Group in C. Visayas sees need to go for renewable energy
By Eli C. Dalumpines
By Eli C. Dalumpines
CEBU CITY, May 23 (PIA) – An environmental group in Central Visayas is actively advocating to the provincial government here to consider tapping renewable energy sources in its effort to address the looming power shortage.
Vince Sanchez, Chairman of the Central Visayas Renewable Resources Center, in a recent nterview over DYAR-Angel Radio, said tapping renewable energy sources, such as wind, sunlight and natural gas, presents the best option instead of relying on coal-fired power plants.
According to Sanchez, local communities in the province will be able to enjoy clean electricity if the government would discard the overly centralized grid system of the present power plants and opt for community-based wind-powered generators.
He said the contention that the setting up of wind turbines to harness electricity from the wind requires a large capital is not entirely true if local governments will implement them in a cluster basis where only small equipment are being used to energized an average of 10 houses.
Besides, indigenous materials such as wood can now be used as wind turbines instead of the more costly metal, he added.
Sanchez informed that the Department of Energy (DOE) has already identified the towns of Carmen in the north and Oslob in the south as wind regimes or places where strong winds can normally be experienced.
But even in the absence strong winds, latest technology such as wind vibrator is now available which can convert the slightest tap of air into electricity.
He stressed that the government will be able to save a lot of money in the long run if it invests on power plants which are using renewable energy sources since it is cheaper to maintain them compared to coal-fired power plants as the price of coal in the market always fluctuates.
It is also important to note that renewable energy sources are sustainable while coal deposits are already depleting as reported, Sanchez noted.
He, likewise, proposed to the Cebu City government to tap the methane gas in the recently-closed Inayawan Landfill as an alternative energy source in the city by employing the biogas technology as used in the neighboring Asian countries such as Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Sanchez urged people to participate in governance by actively involving in policy discussions, especially when it comes to environmental issues, and not to lay the blame solely to the government when it failed to formulate a clear program for the environment. (FCR/ECD/PIA 7-Cebu)
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DILG 7 sets dialog in Cebu on full disclosure policy
CENTRAL VISAYAS, May 23 (PIA) --- The Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region 7 holds a “Tapatan Roadshow” with Secretary Jesse M. Robredo tomorrow, May 24 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu City to discuss the DILG's Full Disclosure Policy with governors, city and municipal mayors of Central Visayas.
DILG7 regional director Pedro Noval, Jr. said today that the roadshow aims to secure the commitment and support of local chief executives in the region on the full disclosure policy.
The "Tapatan Roadshow" is actually a dialog on performance, accountability, responsiveness and transparency that is anchored on the right of the Filipinos to information on matters of public concern.
Noval said that DILG has scaled up interventions to institutionalize such policy through the issuances that included, Memorandum Circular-2011-08 directing the entire Department and its attached agencies, and all Local Chief Executives (LCEs) to comply with Section 90 of R.A. 10147 of the General Appropriations Act for FY 2011.
Another DILG memorandum circular- 2010-83 entitled “Full Disclosure of Local Budget and Finances, Bids and Public Offerings” directing compliance to Sections 288 and 354 of R.A. No. 7160.
Noval also said that during the dialog, DILG7 will launch its official website, in response to the Department’s Full Disclosure Policy.
This website will present the status of LGU Compliance on Full Disclosure of Local Budget and Finances, Bids and Public Offerings, Noval added.
Part of the activity tomorrow is the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement among the Cebu Provincial Government, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Incorporated (RAFI) and DILG on GREENIN Philippines and Billion Trees Program.
GREENIN Philippines is RAFI’s program to be integrated under the DILG’s Billion Trees Program that is in line with the national government’s National Greening Program (NGP), which aims to plant some 1.5 billion trees covering about 1 .5 million hectares for a period of six years from 2011 to 2016.
RAFI’s GREENING Philippines Program aims to plant five million trees in six years through the development, protection, enhancement and co-management of denuded forestlands, brushlands, and degraded residual natural resources using native tree species. (PIA-7/MBCN & DILG-7/ Willie Jean B. Cabanag)
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Sec. Robredo to launch DILG-7 official website tomorrow
By Juju S. Manubag
CEBU CITY, May 23 (PIA) - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse M. Robredo will be in Cebu City tomorrow, May 24, for the launching of the DILG-7’s official website at the Radisson Blu Hotel, this city.
The website will be launched as a response to the call of transparency, accountability, performance and responsiveness of DILG-7.
The website will also present the compliance on Full Disclosure of Local Budget and Finance as well as Bids and Public Offerings of all local government units(LGUs) in Central Visayas.
Sec. Robredo will also lead the “Tapatan Roadshow” tomorrow slated at 2:00 to 5:00 in the afternoon.
Local chief executive (LCEs) in Central Visayas, media and other government stakeholders are expected to attend and participate in tomorrow’s activity to discuss the DILG’s Full Disclosure Policy as well as thresh out common concerns and outcomes during the roadshow.
The Full Disclosure Policy is in pursuance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2011-08 directing the entire DILG and its attached agencies and all Local Chief Executives (LCEs) to comply with Section 90 of R.A.10147 of the General Appropriation Act for FY 2011 and DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2010-83 entitled ‘Full disclosure of Local Budget and Finances, Bids and Public Offerings” directing compliance to Sections 288 and 354 of R.A,. 7160.
Part of the program tomorrow is the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement(MOA) on GREENIN Philippines and Billion Trees Program involving the CebuProvincial Government, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) and DILG. (FCR/JSM/PIA 7-Cebu)
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PAPI to hold a midyear media conference in June
CENTRAL VISAYAS, May 23 (PIA) --- The Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) has set its 2011 Midyear Media Conference and Executive Session of Editors and Publishers on June 23-24, 2011 tentatively at the Makati Sports Club in Makati City .
Expected to participate in the midyear convergence are publishers, editors, reporters, broadcasters, campus journalists and others engaged in mass communication.
The event will start with a welcome cocktail reception early evening of June 23 and culminate with a formal dinner evening of June 24.
The midyear event will focus on issues relative to the rapid technology changes in media communications and their impact on community media, ethics in the media profession, press freedom and justice, and other issues confronting the Philippine press.
Other focus includes current issues such as anti-corruption campaign, disaster risk management and other related concerns.
Also included in the discussion will be how media can responsibly discharge its role and help inform and educate the public on the significance and nuances to better serve the ends of national development and the promotion of the general public welfare.
Registration to the conference is P1,000.00 per participant. For more particulars, you may call our PAPI Secretariat at 527-9507, 09396418666 or emailpapi_secretariat@yahoo.com. (PIA-7/MBCNewman & PAPI)
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DoH hospitals, LGU health facilities to receive non-mercurial devices
CENTRAL VISAYAS, May 22 (PIA) --- Finally after two years of pressure from civil society organizations, budget allocations for the purchase of non-mercurial thermometers and sphygmomanometers for DOH and local government unit controlled health facilities have been disbursed.
This development is a very welcome move from the government, said Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), an NGO that is a member of the Alternative Budget Initiative for Health2, that continuously lobbied for the inclusion of the P13.2 M allocation in the 2009 national budget and tracked down its release.
According to HCWH-SEA executive director Merci Ferrer, the P13.2M budget was really intended to buy mercury alternatives for DOH-run hospitals.
This was in response to the reports that majority of the government-run rural and barangay health facilities have not yet started to phase-out of mercury devices.
“Health care facilities patiently awaited the release of this budget which was originally intended to jump-start the hospitals’ switch to mercury-free thermometers and sphygmomanometers,” Ferrer said.
The regional Center for Health Devices (CHD) is responsible in identifying recipient rural and barangay health units based on the facility’s needs.
It can be recalled that in 2009, the Arroyo government impounded the P13.2M allocation for non-mercurial alternatives along with the P100M allocation for the purchase of autoclaves for medical waste treatment of DoH-controlled hospitals.
In the 2010 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the budgets for both the non-mercurial alternatives and autoclaves were combined and brought down to P50M.
According to the HCWH-SEA, the DoH has already prepared for freight the non-mercurial alternatives, like thermometers, sphygmomanometers or BP apparatus and calibrators to the DoH-controlled hospitals and regional CHDs.
DoH Administrative Order 21 mandated the phase-out of mercury devices and that phased-out devices must be properly stored in the health care facility while waiting for a more centralized storage.
“Now that the budget is extended to some of them, it will fast track the implementation of mercury phase-out in LGUs who will receive the devices,” Ferrer said.
HCWH-SEA also calls on other LGUs that have not yet appropriated budget for the switch to mercury alternatives, to prioritize this. (PIA-7/MBCNewman & HCWH-SEA)
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Over 3000 indigent families in Consolacion, Cebu to receive PhilHealth cards
CEBU CITY, May 20 (PIA) --- Exactly 3,137 indigent families in Consolacion town in northern Cebu, will again enjoy free health insurance this year as the local government of Consolacion and Cebu province renewed their coverage under PhilHealth’s Sponsored Program.
Of the 3,137 cards endorsed by PhilHealth to the local government of Consolacion, about 800 had already been released.
Consolacion mayor Teresa “Nene” Pepito-Alegado led the distribution of the cards recently to poor residents of barangays Lamac, Nangka, Pitogo, Poblacion Occidental, and Tugbungan.
Other sponsored members in the town can expect to receive their PhilHealth cards through their respective barangays in the coming days.
The free health insurance also covers barangay health workers, day care workers, and barangay tanods in Consolacion previously enrolled under the Greater Welfare for the Needy (GWEN) program of the provincial government.
The local government of Consolacion is also currently applying for the accreditation of its rural health unit (RHU), particularly its lying-in facility, where uncomplicated normal spontaneous deliveries of the first four births may be done.
Should the RHU be granted accreditation, sponsored and other members receiving medical services for normal deliveries in the facility can avail of PhilHealth’s maternity care benefit package amounting to P6,500. (PIA-7 & Dina Marie P. Cinchez, PhilHealth PRO)
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PAF to conduct candidate soldier exams nationwide in May 23-31
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 20 (PIA) --- The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is set to conduct a nationwide simultaneous candidate soldier examinations in the different PAF Bases, in the country scheduled within May 2011.
In region 7, the examination will be on May 27, 2011 at the 560th ABW, BGBEAB, Lapulapu City.
In region 6, it will be on May 31, 2011 at the Tactical Operations Group (TOG) 6, Iloilo City and in region 8 the exams will be on May 23, 2011 at the TOG 8, Tacloban City .
Last year in region 7, almost 400 applicants submitted their requirements and 65 of them were able to join the trainings in Lipa City, Batangas.
Those interested to take the exams, applicants must be male or female, natural born citizen of the Republic of the Philippines.
They must have accumulated at least 72 units from any government-recognized institution or school; must have a height of at least 152.5cm for both male and female; 18 years old but not more than 23 years old by June 1, 2011.
They must be single and no legal obligation to support a child or children; physically, mentally and psychologically fit for military training and with good moral character.
All interested applicants are required to bring two (2) pcs 2x2 ID pictures with white background; authenticated copy of transcript of records and Birth Certificate (NSO copy) and valid identification card.
Applicants may apply at the office of the Director for Personnel, 560th Air Base Wing, Brigadier General Benito Ebuen Air Base, Lapulapu City.
For more details, you may contact the office of the Director for Personnel and look for Captain Sally Cabig PAF at telephone numbers 3403128 to 29 local 2101. (PIA-7 & PAF)