CATBALOGAN CITY –
New registrants for both Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) have
swarmed Comelec offices in Samar.
This was bared by
Catbalogan City Election Officer Edgar delos Reyes to the media
yesterday as he was busy grappling with the queuing young people.
Catbalogan LGU had to
assign casual employees to augment the 3-member Comelec team.
PIA learned that for
the two days, Sunday and Monday, Catbalogan Comelec listed some 854
barangay registrants while 761 were listed for SK.
De los Reyes though
warned some unscrupulous elements who would force teeners to register
because they tend to forge the date of birth to accommodate them to be
wary, or they would be charged with falsification.
At least some ten
registrants were disqualified as the Comelec officer spotted some
suspicious entries in the documents required.
In Pinabacdao town,
Municipal Election Officer Josefina Aguilar said that they had more
than a hundred registrants on Sunday, the first day of the
registration period for the October 29 Synchronized SK and Barangay
polls.
In Matuginao,
Municipal Election Officer Lito Villa also confirmed the situation as
most voters now do not want to beat the deadline
Comelec has scheduled
only one week from
July 15-22, 2007
for the new voters to register for the October elections.
One new registered
voter who does not want to be identified said that it is better to
just give a shorter period for voters to register so that they would
be conscious of the time. If they delay and delay, in the process,
they may forget and miss the opportunity.
SEAFDEC and ACIAR
collaborate on mudcrab in Northern Samar
Press Release
By
Southeast
Asian Fisheries Development Center
July 18, 2007
Mudcrab’s profile as a
prized aquaculture commodity just got another boost.
Southeast Asian
Fisheries Development Center - Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) together with the Australian Centre for International Agriculture
Research (ACIAR) joined forces to implement CATP or the Community
Agricultural Technologies Project‘s “Enhancing adoption of mudcrab
production technologies in Northern Samar.”
What makes Northern
Samar the ideal place for this project? The province’s coastal
mangroves are an abundant natural habitat for Scylla serrata. Despite
this, Northern Samar remains a minor producer of marketable crabs although
it is one of the biggest producers of wild harvested crablets to other
parts of the country.
The project will
establish four demonstration sites (one each in the municipalities of
Lao-ang, Lavezares, Rosario and Pambujan) and undertake on-farm
demonstration and assessment of nursery techniques, grow-out
management, fattening and nutrition. Stock assessment will also be
done to provide better guidance for the strengthening of local
ordinances regarding crablet collection.
SEAFDEC/AQD will
handle the research component of the project, with funding of around
P1.4M of the total P3.313M allotted for the project. This includes the
refining of improved cultural practices, wherein AQD will provide
technical assistance for one full cycle of crab culture; and stock
assessment and policy, which involves monitoring seasonal trends in
relative abundance to mud crab size, sex, volume, stage of maturity
and habitat condition. To this end, Mr. Renato Agbayani, Dr. Emilia
Quinitio and Mr. Eduard Rodriguez conducted a field assessment
together with CATP Program Manager Ms. Sheilah Vergara from February
27 to March 1.
SEAFDEC/AQD will
assist the partner NGO, Action for Community Empowerment (ACE), in
planning and conducting the training courses on the different phases
of mudcrab culture, starting from nursery to grow-out to fattening in
mangrove areas (also known as aquasilviculture).
It is hoped that at
the end of the 30-month project (May 2007-November 2009), adoption of
improved technologies is sustained; availability of seed stock for
beneficiary communities is improved; advocacy for improved ordinances
to manage the collection of wild crablets is sustained; total harvests
and production of mudcrabs are improved by 15-30% compared with
standard practices; and that the income of farmer beneficiaries sees a
10-20% increase.
The Northern Samar
sites are under AQD’s “Institutional capacity building for sustainable
aquaculture” project which seeks to transfer appropriate aquaculture
and fishery resources management strategies to target beneficiaries.
The project also
extends the outcome of ACIAR-supported research on mudcrab culture
done by SEAFDEC/AQD from 1996-2000.
Search for 'missing'
Pinoy boxing trainer continues
By ALEX P. VIDAL / PNS
July
17, 2007
OSAKA, Japan –
Boxing authorities here continued to track down the whereabouts of
Filipino boxing trainer Nestor "Bong" Elorde who had not returned to
the Philippines and was suspected to have gone TNT after his ward,
Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) champion Juanito Rubillar
posted a fifth round knockout win over challenger Ken Nakajima here
recently.
Takashi Inoue,
liaison of Green Tsuda Promotions here, told this writer that
officials from the immigration department as well as the Japan Boxing
Commission (JBC) continue to search for Elorde "because what he did
was a big digrace."
"Until now, we have
not found him," said Inoue, a former middleweight contender here, who
claimed that when he first confronted a Filipino boxing judge who was
supposed to be Elorde's companion to the Kansai International Airport
on a flight back to Manila after the OPBF fight, the Filipino judge
was also at a loss and did not know where was Elorde.
"We are now very
careful everytime fighters and trainers from Manila come to fight in
Japan. We have no problem with teams from Cebu as they have good
record," said Inoue.
Matchmaker-cum- journalist Joe Koizumi in a story posted on the
philboxing.com website said promoter Takanobu Totsuka had filed a case
with the Japanese police about what Koizumi said was "the illegal
overstay and illegal work" of Elorde in Japan clearly indicating that
Elorde didn’t get lost but had deliberately stayed behind, violating
the terms and conditions of his visa.
In his report,
journalist Ronnie Natanielsz wrote: "There were similar cases of
so-called trainers and handlers failing to return after fights in
Japan and South Korea in the past. In some instances non-boxing people
posed as trainers or corner-men and allegedly with the connivance of
past officials of the GAB traveled to Japan and South Korea and found
work in those countries illegally. This resulted in a one year ban
imposed by the Japan Boxing Commission on all Filipino fighters. The
Elorde case is the first in the past few years."
"Koizumi lamented the
fact that the latest incident had "mercilessly destroyed" the
possibility of the Japan Boxing Commission allowing Filipino boxers
who are not ranked in the top twelve being permitted to fight in six
or eight round bouts in Japan," added Natanielsz.
Bebot Elorde,
Rubillar's manager, was quoted in philboxing.com as saying that said
his relative had "gone out drinking with some Filipinos" to celebrate
Rubillar’s smashing fifth round knockout victory over Japan’s Ken
Nakajima and was not with them when they checked in at the airport.
Coquilla
gathers inter-agencies for consultative meet
By ALICE NICART (PIA 8)
July
15, 2007
BORONGAN CITY, Eastern
Samar – This early, many observers see a unique management style of
Congressman Teodulo “Doloy” Coquilla as heads of national agencies
marked July 12 differently: they were called to a consultative
conference in his own private place, the so-called “Kirum-kirum” Beach
resort.
Before the speakers
said their individual pieces, Dayan Agda, Chief of Political Affairs
Office thanked everyone around, supporter or not. The seemingly
emotional Agda admitted that nobody among them, now in the helm with
Coquilla, may have to be intoxicated with power.
“Waray gad namon
sadang igdako ngan ig-abusar, kay ine nga amon pwesto sugad han aton
kinabuhi in temporaryo la. Kun pwede ngan lugod, ig-ampo kami niyo
basi dire kami malumos hine nga amon poder.” (We have nothing to be
proud of in this post because like our stay in this life, everything
is temporary in nature. We appeal instead for your prayers that we
might not be swallowed up by whatever possession or influence).
According to him all
is over, as he referred to political bickering of the recent past. He
suggested instead for everyone to get started, support each other’s
program and work hard in order to accelerate rural progress.
More than 20
department heads presented their agency programs and profile to the
new Congressional Representative, who with all his indulgence,
listened intently to the almost four-hour speeches of his guests from
start to finish.
Asked why he conducted
such a first ever consultative meeting with national agencies,
Coquilla answered, he wanted to know some entry points to these
agencies wherein he could extend some assistance and or harmonize
programs and projects with theirs. And true enough, not a single
speaker ended up his or her talk without airing some problems and
recommendations. Foremost in the litany of problems were the need for
personal computers (PC), personnel and service vehicles.
In his message,
Congressman Coquilla told his audience of some sources where he could
possibly get funds for the acquisition of computers; and, apparently
directing congruently with the super region’s thrust of President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the rehabilitation of the Borongan airport
and national roads will remain as his primary concern, he said.
On the “understaffed”
problem of some offices, Fr. Roberto Picardal, short of suggesting in
the plenary, cited some offices in government which have the most
numbers of personnel but have very few functions, others are
duplicated, still others have nothing to do at all, yet, are receiving
equal pay; maybe, the priest said, some examinations have to be done
in order to delimit extravagance of government resources.
The meeting was
concluded with a group picture. However, many missed the photo op
because it was near dusk already and they still have to hurdle the two
and a half hour travel time back to Borongan City.
Catbalogan police
chief pushes for stiffer penalties on illegal fishing
By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA
Samar)
July 15, 2007
CATBALOGAN CITY,
Samar – The Catbalogan Chief of Police sought stiffer penalties for
illegal fishing to discourage the wanton and destructive style of
fishing in Maqueda Bay.
In an interview with
PIA, Police Superintendent (P/Supt) Ramil Ramirez said that he
considers the penalties cited in Republic Act (RA) 8550 as just ‘to
soft” that illegal fishermen can easily pay the fine and even repeat
committing the offense.
He added that the
Trawl method of fishing leaves no marine life intact.
Based on RA 8550 Trawl
is an active fishing gear consisting of a bag shaped net with or
without otter boards to open its opening which is dragged or towed
along the bottom or through the water column to take fishery species
by straining them from the water, including all variations and
modifications of trawls (bottom, mid-water, and baby trawls) and tow
nets.
The chief said that RA
8550 was drafted by the Tenth Congress still in 1998 and that the
attendant penalties have just been “too easy’ for illegal fishers.
He said that the
provisions especially in the penalties should be amended to be
relevant with the times.
He also urged the
government to provide alternative livelihood to these villagers as the
usual reason for these offenses is ‘for a living’.
Catbalogan PNP has
been successful in its seaborne operations and have apprehended
several violators of the special law on fishing.
Meanwhile, the
Catbalogan PNP Chief vowed to uphold the recent mandate of the
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo
Puno when he directed the PNP to pursue community-based programs with
vigor.
Puno said that
community-based law enforcement initiatives had won approval from a
United Nations commission on crime prevention.
PNP chief Ramirez also
acknowledged that their operations are fully supported by Catbalogan
LGU.
The chief also said
that after busting these illegal fishermen, he and his men would now
be running after illegal loggers poaching the watershed of Catbalogan.
Tanauan rider wins for
RP in 1st Malaysian International Skimboarding tilt
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July
14, 2007
PENANG, Malaysia –
The Philippines once again shines in international sports when Leo Espada, a 19 year old rider from Tanauan, Leyte won the first
Malaysian International Skim-boarding Competition at Batu Feranghi,
Penang, Malaysia today.
The young Filipino
rider bested thirty three other skimboarders from Hongkong, Australia,
Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, making the Philippines the
king in the watersports called skimboarding.
When interviewed by
the Philippine Information Agency, the young Champion said, now he
knows the happiness that one feels when he is able to give honor to
his country and the pressure that one gets when he is representing his
country and knowing that one really has to make good so that the
country will not be put in bad light. Leo or Longcoy for short proudly
raised the Filipino banner as he was receiving his trophy.
The other rider from
Tanauan, Leyte, Darrel Espada, who is also representing the
Philippines
won as third runner up. The Philippines fielded only two players and
both of them won.
The other winners are
Singapore's Darimi Mohammad as first runner up and
Singapore's
Alfian Affandi Juma-at as second runner up.
The first Malaysian
International Competition was organized by the Pooskimboards in
cooperation with the Tourism Malaysia, under the Visit Malaysia 2007
program, in connection with the 50th Anniversary of Malaysia's
Nationhood.
The two Filipino
skimboarders' trip to
Malaysia
was sponsored by Victoria Skimboards, the Provincial Government of
Leyte thru Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and the local government of
Tanauan, Leyte. The two Filipino riders were the winners in the 3rd
National Skimboarding Competition held in April, 2007 at Tanauan which
is the skimboarding capital of the Philippines.
The Filipino riders
were accompanied by Tanauan Mayor Roque A. Tiu who was the guest of
honor and the one who gave the awards to the winners, his wife Olive,
James and Rizza Ferguson, the Skimboarding Wahini Champion Sheryl
Pajelleno who was one of the judges representing the Philippines and
two staff from the local government of Tanauan Darwin Parilla and
Eugene Ramos and the representative of Mr. Freddie Gonzales of
Victoria Skimboards, Mr. Martin Legarda.
Mayor Tiu took the
opportunity to invite the skimboarders to the 4th Skimboarding
Competition in Tanauan which will be held in December of this year.
Malaysian education
official commends Leyte APEX program
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July
14, 2007
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The students under the APEX program seem to be happy and enjoying
their studies, Dato’ Haji Yusof Bin Harun, the Deputy Education
Minister of Malaysia exclaimed after observing the Science, Math and
Technology Livelihood Education (TLE) classes at the Tanauan National
High School in Tanauan, Leyte on July 10.
The Deputy Minister
said that this is very far from the usual scenarios where the students
are usually serious and seemed pressured when inside the classroom.
Learning could be fun, indeed and the students emerge brighter and
better, he said.
He also admired the
commitment of the teachers, the local government unit and the
community in helping together so that the education of the students
will not go to waste.
He said that the
classroom atmosphere is friendly because there is always a team of
teachers in each class who do not appear as power figure but one who
is supportive to the learning of the students.
True enough, the
teachers in the APEX program serve as facilitators in the contextual
learning. The students who are always in groups or teams help each
member in the learning process because everything is done by the team.
The APEX Program, the
Applied Academics for Excellence Program is an opportunity because its
strategic objective is to develop students who are ready to pursue
higher education or an enterprise of choice in case the students are
unable to pursue higher education.
Dato’ Yusof hopes to
replicate well the program in
Malaysia
including the commitment of the teachers, the students, the parents
and the local government officials.
He said that the
members of the Malaysian delegation are very appreciative of the
hospitality and the warmth of the people they have encountered in
Leyte.
Oras high schools get
new classrooms
By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA
Samar)
July
13, 2007
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar
– The municipality of Oras, Eastern Samar recently receive new
classrooms courtesy of Philip Morris Manufacturing Corporation and the
Philippine Army's 546th Engineering Construction Brigade.
Ms. Geraldine Banadora,
teacher at the Oras National High School (ONHS) located in Barangay
San Roque (aka Calauit) said that the new building turned over on July
3, 2007 costs some P490,000.00. This building along with some fifty
plastic chairs and some furniture were turned over by Philip Morris
through its young Community Relations Officer Atty. Amy Eisma, who
personally traveled to Oras.
Ludovico Baladad, Jr.
a fourth year high school student of ONHS told PIA that the sophomores
would use the room. This, he said, was also turned into a laboratory
for Sciences Classes so that the apparatuses are safe and secured.
Oras Mayor Neil
Alvarez, in his message assure the donor company that Oras students
will make sure that the classroom will last longer so that more
Orasnons could use the new facility.
Atty. Eisma, after
inspecting the other rooms at ONHS vowed to deliver another classroom
with an additional bonus of Knowledge Channel connection.
The pronouncements got
a loud cheer and applause from the close to a thousand students and
teachers.
On the other side of
Oras, located north and five kilometers near is Nicasio Alvarez
Memorial High School (NAMHS), safely ensconced in Barangay San Eduardo. Here
the 546 Engineer Construction Brigade turned over another building
constructed only within three months as bared by Head Teacher Nenita
Ellorando.
The building worth
P600,069.00 has added to a few concrete classrooms the high school
has.
Lt. Col. Kristefel
Kiamco and Mayor Neil Alvarez joined hands to cut the ribbon in a
ceremonial turn-over. Mayor Neil is the younger brother of the late
Nicasio after whom the school is named.
The mayor thanked
the army for the needed classrooms and said that with these two
schools, education even up to secondary is assured considering that
the two public schools, ONHS and NAMHS are located in opposite
directions. The two secondary schools can now serve the northern and
southern barangays. An RVM school named Holy Cross Academy, located at
the heart of Oras completes the triumvirate of schools for Oras youth.
