by anyajulia | Mar 9, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
SHELTERING the poor who would be most affected by the fallout, the government has caused massive job openings for the unemployed to stack them with the buying power.
In fact, through the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP), all government agencies have virtually opened its doors to workers seeking temporary jobs enough to tide them over the global economic strain.
Leading the pack here in Bohol is the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The agency is now putting up a database of skilled workers in construction work, those on the list would be given top priority by contractors who bag the 1260 government infrastructure projects nationwide, says source from DPWH.
The database acts as the ones with the top pick priorities, especially during job fairs to be set up in the provinces, says Regional Director Josefino Rigor in a faxed message to PIA.
By agreement with the contractors, DPWH submits the database to the winning bidders.
With this, the government public works agency asks skiled workers as foremen, heavy equipment operators, steelmen, laborers, road maintenance men, masons, plumbers and other construction related skills to enlist at the Bohol First Engineering District, at New Capitol Site here in Tagbilaran on or before March 17, when a job fair is slated.
Likewise, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are on a similar program looking for warm bodies.
The PNP recruitment is part of the executive directive to recruit 15,000 police officers in five years, which started in 2006, PNP sources also reveal.
These new bloods, totaling 7,000, will replace the retiring, dead and dismissed police officers in the last semester of 2008 and for the first semester of 2009, the source added.
Applicants however need to go through series of examinations and trainings.
Those who pass will have year-long Field Training Program (FTP) at the Police National Training Institute.
For those considering military careers, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has 6,7000 slots which will be divided among the Army, the Airforce, the Navy and the technical services, government sources also pointed out.
Applicants should be 18 to 23 year olds, physically fit and have obtained at least 72 college units.
And just like their counterparts in the police, applicants must pass examinations and trainings.
Moreover, at this time when job-hunting work force needs all the help they can get to seek postings on tight budget, the labor authorities have proposed online interviews.
Labor Secretary Marianito Roque has asked for the adoption of internet technology to reduce costs of job hunting for the unemployed.
Roque said internet facilities, which can be set up in DOLE regional offices, will bridge the distance between applicants and their prospective employers who are based abroad.
TESDA reported Filipinos are preferred workers in Canada, Australia and in the Middle East in sectors of health care and construction. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Mar 7, 2009 | Headlines, National News
YOU come to a government office for a transaction. Just as you alight from your car, this widely grinning man comes and offers to “fix it out for you, for a fee.”
Relax, a fixer just has offered his “exceptional” service to you.
Exceptional, because the task which you can probably complete with nary a hitch is now offered to you “sans the hassle.”
The hassle actually is having to through the “long queue” and having “to wait” and wonder at how a government employee could sit on your papers if you don’t bleed with “lubricating money”.
It’s no big deal and really for a fixer who has to “grease his way” to smoothen your papers by most likely bribing an insider and thus tripping a long line of red-tape rolling up to the top man in the organization. Tired of such things? Try this.
The Office of the Ombudsman has lately come up with a mechanism to fix the fixers. And it is just a text or call away.
The Ombudsman along with the Civil Service Commission (CS) has engaged into gear the Anti Red Tape Law, or Republic Act 9485 to “fix the fixers” by throwing the book on them and slapping them with stiff penalties.
RA 9485 imposes imprisonment of as long as six years and or a fine of up to P200,000 or both, the law states.
No big deal really. All you need to do is report the name of the fixer, name and location of the government office, the date and the type of transaction to the Office of the Ombudsman through 0926-699-4703 or call (02) 927-4102 or 927-2404.
The CSC has also a hotline and you may also text to 0917-839- 8272 or call (02) 932-0111.
As this developed, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has commended the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for being the first state agency to comply substantially with RA 9485.
She made the commendation during her brief visit to the BOC headquarters in Manila to personally check on the agency’s implementation of the law and its reportedly enhanced operations efficiency.
BOC Commissioner Napoleon Morales, Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) president Antonio Kalaw, and Civil Service Commission (CSC) Assistant Commissioner Anicia De Lima were on hand to welcome the President who was accompanied by Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya.
De Lima said the President’s visit was to highlight the agency’s compliance with RA 9485 and stress her resolve to curb red tape and illegal transactions in government offices. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Mar 6, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
The Department of Public Works and Highways – Region 7 will hold a series of jobs fairs in Central Visayas provinces this month to hep the unemployed population find job opportunities.
Applicants who are foremen, heavy equipment operators, steelmen, piyon, kaminero, masons o latero or other class of construction workers are qualified to register at the DPWH jobs fairs. The venue and date for Bohol is at Bohol 1st District Engineering Office, New Capitol Site, Tagbilaran City on March 17, 2009.
The department is in need of engineers, carpenters and plumbers who are on the lookout for temporary jobs for the 1,260 projects nationwide. (PIA)
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by anyajulia | Mar 6, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
CARMEN, BOHOL. TOURISM front liners especially involved in the operations of Bohol’s peak tourism product underwent a seminar workshop on personality enhancement to allow them to cope up with the world-class service demanded of them especially in the upcoming peak season.
Carmen Mayor Manuel Molina underscored in his letter request to Bohol Tourism Officer (BTO) Josephine Cabarrus the need to train front-liners so they can be equipped with the right personality and attitude especially when serving tourists and guests drawn by the magic of the Chocolate Hills.
Mayor Molina asked the BTO to facilitate a 2-day training seminar for this purpose.
Himself conscious of the need to upgrade Carmen personnel services and approximate international standards, the mayor together with his team of local government officials asked the BTO to design for them the training the soonest possible time.
Anticipating the influx of tourists for the peak summer season, local officials believe that equipping their people with the right skills adds up to the good memories of a tourist here.
Comprising the BTO resource pool for the workshop aside from BTO Cabarrus are tour guides Chito Vaño, Roy Ometer, Christopher Boncales and Rey Anthony Chiu of PIA Tagbilaran.
Meanwhile, BTO has been retooling tourism stakeholders through personality enhancement seminar workshops for tourism industry stakeholders.
“We want all Boholanos who are now working in the industry to be able to maximize their skills in keeping the industry alive especially during an anticipated global meltdown,” says a tour guide who is part of the pool.
At this, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said tourism industry remains a key sector in generating job opportunities amidst global economic crisis.
She added that “Tourism is one of the sectors we have to strengthen as our response to the global meltdown.
The President said her administration has persistently pushed various tourism-related projects to create jobs and open livelihood opportunities resulting in the industry’s unprecedented growth during the last four years.
She pointed out that the Philippines has a lot to offer to tourists, domestic and foreign alike, as amply demonstrated by the continuing increase in visitors arrivals.
She stressed however that tourism should not be promoted at the expense of the environment as she underscored the government’s aggressive promotion and carrying out of environmental awareness and solid waste management programs to ensure the cleanliness and beauty of the country’s tourist destinations. (rachiu/PIA)
by anyajulia | Mar 6, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, Panglao International Airport
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo started pulling the strings to move government agencies to start the construction works on the P4.7 billion (US$115 million) Panglao International Airport in Bohol and bring Bohol on a tougher toehold in the country’s super regions plan.
The presidential action was to build on the momentum of the growing regional travel market in Asia, and thus possibly getting Visayas the share of economic development.
In fact, for Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado, its completion would be Bohol’s biggest gift to the President as she celebrates her birthday in April of 2010.
Earlier, the President issued the order at a Cabinet meeting in Malacanang when they country’s top development thinkers tackled programs and projects for rural development, among which was the approval of the Panglao Airport Development Project by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.
The President, who chairs the NEDA Board, said the “bid must be out by April this year and work start by July.”
She also was reported as saying that the project would be funded by internal government funds as she ordered in July 2005.
By the arrangement, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) bankrolls 90% of the P4.7 billion project cost while the remaining 10% would be funded by the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).
According to a feasibility study on the project, the construction of an airport in Panglao Island is economically viable.
It showed that air passenger arrivals in Bohol have been “phenomenal,” brought about by Bohol’s tourism initiatives including preservation and development of world-class Panglao white-sandy beaches.
Settled in a 195 hectare lot, Panglao Airport Development Project would have a 2.5 kilometer runway making it easy for bigger planes to land.
The design, one which could be upgradable to fit international standards allows the airport to be an alternate airport to nearby Mactan Cebu International Airport in Cebu.
The project site which the President has inspected lies in parts of barangays Lourdes, Bolod, Danao and Tawala in Panglao. (rachiu/PIA)
