Ugnayang Pambansa hosts Prof. Alex Magno and Edu Manzano

Benguet Board backs RH Bill

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (21 Aug) -- The Provincial Board this week has committed to disseminate salient features of the "Reproductive Health Care Act."

This developed as the Committee on Health chaired by Vice-Governor Edna Tabanda opted to keep mum over the resolution of Marinduque province soliciting its support to oppose the proposed bill.

Marinduque Resolution No. 383 stated among others House Bill No. 4110, "An Act Establishing a Reproductive Health Care Agenda" as "being unconstitutional and highly immoral."

The health committee said the province of Marinduque might have interpreted the first version of House Bill 4110 as being pro-abortion.

Under the explanatory note of the first version it indicated among others a recommendation for the review of the Revised Penal Code provisions penalizing the woman and those aiding the woman in all kinds of consensual abortions for possible amendment to allow consensual abortion under exceptional circumstances such as pregnancy as a result of rape.

Following the opinion rendered by the Provincial Legal Office, the committee added that "it confirms that the resolution is based on the first version of the bill. However, this statement is not found in the latest two other versions."

Among the basis used by the health committee in arriving at such opinion include the three versions of the bill and its objectives; statistical data on the alarming increase of population, rise in the number of abortion cases, high maternal death rates due to pregnancy and child-birth, increasing number of cases of violence against women and girl-children, increasing number of sexually transmitted infection including HIV-AIDS, and the growing number of adolescents engaged in pre-marital sex and early adolescent marriages.

The committee also considered the position taken by pro-life groups indicating that the bill is "anti-family, anti-God, and anti-love" in promoting the use of artificial contraceptives as a family planning method and it promotes promiscuity among the youth because of their access to contraceptives.

The committee also said the "bill emphasizes that the plans, program, activities and mechanism in implementing the bill shall be in conformity with the religious, moral and cultural convictions of couples and individuals."

The committee further said it does not find any objectionable provisions that would contradict the constitution and make the bill immoral.

All members of the health committee committed to coordinate the conduct of information dissemination activities in the province. The committee also recommended the Sanggunian Panlalawigan to inform the SP of Marinduque that it is not yet in a position to make any appropriate action pending the need for more information and explanation on the provisions of the bill. (PIA Ugnayan News Service)

Boto ng mga overseas Filipinos mahalaga - Secretary Alvarez

Quezon City (18 Agosto) -- Binigyan diin kamakailan ni Sec. Heherson Alvarez, presidential adviser on overseas Filipino community, na mahalaga ang boto ng mga Pinoy sa ibang bansa.

Bilang panauhin sa telebisyong "Ugnayang Pambansa" sa Channel 4, sinabi ni Alvarez na ang boto ng mga kababayan sa labas ng bansa ay maaaring makapaghalal ng susunod na pangulo ng Pilipinas.

Matatandaan, aniya, na si dating Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos ay nahalal ng mahigit lamang sa isang milyong boto sa pinakamalapit na kalaban noong pampanguluhang halalan ng 1992.

Kung nagkakaisa ang lahat ng mga overseas Pinoy na may kabuuang 1.2 milyon, sapat na ito upang makapag-luklok ng isang kandidato sa pagkapangulo.

Bukod sa magiging bahagi sila ng pagpili sa mamumuno at mga opisyal ng ating bansa, ang pagkilos na ito ay nagpapahiwatig ng pagbigay halaga sa kanilang malaking ambag sa ekonomiya ng bansa.

Ani Alvarez na ang kabuuang halaga ng mga remittances ng overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) lamang ay katumbas na ng kalahati ng pambansang budget o pondo ng Pilipinas.

Tinukoy ni Alvarez na may malalaking pagtitipon ng mga Pinoy sa California, New York, Middle East, Hongkong, at Singapore.

Ibinunyag ng dating kalihim ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources na ang mga Pinoy sa Amerika, lalo na sa Los Angeles at New York, ay nalalaman ang mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas at ang mga programa ni Pangulong Macapagal-Arroyo.

Ito ay dahil sa tulong ng telebisyon, radyo, pahayagan, at iba't ibang makabagong kagamitan ng communication.

Kaugnay sa 2004 eleksiyon, nanawagan si Alvarez sa lahat ng mga Pinoy sa ibang bansa na magparehistro at lumahok sa halalan. (OPS-PIA) #

Contact: PIA/ODG, tel. 920-4345/920-1224

Comelec vows fastest, most accurate polls in 2004

Quezon City (15 Aug) -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday gave assurance that the May 2004 elections will be the fastest and most accurate in Philippine history.

Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr yesterday said over television program "Ugnayang Pambansa" that the poll body expects to proclaim poll winners within four to five hours.

"Ugnayang Pambansa" airs weekly as a joint program of Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Philippine Broadcasting Service (PBS) and NBN.

Abalos said the poll body has already completed the acquisition of high-tech election equipment needed to insure fast, accurate, and credible elections next year. These include the voters' data capturing equipment and automatic counting machines.

Data capturing machines will be used for the new registrants to expedite the encoding of information and capturing the biometrics of the registrant, including the electronic thumb print, index fingerprints, and digital photography.

The election computerization program is a commitment of Arroyo administration for "clean, orderly, and credible elections" in 2004. The automation projects costs P3 billion.

According to Abalos, electronic transmission of election results coming the world over where there are registered overseas Filipinos will be completed within four seconds.

The Comelec chairman said each town or city will be given a high-tech counting machine.

He said Comelec is in the process of cleansing voters' lists and registration of new voters. With the use of data-capturing machines, double registration will be eliminated and flying voters will be foiled.

Abalos appealed to all registered voters to visit their registration centers for biometrics data capture. (OPS-PIA)

54 ektarya ipinamahagi, Karzone ilulunsad

BATANGAS (Hulyo 11) -- Kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng CARP 15th Anniversary noong Hunyo, namahagi ang DAR ng 54 ektarya sa 46 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries ng mga bayan ng San Juan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, Lian, Mabini at Lobo para sa kabuuang 20 Certificate of Landownership Award (CLOA). Samantalang ilulunsad naman ang mga bayan ng San Juan, Padre Garcia at Rosario bilang kauna-unahang KALAHI Agrarian Reform Zone (KARZONE) sa lalawigan ng Batangas.

Ang mga mapapabilang sa KARZONE na mapapadagdag sa talaan ng ARC barangay ay ang Maugat West & East, Bucal, Manggas at Castillo sa Padre Garcia. Laiya Ibabao, Laiya Aplaya, Bataan, Buhay na Sapa, Puting Buhangin at Ticalan sa San Juan. Baywang, Mabunga, Maalas-as, Mavalor, Itlugan, Colongan, Timbugan, Tiquiwan, Baybayin, Macalamcam A & B naman sa Rosario.

Ayon kay OIC - PARO I Cynthia Lapid ang mga barangay na naturan ay mababahaginan din ng mga proyektong isinagawa sa ARCs gaya ng Recto Model Farm, Strategic Agriculture & Fiheries Development Zone (SAFDZ) ng DA. (Ugnayan News Service/PIA)

Alitagtag, Best Performer sa Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran 2003

ALITAGTAG, BATANGAS (Hulyo 11) -- Nahirang ang bayang ito bilang Best Performer sa Category B ng Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran para sa taong 2003. Naging malaking puntos dito ang pagkapagtatag ng Eco-Waste Center sa ilalim ng Solid Waste Management Program ng naturang bayan.

Ang Eco-Waste Center ay kumpleto sa pasilidad gaya ng garbage shredder (hammer mill) composting drum at redemption center. Sa katunayan naka-prodyus na ang center ng 'organic fertilizer' na gagamitin nila sa itatanim na gulay sa harapan ng center.

Dahil sa programang ito ang mga tao ay unti-unti nang natuto sa pag-recycle at segregation ng basura. Ang proyekto ay nakapaloob sa 10 year Ecological Solid Waste Management Plan na ipinatutupad ng lokal na pamahalaan. (Ugnayan News Service/PIA)

Abra, Cordillera police intensify fight vs drugs, criminality

BANGUED, Abra (July 10) -- The presence of dissident terrorists in some areas of the province continue to affect its over-all internal security.

In a report submitted to the members of the Provincial Peace and Order (PPOC) and Disaster Coordinating (PDCC) Councils during its joint meeting here last week, a total of 13 upland barangays are infiltrated while four others are threatened by terrorist members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CPP-NPA). Notable among the destabilizing activities of dissident terrorists was the ambush of the Commanding Officer of the 17th IB, 503rd Brigade, PA last May 16, 2003.

Despite this report, authorities are able to maintain peace and order in the province with its intensified campaign against loose firearms which resulted in the confiscation of 14 high powered and four low powered fire-arms. From January to June this year, a total of 82 crime incidents were recorded consisting of 32 index crimes and 50 non-index crimes. Compared with the data during the same period last year, the number of crime incidents increased by 26, which one municipal mayor found "alarming." The PNP however said this is a "proof of the efficiency of their personnel in Abra."

The joint PPOC-PDCC meeting was presided by Police Chief Supt. Victor P. Luga, Director of the Cordillera Police Regional Office (PRO-CAR) and Abra Governor Vicente P. Valera. Director Vicente Tomazar, head of the Cordillera Civil Defense Office (OCD-CAR) was also present.

While Luga was satisfied with the report that "drug personalities in the province are laying low" as a result of the sustained anti-drug campaign pursued by the drug enforcement unit of the 27 police stations of the province, he informed the group of the great responsibility imposed to the police by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The president ordered the reduction of illegal drug activities in the country by least 60% within the period of 90 days.

Luga said that this can only be done by demand and supply reduction of the illegal drugs. Aside from random drug testing among the officers and members of the police, Luga said a reward system program is being initiated to help accomplish the heavy load imposed to the police under the direction of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration (PDEA).

Luga said that the following reward will be given by the PNP-CAR: (1) P50,000 for the discovery and destruction of a marijuana plantation; (2) P10,000 for each barangay who can eliminate illegal drugs in its area; and (3) P10,000 for the identification and neutralization of drug pusher and drug users. Luga said his office has initially given PNP-Abra through P/Sr. Supt. Artemio Hicban P15,000 for this purpose. Luga also deputized all of the 27 chiefs of police of the province as deputy PDEA officers.

Meanwhile, Governor Valera also expressed the all-out and whole-hearted support of the local government officials of Abra to the illegal drug campaign. For is part, the governor directed all the barangay chairpersons of the province to list down the identities of suspected drug pushers and drug users in their barangays and submit said record to the governor's office. Valera said this will be a two-way affair, as his office will also give to the barangay chairpersons a list of suspected drug pushers and users which the governor's security has prepared "for validation."

Bangued Mayor Ma. Zita Claustro Valera asked Director Tomazar the possibility of using the local government calamity fund for the drug testing of local government officials and employees. She said the drug menace is "even a more serious disaster" that can happen in the country than natural calamities if left unchecked.

Valera also requested for additional police personnel but Luga said this cannot be granted at the moment as the Cordillera region was only allotted 50 new police officers, divided equally among the six provinces and two other important units of PNP-CAR. With this number, only five new police officers can be assigned to each of the provinces in the region. (Prescillano N. Bermudez/ PIA Abra / Ugnayan News Service / PIA)

GAWIN 1345 inilunsad

Quezon City (Marso 28) -- Kung nangangailangan ng impormasyon, idayal ang 1345.

Pormal na inilunsad kahapon sa lingguhang programang "Ugnayan Pambansa" ang Government at Work Inter-Agency Network o "GAWIN 1345," bagong proyekto ng PIA na ang tanging layunin ay mapaglingkuran ang mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng pagsagot sa mga nangangailangan ng impormasyon ukol sa pang-araw-araw na kalagayan kagaya ng basura, baha, trapiko, at mga iba pa.

Matapos na pasinayaan ni First Gentleman Mike T. Arroyo ang proyekto sa loob mismo ng gusali ng Philippine Information Agency (PIA) kahapon, kasama sina PIA Director-General Renato S. Velasco at Deputy Director-General Michael R. Reyes bilang hudyat na upang magsimulang tumanggap at sumagot sa mga tanong at hinaing mula sa publiko.

Ang GAWIN 1345 ay itinatag bilang isang pangunahing katugunan sa mga nangangailangan ng tulong ukol sa impormasyon at mapadali ang mga kasagutan at aksyon sa mga karaingan mula sa mamamayan na idinudulog sa ibat-ibang sangay ng ating pamahalaan.

Ito rin ang magsisilbing taga-pahiwatig na linya at sabihan ng mga may kinalaman na sangay ng pamahalaan upang maglunsad ng kaukulang paraan upang maibsan ang maaaring mangyari alinsunod sa panahon at mga paulit-ulit na pangyayari.

Ang kabuuang layunin ng GAWIN 1345 ay upang masagutan kaagad ang mga kailangan na maliwanagan na mga mahahalagang isyu at mga pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan na kailangan ng madaliang sagot at aksyon ng ating pamahalaan. (Wackie D. Sardeng)