Zambales Mango Festival 2011 starts today

IBA, Zambales, April 7, 2011-The 11^th Zambales Mango Festival kicks off today as one of the celebrations in the province which starts its four day revelry to be led by Governor Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr. and Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain who led the opening ceremony at the Provincial Capitol grounds in this capital town.

Senator Francis Pangilinan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food graced the occasion along with Regional Directors Blesila Lantayona of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Ronaldo Tiotuico, Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 3 Director Alfredo Tolentino and Police Chief Superintendent Allan Purisima of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 3 and Representatives from PhilHealth Region 3 are expected to arrive.

Today as the kick off of the annual celebration it featured photo contest and art exhibits, ultimate dance craze program and the regular street parade and street dancing competition.

Tomorrow a new program add-ons ZAMBA Boxing competition, Search for Talentadong Empleyado (Talented Employees) 2011, Huli Mo Biik Mo!, Agri-Karera ng Kalabaw (Agri-Carabao race) and dog show will be highlighted along with regular mango forum and PINAKA LGU booth competition.

On the 3^rd day of the celebration, main stays mango carving and mango eating contests and PINAKA competition will be featured along with the battle of the bands and the judging of the photo contest.

On the province culmination activity, newbies Zambales Song Writing Competition and Ginoo at Binibining Zambales (Mr. and Ms. Zambales) 2011 Grand Pageant Night are lead programs on the final day along with the awarding ceremony of the photo contest.

The annual celebration is a joint program of the Zambales Mango Development Council and the Zambales government to boost the mango industry of the province. (Jason de Asis)

Gapan civil registrar resigned, clerk suspended for live birth certificate probe

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 7, 2011-City civil registrar Mr. Danilo Tan who was one of those being investigated by the grievance committee headed by Danny Padiernos for alleged involvement in the falsifying of the certificate of live birth of an eight-year-old boy and in the missing marriage contract of his parents has resigned from his post.

Mayor Christian Tinio revealed yesterday that Tan has formally tendered his irrevocable resignation ahead of the results of the investigation in the case of Davis Mandy Afable whose certificate of live birth was allegedly forged, adding that the said office was assumed in an acting capacity by budget officer Zenaida Azarcon.

Tan is reportedly a close ally of former three-term mayor Ernesto Natividad whose wife Baby lost to Tinio in last year’s mayoral elections.

“There is no politics in the investigation of Tan,” Tinio said, explaining that his creation of a grievance committee to look into the case meant the probe is not politically motivated. “That’s why the committee is there to investigate and I never meddle in their work,” he said.

Tinio furthered that on the recommendation of the grievance committee, he has preventively suspended Jocelyn Dimacale, the clerk of the office of the civil registrar suspected of falsifying Afable’s certificate of live birth.

Earlier, the Sangguniang Panlunsod (SP), presided over by Vice Mayor Rodel Matias, placed Dimacale under investigation following a complaint lodged by Afable’s mother Desiree Bonifacio of Barangay San Nicolas here. The SP later gave way to the grievance committee.

Afable was born last May 28, 2002 to Manuel Afable, an American citizen, and Bonifacio. Exactly a month later, the elder Afable and Bonifacio got married.

Bonifacio said in the process, Davis Mandy was “legitimated through subsequent marriage,” as borne by the couple’s application for marriage license and the certificate of live birth. The couple’s relationship, however, went sour and they later separated.

Bonifacio said sometime last year, she went to the National Statistics Office to request a copy of their authenticated marriage contract and Davis Mandy’s certificate of live birth. She said to her surprise, the copy of the marriage contract could not be found and the certificate of her son’s live birth was forged through false entries.

Attached in her certificate of affidavit was a copy of the certificate of live birth of Davis Mandy wherein the boy’s middle name and surname Afable were erased.     The same document, however, clearly indicated that Davis Mandy was “legitimated” through the subsequent marriage of his parents on June 28, 2002.

Because of the forged certificate of live birth, Bonifacio said it would appear that Davis Mandy was an illegitimate child when in fact, his being a son of his Filipino mother and American father was already “legitimated” through their marriage.

In her complaint-affidavit, she also attached a copy of certificate of live birth signed by Tan and Dimacale dated July 5, 2002 showing that she and Afable got married. But in another certificate of live birth dated January 21, 2011 also signed by Tan and clerk 2 Arthur Merle, there were no entries opposite the lines “date and place of marriage of parents,” indicating they were never married at all.

Bonifacio said when she confronted Dimacale about the falsified certificate of live birth and the missing marriage contract, the latter admitted she pulled out the authentic documents on the request of the elder Afable.

Bonifacio said because of this anomaly, Davis Mandy was deprived of benefits due him as a legitimate child. She also complained that her ex-husband Manuel Afable was able to get married to another woman even if their marriage still exists and when there was no legal separation.

She said that the disappearance of her marriage contract and the forged certificate of live birth could not have been carried out if Afable did not conspire with officials of the city civil registrar’s office. (Jason de Asis)

NIA says that coliform outbreak has no effect on CL farmlands

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 7, 2011-The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) assured yesterday the reported outbreak of fecal coliform bacteria in at least 15 rivers in Central Luzon, including river systems that provide irrigation to thousands of hectares of farmlands in the region had no adverse effect on crops.

NIA regional irrigation manager for Central Luzon Manuel Collado said that so far, none of the farmers and irrigators’ associations have filed a complaint regarding the coliform pollution reportedly affecting the 15 rivers.

“So far, one has reported damage to crops related to the coliform bacteria,” Collado told newsmen as he downplayed the report of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

DENR regional forestry division chief Sofio Quintana said that a test conducted last year on water quality of the 15 rivers showed various stages of fecal coliform contamination from human and animal wastes.

Quintana told a water conservation forum that the bacteria, which is hazardous to people are found midstream and downstream of rivers from the watersheds of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems in Nueva Ecija, Dingalan in Aurora, Angat-Maasim and Angat-Ipo in Bulacan, Porac-Gumain in Pampanga, Pinulot in Bataan; Bulsa Moriones, Camiling and O’Donnel in Tarlac and Bucao, Cabaluan, Caulaman, Nayom and Sto. Tomas in Zambales.    

The DENR official stressed that there is a need for local government officials to build community toilets and strengthen the enforcement of solid waste management laws in their localities.

Angat-Maasim falls under the jurisdiction of Collado’s office which also covers the merged provincial irrigation management offices of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Aurora whose office is situated in Barangay Tambubong, san Rafael, Bulacan. It operates the 39-year-old Angat-Maasim Rivers Irrigation System that runs the Angat Afterbay Regulator Dam that irrigates 30,000 hectares of farmlands in 16 towns in Bulacan and four towns in Pampanga.

Collado admitted that the NIA has no technical expertise to determine the content of coliform bacteria in rivers and in irrigation farms but said that the reported outbreak is not being felt in their areas of operation. (Jason de Asis)

6,000 Central Luzon students to get employed this summer

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga, April 6, 2011-Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Leopoldo “Pol” B. de Jesus and information officer Jerry Borja said that  the 6,000 Central Luzon deserving college and vocational students from the poor families will be benefited this summer by the government’s Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) and now have the opportunity to work in private companies and local government units (LGUs).

“Pampanga got the most SPES slots this year at 2,300 followed by Bulacan and Nueva Ecija with 1,000 each; Bataan, Aurora and Zambales with 500 each; and Tarlac with 200,” de Jesus and Borja said, adding that the distribution was based on the SPES provincial performances in the last five years.

They furthered that SPES seeks to help poor but deserving students who pursue their education by enlisting them during summer and/or Christmas vacations where the provincial, Municipal and City Public Employment Service Offices (PESOs) are mandated to select the students based on their required qualifications according to their age, grades, income, and other pertinent documents.

According to law, a student must at least be 18 years old but not more than 25 years old. It is also required to submit the combined net income after tax of his/her parents, including his/her income if any, does not exceed the latest annual poverty threshold level for a family of six as determined and provided by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and he/she must have obtained passing grades in the last school term attended.

The duo explained that the tasks they will perform includes tax mappers, barangay survey personnel, encoders, school assistants, food service crew, gasoline attendants and promotion merchandisers where the students salary will be in accordance to the prescribed minimum wage wherein 40 percent will be shouldered by DOLE while the remaining 60 percent will come from the participating companies and LGUs. (Jason de Asis)

Angara warned the public against “LizaMoon” new web virus

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 6, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who chairs the Senate Committee on Science and Technology warned the public to protect and to prepare their computer systems following reports of a new virus called “LizaMoon” that hits more than 4 millions of internet users worldwide which was discovered late March of this malware.

Angara said that the virus installs malicious code into websites, redirecting unknowing users to a site called “LizaMoon” and then asks the user to install needless antivirus software, adding that this particular malware can reach the country in no time that’s why we must not wait for these kinds of viruses to hit the Philippines and cause harm before establishing security measures with the speed and pervasiveness of the Internet.

Earlier, Angara filed Senate Bill No. 52 commonly known as “An Act Defining Cybercrime, Providing for Prevention, Investigation and Imposition of Penalties Therefore and for Other Purposes” known simply as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2010 in the 15^th Congress.

“The bill seeks to protect internet users from illegal online activity such as fraud, identity theft, hacking and virus attacks, among many others,” Angara said, saying that the person who will be convicted of the said crime would be punishable by imprisonment or a fine of at least Php50,000.

In today’s modernization, Angara said that the majority of our countrymen have access to the Internet and there is a need to be diligent and to set safeguards to protect them from malicious entities wanting to take advantage. (Jason de Asis)

Legarda urges total plastic bags ban to fight climate change

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 6, 2011- Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change urged a total ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags throughout the country with the objective of curbing pollution and helping the nation manage its ecological resources more wisely, following the recent United States Environmental Protection Agency study that about 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags consumed worldwide yearly while the 2005 World Wildlife Fund Report showed that about 200 different marine species die due to ingestion and choking from plastic bags.

Legarda said that the study revealed the unrelenting and neglectful use of plastic bags around the world, saying that plastic bags end up as litter as it makes its way to landfills, drainages and bodies of water, taking decades to decompose and damaging marine life when dumped in the sea. This issue of pollution is further aggravated by natural hazards, which have become unpredictable due to climate change.

She cited the flooding in Metro Manila areas and made post-cleanup in 2009 as typhoon Ondoy struck the country where plastic bags severely worsened the flooding; thus, Legarda filed Senate Bill 2759 otherwise known as the Total Plastic Bag Ban Act of 2011, which prohibits groceries, supermarkets, public markets, restaurants, fast food chains, department stores, retail stores and other similar establishments from using non-biodegradable plastic bags to prevent the problem from worsening.

Legarda proposed penalty for violators with a fine of P10,000 for the first offense; P50,000 for the second offense; and, P200,000 as well as one year suspension of business permit for the third offense.

The Senator said that all sectors of society should act with dispatch in the problems of pollution, environmental degradation and severe weather shifts escalate, saying that to produce impact in the environment everybody must make conscious efforts to change the daily routine and practices.

“Business establishments have to change their economic mindset, wasteful production processes and packaging methods from the use of seemingly cost-effective plastic bags into investing in long-term reusable and recyclable bags which are more sustainable in the long run, adding that this will help a lot in fighting pollution in the country,” Legarda furthered. (Jason de Asis)

Angara encourages to patronize country’s cultural tourism instead of abroad

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 5, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara encourages the public to explore the Philippines’ cultural tourism sites instead of going abroad as the summer's vacation season reaches its peak this month, saying that the country has a rich cultural heritage, as well as abundant natural resources and rich biodiversity in the ecosystems aside from having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Angara added that our countrymen should have to patronize first the Philippines natural heritage where they can have plenty of options for vacation sites that are out of the ordinary, explaining that recent years have shown increased interest in cultural tours set in historical places to trace the footsteps of our forefathers which was reported also by the Department of Tourism.

“These tours mark important spots in the country's history, and also contribute to the movement to preserve historical and cultural sites that are slowly being destroyed due to negligence,” Angara said, who is the author of the National Cultural Heritage Bill which was signed into law last year.

The NCH bill seeks to protect locations that are essential to Philippine history, including buildings, landmarks, monument and shrines where he believes that supporting local tourism will boost the nation's economy.

Angara explained that local tourism increase would create jobs especially for those living in rural areas and would spur the creation and expansion of business establishments as positive impact to the country’s economy.

“Through patronizing the country’s richness in cultural heritage,  it would help our locals in their livelihood,” he said, adding that the country has a number of world heritage sites which were classified as cultural and natural, declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). (Jason de Asis)

COMSTE supports expansion of research in the use of algae as biofuel

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 5, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chair of the Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE) said that COMSTE is supporting the expansion of research and development (R&D) into the use of algae as a biofuel, explaining that more countries are developing the use of it; thus, the Philippines should continue to support research in this and other Renewable Energy (RE) sources.

“The US Airforce recently tested the F 22 Raptor, the most modern weapons system in the Airforce, flying on a 50/50 blend of biofuel. Continental Airlines has also been testing biofuel on a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane,” Angara noted, saying that the United Arab Emirates reported that algae use is now scalable and can become cheaper to produce than oil.

“COMSTE partners from Alson’s Aquaculture and the Ateneo Innovation Center (AIC) have been collaborating as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to study the use of algae as a biofuel,” Angara said, saying that initial experiments in the country demonstrate that the use of algae as a biofuel has high potential, and it can also be used as a carbon capture mechanism when coupled with coal-fired plants according to COMSTE. 

The AIC and Alsons teams, plus two other photo bio-reactor companies aim to study optimal conditions that will promote the growth of algae and the cleaning of coal fired plants by placing nearby aquaculture ponds.

In 2004, the Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture Research in Wales reported that the algae biofuel industry had an estimated value of $700 million, and is continuing to grow.

To produce diesel, gasoline and even jet fuel, Angara said that the US based National Renewable Energy Laboratory is currently studying the most viable strains of algae that they can use as a renewable energy source.

To displace the fuel needs of the country, Dr. Catalino Blanche, a national program leader with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said that the US is studying ways to develop algae as a biofuel, saying that  the National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) study that algae can produce up to 1,200 - 10,000 gallons per acre.

“Mexico is developing a program that can potentially replace fossil fuels with biofuel blends which aims to produce 1% of the nation’s jet fuel from algae in less than five years,” Angara ended. (Jason de Asis)

Deputy ombudsman Gonzales should be ousted from office-Kiko

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 4, 2011-In relation to the hostage-taking at Quirino Grandstand on August 23, 2010, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, a lawyer and formerly a chairman of the Senate Justice Committee yesterday urged for the enforcement of Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III’s removal from his post who was fired by Malacañang last March 31 in a 15 page decision released by the Office of the President declaring Gonzalez guilty of gross neglect of duty and misconduct in the performance of duty, following the Palace review of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).

“The inordinate and unjustified delay in resolving the case of hostage-taker, former police Chief Inspector Rolando Mendoza, whose removal from service was one of the reasons for the hostage-taking that claimed the lives of eight hostages, plus Mendoza himself. On top these, the Deputy Ombudsman has been suspected of extorting money from Mendoza at the height of the hostage-taking incident,” Pangilinan said, however, Gonzalez and his superior, Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez, have remained defiant, saying that the President “has no judicial or quasi-judicial jurisdiction” over Gonzalez.

“The presumption of regularity must prevail on the issue of Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III. In this instance, unless constrained by the courts, the decision must be respected and the dismissal enforced,” Pangilinan pointed out, asserting that if there are no legal impediments to executing the President’s order, then Gonzalez should be removed from office. If he needs to be bodily removed from the office premises, then that should already be acted on by the appropriate police agency.

Pangilinan also made reference to the Ombudsman’s ties to the Arroyo administration, saying that unless they have forgotten that we are now under a new administration, it is time to put an end to the wanton disregard for the rule of law so characteristic of the Arroyo administration.

He furthered that there is a need to exorcise the nation from the ghosts of the past regime wherein the Constitution and the rule of law were upheld only when it served the purpose of the incumbent.

The lawmaker asserted: We should not wait for another hostage taking incident. We should follow the rule of the law. (Jason de Asis)

350,000 deaths yearly and expected to rise due to climate change

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 4, 2011-It was estimated that 350,000 people died yearly due to climate change due to various illnesses in the country, Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change urged the Department of Health (DOH) to improve its public health services and ensure early prevention and control of diseases.

“There is a need for the DOH to strengthen their initiatives on disease and health surveillance and enhance its awareness campaigns on climate-sensitive diseases not limited to dengue but including pulmonary infections, malaria, cholera, heatstroke, and skin infections,” Legarda said.

The Senator said that climate vulnerability monitor 2010 study showed that not disasters but diseases cause the most number of deaths by climate change, noting that from January to February of 2011 there had been at least 13,821 patients afflicted with dengue already admitted in hospitals across the country.

“According to the DOH, there were 3,640 dengue cases, a 106-percent increase from the figures recorded last year in Metro Manila alone,” she said, adding that the rise in dengue cases is alarming because the country is one of the most vulnerable to vector-borne diseases.

The Development Assistance Research Associates (DARA) which is an international organization monitors aid to victims of conflict, disasters and climate change reported that the Philippines climate and location naturally assist in the proliferation of dengue where higher temperatures and more humid climates caused by climate change favor the growth in the populations of insects and vectors that spread diseases.

Despite serious projected impacts over a range of health concerns, Legarda furthered that the study revealed that there are large gaps in adaptation policies, including health, making up just 3% of priority adaptation projects, reiterating that an estimated 350,000 people die each year due to major diseases and health disorders related to climate change.

“Unless measures are taken, by 2030, climate change will increase its toll to more than 800,000 deaths yearly,” Legarda explained, stressing that there is a need to prioritize prevention and control of climate-related diseases, and enhance the DOH’s capacity for early warning for any outbreak. (Jason de Asis)

Legarda squeezes protection for indigenous people

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SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 3, 2011-Senator Loren Legarda who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change and Cultural Communities committee said that there is a need to squeeze out concern over the consequences of climate change that affects the lives of indigenous people (IP) who are threatened by extreme weather events brought by climate change as the IP are more vulnerable to their livelihood, health, food security, cultural integrity and lands.

Legarda explained that the IP contribute the least with respect to carbon emissions due to their simple, sustainable lifestyles and practices where they are most affected by the consequences of climate change.

The report from Indigenous Peoples’ International Center for Policy Research and Education (Tebtebba) declared that the issue of climate change is not just an environmental issue but also has economic and cultural dimensions explaining that as they struggle with each flood, landslide, drought or typhoon, they are displaced from their lands or are left to battle food and water scarcity as well as widespread outbreaks of vector-borne diseases.

Legarda said that the occurrence radically changes IPs way of life, threatening their sources of livelihood, traditional knowledge and practices, especially their sustainable practices in the management of their land, water and forest resources; thus, she authored Senate Resolution No. 158 last September 2010 directing the Committee on Cultural Communities to conduct an inquiry on the implications of the implementation of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program to the indigenous peoples of the Philippines.

She said that in order to contribute to the global fight against climate change, REDD is a mechanism to create an incentive for developing countries to protect, better manage and wisely use their forest resources by reducing deforestation and forest degradation.

Legarda furthered that IPs are the primary guardians and beneficiaries of the said program as stewards of the country’s forests, which are home to many indigenous cultural communities.

“There is a need to ensure that REDD program is implemented properly in the Philippines to identify the pros and cons for the indigenous peoples’ reforestation program,” Legarda ended. (Jason de Asis)

COMSTE to present “ice cream program”

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 3, 2011-The Congressional Commission on Science Technology and Engineering (COMSTE), Manila Observatory (MO) and University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) will present the Integrated Evaluation of Coastal Research Enhancement and Adaptive Management otherwise known as “ICE CREAM” program which was initially funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) on April 5, 2011 at the Klima Conference Center of the Manila Observatory from 1:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon.

It aims to investigate climate change impacts on the coasts and adapting wisely to a changing Philippine coastal environment where the program consists of eight projects examining the changing coastal erosion, sea level rise, and water quality; changes in oceanographic processes at different scales; changes in ecosystem patterns and processes; and changes in fisheries harvest.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chair of COMSTE said that the program intends to produce vulnerability maps and coastal profiles; coastal and ecosystem scenarios; decision options:  cost-benefit analyses, science-based governance processes, and system guidelines; and monitoring, evaluation, and response feedback systems (MERFS).

He added that the results of the different studies will address the different responses such as modeling decision support for Coastal Resource Management strategic action plans, fisheries ecosystem adaptive management strategies for enhancements and conservation (FEAMS-EC), and Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Support Network Integrated Coastal Management (MSN-ICM) resilience seas network. (Jason de Asis)

Aurora top cop relieved over rash of crimes

CAMP RAVINA, BALER, Aurora April 2, 2011-A turned over ceremony of the Aurora’s top cop of the Philippine National Police will be held on Monday at Camp Victor Ravina in the midst of the rash in crimes and alleged lapses in law enforcement of the police.

Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, regional director of the Camp Olivas-based PNP Regional Office 3, told newsmen that he has relieved Senior Supt. Rosvi Manulid and replaced Senior Supt. Jojo Gumban as the choice of Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo among the list of three recommendees of the National Police Commission.

Purisima said that Gumban who is the chief of the regional headquarters support service will be designated as the officer-in-charge who will take over the police force in the province.

Manulid served as provincial director for only seven months. Last September, he replaced Senior Supt. Romulo Esteban, his “mistah” in the 1984 batch of the PNP Academy, who also served for only a year.

Earlier, it was reported that Angara-Castillo has expressed preference for the designation of Senior Supt. Benjamin Hulipas but Purisima said Hulipas was not included in the list of recommendees.

Manulid’s relief was considered a foregone conclusion since a month ago after Angara-Castillo expressed dismay over the recent rash in crimes in the province and the failure of police to stop illegal logging.

Angara-Castillo said she was particularly disappointed that when Manulid took over as provincial director, there was a surge in crimes, including a P1-million broad daylight heist. “Even during day-time, there were crime incidents,” she said, adding that before the latter came in, the province had the lowest crime rate among the seven provinces in Central Luzon.

“When he came, we were the most peaceful. I wanted to maintain that distinction so he had to go,” she said, adding the surge in crimes would adversely affect Aurora’s aggressive tourism campaign.

Angara-Castillo said that she herself was not spared from the outbreak in crimes. She cited that recently, she lost her generator to thieves who broke into her house.

She recalled confronting Manulid about the incident, even warning him that if her generator would not be produced in 24 hours, Manulid would suffer the consequences. The generator was recovered by police within the 24-hour period.

Angara-Castillo said the fact that the stolen generator was recovered by police indicated that if they wanted to, they can do their job efficiently. She said she has long been complaining to Manulid and his men the lack of police visibility in the province.

Commenting on his relief, Manulid said insofar as he is concerned, he has done his best although this has failed to satisfy the governor. “I have no regrets,” he said.

Before a new set of recommendees was laid down, Manulid has been scolded a number of times by Angara-Castillo over alleged lapses of the police. Once, she chided him in front of local officials and newsmen during a meeting of the provincial government-led task force against illegal logging for the inability of lawmen to prevent the passage of trucks in police-manned checkpoints.

But what broke the camel’s back, sources said, was the occurrence of five consecutive robbery-holdup and theft incidents in the province.         

At least twice, Manulid was adjudged police officer of the year in Central Luzon in the late 80s. To his credit were 28 medals and 31 letters of commendations. (Jason de Asis) 

Trillanes on 15th Magayon Festival

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 2, 2011-Since his released from detention last December, Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV visited his hometown in Albay, Bicol last Friday to grace the start of the month-long 15th Magayon Festival and hold consultations with local officials and his constituents.

Trillanes spoke at the annual cultural celebration and led the convention of the Samahang Magdalo in Legazpi City, saying that it is important to celebrate and to commemorate this kind of tradition because it strengthens and unites us as Bicolanos and as Filipinos.

At least 15 chapters of the Samahang Magdalo from theBicol region consulted by Trillanes in Legazpi City, explaining that holding public office is not a one-man show.

“It has been my personal policy to pursue participative and consultative leadership by maintaining open communication channels to our constituents,” Trillanes said.

Trillanes also met with Albay Governor Joey Salceda, local officials, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and Church leaders and discussed local concerns and identified solutions for the benefit of Bicolandia. (Jason de Asis)

There is enough rice by 2013-PhilRice

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, April 1, 2011-A former executive director of Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) said that the country could hit its goal of producing enough rice with the innovations and initiatives on research, development, and extension (RD&E), which contribute 40 percent to rice self-sufficiency.

Ronilo A. Beronio said at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station that technology components and other social aspects are well-covered by the RD&E concerned and he is optimistic that the accomplishments in rice R&D during the past 25 years are now fruitful.

Beronio challenged the RD&E sector highlighting varieties, machines, and farming practices such as Palayamanan and PalayCheck that were developed, tested, and improved to suit farmers’ needs, the three-day event also produced outstanding studies in best paper and poster presentations.

Under the theme Strategies to mitigate impacts of and adapt to climate change, and other emerging problems besetting the rice industry PhilRice, Engineer Arnold S. Juliano’s paper, Development of a mobile ricehull gasifier engine-pump system, won the best paper award. 

To help farmers reduce production cost and minimize the environmental hazards of rice hull, the local gasifier system, which is compact, mobile, and affordable, was developed, where under the theme Socio-economics, impact assessment, policy, and market, Enhancing rice productivity and self-sufficiency in Romblon (Phase 1) of Leonardo A. Gonzales from STRIVE foundation, was adjudged best paper.

After project implementation, the farmer beneficiaries across the Location Specific Technology Development (LSTD) project sites in four municipalities illustrated marked improvements in terms of yield, efficiency in farm and wholesale level costs, net farm and wholesale incomes, food subsistence and poverty level carrying capacities, rice self-sufficiency, and global competitiveness.

A study using cellphone-based survey forms for PhilRice field data collection presented by Arturo C. Arocena Jr. from PhilRice, won the best paper award under the theme Technology promotion and delivery for narrowing the yield gap.

Arocena said that cellular phone-based survey forms can deliver structured datasets that can either replace or integrate with the existing paper-based process. 

DA-PhilRice is a government owned and controlled corporation that aims at developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos. (Jason de Asis)

Agricultural sector to build capacity to address food crisis

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 1, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who is a former Agriculture secretary urged the government to build the agricultural sector the capacity to address the increasing needs of the country saying with all of these catastrophes and global problems, food prices in the Philippines will go up very soon.

Angara explained the interconnected factors contributing to the increase of food prices worldwide saying that normally steady agriculture sector in Russia, China, India and Australia have been negatively affected by flood, drought and fire as a result of climate change. 

“Last year the harvests in Europe, North and South America and in Asia saw record lows,” he said, adding that the conflict in the Middle East is boosting the price of gasoline, adding to the cost of food transportation.

Angara furthered that in the past few months, the price of vegetables and grains here in the country significantly rise up.

“The key to soften the local impact of the impending global food crisis is through innovations in the agriculture industry,” Angara pointed out, saying that it is important how we shape the industry to better suit our changing needs where knowledge and skills in agriculture are always needed.

Angara reiterated his call for the immediate actions from all the institution involve to reduce the full effect of global food crisis, saying that a better preparation and action should be conducted as early as possible to lessen the impact of it in the country. (Jason de Asis)

Revilla tasked PLDT's acquisition of Digitel

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, April 1, 2011-Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr., chair of the senate committee on public service tasked the national telecommunications commission (NTC) to submit a report in the next two weeks on PLDT’s acquisition of third-ranked telecommunication digitel and prepare a study on the possible effects of PLDT's acquisition of Digitel on the local Telecommunications Market.

Revilla said that the NTC, which is the country's Telecoms regulator, is in the best position to assess the impact of this transaction on consumers and the public in general.

“While, a change of ownership of corporations is usually ordinary business, this is not the case here as Telecommunications is imbued with public interest, and we must ensure that public interest is upheld in this transaction,” he said.

Revilla added that another consideration must be given to the fact that if the acquisition pushes through, PLDT will undoubtedly be owning a great chunk of the Mobile Phone industry, being the owner of Piltel, Smart, Cure, and eventually Digitel, saying that in 1992 the PLDT held a monopoly on the country’s telecommunication where President Fidel Valdez Ramos deregulated the company.

To give the agency broader powers in overseeing the Telecoms Industry, the Senator said that the committee is now conducting Technical Working Group meetings on the reorganization of the NTC, saying that there are already proposals to empower the NTC to monitor pricing and competition, and another proposal to consider is to give NTC the mandate to overseer the acquisition of Telecom companies by other Telecom companies. (Jason de Asis)

Angara bats for Phl 2nd millennium development goal of universal education

SENATE OFFICE, Manila, March 31, 2011-In a recent interview with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate committee on Education, Arts and Culture said that the only way to get closer to the second Millennium Development Goal of universal education is through increased of state funding after researchers from the USAID consulted Angara in accordance with the bilateral assistance agreement between the two countries about the state of education in the Philippines which will be used to guide the next USAID-Philippines education strategy.

“Insufficient state subsidy as one of the main reasons behind the slow progress of the Philippine’s education sector,” Angara said, adding that underinvestment in education will prevent Filipinos from being globally competitive although the numbers reflect a steady increase in the government’s allocation to the DepEd, per-student spending is actually of less real-world value now than in previous decades.

The Senator said that this lack of a workable budget undermines the ability of a university to fulfill its functions as a research and development facility.

He added that state universities and colleges (SUCs) are primarily research-oriented where the Senator said that in order to have effective applications in daily lives a field of study requires steady funding.

“The best-case scenario has the majority of students enrolled in good public schools,” he said, explaining that the goal is to have 70% of students attending quality, state-funded schools.

He furthered that SUC system is quite good and there are public schools nationwide but still there is a need to be regulated to ensure the quality of education.

Angara concluded that educational development and national progress should be correlated revealing that these are the weaknesses of the current educational system; thus, the need for the advancement of the Philippines education. (Jason de Asis)