BOBON, Northern Samar- Mayor Reny Celespara of this town led in the distribution of 16 pedicab units on May 13, 2014 as part of his livelihood program. Also present during the distribution of the pedicab units held at the town plaza were officials of the Department of Labour and Employment led by provincial chief Patricia Bigcas. It was learned that the municipal government and the DOLE shared the cost in the procurement of the pedicab units which have a unit cost of P12,500. The DOLE shouldered 80 percent of the cost while the remaining 20 percent was sourced from the coffers of the municipal government. With the distribution of the 16 pedicab units, this brings to 30 in all of the pedicab units distributed by the municipal government and the DOLE to identified beneficiaries. Public Employment Service Office officer(PESO) chief Joseph Centino stressed in his message that the said distribution of the pedicab units forms part of the on-going livelihood program of the municipal government here particularly, to the pedicab drivers who gives their “boundary” to the owners of the units. In his message, Mayor Celespara extended his gratefulness to DOLE officials of their unfailing support on his livelihood programs as well as the ongoing special program for the employment of students and government internship program which benefited 62 students. “Salit sa iyo nga mga estudyante labihan nagud an mga pedicab drivers, hirute ini niyo ngan gamita sin pangabuhe basi makabulig san iyo pan adlaw-adlaw nga panginabuhe labi nagud an pagpaeskwela san iyo mga anak,” the mayor said. The pedicab drivers were organized first and underwent a series of orientations conducted by the Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance and DOLE for them to understand as well of their obligations among other things which are stipulated under a contract of agreement that they signed. (PETER D. PAREDES)
Local artist Enage joins art exhibit in Kuwait
Malalayang Alagad ng Sining at Adhikain or MASA will have its Third Pinoy Artist Art Experience or PAAEIII in Kuwait on June, 2014. MAKULAY or Malikhaing Kulturang Layag, A Filipino Artist Guild in Kuwait, headed by Romano Roman will collaborate with MASA for the exhibit at Al Qadsiyah Gym in Hawally, Kuwait entitled “Malayang Sining” with the Filipino Community in Kuwait and at the Philippine Embassy in Faiha, Kuwait in June 12. The Filipino Art Exhibition are part of the celebration of the 116th Philippine Independence Day in Kuwait, The exhibit is supported by The Philippine Embassy in Kuwait Spearheaded by Consul General Raul Dado. This exhibit will be MASA 3rd International Event, First was on June 2012 in the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. Second was on September 2013 in the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Aside from the Philippine Embassy Exhibit, MASA also represented the country and joined the Art Expo Malaysia 2013 held in Matrade, Kuala Lumpor. The exhibit will showcase the works of Del Micor-Camins of Muntinlupa City, John Louie Rivera, Normalyn Fernandez-Carreon and Gabriel Pingol of Ilocos Norte, Wilhelmina Impat-Galiza of Cagayan, Lovebirds Dante Enage and Ge Ann Balintec of Tacloban City, MASA CF Reynaldo De La Pena of Antique, MASA Core team Meleen Balingbing of Quezon City and Melvin Parcasio of Tarlac and MASA Founder and Chairman, Arao Salamat. MASA was established on June 2012 and originally composed of passionate and dedicated Filipino artists in different disciplines. The primary and ultimate vision of the group is to promulgate Philippine arts and culture by means of exhibition, collaboration, interaction, and workshop locally and internationally. Interestingly, the organization profile state; a“Walang Sining,kung walang Adhikain.” (PR)
SSS members with biometric UMID cards reach 4-M
The Social Security System (SSS) said it has issued the biometric-based Unified Multi-Purpose Identification System (UMID) card to over four million SSS members at present, with 1.3 million UMID cards issued in 2013. SSS started issuing UMID cards to members in July 2011. Mario Sibucao, SSS Vice President for Member Services, said the number of UMID applications, as reflected by the total number of UMID “data captures,” reached 1.2 million last year, up by 22 percent from about 975,000 in 2012. “Data capture involves members’ registration of demographic and biometric data into the UMID database. The biometric information, particularly the fingerprint scans, are used to protect the system from persons trying to obtain multiple UMID cards to support fraudulent identities,” Sibucao explained. UMID data capture services are available in SSS branches on regular working days, while 13 of these will remain open to UMID applicants every Saturday until June 28, 2014. The SSS branches with Saturday UMID schedules include Alabang, Diliman, Makati-Gil Puyat, Makati-Ayala, Manila, Pasig-Shaw, San Francisco del Monte, Bacoor, Biñan, Dagupan, Bacolod, Cebu and Iloilo. “Mallgoers can also visit SSS Service Offices on Tuesdays until Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to apply for their UMID card at Ali Mall in Cubao, Star Mall in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan, and SM City Cebu and Robinsons Fuente, which are both based in Cebu,” Sibucao said. For overseas members, UMID services are open from Mondays to Fridays at 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, Brunei, London, Riyadh, Rome and Singapore; the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong, Jeddah and Milan; and the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai, Kuwait and Taiwan. Sibucao clarified that cardholders of the previous SSS biometric ID can still use them for SSS transactions and are not required to apply for the UMID. Those who prefer to upgrade to the UMID card must surrender their old SSS ID and pay a replacement fee of P300. However, UMID cards of first-time SSS ID applicants are free of charge. Early this year, the SSS signed an agreement with AllCard Plastics Philippines, Inc. for the installation of nearly 300 self-service Information Terminals in SSS branches nationwide. Once installed, members can tap their UMID cards and scan their fingerprints in these terminals to get secure access to their contributions, loan and benefit records. “We also plan to enable these terminals to accept SSS transactions such as salary loan applications, maternity notifications, compliance with the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners and submission of technical retirement claims, among other services,” Sibucao said. The SSS processes UMID applications in 10 working days, and then forwards the packaged ID cards to the Philippine Postal Corporation for mailing within an average period of two weeks, depending on the member’s address. SSS members with at least one posted contribution can apply for the UMID.(PR)
LDS Church embarks on $1.5-M livelihood recovery program
TACLOBAN CITY – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) embarks on a $1.5 million project for technical education and livelihood recovery of more than 5,000 members affected by supertyphoon Yolanda. Jose Antonio San Gabriel, LDS self reliance service manager, said that half of the amount from the church’s Perpetual Education Fund (PEF) will be used for scholarship of enrollees while the remaining half will be spent to procure needed equipments to jumpstart livelihood activities. Members can avail a maximum loan of P22,000. They will only be required to return15% of the loan, payable in 10 months or just P220 monthly. “PEF are donated funds from generous members worldwide. We want to use this money to restore the shattered livelihood of families,” San Gabriel told reporters at the sidelines of a commencement exercise of 620 carpenters who took part in the rebuilding of 620 houses held on May 28. Although these carpenters have already received certificates from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), they are also encouraged to avail the PEF project. “Education is the key to opportunity and we ask those interested to continue education so they could receive certificates. The hope here is to educate and build self reliance and help them learn how to progress and provide for their families,” said Elder Ian Ardern, one of the top LDS church leader in the Philippines area. The PEF has been established to provide adults of LDS church with the support and resources necessary to improve their lives through education and better employment to better serve their family, the Church, and their community. LDS Charities, the social arm of LDS church reported that $6 million emergency funds have been poured out along Yolanda’s path. These include food and hygiene kit, medical supplies, funds for clearing activities, food supplies, generators, shelter repair kits, water purifiers, cooking kits, fishing gears, and vegetable seeds.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO)
Our Last Resort
We hear of this declaration from our religions preachers that prayers can move mountains and therefore is the only effective approach to various lives’s concerns specially those that affect the vast expanse of our taxpaying population. For almost a year now the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel P11 billion scam or simply put, thievery that involves a well-heeled businesswoman in cahoots with “honorable” legislators and other leaders in government agencies is slowly grinding. Sadly, for almost a year now three senators have been found to have been proven by credible government investigating bodies that have discovered strong evidences to prove they have committed the crime and so cases have been filed against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, and Jinggoy Estrada in the Sandiganbayan. Scores of other senators, congressmen, Cabinet members even private sector “mystery agents” and others have also been exposed. Unfortunately and to our frustrations these suspects are still scot-free. They have not been arrested. That’s our Philippine justice system. If these charges were committed by you and me, the lesser citizens, the ordinary ones, we shall have been in jail already, and await hearings during scheduled court trial and to be released only if proven not guilty. There is therefore a need now for our Christian communities to jointly storm the heavens with prayers that something should be done soonest to make these thieves bear the brunt of their abuses through our laws. Let us not forget that the PDAF funds – billions of them come from government’s hard-earned taxes intended for poor people, to improve agriculture production, specially. These politicians appear like they are far away from and beyond the reach of Philippine laws. The last resort therefore is to offer prayers that our Heavenly Father send His spirit of justice soonest to cleanse this nation with thieves in government, and for them to suffer for the misdeeds they have blatantly committed.
Heartwarming
DBM Secretary Florencio Abad has announced that government has already released P32.2billion as to finance government agencies tasked to undertake post disaster relief and reconstruction programs of the areas devastated by Yolanda. The National Electrification Administration (NEA) got P5.4B to restore power; P2.2 Billion for National Housing Associations housing programs. That is why a good percentage of the area hit by Yolanda has already restored electricity; we still have to really see which of the housing projects come from the National Housing Authority because what we have seen are housing projects of foreign donors. The most recent fund release is P2.01B was for the Dept. of Interior and Local Government for rehabilitation and repairs of municipal halls, public markets, civic centers and police stations. DSWD got P1.07B to be used to underwrite relief operations in communities ravage by Yolanda. They are doing their jobs. It’s heartwarming to note especially when Secretary Abad says that more releases should be expected, to speed up the rehab efforts in areas affected by Yolanda. -0- What remains painful even reaching the height of hopelessness and anger at this point in time is whether the alleged perpetrators in this shameful biggest thievery perpetrated by “honorable” but shameless legislators and other government officials involved in the so called PDAF scam is will these dishonest officials go to jail? Not in a short while, I project. The names of public officials specially congressmen and senators have been exposed in Ben Hur Luy’ hard disc files and those of DOJ Sec. Leila de Lima’s to include those of Secretary Ping Lacson, since last year yet. -oOo- But what do we read and hear? A surge of denial, denial and denials coming from majority of these suspects are quite disturbing. Counter charges have even been done by these suspects by filing libel cases to operators of media outlets and whistle blowers. Are we equal before the law? A big flat No! If the three Senators (Estrada, Revilla, Enrile) were just an ordinary Juan de la Cruz they could have been arrested and clapped in jail already. Since their crimes are non bailable offenses they should have stayed in jail until the courts shall have cleansed and released them if proven innocent. It appears that since these are not only powerful public officials but they are wealthy as well that our justice system appears weak in implementing legal procedures to officials like them. They are the top ten among Senators with the highest net worth in 2013, based on their SALN. Jinggoy Estrada ranked No. 3 with a net worth of P195million; Bong Revilla ranked 4th , with a net worth of P166million and Enrile 7th; whose net worth is P166.7 M.