Saturday, September 22, 2007

P.5-M Vegetable Project

By Boy Ryan Zabal
The production enhancement of vegetables in the province of Aklan was given a boost as the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) recently gave its nod to the proposed P525,400 high-value vegetable crop production project of the Aklan State University.
The project dubbed “Sustained Supply of Quality Vegetables: Off-Season High Value Vegetable Crop (HVVC) Production in the Province of Aklan was included in the 12 projects amounting to a total of P12.6 million approved for funding and implementation by the NEDA.
NEDA press report said these 12 projects in 10 regions of the country are under the KR2 Grant-supported Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) of the Kennedy Round 2 (KR2) program.
The project on enhancing production of market-oriented organic food products in CALABRAZON by the University of the Philippines at Los BaƱos, Laguna in Region IV-A got the biggest portion of the budget with P5 million or almost 40 percent of the total budget allocation.
According to NEDA, Region 1 got the second biggest fund of P1.85 million for the Ecotourism Development of Bangin Marine Protected Area in Bani, Pangasinan while Region V had the third largest allocation with P1.4 million for its Pineapple By-products Processing and Utilization Project that will be implemented by the Camarines Norte State College.
On the other hand, Region IV-B has the biggest share with three projects amounting to a total of P1.29 million that include the Cassava Processing Plant and Trading Capital in Aborlan, Palawan, Cage Culture of Grouper at Barangay Batuhan, Pola, Oriental Mindoro and Organic Fertilizer Production in Lubang, Occidental Mindoro. Also, the region has the fourth largest budget allocation and the three projects will be implemented by their respective local government units.
To intensify domestic growth and investment, especially micro, small and medium enterprises, exports and agri-business, tourism and infrastructure, and addressing business concerns over power costs and red tape is just one of the initiatives by the present administration toward faster growth.

Capitol Mulls Buying Akelco

The Aklan provincial government is studying the possibility of acquiring the Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), the sole power distributor in Aklan, as its answer to the complaints of Aklanons over the cooperative’s rising electricity rates.
“It would be for the best interest of the Aklanons if the provincial government directly supervises and manages Akelco,” said Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Rodson Mayor.
Gov. Carlito Marquez should conduct a study and explore the possibility, Mayor added. The acquisition of Akelco, if pushed through, will be an addition to the Economic Enterprise Development Department (EEDD) of the provincial government.
Already under the EEDD are the Dr. Rafael S. Tumbokon Memorial Hospital and the Caticlan and Cagban jetty ports.
According to Mayor, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) should be consulted.Meanwhile, Marquez was also urged to intervene in Civil Case No. 7385 at the Regional Trial Court Branch 2, Kalibo, Aklan for the issuance of a preliminary injunction against the Energy Power Purchase Agreement (EPPA) between Akelco and Mirant Global Business Corporation.
“The exclusive contract originally designed to ease the burden of Akeanons from frequent brownouts was amended by a lopsided contract in favor of Mirant,” Mayor added.
Marquez said a technical committee led by Atty. Edmund Peralta, Kalibo mayor Raymar Rebaldo and former Sangguniang Panlalawigan member-lawyer Romeo Inocencio was created to study the position of the provincial government in the civil case.
The move was strongly supported by the 17 town mayors of Aklan, Marquez added.
The governor also stressed that the Energy Regulatory Commission should consider the capital town of Kalibo as venue of the next public hearing for the approval of P292-million Emergency Capital Project of Akelco.

Aklan PNP holds 1st Aklan PPO Invitational Shootfest

The Aklan Police Provincial Office will hold the 1st Aklan PPO Invitational Shootfest on 20-23 September 2007 at Aklan PPO Firing Range, Camp Pastor Martelno, Brgy. New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan.
This competition is in line with the human resource development component of the PNP-Integrated Transformation Program.
Each of the competing PNP teams will be composed of their Chiefs of police and three (3) novice shooters comprising of two (2) males and one (1) female PNCO’s.
PDDG JESUS A VERSOZA, CSEE, Deputy Chief for Operations/Executive Director of Program Management Office will grace as guest of honor and speaker the opening of the shootfest at 11:00 a.m., 21 September 2007.
The presence of PDDG Versoza will definitely boost the morale and motivate the PNP personnel to continuously hone the basic skills required of every police officer. /MP

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