Solid waste commission and malls promote recycling, plastic-free drive

by Alice V. Sicat

QUEZON CITY, Sept. 08 (PIA) -- Deputy Executive Director Eligio Ildefonso of National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) on Thursday said that the average garbage produced by an individual is at least half a kilo per day and in Metro Manila, garbage generated is at least 40 to 45 metric tons daily, equivalent to the size of the biggest mall in the country.

In the program “Talking Points” at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and aired over DZRB - Radio ng Bayan, Dir. Ildefonso said that the volume of the total garbage collection in a day is not very obvious as these are being collected in different parts of the country.

Among the most common problems, he pointed out, is the proper disposal of plastic bags which are often used to pack grocery items, most merchandize and goods purchased from malls and markets.

In response to this problem, Ildefonso observed that mall operators have implemented a plastic bag-free day, usually Wednesdays. On these days, customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags for their grocery purchases.

Malls have also organized and scheduled regularly recyclable collection events where recyclable materials like old cellphones, laptops and other electronic gadgets, classified as electronic wastes or E-Wastes, are collected.

“We have enjoined the malls (to implement this), actually joint program namin ito, matagal na, that was more than five years ago. Kung saan mayroong mga recyclable collection event, lahat ng recyclables dadalhin mo sa mga malls, may mga namimili dun.” (We enjoined the malls, actually, this is our joint project for a long time now way back more than five years ago. Whenever there is a recyclable collection event, all recyclables can be brought to malls where there are people who collect, buy and dispose these), Ildefonso said.

Aside from these projects, he disclosed that there are at least 200 private companies that have partnered with his commission in adopting and cleaning different huge bodies of water in the country. (PND/AVS PIA-GHQ)

LGUs will rebel if IRA is slashed-Resuello

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

SAN CARLOS CITY – The mayor of this mango producing city warned Malacanang  of uprising by Local Government Units (LGUs)because of  the impending decision to reduce the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA)  of the LGUs all over the country.

Mayor Julier “Ayoy” Resuello  said the IRA reduction would push through the country into another round of hardships.

Recently, Budget Secretary Butch Abad said that the IRA slash was a result of the sharp decrease in the collection of revenues by the national government in 2009 as a result of global economic crisis and the government’s tax eroding measures that were passed on that year.

Senator Chiz Escudero however disputed the planners of the national government.

He said there is still P 161 billion idle money in the national coffer. He said this sum can be used to fill the gap of the IRA for the LGUs.

He said local government is the front liner in basic social services.

"When IRA is cut there follow the disruption of health services, food security, infrastructure and public works like school buildings and barangay roads," he declared.

 Resuello  doubted if the Palace could push through its reduction plan.

“Kung babaan nila iyong IRA ng mga local government units, malaking problema kay P-Noy (President Benigno Aquino III) iyan. Maraming a-alma diyan. Isa na ang San Carlos,” he stressed.

He also lamented the P22 million this city has lost this year after the Supreme Court upheld lately, in a historic roller coaster flip-flops, the petition of the 16 towns for cityhood.

The inclusion of these towns as new cities gnawed at a significant portion of the billion of pesos IRA’s pie that should be  appropriated to the present 122-strong League of Cities of the Philippines.

Ruffy Biazon: A Good Man for the Custom's Top Post

Ruffy Biazon (extreme left) answers questions with the media in Dagupan City, while the author (second from left moderate the interviews among the sometimes rambunctious local reporters.

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 Last week I was told that the provincial attorney of Pangasinan, lawyer Dindin Baniqued, has recommended the filling of a libel case against me and the other staff of this paper.

With it, so be it!

 My P40 pesos, er, P40 thousand question here to the “Honorable” members of the Board who felt defamed after one of their colleagues told me that most of the members of the August Body were willing recipients of the payola from illegal gambling game jueteng:

Can you afford the political price this “celebrated” and media hyped libel case would exact on your political stocks up to your re-election or election in 2013?

Baka matalo kayong lahat, mga bossing.

Remember, some media men and other personalities have already attested in public that indeed Board Member Danny Uy uttered the same words he told me.

What priced glory this libel case you are going to marshal brings you if these guys start talking to GMA-7  and  ABS-CBN TVs, and start writing or broadcasting on their outlets ?

Why go after my scalp and my colleagues in Northern Watch when you should be censuring your colleague BM Uy because of his imprudence?

***

Pamsy Tioseco, Public Relations (PR) woman of both Senator Loren Legarda and former congressman and senatorial bet Rufi Biazon, confirmed my text query if Rufi has gotten the top custom plum.

The soft spoken Rufi is a good choice. I interviewed him for several times in Dagupan City when he gunned for the senatorial derby in the 2010 election.

I saw him cool under fire when some unreasonable local media men asked him their out-of-synch contemptuous questions in a press conference called by Pamsy.

" Mortz batch mate ko Ruffy 1986 nung highschool. He is indeed a good man," Face Booked to me by my cousin Bernadeth Elisan-Santos, now a dentist in Australia when I told her my impression of the son of former Marine ramrod and former Senator Pong Biazon.

To Rufi, boss I hope that wala ng mawawalang almost 1,910 container vans diyan sa custom as what your predecessor Customs Commissioner Angelito Alvarez has done.

Boss, congrats and magpa-inum na kayo ng beer.

***

I could not fathom the oral and written arguments hissed by the critics of Alaminos City Nani Braganza and Pangasinan State University-Alaminos City (PSU-AC) on the three  ballyhooed degrees it offered this semester.

The recent memorandum, signed by Atty. Julito D. Vitriolo, executive director of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) in the central office in Manila, to Dr. Caridad O. Abuan of CHED Regional Office in La Union said that PSU-AC “have met all the requirements on the level of accreditation (Level II accredited by AACUP) and being identified as a Center of Development (COD) for both programs “ are enough arguments for the critics to stop peddling all their misinformation.

The last paragraph of the Memo that is being exploited by critics of Mayor Braganza and PSU President Victoriano C. Estira is immaterial.

The paragraph says “that an ocular visit of the abovementioned programs by the Technical Panel concerned before the issuance of government permit to operate such programs will be conducted by this Office to determine compliance with the requirements “

That instruction is conditional for some compliance. But it does not bar PSU-AC to offer this semester the three degrees on the Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and in Agriculture.

It only requires, susmariosep,  the PSU to comply with the requirements that the college under Dean Dr. Ellen Barcelona could easily hurdle.

So what are all the fusses about it?

(You can read my selected intriguing but thought-provoking columns at http://mortzortigoza.blogspot.com. You can send comments too at totomortz@yahoo.com

De Venecia’s 45M Bonuan Gueset road project and 16 other infra-projects, ongoing in Dagupan

Rep. Gina de Venecia meets Bilawal Zardari Bhutto,the only son of her good friend, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated in 2007. The two leaders met at 7th ICAPP (International Conference of Asian Political Parties) general assembly in Nanning, China last week (Sept. 5 to 7). Bilawal is now the Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party, which was formerly headed by her mother. Rep. De Venecia, Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Philippines' House of Representatives, is among the speakers at the said conference.

Last week, the construction of road and drainage system of Barangay Bonuan Gueset, worth P45 million has started. According to the DPWH, the said projects, initiated by Rep. Gina de Venecia, will be finished in December, this year.

 

Rep de Venecia said that she has prioritized the construction of the Bonuan Gueset road to ease the mobility of the residents in the barangay, which is one of the most densely populated in the city. The new drainage system, she added, will abate constant flooding in the barangay and will also boost the local tourism in the Tondaligan beach area.

 

While De Venecia’s main responsibility as a congressional representative is to legislate laws that would benefit the district, she is also entitled to allot her countrywide development fund to finance important projects, which are neglected by the city government.

 

At present, the congresswoman has 16 other on-going projects in the city, worth 13.7 million. These include the 7 road concreting projects in the city: PNR site road in Mayombo; Sitio Centro road in Lasip Grande; Purok 4 road in Lucao; Sitio Boquig road at Patalan, Bacayao Sur; Salisay road; Callejon extension road in Pogo Chico; and Cassimira Claveria road in Pogo Grande.

 

De Venecia is also building six classrooms for Dagupan East Central Integrated School in Barangay Mayombo worth P5.5 million; the barangay halls of Lomboy and Tebeng; the foot bridge at Sitio Nibaliw in Mangin; the drainage system of Francisco Duque road in Tapuac, Cassimira Claveria road in Malued, Sitio Boquig road in Sagur, Mamalingling, the Bacayao Norte road, and the entire Herrero Perez road.

 

In terms of legislation, some of her successful measures is the proposal to double the size of the Region 1 Medical Center, from 300 –bed capacity to 600 bed capacity. This house bill has already passed the committee level, and its funding is already included in the national appropriations.

Manay Gina believes that the modernization and expansion of the Regional Hospital and the presence of several state-of- the art private hospitals and clinics in Dagupan, are more than sufficient to serve the constituents of the city and the entire district.

 

In addition, De Venecia has also proposed the establishment of a Fish Port in Dagupan to compliment the operation of the Seafood Fish Processing Plant. “My husband worked hard to have this plant built in Dagupan, with only the welfare of the local fishfolks in mind and no one else’s.” She said that all alternatives are being considered and studied to ensure that the seafood plant will really benefit the people and not be exploited by interest groups for personal gains.

 

 

MECO's Perez observes protocol in deference to P-Noy visits in China

Extreme Right is Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) boss  Amadito Perez

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

URDANETA CITY – The chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan said he withheld news on the affairs between the Philippines  and Taiwan in deference to the visit of President Benigno Aquino III in Mainland China.

Former mayor of this city and MECO head Amadito Perez  Jr. said press releases on the summits entered by the Philippines and Taiwan would be released by his office after President Aquino concluded his state visit in China.

A foreign affairs observer who asked for anonymity, said the withholding of press releases from MECO is part and parcel of diplomatic protocol as to not undermine the political and economic visit of Aquino to China.

China considers Taiwan as its province.

Perez, whose post is equivalent to an ambassador, said  he usually goes to his Taiwan’s office two or three times a month.

He said that he reported regularly at MECO’s office in Manila while his vice chairman mans the Philippines “de facto” consulate in Taiwan.

Philippines have no official tie with Taiwan as the former has a treaty of “One China Policy” with China.

The former congressman refused to comment on the nagging dispute between the Philippines and China on the islets, sea beds, and seawater in the West Philippine Sea  called Spratly Islands the two states, and other countries, claim to be theirs.

Tsk, tsk! Poor Colleges and Universities

By Mortz Ortigoza

Owners of colleges and universities in Pangasinan denounced the newly created Pangasinan State University- Alaminos City (PSU-AC) which was constructed under the administration of Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza.

PSU students  pay P5000 every semester. Private schools collect per student an averaged of P15 thousand every semester.

What made PSU-Alaminos  unique is most of its student are beneficiaries of Braganza's P10 million scholarship fund.

It means most of the students there, who are from the marginalized sector, benefit from  Braganza’s P5 thousand scholarship per student per semester.

If this is socialism as what the owners of private colleges hissed, this is good for the poor Filipinos who could not send their children to college.

If this is socialism, then what those owners of those private institutions are showing lately are greediness and idiocy at their highest.

This socialism “crap” is enshrined in the Philippine Constitution – and I am talkin’ here my dear Procopio about the fundamental law of the land.

***

But look what I got here, man! If PSU-Alaminos  exacts this measly amount per semester from the Unwashed of Society, Mindanao State University collects a “basement priced “of  P1000 for each of its student per semester.

“Just like the Marawi fog tuition in the university has remained the same the last 49 years, at P80 for a 15-unit load. That means P5.33 per unit. Add the P50 library fee and other miscellaneous fees, a student spends a total of P1, 000 a semester. This one’s really for the books,” MSU President Macapado A.Muslim said, ” says Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Sept 1, 2011 issue titled “MSU transformative magic’ hailed.”

If MSU produced perceptive folks like Alex  Casiple (Nani’s pal during their activists days) , the beauteous Benete Tayong - Estillore, and others who are making raves and waves in society three  decades ago (matagal na iyon, ah?), I doubt if MSU still produces these kinda   “gifted child” Wyeth ‘s Promil poster boys and girls.

Muslim deplored the share of university overlooking the placid Lake Lanao from the national government’s financial pie after other state universities and colleges mushroomed all over the country in the past years.

He said with the P1000 tuition fee, MSU has dilemma meeting  its needs like laboratory funds and library resources.

***

Now, let’s go back to the bellyaching and bitching owners of private colleges and universities in Pangasinan, with MSU’s sad experience, do they now know what capitalist called “Caveat

Emptor”(Buyers Beware”)?

 If PSU offers substandard education, then blame the students and their parents who patronize it.

If it offers above standard education compared to their below-standard, then blame the owners of private schools.

Did Mayor Lim say lately that given a way parents of college students in Pangasinan would rather send their children in Universities in Baguio because of quality of education  being offered there?

For Lim was just civil. He should be saying that because of diploma mill substandard education in Pangasinan (many of them have been warned already by the Commission on Higher Education before for closure of their courses because of poor passing percentage in government board examinations) these parents, if they have their options, would send their children in Baguio City.

Josephine Bahul, media coordinator of the University of Baguio, told me lately that the bulk of the market of tertiary institutions in the Mountain City come from the mammoth province of Pangasinan, and that includes Dagupan City .

That’s why Mayor Lim wants to create a city college not only to counter the poor quality being offered by the owners of these educational institutions, but to emulate Urdaneta City University (UCU) owned by Urdaneta City that churned-out a staggering P25 million a year to the city coffer.

And Lim should act on it pronto, with 'garbage-strewn" "and obnoxious" Baguio City going to dump its perennial and overwhelming  rubbish in Urdaneta, that would be another P20 million a year revenue for the latter every year.

Susmariosep, that ‘s a huge amount for social services and others.

Susmariosep, that’s the reason why U.C has been overtaking all cities in Region 1 in terms of

her hundreds of millions of pesos appropriation for her city budget.

***

Jai-Alai  is back with a vengeance in Pangasinan.

My mole told me that Angelito de Villa alias Boyet, is now Atong Ang’s lieutenant in this mammoth provincial gambling “encomienda”  who oversees a lucrative gambling business where daily draws runs to P9 million.

My mole told me however that cobradores and cabos are grumbling since there are dearth of winners in the game which is played with the same numerical mechanics of 1 to 37 of jueteng.

“Dinadaya ata ng mga tao ni Atong Ang ang bola? Mabuti pa ang jueteng kahit sa ilalim ng tulay binobola at least my tumatama,” my other bola-bola media mole, who used to benefit in the payolas of jueteng and jai-alai, lamented.

The funny things now, many media men in broadcast and prints call with regularity for the bettors to stop betting in jai-alai.

 Susmariosep, this is not funny.  Atong Ang and Boyet should find solution to this media campaign.

Mga boss baka mag silipatan sa jueteng ang mga parokyano niyo.

(Send comments to totomortz@yahoo.com)

Kudos sa DSWD sa kanilang bagong programa

PINUPURI natin ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) dahil sa pagsulong nila ng bagong programa para sa kapakanan ng may 2,000 street children.

Ang naturang programa ay tinawag na “Bata, Bata, Marami kang Magagawa.”  Ito ay naglalayong hubugin at linangin ang mga kapabilidad ng mga street children, gayundin ang values formation ng mga ito nang sa gayon ay mabawasan at paglaon ay mawala na ang mga batang pakalat-kalat sa ating lansangan.

Ang mga street children na kalahok sa proyekto ay manggagaling sa siyudad ng Maynila, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Pasig, Marikina at Mandaluyong.

Maganda ang nasabing proyekto dahil bukod sa mailalayo na sa lansangan ang ating mga kabataan ay mailalayo rin sa bisyo at droga ang mga ito!

Dagdag  pa rito ang paglinang sa kakayahan at personalidad ng ating mga kabataan.  Dahil dito ay matuturuan na sila upang maging kapaki-pakinabang na mamamayan at hindi na mga “eyesore” at kalat sa kamaynilaan.

***

Noong araw, ang pagdodroga ay gawain ng mga kabataan na walang magawa sa buhay. Ngayon, tila maraming puno na ng uban ang ulo ang nag-aadik-adik na rin! Kung ito ang kanilang paraan ng pakiki-uso, sila marahil ay nababaliw na!

Tingnan mo na lang itong si Antonio Torefranca, 54 anyos na at kilalang adik pa rin sa kanilang barangay sa Cagayan de Oro City.

Marahil dahil sa kanyang bisyo, madalas nakakaaway nitong si Mang Tony ang kanyang mga anak. Ayaw umanong kunsintihin ng kanyang pamilya ang kanyang masamang gawain. Sa katunayan, minsan pang sinampahan ng kaso si Mang Tony ng kanyang sariling anak!

Sadyang walang direksyon ang buhay ng mga gumagamit ng ipinagbabawal na gamot.

Bukod sa pagdo-droga, mahilig din  makipag-inuman si Mang Tony. At noong nakaraang Huwebes, masaya siyang nakikipag-inuman sa Apovel Subdivision kasama ang kanyang barkada.

Bigla na lamang lumapit sa kanya ang isang hindi kilalang lalaki, bumunot ng kalibre .45 na baril at tatlong ulit pinaputukan sa ulo si Mang Tony. Matapos nito, kalmadong lumakad papalayo ang suspect, sumakay sa isang motorsiklo at sabay tumakas.

Wala na si Mang Tony. Hindi pa kilala ng pulisya ang killer at hindi pa rin tiyak ang motibo sa pagpatay. Subalit hinala ng hepe ng Bulua Police Station na si Romulo Paza, may kaugnayan sa droga ang naganap na krimen. Kasi po, bukod sa pagiging user ng droga, si Mang Tony ay suspected drug pusher din!

Sumalangit nawa ang kanyang kaluluwa, ngunit paki-usap, huwag natin siyang tularan! At diyan po nagwawakas ang isa pang totoong kwento ng isang tao na minsan ay “tumikim,” nalulong at napahamak dahil sa droga.

***

Nakakabahala ang dumadating sa akin na mga intelligence reports galing sa mga reliable source na may mga Kapitan, Konsehal at mga Mayor na protektor o kaya naman ay nagtutulak na ng droga.

Sabi nga nila “he who has the gold makes the rule”. Ito ba ay dahil sila ay makapangyarihan sa kani-kanilang mga lugar?  Mahiya naman kayo sa mga balat niyo! Kayo ay ibinoto ng mga nasasakupan niyo para maging ehemplo!

***

Isa sa mandato ng DDB ay ang pagbibigay ng seminar sa mga law enforcement officers, prosecutors at mga judges tungkol sa R.A.9165.

Ang “chain of custody” ay ang pinakamainit na pinag-uusapan tuwing may seminar. Subalit kahit anong seminar ng mga judges ay mababa pa rin ang conviction rate sa mga kaso ng droga.

Di kaya naman dahil sa mga seminar na ito ay natututunan din ng mga judges, prosecutors at law enforcers ang kahinaan ng batas?

Hindi kaya ito rin ay nagagamit  sa pag exploit at nagiging dahilan upang humina ang kaso at tuluyan maabswelto ang mga akusadong drug pushers at users?

Kaya naman pansamantala kong pinatigil ang pag-conduct ng seminar sa kadahilanang ito.

Ito ang dahilan kung bakit ang probisyon sa R.A. 9165 tungkol sa “chain of custody” ay kasalukuyang pinag-aaralan ng ating mga mambabatas para ma-amyendahan ang batas sa tulong ng iba’t ibang ahensya sa pangunguna ng DDB.

Ang batas kasi ay ginawa upang makatulong sa problema hindi upang maging karagdagang problema ng bansa!

(Para sa inyong impormasyon, suhestiyon o reklamo, mag-text lamang po kayo dito sa numberko: 09159509746 o ’di kaya ay mag-email sa wagkukurap_101@yahoo.com.ph)