Regional communicators to simplify weather reports

            AUGUST 30, 2012--President Aquino had recently asked the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and PAG-ASA to formulate simpler ways of communicating weather reports. The President had been concerned about weather reports not being understood by the general public.

In response to this call, the Philippine Information Agency XII and the Office of the Civil Defense conducted a two-day seminar and workshop on laymanizing environment climate and weather reports on August 28-29, 2012 in Sarangani Highlands, General Santos City. 

The activity, which is the first of its kind in Mindanao, was participated in by at least 20 media practitioners and information officers of national line agencies and local government units. During the opening program, PIA XII Regional Director Olivia Sudaria emphasized the participants’ role in people’s disaster preparedness. “As communicators, we can only be effective, when we are understood,” said Sudaria.

Speakers during the activity were PAG-ASA Senior Weather Specialist Anianita Fortich, Liza Socorro Manzano of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Luisito Salugsugan and Milo Cabiguin of PHIVOLCS. The activity also briefed participants on disaster risk reduction management.

“In terms of disasters, the Philippines got it all. Yet we have learned to adapt with hazards given our past experience and knowledge generated by scientific studies. Everything will go to waste if we are not able to laymanize these for the benefit of the vulnerable population,” Manzano said.

              Workshop sessions allowed media practitioners and information officers to localize and contextualize technical information on typhoons, tsunami warning signals, earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Speakers also shared online sources and hotlines by which participants can access reliable information on disasters and even geohazard and flood maps. 

              “We acknowledge the importance of this activity especially in our line of work. Right now, we can be more confident in giving understandable reports,” an ABS-CBN correspondent said on behalf of the media sector. (JLCBillano-LGU)

‘Project pagsulong’ calls for new business ideas

A humanitarian project enjoins young entrepreneurs to transform their business ideas into reality and at the same time help in addressing social problems.

Organized by PLDT KaAsenso, PLDT-Smart Foundation, The Outstanding Students of the Philippines Alumni Community, and RFM Foundation, Project Pagsulong is a youth challenge that will award cash grants, mentorship, and training programs to the business ideas that will alleviate poverty or solve a social issue in the Philippines.

One of Project Pagsulong’s faces is Tacurong City’s Elma Alboleras whose invention, the intelligent bus utility system or iBus, won a gold medal for the consumer category of the British Invention Show.

By supporting dynamic youth like Elma, the Project aims to help reduce poverty in the country, to provide a concrete avenue for the youth to be enabler of social change, and to promote the use of innovative ICT solutions for young and budding Filipino social entrepreneurs.

In her message through Facebook, Ms. Arboleras enjoins Tacurong’s youth entrepreneurs to answer the challenge.

The Project accepts business proposals from a group with a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 5 members who are Filipino citizens, 18-30 years old. Each team can only submit one proposal that must be operated independently on its own, and not as a sub-project or operation of a non-profit organization (international or local), a private company or a subsidiary. Existing start-ups may be considered, provided that these have not participated and won monetary prizes from similar grants or competitions.

Proposals will be selected according to Social Impact, Innovation/Invention, Feasibility, and Team Leadership/Management and Community Participation.

Winners will be awarded with the following to aid the implementation of their business idea: Php 500,000.00 for the first prize, and Php 300,000.00 and Php 200,000.00 for the second and third prize, respectively. People’s Choice award will be given Php 100,000.00.

            Submission of project concepts is until August 31, 2012. For the mechanics, visit www.projectpagsulong.ph. Follow the Project on /projectpagsulong on Facebook, or follow @projpagsulong on Twitter.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

City launches Kantahan ng Kabataan 2012

Palace declares Sept 18 as special non-working holiday in Tacurong

TACURONG CITY MOURNS OVER DEATH OF DILG SEC. ROBREDO

(August 22, 2012) DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo was set to be the guest of honor of the City’s Talakudong Festival on September 18, 2012. He also planned to visit development projects made possible by the Local Government Support Fund. Worry took over the excitement of Tacurongnons when on August 19, the Piper Seneca plane he was riding crashed in the seas of Masbate. On August 21, he was found dead 800 meters offshore at a depth of 180 ft. (full story here) He could have seen the City’s Seal of Good Housekeeping proudly hanging on the city hall. Tacurongnons could have personally thanked him for believing in the city’s potentialities. Tacurong was the very first recipient of the Seal of Good Housekeeping in Region XII. Through the SGH, the City accessed development funds amounting to 24 million from 2011-2012 alone.

It was not only his ‘cancelled’ Talakudong appointment that left Tacurong mourning, but the LGU’s loss of a great servant-leader and role model.

 According to Mr. Alberto P. Sero Jr., the City Local Government Operations Officer, “na-uplift ang morale namin sa Department because of his programs like the Seal of Good Housekeeping. Gusto nya talaga maitaguyod yung good governance. Dahil sa mga ginawa nya, mas nagkaroon kami ng confidence sa implementation ng mga programa. Talagang naka backup sya; makikita mo yung political will at sincerity nya. Naibalik yung tiwala ng mga tao sa gobyerno kahit hanggang sa barangay level,” said Sero.

                On the other hand, Mayor Lina O. Montilla asserted that she considered the late secretary as her role model: “as a neophyte mayor, his insights on good governance helped me. Nailatag na nya ang mga direksyon para sa isang mabuting pamamahala, kahit wala na sya, susundin natin yun. I know that wherever it leads us, it will be a good place. Naniniwala syang kung may pagbabago sa sistema, magkakaroon ng pagbabago sa pamamahala kahit sa mga matagal nang nakaupo.”

                Indeed, in the eyes of Tacurongnons and of the whole nation, Sec. Robredo is one of a kind. “His humility is admirable. He responds to text messages. “Very open ang line of communication between him and the local leaders. I will never forget how accommodating and sincere he is to us mayors. I don’t know how he did it but he knows each mayor’s, each city’s concerns very well. He has that personal touch, that sensitivity to our needs,” Mayor Lina said while recalling how the late secretary responded when she aired the city’s need for more police personnel. From 52 policemen, Tacurong now has 82.

                Sec. Robredo once said during Region XII’s TAPATAN on Disaster Risk Reduction: ‘Hindi sapat na tayo ay magaling lamang. Hindi sapat na tayo ay matino. Ang hinahanap po natin sa paglilingkod ay mahusay at matino.’ The positive changes that Sec. Robredo facilitated in local governance will never be in vain. Tacurong salutes Sec. Robredo and vows to continue to serve with transparency and integrity.

Through Proclamation No. 460, President Benigno Simeon Aquino declared August 21 until the late secretary’s interment as national days of mourning. Flags are in half-mast in LGUs, DILG installations, PNP, BJMP, and AFP posts. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano)

LGU enjoins writers, photographers to showcase city’s vibrancy

          

           (August 15, 2012) The City Government of Tacurong is calling all interested photographers and writers to join the 2012 Igpat sang Kamera Photography Contest and Feature Writing Contest. These activities are part of the city’s Talakudong Festival and 12^th Founding Anniversary.

            Igpat sang Kamera 2012 is themed It’s More Fun in the City of Goodwill, in support of the Department of Tourism’s advocacy in showcasing local destinations and the warmth of Filipino hospitality.

The photo contest has 2 categories: Discover Tacurong and Talakudong Festival. The Discover Tacurong Category is exclusive for Tacurong photo enthusiasts while the Talakudong Fest Category is open to all interested individuals. “The Igpat sang Kamera 2011 was a huge success. This year, we are hoping that Igpat participants will be able capture Tacurong as a vibrant tourist destination,” Mayor Lina Montilla said.

            Meanwhile, the feature writing contest is staged to encourage writers from in and out of Tacurong to get unique and fresh perspectives. Participants can write about but not limited to the city’s people, way of life, business and economy, environment, tourism, governance, etc.

            Guidelines and criteria for Igpat sang Kamera 2012 and Feature Writing Contest are posted on http://talakudong2012.wordpress.com/.

            Winners will be announced and posted on the LGU’s official website and Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/cityoftacurong) come September 28, 2012. Winners will also be notified through text. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano)

FILINVEST eyes Tacurong for next business venture

                (August 10, 2012) “A branch of East West Bank will be operating in Tacurong soon,” said Erwin Garcia, Chairperson of the Provincial Small and Medium Enterprises Development (PSMED) Council during the 3^rd SULONG Tacurong Investment Forum on August 1, 2012. He is confident to bring the good news after Andrew Gotianun, owner of the Filinvest Development Corporation (FDC) paid the city a visit in July.  Mr. Gotianun is number 17 on Forbes’ list of richest people in the Philippines for 2012.

                “It may be through partnerships and networks that Mr. Gotianun heard about the booming business economy in the city,” Garcia said. East West bank is a subsidiary of FDC.

“This kind of investment asserts the City’s capability in sustaining businesses and enterprises. Rest assured that the city government supports the business sector as this is vital for the city’s sustained progress,” Mayor Lina O. Montilla said during the forum. Strategies have been formulated and employed to make Tacurong a business-friendly city, attracting more investors and generating more employment opportunities for Tacurongnons. Among these are the founding of the Tacurong Investment Assistance Center (TIAC), and the formulation of the Tacurong Local Investment and Incentive Code.

According to Garcia, FILINVEST has already started to engage in transactions with concerned groups and individuals for the establishment of the bank. “Of course, we hope that investors coming in will be willing to comply with all the necessary processes enforced by the city. This way, we are all ensured with quality partnership,” said TIAC Manager David Salazar. (Jezereel Louise C. Billano)