Tuesday, February 5, 2013



Comelec may use vehicles of other government agencies
By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Feb 4 (PIA) – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) can use vehicles of deputized government agencies during the election period.

Through Resolution No. 9598 issued on Dec. 21, 2012, certain government financial institutions (GFI), national government agencies (NGA) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) shall place at the disposal of the Comelec vehicles it may need from time to time.

Among these vehicles are land, air and water craft assets, such as airplanes, helicopters, trucks, jeeps, vans, cars and the like, ships, launches, barges, and speedboats.

Among these GFIs, NGAs and GOCCs are the following: the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Social Security System (SSS) and the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).

The Department of Education (DepEd), the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the National Food Authority (NFA), the National Electrification Administration (NEA), the National Printing Office (NPO) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

The vehicles shall be used to ferry the personnel of the Comelec and of its deputized agencies in the performance of their election duties. These include the transport of election forms, supplies and materials to their places of destination, particularly in areas with inadequate or without regular means of transportation.

For this purposes, these agencies shall provide the Comelec with a list of available vehicles, together with the pilots, captains, shipmasters, or drivers assigned to said crafts or vehicles at the disposal of the Comelec immediately and until the end of the election period. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)


Comelec sets guidelines on where/how to get hiring ban exceptions
By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- Requests to be exempted from the hiring ban during the election period, from Jan. 13 to June 12, should be made in writing, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Sec. 261 of the Omnibus Election Code stipulates that the appointment of new employees, creation of new position, promotion, or giving salary increases, durinq the period of 45 davs before regular election and 30 davs before a special election, is considered an election offense except upon prior authority of the Comelec.

However, the Comelec will not grant authority sought unless, it is satisfied that the position to be filled is essential to the proper functioning of the office or agency concerned, and that the position will not be filled in a manner that may influence the election.

Meanwhile, Comelec Resolution No. 9581 promulgated on Dec. 18, 2012, provides that the authority to appoint or hire new employees will be filed with the Comelec Law Department for those in the central or main offices of national government agencies (NGA’s) and government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) and to the Office of the Regional Election Director (RED) of the region where the vacancy exists.

On the other hand, request for exception from the ban to transfer government employees shall be made in writing indicating the office and place to which the officer or employee will be transferred or detailed and reasons for the same.

These requests must be filed with the Comelec Law Department when it involves the following: the official station of the employee concerned is in the central/main office of NGAs and GOCCs and when the transfer or detail is between or among the regions or inter-regional; regional directors, assistant regional directors, provincial/district directors of the Philippine National Police (PNP) or officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) with the rank of major or equivalent rank or holding positions of battalion commanders or higher.

If it also involves provincial treasurers and schools division superintendents, irrespective of their official stations, and government employees with official stations in the field offices including the National Capital Region (NCR).

Similarly, the request for transfer or detail involving city/municipal treasurers and assistant SDS, irrespective of their official stations and government employees with official stations in the field offices including the NCR must be filed with the corresponding offices of the RED of the region where the employee/s sought to be transferred or detailed is stationed. (RCA-PIA10, Misamis Occidental)


Comelec bans promotion, salary increases, privileges to gov’t. employees
By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Feb. 4 -- Based on Resolution No. 9581 of the Omnibus Election Code, one of the prohibited acts during the election period is the granting of promotions, augmenting salaries, and awarding of privileges to government employees, including government-owned corporations.

This resolution takes effect 45 days prior to regular election and 30 days before a special election, said Comelec regional director Atty. Rey F. Sumalitao.

Such election offense includes any head, official or appointing officer of a government office, agency or instrumentality, whether national or local including government-owned or -controlled corporations, who appoints or hires any new employee, whether provisional, temporary or casual, or creates and fills any new positions, except upon prior authority of the Commission, said Atty. Sumalitao.

Further, during the election period beginning January 13 to June 12, 2013, no public official must use or cause any transfer or detail of any officer or employee in the civil service, including public school teachers.

Also, starting March 29 to May 13, 2013, there will be no hiring of new employees, giving promotion or increase of salary, except upon prior authority of the Commission, as stated in the resolution.

For agencies who wish to request for authority to make or cause any transfer or detail should be in writing indicating the particular office and location to which the officer or employee is proposed for transfer, detail or move and the reasons as such. Similarly, applications for authority to appoint or hire new employees must also be in writing encompassing necessary data and reasons for the same, said Sumalitao.

Any office or agency requesting authority from the Commission to create and fill new position should make certain that the filling up of such position must not influence the results of the election, the director added. On the other hand, to request suspension of any elective provincial, city, municipal, or barangay officer should be submitted to the Law Department of the Commission, with a copy of formal complaint executed under oath and containing specific charges.

Penalty for any violation of this resolution will be punishable by imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years among other penalties provided by law, he added.

However, renewal of appointments of temporary, casual, substitute, and contractual personnel are not covered by this prohibition and will no longer need prior authority of the Commission, Sumalitao concluded. (JMOR/PIA10)


Maramag strengthens intensive livestock farming
By Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy

MARAMAG, Bukidnon, Feb 4 (PIA) -- Sixteen dairy cows and carabaos (water buffalo) have undergone the artificial insemination (AI) and pregnancy diagnosis in Barangay Kisanday here, as the local government of Maramag strengthens its intensive livestock farming.

Mayor Alicia P. Resus said this will provide farmers of updated technology to increase production and improve quality of animal products.

Deworming was also carried out where 99 heads of cattle, 12 carabaos, five horses, and 34 goats were cured of worm infestation.

Maximiano Lugao, agricultural officer, said a team from the Maramag agriculture office and Philippine Carabao Center has been intensifying this activity to help farmers in conserving animal genetics & breeding, prevent disease occurrences and outbreaks, and above all, the shifting from "traditional" low-input to "modern" intensive animal production.

Team members included agricultural technologists Boy Abon and Cocoy Ombao from the Philippine Carabo Center, based in Central Mindanao University; agricultural technologists Antonio Arellano, Metchell Awanon, and Girlie Butad of Maramag LGU.

“This project supports President Benigno S. Aquino III’s Agri-Pinoy livestock program geared towards modernized farming to enhance competitiveness of the livestock industry,” the mayor said. (Oscar S. Navacilla, PIO, Maramag/RLRB PIA 10, Bukidnon)


CdeO, DSWD, Habitat for Humanity lead relocation site groundbreaking
By Recthie T. Paculba

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Y. Emano together with Atty. Araceli F. Solamillo, Social Welfare regional director, and Leonilo Escalada, Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) regional program director led the groundbreaking in the 16-hectare relocation site in Pagatpat here.

The site will host 2,000 duplex-type houses to be constructed by the Habitat for Humanity on February 1, 2013.

Vice-Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas, several Cagayan de Oro City councilors, Barangay Captain Rey Mabunay of Pagatpat and several barangay captains and department heads of City Hall also attended the ceremonial capsule-laying and blessing.

In his message, Mayor Emano was most appreciative of Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman who granted P140-million worth of funds for the construction of the houses.

The Pagatpat relocation site is a new purchase of the city from the family of former City Mayor Oloy Roa which amounted to P40 million. (RTP-PIA10)


Marawi collects P388M in taxes, surpasses target by 7.41%
By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Marawi Revenue District Office (RDO 102) surpassed its revenue goal for 2012 by 7.41 percent after it collected P388.73 million during the year.

The RDO 102 posted a P26.83 million jump in its collections; the target for the year was P361.90 million.

Year-on-year, RDO 102 tax revenues went by 14.43 percent or P45.10 million compared to the P312.55 million it collected in the same period in 2011.

Collections from income tax made up 77 percent of the RDO’s total revenues reaching P298.22 million, up by 11.47 percent or P30.68 million than the P267.54-million goal for the year.

This amount is also higher by 27.21 percent or P63.78 million against the P234.44 million income tax collections in 2011.

Collections from value-added tax (VAT) which comprised 21 percent of the total tax revenues was posted at P83.07 million, higher by 16.68 percent compared to the P71.19 million VAT collections a year ago.

Collections from percentage tax and other taxes, on the other hand, were recorded at P1.34 million and P6.09 million, respectively.

Revenue District Officer Aminoding Macarampat attributed the positive performance to the conduct of extensive tax information and education campaign down to the barangay level.

He said tax-mapping operations was also continuously undertaken to educate the business community of their registration and bookkeeping requirements.

Meanwhile, Macarampat underscored the support of local banks such as the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in helping the RDO in disseminating tax information at the municipal and barangay levels.

He also lauded the provincial government and the Mindanao State University in the city for the correct implementation of withholding tax. (APB-PIA 10)


Lanao del Norte Kalahi-CIDSS counterpart now P31M
By Lovely A. Rosario

LANAO DEL NORTE, Feb 4 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Lanao del Norte has shared more than P31 million as counterpart for the project implementation of KApit Bisig LAban sa KaHIrapan–Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services, or popularly known as KALAHI-CIDSS, to different towns in the province.

For the year 2009, more than P3 million was given to the municipalities of Bacolod and Salvador. Among the infrastructure projects successfully completed were potable water systems, farm-to-market roads, and day-care centers.

While in 2010, over P6 million was given to the municipalities of Bacolod, Lala, and Kapatagan for its identified projects.

During the second cycle implementation of Kalahi-CIDDS, the towns of Lala, Kapatagan, Salvador and Sapad also received cash counterpart of more than P7 million in 2011.

With the on-going implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS in Lanao del Norte, the provincial government has provided close to P15 million as its cash counterpart to the towns of Lala, Kapatagan, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Tangcal, Poona Piagapo, Magsaysay, Tagoloan, Kolambugan, and Matungao.

Projects implemented included barangay health centers, drainage canals, farm-to-market roads, potable water systems, solar dryer, improvement of barangay roads, and construction of public market.

Kalahi is the national government’s framework program for a focused, accelerated, convergent, and expanded strategy to reduce poverty. It aims to provide interventions on asset reforms, human development services, capacity building and participation in governance.

Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-driven development project which aims to empower communities through their enhanced participation in community projects that reduce poverty.

CIDSS is a precursor poverty alleviation program of Kalahi-CIDSS. It has facilitated meeting of unmet needs of communities. It established community structures as vehicles for people’s participation and empowerment. It has been maintained by three administrations, from 1994 to present.

“The provincial government will always be there to help support the needs of the people especially those communities who work together to realize projects that will benefit the most number of residents,” Governor Khalid Dimaporo said.

Dimaporo added, indigent senior citizens have also been receiving a social pension of P500 on a quarterly basis since 2011.

This fast-rising province will also be one of the provincial beneficiaries of the newest poverty-alleviation program o the national government dubbed as National Community Demand Driven Program (NCDDP) which will soon be implemented on July 2013. (lvg/LAR-PIO/LDN/PIA10-LDN)

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