PIA-BOHOL NEWS SERVICE

DOE launches nat’l e-trike AutoCAD design contest

2012-01-28T09:53:00.001+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, January 27 (PIA) – Here is something for Boholano CAD graphic designers.

If you or your friends are 18 years old or over, residents of the Philippines and familiar with computer based Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing, then designing the new generation electric tricycles (e-trikes) could be a starting challenge.

This as the Department of Energy (DOE) launches the Nationwide e-trikes Design Contest through two-dimensional (2D) or three dimension (3D) CAD design for the best aesthetic and functional design of the three-wheeled electric vehicle which sits a maximum of six passengers excluding the driver.

The catch however is that you will have to compete and assert your creativity by clawing to the top, where three designs are assured of a cool P200 thousand to pocket.

Top 3 design winners automatically become DOE’s property and may be used, copied, reproduced and printed by DOE in any size or medium for exhibition, advertising and promotions or similar purposes.

The next top seven post is also tempting as placers can still be recompensed P50K each, upon which the short-listed design could be adopted in the implementation of the country’s e-trike project, according to the contest rules.

Contest criteria includes aesthetics and creativity (50%), originality and innovation (20%), Safety and Functionality according to Land Transportation Office standards (20%) and ergonomics which include ease of accessibility, space requirements and total passenger comfort (10%).

Contest rules, which can be accessed by opening the DOE portal through www.doe.gov.ph, said one only needs to produce a 2D or 3D etrike design using AutoCAD software, with its corresponding design descriptions and specifications.

That is, after completely filling up the Official Registration Forms downloadable at the DOE portal or at www.pia.gov.ph.

The design has to be new, original and has never been used for commercial or demonstration purposes, all designs not bearing any logo or similar markings that can be identified with any participating individual, school or establishment.

Entries must be submitted in CD and A3 hardcopy, sealed in an envelop with the contest Official Registration Form, a notarized Oath of Ownership of the submitted design and sent by courier not later than 4PM February 17 to National e-trike Design Contest, c/o Energy Utilization Management Bureau, Department of Energt, Merritt Road, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, 1631.

For more information, contact PIA Bohol at 412-2292 or 501 8554. (30)

Bohol Blood council elects Executive board members

2012-01-25T09:55:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 24 (PIA) – Evading from the usual lengthy discourses and processes of working out a task so important to its organizational strengthening, the Bohol Blood Council elects members of an 11 man Executive Board to delegate the task.

In its first organizational meeting in 2012, the Bohol Blood Coordinating Council, and upon whose shoulders lie the burden of working out the details of the local implementation of the program that ensures adequate safe accessible blood for Boholanos, tasked the Executive Board however to set up the details.

Led by Council President Governor Edgar Chatto, the council’s setting up of the Executive Board to decide on the details of the upcoming Provincial Blood Coordinating Council Planning Workshop has effectively won time.

Earlier, Governor Chatto, who also skillfully delegated his authority to the Board so as not to hold the activities of the council at the mercy of the his overloaded schedule, pushed for the 11 member executive Board whose tasks include reporting to the governor any council developments and updates.

Cognizant of the task and the dire need to get blood for transfusion immediately accessible to poor Boholanos, the council proceeded to pick Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, Sangguniang Panlalawigan Health Committee as Executive Board President.

The 26 member council also elected Gov Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital Laboratory Department Chief, Dr. Juanita Arcay to be vice president.

Picked to be secretary is Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) Administrator Nenita Briones, as the PNRC also sits as council secretariat, based on the Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque issued Administrative Order No. 2010 series of 002.

The multi sectoral council also pushed private sector representative Marietta Gasatan of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry as treasurer while the council also elected government’s sector representative Rey Anthony Chiu of the Philippine Information Agency as press relations officer.

Elected Auditor was Dr. Portia Reyes, head of the Department of Health in Bohol.

Completing the list of Board are five more Board Members, all chosen for their potential strategic sector representations that will bolster the council’s programs.

Elected as Board members are League of Municipalities of the Philippine Bohol Chapter and Trinidad Mayor Roberto Cajes, Provincial pathologist and Provincial Health Office-based Dr. Jessica Socorro Yu, PSsupt Constantino Barot, Liga ng Mga Barangay President Board member Crspina Vergara and the Philippine Army represented by Col. John Bonafos.

The Executive Board will now decide when to convene the full council for its strategic planning workshop in February, says Gov. Chatto. (30)

Bohol rice production Up by 16.44% in ‘11

2012-01-21T06:40:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, January 20, 2012 (PIA) – Rice production in Bohol increased by about 16.44% last year compared to the previous year.

In fact, according to a data provided by the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) here, the feat in 2011 is higher than in 2008, when Bohol’s over-all palay production peaked at 218,701 metric tons.

This year, total palay production in Bohol as gathered from a composite of irrigated, rain-fed and upland rice areas reached 225,246 metric tons.

The development elates Governor Edgar Chatto who has aggressively urged Boholanos to adopt new technologies and high yielding seeds to increase production and solidify Bohol’s claim as Central Visayas’ food basket.

This year, Bohol also put up another P2 million in support to the rice program implemented by the local agriculturists.

On the good news, Engr. Maximino Servillon pointed out that the result is even the partial tabulation as BAS would still needs to process more of the remaining last quarter data collected

Servillon, BAS provincial statistician showed that palay is Bohol’s biggest agricultural produce which comprises 36% of the whole pie in an agricultural crops contribution chart.

In 2008, the BAS data shared to key government offices showed Bohol rice production at 218,701 metric tons, which was the highest tally in previous years. This data went down to 195,445 in 2009.

It may also be recalled that in 2008, the national government put in hybrid rice seed subsidy and the provincial government also joined in to fund other farm input needs.

By the next year, and with the national government subsidy cut-off, rice production further dwindled to 193,491 metric tones while registering the smallest yield per hectare in the last four years at 2.58 metric tons per hectare.

Alarmed by the down trend and stirred by the pronouncements by commercial hybrid rice dealers that Bohol has one of the country’s lowest yields per hectare, agricultural authorities launched massive campaigns for scientific farming, certified seeds use and proper farm inputs intervention.

While this year showed significant increase in rice production, the same victory can also be seen in the average yield per hectare at 2.89 metric tones.

This is also slightly higher than the 2.87 metric ton average posted in 2008, or when Bohol attained its highest rice sufficiency.

According to Larry Pamugas, Bohol Assistant Provincial Agriculturist, the increase is most notable in irrigated rice areas where the increase is .44 metric tons per hectare, the data showed.

Pamugas pointed out that the increase is noted while an increase of nearly hectares of harvested area is added to the 74,958 hectares planted last year. (30)

36 towns now earn DILG Housekeeping seal stamp

2012-01-08T06:04:00.001+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 6 (PIA) – If the recent local government performance results were any indicator, then governance in Bohol must be excellently run with 27 new towns now showing off their seals of good housekeeping (SGH).

By this, these new 27 towns qualify to get grants from the Millennium Challenge Fund for additional resource in their efforts to beat the United Nation’s established millennium development goals.

The overseer of all local government operations in the country; the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) awards the seal to local government units which have satisfactorily shown exemplary transparency and accountability, participation and performance innovation into institutionalized status for better service to their constituents and the country in general.

LGUs with exemplary performance in good governance and internal housekeeping which can be gleaned from good planning, sound fiscal management, values transparency and accountability and a good performance monitoring, are awarded the seal, says DILG Bohol SGH focal person Maria Reina Quilas.

All LGUS are subjected to the test of good housekeeping, DILG in its website said.

But for LGUS to earn the seal and qualify for the grant, they must comply with the SGH criteria in key governance performance areas in planning, budgeting, revenue and resource mobilization, fiscal management and budget execution and procurement.

Passing the threshold for these criteria in the third round of evaluations are Tagbilaran City, Alburquerque, Antequera, Baclayon, Bien Unido, Bilar, Buenavista, Calape, Catigbian.

Corella, Danao, Dimiao, Garcia-Hernandez, Getafe, Guindulman, Inabanga, Lila, Loon, Sagbayan, San Isidro, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Talibon, Trinidad, Tubigon and Valencia.

Earlier, the towns of Maribojoc, Catigbian and Balilihan received the awards during the first round of evaluations.

Then, Loboc, Panglao, Dauis, Clarin, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, San Miguel, Jagna and Ubay snagged the awards during the second round of local government performance management system assessments.

This ten makes 36 towns and city in Bohol with the seal, 11 more towns of Bohol’s 47 hoping to get the stamp as soon.

The third round of evaluations had also the DILG formally stamping to Bohol Province the Seal of Good Housekeeping, one of the very few provincial governments brandishing the citation, says Governor Edgar Chatto last week. (30)

Bohol gets DILG’s seal Of good housekeeping

2011-12-23T17:22:00.002+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec 23, (PIA) – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) reinforces its “best governed province” for Bohol with this year’s Seal of Good Housekeeping, says Governor Edgar Chatto.

Among the first provinces to be given the award in this year’s round of evaluations, the seal effectively gets Bohol into the list of local government units that can access a rich resource of development funds in the Millennium Development Corporation’s funds sources, according to the governor.

Breaking the news during his weekly media interaction Kita ug ang Gobernador, Chatto shared that the DILG has been handing out the seal of Good Housekeeping for towns who have consistently shown high ratings in the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS).

The LGPMS is a web based self-assessment management and development tool that enables municipalities, cities and provinces to determine their capabilities and limitations in the delivery of essential social services, according to Government Assessment Portal.

The LGPMS attempts to support the development of local governments through improved use of fiscal and human resources, compare local government achievements with set standards and advance these innovations to national platforms for possible replication, explains local DILG key authorities.

In the previous rounds of Seal of Good Housekeeping evaluations, three Bohol towns got to the DILG list.

Catigbian, Balilihan and Maribojoc towns each received P1,000,000 as cash award and another resource for locally prioritized programs and projects that dent on the United Nation’s established Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

The following year, eight more towns barged into the same list after satisfactorily passing the bar of transparency in public service and service capability as sought by the LGPMS.

The towns of Clarin, Loboc, Dauis, Panglao, San Miguel, Carlos P. Garcia, Jagna and Ubay each qualified for the P1M grant even as Maribojoc, Balilihan and Catigbian easily maintained their seals.

At the weekly media forum carried over all local radio stations in Bohol, Chatto said the year has been truly fruitful for Bohol.

Last September, Bohol emerged the “Best Governed Province” among all provinces including component and highly urbanized cities topping them all by capping a total score of 4.935 in a scale of 5.

Recently, the DiLG also handed Bohol the Pamana ng Lahi regional Award for its exemplary governance, one that qualifies it to the national search.

The national government, through Technical Education and Skills Development Authority also handed Bohol its prestigious Kabalikat Award for its local innovations in job generation while partnering strongly with the government skills tooling agency. (30)

RDC Visayas pushes for family visitation rights for RDs, ARDs

2011-12-21T10:52:00.001+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Dec. 20 (PIA) -- Christmases and holidays in the Philippines are special opportunities for family gatherings and reunions.

But, realities tell of several government officials who may not necessarily have that quality time, in the service of men and country.

For them who are on distant assignments from their residences, Christmas and such supposed to be get together holidays can be that of a scourge.

Feeling for these workers and seeing the need to find a happy and healthy compromise, the Central Visayas Regional Development council agrees with other peace councils in the country when they push for a presidential approval of granting visitation privileges to third level government officials.

By third level, the beneficiaries are above division chiefs that exercise managerial positions like under secretaries, assistant secretaries, bureau director and assistant director, regional director, assistant regional director, department service chief and other positions defined by the Career Service Board.

In its effort to be of help and minimize the adverse effects of absentee parenthood by third level government officials, the RDC here believes these officials should be granted visitation privileges of at least 2 working days per month, excluding travel time.

If acted upon positively, the visitation privileges come with transportation expenses: a round trip transportation expense paid by the office, but without the usual per diems.

In its draft administrative order presented during its past meeting, the Visayas RDC cites section 1 article 15 of the Philippine Constitution which states that the state recognizes the Filipino family as the foundation of the nation.

The council also added that the state shall strengthen the family’s solidarity and actively promote its total development.

The council also argues that the state must, by public policy, cherish and protect the family as a basic social institution, citing Article 149 of Executive Order 209 of the Family Code.

Because of this, family relations then are governed by law and no custom, practice or agreement which destroys the family shall be recognized or given effect, the council members said

In support of the goal of National Decade Plan for the Filipino Family, to foster a family-friendly environment, promote strong family ties among its officials and employees to promote efficiency and improve morale, the council has officially asked President Benigno S. Aquino to authorize the granting of family visit privileges to third level officials.

To be covered then, are third level officials assigned to an official station outside the region where his family is permanently residing. (30)

Bohol antidrug drive find Two allies: sniffing dogs

2011-12-17T21:49:00.001+08:00

Bohol PADAC strat-planning w’shop rolls off, sans PDEA

2011-12-13T20:10:00.001+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec 10, (PIA) –The two day Provincial Anti-drug Abuse Council (PADAC) Strategic Planning Workshop rolls off today, December 13-14, 2011 without the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

Convened by the Capitol through Governor Edgar Chatto, who authored the ordinance creating the PADAC, the workshop gathers at the CrabHouse in Mansasa District, legislators, representatives from the academe, provincial, municipal, barangays governments, socio-civil sectors, law enforcers, student organizations and volunteers.

After the workshop facilitators from the local Center for Local Governance of the Holy Name University presented the activity process flow, participants agree that reliable data on the gravity of drug affectation to be truly effective in the planning workshop.

These data however can only be from the PDEA, being the lead government agency mandated to spearhead the anti-drug campaign.

According to Clyde Ebojo, Capitol based workshop coordinator, the drug agency earlier confirmed its attendance to the workshop. But on the last minute, PDEA informed organizers about an emerging situation in Cebu, which prevented them from getting through.

Workshop participant and City councilor Mariquit Oppus said she wished the workshop provides a time for participants to be appraised of the real drug situation in Bohol so as to achieve and track a measurable accomplishment based on available data.

On the other hand, Camp Dagohoy representatives hinted that the PDEA would have all the council-needed data to be able to surgically address the problem here.

The PDEA as the lead agency in the campaign deputizes the police and issues control numbers to legitimize police anti-drug operations without the PDEA presence.

Beyond police anti-drug operations, it is the PDEA that police file post-operations report.

Pinspector Jojit Mananquil admit police may have some data but these are on drug personalities on the drug watch-list which is obviously not for public consumption.

Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio, who called PDEA Regional Director Jigger Montallana to update the workshop was informed that a PDA representative (not Montallana himself) was enroute to the workshop.

Seriousness in support to the drug problem popped as one of the key issues the council members discussed during the workshop. (30)

Bohol Island State U annex campus soon to rise in Sevilla

2011-12-10T22:19:00.002+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec 11 (PIA) – Another annex campus of the Bohol Island State University [BISU) will soon rise in Sevilla town, taking one step at a time as the Sanggunian Bayan authorized Sevilla Mayor to buy a lot for the state university.

Sevilla mayor Ernestina Digal is pushing hard to comply with the CHED requirements and she has identified the probable location in barangay Cambagui and immediately shared to the owners about the plan.

Sevilla vice-mayor Emily Dagaang also said that there is a pending request for the opening of BISU Annex at barangay Cambagui.

Dagaang added that the ultimate plan is to open up the Bohol Island State University (BISU) annex in the town, more on the technical and vocational courses through the BISU system.

“This should present a good opportunity for our youth to get the proper training needed for them to land good jobs,” the vice-mayor said.

At the top of the requirements was for the identification of a site to construct the school buildings therein.

Soon the lot was found and after both parties arrived at a deal in the negotiations, the local government unit, through the express nod of the Sangguniang Bayan allocated P125,000 in its 2010 20% annual development fund for payment of the needed lot.

But, even before the sale took effect, the local government unit of Sevilla sought the help of interested parties who could assist the LGU in preparing the site for the annex.

The Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce responded. The organization built two 2-classroom buildings for the new site, said Mercedes Ocio, municipal secretary.

But the heirs of the lot-owners Fabian Cabagnot had a hard time processing the documents due to some problems with the extrajudicial settlement of the estate, the original owners being deceased.

The process would have been simple; extra-judicial settlement of estate of deceased person and to shorten the process, a simultaneous sale would have to be consummated.

To remedy the situation, the LGU assented to the request of the heirs of the lot for additional amount to be used in the processing of the documents and the subsequent transfer of the property.

The town agreed to comply and just recently, the Sangguniang Bayan issued the authorization for Mayor Ernesita Digal to purchase the lot for the proposed BISU Annex. [mbcn/rahc/PIA-Bohol)

Host Bohol leaders say all set for CVRAA ‘11

2011-11-26T13:19:00.003+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 25, 2011 (PIA) – Everything is set and ready to get the balls rolling for the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA Meet) which starts here on Monday until December 2, Bohol leaders said.

That day, almost 7,000 athletes from 19 teams of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental and Siquijor schools compete in the grueling 4-day sports and cultural competitions to pick out the region’s best to comprise a team for the Palarong Pambansa, said Bohol Division Superintendent Lorna Rances recently.

Participating teams include the biggest delegation of Cebu Province (710 athletes and delegates) followed by Cebu City (690), Bohol Division (638), Mandaue City (632), Dumaguete City (588), Negros Oriental (560), Lapu-lapu City (528), Talisay City (520), Danao City (416), Bayawan City (360), Bais City division (315), Bogo, Carcar and Toledo cities (300 each), Siquijor (235), Naga and Tanjay (250 each), Guihulngan City, 248 and Tagbilaran City, according to data from the DepEd.

Bohol hosts this year’s CVRAA event while the Department of Education (DepED) has earlier coordinated to raise the P8M budget needed to bring the thrill and excitement of the best regional athletic competition to Bohol soil, according to Governor Edgar Chatto.

Information from the Bohol Division of the Department of Education shows that the athletic competition breaks out in at least 18 venues in Tagbilaran city and nearby towns after the opening ceremonies Monday afternoon.

Hub of most sports competitions is the newly refurbished Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex where most of the athletics events (elem. and sec. boys and girls), basketball (elem. boys), football (elem. and sec. boys), tennis (sec. boys and girls), swimming (elem. and sec boys and girls) and volleyball games (sec. boys) are to be held.

Aside from the CPG Complex, sports competitions are also expected to be hotly contested at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Taloto District (elementary baseball and volleyball), Maribojoc Central Elementary School grounds (baseball).

Victoriano D. Tirol Sports Oval (softball for elem. and sec. girls), some matches for basketball sec. boys and athletics’ throwing events for both elem. and secondary), Holy Name University (HNU) Main Gym (basketball sec. girls), HNU Dampas (taekwondo for elem. and sec. boys and girls and volleyball elem. girls), Dao Covered Court (secondary girls volleyball).

Archery for both boys and girls shoot at the Camp Gov. Esteban Bernido in Dao, while Bohol Island State University hosts the sec. boys and girls’ arnis matches.

Elem. and sec. badminton for boys and girls are played at the Upper (Eastern) Cogon Covered Court while spectators can expect a good trading of punches when shopping with boxing matches for elem. and sec are set at the activity center of the Island City Mall.

CVRAA’s cultural competitions for the secondary levels unfold at the Bohol Cultural Center while chess boards open for both elem. and sec. boys and girls at the BPSTEA building along Tamblot Street.

Maribojoc Cultural center is the venue for all the gymnastics events for boys and girls in the elem. and sec. while Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School hosts the sepak takraw for sec boys and sipa for elem. boys.

Table tennis for elem and sec. for boys and girls open at the University of Bohol Gym, tennis for elem. girls happen at the People’s Mansion tennis Court while Capitol tennis court hosts the tennis for elem. boys.

Meanwhile, Gov. Edgar Chatto called all Boholanos, especially those near the sports venues to be hospitable tour-guides to delegates and athletes.

He said TaRSIER has eyes on the events while closed circuit televisions have been installed in some of the venues should easily pick those who disrupt the flow of events.

Bohol Police Director Constantino Barot has also ordered police deputies scattered along the venues and barangay tanods have been mobilized for the events. (30)

Maintaining peace harder Sans sector cooperation

2011-11-26T07:13:00.002+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 25, 2011 (PIA) – Military authorities admit, if not for the cooperation from the sectors here, they would have been better off waging a war than maintaining peace in Bohol.

Maintaining peace is more difficult than fighting a war, says Army Special Forces Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner at the recent Kapihan sa PIA Thursday.

Brawner, upon whose command falls the management and supervision of the Citizen’s Armed Forces for Geographical Units (CAFGU) and the army special operations claimed their men had difficulty in the shift from combat to support operations in maintaining the development programs here.

The commanding officer said their complicated task came as Bohol was declared insurgent free since February 2010.

That time, a convergence of initiatives and support strengthened that practically left the local communist terrorists without the convenient space and capacity to continue their struggle in Bohol.

That same time, an anti-insurgency program that was rooted in convergence of efforts from sectors who have been convinced that reaping the fruits of booming eco-tourism and agro-industry can only happen in an atmosphere of peace.

Now popularly known in government peace-building templates as Bohol Model, the more sustainable anti-insurgency program which addresses the roots of rebellion into poverty had successfully brought down the local rebels from about 400 in 2001 to zero in 2009, says Brawner.

Then, we had about three battalions all over Bohol, now we only have one, he cited even as he also pointed out that 32 detachments all over Bohol are now mainly involved in development work.

In the incumbency of the peace however, reports have surfaced about communist rebels attempting to reestablish their base in Bohol, this as military intelligence sources monitor the resurgence of para-legal teams whose personalities were associated with the fleeing rebels.

Recent Regional Peace and Order Council meeting here also confirmed that rebels fleeing to nearby provinces have attempted to return to Bohol and probing missions have been sent to test the waters.

On this, Col. Brawner explained that there has not been any presence of armed men in Bohol, but elaborates by saying, “insurgency encompasses extortions and other activities included in their propaganda machineries such as mass movements and rallies.

With sectors actively involved in reporting potential breaching of internal security incidents, he said the reported sightings, more often than not, have been false alarms.

“These were men who were not armed but whose faces, people in the area were not familiar,” he said.

He also stressed that the presence of the semi legal teams: small group of men who are not armed and their objective is to go to the barangays and organize, have been monitored in Bohol White Areas (BWA).

Personalities who comprise the BWA committees have been sighted in areas where there have been insurgency affectations then, and where their legal fronts operate now to get their resources and new recruits, said Brawner.

What is alarming in fact is that “they recruit young students even from high schools in the hinterlands” Brawner reported at the program which was aired live at DyTR Thursday.

Asked how he can prove that, the military commander pointed out: the composition of the recent rallies showed about 70% of participants from the youth sector.

This just shows that a lot of youth are now enticed, he said.

While Bohol has been cited as a model of successful anti-insurgency experience, the communists also want Bohol to be their model of recovery, he said.

On this, Brawner resounded the call for continued cooperation and vigilance to make Bohol peace sustainable. (30)

BIR asks businessmen: settle taxes or padlock?

2011-11-24T17:30:00.001+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov. 23, (PIA) -- Authorities at the local Bureau of Inter Revenue (BIR) urge taxpayers especially those in Value-Added Tax registered businesses to pay right or be in trouble.

This as a chain of stores which boasts of at least 42 branches in the country narrowly escaped the padlock for violations against the National Internal Revenue Code.

Bohol Revenue District officer Romeo Naranjo had gathered the team set to implement a closure order for a local branch of an erring business in line with its Oplan Kandado November 21 when a new order called the operations off.

Oplan Kandado is the bureau’s program that suspends the business operations of non-compliant taxpayers as their establishments are temporarily closed if found to have violated tax laws.

“Oplan Kandado” aims to intensify the Bureau’s enforcement operations through strict imposition of prescribed administrative sanctions for noncompliance with the basic tax requirements, Naranjo explained.

Unitop General Merchandise Inc., with a branch business address at CPG Avenue here could have been closed for at least five days, had the call from BIR Central Office been 10 minutes later.

Naranjo was prompted to initiate the closure order dated November 18, issued by BIR Deputy Commissioner Nelson Aspe against Unitop closure order, for failure and neglect to comply with the requirements set by an earlier BIR tax audit.

During a press briefing following the aborted closure, Naranjo said Unitop, with its main store located in Valenzuela, Metro Manila immediately sent representatives to BIR to rectify their deficiency at the exact moment BIR Bohol was gearing up for the operation.

Had the Unitop move to correct the deficiency came an hour too late, the closure order could have been served and the store already starting to show promise with pre-holidays buy could be losing greatly as it would be with its 41 other branches whose closure was set to be implemented Monday.

According to the BIR here, Unitop has received a five day VAT Compliance Notice dated September 29 but has not properly acted upon the notice.

Although information about the store’s violations were sketchy, policies under BIR Revenue Memorandum Order (RMO) No 3-2009 says that the Internal Revenue Commissioner can suspend business operations on certain grounds.

Pursuant to the provisions of the RMO, business operations can be suspended or temporarily closed for failure to issue receipts or invoices by a VAT-registered or registrable taxpayer; failure to file a VAT return; understatement of taxable sales or receipts by 30% or more of the correct amount in the case of VAT-registered or registerable taxpayer or failure to register.

It adds, the closure of a business establishment shall last for a period of not less than five (5) days, and shall be in force until the violation is rectified by the concerned taxpayer.

But, just as Unitop escaped by the whisker, BIR Bohol reiterates to businessmen: settle your taxes or get padlocked and lose greatly. (30)

Rabies’ paralegal system Helps people regain trust

2011-11-20T06:14:00.004+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov 19, (PIA) – Beyond responding to the public health issue it is supposed to keep at bay, Bohol anti-rabies ordinance has also equalized access to justice and restored confidence in the rule of law through a [aralegal system its adopted.

While most people see an anti-rabies program as generally responsive only to public health issues, Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program (BRPEP) goes beyond that.

In fact, it also makes people better understand that the law made to protect them, distinguishes not the rich and the poor.

Here is a program backed up by an ordinance that allows the community to be active implementers through a creative dog population control mechanism that applies to both the rich and the poor and a community to see to it that it is such, hints Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, program coordinator for animal rabies.

In Bohol, members of the Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program (BRPEP) have found a creative way to bring down the framework of the national law into the specifics of the provincial ordinance.

And aside from allowing equal opportunity for the poor and the rich to own pet dogs, it also opens to the poor an access to justice never thought to work for them.

At the meeting with the Galing Pook (GP) Awards validation team led by Professor and former Labor Secretary Nieves Confesor, BRPEP members say even the poor can now boldly hail the moneyed for their failure to comply with the anti-rabies ordinance.

Confesor, who is also the GP executive director came to Bohol to validate the BRPEP as official Bohol entry to the 2011 awards that recognize innovations in governance.

According to Atty. Abeleon Damalerio, Bohol legislator and agriculture committee chair, the creative use of paralegal forms in implementing the ordinance to communities, could make BRPEP a one of a kind innovation in the country’s unified effort too make rabies’ threat irrelevant.

While there is a national law on rabies, Bohol passed much earlier a provincial rabies ordinance and devised a system that would make the mandatory registration and vaccination of dogs easy to comply.

As dogs facilitate the spread of rabies, a successive vaccination program to achieve herd immunity is necessary, explains Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz, who is also Bohol provincial Veterinarian.

She explained that the only way to get it done is to register and consequently vaccinate all dogs and isolate them from the stray dogs.

Those dogs that are not registered and vaccinated and are loitering in public areas would be by definition, stray dogs and should be kept in dog pounds where they are eliminated if not claimed by owners within three days, the vet explained the provincial ordinance during the meeting.

As the program enlists the vigilance of communities to keep the stray dog population from contaminating the immunized, anybody who sees a stray dog can fill up a form and tick his complaint, continued Atty Damalerio at the meeting.

In rural communities, most people know the dog owners, so filing the complaints is easy.

When this is formally submitted to the Bantay Rabies sa Barangay, the anti-rabies team in the village would immediately issue notice of violations to presumed owners.

Here, owners can decide to catch is dog, register and have it immunized or sign a waiver so the BRB can initiate dog catching.

There have been cases where a rich dog-owner who refused to get his dog registered found his complaint getting elevated to the higher courts, which spells hassle for him, Damalerio said.

In most cases, the paralegal system resolves cases before the cases get to higher courts, offering a good conflict resolution venue for these types of cases,the lawyer legislator summed. (30)

Over low conviction rates… Chatto bares scheme to Equip prosecuting cops

2011-11-12T05:50:00.001+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov 11, (PIA) – Saddled with very low convictions in crimes and at the risk of nasty backlash in its anti-crime campaign Bohol mulls on setting up a training program for police officers who may have to build up solid cases against suspects.

Governor Edgar Chatto bared this even as he invites the members of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in similar undertakings to help whet the program into a workable solution to the deformity in prosecuting cases.

At the RPOC, which is now led by the Bohol governor, Chatto shared the plan in apparent response to the clamor of members of the local peace council to increase convictions and keep the criminals off the streets and behind bars.

Provincial Prosecutor Macario Delusa, at a PPOC meeting in Guindulman few months ago admitted that the low conviction rate often happens when built cases are basically shot down on technicalities or are just too flimsy to withstand legal shaking.

Chatto, who also chairs the PPOC has tasked Capitol Research Unit through Local Monitoring Board coordinator Romeo Teruel to find ways where Bohol’s innovative law enforcement assistance program can help.

Bohol has initially instituted Legal Assistance for Effective Law Enforcement Program (LAELEP), one that legally aids police officers entangled in cases in the line of duty.

While LAELEP helps in the prosecution by defending police officers through ag agreement with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, the police investigator building a case is generally left on their own wits, a member of the PPOC said.

With barely enough tools to build a case, police officers into prosecuting cases build shaky arguments, if ever they get to first base and not clipped by technicalities, a prosecution lawyer once said.

Several drug cases for example, failed to dent on the anti drug operations as potential witnesses are think twice before sharing relevant information as to the uncertainty of conviction often allows the suspect to home in on the informant.

Over this, Chatto said the program they are aiming hopes to strengthen the building up of cases to get a higher batting percentage.

And by doing so, Capitol sees a program, a non degree course but earns police officers the proper skills to ensure conviction. (30)

DILG clarifies memo on “Passing-through” fees

2011-11-06T07:07:00.001+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov 5 (PIA) – On the issue of illegally taxing inter-provincial transiting vehicles and fearing they might find themselves trapped in legal battles, Local Government Units have sought Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) clarification on its recent memorandum which has effectively extinguished a local revenue resource.

DILG memorandum circular No. 2015-151 has reiterated the prohibition on passing-through taxes and fees levied upon inter-provincial transport of goods and services, which has affected local pricing.

The memorandum intends to prohibit double taxation and bans the collection of levies on regulatory fees from passengers in local ports and other taxes fees or charges when transporting goods and passengers, sources at the DILG explained.

In a gathering of LGU chief executives and the media with Secretary Jesse Robredo in time for the 115th birth anniversary of Carlos P. Garcia, Loon Mayor Lloyd Peter Lopez aired his town’s concern over the loss of a good revenue source when DILG memorandum which the secretary signed last October 12.

DILG memorandum circular deems these kind of levies illegal as these are beyond the scope of the taxing powers of the LGU.

The memorandum however did not mention about LGUS collecting taxes and fees on the use of locally maintained roads by inter provincial transport of goods and passengers, Robredo hinted.

Mayor Lopez, who stood as a self appointed representative of at least 6 towns operating municipal ports said they have been deprived of a revenue resource in exacting toll fees to repair and the gravel roads, which connect the port to the highway.

Lopez stresses that the town spends an annual budget of P50 thousand to make the road passable.

For this, he hinted that the town would be at a loss if they could not generate the funds needed to maintain such a crucial access road to the port.

The same memorandum also ordered the immediate repeal of existing ordinances which come in the form of double taxation and instructs DILG Regional Directors to monitor compliance and report to the secretary any breaches so that appropriate administrative charges can be filed.

Hinting that toll fees for the use of roads could be a different case as to the intent of the memorandum, Robredo advised that the towns look at specific provisions in the Local Government Code, which would allow the collection of toll fees.

As long as it is legislated and goes through the process, the DILG said it may not be a problem.

Still feeling the existing apprehension of local chief executives on the matter, Robredo then advised that LGUs write the DILG so that the agency can suggest to them the steps to do to avoid legal snags in their collecting of fees. (30)

“No time limit” regulation for Return of shoddy items-DTI

2011-10-29T09:45:00.002+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 28, 2011, (PIA) –Just as Consumer Act of the Philippines outlaws the “no return, no exchange policy” the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bohol adds, there is even no time limit as to the return of shoddy or defective goods.

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA commemorating Consumer Consciousness Month, DTI Bohol consumer division head Jose Hibaya said the law is not specific on the time limit for return of defective items.

Change of mind or later finding out that a similar item is priced lower on the other store as a reason for change of goods however is not acceptable, he said.

The issue came just as ConsumerWatch Bohol, an outreach program of the Holy Name Alumni Association reported that they have facilitated the linking of consumers and agencies concerned over complaints of shoddy goods and imperfect services, a fact that was not as practiced then.

ConsumerWatch Bohol advocates Gloria Araneta and Neneng Corales could not contain their elation over the apparent positive effects of the advocacy to inform consumers of their rights and responsibilities.

The bulk of calls and text messages we handle during our radio programs is telling, shares Araneta of ConsumerWatch’s Timbangan’s Tuesday late afternoons weekly radio program.

ConsumerWatch gives free seminars and services to consumer groups requesting for education and information on consumer rights as well as handles a regular radio program as a half-way house for complaints and remedies for customer dissatisfaction.

It may be recalled that there was a time when sales receipts of stores and establishments bore the “no return, no exchange policy” which has deterred consumers from asserting their rights.

Since then, there has been issued prohibitions of the policy as DTI cites the implementing rues and regulations of the consumer act of the Philippines.

According to the DTI, the prohibition is aimed to correct the misconception that consumers do not have the right to return defective items.

Consumers are entitled to either exchange or refund, as long as it is proven that there has been a hidden defect in the item and that this is not caused by customer mishandling of the goods, Hibaya explained at the radio forum aired live over DyTR.

At the same radio forum, Hibaya said that while they accept consumer complaints, it is not the DTI which supervises over all the goods and services available in the market.

For complaints channeled to the DTI, Hibaya said most have been remedied through mediation, one of the most effective ways of satisfying consumers through DTI intervention.

Fir other tough cases, Hibaya said the DTI assures action by linking the complaints to the agency concerned within five days at most, but a day at the very least.(30

Safer Bohol workplaces Soon w/ OSH trngs set

2011-10-23T07:23:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct 21, (PIA) – Full, decent and productive employment of Boholano workers gain a foothold as authorities sign a pact that would bring occupational safety and health to workplaces here.

In fact, Governor Edgar Chatto thinks Bohol could fare much better with OSH made a way of life and a major component of industries as he stressed strengthening OSH goals in improving business.

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bohol chief Wilson Cenas cited the development a step in the right direction, adding that it is part of DOLE’s flagship called Zero Accidents Program (ZAP).

At the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between newly organized Bohol Occupational Safety and Health Network (Bohol OSH Net) and DOLE Regional Office 7 along with the agency’s OSH Center, DOLE representatives said they saw the beginnings of a safer workplace and its consequent productivity in Bohol work areas.

Productivity, one of the key goals in work areas is almost always hampered by occupational accidents which could have been prevented in the first place, had there been an awareness regarding work safety, explains Cenas during a press conference immediately after the MOA signing.

When accidents happen, workers stop activity, seeks management help in managing the treatment and hospital bills and this results sometimes in big company losses, cites Bohol DOLE chief.

The ultimate goal then is to arrive at a zero accidents, he adds.

But that does not come served on a silver platter.

Bohol has to rouse up interest from sectors involved about the issues and concerns involving OSH, and that is where DOLE and its OSH Center along with a Bohol OSH Net could help.

DOLE OSH Center, the focal agency on OSH is mandated to provide services in research, training, information dissemination and technical services to enterprises and workers and as such, the center conducts training courses to increase consciousness and build capacities of OSH training professionals, states the MOA.

The OSH center has OSH Network partners in its delivery of OSH trainings nationwide, and with DOLE’s Regional Offices, sets up these networks to plan for the conduct of specific trainings.

Meanwhile, these local safety networks partner with DOLE OSH center and its regional offices to assist in OSH training deliveries to generate awareness and interest.

Upon generating the interest of all sectors involved, the knowledge and awareness gained are translated into concrete action through voluntary compliance with OSH through such cooperative approaches as strengthening Safety and Health Committees and creation of Safety Patrols, according to DOLE.

Bohol vies for P5M nat’l “Gawad Pamana” prize

2011-10-16T08:18:00.005+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct 13 (PIA) – Bohol contends for the national prize of the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi for provincial category after lording it over among Central Visayan provinces for the prestigious Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) distinction.

P 5 million is at stake as national prize each for provincial, city and municipal categories, according to the DILG.

Information from the local DILG bared this as elated Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto also reported over a radio station he personally received the award from President Benigno S. Aquino Jr in rites last week.

Chatto said the award included a trophy and P 3 Million in cash.

This is not for us [local government officials] but for all Boholanos who worked to get Bohol this award, Chatto said while hinting participative governance as an edge in the award.

The Gawad Pamana ng Lahi award is in recognition of a local government unit’s exemplary performance in administrative, social, economic and environmental governance, according to DILG memorandum Circular 2011-113.

The award attempts to scale up the valuing of accountability, transparency and inclusivity in local administration and development, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said.

A team of regional validators assessed Bohol according to the general criteria set up for the award, which is also largely based on the online assessment tool of the Local Government Performance Management System (LGPMS) over-all performance index (OPI).

The award also takes into consideration one’s earning of the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH), innovations in those four areas of assessment and its awards and distinctions it garnered from January to December of last year, based on the data from the DILG memo.

According to the DILG memorandum on the Gawad Pamana, local governments would be rated on the following: LGPMS-OPI – 80%, Seal of Good Housekeeping (10%), Innovations – (5%) and awards and citations (5%).

As Bohol wins it over in the region, it automatically qualifies for the national evaluations, said DILG Gawad Pamana point-person Ma. Reina Quilas on Thursday.

Bohol however enters the competition with 10 points less while being assured of high points in innovations and about in awards and citations, shared observers close to the DILG.

Bohol has won the best governed local government unit in the country which, according to DILG is based on the LGPMS, so a high point in the 80% could be expected.

The province has also won at least two more awards including TESDAs Kabalikat.

According to Quilas, Bohol included at least 14 innovations in governance which should also merit a high score.

While DILG admits it might be a tough challenge for Bohol which has still to earn its Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) to earn 10 points in the national assessments, Quilas also said SGH is newly opened for provinces and she has not heard of any province earning the seal. (30)

Pilar’s stand-out legacies: Education, agri reforms

2011-10-10T10:21:00.001+08:00

PILAR Bohol, Oct 11, (PIA) – Local officials here leave two stand-out visible legacies with the potential to strategically pin Pilar as economic growth hub, just as Mayor Wilson Pajo’s last term winds down in May 2012.

But for other local leaders, the milestone infrastructure development shadows an even more beneficial treat to the people of a town that has been identified as the rice granary of Bohol.

Everybody however agrees that central to all these efforts, is Mayor Pajo who has a tight grasp of the town’s development throttles.

Faced with scarce fiscal resources, the mayor admits he has to engineer a rational spending pattern while leaving enough leverage funds for convergence projects that Bohol local government units have recently mainstreamed.

Pillar of Bohol’s Rice Production: Pilar’s Modern Rice Processing Complex

Biggest among Pilar’s key infrastructure development is the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) funded Modern Rice Processing Complex which is expected to improve domestic self-sufficiency in rice in Pilar and nearby communities as strategic rice-producing area here.

We have the largest irrigated farms in the region but without the proper post harvest facilities, there is a lot of wasted palay that should have gone to farmer savings, according to Mayor Pajo.

With the problem, the new facility enhances efficiency in the rice post-production by reducing post-harvest losses, enhancing the quality of milled rice, improving the distribution system, and maximizing rice by-products.

The project, pegged at P195 M gets a KOICA grant of P125 M while the local government of Bohol and Pilar town contributes significant amounts in the philosophy of convergence, he said.

The KOICA grant would be used to construct buildings, provide equipment and machinery, dispatch experts to provide technical advice on the project implementation as well as technical and managerial training.

Beyond that, the mayor disclosed that the Department of Agriculture has earmarked another P20M for the project Just as Pilar has put up a one hectare lot for the complex, spent for the clearing and land leveling including the putting up of drainage systems.

For Pilar Vice Mayor Wilfredo Bernante, the establishment of the modern rice complex in their town a manifestation of the government’s commitment to boost rice production and assures farmers that their government is looking for their benefit in facilitating technology that could bolster their income status.

The rice processing complex integrates state-of-the-art postharvest facilities that will provide continuous drying, storing and milling while its operation also allows buying wet paddy rice and selling high-quality milled commercial rice, Mayor Pajo added.

This too as records show that post-harvest losses in Bohol represent 14.5 percent of its total harvest, which went as high as 31,000 tons in a year.

Losses were primarily caused by insufficient drying and milling facilities, local sources revealed.

With its completion in time for the first cropping harvest next year, the facility will immediately serve postharvest and marketing needs of rice farmer-beneficiaries of the Bohol Integrated Irrigation System in the towns of Pilar, Dagohoy, San Miguel, Alicia, and Ubay.

These towns also are served by Bohol’s three large dams: Malinao, Bayongan, and Capayas.

According to the municipal agriculture office, the facility reduces postharvest losses of about 2 million metric tons per year or an estimated P22M per year.

It also reduces labor cost for efficient rice processing operation while saving 9 million pesos annually; provide additional P16,000 income for farmer-beneficiaries in patronage incentives; and increase milled rice market value.

For Pilarnons, the presence of the facility creates jobs for an estimated 300 individuals who will run the complex operations from buying to selling, said Agricultural Training Institute.

Striving to invest on human Capital: Pilar STRIVE models Bohol education reforms

Cognizant of the critical role education gives for the sustainability of its progress, Pilar took a hard look at its local priorities in education and found huge discrepancies.

There was a lot of student drop-outs. There were very few good schools. The equipments were so basic many leaders believe students, it they learn anything in school, its in a tough environment of creativity in adversity.

In the first place, Pilar’s fourth class standing merits no more than affording a little basic education fund, one barely enough to get all its students into classrooms.

We used to have students having classes in makeshift classroom from an abandoned construction warehouse, on community stages, under the trees and anywhere imaginable, shared Gualberto Jaspe, federated Parents and Teachers association president in the town.

Investments in education then came as a priority in the town as local leaders see it as a sustainable method of engaging the attitude towards learning, which may be ironically the fastest way out of poverty for our people, admits municipal social welfare officer Wichita Lagapa.

Priority project identified by the people who have been instilled into the rhythm of community driven development as an aftereffect of the Kapit Bisig laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI CIDSS) was a high school that could be a technical vocational training institute for quick employment probability of students.

From a World Bank Local Government Finance and Development (LOGOFIND), Pilar funds which would be the foundation of the education sector reform the town is bent on implementing.

Fifty percent of the amount was a grant, 35 % is a loan and 15 is equity. From it, rose a two storey school building with 22 classrooms, an Industrial Arts Building, Home Economics and a laboratory building for a more integrated training of ours students, Mayor Pajo revealed.

Besides, the classrooms came with complete facilities like teacher’s tables, desks, blackboards, laboratory equipment, he added.

But there was yet another problem, there were huge dropouts, Jaspe, who also works as the town Sanggunian secretary revealed.

Having been identified as a beneficiary of the Basic Education Social Reform Agenda (BESRA) and tapping DepEd and an Australian assistance, Pilar picked up the stride for Strengthening Implementation of Visayas Education (STRIVE)

The ultimate goal for the town was to reach out to drop-outs, reduce the casualties and retrieve those out-of school youth to get them back into the mainstream or offer a special program for the accreditation and equivalency benefits.

In their investigations, many drop-outs are caused by distance from school to homes, low family income to allow transportation allowances, financial incapacity and several other minor reasons, Pilarnons sought solutions.

Finding a possible fund source in Support Options for Basic Education (SOBE), Pilar funded Sagip Bahay Eskwela, an 80 bedroom dormitory that charges minimal pay for boarders and prioritizes indigent students from far out barangays, Jaspe said.

The fund also allowed the student boarders to tend a demonstration farm as an income generating project for their daily sustenance.

Other stand out programs for educational reforms here include a Food Laboratory for student food technology and entrepreneurial skills training, an electronic tracking system for students at risk of dropping out, purchase of learning equipment like multi-media and the stand-out project Reading Remediation: A Sing Along System option for practice reading for slow readers.

Bohol rice yield increase By 10%, says DA-APC

2011-10-08T17:39:00.000+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct 7 (PIA) – Take it from the local experts.

National data may rate Bohol’s average rice yield an average per hectare basis but local authorities have seen a 9.5 to 10 percent increase its recorded average yield from January to June this year compared to the previous cropping.

According to the records from the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Promotion Center (DA-APC) in comparison to January to June in 2010, they have noted the promising increase to 2.58 tons per hectare over-all Bohol average yield.

Even then, this has pegged an over-all rice sufficiency level of 112-115 percent.

This means that the total rice production here is more than enough for Boholanos even if we have groups in the private sector who involve themselves in rice trading outside Bohol, says Liza Quirog.

Citing data from the DA, the provincial agriculturist also added almost 70% of the total production of Central Visayas is in Bohol.

The problem however is that there is still a considerably low average harvest yield on a per hectare computation in Bohol compared to other provinces.

To that, the office of the Provincial Agriculture, through its assistant provincial agriculturist accounts the larger rain-fed areas which are much dependent on the rain and spring sources than those which are irrigated.

Larry Pamugas cited that only around 47% or our total rice area is irrigated while he 53% are rainfed.

Data shows that Bohol has 22,098 hectares of irrigated lands under National Irrigation Authority (NIA) control while 25, 280 hectares are rainfed.

Sources also disclosed that while irrigated farms are assured of a year round cropping, rain-fed lots would be dependent on the rains that come so that some of these farms would only get a single cropping on a year.

Over this, NIA has recommended that the general direction on irrigation in Bohol would focus on Small Farm Reservoir systems, small water impounding, pump irrigations and small concrete diversion dams, which are targeted for rain-fed areas.

Accessed through grants, these smaller reservoir projects are more economical and effective, costs much less and has a high impact as it reaches far flung areas, explains Engr. Eugene Cahiles.

The agriculture authorities here however said much could still be done to hit a 2.74 tons per hectare target within the next few croppings.

Irrigating rain-fed areas to solve low Bohol yields

2011-10-02T11:57:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Oct. 2 (PIA) – A key agriculture official admits that irrigating Bohol’s vast rain-fed rice farms can increase the average harvest in Bohol.

This as a PhilRice executive director revealed that Bohol’s 2.5 tons average is the smallest production yield in the country, a fact that local aggie authorities point to factors contributing to the low yields.

The 2.5 tons per hectare roughly translates to 50 bags of 50 kilos per hectare, explained Engr. Eugene Cahiles of the Agricultural Promotion Center (APC).

Bohol Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) head Engr. Maximino Servillon said that Bohol has about 30,000 rainfed farms producing much lesser compared to the 19,000 irrigated rice fields averaging a little more than the 2.5 tons per hectare yield.

This is also despite Bohol boasting of about three mega irrigation dams, a good number of small-scale irrigation systems and small water impounding projects (SWIP).

APC manager Engr. Eugene Cahiles bared that of the about 50,000 hectares of rainfed and irrigated ricefields, only about 15,000 hectares are planted with hybrid and certified rice seeds.

According to Cahiles, certified rice seed adoptors easily make 4 tons per hectare while hybrid adoptors could make much more.

He cited that in Lila for example, hybrid adopters harvest 11 tons per hectare while the least yield still wen as high as 4 tons.

Here, other farmers do not follow the recommendations of the DA, use the right fertilizer and follow the schedules when to apply the fertilizer, according to him.

Independent analysts have also assumed that the increase in rice sufficiency recorded in Bohol could be attributed to the government subsidy on hybrid and certified rice seeds.

The past agriculture department leaders have subsidized fertilizers at half the cost, a huge reason why adoption has increased.

Since then, with hybrid and certified rice seeds not suited for replanting, adoption dropped which may have resulted in even lower harvests, analysts assumed.

Engr. Cahiles also said aside from low adoption rate for better yielding seeds, farmers also do away with the right fertilizers and applying them at the right time.

Because of this, Cahiles said that a government support on building small farm reservoirs for small-scale irrigation projects instead of building new dams is a better and faster, less expensive option to increase the yields.

We would rather fund the rehabilitation and restoration of old irrigations systems over building new one while the move for the more logical small water impounding systems could be pursued, said Cahiles.

A small water impounding system costs about 20,000 per unit and this can irrigate about 10 hectares, he said.

Even then, Cahiles still challenged private sector investors in making certified or hybrid rice seeds available for the farmers, while urging for more available services from financial institutions. (30)

DSWD to validate 4Ps list hires validators, encoders

2011-09-30T19:57:00.000+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Sept 28 (PIA) – Over allegations that there are beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) who are far less deserving, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas is shaving the list of beneficiaries.

Because of this, the DSWD opens up the position of some 62 validators and 15 data encoders for the massive validation project the DSWD implement for the governments conditional cash transfer program.

According to Aileen Lariba, 4Ps regional information officer, applicants for the 62 validators must have completed at least two years in college or must have finished a two year course.

As for the data 15 encoders, background on information technology (IT) and other IT related courses is a preference, she adds.

The DSWD, prefers that applicants of those two positions are not more than 50 years old and physically fit.

This is so because, once accepted, they will be fielded to project sites all over the region and will be deployed to provinces including far flung mountain villages for their validation tasks.

This as the government social service agency has received complaints of beneficiaries who may not qualify for the cash transfer, a situation which may have been a result of faulty data generated during the initial National Household Targeting System survey years ago.

Moreover, so much have happened between the survey enumeration and the time when the cash transfer was handed that may have drastically altered the living conditions of those who have been initially identified, explains Lariba during a session at the Kapihan sa PIA.

Owing to the limited resources for the 4PS, the DSWD thinks it should trim its list so that the assistance goes to where it is most needed, the information officer explained.

Hired applicants will receive the minimum wage rate good for 15 days work including Saturdays and Sundays.

Interested applicants may submit their application letter, resume, TOR or Diploma to the DSWD office located at corners M.J. Cuenco Ave., and Gen. Maxilum St., Cebu City.

Or one may hand carry the application, fax it to (032) 2312172/ 4129908 or email to hrmu.fo7@dswd.gov.ph.

For details and more information, one may call the Human Resource Department of the DSWD at tel. nos. (032) 4129908 or 2330261.

Deadline for submission of application is on October 30, 2011. (DSWD/PIABohol)

Minimum wage now P275 all over Bohol

2011-09-24T12:08:00.002+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Sept 24 (PIA) – Minimum daily wage in Bohol is now pegged at P275.00 following the recent round of additional P20.00 wage increase less than a year after the last increase was ordered.

Department of Labor and Employment Bohol information Officer German Guidaben said the increase took effect September 22 and would still be valid despite the absence of a corresponding implementing rules and regulation for the increase.

The minimum wage law would always be retroactive, so that those who would not immediately implement the raise would still be bound for the retroactive pay, he explained at the recent Kapihan sa PIA Thursday.

Labor unions in the Visayas have asked for an even bigger increase citing the recent surging prices of fuel and basic commodities, which has also greatly affected daily wage earners and their families.

The Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board however, in consultations and countless meetings with business leaders and representatives was finally convinced that a new increase was due even if it comes less than a year since the last increase.

Increases were supposedly not to happen twice in a year’s time, unless a supervening condition exists, according to the law.

Guidaben also revealed that formula to help determine the increases for workers who have already attained the minimum is available at the local DOLE Office.

Dole also stressed that since the minimum wage determination is as good as a law, any worker who feels he is not given his rightful pay by his employers can seek DOLE assistance for possible mediation.

Over this, the DOLE spokesperson said he hopes the business sector would also be keen enough to see that they would have to adjust wages or face sanctions.

After all, the P20.00 increase as determined by the RTWPB is a win-win solution from the iniial P125.00 increase demanded by unions. (30)

Bohol draws volunteers For trash-free seas

2011-09-18T06:11:00.000+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Sept 17 (PIA) -- Thousands of from all walks of life converged on the island’s coastal areas September 17 to do each of their little shares in freeing the seas from trash which has threatened both marine and human environment.

That day, the Boholanos joined international organization Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Clean-Up Day and put in the warm bodies for the earth’s largest sea health volunteer effort.

This year, the ICC adopts Trash-free seas as its global theme, a vision which organizers hope would inspire communities to do its share in keeping the mentality of ridding the seas of garbage.

Spearheaded by the Bohol Coastal Resource Management Task Force (BCRMTF) and the Capitol, the 2011 coastal Clean-up started as early as 6:00 am and truckloads of trash hauled from the coastline clean-up volunteers started their long way to the Tagbilaran City dumpsites.

That too, volunteers; some of them as young as elementary pupils to as old as senior citizens scoured the beaches, coastal areas, tideflats, mangrove forests, riverbanks, streams, canals and drains to pick up trashes which would, in a way or another be washed down to the coastlines and off to the seas.

The rains that came pouring Friday evening also helped wash the inland trash nearer to the coastlines, which made it easy to locate.

Rain washed trash have always been the culprits in closed canals and storm drains, city janitors said, while admitting they have been instructed to make sure these plastics are picked before they fall off into the drains.

Volunteers, some clearly protected with the slime by wearing rubber gloves, others spearing garbage with pointed sticks, scooping garbage on the water surface with improvised nets and treating waist deep waters to pick cellophanes entangled in shallow reefs.

Trash, mostly non biodegradable from small cigarette butts to wine bottles, from cellophane bags to broken appliances, from discarded automobile oil filters to whole truck hoods, from entangled fishing lines to torn up nets and condoms to adult diapers get listed into the standardized data cards which is analyzed to help policy makers come up with measures to address the problem.

In Bohol, local government units and schools mobilized their human resources to walk specific segments of coastal areas and free them from any debris, never forgetting to tally every imaginable trash and haul them in sacks for proper disposal; to landfills and away from the shorelines.

In fact, in Bohol, dive shops and scuba enthusiasts also organized themselves to scour the reef areas and pick cellophanes, shampoo sachets including crown of thorn which prey on corals.

Coast guard volunteers and fishermen also scour the seas and coastlines on boats to pick up floating debris from plastic bottles to carcasses of dead animals.

“This transparent plastic looks exactly like jelly fish, which some large fish eat. When they eat this, you can imagine a slow and painful death for the sea animals,” a fisherman balancing on his boat’s prow about to tie his boat on a public fish landing said, while unloading a sack half full of plastics, fishing buoys and Styrofoam bits.

In several areas, the clean-up also included mangrove planting activities and impromptu beach picnics.

But, several volunteers have noted that even with the growing number of volunteers that Bohol has mustered every year, the bulk of non-biodegradable garbage has not been lessened.

“This may tell us that one day in a year clean-up is never enough, while an emphatic campaign on addressing the problem at source may work much more effectively,” a barangay official of Poblacion 11 in Tagbilaran City said. (30)

Cybersex punishable under child porno, foto video voyeur laws

2011-09-11T17:37:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Sept 10 (PIA) –If you think you can escape punishment for cybersex because no such law has been crafted, think again.

In the absence of specific laws against cybersex, police authorities cite two existing and applicable laws in the country that can still be used in the pursuit of this criminal activity.

During the recent Kapihan sa PIA, SPO4 Rosemarie Avenido said that since it is the state’s task to preserve the dignity and privacy of persons while guaranteeing full human rights, it has criminalized cybersex.

Speaking at the recent Kapihan sa PIA, SPO4 Avenido named the anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 as applicable laws.

Wikipedia defines cybersex as a virtual sex encounter where two or more persons connected remotely through a computer network send each other sexually explicit messages describing a sexual experiences in a form of sexual role-play as they describe actions through instant messaging of audio chat, all to stimulate sexual feelings or fantasies.

While text-based cybersex has been on for years, the webcams’ popularity has enhanced the practice of online partners or groups using two-way video connections to openly expose themselves.

In Bohol, both SPO4 Avenido Camp Dagohoy children and women desks supervisor PInspector Tomasita Cariño agree that there are cybersex sessions going on in internet-cafes and other private locations, but they refused to name them.

Cybersex dens operate by charging viewing customers at outrageous rates, Inspector Carino said.

According to sources, an hour-long session can be charged thousands of pesos, and that is true to children, teens or adults who expose and prostitute their bodies in front of a computer.

While parents have reportedly said cybersex is not prostitution because nobody touches their bodies, police authorities press that cybersex is also prostitution.

But a law here has criminalized photo and video voyeurism as well as child pornography, police sources said.

Republic Act 9775 has banned the hiring, persuading, coercing or inducing a child to perform in the production or creation of any form of child pornography. It also band anyone from transmitting, broadcasting, reproducing among others, any for of child pornography.

In fact, conspiracy to commit child pornography makes it syndicated and raises the penalties to life imprisonment and P2 million to 5 million fines, Avenido said.

On the other hand, photo and video voyeurism has banned the taking of videos or pictures of persons in any form of sexual act or capture the image of any private parts without express permission. The law also bans reproduction or distribution of these materials regardless of it taken with permission.

Avenido revealed that in the country, children are lured into cybersex operations to cater to wealthy pedophiles who pay sums just to view videos or photos of nude children.

Be aware where your children hang out and keep tabs on their internet habits, both Inspector Carino and SPO4 Avenido urged. (30)

Bohol benchmark model bags four major awards

2011-09-10T18:19:00.001+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Sept 10 (PIA) -- When it rains, it pours.

Four major distinctions embellish Bohol’s trailblazing methods in governance and public service, a distinction which may well be a benchmark model for other local government units aspiring to beat themselves in performance.

Last week, national dailies carried Bohol in its headlines for the honor it snagged by bagging the country’s best governed province in a web-based self assessment tool using a rating system called the Local Government Performance Management System as set up by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) .

Bohol netted a 4.937 on a scale of 5 for its performance in 2010, based on administrative, social, economic and environmental governance.

The week before that, the province also received a rare distinction for local governments with the Kaakbay Award in partnership with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which is a benchmark for partnership in job generation and technical education support.

The week before that too, Bohol hammered its stakes in nutrition by bagging the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Awardee through the Regional Nutrition Council (RNC) in the Visayas.

This week also, The Civil service Commission (CSC) announced the Dangal ng Bayan Presidential Award for local government officials honor for Governor Edgar Chatto.

In his weekly radio program called Kita ug ang Gobernador, Chatto said the achievements are just part of the enhancement that Bohol is undertaking in improving the quality of its service delivery to the people.

He said, “While we receive the honors of being the best province in governance and number one, we must not use it to brag but to inspire our people to better their service and to elevate our performance to the people.”

While inspiring, we public servants must use it as a challenge because we will be competing with our own performance.

We do not compete with any province, but with our own performance as a benchmark to top the following year, Chatto urged. (30)

From Jan-July… Bohol enjoys 67% crimes lesser compared to 2010

2011-09-04T20:06:00.003+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 3 (PIA) – Bohol enjoys a 67 percent decrease in crime incidence, a success local police authorities quickly attribute to the strong support communities gave for the local police.

During his report to the Provincial Peace and Order Council in its regular meeting Friday in Guindulman, Bohol Police chief said while the decrease in crimes can be attributed the police anti-crime drives, but much of the credit should be given to the people for their unwavering support for the local police.

Citing crime incidents in Bohol totaling 2,320 from January to July in 2010, PSSupt Constantino Barot pointed out through a power-point presentation the notable decrease for the same period this year at 1564 cases for index and non index crimes.

In his bar graph presentation, Barot showed that in all months in 2011, crimes were lower compared to all the months in 2010.

Police noted 607 cases of non index crimes in 2010 as compared to 317 in 2011. The decrease is pegged at 52.24%

For index crimes, the Bohol Chief who hails from Negros but has a stint in Bohol way back in the early 90’s said they noted 1713 cases on index crimes in 2010 over 1247 in 2011. The decrease shows some 72.79%.

Most alarming among the cases noted for the period is theft, which showed a consistent increase in incidence since April of this year to present.

Police presentations showed that theft at 570 cases, constitutes 46% of all crimes recorded for the period.

“The upward trend in the crime volume for the months of April to July, particularly on theft incidents can be prevented through the help of the citizens,” Bohol police authorities through PSSupt Barot bared.

Following theft is robbery, which pegs at 25% OR 305 cases.

Police authorities however have successful pulled down the incidents in July from an increasing trend since April peaking in June at 50 incidents.

Robberies in July slid down to 37 cases, police records show.

For the month of July, Alburquerque, Mabini and San Isidro posted a perfect slate for crime solution efficiency while the whole of Bohol police only recorded some 47%.

San Isidro Police Station recorded 2 cases and solved them both, Alburquerque solved all of their 9 cases while Mabini solved all 16 of their cases recorded. (30)

Kabalikat Award: pat on shoulder As Bohol supports TESDA trngs

2011-08-29T09:16:00.000+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Aug 28 (PIA) – Bohol recently received a pat on the shoulder when it won the national Kabalikat Award for Local Government Units in recognition to its support for the country’s manpower development.

The award was for Bohol being an outstanding partner of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in manpower development as proven by the support in TESDA skills trainings, abilities, attitudes and values of trained blue collar workers in Bohol.

Governor Edgar Chatto broke the news Friday at the Kita ug ang Gobernador Friday adding that Bohol has been persistent with its support for the technical and vocational training.

He said the province knows that there is a great percentage of Boholanos students who could not finish high school, or who do not have the capacity to get to college, here the training equips them with work skills.

Speaking before the media and all Boholanos who were tuned in to their radios and internet facilities for the weekly program, Chatto said there is even a growing statistic of college students taking TESDA trainings because they could not land jobs.

Because of this, Bohol partnered with TESDA in funding training programs and more appropriate skills to match the workers with the job opportunities.

According to Dr. Francisca Opog, the Kabalikat Award is the highest that TESDA gives for best practices in partnership with TESDA.

Dr. Francisca Opog, Bohol TESDA chief said they didn’t expect the award, that the regional award which Bohol earlier capped was good enough.

Bohol earlier won the regional award as TESDA celebrated in August the Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Month.

Chatto aso clarified that the Provincial Government of Bohol partnership with TESDA goes a long way and even beyond his administration.

One big TESDA job skills training which Bohol initiated was the Skills Training Advocating Reliance and Self-employment (STARS).

It offers free skills training for jobs that that will ultimately provide self-employment opportunities to capable and qualified individuals who are currently unemployed.

Project STARS specifically targets Boholanos in rural areas affected by insurgency.

Though the province has five provincial training centers, these are not enough to serve the skills training requirements and provide livelihood opportunities to 1.3 million Boholanos, thus STARS has to be cascaded to rural communities.

The end goal is to provide livelihood training and alleviate poverty by giving the people skills, TESDA sources said. (30)

Keeping tourists at peace With the PIPS in Panglao

2011-08-27T12:15:00.000+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

PANGLAO, Bohol, Aug 26 (PIA) --A grossly outnumbered force and tourist police complement keeps Panglao a haven for tourists peace, how do they do that?

Tasked with keeping peace and order for the almost 26,000 Panglao-anons and the daily influx of local and foreign tourists, the men in blue here have an ace in their sleeves however.

The Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) is the key, admits PInspector Cesar Acompañado, who said the system allows them to make do with the scant resources available to him and his force.

Panglao’s alluring beaches and its homey resorts coupled with world class dive sites has made the town a popular destination for local and foreign tourists, adding more concern to the police as tourism is sensitive to issues of peace and order.

Through foresight and the strict implementation of the PIPS, Panglao police has seen a 78.5 percent decrease in crimes on the period from January 1 to August 15 compared to last year, said Panglao police deputy chief.

From January to August of 2010, Panglao police blotter recorded 49 crimes, according to Acompañado.

This year, with the implementation of the PIPS, he reported at the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) at the Flushing Meadows Resort Tuesday, that the station recorded only 16 crimes.

Bohol PSSupt. Constantino Barot and his leadership at Camp Dagohoy adopted the PIPS, which focuses on three crime areas and approaches criminology scientifically.

PIPS makes police crime response effective by getting to profile crime situations and apply these formats to future crime responses and preventive patrols, explains Police Deputy Regional Director for Operations Louie Oppus.

Oppus, former Tagbilaran City Police chief before his promotion to a higher post in Cebu said PIPS profiles crime maps, crime days and crime clock to determine where and when to conduct mobile and foot patrols for crime deterrence.

This is also complemented by a checkpoint manned by police officers who know what they are doing, he stressed.

The checkpoints are manned by at least eight police officers who know what they are doing and are doing it right, Oppus said.

For Panglao, aside from the strict PIPS implementation, he also admitted before the media gathered at the forum that deterring crimes also means letting people know that somebody watches over them.

When our intelligence network reports a stranger in town without a clear business interest, the police initiates contact with the person.

Even the complimentary Tourist Police assigned at the Bolod detachment agree that the PIPS has raised the bar of police service in the area of tourism.

Made a template for the national implementation of the tourist police, Bohol’s initiative at putting up more police visibility in tourist areas through foot and beat patrols or bike and mobile patrols has cut police response time, reports PInspector Cesar Misola.

Misola, Tourist Police Chief said the unit has signed a memorandum of agreement with tourist establishments in their area of responsibility to have police officers on visibility patrols in the areas with a bulk of tourists to watch. (30)

Bohol bags nutrition’s green banner for ‘10

2011-08-20T11:30:00.004+08:00

The Regional Nutrition Council (RNC) awards to Bohol its seventh Green Banner for Nutrition as outstanding province in the region in its nutrition program implementation in 2010.

Also winning the green banner for its nutrition program implementation for local government units are Toledo City for outstanding city in the region while Jagna, Bohol earned the 2010 outstanding municipality in Central Visayas.

The green banner, according to the RNC is in recognition of outstanding performance achieved by local government units in its quest for nutrition improvement an implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition.

Bohol also received the same distinctive green banner in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

It was Negros Oriental who took home the green banner in 2002, 2003 and 2004, according to the RNC.

At the 2011 Grand Nutrition Awards August 5 at the Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Governor Edgar Chatto said he felt so proud with Bohol’s showing raking most big awards in the regional nutria competitions.

Similarly taking the limelight during the day are Bohol towns winning big by maintaining their distinctions.

Calape, Talibon and Inabanga town nutrition programs earned their 2010 Maintenance Awards as Mayor Dr. Sulpicio Yu, Jr., Dr. Francisco Ngoboc and Dr. Madonna Andaya picked the awards for their respective towns.

Having won the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance Award last year, Tubigon, Bohol was cited for its first year CROWN maintenance award along with Lapu-lapu City which aso ahd its 2nd year CROWN maintenance

For barangay nutrition scholars, a Boholano from Celing, Antequera Bohol capped this year’s regional outstanding barangay nutrition scholar award.

Boholanos have been winning regional distinction award for barangay nutrition scholars since 2000, except in 2002 when a barangay resident scholar in Danao City won the award.

Lidia Gabaisen has joined the Boholanos dominating the regional list including Carmen’s Rebecca Infiesto (2009), Inabanga’s Virgincita Anud (2008), Tubigon’s Diosdada Abarquez (2007), Ubay’s Carmelita Reyes (2006), Inabanga’s Florencia Anuta (2005), Inabanga’s Julieta Estoce (2004), Inabanga’s Teresita Remulta (2003), Antequera’s Irenea Ordinario (2001) and Calape’s Maria Fe Magdoza.

Meanwhile, Valencia town in Bohol also won the most promising municipality in Bohol during the regional search. (30)

Dengue cases decrease But it’s no time to relax

2011-08-19T16:23:00.002+08:00

By: Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 19 (PIA) – Seeing a drastic decrease in dengue cases now, a key Bohol health official insists its no time to be complacent.

With two deaths caused by dengue this year, even with only 92 cases listed since January to August 13, Provincial Health Officer Reymoses Cabagnot reminds Boholanos that precautionary measures against the dreaded disease should not just be laid aside.

Speaking at the Kita ug ang Gobernador Friday, Dr. Cabagnot revealed the statistics which is comparatively low compared to 2010, where some 1,502 Boholanos were reportedly afflicted the disease.

According to Dr. Cabagnot, while we are lucky we have no concern on dengue like what happens in Luzon, he still reminds people to follow the simple steps to be risk free from dengue.

On the same radio program, Governor Edgar Chatto reminded Boholanos that an executive order has been issued for Boholanos to keep the habit of cleaning one’s premises to stop the proliferation of virus carrying mosquitoes.

Chatto stressed on massive public support, participation and cooperation against the total elimination of the threat.

To get off from possible dengue outbreaks, Dr Cabagnot shares the 4S as anti-dengue tips.

For most people, the firs S: Search and Destroy can be easily accomplished.

People in the community should go to potential sites where the dengue-carrying mosquitoes live: stagnant and clean water, collected pools on discarded containers and any vessel, which can hold water must be emptied.

He also said the second S: self protection still proves to be effective. He cited putting on mosquito nets or insect repellents can help keep people from the dreaded dengue-virus mosquitoes.

In cases where dengue has been suspected, the third S could help: seek an early consultation from medical professionals.

The doctor said that even if dengue has been normally associated with kids, adults are also as vulnerable. Here, he said an early proper detection can mean life and death of a patient.

Do not wait until the patient has bled, the doctor advised adding that four strains of dengue have been found in the country.

He stressed that even if dengue is primarily caused by virus carrying mosquitoes, people must refrain from indiscriminate fogging operations.

Indiscriminate fogging can only drive the mosquitoes momentarily away but is no assurance that they would be totally eliminated, admits one medical professional in a chance interview. (30)

Bohol venue for first PPP forum – Chatto

2011-08-14T06:55:00.000+08:00

By: Rey Anthony Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Aug 12 (PIA) -- Possibly one of the pioneering provinces in implementing the public-private sector partnership (PPP) template in development, Bohol still has a lot to learn.

Governor Edgar Chatto hinted this as he announced that the country’s first public-private partnership forum would be set in Bohol.

Fresh from a Regional Development Council meeting in Cebu where the government’s Development Agenda Caravan was first launched, Chatto said the forum is part of the government’s information drives to drum up sectoral understanding of its policies and programs

In Bohol Chatto said it should provide Boholanos a better understanding on the concepts and benefits of the public private partnership.

“This is for the people especially the private sector who intends to help in the putting up of public services,” the governor beamed over radio air lanes in Bohol.

But, it may also be true that Bohoanos who have been talking about joint venture agreements had the PPP concept already.

Developing a sustainable public utility in Tagbilaran was competed through a PPP concept but was better understood as a JV.

Chatto however clarified: PPP is only about infrastructure development but also includes integrated development works [in BOhol].

Citing the newly formed Bayanihan Coordinating Center, Chatto explains: “the unit is set up to ensure that groups and corporations practicing corporate social responsibility and willing to partner with Bohol will have coordinating center to allow them to channel their support programs to government service delivery.”

In Bohol, Bayanihan’s classroom development program is a long-term partnership for education under the bayanihan spirit. It allows the construction and equipping of two classroom buildings at a much lower price, the governor boasted.

PPP is able to put in goods and services in the spirit of convergence where a usual P1.5 M, two classroom building can be put up at P810 K.

Under the partnership, the Philippine Army gives free labor, the local government puts up the funds while the private sector donates the school accessories.

At turn over, the school building would have a toilet of its own, window grills, desks, teacher’s table, charts, electric fans, blackboards, computer sets and multi-media equipment as well as learning modules, Chatto said.

After the PPP forum here, local leaders like Chatto also hope another window of partnership can be opened. (30)

TB Free Bohol needs all Help from communities

2011-08-12T16:33:00.000+08:00

Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 12 (PIA) – Bohol tuberculosis (TB) council urges communities to join in seeking out and referring persons suspected of having tuberculosis can Bohol get to its vision of becoming TB free.

Coughing a battle cry called “TB Atong Masumpo kon Lihok Tanan” (TAMBLOT) Bohol health authorities said barangay health workers, tanods, officials and purok leaders communities can actually help in referral of persons who may be having two-week old cough to test for the disease.

“This is the only way we can get through to our people and get those who may have caught the disease and are yet too traumatized to come out,” says Board Member Cesar Tomas Lopez, MD.

Speaking at the weekly Kapihan sa PIA commemorating August as Lung Month, Lopez assured that the disease is curable when properly managed.

Dr. Lopez who sits as Provincial Council Against Tuberculosis (PROCAT) Vice Chair also explained that tuberculosis can be transmitted by inhalation of tuberculosis bacteria from an infected person who coughs or sneezes.

“A bacteria does not survive in open areas especially when exposed to the sun. Sharing of eating utensils, unlike old myths is fairly safe therefore,” another medical practitioner Dr. Greg Sodusta adds.

It’s a fairly strong bacteria that about three kinds of medicines are used to continuously treat the patient for six months, he said.

TB affects mostly those people who have lowered resistance brought about by other diseases, fatigue and those who may not be able to get the right nutrition, explains Dr. Lopez at the forum aired live at DyTR AM.

Indications of the disease include coughing especially those that remain until about two weeks, chest pains, back pains, loss of appetite and until it complicates into other ailments, adds Emily Recentes, medical technologist.

While it can be treated, the disease still ranks sixth among the most deadly diseases in the country, assistant provincial health officer Dr. Sodusta also revealed.

Asked why is that, he hinted that the information campaign still could not get through the old myths about TB, and it has stopped many from getting to the closest health facility for proper treatment.

People then used to treat TB patients with derision, ascribing a highly contagious character of the disease and so many would rather hide their patients than help them treat it.

We have over 90% TB cure rating, but we only have a little over 60% case finding percentage that we need to get to them so they can be cured, Lopez stressed. (30)

Coins scarcity no excuse For “candies as change”

2011-08-05T17:23:00.003+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 5, (PIA) –Candies for a change, anyone?

Coins may be admittedly getting scarcely circulated, but that is no reason for department stores to give candies instead of coins for a change, says Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) information Officer Lucille Autentico.

Consumer Act of the Philippines or Republic Act 7394 was enacted to protect the interests of the consumer, promote his general, welfare and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry. The same law protects the rights of consumers and to plugs abusive practices of business establishments in the country.

According to DTI, they have been warning department stores and other business establishments for not giving exact change, or worse, giving candies instead.

This is despite the fact that, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Central Visayas Regional Director Ma. Lux Berciles has admitted that the problem of lack of coins in circulation seems to be widespread.

“The problem of loose change getting scarce from stores and business establishments is not just a common problem in Bohol,” Berciles said.

In fact she added that the government has been campaigning to re-circulate these coins that may have been tucked somewhere in wallets, drawers or piggy banks.

One such campaign focuses on schools that could get computer units as incentive for depositing coins back to the banks, according to Berciles.

But, that does not spare the businessmen from the responsibility to give nothing else but the exact change in the same manner that consumers must demand the exact change when they buy, DTI said.

Senate Bill 1329 which seeks to put up a policy on exact change said the practice of giving insufficient change or giving no change at all to consumers by product sellers or service providers is something that is often taken for granted, author Manuel Villlar stated.

This is usually because the change involves only a matter of five, ten, fifteen or twenty centavos, or small bills, which, when added up at the end of the day, amounts to thousands of pesos.

The failure to give the change or the exact change constitutes a trade malpractice that must be stopped, Villar pressed.

In Bohol, DTI admits having warned several department stores over violations of the Consumer Act, especially on giving candies instead of coins for change.

Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Marietta Gasatan has asked the BSP to help solve the problem by elucidating on the matter in as much as businessmen and DTI have been at odd ends over this. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

BSP unveils new generation Banknotes, security features

2011-07-31T16:32:00.000+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 30, (PIA) -- You hand to the bank cashier a wad of P1,000.00 bills and she picks out two pieces which are fakes, what do you do?

Well, practically nothing.

The banks are mandated to stop the circulation of counterfeits, and if you insist, you could be hailed in court, as article 168 of the Revised Penal Code says that mere possession of a fake banknote is illegal and punishable.

According to the authorities at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, spotting the fakes in the first place is ones first protection against losing hard-earned money.

To facilitate all of this, the BSP opened a briefing in Bohol, on the New Generation Currency (NGC) which, they said packs at least seven security features including one that puts in embossed braille dots to allow the blind to pick the note’s value.

The NGC, which comes in denominations of P20, P50, P100, P200, P500 and P1,000 has enhanced the security features carried on by the older banknotes; to help the public detect the fakes from the real McCoy.

BSP Regional Director Ma. Lux Berciles, in her opening remarks said the NGC is a move by the government to better “protect its people from counterfeiters by incorporating the latest features in banknotes security features.”

Incorporating the latest banknote security features makes it hard for counterfeiters to copy and makes it easy for people to check on the design as counterfeit, she said.

During the briefing attended by cash handlers and stakeholders in the business and financial sector Friday, BSP said the NGC packs at least seven security features in its smaller denomination notes and as much as 9 features in its P1,000 note.

The coming of the NGC however does not mean the decommissioning of the older note, which was then known as the New Design Series, BSP Cash department’s Ludwig Heinz S. Georfo said.

Georfo, who is a senior currency specialist said the new design series which would eventually be replaced by the NGC would still run for three to four more years.

Handling the briefing proper, Georfo said the NGC uses features than can be checked using one’s senses of sight and touch.

According to the currency specialist, the real NGC banknote uses embossed prints which one can feel when touching the Republika ng Pilipinas and the monetary value of the note.

Also, the serial number, unlike the older series uses two prefix letters and 6 or 7 asymmetric digits.

Like the older generation notes, the NGC also sport the usual security fibers visible through red and blue threads embedded in the paper and glows when viewed under ultraviolet light.

Moreover, the watermark, which is a common international security mark has now an added feature: the value of the note.

The NGC also sports a see-through mark: the word Filipino written in old baybayin text can be completely seen when the note is viewed against the light.

A new security feature, the concealed value of the note can also be seen superimposed on the portrait at the upper-left side of the note and this can be seen when the note is viewed while rotated 45 degrees and tilted down.

Finally, the old security thread embedded on the note can be seen vertically across and is visible on either side of the note.

Bigger denominations; P500 and P1000 carry even more security features: an optically variable device which allows the Blue napped Parrot to chance colors when the note is rotated.

While this is also true with the South Sea Pearl image of the P1,000, another security feature is the optically variable ink that changes the color of the monetary value of P1,000 from green to blue when viewed at different angles.

And BSP warns, do not tear the sides of the banknote to test it as real, Georfo said tearing the side or intentional mutilation of money and banknotes (writing, putting up marks, staples is punishable by PD 247. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Three cop stations score Prefect crime solutions

2011-07-27T16:07:00.002+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 26 (PIA) –MABINI, Alburquerque and San Isidro Police stations put up impressive records in crime busting by posting perfect crime solution efficiencies in June, data from Camp Dagohoy reveals.

On the other hand, Anda and Maribojoc Police stations scored 0% crime solution efficiency (CSE) for the month as Anda tracked two crimes solving none and Maribojoc with a single case that remained open.

This too as police blotters all over the island listed 1,314 cases and only 620 of them considered solved, generating only 47% CSE.

At a presentation during the latest Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting held in Balilihan, Bohol, Camp Dagohoy, through Police Provincial Director Constantino Barot publicly released data which showed Mabini police station tallying 12 crimes, all of the considered solved according to a police reckoning system.

Meanwhile, Alburquerque police recorded some seven crimes while San Isidro town had two. These two town police stations also reported that these crimes were all acted upon, investigated and either cases were filed or a filing recommendation was issued.

Following them on the top ten list of best performing local police units based on crime solution efficiency (CSE) are Garcia Hernandez posting a 90% CSE (9 of 10 cases solved), Valencia at 89% (solving 24 0f 27 cases), Guindulman at 88% (solving 15 of 17 cases), Balilihan at 83 (15 0f 18 solved), Bilar at 82% (9 of 11 cases), Loboc at 81% (13 of 16 cases) and Bohol Tourist Police at 75% (3 0f 4 cases)

On the other hand, stations with low performance also include President Carlos P. Garcia at 8% (1 in 12 cases), San Miguel at 15% (5 of 23 cases), Jagna at 16% (4 of 25 cases), Corella 17% or (4 of 12 cases), Baclayon 20% (2 of 10 cases) and Sevilla at 22% (2 of 9 cases).

Meanwhile, admitting that they are still stuggling to curb theft, which tops Bohol crimes at 43%, local police authorities urge the public to deny criminals any criminal opportunity.

PSSupt. Constantino Barot sounded the call for community vigilance against crimes and keeping away from opportunities when criminals can commit crimes.

Aside from theft, alarming crimes recorded on Bohol are robberies, physical injuries and carnapping.

Theft, Barot explained happens when owners fail to secure their properties while robbery is committed when the criminals exert force to get advantage of things.

Do not leave your things unguarded, Barot urged, as he admitted “your police could not attend to everybody.”

The grave lack of warm-bodies which is common in all police stations across the country has also dented on the crime busting efficiency of local police, Barot explained.

While the Philippine National Police envisions a police officer for every 500 residents in a community, Bohol police stations operate on a 1:1200. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Bohol leaders draw plans To deny rebels’ re-entry

2011-07-25T16:30:00.002+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 25 (PIA) – INTENT on maintaining Bohol as insurgent free after its declaration a year and seven months ago, local authorities immediately spread the battle plans for winning the peace by denying the re-entry of the insurgents.

This, upon reports by at least three towns that there have been unidentified men believed to be members of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New Peoples Army of the National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) roaming in some villages.

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto insists on the cooperation of communities in monitoring and reporting the presence of unidentified men so the police and army could be informed while he stressed that men with criminal intent would think twice when they enter areas where people could report them.

Police and Army intelligence operatives are now coordinating to trace the location of some unidentified men who have been reportedly roaming as a band in some Bohol towns.

Local Government officials also promised to get to the areas where there is a probability of these terrorists contacting their mass base for support.

Although some of these reports emanating from some army-organized Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) operatives, Loboc police identified at least one incident of a legal front allegedly identified with the left, enticing youth leaders in Loboc town.

PSinspector John H. Gano of the Loboc Police Station confirmed the reports that at least four youth from barangay Calunasan Norte of the town has been invited to seminars and a rally in Tagbilaran City, which had speakers lambasting the government and its leaders.

At the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis held in Loboc June 19, Loboc Deputy police chief Pinspector Francisco Auguis reported the son of an alleged high ranking leader of the local CPP/NPA/NDF Roy Erecre organized the youth in Calunasan in the guise of leadership trainings and sports activities.

The four recruited members admitted that the young Erecre and his companions came in bringing a legal front identified as Kabataan Partylist and enjoined them to more leadership trainings in Southern Leyte.

They also alleged that in their seminars, which were held at either the Boy Scouts building and another commercial establishment in the city had youth speakers from Cebu lambasting the government.

On this, Psinspector Gano said they immediately conducted Police Integrated Patrol System and increased police visibility in Calunasan and its neighboring villages.

On the other hand, in nearby town of Sevilla, PSinspector Basilides Balistoy also shared at the TSIP that his station received reports of locals sighting unidentified men in backpacks carrying sacks believed to be concealing long fire-arms in a sitio he named as Sinak-ag Uwang.

Succeeding verification and surveillance however proved negative but he said he has instructed his men, in coordination with the army special forces and local government officials to beef up government presence and visibility to discourage the apparent attempt of the rebels to re-organize.

Barangay officials of Batuan town accordingly shared similar reports or sightings of unidentified men believed to be government branded communist rebels, said a deputy of Pinspector Romeo Jamero who added that the sightings were in barangay Rosariohan.

This had its local police detachment on red alert.

Meanwhile, a company of soldiers arrived here Tuesday to beef up military presence and bolster the joint peace and security coordination agreement between internal security operatives and the local police.

Some 70 officers and men of the Army Special Forces landed in Bohol Tuesday morning from Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, national base of the special forces.

Army Special Forces battalion commander Romeo Brawner stressed that the reinforcements are here to ascertain that insurgents from other provinces will not be able to come back anymore.

“We put a premium on our peace and security here in Bohol, especially now that we are achieving a high level, high degree of development, especially on the area of tourism,” the former spokesperson of the Philippine Army said in radio interviews. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Phil social assistance now at P275 M for Bohol, more soon

2011-07-25T14:15:00.002+08:00

DAUIS, Bohol July 21 (PIA) – THE government has infused around P 275 million as fiscal capital to Bohol economy since 2009 to date, the amount to go even higher as pay-offs are set within the next few weeks, reveals Secretary Corazon Soliman, during a recent press conference at The Bohol Plaza resort recently.

The money which were handed to the less privileged also seeped to local economies and trickled to ordinary vendors, tricycle drivers and fishers who were not identified beneficiaries of the government’s assistance.

In the press material the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed to the media in Bohol, data shows that the biggest share of the national government’s fiscal pie was coursed through the conditional cash tranfer program called Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The National Household Targetting Survey in 2009 has identified about 13 towns of Bohol with high poverty incidence and whose beneficiaries are eligible to the government cash transfer program, she explained.

Started in 2009 in Bohol, the 4PS went to beneficiaries in Danao, before the program expanded to 12 towns, most of them were in the second and third districts where poverty incidence was high.

Around 28,004 poor households from the towns of Alicia, Carmen, Bien Unido, Buenavista, Dagohoy, Inabanga, Getafe, Carlos P. Garcia, Mabini, Pilar, Trinidad and Ubay received a total of 152,092,500 in two-month tranches since 2009.

Asked as to whether this government cash assistance really went to the education and health of the kids, Sec. Soliman explained set up monitoring systems that include a Compliance verification system, and Ateneo Impact Evaluation and some 165 volunteer organizations looking into the program.

She said while in education, the DepEd and DOHH have reported that compliance to the 85% school attendance has been strictly followed and rural health said in anecdotal reports that substantial increase in rural health center visits by mothers and women of maternal age.

Another hunger mitigation program called Rice Subsidy has 15 Bohol towns and 8416 beneficiaries already receiving P23,710,401, the DSWD data reveals.

Beneficiary towns include Alicia, Antequera, Alburquerque, Baclayon, Batuan, Bilar, Bien Unido, Clarin, Cortes, Dagohoy, Dauis, Getafe, President Carlos P. Garcia and San Isidro.

As to another program: the Social Pension, 1,195 senior citizen beneficiaries of 25 towns have been paid off at P500 per month stipends.

The government has disbursed P1,792,000 for these beneficiaries.

Other than that, the government, through the DSWD has cascaded its supplemental feeding program to 72 barangays and 324 day care centers in at least 13 towns here.

The amount disbursed in now at P9, 788, 325.00 and coursed through local government units, the data showed.

Over and above this, the DSWD is also implementing a Kapig Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services sustainability plan in the Community Driven Development (CDD) Local Planning Process harmonization initiative.

The program billed as Makamasang Tugon grants P450,000 per barangay in municipal grants to towns implementing KALAHI projects.

Bohol gets to receive some P83, 748, 000 for its 12 towns through this facility, DSWD data showed.

DTI opened speed-marketing novel at Sandugo Trade Expo

2011-07-22T13:01:00.001+08:00

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, July 21 (PIA) -- SEVENTEEN suppliers speed marketed their products to 12 buyers, mostly tourism providers here in a market matching activity held at the mezzanine of the Prawn Farm and Grill at Island City Mall June 21 in time for the 2011 Sandugo Regional Trade Expo.

Speed marketing, a novel marketing initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to directly market–link crafts, processed food and fresh produce suppliers to resorts, hotels, restaurants and groceries providing tourism services in Tagbilaran and anywhere else in Bohol, the project concept paper reads.

“The basic idea is to give local suppliers and producers, who are mostly farmers, a venue to market link their products to prospective buyers from the tourism sector,” explains Blair Panong, trade and industry development specialist explains.

Buyers are assigned tables while suppliers are given 10 minutes to talk and introduce their products to the buyers. Here, within the allotted time, they discuss their requirements to suppliers, order volume, product specifications, delivery schedules, payment terms and other business concerns, he added amid a buzz of informal presentations in tables not far from the event secretariat.

“After ten minutes, a bell signals the suppliers to move clockwise to present their products to the next buyer, until all have talked and presented their products,” according to DTI Bohol’s Marisol Balistoy.

The DTI organized marketing activity is one of the sideline events of the 2011 Sandugo Trade Expo, also unveiling at the Block of the ICM.

Along with market matching activity, also presented during the four-day trade expo are fora on corporate social responsibility, Green Growth Awareness and a Small Medium Enterprise Summit highlighted by Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo.

The trade expo, which highlights greening business and winning markets, “opened up countless opportunities for local producers a new promising market for their fresh produce and organically grown products,” says a supplier member of the Bohol initiators of Sustainable Agricultural Development (BISAD).

The source was presenting organic rice in bulk, organic vegetables and corn coffee to tourism industry suppliers during the marketing event.

Local products market-linked include processed food in banana chips, corn coffee, local chocolates (tableya), assorted organically grown vegetables, pork chicharon, organic rice, rice of the japonica variety, ginger tea (salabat), coconut vinegar, dried and pureed mangoes, souvenir items, soap and liniments and raffia place mats and rolls. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Bohol anti-rabies program Impress int’l experts

2011-07-17T17:55:00.003+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 16, (PIA) -- WITH all the advances in research and technology, rabies experts from a wide range of disciplines of various countries agree that Bohol’s rabies program which advances collaboration among communities still works better.

At the recent International Meeting of Rabies Experts held at the Bohol Beach Club, both World Health Organization (WHO) authorities and Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) admit Bohol has shown that an effective formula far from the ones advanced by technology and research.

The international experts discussed anti-rabies initiatives and new developments in research to assess anti-rabies control program across the globe.

The meeting also immersed the experts to the Bohol Rabies Prevention and Elimination Program which led them to aver the possibility of rabies elimination with the replication of the Bohol model.

Heaping praises for Bohol, Doctors Thomas Mueller of the WHO Collaborating Center for Rabies Reference and Research and Dr. Deborah Briggs, Executive Director of the GARC, both leaders of multi-disciplined rabies control centers press that a cost analysis on the disease cure is way too high for poor countries to deliver.

At the Kapihan sa PIA Thuirsday, Dr. Briggs shared that the family of the first human rabies survivor, who was at the meeting had to spend more than a million dollars to get the appropriate treatment and medications.

Dr. Mary Elizabeth Miranda, GARC Asian Coordinator at the radio forum on the air stressed that in Asian countries, the Bohol model for rabies control presents hope for a meaningful and effective approach to controlling the disease.

Rabies, a disease mainly caused by Lyssavirus which when transmitted finds its way to the central nervous system, which makes it almost always fatal, Dr. Briggs said.

According to www.rabies-symptoms.org., symptoms usually develop between 20 and 60 days after exposure.

But, Dr. Miranda, who has been into disease research across Asia said the longest incubation period for rabies that she knows of, is 17 years.

In animals, symptoms manifest as being aggressive, combative, and highly sensitive to touch and other kinds of stimulation as they can be vicious.

Rabies symptoms in humans, are similar. After a symptom-free incubation period, the patient complains of malaise, loss of appetite, fatigue, headache, and fever, the website said.

For dog bites, which are generally the causes of rabies in humans, first aid should be washing the bite would with soap and running water and immediately getting the vaccines, Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz said.

During the next 17 days, the biting dog has to be observed, if it manifests signs of rabies, then the patient has to get the full dose of vaccines, which would mean the owners of the biting dog paying for the vaccines and face sanctions according to the provincial ordinance. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Seven Bohol towns to continue sisterhood agreements with Makati

2011-07-13T11:04:00.002+08:00

By: Rey Anthony H. Chiu

TAGBILARAN CITY , Bohol, July 13 (PIA) --- About seven towns in Bohol have recently renewed their sisterhood agreements with the City of Makati through the visit of the PHL Vice-President Jejomar Binay.

The towns of Danao, Bien Unido, Getafe , Baclayon, Loay, San Miguel and Tagbilaran City have forged sisterhood agreements with Makati in 2008, Binay’s turf then as its Mayor.

“We are benefiting greatly from the exchanges and we want to continue,” said Danao Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga, in a chance interview at the MetroCenter Hotel with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here.

DANAO and Bien Unido mayors admitted that Vice President Jejomar Binay has been an inspiration to young Boholano mayors.

“We did the sisterhood agreement in 2008, firmly believing that we have a lot to learn from the management system of Makati as an inspiration to bring in a similar economic emancipation template in our 5th class towns,” mayors Gonzaga and Boniel admitted.

According to mayor Gonzaga the sisterhood agreement has exposed the local government officials to study Makati ’s systems in its project implementation.

Danao mayor who ventured into an untested extreme eco-adventure for his town said, the sisterhood with Makati has opened his mind to entrepreneurial activities and management of resources.

Binay’s political officer Erwin Maceda said Makati had been so blessed with excess wealth that it shared with other towns and cities in the country that they call “sister cities.”

Specifically, Gonzaga shared that the health care benefits program of Danao and other towns in Bohol had been lifted from the Makati templates of experience.

Makati City offers 90 percent free health care services to its residents when they get to the Ospital ng Makati . It also gives full PhilHealth coverage to all its residents.

When Binay assumed the top post in Makati , the city has a P40M economic deficit. Three terms later, Makati ’s wealth bloated from P300M to P11 billion, Maceda shared to this writer.

Now seated at the country’s second top seat and with an office budget lower than a senator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the office could still respond to rescue and relief operations using its meager funds, Maceda added.

Vice President Jejomar Binay has been invited to a marathon of events in at least two towns in Bohol and in Tagbilaran City including a visit to Cogon and Dao Central Public Market and dinner interaction with the mayors at the Peacock Garden . (PIA-Bohol/mbcn/rahc)

Binay to use PAG-IBIG funds for localized housing projects

2011-07-11T10:40:00.000+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 9, 2011 (PIA) –-THERE is money that can be used to fill in the country’s need for decent homes to its people, but it has not been used.

This has been revealed by Erwin Maceda, Vice President Jejomar Binay’s political officer who, in a chance interview said the money however is sleeping on the bank.

With the Vice President is now heading the country’s Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), we now have PAG-IBIG as our lead agency, who has around P50 billion, sleeping in the bank.

Binay, who has shown what taking intelligent risks would bring while heading Makati City, accordingly planned to use the P50 billion annually to build houses as projects of local government units.

“There is money and it is not being used properly,” added Maceda, who flew in to Bohol as advance party for the vice president Binay, who has been invited to grace important affairs in at least two towns and Tagbilaran City here.

We would push PAG-IBIG to spend the P50 billion this year on housing and another P50 billion the following year on the principle that we have money that is lying idle and a worsening housing backlog that is not yet effectively addressed.

That is also a principle that the vice president has tested when he was still the city mayor of Makati, said Henry Caunan, another VP Binay political officer.

When he assumed Makati, the city had P300 million assets and P340 million in liabilities. After his three terms, Makati’s wealth surged to P11 billion, accumulating more than enough funds to finance its socialized charities, education and medical programs.

Makati reportedly has P11 billion, without need of paving more roads, putting up hospitals and other major infrastructure and have supported schools.

According to sources, Makati has a one student to a computer ratio, offers free school uniforms and potable purified water to students.

We would not have earned that much had we not used the money that was there, but was not properly used, Maceda said.

“Here is a man who is not afraid to think outside the box,” Danao Bohol Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga pointed out, meaning the Makati executive who has risen to the country’s second top post as vice president.

And he has no qualms about being with the ordinary people, Caunan added, pointing that the vice president travels by economy class.

To illustrate his point, Caunan said Binay visited public markets in Cogon, Dao, met with mayors and friends and brushed elbows with Danao and Bien Unido local officials in his two day stint in Bohol.

And he just came from 29 individual wake visits to flood victims in Davao, a feat that is unheard of knowing the serious logistics, mobility and security issues inherent to a moving “spare tire” but on mag wheels, jokes Erwin Maceda, the veeps political analyst and advance party. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

City crimes down by 27% Compared to last year

2011-07-04T08:22:00.000+08:00

CAMP DAGOHOY, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, July 1, (PIA) --CRIMES in Tagbilaran City may have alarmed residents here, data shows however that the crimes this year are lower compared to those which found in police blotters last year.

City police authorities noted a 27% decrease in crime volume this year compared to the past year, a comparative crime volume graph presented by the city police, PSupt. Arcadio Jamora Jr. showed.

According to the presentation Jamora showed during the recent Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) Wednesday at Camp Dagohoy Multi-purpose Hall, crime volume from January to May this year recorded 324 incidents, which was slightly lower compared to the same period last year which recorded 442 incidents.

Superintendent Jamora, who assumed as city police chief last month said for the same period, 242 index crimes were noted compared to only 42 non-index crimes.

Of all crimes committed here in 2011, Supt. Jamora cited theft as the most alarming, followed by robbery and carnapping.

Bohol Police chief and PSSupt Constantino Baro, during the same forum said that the major contributing factor for theft is that owners have been taken advantage, and we open to these criminals the opportunity to commit crimes.

Theft cases registered in police blotters for the period numbered 149 cases. In fact, in Supt. Jamora’s graph, it showed that theft cases soared highest in January at 44 cases, then in May at 41 followed by February with 39 cases.

The newly assumed city top cop also showed that most cases of theft occur in Poblacion 2 at 51 cases, then at Cogon at 34.

Of the 43 robbery cases which peaked in the City fiesta month of May at 32, most of the cases happened between 6:00 PM to 4:00 AM at 34 cases of the total 61 rob cases. He also noted that most rob cases happened in Poblacion 2, Poblcaion 3 and Cogon, also the most densely populated districts here.

Carnapping cases in the city peaked in February at 12, most of them happening in Cogon and Poblacion 2 areas between 2:00-4:00 PM and 4:00-6:00 AM.

Since December 30 to May 26, the city recorded 58 street crime incidents, 11 fire-arms related crimes and 16 crimes perpetrated by motorcycle riding elements.

Since his assignment to the city police force, Jamora also said that in compliance with the “No plate, no travel Policy” since May 16 to June 5, the city police has impounded 84 motorcycles and vehicles, issued 102 citation tickets and 147 temporary operator’s permit in its checkpoint and city patrol operations.

Crimes down by 32% compared to last year

2011-06-25T09:35:00.002+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, BOhol, June 24, 2011, (PIA)—CRIMES in Bohol went down 32% this year compared to a similar period in 2010, police records show.

At the recent Provincial Peace and Order Meeting held at the San Roque National High School in Alburquerque town June 21, Bohol Police Director Constantino Barot cited May 2010 crime volume as reaching 1576, which was drastically reduced to 969 this year.

Camp Dagohoy credited to continuing decrease of crimes, which amounted to some 32 percent, to a program the local police is implementing which has been apparently effective against curbing criminalities and pro-actively deterring the commission of such, PSSupt. Barot shared.

Bohol police leadership has implemented the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) which has rallied community help and maximized intelligence sources while using the tips people provide to stop crimes.

Index crimes for the period last year reached 1153, which was reduced to 786 this year, according to Barot.

For the non-index crimes, police sources noted 423 last year, a figure which is now down to 183.

In the last five months of this year, the police provincial chief said theft, robbery and car-napping still top police concerns.

Within the period, there has been 332 theft cases recorded accounting to some 42% of the crime volume, a chart presented during the meeting showed.

Rob cases totaled 193 cases and accounts to some 25% of the crime volume for the period.

While Bohol notes some 119 cases of physical injuries, Barot said the police are more concerned with car-napping where some 61 cases have been recorded.

Theft happens when there is no force exerted to get things while robbery uses force upon things, Barot explained while reasoning out that police are totally helpless in watching every household to stop theft.

As to robbery, he engaged communities to continue reporting to authorities any presence of suspicious looking persons who could be just awaiting for the perfect opportunity to commit crimes.

He also said that Bohol car-napping cases only involve motorcycles which have been mostly caused by owners forgetting to take off the keys while parking. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Rescuers free butanding, pilot whale not as lucky

2011-06-21T09:50:00.002+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, June 17, (PIA)--IT all happened on the same day, June 9, 2011.

Marine mamma rescue volunteers successfully freed a male juvenile whale shark entangled in a fisherman’s net in Cantagay, Jagna, but a pilot whale in Bien Unido was not as lucky.

Reports from Physalus, a non government organization that promotes the protection of the environment with an emphasis on marine habitat protection through educating coastal communities by letting them understand their ecosystems said Barangay Cantagay chairman Joel Rosario sounded the alarm when one of his fishermen constituents reported a snagging incident a few hundred meters from the shorelines of the village.

Chairman Rosario immediately called the local Bohol Rescue Unit for Marine Mammals (BRUMM), where some members are from the town to facilitate the rescue.

Dr. Alessandro Ponzo led the responding team comprised of Kristina Pahang, volunteer marine biologists Ray So, Hellen Fong arrived on scene and immediately performed rescue protocols untangling the whale shark from the net, bringing it to a comfortable position to reduce stress and recording its statistics for future sighting references.

As to BRUMM approved protocols, the shark was moved to deeper water to reduce its stress and allow more water to flow through its gills to breath, measured, inspected for presence of wounds or parasites and the sex was assessed, Dr Ponzo, a veterinarian reports.

The whale shark, which has the potential to grow into the world’s biggest fish, measured 4.2 meters, was later assessed for its probability to swim out to sea and survive while some photos were taken to help identify and recognize the animal in the future. The animal was later released.

Subsequent survey and monitoring, a team of researchers located an animal just after lunch, feeding in the current less than three kilometers off Cantagay, confirming the rescue success.

A pilot whale straying on the other side of Bohol was not that lucky.

On the afternoon of the same day, a 4.5 meter pilot whale was butchered in Barangay sagasa, Bien Unido town.

Marine animal rescue volunteers and police officers chanced upon the mammal with its tail and fins already removed, too late for them to intervene and save the distressed animal.

In fact, reports said the community has partaken of the whale meat, a rather risky practice when it comes to eating migratory animals which might have strayed into mercury polluted waters.

Eating marine mammals is very dangerous for the high content of mercury that accumulates in these animals, which can cause serious illness and neuronal disorders, including blindness and deafness in newborn babies of mothers who consume their meat, explained Dr. Ponzo at a Kapihan sa PIA.

Marine Mammals like whales and dolphins are protected by law in the Philippines.

Fisheries Administrative Orders 185 and FAO 193 and the R.A. 1947, forbids harassing, killing or even possessing any marine mammals (dolphins, whales and dugong), whale shark and manta ray, or any part of the animal, dead or alive.

The law puts up a fine of up to P 100,000 and up to 12 years of imprisonment to anyone caught for the offenses stated.

While the two events show the richness of the Bohol Sea waters which has become a good feeding and possibly breeding sites for cetaceans and large marine wildlife, there is admittedly so much to do to engage communities in sustaining and conserving these treasures.

Any case of marine mammals or shark stranding and needing rescue, contact BRUMM members through your MAO or LGU or call (038) 501-9912. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Suspected drug peddler Denies implicating cops

2011-06-17T17:06:00.002+08:00

ALLEGATIONS that the suspected drug personality nabbed in Mansasa recently squealed about a police officer supplying him drugs still needs to be ascribed to somebody.

This surfaced as subsequent police authorities investigating the truth behind allegations of Lennox Bas which accordingly implicated a police officer as supplier in his drug trade had been vehemently denied by Bas himself.

Police reports furnished to Camp Dagohoy from City Police Chief Arcadio Jamora said that Bas has denied implicating any Philippine National Police (PNP) member involved in the illegal activity.

Bas also went on to aver that he did not give any statement to the media and to the police authorities when he was interviewed.

A local media outlet aired the suspect’s divulged information, which had Camp Dagohoy leadership immediately concerned.

Bohol Police Provincial Director Constantino Barot immediately instructed police authorities to conduct separate investigations to ferret out the truth of the matter and possibly pinpoint the implicated police officer, if the allegations were true.

The succeeding truth seeking however revealed that police that had Bas in custody had not put the suspect under tactical interrogation, which could have juiced the alleged information.

PSupt. Arcadio Jamora told Director Barot in a memorandum sent to Camp Dagohoy dated June 14, that they never heard from suspect Lyn [Lennox] Bas during his arrest any such claims.

Jamora went on to say, that as far as the office is concern[ed], no police officer has released a statement to any media practioner regarding the alleged divulgement of suspect Lyn Bas considering that no statement of allegation has been obtained from the suspect.

It may also be recalled that radio reporter of a local radio station, Willie Maestrado interviewed City police Chief Jamora and asked him to comment on the alleged claim.

In succeeding police investigations, Maestrado could only say that he heard it from another radio reporter in an early morning broadcast on June 13.

The media reporter which Maestrado mentioned could not be available for comment to date.

Even then, in a radio interview, Jamora himself admitted that he heard of similar allegations in the early 1990s but also denied knowing any in his term.

A lady informant in the same radio interview revealed that once, she personally confronted a small time pusher who divulged that her source was a police from a different service.

To this, PSSupt Barot said he has instructed mandatory random drug tests for police officers, clearly considering the alleged reports could also be true.

The provincial director has assured that he would continue investigations in case a similar case in the early 1990s could have recurred. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

DOT-DTI sign comprehensive tourism sector dev’t pact

2011-06-13T09:04:00.001+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 10, 2011 (PIA)—THE Department of Tourism (DOT) and Trade and Industry (DTI) agrees on a collaboration for the comprehensive development of the tourism sector, during the last day of the Bohol Tourism Summit held here since June 9.

And for the development, private sector led Provincial Tourism Council here could be in for the big thing in the future of public-private partnerships, said industry stakeholders participating in the first Bohol Tourism Summit June 9-10.

DOT represented by Secretary Alberto Lim and the DTI through Secretary Gregory Domingo formalized the signing of the agreement documents to work together for the industry through the promotion of main tourism chains and strengthening of various supply chains supporting the sector.

According to documents shared to the media and explained by DTI regional Director Asteria Caberte, the world agrees of the promise of tourism.

But a lot more of things to be done in regions especially where there is a high tourism potential.

Caberte, who was reading her notes identified the country’s regions with a high tourism potentials as Regions 4B, 6, 7, 8 and 11 where the DOT and DTI pilots their collaboration through the project.

The agreement formalized binds the two agencies to share and allocate budgets for the project.

The agreement also makes the tourism department responsible for the planning and development of tourism destinations at the national and regional levels, marketing and promotion of tourist destinations both nationally and internationally.

The same agreement binds the DOT to regulate the tourism industry by setting the tourism standards and certification systems for tourism enterprises.

As regulatory agency, the DOT also set the minimum standards for tourism enterprise zones with the local government units as well as facilitate the business linkages among tourism enterprise types along the value chain, Caberte said before the ceremonial signing of the documents.

For the Trade department, the agreement puts them into a mode of developing a conducive business environment at the different levels of governance in partnerships with local governments.

On its part too, the DTI is bound to regulate and standardize trade and industry bu stepping on standards and certification of enterprises, promote investments in strategic priority sectors as business process outsourcing, electronics, mining, housing, agriculture, business and tourism.

The DTI is also bound to facilitate business development services to support micro, small and medium enterprises in market access and financing to let them grow their businesses, improve their productivity and efficiency and enable business linkages along product-based value chains. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

DENR bares 1607 hectares Greening target for Bohol

2011-06-10T10:34:00.000+08:00

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 9, 2011 (PIA)--RE-GREENING the country’s 8 million forest cover lost in the last near-century sprouts as government sources reveal a plan to rouse the most number of volunteers and plant the most number of trees in a day for Bohol’s 1607 denuded lands.

Target for volunteer recruitment are the country’s students, government employees, local government officials and their employees, community organizations and non-government groups, local greening organizers said.

According to Community Environment and Natural Resources Officers (CENRO) in Bohol, the overall intention is to cover in the next six years some 1.5 million hectares of denuded and barren lands in the country with some 1.5 billion trees beginning June 25, the day the whole world commemorates World Arbor Day.

CENRO Tagbilaran Eusalem Quiwag explained over at Kapihan sa PIA Thursday that the program is packed in what is called as the National Greening Project (NGP), which attempts to consolidate and harmonize earlier reforestation activities of the country.

“The program,” CENRO Talibon Alex Estopa added, “is in consonance with President Benigno Simeon Aquino’s Executive Order No. 26 which has become a government priority.”

Smarting from other reforestation programs in the past with generally stunted successes, instead of planting specific trees, environment authorities explained that communities can plant based on the areas they intend to green.

“In titled areas, some people may want to plant fruit trees which they can later nurture and utilize, or fast growing lumber trees which they can use for household repairs,” Quiwag said.

In protected areas, he said trees, which are more endemic are preferred because harvesting on this part is banned.

There have been earlier programs like the Upland Greening, Luntiang Pilipinas, and still a whole lot of others initiated by socio-civil and other interest groups, which the NGP intends to harmonize to finally grow a program that gets the work done, according to Quiwag.

Based from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources data, the country used to have some 30 million hectares if timberlands and forests in centuries ago, the figure drastically shrunk to half or only about 15 hectares in early 1900.

“The latest data in 1999 showed we have lost almost 8 million hectares of forests and timberlands,” Quiwag stressed.

On the program, environment authorities said Bohol committed to some 1,607 hectares in the next six years, where 537 hectares of it would be CENRO Tagbilaran’s share and another 1070 hectares for CENRO Talibon.

“In Bohol, Cenro level, we do not have such a big area, but Talibon has bigger and more vast lands,” Quiwag points out.

“Our minimum would be for CENRO to facilitate the re-greening of 489 hectares of timberland and mangroves, some corporations organizing social mobilizations are expected to put up another 28 hectares while local water utilities also commit to some 20 more hectares,” Quiwag added highlighting the famed convergence of efforts in Bohol in Tagbilaran.

For CENRO Talibon’s Estopa, he said they are now targeting to get to the Community Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) areas where there is an assured areas cared by communities to ascertain high survival rates.

For him, the program succeeds in Talibon if they could plant some 5,000 seedlings at least at a rate of 500 seedlings per hectare at 85% survival rates.

Meanwhile, Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto has urged local government units to drum up support for the project which would be having a ceremonial launches in the towns on June 12. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Population growth rate down Trend noted in last censuses

2011-06-07T17:02:00.000+08:00

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, June 6, 2011 (PIA)--- POPULATION growth rate in the country has decreased, based on the average as determined by data provided by the last three censuses.

According to Stats-in-a-flash as compiled by the National Statistics Office (NSO) Bohol provincial office, the country has succeeded in lowering its population growth rate from 2.36 to 2.04 in the last 12 years.

This means that in September of 1995, when there were 68.6 million Filipinos, population grown slackened by May 0f 2000, and population grew to 76.5 million at 2.16 growth rate.

Seven years later, in August of 2007, population growth rate was at 2.04 or population in the country was pegged at 88.56 million.

Central Visayas had about 5.01 million in 2005 and grew to 5.70 million five years later at a growth rate of 2.81.

Seven year later, Visayans numbered 6.4 million as the population growth rate slipped to 1.59 in 2007.

Best performer as regards reducing population growth rate in Central Visayas is Siquijor at 1.0 average growth rate in the last seven years.

Bohol follows closely at 1.06 population growth rate in the last seven years.

Next is Negros Oriental at 1.20 population growth rate while Cebu province stays at 1.69.

Boholanos numbered 994 million in 1995 and grew to 1.139 million five years later at a growth rate of 2.95. By 2007, population has ballooned to 1.2 million at a lessened growth rate of 1.8.

Except Cebu, Lapu-lapu and Mandaue cities, Cebu’s population was 1.89 million in 1995 then grew to 2.1 million in 2000 and further bloated to 2.44 million twelve years later.

Negros Oriental has 1.025 million people in 1995 and grew to 1.13 million at 2.11 growth rate in the next five years.

Negrenses in 2007 has reached 1.23 million with a slackened population growth rate of 1.2.

Meanwhile, there were 73,756 Siquijodnons counted in 1995. By 2000, they were 81,598 with 2.19 population growth rate. This grew further to 87,695 in 2007 at 1.0 population growth rate. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

‘Pantawid cash cards’ not For pawn, loan collateral

2011-06-06T11:17:00.000+08:00

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, June 2 (PIA)---THE government’s cash grants issued through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program can not be pawned or used as loan collateral, says the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) over reports of abuse in its use.

“The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a national government implemented poverty reduction strategy which provides cash grants to extremely poor households, but with set conditions on health and education”, explains Aileen Lariba, program information officer.

“Any abuse on the card subjects the beneficiary to automatic suspension and the risk of eventual delisting from the program,” she warns.

The program grants beneficiaries some P500 per month for nutrition and health and P300 for each of the beneficiary’s three children or a maximum of P1400 a month for a family with three school-age kids.

Other than being an immediate and short term poverty alleviation strategy, the program is also designed as a social development strategy that breaks the vicious cycle of inter-generational poverty through investing in human capital.

This way, the program helps fulfill the country’s commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals of Eradicating Extreme Poverty and Hunger, achieving Universal Primary Education, Promoting Gender Equality, Reducing Child Mortality and Improving Maternal Health, the DSWD source sums up.

However, pressed against the seemingly impenetrable wall of extreme economic conditions, beneficiaries, who have to go through an 8-step cycle to be in the program are reportedly forced to pawn and put these cards as loan collateral, payable as soon as a new release of cash grants happen.

As it continues to educate and develop these identified beneficiaries, the DSWD urges the public cooperation, partnership and vigilance to make these cash grants work the way these are intended.

These cash cards should not be abused and as these are not acceptable as collateral nor guarantee on any loans.

For any violation reported and proven, beneficiary is subjected to automatic suspension and eventually delisting from the program.

Furthermore, the DSWD encourages the beneficiaries to practice responsibility by safeguarding their cash cards from getting lost since this is their ultimate identification in all Pantawid Pamilya activities and other services that would be accorded to them in the near future.

To report abuse and discrepancies in the use of grants, use the syntax: 4Psname

complaint and send to 0918-912-2813. (Rey Anthony Chiu with Aileen Lariba)

Bohol takes part in a billion trees goal

2011-05-30T11:16:00.000+08:00

Tagbilaran City, Bohol, May 27 (PIA)---ALREADY carving a name for its policies on environmental protection and conservation, such is not enough.

Bohol’s distinction as the province to enact the country’s first environment ordinance, of keeping the honor of innovation in coastal environment management programs and a packet of man-made forest as proof, Boholanos could always shrug its shoulders over environmental disasters occurring elsewhere.

But it did not because it can not.

Still seeing a much bigger responsibility behind keeping a verdant Bohol, Governor Edgar Chatto announced Friday his vision of rallying Boholanos to positively contribute to the global adaptations against the ravishing effects of a threat brought about by global warming and climate change.

At his weekly radio program aired live all over Bohol radios, Chatto announced the plan to launch Green Bohol reforestation and tree planting program to preserve the environment and anchor the province’s commitment to the one billion trees the Administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III is advocating.

Green Bohol is a local adaptation of the Green Philippines which aims to put up an effective protection of the environment especially in fragile ecosystems while adopting sustainable management and use of natural resources, a National Economic Development Authority website said.

And what’s a better launch date than on the day the country commemorates its Independence Day, which could also be symbolic of declaring freedom from these climate change spawned threats.

The governor said Bohol is launching the program on June 12, one that is aimed to drum beat support for the activity that would be implemented simultaneously in all towns of Bohol the following week.

“We remind our people of the individual launching of the tree planting activities to drum up our support for the tree planting is with the Independence Day program in the towns,” the governor stated on air.

“This advocacy is also in line with our thrust of making Bohol a model province for environmental protection and sustainable environmental management,” he intoned.

While the launching is done on June 12, Chatto said the actual planting under [Bohol] commitment is in time for the Arbor Day on June 25.

He also urged the Boholanos to “do our share of greening Bohol as our contribution to the whole program not just of the country but to the whole world to positively contribute to the adaptations for climate change.” (Rey Anthony Chiu)

P2.50 for P25,000 anyone? Join PSR and earn cool mil

2011-05-27T14:46:00.000+08:00

WHERE do you get a chance to pocket P25,000 cold cash from a P2.50 load investment?

Where else but with the Instant Premyo Sa Resibo (I-PSR), says Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) authorities who guested the weekly Kapihan sa PIA Thursday March 26.

The I-PSR is an incentive and reward program using the famous short message system (SMS), explains Bureau of Internal Revenue’s (BIR) Taxpayer Service Station Chief Magna Reselosa.

It is simply text sending the details of the receipt one gets for buying goods or services and with the proper syntax, it gives you the instant chance to win P5,000, mobile prepaid load or MyPhone cellular phones day, added Evelyn Lomantas at the forum aired live over DyTR.

An enhanced and revitalized promo from the BIR, instant Premyo sa Resibo uses the current PSR game mechanics, hoping that this new and exciting way of encouraging consumers to demand for receipts of all purchases of goods or services can also work good for the government, Lomantas who also is the BIR information officer stressed.

To join, one has to type PSR(space)Tax Identification Number of the establishment issuing the receipt (space)Official Receipt Number(space)Official Receipt amount (omitting the peso sign and the remaining centavo value) and sending this to 9777 for single entry or to 9778 for multiple entries.

For example, if one was issued a P500 receipt, he would type PSR 0012345678 54321 500 and send it to either to 9777 or 9778.

9777 is used if one is on budgeted load where each sent to the message center is charged P2.50. This entitles him to a single raffle entry to a single draw, which posts him a chance for the instant premyo and the weekly P25,000 draw.

By using 9778, a sender is charged P2.50 still but he gets multiple entries for his receipt of more than P350.00. This means aside from automatically entering the instant premyo draw, he can avail of the weekly and the monthly P1,000,000 draw, according to Reselosa.

Maximum amount for single receipt however is only for 50 entries, BIR authorities said.

The message center receivers: 9777 or 9778 issues to your cellphone an Entry Confirmation Number (ECN) and this may be enough for those lucky enough as instant prizes could be won already, she went on.

Non I-PSR winning entry still gets a chance to win in the P25.000 weekly draw of the P1,000,000 monthly draw.

This simply means that the official receipt one gets for his buys, earns him the chance to win exciting instant prizes.

It can be any official receipt, sales invoice, cash invoice, cash register machine or point of sales machine receipts or those used by professionals, private businesses or commercial establishments, said Magna Reselosa, during the same forum. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Crimes have no place in Choco Hills country

2011-05-26T10:19:00.000+08:00

CARMEN, BOHOL, May 24, (PIA)---- WHEN you have a world famed tourist destination in your midst, crime is non negotiable.

Smarting from successfully mediating for the surrender of 11 assorted loose fire-arms, Carmen town Mayor Conchita Toribio-delos Reyes and police authorities summed this up to the local media during the recent Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP), which her town hosted.

Carmen town hosts the marvelous Chocolate Hills, which is currently visited by a daily average of 2,500 local and foreign tourists, the town’s proverbial goose that lays the golden eggs.

With this huge load on her shoulders, delos Reyes hit the ground running upon her assumption, as she immediately italicized security for the town by enhancing police visibility as a top priority.

According to town police chief Senior Inspector Ramoncillo Sawan, delos Reyes’ conviction of delivering her non categorical assurance of security to the tourism industry can be seen with the immediate establishment of a joint team of the police and army to comprise Task Force Carmen early in her term.

The Task force sets up a team of army and police quick response team on standby at the Chocolate Hills Complex and can be pulled out to respond to any other emergency crisis situation, he said.

Carmen also hosts the army’s 802^nd Brigade which further boosts the town’s response capability for any threat.

Sawan said the task force is committed to secure tourists as well as the complex from any potential threat of terrorism and other forms of criminality.

To equip the task force, delos Reyes also gave two more mobility assets in motorcycles as well as communications equipment; hand-held two-way radios for the police, the former Camp Dagohoy deputy chief of police operations added.

“We are making sure that we are using the intelligence funds right,” pressed Mayor delos Reyes.

On top of Sawan’s concerns however as town to cop is the presence of loose fire-arms in the town.

These firearms have been so far used to perpetrate criminal activities from small time threats to robberies to and even hold-ups, criminal chart trends reveal.

Barely four months in his new assignment, the soft-spoken police officer said they are still strengthening their information network to get through the matter.

In his brief stint as town chief, Sawan reports that they have facilitated the surrender of 11 fire-arms buts still adds, “We have not found out where these fire-arms come from, who are the suppliers.”

He said since most of the loose firearms here come from gunsmiths in nearby Cebu, they could find men who could get them information on who has them.

We are now developing personalities, and perhaps in a few more weeks, we can make some positive action.

On the other hand, he said they are not discounting the fact that these loose fire-arms would be those left behind by fleeing armed rebels.

He also reiterated that with the full support of the delos Reyes Administration, and the help of communities, they could finally make a dent on curbing these crimes. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

Brigada coughs out classroom, Class opening woes in Ubujan

2011-05-24T09:12:00.001+08:00

Ubujan District, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, May 23, (PIA) ----THE buzzle of activity could have subsided as the government caravan of more than 30 vehicles departed for another kick-off activity, May 23, 2011. Not here at Ubujan Elementary School in Tagbilaran City, 2009 and 2010 National winner for the Best Brigada Eskwela Implementer for small schools category.

Here was the site of the early morning regional kick off activity for Bohol’s 2011 Brigada Eskwela, a national schools’ maintenance program that fits into a week-long flurry of voluntary repairs, beautifications and clean-up activities by parents to prepare the schools for the opening of classes the following week.

Barely two hours since the Department of Education regional and provincial officials led by Regional Director Ricaredo Borgonio and Division Superintendent Lorna Rances left for Talibon, parents wielding bolos, grass cutters, hammers, saws and construction materials trickled in.

It was an altogether different scene from two hours ago.

Then, everything was formal, teachers in their lavender printed Brigada t-shirts and a horde of volunteer parents converged at the school stage for the formal kick-off ceremonies.

Now, clad in work clothes, the brigade is armed and ready for the job. Locked and loaded.

Florentino Bacog, 78-year old grandfather logged in for volunteer work the moment he arrived.

Wearing a white hard hat and wielding a jungle bolo, the grandfather of grade two enrollee Vincent Bacog, cuts the overgrown grasses in a fenced portion of the school ground while saying he will just wait it out until other volunteers would head home when he goes too.

He is also a grandpa to another kid, Vincent’s sister who lives with her mother on another part of the village.

Bacog is just one among the many parents who volunteered that day, and definitely one of the oldest.

A few meters from his share of ground, a visibly pregnant mother in probably her second trimester alternately chops the weeds and bends to sweep her cut grass with a midrib broom.

When most pregnant mothers would easily find their situation a neat excuse, she was just all smiles while sweat rolling down her brow tells nothing but dedication to the task at hand.

Smoke from burnt grass alternately fill the air as a faint smell of wet paint and freshly sewn lumber tells one about the flurry of construction work and ground beautification going on.

A cacophony of poundings could be heard from the some rooms where carpenters mend a shaky bench or replace a dilapidated ceiling.

Under the leadership of school principal Juanita C. Lafuente and Parent-Teachers’ Association president Adolfo Yecyec Jr, Ubujan continuously transformed into a school in a garden and a child friendly educational center following the child-friendly school system in place in the DepED, said teacher Rebecca Jangad.

Jangad also said that the PTA has relentlessly pushed for projects, one of which is fund raising for a television set and DVD player for every classroom, putting up an additional room and making a garden in the school through sheer volunteerism.

To illustrate her point, she guided us to the plastic bottles creatively converted into hanging plant receptacles which not only adorned the Marcos type buildings but also put up an effective classroom sunshade.

That day May 23, the brigade’s grades 2 and 4 parents came in to volunteer for the annual classroom maintenance activity.

It would be another grade level tomorrow, teacher Jangad said.

On a nearby classroom, teacher Annabelle Pergamino holds a summer class for 26 pre-school kids to prepare them for the opening of classes.

“These kids would be enrolled in Grade 1 and we just would like to make sure they can cope with the minimum requirements,” she said adding that some of the kids have not satisfactorily completed the government mandatory day care requirements for some reasons.

She said she had her room maintenance set ahead because they want a ready classroom during the morning’s kick off launch.

Aside from a visible television and digital video disk player, Pergamino’s classroom, as with the rest of the schools learning rooms, lush green potted plants neutralize the colorful visual aids and charts posted on walls or appropriately framed, giving the room a homey feeling, one that is conducive to learning.

School enrollment has increased too, said teacher Jangad who showed a chart which tracked progress from 398 pupils in 2004 to 567 in 2010 and a drop-out rate of .43 in 2010 from 2 percent in 2006.

The school has also adopted Saturday Review Classes with free snacks, remedial teaching schedules while teachers and administrators put in close monitoring and supervision to learners to ascertain pupil improvement, according to teacher Jangad.

The school also implements the multiple intelligence method of teaching that it earned for it Consistent Winner of the Physical evaluation in Bohol’s District level evaluations.

At the division level, Ubujan also won the Best ECARP implementation, Best in science Park, Most Functional PTA and the Best SBTP implementer.

At the widening gap in the government’s school building project compared to the increase in school children, maintenance funds are simply too meager, Bacog opined in Cebuano.

We do our little share, it may not be much but it will help the government channel its meager funds to put up the necessary learning facilities, the septuagenarian said.

It’s never an easy task, but with a volunteer brigade like that in Ubujan, there’s no task so difficult. (Rey Anthony Chiu)

PPOC, Gov commend PNP Military for lowered crimes

2011-05-20T17:22:00.002+08:00

GOVERNOR Edgar Chatto and the Peace and Order Council (PPOC) commend anti-crime and security officers here as the council note reports of significant decrease in crime volume here in the past months.

At the regular PPOC meeting at the People’s Mansion Tuesday, the governor who also heads the Peace Council hailed the efforts of the law enforcers and internal security operators for significantly bringing down crime volume in Bohol.

Both the police and the internal security forces in Bohol established a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center and agreed to complement each other in crime fighting and deterrence.

PSSupt. Constantino Barot reported that Camp Dagohoy, which collates province-wide criminal records, noted 6 percent crime volume decrease this month, a figure taken from averaging all crimes recorded in police blotters.

The six percent decrease in comparative crime volume was for the period of April compared to the previous month of March this year.

Crimes in Bohol decreased from 193 in March to 181 in April, as compared to a seven percent increase in the March from 180 crimes in February of the same year.

The crime statistics is gathered for the periods between March 11 to April 11.

“All the figures in the first quarter of 2011 are significantly lower as compared to the crimes committed the previous year,” comments the police provincial director who also showed a line graph showing total crimes reported as 236, 302, 366 and 320 from January to April in 2010.

Of all crimes for the month, theft still tops at 225 followed by robbery at 177, his presentation showed.

Carnapping, a relatively newer offense alarmed PPOC members as it pegs itself, third at 145 cases.

Meanwhile, provincial director Barot ascribes the successful curbing of crimes in Bohol to the implementation of the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS).

To prove his point, Barot presented a graph with PIPS focused areas detailing almost similar crime trends gravitating at zero to three crimes per week since the program ran.

PIPS focused areas include street crimes, crimes using fire-arms and crimes perpetuated by motorcycle riding criminal elements.

Only crimes committed with the use of fire-arms registered a seven between April 28-May 4, an aberration in the graph that showed an average of three crimes per week all over Bohol since late January. (Rey Anthony Chiu)