PNP: NegOr crimes decrease by 50 percent
by Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY June 15 (PIA) January to May of this year is relatively peaceful with a decrease of 918 crimes from the total crime volume of 1,572 compared to the recorded incidents of 2,490 during the previous year of the same period.
This was reported yesterday by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Director Rey Lyndon Lawas before the members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) as he noted that illegal drugs remains to be a problem in the province.
However, Col. Lawas said the supply and demand for such illegal drug activities are declining due to their continuous operations on the campaign against illegal drugs.
In his report, with the total crime volume, 1,293 are index crimes and 279 are non-index crimes which Lawas noted that crimes against properties occupies the highest number followed by crimes against persons.
Index crimes committed against persons include murder, homicide and physical injuries recorded 456 cases; and crimes against properties which include theft and robbery reached to 837 incidents.
For non-index crimes or offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Laws such as enforcement on Republic Act 9165 or anti-drug law and RA 9287 or anti- illegal gambling law, the PNP registered a total of 279 incidents.
The PNP official attributed the crime reduction for its strong partnership and linkages with the barangay residents and organization of Brangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs) which composed of the barangay tanods, barangay intelligence networks, civilian volunteer organizations, barangay defense systems, people’s organizations and non- government organization.
To unify efforts against criminality, the BPATs assisted the PNP in patrolling in their own respective barangays, Lawas said.
The PNP remains to be vigilant and maintain its strong partnership and linkages with otherlaw enforcement agencies and local government units including the civil society, he said.
Out of 557 barangays in the province, 101 barangays in 25 cities and municipalities are considered to be slightly affected by the illegal drugs trade, Col. Lawas reported. He tag Looc and Calindagan of Dumaguete City are seriously affected by the illegal drugs. While the rest of eight barangays are identified as moderately affected. (PIA NegOr/JCT)
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Tree planting efforts keep urban city 'green'
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 15 (PIA) --- Visitors who step foot in Dumaguete City for the first time will notice right away the abundance of trees everywhere in the city.
The sight of the lush greenery in the midst of an urban city that has become known as a university town due to the number of universities and colleges has kept local and international tourists coming back to the “City of Gentle People.”
But despite the abundant greenery dotting the city's landscape, the capital city of Negros Orientalis not a forest area. "However, we allot time and money to plant more trees here in the city," said Dumaguete City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (ENRO) Rogelio Clamonte in a recent forum to mark Environment Month observation this June.
Between 5,000 to 10,000 trees are planted every year within the 3,486-hectare land area in Dumaguete City, said Clamonte. "This is our contribution to mitigate climate change," he added.
Aside from the greenery, Dumaguete City's initiatives in wastewter treatment has also lured visitors representing local government units and non-government agencies from other localities almost every week.
Clamonte said the most recent visitors were officials from the Department of Health (DOH) who wanted to see how the city's wastewater treatment facility operates.
The facility is the locator of all wastewater generated by the city's Public Market Complex.
Another popular crowd-drawer is the Septage Treatment Plant in Brgy. Camanjac, which Clamonte described as one of the leading projects in the treatment of septage. "There are so many who are interested in our septage plant because it has become a succes story due to its efficiency and effectivity," said Clamonte.
The treatment plant is a result of a convergence of efforts between the Dumaguete City Water District and the city government. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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| PWDs received P32K love offering during 113thIndependence Day celeb by Jennifer Catan-Tilos DUMAGUETE CITY, June 14 (PIA) More than P32,000 have been collected in this year’s love gifts offering to Federation of Persons with Disabilities in commemoration of the 113th Independence Day at Quezon Park, Dumaguete City. The cash was offered from different government and non-government institutions as fund assistance to a group of persons with disabilities as one of the highlights of the June 12 celebration. At 7:15 a.m. officials of Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental which include the 302 Brigade led the wreath-laying after the flag raising ceremonies. The Brigade has organized a static display of military armaments and vehicles at the Capitol Area in coordination with provincial government. In the afternoon, about a thousand participants coming from the differentlocal government units and agencies headed by Governor Roel R Degamo, ROTC cadets from the different colleges and universities, religious groups and other stakeholders joined the candle lighting at the Freedom Park, this city. The celebration of 113th Independence Day was made possible through the concerted efforts of the Army’s 302 Brigade in coordination with the Negros Oriental Provincial Government, Dumaguete Press Club, Order of Demolay and the Red Shield Fraternity with the active participation of various stakeholders in the province. (PIA NegOr/JCT) |
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DENR targets 1.5-M trees in Negros Oriental after 6 years
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 14 (PIA) --- Negrenses can look forward to seeing a greener Negros Oriental after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here sets out to implement the six-year National Greening Program in the province starting this year.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Oscar Magallones in a recent forum said that DENR aims to plant 1.5 million trees within a total of 1.5 million hectares across the province in six years' time.
"For this year, our target is 100,000 hectares and then 200,000 hectares next year," said Magallones during the forum held by the Philippine Information Agency to mark the Environment Month celebration here.
The National Greening Program is in line with Executive Order No. 26 issued by Pres. Benigno Aquino III, and Executive Order No. 23 which bans the cutting of trees within natural and residual forests, said Magallones.
He added that the President has also ordered every employee and student in the country to plant at least 10 seedlings every year within the six-year period to boost reforestation efforts.
Pres. Aquino has earlier issued Executive Order No. 125 declaring 2011 as the National Year of Forest in the wake of United Nations' declaration of this year as the International Year of Forest.
"This year's celebration of Environment Month is focused on forests due to the diminishing forestal resources," said Magallones.
Statistics from DENR here show that out of 540,000 hectares of total land area in Negros Oriental, only 10% of it or 54,000 hectares remain to be covered in forest.
Forest cover nationwide is at 7.2 million hectares. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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DSWD 7 names 11 towns in NegOr to benefit KALAHI-CIDSS-MCC
by Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 14 (PIA) The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 7 (DSWD7) has identified recently 11 municipalities in Negros Orientalto benefit the government’s poverty reduction program.
Under the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program, the municipalities have been qualified to receive aid are Ayungon, Basay, Bindoy (Payabon), Dauin, Jimalaud, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Sta. Catalina, Vallehermoso, and Zamboanguita.
DSWD Regional Social Marketing Officer Kaye Pantinople said the 11 recipient-towns were chosen from a total of 15 towns during the selection process to be covered under the KALAHI-CIDSS project funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
MCC grants $120 million to fund the expansion of the Philippine government’s KALAHI-CIDSS or KC) program, a community-driven development program aimed at empowering communities to identify and implement development projects to reduce poverty and improve livelihoods.
“Although, 15 targeted towns were considered eligible, fitting the KC criteria of having at least 33% poverty incidence rate, however, the selection process was done through drawing of lots,” Pantinople said.
Through its KALAHI-CIDSS, the DSWD7 will issue the local government unit(LGU)-facilitated modality Makamasang Tugon or Community-Driven Development Local Planning Process –Harmonization Initiative to ensure the sustainability of the program in the recipient town.
This is expected to operate in Negros Oriental starting June 2012 with start-up operation to roll in January 2012, said Pantinople. (PIA NegOr/JCT)
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Army holds confab with Guihulngan City teachers
by Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 14 (PIA) --- The 11th Infantry Battalion (11IB) of the Philippine Armybased in Guihulngan City recently met with around 600 public school teachers in Guihulngan City with the aim of strengthening ties between the Army and the academe.
The one-day, division-wide conference held on June 4 with teachers under the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Guihulngan City was the first such activity conducted by the 11IB under its "Bayanihan Para sa Kinabukasan ng mga Kabataan" program.
11IB Commander Lt. Col. Ramil Bitong said the DepEd plays a key role in the Internal Peace and Security Plan of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
"Teachers remain to be one of the most reliable and formidable partners of the military in its peace and security operations," said Bitong in a statement released by 11IB, adding that the teachers' strong influence on the youth and the entire community contribute to the Army's advocacy against lawlessness, particularly insurgency.
Banking on the success of their conference with the Guihulngan City teachers, Bitong said they are now eyeing to hold a similar conference with teachers from the first district of Negros Oriental. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)