NFA-7 urges LGUs to get on-credit rice for emergency
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 21 (PIA) -- The National Food Authority (NFA-7) has urged local government units (LGUs) to avail themselves of the on-credit rice program for emergency situations such as disasters or calamities.
During the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) Forum, Nestor Rey Alcoseba,NFA-7 provincial manager, said the local government units (LGUs) in Cebu will sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with NFA-7 to get rice on credit.
Alcoseba said this is part of the Rice Loan Program of NFA to help the LGUs for immediate relief operations and for buffer stocking in preparation of emergencies that may occur at any given time especially now that it’s typhoon season.
The request for rice by the LGUs will be subject to approval upon submission of the requirements as stipulated in the MOA, which will be renewable every year, he added.
To avail of the program, the Sanggguniang Bayan must approve a resolution authorizing the local government executive to enter a MOA with NFA and appropriating a certain portion of the calamity fund.
Alcoseba said, the LGU could withdraw the approved quantity of stocks within 15 working days from the NFA provincial office. NFA allotted 1,000 bags of rice per year per municipality but they will only release the number of bags depending on the request.
Before, there were 20 LGUs that signed with NFA-7 but sad to say, some did not renew, it is because of the one-year term contract, he added. With this situation, they will propose to their head of office to extend the contract until the end of the term of a local chief executive, which is three years.
To date, only five municipalities renewed their MOA with NFA-7, namely, Asturias, Badian, Bogo, Dumanjug, and Cebu province.
Once again, NFA-7 is calling all LGUs to enter into a MOA on rice credit program as part of their preparations, in case calamities occur in their areas. They will strengthen their campaign to encourage many LGUs to avail of the said program. (RMN/HFG-PIA7)
ey will strengthen their campaign to encourage many LGUs to avail of the said program.(PIA-7/HFG)
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70 join river basin strategic, planning workshop
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, July 21 (PIA) -- Around 70 participants from the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), academe, non-government organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders attended the strategic and action planning workshop for the Central Cebu River Basins on July 18 – 20 at Hagnaya Beach Resort in San Remigio, Cebu.
The Central Cebu River Basins Management Council (CCRBMC) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) organized the activity. It aimed to identify relevant and integrated-based activities and programs, prepare a cohesive mechanism strategic plan, and translate these plans by looking for funding sources for implementation.
Isabelo R. Montejo, DENR-7 regional executive director, said the focus now is to design programs that would be supportive to the integrated watershed management as a strategy for rehabilitation, protection, and conservation of rivers.
Father Tito Soquino of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino who spoke in behalf of Cebu Archbishop and CCRBMC Chairman Jose S. Palma emphasized the need to come out with not just tactical but also strategic results on the action planning workshop.
Montejo also emphasized the need to put in place and operationalize programs related to disaster mitigation and adaptation within the Cebu river basins so that communities would be able to respond appropriately to certain disasters.
“We urge our communities to promote soil and water conservation measures to include water impounding, rainwater harvesting, and water recycling,” he added.
The Regional Development Council (RDC-7) approved RDC Resolution No. 47, series of 2011 supporting the Central Cebu River Basin Management Council (CCRMBC) in its collaborative efforts to manage, rehabilitate, and protect the river basins in Central Cebu.
A CCRBMC Steering Committee was constituted to initiate the formation of a council composed of the following, archbishop of Cebu as chairperson; DENR-7 Regional Executive Director as co-chair with eight members.
It is a multi-stakeholder organization composed of government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations and relevant civil society groups. It will use the integrated water resources management principles and adapt the integrated watershed or river basins and ecosystems management approach as an overarching strategy to environment and natural resources management. (PIA7/HFG/DENR7)
approach as an overarching strategy to environment and natural resources management.(PIA-7/HFG/DENR-7)