2013 National Maritime Week observed in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept 26 (PIA) – The National Maritime Week celebration this year kicked off Monday, September 23 and will last until September 29, 2013. The week-long festivities highlight once again the importance of maritime sector in nation-building.

Ms. Rosenda G. Sumagaysay, Port Manager and 2013 National Maritime Week Celebration Lead Agency Head said that now on its 18th year, the celebration of Maritime Week has also become the most fitting avenue to pay homage to the heroism of our country’s more than 400,000 seafarers distributed overseas, and the 60,000plus seafarers in the domestic front.

This year’s theme centers on the commitments made at the United Nations Conference of Sustainable Development, which is also known as “ Rio 2012, Rio+20”.  “It basically tackles the creation of a Green Economy Roadmap for the next 20 years for UN’s 192-member countries, which includes the Philippines,” she added.

The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) as lead agency for 2013 NMW adopted a sub-theme, "Going Green in PPA Ports".  PPA coalesced with the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) agencies under the Water Sector such as the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), including other partipating agencies/groups like the Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine National Police Maritime Group (PNP-MariG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Regal Arrastre and Stevedoring, Inc. (RASI), Mariners’ Polytechnic Colleges Foundation (MPCF), Shipping Companies and LGU Legazpi City and came up with different commemorative activities during the week-long celebration.

During the kick-off on Monday, a Eucharistic Celebration was offered at the new Passenger Building, Port of Legazpi. This was followed by the launching of the 1st ever Port Park in Bicol Ports and the Opening of the Mural Painting Contest and a Motorcade along the major  streets of Legazpi City.

Last Tuesday, Sept 25, a Port Greening Seminar Program and Educational Field Trip aboard Vessel (MPCF) with graduating high school students as audience was conducted, while a Seminar on Marine Pollution and Environmental Laws was held yesterday.

The Search and Rescue Drill which was culminated by a Boodle Fight was conducted today with the personnel of PCG, PN, MPCF and other concerned agencies were the participants during the activity.

A Mangrove Planting and Coastal Clean-up in selected areas in the region will be conducted. The week-long activity will be culminated through a Cultural Night.

Other ports within the region such as Matnog, Tabaco, Masbate, Bulan, Pioduran, Pasacao, and Virac also conducted their respective activities to commemorate the NMW.

PPA Matnog also initiated activities such as  parade around town, dressing-up of vessels, under-water clean-up operations at the port spearheaded by PCG Special Operations Group/Elite Divers,  coastal clean-up at the shorelines of barangays Camcaman and Camachiles, mangrove tree-planting at Banuang-daan, and search and rescue drill.  (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Juban evacuees return homes as armed tension subsides

by: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, September 25 (PIA) - Eighty one (81) families of Upper Maalo in Juban town, Sorsogon who evacuated on Sunday evening, mostly coco farmers, have returned to their homes as threat of helicopter gunfire and encounter between government troops and armed rebels cool down.

This was the information disclosed by Juban Information Officer Ms. Reline Arellano yesterday (Tuesday) saying that late evening of Sunday, there were already residents who one by one returned to their  homes to attend to their livelihoods, and on Tuesday, all evacuees went back to their respectives residences.

Said residents were forced to leave their homes out of fear they might get harmed following an encounter and helicopter strafing on Sunday, September 22.

In a press release issued yesterday by 903rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army, one platoon reinforced of 31st Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Division of Philippine Army led by 1Lt Rory Esico and 2Lt Dondon Canilang encountered more or less forty (40) heavily armed members of the New People’s Army believed to be composite members of Provincial Yunit Guerilla (PYG) under Ka Cindy, Komiteng Probinsya (KOMPROB) Sorsogon under Andres Hubilla aka Ka Magno and Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC) forces at about 3:00 pm on Sunday at Bintacan Complex at the boundaries of Barangays Maalo and Bulala in Juban town, Sorsogon.

Col Joselito E. Kakilala, Commander of 903rd Infantry Brigade exercising operational control over 31IB said that the soldiers were deployed in the area for combat operations in response to an anonymous complaint from a concerned civilian of the presence of armed NPA rebels reportedly conducting violent activities.  Relatedly, based on intelligence reports gathered, the BRPC is also believed to conduct Plenum in the said area.

Col Kakilala narrated that when the troops arrived in the area, they were met with heavy volume of fires from the enemy that eventually broke into a firefight that lasted for almost one (1) hour, after which the enemy withdrew towards north and east directions.

He further stated that during the pursuit operations, the fleeing New People's Army (NPA) rebels employed sniper fires against the government troops resulting to the exchange of fires between two opposing forces.

Consequently, due to the continued sniping from the NPA, two (2) UH-1H Helicopters were deployed to provide Close Air Support (CAS) to government troops.  The conduct of air support which was aimed to precisely target the assessed enemy position was carried out through Forward Observer (FO) support from ground troops and with strict adherence to the Rules of Engagement (ROE) thereby inflicting no collateral damage to innocent lives or their properties in the area of operation.

Government troops recovered five (5) Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), three (3) Motorola GP 2000 handheld radios, one (1) generator set, ninety rounds ammunitions for Caliber 60 Light Machine Gun, medical paraphernalia, personal belongings and voluminous subversive documents.

Col Kakilala also emphasized that the recovery of IEDs from the rebels which they rampantly employ in their tactical offensives against government troops is a clear manifestation of the NPAs blatant disregard and violation of the Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) which strictly prohibits the use of such deadly war materials, for which theCommunist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is one of the signatories.

He further said that the government will not stop going after the lawless NPA rebels who are continuously trying to sow fear and terror to the local populace through conduct of violent activities such as killing innocent civilians who refused to give in to their extortion demands as well as the merciless liquidation of retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and ordinary civilians who are suspected to be government assets.

According to him, their records show that as of February 2012 a total of twelve (12) innocent civilians were victims of NPA liquidations in Sorsogon.

Fortunately, the government forces suffered no casualty during the clash while the NPA’s are believed to suffer undetermined number of casualties as indicated by traces of bloodstains along their route of withdrawal.

Meanwhile, evacuees sought refuge from their respective friends and relatives while the Local Government of Juban through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office extended assistance in the form of foodstuff, blanket and medicines. Mayor Antonio Alindogan also extended personal assistance to the evacuees by giving additional food stuff. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Rebel returnee avails of government’s integration program

SORSOGON CITY, Sept 19 (PIA) – The 903^rd (Fight and Defend) Infantry Brigade, 9^th Infantry (SPEAR) Division, Philippine Army facilitated yesterday the formal surrender and presentation of one New People’s Army (NPA) Amazon through the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) to Provincial Administrator Robert Rodrigueza who represented Governor Raul Lee of the Province of Sorsogon.

Loradel Esquilon also known as Ka Sisa/ Ka Megan in the underground movement, logistics and finance staff (S4) of Komiteng Probinsyal (KOMPROB) Sorsogon, voluntarily surrendered to the elements of 31^st Infantry Battalion of Philippine Army in Juban town earlier this month.

During the initial interview conducted, Loradel the only daughter of farmer parents “Ime” and “Ter” claimed that she was persuaded to join the NPA, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), sometime in 2005 after she was promised of monetary support and alleviation from poverty.  She then revealed that the repeated sexual advances towards her by top NPA leaders while she was inside the organization and the difficult life she constantly experienced while operating in the hinterlands of Sorsogon, which were contrary to everything she was first promised were the circumstances that prompted her to finally make the decision to leave the movement sometime in 2009.  However, she only decided to formally come out into the mainstream society only this year after she was convinced of the good programs of the government for NPA surrenderees.

Loradel further revealed that upon her entry in the movement she underwent several training and teaching (Aralin) and eventually became a trusted follower of their leader, Andres Hubilla also known as Ka Magno, Secretary, KOMPROB, Sorsogon.  She was later entrusted with the vital designation as Finance and Logistics Officer of the Central Committee covering the province of Sorsogon.

Voluntarily, she declared that as the S4, she received more or less P3,000,000.00 every month as collection money from businessmen, construction companies implementing road and other infrastructure projects and even from government officials. They were able to collect more money during election period from the imposition of Permit to Campaign (PTC).

Ka Sisa further claimed that aside from her, only two personalities from their group namely Ka Magno and Ka Anton have knowledge as to how much money they really get from the revolutionary tax. She also personally witnessed the extensive corruption of their top leaders pocketing millions of pesos for themselves at the expense of the ordinary red fighters who were suffering from lack of food and support for their personal needs. Additionally, she bitterly recalled how Ka Magno tried to rape her several times but was fortunate enough to avoid the lascivious advances. However, there were other female NPA members who were unfortunately succumbed to Ka Magno’s bestial desires.

Colonel Joselito Kakilala, Commander of the 903rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army, who exercises operational control over the 31st Infantry Battalion, criticized the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for violating the rights of the female NPA members. “First, they promised the people with good life while recruiting them.  These communist leaders not only pocketed (corrupted) the millions of pesos collected from extortions for their own vested interests but also sexually abused/rape their female recruits.  They are worst and inhuman,” Col Kakilala pathetically said.

Loradel yielded her one (1) M16 Rifle with magazines, ammo and subversive documents with high intelligence value.  Under the AFP Guns for Peace Program, the surrenderee received the amount of P50,000.00 as part of the firearms remuneration package and other existing government assistance coming from the line government agencies.

Following the giving of cash reward, Brigadier General Yerson Depayso, Commander of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division assured her of the AFP’s protection as he called on her former comrades to respect her decision to live in peace. Gen. Depayso further encouraged the Local Government Units, the National Government Agencies, and the civil society organizations to work together in reaching to other members of the NPAs and convince them to return to their families.

“Naniniwala ako na ang mga NPA ay mga biktima lamang ng maling paniniwala dahil sa kanilang mahirap na kalagayan kaya sila ay dapat na iligtas at tulungan upang mailayo sa tiyak na kapahamakan (I believe that NPA members are victims of misguided belief due to their disadvantaged condition so we must save and help them before they face sure destruction),” he said. (BAR, PIA-5/Sorsogon/ALEamiguel, PA)

DSWD-5 launches the First Regional Profile of Poor Households in Sorsogon

Sorsogon LCEs receives Profile of Poor Households from DSWD

SORSOGON CITY, September 13 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office-5 launched its first Profile of Poor Households in the Province of Sorsogon on September 6, this year.

The launching aims to promote and provide better appreciation to the data utilization of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) or the “Listahanan”.

The profile was the output of the 2009 enumeration in which 461,242 households in Bicol region were identified as poor. It contains statistical data about the actual scenarios of the poor households in the region which will serve as basis of different agencies and organizations in formulating programs and projects intended to the vulnerable and disadvantaged sector of the community.

The launching was highlighted by a simple turnover of the Regional Profile Booklet Replica by Regional Focal Person Mr. Don B. Abejuro Jr. to the Local Chief Executives and the distribution of the booklets to the respective LGU representatives.

“DSWD is politically and ideologically blind, with the “Listahanan”, we are assured that only the real poor benefits on the poverty reduction interventions of the department and other agencies/organizations which make use of our database,” said Mr. Abejuro in his message during the launching.

He also announced that the 2^nd nationwide assessment will be conducted in the last quarter of this year. “Once again we will ask your full support for the 2^nd round of assessment in finding WHO and WHERE the poor are in Bicol region,” he said.

The provincial launching forms part of the department’s Programs Orientation to Local Chief Executives which aims to strengthen information and partnership with the stakeholders.  It likewise encourages LGU partners in the effective implementation of the social services being carried out in their respective areas.

In attendance were DSWD representatives Ms. Malou Palacio, Regional Convergence Coordinator, Regional Focal Person Mr. Don B. Abejuro Jr. & other technical staff from different programs, Local Chief Executives, Provincial/City/Municipal Social Welfare and Municipal Planning & Development Officers of the 14 municipalities and one city of Sorsogon.

An open forum was done at the end of the activity where issues and concerns were entertained and clarified.

Meanwhile, similar activities will also be conducted this month in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon/CRBarrameda, DSWD)

PNP confers Retirement Honors to Sorsogon Police Provincial Director

SORSOGON CITY, Sept 19 (PIA) – PSSupt Ramon Sopeña Ranara (DSC), Officer-In-Charge of the Sorsogon Police Provincial Office turns 56 on September 17, 2013 that paved way for his compulsory retirement in the government service.

PSSupt Ranara is a native of Pili, Camarines Sur and a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA). He served in the government for thirty three years in various assignments and successfully finished his meritorious and laudable service in the Philippine National Police as he celebrated his birthday on Sept 17.

In recognition of PD Ranara’s 30 commendable years in service, a Retirement Honors was bestowed on him at Camp Salvador C. Escudero Sr. in Sorsogon City on Monday, Sept 16.

Regional Director PCSupt Clarence V. Guinto VI of Police Regional Office 5, graced the occasion conveying a congratulatory and fortuity message to PSSupt Ranara, and likewise installed the new Officer-In Charge, PSSupt Raul Pardo Hebreo, PESE.  

PSSupt Hebreo, meanwhile, is not new to Sorsogon because he has been assigned in different places in the province in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

The simple, yet memorable ceremony started with the arrival honors for PCSupt Guinto and his Party, followed by the Thanks Giving Mass at the Post Chapel in Camp Salvador C Escudero Sr., Sorsogon City. 

The Retirement Honors culminated with the Pass-In-Review of the Sorsogon Police Provincial Office PNP personnel.

Among the guests who graced the occasion are Brigade Commander of 903^rd Philippine Army, Col. Joselito Kakilala; Sorsogon City Mayor Sally A Lee, who represented Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee; Bishop Emeritus Jesus Y. Varela; Bishop Arturo M. Bastes; Provincial Administrator Robert Lee Rodrigueza; Provincial Chairman of the Council of Community Elders, Mr. Fernando O. Duran Jr.; and the tri-media practitioners in the province of Sorsogon. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon/NFMarquez, SPPO)

NSWMC, EMB-V conducts Writeshop for Sorsogon’s Provincial SWM Technical Working Group

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, September 9 (PIA) – The National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) in partnership with the Environmental Management Bureau-Bicol conducts starting today, September 9 until September 11, 2013 a Provincial Level Writeshop on the Development of the 10-Year Solid Waste Management (SWM) Plan for the Province of Sorsogon.

Held in Legazpi City, the 3-day writeshop aims to strengthen the capabilities of the provincial-LGU in implementing fully the Republic Act 9003 or the Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

EMB-V Regional Director Roberto Sheen said the writeshop on the development of the SWM Plan is one of the assistance offered by EMB and the NSWMC to its partners to carry out the government’s environmental programs specifically those relative to the implementation of RA 9003.

“This activity is another phase of the technical assistance being extended to the Local Government Units (LGUs). It aims to help the province and its Technical Working Group to compile the strategies and plans developed by each municipalities/cities and create a more comprehensive plan for the province that will address the issue(s) on solid waste management,” Dir. Sheen explained.

Prior to the conduct of this provincial activity, a writeshop entitled “Workshop  Design: Capability Building of Pilot Provinces on the Preparation of Provincial SWM Plan” was also conducted on July 11-13, this year, in Bacon District, Sorsogon City by the Solid Waste Management Section of the EMB-V of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

It was participated by the 14 municipalities and one component city of the pprovince of Sorsogon.  

The output of the SWM plan made by the respective LGUs of Sorsogon will serve as the basis in the preparation of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Plan.

Rule 6 section 2(a) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 9003 mandates the PSWMB to develop a Provincial Solid Waste Management Plan from the submitted SWM Plans of the respective city and municipal SWMBs.

According to the IRR, PSWMB shall review and integrate the submitted plans of all its component cities and municipalities and ensure that the various plans complement each other, and have the requisite components. The PSWMB shall be submitted to the NSWMC for approval.

The Provincial Plan shall reflect the general program of action and initiatives of the provincial government in implementing a solid waste management program that would support the various initiatives of its component cities and municipalities.

Dir. Sheen said that the role of the province to work towards fulfilling their tasks as provided for by the RA 9003 is very significant, and at the end of the 3-day writeshop, it is expected that a Provincial SWM Plan will be crafted for approval by the NSWMC and eventually for implementation in Sorsogon. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)