By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY---Economist and Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has down played yesterday
the pronouncement of Armed Forces Chief General Ricardo David Jr. that local
government units (LGUs), and not the AFP, are the ones to blame for the
continued existence of communist insurgency in the Philippines.
Citing facts and figures, Salceda stressed out that though LGUs are the ones in
the front line of solving the insurgency problem, but they are not equipped with
enough resources and shares of collected revenues to effect steps that would
dissolved the 41-year-old communist revolutionary movement.
Salceda was reacting to a story recently published in a daily newspaper where
David was quoted to fingerpoint to the LGUs as the ones to blame in the
country's communist insurgency for their alleged failure to "be good in their
delivery of social services."
"With LGUs accounting for measly 2.84% of Gross Domestic Product and 17.67% of
the national budget and further diffused over 42,000 bgys, numerous towns and
cities and 79 provinces, it is simply not feasible to pin down the resolution of
the insurgency problem on LGUs?. Compare that to China where GUs account for 66%
of the budget and they retain collections and just remit the balance to the
central government," Salceda told The SUN through email.
Salceda said that due to such unjust distribution of assets, LGUs being at the
forefront of government have to contend with the day-to-day concerns of their
constituencies and make up for the sweeping deficiency of an imperial central
government.
"We are loaded with mandates and imperatives but are deprived of resources and
powers," the economist governor lamented.
He even cited as a specific example the case of the on-going Rapu-rapu mining in
Albay which he said creates so much socio-political tension but it is largely a
national imposition on the local community. The company is paying mining taxes
to Makati City and not in Albay.
"With insurgency already a historical initial condition to LGUs economic effort
compounded by deficit in resources in face of mounting demands for better
standards of livings, LGUs are first to be crushed in the
middle," Salceda stressed out.
Salceda, who is also the chairman of the Bicol Regional Development Council
(RDC), said that social injustice articulated by intergenerational mass poverty
is the real culprit behind the longest running insurgency in world.
"As graphically depicted by a World Bank illustration of GRDP/sq km, the
countryside has been
structurally deprived of economic opportunity. And 74% of the country's poor is
rural. And such marginalization, in fact pauperization of the countryside
continues unabated till now. " Salceda said.
Salceda said the situation is even "being aggravated by structures of injustice
in the guise of market efficiency- spikes in WESM prices with NPC power assets
now 91% privatization, 277% hike in SLEX tolls."
The Albay governor was among those who opposed before the Supreme Court the SLEX
toll rates hikes. (cet dematera)
-30-
Monday, February 21, 2011
ALBAY IS PALARONG BICOL CHAMP, TO SEND MORE ATHLETES TO PALARONG PAMBANSA
By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY---Albay athletes would comprise the largest number in the Bicol
delegation to the forthcoming 2011 palarong pambansa tentatively scheduled in
Zamboanga Del Norte this May 8 to 14. after it emerged overall champion in the
recently concluded palarong Bicol.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said he already ordered sports trainers and coaches here
to do the necessary preparations for the national sports competition, even as he
announced the province intention to bid for the 2012 palarong pambansa.
Albay bested Bicol's three mainland and two island provinces in the Feb.14 to 17
palarong Bicol, dislodging the defending champion Camarines Norte by 54.5
points. First runner-up was Camarines Sur, followed by Camarines Norte, Legazpi
City, and Naga City.
“From being disaster risk reduction champion to being the Palarong Bicol
champion makes us proud as Albayanos," Salceda told The SUN.
Moat of Albay's gold medals came from athletics, boxing, arnis, badminton and
football. Legazpi City was overall champion in swimming. (cet dematera)
-30-
LEGAZPI CITY---Albay athletes would comprise the largest number in the Bicol
delegation to the forthcoming 2011 palarong pambansa tentatively scheduled in
Zamboanga Del Norte this May 8 to 14. after it emerged overall champion in the
recently concluded palarong Bicol.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said he already ordered sports trainers and coaches here
to do the necessary preparations for the national sports competition, even as he
announced the province intention to bid for the 2012 palarong pambansa.
Albay bested Bicol's three mainland and two island provinces in the Feb.14 to 17
palarong Bicol, dislodging the defending champion Camarines Norte by 54.5
points. First runner-up was Camarines Sur, followed by Camarines Norte, Legazpi
City, and Naga City.
“From being disaster risk reduction champion to being the Palarong Bicol
champion makes us proud as Albayanos," Salceda told The SUN.
Moat of Albay's gold medals came from athletics, boxing, arnis, badminton and
football. Legazpi City was overall champion in swimming. (cet dematera)
-30-
Friday, February 11, 2011
REYES A MAN UNLIKELY TO COMMIT A SUICIDE---HIGH SCHOOL FELLOW SCRIBE, PAL
By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY---A former campus writer of Angelo Reyes during their high school
days admitted yesterday here that he, too, was so shocked upon learning that his
ex-editor-in-chief in their school publication "The Apprentice" committed
suicide amid his implications in anomalous high level transactions in the Armed
Forces of the Philippines.
Floreño Solmirano, who recently retired as bureau chief for Southern Luzon of
the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said that the qualities he knew of Reyes as good
friend and former campus paper editor of Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School
hardly gave hint to the way he ended his life.
"Angie cracked good humor and very fond of singing whenever we were company. In
fact, he was a very strict and very principled man," Solmirano told The SUN.
As school paper editor, Solmirano said Reyes always wanted that their carried
stories were accurate and devoid of biases.
"He really wants to be fair to everybody," Solmirano said, adding that Reyes
also discussed extensively on how to improve the energy sector in order to
benefit the poor Filipinos as energy secretary every time he sought his
comments.
Reyes committing suicide spread like wild fire across Bicol, the region where
known former rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan of Sorsogon, and Antonio
Trillanes IV of Albay, were hailed. (cet dematera)
LEGAZPI CITY---A former campus writer of Angelo Reyes during their high school
days admitted yesterday here that he, too, was so shocked upon learning that his
ex-editor-in-chief in their school publication "The Apprentice" committed
suicide amid his implications in anomalous high level transactions in the Armed
Forces of the Philippines.
Floreño Solmirano, who recently retired as bureau chief for Southern Luzon of
the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said that the qualities he knew of Reyes as good
friend and former campus paper editor of Ramon Magsaysay Cubao High School
hardly gave hint to the way he ended his life.
"Angie cracked good humor and very fond of singing whenever we were company. In
fact, he was a very strict and very principled man," Solmirano told The SUN.
As school paper editor, Solmirano said Reyes always wanted that their carried
stories were accurate and devoid of biases.
"He really wants to be fair to everybody," Solmirano said, adding that Reyes
also discussed extensively on how to improve the energy sector in order to
benefit the poor Filipinos as energy secretary every time he sought his
comments.
Reyes committing suicide spread like wild fire across Bicol, the region where
known former rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan of Sorsogon, and Antonio
Trillanes IV of Albay, were hailed. (cet dematera)
ALECO BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN EN MASSE; POWER CUT OFF ABORTED
By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY---In an almost three hours via-phone negotions between Gov. Joey
Salceda and Energy Secretary Rene Alemendras, the scheduled power-cuff to Albay
province yesterday was finally aborted when all the board members of the
debt-ridden Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco) finally decided to resign in
masse to allow the take over today (Friday) of the firm's management by the
National Electrification Administration (NEA).
The negotiation was prolonged when Almendras informed Salceda that the Aleco
boardmembers should have addressed their resignation directly to NEA and not to
the firm's officer-in-charge, for DOE to halt the disconnection.
Salceda though finally persuaded Alemendras to abort the disconnection by
allowing NEA's management team to immediately takeover the Aleco management this
Friday.
"We requested Secretary Alemendras to abort the disconnection and instead send a
NEA team tomorrow to takeover the Aleco management," Salceda told The SUN.
The disconnection attempt was the third time since September last year.
The Philippine Electricity Market Corp.(PEMC) threatened to disconnect power to
Aleco through DOE should it fails to settle its standing billed debt of some
P1.2-billion pesos, though the P843-million of this amount is under litigation.
The over 250,000 power consumers across Albay expressed deep sigh of relief when
Salceda announced through the media here that the scheduled disconnection would
no longer take place. (cet dematera)
LEGAZPI CITY---In an almost three hours via-phone negotions between Gov. Joey
Salceda and Energy Secretary Rene Alemendras, the scheduled power-cuff to Albay
province yesterday was finally aborted when all the board members of the
debt-ridden Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco) finally decided to resign in
masse to allow the take over today (Friday) of the firm's management by the
National Electrification Administration (NEA).
The negotiation was prolonged when Almendras informed Salceda that the Aleco
boardmembers should have addressed their resignation directly to NEA and not to
the firm's officer-in-charge, for DOE to halt the disconnection.
Salceda though finally persuaded Alemendras to abort the disconnection by
allowing NEA's management team to immediately takeover the Aleco management this
Friday.
"We requested Secretary Alemendras to abort the disconnection and instead send a
NEA team tomorrow to takeover the Aleco management," Salceda told The SUN.
The disconnection attempt was the third time since September last year.
The Philippine Electricity Market Corp.(PEMC) threatened to disconnect power to
Aleco through DOE should it fails to settle its standing billed debt of some
P1.2-billion pesos, though the P843-million of this amount is under litigation.
The over 250,000 power consumers across Albay expressed deep sigh of relief when
Salceda announced through the media here that the scheduled disconnection would
no longer take place. (cet dematera)
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Cash transfer program brings hope in calamity-stricken Albay
By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Four words, one phrase bearing hope.
Since Jan. 14, Albay is the first province to be fully covered by the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to achieve one of the UN’s millennium development goals (MDGs).
There are currently 11,869 families benefiting from the 4Ps in Albay’s 15 towns and three cities. Each family receives P1,400 a month released every three months, as an added allowance from the government to support their families. The program enables families to have decent shelter and put food on their tables, afford necessary vaccinations and send their children to school, reminding them that hope exists and that a brighter future is ahead.
“We already received a total of P17,800 in two releases (six months) by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The amount helps our family a lot. My children are also more inspired than ever, since they can now study with a complete set of school things,” Antonio Roxas, a father of five school-aged children in Legazpi City, told The STAR.
It is no wonder then that the 4Ps and the phrase “Nag 4Ps Ka Na?” are so popular and have become a byword, not just a simple slogan. The phrase is now part of regular conversations, bearing a ring of not only hope but also pride.
Although The STAR got varied opinions from the beneficiaries across Albay, most of them felt more reassured by the cash support from the government.
Genny Arnaldo, a mother of three school-aged children said, “This is the first time that I am handed such an amount of money, all at once. I don’t really know how to feel about this, but our family feels so privileged and grateful to receive such cash subsidy from the government.”
Gov. Joey Salceda, who fought for the full coverage of 4Ps in Albay, especially for the poor families of Camalig, Oas, Guinobatan and Tiwi, said, “This actually constitutes the biggest and the more socio-economically beneficial relief to our province in this period of economic stress.”
The economist governor’s next goal is “the expansion of the current coverage of 11,869 to 92,800 4Ps beneficiaries.”
The program is based on a similar one in Brazil that gives regular cash subsidies to poor families.
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Four words, one phrase bearing hope.
Since Jan. 14, Albay is the first province to be fully covered by the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to achieve one of the UN’s millennium development goals (MDGs).
There are currently 11,869 families benefiting from the 4Ps in Albay’s 15 towns and three cities. Each family receives P1,400 a month released every three months, as an added allowance from the government to support their families. The program enables families to have decent shelter and put food on their tables, afford necessary vaccinations and send their children to school, reminding them that hope exists and that a brighter future is ahead.
“We already received a total of P17,800 in two releases (six months) by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The amount helps our family a lot. My children are also more inspired than ever, since they can now study with a complete set of school things,” Antonio Roxas, a father of five school-aged children in Legazpi City, told The STAR.
It is no wonder then that the 4Ps and the phrase “Nag 4Ps Ka Na?” are so popular and have become a byword, not just a simple slogan. The phrase is now part of regular conversations, bearing a ring of not only hope but also pride.
Although The STAR got varied opinions from the beneficiaries across Albay, most of them felt more reassured by the cash support from the government.
Genny Arnaldo, a mother of three school-aged children said, “This is the first time that I am handed such an amount of money, all at once. I don’t really know how to feel about this, but our family feels so privileged and grateful to receive such cash subsidy from the government.”
Gov. Joey Salceda, who fought for the full coverage of 4Ps in Albay, especially for the poor families of Camalig, Oas, Guinobatan and Tiwi, said, “This actually constitutes the biggest and the more socio-economically beneficial relief to our province in this period of economic stress.”
The economist governor’s next goal is “the expansion of the current coverage of 11,869 to 92,800 4Ps beneficiaries.”
The program is based on a similar one in Brazil that gives regular cash subsidies to poor families.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Residents of landslide-hit Albay village to be relocated
By Cet Dematera
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – At least 163 families or 800 people residing in a remote, landslide-stricken village in Albay yesterday started to leave their homes as a team of geologists declared their community highly susceptible to soil and rock erosions.
After a study, Arlene Dayao, officer-in-charge of the Geosciences Division of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Bicol, recommended to the provincial government the immediate relocation of the residents within the “high-risk” portion of Calaguimit village in Camalig town.
Dayao said the geologic conditions of the place make it highly vulnerable to landslides or rock slumps due to the presence of joints and weak siltstone-shale bedrock.
“The rock slump site should be declared a high-risk zone. The area upslope of the rock slump where indications of slope instability in the form of creeping and ground cracks are present should also be declared a high-risk zone,” Dayao said in her report to the provincial authorities.
“Apart from the four houses that had been damaged by the rock slump, there are 14 other households located within the immediate vicinity of the landslide area that are at risk. The four households located on the high-risk zone and directly affected by the slump are recommended for permanent relocation to safer places the soonest possible time,” Dayao said.
Dayao said the affected villagers should not be allowed to return to their damaged houses.
Gov. Joey Salceda said he has already ordered the evacuation of 30 families whose houses are directly at risk, adding that the remaining families would also be evacuated as soon as a safe relocation site for them is identified.
“Meantime, the directly affected families are now being housed at the six big tents donated to Albay by the UNICEF. We would also evacuate the others while preparing for their total relocation,” Salceda told The STAR. – With Celso Amo
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – At least 163 families or 800 people residing in a remote, landslide-stricken village in Albay yesterday started to leave their homes as a team of geologists declared their community highly susceptible to soil and rock erosions.
After a study, Arlene Dayao, officer-in-charge of the Geosciences Division of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in Bicol, recommended to the provincial government the immediate relocation of the residents within the “high-risk” portion of Calaguimit village in Camalig town.
Dayao said the geologic conditions of the place make it highly vulnerable to landslides or rock slumps due to the presence of joints and weak siltstone-shale bedrock.
“The rock slump site should be declared a high-risk zone. The area upslope of the rock slump where indications of slope instability in the form of creeping and ground cracks are present should also be declared a high-risk zone,” Dayao said in her report to the provincial authorities.
“Apart from the four houses that had been damaged by the rock slump, there are 14 other households located within the immediate vicinity of the landslide area that are at risk. The four households located on the high-risk zone and directly affected by the slump are recommended for permanent relocation to safer places the soonest possible time,” Dayao said.
Dayao said the affected villagers should not be allowed to return to their damaged houses.
Gov. Joey Salceda said he has already ordered the evacuation of 30 families whose houses are directly at risk, adding that the remaining families would also be evacuated as soon as a safe relocation site for them is identified.
“Meantime, the directly affected families are now being housed at the six big tents donated to Albay by the UNICEF. We would also evacuate the others while preparing for their total relocation,” Salceda told The STAR. – With Celso Amo
Thursday, January 27, 2011
PAGASA INSTALLS RAIN-GAUGES AS ALBAY BRACES FOR MORE LANDSLIDES
By CET DEMATERA
LEGAZPI CITY---Weathermen here said yesterday that they had installed additional rain gauges to the recently identified landslide prone villages across Albay as the province braces for more soil erosions due to already highly saturated land mass being brought by prevailing monsoon rains over Bicol since mid-December last year.
Landrico Dalida Jr, Bicol chief forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said that the rain gauges were installed in Oas and Manito, the two Albay towns with barangays most prone to landslides due to the month-long heavy downpour triggered by a tail end of the cold front (TECF).
Aside from the rain gauges, Pagasa’s newly-acquired landslide sensors would be set up and pilot-tested also in Manito and Oas, Dalida said.
“Actually these landslide sensors are just recently acquired by the Department of Science and Techonology (DOST). And we decided to have them pilot tested in Albay,” Dalida told The BICOL SUN.
Dalida also confirmed that the landslide threat in Albay is real due to the volume of rains that had already exceeded the normal threshold.
Until yesterday, Dalida said that their instruments had already measured rain volume of 578 milimeters, almost two folds higher than normal averaged threshold of 321 milimeters a month for Legazpi City and most of Albay towns.
“This means that our soil in Albay is really so saturated that its hilly portions are very susceptible to erosions,” Dalida said.
Quoting latest findings of the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB), Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that at least 52 barangays are prone to landslides, with 6,211 families or 30,658 residents who could be displaced.
Of these recently identified landslide-prone barangays, four where in Guinobatan; five in Pioduran; 17 in Ligao City; nine in Oas; 11 in Polangui; and six in Libon, Salceda said. Half of Manito’s area is landslide-threatened.
On Thursday, at least six houses were destroyed when a landslide occured in the farflung village of Calaguimit in Oas town. The six families plus 24 more landslide-threatened houselds were already housed at six giant UNICEF-donated tents in the safe portion of Calaguimit.
“We have to brace for the worst as we maintain our resolve to attain zero casualty in our province,” Salceda told The BICOL SUN.
A series of integrated drills through demo competitions to enhance Albay’s disaster risk reduction (DRR) preparedness was started yesterday.
Salceda said actual earthquake and fire drills ad rescue scenarios would be carried out involving the different concerned search and rescue agencies. (cet dematera)
LEGAZPI CITY---Weathermen here said yesterday that they had installed additional rain gauges to the recently identified landslide prone villages across Albay as the province braces for more soil erosions due to already highly saturated land mass being brought by prevailing monsoon rains over Bicol since mid-December last year.
Landrico Dalida Jr, Bicol chief forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said that the rain gauges were installed in Oas and Manito, the two Albay towns with barangays most prone to landslides due to the month-long heavy downpour triggered by a tail end of the cold front (TECF).
Aside from the rain gauges, Pagasa’s newly-acquired landslide sensors would be set up and pilot-tested also in Manito and Oas, Dalida said.
“Actually these landslide sensors are just recently acquired by the Department of Science and Techonology (DOST). And we decided to have them pilot tested in Albay,” Dalida told The BICOL SUN.
Dalida also confirmed that the landslide threat in Albay is real due to the volume of rains that had already exceeded the normal threshold.
Until yesterday, Dalida said that their instruments had already measured rain volume of 578 milimeters, almost two folds higher than normal averaged threshold of 321 milimeters a month for Legazpi City and most of Albay towns.
“This means that our soil in Albay is really so saturated that its hilly portions are very susceptible to erosions,” Dalida said.
Quoting latest findings of the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB), Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said that at least 52 barangays are prone to landslides, with 6,211 families or 30,658 residents who could be displaced.
Of these recently identified landslide-prone barangays, four where in Guinobatan; five in Pioduran; 17 in Ligao City; nine in Oas; 11 in Polangui; and six in Libon, Salceda said. Half of Manito’s area is landslide-threatened.
On Thursday, at least six houses were destroyed when a landslide occured in the farflung village of Calaguimit in Oas town. The six families plus 24 more landslide-threatened houselds were already housed at six giant UNICEF-donated tents in the safe portion of Calaguimit.
“We have to brace for the worst as we maintain our resolve to attain zero casualty in our province,” Salceda told The BICOL SUN.
A series of integrated drills through demo competitions to enhance Albay’s disaster risk reduction (DRR) preparedness was started yesterday.
Salceda said actual earthquake and fire drills ad rescue scenarios would be carried out involving the different concerned search and rescue agencies. (cet dematera)
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