Legarda: Utilize Science for a Better PHL

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that the nation should utilize science, technology, and innovation in transforming the Philippines into a country not just of potential but of actual success.

Legarda made the statement in time for the 2013 National Science and Technology Week (July 23-27, 2013).

“The science community is a vital sector that must be tapped to provide the needed innovations to address the pressing needs of various sectors like agriculture, transportation, industry and services as well as improve climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts,” said Legarda.

The Senator noted that the Philippines’ growth should be translated to better services for Filipinos. She said that programs based on scientific research and innovation can change lives by averting disasters, safeguarding jobs, incomes, and livelihoods, enhancing food supply, promoting environmental sustainability, and combating poverty.

“Through science, our cities will be planned better; our farmers and fisherfolk will be more adequately supported; our people will live in a healthier and safer environment; and our economic growth will finally start to benefit all,” Legarda said.

Meanwhile, Legarda also cited the improvements in the country’s climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction programs as announced by President Benigno Aquino III in his State of the Nation Address yesterday.

“We are making headway in improving our disaster preparedness. The Project NOAH (Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) has been helpful particularly in providing the needed equipment to provide accurate information and timely warnings to our communities,” she said.

“We also note the ongoing work for the completion of multi-hazard mapping and geohazard mapping. According to the President, geohazard mapping will be completed by the end of 2015, while the multi-hazard mapping of the Greater Metro Manila Area is expected to be done by 2014, following the completion of similar mapping in 28 hazardous areas. In all these efforts, science and technology has been our great weapon,” she added.

“The Department of Science and Technology has been tireless in providing solutions that address the country’s challenges in environmental sustainability, jobs and livelihoods, rural development, and disaster resilience. We hope that the path the DOST is treading on will lead to a better and smarter Philippines,” Legarda concluded.

Drilon assures on-time passage of 2014 budget

MANILA-Senate President Franklin M. Drilon today/July 23 expressed optimism that the 2014 national budget will pave the way for an inclusive and all-encompassing growth which President Aquino promised in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Drilon, who was chair of the Committee on Finance that hears the country's expenditure program, likewise, gave assurance that, with him at the helm, the P2.268-trillion 2014 budget will be passed before the year ends.

The expenditure program for 2014 – submitted today to Congress – is 13.1 percent or P262.1 billion higher than this year’s National Budget.

"I am particularly pleased with the sustained priority being given to health and education systems. I laud the highest budget increase of 45.5-percent budget given to the Department of Health making its 2014 budget P87.1 billion to provide a wider health coverage," said Drilon.

He stressed that the excise tax collections from the Sin Tax Reform Law - touted by Drilon as an anti-cancer law- will augment the budget for health insurance of indigent families next year.

Based on the submitted budget, P35.3 billion is being proposed for the Premium Health Subsidy of 14.7 million indigent families.

Drilon also said he hopes the highest budget yearly being allocated for the Department of Education amounting P336.9 billion for next year will finally enable the agency to put closure to the problems on classroom and school facilities, textbooks, and teachers.

Drilon, as Finance chair in the previous Congress, successfully led the passage of the budget before each fiscal year ends. He said it is vital to the economic growth to have the budget by January 1, so that infrastructure projects can jump-start during the summer season to take advantage of the good weather.

"I am confident that our fellow senators, whether from majority or minority blocks, will scrutinize the proposed outlay objectively, bearing in mind the greatest needs of our people, especially the poorest of the poor," said Drilon.

He added: “Ang sabi ng Pangulo: ‘Ang stratehiya: Sagarin ang oportunidad para sa lahat, lalo na para sa mga mas nangangailangan. Hindi natin pakay maghintay ng trickle down; hindi puwedeng baka sakali o tsamba lang silang daratnan ng mga biyaya ng kaunlaran. Ito pong tinatawag nating inclusive growth—itong malawakang kaunlaran—ang mismong prinsipyong bukal ng bawat inisyatiba, bawat kilos, bawat desisyon ng inyong gobyerno.”

“As legislators, it is our duty to ensure that indeed no Filipino, regardless of economic status, will be left behind and that every Filipino will experience a remarkable improvement in his or her life,” said Drilon.

Recto on SONA : ‘ A rising tide must raise all ships’

A rising tide must raise all ships. I think that is the core of the President’s message this afternoon.  He wants any economic improvement to be enjoyed by all.  And he has prescribed the ways by which wealth created can be dispersed.

Tama ang pinahiwatig ng Pangulo na ang mahirap ang siyang unang dapat makatikim ng biyaya at hindi binabalatuhan na lamang ng tira-tira. He is right in saying that the poor must be the priority of progress and not its postscript. 

It is now up to Congress to respond to his challenge of creating the mechanism by which economic gains will be immediately felt by those who need it most and not something that trickle down to the poor who usually enjoy it last.

It is for this reason that we are looking forward to the examination of the national budget for 2014 because that is one best tool in making growth inclusive.

We are confident that his vision of inclusive growth is translated into budget initiatives, in terms, for example, of jobs to be created by government spending and economic opportunities to be opened up by new infrastructure.

Through the CCT, we have placed a large number of the poor under welfare. But the way for relief to be permanent is to put them to work.  The SONA has given us insights on how it can be done.

In his SONA this year, the President has authored the comprehensive manual on how to achieve inclusive growth.

It is a manual brimming with details, from income-increasing inter-cropping schemes to refrigerating lapu-lapu, from the number of houses to be built to where flood control projects will be constructed, from entitlements to be reformed to laws to be passed. 

Legarda Honors Indigenous Filipinos in SONA Outfit

MANILA-Hoping that issues concerning culture and indigenous Filipinos will be included in the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), Senator Loren Legarda made a statement on preserving and promoting the Filipino heritage and literally walked her talk.

The Senator, who has been passionately advocating for a more active promotion of the traditions and cultural practices of the country’s 110 ethno-linguistic groups, wore indigenous garments at the opening of the 16^th Congress and during the President’s SONA.

“My outfit represents ‘fashionalism’—fashion and nationalism. I wanted to wear something relevant and meaningful,” said Legarda.

During the opening of the Senate’s session for the 16^th Congress, Legarda wore a red, beaded Gaddang outfit composed of an aken (skirt), a barawasi (blouse), and a bakwat (belt), which are all woven out of cotton “kapat” thread and accessorized with the traditional Gaddang intricate beadwork. A Bontoc necklace completed the outfit.

The Gaddangs are from the Mountain Province and other parts of the Cordillera and Nueva Vizcaya.

They are known for their unique traditional costumes accentuated with beads and precious stones. The Gaddang women weave these garments and apply the intricate beadwork to every piece of clothing. A belt alone is made in more than a week’s time.

 

For the President’s SONA at the Batasan Pambansa, Legarda wore a Nabal abaca cloth turned into a skirt. This was presented to her during the third lecture of the Senator Loren Legarda Lecture Series on Philippine Traditional Textiles and Indigenous Knowledge at the National Museum by Master Weaver Tia Ines Pandian of the Bagobo Tagabawa community in Tudaya, Sta. Cruz located at the foothills of Mt. Apo. The cloth was woven by Tia Ines’ mother who passed on the Bagobo weaving tradition to her.

“My SONA outfit represents the artistry of our Mindanao indigenous peoples. I am wearing a skirt calledginayan that was woven using the Bagobo abaca ikat weaving technique,” said Legarda.

The skirt was formed using dyed abaca fibers—red dye is from the bark of apatot tree, black dye is from the leaves of mabolo, and turmeric for the yellow color.

The Bagobo skirt was accentuated by a TBoli brass belt casted by Sbanay Lugan of the TBoli community of Lamlahat, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. The double row of brass bells is intended to attract more spirits to guide the wearer.

“In wearing these garments, I wish to recognize and honor our indigenous peoples for their great contribution to our rich heritage and unique culture. Many of their concerns have yet to be addressed but they remain faithful to the traditions passed on to them by their ancestors,” said Legarda.

“This is a statement of support to all efforts in preserving our culture and protecting the rights of IPs. This is a statement that we will continue to initiate programs that will promote our heritage. Through this, I also wish to invite everyone to visit the National Museum, especially the country's first permanent textile galleries known as the Hibla ng Lahing Filipino: The Artistry of Philippine Textiles, to be reunited with our past and discover how blessed and rich we are as a people,” she stressed.

1,300 hectares of ricelands destroyed by dry spell in NE; P88-M potential loss seen

CUYAPO, Nueva Ecija - Some 1,300 hectares of ricelands in this town were destroyed by prolonged drought, affecting some 800 farmers, the Department of Agriculture reported.

          

             Dr. Andrew Villacorta, DA regional executive director for Central Luzon, said the affected farmlands are  rain-fed areas which neither receive irrigation from the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Systems that operate the Pantabangan Dam or the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project or the Casecnan Dam.

          Villacorta said they started receiving reports of the dry spell 10 days ago. He said the affected areas produce up to four metric tons of P17 per kilo rice.

          He added that the potential loss could reach P68,000 per hectare or P88 million for the 1,300 hectares.

          However, Villacorta said losses could be reduced substantially if the affected farmers will replant, adding his office has set aside P30 million worth of seeds as calamity buffer stock.

          Villacorta clarified that the drought cannot yet be considered as the effect of the El Nino phenomenon which necessitates a declaration from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration for it to become official.

          The DA has allocated P20 million to mitigate El Nino in the region although it is still in the process of identifying the vulnerable areas. (Manny Galvez)

Legarda Hopes for Clear-Cut Agenda on Inclusive Growth, Climate Change in PNoy’s SONA

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that among the issues she hopes President Benigno Aquino III will mention in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) is a defined roadmap to address the effects of climate change and a clear path towards inclusive growth.

“President Aquino’s administration has already made headway in building a strong economy and we await more of his programs to ensure that these gains will be felt by every Filipino. We are also seeing significant improvement in areas covering our basic needs and rights such as education, healthcare, protection of workers’ rights, disaster preparedness, among others,” Legarda noted.

“I look forward to hearing how the 7.8 percent economic growth will translate to better support for the working middle class, more opportunities for the marginalized sectors, and better services for the poor,” she said.

 “Aside from these things, the administration must also address the threat of climate change. We are a nation greatly at risk to the effects of the warming climate and we need to address our vulnerability if we are to sustain recent economic gains,” she added.

Legarda noted that United States President Barack Obama has acknowledged the threats that climate change brings and will continue to bring if not addressed immediately. President Obama made it clear that he is determined to save the future of Americans by taking that needed push to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and increase investments on renewable energy.

The Senator said that she is aware of the various programs that the Aquino administration is undertaking to improve the state of the environment, but she stressed that President Aquino making a clear statement on what the government is planning to achieve and enjoining Filipinos to be environmental warriors will make a big difference.

“Our government has been working on improving air quality and has also been rehabilitating our forests through the National Greening Program. We also have programs on coastal and marine management as well as ecotourism development. These are among current programs that will help upgrade the state of our environment,” she said.

“We also need to engage in other initiatives that will mitigate climate change, such as generating green jobs and promoting green skills, building green and disaster-resilient infrastructure, and promoting a low carbon lifestyle,” she added.

Legarda will expound further on the state of the nation’s environment in a privilege speech she will deliver a day after the President’s SONA.

SME Roving Academy in Aurora to open on July 23

BALER, Aurora-Lectures on Skills Upgrading on Coconut & Pineapple-based food products, Skills Training on Bamboo Craft Making, Skills Training on Coco Coir-based Handicraft Making, and Skills Upgrading on Coffee Brewing & Packaging will highlight the opening of the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Roving Academy in Aurora on July 23.

“SME Roving Academy is a continuous breeding ground for start-up enterprises and an institutionalized provision of business development services to the identified enterprises which will make them competitive in the domestic and export markets,” said DTI Provincial Director Edna Dizon.

The program will serve as a forum to discuss the problems encountered by SMEs at the provincial level such as lack of access to financial assistance and access to market.

At the same time, it will focus more on integration as it seeks to inform the people of the different interventions of various government agencies, as well as trickle down policies from the upper offices.

The program is anchored on seven learning stages namely Start-Up & Capability Building, Market Awareness, Market Readiness, Export Readiness, Export Market Entry, Export Sustainability, and Export Expansion.

The first four is handled by the academy while the last three is available through Regional Interactive Platform for Philippine Exporters (RIPPLES). (Jojo S. Libranda)

Legarda Files FOI Bill Anew

MANILA-Acknowledging the importance of transparency and accountability in government service, Senator Loren Legarda has filed anew the proposed Freedom of Information (FOI) Act under Senate Bill No. 514.

Legarda said that the FOI Bill mandates all government agencies to disclose information on public interest transactions, documents or records, and provide other information as requested by the public.

Government agencies will be required to disclose, through posting in their respective bulletin boards and official websites, transactions such as contracts with the private sector, procurement contracts, loans, grants and other programs entered into by government agencies with other entities, private organizations or foreign institutions.

“Through this measure any person can access information concerning public interest from government agencies, provided that they make the appropriate request,” said Legarda.

“But there are certain information that must be kept confidential especially that which may compromise the nation’s security, jeopardize negotiations or diplomatic relations with other nations, and intrude on privacy or endanger the life and safety of an individual. Request for access or public disclosure of such information may be denied, but the agency concerned is required to make the appropriate explanation,” she added.

Legarda said that freedom of information is an essential prerequisite for a modern democracy.

“It is a key foundation to the effective exercise of cognate rights such as the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of expression, as well as the right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political and economic decision-making,” she stressed.

“Transparency in the public sector enables our people to engage in meaningful participation, promotes accountability, and mitigates corruption, which has long been a major obstacle to our country’s development,” Legarda concluded.

Central Luzon PhilHealth soon to meet “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” target

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga-Ferdinand De Mesa, 34, from Betis in Guagua town, Pampanga works as a wood carver. Recently, his two-year old son Cyril was hospitalized due to bronchitis. But he didn’t have pay a single peso for medical fees as he is enrolled as a sponsored member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

“Luckly, I was enrolled to PhilHealth as our family is among the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of Department of Social Welfare and Development," De Mesa said. "Without this, I would not be able to pay the P7,000 hospital bill of my son.

To promote government's universal health program, the Department of Health along with its partners including PhilHealth coined “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP)” which envisions that all Filipino families, specifically the indigents, will be covered by PhilHealth by 2016.

“In Central Luzon, we are near in attaining the goal with 74 percent of our populace already enrolled,” said PhilHealth Vice President for Central Luzon Rodolfo Balog.

Pampanga has the biggest number of coverage with 86 percent of total residents followed by Bataan and Tarlac with 82 percent each, Zambales-78 percent, Bulacan-76 percent, Nueva Ecija-59 percent, and Aurora-55 percent.

PhilHealth is now targeting jeepney drivers, contractual employees, and vendors, where they could be enlisted under the organized group enrollment approach.

“Even students who are 21 years old could now be part of our insurance for at that age, they are not dependents of their parents who are members,” Balog added.

Data from PhilHealth reveal that there are now 490 facilities accredited by the agency in Central Luzon consisting of 193 hospitals, 136 rural health units, 115 maternity clinics, 19 TB-DOTS, 19 dialysis centers, and eight ambulatory hospitals.

There are also 4,115 accredited health care professionals composed of 2,500 doctors; 1,500 specialists; 34 dentists; and 81 midwives. (Joelyn G. Baluyut)

Legarda Wants Rainwater Catchment Facilities in Schools, Brgys

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that all schools and barangays in the country should have rainwater catchment facilities as part of efforts to reduce flooding and conserve water.

“These rainwater catchment systems can help address the country’s water shortage problem, particularly during the dry season, while making use of the excessive water brought by the rains during the wet season. These facilities can also contribute to reduce the occurrence of flooding,” said Legarda.

The Senator made the statement in support of the program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to put up more rainwater collection systems in public schools and state facilities in the country.

The DPWH has allotted P78 million on rainwater catchment facilities in the past two years and for 2013, it is setting aside an additional P50 million. The agency has already built 513 rainwater collection systems nationwide.

The DPWH has also partnered with the Department of Education to include rainwater collection systems in the standard design of public schools.

“I urge private schools as well as local government units, particularly in the barangays, to also put up rainwater harvesting facilities to help conserve water and lessen our dependence on commercially available water,” said Legarda.

“We also continue to promote the building of green infrastructure such as green campuses that will have forest parks, vegetable gardens, and waste segregation system,” she added.

Probe to scrutinize govt’s traffic plan Senate called in to step into worsening traffic problem

MANILA-The Senate is being called to step into the worsening traffic mess and scrutinize the soundness of the government’s traffic panacea that would solve decongestion in major thoroughfares and intersections.

Sen. Ralph G. Recto today urged the Senate Committee on Public Services to inquire into the supposed comprehensive traffic program of the government aimed at loosening the traffic gridlocks in major urban centers.

Recto stressed the monstrous traffic jams have reached critical level that precious man-hours and resources are being wasted every minute that the metropolis stood still because of logjams.

“The Senate inquiry would determine if such traffic management plan would actually ease congestion in major urban centers and speed up the safe and efficient movement of people and goods,” Recto said in filing Senate Resolution No. 5.

He said he was alarmed to learn that the economy loses about $3.6 billion or P153 billion a year because of traffic congestion, particularly in Metro Manila.

It was noted that of the $3.6 billion, $1 billion is lost in wasted gasoline, electricity, man-hours and hiring of traffic aides, while the remaining $2.6 billion represents losses from reduced sales and investment disincentives.

Recto stressed the traffic solution should factor in the increase in numbers of vehicles on the road, the kilometers of new roads and bridges that were built and the burgeoning population.

“There is now one motor vehicle for every 14 Filipinos with 7 million roaring machines cramming our streets. And every hour, about one kilometer of road must be built or repaved to accommodate the 47 new vehicles, which are registered during the same hour,” he said.

He said the recurrence of traffic gridlocks in Metro Manila and even in other major cities are transforming “our streets into chaos, making the movement of people and goods constricted, inefficient and unsafe.”

“The traffic bottlenecks are becoming a travel bane that adversely impact on the economy and also on the general well-being of Filipinos,” the senator stressed.

Recto said traffic experts even differ on approaching the problem since some favor constructing more roads and flyovers while others recommend raising the prices of motor vehicles to stop their metal -kind from multiplying on the road.

He said the latest traffic solution being profounded is by tweaking the current number coding scheme where motor vehicles would be totally barred from plying EDSA at least once during the week.

“There is a need to draft a traffic decongestion roadmap that would outline a comprehensive solution to the traffic mess at least until 2016,” he said.

Recto said the inquiry should “focus on the capacity of concerned agencies to execute the roadmap and devise ways for its successful implementation and ensure the efficient, safe and fast transport of people and products from one destination to another.”

He stressed without a sound traffic management plan, major roads such as EDSA would become giant parking lot where not a single machine and flesh would move.

Recto filed the resolution after the rest of Metro Manila and other urban centers were plunged into total “zero-movement” because of daily logjams that have reached nightmarish level during the month of June.

Legarda Bats for Regional Museums for Cultural Preservation

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda has formalized her proposal to have folk art museums in every region in the country through a bill she filed amending the National Museum Act.

Legarda said that the establishment of museums in the country will ensure the transmission of valuable traditional knowledge to the younger generation.

“For years, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has taken the lead in facilitating the conservation and transfer of cultural heritage—expressed through the country’s various traditional folk arts, via its Manlilikha ng Bayan and Schools of Living Tradition (SLT) program. This bill seeks to complement the efforts of the NCCA by explicitly requiring the National Museum through its regional museums to serve as venues in ensuring the conservation and preservation of the country’s traditional folk arts,” she said.

The Senator said that under the bill, regional museums should also display traditional folk arts collection aside from the local archeological finds, objects of art, and other local cultural treasures.

Furthermore, the regional museums should lead the conservation, preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the SLTs found within their localities.

“With these regional museums showcasing traditional folk arts we hope to start a cultural revolution through an immersion in the Philippine art from the ordinary folks of old. We also hope that these museums will help develop craftsmanship and industry, national identity and pride, and will help unite Filipinos,” Legarda concluded.

Zambales PESO to hold Special Recruitment Activity for registered nurses

IBA, Zambales-Zambales Public Employment Service Office (PESO) invites all registered nurses who are seeking employment abroad specifically in the Middle East to troop to the Special Recruitment Activity (SRA) that is slated on July 17 at the President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital in Iba town and July 18 at the San Marcelino District Hospital from 9AM to 4PM.

 

“The SRA, which is being done in partnership with LBS Recruitment Solutions Corporation, is looking to fill up positions for Staff Nurse I, Staff Nurse II, and Staff Nurse III, for possible deployment in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia as well as King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital also in Jeddah,” said Vice Governor and PESO Manager Ramon Lacbain II.

 

“Staff Nurse I is for those aged 24-40 years old with four to five years of solid experience in specialty area without gap of six months in a hospital setting, Staff Nurse II requires three to four years of solid experience, and Staff Nurse I is for those with a least two years of experience,” Lacbain added.

 

Moreover, Middle East bound allied medical positions shall also be offered during the SRA.

 

It is open to 22-40 year olds with bachelor’s degree on area of specialty, holder of a valid professional license (if applicable), and preferably with two to three years of solid experience in specialty area without gap of six months in a hospital setting. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

Legarda: Early Action Will Save Us From Disasters

Senator Loren Legarda today said early warning and early action should be at the center of disaster preparedness efforts in order to build resilient communities.

Legarda renewed her call for improved disaster risk reduction efforts as the nation observes the National Disaster Consciousness Month.

“Disaster prevention starts long before a typhoon makes landfall, before an earthquake happens or before a volcano erupts. Early warning and early action should be at the very heart of our efforts. Everyone should understand the risks we face and equip ourselves with preventive measures to lessen the impact of disasters,” she said.

Legarda said that research in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that nations are likely to experience more typhoons that are stronger in the next century as a result of the warming climate.

The research showed that increasing greenhouse gas emissions could result to a 10 to 40 percent increase in the frequency of tropical cyclones by the year 2100. These typhoons could be 45 percent more intense.

“Presented with such facts, the logical step would be to put in place proactive measures to reduce our risk to disasters. We cannot be complacent and wait for another strong typhoon to occur before we to start doing what we ought to have done many years ago. The policy framework is in place. What we need is to make the laws work at the community level,” Legarda said.

Soon, the Senator will launch the instructional video on disaster preparedness, “Ligtas”, which will present basic information and measures to ensure preparedness when natural hazards such as typhoons, landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis occur.

“We must be ready to face all kinds of natural hazards and build our resilience to disasters today, as well as our resilience to climate change in the future, for a much safer environment,” Legarda concluded.

Senator Loren Legarda at PEMSEA's 20th Anniversary Celebration

Senator Loren Legarda, the UN Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, receives a plaque of appreciation from Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, Council Chair of the Executive Committee of the East Asian Seas Partnership Council of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), during the celebration of PEMSEA's 20th anniversary where the Senator was the Guest Speaker. 

Senator Loren Legarda gives malunggay seedling and a copy of the Redefining Development book, theMessage of Our Times book, and the Disaster Preparedness and First Aid Handbook to Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, Council Chair of the Executive Committee of the East Asian Seas Partnership Council of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), and Mr. Stephen Adrian Ross, Acting Executive Director of PEMSEA Resource Facility, during the celebration of PEMSEA's 20th anniversary where the Senator was the Guest Speaker.

Senator Loren Legarda, the UN Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, stresses the role of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) in pushing for countries to adopt the integrated coastal management (ICM) concept for the sustainable use of the world's oceans and marine resources during the celebration of PEMSEA's 20th anniversary where the Senator was the Guest Speaker.

JINGGOY SEEKS HIGHER PAY, MORE BENEFITS FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS

In recognition of their function as direct providers of public service to the citizens, Acting Senate President Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada is seeking an increase of monthly monetary compensation for barangay officials.

 

Sen. Estrada filed Senate Bill 134 to further amend Republic Act 7160 otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991 to provide additional support and afford higher honorarium for barangay officials, including barangay tanods, appointed barangay officers, Sangguniang Barangay members, and Lupong Tagapamayapa.

 

Section 393 (a) of RA 7160 defines the benefits of barangay officials and prescribes that they shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal or city ordinance, but in no case shall it be less than:

a)    P1,000 per month for the Punong Barangay

b)   P600 per month for the Sangguniang Barangay members, barangay treasurer and barangay secretary

 

In introducing Senate Bill 134 as part of his priority measures, Sen. Estrada moves to increase the prescribed minimum compensation to 8,000 pesos for Punong Barangay, 7,000 pesos for the Sangguniang Barangay members, 6,000 pesos for barangay treasurer and secretary, 5,000 pesos for the barangay tanod and Lupong Tagapamayapa.

 

“Barangay officials are considered to be the guardians and frontliners in the implementation of policies, plans, programs, projects and activities in the community. The Barangay Chairman is the only official in the country that performs a tripartite task of being the executive, legislative and the judiciary, notwithstanding the help of his kagawads. As for the Barangay Tanods, they are considered to be frontliners of the Philippine National Police in its campaign against criminalities,” Jinggoy points out.

 

The proposed legislation likewise seeks to create a position of a barangay health worker as part of the barangay office setup. The said health worker shall be appointed by the Punong Barangay and shall receive the same remuneration as a barangay tanod.

 

Moreover, SB 134 seeks to extend the benefits such as Christmas bonus, insurance coverage, free medical care (including medicines and medical attendance in government hospitals), and exemption from payment of tuition and matriculation fees of their children, provided to the Punong Barangay and Sangguniang Barangay members to include barangay tanods, Lupong Tagapamayapa and barangay health workers.

 

Lastly, Sen. Estrada bats for increased limit for health subsidy from nearest private clinic or hospital from 5,000 pesos to 10,000 pesos in case of extreme urgency where there is no available government hospital.

 

“I believe it is time to update the meager remuneration received by our barangay officials for their important services to the community. The rates have remained unchanged for 22 years since 1991,” Sen. Estrada explains.

 

“During the previous 15^th Congress, I have also proposed that our barangay tanod brigades be given hazard pay in the amount of 1,000 per month, and our barangay officials be made salaried government employees thus making them eligible for membership and loan and retirement benefits from the GSIS. I am also planning to re-file these measures in this 16^th Congress,” Jinggoy adds.