by anyajulia | Sep 1, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
DAUNTING task, admits Atty. Lucas Nunag of Amarela fame, the incoming chairman of the private sector led-Provincial Tourism Council (PTC) here.
The council, which has largely been credited in chambering the innovative policies to mold the eco-cultural tourism boom here could probably be the only one private sector-led council.
Nunag takes on the rein of the advisory, policy-making and recommendatory body for all tourism programs in government and in the private sector from the first non-government representative as chairman in the PTC history.
Nunag would be on to a tough task, he admits as it would be challenging to lead the main council out to pave the roadmap for conserving and sustaining the tourism industry after it has established itself as a top tourism destination in the country.
Ordinarily a council led by the provincial chief executive, Governor Erico Aumentado who consequently held the chairmanships of the League of Provinces of the Philippines and the Union of Local Authorities could not put in all the time for the council here.
For this reason, the governor, who also believed handing the rein to the private sector would innovate the council operations relinquished the chairmanship to a travel operator and local media mogul Peter Dejaresco.
After serving full terms since 2006, Dejaresco called for the elections last Thursday during the PTC meeting held at SegLim of the Bohol Tropics.
This after the PTC has accomplished SAPA LGU Bilar and Camp Magsaysay, decongestion of the Choco Hills vehicular traffic, organized the Loboc River cruise Operators Association, the Bohol Marine Triangle and the dolphin protection, tarsier sanctuary and the tourist welcome center.
It has also moved to increase domestic flights to seven, put up familiarization tours and went into promotional blitzes that helped establish Bohol as a key destination.
“I think I have served enough, although I would remain committed to support the council,” he said upon his call for elections.
Also elected together with chairman Nunag were Mr. Walter Sultan of Travel Village Tours as Co Chairman from the private sector, Ma. Marietta Gasatan of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) as treasurer, Carlito Responte of the Bohol Tri Media Association as Auditor and Peter Dejaresco of Angel’s Wings Tours and Travels as Press Relations Officer. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
WITH the youth vote now believed to be crucial for the dream revamp in the country’s political system, Bohol Sangguniang Kabataan Federation echoes the call for the youth to register and make their votes count.
Jorvan Cordova of the SKPF said that their campaign for youth vote has since started in May during their weekly radio program here.
At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, Cordova added that the SK Provincial federation through Board Member Jane Censoria Cajes, who consequently sits as the SK National Federation president believes that a unified vote of the youth would surely topple all stereotypes of the corrupted political system in the country.
We still have firm hopes that the youth are the hopes of today, not the future, Cajes once said.
Over this, even with their weekly go-out and vote campaigns through their radio program, the SKPF through the office of Board member Jane Censoria Cajes has sent official memoranda to all SK barangay offices to extend the invitation to urge members to register and offer any assistance to first time voters in their localities to facilitate registration.
We have sent memos to all municipal and barangay offices to encourage youth to register and exercise their right to vote, he said.
According to the Commission on Elections through Provincial Election Officer Eliseo Labaria, it would be relatively easy for first time registrants as they would only need to show a valid identification, fill up the forms and biometric data.
The COMELEC website says qualified to register are persons turning 18 on or before May 10, 2010, has established residency and is not disqualified by law.
Atty. Labaria said those qualified to register can go to the office of the election registrar between 8-5 pm Monday to Fridays in the areas where they reside until October 31.
For overseas absentee voters, they only have until tomorrow Monday, August 31, the deadline for registration, the COMELEC said. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 28, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
FINALLY, after an advocacy to put up a decompression chamber to rescue divers with decompression problems, Capitol now mulls for a hyperbaric chamber, that is, if plans do not miscarry.
Through the Provincial Tourism Council (PTC), Governor Erico Aumentado revealed that the plan is to put up the needed decompression chamber at the newly opened Bohol Medical Care Institute with the rise in diving tours here in Bohol.
Putting up the chamber has been a long dream for Bohol whose prime dive sites have lure local and international divers.
Still saddled with the apparent failure of the government to regulate the dives with direct supervision from the Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving (PCSSD), Bohol’s resources and guest divers endanger themselves when diving here.
“We need this decompression chamber so much, with the lack of equipment here, some victims of diving accidents could not reach hospitals and facilities that can help them, said Aumentado.
The nearest facility Bohol divers can use is at the Central Command in Cebu and dive accident victims need to be airlifted fast to survive and make it to the treatment center.
According to the governor, Bohol has already been authorized to operate the hyper baric equipment.
A hyperbaric apparatus is capable of giving a therapy to dive victims whose blood oxygen levels have not stabilized after fast surfacing, posing dangers to their body oxygen levels against the atmospheric pressure.
At the present set-up, even with world-class dive sites, divers here need to sign waivers to waive dive operators’ responsibility in the eventuality of dive accidents, the governor added.
“We are now in the process of negotiating with the purchase of a P1 million equipment,” he shared to the delight of council members who are dive operators who tend to immediately benefit from the move.
Now we are planning to ask the Sangguniang Panlalwigan to promulgate an ordinance imposing fees for the use of the facility at the BMCI, said Aumentado. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 28, 2009 | Headlines, National News
Morale booster for men in blue uniforms.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) signed into law a measure that finally laid to rest what has been troubling well-meaning police officers who get entangled with cases in the performance of their duties.
Moreover, the president’s action on the law amending Republic Acts 6975 and 8551 also gives five years for undergraduate cops to finish the minimum requirement for police officers under the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The new law which she signed last week is entitled “An act Extending to Five Years the Reglementary Period for Complying with the Minimum Educational Qualifications for the Appointment of the PNP and Adjusting the Promotion System, Amending for the Purpose the Pertinent Provisions of RA 6975 and RA 8551 and for other purposes.
RA 6975 effectively bars promotion for any police officer facing service-related charges, until they are cleared.
This is even if these charges are in furtherance of their duties as protectors of peace, says Camp Dagohoy Information Officer P/Insp. John Gano.
Some police officers think this law (RA 6975) has been a convenient tool used by criminals who threaten officers by getting back at cops administrative or criminal charges, and not a few have chickened out from performing their duties diligently because of this provision of law.
Under the new law however, if after two years, the case has not been resolved, sued cops can be considered for promotions.
Furthermore, some absorbed police officers, especially those who came from the ranks of the now defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) or the Integrated National Police (INP) still needs to complete the required college degree as a minimum requirement for PNP appointment.
The new law allows them to breeze through the minimum college requirement in the next five years as a good provision of a continuing education for police personnel, Pinsp. Gano said. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 28, 2009 | Headlines, National News
MONDAY, August 31, the last Monday of August is declared National Heroes Day or the Cry of Balintawak also called Cry of Pugadlawin, and is therefore a non-working holiday.
Through Proclamation 1699, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared since December 24, 2008 regular holidays and special non-working holidays for 2009.
The proclamation also is based on Republic Act 9492, which moved holidays, except those religious in nature to the nearest Monday.
Supposedly celebrated every last Sunday of August, by RA 9492, the celebration is moved to the following day, the nearest Monday.
The National Heroes Day commemorates the time when supreme leader Andres Bonifacio declared the uprising against the Spaniards in the historic Cry of Balintawak which is situated in Pugadlawin, otherwise called the Cry of Pugadlawin.
Bonifacio’s declaration of the uprising, made symbolic by tearing to pieces the Spanish issued cedullas (residence certificates) also signaled the formal start of countless sparks of rebellion organized by the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (Katipunan).
The uprising was triggered by the brutal rule the Spaniards imposed upon the Filipinos.
All of these, Bonifacio stated in his general proclamation issued August 28 when he wrote:
This manifesto is for all of you. It is absolutely necessary for us to stop at the earliest possible time the nameless oppositions being perpetrated on the sons of the country who are now suffering the brutal punishment and tortures in jails, and because of this please let all the brethren know that on Saturday, the 29th of the current month, the revolution shall commence according to our agreement.
For this purpose, it is necessary for all towns to rise simultaneously and attack Manila at the same time. Anybody who obstructs this sacred ideal of the people will be considered a traitor and an enemy, except if he is ill; or is not physically fit, in which case he shall be tried according to the regulations we have put in force. Mount of Liberty, 28th August 1896 – ANDRES BONIFACIO.
By the celebration, the country’s leaders also hope that the younger generation look up to the event as a venue for realizing the way of freedom and democracy. (PIA)
