The City's Rural Enterprise Development (RED) Project

(July 21, 2009) The City Government of Calbayog through the City Agriculture Office and the City Veterinary Services Office conducted the "Characterization of Rural Enterprise Development (RED) Project Partners and Focus Group Discussion with Stakeholders". The activity which was held at the Conference Hall of the Old Barracks Building was among the first steps that the city will be taking as it implements the Innovative Goat Production Systems in partnership with the Department of Agriculture RFU 8.

Let me give you some details of the RED Program from the project document provided by DA RFU8. This upscaling project takes off from the gains of the RED program in 2008, which showed positive improvements in goat productivity in terms of increases in birth weight, weaning weights and market / slaughter weights and decreases in pre-weaning mortalities. These accomplishments in the field thus opened up real opportunities for ordinary farm people to engage in meaningful and profitable goat-based enterprises.

Considering these initial gains, external reviewers during the Annual RED program Review thus recommended expanding the target areas and farmer-beneficiaries, giving priority to the returning OFWs and displaced overseas workers, government retirees or soon to retire employees and other interested entrepreneurs. By increasing the sphere of influence of the Program to more geographical locations and beneficiaries, not only will the effects of the global economic crises be softened in the country but also the goal of attaining 6.2 M head of goat by 2020 will be fast-tracked. This will mean more supply of chevon in the market and more secured income for the farmers.

The ultimate goal of this program is to provide business opportunities to rural farm households by transforming goat raising from a subsistence type of farm activity to viable goat-based rural enterprises.

City Veterinarian Dick Balmes delivering his welcome remarks.

Dr. Editha Ancheta introducing the participants

Ms. Emma Morales of the RED Project Team giving the RED Briefing Orientation

Dr. Archie Lluz of the RED Project Team delivering a talk during the Focus Group Discussion.

Mayor Sarmiento meets with Security Cluster

Mayor Mel Sarmiento in a huddle with some Security Cluster members before the meeting. With Mayor Sarmiento are (l-r) with Maj Jose Lim of the 20th IB and PInsp Karlou Caesar Camposano and PInsp Vicente Bullecer, Jr. from the Police Regional Mobile Group (PRMG).

Mayor Mel Sarmiento met with the Security Cluster earlier today. On top of the agenda in the said meeting is the update on the investigations being made by the PNP on the reported shooting incidents in Calbayog.

Also discussed was the coordination to be made between the PNP and the Philippine Army and their respective tasks to maintain peace and order in the city. As reported earlier, the police troops from the PRMG will be conducting checkpoints in Calbayog. The Philippine Army through the 34th ID will conduct propelactic patrols in some barangays in Calbayog District particularly in the Upper and Lower Happy Valley areas, while the 20th IB will go on with its operations in the Tinambacan and Oquendo Districts.

As per report made by Calbayog PNP Chief PSupt Lito Bigoy, (as of July 22, 2009) the number of shooting incidents reported was at 27; and most of these incidents are results of personal grudges. As of today's meeting, the status of the cases are as follows:

• 9 cases filed in court
• One case was amicably settled (Affidavit of Desistance)
• One case with the suspect found dead
• 12 pending investigation
• 4 cases for filing

Courtesy Call by the 34th IB Officers

Mayor Mel Sarmiento today received Col Dionesio Miguel and 1Lt Jelynne Unabia, Commanding Officer and S-7 Civil Military Operations Officer, respectively, of the 34th IB of the Philippine Army.

Among the many concerns that they discussed in today's courtesy call was the details on the propelactic patrol which the 34th IB will be conducting in some barangays in Calbayog District. The activity is part of the effort to augment the local police force in maintaining peace and order in the area. It should be noted that lately peace and security has become an issue with the series of killings in various barangays in Cabayog.

Images from the 2nd Barangay Summit on Education

(July 17, 2009) The City Government of Calbayog together with DepEd Calbayog and DILG Calbayog spearheaded the conduct of the the 2nd Barangay Summit on Education. The event was held at the DepEd Calbayog Conference Hall.

120 out of the 157 Punong Barangay from the three districts of Calbayog attended the event which was aimed at giving focus on the current state of education in Calbayog and what the City of Calbayog is doing with education being one of its top priority programs.

Let me give you some pictures courtesy of the CTIO and DILG Calbayog.

DILG Calbayog City Director Valente Bajet as he delivered the rationale of the 2nd Barangay Summit for Education Concerns. (DILG-Calbayog photo)

Liga ng mga Barangay President Florencio Enriquez welcoming the participants during the summit. (DILG-Calbayog photo)

Some of the participants who attended the summit. (CTIO photo)

Mr. Ramon Miano, DepEd ES- I for Mathematics presents the National Achievement Test Results. (DILG Calbayog photo)

Schools Division Superintendent Edita Paculan discussing the State of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Division of Calbayog City. (DILG Calbayog photo)

City Budget Officer Geronides Mancol explaining the budget allocation for education concerns in the barangays. (DILG-Calbayog photo)

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento discussing the importance of quality and accessible education as means of alleviating the effects of poverty in his Keynote Speech on Education: A Priority Concern for the City of Calbayog. (DILG-Calbayog photo)

Councilor Florencio Enriquez as he led the Punong Barangays of Calbayog City in conveying their Pledge of Support and Commitment to Education. (DILG-Calbayog photo)

Some of the participants raising some queries on issues concerning education and barangay budget allocation during the Open Forum. (CTIO photo)

Images from the Summmit on Climate Change

(July 10, 2009) As reported earlier (check these: link1, link2), the City of Calbayog hosted a regional summit on climate change dubbed as "Enhancing Communities' Capacity to Confront Extreme Geo-Meteorological Events at the Core of Climate Change". Let me share some pictures from the said event.

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento as he presented his topic on "Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change".

Dr. Rodolfo Tamayo, Jr., Associate Professor from the National Institute of Geological Sciences UP-Diliman discussing "Climate Change-Related Extreme Geological Events".

Ms. Gerarda Asuncion Merito, Senior Environmental Management Specialist from the DENR. She discussed "Philippine Climate Change Initiatives (Climate change Financial Issues and Technology Transfer)".

Engr. Albert Mariño, Senior Research Specialist from the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development. He discussed "Science and Technology Intervention on Climate Change".

Ms. Russy Abastillas, Weather Specialist from PAG-ASA discussing "Climate Change-Related Extreme Weather Conditions".

Engr. Rosella Gopo, DOST Samar Provincial Director delivering the Closing Remarks.

Courtesy Call

Mayor Mel Sarmiento today received PInsp Karlou Caesar Camposano and PInsp Vicente Bullecer, Jr. The two police officers are part of the two platoons of police troops from the Police Regional Mobile Group (PRMG) which the PNP Regional Office deployed to Samar to immediately stop the criminalities in the area. With the police officers in the courtesy call was Calbayog PNP Chief, PSupt Lito Bigoy. For news details about police troop deployment in Calbayog, please check this link.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento attends Cokaliong Ship launching

Mayor Mel Sarmiento (3rd from the left) as he participated in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting which launched M/V Filipinas Ozamis, the eighth ship of Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Inc. Also in photo are (l-r) Inquirer Publications President Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, Cokaliong Shipping CEO Chester Cokaliong, MARINA Administrator Ma. Elena Bautista, Mrs. Gregoria Cokaliong, Transportation Usec. Thompson Lantion, Cokaliong Shipping VP for Marketing Lynee Cokaliong and Shell Philippines country manager Edgar Chua.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento was in Cebu upon the invitation of the Cokaliong Shipping Lines. He was on hand for the launch of the shipping company's eighth ship the M/V Filipinas Ozamis. The event took place last Saturday, July 11, 2009 at Pier 1, Cebu City.

According to Cokaliong Shipping CEO Chester Cokaliong, the launching of the new vessel will allow his company to serve Calbayog City via the port of Manguino-o in Tinambacan District. They will utilize the M/V Filipinas Dinagat vessel which used to serve Iligan City. The ship will soon ply the Calbayog-Cebu route three times weekly.

The entry of a new player in the Calbayog-Cebu route is a welcome news to many Calbayognons. The City Government of Calbayog has invited the Cokaliong group to serve the route way back in 2006.

Orientation for Police Auxiliary Groups

(July 11, 2009) Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino in his capacity as Chief Regulator of the Civilian Auxiliary Traffic Enforcement Group (CATEG) and the Auxiliary Police spearheaded the One-Day Orientation-Seminar on Basic Effective Enforcement Strategies for the 25 CATEG and Auxiliary Police members. The activity was held at the Girl Scouts' Home Function Hall.

Also on hand for the activity were Councilor Jonas Montealto (Chair of SP Committee on Peace and Order), Councilor Ina Rabuya, Councilor Sonny Salurio and Councilor Ver Porlares, Calbayog PNP Chief PSupt Lito Bigoy and PInsp Rolando Diaz.

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino

Councilor Ina Rabuya

Councilor Jonas Montealto

Councilor Sonny Salurio

Councilor Ver Porlares

PInsp Rolando Diaz

On the Bangon Falls Power Generation Project

The Project Proposal on the Bangon Falls Power Generation Project will be officially presented today.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento will lead the LGU officials and Department Managers in the said activity which will be held at the I's Plant conference hall.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento and Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino are expected to deliver their messages. Engr. Jose Ocampo Ilagan, President and CEO of the project proponent Clean and Green Energy Solutions, Inc. will do the presentation.

courtesy call by Ambassador Pedro Chan

Mayor Mel Sarmiento today received Ambassador Pedro Chan, the Philippine envoy to Turkey. With Ambassador Chan during his courtesy call were Mr. Roberto Nicolasora and Engr. Oscar Hugo.

Earth Scientists, Climate Change Stakeholders To Meet in Calbayog City

The City of Calbayog will host the regional meeting on climate change for earth scientists, Local Government Units , Non-Government and Business Organizations on Friday, July 10, 2009.

The meeting is a a part of a series of symposia being conducted by the National Institute of Geological Sciences-University of the Philippines (NIGS-UP), Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration-Dept. of Science and Technology (PAGASA-DOST), and the Phil. Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development –Dept. Of Science and Technology (PCIERD-DOST), entitled “ Enhancing Communities’ Capacity to Confront Extreme Geo-Meteorological Events at the Core of Climate Change.”

According to Dr. Rodolfo Tamayo, the Project Leader, the meeting would be a venue for the said stakeholders and scientists to present recent findings and discuss key issues on climate change. He added that the project has 2-fold aim: first is to bring the issue of climate change to key places across the Philippines such as the people would be updated on recent scientific information; and second, to provide the organizers the means to identify policy issues that the government can address as it confronts climate change.

Resource speakers will provide inputs on Climate Change-Related Extreme Weather Conditions, Climate Change-Related Extreme Geological Events, Climate Change Financial Issues and Technology Transfer, Science and Technology Intervention on Climate Change, and Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change.

An open forum and workshop will also be held in the later part of the symposium.

Among those invited to participate in this event are the local chief executives of Naval, Borongan, Salcedo, Baybay, Catarman, Tacloban, San isidro and Maasin, as well as the governor of the province of Leyte, administrators of the different State Colleges and Universities, and Regional Ecology Centers here in Region 8, and business sector and non-government organizations representatives. From Calbayog City, expected to attend are 5 Punong barangays whose jurisdiction lies the city’s water shed, 33 from coastal barangays, and several school teachers.

The event will be held at the Audio-Visual Room of TTMIST. (Eleen Lim/DYOG-Calbayog)

Extreme Geo-meteo Events on Climate Change

A symposium dubbed "Enhancing Communities' Capacity to Confront Extreme Geo-Meteorological Events at the Core of Climate Change" will be held tomorrow at the TTMIST-AVR. The event is scheduled to take place from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento had been invited to deliver the Welcome Remarks during the opening ceremonies. He will also deliver a talk on "Local Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change".

The following are the topics to be presented in the event:

• Climate Change-Related Extreme Weather Conditions by Mr. Nathaniel Cruz, OIC for Operations and Services, PAGASA.
• Climate change-Related Extreme Geological Events by Dr. Rodolfo Tamayo, Jr., Associate Professor, NIGS-UP.
• Philippine Climate Change Initiatives (Climate Change Financial Issues and Technology Transfer) by Ms. Gerarda Asuncion Merilo, Sr. Environmental Specialist, DENR.
• Science and Technology Intervention on Climate Change by Engr. Albert Mariño, Sr. Science Research Specialist, PCIERD.

This events is organized by: The National Institute of Geological Sciences-University of the Philippines (NIGS-UP); Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration-Dep't of Science and Technology (PAGASA-DOST); and the Philippine Council for Industry and Energy Research and Development-Dep't of Science and Technology (PCIERD-DOST)

JICA & CSWMO Barangay Summit

The joint LGU and JICA Barangay Summit will be held tomorrow at the TTMIST-AVR. Expected to attend the event are the 157 Punong Barangay of Calbayog City. Also on hand will be the City Officials led by Mayor Mel Sarmiento, and representatives from JICA, EMB-DENR, DepEd, DILG and the NSWNC.

Here's the program flow for the said summit:

8:00 am: Registration
8:30 am - 9:30 am: Opening Program

• Prayer
• National Anthem
• Welcome Address by Vice Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, Chair of the City Solid Waste Management Board
• Introduction of Participants
• Message by Mayor Mel Sarmiento

9:30 am - 10:30 am

• Updates on Recent National Policy Issuances (SWM Towards Low Carbon Economy for LGUs) by Jennifer Flores, Senior Geologist from the National Solid Waste Management Council)
• Functions of Barangays in the Implementation of R.A. 9003

10:30 am - 11:00 am: Barangay IEC Campaign by Annabelle Yangzon, DepEd Representative on Environmental Education

11:00 am - 11:30 am: Organizing the Enforcement Group in the Barangay by Valente Bajet, DILG Calbayog City Director.

11:30 am - 12:00 noon: Good Practices in the Barangay

12:00 noon -1:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 pm - 1:15pm: Presentation of mechanics / General Outline of Plenary Workshop

1:15pm - 3:00 pm: Plenary Workshop, Presentation and Critiquing

3:00pm - 4:00 pm: Open Forum

4:00pm: Closing Message by Councilor Susano Salurio, Chair of SP Committee on Environmental Protection

Images from the 1st SK Summit on Education

As I have reported in an earlier blog post, the First SK Summit on Education was held on June 30, 2009 at the DepEd Conference Hall. 110 out of the 157 SK Chairpersons attended the activity.

Here are some pictures from the activity courtesy of DILG Calbayog.

DILG City Director Valente Bajet updating the summit participants on the current performance of the City Government in addressing the areas of Governance and Administration, Economic Development, Environmental Management and Social Services including the Education Sector. (DILG-Calbayog)

"The State of Education in Calbayog City" being discussed by Schools Division Superintendent Editha Paculan (DILG-Calbayog)

DepEd Calbayog's Rita Dimakiling discussing the "National Achievement Test Results". (DILG-Calbayog)

Mr. Ubaldo D. Diomangay, DepEd ES1-PESS reporting on "The City Government Support to Education". (DILG-Calbayog)

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento emphasized the vital role of SK Chairmen in achieving quality and accessible education in his Keynote Speech on "Education: A Top Priority in Calbayog City". (DILG-Calbayog)

Selected SK Chairpersons were given Certificates of Recognition for implementing programs and projects in support to Education in their respective barangays. Mayor Mel Sarmiento awarded the certificates. He was assisted by (l-r) DILG-Calbayog City Director Valente Bajet, Calbayog SDS Edita Paculan and SK Federation President Charlie Boy Coñejos. (DILG-Calbayog)

LGOO II Cielito Adelaine Peñaflor discusses the Guidelines in Implementing the Study Grant Program for Barangay Officials and their legitimate dependents including the SK Officials. (DILG-Calbayog)

The SK Chairpersons as they pledged to support the uplifting of the literacy rate in the City of Calbayog. (DILG-Calbayog)