PNoy says P7.4-B airport to rise in Bohol by 2016
By Fayette C. Ri�en
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 27 (PIA) -- Speaking before an estimated crowd of 6,000 barangay officials during the 1st Barangayan Day celebration of the province of Bohol, Wednesday, President Aquino revealed that his administration is bent on fulfilling its promise to build a new, modern airport facility for the province before his term ends in 2016.
Aquino told the good news as he led the awarding ceremonies of the “The Outstanding Barangay Officials of the Year" provincial winners for 2011 at the Bohol Wisdom School.
Clad in casual jeans and polo shirt, the President was met with loud cheers upon his arrival despite being late for over an hour due to two engagements in nearby Leyte province.
In his 20-minute speech, Aquino said that during the September 4 meeting of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board where he is chairman, an allocation of P7.4 billion has been set aside for the construction of the airport on Panglao Island, a premier tourist destination.
“Construction will start November 2013,” as Aquino promised that the new airport will be completed before he steps down from office four years from now.
The news was received enthusiastically by Bohol’s top officials led by Gov. Edgar Chato.
Gov. Chato in his welcome message voiced his gratitude to the President for including in his 2012 SONA the Panglao Airport as one of his priority projects.
The airport facility is needed to support Bohol’s growing tourism industry as more and more tourists, foreign and domestic, flock to the province to savor its rich eco-tourism wonders.
Since the groundbreaking of the Panglao Airport sometime in 2008, Boholanos have long awaited for the project to materialize.
“We thank you for your full support in the development and progress of Bohol,” said a grateful Chato.
Aquino also stated that he has instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways to work on the road rehabilitation in the northern part of Bohol from Sagbayan town going to the town of Danao, popular for its extreme sports adventure.
Cabinet secretaries that formed part of the Presidential Party were Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Energy Sec. Rene Almendras and Presidential Spokesperson Sec. Edwin Lacierda whose roots come from Bohol.
Aquino stayed for an hour before departing for his second engagement which was the mass oath taking of new Liberal Party (LP) members from the province. (PIA 7)
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PCG, Maritime agencies join efforts to ensure port safetyPHL celebrates Nat'l Maritime Week Sept 24-30
By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY, Sept 27 (PIA) -- Maritime agencies in Central Visayas agreed to put together all their efforts needed to intensify measures that will strengthen port safety at the same time ensuring security of passengers traveling within and outside the region.
In a press conference that kicked off the National Maritime Week celebration here in the region, officials from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG-7),Maritime Industry Authority (Marina-7), Cebu Port Authority (CPA) and the Philippine Port Authority (PPA-7), reported the different measures adopted by each agency which is geared toward the safety and security of port areas as well as the convenience of thousands of passengers passing through the different ports here.
PCG-7 Commander Commodore William Melad said their agency is really doing their best to ensure the safety of the passengers, the vessel and the port as it is the main responsibility of the agency, especially when there is a typhoon.
“Part of our security measures is to conduct a thorough inspection of the vessel from womb to tomb before it can be allowed to sail as well as an examination of the vessel's passenger capacity and the exact number of passengers or cargoes the vessel is carrying,” Melad explained.
“We are also checking on the seaworthiness of the vessel which is a complex system that involves other maritime agencies to conduct operational base inspection and other measures before the vessel can sail and the conduct of intensified checking of the vessel and the number of passengers it can carry to promote the culture of safety, especially during typhoons or extreme weather conditions,” the official added.
Meanwhile Maritime Industry Development Specialist Suztte Sobrino of Marina-7 also pledged to extend support and to also do their share in the implementation of appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of the passengers.
”We will issue a certificate of proficiency to the vessel and we will also intensify the trainings for the seafarers. This time we have implemented changes in our trainings specifically on licensure and we also recommend that one must secure a seafarer identification card,” Sobrino stressed.
CPA Director on Port Security Safety and Environmental Management Department Oscar Lopez clarified that on their end, they give more focus on preventing any untoward incidents pertaining to the safety and security of the passengers and the prevention of any unlawful acts inside the port.
“We are more on the prevention aspect through strengthening operations within the ports. The passenger terminal is being strictly monitored by our personnel as part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) while to ensure passengers' security, they will be shuttled to the passenger terminal from the entrance,” Lopez declared.
PPA-7 Technical Assistant to the Port District Manager, Edna Blanco said that they have strengthened the requirements of the vessel, the operators and the shipping company before a vessel can operate.
PCG-7 Commander Commodore William Melad also urged the public, other stakeholders and concerned government agencies to do their part as he said that “safety in the sea is everybody’s concern.” (FCR/AYS-PIA 7 Cebu)
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EMB-7 initiates clean-up drive in cities
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Sept 27 (PIA) -- Over 1,500 participants joined the clean-up drive in the 19 barangays in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue on September 22.
Participants are from the local government units, private sectors, academe, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Department of Public Works and Highways and other stakeholders.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-7) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led the activity to raise awareness in environmental protection by educating communities situated along the water bodies on the adverse and negative effects of improper waste disposal.
DENR-7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said garbage collected are mostly plastics, particularly shampoo sachets and diapers.
Nearly 10,000 kilos of these trash were collected in a simultaneous clean up drive in Butuanon, Guindarohan and Pilipog-Gabi rivers and Tipolo, Jagobiao, Hipodromo and Luknay creeks, Montejo noted.
Montejo said, continued support and cooperation among barangay officials and the communities in maintaining and sustaining the efforts beyond the clean up month of September is equally important.
“We want to promote and somehow institutionalize good sanitation and solid wastes management practices among our rivers or estero communities through education and actual participation in the clean up as they are the direct beneficiary,” he said.
To reduce or lessen incidence of water-related diseases and those associated with poor sanitation such cholera, diarrhea and dengue, particularly among children is primarily the focus of this activity, Montejo commented.
Presidential Proclamation No. 244 declared September as a national clean up month by then President Fidel V. Ramos and this year’s theme is “Let’s do It! World Clean up 2012.” (mbcn/HFG-PIA-7 & DENR-7)
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GSIS is now more member-friendly, more accessible & service-responsive
By Juju Manubag-Empuerto
CEBU CITY, Sept 27 (PIA) -- “Your Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) pension fund is now more member-friendly, more accessible and service-responsive”.
This was the statement of GSIS Trustees Mario “Mayong” Aguja and Karina Constantino-David before the Public Sector Union Officers press conference held September 26 at the Diamond Hotel, Cebu City.
David enumerated the initiatives of the current GSIS leadership to provide greater convenience and more accessible service to its 1.7M members and pensioners.
David said the expanded partnership with Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) as an alternative servicing bank with almost 1000 ATMs all over the country and the deployment of 500 additional GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosks in key cities and municipalities, all Department of Education (DepEd) divisions & congressional districts give more access to members.
The cancellation of the local pensioners’ annual renewal of active status (ARAS) partnering with National Statistics Office (NSO) to provide reports of the pensioners' status is another easy access strategy specifically for the elderly.
Easing the entitlement qualifications for survivorship pensions whereby GSIS survivors-members are gainfully employed and receiving income or pension from other institutions can now receive their monthly pension benefits also was a positive relief from survivor pensioners.
Empowerment of retirees in choosing the repayment scheme of their outstanding service loans under the Choice of Loan Amortization Schedule for Pensioners (CLASP) and the liberalizing the terms of the Emergency Loan Program and providing options to members who are beyond the mandatory age of 65 to continue their membership with GSIS are some of the programs it put in place for their members.
By January 2013, David emphasized that all old age and disability pensioners will receive a minimum monthly pension of P5T while those receiving over P5T but less than P8T will receive a P200 increase in their monthly pension.
There are 57,000 pensioners that will enjoy the new minimum pension and 50,000 will qualify for the P200 increment.(mbcn/JSME/PIA-Cebu)
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Cebu Medicine Week Celeb values universal health care
By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY Sept 27 (PIA) -- The Cebu Medical Society (CMS) under the umbrella of the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) tackled universal health care in lectures and discussions on different diseases in line with this year’s Medicine Week Celebration on September 23-28.
Department of Health (DOH-7) Director Asuncion Anden said the theme of the celebration, “PMA-Nagkakaisa Tungo sa Kalusugan Pangkalahatan,” is very timely as DOH programs and projects are mostly geared toward universal health care. She also lauded the CMS for initiating efforts in catering the medical needs of every Filipinos, specifically the less fortunate ones.
“We would like to thank CMS for creating a move and giving emphasis on our program on Kalusugang Pangkalahatan as this is our main goal of bringing together all the efforts that the least of Filipinos can receive medical attention,” Anden said.
CMS Vice-President Marlon Co noted that CMS is really committed to support the programs of the DOH in providing medical attention to the Cebuanos.
“It is the main focus of the members and CMS itself to be the partners of the DOH in their implementation of programs under the Kalusugang Pangkalahatan program as what our celebration this year emphasize,” Co declared.
Here in Cebu, CMS also have their own theme to this year’s celebration which they tagged as “Doctors can be Heroes Too” giving emphasis that the public can really depend on doctors like heroes in terms of providing for their medical needs.
Medicine Week this year in Cebu showcased a number of activities that include: radio phone – patch interview with medical specialists’ expert on the topics on cancer, recognizing the needs of a special child, sex life after menopause, detecting lumps on the breast and the next thing to do.
Also part of the celebration is a lecture on “Fat is Beautiful,” dengue cases updates, “Growing Old Gracefully.”
As a form of support and to promote awareness on the ill effects of cigarettes to the public, especially the youths, an oratorical contest themed with: “Sin Tax Bill promotes health and Wellness,” is also conducted.
The contest will be participated by medical students and other related courses from selected medical institutions and universities.
The medical practitioners will also have time to reveal their other side from being a doctor through solidarity or a fellowship night in a CMS cosplay themed as: “The Rise of the RX Men" on the finale of the celebration tomorrow, September 28. (FCR/AYS-PIA7 CEBU)
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Nurses Guild to hold 1st Local Convention in Cebu
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Sept 27 (PIA) -- The Catholic Nurses Guild of the Philippines (CNGP) Cebu chapter will hold its 1st Local Convention at the Mariners Court, ALU Compound, Arellano St., Cebu City on September 28.
The convention is expected to gather about 300 catholic nurses in Cebu City. It carries the theme, “Nurses: Responding to the Gospel Call for Love and Care.”
The program starts with a Eucharistic Celebration with Rev. Fr. Benjamin Trazo, the organization’s spiritual adviser, to officiate the mass and Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma to deliver the keynote address.
The convention will tackle topics such as “Nursing more than a profession" by Fr. Trazo and “Virtue of health care professionals” by Dean Antonia Pascual of the School Health Care Professionals.
For more details about the convention and membership, contact Merlyn at 0943-366-8976 or Lita at 0919-507-7990. (mbcn/HFG-PIA7 & NNC-7)