online news for aklan, philippines

Thursday, January 29, 2009

STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS

STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS
AKLAN GOVERNOR CARLITO S. MARQUEZ
4th REGULAR SESSION
AKLAN SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN
JANUARY 29, 2009
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Mga igmanghud ag ginikanan natong akeanon: fellow public servants: from our national agencies, the province, our municipalities, our barangays; our ngo’s, civic clubs and other organizations – good morning!
Our country today is facing a bleak economic future. Powerful nationS of the world, the united states of America, Canada, Europe, the united kingdom, the middle east, and the southeast Asian countries are suffering the consequences of this economic turmoil. BillionS of dollars are needed to pumpprime their respective economies.
Coupled with environmental degradation resulting to global warming brought about by human neglect, god forbid, we are facing the imminent danger of more floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, forest fires And other calamities of catastrophic magnitude never yet experienced by mankind.
It is for this reason that leaders of the world, leaders of our country, of our provinces, cities, municipalities and the barangays should make decisive actions now to correct the situation in order, not only for us to survive, but to race forward and provide a new economic roadmap to free our people from the bondage of poverty.
Typhoon frank is a classic reminder for all aklanons to stop the abuse of our environment. It is, therefore, time for us to reinforce our belief and tightly embrace our God, put more strength in our faith in the almighty, as we clear the roadway of economic obstacles.
AND TODAY, 222 days after the unforgettable disaster, after the fall, we have risen! Aklan is alive, its economy healthy and vibrant! Ladies and gentlemen the state of the province, our dear province is very good, bullish, and has a very positive outlook!
Once again, let me thank the honorable members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, for the opportunity to start off the new year with a review of what this administration has accomplished during the year 2008, just one segment of the continuing and endless effort to develop the province and realize the ultimate dream of a good quality of life for all. What we do each year is a humble contribution to an undertaking which began long before our recognition as a province by itself and which the administrations and generations after us shall themselves take up. We have endeavored to complete what leaders before us have started and, on our own, we have started some projects and programs which may not immediately be completed and whose benefits may not at the moment be felt by our constituency, but which are all part of the constant and endless pursuit to build a province.
always, we look forward to a better future and dream, plan, and implement projects which take us irrevocably nearer to the good life.
For a small province with limited resources, there will be delays, setbacks. Like what we all suffered from typhoon frank on that black day, june 21, 2008. There will be difficulties: the looming adverse effects of the global financial crisis. But let us all think positive. Without forgetting that these are realities, no matter how grim, that we have to deal with. While hoping, let us all be doing something, together, fully cooperating to compensate for our deficiencies in resources.
Let me, therefore, thank the honorable body for their 415 resolutions, 68 ordinances including three appropriation ordinances, 7 General ordinances, 6 special ordinances, and 2 tax ordinances after 45 regular sessions, 2 special sessions, and 278 committee and public hearings.
All this hard work to provide us in the executive the necessary legislative infrastructure, underpinning our development programs.
Let me also commend vice governor gabrielle calizo, all the members of the honorable body, and their administrative staff for their consistent endeavor to modernize the operations of the province’s legislative arm.
Sourcing the funds
Even before the recent global financial crunch, a downturn in the economy has been noted worldwide.
Despite this, our economic enterprises have generally done well, exemplified by our jetty port operations which registered a stunning 87% increase in collections, From P41.4 million in 2007 it generated revenues to the tune of P77.3 million in 2008.
P58 million from terminal fees constituted the main bulk of the collection, P13 million came from rolling cargo fees. And the rest from other collections.
Our caticlan jetty port and passenger terminal now manages three wharves. Congressman joeben miraflores and the province had successfully worked out with her excellency, president Gloria macapagal-arroyo, for the Philippine port authority’s turn-over to our province of the management of the P80 million port which ppa built. An P80 million gift for aklan’s emergence as an important component of the RORO and tourism route, an additional source of badly needed revenues, a ticket to fasttrack development.
Thank you mr. niven maquirang, jetty port administrator and staff of caticlan and cagban jetty ports!
For the year 2008, the office through the provincial mining regulatory board processed sixteen (16) permit applications that were approved by the provincial governor’s office.
For 2008, the taxes, fines and other fees and charges collected from sand and gravel, small-scale mining and other quarry materials was P4,987,979. Exceeding the estimated revenue by p2,857,979.
Our continuing gratitude too, to task force kalikasan who helped contribute to the smooth implementation of provincial ordinance o5-021 and other pertinent environmental laws.
Thanks to mr. REX victor consemino, engr. Bernardo Rodriguez, jr., engr. valentin teodosio and staff!
Our provincial treasurer’s office reports an excellent performance that can somehow assuage our apprehensions over the perceived economic recession.
This year from real property tax (including current and condonation collections) we posted P136,682,709.15. a whooping 81% increase from 2007’s P75,350,000.
Due to typhoon frank Fees and other charges earned us only P48,589,128 in 2008, 18% lower than the P58,933,470 of 2007.
Revenues from business tax went up from P47,067,480 in 2007 to P55,356,432 in 2008. a satisfactory increase of 18%.
Our economic enterprise raked in P89,083,896, a truly unexpected 26% rise from P70,484,490 in 2007.
thanks to ms. suzette pioquid, oic provincial treasurer, mr. rey villaruel of provincial treasurer’s office and again mr. rex victor consemino of the economic enterprise!
Our provincial assessor’s office was again adjudged by the bureau of local government finance, region VI, and the regional association of treasurers and assessors in region VI as the most outstanding provincial assessOR’S office in region vi.
The provincial assessor’s office also facilitated the wide area network connection for the implementation of real property tax administration system (RPTAS) in the three pilot municipalities (kalibo, New Washington, and Malay).
For various fees from 2,729 approved transactions for 2008 (land, building and machinery) the province collected P7,492,597.65.
for its future program, the provincial assessor’s office intend to introduce the geographic information system (GIS) for digital mapping in two pilot municipalities (malay and kalibo) for proper auditing of the real properties and improved collection of real property taxes.
Thanks to mr. kokoy soguilon, provincial assessor and staff!
Other growth indications
tax collection is a dependable indicator of growth and despite hard times aggravated by the June 21, 2008 catastrophe, BIR collections registered a 9.45% increase from P499,243,933 in 2007 to P546,408,320 in 2008. While collection decreased in eight municipalities, our nine towns showed an increase led by the municipality of balete which posted a 63.25% increase followed by boracay with 40.71%. boracay taxpayers may be a class by themselves as the bir had separately listed the island with our seventeen municipalities.
Thank you ms. Nelia demalata, oic-revenue district officer of bir and staff!
Trade and industry was one sector adversely affected by typhoon frank. During the first semester of 2008, economic indicators on investment and domestic sales posted positive growth. The unprecedented disaster in june put all major economic activities to a standstill, however.
Business name registration significantly dropped, falling short of the annual target by 20%. For the annual target of 1,614, registrants reached only 1,292 in 2008.
Incremental employment for directly and indirectly impacted activities fell short by 30%: 3,477 only for the annual target of 4,932.
Incremental investments for the period amounted to P408.8 million or 43% of the previous year’s performance of P958.6 million.
Export sales though falling short of the target indicated a positive 6% growth from $0.4054 million in 2007 to $0.4281 million in 2008. The good news is that our nitocraft exports increased by 11%.
Domestic sales of monitored firms in the four (4) priority industry sectors (loomweaving, food processing, gifts and housewares, furniture) reached P194.3305 million, slightly short by 2% over the target for the year of P198.447 million.
We’re not exactly grasping for straws but the last thing we have to do under the situation is to despair. Let’s all think positive.
As DTI-Aklan has always been positive: determinedly organizing or participating in marketing events, trade fairs, product development activities, selling missions, trainings. Para maka-pundar it negosyo, pangitan-an, ag ma-empleyo ro owa it trabaho.
Another accomplishment in our trade and industry sector is the enactment on December 23, 2008 of the Aklan Investment and incentives Code that will hopefully encourage the growth of businesses.
Thank you provincial director diosdado cadena, jr. of dti and staff!
Allocating the funds: The 2009 provincial annual budget
Looking forward to 2009, our annual budget for the year is P811,204,096.00. P483,954,634.00 for the general fund and P327,249,462 for the economic enterprise development department.
In budget size, we have maintained our No. 3 position among region vi provinces since 2007 when we implemented our economic enterprise development program.
The bulk of the expenditures goes to general public services with P246,964,556. Economic services will have P137,417,197 while social services will get P45,558,393.
P29,489,755 will be allocated to debt servicing and P24,197,732 to the 5% reserve for calamity.
The theme of this year’s budget, “Toward higher grounds…… Let us not rest until our good is better and our better best. Bangon aklan!”, indicates our determined pursuit of betterment despite normal as well as abnormal hindrances as exemplified by the recent disaster.
Thank you mrs. Grace macahilas, provincial budget officer and staff.
In line with our youth development programs which should include the betterment of our educational system, we had continued our Provincial government college scholarship program. For the year 2008 we have 657 scholars in the program which cost the province P7 million.
The perennial lack of teachers and inadequate classrooms and facilities have always been a problem so that the provincial government in partnership with the DepEd and utilizing special education funds continued the hiring of provincial school board teachers now numbering 125 whose wages amounted to P8 million in 2008.
Also we allocated a total of P28 million for the repair, rehabilitation and improvement of our schools.
It has always been our policy to support the deped as our teachers had always been ready to support all programs of government – provincial or national.
Thank you, dr. victorina laroza of deped and staff! Saeamat gid sa atong mga maestra ag mga maestro!
The accounting office
Our office of the provincial accountant has updated and improved the efficiency of the billing and filing of philhealth claims and put into motion the use of stock inventory module of the electronic hospital management information system (e-hmis), the 1st electronic management tool adopted by a government hospital in region 6.
For CY 2008, the province thru the provincial accountant’s office received a total of p64.5 million from various government agencies and institutions for the implementation of specific programs/projects.
DUE to the good financial position of the province a 10% salary increase was implemented costing the province P10 million; hazard pay was paid to hospital personnel requiring P8.8 million; and an additional cash gift was also given to regular personnel for a total of p1 million.
Casuals were also paid p1,500 each as cash gift.
The increase in Internal Revenue Allotment included the monetized IRA received by the province amounting to P16,909,092.64 and the increase in the Internal Revenue Allotment which amounted to P45,110,344.00.
The province is expecting a surplus of more than P100 Million for CY 2008 or a more than 170% increase in our CY 2007 surplus of P37 Million. We attribute this to the hardwork and determination of our personnel especially those from the economic enterprises of the province and our innovative schemes in revenue generation.
thank you ms. ma. victoria salido, provincial accountant and staff!
Agriculture
Our agricultural sector was the hardest hit. Our pdcc, now the provincial public safety and emergency management office, reported that, second only to public utilities which suffered p550,680,000 in damages, crops and other agricultural produce lost to the winds and the floods totaled P488,544,000.
But we continue to implement the major agricultural programs: rice (hybrid, inbred, and commercial), high-value commercial crops (corn, mango, other fruits, and vegetables), integrated coastal zone management, integrated pest management or kasakalikasan, palayaman/kabuhayan, natural farming system, abaca production, and modified rapid composting.
as to be expected, due mainly to the june 21, 2008 typhoon and pests and diseases, palay production went down by 8.7%, from 141,574 metric tons in 2007 to only 129,258 in 2008.
The positive note, however, is that aklan still produces more rice than it consumes. In 2008, we ate 61,359 metric tons but our harvests after milling recovery registered 84,017 metric tons. Thus our sufficiency level of 117.8%, a national high.
Our hybrid rice program suffered the same fate but it is our belief that the two-fold difference in production – with the ordinary rice variety producing 80 cavans per hectare and hybrid rice harvesting as much as 200 cavans – still makes hybrid rice the ideal rice variety.
And so our p10,000 per hectare incentive for hybrid rice farmers still continues and for 2009 we program 1,000 hectares for hybrid rice. We also propose to increase to 10 hectares our hybrid seed production.
we have continued our high value commercial crops program with mango production as one focus. From the 37.5 hectares in 2005 we have expanded the program to 230 hectares, generating 690 jobs.
And from 113 hectares in 2006 we have widened the coverage of the province’s abaca production program to 306, generating 612 jobs.
As of December 2008, aklan has 2,089.62 hectares planted to abaca. Production reached 1,724,392 metric tons valued at about P90 million. This indicates a 32% increase from the 1,299,835 kilograms in 2007.
With the increasing worldwide demand for abaca we see our fiber industry as one that can lift our farmers from poverty.
And so we continue to provide financial as well as technological support for our abaca farmers.
Of the P488 million damage to agriculture our corn production program was one area that was seriously affected. From a 924-metric ton production in 2007 we went down to only 474. A 50% decrease.
Thru our 20% development fund, we propose the procurement of corn seeds as assistance to our corn farmers.
To intensify vegetable production and recover from the damage of the June 21, 2008 disaster, our office of the provincial agriculturist initiated a vegetable productivity contest and implemented the gulayan sa paaralan program.
For the year 2008 we continued the implementation of our integrated pest management program which include season-long farmers-field schools for rice.
Funded by the bureau of soils/water management we established a modified rapid composting site at tondog, tangalan covering 96 hectares of rice fields and benefiting 111 farmers. This is in line with our efforts to wean our farmers away from over-dependence on inorganic or chemical fertilizers which is not only expensive but which destroy the environment.
In the area of fisheries we continued to implement our integrated coastal management program under which we established this year three concrete artificial reefs (jackstone type) at mandong, batan; poblacion, new Washington; and ondoy, ibajay intended to benefit 150 fishermen.
A fish enhancing device was also installed at barangays mandong and napti at batan and at barangays ondoy, aslum, and bugtong-bato at ibajay.
A fish sanctuary was established at barangays ondoy and Aquino at ibajay with a total area of 36 hectares.
In our efforts towards income diversification seaweed projects were implemented at union, nabas and at bel-is buruanga.
Although damaged by typhoon frank, our freshwater aquaculture demo-farm, hatchery management project, and ISF nursery continue to operate with its fry dispersal program for
Tilapia.
THANK YOU mr. WILLIAM CASTILLO, ms. salome david AND STAFF. thank you MS. ZELENIA DALIDA OF fida AND STAFF, THANK YOU ENGR. ROGER ESTO AND the PPDO STAFF!
The national food authority’s procurement activities may have been affected by the drop in production but its distribution program continues: accredited Tindahan natin (both DSWD-funded and self-funded), lgu’s, and government agencies.
Although for 2008 our inventory has only AN AVERAGE OF 98.2 days to last compared to 2007’s 194.9, this is still well over the national average of 30 days.
THANK YOU ENGR. MARIANITO BEJEMINO of nfa and Staff!
other agricultural concerns
As our food security problems have been aggravated by the damage wrought by the typhoon, we have intensified meat or livestock production.
At our stock farm at tina, makato our office of the provincial veterinarian continued to implement an artificial insemination program, a cattle-fattening project including pasture and forage production, a goat-raising project, a swine-breeding dispersal program, and a carabao dispersal program. It is expected that we start this year our meat production line to fill up the shortage of meat in the province for the benefit of our poor consumers.
Parallel to this the department continued to implement an animal health program with disease recognition, surveillance, prevention, and treatment and control components.
This is why we have reinforced our animal quarantine and regulatory services program.
Rabies prevention and control, as in previous years, was also a high-priority program in 2008.
Thank you Dr. Gervase radislao, Provincial veterinarian and staff!
Our provincial agrarian reform office has effectively complemented our priority objective of alleviating poverty particularly in the agrarian sector.
Under its rural infrastructure program, the paro concreted/rehabilitated eleven (11) kilometers of farm-to-market roads costing p25 million.
The paro was one national agency that had actively participated in the relief operations after typhoon frank, distributing relief goods and conducting medical and dental missions in coordination with civic organizations.
Thank you paro, atty. Daniel martelino of dar and staff!
Irrigation being a life-or-death component of agriculture particularly rice producers, we are happy that the National irrigation administration, thru its provincial irrigation office, has completed various national irrigation system repair and rehabilitation projects totaling P12,349,524 and also similar projects for communal irrigation systems with a total funding of P2.4 million.
Our farmers can look forward to better irrigation facilities in 2009 with the implementation by the NIA of the Luzon urban raftway and central Philippines rehabilitation and restoration of small irrigation projects under which aklan has been allocated P40 million.
Thank you engrs. Felix Francisco and Rizalo concepcion of nia and staff!
Our status as a prime cocal province in region vi was recently endangered by coconut leaf beetle infestation (brontispa) in malay and buruanga.
But the Philippine coconut authority implemented a containment program with the help of the provincial government.
Subjected to treatment and prevention were 28,948 trees.
Thank you, mrs. Plevy reyes raco of pca and staff!
Infrastructure
congratulations to our provincial engineer, Engr. Victory Fernandez for having been elected president of the Association of Provincial Engineers of the Philippines. we must have a very good provincial engineer!
from simple repairs, maintenance, and rehabilitation, to major constructions, our Provincial Engineer’s Office implemented infrastructure projects totaling P92.3 million in 2008 as against 2007’s only p78.1 million.
located in our seventeen municipalities these are road construction and concreting projects, water supply systems, installation of signages and guard rails, repair and rehabilitation work on provincial government buildings and hospitals, slope protection projects, drainage canals, road-widening, barangay electrification projects, senior citizen centers, construction of solar dryers, and other such projects.
Thank you engr. victory fernandez, provincial engineer and all the staff! job well done!
Congressman florencio t. miraflores has also effectively responded to the other infrastructures needs of the province thru the aklan engineering district of the department of public works and highways.
The national agency’s carry-over projects – roads, highways and bridges; flood control; school buildings; multi-purpose buildings; public markets; multi-purpose pavements; and water supply systems totaled more than p100 million for 2008 and for the same period similar projects worth P194 million have been either completed, on-going, or yet to be implemented.
Thank you congressman joeben miraflores, thank you engr. roberto cabigas of dpwh and staff!
The department of transportation and communications through its civil aviation authority of the Philippines, the former air transportation office, has continued implementing the kalibo international airport development project.
The 48 million terminal building is now 38.27% completed.
On the other hand, the project for the installation of the instrument landing system including runway edge and taxi edge lights with a funding of p54,175 million has the following completion percentage: site acquisition, 82%; site development, 86.80%; installation of ILS equipment, 96.67%; construction of equipment shelter, 100%; and installation of runway edge and taxi edge lights, 100%.
Kabay pang padayon si president Gloria macapagal-arroyo sa pag-alocar it pundo sa padayon man nga improvement ag expansion ku kalibo international airport ag padayon man nga inabu ku regional flights sa padayon nga pagdugang it tourist arrivals.
Thank you engr. Percy malonesio, airport manager, kalibo international airport and staff!
Health
Congratulations to the aklan provincial health board which was adjudged the most outstanding in region vi in 2007 and is a nominee for the national award. This is testimony to this administration’s high prioritization of our health concerns.
Our program for the expansion and modernization of our provincial hospital, the dr. Rafael s. tumbokon memorial hospital, and the general improvement of our seven other hospitals have suffered delays and setbacks due to the problem of resources, migration of doctors, nurses, and other health personnel, and, again the damage wreaked by typhoon frank.
But as medical costs continue to rise making it more 0difficult for our poor to properly provide medical care for their sick it have become more urgent for us to determinedly pursue the dream of a modern hospital.
For 2008 our provincial health office, in coordination with our eight hospitals continued to implement programs to reduce infant mortality rate which has steadily gone down from 18.33% in 2005 to 8.38% in 2008.
Reversely, our present 92% cure rate for TB is higher than the national target which is 85%.
Continually declining is our malnutrition rate, from 15.75% in 2005 to only 9.66% in 2008.
Under our rabies control program, a memorandum of agreement with the privately-run animal bite center at the DRSTMH had provided aklanons bite victims with two free injections of the required four, an immense help particularly to indigent patients.
The prevention of STI/HIV/AIDS, dengue, malaria, and other diseases and the promotion of family planning, dental health, maternal health care, and breastfeeding were also among the priority programs of our provincial health office.
We would like to thank here our barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars who have been involved in our health programs.
Guided by the vision of the dr. Rafael s. tumbokon memorial hospital, our provincial hospital, to be aklan’s premier client-centered health care provider and the mission of providing sustainable quality and accessible health care service, its 398 strong officials and employees of the hospital with the hardworking 187 job order employees, continued to show improvement in the quality of health services.
as a second-level referral hospital, with an authorized 100-bed capacity while operating as a 186-bed capacity hospital, drstmh had admitted a total of 19,521 patients for cy 2008 posting an 27% increase from cy 2007 admissions of 15,335.
for the outpatient department, a total of 47,749 patients have been served.
Our laboratory department processed a total of 117,795 diagnostic procedures. It generated an income of P14,282,211.20. truly the workhorse of the hospital, the department has started to utilize the e-hmis inventory system for efficient inventory management.
Our radiology department for cy 2008 has undertaken 15,773 radiologic procedures and has earned an income of P5,273,845.
For the operating room/delivery room, we have delivered a total of 2,110 for cy 2008. more than 1,800 surgical operations were undertaken. For cy 2008, the or/dr had posted in the e-hmis an income of P11,612,956.54.
For continuing professional education of all hospital personnel attendance in residency trainings, conventions, seminars and conferences was a management priority.
For cy 2008, accounting records will show that we have posted a 34% increase in income. From P73,981,004 in 2007 to P99,421,815 in 2008.
The boost in our income was substantially due to the improvement in the efficiency of the processing and filing of philhealth claims arising from the outright deduction from the hospital bills of our patients, for this we were assisted by the internal audit team in maximizing the features of the e-hmis for the proper recording, filing, and monitoring of phic claims and remittances. Thus, for cy 2008, we shared a total of p6,880,643.10 an increase of P2,256,129.16 or 49% increase from cy 2007’s collection for professional fees derived from phic transactions.
As part of the hospitals continuing efforts to improve the health care facilities of the hospital, several hospital equipment were purchased mainly to complement the requirements of the intensive care unit of the hospital.
thank you drs. emma cortes and victor santamaria! THANKS ALSO TO THE HOSPITAL CHIEFS OF OUR EIGHT HOSPITALS, NAMELY: dR. pAUL mACAHILAS, dR. JULIUS GONZALES, DR. MARY JEAN GELITO, DR. MICHELLE DEPAKAKIBO, DR. ROY PAREÑAS, dR. MARY gRACE tUMACA, dR. jOHNBARD MAYPA, and Dr. Edwin Ilarina!
PhilHealth
still in line with our health care services, we have continued the implementation of the universal coverage program with PhilHealth where congressman florencio t. miraflores and I have each allocated p5 million for a total of p10 million Under this category we have more than 26,000 beneficiaries while in the lgu-sponsored program with provincial counterpart, we have more than 29,000 beneficiaries.
Including individually paying members, government and private employees, non-paying members and ofw’s, total philhealth coverage in aklan now 102,392.
Thank you mr. j’roel del rosario of philhealth and staff!
Tourism
We continue to look to tourism as one springboard to our economic development, bringing revenues to government and livelihood sources to our people.
The good news in our tourism industry is, that, despite the long-felt downturn in the world economy, worsened by the financial crisis, tourist arrivals in boracay managed to squeak a 6% increase, from 596,748 in 2007 to 634,263 in 2008.
One indication of this uptrend is the unprecedented increase in flights in our two airports.
Caticlan, for the year 2008 had 24,658 flights against 2007’s only 10,473.
Kalibo airport listed 4,642 flights in 2008 compared to 2,541 in 2007. This include regional flights (incheon, korea).
For 2008 our foreign tourism receipts registered p6.9 billion, while revenues from local tourists reached p5.8 billion or a total of p12.7 billion.
Aside from boracay, we intend to promote our other tourist attractions abounding in our seventeen towns. This is why we initiated the catchword, “explore aklan…Tara na!” we will re-create our jetty port facilities at caticlan as a tourist center.
We have also initiated the regreening and beautification project. It is two-pronged. It is for the environment, in line with our program to plant, plant and plant and make aklan forever green. It is also for tourism.
For this promotional undertaking, we have launched a contest to be participated in by the barangays and residents along the route. We have released funds for subsidies and for garden tools. Small investment for tourism and the environment .
Thank you, ms. ROSELLE quimpo ruiz, mrs. concepcion “inday” labindao and staff of the provincial tourism office!
The organizational structure of the AKlan environment and natural resources office (AKENRO) WHICH now INCLUDES A NEWLY APPOINTED AKLAN ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICER IS NOW being drafted and incorporated in the Environmental code of aklan which will soon be enacted and adopted by the sangguniang panlalawigan and eventually implemented this year.
Thank you engr. John Kenneth almalbis and staff!
DENR secretary Jose Atienza, Jr. had pronounced CY 2008 as an Information and education campaign (IEC) year to address climate change.
A people’s caravan “Lakbay para sa kalikasan, lakbay para sa buhay at kinabukasan” was held on april 5-12, 2008. PENRO-Aklan and CENRO kalibo were host offices of the culminating activity in boracay island.
The DENR people’s day, being the mother of all people’s day celebration was launched last march 27, 2003 in the municipality of Nabas. DENR aklan conducted four (4) people’s days. 266 patents with a total area of 75.23 hectares were distributed.
For forest protection and law enforcement, CENRO, kalibo worked closely with the local government units, people’s organizations, other government agencies and individuals to continue protecting the remaining forest resources of the province of Aklan. CENRO kalibo has apprehended a total of 398 pieces or 3,804.50 board feet of lumber, one (1) unit of chainsaw and eight (8) pieces of finished products for CY 2008. The apprehended items stated are within the administrative jurisdiction of CENRO, kalibo, Aklan pursuant to DENR laws, rules and regulations.
Thanks to mr. raul lorilla, mr. baltazar Gerardo of denr and staff!
PROCUREMENT
In its procurement task, our pgso, had strictly observed and complied with Republic act 9184 or the government procurement reform act designed to promote transparency in the bidding and awarding of government projects and facilitated broader participation of suppliers and contractors.
For the year 2008 our pgso facilitated the procurement of p47,865,619.65 worth of medicines, medical supplies, laboratory supplies and medical oxygen; p16,185,367.30 worth of office supplies and equipment, furniture and fixtures were also procured. P8,408,508 went to the purchase of medical equipment.
Thank you, miss medelia solanoy, provincial general services officer and staff!
Human resource management
For the year 2008, our human resource and management office facilitated the usual evaluation of applicants and the processing of the appointment papers of appointees. There were a total of 55 new appointees and 30 promotional appointments for year 2008
It has effectively maintained close coordination with the provincial office of the civil service commission and facilitated the continued training of personnel.
thank you Mrs. Ellen Tolentino, provincial human resource and management officer and staff!
thank you ms. evelyn ejar of the csc-aklan!
sports
our sports development efforts centered on the palaro, deped’s conduct of the games on the provincial level and our participation in the regional and national palaro.
Our sports and games development section on its own continued its year-round promotion of athletics, boxing, chess, lawn tennis, taekwando, arnis, and badminton among other sports.
Among our notable winners is susan grace neri of Kalibo who placed 4th in the 18 and under girls division of the national age group chess championship in manila.
In the palarong pambansa at Puerto princesa, Palawan mamerto mendez of tangalan got the gold in arnis while jan roe reyes of numancia won the silver.
Erdilyn peralta and aileen peralta of kalibo, sisters, were gold medalists in lawn tennis while honey joy del Rosario and gay marie Santiago of kalibo won the bronze medal.
In the national amateur boxing tournament held in Iloilo city rob Montero of ibajay won the gold while marjhun macahilig of kalibo won the bronze medal.
Mira mirano of banga won the gold medal in chess during the Philippine Olympic festival qualifying games in dumaguete city where our delegation also won seven gold, six silver, and five bronze medals in arnis.
thank you mr. fred neri and staff!
Integrated population and development programs
Resource generation, establishment of functional provincial, municipal and barangay support structures, social mobilization thru networking, linkage and alliance building, as well as close collaboration with the 17 lgus, local/national gos/ngos, academe, media, religious sector, civil society and other program partners/volunteers, were the key strategies in the successful implementation of the population and development program.
This 2008, the commission on population 6 (POPCOM 6) has unanimously chosen aklan in the entire region 6 as an exemplary model for replication by other lgus in population management.
These positive accomplishments on the demographic processes contributed much to the upliftment of the health status and quality of life of aklanon families and communities. This is also a major factor to aklan’s winning the award as outstanding provincial health board for two consecutive years (2006-2007) in region 6.
THANK YOU MR. ARTURO TEODOSIO, JR. provincial population officer AND STAFF!
Planning and development
for 2008 our provincial planning and development office spearheaded the topographic and hydrographic survey of the 9-kilometer radius of the aklan river from tigayon to bakhaw norte downstream to the aklan bridge preliminary to the proposed dredging program and mitigate damage brought by floods.
The ppdo was secretariat in the formulation of the aklan tourism code, the aklan investment and incentive code, and the provincial environment code, the task force bangon aklan, and the provincial development council.
It completed the first draft of the provincial development and physical framework plan in coordination with our national and local government agencies and the national economic development authority (NEDA).
The department continued to be the implementer of our gender and development program and hosted the first national convention of the men oppose to violence against women and children (MOVE) held on December 5, 2008 at boracay island, malay.
THANK YOU ENGR. ROGER ESTO, provincial planning and development coordinator AND STAFF!
aklan rivers development council
THE PROVINCIAL government of aklan is pleased to have a hardworking and tireless public servant now serving as executive director of the aklan rivers development council and action officer of task force bangon aklan, former congressman atty. Allen salas quimpo. Ardc is spearheading the profiling of seven aklan river system and water shed areas. Our rivers and its tributaries need immediate environmental rehabilitation and protection thru our public and private collaborative efforts.
Thank you atty. Allen quimpo and secretariat, the PPDO STAFF!
Employment services and generation
Approximately five thousand two hundred eighty-seven (5,287) Aklanons have sought the assistance of the Provincial Employment Service Office primarily for employment, scholarship, new passports, NBI clearances, Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) payments, complaints, and inquiries the peso also facilitated the eventual hiring of one thousand twenty-five (1,025) Aklanons for local employment.
Ninety-FOUR (94) were deployed as OFWs in Hongkong, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as domestic helpers, factory workers and welders and other categories.
Two hundred Aklanon students were employed during the implementation of the SPES or Summer Job last April 21 to June 4, 2008 in coordination with the DOLE and some LGU of the province. The Provincial Government paid a total of P432,000.00 as its 60% counterpart pay at P2,160.00 each student, while the DOLE has released a total of P564,000.00 for the remaining 40% pay at P2,820.00 each Summer Jobber. The two hundred (200) Summer Jobbers received P4,980.00 each for the thirty (30) day work last summer to augment their expenses for their enrollment for the school year 2008-2009.
For 2008, in lieu of the annual conduct of the Mobile Passport Services, PESO assisted seven hundred forty-eight (748) Aklanons applying for new and expired passports by giving them list of requirements and checking their complied requirements before they proceed to DFA Iloilo.
thank you, ms. vivian solano and staff!
Complementary to our youth development and employment generation efforts, the aklan provincial office of TESDA has continued its technical and skills development program.
Tesda aklan provincial office has produced a total of 2,455 graduates in the year 2008 thru four training venues: school-based, center-based, community-based and enterprise-based.
The school-based training program has graduated 1,318 students. Most of the graduates finished technical vocational courses on tourism, health and social services, maritime, information and communications technology, garments and electronics.
In the center-based training, the bulk of graduates were from the construction trade such as plumbing and carpentry. There were also graduates from metals engineering and automotive technology.
For this year, TESDA has allocated about P4.4 million for its various scholarship programs with a total of 565 scholars. These programs are: Private education student financial assistance (PESFA), the president Gloria macapagal-arroyo-training for work scholarship (PGMA-TWSP) and ladderized education program (LEP). More aklanons can still avail of the scholarships as there are still scholarship coupons available for distribution to poor, yet deserving and competent students.
The PESFA scholarship program released about P2.3 million which was availed by a total of 312 technical-vocational students from the different municipalities of the province of Aklan. one hundred thirty (130) of them enrolled in the food and beverage program, 55 in household services, 50 in commercial cooking, 38 in consumer electronics servicing, 21 in computer hardware servicing, and 18 in health care services.
On PGMA-TWSP program, a total of 155 were granted scholarship on the following trade areas: galing mekaniko (automotive); galing masahista (massage therapy); dressmaking, plumbing and shielded metal arc welding.
Free tool kits were also distributed to the graduates of galling mekaniko training. Likewise, graduates of galling masahista and dressmaking received starter tool kits that they can use in their entrepreneurial activities thus, making them economically active members of the community.
The PGMA ladderized education program has a total of 98 scholars enrolled in the food and beverage program.
Thank you mr. Edwin Villanueva of tesda and staff!
The department of labor and employment was also another government agency that had complemented our youth development efforts with its SPES (special program for the employment of students) program which in 2008 benefitted 421 students at a cost of P1,187,220.
The department also implemented an emergency employment assistance program for displaced workers after typhoon frank which had an allocation of p1,207,500 benefitting 700 workers.
Thank you mr. joselito dela banda of dole and staff!
Cooperativism
One of the cooperative development initiatives of the Provincial Cooperative Office is the organization and development of the Provincial Government Employees Development Cooperative (PGEDECO). With 378 registered members to date and a total CBU of P470, 500, it now provides salary loan and rice loans to its member employees – an accessible facility that provides relief to employees needing small loans.
Two Hundred Eight (208) farmer-borrowers province-wide are currently serviced by the program – a support facility to achieve the Provincial Government’s thrust for improved rice production and rice sufficiency in the province.
To improve economic activities in the barangay level, PCO facilitated the release of loans to SMEs intended to energize economic activities and create jobs/employment in the communities.
Thank you, mS. LILIAN REY, provincial cooperative officer and staff!
Social welfare and development
our pswdo played a lead role in our relief operations after typhoon frank.
For the year 2008, the department continued its work in the assessment of clients for the indigency programs of the provincial governor and the sangguniang panlalawigan.
A total of p741,121.20 were given to 541 indigents as financial assistance from the provincial governor’s office while the sp released p348,075 for 114 clients.
Under the emergency shelter assistance program, the pswdo facilitated the release of checks from the national disaster coordinating council for the families of those who died in the typhoon (P10,000 each) and the injured (P5,000 each).
Forty-three (43) families from kalibo received P50,000 each for a total of P2,150,000.
The provincial government through the pswdo also allocated P250,000 each to the municipalities of kalibo and numancia from its calamity fund.
Under the early childhood care and development program, 50% or P3,892,633 of the project cost of P7,833,333 was disbursed to covered municipalities, namely, altavas, batan, buruanga, malinao, libacao, and malay for the implementation of both center and home-based programs.
Thank you, mRS. ELMA MALBAS, provincial social welfare and development officer and staff!
The dswd-aklan assisted in the formulation of eleven (11) SEA-K (self-employment assistance kaunlaran) associations with a total of 320 members and provided capital assistance in the amount of P1,600,000. These associations are spread out in the six municipalities: namely, numancia, malay, ibajay, nabas, tangalan and buruanga.
It facilitated the operationalization of 35 tindahan natin outlets in the province
The Office provided assistance to disaster victims who were rendered homeless by typhoon senyang in the municipalities of nabas and malay in the total amount of P2.8 million through the core shelter assistance project, each town has identified a resettlement site as their counterpart to accommodate the prioritized 40 family beneficiaries. Likewise, the municipality of kalibo was granted P2,150,000 for the construction of houses of 43 families whose houses were totally damaged by typhoon frank and need to be resettled at barangay tigayon.
It provided augmentation for the resources of 2,013 families in seven (7) municipalities through the emergency shelter assistance project in rebuilding their totally damaged houses caused by typhoon frank at P10,000 per family in the total amount of P20,130,000. And provided cash for work as an immediate and temporary employment opportunity for typhoon affected families and at the same time restore or reconstruct public facilities and infrastructures of the heavily hit municipalities of kalibo and numancia. The program had accommodated 535 heads of families to work in the reconstruction of several vital public facilities for a maximum of ten (10) working days with a total cost of P1,000,450.
The poor families of day care children in the municipalities of libacao and madalag were further provided one (1) kilo of NFA rice for thirty three (33) days benefitting a total of 1,867 children at the cost of P1,232,220.
Thank you, mS. janet calizo of dswd and staff!
Rehabilitation of prisoners
Our aklan rehabilitation center implemented a continuing program improvement of its facilities while repairing damages due to typhoon frank, collapsed perimeter walls and ceiling.
thank you, P/SUPT. CRISTITO ANGOB, provincial warden and staff!
PEACE AND ORDER
This may not directly be a 2008 activity but allow me to congratulate here police senior supt. Clarence guinto, our police provincial director, AND aklan police provincial office, as a whole, including THE POLICE officeRs from our other towns, for having maintained the peaceful, orderly, and generally, hustle-free celebration of kalibo ati-atihan 2009. You will all agree with me that this year’s festivity was one of the most peaceful in many years.
For senior supt. Guinto who was assigned to aklan only in november, 2008, the ati-atihan was an acid test. And HE and his men - and women - passed it with flying colors.
May I also take this opportunity to thank chief supt. isagani cuevas for coordinating and approving reinforcements from our other police provincial offices.
For the year 2008, the peace and order situation in the Province of Aklan remains to be manageable. The Aklan police provincial office remains steadfast in its mandate of ensuring the safety and security of the Aklanon.
On campaign against illegal drugs/Loi Banat, the office conducted relentless campaign in coordination with other concerned agencies which resulted to ten (10) operations and the arrest of twelve (12) suspects.
The average monthly crime rate was registered at 120 incidents per one hundred thousand populations with a crime solution efficiency of 80.92%.
Aklan, therefore, remains to be one of the most peaceful provinces in the country.
And as I have always intimated to our police, this shall be so if we sustain our efforts in the elimination of illegal gambling, as illegal gambling is the root of crime and its social and economic costs is tremendous.
thank you, pssupt. Clarence guinto, provincial director and the pnp!
In the area of public safety and emergency management which covers disaster management and peace and order, action officer, retired police maj. Paquito saratiosa has continued the conduct in our seventeen municipalities of trainings and seminars on disaster management, earthquake drills, search and rescue, geo-hazards, crisis management, disaster reporting, and drug abuse prevention (in high schools, colleges, universities).
for 2008, for the sixth time since 1996, our pdcc was adjudged the most outstanding in region vi.
And would you believe that among disaster coordinating councils in panay island, only that of aklan has an office? with a full-time action officer!
Congratulations and thanks to maj. PAQUITO SARATIOSA and staff!
May I also acknowledge here the services of retired col. Rex martelino and engr. Josefino curioso of our security services and public utilities regulation office, respectively, who may not be in the limelight, who are almost invisible, but who, nevertheless, play crucial roles in our administration of the province.
Future plans and programs
THE provincial government of aklan is crafting a comprehensive blueprint to ensure our effective and immediate implementation of “high impact” projects to cushion the adverse effects of the global economic crisis.
We should hit the ground running for 2009. In the pipeline are our pump priming projects such as construction and improvement of infrastructure facilities, agricultural productivity enhancement support, rural extension work, tourism support services, livelihood opportunities, among others so that we can create more jobs and rev up the economy, especially in the countryside. Thus, we have lined up for 2009, priority projects to be financed by the province, the national government, and the private investors in the estimated amount of P1.525 billion expected to generate employment of 12,628 skilled and unskilled labor.
As part of our rehabilitation efforts under the task force bangon aklan, we envision to reclaim approximately 100 has. of foreshore property along the shoreline of bachao norte, kalibo from the dredged materials along the silted river beds of aklan river estimated to cost P800 million to complement the dpwh proposed aklan river protection works and to be funded from the paglaum funds. the proposed project will generate employment/opportunities to some 800 aklanon workeRS.
The province of aklan is in a position to contribute as well as benefit immensely from president Gloria macapagal arroyo’s call to front-load infrastructure projects.
Boracay forecasts 1 million tourist arrivals per year by 2010 but can hardly accommodate the present influx of around 600,000 local and foreign tourists. The existing pier is undersized, and does not conform to international standards and is over its maximum operating capacity due to the large number of foreign visitors. This pier should be a major artery in the roro route but with the present set-up it is incapable of servicing additional sea vessels. However small and over-utilized this jetty port is, it still managed to provide annual revenues to the province in the amount of p77 million. The sheer number of users alone, not including the potential increase in revenues, should be the stimulus for the local government to build bigger and better harbor facilities.
The health and wellness center is a welcome complement to the government’s thrust in attracting 700,000 foreign and medical clients annually which hopes to achieve p1 billion revenues. This is a new market apart from the recreational tourists who visit boracay on a regular basis. With this development, the province will be attracting two distinct markets of equal number and value in the same location.
The cable car facilities will not only enhance the transport system but will also be a tourist destination in itself attracting tourists from all over the archipelago and nearby asian countries.
The proposed marina project is estimated to cost p500 million and will involve land reclamation, pier expansion, building a 100-room hotel and wellness center. The cable car transport system will be undertaken on a build operate transfer (BOT) basis. For every p1 million spent on this project usually 30% goes to labor costs. This will significantly help provide job opportunities for the locals and pump prime the local economy. The improved pier facilities will accommodate a bigger volume of land and sea vessels and provide docks for visiting yachts. This will greatly increase the terminal fee revenues from the present level of p77 million per year. The upgraded and new facilities will also enhance the competitiveness of the area in attracting tourists.
The wellness center, will complement the hotel facilities. The Philippines is known for its warm hospitality, state-of-the-art medical and wellness facilities, management expertise and excellent care-giving services. Numerous wellness centers have sprouted all over the Philippines in recent years including those in subic and clark. Developing such a facility in aklan will further boost its tourism figures by providing visitors with a rare opportunity of recreation and medical wellness, it is expected that the revenues that will be generated by the building of such facilities will far outweigh the investment costs for these projects. It is envisioned that the provincial government will provide the facilities and to be operated/managed by the private sector on a lease contract agreement.
It is estimated that the revenue that can be generated on a 5-year program, from 2009 will reach p280 million per annum by 2013, thus, making the province a billionaire, by the time.
Mga igmanghud ag ginikanan natong akeanon, raya ro atong gintinguhaan ku dag-ong nagtaliwan. HASANdad kita it sangkiri sa typhoon frank ag napangitan-aw naton ro pasaka pa gid nga baeaktasan dahil ku krisis sa ekonomiya ku bilog nga kalibutan, pero baktason ta, daeagnon ta, para maabot ro atong damgo nga kabuganaan para sa tanan.
This is what we have done in the year past and what we plan to do, god willing, in the future.
And despite the disasters and the worldwide economic crisis, we intend to persevere because I believe that with all of us working together for the ultimate dream of prosperity for all, we will overcome.
As long as we are united, as long as our leaders are one in the task of developing our beloved province, we will succeed.
ALLOW ME TO express my profound gratitude to the officers and staff of the provincial governor’s office led by our administrator, atty. Diego luces, our legal officer atty. Lee manares, and the workhorse in the pgo’s office. Our assistant provincial administrator, mr. roque matorres for all their most important inputs and wisdom in the planning and execution of our programs and projects. Likewise our lavish appreciation to the continuing, collective and effective support of all sectors of the aklan community have extended to this administration. From the constituencies of our remotest barangays, to our municipalities & national agencies, our ngo’s and civic clubs, we have found cooperation -- born out of their genuine desire to contribute to the attainment of our development goals. It is heartwarming to note that aklanons & their non-aklanon friends -- living elsewhere -- either here, manila or abroad, have manifested their abiding concern for aklan through services, donations and the conduct of medical missions - disaster or no disaster.
may we continue to work together -- as unity and cooperation are the important factors that can offset our province’s inherent deficiency in resources. Do not be afraid of competition for competition is not only healthy but enhances quality. Quality of product, quality of service. competition is the stepping stone in the attainment of our goals – a dynamic, economically stable and progressive aklan!
Thank you vice governor Billie Calizo
Thank you hon. Selwyn ibarreta
Thank you hon. Pedro Garcia
Thank you hon. Jose yap
Thank you hon. Gerick templonuevo
Thank you hon. Ramon gelito
Thank you hon. Nemesio neron
Thank you hon. Daisy briones
Thank you hon. Plaridel morania
Thank you hon. Rodson mayor
Thank you hon. Jean Rodriguez
Thank you hon. Wilbert ariel igoy
Thank you hon. Teody masangya
Thank you hon. Jun rey tordecillas
Thank you sangguniang panlalawigan secretary odon bandiola and all the sp staff
Thank you to each and everyone of you! Good day and god bless you!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Physicians brace for more health problems

KALIBO, Aklan – Both government and private medical practitioners here are preparing for a worst-case health scenario as thousands of children go back to school tomorrow.

There could be an outbreak of diseases, said Provincial Health Office (PHO) chief Dr. Myrtle Pelayo.

PHO has recommended to the Department of Education (DepEd) to require children to wear protective gears such as boots to shield them from mud.

Pelayo also said they recommend that the kids wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Elementary classes here were suspended for two weeks. Schools, just like the rest of the town, were under several inches of thick mud from the floodwaters brought by Typhoon “Frank.”

"The Provincial Alliance of Health Workers and the Aklan Medical Society (AMS) are prepared to protect our children when they return to school," Pelayo said.

Medical workers warned against the possible surge of leptospirosis, tetanus infection, asthma and even dengue.

Dr. Emett Custodio, protocol officer of the AMS and former district governor of the Philippine Medical Society in Western Visayas, are also on stand.

"We call on the municipality of Kalibo to hasten the collection of garbage in major streets. Health concerns will never be ignored until the collection of garbage in the municipality has been normalized,” Custodio said.

The AMS is currently negotiating with the Kalibo local government and DepEd to allow medical personnel to visit elementary schools to inspect school children.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Foundation of Aklan Bridge still strong, says DPWH

By JUN ARIOLO N. AGUIRRE

KALIBO, Aklan – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has debunked reports that the century-old Aklan Bridge would collapse.

DPWH Acting District Engineer Roberto Cabigas said their inspection found the foundation of the Aklan Bridge still strong despite its age.

The bridge has seen several rehabilitations through the years.

For the first time in the history of Aklan, floodwaters brought by Typhoon “Frank” submerged the Aklan Bridge, making it the worst inundation so far to hit the province.

Floodwaters left mud on the bridge, making it also dangerous to travelers especially during night time.

Traffic at the bridge is currently moderate to heavy because most of the streets in Kalibo are yet to be cleared of mud.

The bridge connects the eastern town of Kalibo to the portion of the province in the west, especially the town of Numancia.

It serves as a major gateway to Boracay Island from the Kalibo Airport and from Iloilo.

The DPWH reported P65-million worth of damage to infrastructures in the province due to “Frank.”