by magnolia_eic | Aug 22, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
DARKNESS eases out of Barangay Maitum in Catigbian when dialog diffused a potential governance headache here.
Long believed as an incendiary that help spark the avid support to the communist, the situation could not just be left unattended, says Catigbian Mayor Roberto Salinas.
Maitum, an agricultural barangay sliced off from a forest, owns 638.8 hectares all classified timberland based on the 1928 survey.
Being timberlands, farmers eversince could not own lands as this is technically government property.
The implications are unthinkable, says Mayor Roberto Salinas, hinting that everyone here is illegally settling and harvesting their planted trees on government lands can get them to jail.
“The thing is, we have problems collecting real estate and property tax from the people as the lands they settle in, are technically not theirs” bemoaned Salinas.
On his last term, Salinas has since attempted to remedy the situation by reclassification of timberlands into alienable and disposable (A and D) lands. This allows the process of claiming ownership to proceed.
After several attempts, the retired navy captain turned mayor finally succeeded in facilitating a dialog among residents and authorities from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Agrarian Reform (DAR) and local concerned agencies and offices last August 17, 2010.
That day, at the Maitum Barnagy Hall, DENR 7 Regional Director V11 Leonardo Sibaluca, Regional Technical Director (RTD) for Forest Management Service Isabelo Montejo, RTD for Land Management Service Diana Apistar, and DAR RD Rudy Inson, Capitol Consultant Isabelito Tongco, PENRO Nestor Canda, CENRO Eusalem Quiwag, BEMO’s Nunilo La Fuente, DAR Bohol’s Operations chief Ronald Pumatong and Catigbian officials led by Salinas, Vice Mayor Rey Lacea, SB members, MPDC Tifilito Rulida, Mun Treasurere Ranulfo Suarez, Assessor Benjie Lacea, MARO Laura Lacea and Maitum barangay officials led by Brgy Captain Jun Tupaz convened for the historic ironing out of the governance kinks.
DAR Bohol’s Dr Ronald Pumatong recounted the “joint efforts” of the municipality and DAR, which has ushered in the moment.
RTDs Montejo and Diana Apistar admitted before the barangay folks that the problem sprouted from an erroneous 1928 survey.
Both of them however were amenable to reclassify the 356.3 hectares as A and D so these can be titled in favor of the farmers.
The meeting then led to the correction of classification from the erroneous survey thereby identifying more than half of the total Maitum area as alienable and disposable, to the applause of barangay folks.
This leaves only an area of only 282.5 hectares as timberland.
Over the development, DENR RD Sibaluca, urged accelerated process of documentation pegged a month-long target so they can finally turn over the A and D lands to DAR for proper disposition.
Finally, DAR RD Inson directed his men to fast track the titling of the lands already tilled by farmers long time ago.
Asked if the one-month target is attainable, government officials said they are optimistic that it can be done. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Jul 5, 2010 | Local News / Bohol Balita
POLITICS barely affect the community life tours, says Abatan River Development and Management Council (ARDMC).
New leaderships or any wayward development plans along the Abatan river is decided by not just one but a council, and that consultative forum does not threaten the operation of the tours, agree both erstwhile and present council chairs and former Maribojoc Mayor Gavino Redulla and current re-elected Catigbian Mayor Roberto Salinas.
Mayor Salinas said even with new leaders elected for Antequera and Balilihan, the new-comers are not new to the program as they have been a part of the widespread participatory planning process, which laid the ground-works for the new eco-tourism product.
Former Mayor Gavino Redulla, who used to head the council also said that they were careful that the product development, that is, that the community life tours undergo participatory planning sessions from communities in five towns to make sure everybody knows what they are into.
Speaking at the recent Kapihan sa PIA which tackled the newly launched community life tours of Abatan River towns as ecotourism development strategy to sustainably manage the river resource, both council leaders believe newly leaders are generally familiar with the activities and the Abatan River development master plan.
Balilihan’s new mayor, Dominisio Chatto was then vice mayor, while Antequera’s Mario Pahang also sat as the town vice mayor during the product development stage.
Cortes Mayor Apolinaria Balistoy, Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco Jr and Catigbian’s Mayor Salinas have retained their seats and would continue so in the next three years, at least.
Often regarded by many as a competition for the already famous Loboc River Cruises, the Abatan Community Life Tours is an entirely different experience, stresses Governor-elect Edgar Chatto, whose congressional funds then helped finance the endeavor.
The community life tour as managed by the beneficiary towns showcases aside from the often misunderstood mangrove ecosystems, the communities living about in their usual daily rituals, Redulla said.
Starting from the main community village center in Cortes, the tour takes one to some five major stops, all in riverside communities of Abatan-Lincod, Santo Rosario, Kawasan Falls and Catigbian’s Dagook Falls.
The tour also includes artistic and cultural presentations showcasing rituals of Wadji, nipa mangrove livelihood activities, basket-weaving and home industries, rural community immersions in Balilihan and Catigbian as well as a package of innovations in governance.
Interested tourists can drop by at the Abatan Main village center at national Highway in Junction Cortes and book a trip. (PIA-Bohol)
by anyajulia | Oct 27, 2008 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
EAGERLY awaiting deliberations of the recently wrapped-up Pamilihang Panlalawigan search by the evaluation team, Catigbian residents hope to finally bag the “best market award” this year.
Mayor Roberto Salinas however stressed that it is the unrelenting effort to dispense better service to the people that should an, but winning the provincial feat may come as a huge bonus.
Ranked only second to modern public market in Ubay in 2006, Catigbian pulled one ace off its sleeves when it edged the provincial winner in the regional competitions of that same year.
Bagging the region’s 3rd best market after Bayawan City in Negros and Pardo in Cebu, Catigbian now hopes their public market can finally be recognized as Bohol’s best, a huge feat for a public market that was constructed a few years after the war.
The provincial plum is a version of the Pambansang Pamilihan Search conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Bohol this year.
It is set to motivate public and private run markets to comply with trade rules including price tags, weights and measurements regulations and safety and quality standards, said DTI’s Concordia Erano, in a phone interview recently.
This year, the Bohol search only includes 11 markets, DTI sources said.
Evaluated together with Catigbian in this year’s search for Bohol’s best public markets were Jagna, Guindulman, Ubay, Talibon, Carmen, Inabanga, Tubigon, Loon, Antequera and Tagbilaran City, Erano enumerated.
In Catigbian, market Administrator and assistant municipal treasurer Cresilda Rulida said the town has not ceased innovating its public market since they earned the regional award in 2006.
The administration under Mayor Roberto Salinas has put in the market a better drainage system and revamped the market’s drainage culverts to assure the efficient and unimpeded flow of liquid wastes, further eliminating foul odor, Rulida shared.
The market gathered as much asP1.7M in revenues in 2006 and P1.4 M in 2007, despite the fact that the town livestock income was separately computed in 2007 following its independent operations, municipal records revealed.
In 2007, the town livestock center also netted about P.5M, Information officer Ardissa Estavilla said. (PIA/rachiu)
by anyajulia | Oct 16, 2008 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
THE fifth secondary school in Catigbian town rises following the Department of Education’s (DepED) official approval of the new Haguilanan High School (HHS), Mayor Roberto Salinas reported lately.
HHS, with 56 students from nearby Catigbian barangays and neighboring Balilihan town comes as the 3rd government public school here.
HHS comes after Mantacida High School in barangay Mantacida, Catigbain National high School in Poblacion, Holy Child Academy in Baang and Immaculate Mary Academy also in Poblacion.
Both Holy Child Academy and Immaculate Mary Academy are private secondary schools.
Ever insisting on putting up one more secondary school despite knowing it would burden the town with operational subsidy costs, Salinas said it would be worth to make quality public secondary education accessible to his constituents.
Over the development, the mayor said Catigbianons were filled with great jubilation.
DepEd, through Dr. Clemen Jala, representing Dr. School’s Division Superintendent Elpidio Jala turned over the pertinent documents to Matyor Salinas in simple ceremonies, the mayor said.
Catigbian has made another record, Dr. Jala accordingly said.
In the history of Bohol secondary schools, what several applicants take years to process, Catigbian did theirs in less than three months, Jala said in his brief message at the rites.
Now wanting to grab all the credit for the recent achievement, mayor Salinas also named those whom the credits would be shared and who have become instrumental in their positive achievement.
Salinas named CNHS principal Teogenes Galon, Haguilanan barangay officials led by Chairman Cristobal Rasonabe, Municipal Budget Officer Asunto, Treasurer Ranulfo Suarez, Planning Officer Tifilito Rulida and the support from the Bohol Schools division office under Dr. Jala.
Pending its full operation costs in the national budget, Salinas said the town will have to dip into its resources to sustain its operation.
He added however that Representative Edgar Chatto (Bohol I) has promised to ensure that the school budget gets included in the 2009 general appropriation act. (PIA/rachiu)
by Misael | Jun 12, 2008 | Features
WHAT a better way to show ones idea of the brotherhood in humanity than sharing one’s blood?
Celebrating another milestone in the town’s history, Catigbian would be handling to Bohol health authorities bags of blood from volunteers who wish to make a difference to the lives of patients needing such help.
At this year’s Katigbawan Festival, residents bank on their blood to save somebody else’s life. This as authorities expect 120 blood donors from different barangays to submit themselves voluntarily to a cause they have committed to support.
On June 17, 2008, volunteers are expected to troop to the Catigbian Business Activity Center, where the Blood Coordinating Council of Gov. Celestino Gallares Hospital, Tagbilaran City with the assistance of the Municipal Health Staff and some personnel from the Catigbian District Hospital will be waiting for them.
When the idea of a Voluntary Blood Donation (VBD) first came, no other than Mayor Roberto Salinas personally and willingly modeled the program and submitted himself to the health personnel during the first bloodletting event, three years ago, Catigbian sources said.
The program also happens to be the Department of Health’s venue of ensuring that distribution of blood supply and blood products are adequate, safe, affordable and equitable at local blood banks.
Doctors have also said that regular bloodletting events are healthful means of giving out blood compared to commercialized blood donation.
Earlier, the personnel at the Municipal Health Office has spread advocacies on the VBD in the barangays.
Because of such, barangay captains have coordinated recruitment of blood donors through community and purok meetings.
This year, blood donors from different barangays need not come with tentative health concerns having been advised of the advantages and benefits of the activity.
Also included in the activity are free screening for blood-borne diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis B, Malaria and Syphilis and most importantly.
Vice Mayor Necita Digaum also said that the activity assures the people of Catigbian free blood and blood products in times of emergency and illnesses that may require blood transfusion, by virtue of an existing agreement with hospitals and medical establishments. (rachiu/PIA)
