Negros Island

[suplado]

Originally Posted by zyanz

winners...

Thanks about the Street dancing? http://www.supladoonline.com/panaad-...-along-to-see/

[Christendom]

uy di ko pa alam yan,,,maybe someone knows herewill wait

[ngprofflorida]

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Nosca Hinoba-an opens this year, targets 700 students

HINOBAAN town Mayor Ma. Teresa Bilbao said the Negros Occidental State College of Agriculture (Nosca) will open an extension campus in Hinoba-an this school year, initially accommodating 700 freshmen college entrants in a newly constructed building at the heart of the municipality.

Bilbao told Sun.Star Bacolod that last May 5 was the first day of Nosca-Hinoba-an entrance examination.

Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo

The Nosca-Hinoba-an extension is a tertiary education flagship project of Bilbao in the municipality, taking into consideration the distance of the municipality to the nearest college located in other cities of the province.

Hinoba-an is 198 kilometers drive from Bacolod City or around four hours by private vehicle and a six-hour drive by public buses.

It is located at the southernmost tip of Negros Occidental and its distance poses certain economic setback for the municipality.

From the town's profile provided by the Provincial Information Office, Hinoba-an is composed of 13 barangays with only one district, is under the leadership of the district supervisor and being supervised by the Schools Division Superintendent Department of Education (DepEd).

This district has six primary schools and 16 elementary schools, two national high schools with three extension schools and two private schools.

"No college in Hinoba-an yet. This school year, however, four courses will be opened: Bachelor of Education both primary and secondary majors, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Bachelor of Science in Animal Science," Bilbao said.

She said in terms of livelihood and industry, the egg-laying livelihood project, which was initially started in Hinob-an's biggest barangay -- Asia -- was proven effective.

The total production of Asia families involved in the livelihood project cannot cope with the demand of the barangay alone, Bilbao said. "The readiness of the project, however, will now be replicated in two other big barangays of Hinoba-an, in Bacuyangan and Culipapa."

Last December 8, Sun.Star Bacolod witnessed how the egg-laying project was started in Barangay Asia.

But as earlier reported, eggs coming from the neighboring areas are usually damaged upon arrival to Hinoba-an owing to the town's distance.

Upon Bilbao's assumption, however, she facilitated an augmentation program for the egg-laying livelihood among the barangays of Hinoba-an.

"Presently, three barangays are involved in the livelihood project, among others. Eventually, we will target all 12 barangays of Hinoba-an," Bilbao stressed. (Gil Alfredo Severino)

[jaywalker]

Negrense named new Army chief
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro announced yesterday the appointment of Negrense Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado as the new commanding general of the 82,000-strong Philippine Army that was approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ibrado, of Sagay City, Negros Occidental, was chosen from the list of three nominees that included Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang who was designated as Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff, and Lt. Gen. Cardoso Luna who was also named AFP vice-chief of staff, military records show.

Ibrado will replace Army chief Lt. Gen. Alexander Yano who was recently designated as AFP chief of staff, replacing Gen. Hermogenes Esperon whose term of office has been extended by President Arroyo to May 14.

The incoming Army chief yesterday vowed a "back-to-basics" policy that stresses military discipline in the largest branch of service of the AFP.

Ibrado, who used to command the Army’s elite Special Operations Command, which supervises the Scout Rangers and Special Forces Regiments and the US-trained Light Reaction Battalion, said "We will emphasize going back-to-basics, especially on military discipline".

Ibrado also vowed not to condone or tolerate abuses of soldiers, as he promised to assist in the prosecution of guilty individuals.

Ranking military and police officers who used to be assigned in Negros, yesterday hailed the designation of Ibrado as the new Army chief.

Brig. Gen. Gregorio Fajardo, assistant 3rd Infantry Division commanding general, said “We are very happy for his designation. The whole 3rd ID fully supports his leadership as the new commanding general of the Philippine Army.”

Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Ibrado is a professional officer and qualified to lead the Philippine Army.

Col. Ademar Tomaro, chief of the Army’s Special Services Unit, also a Negrense, said the appointment of Ibrado signifies the emerging of new Army leaders.

Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil, chief of the Directorate for Police Community Relations, said, “Ibrado is the best choice and the Philippine Army is in good hands”.

“We members of the Philippine Military Academy “Magilas” Class of 1976 support him to the fullest”, he added.

Military records also showed that Ibrado served as commander of the 11th Infantry Battalion, 303rd Infantry Brigade in Negros island, Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, before he was named SOCOM and AFP Central Command chief.

Teodoro said Air Force Lt. Gen. Pedro Ike Insierto will replace Ibrado as CENTCOM chief, while Maclang, chief of Northern Luzon, will be the AFP deputy chief of staff.

Lt. Gen. Antonio Romero, AFP vice-chief of staff, will be replaced by Luna.

Yano, Ibrado, Maclang, Bataoil and Major General Jogy Leo Fojas, former commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade who is now the chief of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, are members of the PMA Class “76, and Teodoro is their adopted "mistah".*GPB

[Christendom]

May 07, 2008
Cadiz earns P497-T from dried fish during Panaad

CADIZ City earned a total of P497,306 from the sale of its ogas (dried fishes) during the weeklong Panaad sa Negros Festival from April 26 to May 3, a report from the Panaad Secretariat revealed.

Sharon Desenderio, product coordinator of the Technology and Livelihood Development Center (TLLDC) of the Provincial Government, said Cadiz has really made a great sale from its dried squid, danggit, gurayan, guma-a and sapsap, among others.

Most of the buyers wanted Cadiz's ogas not just for their personal consumption but also as pasalubong to their relatives in Manila and even abroad, the TLDC report disclosed.

Following Cadiz in terms of income was San Carlos City with its home furnishing items.

San Carlos also earned P387,222 out of its wood furniture products, mostly made of rail woods (riles). The sale of woodcarvings also added to San Carlos's income, TLDC report added.

TLDC added the town of Calatrava also went home P59,400 richer from its home accessories and another P43,029 from the sale of personal accessories.

Meanwhile, the town of Manapla also made the best sale for ***** and dinugu-an; Moises Padilla for organic rice, Bago City for coco byproducts; Binalbagan for toys and dresses for kids; E.B. Magalona for batitis shells and blue crabs; Victorias City for VMC sugar and canned goods; La Castellana for bananas and other farm produce; Isabela for its native pandan bags and mats; Kabankalan City for its bamboo furniture; Pontevedra for fruits from ECJ farms and Hinigaran, Ilog and Himamaylan City for seafoods. (Erwin Ambo Delilan)

[Fundador]

Bacolod City tourism propects bright for 2008

Bacolod City — Bacolod City’s tourism prospects are bright this year as more tourists arrive here with the city fast turning into the “call center capital” of Western Visayas and was recently adjudged the Most Business-Friendly City in the Philippines.
A report from the Bacolod City Tourism office shows that tourist arrivals hiked by 20 percent registering 303,314 in 2007 compared to 253,262 tourists in 2006. Gross receipts from tourism totaled P985,425M
Koreans topped the list of foreign visitors in the city with 10,308 followed by Americans 8,113, Japanese 5,211, Canadians 2,497, and Germans 2,309.
L’Fisher Hotel garnered the highest number of tourist with 29,162 house guests, Standard Hotel 23,885, Pension Bacolod 33,000, Bacolod Pension Plaza 16,547, and Palmas del Mar 28,461.
New hotels and accommodations have recently opened to welcome tourist growth in the city. These are Planta Hotel in Araneta St. with 82 rooms, and Bacolod Pavillion Hotel with 82 rooms. Westown Hotel in Lacson St. and Carribean Waterpark Resotel at Goldenfields Commercial Complex are yet to open. dailyinformer.info/

[bacolodchamp]

Negros rainforest coffee sells at P500 per kilo

NATIVE coffee in Negros Occidental, dubbed the rainforest coffee, is now being eyed as the next potential export material of the province.

Robert Gasparillo, consultant for Negros Island Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (Nisard) Foundation -- a group promoting and doing the marketing of Negros' native coffee that abundantly grows in Barangay Sag-ang in La Castellana, Barangay Yubo in La Carlota City, and Barangay Canlusong in E.B. Magalona - reported the issue to the media recently.

In a phone interview, Gasparillo said they already launched the Negros rainforest coffee during the 3rd Negros Island Organic Farmers' Festival at the Social Hall of the Provincial Capitol Building in Bacolod City last April 29.

"We are thankful that we have now a lot of orders from our domestic markets," the Nisard consultant disclosed, adding: "Our native coffee here in Negros can compete even with the native coffee being served at the well-known Starbucks coffee houses in Metro Manila."

Gasparillo said Nisard is the one doing direct contacts with coffee growers in La Castellana, La Carlota and E.B. Magalona.

"We are also responsible for organizing a community of coffee growers, setting a standard of organic coffee production as well as the internal quality control system," he said.

Nisard is also the one buying the raw produce of coffee growers at a prevailing price of P2 or P3 plus per kilo.

"We are then responsible for the drying, sorting, milling, sorting no. 2, packing, roasting and final packing. After which, we market our organic coffee by selling it at P400 per kilo for the regular blend and P500 per kilo for the special blend," Gasparillo said.

Rainforest Coffee is produced sans fertilizer and selectively handpicked, sorted, dried, packed and stored onsite by three farming communities in the mountains of Negros.

This agri-business began when farmers brought green Robusta beans to Nisard for processing via the Filipino version of a computerized roaster that could custom-blend coffee. (Erwin Ambo Delilan)

www.sunstarbacolod.com

[bacolodchamp]

Bishop still no to buffer zone entry but admits he cannot stop PNOC
IT’S THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS ANSWER
TO POWER SHORTAGE, OSMEÑA SAYS
BY CARLA GOMEZ
;
Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra yesterday said he stands pat on his personal position against the entry of the Philippine National Oil Co-Energy Development Corp. into the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park buffer zone to tap more geothermal energy, but admitted that he can not do anything about it if government goes ahead with the project.

However, Former Senator John Osmeña yesterday said allowing PNOC-EDC’s entry in to the buffer zone to tap more geothermal energy for its North Negros Geothermal Power Plant in Bago City is the most immediate and expeditious answer to the current power problem Negros is facing.

“There is no free meal, if we want power, we have to make a sacrifice,” said Osmeña, who was chairman of its Committee on Energy while in the Senate.

Gov. Isidro Zayco yesterday said he expects the Negros Occidental Sanggunian to come up with a decision on whether to concur with PNOC-EDC’s plan to enter the buffer zone or not next week.

We are giving everybody a chance to air their views and be heard on the matter, he said.

We will go with the sentiment of the majority, he said.

Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes said he met with Navarra Wednesday night to explain the need for the PNOC-EDC entry into the buffer zone to meet a serious power shortage in Negros Occidental.

The NNGP that has a capacity for 49 megawatts currently generates only 4 megawatts.

Reyes said he understands the concern of the bishop and the environment groups on the need to prevent environmental damage within the buffer zone and assured that measures would be taken to address them.

The bishop yesterday said Reyes has asked to meet with him and persons opposed to the buffer zone entry because of the damage it will do to its biodiversity on Monday, to present the government position and mitigating measures to be taken.

The bishop said he told Reyes he personally holds on to his position, but it would be good if he could meet with the other oppositors so if the project pushes through they would understand what is going to be done.

“My position is still the same, but if government pushes through with the program let it be, we cannot do anything about it,” he said.

Osmeña said there has really been no provision for power in Negros and Panay in all of the planning that was being done by the Department of Energy since 2002.

The first geothermal project in the Visayas in Leyte was really envisioned to feed its electricity to Luzon, he said.

That is why the transmission line they built from Leyte went through Bicol to Luzon, and not to Negros, he pointed out.

The link between Cebu and Negros Oriental was built to be able to deliver power from the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plants in Negros Oriental to Cebu, and not for transmission of power from Leyte to Cebu to Negros, he said.

Osmeña said he and then National Power Corp. president Ernesto Aboitiz questioned why the power from Leyte was being sent to Manila, and prompted the building the submarine cables that has allowed power to brought to Negros, too.

In short, he said, Negros and Panay have fallen victim to imperial Manila and Cebu

That is why he has been warning since 2001 that Negros and Panay are going to have power shortages, he said.

The NNPP would have been able to address the power shortage of Negros unfortunately PNOC-EDC was not allowed into the buffer zone, he said.

The NNPP is the most immediate and the most expeditious answer to the current power problem, within 10 to 12 months they could drill wells in the buffer zone for additional geothermal power, he said.

But this would require political will to overcome the resistance from the NGOs and the bishop, he said

Osmeña said he is challenging those opposed to PNOC-EDC’s entry into the buffer zone to look at what the National Power Corp. has done in Negros Oriental.

“The forest reserve being protected by NPC in the area where the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plants are is one of the best forested areas in the country,” he said.

“It is expensive to protect nature and the one who does it is the one who benefits from the forest directly, and in this case, it is the power company,” he said.

Osmeña said if the NNPP goes full steam with the production of 49 megawatts, it will solve the power shortage in Negros for four to five years giving enough time to pursue co-generation of power at sugar mills and hydro power for the long term.

“Negros officials and businessmen should grab the bull by the horns and take the initiative in solving the problem, and stop depending on the national government,” Osmeña said.

A provincial energy task force could map out such plans, he suggested.*CPG

[bacolodchamp]

DA ready for P30M counterpart for communal irrigation – Zayco
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday said the Department of Agriculture is willing to provide a P30 million counterpart for the improvement of communal irrigation systems in Negros Occidental, in support of their bid for the province to be rice-self sufficient.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental, at the request of Zayco, had earlier approved a P40- million budget for the improvement of irrigation systems and for agricultural inputs in the province.

Zayco, who met with DA regional director Larry Nacionales in Binalbagan yesterday, said he was told of their willingness to provide P30 million, to the P30-million budget set aside by the province for its communal irrigation systems.

Negros Occidental, which is seeking to become rice self-sufficient, produces only 90 percent of its rice requirement. It ranks 11th nationwide in rice production, Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan.

The 2.5 million population of Negros Occidental consumed 347,000 metric tons of rice in 2007, and the province only produces 280,000 metric tons, Tabianan said.

He said the 70,000 MT shortage may be address by planting rice to 60,000 hectares, in order for Negros Occidental to be rice-self sufficient.

Zayco, accompanied by Vice-Governor Emilio Yulo, Board Members Miller Serondo, Mae Javellana, Nehemias de la Cruz, Macario Zafra and Edgardo Acuña, representatives of the National Food Authority and National Irrigation Administration, yesterday met with Bishop Vicente Navarra and several priests, to formulate strategies on the how to address the rice shortage in Negros Occidental.

Navarra aired a suggestion that Social Action offices of Dioceses should directly coordinate with concerned government agencies, to fast-track the distribution of rice , especially those in the far-flung areas who are now hungry, .

He said he learned that there is so much paper work to accomplish in the distribution of rice.

“I believe that, through Social Action offices, we could have avoided some speculations”, Navarra said, apparently referring to the rice distribution.

With more funds for the province’s agricultural program, Tabianan said he is optimistic that Negros Occidental will be able to achieve its food security goal.

Acuña also stressed the need to increase rice production, and not just by increasing the number of hectares to be planted with rice.

Thousands of sacks of rice seeds and organic fertilizers are now being distributed by the provincial government to rice farmers in Negros Occidental, Tabianan, in his report to Zayco, said.

NFA provincial manager Marianito Bejemino said they have noted that the price of commercial rice has started stabilize recently.*GPB

[bacolodchamp]

Former senator setting up Negros waste mgm’t facilityBY CARLA GOMEZ

Former Senator John Osmeña yesterday said is setting up an integrated waste management facility in Negros Occidental that will recycle waste and turn biodegradable garbage into fertilizer.

Osmeña said he has yet to decide on the site but he is hoping to tap the waste from Bacolod, Bago, Silay Talisay and Victorias cities and Murcia town.

We will salvage metal, plastics, paper and glass from the waste for recycling, and put earthworms into biodegradable garbage to create vermicast, a much cheaper fertilizer for the sugar industry that could sell at P300 a bag against petroleum-based fertilizer selling at P1,800 a bag, he said.

This will be a zero waste effort with all the garbage turned into something useful, he said.

But I would need the commitment from local governments that they are willing to use my company for their waste disposal, he said, since he will put money into the site for the facility and the dumptrucks.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has warned local officials whose areas still maintain open dumpsites, including 12 in Negros Occidental, to close these facilities within six months, or charges will be filed against them.

A list of open dumpsites of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, as of the fourth quarter of 2007, shows that 12 of the 826 listed are in Negros Occidental.

These are located in Brgy. Felisa, Bacolod City; Sitio Pandan, Brgy. Ma-ao, Bago City; Sitio Minubuno, Brgy. Tigbon, Calatrava; Brgy. Mabini, Escalante City; Brgy. Iglau-an, Murcia; Hacienda Coscolluela, Brgy. Poblacion II, Sagay City; Brgy. Poblacion, San Enrique; Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City; Brgy. Gil Montilla, Sipalay City; Zone III, Brgy. Catabla, Talisay City; and Hacienda San Ramon, Victorias City.

Gov. Isidro Zayco said some of the mayors of the areas that still have open dumpsites asked Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde yesterday for a meeting with Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.

The mayors want an extension of the deadline for the setting up of sanitary landfills because they do not have enough funds to get them ready in six months, he said.

Zayco, when informed of Osmeña’s plan, said it is a welcome development because that is what the mayors need.

Perhaps a meeting between Osmeña and the mayors can be arranged on the matter, the governor said.

Osmeña said he has moved his residence to Negros Occidental and is building a house in Silay City.

Aside from the waste management facility, he is also working on developing the former Mirasol wharf, near the BREDCO port in Bacolod City, that was bought by the Bacolod Terminals and Real Estate, a corporation that he is involved with.

He is also bringing in his cattle from Negros Oriental for fattening in Bacolod and is going into the low-cost housing business, Osmeña said.*CPG

[bacolodchamp]

Gov’t has P80B available for microfinance in 2008
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde yesterday said the government has P80 billion available for microfinance programs this year and is in need of partners for its dispersal.

Remonde was in Bacolod with Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez and Noel Poso, vice president of theof the People’s Credit and Finance Corp., to talk about microfinance opportunities and entrepreneurshipwith the Citizens Movement for Good Government, a local group.

Last year the president designated Remonde the oversight official for micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) development .

The administration is committed to provide 3 million entrepreneurs with sufficient credit to contribute to the generation of six to ten million jobs by 2010, he said.

From 2004 to 2008, a total of P213.77 billion was released to 3.76 million active microfinance clients and SME accounts generating about 2.18 million new jobs, he said.

Last year he said P54.52 billion was released to 1.15 million microfinance clients and SME accounts, with 677,281 new jobs generated, Remonde said.

About400,000 new jobs are estimated to have been created in Western Visayas through microfinance programs, 100,000 of which were in Negros Occidental, Poso said.

Micro finance was made available through local partners, including the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, Poso added.

The repayment rate of microfinance loans is impressive, it has been within the range of 98 percentwith 92 percent of the borrowers being women, Remonde said.

The microfinance loans are made available to the people through localorganizations and rural banks, Remonde said.

And the President hasordered the lowering of the interest rates on the loans from 12 to 10 percent per annum, he said.

The MSME program is a priority program of the government, Remonde said.

We are generating jobs and creating products that are globally competitive, he pointed out.

“In time we hope to export more of these products so that we can keep more out workers here at home,” he said.

Remonde noted that Negros Occidental entrepreneurs have already been making dents in international markets.*CPG

www.visayandailystar.com

[bacolodchamp]

Jail site work winning bids named
BY CARLA GOMEZ

A contractor who allegedly began site development work on a 3-hectare property of the provincial government in Tabunan, Bago, for the new Negros Occidental provincial jail even before the bids for the job were made yesterday did not show up for the bidding at the Provincial Administration Building in Bacolod City.

Engineer June Caberoy, acting secretary of the Provincial Bids and Awards Committee, said RA Construction did not enter any bids for the three items related to the site development that were bidded out yesterday.

Gov. Isidro Zayco had earlier said that if RA Construction joined the bidding and won, he would question it.

Caberoy said the winning bidder that offered the lowest bids for the aggregate sub base materials for the 3-hectare site and the equipment needed was DK Lacson Construction of Talisay.

The two other bidders were Jaime B. Ching Enterprises and Micro Asia Builders Corp.

The winning bidder for the labor component was Stevenson Capadocia of Murcia.

Other bidders were Jerry Francisco of Talisay and Marvin Nemenzo of Bacolod.*CPG

www.visayandailystar.com

[bacolodchamp]

Herbal plants vital part of organic farming’

Growing herbal plants is another important feature in the development of organic farming in Negros, a herbal medicine expert said during his talk at the recent 3rd Negros Island Organic Farmers’ Festival in Bacolod City.

Dr. Romeo Quijano, professor of the UP College of Medicine and president of the Pesticide Action Network Philippines, said that Negros has very good sources of medicinal plants particularly in the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park and southern Negros.

About 12,000 are potentially medicinal but only 1,500 plant species are actively being utilized by traditional healers in the country, figures of the national inventory of plant species show.

But about 30 percent of medicinal plant species used by indigenous people have not been identified and classified officially.

Quijano said herbal plants should be organically-grown and pollution-free if they are to be processed as herbal medicine or supplements.

They should not be contaminated with pesticides, industrial chemicals, wastes, vehicular and other emissions that pollute air, land and water, said Quino, pharmacologist/toxicologist, who discussed “Herbs and Alternative Medicines and Health Concerns on GMO.”

He said about 80 percent of the Filipinos rely mainly on medicinal plants, usually in crude form, and noted the growing number of people that use herbal plants because of its efficacy and the high cost of synthetic medicine.

Quijano said not all are aware of how useful herbal plants are, and encouraged Negrenses to discover the wonders of lowly plants like ampalaya for diabetes and lagundi for cough.*NLG

www.visayandailystar.com

[jaywalker]

DA ready for P30M counterpart for
communal irrigation – Zayco
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday said the Department of Agriculture is willing to provide a P30 million counterpart for the improvement of communal irrigation systems in Negros Occidental, in support of their bid for the province to be rice-self sufficient.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental, at the request of Zayco, had earlier approved a P40- million budget for the improvement of irrigation systems and for agricultural inputs in the province.

Zayco, who met with DA regional director Larry Nacionales in Binalbagan yesterday, said he was told of their willingness to provide P30 million, to the P30-million budget set aside by the province for its communal irrigation systems.

Negros Occidental, which is seeking to become rice self-sufficient, produces only 90 percent of its rice requirement. It ranks 11th nationwide in rice production, Provincial Agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan.

The 2.5 million population of Negros Occidental consumed 347,000 metric tons of rice in 2007, and the province only produces 280,000 metric tons, Tabianan said.

He said the 70,000 MT shortage may be address by planting rice to 60,000 hectares, in order for Negros Occidental to be rice-self sufficient.

Zayco, accompanied by Vice-Governor Emilio Yulo, Board Members Miller Serondo, Mae Javellana, Nehemias de la Cruz, Macario Zafra and Edgardo Acuña, representatives of the National Food Authority and National Irrigation Administration, yesterday met with Bishop Vicente Navarra and several priests, to formulate strategies on the how to address the rice shortage in Negros Occidental.

Navarra aired a suggestion that Social Action offices of Dioceses should directly coordinate with concerned government agencies, to fast-track the distribution of rice , especially those in the far-flung areas who are now hungry, .

He said he learned that there is so much paper work to accomplish in the distribution of rice.

“I believe that, through Social Action offices, we could have avoided some speculations”, Navarra said, apparently referring to the rice distribution.

With more funds for the province’s agricultural program, Tabianan said he is optimistic that Negros Occidental will be able to achieve its food security goal.

Acuña also stressed the need to increase rice production, and not just by increasing the number of hectares to be planted with rice.

Thousands of sacks of rice seeds and organic fertilizers are now being distributed by the provincial government to rice farmers in Negros Occidental, Tabianan, in his report to Zayco, said.

NFA provincial manager Marianito Bejemino said they have noted that the price of commercial rice has started stabilize recently.*GPB

[jaywalker]

PIA Press Release
2008/05/09

50 Negros Occidental women completes Project WEB
Bacolod City (9 May) -- Fifty women leaders from this city and four local government units in Negros Occidental completed the modules of the three-year Project on "Asserting and Institutionalizing Women's Concern in Local Governance: Women's Empowerment in the Barangay" (WEB).

Project WEB, of Pilipina Inc., is locally implemented by the DAWN foundation with the support of MISEREOR, the Filipino-American Community of South Puget Sound and ABANSE Pinay.

Certificates of completion were given to the WEB scholars who are from the cities of Escalante, Silay, La Carlota and the municipality of Pontevedra and from Brgys. 1, 3, 27, 35, Banago, Granada, Handumanan, Pahanocoy and Tangub of Bacolod City.

WEB scholars gave testimonies on how the project has helped them.

Special awards were given to the late Neg. Occ. Gov. Joseph Marañon, to scholars and those who supported the three-year project like the area coordinators. (PIA/cad)

[Christendom]

May 13, 2008
Province gears up for climate change summit
BY RENE GENOVE

Members of the Negros Oriental Advisory Council on Climate Change are girding up for the Island-wide Summit on Climate Change set May 23, at the Negros Oriental Convention Center, in Dumaguete City.
The council, in its recent meeting, chose to invite Science and Technology Secretary Estrella Alabastro to be the keynote speaker during the summit.

Alabastro was chosen on the suggestion of Dr. Henry Sojor, president of the Negros Oriental State University.

Sojor said Alabastro is an expert on global warming, and is an appropriate resource person to keynote the summit, which will tackle both scientific and technical matters involving climate change.

Other speakers are environmentalist Angel Alcala who will speak on the vulnerability of Negros Island to global warming; and Silliman University president Ben Malayang III, who will talk on the mitigation aspect of the effects of global warming.

In its last meeting presided over by Vice Gov. Jose Baldado, the council finalized the activities lined up for the summit that will have a plenary and presentation in the morning and a workshop in the afternoon.

Local Environment and Natural Resources Division chief Mercy Teves said in the meeting that participants will be divided into five groups that will discuss the following topics: forest and water; agriculture; health; clean energy and coastal matters.

The summit is expected to draw more than 400 participants from both the Oriental and Occidental sides of Negros island.

Expected to attend are governors, vice governors, chairmen of the committees on environment, health and agriculture, as well as the provincial, city, municipal planning, environment, health and agriculture officers of the two provinces.

At the end of the summit, participants are expected to come up with a unified stand and commitment to address the global environmental threat.*RG

[ngprofflorida]

A NATIONLINK Automated Teller Machine (ATM) would be installed inside the town of Murcia's public market on May 23.

Nationlink chief executive officer Jess de la Cruz said the presence of the Nationlink ATM in servicing a municipality of Negros Occidental is a 'milestone,' adding the ATM would operate as a 'mini e-bank' for Murcia.



NationLink has been in the wireless or Internet business worldwide, bringing modern sophisticated big banking systems and facilities to small and mid-sized banks and financial institutions.

Murcia Mayor Esteban 'Sonny' Coscolluela said the town's businessmen, gamefowl breeders, sugar planters and farmers, families of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and most especially old pensioners would definitely benefit from this service.

Coscolluela cited as an example an old pensioner who has to rent a tricycle and an escort just to get his or her hard-earned pension in Bacolod. "With an ATM machine, think of the savings a pensioner will earn because proceeds will be accessed in a matter of push buttons."

This would be the same for parents of OFWs, who the mayor said, are confused transacting business with big banks in Bacolod.

"At least here, the appropriate municipal office can guide them using the NationLink ATM in many of their problems, thus saving them money than going to Bacolod spending unnecessarily with no results at all," Coscoluella said.

The same situation is experienced by business stakeholders, who at numerous times need thousands or millions of pesos to transact business in Murcia.

With a 'mini e-bank' at hand, the savings these business stakeholders would get will further circulate and perk up the Murcia economy.

Other than the direct benefits the stakeholders would get, Coscolluela said the (eventual) success of the ATM would also send a signal to the commercial banking community to also set up branches in Murcia.

The mayor is hoping to invite commercial banking investments in Murcia as he estimated that the volume of money transaction is now sufficient to deserve the put up of one or more commercial bank branches.(Gil Alfredo Severino)

[jaywalker]

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Isabela's abaca venture gets P1M boost
THE aim of Isabela town to be the abaca capital of Negros Occidental soon got a much-needed boost with the release of P1-million financial assistance from the office of Rep. Ignacio 'Iggy' Arroyo Jr. (5th District, Negros Occidental) last Saturday.

During the turn over of the P1 million cheque at the office of the Municipal Council of Isabela, Arroyo asked the town's barangay chiefs to have concerted efforts in helping the newly-started abaca venture in their town to realize their dream of making Isabela the soon-to-be abaca center of the province.

Right now, Isabela's abaca center is located in a 1.2-hectare lot in Barangay Sikatuna, some 26 kilometers from the town's poblacion.

It was started November last year.

Sikatuna's village chief Reynaldo Locsin said: "We're happy that Mayor Renato Malabor put the abaca center in our place. With more than a hectare plantation right now, we are expecting to harvest next year."

Gilbert Vizen, the town's agriculture technician assigned to the abaca plantation, said abaca is really an endemic plant in their town.

"Actually some Isabeleños are already into bag, placemat, mat and basket-making with abaca as medium," Vizen said, adding that native products made of abaca yielded good income for some Isabeleños during the Pana-ad festival and even during their town fiesta last March.

Lately, however, Locsin lamented that abaca species in Isabela started to dwindle, causing alarm among municipal officials.

To avert the situation from getting worse, Malabor decided to allot a certain place where abaca is truly endemic and Sikatuna was chosen, Locsin said.

"Mayor Malabor then asked barangay captains (chiefs) to look for abaca in their respective barangays and immediately bring to Sikatuna for proper propagation," added Locsin.
Vizen was then tasked to take care of the plantation in Sikatuna.

If the abaca venture would succeed later, Vizen said "it will be our bet for the One Town, One Product (Otop) program of the national government."(Erwin Ambo Delilan)

[jaywalker]

Negrense 50th army chief today
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

MANILA – Negrense Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado takes over the command of the 80,000-strong Philippine Army today, with the challenge to defeat the armed insurgents by 2010 facing him and Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro will install Ibrado as the 50th commanding general of the Philippine Army, in ceremonies to be held at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, at 3 p.m. today.

“I promise to do my best to lead the Army in its journey towards being a capable, professional and relevant Army at the service of the Filipino people across the land”, Ibrado said.

Ibrado of Sagay City, is the second Negrense to occupy the position since 1987, after Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Canieso, a Bacoleño, military record show.

“I am happy and deeply honored for the designation as commander of the Philippine Army. I share this honor with my fellow Negrenses,” he said.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Army spokesman, said the designation of Ibrado as the new Army chief is a manifestation of his excellent performance in the military service. “He possesses leadership qualities that are essential in carrying out his duties and responsibilities in leading the AFP’s premier service organization,” he added.

Before his appointment Army chief, Ibrado served as commander of the 11th Infantry Battalion, 303rd Infantry Brigade, Special Forces Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, Special Operations Command, which supervises Army’s elite SF and Scout Rangers Regiments, as well as counter-terrorists Light Reaction Battalion, and the AFP Central Command in Visayas.

Ibrado and Yano are members of the Philippine Military Academy “Magilas” Class ’76.

While serving as AFP Central Command chief, Ibrado led the anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism drive in the Visayas region where several top CPP-NPA leaders, including Randall Echanis tagged by the military as a member of the CPP Central Committee were arrested.

Ibrado has received numerous military awards and citations for both combat and administrative duties, including the Bronze Cross Medals, Silver Wing Medal, Military Civic Action Medal, and Distinguished Service Star, among others, military records show.

Ibrado is slated to retire from the military service on March 10, 2010.*GPB

[bacolodchamp]

it says in the article that Gen. Ibrado is retiring in 2010 and that's too far away from now. so its a possibility that he'll make it to be CS of AFP...if that happens he'll be the first negrense to hold such an honor...we hope he'll make it....