Albay News December 2012

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Albay - Archived News
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Seal of the Province of Albay
Interactive Google Satellite Map of the Province of Albay
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Location of Albay within the Philippines
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Provincial Capitol Building of Albay, in Legazpi City

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Mayon volcano albay province.jpg

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.

3 dead in Bicol road mishaps

By Cet Dematera (The Philippine Star)

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – At least three persons died in road accidents in Camarines Sur and Albay over the weekend, according to reports reaching Camp General Simeon Ola here.

Police identified the fatalities as Randy Naje, 25; Jocelyn Desuyo, 40; and Robert Lose, 35.

Senior Superintendent Renato Bataller, Bicol police spokesman, said Naje was driving a truck loaded with feeds en route to Manila when the brakes malfunctioned along the Andaya Highway in Barangay Lower Sta. Cruz, Ragay, Camarines Sur.

The truck crashed into a big acacia tree, pinning Naje to death on the steering wheel.

But before the truck smashed into the tree, it hit Desuyo who was walking on the roadside. She did not reach the hospital alive.

In Albay, Lose lost his life when his motorcycle smashed into a JBH Transport as he overtook a truck along the Maharlika Highway in Daraga town.

Gokongwei holdings acquires Legazpi Savings Bank

By Felix ‘Boy’ Espineda, Jr. [Angel Ayala/BicolToday.com/With news from Manila Standard Today]

SORSOGON CITY (BicolToday.com/30-Dec-2012) – The banking community here are guessing what will be the new name of Legazpi Savings and Loan Association, Inc. known as Legazpi Savings Bank after its acquisition by JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei family to be a thrift bank subsidiary of the Robinsons Bank Corp. with the approval of the Monetary Board.

On the issue of job security or an offer for early retirement to its employee to give the majority controllers a free hand, employee of the bank here in the city are mum, but believed that the Gokongwei’s are sensible managers.

Legazpi Savings Bank was founded by four prominent Bicolano families, the Los Banos of Legazpi City, the Bichara of Ligao, Albay, the Sabido of Polangui and the Giongco of Rosario, Cavite with Bicolano roots.

The first bank was located at the Los Banos Building along Rizal and Mabini Streets in Legazpi City. Luis Los Banos was the founding chair and president. By 1993 Don Alfonso Bichara started the expansion of the bank when he took control as mandated by the Central Bank.

“Robinsons Bank with its controlling interest will use the Legazpi Savings Bank network of branches in Bicol as a vehicle for their micro financing and countryside banking in the Bicol Region” said Reynold Gerongay, President of Robinsons Bank. “It is an investment to tap a wider market”.

Initial increase of authorized capital stock was P12 million and by 1996 it was raised to P100 million. By 1997 it expanded by adding branches in Albay and the rest of Bicol region. Daraga, Tabaco, at Albay District, Polangui and Guinobatan hosted the bank, followed in Sorsogon City and Daet, Camarines Norte.

The acquisition cost was not revealed by the former majority owners though bankers here speculated that hundreds of millions was the price tag of the transaction.

Quiet signing of RH law marks beginning of 'reconciliation' - Lagman

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez and Pots de Leon (InterAksyon.com)

MANILA, Philippines -- The lack of fanfare with which President Benigno Aquino III signed the Reproductive Health law is Malacanang's way of starting a reconciliation process to ensure the support of all sectors for the new statute, its principal author in the House of Representatives said Saturday.

"Unlike the rage and controversy which attended the congressional debates and approval of the measure, the bill was signed as Republic Act No. 10354 in the privacy of the President’s study room without the anticipated ceremony in order not to exacerbate the conflict with some Catholic bishops and start the reconciliation process to ensure widespread support in the implementation of the RH law," Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said.

Aquino signed the law on December 21, a day after he received the enrolled measure. Malacanang, however, was mum about the signing.

It was only on Friday when Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II confirmed that the law had been enacted.

"After a 13-year gestation, the RH bill is finally delivered, signed and sealed," Lagman said. "With the President’s imprimatur on the enrolled copy of the RH bill, the arduous crusade for the enactment of a comprehensive and nationwide reproductive health law is over."

An enrolled bill is an authentic copy of a legislative measure signed by the Speaker and the Senate President, as well as by the Secretary General of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate, according to the Albay lawmaker.

With the law in place, he said millions of women and children will be protected and maternal and infant death will radically decline as a result of voluntary family planning and contraception by choice.

"Women worldwide who have been anticipating the enactment of an RH law in the Philippines rejoice with the vast majority of Filipinos in celebrating the elevation of the bill into a statute," Lagman said.

On Saturday, the Palace finally confirmed that Aquino III had signed the bill into law.

In a radio interview, presidential deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte, who made the confirmation and announcement, clarified that the signing was not done secretly.

“Given the level of intensity of the debates that we had on this matter… given the sensitivity that this has caused, we deemed it best to wait a couple of days before the announcement was made,” Valte said in an interview over a state-owned Radyo ng Bayan.

“We received word that the paper itself was processed after the 26. So we received word that everything was finished late on December 27. At least as far as the Communications Group is concerned, we deemed it best to wait for a couple of days before the announcement was made,” Valte added.

Albay scores ‘zero casualty’ record

(Manila Standard Today)

Legazpi City — Albay decidedly won when it’s “Iwas Paputok” campaign posted a “Zero Casualty” record during the Christmas Eve celebration, when many fireworks injuries are usually reported.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the reckoning period was from noon of December 24 to noon of Christmas Day and there were two minor injuries reported earlier in the morning of December 24 at a government hospital here.

The governor said Christmas in Albay this year was joyful and lively even without the traditionally “noisy firecracker explosions that only bring injury to our people and threats to our environment with the harmful carbon emissions and to our health.”

Dr. Butch Rivera, head of the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital said the two revelers who sustained minor injuries in the morning of December 24 due to “piccolo” explosion – an 11-year-old boy and a 29-year-old reveller – were treated for minor wounds and sent home.

Salceda said the campaign, called Karangahan Festival: Green Christmas Celebration, started three years ago in 2010 when there were 27 firecracker victims. In 2011, the campaign posted an 82 percent reduction in revelry injuries with only five reported cases.

Salceda said the result of the Iwas Paputok campaign this year showed that its core message has sunk in the minds of Albayanos, and that it has been truly appreciated and popularly support by local folks.

Floods and landslide caused by ‘Quinta’ hit Albay villages

By Mar S. Arguelles (Inquirer Southern Luzon)

LEGAZPI CITY — Continuous rains brought on by tropical depression ‘Quinta’ since Wednesday submerged in flood water practically the whole of downtown Legazpi City early on Thursday and several villages in the Albay towns of Polangui, Oas, Libon and Malinao.

Dr. Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety Emergency and Management Office, said that flood waters in 15 urban barangays of this city and in the affected villages in the four towns were from knee-to-waist deep.

Light to moderate rains that pelted the province for about 17 hours since Wednesday until early dawn today caused the Makabalo and Sagumayon river channels in this city to overflow, submerging the 15 villages — from the near shore barangays all to the way to the city’ commercial district, Daep said.

In the affected towns, Daep said five Army trucks were sent to Polangui and Libon to assist the local disaster councils in their disaster operations.

Landslide also hit the steep slope of Mount Masaraga in Polangui town, Daep said in a phone interview.

In Malinao town, municipal disaster action officer German Gonzaga reported that some 300 villagers living along river channels and dikes were evacuated to safer grounds as flash floods submerged at least three villages there.

Knee-to-waist deep flood waters also rendered the road network in Barangay Balsa,in Malinao town impassable to all types of vehicle.

Daep said rain gauge instrument for the period from 8 a.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday recorded a cumulative amount of 226.4 mm rainfall, indicating that the volume could trigger floods and landslides.

Dr. Landrico Dalida, director of the weather bureau here, said moderate to heavy rains with 12 to 25 mm per hour rainfall will still prevail on Thursday over Bicol.

Albay placed on state of heightened alert in the wake of TS Quinta

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL-PIA5, Albay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 26 (PIA) -- The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Albay has placed the province under the state of heightened alert and close monitoring in the wake of tropical storm Quinta which may bring increased volume of rainfall and may result to flooding and landslides.

Albay is among the areas where public storm warning signal#1 was hoisted at 5 a.m. weather bulletin of Pagasa on TS Quinta.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said he has already directed member agencies and organizations, as well as the general public, to carry out countermeasures now being implemented to prevent disaster and ensure “zero casualty” in the wake of the prevailing weather system affecting the provincial area.

Salceda said in an advisory that the no-sailing to sea policy is in effect, especially for small transport sea crafts and fishing vessels.

He explained that local governments down to the barangay levels and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), should work closely together along this line to inform and prevent fishermen and travelers from venturing into the sea due to dangers posed by Quinta.

The same advisory directs coastal barangays to monitor and prepare against possible storm surges.

The populace is also advised not to cross swollen rivers and artificial pools of water and to avoid low-lying and coastal areas for possible coastal flooding.

Barangays, especially on the eastern seaboard, should closely monitor rainfall rate and be prepared for countermeasures including evacuation of population residing near steep slopes for landslides and low-lying areas for flash floods, floods and lahar.

City, municipal disaster risk reduction and management councils and barangay committees, according to the same advisory, may utilize the Quick Response Fund, equivalent to 30 percent of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund to support emergency needs of evacuated populations if any.

Meanwhile, signal #1 is also hoisted over Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Burias Island in Masbate, while signal #2 had been raised over Sorsogon, Masbate, and Ticao Island, also in Masbate.

Albay's humanitarian mission continues to bring water to typhoon victims in Cateel

(PNA)

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 24 (PNA) -- The Albay’s Tabang MindaNow humanitarian mission to Davao Oriental continued to deliver safe potable water to victims of typhoon "Pablo" even during Christmas holiday.

The Water Sanitation (WATSAN) team delivered at least 32,000 liters of potable water to victims in barangays San Rafael, San Nicolas, San Alfonso and Poblacion in Cateel on Saturday morning, Rhondon Ricafort, a staff of Gov. Joey Salceda who was with the second batch of Team Albay deployed in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley said.

The group just came from serving victims at the towns of Boston and Baganga before they set up its base at a water source in barangay Santa Filomena in Cateel Friday.

WATSAN lorry delivers processed clean water to evacuation centers.

RH law 'best gift' to Filipinos this Christmas - Rep. Lagman

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez (InterAksyon.com)

MANILA, Philippines - The enactment of the Reproductive Health (RH) law was the "best essential gift" the government has given the Filipinos this Christmas, Albay Representative Edcel Lagman said.

"The enactment this Yuletide season of the RH bill, which will save countless lives of women and children and assure their better future, is truly symbolic because millennia ago Jesus Christ was born in a manger to save the world," Lagman, its principal author, said.

The measure, ratified by Congress last week, is scheduled to be signed by President Benigno Aquino next week.

According to Lagman, the law RH will enable millions of couples and women to be true to their desire of having smaller families. The law empowers them to freely and responsibly determine the number and spacing of their children.

With the law in place, Lagman said that maternal and infant mortality rates will be considerably reduced because high-risk, unwanted and unintended pregnancies, which are most prone to maternal death, abortion and unhealthy offspring, are prevented.

There are currently 14-15 mothers who die daily due to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth, he said.

"The harrowing experience of women who suffer forced abortion because they could not afford another child will be diminished by as much as 85% since they are given access to legal, medically-safe and effective voluntary contraception," he added.

"The poor and marginalized sectors will be helped to liberate themselves from the clutches of poverty as they are accorded free and viable family planning methods and contraception by choice to mitigate population growth," Lagman said.

According to him, mass poverty is inextricably linked to high fertility rates, which result in high population growth rates and the stunting of human development.

While the Philippines is the 12th most populous country in the world, its human development index ranking according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is a lowly 112th among 187 countries, Lagman said.

Scuba divers discover three ravaged coral reefs in Albay Gulf

By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. [(PNA),GHG/ALV/MMG/JSD]

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 22 (PNA) – At least three coral reefs in Albay Gulf were found damaged by blast fishing, officials and staff of the Pacific Blue Dive Center, an organization of marine environmentalists and scuba divers based here reported.

One of the sites was believed blasted hours before their dive and the others were damaged about two to three days ago, the group composed of former Legazpi City Vice Mayor Jess Enrico Salazar and his brother, Noel, a corporate manager, scuba diving trainers George Nakano, Jin Masuda and Almar Buid and a local Fisherman, Enel Cagawan said.

In their report, submitted to the city government, it identified the three reef areas as “Itom na Buya (Black Bouy)”, “Pulang Buya (Red Bouy)” and “Dakulang Masulog” (Large and with strong current).

The group requested for the immediate implementation of national laws and ordinances against various forms of illegal fishing.

At “Itom na Buya”, the group discovered the wrecked coral reef and dead fish species at around 5-meter depth. The site was believed blasted few hours before their arrival as evidenced by the fishes collected that remained fresh and bore no signs of predator and scavenger attacks.

Two hours later the group reached the reef at “Pulang Buya” where at less than 5-meter depth,damaged corrals and dead fish species were already deteriorating and feasted upon by crabs and other scavenger.

Pieces of shattered rock-shape corrals were seen lying along the dead fishes and nearby, at about 7 meters deep a thick brunch corral was also crumbed.

Within the site the group also documented several table and brunch corals grown with moss that is a proof they are already dead most probably from poison fishing,

The same reef situation and presence of dead fish species were documented at the “Dakula na Masulog” later that day.

Albay gives job order employees bonus

(PNA), PDS/SMT/CBD/

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 21 (PNA) -- Four days to go before Christmas day, Albay has earmarked some P6-million out of its savings to give bonus to at least 800 "job order" employees who are excluded in the list of state workers receiving regular benefits, such as year-end bonuses and cash gifts.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that aside from simply giving the cash aid in the spirit of the yuletide season, the bonus is also in recognition by the provincial government to the efforts exerted by the job order workers that reaped Albay various regional and national awards, foremost of which is its being a hall of fame awardee in the 2012 Gawad Kalasag awards as best Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) in the country.

The so-called "job order" employees are being paid in a daily basis computation with the hiring being based on the availability of funds from the miscellaneous operating expenses (MOE) allocation and not from the personnel services (PS) budget.

Vice Gov. Harold Imperial said that the bonus is computed through the P80 per day increase in the salary of the job order employees from Oct.1 to Dec.31 this year.

Imperial clarified though that the amount to be released before Dec.25 would only cover up to the day of release, while the rest would be out before New Year's day.

Imperial said that the bonus' allocation was taken from the savings of the province.

Lawyer Romy Serrano, Albay election supervisor, has immediately clarified that the bonus which is taken from the salary increase of the job order workers in the provincial government does not violate provisions against wage hikes during election period.

"There is no violation to this salary increase because the inclusive dates of the hike is not yet within the 45-day ban from the May 13 mid-term polls," Serrano said.

Albay is noted for giving extra benefits to its employees that even exceed those mandated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and Malacanang.

Salceda bats for lower power rates, more infra projects to cut unemployment

(PNA), LAP/MSA/CBD/

LEGAZPI CITY — The country’s jobless growth should serve as a wake-up call to the administration’s economic managers to lower power rates and accelerate implementation of infrastructure projects to encourage more domestic and foreign investment in the country, a top economist said.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the missing link to addressing the increase unemployment is clearly the non-entry of investment especially foreign.

He said the surge in unemployment rate was mainly due to the lack of jobs and value the business sector has created despite the confidence it has given to the Aquino administration.

Jobless growth remains a challenge of the Philippine political economy despite the remarkable growth in the country’s Gross Domestic Product by 7.1 percent in the third quarter of this year.

To address the problem on unemployment, Salceda urged the government economic managers to reduce electricity prices and pursue and accelerate government infrastructure program.

These economic scenarios would encourage more domestic and foreign investment, thus creating more jobs for hundreds of thousands of unemployed people in the country, Salceda said.

The October labor survey of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Services (BLES) indicated that jobs loss of 882,000 has pushed unemployment rate to 6.81 percent despite the 7.1 percent GDP growth in the third quarter of this year.

Labor force participation rate this year went down at 63.9 percent or 40,419 versus 66.3 percent or 41,937 last year, meaning less people looked for jobs despite higher consumer and business confidence, the study said.

“Possibly, the BLES study is the first real bad news of the Aquino administration since coming to office it represents a significant deviation from its avowed goal of inclusive growth,” Salceda said.

“Let’s not cry over spilled milk. Rather, help P-Noy (President Aquino) achieve our national aspiration,” he said.

Team Albay takes over operation of lone hospital in DavOr

(PNA), PDS/MDR/CBD/

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 19 (PNA)-- Veteran emergency response group Team Albay recently took over operation of the only existing local hospital as base of medical relief operation for a well-coordinated medical relief for victims of super typhoon "Pablo".

Albay governor Joey Salceda said the Cateel Emergency Hospital services five other towns, two of them hard hit Bangaga and Boston. It was listed as "damaged" by the Department of Health following the devastation, but still basically serviceable.

The 72-man team was among the first groups to rush to this Mindanao province three days after the devastation, sent by governor Salceda, who also sent P500,000 relief assistance. A similar amount was also given by Albay to Compostela Valley.

Team Albay, headed by Dr. Cedric Daep, head of the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), first pitched camp in the flattened town of Boston, where the Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) unit had immediately provided 17,500 liters of potable drinking water to victims during the first two days.

Team Albay’s medical group, headed by Dr. Eric Raborar, on the other hand pushed farther and took base at the neighboring town of Cateel, with mobile medical units began treating villagers in isolated areas in the absence of established evacuation centers.

From there, the team was allowed to take over the Cateel Emergency Hospital, to maximize health services, and as a staging point of other medical missions in nearby areas. Team Albay membership, all experienced in disaster risk reduction management and well-trained in emergency response, are broken up in the engagement area according to their expertise.

Salceda said Team Albay will continue to serve in these areas, where victims needed their help. He had earlier called for the setting up of a national coordinating group for relief and early recovery and rehabilitation of these areas to ensure effective mobilization, fair allocation and efficient utilization of resources and coordinate private sector engagement.

Davao Oriental is Team Albay’s 80th mission since its organization in 2009, its fourth so far this year. It has received 11 Bayaning Likas awards this year for its emergency response feats.

Salceda said team is also set to conduct psycho-social care for children in Davao Oriental; trauma is one major impact the effects of which will continue to be felt by survivors long after the areas were already rebuilt.

Team Albay operates with the Office of Civil Defense V, and includes representatives from the Apsemo, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the PHO, the Albay Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), and the Philippine Army based in Albay.

Albay brings water aid

(By Rey E. Requejo

Disaster response group Team Albay is now provides clean and safe drinking water to people ravaged by supertyphoon Pablo in Davao Oriental, and complements a similar operation by the Metro Manila Development Authority in Compstela Valley.

Led by Dr. Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office, the 72-member Team Albay pitched camp last week in flattened Boston town, Davao Oriental where homeless residents were mostly unreached by other relief agencies.

The team has also stationed a component group in nearby Cateel town from where it fields mobile units, composed of medical personnel from the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital, to attend to the health and sanitation needs of yhe homeless victims in the area where there are no evacuation centers.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda dispatched Team Albay, a veteran of many post-disaster mercy missions in the country, to Mindanao in the aftermath of Typhoon Pablo. Albay also provided P500,000 cash assistance each to Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

Albay cops intensify anti-criminality campaign for the holidays

(PNA), LAP/MSA/CBD/

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 17 (PNA) -- The Albay Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed hundreds of policemen in the urbanized towns and cities of the province in connection with the observance of the Christmas season, a ranking police official said Monday.

The deployment of additional policemen would beef up the present police force assigned in the 15 towns and three cities of the province, Police Supt. Paulino Belga, PNP provincial deputy director for administration, said.

Belga said they are gearing up their campaign against criminal elements who might victimize residents celebrating the Christmas season.

He said they are fielding additional uniformed and plain clothes policemen in places such as malls, hotels, churches, airports, seaports, terminals and tourist destinations.

Police visibility in these places of convergence would directly discourage lawless elements from committing crimes against persons and properties.

Belga took note of the crime statistics in Albay, saying mostly committed during this period are theft, robbery and physical injuries.

Wives, girlfriends of PNPA alumni launch Christmas season project for victims of typhoon 'Pablo'

(PNA), RMA/CBD/

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 15 (PNA) --- A social network group of wives and girlfriends of Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Lakan "Kaisang-Bisig" Class 2009 has launched here a Christmas season project that aims at helping school children and victims of typhoon "Pablo" in Mindanao.

Collection of slippers from donors that would be distributed to school children in the calamity-torn areas highlights the project, Lakan wives of PNPA "Kaisang-Bisig" Class 2009 and Kadet Girlfriends (KG) president Flora Mae Yparraguirre said over the weekend.

“A pair of slipper would cost only about P15 and I hope everyone will do their part in helping others, particularly those in calamity-stricken areas through this noble endeavor,” she said.

So far, Yparraguirre said the project already had a total collection of 2,800 pairs of slippers for children’s from Grade 1 to Grade 3 in the different areas.

These items will be distributed in Compostela Valley, Davao City and Kidapawan (North Cotabato), she said.

The Pamaskong Handog project had also received P40,300 cash donations, which will be used to purchase relief goods for the victims.

“It is during these trying times that we cannot just close our eyes and be insensitive to what is happening around us. It is our social responsibility to share what we have, no matter how huge or small, regardless of our social status, educational attainment, color and race,” Yparraguirre said.

Giving is never difficult because it is innate to humans. It is high time now for us to be "humans" in its truest form, let us all give and share, she added.

Police attends seminar on violence against women

By Glaiza Marie Padua (PNA), GHG/GMP/CBD

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 14 (PNA) --- A one-day seminar on the Men-Opposed to Violence against Women Everywhere (MOVE)was held here recently.

The Police Regional Office 5 through the Regional Police Community Relations Division-Family Juvenile Gender and Development (RPCRD-FJGAD) and Regional Headquarters Support Group (RHSG) jointly spearheaded event which was held in line with the celebration of the 18th Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.

"We must get involved in the different activities concerning women empowerment, development and protection,Acting Chief, Regional Directorial Staff P/Supt. Romulo Esteban, said in his inspirational message.

"We can educate and train other men on this endeavor and through this, we can be effective advocates” he added.

“Let us also enable our Kasurog policemen to be gender sensitive and instill in them a wider and unprejudiced concept of gender roles," he stressed.

Sixty (60) male PNP personnel from the Regional Headquarters of the5th Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), six (6) Provincial Police Offices and Naga City Police Office attended the seminar.

The seminar aimed to educate PRO5 male uniformed PNP personnel on pertinent laws for the protection of women and children and to encourage them to be actively involved in the elimination of all forms of violence against women and children in the region.

Invited resource speakers were Atty. Joyce O. Guerrero, Assistant Regional Prosecutor, DOJ V, who discussed the International Treaties and Laws on Women and Children; Atty. Wilson Asueta, PNP National MOVE President, discussed Orientation on MOVE and Role of Policemen in Eradicating Violence against Women (VOW) and PCI Delia Jacob, Chief, WCPD, Albay PPO, who discussed Gender and Development (GAD) Concepts and Definition, Gender Dimensions and Gender Sensitivity.

Atty. Asueta administered the Declaration of Commitment to End Violence Against Women (VAW) to the participants manifesting their commitment: “Never to commit violence against women; Never to condone violence against women; and Never to remain silent about VAW”.

Albay declared Filariasis-free province

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL-PIA5/ALbay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Dec. 13 (PIA) -- Albay is now Filariasis free following declaration and certification of the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said the health agencies’ assertion of a Filarisis-free Albay province is another milestone achievement for the provincial government and the people as gregarious efforts to combat this disease in the province for years have finally been rewarded.

Salceda added that such another successful feat in the field of public health plays a big part in pursuit of really making Albay one the most liveable provinces in the country.

DOH assistant secretary Dr. Gerry Bayugo and WHO representative Dennis Romerick Tuazon led the conferment of the certificate for Filaria-free Albay yesterday to the provincial government, led by Salceda and provincial health officials.

Salceda also expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the DOH and WHO have been of help and lauded the local health authorities for carrying out an effective campaign against Filariasis, a mosquito born disease.

Filariasis, which is commonly known as “elephantiasis” because the victim’s legs and arms would swell to a size like those of an elephant’s, is a disease caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes.

Symptoms of this illness are pain and swelling of the breast, vagina, scrotum, legs, and arms; fever, cough, chills, and wheezing.

Filariasis, also locally known as “buyong” (scrotal enlargement) and “tibak” (elephantiasis), involves parasites living along the lymphatic channels of affected humans.

Transmitted by mosquito bites, the illness causes enlargement of the scrotum, breasts, arms and legs of its victims leading to a lifetime of disability or death from severe skin infection. Filariasis is a disease group affecting humans and animals caused by nematode parasites of the order Filariidae, commonly called filariae.

Dr. Chito Mendoza, provincial health officer, said the office has sustained health awareness campaigns, surveillance, strengthened coordination and cooperation with rural health units and barangay health workers to make the province also free from leprosy, DPT, missiles, malaria, and recently filaria.

Mendoza also bared that the provincial epidemiologist recorded cases of filariasis in 2002 with 28 people afflicted with the disease in the towns of Manito, Daraga, Tiwi, Sto Domingo, Pioduran and Polangui.

He noted that public campaign and intervention to control the spread of these diseases, resulted to the decrease of the number of six in 2009 and no new cases reported this year.

Mendoza averred Albay province has attained a certain level based on the parameter of DOH wherein these diseases are considered no longer a public threat making it a basis for declaring the province Filaria free.

He furthered that aside from the Zero Casualty goal in times of disasters and emergencies, the province has aimed for a Zero Incidence in terms of health or Disease Free Zone.

Tuazon meanwhile said that among the six Bicol provinces, Albay and Sorsogon have already been declared as Filariasis-free provinces.

Tuazon citing WHO statistics said 44 provinces across the country have widespread cases of filariasis of which only 12 are filarial free this include Albay and Sorsogon.

DOH, on the other hand, has expressed confidence that the country will be declared Filariasis-free by 2018 as the agency is set to declare more provinces as Filariasis-free within the year, the likes of Eastern Samar and Marinduque.

Albay Guv proposes coordinating group for early rehab, recovery of typhoon Pablo-afflicted areas

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL/FMGM -PIA5/Albay)

Albay Governor Joey Salceda has proposed the creation of a National Coordinating Group for relief, early recovery and rehabilitation for areas heavily afflicted by typhoon Pablo in Mindanao.

Salceda said that there is an exigent need for such coordinating body to carry out more effective resource mobilization, fair allocation and efficient yet expeditious utilization.

The coordinating group, according to Salceda, will also help to coordinate the response of the international community to the United Nation’s flash appeal and as a mechanism for private sector engagement.

The governor observed that the NDRRMC's call for private assistance for helicopters is indicative of the special complexion of needs spawned by Typhoon Pablo.

“Assistance needs to be managed more centrally- decentralized initiatives are well-meaning but are limited by their logistical capacity thus ending up only in a few places like New Bataan, ComVal. Flow of relief to even places like Cateel, Baganga and Boston, DavOr are still hampered by physical constraints,” he said.

A coordinating group for the relief, recovery and rehabilitation of Pablo-afflicted areas needs to be established in the wake of already more than 1 million families affected over several regions and areas.

Salceda explained that the coordinating group will be established essentially to manage the fair allocation, effective distribution and monitor the flow of resources over a vast expanse and varying degree of intensity.

“This will also help mobilize resources including non-traditional means (trade assistance) coupled with the need to focus on the UN flash appeal, and possibly a special pledging session in the forthcoming Philippine Development Forum,” he also explained.

He said that it will also serve as a mechanism to optimize private sector engagement.

With such coordinating group, the government will be able to sustain the national effort towards the restoration to normalcy and the full reconstruction of the damaged population.

Meanwhile, Team Albay and OCD 5 disaster risk reduction and response authorities and personnel are now on their third day on the ground for the humanitarian mission in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental providing assistance to local government units to cater to the needs of locales from areas hardest hit by the typhoon.

The joint teams have since been providing medical, water and sanitary, psycho-social and relief mission dubbed "Tabang MindaNow".

On its nth deployment, Team Albay-OCD 5 now serves Davao Oriental, particularly the difficult areas of Cateel, Boston and Baganga focusing on post-disaster health interventions and services through the Albay Health Emergency and Management (AHEM) and providing water supply through deployment of filtration machine with a maximum capacity of 32,000 liters per hour and ensuring sanitation among communities.

Salceda also related that Team Albay-OCD 5 now sees that delicate sectors -- small children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, elderly and persons with disabilities are left to the care of similarly situated families as some communities have been totally devastated.

“With the national government taking up the role of a surrogate nourishing mother in these times of difficulty, we also feel the President is becoming truly the father of his people,” Salceda stated.

Albay aids flood areas

(Manila Standard Today)

LEGAZPI CITY—The Albay provincial government has appropriated financial aid of P500,000 each for Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, hard hit by Typhoon Pablo last week, aside from deploying its emergency response group popularly known as Team Albay to help disaster victims.

The mission is called Team Albay -OCD: Tabang ComVal-DavOr. ‘Tabang‘ is a Bikol word for assistance. Its members are all well trained in disaster response operations.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda approved the disbursement the P1 million financial assistance proposed by Vice Gov. Harold Imperial, in response to calls for help, primarily from President Noynoy Aquino. Recent reports put the number of victims in these areas at close to 50,000 families.

Salceda said the assistance will be delivered immediately to the two provinces by a delegation composed of members of the Albay Provincial Board and the Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office, who will also help assess the victims’ needs.

The assistance, Salceda said, will complement the emergency response operations in the towns of New Bataan in the Compostela Valley, and Cateel, Boston and Baganga in Davao Oriental.

The governor pointed out that cash is still the best form of relief because the victims know their needs better; it does not displace local demand and supply dynamics, and incurs less transport and inventory holding costs.


Legazpi City Pilots the Urban Kalahi-CIDSS in Luzon

By jmarbella

The city government of Legazpi, as the pilot area in Luzon, will formally accept their local engagement in the implementation of Urban Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in December 5, 2012.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be signed between Mayor Geraldine Rosal and DSWD Director Remia T. Tapispisan at Legazpi City Hall. Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda is expected to join the said activity with other key local government unit (LGU) officials.

The Urban CDD Program was previously implemented in the National Capital Region (NCR) specifically in Malate, Manila and in the province of Cavite. The target roll-out for Legazpi City will be on January next year.

Selection Process

Based on the data from National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) in 2009, Legazpi City with 30.7 poverty incidence (PI) has the highest among the component cities in Luzon qualifying for the Urban Kalahi-CIDSS implementation.

After the consultation dialogue between DSWD and key government officials and stakeholders during the preliminary validation, the urban barangays of Rawis and Bitano were identified to implement the said project considering the factors of income vulnerability, disaster risks vulnerability and land tenure issues. According to the 2010 data from the National Household Targeting System (NHTS), both Rawis and Bitano have been listed with high magnitude of poor households in Legazpi City.

Grant Funds and Community Subprojects

The barangays of Rawis and Bitano will receive one million each from the World Bank with a complementing counterpart of 30 percent of the indicative total project cost provided by the city government of Legazpi.

The project management team of DSWD expects that community enterprise and livelihoods are considered to be the major sub-project category in Urban Kalahi-CIDSS.

What is CDD?

CDD is the mechanism used Kalahi-CIDSS which has been proven effective in reducing poverty in the country and in Bicol region. Through CDD, the people in the community play a direct role in a research to identify existing needs, project design and development to address these needs, project implementation, setting-up community associations, and management and operation and maintenance of completed sub-projects.

Kalahi-CIDSS is the flagship poverty-alleviation program of the Philippine government aimed at empowering the communities by honing their skills to participate in their local development process. It is one of the core social protection programs of DSWD along with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipno Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program targeting the poorest households.

Storm surge spawned by typhoon ‘Pablo’ hits Catanduanes

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay, Philippines -A storm surge as high as six meters hit the shorelines of Catanduanes on Tuesday, preventing passenger vessels from docking in the Virac port, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bicol said.

MV Eugenia, a passenger vessel plying the Virac-Tabaco routes, was forced to return to Tabaco City in Albay due to the big waves battering Virac port in Catanduanes, said Bernardo Alejandro, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chairperson.

Alejandro said the Coast Guard in Virac port had to order the ship captain of MV Eugenia to return to the Tabaco port after big waves spawned by the gale force prevailed at the Virac port.

Quoting an initial report from the Catandaunes PDRRMC, Alejandro said the storm surge hit around 25 coastal villages in the towns of Virac, Bato, Baras and Gigmoto.

The report said strong waves forced seawater to encroach into major highways in these area.

The Coast Guard report said 682 passengers were stranded while 19 trucks, 15 buses, seven cars, and four sea vessels were also grounded in the ports of Matnog, Bulan and Pilar in Sorsogon; Pio Duran in Albay; and Cataingan in Masbate.

Legarda pulls out from DA P29-M Bicol projects

LEGAZPI CITY—Sen. Loren Legarda has pulled out from the Department of Agriculture (DA) her two farm-to-market road projects in Bicol, with an urgent order to have them transferred instead to the concerned local government units (LGUs) for implementation.

But local contractors who already complied with the procurement requirements cried foul, assailing the DA for suspending the scheduled bidding last Nov. 28. The contractors claimed they had already spent much time and money; and that the suspension order was without any legal basis.

Department of Agriculture Region V chief legal officer lawyer Florante B. Nakor confirmed the sudden transfer of the two projects to LGUs in Bacacay, Albay costing P14 million, and in Baras, Catanduanes for the P15 million. The contracts had a work duration of 120 days.

Nakor said his office was merely following the letter of Legarda to transfer the funds. Contractors quoted Nakor as saying “we do not want to offend or antagonize the senator, citing the contents of the letter.”

 Nakor who is at the same time the OIC-Chief of the administrative division and vice chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee issued Bid Bulletin no. 1 dated Nov. 26 stating his committee was under urgent instruction from his DA regional executive director directing the suspension of procurement proceedings for the two farm-to- market roads upon the urgent manifestation from the office of Senator Legarda in a letter dated Nov. 20.

 It was not clear why Legarda decided to hastily withdraw her pork barrel funds from DA and entrust it to the LGUs for implementation.

 Angry contractors claimed they were informed of the suspension order only on Nov. 28, the day the dropping of bid documents and bidding was supposed to take place for the P14 million Bacacay road opening project.

 According to documents obtained, the road opening project in Bacacay town had Nov 28 as the schedule for the submission of bids and Dec. 3 as the deadline of submission of bids for the Baras (Catanduanes) road-opening contract.

 Speaking on condition his name be withheld, a source said they were all 16 contractors who were qualified and surprised of the last minute suspension orderby Legarda. He said even DA officials claimed they were surprised and apologetic to the angry contractors who were expecting for the bidding to take place.

The source said he had accumulated no less than P60,000 in complying with the procurement requirements to participate in the bidding.

 The documents showed publication for the bidding of said projects was made on Nov. 11 with the Pre-Bid conference with contractors already held on Nov 16.  The submission of bids and actual bidding was dated on Nov. 28.

 Sources said that following receipt of the suspension notice from the DA, they had already received calls from contractors claiming to have the blessing to implement the projects. Among them came from DSB Construction said to be the Infrastructure coordinator of Rep. Edcel Lagman (Albay, First District). DSB owner Rose Bombales, however, denied having a say in the project saying it’s the Alro Construction of Legazpi City that allegedly had the blessing.

The source claimed that many contractors had taken the interest to join in the bidding for the two  projects saying they were juicy contracts, and highly bloated in project cost that can be completed in 14 days at the actual cost of only P2 million.

Albay puts Xmas festival on hold, readies preemptive evacuation for coming typhoon

As a powerful typhoon moved closer to the Philippines, authorities in Albay are putting on hold the province's annual "Karangahan" month-long green Christmas festival and preparing a preemptive evacuation of residents instead.

Governor Jose Salceda directed the month-long Karangahan Festival placed “on hold” starting December 4, according to a report on state-run Philippines News Agency Saturday.

The PNA report said a full-blown preemptive evacuation is to start on Dec. 4

State weather forecasters had said the cyclone, internationally codenamed Bopha, is likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility Monday. Once it does, it will be locally codenamed "Pablo."

Only last Nov. 26, Albay residents lighted a 50-foot Christmas tree with abaca fiber and 5,000 pili samplings at Peñaranda Park in front of the capitol building, to mark an environment-friendly Christmas.

It was in line with the theme “no fireworks, no plastic and smoke free” program, according to a separate PNA report.

Also, it said that during a meeting to prepare for the typhoon, PAGASA regional weatherman Liberato Dalida Jr. had said there is a possibility the typhoon's power could match that of Reming and Ondoy, both destructive cyclones.

Dalida was quoted in the PNA report as saying there is a chance Pablo will be nearest Albay at 200 km by December 4.

With the scenario, Office of Civil Defense Bicol head Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV placed the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on red alert.

He also ordered local municipal and city disaster risk reduction management councils to be on heightened alert and to activate their respective disaster operation centers.

Typhoon intensifies

The Japan Meteorological Agency's 2:45 p.m. update indicated the typhoon had intensified to "very strong," with winds of up to 90 knots (166.68 kph) and gustiness of up to 130 knots (240.76 kph).

On the other hand, PAGASA's 5 p.m. bulletin said Bopha was estimated at 1,600 km east of Southern Mindanao as of 2 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph and gustiness of upt to 200 kph.

It said Bopha is forecast to move west-northwest at 20 kph.

"Mindanao will have partly cloudy skies with isolated brief rain showers or thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience fair weather," it said.

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough, it added.

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