Iloilo, Philippines

by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (30 May) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directed government owned and controlled corporations to set aside five percent of their 2007 budget surplus for rice and food production as their contribution to the Agricultural Guarantee Fund Pool.

Under the amended Administrative Order (AO) 225-A, the Agricultural Guarantee Fund Pool “shall be used to mitigate the risks involved in agriculture lending, thereby facilitating the provision of credit in the agriculture sector”.

The Malacanang press report disclosed that the President in amending AO 225 emphasized the “need to incorporate a provision in the said Order for the effective and synchronized implementation of projects for rice by concerted corporations, financial institutions and agencies”.

The amended AO tasked the Department of Agriculture in coordination with the Land Bank of the Philippines to “draw up the mechanics and administrative arrangements, and issue the implementing guidelines for the Fund Pool”.

The amended AO also provides that the 5 percent allocation “shall be placed in trust with the LBP for the purpose of providing guarantee cover to participating financial institutions and other parties extending financing to rice farmers under a common Rice Program and various food production programs”.

The government-owned and controlled corporations covered by the AO are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Offfice, Government Insurance Service System, Social Security Service, National Power Corporation, and the Philippine National Oil Company. (PIA)

by T. Villavert

Iloilo City (30 May) — The government is pushing the production and culture of high-value fish species under the mariculture development project.

The project is in line with President Arroyo’s super regions concept to equally distribute the fruits of economic reforms to the countryside particularly in the less developed areas.

The Malacanang press report disclosed that the government will soon establish a “mariculture highway” as soon as mariculture parks all over the country can already produce enough volume of high-value aquaculture products such as fish, crab, shrimp, sea cucumber, abalone and seaweed.

Accordingly, there are now 31 mariculture parks established in the country.

Director Malcolm Sarmiento of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said that this highly-marketable and huge volume of cultured marine species would then attract buyers who will collect them in mariculture parks using the Strong Republic Nautical Highway en route to local and export markets.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is envisioning a network of mariculture parks in both the western and eastern corridors of the country as trading post for culture high-value fish and other marine species for both local and international markets. (PIA)

by ES Subong

Iloilo City (29 May) — Independence is not just freedom from the oppression of violence or hunger but also from ignorance and lack of opportunities for a quality life.

As part of its Independence Day celebration, the Department of Education (DepEd) through the National Educational Testing and Research Center will administer the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) and the Philippine Validating Test with free registration on June 12, 2008.

Corazon Polohan, Chief, DepEd Alternative Learning System (ALS) said the PEPT is a battery of academic tests used to asses knowledge, skills and work experiences acquired by school dropouts, school levers and average in-school youths which are accredited for academic equivalency.

Polohan said the test is for overage youths in the elementary and secondary students and those who stopped schooling and would like to continue.

Those interested should register with the following documents at hand: 2 pieces 1×1 ID picture, certificate from school or barangay that applicant is an OSY, birth certificate or transcript of record indicating the grade last completed, at the ALS office at DepEd, Duran St., Iloilo City.

Deadline for registration is may 31, 2008, although walk in registrants will still be accepted, on the day of the test.

The testing centers will be at the Division of City schools for Iloilo and at the Iloilo National High School for Iloilo province.

Polohan said the activity is in accord with a memorandum from Education Secretary Jeslie Lapus, dated May 13, which said that the event on June 12 is the agency’s response to the Arroyo administration’s thrust on access to basic education. (PIA 6)

Iloilo City (29 May) — The government’s energy savings over a 33-month period was recorded at P945 million.

The Malacanang press report disclosed that the findings was the result of a study of a government energy audit task force which looked into how government agencies have been implementing the Arroyo administration’s mandatory conservation program.

According to Secretary Eduardo Ermita who heads the energy-saving task force, the implementing rules and regulations of the Arroyo administration’s Energy Management Program includes the mandatory implementation of an energy conservation program; designation of an energy conservation officer; creation of an audit team; and a provision giving incentives that perform well based on the standards of the energy audit team.

He said that the “savings in 33 months since September 2005″ was recorded at P759 million for Savings in Electricity in the National Capital Region; while P72.2 million in other regions, or a total of P831.2 million. The savings in gasoline and fuel in NCR reached P102.7 million; and other regions- P11 million, or a total of P113.7 million.

Secretary Ermita said that last April, the government saved P1.6 million worth of electricity and 176,000 liters in fuel cost.

The Energy Task Force, said Ermita, is composed nine Cabinet members and will meet on June 2. The task force is expected to come up with specific plans on how to mitigate the rising process of oil. (PIA/T. Villavert)