BATANGAS City — NAMAHAGI ng mga tulong na pagkain sina Mayor Beverley Dimacuha at Congressman Marvey Mariño nitong Huwebes, August 16, sa mahigit sa 1,000 mangingisda na hindi nakapaghanapbuhay ng halos isang linggo dahil sa nagdaang masamang panahon.
Ayon kay Mayor Dimacuha, ang packs of goods na naglalaman ng bigas, mga de lata, noodles at iba pa ay kaunting tulong sa mga apektadong mangingisda.
“Ito po ay ayuda namin sa inyo, dahil alam po namin na halos ay isang linggo na kayong hindi nakakapalaot dahil sa malalaking alon bunsod ng habagat, sana po kahit paano ay makatulong ito sa inyo,” sabi ng Mayor.
Namahagi rin sila ng disaster kit sa ilang barangay.
IPINALIWANAG ni CDRRMO chief Rodrigo Dela Roca ang kahalagahan ng pakikinig sa anunsyo ng pamahalaan hinggil sa mga sakuna at kalamidad upang maiwasan ang maga kapinsalaang dulot ng mga ito.|City PIO Photo
Ang mga tumanggap ng tulong ay ang mga rehistradong mangingisda sa Fishe-ries Division ng Office of the City Veterinary and Agricultural Services (OCVAS). Sila ay nakatira sa mga baybaying barangay ng lunsod at mga ng Sta. Clara, Wawa, Malitam, Cuta at Sta. Rita Aplaya.
KINUMUSTA ni Congressman Marvey Mariño ang mga kababayang apektado ng pananalasann ng habagat.| City PIO Photo
Ang distribution ay pinamahalaan ng City Social Welfare and Development Office katulong ang City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office at OCVAS.| #BALIKAS_News
BACOLOD City — THE Social Security System (SSS) expects to collect P2.24 million in contribution delinquencies from 10 employers in this city following its sixth regional Run After Contributions Evaders (RACE) Campaign conducted Thursday, August 16.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the agency tagged seven of said employers as delinquent due to non-remittance of contributions and also the other three for non-registration of business to SSS.
“These are the most common violations committed by delinquent employers. That’s why we are continuously conducting the RACE Campaign not only to reprimand these employers but also to educate them about their employees’ right to social security,” Dooc said.
During the RACE operations, Show Cause Orders were posted at Red Aeronautics and Technological School, Habagat Security Services, Fit and Relax Fitness Gym and Spa. Gerald’s Restobar, R.E.D. Digital Photography, Hong Department Store and Miracle Taxi for non-remittance of SSS contributions amounting to over P2,268,131.48.
Aasanie, Sabai-Rak Salon and Spa, and Aidalicious Inasal and Resto also received the same notice after they failed to comply with their SSS business registration, resulting in total delinquency of P71,030.70.
All 10 delinquent employers were required to visit the SSS branch nearest them within 15 days from posting of the Show Cause Order to settle their pending liabilities with the SSS.
“We are also expecting, as an effect of the RACE campaign, that even employers who were not subjected to the operations will voluntarily visit our branches to register and pay their employees’ contributions. In SSS Puerto Princesa for instance, we were able to collect an additional P680,000 apart from the initial collection worth around P85,000,” Dooc explained.
The RACE Campaign was first launched in 2017, where SSS visited Shoppesville Arcade in Greenhills, San Juan and Farmers Plaza in Cubao, Quezon City. A year later, the campaign expanded to the regions, particularly in the provinces of Batangas, Pangasinan, Palawan and the cities of Davao, General Santos, and Bacolod.
For 2018, the pension fund has already visited 40 non-compliant business establishments and has collected some P2,052,348.12.
“I hope that more SSS members will enjoy their benefits as we continue to raise employer’s level of awareness on their obligations under the Social Security Law. We are very positive that this will lead to higher collection and coverage among employers all over the Philippines,” Dooc concluded.|-PR
TANAUAN City — PALAISIPAN pa rin sa mga tauhan ng Tanauan City Police Station kung ano ang motibo sa likod ng pamamaslang sa isang barangay police sa lunsod na ito Miyerkules ng gabi.
Kinilala ng pulisya ang biktimang si Menandre Versoza y Cometa 38 anyos, tricycle driver, residente at aktibong miyembro ng Barangay Police Service Office (BPSO) ng Brgy Talaga, Tanauan City.
Batay sa paunang pagsisiyasat ng pulisya, minamaneho ng biktima ang kaniyang itim na Kawasaki Barako tricycle sa bahagi ng Purok 3, Brgy. Talaga sakop ng lunsod na ito patungo sa direksyon ng bayan ng Talisay bandang alas 9:45 ng gabi nang paulanan ng bala ng di pa nakikilalang salarin.
Nagawa pa umanong bumaba ng biktima mula sa kaniyang tricycle ngunit hindi naman siya tinigilan ng salarin. Naisugod pa ang biktima sa Laurel Memorial District Hospital ngunit idineklara ring dead on arrival ng attending physician doon.
Kasalukuyang nakalagak ang labi ng biktima sa Luisa Funeral Homes sa lunsod ng Tanauan samantalang hiningi na ng otoridad ang tulong ng Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO para sa mas malalimang imbestigasyon.|#BALIKAS_News
LUNSOD NG TANAUAN, Batangas – “ANG araw na ito ay sumisimbolo sa matibay na pag-asa na palayain ang bansa sa baluktot na ideolohiya.Sa pamamagitan ng hakbang na ito, hangad ko na matapos ang inyong pagsasanay para sa ikauunlad hindi lamang ng bansa lalo’t higit ng sarili at patuloy na himukin pa ang inyong ibang mga kasamahan para sa pagtahak sa tamang landas.”
Ito mensahe ni AFP Chief of Staff Carlito Valdez na inihatid ni Col. Danilo Famonag, sa seremonya ng pagsuko ng 13 rebel returnees sa lunsod na ito, Agosto 14.
SI Defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana habang nagbibigay ng mensahe sa mga rebel returnees.|JOENALD MEDINA RAYOS
Isinagawa ang oath-taking at ceremonial turn-over ng 13 rebel returnees sa Office of the Presidential Adviser for Southern Tagalog (OPAST) sa lungsod na ito sa pangunguna nina Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Department of Interior and Local Government Acting Secretary Eduardo Ano, Presidential Adviser for Southern Tagalog Jose Maria Nicomedes Hernandez at DSWD Assistant Secretary Jose Antonio Hernandez.
Pahayag naman ni Acting Secretary Año na napakaraming buhay na ang nasira dahil sa panlilinlang ng mga komunista kaya’t sa pamamagitan ng National Task Force To End Insurgency at Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) ay malaki ang maitutulong sa mga rebel returnees na muling nagbabalik-loob sa pamahalaan.
PINANGUNAHAN ni DILG acting secretary Eduardo Año ang panunuma sa watawat ng 13 returnees.|JOENALD MEDINA RAYOS
Upang makapagsimulang-muli ng maayos at normal na buhay, ipinagkaloob sa bawat isang returnee ang tsekeng nagkakahalaga ng kabuuang P65,000.00 financial assistance. Upang mai-encash ito, ipinagkaloob naman ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ang Health Card na ipinamahagi ng Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).
Pahayag ni Atty. Genaro Cabral, hepe ng Provincial Peace and Order and Security Services Department (PPOSSD) at kumatawan kay Gobernador Hermilando I. Mandanas, walang mga identification cards ang mga returnee kaya maaari nilang magamit ang mga ansabing health cards bilang proof of identification sa pag-encash ng kanilang mga tseke. Maaari rin nilang gamitin ito sa pagpapacheck-up o pagpapa-ospital sa kahit alin sa 12 district and primary hospitals ng probinsya.
PINANGUNAHAN ni Atty. Genaro Cabral, PPOSSD chief at kinatawan ni Batangas governor Hermilando I. Mandanas ang pamamahagi ng health card sa may 13 returnees.|JOENALD MEDINA RAYOS
Binigyang-diin naman ni PAST Undersecretary Hernandez na ang pagsusuko ng armas ng mga rebel returnees at pagtanggap sa kanila ng pamahalaan ay isang mahalagang hakbang upang maipadama sa mga nagbabalik-loob ang kahalagahan ng kanilang pagsuko at muling pakikiisa sa sambayang Pilipino.
Samantala, bukod sa mga opisyal ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas (AFP) at Philippine National Police, sumaksi rin sa mahalagang programang ito sina 3rd District Board Member Alfredo C. Corona, Tanauan City mayor Jhoanna C. Vilamor, Sangguniang Panlunsod members sa pangunguna ni Vice Mayor Benedicto Corona, at mga kinatawan ng mga national government agencies|#BALIKAS_News
THE state-run Social Security System (SSS) on Tuesday said it allocated more than P863 million for a relief assistance program, which is now available to its members and pensioners affected by the massive flooding brought by the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by typhoons Henry, Inday and Josie last July.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the agency opened its Calamity Assistance Package (CAP) to provide financial aid to its more than 61,000 affected members and pensioners. The package offers a loan assistance program and an option for pensioners to advance their three months’ worth of pension.
“It is our duty to protect and assist our members in times of contingencies. We hope that this program will help them in their finances and acquire their basic necessities,” Dooc said.
SSS members and pensioners who are residing in calamity-stricken areas declared under state of calamity by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) are qualified under the CAP, said the SSS chief.
NDRRMC-declared calamity areas were the province of Pangasinan; Paombong, Bulacan; Calumpit, Bulacan; Marilao, Bulacan; Hagonoy, Bulacan; Licab, Nueva Ecija; Olonggapo City; Ramos, Tarlac; Anao, Tarlac; Camaling, Tarlac; La Paz, Tarlac; Moncada, Tarlac; Masantol, Pampanga; San Luis, Pampanga; Province of Bataan; San Jose De Buenvista, Antique; Province of Cavite; Brgy. Kalayaan, Angono, Rizal; Province of Occidental Mindoro; Asipulo, Ifugao; Brgy Bimpal, Lamut, Ifugao; Brgy Nayon, Lamut, Ifugao; and Marikina City.
Dooc said P363 million was set aside to cover potential loan exposure while around P500 million was the potential exposure for the advance three-month pension.
To qualify for SSS calamity loans, a member whose home address or property is in a declared calamity area must have a minimum of 36 monthly contributions, six of which should be paid within the 12-month period preceding the date of application.
However, members who availed of the SSS Loan Restructuring Program and those with final benefit claims, such as for total permanent disability and retirement, are excluded from the program.
Applicants under the advance three-month pension, meanwhile, whose present address is different from the address in the SSS database should submit a barangay certification to prove that they reside in a declared calamity area.
The availment period for the assistance package is until Nov. 12, 2018.
For more information, members and pensioners can visit the nearest SSS branch, contact the SSS Call Center hotline at 920-6446 to 55, or send an email to member_relations@sss.gov.ph. The application forms are downloadable from the SSS website at www.sss.gov.ph.|-PR
KAALINSABAY ng pagdiriwang ng 63rd Founding Anniversary ng bayan ng San Nicolas sa Lalawigan ng Batangas, ipinagdiwang ng mga residente rito ika-11 pagtatanghal ng Maliputo Festival na tinampukan din ng pagbabasbas ng kanilang bagong municipal hall.
Naging bahagi ng pagdiriwang ang ibat ibang serbisyo publiko para sa kaniyang mga mamamayan. Kabilang dito ang pamimigay ng tig-10 kilong bigas sa mahigit 2,000 senior citizens.
Ang pagdiriwang ng Maliputo Festival ay itinuturing na makasaysayang nagaganap sa bayan ng San Nicolas sa loob ng labing isang taon.
Ang isdang maliputo ay tanging sa bahagi ng lawa ng Taal lamang makikita at mahuhuli o sa Pansipit River na nagdurugtong sa Lawa ng Taal at sa Balayan Bay sa gawi ng bayan ng Lemery.
Bilang bahagi ng pagdiriwang ng Maliputo Festival ay nagkatoon ng pagtatagisan ng galing sa pagluluto ng iba’t ibang putahe gamit ang isdang maliputo.
Nagkaroon din ng Kayak Race kung saan kasali ang mga kalalakihan mula sa iba’t ibang barangay ng bayang ito. Ang mga kalahok ay nahati sa tatlong kategorya na Single, Double at Triple Category.
Ayon kay Mayor William Enriquez malaki ang naitulong ng turismo sa pag-angat ng kanilang bayan. Dahil sa isdang maliputo ay nakikilala na sa bansa ang kanilang bayan. Marami na rin ang mga turistang bumibisita upang masilayan ang magagandang tanawin dito, particular ang Lava Walk Adventure.
“Ito ang pagkakataon namin para ipakita ang kagandahan ng aming bayan, makatulong sa pangturismong kalakalan upang sa ganon ay makapagpaangat pa ng antas ng aming bayan sa mula sa pagiging 5th class municipality upang maiangat namin sa fourth o third class sa pamamagitan ng turismo. Ito ang dahilan kaya ginagawa namin itong mga ganitong programa gaya ng Maliputo Festival na kung saan ay dito lang sa amin nahuhuli, pahayag ni Mayor Enriquez.
Dagdag pa niya, “ang maliputo ay maipagmamalaki sa buong mundo na napakasarap dahil mga kilala at mga tanyag na tao ang syang bumibili na kung saan ay dapat makilala ng buong bansa na dito sa San Nicolas may masarap na isda na ito nga ay ang isdang maliputo.”
Ikinatuwa din ng alkalde na malaki ang naging improvement ng kanilang festival dahil noong nakakarang mga taon ay sa plasa lamang nila ipinagdiriwang ang festival, ngunit ngayong taon ay sa mismong Bay Walk na ng Bayan ito idinaos na lalong nagpakita sa ganda ng lawa ng Taal.
Ipinagmalaki din ni Mayor Enriquez na tumaas ang income ng tourism mula nang sya ay maupo bilang alkalde ng bayan.
“Mula rin lamang dito sa San Nicolas puwedeng makarating ang mga turista sa creater ng Taal. Sa ibang bayan, puwede naming silang makarating Taal Volcano pero hindi sila nakakarating sa creater. Ang creater ang pinakamagandang bahagi at masasabi mong nakarating ka sa paraiso pag nakarating ka doon na dito lamang sa San Nicolas ang entry point papunta doon,” pagmamalaki pa ng alkalde.
Aniya pa, ang bayan ng San Nicolas ay may tinatawag na Lava Walk na nasa Taal Volcano mismo na halos ay araw-araw ding dinarayo ng mga turista upang masilayan ang kagandahan ng lawa ng Taal at ang bayan ng San Nicolas.
Plano ng lokal na pamahalaan na mas lalo pang pagandahin ang Maliputo Festival sa susunod na mga taon upang mas marami pang turista ang kanilang mahikayat na bisita sa kanilang bayan.|#BALIKAS_News
CALATAGAN, Batangas — A PURPORTED service of a Warrant of Arrest in this municipality against a suspected leader of notorious crime group resulted to an armed encounter at around 2:30 in the afternoon, Monday, August 13.
PSSupt. Edwin A. Quilates, Batangas provincial director said that the joint personnel of Calatagan Municipal Police Station led by PCI Radam R. Ramos and Nasugbu MPS led by PSI Roland Morareng Aniwasal were at Barangay 3, this town, to serve a Warrant of Arrest against a certain Roland Ramos Francisco who was accused of a crime of robbery.
But instead of accepting the warrant, the accused opened fire several times against the operating team prompting the PNP personnel to return fire and hit the accused.
The accused was rushed to the Calatagan Medicare Hospital for medical treatment but pronounced DOA by the attending physician. This development turn the robbery group into ashes, so to speak.
Based on police records, the accused is a member of notorious Francisco Robbery Group operating in Nasugbu. Calatagan, Lian, and Batangas City who eluded the arrest in Nasugbu last July 25, 2018 during the previous armed encounter with the law enforcers.
During that incidence, at least four (4) members of the group were neutralized after exchanging fire with the police, among them are Roland’s other three brothers Rudy @Kambal, Roldan, Rico @Nono, as well as Arian Hernandez, and alias Scoth Pacia (KIA). Two (2) others –alias Eva and Eric were arrested.
With the resulting death of the 5th member of the Francisco Group, the authorities are looing forward for a more peaceful and business-conducive environment in the province of Batangas.|#BALIKAS_News
LIPA City, Batangas – “THESE developments are the realization of what we are dreaming of few years back – that we will be pioneering in delivering 21st Century Learning Environment Model (CLEM) classrooms here in our beloved Lipa City for the benefit of our students. This is also the fruit of our unending coordination to different government agencies that we are partnering with to make these projects possible.”
Thus, this is how Congresswoman Vilma Santos-Recto of Lipa City’s Lone District quipped as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) CALABARZON together with its co-implementing agency, the DOST Science Education Institute made the historic launching of the country’s first batch of 21st Century Learning Environment Model (CLEM) Classrooms here Monday, August 13.
The project was also made possible through the monitoring of DOST-PCIEERD, the support from the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Lipa City, the Provincial Government of Batangas, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
“This is really a collaborative effort and we are very indebted to all the agencies, both local and national, in bring together their part to make this dream a reality,” the lady lawmaker added.
21st CLEM’s mission is to support DepEd’s K to 12 curriculum through being a modern avenue that will “create learning practices, human support, and physical environment to facilitate the development of the 21st century skills of both teachers and learners”.
Education secretary Leonor Briones challenged the teachers to make the facilities really worthwhile teaching tools to develop the 21st century students.
While the physical launching ceremony was held at the Inosloban-Marauoy Integrated National High School, four other public school beneficiaries – the Lipa City National Science High School, Bolbok National High School, Pinagtongulan National High School and San Celistino National High School – also participated via live streaming.
Simultaneously held with the launching of 21st CLEM is the ceremonial energization of all the public schools of Lipa City led by NEA deputy administrator Sonia San Diego and Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC II) general manager Octavios Mendoza. To make the project work and assure the reliable supply of electricity, NEA provided Batelec II with necessary funding for the installation of transformers in the schools.
DICT acting secretary, Usec. Eliseo Rio, however, said that the government is fasttracking their efforts to make the internet services be made available in every schools, particularly at the five pilot schools, with tge Pipol Konek project.
Other guests from the DOST, the DepEd, DICT, DOE, NEA and local officials also graced the celebration.
But before the launching event in Brgy. Inosloban, Congresswoman Santos-Recto and Secretary Briones also led the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of Teachers’ Event Center at the C.M. Recto Elementary School Compound near Lipa City’s Community Park.|#BALIKAS_News
[THE following article is the Last Part of the Series. The series is the product of a 2-month research and study conducted under the Philippine Press Institute – Philippine-Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (PPI-Ph-EITI) Media Fellowship on Digging Stories that Matter.]
“MINING has brought a lot of bad memories, doon sa mga barangay na sumuporta sa mining, namulot ako ng boto, nahati ang aming bayan, magkakamag-anak nagkakagalit, magkapatid hindi nag-iimikan, magpipinsan hindi nagbabatian, ngayong ok na uli, ayaw na nila pag-usapan, iniiwasan na nila ang topic na yan”, former Lobo councilor Rey Amparo added.
As he is currently working as the Public Relations Officer of JG Summit Petrochemicals, Inc. in Batangas City, Amparo believes that industrialization is the key to development in Lobo but of course without com-promising the environment.
Though tourism industry has begun to boost in Lobo, Amparo is not convinced it would generate more jobs and income to local residents but power plants and industries do.
“Kailangan lang talaga proper education, information campaign has to be consistent, kailangang ihanda ang mga tao, buksan ang isipan nila, slowly mabubuksan naman yan, may cellphone, internet, TV, we have to educate the people right.”
Amparo cited Batangas City as being a coastal town turned heavy industries city which now can provide health cards, scholarships, social services to residents among others.
Community sees Livelihood and Development Potential
Some residents in Lobo have seen livelihood potentials and developments in the mining project.
In Barangay Balibago, the mining company during the time of exploration sup-ported the locals partly on roads concreting, school renovations, construction of community chapel, pipe installations for the water system and other community projects.
“Madami silang naitulong dito sa amin, lalo na’t nabigyan ng trabaho ang mga tao kahit hindi naman nakapag-aral” said Punong Barangay Nestor Camo.
The mining company for instance provided truck equipments, gasoline and man-power in flattening the hilly land area of Balibago-Biga National High School where a new school building is being constructed which Camo estimated the company spent about half a million pesos.
“Dahil napatag yung lupa, napagtayuan namin ng dagdag na school building” Camo said, pointing out that the barangay high school can now cater more than 300 students compared before which only accommodate 30 students.
He said that in the previous years, residents in Balibago hardly afford to send children to school because of poverty and poor accessibility.
The company also donated P200,000 cash for the construction of barangay chapel which was totally damaged by a typhoon few years back.
Barangay Balibago which is about an hour from the town proper is the second to the last barangay along the boundary of Lobo and San Juan town. Camo said the residents used to board on a small boat going to the town proper until the barangay road was constructed recently along the coast line, but still poorly maintained.
The concreting of Lobo-San Juan connecting road passing Balibago with P150M allocated budget is now underway through the initiatives of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the tourism development plan.
“Malaking panghihinayang kung hindi matutuloy ang pagmimina pero kung makakasira din naman sa kalikasan, iba din naman ang loob ko, kung open pit mining ang gagawin nila, babahain kami dito ng putik lalo na kapag tag-ulan” Camo said.
For a 65-year-old Naty Aldea, mining in Lobo would give additional income to the residents and the local government.
She does not believe the town is self-sustainable from agriculture such as farming and fishing as well as the promotion of eco-tourism at this time.
Aldea, a resort owner and a resident of Malabrigo, one of the coastal barangays, supported the responsible mining operations considering the project proposal that was presented by the mining company in one public hearing she attended.
Aldea cited the mining operations in Paracale, Camarines Norte operated by small scale miners, mostly are illegal and unregulated.
Paracale along with Baguio are the major districts in Luzon that produce gold.
“There was an incident in Paracale that three mine workers drowned and died when the site tunnel collapsed causing the sea water flooded the area in 2012. At least, if something happened during the operations in Lobo, there is a company to be blamed and responsible for any destruction”, she said.
Aldea together with the Pro-Mining groups in Lobo composed mostly of residents and barangay officials also staged a rally after the Sangguniang Bayan withdrew its support to the mining project. They also submitted a petition but the Sanggunian has remained its stand not to pursue the project.
“Marami naman sumama sa anti-mining rally ay hindi mga taga Lobo, mga taga ibang lugar”
She believed the negative reports on social and mainstream media about mining had contributed a lot in hampering the project.
Aside from mainstream and local media coverage, a series of reports were aired in Failon Ngayon of ABS-CBN hosted by veteran broadcaster, Ted Failon, hitting the negative impacts of mining in Lobo more so to the VIP.
“Ano ba ang other alternative para kumita ang bayan ng Lobo? Wala na naman gaanong nagtatanim, hindi na rin dumarami ang mga isda hindi katulad noon, yuong tourism naman, may mga resort but I don’t think it’s enough, wala pa tayong napakagagandang resort na pang world-class at the moment.”
She said only 26 resorts are registered in the municipality but in Malabrigo alone, there are more than 20 small resorts owned by local residents which are not at all registered.
Aldea sees development in mining and she believed it is one way to uplift the lives of indigents in Malabrigo who only hopes from the Pantawid Pampamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) funds, a government program that provides conditional cash grants.
Tourism Development as Alternative
The municipality of Lobo is focusing now on the development and improvement of tourism and agriculture sites looking forward to boost eco-tourism industry in town.
Mayor Gaudiosio Manalo is aiming Lobo with this year’s P140M annual budget, to become a first class municipality and targeting one million tourists and more in the next five years while improving tourist sites’ facilities.
Just last year, the tourism office had listed more than 60,000 local and foreign tourists who visited Lobo. Now that Boracay were closed to tourists, Lobo can be an alternative place to go for beach and nature lovers.
Manalo said gold mining has the least of possibility and is not a priority to pursue unless the operator will offer a safe mining method without using chemicals.
Lobo LGU has intensified resources conservation and fishery law enforcement to protect the fish sanctuaries.
As of today, there are more than 4,232 artificial reef blocks installed in Barangays Soloc, Malabrigo, Olo-Olo, Biga, Balibago and Lagadlarin.
The project increases marine productivity and recruits natural corals thus more opportunities for fishermen, same way of enhancing the productive capacity of VIP.
Aside from the beauty and pristine seawaters, the town offers a package tour discovering the virgin forests in Lobo, the Jaybanga Rice Terraces in Barangay Jaybanga, a 21-hectare land which the local government has plan to shift to organic rice production on the coming years, the 34-hectare Lagadlarin and Olo-Olo Mangrove Forests, the historical site of Malabrigo Light House, the Mt. Nalayag point and more.
The LGU in collaboration with DENR, BFAR, DOT, DOST, ABS-CBN Bantay Kalikasan and other public and private agencies develop and promote community-based marine tourism, farm tourism and mountain tourism.
These activities involved people’s organizations who have responsibility to protect and conserve the natural resources for the environment and livelihood sustain-ability.
Ellaine Diomampo, Bantay Kalikasan site specialist for Batangas and Mindoro said they started assisting the communities in Lobo when the mining issue arose.
The project emphasizes on how the people’s organization will generate income while still caring for the environment.
“Gumagawa kami ng proyekto na mapapagkakitaan ng community, envi-ronmental friendly but socially enterprising, either funded by Bantay Kalikasan or kami yung nagiging way to look for resources” Diomampo said.
The Mabisa Eco-Farm where Magdamit served as caretaker, is funded by Bantay Kalikasan same with Lagadlarin Mangrove Forests where Armamento works.
Admittedly the income is not compelling, but the two still stand against mining considering the next generations.
Magdamit’s husband goes back to farming and nurturing livestock while her two sons were employed outside Lobo.
“Minsan pag malaki ang ani sa tanim, malaki ang kita, pangkain din lang” Mag-damit said.
Because mining was uncertain, Armamento said her neighbors returned into farming and fishing. Some residents have tried their luck outside Lobo.
“Wala naman po nayaman sa pagmimina kundi yung mga kompanya, ang mangyayari kung natuloy ang mina, sa kanila ang ginto, sa amin ang guho,” Armamento said.
Proposed Mining so Far
While still pending at the MGB-IV-A, Lobo MPSAs that will expire in 2027 are under ‘care and maintenance’ which means the mining company is still maintaining the exploration area.
Care and maintenance is a term used in mining industry to describe processes and conditions on a closed mine site where there is potential to recommence operations at a later date. During a care and maintenance phase, production is stopped but the site is managed to ensure it remains in a safe and stable condition.
“For the meantime, they are still required to submit their maintenance care pro-gram, documents among others, yung safety and health program sa exploration area,” said Dondi Sarmiento, head of MGB IV-A, Mine Safety Environment and Social Development Division.
Sarmiento said the annual report submitted by the mining company which is subject for evaluation of the MGB, is a consideration that the application is still active.
“Pumupunta po yung MGB team sa site, just to check kung ano mga activities nila, wala naman sila paggalaw in so far as mining is concerned,” Sarmiento said.
In the Annual Environmental Protection and Enhancement Program (AEPEP) for 2018 submitted to MGB by EGPI President Edsel Abrasaldo, it has read that the project is currently under care and maintenance status and there is no exploration or mining operations to monitor.
There has no equipment in the mining area and the company is now maintaining only two (2) employees only. MRL Gold already retrenched and terminated its 40 employees on November, 2016.
EGPI for the meantime still continue to monitor the progress of the planted trees over and beyond the National Greening Program as part of the company’s commitments to the government.
Report said the extremely vigorous campaign spearheaded by ABS-CBN against the Lobo Gold Mining and Processing Project damaged the company severely.
Its principal sponsor, Red Mountain Mining of Perth, Australia decided to back off but there is an investor interested in the project, however, it is on a “wait-and-see” stance, watching closely the national government’s pronouncements on major mining issues such as open-pit mining.
Former DENR Secretary Lopez imposed a ban on open-pit method of mining for copper, gold, silver and complex ores on April, 2017 through DAO-2017-10 and still in force after President Rodrigo Duterte rejected the proposal of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) to lift the ban in November last year.
Lobo MPSAs which is under DMPF application stage is covered in DAO-2006-01 issued by Lopez in July 2016 to audit all operating mines and a moratorium on the approval of new mining projects.
On February 2017, a notice from the EMB was received by MRL-Egerton rejecting its ECC application.
Lopez also cancelled all MPSAs across the country in February 2017 because they were located in watershed areas.
Even the Lobo LGU for the first time since 2002 refused to grant business permit and the payment of the 2017 occupation fees for the two MPSAs has not been accepted pending the decision of the local chief executive.
Abrasaldo in his report said the company shall resume its community pro-grams in Lobo once the situation improves, which they hope will happen in the immediate future with Secretary Roy Cimatu now at the helm of DENR.
Now that Lobo is declared as an Eco-Tourism town and its 10-year Com-prehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) 2012-2022 was already approved at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on May, 2017, local officials has assured the people of Lobo that it will serve as a moratorium for mining.
Lobo Councilor Bojie Anyayahan, chairman of the Committee on Environment said as one of the anti-mining advocates, caring for the environment is his priority other than any development that could destruct natural resources.
“Kung magkakaroon ng open pit mining saan kukuha ng tubig ang mga mamamayan, during summertime na nawawalan nang tubig sa mga upland barangays, how much more pa kaya kung huhukayin ang sources nila, yung mga bundok dito marami wildlife habitat na maapektuhan.”
The CLUP is a planning document prepared by the LGUs to rationalize the allocation and proper use of land resources. Under the Local Government Code of 1991, all LGUs are mandated to pre-pare, revise and update their comprehensive land use plan which shall be enacted through a zoning ordinance.
The approved general land use plan in Lobo is for the development of forest zone, agricultural, agri-industrial, commercial, institutional, recreational, residential, tourism, open dumpsite and cemetery, excluding mining on its scope.
Before the approval of CLUP at the SP, the Provincial Land Use Committee (PLUC) conducted a committee hearing on September 21, 2015 which was attended by its chairman, Benjamin Bausas, the then Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, the local officials of Lobo municipality, Father Ramos of AMEN, representatives from Archdiocese of Lipa and different provincial agency officials.
The minutes of the committee hearing stated that the absence of mining provisions in the CLUP of Lobo strengthened the local municipality’s stand against mining activity and once it is approved, there is no need to enact another ordinance declaring a total ban in mining.
Then Governor Recto revealed during the meeting that there was an attempt from Egerton to convince her with regard to its mining operation but she refused. She shared same advocacy regarding environmental conservation and protection.
She further commended the municipal government of Lobo for their firm under-taking in cancelling the resolution previously given for the proposed mining operations.
Now that gold mining controversy in Lobo has toned down, Father Dakz believed that while the proposal is still there and not totally scrapped by the proponent, their fight is not yet over.
“Ang analogy ko diyan, ang mining sa Lobo ay parang baga, wala man siyang apoy ngayon pero pag hinipan mo, lalagablab uli, (My analogy is that, the issue of mining in Lobo is just like burning charcoal, even in the absence of fire, once you blow an air to it, it will ignite again).| #BALIKAS_News
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte presided over a party caucus among members of the ruling PDP-Laban to unite the different factions that emerged recently.
The President reiterated to the leaders of both factions, as well as to all the members of the party, that they should resolve all their concerns without animosity and with the end goal of uniting the party.
Special Assistant to the President Sec. Bong Go said that President Duterte met leaders of both groups led by Sen. Koko Pimentel and Bicbic Garcia in one room to thresh out their issues.
Go explained that since PDP- Laban was the party that catapulted Duterte to the Presidency, fixing the internal squabble is very important to him.
“Tulad ng isang ama na pilit pinagbabati ang mga anak na may hindi pagkakaintindihan, namagitan si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa mga miyembro ng PDP-Laban upang magkaisa ang lahat para sa kabutihan ng partido. Hinimok nya ang mga liders ng magkabilang grupo na unahin ang kapakanan ng bayan sa lahat ng kanilang magiging desisyon,” Go said.
The president encouraged party members to raise their grievances in the plenary. The caucus ended with a commitment from both sides to work things out. Another meeting will be held in a latter date with hopes of having a stronger and united PDP-Laban party.|-PR
