US, PHL hold consultations on future of USAID assistance
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- The Philippine government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently held high-level bilateral consultations on USAID’s assistance to the Philippines.
In a press statement from the US Embassy, Information Officer Yoly De Guzman said the proposed new USAID strategy supports President Obama’s new policy on global development which calls for a new approach on how the US will implement development assistance.
In support of this vision, the Agency launched USAID Forward, an ambitious reform effort that changes the way USAID does business through new partnerships, and puts an emphasis on innovation and a relentless focus on results, said De Guzman.
The consultations, which were led by National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Deputy Director-General Rolando Tungpalan and USAID/Philippines Mission Director Gloria Steele, reviewed achievements of the USAID in the Philippines over the past three years and discussed the international agency’s proposed Country Development Cooperation Strategy for 2012-2016.
According to Steele in the press release: “The meeting served to reflect on the milestones that our partnership has achieved in meeting our shared development objectives. It is also a useful opportunity to discuss the future road map of our assistance in the succeeding years.”
“We are aligning this new strategy with the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) for 2011 to 2016, which fleshes out President Aquino’s Social Contract with the Filipino people,” Director Steele added.
According to said press statement, Tungpalan thanked USAID/Philippines for aligning their proposed Country Development Cooperation Strategy with the country’s development priorities.
“Jobs, health, education, and governance remain as top concerns of Philippine development efforts, and we see them in USAID’s proposed strategy. We are grateful that the USAID advanced the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action, which calls on developing nations to exercise leadership over their development priorities for more harmonized, transparent and effective actions,” Tungpalan said.
“The U.S. government will work with the Government of the Philippines in creating a more stable, prosperous and well-governed Philippines through programs that promote inclusive economic growth, increase peace and stability in Mindanao, and reduce the risk from natural disasters,” Director Steele said.
“It is good to note that Secretary Hillary Clinton, at the Busan Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, talked about how country-led development will lead to sustainable growth. We are interested in knowing more about how the USAID proposed strategy will be implemented and we will work with USAID in carrying it out,” said Tungpalan. (RMN/US Embassy/JCT-PIA-Negros Oriental)
==============
NegOr state university has 4 new civil engineers
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- Four graduates of the course Civil Engineering from Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) in Dumaguete City passed the Civil Engineeer Licensure examination this year.
According to NORSU Information Officer Joy Perez, the four were among the seven total Civil Engineering graduates from NORSU who took the licensure test given on May 6 to 7 this year in Cebu City.
NORSU’s passing percentage rate is at 57.14%
NORSU President Dr. Henry Sojor, in a statement, said the state university’s passing rate is higher compared to the national passing percentage which is at 34.07%.
Of the total 3,307 examinees nationwide, only 1,130 passed said licensure test.
NORSU’s new civil engineers are, namely: Ernie Lumayo Diputado of Sibulan town, Kristoffer Lyle Pestaño Gantalao of Dumaguete City, Celestinaonte Ojano of Municipality of Valencia town, and Lemalyn Dimagnaong Ragasa of Lazi, Siquijor. (RMN-PIA Negros Oriental)
============
Sibulan mayor orders closure of entertainment bar
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 24 (PIA) -- An entertainment bar in Sibulan, Negros Oriental was padlocked after Sibulan Mayor Marcela Bartoces ordered its closure for violating the town’s Gender and Development ordinance.
Mayor Bartoces issued the closure order of an entertainment bar after it was found to be operating near the premises of a school in Sibulan, which is a violation of Section 3 of Ordinance No. 33 or the Gender and Development ordinance.
Sibulan Information Officer Concepcion Rosales told the Philippine Information Agency that the ordinance prohibits entertainment establishments to operate within a radius of 150 meters from the municipal hall, schools, churches, and hospitals.
Rosales added that a task force formed by the Mayor’s office also discovered that said entertainment bar was operating without a Mayor’s permit this year.
The town’s Municipal Tax Code requires businesses to secure a Mayor’s permit prior to its operation.
The mayor, last year, created a team to monitor the entertainment bars in Sibulan in a move to preserve the municipality’s image as a “pilgrim town.”
Said team is composed of the Municipal Engineer, Sibulan police force, Municipal Treasurer, Municipal Health Officer, Sanitary Inspection Officer, and Fire Officer in coordination with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“Entertainment bars in Sibulan have been constantly warned to comply with the provisions of the law since last year,” Rosales added.
The move is also in line with the municipal government’s campaign to protect women and children in Sibulan against possible recruitment into prostitution and human trafficking. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)