Communities with mineral deposits must receive royalties from mining companies
By: Minerva BC Newman
CEBU, June 7 (PIA) --- Mining companies that operate within communities with mineral deposits must receive royalties from them to finance development programs for progress at the countryside.
It has been observed that while the country is abundant with natural wealth, many Filipinos continue to live in abject poverty even in resource-rich provinces.
Senator Loren Legarda is alarmed that provinces with large mineral deposits such as Surigao del Norte and Masbate are two of the top 10 poorest provinces in the Philippines .
“They have one thing in common—the unabated and unregulated over-extraction of their mineral resources,” the lady senator said.
Legarda cited DENR estimates that in 2009 mining firms earned about Php150B but only paid Php340M in excise taxes.
According to the DENR, if the five percent royalty is imposed, the government’s annual revenue from royalties will be around Php 7-Billion.
Mining companies operating in the country enjoy higher income and lower royalties at the expense of the environment and the people.
This is clearly a flawed model for progress and development as communities within areas of mineral deposits are pushed deeper into poverty because of the irreparable harm caused by unsustainable mining in their natural environment, Legarda commented.
The senator added that there is a need to closely monitor mining in the country and ensure strict enforcement of the provisions of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.
In Central Visayas , the DENR-MGB-7 regional director Loreto Alburo said his office has been closely monitoring and supervising the social development projects from the mining companies to ensure that the benefits of mining will be felt by the communities themselves.
MGB-7 said the Visayas region is host to 85 major and minor mining companies with 45 operating within Central Visayas; 16 in Eastern Visayas and 24 in Western Visayas .
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Badjao children party for the first time!
By: Aileen R. Lariba
CEBU, June 4 (PIA) --- Over 200 Badjao children who are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries from barangay Mambaling, Cebu City party for the first time!
Ayna, a 9 year old Badjao was very happy and extra active on that day May 28, the first party she has ever attended. The Badjaos usually spent their time begging on the streets or at sea.
The Badjao children were treated to a day of games with lots of prizes hosted by a funny clown in a very colorful outfit coupled with every child’s favorite meal of fried chicken and ice cream which was enjoyed to the very last drippings.
Fusion Excel International and DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program partnered to share some of their blessings to the Badjaos of Barangay Mambaling.
Fusion Excel official, Nimfa Alcordo said the company has been blessed for the last few years and it believed it is high time to spread and share some of its blessings to the least fortunate.
“Being the minority in society,and identified by the Pantawid Pamilya Program of DSWD as poorest of the poor the children of these families are the least likely to experience these kind of funfare which every child should be able to do at least once in their life” Alcordo added.
Although such funfare already highlighted every child’s day, it looked like it was not enough. Fusion Excel personnel also handed out school bags to all school age children wherein school supplies such as notebooks, pad papers, pencils and crayons were included.
These children are identified beneficiaries of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a poverty reduction strategy of the national government by giving conditional cash grants to extremely poor household.(PIA-7/MBCN & DSWD-7)
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Tulo ka lungsod sa NegOr nangandam aron makab-ot ang MDGs sa 2015
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 3 (PIA)---Sa kakugi nga makab-ot ang Millennium Develpment Goals (MDGs) nga gitakda sa United Nations (UN) sa tuig 2015, tulo ka munisipyo sa probinsya sa Negros Oriental nagtigom aron pagkat-on unsaon pagpundo, localize ug pagmonitor sa MDGs.
Ang panagtigom nahitabo sa El Oriente Beach Resort sa Dumaguete sa dili pa lang dugay nga gitambungan sa mga representate sa lokal nga pangagamhanan ug mga grupo sa mga lungsoranon sa La Libertad, Sibulan, ug sa Dauin.
Si Prof. Carlos Magtolis Jr., miyembro sa Social Watch Visayas, nagkanayon nga ang tulo ka munisipyo ubos sa proyekto nga "Cementing Pathways to Financing the Millenium Development Goals" diin gipatuman sa Social Watch Philippines ug sa Legal Policy Institute nga gipundohan sa Europian Union (EU) ug sa UN MDG Achievement Fund.
Siya nidugang nga ang tulo ka munisipyo gikan sa Negros Oriental, kuyog sa laing tulo ka munisipyo gikan sa Pangasinan nga gipundohan usab sa EU mao ang mamahimo nga ehemplo sa ubang mga lugar sa pagpatuman sa MDGs. Sila gidahuman nga mopakunhod sa mga kabos, pagpalambo sa kondisyon sa panglawas ilabi na sa mga kabataan ug maternal mortality, mamahimo nga gender sensitive, pagpauswag sa kalidad sa edukasyon ug pagbaton ug suatainable environment.
Si Prof. Leonor Magtolis-Briones, usa ka representante gikan sa Social Watch Philippines nagkanayon nga sa pagkakaron, ang Pilipinas anaa sa kritikal nga lebel sa pagwala sa kakabos sa tuig 2015, sama sa pagpaubos sa maternal maternity rate, ang mamahimo nga makab-ot mao ang infant mortality rate.
Siya niingon nga ang nasud napresyur nga molihok ug magmakugihon.
Si Prof. Briones nidugang nga bisan nga walay direkta nga sangputanan sa nasud kung dili makab-ot ang MDGs sa tuig 2015, ang kahimtang sa nasud maapektuhan.
Si Kongresman Lorenzo Erin Tanada, Deputy Speaker of the House of the Representative nibutyag nga niining tuiga, ang budyet nga gigahin ubos sa administrasyong Aquino nagtutok sa MDG.
Siya nidugang nga ang kagamhanan nigamit ug Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) isip usa sa pamaagi sa pagpadali o pagsuway pag-apas sa nahitabo sa niaging siyam ka tuig diin ang MDG wala gikonsidera nga primary objective sa niaging administrasyon.
Si Prof. Briones nagkanayon nga ang hagit niini sa kagamhanan mao kung unsaon pagsustento ang CCT nga gihatag nga kini makagahin ug 21B alang sa CCT niining tuiga. (PIA 7/mbcn/Angie P. Amodia)
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Government’s fuel subsidy helps avert fare hikes, DOE claims
By Eli C. Dalumpines
By Eli C. Dalumpines
CEBU CITY, June 4 (PIA) – The government’s fuel subsidy under the Pantawid Pasada program helped avert fare hikes in public utility vehicles (PUJs), an official of the Department of Energy (DOE) claims.
Director Zenaida Monsada of DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB), during the distribution of the Pantawid Pasada cards here this morning, said that even though this came out rather late but the program prevented the transport groups from asking for a fare increase and thus averting its repercussions.
According to Monsada, had the transport sector pushed for a fare increase it would ave resulted to high inflation rate because the price of basic commodities would have been also affected.
She, however, admitted that the price of oil in the Visayas is indeed higher compared to those in Luzon and Mindanao because of transport cost.
The oil that reached the fuel stations in the different islands in the Visayas come from Manila and is being transported using the sea lanes so that it would follow that the price of oil here is higher, Monsada informed.
Another factor that she cited is that the price of real properties, particularly in Cebu , is higher compared to other areas so that oil companies had to recover the cost through raising the price of their oil.
The absence of independent oil companies in the Visayas regions that would rival the big three players namely; Shell, Petron and Caltex, also contributed to the higher oil prices in these areas, she added.
However, the government is offering incentives to small oil players that expressed intentions to put up business here like the free use of government facilities and lower taxes, she further informed.
The case of Mindanao is different though because the island has direct access to Indonesia where it is importing its oil.
Monsada noted that aside from easing the transportation cost, the program also fosters adherence to the existing transportation laws since one of the requirements that DOE is asking from the beneficiaries is an updated franchise
from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and an updated registration from the Land Transportation Office(LTO).
The total number of beneficiaries for the Pantawid Pasada program here in Central Visayas reached 11,978, the DOE official said. (FCR/ECD/PIA 7-Cebu)
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DTI rolls out Diskwento Caravan in Argao, Cebu on June 6
By: Chrisley Ann C. Hinayas
CEBU, June 3 (PIA) –-- School supplies and processed food will be made available at discounted prices as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) rolls out the Diskwento Caravan here in Cebu specifically at the Argao Diosdado Macapagal Sports Complex, 9:00 in the morning on June 6, Monday.
DTI will bring the caravan to the Consumers that can expect to buy goods sold at a lower price from bags, shoes, school uniforms, notebooks, pad pad papers, pencil cases, lunch boxes, raincoats, uniforms, socks, ballpens, pencils, among others from the participating manufacturers.
Shoppers can also buy discounted processed food items for the school children’s snacks and lunch.
In Cebu, the store based Diskwento Back to school Promo will be participated by Happy Mart in Colon, South, Mandaue & Tabunok now up to June 19.
Aji-ichiban Ayala & SM on June 1 to August 31; CRIBZ in Ayala now up to July 25; and Converse (Sports Mix Mktg Corp) in Banilad Town Center from June 15-20 also joined the project.
White Gold in Cebu City has ongoing Diskwento up to June 13. Unitop in Tabunok now up to June 15 while Fooda Saversmart in Guadalupe, Consolacion, Mango from May 16 until July 17.
Roving Diskwento Caravan in Argao on June 6 and Dalaguete on June 5 will be participated by Julie’s Bakeshop, Cebu Bazaar, National Bookstore and Liwayway Mktg, among others.
The Diskwento Caravan is launched by DTI nationwide as a measure of the national government to bring low-cost goods to consumers and provide relief from rising fuel prices.
For more information on the Diskwento Back to School Promo and Caravan, plelase call DTI Cebu at tel. # ( (032) 412-1863 or 253-2631. (PIA-7/mbcn/CACH)
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Depleted oxygen levels, changing weather caused recent fish kill, says BFAR
By: Maryknoll B. Lague
CENTRAL VISAYAS, June 3 (PIA) --- The local Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources officials in Central Visayas were also alarmed at the news of massive fish kill in Luzon .
The bureau has alerted its provincial people to keep watch of similar incidents that might happen in the region.
Recently, following the massive fish kill incident in Taal Lake which killed 700 tons of milk fish and tilapia worth approximately P57 million in Batangas, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued a joint statement Tuesday that the incident was due to depleted oxygen levels brought about by changing weather conditions.
The BFAR also said that the recent fish kill in the Kakiputan Channel in Bolinao and Anda Towns in Pangasinan was also caused by these changes in temperatures.
The fish kill reportedly affected as much as 27% of the fish supply of Metro Manila and will certainly affect majority of the fisher folk from the lakeside communities of Taal who depend primarily on fishing for their subsistence.
Right after the news of the incident has broke out, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan called on the local government units and BFAR to provide assistance to turn the fish kill into an opportunity to produce feeds and fertilizers.
Pangilinan said, the fish kill may still be harvested, dried and turned into feeds. If the fish rot, it can still be turned into fertilizer with the right methods known to the Department of Agriculture.
The Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) Director Renato Solidum also commented that Taal volcano’s condition has nothing to do with the fish kill and added, only the depleted oxygen level was the main culprit of the fish kills.
Senator Loren Legarda on the other hand has sought for an investigation by the senate on the reason behind the recent massive fish kill in Taal Lake.
It also resulted to the filing of a resolution directing the Senate Committees on Agriculture and Food, Environment and Natural Resources, and Climate Change to immediately conduct an inquiry about the matter. (PIA-7/mbcn/MBL)
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Pantawid Pamilya Cash Grants not for pawning or loan guarantee
By: Angie P. Amodia
CENTRAL VISAYAS, June 3 (PIA)---The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 emphasizes that the Pantawid Pamilya Cash Grants shall not be subjected to any abuse such as collateral or guarantee on any loans thus pawning is strictly prohibited.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a strategy of the national government to reduce poverty in the country by giving cash grants to poor people.
In order to attain the goal of the national government, all beneficiaries of the program shall make use of the cash grants on health and nutritional expenses, and educational matters.
Any beneficiary who is known to have violated the Pantawid guidelines can be subjected to suspension and de-listing from the program.
Thus, DSWD encourages all 4Ps beneficiary to be responsible with their grant cards by securing it since this will serve as their gateway to avail all the services offered by the program. (PIA 7/mbcn /APA & DSWD-7)