Bohol LGUs Blamed On The Destruction of Balicasag and Pamilacan Islands

The blaming game will never end. Since time immemorial, no one would take responsibility for lapses and loopholes. Here's the news:

The shortfall of coordination from the local government units was primarily blamed for the absence of concrete programs to protect the marine resources in the seawaters off Balicasag and Pamilacan, covering the towns of Panglao, Dauis and Baclayon.

The Provincial Tourism Council learned of this concern during its executive committee meeting convened amid reports of destructions in the marine resources in Balicasag Island, which was recently tagged by a Japanese tour survey group as one of the top 3 dive spots in the world.

The council was alarmed on the observations shared by Nueva Eciaj Rep. Romulo Antonino, a professional diver himself, who escorted Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during her recent dive at Balicasag.

PTC Chairman Peter Dejaresco said while there is the Padayon Bohol Marine Triangle Management Council, Inc. looking into the protection of the seawaters bordered by the three municipalities, there is no coordination of programs by the respective LGUs.

PADAYON, which stands for Panglao, Dauis and Baclayon has a total of 55 kms, nestled by 252.53 hectares of mangrove, 2,555 hectares of sea grass and 554 hectares of coral reefs.

The NGO, which was formerly funded by UNDP, has failed to reach its objective of developing an inter-municipality collaboration in the protection of the area in terms of marine resources as shown in the absence of coordinated efforts among the three towns.

The three towns extend financial support to PADAYON, but no longer for Panglao which has stopped its fund aid to the group.

The marine protection program in Dauis has also been hampered with the recent conflict between Mayor Lulu Bongalos and the Sangguniang Bayan which reportedly "locked" the budget support to the marine conservation program.- Published by the Bohol Chronicle

Another Power Rate Increase in Bohol Province

An additional burden, but God is faithful.

Power consumers of Bohol Light Company Inc. may have to shoulder additional charges on their electric bills.

The power utility firm which holds exclusive power distribution here in the city has applied with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for authority to recover national franchise taxes paid from 2001 to 2006 and local franchise taxes paid to the city government of Tagbilaran from 2002 to 2008.

The ERC will conduct a public hearing here on Thursday 9 a.m. at the Governor's Mansion regarding Bohol Light's power hike application.

City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday dared the public and Boholano leaders to reveal their stand on Bohol Light's move by participating in the public hearing.

The mayor said that due to time constraints, he was forced to file his opposition to Bohol Light's petition in his personal and official capacity as mayor of the city whose constituents will be burdened if the ERC grants an increased power rate.

The mayor explained that his opposition to Bohol Light's petition is based on the ground that the utility firm does not have the right to collect the franchise taxes from its consumers because it does not have the franchise to operate the power utility.- By Kit Bagaipo, The Bohol Chronicle Newspaper

Bohol Jail Management Under Serious Reflection

Bohol Philippines News - The provincial government is considering at least three options regarding the management of the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) days after regaining control of the facility from its 315 inmates.

On Friday, Gov. Erico Aumentado announced a proposal to establish the Bohol version of the Judiciary, Executive and Legislative Advisory and Consultative Council (Jelac) as a means for the decongestion of the detention facility.

The governor said that the Bohol-Jelac will act as a coordinating body to help fast track the resolution of cases against the jail inmates since it is just a holding facility for those who are accused of criminal acts.

If there is speedy resolution of cases, congestion will be solved as detainees may be released if acquitted or transferred to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa if found guilty.

The executive and legislative branches will assist in providing funds for the transfer of convicted criminals.

Meanwhile, during the Sangguninang Panlalawigan (SP) session last Tuesday, Vice Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera submitted a motion seeking the transfer of the BDRC management to the Bureau of Jail Management Penology (BJMP).- Kit Bagaipo, The Bohol Chronicle

Surviving the Crisis, How Can We Last

Written By Romy Teruel, Columnist of Bohol Sunday Post

Long lines of people waiting for their turn to buy cheaper rice, increased prices of commodities at the grocery stores, skyrocketing pump prices of gasoline almost everyday, police blotters filled with complaints of snatching, pick pocketing, and hold-ups are signs of difficult times that the poor, especially, dread this time.

With salaries and wages remaining at their 2005 levels, minimum wage earners are almost at the brink of panic and despair. With tuition fees increasing, transport fare raised by P0.50 to P1, basic commodities costing more than they were yesterday, is there hope left for the man on the street?

The wage increase being deliberated by the regional tri-partite wage boards offered some hope. But after they came up with P25 increase, the last hope suddenly vanished. For government employees, the announcement by Pres. Arroyo of 10% across the board increase offered very little help. The increase will just be swallowed by the income tax.

Everybody can conveniently blame government for this crisis. Unfortunately government has very little to do to arrest the soaring prices. It's a world phenomenon that no single country can offer a solution.

Somehow the crisis has done some good. It awakened government to their weaknesses. And let's hope they make amends fast.

The fuel crisis has awakened the different economies to think of alternative sources of energies and develop new technologies.

The food crisis has awakened the Philippines to its most valuable but neglected resource - its agricultural lands. Agriculture that offered very competitive edge for the Philippines from the very beginning has been neglected in favor of turning these valuable assets into subdivisions and other purposes.

A country, like the Philippines, where almost 80% of the population is farmers should give priority in developing its agricultural resources. Sadly, while our neighbors send their students to study the latest in agriculture at our agricultural universities and research centers, we contented ourselves with producing swivel and arm-chair agriculturists.

Another sad part in Bohol is that irrigation projects like those in Bayongan, Capayas and Pilar that Gov. Erico B. Aumentado and his predecessors have championed to reality used to be opposed by groups claiming to be working for the welfare of farmers. Had the governor succumbed to nitpickers, our food situation in Bohol could have been worse than it is today.

So is there a way out of the crisis? No problem is without a solution for as long as people are willing to sacrifice. Hard times require sacrifices if we have to come out "alive."

First we can beat high transport fare by walking or biking to places we go like work, school, market, church, etc. Not only is walking free, it is also healthy for the body.

We can beat high costs of food items by buying and eating healthy but very cheap food like vegetable and fish. Fish is also costly but that is only if you buy them and not when you raise them.

For offices with windows, sunlight is free. No need to switch on the lights.

Overtime can also be prohibited. This will induce workers to be more productive during the 8-hour work per day.

For the family, spend only for the essentials. This will stretch the peso till the next salary.

There can be many more ways to beat the crisis. Let's just be more creative in tightening the belt, so to speak.

Taytay sa Kauswagan Incorporation (TSKI) Collector Robbed

This Story Appeared In Bohol Sunday Post

The series of robberies preying on collectors of the lending institution Taytay sa Kauswagan Incorporation (TSKI) raised suspicions of sabotage as the incident becomes more often lately.

Borrowers expressed concern on what would happen to their capital build-up, compulsory savings account and insurance premium that TSKI collected from them.

A color of suspicion floating is the possibility that TSKI collects insurance money every time it is robbed.

TSKI sends coordinators to each cluster center where borrowers gather on an agreed day of the week. The coordinator collects the weekly loan amortizations of center members or the borrowers from there and when any member fails to show up at the center on the scheduled time to remit his weekly amortization, the coordinator will really exert effort to trace his/her whereabouts to make sure that he/she pays his/her obligation on the same day.

Borrowers expressed concerns, since TSKI warned that if they would fail to pay their weekly amortization, their insurance will be temporarily forfeited until they settle it.

The recent incident reported to police as a case of robbery with violence against and intimidation of person was on June 5 in Talibon.

The two suspects, who fled with over P20,000 collection money, remained at large until the present as police efforts to capture them proved futile.

Talibon Chief of Police PSenior Inspector Domino Garcia Pelecio received a report on the incident through a call from a concerned citizen informing that a collector of TSKI was robbed in barangay San Agustin.

Pelecio immediately formed the responding team composed of SPO3 Rogelio Cleopas, PO3 Melchor Ramos, PO3 Crisanto Bonghanoy Jr., PO3 Cresente Gurrea, PO2 Margarito Cagoco Jr., and PO1 Joveniano Lato.

Based on initial investigation at the crime scene, one Joy Anghad, 26, single, program assistant/collector of TSKI had a meeting with center members and later collected their weekly amortizations at the office of San Agustin Center House II, in barangay San Agustin, in Talibon when an unidentified man suddenly arrived at the vicinity and alighted from the motorcycle he was driving.

Armed with nickel plated caliber .38 revolver and a hand grenade, the man barge into the gathering and announced hold-up poking the gun at the collector, while his accomplice who served as look-out, waited nearby.

He grabbed all the collection money for that day amounting to P23,081, but in their haste some of the bills and coins slipped from his grip and fell on the ground, leaving behind only P2,711.50 which Anghad picked up one by one.

Both suspects, who looked like 28-30 years old, wore improvised masks and camouflage short pants. Witnesses also described them as having small build.

They said they saw the suspects heading towards sitio Arba Oma, barangay San Roque and bound for barangay Magsaysay, on board an Alfa Honda XRM without plate number and had broken tail light.

Who Is The Resident Evil in Bohol Island?

By Fred Amora of the Bohol Standard - What would you call a person who feasts on the misfortunes of others?

He is a Resident Evil on earth and definitely deserves to be thrown back to hell!

Yet, being so selfish and wantonly opportunist, this creature becomes oblivious to his surroundings. He won't even notice that his misfortunes, in fact, is far WORST and IRREVERSIBLE that those of others.

Sunday POST publisher Boy Guingguing bannered as his front page news the accident that befell my three children during the Loay May 18 fiesta.

My three children were seriously hurt in that road accident and many of my true friends, including media colleagues, immediately ran to my side to help.

But this Boy Guingguing saw it as a "whammy"; something enjoyable for his devilish appetite. The wickedness of this guy makes me puke!

What if something like this happens to his children (God forbids)? - Read the Full Story Here.

Harassment Against Philippine Activists?

The House of Representatives' human rights committee has spotted a systemic pattern of harassment or intimidation instituted against "progressive" workers by Armed Forces of the Philippines in its anti-insurgency campaign. As a consequence, extra-judicial killings or disappearances of party-lists and political critics and opponents of the President Arroyo administration remain unabated.

Committee chairman Congressman Lorenzo R. Tañada III of 4th district of Quezon province, who, together with his four committee members, conducted inquiries in aid-of-legislation, told the participants of the public hearing that AFP elements tend to carry out the anti-insurgency drive in a manner beyond the protocol.

He even postulated a question on what authority the military is doing interrogation or surveillance on their victim-farmers or workers just because they suspected as members or sympathizers of New People's Army without a protocol.

"We have been noticing it as a pattern," said Tañada, citing similar scenario and experiences of some of his constituents in his home province.

Tañada stressed that when inviting the person for interrogation he must be informed of his rights provided for under the Constitution and it must be of his own "freewill." What would be his disposition if he is under threat. A person must be free in responding to questions not under the atmosphere of fear, he directly instructed Rito Montes, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bohol office, requesting the latter to also remind the AFP elements of this. - Join Filipino Friend Finder. FREE. Click Here.

Bohol Clinches Third Spot in Search For New Seven Wonders

Dispersed Boholanos across the globe have organized campaign groups to generate the most number of votes cast for their favorite Chocolate Hills, which has earned a notch up in the new wonders of the world search.

Governor Erico Aumentado said one of his missions upon embarking on a journey to the US is precisely to campaign for more votes for the Chocolate Hills, during Friday's Governor's Reports. 

He added as he would invite Boholano organizations to come home for the global gathering of Boholanos, thje Chocolate Hills campaign would get in the way.

Practically in almost every nook of the globe, Boholanos in their own capacity, or via the vast information superhighway is spreading the word about rooting for the Chocolate Hills, support groups based in Bohol said.

The move to hoist the Chocolate Hills in the new seven wonders of the world search gained its initial foothold after Provincial Government officials in Bohol led by Governor Erico Aumentado gathered all internet operators in Tagbilaran City to help in the campaign which Bohol Capitol adopted as its singular mission for tourism promotion.

The move also pushed the chief executive to name Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Neri Lim to lead the campaign to propel Bohol's wondrous hills to the top of the list. The official campaign head then headed for the US to tap Boholano organizations in attempts to gain the necessary votes.

Tourism stakeholders here, led by Carmen Mayor Manuel Molina also pitched in their campaigns by organizing support groups, asking local tour guides to include in their spiels the support for the Chocolate Hills. 

This as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself, in her sorties across the country never fail to mention her own campaign for agenda for the country's natural wonders to get into the top seven list of modern-day Wonders of Nature.  - Rey Anthony Chiu - PIA - Bohol

Salary of Teachers in Bohol Delayed?

Department of Education (DepEd) Supt. Dr. Elpedio Jala admitted that there was a slight delay of salary of the public school teacher in the province for the month of May this year due to the changes on their computer system.

Teachers affected are those collecting their salaries through ATM - machine at the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). However, Jala said that the problem is eventually solved as of the moment

Jala said he was surprised why this simple problem went to Malacanang without passing through his office, "Natingala ko nganong wala sila moreklamo diri sa akong buhatan, mi-diretso hinoon sila ug sumbong didto sa Malacanang (I was surprise why the complainant did not inform my office and went directly to Malacanang)," saying his office was bypassed.

Jala explained that his office has nothing to do about the said salary delay but the complaint is somewhat lodge against his office.

Moreover, the Superintendent is appealing to the teachers and non-teaching employees of the Bohol DepEd to give a little respect to the management by making them aware for whatever problem they may encounter. Jala assured that he is ready to help them.

In another related development, the " Oplan Balik Eskuela" has been tagged as the most vital program to be implemented by the Department of Education nationwide this year. It aims to solve the aging illiteracy in the countryside. Statistic shows that a total of 56% Pilipino student have failed to enroll last year.- Felix Cempron, The Bohol Standard

Program Manager Job For A Filipino Candidate

Here's an email from PDAP, Inc. You may be interested to apply for the job as Program Manager.

The Philippine Development Assistance Programme (PDAP) Inc., a partner of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is currently looking for a Program Manager.

We are pleased to share with you the attached Terms of Reference (TOR) for this project staff position containing the project description and the detailed scope of work.

Interested applicants must submit their application letter with 2x2 picture and comprehensive CV, all in printed copy or email to pdap@pdap.net, including personal and professional references, on or before 23 June 2008 to :

           PDAP Admin and Personnel Assistant
           78 - B Dr. Lazcano Street, Laging Handa, Q.C.
           tel/fax #s: (02) 3730556, 3748214, 3748216

Please share this information with your colleagues and network partners who might be interested and qualified to apply for this position.
 
ENNA ENRIQUEZ
Resource Coordinator

Philippines - Canada Cooperation Office
The Program Support Unit of CIDA in the Philippines
9th Floor, Salcedo Towers, 169 H.V. dela Costa Street
Salcedo Village, Makati City, 1227 Philippines
T (+63) (2) 813 8255 F (+63) (2) 892 8913 M 0920-911-9749