Cebu has enough fish for local consumption, assures BFAR-7
By Eli C. Dalumpines
CEBU CITY, May 2 (PIA) --- Officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Central Visayas assured the public that Cebu still has enough supply of fish for local consumption contrary to previous media reports.
BFAR-7 Regional Director Andres M. Bojos, during the weekly media forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) -7, disputed news reports that Cebu is already importing fish from other countries.
“The newspaper reports that stated Cebu is already importing fish abroad are not entirely true,” Bojos claimed.
“I think everybody knows that the volume of tourists in Cebu is increasing. And these people (tourists) consume high-valued fish. This is what we import,” Bojos clarified.
The BFAR-7 official said that Cebu is still self-sufficient in the supply of marine products.
Along this line, BFAR-7 Assistant Regional Director Dr. Allan Poquita, in a phone interview, said the region’s total fish catch for 2010 registered 240,505.64 metric tons.
Poquita bared Cebu shared the biggest supply of fish and other marine products in the region and cited two factors that attributed why Cebu topped in the volume of fish products compared to the other provinces in the region.
“First, it is in Cebu where the most productive fishing ground is located, the Tañon Strait. The second factor is that fish traders in other provinces, and perhaps other regions as well, bring their trade directly to Cebu,” according to Poquita.
Poquita said Cebu has a bigger market share by virtue of its being the regional capital in Central Visayas.
While he admitted that their intensified campaign against illegal fishing contributed to the reduction of the volume of fish that flow into the markets in Cebu, he contended that its long term effect is more beneficial as this will result to an increase of fish catch in the near future. (FCR/ECD/PIA 7 - Cebu)
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PIA Kapihan tom. to feature ‘Pantawid Pasada’ Program
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, May 3 (PIA) --- A forum on the government’s transport assistance program dubbed ‘Pantawid Pasada’ will be the subject for discussion in the weekly Kapihan sa PIA in Cebutomorrow with top officials from the Department of Energy (DOE)-7 and other participating agencies.
The forum comes at an opportune time when the DOE has started distributing the Smart cards preloaded with P1,050 for fuel purchase by jeepney drivers in Metro Manila yesterday as part of the government’s fuel assistance to jeepney drivers amid the incessant oil price hikes.
DOE-7 Regional Director Engr. Antonio Labios will lead the team from their office to talk on the highlights of the program particularly its benefits and those who are eligible to avail of the fuel purchase aid.
Energy Secretary Rene Almendras has earlier stressed that the program is not a government subsidy but rather a temporary assistance to ease the plight of jeepney and tricycle drivers with the unending oil price increases.
“The Pantawid Pasada Program is a government assistance to help jeepney and tricycle drivers, who are the most adversely affected with the relentless oil price hikes. It is not a subsidy but just an assistance to temporarily ease their plight,” according to Almendras during the recent orientation briefing on the program to the regional directors and infocen managers of the different regions and provinces throughout the country.
But Almendras however, said those who are eligible to avail of the program are those whosepublic utility jeepneys (PUJs) are registered with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and with a franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The DOE has targeted 220,000 jeepney drivers and 1M tricycle drivers nationwide for the program. (PIA 7- Cebu)
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BFAR-7 celebrates Farmer's and Fisherfolk's Month
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 3 (PIA) --- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-7) in Central Visayas celebrates this month as 7th year of Farmer's and Fisherfolk's month with the installation of the new regional and provincial fisherfolk's directors in region 7 as the kick off activity.
BFAR-7 regional director Andres Bojos explained during the AGIO Forum recently that the Fisherfolk Director shall assume the role and task of a BFAR Regional Director in the implementation of key programs of the agency for the whole month of May while the regular Regional Director shall engage himself in community immersion in coastal villages in his jurisdiction.
The new Fisherfolk Regional Director is Violeta Epon from Bayawan, Negros Oriental.
Bojos said this annual celebration gives recognition and tribute to all farmers and fishermen who untiringly labor to ensure food security and sustainability for the people in their respective areas.
Fisherfolk's will also help the community in protecting the marine ecosystem in their areas, he added.
“Mangingisdang Director para sa Matatag na Balikatan” is this year’s celebration theme.
In region 7, there are almost 500T members under the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (FAMC) that composed the various fisherfolk organizations, Bojos said.
He added the FARMCs usually assist in the enforcement of Fishery Laws, rules and regulation governing the conservation and management of fishery resources.
The celebration highlights the installation and oath-taking of the new regional and provincial fisherfolk's leaders; meetings with Poblacion Women's Association; mass dispersal of tilapia fingerlings and simultaneous coastal clean up.
This year’s celebration is a big challenge to the new leaders to perform their tasks for the success of the program, Bojos said. (PIA-7/HFG)
New set of LGU's Info Officers in Cebu take oath
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 3 (PIA) --- The Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) had its induction and oath taking ceremony with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who was recently appointed as RDC-7 chairman as inducting officer and guest speaker.
The CAOCAMPIO is an association composed of information officers from the various local government units of Cebu province.
It aims is to promote good governance through the dissemination of relevant, accurate and timely information to the people.
Mayor Rama, in his message challenged the information officers to always say the truth and continue to serve the people in their respective municipalities.
“Learn to love your work but not to think that it is yours,” Rama said.
Carlo Dugaduga, the Cebu City information officer is this year’s elected president of the CAOCAMPIO while Borbon town councilor Roy Melgo as its vice president.
Other officers included Roger Paler of Mandaue City as secretary; Engracia Birondo of Argao as treasurer; Arthur Abas of Talisay City, Nelson Ares of Catmon, Lavina Narciso of Balamban, Mark Supatan of Asturias, Joselito Nacario of Minglanilla and Felomino Leyson of Barili, Cebu as members of the board of directors.
Dugaduga in his message emphasized, local chief executives should give importance to the role of information officers in their localities. They are the catalysts of change.
It is sad that not all local government units (LGUs) have information officers, Dugaduga added.
In a meeting with the officers and members, the association agreed to have capacity building activities to encourage local executives to designate information officers in their respective towns or cities.
Only twenty (25) members are active in this organization and the group is trying to encourage more information officers to join the association.
With the new leadership of Dugaduga and his expertise in the field of communication, the association looks forward to see changes in the coming years. (PIA-7/HFG)