Helmet law poses challenge for police in identifying 'riders-in-tandem'
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, June 28 (PIA) -- The implementation of the Helmet Law or RA 10054 may pose a "challenge" for police in their campaign against motorcycle-riding criminals.
Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe said the police force fully supports the law even as it may have a slight impact on their anti-crime campaign as helmets may be more difficult to identify "riding in tandem" criminals. “This will serve as a challenge to the police in solving crimes committed by perpetrators riding motorcycles,” said Buenafe.
But he also said there are other means for witnesses to identify motorcycle-riding criminals even if they are wearing a full-faced helmet.
A criminal may be identified through a body tattoo, height, type of helmet and motorcycle used and plate number.
For Mandaue City Police Director S/Supt. Noel Gillamac said scientific tools such as fingerprinting and ballistic examination are more effective in catching the criminal rather than identification.
“Identification is not that reliable as nobody has a perfect memory. It is better and more effective if we rely more on scientific means,” Gillamac added.
In Lapulapu City, checkpoints are aggressively being conducted. Motorcycle drivers are asked to remove their helmets and stickers were placed on their motorcycles to make it known that the vehicle has been checked by the police with proper documents, according to P/Supt. Jonathan Abella, deputy director for administration.
Moreover, P/Supt. Elmer Lim of the Cebu said they formed the Task Force Motorsiklo to address crime cases involving motorcycle-riding criminals and also intensified their mobile checkpoints where drivers are asked to present license and certificate of registration of the vehicle. (FCR-PIA7 Cebu)
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DENR to award environmental and natural resources partners
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 28 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 will hold an awarding ceremony to recognize environmental and natural resources (ENR) partners and collaborators in Central Visayas during its silver anniversary and environment month culmination on June 29.
The awardees include nine local government units (LGUs), three people’s organizations (POs), three non-government organizations (NGOs), two media partners, three private companies, and a regional trial court judge in Dumaguete City.
The awardees from the LGUs are Barangay Canduman in Mandaue City; municipalities of Ayungon and Bindoy, Negros Oriental; municipality of Candijay in Bohol; Carcar City, Argao and Cordova in Cebu and Cebu City Parks and Playground Commission.
Pollution Control Association of the Philippines (PCAPI), Foundation for Economic Freedom and Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management will also be awarded.
The awardees from the private sectors are Carmen Copper Corporation, Marianne Development Corporation, and Tree Kings Incorporated.
Added to the list of awardees are Ayungon Forest Management Organization Inc. in Ayungon, Negros Oriental; Anislagan Farmers Association in Carcar City; and San Miguel Association Resources Team (SMART) in Danao, Bohol.
DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said that the awards and recognition underscore the serious commitment of the DENR to promote sustainable eco-friendly programs with the help and assistance of both public and private collaborators.
“We know that without their support, we could not actually have achieved our milestone performances and activities,” he added.
Montejo emphasized the need to work with the various stakeholders in pursuing its mandate and goals to ensure the protection of the environment while improving the lives of every citizen.
DENR 7 will also hand out a plaque of recognition to Cebu Governor Gwendolyn F. Garcia in appreciation of her different approaches in managing and protecting the environment by implementing relevant ENR laws, rules and regulations and for being an environmental governor.
Likewise, the celebration will also give recognition to DENR employees who have served the department for 25 years and more. (RMN/HFG-PIA 7/DENR 7)
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DENR 7 cites Cebu mining firm’s contribution to NGP
By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY June 28 (PIA) -- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) -7 Regional Executive Director Dr. Isabelo Montejo lauded the Carmen Copper Corporation (CCC) in Toledo City for its significant contributions to the government’s National Greening Program (NGP).
According to Montejo, the company has contributed much to the implementation of the NGP by planting a total of 207,374 trees or 66.5 percent that covered 132.29 hectares or 45.94 percent out of 288.16 hectare-target for 2011.
The NGP is a priority program of Pres. Aquino as one means of combating climate change and prevent flashfloods or landslides.
“Reforestation is one of the mitigating measures of the company as well as our goal and objective to protect and enhance existing forests and related resources,” said CCC Assistant Vice President for Administration Josue Bordon.
Bordon also said residents within the nearby areas of the company can really expect their full support and assistance since the company really values a harmonious relationship with the community.
“The relationship with the community is very important to us and they can really expect that we will always extend assistance and support to them, “Bordon added.
Apart from the reforestation efforts, the CCC also initiated undertaking to address the needs and welfare of its neighboring communities through its community development programs.
The community development programs is focused on the improvement of the general welfare of the community, poverty alleviation of the people, development of human resources, utilization of indigenous local resources, and harmonization of the relationship between the corporation and the community, said Bordon.
As part of the desire to help the community cope with the threat of economical crisis, the corporation is adopting 10 barangays, considered the host barangays and the neighboring barangays, to primarily benefit from their community development programs, projects and activities.
Among the community development programs the company has done included skills training, enterprise development, educational support (scholarship) health facilities, promotions of socio-cultural values and the use of on-site mine facilities.
CCC is also supporting Don Andres (DAS) Multipurpose Cooperative, a cooperative based in the host barangay that provides livelihood to the people through shoemaking, rag making, furniture making.
To address the health condition of the people in the nearby areas of the CCC operation and plant, company personnel are also designated to conduct daily monitoring of all the households to check and to conduct testing on the air that will reach each household whether it has a mixture of dust coming from the mine operation.
The company has installed moist and dust monitoring stations in the household nearby aside from the personnel that will visit each household.
The CCC is formerly known as the Atlas Mining Corporation. (FCR/AYS/PIA-7, CEBU)
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1,000 volunteers join school community brigade in Cebu
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, June 28 (PIA) -- About 1,000 volunteers joined the School Community Brigade initiated by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) in the municipalities of Catmon and Bantayan last May 24 and 26.
The brigade is a collaborative endeavor that seeks to involve various stakeholders from different organizations, volunteers, and other interested individuals in improving school facilities to provide students a better learning environment.
Participants of the two-day activity include parents, teachers, barangay officials from the local government units of Bantayan and Catmon, employees from the RAFI Micro-finance Bantayan branch, and other volunteers. Pupils also helped in repainting the chairs.
“Through joining the school community brigade, I learned how to paint walls, ceilings, and chairs. In activities like this, one should not mind whether or not he knows how to do the task. If everyone is willing to cooperate, the job will surely get done. As a mother, it is my obligation to help in the activities related to the education of my children,” Eufemia Ybañez, 47 and parent of three pupils in Tamiao Elementary School, said in Cebuano.
The volunteers took part in the activities like school clean-up, painting of classroom furniture and school buildings, minor repairs and the preparation of indigenous tree nurseries.
On August 21, RAFI will turn over classrooms to the school administrators of the six elementary schools in Bantayan and Catmon namely, Vito Elementary School, Tamiao Elementary School, Baod Elementary School, Sillon Elementary School, Kabac Elementary School, and Panalipan Elementary School.
The municipalities of Catmon and Bantayan belong to the first batch of beneficiaries of the school rehabilitation program of RAFI, which is now on its third phase of implementation.
The rehabilitation program is one of the initiatives of RAFI's education focus area. Other focus areas, include Integrated Development, Micro-finance & Entrepreneurship, Culture & Heritage and Leadership & Citizenship.
For further details, contact Jicel Reve Gabriel at 418-7234 loc. 209, or visit www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph. (HFG/RAFI-PIA7)