LTO HPG arrests 156 impounds 34 vehicles

DARAGA, Albay, Feb. 11 (PNA) – In a span of 11 hours, the combined enforcement of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the police highway patrol group (HPG) arrested a total of 156 violators and impounded at least 30 motor vehicles and four passenger buses in separate field operations Friday. Two PP Company buses from Manila bound for Legazpi City were flagged down along the highway in barangay Culiat, this town and were subsequently impounded for violations of registration and travel route during the early morning field operations. The other two buses, both owned by DLTB Company, were also impounded for similar violations in the evening field operations along the highway junction in Polangui, Albay. Mar Jose Magistrado, LTO operations division chief said 40 violators were also arrested and issue temporary operator’s permits during the operation in this town, while in the Polangui, the team netted 116 violators and impounded 30 motor vehicles. HPG members have expressed willingness to join LTO enforcers in field operations because they can also carry out at the same time the implementation of the election gun ban. During the conduct of police check points for gun ban implementation motorcycle riders cannot be required to open the u-box (under seat compartment), but this can be carry out on LTO-led operations especially on cases of impounded motorcycles and cars. “We have to open the motorcycles’ u-box and the cars’ doors and hoods to make an inventory of the tools and other things contained in them before we tow them to the impounding facility. It is part of our standard operating procedure which the police considers more beneficial to their campaign”, Magistrado added.(PNA)

Bicol PNP to rid camps with informal settlers

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 11 (PNA) – Hundreds of families residing inside Philippine National Police (PNP) camps across Bicol region are set to be ejected next month for reasons of threats to security and maximization of the area for police-related projects and activities. The deadline agreed upon between the PNP and informal settlers concerned in the previous string of dialogues was December last year, however, most residents declined to voluntarily relocate. Informant settlers were retired police officials, soldiers, non-uniformed office employees, who were previously allowed in relation to their connection to camp operations. However, there are also civilians that have gained entrance to the camp premises when allowed to put up small stores and eateries but have later established permanent residences. The camps being located in urban areas and nearby university belts, some informal settlers have been maintaining boarding houses. In Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, the regional police headquarters, in this city alone there are over 60 families who remained defiant to the ejection order. Members of the Philippine Army residing in Camp Ola have all relocated themselves voluntarily prior to the December 2012 deadline, said Senior Supt. Renato Bataller, Bicol PNP spokesperson. There are over 50 illegal settlers in Camp Escudero, the Sorsogon provincial police office (PPO) headquarters based in Sorsogon City while Camp Camacho, the Catanduanes PPO headquarters in the capital town of Virac has remained densely populated by informal settlers, Bataller said. It was learned that the back part of the police headquarters in Camp Camacho and a big portion of the firing range have been encroached by illegal residents. The police camp in Cataingan, Masbate has also remained teeming with illegal occupants that is denser compared to the situation in Masbate PPO headquarters. It was learned that the present regional police leadership is also aiming at preventing illegal settlers from acquiring titles over the lot they are occupying and take possession of government owned structures just how a retired police official did in Camp Ola. Bataller, also the chief of the regional human affairs office, revealed that a former police official from Batangas who brought in his family when he was assigned as chief of police in this city, first occupied the bungalow structure with wide garage behind the Albay PPO as temporary quarters. The structure is owned by Albay PPO and previously used as base of its provincial police mobile group prior to the official’s assignment. The official later was able to acquire title over the lot and has since then took possession of the area and the government structure. When ordered to vacate the area, the official and his family presented the land title and declined the order. “That building was constructed out of the funds of Albay PNP, and the lot is within the camp reserve area. The regional command is set to file charges to recover ownership and find out how he was able to acquire title over it”, Bataller said.(PNA)

SC denies cult claims over farmers’ land

GUINOBATAN, Albay, Feb. 11 (PNA) – The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled with finality on the case between heirs of a local farmer and members of a religious cult in barangay Maipon this town. After more than 13 years of court battle, the SC Third Division’s recent decision provided relief to the heirs of Eutiquio Palencia Sr., in their effort to regain ownership of the 522 square-meter Lot 2747 that had been taken possession of for more than a decade by the followers of “Lola Maria,” a self-proclaimed “true messenger of God.” The SC decision affirmed the previous rulings by a local court and the Court of Appeals (CA) all in favor of the heirs. Documents obtained by the Philippines News Agency revealed the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in Ligao City ruled in favor of the five heirs but the other party, sisters Letecia and Corina Nabata, and Vicente Villafuerte elevated the case to the CA . It was learned the Nabatas are children of a tenant of the Palencias in the early 60’s. Letecia Nabata has been regarded by her followers as God’s messenger and redeemer calling her “Lola Maria (Grandmother Mary)”. Her followers established prayer houses and residential communities at the foot of the hill in Maipon where the lot of the Palencias is located. The CA last Mach 7, 2012 also ruled in favor of the heirs and the other party again petitioned the SC to review the decision. The SC Third Division’s decision under G.R. 200263, stated that, there was no irreversible error in the CA’s affirming of the findings and conclusions of the RTC.(PNA).

Mining operations in Albay island nears end By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 12 (PNA) -- The operations of polymetallic open-pit mining in Rapu-Rapu, Albay is set to end this month and decommissioning procedures are expected to start by March. The absence of a decommissioning plan presented to stakeholders by the two main mining firms involved in the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP) has triggered fears of possible inefficient environmental recovery and rehabilitation of the mine site, and the impact barangays and contiguous areas. Its open-pit area covers 26 hectares located approximately 200 meters above sea level. The pit is 810 meters in length and 300 meters in width and the deepest part is estimated at 180 meters below ground Bem Redito, an environmentalist and a non-government organization (NGO) representative to the RRPP Mine Recovery Fund Management Council (MRFMC) confirmed to Philippines News Agency the upcoming closure of mine operations in the area and the start next month of decommissioning activities. Redito also admitted that until this week the council has neither been briefed about nor received a copy of the decommissioning plans. Residents have enough bases to fear possible negative environmental impact after the mine operations, just what they had experienced from the operation of the Taiwanese-run coal mining project in Batan Island, one of the three islands of Rapu-Rapu town, from early 80’s until early 90’s. In Batan Island, there are at least three gigantic lakes that were created from the open-pit areas of hundreds of meters depth and width left behind by the Taiwanese firm, posing grave hazards the community up to the present especially during the rainy season. These, aside from the lost forest cover and the soil quality had remained unfit for farming because the ground was loaded and spread with materials excavated from the pit. “We share with the residents feelings because they have already experienced the effects of environmental neglect before”, said Redito giving assurance that he will propose for the involvement of the fisheries and aquatic resource management councils (FARMC) in every barangay in the island in the decommissioning activities. Other residents fear loss of employment and other economic benefits in the town including the multi-million taxes yearly generated from the mining operations. Not less than 900 locals are employed in the mine site. Last December 19, 2012, a total of P16.5 million was generated from the Real Property Tax for Machineries and Equipment of RRPP. RRPP is a zinc and copper mining venture owned and managed by the Rapu-Rapu Minerals, Inc.(RRMI), which handles the exploration works, and the Rapu-Rapu Processing, Inc. (RRPI), which is in-charge for processing and marketing. RRPI owns the first and only zinc processing plant in the country. There are four other companies sharing in the mining management and technical and financial interests – the Korea, Malaysia, Philippines Resources (KMP), LG International, the Malaysia Smelting Company (MSC), and Korea Resources Corporation (KORES). Rapu-Rapu Island has been known to have rich mineral deposits and had a long history of mining activities believed to have started during the Spanish occupation. The town first became famous for rich gold deposits with the operation of Hixbar Gold Mines in 1936. During the war, the Japanese army took over the mining operation, but HIxbar was able to recover ownership after the liberation and resumed operations until 1960. After Hixbar, came the Benguet Corporation operating from 1960 until 1982, then in the early 90’s, mining was resumed by Toronto Ventures, Inc. and the LaFayette Philippines, Inc. RRPP was acquired by RRMI in 1999 and massive mineral extraction began in 2003 with a total investment of US$33.5-million. The base camp of mining and processing operations has been set up at the eastern tip of the island with a concession involving 180 hectares. The site covers the whole barangays of Pagcolbon, Binosawan, and Malobago and parts of barangays Linao, Tinopan and Santa Barbara. Series of small creeks nearby and downslope from the wide and deep open-pit trickle down the hilly terrain toward the sea. Two of them, the Maypajo and Catmon Creeks are with mine tailing storage facilities. Redito said RRMi has earlier assured the MRFMC that the company will regularly monitor the rehabilitation works for 10 years from start of decommissioning activities. “Our concern, aside from the quality and quantity of recovery and rehabilitation efforts directly after mining operations shuts down, is the other effects in the environment that are sure to become visible 10 years later or more”. He said. The multi-million recovery fund deposited by the mining firms does not cover the rehabilitation of the site and contiguous areas beyond 10 years.(PNA)

Man walking with gun tucked on waist arrested

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Feb 10 (PNA) – A civilian roaming around his place of residence with a gun tucked on his waist IN Castilla, Sorsogon has been arrested by policemen and charged in court for violations of the Firearm Law of the Philippines (Presidential Decree 1866) the ongoing election gun ban. Reports reaching the Regional election Monitoring Action Center (REMAC) at Camp Gen, Simeon Ola, this city revealed the police were on patrol as part of its enhanced visibility and security measures in relation to the ongoing election period when they chanced upon the suspect, Eugene Gilliam, 44 and resident of barangay Bagalayag in Castilla. The patrol group by Senior Insp. Jimmy Pintor is a composite team from Castilla town police and the regional special operations task group (RSOTG) seized from Gulliam were a caliber .45, two pieces of magazines, and 11 rounds of ammunition. The suspect failed to present necessary firearm license and permit to carry. RSOTG teams are deployed on areas presently either under the first or second category of election hot spots who were ordered by Bicol police director, Chief Supt. Clarence Guinto to assist the local police in intelligence-related patrol system, and enhanced visibility and security measures in highly populated areas in relation to the ongoing election period. In another development a joint operatives from the Philippine Army in and the local police in Cataingan, Masbate arrested in a seaborne patrol operations three suspects for illegal transport of logs and possession of firearms. Cataingan police’s report to REMAC revealed the suspects - Eduardo Orcales, 51 and married, and Slvador Pepito and Roy Prudenciado, both 19 and single – all resident residents of barangay Mataluto, Tagapul-an, Samar, were on board the motorized banca, M/B Edlyn, when arrested. The government troops chased the suspects upon seeing pieces of logs protruding on one side of the banca to verify if the cargo was legally obtained and with a permit to transport, however, it later turned out to be illegal lumbers and an Armscor caliber .45 and two loaded magazines were found in their possession.(PNA)

DepEd central office directs teacher distribution in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 24 (PNA) –- The over 3,000 new public school teachers to be hired and assigned in Bicol starting school year 2013-2014 have to choose from the areas of assignment the Department of Education (DepEd) central office has identified in an effort to set right the faulty teacher-student ratio in government schools in the region. As to the present number of teachers in the region, Bicol public schools can achieve the efficient ratio of one teacher per 35 students, but they are not properly distributed. Some schools have an oversupply of teachers while there are others that lack instructors, Dr. Jose Bonto, DepEd Bicol administrative officer, said. The central office’s intervention is both an offshoot of the color-coding scheme implemented by regional education officials to identify schools that need reinforcement of faculty members and the immediate dissemination of these data by the department’s Bureau of Education Information System (BEIS). “The BEIS gave us relief. No applicant now can accuse regional or division officials of favoritism or of constraining them to accept assignment in areas away from their residence that is a violation of Republic Act 8190 or the Localization Law. The areas are identified by the central office and what we are to do is simply fill the vacancies,” Bonto said. Local education officials have implemented since middle last year a color-coding scheme in an effort to reassign and redeploy teachers to public elementary and high schools in the region with insufficient number of instructors in anticipation of the upcoming opening of classes this June. It is also being done in anticipation of the prohibition of transfer of teachers by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) relative to the upcoming 2013 local and national elections and to harmonize with the K+12 curriculum requirements next school year. White patch is attached to names of schools with enough number of teachers and proper ratio, black patch to those in excess while red patch is given to schools with insufficient number of educators. “The color-coded schools were reported to the central office through the BEIS and were posted in the DepEd website. So applicants, through the Internet, can now outright know the area of possible assignment that is nearest their domicile. They don’t have to come to the regional or division office to know the areas with vacancies,” Bonto said. He, however, made clear that the Localization Law shall be enforced in schools with vacancies and which have applicants living within or nearby the host barangay. Republic Act 4670 or the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers had also, so far, prevented efforts to rectify teacher distribution in the region because it is mandated that transfer of teachers could not be done without the consent of the teacher concerned, or it must be done only “for the exigency of the service.” On transfers made under the latter condition, the DepEd regional office is required under the law to pay the transportation expenses of the concerned teachers. It was learned that DepEd Bicol succeeded in persuading some teachers to transfer from schools with oversupply to undermanned areas through payment of a P3,000 monthly transportation allowance for a span of six months only. We have enough funds for the payment of the six-month allowances to fully rectify the distribution problem. But it was not enough to encourage most teachers to accept transfer of assignments,” Bonto said. Aside from the new public school teachers to be hired this year, local education officials have also been expecting a share from Deped’s 2013 budget for the purchase of about 38,000 armchairs and construction of 3,500 additional classrooms. (PNA) LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

NGCP blames right-of-way violators for 44 power outages in 2012

By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 25 (PNA) -- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has put the blame on residents squatting and into other activities within the immediate vicinity of its transmission towers and cables for the 44 episodes of power outages and line trip-offs that occurred last year. Areas directly beneath transmission towers and cables and at certain safety clearance on both sides are considered a grid right-of-way (ROW) where human activities are prohibited for technical and safety reasons, said Nelson Bautista, NGCP South Luzon corporate communication and public affairs officer, in his letter to the Philippines News Agency. Transmission lines are open power wires that carry a minimum of 69,000 volts and a maximum of 500,000 volts. Electricity induction may occur once the safe clearance is breached, Bautista said, adding that the danger of being electrocuted by getting near enough is very high even without touching the lines. “Our lines carry electricity that is more than 300 times the power of the electricity flowing in our households, which is just 220 volts. Breaching our safety clearances can be fatal,” he warned. Common violations range from planting of trees and crops within ROW corridors, igniting grass fires at or around the facilities, squatting and putting up of structures under transmission lines, and playing, such as kite flying. All of these activities can disrupt the transmission of power and trigger outages, damage transmission lines, hamper the speedy delivery of electricity, and compromise the safety of the public, Bautista said. These problems also make it more difficult for NGCP linemen to efficiently and effectively carry out regular maintenance operations because a substantial amount of time is spent in clearing the ground of vegetation and structures. Apart from these, some ROW violators are preventing NGCP teams from coming in for maintenance or to fix damaged lines making the operations more risky. NGCP incurs huge expenses in clearing activities and on cases where the ROW violations cause damage to facilities. The cost implication multiplies in the form of repairs and restoration works and additional manpower and man-hours. In the 44 recorded outages and trip-offs last year, 25 of them occurred in Mindanao. (PNA) LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP

Ballet presentation of Albay legend at CCP to set records in Philippine art history

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 27 (PNA) -- The new production of "Daragang Magayon", Albay’s mythical epic in ballet form at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) Main Theater on Feb. 8, is setting records in Philippine arts history. “Daragang Magayon: Ang Istorya ni Mayon” lands on record as the first full-length ballet of a provincial epic, the first multimedia-backed ballet interpretation in the country, the first to integrate the love story legend of Mayon Volcano’s origin and the pre-Hispanic mythology of the Bicol region, and the first of its kind to be set to rondalla, specially composed and arranged by internationally acclaimed Filipino conductor and composer. The mythical epic is the love story of Mayon Volcano and the people of Albay. As an epic, it goes down on record as the first collaboration of three respected contemporary artists: the poetry of National Artist Virgilio Almario, the music of Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos and the creative resources of Albayano writer and researcher Abdon Balde Jr. As composer, Santos’ works have been featured in major festivals in America, Europe and Asia. Almario’s magic in poetry is expected to blend with Santos music intensifying emotions in new scenes of the tale. Ancient rituals and mythological characters and other magical realism of the legend are products of the researches and stories woven by Balde, a multi-awarded Bikolano writer who specializes in mythopoeia and the folk stories of Bikol. The production also comes as the first multi-media- backed ballet interpretation in the country, choreographed by Gerald Mercado and his wife Katrina Santos-Mercado, both ballet masters known internationally, with the e-Dance Theater. e-Dance Theater expands the love story in new dances and movements that is uniquely Filipino, both in techniques and aesthetics and were created to evoke a rich character of the filmography done by Chuck Escasa, animation by Niko Salazar, the set designed by Leo Abaya and costume by Carlo Pagunaling. The Daragang Magayon myth is basically a love-against-all-odds story between Magayon (beautiful) and Ulap (cloud). Their tragic death in the hands of an envious suitor, Pagtuga (eruption), earned for them favor from gods to make their love last forever and part no more by turning the lovers’ grave to mountain and the sky. As a drama, Daragang Magayon will integrate two community bonding — the rites of “Haliya”, a protest against incoming threats, and “Atang”, the offering for good harvest. The epic is produced by the Albay provincial government led by Gov. Joey Salceda. The presentation forms part of a revitalized tourism development program that would offer guests an opportunity to take a fresher look into the province’s mesmerizing mythical past, its magic and mystery. Bicol University Professor Dennis Mirabueno said the matinee presentation at CCP will be done at 3:00 p.m. on Feb. 8 while the gala presentation is set in the evening at 8:00 p.m.(PNA) PDS/ALV/MMG/PJN

PNP Bicol fortifies respect on human rights

By Alfredo L. Vargas LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 26 (PNA) –- The 7,000-man strong Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol is set to undergo a series of seminars and trainings on human rights advocacy and behavior change this year. Senior Supt. Renato Bataller, PNP regional spokesperson and chief of the Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) based at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, said the undertaking is aimed at arming policemen with the basics in human rights to avoid violations. Records of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) revealed that the PNP had the most number of complaints in terms of human rights violations (HRV) last year and in the past few years compared to the military and other government law enforcement arms. This is so because of their being closest to the public in the daily disposition of responsibilities such as being seen managing traffic and on their beat assignments. The policemen are also easily identifiable, Bataller said. Of the 74 cases filed in court by CHR, 25 respondents were policemen. Last year, HRAO was able to reach out to 70 percent of the entire Bicol police force through trainings and seminars. “We plan to submit the remaining 30 percent, then conduct a series of re-orientation sessions. This is not because there are many rotten cops in the region but it is expected by the community from every policeman,” Bataller said. He expressed optimism that the program will be sustained because regional police director, Chief Supt. Clarence Guinto, was the former chief of HRAO at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame prior to his assignment in Bicol. (PNA) CTB/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

Albay town devotes festival to commemorate fateful 1814 Mayon eruption

By: Alfredo L.Vargas Jr. DARAGA, Albay, Jan. 27 (PNA) -- The local governments of Albay province and Daraga town have teamed up to stage the "Cagsawa Festival" this year which will coincide with the 199th anniversary of the Feb. 1, 1814 catastrophic eruption of Mount Mayon that claimed thousands of lives and buried the whole town. The month-long fesival, now on its second year, will focus on the site of the almost two-century old ruins, just 11 kms from the crater of Mayon Volcano. The team up of the provincial and city governments has elevated the newest festival to the level of other significant celebrations in Albay - the main festival of “Daragang Magayon”, “TabaK” of Tabaco City, “Ibalong” of Legazpi City, “Pulang Angui” of the town of Polangui and the province’s “Magayon” and “Karangahan sa Pasko”. The Cagsawa Festival will also mark how the Albayanos picked up the pieces after the 1814 catastrophe and how the present disaster risk reduction management efficiently arms people with preemptive skills and emergency preparedness in order not to suffer the same sad fate. Today, Albay is a United Nations global model in disaster risk reduction, after rising from the crises of 1814 and other the succeeding disasters. Aside from commemoration of the 1814 Mayon eruption episode, Cagsawa Festival 2013 will also feature this town’s long trek towards change, rehabilitation and growth, said Albay Governor Joey Salceda. (PNA) PDS/ALV/MMG/PJN

PDEA seizes shabu, nabs 6 suspects in Cam Norte

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- Joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the local police in Camarines Norte arrested six suspects in the illegal drug trade and recovered from them methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P96,000 in two separate raids over the weekend. In his report to PDEA Bicol Director Archie Grande at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola in this city, Agent Erwin Magpantay identified the suspects arrested in the Sunday morning buy-bust operations as Rodelmar Ocan, 28, a motorcycle sales agent and resident of Barangay San Roque in Mercedes, Camarines Norte and his cohort, Marcelo Gallardo. Seized from the suspects were three medium-sized heat-sealed plastic sachets containing shabu with a street value of P90,000. An unnamed civilian reportedly tipped off the operatives on Ocan's active involvement in drug distribution. This was subsequently confirmed by a series of surveillance operations and test buys. Gallardo was with Ocan when the sale of the drug to a poseur-buyer was consummated. The PDEA filed a case for violation of Section 5, Article II of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002 against the suspect before Prosecutor Cornelio Roll of the Provincial Prosecutor's Office (PPO) in the capital town of Daet. Three days prior to the operation in Mercedes, joint operatives of PDEA and Camarines Norte police arrested a drug den maintainer and three other suspects in the act of sniffing shabu in Barangay Borabod in Daet. Armed with a search warrant dated Jan. 22 issued by Executive Judge Roberto Escaro of the Regional Trial Court Branch 38 in Daet, the operatives raided the residence of Francisco Ace Simeon in Borabod and seized six plastic sachets containing shabu with a street value of P6,000. The PDEA also caught three suspects while in the act of sniffing shabu inside Simeon's residence. Magpantay identified them as Lamberto Inciong, Anthony Castillar and Larry Nazareno, all of Daet. Based on a chemistry report of the police crime laboratory in Camarines Norte, the seized drugs from Simeon weighed 4.09 grams. Magpantay also reported that Simeon is among the watch-listed drug personalities in Camarines Norte and is subject to immediate neutralization due to his key participation in the drug supply chain. The suspect converted his residence into a drug den where pot sessions are held. The PDEA also filed charges Saturday against Simeon before the PPO for violation of Sections 6 and 11 of Article II of RA 9165. It also did the same against Inciong, Castillar and Nazareno for violation of Section 7 of RA 9165. The six suspects have all been locked up inside the Camarines Norte Provincial Jail. (PNA) FFC/PTR/FGS/Alfredo L. Vargas Jr./MMG/EBP

Automated weather station gives Legazpi residents 24/7 weather update

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) –- Residents of this city can get updates about current local weather situation anytime of the day through the automated weather station (AWS) recently installed at the beachfront here, either to anticipate or affirm the regular daily state weather bureau forecasts. The station, worth not less than P100,000, was a donation from the Weather Philippines Foundation (WPF). It has an antenna system, a rain gauge and barometric readings for temperature, wind speed, humidity and positions of low- and high-pressure systems within and outside of this city. The donation was an offshoot of the disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) seminar last year in Laguna jointly hosted by the League of Cities and the WPF. This city and other cities in Southern Luzon received free full station units each. Other cities that took part in the event were only given free rain gauges such as Pasig City, said Pecos Intia, city DRRM chief. WPF, which aims to become the country’s premier private weather information content provider, combines the resources of the private firm, Aboitiz Group, and the technical expertise of the Swiss company, Meteomedia, in providing accurate weather forecasts with the hope of improving nationwide disaster preparedness and timely response to variable weather condition. It aims to provide free 1,000 units of AWS across the country. The station has been installed at the roof top of the two-storey city Bureau of Fire Protection building at the boulevard, fronting Legazpi Bay. “The location is strategic and the elevation is conducive for better weather element readings. The station is manned 24/7,” Intia said. Although no forecast from the station reading is being made public, it helps local disaster managers and staff in continuous monitoring, especially during impending or real-time weather disturbances. “We do not make use of it to contest the data provided by Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) but we can anticipate the forecasts for local implementation of DRRM and to check whether our data are accurately the same with Pagasa,” Intia said. This city has been consistently adjudged model city on DRRM in Bicol Region and placed second last year and in 2011 in the national level. The station was among the areas visited last week by 30 DRRM officials and staff and department heads of Taguig City who were on study tour regarding best DRRM practices they can replicate in their place. (PNA) FPV/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

PHL Navy spreads better service image in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- They are the guardians of the seas, but in Bicol, members of the Philippine Navy (PN) have gained the public’s recognition as all-terrain and all-weather friends from whom civilians can expect good service anywhere, anytime. Officers and men of the Naval Forces for Southern Luzon (NAVFORSOL) have been actively taking part in preemptive and full evacuations during impending or real-time disasters. They have also been into supporting and promoting tourism, sports, healthy lifestyle, efficient solid waste management, coastal clean-up, environmental conservation and protection, and various community education and outreach programs. The most recent was the partnership with the local government of this city in the enforcement of the local anti-smoking ordinance. The fleet-marine personnel of NAVFORSOL have been deputized as enforcers of the ordinance after completing a series of enforcement trainings and orientation. Representatives from the city government turned over deputized enforcers' paraphernalia to NAVFORSOL on Jan. 24. Navy personnel also regularly conduct career opportunities in the Navy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)for high school seniors inside the station. NAVFORSOL holds festivals inside the station such as Masbate’s “Rodeo Masbateño,” this city’s “Ibalong,” Albay province’s “Magayon” and “Karangahan sa Pasko” and the most recent was Quiapo’s “Feast of the Black Nazarene.” These are open for the public to watch and take part. NAVFORSOL holds various events for the local media in the area. Its personnel make themselves visible to the public not only during times of disaster and other emergencies but also during various community-based events such as their regular participation in locally-sponsored fun runs and the regular morning “Hataw” physical fitness sessions at the city boulevard. (PNA) PDS/FGS/Alfredo L. Vargas Jr./MMG/EBP

DPWH releases part of P2B for Legazpi comprehensive drainage project

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- The ongoing implementation of the P2-billion comprehensive urban drainage project of this city will be sustained this year with a fresh working funding of P300 million recently released by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The amount, which is equivalent to 15 percent of the total project cost, is the second released funding for the project since implementation began last year at an initial budget of P500 million. City Administrator Noel Rosal, former mayor of this and who was on his third consecutive term when the drainage project was approved and assured budget allocation by DPWH, said the recent release, although not enough to complete the project, can further relieve the burden of floods in the 20 urban barangays here. Aside from deep and wide line canals stretching along national highways and city and provincial roads at the Legazpi Port and Old Albay districts, at least three pumping stations will be constructed. These will be distributed one each at the mouth of the rivers in Barangays Bonot, San Roque and Dapdap. Canals being constructed are deep and wide enough to avoid clogging. “The pumping stations shall be the last to be constructed according to our engineers and the approved plans. Implementation is focused on establishing flood routes via these canals to the site of the pumping stations,” said Rosal, spouse of incumbent City Mayor Geraldine Rosal. The project will also include dike rehabilitation along the Macabalo River and its major tributaries and the setting up of a jetty structure in Yawa River. This city’s port district and the downtown lie below sea level that torrential rains, especially during increment weather and periods of high tide, trigger massive floods and take long to subside. “Last year, Legazpiños were already convinced of the favorable impacts of the project. Floods before took about 10 hours to subside, but with last year’s partial implementation, it has been reduced to three hours,” said Pecos Intia, city disaster risk reduction management officer. The P300-million budget for the drainage project is part of the DPWH’s P6.6-billion funding this year for vital infrastructure projects in the region. The funding is distributed as follows: Camarines Sur, P1.6 billion; Albay, P1 billion; Camarines Norte, P922.5 million; Catanduanes, P681.6 million; Masbate, P524.2 million, and Sorsogon, P520.7 million. (PNA) FFC/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

Legazpi City sets every Saturday 'blood-letting day'

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) –- Saturdays have always been an eight-hour routine of blood service, saving, collection and withdrawal for the medical technicians of the City Health Office (CHO) here. In an effort to set up efficient buffer stock for this month until June, the period usually with scarce blood supply, health officials launched the regular blood-letting activities every Saturday. Since the program proved effective last year and that there is a need to maintain a continuing supply of blood for the whole year, it has been done from the first, and will be regularly held until the last, Saturday of 2013, said Dr. Fulbert Gillego, city health officer. “With enough and continuing supply of blood, we are sure to save more lives,” Gillego said. Based on the effective ratio of one bag per 100 residents, the city needs not less than 2,000 bags of blood ready for all types of emergency for persons who are victims of accidents, birthing mothers, patients undergoing operations, dialysis patients and those suffering from chronic ailments and dengue. Residents in need of blood supply can come any day to withdraw the needed number of bags and are required to return, as much as possible, on the nearest Saturday to replenish the supply. Massive information dissemination on the program has been launched by the local government unit (LGU) here through local broadcast media and conduct of health orientation seminars in the barangays. “There are plenty of people coming to donate and replenish loaned blood on Saturdays. It’s usually a day of rest for most workers and students so they have also an opportunity to either pay back or give blood,” Gillego noted. He said they are also planning to establish here a blood bank for inter-LGUs health zone. He said this would cater to the four towns and one city of the second district of Albay province. The district is composed of this city and the towns of Manito, Rapu-Rapu, Daraga, Camalig and Sto. Domingo. According to plans, each LGU will be assigned a day in the week or a certain period to man the facility, utilizing its own human resources and operational budget. “We are asked to formulate a detailed staffing program and other necessary management operations. We will all benefit from the facility daily but we will take turns in manning and managing its 24/7 operations,” Gillego added. (PNA) PDS/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

Divers from Japan, China, Australia to explore Albay reefs

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 30 (PNA) -- Divers - both neophytes and experts, young and senior citizens - from China, Japan and Australia, are set to explore the various dive sites in Albay Gulf next month. Jin Masuda, a Japanese dive master who has been into diving the 16 dive sites in this city and other flourishing reefs in Albay Gulf, confirmed the arrival next week of seven elderly divers from Japan who he will guide in underwater tour of the reefs. It was learned that there are two types of underwater attractions for divers: fish species abounding in the sites and the corals and reefs which they regard as “the rainforests of the sea.” Either or both, Masuda assured his visitors of satisfaction comparable to diving in the famous reefs in the country such as Tubbataha Reef in Palawan and those in Anilao in Batangas as far as the types of corals and species of fish are concerned. His most encouraging promise to visiting fellow Japanese is that Albay Gulf is the calmest dive destination, the reason he has stayed in this city in the past three years--doing voluntary services to the local governments of Albay province and the city of Legazpi such as exploration, rehabilitation and promotion of the dive sites. Now on his 11th consecutive year of stay in the country, Masuda has been inviting Japanese to come to this city. Late last year, he provided guide services and itinerary of underwater tour in Albay Gulf to a group of elderly divers from Japan - the oldest of them, 75 years old. Masuda will also provide the same to the group about to arrive next month, the youngest among them, he said, is 54 years old. Matsuda is the vice president of the Pacific Blue Dive Center (PBDC) that has established an office in this city and has been providing free dive trainings to residents in Albay islands who are to be tapped in the ongoing coral farming and coastal resource management programs of the local governments. Masuda’s group installed last December 31 the first ever coral garden in Albay Gulf at no cost on the part of the government and has vowed to put up more underwater nurseries, especially near the dive sites and on damaged reefs - all free of charge. Another Japanese dive master, George Nakano, the head of PBDC, left for China after the installation of the first coral garden to provide dive training in Beijing. At least 30 among Nakano’s trainees in Beijing are set to experience their first open-water diving in Albay Gulf, also next month. “The training in Beijing was done in pools. They have not experienced the open seas and because Albay Gulf is a calm dive area, they were convinced to come here and experience open water diving for the first time,” Masuda said. Also next month, 22 divers from Australia will be brought in by Lee Michael, a Sydney-based journalist who is into free promotion of tourism destinations in Asia. Michael has featured in his own broadcast station the various tourism attractions of Albay province. City Mayor Noel Rosal revealed that Michael had been in this city last September and indeed promised to bring divers from Australia for them to discover the natural underwater beauty of Albay Gulf. It was learned that Michael had explored the various dive sites here and was all praises that he pledged continuing promotions through his radio station in Sydney and to invite fellow Australians to come to this city. Nong Dawal, the action officer of the provincial government’s ongoing poverty alleviation program in the four islands within Albay Gulf which PBDC strongly supports through provision of free dive trainings, said that what makes local dive sites more attractive to tourists is their proximity to tourist destinations, particularly in the provinces of Sorsogon and Masbate. “After each dive, they can go climbing to Mayon Volcano or hop to Donsol, Sorsogon for whale shark interaction tours, or to Masbate for other flourishing dive sites and various festivals such ‘Rodeo Masbateño’. We are at the center, and from here they have plenty of accessible tourism sites to visit,” Dawal said. More foreign divers and nature lovers are expected to visit the area with the strengthened programs of the Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon (Almasor) tourism alliance that started middle last year. (PNA) LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP

Cagsawa Festival traces lost town, boosts people’s identity

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. DARAGA, Albay, Jan. 31 (PNA) -- For the first time in the history of this town, residents here and visitors alike will have a chance to trace the lost Albay town of “Cagsawa” and look up to the ardent desire against all odds by its inhabitants to preserve their identity as a people through the centuries. Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, with his penetrating advocacy to advance the whole province as eco- and histo-cultural tourism destination, personally carried out extensive research studies about how life was in Cagsawa prior to and after the whole town was buried under tons of volcanic debris in 1814. The lost Cagsawa town was geographically located about 11 kilometers southeast of the crater of Mount Mayon. In the month-long celebration of Cagsawa Festival this February, various events are focused on commemorating the February 1, 1814 Mount Mayon eruption, one of the two most violent and treacherous volcanic events ever recorded. Records revealed that the significance of the day, being the eve of “Candelaria” (Feast of Candles), was ironical. Instead of prayer, psalm and hymn recitals, it was dominated by nature’s fury and people's hysteria. The belfry of the baroque church built in the place by Franciscan priests in 1724 has remained until today the silent witness of the catastrophe and proof of the once-flourishing town of Cagsawa. The festival will also highlight how disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) was done by survivors in the aftermath of the 1814 eruption such as the massive relocation to where and what this town is now. Salceda went over written accounts of Spanish friars and church records to ascertain that this town was once called “Cagsawa” more than two centuries ago, with its center of governance and booming commercial district located about five kilometers from where the present poblacion is. Records also show that this town continued to be called Cagsawa until the 20th century, long after the original town was buried. Until 1905, dead residents of this town were still registered in the church’s Book of Burials as residents of “Cagsawa." The last entry in the Book of Burials, in which the parish is called "of Cagsawa," is dated July 11 of the same year. The last entry in the Baptismal Book under such name is dated April 10, 1907 while in the Book of Marriages is dated July 23 of the same year. These entries were signed by the late Fr. Vicente Rojo, of the Orders of Friar Minor, who was the parish priest during that time. He was believed to have personally decided to change the name of the parish from Cagsawa to Daraga without giving any reason. According to Salceda, there is no official document that changed the name of Cagsawa into Daraga and probably, the people then simply assumed that Daraga is Cagsawa. Bouncing back from the 1814 devastation, the place progressively emerged as a well-to-do town as described in the writings of Fedor Jagor, a well-known German scientist-traveler, when he came to Daraga in 1870. What is worth further emulating among the early natives of Daraga by its present generation was their firm opposition to all attempts, by persuasion or by force, to give the town other names than how it was called after relocating from Cagsawa. Cagsawa Festival this year will also devote events in honor of local heroes such as the councilman named "Budiao," who led a strong resistance against the Spanish conquistadores. A village was later named after him; built with a church and laid with wide open streets by Spanish authorities in recognition of his bravery and participation in setting order and system in the area. The village kept its name up to the present. Aside from the belfry of Cagsawa church, the fragments of the stone walls of the church in Budiao are also mute witnesses to the 1814 eruption episode. The name “Daraga” is believed coined from one of the main characters of the mythical epic of Mount Mayon, “Daragang Magayon” (beautiful maiden) as an affirmation that it was fun then living in the peaceful town of booming commerce and industry. Local historians then regard this town as the "pride and life of Albay.” (PNA) FPV/FGS/ALV/MMG

City honors 17 best smoke-free ordinance enforcers

By:Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 31 (PNA) -- The local government unit of Legazpi City, which trail-blazed the concept of a “Smoke-Free City” in the Philippines, has honored 17 best smoke-free enforcers with plaques of appreciation to recognize their selfless efforts to implement the city ordinance on anti-smoking. In 2012, the enforcers arrested 737 smoke-free violators and collected P38,100 in fines, while in 2011, they caught 650 violators with total fines of P21,076, Mayor Carmen Geraldine B. Rosal said here Thursday. As she commended them, Rosal said, she urged the honorees to be persistently vigilant and to protect the public from the deadly health consequences of second-hand smoke. She instructed them to arrest all violators of the smoke-free ordinance--especially those who smoke in public places, in public transport and conveyances, in schools and in other crowded areas of the city. The city is now cast as a role model in implementing smoke-free laws, for other cities and towns aspiring to have a smoke-free status. Legazpi City has the distinction of being the Best Smoke-Free City for the third successive year in 2012. It won the Red Orchid award in 2010, 2011 and last year (2012) the Hall of Fame. “The vital component of success is the city’s diverse group of committed smoke-free enforcers—composed of civil society groups, individual volunteers, advocacy groups, city police officers and army reservists. These enforcers, who offered their services for free, were selected by local government officials,” Rosal said. The lady chief executive described Legazpi City as “the Best Local Government Unit Implementer of Republic Act 9211,” also known as the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003. She praised the enforcers’ implementation of the city’s Comprehensive Smoke-free Ordinance. Rosal also encouraged the public to support Legazpi City’s smoke-free campaign to preserve its reputation as a healthy and orderly city and 100-percent smoke-free community. The 17 best enforcers are PO2 Joseph Aringo, PO2 Domingo Nuñez and PO2 Andro Taduran of the Philippine National Police; from Bicol Communicators and Environmental Rescue Group--Ferdinand Samar, Jonathan Basquirias and Dennis Alta; from Philippine Army Reserve Command--Cpl. Jose Lazado, Cpl. Jhoel Alienza, Sgt. Jorlan Almazar and Pfc. Ma. Nelly Bacudio; from the Public Safety Office-- Marvin Hernandez, Jonas S. Esplana and Domingo R. Nuñez 1V; from Smoke-Free Unit--Pastor Deodato Quintela, coordinator of Team Enforcement; and deputized civilian enforcers Jaime Olarte and Christopher Lozano. (PNA) FFC/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP

Bicol police chief assures no HR violations in operations vs rebels in Masbate

By: Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 31 (PNA) –- The Bicol regional police director has personally supervised the pursuit operations against the fleeing members of the New People's Army in the aftermath of the Saturday afternoon encounter between rebels and policemen in Monreal, Masbate. Chief Supt. Lawrence Guinto said on Thursday that the purpose of his intervention was to make sure that no human rights violations would be committed by pursuing members of the provincial police and the Regional Public Safety Battalion deployed (RPSB) in the area. After the more than two-hour gun battle between government and rebel forces in Sitio Capatagan, Barangay Cantona in Monreal, the rebels reportedly retreated towards highly populated portion of the nearby villages and took cover inside residential houses. “Being a lawyer and a former national chief of the Human Rights Affairs Office in Camp Crame, I know the situation might end up with plenty of human rights violations by either or both sides. The safety of the civilians was my paramount concern in personally supervising the operations,” Guinto said. RPSB reinforcement troops from Camp Gen. Simeon Ola were immediately dispatched to the scene of the encounter upon receipt of reports about the ongoing gun battle in the area involving a big group of armed rebels. It was learned that a platoon-size RPSB men were on foot patrol in Capatagan when fired upon by the rebels. A gunfight subsequently ensued between them that lasted more than two hours. Guinto has not confirmed yet whether the rebels involved in Capatagan encounter are die-hard NPAs or those serving local politicians as a private armed group (PAG). A company from the RPSB and the Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOTG) was earlier deployed in Masbate to provide assistance to the local police in the peace and order campaign relative to the conduct of the upcoming midterm elections. Some NPA groups, along with private armed groups (PAGs), are hired by certain some politicians in the island-province during election periods, consistently earning for Masbate the label as “election hot spot.” Masbate’s lone city and 14 of its 20 towns have been listed by the Bicol police and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as election hot spots in relation to the elections this year. Since the start of total gun ban implementation last Jan. 13, at least two PAGs in Masbate have been positively identified by the RSOTG.(PNA) PDS/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

BIR raises 2013 revenue target for Bicol by P1.7B

By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 1 (PNA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has set its revenue target for this year in Bicol at P7.1 billion, or a leaping 31 percent increase from its 2012 collection objective of P5.4 billion. This, after the BIR regional office in Bicol based in this city recorded a surplus of over P200 million in its 2012 target. “Of course were a bit surprised by the magnitude of the increase but we can and do not question how it was determined because we know BIR national office has enough basis in setting regional collection targets every year,” said Janeth Cruz, BIR Bicol assistant regional director. Revenue target increases every year, but so far this year’s has been considered the most challenging to revenue collectors in Bicol. In Bicol, the tax goal set in 2011 was P4.6 billion and it was increased by 16 percent or about P0.8 million for 2012. This year’s target was increased by P1.7 billion over last year’s. Some revenue collectors admitted that every year seems for them a hunting season for non-payers of taxes or delinquent taxpayers in order to achieve their target. Cruz said there are various economic factors evaluated such as the collection area’s gross domestic product in setting the annual tax collection targets. “We accept the challenge and we will carry out systematically the collection plans for this year,” she said. So far, BIR Bicol has been consistently exceeding the yearly revenue targets, Cruz said, adding that the actual revenue collection output in the previous year is also a factor used in forecasting the succeeding tax goal. “The sin tax belongs to a separate group of revenues derived from large taxpayers and although it was increased this year, it has nothing to do with the increase in regional revenue targets,” she said. The BIR official appealed to the local business sector for cooperation through honest payment of taxes. Cruz, however, coupled her appeal with a stern warning that non-cooperative business taxpayers will be dealt with accordingly if found defrauding the BIR. She said that through the strengthened bench marking of the various industries, the BIR can immediately determine possible fraudulent tax payments. “Say, in one particular industry the benchmark is 6 percent, then any businessman declaring a lower rate will be subject to evaluation and investigation. It will be very difficult for them if we find out that they are intentionally evading correct tax payments,” she said. Local business establishments registered as non-VAT (value-added tax) but are actually with gross sales or receipts beyond the P1.9 million limits have been identified by tax evaluators. “There are plenty of them in Bicol. They must have re-register under VAT category; if not, they will surely regret it,” Cruz warned. Close coordination with national government agencies in the region has been extensively done by BIR for efficient collection of withholding taxes from projects implemented within the taxable year. The recent revelation of the Department of Public Works and Highways regional office based in this city of its P6.6-billion funding for various infrastructure projects in Bicol this year has been considered good news for the BIR in relation to its 2013 tax collection campaign. The BIR also reminded non-resident and resident aliens who are into business in the region that they can be immediately detected for possible fraud through the bureau’s electronic filing payment system. It has done a massive information drive through the conduct of seminars and briefings in preparation for the payment of income taxes set in April. (PNA) LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP

Army unit in Albay has new chief

LIGAO CITY, Feb. 1 (PNA) –- A new commanding officer for the Philippine Army’s (PA) 2nd Infantry Battalion (2IB) was installed in a simple turnover ceremony inside the command base in Barangay Tula-Tula in this city on Friday. After more than 21 months of leading the battalion, Lt. Col. Audrey Pacia has been replaced by Lt. Col. Andrew Costelo, his classmate at the Philippine Military Academy. The 2IB is the contingent of the Army overseeing the province of Albay on threats to security. The turnover ceremony was officiated by Brig. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, commanding officer of PA’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Pili, Camarines Sur. Costelo was Visaya’s former G7 (chief for civil-military operations) prior to his assignment as battalion commanding officer. There has been no identified position yet for Pacia after the turnover of command. “It’s normal in the Army to have ‘changing of the guards’ from time to time. None of them is demoted but both are sure that this event is part of adding more color and life in their service,” Visaya said. Visaya commended Pacia’s leadership as being part and parcel of the improvements on security and developments in Albay. He challenged Costelo to either sustain or exceed his predecessor’s accomplishments. Visaya’s top two marching orders for Costelo is to prioritize security operations during this year’s election period - especially in the 3rd district of Albay that includes this city and the towns of Libon, Polangui, Jovellar, Guinobatan, Oas and Pio Duran, and to stop killings and extortion activities perpetrated by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the area. (PNA) PDS/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

Army vows to help sustain peace, development in Albay

LIGAO CITY, Feb. 2 (PNA) –- Members of the Philippine Army deployed in Albay have been ordered to sustain the thriving peace and development in the province. Brig. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, commanding officer of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Pili, Camarines Sur, told the newly installed commander of the Albay-based 2nd Infantry Battalion that the improvements in security and development in the area must be sustained at all costs. “The present situation in Albay that has been improving each day is a proof of our assurance to the people that we are here serving and securing their peace, and the New People’s Army does not want to stay in peaceful and progressing communities,” Visayas said. He noted that since May last year, NPA rebels reportedly had left their camps in Albay and had been along the boundaries but nevertheless are always waiting for opportunities to strike and catch the soldiers flatfooted. Visayas warned the soldiers never to allow any similar incident like late last year’s torching by NPA rebels of the heavy equipment being utilized at the onsite and offsite preparations of the Southern Luzon International Airport in Barangay Alobo in Daraga town. That incident is believed behind the battalion’s ‘changing of the guards’, where the higher Army command installed Lt. Col. Andrew Costelo vice Lt. Col. Audrey Pacia despite the latter’s efficient performance in his 21-month stint as battalion commander. “It must not happen again. The people of Albay deserves our best,” Visaya said. Costelo assured Visaya that under his command, no soldier in the battalion will be left behind in education and skills development in an effort to serve better the people and that, “no soldier will perform his duty for duty’s sake.” He was Visaya’s former chief of civil-military operations and among the military intelligence general staff corps of the Army division. Costelo's expertise in intelligence operations will be put to test in this year’s election period against possible NPA atrocities and extortion activities, with Visaya giving a marching order to prevent and stop. “The Army is cognizant of the various efforts done in Albay to bring in development and progress. We take pride seeing in the news various programs on tourism, economic development, disaster preparedness and human resource developments that are all gaining pace, and we want it sustained,” Visayas added, referring to the accomplishments of the provincial government led by Governor Joey Salceda. (PNA)/LAM/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

BIR cites 3 top Bicol revenue collecting arms

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 2 (PNA) -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue in Bicol Region has recognized the heads of the revenue district offices in Naga City, Catanduanes and Masbate City for being the top performers in last year’s tax collection drive of the agency. The three RDOs’ performances along with other collection districts that exceeded their tax goals for 2012 altogether propelled the BIR’s overall revenue generation of P5.6-billion, which is way above its regional aim of P5.4-billion. Almost 94 per cent of the P200-million excess in target collection in the region was contributed by the three top RDOs, earning for the concerned collection officers awards of certificates of recognition. Socorro Lafuente of RDO-65 in Naga City was the top collection performer, remitting to the BIR over P1.5 billion—which is P129 million above the P1.4-billion goal. The second place was shared by Ma. Teresa Noemi Pizon of RDO-69 in Catanduanes for surpassing the target by P27 million and Melquiades Cancela of RDO-70 in Masbate City, with excess collection of P32.5 million. As to amount of excess collection, RDO-70 was higher, but as to percentage of excess, it was RDO-69 which had better accomplishment. BIR Bicol Regional Director Esmeralda Tabule also commended the performances of other RDOs that exceeded their collection targets: Iriga City, P8.0 million or 40.2 per cent; Sorsogon City, P3.5 million or 8.7 per cent, and Daet, Camarines Norte, P1.8 million or 5.4 per cent. A simple awarding ceremony was held at the BIR regional office in this city last week. Tabule attributed the good collection performance of the Bicol Region to at least three supplemental programs she initiated last year and the good working chemistry among BIR personnel established jointly with newly-installed Assistant Regional Director Janette Cruz. One of the programs is the intensified posting of stickers in every establishment in the region bearing the message: "Sa kada Pagbakal Mo, Obligasyon ko an Mag-Resibo" (For every purchase you make, it is my obligation to issue a receipt). Tabule also credited the Oplan 2305, which requires the updating of tax exemptions, and Oplan "NV-2-V" (Non-VAT to VAT), requiring all non-VAT registered taxpayers to change registration to VAT if they already exceeded the required threshold amount of yearly gross sales. “The attainment of 2013 goal is never far-fetched,” she said in her appeal to the various RDOs in Bicol to sustain the efficient implementation of tax administration to attain this year’s collection target of P7.1 billion.(PNA) HBC/FGS/ALV/MMG/PJN

Catanduanes folk plant 231,000 mangrove propagules in 3 villages

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 3 (PNA) -- More than 231,000 seedlings of mangrove trees have been planted in 52 hectares in adjacent barangays of Taopon, San Nicolas and San Pedro in Panganiban town, Catanduanes under the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The scope of the NGP does not only include upland but also urban and coastal/mangrove areas, according to the DENR. The mangrove production project has been undertaken through the efforts of the congressional office of Rep. Cezar Sarmiento, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) in Catanduanes, Catanduanes Mangrove Planters Association, Inc. (CMPAI), and local residents with the assistance of the local government unit of Panganiban led by Mayor Robert A. Fernandez. The CMPAI undertook the seedling production project, costing P693,264, at the start of CY 2012 and completed last December 12, Penro Joaquin Ed Guerrero said in a report to Gilbert Gonzales, DENR regional executive director for Bicol. Sarmiento and Guerrero led the initial planting of the seedlings, which was also attended by municipal and barangay officials of the involved villages as well as members of the CMPAI and the community. Guerrero said the project is now undergoing protection and maintenance of the planted mangrove seedlings under the strict monitoring by the technical group from the Penro(PNA)

Bicol police assure Comelec of no let-up checkpoint operations

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 4 (PNA) -- Chief Supt. Clarence Guinto, Bicol police director, has assured the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of a relentless conduct, in accordance with the commission’s guidelines and in full honor of the service, of checkpoints for the implementation of the gun ban across the region. In a recent forum with the media at the Embarcadero De Legazpi in this city, Guinto said the validation teams from every provincial police office in the region deployed to check the conduct of checkpoints in towns and cities have not reported any police unit found not in the place and time of scheduled checkpoint operation. The recent haul of gun ban implementation was the arrest of a riding in tandem in Sto. Domingo, Albay, over the weekend and the immediate filing of charges against the suspects for illegal possession of firearms in violation of Comelec regulations. Senior Insp. Edgar Azotea, town police chief, reported to Guinto that they were manning the checkpoint along Barangay San Isidro of the said town before dawn Saturday when they received a request for police assistance from a nearby night establishment. Some of his men left the checkpoint and responded to the scene but along the way they chanced upon the suspects parked on the roadside beside a passenger tricycle. The suspects tried to confuse the police by saying they were out of gas and asking the tricycle driver to tow their motorcycle. One of them was seen placing inside the tricycle a black bag which later was confirmed with a .38-caliber revolver inside and upon checking the suspects’ motorcycle, they found out the fuel tank remained almost full with gasoline. The arrested suspects later turned out to be the same suspects in the string of car theft activities in this city and the adjacent towns of Daraga and Santo Domingo. Guinto said policemen have been briefed about possible alibis or strategies by suspects to hide firearms, especially when nearing or are flagged down at the checkpoint areas. “We are grateful that out of all the arrests we made since the start of the gun ban, our men have not been on situations of the same magnitude as those reported in other areas. But our policemen are keen in pursuing intensified checkpoint operations in the region,” Guinto said. Late last month, he issued memoranda to all provincial police offices for submission of a daily consolidated accomplishment report on the conduct of Comelec checkpoints, intelligence-related patrol system, and enhanced visibility and security measures in highly populated areas--all in relation to the ongoing election period. The memorandum to the Masbate Provincial Police Office has additional order–to work closely with the Regional Special Operation Task Group (RSOTG) deployed in the area in launching an all-out campaign against the existence and use of private armed groups (PAGS) by politicians in the province. At least 188 checkpoints have been established across the region manned by not less than 1,000 policemen. Teams from RSOTG have been deployed in provinces with declared Categoy 1 and Category 2 election hot spots while operatives from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) are deployed in every town and municipal station to assist in the conduct of checkpoints. (PNA) FFC/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

190 Bicol cops train as policemen-counsellors

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) -– The regional leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol is set to submit for extensive training at least 190 selected members who will be tasked to conduct counselling to both problematic and problem policemen in the region. Chief Supt. Lawrence Guinto, Bicol police director, said after completion of the training this month, 10 of them will be detailed at the PNP headquarters in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola in this city while 30 each will be deployed in the six provinces in the region. Guinto admitted that suspension for various offenses often carries a penalty of forfeiture of salaries and benefits which affects not only the erring policemen but also their families. Prior to Guinto’s assumption as PNP Bicol director last month, records at Camp Ola revealed that an average of two for every ten policemen are subjects of complaints at the camp’s children and women desk (CWD) by either the legitimate or illegitimate family for lack of support or abandonment. As of January this year, records at the National Police Commission (Napolcom) revealed a total of 190 cases filed against policemen, mostly for lack of support and abandonment. The number of cases filed as to rank of policemen are as follows: Police Officer 1 (PO1)–51, PO2–29, PO3–33, Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) –26, nine each for SPO2 and SPO3, SPO4–four, eight each for Inspectors and Senior Inspectors, Chief Inspector–four, Superintendent–three, and Senior Superintendent–one. “The wife and children do not have any knowledge of or participation in whatever mistake the policeman commits, but they too suffer, and probably at worse degrees than the one at fault,” Guinto said. Being the former chief of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) in Camp Crame prior to his assignment in Bicol, Guinto, also a Bicolano, said it is likened to violating the human rights of the families of suspended policemen when salaries and benefits are forfeited. The policemen-counsellors are expected to conduct regular focus group or small group discussions and orientations on policemen to veer away from risky behavior and serve his family and the community with dignity as required by the service and expected from them by the public. On policemen facing complaints at the camp’s WCD and charges at Napolcom, they are set to undergo a restoration training facilitated by the policemen-counsellors, Guinto said. (PNA) FPV/FGS/ALV/MMG/UTB

DOH conducts final assessment of perennial cholera-prone Catanduanes

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) –- A team led by Dr. Eric Tayag, Department of Health (DOH) assistant secretary and chief of the National Epidemiology Center (NEC), left for Catanduanes Tuesday morning via the ferry services at Tabaco City International Port to conduct assessment of the preparedness in managing perennial occurrence of cholera epidemic in the island. The top goal of the visit is to establish for the country a model local government unit (LGU) in responding to outbreak of cholera and prevention programs to eradicate widespread recurrence of the disease. Records show that there are only two areas in the Philippines known for a province-wide outbreak of the disease--Catanduanes and Pangasinan--but the former has been considered the worst hit and more prone to recurrence of cholera epidemic. Catanduanes last year was considered by DOH to have a year-round cholera epidemic when it recorded a total of 2,391 suspected cases, of which 16 patients died starting January until the last quarter of 2012. The province-wide epidemic was discovered in the health surveillance conducted to have started from the capital town of Virac and peaked during the month of June, with a total of 826 persons afflicted by the disease. Tayag said the DOH central and Bicol regional offices last year fielded teams to Catanduanes to assist local health officials in managing response to and prevention of the spread of the disease. The widespread epidemic started to wane from the month of October. Tayag confirmed the DOH central office’s provision of supplies for massive water treatment in Catanduanes along with the regional office’s constant follow through of prevention programs in the island last year. “We are to assess what happened after that? We are after the results so we will know if the LGU can handle it alone or with less assistance from the DOH or if it needs further intervention as to supplies, funding and technology and skills transfer in all efforts to eradicate the disease,” Tayag said. Since cholera is both a water- and food-borne infection, the assessment team will also look into the programs on monitoring and conduct of hygienic trainings on food handlers by the local health offices in Catanduanes for restaurant and hotel personnel and on street food vendors, said Gloria Balboa, DOH Bicol director. “Efficient health services can’t wait. We have to work with whoever is presently in the various elective positions in the island. Ours is a long-term intervention for the benefit of the whole of Catanduanes without any favor to or from any politician,” Tayag said in relation to the upcoming local elections. “We will keep on coming back to Catanduanes until such time that the preventive programs are in place at sustainable degrees as ordered by Asec. Tayag,” Balboa also said.(PNA) LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/UTB

Cop wounded in shootout with PAG in Albay town

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 (PNA) -– Suspected members of a private armed group (PAG) launched an ambush against a team from the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), wounding one policeman before engaging the government forces in a running gun battle in the upland of Libon, Albay before noon Tuesday. Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Balane sustained gunshot wounds at the back torso in the first volley of gunfire from the suspects. The Public Information Office inside Camp Gen. Simeon Ola in this city revealed that the RPSB team was on board a back-to-back type patrol car when fired upon by members of the Concepcion gun-for-hire group which is suspect in the killing of a mayoral aspirant in Malinao, Albay late last year. The policemen were on a joint operation with the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) in Barangay Molosbolos, area of domicile of the Concepcion brothers, in an effort to track them and carry out their immediate arrest. The team was bound to return to headquarters when ambushed by the suspects at around 11:15 a.m. Balane was brought to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in this city and was confirmed by attending physicians as out of danger as of 12:30 p.m. As of this writing, pursuit operations by the Libon town police and members of RPSB and RIU are ongoing. The Concepcion group has been considered a PAG since its involvement in the murder of engineer Nelson Morales, a businessman in Malinao town who was about to run for mayor of Malinao. Gilbert Concepcion, the leader of the group, along with his brothers and cousins--all residents of Molosbolos, were identified by witnesses as the members of the group who staged the ambush on Morales. Concepcion is a former member of the New People’s Army (NPA) who voluntarily surrendered and was later integrated into the Army service. His brothers and other male relatives joined his drive against the underground movement by joining the Citizens Armed Forces’ Geographical Unit (CAFGU) under the 2nd Infantry Battalion based in Ligao City. The Concepcion group was known in the 3rd District towns for its campaign against former NPA comrades and gained notoriety as do-or-die fighters feared by rebels in the uplands of the district. (PNA) FPV/FGS/ALV/MMG/UTB

Elections unlikely to affect DOH programs - Dr. Tayag By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr.

Elections unlikely to affect DOH programs - Dr. Tayag By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 6 (PNA) -- The results of the forthcoming mid-term elections are not a barrier to the implementation of health programs and projects already planned for execution long before by the Department of Health (DOH). Dr. Eric Tayag, DOH Assistant Secretary, said “health cannot wait,” and they will find ways and means to convince new officials to support and sustain good health programs and practices initiated by previous local executives. Tayag, the DOH’s visible and popular “Dr. Gangnam,” brushed aside apprehensions on the sustainability of health initiatives if and when incumbents are not re-elected. He was in this city along with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) Monday before leaving for Catanduanes for a final assessment of the local government’s preparedness in management and prevention of cholera that has been occurring widespread in the island, especially the whole of last year and in 2005. “The sustainability of health projects already begun are not and should not be dependent on whether or not an incumbent gets re-elected as health can’t wait,” he stressed.

Tayag enjoins Bicolanos to support PhilHealth Run 2013

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) –- Health Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag has appealed to fellow Bicolanos to support the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) by joining the Feb. 17 nationwide PhilHealth Run 2013. The first-ever simultaneous running event in 18 major cities in the country, with the theme “Nationwide run for mother and child protection,” will be supported by a campaign by the Department of Health (DOH) dubbed as “Ta-Run Na!,” said Tayag. The proceeds expected to be generated from the registrations of PhilHealth’s target of 100,000 participants in the running event will be used to fund DOH’s maternal and child care programs across the country. It was learned that Tayag spent his tender years in this city. He was among the Batch 1970 graduates of the Saint Agnes’ Academy and took the first two years of secondary education at the Divine Word College of Legazpi before going to Manila. “He is our math wizard in high school,” recalls Carmelo Altea, a DWCL alumnus and high school classmate of Tayag. Tayag reminded Bicolanos of the advantages of running, aside from physical fitness and other bodily gains. He cited PhilHealth’s noble objectives in holding the event which is a push to bringing universal health care into reality. “Let us join. The gains of this event will be a long-term benefit to mothers’ and children’s health care,” the DOH official said. This city is among the 18 sites of the fun run. The others are Manila, Baguio, Dagupan, Tuguegarao, Clark, Malolos, Sta. Rosa, Batangas, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Zamboanga, Iligan, Davao, Koronadal, Butuan and Marawi. Aside from a strong assurance of participation by DOH regional office personnel, the Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol regional office based in this city has also vowed to field personnel from its various departments in the fun run. Paulette Gay Santiago, PhilHealth regional spokesperson, said this city is required to recruit 4,000 professional and non-competing runners for its 3-kilometer (km), 5-km, 8-km, 10-km, and 18-km run divisions. The simultaneous fun run coincides with the celebration of the “Heart Month” this February which Tayag said, “will be very timely because running as a form of exercise is good for the heart, so, let’s move it, move it with PhilHealth.” He also enjoined Bicolanos to join the DOH’s “Belly Good” program pushing for the observance of appropriate waistline measurement to avoid the risks of obesity, heart ailments, cancer and diabetes. (PNA) http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid&nid=2&rid=495388 www.pna.gov.ph

Bicol LGUs invited to train on new approach to quality service

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) -- The Development Center for Asia Pacific (DCAAP) has sent invitation letters to local government units (LGUs) in Bicol for a three-day training on new approach to quality service for public servants this March. DCAAP president Cesar Mercado said in a letter to the Philippines News Agency that government agencies, including LGUs, must continue to improve their performance image before the public that supports them through the quality of services they provide, particularly by the frontline staff. The training is set on March 5-7 at the DCAA training center at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. The three-day course is designed to improve and measure the quality of frontline staff services. Dr. Jose Gatchalian, former dean of UP school of labor and industrial relations, and Dr. Miflora Gatchalian, chief executive officer of Quality Partners Company, will be the training facilitators. Aside from LGUs, non-government organizations in the regions have also been invited to send frontline staff for the training. DCAAP is a Manila-based international training and consulting group registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as both non-profit and self-financed organization. It has successfully conducted 300 training courses participated in by over 3,000 representatives of 350 organizations from 44 countries in Asia, Africa, Pacific and Europe. (PNA)

Election monitoring teams visit 27 jails in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) -– The regional election monitoring center (REMAC) based in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola in this city has conducted random visits on 27 jails across Bicol region in the past two weeks. The visit aims to make an inventory of inmates in each jail facility to prevent possible use of prisoners as either hit men or private armed groups (PAG) of politicians relative to the upcoming midterm elections this year. This was revealed in REMAC’s Feb. 5 report to the National Election Monitoring Action Center (NEMAC) in Camp Crame in response to the latter’s memorandum issued last Jan. 22 requiring relentless monitoring operations on election-related law enforcement and periodic submission of accomplishments. During the period, police checkpoints for the implementation of election gun ban were conducted in 156 locations by 136 teams composed of town or city police and members of the Regional Public Safety Battalion and at least two operations against PAGS were launched. On information dissemination and community outreach, the Bicol regional police took part in the following: information drive and distribution of Safe and Fair elections (SAFE) flyers-48, peace dialogues–four, coordination conference–six, seminars and lectures–three, and candidates forum–one. The report also revealed only four firearms were processed for license renewal during the period. (PNA)

Suspended Bicol policemen to undergo moral restoration training

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 7 (PNA) -– Bicol policemen facing charges will undergo a four-day restoration training starting Thursday to again bring them closer to their families and to the community and to restore religiosity in each of them. Chief Insp. Sammy Erandio, one of the regional police chaplains, revealed the partnership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol with the Psychology Department of the Aquinas University of Legazpi College of Arts and Sciences (AUL-CAS) for the conduct of the training. The training schedule is as follows: seven hours of counselling, one day religious celebrations and other faith-related activities, one day community service, and one day family fellowships. The counselling session shall be jointly handled by AUL-CAS psychology professors and the trained policemen-counselors. Prior to the restoration training, at least 190 selected policemen underwent training on peer counseling. Ten of them were detailed at the regional headquarters in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola in this city, while 30 each were deployed in the six provincial police offices. The peer counseling and its application through conduct of restoration training on policemen facing charges at the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the regional women and children desk (WCD) are part of the recent programs of the PNP Bicol under the leadership of Chief Supt. Clarence Guinto. Guinto is the former director of the Philippine National Police Academy and chief of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office in Camp Crame prior to his assignment in Bicol. He lamented the plight of the families of policemen suspended on various charges and are also denied salaries and benefits in the whole period of suspension. The families of suspended policemen suffer more and this will be made clear among Bicol policemen to sanitize their actions in public and in the performance of duties, the PNP Bicol regional chief said. Chief Insp. Leah Supelana, regional WCD head, revealed that records of her department show that for every ten policemen in Bicol an average of two are subjects of complaints for abandonment and lack of support by either or both the legitimate and illegitimate families. Senior Supt. Renato Bataller, Bicol police spokesperson, said Guinto is putting back in force, with effective modifications, the PNP’s previous implementation of its moral recovery program. Although complaints against policemen in Bicol have been noted on a decreasing trend since 2011, Bataller has expressed praises for the present campaign of the Bicol police leadership. (PNA)

Public-private partnership brings new life to coral reefs in Albay Gulf By Alfredo L. Vargas

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 07 (PNA) -– If not for vigilant private individuals, locals and foreign nationals, the long-awaited coral reef assessment and monitoring and restoration along Albay Gulf, the conversion of the area into what is now a growing tourist destination will never come to reality. A local environmentalist, Bem Redito, remembers telling himself, “para sa bayan ito (this is for the country),” when he assumed the full cost and preparatory works of the first unit of metal platform for growing second generation corals he planned to install nearby one of the dive sites fronting the city late last year. The platform is installed with concrete discs that acted as substrates where coral fragments will be attached to and let grow. “We’ve been meeting with government officials concerned regarding the project but it seemed to me then that no plan would be arrived at. I know somebody should start it in order for them to see how doable and low cost the project is. I never told anyone of my plans to avoid possible opposition and delay,” Redito said. When installation was nearing, Jin Masuda, a Japanese dive master from whom Redito asked assistance in launching the coral garden, the former outright asked for the resetting of the schedule because he too would share another coral platform. Masuda is the vice president of Pacific Blue Dive Center (PBDC) based in Anilao, Batangas, that has established a branch office in this city in 2010. It was Masuda’s love for diving and getting awed by the calmness of the dive sites in Albay Gulf that for three straight years he has never left this city and frequented invitations to divers from Japan to visit the underwater beauty of Albay Gulf. However, when the duo’s planned launch was again nearing, City Councilor Chito Ante asked for another resetting because he would also personally provide another unit of platform. Ante is the current chair of the city council’s committee on marine and aquatic resources. It was in the afternoon of Dec. 31 last year, taking advantage of the cold temperature, that the group, along with PBDC officers, installed the first-ever coral garden in the gulf, composed of three metal platforms. A female Peace Corp volunteer, Allyson Hoffman, has been preparing for replication of the coral garden project at the waters of the adjacent Santo Domingo town on the northern side of the gulf. Hoffman is a graduate of environmental management at the Pennsylvania University and chose Santo Domingo as her area of volunteer work and community immersion required in his higher education degree. Also, a group of Filipino overseas workers, tied up with a local online magazine, the Sorsogon Examiner, pledged to Redito and Masuda to shoulder the costs of production of more metal platforms for the coral garden project. It was Masuda and the other PBDC diver-environmentalists who carried out the research and assessment of the reefs in Albay Gulf at no cost on the part of the government. For this city alone, at least 16 dive sites have been identified and were monitored weekly to assess reef-invasive fishing practices in the area. These dive sites along with those in Santo Domingo and Bacacay, Albay have been subjects of massive promotion by Masuda and a fellow Japanese dive master, George Nakano, in other famous dive sites in the country, Japan, China and Australia. Nakano is set to bring in about 30 clients of PBDC in Beijing, China for the open water dive training in Albay Gulf this month. Australian diver Lee Michael, who owns a radio station in Sydney, was encouraged to visit this city’s dive sites in September last year, and since then has launched massive free broadcast promotion of Albay Gulf reefs. This month, Michael is set to bring in 22 fellow Australian dive enthusiasts. PBDC clients who were used to diving in Anilao, Batangas were encouraged to come to this city and discover for themselves the fish species here that are not frequenting other dive sites such as the whale sharks, locally known as “butanding,” that frequent Albay Gulf. A PBDC official from Anilao who joined late last week’s corral assessment dive at Barao Reef, admitted having experienced for the first time seeing whale sharks, two of them, in a feeding frenzy nearby the reef. On that same dive event, Masuda, Redito and Ante were also with a marine biologist, Dr. Stephen Alba, retired personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who volunteered to assess the feasibility of direct natural rehabilitation of damaged areas and the putting up of coral nurseries in the gulf. Now, the local governments of this city and Albay province are both actively pursuing various maritime development programs, taking advantage of the inertia of tourism and coastal resource management activities gained from the previous voluntary activities of private citizens and organizations. The city government unveiled Monday its marine development program while, on the same day, Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ordered his personnel involved in the poverty alleviation project on the four islands around the gulf to meet with PBDC, DENR and other stakeholders to formulate development plans for the area. The recent visit of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala was taken advantage by Salceda to discuss the province’s proposed programs for Albay Gulf on poverty alleviation and tourism development which the former outright expressed support to, and asked for a formal project proposal. (PNA)

Daraga gears for zero fire incident in 2013

DARAGA, Albay, Feb. 9 (PNA) -- The 26-man strong Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) office has been conducting an all-out campaign since January disseminating information and honing skills how to prevent fire incidents aimed at attaining zero fire incident for 2013. The town remained undermanned but has gradually veered away from being tagged as the most fire-ridden province in Bicol region in 2007 because of its relentless information dissemination and disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) program. BFP records showed that before 2008, an average of 20 fire incidents per year occurred in this town.The number was reduced to seven fire incidents recorded in 2012 and some of them were considered as non-index conflagrations or fire of lesser magnitude. “Our prevention and mitigation campaigns are done regularly and we have widen our reach even the far-flung barangays,” said town fire marshal Fire Senior Insp. Alvaro Macasinag. Daraga downtown is considered a university belt hosting five college campuses of the Bicol University and a number of private tertiary and secondary schools, is lined with boarding and lodging houses. Boarding house owners, however, are not registered establishments preventing the BFP to conduct site inspection and monitor fire safety. "In 2006, only six boarding houses were issued business permits. Ironically, most of the fire incidents that occurred that year were from residential houses admitting student boarders," Macasinag said. "Following our massive information drive and coordination with barangay councils, and n collaboration with the municipal health and permits and licensing departments, monitoring of boarding houses have been set in place and compliance to requirements has been strictly imposed," he added. Last year, a total of 28 boarding houses were issued business permits and as of the first week of February, 23 boarding houses were issued with permits. The BFP is optimistic to achieve zero fire incident status this year despite its lack of personnel and firefighting gadgets. Daraga has only two operational fire trucks, both without boom and water cannon accessory and does not have enough supply of gas masks and other breathing apparatus, no supply of bolt and metal cutters and chain saws. “Our inter-operability with other fire departments in Albay province and adjacent areas, along with volunteer firefighters from big establishments and businessmen organizations that are better equipped enable us to response and mitigate fire disasters,” he said. There are, however, enough fire hoses and connector accessories and all firefighters are equipped with fire jackets, boots and helmets. “It’s simply effective management of human resources and combined firefighting assets from us and other support BFP and volunteer fighters during incidents of fire. We take the ground command and disposal of all assets combined then work as one in putting out the fire,” Macasinag said. (PNA)

PDEA nabs big-time pusher, seizes P250k worth of shabu

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 9, (PNA) -- Operatives from the Regional Special Enforcement Team (RSET) of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the local police have seized P250,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as “shabu,” and arrested a big-time drug pusher on separate operations in Camarines Norte and Albay this week. PDEA Bicol Director Archie Grande identified the suspect in his report to PDEA Director General Arturo Cacdac Jr. as Melvin Abihay, 21, of Purok Bayabas, Barangay Gubat in Daet, Camarines Norte. In the buy-bust operation conducted by PDEA-RSET and the intelligence division of Camarines Norte Provincial Police Office in Purok Bayabas, the suspect yielded three different sizes of heat-sealed sachets of shabu with a street value of P50,000. Abihay is among the big-time drug pushers listed as regional targets of PDEA for this year. He is presently locked up at the PDEA detention cell in Camp Gen. Simeon Ola while charges for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (Republic Act 9165) are readied against him. In a related development, armed with a search warrant, PDEA-RSET operatives raided the house of live-in partners Loujean Ante Moro, a.k.a. “Nok,” and Maryjune Advincula, aka “Mary,” in Barangay Alnay in Polangui, Albay. The partners eluded arrest but the search in their residence yielded five medium-sized sachets of shabu with an estimated street value of P200,000.(PNA)