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Escobar leads APPO’s internal disciplining body
Escobar leads APPO’s internal disciplining body NewsExpress

Police Lieutenant Coronel Norby Rios Escobar is the new chief of the Provincial Internal Affairs Service (PIAS) of the Antique Police Provincial Office (IPPO).

In an interview with Escobar he says that the public are not so familiar with what the IAS is particularly with regard to its function and services to the community.

He explained that IAS is a special unit under the Office of the Chief PNP and one of the disciplinary branch in charge to guide and discipline relative to the behavior of PNP personnel and officers, and IAS is the lead agency to conduct proper inspection and audit, re teaming inspection, administrative investigation (motu-proprio or non motu-proprio).

Escobar also added that IAS also has its own court where the people can file complaint against the abusive PNP personnel and to recognize those who deserve recognition of good doings.

He says that IAS placed drop boxes at the lobby of the 18 municipal police stations in the Province of Antique where the people can drop their complaints against the misconduct or conduct unbecoming of PNP personnel. (Eva Abajencia)

RENEWABLE ENERGY
RENEWABLE ENERGY 150 150 NewsExpress

WV eyed as country’s renewable energy capital

Western Visayas is projected to be the renewable energy capital of the country, according to the Department of Energy.

Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla, who spoke during the 125th Independence Day celebration at Sta. Barbara town, emphasized the region’s capacity on renewable energy supply. 

According to him, Western Visayas has a hydropower potential of 930 MW, almost 500 MW for solar energy, and around 13,000 MW for wind energy. 

Of this 13,000 MW wind energy potential, the 10,473 MW is going to be offshore and the major part of it is under Iloilo province and neighboring islands of Negros and Guimaras. 

The biggest potential lies in a triangle between southern Mindoro, northern Antique, and northern Palawan. 

Offshore wind power or offshore wind energy refers to the generation of electricity through wind produced from bodies of water, usually at sea.

“We hoped that with the total of 14,000 MW of potential renewable energy supply, we would have sufficient power to energize our development activities,” Lotilla said. 

With this also comes the establishment of the green and transmission system that matches the capacity of renewable energy projects which will be built from 2024 to 2040.

Moreover, the utilization of ports will support the offshore wind industry in the country. 

The DOE chief further said that offshore wind will not be built immediately, however, preparations must be done such as training engineers, skilled people, and those who are going to construct the offshore wind energy.  

“By 2034, the Philippines is projected to join the ranks of $300 trillion economies in Asia, and without power, we will not be able to do that,” Lotilla shared.  

DOE also noted that energy independence is one of the current thrusts of the government, and that the country aims to achieve 100% electrification of all barangays and sitios at the end of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. (PIA-Iloilo)

June 19 Issue
June 19 Issue 150 150 NewsExpress

PUBLIC CLAMOR DPWH, contractor face raps over Ungka flyover fiasco
PUBLIC CLAMOR DPWH, contractor face raps over Ungka flyover fiasco NewsExpress

By Vincent P. Grecia

Pressure is mounting to find who is accountable for the construction of the PhP 680 million Ungka Flyover which has been rendered “useless” due to the “sinking” of its piers.

Aside from earlier calls for legislative investigations both in the lower and upper houses of Congress, several complaints have been lodged at the Office of the Ombudsman by certain groups.

Iloilo City Councilor Plaridel Nava and his group trooped to the Ombudsman Visayas office in Iloilo City to file charges against former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 6 regional director Tiburcio Canlas; incumbent DPWH 6 regional director Engr. Nerie Bueno; Assistant Regional Director Engr. Jose Al Fruto; Project Engr. Ormel Santos; and contractor International Builders Corporation (IBC) officials Helen Edith Lee Tan, Allen Son Tan and several John Does.

Charges of Gross Neglect of Duty, Grave Misconduct, kag Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of Public Service were filed by Nava and company which was supported by cause-oriented groups.

Lawyer and former Iloilo City councilor Eldrid Antiquera also wrote a letter to Office of the Ombudsman asking for an investigation on the anomalies surrounding the Ungka Flyover.

Antiquiera told the media that he wanted the Ombudsman to push the DPWH 6 to release its documents in relation to the Ungka flyover project, which sits on the border between Iloilo City and Pavia, Iloilo.

Meanwhile, the United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) led by Consumer Rights advocate Rodolfo Javellana Jr. released a manifesto joining public clamor for accountability relative to the defective project.

UFCC pointed that the problem could be traced to the Bureau of Designs of the Department of Public Works & Highways (DPWH) Central Office and the United Technology Consolidated Partnership (UTCP), the firm commissioned to do the design and conduct of soil testing.

DPWH Regional Office 6 were “merely” handed the Final Design then tasked to do the bidding, construction oversight and quality control, it said.

“Congress should heed the call of the People of Iloilo to look into the accountability of DPWH Central Office for approving the faulty design of the Ungka Flyover which is sinking based on the findings of third-party consultant…”

“…the geotechnical consultancy firm commissioned by the DPWH central office to design the flyover that was based on their soil-testing should be questioned by lawmakers for the faulty design which the Central Office cascaded to DPWH in Region 6 for implementation,” excerpts of the manifesto reads.

UFCC added: “…it was clearly not part of the scope of work of the local contractor (International Builders Corporation) to conduct soil testing as it was already accomplished by the UTCP.”

Guv inducts new capitol press corps officers
Guv inducts new capitol press corps officers NewsExpress

Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. administered the oath of office of the new set of officers of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Press Corps (IPCPC) last June 7 at the Casa Real de Iloilo.

IPCPC’s new set of officers are: Fraye Cedrick Anona of Aksyon Radyo – President; Regan Arlos of RMN-DYRI – Vice President; Lynd C Bade of Bombo Radyo – Secretary; Elyrose Naorbe of Iloilo Metropolitan Times – Treasurer; and Bingbing Josue of IBC TV12 – Auditor.

IPCPC is composed of Capitol beat reporters from different media outlets.

Gov. Defensor underscored the important role of media in helping his administration disseminate information about his programs and projects to the public.

“Our programs and projects reach our people because of your help… that is why our regular press conferences are very important because it is a venue where I can communicate to our people about what we do here in the provincial government,” Gov. Defensor said.

He also acknowledged the role of media in the achievement of his administration’s development goals under his program MoRProGRes Iloilo or Movement for a Robust, Progressive, Globally-competitive, and Resilient Province of Iloilo.

Anona replaced Elena “Bing” Pabiona of Radyo Pilipinas who served as IPCPC president for 13 years.

Anona thanked the IPCPC members for entrusting to him the “big responsibility” of leading the organization. He vowed to continue what his predecessor has started and continue to make the IPCPC a valuable partner of the Iloilo provincial government.

Also present in the oathtaking ceremony were Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, former broadcaster now Sangguniang Bayan Member of Miagao Richard Esposo and some provincial government department heads.

DPWH completes Calinog flood control project
DPWH completes Calinog flood control project 150 150 NewsExpress

Securing the safety of local communities against water overflow, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Iloilo 2nd District Engineering Office (DEO) has completed a flood control project along the Jalaur River in Barangay Delgado (Gamma Grande).

The PhP 34.3-million project, funded under the FY 2022 General Appropriations Act (GAA), spans 290 linear meters to address the persistent issue of sudden water rise during heavy rains, which often results to severe flooding affecting flood-prone communities.

Citing from the report District Engineer Allan Rey R. Pajimna, Regional Director Nerie D. Bueno emphasized the project’s crucial role in protecting communities from natural disasters and mitigating damages caused by rapid water overflows.

“The flood control project along Jalaur River in Calinog plays an important role in protecting communities from natural disasters while mitigating damages that may be caused by rapid water overflows,” Director Bueno stated.

“Its design serves as a catch basin for waters coming from the mountains and can withstand the unexpected flow of floodwater,” added RD Bueno.

The completion of the flood control project brings relief to residents of Barangay Delgado, who experienced from the devastating effects of frequent flooding for many years.

Furthermore, the project aims to enhance the community’s resilience against heavy rainfall and ensure residents’ safety during extreme weather conditions.

District Engineer Pajimna expressed gratitude to the local community for their cooperation and patience throughout the project. He emphasized that the successful completion of the flood control project was a collective effort and a testament to the strong partnership between DPWH Iloilo 2nd DEO and the community it serves.

With the project’s completion, the residents will be protected and secured, knowing their community is better equipped to withstand heavy rains and rising water levels.

The successful implementation of the flood control project underscores the Department’s dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of its people in the face of environmental challenges. (DPWH-VI)

June 12 Issue
June 12 Issue 150 150 NewsExpress

MORE Power breaks ground for underground cabling of Calle Real
MORE Power breaks ground for underground cabling of Calle Real NewsExpress

The Iloilo City Government, together with MORE Power Iloilo, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the underground distribution system of power and other utilities in the historic Calle Real on May 29, 2023, at Sunburst Park, Iloilo City.

This initiative is in line with MORE Power’s commitment to support the projects of the metropolis and the preservation of its cultural and heritage values.

The project will cost P96.4 million and is targeted to be completed in 240 days.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said that by moving the power lines underground, Iloilo City is embracing a new era of progress that is aligned with the city government’s commitment to ensure a secure environment for the Ilonggo community.

“The resilience of the city’s infrastructure will be greatly improved, providing uninterrupted power to homes, businesses, hospitals, and schools that will foster economic growth, attract new investments, and create a favorable environment for businesses to thrive,” he added.

“The underground distribution project or UDS project has three phases. Phase 1 is the civil works. Which is the most challenging part of the project execution. Phase 2 is the electrical works. The cable laying and the termination. Phase 3 is the removal of the existing overhead lines and structure. After phase 3, that is when we can appreciate the beauty of the UDS,” said Engr. Bailey del Castillo, Deputy Head of Network Operations.

MORE Power tapped the services of Fibernet Konstrukt Corp., an expert in horizontal directional drilling construction for underground cables kag ducts.

“This part and parcel of MORE Power’s commitment to the city. We are very supportive of the projects of the city especially in the preservation of its cultural and heritage value,” said MORE Power President Roel Z. Castro.

June 5 Issue
June 5 Issue 150 150 NewsExpress

FOOD AID FOR POOR 1M Filipino families to benefit from ‘Walang Gutom 2027’
FOOD AID FOR POOR 1M Filipino families to benefit from ‘Walang Gutom 2027’ 150 150 NewsExpress

By Vincent P. Grecia

Poor families will no longer get hungry as the government is planning to give them food stamps that could be used to access food for free.

About one million poor families are expected to benefit from “Walang Gutom 2027 Food Stamp program” of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which is set to pilot run in July this year.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that the food stamp program aims to provide food augmentation to the bottom 1 million households from Listahanan 3 who belong to the food poor criteria as defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The program, he added, is currently in the design phase and they target to roll out the pilot implementation by July to December this year. It would be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through grants amounting to US$3 million.

The pilot implementation will initially cover 3,000 poorest of the poor families.

 “We have to do the pilot at 3,000 families; 300,000 hopefully next year sa first run; another 300,000 right after and then hopefully, reach the magic number of one million in the succeeding year,” Sec. Gatchalian said.

Target beneficiaries or those families whose income does not go beyond P8,000 a month will be given electronic benefit card or ‘tap cards’ which will be loaded with food credits amounting to P3,000.

The tap cards could be used by the beneficiaries to “purchase a select list of food commodities from DSWD-accredited local retailers.”

Gatchalian also clarified that the tap cards will not be loaded with money but will instead be loaded with food equivalent. He added that the Social Welfare department is working with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in crafting the program.

“The baskets of goods are always composed of 50% carbs, 30% protein, 20% fats. So mamimili ka lang within the food groups. Let’s say you go to accredited partner retailer. You get to choose lang from a selected list of food items in that food group. So, kung carbs, it’s either rice or whatever you may have. Hindi ito tipong cash na ibibigay natin,” he said.

The program will also be conditional and have a ‘work component.’ This means that those who will sign up would be required to seek employment in order to continue receiving the benefit.

“Ang condition nga doon is when you signed up, you have to go to the nearest public employment office, get a certification that you are now partaking, being counted as part of the workforce no matter what job it is,” Gatchalian emphasized.

He pointed out that the agency will continuously measure and monitor the beneficiaries in the regions that it has identified throughout the program.

DSWD hoped that through the program, the country will be able to combat hunger and achieve food security towards the realization of a zero hunger Philippines. (with reports PIA)

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