COWD imposes 10% increase effective Nov. 1

By Jorie C. Valcorza

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, November 15 (PIA) – The Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) caution its concessionaires for an expected rise on their water bills starting next month, following the imposition of the pending water rates adjustments which was approved by the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in June, 2011.

LWUA Resolution No. 84 approved an additional 30 percent hike in water rates which will be implemented on a staggered basis, starting with 10 percent this month, until it reaches to 30 percent by middle of next year.

COWD General Manager, Engr. Rachel M. Beja, said the initial increase will cover mainly for the operations cost and inflation rate, while the remaining 20 percent will be used by COWD for major infrastructure projects like the non-revenue water reduction measures.

"Our water system is really old having been there for 40 years, with no major rehabilitation except during typhoon Sendong, the fund assistance augmented the rehabilitation of our production facilities.” Beja noted.

She added that the pipelines also need to be replaced, having been installed there even before COWD was created.

Despite that, Beja assured that their water supply remains clean and potable. She said COWD has put in place regular monitoring and testing to continually assess the quality of their water supply. (JCV/PIA)

Lanao Norte LGU commends PIA as partner in devt information

By Lorry V. Gabule

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte, November 15 (PIA)— Gov. Khalid Q. Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte commended the Philippine Information Agency’s (PIA) efforts in partnership with the local government in disseminating information in support to its programs and projects.

“I keep telling our staff that working hard is only 50 percent of your work, informing the people that we are actually working is the other 50 percent , otherwise, we might be working so hard for the people of Lanao del Norte, but they won’t know the actions that we are doing, and say that ‘ang gobyerno ay walang ginagawa’ (the government has done nothing), that’s why PIA is a strong development partner, a crucial partner in the delivery of information,” Gov. Dimaporo said. 

Everything that we do, we make sure that it’s always in coordination with PIA Lanao del Norte Infocen, we try our best through our Provincial Information Office, pushing our program thru PIA and our local tri-media friends, Dimaporo added.

Gov. Dimaporo’s statement was made during the PIA’s 4th Quarter Regional Conference hosted by this province at the Mindanao Civic Center Hotel, Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

As host to your conference, I welcome you all, the PIA-10 family led by Regional Director Thelma B. Oliver and all information center managers from Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Marawi City, Cagayan de Oro regional staff, through the host-Lanao del Norte Information Center, Gov. Dimaporo said.

Gov. Dipaporo said, we hope you can tandem with us, in letting the people know that there are good news in Lanao del Norte. 

Meanwhile, Regional Director Thelma Oliver, PIA region 10, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the provincial government as host to this conference, and handed over the certificate of appreciation to the governor, to its support to PIA in hosting which contributed to the success of the conference.

She further said, that PIA shall continue to provide technical assistance to the local government offices in its information campaign to bring the good news to communities utilizing the different platforms in disseminating development information. (LVG/PIA-10 LDN)

Gov’t intensifies efforts against terrorism

By Elaine O. Ratunil

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Misamis Oriental, November 15 (PIA) – The government, through the Office of the Interior and Local Government, strengthened its efforts against terrorism here in Northern Mindanao.

Spearheaded by the Law Enforcement and Security Integrated Office (LESIO) and the Anti-Terrorism Council-Program Management Center (ATC-PMC) conducted a training workshop on Hardening Terrorist Targets: Operationalizing the “Whole-of-Nation” Approach Against Terrorism: An Advocacy Campaign for the Northern Mindanao held in Cagayan de Oro on November 14-15.

The activity is part of the advocacy campaign on Hardening Terrorist Targets which is conducted in response to the President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s call to intensify target hardening efforts in local government, cited lawyer Rene K. Burdeos, Regional Director, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), region 10.

Further, it is highlighted with the signing of the Pledge of Commitment to support the Whole-Of-Nation approach against terrorism by the governors, mayors, national government agencies, business, and law enforcement and security officials. The manifesto serves as an agreement to support intensified campaign against terrorism.

Atty. Burdeos said the two-day event aims to institutionalize the "Target Hardening Program" in various areas.

The manifesto also provides a trainer's training wherein resource persons from different law enforcement agencies will conduct series of lectures and presentations for key officers of the police, military and other law-enforcement units in the region.

The Advocacy Program and Trainers' Training for Target Hardening will be conducted in six regions of Mindanao, Central Visayas, and National Capital Region (NCR) in Luzon and will run from October to December this year.

The general objective of the project is to institutionalize Target Hardening Program in the identified conflict areas through a "strategize, operationalize, and prioritize (SOP) concept under the context of a whole-of-nation approach in countering terrorism."

The program was developed following a directive issued by President Aquino to the members of the Cluster on Security and Justice and Peace on August 8, 2013, to intensify its efforts to address terroristic and other security threats in the country.

Burdeos said the program is envisioned to prevent terrorist-related incidents and get the commitment of governors, mayors, and other local government officials in the priority areas to roll-out Target Hardening Training activities down to its municipalities and barangays.

On a longer term, such also envision to institutionalize target hardening programs in all priority areas; passage of the local legislations and/or ordinances; inclusion of target hardening activities in the LGU comprehensive plan and annual appropriations plan; and existence of organized, trained and functional force multipliers in the priority areas.

For his part, Col Ricardo B Billones (ret), regional director, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), and co-chair of the Regional Anti-Terrorism Council Convergence (RTCCG) presented Regional Terrorism Threat Situation in Northern Mindanao for the period January 1 to October 31, 2013. The briefing focused on the threat groups operating in the region to include the CPP/NPA/NDF, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Jemaah Islamiya and other significant terrorism-related developments and activities.

According to him, it has been assessed that the belligerences perpetrated by the insurgents particularly in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental areas are aligned to the rebels’ tenacious pursuit to widen their influence as well as for the furtherance of their revolutionary goals.

The threat terrorism in the region is also viewed to be likely to continue, while there is a need to implement target hardening measures among the law enforcement agencies to include the general populace. As it is noted that there are terrorist groups which are determined with the capability to strike when at a time and place least expected, Col Billones added. (EOR/PIA10)

CDO chosen as pilot city of ADB-funded project

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, November 15 –City Mayor Oscar Moreno’s thrust on transparency and good governance got a big boost as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) selected Cagayan de Oro City as one of its project partners.

In a recent e-mail message to the City Mayor, Dante de los Angeles, ADB project grant manager, confirmed the city’s selection as project partner in the implementation of the ADB-funded project entitled “Strengthening Citizen Involvement in Mitigating Governance Risks in Local Government Units in the Philippines.”

“We are pleased to advise that Cagayan de Oro City has been selected by the Project Steering Committee as one of the projects sites in Region 10 to pilot the engagement initiative in the area of budget formulation and execution or public procurement monitoring and evaluation,” de los Angeles informed Mayor Moreno.

The project which is aimed at enhancing productive and successful LGU-citizen engagement in local governance will be supported by a grant from ADB under its Small Grant Facility, he added.

With the city’s selection as ADB project partner, Mayor Moreno said he is extremely pleased and grateful as he looked forward to working with the Asian Development Bank on the project implementation.

“We are all very happy for Cagayan de Oro City and its people for this project,” the City Mayor concluded.

In the wake of this development, the ADB will invite city representatives to a workshop to be held later this month to discuss the salient features of the project.       

It can be recalled that about a month ago, Ms. Claudia Buentjen, ADB Principal Country Specialist and De Los Angeles visited 10 local government units in North Eastern Mindanao purposely to identify and select potential partners for the ADB-funded project. (CIO/PIA)

NorMin under price freeze – DTI

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Nov. 14 (PIA) - All provincial offices of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 10 will be imposing a price freeze for the prices of basic goods as the country remains under a state of national calamity.

According to DTI 10 Lawyer Fel Lester Brillantes, their legal basis is the Republic Act. No. 7581 otherwise known as the Price Act and the recent Presidential Proclamation No. 682 declaring a State of National Calamity due to the severe damages brought by Typhoon Yolanda.

The price freeze aims to deter sellers from taking advantage of the situation by increasing the prices of their basic goods even if they were bought at a much lower price before the calamity.

Brillantes said, “We also expect the Department of Agriculture (DA) to set the freezing of the prices of vegetables and agricultural products within this week.” (JMOR/PIA)

Misamis Occidental pledges P2M for typhoon, earthquake, armed-conflict victims

By: Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Nov. 15 (PIA) – The Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental (PGMO) has pledged to give a cash donation of P500,000 each to the provinces of Samar and Leyte, for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

Governor Herminia M. Ramiro is just waiting for the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) for these pledges, Gain Paul De Barras, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRMC) Officer, said.

Another P500,000 had also been pledged by PGMO to Bohol for the earthquake victims that occurred last Oct. 15, resulting in the destruction of so many houses and buildings, including churches in the province.

It can be recalled that PGMO also pledged the same amount of P500,000 to Zamboanga City for the victims of the government-Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) stand off, that started on Sept. 9, and lasted for over a week, De Barras said.

Meanwhile, the Misamis Occidental PDRRMC is set to send items donated by the different sectors of the province to the Typhoon Yolanda-affected victims in Eastern Visayas through the C130 Cargo Plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Per announcement made by the Regional DRRMC, such C130 aircraft is available on Friday, November 15, 2013, at PAF’s Tactical Operations Group, Northern Mindanao, Lumbia Airport, Cagayan de Oro City, to transport the relief goods intended for the typhoon-affected areas in the Eastern Visayan region.

De Barras said the donors were informed that only the following items to be brought to the area were accepted: rice, canned food, coffee, noodles and bottled water and sleeping implements, like mats, blankets, mosquito net, sleeping bags, etc.

Also accepted were hygiene packs, composed of soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, towel, cotton, dippers, sanitary pads and diapers and mosquito repellent.

The relief items have been coursed through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the province that coordinated with the Regional Offices of DSWD and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) for the transport of the relief items, De Barras added.  (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)