Marañon declares Negros Occidental ‘coal-free’

BACOLOD CITY — Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. has issued an executive order (EO) declaring the entire province of Negros Occidental as coal-free, amid the ongoing protests against the proposed coal-fired plant in San Carlos City.

The governor announced his move before an estimated 2,000 Negrense youth who joined the “Youth Strike for Negros” protest rally, held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds here on Wednesday afternoon.

EO No. 19-08, signed by Marañon on March 6, is an order declaring the province as a source of clean and renewable energy.

“It is about the future. Climate change is here already, so we must protect our environment, we must conserve,” the governor said, adding that environmental protection is “inter-generational” and concerns everybody.

Some of the 2,000 Negrense students who participated in the “Youth Strike for Negros” rally, calling on the provincial government to immediately declare Negros Occidental as coal-free, at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City Wednesday (March 6, 2019) .
*Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera*

Marañon said that before coming up with the order, he tasked the Provincial Environment Management Office to make a thorough study on coal-fired power plants.

In the order, he cited Local Government Code of 1991, stating that the provincial governor shall adopt adequate measures to safeguard and conserve land, mineral, marine, forest and other resources in the province in coordination with mayors of component localities.

He also mentioned the Renewable Energy (RE) Act of 2008, which provides that it is the state’s policy to encourage the development and utilization of RE sources as tools to effectively prevent or reduce harmful emissions and thereby balance the goals of economic growth and development with the protection of health and environment.

“More and more countries have been decommissioning coal-fired powered plants due to the damage it has caused to the environment and in fact have been shifting to RE projects,” he said.

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, who also attended the “Youth Strike for Negros” rally, said they are thankful and elated that the governor made a very clear stand in favor of their advocacy for a clean province.

“That’s a good affirmation in itself,” said Alminaza, a staunch supporter of a coal-free Negros movement.

Alminaza, along with three other bishops in Negros, had earlier issued a collegial pastoral statement to protect the environment by opposing the reported proposal of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. to develop a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant in San Carlos City.

Wednesday’s protest rally, attended by students and youth from different schools and parishes under the Diocese of San Carlos and some from Bacolod City, was considered the biggest youth-led mobilization on climate change and anti-coal initiative in the country, according to The Climate Change Reality Project.

Krishna Ariola, lead convenor of Youth for Climate Hope, said they have been holding protests for four consecutive Wednesdays now to express their anti-coal sentiments.

She added that they are calling for the immediate action of the Provincial Board to support the proposed ordinance submitted last October by Marañon, seeking to declare the entire Negros Occidental a coal-free, clean energy, and environment-friendly province.

Moreover, the governor said that since the proposal has been with the Provincial Board for quite some time already, the board members should vote on it so the public would know who are in favor or against the measure.

Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said they are not delaying the process, but said the committees on energy and environment are still conducting a series of hearings related to the proposed ordinance. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063875

Surrender of guerilla fighters in NegOcc ‘big blow’ to CPP-NPA

BACOLOD CITY — The surrender of 25 former guerilla fighters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Occidental is a “big blow” to the rebel movement, a top official of the Philippine Army said.

Maj. Gen. Dinoh Dolina, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said in a statement on Tuesday the mass abandonment strongly indicates the continued downfall of the CPP-NPA.

“The surrender of the 25 will surely weaken the strength and armed capability of the communist terrorists in Negros Island,” he added.

On March 2, the former NPA fighters yielded to military and police authorities in a ceremony held at the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City.

The 25 former fighters of the New People’s Army in Negros Occidental take an oath of allegiance to the Philippine government after they surrendered to officials of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police in Sagay City last March 2.
*Photo courtesy of 79^th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army*

The 25 surrenderers, who were formerly operating in the boundaries of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto towns and San Carlos City, turned themselves in after months of localized peace negotiations.

Dolina said they expect more surrenderers as former rebels and supporters express their disappointment and realize that the NPA has become more of terrorist group than a people’s army that it claims to be.

“It will create drastic demoralization among the remaining members of the communist terrorist group that will certainly encourage them to surrender,” he added.

Dolina appealed anew to the remaining members of the CPP-NPA to abandon the armed struggle, return to the fold of the law, and avail of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

The program entitles a former rebel to receive immediate assistance of PHP15,000; livelihood assistance, PHP50,000; firearms remuneration, PHP12,000 to PHP500,000; half-way house assistance; PhilHealth enrolment and medical assistance; education assistance; housing assistance; legal assistance; and healing and reconciliation initiatives.

Last February 18, a total of 11 former rebels in Negros Occidental under the custody of the 62nd Infantry Battalion and the 3rd Civil-Military Operations Battalion received reintegration assistance worth PHP21,000 each from the Department of the Interior and Local Government before their enrolment to the E-CLIP. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063670

NFA-NegOcc programs rice distribution until August

BACOLOD CITY — The National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Occidental has programmed its rice distribution efforts until this August as part of its remaining mandate following the liberalization of the rice industry.

Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, said starting Tuesday, Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Import and Export Libelization Law took effect, thereby removing the agency’s regulatory functions over international and domestic trading of rice.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed RA 11203 on February 14, which lifted import restrictions on rice to make the price of the staple commodity more affordable.

Canoy said the NFA-Negros Occidental will now concentrate on its buffer stocking for calamities and emergencies role.

The National Food Authority provincial office in Negros Occidental located in Bacolod City.
*PNA Bacolod file photo*

This is still part of ensuring the food security mandate of the NFA and the same guidelines on palay procurement with the current support price of PHP20.70 per kilogram will be implemented, he added.

“We have programmed the distribution until August this year. We are on ‘wait and see’ status in terms of distribution,” Canoy said.

As of Tuesday, the NFA-Negros Occidental still has a buffer stock inventory of 195,000 bags. These stocks are part of the province’s recent import allocation from Myanmar and Vietnam.

If there is no new instructions from the NFA central office, they will continue to distribute the remaining stocks to the market, Canoy said.

Government rice with a buying price of PHP25 per kilogram at the NFA is being sold by accredited retailers at PHP27 per kilogram.

With the rice tariffication taking effect, the NFA can no longer import rice for distribution to local traders and retailers.

The initial implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Rice Import and Export Libelization Law was presented during the consultation with the Visayas stakeholders in Iloilo City on March 1.

“The law is not yet fully implemented. There are still additional provisions, or maybe amendments, that will be included in the final version of the IRR,” Canoy said.

Under the law, provincial offices like the NFA-Negros Occidental can no longer act on licensing and registration of persons and entities engaged in the grains business, and collection of regulatory fees.

Other functions stripped from the agency included the issuance of negotiable warehouse receipts, warehouse inspection, authority to seize hoarded stocks and enforce rules and regulations in the grains business. (PNA)

NegOcc tourist arrivals up by 2%, hit 1.76M in 2018

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental, including this city, registered 1.76 million in tourist arrivals by end of December 2018, a 2 percent increase compared to the 2017 figures.

Cristine Mansinares, provincial supervising tourism operations officer, on Tuesday said various conventions and similar events hosted by the city and the province largely contributed to the growth.

In 2017, the total tourist arrivals in Negros Occidental only reached 1.72 million.

Mansinares said the provincial government’s nature-based tourism that attracted more crowd, and the strengthened marketing and promotion efforts with stakeholders also helped boost the number of visitors last year.

Negros Occidental hosted a group of celebrities and social media influencers from Malaysia for a six-day filming trip featuring the province’s beaches, farm tourism offerings, and ecotourism sites in October last year.
*File photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Tourism Division*

“Nature-based tourism products that we offered included beaches, mountain resorts, diving and snorkeling sites as well as trekking areas,” she added.

As part of its marketing and promotion initiatives, Negros Occidental has been actively participating in key travel fairs and business missions and hosting familiarization tours for local and international media and tour operators in events like Panaad sa Negros Festival and other festivals of local government units, she said.

The provincial government also cited the support of local bloggers in promoting the tourism industry, she said.

Mansinares noted that the tourist arrival figures accounted for overnight visitors only, which means these are on top of the day visitors coming to Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.

Figures from the Negros Occidental Tourism Division (NOTD) showed that the province catered to 3.19 million day tourists last year, which is 17 percent higher than the 2.74 million day visitors in 2017.

For foreign tourists, the top 10 markets are the United States with 16,362 arrivals; Korea, 16,048; Japan, 8,021; Russia, 6,629; Australia, 5,636; China, 4,913; Canada, 4,744; Germany, 4,264; the United Kingdom, 2,223; and India, 1,896.

Meanwhile, the top 10 contributing LGUs are Bacolod City, Sipalay City, Murcia, Kabankalan City, San Carlos City, Cadiz City, Talisay City, Bago City, Escalante City, and Silay City.

Mansinares said the province has a total of 293 accommodation establishments with 5,853 rooms, providing direct employment to 3,694 Negrenses.

In the 2016 Household Survey on Domestic Visitors released by the Philippine Statistics Authority and DOT in mid-2017, Negros Occidental was the second most visited place in the country by Filipino domestic travelers, behind the National Capital Region. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063761

Sagay City to launch dog registration program

BACOLOD CITY — The City of Sagay in Negros Occidental is set to launch a Dog Registration Program for easy monitoring of pets in line with the observance of Rabies Awareness Month this March.

Dr. Baltazar Delorino, city veterinarian, said in a statement on Tuesday they aim to register an initial 10,000 dogs in the northern Negros city.

To implement the program, the City Veterinary Office (CVO) will take the dog’s photo, issue a dog tag, and give a record booklet to the owner to keep track of the activities of the pet.

Delorino acknowledged that “irresponsible” pet ownership remains as the CVO’s biggest problem and appealed for an active community participation to address such concern.

He called on the Sagaynons to be responsible owners by securing and feeding their pets well so they would not harm other people.

“Avail of our veterinary services such as consultation, vaccination and castration. Do not wait for the CVO to come to you, have the initiative to keep your pets safe and healthy,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Sagay CVO dismissed the allegation that they are using a “gas chamber” in eliminating impounded stray dogs.

Delorino said his office is open for investigation to check on the veracity of the alleged practice as claimed by a post on a social media site.

He pointed out that “carbon monoxide” poisoning is prohibited under the amended Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Law.

Instead, euthanasia or putting the dogs to sleep by using anesthesia is applied because it is a more humane and lawful way of eliminating impounded stray dogs, Delorino added.

The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Negros Occidental has stepped up its efforts to reduce, if not eliminate rabies, with the implementation of the Rabies Control Action Plan for 2019.

The PVO has also begun organizing dog owners to assist its initiatives to bring down rabies cases in the province.

In 2018, canine rabies cases in Negros Occidental increased by 50 percent, totaling 33 from only 22 in 2017. There were seven human deaths in the past year. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063685

NegOcc Vet readies measures to cushion effects of dry spell

BACOLOD CITY — The Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental has started monitoring the effects of extreme heat to livestock and poultry, following reports of damage to rice farms in the southern part of the province.

Dr. Ryan Janoya, head of PVO Animal Health and Meat Inspection Services Division, said as of Tuesday, their field monitoring did not indicate significant losses, so far among livestock and poultry farms.

“We have been anticipating a period of extreme heat due to climate change every year. Losses before were not that huge as local raisers had prepared and mitigating measures were also in place,” he said.

Janoya added that the PVO, through the district veterinarians and livestock inspectors, continuously reminds backyard raisers to implement measures to lessen the possible adverse effects of the dry weather to animals.

Considered most vulnerable to extreme heat among livestock are swine and broiler for poultry.

A swine has no sweat glands thus the animal has difficulty regulating its body temperature and needs to be bathed frequently.

Broiler is fast-growing and has fast metabolism, but weak in coping with heat regulation.

Janoya said they have been advising raisers to avoid putting their animals in areas with high temperature like those exposed to sunlight.

“It’s better to place animals in shaded areas like under the trees, and provide them sufficient amount of water,” he added.

Janoya said raisers should also provide additional supplements to animals like multivitamins and electrolytes so that they would become resistant to diseases.

With the heat associated with El Niño projected to intensify this month, the PVO has briefed veterinarians in different districts and local government units to immediately report animal deaths caused by extreme heat.

“Proper reporting is essential as it enables the PVO to immediately assess the situation and provide technical assistance, if necessary,” Janoya said.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is also validating reports of the damage caused by extreme heat to some rice farms in the southern Negros town of Cauayan. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063627

NegOcc LGUs, police turn over 230 loose firearms to PRO-6

BACOLOD CITY — The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office led the turnover of 230 unlicensed firearms to the Police Regional Office-6 (Western Visayas) in a ceremony held at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. here on Monday.

The guns included 205 with expired licenses handed over by Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the mayors of 16 local government units (LGUs), and 25 others from former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels turned over by Col. Romeo Baleros, police provincial director.

Police Brig. Gen. John Bulalacao, regional director of PRO-6, received the firearms and lauded the move of local officials to surrender the unregistered firearms.

Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (2^nd from left) leads local government officials in the turn-over of 205 firearms with expired licenses from various towns and cities to Police Brig. Gen. John Bulalacao, director of Police Regional Office-Western Visayas, in a ceremony held at the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City on Monday (March 4, 2019).
*Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office*

“Your action is indeed a manifestation of your sincerity to help us achieve a peaceful mid-term election this coming May,” he said.

Bulalacao added that since the PRO-6 launched the “Tokhang Kontra Guinadili-an nga Pusil” campaign last July, they have rounded up 9,104 firearms with expired licenses and confiscated 563 others in various police operations.

In Negros Occidental, the 205 unlicensed firearms were from the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Talisay, and the municipalities of Calatrava, E.B. Magalona, Isabela, Manapla, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Pontevedra, and Toboso.

Bulalacao said these firearms were previously purchased by the LGUs for their civil security units.

“These are formerly licensed firearms, but have been classified as unlicensed because they failed to re-register. It will be returned to them once they can show to us the renewed licenses,” he added.

The 25 high-powered firearms were turned over by the NPA surrenderers to the military and police authorities in Sagay City last March 2.

Monday’s turn-over ceremony was also witnessed by Provincial Elections Supervisor Salud Villanueva and Col. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Philippine’s Army 303rd Infantry Brigade. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063626

Extreme heat hits rice farms in southern Negros

BACOLOD CITY — The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in Negros Occidental has monitored reports of damage to rice farms in a southern municipality due to extreme heat.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said as of Sunday, they are validating reports which indicate that farmers in Cauayan whose rice crops are now in different stages have incurred damages.

“Lack of water in this area might be already an effect of the upcoming summer season intensified by El Niño phenomenon. We are also monitoring other localities in the province,” he said.

A rice field in Sipalay City, situated next to Cauayan town, hit by dry spell in early 2016
*File photo courtesy of OPA-Negros Occidental*

Masculino said OPA validators are assessing whether the damage in Cauayan is an effect of dry spell or not.

Late last month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in an advisory that a mild El Niño phenomenon has already been affecting some provinces in the country.

A weak El Niño is occurring in the tropical Pacific region and will likely continue until the second quarter of the year, it said, adding that this may cause varying impacts such as warmer than average surface temperature and prolonged dry season.

Masculino advised farmers to observe “timing” in planting crops, and to avoid planting rice in areas where water sources are depleted for the meantime.

Farmers may instead resort to vegetable production, he said.

The OPA chief said that for sugarcane, the main crop of Negros Occidental, 35 percent of the total farms is still up for harvest.

“The remaining areas for planting may have problems especially when the farms have no near water sources like irrigation,” he added.

Based on weather forecast, extreme heat and its effects will be felt most during this month as rainfall is way below normal.

“Given this projection, we could expect that summer and El Niño effects can be felt only in a short span of time,” Masculino said.

He said, however, that mitigating measures should be put in place to lessen the possible adverse effects of dry weather to the province’s agriculture sector.

Funds will be allocated for possible cloud seeding operation, and the OPA also requested for support from the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Western Visayas, he added.

Masculino said they are also speeding up the procurement of equipment such as water and irrigation pumps especially for areas that need water. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063494

NegOcc gears up to cushion effects of El Niño

BACOLOD CITY — The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) is gearing up to cushion possible effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon on crops in Negros Occidental.

“The province is initiating ways to mitigate its effects, such as cloud seeding,” Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said Thursday.

A parched land in a southern Negros town in early 2016 as a result of prolonged dry spell in the province.
*File photo from OPA-Negros Occidental*

He added that the OPA is also eyeing the acquisition of water and irrigation pumps for farmers and has been monitoring the weather situation since last year as part of its preparations.

El Niño, characterized by unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP), could affect the normal rainfall pattern in the country, generally resulting in reduced rainfall.

In 2016, the OPA reported dry spell damage and losses of about PHP470 million in the agro-fishery sector of Negros Occidental.

In its El Niño Advisory No. 1 issued on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) reported that climate monitoring and analyses indicate that the unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the CEEP, which began in November last year, is expected to become a full-blown El Niño.

The weather pattern is “anticipated to be weak and will likely result in below normal rainfall conditions in different parts of the country in the coming months,” it added.

“All concerned agencies and the general public are advised to take precautionary measures to mitigate the potential adverse impacts of El Niño. PAGASA will closely monitor these conditions and regular updates and advisories shall be issued as appropriate,” the agency further said. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062684

NegOcc execs supporting CPP-NPA anti-gov’t: guv

BACOLOD CITY — Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said local government officials supporting the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) can be considered as anti-government.

The governor’s pronouncement came Tuesday after the Philippine Army revealed that more than 30 elected officials in the province are providing support to the communist rebels.

“There’s no need to call on them not to support the CPP-NPA. It is their duty not to do so. Those who support the CPP-NPA are also against the government,” Marañon said in an interview.

Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. (left) and Col. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 303^rd Infantry Brigade, discuss security matters during the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday, Feb. 18, 2019.
*Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Capitol PIO*

Col. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental, said Monday they have learned that these officials provide financial and logistical support to the communist rebels, who then act as armed group for them, especially during elections.

The CPP-NPA has been tagged as a terrorist group both by the United States and the European Union.

Last month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued a warning to all governors, mayors, and all candidates about directly or indirectly giving financial, material, and political support to communist terrorist rebels, as well as other non-state actors.

DILG spokesperson, Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya, said Secretary Eduardo Año has issued Memorandum Circular 2018-211, reminding all local chief executives and local government officials that giving any form of support to communist rebels is a violation not only of Executive Order 773, but also of Republic Act 10168 or The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

In the memorandum circular, Año directed all regional, provincial, city and municipal peace and order councils to apply moral suasion or to recommend sanctions against local chief executives who are known to have supported communist rebels.

Malaya said the DILG may also file other charges pursuant to the Revised Penal Code and other pertinent laws and seek the disqualification of all those candidates who shall be proved to have cooperated with said non-state actors in accordance with the provisions of the Omnibus Election Code.

“The same course of action shall be undertaken against those incumbent local government officials or employees who shall cooperate or give aid in any form or manner — material or otherwise, to non-state actors without prejudice to the administrative cases that shall be filed against them,” he added. (PNA)

Source: http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062417