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WESTERN VISAYAS
PPA seeks to join ranks of world’s best managed ports by Elsa S. Subong
ILOILO CITY, Oct. 27 (PIA) – The Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) in Iloilo aims to be among the world’s best managed ports with the launch of its Port Safety, Health Environmental Management System.
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ort Manager Winfred Elizalde said during the recent launching ceremony that the system they are preparing to put into full effect, embraces the entire commitment of PPA operations, which include safety, health and environment. With safety, he said, PPA is putting in place all systems and procedures to prevent accidents.
Likewise, the environment where are working is one that is friendly to stakeholders, employers and dock workers. The program is being supported by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Partnership in Environmental Management for South East Asia (PEMSEA). Program Manager of the PEMSEA Renato Cardinal said they have been
helping the PPA in coming up with the system, which is now on its implementation and monitoring stage. The other phases include initial status review, strategic planning and systems development which are already completed, while the last phases will include PSHEMS audit and continual improvement. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)
Land Bank 6 releases to priority sectors reach P4.84-B By: Lorenzo O. Lambatin, Jr. BACOLOD CITY, Oct. 27 (PIA) -- The Land Bank of the Philippines total loans extended to its priority sectors in Region VI has reached P4.84 billion as of September 30, a press release from the bank said.
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B’s priority sectors include small farmers and fisherfolks (SFF) cooperatives, SMEs and microenterprises, livelihood, agri-business, agri-infrastucture projects of LGUs, agri-related projects of government-owned and controlled corporations, agri-and environment related projects, socialized housing, schools and hospitals. Of the P4.84 billion, 28 percent or P1.35 billion went to SFF coops and other financial conduits such as rural banks, irrigators associations and NGO’s, benefiting 90,000 farmer beneficiaries in Region VI. The top five cooperative borrowers in Western Vosayas are Options MPC in Sagay City, Negros Occ.: Teachers Federation of Bacolod City, Bacolod Government Employees MPC of Bacolod City, Leon Small Coconut Farmers MPC of Leon and Iloilo Provincial Employees MPC of Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Iloilo.
Meanwhile, the bank’s total loans to SMEs reached P645 million during the third quarter of 2011. Loans to countryside financial institutions (CFIs) grew by 30 percent to P285 million from P219 million a year ago. Loans to LGUs in the region reached P2.56 billion as of September 30 and financed various agri-infrastructure and development projects. Landbank also released P515 million for palay production from January to September 30, 2011 through cooperatives, rice millers and CFIs. This benefited 8,484 farmers covering more than 16,000 hectares in the region. The bank expects to release an additional P111 million in loans to farmer cooperatives by the end of the year. The bank was also able to finance various LGU projects through the KFW (Germany) facility and has released P72.89 million as of September 2011. Meanwhile, Landbank Region VI
continues to intensify its support to th Food Supply Chain Program in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and the DOF. A total of P215 million is expected to be released to finance the projects of two indentified anchor firms in the region which are Alter Trade Foundation in Negros Occ and Capiz Sugar Central in Roxas, Capiz. Land Bank Region VI Vice President Manuel Infante said that the bank is on track of its lending target of P5.378 billion to its priority sectors in the region for 2011. “Our efforts to deliver credit assistance to our development partners particularly the small farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives, micro enterprises and SMEs in Region VI is in line with the overall commitment of Land Bank to spur growth and progress in Western Visayas," Infante said. (LB/LOL/JCM-PIA6)
Agri-fisheries, tourism top growth areas in WV by Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.
ILOILO CITY, Oct. 26 (PIA) -- Agri-fisheries and tourism topped the list of priority industries and services that would serve as economic growth areas in Western Visayas in the next six years.
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hese priorities are listed in the Western Visayas Regional Development Plan for 2011-2016, which the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 6 presented to members of the media and government information officers during a roundtable discussion held Oct. 25 here. The priority industries and services have also been identified by province as follows: Aklan – tourism and aquaculture; Antique – agriculture, fishery, micro-cottage weaving, tourism and gemstone, silica, marble and calcium
carbonate quarrying; Capiz – cutflower and foliage production; Guimaras – tourism, fruits production and food processing; Iloilo – agriculture, livestock, fishery and tourism; and, Negros Occidental – giftware and holiday décor, business process outsourcing, and tourism. Industries in particular are considered in the Regional Development Plan as the engine of economic growth in the region. During the period from 2004 – 2009, the industry sector grew at an annual average rate of 8.4 percent.
Industries and services, together with other sectors in the region, would need more than P200 billion of investments to realize the goals and objectives of the regional development plan to sustain the socio-economic growth of the region. The roundtable discussion was organized by NEDA6 to enhance the awareness and understanding of media practitioners and government information officers about the development plan and socio-economic situation of the region. (JCM/JSC/PIA6)