Malacanang says President Aquino taking medicines for his cough and colds

President Benigno S. Aquino III will have an opportunity to take a rest today (Wednesday) after having cough and colds following a hectic schedule last week, a Palace official said.

“He has colds and cough lang, but nakausap niya ang doktor, he was prescribed some medicines,” Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a phone interview with Palace reporters Wednesday.

“Kahapon pagkatapos ng event, tapos mamaya may event siya, nagkaroon ng pagkakataon para siya makapagpahinga. So today is a good day for him to rest lang before his event at 4 o’clock,” he said.

The President will have an event with the local community in Victoria, Tarlac this (Wednesday) afternoon.

Lacierda also said the President spearheaded the Labor Day activities on Tuesday based on the advice by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and it was not the President’s decision for him to take a rest today.

The labor department wanted the Labor Day activities on April 30 so as not to crowd the labor groups’ activities for May 1, Lacierda said.

“But this was suggested, I think if I’m not mistaken, weeks ago or a month ago, kasi alam n’yo naman ang schedule ni Presidente, that’s planned in advance,” he said.

The Palace official said the President wasn’t avoiding the rallies organized by the labor groups when he led the early observance of Labor Day on Tuesday.

Military, police operations against New People's Army to intensify, Palace says

Police and military operations against the communist rebels will heighten in a few weeks prior to May 13 elections following the latest attack in Compostela Valley where a policeman was abducted by the insurgents, Malacanang said.

“Tuluy-tuloy ang operation natin sa mga ganyang mga element, we will not cease our efforts to curb these activities,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a telephone interview with Malacanang reporters on Wednesday.

“Nangyari ‘yan but we will continue. Nangyari na sa Bulacan meron tayong na-apprehend. Talagang pagtitibayin pa natin lalo itong last two weeks,” he said.

Lacierda said the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ leadership has ordered its units to intensify their operations following the Mindanao attacks.

Despite the current developments, Lacierda said the Aquino administration remains committed on achieving a peace deal with the rebels.

However, he said talks won’t materialize under the normal track of the discussions because of the rebels’ insistence for the release of their consultants before formal discussions begin.

“Walang nangyayari sa regular track dahil ang dami nilang preconditions. Ang dami nilang hinihingi, ang JASIG [Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees] list, ini-insist nila ilabas lahat, pakawalan ang mga under custody,” he stressed.

Although the regular and special tracks in the discussions aren’t moving, the government doesn’t close the door for the negotiations, Lacierda said.

He said the Aquino government is awaiting the statement from Presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles for the “new approach” that they are crafting for the peace negotiations.

“Kung ano ‘yung new approach na ‘yan, hintayin na lang natin. Again, we are committed to resolving all internal conflicts, armed conflicts, peacefully. ‘Yan naman talaga ang layunin natin,” Lacierda said.

Palace says government addressing concerns of labor groups

The Aquino administration expressed its openness in addressing the concerns of the labor sector as long as those issues are “reasonable,” a Palace official said on Wednesday.

In a telephone interview with Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President met with members of the labor sector Tuesday prior to his departure for Tarlac City to attend a job fair there.

There were 17 individuals, labor leaders, representing various organizations, including the public sector who met the President during the meeting, Lacierda said. The President was joined by his Cabinet secretaries.

Among the concerns of the labor groups include the minimum wage, end of contract, contractualization and taxation, Lacierda said an increase in salary from the minimum wage would mean additional tax, making it a concern for the labor sector, he explained.

To address the problem, the President instructed Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares to prioritize a study on the issue and find out how the government could encourage productivity without creating burden because of taxation.

The President also wants the BIR to make it a priority going after tax evaders.

The Cabinet members were instructed by the President to address the concerns of the labor groups through dialogue. Both sides also made a commitment to have another round of dialogue by the end of May, Lacierda said.

Lacierda noted that the dialogue last Tuesday also addressed the concerns of the public sector on job orders, he said, adding Budget Secretary Florencio Abad has addressed the issue.

After the meeting, both the labor leaders and the President’s Cabinet agreed to make the discussions regular to tackle concerns of the public sector, with Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz spearheading the meetings.

“Ang mahalaga po ay reasonable ang mga demands at saka something that the government can work with, for example, ang concern sa job order from public sector, ang pinag-usapan din Ang kanilang concern sa employment on the government sector,” he said.

“So ina-address ‘yan, at pag-aaralan pa rin natin. We’re open to solutions and options. And we asked them also, suggest your options to us.”

Lacierda said labor leaders were happy meeting with the President as they expressed their concerns to him. Among the Cabinet secretaries who joined the dialogue were Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, and Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards 2013 now open

By Elaine O. Ratunil

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards on its 7th year is once again looking for the best agriculture stories and photos in tri-media across the country.

David Isaac Buenaventura, project director of the competition said they are looking for the best agricultural stories and photos in print, radio, and television, with special attention on their impact on current agricultural issues and best farming practices on environmental safety and crop sustainability.

Further, it is a nationwide competition that aims to heighten tri-media practitioners’ participation by actively searching a bigger number of nominees from more agricultural provinces while at the same time sustaining and strengthening ties with previously covered provinces, he added.

In terms of judging, the judges revised some mechanics in terms of the processes in the competition and divided the categories in to minor and major awards, Buenaventura explained.

Major awards are given to Agriculture Photo of the Year, Tobacco Photo of the Year, and Agriculture Story of the Year.

Minor awards are best Agricultural TV program and best Agricultural Radio program, best Agriculture News Story and best Agricultural Feature Story for national and regional level.

Prices for major awards are P50,000 cash prize, iPad-Mini, Philippine Art Awards (PAA) artist trophy and all expense paid Asian trip meanwhile minor award will garner P20,000 cash prize, iPad-Mini, PAA artist trophy and Asian trip.

This competition is open to all professional Filipino journalists at least 18 years old.

Entries submitted should only be published, aired or broadcast locally between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2013. Additionally, it should be written in English, Filipino or any Philippine regional dialects.

Submission of entries will start on April 30, 2013 and ends on August 31, 2013 at 12:00 noon.

Participants may download and submit entry forms at www.thebrightleafawards.com or to the official Bright Leaf secretariat c/o Cozoz Inc., 1102 P. Ocampo corner Conchu Streets, Malate, Manila with telephone numbers (02) 5228782 and (02) 5252525. (By Mark Anthony Dedoyco/JMOR/PIA)

16 Bukidnon towns to benefit from Salintubig program

By Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon, May 1 (PIA)-- Sixteen Bukidnon towns will benefit from the “Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (Salintubig)” program implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Ronelo P. Alvarez, Provincial Director, DILG, said ‘Salintubig’ is designed to provide sufficient potable water to household especially in poorest barangays with high level of waterborne diseases, resettlement areas, and remote villages with no access to safe drinking water.

“It is imperative that the government immediately find ways to deal with these harsh conditions because despite the bounty of springs and abundant water sources in Bukidnon, still we are facing problems on gaining access to clean and safe water supply,” Alvarez said.

Based on the report of DSWD’s National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), Bukidnon is one of the provinces in Regions 2, 5, 9, 10, and 13 identified having waterless communities.

In a water forum held here recently, Fe Criscilla Banluta of DILG’s Water Supply and Sanitation Unit (WSSU) said 32 LGUs in region 10 were identified as ‘Salintubig’ recipients, of which, 16 were from Bukidnon namely Pangantucan, Kalilangan, San Fernando, Cabanglasan, Quezon, Kibawe, and Don Carlos.

Other recipient towns are Manolo Fortich, Impasugong, Malitbog, Baungon, Maramag, Lantapan, Kitaotao, and the cities of Valencia and Malaybalay.

“Access to clean drinking water is a fundamental right, but it is not a fact in some parts of our country because there are still homes deprived of access to clean potable water,” Banluta said.

However, while water is every person’s right, the facilities and services that make water accessible entail essential cost. Cost for water system maintenance and honorarium for the plumber or the person looking after the water facility, she added.

Paying the water tariff allows government to promote, protect and fulfill the right to water without discriminating against any sector of society.

The DILG has allocated a total of P93.3 million for the 32 LGUs that will qualify for the program.

But since this is implemented under the ‘bottom-up budgeting or participatory budgeting’, LGUs are required a 10 percent counterpart based on the amount to be released and submit documents such as approved simplified feasibility study, project executive summary, seal of good housekeeping certification, SB resolution, among others, prior to the fund release.

The DILG reiterated that the LGUs, as grantees, will undergo validation to determine their capability in ensuring the sustainability of the project.

She explained that there is a need for the water users associations like the Barangay Water and Sanitation Association (BWSA), the municipal water and sanitation (WATSAN) councils, water service providers, LGUs, and waterless communities to participate in this program in order to achieve the goal of reducing by 50% the world’s population without access to safe and potable water as specified in the Millennium Development Goal (MDG).

The Salintubig program is in line with President Benigno S. Aquino III’s commitment in his 10-point agenda, which is to provide safe drinking water to all Filipinos particularly for the poor and waterless communities.

The national agencies tasked for the program were the National Anti-Poverty Commission, Department of Social Welfare and Development, DILG, NEDA, Department of Budget and Management, Local Waterworks Utilities Administration and the Department of Health.

They are responsible in identifying priority areas for the project to provide clean and affordable drinking water through the “Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat” program. (RubyLRB/PIA10, Bukidnon)

CdeO-MisOr cluster posts high in foreign tourist arrivals in 2012

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, April 30 (PIA) -- The Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental cluster was the most favored by foreign tourists among the other clusters in Northern Mindanao during the year 2012, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) said.

Data gathered by NEDA from the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the region show that 74 percent of the 61,113 foreign tourists or 45,244 went to the Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental last year.

This was followed in by Camiguin with 9,389 foreign tourists and Ozamiz-Tangub-Oroquieta-Misamis Occidental cluster with 3,083 foreign tourists.

According to NEDA-10, the same destination preference could also be observed among domestic travellers.

The same DOT data further show that the top five foreign markets of the region were from Indonesia, Japan, Spain, China and Malaysia that registered the highest increase of around 145, 129, 113, 73 and 67 percent respectively.

Based on the record, around 257 tourists were from Indonesia; 6,767 from Japan; 603 from Spain; 4,485 from China; and 671 from Malaysia.

The overall tourist arrivals in the region however went down by 11 percent, from 1,664,481 in 2011 to 1,482,801 in 2012.

Domestic arrivals decreased by seven percent from 1,421,688 to 1,536,590 visitors while foreign arrivals also decreased by more than half, from 127,891 to 61,113 visitors.

The biggest decrease from the ‘Others and Unspecified Balikbayans’ segment at 80 percent pulled down the overall performance of the foreign arrival for the year, the NEDA-10 said. (Marie-Zil G. Malinao/APB/PIA-10)

DA reactivates calamity action center

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- Four functional teams are currently manning the newly reactivated the Department of Agriculture Central Action Center (DACAC) for disaster preparedness and response.

It is operating 24/7 and running in all provinces within the region, with Misamis Oriental and Camiguin operating jointly.

Audy Maagad of the Department of Agriculture region 10 reported during the recent technical working group meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDRRMC), here in the city, that their agency’s action calamity core team is now doing briefing to the different local government units (LGUs) on profiling, data base, and mapping of highly vulnerable areas.

They also provide them damage assessment report format/matrix to facilitate easier and faster consolidation of reports.

Maagad noted that accurate and detailed reporting from the LGUs will greatly help in the immediate release of the post disaster report. He said they are expected to release it as early as 10 a.m. following a catastrophe. ( Marie-Zil G. Malinao/JCV/PIA)

Comelec reactivates voter’s registration of more than 5,000 BEI’s

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, May 1 (PIA) -- A total of 5,272 voters’ registration of members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) has been reactivated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), relative to the upcoming mid-term elections.

The voters registration of these BEI’s, who are public school teachers, were reactivated, after they were inadvertently deleted from the voters’ list, for failure to vote in two consecutive elections.

Some of the BEIs were deactivated when the data base was corrupted, when in fact they actually voted in the May 10, 2010 national and local elections.

Based on preliminary verification, the Comelec said they have erroneously voted in the polling place of the clustered precinct where they were assigned for election duty and not in the precinct where they were registered.

Meanwhile, pursuant to Comelec Resolution No. 9668 promulgated last April 17, their registration records, containing the demograpics and biometrics data, have been restored and their voters registration status in the Voter’s Registration Machines database have been put back as “Active Voters.”

This means that their names will now be included in the generation and printing of computerized list of voters, as certified by the members of the Election Registration BoaRD (ERB), in order not to disenfranchise them in the forthcoming elections, Atty. Stalin A. Baguio, Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) of Misamis Occidental, said.

On the other hand, Comelec Resolution No. 9640 promulgated last Feb. 15, provides that members of the BEI who are registered voters in precincts other than where they are assigned on election day may avail of the local absentee voting or vote in precincts where they are registered, on the day of election.

This is on condition that they do so, when voting in their respective places of assignment is light, and their absence shall not be more than 20 minutes.

For this purpose, they shall schedule their voting, so that only one member of the BEI shall leave at any one time, Resolution 9640 also provides. (RCAguhob/PIA-Misamis Occidental)

Cebuano news: Kapin 5,000 ka mga BEI ang gibalik sa listahan sa mga botante sa Comelec

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, May 2 (PIA) -- Kapin lima ka libo (5,272) ka mga membro sa BEI kun Board of Election Inspectors ang gibalik sa Comelec kun Commission on Elections sa listahan sa mga botante kalabot sa ipahigayon nga eleksiyon sa umaabot Mayo 13.

Kini, human mawala sa lista ang maong mga BEI, kinsa kasagaran mga magtutudlo sa pampublikong eskwelahan, gumikan sa ilang wala pagboto sa milabay nga duha ka nagsunod nga eleksiyon.

Laing hinungdan sa pagkawala sa ilang mga ngalan mao ang gitawag nga “corrupted database” taliwala sa ilang pagbotar sa nasyonal ug lokal eleksiyon sa Mayo 10, 2010.

Subay sa pasiunang pakisusi sa Comelec, nahibaloan nga ang maong mga magtutudlo didto mobotar sa mga presinto diin sila nagserbisyo sa adlaw sa eleksiyon ug wala sa presinto diin sila marehistro.

Samtang sa Comelec Resolution No. 9668 nga gipagawas sa milabay nga Abril 17, nag ingon nga ang ilang mga rehistro, dala na ang ilang gitawag nga demographic ug biometrics data, ang gibalik na sa Voter’s Registration Machines database ug nahimo na kanilang mga “Active Voters.”

Buot ipasabot niini nga ang ilang mga ngalan mahimo na nga ilakip sa listahan sa nga botante nga i-computer ug imatuod sa ERB kun Election Registration Board (ERB), aron dili sila mapihig sa umaabot nga eleksiyon, matud pa ni Atty. Stalin A. Baguio, PES kun Provincial Election Supervisor sa Misamis Occidental.

Sa laing bahin, ang Comelec Resolution No. 9640 nga gipagawas kaniadtong Pebrero 15, nag ingon ang mga membro sa BEI, kinsa narehistro sa laing presinto ug wala sa presinto nga iyang serbisyohan ang nahimong mo-apil sa gitawag nga local absentee voting.

Mahimo usab sila mobotar didto sa presinto diin sila narehistro sa adlaw mismo sa eleksiyon sa kondisyon nga ila kining himoon sa panahon nga gamay ra ang mobotar sa presinto diin sila magserbisyo ug nga ang ilang paggawas dili molapas sa 20 minutes.

Aron matuman kini, ang mga membro sa BEI mahimong magsabot lamang nga magtinagsa paglakaw o ug dili magdungan, apan mag ulhos-ulhos lamang sa paggawas. (EOR/RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)