Aurora marine institute to protect Phl aquatic wealth

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 23, 2011-As the world is hit by one catastrophe after another, Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the citizenry that there is a need to always take care of Philippines natural rich resources along the thousands of miles of coastlines framing the abundant ecosystems in the sea.

Angara said that the Philippine waters are globally recognized as centers of marine biodiversity where its location as its geographic characteristics that is, being an archipelago, ensures an abundance of aquatic life.

He explained that to maximize the potential of such a rich marine ecosystem, there is a need to study and to try to understand how it works and a great opportunity to learn about the country’s untapped wealth.

Angara urged the senate to support his  recent bill that seeks to establish the Aurora Marine Research and Development Institute (AMRDI) where Senate bill 2728 amends Republic Act 9441 to more clearly define the scope and mandate of the AMRDI.

The bill stated that the AMRDI is tasked to create a database containing valuable data on the biodiversity, habitat, abundance, and overall status of the province’s marine resources where Aurora province will be instrumental in studying, documenting and ultimately, protecting the country’s aquatic wealth through AMRDI.

The University of the Philippines Marine Science institute will supervise the AMRDI, while the Aurora State College of Technology will be in charge of locally implementing the academic and technical aspects of the bill under its provisions.

Angara said that the corner stone of the country’s progress is our natural resources and there is a need to protect and conserve them. (Jason de Asis)

Phl disaster risk reduction is for everybody’s concern-Legarda

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 23, 2011-During the second hearing of the Senate Committee on Climate Change on the government’s disaster preparedness, Senator Loren Legarda urged the national government, the Local Government Units (LGU), the private sector and the citizenry to ensure that the country is ready to prevent hazards from turning into devastating disasters, saying that disaster risk reduction is everybody’s business and concern thus we all have to work together facing it.

Legarda reiterated the importance of a strong partnership between the government and the private sector in strengthening the country’s disaster preparedness and resilience, stressing that while the government is putting in places various disaster risk reduction (DRR) measures, the private sector should take the initiative of doing its share in such effort.

She explained that the government is mandated to ensure the security and welfare of the state’s citizens; it cannot do such a gargantuan task alone, saying that both the public and private sectors must ensure the public’s safety in case of earthquakes and other disaster.

The senator said that good urban governance is the key to earthquake safety that’s why the governments must relentlessly assess and rectify the vulnerability of public structures in their respective areas. “There is a need that the administrators of office buildings and malls to ensure safety in their premises and have contingency plans well in place and tested for preventing panic and stampede and handling the injured in the event of an earthquake.

“Both sectors must be united in coming up with an effective and widespread information campaign on disaster preparedness and must develop strategies that would help people understand natural hazards, identify the signs of an impending danger, and know what to do when disasters occur,” she said, pointing out that it is not enough that the government as an institution is prepared because no matter how up-to-date or high-tech the disaster prevention mechanisms are, they would not be effective if the public remains uninformed or misinformed of what they have to do during disasters.

“The national agencies like the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Institute of Vulcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) need the help of local government units and the private sector in providing timely and accurate information to the people,” she said, adding that there is a need for the regular conduct of fire and earthquake drills in schools, hospitals, malls, office buildings, condominium units and other establishments to make sure that the public are provided with the necessary information in dealing with disasters. (Jason de Asis)

Rival firms in tug-of-war over giant Ecija dam project

GENERAL TINIO, Nueva Ecija, March 23, 2011-The First Gen Corp., the power generation arm of the Lopez group, is locked up in a bitter tug-of-war with a rival company over the proposed billion-peso Balintingon Reservoir Multi-Purpose Project (BRMPP) in this town, with the latter threatening to hale the former to court for allegedly entering into an agreement with parties without consulting the Department of Agriculture and the National Irrigation Administration.  

Officials of Concord Pacific Investment Holdings Ltd. Inc. (CPIHLI) said that they would file a petition for a Temporary Restraining Order before the Supreme Court to stop First Gen Luzon Power Corp. (FGLPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of FGC, from conducting a feasibility study on the BRMPP.

This is after the FGLPC First Gen chairman and chief executive officer Federico Lopez signed a memorandum of agreement with the provincial government of Nueva Ecija and the municipal government of Gen. Tinio for the development, construction and operation of a new reservoir and hydroelectric power plant in this town.

The MOA-signing, which was graced by Gov. Aurelio Umali and Gen. Tinio Mayor Virgilio Bote, was sealed sometime this month.

In a statement, Lopez said that they have taken interest in the Balintingon project because of its potentially far-reaching contributions to the development not only of Nueva Ecija and Gen. Tinio but also of the entire country.

Once completed, Lopez said that the project is envisioned to provide year-round irrigation to 15,000 hectares of farmlands and provide livelihood to over 9,000 farming families and fisherfolks in Central Luzon apart from generating additional megawatts of power in the Luzon grid.

Umali hailed the partnership as a model that should be replicated on a national scale where private investors that possess the required financial and technical capabilities and track record could be tapped to undertake massive infrastructure projects without having to draw from government resources.

But Jose Utrillo, CPIHLI president and chief operations officer, told newsmen that their firm is the “legal proponent” of the BRMPP and has a “live contract” with the NIA to conduct a feasibility study on the project. He described First Gen’s entry into the picture as “disturbing.”

He questioned the agreement forged by First Gen, saying it was mere propaganda.  “First Gen did not even mention when and where the agreement with the provincial and municipal governments was signed. To me, it’s just a press release,” he said.

He said it was highly questionable that the Lopez firm would act on pursuing a multi-billion peso irrigation project without coordinating with the NIA whose mandate is irrigation, and the DA.

In a letter to NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel, Utrillo said his firm is already on its final stage of its full-blown study on the project which it promised to submit to the agency within this month.

He assured Nangel that despite the distractions caused by First Gen, his firm will be focused on the realization of the project.

Asked if his company would go to the SC to decide the matter, Utrillo replied: “It would definitely go into that,” he said, adding a legal team has been conferring with him on what legal remedies to take to stop First Gen from pursuing the project.

“We will be using all legal remedies to protect our interests,” he said. (Jason de Asis)

$100 billion damages in Japan powerful quake and tsunami: Phl Senate expressed deepest sympathy

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 22, 2011-Japan government reported that about $100 billion total losses on the aftermath of the powerful quake and triggered massive tsunami in the said country, including $20 billion in damage to residences and $40 billion in damage to infrastructure such as roads, rails, port facilities and at least three nuclear plants which prompted massive evacuation of the residents of the affected areas and the declaration of a state of emergency.

The March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan reported for a total of 21,911 missing, 8,649 death, 4,080 identified bodies and a total of 340,000 evacuees who fled away to the troubled nuclear reactors in Fukushima prefecture yesterday.

Experts said that the powerful earthquake was one of the five largest earthquakes in the world since the modern record-keeping began that triggered massive tsunami waves of up to 10 meters high and washed away 1,800 homes.

Yesterday afternoon, Senator Franklin Drilon personally delivered a resolution to Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura and signed the Book of Condolences expressing profound sympathy to the people of Japan in the wake of the recent earthquake and tsunami that struck the country which was adopted last March 14.

Drilon said that the resolution 37 expressed the Philippines’ profound sympathy and sincerest concern and compassion for the people of Japan and its government and the Filipinos admiration for the Japanese people who, although faced with the most severe crisis, possess incredible resilience and courage to overcome destruction and loss.

           

The resolution stated that the Philippines continues to remember, with appreciation, the Government and the people of Japan for all the emergency and humanitarian assistance it had extended to our people during our own times of crises brought about by natural disasters which was sponsored by Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, Majority Floor Leader Tito Sotto III and Senators Drilon, Lito Lapid, Gringo Honasan, Legarda and Juan Miguel Zubiri. 

Japan remains to be a major source of official development funds, trade, investment and tourism to the Philippines and remains a top source of assistance for the country accounting for 36 percent or $3.46 billion of the total loan commitments.

A powerful 9 magnitude earthquake hit the east coast of Miyagi Prefecture’s, and devastated the city of Sendai in Honshu on March 11.

Earlier, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Senator Loren Legarda had also signed the Book of Condolences at the Japanese embassy. (Jason de Asis)

Aurora coastal towns’ drive versus dynamite fishing boosted with patrol boat

DIPACULAO, Aurora March 22, 2011-A big boost following the turn-over of a 24 feet patrol boat to local government officials in this town to protect coastal resources and deter dynamite fishing and other illegal and destructive fishing practices along this municipality’s coastlines where the high-quality fiber glass patrol boat was turned over by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources to Mayor Reynante Tolentino and Vice Mayor Teresita Obillio in ceremonies at the municipal fish nursery in Barangay Lobbot.

The patrol boat was distributed in line with the PL 480 project entitled “improving enforcement capability in fishery and coastal resources management.” It is the first local currency project for fisheries and coastal resource management at the municipal level.

Sarmiento said that the project complemented the national fisheries program in the conservation, protection and proper management of fishery and coastal resources. He said its primary objectives are to arrest illegal and destructive fishing practices through provision of coastal law enforcement tools and capacitate beneficiary LGUs through training to effectively undertake active coastal law enforcement within their respective municipal waters.

Another beneficiary of the patrol boat was the town of Casiguran under Mayor Reynaldo “Binsu” Bitong.

“The component of the project is the conduct of training on marine engine operation, repair and maintenance and assignment of fish wardens,” Remedios Ongtangco, BFAR Region 3 director said.

The patrol boat, whose hull is made of fiber glass, has a 135-horsepower engine equipped with a hand-held Global Positioning System and four mobile radios with base receiver. It has a minimum speed of 20 knots, has a fuel capacity of 250 liters and can accommodate up to six persons on board.

Tolentino who accepted the donation on behalf of the municipal government said that it would help the locality in further intensifying its coastal protection activities as well as enhance its municipal fish nursery where hatchery-bred milkfish, seabass and other high-value marine species from fry to fingerlings are being reared to sustain the intensive requirement of the mariculture park in Casiguran town.

It was witnessed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, BFAR executive director Malcolm Sarmiento, assistant director Gil Adora, BFAR regional director for Central Luzon Remedios Ongtangco,  National Maritime Fisheries Development Center chief Alma Dizon, South East Asia Fisheries Development Center chief Dr. JubertToledo and municipal fish nursery project-in-charge Rex Margen among others.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara and Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo negotiated the donation with BFAR officials. (Jason de Asis)

Japan builds P317-M bridge of hope in Aurora

MARIA AURORA, Aurora, March 22, 2011-A P317-million concrete bridge funded through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation Agency dubbed as a “bridge of hope” was built which links 13 clustered barangays under the Department of Agrarian Reform’s agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in this town and giving a reprieve to hundreds of students who previously cross a river just to get to school during summer.

The 110-linear meter long, 5.4-meter wide Bazal concrete bridge is now being used by some 300 elementary and high school students who, prior to its construction wade through waters and get isolated from the rest of the province during heavy rains and typhoons.

The bridge was formally opened to vehicular traffic and turned over to the provincial government during recent inauguration ceremonies graced by Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura, JICA Chief Representative Norio Matsuda, Japanese Embassy First Secretary Takeshi Sata, and secretaries Virgilio Reyes of DAR, Jose De Jesus of the Department of Transportation and Communications and Enrique Ona of the Department of Health.

The bridge project was negotiated by Sen. Edgardo Angara, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara and Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo with the Japanese government in coordination with the DAR, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the provincial government and the municipal government represented by Mayor Ariel Bitong.

The funding for the bridge, which construction started in November 2009 and completed in November 2010, was sourced from the grant-in aide of Japan through JICA’s Official Development Assistance and counterpart funding from the Philippine government. During the one-year construction period, 100 local residents from the province were hired as workers.

Ma. Celerina Afable, division chief of the DAR’s project development and management office/foreign-assisted projects, said that the project is the only bridge project funded by JICA in the country involving the DAR as lead implementing agency.

The project was first conceptualized in 2003 during the term of then-DAR Secretary Jose Mari Ponce as one of the department’s identified ARC development projects for poverty alleviation, food security and agribusiness development.

Dr. Cristy Dagdag, DAR desk officer for the JICA bridge project said that the Bazal bridge was identified as one of the immediate needs of the people in the locality who expressed hope it would finally end their vicious cycle of isolation from the rest of Aurora during calamities. It was pursued when a typhoon struck in 2004, isolating Barangay Bazal.

Darlene Galicia, DAR provincial agrarian reform officer for Aurora, said that the project principally benefited 300 elementary pupils and high school students from Barangay Malasin who used to cross the Bazal river in getting to school.

Aside from Bazal and Malasin, Galicia said the bridge also links up a cluster of ARCs in barangays Wenceslao, Baubo, Bayanihan, Cadayacan, Decoliat, Diaayat, Diome, Galintuja, San Juan and Sto. Cristo.

Galicia said that the project was literally a “bridge of hope,” as it raised hopes of generating incremental income for farmers, establish agri-enterprises and upgrade the socio-economic and living conditions of the people.

With the bridge, the risks of students regularly crossing the Bazal river on their way to school as well as the vehicle operating cost of market agricultural products, farm inputs and commercial goods were drastically reduced. (Jason de Asis)

NBI modernization needed says Angara

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 22, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara urged the government to fast track the development of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as one of the leading agencies tasked to look into all sorts of crimes and offenses against the Philippine laws.

Angara called for the strengthening of one of the country’s premier law enforcement agencies to enhance the country’s investigative capabilities to solve various cases. 

“As an agency tasked to look into all sorts of crimes and offenses against Philippine laws, we must fast track the development of the NBI so that they are able to stay a step ahead,” Angara said, where he filed Senate Bill No. 2724 otherwise known as the NBI Reorganization and Modernization Act of 2011.

He said that the bill seeks to enhance the NBI’s effectiveness through a twofold plan; to wit, first, modernizing its investigative programs to address the rapidly changing needs of the times and acquiring state-of-the-art investigative and intelligence equipment to keep up with the global developments in technology; and second, by securing the welfare of its employees: adequate compensation packages, benefits and privileges, health and accident insurance, and scholarship grants for their continuing education and training.

Angara said that with all that is happening in the world and in our very own country, we cannot afford to have a law enforcement agency which struggles to keep pace with events due to obsolete equipment or lack of training. It is for our own good that we develop and maintain a highly competent core of investigators.

The NBI is an agency of the government under the department of justice which is responsible for handling and solving sensational cases that are in the interest of the nation and a government entity that is civilian in character and national in scope headed by a director and with an assistant director and six deputy director for special investigation services (SIS); regional operation services (ROS); intelligence services (IS); technical services (TS); administrative services (AS)and comptroller services (CS). (Jason de Asis) 

Phl League of Cities support cityhood in 21 municipalities

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, March 22, 2011-The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) expressed support for the conversion into cities of 21 municipalities including Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija that has complied with the requirements set by the Constitution and the Local Government Code to include Cabuyao and San Pedro in Laguna; Cainta, Taytay, and Binangonan in Rizal; Bacoor, Gen. Trias, Imus, Carmona and Silang in Cavite; Calaca, Sto. Tomas, Bauan and Nasugbu in Batangas; Mauban in Quezon; Marilao, Sta. Maria and Norzagaray in Bulacan; and Limay in Bataan.

The other municipalities like Imus, Bacoor and Cabuyao have pending cityhood applications in Congress, but the 18 others are still waiting for their congressmen to file cityhood bills on their behalf. 

LCP president and San Fernando City, Pampanga Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said these towns have qualified for cityhood based on the standards set by law, saying that under the June 30, 2007 Local Government Code, as amended by Republic Act 9009, a municipality may be converted into a component city only if it meets two of three requirements.

Rodriguez said that conversion to cityhood should passed the locally generated average annual income of P100 million for the last two consecutive years and contiguous territory of at least 100 square kilometers or a population of not less than 150,000 inhabitants; however, he said that his group will be firm in opposing the conversion into cities of 16 other municipalities recently granted cityhood by the Supreme Court.

“The LCP opposed Batac, Ilocos Norte; Tabuk, Kalinga; Tayabas, Quezon; Baybay, Leyte; Catbalogan, Samar; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; Bogo, Naga, and Carcar in Cebu; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; El Salvador, Misamis Oriental; Mati, Davao Oriental; Bayugan, Agusan del Sur; and Lamitan, Basilan because these municipalities circumvented the requirements set by law,” he said.

Rodriguez cited the El Salvador town which has an annual income of only P17 million, a total land area of only 87 square kilometers and a population of only 41,905 which did not meet the requirements. (Jason de Asis)

DENR, PNP and APECO seized 1,000 board feet lumber

CASIGURAN, Aurora, March 21, 2011-In line with Executive Order 23 issued by President Aquino directing a moratorium on tree-cutting in natural and residual forests nationwide, the composite team of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Forest Guard of Aurora Pacific Economic Zone seized at least 1,000 board feet lumber from Sitio Digian, Brgy. Cozo, Casiguran, Aurora owned by Arman dela Cruz including his power saw.

Casiguran Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Alfredo Collado said that dela Cruz belonged to a tribe and was subject for inquest at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) but later decided to give him a chance to change a new life and not to do illegal activities again as a native on the place.

The said lumber was still in the custody of the forest guard of APECO and subject for travel at the office of the DENR for proper action. (Arnel Turzar, DZJO FM, CMN-Baler, Aurora)

Malacañang to sign UNESCO for protection and promotion of cultural diversity needed-Legarda

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 20, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities and a staunch advocate of the preservation of cultural heritage urged Malacañang to sign the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions that is much needed in the country where its entry clearly showed the urgency and political commitment for action by the international community.

“In 2005, the Convention was adopted and entered into force as early as 2007 where it was a legally-binding international agreement that recognized the importance of traditional knowledge, knowledge systems of indigenous peoples and its positive contribution to sustainable development and it also encouraged artists, cultural professionals, practitioners and citizens worldwide to create, produce, disseminate and enjoy a broad range of cultural goods, services and activities,” she said, adding that the Philippines should follow suit and make cultural preservation with 116 state parties today as one of the country’s priorities.

Legarda said that we have been missing out the opportunity to access the International Fund for Cultural Diversity by not being a state party on the convention, a fund which could have supported activities geared towards the strengthening of institutional infrastructure and cultural industries, mapping of our cultural communities, funding for research and education, and the preservation of our dying art forms, among others where it was created for the promotion of sustainable development and poverty reduction in developing and least developed countries through the emergence of a dynamic cultural sector.

The Senator said that UNESCO recognizes that culture can no longer be a by-product of development, but rather the mainstream for sustainable development.

During the 1st call for applications launched in March 2010, thirty-one projects out of 250 requests for funding by state parties and international NGOs have been approved by the Convention’s Intergovernmental Committee; thus, to protect Philippine contemporary art as well as the customs, handicrafts, and way of life of the more than 110 ethno-linguistic groups all over the country, the Senator believes that Malacañang will merit favorable action on the said convention. (Jason de Asis)

Proper ICT usage useful in emergency situations says Angara

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 20, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology remarked that Information Communication Technology (ICT) proper usage in the increasing usefulness of social networking sites and other modern forms of communication are useful during emergency situations where the communication lines serve as lifelines for emergency response.

In today’s wake up call for all the disasters that hits the different part of the world, the Senator furthered that ICT over the past decade have given us so many ways to keep in contact with each other and the rest of the world where he cited online people finders for those still missing in disaster-stricken areas, continuous news feeds in Twitter and Facebook from news outfits, as well as emergency hotlines that are created to facilitate cross-country communication for our OFWs.

“There are also relief organizations which set up information pages with links to online maps, local emergency numbers, and a list of donation options for those who want to give monetary aid,” Angara cited.

“However, to help Japan and other affected areas people should also be wary of false websites asking for donations. They use the name of known charity organizations and ask internet users to deposit money into fake accounts,” he furthered.

Angara warned the public that these scammers try to take advantage of gullible internet users who are eager to help in whatever way possible. “They would lose their hard-earned money, plus there is also an added risk of identity theft if they submit personal information,” he added.

Angara who authored Senate bill 52 otherwise known as Cybercrime prevention act have heavy penalties for internet fraud and identity theft where it is now pending in the Senate and for discussion at the plenary. (Jason de Asis)

Beneficiary barangays lauded Balikatan 2011 projects

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac City, March 19, 2011-Villager beneficiaries of five barangays in Central Luzon lauded the Army, Air Force and Navy engineering units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and United States components of Balikatan 2011 in the ongoing construction of two (2) room-two school buildings in Babancal Elementary School, Candelaria, Zambales;   Pundakit Elementary School, San Antonio,  Zambales;  Angel C. Manglicmot Elementary School, Barangay Angeles, San Antonio, Zambales;  Lubigan Elementary School, San Jose, Tarlac; and Pedro L. Quines Elementary School, Mayantoc, Tarlac which is expected to be completed on April 14 or 15, 2011.

They also conducted free medical, dental and veterinary services to the residents of Barangay Babancal in Candelaria, Zambales; Barangay San Miguel, Angeles and Pundakit, all in San Antonio, Zambales; Barangay Tariji, Tarlac City; and Barangay Mangahan, Mayantoc, Tarlac where the school grounds of respective villages are the sites agreed upon for the humanitarian mission. Other activities designed to enhance community relations are also included in the Balikatan schedule.

Lieutenant Colonel Rosendo D. Armas, spokesperson of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) said that to enhance readiness and interoperability between the Philippines and US militaries, this is now the 27^th in the series of bilateral exercises conducted every year in the country for the purpose of strengthening our defense relationship with the United States.

Earlier, a groundbreaking ceremony was witnessed by the local and school officials in the site projects. (Jason de Asis)

Phl-Japanese government P594-M upgrade of Aurora hospital launched

BALER, Aurora, March 18, 2011-The Philippines and Japanese governments have launched the P594-million upgrading project of the Aurora Memorial Hospital in this capital town aimed at fortifying the medical referral system and the qualitative improvement of medical services in the province through Japan International Cooperation Agency, amidst the devastation caused by a killer earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The grant-in aid project was launched following recent ground-breaking ceremonies at the AMH’s 3.8-hectare project site in Barangay Reserva here where Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who initiated the project with Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo and Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura on the said hospital upgrading.

The project would also facilitate as a general hospital playing a central role in the local health referral system included aside from improving of the AMH’s infrastructure and equipment.

Aside from Katsura, the ground-breaking rites were witnessed by JICA Chief Representative Norio Matsuda, Japanese Embassy First Secretary Takeshi Sakata and Health Secretary Enrique Ona among others.

The hospital upgrade was funded through a P509-million grant from the Japanese government and P85-million in counterpart funding from the provincial government and projected to be completed in December 2011.

“The common goal of the Japanese and Philippine governments is to prioritize human development projects in the province,” Angara said, who donated the land for the new building, saying that the project is through Japan’s generosity that’s why the AMH will be one of the most advanced in the region in terms of equipment and facilities.

Angara furthered that the Japanese government has gone beyond the usual land grants or donations for the basic structure, they have instead chosen to build a fully equipped hospital in our humble but deserving municipality, adding that among the structures to be put up in the project site are administration, emergency and operation and delivery buildings, 50-bed capacity ward buildings, service building, and ancillary buildings such as the guardhouse, mortuary and others.

Angara said that the 70-year-old memorial hospital will also be provided with state-of-the-art equipment such as dental, physical therapy and radiology equipment such as general x-ray system, automatic x-ray film processor and ultrasound machine for general examination; laboratory equipment (hematology analyzer and autopsy table), central supply and sterilization room equipment and equipment for the ward such as infant warmer and mechanical ventilator.

It also includes other equipment like four defibrillators, anesthesia apparatus with vaporizer, operating tables and EENT.

The AMH would be able to confine 800 more patients per anum without transferring them to other provinces and will lessen the financial burden on the part of the families with the upgraded facilities.

It would also increase by nearly twice the total patient-days confined from the present 7,700 patient-days to 13,000 patient-days.

The improved facilities would also enhance the hospital’s examination and medical care capacities, especially in surgery and obstetrics and gynecology departments and the quality of medical services. In the process, the AMH would also be used as the training institution for the midwifery and nursing students from the University of the Philippines School of Health Sciences in the province.

Prior to the launching of the hospital upgrading project, the AMH is functioning only as a small hospital covering the central towns of the province. The present 25-bed capacity hospital’s license was even lowered from Level 2 to Level 1 when the Department of Health clamped down on hospitals without a trained surgeon and an anesthesiologist.

This prompted the provincial government represented by Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo to seek assistance from the Japanese government which, in response, conducted a preparatory survey in January 2009 and dispatched a basic design team in June of that same year.

On March 15, 2010, the Exchange of Notes was signed in Manila by then-Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and Katsura.

Angara, who authored the law that created PhilHealth and the Child Health Insurance Program, said that the project would enable Aurora not only to be removed from the list of poorest provinces of the country but go a step further by becoming a role model for rural development through the cooperation of local, national and international agencies. (Jason de Asis)

Manila next venue for global conference of parliamentarians

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 17, 2011-In line with the Aquino administration's current flagship program of anti-corruption, Senator Edgardo J. Angara said that the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) has chosen Manila as the venue of its next global conference in February 2013.

Angara, who is the founding president of Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) is the only Asian representative who presides over a session of the 4th Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption held on Saturday in the Mexican capital.

The Philippine Senate and the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) will jointly host this biennial global gathering which will be attended by over 500 members of parliament from 50 countries worldwide.

GOPAC is the only parliamentary network with the singular focus on combating corruption. There are currently over 900 members of GOPAC, representing over 90 countries in all the regions of the world.

Dr. Nasser Al Sane of Kuwait was re-elected president of GOPAC while Senator Edgardo J. Angara was elected vice president.

In 2005, Angara was the driving force behind the establishment of SEAPAC and is a member of the Executive Board of the Ottawa, Canada-based GOPAC.

The Senator said that to achieving good governance and fighting corruption can be strengthened by building networks among institutions, saying that the key ingredient is International cooperation. “Just as corruption transcends borders, so too must we fight it on a transnational level,” he said.

Angara led the passage of major anti-corruption laws including the Government E-Procurement Law and creation of the Office of the Ombudsman in the Philippines where he pushes for the Political Party and Campaign Finance Reform bill that will transform political parties into public institutions and maintain transparency activities. (Jason de Asis)

Senator Edgardo J. Angara presides over a session of the 4th Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption held on Saturday in the Mexican capital. With him are fellow members of Parliament (L-R) Senator Ricardo Garcia Camacho of Mexico, Dr. Nasser Al Sane of Kuwait, John Williams and Roy Cullen of Canada, and Christiane Vienne of Belgium. (Jason de Asis)