by admin | Oct 10, 2016 | Headlines, National News
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez emphasized the relevance of improving the country’s competitiveness, during the ceremonial contract signing on 4 October between the Philippines and the United Kingdom (UK) on a project that aims to provide technical assistance to reduce red tape in the business environment.
Timely and relevant, the UK through the Asia Pacific Bilateral Programme Fund granted technical assistance to the National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines (NCC) to support the Project Repeal, an initiative inspired by the UK’s Red Tape Challenge, which addresses growing need to cut red tape across the bureaucracy.
“Project Repeal, an initiative geared towards eliminating red tape by systematically removing redundant, antiquated and burdensome policies in government agencies shall facilitate us in achieving this end,” Sec. Lopez said.
The trade chief also said that the UK’s assistance, which amounts to £17,969 (approximately PhP 1.1 million) that will run until January 2017, shall capacitate Project Repeal in terms of development, pilot-testing and initial roll-out of the Standard Cost Model.
The Standard Cost Model will provide a statistically valid and reliable method in estimating the regulatory burden imposed by existing regulations on businesses.
The assistance will also be used to conduct a series of activities, including supplementary focus group discussions that will be held in several regions in the country to have a wider stakeholder engagement and ensure the project’s greater impact, according to NCC.
Based on the Global Competitiveness Survey done before the May 9 election, the Philippines slipped 10 notches to 57th place, from 47th place. The trade chief reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s marching orders to improve competitiveness and the ease of doing business by reducing the processing time for business licensing and permit system.
Joining Sec. Lopez in the ceremonial signing were UK Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad, DTI Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato and Private Sector Chairman of the NCC Guillermo Luz.
For more information on the services of the DTI, log-on to http://www.dti.gov.ph
by admin | Oct 10, 2016 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
MANILA, October 10 (PIA)–Gipaabot nga karong bulana na malagdaan ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte ang usa ka executive order (EO) nga magdili na sa pagpanigarilyo sa tibuok nasod.
Matud pa ni Department of Health (DOH) Kalihim Paulyn Ubial, himuong 100 percent smoke-free ang tanang pampublikong mga lugar sa tibuok nasod ubos sa maong executive order.
Tuyo usab niining hatagan og mas hugot nga suporta ang sa pag-amyenda sa Kongreso sa Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 o Republic Act 9211.
Nakalatid man sa Section 5 sa maong balaod ang Smoking Ban in Public Places, apan tuyo sa mga magbabalaod nga mas hugtan pa ang pagpatuman niini.
Sa pagkakaron, giingong makuti pa nilang gisusi ang pag-amyenda sa RA 9211 tungod sa daghang isyu ug gray areas niini, apil na ang pagbutang og mga smoking areas ug point-of-sale advertisements.
Ang maong EO nga gipaabot nga lagdaan na karong bulan sa Oktubre mahimong susama sa kasamtangang gipatuman na sa syudad sa Davao diin namuno isip mayor si Presidente Duterte kaniadto. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Oct 10, 2016 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, October 10 (PIA)–Nipasidaan ang Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) nga wala sila’y gihatagan og awtoridad nga bisan unsang organisasyon nga mag-rekomendar o endorsar og indibidwal isip officer-in-charge (OIC) sa barangays nga mohulip sa mga kapitan sa barangay nga mahuman na ang ilang ternimo karong tuiga.
Matud pa ni DILG Kalihim Ismael Sueno, nakadawat og taho ang ilang buhatan nga usa ka organisasyon nga gitawag og National Interfaith Council of the Philippines (NICOPHIL) ang giingong nigamit sa pangalan sa buhatan sa DILG sa pag-aghat sa mga indibidwal sa pagsumitir og resumes isip mangindahay nga barangay captains.
“Do not be deceived by any group or individual that is using the name of the DILG to give false hopes about being OICs in the barangays,” matud pa ni Sueno.
“The DILG is not in any way connected to NICOPHIL nor have we authorized the said group to recommend OIC barangay captains,” dugang pa sa Kalihim.
Ning bag-o lang, ang Kalihim sa DILG mipadayag sa iyang pag-uyon sa pag-appoint og OIC-barangay captains kun i-oktaba ang gitakdang Barangay ug Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) election karong Oktubre 31 ning tuig.
Sa pagkakaron, wala pa gilagdaan ni Presdiente Rodrigo Duterte ang balaod nga mag-oktaba sa maong barangay ug SK eleksiyon.
Matud pa ni Sueno, giingong nangita ang NICOPHIL og 50,000 ka mga OIC applicants sa tibuok nasod aron ihulip sa mga mabakanteng posisyon sa mga barangay.
Giingong ang maong grupo nihatag sa ilang email address nga neccnicophil@gmail.com diin didto ipadala ang resume sa mga interesadong aplikante taman Oktubre 09, 2016.
Nangayo na karon og tabang ang DILG sa Philippine National Police (PNP) aron susihon kining maong taho ug aron manguha og ibedensiya aron magamit sa pagpasaka og kaso tungod sa pagpangilad.
Gi-awhag usab ni Sueno ang publiko sa pagpahibalo sa DILG ug sa mga rehiyonal nilang buhatan sa bisan unsang kasayoran kalabot niining grupo nga nanghatag og bakak nga pasalig nga mahimong barangay OICs. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)
by admin | Oct 10, 2016 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
By JUNE S. BLANCO
REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s 2nd District is looking at more sources of energy to meet the increasing demand of industries, and the population.
On top of fossil fuel, geothermal, hydro (water), solar and wind that are currently in use, top on the chair of the House committee on science and technology’s sights is nuclear power.
To allay people’s fears of a repeat of the Chernobyl, Russia and Fukushima, Japan nuclear plant accidents, however, Aumentado, together with Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos, filed House Bill 3651 seeking to create a nuclear energy regulatory body.
Aumentado said the proposed Philippine Nuclear Regulatory Commission (PNRC), under the Office of the President, will control and oversee the use of nuclear energy for peaceful and developmental purposes.
The commission, as described in the bill, is patterned after the regulatory bodies of Asia-Pacific countries like China, Indonesia, South Korea, Japan and others.
Its task will be consistent with the technology in the prevention of possible hazardous effect of nuclear power.
He said world history would show that nuclear-powered energy has not sown devastation in any country. Damages in Japan wrought by earthquake and tsunami were more devastating than that caused by Fukushima.
The proposed commission, he explained will be functioning with lessons learned from Fukushima and Chernobyl in mind.
He said it is about time that the country will develop nuclear technology. While so far solar energy has been successful, this cannot be expanded considering that the Philippines does not have the luxury of space.
If this is continually and limitlessly pursued, there will come a time that solar panels will encroach into agricultural lands. This means, he said, agricultural production will suffer. The best move, he added, will be to go nuclear – but with safety measures strictly imposed.
At the same time, attractive incentives will be offered to Filipino nuclear scientists to entice them to come home. They may work for the government, or for the private sector.
His bill, he assured, covers nuclear laws based on current international standards. It addresses gaps and omissions in radiological energy preparedness response, radioactive waste management, transport of radioactive materials, licensing of nuclear facilities and materials, among others.
The new source, he expects, will finally reach the farthest island barangays and most far-flung mountainous areas if the Philippines is to graduate from being a third world country into a developed one.
Apparently, the solon got his namesake father and immediate congressional predecessor Erico Boyles Aumentado’s visionary gene. He said he does not want the rug to be pulled out from under his feet: he does not want to wake up unprepared on the day that power has become insufficient.
Just like buildings are now designed to survive earthquakes of over 7.2 magnitudes and withstand super typhoons, he said he wants to develop and harness energy before the people will feel the pinch of power outages and their attendant inconvenience.
by admin | Oct 9, 2016 | Opinion
A Discourse
By ASTERIO N. COQUILLA
SB Member, Antequera, Bohol
Much has been said of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Bohol on October 15, 2013 but so far, no clear explanation or much of an analysis has been brought forth as regards the origin, nature and extent of the tectonic activity that resulted to such an erratic earth movement that occurred beneath the central part of Bohol. It seems the Phivolcs itself was puzzled as to the type of earthquake that happened that it could not give a satisfactory description and analysis of the phenomenon. Accordingly, the said earthquake was not of the normally occurring type of earth disturbance that was of tectonic origin. It was a unique type that must have happened only in Bohol. Phivolcs could not even give an accurate analysis because they were puzzled on why such a phenomenon happened which defied accepted standards. Of course they were silent on such a matter to which they could hardly give an explanation.
The experts were surprised why there were many fault lines practically radiating from the Carmen-Sagbayan area going outwards in different directions towards the periphery of the western half of Bohol island. This is not of the usual type where a single fault line would move and only the areas near it or within its range would be affected. Here, it was different, there were highly visible separate lines of destruction coupled with huge, sometimes deep linear ground cracks radiating from the central part of the island towards the coastal towns of the south-western portion. There was a long fault line identified by men from Phivolcs which radiated towards Inabanga-Clarin area. Another line radiated towards San Isidro town and towards Tubigon. Also identified was a line of destruction going towards Loon-Calape area, another fault line was prominently noticed going from Sagbayan towards Catigbi-an, then Balilihan and then Antequera going to Maribojoc via the Abatan bridge area, making its exit to the sea and possibly towards the island of Cebu. There was also another line which traversed through Cortes town and still another through a part of Tagbilaran City. There was also a fault line which had its exit in Loay and Albur area after traversing through Batuan, Bilar and Loboc.
Accordingly, the epicenter of the earthquake was some 8 kms. deep below the Carmen-Sagbayan area and the destruction radiated in different directions towards the periphery of the south western part of the island. This is the Bohol Fault, a unique type of fault which is now the subject of intense study by experts in the field. The Bohol Fault which has its center of origin below the Carmen-Sagbayan area is seemingly like a cobweb which, if its center is disturbed, energy radiates outwards in all directions towards the periphery. It is also similar to what happens when a stone is thrown towards the glass window of a car. From the point of impact, the damage radiates in all directions towards the periphery. However, in the 2013 earthquake, only the western part of Bohol was badly affected while in the 1994 Bohol earthquake, the other half of the island, the eastern part, was the portion severely affected. That’s how unique the Bohol Fault is, as far as this point of view is concerned. Any other analysis is most welcome.
ASTERIO N. COQUILLA
