Bohol Mirror

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila has invited Governor Erico Aumentado or a representative from the provincial government to attend the policy forum on global financial crisis on April 23 at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City .

Guest speaker during the activity will be US Ambassador Kristie Kenney.

Panelists from the government sector will be Secretaries Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua of the information technology commission, Arthur Yap of the agriculture department, Lito Atienza of the environment department, Joseph Ace Durano of tourism, and Leandro Mendoza of the DOTC.

The policy forum will be based on the theme, Global Financial Crisis and Economic Slowdown: Impact on the Philippines and Policy Options.

DTI organizes the activity in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government, the National Competitiveness Council, the LINC-EG project of the USAID and the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank, Favila said.

It aims to assess the impact of the crisis and the slowing global economy on the priority industries identified by the government and recommend measures to mitigate their impact, then encourage collective action by the national government in partnership with industry leaders.

“This is not just to pursue the objectives of stimulating the economy but to also forge consensus on strategic measures that would further enhance the competitiveness of the country,” Favila pointed out.

DTI serves as lead convenor of the working group on growth and investment climate under the Philippines Development Forum, he said. (Angeline Valencia/PGMA)

 
With the support of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas aims to gather a large number of barangay officials in the slated second national convention of the Liga ng mga Barangay on May 19-21 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, SM Bay City in Pasay City.

      Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas intends to advance the benefits of members through legislation, lobbying, coordination with national government agencies, technical assistance and cooperation with bilateral and multilateral foreign organizations, and partnership with private corporations, according to LnB national chapter Rico Judge Echiverri.

      He said the National Executive Board initiated the activity after the initial success of “programs that promote synergy” between the different branches of government and the barangays that had invigorated the different barangay chapters.

      “The regional barangays or super-chapters are envisioned to promote greater cooperation among the interdependent levels of administration for a more participative and effective governance,” Echiverri said.

      LnB also seeks to establish closer coordination and cooperation of municipal chapters and the regional super-chapters to form vital influence in the local government hierarchy, he said.

      Upon the request of LnB national chapter, DILG Undersecretary for Local Governments Austere Panadero called on all governors, highly urbanized cities, component cities and municipal mayors to allow their respective Liga local chapter presidents and other Liga officials to participate in the activity on official business.

      In a memorandum circular addressed to all governors, mayors, Liga chapter presidents DILG regional directors, Panadero sought support in disseminating the information about the activity to encourage big participation.

      The Office of Governor Erico Aumentado recently received a copy of the memorandum circular, which also contained Panadero’s appeal to all DILG regional directors and field officers to direct dissemination of his communication.

      Panadero advised all governors, mayors, Liga chapter presidents, DILG regional directors and others concerned to charge the traveling expenses and registration fee to their respective local funds except the 20 percent development fund.

      Panadero explained that the registration fee covers accommodation, kits, meals and other incidental expense. (Angeline Valencia/PGMA)

 The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on local government units to support the efforts of the Department of Health (DOH) to protect the public from health threats that Salmonella contamination poses amid reports of contaminated products distributed in the market.

      The Governor’s Office recently received a copy of the memorandum circular dated April 3, 2009 from DILG Undersecretary for Local Governments Austere Panadero, calling all local chief executives to cancel or revoke the business permits or licenses of establishments selling products of Samuya Food Manufacturing, Incorporated which DOH had declared as unsafe with Salmonella contamination.

      Through the Bureau of Food and Drugs, DOH confirmed Salmonella contamination on the samples of Samuya products that included Mama Peanut Spread Sweet and Creamy, Ludy’s Coco Jam Special, Ludy’s Coco Jam with Langka, Mama Coco Jam, Ludy’s Coco Jam Regular, Ludys Coco Jam with Peanut, Sunny Cheers Peanut Butter, Yummy Sweet and Creamy, Peanut Spread, and Ludy’s Sweet and Creamy Peanut Butter.

      On this, BFAD declared the products as “injurious, unsafe or dangerous”.

      Citing the general welfare clause of the Local Government Code, Panadero enjoined all local chief executives to cause the inspections of all markets, convenience stores, and general merchandizing or sari-sari stores within their jurisdictions to ensure that these products are not sold.

      Panadero enjoined the local chief executives to direct the owner of an establishment to dispose these products through the nearest Department of Trade and Industry office and called for the cancellation or revocation of the business permits or licenses of those who refuse to heed. (ANGELNE VALENCIA)

Drugstores and business establishments here are warned. If they fail to give 20% discount to legitimate senior citizens in Bohol, they will likely be slapped with lawsuits.

The provincial board passed Resolution No. 2008-575, urging all establishments particularly drug stores to implement the 20% discount privilege to all senior citizens under the Senior Citizens Act without time limit.

“We will be preparing cases against these establishments who do not give the 20% discount,” board member Atty. Aster Apalisok-Piollo told her colleagues in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its recent regular session presided over by Vice-Gov. Julius Caesar Herrera.

The warning came in the wake of the growing infringement of the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003 or Republic Act No. 9257,” that penalizes violators (section 10) with PhP100,000 fine, but not exceeding P200,000 “and imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than two years.”

“If the offender is a corporation, organization or any similar entity, the official thereof directly involved shall be liable therefore,” the law provides.

The said law was signed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on February 26, 2004.

Piollo brought to the attention of her colleagues in what she described as “discriminatory treatment” to senior citizens “from the hands of Mercury Drugstore,” according to the minutes of the board.

The said drugstore allegedly entertains the senior citizens up to 4 o’clock in the afternoon only but it gives full 20% discount. Other pharmacies, which Piollo did not identify, give only less than 20% discount but serve the elderly up to their closing hour.

Apparently irked by the drugstore’s policy, she said, “We will be building up some cases against these establishments.”

In a phone interview Friday, Virginia Fortich, Mercury Drug manager, said that it is the policy of their top management for the time limit and they are just following the directives from their superiors in Manila head office.

She explained that the 4 pm cut-off time was prompted to give ample time to prepare daily records considering that they only assigned one person to entertain the senior citizens. But she added that their pharmacists can also attend to the elderly if they have enough time. She confirmed that Mercury is implementing full 20% discount privilege.

RA 9257 specifies (Sec. 2) 13 privileges for the senior citizens to enjoy, including salient provisions of granting of 20% discount from all establishments relative to utilization of services in hotels and lodging and restaurants and recreation centers, purchase of medicines and on admissions fees by theaters, cinemas and concert halls, carnivals and other places of culture, leisure and amusement for the exclusive use of senior citizens.

To avail of these privileges, an identification card must be issued by the city, municipal mayor or the barangay captain of the place where the senior citizens reside or the passport of the senior citizen concerned and other documents that will establish the elderly as citizen of the country and at least 60 years old. (RVO)

The public is urged to report to the nearest veterinarian office in their areas any sick hogs or animals so that it can be addressed.

“As long as the industry players here are very vigilant, there’s nothing to worry about of ebola reston virus on hogs,” Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz alaayed the scare on the spreading reports.

She, however, warned that meat from sick animal or “double dead” animals should never be consumed.

Lapiz’ statement was consistent with the pronouncement of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Sec. Arthur Yap said in a statement that the said virus “does not pose a significant public health risk.”

DA earlier detected the said virus strain in the hogs that prompted them to place three swine-raising farms under quarantine. The farms were not named in the statement.

The provincial agriculture office declared that Bohol’s swine is safe but hog traders must avoid importing pigs since the province has enough supply.

The World Health Organization has also declared that pork that is properly handled, washed and cooked is safe for human consumption because heat from adequate cooking kills viruses, including Reston.

Dr. Soe Nyunt, the WHO representative to the Philippines and Dr. Julie Hall, team leader of its Engineering Infectious Diseases Division, have confirmed the Reston virus to be “non-pathogenic and does not cause serious illnesses to humans” based on historical evidence, the DA statement said.

DA and the Department of Health officials, who work hand in hand, appeared downplaying the virus report and urged the stakeholders as well to extend assistance to the government in the “pro-active” purging of this virus though there was no single current report of “unusual” disease or deaths in pigs.

The DA boss also urged the local government units “to continually test pigs in their localities. Hogs in farms that have tested positive for the virus will be quarantined and will undergo a comprehensive inventory. Hogs found infected will be disposed of properly as the DA has suspended all pork exports from the country “until further notice.”

The Reston virus “was discovered in 1989 in a monkey (crab-eating macaques) that the Hazleton Laboratories in Reston, Virginia had been importing from the Fertile Farms in Laguna. (RVO)

Congress has passed on third reading what could soon be the Philippine tourism bible tremendously hoped to raise the country’s status into Asia’s prime tourist hub and center of world congresses and conventions.

Rep. Edgar Chatto’s House Bill 5229 is regarded this early, by key players and stakeholders, as a legislation of mighty importance to the industry that has been hailed to be a potent economic transformer.

United Nations - World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Chief for Conferences and Documentation Dominique Bernardet coincidentally hinted in his letter to Chatto the imminent elevation of the Philippine tourism to world status.

The official of the highest global policy-making body for tourism made his observation after the highly successful Cebu-Bohol hosting of the UNWTO 6th International Tourism Forum for Parliamentarians and Local Authorities last October.

Intents jibed for common development since the twin of the Chatto legislation, Senate Bill 2213, also timely passed the third reading grill in the Upper House.

Both bills, the Upper House version being fathered by Sen. Richard Gordon, identically declare a national policy for tourism as an indispensable element of national socio-economic growth.

As an engine of national economy and development, tourism must be harnessed to generate investment, foreign exchange and employment, according to the First District congressman in stressing his legislative piece.

Chatto has called his measure the Tourism Act of 2008, which is also the title of the Senate version.

The bicameral conference committee composed of the House of Representatives panel led by the Bohol solon and its Senate counterpart headed by Richard Gordon will meet this week to reconcile conflicting provisions of the two bills.

The Senate version harmonizes with the Lower House measure in seeking to enforce structural reforms in the Department of Tourism (DOT), Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC) and Duty Free Philippines, the last two being government–created tourism-related corporate entities. (VEN REBO ARIGO)

P7,000 from nat’l gov’t, P3,000 from agencies

MANILA, Philippines — Government workers will get around P10,000 productivity bonus for the holidays, Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said Thursday.

Andaya said P10,000 was “more or less assured” for permanent, temporary, contractual, and casual employees, who have served for at least four months.

The national government will shoulder P7,000 while P3,000 will come from the government agency’s savings, Andaya said in a speech before state workers at the Palace.

“I have been authorized by the President [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo] to end all, water cooler chismis [gossip], lunchtime talk , powder room chitchats, evening novenas on what will be this year’s year-end productivity bonus,” he said.

“You can now tell your inaanaks [godchildren] and neighborhood creditors that it could be up to P10,000, [with] P7,000 to be shouldered by the national government, which is guaranteed, and P3,000 will come from agency savings,” he said.

Other details on who will qualify for the bonus will be spelled out in an upcoming executive order, he said. (PDI)

A lady senator had questioned the decision of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) suspending only the subcontractor while sparing Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. from any penalties in connection with the deaths of two Filipino workers at the Hanjin shipyard project in Subic last month.

Senator Pia S. Cayetano said: “SBMA’s decision to suspend the subcontractor has basis because it is Philnorkor which hires the workers and oversees the daily work conditions at the job site.”
This was her reaction to SBMA’s recommendations after investigating the deaths of laborers Philip Mendoza and Jose Vener Gil on Nov. 20 and 26, respectively. Gil is reportedly the 15th to die in work-related accidents while Mendoza is the second to die in traffic-related accidents at the shipyard.

“[But] Hanjin can’t be entirely cleared of liability because it is the one in charge in the selection and supervision of its subcontractors. Hanjin is aware that all these deaths have been occurring, but what has it done to make its subcontractors comply with safety regulations?”

“SBMA cannot continue looking the other way because it’s an affront to our workers. It should take to task all those accountable for their criminal and civil liabilities to the victims.”

“Alam nating lahat na ang Hanjin ang isa sa pinakamalaking mamumuhunan dito sa ating bansa, pero di ito sapat na dahilan para balewalain ang buhay at seguridad ng ating mga manggagawa,” she stressed. #

TAGBILARAN CITY – At least eight political detainees at the Bohol Detention and Rehabilitation Center (BDRC) called on President Arroyo’s administration to release “without conditions” all 225 political detainees who are still languishing in various jails nationwide.

In a handwritten but short press release in vernacular received by this writer, the eight detainees said they are still suffering from unfair persecution of the crimes that are “invented” against them by the state.

“Two of them, Antonio Sanchez and Elpidio Tagsip, are still under medication and recovery from tuberculosis,” said Karapatan chairman Msgr. Feliciano Nalzaro, parish priest of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, barangay Taloto in this city.

Sanchez and Tagsip, who are members of the militant Hugpong sa mga Mag-uumang Bol-anon (Humabol), have been detained for five years already on a “double murder” case in spite of the fact that the said charge was “publicly admitted by the New People’s Army (NPA).” They were then known as one of the “Buenavista Five,” of Buenavista town, where the murder took place

Other detainees, who signed the press statement, include Federico Bugash, Rodrigo Mejias, Ruben Bosalanan, Proculo Tandog, Jr., Julian Canono and Edwin Lofranco.

“Padayon pa gihapon ang politikalnga pagpanglutos nga miresulta sa pagbilanggo sa 225 ka tawo sa tibuok nasud tungod sa ilang political nga baruganan ug pagtu-o.” (Running after the political prisoners just because of their political beliefs that resulted to their detention still continues, according to the eight political detainees.)

They argued that they should be freed pursuant to section 18, Article III of the Philippine Constitution and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), of which RP is a signatory.

Msgr. Nalzaro and detainees said Karapatan will observe the Political Detainees Week “to recognize that there are still people being incarcerated for their political beliefs and principles.”

Nalzaro quoted observation of Dennis Abarrientos of Karapatan – Central Visayas that the political persecution “still exists” despite prohibition of the same under local and international laws and instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The call coincided with the observation of the human rights celebration during the first week of December and activities are being organized, such as “Mass for Justice,” “Solidarity Lunch” among families and friends of political detainees and “Solidarity Cultural Program” at the Karapatan office. (RVO)

The House committee on revision of laws has approved a bill granting legitimate status to children born to parents who could not marry each other because of young age.

These kids out of wedlock are born to parents who had either—or both— not yet reached the age of 18 at the time their children were conceived.

The bill, whose authors include Rep. Edgar Chatto and Rep. Magtanggol Gunigundo of Valenzuela, says if the obstacle to the parents’ marriage to each other was their failure to comply with the legal age requirement, then their children may still be legitimated.

Chatto is a pro-family awardee lawmaker.

Legitimate status can be granted to the children once their parents are wed upon reaching the age of majority, according to the proposed measure which is a consolidation of several like bills.

The consolidated bill seeks to amend Article 177 of the Family Code of the Philippines, which says that children are illegitimate if they were conceived at the time when there was impediment for either of or both their parents to enter into marriage.

The measure, entitled “An Act Providing for the Legitimation of Children Born to Parents Below Marrying Age, Amending for the Purpose the Family Code of the Philippines,” is also co-proposed Rep. Roberto Cajes and Rep. Eduardo Gullas of Cebu.

Bill proponents hailed its passage in the committee level which is necessary to its potential approval during the plenary session.

For them, innocent children should not suffer from the mistakes, lapses or sins of their parents.

These kids should not suffer from “the pain and stigma of an illegitimate status” or undergo the “tedious and expensive process of adoption when anyway their parents are going to legally marry each other after being prevented from doing so because of minority,” according to Gunigundo.

Other co-authors of the bill are Reps. Juan Edgardo Angara, Abraham Khalil Mitra, Cynthia Villar, Reno Lim, Liza Maza, Ignacio Arroyo, Trinidad Apostol, Marcelino Teodoro, Raul Gonzales, Jr., Giorgidi Aggbao, Elpidio Barzaga, Joseph Gilbert Violago, Arturo Robes, Satur Ocampo, Jose Carlos Lacson and Rolando Uy. (Ven rebo Arigo)