by anyajulia | Oct 13, 2008 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita, National News
PLUGGING a leak caused by the intricacies of devolution and the allegations of fund mismanagement by local authorities in the government program implementation, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has molded a national task force to monitor implementation of President Arroyo’s flagship Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) programs for rice and corn.
Arguing for the country’s food sufficiency program, Secretary Yap hopes that through his special order, the government can now ensure the efficient use of public funds and resources for these food security initiatives.
Sec Yap, who is expected in Bohol next week for the World Food Day and Rice Festival set October 16, earlier said by creating 4 teams through Special Order No. 380, the government expects a roving team checking on various aspects of the implementation of the GMA Rice and Corn Programs.
THE COUNTRY’S FOOD SECURITY manager DA Secretary Arthur Yap is expected here in Bohol this week to keynote on the dual activities set October 16, Thursday. (PIA)
On the other hand, the FIELDS Coordinating Team develops the components’ master plans and oversees their respective implementation.
The Field Mobilization Group monitors the implementation at the regional, provincial and municipal levels.
Meanwhile, the Strategic Policy and Advocacy Support Team, private sector and academic experts provide strategic advice on policy and advocacy concerns to help successfully attain the goals of the GMA Rice and Corn Programs, Yap said. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 13, 2008 | Headlines, National News
OIL industry players conveniently hiding under the protection of the oil deregulation law may have one problem coming, Malacañang has said it may be forced to use its power to protect the public interest.
This as oil companies remain deaf to the roll back clamor of consumers despite lowering of crude oil price in the international markets.
According to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Malacañang will exercise its power to protect public interest once the government gathered strong basis against oil companies that do not roll back prices and not willing to heed the clamor of the consumers.
Ermita made the assurance in the light of reports that the Senate is planning to pass a law that will impose tax on profits of oil companies that do not scale down prices amid the downtrend of pump prices in the world market.
Clipped to flex its muscled by the present deregulation law, Ermita admitted that the palace can’t dictate on oil companies, however he said government is still “appealing to them to lower their prices as pump prices of oil continue to go down in the world market”.
If there will be “unreasonability” on their part, then the government will have to take certain measures to protect the public interest,” Ermita said during his regular media briefing this week. He did not elaborate however how the government plans to do this.
Data from the Department of Energy showed that Dubai crude oil averages $89.25 per barrel since Monday, compared to last month’s average of $95.90 per barrel.
But despite this, he said the government would limit its actions in order to persuade oil firms to adjust their prices amid the global downtrend of oil prices.
For his part, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said that under the present situation, only market forces can “force” oil firms, especially the big three, to scale down the prices of their products.
“Market forces will determine it. We will not stop on our call but we will not force them,” Dureza said in a radio interview Wednesday.
He noted that since small players in the oil industry were quick in readjusting their prices, it is up to the bigger players to follow suit or risk losing customers.
Dureza quoted Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes to have said that the deregulated nature of the fuel industry prevents the national government from taking drastic measures against oil firms that do not roll back prices. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 13, 2008 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
BEAMING a signal of innovative governance, Jagna launched Wednesday October 8, Bohol’s first community radio while sending to Jagnaanons a loud and clear call of molding empowered people partnering for development.
The empowerment envisioned by local authorities with a benevolent partner roots in health, social, cultural and economic education for sectors here through a wide field of information sharing.
Jagna Mayor Exuperio Lloren, in his inaugural message beamed live over Jagna’s DyJP FM said the new communications facility would become the town’s voice and allows the people a channel to air their concerns.
Operating on a temporary broadcast permit issued by the National Telecommunications Commission, Mayor Lloren said such is because the town still is processing the papers to comply with the broadcast requirements.
Not mincing words to praise Forrest Malakoff and Philos Health for putting up state of the art broadcast equipment, the mayor who also heads the Bohol mayors’ league vocalized his appreciation for the group’s unequalled concern for Filipinos and Jagnaanons.
Philos Health, a benefactor group headed by Malakoff is a San Francisco based health service provider. It first came to Jagna to offer a medical mission in the spirit of social responsibility.
The US based provider graduated from an outsider medical mission group into one that is genuinely with the local government in its health concerns for the people.
Everything else that happened later because Mayor LLoren was always a “yes we can do that“ man, Malakoff admitted in his message.
After its medical missions series, Philos has left a brand new vehicle, set up Jagna’s second rural health unit in Mayana and put up the communications equipment for the community radio, Mayor Lloren said.
The communications facility was initially proposed to bridge the divide between patients who need to continue getting their follow-up treatments at the clinic and health providers incapacity to put up a sustainable health education. This is to hit the prevention side of health care, shared Nimfa Lloren, DyJP FM station manager.
Rural health unit authorities have seen problems as patients seldom continue their treatment due to distance from treatment centers and financial constraints in coming to and from stations, she added.
The Jagna first lady, who also doubles as an active leader and women power motivator admitted they initially thought the community radio would be a real solution for the gap.
In the long process of planning, it was Malakoff who later hinted that other than political purposes, the community radio could be used for the town’s socio, religious and economic concerns, Lloren said.
Taking its share, the local government trained community broadcasters and ensured sustainable community radio operations by institutionalizing the community radio council (CRC), which was presented during the radio launch.
Also presented were broadcasters tasked to deliberate on the air educational topics ranging from the mundane children’s concerns, community policing, education, health, agriculture and still a gamut of issues important to Jagna-anons.
Philippine Information Agency’s Yvette Matabalan stressed in her solidarity message that the town leadership has indeed seen the critical value of information as a tool for empowerment and progress.
Over this, she vowed she would help the town by putting up technical support to assure sustainability of operations. (PIA/rachiu)
AIRING topics ranging from health to economic and social concerns, Jagna Community Radio, Bohol’s first community broadcast initiative by a town went on air Wednesday with Philos Health benefactor Forrest Malakoff detailing how the partnership with his company and the town started. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Oct 13, 2008 | Headlines, National News
Malacañang will exercise its power to protect public interest once the government gathered strong basis against oil companies that do not roll back prices and not willing to heed the clamor of the consumers.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita made the assurance in the light of reports that the Senate is planning to pass a law that will impose tax on profits of oil companies that do not scale down prices amid the downtrend of pump prices in the world market.
Under the present deregulation scheme, government can’t dictate on oil companies but we are appealing to them to lower their prices as pump prices of oil continue to go down in the world market.
If there will be “unreasonability” on their part, then the government will have to take certain measures to protect the public interest,” Ermita stressed.
Data from the Department of Energy showed that Dubai crude oil averages $89.25 per barrel since Monday, compared to last month’s average of $95.90 per barrel. (PIA/Bohol)
by anyajulia | Oct 13, 2008 | Headlines, National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will address some 200 local executives attending the LGU Conference for Sustained Competitiveness.
The conference highlights the 17th anniversary celebration of the signing of the 1991 Local Government Code.
It aims to stress the important role of local government units (LGUs) in enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
The conference also serves as an opportunity for LGU officials to meet prospective private sector investors in their respective jurisdictions.
Other objectives include: identify critical components of competitiveness; international and local best practices in attaining competitiveness; investments opportunities in four priority sectors, namely, agriculture, mining, outsourcing and offshoring, and tourism; accelerate local economic development through enhanced competitiveness; among others.
