By Apipa Bagumbaran
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Oct. 19 (PIA) --- Communicators from across the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) have pushed for the institutionalization and expansion of the BIMP-EAGA Media and Communicators Association (BEMCA) in recognition of the need to forge greater collaboration in communicating the initiatives and gains of the sub-regional cooperation.
In a media forum held yesterday at the Xavier Estates Sports and Country Club, here, state information officers and private media representatives from the EAGA member-countries have agreed to strengthen the BEMCA as an organization and endeavour to institutionalize its existence through appropriate process.
Through this, the BEMCA can assume legal identity and provide a sustainable mechanism for effective BIMP-EAGA state and private media collaboration and partnership.
A volunteer association and network of journalists and government communicators in the focus areas comprising the EAGA, BEMCA was launched in 2004 to encourage the active participation of the media community in achieving the economic and social development goals of the BIMP-EAGA.
It was one of the efforts to set the stage for greater collaboration among state and private media in the BIMP-EAGA, said Romeo M. Montenegro, spokesperson and head of Communications and Media Affairs of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).
He said BEMCA was aimed at providing platform for increased and enhanced information exchange with the end view of raising public awareness of the sub-regional cooperation.
Apart from affirming the importance of the BEMCA, the delegates and participants of the media forum also agreed to revisit the communication strategy that was developed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2007 with the end view of identifying some strategies specified in the study that will be carried-on given the changing landscape of information infrastructure.
The BIMP-EAGA Media Forum is a side-event to the BIMP-EAGA 20th Senior Officials Meeting and 16th Ministerial Meeting which will run from October 18 to 21. (PIA-10)
EAGA customs heads support moves to make trades easier
By Kathy Mar S. Mateo
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, October 19 – Customs officials from the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, led by the new Philippine Commissioner of Customs Rozanno Rufino Biazon have expressed commitment to work on having a more efficient trade facilitation, during the 5th BIMP-EAGA Heads of Customs Meeting yesterday.
Commissioner Biazon, speaking before his counterparts in the four-country grouping, noted that they will institute and improve measures in order to come up with more reliable customs regulations and processes that will also ensure seamless transport and movement of goods across the BIMP-EAGA borders.
“These efforts are geared towards the sub-region’s goal of increasing investments, trade, and tourism,” said Biazon who is also the current Chairperson of the BIMP-EAGA Customs Sector.
The Customs sector agreed to have good system in place that is not only efficient, but will also help the businesses cut cost.
According to Nguyen Ba Hung, Asian Development Bank’s Regional Cooperation Specialist, the trade sector of BIMP-EAGA which is ideally the main engine of growth remains weak in the subregion.
“The (customs) practices are still unfriendly to businesses, thus causing mistrust between traders and the regulatory agencies. The objective of trade facilitation is to make legitimate trade more efficient.” he said.
ADB has been extending assistance to BIMP-EAGA, specifically providing technical expertise and funding support to a number of sub-regional initiatives. One of its current technical assistance projects supports trade facilitation in BIMP-EAGA.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khalid Bin Yusuf of Royal Malaysia Customs emphasized that the security and control will not be compromised as they try to make trading in the sub-region easier. One of their initial steps is supporting the Intelligent Clearance ID Tag (i-CLID), a cross-border solution for tagging of cargo and vehicles.
Commissioner Biazon likewise considers this type of technology to significantly improve the trade processes in the sub-region, as long as it promotes easy integration and constantly keeps up with the new technologies.
“We should not be technologically stagnant, we should always be mindful of the latest technologies” he stressed.
i-CLID has the main objective of providing hassle free and timely clearance border experience and making trade facilitation more efficient to meet international standards. The Borneo Island serves as the logistics region.
The Heads of Customs meeting was conducted not only to update the body of the current status and initiatives, but also to determine ways and means to push to a forward direction.
Sabah to check on feasible bangus production sites
by Jorie C. Valcorza
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, October 19 (PIA) – The Director General of the Department of Fisheries in the State of Sabah shows interest on the region’s bangus production and schedules to inspect feasible production sites.
This was revealed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) national office, Assistant Director for Administration and Finance, Atty. Benjamin S. Tabios, in time for the “Fish Conservation Week” opening, here in the city.
Tabios said that the Sabah minister will be in the city, today, for the Brunie-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippine East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) meet and will take the opportunity to inspect some production sites and mariculture park.
He noted for a long time, during their visits in the region they have buying such fish products.
BFAR, meanwhile, launches its “48th Fish Con Week” celebration with a market day opening, turning the entire BFAR compound into a mini-market place where fisher folks together with some local government officials convened together to witness the ceremonial ribbon cutting.
BFAR Regional Director for Northern Mindanao Visa Tan-Dimerin said another mid-string event is likewise prepared for Wednesday, October 19, at the Balingasag Mariculture Park where they will be distributing engines and freezers for free to select beneficiaries.
BFAR 10 also sponsors national activities in observance to the Fish Con Week to include the Employees Union Nation al Conference Assembly and Credit Facilitation of Mariculture Parks.
Other event highlights include the food safety evaluation of fishery products and mangrove planting. (PIA-10)
Gov’t envisions digitally-empowered nation through improved access to information
by Apipa Bagumbaran
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, Oct. 19 (PIA) -- The Philippine government is determine to expand further the base of internet empowered individuals in the country that would enhance the its global competitiveness by providing more access to government information.
This was emphasized by Secretary Herminio B. Coloma, Jr., head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), during the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Media Forum, held recently at the Xavier Estates Sports and Country Club, here.
Coloma, who shared the country’s experience in governance communication through the new media, said the Aquino administration through an extensive consultations and discussions has crafted the Philippine Digital Strategy with a vision of digitally empowered, innovative, globally competitive, and prosperous society where everyone has reliable, affordable and secured information access in the country.
He said this vision could be achieved through transparent government and efficient services, internet opportunity and digital literacy for all.
It means that the citizens will be able to transact business with the government in a fully transparent and accountable manner and the government is willing to give them access to the vital information that they need, Coloma stressed.
The Secretary cited the practice of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) where all fund releases, including the amount, recipients and the purpose for which it was disbursed, are posted and published in their website, as one aspect of transparent governance.
He also cited other mechanisms on how the Philippine Government is introducing technology in order to implement good governance.
Among these mechanisms is the order of the President Aquino requiring all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to use the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) in all their purchases which translate into savings of as much as Php6 billion annually, Coloma said.
State offices have been directed to source all their common-use supplies directly from the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) or from its regional depots throughout the country, he further said.
Another innovation, he said, is the country’s first digitized Traffic Information System where the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) gives up-to-the-minute updates on the traffic condition in Metro Manila.
He disclosed that the government plans to expand this system to cover the other major metropolitan and urban centers in the country, including those in Mindanao.
Coloma also cited the web-and-mobile based system that addresses the data management needs of doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in the country.
The Secured Health Information Network and Exchange (SHINE) Program, he said is a system that enables public and private health care providers and facilities to efficiently operate and communicate individual or aggregated referral and case records to the right people in a timely, accurate and interactive manner.
If one is travelling in the country and for some unfortunate reasons he becomes ill and is to be treated in a hospital quite distant from his residence, the doctor that is attending him can access his medical records from his own personal doctor if he is enrolled in this system, he added.
These are just some of the innovations in which the government practices accountability and excellence in providing responsive online citizen-centered services, Coloma concluded. (PIA-10)
EAGA media cite 4-point action plan to boost info cooperation
Cagayan de Oro City—Philippine and foreign media delegates to the BIMP-EAGA Media Forum 2011 here yesterday have agreed to the push for a 4-point action plan that sought to revitalize government and private media collaboration within the sub-region.
In a one page Joint Declaration signed at the conclusion of the four-country media gathering, state information officers and private media representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, as well as Mindanao and Palawan for the Philippines have collective issued strong resolve to pursue greater collaboration.
Among the signatories to the Joint Declaration include Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. of the Presidential Communications Operations Office, who served as keynote speaker during the international media gathering.
The Media Forum participants have also expressed support to the BIMP-EAGA’s overall goal of enhancing cooperation in the greater context of ASEAN regional integration, by engaging greater public interaction, “in cognizance of the freer flow and exchange of information as vital and integral to the sub-regional cooperation.”
The group has likewise affirmed the strategic role of BIMP-EAGA Media and Communicators Association (BEMCA) in providing the platform for greater state and private media partnership, and committed to push for its institutionalization and expansion.
In its action plan, the group sought to strengthen BEMCA as an organization and endeavour to institutionalize its existence through appropriate process where it can assume legal identity and provide sustainable mechanism for effective BIMP-EAGA state and private media collaboration.
The delegates have also agreed to undertake a review and assessment of the BIMP-EAGA Communication Strategy previously endorsed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2007, Strengthening Public Awareness of BIMP-EAGA through Strategic Communications, with the end view of implementing strategies that work under the current conditions with the advent of the new media.
The action plan also includes adopting the ADB communication strategy of engaging the ASEAN by forging collaboration with the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information (COCI) Sub-Committee on Information.
To help execute the plan, the group likewise sought technical and funding support from the BIMP-EAGA Governments, through their National Secretariats, and private sector organizations. A Technical Working Group composed of designated representatives from each EAGA-member country was formed to carry out the action plan and to submit an output to the EAGA National Secretariats before December 2011.
Formed in 2004 by chief editors and government information officers from the EAGA focus areas, BEMCA has emerged to become the mechanism for establishing information and news exchange with the sub-region.
In 2007, BEMCA was cited in the ADB endorsed BIMP-EAGA Communication Strategy as crucial in achieving news and information exchange among media organizations and in raising public awareness and increasing participation in the sub-regional cooperation. (MinDA)
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