by anyajulia | Jun 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
INDEPENDENCE Day brings in better chances of a good live to members of three Boholano women organizations when the government hands in a sum of P137,000, for their identified livelihood projects in time for the Kalayaan Day, June 12.
The three groups, all of Guindulman town would be awarded funds for meat processing and goat and chicken raising on that day, says Labor Regional Director Elias Cayanong in a communication to concerned government agencies.
This too as the country commemorates the 111th anniversary of the Philippine Independence which is highlighted by livelihood fairs, awarding of employment contracts, training vouchers, scholarships and grants for livelihood assistance, opening of public assistance centers, entertainment, fireworks display and the usual flag raising and wreathe laying activities, bares the labor department.
It may be recalled that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has directed the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as the lead agency in the organization and implementation of programs and activities in commemoration of the 111th Philippine Independence.
Pursuant to the presidential Administrative Order, DOLE Secretary Marianito Roque crafted the inter-agency task force to oversee and manage the nationwide Kalayaan ’09 celebration.
24 members of the Asosasyon sa Nagkahiusang Kababayen-an sa Bayong of Guindulman, Bohol would be awarded P33, 187 for training cum production (TCP) funds on meat processing.
On the other hand, 33 members of the Bunhayag Kababayen-ang Nagpakabana ug Matinud-anon of Canhaway gets P66,000 for TCP on goat raising funds from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 7.
Another women’s group, Lantay Women’s Association of barangay Lombog gets P37,940 for TCP on native chicken raising for its 29 members.
Representatives from these Guindulman women organizations would be off to Cebu to get the awards in time for the June 12 activities at the SM Cebu Entertainment Plaza, where all major regional independence day activities open.
This year’s organizing committee bared that the commemoration centers on “Kagitingan, Kagalingan at Kasipagan Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has appointed Boholano actor and director Cesar Montano as Presidential Special Envoy for Film and Digital Cinema.
In her appointment for Montano, which she signed May 19, the president said the actor will coordinate with the Departments of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Tourism (DOT), Trade and Industry (DTI), and Energy (DOE) in developing appropriate strategies and activities that will enhance the appreciation of Philippine cinema.
Moreover, Montano, who has brought distinct honor and pride to the country for his classic Filipino films would also lead in mobilizing the private sector in the Philippine cinema promotion.
Most political observers see the recent presidential action as an apparent accommodation for the Administration’s losing senatorial bets in the past elections.
Montano was a candidate under the administration party who lost his senatorial bid.
Over all these, Boholano source close to the actor does not believe the appointment would jeopardize Montano’s future political bid.
The actor who openly admits his Baclayon roots has been touted to throw his hat in the political arena here, and aims for the province’s top post.
In later interviews however, Montano said he has a wide option open before him.
“Its all set, Montano is definitely running for governor, the source who asked not to be named said.
Montano has been testing the political waters all over Bohol in the past few months, the source said “and he has made up his mind to go”.
With the presidential appointment, Montano would be accorded diplomatic status, be issued a diplomatic passport for his overseas missions.
The appointment however does not allow him to receive salary or emoluments from the Department of Foreign affairs. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
IN A surprise show of party expediency, 25 Bohol mayors shook off their party affiliations to the welcoming embrace of the Nationalist Party headed by presidential bet and Senator Manuel Villar.
The mayors, most of them affiliated with the ruling Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas CMD) Kampi coalition bolted at the time when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo officiated the merger of Lakas CMD and her party Kabalikat sa Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI)
The 25 mayors took their oath under their new party in a discreet political gathering at the posh Bohol Tropics Resort and presided over by Villar.
Newspaper reports named the 6 bolting mayors of the First District as Cirilo Jalad (Alburquerque), Alvin Uy (Baclayon), Apolinaria Balistoy (Cortes), Simplicio Yu (Calape), Vito Rapal (Corella) and Irineo Calimpusan (Sikatuna).
In Bohol’s second district, 6 mayors now allied with the Villar party are Hermogenes Diezon (Clarin) Elsa Tirol (Buenavista), Teresa Camacho (Getafe) Apolinar Gumanid (San Isidro) Claudio Bonior (San Miguel) and Herminio Relampagos (Dagohoy).
In the third District, named were Leon Calipusan (Loboc), Fanuel Cadelina (Bilar) Gregoria Pepito (Batuan) Simplicio Maestrado (Sierra Bullones) Wilson Pajo (Pilar), Pedro Miasco (Alicia) Sergio Amora (Candijay), Stephen Rances (Mabini) Ma. Fe Piezas (Guindulman) Manuel Tan (Duero) and Exuperio Lloren (Jagna)
The massive party switching also happened at a time when Lakas regional and provincial party head Governor Erico Aumentado was out of town for a scheduled state visit in Korea.
While Capitol has still to issue a statement over the incident, radio reports projected Villar as a close ally of Aumentado, who sat as Villar’s deputy speaker in his heydays as House bigwig.
A radio commentator here candidly referred to the political phenomenon as “ants go where sugar is.”
In Bohol, where the Administration garnered one of the country’s widest victory margin during the last elections, a massive party switching would be construed as a big dent to the Lakas KAMPI merger.
Reports also said that the merger was a convenient way of consolidating the forces sympathetic to the ruling administration.
On related development, Political Affairs Adviser Gabriel Claudio has hinted that Malacanang knows there are some parties ding piracy and raiding the Lakas-Kampi party, especially in the municipal level.
“We are doing our own check on this,” as he continued, “This is hardly the time for Lakas Kampi members to even doubt their membership in the newly merged party. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 8, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
EFFECTIVE July 1, government state workers are eligible for the four annual salary increases as Congress recently voted for the passage of the salary standardization law (SSL) reports bared.
The Congressional action also caused the availability the funds for its pay increase’s four-year implementation.
Many government workers view the development as timely, especially when the country’s economy is being rocked by the global financial crisis and when the government is in its programmed spending with the emergency employment and livelihood programs to keep the economy buoyant.
With prices now vacillated by the unstable price of oil and fuel, the Congressional action on the passage of the law is a huge development, government observers said.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has previously certified the salary standardization law as urgent in an apparent attempt to bring the salaries of state workers close to the levels of their counterparts in the private sector.
Over the development too, Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the government now is assured of enough funds for the salary standardization.
Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio said the timely implementation of SSL-3 will help the economy at this time of global economic crisis.
“It will help perk up the economy through spending,” Claudio said, hinting that more spending power would tend to keep people buying and thus, patting into shape local economies.
With Congress passing the law, it also has caused the immediate upgrading of compensational package for low-level to top government positions, a step to be implemented in a staggered system for four years.
The salary standardization is expected to benefit the more than 1.5 million government employees by increasing their salaries starting this July 2009 until 2013. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Jun 8, 2009 | Election 2010, Headlines, National News
Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson announced that he was withdrawing from the 2010 presidential race. His reason for such action was the huge expenses of waging a campaign.
“The time has come to face the reality that the intent to lead in this land in order to do good has become an enterprise only to those who have access to unlimited funds. I bow to that reality,” Lacson said. This was why he did not attend Friday night’s televised Leadership Forum among prospective presidential candidates.
Lacson said he could have accepted the P200-million pork barrel allocated each senator every year so he could match the resources of well-moneyed candidates, but he chose not to for integrity’s sake.
The presidential hopefuls who appeared at the forum-former President Joseph Estrada, Sen. Loren Legarda, Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando.
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