Albay News October 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.

Contact Center ng Bayan leads toward better governance

LEGAZPI CITY- A direct access channel for airing complaints, concerns, feedback and recommendations to government agencies is now possible with the launch of the Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB) of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

For the program’s initial implementation, Contact Center ng Bayan places allows one loop access to six participating agencies – Bureau of Internal Revenue, CSC, Department of Health, Department of Trade and Industry, National Computer Center, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

The program will also provide information on the services and basic policies of the said agencies.

The creation of the contact center is anchored on the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, a law which aims to improve public service delivery.

The public can access the center by dialing 1-6565 using PLDT and Digitel landlines nationwide. Five pesos plus VAT will be charged per call. CCB agents will attend to client concerns Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CCB is not only a tool to address the citizens’ concerns but also a mechanism where the public can contribute in achieving quality public service.

The CCB will not only provide general information on the policies and procedures of participating agencies. It will also act as a two-way platform that will allow the public to express their feedback and complaints on the quality of front line public service delivery.

Other contact channels such as email and SMS Text will be developed and implemented within the next three months.

Also in the offing are the other components of the CCB that include website, interactive voice response system, contact center agents, customer relationship management system, review and utilization of the analytic, and special action team.

123 rescued from disabled boat off Burias

The Philippine Navy rescued 123 people from a motorboat that stalled amid foul weather off Burias Island in Masbate early Saturday.

Ensign Chibar Bullos, spokesperson of the Naval Forces Southern Luzon based in this city, said the patrol gunboat PG 374 was dispatched to a search-and-rescue mission after the naval station received a report at 2:30 a.m. that the motor boat M/B Brian was in distress in the vicinity of Cueva Point, Burias Island.

The boat, which had a crew of five, had come from Claveria, a town on the southern part of Burias, and was transporting 18 teachers and some 100 students to a district sporting event in San Pascual, on the northern part of the island, Bullos said.

Albay disaster execs order fishers not to sail due to ‘Ofel’

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Bracing for moderate to heavy rains forecast to hit Bicol, disaster authorities in Albay issued on Wednesday a “no-sailing” order to fishermen, a preparedness measure, as “Ofel” intensified into a topical storm and hovered over the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairman, said the no-sail policy would initially apply to fishermen but once a public storm signal is raised in Bicol, the policy would apply to all sea craft in various ports in the province.

In an emergency meeting, the PDRRMC directed the Philippine Coast Guard to strictly enforce the policy for fishermen in coastal villages across the province.

Salceda advised residents not to cross flood waters or swollen rivers. He also directed various local disaster councils to activate their respective operation centers for close monitoring of weather bulletins and PDRRMC advisories.

Albay fishers get support

POOR and marginalized Albay fisherman can now look forward to a more sustainable livelihood after their provincial government provided them vital fishing gear.

The Albay office in Makati City said their provincial government recently distributed fishing equipment to over 200 sustenance fishermen under its CRABS++ program as part of its continuing fight against poverty particularly in coastal villages.

CRABS stands for the four main islands of Albay along its Pacific coast—Cagraray, Rapurapu, Batan and San Miguel—where a special poverty alleviation program was pioneered by Albay Gov. Joey Salceda. It is also the acronym for Coastal Resource Agri-Bio System Development Program Strategy or CRABS++, the special program’s official name.

From Legazpi City, Salceda said the distribution of fishing gear is also aimed at fully stamping out sporadic illegal fishing in the waters of Albay, protecting the environment and providing sustainable income source for marginal fishermen in these areas.

The CRABS++ or CRABS plus-plus program is referred to as such because its original area coverage —the four islands—was expanded to include Albay’s western coastal areas. A contracted survey of resources in these areas by the Pacific Blue, a group of foreign and local divers. will be completed shortly.

Salceda said CRABS++ is designed to help develop Albay’s coastal barangays through new and improved ways to optimize if not maximize the beneficial utilization of, and development of the area’s resources and potentials.

The 200 sets of fishing gear came from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the form of a grant, approved by BFAR Regional Director Dennis V. Del Socorro.

Albay officials bullish on Poet Laureate’s role in tourism enhancement

LEGAZPI CITY – Albay officials here have expressed bullish optimism the Poet Laureate office they established recently will do wonders to the tourism development program of their province.

The honorific Poet Laureate position was created through an ordinance passed by the Albay Sangguniang Panlalawigan recently. It has been tasked to oversee, promote and enhance the implementation of the cultural and literary programs of the province and made a part of its Provincial Education Department (PED).

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has implemented various innovative governance and tourism-oriented programs here, along with festivals and literary events including poetry promotion which is seen by many to have added depth and substance to the Albayano culture.

Albay has already made impressive strides and gains in tourism development. Records show its tourist arrivals in 2011 had hit 178,000, an increase that was significantly higher than the national growth rate for the year.

Board Member Embestro who authored the ordinance creating the office said literature and poetry play a significant role in the rich cultural heritage of Albayanos as manifested by their many festivals held year round. Among such festivals are the Magayon, Daragang Magayon, Ibalong, Cagsawa, Pulang Angui, Arandurugan, Quipia, Lubid, and Coron.

Embestro said the program of the Poet Laureate office will lend a more romantic essence to their province’s tourism program since “literature shapes diverse lives and poetry stimulates people to better appreciate and comprehend culture and history.”

In promptly approving the position, Salceda pointed out that in the olden days, a Poet Laureate is a regular post in the King’s Court.

Albay recently hosted the two-day First Asean Tourism Workshop on Climate Change which was attended by tourism ministers and policy makers from the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Farmers’ co-ops disown seized rice

Firm surfaces at hearing to claim ownership of shipment from Vietnam

LEGAZPI CITY—The mystery deepens over the P141 million worth of rice believed to be smuggled from Vietnam and which found its way to this city’s port.

At a hearing yesterday here, three farmers’ groups that were listed as consignees of the rice shipment denied that they sought permits to import the rice.

Representatives of the farmers groups—Ugnayan Magbubukid ng San Isidro, Pampanga (Ugnayan); Karapatan Takusa Multi-Purpose Cooperative Malipampang Concerned Citizen Inc. (Karapatan) and Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalogan (SMKK)—told the Bureau of Customs that they did not import the rice.

In the same hearing, a private firm surfaced to claim ownership of the shipment. Representatives of the firm Green Valley United Corp. told Customs officials at the hearing that the firm is the shipment’s owner although it is not listed as a consignee.

The shipment, consisting of 94,000 bags of Vietnam rice, arrived at the city port last Sept. 2. It was consigned to the National Food Authority on behalf of several farmers’ cooperatives that included the three groups that denied having any role in the importation.

A list of the consignees purportedly showed that 21,000 bags were for Ugnayan, 21,000 bags were for Karapatan and 18,000 bags were for SMKK. The three farmers’ cooperatives, however, denied that they were consignees of the rice shipment.

Only two of the farmers’ groups that are listed as consignees acknowledged the importation. They are the Sili Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Samahan ng mga Kapampangan sa San Ildefonso. Representatives of the two groups claimed they have importation documents.

Also at the Customs hearing here, the lawyer of Ming Truong Shipping Lines, the agent that brought in the rice, filed a motion asking Customs officials to release the vessel used for the shipment, MV Minh Tuan 68, and discharge the rice cargo.

The Customs bureau had issued a warrant of seizure and detention that prevented the vessel from leaving the city port and prevented the release of the rice cargo.

The shipping company claimed that it has been incurring huge losses since the vessel was prevented from leaving the city port and kept docked there for more than a month now.

Christopher Inducil, lawyer and Customs hearing officer, said the Customs bureau would soon decide when to release the vessel. Inducil said the vessel was found to have complied with environmental laws after an inspection by the Philippine Coast Guard.

Inducil said the bureau would also decide on a request by those behind the rice shipment to transfer the venue of the hearing to the Customs office in Manila. A decision may be out on this matter by Nov. 8, according to Inducil.

Controversy over Vietnam rice heats up

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—The controversy over the allegedly smuggled 94,000 bags of Vietnam rice worth P141 million continued to brew after three of the consignees of the National Food Authority denied they ordered the importation while another organization not on the list claimed ownership of part of the shipment.

At the Bureau of Customs hearing held here on Wednesday, representatives of supposed consignees Ugnayan Magbubukid ng San Isidro, Pampanga, Karapatan Takusa Multi Purpose Cooperative Malipampang Concerned Citizen Inc., and Samahan ng Magsasakang Kapampangan at Katagalogan denied they participated in the importation of the 94,000 bags rice.

Representatives of these multipurpose cooperatives told the hearing officers they had no knowledge of the rice importation.

Only the Sili Multi Purpose Cooperative, and the Samahan ng mga Kapampangan sa San Ildefonso–who were on the list of consignees–claimed ownership of the imported rice, saying they have the import documents.

In an unusual turn of events, the representatives of Green Valley United Corp. appeared at the hearing and claimed ownership of the shipment although their entity was not included in the NFA list of consignees.

The 94,000 bags of Vietnam rice arrived at the Legazpi port on September 2.

The cargo was consigned to the NFA for the account of the Ugnayan Magbubukid ng San Isidro, Inc., Magumbali, Candaba, Pampanga (21,000 bags of Vietnam rice); Karapatan Takusa Multi Purpose Coop of Mapanicqui Candaba, Palawan (21,000 bags); Malipampang Concern Citizen Multi Purpose Coop, Malipampang, San Ildefonso Bulacan (18,000 bags); Samahan ng Magsasakang Capangpangan at Katagalogan Multi Purpose Coop, Garlang San Ildefonso, Bulacan (18,000 bags); and Sili Multi Purpose Coop, Sili Naguilian La Union (16,000 bags).

At the hearing, the legal counsel of Ming Truong Shipping lines, the agent of Vietnamese vessel M/V Minh Tuan 68 that brought the cargo to this city, filed a motion requesting the BOC to release the vessel and discharge the cargo subject of the BOC Warrant of Seizure and Detention (WSD).

The shipping company claimed it has incurred huge revenue losses because the vessel has been detained at the port of Legazpi for more than a month.

Lawyer Christopher Inducil, BOC hearing officer, said they would soon decide on when to release the vessel after noting that shipping company has addressed all the environmental violations earlier found by inspectors from the Philippine Coast Guard.

Inducil said there was also a request from the consignees to change the hearing venue to the BOC office in Manila. The matter would be decided on the hearing to be held here on November 8, he said.

DTI urges consumers to be vigilant

LEGAZPI CITY- In time for the observance of the Consumers Welfare Month this October, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has reminded anew consumers to be vigilant especially in buying goods and services.

“We advise consumer to always be vigilant and critically aware of their rights in buying goods and services. Their purchase should be commensurate with the money parted,” said DTI Consumer Welfare Division (CWD) Chief Helen Manila in the Ugnayan sa Bicol radio program of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here.

Manila said DTI will be conducting various activities in the region as the leading agency for this year’s celebration.

In line with the theme “Get organized, be heard, be empowered” said activities will focus on consumer rights education as stated in the Republic Act 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines.

“Under this act, consumers have eight basic rights. These include the right to basic needs, safety, information, representation, choice, redress, consumer education and healthy environment,” Manila explained.

Manila said the need for consumers to be aware of misleading labels and advertisements by reading the specified information especially the precautions and warning in using it.

“They can even file a complaint if the information does not correspond with the actual product. We have our consumer complaint desks not only in our office but also in different business establishments to address the concerns of our consumers,” said the DTI CWD chief.

Also clarified is the “no return, no exchange” policy which has been prohibited by the DTI.

Manila said the agency should be notified about stores that have a “no return, no exchange” policy. She said, however, that such policy is not absolute. Consumers are allowed to return or exchange products only due to defects and not simply because they changed their mind about wanting the product.

Man, wife and sis-in-law nabbed for drugs

A man, his wife and sister-in-law were arrested in an anti-narcotics operation in Tabaco City, Albay on Wednesday morning.

Christian Frivaldo, deputy regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Bicol, identified the suspects as Adonis Villanueva, his wife Airene Kallos and sister-in-law Lani.

Frivaldo said that that suspects were arrested after joint teams from the PDEA and Albay provincial police office searched their house in Barangay Sto. Cristo, which resulted in the confiscation of 12 sachets of suspected shabu and several drug paraphernalia.

Charges for violations of Section 11, Article II of Republic Act 9165 have been filed against the three suspects at the City Prosecutors Office.

Tabaco City wants to be named country’s ‘padyak’ capital

TABACO CITY, Albay— Known for its cutlery making, this city of 45 barangays continues the building of manually operated tricycles called “padyak.”

This “city of love” wants to be unofficially declared as the “padyak” capital of the country and recognized as such in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Estimated to number around 10,000 units when Tabaco became a city nine years ago, City Hall statistics, however, show that only about 600 operate with duly registered and duly issued plate numbers.

About three decades ago, a “padyak” owner said tricycles were free to operate without any registration but then mayor Jaime Berces tried to limit their numger because of the rampant complaints of overcharging.

Berces thus imposed the mandatory registration, and the issuance of plate and body numbers to help them trace erring drivers. He also wanted to limit the number of units to decongest Tabaco roads.

To make his campaign effective, Berces even imposed registration charges in addition to the 25- centavo daily ticket collected on “padyak” by city collectors. Berces’ formula, however, went ineffective as “padyak” units continued to proliferate. He then increased the registration fee to P300. At that time, about 2,000 units were already operating.

Today, Tabaco City has to contend with accommodating “padyak” units. To decongest traffic, the city barred the units from using the city national poblacion road from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

Today, about 10,000 residents make the “padyak” their main source of livelihood. Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro wants Tabaco recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “padyak” capital of the Philippines. Luistro even included with pride “padyak” parade with operators in uniform during a colorful annual celebration of the city’s Tabak festival.

But traffic policemen admit that tricycles have become a bane in the city, saying operators do not earn enough for a decent livelihood. They said a “padyak” operator seldom earns P100 a day, blaming the low income to the excessive numbers of units operating daily and night.

City Councilor Fred Adalla, chair committee on public utilities and transportation admitted the problem facing the city about the proliferation of tricycles saying passengers are complaining they are victims of high charges ranging from P30 to P50. But he said the city is not stopping in looking for solutions to minimize the problem.

Bicol Express Online Ticket Mulled

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) is mulling the implementation of online ticketing for the interprovincial trips of the Bicol Express as soon as it will start operations up to Legazpi City in Albay.

PNR General Manager Junio Ragrario said it is inconveniencing Bicol Express passengers is they have to go to the train station twice: first, to buy their tickets ahead of scheduled trips and second, to board their assigned trains on the date of travel.

“We are mulling the possibility of ticketing for Bicol Express through the Internet so that passengers will only have to go to the train station once, which is during their scheduled trips,” Ragrario added.

The rail official said the online ticketing that they are studying to use for the Bicol Express would be similar to the online ticketing for airline passengers.

But since online ticketing would require payment using credit cards, it may not be convenient for all types of passengers, Ragrario said, adding that cash payment for advance ticketing at train stations may still be available for the benefit of those who do not have credit cards.

However, the PNR’s commuter line running from Tutuban in Manila to Alabang in Muntinlupa City will still implement manual ticketing until the government bids out an automatic fare collection system for the PNR, and the Light and Metro Rail Transit systems.

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of rail tracks and train stations in Albay is ongoing to allow the Bicol Express to run up to Legazpi City before the annual exodus of people to the provinces for their Christmas and New Year’s vacation.

“We target to finish by December so that the Bicol Express could transport passengers up to Legazpi City in time for Christmas,” he said.

Ragrario said the trip from Manila to Legazpi City aboard Bicol Express will be 13 to 14 hours long but they will make its fare “very competitive” with the rates of ordinary buses to lure passengers to opt for the comfort of rail travel.

Wooden larch ties are being installed in the Travesia bridge between Polangui and Guinobatan. There are at least 15 to 20 kilometers of rail tracks between Guinobatan and Legazpi City that need inspection and rehabilitation before the PNR’s Bicol Express can service the route. The stations in Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and Legazpi City will also need renovation for the reopening.

There is a total distance of 30 kilometer between Ligao and Legazpi City stations and a total of 478 kilometers from Tutuban to Legazpi City.

Albay allots P36-M fund for higher education scholarship

LEGAZPI CITY- This province is taking into heart that education may free one from poverty hence, the province of Albay has allocated P36 million for its Albay Higher Education Contractual Scheme (AHECS) scholarship program benefiting around 34,000 scholars in the province.

Albay Governor Jose Salceda said 14,000 of these scholars are expected to graduate this year from their four-year course.

Salceda noted that the AHECS program has produced around 144,000 to 186,000 scholars from 53 colleges and universities in the province since its implementation in 2010.

Scholars under the said program are supported until they graduate through a deferred payment scheme. Part of their school fees are paid by the provincial government through the P5, 000 enrollment assistance given per semester of study.

Committee on Education chairman and Albay board member Arnold Embestro, however, said that they temporarily stopped accepting AHECS scholars this year due to the unexpected budget cut from the internal revenue allotment of the province.

Acceptance of new AHECS scholars is expected to resume next year.

Meanwhile, Salceda clarified that the provincial government has ongoing education assistance programs for deserving college students aside from the AHECS such as the Emergency Financial Assistance to Students in Tertiary Education.

The AHECS program is part of the Education Quality for Albayanos (Equal) project of Salceda which aims to produce a college graduate in every Albayano home.

78 monitored for dengue-like disease in Albay village — health official

  • Source: www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/276450/news/regions/78-monitored-for-dengue-like-disease-in-albay-village-mdash-health-official
  • By: KBK, GMA News
  • Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Some 78 residents in a village in Albay province are being monitored for a dengue-like disease, the provincial health officer there said Tuesday.

Provincial health office head Dr. Luis Mendoza said that while the 78 showed signs of chikungunya, a viral disease spread by mosquitoes that causes fever and severe joint pain, they did not need to be hospitalized.

"Nang nagpunta kami kahapon para i-validate namin, ang initial, umabot na lang sa 78. Ang iba hindi talaga chikungunya," Mendoza said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Walang naospital, outpatient lahat."

He said they have taken blood samples from the patients and are continuously monitoring the situation.

Mendoza stressed residents must keep their surroundings clean to prevent mosquitoes that carry the disease from breeding. "Kailangan maglinis pa rin," he said.

A separate report on state-run Philippine Information Agency cited initial reports that 83 residents in Barangay San Ramon in Rapu-Rapu in Albay were afflicted by chikungunya.

Albay Governor Jose Salceda ordered Mendoza to check on the reported sudden rise of chikungunya cases over the last three weeks there.

Symptoms, treatment

The World Health Organization’s March 2008 fact sheet said symptoms of chikungunya include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rashes.

“The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common. There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms,” the WHO said.

It added the proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human habitation is a significant risk factor for chikungunya.

The WHO said the disease occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent though it has recently spread to Europe and the Americas.

Signs and symptoms include an abrupt onset of fever frequently accompanied by joint pain.

“The joint pain is often very debilitating, but usually ends within a few days or weeks. Most patients recover fully, but in some cases joint pain may persist for several months, or even years. Occasional cases of eye, neurological and heart complications have been reported, as well as gastrointestinal complaints. Serious complications are not common, but in older people, the disease can contribute to the cause of death. Often symptoms in infected individuals are mild and the infection may go unrecognized, or be misdiagnosed in areas where dengue occurs,” it said.

After the bite of an infected mosquito, illness occurs usually between four and eight days but can range from two to 12 days.

“There are no specific drugs to cure the disease. Treatment is directed primarily at relieving the symptoms, including the joint pain. There is no commercial chikungunya vaccine,” the WHO said.

83 villagers fall ill with Chikungunya fever in Albay’s Rapu-rapu

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY, Philippines – Chikungunya fever, a mosquito-borne disease, struck a village on Batan Island of the town of Rapu-Rapu in Albay, afflicting some 83 villagers, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said Monday.

Salceda said he has directed Dr. Luis Mendoza, the provincial health officer, to check on the reported sudden rise of the chikungunya fever cases over the last three weeks in Barangay San Ramon, Batan.

Chikungunya fever is similar to dengue but is milder in form and without bleeding. Symptoms include on and off fever, rashes and muscle and body pains, according to the Department of Health.

The governor said municipal health employees reported that the cases of the mosquito-borne disease in the Barangay San Ramon stood at 70 in the middle of September and surged to 83 cases by the end of the month.

Batan is one of the three islands under the town of Rapu-Rapu.

The others are Guinanayan and Rapu-Rapu, where the town center is situated.

Batan is only accessible by boat and is about three hours by boat from this city.

Salceda said he also directed the provincial health office to closely coordinate with the municipal health office employees due to the absence of a full time municipal doctor in the area.

He said a PHO epidemiology surveillance team would start gathering laboratory examinations specimens from the patients that would be sent brought to the Department of Health (DOH) in Bicol, located in this city, for analysis.

Mendoza, who went to Batan with a team of medical personnel, brought along medicines to treat the patients that fell ill of chikungunya fever.

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