10 toneladang abonong Mycorrhiza itatalaan kan DENR sa Kabikolan

SYUDAD NIN LEGAZPI, Abril 20 (PIA) – Tanganing masiguro an halangkaw na porsyento nin pagtambo kan mga poon nin kahoy na itinanom sa lindong kan National Greening Program (NGP), matalaan nin sampolong (10) toneladang abono an Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) sa kabikolan.

Ini an tinawan nin punto ni DENR Bicol Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales, kasunod kan asegurasyon kan Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) na makakagono sinda ngonyan na semestre nin 155 toneladang abono o mas halangkaw na 55 porysento kumpara kan nakalihis na taon.

Sinabi ni RED Gonzales na an abonong “mycorrhiza” an marahay na klase nin biofertilizer na nakakaparikas nin pagdakula kan mga ugat sagkod napapakarhay an pagdadakit nin tubig saka nutrino sa pananom kun kaya nasisiguro an 80 porsyentong paglangubo kan mga banhi.

Sosog sa pag-aadal kan ERDB, an “mycorrhiza” nakakatabang nganing magin matinood an mga pananom sa halawig na durasyon nin tagmara magin sa epekto kan mga heavy metals sa lugar na igwa nin mine tailings o tapukan nin tundag kan minahan.

An produksyon kan biofertilizer pinangengenotan kan ERDB sa pakipagtabangan kan national institute of Molecular Biology and Bio-Technology kan University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB-Biotech). (Ruby Mendones, DENRV/PIA Sorsogon)

Comelec reverts to 2010 airtime rules on broadcast political advertisements

QUEZON CITY, April 19 -- The Commission on Elections will revert to 2010 airtime rules on political advertisements on radio and TV.

This is after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) received on Thursday a copy of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court preventing the implementation of certain provisions of Resolution No. 9615.

Prior to the issuance of TRO, Comelec Resolution No. 9615 restrains candidates/registered political parties for national elective positions to go beyond a total aggregate of one hundred twenty (120) minutes of television advertising, whether appearing on national, regional, or local, free or cable television, and one hundred eighty (180) minutes of radio advertising, whether airing on national, regional, or local radio, whether by purchase or donation.

The same resolution restricts candidates and political parties for local elective positions to have more than a total aggregate of sixty (60) minutes of television advertising, whether appearing on national, regional, or local, free or cable television, and ninety (90) minutes of radio advertising, whether airing on national, regional, or local radio, whether by purchase or donation.

Media organizations petitioning against the resolution claimed that the aggregated airtime is unconstitutional and limits the electorate's sources of information.

Upon receipt of the TRO, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brilliantes said the SC orders the commission to implement immediately similar provisions under Resolution No. 8758:

(1)        For candidates and registered political parties for national elective positions, they will be allowed to have one hundred twenty (120) minutes in television or cable television, and one hundred eighty (180) minutes in radio, for all television or cable television networks, or all radio stations whether by purchase or donation, wherever located, per station; and

(2)        Those running for local positions are entitled to Sixty (60) minutes in television or cable television, and ninety (90) minutes in radio for all television or cable networlts, or all radio stations whether by purchase or donation, wherever located, per station.

Chairman Brilliantes renewed his appeal to the SC to immediately decide on the airtime limits so stakeholders will be guided accordingly.

In his previous pronouncements, he said they will ask the Office of Solicitor General to file a motion for reconsideration at the high court in their behalf.

This Friday, the Chairman will be meeting the newly appointed commissioners who replaced retired commissioners Rene Sarmiento and Armando Velasco.

Commissioner Luie Tito Guia served Papua New Guinea and Kenya as an international legal consultant while Commissioner Al Parreno was a board member of Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board. (Lyndon Plantilla, Media ng Bayan/PIA)

Community Savings Congress boosts economic development in Sorsogon

SORSOGON CITY, April 19 (PIA) – This summer, the heat is on in Sorsogon as about 2,000 strong members of Community Savings and Credit Association (CoMSCA) trooped to the Aemilianum College Gymnasium on April 12, 2013 to culminate the economic development forum in Sorsogon City by the World Vision, in partnership with Green Valley Development Programme (GVDP).

With a total bursary capital of over P5-M at present, the 113 CoMSCA groups all over Sorsogon boasts of improvement in business and economic progress at the grassroots level.

“I was able to buy a pig from my share last year.  Now I will be able to celebrate my youngest son’s christening this summer,” said Corazon, a 39 yr-old mother who also carried her seventh child to the event.  Families are realizing the power of saving to usher financial growth in the home.

Aside from adults who joined CoMSCA, some 30 children and youth groups have also been motivated to join the CoMSCA especially as they see the benefit of becoming a member. Aya (not her real name), a 14 year old said, “I was able to buy my own cellphone from my share.  At least now, I feel safer since I can call my parents and they would know where I am in case I would be a bit late going home due to a school project.”

The event showcased songs and dances from the participants.  A CoMSCA group even composed new lyrics that feature the benefits of saving, to the tune of Pusong Bato:

    “Di niyo alam dahil ditto kami may natutunan
      Sa pag-impok ng pera ditto lang ito sa CoMSCA
      Kung ito’ muling iiral, sana’y di magiging problema
      Meron itong aral disiplina.”

Slogan contests, prizes, and raffle draws were also part of the celebration.

“This is the second CoMSCA Congress that we did here in Sorsogon,” said Ms. Norma Hernandez, program officer of GVDP. “We celebrate God’s goodness together and we give out prizes to best performing groups.  This is one way of promoting the initiative. We also do this to let people see CoMSCA’s benefits and that more youths and adults will be encouraged to join,” she added.

CoMSCA is an initiative of the economic development thrust of World Vision – a non-government relief, advocacy, and development organization.  Through CoMSCA, families will have additional income by means of savings and credit from the pool of money of as many groups composed of 25 members that a community could establish. Village agents are also established in the community to orient and monitor the groups.

The CoMSCA Congress was a culminating event of the Economic Development Forum attended by about 59 delegates from all over Luzon.  The forum featured new lessons in natural farming technologies, new processes and policies on how to set up a cooperative, and a demonstration in making bokashi organic fertilizer while on a tour to demo farm set up by GVDP in Sorsogon.

Bokashi Organic fertilizer is a natural soil amendment that can be prepared using farm-based, locally derived materials. It focuses on the preparation of organic soil and plant amendments using microbiological processes as inspired by the Nature Farming approach, first advocated by the Japanese philosopher Mokichi Okada in 1935.

The cooperative and demo farm help about 2,000 families and small farmers in the province to add fire to the searing passion of Sorsoganons towards sustainable development. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon/JMCMijares, Green Valley)

Mga isyu ukol sa “Batas Kasambahay” IRR inilahad sa isinagawang konsultasyon sa Sorsogon

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Abril 18 (PIA) – Aktibo ang naging diskusyon sa isinagawang consultation workshop ukol sa Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) ng “Batas Kasambahay” o ang RA 10361 noong Martes, April 16, sa Mango Grill, Sorsogon City.

Dinaluhan ng mga kinatawan ng national government line agency tulad ng Philhealth, Social Security System, Phil. Information Agency, DepEd, Phil. National Police; mga opisyal ng Public Employment Service System at Liga ng Barangay sa Pilipinas-Sorsogon Chapter; kinatawan ng tri-media; at iba pang mga stakeholder, ilang mga isyu din ang napag-usapan at ilan naman ang naghayag ng mga saloobin ukol sa kanilang hindi pagpabor sa nasabing batas.

Partikular na hindi pumapabor ang ilang kinatawan ng media at mga naroroong employer na karamihan ay nasa middle class lamang. Anila ay mas magiging magastos sa kanila sakaling tuluyan nang maipatupad ang “Batas Kasambahay”, maliban pa sa hindi rin umano masyadong napag-uusapan sa batas ang magiging proteksyon din ng mga employer.

Pahayag pa nila na hindi nila tinututulan ang paggawa ng mga batas subalit sana naman daw ay hindi ito mangangahulugan ng malaking gastos sa bahagi ng mga ordinaryong mamamayang magpapasweldo ng mga kasambahay bago pa man ito pumasok ng panunungkulan sa kanila.

Ilan din sa mga napag-usapang isyu ay ang hindi magkatugmang patakarang nakasaad sa Rule IV section 16 ng Batas Kasambahay at sa RA 8282 ng SSS ukol sa araw kung kailan dapat na mabigyan ng kaukulang benepisyo ang mga kasambahay. Nakasaad sa RA 8282 na ipinatutupad ng SSS na dapat na mai-enrol ang kasapi sa kanila sa unang araw na nagtrabaho ang kasambahay habang sa RA 10361 naman ay dapat na di bababa sa isang buwan.

Dagdag pa nila, na kung kasangkot na ang punong barangay sa paggawa pa lamang ng kontrata sa pagitan ng kasambahay at paglilingkuran nito, dapat ding isali ang punong barangay sakaling magkaroon ng suliranin ang kasambahay at amo nito. Nagbigay suhestyon din ang grupo ng mga media na sana’y maglagay din ng Barangay Help at Monitoring Desk.

At upang maproteksyunan din umano ang mga employer sa mga nang-aabusong kasambahay partikular sa pinansyal na aspeto, dapat na maglagay din ng ‘ceiling’ para sa mga cash advance na kalimitang nangyayari sa pagitan ng amo at kasambahay.

Wala din daw umanong nakasaad na probationary period sa kontrata o di kaya’y malinaw na patakaran sakaling hindi magustuhan ang serbisyo o may magawang mabigat na kasalanan ang kasambahay sa mga unang araw pa lamang ng paninilbihan nito.

Ang “Batas Kasambahay” ay nilagdaan ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III noong January 18, 2013. Alinsunod sa isinasaad sa Rule XIII ng iminumungkahing IRR, magiging “Araw ng mga Kasambahay” ang ika-18 ng Enero taon-taon.

Inaasahang sa Araw ng Paggawa o “Labor Day” sa Mayo 1, 2013 ay tuluyan nang maipatutupad ang nasabing batas na magsisilbing proteksyon ng mga kasambahay laban sa mga pang-aabuso ng mga pinaglilingkuran nito. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

Philhealth nagsasagawa ng validation at mapping ng mga kasapi nito

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Abril 17 (PIA) – Kaugnay ng ipinatutupad na Universal Coverage ng Philhealth ng pamahalaang nasyunal, umiikot at bumibisita ngayon sa mga tanggapan at mga business establishment ang dalawang kinatawan ng Philhealth Sorsogon upang magsagawa ng validation at mapping ng mga kasapi ng Philhealth.

Ayon kay Philhealth Sorsogon SIO1 Vic Ardales nais umanong makamit ng Philhealth ang target nilang mai-enrol ang lahat ng mga kwalipikadong Pilipino sa tinatawag na Universal Coverage alinsunod sa itinatakda ng Republic Act 7875 na binago naman ng Republic Act 9241.

Dagdag pa niya na ang ginagawa nilang ito ay bilang pagtupad din sa Rule III at sa Section 14 at 18 ng nabanggit na batas.

Ayon sa nakatalaga sa Section 14, lahat ng mga empleyado kabilang na ang mga kasambahay at mga sea-based Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) ay obligadong maging kasapi ng Philhealth, habang nakasaad naman sa Section 18 na lahat ng mga government at private employer ay obligadong irehistro ang kanilang mga empleyado sa Philhealth at dapat na bigyan ng permanente at sariling Philhealth Identification Number.

Aniya, nais din umano ng Philhealth na matukoy ang aktwal na bilang ng mga employer at empleyado na rehistrado at saklaw nito at ang kabuuang populasyon kabilang na ang mga dependent na saklaw ng nasa business, government at provate sector. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)