Voting for poverty-alleviation projects in NegOr brgys ongoing
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 12 (PIA) -- The voting process is underway for choosing community projects to be implemented in selected barangays under the Kalahi-CIDSS program in Negros Oriental.
Representatives from around 329 barangays in Negros Oriental are casting their ballots for their preferred community projects during the series of ongoing municipal inter-barangay forums (MIBF) led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The voting started on November 6 and will end on Nov. 15 covering the towns of Ayungon, Jimalalud, Mabinay, Basay, Manjuyod, Pamplona, Dauin, Bindoy, Zamboanguita, Vallehermoso, and Sta. Catalina.
The representatives are voting for the best and most urgent community projects that they want to be implemented in their communities.
“In this forum, representatives from the different barangays in a particular municipality are brought together to present and propose community projects, and afterwards vote for the ‘best and most urgent’ community project that will be prioritized for the grant provided by Kalahi-CIDSS,” a statement from DSWD said.
DSWD Regional Community Development Specialist Levi De los Santos said the MIBF is a milestone of the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC) as this give the people the opportunity to decide on the problems and issues of their community that need to be addressed through projects funded by Kalahi-CIDSS.
Kalahi-CIDSS or the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is the flagship poverty reduction program of the Philippine government implemented by DSWD.
The program makes use of a Community-Driven Development approach which empowers communities to analyze their situation, identify community needs and implement small-scale community projects in partnerships with their local government units.
After the voting, the mayor of a particular town will declare the “winners” or the prioritized community projects that received the most votes.
The Kalahi-CIDSS project provides a grant of P450,000 multiplied by the number of barangays in a chosen municipality in Negros Oriental.
Voting is essential since the amount of the grant is only limited and will not cover all the proposed community projects by each barangay, said the statement from DSWD.
The grant may be augmented by counterpart contributions either in cash or in kind from other sources within and outside the municipality to realize the implementation of the chosen community projects.
In Central Visayas, Kalahi-CIDSS has served 14 towns in Bohol and Siquijor provinces, delivering more than 700 community projects such as day care and health centres, roads and bridges, water systems, school and multi-purpose buildings.
The program expanded to 11 towns in Negros Oriental starting this year. (RMN/PIA-7 Negros Oriental with reports from Simeon Remata III)
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DOE urges LPG retail outlets to follow standards
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov 12 (PIA) -- The Department of Energy (DOE) warned dealers and retailers of liquefied petroleum products (LPP) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Negros Oriental and Siquijor against unsafe and unfair practices which compromise the safety of the consuming public.
In a forum held, Energy Industry Management Division Supervisor Jose Rey Maleza of DOE said the LPP and LPG dealers and retail outlets must comply with the required national standards which include quality, quantity, price and keep fair and safe practices.
Maleza cited the proliferation of unsafe practices on household LPG that include illegal refilling of cylinders; the use of uncertified and illegally manufactured, corroded, and scrapped cylinders; and LPG cylinders with no tare weight markings.
The DOE official appealed to local government units (LGUs) to take a strong public position either to confiscate unsafe products or not to issue business permits.
“If without any action, casualties from LPG-related accidents will mount and even persist,” Marleza added.
In the same activity on the Information, Education and Communication campaign on the Downstream Oil Industry (DOI), Marleza called on LGUs, the Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine National Police and barangay officials to help in the enforcement of rules and regulations on the LPG industry. (mbcn/JCT-PIA7, Negros Oriental)
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Sibulan town proposes P104M for 2013 budget
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) -- The municipal government of Sibulan in Negros Oriental is pushing for an annual budget of more than P104 million for 2013.
This was disclosed by Sibulan Information Officer Connie Rosales, who said that Sibulan Mayor Marcela Bartoces has already submitted her P104-million proposal to the municipality’s Sangguniang Bayan for approval.
In the proposed budget for next year, the biggest share is allotted for personnel services and administrative costs which account for around 60% while social services, 13%, and economic service, 23%.
Sibulan’s proposed budget last year was P93 million.
The amount allotted for the senior citizens is doubled for next year’s budget, from P1.6 million this year to P3 million next year.
“This developed after the local government realized that the budget for senior citizens allotted for this year is not enough, that’s why it’s being pushed to be augmented for next year,” explained Rosales.
Records show that Sibulan town has more than 2,000 senior citizens, according to Rosales.
The municipal government has been granting each elderly a P750 financial aid per quarter under Sibulan’s social services for the elderly program.
Other services whose allocated is increased in the proposed budget for next year are Families in Crisis Situation with P1 million, and education for which P1 million is allotted to purchase a lot for the school site of Boloc-Boloc High School, said Rosales.
She added that the local government unit is also allocating for the fourth tranche salary increase of the municipal government’s regular employees. (RMN/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)
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NegOr state university gets 100% passing rate in mechanical engineering board exam
By Rachelle M. Nessia
The Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) achieved a 100% passing rate during the recent Mechanical Engineering Licensure Examination held Sept. 23 to 24 in Cebu City.
NORSU Information Officer Joy Perez revealed that there were eight total examinees from the university’s College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) who took the licensure exam.
“All of them passed as compared to the national passing percentage rate of 69.86 percent,” said Perez.
Of the total 2,900 examinees nationwide, 2,026 passed the licensure exam, she added.
CEA Dean Josef Vil Villanueva said that as of the eight new engineers, seven are from the province of Negros Oriental and one from Cebu.
For the past five consecutive years, NORSU’s CEA mechanical engineering have achieved a100% passing percentage in the licensure exams.
The new mechanical engineers this year are: Rolando C. Barba, Dumaguete City; Jeffrey B. Cañolas, Sta. Catalina; Ched F. Rombines, Bayawan City; Dick Oliver G. Eguac, Santader, Cebu; Gino Z. Katada, Dumaguete City; Bhonhamm B. Magsayo, Sibulan; Rea M. Rodriguez, Tanjay City; Bevic Butch A. Cule, Bais City.
Meanwhile, Perez also disclosed that NORSU’s Certified Public Accountancy (CPA) examiners achieved a 91.76% passing rate during the CPA licensure exam this year.
The national passing rate for the CPA exam is at 47.78%.
Dr. Silveria Ochotorena, dean of NORSU’s College of Business and Accountancy said that 11 out of 13 passed the CPA Licensure Exam recently held in Manila.
Of the 13, seven are from Negros Oriental, three are from Zamboanga del Norte and one from Basilan.
The eleven new accountants are: Brian D. Andulana, Sta Catalina; Danmark G. Aba, Sibulan;Gericah May Rodriguez, Dumaguete City; Noemi Ruth G. Ramirez,Isabela City, Basilan; Romilyn A. Balansag, Bais City; Julia Rose D. Ajero, Dipolog City, Zamonaga del Norte, Maria Aileen A. Cadayona, Manjuyod; Jinky Lou L. Pujadas, Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, Charliemagne Z. Gomez, Ukay, Zamboanga del Norte; Hazel G. Compasas, Bacong; and Maria Elisa L. Salvo, Bais City. (RMN/FMGM/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)
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Dumaguete city government cracks down on illegal vendors
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, Nov. 12 (PIA) --- The Dumaguete City government is intent on pursuing its campaign against illegal vendors which have been reportedly sprouting in various areas within the city.
The city’s Task Force SAGARR (Special Action Group Advocating Rapid Reform), a team earlier formed to serve as special action group in Dumaguete, have received complaints from legal vendors inside the city’s public market complex over the spreading number of illegal vendors here.
Joey Abella of Task Force SAGARR disclosed that the public market vendors have alleged that their sales went down due to the illegal vendors plying their trade in several areas in the city.
Abella said the task force is conducting surprise “visits” to arrest the illegal vendors, most of whom sell their wares along the Perdices Street and have also caused a disturbance to the foot traffic.
He said the Task Fore SAGGAR enforcers have continuously warned against the illegal selling of goods in busy areas in the city. (RMN/FMGM/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)