Schoolgirl from Eastern Samar tops National Achievement Test

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 10, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  Jenevieve Palma, a Grade 6 student at the Lawaan Central School in Eastern Samar topped the National Achievement Test (NAT) administered by the Department of Education last March 15.

Jenevieve, who garnered a Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of 96.5, raised the banner of Region 8 which has the distinction of topping the NAT annually. Indeed, Jenevieve is a living testimony to the unrelenting quest of the Filipino students for academic excellence regardless of which part, (urban or rural) of the country they are located.

The Department of Education revealed that the second place is shared by Rose Colares of Taguig in Metro Manila and Amelyn Legion of Mabolo Elementary School in Cavite. The fourth and fifth place went to Michelle Tonic and Anjanette Mortalla respectively from Makato Elementary School.

The Department of Education announced that the other 15 topnotchers came from Eastern Samar, Cavite, Leyte, Butuan City and Biliran. This means that three of the six provinces in Region 8 made it to the top 20 roll.

DepEd 8 is more joyful as DepEd also revealed that students of a special education class of Ormoc City Special Education (SPED) outdid many of the counterparts in the NAT.

Ormoc City managed to register a well over average mean percentage score during last year and this year’s NAT. The Ormoc City SPED Center reportedly scored an impressive 83.80 which is even higher than its previous grade of 81.44 last year.

In a press statement, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, taking cognizance to the fact that the NAT results showed improved performance among examinees compared to previous years, said that the NAT results illustrate the benefits the students get as a result of the significant interventions in public education.

Among the revelations of this year’s NAT results is that the boys who managed to top the NAT tests juggle their time studying and helping out their parents in the farm.

Based on the results, female examinees garnered higher mean percentage scores of 61.81 percent over the MPS of male examinees of 58.89 percent.

Another observation is that examinees from rural areas fared better than their urban counterparts with their MPS placed at 60.81 percent while those from urban areas were 59.48 percent.

Prepare for village, SK polls, Rep. Mercado advises interested individuals

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
September 10, 2007

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  In the light of uncertainty on whether or not the scheduled barangay and youth elections would push through next month, Rep. Roger Mercado offered this advice:  just prepare.

The lone Southern Leyteño lawmaker stressed that those aspiring to become leaders in their respective barangays better get ready for the October 29 balloting, for even if it will be postponed there’s still no harm in preparing.

Cong. Mercado made the unsolicited advice to interested, would-be candidates in an informal talk with local media right after the Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting at the Ruperto K. Kangleon (RKK) Function house here Friday, September 7.

This was the very first PDC meeting presided by Gov. Damian Mercado since he assumed the new post three months ago.

Mercado said the certificates of candidacy will be received by the Comelec for the village polls in a months’ time, and granting that a measure seeking to postpone the said elections can pass in the Lower House it will still be delayed in the Senate, and would be overtaken by time, he added.

In any case, whether the village polls can be reset or pushed through, he remained steadfast in his advice to interested takers to just be ready and prepare.

In two other national developments where his views was sought, first on the controversial NBN deal, Cong. Mercado said he would rather wait for the congressional investigation to unfold before making comment.

On the upcoming verdict on the Erap case, whether it has serious, adverse implications in the country, he said he saw no such scenario, saying the case had been handled by the Sandiganbayan, and now it is just the time to hear the decision.

Civilian Anti-Terrorism confab set

Press Release
By Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (ANAD)
September 7, 2007

MANILA, Philippines  –  The consolidation of about 78 anti-terrorism organizations throughout the country will be the focal point during the 1st National Multi-Sectoral Anti-Terrorism Congress set on September 10, 2007 at the Cherry Blossoms Hotel, in Ermita, Manila. This was bared by Jun Alcover, chairman of the Anti-Terrorism Convenors’ Group in an interview over UNTV, Thursday.

“The time is ripe for all anti-terrorism groups and leaders to come together and join forces, especially with the implementation of Republic Act 9372, otherwise known as the Human Security Act 2007 or the Anti-Terrorism Law of the country,” said Alcover, also the national chairman of ANAD party.

With its theme “Stop Terrorism, Stop Poverty,” the Multi-Sectoral Anti-Terrorism Congress seeks to adopt a common stand, as a Non-Government Organization (NGO), to support the effort of government against all forms of terroristic activities. “We believe that the problem wrought by terrorism cannot and will never be solved by guns and bullets alone but through a holistic approach involving the community. This shall pave the way for the implementation of the so-called “left hand – right hand” strategy against terrorism.

“We will prove to those who continuously spew lies and sheer deception that terrorism bred poverty and not the other way around. With the involvement of the civilian community-based anti-terrorism organizations, government’s effort to crush the Maoist communist and militant Muslim terrorism shall now have a potent and effective compliment” said Alcover.

“For sure, the multi-sectoral anti-terrorism aggrupation will adopt a name of its own that would serve as the rallying point of the different anti-terrorism organizations, in the country,” Alcover quipped.

On the other hand, in the same program, Alcover stressed that the arrest of Jose Ma. Sison will never have any positive impact against Maoist-communist terrorism in the country.  “In my more than 10-years experience in the Maoist communist-terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF underground movement, the Maoist communist hierarchy has a built-in system and ready pool of senior personalities who will take over the leadership once a rebel commander, in the NPA, or a senior Political Officer in the National Democratic Front and the Communist Party, is either arrested or killed,” said Alcover.

Alcover pointed to the arrest and incarceration of Sison, during the Marcos regime, saying, “While he was in detention, the CPP-NPA-NDF continued with its avowed goal of destabilizing the government through tactical and strategic campaigns, both in the rural and urban areas. For a communist ideologue or hardliner, it is – the show must go on, so to speak,” he added.

Asked by program host Jay Sonza on his assessment of the thinking of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s general membership in relation to Republic Act 9372, otherwise known as the Human Security Act of 2007 or Anti-Terrorism Law, Alcover stressed that so-called hardliners comprise a minority of the entire membership. “It is because of fear and the threat of being killed that the majority of the membership, who have tasted and disliked the real communist system in play, are keeping them within the terrorist organization,” Alcover explained.

The ANAD party national chairman pointed to Romulo Kintanar, Arturo Tabara, Popoy, and Leopoldo “Ka Hector” Mabilangan, and the thousands of their own peers who were mercilessly killed during the purges of the 1980’s as bold examples of the deception and intimidation employed by Jose Ma. Sison and his surrogates within the CPP-NPA-NDF.

“While they constantly cry for human rights, protection of life and property, and justice, they (communist-terrorists particularly those in the legal sectoral front and party-list organizations) never vented their cries and protestations against the Maoist communist-terrorists CPP-NPA-NDF who, in their 38-years of insurgency, have likewise wantonly abused and deprived many innocent Filipinos of the very same justice, protection and upholding of human rights, that they demanded from government,” said Alcover.

OFWs can now remit dollars to their families at only $1 for every $200 transaction

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 7, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  This is good news for the Overseas Filipino Workers. The OFWs can now remit dollars to their families at a much cheaper dollar remittance fee of $1 for every $200 transaction, thanks to the National Cash Card Program (N-Cash) of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO).

N-Cash is a card system which can be used for a “Card-to-Card remittance, prepaid cell phone loading and bills payment.

Through NATCCO’s existing Internet facilities, cardholders could remit money to their families in the Philippines by only sending a text message. The maximum amount that can be remitted through the N-Cash is $2,000.

NATCCO has a cooperation agreement with the iPay Solutions which will be its technology partners for the implementation of the N-Cash program.  The agreement allows NATCCO to use the payment platform developed by iPay to offer its member cooperatives and individuals basic financial services that are more easy and convenient to use.

Undertaken in coordination with the government-owned Development Bank of the Philippines and Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, NATCCO’s N-Cash Program was launched on September 4 at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati.

The remittances of OFWs are acknowledged as a key contributory factor to the economic growth. Bangko Central ng Pilipinas records show that last year, Filipino Overseas Workers sent about $12.8 billion to their families in the Philippines. However, it costs the OFWs about $1.7 billion in transaction fees to bring in the $12.8 billion based on the prevailing 13.5 remittance fee.

If the OFWs use the N-Cash, the $12.8 billion remitted last year will only cost $64 million. This will mean a savings of $1.663 billion for the Filipino Overseas Workers.

The N-Cash program will reduce the cost of dollar remittances from the prevailing rate of $27 per transaction to just $1 per transaction.

On the occasion of Civil Service 107th anniversary

Civil servants told: Leave politics to politicians; render service as career officials

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
September 5, 2007

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  On the commemoration of the civil service 107th anniversary, civil servants are reminded to leave politics to politicians.

This was the warning aimed at career officials whom CSC provincial director called “meddling in politics”. He explained that some government employees have not been aware of the ‘thin red line’ that separates politicians from civil servants or career officials.

CSC Samar Field Office Director Gerardo Cordero said that the career employees should not campaign, distribute money nor favor any candidate, otherwise, Cordero stressed that if he does the acts mentioned, he is ‘courting disaster’.

Although the provincial director stressed to the civil servants to be careful on the discharge of their career service, he also aired some good news like P10B fund released to defray benefits in availing the Rationalization Plan.

The RatPlan is a program of the administration to streamline agencies by reducing the workforce into a reasonable but highly qualified personnel; and those to be retrenched would be given benefits.

He also reiterated the 10% increase in salary being enjoyed now by the millions of government employees.

Directing the talk to the performance of civil servants, especially in the province, Cordero explained that in the national agencies employees are already there at 8am, but not so he said, in the local government units. He cited his experience with Southern Leyte Governor Lerias then, whom he said served as model in reporting to the provincial capitol first and leaving last.

That way, Cordero said, the department heads and their people are influenced to work and perform better.

In Samar, Cordero said that Gov. Mila tan has re-assigned non-performing personnel. He added that Tan does not like to charge her employees, unless as an extreme measure.

He cautioned them though that CSC is spearheading a Task Force that could drop by in any government office and do “spot audit”. This is a way to check if the employees really report for work and on time. He further said that performance could also be included in the process.

In closing, he quoted CSC Chairperson Karina David’s message which he read –“the challenge to be better than what we are now and to give more than what we have given in the past.”

8ID troopers encounters NPA remnants in Leyte

By Maj. OTHELO D. YAÑEZ (FA) PA
September 5, 2007

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City  –  Elements of 43rd Infantry Battalion led by 2nd Lieutenant Guetering Philippine Army under the operational control of 19IB led by Lt Col Henry I. Bumiltac encountered a group of Communist Terrorist remnants at vicinity of Sitio Capitungan, Brgy Tapol, Leyte, Leyte at around 5:00 o’clock in the morning of September 02, 2007.

Firefight ensued for about five minutes, after which the said Communist Terrorist withdraw towards different direction. No casualty was reported on both side, however, the Communist Terrorists remnants may suffered injuries as evidence by traces of bloodstain on their route of withdrawal. Government troopers recovered one (1) M16 rifle with Serial Number 004084 and one (1) magazine with nine (9) live ammunitions.

The incident came about when a barangay tanod reported to the military detachment the presence of Communist Terrorist in the aforementioned area. Accordingly, the Communist Terrorist operating on said place is led by alias Jordan, the Commanding Officer of NEPAL Squad of the Communist Terrorist operating in Northern Leyte. The local residents claimed that they were already fed up of continued extortion, coercion and unfilled promises by the CPP/NPA leaders. This also confirms the information revealed by the NPA surrenderees who are cooperating well with the government authorities.

Maj. Gen. Armando L. Cunanan, the Commanding General of the 8th Infantry Division commended the troops for its continued vigilance in protecting the people in order to achieve lasting peace and development in the region.

In related development, series of Internal Security Operations in the region revealed numerous Communist Terrorist abandoned camps. With the discovery of these abandoned CT Camps and the arrest of Joma Sison, the head of CPP/NPA in Netherlands lately only show that the CPP/NPA organization is now crumbling and getting weak.

Christ the King College to open a referral system unit for graduates

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
September 3, 2007

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Aware of the global demand for skilled workers honed by competent faculty, relevant courses duly supported by TESDA, Christ the King College President Fr. Prisco A. Cajes, OFM said he would open a Referral System Unit for the graduates.

He said that he has kept track of the graduates and that most of them have been gainfully employed abroad.

He added that with his linkages abroad in his congregation Order of Franciscan Minor (OFM) he would request his co-missionaries to find employers for his graduates especially those from the Institute of Health Allied Programs.

The OFM is present in the USA , Europe and Asia.

The missionary friar added that their graduates, duly accredited and assessed by TESDA in the Institute of Health Allied Programs are qualified to land jobs in health care abroad.

Christ the King College though more than a hundred years old in Calbayog City, Samar has been updated and upgraded to suit with the modern times. One of its curriculum is relevant to the pressing need of skilled workers in health care.

The comely College President who prides himself as a son of Bohol said that he wants to help graduates get jobs from health facilities abroad.

TESDA’s Ms. Cleta Omega admired the noble act of Fr. Cajes.

Ms. Omega said that Fr. Cajes is one school administrator who has a very receptive mind.  “He is always open to suggestions and listens to people” said Ms. Omega.

Christ the King College offers the Institute of Health Allied Programs; the two-year Midwifery Course and the two year Nursing Aide course were opened in the School year 1996-1997 and the School year 1997-1998 respectively, under the third Director of the College, Fr. Marcelo O. Tubac, OFM who has been with the institution for thirteen years since 1985.

The nursing aide course was given Government Recognition No. 011, Series of 1997 by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority, while the Midwifery Department is still on its temporary permit from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

TESDA’s accredited programs include Professional Caregiver, Health care Services, like nursing aide, nursing attendant, health aide, hospital attendant, household services and PC (personal computer) operation.

Presently, close to a hundred scholars in the mentioned institution are holders of the PGMA-TW scholarship coupons.

Inter-agency collaborate plans to mitigate hunger incidence in the Visayas

By GAY B. GASPAY (PIA 8)
September 3, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  To address poverty and hunger incidence among Filipino families in the Visayas, an interagency group has collaborated to plan strategies to mitigate hunger in the Visayas region through the conduct of a Provincial Action Planning and Validation for the Provincial Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Programs in regions 7 and 8.

Led by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) joined by the National Nutrition Council (NNC), South East Asia Center for Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Food Agriculture Office-United Nation (FAO-UN), the Visayas Cluster Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program Planning Workshop was held August 29-31 at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City.

With its objective to validate, update and develop the FY 2008-2010 Provincial, City and Municipal Hunger Mitigation Action Plans for priority one, priority two and priority three provinces, the workshop specifically assesses the hunger situation in its respective areas to identify who are the hungry, where are they, how many are they and why are they hungry? And identify existing hunger mitigation programs implemented by the national and local agencies based on the hunger mitigation framework focusing on the barangay level.

The workshop likewise aims to identify programs to be implemented by various national agencies mandated to address the gaps and determine mechanism to implement, monitor and evaluate implementation of hunger mitigation programs.

Attended by some 40 Provincial Planning Development Officers, Provincial Nutrition Officers and Regional Directors of national agencies from regions 7 and 8, the hunger mitigation measures includes an increasing food production through productivity programs on livestock, crops, marine regeneration of mangrove and coastal fishery development farm family Gulayan ng Masa and irrigation which is being implemented by  DA, Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA);

Enhancing efficiency of logistics & food delivery such as the Barangay Food Terminal & Tindahan Natin of DA, National Food Authority (NFA) & Dept. of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD), the ports (RORO) using private ports shipping manned by DOTC & Phil. Ports Authority, the farm to market roads of DPWH, DAR, DA and AFP. Efficient local transport of the LGU, DILG & PNP, the Food for School Programs of DepED & DSWD, creation of NGOs network to support feeding programs and the Community tradeable rice certificates from NFA.

Put more money in poor people’s pockets through an improve productivity in coconut areas such as coconut coir, coconet production of Phil. Coconut Authority, More aggressive micro financing, maximizing employment opportunities in construction & maintenance of farm-to-market roads, irrigation, roadside maintenance of DPWH, MMDA, PNP, NIA, DAR, DA & AFP, Aggressive training of TESDA, DOLE, DSWD & CHED and the Upland land distribution of jatropha, rubber of DAR & DENR.

And promote good nutrition through the conduct of social marketing, promotion of breastfeeding complementary feeding & increased consumption of vegetables to include nutrition education in schools and manage population through responsible parenthood.