Aquino receives newly elected ADB president in Malacanang

President Benigno S. Aquino III received newly elected Asian Development Bank president Takehiko Nakao in Malacanang on Wednesday.

Nakao assumed office as the ninth president of the ADB on April 28. Nakao succeeds Haruhiko Kuroda, who stepped down in March.

Nakao has held several senior positions in the Ministry of Finance of Japan, which he joined in 1978.

Prior to his appointment at ADB, he was vice minister of Finance for International Affairs, where he gained significant experience in international finance and development, and established close ties with Asia-Pacific’s leading figures, as well as those in the international development community.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from the University of Tokyo, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California in Berkeley, California.

Nakao said he is looking forward to working with shareholders and ADB’s development partners to continue fighting poverty and sustaining growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

In the Philippines, the ADB has major investments in education, agriculture, energy, finance, health, trade and industry, public sector, as well as transportation and communication.

The ADB approved this year several projects in the Philippines which include employment facilitation for inclusive growth, tourism competitiveness, and a national community-driven development program.

The bank also has proposed projects on climate resiliency and green growth, education improvement, road improvement and institutional development projects and water supply development.

Aquino says Philippines will remain conducive to business

President Benigno S. Aquino III assured on Wednesday that his administration will ensure an even playing field for investors as he expressed his gratitude to the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers Of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) for its continuing support for the education sector.

In his message Wednesday during the oath-taking ceremony of the newly-elected officers of the FFCCCII and ceremonial turnover of two school buildings, the President said it is always encouraging for the government to see businessmen going an extra mile in reaching out to the people.

“For our part, we are doing our level best to forge an environment that is even more conducive to business,” the President said.

“And even as we invest in infrastructure and institute reforms that level the playing field, we continue to channel the hard-earned money of our taxpayers into health, education, social services, and other initiatives to empower our countrymen—making them true, productive contributors to the continuing cycle of opportunity and progress,” he added.

The country’s economic strides haven’t escaped notice, the President said, noting the Philippines is now rated investment grade for the first time in history by three major credit rating agencies.

And in the first quarter of the year, the economy grew by a remarkable 7.8 percent in addition to countless other indicators of economic growth.

The Philippines is now in a situation where even greater prosperity is within reach, he said.

The President also expressed optimism that the country would be able to sustain these initiatives, especially since the Philippines’s economic resurgence is granting the government greater fiscal space to pursue its agenda of social and economic inclusiveness.

The government will always support companies for the success of their businesses, the President said, adding that business expansion means creation of more jobs in the country.

The President said that as companies continue to reap the benefits of the Philippine economic revival, he expects the companies to also share the fruits of their hard works not only through philanthropic activities but also by setting the good example as citizens who fulfill their obligations.

During the event, the FFCCCII turned over more classroom units under its Barrio Schools project. The association also turned over around P80 million in pledges, which will be realized through the construction of 400 classrooms, or 200 school units.

Since 1961, the FFCCCII constructed more than 9,000 classrooms all over the country opening doors of learning and opportunity to Filipino students.

In the celebration of FFCCCII’s 60th anniversary next year, the organization is granting four-year scholarships to 60 high school graduates pursuing a degree in Education.

Aside from building classrooms and sending children to school, the FFCCCII also supports volunteer fire brigades, makes donations to disaster relief and rehabilitation and spearheads medical and dental missions.

Also present during the Palace activity were Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, and Senators Franklin Drilon and Edgardo Angara.

LGU Ozamiz conducts synchronized clean-up

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, June 5 (PIA) – The Ozamiz City Govoernment has conducted a synchronized clean-up in all its 51 barangays.

The activity was in response to the call of Mayor-Elect Reynaldo O. Parojinog, Jr., the president of the Associated Barangay Council of Ozamiz City, during a recent meeting of the punong barangays (village chiefs).

Based on the monitoring done by the composite team of the Search for Healthy Barangays and Households in the city, there are still a number of barangays wherein the campaign materials of the candidates in the May 13 elections and garbage are seen in along the sides of the streets.

Thus, Parojinog has asked the village chiefs of the barangays to tear down all the campaign materials, particularly of Barangay Aguada, near the Misamis University (MU), Barangay Triunfo, Sta. Cruz, Tinago, Malaubang and Villa Consuelo, among others.

Meanwhile, Parojinog has explained to the village chiefs that City Ordinance 1001-04 prohibits setting the garbage on fire, which the team of the Search for Healthy Barangays and Households has seen along the sides of the streets of the barangays.

Because of this eyesore, the Mayor-Elect has called on the barangay chiefs to continue the massive Clean-up not only to be participated in by the barangay officials, Barangay Health Workers (BHW), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya, but by the residents themselves in their respective barangays.

It can be recalled that setting the garbage on fire is among the causes of the excessive heat that we feel due to climate change, along with the indiscriminate cutting of trees and “kaingin” farming, destroys the Ozone layer.

The said City Ordinance carries with it the penalty of imprisonment for those who will disobey the law, Parojinog added. (Juvy L. Canumay/RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)

DPWH completes P122.68-M worth of infra projects in Misamis Occidental

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, June 5 (PIA) -- At least 24 infrastructure projects worth P122.683 million have been completed in Misamis Occidental, as of April 30, 2013.

These projects, however, had a contracted amount of P115.588 million only, after these had been bidden out to the different contractors, resulting in P7.095 million savings for the government, or 5.78 percent of the projects’ total cost, according to Engr. Denise M. Ayag, 2nd Engineering District officer-in-charge, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here.

He said among the sources of funds for the projects were the Basic Education Facilities Fund(BEFF), the Preventive Maintenance Fund (PVMF), Maintenance, Operations and Other Expenses Fund (MOOEF) Fund and savings of the DPWH.

Likewise, these projects were exempted from the public works ban either because their contracts were awarded before the ban took effect last March 29 or that the projects were started even before the ban took effect.

Meanwhile, District Engineer (DE) Ayag said the projects, their location and respective worth are as follows:

Construction of schoolbuildings using the BEFF - Sinara Bajo and Gata Primary Schools (PS), both of Jimenez, Zamora Elementary School (ES) and Mitazan Integrated School (IS), both of Aloran and Cartagena ES, Plaridel, P654,000, each.

Manla and Caluya ES, both of Sapang Dalaga and Mangidkid ES, Plaridel, P664,000, each, Bunga National High School (NHS), Oroquieta City and Lower Montol ES, Bonifacio, P781,000, each, and Durias ES and Proceso Alburo Memorial ES, also of Bonifacio, P634, 000 and P1.156 million, respectively.

Asphalt over-laying, 50mm.-thick using the PVMF - Jimenez Old Route, Jimenez town, P386,000, Calamba-Baliangao Road, P496,000 and Oroquieta-Langcangan Road, P4.572 million.

Bagacay Cadre Road, Ozamis City, P4.799 million, Ozamiz-Oroquieta Road, P12.114 million, Oroquieta City-Calamba Mountain Road, Phase I and Phase II, P1.394 million and P2.594 million, respectively, and of 80mm-thick in Oroquieta City-Calamba Mountain Road, P5.558 million.

Repair/maintenance using the MOOE Fund for the DPWH Building in Tangub City, P600,000, and in Ozamiz City, P700,000.

Concreting of shoulders and upgrading from gravel to paved road from the savings of DPWH of the Oroquieta City – Calamba Mountain Road, P 11.014 million and P69.842 million, respectively.

Among the contractors of the projects were Alinab Construction and Supplies, GLS Construction and General Merchandise, Misamis Occidental Construction, MBD General Construction, Grace Construction Corporation, Mindanao Rock, Henry S. Oaminal Construction and General Merchandise and the Administration, DE Ayag, also said. (RCAguhob/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)

DOE consults stakeholders on Resherr code

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 5 (PIA) – The Department of Energy (DOE) met with biomass renewable energy producers in Mindanao Monday to discuss the Renewable Energy Safety, Health and Environment Rules and Regulations (Resherr) Code of Practice before its implementation.

Ruby B. De Guzman of the DOE said there is a need to formulate the Code of Practice to be implemented in Biomass process/sector particularly with its many technologies such as combustion, landfill and bio gas digester and so on. We understand that each producer already has its own existing code of practice that is why we need additional input from the Biomass sector before this Resherr becomes law, she added.

biomass is biological material from living, or recently living organisms, most often referring to plants or plant-derived materials. As a renewable energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or indirectly—once or converted into another type of energy product such as biofuel. Biomass can be converted to energy in three ways: thermal conversion, chemical conversion, and biochemical conversion.

Further, beneficial biomass are as follows: energy crops that don’t compete with food crops for land; portions of crop residues such as wheat straw or corn stovers; sustainably-harvested wood and forest residues and clean municipal and industrial wastes.

Pursuant to Rule 2, Section 8 of the Department Circular No. 2012-11-0009, otherwise known as the “Renewable Energy Safety, Health and Environment Rules and Regulations” (Resherr), and in order to ensure adequate safety and protection against hazards to health, life and property as well as pollution of air, land and water from biomass operations, biomass safety health and environment code are promulgated.

Angeles Bhon Rosal of the DOE said that a biomass operator should provide a safe workplace while protecting the health of the workers. To achieve this, safety, health and environment concerns must be thoroughly integrated in the biomass operator’s manual.

Bhon said that the essence of this consultation is to gather information to incorporate in the Resherr draft Code of Practice. This is so critical because it involves health and safety of workers, the environment and the entire operation as a whole.

He added that we must be conscious of the safety in the workplace, environment and employees, otherwise not only will it ruin the business and people attached but the cost involved if something happens will be a huge liability to the company. (JMOR/PIA)

Kalahi-CIDSS: Developing environmental advocates

CALAMBA, Misamis Occidental, May 28 (PIA) -- There are many communities in Northern Mindanano that are still deprived of adequate services from the government. One of them is Barangay Singalat in the municipality of Calamba, Misamis Occidental, the outermost barangay of Calamba that is seven kilometers away from the nearest neighboring barangay. The difficulty of the access roads makes it hard for products and services to reach the far-flung area.

“Kung matarong lang kining among dalan, sigurado ako nga dali ra muabot ang serbisyo sa atong gobyerno diri sa amo," Barangay Chairman Severino Bucog said. "Karon man gud, tungod kay lisud man abton kining among lugar, mapugos among mga estudyante sa high school nga didto mupuyo sa sentro aron sila makatungha, kay wala man mi eskwelahan sa high school diri kay maglisud man ug himo sa eskwelahan tungod sa kalayo ug kadaot sa dalan.”

(If only our roads were in better condition, government services would reach our barangay easily. Right now, our high school students are forced to live at the Poblacion just to attend classes because we do not have a high school yet and building one would be impossible because of the poor condition of our roads.)

Accordingly, the worsened condition of Brgy. Singalat is due to the prevalence of logging (both legal and illegal) in the area. Efforts have been made to resolve the problem but the Local Government remains silent on the issue.

“Dugay na namo kini gi-reklamo apan aduna pa gihapon mga loggers sa among lugar. Nagkadugay, nagsamot na kangil-ad among dalan. Salamat na lang sa atong Ginoo kay na-prioritize mi sa Kalahi-CIDSS, maayo na gayud kining among dalan,” Bucog added.

(We have already raised this problem to those in authority, but logging operations are still present. We are thankful to God that we were prioritized in the Kalahi-CIDSS project, our roads will now be improved.)

Kalahi-CIDSS pushes for sustainability of this farm-to-market road project. Part of the implementation is to come up with an Operations and Maintenance Plan. Engr. Roel Jumao-as, Regional Community Infrastructure Specialist, asked for the volunteers’ commitment to maintain the condition of their .84 kilometers Farm-to-Market Road once finished.

The project calls the community to resolve first the problem on logging because it might attract more loggers to operate in the area.

“Atong hinumduman nga kita aduna’y obligasyon sa kinaiyahan ug sa katilingban. Dili nato itugot nga ang atong mga proyekto mao’y mahimong hinungdan nga maabusar hinuon ang atong kinaiyahan ug matudluan atong katilingban sa butang nga dili maayo. Kung mahuman na kining atong sub-project, basin na hinuon mudaghan ang mga loggers nga musulod dinhi kay aduna na sila’y maagihan paingon sa bukid. Kinahanglan ato kining maatiman nga problema,” Bucog expressed.

(Let us remember that we have an obligation to our environment and society. We must never allow our projects to be used as tools to abuse our environment, teaching our people to be self-centered. I fear that if our sub-project is completed, it might encourage more loggers to operate, now that they will have a better access to the area. We surely have to deal with this concern.)

A barangay resolution is being pushed to ban all logging operations in the area. The community has also come up with a signature campaign to condemn the logging activities. Mayor Luisito Vilanueva Jr. promises this time to support the movement.

“Human kana gidala nga isyu sa akong opisina, amo kanang gipangitaan ug paagi. Gihatagan namo ang mga aduna’y kayutaan sa lugar nga anaa’y mga tanom nga kahoy ug panahon nga Maputol nila ang ilang mga tanum. Kung masugdan na ang sub-project, ato na gayud ibawal ang logging sa lugar. Mag-assign kita ug mga tao nga mao’y mubantay diha aron maprotektahan ang dalan,” said Villanueva.

(After the issue was raised, we made sure we found a way to solve the problem. We gave time to those who owned lands in the area to finish harvesting their logs. Once the sub-project is started, we will no longer allow all logging operations, and we will assign persons to man the area for loggers.)

The Local Government Unit of Calamba is blessed to be endowed with this project initiated by Kalahi-CIDSS. Their only hope now is to improve Brgy. Singalat through the program and provide them a better living without taking advantage of the environment.(Marko Davey Reyes/MNDS/RTP/PIA10)

Search for best valedictory addresses, on in Tangub

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

TANGUB CITY, Misamis Occidental, June 5 (PIA) – A search for the best valedictory addresses was conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) in Tangub City for school year (SY) 2012-2013.

This is aimed at giving due recognition to the effort done by class valedictorians for elementary and secondary schools in the division during the SY, Victoria V. Gazo, Ph.D., Tangub City Schools Division Superintendent, said.

She said the activity was initiated by the Local Govemment Unit of Tangub

City, under Mayor Philip T. Tan, Vice Mayor Edemar S. Alota,and Feloteo Alnguhuro, Chairman of the Education Committee and other members of the city

Council.

Qualified to join the contest are all valedictorians of both public and private

schools, elementary and secondary levels of the division, whose enrolment may have reached ten (10) and above.

Meanwhile, Gazo said a District Search Committee have been organized to identify the top three (3) valedictory addresses of each district and top five (5) from among the secondary schools during the graduation exercises to compete for the Division Level Search.

The valedictory address should be based on this year's graduation theme: “Building

the Nation's Future Leaders Through the K to 12 Basic Education Program or the “K to 12 Basic Education Program: Tungo sa Paghuhubog ng mga Makabagong Lider ng Bansa.”

Criteria of the contest were the following: Relevance to the theme, 20 percent, organization of speech to include content, sentence structure, 20 percent, voice or quality, pitch, articulation/pronunciation, 20 percent, power of expression, 20 percent, stage presence or personal appearance, poise and confidence, l0 percent, and general effect, whether interesting, convincing and holds attention, l0 percent.

On the other hand, Gazo said the valedictory masterpiece should be delivered in English depicting the theme with a time limit for delivery of a minimum of two (2) minutes and a maximum of five (5) minutes only. (RCAguhob/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)

Maramag intensifies animal deworming, strengthens livestock farming

By Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy

MARAMAG, Bukidnon, June 5 (PIA)—In its continuing effort to help farmers increase production and improve quality of livestock products, the local government of Maramag intensified its farm animal deworming project.

The project aims to increase profitability of farmers and livestock raisers while preventing future infections, Mayor Alicia P. Resus said.

Deworming in 11 selected remote barangays were carried out on 366 heads of cattle, 74 carabaos (water buffalo), 15 horses and 245 goats.

Venancio Quijano, municipal veterinarian, said cattle and other farm animals should be dewormed twice a year for best protection and provide for best livestock performance in farms.

“Clinically, the parasites of the stomach and intestine of farm animals cause anemia, scouring and depression. The effects of this parasitism usually are harmful, such as indigestion, poor feed conversion, and decreased milk production for brood cows,” he said.

Likewise, municipal agriculturist Maximiano Lugao explained that livestock’s internal parasites, especially stomach worms, suppress appetite and reduce nutrient utilization, even when they look great.

To prevent occurrence of these parasitic gastritis, Maramag LGU has been intensifying this strategic deworming program, Lugao said.

The hard-working team from the Philippine Carabao Center and Maramag agriculture office worked on the project to help farmers in conserving animal genetics prevents disease occurrences and outbreaks, and above all, the shifting from ‘traditional’ low-input to ‘modern’ intensive animal production.

“This project supports Pres. 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)