Argao farmers venture in Tilapia Culture
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , February 24 (PIA) – Farmers from the Butong Upland Framers Association (BUFA) and Upland Farmers Association of Cansuje (UFAC) of Argao, Cebu has ventured into tilapia culture project with fish terraces and fish cage technologies respectively.
It was launched recently with the people’s organization (POs) composed of the key players in the agrarian reform communities (ARC) in the five barangays of Argao-- Butong, Alambijud, Calagagasan, Cansuje, and Conalum.
The Tilapia Culture Project is a joint undertaking among the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Provincial Agrarian Reform Office (PARO) in Cebu Province , the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Regional Fisheries Training Center (RFTC) and the local government unit (LGU) in Argao.
One of the highlights of the activity was the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) where project stakeholders, notably the LGU-Argao, BFAR, and DAR affirmed their support to the implementation of tilapia culture project held at the BUFA Training Center , Butong, Argao.
The MOA signing led by BFAR Regional Director Andres M. Bojos with Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Grace Fua, and DAR Assistant Regional Director for Operations (ARDO) John Maruhom.
To ensure sustainability of the project of the upland farmers, BFAR provided them with some inputs thru the accessibility of the fingerlings and feeds.
The RFTC on the other hand gave them technical training while the POs and LGUs provided the project sites (ponds) as their counterparts to the project and DAR-PARO to continue strengthening the farmers’ organization to sustain the ability of the organization to manage the project properly.
Fua told the farmers that the undertaking is a move towards the implementation of convergence initiative among the DAR, DA and DENR to promote cooperation and integration of development approaches.
Fua congratulated the farmers and expressed her commitment thru the assistance of the Beneficiaries Development and Coordination Development (BDCD) to this tilapia culture project.
BFAR director Bojos meanwhile was pleased that the undertaking is a realization of convergence efforts.
Bojos further recommended for LGU Argao to put up a municipal tilapia hatchery and BFAR will assist in the installation.
“We will coordinate with DAR Municipal and Agriculture Office for the dispersal of tilapia fingerlings to farmers who want to implement this project,” Bojos said.
ARDO Maruhom thanked BFAR for its support and he urged the farmers to be diligent and committed to this tilapia project to succeed and later for replication in other farmers’ organization.
In same event, Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos expressed his desire for the establishment of more municipal tilapia hatcheries and added that Argao town shows potential on tilapia ventures.
This project was included in their five-year ARC –BACCC Development Plan to increase household income and to generate investments.
ARC-BACCC is one of the 11 ARC convergence projects sought after by DAR to ensure expected outcome in the convergence strategy will be fully achieve. (pia7/hazel Gloria with reports from DAR-PARO)
By: Minerva BC Newman
Cebu, February 24 (PIA) – In crafting RA-10121, the government states clearly its policy statements foremost of which upholds the people’s rights to life and property and adheres to internationally accepted principles, norms and standards for capacity building in DRRM and humanitarian assistance.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD-DND) executive officer Ronald Flores told the media in a briefing that the new law adopts a holistic, comprehensive, integrated, proactive and multi-sector approach to address the impacts of disasters including climate change.
“Parang lahat na yata ng aspeto ng disaster risk reduction management and response ay tinitingnan at binusisi ng mga mambabatas upang matugonan ang lahat ng pangailangan ng mga sector, specifically those marginalized one,” Flores said in Taglish.
He explained that government took cognizance of mainstreaming DRR and climate change into the peace process and conflict resolution.
It also recognizes and ensures gender responsive measures that are sensitive to indigenous knowledge, practices and traditions as well as respect to human rights.
“There are gender sensitive issues and vulnerable groups that must be considered, such as the babies, girl-children, women, pregnant women, mothers and the senior citizens. Each of these sectors has special needs even during disasters and calamities,” he added.
In times of evacuation and identification of evacuation centers, the needs of these marginalized and vulnerable groups must be considered, Flores added.
It is also the policy of the state to promote breastfeeding before and during a disaster or emergency and ensure maximum care, assistance and services to affected individuals and families.
In a press conference during the launching of the “My City is Getting Ready’” campaign in Cebu in January, NDRRMC chairman USEC Benito Ramos reiterated his call for an integrated approach to disaster risk reduction enlisting all government units and practically the entire society.
“We must be aware of this climate change phenomenon because when there are disasters, you have to rescue your family first. Individual persons and families must be prepared. The answer then is disaster risk reduction, mitigation and preparation,” Ramos said emphatically.
Developing the capacities of LGUs, building community level disaster volunteers and mandatory training to all sector in the communities are significant aspects of local governance.
The DRRM law provides all that, Ramos said, and more. It has mainstreamed DRR and climate change in the national and local development plans and development processes.
It also integrates DRR education in school Curricula at the secondary and tertiary levels, NSTP and at the Sanggunian Kabataan.
Ramos finally said that the law includes a mandatory training in DRR for the public sector employees, including non-formal, vocational and indigenous learning as well as out-of-school youth courses and programs. (PIA-7/mbcn)
RDC-7 endorses nearly P52B budget for CV
By: Minerva BC Newman
Cebu, February 24 (PIA) – The Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC-7) endorsed recently nearly P52-Billion worth of programs, activities, projects (PAPs) and budgets of 26 government line agencies and five State Universities and Colleges (SUcs) to the Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) for further review and inclusion in the 2012 General Appropriations Act.
However, RDC-7 also passed a resolution to the DBM requesting for the adoption of policy of giving priority to RDC-endorsed PAPs in the approval of the budget of government line agencies and SUCs.
During the deliberations, the council members noted that there were very few RDC-endorsed programs, activities and projects (PAPs) that were eventually included in the 2011 General Appropriations Act while other non-RDC endorsed PAPs got included.
“The low batting average of RDC-endorsed projects included in the 2011 GAA indicates the council’s ineffectiveness in the budget review process,” commented the RDC chair.
The National Economic Development Authority in the region (NEDA-7) observed that regional agencies have not received their 2012 budget ceilings, notwithstanding DBM’s issuance of department budget ceilings in February 8.
NEDA-7 reported that only a few government line agencies provided sub-regional breakdown of their programs, activities, projects and budgets.
It is also noted that there is a need for a venue for the RDC-secretariat to monitor agency PAPs as basis to recommend which of the agencies’ programs, activities and projects are for expansion, reduction or for discontinuance.
According to the NEDA-7 the RDC does not have a complete picture of the regional development plan implementation through the PAPs because most centralized agencies and GOCCs do not present their programs in the RDC budget review.
The challenge therefore according to Boy Tagalog of NEDA-7 are; how to minimize the use of lump-sums in the agencies’ budgets and how to encourage breakdown of programs, activities and projects into specific locations within the region.
After so much discussion and deliberations on the programs and budgets of agencies and SUCs, the RDC finally endorsed them for inclusion in the 2012 appropriations. (PIA-7/mbcn)
Zero-based budgeting: Government’s budget call to transparency
By: Minerva BC Newman
Cebu, February 23 (PIA) – What is Zero-based budgeting or ZBB? This is a budgeting approach that involves the review and evaluation of major on-going programs, projects to establish their continued relevance.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM-7) regional director Carmela Fernan told the members of the regional Development Council here that ZBB will also assess whether the programs objectives are achieved.
“It will guide decision makers whether resources for the programs and projects should continue, or to be increased, reduced or discontinued,” Fernan explained.
The budgeting approach will also ascertain alternative or more efficient and effective ways to achieve the desired goals and objectives of the programs, Fernan added.
According to DBM there are guideposts to the new budgeting approach. For one, programs and projects should be aligned with President Benigno Aquino’s Social Contract and the 16 areas of Transformational Leadership.
“Hence, Fernan said, the 2012 budget will focus specifically on fighting corruption and promoting transparency, accountability and good governance.”
It must include programs for poverty reduction and empowerment of the vulnerable and marginalized sectors; ensure a sustained and inclusive growth, leveling the playing field as well as nurturing competitive industries, Fernan added.
Budgets must also focus on programs, projects that encourage integrated and safe communities and sustainable use of resources for future generations.
“As a matter of policy, Zero-based budgeting approach shall scale down if not totally eliminate all allocations for programs that are not aligned with the President’s Social Contract and the 16 areas of transformational leadership,” Fernan explained.
According to DBM, inclusion of lump sum funds are disallowed in the 2012 budget proposals and no allocations of the PS ceiling to other expenditure items.
It also encourages complementation of programs, projects of national lines agencies with those of the local government units.
It enjoins civil society organizations and the private sector to participate during budget consultations, and requires full distribution of agency budgets into specific programs, activities, projects by geographic locations.
The process further requires the formulation of forward estimates for 2012-2014 to take into account future costs of approved and on-going programs as well as valid commitments of government.
Finally, the process also requires that all programs, activities and projects in 2012 proposals be aligned with the major final outputs of agencies and each output should have at least three (3) performance indicators.
These will allow the RDC-secretariat and NEDA to monitor and recommend for expansion if programs, activities and projects are effective; for reduction if below optimum and for phasing out if the PAPs are ineffective. (PIA-7/mbcn)
LGUs can now used 70% of calamity funds for disaster preparedness
By: Minerva BC Newman
Cebu, February 22 (PIA) – In times of disasters and emergencies, local government units are in a “yoyo” position specifically during the first hour of any disaster, says a volunteer responder.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD-7) operations officer Niel Sanchez in a media forum said realistically, almost all the LGUs in Central Visayas are not ready and ill-equipped to respond to any disaster or emergency.
“There is really a need to strengthen the local government units in its capacity for search, rescue and other preventive measures to cope with disasters and emergencies but we have the manpower--volunteers,” Sanches said.
In a Stakeholders Forum held in Cebu City recently, Office of Civil Defense (OCD-DND) executive officer Ronald Flores revealed that one of the major features of the new National Disaster Risk Reduction Management law (RA-10121) is putting up the institutional mechanisms that acknowledges the vital role of the local government units (LGUs) as the first line of defense in disaster response, relief, rehab and mitigation.
“Now, almost all the bureaucracy are members of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (DRRMC) networks from the national, regional, provincial, city/municipal level, and the BDRRMC at the barangay level,” Flores added.
He explained that the LGUs are now mandated to create a permanent Local DRRM Office and BDRRMC in every barangay nationwide that will be under the office of the governor, city or municipal mayor and the punong barangay in the case of the BDRRMC.
Flores added this is a big challenge to the LGUs because they do not have specific plantilla positions and budget for this. “But they can rename vacant or excess plantilla and personnel can be assigned or detailed at the LDRRMO,” he added.
According to the new law the LDRRM Office shall be initially organized and composed of three (3) staff that will be responsible for administrative, training, research and planning, and operations and warning.
The Local DRRM Office and the Barangay DRRM council will also be responsible for organizing, training and directly supervising the local emergency response teams and the accredited community disaster volunteers.
Flores continued that the new law also provides funding for the entire DRRM program. It is now known as the National DRM and Recovery Fund (formerly called the National Calamity Fund) 70% of which can now be used for disaster risk reduction or mitigation, prevention and preparedness activities.
“The 30% of the national DRM and recovery fund (NDRMRF) is a standby fund for relief and recovery programs that will be called the Quick Response Fund,” Flores added.
Funding at the local level will still come from the 5% of their respective Internal Revenue Allotments (IRA) or the LGUs can come up with its own budget for disaster management,” Flores said.
“While before RA10121 the LGUs are limited to use the calamity funds only when disasters or emergency occur and they can only use it after its declaration of a state of calamity, and the expenses are focused mainly on response,” Flores explained.
The new law shifted its paradigm from a response-oriented fund to a mitigation and preparedness orientation.
LGUs can now use 70% of their local DRM Recovery fund for disaster risk reduction and prevention even without the LGUs declaring a ‘state of calamity’ while the 30% as standby fund for quick response, relief, recovery and rehab programs.
Any excess of the LGUs disaster/calamity funds will be carried over to the next year as a special trust fund and will not be reverted to the national treasury for the next five years.
“It actually means that the LGUs can now buy emergency and dredging equipment, fund the training of rescue volunteers and equip them with tools and facilities. This will greatly improve the capacities of LGUs to manage and efficiently respond to disasters and or emergencies,” Flores went on.
The new law also provides for penalties to LGUs that do not or are unable to pursue whatever are mandated for them to do and or how they will use their calamity funds, the OCD executive officer said. (PIA-7/mbcn)