GSIS inefficiency under scrutiny of city solon
The many complaints against the inefficient and substandard services currently employed by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has caught the attention of this city’s lone district congressman who vowed to push a congressional investigation on the delays of pension remittance.
Congressman Raul Gonzalez Jr. admitted that he is also open to the idea of opening up a market for other government insurance players, particularly for the more than half a million public school teachers “to break away” from GSIS and form their own insurance group.
Gonzalez Jr. recently sent a letter to city councilor Erwin Plagata to acknowledge receipt of SP Resolution No. 2009-1385 requesting for a congressional investigation on the delays in the remittance of regular monthly pensions of all government retires and employees under the GSIS. Read more
Phaseout of 2-stroke motorcycle alarms tricycle sector
The government’s policy of phasing out 2-stroke motorcycles by 2010 has alarmed the tricycle industry in Metro Iloilo that accounts for more than 10,000 registered motorcycles used in the livelihood of more than 15,000 drivers and owners of tricycles here.
The phase out of two-stroke motorcycles is in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999, the “Act of providing for a comprehensive air pollution control policy and other purposes” in the country.
Reynaldo Beso, president of the Metro Iloilo City Federation of Tricycle Drivers and Owners Association, said the phase out will definitely affect the livelihood of the sector and will put them at risk and added burden to the government if they could not find a solution to the problem now. Read more
Western Visayas police under new duty shift
All police units under the supervision of the police regional office based at Camp Delgado here, have starting implementing an innovative duty shift scheme aimed at bringing down the crime rates in the region.
The new duty shift was introduced by Police Reg. Dir. CSupt. Isagani Cuevas who advocates the 7-9-7 duty shift scheme of police personnel to ensure enough number of cops to man the police station and render police assistance.
The new scheme will practically erase the long time police practice of a “one-day duty, two-day off” duty shift and other duty shift scheme similar to it. Read more
Cashew is next important high value crop
The next important high value crop to rise in the Visayas will be cashew as demands for the products starting from its apple and nuts are increasing everyday.
This was bared by Erwin Saw of Isla Casoy de Palawan Co., an investor who poured in some P5 million in the production and manufacturing of cashew products in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Saw said that Palawan is producing some 90 percent of the 2.6 million fruit bearing trees in the country producing some 350,000 metric tons of the fruit and nuts every year.
Puerto Princesa city agriculturist Melissa Macasaet said that out of 103,145 metric tons of dried cashew nuts produced every year, 92,830 metric tons are from Palawan.
The company is buying cashew fruit and nut at P15 per kilo during the peak season or summer months and P50 per kilo during the lean months Read more
PGMA inspires jatropha farmers in Passi City
PASSI CITY, Oct 17 (PNA) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo met Saturday, October 17, 2009 some 600 farmers engaged in jatropha plantation in central Panay Island.
The Philippine National Oil Co. Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC) project covering some 800 hectares in 19 barangays here was started in July this year after a memorandum of agreement was forged between PNOC-AFC and city officials here lead by Mayor Elyzer Chavez for a P14.6 million project for 18 months.
Known as a biodiesel fuel plant, Jatropha is a valuable multi-purpose crop eyed to alleviate soil degradation, desertification and deforestation and can be used for bio-energy to replace petro-diesel, for soap production and climatic protection.
Jatropha can also help increase rural incomes, self-sustainability and alleviate poverty for women, elderly, children and men, tribal communities, small farmers. It can as well help to increase income from plantations and agro-industries.
Former Passi City mayor Jesry Palmares, currently director of the board of PNOC-AFC spearheaded the project as site of another alternative source of fuel and livelihood in Passi’s once idle and unproductive cogonal lands in 19 initial barangays out of total 51 barangays here. Read more
2010 Dinagyang season starts
ILOILO CITY – Let the drums begin its roar and let the dancers sway to the beat of Dinagyang as the 2010 festival season started, October 16, 2009 at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.
The city government and the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation launched the 41th year of Dinagyang Festival as this city’s premier tourist attraction and best practice of concreting partnership between the government and private sector.
City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas led the afternoon launching rites after a motorcade and mass and declared the start of the 2010 Dinagyang season amidst blaring Dinagyang drums and dance exhibitions by Tribu Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National High School and Tribu Silak of the Iloilo City National High School. Read more
10 Basag Kotse groups in Iloilo City
10 Basag Kotse groups in Iloilo City
ILOILO CITY – At least 10 “Bukas Kotse” groups that may belong to a single syndicate are operating separately in this southern city, according to Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) deputy city director, Supt. Eugenio Espejo.
A rash of cash thieves have upsurge in areas with least police visibility within this week that baffled the local police force. But Espejo said a vital witness was able to identify one suspect, Francisco Tamayo of Brgy. Monica city proper, as one of the three men who ransacked a parked vehicle in Burgos St. La Paz district last Monday.
Another incident happened in Quintin Salas and in Dungon A, Jaro district that police estimated more than P1 million worth of properties and cash carted away by the robbers. Read more
Treñas asks DENR, DPWH to resolve dredging issue at Dungon Creek
ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPHW) to immediately resolve the issue on dredging of the Dungon Creek here and four other creeks that were identified to impede the flow of water.
Treñas said that aside from the Dungon Creek, the other waterways that need immediate attention are the Calajunan Creek in Manduriao district, Ingore Creek in La Paz, Buntatala Creek in Jaro and the Iloilo River.
These are the city’s main waterways and dredging of these creeks and the river will greatly solve the perennial flashflood of the city environs as there is an urgent need to declog the waterways, the city mayor said.
On the other hand, the multi-billion pesos Iloilo floodcontrol project is set to be operational by December this year but will full completion by April 2010. Read more
No segregation, no collection of garbage starts this week
ILOILO CITY – The new schedule of the policy on “no segregation, no collection” will start on Friday, October 16 against solid wastes in all 180 barangays in this southern city. The policy will be implemented seriously by the city government backed up by the city’s solid waste management board (SWMB).
This was announced by city mayor Jerry P. Treñas and Engr. Raul Gallo of the General Service Office (GSO) as the new schedule of garbage collection by garbage trucks of JS Layson will take off from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM in the barangays.
Gallo said no segregation, no collection policy is a vital component of the city government’s battle against mounting garbage and it its desire to reduce the collected garbage at the city’s controlled dumpsite in Calajunan, Mandurrioa district.
Gallo said the program is a vital compliance to the provisions of Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and as a mitigation scheme on climate change on top of compliance to SP Regulation Ordinance 147. Read more
Treñas questions capital towns as cities
The chairman of the powerful League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), Mayor Jerry P. Treñas of this city is registering his strong opposing against the passage of House Bill No. 24 that calls for the upgrading of capital towns of provinces without cities into full fledged cities.
Treñas said the LCP is enjoining all city chief executives and their respective supporters to actively participate in opposing the passage of the House bill by calling for its outright rejection.
On the other hand, LCP national president, Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos is enjoining all city mayors nationwide to campaign against the bill that exempts capital towns into cities from the requirements of cityhood. Read more