Jimbo Owen Gulle, Editor lgu@manilastandard.net editor.lgustandard@gmail.com
B4
wednesday, june 13, 2018
LGUs
Mining-aided livelihood orgs show gains By Ben Moses Ebreo
LocaL government units
Better swine production developed for farmers By Butch Gunio SAN SIMON, Pampanga—A project on swine production using better health and disease control was recently showcased in a Farmers’ Field Day in two villages in this town. The project, titled “Improving the production and competitiveness of Australian and Philippines pig production through better health and disease control,” is supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development. Dr. Gomathy Palaniappan of the University of Queensland in Australia spearheaded the field day. “The event aims to help pig farmers by showcasing the benefits of different interventions under the project. These include the creep box, nipple drinker, biogas, and rainwater harvester,” said project team leader Dr. Eduardo L. Lapuz Jr. from Department of Agriculture Region 3. “The event also educates participants on other interventions in pig raising methods and management, which were identified after a series of surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with the farmers and other concerned stakeholders following the EcoHealth approach,” he added. Agricultural extension workers, local government unit officials and staff, farmers, and barangay pig coordinators attended the field day. Project team members demonstrated the use of the different technologies under the project and answered the queries from pig raisers. Owners of the demo farms and farmers shared their experiences in adopting the technology. “The project aims to help small pig farmers of San Simon to reduce their losses and increase productivity,” Lapuz said.
49TH CENTENARIAN. Makati Mayor Abby Binay and daughter Martina Campos award a P100,000 check, bouquet of flowers, and a plaque of recognition to the city’s 49th centenarian, Mrs. Felisa R. Mendoza, at her residence in Barangay Poblacion. Born on Jan. 16, 1918. Mrs. Mendoza became a widow in 1965 and, as a single mother of six, raised her children by working as a sewer in a factory in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Mrs. Mendoza and her family have been residing in Makati since 2005. City Ordinance No. 2012-099 entitles Makati senior citizens who are also Blu Card holders to a one-time P100,000 cash gift upon reaching 100 years old.
Makati aces CoA audit; revenue haul up 12%
By Joel E. Zurbano
T
HE Makati City government for the first time earned an unqualified opinion from the Commission on Audit in its 2017 Audit Report citing the fairness of presentation of the city’s financial statements. In auditing parlance, an unqualified opinion means that financial statements conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and that they fairly represent the entity’s financial accounts. In a letter to Mayor Abigail Binay, Adelina Concepcion Ancajas, COA director for Local Government Sector—National Capital Region stated that the commission had “rendered an unqualified opinion on the fairness of presentation of the financial statements of the City.” Based on a summary published in the official website of CoA dating
back to 2007, Makati had received its ‘qualified opinion’ in 2007, and from 2010 up to 2016. Binay said that an unqualified audit opinion is the best opinion an auditor can issue. “It means that our financial report for 2017 has fully satisfied the requirements of the auditor. This is the first time that Makati has earned the highest audit rating from CoA,” she pointed out. Binay attributed the latest achievement of the city to the full support of all city government departments and offices to the reforms and innovations
implemented by her administration. “I would like to acknowledge the efforts of all the departments and offices of the city government to achieve the highest level of compliance with laws governing the appropriation, management and utilization of government funds. This unprecedented achievement for our city proves that we can achieve anything through unity and collaboration,” she said. Following the implementation of reforms aimed to enhance efficiency and transparency in the systems and operations at city hall, the city’s revenue collections increased by 12 percent in 2017. It was the first time in 12 years that the city posted a two-digit increase in its annual revenue collections. From January to April this year, total revenue collections of the city reached P11.1 billion, or a nine percent increase over the same period last year.
LAS PIÑAS E-TRIKES. Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar signs the Memorandum of Agreement on behalf of Las Piñas City, accepting the donation of 100 units of E-trikes from the Department of Energy. The E-trikes will be distributed in different barangays of Las Piñas, especially the areas that transport students from the city-funded schools. This is a move to use more environment-friendly mode of transport in the city, a priority project of Mayor Aguilar’s Tuloy-tuloy na Serbisyo program.
Ombudsman orders village chief dismissed over misfiled SALNs SABANGAN, Mountain Province— The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of a barangay captain here for gross neglect of duty for failing to submit his required Statement of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth from 2010 to 2016. In a five-page decision penned by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer II Joyrich M. Golangco, Barangay
Napua Chairman Willie B. Bacoong will also be meted the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirements benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and being barred from taking civil service examinations. On Aug. 3, 2017, Richard Budod and Juniper C. Dominguez filed a complaint of neglect of duty against
Bacoong for his alleged failure to file his SALNs for seven years and for not declaring his mini-dump truck as an asset in the same documents. Bacoong denied the charges, explained that he filed his SALNs with the Secretary of the Liga ng mga Barangay, Sabangan chapter, and attached the copies of his assailed SALNs in his counter-affidavit.
SM Foundation holds medical mission for workers DASMARIÑAS, Cavite—Hundreds benefitted from the second medicaldental and diagnostic mission of the SM Foundation Inc. held Saturday here, which began before the mall opening hours and lasted until late afternoon. Not only were the SM employees and their families coming to avail of the free diagnostic services and facilities of SMFI, but also those within communities near the SM Mall in Dasmariñas. Located right beside the food court, the mission saw long lines of people—young and old and from all walks of life—even before the mall opened and the set-up was finished. Clerks, sales ladies, security guards, and even employees of locators
availed of the services near closing time, or just when the crowds thinned. All key officers of the SM Group of Companies were on hand to ensure the success of the endeavor, which is being undertaken every quarter for the employees, most of whom could not afford comprehensive check-ups using their HMO cards. Neither could they provide such checkups to their family members. Two huge mobile clinics containing digital X-rays, ultrasound and ECGs augmented the consultations with the partner- doctors of SMFI. Watson’s also provided free medicines for the patients who were given prescriptions by the participating physicians. Medical practitioner partners of SMFI
and medical schools pitched in doctors for the occasion. Partner organizations of SMFI are the International Academy of Medical Specialists, the International College of Surgeons, ophthalmologists and the medical acupuncture practitioners. In time for the celebration of the 117th Araw ng Lalawigan ng Rizal, the Rizal ‘Byahe Tayo’ shows a colorful rendition of traditional jeepneys, intricately hand-painted to represent the entire province, its 13 towns and one city, also in celebration of the 120th Philippine Independence Day. Shown in photo are mall workers at the exhibit at the mall atrium of SM City Masinag in Antipolo City. Manny Palmero
But records showed that Bacoong failed to submit his SALNs for 2010 to 2016 to the Deputy Ombudsman, as required by existing rules and regulations. The submission of his SALNS to the Liga ng mga Barangay was not deemed substantial compliance with the requirement of the law since they were not submitted to the proper office.
QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—Twelve livelihood organizations supported by the FCF Minerals Corp. in this town have shown improvement on their loan collection system among their members. These organizations are the Atan Vegetable Growers Association Bitang Women’s and Farmers Association Inc., Busat Upland Farmers Association Cabinuangan Highlander Association Inc., Baddang Kiphodan Association Sitio Compound Women’s and Farmers Association Inc., Dipilipig Development Association Inc., Sitio Dumaliguia Women’s Association Inc., Kinalabasa Rural Workers Association Inc., Malilibeg Livelihood Association Marangad Rural Workers Association Inc. and the Tayab Community Association. Peter Storey, FCF Minerals general manager for operations, said the livelihood organizations were given capital assistance under their Community Development Program. “We continue to help them control delinquency and loan productivity to ensure that loans are used according to the proposed businesses,” he said. From Sept. 30, 2016, the associations’ total loan balance of P943,000 was down to just P551,000 as of Dec. 31, 2017. The total repaid amount is P392,000 or 41.58 percent of the original balance. Storey also said various capacity building activities were also given to the organization members and officials to strengthen them and inculcate their responsibility and obligation. He added that the Pondong Pangkabuhayan Lending Program, a revitalized loan program sourced from the accumulated repaid livelihood funds from 2007 to 2015 and the existing funds of the organizations also showed improvement. Storey said for the last quarter of 2017, the total loan disbursed is more than P467,000. Of the outstanding balance of more than P793,000, the amount overdue is more than P24,000 or 3.11 percent as to the due date.
1,000 berths open for cops in Cordillera
By Dexter A. See
BAUKO, Mountain Province—The Philippine National Police has earmarked 1,000 slots for qualified applicants in the Cordillera who want to serve in the Police Regional Office here, new regional director Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana said. Nana announced this during his visit to the wounded law enforcers confined at the Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital after an ambush by the New People’s Army in Mount Sipitan, Aguid, Sagada. Priority will be given to the qualified police applicants from the neglected areas in the region to help strengthen the government’s counterinsurgency campaign and to strengthen the presence of law enforcers in the countryside, he said. Nana was joined by Mountain Province Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Allen S. Ocden, other ranking regional and provincial police officials, and Mayor Abraham B. Akilit in distributing financial assistance from the government to five of the nine wounded policemen who are still confined in the hospital. At the same time, Nana directed all police units regionwide to strengthen their intelligence gathering to thwart threats the insurgents pose to the prevailing peace and order in the region. Earlier, a policeman died while nine of his colleagues were injured after members of the Mountain Province Provincial Police Mobile Force Company were ambushed Tuesday by communist rebels under the NPA’s Leonardo Pacsi command near Mount Sipitan and the famous Buasao waterfalls at Aguid, Sagada town.