TRENDS (20 January 2010)

Pres. Arroyo builds more than 100,000 new classrooms

CAGAYAN de Oro City (01/20/10) – At least 102,033 new classrooms were built to provide a better learning environment in the public schools under the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

This actually represents a 46.03 percent (%) rise, from 221,651 classrooms built as of Dec. 31, 2000, to 323,684 classrooms built, as of Dec. 31, 2009.

During her term, the classroom to student ratio in the elementary stands at 1:39 or one (1) room per 39 students while that of the high school stands at 1:55 or one (1) room per 55 students.

Aimed at providing quality education, the textbook to student ratio was placed at 1:1 or one (1) textbook per student for English and Sibika subjects in the elementary and the same ratio of 1:1 for English, Mathematics and Science subjects in high school. (PIA-10)


Teacher’s wages increase by 43 percent under Pres. Arroyo

CAGAYAN de Oro City (01/20/10) – Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has raised the teachers’ wages by 43 percent (%), to be able to recruit and keep quality teachers in government.

Thus, those occupying a Teacher 1 position are now receiving P14,198, starting 2009 compared to P9,939 in 2000.

Meanwhile, for better access to secondary education, she has extended financial assistance to 508,808 educational contract grantees (ECG) during school year (SY) 2008-2009, while only 264,435 ECG’s were given the same assistance in SY 2000-2001.

Likewise, 513,971 high school students benefited under the Government Assistance for Students and Teachers of Private Education (GASTPE) Educational Voucher System, as of Dec. 2009.

The President also caused the implementation of the Food for School Program (FSP) as incentive for pupils to stay in school in the top 20 food-poor provinces and top 100 food-poor municipalities, countrywide.

Around 95,440 beneficiaries consisting of pre-school and Grades 1-3 pupils in all public elementary schools in these FSP-covered areas were given rice subsidy of one (1) kilogram of rice for 80 days in SY 2008-2009. (PIA-10)


Pres. Arroyo distributes lands to indigenous people

CAGAYAN de Oro City (01/20/10) – Some 3.512 million hectares of land were distributed to protect the welfare of the indigenous people since Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001.

Of this number, 3.5 million hectares were distributed through 141 approved certificates of ancestral domain while 12,000 hectares were distributed through 238 approved certificates of ancestral land.

Pres. Arroyo believes giving land to the landless will encourage them to be self-sufficient, thereby, increasing their productivity.

Meanwhile, some 1.84 million hectares of land were distributed under the government’s agrarian reform program, during her term posting an increase of 244.16 percent (%) over 523,000 hectares that were distributed from 1998 to 2000.

About 974,265 hectares were distributed from Jan. 2001 to Sept. 2009 from private land-owners while 867,844 hectares were government land. (PIA-10)


LBP extends P150B loans to farmers / fisherfolk

CAGAYAN de Oro City (01/20/10) – A total of Php150 billion have been extended to farmers and fisherfolk by the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) during the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001-2009.

This amount is actually 54.61% higher compared to P97 billion that LBP extended in 2000 before she assumed the Presidency, to provide livelihood and encourage self-sufficiency of the sector.

Meanwhile, some 1.8 million hectares of rice lands have been irrigated to increase productivity and income of the rice farmers, since Pres. Arroyo became President.

Due to rural infrastructure, modern technology and farm support, these irrigated rice lands improved the average yield of palay from 3.07 metric tons per hectare in 2000 to 3.63 metric tons per hectare in 2009.

The government’s buying price of palay, from 1998-2000, stood at P8.50 per kilo, but this was raised to P17 per kilo in 2009, resulting in stable market prices and more income for farmers who were encouraged to also improve their productivity. (PIA-10)


Insurgents’ strength down under the Arroyo administration

ISLAMIC City of Marawi (01/20/10) – The manpower strength of insurgents has been reduced drastically during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Data from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reveals that from 2000 to 2009, the strength of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) have been cut down by more than 60 percent (%) from 1,269 to only 407.

The CPP/NPA/NDF also reduced to 5,021 indicating a reduction of more than 50 percent (%) of its strength has been achieved during the Arroyo administration.

Furthermore, the strength of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) also decreased by nine (9) percent (%) bringing down the Muslim secessionists power to just about 11,454 from 12,571 in 2000.

These accomplishments showed that President Arroyo is committed to end the insurgency problem before her term ends to help pave the way for peace and development in the country. (PIA-10)


Arroyo’s social development initiatives benefit more Filipinos

ISLAMIC City of Marawi (01/20/10) – The Arroyo’s administration social development programs have benefited more Filipinos compared to past administrations.

Since the start of her administration, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has accelerated the development of water supply improvement projects for numerous waterless municipalities.

Data shows that water supply projects for 319 waterless municipalities in the country have been accomplished by the government as of December 2009.

This figure indicates that 74 percent (%) of the 432 targeted waterless municipalities have been given access to potable water supply.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), meanwhile, has benefited one million households as of December 2009.

A flagship project of President Arroyo for poverty reduction through investment in human capital, 4Ps provides cash grants to identified extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education. (PIA-10)


PGMA’s microfinance program reaches 6.91 borrowers

ISLAMIC City of Marawi (01/20/10)—A total of P157.41 microfinance loans were extended to 6.91 million borrowers since 2001 under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s microfinance program.

The government also released a total of P179.70 billion loans to 159,711 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from 2004 to October 2009.

Microfinance, which is considered globally as a powerful tool in fighting poverty, is one of the major strategies, in turn, created more jobs for the works nationwide as it also helped in bringing out entrepreneurial spirit of the Filipino people.

When poor people have access to financial services, they can earn enough for their families, build their assets, and cushion themselves against external shocks. (PIA-10)


RDC-10 conducts search for outstanding local project monitoring committees

THE search for outstanding Local Project Monitoring Committees in Northern Mindanao is on for the provinces and cities including the municipalities whose mayor is the President of the Provincial League of Municipalities.

Spearheaded by the Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) of the Regional Development Council of region 10 (RDC-10), the search aims to: 1) motivate the local chief executives and the local development councils to pursue the objectives of Regional Project Monitoring System (RPMES); 2) better rationalize the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of programs / projects; and 3) heighten the advocacy on the use of M&E information for decision-making.

Section 109 of the Local Government Code mandated the local development councils to monitor and evaluate development programs and projects implemented in their respective localities. Updates on project implementation should be timely and relevant for a well-informed decision-making by the local chief executives and for better governance.

The RPMES provides the framework for facilitating the implementation of projects at the regional, provincial, city and municipal levels.

Included in the criteria are: 1) the organization of the local Project Monitoring Committees; 2) capability building initiatives; 3) program / project status reporting systems; 4) timeliness and information dissemination systems for RPMES reports; 5) NGO/PO participation in the monitoring process; and 6) institutional arrangement installed at the local level in operationalizing the RPMES.

Inquiries on the search may be directed to Engr. Jaime H. Pacampara, Chief of the Project Monitoring and Evaluation Division of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), in region 10, through telephone numbers (08822) 723436 and (088) 8561920 local 206. (NEDA-RDC / CAP-TF)


NIA appoints new head for Bukidnon

CAGAYAN de Oro City—The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), in region 10, proudly announces the installation of Engr. Jimmy L. Apostol as Division Manager A of Bukidnon Irrigation Management Office, in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

His appointment is an offshoot of the rationalization process of the agency as authorized under Executive Order 366 and EO 718 which is the phased implementation of the Rationalization Plan of the NIA.

The NIA formulated its own rationalization plan based on several parameters among them Republic Act (RA) 3601 as amended by PD 552 and PD 1702 Act Creating the NIA, RA 8435 or the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act and RA 7607 Providing A Magna Carta of Small Farmers.

The structural adjustment has created a very lean organization with the merging of organizational units and the regrouping or realignment of functions. Manpower need was scaled down and a great number of personnel were affected.

NIA in region 10 is now composed of two (2) big Irrigation Management Offices (IMOs). Bukidnon retained its identity with one Provincial Irrigation Office and the cluster of national irrigation systems namely; Pulangui, Manupali, Roxas-Kuya and Muleta River Irrigation Systems. Lanao Provinces, Maranding, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin linked up to constitute the other Irrigation Management Office identified as the LAMISCA.

Apostol, the newly appointed head of the Bukidnon IMO was sworn to office by no less than Deputy Administrator for Administrative and Finance, Teodoro A. Velasco on January 18, 2010, the first to take oath as Division Manager of an IMO under the new set-up.

He is the Assistant of the former Provincial Irrigation Engineer of Bukidnon, Engr. Julius S. Maquiling, who recently promoted as Regional Manager A of NIA, region 10. (Rizalina S. Carbon, National Irrigation Administration 10)


NDCC moves to avert water crisis in the face of El Nino

THE National Disaster Coordinating Council is now undertaking measures to avert a water crisis in Metro Manila and mitigate other effects of a long spell of El Nino in the country, Defense Secretary and NDCC Chair Norberto Gonzales bared yesterday.

Gonzales made the announcement as he inspected in the first hour of Wednesday the ongoing repair of water pipes along EDSA in Pasay City by the Metro-Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Gonzales conducted the midnight inspection to ensure that MWSS was working 24/7 for 60 days repairing all damaged water pipes in Metro Manila as part of government quick response to this year’s El Nino which PAG-ASA and the Department of Science and Technology described as worse than in previous years.

Gonzales convened the NDCC Monday and Tuesday to discuss the new El Nino and the preparations being undertaken by various government agencies and instrumentalities in response to the latest calamity to hit the country.

The disaster body noted that the EL Nino had been upon the country already, affecting so many provinces, including Capiz, the rest of Panay and Samar where rainfall had been below normal for the last three months. The drought is forecasted to last up to May or even July.

The Department of Agriculture is expecting around 50 provinces to be affected by the drought, resulting in about P3 billion total losses in the farming sector.

The National Water Resource Board reported in the meeting a “radical reduction” in the water level of Angat Dam, one of the main sources of water supply for Metro Manila, as well as Bulacan and Pampanga. This prompted the NDCC chair to stress the need to conserve the water supply of Metro Manila and of the entire country.

Thirty percent of the capital region’s water supply goes to waste leaking through damaged pipes, according to the MWSS.

The NDCC is drawing up a set of recommendations for meeting the problem to be presented to President Arroyo soonest. (NDCC)