Pagbuo ng Provincial ICM Plan nasa proseso na

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Pebrero 13 (PIA) – Nagtitipon-tipon kahapon sa isang pagpupulong ang mga kinatawan ng 13 munisipalidad at isang lungsod ng Sorsogon upang pag-usapan ang estado ng pagbubuo ng Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Plan at ang proseso ng epektibong pagpapatupad nito.

Ayon sa ulat ng mga Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) at Municipal Agricultural Officer (MAO), nasa updating process pa rin sila at lumalabas na kailangang makapagsagawa ng Participatory Community Resource Assessment (PCRA) upang epektibong makuha ang mga kailangang datos sa paggawa ng Municipal Integrated Coastal Management Plan.

Tanging ang bayan ng Sta. Magdalena pa lamang ang nakakausad sa paggawa ng kanilang Municipal ICM.

Ayon kay DILG Provinvial Director Ruben Baldeo, mahalagang mabuo na ang Provincial ICM Plan sapagkat mahalagang datos ito para sa economic profile ng lalawigan.

Ang pagbubuo ng Municipal at Provincial ICM Plan ay bahagi ng pagpapatupad ng Executive Order No 533 o ang pag-adopt ng ICM bilang pambansang istratehiya upang matiyak ang sustenableng pagsulong at pag-unlad ng mga kostales at karagatan at mga yaman nito. Kasama din dito ang pagbubuo ng mga mekanismong susuporta sa pagpapatupad nito.

Bunsod nito ay bumuo ang pamahalaang lalawigan ng Sorsogon sa pamamagitan ng tanggapan ni Gov. Raul R. Lee ng Integrated Coastal Management Council, Agosto noong nakaraang taon.

Naging pagkakataon din ang ginawang pagpupulong kahapon upang mabuo ang komposisyon ng magiging secretariat ng ICM Council na kinabibilangan ng Provincial ENRO bilang head secretariat at ng Department od Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Information Agency (PIA) at Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) bilang mga kasapi.

Sinabi naman ni presiding officer PENRO-LGU Department Head Engr. Maribeth Fruto na kung maisagawa na PCRA, mas magiging madali na rin ang paggawa ng coastal at marine profiling ng Sorsogon. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

Michelle McGonagle ng WFP bisita sa Sorsogon

agricorner.com

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Pebrero 11 (PIA) – Bisita ngayong araw dito sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon ang project coordinator ng World Food Program (WFP) na si Michelle McGonagle. Ito ang kauna-unahang pagbisita ni McGonagle sa Sorsogon na magtatagal hanggang sa Miyerkules.

Ang WFP ay isang tanyag na makataong ahensya na tumutulong sa mga mahihirap na bansa na malabanan ang kagutuman at matulungan ang mga lugar sa mundo na may malaking kalantaran sa anumang uri ng panganib.

Layunin ng pagbisitang ito ni McGonagle na matukoy ang pag-usad ng implementasyon ng ikalawang yugto ng kanilang programang tinaguriang “Technical Support to the Government of the Philippines for Disaster Preparedness and Response” o mas kilala bilang DPR Programme sa mga bayan ng Juban, Irosin, Casiguran at Sta. Magdalena. Ang nasabing programa ay inilunsad Setyembre noong nakaraang taon.

Matapos ang ginawang courtesy visit kaninang alas-nueve ng umaga kay Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee, ay nakikipagpulong naman ito ngayon sa mga opisyal at kasapi ng Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), alkalde at Municipal DRRM Officers ng apat na mga munisipyo ng lalawigan at mga stakeholder upang mapakinggan ang mga ulat ukol sa programang ipinatutupad.

Bukas ay inaasahang nasa mga bayan ito ng Irosin at Sta Magdalena upang bisitahin ang Operation Center ng Irosin at makipagpulong sa mga opisyal ng Sta Magdalena upang mapag-usapan ang evacuation plan nito.

Sa Miyerkules ay bibisita ito sa bayan ng Juban at Casiguran upang makisalamuha naman sa lokal na komunidad partikular sa mga aydentipikadong lugar kung saan ipinatutupad ang Phase II ng DPR Programme.

Ang Sorsogon ay isa sa mga mapapalad na nabigyan ng tulong ng WFP at ng mga partner-funder nito, ang United States Agency for International Development’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) at Australian Aid Agency (AUSAID).

Sa lokal na lebel naman ay katuwang ng WFP sa pagpapatupad ng programa ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Interior Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), provincial at municipal government, Bicol University at Green Valley Development, Inc. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

31IB seized abandoned rebel camp in Sorsogon

SORSOGON CITY, Feb 11 (PIA) – Troops of Charlie Company of the 31^st Infantry Battalion under 1Lt Rory P. Esico scored anew after it has successfully seized an abandoned rebel camp, in Magallanes town, Tuesday, February 5.

Philippine Army 903^rd Infantry Brigade Spokesperson Cpt Mardjorie Paimela P. Panesa said troops of 1Lt Esico conducted raid to a suspected enemy training camp in Sitio Barayong, Brgy Tula-Tula Sur, Magallanes, Sorsogon and has successfully seized the rebel’s campsite.

Said training camp is strategically located, and believed to be abandoned by the CPP-NPA-NDF a night before the raid was conducted. “The camp can accommodate more or less 75 to 100 persons and it has good training ground, cover and concealment with a good source of water,” she added.

Report also said that a guard and listening post was seen within the area.

Following the raid, the troop invited two persons seen at the training camp’s vicinity identified as Ricky Almohila Moralde, 18 yrs old and Drimar Handig, 25 yrs old, both residents of the same place. One admitted that he is a student of the camping group.

Moralde and Handig were turned over to Brgy Chairman Eduardo Velazco of Tula-Tula Sur, Magallanes, Sorsogon.

“It was also confirmed that the camp site was used by the CPP-NPA-NDF in their military and political training which they call as “Batayan Kursong Militar” and “Batayan Kursong Pampulitika”, said Panesa.

Lt Col Teody Toribio, 31^st Infantry Battalion Commander, commended the effort of his men and said they owe the successful operation to a barangay resident who reported the presence of several suspicious people in their place prompting his troops to conduct operations in the area.

LTC Toribio said his men will continuously scour the area and do follow-on operations to track down and block the evading enemy. He encourages further the local residents in the area and its nearby place to report illegal activities conducted by suspicious faces in their respective locality.

Meanwhile, Colonel Joselito Kakilala, Commander, 903^rd Brigade assures that these abandoned enemy camp will be regularly visited by the troops. ”We and the entire military group will continue to conduct relentless combat operations against the rebels to stop their plans, training and recruitment of innocent youths to join their ranks,” he stress-out. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

WFP’s Project Coordinator to meet Sorsogon’s DRRM officials and stakeholders

agricorner.com

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Feb 11 (PIA) – United Nations World Food Program (UN WFP) Project Coordinator Michelle McGonagle for the first time will be in Sorsogon for a three-day visit starting today until Wednesday.

McGonagle will meet the officials and representatives of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), local chief executives and the Municipal DRRM Officers of the four highly vulnerable areas of Sorsogon and its various stakeholders to determine progress of the World Food Programme (WFP) supported Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) project implemented in the municipalities of Juban, Irosin, Casiguran and Sta. Magdalena.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) Chief Raden Dimaano said the stakeholder’s meeting, aside from determining the status of the DPR project implementation, will also help identify plan of actions for the remaining project timeline, address gaps and provide information to key stakeholders on DPR initiatives in the area.

“Likewise, the Municipal DRRM Officers will be given an orientation and discussion on the radio communication protocol, and will be given the opportunity to have consultation with the WFP’s project coordinator,” he added.

Following a courtesy visit to Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee, and meeting with the local DRRM officials, McGonagle will be moving around to the municipalities of Juban, Irosin, Casiguran and Sta. Magdalena for a site visit and interaction with the local communities.

Sorsogon is one of the many areas covered by the WFP’s DPR Program being implemented in close partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Interior Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the provincial and local governments.

WFP, the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, rolled out the Phase II of its programme dubbed as “Technical Support to the Government of the Philippines for Disaster Preparedness and Response” (DPR Programme) in the four identified disaster-prone areas of Sorsogon. This was launched in September last year.

The DPR Programme aims to build the resilience of vulnerable communities by boosting capacity of its government, academe, and non-governmental partners.

For Sorsogon project, the WFP tapped the expertise of Bicol University (BU) in working with the target LGUs, communities, and families to come up with appropriate family disaster plans and preparedness kits. It has also tapped the Green Valley Development Inc. (GVDI) in advancing innovative DPR activities and in promoting best practices. 

The Phase II of the DPR Programme includes organizing information and education campaigns for communities on the risks they face, and the training of local government units (LGUs) to use geographic information systems to enhance preparedness and response planning.

 “Sorsogon is highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as typhoons, floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions, and this vulnerability is one among the major challenges the province is facing. The DPR project which strengthens capacities of the first responders is a big help to Sorsogon communities to make them better prepare for, respond to natural disasters and eventually save lives and properties,” says Gov. Raul R. Lee.

The WFP has allotted over P20-M while its partners, the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and the Australian Aid Agency (AUSAID), have contributed over P10-M in support to this initiative. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

PNP, AFP and Security Agencies convene for Election 2013 preparation

Photo by: SPPO

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Feb 8 (PIA) – To ensure an orderly and peaceful election comes May 2013, the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Security Agencies here met in a coordinating conference held at Sorsogon City Function Hall, Brgy Cabid-an, this city on February 6, 2013.

Presided by the newly installed PNP Sorsogon OIC Provincial Director PSSupt Ramon Ranara, the security coordinating conference highlighted the salient provisions of Comelec Resolution 9615-A or the Rules and Regulations on the Ban on Bearing, Carrying or Transporting of Firearms or other deadly weapons; and the availment or engagement of Security personnel or bodyguards during the election period.

PCInsp Nonito F. Marquez, Public Information Officer, Police Community Relations of Sorsogon PPO said the activity aims to have security coordination between PNP, AFP and concerned Security Agencies and to maximize the utilization of security guards as force multipliers. “This is in preparation for a massive implementation of the gun ban and other prohibitions during the election period,” he added.

Sorsogon Provincial Police Office (PPO) Chief of the Operations and Plans PSupt Arturo P. Brual was tasked to present the salient provisions of COMELEC Resolution Number 9561-A and discuss the authorized uniform of PNP Personnel and Protection Agents during election period. He likewise discussed the guidelines for deputation and training of security personnel.

Present during the conference were Deputy Provincial Director for Operations PSupt Aarne V. Oliquiano, the Chief of Police of different stations across the province, contingents of the 31^st Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army headed by Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Teody Toribio and the Security Officers of the different Security Agencies in the province of Sorsogon.

The security coordination conference was spearheaded by the Sorsogon Police Provincial Office. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)