One Mindanao - March 10, 2014

Philippines hosts 8th International Rice-Duck conferenceNoel B. NajarroCaraga Region

MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014 Vol. 3 No. 136

Government agencies remain committed towards improving public transportation

NATIONAL

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NORTHERN MINDANAO

CENTRAL MINDANAO

CARAGA REGION

SOUTHERN MINDANAO

Turn-over of onsite modified shelters in ComVal, a continuing program

Women Resource Center of Ozamiz marks 8th anniversary

SP accredits more NGOs

U.S. Embassy to hold 2nd seminar for regional media

4 firms get fines for selling Christmas lights with no ICC stickers

DA seeks help of LGUs in implementation of projects

OWWA-SOCCSKSARGEN announces scholarships for OFW dependents

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14 14

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Danilo E. Doguiles

Oliver Ross V. Rivera

Grace Almedilla

Jennifer P. Gaitano

Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

Information to Empower Filipinos

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CdeOSP

Philippines hosts 8th International Rice-Duck conference

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Philippines hosts 8th International Rice-Duck conference

The Philippines is currently hosting the four-day 8th

International Rice-Duck Conference at the Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort here in Butuan City.

The conference will be a gathering of integrated rice-duck farming system (IRDFS) experts and practitioners and development investors from all over Asia, to share and exchange knowledge and

innovations that highlight IRDFS as a climate-smart agriculture system and a social enterprise business model for rural economic expansion and inclusive growth. Among the distinguished guests is Dr. Takao Furono of Japan who is the founder of the IRDES network in Asia. Accordingly, Dr. Furono’s first visit to Mindanao was back in 1997 and his last visit was seven years ago in 2007. He looks forward to learning about the many innovations in IRDFS that have happened in the country since. During the last five years, the

By Noel B. Najarro

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Integrated Rice-Duck Farming System or IRDFS experience in the Philippines, as championed by the Philippine Agrarian Reform Foundation for National Development (PARFUND), has increased rice productivity up to 9 tons per hectare, while reducing the cost of production by 30 percent. The average is only 4.2 tons per hectare using the conventional rice farming technologies. In addition, IRDFS farmers gain extra income from the sale of duck meat and duck eggs, whether raw or processed into salted egg or “balut” a local delicacy that is in a very high demand. In the medium to long-term, the adoption of IRDFS will contribute to the improving the quality of life of farmers, as evidenced by increased savings and income, better family nutrition (chemical-free rice, duck meat and duck eggs), and a healthier lifestyle brought about by less exposure to harmful chemicals. Among the provinces that are adopting IRDFS as their strategy

for increasing rice production in a sustainable manner are the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Zamboanga del Sur. Governor Adolph Edward Plaza of Agusan del Sur shall be sharing his ideas on making agriculture

governance work at the provincial level, while Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio Cerilles will be providing a provincial outlook on IRDFS as adopted by the province of Agusan del Sur. Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. shall welcome the

participants, while Rep. Valentina Plaza of the 1st District of Agusan del Sur will grace the conference to share her congressional policy initiative on IRDFS. The participants will also get the

chance to visit a 2,500-head capacity duck breeder farm and a modern hatchery, as well as interact with the IRDFS farmers and champions, including Mayor Deo Manpatilan, Jr. of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur during an exposure visit to a large-scale rice-duck farm in the said LGU. The 8th International Rice-Duck Conference is organized by PARFUND with funding support from the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) and the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooepration (ICOO) and in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit XIII. (PNA)

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Philippines joins search for missing Malaysian Airlines

The Philippines joined efforts of its neighboring countries in searching for a Malaysian Airlines airplane that went

missing while on its way to Beijing, China, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr said on Sunday.

Across the Nation

In a press briefing, Coloma said that Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin had issued the directive to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to commence patrol

of the West Philippine sea in hopes of locating the missing Malayasian Air plane.

The AFP immediately sent an F-27 plane and the BRP Gregorio del Pilar

8 MARCH 2014 | PAGE

to conduct a surveillance mission in the West Phillipine Sea in hopes of locating the Malaysian Airlines plane.

The Malaysian airlines plane, a Boeing 777-200, disappeared from radar screens just 40 minutes into its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in the early hours of Saturday morning. It was last detected over the seas between Malaysia and Vietnam.

“Ayon sa direktiba ni Kalihim Voltaire Gazmin ng Tanggulang Pambansa, ang AFP ay nagsasagawa ng surveillance at patrol sa West Philippine Sea bilang pagtulong sa patuloy na search and rescue

operations para sa nawawalang eroplano ng Malaysian Airlines,” Coloma said.

He added the President had been updated of the AFP’s inclusion in the search and rescue mission.

“Ito ay isinasagawa sa pamamagitan ng F-27 plane at ng BRP Gregorio del Pilar at patrol boats ng Philippine Navy. Simula pa kahapon, ayon kay Kalihim Gazmin, patuloy ang koordinasyon sa AFP ng mga defense attaché ng Malaysia at Vietnam sa pamamagitan ng palitan ng impormasyon. Lahat ng mga ito ay naiuulat kay Pangulong Aquino,” Coloma said. PND


Concerned government agencies remain committed towards improving public transportation in Metro Manila with the Land

Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board’s (LTFRB) recent decision to cancel the franchises of two erring bus companies that figured in a fatal accident along EDSA last November, Malacañang said on Sunday.

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Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. told a press briefing over Radyo ng Bayan that the government continues to uphold the safety and welfare of commuters by keeping a watchful eye on such public utility vehicles.

“Ang pagpapawalang-bisa ng LTFRB ng mga prangkisa na sumasaklaw sa 21 busses ng Elena Liner at 18 units ng MGP Trans ay bahagi ng kampanya upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan na araw-araw na sumasakay sa mga bus at mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga nasawi at nasugatan sa mga aksidente,” Coloma said in a statement.

He added both the LTFRB and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) also maintain their regular inventory and inspection of the transportation companies’ vehicles to make sure they have the necessary documents to continue their operations.

“Walang humpay ang ginagawang imbentaryo at inspeksyon ng LTFRB at LTO sa mga garahe ng mga pampublikong sasakyan upang masiguro na sapat ang kanilang papeles sa pagbiyahe, kabilang na ang pagsawata sa mga tinaguriang kolorum o mga walang kaukulang prangkisa upang makapamasada,” he said.

In addition, the government has been making substantial improvements on the country’s major thoroughfares, and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has toughened its traffic management by providing more closed circuit television

cameras across the city. Malacañang has also repeatedly asked

drivers of public vehicles to exercise extreme caution at all times whenever they ply the country’s busy roads and always abide by traffic rules and other regulations.

At least seven people died and 38 were injured when an Elena Liner bus crashed into an MGP Trans unit at the EDSA-Magallanes loading bay in November 14, 2013. It was found out that MGP Trans was operating illegally as it was not yet registered with the LTFRB and LTO at the time.

Elena Liner and MGP Trans were just two of the many bus companies sanctioned by the LTFRB after being involved in a string of deadly road mishaps bridging the last quarter of 2013 and the first two months of this year.

The LTFRB issued a 30-day suspension against Mayamy Transport Corp. after one of its buses caused multiple injuries to five passengers after crashing through a center island along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City in broad daylight last week.

Last month, the LTFRB also suspended all 228 busses of GV Florida Transport Inc. when one of its units plunged into a ravine in Bontoc, Mountain Province, resulting into 15 fatalities and 31 injuries.

The infamous Don Mariano Transit also had its operations canceled by the LTFRB in January due to several violations in light of the December 16 Skyway accident that killed 22 people and wounded 20. PND

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Mindanao power body responds to supply shortfallA power monitoring body created to initiate immediate and long

term steps to address the power situation in Mindanao has recommended quick measures to bridge power supply deficit resulting from the unscheduled shutdown of 210MW Steag coal-fired power plant.

In a meeting called last Friday to assess the situation and determine the cause of the February 27 island-wide blackout, the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) sought the immediate dispatch of capacities from embedded

generators of distribution utilities, including newly-installed modular gensets of several electric cooperatives.

“We find it viable to quickly resolve the supply deficit by tapping what is already available in the system, as


measures are being exerted to restore affected power plants back online,” says Secretary Luwalhati Antonino, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), which also heads the MPMC.

The MPMC had asked private distribution utilities (DUs) to run its embedded capacities such as diesel generators, even as it requested the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to judiciously accelerate provisional approval of pending rate applications for modular gensets that have already been installed.

It also asked DUs and electric cooperatives distribution to urge large commercial establishments and industries to implement demand-side management measures such as adjustment of operating schedules for processing and manufacturing plants and to opt-in for Interruptible Load Program (ILP), a mechanism where large establishments such as malls and factories run their generator sets instead of tapping from the grid and are allowed to recover cost.

Antonino stressed that the recent system downtime affecting large capacities should be immediately resolved, in light of the approaching onset of summer months when Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power complex would be expected to have reduced output.

“I understand that the cause of the problem that triggered series of plant trip-offs is still being determined, but

such assessment should be done quickly so that corrective actions are put in place to prevent recurrence,” Antonino said.

The Mindanao system-wide blackout happened at dawn of February 27 when a series power plant trip-offs or automatic shutdown triggered a system-wide blackout across the entire Mindanao grid. According to initial findings of the Department of Energy (DOE), a malfunction of Agus 1 hydropower plant unit set-off automatic shutdown that cascaded to several other power plants that put offline around 1200MW supply to the Mindanao grid.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has restored stability by noontime of same day, with the system blackout regarded as technical in nature. However, despite system restoration, the 210MW Steag coal-fired power plant remained offline after its plant units 1 and 2 sustained damage to its turbine generating sets.

Steag is still assessing the extent of damage and expects to provide timeline for resumption of plant operations once assessment is completed. Initial technical evaluation indicates Steag may need a substantial amount of time to restore 2 plant units back online.

According to the DOE, the Steag downtime has brought restoration of Mindanao power supply to only about 80 to 85 percent.


PopCom sponsors RH forumBy Angie Balen-AntonioBUTUAN CITY - The Commission on Population (PopCom) in coordination with the Regional Development Council-Gender and Development Committee (RDC-GADCC) will sponsor a Forum on Republic Act 10354 or known as Responsible Parenthood – Reproductive Health Act of 2012 last March 7, 2014 in this city.


The forum is timely as the whole nations celebrates the Women’s Month this March with the theme, “Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at Pagsulong!”

PopCom Executive Director, Dr. Juan Antonio A. Perez III will talk on the updates of the law which has been a contentious issue between the church and the government.

Participants to this forum are various stakeholders and partners from the different regional line agencies.

PopCom regional director Alexander A. Makinano said that the forum is a good venue for the sectoral groups to have a deeper understanding and appreciation on the different provisions of the RP - RH law, updates on the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), and its current status.

Makinano pointed-out that said law, once fully implemented will

protect the health and lives of mothers and their children through full access to quality services and information on reproductive health, and would ensures hiring and training of a skilled health professionals.

Other than this forum, various activities for the Women’s Month have been lined-up by the RDC-GADCC to give honor to the strong and resilient “Juanas” who brought inspiring changes not only to their family but throughout the country and the whole world.


U.S. Embassy to hold 2nd seminar for regional mediaBy Jennifer P. GaitanoBUTUAN CITY -- The United States (US) Embassy is set to hold a Two-Day Seminar for the members of the media with representatives from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) from the different regions of the country on March 24-25, 2014 at the US Embassy’s Multipurpose Room, Chancery Compound, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

According to Yolanda B. de Guzman of Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy Manila, U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg will deliver his welcome remarks on Day 1 (March 24) at the venue.

“This is the second time that the U.S. Embassy will be holding the seminar. The first one was conducted on September last year. It was a seminar workshop planned to address media ethics in the practice of blocktiming in the country,” recalled de Guzman.

De Guzman further bared that

speakers from the U.S. Embassy and partners will discuss with the participants the prevailing issues and concerns that have something to do with the community, youth, education and environment. “Topics on transnational crimes, trade and investment, consular services, and trafficking in persons will also be tackled during the seminar,” she added.

“The participants are expected to arrive in Manila on Mar. 23 since the seminar on Day-1 will start at exactly 7:30 a.m.,” said de Guzman.

4 firms get fines for selling Christmas lights with no ICC stickers BUTUAN CITY -- While most firms are busy with post-Christmas business, four establishments in this city get penalties recently for violations made during the height of the Christmas season.

The four firms which sold Christmas lights without the required Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers were meted administrative fines in the amount ranging from P17,500.00 to P25,000.00.

In addition, they were also ordered to cease and desist from selling Christmas lights without ICC stickers with a stern warning that repetition of the same or similar acts in the future shall be dealt with more severely.


The decision was handed down by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Caraga Regional Office on the basis of the formal charge filed on the observed violations.

The violators were caught during the inspections conducted by DTI-Agusan Del Norte Provincial Office monitoring and enforcement team during the last quarter of 2013 in line with the agency’s mandate to inspect commodities which affect the life, health and safety of consumers under Republic Act No. 4109 otherwise known as the Product Standards Law.

A total of 2,481 individual

lighting sets plus 29 boxes of Christmas lights were found to have been displayed for sale without the required ICC stickers in violation of Department Order No. 02, Series of 2007.

The confiscated products are forfeited in favor of the government and will be processed for destruction.

Christmas light is a mandatory product required to conform to Philippine National Standard (PNS) 189:2000. Imported lighting sets that conform to the safety requirements of the said PNS are issued with the corresponding ICC stickers.


Mindanao stakeholders propose to abolish if not modify IMEMby Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Mindanao Stakeholders expressed during a public hearing here their lack of confidence in the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) saying that rules are not well defined and could result to manipulation of suppliers to the true cost of electricity.


Mindanao stakeholders propose to abolish if not modify IMEM

According to Dr. Ricardo E. Rotoras, president of Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) that the problem with IMEM is that it creates a competitive market intended during a peak load and a regulated market for non-peak period. He says you cannot separate a competitive market from a regulated one. He says that a power generator for example, given the situation would opt for the non-regulated period where they can double their price for the peak load. Further, he says IMEM failed to consider that suppliers will maximize profits given that market rules are not well defined. “Is this mandated or optional?” asks Dr. Rotoras. He says regulation is necessary in determination of electricity prices during peak or off-peak and that incentives for embedded generation facilities can be done through efficient pricing methodology. Meanwhile, the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (AMRECO) is supportive of the IMEM however issues and concerns raised during previous public hearings regarding its rules and regulations were not considered. According to them, the Department of Energy (DOE) did not consider their recommendations since they were not reflected or included in the finalization of its Department Circular.

On the other hand, One Care party list Representative Edgardo R. Masongsong, author of House Resolution No. 156 which defers the implementation of IMEM says that if IMEM will not be suspended at least proceed but with amendments to the rules. He says that Mindanao stakeholders are affected by this and that they have the right to tell the House of Representatives their experience, what they want or not want with IMEM. Further, Iligan City Representative Vicente Belmonte Jr., author of House Resolution No. 586 says that IMEM needs more investigation regarding its pros and cons, advantage and disadvantage. He says that the concern is supply and pricing. He asks how this can affect supply and pricing in Mindanao. Meanwhile, Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) President Melinda Ocampo says the purpose of IMEM is to promote transparency, to utilize unutilized capacities. She says its methodology was approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). She says the main reason for IMEM is to mitigate measures, encourage competition and marginal pricing. However, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy Reynaldo V. Umali says


that the rotational brownout is worrisome and that the most expensive electricity is a lack of it. He says that he is still glad because even if stakeholders have issues against IMEM, most of them are still open for possible amendments to the rules. IMEM is mandated by the Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular No. DC2013-01-0001 dated January 9, 2013 pursuant to DOE’s mandate in ensuring reliability, quality and supply of electric power under Republic Act No. 9136 also known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 or EPIRA. This was also amended through Department Circular No. DC2013-09-0020 dated September 10, 2013 adopting amendments to the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) implementing rules and

promulgating the IMEM manuals. The IMEM is a venue for the transparent and efficient utilization of all available capacities in the Mindanao grid to meet the supply deficiency. Unlike the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) operating in Luzon and Visayas, the IMEM will be a day-ahead market and will address only the supply deficiency in the grid. It intends to draw out all generation capacities including embedded generators in the grid to contribute to the supply in Mindanao. Further, it also intends to draw out voluntary load customers who are willing to curtail their load to lower the demand in the system. The public hearing was led and organized by the Energy Committee of the House of Representatives on March 6 at the Mallberry Suite in Cagayan de Oro City.

by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

Women Resource Center of Ozamiz marks 8th anniversary

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental - Fun and games with family members highlighted the 8th anniversary of the Women Resource Center (WRC), here at the City Gym, March 6.

The celebration, which coincided with the 3rd Family Day for the children of the WRC

Day Care Center, was preceded by 10:00 a.m., Holy Mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral


and a motorcade around the main thoroughfares of the city at 11:00 a.m. Located inside the Public Mall, a modern version of the public market, the WRC Day Care Center presently caters to 89 children aged 3-4 yrs., in pre-school and another 43, aged 4-5 yrs., in Kindergarten due for enrolment in Grade 1, in the incoming school year.

The WRC was established by the Ozamiz City Poor Women Vendors’ Association Inc. (OCPWVAI), which is composed of more than 100 women vendors in the city, who organized themselves to find means to sustain their livelihood, eight years ago. The group has representations from the different sectors of the public market, such as, the vegetable section, fresh fruit section, eatery section, dried fish section, etc,Lanie C. Dela Vega, OCPWVAI President, said. She said the association gave them the personality to go into other ventures like putting up a fund for the members to borrow

on low interest and short terms to afford them additional capital for their business. From just being called poor women vendors, the OCPWVAI members have become the owners of their stalls. “But we maintain that ‘P’ in our organization stands for ‘poor’ and not the ‘proud’ owners of our stalls,” Dela Vega quipped.


SP accredits more NGOsby CdeOSP

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Two more non-government organizations have been listed as members of the city’s Local Special Bodies (LSB).

The City Council during its regular session Monday, March 3, presided over by Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas adopted Resolution No. 11609-2014, accrediting/re-accrediting the Filipino Khanashokan Rapidosa Martial Arts Association, Inc and the KFR Philippines Karatedo Federation Region 10, Inc. in the LSB. In a letter to Vice Mayor Acenas, FKR Philippines President Cheran N. Salvado said the organization is willing to continue its free services, volunteerism and to contribute ideas for the socio-economic development of the city, especially to the disadvantaged sector. FKR provides free arnis and martial arts training for the youth and elderly, hosts Arnis tournaments

and capability training programs, among others. Meanwhile, the Filipino Khanashokan association makes available Olympic standard training on sports karatedo for in-school and out-of-school youth, seminars and trainings for law enforcers and Criminology students, among others. The accreditation of NGOs is pursuant to DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-70 and Article 64, Rule XIII of the Rules and Regulations implementing the 1991 Local Government Code. The committees on sports and youth development and on laws and rules respectively chaired by Councilors Yan Lam Lim and Ramon G. Tabor endorsed the resolution.

Another of their ventures is the Day Care Center, which originally served as drop-in center for children of OCPWVAI members, while their mothers were busy with selling their wares. Now, they have expanded and opened the center to children of

non-OCPWVAI members charging minimal fees for both pre-school and Kindergarten, to take care of the teachers’ salaries and up-keep of two classrooms inside the market place, which they also rent.


Free services for womenGENERAL SANTOS CITY One of the highlights of the Women’s Month Celebration organized by the City Population and Management Office Saturday, March 8, at Oval Gymnasium is the giving of free services to women as such as haircut, diabetes screening, pap smear and blood pressure checkup. (GENSAN INFO OFFICE/Russell Delvo)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato-- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in SOCCSKSARGEN Region is the country’s sec-ond best performing regional office in 2013, an official of the agency con-firmed.

DPWH 12 is second best performing in PHBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

This is a giant leap, considering that in DPWH 12 ranked No. 15 among the 16 DPWH regional offices in 2012, said OIC Regional Director Reynaldo Tamayo.

“DPWH 12 was lauded as second best region in the nationwide ranking after garnering a total score of 81.10% based on current and carry- over infrastructure accomplishment,” Tamayo told Philippine Information Agency in a statement.

He said the recognition was confirmed during an executive meeting with public works and highways Secretary Rogelio Singson in February at the DPWH Central Office in Manila.

Based on the Roads and Bridges Inventory Assessment (RBIA) data, the region maintains a total road length 1,521.27 km of national arterial and secondary roads.

As of December 31, 2013, the region’s paved national arterial road already comprised 87% or equivalent to 687.88 km out of 793.485.

On the other hand, concreting of the national secondary road has

already covered 55% or 397.16 km.

The official added they could complete concreting of the national arterial or primary roads this year as scheduled, while the national secondary roads will be completed in 2016.

The official attributed the great leap to the commitment of personnel of the DPWH 12 from the top management to the rank-and-file employees, especially those assigned in the field.

“The challenge to lead our home region towards economic progress has inspired us to realize our thrust in infrastructure development, and because we understand that advancing infrastructure is imperative to the growing economy and tourism,” RD Tamayo.

He added that they are guided by the agency tagline, “Daang Matuwid, Kaunlaran ang Hatid” in accordance with the “Tuwid na Daan” advocacy of President Benigno Aquino III. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from DPWH Information Unit)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato-- The Department of Agriculture (DA) has sought the cooperation of local government units in SOCCSKSARGEN Region for the effective implementation of projects and programs in their respective areas.

DA seeks help of LGUs in implementation of projectsBy: Danilo E. Doguiles

Recently, DA 12 Regional Executive Director Amalia Jayag-Datukan spearheaded separate complementation forums with local chief executives and other LGU officials of Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani and North Cotabato.

Director Datukan said, discussions with LGU officials were primarily intended to explain the implementation of government development programs and projects for the LGUs that are being coursed through DA.

Programs discussed included the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB), formerly the Bottoms-Up Budgeting and the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and the agency’s frontline AgriPinoy programs as well as subprojects like construction or rehabilitation of farm-to-market road, multipurpose drying pavements, distribution of farm machineries, and many others.

Participants in these forums were local chief executives, and their agriculture, engineering, planning and accounting officers.

Director Datukan disclosed SOCCSKSARGEN Region’s budget has been increased 139 percent, from over P1.6 billion in 2013 to over P3.04

billion this year. “Although as an agency DA has so

much funds to spend, this allotment would be useless without you helping us carry out development initiatives,” she told the local chief executives.

“Agricultural extension workers work under your management and you are also closer to the farmers. Thus, we need your guidance and support,” she emphasized.

The meetings were also an opportunity for the DA officials to appeal to the LGU officials to be prompt with liquidation of funds downloaded to them.

“LGUs with unliquidated accounts should settle these immediately,” finance chief Carlene Collado told the mayors.

“If there are funds to be downloaded to your office and you still have unliquidated accounts, DA will immediately start the implementation of the project provided with memorandum of agreement with your office allowing DA to carry out the bidding process,” he emphasized.

Per record, according to Collado, as of February this year, of the P134 million transferred to the LGUs in previous years, only P55 million had


been liquidated. At least 46 LGUs have not yet submitted liquidation documents.

Meanwhile, Engr. Claire Rudas, focal person on for FMR projects told the participants, “FMRs now will be executed in accordance with Department of Public Works and Highways’ guidelines on road projects.”

“Aside from funds coursed through DA, regular funds will also be downloaded to DPWH for them to implement infrastructure projects, as what was agreed by the national office”

she said.Director Datukan assured the

participants, especially city and municipal mayors, that more development projects will be implemented across SOCCSKSARGEN Region this year.

SOCCSKSARGEN Region covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani as well as the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal, and General Santos.(DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with HMCOsoteo-DA 12)

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato– The Overseas Workers Welfare Admin-stration- SOCCSKSARGEN announced it is now accepting applicants for its OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (OFWDSP).

OWWA-SOCCSKSARGEN announces scholarships for OFW dependentsBy: Oliver Ross V. Rivera

OWWA-12 Director Marilou Sumalinog said there are 56 scholarship slots for Region 12 for school year 2014-2015 under OFWDSP.

Sumalinog explained that the OFWDSP which offers a P20,000 educational assistance per year is open for application to a child or a dependent brother/sister of unmarried active OWWA member OFWs with a monthly salary of not more than $400.

Qualifiers are entitled to a baccalaureate or associate degree in a state college or university within the region.

Further, applicants must be a Filipino citizen not more than 21 years old and not a recipient of any scholarship

award from any government or private institutions.

Deadline for submission of applications will be on May 2, 2014.

Interested applicants may submit their application at the OWWA-12 office in Koronadal City or thru the Public OFW Desk officers (PODO) designate in different municipalities, cities and provinces in the region.

For further inquiries about the scholarship grants, interested applicants are encouraged to contact OWWA-12 thru telephone number (083)228-1076 or hotline 09175721303/ 09088881303. (ORVRivera-PIA12/GBDocus in-OWWA12)


BIR-XI forecasts high tax collections for 2014DAVAO CITY- An official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Davao Region has predicted a more massive campaign to collect more taxes this year for the gov-ernment. Speaking at the press briefing during the launch of the 2014 Tax Collection Campaign, Atty. Glen Geraldino, acting regional director of the BIR-RR 19 said the Operation Plan: Kandado and the campaign against tax evaders will be intensified. “We have to go after those who are not paying their taxes. So massive tax enforcement will be implemented in Davao Region,” he said. Geraldino revealed that in Davao Region the annual revenue target for 2014 is P13.12-Billion. He said the total revenue collection for 2013 was P10.94-

Billion realized by the BIR personnel in Davao Region despite the onslaught of typhoon Pablo.

Geraldino said Davao Del Norte suffered tremendously during typhoon Pablo and consequently leading to a short-fall of P800-Million for the tax collection last year, particularly on the down-line industries of banana like the trucking and fertilizers. He looked forward that the banana industry will revive with the many companies recovering and consequently more taxes will be again collected from them. In the same press briefing Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares explained that the taxes collected from Davao and other parts of the country go directly to the general appropriation fund of the national treasury which funds

by Joey Sem Dalumpines


the national budget. She said that when money gets to the national treasury, it co-mingles with other government funds. “Our performance has to

be good for g o v e r n m e n t to have more money to a u g m e n t spending for its operation and to augment in times of calamity,” Henares said. She said that if revenue-g e n e r a t i n g agencies like the BIR and the Bureau of Customs collect e f f i c i e n t l y ,

government funds are available to be used in responding to emergencies like calamities. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

did you know...That Bureau of Internal Revenue was created during the time of the second American Civil Governor Luke E. Wright in 1904 thru the passage of the Reorganization Act 1189 dated July 2, 1904.


COMPOSTELA VALLEY PROVINCE----The provincial government of Compostela Valley and the Depart-ment of Social Welfare & Develop-ment (DSWD) has continued the distribution of onsite modified shelters from the Modified Shel-ter Assistance Program (MSAP) of DSWD. First given was the Munici-pality of Montevista last Febru-ary 18, 2014 with 42 shelters for Barangay Camansi and 55 for Barangay Banglasan. The second phase was held last February 28 in New Bataan where a total of 146 Certificates of Occupancy were distributed

to the beneficiaries through their Neighborhood Associ-ation on Shelter Assistance (NASA) for Brgy. Andap (45 shelters), Panag (50), Mag-saysay (30), Bantacan (11), and Kahayag (10 houses). Another turn-over on the same day was done in Compostela for Barangay Osmena (64 shelters) and

Poblacion (183). The third phase was done on March 6 at Monkayo for its 7 ba-rangays (Poblacion, Banlag, Ca-soon, Mamunga, Union, Naboc, and Awao). A total of 632 hous-es were turned-over. There’s still another sched-ule set of turnover for tomorrow (March 11), recipients will be some barangays in Laak which were hard-hit during the occur-rence of Typhoon Pablo. Each shelter is said to have a material cost of P70,000 and a labor component of P22,600.00. (Grace Almedilla, IDS-Comval)

Turn-over of onsite modified shelters in ComVal, a continuing program

One Mindanao - March 10, 2014

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