Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Quality Performance

This column congratulates sincerely Ms. Melrose S. Lunn for having "earned the status of Advanced Leader Bronze" in the Toastmasters International Leadership program.

This information came from Mr. Daniel Rex, Executive Director of Toastmasters Inter-national. According to Daniel, the leadership program is a self-paced training program that enables participants to learn effective leadership skills in a club environ-ment. Participants serve as Toastmasters Club leaders, influencing and motivating followers to achieve a mission or goal to achieve Advanced Leader Bronze. It involves several years of studies and activities.

Through the Kalantiao Toastmasters Club in Kalibo, Aklan, Melrose Lunn has helped more members function productively and deliver quality performances.

Senior Citizen Committee

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Aklan has approved General Ordinance No. 2010 – 002 that created the Committee on Senior Citizens, Persons With Disabilities, People’s Organization and NGO. This committee is tasked to take up matters concerning issues and concerns affecting the welfare of senior citizens (SC) and to empower them?

This is a welcome development. But how will the SP Aklan compel the grant of 20 percent discount to goods and services purchase by the SC’s? The payment of value added tax too is still imposed on SC’s purchases.

In grocery stores in Kalibo, the SC’s are limited to five (5) percent discount of P600 purchased on a weekly basis.

Surplus Tricycles

On Friday afternoon, at the corner of Roxas Avenue and A. Mabini Street, EF with a Kalibo Auxiliary Police (KAP) stood by. We counted the empty tricycles which passed by. In about one (1) minute, we counted 30 empty tricycles which passed by our front.
In another day, one morning, I also stood on the same spot with another KAB. We counted empty tricycles that passed by our front. In one minute, 23 empty tricycles passed by.

If this becomes a trend, then there is a continuous waste of resources by way of manpower, fuel and repair of vehicles. There is the occupation of space as well. There is more pollution.

With that very raw data, there are 1,380 to 1,800 tricycles which traverse every hour in Roxas Avenue corner A. Mabini Street.

This observation might convince the traffic management office of LGU Kalibo to study the vehicle situation in the town of Kalibo. The study may discover basic information valid for use in the drafting of policy to govern traffic management. The study might also address to determine the vehicle needs of Kalibo so as to save on resources like manpower, fuel, and vehicle repairs. The empty tricycles also occupy space. It will also improve traffic manage-ment and implementation in Kalibo.

Diploma Course

It is very delighting to learn that Aklan’s vice gov. Gabrielle V. Calizo-Quimpo is attending a Diploma Course in Development Legislation and Governance. She has already attended the first module in Fundamentals of Philippine Local Legislation held on September 15 – 16 in the Development Academy of the Philippines, Tagaytay City.

Should she complete 24 units, vice governor Quimpo will be awarded a diploma. If she earns 36 units, she will be conferred a degree in Master of Public Administration, Major in Local Governance and Development.

According to Vice Gov. Quimpo, the study will capacitate the students and make them strategic leaders capable to be peace builders, development instigators, policy makers, people’s partners and change advocates.

Indeed, "education is continuing". Even if vice gov. Calizo – Quimpo is very busy as a public official and with her private business, she finds time to study. Only a few public officials find and spend time and effort to study to improve their capabilities for the service of the people. /MP