Nanay Evie: Abolition of PDAF not a hindrance

Sorsogon 2nd District Rep. Nanay Evie Escudero

SORSOGON CITY, Dec 13 – Assistance to barangays and municipalities will continue despite the abolition of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) which was recently declared illegal by the Supreme Court.

This was the assurance made by Congw. Evie Escudero as she met some 255 new and re-elected barangay captains from the first district of the province last December 6, 2013 for the orientation and briefing conducted by two government agencies.

In her message, Escudero said the abolition of the PDAF, also known as pork barrel fund, would not hinder her efforts to extend assistance to her constituents through programs and projects that are responsive to the needs of the people.

“Let it not be said that my ability to fulfil my duty depends solely on the PDAF,” she stressed, adding that she had been coordinating with various government agencies to source out funds or to tap their existing programs for the need of the people.

“Even before I assumed office, the PDAF had already been suspended so I had never experienced how to utilize it and yet I continue to deliver programs and projects to the barangays,” she pointed out.

As proof, Escudero said several school buildings in Castilla, Donsol and Pilar are due for implementation before the year ends.

The briefing and orientation held at the Escudero residence in Barangay Buhatan was part of the initiatives to tap existing programs and projects and direct these to specific barangays and municipalities where it would suit the needs of the people.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) conducted lecture and forum relative to their programs and projects which directly involve the participation of barangay officials and their constituents like the Solid Waste Management Program (SWMP), land titling, National Greening Program (NGP) and many more.

The labor department, meanwhile, explained the processes and procedures that have to be followed in availing livelihood programs for marginalized sectors.

Simultaneous with the activity, a separate orientation was also being held that day by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) for the Municipal Solid Waste Management Councils of Casiguran and Castilla at Fritz Homestay in Barangay Tugos, Sorsogon City.

The solid waste orientation, which was also an initiative of Escudero, aimed to expedite the implementation of the solid waste program in the two municipalities as pilot areas.

Escudero requested the DENR through Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales to provide shredder for the processing of wastes.

The lady solon stressed that the solid waste program is a potential source of livelihood especially in the barangays.### (PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Dec 16, a special holiday for Sorsogon City

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Dec 13 (PIA) – City Mayor of Sorsogon Sally A. Lee declared December 16, 2013 as a special non-working holiday for the City of Sorsogon in commemoration of the city’s 13^th foundation day.

Executive Order Number 22 signed by the City Mayor and issued on December 11, 2013 stated the declaration of December 16 as local and special non-working holiday in Sorsogon City.

Republic Act 8806 otherwise known as the “Charter of the City of Sorsogon” created Sorsogon City by merging the municipalities of Sorsogon and Bacon in the Province of Sorsogon.

Republic Act 8806 was enacted on August 16, 2000 and was consequently ratified in a plebiscite on December 16, 2000 by the affirmative vote of the people who desire the creation and development of a new local government.

According to City Mayor Lee, December 16 is a historic day for the people of Sorsogon City and therefore must be remembered as the ‘Day of the Establishment and Founding Anniversary of the City’.

She further added that the declaration recognizes the importance of the day when the two municipalities merged and became the City of Sorsogon. “This will also give the whole constituents of the city the chance to commemorate and celebrate the occasion,” she said. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Bicolano Artists to launch Benefit Concert for the ST Yolanda Survivors

SORSOGON CITY, - Almost one month after supertyphoon Yolanda hit the Philippines, survivors are just starting to rebuild their lives. Help came and are still coming. But it will take time before they can get back on their feet especially the children. They still need help.

 The Musikerong Sorsoganon, a collective group of musicians from Sorsogon founded in August 2011 by local musician Ram Lanuza, is raising funds for these survivors through a benefit concert called “Tugtugan para sa mga Biktima ni Yolanda”. This will be held in Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium on December 13, 2013 at 6:00 PM.

 Both as a fundraising and cultural event, booths for souvenir T-shirts, donations, and tattoo/ inking will open before the concert starts. This concert-for-a-cause is in partnership with S.T.A.T.E. (Sorsogon Tattoo Artists and Tattoo Enthusiasts), a group of artists with passion for tattoo as a cultural practice and medium for self-expression, and KURIT-LAGTING (the newest accredited member of Sorsogon Arts Council) co-founded by local artist Geri Matthew Carretero, is a multi-disciplinary art group advocating a collective artistic collaboration of individuals through art practice. Together we can make a difference in the lives of Yolanda victims. See you all there. # # #

For More Info:

Jap Ariola (09305814951)

Musikerong Sorsoganon

Geri Matthew Carretero(09158779491)

Art, Director Kurit-Lagting

Sorsogon Governor leads rescue of hundred stranded passengers in Donsol

Sorsogon Gov. Lee leads Disaster Rescue Team in Donsol town.

    

CASTILLA, SORSOGON, Dec 4 (PIA) – Over 130 passengers stranded along a flooded highway in Donsol, Sorsogon were jointly rescued by the members of the Army Disaster Response Team, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP) and Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office (SPDRRMO) on Sunday, Dec 1.

The flooding was caused by continuous heavy rains over the past two days which climbed to as high as three meters.

Upon the directives of Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee Colonel Joselito E. Kakilala, Commander of 903^rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army immediately deployed the Disaster Response Team of the Brigade and the 31^st Infantry Battalion together with six members of the Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA) of the Alpha Company.

“Prior to this, the 22^nd Infantry Battalion was immediately dispatched at 8:00o’clock in the morning, following the receipt of an information from the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (SPDRRMO) about the flooding at P-5 Barangay Gura, Donsol, Sorsogon,” Col Kakilala also said. 

Aside from the directives given to the responders, the governor himself went to the area to personally see the situation, lead the response and rescue team, and do the first hand supervision of the rescue operations until dusk.

Residents of Donsol town including the teachers and students were caught by surprise upon seeing Governor Lee leading the members of the Disaster Response and Rescue Team.

“We thought the governor is a physically weak old man as we hear it from our barangay folks, but his presence and the way he led the rescue operations proved them wrong,” one of the rescued students remarked.

The team rescues stranded passengers.

Captain John C. Babia who led the 903^rd Infantry Brigade and the 31^st Infantry Battalion Rescue Teams said that the three-meter high rise of water which caused the flooding trapped the vehicles coming in and out of Donsol proper unable to cross the 500-meter stretch of the flooded highway and resulted to hundreds of stranded passengers.

He said the Army swam in pushing rubber boats during the transport of the passengers. The rubber boats used were dispatched by the SPDRRMO to ferry the stranded passengers across the flooded highway. 

Captain Babia also said that there was no reported casualty in the flooding incident. “The presence of the governor waiting until the water subsided making the bridge passable to vehicles and traversing persons was an additional inspiration to the rescuers,” he added.

It can be noted that Captain Babia’s team also assisted the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Pilar, Sorsogon on Saturday, Nov 30, in evacuating at least 120 families at Brgy Putiao, Pilar Sorsogon after the said barangay was also flooded.

Meanwhile, Col Kakilala credited the immediate and concurrent response of the rescuers not only on this Donsol incident but in any forms of disasters happening in Sorsogon to the close coordination and collaboration they have established and maintained with the SPDRRMO and other Disaster Response Teams in the province. 

He further said that 903^rd Brigade has a fully organized and well equipped Disaster Response Team that is on alert round the clock to respond to any kind of eventuality. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon with reports from BQCadungan, PA)

 Members of the 903^rd Brigade Rescue Team brave the 3 meter high flood water to ensure that the rubber boat ferrying stranded passengers can safely cross the flooded highway at Brgy Gura, Donsol, Sorsogon.  

The 903^rd Brigade Rescue Team prepares the nylon rope to be used as safety line along the flooded highway at Brgy Gura, Donsol, Sorsogon.

903rd Infantry Brigade joins the National Reading Month Celebration

CASTILLA, SORSOGON, Dec 4 (PIA) – For three years now, the 903^rd Infantry (Fight and Defend) Brigade, 9^th Infantry (Spear) Division, Philippine Army in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) Sorsogon has been actively joining in the celebration of National Reading Month by participating in a reading activity in a School of Peace in Castilla, Sorsogon.

The National Reading Month, an advocacy that aims to revive the love and interest for reading among the elementary and high school students is being observed every November pursuant to DepEd’s Memo Circular 244 of 2011.

Colonel Joselito E. Kakilala, Commander of 903^rd Infantry Brigade led the soldiers in telling stories to Grade I and V pupils of San Isidro School in Castilla, Sorsogon.

Colonel Kakilala read a story on Noah’s Ark.

San Isidro Elementary School has been under the School of Peace Program of the Bicol Consortium on Peace Education and Development (BCPED) as pilot school since 2000. Under this program, which is supported by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPPP), the school incorporates peace concepts in their lessons in most subjects based on the curriculum provided by United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 

“The 903^rd Brigade is indeed grateful and honored to be part of this annual advocacy that aims to develop the love and interest for reading of our young people.  We assure our educators that the Army here in Sorsogon will always be here to fully support them in molding the hearts and minds of our young people because we believe that they are one of the important catalysts in our quest for national peace and development”, Colonel Kakilala said.

The 903rd Infantry Brigade was also joined by students taking up Bachelor of Science in Peace Studies at the Bicol University in Daraga, Albay in the simultaneous reading activity.

Mr. Teddy C. Janola Principal 1 of San Isidro Elementary School was thankful to 903rd Brigade for their usual support to the various programs and activities of the School for Peace.

The 903^rd Brigade soldiers treated the pupils to light refreshments after the activity.  Toys were also distributed as early Christmas presents for the kids. (BQCadungan, PA/BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Grade I pupils of San Isidro Elementary School in Castilla, Sorsogon eagerly listen to Col Kakilala as he tells the story of Noah.

The Grade I pupils take a souvenir pose with Colonel Kakilala after the storytelling activity