This is a 2007 article in the inquirer archives.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=83203

Top fast food chains among worst Laguna de Bay polluters


By DJ Yap
Inquirer
First Posted 04:17pm (Mla time) 08/17/2007


MANILA, Philippines -- What does "Boy Bawang" have in common with "Chickenjoy" and "Big Mac"?

Not much, except their makers now share top billing among the 26 worst polluters of Laguna de Bay last year, according to the Laguna Lake Development Authority which monitors the environmental performance of companies operating around the Philippines’ largest lake or near waterways leading to it.

The establishments were "honored" with the "Pasaway sa Lawa" (mulish of the lake) Award by the Laguna Lake Development Authority at Friday’s ceremonies in Makati City, which also recognized the most Earth-friendly among the firms evaluated.

KSK Food Products, manufacturer of the popular corn snack Boy Bawang joined the ubiquitous food chains Jollibee, McDonalds, KFC, Chowking and Max's Restaurant in the roster of top Laguna de Bay polluters.

"Unless these companies change their ways, the public should just boycott them," said Raquel Naciongayo, who heads the monitoring group of the Public Disclosure Program for the Laguna de Bay Region.

Now in its second year, LLDA's "Shame Campaign" seeks to publicize the worst environment violators that dump untreated wastewater into the lake in hopes of pressuring them into action, Naciongayo said.

Jollibee has four of its branches -- Pasig-Simbahan, Market Avenue-Pasig, San Andres-Malate and Siniloan -- on the unflattering list, while arch-rival McDonald's made the dishonor roll because of its Fairview branch.

Chowking was named for violations committed by two of its branches, San Andres-Del Pilar, Malate and East Avenue, Diliman.

The Acropolis, Libis branch of KFC and the Quezon Avenue branch of Max's Restaurant earned for their companies the dubious distinction, as did Gerry's Grill-Libis.
Also named were Robina Farms 11, Metrowalk Commercial Complex, Novaliches Plaza Mall, Conan Enterprises, The New Albergus, CFF Farm, The Wave-Federal Brent Oil Corp., Wynsum Corporate Plaza; Bimta Slaughterhouse, Vega Center-Mayang Industrial Development Corp., Aclem Paper Mills, Palmdale Heights, Hansson Paper Phils., RFFN Steam Laundry, and Olivarez Plaza-Los Baños.
No representative from the companies appeared at Friday’s event to accept the Pasaway Award.

LLDA's officer-in-charge, Dolora Nepomuceno, said the agency came up with the list after a year-long monitoring and surveillance process, technical conferences and deliberations.

The performances of the companies were rated according to a color-coded system of evaluation.

Rated black were the "pasaway," or those which were found to have "bypassed" the wastewater treatment process and channeled untreated wastes directly into the lake or waterways connected to the lake.

Other indicators for a black rating include refusal of entry to LLDA's team of inspectors, showing levels beyond 50 mg per liter of biological oxygen demand (BOD), or the unit of oxygen required for fish to survive, and pending court cases.

Rated green were companies that show levels of less than 40 mg per liter of BOD, have no pending legal cases, and feature easily identifiable discharge points for treated wastewater.

In between were ratings of blue and red, with blue just a step behind green, and red two steps behind. Up to 600 companies were evaluated this year, with plans of expanding the coverage to 2,000 next year, Naciongayo said.

At Friday’s ceremonies, three companies that won a green rating were honored: AB Foods & Beverage Phils. Inc. in Pasig City, Laws Textile Phils. Ltd. Inc., and Universal Robina Corp.-Choco in Pasig City.

This time, the awards were for real with the company representatives all appearing on stage to accept their plaques.

AB Foods Supervisor Danilo Ferrer, who spoke on behalf of the green awardees, said he always tells his personnel to comply with environment laws even when the companies around them do not.

"Our great performance only became possible because my policy is, Let's not look at what other industries are doing. Let's just make it a point to follow the law and help protect the environment," he said.

Forty-seven establishments were also honored for achieving a blue rating, including Banawe Soybean Curd Food Products Corp., which was recognized for improving the most. It recovered from a black rating the year before.

Should the shame of being Pasaway Awardees not be enough to mobilize the polluting companies into action, they face possible criminal and administrative sanctions, according to LLDA's Eduardo Torres.

Under environment laws, the violators could face fines of up to P5,000 a day, and jail terms of up to three years, he said.

"But the filing of cases is the last recourse and only after exhausting all remedies," Torres said.

In her closing remarks, Naciongayo cited what she called the formula of business success: "Responsible environment stewardship plus environment sustainability equals long-term profitability."
In other words, she said: "We're now proving that green is the color of the business sector."

guys, here's another victim. Mr. Edsel Puno. check this out!

Open letter of Complaint address to Mr. Mondonedo. (http://edselpono.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-letter-of-complaint-to-philippine.html)


A column of Linda Bolido of Philippine Daily Inquirer towards the complaint. (http://services.inquirer.net/mobile/08/07/05/html_output/xmlhtml/20080702-146083-xml.html)



Let's unite to make these modus exposed and file a case sa may sala.

i've read your message on the blog. here's another victim, just like you and me. Why not sent this links to your friends or somebody that could help?

Let's campaign against the kurakots.

Open Letter of Complaint of Mr. Puno (http://edselpono.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-letter-of-complaint-to-philippine.html)


Linda Bolido's call for action (http://services.inquirer.net/mobile/08/07/05/html_output/xmlhtml/20080702-146083-xml.html)

The email that spread in the entire Cebu City.

It has been told that: "Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country".

Currently we are fighting for the retrieval of the “STOLEN ITEMS” I’ve sent from Australia. I have already sent a letter of Complaint address to the Regional manager, Mr. Roberto Mondonedo, thru its Postmaster general Hector Villanueva because when my wife tries to inquire about the goods, she was given a several numbers to call which ended up calling the District III Officer (Cebu), where the phone is just continuously ringing.

The said complain has been posted on the blog (http://edselpono.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-letter-of-complaint-to-philippine.html) and currently sending hundreds of email around Cebu as “email brigade” to our set of friends, relative and people whom we believe could help us work out the problem.

May we asking from you to support us solve the problem sending this message whom you believe can help us, and by scratching your pen about these matters since we believe that this corporation has “two-face” as they promote beautification and well publicized stamps but indeed what really matters most to the Filipinos is the efficiency and its credibility.

Hoping for your support on this letter.


Thank you.

Edsel Pono

[QUOTE=ejsWoody;22299390]



Check

Tapos kapag me package ka from abroad, kelangan magbayad ka ng " fee " para matubos mo ung padala sa yo. Me kilala ako nagpadala ung kapatid nya from the U.S. ng package, 1 box ng puro damit lang naman, pinagbabayad ba naman sya ng 2thou pesoses eh nagulat sya bakit sya kelangan magbayad. So in the end sabi nung nangongolekta ng bayad na " under the table " na lang daw bayad, kung ano nalang kayang ibigay at wala ng resi-resibo pa! So ung kakilala ko I think gave 200 Pesos away......nakotongan pa rin.

this happened to me, sinend ko mga old clothes ko, 4 yrs ago yata, regular mail.sinabi ng pinsan ko kelangan daw nila ng 2000 to get what i sent.
i told my cuz to leave the box there to rot

Hi, Madami talagang problema diyan sa PHILPOST

May pagong tayo hindi ba? Yung mga pawikang nahuhuli sa mga baybayin natin...

Makisali na sa usapan nyo Barrera_Marquez at J.P..
May napanood ako noon sa GMA7, na ito raw mga pawikan kapag umalis mula sa kanyang lugar na pinagmulan ay babalik at balik din ito sa kanyang pinagmulan.

Atienza cites Singapore’s sanitary landfill as model waste facility

By Jonathan Mayuga
Correspondent (http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/07072008/economy07.html)

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Lito Atienza is calling for the establishment and sound management of landfills as he pushes for the closure of all open dumps which, he said, continue to pose risk to people’s health and the environment.

“There is definitely hope for the country’s garbage problem,” said Atienza, who gained inspiration from Singapore’s Pulau Semaku Off-Shore Sanitary Landfill, a reclaimed 350-hectare island that will serve as Singapore’s main waste-disposal facility.

The Semaku landfill was opened in 1999 and is capable of carrying 63 million cubic meters of waste. It will serve as Singapore’s main disposal facility even beyond 2045. The landfill also serves as an ecotourism destination for fishing, bird watching, biodiversity, stargazing, mangrove development, and educational and recreational outing.

“As leaders, we are constantly searching for models that we can emulate and base our improvements on, and Pulau Semaku is one of them,” Atienza said.

Atienza was in Singapore recently to attend the Water Leaders Summit and address the Southeast Asia Business Forum.

A sanitary landfill is an engineered garbage- disposal site properly designed, constructed, operated and maintained in a manner that poses the least environmental impact.

According to Atienza, an island sanitary landfill for Metro Manila may be doable after all, so long as we can bring the cost down and secure appropriate engineering interventions to address the effects of typhoons. “The technology for preventing seepage of leachate to the sea and the ground appears to be working in the Semaku landfill,” he said. “Up to this point in time, sad to say, we still have 713 open dumpsites operating in the country,” he said.

According to Atienza, open dumps are the biggest violation one can commit against Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. “It is also one of the major contributors to the deteriorating problems of global warming,” he added. “Making the shift from open dumpsites to acceptable disposal facilities as provided for in the law is being intensified by the DENR with the support of local governments. We have already identified 211 potential sanitary-landfill sites nationwide to effectively manage the disposal of the country’s waste,” the DENR chief said.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/07072008/economy07.html

:lol:

News: Philpost employees caught stealing (http://www.gmanews.tv/video/25360/2-PhilPost-workers-caught-opening-mail)

^^ haha.. buti nga..:lol:

a lot of people dont trust philpost anymore. Its better to send parcels via private couriers kc garantisadong matatanggap ng mga pinadalhan. sana naman maubos na ang mga mgnanakaw jan sa PHILPOST na yan!!!!

Pano kaya magiging competetive ang postal service na yan lalu na ngayon uso ang ebay?

Hay naku, baka kaya ang ebay sa Pinas hindi pa ganung ka-active. Kasi alangan naman palagi nalang Fedex ka ng Fedex pagpapadala ng mga nabenta mo di ba.

Update dun sa pinadala ko sa parents ko na envelope nung April, as usual, hindi pa rin dumadating! Nagpunta na sila sa Paranaque Post Office, wala talaga. Tinanong ko ung post office dito sa Ireland, sabi nila, according to their records, nasa Pilipinas na talaga. BWISIT TALAGA.

I think all Philpost personnel know about the modus operandi of these "kawatans". Nagbubulag-bulagan lahat sila. Some of them may not be doing the actual stealing, but I consider all of them accessories to the crime. They know about it. They're all in it together.

There are means to stop these wrongdoings. The people on top just don't have the willpower to curb it.

anu bang pagkakaiba nang mga personnel ng mga private couriers at ng Philpost??

dahil ba sa sweldo??:D

I just thought I’d reminisce about my past experiences from claiming packages in the Philpost customs division. If you are new to this, the most probable situations wherein you might encounter the Philpost customs are either if you ordered anything from abroad and have chosen the cheapest shipping option, or if you are receiving a gift from anyone abroad via the same circumstances.

If you ordered something online and chose USPS (United States Postal Service), your package will travel from the product’s warehouse to the airport and finally into the Philippines complete with real-time online tracking via the USPS site. This usually takes four days to a week using the standard service and is very dependable. The problem starts when your package is already here in the Philippines. Add at least one more week and you will receive a note on a 3×5 index card that you have a package waiting for you at the Philippine Postal Corporation main office. This is in front of the old domestic airport. I think on about my third experience, I chose not to wait for the note and instead called Philpost, gave them my tracking number and asked if my package was already there. It was, only I have to pass by the front office to to have them print a card for me. You can’t just go in the customs area if you don’t have a notice. Upon entering the compound of the head office, the customs area is to your left.

The customs area is a semi-warehouse that has a rather unfashionable reception area. This is where you exchange your notice and wait for the customs people to locate your package. Once your package has been located, or, after approximately an hour, you will be called to enter the, and the climax of this post, den-of-corruption.

Your package will be opened in front of you, it will be identified and classified using their “guidebook” which lists all possible criteria for material goods like electronics, clothing, jewelry, etc. Tax will be calculated next.

I have claimed a $750 electric guitar, guitar gadgets, car parts, more car parts, and I have to say the average total calculated cost of my fees averages 40% of the declared cost of my goods. I do not know what sort of magic calculator they use but I always seem to lose focus once all the numbers and percentage signs pile up. They calculate this in front of you.

In my guitar incident, I would have paid and additional Php 10,000.00 for a Php 35,000.00 guitar. My wallet was shy of about 5 large. My options, pick-up my precious axe some other time or rush to the nearest atm. In total desperation I respectfully asked why I have to pay so much. The explanation was one done with abrupt, precise and professionally composed wordings only goverment officials understand.

“Kailangan mo ba ng tulong?” were the sweetest five words I heard that day. “Opo ma’am.” “Magkano ba kaya mo?” “Ma’am ito lang po.” Discretely exposing my measly three bills of a thousand each. “O sige iho, ok lang ba sa’yo walang resibo?” “Ok lang po.” “Ibigay mo ito dun sa ale sa isang lamesa, sabihin mo tinulungan kita.”

On to the next table. “Ah tinulungan ka ba ni ano…” “Opo ma’am.” ” O sige ilagay mo dito ang pera tapos magbayad ka nalang ng kinse sa labas.” “Salamat po.” On my way then to night’s worth of chords, scales, hammering, slides, etc. It was a sweet Parker P-42 electric guitar in gray.

Some other things I said, saw and learned on my succeeding trips. “Ma’am pwede nyo ba ako tulungan?” “Ma’am kahit wala nalang po resibo.” Two young policemen hanging around the customs area were at one time talking about guns whilst acting out shootouts with their real guns and, hitting on a pretty lady accompanied by her mother claiming a package from who-knows-who. The customs area has a daily quota of I believe is around Php 200,000.00 per day. I know this because there was this one time I was trying to haggle my fees and I constantly heard her say “Iho malayo pa kami sa quota ngayong araw, kung gusto mo balik ka nalang mamaya.” And finally, I’ve never lost a package from doing this. But then again, I’ve also been robbed.

I have since resorted to Johnny Air, a cheaper and less hassle way of having your items shipped in a U.S. address and then later forwarded by them. If I had the money I’d chose FedEx. If I had more money I’d chose UPS. If I’m stupid, I’d go back to Philpost.

sa tingin ko d naman sa sweldo kc gov entity ang philpost, maganda naman ang mga sahod ng mga yan compared to teh private couriers na sahod. dapat i-dissolve na yang philpost na yan nd mgtayo ng bagong entity.

I think all Philpost personnel know about the modus operandi of these "kawatans". Nagbubulag-bulagan lahat sila. Some of them may not be doing the actual stealing, but I consider all of them accessories to the crime. They know about it. They're all in it together.

There are means to stop these wrongdoings. The people on top just don't have the willpower to curb it.


Napanood ko dati sa GMA news ung expose ng dalawang tagadeliver ng sulat, huling-huli sila sa akto na binubuksan ung mga sulat at padala sa loob ng van, naghahanap ng pera or pwedeng pagdisketahan.

I was thinking, eh kahit pa courier yan o registered mail yan, kung ung tagadeliver mismo magnanakaw, anong laban pa natin? We pay to have our mails safely delivered by courier or registered mail pero pagnanakawan din pala?

Saka, yung tracking system ba ng Philpost in working order? I DOUBT! So nagiging useless ang tracking tuloy.....

^^ My sentiments as well.

There's a flaw in their tracking system. Kasi ba naman if it's working fine, the verification process of incoming and outgoing mails and parcels should be efficient.

That thing they do stamping mails or parcels with "received in this condition (torn, partly opened, blah blah blah)" must be stopped. If they receive something that's not in good condition then hold the entity where they received the mail/parcel liable for it. They should not accept anything that's not in good condition. If the parcel was handed over to them by the customs office (which I think the first agency to receive parcels from overseas for inspection), then let the customs office be held accountable. The customs office in turn should do the same by not accepting parcels delivered to them from overseas that are not in good condition, otherwise, they declare it as such and hold the company who delivers the parcel to them liable for it.
Accountability is the key... mula doon sa pinakaunang tumanggap pagpasok sa Pilipinas hanggang sa pagdeliver sa recipient. If all channels are making sure that they receive and release the posts in time and in good condition, then we will have an efficient postal system.

Tapos yung mga nahuling kumupit, ibitin ng patiwarik sa plaza, balatan ng buhay (ang kapal ba naman ng pagmumukha) at buhusan ng isang drum na suka nang matuto.

PhilPost starts probe into missing valuables from Australia (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/106461/PhilPost-starts-probe-into-missing-valuables-from-Australia)
MARK MERUEÑAS, GMANews.TV
07/11/2008 | 07:42 PM

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) on Friday said it has started an investigation into the loss of several valuables, including a digital camera, shipped by an Australia-based Filipino to his family in the Philippines last June.

PhilPost officials were prompted to conduct the probe after Edcel Pono, a computer solutions specialist in Australia, wrote to the Central Visayas Regional Post Office, to complain that the package he sent to Moalboal in Cebu was tampered and its contents stolen.

Clifford Dasig, head of the Inspection Service at PhilPost, told GMANews.TV that the investigation could result in the possible granting of indemnity to Pono or compensation for the lost items.

Pono's parcel, which was meant as a birthday surprise for his daughter, contained a digital camera – complete with a memory card, a memory stick, and a number of compact discs – and a set of photographs.

The box arrived at the PhilPost branch in Mandaue on June 23, and was later dropped at Pono’s residence in Moalboal two days later.

Pono’s family, however, was surprised to find that the clear adhesive on the box had been slashed and the brown envelope containing the valuable items was gone. All that was left in the box, which weighed almost 700 grams before it was shipped, were the photographs.

“I am greatly disappointed and very disgusted of the incident. This ‘crime’ creates emotional strain to my daughter… She was crying for almost a day," the 28-year-old father wrote in his letter to the PhilPost.

Parcel probe

Robert Mondonedo, director of the PhilPost regional office in the Central Visayas, ordered the district manager in Moalboal to investigate and come up with a recommendation on the incident by next week.

Dasig, however, said PhilPost cannot pay Pono the full amount of the missing items even if pilferage would be proven. He said PhilPost will abide by the standards set by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), an international governing body of postal services, of which PhilPost is a member.

Under UPU conventions, addressees are entitled to a maximum of 30 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) or about P2,500 under current exchange rates if an item sent through a letter was proven to have been damaged or have gone missing due to negligence on the part of the PhilPost.

As for damaged or stolen items sent through a parcel, the sender could get as much as 130 SDR or a little more than P10,000, said Lucille Camid of the PhilPost’s International Affairs Department.

“We need to establish that the item is indemnifiable. We need to know who is at fault. Was the sender contributory to the damage or loss of item," Camid said.

If there was negligence on the part of the sender, he or she would not be able to avail indemnity privileges, she added. Negligence means improper packaging of the items or misdeclaring a parcel’s contents, Camid said.

Camid said 90 percent of all the complainants who were found eligible for indemnity in 2007 were already paid. She, however, said the PhilPost would not be able to pay for the extra amount in excess of the SDR.

Pono's digital camera alone could cost about P12,000, way above the P10,000 SDR.

“Hindi namin kayang sagutin ang mga nawawala at hindi namin kayang utusan ang mga employees namin na isauli ang nawawala (We cannot pay for the lost item and we cannot order an employee to return the item)," Dasig said.

He said the PhilPost is only after catching erring employees and meting sanctions, including dismissal from service.

“Kapag kami nakahuli, sa issue lang ng pagbubukas ang ipo-prosecute namin pero di na namin sakop na palitan iyong nawala (If we catch someone, we will only push for his prosecution, but we cannot replace the missing item)," Dasig said.

He urged victims of pilferage to file criminal and administrative complaints against erring PhilPost employees. If the court rules in favor of the victims, they stand a chance of being paid damages apart from the indemnity.

Camid, meanwhile, reminded the public to take an insurance for items they would send by mail.

Old reputation

Postmaster General Hector Villanueva said he has already ordered a serious crackdown on mail thieves to earn back the confidence of customers. He added that the recent cases of pilferage by “undeserving employees" are isolated.

“We are trying to restore the old reputation of the post office – one of honesty, prompt service, and smiling postmen. That’s our mission," Villanueva said.

In early July, police arrested two PhilPost employees in Manila who were caught trying to open envelopes and taking out currencies inserted in the letters. The postmen, who left Manila on board a delivery van, stopped along a highway in Pangasinan to open the letters when police saw them.

Authorities filed charges of qualified theft and "opening of closed documents" against the postmen who were identified as John Castillo and Paquito Manlangit. The PhilPost suspended the two for three months.

Separate charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will also be lodged against Castillo and Manlangit after police recovered methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) from them.

Dasig called on the public to cooperate and to avoid inserting money in letters or packages, an act strictly prohibited by the PhilPost.

Teka,teka, saan ba talaga una bumabagsak ang mga sulat natin, padala, packages, etc??? Bureau of Customs di ba? Tama ba? Tapos they go to the General Post Office in Manila??? Correct me if I am wrong.

^^ tama ka, isa pa yang customs na yan... baka kulang na rin yung mga sulat na nakakarating sa lawton...:D

^^ tama ka, isa pa yang customs na yan... baka kulang na rin yung mga sulat na nakakarating sa lawton...:D


Kasi mantakin mo, bakit kapag mas malaki sa postcard o bday card ( minsan nga bday card binubulatlat pa ) talaga nga namang sa aking experience, palagi kapag dumadating sa akin ang isang padala o kahit envelope lang na singlaki ng bondpaper o nakabox na parcel, palaging me nakatatak " received in this condition, partly torn, tape flap"...blah blah blah. palagi yun. kaya palagay ko pagdating sa customs, sinisilip talaga nila, talagang pinagdidisketahan, babakasali na me lamang pera o anumang pwedeng nakawin o ibenta pagkakitaan. tapos pagdating dun sa susunod na ahensya na tatanggap nung parcel, bulatlat na naman, hanggang sa madeliver sa yo, kung makakarating man sayo!!! ganyan ang nangyari sigurado kay edcel pono.

http://www.probetv.com/view_video.php?viewkey=a5b1d9a2660e45554894

Check this out. and judge for yourself.

:horse:

JP

GMA 7 seems the only channel that is interested in this "bogus" anomalies held by "PhilPOST". We Filipinoes should be actively listen on this news, to help the PhilPOST clear their names and to know these people who are "corrupt" and should be kick out from this office.

Here's the link of the latest news:

For update on your case, see our report:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/106461/PhilPost-starts-probe-into-missing-valuables-from-Australia

GMA 7 seems the only channel that is interested in this "bogus" anomalies held by "PhilPOST". We Filipinoes should be actively listen on this news, to help the PhilPOST clear their names and to know these people who are "corrupt" and should be kick out from this office.

Here's the link of the latest news:

For update on your case, see our report:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/106461/PhilPost-starts-probe-into-missing-valuables-from-Australia

How saddening.:ohno:
On a light note, I haven't experienced any mishaps from PPC yet. So far, lahat naman ng pinadala ng parents ko eh natanggap ko naman. The last time was last month when I had them to send me my HS diploma thru registered air mail. The downside nga lang is, it took me 2 weeks to receive it whereas supposed to be it would reached me less than a week or a week the latest.

^^ It's a different story Custer if you're sending something from the Philippines. They won't bother to check parcels from the Phils because they know that there's no money in it or any imported goods to catch their fancy.

They only clobbered on stuffs from overseas.

How I wish someone will record these customs/philpost transactions using a hidden camera, an incident similar to what @ejsWoody had experienced.

True.
I think the best way for them to do is reorganize the whole Philpost. Dump the oldies, and I mean everyone and throw in new people, but they have to be credible. Philpost have suffered so much and so are we.

Eh kung privatize kaya Philpost? Kaso pag privatization na kasi pinaguusapan, siyempre the costs sending mail would also go up. Pero din kasi kung private, me control ung private company/entity na magpapatakbo nito.....unlike our very " EPISYENT " gobyerno.

Tanong ko lang, ung bang mga private couriers like Fedex, DHL, TNT, etc. dumadaan din sila sa Bureau of Customs ano? Pero binubulatlat din kaya sila? Kasi so far wala pa naman akong bad experience sa Fedex kahit pati husband ko sinasabi na Fedex sa company nila di pa daw nakakawala ng parcel o packages. Pero DHL daw madalas makawala ng mga padala. So far malinis naman mga padala sa akin pag Fedex, malinis meaning di mukhang binulatlat o walang nakatatak na " Received in this condition, ek ek ek ek. "

Guys....favor po please....kailangan lang sa school.

Info po about a sewage treatment plant (stp) and a material recovery facility (mrf) specific for a mall/office...pictures, standard equipment, sizes, room dimensions, how to compute etc.

Baka po meron kayo pics of said facilities ng isang mall or may relevant website po kayo na ma-rerefer.

Thanks in advance.

Hmm....this thought entered my mind....do we have any postal abbreviations for the provinces? Like the ones being used here in the United States and Canada?

Example:

United States
CA - California
HI - Hawaii
NY - New York
FL - Florida
TX - Texas

Canada
AB - Alberta
BC - British Columbia
MB - Manitoba
ON - Ontario
QC - Quebec

Interesting note: PI was the postal abbreviation for the Philippine Islands when it was still a colony of the United States.

this is a blog entry.
Original context can be found on:

http://edselpono.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-would-you-do-if-someone-steals.html


My case is not extra ordinary. In fact I should say around within 13 Filipino friends I’ve got here in Australia, 7 had a bad experience with regards to Phil Post (Philippine Postal Corporation) Services. In fairness, Phil Post made a lot of wonderful things to our country but sadly to say, incidents that crashes its “credibility and efficiency” tops among OFW’s complaints.

You might be wondering why I should have to bring up this issue. The answer is simple. I was victimized not just ones but twice!

When I received the news from my daughter that she belonged to the top in her class, my heart as a father leaped for it was the only thing I can give to her, a good education. ---thus, I promised her to send something as a gift for her wonderful dedication on her studies.

Being away from my family, I decided to buy a digital camera for so many reasons, and one of them is to see them as they grow up. I purchase it together with its compatible memory card, CD’s, photographs and a message video which I recorded, so that my daughter can play it over and over again. I sent the parcel last June 06, 2008 through Australian Post and hoping they will receive it three (3) weeks after.

My daughter sent her medal and I received it on June 10, 2008 which prompted me to send another package on June 16, 2008, this time, a pink think lightweight Cinderella coat with 6 pairs of dresses which I intentionally choose “made in Australia” even though it’s very expensive, but I buy it, because kids will always be kids. I wanted her to be happy.

As I told my daughter about it, she was so excited. She’s counting the days, and they are times when she talks to her mom saying, “When will we receive the digital camera mom because we (she and her younger sister) are dying to see the carousel and take more pictures to send it to dad?”


THE CRIME 1

Yes, three weeks have passed and they indeed received the box (June 25, 2008). My wife notice that the box was very light, that is why they have decided to open the parcel in front of the Postal Officer, and yes, the box was forcibly opened and took the digital camera and other stuff inside the box. What were left are just my photographs.

I am not a writer (forgive me with my grammar) but even if I was, I still can’t put into words the desperation and the emotional strain it cost to my daughter.


WHAT DID YOU DO?

I have to be honest. I was really, really pissed off. I surf the net and seen the list of Directory of Phil Post officers. I notice the landline numbers and an email address, so I decided to send them an email of my complaint address to Robert Mondonedo, Regional VI Director. The letter of complaint can be viewed online on this address: http://edselpono.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-letter-of-complaint-to-philippine.html. After a long thought and per advised by my friends who have experience it, I let my wife fax my Complaint and I called the Regional Director of Cebu, but, unluckily, I only spoke to the Secretary, even though the Regional Director was there. I tried to call him several times but again, it was only the courteous secretary keep answering the phone. My Australian friends even try to tease me that my God is way better than the Regional Director of Cebu, where you can simply talk to him even if He is ‘the GOD’.

You know the feeling where it seems “walang patutunguhan yung reklamo mo”. I decided to talk and send emails to my CSTR high school batch mates, relatives, friends ----the people whom I believe could help, which in return sent it to their set of friends as well. The emails reach Linda Bolido’s inbox, which ended up posted in her column at Philippine Daily Inquirer.

In desperation, I personally sent email message to Mr. Joe Torres of GMA Network and its Staff as what I heard and the Filipino-Australians told me ---- “Serbisyong Totoo”, but honestly, I don’t expect them to reply. With so much respect and appreciation, they did and they even promised to follow it up in my behalf.

Links of the said articles can be found here:

1. Article of LINDA BOLIDO--- http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20080702-146083/PhilPost-makes-his-daughters-graduation-a-sad-one
2. Article of MARK MERUEÑAS, GMANews.TV --- http://www.gmanews.tv/story/106461/PhilPost-starts-probe-into-missing-valuables-from-Australia


THE CRIME 2:

With the intervals of merely two weeks, the last package I’ve sent is expected to arrive on the 6th of July, but until now (July 24), no signs of the box. Indeed I am freaking out.


WHAT DID YOU DO?

By now I received 37 email responses with the same question. I wrote this at 2:00 am just to tell every Filipino and Foreigners that “I don’t know”.

I am very tired.

The amount of time and money spent in doing long distance calls to follow-up, Stressed, Anger, Despair and Hopeless are among the things that clothed me these days --- knowing from the fact that it is a government agency, ‘the safest way to shipped your parcel to the Philippines” --- all totally opposite. As I boldly posted the letter of complaint in my blog, a lot of foreigners express their desperation and shameful criticism saying Filipinos are corrupt and thief. In as much as I wanted to refute them, what can I do, they themselves experience this “perennial” complaint as they sent their parcels to their pen pals and love ones back home. How can I say it’s not true, well in fact, me –myself experience this abuse---------can I say not just ones but twice? Are they barking on the wrong tree?


So I say why is this keep on going? Sometimes you receive a letter stating “Received in this condition…”complaints like “lost package”, “delayed packages”… Isn’t Phil Post objectives as stated on RA Section 3a “..to enable the economical and speedy transfer of mail and other postal matters, from sender to addressee, with full recognition of their privacy or confidentiality”?



AWARD SYSTEM

Isn’t it time to stand up and be strong in favor to the LAW? Is it shameful and degrading for us Filipinos where one Philippine agency has a world reputation (old until now) as a “Thief Institute”? I believe the regulatory authority (Presidential Decree No. 240) should publicly announce the reward system as RA 7354 Section 28d explains; for the information and services in connection with violations of the postal laws. Those thieves within the institution should be penalized. We can only do this through total transparency. If they spent on stamps to advertise the institution and to win back the confidence of the people, why not spend it to the real “agony” and “problem of this corporation”. What I believe that is really necessary is its credibility and efficiency. As my generation --- I, my relatives, my batch mates lost confidence in this institution; I don’t know if they can restore the confidence of another gentle generation --- my daughter.


Sad Experiences by FILIPINOS

Redeeming his electric Guitar at Php 15,000.00

I just thought I’d reminisce about my past experiences from claiming packages in the Philpost customs division. If you are new to this, the most probable situations wherein you might encounter the Philpost customs are either if you ordered anything from abroad and have chosen the cheapest shipping option, or if you are receiving a gift from anyone abroad via the same circumstances.

If you ordered something online and chose USPS (United States Postal Service), your package will travel from the product’s warehouse to the airport and finally into the Philippines complete with real-time online tracking via the USPS site. This usually takes four days to a week using the standard service and is very dependable. The problem starts when your package is already here in the Philippines. Add at least one more week and you will receive a note on a 3×5 index card that you have a package waiting for you at the Philippine Postal Corporation main office. This is in front of the old domestic airport. I think on about my third experience, I chose not to wait for the note and instead called Philpost, gave them my tracking number and asked if my package was already there. It was, only I have to pass by the front office to to have them print a card for me. You can’t just go in the customs area if you don’t have a notice. Upon entering the compound of the head office, the customs area is to your left.

The customs area is a semi-warehouse that has a rather unfashionable reception area. This is where you exchange your notice and wait for the customs people to locate your package. Once your package has been located, or, after approximately an hour, you will be called to enter the, and the climax of this post, den-of-corruption.

Your package will be opened in front of you, it will be identified and classified using their “guidebook” which lists all possible criteria for material goods like electronics, clothing, jewelry, etc. Tax will be calculated next.

I have claimed a $750 electric guitar, guitar gadgets, car parts, more car parts, and I have to say the average total calculated cost of my fees averages 40% of the declared cost of my goods. I do not know what sort of magic calculator they use but I always seem to lose focus once all the numbers and percentage signs pile up. They calculate this in front of you.
In my guitar incident, I would have paid and additional Php 10,000.00 for a Php 35,000.00 guitar. My wallet was shy of about 5 large. My options, pick-up my precious axe some other time or rush to the nearest atm. In total desperation I respectfully asked why I have to pay so much. The explanation was one done with abrupt, precise and professionally composed wordings only government officials understand.

“Kailangan mo ba ng tulong?” were the sweetest five words I heard that day. “Opo ma’am.” “Magkano ba kaya mo?” “Ma’am ito lang po.” Discretely exposing my measly three bills of a thousand each. “O sige iho, ok lang ba sa’yo walang resibo?” “Ok lang po.” “Ibigay mo ito dun sa ale sa isang lamesa, sabihin mo tinulungan kita.”

On to the next table. “Ah tinulungan ka ba ni ano…” “Opo ma’am.” ” O sige ilagay mo dito ang pera tapos magbayad ka nalang ng kinse sa labas.” “Salamat po.” On my way then to night’s worth of chords, scales, hammering, slides, etc. It was a sweet Parker P-42 electric guitar in gray.

Some other things I said, saw and learned on my succeeding trips. “Ma’am pwede nyo ba ako tulungan?” “Ma’am kahit wala nalang po resibo.” Two young policemen hanging around the customs area were at one time talking about guns whilst acting out shootouts with their real guns and, hitting on a pretty lady accompanied by her mother claiming a package from who-knows-who. The customs area has a daily quota of I believe is around Php 200,000.00 per day. I know this because there was this one time I was trying to haggle my fees and I constantly heard her say “Iho malayo pa kami sa quota ngayong araw, kung gusto mo balik ka nalang mamaya.” And finally, I’ve never lost a package from doing this. But then again, I’ve also been robbed.

I have since resorted to Johnny Air, a cheaper and less hassle way of having your items shipped in a U.S. address and then later forwarded by them. If I had the money I’d chose FedEx. If I had more money I’d chose UPS. If I’m stupid, I’d go back to Philpost.



Originally posted on Mark Verzo’s blog (http://thoughtsinbinary.com/)

Love, the *kilig* is over

I have come to the conclusion that the Philippine postal mailing system is reliable naman pala when it comes to outgoing mails---well those bound for Melbourne anyway. The Makati Post Office along Buendia has become my new tambayan since Jun and I hooked up. Surprisingly, all my snail mails to Jun arrive promptly within 10 days from date sent. Plus, it's cheap; like P24 for ordinary mail, P13 for postcards and a little extra for I-love-you/I-miss-you stamps. So I can conveniently send him all these hallmark cards, love letters and stuff for just a handful of change.

And nag-eenjoy ako, I swear. It's such a cheap thrill for me picking which postage stamps to get, taking my time in sticking them at the back of the envelopes/postcards and dropping them off at the "Foreign Mails Only" mailbox.

And then I patiently wait and anticipate the day that Jun arrives home from work, sees what I sent in his mailbox and texts/emails me ASAP that he loves it! =)

For me, there's just something more romantic in writing love letters long-hand and sending them via post across the miles in this age of emails, webcams and cellular phones... *kilig*

P.S. I said OUTGOING mails ok. Jun tried sending me stuff via Australia Post Office para cheaper but it's been almost a month and the parcel is lost somewhere. APO says it arrived in the country two weeks ago but the Las Pinas Post Office denies they have it already. And then Las Pinas says its tagged under "Global Priority" coz Jun supposedly paid extra for me to get it in 4 days but when/if it gets here, it's considered ordinary mail which means it's untraceable. Teka, I'm lost. Ano daw?!



http://upfalls4bene.blogspot.com/2008/03/philpost.html

Mommy, where’s my diaper?

Last week, i ordered some nappies from a wholesaler. i usually order my kids diaper from her but this time i told her to just ship the items through philpost. i was really delighted when i found out that the shipping cost total only to 95pesos compare the 198 shipping charged by 2go. but then, one week had lapse and still no diapers in sight so i decided to go to their office.

upon arriving at philpost, i immediately go to the inquiry booth then the man told me that he has no information or whatsoever about the items since their only obligation is to received what had been shipped and deliver them to our house. so i ask "how can i be sure that the items had not been lost" he replied in anger "we do not open any package!" i just find him rude or perhaps defensive.

well, until now no package had arrived thinking that i paid almost 800+ for those nappies. i'll never ship through philpost ever!



Originally posted on Twinkles’ blog (http://chiqmom.blogspot.com/2008/01/philpost-service-sucks.html)


These experiences have one common scenario, same script; different cast. They all ended up being robbed by a Filipino through this agency. That makes them a loser. Now, I tell you, the spotlight is on me, if you were in my shoes, what will you do?

^^ i think they only use zip codes..:)

^^ i think they only use zip codes..:)


Yeah me zip codes nga pero me mga mails na nami-" missent" like supposed to be sa Paranaque papadala pero they end up in other cities first! Weird, but it has happened a couple of times to me.

Rizal's $33-M methane power plant a 'band-aid solution' – green group
07/24/2008 | 06:24 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The $33-million power plant run by landfill-produced methane is a "band-aid solution" to greenhouse gas emissions that will only encourage dumping of more garbage, according to the Ecological Waste Coalition (EcoWaste).

"If the government is sincere in cutting greenhouse gas emissions from dumps, it must keep all biodegradable materials out of dumps and push for innovative zero-waste programs nationwide,” Romy Hidalgo, secretary of EcoWaste, said in a statement issued on Thursday.

The facility – the Montalban Landfill Methane Recovery and Electricity Generation Project – is in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal.

It was inaugurated on Thursday by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who endorsed it as a "model solution" to climate change and renewable energy source.

But Hidalgo disagreed, saying: "With the push for the so-called 'energy from waste,' we see no end to dumping since there is now a purported use for landfills. This will not encourage our society to aim and work for zero waste."

According to EcoWaste, methane comes from dumping, a destructive way to manage garbage. So landfill-gas-to-energy (LFGTE) power cannot be deemed a renewable energy source.

Alternatives ways to manage trash

The best way to cut the release of methane into the atmosphere is to ban the disposal of biodegradable or organic matters in dump sites, EcoWaste said.

EcoWaste believed that the methane gas power plant was built to justify the existence of what it called "the illegal glorified Rodriguez dump site."

It lamented that the project would only encourage hauling of more garbage.

The president of the Bangon Kalikasan Movement, Joey Papa, suggested some alternatives to dumping.

"We don’t need to spend a treasure for waste management," Papa said. "The people and the community can manage their own discards by using the inexpensive proven method of waste prevention, segregation, recycling, and composting – the ecological way of managing wastes."

Manny Calonzo, of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), pointed out that the LFGTE technology feeds on a wasteful pattern of disposing organic materials into the dump sites.

These organic materials could be better used by composting them into effective and safe soil nutrients that can help restore depleted farmlands.

They would also keep farmers from being dependent on chemical farm products, such as toxic pesticides.

Nonproductive approach

Calonzo urged the government to embrace a zero-waste policy so that there would be less garbage that would emit methane in landfills.

"Methane is a global warming gas that has 23 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide," Calonzo said. "In the United States, landfills are largest sources of methane emissions, with those from municipal waste landfills comprising 94 percent of total landfill emissions, while industrial landfills made up the rest."

EcoWaste claimed that LFGTE systems do not necessarily prevent substantial discharge of methane due to inbuilt inefficiencies in the systems to capture all the methane produced.

The group cited a paper by Peter Anderson, a US-based zero-waste advocate, who considererd LFGTE a "a nonproductive approach that fails to overcome the fact that, especially in a world concerned with climate change, land disposal alone – of all the other options to manage discards – creates the enormous volumes of methane that are among the most significant contributors to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions."

Thus, the EcoWaste said that the promise of electricity from the methane gas collection should not deceive communities already serving as garbage dump sites or those being eyed as new dump sites. - GMANews.TV (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/109118/Rizals-33-M-methane-power-plant-a-band-aid-solution-%E2%80%93-green-group)

^^ minsan nagkakamali ang mail sorters ng post office :)

True.
I think the best way for them to do is reorganize the whole Philpost. Dump the oldies, and I mean everyone and throw in new people, but they have to be credible. Philpost have suffered so much and so are we.
I agree. But to get new people would have to mean replacing a whole bureaucracy from the top-down (lots will be angry, so will any politician have the balls to do it?) and imposing a culture of honesty and integrity that might be so hard to not violate since even if employees are earning above minimum wage, there's still incentive to get lucrative kickbacks through other means. Will Filipinos have enough political will to support this overhaul?

PhilPost needs a lot to catch up on in terms of infrastructure, technologies and general delivery capacity. Also, PhilPost needs the support Filipinos (through cooperation in its programs, and through political will) in order to make it a more reliable and more effective postal authority.

Funding and investment restricts PhilPost from becoming more reliable, which is sad because in other countries, their respective postal systems have become so reliable that turning to private corporations (DHL, FedEx, UPS, etc.) are only reserved for more urgent needs. From what I've observed since coming to Canada, there are a couple of main issues that should be improved and developed to make PhilPost a better and reliable postal system.

1. Presence
In Canada, the red Canada Post boxes where people can simply drop their stamped letters and packages are found in almost all settlements in the country. In urban areas, especially, these red postal boxes can be found not more than a 10-minute walk from your house. Canada Post collects the contents of these boxes regularly (some boxes - especially those found in busier areas - twice a day, most others daily, those in rural areas maybe a couple of times a week). Growing up in the Philippines I have never once seen a PhilPost postal box!

PhilPost also does not have the presence it needs to conduct business in all towns and cities throughout the country because it simply does not have the proper infrastructure to do so. This greatly affects the amount of income it generates. If I lived in another part of town and had to commute for an hour just to mail something in the poblacion that probably may not even end up in the recipient's hands anyway, I wouldn't think twice - I just wouldn't avail of PhilPost's service.

Canada Post has its own post offices around the country, and probably one in every city, county, municipality in all the provinces and territories. In addition to that, Canada Post also partners up with local businesses to establish postal outlets that run side-by-side with local enterprise. For example, many locations of Shopper's Drug Mart (sort of like Canada's Mercury Drugstore) maintain a postal outlet inside their store, which provides the same services as a regular post office. So it's not that hard to find a postal office/outlet in Canada because most neighbourhoods have one, where customers can easily buy stamps, packaging materials, money orders, etc. Also, if a package that cannot be left behind on the doorstep is not delivered because it's too large, too heavy, or if there's no one at home to receive it/sign for it, the package is sent to the nearest postal outlet/office for the recipient to pick up, where it stays for 15 days, after which it will be returned to the sender.

2. Delivery
PhilPost makes use of its trucks and vehicles mostly in urban areas. Its methods of delivery fall somewhere from unprofessional to outright dodgy. (Back when I still lived in Cavite, I had mail at one time delivered to me by an un-uniformed "PhilPost employee" in his own motorcycle! Also, at one point my package was delivered to my neighbours when my house number was clearly marked!) But you can't really help but feel sorry because not a lot has been invested in making sure that PhilPost can do its job properly. Canada Post has a fleet of clearly identifiable trucks and its employees carry identification and are in an easily recognizable uniform.

It also does not help when the naming of streets and numbering of houses change at every whim of the provincial board or city/municipal council, or the fact that PhilPost is not even equipped with the proper tools to properly deliver mail on the ground. It's not so unusual to have something get delayed, lost or misplaced within the Philippine postal system because the ZIP Code system is innefficient. Davao City - which has more than a million inhabitants, and covers a vast area - have just one ZIP Code. Also, many descriptions for ZIP Codes in Metro Manila are totally outdated and/or vague (I don't think the people of Brgy. San Rafael, Navotas know that they're supposed to be the so-called "Isla de Cocomo, Manila" in PhilPost's ZIP Code system!). In addition, the current ZIP Code system requires a change every time a new province or municipality is created.

On the other hand, Canada Post is on top of everything because it has the tools and technologies to do the job. It constantly keeps track of changes on the ground, and have complete knowledge of all their delivery areas. You can check which postal code a certain address belongs to using the online tool at their website, calling them at their toll-free number, or by going to the nearest postal outlet and looking it up yourself in the big book of postal codes. Canadian postal codes also make it easy for Canada Post to do its job efficiently. The 6-digit postal code (such as M4K 2H5) provides information on many things: M for the postal region (the city of Toronto), 4K for the forward sortation area (downtown Toronto), and 2H5 for a specific area (a neighbourhood, a district, a block, a settlement within downtown Toronto). With a 6-digit postal code there are 7.2 million possible combinations, way enough to assign to every subdivision, village, sitio, barrio, purok, barrio and barangay throughout the archipelago.

Tiny trivia: my economics professor says that in Canada all mailboxes in all houses, apartments, etc. are exclusively owned by Canada Post, and no one else can put any mail matter in it, as Canada Post has the sole legal monopoly over the delivery of regular mail. Which brings me to another point: in order for postal service in the Philippines to become efficient, there should be a properly-marked mailbox in all homes throughout the country.

3. Technologies
I read somewhere that PhilPost has an automatic sorting machine for Metro Manila (where something like over half of PhilPost's business comes from). But then again, it will not be able to perform its function efficiently if the wrong ZIP codes are given or if there's none at all. That's why ZIP codes can only be the efficient tools that they are if they're used properly.

PhilPost can also benefit from having a digital system of paying for stamps, where you can just print out the stamps youself and just drop the letter or parcel in the nearest mailbox. This is great for small enterprises that rely on mail delivery for their businesses.

Tracking and traceability is another important area that PhilPost should improve on. When people from outside the Philippines send something by EMS, or if Filipinos send something domestically through registered mail, they should be able to track it on PhilPost's website, a service that many other national postal authorities do offer. In order to accomplish this, computerization and usage of optical/barcode readers need to be in every post office/outlet/sorting station in the country.

PhilPost needs to completely computerize its operations so as to provide a single standard across the archipelago. That way transactions can be tracked and kickbacks will not be necessary to get something done, because a receipt has to be printed out. And Filipinos should also stop undermining the law by offering to bribe employees. These kinds of people are just as rotten as those who ask for or accept bribes.

4. Quality of service and mail delivery standards
Dishonesty prevails when accountability at all levels are not in force. Compounded by the fact that PhilPost workers probably do not earn much, there's just a lot of incentive to extort money whenever possible. Canada Post wages are higher compared to other jobs because mail delivery involves quite a fair amount of walking and driving and there are more risks involved when working on the ground. There's not a lot of incentive to steal because most people working for Canada Post earn enough money to buy whatever anyway. And even if expensive goods are sent through the mail, there are some safeguards that ensure the delivery is made: most expensive items are shipped with tracking numbers (and they should be!), and if it's a very valuable item, it should be shipped using UPS or FedEx or other courier service anyway.

What goes hand-in-hand in ensuring that proper delivery standards are met (say, 2-day delivery within a locality, 3-day delivery within the province or region, 7-day delivery between regions/island groups and 14-day delivery to all rural areas) is the quality of infrastructure in the countryside. Sending mail from Bangui, Ilocos Norte to Bongao, Tawi-Tawi should not be as complicated as sending mail from Iligan to Butuan or even Muntinlupa to Valenzuela. But sadly, though our national road and nautical highway systems have been improving, there is still a lot of work to ensure that every municipality and city in this country is well-connected to the whole.

5. Effective customs collection
Customs Canada inspects all incoming packages to Canada to see whether taxes/tariffs should be imposed on the recipient. They put stickers on packages that require Canada Post to collect customs fees for. Depending on where the package comes from and the category under which the items inside belongs, the amount of taxes/tariffs/duties are collected by Canada Post upon delivery on the doorstep of the recipient. No one can negotiate this amount because the mail carrier is supposed to bring back whatever he/she has collected, as they have a hand-held digital device that tracks the payment (it can even handle credit card and debit card transactions). The simple rule is that if there's no payment of taxes/tariffs/duties, there's no package/mail for you.

It would also help if PhilPost and the Bureau of Customs join hand-in-hand in publicizing the customs laws of the Philippines so that the people know why they are supposed to pay and how much they are supposed to pay, to discourage graft and minimize (if not eliminate) corruption within the two entities.



All in all, the reason I think that PhilPost does not receive any priority in funding is that it's not an essential service to majority of Filipinos yet. With the growing popularity of online transactions and other services that require the mailing of goods, I can only hope that PhilPost steps up and improve its services to accommodate this trend. Because if it doesn't, it's just going to end up losing out to private courier services.

:old:Pansin ko nga pag mga " oldies " nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno, parang ang bagal ng lahat ---- kesyo kaya nilang magpabandying bandying lang kasi " senior " na daw sila. Dapat me age limit ang gobyerno na sine-set para sa mga nagwowork dito.....like ung retirement age ba talagang nasusunod??? Feeling ko me iba dun tipong above 65 years old na eh sige pa rin sa trabaho sumasahod pero di na makapagtrabaho ng maayos, kaya serbisyo apektado.

^^ compulsory age of retirement that is being enforced under RP labor law is 65.
perhaps some PhilPost employees just look older than their actual age :)

Naalala ko tuloy, si Manong, sa Customs ng NAIA 1, kasi ba naman ung check in baggage namin eh naiwanan sa London Heathrow nung nakaraang Dec 24! So dumating ng Pinas, Dec 27. Eh nagkataon ung pipirma ng release form ko si Manong, sabi lang nya, wag na natin buksan, aba sa edad kong ito, 69 na ako, alam ko na lahat mga laman nyan.....papaskuhan mo nalang ako para lahat tayo masaya! Para makauwi ka na agad at di na maghintay pa dito. AH SUS!

:ohno: i hate that. i could have asked him what will he do if i won't give in to his demands. we need new breeds to the government to replace the old dogs. but some of them are doing their job to the best of their abilities nonetheless.

even private corporations like PAL have old workforce. but they are the enthusiatic types. at least, the ones that i have seen. (PAL ticketing office in Davao and NAIA T2)

^^ malaki naman talaga ang pagkakaiba ng matanda sa bata, mas "experienced" daw kasi yung mga matatanda...:D

magkano na ang mga selyo satin?

Oo nga magkano na selyo sa tin?

I read also something about UK's Royal Mail na very unreliable din daw, madalas makawala ng mga sulat etc....tapos nabasa ko na ung mga " undelivered " packages nila, me " undelivered area " sila para dun. And me agreement daw sila sa isang auction house na kapag di naclaim ung mga " undelivered " na yun ( dahil sa wrong address,pangalan, di makita ung bahay etc...) eh the auction house will buy them off from Royal Mail and they will sell it sa auctions nila, or worse, sa ebay!!! www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-462606/Royal-Mail-set-sell-lost-post-items-Ebay--pocket-profits.html

Nakumpara ko lang sa Philpost pero I bet mas masaklap pa rin sa tin....

Hmm....this thought entered my mind....do we have any postal abbreviations for the provinces? Like the ones being used here in the United States and Canada?

Example:

United States
CA - California
HI - Hawaii
NY - New York
FL - Florida
TX - Texas

Canada
AB - Alberta
BC - British Columbia
MB - Manitoba
ON - Ontario
QC - Quebec


So, I was bored today and decided to make my own trigram abbreviations of Philippine provinces and Metro Manila. :colgate:

MNL METROPOLITAN MANILA

ABR ABRA
AGN AGUSAN DEL NORTE
AGS AGUSAN DEL SUR
AKL AKLAN
ALB ALBAY
ANT ANTIQUE
APA APAYAO
AUR AURORA
BAS BASILAN
BTA BATAAN
BTN BATANES
BTG BATANGAS
BEN BENGUET
BIL BILIRAN
BOH BOHOL
BUK BUKIDNON
BUL BULACAN
CAG CAGAYAN
CMN CAMARINES NORTE
CMS CAMARINES SUR
CAM CAMIGUIN
CAP CAPIZ
CAT CATANDUANES
CAV CAVITE
CEB CEBU
CPV COMPOSTELA VALLEY
DVN DAVAO DEL NORTE
DVS DAVAO DEL SUR
DVR DAVAO ORIENTAL
DIS DINAGAT ISLANDS
ESM EASTERN SAMAR
GUI GUIMARAS
IFU IFUGAO
ILN ILOCOS NORTE
ILS ILOCOS SUR
ILO ILOILO
ISA ISABELA
KAL KALINGA
LUN LA UNION
LAG LAGUNA
LAN LANAO DEL NORTE
LAS LANAO DEL SUR
LEY LEYTE
MAG MAGUINDANAO
MAR MARINDUQUE
MAS MASBATE
MNC MINDORO OCCIDENTAL
MNR MINDORO ORIENTAL
MSC MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL
MSR MISAMIS ORIENTAL
MTP MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
NEC NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
NER NEGROS ORIENTAL
NCO NORTH COTABATO
NSM NORTHERN SAMAR
NEC NUEVA ECIJA
NVZ NUEVA VIZCAYA
PAL PALAWAN
PAM PAMPANGA
PAN PANGASINAN
QZN QUEZON
QUI QUIRINO
RIZ RIZAL
ROM ROMBLON
SRG SARANGGANI
SRK SHARIFF KABUNSUAN
SIQ SIQUIJOR
SOR SORSOGON
SCO SOUTH COTABATO
SLE SOUTHERN LEYTE
SKD SULTAN KUDARAT
SUL SULU
SUN SURIGAO DEL NORTE
SUS SURIGAO DEL SUR
TAR TARLAC
TAW TAWI-TAWI
WSM WESTERN SAMAR
ZAM ZAMBALES
ZAN ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
ZAS ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR
ZSG ZAMBOANGA-SIBUGAY

^^ they look like IATA codes..:D joke...:nocrook:

^^ :lol: There's too many provinces to make decent bigram abbreviations. :colgate:

i'll stick with my preferred set of courriers - Air21,APcargo,or Fastpak.

iwas nga lang ako sa lbc...dami rin kasi yung mga tanga sa lbc at minsan nagnanakaw din. happened to me thrice.

^^ And how much is your cut for that product endorsement? :lol: :jk: :nocrook:

^^ And how much is your cut for that product endorsement? :lol: :jk: :nocrook:

owner lang naman ako ng Air69:D

i'll stick with my preferred set of courriers - Air21,APcargo,or Fastpak.

iwas nga lang ako sa lbc...dami rin kasi yung mga tanga sa lbc at minsan nagnanakaw din. happened to me thrice.


TALAGA? Pati ba naman LBC kawatan na rin, ano ba naman yan. :bash:

I just found out that the first two numbers of Philippine ZIP codes corresponds to a specific province, and the last two numbers to a city/town in that province.


ZIP PROVINCE

28 ABRA
86 AGUSAN DEL NORTE
85 AGUSAN DEL SUR
56 AKLAN
45 ALBAY
57 ANTIQUE
38 APAYAO
32 AURORA
73 BASILAN
21 BATAAN
39 BATANES
42 BATANGAS
26 BENGUET
65 BILIRAN
63 BOHOL
87 BUKIDNON
30 BULACAN
35 CAGAYAN
46 CAMARINES NORTE
44 CAMARINES SUR
91 CAMIGUIN
58 CAPIZ
48 CATANDUANES
41 CAVITE
60 CEBU
81 COMPOSTELA VALLEY
81 DAVAO DEL NORTE
80 DAVAO DEL SUR
82 DAVAO ORIENTAL
84 DINAGAT ISLANDS
68 EASTERN SAMAR
50 GUIMARAS
36 IFUGAO
29 ILOCOS NORTE
27 ILOCOS SUR
50 ILOILO
33 ISABELA
38 KALINGA
25 LA UNION
40 LAGUNA
92 LANAO DEL NORTE
93 LANAO DEL SUR
65 LEYTE
96 MAGUINDANAO
49 MARINDUQUE
54 MASBATE
51 MINDORO OCCIDENTAL
52 MINDORO ORIENTAL
72 MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL
90 MISAMIS ORIENTAL
26 MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
61 NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
62 NEGROS ORIENTAL
94 NORTH COTABATO
64 NORTHERN SAMAR
31 NUEVA ECIJA
37 NUEVA VIZCAYA
53 PALAWAN
20 PAMPANGA
24 PANGASINAN
43 QUEZON
34 QUIRINO
18 RIZAL
55 ROMBLON
95 SARANGGANI
96 SHARIFF KABUNSUAN
62 SIQUIJOR
47 SORSOGON
95 SOUTH COTABATO
66 SOUTHERN LEYTE
98 SULTAN KUDARAT
74 SULU
84 SURIGAO DEL NORTE
83 SURIGAO DEL SUR
23 TARLAC
75 TAWI-TAWI
67 WESTERN SAMAR
22 ZAMBALES
71 ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
70 ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR
70 ZAMBOANGA-SIBUGAY

14 CALOOCAN
17 LAS PINAS
12 MAKATI
14 MALABON
15 MANDALUYONG
10 MANILA
18 MARIKINA
17 MUNTINLUPA
14 NAVOTAS
17 PARANAQUE
13 PASAY
16 PASIG
11 QUEZON CITY
15 SAN JUAN
16 TAGUIG
14 VALENZUELA


**The municipality of Pateros in Metro Manila (NCR) doesn't have a two-digit ZIP prefix.

BTW... bakit wala ng International Money Order sa PhilPost... tumawag ako sa PhilPost dito sa amin sa Iligan... sabi daw sa PNB na daw mag transact ng ganyan...?

BTW... bakit wala ng International Money Order sa PhilPost... tumawag ako sa PhilPost dito sa amin sa Iligan... sabi daw sa PNB na daw mag transact ng ganyan...?


boom box, siguro mas ok na rin na wala na lang money order sa Philpost dahil baka sa bulsa lang ng iba mapunta ung perang gusto mong ipadala....pero alam ko matagal na atang tinanggal yang international money order dahil nga nawawala ung perang pinapadala di nakakarating sa destinasyon ung pera.....

BTW... bakit wala ng International Money Order sa PhilPost... tumawag ako sa PhilPost dito sa amin sa Iligan... sabi daw sa PNB na daw mag transact ng ganyan...?

Maybe because they're losing business from the more competitive banks.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20081118-172831/Snail-mail-still-alive-and-kicking

Snail mail still alive and kicking
Even in high-tech era of e-mail

By Desiree Caluza
Philippine Daily Inquirer
11/18/2008

BAGUIO CITY—In this high-tech era of e-mail, text messaging, blogging and multimedia and courier services, snail mail is yet alive and kicking.

Letters sent through post offices still enjoy loyal followers in the provinces and key cities because this mode of communication is cheap and continues to thrive for sentimental reasons, according to Tomas Baggay, director of Philippine Postal Corp. (PhilPost) in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Baggay cited as proof PhilPost Cordillera’s earnings of P46 million in 2007, up by P1 million from 2006.

PhilPost officials said letters processed and sent through postage meter machine made the biggest percentage of the government firm’s annual revenue here at P21 million.

Sales of stamps reached P10 million while postage charge account, also known as the “mail now, pay later” scheme, earned about P3 million.

“Handwritten letters still have a sentimental effect. That could be the reason why there are those who still want to send letters through post offices. The sentimental part of it is you could always go back to the letter and read it all over again,” Baggay said.

Efficient delivery

Snail mail is still appreciated in rural areas, he said, because the infrastructure of modern communication facilities and equipment had yet to reach these places.

Mail is delivered efficiently in provinces, Baggay said. He noted that some delivery firms were tapping PhilPost in sending mail and packages to areas normally not covered by their services.

“Other private couriers send the express mail through PhilPost because it would be impractical to deliver mail and documents if these are only few. Of course, we cannot refuse these companies because we still want to deliver our own services aside from the fact that this also contributes to our earnings,” said Rodrigo Anaban, director of PhilPost’s mail distribution center here.

Holiday bounty

Victoriano de Leon, city postmaster, attributed the bulk of the agency’s revenues to the holiday season. Peak season for snail mail is between October and February, when post offices are swamped with people who send out Christmas and Valentine cards to their relatives and friends here and abroad, he said.

“I believe that personalized greeting cards have a lasting effect, maybe that is why we still have volumes of cards that we deliver,” De Leon said.

“We still experience a traffic of mail during [the Christmas season]. That is why we advise the public to send their greeting cards as early as October because airlines give priority to packages during this season,” Baggay said.

He said that PhilPost did not lay off employees when e-mail entered the picture.

But for postal district managers in the provinces, the lack of personnel and post offices affects the efficiency of mail delivery in rural areas.

Caridad Grad, acting postal district manager in Mountain Province and Ifugao, said mail deliveries were scheduled once or twice weekly in rural areas.

Many postmasters also act as postmen in rural areas due to lack of personnel, Grad said.

“But most of the time, postmasters cannot deliver letters because they cannot leave their offices. There is only one person working in a post office in some towns.”

She said the agency had to tap the services of people in local governments, such as barangay (village) officials and rural health workers, to deliver the letters.

is it true hindi pa automated and postal system natin? its kinda hard to trace...better use fedex since you're gonna end up paying more for better service but in the end..no matted what service you use its in the efficiency/inefficiency of the system....i've has mixed experiences in sending stuff in Philippines....

^^ :yes: Sad, but true. :ohno:

kasi i had two negative experience sio far with sending mail in Phils...a 3-5 day service became a 4 week ...so in the end the papers were useless....

plus if you complain you cant really complain about the post office you sent it too...
its not they're fault to gurantee if the other end cannot do theyre job properly....i friend of mine has been told by New Zealand post that Philippine usually has the largest follow up/inquiry or complaint in the asian region...its sad to say even Australia post says the same thing as even Vietnam does not have this issues... The very first job i had when i was youger was with Australia Post in the Admin/call centre EMS & I can definitely attest to this. YES so saddd.

minsan sinasabi nalang ng Staff that better off using Fed ex or DHL...its mroe expensive & safer...while there is a truth to that that limits the option for people sending...they should be able to send with peace of mind...

it could also be the quality of personnel that runs the postal system in our country. its too centralized and very slow. we seem not to trust the people handling our mails or packages especially if money or check is inside the envelope.

one major hurdle in our postal system is the lack of house numbering in the provincial towns and remote areas. i think the cities have numbered houses and buildings except those in the slum areas. they must coordinate with the local government regarding this issue. also there are not many postal offices in the provincial towns. at least there is one in the municipio but what about the other barangays who are far away from the town center? im not sure if they already have a mobile postal office that comes from barrio to barrio to collect and deliver mails. it takes time to receive a letter even within the city or town area.

^^^^

e saksakan ng tamad, kabastusan, kasungitan ang mga government employees natine e...kumbaga sa aso, mga wild yan pwere na lang kung mukha kang may buto na mapapalamun sa kanila..bigla kang sir/mam with smile

:lol:^^:bash:

^^^^

e saksakan ng tamad, kabastusan, kasungitan ang mga government employees natine e...kumbaga sa aso, mga wild yan pwere na lang kung mukha kang may buto na mapapalamun sa kanila..bigla kang sir/mam with smile

i have observed that poor work ethics in our government employees is so rampant. maybe because a lot of them get in there based on sinong kapit nila. yung palakas system ba hindi based on your credential and merit.

i was hoping that our educational system would look into this matter by creating a curriculum that is geared toward effective government service. they need to know customer service, professional ethics, state and local laws and the system of government and more so is the discipline and honesty. if we dont have professionals thats really for trained for government service, whether local or national what goes in the municipio, city hall and governors office ay yung may mga kapit.

we do have specialized schools that trains professionals for foreign service which is already on the upper level government service. why not offer a degree in bachelor of science in government service so that our government offices are run by well trained and knowledgeable individuals and probably that will elevate the status of government employees.

e saksakan ng tamad, kabastusan, kasungitan ang mga government employees natine e...kumbaga sa aso, mga wild yan pwere na lang kung mukha kang may buto na mapapalamun sa kanila..bigla kang sir/mam with smile

You're one sad, pathetic, pitiful, and miserable person. You have major issues, go get some help before you hurt someone or yourself.

^^
ha! bakit naman? government employee ka ba?? of course i'm generalizing..meron namang ok na govt employee..pero alam na natin yun at di ko na kailngan na elaborate..masayado ka namang formal kiretoce, ikaw yata yung maraming serimonyas sa buhay

http://www.yabangpinoy.com/images/banners/YP_upperright_banner.gif
Hindi ko lalahatin.

Pero marami pa talagang dapat matutunan PA ang ating mga kabayan
sa larangan ng "customer service."

Naglipana pa rin ang mga "masungit na tindera" mold sa mga business establishments
sa Pilipinas at maging sa ibang bansa.

Nakakainis parang hindi sila binabayaran, o utang na luob mo pa sa kanila
ang pagserbisyuhan ka. Sa totoo lang kung hindi tatangkilikin ang kanilang
mga establishemento ay hindi sila kikita.

Kung hindi lang masarap yung Halo-halo at Bar-be-que nila ay hindi na ako babalik.

Tila wala sa kanila ang mga katagang:
"SERVICE WITH A SMILE!"
at
"THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT!"




:horse:

JP

^^ i think it can be attributed to the low salary and not-so-good working conditions (most of the time), both of which PhilPost have...:D

i have observed that poor work ethics in our government employees is so rampant. maybe because a lot of them get in there based on sinong kapit nila. yung palakas system ba hindi based on your credential and merit.

i was hoping that our educational system would look into this matter by creating a curriculum that is geared toward effective government service. they need to know customer service, professional ethics, state and local laws and the system of government and more so is the discipline and honesty. if we dont have professionals thats really for trained for government service, whether local or national what goes in the municipio, city hall and governors office ay yung may mga kapit.

we do have specialized schools that trains professionals for foreign service which is already on the upper level government service. why not offer a degree in bachelor of science in government service so that our government offices are run by well trained and knowledgeable individuals and probably that will elevate the status of government employees.

^^^^

e saksakan ng tamad, kabastusan, kasungitan ang mga government employees natine e...kumbaga sa aso, mga wild yan pwere na lang kung mukha kang may buto na mapapalamun sa kanila..bigla kang sir/mam with smile

Sad but true.

Government employees should be given some lectures on customer service.

Or if possible just simply terminate these inefficient employees (just like in private firms) from work if they cannot deliver the proper services to the people...

^^^^

e saksakan ng tamad, kabastusan, kasungitan ang mga government employees natine e...kumbaga sa aso, mga wild yan pwere na lang kung mukha kang may buto na mapapalamun sa kanila..bigla kang sir/mam with smile


agree ako sayo......though di naman ako mag generalize...but there is truth too that..

actually sa NAIA madami sa airport staff mejo ganyan din ugalli:bash:

Lately I had to send very important papers to Manila by Fedex tatlong beses kasi wala na akong choice, sobrang frustrated na ako sa Philpost. It's just unfair kasi serbisyo dapat ng gobyerno yung Philippine Postal System tapos ikaw ung argabyado in the end.

OJ, mabuti na lang meyron kaming JOHNNY AIR dito sa NYC.
Lahat ng Christmas cards and gifts ko para sa PILIPINAS
ay pinadala ko through this courier,
puedeng door to door or pick-up sa SM MEGAMALL.

I don't mail anything to the Philippines, lalo na ngayong PASKO,
sisilipin nila kung ano ang laman at ibabasura lang afterwards.

Kailangan talaga ng malaking pagbabago sa PHILPOST,
bago akong magtiwala muli.


:horse:


JP

^^ nakarating ung cards na pinadala namin last 12/18... nakarating 12/23 ata...

Anthrax scare jolts US Embassy in Manila (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/143111/Anthrax-scare-jolts-US-Embassy-in-Manila)
01/08/2009 | 06:17 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The United States Embassy in Manila went on "anthrax alert" Wednesday after personnel noted powder in an envelope in one of the embassy's incoming mail.

Radio dzBB reported early Thursday that the embassy was trying to determine who sent the envelope, even as a check by the Bureau of Fire Protection showed the packet posed no threat.

According to the report, US diplomatic facilities worldwide have received 76 "suspicious" mail matters since 2006. - GMANews.TV
_______________

PhilPost quarantines 13 employees over anthrax suspicion (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/143254/PhilPost-quarantines-13-employees-over-anthrax-suspicion)
01/08/2009 | 06:50 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Postal Corp. (PhilPost) on Thursday said it has quarantined 13 employees and tapped firefighters to ensure there would be no anthrax contamination in its main building in Manila.

A radio report quoted Clifford Dasig, head of the PhilPost Inspection Service, as saying that the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has already began “detection and sanitizing jobs" at one portion of the PhilPost building in Manila’s district of Ermita.

Dasig said they placed their employees in isolation to prevent posing harm on the public who would be getting their mails from the PhilPost, in case anthrax contamination is found.

The move came after personnel from the United States Embassy on Thursday discovered white powder in an envelope in one of the office’s incoming mail.

An inspection by the BFP showed the letter posed no health threat. Nevertheless, the US Embassy shifted to an "anthrax alert" status to ensure that suspicious letters and parcels would be cleared of anthrax before being opened.

Anthrax is an acute disease in humans and animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which is highly lethal in some forms. The disease – which either can be contracted by inhaling, ingesting, or skin contact – can trigger coughing, colds, high fever, bleeding, and diarrhea.

US diplomatic facilities worldwide have so far received 76 “suspicious" mails since 2006, according to an earlier dzBB report.

The US postal service has been hit several years ago by an anthrax scare, prompting officials to employ “gamma irradiation," a process used in sterilizing medical supplies but is also effective in killing the anthrax virus. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV

Arroyo shows what’s done to Palace waste (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20090123-185200/Arroyo-shows-whats-done-to-Palace-waste)

As if to prove she means business, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday showed the media around Malacañang's own Material Recovery Facility (MRF) that recycles and turns garbage from her official residence into fertilizer.

In her first public activity as environment czar, the President inspected the MRF at the foot of the Nagtahan Bridge in Pandacan close to Malacañang, and even gave tips on waste management.

MRF operators showed Arroyo and adviser on climate change Heherson Alvarez the stages of making fertilizer from wastes -- mostly food leavings -- by shredding, mixing leaves and saw dust, and composting.

By visiting MRFs in the coming weeks, the President wants to get the message across that government offices should practice the CPR campaign: conservation, protection and restoration.

"The garbage on earth and garbage on air must be attended to equally for sustainable development,'' Alvarez told reporters.

To institutionalize the campaign, the President issued Executive Order No. 774 reorganizing the Presidential Task Force on Climate Change, with her as chair.

The order also mandates the creation of task groups on solid waste management, watershed protection, rainwater conservation, water recycling, atmospheric activities, fossil fuels, information and fisheries, among others.

This early, Arroyo has come under fire from green groups who argued that the creation of several bodies would not solve the problem.

"This is a stinging rebuke of the failure of the department of environment and natural resources to implement the law," said Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director. "Eight years after GMA signed R.A. 9003 (Solid Waste Management Act), we are nowhere close to meeting waste reduction targets. Creating another body won’t solve the problem."

Romy Hidalgo, secretary of the EcoWaste Coalition added that creating a task group on solid waste management would merely duplicate the job of the National Solid Waste Management Commission.

Said Hidalgo: "The Commission has not been effective. What is needed is to revamp, energize and strengthen it and ensure it performs."

Alvarez, however, defended the President's decision.

"By involving the Cabinet in a national campaign to address the dangers of the global climate crisis, the President is providing a national focus and throwing the entire bureaucracy behind the campaign,'' he said.

well I hate to say this but I have all the reason in the world to doubt the efficiency of the PHILIPPINE POSTAL SERVICE, sucks!!!
am waiting for a package, sana hindi nawala.
hope theres a way to track it, the stuff in it are not really expensive but someone has invested love on it, big time, and I just cant help thinking where the hell is the mail when I expected last May 29 - June 2, is it too soon to tell somehow it is gone.
huhuhuhuhuh

BALER, Aurora, Philippines – Commemorative stamps will be unveiled today as one of the highlights of the 110th anniversary celebration of the historic “Siege of Baler,” the saga of 33 Spanish soldiers who defended the stone church for nearly a year from Filipino soldiers more than a century ago.

Sen. Edgardo Angara told The STAR that today’s commemorative rites, coinciding with the 7th anniversary of Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day, would be graced by Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile and Spanish Ambassador Luis Arias Romero.

June 30 of every year is celebrated as Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day under RA 9187 authored by Angara. It gives due recognition of the day when then-President Emilio Aguinaldo acclaimed the gallantry and fidelity of the Spanish soldiers who were besieged in the church of Baler in 1898.

Angara, chairman of the Philippine-Spanish Parliamentary Friendship Group, said that aside from the launching of commemorative stamps, other highlights of today’s activity are film showing of the movie “Baler” and a documentary returning to the Siege of Baler by Jesus Valbuena.

Also expected to grace the event are foreign dignitaries, among them European Union Ambassador Alistair Macdonald, Thailand Ambassador Kulkumut Singhara Ayudhaya, Mexican Ambassador Tomas Calvillo Unna, Cuban Ambassador Rey Jimenez and Manuel Perez Iturbe of Venezuela. – Manny Galvez (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=482319&publicationSubCategoryId=206)

Sana maanthrax ang lahat ng mga magnanakaw sa post office. I don't have sympathy for those kind. Thieves in the government should all get death penalty.

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/185918819/name/PA040007.jpg

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports, "The postal heritage walking tour around Manila hopes to resurrect the dying art of stamp collecting in an age of e-mail and instant messaging through leisurely strolls around historic sites around the country’s capital."

Reporter Jeannette Andrade writes, "What’s magical about the tour is the Filipinas Stamp Collectors’ Club’s (FSCC) ability to uncover hidden gems of history around Manila using postage stamps as its guide."

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/424798807/name/100_2263.jpg
a group of students joined the walking tour

The FSCC was first organized by stamp collectors in October 1994 as the Manila Stamp Collectors’ Club aimed at beginners and intermediates. It was later renamed as the FSCC in January 2000 and has some 70 active members to date according to the article.


Lawrence Chan, FSCC vice president and tour guide, is quoted in the piece as saying, "The Philippines was the first country in Asia to issue stamps, printing and releasing them on Feb. 1, 1854."

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_bTvISTq6I5I/SfUnh7PrrTI/AAAAAAAAC00/OuTqDYRm-6E/s320/img025.jpg

Shown above, a 1954 stamp marking the 100th anniversary of the first Philippine stamps. Manila's main post office (which is one of the stops on the walking tour) is shown on the right of the stamp.


History stroll thru postal stamps

Walking tours of city’s rich heritage
By Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:41:00 04/25/2009

Filed Under: Tourism, Hobbies, Culture (general), history

MANILA, Philippines -- It could be a magical mystery tour with a slight twist and a different setting.

The postal heritage walking tour around Manila hopes to resurrect the dying art of stamp collecting in an age of e-mail and instant messaging through leisurely strolls around historic sites around the country’s capital.

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/1563770300/name/100_4598.jpg
authentic 1930's Manila Central Post office postcard with Jones bridge


What’s magical about the tour is the Filipinas Stamp Collectors’ Club’s (FSCC) ability to uncover hidden gems of history around Manila using postage stamps as its guide.

Lawrence Chan, FSCC vice president and tour guide, conceded: “Stamp collection is a dying art. Let’s face it, people would rather send an e-mail rather than send snail mail.”
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/1208730895/name/100_4560.jpg
tour of Plaza Mexico

Chan told the Inquirer that the primary aim of the postal heritage walking tour is “to promote through philately our rich cultural heritage.”

Philately is defined by the Philippine Postal Service in its website as “the world’s most fascinating hobby. Through philately, you can learn of a country’s history, art, culture, and industry as depicted in special commemorative stamps.”

Chan said his group has organized the walking tours to “show participants how diverse and rich our culture is.” The tours are usually scheduled every third Sunday of the month but can be held on other days depending on requests made by students or other interested groups.

He pointed out that sometimes, they even spend for the participants just so they could join a tour.

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/413825614/name/100_4575.jpg
club monthly meeting

The FSCC officers and members usually meet weekly on Sundays at the Postal Museum and Philatelic Library to trade or sell stamps.

Josie Cura, FSCC president, told the Inquirer that her group accommodates people who want to start their own stamp collections.

Cura, who has been collecting stamps since 1966, said that people can write them through snail mail and ask for free stamps to start the hobby. “As long as they enclose self-stamped envelopes, we can give them stamps.”

The FSCC was first organized by stamp collectors in October 1994 as the Manila Stamp Collectors’ Club aimed at catering to beginners and intermediates at the hobby.It was later renamed as the FSCC in January 2000 and has some 70 active members to date.

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/1562134076/name/100_4611.jpg
Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club special commemorative stamp issue circa 2005


http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/1812246299/name/PA040076.jpg


http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/1563656861/name/100_4600.jpg
Aduana stamps circa 1974 First Day Cover

The Philippine postal heritage walking tour kicked off at the Aduana or the Customs House, where goods including mails were brought from overseas and declared.

What could be seen now of the then “Intendencia” is its ruins at the heart of Intramuros. The building was built from 1823 to 1829 , was demolished in 1872, and a new one replaced it four years after to house the customs offices, the Intendencia General de Hacienda (Central Administration), the treasury, as well as the casa moneda (mint).

It was destroyed by American artillery in 1945 and was restored and used by the Central Bank of the Philippines, the national treasury, and the Commission on Elections until it was completely ravaged by a fire in 1979.


http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/2060805369/name/100_2264.jpg
Puerta Isabel 2 Gate and Monument

The Puerta Isabel II monument and gate is marked by the bronze statue of the Spanish queen which was first erected near the Teatro Alfonso XII (now the Metropolitan Theater) in Arroceros (now Plaza Lawton) on July 14, 1860.

Moves to dismantle the statue after the queen’s downfall was thwarted by a sympathizer who hid the monument in his home.

In 1896, the statue resurfaced and was erected in front of the Malate Church for some 70 years until Typhoon “Yoling” (international code name Patsy) toppled the statue. It was only in 1975 during the visit of then Prince and now King Juan Carlos of Spain that the monument was erected on its present site.

Liwasang Bonifacio was also part of the itinerary. The park which is known as the venue for most rallies used to be known as Plaza Lawton until it was renamed in the 1960s after the Plebeian hero Andres Bonifacio.
http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/42696814/name/100_3315.jpg
The Manila Cathedral inside the walled Intramuros was also part of the tour as it was also previously featured in stamps when its bell tower has not yet been constructed.

The final leg of the tour showed a virtual trove of philately in the form of the Postal Museum and Philatelic Library which is located within the Manila Central Post Office compound.

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/23847820/sn/368649532/name/PA050271.jpg
Postal Museum and Library

The postal museum is hidden at the third floor of the building of the Security Inspection Services Division and Postal Police Force that any Manileño would scratch his head in wonder at not knowing that it exists and is in fact the oldest museum in southeast Asia.

It was organized in 1992 to enable the public to view the country’s rich repository of stamps and items used by the post office through the years including: Old mail boxes, typewriters, awards, paintings, stamps, philatelic magazines, as well as books and catalogues.

Chan revealed that the Philippines is the first country in Asia to issue stamps, printing and releasing them on Feb. 1, 1854.

He disclosed that the first stamp is highly collectible because of the error in printing where “correos” was misspelled as “corros” and could fetch a price ranging from P5,000 to as much as P25,000 a piece.

Another collectible stamp is the June 30, 1981 Philippine issued stamp and souvenir sheet without any indication of the country of origin and carried “new republic” on its face.

A Sept. 25, 1995 issuance honoring Cesar Bengson bore the picture of his brother instead. When the error was discovered, 2,070 stamps had already been sold while the rest were recalled and replaced.

Chan pointed out that errors and mistakes in printing of stamps make them precious to stamp collectors.

He lamented that the hobby is no longer as thriving as it was during the snail mail era and the museum is not being promoted when other countries take pride in their culture.

“We have a very rich history. We should just take time, take it slow to enjoy what we have,” Chan stressed.

The FSCC can be reached by prospective hobbyists through Manila P.O. box 2986 or through 7355001.


To read the entire article, click here.


see the link to Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/filipinasstampcollectorsclub/

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 825

November 7, 1975

PROVIDING PENALTY FOR IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF UNCLEANLINESS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.


WHEREAS, one of the principal aims of the New Society is to effect social, economic and political reform through discipline and order;

WHEREAS, a healthy citizenry is a vital factor in bringing about these reforms; and

WHEREAS, to attain these objectives it becomes the duty of every citizen and resident of the Philippines to keep his environment or surroundings clean and wholesome;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree:

SECTION 1. Any provision of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, all citizens and residents of Philippines; all universities, colleges and schools and other similar institutions, private as well as public; all commercial and industrial establishments such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals, cinema houses, public markets, department stores, groceries and the like; all public conveyances; all residential houses; and all other establishments of any kind, shall undertake the cleaning of their own surroundings, their yards and gardens, as well as the canals, roads or streets in their immediate premises.

All garbage, filth and other waste matters, shall be placed in the proper receptacles for the disposition thereof by garbage collectors.

SECTION 2. Any person, who shall litter or throw garbage, filth, or other waste matters in public places, such as roads, canals, esteros or parks, shall suffer an imprisonment of not less than 5 days nor more than one year or a fine of not less than P 100 nor more than P 2,000.00 or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court or tribunal, without prejudice to the imposition of a higher penalty under any other law or decree.

If the violator is a corporation, firm, or other corporate entities, the maximum penalty shall be imposed upon the president, manager, director or persons responsible for its operation.

SECTION 3. Owners of the idle lots in Greater Manila are required to keep their idle lots clean to prevent them from becoming the breeding places of mosquitoes, flies, mice, rats and other scavengers. In the event of their failure or inability to comply with this obligation, the government shall undertake the cleaning of said lots at the expense of the owners. The government may, through the Barangay Council, further utilize the land for its food production program.

SECTION 4. The Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications, with the assistance of health officials and local governments concerned, shall supervise the implementation of this Decree.

SECTION 5. All provisions of laws, decrees, orders or regulations inconsistent herewith are hereby amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 6. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 7th day of November, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and seventy-five.


FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President of the Philippines

Garbage litters most of metropolitan Manila as authorities grapple with the unenviable task of finding a dump site for the many tons of rubbish generated by the capital's 12 million residents.

The Philippine government, engulfed in a political crisis over the impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada, is also working overtime to avoid a full-blown garbage calamity that may test the patience of the metropolis.

The garbage situation reflects the never-ending mess that buffets the two-and-a-half year Estrada administration. Problems include Muslim extremism, kidnappings, rising unemployment and protest actions spawned by accusations Estrada pocketed millions of pesos in kickbacks from illegal gambling operations.

According to government records, metropolitan Manila generates an average 5,854 tons of waste, 29,268 cubic meters, daily.

About 74.14% of the trash comes from households, 9.40% from commercial shops, 7.50% from restaurants, 7.60% from public markets, 0.80% from institutions, 0.41% from street sweepings and 0.14% from river clean up, the records show.

Of the waste, records say only about 4% is recycled, 6% is burned or buried, 25% is illegally dumped or finds its way into the sewers and nearby river systems and 65% is collected by authorized garbage collectors.

''The problem is where to dump these tons of garbage,'' said Visia Aldon, a spokeswoman for the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA). ''We have to look for ways.''

Finding dump sites for garbage has proven to be difficult indeed for the government.

The government needs at least 30 hectares a year -- and millions of pesos -- to properly dispose of all waste generated by metropolitan Manila residents, Aldon said.

On Dec. 31, the government was forced to halt dumping garbage in San Mateo in Rizal Province, east of Manila, due to strong opposition by residents there.

Garbage collection was further exacerbated by an accident in Payatas, an open dump site and home to thousands of poor residents of Quezon City.

In July, more 100 people were buried alive when a mountain of garbage caved in. The accident prompted local authorities to temporarily close the site.

For months now, the stench and sight of mountains of garbage punctuate the metropolis as authorities gave up looking for dump sites within the metropolis and outlying areas.

Recently, officials announced they have found a remote island-village in the central Philippines called Semirara where garbage can be disposed of, only to be faced with more opposition from environmentalists and residents.

Bob Alojipan, a resident of Antique Province, appealed to the government to abort its plan to dump garbage on the island.

''This area is the last biodiversified area in the country,'' Alojipan said. He said the plan threatens to pollute the beautiful beaches in the area, including world-renowned Boracay, which is about 50 kilometers away from Semirara.

Boracay, an island off Aklan Province, is one of the major tourist destinations in the country due to its pristine, fine-sand beaches. The crystal clear waters are tranquil and perfect for swimming, sailing, fishing and sunbathing.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has declared Caluya town and the Semirara island-village in Antique Province a ''marine turtle sanctuary'' since June 1982 due to an abundance of endangered turtle species in the area.

Semirara is a 75-square-kilometer island-village about 275 kilometers south of Manila.

''Turtles (called pawikan locally) thrive in Caluya, especially on Semirara, and if you dump garbage there the habitat and the sanctuary of these endangered turtles will be destroyed because these turtles are highly migratory,'' said Angie Viloria, a government biologist.

Viloria said their office was not consulted at all about plans to dump garbage on the island.

''They kept us in the dark,'' she told Kyodo News.

Presidential aide Robert Aventajado, in charge of garbage disposal, confirmed a barge ferrying garbage has already left a Manila port on the way to Semirara for the more than 30-hour trip to the island-village.

But even there, there is a problem. The barge can not dump the garbage on the island due to a temporary restraining order issued by a court in Antique following complaints from Antique residents and Boracay hotel operators.

Where the modern-day ''Flying Dutchman'' will take its stinking cargo next is anyone's guess.

From http://l.yimg.com/a/i/us/sch/gr/ga_ans_uh_logo.gif

Dalsrelyx:
How to solve the garbage problem in the Philippines?

Johnny101:
One time, I was out on the city streets at the downtown core. I wanted to dispose a candy wrapper to a nearby public disposal unit (a garbage can that is suited outdoors for public use), but I was surprised that not many are present for many blocks! I was told to just "throw it away" on the street. I decided to keep the wrapper in my pocket until I found an available and proper place to dispose it. This incident has occurred a lot here where a proper public disposal seems "unavailable" in areas where large number of people would be present in public streets.

My suggestion for that is to increase the amount of public disposal units (public garbage cans) for the outdoor city/street use. Place signs around that advises citizens to kindly dispose waste into a nearby disposal. A similar program has been placed in places in Canada, where citizens are encouraged to follow a "Litter-Not" program (keeping the waste until you see a nearby garbage can). Japan has used a similar system, in which they even have a separate disposal unit specifically for chopsticks located conveniently on city streets.

To better educate the people, the government must really push the importance and really emphasize the benefits of proper disposing. They should really teach the children and the youth to really practice how to properly throw and sort-out garbage. Parents should be good role-models for this in order for children to really understand the importance of it. Programs should be more active in order to clean the streets, like open new jobs that specifically help clean the streets.

When you know that garbage builds a lot in one area, where there is no place to throw the trash other than throw it on the ground, why not place a damn garbage can/dumpster box there so that it is available for public use, and have someone cleaning it often. I don't find a lot of these on the streets that I have visited here, only tonnes and tonnes of street garbage littered everywhere.

i knew it!:D Thanks mod;)

^^ You knew it before or after the fact. ;)

^^:colgate: hindi ko kase mahanap ang thread na 'to so I decided to create a new one...which is related to Waste Management thread;)

Sa kasalukuyan, lahat naman ng ipinadala ko sa PhilPost dumating, both locally and internationally. ung ibang mail ko, kinabukasan natanggap na ng mga kaibigan, tho sa metro manila rin sila. nagka-aberya nga lang nung pasko dahil ung isang christmas card ko na ipinadala, na-return to sender sakin, april na dumating samin. haha.

Pero satisfied naman ako sa PhilPost :D

In the early 80's postal workers were arrested in LA main Post Office for tampering the mails. Ninanakaw ang mga cheques sa mga envelopes na address to the banks or financial institutions. Alam nila may cheque sa loob, dahil kahalusan nagbabayad ng credit cards or mortgages. Ang mga postal employees halos lahat na huli poro Pinoy. :bash::bash::bash:

Pinakita paano pagtanggal sa checks sa loob nang envelope without opening them.:ohno:

Ilang bisis nagpadala ko Christmas card. Sinubokan ko nagpadala sarili ko dalawang Christmas card first week of December pero and sender ginamit ko ang ate at pisan ko ibabang return address. Pagdating ko sa Cebu 2 days before Christmas na tanggap ko ang mga cards. Ang isa naka sulat recieved damage. Nilagyan ko $1. pangbukas nawala.:bash: Ang isa pinadala ko ang flap sa envelop naka insert lang, walang nakalagay. Natanggap ko naka insert parin.:)

In the early 80's postal workers were arrested in LA main Post Office for tampering the mails. Ninanakaw ang mga cheques sa mga envelopes na address to the banks or financial institutions. Alam nila may cheque sa loob, dahil kahalusan nagbabayad ng credit cards or mortgages. Ang mga postal employees halos lahat na huli poro Pinoy. :bash::bash::bash:

Pinakita paano pagtanggal sa checks sa loob nang envelope without opening them.:ohno:

Ilang bisis nagpadala ko Christmas card. Sinubokan ko nagpadala sarili ko dalawang Christmas card first week of December pero and sender ginamit ko ang ate at pisan ko ibabang return address. Pagdating ko sa Cebu 2 days before Christmas na tanggap ko ang mga cards. Ang isa naka sulat recieved damage. Nilagyan ko $1. pangbukas nawala.:bash: Ang isa pinadala ko ang flap sa envelop naka insert lang, walang nakalagay. Natanggap ko naka insert parin.:)

Ang lungkot naman ng balita na 'to. Natakot tuloy ako bigla sa PhilPost. Ang isang weird experience ko lang sa kanila ay may parcel ako mula sa Australia tapos sobrang dumi nung parcel pagtanggap ko. Hindi naman bukas, pero kakaiba pa rin na ganun kadumi. Or ganun talaga un?:hm:

He lamented that the hobby is no longer as thriving as it was during the snail mail era and the museum is not being promoted when other countries take pride in their culture.


To read the entire article, click here.


see the link to Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/filipinasstampcollectorsclub/

There are a lot of Filipinos abroad who would like to collect stamps from the motherland. However, unlike other countries, you could not order stamps through the internet or by mail.

I tried to communicate by snail mail with the philatelic division, but I never got a response. I was even more disappointed, when I went home, and visited the main post office in Manila. The customer service was very poor. The stamp sellers in the philatelic division don't even know the stamps issued for this year or last year... or maybe they just don't care if you buy or not. They only offer you stamps that is available in their binder/folder. However, if you give them "pang merienda", then they will get the stamps that you are looking for from the stockroom. Otherwise, you are referred to a stamp dealer in Recto who sell the stamps from 4-6 months ago, at 5x the face value!

Other countries, like Thailand, earn a lot of money by selling philatelic products to collectors. Philpost could learn from these countries by improving customer services.

Bakit kaya ganyan ang Philpost. Bakit kaya maraming kawatan dyan. Kulang ba sa budget ang Philpost ( gobyerno ito di ba? ), napapabayaan ba ng gobyerno or ung budget ang naibubulsa lang na naman ng mga nasa itaas??? Kaya ung ibang manggagawa nila sa Philpost nauuwi na rin lang sa pagnanakaw dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay.

Ang lungkot naman ng balita na 'to. Natakot tuloy ako bigla sa PhilPost. Ang isang weird experience ko lang sa kanila ay may parcel ako mula sa Australia tapos sobrang dumi nung parcel pagtanggap ko. Hindi naman bukas, pero kakaiba pa rin na ganun kadumi. Or ganun talaga un?:hm:


Ewan ko ba, kahit ung mga sulat or postcard noon na natatanggap ko from Europe or Australia, pag deliver sa bahay namin, madumi, lukot lukot, naka-flap tape, nakatiklop...nakakainis. Ung kapag nakaflap tape ung envelope tapos tinatatakan nila ng RECEIVED IN THIS CONDITION FLAPPED TAPE, duda ko dyan, malamang sinisilip nila laman kapag nakikita na walang mahalaga sa loob ng sulat, tinetape nila ulit sabay tatak RECEIVED IN THIS CONDITION.

Subra nang 20 years hindi na ako nagpadadala ng sulat from US to Philippines dahil kung ang birthday card naka sulat received damage. Naka circle yung lower flap kasi duon pinapasuk an twin hard wire ayun makuha ang laman.

This is the procedure pinakita sa US TV news nuong nahuli ang mga Pinoy sa LA post office.

* ang envelope is placed in front of the work station desk light to see the content and surmise where the money might be located.
* In the lower flap of the envelope there is always a gap on the left or right which are not glued.
* insert the twin hard wire thru this route and be sure that the dollar mostly, is caught in between the wire.
* The left hand will squeeze lightly first on the envelope with the thumb and index fingers.
* The right hand would start to rotate the twin wire clockwise or counter clockwise.
* As the twin wire is being rotated the other hand will start to tightened so as to make the dollar made into a smaller roll so that it will pull out of the lower flap of the envelope.
* If it damaged the envelope, the person is not a good letter picker or bago pa sa trabaho.:bash::bash::bash: so naka sulat received damaged.

Sa kabuuan, maayaos naman ang karanasan ko sa koreo natin. Isa o 2 beses lang ata me sulat na hinde nakarating. The rest okay naman, kahit makapal yung sobre at me naka-singit pa na pera.

Ang reklamo ko lang ay mabagal masyado at parang walang sense of urgency mga kartero. Ilang imbetasyun ang natatangap ko na huli at tapos na yung event. Isa pa, minsan naka-lagay na nga na do not fold, tinutupi pa rin. Parang di marunong mag-basa.

Sa Philatelic section sa Lawton, yung ibang mga tauhan hinde nga masyadong marunong sa mga pinag-bibili nila, pero mababait naman sila at handa sila na tulungan ka kung ano hinahanap mo na selyo. Para sa akin okay sila, minsan nga me nag-hintay pa sa akin kahit lagpas na ng working hours. Madami pati silang kwento.

Pero medyo engot yung pumayag sa design ng cr sa post office sa lawton eto yung sa baba at sa mga lalaki. Yung urinal ay nakatapat sa hagdan sa taas at sinundan yung contour. Kaya kung iihi ka, naka-yuko ka kahit hinde ka matangkad.

Last visit ko sa Postal museum, madumi at panget exhibit. Dami kulang. Sayang, tayo pa naman isa sa mga unang bansa na nag-issue ng selyo sa parteng ito ng daigdig. Kelangan ayusin postal museum.

I'm not sure if we have the same thread. I think this topic is very important, hence I created it.


Now, the government knows how important these systems are.

The areas need to be identified where there are no trashcans and dumpsters. I think people can do this more efficiently than the government can, parang "Basura mo i-patrol mo" so they can know where there is an immediate need for trashcans.

Tapos there should be steep fines for squatters who might steal these trashcans.

Sanitary landfill completed before Duterte’s term ends
Written by: Dalumpines , Jose G.
Monday, 12 October 2009

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/2121/thedump016.jpg (http://img10.imageshack.us/i/thedump016.jpg/)


MAYOR Rodrigo Duterte vowed the completion of the modern sanitary landfill in Barangay Carmen, Tugbok District before his term of office ends in 2010.
Speaking in the public affairs program “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” the mayor said it will be the first sanitary landfill compliant with the Solid Waste Management policy of the government.
He assured that the project is friendly to the environment since the collected garbage will be covered by plastic material up to the layer where its mound of accumulated debris can be used in planting trees.
“As sure as the sun rises in the east, the project will be completed before my term ends,” Duterte said.
He stressed that Davao City has the sole capability to manage its solid waste without battling for space with other urban areas in the region, a problem many cities in Metro Manila experiences.

Duterte revealed it took his administration five years to facilitate the completion of the project from the feasibility study and the preparation of the corresponding documents, loan application to the bank and the project construction.
City Environment and Natural Resources Office head, Jocelyn C. Espina, earlier said Davao City is producing about 732.96 tons of wastes every day but it can only collect half of that volume on account of its expansive area.
The city government has 10 compactors so it contracted 80 private truck operators to augment its collection efforts but presently, it only managed to serve 96 of the 182 barangays. “We could not serve the remote barangays because if you measure the land area of the city from end to end, it will reach about 145 kilometers,” she told the Times. “We are spending P8 million to P8.5 million to pay the private contractors each month.”
“A large part of the garbage collected or 62.3% is considered biodegradable and another 16.3% is recyclable,” Ms. Espina said, which leaves only 20.3% in residual and 1.1 percent of toxic wastes to be collected and stored in the sanitary landfill the city government is constructing.

The local government earmarked P261 million for the sanitary landfill with a cell, where wastes will be stored and composted, measuring 3.8 hectares.Two years ago, in order to encourage more people to segregate, the city government thought of experimenting a sanction system of repeat offenders.
The Cenro suggested a scheme applied to jaywalkers where violators were asked to gather in a public place and be given a seminar on how to segregate the garbage plus community service.The proposal for community service was street sweeping for five days for the first offense, 10 days for the second offense, and 20 days for the third offense. The idea, however, did not pan out. (With report from Joel Escovilla)

Minanao Times (http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/?p=4166)

the Government should look on to this problem..."Waste," proper treatment of our water and waste, they should put up a water treatment and waste water treatment plant...our waste should not go direct to our canals, estero, rivers and sea...that's why our water resources are polluted....i never heard from our govt. that they have discuss any plan for our country....

Renamed the "Philippine Postal Corporation" thread in the hopes that it'll revive this dormant thread, and also to encompass a much broader range of topics for discussion, and not just the postal system of the Philippines.

Post away folks! :colgate:

i had a good experience with them also. I sent two three watches via regular air mail and they all arrived in tact to the correct recipient .

i had a good experience with them also. I sent two three watches via regular air mail and they all arrived in tact to the correct recipient .

baka absent yung, kapalmuks:D hahahaha:lol:

There are a lot of Filipinos abroad who would like to collect stamps from the motherland. However, unlike other countries, you could not order stamps through the internet or by mail.

I tried to communicate by snail mail with the philatelic division, but I never got a response. I was even more disappointed, when I went home, and visited the main post office in Manila. The customer service was very poor. The stamp sellers in the philatelic division don't even know the stamps issued for this year or last year... or maybe they just don't care if you buy or not. They only offer you stamps that is available in their binder/folder. However, if you give them "pang merienda", then they will get the stamps that you are looking for from the stockroom. Otherwise, you are referred to a stamp dealer in Recto who sell the stamps from 4-6 months ago, at 5x the face value!

Other countries, like Thailand, earn a lot of money by selling philatelic products to collectors. Philpost could learn from these countries by improving customer services.

Philpost suffered a bad public image , That is 'why' Filipinas Stamp Collectors' Club launched a Free Postal Heritage Walking Tours patterned after the UK Postal Heritage Walking Tours in 1998 , At first , the group had a hard time convincing people from the Post office that this would be a very good PR and publicity for the Philpost pero ang gusto ng mga taga Philpost we do the free walking tour during weekdays .....

Pati ang leaflets ng Postal Heritage ang organization din namin ang nagpapagawa. At least our group had done something to improve the PHilpost image thru giving a Free Postal Heritage Walking Tours around Liwasang Bonifacio, Post Office, Aduana, Manila Cathedral , Plaza Mexico, Puerta Isabel 2 Gate and Monument and Postal Museum and Library.

Now after all the Philippine Daily Inquirer issue last April 25, 2009 issue, ABS-CBN channel 2 and bloogers featuring the story of our advocacies . People from the Philpost slowly changed their attitude towards our organization.

PGMA to certify 'Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program' bill urgent (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100108.htm&no=66&r=&y=&mo=)

Manila (8 January) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will certify as urgent the proposed measure institutionalizing the administration's pro-poor initiative called 4Ps or the'Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program'.

The President asked Deputy Speaker and Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa to fast-track passage of the bill.

In her talk with reporters, the President, who visited Calauan, Laguna to distribute livelihood checks to the former squatters relocated to Southville Phase 7, said she wants succeeding administrations to ensure that the most marginalized members of society get the proper support from the government continuously.

The 4Ps program is being implemented and budgeted on the basis of an executive order.

"I want it continued by the leaders who follow me, long after I have left the government," she said.

The President has patterned the pro-poor scheme after a program she saw in Brazil when she visited that country in June last year. The program there is continuously implemented whoever is in power.

On another area of concern, the President was pleased to hear the report of Vice President Noli de Castro that his office will soon sign a memorandum of agreement with EEI on the one-month skills training for some of the residents so they can be absorbed for jobs here and abroad.

The MOA will be signed by the EEI on one hand and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and National Housing Authority, both under the Vice President, on the other.

The Vice President said he is also talking with an investor to finance mushroom production for the local market.

It is noted that Southville 7 alone has a population of 3,000, which could easily absorb agricultural products grown in the area.

"We are in the process of making this village a wholesome community, where there is livelihood for the residents, schools for the children, and soon, even a public market," the Vice President said.

The community already has 30 schoolbuildings. (PIA-MMIO)

wondering why government service is so bad?

As many as three out of 10 government employees have mental health problems, according to PDI (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100113-247037/30-of-govt-workers-need-to-see-shrinks)

^^ Yeah, I read that article also...

That was a 2007 survey, baka 50% na ngayon :lol:

wondering why government service is so bad?

As many as three out of 10 government employees have mental health problems, according to PDI (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100113-247037/30-of-govt-workers-need-to-see-shrinks)

hindi lang bad, over bad. PGH for example, the best doctors are here but the hell, you need to go 3 am for you to line up just to have a check up. Hindi mo rin masisi ang mga tao na pumunta doon kasi doon lang talaga ang mga best doctors. Punta kayo doon ng 5 am sa OPD, i doubt kung makapag-check up pa kayo.

the best government hospital we have is the kidney institute, but it was expensive. para siyang private talaga(semi private yata) but if you are masipag pwede kang pumunta sa local congressman ninyo to shoulder the expenses.

Senior citizens ask for so little (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100204-251180/Senior-citizens-ask-for-so-little)

Let me repeat what I wrote in this space many months ago (“Pension now for poor older people” 3/19/09) in relation to poor Filipino senior citizens: The Philippines is the only country in Asia that has no social pension for poor, older people. I am referring to the ones not formally employed when they were younger and thus did not have social security or insurance that they could draw from in their older years.

Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Vietnam have some kind of social pension for the elderly poor, says Ed Gerlock, advocacy officer of the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE), a non-government organization that focuses mainly on the elderly poor.

Now comes the much-awaited expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2009 (SBN 3561) which was passed by the House of Representatives and by the Senate on third reading on Jan. 27, 2010. It is titled “An act granting additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens, further amending RA 7432.”

Only the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is being awaited.

If passed, the Senior Citizens Act would grant senior citizens their entire 20 percent discount and exempt them from the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) provided under the National Internal Revenue Code on the sale of goods and services from all establishments. It is one of the major significant provisions of the act. Senior citizens have been complaining that they have not fully enjoyed the 20-percent discount because of the VAT.

Under the proposed Act, they will be entitled to a 20-percent discount and exemption from value-added tax on the following:

1. Purchase of medicines, including influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, and such other essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment to be determined by the Department of Health.

2. Professional fees of attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services.

3. Professional fees of licensed professional workers providing home health care services as endorsed by private hospitals or employed through home health care employment agencies.

4. Medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinic and home health care services.

Aside from the VAT exemption, there will be exemption from payment of individual income taxes for those considered as minimum wage earners. There will be death benefit assistance of a minimum of P2,000 for the bereaved families, monthly stipends of P500 for indigents, and senior citizens’ wards will be built in government hospitals.

Other benefits for poor SC are free medical and dental services, no diagnostic and laboratory fees in government facilities, full PhilHealth insurance coverage, free anti-flu and anti-pneumonia vaccines and five-percent discount on water and electric bills.

These benefits will also ease the burden on poor families who love and care for their elders but who cannot provide for their basic needs.

The estimated P54.4 million in foregone revenues is really a pittance and should not be considered a loss to the government. Think of society’s gains from improved health care and increased purchasing power that the elderly will have. The foregone revenues should not be a compelling reason to deprive our elders of the quality of life they deserve.

Last Monday, hundreds of senior citizens braved the heat and marched from Morayta to Mendiola to ask the President not to dilly-dally and sign the expanded Senior Citizens Act. (Two fainted but recovered.) When told that the President will sign the bill on or before Valentine’s Day, COSE’s executive director Francis Cupang said the senior citizens should not be made to wait. “We Filipinos pride ourselves as loving and caring of our elderly,” Cupang said. “Our national policies should reflect this Filipino value. Senior citizens’ interest is of national interest.”

He was worried that interest groups might sway the President to do otherwise. Last week, Malacañang was said to have shown signs of hesitation because exemption from the 12-percent VAT would mean P54.4 million in foregone revenues during the first year of the bill’s implementation. How easily they computed and came up with the figure.

Citing National Economic Development Authority figures, Cupang pointed out that of the seven million Filipinos who are over 60 years old, three million live in poverty and 900,000 are “desperately poor.” These senior citizens should not be considered a burden. As COSE has proven through their programs and projects, the poor elderly they have served for 20 years still have much to give by way of services to their communities.

Note that COSE means Coalition of Services of the Elderly, with emphasis on “of the elderly” not “for the elderly.” I have visited some communities where COSE-initiated community programs of the elderly operate. COSE started home care services in some Metro Manila communities but these services need to be replicated and institutionalized by local governments.

The poor older people have a lot to give to their peers and the younger generation. In COSE areas, the strong work as home care assistants, community gerontologists and peer counselors. Others are fund raisers, organizers and mentors for the young. Many who found themselves alone in the sunset of their lives live together, take care of one another and do something for their neighborhood.

Why does the President need to wait for Valentine’s Day to sign the Senior Citizens Act of 2009?

DSWD pursues programs in pursuit of Millennium Development Goals (http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=260913)

MANILA, Feb. 25 (PNA) - Social Welfare and Development Acting Secretary Celia Capadocia-Yangco said that the DSWD will continue to pursue anti-poverty programs to achieve the country's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

According to Acting Secretary Yangco, based on the United Nations Development (UNDP) report, "since the Philippines first resolved to adopt the MDGs, it has made encouraging strides, particularly towards the attainment of targets on eradicating extreme poverty and hunger; achieving universal primary education; promoting gender equality and empowerment of women; reducing child mortality; improving maternal health and ensuring environmental sustainability."

Acting Secretary Yangco stated that for DSWD, its programs such as the "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program" (4Ps), "Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan"-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K), and Food-for-School, among others, continue to be implemented to achieve the MDG Goals.

The 4Ps, the country's conditional cash transfer program, has benefited some 700,000 poor families through monthly cash grants of as much as P1,400 to meet their health, nutrition and education needs. By 2010, one million poor families shall receive the cash grants.

The 4Ps has provided health benefits to 39,650 pregnant women who availed pre-and post natal care. It also paved the way for the immunization of 789,446 children aged 0-five.

On education, more than one million children aged 6-14 have enrolled in elementary and high school and are maintaining at least 85 percent attendance rate. In addition, 411,993 children aged three-five have enrolled in day care or pre-school.

"The figures imply that 4Ps is helping achieve Millennium Development Goals on universal primary education, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health care," Acting Secretary Yangco added.

Further, the DSWD is scaling up its implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS to additional 16 municipalities. Adding 16 to the original 184 municipalities was a "directive from President Gloria Macapagal-Aroyo during her September 15, 2009 visit to Arakan, North Cotabato. She was really impressed by the project's impact on the improvement of the lives of the poor," she said.

The DSWD Regional Offices are currently assessing the poorest municipalities which may qualify as beneficiaries for the expansion of the program.

KALAHI-CIDSS is a flagship project of the government which empowers the people, improves local governance, and alleviates poverty. From 2003 to 2009, the KALAHI-CIDSS project has funded 5,336 community sub-projects amounting to P5.685 billion benefiting 1,147,723 households in 12 regions.

"KALAHI-CIDSS is moving towards realizing the goal of eradicating poverty, promoting gender equality, empowering women and ensuring environmental sustainability," the DSWD chief said.

Likewise, some 28,938 families have been extended capital assistance through the SEA-K amounting to P143 million for 2009 alone. The SEA-K enables the poor to have access to credit, promote entrepreneurship, increase understanding on values of honest work, paying debts and social responsibility and increase family income.

The Food-for-School project, on the other hand, provides food subsidy to poor families with children in day care centers through one kilo of rice per day of actual attendance. This is a component of the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program.

From 2005-2009, the DSWD served 1.9 million children in day care centers. Food-for-School has helped improve attendance among children from 90 percent in 2006 to 95 percent in 2007, and the levels of malnutrition from 21 percent to 17 percent during the same period.

"Providing solution to poverty may take some time but all of these programs are designed to empower poor Filipino families so they will attain better quality of life," Yangco said. (PNA)

pinakagusto ko sa lahat ang DBP. kaunlaran sa lahat. :)

1-M poorest families to receive monthly cash grants, free healthcare, basic services (http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=264373)

MANILA, March 15 (PNA) -- The poorest of the Filipino poor can now expect conditional cash transfers and better healthcare, education and employment services as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered all government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), to focus the full force of the administration’s anti-poverty programs on the poorest one million families in the country.

National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) Secretary Domingo Panganiban said the new policy, which forms part of the government’s new social protection program framework, is expected to introduce significant improvements to the health, welfare and livelihood of the country’s poorest folk even as it enhances the efficiency of public spending.

"Whereas we had previously concentrated our efforts on impoverished areas, this new presidential directive allows us the mandate to focus on specific households. We are confident that this strategy will yield more immediate results," he said.

Panganiban said the government has already identified the country’s poorest one million households through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

He said the beneficiaries of the President’s special directive will receive conditional cash transfers for education, nutrition and healthcare under the "Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program" (4Ps) of the DSWD.

These same families will be accorded priority access to state-sponsored scholarships, loans, training programs and housing services.

"The next step is to ensure proper coordination among national agencies and their regional offices as these one million families are scattered across 664 municipalities and 58 cities in 80 provinces," the NAPC chair said.

He said the President’s directive does not preclude impoverished families that are not in the NHTS-PR list from the government’s various anti-poverty programs.

"The President simply wants to ensure a greater level of precision and coherence in the national government’s anti-poverty efforts," he said.

"Our basic aim is to reduce the risks faced by the poorest of the poor. These risks are associated with unemployment, marginalization, illness, disability, old age and the loss of family support," he added. (PNA)

Philpost have increased their Airmail prices by 50% across the board.

To send a 1kg parcel to the USA or UK is now 1,680 pesos :nuts:

The cost to send it the other way is half this price.

The cost to send 1kg from neighboring Taiwan is only around 500 pesos,

Why was this increase not reported?

Is the threat to local businesses and the increase to send gifts to our loved ones overseas not newsworthy?!!!

We have started a facebook protest group here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109972922383709

I have also written a new article in the hope that it will get some exposure somewhere.

Philpost increases international Airmail rates by over 50 %

Service is now twice as expensive as it’s US / UK counterparts

In a move that was unaccompanied by any adverse publicity this week the Philippines Post office (Philpost) increased their International Airmail prices across the board.

Prior to the change on Tuesday a 1kg parcel sent to the USA or UK cost 1,100 peso. That same package now costs 1,680 pesos - an increase of over 50%. The cost to send the same 1kg from the USA is $13.45 / P618. The cost to send 1kg from the UK is 12.37 GBP / 841 pesos. The Philippines mail service is now twice as expensive as it’s Western counterparts

The price to send 1kg via Airmail from neighboring Taiwan to the USA - just 380NT / p534. That is less than 1/3 the current cost of sending the same parcel from the Philippines.

Part of the reason for the high costs is that the company does not offer “Airmail Rates” until the package weighs 2kg. Customers who wish to send a 1.5kg to the U.S.A must either pay 2,420 pesos ($52) at the “Small Packets” rate or add exactly 500g to the package to qualify for an airmail rate of 1,744 pesos ($38). The price before the recent increase was just 1,164 pesos – an increase again of over 50%

Despite quoting a price for 1kg of Airmail on it’s website postal offices and stations will not accept airmail unless it is 2kg or above. A memo was sent to all offices last year prohibiting customers submitting 1.5kg and paying the 2kg rate.

It is this kind of logic that is leaving Philpost customers bewildered at the new pricing structure and practices. Some are now adding cardboard and other bits of junk to qualify for the cheaper 2kg rate.

The price rises seem set to curtail the burgeoning online retail industry which many local entrepreneurs use Philpost to send goods overseas. International customers will now be tempted to buy locally rather than wait 2 – 3 weeks for a package which may or may not contain up to 1KG of cardboard to reach them.

As of this time there is no official comment from Philpost on the recent pricing restructure.

Eh kung sinunod kasi nila ang computerization and modernization eh. Couple of years ago, may isang Japanese company na willing magpartner sa kanila eh ewan ko ba sa sindikato dyan sa loob ng PPC at hindi matuloy tuloy. Dami ding kawatan dyan, hihingan ka pa ng kung anu ano para lang makuha ang padala mo. Yung expensive scarf ko na galing Burma hindi na talaga umabot sa akin.

Pano madami na Korean sa loob ng Philpost...

"Magkano korean?..yun agad tanong sa mga contaractors..hehehe bato bato salangit tamaan wag magalit

Pano madami na Korean sa loob ng Philpost...

"Magkano korean?..yun agad tanong sa mga contaractors..hehehe bato bato salangit tamaan wag magalit

ala, daming kapalmuks dyan.

I think SSS is doing good.

SSS collects P213 million from amnesty scheme
By Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star) Updated July 13, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Social Security System (SSS) collected a total of P212.88 million from more than 2,000 employers who availed of the agency’s six-month amnesty period in which penalties on unpaid contributions were condoned, a ranking official said yesterday.

The pension fund has extended the program’s availment period until Aug. 2, from its original July 31 deadline which falls on a Saturday, SSS officer-in-charge Horacio Templo said

Templo said employers must not wait until the deadline to avoid the last-minute rush.

“If they wait too long, they might miss this rare opportunity to have all their penalties condoned once they settle their long-overdue obligations,” he said.

SSS has announced that it will step up the filing of cases against employers who remain delinquent after the amnesty period. Under the Social Security Law, non-remittance of contributions is punishable by imprisonment of six to 12 years.

Luzon-based employers made up 48 percent of the 2,089 total availment all over the country, but payments from the National Capital Region (NCR) amounted to P123.57 million or 58 percent of collections.

“Employers in Luzon paid an average of P52,151, the lowest in the country, while those in NCR remitted the highest average payment of P214,897 based on figures as of June 15,” Templo said.

About 1,200 employers, 692 of which are from Luzon, remitted a total of P111.21 million in full payments. SSS also collected P101.67 million from encashed checks of 909 employers who opted for an installment payment scheme of up to 48 months.

Templo reminded employers to be up-to-date in paying contributions so they can be eligible for the agency’s new amnesty on penalties on delinquent loan amortizations of employees.

The new loan amnesty, guidelines of which were published last week through an SSS circular, allows employers to remit their employees’ unpaid loan principal and interest due on or before April 1, 2010 without paying penalties.

“Employers must first settle their overdue contributions and verify the total loan delinquency of their employees at the SSS branch nearest them before availing of loan amnesty,” he said.

The SSS charges monthly penalties of three percent for overdue contributions and one percent for delinquent loans. The loan amnesty covers short-term SSS member loans such as salary, calamity, emergency, stock investment and privatization fund loans.

Aquino Vows to Improve Conditional Cash Transfer Program
September 16, 2010, 11:37am

CEBU CITY, Philippines (PNA) — President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III vowed to improve the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program and make it more effective for the benefit of the most vulnerable members of society.

In his message at the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program on Wednesday at the Cebu Coliseum here, the Chief Executive said he is aware of complaints on payment issues such as lower-entitlement and no cash in card, missing names in the payroll list or delay in the delivery of cash grants - which are hindrances to the program’s objectives.

“I am happy to report that we are fine-tuning the mechanisms of this initiative. We will solve these problems, undo the bottlenecks, and make this program more effective,” the President said.

The President told the program beneficiaries that the DSWD is implementing the National Household Targeting System to identify the families that most urgently need assistance in order to ensure that social funds are spent wisely on the most vulnerable members of our society.

“A well-targeted CCT program will truly afford the poor’s opportunity to enjoy basic human services that were once extremely difficult to avail,” he added.

The President also said that the fiscal year 2011 proposed budget will fund urgently needed programs on education, health and job generation.

In the said budget, P21.2 billion was allocated for CCT which will be distributed to 2.3 million household beneficiaries.

The 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development program that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly of children aged 0-14.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/277332/aquino-vows-improve-conditional-cash-transfer-program

Congress pledges additional P100-million budget for SME, OTOP projects

By Ma. Elisa P. Osorio (The Philippine Star) Updated September 18, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (0) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has pledged on additional P100-million budget for the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to support small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local government projects.

At its budget hearing on Thursday, Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo said the DTI has proposed a P3.2-billion budget for 2011 but was only allocated P2.179 billion, lower than this year’s budget of P2.164 billion.

This has prompted the department to cut some of their expenses, particularly the One Town One Product (OTOP) project, and for its consumer advocacy program even if the aggressive protection of consumer rights is one of its major thrusts for next year.

But the cut in the OTOP budget has alarmed the lawmakers given that it is the project that provides livelihood to people in the countryside. The OTOP program was crafted five years ago in order to develop the strength of each province and develop the product in order to make it marketable to a wider market and improve the livelihood of the underprivileged.

“I am disappointed with the budget given to DTI,” Rep. Rufus Rodriguez told the committee. “I will be the one moving for an increase of P100 million in its budget. I will get it from the other departments that do not need it.”

Rodriguez said out of the additional budget, P60 million will be for SME competitiveness and P20 million each for OTOP and the bamboo development program.

Domingo, however, said that he has received strict instructions from the Department of Budget and Management to avoid asking for any increases in their budget.

For her part, Trade Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya said she is optimistic that the increase in the budget will be approved by Congress given that Rodriguez is now a member of the majority.

The major program of the DTI for 2011 is automation, the aggressive protection of consumer rights, accessible and targeted business development services for SMEs especially in the regions, awareness in free trade agreements and attracting new investments.

NEDA Crafts Mindanao Dev’t Strategy
By EDU LOPEZ
September 18, 2010, 9:14pm

MANILA, Philippines – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is supporting a development strategy for Mindanao that could spur economic growth in the area for the next 10 years.

The Mindanao Strategic Development Framework outlines the directions and strategies that maximize the resources and potentials of the region for 2010 to 2020.

Socioeconomic Planning Sec. and NEDA Director-General Cayetano Paderanga, Jr. have already endorsed the framework to Malacañang.

The framework pushes for the development of sustainable resource-based industrialization, improvement of employment generation, and establishment of efficient logistics support.

Potential markets for the region includes agro-industry, halal industry, eco-tourism, renewable energy, mineral resources, and information and communication technologies.

Moreover, it stresses the need to have effective peace building strategies, and strong governance and partnership with the private sector. This involves multi-level participation of different stakeholders for an inclusive peace process, which is one of the priority concerns of the new administration.

NEDA envisions Mindanao to be strong, sustainable, competitive, and a resource-based economy that is responsive to local and global opportunities by 2020 even as it recognizes the challenges on poverty, conflict, economic and physical linkages and governance.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/277802/neda-crafts-mindanao-dev-t-strategy

Eh kung sinunod kasi nila ang computerization and modernization eh. Couple of years ago, may isang Japanese company na willing magpartner sa kanila eh ewan ko ba sa sindikato dyan sa loob ng PPC at hindi matuloy tuloy. Dami ding kawatan dyan, hihingan ka pa ng kung anu ano para lang makuha ang padala mo. Yung expensive scarf ko na galing Burma hindi na talaga umabot sa akin.

Tsk tsk, may balak pa sana akong magpadala sa friend ko sa Indonesia.

Gov't to Establish NERBAC in Cities, Provinces to Spur Economic Dev't

By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
September 22, 2010, 1:36pm

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – To enhance the country’s competitiveness and spur economic development and progress in the countryside, the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center or NERBAC of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is setting up a one-stop action center in every cities and provinces all over the country, it was learned Wednesday.

Aside of the already existing NERBAC in some regions, the immediate establishment in the cities and provinces throughout the country is already being pushed by Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, it was also learned.

“This is the DTI’s commitment for the 1st 100 days of the Aquino Administration in all target areas to enhance full economic activity throughout the country, particularly in far-flung areas” said Region Xlll DTI Regional Director Brielgo O. Pagaran, who is also the NERBAC Champion-National Coordinator.

The NERBAC CARAGA just like the present provincial or city NERBAC will work to become a “single entry point for investors and micro and small medium enterprises (MSME’s) for a comprehensive and integrated business support by polling government resources in a one-stop express business center”, he said.

“The main aim of this program will be to reduce red tape, improve efficiency and bringing down the number of signatories,” said Director Pagaran.

He said putting up NERBAC centers all over the country is advantageous to the investors as fast-tracking of business requirements and business name permits including mayors permit will only get one hour or more than four hours respectively.

“All unified forms on different business opportunities and business economic information will also get at NERBAC centers,” said Director Pagaran in an exclusive interview.

Along with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Business Permits and Licensing System Coordination Committee and Technical- Working Group (BPLS-CCT-TWG), was also created purposely to set standards for processing business permits and licenses issued by cities and municipalities aimed at improving efficiency in the business registration system, both new businesses and business renewals, he said.

“This project will also help attract more investors and ultimately enhance the country’s competitiveness and thereby achieving high economic growth, development and generate more job opportunities at the local levels,” Director Pagaran said.

The roll-out which is expected to happen within the next few weeks will be done with other NERBAC-member agencies primarily with the mandatory licensing agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth, Pag-ibig and with the host local government unit, added the region’s DTI chief.

He further added that the new licensing approach is in line with President Benigno S. Aquino lll’s policy for local government unit to streamline their processes to make business start-ups easier.

Based on the reform guidelines, the steps in applying for new business permits or business renewals are the following: 1. Securing an application form from the city or municipality, 2. Filing or submission of the accomplished application with attached documentary requirements, 3. One-time assessment of taxes, fees and charges, and 4. Securing the mayor’s permit upon submission of official receipt as proof of payment of taxes, fees and charges imposed by the LGU, said Director Pagaran who is also the NERBAC chairman of Caraga region.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/278396/govt-establish-nerbac-cities-provinces-spur-economic-devt

Agro-enterprise cluster set up in Visayas province

Upland areas targeted for development

AN AGRO-ENTERPRISE cluster aimed at developing areas for agriculture production and forestry has been launched in Central Antique.

The National Convergence Initiative (NCI), which is composed of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), launched the Central Antique Local Convergence Agro-enterprise Cluster aimed at developing 32,288 hectares of upland, lowland and coastal areas in the region for agriculture production and reforestation.

"This cluster will assume an integrated approach for the development of areas in the region," Marriz B. Agbon, NCI national secretariat told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview yesterday.

Areas covered by the project include the municipalities of Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong, Valderrama and Patnongon in Antique.

"Priority crops to be developed in the area include rice, abaca, banana, peanut and muscovado. The crops to be developed will depend on the cluster’s area," said Mr. Agbon, who is also the president of the DA’s attached corporation, the Philippine Agricultural Development and Commercial Corp.

In a separate telephone interview, Ramon Jesus P. Paje, Environment secretary, told BusinessWorld that the "integrated approach in development" of the project refers to the ease in planting, the post-harvest facilities and the market access.

"The cluster will have an integrated approach in a sense that it will promote planting of trees for reforestation and agricultural crops, then it will provide the region post-harvest facilities and farm-to-market roads," Mr. Paje said.

He added that through this project, the NCI hopes to see an increase in production because of the support in form of processing facilities and access to markets.

"The [NCI] also aims to replicate this agro-enterprise cluster in other provinces," Mr. Paje said.

In a statement yesterday, the DA said that funding for the project will come from the three departments, amounting to P160.15 million.

The DA will provide P19.68 million, which includes planting equipment, post-harvest facilities, seeds and farm-to-market roads. The DAR will provide for infrastructure support such as the rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads and communal irrigation projects, amounting to P99.21 million. The DENR will contribute P41.26 million, which will go to the establishment of plantations and for the distribution of fruit and forest tree seedlings.

"The replication of agro-enterprise clusters in all provinces... is the latest effort that the [NCI] is pursuing in order to promote sustainable rural development in the Philippines," according to the DA statement. -- Kathleen A. Martin

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18227

WB supports Aquino’s reform agenda

THE AQUINO government’s plan to fight poverty, promote economic growth and uphold good governance received approval from World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick, who met with President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III on Wednesday in New York.

“The Philippines has made a commendable commitment to expanding a modern social protection system, which not only protects the poor, but also encourages investments in health and education. Similar programs have made a real impact on achieving the MDGs in countries around the world,” Mr. Zoellick said in a statement following their meeting at the sidelines of the United Nations High Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals in New York.

Mr. Zoellick also recognized efforts to improve the country’s investment climate by rationalizing the regulatory system and tapping the private sector for infrastructure developments through the so-called public-private partnerships (PPP).

The government has vowed to cut the approval process for solicited proposals to six months and for unsolicited projects for nine months. Mr. Aquino has also ordered the creation of the PPP center that would supervise projects under the scheme pushed by the government.

“Tapping the resources and energy of the private sector through carefully designed public-private sector partnerships would go a long way in achieving sustainable growth that create more jobs for the poor,” said Mr. Zoellick noting that there has been increasing implementation of PPP for infrastructure development among developed and developing countries. -- Ana Mae G. Roa
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18254

Palace to abolish 10 locally-funded projects

THE OFFICE of the President (OP) is planning to abolish 10 locally-funded projects (LFP) found to have duplicate functions with other agencies as part of the Aquino administration’s cost-cutting measures.

The government could save P304.62 million with the elimination of the Mindanao Development Council, Office of the North Luzon Quadrangle Area, Office of External Affairs, Presidential Anti-Graft Commission, Minerals Development Council, Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group, Luzon Urban Beltway Super Region, Bicol River Basin Watershed Management Project, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Global Warming and Climate Change, and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on New Government Centers, the Palace said in statement late Wednesday.

“Our philosophy is to streamline the operations of the Office of the President so we can cut unnecessary spending and use our resources where they are needed most,” said Executive Secretary Paquito “Jojo” N. Ochoa, who is presenting the OP budget proposal at a hearing in the House of Representatives Thursday. -- Ana Mae G. Roa

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=18252

^^ diyos ko, halos lahat ata nang tinanggal proyekto ni PGMA ah...:lol::nuts:

why are you complaining? you're not paying taxes here...

World Bank supports RP propoor programs, public-private partnerships

Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter
Thursday, 23 September 2010 13:07

THE World Bank has expressed support for the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and public-private partnership (PPP) programs.

“The Philippines has made a commendable commitment to expanding a modern social protection system, which not only protects the poor, but also encourages investments in health and education. Similar programs have made a real impact on achieving the Millenium Development Goals in countries around the world,” said World Bank Group president Robert B. Zoellick of the CCT, which has been roundly, criticized here as impractical and promoting the culture of mendicancy in the Philippines.

The World Bank said in a press statement that Zoellick met with President Aquino at the sidelines of the United Nations meeting on the High Level Meeting Millennium Development Goals in New York City.

Zoellick also said it was “commendable” that the Philippines was pursuing the PPPs to address infrastructure constraints. This, along with rationalizing the country’s regulatory system, “augurs well for the development goals of the country,” he said.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the government planned to expand the CCT program to cover a million households by the end of the year from the current 900,000. By December next year, the Department of Social Welfare land Development (DSWD) hopes to cover an additional 1.3 million households. Once this is done, the program would have completely covered the 2.3 million families that were deemed poor in the 2006 Poverty Statistics, the DSWD said.

The President’s budget for 2011 allocates P21.2 billion for the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) that grants a monthly stipend of up to P1,400 to each of 2.3 million identified poor families–provided they abide by conditions such as sending their children to school and taking them to healthclinics for vaccinations.

On the PPP, the government recently created a “center” to function as an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) to help facilitate PPP projects; work on 10 such projects is set to start early next year.

Some of the projects include mass rail or transit projects as well as water supply, particularly for Metro Manila.

“Tapping the resources and energy of the private sector through carefully designed public-private sector partnerships would go a long way in achieving sustainable growth that create more jobs for the poor. Both developed and developing countries have increasingly been utilizing public-private partnerships in accelerating infrastructure development,” Zoellick said.

If there would be an opportunity for the World Bank to participate in PPP projects, it will be “very keen” in pursuing it, said WB Philippines Country Director Bert Hofman.

He said this would not be the first time the bank participated in similar undertakings. In fact the International Finance Corp., the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, has been helping the private sector in the Philippines undertake projects in mining, power and water, to name a few.

The World Bank said it was committed to working with the government and other stakeholders in strengthening public institutions as well as promoting transparency and accountability at the local and national levels.

Zoellick said he appreciated the opportunity to meet with the President and to listen to his plans for fighting poverty and promoting economic growth and good governance.

“We stand ready to forge a stronger partnership with the Philippines for achieving inclusive growth,” Zoellick said.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/1672-world-bank-supports-rp-propoor-programs-public-private-partnerships

GSIS to install new database

Computer glitches that have resulted in long queues for benefit claims will end in December, the Government Service Insurance System said. The pension fund said it was just about to complete its new central database.

GSIS chairman Daniel Lacson said this will be the agency’s Christmas gift to state workers this year.

“By December we should be able to normalize the computer system and improve on the processing and the services that stakeholders require from us,” Lacson said in a chance interview over the weekend during the 2010 Tagaytay Seminar hosted by the United States embassy in Manila. Joyce Pangco Pañares


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2010/september/28/nation3.isx&d=2010/september/28

New anti-poverty czar appointed

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has appointed former Akbayan party-list chairman Jose Eliseo Rocamora as his administration’s anti-poverty czar and former Bataan Rep. Antonio Roman as head of the presidential legislative liaison office.

He also appointed Gerard Mosquera, Maita Chan-Gonzaga, and Richard Amurao as commissioners of the Presidential Commission on Good Government to work with newly appointed Chairman Andy Bautista, PCGG spokesman Nicanor Suarez said.

Rocamora is the second leader of Akbayan, which was affiliated with Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party during the May 10 elections, to be appointed in a key government position.

Mr. Aquino earlier appointed former Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales as head of the Commission on Human Rights.

Rocamora replaced Domingo Panganiban as chairman of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Rocamora’s appointment paper was signed on Sept. 20, five days before the ban on executive appointments took effect ahead of the village elections next month.

Before his appointment, Rocamora was the executive director of the Institute for Popular Democracy and a former co-coordinator of the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute.

After spending several years in exile in The Netherlands during the Martial Law years, Rocamora returned to the country in 1992 to work as a political analyst at the Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs.

Ochoa said the President also appointed Roman as his legislative liaison officer in preparation for the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council that would be convened after Mr. Aquino returned from the United States today, Tusday.

Roman was a former member of the Lakas-Kampi CMD party of former President Gloria Arroyo.

His wife, who succeeded him in Congress, is now a member of Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party.

Roman finished his law degree at the Ateneo Law School and passed the Bar examinations in 1960. He finished his Masters in Business Administration at New York University, and was a former finance deputy secretary.

“We want to work with Congress to hammer out a common legislative agenda that addresses the needs of the different sectors,” Ochoa said.

He said Roman’s appointment paper was signed on Sept. 15.

Mosquera obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School in 1992, and then placed second in the Bar exams. He earned his Master in Laws from King’s College, University of London, in 2002 under a Chevening scholarship, and his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he received the 2010 Littauer Award for academic excellence and leadership.

Before and after his stint at Harvard, Gerard had been leading USAID-funded anti-corruption programs, among which was the “Justice Institution Strengthening in East Timor.”

Chan-Gonzaga graduated valedictorian from the Ateneo Law School in 2002 and was the recipient of the St. Thomas More award for the most distinguished graduate. She placed fourth in the Bar exams, and then obtained her Master Juris from Oxford University in 2008.

Amurao graduated from the Ateneo Law School, and then completed his master’s at the London School of Economics in 2006 as a Chevening scholar. Joyce Pangco Pañares

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2010/september/28/news6.isx&d=2010/september/28

New anti-poverty czar appointed

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has appointed former Akbayan party-list chairman Jose Eliseo Rocamora as his administration’s anti-poverty czar and former Bataan Rep. Antonio Roman as head of the presidential legislative liaison office.

He also appointed Gerard Mosquera, Maita Chan-Gonzaga, and Richard Amurao as commissioners of the Presidential Commission on Good Government to work with newly appointed Chairman Andy Bautista, PCGG spokesman Nicanor Suarez said.

Rocamora is the second leader of Akbayan, which was affiliated with Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party during the May 10 elections, to be appointed in a key government position.

Mr. Aquino earlier appointed former Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales as head of the Commission on Human Rights.

Rocamora replaced Domingo Panganiban as chairman of the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said Rocamora’s appointment paper was signed on Sept. 20, five days before the ban on executive appointments took effect ahead of the village elections next month.

Before his appointment, Rocamora was the executive director of the Institute for Popular Democracy and a former co-coordinator of the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute.

After spending several years in exile in The Netherlands during the Martial Law years, Rocamora returned to the country in 1992 to work as a political analyst at the Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs.

Ochoa said the President also appointed Roman as his legislative liaison officer in preparation for the first Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council that would be convened after Mr. Aquino returned from the United States today, Tusday.

Roman was a former member of the Lakas-Kampi CMD party of former President Gloria Arroyo.

His wife, who succeeded him in Congress, is now a member of Mr. Aquino’s Liberal Party.

Roman finished his law degree at the Ateneo Law School and passed the Bar examinations in 1960. He finished his Masters in Business Administration at New York University, and was a former finance deputy secretary.

“We want to work with Congress to hammer out a common legislative agenda that addresses the needs of the different sectors,” Ochoa said.

He said Roman’s appointment paper was signed on Sept. 15.

Mosquera obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School in 1992, and then placed second in the Bar exams. He earned his Master in Laws from King’s College, University of London, in 2002 under a Chevening scholarship, and his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he received the 2010 Littauer Award for academic excellence and leadership.

Before and after his stint at Harvard, Gerard had been leading USAID-funded anti-corruption programs, among which was the “Justice Institution Strengthening in East Timor.”

Chan-Gonzaga graduated valedictorian from the Ateneo Law School in 2002 and was the recipient of the St. Thomas More award for the most distinguished graduate. She placed fourth in the Bar exams, and then obtained her Master Juris from Oxford University in 2008.

Amurao graduated from the Ateneo Law School, and then completed his master’s at the London School of Economics in 2006 as a Chevening scholar. Joyce Pangco Pañares

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2010/september/28/news6.isx&d=2010/september/28

Family Planning Unites Aquino, Enrile, Marcos

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN
September 28, 2010, 7:21pm

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday threw their support behind the controversial position of President Benigno S. Aquino III backing a family planning bill and in the process locking horns with the Catholic Church.

Aquino, while on his way home from his US trip, had stirred a hornet’s nest when he sided with forces that favor the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, also known as family planning measure, in the wake of the country’s runaway population that is expected to increase to close to 100 million Filipinos in the next few years.

“It is proper that a leader like him must not have a closed mind. He must have a very open, broad mind to consider all facets of every issue that will be presented to him,” Enrile said.

“No sector as far as the leadership of the nation is concerned has any vested right to push his own agenda. It is the function of the leader to see… look at problems in the light of all interests in society,” he added.

Marcos, a member of the House of Representatives in the last 14th Congress, said the President’s support for the bill is “good” even as the President, in the May 10, 2010 presidential election, “got a big support from the Catholic Church.”

As a co-author of the RH bill when he was a Lower House member, Marcos said passage of the measure is a welcome development and a big boost to the Aquino administration’s pro-family planning position.

“Nakakatuwa, kakampi natin and Pangulo,” he said. (It’s good we are allies of the President),’’ he said.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279528/family-planning-unites-aquino-enrile-marcos

Approval of Benefits System Pushed

By SAMUEL P. MEDENILLA
September 28, 2010, 6:37pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has called for the immediate approval of the amended Philippine Workers’ Compensation Authority Bills (PWCAB), which will effectively streamline the process in giving workers their compensation packages, Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

“We are also pushing for the simplification of the benefits system to avoid confusion, particularly in the grant of primary and basic benefits under the employee’s compensation program,” Baldoz said in a statement.

The amended PWCAB will allow the government establish the Philippine Workers Compensation Authority (PWCA), which will be independent from DoLE and centralize the process in giving workers their disability and death compensation packages.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279516/approval-benefits-system-pushed

Family Planning Unites Aquino, Enrile, Marcos

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN
September 28, 2010, 7:21pm

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday threw their support behind the controversial position of President Benigno S. Aquino III backing a family planning bill and in the process locking horns with the Catholic Church.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/279528/family-planning-unites-aquino-enrile-marcos

There is a strong chance that this bill would be passed into law. :cheers:

DOH-12 targets 50,000 indigent families for Philhealth registration
MALU CADELINA MANAR, GMANews.TV
09/30/2010 | 12:09 PM
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KIDAPAWAN CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) in South-Central Mindanao (Region 12) targets some 50,000 indigent families for the nationwide Philhealth registration on October 12.

Dr. Abdullah Dumama, DoH-12 director, said the figure was taken from the National Households Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), an anti-poverty mapping program which helps identify the poorest of the poor residents in an area.

According to Felina Quinones of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12, the province of Sarangani registered the most number of indigent families in Region 12. However, Quinones failed to cite the exact number.

On October 2, there will be about 13 Philhealth registration sites across the region.

In North Cotabato, poor residents can apply for Philhealth membership at the following:
# Kidapawan City Pilot Elementary School (KCPES) in Kidapawan City;
# M’lang Central Pilot Elementary School in M’lang;
Midsayap Central Pilot Elementary School in Midsayap, and
# Makilala Pilot Elementary School in Makilala.

There are also registration sites in:
# Koronadal City;
# General Santos City;
# Sarangani, and
# Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.

Dr. Dumama said they target the indigent families in the region as this was the mandate given to them by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

In his inaugural address in June, Aquino stressed that he wants all Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor, to be Philhealth card-bearing members in three years time, meaning that they will have access to health services.

“This is a marching order of the President… that in 2013, all Filipinos would be Philhealth card-bearing members," he said.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Dumama said local officials in the region promised to encourage their constituents to register as Philhealth members on Saturday.

“To those who claimed to be among the poorest of the poor, I urged them that they bring with them during the registration day a certification from the local DSWD office that they belong to such group, and present a valid ID," said Dumama.

However, the registration on Saturday is not only for indigents, according to Ramon Aristoza, regional director of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) for Region 12.

Aristoza has also urged the informal sector and families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to register.
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/202291/doh-12-targets-50000-indigent-families-for-philhealth-registration

Gov’t now feeding 1.5M day-care kids

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:09:00 10/01/2010

Filed Under: Children, Food and Diet and Nutrition, Welfare

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Thursday launched its Supplemental Feeding Program targeting 1.5 million children in day-care centers.

Under the program aimed at addressing malnutrition, the children are to be fed a hot meal daily with rice purchased from the National Food Authority (NFA).

About 70 children between the ages of three and five were served chicken afritada with rice at Thursday’s launch at Barangay 721 Day-care Center on Leveriza Street in Manila.

For some of the children, their meal at the day-care center will be their best and most nutritious for the day. DSWD officials said nutritionists would plan the meals of meat and vegetables to ensure a good balance.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the program would provide food to day-care children for the next three months.

The project will also provide opportunities to children, caregivers and parents to learn about food and nutrition, the DSWD said.

The hot meals will be served during the class break five days a week starting this month until December.

“The parents will manage the feeding program based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food materials,” Soliman said.

The children will be weighed every month during the program to determine improvement in their nutritional status.

P1.2-M budget

The government will spend P1.2 million for the feeding program.

There are 49,531 day-care centers nationwide, with some 1,567,650 children enrolled.

The rice intended for the program will come from the surplus rice imported by the government through the NFA in the past few years.

It is not part of the batch that rotted due to long storage in the warehouses, DSWD and NFA officials said.

They also said freight and cargo company AIR21 had agreed to facilitate the delivery of 100 sacks of rice to be used for the feeding program from the DSWD-National Resource Operations Center to the DSWD-National Capital Region.

According to an early advisory to reporters, President Benigno Aquino III was to have attended the program launch. But he was a no-show.

Late invitation

His spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said the President had not confirmed attendance at the launch.

“It was a late invitation so there was nothing to cancel because he did not confirm he would be attending,” Lacierda told reporters.

He said in reply to a question that Mr. Aquino had private meetings Thursday and had been studying for the past two days the Incident Investigation Review Committee’s report on the Aug. 23 hostage crisis vis-à-vis the result of the review made by a Palace legal team. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño

SSS undertakes improvements in loan program


THE Social Security System is carrying out major improvements in its salary loan program to collect from delinquent borrowers long-overdue payments, which has ballooned to P27.51 billion in the past few years, a top official said.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. said the private pension fund is strictly implementing existing salary loan policies to address the problem and plans to collect P19 billion from past-due loans within three years, including P4.54 billion this year.

“There are no changes in our policies on salary loans. We are following guidelines that have been existing since 2004. These are found at the back of SSS application forms that members and employers agree to comply with when they file salary loan applications,” De Quiros said.

Under existing policies, loans are charged a 10 percent interest annually for a term of two years, and a one percent penalty for overdue payments. Unpaid loans incur continuing interest and penalties.

Employees are required to report existing loans upon transfer to a new company so their employer can continue remitting their payments to SSS.

About 87 percent of the state pension’s more than six million loan accounts are delinquent, with employed members comprising 83 percent of the unpaid loans.

De Quiros said the SSS has started updating its database on loan accounts and tagged employers with overdue payments, which make their employees ineligible to apply for loans.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2010/october/4/metro3.isx&d=2010/ocber/4

New Tesda project: Earn money at home

Written by Claudeth Mocon / Correspondent
Monday, 04 October 2010 12:45

EARNING while at home may sound a difficult prospect, but not for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Joel Villanueva, who vowed on Monday to address the unemployment problem hounding the country.

Villanueva aims to provide technical education and skills training to enhance the wage-employment opportunities of every Filipino while offering livelihood options to generate business even from home.

“When a person starts earning his own income from home, not only does this build self-esteem for him and his family, he also helps the nearby sari-sari store owner make a living-—perhaps, the local labandera as well as the magtataho, and the other members of the community,” Villanueva said. He thinks Tesda can create livelihood opportunities for people in their homes or home provinces. “. . . .so there will not be any need for them to live in the streets of the metropolis and risk their health as well as the safety of their children.”

Under the “real deal” program, Villanueva said Tesda will endeavor to reach down to the grassroots and provide quality skills training and lifelong education to boost the learners’ employability.

Part of the program is the Skills Training Advocating Reliance and Self-Employment (Stars) which was pioneered in Bohol and adapted by the agency.

The Stars program is a community-based project in partnership with the local government units. It includes unsophisticated but highly technical courses that apply to domestic settings such as tour guiding, manicure/pedicure, hair styling or cutting, driving, cell-phone repair and masseuse training, among others.

If implemented nationwide, the Stars project could create an impact more profound than sending people abroad as Overseas Filipino Worker, Villanueva said. Stars will be made a model in designing other Tesda programs.

Villanueva said Tesda might launch market surveys to determine the potentials for the skills to be offered in the trainings, and identify the kind of support to help the Stars program achieve its self-employment objectives.

Tesda, he said, would likewise  look into the possibility of building informal-sector associations, linking trainees with specialized training providers using the agency’s scholarship vouchers, providing supplementary training in basic competences, and arranging post-training support like marketing, access to credit and business advice, etc., among other things, to advance the intent of the Stars program.

Claudeth Mocon



http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/2094-new-tesda-project-earn-money-at-home

New guidelines on loading of passengers issued

by Joel E. Zurbano

THE Department of Public Works and Highways has issued new guidelines for proper loading and unloading of passengers to lessen traffic and accidents along national roads.

Secretary Rogelio Singson said loading and unloading bays should be placed outside the carriageway or main track of the road, and should be sufficiently long to accommodate the maximum number of vehicles expected to occupy the space at one time.

The required length of the loading and unloading area will be determined considering the length of 15 meters for each bus and eight meters for jeepney or car, while the width will be three meters for roads served only by jeepneys/cars and 3.6 meters for roads with buses but not wider than five meters.

It should not be placed on or adjacent to horizontal and vertical curves that limit the sight distance in either direction.

Loading and unloading area must be located where pedestrians normally concentrated; must be placed near a road intersection but less than 50 meters from intersection; has a minimum distance of 500 meters between two consecutive loading and unloading areas;

And for two lane two-way undivided roads, loading and unloading area should be provided opposite each other but shall be placed not less than 30 meters apart.

Singson ordered all regional and district engineers to provide adequate pedestrian sidewalk and necessary signages, pavement markings and barriers to maximize usage and safe operation.

Singson said recently his agency is planning to create a new division to address problems on road safety.

He said the Road Safety Division would evaluate and improve safety standard structures installed along the national roads as preventive measures against accidents.

“We want to minimize fatal accidents on our roads. In other words, we want a division dedicated on looking into our laws, its implementation, and how we can make our roads safer,” said Singson.

He added the lack of programs on road safety prompted him to form the new office in the agency since it only has the Traffic Accident Recording and Analysis System (Taras)which is under the agency’s Planning Service Division.


http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=/2010/october/5/metro4.isx&d=2010/october/5

Gov’t now feeding 1.5M day-care kids

By Kristine L. Alave
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:09:00 10/01/2010

Filed Under: Children, Food and Diet and Nutrition, Welfare

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Thursday launched its Supplemental Feeding Program targeting 1.5 million children in day-care centers.

Under the program aimed at addressing malnutrition, the children are to be fed a hot meal daily with rice purchased from the National Food Authority (NFA).

About 70 children between the ages of three and five were served chicken afritada with rice at Thursday’s launch at Barangay 721 Day-care Center on Leveriza Street in Manila.

For some of the children, their meal at the day-care center will be their best and most nutritious for the day. DSWD officials said nutritionists would plan the meals of meat and vegetables to ensure a good balance.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the program would provide food to day-care children for the next three months.

The project will also provide opportunities to children, caregivers and parents to learn about food and nutrition, the DSWD said.

The hot meals will be served during the class break five days a week starting this month until December.

“The parents will manage the feeding program based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food materials,” Soliman said.

The children will be weighed every month during the program to determine improvement in their nutritional status.

P1.2-M budget

The government will spend P1.2 million for the feeding program.

There are 49,531 day-care centers nationwide, with some 1,567,650 children enrolled.

The rice intended for the program will come from the surplus rice imported by the government through the NFA in the past few years.

It is not part of the batch that rotted due to long storage in the warehouses, DSWD and NFA officials said.

They also said freight and cargo company AIR21 had agreed to facilitate the delivery of 100 sacks of rice to be used for the feeding program from the DSWD-National Resource Operations Center to the DSWD-National Capital Region.

According to an early advisory to reporters, President Benigno Aquino III was to have attended the program launch. But he was a no-show.

Late invitation

His spokesperson, Edwin Lacierda, said the President had not confirmed attendance at the launch.

“It was a late invitation so there was nothing to cancel because he did not confirm he would be attending,” Lacierda told reporters.

He said in reply to a question that Mr. Aquino had private meetings Thursday and had been studying for the past two days the Incident Investigation Review Committee’s report on the Aug. 23 hostage crisis vis-à-vis the result of the review made by a Palace legal team. With a report from Christine O. Avendaño

They should continue this program beyond December 2010.

Gov’t Project Aids 19,429 Lanao Villagers
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
October 6, 2010, 5:33pm

KAPATAGAN, Lanao del Norte — At least 19,429 villagers coming from the nine far-flung villages of Lanao del Norte were jubilant after the government’s poverty alleviation program, the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) – Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KKB) expansion project was launched here Tuesday.

At least 5,006 direct household beneficiaries from the nine remote villages, like Balili, Curvada, Buenavista, Butadon, Sta. Cruz, La Libertad, Malinas, Poblacion, and Bel-is, participated during the launching of the program here.

The launching was personally led by Lanao del Norte Gov. Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo, Kapatagan Mayor Benjie Y. Baguio, Region 10 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Director Araceli F. Solamillo, and other top regional, provincial, and municipal officials.

The launching of the different projects in the said villages started on Tuesday during a week-long series of activities.

These projects include a water system level 2, farm-to-market roads, construction of solar drier with warehouse and rice mill, and construction of a drainage canal.

The DSWD released P14, 850,000 for the said projects in the nine villages while the provincial and municipal governments also poured in some P7,605,766 as their local counter-part contribution for the implementation of the projects.

The expanded KALAHI-CIDSS – KKB project trains villagers in project planning, technical design, financial management and procurement, thus building a cadre of future capable leaders at the local level, said Dimaporo.

It was learned that Lanao del Norte was identified as one of the best implementer of the KALAHI-CIDSS program throughout the country.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/280845/gov-t-project-aids-19429-lanao-villagers

Group calls for continued ban on used car imports

ADVOCACY GROUP Fair Trade Alliance renewed calls on Wednesday for the ban on second hand cars to be retained as a state agency finalizes this month implementing rules for the new Motor Vehicle Development Program (MVDP).

Executive Order 156 issued in 2002 which banned used cars from entering Philippine ports "has been effective and led to the growth of the country's automotive industry", the group said in a statement.

This comes as the Board of Investments plans to issue this month the implementing rules of the new MVDP laid down by Executive Order 877-A which was issued this year.

"In 2006, the share of local automotive industry sales was below 50%, however, the industry picked up its share and it gained an upper hand following the Supreme Court ruling [which upheld the 2002 EO]," the group said. -- Jessica Anne D. Hermosa
|

http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=19001

Gov't Steps Up Drive Against Malnutrition

By GABRIEL S. MABUTAS
October 8, 2010, 4:41pm

MANILA, Philippines – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) Friday expressed optimism that the government’s ongoing efforts to promote nutrition for children nationwide would register a positive result in the next national nutrition survey, even as the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) noted that it has failed to address malnutrition among children ages five years and below.

NNC Executive Director, Assistant Secretary Maria-Bernardita T. Flores, said she is confident that their efforts would eventually reap a positive result in the next survey, as they have intensified their nutrition campaign even for children as early as 2007.

She said that although they started their intensified campaign a year before the last NNS conducted by the Department of Science and Technology’s (DoST) Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), it did not bear a positive result because it was still too early to show.

FNRI Director Mario Capanzana earlier cited the need for government to step up its nutrition efforts to address malnutrition among children ages five and below, saying the nutritional conditions of children remain a problem despite the goals set under the Millenium Development Goals.

He pointed to the failure of government to address the problem as he talked on the implications of the 7th National Nutrition Survey to the achievement of nutrition goals during the two-day national convention of district/city nutrition program coordinators held at the Philippine Army Club House in Fort Bonifacio.

Capanzana claimed that at the rate it is going, the government effort to address the problem has not made any progress and is bound to fail in meeting the target set under the MDG unless it focuses more its campaign in addressing children’s malnutrition.

Flores said since their intensified nutrition campaign was just one year when the last NNS was conducted, the development was not felt yet in its figures.

“Our initiatives from 2008 until now insofar as promoting good nutrition, and training people in barangays to strengthen their capacity to convince mothers to do breastfeeding, its effect could not be felt immediately. So if we had started our effort in 2007 and 2008, the effect would be felt only now,” she said.

Capanzana based his observation -- about the need for the government to step up its nutrition drive for children ages five and below – on the 7th NNS conducted in 2008. It was the last of such survey conducted so far by the FNRI. “So far medyo kulang [the efforts are somewhat not enough]. Baka hindi natin ma-achieve [We might not be able to achieve the goals] if we will not double up our efforts in terms of nutrition programs and interventions,” he said.

He noted that while the MDG target was to reduce malnutrition among children five and below to 17.2 percent in 2015, such cases of malnutrition registered an increase from 2004 to 2008, and has remained problematic until now.

Under the 2008 NNS, the prevalence of malnutrition among children in the problem age bracket went up from 24.6 to 26.2 percent.

Child malnutrition, he noted, should be given more focus now as it has become one of the biggest problem areas in the nutrition efforts of the government. It goes along with the problem of nutrition among pregnant women, he added.

The NNS survey showed that 26.5 percent of pregnant women are nutritionally at-risk based on weight-for-height.

While the problem significantly decreased by 1.9 percentage point from 2005 with a 28.4-percent prevalence rate to 26.5 percent in 2008, the FNRI chief said, the rate is still high.

Capanzana said that despite the failures so far of the government in a battle against malnutrition among children and pregnant women, it has succeeded in reducing the prevalence of anemia in all other age brackets.

“The good news is that we have made achievements in terms of bio-chemical indicators. Medyo maganda yung pagbaba ng anemia prevalence sa lahat ng [anemia prevalence had a significant decrease] in all indicators except for 6 to less than 1 year,” he said.

Overall, he said, the nutritional target of 25.5 percent has become achievable as 19 percent had already been met

The campaigns against Vitamin A and Iodine deficiency, for example, have drawn a positive mark. “Ang iodine deficiency, medyo hindi na problem [now, iodine deficiency is no longer a problem],” Capanzana said

The goal was to make 90 percent of households use iodized salt. Now, the number of those using is 81.1 percent. Though it was short of reaching the goal, the situation has improved,” he added.


http://www.mb.com.ph/node/281113/gov-t-

House Assures P21-Billion Dole-Out
By RIO ROSE RIBAYA
October 9, 2010, 7:05pm

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives leadership has promised to approve without any cut the P21-billion fund for conditional cash transfer (CCT) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The CCT, which proposes to give some 2.3-million poor families a monthly stipend of up to P1,400, is part of the P29.2-billion Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps of the DSWD.

In a press briefing, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. asked his colleagues in the House to give the administration of President Aquino a chance to prove its worth by keeping the implementation of cash dole outs intact.

“It is a centerpiece (program) of President Aquino. We owe it to him. At least let’s give it a chance. After all, it is only roughly doubling of amount spent by the past administration on a similar project. It is a national project and it is a centerpiece project of the administration,” Belmonte said.

The former Quezon City mayor clarified that voting for the approval of the controversial item in the proposed P1.645-trillion budget for 2011 will no longer go through a separate voting in spite earlier requests from concerned lawmakers.

Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya , chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, stressed that funds for CCT and Private-Public Partnership (PPP) program “will be protected definitely,” adding that administration lawmakers will fight for the approval of the appropriations without any cuts.

“We are proud of it. We have a commitment there and we believe that these are not dole- out. These are sustainable programs. Of course, we will hear debates when we deliberate on (the budget of) from the minority. But we will stick to it,” Abaya said.

Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez expressed support for the approval of the CCT, saying that the condition of poor families in the country requires immediate and temporary financial help from the government as much as it depends on long-term poverty alleviation programs.

Citing instance of the “bolsa familia” or the monthly stipend given to poor families in Brazil, Rodriguez said that the CCT has great chance of easing the lives of Filipino families next year with the program.

Last week, lawmakers expressed opposition against the CCT program, branding it as mere cash dole- outs or “band aid” solution to poverty, which they feared would only allow an attitude of mendicancy among the poor people.

The DSWD budget is expected to be discussed in the plenary early next week.


http://www.mb.com.ph/node/281336/hou

National Cooperative Month
October 9, 2010, 8:51pm

Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 493, October is celebrated as National Cooperative Month (NCM) throughout the country. The proclamation seeks to encourage broader participation of all sectors of society in nation-building through the cooperative movement.

This year’s celebration is highlighted by the 10th National Cooperative Summit, which will be held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City, on October 10, 2010, with the theme “Towards a Shared Vision: One Coop Movement, One Vision, One Nation.” Other activities lined up for the celebration include the hanging of streamers in all cooperative offices nationwide; holding of seminars, motorcades, and a quiz bee on cooperatives for students and members of cooperatives; mounting of exhibits and trade fairs; and conferment of recognition on outstanding and successful cooperatives.

The annual celebration of NCM reinforces the value of thrift, unity, and cooperation. and active participation among the movement’s stakeholders. It provides a venue for the sharing of best practices among members of various cooperatives with the end in view of advancing the growth and development of the movement in the country.

Cooperatives have come a long way from principally being a source of financial support for their members, especially women to enable them to engage in activities that can augment their household income. They evolved to becoming agents of change and vehicles for promoting peace, through collective efforts, energies, expertise, and resources, particularly in the southern part of the archipelago.

The principles of cooperativism have remained sturdy pillars of the movement, generally unfazed by the economic difficulties and social inequalities plaguing our country, attesting to the solid ground on which the movement treads. It is not surprising that the spirit of cooperativism has remained alive and active, and continues to impact on the lives of thousands of families and communities and the entire nation.

We congratulate the country’s numerous cooperatives, their Officers and Members, on the occasion of National Cooperative Month and wish them all the best and success in all their endeavors.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/281358/national-cooperative-month

Australia earmarks P2B in aid to RP basic education

By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:30:00 10/10/2010

Filed Under: Foreign Aid, Foreign affairs & international relations, Education

MANILA, Philippines – The Australian government has set aside some P2 billion this year for the Aquino administration's basic education reform agenda.

The development aid is part of Canberra's "significant ongoing support for education in the Philippines," according to Australian Ambassador to Manila Rod Smith.

In a statement issued over the weekend Smith said, "Australia is very pleased to assist the Philippines as it faces the important challenge of reforming the basic education system to deliver better education for Filipino children."

Smith pointed out "education has the power to transform lives and create futures."

The envoy noted that Australia, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) had a "long-standing partnership with the Department of Education that is improving."

"Over the last five years, Australian aid has helped train teachers and introduced new learning and teaching strategies to encourage more students to participate and stay in school," Smith recalled.

He said, "over 32,000 public school teachers in English, Science and Math have been trained on new teaching techniques to improve students' results."

Last week, the Australian Embassy in Makati City launched the "1,000 Teachers Program," a scholarship project that would benefit "poor but outstanding high school graduates" interested in pursuing a teaching career in public schools.

The mission named two non-government groups as its partners in the program: the Philippine Business for Education and PHINMA Foundation.

According to Smith, the scholarship program aims to "encourage the best and the brightest high school students to become teachers."

Smith called AusAID's partnership with the private sector a "new way of delivering aid, promoting important coordination and cooperation among donors."

"This will ensure that all our efforts complement and directly support the Philippine government's basic education reform agenda. Working together, we will achieve better results and more Filipino children will benefit from increased access to quality education," he said.

The scholarship program "will help strengthen the government's teacher education and development program by increasing the number of qualified public school teachers in elementary and secondary schools."

"In turn, improving the quality of teaching will encourage more students to stay, participate more and learn better in school," Smith added.

AusAID earlier allocated P2 billion to its Basic Education Assistance to Mindanao, or BEAM, and another P100 million to assist the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in providing culturally sensitive preschool education services to some 50,000 children in 80 Muslim schools in the Southern Philippines.

The aid agency has been developing a "new Muslim and indigenous people-focused education program that aims to assist the government expand teacher training, develop culturally-appropriate curriculum and build more classrooms, particularly in remote areas," said the Australian embassy.

Meanwhile, AusAID is set to conclude its six-year human resource development program in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The program, which has a budget of P2.3 billion, aims to "improve the capacity of key government and private sector institutions in addressing poverty and other development issues."

AusAID has also provided more than P290 million to the following agencies for their peace efforts in war-torn areas in Mindanao: International Committee of the Red Cross, P140 million; UNICEF, P100 million; UN Commission for Refugees, P40 million; and the UN Department of Safety and Security, P12 million.

The aid agency also released over P280 million for the "Rollback Malaria" campaign of the Department of Health and the World Health Organization in Agusan del Sur.

AusAID's current annual assistance to the Philippines totals more than P4.5 billion.

During the past 12 years, AusAID allocation to the country has reached nearly P30 billion, including P1.3 billion to the UN Multi-donor Program for former members of the secessionist Moro National Liberation Front and their families "who have returned to mainstream society and contributed to the peace and development efforts in Mindanao."

The embassy described it a "clear indication of Australia's commitment to assist the Philippines address its development challenges," including peace in Mindanao.


http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20101010-296977/Australia-earmarks-P2B-in-aid-to-RP-basic-education

Eating Vegetables
More Critical Than Ever
By SEN. EDGARDO J. ANGARA
October 10, 2010, 4:02pm

NEW research shows that gardening projects, tasting parties, junior cooking classes, and cartoons can help increase vegetable intake in kindergarten children.

Researchers at Mahidol University in Bangkok found that children ate more vegetables after they took part in a program using multimedia and role models to promote healthy eating. The research subjects – kindergarden children aged four to five – practiced vegetable gardening in school plots, then harvested and cooked the vegetables. They were also made to view Popeye cartoons that showed the character eating spinach.

Vegetable intake doubled and the types of vegetables the children consumed increased from two to four. Involving children in food preparation activities, like measuring, pouring, and stirring helps them learn the names and colors of food, and develops their hand-eye coordination. Parents also reported their children talked about vegetables more often and were proud of their school activities.

In the Philippines, children eat too much saturated fat, sugar and salt, and not enough fruit and vegetables. Recent research shows only 5 percent of a child’s diet is dedicated to fruits and vegetables and 83% on carbohydrates. Most parents encourage kids to eat vegetables but do not really know the specific nutritive value of particular vegetables.

It is no surprise, therefore, that 26 out of 100 preschool children are malnourished. Common malnutrition problems are protein energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency disorders.

The solution is actually very simple. Eating and growing vegetables is a powerful and cost-effective solution to combat the problem of “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiency and malnutrition.

This is the rationale behind Oh My Gulay!, an advocacy program and tri-media campaign that aims to create awareness about the nutritional value of common vegetables. Its activities center on the belief that every Filipino child should have the chance to live a healthy, productive life. All of its advocacy efforts support this mission.

Activities include school feeding programs, vegetable backyard and school gardening projects, distribution of vegetable seeds and seedlings in schools and communities, and the teaching of vegetable cultivation in elementary and high schools.

The communication campaign involves print, music, TV, DVD, and online media, with one simple message: encouraging our children to have healthy diet that includes kalabasa, malunggay, sitaw and other readily available and affordable vegetables. Celebrities like Sarah Geronimo, Jericho Rosales, Anne Curtis, Christine Reyes, Eugene Domingo, and Manny Pacquiao are lending their names to this cause and endorsing it free of charge.

All of OMG!’s activities require intensive networking and awareness building. Fortunately, we have seen overwhelming response and heartwarming enthusiasm from various sectors – government, private corporations, individual volunteers – to support this advocacy.
DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, and DoH Secretary Enrique Ona have all committed to support the advocacy. The DoST Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DoST-FNRI), the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines, the Nutrition Council of the Philippines, the Bureau of Plant Industry are part of the OMG! Consortium. Private corporations like Unilever, Fonterra, Novartis, Abbott, Wyeth and East West Seed Co are lending support to the program.

Experts emphasize that eating habits picked up in early childhood are sustained into adulthood. It takes extensive awareness and a massive call to arms against the threats of hunger and malnutrition to Filipino children.

E-mail: edgardo_angara@hotmail.com Website: www.edangara.com

Gov’t setting up ‘end-to-end’ online patent registration

INVENTORS, designers and authors may register online their creative works for protection by late next year after the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) committed to help the country set up a system in a pact signed last month.

Trademarks and patents for inventions, industrial designs and brands can soon be obtained through Web-based "end-to-end processing" -- from application filing to the issuance of certificates -- by September next year, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines said in a statement yesterday.

Users should also be able to track progress of action on their applications online under WIPO’s "Industrial Property Automation System (IPAS)," the state agency said.

Advanced implementation

This comes after both bodies signed a cooperation agreement last Sept. 24 in Geneva alongside the 48th Assembly of the Member States of WIPO.

Automated registration of utility models and industrial designs should be ready by September 2011, while the system for inventions will be completed in January 2012.

Trademark registration will follow by September 2012 and the whole system should be fully deployed by November 2012, the state agency said.

"Once implemented, IPAS will enable the Philippines to be the most advanced ASEAN country in patent automation, except for Singapore," the state agency said.

The improvement aims to simplify the process, as well as make it transparent and consistent, it said.

" empower the applicants, who will be able to track the progress of their application, and...will, hopefully, encourage more filing from local businesses, creators and inventors," IP Philippines said.


[I]http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=19316

Rewards system for good driving pushed

by Roy Pelovello

TO PROMOTE good road behavior, the Land Transportation Office is considering the inclusion of a reward and punishment system in the process of renewing driver’s licenses.

In a press conference, LTO Executive Director Ricardo Alfonso said the agency is mulling over the extension to five years the validity of the licenses of drivers who have not committed a single traffic violation for three straight years.

“We believe this would serve to encourage drivers to observe traffic laws and promote road safety,” Alfonso said.

On the other hand, Alfonso said the agency is also planning to impose some form of “disincentive” for drivers who are frequent traffic violators.

He said the LTO may require frequent traffic violators to undergo another set of written and actual driving tests, or even additional training, as a requirement before they can renew their license.

LTO spokesperson Jason Salvador said this approach has been adopted in other countries and has been proven successful.

“In some countries, they impose a higher premium on the renewal of insurance of vehicles of frequent traffic violators,” Salvador said.

However, Salvador said the LTO will not impose similar requirements because they could just be accused of “employing another money-making scheme.”

According to Alfonso, the LTO is still putting the finishing touches on the proposal before submitting it to the Department of Transportation and Communications

He said they are also improving other programs to promote road safety.

Among others, Alfonso said they are pursuing the program to put up additional Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers that would help ensure road worthiness of vehicles, improve the system of re-training of drivers, and continue with the strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations.

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2010/october/12/nation4.isx&d=2010/october/12

NPAs abandon Communist Leaders in Southern Philippines
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO
October 12, 2010, 2:00pm

LORETO, Agusan del Sur – The government’s peace and development program in Southern Philippines is gaining ground as more regular communist fighters allegedly abandoned their leaders to live a peaceful life and avail the government’s development program, said Lt. Col. Medel M. Aguilar, Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Army’s 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, on Tuesday.

In a press statement, Col. Aguilar cited the voluntary surrender late last week of five alleged regular fighters, one of them an alleged full-time party member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), which has served the underground movement for 12 years.

The four other surrendered CPP-NPA regular fighters were members of communist-Front Committee 27 of the CPP-NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC). These surrenderees are also regular members of Sandatahang Yunit Pangpropaganda (SY), allegedly operating the municipalities of Nabunturan, Compostela, New Bataan, Maragusan, Mawab, all of Compostela Valley (ComVal) province, and part of this town, bordering ComVal and Agusan del Sur province, alleged Col. Aguilar.

“Hardship, hunger, health problem, loneliness and isolation of the revolutionary movement discouraged them to continue the struggle,” claimed Col. Aguilar.

Identities of the rebel returnees and the CPP-NPA full-time party member were temporarily withheld for security reasons.

“These former red fighters were promised to receive from the party a Php 1,200.00 monthly to support their family. The CPP-NPA also promised to shoulder the educational and medical expenses of their family once they joined the armed group but according to them the CPP failed to comply with its promises,” Col. Aguilar said.

Conflict within party members, unfulfilled promises and undemocratic processes caused the SYP to lose its members and regular fighters, also claimed the 10th “Agila” PIO.

He said ten members also left the SYP in April this year, allegedly because of the same reason.

Col. Aguilar also said four other members of same guerilla front, including one who is still a minor, surrendered to the government authorities last month.

As of press time, the 10th “Agila” Division is now coordinating with the local government units; the civil government agencies and the people’s organization for the giving of necessary assistance that will help reintegrate former rebels to the civilian communities, added Col. Aguilar.


http://www.mb.com.ph/node/281769/npa

DTI Business Registry in 15 Minutes
By JC BELLO RUIZ
October 12, 2010, 2:08pm

MANILA, Philippines — Registering one's business name can now be done in 15 minutes with the Business Name Registration System (eBNRS) launched by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Wednesday.

Usually, an applicant has to fill up an eight-page application form. But under the new system, only one page has to be filled up, said DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo, at the launch of the new system at the DTI-National Capital Region Area 3 office at Highway 54 in Mandaluyong City. It was witnessed by President Aquino.

Now, Domingo said it takes only 15 minutes and P300 for an applicant to get a business name.

The online registration is one of the government’s commitments to the public by giving businessmen less hassle in doing business, also makes government transactions transparent and prevents corruption in the workplace, he said.

This is in line with the Aquino administration’s thrust to create a business-friendly environment to attract more investments, Domingo said.

“Our aim in automation is to lessen people handling the process and allow technology to hasten transaction,” he said.

The DTI chief said the government is constantly improving its services and breaking down business barriers to ensure that there will be unhampered flow of services to the public notably the entrepreneurs in the country.

http://www.mb.com.ph/node/281772/aquino-unveil

Conditioning the “Poorest of the Poor” to remain Poor


The P21.9 billion (that’s billions) conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme of the Department of Social Welfare and Development is like pouring money into the drain. It is a non-productive endeavor. It won’t produce a single peso worth of “talbos ng kamote” or anything. After the fund is exhausted, the poor families will still be as poor as before. Not only that, perhaps they would even be lazier because they didn’t have to work for the monthly doles.

The condition for the P1,400 monthly cash gifts is to ensure the attendance of three children in school and for getting a pregnant woman to go on regular checkups at health centers. The men are not required to do anything.

The CCTs are supposedly for the “poorest of the poor.” If a family’s financial condition improves, it will be taken off the list of beneficiaries.

This is a sure way of making the men and heads of families lazier. Why should they work when they get doles as long as they are poor? If they earn a little more, the doles will stop.

It will also be a sure way to bloat the population. Why and how? That will be in the next column.

52 lawmakers sign vs. Aquino dole program

MANILA, Philippines – Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s signature to a manifesto opposing the allocation of P21.9 billion for conditional cash transfers (CCTs) has brought to 52 the number of congressmen who are against the dole program that Arroyo herself had initiated during her term.

The manifesto, drafted by militant partylist groups led by Bayan Muna, says the CCTs are “at the expense of more vital social and economic services.”

The budget for the CCTs is included in the P34.3 billion budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which will implement the program. The House of Representatives is currently deliberating on the budget of the agency.

Arroyo on Tuesday night took the floor and grilled the budget sponsor of the DSWD for three hours, questioning the department’s capacity to implement the program.
Several lawmakers said the CCT budget should instead be channeled to agencies that will make a long-term impact on the people.

“We hereby affirm our commitment to work for the realignment of funds from CCTs to our country's schools, hospitals, health centers, housing programs, agriculture and others that directly address the needs of the poor for jobs, livelihood and services,” the manifesto stated.
\
The signatories are:

Emil L. Ong, 2nd District, Northern Samar
Roger G. Mercado, Southern Leyte
Jane T. Castro, 2nd District, Capiz
Lani Mercado Revilla, 2nd Dist., Cavite
Leopoldo N. Bataoil, 2nd Dist., Pangasinan
Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa, Occidental Mindoro
Gloria M. Arroyo, 2nd Dist., Pampanga
F. Martin G. Romualdez, 1st Dist., Leyte
Aliah Dimaporo, 2nd Dist., Lanao del Norte
Simeon A. Datumanong, 2nd Dist., Maguindanao
Dato Arroyo, 2nd Dist., Camarines Sur
Edcel C. Lagman, 1st Dist., Albay
Aurelio Gonzales, 3rd Dist., Pampanga
Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo, 1st Dist., Lanao del Norte
Danilo Suarez, 3rd Dist., Quezon Province
Robert M. Estrella, Abono Partylist
Carlos M. Padilla, Nueva Vizcaya
Angelo B. Palmones, Agham Partylist
Rafael V. Mariano, Anakpawis Partylist
Antonio L. Tinio, ACT Teachers Partylist
Teddy A. Casino, Bayan Muna Partylist
Godofredo V. Arquiza, Senior Citizens Partylist
Emmi A. de Jesus, Gabriela Women’s Partylist
David Kho, Senior Citizens Partylist
Mark Aeron Sambar, PBA Partylist
Reena Concepcion G. Obillo, Una ang Pamilya Partylist
Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr., Abante Mindanao Partylist
Randolph Ting, 3rd Dist., Isabela
Neri Javier Colmenares, Bayan Muna Partylist
Allan Velasco, Marinduque
Mitos Magsaysay, 1st Dist, Zambales
Luis R. Villafuerte, 3rd Dist., Camarines Sur
Catalina G. Leonen-Pizarro, ABS Partylist
Antonio C. Alvarez, 1st Dist., Palawan
Luzviminda Ilagan, Gabriela Women’s Partylist
Arnulfo F. Go, 2nd Dist., Sultan Kudarat
Marc Cagas, 1st Dist., Davao del Sur
Neil Montejo, An Waray Partylist
Raymond Palatino, Kabataan Partylist
Juan Edgardo M. Angara, Aurora
Joseph Victor Ejercito, San Juan
Gabriel Quisumbing, 6th Dist., Cebu
Kimi S. Cojuangco, 5th Dist., Pangasinan
Pablo P. Garcia, 2nd Dist., Cebu
Julieta R. Cortuna, A-Teacher Partylist
Emmeline Y. Aglipay, DIWA Partylist
Mariano U. Piamonte, A-Teacher Partylist
Eulogio R. Magsaysay, AVE Party-list
Nancy Catamco, 2nd Dist., North Cotabato
Philip A. Pichay,1st Dist., Surigao del Sur
Teodorico T. Haresco, Kasangga Partylist
Jose R. Ping-ay, Coop-Natcco Partylist

Neda PEP projects use up 96% grant from Japanese government
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:16 Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter


THE National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) disclosed that its Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) projects have already used up 96 percent of the total grant under the RP-Japan Grant Assistance for Underprivileged Farmers, formerly known as the Kennedy Round 2 (KR2).

Neda OIC Director General Rolando Tungpalan, in his speech at the opening of the first Philippine-Japan KR2 Exhibit and International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) Knowledge and Learning Market, said the Neda has already used P262 million of the P273-million grant it received under the KR2 program.

The total funds, he said, are being used for 140 projects nationwide. Of these, 78 projects have been completed and the remaining 62 projects are in different stages of implementation.

The KR2 project is now called the Japanese government’s Food Security Project for Underprivileged Farmers (FSPUF).

The Neda uses 20 percent of FSPUF for its PEP. Launched in 2006, the PEP supports projects that apply best practices and new technologies, pilot-test new products, and promote innovative value-formation initiatives leading to enhanced productivity.

“For us in the development sector, we are all aware that in an environment where resources are limited and where competition for such resources is the rule, we can readily observe how the gap between the rich and the poor can work against development. The rich usually control the bigger parts of the resources, and the poor can have only the little that is left,” Tungpalan said.

“The [Neda PEP] is aware of this situation. It has, thus, been organized to help reverse this gap, particularly in the rural areas and at the community level, where available resources can be pooled and consequently be made more productive through proven development interventions,” he added.

The Philippine-Japan KR2 Exhibit had the theme “Shared Resources, Shared Development.” It aims to bring together project beneficiaries and development practitioners from the different parts of the country for them to share their experiences on successful sustainable development initiatives at the local level.

Included in the exhibit are projects supported by Ifad, the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the KR2 Projects implemented by the Neda and the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The KR2 grants are in the form of farm inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, machinery and other equipment) that are publicly bid in the local market. The proceeds are then used to fund innovative agriculture and environmental preservation projects at the local level.

FSPUF funds two separate programs by the Neda and DA-National Agricultural and Fishery Council. Since 1979, around 155 projects worth P7.146 billion were already supported by the FSPUF.

“People seeing results on the ground bring with them deeper understanding of community development. These are good stories to tell not only in the Philippines but hopefully to the rest of the Asian region,” Tungpalan said.

The exhibit’s opening was attended by officials from the Neda, Ifad, the Japanese Embassy, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the DA and the DAR.

The event also hosts policy and investment forums, with topics on innovative financing schemes, maximizing information and communication technology for rural productivity, the role of the youth in agriculture, among others.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/2432-neda-pep-projects-use-up-96-grant-from-japanese-government

Amendment sought to BOT rules to support public-private projects

AN AMENDMENT to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the current build-operate-transfer (BOT) law is necessary to help ensure the success of the government’s push for public-private partnerships (PPPs), an official of the state’s socioeconomic planning agency told reporters yesterday.

http://www.bworldonline.com/webpics/articles/image/2010101448787.jpg

Priority projects cannot wait for legislation. -- JLC

Republic Act No. 6975, the BOT law, did "not require a guarantee by the Government or by the government-owned or -controlled corporations," while RA 7718, which amended that law, provided that "any agency/LGU [local government unit] may accept unsolicited proposals on a negotiated basis provided that...no direct government guarantee, subsidy or equity is required."

"It’s better if we will have modifications [to this condition]," National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Deputy Director-General Nestor R. Mijares IV noted at the sidelines yesterday of the 36th Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the Manila Hotel.

Direct government guarantees assure creditors that, in the case of a loan default, the national government or any of its agencies will assume responsibility for the repayment of debt which the project proponent directly incurred in implementing the project.

Mr. Mijares added that the government has already received unsolicited proposals for some of the 10 PPP projects slated to start next year. The government is expected to unveil a longer list of about 71 projects during an investment summit scheduled next month.

Asked why NEDA, which is overseeing the PPP thrust, is pushing for changes only in the IRR and not in the law itself, Deputy Director General Augusto B. Santos said in a separate phone interview that the urgency of this effort -- which is instrumental to enabling the government to cut poverty levels by the end of the term of the current administration in 2016 -- necessitates a faster recourse other than legislation.

"Substantial improvements can be achieved by just amending the IRR," Mr. Santos said. "Also, amending a law requires legislation, which takes time."

Trade Secretary Gregory L. Domingo also said at the conference that Cabinet members are now studying possible policies and measures to minimize risks private sector players have to incur when they get into infrastructure projects with the government.

"[We hope to have] an agreement where there will be more sharing of risk such as where [toll and train] fares are concerned," Mr. Domingo said. "It will make it more palatable for the private sector."

"We would like to minimize political risk," he later told reporters at the sidelines, referring to populist pressures on government to keep public fees for utilities low despite agreements with contractors that assure a certain level of investment returns.

"We’d like to figure out how that can be done," Mr. Domingo said.

Analysts have said that one of the best incentives the government can offer to lure the needed private funds to PPP projects is to assure an acceptable return on investments, more than anything else.

Mr. Mijares said the government will also have to be transparent in clarifying possible risks for investors, while removing unpredictability in the business environment and reducing the cost of doing business in the country. -- Jo Javan A. Cerda


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=19555

P4-B Infrastructure Fund for Use of ARCs
By CHINO S. LEYCO
October 16, 2010, 6:44pm

MANILA, Philippines – Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad clarified that Akbayan! Citizen’s Action Party did not lobby for a P4-billion infrastructure fund for agrarian reform communities (ARCs), but introduced a special provision to ensure that this fund will indeed be used for ARCs.

In a statement, Abad explained that the P4.05-billion fund pertains to the “Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo” program that was originally lodged with the budget of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

The budget was transferred to the budget of the Department of Public Works (DPWH) and Highways in 2011.

“In implementing the Zero-Based Budgeting approach, we determined that this program would be best implemented by the DPWH. We also wanted the DAR to focus on its land tenure mandates,” Abad said.

“However, concerns were raised by our House members that this fund might be used for purposes other than for the benefit of ARCs. We recognized these concerns, and we agreed to put in place a special provision saying this fund will be used exclusively for ARCs,” he stressed.

Abad said it was House Appropriations Vice Chairperson Representative Anna York Bondoc of fourth district of Pampanga and Akbayan! Representative Kaka Bag-ao who raised this concern.

He said it was Bag-ao who drafted and introduced the special provision into the General Appropriations Bill.

The Tulay ng Pangulo para sa Kaunlarang Pang-Agraryo in 2011 amounts to P4.05 billion, bulk of which is funded by a French Loan worth P4.04 billion, and with the government providing counterpart funding of P12 million. In 2010, this project amounts to P4.457 billion, or P4.037 billion French loan and P419.5 million counterpart.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/282527/p4b-infrastructure-fund-use-arcs

Maasim Skilled Workers Gain Training, TESDA Certification
October 18, 2010, 6:19pm

MAASIM, Sarangani (PIA) – The 25 participants from the villages of Poblacion, Malbang, Kanalo, Lumasal, Amsipit, and Lumatil are now TESDA-certified skilled workers who completed the three-day basic skills training in carpentry, masonry, and plumbing through a program of the Kalahi-CIDSS implemented by DSWD and held in Barangay Colon here over the weekend.

“I would like to congratulate the participants who passed the training,” said Mayor Jose Zamorro.

Kalahi-CIDSS is the national government’s flagship poverty alleviation project which stands for Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay through the financial support of the World Bank (WB).

“The program really aims to encourage these indigents to become more productive, Ang training na ito will be beneficial especially to skilled workers of Maasim to gain employment opportunities,” Kalahi-CIDSS area coordinator Abdullah Lilangan emphasized.

Of the projects being implemented, basic social service facilities such as water system, school building, day-care centers and health stations top the list.

“Sa aking pagkakaalam, may malalaking industrial company na papasok dito sa Maasim, isa na rito ang Conal Holdings Corporation.

Through this training, kakailanganin talaga ang kanilang mga skills,” said municipal engineer Elisio Diola II.

“I would like to thank Mayor Zamorro for being supportive to the implemented program of the DSWD.

He understands the situation of our community that is why all out ang support niya dahil nakikita niya na kailangan talaga dito sa Maasim ang mga ganitong programa,” said municipal social welfare and development officer Malou Busano.

The Kalahi-CIDSS project follows the Community-Driven Development (CCD) model designed to mobilize the capacity of the local people to analyze their own need, manage resources, and implement appropriate interventions.

CCD employs strategies that development priorities are addressed in a participatory, collective and inclusive decision-making.

In Kalaji-CIDSS, control over resources is in the hands of the poor.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/282897/maasim-skilled-workers-gain-training-tesda-certification

Telemedicine, agri remote-sensing, electric cars top 2011 priority projects
Monday, 25 October 2010 13:07 Butch Fernandez / Reporter


TELEMEDICINE, remote-sensing for agriculture, electronic vehicles and green transport, as well as disaster science, topped the list of priority projects lined up for 2011 by the two chairmen of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (Comste).

In a joint statement, Sen. Edgardo Angara and Rep. Joseph affirmed that the Disaster Science Project will upgrade the current capabilities of the government to forecast weather and send out reliable warnings in order to prepare affected barangays against disastrous events, and later rehabilitate ravaged regions.

The lawmakers also acknowledged the value of information and communications technology (ICT), affirming Congress’s commitment “to further revolutionize delivery of basic-health services to remote areas through telemedicine which allows physicians to do remote diagnosis of patients in far-flung areas underserved by traditional medical care.”

Angara added that telemedicine, besides improving basic health-care services in remote areas, would create the foundation for digital medical records. He explained that by collecting data from patients all over the country, “transitioning to a digital-medical record system will become easier.”

In pursuing efforts to improve the existing agriculture system, the senator is pressing for early implementation of Remote-Sensing for Agriculture Project, which uses ICT to provide farmers with the latest market data on agriculture.

According to Angara, “competitive agriculture means efficiently growing high-value crops, using remote sensing to anticipate heavy rains or drought, understanding the effects of climate change and pollution on productivity, and having an integrated view of the logistics of produce delivery to the market.”

He said the congressional commission is also working to frontload the Electronic Vehicles and Green Transport expected to “hugely benefit tourism, renewable energy, and electronics industries.”

At the same time, the senator noted that electric vehicles are viewed as “the technology of the future; being one of the first to actually adopt the technology, this industry could open up a big export market for the country. Green transport solutions also take advantage of using waste-to-energy technologies to fuel e-vehicles.”


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/2918-telemedicine-agri-remote-sensing-electric-cars-top-2011-priority-projects

More basic goods at 5-percent discount for senior citizens
Monday, 25 October 2010 13:34 Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter


THE government expanded the list of food and basic items which senior citizens can buy at 5-percent discount in accordance with the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 or Republic Act (RA) 9994.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade Industry signed a joint administrative order (JAO) to implement the provisions of the new law.

More than 20 items were added to the original list under the old law (RA 9257 of 2003), which previously covered basic items like rice, corn, fresh and dried fish, fresh eggs, fresh vegetables, root crops, salt, firewood, charcoal and candles.

The additional prime commodities under RA 9994 are fresh fruits, flour, certain dairy products, onions, garlic, geriatric diapers, herbicides, poultry, swine, and cattle feed; veterinary products for poultry, swine and cattle; construction materials, such as nipa shingle, plyboard, nails, steel wires, electrical supplies, light bulbs and batteries.

Each senior citizen can enjoy the 5-percent discount on food and prime commodities. Processed food and prime commodities added to the expanded list that are usually subjected to the 12-percent value-added tax (VAT) would still be subjected to the tax.

For instance, if a senior citizen buys processed-food products, such as canned tuna and noodles and construction materials, such as plyboard covered by the 5-percent discount, these purchases will still be subjected to the 12-percent VAT.

This provision, the DA noted, is indicated in the implementing rules of the new law

The new law says a senior citizen should not buy more than P1,300 per week of the food and basic commodities covered by the 5-percent discount

Also, the total amount should be spent on at least four items. The unused amount per week cannot be carried over to the following week’s purchase

As previously practiced, senior citizens can only avail themselves of discounts if they present their respective purchase booklet issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs.

In case a senior citizen cannot personally go to store due to physical ailment or illness, his/her representative should present a valid government-issued identification, the senior citizen’s PB, and an authorization letter.

Should stores, supermarkets or retailers have ongoing promotional offer, senior citizens can opt to either avail themselves of the store’s promo or the 5-percent discount, whichever is higher.

A retailer is defined as any natural or juridical person engaged in the business of selling consumer products directly to consumers, such as supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience and miniconvenience stores and shops.

Other retailers are exempted from granting the 5-percent discount. These include stalls in food courts, food carts, food vendors and sari-sari stores with a capitalization of less than P100,000, public and private wet markets, talipapa and cooperative stores.

The 16 basic necessities covered under RA 9994 are: rice, corn, bread (excluding pastries and cakes), fresh, dried, canned fish; other marine products, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat; fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk; fresh vegetables, including root crops; coffee, and coffee creamer; sugar, cooking oil, salt, powdered, liquid, bar laundry and detergent soaps; firewood, charcoal and candles.

Those considered as prime commodities are: fresh fruits, flour, dried, processed and canned pork, beef, poultry meat, dairy products, not falling under Sec. 2 of basic necessities; canned sardines and tuna, noodles, onion, garlic, geriatric diapers, herbicides, poultry, swine, and cattle feeds; veterinary products for poultry, swine, and cattle; nipa shingle, plyboard and construction nails; batteries, electrical supplies and light bulbs and steel wire.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/economy/2928-more-basic-goods-at-5-percent-discount-for-senior-citizens

JFC bares ‘7 winners’ proposals

Thursday, 28 October 2010 13:44
Max V. de Leon / Reporter
Business Mirror



THE Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC), through its industry champions, presented a snapshot of its 400-page recommendations for the seven winning sectors that it believes can deliver to the country $75 billion in foreign direct investments (FDI) and generate 10 million jobs in 10 years.

“It is basically finished already and, at the moment, we are writing the executive summary. I think it will be around 410 pages and should be out by the second week of December,” Henry Schumacher, executive vice president of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), said after the presentation of the “Outlook Philippines 2011: Seven Big Winners” at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

Schumacher said it is important that the government start working on their recommendations beginning January 2011, especially with the investors in China now looking for alternative destinations, and countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh already positioning themselves to get these FDI.

The seven winning sectors identified by JFC are agribusiness, business-process outsourcing (BPO) and creative industries, infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, power and tourism. Public-private partnership (PPP) was added as an enabler.

Roberto Amores, president of the Philippine Food Processors & Exporters Organization, said the desired reforms for agribusiness include improved credit access for micro-, small- and medium-size entrepreneurs; adequate budget to fully implement the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act; removal of duties on raw-material inputs; restoration of sugar allocation for direct and indirect export-based food processors; more transparent rules and procedures to reduce the cost of doing business; and establishment of analytical and testing laboratories in strategic areas that are internationally accepted.

For information technology-BPO, Oscar Sanez, president and CEO of the Business Process Association of the Philippines, said they need the creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology; amendments to the Labor Code; a law promoting data privacy; funding support for global-awareness campaign on the Philippines as a center of excellence; policy and resource support to maintain tax-incentive regime; and significantly improve the country’s educational system.

For power, Daniel Chalmers, chairman and CEO of GNPower, said they are pushing the government to be more aggressive in promoting the open access and retail competition, and in encouraging private investors for additional capacity to support demand growth, and create stability both in the grid and in the market.

To improve the country’s ground infrastructure, the government should speed up the right-of-way process in the regulatory, legal and budgetary aspects, according to Ramoncito Fernandez, president and CEO of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. There should also be access to long-term capital and unified standards for electronic access and ticketing.

For manufacturing, American Chamber of Commerce senior adviser John Forbes said the following are imperative: an industrial master plan; better understanding and use of opportunities presented by free-trade agreements (FTAs), diversification of exports, positioning of the Philippines as an alternative to China, reduction of business costs (corruption, electricity, holidays, labor, red tape, transport); a Philippine branding campaign for the Filipino workers; and engagement in more FTAs.

For mining, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines president Philip Romualdez seeks the resolution of all gaps between national and local government policies in the development of mineral resources, stable investment environment, and transparency and good governance to reduce the cost of doing business.

Jojo Clemente, president of Worldwalker Destinations, listed these reforms for tourism; more resources allocated to tourism, creation of a lasting brand for the Philippines; continued infrastructure development and upgrade of existing facilities; transformation of provinces into potential tourist destinations; increased accessibility; upgrade of skills of tourism industry workers; and the development of Mindanao as another major tourist attraction.

As for PPP, Jon Lindborg, PPP advisor of the Asian Development Bank, said the government should focus on developing a small number of doable and bankable projects, first, to build credibility with the private sector. Domestic and international investors should be mobilized; then the government must ensure a level playing field, bring in world-class technology and management; and address the enabling environment issues.

When asked to trim down further all the recommendations, the industry champions named one each: Open skies, shortlist of doable projects for PPP, right-of-way acquisition, educational reform, redefining of mindset and understand mining, clean and orderly road network and postharvest facilities, and a really good and well-thought-out economic policies.

The JFC will be presenting these policy recommendations to President Aquino once completed.


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Gov’t to craft national security plan

THE GOVERNMENT will craft a six-year national security policy that will serve as a guide for security-related initiatives in both the public and private sectors.

President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has issued Memorandum Order 6 dated Oct. 21 directing the National Security Adviser to spearhead the formulation of the national security policy and strategy for 2010-2016.

The national security policy will focus on four key elements namely governance, delivery of basic services, economic reconstruction and sustainable development and security sector reform.

“There is a need to ensure that the country’s national security policy and national security strategy for the period 2010-206 is responsive and complementary to the country’s developmental goals and objectives,” Mr. Aquino said in the order.

The national security policy will be submitted to the security Cabinet cluster not later than Nov. 30 for coordination and integration at the national and regional levels while the deadline for the national security strategy is on April 30 next year. -- Ana Mae G. Roa


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=20338

Computerization to eradicate persistent problem of fake land titles
By Rainier Allan Ronda (The Philippine Star) Updated November 02, 2010 12:00 AM Comments (4) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - The full computerization of the country’s land registration system under the ongoing Land Titling Computerization Project (LTCP) of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) is expected to finally solve the problem of fake land titles.

This was the consensus of stakeholders from the land and property industry, including banks, that gathered in a Land Registration Summit conducted to tackle the persistent problem of the proliferation of fake titles and to press the call for a faster, more efficient, and secure land registration process.

Carrying the theme “Challenges in Transition: Technology and Re-engineered Business Processes”, the summit was held to initiate cooperation among various interest groups such as banking industry, realtors’ associations, the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG, the LRA and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and to provide a venue for all concerned to raise and settle legitimate issues.

Keynoting the summit was LRA administrator Eulalio Diaz III who said the conference was vital in their bid to get industry support for the LTCP.

Diaz said the summit was a perfect example of public-private partnership.

The LRA chief said representatives from various sectors should regularly meet to make sure that the industry can give the necessary support and monitoring.

Diaz also revealed that the computerization of the LRA was within schedule and that most of the woes plaguing the land registration process would soon be eradicated. 

During the summit, LRA deputy administrator Ofelia Abueg-Sta. Maria also outlined the present and the future of the LRA, highlighting the gains made with the computerization of the land agency.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, who was the summit guest of honor, called for the speedy completion of the LCTP to curb fake and spurious titling. Gracing the affair was DENR Secretary Ramon Paje who gave a message on the need of the LRA to automate. 

HACCP boosts food firms’ prospects

MINDANAO-BASED FOOD companies, including fruit and seafood processors, are doubling efforts to obtain HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control point) certification that will provide competitive edge in the international market, according to a statement issued by a US-funded agriculture program.

"The global market is demanding in terms of food safety," Jonathan Godoy, vice-president of BG Fruits and Nuts Manufacturing Corp., was quoted as saying in the statement issued by the Growth for Equity in Mindanao (GEM), a program sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development.

BG Fruits and Nuts exports banana chips. HACCP certification is a basic requirement for entering the US and European food markets.

BG Fruits and Nuts, Snapsnax Food Ventures, Four Seasons Fruit Corp., Soyuz Foods International Corp., Motherland Food Products and Prime Xynergies Foods, are among the Mindanao companies seeking to comply with HACCP sanitary and phytosanitary standards, according to the statement.

The six companies, all small-to-medium enterprises, are receiving assistance from GEM in developing systems and procedures for HACCP compliance, and in arranging for audit by an internationally recognized third-party certifying agency.

"If you aren’t HACCP-certified, foreign buyers won’t even consider your letter of introduction and offer unless they are in great need of your product," Marilou Fernandez, sales and marketing director of KF Nutri Foods International, Inc., was quoted as saying in the statement.

"And even then, you would have to set your selling price well below that of their existing suppliers."

KF Nutri Foods was first in the group of Mindanao firms assisted by GEM to obtain HACCP certification.

"When I introduce our company and say that we are certified, buyers immediately ask for a quotation," said Ms. Fernandez. "With HACCP you feel right away that they have confidence in your company."

The cost of acquiring certification can be substantial, depending on the changes each company has to make. These may include renovating or adding buildings, reconfiguring assembly lines, buying equipment, training workers and introducing documentation and monitoring systems.

"We had to renovate the factory and provide staff training. During the first week, staff had a hard time with the manuals, said BG Fruits and Nuts’ Mr. Godoy. "But the result was that each worker’s role is defined much more clearly, making production more systematic and efficient."

"For HACCP, workers have to learn discipline with regard to the simplest matters, such as wearing hairnets and washing hands properly," said Ms. Fernandez.

Despite the cost of accreditation, officials of companies that have undergone the process said investment in HACCP is worth pursuing.

Such was the case of KF Nutri Foods. Ms. Fernandez said the company’s HACCP certification helped raise sales of banana chips by 20%.

"It gave us a competitive edge, globally," she said.

For her part, Helen del Rosario, general manager of Soyuz Foods, which exports processed calamansi, advises food companies to start developing a HACCP-oriented mindset.

"So that when you take the step of acquiring certification, it will be easy to adjust to HACCP," she was quoted as saying in the same statement.


http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=20577

Solons want 4 more conditions for CCT
By CHARISSA M. LUCI
November 4, 2010, 10:44am

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers want to set four more “environment-friendly” conditions to poor families who want to qualify as beneficiaries of the government’s P21-billion conditional cash transfer (CCT) program.

Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao, Inc. Representative Maximo Rodriguez Jr. filed House Bill 3486, which establishes the nine-point conditions to be met by potential recipients of the CCT, more commonly called the 4Ps or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

At present, the program adopted by President Benigno S. Aquino III from his predecessor, former President-turned-Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, covers 1 million poor households in 17 regions of the country.

Under the bill, the additional conditions set are families must maintain cleanliness in their surroundings and must not throw or dispose garbage in their backyards and front yards; they must not throw their garbage in sewers, rivers, creeks, and other bodies of water; they must plant trees in their surroundings; and they must assist, help or volunteer in bayanihan works in their barangays.

“In order to be qualified to be a beneficiary of the 4Ps, certain conditions must be complied with. These conditions were imposed by the DSWD. This bill, therefore, seeks to strengthen these conditions and provide for additional conditions to be complied with before families can benefit from the 4Ps,” the lawmakers said.

Under the subsidy program, as much as P1,400 is allocated to a household-beneficiary who has a maximum of three children. That includes P500 per month for nutrition and health expenses.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/285792/solons-want-4-more-conditions-cct

SSS short-term loans surpass 10% limit :ohno:

Manila Bulletin Online
By CHINO S. LEYCO
November 5, 2010, 6:07pm

Manila, Philippines - State-run Social Security System (SSS) announced yesterday that it has already exceeded the short-term loanable funds limit this year due to low repayment rate of member-borrowers.

Data from the pension fund showed that P44.8 billion or about 17 percent of the P271 billion investment reserve fund of SSS are placed in short-term loans, while unpaid short-term loans of members amount to about P28 billion.

Emilio de Quiros Jr., SSS president and chief executive acknowledged that the agency exceeded the 10 percent ceiling for short-term loans because of the low repayment rate of member-borrowers

But de Quiros assured that there are current efforts to collect these delinquent loans so that the institution could comply with the charter limit of only 10 percent.

“We have a huge delinquency in short-term loans,” de Quiros said.

Meanwhile, he also assured SSS members who were affected by super typhoon Juan, which devastated large parts of Luzon in October, can avail of the agency’s salary and house repair loan programs to help them cope with the effects of the disaster.

“Those affected by the recent typhoon can still avail of salary and house repair loans,” he said.

SSS grants salary loans of up to P24,000 to members with a minimum of 36 contributions, at least six of which must be within the last 12 months.

Active members with at least 12 months continuous contributions or a minimum total of 24 monthly premium can also borrow up to P300,000 under the house repair loan program, which is payable for up to 20 years.

The SSS suspended its calamity loan program in 2000 after it breached the 10 percent limit as provided by the Social Security Law of 1997. A review is being undertaken to evaluate options to extend loans to members in calamity areas while complying with the mandate on short-term loan ceilings.

Super typhoon Juan, which carried winds with a speed of up to 225 kilometers per hour, entered the country on October 18 and affected nearly 2 million people or about 400,000 families in 23 provinces. The total damage was estimated at P8.3 billion.

DOLE pushing for Pinoy ‘knowledge workers’


Saturday, 06 November 2010 00:00

BY JOMAR CANLAS REPORTER

THE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) are now pushing in for Filipinos who are “knowledge workers rather than mere manual workers.” According to Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, this type of work is what Filipino workers should expect in the future.

“Knowledge workers are in. Mere employment is not enough. Employability is desired.

Trainable—not trained—recruits are needed. Life-long learning, not stagnant teaching, will drive new economies. Traditional jobs will have few takers; green jobs will flourish. Education for skill development and citizenship will be the norm, not education for personal fortune acquisition,” she said.

“The 21st century belongs to workers who possess HOTS, or ‘higher order thinking skills,’ and Filipino workers should aspire to have HOTS for them to become sustainably competitive and productive,” it was pointed out.

“HOT skills include critical and creative thinking, innovation and problem solving,” she added.

Baldoz said what the new Filipino workers should possess are cross-disciplinary knowledge, better communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work in teams, strong commitment and sense of personal responsibility, attention to detail; and must be flexible, highly-motivated, creative and self-adjusting.

She also said that even in education and training, learning and skills should be imparted in an innovative way.

“The challenges of the changing world of work are enormous, so much so that there is a need for Filipino workers now to change their outlook and ways of doing things to be able to face up to the challenges,” she said.

Pointing to the problem of jobs and skills mismatch, Baldoz said that that they have enough bases for its causes—such as inadequate market intelligence, nonresponsive training programs and inadequate investment on education resulting to poor quality of graduates.

She, however, believes that there is more to be done to address these problems—such as improving the quality of education and training, institutionalizing an effective assessment and certification system, making accessible and relevant technical and vocational education to a large number of the work force and delivering labor market information to the grassroots level in real time.

The Labor chief said that the Labor department’s Project Jobs Fit 2020—a market signaling activity, which aims to point the way to workers on what are the in-demand occupations in the next 10 years and the key employment generators—should influence students on what courses to take in colleges and universities.

The department, she said, is already bringing down these “signals” to the grassroots by working with the guidance counselors’ network in the country so that high school students can be informed and, thus, make correct career decisions.

Baldoz stressed that one of the reforms the department is pursuing is the creation of an integrated data warehouse by reengineering the PhilJobnet, the online government portal for jobs and skills matching being used by employers and jobseekers nationwide.

“The PhilJobnet will be transformed into an Integrated Human Resource Data Warehouse of labor supply information from the Bureau of Local Employment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the Professional Regulation Commission, the Maritime Training Councils, and the National Maritime Polytechnic,” Baldoz explained.

The data warehouse—as a repository of information on skills certification and accreditation, licensure, and local and overseas employment data—will be enhanced by the National Skills Registry System (SRS). The SRS will be pilot tested in 39 local governments this November.

“The balancing act will require labor supply to be market-driven to meet specific market requirements, to be capable of driving the market to attract investors. And this balance can only be attained through real time delivery of real quality workers in ideal quantities,” she explained.


http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/nation/31553-dole-pushing-for-pinoy-knowledge-workers

Tesda inaugurates two new training institutes in Catanduanes

Saturday, 06 November 2010 00:00

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and Catanduanes local government have joined forces to address the problem of “out-migration” in the province with today’s inauguration of two technical vocational training centers in Pandan and Viga municipalities. Tesda Director General Joel Villanueva led the opening of one of the two training centers, which now makes Bicol as the region with the most number of Tesda Training Institutes nationwide.

The Bicol Region now has a total of 13 TesdaTraining Institutions while Central Luzon and Central Visayas has 12 Tesda Training Institutions each.

“I was informed that the province of Catanduanes is an out-migration area. Meaning, people are going out to look for employment and other opportunities outside the province. This is understandable since the province is an island and no industries are being established here simply because of the danger of nature, particularly typhoons,” Villanueva said.

“But this will not deter us from planting ‘seeds of greatness’ through human development. The world is our labor market and we can produce world-class workers through quality technical-vocation education and training intervention,” he said.

The newlyopened training center in Viga is named PAVIBA Training Center. It was erected in a lot donated by the Solid Future Foundation Inc. under the chairmanship of architect Enrique Olonan.

Besides the residents of Viga, the people in the municipalities of Pandan and Bagamoc will also benefit from the two training centers, said the Tesda chief.

He said the construction of the training centers was made possible through the funding support of the office of House Minority leader and Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, apparently setting aside political lines. The training centers, however, will be under the management of Tesda.

The establishment of the training centers was also because of the concerted efforts of the office of Gov. Joseph Cua of Catanduanes, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, as well as local executives of municipalities of Pandan, Viga and Bagamoc.

Villanueva also cited Rep. Cesar Sarmiento of Catanduanes for possible future budgetary support to sustain the operation of the centers.

“Tesda cannot do it alone; we need partners and allies especially the participation of private sector to help us attain the vision we want to achieve for all Filipinos—a better quality of life for everyone, living in peace and harmony with our brother and sisters,” Villanueva told the audience at the inauguration of the PAVIBA Training Center in Viga muncipality.

“This project is a true symbol of partnership in action,” he added.

But Villanueva admitted that as the prime mover for the training of middle-level manpower, Tesda is faced with a great challenge “at this time and in the future with the rising number of young population, rising cost of education, and limited national budget.”

Thus, he said, the agency has to employ a strategic response to meet the evolving demands as well as meet the growth target that the Aquino administration has to achieve.


http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/31589-tesda-inaugurates-two-new-training-institutes-in-catanduanes

DTI tightens noose on franchising business


Monday, 22 November 2010 00:00

BY BEN ARNOLD O. DE VERA REPORTER

FRANCHISING associations would have to get accreditation from the government before their members seal deals with prospective franchisees, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Trade Regulation and Consumer Protection (DTI-BTRCP) said. Under Bureau Order No. 10-24 or “Advisory on Due Diligence to be Undertaken by a Prospective Franchisee,” DTI-BTRCP would come up with a data bank of legitimate franchisors’ groups nationwide.

Thus associations should submit to the bureau a certified true copy of their articles of incorporation and by-laws; a current certified true copy of a certificate of good standing from the Securities and Exchange Commission; an updated list of trustees, officers and members of the organization, including their addresses; and other pertinent documents such as by-laws and code of ethics and standards.

“This Advisory aims to promote and encourage the franchise industry to self-police its own ranks by setting a Code of Ethics and Standards for grievance or dispute resolution mechanism to redress complaints against its members, including issues arising from any transactions with their franchisees, prospective or otherwise,” the order that was issued last week read.


http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/business-columns/32742-dti-tightens-noose-on-franchising-business

Ilocos Norte wants boat builders to get full accreditation
Tuesday, 23 November 2010 19:19 Leilani G. Adriano / Correspondent


LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—The number of boat builders in this province is not that high but they need to be accredited to upgrade their skills and increase their competency in boat-building industry.

In a public hearing held at the Ilocos Norte provincial board recently, a boat-building institution has been proposed through a draft ordinance sponsored by lawyer and provincial board member Juan Conrado Respicio III. 

Draft provincial ordinance 2010-08-008 is meant to give authority to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to accredit boat builders here.

Boat building in Ilocos Norte is considered as a home industry with the coastal towns of Badoc, Currimao and Pasuquin having more than 10 boat makers who may have acquired their skills from their forefathers.

To standardize the industry and increase their competency level, Arthur Valente, in his capacity as fishery regulatory officer of the Provincial Agriculture Office, said boat building should be institutionalized to prevent maritime hazards and have a standard specification as to the design, size, weight and color which is vital in boat registration, a major concern among local government units.

Valente said some Ilocos fishers have been ordering and buying their motorized fishing boats costing between P80,000 and P150,000 from accredited boat builders in the neighboring provinces.

Once accredited, boat builders have to undergo proper training from Tesda with the hope that they will have a better chance of selling their products at a higher price and for them to acquire license for the mastery of their craft. 

Boat builders who attended the public hearing, however, were hesitant to accept the ordinance. They expressed concern that the proposed measure may limit their rights if they are not a member of the institution or it may restrain them from practicing their craft if they are not duly accredited by a concerned government agency.


http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/4103-ilocos-norte-wants-boat-builders-to-get-full-accreditation

'Buy Pinoy' exporters’ fair slated
By MIKE U. CRISMUNDO and PIA
November 23, 2010, 8:33pm

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – More Filipinos, especially those in the countryside, are encouraged to be entrepreneurs to create additional jobs and thus help reduce poverty in the country.

Marlane Villa-Real, president of Buy Pinoy Movement Foundation Inc. (BPMFI), said the organizers of the 20th Buy Exporters’ Fair slated from Nov. 25 to 28, 2010 at the Megatrade Hall 2 of SM Megamall has invited local government officials, and employees to participate in the event so they could appreciate first-hand what local entrepreneurship can do to their respective localities.

Villa-Real said that for the past eight years, the fair, held twice a year, had been providing beacons of hope to the poor countrymen by showing them tangible proof of products of Filipino originality, artistry, craftsmanship and industry that had been in ever growing demand in the world market.

She particularly cited the Bicol entrepreneurs who have been most active and dynamic participants from the time the Buy Pinoy fair started.

“We believe that given widest support, production such as these could be the Filipinos’ ticket out of poverty without going abroad to leave their families,” she said in a letter to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo.

To develop more entrepreneurs in the country, teachers, children and the youth are likewise asked to participate in the event.

The BPMFI believes that by creating public awareness through actual exposure with export products that are in demand worldwide, the Filipinos through entrepreneurship can have a brighter future if everyone works together.

Leonor D. Abella, vice president for promotions of the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PhilExport) and trustee of the BPMFI, said that apart from job generation, skills upgrading, training and continuing practice provided by the small and medium enterprises are also important in a sustainable anti-poverty program.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/289173/buy-pinoy-exporters-fair-slated

TESDA vows improved tech-voc education
By INA HERNANDO MALIPOT
December 28, 2010, 5:18pm

MANILA, Philippines — For the year 2011, the Technical Education and Skills Development Agency (TESDA) vowed to further improve the state of technical-vocation (tech-voc) education in the country by recommending the closure of training schools that offer programs not registered with TESDA, providing training to its scholars and continuous certification of applicants.

TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva vowed to continue the agency’s fight against tech-voc schools that offer substandard courses and trainers. “Last October, we have identified six schools that face closure for operating without accreditation,” he said.

Two schools in Valenzuela and Quezon City have already been closed as per Villanueva’s recommendation for offering courses not registered with TESDA while the four others are still under investigation.

Villanueva said the agency is also looking forward to more trainings conducted to its scholars and more certified applicants for next year. For 2010, TESDA has conducted trainings to more than 200,000 scholars and has already certified more than 100,000 applicants.

“Despite corruption allegations during the past administration, we have conducted trainings to 181,433 land-based/sea-based scholars, more than twice of our 84,200 target and 30,960 in TESDA technical institutions, which surpassed its 20,000 commitment,” he said.

Villanueva said TESDA has also forged partnerships with more than 22 industry and other sectoral groups in ICT, construction, electronics, tourism/HRM, automotive, maritime, haircutting and cosmetology for the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP).

In 2010, Villanueva has worked for the restoration of the P700-million budget for the agency’s TWSP, which was initially reduced to P350 million; and caused the review and refinements of the TWSP to ensure that targeted increase in absorption rate will be met in a well-planned and systematic manner.

“We have also set an outcome-based direction for the TESDA Central Office and Field Office operations, where before, according to Villanueva, there was some tentativeness in pursuing job absorption of TVET graduates as a measure of corporate performance,” he said.

Come 2011, Villanueva vowed to strengthen programs to enable TESDA to attain its goals, which include the Community-based Training in Enterprise Development; Community Emergency Employment Program (CEEP); Technopreneurship Program; Philippine National Qualification Framework (PNQF); Nationally-Synchronized Assessment; Manpower Skills Registry Program; Labor Market Signaling System; ULI-based Learner Tracking and Graduate Destination Survey; TESDA Development Fund Operationalization and Management; and Moral Recovery and Integrity Development Action Plan Program, among others.

“The road to reform and progress might be long and winding but the agency’s goals for a ‘Real Deal’ technical and skills training and enhancement remain right on track,” he said.

Villanueva said the ‘Real Deal’ platform has made clear the new leadership’s resolve to immediately double the absorption rate of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) graduates from the 28 percent baseline established by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for TWSP scholars by the end of 2011.

He said TESDA will continue to position TVET as a high priority area for investment in the Aquino administration. “And so, we have identified priority intervention areas that we must address under the New TESDA’s ‘Real Deal’ technical education and skills development (TESD) Stewardship Platform,” said Villanueva.

Under this governance policy, Villanueva said TESDA will continue to exercise the highest level of stewardship in middle-level skills development in the country, ensuring that those who live in the grassroots are given optimal value for the public funds expended to it by the government and even its well-meaning partners from the public and private sectors.


http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/295245/tesda-vows-improved-techvoc-education

TESDA starts training bus drivers
By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star) Updated January 17, 2011 12:00 AM Comments (3) View comments

MANILA, Philippines - Thirty bus drivers are set to start training today in safe and friendly driving, the Technical Educations and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said yesterday.

TESDA director general Joel Villanueva said the six-day free training program would be done in two stages: the first to focus on safe, economical and environment-friendly driving; the second stage will enable them to train other drivers.

“This is the initial batch of prospective trainers who will be trained and assessed by TESDA to become trainers and assessors of PUB drivers. They will be the ones who would train and assess the other drivers,” he said.

According to Villanueva, the first training participants are among the country’s most qualified drivers and nominated by the bus operators to assist TESDA in identifying bus drivers eligible for certification.

The bus drivers, who are from the National Capital Region and Southern Tagalog, are all holders of a professional driver’s license and have a minimum of one year’s experience in driving bus and straight trucks.

According to TESDA, the program is in preparation for the implementation of a new directive from the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) requiring all PUB drivers to be certified by 2013.

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All images and news items/articles posted without proper sourcing or linking will be subject for deletion.

Palace releases EO to standardize pay, perks in GOCCs, GFIs

abs-cbnNEWS.com

MANILA, Philippines - Almost 7 months after President Aquino raised the issue of fat paychecks and excessive benefits received by some state-owned and controlled entities, Malacañang issued on Friday an executive order limiting financial rewards received by board members of these firms.

President Aquino signed Executive Order No. 24 on Thursday "to address deep concerns on the excessive and unreasonable pay and perks received by board members and trustees of GOCCs and GFIs (government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financial institutions),"according to a statement issued by Malacañang..

The EO standardizes the salaries and bonuses of directors in the board of these companies.

During his first State of the Nation Address last July 2010, President Aquino cited massive amounts received by board directors of state-run firms, including the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), and vowed to implement reforms.

The review of performance and mandates was also one of his campaign promises.

Excessive pay, according to the Friday statement, "unnecessarily depleted government funds and caused demoralization within the bureaucracy."

Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr said that the EO provide policies that set salaries, per diems, allowances, bonuses, incentives and other benefits "to a level that is reasonable, justifiable and appropriate."

Bonuses

The EO covers only the board members and directors of GOCCs and GFIs and the compensation received by these individuals or the GOCC representatives who sit in the boards of private corporations.

The government, usually through these state-run entities, have legacy stakes in some private corporations. For example, Romulo Neri who used to be the head of state-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS), sat on the board of Philex Mining, Union Bank of the Philippines, among others, and received compensation for it.

Most GOCCs and GFIs have obtained legislative nod to exempt their directors and management executives from the Salary Standardization Law, which applies to all government officials. The exemptions were supposed to help attract skilled and qualified individuals to serve in government since low pay has become a stumbling block in attracting talent.

However, some abuses have taken over. It was found that some directors of water regulator MWSS earned bonuses equivalent to 25 months. In his 2010 SONA, President Aquino cited the P2.5 million annual bonuses the MWSS directors were receiving.

The EO aims to cap these annual bonuses to just up to 50% of the directors' annual compensation. The maximum performance-based incentives will also be dependent on the size of the GOCC or GFI.

It also applies the "principle of equal pay for work of equal value" since the director would receive a bonus commensurate to his and the entity's outstanding performance.

Taking into consideration the size, strategic positioning, nature of operations and financial capability of the GOCC or GFI is "consistent with the pay practices in public and private corporations," the statement noted.

Some of the GOCCs are in the red for years.

Expenses

The EO also set policies and guidelines for reimbursable expenses.

Only official functions, however, can be considered as reimbursable expenses. These include

transportation going to and from the place of meetings
travel during official trip
communication and meals during business meetings
"In the crafting of the framework for compensation of officers and directors, you have to make compensation attractive," noted deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

"However, you have to make sure that abuses will be curtailed... We wanted to make sure we could
strike a healthy balance between those two interests," she told ANC in an interview

Stop-gap

However, the EO only serves as a "stop gap measure" until a law puts these policies into mandates, Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. stressed.

"This EO will serve as a stop-gap measure to rein in excessive pay for GOCC board of directors and trustees until a law is passed mandating such," he said.

Pending in Congress is Senate Bill No. 2640 or the proposed GOCC Governance Act of 2011 filed by Sen. Franklin Drilon, one of the strongest voices against fat cats in government.

"While we do not begrudge GOCC execs for rewarding themselves for exemplary performance, these financial rewards should be within reason. This EO seeks to set the guidelines that will standardize pay rates to prevent abuse," Ochoa said.

He said the finance and budget departments provided input in drafting the policy guidelines.

The finance department oversees the performance of the GFIs and the fiscal health of the GOCCs.

Both departments are part of the Task Force on Corporate Compensation (TFCC), which was created after Malacañang issued EO No. 7 in September when salary increases, bonuses and other perks of GOCC and GFI officials were suspended for 3 months.

When the suspension expired on Dec. 31, 2010, Malacañang extended it for another month.

The TFCC made an inventory of salaries, allowances and other benefits given to all members of the board of directors, and rank and file employees of GOCCs and GFIs

SSS to offer loan amnesty in April

The Social Security System (SSS) will give all employees, self-employed workers and voluntary members with overdue loans a chance to settle their unpaid accounts without paying the full penalty, under a new amnesty program that starts on April 2.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. on Monday said the amnesty is different from past SSS loan penalty condonation programs.

"SSS will waive 100% of penalties of qualified applicants whose loan delinquency was not their fault, such as members whose employers failed to remit their amortizations to SSS despite deducting loan payments from their salaries," he said.

Full story here (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/01/09/12/sss-offer-loan-amnesty-april)

New LLDA chief eyes zero backlog

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2011/12/Acosta_pic-224x224.jpg
New LLDA Chief Nereus Acosta.
comelec.gov.ph photo

Newly appointed Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) general manager Nereus “Neric” Acosta is batting for a zero-backlog in all LLDA transactions this year starting with the approval of new applications and the shutdown of industries violating the Clean Water Act and those hindering its implementation.

Here (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/126093/new-llda-chief-eyes-zero-backlog?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)

Pensioners no longer required to visit GSIS

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has announced that local pensioners no longer need to visit its offices and line up at the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosks on their birth month.

GSIS President and General Manager Robert G. Vergara made the announcement at the induction of the officers of the Philippine Government Retirees Association (PGRA) in Pasay City last week.

“We don’t want to subject our local pensioners to any inconvenience given their old age and fragile state of health,” Vergara explained.

Since May 1, 2011, more than 300,000 old-age and survivorship pensioners have benefited from the removal of the Annual Renewal of Active Status (ARAS), a requirement for pensioners to ensure the continued receipt of their pension.

Instead of requiring pensioners to appear in the GSIS, the pension fund has forged a partnership with the National Statistics Office and the Local Civil Registry to determine the status of GSIS pensioners.

Vergara pointed out however that pensioners living abroad are still required to renew their active status via video call or through Skype, a web-based software that allows users to call, free of charge, through the Internet.

Read full story here (http://business.inquirer.net/40415/pensioners-no-longer-required-to-visit-gsis?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter)

Aquino leads launching of Philippines Business Registry System

President Benigno S. Aquino III led the launching Friday of the Philippines Business Registry System (PBRS) in Makati City which is aimed at streamlining business registrations in the country and eliminating red tape.

The PBRS is a web-based system that will serve as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs who want to transact or register their businesses. The computerized registration systems will link several agencies so that applicants can register businesses even without their presence.

Interlinked government agencies under the PBR system include the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), Social Security System (SSS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Through the PBRS, sole proprietors can now register their business names, generate or validate their tax identification number (TIN) and get employer registration numbers from the SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG Fund.

One of the local government units (LGU) connected with the system is Quezon City. Caloocan and Mandaluyong are expected to connect to the system in the coming months.
The launching ceremony is the first phase of the PBR program. This year, more LGUs and other regulatory offices will connect to the system.

Read full story here (http://www.zambotimes.com/archives/42493-Aquino-leads-launching-of-Philippines-Business-Registry-System.html)

NBI has this public service called NBI e-Clearance where you could apply for a Clearance online, pay thru Gcash and set an appoinment via txt. No need to waste your time waking up @4AM and wait in line. I took the e-clearance route last week and application procedure (fingerprinting and photo capture) was finished in 10mins. I have to come back after 3days to claim my clearance. Claiming took me only 5mins, with minimal people lined.

Now, I wonder why NBI doesnt push the e-clearance route. I saw applicants being refused entry bec NBI has already reached their quota for the day. They were told to come back 6AM the next day, but they were never told that they can apply online.

Have they heard of info dissemination?

http://www.nbi.gov.ph/online_application.html

^^ Doesn't seem to work for me... tsk2x... I'm pretty upset because globe hasn't taken a look yet at my application.

After paying to NBI's Globe number (09175638053), you have to register online. https://nbi-online.com/login This is where you provide your personal details, enter your transaction number(s). One for each clearance purpose. Save the data.

After a successful online application, the QR code provided should be printed as proof of the application.

To book an appointment, text “BOOK <space> Reference# <space> Location <space> MMDDYYYY <space> HHMM <space> Name” and send to 09175638054.

Example: BOOK AAAAAO NCR 14022012 0800 Juan Dela Cruz

You will receive a confirmation message of your apptment. Bring your printed QR Code. It will also serve as your entry pass sa NBI gate.

Idea: Create a system whereby a developer/financing company managing/focused on a specific barangay or city collects a very small amount (PhP 1) from the residents/clients everyday and redistributes the total amount to a number (10people?) of residents who then use the large amount (relative to PhP 1 they lost) as capital for small business.

An ID system shall be set-up under which all residents/clients will be registered. A bank account shall be mandated for each resident from which the PhP 1 shall be automatically debited. Monthly, company announces winner from list of registered residents/clients and distributes the winnings. A resident/client may only win once.

Assume a population of 100,000 people:
Daily collection: PhP 100,000
Lotto winners: 10 people
Cash prize/person: PhP 10,000
Years for each person to win: 27.4

DSWD mulls over extension of cash doles to high school students

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—The Department of Social Welfare and Development is studying proposals to extend the government’s conditional cash transfer program to poor children aged 15 to 18 to encourage them to complete their high school education, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said here on Friday.

The CCT provides poor families cash aid of P500 up to P900 for three children aged 1 to 14, provided they stay in school.

Each child who turns 14 automatically loses the P300 monthly stipend. Most children of that age are usually high school sophomores and are thus two years short of finishing the four-year high school term under the old program of the Department of Education.http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/192323/dswd-mulls-over-extension-of-cash-doles-to-high-school-students

Can’t go to a Tesda training center? You can log on wherever you are

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) will launch on Monday a free online tech-voc training program to reach those who want to take short courses but do not have access to training centers or prefer to take up distance learning.

Tesda Director General Joel Villanueva said the online training program which was pilot-tested in December would bring tech-voc education to the grassroots.

The program is also aimed at reaching overseas Filipino workers looking to acquire new skills or those who would like to undergo tech-voc training but would prefer the flexibility of distance learning.

“After the training, you can go to the nearest Tesda-accredited center to get assessed. If you pass, you will be certified,” said Villanueva.

Under the program, trainees simply have to log on to Tesda’s website (www.tesda.gov.ph) to sign up for the program. The web link to the program will be revealed at the official launch.

Users could then start training in their desired course through modules and videos uploaded on the site. Students may also post questions for trainors, who would answer them within a few hours, Villanueva said.

“You train at your own pace at your own time,” said Villanueva.

Villanueva said Tesda aims to introduce at least 10 courses under the program by the end of the year. Initially, it will offer a course on computer hardware servicing.http://technology.inquirer.net/11017/cant-go-to-a-tesda-training-center-you-can-log-on-wherever-you-are

Despite the not-so-big national budget, there are a lot of programs that aim to help the poor and needy. However, I think that there are more than just a few cases where the funds for these projects are grossly mishandled.

For example, just recently, Mayor Lorna Silverio of San Rafael Bulacan was charged with fraud after allegedly mishandling P 9 million worth of public funds, which should've been released for a community livelihood assistance program. The intended beneficiaries allegedly didn't receive a single peso, i.e. all the money disappeared out of thin air. What's worse, the intended beneficiaries were supposed to be poor families, but the list was made up of former barangay captains. Really odd if you ask me.

Here's a link to the article:

Brgy Captains File Fraud Raps VS Bulacan Mayor Lorna Silverio (http://sanrafaelbulacan.wordpress.com/2012/06/04/ombudsman-barangay-captain-file-lawsuit-versus-san-rafael-bulacan-mayor-lorna-cillan-silverio-congressman/)

https://www.facebook.com/nomoreepal

NO MORE EPAL !

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/576040_423931904319385_167412932_n.jpg

Conditional cash transfer working, says World Bank

Apparently, the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program in the Philippines is reaping good results, claims World Bank.

World Bank says the CCT program is on track and positively impacting beneficiary households, a statement on Thursday showed.

"[T]he program is on track and is indeed achieving its objectives—of keeping children healthy and in school. The program is effective in creating avenues for the poor to have improved quality of life," Social Welfare Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman said in the statement.

World Bank social protection specialist Junko Onishi, however, noted that the data the results of the review "are preliminary and more in-depth analyses are on-going."

The CCT is a social protection strategy which gives monthly allowances for the health and education of poor children up to 14 years old, provided that their families comply with certain conditions.

The program has over three million household beneficiaries as of July and the government is targetting 4.3 million poor households by 2016.

The World Bank in 2010 released a $405-million load to support the CCT.The World Bank in 2010 released a $405-million load to support the CCT.

https://www.facebook.com/questions/488683771144803/]



PUNTO POR PUNTO (August 27, 2012) Kung kayo ang tatanungin, sino ang dapat pumalit kay Sec. Robredo sa DILG?

Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3208/5820626340_4abc406d49_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820626340/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820626340/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5027/5820638758_ca0f936f77_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820638758/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820638758/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3438/5820058705_7deb909bc9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820058705/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820058705/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2539/5820572208_f4d0645aea_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820572208/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820572208/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3048/5820009945_56836cddb9_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820009945/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820009945/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2301/5820010669_e5bb0b22b7_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820010669/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820010669/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3269/5820011785_cbdf049aec_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820011785/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820011785/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3125/5820059305_2fac7dba09_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820059305/)
Island Hopping in Matnog, Sorsogon, Philippines (http://www.flickr.com/photos/arkiboxxx/5820059305/) by nonoiphotography (post and run mode) (http://www.flickr.com/people/arkiboxxx/), on Flickr

https://www.facebook.com/nomoreepal

NO MORE EPAL !

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/576040_423931904319385_167412932_n.jpg

parang Zest Air:rofl:

Conditional cash transfer working, says World Bank

The World Bank in 2010 released a $405-million load to support the CCT.


Or so they say.

In Talaingod, Ata-Manobo tribe can’t feel the 4Ps; cash aid goes to transpo

http://www.mindanews.com/feature/2012/08/16/in-talaingod-ata-manobo-tribe-cant-feel-the-4ps-cash-aid-goes-to-transpo/

Excerpts

Flora Juan, 40, who has only one child and gets P300 every month from 4Ps, said she stopped claiming her share because the amount is only good for a one way motorcycle ride from her house in Sitio Dulyan, Barangay Palma Gil, one of the three remote barangays in Talaingod.

Jomar Pugkot, 23, another resident in Sitio Dulyan, said he gets P900 as 4Ps education grant for his three children, but the amount could only buy two kilos of rice, oil and some condiments with the money.

This is because his transportation expense –600 pesos — eats most of the grant. A one-way motorcycle ride from Dulyan to Barangay Sto. Nino costs P300 per person.

The 4Ps beneficiaries are also entitled to a monthly cash grant of P500 for the health and nutrition of every child provided that they attend a family development session.

Pangasinan official’s Guam trip to foster closer ties in business, culture
By Venus H. Sarmiento
DAGUPAN CITY, Sept 25 (PIA) -- The trip of Pangasinan officials to Guam aims to foster closer ties in business, economy, and culture, a member of the provincial board said.

Second district board member Von Mark Mendoza said his fellow provincial officials will be in Guam for the signing of a sisterhood agreement between Pangasinan and Guam.

“It is actually meant to formalize the agreement through a MOA as Pangasinan and Guam share a common connection, a bond of affinity,” Mendoza said during the KBP forum at the Philippine Information Agency office on Thursday, a day before their trip.

Last year, Guam officials, senators Rory Respicio and Judith Guthertz, who together with Federation of Pangasinenses on Guam Pres. Major Vic Rivo, visited Pangasinan and made the partnership possible.

He added that majority of the settlers in Guam are from the Ilocos Region and 40 percent of the electorate in Guam are from Pangasinan.

The provincial government is also looking forward to more employment opportunities for skilled workers from Pangasinan as Guam, now being prepared to host the biggest US military base all over the Pacific, may need construction workers and engineers.

“The project was temporarily shelved but not scrapped, and this will entail thousands of jobs where Pangasinenses can benefit from,” he added.

Governor Amado T. Espino Jr. and Vice-Gov. Jose Ferdinand Calimlim Jr. led the group in Guam and will be there until September 26.

Other members of the delegation included Priscilla Espino; board members Von Mark Mendoza, Angel Baniqued, GenerosoTulagan Jr., Mojamito Libunao Jr., Danilo Uy, Alfonso Bince, Amadeo Perez, Jeremy Agerico Rosario, Salvador Perez Jr.; and Sangguniang Panglalawigan Secretary Verna N. Perez

Mendoza said the invitation to visit Guam was open for all the public officials.

While Espino and Calimlim are out of the country, Provincial Administrator Rafael F. Baraan serves as the acting governor-designate with Board Member Raul Sison as the acting vice-governor. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1, Pangasinan)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=411348467780

:banana::banana::banana::banana:

meron na bang thread para sa mga senior citizens dito??:)Mods pakialis na lang kung di pwede

are there any oldies here??

The News and events for the senior citizens.This thread is for the people who are in their seniors, parents, grandparents,relatives and people we know..I created this thread because there are newer versions and amendments that can be discussed here.This is a continuous development.

In Pasig City

Senior Citizens residing here can watch movies for free every Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursday, free vaccinations for those aged 60 and up. Pasig city already offer counters at some bayad centers and groceries exclusively for the seniors.

Please discuss it here!

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=634622

MORE FUN BEING FILIPINO | More than 30,000 reacquire Philippine citizenship
MANILA, Philippines - More than 30,000 former Filipinos reacquired their Philippine citizenship last year under the dual citizenship law, the Bureau of Immigration said.

BI Commissioner Ricardo David Jr. said the bureau in 2012 processed 30,362 applications for coverage by Republic Act 9225 or the Citizenship Retention and Reacquisition Act of 2003.

The law allows natural-born Filipinos who became naturalized citizens of other countries to reacquire their Philippine citizenship by taking the oath of allegiance.Read more (http://www.interaksyon.com/article/51849/more-fun-being-filipino--more-than-30000-reacquire-philippine-citizenship)

Or so they say.

In Talaingod, Ata-Manobo tribe can’t feel the 4Ps; cash aid goes to transpo

http://www.mindanews.com/feature/2012/08/16/in-talaingod-ata-manobo-tribe-cant-feel-the-4ps-cash-aid-goes-to-transpo/

Excerpts

if only the government invested the money in creating jobs for these people. we will have higher gdp and productivity, less financial burden in the long run....:nuts:

^^ ang laro sa pinas(manila centered socio-economics), pataasan ng sweldo hanggang sa makabili ng tinubog sa ginto na arinola

^^ I don't see how your comment is relevant to my reply?

I was merely saying that rather than handing them out money which is about 3000 pesos a month, why not use the funds for the CCT instead for job creation that will likely bring about 5000-10,000 pesos a month? The government can create jobs if they want. This is what FDR did during the great depression in the US.

By working, people are creating/producing, therefore higher GDP. When they have more money, they are able to spend more, contributing to the private spending in the GDP....

So, how exactly is a "hand out" bigger money that what will potentially be earned? The government is merely fostering the "beggar" mentality. Only that it is at the burden of tax payers.

At least the chances of integrating industries here from raw materials to processing to manufactuing goods will be pursued. Alot better than mere importer of finished products and raw material exporter.

From 'clustering' to OTOP and back: DTI reverts to old tack for growing SME sector



By: Arnold S. Tenorio, InterAksyon.com
February 13, 2013 3:52 PM
InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5


MANILA - (UPDATED 5:16 p.m.) The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has reverted to an old tack for developing the country's small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.

During the Philippines' Year-end Economic Briefing, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said the department has revived the industry "clustering" approach for SME development. The bulk of Philippine businesses are SMEs, which according to experts are labor-intensive and help alleviate poverty.

"We have shifted from 'One-Town, One-Product' (OTOP) approach to 'clustering' approach around the country," Domingo said.

"We will put up 1,000 community clusters nationwide," he said, adding that the DTI already has a pilot in Kalinga and Mountain Province.

"We have the coffee clusters and provided equipment. Coffee volume will improve 400 percent with automation. We are replicating this (community clusters) a thousand times this year," Domingo said.

Popularized by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter in his book titled The Competitive Advantage of Nations, industry clustering involves developing the backward and forward linkages across the supply chain of a business in a geographic area to increase their overall competitiveness. In the Philippines, a former secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, Ceferino Follosco, promoted industry clustering to improve Philippine businesses' export prospects.

The DTI had adopted the clustering tack until the Arroyo administration replaced it with the OTOP, which was patterned after Thailand's approach of developing the SME sector. Under the OTOP, the government encouraged towns across the country to specialize in a product that is native to the municipality and to promote it both here and abroad.

Manufacturing renaissance

The reversion to clustering comes at an opportune time, as the Philippines appears to enjoy a manufacturing renaissance.

"Growth in manufacturing is across the board," Domingo said, noting that the sector has expanded in the last two quarters of 2012. Year-on-year, manufacturing grew 5.7 and 5.6 percent in the third and fourth quarters of 2012.

The manufacturing sector owes its revival to at least two factors: record-low interest rates and growing investor departure from China, heretofore the world's factory.

"Part of the reason manufacturing was up is because some Japanese plants have opened," Domingo said, noting a surge in Japanese investments since the start of 2011.

The "Japanese are coming here because of rising costs in China," he said. Inflation in the Philippines averaged 3.2 percent last year, or at the low end of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) target range of 3-5 percent. For this year, the BSP is aiming for the same range.

Low and stable inflation in turn contributes to a low interest-rate environment. Benchmark Treasury bill rates have settled below one percent, whereas the BSP's policy rates are at record lows, encouraging more people to take out a loan, which remains the main form of financing a business.

Bank lending has risen by double-digits for more than a year. The latest BSP data show that loans for production activities grew by 16 percent year-on-year last December, accelerating from the previous month. Loans to the manufacturing sector likewise have risen by double-digits to corner a fifth of banks' total outstanding loan.

With a report from Likha Cuevas-Miel

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/54979/from-clustering-to-otop-and-back-dti-reverts-to-old-tack-for-growing-sme-sector

meron na bang thread para sa mga senior citizens dito??:)Mods pakialis na lang kung di pwede

are there any oldies here??

The News and events for the senior citizens.This thread is for the people who are in their seniors, parents, grandparents,relatives and people we know..I created this thread because there are newer versions and amendments that can be discussed here.This is a continuous development.

unfortunately, we have to train those senior citizens forumers...to interact with the developments in the forum....you have the point but some of the forumers for that dosen't know how to use computer or laptop

lol
I am 69 and I know how to use a desktop computer
laptop
mac
linux
though I always forget that CD/DVD drive is not a coffee cup holder:D
:D

SSS business loans reach P189M in first year

Social Security System (SSS), the pension fund for private sector employees, on Monday said it released P189.05-million worth of business loans last year, primarily for the growth and expansion of private enterprises.

Nine companies in the services, real estate and construction, and consumer commodities trading industry received corporate loans of P1 million to P43 million, said SSS assistant vice president for Lending and Asset Management Ma. Luz C. Generoso.

These were the first batch of borrowers under the SSS Business Development Loan Facility (BDLF) launched last year.

"The BDLF is part of SSS’ commitment to support state efforts to spur national economic growth by providing private sector employers wider access to credit. This loan privilege is extended to SSS-registered employers that are seeking funds to expand or diversify their businesses," Generoso said.

Accredited that give out the SSS business loans are Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Veterans Bank, Planters Development Bank, Valiant Rural Bank-Iloilo, Philippine National Bank and Banco de Oro Unibank Inc.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/296533/economy/business/sss-business-loans-reach-p189m-in-first-year

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Ahon sa Hirap Incorporated, Philippine Social Security System to Expand Coverage to 25,000 Women Entrepreneurs
The Social Security System (SSS), the Philippine’s state-owned pension fund for private sector employees, reportedly has announced a new agreement with Philippines-based microfinance institution (MFI) Ahon Sa Hirap Incorporated (ASHI) to expand SSS coverage to 25,000 female ASHI borrowers. SSS president and CEO Emilio de Quiros Jr reportedly noted that “under the agreement with ASHI, SSS will make it easier for self-employed women from poor families to apply for SSS membership, loans and benefits.” He also noted that “as covered SSS members, women workers from ASHI can save for their retirement and avail themselves of SSS benefits during times of sickness, maternity, disability, old age and death.”

SSS reportedly expects the agreement to extend coverage to approximately 90 percent of all 27,300 ASHI members.Read more (http://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-ahon-sa-hirap-incorporated-philippine-social-security-system-to-expand-coverage-to-25000-women-entrepreneurs/)

Just a quick reminder to all SSC forumers to follow this rule when posting quoted materials/write ups on SSC.

General reminder about quoting content (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/announcement.php?f=1788&a=802)

Thanks and have a great weekend everyone! :okay:

MORE FUN BEING FILIPINO | More than 30,000 reacquire Philippine citizenship
Read more (http://www.interaksyon.com/article/51849/more-fun-being-filipino--more-than-30000-reacquire-philippine-citizenship)

Good news .

Soon to rise in Metro Manila: In-city relocation sites for evicted illegal settlers

The government through the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has started constructing in-city relocation sites for illegal settlers evicted from the six major waterways in Metro Manila
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/312364/news/metromanila/soon-to-rise-in-metro-manila-in-city-relocation-sites-for-evicted-illegal-settlers