www.bikolreport.blogspot.

com

e-mail: rubenbabar_br@yahoo.com

outstanDinG local newspaper

For Five Consecutive Years
St. peter Baptist Catholic Mass Media awards

vol. XXii, no. 24

reGional eXponent for proGress

bicol, the philippines

march 8 - 14, 2015

p5.00

473-8888

P2.8M sh landing center in Daet soon

By MIKE DE LA rAMA

LEGAZPI CITY The Department of Agricultures

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) will
establish a P2.8m Community Fish Landing Center (CFLC)
in Daet, the capital of Camarines Norte and a strategic area in
the northern part of the Bicol Region.
(Turn to page 7)

BFP stresses anew safety on Fire Month

By ANA-LIzA s. MACATANGAy
NAGA CITY --- Fire fighters from various Bureau of
Fire Protection (BFP) offices here in the province launched
the Fire Prevention Month 2015 through the simultaneous
conduct of Walk for a Fire-Free and Fire-Safe Nation
activity in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
BFP Naga started the celCity Mayor John Bongat
ebration with a Unity Walk, personally joined the tread
together with fire volunteers and led the participants comcoming from Naga White posed of personnel from the
Volunteer Fire Brigade, Naga City Central Fire StaChin Po Tong Volunteer tion and the Office of the
Fire Brigade, representa- Provincial Fire Marshall. The
tives from the City govern- walk was also joined by memment of Naga (LGU), non- bers of the Philippine National
government organizations, Police (PNP), Public Safety
students, professionals and Office (PSO), Bureau of Jail
(Turn to page 6)
other stakeholders.

eNerGy CONSerVaTION WeeK

Mayor John Bongat accompanied by his wife, Farah,

and Vice Mayor Nelson Legacion led the Advocacy Walk
meant to instill awareness on the importance of energy

CEPPIO

conservation. They were joined by Councilors Mila

raquid-Arroyo, Cecilia Veluz De Asis, Babet Lavadia,
Elmer s. Baldemoro and Greg Abonal.

NCCW preps up for Women's

Month celebration
By ANA-LIzA s. MACATANGAy

NAGA CITY --- The observance of the

annual Womens month celebration has
highlighted womens significant role in the
society, setting prominence to her character
as an indispensable part of the countrys development.
The Naga City Council for Women
(NCCW) in acknowledgment of this fact
has lined up series of events to recognize
the valuable contribution of the female
populace in her community. Starting today,

March 8, a week-long celebration was put

in place to provide opportunities to a lot of
women to engage themselves in productive
undertakings.
Lined up for the week are the Advocacy
Walk after the Sunday mass with NCCWs
partner organizations like Bantay Familia,
Public Safety Office (PSO), BCW and other
stakeholders and Gift-giving for the elderly
at the Home for the Aged-Villa Marillac
here.
A trade and jobs fair, dubbed as Asenso

(Turn to page 7)

3rd Floor, GERONIMO BLDG., BARLIN ST., NAGA CITY TELEFAX: (054) 475-62-62 CP 0921-3183720 / 0919-2822901 / 0920-5337766

opinion

bikol reporter

editorial

Self-Definition and
Women Empowerment
In its message for the celebration of the
National Womens Month this March, the Philippine
Commission on Women (PCW) urged Filipinas
to learn how to define ourselves and not to be
defined by others.
Indeed, if Filipino women really Juana be more
proactive, as civil society groups put it, they should
first and foremost, know who they are and what
they can do.
This should not be an act of assertion or some
kind of an occupy blah blah movement, but as a
matter of course.
As noted by United Nations Population Fund
executive director Babatunde Osotimehin, there
have been remarkable advances promoting the
human rights and participation of women all over
the world.
It is therefore incumbent upon women, Filipinas
included, to come forward and be counted.
This coming forward, should include overcoming
the barrier posed by fear the fear of being not
liked, the fear of making the wrong choice, the fear
of drawing negative attention, the fear of being
judged, the fear of failure and fear of being a bad
mother or wife or daughter, as the PCW puts it.
These are individual fears, however, not exclusive
to women.
The greater fear that women should win is the
fear of effacement and insignificance posed by
cultural practices and societal institutions.
These include, in concrete terms for instance,
the relegation of women to secretarial roles in
organizations or the non-inclusion or use of the 5%
gender and development fund in local budgets.
By taking the helm or fighting for their rights to
participation in decision making, women should
make it known to the world, and to all the Juans out
there, that they are human beings with equal rights
and with the capacity for leadership.
That they are. Ikaw na nga!

02082606

Tel. No. (054) 475-6262

ed g. yu
Editor

0939-604-3144

Lee G. Dullesco II

Head, Advertising Associates

0920-533-7766

march 8 - 14, 2015

New PHL-Eco Statistics

(PICPA past president and Hallof-Famer,
and
ACPAPP
Lifetime
Achievement Awardee).
INTEREST POLICY: The Monetary
Board is set on maintaining the current
financial policies, what with the benign
inflation being on stable rate below
target of 3-4%. The banking industry is
more than liquid with many big and even
small banks awash with investible funds.
Businessmen seem to be calculating
the medium range future which is
characterized by uncertainty due to the
forthcoming national elections.
Most of the loan releases are in real
estate development and sales, with large
companies cornering big, cheaper credit.
Opinions Unlimited hastens to alert if
not warn, the universal and commercial
banks of a possible bubble in the real
estate business, more so in high-rise
condominium projects. There are excess
inventories in condo-units in the Metro
area. The banks should delve more
in small and medium residential realty
credits.
PESO VALUE: Despite the unsavory
peace and order conditions with noisy
opposition segments unduly taking
advantage of the Mamasapano massacre
the local currency continues to be
strong as against those of industrialized
countries. The Philippine peso has gained
the upper hand in its exchange with the
US dollar, Japanese yen, Canadian,
Singaporean and Australian dollars and
even versus the Euro. (HK dollar is now
a bit costlier).
The key reason is the continuing

increase in our Gross International

Reserves which as of February 2015
is equivalent to 10.5 months of our FX
requirement for imports, income payments
and other foreign disbursements. The
Christmas season (when we incur
sizable FX outflows) is still six months
away. So also, cost of fuel oil is steady
resulting from excess supply (due to
lower demand from the Far East (China,
Japan and Korea).
FOREIGN BANKS: Japan has joined
the entry of big foreign banks into the
country, enabled by the liberalization policy
of the Monetary Board. Misuho Group third biggest Japanese conglomerate is
set to buy into Bank of Commerce. It will
purchase the 60% corporate stake of San
Miguel group which is now shifting gears
into real estate business. Japanese
banks have also invested lately in Thai,
Indonesian and Indonesian banks.
Global banks with presence in
Southeast Asia are keenly looking at
financial investments in the Philippines -

encouraged by the ASEAN Integration

which took effect this year. For one,
Maybank is looking at provincial banks
with intention to beef up its consumer
lending.
Our domestic unibanks
and commercial banks are also on
the acquisition mode of rural banks
consonant with the BSP mandate to be
bigger for competition.
ECONOMIC
FREEDOM:
The
Philippines leapt higher in the
moderately free economic group
with a rating of 62.2% . This is 13
notches higher than last year ranking
our country higher in economic
freedom but still short of the higher
categories mostly free (70-79%)
and economically free (80%-100%).
The higher Phl score was based on
improvements in financial freedom,
freedom from corruption, and freedom
from labor turmoil.
Negative indicators were reported
on declines in business and trade
freedom (overly red tapes and tax
rules) and in the management of
public spending. There are estimates
that if the trend continues, the Phl
will go up the higher mostly free
ranking in the near future, what with
the extra-ordinary leap that has
been recorded. The raters opine
that significant economic indicators
are there, and it is just a matter of
time when the higher ranking can be
reached!
WISDOM: A man of humble, even
sinful beginnings will be more saintly
once he returns to his God!

Mohagher Iqbals threat, Bad Deals in the BBL, the

book Reflections on Martial Law: Saving the Republic
First, let me correct the two sentences
in my last weeks column. The title should
be 908 Patients served in the 4th District,
Proximate cause of failures, & not against
peace but the law. The other sentence
should be Operation Reach-Out initiated
and maintained by the Fuentebella family
for 21 years had been serving the people
in the 4th District of Camarines Sur through
its free surgical, medical and health
services with the help and cooperation
of Like-minded people, not Live-minded
people.
*****
The following reaction of Mohagher
Iqbal, chief negotiator of the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front was reported in the
Philippine Daily Inquirer dated March 4,
2015: If the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL)
is watered down, you will not be solving
the problem. Our relationship is based
on the document we signed, stressing
that we have set protocols on how the
parties would deal with one another.
Dont set conditions. Dont dictate. Lets
negotiate.
Iqbal reminded lawmakers that the
MILF is a revolutionary group and remains
as such until the Bangsamoro Basic Law
is approved. Our relationship is political
and not legal.
These words can be interpreted as a
threat. The government should just follow
the Constitution. It should convene the
National Security Council.
*****
In the Biz News Asia Magazine dated
March 16-23, 2015, its Editor-in-Chief
Antonio S. Lopez wrote three bad deals
in the BBL but Ill write only one in this
issue.
The separatist Moro Islamic Liberation
Front (MILF) has only about 7,000 fighters
vs 124,000 for the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and 148,450 for the Philippine
National Police. Yet the government has
entered into a peace agreement with
the MILF whereby it will cede control,
authority and sovereignty over 32% of

Philippine territory-Mindanao, the second

largest island tand he Sulu and Palawan
archipelago.
The 32% is so rich in natural resources
agriculture, forestry, marine, fisheries,
oil, gas, minerals and other deposits
(even terrestrial and aerial domains), it
could feed the country for at least one
generation.
The proposed Bangsamoro territory is
limited to just 32%. All other contiguous
areas where 10% of voters say they want
to join the Bangsamoro can be part of
Bangsamoro territory. Article III, Section
1-C Territory of the draft BBL).
Also, the areas which are contiguous
and outside the core territory may opt at
any time to be part of the territory upon
petition of at least 10% of the registered
voters and approved by a majority of
qualified voters cast in a plebiscite Article
III, Section 3 Territory).
Conceivably thus, even Tondo which
used to be Muslim during the 14th and
16th centuries, can be part of Bangsamoro
land. Ten percent of their voters will
petition.
If the showup rate at the plebiscite
is 30 percent majority fifteen percent
plus one vote can annex Tondo to the
new autonomous region. Since voters
are only half of the population, only 7%
thus can make the whole Tondo join the
autonomous region of Bangsamoro. Is

this fair?
I also want peace in Mindanao but
I want the government to enter into a
peace agreement with this Moro Islamic
Liberation Front, peace in Mindanao
cannot be fully attained because there is
still the Abu Sayaff, the Jemaia Islamia,
the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters, the New Peoples Army, the
ISIS, the Moro National Liberation Front,
and others who will crop-up later.
******
I have just finished reading the book
Reflections on Martial Law: Saving the
Republic by Rod P. Kapunan, a martial
law detainee. As a senior citizen, I know
some things in this book which my late
father Ambassador Jose T. Fuentebella
told us after he conferred with Pres.
Ferdinand E. Marcos as one of his
political advisers. I did not know many
other things which this book reveals until
the end. It is historically enlightening
said Herman Tiu Laurel, a political critic
and veteran columnist.
Bishop Nilo S. Tayag, D.D., of
Iglesia Filipina Independiente said
the following about this book, Among
Filipino intellectuals, very few are
committed to the search for truth, and
to the defense and pursuit of national
interest with inscrutable passion to
interpret their saga as a nation. Most
events of the past have long been
interpreted by foreign writers to the
detriment of our future generations who
would be content with lies and slurs
against their own people and leaders.
I view the writing of the Ka Rod
Kapunan, especially his most recent
work on martial law as the light at the
end of a tunnel of obscurantism.
On my part, I also recommend the
reading of this book because it is a true
part of our history from the 60s, 70s and
80s written by a writer with no personal
or political interest. His analysis in
weighing the Positive and Negative
Effects of Martial Law is very objective
and enlightening.

Visit our website:

www.bikolreport.blogspot.com

march 8 - 14, 2015

bikol reporter

halo-halo

bikol reporter

CARD MRI reported 24,078

cases of death in 2014
Heart-related diseases
ranked first again

CARD Mutual Benefit Association, Inc., the insurance

arm of CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD
MRI) registered 24,078 cases
of death among CARD clients
and dependents by 2014.
Heart-related
diseases,
which registered 8,400 cases,
topped the list of deaths for
four consecutive years. This is
consistent with the Department
of Healths record in 2009.
Of the 8,400 cases of heartrelated disease, 4,963 were
males (insured spouse/father/
son of members) while the remaining 3,437 were females.
In the summary record of
CARD MBAs Life Insurance
Causes of Death Claims Paid,
all types of cancer (2,153),
pneumonia (1,801), fetal death
(1,028), diabetes (959), renal
failure/disease (950), accident
(794), pulmonary disease (658),
septicemia (647) and tuberculosis (613) were among the
next leading causes of CARD
clients and dependents mortality in 2014.
CARD MRI through CARD
MBA has been monitoring its
death statistics and aptly acts
on it through several measures
to lower death cases among

its membership and encourage

them to have a healthier lifestyle.
Considering the numbers,
which we hope to not rise
drastically this year, we will
continue to reinforce our interventions until the number of
cases decrease significantly,
shared Dr. Jaime Aristotle Alip,
founder and managing director
of CARD MRI.
One intervention is through
CARD MRIs Microfinance
and Health Protection (MaHP)
program. A series of health
forum on specific illnesses,
community health days, and
home visits of CARD MRI
nurses to its pregnant and old
members are being conducted.
Field operations staff of CARD
MRIs member financial institutions also conduct weekly
Credit with Education (CwE)
giving focus on proper heart
care. Also, clients can avail
free medical consultation in
CARD MRI clinics, discounted
laboratory services through its
own laboratory and discounted
medicines through BotiCARD
Pharmacy, which is another
member institution of CARD
MRI. Furthermore, through
(Turn to page 6)

The K to 12 Curriculum
in Nabangka National High School
School Year 2015-2016 is the seamless period for the
implementation of K to 12 Curriculum. Seamless means, there
will be no elementary and secondary as we use to call ever
since. Instead a basic education then junior high school before
the senior high school. No need to say first year but Grade 7
to 12.
In Guinayangan District, there are only two national high
that will offer senior high school lucky enough are the people
of Capuluan Central, Guinayangan, Quezon, because parents
will no longer send their children to far barangay just to take
and finish high school.
Aside from that the Nabangka National High School will
create bring a lot of changes in the economic status of the
said barangay. In the pioneer of implementation of the K to 12
Curriculum would seem so hard and difficult to push through but
then positive effect would significantly felt after the pioneering
students get their jobs.
Parents, students and people around the community, please
leave to the implementers hand. They know, it would be a great
help. Goodluck to all incoming senior high school students.

By Weden C. Morales

Teacher 1

Guinayangan District

Division of Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON

TEA Governance
In Tagalog Region, a unique and best practice in managing a
school was born under the excellent and meritus administration
of a Regional Director who is from San Fernando, Camarines
Sur Sir DADS SAN ANTONIO. Dir. San Antonio as we called
him the Godfather of TEA Governance who gave emphasis on
the true meaning of leader.
For him a school leader should be T-transparent in all his
or her dealings especially in financial matters, E-ethical in
facing all his or her subordinates, colleagues and in all the
people in the community where he or she leads. She must
be Accountable in all the properties that DepEd had turned
over her or his administration. The implementation of TEA
Governance is on its second year.
Its first implementation was celebrated last year in Antipolo
City, its second year was held on February 27 at Bian City,
Laguna. As seen in the various presentation per DepEd
Division office the emphasis was laid on the different orders,
legal basis, problems in the regional office.
The director stressed out how his office find ways to
help teacher by all means. Thus, Director Dads as we say
the director who lives in his name. Dios Dado San Antonio.
Goodluck sir, you are great.

By Jennybelle D. Perez
Teacher 1
Guinayangan District
Division of Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON

march 8 - 14, 2015

Pina-orog o an kasaysayan kan Inorogan

May proyekto an samong grupo: an
pagpakarhay kan sarong kapilya na
yaon sa taas nin sarong bulod sa Iriga.
Inaapod ining Inorogan ta soboot, nakua
digdi nin tolong Agta an imahen ni Birhen
Maria kulkol an gadan niyang aki. Susog
sa istoryang banwaan na naisurat kan
depuntong Rosalia Regalado, sarong
haloy na maestra sa sarong unibersidad
sa Iriga, dai nadadara kan mga tagaIriga an imahen asin kinaipuhan sana
nin duwang banal asin gurang na tagaNabua na mabuhat ini asin maibaba sa
bulod. Kan naghapit si babae na may
pangaran na Maria Dia sa simbahan kan
Iriga, nagdaguldol soboot kaya inisip kan
mga taga-Iriga na habo kan Mahal na
Birhen na iwalat igdi. Kaya nagdagos
si duwang babae sa Nabua kun sain
ibinugtak ini sa pinakataas kan altar sa
simbahan. Inaapod ini ngonyan na Inang
Angustia.
May nahiling akong problema sa
istoryang ini, partikular sa petsa kan
soboot pagkakua kan imahen kan Enero
1614, pakatapos daang nagkaigwa nin
pag-uson an bukid Iriga. Segun ki Dr.
Chris Newhall, sarong geologist na nagadal kan bukid, an pagpuputok kaini
nangyari sa mga panahon bago nagabot
an mga Kastila. An mga Kastila nag-abot

sa Iriga kan 1583 kun kasuarin nagtugdok

sinda digdi nin sarong doktrina, sarong
terminong katakod sa administrasyon
asin misyon nin kombersyon kan mga
katutubo. Kun nagputok an bukid Iriga
bago nag-abot an mga Kastila, malinaw
na mayong dramatikong pangyayari arog
kan pagputok nin bulkan na katakod kan
pagkakua kan imahen.
Habo kong ipaliwanag an problemang
ini sa lente nin kaliputan kan memorya
nin tawo. Boot kong ipaliwanag an
istorya sa konteksto kan misyon nin
kombersyon kan mga Kastila. Malinaw
na ginamit an istorya nganing ipahiling
an mensahe na mayong kaligtasan sa

luwas kan simbahan. Makusog an

kultura na nakapalibot ki Asog sa mga
taga-Iriga kaidto, kaya ngani an bukid
pinangaranan man na Asog. Sa hiling
ko, ini an rason kaya may paghabo o
resistance an mga enot na Irigenyo
sa Kristianismo. Mahihiling ini sa
katotoohan na mantang kan 1583
nakapundar nin sarong misyon sa Iriga
an mga misyoneryong Kastila, kan
1683 lang ini nagin pueblo o banwaan.
Boot sabihon, pakalipas nin sanggatos
na taon.
Maliwanag na nasakitan si mga
Kastila sa pagbunyag sa mga Iregenyo
kadto. Igwa sindang duwang tataramon
na mapaliwanag kaini kusong
asin anunuwal. An enot katampad
kan stubborn sa English, asin, nonconformist man an pinakaharani sa
ika-duwa. May bulod pa sa Iriga na
inaapod na Iliyan. Sa Bisayan, an boot
sabihon kaini paiplian, o fortress o
sanctuary. Sa hiling ko, nagpapahiling
ini kan inisyal na paghabo kan mga
sinaunang Irigenyo sa kombersyon
sa Kristianismo sa panahon kan mga
Kastila. Kaya kinakaipuhan nindang
magisip nin istorya, siring kan istorya
kan Inorogan, na mapahiling kan
karahayan kan pagpapabunyag.

New Bicol University president named

LEGAZPI CITY Dr. Arnulfo Noli
Mascarias has been named as the new
president of the Bicol University (BU), the
Bicol Region's top tertiary academic institution, Wednesday.
Mascarias bested Domingo Angeles, dean
of the College of Agriculture in the University
of the Philippines-Los Baos, and Helen Llenaresas, BU vice president for academic affairs.
BU vice president for administration Amelia Dorosan, one of the contenders, was not endorsed by the search committee.
Based on the tally of votes cast by the members of the Board of Regents, Mascarias got
seven votes, Angeles got four while Llenaresas
got one vote.

inner chess
by j. henry danican

The secret balloting was participated by

the Board of Regents whose members are Dr.
Patricia Licuanan, the chairperson and Commission on Higher Education commissioner;
Dr. Fay Lea Patria Lauraya, BU president; Pia
Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on
education, arts and culture; Roman Romulo,
House committee on technical and higher education chair; Engineer Luis Banua, officer-incharge of the National Economic and Development Authority-Bicol; Engr. Joseph Esplana,
president of the BU General Alumni Association; Engr. Abelardo Bragas, regional director
of the Department of Agriculture-Bicol; Director Tomas Brias, regional director of the
Department of Science and Technology-Bicol;

Prof. Noel Rafer, president of BU Union

of Faculty Association Inc.; Adelaine Bautista, president of the BU University Student
Council; lawyer Hardy Aquende and Engr.
Clemente Ibo from the private sector.
The election was held at the CHED Manila office.
In the public presentation held at the BU
Amphitheater last Jan. 26, the 56-year-old
8th BU president said his vision is focused
on making BU as a world-class university
by producing leaders and change agents for
social transformation and development.
We must join the world university ranking to see for ourselves where we stand
(Turn to page 7)

march 8 - 14, 2015

tip of an
iceberg
homar murillo

Email: homar.murillo@gmail.com

Beware of Online Scams

You may think that you are already too sophisticated to become a victim of scams. Well, if there are suckers born every
minute, you may find it difficult to keep your guard. No matter how intelligent or educated you may be there might be one
equally intelligent and educated scammer who can make a fool
of you and run with your money, or worst, your identity! There
are many forms of con or confidence tricks out there and it may
take several volumes of books or dissertations to document and
classify them all. This article post will only focus on a few common online scams.
Here are some common online scams that you should be
wary about. This list is far from being detailed or comprehensive
but it can help you avoid becoming a victim.
1.) Phishing scam -- This scam relies on imitating legitimate
websites, complete with logos, forms, graphics and functional
applications. You may accidentally stumble-upon these sites as
you surf the web or you may receive an email luring you to
these sites. Some phishing sites are masking as e-commerce
sites, selling some bogus products. However, most phishing
sites are clones of popular websites, such as Yahoo.com and
Facebook.com. The main purpose of phishing sites is to "fish"
or collect information, which may include user names, passwords, credit card numbers, and PIN numbers. You may end up
being a victim of identity theft.
2.) Auction fraud -- Unlike phishing scams, most auctions
frauds are perpetrated using legitimate auction sites, such as
eBay.com, Sulit.com and Bidz.com. You may end up paying for
a product that will never be delivered. One way to avoid this
type of scam is to use a secured means of payment, such as
PayPal.com. The actual transfer of payment can be temporarily
held or cancelled if the item that you ordered does not arrive on
time. Another way to avoid this scam is to ask for the tracking
number of the courier service that is supposed to deliver the
package. Most courier companies have online facilities that allow you to track shipments. A reversed scenario can happen if
you happen to be the legitimate seller asked to send the item
you are selling.
3.) Nigerian 419 Letter -- The name of this scam is derived
from the section of the Nigerian Penal Code that this scam violates. Basically, this scam is a bogus money laundering scheme
that asks you to be an accomplish. Emails of this scam are sent
to prospective random victims. The letters typically start in this
manner:

bikol reporter

NGCP launches 90 has reforestation project in Samar Is.

Power grid operator and
transmission service provider
NGCP is tapping Basey, Samar and Giporlos, Eastern
Samar as prime sites for its
reforestation projects. NGCP
is undertaking the projects
in coordination with the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR)s
Community
Environment
and Natural Resources Office
(CENRO) and farmer associations.
At the February 11 project
launching, NGCP formalized
its commitment to plant more
than 149,000 fruit-bearing and
indigenous tree seedlings as
part of its Sta. RitaQuinapondan transmission line project.
The 69-kiloVolt (kV) lines will
span 95.53 kilometers and pass
through the municipalities of
Sta. Rita, Basey, and Marabut
in Western Samar and Lawaan,
Balangiga, Giporlos, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar.
NGCP takes into consideration the environmental impact of all its projects. For every naturally growing tree cut,
100 seedlings will be planted.
And for every planted tree, 50
seedlings will replace them. We
also included the replacements
for trees felled by Typhoon
Yolanda. With the guidance of
CENRO and the commitment

Mr. Randy Galang (3rd from right) and Ms. Julia Echavez (4th from right) of NGCPs Planning
and Engineering Group turn-over a check to the San Antonio, Tinaogan, Cambayan Farmers
Association for the implementation of the reforestation project in Basey, Samar. A similar
check was handed over to the Samar Sur Upland Farmers Association and DENR-PENRO.

of the Farmers Associations in

Basey and Giporlos, NGCP is
confident that we will complete
this project over the course of
three years, NGCPs Engineering Project Management
Department Head Mr. Randy A.
Galang said.
The 80-hectare Basey reforestation site will be jointly developed by NGCP and the San
Antonio, Tinaogan, Cambayan
Farmers Association while the
10-hectare Giporlos site will
be maintained by NGCP and
Samar Sur Upland Farmers Association. DENR-CENRO will
be tasked to handle surveying,
mapping, training, and supervi-

"DEAR SIR/MADAM: I REPRESENT THE RECENTLY DEPOSED MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE FOR NODAMBIZIA,
WHO HAS EMBEZZLED 30 MILLION DOLLARS FROM HIS
STARVING COUNTRYMEN AND NOW NEEDS TO GET IT
OUT OF THE COUNTRY..."
4.) Lottery/Raffle Scam -- This is a type of email scam that
is too good to be true. You may have already received an email
congratulating you because you have won millions from an online lottery that you never joined. In some versions, the prizes
are in the forms of goods, such as computers, Xbox, cameras,
iPods, Plasma TV, etc. Would-be victims are asked to pay for
the processing fee or shipping cost. Prospective victims will be
lured to phishing sites and required to submit their credit card
or debit card details.

sion of the entire project.

The Sta. RitaQuinapondan
transmission line project aims
to accommodate growth in
power supply and demand, ensure voltage quality, improve
reliability of power transmission services to SAMELCO and
ESAMELCO franchise areas,
and extend power delivery
services to unelectrified areas
in the region.
NGCP is a privately owned
corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the countrys power grid. It
transmits high-voltage electricity through power superhighways that include the intercon-

nected system of transmission

lines, towers, substations, and
related assets. The consortium
holds the 25-year concession
contract to operate the country's
power transmission network and
is comprised of Monte Oro Grid
Resources Corp., led by Henry
Sy, Jr., Calaca High Power Corporation, led by Robert Coyiuto,
Jr., and the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) as technical partner.
As a socially responsible
company, it is committed to create a sustainable environment
and protect the natural resources
particularly in areas hosting its
transmission facilities.

5.) Freelance Work Scam -- This type of scam commonly

victimized those who are desperate and gullible enough to find
easy money online. Prospective victims are given freelance
tasks that need to be finished within specified period of time.
Job offers may include writing, programming, graphic designing, and marketing. Victims are not paid after submitting their
works. Some scammers may require "test" works that are unpaid. Another version of this scam is the "data entry" scam that
promises lucrative income by simply typing data. Most of these
so-called "data entry" opportunities require fees in order for a
job-seeker to be given the job.
NOTE: There are actually many legitimate opportunities online. However, you must need to weed-out the bogus ones to
avoid becoming a victim.

march 8 - 14, 2015

bikol reporter

Mrs. Phl-Canada 2014 welcomed

by Mangyan tribe students
TORONTO, ONTARIO,
CANADA - Velona (Beth)
Daliva, Mrs. Philippines Canada 2014, had the most heartwarming experience when she
went home to the Philippines
after about 20 years of being
away, as part of her prize as
the winner in the Mrs. Philippines Canada pageant during the 2014 Pinoy Fiesta and
Trade Show.
During her visit to her
hometown of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, Velona had a
reunion with a fellow youth
leader in her student days, Fr.
Patrick A. Bautista, who is now
a Catholic priest in the province. Fr. Bautista, together with
Gerline Gawad and other leaders in Pola, Oriental Mindoro,
initially planned to take Velona
& her husband, Jimmy Quan,
to visit Mangyan students in
the mountains. Mangyans are
the indigenous tribes with their
own language and customs in
the remote mountains of Oriental Mindoro, which is southwest of the island of Luzon.
Finding out that Beth is in the
family way, they changed their
plans. They instead arranged to
have the children come down
from the mountains.
About 129 young students
from Grade 1-6 walked down
from their mountain tribes
to the Calatagan Elementary
School to give Velona and
Jimmy a very warm welcome.

The Calatagan school has only

4 teachers, who teach multiple grades in one classroom.
Velona talked to the students
about her experiences and
challenges in Canada and how
she got crowned as Mrs. Philippines Canada 2014. Velona
told them about the Philippine
Canadian Charitable Foundation, of which she is a member.
She related to them what PCCF
members have been doing and
what the members have been
contributing, as a group and as

BFP stresses anew safety . . .

Management and Penology
(BJMP), University of Nueva
Caceres (UNC) Criminology
interns, Naga College Foundation (NCF) college students,
Barangay Tanods and members
of the Integrated Institute of
Electrical Engineer Camarines
Chapter.
Under its bannered theme
Kaligtasan sa Sunog: Alamin,
Gawin at Isabuhay Natin, BFP
wish to constantly remind each
members of the community on
the importance of vigilance and
awareness in saving lives and
properties especially of their
loved ones.
BFP Naga City Fire Marshall F/CINSP. Alberto D De
Baguio also highlighted the
activities that they will continue to advocate as part of
their campaign to lessen, if
not totally eliminate grave
damage to lives and proper-

ties caused by disastrous fire

incidents.
Part of which is the house
to house fire safety information
campaign as part of their Barangay Ugnayan program which
endeavors to inform the household dwellers how to avoid
fire occurrence by following
simple safety rules like checking the LPG tanks for leaks,
fixing faulty electrical wirings,
plugging out appliances before
leaving the house and putting
off candle fire before going to
bed, among others.
De Baguio personally handled Barangay Ugnayan activity at Barangay Iguladad, this
city just recently as BFPs way
of reaching out to the public,
especially those in the barangay. Reminders and preventive
measures to avoid the occurrence of fire at home are also
being reiterated during the con-

individuals, to help the welfare

of poor and needy in the Philippines. She relayed to the student
the warm wishes of her family
and PCCF, who made her visit
with them possible. During the
visit, Velona served a meal and
distributed school supplies and
slippers to delighted students,
for to them, such visits do not
often happen and treats were
rare.
According to Velona, the
experience was the highlight of
her trip back to the Philippines.

duct of the activity.

Just this February, BFPNaga already responded to ten
(10) fire calls, although two of
them are considered small fire
incidents.
BFP-Naga also continues
to conduct on-site fire drill
and seminars to various local
government units, schools,
boarding houses and establishments. They also conduct weekly Troop Information and Education (TI &E)
every Monday morning right
after the flag raising ceremony where new policies,
memorandum and other communication are being shared
to the members of the BFP.
To ensure that BFP men are
also physically fit, a regular
physical conditioning activity is also being done every
Thursday at the BFP compound.
For the entire duration of
the Fire Prevention month, BFP

She said it was made more

meaningful because it was her
husbands first experience at
doing a community outreach
mission. They will not forget
the students efforts and excitement at meeting them and their
appreciation of the small offering they gave them. One of the
students approached the couple
to say Thanks to strangers like
you, who have never met us
before, but took time to let us
know that we are worth being
made part of your homecoming.
PCCF president, Romy Rafael is elated to hear of the Mrs.
Philippines Canada 2014s
Philippine experience and
proud having her as PCCF's
ambassador of goodwill. He
declared, "We can only help
if our events like Pinoy Fiesta
and the pageants are successful. We have to work harder,
ask for everyone's support and
be united to be able to help the
poorest of the poor and to have
fun at the same time."
PCCF is now recruiting
candidates for Miss Philippines
Canada 2015, Miss Teen Philippines Canada 2015, Little Miss
Philippines Canada 2015 and
Mrs Philippines Canada 2015.
Join a Pageant with a Cause!
For more information, please
e-mail: pageantsphilippines@
gmail.com or visit www.philippinecanadianfoundation.com.
*** Fe P. Taduran***

will continue to highlight safety

awareness drive through visibility image campaign like lectures
on fire prevention, inspection of
all establishments, identification
of fire-prone areas, conduct of
pre-fire planning to identified
areas and familiarization of their
respective areas of responsibilities among others.

CARD MRI ...

the partner health providers,

CARD clients can avail discounts on medical consultation, laboratory services, medicines and other services.
We assure you that through
the interventions and continuous product innovations, we
will be with you as we combat
health problems because health
is one of CARDs priorities,
Dr. Alip concluded.
CARD MBA, which has
insured 10,693,645 individuals
by the end of 2014, paid
P695-M in insurance claims for
all of its insurance products.

Beary Treat

Kids from Barangay Triangulo are this year's beneficiaries of

the SM Bears of Joy program where shoppers buy a pair, one
for themselves and the other for their chosen beneficiary.

DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH

ABSOLUTE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY
Notice is hereby given that the named parties are the
legitimate children and surviving spouse of the deceased
AURELIO F. SALCEDO who died in Marilao, Bulacan,
on October 28, 2005 without executing any last will and
testament, and no outstanding debts, left at the time of
his death a certain real property situated in San Antonio,
Iriga City covered by OCT No. 178, containing an area of
20,506 square meters; the parties all of legal age and with
full civil capacity to contract adjudicate among themselves
the described property; For and in consideration of the
sum of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND (P500,000.00)
pesos, paid by ALIPIO R. VIDAL, receipt of which is
hereby acknowledge, the Heirs do hereby SELL, CEDE,
TRANSFER and CONVEY unto said Vendee the described
real property, as acknowledged before Notary Public Atty.
Edgar Froilan A. Vargas, Doc. No. 195, Page No. 39, Book
No. I, Series of 2006.
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: March 1, 8 and 15, 2015

DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

OF ESTATE
Notice is hereby given that the named parties are
the legal and sole heirs of the deceased MARIA
ANNE BARBARA I. MARQUEZ, who died on March
15, 2013 at Philippine Heart Center, Quezon City;
the deceased died intestate, without leaving any
Last Will and Testament and no outstanding debts;
left the following property/ies to wit: Bank account
maintained with Banco de Oro Naga City and Bank
account maintained with BPI-Naga City; that pursuant
to Section 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court
of the Philippines, heirs do hereby adjudicate unto
themselves the described properties in equal shares
pro-indiviso; or hereby agreed to waive their share in
the aforementioned property/ies in favor of Mr. Philip
T. Imperial as acknowledge before Notary Public Atty.
Simeon F. Adan, Doc. No. 293, Page No. 59, Book No.
CXL, Series of 2015.
Bikol Reporter
Published: February 22, March 1 and 8, 2015

WATCH OUT!

TATA DADO
IS COMING.

For your * Financial Problem

* Marital Problem
* Love Problem

february
Name of Deceased

Date of Interment

CECILIA A. LOPEZ
REMEDIOS G. AREJOLA
LEVY J. BAUTISTA
GERMAN S. GUEVARA
FATIMA R. LAZALDE
CEFERINO T. ASIS
AIDA E. CANDOLEA
FELISA M. FORTUNO
FRANCIS V. DE LIMA
LORENZO S. REQUILLAS
JOSEPH G. SANTAMARIA
AMITA V. CASCABEL

February 1, 2015
February 5, 2015
February 7, 2015
February 7, 2015
February 8, 2015
February 10, 2015
February 14, 2015
February 15, 2015
February 18, 2015
February 20, 2015
February 21, 2015
February 26, 2015

march 8 - 14, 2015

New Bicol University . . .
among the elite university around
the world. Starting 2015, the
best is yet to come, he said in
the open forum last month.
Among his key strategic
plans are: responsive and efficient academic governance
through restructuring of the university to enhance its efficiency,
partnership with private sector
for implementation of various
programs, market-driven and
relevant academic programs in
the line Asean integration, joining the world university ranking
to see where it stands among
the elite universities, strengthening foundation for a research
university by planning to create
research center, supporting personnel welfare and development,
expansion for benefits of scholarship for students, housing plan
for BU personnel in partnership
with local government unit and
private sector, enhancement of
support for students, building
modernized facilities, putting up
dormitories and student union
buildings, lounges for students
and upgrading and modernizing
physical infrastructures.
Mascarias, a native of
Guinobatan, Albay, is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in
Agriculture at the Central Bicol
State University of Agriculture
in 1982, MS Rural Sociology
in 1990 and doctorate degree
in Community Development in
1993 at University of the Philippines-Los Baos.
Since elementary, he had excelled in class.
He graduated as the most
outstanding student of the Ligao
East Central Elementary School
in 1974 and the high school
valedictorian in Mayon High

School in 1978.
With his academic rank of
Professor VI, he is also a faculty member of the BU Graduate
School and the BU College of
Business, Economics and Management.
Since year 2007, he has received the University Achievement Award and the University
Service Award from BU.
He is also the director of
BU Research and Development
Center since 2007 and CHED
Regional Research Center since
September 2012; and president
of International Society for
Southeast Asian Agricultural
Sciences.
He became the former dean
of BU Graduate School from
April 2003 to 2007 and director
different offices such as CHEDBU Zonal Research Center in
2009-2011, Institute of Local
Governance in 2003, CHEDContinuing Education Program
in 2006-2007 and BU Regional
Productivity and Entrepreneurship Center in 1997.
His achievements in research
have mark in the region.
Mascarinas became the leader of more than 15 research studies/projects/programs in the field
of climate change and disaster
risk reduction, food, safety and
quality assurance, socioeconomics, policy studies, impact evaluation, supply chain analysis and
value chain analysis involving
faculty members from other colleges/units.
A state university and college (SUC) president has a fixed
term of four years and can sit for
maximum of two terms.
In the history of BU, seven
presidents have shared their

bikol reporter
services, namely; Dr. Ricardo
A. Arcilla (19691980), Judge
Aquilino B. Bonto (19801988),
Dr. Patria G. Lorenzo (1988
1992), Dr. Lylia Corporal-Sena
(19921999), Dr. Emilano A.
Aberin (19992003), Dr. Susana
C. Cabredo, Ph.D. (20032007)
and Dr. Fay Lea Patria M. Lauraya on (2008-2015).
Lauraya will introduce the
new president on March 9, her
last day in her post.
Meanwhile, Albay Governor
Joey Sarte Salceda, in his official
Facebook account, congratulated
the new official.
Let us all support him steward the most revered academic
institution of Albay towards a
stronger and higher center for
scholarly, professional and cultural advancement, he said.
Last Feb. 13, Irene Kalye
Santillan also won as the new
University Student Council
president and will take her seat
on the next school year.
BU is considered as the premiere state university in the Bicol Region with around 25,000
students. -PNA

NIA says Bicol ready . . .

December.
With this, the region is expected to sustain its rice selfsufficient (RSS) status first
achieved in 2013 that saw a
production growth rate of 5.96
percent over 2012 for a 102.19percent RSS level based on the
regional production of over one
million metric tons (MT) as
against the regional consumption of around 822,000 MT.
In 2014, almost the same level of RSS was achieved by the
region notwithstanding the long
summer and the coming of three
typhoons successively between
July and November, by harvesting about 1.3 million MT for an
over 100-percent RSS, according to DA records.
Even with those irrigation
systems already established, Yu
said, putting up of more facilities in the region are in progress
out of the Php535 million funds
allocated to the NIA regional office by the DA this year.
This amount is for a total of

212 projects across the regions

six provinces like the construction of new systems, rehabilitation of existing but run-down
facilities and restoration of nonoperating ones, Yu said.
The total amount is divided
among the regions six provinces, with Camarines Sur getting the biggest share of Php166
million; followed by Albay,
Php135 million; Sorsogon,
Php110.7 million; Camarines
Norte, Php57 million; Masbate,
Php40.6 million; and Catanduanes, Php26 million.
Camarines Surs allocation is
for the restoration and rehabilitation works to maximize the irrigation of a total of around 911
hectares and the construction of
new structures to service an additional 62 hectares of irrigable
rice fields.
The province has the biggest
rice area with 158,348, hectares
supplying 45 percent of the regional rice regional requirement,

NCCW preps up for Women's . . .

Daet Mayor Tito Sarion said

the CFLC project is part of the
nationwide program of the national government through
BFAR to improve the socioeconomic condition of fisherfolk
communities with high poverty
incidence.
The CFLC is a program under BFARs Targeted Actions to
Reduce Poverty and Generate
Economic Transformation in the
Fishery Sector Program (TARGET).
With it, the national government targets to increase growth
and poverty alleviation in the
fishery sector throughout the
country.
Sarion disclosed that 252
CFLCs will be built in strategic
locations all over the country to
provide post-harvest support for
municipal fisherfolk.
Each costing P2.85M, the
CFLC will house post-harvest
equipment and tools that will
enable fisherfolk to preserve the
good quality of their fish and
fishery products, which they
could sell at higher prices. Local
consumers will also benefit from
the fish landing centers as they
will have better access to safe and
quality fishery commodities, he
added.

Tercer Distrito which is now

on its second year will also
form part of the kick off activities of the Womens month
celebration. The event will be
spearheaded by the Office of
Congresswoman Leni G. Robredo together with the NCCW,
Bantay Familia, Barangay
Council for Women (BCW)
and Metro Peso. The fair will
showcase various livelihood
booths. Participants coming
from various part of the province are expected to partake
in the said activity. This also
aims to highlight various local government units product
prevalent in their respective
localities as part of their One
Town One Product (OTOP)
program.
Opening the second day of
the celebration on March 9,
Monday is the launching of
Pilipinas G4 Health Belly
Gud coupled with the extension of medical services to the
Naguenos which include risk
assessment, lecture on healthy
lifestyle related diseases and
non-communicable diseases.
Participating in this endeavour is the City Health Office
(CHO), NCCW and the 27 barangays of the city.
Personnel from the Bureau
of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in collaboration
with the Ateneo De Naga Psychology Department will also
provide counselling session at
BJMP-Naga office. At 3pm,
partakers are also invited to
witness the ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening of Womens

expo at the Plaza Rizal.

This will be followed by
the nightly Womens Forum at
the Plaza Rizal starting from
5:30 to 7 in the evening. The
forum which will be under the
auspices NCCW and the Naga
City Peoples Council (NCPC)
will have a nightly theme. On
March 10, Tuesday, talks will
focus on Human Rights with
Saligan Bicol at the helm while
guest speakers from the Government Service and Insurance
System (GSIS) and Social Security System (SSS) will take
center stage on the following
day. On its 3rd night, representatives from PhilHealth and
Pag-ibig were invited to be the
forums guest speakers.
The Womens month celebration will be capped by the
launching of the Search for
Most Gender Responsive Barangay, Government Office and
Schools, awarding of Philippine
Commission on Women (PCW)
to Naga City as local learning
hub on GAD and signing of
Partnership agreement between
PCW and LGU Naga, among
others.
This years theme: "Juana
, Desisyon mo ay Mahagalaga
sa Kinabukasan ng Bawat Isa,
Ikaw na is in consonance with
Proclamation No. 224 series of
1988 declaring the first week of
March each year as Womens
week, to highlight the significant role of women in nationbuilding. Republic Act (RA)
6949 series of 1990 also declares March 8 of every year as
National Womens Day.

followed by Albay with 48,638

hectares; Masbate, 39,148;
Sorsogon, 33,804; Camarines
Norte, 20,671; and Catanduanes
12,993 hectares.
All in all, this new fund for
Bicol, Yu said, covers the establishment of new irrigation
structures for 378 hectares and
restoration, repair and rehabilitation of paddy water services
for 2,700 hectares.
He said the implementation
of this years projects in Bicol
are more focused on restoration
and improvement of existing irrigation systems as they could
be immediately done since they
no longer need feasibility studies as required by the construction of new ones.
Although smaller than the
previous years budget, he said,
this new allocation for Bicol
could already help maximize the
regions contribution to the vigorous pursuit of the Aquino administration of its Food Staples
Sufficiency Program (FSSP) for
the country.

P 2.8M fish landing . . .

The facility will also be
opened as a venue for skills training on disaster-resilient fisheriesbased livelihood and resource
management such as monitoring
fish catch and stock assessment.
With this program, we also
encourage all players, especially
the fisherfolk, to help reduce the
post-harvest losses of marines
products, Sarion claimed.
The facility will also serve as
a training center related to economic enterprise for a sustainable, long-term, and disaster-resilient fishery-based livelihood.
Sarion also said that another
purpose of the program is to reduce post-harvest losses from 25
percent to 18 percent, or even
lower.
With the help of CFLCs, consumers will also have access to
fresh, safe, and high-quality fish
and fishery products.
Ultimately, CFLCs and other
interventions under TARGET
will promote inclusive growth
among coastal communities and
alleviate poverty among fisherfolk, the Daet chief executive
stressed.
CFLCs will be operated by the
local government units (LGUs)
and eventually by local fisherfolk
cooperatives.

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 OCT. 1-31, 2014 whose terms have
expired will be sold to public auction sale on APRIL 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 MARCH 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: MARCH 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 OCT. 1-31, 2014 whose terms have expired
will be sold to public auction sale on APRIL 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 MARCH 28,
2015 only.

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

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ASPE EXPLORER PAWNSHOP, Ground Floor, Bichara Complex, Abella St.,
Igualdad, Naga City, pawned from OCT. 1-31, 2014 whose
terms have expired will be sold to public auction sale on
APRIL 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 MARCH 28,
2015 only.

THE MANAGEMENT
BIKOL REPORTER
Published: MARCH 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 OCT.
1-31, 2014 whose terms have expired will be sold to public
auction sale on APRIL 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 MARCH 28,
2015 only.

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

All unredeemed items/articles pawned at ASPE IGUALDAD PAWNSHOP, Cor. Igualdad Ext. & J. Hernandez Ave.,
Igualdad, Naga City, pawned from OCT. 1-31, 2014 whose
terms have expired will be sold to public auction sale on
APRIL 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 MARCH 28,
2015 only.

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

with efficient irrigation system

NIA says Bicol ready to meet dry season

regional exponent for progress

outstanding local newspaper

For Five Consecutive Years by the St. Peter
Baptist Catholic Mass Media Awards

BIKOL
REPORTER

march 8 - 14, 2015

By Danny O. Calleja

LEGAZPI CITY --- The

regional office for Bicol of the
National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said most of the
regions rice farms are now
ready to meet the coming dry
season this year with the good
number of working irrigation
systems put in place over the
past four years.
So far, around 318,000 hectares of rice fields in the region,
which is a significant improvement from the 255,00 hectares
in 2012 are already covered
by irrigations, Eduardo Yu, the
NIA regional spokesman based
in Naga City, said in a statement
reaching here Wednesday.
During the past two years
alone, the administration of
President Benigno Aquino III,
through the Department of Agriculture (Da) and NIA, poured
in to Bicol over Php2 billion in
funds for the establishment of
new irrigation structures and restoration/rehabilitation of the old
ones covering this bigger area of
rice land, according to Yu.
Among the new big irrigation projects the NIA has recently established in the region

BICOLANO NIA BOARD MEMBER

Sec. Francis Pangilinan swears in Mr. Silvestre Ka Silver Bonto, Sr., as member of the
NIA Board of Directors. Bonto, from Quipayo, Calabanga, is the president of the National
Confederation of Irrigators Association (NCIA). He was appointed by President Benigno S.
Aquino III last Jan. 22, 2015.

are the Ibingan in Prieto Diaz,

Sorsogon, covering some 700
hectares of rice fields, and the
Sibagat Reservoir in Minalabac, Camarines Sur, covering a
total of 262 hectares within the
Bicol River Basin, Yu said.

In Camarines Norte, he said,

NIA is maintaining 10 irrigation
systems and assisting 35 communal irrigation facilities being
run by irrigators' associations
all covering over 7,000 hectares
of paddies or 38 percent of the
provinces total rice area.
All over Albay, especially
its third congressional district which is considered as
the provinces rice granary, Yu
said, small and large irrigation
facilities are in place and working well, owing to the efforts of
Congressman Fernando Gonzalez who has been closely coordinating with NIA in the assignment of projects where they are
needed most.
With the dry season expected
weeks away, Yu said his agency
is confident it has made the region more prepared insofar as
rice production is concerned,
given these irrigation facilities

and the good farming practices

that Bicol farmers have already
embraced against the impacts
of climate change.
All the farmers should do is
follow the planting calendar
sowing by the start of the year
and aiming to harvest by March
of April then start with the next
cropping season during the exit
of summer in June for them to
harvest by September or October, he said.
In case of a longer summer
or a dry spell, these irrigation
facilities would play the role of
maintaining the water supply
for paddies even as Bicol
farmers already know how to
be flexible with their cropping
schedules like moving their
May-June rice planting period
to July-August, in time for
the onset of the rainy season
and harvest by November(Turn to page 7)

Art Lecture

University of Nueva Caceres and Bicol State College of

Applied Science and Technology students listened to the
lectures of Thomas Daquioag and Architect Jonathan Dengue
on art and heritage preservation during the Art MADE
Public of Metrobank Foundation sponsored by the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts and SM.

Art in the Mall

Mall goers viewed the works of the country's top and

emerging artists in the recently concluded "Art MADE Public,"
a nationwide travelling exhibition and lecture series of the
Metrobank Art and Design Excellence meant to invite young
Filipino artists and designers to join its competitions.