of Rhizophora mangrove propagules were planted in Pulantubig village (previously known as Mayagao) in Baco town—a part of the Verde Island Passage, a globally-important marine biodiversity area and one of CI-Philippines’s priority project sites. The said variety was chosen as it was the most appropriate to the conditions in the project site, a sand bar and river delta formation, and will most likely thrive in the area. The project site acts as a natural barrier to the community against strong waves. But the area has become more vulnerable after suffering losses in mangroves and Romeo Trono, CI-Philippines country executive director, saw the rehabilitation project as one of the “most cost-effective ways of enhancing a community’s capacity to adapt to climate change impacts.” “Mangrove belts protect communities from storm damages and help stabilize coastlines.” CI-Philippines said that propagating a mix of true mangrove and associated species that will improve the stability of coastal ecosystems in the area and give the community with protection from climatic factors and other natural events. While it improves coastal protection in the area, the project is also expected to “provide additional benefits to fisherfok engaged in aquasilvi projects or crab culture,” said Marilyn Alcañices, head of the Fishery and Coastal Resources Management Division of Oriental Mindoro’s Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgO). According to her, the project will help “increase aquasilvi project sites and increase the population of crablets and other marine finfish like milkfish, grouper that need mangrove areas as their nursery and feeding grounds.” The Bantay Dagat group of Baco will take on the task of monitoring and taking care of the planting site to ensure a high survival rate. As part of its climate change adaptation and coastal resources management efforts, the town is also in the process of establishing new marine protected areas.






Ex Mindoro town councilor gunned down

by Juancho Mahusay


CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – A former municipal councilor in Pinamalayan in Oriental Mindoro was gunned down by an unidentified hitman in an ambush Tuesday (April 24) morning at a crowded public market in the town.

Police Supt. Jonathan P. Paguio, chief of police of Pinamalayan, identified the victim as Nilo L. Panaligan, 63, a resident of Morente St., Brgy. Zone 2, Pinamalayan.

According to the initial police reports by Paguio to Oriental Mindoro Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial director Sr. Supt. Anthony Alcañeces, Panaligan was about to leave the public market with his daughter,Melissa, 30, and was boarding their private vehicle when a man wearing denim jacket casually approached and fired three successive shots at the victim.

A gunshot wound in Panaligan’s temple and two other similar wounds in his lower bodies killed the former councilor.

After the shooting, the suspect climbed to a waiting motorbike driven by another unidentified man and sped off in the direction of the town proper.

Panaligan died on the spot in the driver's seat of his vehicle, a Toyota Innova.

Police recovered three empty shells of a .45 caliber revolver at the scene of the crime, as well as the .45 caliber handgun of the victim, who was said to have taken his service firearm but failed to fire a shot.

Police are still investigating the incident. Panaligan served as a municipal councilor in the 1980’s.

Puerto Galera highlights Mangyan culture on Earth Day

by Luis T. Cueto


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 24 (PIA) -- Puerto Galera, a booming tourism town in Oriental Mindoro celebrated Earth Day on Sunday highlighting the rich cultures of the Mangyan natives in Mindoro Island.

French expatriate Hubert d’Aboville, the lead organizer of the event which had as its theme, “Belongingness to Nature,” said they highlighted the rich cultures of the Mangyans on Earth Day because they wanted the world to emulate the lifestyles of the Mindoro aborigines who protect and conserve the environment in their own way, as they feel that they belong to nature.

In cooperation with the municipal government of Puerto Galera, D’Aboville, a French businessman who declared Puerto Galera Bay as “one of the most beautiful bays in the world,” led the participants during the whole day program in his demonstration farm at Mount Malasimbo, the town’s highest peak.

The celebration featured rituals, songs, and dances of the Mangyans; a community mass; an environment-inspired on-the-spot drawing contest; and a bike contest.

The Earth Day celebration will now become an annual occasion in Puerto Galera to create environmental awareness among the people in the community, the French environmentalist said. (LBR/DOS/JRMahusay/LTC-PIA4B, Calapan City)

CHED grants P1M aid to college scholars

by Luis T. Cueto


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 23 (PIA) -- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has awarded almost P1 million worth of educational aids to scholars in Oriental Mindoro.

Under the Kabuhayan, Kaunlaran, Kalikasan at Kinabukasan (K4) program and Priority Development Assistance Program (PDAF), educational aids were awarded to 178 scholars in the first district of the province.

Amounts ranging from P2,500 to P10,000 were given for the coming school year, depending on each student's college program; this amounted to P1,008,000 given to the scholars.

In a turnover ceremony held at the Filipiniana Resort Hotel in Calapan City, council president Nico Valencia said that they are also supporting students taking up technical-vocational courses on Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and those under the Technical Education Extension Program (TEEP) of K4, guided by the Mindoro Kabuhayan Foundation, Inc. (MKFI).

Barangay chairman Robert Baez of Mangangan, Baco and one of the youth scholars, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity given to the youth (LBR/JRMahusay/LTC-PIA4B, Calapan City)






President Aquino urges LGUs to play major role in reducing maternal deaths by 2015

by Jelly F. Musico


MANILA, April 21 (PNA) – President Benigno S. Aquino III urged the local government units (LGUs) on Friday to play major role along with the private sector in achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 or reduction of maternal mortality ratio from 162 to 52 per 100,000 live births by 2015. ”Allow me to use this opportunity to appeal to our partners in the LGUs. Your support means a lot in saving the lives of your constituents,” the President said in his message read by Health Secretary Enrique Ona during the 162 to 52 Summit: Accelerating Collective Impact on Maternal and Child Health at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). President Aquino also recognized the continued support and commitment of the private sector to achieve a daunting task of reducing the maternal deaths before the term of the President ends in 2016. ”With just three years left, the Philippines is behind the target maternal mortality ratio. All sectors both in the private and public fields, from government partners and in the civil society, can unite and make strong push to attain MDG 5,” the President emphasized. Aside from improving maternal health, President Aquino said his administration is also determined and committed to reduce child mortality and fight other diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and human immune deficiency or HIV through strengthened vaccination campaign nationwide. ”To achieve these goals, we have formulated a health reform plan that centers on promoting universal health care and we called this Kalusugan Pangkahalatan (health for all) or KP,” the President said. The President revealed that for the last two years, the government has spent P15 billion for the improvement and construction of health facilities, including health centers with operating rooms nationwide to prevent maternal deaths. President Aquino also said the Department of Health (DOH) hired more than 20,000 nurses and 7,000 midwives to serve in the barrios, including in the far-flung areas where the poorest of the poor hardly get properly medical care. ”We need more equipment, we need more medicines, we need more trained and compassionate, committed people to man our hospitals. The more people manning our health facilities means more lives will be saved,” President Aquino said. Due to the health reform program implemented by the Aquino administration, more than 15 million infants and children have been given proper care all over the country. The President commended the DOH, the LGUS, private sector as well as the national government organizations (NGOs) for coming out with the multisectoral organization called the “162 to 52 coalition” which is envisioned as the catalyst for strategic, targeted, and innovative public-private partnerships (PPPs) for the attainment of better maternal indicators. ”This coalition needs to prosper for us to achieve MDG 5 and reduce maternal mortality. The bottom line, this is not just about saving the lives of people, we are also saving the lives of our future generation,” the President said. In a press conference, Ona stressed the importance of coming out with updated and accurate data on the real number of mothers who died due to inadequate pre- and post- natal to achieve the MDG 5. Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. of Oriental Mindoro, president of the League of Governors of the Philippines, agreed with the DOH chief that all the stakeholders should come up with uniform data on the number of the maternal mortality rate. Based on the data provided by the United Nations Fund for Population Agency, 11 mothers die everyday in the Philippines due to maternity-related causes, leaving more than 30 children motherless. ”As of 2008, the Philippines has an adjusted maternal mortality ratio of 162 per 100,000 live births. This is far from MDG target of 52 deaths per 100,000 live births,” Ona said. ”The shortfalls are brought about by inadequate investments in health and not enough political will of our leaders do to what needs to be done to achieve our goals,” the DOH head added. UNPFA country representative Ogochi Daniels said the Philippines is one of 68 countries accounting for 95 percent of all maternal and newborn deaths in the world and “there has been no notable decrease during the last several years.” ”The good thing is we know the cures. The solutions aren’t complicated. If women have access to Family Planning so she can get pregnant only if she wanted to, we could prevent almost a third of maternal deaths,” Daniels said. Umali vowed to convince his colleagues to support the coalition’s goal “to make a it a successful one.” Rafael Cofa, executive director of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), also made commitment to continuously support to uplift the lives of every Filipino through responsible business practices in the country. ”PBSP engages companies to promote health in the workplace by integrating health projects and promoting access to health services for employees and communities,” Cofa said. The 162 to 52 Summit has been organized to provide the non-profit sector and the governors a venue to forge partnerships and commit to improve maternal and child health through PPP at the local government level. ”Solving the maternal mortality problem requires the expertise and skills of both the public and private sectors,” Ona said. (PNA) scs/jfm

LGUs, national gov’t to conduct dialogue on flood mitigation measures

by The Philippine Star


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 20 (PIA) -- The local government units (LGUs) of Oriental Mindoro and other concerned national government agencies (NGA) will have a dialogue on flood mitigation measures on April 28, to be held at the Provincial Capitol Square, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines.

It can be recalled that a month ago, several barangays in the province particularly in the areas of Naujan, Baco, Mansalay, Victoria, and some parts of Calapan City experienced massive flooding caused by a low pressure area.

The dialogue was initiated by Gov. Alfonso Umali who said that it is time to prepare mitigating measures for the safety of individuals especially those who are in flood-prone areas of the province. Umali said the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) is ready for the distribution of relief goods in case of shortage of relief goods in the municipal level when disaster strikes.

The dialogue will also tackle how government agencies can use their available funds to integrate programs on flood mitigation measures and other solutions.

Meanwhile, a flood summit will also be held in the province on May 8 with the provincial government as lead LGU. (LBR/LTC/PIA-Calapan City)

Public school tanker shines in Umali meet

by The Philippine Star


MANILA, Philippines - Ten-year-old public school swimmer Khiel Libat won all five events in his age group and emerged the most outstanding swimmer in the Philippine Swimming League 22nd leg, dubbed Gov. Alfonso Umali Cup, yesterday at Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.

Libat, from the Lipa Mediatrix Swimming Club, outclassed the opposition in the 50m butterfly (35.01), surpassing the American AAAA age group motivational time of 35.09.

Libat also reached the AAA mark in the 50m backstroke (39.61), 50m breaststroke (44.05) and 50m freestyle (34.69) and AA in the 100m breaststroke (1:38.8).

Fifteen-year-old Michael Sangalang of the host Raging Paddlers topped the 200m breaststroke while Andrei Manzo (17), a candidate for 2013 Summer Universiade, topped the 200m, 50m breaststroke and 50m freestyle.

PSL president Susan Papa said the monthly PSL competition drew the full support of the Calapan City and provincial government headed by Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr.

Other most outstanding girl swimmers were Isis Arnaldo (6), Iris Arnaldo (7), Bernice Anne Magtibay (8), Charize Esmero (9), Bela Louise Magtibay (10), Veevien Vance Herrera (11), Angelica Eunice Mascarinas (12), Trisha Anne Oliveros (13), Mia Mantaring (14), Jemcy De la Cruz (15), Jackilyn Orig (16), and Denise Angela Tiquia (17 and over).

Most outstanding boy swimmers were Eddrian Galeno (6), Lanz Alonzo Ventabal (7), Carl Jude Tence (8), Marione Patrick Barcelon (9), Khiel Libat (10), Christopher Catelo (11), Lyndon Baines Herrera (12), Emmanuel Adornado (13), Joey Lavina (14), Ron Angel Serrano (15), Mhikcoloe Abina (16) and Andrei Lorenzo Manzo (17 and over).

The Ibalong Magayon Aquagliders Swim Club (IMASC) took the overall team championship with five swimmers won most outstanding awards.

Tubbataha Reef, The Canyons among world’s best dive sites

by Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz, Reporter


DIVING is definitely more fun in the Philippines.

Palawan’s renowned Tubbataha Reef and Oriental Mindoro’s The Canyons were recently named among the best dive sites in the world.

Travel website www.cnngo.com named Tubbataha Reef as the eighth best dive site in the world in an article, titled Into the deep: World’s 50 best dive sites.

Written by Jade Bremner, the article noted that the water in the reef “is exceptionally clean,” among others.

“Super-size your dive experience at Tubbataha where everything comes in giant form. The main advantage to diving at Tubbataha is that the water is exceptionally clean, so the marine life lives much longer, making it grow to silly proportions,” it said.

“These two small atoll like reefs in the middle of the ocean offer an inner lagoon with overhangs, slopes, crevices and caves with more than 300 different types of coral and 379 species of fish,” it added.

The dive site has a depth of five meters to 60 meters and has very clear visibility for a few meters. It is located 182 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City, the province’s capital.

“Expect kaleidoscopic colors combined with guitar sharks, black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, gliding blue-spotted lagoon rays, unicorns, boxfish, scorpion fish and more,” the website said further.

Likewise, The Canyons in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro province is included in the list of the best dive sites.

“Schools of spotted and ribbon sweetlips, shiny trevallies and weird-looking batfish make up the scene at this first-rate drift dive site… There’s also an explosion of coral and plant life including beautiful delicate gorgonian sea fans and hollow barrel sponges; look inside for critters lurking within,” Bremner said in his report.

The Canyons has a depth of up to 30 meters and visibility of 10 to 30 meters. It can be reached by a 30-minute boat ride from Puerto Galera.

The top 10 best dive sites in the world are composed of Barracuda Point, Sipadan Island, Malaysia (1st); Yongala, Queensland, Australia (2nd); SS Thistlegorm, Red Sea, Egypt (3rd); Blue Corner Wall, Palau, Micronesia (4th); Richelieu Rock, near the Surin Islands, Thailand (5th); Gordon Rocks, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (6th); Great Blue Hole, Belize (7th); Tubbataha, Palawan, Philippines (8th); Big Brother, Red Sea, Egypt (9th); and Maaya Thila, Maldives (10th).

OrMin Scholarship program still open

by Luis T. Cueto


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, Apr. 13 (PIA) -- The provincial government’s Oriental Mindoro Integrated Scholarship Program is still open for qualified applicants until today.

Under the program, the provincial government will shoulder the expenses for tuition fees of qualified scholars. In order to qualify for the program, applicants must have the following qualifications: a) High School graduate with general average of 85% and above; b) A full-fledged Filipino citizen residing in the province; c) Applicants must not be more than 21 years old; and d) The income of parents must not exceed P150,000 yearly as reflected on their Income Tax Return (ITR) from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

The examination will be held at Jose J. Leido, Jr. Memorial National High School (JJLJMNHS), Calapan City on April 18 at 9 a.m.

For details regarding the program, please contact the Secretariat, Provincial Scholarship Committee, Governor’s Office-Integrated Scholarship Program Section, Provincial Capitol Compound, Calapan City at Telephone No. 043-2882184. (LBR/Louie T. Cueto/PIA-Calapan City)

Motor banca encountered engine trouble at Oriental Mindoro

by ufs.com


A passenger motor banca encountered engine trouble while navigating at Oriental Mindoro, a report reaching the headquarters of Philippine Coast Guard today. Coast Guard District Southern Tagalog (CGDSTL) received information from Coast Guard Station (CGS) Romblon that M/bca Alad Expressed 1 encountered engine clutch malfunction at vicinity waters between Tablas and Sibale Island.

Immediately, Coast Guard Station (CGS) Calapan and Coast Guard Detachment (CGDet) Conception conducted search and rescue (SAR) operation at vicinity of Maestro De Ocampo Island where the team rescued ten passengers onboard the said motor banca and safely towed it to Port of Conception.

Upon arrival at Conception Port, all passengers onboard were safely disembarked in good physical condition. Initial investigation stated that the said motor banca departed Port of Romblon enroute to Conception Island, Romblon without submitting Master Oath of Safety Departure (MOSD) through which CGD Conception issued Maritime Violation Receipt (MVR).

CGDet Conception also conducted Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Inspection and advised the Boat Captain to file marine protest regarding the incident. M/bca Alad Express 1 of 8.25 gross tonnages is skippered and owned by Naptali M Molina with business address at Brgy Alad, Romblon.






2 dive sites in MIMAROPA listed as among world’s best

by Luis T. Cueto


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 11 (PIA) -- Two tourist destinations in Region 4B or MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) have been listed as among the best diving sites in the world, according to last week’s posting of the travel news website of the Cable News Network (CNN).

The CNN’s list of best dive sites in the world ranked eighth the Tubbataha reef, located southeast of Palawan, and 45th place “The Canyons” in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.

According to the said website, one can feel a “super-size dive experience at Tubbataha, where everything comes in giant form.” It also said the main advantage to diving at Tubbataha is that the water is “exceptionally clean, so the marine life lives much longer, making it grow to silly proportions.”

“Expect kaleidoscopic colors combined with guitar sharks, black tip reef sharks, nurse sharks, gliding blue-spotted lagoon rays, unicorns, boxfish, scorpion fish, and more,” it added.

Tubbataha is located 181 kilometers southeast of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan Province. The reef is made up of two coral atolls divided by an eight-kilometer wide channel. Its diving area has a depth of five to 60 meters.

It is also part of Tubbataha National Marine Park, which was established on August 11, 1988 and was declared a “World Heritage Site” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in December 1993. It is under the protective management of the Department of National Defense (DND), and under the technical supervision by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR).

Another dive site in the Philippines that made it to CNN’s list is “The Canyons" in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro.

“Schools of spotted and ribbon sweetlips, shiny trevallies and weird-looking batfish make up the scene at this first-rate dive site. There’s also an explosion of coral and plant life including beautiful delicate gorgonian sea fans and hollow barrel sponges; look inside for critters lurking within,” the website said about The Canyons, which was rated as a five-star diving site and located at the northeast of Escarceo Point, some five minutes away by boat from Brgy. Sabang.

With a depth of up to 30 meters or about 95 feet to a maximum of 200 feet, The Canyons’ area was designated as a “Man and Biosphere Reserve” of United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1973. (Source: J. R. Mahusay/Louie T. Cueto-PIA 4B))

Philippines chosen as recipient of solar-powered lights

by (TBO/Louie T. Cueto-PIA4B)


CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, April 10 (PIA) -- Energizer and the One Million Lights organization has chosen the Philippines as one of the 4 country-recipients of the energizer solar-powered lights, together with Argentina, Kenya and Ethiopia.

According to Alvin A. Marayan, Media Relation Officer of Publicity Relationship-building and Communication, Inc. (PRC, Inc.), their office will distribute on April 16-18 some 400 solar-powered lights to the people of Oriental Mindoro as part of their advocacy to “light up the lives” of Filipino communities.

Beneficiaries of the said solar-powered lights will come from the towns of Victoria and Naujan, specifically sitios of Pamuwisan, Loyal; Alyanay, Sibayay, Puting Bato, Centro, Catinginan, Malayas, and Paray, all of barangay Villa Cerveza, Victoria together with barangays Leido and Bagong Silang; and Malta Village in the municipality of Naujan.

“More than 1.6 billion people worldwide lack access to electricity and Energizer is helping to raise awareness for this important issue. It’s the first global activity of Energizer’s new platform called ‘That’s Positivenergy™’, which combines performance plus responsibility and demonstrates Energizer’s long-standing commitment to responsible power and serving the community,” Marayan said.

Moreover, Energizer raises awareness for the need for clean and healthy lighting in communities without access to electricity. Working with the global nonprofit organization 'One Million Lights,' Energizer donated 11 million hours of solar light in 2011 and has pledged to donate an additional 12 million hours of light in 2012 to help rural families work, study and play a little longer each day.

“Lights for the barangays Leido and Bagong Silang will not be distributed during the April 16-18 activity due to logistical constraints. The Rotary Club of Victoria will handle the distributions and provide documentation,” Marayan added.






NDRRMC: 17 killed, 62 hurt in Holy Week incidents

by VVP, GMA News


The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said as of Monday, 17 people have died and 62 people were hurt during the Holy Week.

On its 8:00 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said the 17 fatalities from April 1 to 9 included: 10 people who died from drowning, three who perished in a fire incident, and one who died in a maritime incident. The NDRRMC said the most recent fatalities included:

Carlo Waggay Garcia, 9, who drowned in San Gabriel, La Union on Holy Saturday at 11:15 a.m.; Mark Anthony Talban, 19, who drowned at Anilao Beach Resort in Batangas on Good Friday; Abraham dela Cruz, 33, a barangay captain of San Manuel in Tarlac who died 2:55 a.m. Sunday after his vehicle hit a tree in San Manuel town Andy Gramo, 40, whose body was found floating at the Barangay Suqui coastal area in Calapan City in Mindoro Oriental at 2:20 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

The NDRRMC said the 62 people who were reported injured included: 61 who were injured from vehicular accidents, and one from a maritime incident.

Two people are still missing because of a maritime incident, it said.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC said a grenade explosion occurred 7:45 p.m. last Good Friday along Moreno Street at Rosary Heights II in Cotabato City.

While the explosion caused tension among residents gathering near the local cathedral for Lenten prayers, no casualty was reported.

The NDRRMC said the local police and Army are investigating the incident.





Boat operators in Puerto Galera hike fares

by Juancho Mahusay


CALAPAN CITY, Philippines – Fares for all motorized boats bound for Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro will increase starting Maundy Thursday because of the rising prices of fuel, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) reported here.

The one-way passenger fare will rise from P230 to P250 while the round-trip ticket will jump to from P450 to P500.

The Marina said that promotional fares of all boats arriving and departing in Oriental Mindoro and Batangas City ports will also be suspended because of the anticipated volume of influx of passengers and tourists.

An estimated 10,000 tourists usually flock to Puerto Galera’s White Beach, about 130 kilometers south of Manila, during Holy Week.

Shipping lines, meanwhile, added more trips to the town of Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro as it also increased the seating capacity to 700 passengers.

The Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) have beefed up security measures at the Batangas Port and at the ports of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.

The security alert will remain until after the Holy Week for the anticipated return of thousands of passengers to Manila.

The PCG’s rubber boats and K-9 units of the PNP have been deployed at the ports.

“Oplan Ligtas Kwaresma” passenger assistance desks have also been set up near the ports’ ticketing booths.

9 drown in Visayas due to rains

by ABS-CBNnews.com


MANILA, Philippines – Nine people drowned at the height of rains in the Visayas region, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

Seven of the fatalities were from Capiz. They were identified as Diomer Albay, 14; Kathlene Padilla, 3; Jolly Dioso, 14; Karen Denunbo, 10; Rey Reyes, 9; Rey Ricaforte, 17; and Henrey Hulyete, 47.

The other fatalities were Negros Oriental resident Jean Academia, 50; and Northern Samar resident Angelo Lobos Sergio, 8.

The NDRRMC said Oriental Mindoro, which suffered from intermittent rains last week due the low pressure area, sustained a damage in agriculture and infrastructure worth P89.55 million.

Meanwhile, a total of 24,843 individuals were displaced in the provinces of Oriental Mindoro, Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.


Mindoro Oriental Archived News

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