Five rebels surrender in Negros Oriental
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 26 (PIA) -- Five more members of the New People’s Army (NPA) returned to the fold of law in Negros Oriental after the national government stepped up measures to achieve peace in the countryside.
The rebel returnees each received cash assistance amounting to P55,000 from the national government, which Gov. Roel Degamo personally handed to the them in his office early this month.
The financial aid turnover ceremony was witnessed by members of the adhoc committee for rebel returnees led by 302nd Brigade Commander Col. Francisco Patrimonio and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Alice Lagarde.
Of the total, P5,000 is given as emergency assistance and P50,000 as livelihood assistance from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP).
The returnees are from the hinterland areas of Zamboanguita, Siaton, and Sta. Catalina towns, said Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo.
Sedillo said the five rebel returnees underwent a socio-economing training to help them prepare for their return to mainstream society.
“Some of them said they plan to buy a motorcycle to start a habal-habal business, one plans to become an auto mechanic, while others will go into farming,” said Sedillo.
Gov. Degamo said he is pleased to see more rebels giving up their armed struggle after seeing the government’s sincerity in achieving peace.
For as long as there are rebel groups, poverty in the hinterlands and remote areas will prevail, he said.
The governor called on those who remain in the underground movement to cooperate with the government’s efforts for unity and peace.
In April this year, five rebels also surrendered to the 79th Infantry Battalion based in Siaton town. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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NegOr sets to repair 13 infra damaged by Sendong
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 21 (PIA) -- A total of 13 major infrastructures damaged by Tropical Storm Sendong in Negros Oriental will soon be repaired at a cost of P480 million.
These include rehabilitation and river control and deepening of Okoy River of Sibulan with P200 million; rehabilitation, improvement of river control, rechanelling and deepening of Tanjay and Banica Rivers with P200 million each.
Another P100 million each for dredging of the Tamogong River in Bais City and Siaton River; P50 million for rehabilitation of Tapon Norte River Control in San Jose town; P48.550M for rehab of protection dike of Ajong River in Sibulan; P45M each for the deepening, rechanelling and protection dike of Sicopong, and Amio River, both in Sta. Catalina.
For the repair, rehabilitation and improvement of Balugo Bridge in Valencia town is also funded with P10 million; Tambohangin Bridge, Amlan got P8M; Calabnugan Bridge has P 4M; and P1 million for Tinago Bridge in Dumaguete City.
The Department of Budget and Management has recently released the funds to the provincial government.
To fast track the procurement or construction in support for the disaster management and response operation in preparation for the rainy and typhoon season, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has endorsed a negotiated procurement or direct contracting to the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).
Under a provision in the Procurement Law which allows such methods in cases of “imminent danger arising from natural or man-made calamities or other causes where immediate action is necessary to prevent damage to or loss of life or property…”
The PDRRMC recommended the negotiated procurement or direct contracting options because it noted the ‘time is of the essence’ for disaster preparedness.
Meanwhile, a disaster operation center will be set up at the Capitol as soon as the draft ordinance prepared by PDRRMO Atty. Arturo Umbac to be presented to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. (JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)
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NegOr has 296 dengue cases, 2 deaths
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, June 26 (PIA) -- Dengue cases in Negros Oriental have reached an alarming level with 296 cases and two deaths recorded for the first semester of this year, said Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Felix Sy of Negros Oriental Health Office.
The two persons who died of dengue hemorrhagic fever came from the municipalities of Sibulan and Bacong.
Most of the the dengue victims are aged 21 and above, and both female and male almost equally represented.
Sy said the January to June 2012 record is 21.62 percent higher compared to the same period of last year with 232 cases and zero death.
For this year, majority of the cases are from Dumaguete City with 162; followed by Bayawan City with 36 cases; Tanjay City, 17; Guihulgnan nine; and seven cases each from Dauin and Sibulan.
The municipalities of Sta. Catalina and Bacong have six dengue cases each; and five each from Bais City and Pamplona.
The health officials once again called for public cooperation in every household to have regular cleanup activities to eliminate, if not lessen, the spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit also encouraged the barangays and schools to organize dengue brigades for surveillance and inform local health units on dengue cases.
The dengue virus is transmitted from one person to another by an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, which thrives in clean and stagnant water. (RMN/JCT-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)