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outstAnDinG
locAl newspAper

For Five Consecutive Years


St. peter Baptist Catholic
Mass Media awards

reGionAl eXponent for proGress

vol. XXiii, no. 5

bicol, the philippines

november 15-21, 2015

p5.00

Focus on agri-tourism, manufacturing


ex-NEDA
head urges

By FrANK PeNONes Jr.

NaGa CItY - Bicol will do well to focus


on three growth sectors if the region will
have an economic turn-around, a former
economic planning head of the country
suggested here.
The Philippine Development Plan has identified
agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as the three
strong drivers for the region. Bicol can follow these
track, erstwhile National Economic Development
Authority top honcho Cielito F. Habito pointed out.

INVESTMENT FORUM

Department of Trade and Industry and Board of Investment ofcials briefed participants and the local media on the
Industry Roadmaps and ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Gameplan: Roadmap Localization for Competitiveness.

Habito said there should be a complementation between


the service and manufacturing sectors along with more government and private sector tie-ups in the agriculture and tourism sector to propel growth in the region.
Last year, Bicol had a slow down in its economic performance, particularly with a very high (33%) underemployment

reyes favors Daet citihood

rep. reyes and Mayor sArION


Daet, CNorte -- Incumbent 1st District representative and Cama-

JrM, PIAV/Camarines sur

rines Norte gubernatorial


candidate Catherine Barcelona reyes said she fully

supports the bid of mayor


tito S. Sarion to convert
his town into a city.
Reyes said she had
passed in Congress a one
province, one city bill
which entitles a province
to create one city among its
towns.
She explained that under the Local Government
Code, the conversion of
municipalities into cities take into consideration
such requirements as land
area, population and annual
income.
While Daet fulfills the

(Turn to page 7)

record which is way above the 20% national mark.


Assistant Secretary Rafaelita Aldaba of the Department of
Trade and Industry, however, said she is confident Bicol will
be able to hurdle this economic snag as she called on for more
investments in the three sectors.
(Turn to page 7)

Bicol now 7th


poorest region
By DANNy O. CALLeJA
LeGaZPI CItY one
piece of good news that
lifts Bicolanos morale is
that not one among the regions six provinces made it
to the latest listing released
by the National anti-Poverty Commission (NaPC)
carrying the countrys top
10 with highest poverty
incidence among families. although we regret
knowing that our country
has provinces where great
numbers of families live in
destitution, we are pleased
by the information that
not one Bicol province is
now considered within
the top 10 in the poverty
incidence list, this citys
mayor Noel rosal on Sunday said.
This city is among the
three localities among Albay provinces 18 local
government units that made
it to the latest listing of Bicol cities and municipalities with lower incidence of
poverty. The listing, which
was recently released by the
National Statistical Coordi-

nation Board (NSCB) of the


Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) based on the project
on the generation of the 2012
Municipal and City Level

NIPA WEAVING

Poverty Estimates, says that


poverty incidence in 88 of
the 114 municipalities and
the seven cities of the region

(Turn to page 6)

CePPIO

Naga City Councilor and Former Vice Mayor Gabby Bordado


tries his hand at tiklad-making in Balongay, Calabanga,
Camarines Sur where the making of nipa roof shingles is
one sure source of income as aptly captured by this adage:
An tawong maurop asin may pagmakulog, malalaoman
asin masasarigan, siring sa atop nin nipa na probado nang
limpoy sa tig-init asin pandong sa tig-uran.

3rd floor, GerONIMO BLDG., BArLIN ST., NAGA CITY TeL.: (054) 475-62-62 CP 0921-3183720 / 0919-2822901 / 0920-5337766

opinion

bikol reporter

editorial

The evils
that men do
The photos and accounts of the
carnage seemed to have come out
straight from a Le Carre novel.
Bloodied bodies and dismembered
limbs all over in a soccer stadium
and cafes unexpected and unlikely
places for such violence. www.wsj.com
President Obama is right in
describing the recent Parisian
mayhem as an attack on all of
humanity.
Humanity because those rock fans
or those dining in restaurants are no
different from your teenager kids or
your co-employees having a drink to
end their days work.
Their senseless death therefore
reduces the sapientia in the humans
in us.
As John Donne puts it: Any mans
death diminishes me, because I am
involved in mankind, and therefore
never send to know for whom the
bells tolls; it tolls for thee.
France, the navel of such ideals
as liberte, egalite and fraternite,
may be thousand miles away but her
people should be in our prayers.
Let this recent bloodbath reminds
us that evil, which in recent years
come in the form of religious
fundamentalism, is ever present.
As the country and the region
hosts two international gatherings
this month, let us not be cowered by
these acts.
Beside security preparations, we
believe that to fight evil, we need to
show the perpetrators we love life
and no way shall we allow evil to
triumph.

02082606

Tel. No. (054) 475-6262

ed g. yu
Editor

0939-604-3144

Lee G. Dullesco II

Head, Advertising Associates


0920-533-7766

november 15-21, 2015

Reducing Income Tax


(Atty. APA chairs Acyatan &
Co., CPAs-DFK International is
past chair of ASEAN Federation of
CPAs, PICPA past president and
Hall-of-Famer, and ACPAPP Lifetime
Achievement Awardee).
NIRC AMENDMENT:
Both
houses of Congress have expressed
solid support for the restructuring of
our income tax laws particularly
those referring to individuals. For
individuals, income taxes are
withheld automatically by employers
and directly remitted to BIR. Those
receiving minimum wages are exempt
from income tax. I/T rate for those
with taxable net income not over
P10,000- is 5%. The rate goes up to
10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% - up
to taxable income of P500T. Highest
I/T rate is 32%.
Phl individual income tax rates
are highest in ASEAN. Brunei I/T is
0% and the other ASEAN with about
20% only). Here, individuals may
claim personal deductions depending
on status (single or married with
additional deduction per child of
P50T). For corporations, our income
tax of 30% is the highest in ASEAN
and in the Far East. Our I/T rate
must be reduced to improve inflows
of Foreign Direct Investments and to
open employment opportunities for
our people.
DEMOGRAPHICS:
Another
ASEAN
statistics
pertains
to
population. Most populous country
is Indonesia with 248 M people.
The Philippines is second with
101.6 M, followed by Vietnam 89.7 M population, Thailand - 68.2
M and Myanmar 61.5 M. Fifth in
population is Malaysia - 29.9 M,
followed by Cambodia (7th) - 14.9 M,
and tiny Laos (8th) - 6.6M. Economic

opinions
unlimited
Atty. TONY (APA) ACYATAN
giant Singapore has 5.4 M people
only, while oil-rich Brunei has 400 T
population.
On economic growth, Singapore
an island state 716 square kilometers
in area (just as big as MManila, has
a GDP of $268B, though still smaller
than Malaysia - $307B, and Thailand
- $377B. The demographic study
was commissioned by South Korea
which aims to tie-up with the ASEAN
Ten. SK wants to increase trade
volume, accelerate investment flow,
invigorate tourism and enrich cultural
and people to peple exchange
between Korea and the ASEAN
member states.
TAXATION: When a taxpayer
overpays his taxes, he has three
options to recover said excess. First
is to apply for cash refund, the second
is to get tax credit and the third is
to simply carry over excess payment
on to the next tax period. If the
taxpayer fails to indicate in his return
his choice of option, he is deemed to
have chosen the third alternative. In
a recent Supreme Court ruling on a
case where the taxpayer carried over
the excess tax payment, said option
becomes irrevocable!
Taxpayers and their consultants

must be careful in deciding what to


do with their excess tax payment. In
actuality, it is more practical to just
carry over the excess for the next
period. The reason here is because
either by design or not the BIR
makes it hard for the cash or tax
credit to be approved. Refund or
tax credit may be allowed only after
all filed returns of the requesting
party shall have been audited for
any tax deficiency. Sori, hindi na
lang po!
DOC. STAMPS:
When two
parties enter into an agreement
which is subject to documentary
stamp tax they can stipulate as to
who will shoulder said DST. After
such payment, any subsequent
deficiency DST assessment shall be
chargeable against whoever is the
paying party. In practice, in case
of sale of realty, the documentary
stamp tax is payable by the same
party who is paying the transfer tax
(CGT or CWT). But as said earlier
there can be stipulations to the
contrary.
The DST is payable within the
first five days of the month following
transaction date.
In contrast,
transfer tax is due within thirty
(30) days from document date.
Payment after deadline subjects
the transaction to (one-time) 25%
surcharge (or 50% if there is bad
faith) plus interest at 20% p.a. , plus
compromise penalty (dependent
on the amount of deficiency). It is
always wise for parties to stipulate
on tax liabilities, so that timely and
penalty-free payment can be done.
WISDOM: Christian living is a
process of continuing conversion,
in words and deeds. Always walk
your talk!

DOLE Bicols war vs child labor


in Camarines Norte continues
Daet, Cam. Norte -- Our war
on Child Labor in Camarines Norte
continues DOLE Bicol regional director Nathaniel V. Lacambra said
over the tri-media yesterday after
showing the list of activities conducted by DOLE Bicol which started immediately, a day, after the release of
the Human Rights Watch Organization (HRWO) report on child labor
incidence on said province.
This is to show the public that we
have never backed down or lay-low
with our commitment to end Child
Labor in this mining capital of the region however hard the challenge is,
RD Lacambra added.
It can be recalled that at least five
(5) Barangays in three (3) municipalities in the Province of Camarines
Norte had been the subject of the
HRWO report having high child labor
incidence particularly in small scale
mining. Subject child laborers were
even interviewed and broadcasted on
national TV. With such report, DOLE
Bicol immediately dispatched two
composite teams, a day after the airing of said HRWO report on national

media, for verification purposes and


in order to plan and facilitate its continuous intervention.
Moreover, weeks after the HRWO
report major interventions, such as the
Orientation on RA 9231 and DOLE
programs and services particularly
on livelihood grant were conducted
by DOLE Bicol to the parents, child
laborers, Municipal and Barangay
officials in LGU Labo and Jose Panganiban. Also, DOLE awarded educational supplies and hygiene kits under
its Project Angel Tree to fifty four (54)
profiled child laborers in said areas after the orientation last October 20.
Positive feedback from the parents,
child laborers and LGU officials were
solicited by DOLE Bicol particularly
on pledging their commitment to
eventually stop child labor in mining.
So far we saw that the parents understood the law and the dangers of
child labor in mining. We are happy
that the LGUs concerned gave their
commitment and support to the program, ARD Trayvilla added.
As of press time, members of the
Barangay Council for the Protection

of Children of Brgy. Malaya in Labo


and Sta. Milagrosa and San Rafael
in Jose Panganiban and in Paracale
have been tapped by DOLE Bicol
for the continuous monitoring of
child labor incidence in small scale
mining and proposals for alternative livelihood for the parents of
child laborers are being crafted by
the DOLE Camariens Norte Provincial Field Office headed by Ms.
Jane Rolda.
DOLE Bicol has also tapped its
attached agencies, like the TESDA
and RTWPB for possible skills and
productivity training for the parents
of child laborers.
Similarly we are also looking
at the possibility of initiating a Barangay part-time job program for
child laborers who are out of school
youths (OSY). Hopefully with the
help of our central office a guideline
on such initiative would come up,
ARD Trayvilla added.
On the other hand, DOLE Bicol
has also initiated a parallel intervention to child laborers identified in
the province of Masbate.

Visit our website:

www.bikolreport.blogspot.com

november 15-21, 2015

bikol reporter

Prieto Diaz mangrove forests lure tourBy Danny O. Calleja

SORSOGON CITY
Down northeast of this provincial capital, 20 kilometers
away is an off-the-beatenpath coastal town that deserves to be celebrated as a
modest rural locality that
was able to successfully establish, maintain and protect an exceptional ecological
asset.
The town, Prieto Diaz,
named after two Bicolano
martyrsFr. Gabriel Prieto
(1853-1897) and Fr. Severino
Diaz (1862-1897) when it got
its independence from the
nearby municipality of Bacon
(now part of this city) in October 1903 ,is located along
the coast of Pacific Ocean and
home to about 20,500 people
as of the 2010 government
survey.
It owns a 500-hectare shoreline forest canopy greened by
various kinds of fully-grown
mangrove trees that shadow a
300-hectare of shallow cove
of brackish water whose bed
is thickly covered with several
varieties of sea grass that gracefully dance through the gentle
current while serving as nesting, feeding and playground
for hundreds of fish species.
Covering nine of the municipalitys 23 barangays, the
sprawling mangrove forest,

representing a vibrant marine


environment itself, serves as
habitat of mollusks and birds,
nursery of fish and crustaceans,
and source of income for hundreds of families comprising
the municipalitys dominant
fisher folk community.
The few thousand residents
draw not only food from the
seaside forest but also materials for shell craft that earn
them some cash.
Bigger income comes from
eco-tourism as year round,
high school and college students, scientists, environmentalists, government officials
and nature travelers flock to
the site by the hundreds to research or savor on the relaxing
ambiance of the place.

More funds sought


for Bicol projects

Red Bragas
By Danny O. Calleja
PILI, Camarines Sur
After wowing evaluators of
the implementation in Bicol of the foreign-supported
Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), its
implementers are seeking
for additional financing as
they commit to sustain if not
surpass the projects accomplishments for the next wave
of evaluations.
Last August, the 1st World
Bank Implementation Support
Mission conducted the evaluation and gave the project
implementation in the region a
satisfactory rating based on its
favorable disbursement rate.
Shandy Hubilla, PRDP
Project Support Office (PSO)
South Luzon Cluster director,
here on Wednesday said the
measure of success in project
implementation is not the obligation but the disbursement
status and as of the recent
evaluation, Bicol was able
to obligate 32 percent of its
Php17.3-million target with a
disbursement rate of 63 percent.
PRDP is a foreign-funded
program being implemented

by Department of Agriculture
(DA) as a platform for a modern and climate smart agriculture in the region and other
parts of the country.
Its national implementation carries a Php27.535-billion total fund, consisting of
Php20.553 billion loan from
the World Bank, Php3.579 billion as national government
counterpart, Php3.118 billion
equity of the local government
units and Php287-million
grant from the Global Environment Facility.
It involves 80 provincial
local government units and
agri-fishery stakeholders nationwide in an attempt to realize the goals of improved
food security and increased
incomes, climate resiliency
and enhanced environmental
policies and governance.
In six years2013-2019,
the project aims to raise annual real farm incomes of
household beneficiaries by
five percent, increase the value of annual marketed output
by seven percent and ensure
that 20 percent more farmers
and fishers benefit from DA
services.
According to DA Regional
Executive Director Abelardo
Bragas, the lion's share of the
PRDP funding for this year
worth Php638.4 million has
been awarded to Bicol as the
regions share in the Php11.02billion Intensified Building up
of Infrastructure and Logistics
for Development funds to finance a total of 195 sub-projects proposed by local government units (LGUs).
Bragas has expressed optimism that the PRDP will
(Turn to page 6)

Imelda Baltazar, the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) based here, said Prieto
Diaz owns the credit of having
served as a sound base in developing and promoting viable
livelihood by combining agricultural and fishery production
innovations while maintaining
the integrity of marine sanctuaries and mangrove forests.
Furthermore, its local government leads ecological and
social transformation through
its mangrove reforestation initiatives and compliance with

the Ecological Solid Waste


Management Act while linking with various agencies and
entities in its resolve to abate
the negative impact of climate
change to its populace, she
said.
Although the municipality is classified as fifth in income class, making it one of
the poorest among Sorsogon
provinces 15 local government units, Baltazar said it is
able to maintain a well-managed economy that sustains
the productivity of natural

endowments and the life support system needed to build a


health society.
Well-conserved
natural
resources provide communities with a sustainable source
of livelihood and income and,
thus, improve their economic
welfare -- thus, healthy environment and good economy
ensure the quality of life, she
stressed.
Prieto Diazs mangrove forest and natural sea grass garden
is Bicols pride, beams town
mayor Benito Doma when
asked by the Philippines News
Agency on Tuesday here how
he feels about his municipalitys achievements in ecological
protection and conservation.
In 1999, he said, his town,
for its mangrove forest that
feature a wood and canopy
walk and wide expanse of seagrass on a sprawling seabed
whose water offers an exciting
row-boating experience, was a
recipient of the Best Community-Based Coastal Resources
Management Program Award
given by the United Nations
Agency for International Development (USAID).
By then, Doma said, the
hundreds of thousands aspar-

agus-thin, foot-long mangrove


propagules planted back in
1994 have grown to six-inchthick trunks 15 feet high, with
branches extending up to 10
feet.
We have 29 native mangrove varieties healthily thriving on the reforestation site.
It was established and being
maintained through SeaMancor (Seagrass, Mangrove,
Coral), a local peoples organization contracted by the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR)
into a 25-year reforestation
and stewardship program, the
mayor said.
While the laughter of children bathing in the clean river
mouth of the mangrove area on
school days end was a pleasing sign of an environmentally
healthy town before the establishment of the coastal forest
took place, the municipality
was not always as blessed.
Doma said that in 1970s
up to the 80s, townsfolk were
cutting down mangroves for a
few pesos a day from firewood
traders.
Beaches were dug up with
hundreds of sandpits fur(Turn to page 7)

bikol reporter

Art Educations Benefit


to Self-Development
By Jaffa Arela Oliva
Students who study art
are 4 times more likely to
be recognized for academic
achievements and 3 times
more likely to be awarded
for school attendance. Anyone can learn how to draw,
paint, sing, dance, etc. but
only few believe it. While a
child is still developing, it
makes art easier to be taught
at the same time applied by
young learners.
The brain is composed of
2 parts: the left and the right
hemisphere. The left is mostly
concerned with the logical
thinking and analytical processes of a person while the
right is used for emotional
perception, intuition and creativity. So that the brain can
efficiently work, both hemispheres should work together.
Children naturally love
art. Unfortunately, after some
point in school, education
is now more focused on the
things that can only generate
your left side of the brain. This

usually includes math, reading


and science. It seems that arts
is commonly ignored or as if it
less important when to excel,
your right side should be developed as much as it is with
your left.
Art not only improves one's
intellectual capability but also
to one's behavior. It is said that
people with problems tend to
feel well when exposed to different kind of arts like paintings, music, theater and such.
It develops skills that can help
in the overall personality of a
person.
The youth today refuses
to believe that they can still
learn to be as good as others
that causes them to stop from
even trying. But through a
little help from organizations
that promote Art Education,
one can realize how much fun
learning new things can be.
The world has no exact meaning for the word art because it
itself can only be defined by
you yourself.
Never forget that there's
Art in Smart.

Catanduanes to hold
18-day Christmas show
VIRAC, Catanduanes
This years Christmas
Cheers, a nightly show in
this capital town during the
Christmas season, will start
on Dec. 13.
The Catanduanes State
Universitys Hablon Dawani
will herald the opening of the
18-day night show.
A brief program will mark
the start of the event. This
will be followed by prayer
to be led by Bishop Manolo
delos Santos.
Just before the ceremonial lighting of the Christmas
Tree at Virac Plaza, people
can look up at the night sky
and enjoy the fireworks.
The tentative schedule of
nightly performers: Dec. 13
Hablondawani; Dec. 14 CSU Laboratory Schools;
Dec. 15 Taytay Elementary
School; Dec. 16 Juan M.

Alberto Elementary School;


dec. 17 Virac Pilot elementary School; Dec. 18 Catanduanes Colleges; Dec. 19
Parish Night (Raffle Bonanza);
Dec. 20 Catanduanes
National High School; Dec.
21 Palta, Buyo, Calatagan,
Antipolo and Igang; Dec.
22 Virac Central Elementary School; Dec. 23 Star
Learners School; Dec. 26
HablonDawani Alumni/NeoCatechumenal Community;
Dec. 27 FICELCO/Zazz
Academy; Dec. 28 Congressional Night; Dec. 29
Governors Night; and Dec.
30 - Virac LGU.
Applications for booths
may now be submitted to
Bob Surtida at the Municipal
Treasurers Office. Submit
applications not later than
Nov. 30. -PIA

NAGA AS ART CENTER

halo-halo

november 15-21, 2015

Turob
Ngonyan, masasabi ko na kun
tano ta si mga enot na nagsurat
manongod kan mga Bikol sa pag-abot
kan kolonyalismo pigladawan kitang
pintados, siring sa mga Bisaya. Sa
pagsaligsig ko sa diksyonaryo ni Lisboa
nin mga tataramon na mapahiling kan
luma tang ekspresyon nin estetika,
nahiling ko an turob asin lipong. An
duwa, parehong termino manongod
sa tattoo. An enot, manongod sa tawo
na may tattoo hali sa habay pababa sa
mga tabay; mantang an lipong, palibot
sa bilog na hawak an tattoo.
An hawak, bilang medyum o
espasyo nin pagtala o record kan
buhay o inagihan kan may hawak,
parte kan kultura kan mga enot na
mga tawong habitante kan mga daga
sa may dagat Pasipiko. Kaya an mga

Dis*Karte
*Kusyon
*Kurso
frank peones jr.
Maori sa New Zealand, sa Polynesia,
an mga Hapon, asin mga Bisaya
orog na midbid sa lumang istilo nin
pagimprentang ini. Sabi ngani kan
istoryador na si Dr. Danilo M. Gerona,
an lalaking tamong nin tattoo inaapod
kadtong oragon ta ini an record kan

saiyang mga naginibohan orog na


sa pakikipaglaban.
Sa saiyang doctoral dissertation
man manongod sa mga tattoo kan
mga tribu sa Mt. Province, sinabi
kan sakong kaamigang si Dr.
Analyn Salvador, na an tattoo arsibo
(archive] kan buhay-buhay kan mga
Kalinga asin mga iba pang tribu na
igwa nin tradisyon nin tattoo.
Marhay sigurong taan paghiling
kan mga scholar sa rehiyon an
tradisyon kan tattoo sa Bikol,
kun igwa pa man na mga records
kaini, para sa kun ano man na
makukua igding adal manongod
sa kultura asin buhay kan satong
mga apoon. Magin siguro kun
ano an paghiling ta sa ideya kan
magayon.

Chinese Ambassador visit Catanduanes


LEGAZPI CITY Describing Chinese people
as friendly brothers and
sisters, Catanduanes Governor Araceli Wong has
expressed gratitude for the
recent visit of Peoples Republic of China Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao
Jian Hua and providing
Php1.5 million in donations
for some socio-economic
projects in the province.
Chinas envoy arrived in
the island along with a clique
of Chinese businessmen and
fellow diplomats last Oct. 24
on invitation of the governors
husband, Wong Cheung Sha,
who is the current president
of the Federation of FilipinoChinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCI).
FFCCCI vice president
Lu Gene Ang, Jose Go, the
Chambers president emeritus
and Bank of China chief executive officer Deng Jun and
several officers and members
of the Chinese Enterprise Association of the Philippines
were among the members of
the ambassadors entourage,
the governor said in a statement reaching here Wednesday.
She said Zhao donated to
the provincial government an
amount of Php1 million for
projects intended to benefit

CEPPIO

First Lady Farah Bongat hailed the role of local culturatis in promoting the city as a center of
culture and arts during the opening ceremonies of the VIA Bikol: Arts and Culture Summit at
the city hall grounds as part of the Bicol Business Month celebration.

Mayor WONG
impoverished communities
while another donation worth
Php500,000 was given by
Deng for the same intention.
The Catanduanes visit, according to the governor, was
part of Zhaos goodwill tour
nationwide signaling the eagerness of the Chinese government to reach out to its
neighbors and engage in highlevel bilateral talks to amicably resolve territorial issues
confronting them.
Gov. Wong said the visit
was timed with her rendering of her yearly Ulat sa
Lalawigan (Report to the
Province) where the Chinese
ambassador was given an opportunity to have an audience
with the provinces elderly
whom he paid homage to
while having their First Senior
Citizens Convention.
During the occasion, she
said, Zhao led the distribution
of 20 units of wheelchairs to
those who are already disabled elderly and hundreds of
food packs.
Wong said that it is in October that the country celebrates
the Elderly Filipino Week or
Linggo ng Nakatatandang
Filipino to emphasize the important role that older persons
play in nation building, as
well as raise and address issues concerning the sector.
Elderly Filipino Week was
mandated through Proclamation No. 470 and is held on
the first week of October but
in Catanduanes.
She said the occasion is
celebrated in any week of the
month convenient for the elderly in the conduct of advocacy activities to promote their
rights and welfare, especially
those are disadvantaged.
In this years celebration,

Wong said, the provincial


government led an advocacy
activity for the strict implementation of Republic Act
(RA) 9994, or the Expanded
Senior Citizens Act of 2010,
which provides more benefits
and privileges to older persons.
They are entitled to a 20percent discount on the purchase of certain goods and
services, special five-percent
discount on prime commodities and basic necessities, and
a five-percent utility discount
on electric and water consumption.
By implementing the provisions of the law, the province
is promoting and upholding
their rights and it also encourages the public to report to authorities cases of elderly abuse
to ensure their well-being and
protection, Wong said.
According to the regional
office of the Department of
Social Welfare and Development for Bicol here, to ensure
the well-being of older persons, the agency implements
the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens which
is the provision of Php500
monthly cash grants to indigent senior citizens, as stated
in RA 9994.
The department considers
indigent senior citizens who
are frail, sickly or with disability; without pension from
any government source or
insurance companies; and no
permanent source of income

or regular support from his/


her relatives as its priority for
inclusion in the program.
From 2011-2014, the
DSWD prioritized senior citizens aged 77 years old and
above, however, for 2015,
age coverage of the program
covers senior citizens aged 65
years old and above.
In 2014, a total of 403,284
social pension beneficiaries
nationwide were paid with a
budget amounting to Php2.9
billion and in 2015, some
692,256 beneficiaries were
paid with a budget amounting
to Php3.4 billion.
During the celebration,
Wong said, the provincial
government allocated Php7
million for projects and activities of the senior citizens organization that would benefit
their members.
In his visit, Zhao also expressed fascination of beautifully-woven abaca fiber
fabrics seen during the Ulat
sa Lalawigan gathering and
citing its market potential, the
ambassador hinted that China
could make a huge market for
the islands products, particularly abaca fiber and its finished products, the governor
said.
I told the Chinese ambassador that the province already
pursues a five-year program
towards the setting up of a
local abaca processing center
through funds provided by the
World Bank, she said.

FREE BIRTH REGISTRATION

(Turn to page 7)

CEPPIO

The Naga City Council for the Welfare and Protection of


Children headed by Councilor Elmer Baldemoro and City
Civil Registrar Alex Cayetano conducted a FREE BIRTH
REGISTRATION at the Naga City Peoples Hall, part of the
23rd celebration of National Childrens Month.

november 15-21, 2015

bikol reporter

City library renamed Raul


Roco-Naga Public Library
In a bid to further uplift
the operations and services
of Raul S. Roco Library, the
Sangguniang
Panlungsod
enacted last October 20, this
year, City Ordinance 2015064, otherwise known as an
ordinance highlighting the
public nature of the Raul
S. Roco Library and mandating the formulation and
implementation of a longterm library development
program.
Specifically, the measure
seeks to boost the learning facilitys capability to provide
library and information service

to the needs of the community;


to build within the library an
information center about Bicol
and the City of Naga their
histories, resources, people,
customs and traditions, etc.; to
establish linkages with other
libraries to facilitate reference
needs of its patrons.
Thru the ordinance, the
facility has been renamed the
Raul S. Roco-Naga City Public Library or Raul Roco-Naga
Public Library (RNPL) for
short.
The measure, which was
authored by City Councilor
Gregorio R. Abonal and co-

Bongat at 2nd
international
mayors forum
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the
city government of Quito,
the capital city of Ecuador,
have invited Naga City Mayor John G. Bongat to speak
at the 2nd Mayoral Forum
on Human mobility, Migration and Development.
In his official letter to Mayor Bongat, Mayor Mauricio
Rodas of Metropolitan District of Quito, said that they
are inviting the city mayor to
share your vision and experience on the role of the local
government units in addressing migration-related issues
and the importance of human
mobility for the development
of the cities.
The forum, which was
set for November 12-13, this
year, is seen as an important
facility for the local governments to underscore their concerns, opinions, expressions
and declarations with a view
to having a decisive impact
in the implementation of the
Sustainable
Development
Goals as pertains to migration
and building on relevant intergovernmental processes.
The event is also expected
to boost the collaborative efforts by the local governments
on matters that were deliberated upon during the holding
of Global Forum on Migration
and Development in Istanbul,

Turkey last October 2015 and


the recently concluded World
Summit on Sustainable Housing and Sustainable Urban
Development HABITAT III
in Quito in October, this year.
The mayoral forum was
organized by the local government of Quito, in collaboration with UNITAR, the
Joint Migration for Development Initiative (JMDI) and
the World Bank, with support
from Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
(SDC).
The forum was organized
to resolve certain migrationrelated issues after taking into
account that nowadays human
mobility is a global phenomenon, giving that 1 in 7 people in the world is a migrant.
However, its impact is essentially local.
Mayor Rodas emphasized in his letter that it
is the cities that are in the
forefront in generating processes that encompass integration, inclusion and social
cohesion, legal protection,
education, economic development, health and urban
and rural planning and that
they are recognized as key
players in migration governance emphasizing the need
to amplify the voice and
role of cities in global discussions that define global
migration policies. -jbn

MUNTINLUPA VISITORS

CEPPIO

Mayor John Bongat welcomes delegates from the City of


Muntinlupa who visited Naga learn from the citys Business
One Stop Shop (BOSS).

sponsored by city councilors


Elmer S. Baldemoro, Mila
S.D. Raquid-Arroyo and RayAn Cydrick G. Rentoy, also
constituted the RNPL Standardization Committee which
is tasked to evaluate the status
of RNPL every year. It shall
undertake its first evaluation
no later than May 2016.
The committee shall be
composed of:
1.) Chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on
Education, Chairman
2.) RNPL Librarian, Secretary
3.) Representative of the
Department of Education Di(Turn to page 7)

ALL EARS

CEPPIO

The Arts and Culture Summit continues with a Book Talk done at the Raul Roco - Naga Public
Library. Students from all over the city listen intently to different local authors as they recite
their stories and their poetry.The audience was also treated to "Pinokyo", the classic novel
translated to Bikol by Fr. Wilmer Tria.

november 15-21, 2015

bikol reporter

Bicol now 7th poorest . . .


declined between 2009 and
2012.
Legazpi City, which is
noted for the tremendous improvements of its tourism industry since about 10 years
ago, is mentioned in the NSCB
list as the only city in Bicol
to be among the top 10 municipalities and cities with the
largest reduction in poverty incidence. These improvements
lifted Bicol from the rank of
4th to 7th among the countrys
poorest regions with Masbate
earlier ranked as among the 10
poorest provinces graduating
from the circle in 2012 owing
to the reduction of political
violence and tourism industry
advancement.
According to the latest listing made by the NAPC, the
Top 10 provinces in the Philippines that have the high-

est poverty incidence among


families from 2006 to 2012
are, Lanao del Sur, followed
by Eastern Samar, Apayao,
Maguindanao, Zamboanga
del Sur, Sarangani, North
Cotabato, Negros Oriental,
Northern Samar and Western
Samar.
The listing, which was
released for the recent observance of the National Week
for Overcoming Extreme
Poverty, said Lanao del Sur,
which is a province located
in the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM),
remains to be number one
among the provinces with the
most number of poor families
with 67.3-percent poverty incidence.
The 2010 Census and
Housing Population conducted by PSA also shows that

24K PAWNSHOP

General Luna St., Naga City

AUCTION SALE on DECEMBER 4, 2015


of all unredeemed articles pledged from MAY JUNE 2015 at 9:00 a.m.
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: November 15, 2015

R. GUINHAWA PAWNSHOP
General Luna St., Naga City

AUCTION SALE on DECEMBER 4, 2015


of all unredeemed articles pledged from MAY JUNE 2015 at 9:00 a.m.
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: November 15, 2015

there was a drastic drop of


population in the same province with 933,260 number of
people, which is -6.98 percent
from 1,138,544 in 2007.
Eastern Samar, which is a
province located in the Eastern Visayas region and whose
main economic activities are
agriculture and fishery, NAPC
said, is now the second poorest province in the Philippines
with 55.4 percent poverty incidence.
Apayao, which is part of
the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the
least densely populated province with an area of 4413.35
square kilometers and a population of only 112,636 as of
2010, comes third among
the poorest provinces of the
Philippines with 54.7-percent
poverty incidence.
Maguindanao, another part
of the ARMM which became
the most talked-about province owing to the politicallymotivated massacre of 57
people including dozens of
local journalists in November,
comes 4th with 54.5 percent
of the total number of families
living in poverty.
The same province once
more hugged the international
limelight following last Jan.
25s bloody encounter in Mamasapano town that left dead
from the hands of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front and
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters 44 members
of the police Special Action
Force on a mission to neutralize Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist
Zulkifli Abdhir aka Marwan.

Zamboanga del Norte in


the Zamboanga Penisula region, which was the countrys
number one poorest province
back in 2006 with its 64.6percent poverty incidence
rate, according to the NAPC
listing, is now in the 5th spot
by improving to only 48 percent the number of its families
living in economic difficulties.
Sarangani and North Cotabato provinces, which are
part of the South CotabatoCotabato-Sultan
KudaratSarangani-Gen. Santos City
(SOCCSKSARGEN) region,
registered 46- and 44.8-percent poverty incidences to be
ranked 6th and 7th, respectively.
Negros Oriental or Eastern Negros is located in the
southeastern half of the Negros Island Region and despite the fact that it has been
an electricity supplier to its
neighboring provinces and
has a good agricultural land,
it still has a poverty incidence
rate of 43.9 percent to be
ranked 8th.
Northern Samar, which

is one of the three provinces


comprising the Island of Samar whose tourism industry has great potential but
remains unknown to most
tourists is number nine poorest with its 43.5-percent poverty incidence ratea figure
which according the NAPC
might be lessened once its
tourist attractions become
fully utilized.
Western Samar which
comes 10th, NAPC said, is
another new entry in the list
of the poorest provinces in the
country with 43.5-percent incidence of poverty, same with
Northern Samar and one of
the most affected areas by the
super typhoon Yolanda on
Nov. 8 2013 which damaged
the livelihood of the locals.
The NAPC explained that
to be considered non-poor,
a family with five members
must earn at least Php8,778
a month while an individual
also needs to earn at least
Php10,534 for six months so
he or she would not be considered poor. Also according
to the commission, poverty
incidence in 2014 increased

More funds sought . . .


transform the rural areas
into dynamic and competent
growth points for agricultural
development as the national
government pursues inclusive growth that should be
felt down to the remotest and
smallest rural barangay.
But, Hubilla said, the National Project Coordination
Offices (NPCO) is requesting
additional financing worth 0
million as a guaranteed additional budget available after January 2016 to realize
PRDPs firm commitments to
LGUs requests for infrastructure projects.
He emphasized that the
South Luzon Cluster has to
achieve about Php500 million
disbursements by June 2016
from the requested additional
financing, adding that PRDP
is hoping that the request will
be approved by the National
Economic and Development
Authority board before June
2016.
Elena De los Santos, DA
regional technical director and
deputy project director, said
the request for additional fund
was discussed during the 2nd
Coordination Meeting held on
October 28-29, 2015 in Que-

zon City.
Also discussed, she said,
were the action plans of the
region which include hiring
additional staff to enterprise
development, monitoring and
evaluation, and reviewing and
validating sub-project proposals.
The region also commits
to designate provincial coordinators from the infrastructure development group to
be responsible in generating
reports on sub-projects status and the Regional Project
Coordination Office (RPCO)
for Bicol will fast track the
conduct of training on proponent group profiling and
mapping.
The RPCO is also determined to make its financial
processes more effective and
efficient through clear-cut
work and financial plan as
well as procurement plan, De
los Santos said.
Also highlighted during
the coordination meeting were
the findings and recommendations generated from the
1st WB Implementation Support Mission held on August
25-28, 2015 in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan for each

to 25.8 percentmeaning, 20
percent or one out of five Filipino families which is 1.2
percent higher compared to
the 2013 first semester poverty statistics. The higher count
of poor people, it explained,
is because food prices and the
result of Yolanda.
There are many factors that
cause poverty like employment issues and high population growth, but the main
factor affecting the countrys
economy and the livelihood
of Filipinos is the governance
issues such as corruption and
security issues which are
prevalent in Mindanao and
other poor areas.
The NAPC said entrepreneurs will not be interested
in investing money in a place
where there is violence, which
results in low employment opportunity and a bad economy.
Poverty incidence, NAPC
added, is the proportion of
poor individuals/families to
the population; those whose
income fall below the poverty
threshold or those who cannot
afford to provide for their basic needs.
component, catch-up plans to
address the findings, and the
third quarter accomplishments
of the cluster and the RPCOs.
During the meeting, Hubilla said, he instructed the RPCOs to put the memorandum
of agreement (MOA) with
provincial local government
unit partners on top of its order
of priorities.
Currently, three provinces
of Bicol-- Albay, Camarines
Sur, and Camarines Norte
-- have signed MOAs with
PRDP while the revised MOA
with Catanduanes was already
endorsed to PSO for Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcalas signature.
The region is working on
two MOAs with municipal
LGUs namely Placer and Esperanza, Masbate.
Hubilla stressed the need
to fast track the hiring of additional staff as this directly
impacts the accomplishment
of target outputs.
He also informed the RPCOs that the WB may conduct
random inspection to infrastructure and enterprise development hence, sub-project
preparations and urgent solutions to quality and workmanship issues must be implemented.

for october
Name of Deceased

Date of Interment

EDWIN B. PRINCESA SR.

October 4, 2015

LOLAINE Z. PADILLO

October 4, 2015

EMMANUEL D. AYCARDO

October 6, 2015

GABRIEL B. ALONZO

October 10, 2015

VIRGINIA L. GIANAN

October 15, 2015

RUFINA C. DY

October 20, 2015

NIEVES N. FRANCISCO

October 17, 2015

AMADA O. JANUARIO

October 18, 2015

CRISTNA B. SAMBO

October 20, 2015

PAZ G. MINOR

October 23, 2015

EMMA F. CATOLICO

October 24, 2015

november 15-21, 2015


Prieto Diaz Mangrove . . .
naces to burn the wood into
charcoal and dark fumes from
the dirty operations sickened
the residents.
Devastation of the mangroves wiped out the natural food supply and the town
sank into poverty and hunger,
Doma said, until then mayor
Joseph Yap sought help from
the DENR which promptly
studied the locale.
The woodcutters were
warned and made to stop denuding and instead pushed
them into replantinga reformed way that made them
reaping its fruits in only three
years, said Doma, who explained that when Nature
used to withhold her bounty

because of the forest destruction, she now gives the conservationist townsfolk rich food-crabs, clams, fish, lobster and
sea urchin.
Baltazar said Prieto Diazs
story is about the right mix of
political will, scientific knowhow, and peoples support.
The local officials campaigned for an end to forest
ruin while the DENR saw the
potential of replanting, making
use of the 19-kilometer-long
reef buffering the coast from
hefty waves and the 300 hectares of underwater seagrass to
hold the mangrove saplings
upright, she said.
Since then, according to
Baltazar, conservation has

Chinese Ambassador visit . . .


Catanduanes is the countrys leading producer of
abaca with its 35,000-hectare
plantations cultivated by
15,454 farmers who produce
an average of 19,000 metric
tons of fiber yearly, representing 33.2 percent of the total
national production.
This makes abaca its backbone industry,which since
time immemorial has made
the island a prized contributor
to countrys fiber export earnings.
In 2012 alone, the coun-

try posted an amount of


US$ 120 million in abaca
export earnings or an over
Php5 billion at the back of
increased demand for abaca pulp and cordage in the
Philippines major markets,
according to records of the
Philippine Fiber Industry
Development
Authority
(PhilFIDA).
Wong said that after the
Ulat, she ushered the Chinese delegation to the municipality of San Andres for
the distribution of 500 packs

bikol reporter
become a habit of townsfolk
as fishermen passing through
the replanting zone on bancas dutifully scoop uprooted
propagules from the water and
stick them properly into the
seabed, knowing that reforestation is for their own good.
Today, Doma said, schools
as far as Ilocos and Davao are
retelling Prieto Diazs story
while science high school
students and college biology
majors have been coming
for week-long field trips to
study mangrove flora and
fauna.
Government and non-government workers as well come
to observe as residents turned
their homes into hostels to accommodate the visitors, he
added.

of school supplies to pupils


and students of three public
elementary and high schools
in the locality.
She also learned from the
delegation that the ambassadors series of social exposures in the country is aimed
at a new round of bilateral
high-level exchanges that
could play a significant role
in advancing the ChinesePhilippine strategic and cooperative relations, according to the governor.
Chinese influence in the
province is multifaceted and
embedded in its culture and
traditions through the centuries. For instance, a number
of Catanduanons of Chinese
descents, from traders to refugees are buried in the local
Chinese cemetery, she said.
The governor also affirmed that her husband is
of the same descent as she
acknowledged the Chinese
people as friendly brothers
and sisters of Catanduanes.
- PNA

JAM-PACKED

Students from various schools lean in close and intently listen to Gabby Bordado as he
discusses his book: Tilling Fields. The students listen with interest and curiosity as Bordado
eases them into the intricacies of his mind, presented in his book.

City library renamed . . .


vision Office, Member
4.) Practicing Librarian of a
public school, member
5.) Practicing Librarian of a
private school, member
The committee, the ordinance said, shall adapt the
Standards for Public Libraries
for its evaluation instrument or
any such veritable instrument
as may be available. It shall
submit its first Evaluation Report to the City Mayor and the
Sangguniang Panlungsod no
later than June 30, 2016, and
every June 30 thereafter. The
2016 and later reports shall
contain Analysis, Evaluation,
and Recommendation. 2017
thenceforth the reports shall
add the section Action Taken
on Previous Recommendations.
Aside from the standardization committee, a policymaking body has been also
organized with the following
functions to undertake:
1.) To formulate and regularly update the RNPL Development Plan
2.) To formulate all library

Focus on Agri-Tourism . . .
For his part, Volker
Steigerwald of the German
International
Cooperation
also called on Bicolanos to
be more future-oriented,
as he advocated for green
economy.
He described green economy as factoring the environment and the effects of
climate change in its regional
development plans.
Habito,
Aldaba
and
Steigerwald were joined by
DTI regional director Joy

Blanco in a press briefing


during the Industry Roadmaps and the AEC Game
Plan: Regional Localization
for Competitiveness forum
held at the Villa Caceres Hotel here last week.
The conference was intended to show the opportunities and challenges for the
country in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
and instill the importance of
industry roadmaps in the context of regional integration.

policies, rules and procedures


3.) To determine the annual budgetary needs for the
operation and maintenance of
RNPL
4.) To find ways and means
in increasing the book and nonbook collection and in improving the facilities and services
5.) To serve as advisory
body to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on public library matters
To be officially known as
the Raul Roco-Naga Public
Library Board, the body was
created in accordance with
the Implementing Rules and

Reyes . . .
population and annual income requirements, it falls
short in its land area.
In previous interviews,
Mayor Sarion said he has
explored the possibility of reclaiming certain areas of the
Bicol National Park which he
said belonged to Daet during
the American period.
Reyes said once the bill
is approved into a law, the
land area requirement will no
longer matter as what will be
given weight is the provision
of the law itself.

Regulation of Republic Act


7743, the Act that provides for
the establishment of Congressional, City and Municipal Libraries and Barangay Reading
Centers throughout the Philippines.
It shall be composed of
the City Mayor as chairman;
Chairman of the Sangguniang
Panlungsod Committee on Education, vice-chairman; City
Treasurer, member; City Budget Officer, member; Sangguniang Kabataan Federation
President, or in the absence of
one, the Naga City Peoples
Council (NCPC) Representative, member; Librarian, secretary.
The ordinances Section 7
provides that: the Local Expenditure Program shall provide for the maintenance and
continued improvement of the
RNPL, according to the regularly updated long-term development plan.

DTI: Buy ICC . . .

not undergo proper tests and


inspections of the Department,
she stressed.
Blanco also urged consumers
to report stores selling Christmas
lights without ICC stickers to
DTI Regional Office at Tel. No.
4805721 or to the nearest DTI
Provincial Office. -PIA

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC


AUCTION SALE/SUBASTA
All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ROWENA ASPE
PAWNSHOP, P. Burgos St., corner J. Hernandez Avenue, Naga
City, pawned from JUNE 1-30, 2015 whose terms have expired
will be sold to public auction sale on DEC. 1, 2015 from 9:00
A.M.-12:00 NOON.
Redemption/Renewals of all pledges covered by the
above-mentioned date will be honored until NOVEMBER 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: NOVEMBER 8 and 15, 2015

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC


AUCTION SALE/SUBASTA

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC


AUCTION SALE/SUBASTA

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at R. M. ASPE


PAWNSHOP, Cor. Panganiban & Elias Angeles Street, Naga
City, pawned from JUNE 1-30, 2015 whose terms have expired
will be sold to public auction sale on DEC. 1, 2015 from 9:00
A.M.-12:00 NOON.
Redemption/Renewals of all pledges covered by the
above-mentioned date will be honored until NOVEMBER 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: NOVEMBER 8 and 15, 2015

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ASPE EXPLORER


PAWNSHOP, Ground Floor, Bichara Complex, Abella St., Igualdad, Naga City, pawned from JUNE 1-30, 2015 whose terms
have expired will be sold to public auction sale on DEC. 1,
2015 from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 NOON.
Redemption/Renewals of all pledges covered by the
above-mentioned date will be honored until NOVEMBER 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: NOVEMBER 8 and 15, 2015

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC


AUCTION SALE/SUBASTA

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC


AUCTION SALE/SUBASTA

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ASPE CROWNJEWEL PAWNSHOP & JEWELRY STORE, Bichara Mall corner
J. Hernandez & Gen. Luna Sts., Naga City, pawned from JUNE
1-30, 2015 whose terms have expired will be sold to public
auction sale on DEC. 1, 2015 from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 NOON.
Redemption/Renewals of all pledges covered by the
above-mentioned date will be honored until NOVEMBER 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: NOVEMBER 8 and 15, 2015

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ASPE IGUALDAD


PAWNSHOP, Cor. Igualdad Ext. & J. Hernandez Ave., Igualdad,
Naga City, pawned from JUNE 1-30, 2015 whose terms have
expired will be sold to public auction sale on DEC. 1, 2015
from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 NOON.
Redemption/Renewals of all pledges covered by the
above-mentioned date will be honored until NOVEMBER 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: NOVEMBER 8 and 15, 2015

DTI: Buy ICC-marked Christmas lights


www.bikolreport.blogspot.com
e-mail: rubenbabar_br@yahoo.com

outstAnDinG
locAl newspAper

For Five Consecutive Years


St. peter Baptist Catholic
Mass Media awards

pAGe 8

reGionAl eXponent for proGress


bicol, the philippines

november 15-21, 2015

4PS CAMPAIGN

p5.00

LeGaZPI CItY the


Department of trade and
Industry (DtI) Bicol again
reminds consumers to buy
Christmas lights with Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark to ensure
safer festivities this coming
Christmas season.
Only those sets of Christmas lights with ICC stickers
have passed DTIs mandatory safety tests, thus these

CePPIO PHOTO

Secretary Dinky Soliman of the Department Social Welfare and Development


led the launching of the 4Ps Tuloy ang Pagbabago Campaign in Naga City
where she was joined by Mayor John Bongat and 4Ps beneciaries who gave
their respective testimonials on how the program uplifted their lives and

quality of living. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is the national
government's human development program that invests in health and education
of children 0-18 years old from eligible poor households. It's now on its 7th year
of implementation, and now covers the 41,519 barangays of the Philippines.

Comelec, PNP & AFP step up poll security preparations


LeGaZPI CItY masbate province remains on top of the list
of election hot spot areas
in the region, a recent assessment made by a joint
government agency preparing for the 2016 polls
showed.

Romeo
Fortes,
COMELEC regional director said out of the total 701
barangays considered as
election areas of immediate
concern, Masbate has a total of 224, followed by Sorsogon with 176, Camarines
Sur with 153, Camarines

Norte, 84; Albay, 37; and


Catanduanes, with 22.
Fortes said the Regional
Joint Security Control Center, which is composed of
the COMELEC, the Philippine Naitonal Police and
the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, has already re-

corded an election-related
violent incident in Masbate where a candidate was
killed after filing his certificate of candidacy.
He said authorities have
already focused their security operations on the province where presence of pri-

vate armed groups had also


been reported.
The Comelec official
clarified, however, that it
is only in Masbate that this
kind of situation exists as
other provinces in the region have remained peaceful. -PNA

products are safe and reliable to


use, DTI Bicol Regional Director Jocelyn Blanco said.
Blanco alerts the public to
be vigilant and extra cautious in
choosing and buying Christmas
lights products to adorn their
homes so as not to put the lives
of their loved ones in danger.
DTI regulates the sale of
Christmas lights in the local
market to protect consumers
from the hazards posed by substandard products such as electric shock and overheating that
often lead to fire, property damages and even loss of lives.
Blanco explained that under
the DTI-Bureau of Philippine
Standards (BPS) Product Certification Scheme that is based
on the Department Administrative Order (DAO) 05:2008, all
importers of Christmas lights
shall secure an ICC certificate,
prior to the sale and distribution
of their products in the local
market.
Only those whose products
have complied with the requirements based on the Philippine
National Standard on Christmas lights (PNS 189:2000) are
appropriately issued with the
ICC Certificate and are allowed
to affix the ICC stickers on their
products or product packages.
The ICC mark is in sticker
form and comes with a unique
serial number. Those sets of
Christmas lights with pre-printed ICC mark on its package are
definitely uncertified and did
(Turn to page 7)

You are Invited!


All members of

UNC HIGH SCHOOL


CLASS 68

Annual Homecoming
and

Christmas Party
Dec. 5, 2015 -south Hills resto & grills
Magsaysay Ave., Naga City
VP BINAY IN BICOL

ALeX BusTAMANTe

In his recent Bicol trip Vice President Jejomar Binay was


welcomed by his brothers from the Scout Royale Brotherhood
(SRB) and Alpha Phi Omega coming from different chapters
here in Naga City and Cam. Sur at the Nikkos Bar and
Restaurant here. He was joined by Ex SAF (Special Action
Force) General Getulio Napenas (ex-commanding General
of SAF-Mamasapano, and former Labor leader Atty. Allan
Montano a native of South Cotabato; and alumni members
of Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Naga City, Cam. Sur and Bicol APO
chapters.

activities start at 1:00 pm


Kindly contact 0927-422-0433 for any concern.

Come Home, A Friend is Waiting 4U!

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