Waste segregation scheme in the barangays

The environment and natural resources and agriculture offices of this city are now conducting pre-evaluation activities for the ecological, health-friendly search in preparation for the upcoming national evaluation.

City environment and natural resources officer Orlando Tesoro said the city is a contender to the search on independent component city category, along with 15 other cities in the country.

Tesoro said they are supervising all the 37 barangays of the city to ensure that the cleanliness, waste segregation, recycling, vegetation, gardening, and other ecological-friendly activities are properly implemented.

Tesoro said their office concentrates on the waste segregation scheme in the barangays by educating the residents on how to turn recyclable wastes into income-generating projects.

On the part of the agriculture office, agricultural technicians of the city are visiting schools and households and distributing vegetable seeds to be planted inside the schools and in household backyards.

AFPSLAI Donates Firetruck

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Savings and Loan Association Incorporated (AFPSLAI) donated a firetruck to the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army in simple ceremonies today.

Major General Mario Chan, commanding general personally received the symbolic key from AFSLAI manager Carolyn de Villa.

The firetruck was bathed in champagne by Chan assisted by information officer Jun Diaz.

Chan thanked the AFPSLAI management for consistently donating to the army.

Last year, Chan said the company donated some 12 hospital beds and an ambulance.

"I urge you to patronize AFPSLAI, medyo mataas ang interest but ang balik ay malaki rin sa atin bilang organisasyon," Chan told the soldiers who witnessed the hand-over rites.

He also urged them to invest in AFPSLAI in the form of insurance, this statement was seconded by the manager who replied 'welcome' to Chan's profuse thanks.

"I also thanked the 8th ID soldiers for their continuous support to AFPSLAI," de Villa concluded her speech.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) here said today that all confiscated logs and lumbers are deposited to the provincial capitol particularly at the capitol gymnasium here.

PENRO officer William Savella said all logs and lumbers that are confiscated by the Isabela Environment Protection Task Force are all impounded at the capitol gymnasium near the provincial capitol.

Savella also said that PENRO is not the official depository place or area for all confiscated forest products.

He said the provincial government has the jurisdiction and power to enforce the anti-illegal logging activities in the province, in close coordination with the PENRO, to stop the depletion of forest resources of the province.

PAG-IBIG Office in Cagayan de Oro City

The Pag-IBIG Fund is celebrating its 31st anniversary, this month.

Corporate-wide convocation was organized, December 1, as a kick-off to Pag-IBIG Fund's month-long celebration.

As its corporate social responsibility, the officers and employees of the Pag-IBIG Fund Cagayan de Oro Branch simultaneously conducted outreach activities, December 3, where 180 beneficiaries were given meals and gift items.

The outreach activity transpired at the following areas: Tahanan sa Kabataan, Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City; St. Joseph's Golden Home Foundation, Inc., Dolores-Hayes St., Cagayan de Oro City; Calabrian Children's Foundation, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City; Alternative Learning Center of (Landfill) Dagong, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City; Children of Barangay 9, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

Since Pag-IBIG Fund values good health, a physical fitness activity cum "Hataw" was also set and participated by the Cagayan de Oro Branch workforce, December 10, at Pelaez Sports Complex, this city.

To solemnly commemorate Pag-IBIG Fund's 31 years of steadfast pledge in providing excellent and professional service to all its members, a Eucharistic celebration will be held at the Pag-IBIG Fund Training Room, December 14.

On the same day, Pag-IBIG Fund will sponsor a Bloodletting service, conducted by the Philippine National Red Cross. The Cagayan de Oro Branch has been practicing this activity for more than a decade as its way of supporting the nation's call for more blood donors in order to save lives.

Furthermore, a forum with the officers and members of the Fund Coordinators Club and several employers in Northern Mindanao will convene on December 15 at a local restaurant in Cagayan de Oro City.

Comprehensive environmental program

The city government will be pursuing a more comprehensive environmental program to protect and preserve the city's remaining natural resources.

City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Patricia Abibico said that with the assurance of the city internal revenue allotment next year, their department is looking forward to the realization of several proposed projects that were not implemented due to limited funds.

Among these major projects include the conversion of Barangay Dilag dumping site into an eco-park which would require comprehensive planning and ground works. The city government she said also envisions the park to be a tourist spot showcasing a good waste management system.

In partnership with the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), the City ENRO also plans to conduct tree planting activities in various private lands. She reasoned that this scheme would ensure better survival rate for the planted trees since it is assured that the land owners would take care of the trees.

"It is hard to recover the original forest covers just by tree planting activities without proper sustainability plans that comes with it," she said noting that past tree planting activities are rarely successful based on the percentage of the number of trees that survive.

Abibico shared that the city government under the leadership of City mayor Ferdinand Tubban targets to recover the lost forests of the city especially in the upland barangays where most of the water sources and potential eco-tourist attractions are found and to also ensure better protection from calamities.

Unliquidated Cash Advance at Tagbilaran City Hall

Published by the Bohol CHRONICLE - The Commission on Audit (COA) released last Monday the "missing" supporting document in the 2007 Audit Report which contains the names and figures involving the P6.4 million unliquidated cash advances of city hall officials.

Chairman Reynaldo A.Villar of the COA central offices in Quezon City through his regional office ordered City Auditor Tereista Irig to release the said document after he was informed that the city auditor denied to release a copy of which to Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso who since November 25, 2008 already wrote the city treasurer and City accountant Kurt Bongabong regarding the list of unliquidated cash advances, but to no avail.

The office of the city mayor holds the bulk of the unlquidated cash advances.

City Mayor Dan Lim, P3,000,000.00; Exeucitve Assistant Arlene Karaan, P722,643.41 and City Administrator Walter Toston, P235,715.00 topped in the list released by COA. The total is P6,478,903.46 as of Dec. 31, 2007 .

Vice Mayor Veloso who was persistent in his demand for the list to be released by COA said that out of the P6,478,903.46, some P3.9 million were spent by the office of the city mayor.

"This is the reason why the minority bloc of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) was denied a copy of said list by the city treasurer and city accountant," the vice mayor stressed.

The unliquidated cash advances list was dated as of Dec. 31, 2007 and duly signed by City Accountant Kurt Adolf Bungabong.          
City Kagawad Mariquit Oppus, chairman of the SP committee on accountability, during last Friday's session called for her committee and the committee on appropriations of Kag. Oscar Glovasa to meet this week to look into the multi-million unliquidated cash advances at the city hall.

For his part, Kagawad Bebiano Inting cited COA circular 97-002 which mandates that liquidation be done within 60 days upon return of a foreign travel and 30 days for local travel and all cash advances be liquidated at the end of the year. This is the same ruling as stated in the Civil Service Commission Res. No. 040676.

The two committees will formally ask the city accountant and the city auditor to release an updated of the unliquidated cash advances which cut-off date is Dec. 31, 2008 .

The updated list is necessary since the list released last Monday showed other cash advances which were presumed liquidated since the involved persons have already retired and were given clearances to retire such as former City Kagawad Alberta Torralba and Mario Llyod Guiterrez, former employee of the city mayor's office

Expansion of Kalahi-CIDSS in the Philippines

In line with the expansion of KALAHI-CIDSS to more Eastern Visayas towns, the DSWD Field Office 8 is currently conducting a series of trainings for the newly hired project staff.

The training for the first batch was held on November 14-20, at the Leyte Park Resort Hotel in Tacloban City. This was participated by the different Area Coordinating Teams (ACTs) and Municipal Coordinating Teams (MCTs) from the municipalities of Sto Niňo, Talalora, Motiong and San Jose de Buan, all of Samar province.

The training for the second batch took off on November 27 and will end on December 3, at the same venue. The participants come from Tagapul-an, Matuginao and San Sebastian in Samar, and Naval in Biliran.

The activity aims to develop the technical skills of the Area Coordinators, Deputy Area Coordinators, Municipal Financial Analysts, and Community Facilitators who compose the KALAHI-CIDSS Area Coordinating Teams, and of all of the team members of the Municipal Coordinating Teams, for them to be able to efficiently and effectively implement the project.

According to KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Training Officer Elvira Edillo, the said training will help the participants identify what sub-projects to prioritize and finance.

She added that this will also aid them to find out the issues and concerns affecting project implementation, and the corresponding solutions as well.

The training is a sequel to the one conducted in June of this year. The first part of the activity focuses on social preparation, project identification, selection and planning, and project proposal preparation.

Barangay Health Workers (BHW) Provincial Convention

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona will keynote the Barangay Health Workers (BHW) Provincial Convention today in Surigao City. i

Upon his arrival, he will be welcomed by Gov. Sol Matugas and other local officials of the province.

Gov. Matugas revealed that the summit is expected to bring together public health workers and health advocates in the entire province.

This year's convention carries the theme, "Empowered BHWs: Facing the Challenges in Attaining Millennium Development Goals thru Health initiatives."

Other officials who are expected to grace the event are 1st district Rep. Francisco Matugas and 2nd district Rep. Guillermo Romarate, Jr.

Filipinos Have Forgotten Patriotism?

By ODAN - Filipinos have become complacent and have forgotten about patriotism, belief in true principles and belief in the true Christian faith. They sing the National Anthem, but they won't fight for their rights. However, they love to watch Filipino TV channels, shout in excitement when they see the Wowowee show and cry when they view the telenovelas. They love to go to church but most are corrupt and cheat whenever they get a chance.

There is a funny story about Filipino soldiers stationed at one of the islets in the Spratly Islands. Their commander had a birthday in another island, so they all went to celebrate it. While they were gone, Vietnamese soldiers occupied their island. Also the Vietnamese sent prostitutes to the party to entertain the Filipino soldiers so that they will stay there. Days later when the Filipino soldiers returned, they were surprised to see Vietnamese solders building fortifications.

Up to now, the Filipinos could not take the islet back. What do you think it will take to give them courage to oust the Vietnamese? More prostitutes? Isn't this a shame? Yet these Filipino soldiers sing the National Anthem all the time. Lets ask Momar. Maybe he has some ideas for our poor compatriots back home.

 

Two-seater RPC-824 light cargo plane crashed

The co-pilot of the two-seater RPC-824 light cargo plane which crashed last Saturday in Dona Soledad Subdivision in Barangay Don Bosco, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, hailed from Iloilo.

Classmates of the victim First Officer Jessie Kim Lustica gravely mourned his untimely demise after the cargo plane crashed that also killed 14 persons.

In an interview over a local radio station here, Shane Dela Llana, former classmate of Lustica at the Iloilo National High School, said the victim will always remain in their heart as Captain Lustica.

Dela Llana described the pilot during their high school days as a silent and well-behaved fellow. He excelled in Mathematics, thus he aspired to become a pilot which he successfully achieved as a career at the young age of 22.

The victim's mom Mrs. Alicia Lustica, Regional Technical Director for Ecosystems Research and Development Service of Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VI, has recently left Pavia, Iloilo for Metro Manila in connection with her son's death.

Meanwhile, Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) Secretary Mar Roxas ordered the operation of the Beechcraft Queen Air, which operate the light plane, suspended.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Air Accident Investigation Board Capt. Amado Soliman said they would also be checking the records of the aircraft and the pilots, as well.

Apart from those killed, some 100 individuals have been affected by the incident after their houses were burned as an aftermath of the plane's explosion.