Mindoro Catholic radio station burned down

MANILA, Oct. 26, 2011― Some P2.8 million worth of private property went up in smoke as unknown men razed DZVT-CMN radio station to the ground at about 1 a.m. Wednesday. 


Police reports said the Catholic church-owned radio station, located at Barangay Labangan Poblacion in San Jose City, Occidental Mindoro, was burned down by still unknown persons.

Lito Villador, DZVT station manager sought police assistance immediately upon learning of the incident.

Fire Officer 2 Edgardo Salvacion and the San Jose Scene Of the Crime Office (SOCO) led by PCInspector Teresita M. Catchillar conducted immediate investigation.

Two caretakers identified as Takip Sebastian and Alfredo Salvador were awakened when flames engulfed the rear portion of the building. The fire was declared under control at 4 a.m.

Investigators and employees still face a blank wall as to the motive behind the arson. (Melo M. Acuna)

Trillanes bats for senate inquiry on MILF encounters

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TAU GAMMA PHI Rome and Aurora to PNOy: Give ‘diyya’ to Celestino “Dondon” Lanuza

BALER, Aurora, October 25, 2011-The brotherhood of Tau Gamma Phi (TGP), Triskelion Grand Fraternity in Rome, Italy and Aurora province, Philippines renewed their calls to President Aquino to help their brother who is in death throw in the Middle East especially to Celestino “Dondon” Lanuza who is now facing trials in Saudi Arabia court.

Lito Lopez, adviser of TGP Rome said that the Aquino should pay attention in the situation of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) like their brother Lanuza who has been consistently appealing to raise blood money for his release.

Lanuza, who accidentally killed a Saudi national out of self-defense, was in Dammam Central Jail since year 2000.

Noel Aragon Gofredo, Adviser of TGP Aurora province Philippines who is now in Rome said that the family of the offended party is willing to issue an affidavit of desistance if Lanuza can give a blood money (diyya) worth some thousands of US dollars to save lives of OFWs in death row.

“Mrs. Rowena Lanuza, Dondon’s mother, sought our assistance to help her with Vice President Jejomar Binay, also presidential adviser on OFWs concerns,” Gofredo said who is also a member of Migrante International organization.

The said international brotherhood organization continues to raise money to save Dondon.

Meanwhile Dondon updates in his facebook account for his countrymen stated that “Good day po! Nais ko lang po ipaalam sa inyo na sinabi ng Embassy na wala daw po formal settlement para sa Bloodmoney and they advice po na itigil ang solicitation ko dahil Government lang daw ang pwedeng magbigay ng Bloodmoney at di daw po ang akusado.”

“Sinabi po ni Usec Seguis na walang fund ang Government at tulungan siya sa solicitation. Ano po ba talaga ang problema ng Embassy? Di na nga po sila nakakatulong ay pinapahirapan pa nila ako. Remember po na dapat year 2001 ay nakalaya na sana ako pero Embassy ang naglagay sa Abante News ng Baklang Arabo na gusto ako gahasain na translated po sa Arabic na nabasa ng Aggrieved Family kaya binawi ang patawad sa akin,” Lanuza stated.

Prior to this, during the 43^rd anniversary worldwide of Tau Gamma Phi, Rome President Ted Pangan and Aurora President Pedro Sison called their fellow triskelion to help their brother Lanuza in Saudi Arabia and urged them to give donations for their brother who is in need. (Jason de Asis)

Drilon to PNoy: Peace process in Mindanao needed

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1st Aurora society of information technology convention held

BALER, Aurora, October 23, 2011-The 1^st Aurora society of information technology convention was held yesterday at Baler Sports Complex attended by 269 participants from the high school, colleges and universities in the province led by the “Society of Information Technology Enthusiast-Aurora (SITE-A)”.

As per SITE-A president Christopher G. Marmol the theme was “Take responsibility to safeguard information assets from disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Be a human firewall, information security is everyone’s responsibility” where their  general  objective  shall  be  the  promotion  of the quality of information technology for the province of Aurora in terms of education, work and professionalism as a whole society.

Marmol furthered that the organization’s specific objective is to serve   as   a   venue for the optimization and development   of   the academe, government or non government sectors involving Information Technology (I.T.), I.T. enthusiast, for projects,   research,   resources,   linkages,   and assistance in policy formulation related to I.T..

“Our organization was organized last October 12, 2011 with the said mission together with the I.T.’s of Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT), Aurora Polytechnic College (APC), Asia Pacific International (APISC), Wesleyan University Philippines–Aurora (WUP-Aurora), Mount Carmel College (MCC) and the Lyceum of the East – Philippines (Lyceum),” Marmol said.

SITE-A business manager Francis James Gose said that nowadays, information technology is very vital in our everyday lives as part of modernization in the country and in abroad.

Gose said that the province continue to develop and the role of I.T’s is needed in the growth and development in Aurora which is very rich in natural resources, agriculture, animal industry, weaving to mention a few of its wealth.

He encouraged the participants to re-affirm the commitment of the organization to develop and to implement an effective and sustainable response to the challenges and opportunities of building a truly global information society that will benefit all Aurorans.

Gerard Francia, head technology support group, iSeNS Asia, member of Internet Society Philippines discussed the internet society, Carol A.  Lozano, General Manager of iSeNS Asia shared the adaption of Linux and the threat of Monoculture Technology, Randall R. Lozano, President of the ISeNS Asia Inc. gave inputs on information technology awareness and Sheridan Leroy P. Laroza of Internet Society Philippines shared the IPv6: An Emerging Technology.

SITE-A officers who took oath were Christopher G. Marmol, Vice-President Jerome H. Lopez, Secretary Joseph Laurence T. Angara, Treasurer PIO B. Bofill Jr., Auditor Mathew Christian L. Vergara and Business Manager Frances James Gose. Their Coordinators were Jason Francisco V. de Asis of Lyceum of the East, Sherwin Glorioso of Aurora State College of Technology, Billy Joel A. Avellaneda of Aurora Polytechnic College, Florabel B. Aragon of Mount Carmel College, Raymond B. Dadero of Asia Pacific International System College, Marlon M. Sumait of Wesleyan University-Philippines-Aurora and Florence Gay G. Santiago of Maria Aurora National High School. (Jason de Asis) 

Alcala to NIA execs: comply with revamp or resign

SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija, October 22, 2011-Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has called on officials of the National Irrigation Administration to comply with the wide-ranging revamp of the agency, saying those who could not accept the order should resign and find employment somewhere else.

Speaking to newsmen at the sidelines of a dialogue with local officials and farmers at the city hall here Thursday afternoon, Alcala said people in government such as those in NIA should respect decisions of their superiors, including their prerogative to reassign people.

“’Pag namasukan ka, ‘pag sinabing don ka madedestino at ‘pag ayaw mong malipat, magtayo ka na lang ng sariling negosyo (When you enter government service, when you are told that you will be assigned in a particular place and you don’t want to be transferred, then just put up your own business),” he said.

Alcala was referring to the top-level NIA revamp implemented by the Department of Agriculture and the NIA Board which he chairs on orders of President Aquino. The revamp affected three officials from the NIA central office, eight regional managers, two operation managers and one project manager.

NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel, who accompanied Alcala here, said that the reshuffle is meant to vigorously implement the rice self-sufficiency program (RSSR) and the food self-sufficiency program (FSSR) of the Aquino administration.

He said the redistribution of NIA personnel is also intended to better achieve the mission, vision and objectives of the NIA as spelled out by President Aquino and Alcala.

The overhaul was ordered by Mr. Aquino after NIA accomplished only 25 percent of its target of 30,958 hectares while spending over 60 percent of its P14.88 billion budget.

Certain NIA officials have voiced their displeasure over the revamp which led to the re-assignment of regional officials who have been in their posts for over 10 years already. One of those affected  lobbied for his retention with the backings of certain politicians, which prompted the secretary to lose his temper in a rare outburst.

Alcala said the Aquino administration needs to implement the revamp because many of them are overstaying in their posts and have so familiarized themselves with the local conditions that they are no longer effective in their posts. “That’s where the problem lies. They are no longer productive. And they have become friends with local politicians,” he said, without naming names.

He said the revamp was compelling, noting that in one particular area, P2 billion worth of funds for irrigation projects was already spent but no single drop of irrigation water flowed. When pressed to identify the particular area, he refused.

A NIA official affected by the revamp who did not want to be identified said that while the NIA management has the best interests of the agency in mind when it effected the personnel changes, this did not spare certified performers.

“If you are performing above the performance indicators, of course to you the revamp would not do you good,” he said.

The official said that while some of his colleagues affected by the revamp were dismayed by the personnel movement, now that there has been an order then everyone should comply. “I don’t want to be replaced and transferred somewhere else but if the order is already out, by all means I will comply with it,” he said.

Relieved in the NIA central office through Board of Directors Resolution 7708-11 were deputy administrator for engineering and operations Democratico Grana Jr., internal audit services department manager Robert Suguitan, operations department manager Gregorio Dumandan and Region 7 engineering and operations division manager Dexter Patrocinio.

Also replaced were regional managers John Celeste (Region 1), Manuel Collado (Region 3), Efren Roqueza (Region 4-A), Modesto Membreve (Region 7), Alberto Lacuaren (Region 9), Julius Maquiling (Region 10), Felix Razo (Region 11) and Alejandro Aberca (Region 13); operation managers Mariano Dancel and Reynaldo Puno and project manager Reinerio Irinco. (Jason de Asis)

           

National Youth Commission calls for peace in Mindanao

MANILA, Oct. 21, 2011―In light of the recent incident in Basilan involving government soldiers and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the National Youth Commission expressed its sympathy with the families of those who died during the prolonged encounter that claimed 19 lives.

NYC Commissioner Earl P. Saavedra, who also hails from Basilan, said in a press release that it is imperative to promote lasting peace in Mindanao.

“We recently celebrated the Peace Month, culminating in a Peace Parade and a Commitment Activity on September 29, 2011 in Butuan City, where Mindanao stakeholders signed a manifesto for Peace calling for support in the peace process as part of social development,” Commissioner Saavedra also said.

Saavedra added that to address peace concerns, the NYC together with the local government agencies regularly hold a series of peace advocacy activities involving young people in Mindanao.

The said commission also called for a culture of peace and tolerance among the Filipinos, especially the youth, as part of its new peace and development banner which is the Mindanao 2020 youth agenda.

The commission also pledged its support to government efforts in establishing an all-out peace in Mindanao and at the same time in championing the voice of young Mindanaoans.

Saavedra emphasized it is important that the community values the voice of the youth in Mindanao.

“The youth play a vital role in ensuring a peaceful and developed society in the future where principles, beliefs, and cultures are respected. Les us ensure that this incident will not compromise the welfare of our people in Basilan and in Mindanao,” Saavedra explained. (Jandel Posion)

Toddler victim of hit-and-run sparks rethinking of life values

MANILA, Oct. 20, 2011—While the fate of a two-year-old Chinese girl hangs in the balance after being run over by two different vehicles a week ago, people around the world have been weighing in on the incident, mostly condemning what is seen as a callous disregard for people’s lives and a general decline in morality.

On October 13, Wang Yue was seriously injured in two hit-and-run incidents by two different vans in the town of Foshan in China’s Guangdong province. Over a dozen bystanders and one motorcyclist simply passed by the little girl lying and bleeding on the street after the incident, which was caught on a closed-circuit security camera.

Based on reports, around 10 minutes later a 57-year-old trash collector saw the child and pulled her to the side of the street. She started calling around for help, thus alerting the toddler’s mother who was within earshot.

The girl is currently on life support at Guangzhou Military District General Hospital. According to a report by ABC News Online Radio, the two drivers are in police custody. One was arrested by the police and the other turned himself in.

“I watched the video two nights ago on CNN. It was horrible. My first reaction to it was how the Chinese view children because of their disregard for life,” observed Alan Dacanay of Families Against the RH Bill.

“If the story is true about the babies found on the Yangtze river when they were building the Three Gorges Dam in China, then this will not be a surprise for the locals. They seem to have very little regard for life. The passersby and the motorist were unmindful of the toddler. What a sick society,” he lamented further.
Looking inward

Others looked inward and urged Filipinos to keep certain cultural values alive.

“May this indifference and callousness to the plight of others’ suffering not be found in the Philippines. Compassion (“awa”), caring for others (“kawanggawa”) and a sense of community (“bayanihan”) are part of our values as Filipino people. We are not individualistic,” said Pro-Life Philippines Board Member Dr. Lissa Poblete.

“Because we are a God-fearing nation, Filipinos from all walks of life are quick to show acts of kindness and mercy. Heroism and kindness are still alive in the Philippines.”

Apparently, the victim’s mother subscribes to the same other-centered values, based on comments she told China Daily newspaper which indicated an absence of bitterness over the situation.

“Let them make their own judgment. If they are married and have children, they will know. But I bear no grudge and refuse to be disappointed by society. Many kind people have come to help,” she was quoted to have said to the China paper, according to an October 19 The Telegraph story.

Not only in China

Despite the Chinese government’s much-criticized one-child policy and cases of forced abortion in the country, some refuse to label last week’s incident as characteristic of a nation’s lack of soul.

“The tendency to be individualistic is not peculiar to the people in China. Why would Jesus use that parable [of the Good Samaritan] if such a situation would not apply to us? And it happened back then, too — that’s [part of] the message to us. Hindi isolated sa China ‘yon,” said Jose Descallar, pro-life advocacy officer of BUHAY Party List Rep. Michael Velarde.

“It’s a reflection of an instrumentalist culture, yes. Kapag ang kapwa ay nangangailangan, iiwasan mo kasi you have to go out of your way [to help], ayaw mong ma-involve. And the irony of things is, in this incident, the ‘lowly and oppressed’ is the one who helped. Kung sino ‘yung mahirap, siya pa yung tumutulong.”

Descallar pointed out that while more moneyed individuals riding vehicles could have easily stopped and lent assistance to the bleeding child, no such thing happened in this case.

“Ang tumulong sa nangangailangan ay yung wala — basurero. Ang basurero, isa sa mga marumi o pinaka-inaayawan na trabaho,” he said.

Essentially, it was the shunned in society, one engaged in trash-collecting, who rescued another who is being shunned — in this case, the child, Descallar mused.

It was a case of the poor being the generous one, he added. (CBCP for Life)

Holdupper hit again carted away P200thousand cash money

BALER, Aurora, October 19, 2011-Police authorities are still investigating the recent holdup to a couple who is the owner of “Dikong Grocery Store” Monday night at Baler New Public Market, Brgy. Suklayin.

Victim Rolando “Dikong” Lelis said that they closed their grocery store at Baler Public Market around 7 o’clock in the evening together with his wife and while walking near the market gate, suddenly one (1) gunman approached them then declared a holdup pinpointing a gun to the head of his wife.

The holdupper forcibly get the bag of his wife containing cash money more or less worth P200 thousand pesos.

He said that he could not identify the culprits who covered his whole head with T-shirt and beside the place was dark. “I tried to follow the robbers who immediately fled at the back of the sports complex but my wife stopped me to follow for security reasons,” Lelis said.

“After the incident, I and my wife reported it to the police for follow-up investigation,” Lelis said, lamenting that his wife is in shock at this point in time. “She is now in the house resting that’s why I am only here in my grocery,” he ended.

Several days before the holdup, the Bluereds Tarpaulin and Tshirt printing shop also in Brgy. Suklayin was robbed by thieves and took away the owners laptop and cash money. (Jason de Asis)

Agriculture assessed P8.7 billion damages in Central Luzon

BALER, Aurora, October 19, 2011-Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 3, Regional Director Andrew Villacorta revealed that Central Luzon suffered P8.7 billion damages in agriculture and fisheries where the province of Nueva Ecija was battered most by the bedlam of storms and in need most for recovery.

Villacorta said that Nueva Ecija, dubbed rice granary of the Philippines, accounted for almost half the total damages in agriculture and fisheries of the region; even not close to Bulacan with a subsequent P2.1 billion wound.

The province together with the other six provinces in Central Luzon struggled with what old-timers have considered the most destructive floods since 1972. Typhoons Pedring and Quiel’s assault to the Philippines ranked 176 in think tank Wikipedia’s list of deadliest floods in the world, while the 1972 deluge in Luzon placed 88.

Nueva Ecija incurred an estimated P3.7 billion in damages, followed by Bulacan with P2 billion and Pampanga with P1.3 billion in rice crops while Tarlac sustained a P900 million injury, Bataan P340 million, Zambales P155 million, and Aurora with P46 million damages brought by typhoons.

Villacorta said that the rice supply of Central Luzon will not be affected with the 285,000 has of damaged farmlands but the supply for the whole of the country may see a paltry shortfall.

The province of Bulacan topped the list of the most ravaged fish farms with P109 million in damages, followed by Pampanga with P49 million and Bataan with P29 million. Over 7,000 hectares of fishponds were affected together with species of milkfish, tilapia and tiger prawns.

Villacorta said that the region will need P236 million to rehabilitate the agriculture sector and provide assistance to the afflicted 350,000 farmers.

Over P206 million is seen to help prop up the rice production, P21 million for the fisheries, P4 million for livestock, P2 million for high value commercial crops, and P1 million for the corn industry.

Villacorta said that the DA is providing assistance to farmers of 100 percent subsidy on hybrid and certified rice seeds for totally damaged crops and 50 percent for the partially damaged. (Jason de Asis)

Trillanes to boost environmental laws against violators

MANILA, October 18, 2011-Senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV sought to boost the environmental protection campaign through the creation of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA) which is the primary task of the proposed agency shall be to monitor, to enforce and to ensure compliance with environmental laws under Senate Bill No. 168.

Trillanes wants a corps of implementers that would ensure strict compliance to environmental laws, as well as prosecute and punish violators under the bill.  

  

Trillanes explained that we are experiencing widespread environmental degradation due to years of neglect, haphazard policy-making and weak local environmental management, something needs to be done, lest we suffer the ill-consequences of our long-time neglect which would be further aggravated by climate change like what is now happening in Bulacan.

Trillanes said that while the state is bound by its commitment to protect the environment, existing laws relating to environmental protection are somewhat inadequate in terms of implementation and enforcement. 

The bill will create a NEPA board that will craft policies on enforcement of environmental laws.

Under the measure, the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will serve as Chairman and the Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) as the Vice Chairman. Others members are representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Maritime Industry Authority (MIA) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Other key tasks and responsibilities of the NEPA Board are as follows: Formulate and implement an integrated approach to the enforcement of environmental laws; undertake the enforcement of environmental laws and investigate violators; arrest and apprehend as well as search violators and seize or confiscate the effects of the violations. For this purpose, prosecutors and enforcement officers of the agency are authorized to possess firearms in accordance with existing laws. Likewise, enforcers are authorized to enter premises for the purpose of conducting investigations; monitor, in coordination with the BOC, the Philippine Port Authority, the MIA, DENR and other agencies; prepare for the prosecution and cause the filing of appropriate criminal and civil charges against the violators. For this purpose, the agency shall coordinate with the DOJ; and recommend to the appropriate agency the forfeiture of properties and other assets belonging to the violators.

Trillanes said that these violators are not just transgressors of the law. Those who commit environmental crimes usually go unpunished. It is normally the people and the environment that greatly suffer from the dire consequences of their illicit acts. It is high time that we ran after these perpetrators and apply the full force of the law against them. (Jason de Asis)

15 top-ranking NIA execs relieved in massive revamp

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, October 17, 2011-Fifteen top-ranking officials of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), including the deputy administrator, were relieved from their posts in a sweeping top-level revamp ordered by President Aquino.

The revamp affected three (3) officials from the NIA central office, eight (8) regional managers, one (1) operation manager and one (1) project manager.

NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel said that the reshuffle is meant to vigorously implement the rice self-sufficiency program (RSSR) and the food self-sufficiency program (FSSR) of the Aquino administration. He said the redistribution of subordinate NIA personnel is also intended to better achieve the mission, vision and predicate objectives of the NIA as spelled out by President Aquino and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

The overhaul was ordered by President Aquino after NIA accomplished only 25 percent of its target of 30,958 hectares while spending over 60 percent of its P14.88 billion budget.

Relieved in the NIA central office through Board of Directors Resolution 7708-11 were deputy administrator for engineering and operations Democratico Grana Jr., internal audit services department manager Robert Suguitan, operations department manager Gregorio Dumandan and Region 7 engineering and operations division manager Dexter Patrocinio.

Grana was designated as overall chief of the project inspectorate and advisory group. He was replaced by Suguitan whose post was taken over by Dumandan who in turn was succeeded by Patrocinio.

Also replaced were regional managers John Celeste (Region 1), Manuel Collado (Region 3), Efren Roqueza (Region 4-A), Modesto Membreve (Region 7), Alberto Lacuaren (Region 9), Julius Maquiling (Region 10), Felix Razo (Region 11) and Alejandro Aberca (Region 13); operation managers Mariano Dancel and Reynaldo Puno and project manager Reinerio Irinco.

Celeste was designated RSSP manager for northern Luzon and was replaced by Collado whose post was taken over by Puno. Puno’s post as operations manager of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, the operator of the Pantabangan Dam, was taken over by division manager Josephine Salazar.

Roqueza was named RSSP area manager for Visayas and was replaced by Romeo Anonuevo. Membreve took the place of Aberca who replaced Lacuaren. Membreve was replaced by Diosdado Rosales. Maquiling swapped posts with Razo.

Dancel, operations manager of the Magat River Integrated Irrigation Systems, the second largest irrigation system, was reassigned as RSSP area manager for southern Luzon and was replaced by Helsy Bermudez, division manager of Region 1.

Irinco, project manager of the Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project, was named RSSP staff under the Office of the Administrator, replaced by Amadeo Montejo.

Prior to the revamp, the President was dismayed that only 25 percent of the targeted 30,958 hectares was accomplished as of June 30, 2011. (Jason de Asis)

Senate on the way to approve 2012 budget

MANILA, October 17, 2011-Senator Franklin Drilon, chair of Senate Finance Committee has wrapped up committee deliberations on the individual budgets of national government agencies and now on-track in approving the proposed P1.816 trillion 2012 national budget.

Drilon said that the 2012’s proposed budget has been transmitted by the House of Representatives to the Senate on Wednesday and was referred to the Finance Committee.

“We will diligently work for the passage of the budget so that by January 1, we will have an approved national budget for 2012,” Drilon said, adding that the panel will review the amendments incorporated by the House in the budget.

Drilon said that House Bill No. 5023 or the proposed General Appropriations Act of 2012, which was approved by the House Tuesday, will be sponsored in plenary when sessions resume on November 14.

He explained that on November 22, plenary debates would be completed which is also the date of the simultaneous approval on second and third reading in the Senate.

On November 23 to 28, a bicameral conference committee will be convened to reconcile disagreements between the Senate and the House versions of the budget.

Drilon assured that the passage of the government’s spending plan before lawmakers go on a holiday break on December 17.

The proposed outlay for next year is 10.4% higher from the current year’s outlay of P1.645 trillion. Next year’s budget represents 16.5% of gross domestic product (GDP), or the value of goods and services produced by an economy in a given period.

According to departmental allocations, the Department of Education has the highest with P238.8 billion budget, followed by Department of Public Works and Highways, P125.5 billion, Department of National Defense, P107.9 billion, Department of Interior and Local Government, P49.4 billion, and Department of Agriculture, P54 billion.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will get P49.4 billion; Department of Health, P44.4 billion; Department of Transportation and Communications, P34.6 billion; Department of Agrarian Reform, P18.3 billion; and the Judiciary, P15.7 billion.

Prior to this, Congress managed to pass the 2011 General Appropriations Act before yearend, the first time the government functioned on an operational budget in the last decade last year. (Jason de Asis)