Wednesday, August 15, 2007

DOLE VII MISUSI SA MGA ESTABLISYEMENTO SA SUGBO

Cebu City (August 16, 2007) – Dugang niini, gibutyag sab ni Sarcauga nga agi og pagseguro nga luwas og nagdawat sa saktong suhulan ang mga mamumuo sa Sugbo, nagpadayon na karon ang pag-inspection sa mga establishemento nga adunay trabahante nga adunay napulo pataas.

Matud ni Sarcauga, kini unang bahin pa lang sa ilang inspeksyon nga miresulta sa pag-imbestigar sa lima ka mga kompanya nga nakalapas sa lagda sa labor department.

Sa nasayran, ang labor department nakahimo nag pag-inspeksyon sa duol tres cientos ka mga establisyemento dinhi sa syudad sa Sugbo.(PIA-7/RMC)

OPISYAL SA DOLE MIAWHAG SA MGA EMPLOYERS PAG-ALIMA SA MGA MAMUMUO

Cebu City (August 16, 2007) – Giawhag sa usa ka opisyal sa Department of Labor and Employment ang mga nanag-iya og mga kompanya sa paghatag og maayong benepisyo lakip na sa saktong suhulan tungod kay kuyaw kung ang mga mamumuo mag-alburuto.

Kini maoy gipamahayag sa Assistant Regional Director sa DOLE Central Visayas nga si Exequiel Sarcauga.

Matud niya, ang mga mamumuo kung dili maayo ang mga nadawat nga benepisyo posibleng moresulta sa pagpugong sa paglambo sa negosyo kay dili na man mag-ayo og trabaho ang mga mamumuo nga hinungdan na sab unya sa krisis sa ekonomiya. (Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

Cebu hosts Rotary VisMin multi-district conference


Cebu, Philippines (16 August)–- Rotarians from Southern Philippines will meet in Cebu for the Visayas-Mindanao Multi-District Conference on August 17 at the Grand Convention Center and August 18 at the Cebu International Convention Center.
Jose Ma. Luis Cupin, conference chairman said, more than 800 Rotarians from Districts 3850, 3860 and 3870 are expected to attend the gathering.
He added that the multi-district conference aims to update Rotarians on the latest news from Rotary International particularly on the Rotary Foundation and Membership Development and at the same time serve as a fellowship and gathering of friends.
“We are honored with the presence of an international dignitary, Past Rotary International President Bichai Rattakul who will talk on the Rotary Foundation today”, says Cupin.
Rotary leaders coming from the U.S. , Australia and the Philippines will complete the panel of speakers.
Major donors of the Rotary Foundation and New Paul Harris Fellows will also be honored during the event and the induction of the officers of the Philippine College of Rotary Governors by PRIP Bichai Rattakul will also highlight the activity.
Rotary is a worldwide organization of business and professional leaders that provides humanitarian service, encourages high ethical standards in all vocations, and helps build goodwill and peace in the world. Approximately 1.2 million Rotarians belong to more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Past Rotary International President (PRIP) and Rotary Foundation Trustee, Bichai Rattakul will be the guest of honor and main speaker of the conference on August 17, 2007 at the Grand Convention Center and August 18 at the Cebu International Convention Center .
Bhichai Rattakul was educated in Bangkok and HongKong and received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Political Science from the University of Ramkhanhaeng in Bangkok and Kensington University in California .
A Member of the Thailand Parliament for nine terms since 1969 and Leader of the Democrat Party, Bhichai Rattakul has served his country as Foreign Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of Parliament.
He has also led many Thai delegations to the United Nations. Mr. Rattakul is the Thailand Goodwill Representative for International Cooperation. He is Honorary Vice President of the Thai Scout Council and he has also served as Chairman of the Anti Corruption Commission, Anti Drugs Commission, National Audit Commission and the 13th Asian Games Organizing committee.
He has been decorated with Special Class Honor from the King of Thailand and honors from the Emperor of Japan, Presidents of the Philippines , Korea , Austria , and Nicaragua . He was also awarded the highest International Olympic Award and the Asian Olympic Award by the International Olympics Committee.
Bhichai Rattakul joined the Rotary Club of Dhonburi in Bangkok as a charter member in 1958 and has served Rotary International as district governor, international assembly group discussion leader, member and chairman of the Executive Committee of Rotary International. He is the recipient of The Rotary Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award and Citation for Meritorious Service for his support of Rotary’s international humanitarian and educational programs. He served as president of Rotary International in 2002-03. (PIA-Cebu MBCN w/ PR from Lilu Aliño)

RTWPB ANDAM MODAWAT SA LAING WAGE PROPOSAL SA LABOR SECTOR

Cebu City (August 15, 2007) – Andam ang Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board dinhi sa tunga-tungang Kabisay-an nga modawat sa lain na sab nga proposal alang sa wage increase gikan sa labor sector.

Kini maoy pamahayag sa Assistant Regional Director sa Labor Department dinhi sa Central Visayas, Exequiel Sarcauga.

Matud ni Sarcauga, wa siyay nakita nga babag aron dili dawaton sa RTWPB ang bisan unsa nga bag-ong proposal alang sa wage increase.

Sa nasayran, sayo sa niaging semana, gibasura sa rtwpb ang 75 peso og 136 peso wage increase nga giproponir sa labor sector.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu/MBCN)

MGA TRABAHUAN SA NASOD, NAGPABILIN GIHAPONG DI LUWAS

Cebu City (August 15, 2007) – Aduna gihapoy dili luwas nga mga trabahuan alang sa mga mamumuo sa nasod.

Kini maoy gibutyag sa hepe sa Occupational Safety and Health Center sa Labor Department nga nakabase sa kauluhan.

Matud ni Estrella Gust, executive director sa Occupational Safety and Health Center, ila karon nga gipaningkamutan nga mahimong luwas ang mga trabahuan sa nasod pinaagi sa pagtudlo sa mga human resource departments nga mohimo og safety and health committee sa mga kompaniya ingon man mga es.

Nidugang sab si Gust pag-ingon nga gipaabot nga makab-ot kining maong tinguha pinaagi sa pinakunang Visayan Summit on Occupational Safety and Health nga ipahigayon karong Oktubre onse og doce karong tuiga.

Sa pagkakaron, aduna nay sobra at res cientos ang nirehistro alang sa maong summit nga ipahigayon sa Marco Polo Hotel dinhi sa Sugbo.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu/MBCN)

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

PGMA congratulates tax collection bureaus for surplus targets


Cebu, Philippines (14 August)—President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, during a tax command conferences recently with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) congratulated these bureaus for exceeding their July collection targets by P2-Billion and P1.2Billion respectively.
The President in her continuing bid to improve revenue collections in the country recently created task forces on revenue enhancement and anti-smuggling as she committed that the government will bounce back from its collection shortfall during the first semester of this year.
Because of the poor tax collection performance during the 1st semester, impending revamps among the BIR and the BOC were rumored to happen.
Earlier, Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales revealed that a reshuffling plan was submitted to the DOF selection board after the BOC was assessed to have not met its targets due to low collections of customs ports.
However, the Ports of Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Legaspi and the NAIA have overshot their targets.
Here in Cebu , Bureau of Customs district collector Ricardo Belmonte is hopeful they will not be included in any future reshuffling because BOC-Cebu has surpassed its targets for the first seven months by P48M. Belmonte said that the Cebu-BOC had a target of P400M for July or at least P18M a day.
Port of cebu asst. chief of assessment, Fibrante Ricarte revealed that the BOC here was able to collect P403.5M for July or an excess of P3.5M due to their vigilance and the computation of correct duties and taxes.
The BIR’s target is to raise P730Billion while the BOC was given a P228Billion target this year for the government to achieve its P1.1 Trillion revenue target. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Monday, August 13, 2007

BIR intensifies collection from delinquent taxpayers

Cebu, Philippines (9 August)—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-region 13, covering the provinces of Cebu and Bohol has intensified its tax collection among the delinquent taxpayers in the region.

BIR-region 13 taxpayer assistant unit head and information officer designate Zorahaida de la Cruz bared that the office has identified 338 delinquent taxpayers and as of June 2007, BIR has collected P2.7-million from them.

De la Cruz added that most of these delinquent taxpayers are those paying through second installments from their compensation and these are mostly income earners and those who are self-employed.

“We are also after those companies who failed to pay their taxes for whatever reasons. If the company could no longer pay because it is bankrupt or losing, the office will look at its properties and will go through the legal process under garnishment to really compel them to pay their taxes,” De la Cruz explained.

For those companies that are still operating but could not afford to pay, the BIR enjoins them to avail of its amnesty program, she added.

The BIR offices throughout the country have been intensifying their collections from delinquent taxpayers to increase their revenue collection efforts after several of them failed to reach their revenue targets during the first semester of the year.

De la Cruz was quick to add that BIR-region 13 that covers Cebu and Bohol is right on target with its goal of collection of P9.1Billion. “We already have collected about P4.1Billion covering the first semester of this year. “ This is 22.70% higher than the P3.2Billion collected over the same period in 2006, she said. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

‘Garbo sa Sugbo’ awards and more…

Cebu, Philippines (10 August)—Seven personalities and institutions from the academe, arts and the environment were this year’s recipients of the ‘Garbo sa Sugbo’ (Pride of Cebu) awards that were given as part of the province’s 438th founding anniversary celebrations over the weekend during the Governor’s Night.l

This annual award is given to Cebuanos who brought pride to Cebu locally and internationally as well.

Nicolas Pacana, one of the awardees is acclaimed as one of the world’s finest classical dancers who is presently the only Filipino who has served as co-artistic director of the Atlanta Festival Ballet and the Festival Ballet School in Stockbridge, Georgia, USA in 1984.

Environmental conservationist Antonio Oposa, Jr. was recognized for his pioneering practice of environmental law in the country. He is the team leader of the Visayan Sea Squadron and heads the Law Nature Foundation. For his efforts, he was mentioned in the UN Environmental Programme Global 500 Roll of Honor.

Businessman Steve Benitez was given the award for bringing the Cebuano ingenuity and entrepreneurial energy into the realm of the coffee drinking business. Benitez owns the string of Bo’s Coffee franchise in the country. He started the coffee business 11 years ago at the Ayala Center in Cebu, and has now expanded to 33 coffee shops nationwide.

The provincial artistic director, Junjet Primor who directed the 3-hour Governor’s night program was also recognized for his contribution in the promotion of the culture and heritage of Cebu.

The University of the Philippines-Cebu Campus High School department (UP High School) was awarded for winning in the International Schools Cyberfair Competition held in San Diego, California, USA. The winning design “Calles de Cebu: Gateway to a Nation’s History” won second place and got the gold award in the historical landmarks category last year.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor, Jr. and a Non-Government Organization (NGO) received citations from the province. Amb. Paynor was recognized for his achievements and his belief in the strong and indomitable spirit of the Cebuano people and for the resounding success of the 12th ASEAN and 2nd East Asia Summits in Cebu.

The Cebu-Citizens Involvement and Maturation in People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-CIMPEL) was also give a citation for the courage of its volunteers I ensuring the inviolability of the ballots, and in upholding the integrity of the electoral process.

The municipalities of Liloan and Badian were given plaques of appreciation while Barangays San Roque in Liloan and Cabadiangan in Compostela received plaques of recognition not just for planting large number of jackfruit trees but also protecting and maintaining them.

Special numbers given by the capitol employees through their presentations of various Cebuano folk dances; the ‘dancing inmates’; agri-trade fair and special bonuses to employees marked the province’s founding anniversary celebration on August 6 this year.

Governor Gwen Garcia highly commended the presentations and said that those Cebuano folk dances showed elegance and grace, simplicity and modesty, values that have made the Cebuanos a great people.

“You also saw the discipline and the industry. Those are the values that all of us will emulate and show to the rest of Cebu, the rest of the country that we will be sterling examples of a great Cebuano people,” the governor added.

“For bringing Cebu to the eyes of the world,” Governor Garcia rewarded the provincial prisoners known as the ‘dancing inmates’ of the CPDRC with a special bonus of P1000 each that will be deposited to their respective savings accounts at the CFI Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

“Good work will be rewarded,” Garcia said as she announced that employees of the top five performing departments will also received additional cash bonuses.

All employees of the Provincial Health Office, Social Welfare Office shall receive P5000 and P4000 each respectively while the Provincial Engineering Office’s personnel will get P3000 each and P2000 for the Provincial Administration Office personnel and each member of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office gets a P1000 bonus.

All in a week’s festivities, the province of Cebu has once again showed its capability of organization, governance and merrymaking too! (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Geothermal plant in Negros Oriental needs rehab

Cebu, Philippines (14 August) – The Palinpinon Geothermal Plant 1 in Valencia, Negros Oriental is in dire need of rehabilitation to ensure the provision of cheap and reliable power supply to the Negros-Cebu and Negros-Panay Power Grid.

According to a NEDA-7 project presentation during the recent RDC-7 meeting, the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant (PGPP-1) has been in operation for almost 24 years now out of its assumed economic life of 25 years.

Through those years, the plant has not encountered major problems that might have caused power outage. This is attributed to a good plant design, periodic maintenance and proper operation procedures, the report reads.

However, a team from the RDC-7 on June 1, 2007 conducted an inspection of the plant and reported that the deterioration of equipment due to aging and or corrosion is clearly visible making it vulnerable to mechanical failures.

There were proposals for a major rehabilitation of the plant in 1997 but due to budget constraints, lack of a substitute plant to take the role pf PGPP 1 in the system and the impending privatization of the power industry, the rehabilitation proposals were disapproved. Only selective rehabilitation and replacement work of equipment were made.

Considering that the plant’s economic life is almost consumed, the National Power Corporation (NPC) has sought the RDC-7 endorsement for the proposed Life Extension Project of the PGPP-1 which the full council approved in its latest (August 10) meeting.

The scope of works of the rehab project include the repair, replacement, installation and testing on minor equipment that are included in the regular budget for the operations and maintenance of the plant. The works that needed to be contracted out include the design, manufacturing, supply of labor and materials and equipment, packaging, delivery, supervision, installation, testing and commissioning including the associated civil works of the major electro-mechanical equipment such as turbines, generators, AVRs, exciters and gas extraction units.

According to NEDA-7 the total estimated cost of the rehabilitation project is about P2.2Billion with an actual implementation of approximately 24 months from July 2007 to July 2009.

To allay fears that the rehabilitation works might cause power supply disruption in the Visayas, NPC has outlined some contingency measures.

Rehabilitation will be done one unit at a time which means that only 37.5MW will be out at one time and not the total capacity of the plant. The 37.5MW loss will then be replenished by the Northern Negros Geothermal Plant.

NAPOCOR will also closely coordinate with TRANSCO, Visayas IPPs and distribution utilities during the rehabilitation period for proper power dispatch and preventive maintenance schedule and finally, NAPOCOR will put all power generating stations on security red alert status during the period.

The report said that the rehabilitation project is very vital to the plant because the PGPP-1 is a base load plant in the Visayas-Negros Island.

If implemented, it is expected to add another 15 years of economic life to the PGPP-1 and it will enhance its unit operation efficiency and system reliability. It is also expected that the total plant capacity will improve from the present 105MW to 112.5MW.

As can be recalled, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration has been aggressively pursuing the development and utilization of indigenous and renewable energy and the vision of making the country a world leader in geothermal energy. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

RDC-7 confirms PSR and non-voting members

Cebu, Philippines (13 August)—In a full council meeting of the Central Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC-7) recently, fifteen (15) private sector representations (PSR) and 11 non-voting members (SNVM) were confirmed as members to the Central Visayas RDC for the period July 2007-June 2010.

According to the RDC briefs, there are 14 slots available for private sector representations to the council two of which are taken from the labor and basic sectors while the remaining 12 are allocated by province based on the RDC approved formula of 60-20-20 (60% pop; 20% land area; 20% equal sharing).

Based on the formula, Cebu gets 5 seats, Bohol, 3; Oriental Negros, 3 and one seat for Siquijor. However, the elevation of Bogo and Carcar into cities increases the number of the RDC members which consequently increases the number of required PSR membership to the RDC into 15 which was allocated to Cebu.

Some 47 RDC-accredited private sector organizations within the region joined the simultaneous provincial PSR selection process on May 31, 2007 and the following private sector representatives have been confirmed by the RDC-7 during its full council meeting on August 10, 2007:

For Cebu: Emmanuel Rabacal, Robert Go and Teresa Fernandez were re-elected while Jose Mari Bigornia, Roderick Poca, and Geraldine Ruiz are newly elected PSRs.

For Bohol: all three PSRs are newly elected namely; Norris Oculam, Mirope Manlupig and Nemecio Monton. Oriental Negros has also newly elected PSRs with Eduardo Pedrosa, Ernesto Quiamco and Gregorio Uymatiao, Jr while Siquijor has re-elected Delfin Tampus.

The Private Sector Representations (PSR) to the RDC has been very instrumental in creating a GO-private sector tandem that resulted in well-thought off development projects within the regions. The elected PSRs will be distributed to the various sectoral committees of the RDC.

In similar developments, the RDC-7 full council also confirmed 11 agencies as special non-voting members (SNVM) to the RDC and they are; the AFP-CENTCOM; NYC-Visayas; PCUP-7; NFA-7; PCL-7; PNP-7; NTC-7; VMLP-Central Visayas chapter; OMA-Visayas region; OCD-7 and PHILEXPORTER.

As provided in the IRR of EO 325, the RDC may invite as many SNVMs as it deems necessary whose term shall also coincide with the regular term of local elective officials and the private sector representatives. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Cebu guv unanimously nominated as RDC-7 chair

Cebu, Philippines (13 August)— In a mass motion, Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia was unanimously nominated to chair the 2007-2010 Regional Development Council in Central Visayas (RDC-7) during a full council meeting held at the Montebello Garden Hotel, Cebu City recently.

In a media interview governor Garcia said that she is expecting a harmonious working relationship with the other local chief executives of Bohol, Oriental Negros and Siquijor. “At least wala’y away.. ang nominations,” Garcia smiled.

It can be recalled that then Cong. Emilio Macias, now governor of Oriental Negros was the chair of a house committee that conducted public hearings for the “Sugbuak,” or the creation of other provinces out of Cebu provinces that was vehemently rejected by Governor Garcia.

Executive Order 325, the RDC shall nominate at least 2 local chief executives who are ex-officio members and 2 private sector representatives, from whom the President shall select and appoint as RDC chair and Co-chair.

The Regional Development Council in Central Visayas has been very instrumental in endorsing mega projects that generated economic and tourism development in the region.

With Governor Garcia’s “no-nonsense” track record in local governance and fiscal management, the members of the RDC here is looking forward to a more aggressive economic and tourism boom in Central Visayas as it is the hub of tourism in the President’s “Super Regions” blueprint.

Garcia’s nomination will still be submitted to the President for confirmation and appointment. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Friday, August 10, 2007

TOLEDO CITY MO-DEVELOP OG BAG-O NGA TOURISM SITES

Cebu City (August 9, 2007) – Gawas sa agrikultura, gitinguha na sab karon sa syudad sa Toledo ang pagpalambo sa bag-o nga mga lugar nga pwedeng makadani sa mga turista nga mobisita unya sa maong lugar.

Pipila niini, matud ni konsehal Alfonso Mercado, mao ang pagdevelop sa sapa sa Hinulawan og sa dam sa barangay Malubog.

Matud ni Mercado, sa maong paagi mahatagan og higayon ang mga mobisita sa Toledo City sa pagsuroy-suroy ngadto sa nahisgutang mga lugar samtang makahatag usab og dugang trabaho alang sa ilang mga lumulupyo.

Sa pagkakaron, padayon pa ang kagamhanan sa Toledo sa pagpahigayon og pulong-pulong kauban ang mga national agencies sa kagamhanan og pribadong sector bahin niini. (Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

CORN FESTIVAL IPAHIGAYON SA SYUDAD SA TOLEDO

Cebu City (August 9, 2007) – Human sa napulo ka tuig nga pagkahunong, ang syudad sa Toledo sa probinsya sa Sugbo maoy napili nga lugar diin saulugon ang Corn Festival karong petsa biente dos hangtud biente kwatro ning bulana.

Gipaabot nga motambong sa kalihukan ang kalihim sa Deparrment of Agriculture, Arthur Yap isip pinasidunggang dinapit kauban ang mga opisyales sa probinsya pinanguluhan ni Gobernador Gwendolyn Garcia og sa mayor sa Toledo City Arlene Zambo.

Gibutyag ni Francisco Sopsop, Regional Coordinator sa programa alang sa mais sa DA 7 nga ang maong kalihukan gihimo sa Toledo City tungod kay ang Toledo mao man ang adunay pinakadako nga umahan sa mais dinhi sa tunga-tungang Kabisay-an.

Si Alfonso Mercado, konsehal sa Toledo City, nibutyag sab nga human sa pait nga kasinatian sa Toledo City sa dihang nanira ang Atlas Mining sa sayong bahin sa dekada nobenta, gitinguha gayud sa dakbayan sa Toledo ang pagbalanse sa industriya og agrikultura mao nga gikalipay nila ang pagpahigayon og corn festival sa ilang syudad.

Sa nasayran, nobenta porsiyento sa populasyon sa rehiyon ang mokaon og mais ilabi na nga nahibaw-an sab karon nga maayo ang mais kay sa humay alang niadtong adunay sakit nga diabetes.

Ang nasudnong kagamhanan, nagplano na sab karon sa paghimo og biofuel o alternatibong source sa biofuel nga isambog sa gasolina.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

BFAD MIPAHUGOT SA PAGMONITOR SA PROCESSED FOODS

Cebu City (August 10, 2007) – Aron pagseguro nga luwas ang pagkaon sa katawhan, padayon nga gihingusgan karon sa BFAD ang monitoring sa mga processed foods.

Kini maoy gibutyag ni Monina Coyoca, ang hepe sa Bureau of Food and Drugs dinhi sa rehiyon.

Niingon sab si Coyoca nga sa niaging semana, aduna na silay gipadala nga mga processed foods nga gagikan sa laing nasod aron masusi sa ilang laboratoryo sa kauluhan kung ang maong mga produkto luwas ba nga kaonon.

Kung mahinumduman, ang BFAD nidili sa pagpakaon sa katawhan sa pipila ka mga produktong gikan sa China human nasayran nga ang mga noodles, white rabbit, processed meat og uban pang produkto adunay sagol nga formalin nga sagad gamiton sa pag-embalsamar og dili angay nga isagol sa pagkaon sa tawo.

Sa katapusan, padayong gipahimangnuan sa BFAD ang publiko sa dili una pagkaon sa mga produktong gagikan sa China.(Roberto M. Cabardo/PIA AMO 7 Cebu)

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

BIR intensifies collection from delinquent taxpayers

Cebu, Philippines (9 August)—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-region 13, covering the provinces of Cebu and Bohol has intensified its tax collection among the delinquent taxpayers in the region.

BIR-region 13 taxpayer assistant unit head and information officer designate Zorahaida de la Cruz bared that the office has identified 338 delinquent taxpayers and as of June 2007, BIR has collected P2.7-million from them.

De la Cruz added that most of these delinquent taxpayers are those paying through second installments from their compensation and these are mostly income earners and those who are self-employed.

“We are also after those companies who failed to pay their taxes for whatever reasons. If the company could no longer pay because it is bankrupt or losing, the office will look at its properties and will go through the legal process under garnishment to really compel them to pay their taxes,” De la Cruz explained.

For those companies that are still operating but could not afford to pay, the BIR enjoins them to avail of its amnesty program, she added.

The BIR offices throughout the country have been intensifying their collections from delinquent taxpayers to increase their revenue collection efforts after several of them failed to reach their revenue targets during the first semester of the year.

De la Cruz was quick to add that BIR-region 13 that covers Cebu and Bohol is right on target with its goal of collection of P9.1Billion. “We already have collected about P4.1Billion covering the first semester of this year. “ This is 22.70% higher than the P3.2Billion collected over the same period in 2006, she said. (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Halad ni PGMA for MUSLIM COMMUNITY

Cebu, City (07 August)— More than a thousand Muslims from the different communities in Cebu City gathered at the grounds of the Malacañang sa Sugbo recently to avail of the various government agencies’ services and programs.

Sakiran Hajan, OMA Regional Director, during his speech said that this is a historic moment considering that it is the first time that such an activity is held in extending government services to the Muslim Community here in Cebu.

He was very much grateful to Hon. Felix C. Guanzon, Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas (OPCV) who initiated the activity in cooperation with the Association of Regional Executives of National Agencies (ARENA-7), Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) and the Association of Higher Education Institutions in Region VII (AHEIR-7).

The City Government spearheaded by Hon. Tomas R. Osmeña also gave its assistance thru medical-dental services conducted by the City Health medical-dental team together with the Central Command, Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine National Police.

Some nursing students from the Southwestern University and Cebu Normal University have also shown their support to this event. Medicines were well-provided by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Their was a signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas (OPCV) and some lead agencies concerning the needs of the Muslim people like health, livelihood, employment, housing and leadership trainings.

TESDA gave almost twenty awardees for scholarship trainings such as slaughtering, electronics and welding while the Sacred Heart School of the Society of Jesus will grant 10 Muslim students free tuition scholarship program (five for grade school and five for high school) subject to the school’s policy on such grants governing deportment and academic performance.

The City Registrar was also able to process nearly a thousand birth certificates of Muslim that have already been residing here in Cebu City.

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) on the other hand had processed more than a hundred of student licenses and renewal of professional licenses thru their mobile, E-LTO program.

PA Felix C. Guanzon, in his message said that this is historic because it is probably the first time that Muslims who used to reside in Mindanao but are now residents of Cebu City and other areas in the region, are being cared for in a special way, not just for today but for the next three years of the Arroyo Administration.

“We are tying to prove that what basic services they failed to get in Mindanao which is a troubled land, they are getting it here in Central Visayas, the region of peace and economic progress,” Guanzon added.

This is the 20th Halad sa Katawhan of the PGMA administration and the next activity will be on August 29, 2007 at the Brgy. Kampoot, Tuburan, Cebu which will be spearheaded by the Philippine National Police. (PIA-7 Cebu/hfg)

Friday, August 3, 2007

The ‘dancing inmates’ of Cebu

Cebu , Philippines (02 August)—The ‘dancing inmates’ of Cebu has hit the YouTube with a 3.2M internet viewers worldwide as of August 1, 2007!
Who would ever think that an innocent posting at the YouTube of a video of 1500 local prisoners dancing to the tunes of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Japan’s Algorithm March would create a wave of SMILEY reactions from all over the world.
Byron Garcia, security consultant of Cebu province and a brother of the governor said, it was just an innocent video sharing of a routine dance fitness exercises of the inmates of the Cebu provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) to show other jailers that there are innovative ways to instill discipline among inmates.
“I did not expect a global response to my posting it at the YouTube.” Garcia added. He stressed that he was just finding ways how to keep the prisoners preoccupied and how to improve discipline among them.
“The governor told me to introduce reforms towards rehabilitation. Making the inmates dance was my idea of revolutionizing time spent in jail and at the same time disciplining the inmates. Except for the elderly and the sick, dancing as a form of physical fitness is compulsory to the inmates,” Byron Garcia said.
Garcia admitted though that when he introduced the dance idea, the inmates grumbled and even refused to follow the lead of a dance instructor that was detailed at the CPDRC for this particular purpose.
Garcia himself he revealed has to learn the steps of the Algorithm March and other song-dance combinations to show the prisoners that anybody can dance and learn to if one puts his/her mind and body into it.
The routine dance fitness exercise became the inmates’ pastime as friendly dance competition among the inmates’ cell groups was introduced in the CPDRC.
The rest is history, as they say.
Yesterday, 1500 inmates garbed in their usual “orange” jail uniforms performed live at the CPDRC grounds in front of guests, provincial officials, judges, prosecutors and local and foreign media. The presentation was one of the highlights of Cebu province’s week-long activities for its 438th founding anniversary on August 6.
The inmates opened their presentation with a Pass in Review to the tune of “In the Navy” and “YMCA” and the succeeding dances were to the music of “Dayang-Dayang,” “I will Follow You,” ‘Hail Holy Queen” and Radio Gaga,” and they ended their production with the famous Michael Jackson’s hit video “Thriller.”
Giant international TV networks such as CNN, BBC had already featured the dancing inmates in their various programs while the ABC network based in Singapore came with a crew to document the whole presentation as well as other TV crews from Japan , China and Singapore also covered the event.
It was standing ovation after the presentation specifically because the performers are prisoners some of them are convicted murderers and rapists. Calvin Tan, the most notorious of the inmates being the suspected brains behind the mega shabu lab operations in mandaue City, who was arrested in Hongkong and extradited in Cebu, showed his prowess in ballroom dancing with a pretty female inmate.
Local judges and prosecutors said that the performance showed how well managed the jail facility is while the DILG-7 led by its regional director, Pedro Noval filmed the event and told the media that they will recommend the province’s rehabilitation program as an entry to the search for “Gawad Pook Kalinga Award.”
“It is a good entry for the search of innovations and the focus of jail management is more on rehabilitation of prisoners and we want this practiced in jails nationwide,” Noval added.
Some of the guests that saw the live performance said, they were so touched watching the happy faces of the dancers, “to think that some of them are hardened criminals.
Leo Suico, CPDRC’s acknowledged inmates leader, in his welcome remarks said, “ang among peprformance nangpakita nga dili na mi ma-consider nga mga taya sa katilingban” once they are released from jail.
In a media interview, Byron Garcia beamed and said, he is proud of the inmates’ accomplishments so far. “More can still be expected from them. Watch them and you will see discipline at work.”
The province’s security consultant who is also the brother of the governor added that he plans a musical show with the inmates on October 12, the governor’s birthday and he promised a wonderful show because “people in the world keep on watching.” (PIA-Cebu/MBCN)