SSS amnesty program attracts 59,000 availments in three months

QUEZON CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) has granted partial to full amnesty on loan penalties to 58,995 delinquent borrowers who availed themselves of the agenc.y's Loan penalty CondonatIon Program, which Is now halfway through Its Six-month Implementation.

According to SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr., the pension fund recorded a corresponding total amount due or P148.03 million in principal, interest and collectible penalties since the Condonation Program started iastApril 2,2012. Penalties condoned amounted to P426.83 million.

"Members only have three months left to apply for amnesty before it ends on September 30. Otherwise, they'll have to pay the full amount Of penalties, making it much harder for them to settle their loan obligations and risk having these deducted from their future benefits," he said.

The SSS waives 50 to 100 percent of penalties incurred by members availing themselves of the program. Full payments from 35,644 borrowers reached P378.44 million and SSS stands to collect P369.S8 million from 23,351 members who have started their monthly amortization, based on total availments as of July 2.

De Quiros said the SSS posted an average of 19,665 availments per month under the current program. It was higher than the monthly average of 11,903 avallments under the past four Implementations of its amnesty on loan penalties for individual members, which spanned a total of 63 months within September ~003 to October 2009.

"The rate of availments Increased despite conditions such as varying rates of condonable penalties and required number of amortizations and contributions to qualify for condonation in the current program. In the past, SSS had no eligibility requirements and waived all penalties of those who applied for the program, n he said.

Six out of every ten borrowers who applied for condonation chose to make full payments, which indicates growing awareness among members of the immediate need to settle unpaid loan obligations and the advantages of taking the opportunity offered by SSS, de Quiros noted.

"Those Who cannot afford to outright payments may still avail themselves of the program at lighter terms. Members have the option to pay in equal monthly Installments spanning 12, 24 or 36 months with a minimal annual interest rate of three percent,” he said.

The program is open to members whose loan payments were unremitted by their employers (Situation 1-A) and borrowers with at least three paid amortizations and a minimum of three contributions within the slx-rnonth period prior to application for amnesty (Situation 2). (Marissu G. Bugante, SSS/ PIA Sorsogon)

Gulayan at Pag-aalaga ng hayop susi sa pagkakaroon ng sustenableng kabuhayan at nutrisyon

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Agosto 2 (PIA) – Tinututukan ngayon ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at iba pang mga katuwang na ahensya nito ang pagtatayo ng mga gulayan at pag-aalaga ng hayop sa mga komunidad bilang susi sa pagkakaroon ng sustenableng kabuhayan at magandang nutrisyon ng mga naninirahan dito.

Sa ginawang pagbisita sa Sorsogon ni DSWD Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Juliano-Soliman noong Sabado sinabi nitong isa sa mga ipinapakilala nila ngayon sa mga komunidad ang pagtatanim ng gulay at pag-aalaga ng manok, baboy at iba pang mga uri ng hayop na maaaring mapagkunan ng hanapbuhay.

Ito ang tiniyak ng kalihim sa kanyang mensahe matapos ang pirmahan ng Memorandum of Agreement kaugnay ng pagpapalawak pa ng programang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino at programa sa seguridad sa pagkain at hanapbuhay lalo na ng mga pamilyang lantad sa panganib dala ng kalamidad.

Ayon kay Kalihim Soliman, sakop nito ang lahat ng mga benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program sa Sorsogon lalo na yaong kabilang sa listahan hanggang taong 2013, upang matiyak na sa pagtatapos ng taong 2013 ay kaya na talaga ng mga itong magkaroon ng maayos na hanapbuhay at pamumuhay nang hindi na nakaasa pa sa pamahalaan.

Magiging pilot umano ng Gulayan sa lalawigan ng Sorsoogn ang mga bayan ng Irosin at Sta. Magdalena katuwang ang National Nutrition Council (NNC), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), lokal na pamahalaan (LGU), iba pang mga ahensya ng pamahalaan, at iba pang mga organisasyon na may kahalintulad na layuning mabawasan kung di man matuldukan ang kahirapan ng pamilyang Pilipino na siyang tugon na rin sa Goal Number 1 ng Millenium Development. (BArecebido, PIA Sorsoogn/HBinaya)

Insidente ng krimen sa Sorsogon patuloy na bumababa

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Agosto 2 (PIA) – Magandang balita sa mga Sorsoganon ang kasalukuyang sitwasyon ng kaayusan at katahimikan sa lalawigan dahilan sa patuloy na pagbaba ng mga insidente ng krimeng naitala ng Sorsogon Police Provincial Office – Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Branch (SPPO-PIDMB) partikular sa loob ng unang anim na buwan ngayong taon sa pamumuno ni Provincial Director PSSUpt John CA Jambora, kumpara sa kaparehong panahon noong nakaraang taon.

Batay sa istatistika ng SPPO, 436 na insidente ng krimen ang naitala sa buong Sorsogon mula Enero 1 hanggang Hunyo 30, 2012, mas mababa ng 91 kaso o 17 porsyento mula sa 527 na insidente ng krimen sa loob ng unang anim na buwan noong 2011.

Nakapagtala ang SPPO ng 16 posyentong pagbaba sa bilang ng mga index crime o yaong mga krimeng kinabibilangan ng murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping at pagnanakaw ng mga alagang hayop, habang tumaas naman ng 17 porsyento ang non-index crime o yaong mga kaso ng paglabag sa mga espesyal na batas, kung ikukumpara ang mga bilang na ito noong nakaraang taon.

Sa bahagi ng crime efficiency rating ng PNP Sorsogon, 53 porsyento ang naitalang marka ng SPPO,mas mataas ito ng 15 porsyento kumpara sa 38 porsyentong marka na nakuha nila noong 2011.

Ayon pa sa tala ng SPPO, nangunguna sa kanilang listahan ng may mataas na bilang ng kaso ng krimen ang physical injury, sunod ang robbery, murder, theft, homicide, rape, pagnanakaw ng mga hayop at carnapping.

Kunsideradong lutas na ang kaso kung nasa kustodya na ng mga awtoridad ang suspetsadong criminal at nadala na sa korte habang cleared naman ang kaso kung natukoy na ang suspetsado at ang kaso ay naisampa na sa korte.

Matatandaang isa sa mga ibinida ng Pangulong Aquino sa kanyang pangatlong State of the Nation Address ang naging pagbaba ng bilang ng mga naitatalang krimen sa bansa at isa na ang lalawigan ng Sorsogon sa makapagpapatunay nito. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon/MHatoc)

DPWH-S2DEO’s SMQC Section beefs up team following Rat Plan

SORSOGON CITY, August 2 – The Soil Materials and Quality Control (SMQC) Section of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Sorsogon 2 District Engineering office (DPWH-S2DEO) has recently beefed up its workforce by employing three (3) new Civil Engineers in its team.

District Engineer Jake R. Alamar said the need to upgrade its rank is imperative especially now that the Rationalization Program of the national government has been implemented.

“It is likewise imperative to strengthen and/or increase the size of our staff given the enormous tasks the office has especially with the number of projects being implemented this year,” DE Alamar said.

“Aside from implementing the projects, we also have to monitor its implementation and conduct the soil and materials testing as well as other activities related to quality control,” he added.

DE Jake Alamar also said that in essence, the Soil and Materials Quality Control Section being given the authority to conduct the Quality Test has to be accurate at all times, meticulous and/or strict in the implementation of all the projects executed by the office.

The recent addition of the new Civil Engineers would in effect make them more responsive and capable to accomplish more for the office.

Engr. Dave Klint B. Almilla and Engr. Erwin S. Encinares were the first two appointees to the SMQC section. These two young engineers were formerly connected to private sector before they were hired by the DPWH-S2DEO. Their specialization is that of material engineer, the most required qualification sought by SMQC section and of the Office Selection Committee.

The third appointee is Engr. Ruzzeluther A. Dionela who at present is holding a job order position pending the approval of his permanent appointment.

These three newly employed Civil Engineers together with all their existing working staff composed the so called “strong suit” of the SMQC Section of the DPWH-S2DEO. (HDeri, DPWH-S2DEO/BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

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Tagalog News

SMQC Section ng DPWH-S2DEO may tatlong bagong inhinyero

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Agosto 2 (PIA) – Mas pinatatag pa ngayon ng Department of Public Works and Highways-Sorsogon 2 District Engineering office (DPWH-S2DEO) ang kanilang Soil Materials and Quality Control (SMQC) Section matapos itong kumuha ng tatlong bagong mga inhinyerong magiging dagdag na tauhan ng kanilang tanggapan.

Ayon kay District Engineer Jake R. Alamar, mahalaga umano sa kanilang makapagdagdag ng tauhan lalo na ngayong naipatupad na sa kanila ang Rationalization Program ng pamahalaang nasyunal.

Aniya, mahalaga ding mapatibay pa ang kanilang tanggapan sa pamamagitan ng pagkuha ng mga panibagong tauhan lalo’t maraming mga proyektong ipinatutupad ngayong taon ang DPWH-S2DEO kung saan kailangan nilang subaybayan ang mga proyektong ito kasama na rin ang pagsasagawa nila ng pagsusuri ng lupa at mga gagamiting materyales, at iba pang mga gawaing may kaugnayan sa quality control.

Sinabi din ni DE Alamar na ang Soil and Materials Quality Control Section ay dapat ding maging mitikuloso, istrikto sa pagpapatupad ng mga proyekto ng tanggapan at gawing wasto sa lahat ng oras ang mga hakbang na ginagawa nito bilang awtorisadong seksyon na nagsasagawa ng Quality Test.

Kabilang sa mga bagong civil engineer ay sina Engr. Dave Klint B. Almilla at Engr. Erwin S. Encinares na dating nagtatrabaho sa pribadong sektor bago natanggap ng DPWH-S2DEO. Material engineer umano ang speciliazation ng dalawang ito, rekisitos na akma at talagang hinahanap ng SMQC section at ng DPWH-S2DEO Selection Committee, habang ang isa pang natanggap bilang bagong civil engineer ay si Engr. Ruzzeluther A. Dionela na sa ngayon ay hinihintay na lamang ang pirma para sa kanyang permanenteng posisyon. (HDeri, DPWH-S2DEO/BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

SKETCHES OF THE SUSPECTS IN THE SHOOTING INCIDENT AT CASIGURAN, SORSOGON

These are the digitized cartographic sketches of the suspects involved in the shooting incident of Cecillia Halcon y Hababag last July 28, 2012 at 6am at Bgy Sta Cruz, Casiguran, Sorsogon. You can directly relay information to Sorsogon Police Provincial Office and Casiguran Municipal Police Station. Contact their hotline numbers at 211-3638 / 09399169407 and 305-4327 / 09095479312 respectively.     

Maritime incident in Sorsogon leaves no casualties

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, July 31 – Passengers of M/V Angela considered themselves still blessed and lucky when they were safely rescued by local authorities here following transmission trouble encountered by the marine vessel where they were ferried.

In a report forwarded by Philippine Coast Guard Station Sorsogon to PIA, on July 29, 2012 at 6:30 PM, M/V Angela skippered by Capt. Erickson Garing with 371.53 Gross Tons (GT), 176.18 Net Tons (NT) loaded with 232 persons on board, three (3) Roll-on Roll-off (RoRo) Bus, one (1) forward vehicle and one (1) L-300 van, encountered transmission trouble while preparing for docking maneuver more or less 500 meters of Pilar Port in Pilar, Sorsogon.

Said vessel is owned and operated by Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. with business address at Abacan Subdivision, Calicanto, Batangas City.

“At 10:30 PM of the same date, operation manager of Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. Capt Mariano Masangkay informed Coast Guard Detachment Pilar that the vessel’s transmission problem was already fixed, however, Capt. Garing decided to stay at their present position and wait for sea condition to calm before proceeding to Pilar port for docking,” report said.

The next day at 5:15 AM, Coast Guard Detachment Pilar received report from Capt. Garing, that they were dragged by strong winds and big waves and declared vessel aground vicinity more or less 6oo meters shoreline off Pilar Bay in Pilar, Sorsogon.

“Immediately after the information, Coast Guard detachment Pilar requested assistance to LGU-Pilar, Pilar PNP, Phil. Army and Municipal Health Office of Pilar to provide one (1) ambulance on standby to render immediate rescue operation to M/V Angela and transfer stranded passengers onboard using Pilar-LGU watercraft and small outriggered motor bancas going to Pilar port for safety leaving no casualty/injured.”, says PCG Sorsogon station report.

PCG Sorsogon advised Capt. Garing to file marine protest while said vessel was detained in Pilar port until investigation and further inspection is conducted.

Meanwhile, as of 8:00AM, July 31, 2012, 82 stranded passengers were noted in Bulan; 290 passengers, 12 trucks, five buses, three cars and one RoRo vessel were stranded in Pilar; while no strandees were recorded in Matnog.

PCG Sorsogon also maintains its call to fisher folks, operators of small crafts and marine vessels to refrain from going to sea at this time that a Gale warning is hoisted to avoid accidents and other untoward maritime incidences. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

NGCP higit pang pinagaganda ang serbisyo para sa kapakanan ng mga manggagawa nito

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Hulyo 31 (PIA) – Upang mapaganda pang serbisyo ng National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) para sa kanilang mga empleyado, inaprubahan ng pamunuan nito kamakailan ang pagbubuo ng NGCP Employees’ Multi-Purpose Cooperative (NEMCO).

Ayon kay Atty. Cynthia P. Alabanza, NGCP Spokesperson/Adviser for External Affairs, dinisenyo ang NEMCO upang makatulong sa mga empleyado nito sa pamamagitan ng pagbubukas ng serbisyo sa pagapautang tulad ng pagbibigay ng Education, Emergency at Short-Term Loans sa mga member-employees nito.

Maglalagay din sila umano ng additional loan windows at consumer services at maging ang pag-isyu ng gift check ay isasabay din hanggang sa tuluyan nang maging maayos ang operasyon ng nasabing kooperatiba.

Sinabi pa ni Alabanza na pamumunuan ang NEMCO ng mga ihahalal na Board of Directors ng mga kasaping-manggagawa nito, Regular Member at Associate Member ang dalawang kategorya ng mga kasapi nito.

Ang regular member ay yaong mga opisyal ng NGCP, executive at regular employees habang ang associate member naman ay kabibilangan ng mga NGCP consultant at dating mga regular member na nagsipagretiro na subalit nais pang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang membership.

Sa ngayon aniya ay bukas parin ang NEMCO sa pagtanggap ng mga nais maging kasapi at naghahanda na rin para sa pagpaparehistro nito sa Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Target ng NGCP ngayong Agosto na gawing full operational ang NEMCO. Naniniwala silang sa pamamagitan nito ay higit pang mabibiyayaan ang mga manggagawa ng NGCP maliban pa sa magiging empowered, highly motivated, at self-reliant ang mga ito. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon/NGCP)