PIA 10 News (04 February 2011)

Marine environmental protection tops accomplishment of PCG-NorMin
by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental – The Philippine Coast Guard District, Northern Mindanao (PCGDNM) will always direct its activities towards their mission to promote maritime safety, conserve marine resources and waterways and guard against violations of maritime laws.

Thus assured Commodore Elson E. Hermogino, Commander of PCGDNM, who said activities along Marine Environmental Protection (MAREP), Marine Safety Administration (MARSAD) and Marine Search and Rescue (MARSAR) took the bulk of their accomplishments for 2010.

“We were able to navigate through the changes and challenges of the times as Northern Mindanao transformed itself into one of the economical catalyst of the country,” he said.

Hermogino also said PCGDNM planted some 15,000 mangrove propagules within a total area of eight (8) square miles covering all its stations and detachments and conducted coastal clean-ups, under the “SCUBAsurero” project, as among their activities of the 109th PCG Anniversary celebrated last October.

It also conducted various symposia and training seminars to local government units and private corporations in the Oil Spill Control and Prevention drills participated by the various shipping lines operating in the region.

Meanwhile, PCGDNM was able to maintain its 98% operating efficiency in all its 54 light stations of the region, while its daily deployment of K9 Teams, Special Operations Group (SOG) and Boarding Teams had deterred suspicious attacks from known terrorist groups in its AOR.

The daily manning of Passenger Assistance Centers (PACs) in all its stations has greatly helped in the assisting passengers and efficient port operations and enhanced the religious implementation of RA 9295 or “An Act Promoting the Development of Philippine Domestic Shipping, Ship-Building, Ship-Repair and Ship-Breaking.”

As to MARSAD activities, PCGDNM has issued 156 Special Permits to Load Inflammable/Dangerous Cargoes with zero (0) maritime violation and 5,024 Masters Oath of Safety Departure (MOSD) reports for clearance to ships to navigate.

“We also conducted various trainings and seminars to buffer the effects of flashfloods and maritime disasters, which were actively participated by various government agencies and non-government organizations,” Hermogino added. (PIA)

DOH-ARMM to deploy 300 nurses in Lanao del Sur
By: Apipa Bagumbaran

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - The Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) will be deploying around 300 nurses to poor communities in Lanao del Sur next month.

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding, ARMM health secretary, said more than 700 registered nurses will be deployed in the unserved or underserved communities of the region starting March 1 under the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement and Local Service (RN HEALS).

Of these numbers, 301 will be deployed in Lanao del Sur, 235 in Maguindanao, 91 in Sulu, 68 in Tawi-Tawi, and 50 in Basilan.

The RN HEALS project aims to make necessary health services available to all Filipinos by training and deploying 10,000 unemployed nurses in poor communities identified by the DOH in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The nurses will be given an allowance of P8,000 per month by the DOH while the local government unit (LGU) where they will be assigned will also provide additional monthly allowances and benefits worth P2,000.

The LGU will likewise supervise them, ensure their safety and security, and provide modest board and lodging.

A certificate of competency and employment will be given by the DOH, DSWD and the Professional Regulation Commission to those who will satisfactorily complete the requirements.

The recruitment of these nurses is being administered by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its regional offices.

Sinolinding said more than 500 applicants have already submitted their applications to the DOLE-ARMM as of press time.

He further said that the DOLE-ARMM is still accepting applicants for the project.

Registered nurses who are physically and mentally fit and willing to serve in their municipalities may apply online at the DOLE website.

The deadline for the submission is on February 15, Sinolinding added. (Apipa Bagumbaran/PIA 10 Marawi)

NBI agents rescue 15 trafficking victims
By: Apipa Bagumbaran

ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte - Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) rescued yesterday evening fifteen people, including three minors, who fell victims to illegal trafficking.

Head Agent Renato Mandawe of NBI here said they rescued the victims on board a motorboat during an operation inside a private wharf in Baliwasan Grande, Zamboanga City around 8:00PM of February 2.

Mandawe said the rescue operation stemmed from the complaints of Nenita delos Santos and Rosalinda Lumbab whose minor sons were allegedly illegally recruited and scheduled to be transported to Malaysia via Taganak Island in Tawi-Tawi around 10PM of February 2.

After securing authority from our headquarters operatives, we proceeded to Zamboanga City and coordinated with our NBI counterpart in the area, the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Visayan Forum, a non government organization that provides temporary shelter and assistance to human trafficking victims, he said.

The victims were brought back in Iligan while the minors were still in the custody of the DSWD, the NBI chief further said.

In a separate interview with one of the victims, Prudencio Am-is, 42 years old and resident of Brgy. Villaverde here disclosed that they were recruited on January 24 to work in a palm oil plantation in Malaysia with a promised salary of 15 ringgits per day or about P200 daily.

He said they left Iligan on January 27 and were told that they will be transported to Taganak Island where they will be fetched by a Malaysian recruiter who will be responsible for bringing them inside Malaysia without proper documentation.

He further said that they were also informed that their names will be changed upon entering Malaysia.

Meantime, Mandawe said they are conducting a manhunt operation against the person behind the suspected human trafficking scheme who immediately escaped and evaded arrest upon sensing the presence of the NBI agents.

He added that the suspect will be facing charges for violating Republic Act 9208 or Anti-Trafficking Act.

Madawe also warned the public to be always vigilant against human trafficking. (Apipa Bagumbaran/PIA 10 Marawi)

Tagalog News: Marawi City nanganganib mawalan ng supply ng tubig

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - Nanganganib ang lungsod na ito na mawalan ng supply ng tubig kapag hindi nakapagbayad ang Marawi City Water District (MCWD) ng mga pagkakautang nito sa Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO).

Sa pakikipanayam ng Radyo ng Bayan, ibinunyag ni MCWD General Manager Sultan Alexis Malna na sa kasalukuyan ay umaabot na ng mahigit 40 milyong piso ang utang ng MCWD sa Local Waterworks Utilities Administration (LWUA) at halos ganoon din kalaking halaga ang utang nito sa LASURECO.

Umaabot sa 250,000 piso ang binabayaran ng MCWD sa LWUA kada buwan at ang buwanang bayarin nila sa LASURECO ay naglalaro sa 300,000 hanggang 400,000 piso, ayon pa kay Malna.

“Sumulat na sa akin ang pamunuan ng LASURECO at hinihiling nila na kahit ang current bill lang muna ang bayaran namin dahil sinisingil na rin sila sa kanilang pagkakautang sa NAPOCOR at sa NEA. Kapag hindi ko nakuha sa pakiusap ang manager ng LASURECO na isantabi muna ang iba pa naming utang ay maaaring mapipilitan din silang putulan kami ng kuryente,” dagdag pa niya.

Kapag naputulan ng kuryente ang MCWD ay hindi na makakapag-operate at ang ibig sabihin nito ay mawawalan ng supply ng tubig ang mga kabahayan na pinaglilingkuran nito.

“Magko-collapse ang water district kapag nangyari ‘yon. Wala kaming standby generator sets at hindi namin kayang bumili nito dahil ang bawa’t isa ay nagkakahalaga ng halos dalawang milyong piso. Kailangan namin ng lima nito para sa lima naming water pumps,” malungkot na sinabi ni Malna.

Ang tingi-tinging pagbayad ng halos tatlong libong active concessionaires ng Marawi City Water District ang siyang itinuturong dahilan ni Malna upang hindi nila mabayaran ng buo ang kanilang mga utang.

“Seventy five porsiyento lamang ng kanilang current bill ang aming nakokolekta mula sa kanila. Ang dami nilang idinadahilan para hindi makabayad ng buo,” dagdag pa niya.

Ayon kay Malna, ang MCWD ay wala namang budget mula sa pamahalaang nasyunal. Tanging koleksiyon lamang ang kanilang inaasahan upang patakbuhin ang water district na ito, kasama na pati ang pansweldo sa kanilang mga kawani.

Dahil dito, muling umaapela si Malna sa lahat ng kanilang concessionaires na bayaran ang kanilang arrears at kumpletuhin din ang bayad para sa kanilang current bill upang patuloy ang serbisyong maibibigay sa kanila ng Marawi City Water District. (Bobby Ilupa/DXSO Radyo ng Bayan Marawi)

PCOO Sec. Coloma in Cagayan de Oro to address the MBMYC, Feb. 4
by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental – Secretary Herminio B. Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) is set to grace the opening of the Mindanao Business and Management Youth Congress (MBMYC) scheduled Feb. 4-6, 2011, at Dynasty Court Hotel, this city.

A Don Jose Cojuangco Professor of Business Management, Sec. Coloma was conferred the “Triple A” (Asian Institute of Management Alumni Achievement) Award in 2004, the highest honor accorded by AIM alumni to its outstanding graduates and earned his PhD in Organization Development in 2009.

He holds a Master in Business Management with Distinction from AIM in 1978 and a Bachelor of Arts degree, major in Political Science, minor in Philosophy, from the University of the Philippines in 1973.

He held the following positions during the administration of Pres. Corazon C. Aquino: Head, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and Deputy Executive Secretary in the Office of the President (OP), Undersecretary, Dept. of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and Undersecretary, Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

He also served in the administration of Pres. Joseph Estrada as DOTC Undersecretary where he supervised the maritime industry sector and headed the Philippine delegation to the biennial meetings of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London, United Kingdom.

His consulting work included those for the Senate, House of Representatives, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Social Security System (SSS) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

He also had consultative services with the following international multilateral organizations: US Agency for International Development (USAID), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and leading private corporations, namely: San Miguel Corp., Toyota Motor Philippines, Inc. Price Waterhouse Coopers, Philippines, Inc. Pfizer Philippines, Inc. Bristol Myers Squibb, Philippines, Central Azucarrera de Don Pedro Group and First Philippine Holdings Corp., among others.

While on work leave from AIM, Sec. Coloma served as President of the Air and Travel Division and Chief Learning Officer at the Transnational Diversified Group, an Asian conglomerate involved in shipping and logistics, ship management, air travel and tourism, information and communications technology and investments.

From 1996 to 1999, Sec. Coloma was President of the University of Makati. He was also the Vice-President for Corporate Affairs and Human Resource Management of the Far East Bank and Trust Company before he joined the academe in 1988.

He was Governor of Rotary International’s largest district in terms of membership and number of clubs, President of the Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) and Chairperson of the Federation of AIM Alumni Associations.

The PCOO Secretary also writes a weekly column, “Vector,” for Business World, the Philippines’ leading business daily newspaper. (PIA 10)

BIR Revenue Region No. 16 launches jingle making contest

Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental - To improve taxpayer relations and awareness on the role of taxpayers in nation building, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region No. 16 (RR16) is spearheading a Jingle Making Contest as part of its Public Assistance and Awareness Campaign (PAAC).

This aims to promote the mission and vision of the BIR through music.

The program is open to all high school and college students within the region who are into music composition. The Jingle entry must have the following qualifications.

It must be original and it may be English, Filipino or both. It may be acappella but use of musical instruments is more preferable.

It must be able to highlight the theme “Buwis Mo para sa Bagong Pilipinas.”

Lyrics must contain the unwavering desire of the BIR to collect sufficient amount of taxes to support nation building. It must also convey the message that taxpayers are the partners of BIR.

It must highlight the change of attitude or values in both the tax collector and the taxpayer will ensure solid governance anchored on improved and timely delivery of public goods and services. Thus, a better Philippines-“Bagong Pilipinas!”

Entry must be placed inside a brown envelope with the name of contestant. It must contain the following: properly labeled CD with the track title, composer/performer and contact information; lyrics of the song which should be in Microsoft Word format or printed legibly in a short bond paper. Missing lyric sheets can be cause for rejection of entry.

It must play to a maximum of three (3) minutes but shall not be less than two (2) minutes.

Criteria for judging are as follows: lyrics (relevance to the theme), 50%; musicality (execution, over-all performance), 30%; and originality (creativity), 20%.

Winners will receive Php5,000 for first, Php3,000 for second and Php2,000 for third prize.

Winning entries will not be returned and shall become the property of BIR.

The bureau reserves the right to modify or enhance the winning entry to be used as advocacy material that can be aired in the different broadcast outfits at the local and/or national levels.

The winning entry shall serve as the official tax campaign jingle for the region.

Meanwhile, the winners may be invited to perform the jingle live at the awarding ceremonies during the 2011 Regional Tax Campaign Kick-off on March 2, 2011.

Entry must be submitted to the Taxpayer Assistance Unit (TAU), Revenue Region No. 16, BIR Regional Office, Westbound Terminal, Bulua, this city or to any of six (6) revenue District Offices within the region namely RDO 97 Gingoog City; RDO 98 Cagayan de Oro; RDO 99 Malaybalay City; RDO 100 Ozamiz; RDO 101 Iligan; and RDO 102 Marawi on or before February 18.

However all entries must be in at the RR16, BIR Regional Office by February 22.

For more information, interested parties may contact BIR RR16 Taxpayer Assistance Unit through 0822 728210 or 08822 725609 local 112 or email at aimee.valencia@bir.gov.ph. You may also visit nearest BIR office in the region for more information. (Aimee D. Valencia/BIR RR16)

MBMYC to enhance entrepreneurial skills of young Filipinos
By Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental – Some 500 delegates from the different colleges of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are expected to converge in the city for the Mindanao Business and Management Youth Congress (MBMYC) scheduled Feb. 4-6, 2011.

To be held at Dynasty Court, the congress is designed to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit of the young Filipinos to build network among them and to eventually turn them as advocates of change in the country, Nathaniel Adam Cruz, MBMYC Chairperson, said

The congress was organized by the students of the School of Business and Management of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, with the theme “Transcending Young Filipinos’ Entrepreneurial Dynamism through Local Productivity: a Key towards Business Leadership.”

It also aims to unleash the youth’s entrepreneurial potentials and harness skills to develop business products in which the market will truly accept and be inspired to patronize.

Cruz said they have invited Professor Herminio B. Coloma, PhD in Organization Development and Master in Business Management, with Distinction, from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to give them a talk and impart his expertise on the topic of business leadership.

“With great optimism, Prof. Coloma who is currently the Secretary of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), formerly the Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) has granted our request to learn from his valuable insights and experiences, from 1:00 p.m. to 1:40 p.m., on Feb. 4,” Cruz said.

As this would be the first time that Prof. Coloma is in the city, in his official capacity as the PCOO Secretary of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, he will also take time to call on Gov. Oscar S. Moreno of Misamis Oriental and City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano of Cagayan de Oro.

He will also meet the employees of the Philippine Broadcasting Services (PBS), Radyo ng Bayan, DXIM and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), both under the PCOO, before his scheduled talk to the MBMYC delegates. (PIA)

More than 5,000 delegates attend 2011 NMRAA

Tubod, lanao del Norte – More than 5,000 athletes and official delegates attend the opening ceremony of the Palarong Pampook 2011, otherwise known as Northern Mindanao Regional Athletic Association (NMRAA) Meet held at the Mindanao Civic Center Sports Complex, Tubod, this province on February 2, 2011.

“We are very happy for the huge number of athletes, coaches and delegation officials who have come here in our province to compete for this year’s NMRAA,” Gov. Khalid Dimaporo expressed.

There are 13 contingents representing the eight cities and five provinces of Northern Mindanao who are seeing action in the five-day sports competition.

Participating in the on-going regional meet are the cities of Valencia, Iligan, Tangub, Oroquieta, Cagayan de Oro, Malaybalay, Gingoog, Ozamiz and the provinces of Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, and host Lanao del Norte.

Among the contingents, Bukidnon and Iligan City have the highest number of delegates with 589 and 584 respectively.

Even with the threat of rain looming over the event during opening day, both the grand parade around the capital town of Tubod and the opening rites continued on without a hitch.

“With the unpredictable weather these past days, we have already identified alternative venues so that the games can continue rain or shine,” Information Officer Lyndon Calica said.

On the evening of February 1, Governor Dimaporo visited all the contingents as their host municipalities sponsored a Welcome Night for the visiting delegates.

After the opening ceremony, the provincial government also hosted a “Governor’s Night” at the sprawling MCC gym.

The special event was highlighted by an exclusive concert of Bossa Nova Diva Sitti Navarro who entertained the delegation heads, officials and athletes with her relaxing and soothing music.

Governor Khalid Dimaporo also gave out laptops, flash disks and mp3 players to lucky raffle winners during the evening’s affair.

To cap off the day’s festivities, the Provincial Government put on a dazzling musical fireworks display that left the athletes and spectators awestruck and mesmerized. (VNL/PIO-LDN)