Thursday, July 03, 2008

N. Ecija has new dev't plan

PALAYAN CITY - The new medium term development agendaof the Nueva Ecija government was approved, yearsafter the prrevious version lapsed, by members of theprovincial development council (PDC) the other day.

Gov. Aurelio Umali, PDC chair, said the new mediumterm development plan that tackle of economic andhuman resources of the province was a product ofextensive study by the local chief executives andtheir municipal or city planning and developmentoffices.

Dr. Abraham Pascua, director of the Department ofInterior and Local Government (DILG)-Nueva Ecija,presented the pplan to PDC memebrs that includemayors, MPDCs and non-government organizations, duringthe first general assembly meeting at the Nueva EcijaConvention Center (NECC).

Umali explained that the MTPDP serves as the farmeworkof development of all LGUs, in coordinbation withnational implementing agencies for 2008 to 2010.Bert Bolinao, city planning and development officer ofPalayan City, moved for inclusion of some otherprojects which the local government is readying.

MayorLorna Vero of Llanera town said irrigation andenvironment projects are on top of their local agenda.All these issues, Umali said, will be tackled laterand the plan could actually be subject to amendments.The province, according to the governmenr, has indeeda large room for development.

Ecija police scores big in anti-drugs drive

CABANATUAN CITY – A sustained anti-drug abuse campaign by the police, in cooperation with civilian-led Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), has "dramatically" reduced the number of drug-infested territories in Nueva Ecija, the police reported.

Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, that of 32 towns and cities of the province, 14 have already been declared drug-free. This accounts to only 51 of over 859 villages.

Of the five cities, Palayan City was declared drug-free while the drug-freetowns are Aliaga, Bongabon, Gen. Natividad, Laur, Licab, Llanera, Lupa, Nampicuan, Pantabangan, Quezon, San Isidro, Sta. Rosa and Zaragoza, accoprding to police records.

This as the police keep a tight watch on at least 252 drug users and pushers even as it enlisted the help of the Barangay Anti-Drug AbuseAction Councils in fighting the menace, a report to Gov. Aurelio Umali disclosed yesterday.

The report, submitted by Taas also showed that the suspected drug offenders are mostly in Cabanatuan City with 56, followed by Guimba,34; 29 in GapanCity, 25 in San Jose City, 21 in Gen.Tinio, 18 in Talavera, 17 in San Leonardo, 15 in Carranglan, 8 in San Antonio, seven in Gabaldon, four each in Cabiao and Penaranda, two in Sto. Domingo, one each in Talugtog, Cuyapo and Rizal.
CABANATUAN CITY - The city government yesterday announced a plan to implement a "no segragation no collection" policy in garbage collection here, a highly urbanizing city dubbed as trade and education center of Nueva Ecija.

Mayor Alvin P. Vergara said the policy, is in compliance with the provision of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecoligical Solid Waste Management Act of 200, will be implemented starting July 16.

The step is aimed at reducing garbage dumped in the city's dump site, currently situated in Barangay Valle Cruz, Cabanatuan City. The dumpsite is now subject of conflict between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the city government.

The DENR wants the dump site closed with its operation supposedly against RA 9003. Despite attempts, however, the previous city administration, under former Mayor Jay Vergara, failed to establish new sanitary landfill due to resistance of residents in identified areas.

Vergara said the garbage trucks will also be color coded for easy identification.

Trucks to be used in collecting biodegradable materials, for instance will be colored green while those of the non-biodegradable has yet to be determined.

GMA vows heads will roll in ferry sinking

BALER, Aurora – President Arroyo yesterday vowed that heads will roll in connection with the ill-fated sinking of the Princess of the Stars off the coast of Sibuyan Islands last week, including the cancellation of the franchise of the Sulpicio Lines,Inc. (SLI).

Speaking during the sixth anniversary of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day at the Quezon Memorial Park here yesterday morning, Mrs. Arroyo said those responsible for the tragedy will not go unpunished.

“We demand full accounting. Pananagutin natin ang lahat ng mapapatunayang nagpabaya at naging sanhi ng pagkamatay ng marami nating kababayan (We will hold accountable those who will be proved to have been negligent and caused the deaths of many of our countrymen),” she said

It was her first official statement about the incident since arriving in the country at dawn yesterday. The tragedy, the offshoot of typhoon Frank, struck when she was on official trip abroad.

The President, who flew here a few hours after arriving in the country, said that even before she flew to the United States to meet with President George Bush and other officials, she already directed the various government agencies to brace for the coming typhoon. She said it was a difficult decision to forge ahead with the trip but she went ahead nevertheless because of several reasons.

She said that as President, she had to make the difficult choice whether to cancel important meetings with Bush and leaders of the US Congress who specifically asked that she be in Washington to lobby for pending legislation on the Philippine Veterans’ Bill.

She added that while in the US, she was overseeing relief efforts and was in constant touch with officials on the ground and personally directing activities.

The Chief Executive said that over the next few days, she and her Cabinet would be meeting with government officials for the rescue and relief operations to ensure the speedy rehabilitation of the affected areas.

She said she will fly to Cebu tomorrow to meet with the families, express condolences and to pledge to them that the government will get to the bottom of the tragedy.

She also thanked the Spanish government for being one of the first countries to extend assistance to the Philippines in the wake of the typhoon and the ferry accident. She said that a plane of the Spanish Air Force is now on its way to the country to deliver relief goods.

In an earlier speech, Spanish Ambassador Luis Arias-Romero conveyed his government’s condolences to the victims of the ferry accident.

At the same time, Mrs. Arroyo said the government should take pains to be more prepared in the event of another typhoon. She said the government will install new Doppler radars or weather forecasting instruments in Surigao del Sur, South Cotabato, Mactan, Tagaytay,
She added that two Doppler radars in Baguio and in this province will be upgraded to make them more responsive during calamities.