Monday, January 25, 2010

Philippine Passport in Caloocan

In line with its goal of providing easy passporting services for its constituents, the Caloocan local government, through the leadership of Mayor Enrico "Recom" Echiverri, has sponsored anew a mobile passporting program for its residents interested to work in abroad. 

Echiverri said with this project, which benefited hundreds of Caloocan residents, enabled his constituents to secure their passport requirements without going to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) main office in Pasay City. 

He added the mobile passporting was made possible with the assistance of the DFA and their civil registry department. 

The provision of the mobile passporting program is part the city's 48th founding anniversary celebration this Jan. 23. 

It has become a yearly affair in Caloocan ever since Echiverri took over the mayoralty post in 2004 (PNA)

Disaster Response Center in Quezon City

The Quezon City government is putting up a disaster response center at the QC Hall to ensure the safety of employees and residents of the city during disasters such as fires and earthquakes. 

QC Mayor Feliciano "Sonny" R. Belmonte Jr. said he has instructed city general services office (GSO) head Rolando P. Montiel to take charge of QC Hall disaster preparedness activities. 

Belmonte said these include conducting seminar-workshops to raise the level of awareness, skills and knowledge of the employees on disaster mitigation, response and individual and team roles. 

Montiel has designated action officers whose first tasks included organizing emergency teams at GSO and other departments and offices within the QC Hall complex. 

Outside QC Hall, QC Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) chief Manuel N. Sabalza is in charge of the citywide emergency preparedness and response operations. 

At QC Hall, the GSO disaster action group organized by action officers Engr. Armingol B. Morales, Dr. Noel L. Lansang and Eufredie Orendez have started conducting seminar-workshops on basic life support or first aid and on the principles and techniques of rescue and evacuation. 

Participants in the GSO seminar-workshops included GSO teams for communication, transport, fire suppression, rescue, first aid and security. About 40 GSO personnel represented the first batch of QC Hall employees to undergo such training. 

Montiel said such training activities will also be conducted in other offices at QC Hall. Later on, there will also be emergency drills to enhance the employees' disaster preparedness. 

Meanwhile, the Disaster Risk Reduction Network Philippines (DRRNetPhils) said the Philippines is in dire need of a comprehensive law which will help communities prepare for and reduce risks from disasters. 

The 300-strong local and international civil society organizations and advocates grouped under the DRRNetPhils asked the 14th Congress as it nears adjournment for its third and last session to pass the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) bill, which aims to expand coverage of the Presidential Decree No. 1566. 

Passed in 1978, PD No. 1566 created the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to oversee emergency response, relief and rehabilitation operations, and disaster preparedness in the short term. (PNA)

Best Police District for 2009

For the fourth consecutive year, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has been chosen by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as the Best Police District for 2009, besting all other provincial and police district commands in the country. 

The announcement was made by Director Abner D. Cabalquinto of the PNP Personnel and Records Management, who said that QCPD director Chief Superintendent Elmo San Diego will receive the much-coveted award in ceremonies marking the PNP's 19th anniversary at Camp Crame on January 29. 

For his part, San Diego said, "This is a tribute to the dedicated gallant men and women of QCPD who quietly continue to do their best and maintain their high morale despite bumps along the road." 

"Equally, it is also a symbol of the continuing full support of the Quezon City government under Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista and the City Council, which provide us with the equipment, operational funds and motivation to excel and deliver quality police service." 

QCPD first won the award in 2006 when it instituted the PNP Integrated Transformation Program (lTP), the 15-year program to transform the PNP in terms of equipment, systems and procedures, hand-in-hand with values, morale, proficiency and reliability. 

Under the motto, "Transform to Perform, Perform as We Transform," QCPD also won the award in 2007 and 2008. 

"We will definitely go all-out to again win the award for 2010 and be the first in the PNP Hall of Fame. God bless our endeavors," San Diego said. (PNA)

Richard Ando, 45, chairman and chief executive officer of the Unlad Housing Cooperative, Inc

The chairman and chief executive officer of Baguio-based housing cooperative was fatally shot by a gunman equipped with a silencer while having lunch with friends inside a restaurant in Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City on Sunday. 

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) investigators identified the fatality as Richard Ando, 45, chairman and chief executive officer of the Unlad Housing Cooperative, Inc. based in Baguio City, Benguet Province. 

Ando was eating at a restaurant on Commonwealth Avenue in Fairview, Novaliches, Quezon City at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday when the suspect suddenly appeared and shot him. 

The suspect fled after the incident and now the object of a police manhunt. 

An unidentified companion of the victim rushed him at the Far Eastern University (FEU) on Regalado Avenue, Fairview where was pronounced dead on arrival. (PNA) 

Police were still determining the identity of the suspect as well as the motive of the killing.