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Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. brought joy to the 1,100 inmates of Iloilo District Jail (IDJ) in Brgy. Nanga, Pototan, Iloilo as he revived the traditional giftgiving activity on December 23, two days before Christmas.

Gov. Defensor last held the giftgiving activity at IDJ in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tradition was started by the governor’s father, former Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. in celebration of his birthday which falls on Christmas Day, December 25.

Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Assistant Regional Director for Operations and Iloilo Provincial Administrator Jail Supt. Vicente Papelera and IDJ Acting Warden Jail Chief Insp. Denver Beltran assisted Gov. Defensor in the ceremonial distribution of giftpacks to representatives of the different dormitories inside IDJ.

The giftpacks contains toiletries, such as toothpaste, bath soap, and shampoo, and coffee and sugar, among others.

Papelera thanked Gov. Defensor for bringing back his traditional giftgiving activity which was missed by the IDJ inmates for three years.

Gov. Defensor assured the BJMP officials and inmates of the Iloilo provincial government’s continued support in terms of infrastructures and improved facilities.

He also floated the idea of livelihood and skills training for the inmates at the provincial government’s Agriculture Research and Training (ART) Center which is located just outside the IDJ.

A Holy Mass presided by Rev. Fr. Ildefonso Cachuela preceded the giftgiving activity.

Also present were Punong Barangay Julie Sequio of Brgy. Nanga and some provincial government department heads and personnel, and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol Press Corps.

The officials and staff of Iloilo Provincial Employees and Community Multi-purpose Cooperative (IPECMPC) also helped facilitate the conduct of Gov. Defensor’s giftgiving activity as part of their community service.

As an expression of gratitude, the BJMP gave Gov. Defensor a Certificate of Appreciation and a colorful painting made by inmate Abner Politico. (Capitol News)

Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair, a convergence of national government agencies’ distribution of equipment, financial assistance, scholarship programs, livelihood assistance, and payouts to priority sectors, has brought the government closer to the communities in Guimbal town in the province of Iloilo.

Mario Boglosa, President of Baras Farmers Association in Barotac Nuevo, conveyed his gratitude to the government for availing various equipment under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization component of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization.

“Nagapasalamat gid ako sa Department of Agriculture nga naka-avail kami sang harvester kag transplanter. Daku gid ina nga bulig sa amon pangunguma kag barangay. Sa liwat nagapasalamat man ako ilabi na sa aton nga presidente nga nakakuha kami machinery sa amon nga pagpanguma, (I am grateful to the Department of Agriculture that we were able to avail of the harvester and the transplanter.  This will be a big help to our farm and to our barangay. Again, thank you especially to our President that we were able to get these machineries for our farm.)” Boglosa expressed.

A total of P900 million worth of programs and services were brought to the province. Of the figure, P200 million was distributed as financial assistance.

With 51 participating national government agencies, over 160 services were offered to some 80,000 beneficiaries during the two-day fair, which started on December 9.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who served as the keynote speaker, emphasized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration’s brand of leadership to cascade government services to the grassroots level.

“Ang pangako ng Bagong Pilipinas ay isang pamahalaan na hindi naghihintay. Pamahalaan na kusang lumalapit sa mamamayan upang tugunan ang pangangailangan sa mas lalong madaling panahon,” Romualdez said.

“Sa serbisyo fair, nagsama sama ang iba’t ibang mga sangay ng pamahalaan upang maihatid at maipangako na mas mabilis at mas mahalagang impormasyon at serbisyo tungo sa ating sama-samang pag-unlad,” he added.

The BPSF offered social services from the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Food Authority (NFA), Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

Under livelihood and educational services, the following agencies offered services: Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), DENR, OCD, and FDA.

In terms of regulatory functions, the BPSF extended services from the following government agencies: Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine National Police (PNP), Land Transportation Office (LTO), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Bureau (LTFRB), Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Other government services also include those from the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-Ibig, Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

Apart from the services, the BPSF also highlighted the administration’s flagship program, “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” which supports the agriculture industry to ensure food security at a reasonable price.

To note, the BPSF in Iloilo is the ninth leg of the event as it aims to cover all 83 provinces in the country. (PIA Iloilo)

The Boys Scout of the Philippines now has a digital approach to address questions about its biggest event as City Mayor and 18th National Scout Jamboree Camp Chief Atty. Stephen A. Palmares formally unveiled the official Jamboree Portal.

The Jamboree Portal is an all-in-one application, supported by the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and DigiHwy, through the initiative of the 18th NSJ Information Center Committee.

The newly launched app can be accessed three ways: through a QR Code, its website (http://dhwy.ph/jamboree), or with the application that can be downloaded from the website.

It contains the basic answers to the needs of the participants and guests for the December 11–17, 2023 event.

From the routes to the City of Passi, to the Access to Travel, Passi City LGU Emergency Hotlines, or on the 18th NSJ Program Outlines and Schedules – the Jamboree Portal has it all.

Each tab has an attached image which is easy to click and expandable. And the best feature of the Jamboree Portal is that – it can be accessed offline.

“The basic purpose of the app is to provide convenience to its users who have no access to the internet in their area, or on travel, off-site activities, or within the vicinity of the Pintados de Passi Camp,” said one of its creators. “It also contains personalized schedules favorable to the members of each sub-camp.”

With the launching, the City of Passi has just created an alternative way to direct participants and guests to the roads leading to the home of the 18th National Scout Jamboree, and made it easier to monitor all its activities.

In a groundbreaking achievement for urban infrastructure development, MORE Power’s Underground Distribution Services (UDS) project along JM Basa Street is advancing rapidly, with an anticipated completion date set for June 2024.

The civil works, constituting 35% of the project and encompassing dredging and drilling activities, are well underway. Engr. ArmilLogarta, Head of Project Development and Management at MORE Power, affirms that the project, launched on October 10, 2023, is progressing seamlessly according to schedule, with no reported delays to date.

Projected for completion in June 2024, with an additional 2 months allocated for the removal of existing facilities, the UDS initiative spans from the corner of Arroyo St., Aldeguer St., Guanco St., Mapa St., Ortiz St., until Rizal/Zamora St. (Burgos St.) and Libertad Plaza.

This encompasses a onekilometer stretch of Iloilo City’s historic business district, including the heritage zone known as Calle Real.

Engr. Logarta elaborated on the UDS project’s three pivotal phases: Phase 1 involves intricate civil works, Phase 2 centers on electrical works, covering cable laying and termination, and Phase 3 culminates with the removal of existing overhead lines and structures, unlocking the full potential of the UDS project.

The phase 2 or the actual undergrounding of cables is expected to commence in January 2024 and run until June 2024. Utilizing Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), a cutting-edge method for installing underground utilities and plumbing, the UDS project stands apart from traditional methods by eliminating the need for open trenches.

This approach ensures minimal disruptions to the downtown area, with construction activities strategically conducted from 7:00 PM to 7:00 AM, contributing to a smoother traffic flow during daytime.

During the May 30, 2023 groundbreaking ceremony, Engr. Bernard Bailey Del Castillo, Vice President for Network Operations, highlighted that the UDS project will eliminate the risks of geckos, birds, and rats approaching overhead lines, ensuring a safer and more reliable electrical infrastructure.

This includes resolving the menace of power outages caused by animal intrusion and addressing the annual concern of balloons slipping away during the Dinagyang festival.

Additionally, this will also eradicate the need for periodic tree trimming, allowing the trees to grow unhindered.

MORE Power’s President and CEO, Roel Castro, expressed that the UDS project reflects the company’s steadfast commitment to supporting local government initiatives, particularly in preserving the cultural and heritage aspects of the community.

Castro remarked, “I believe there are very few cities in the Philippines that can genuinely boast of having a rich heritage and culture, evident in the edifices and monuments scattered around the city. These structures serve as testaments to the city’s exceptionally rich cultural and historical legacy.”

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas emphasized that the removal of above-ground power lines will notably diminish the risk of accidents stemming from adverse weather conditions, fallen trees, and unforeseen circumstances. This initiative aims to provide uninterrupted power to residences, businesses, hospitals, and schools.

He expressed, “This enhanced reliability will stimulate economic growth, entice new investments, and cultivate a favorable environment for businesses to flourish.” The Underground Distribution System (UDS) stands as one of the diverse investments that MORE Power has introduced to the City of Love since commencing its operations in 2020.

The implementation of Iloilo’s biggest irrigation development project has unlocked another milestone. The Jalaur High Dam, the reservoir dam of the project has finally attained its designed height at 109 meters tall or at elevation 194 meters above sea level.

On November 27, 2023, the Project Management Office (PMO) of the Jalaur River Multi-purpose Project Stage II (JRMP II) together with its international contractor Daewoo E&C carried out the final batch of concrete pouring at the high dam spillway bridge, which likewise indicated that the structure was already substantially completed.

With this development, all dams of JRMP II were already considerably completed and remaining activities at the dam sites include reservoir preparation, tunnel plugging, preparation of stilling basin and electromechanical works for the operation phase, among many others.

The Afterbay Dam was completed by the Contractor in February this year while the Alibunan Catch Dam was completed in December 2021.

Major remaining construction activities are now on the irrigation component of the project which covers the 80-kilometer High Line Canal and another 80-kilometer Main and Lateral Canals that shall convey water from the dams to the farmlands.

The high dam, during its operation, will store an estimated 250 million cubic meters of water that can be utilized for multi-purpose uses such as irrigation, bulk water, hydroelectric power and inland fishery. The reservoir dam will likewise generate eco-tourism opportunities and mitigate flooding in Calinog and nearby towns.

The JRMP II is a major economic booster for the Province and City of Iloilo as its realization and eventual operation will usher holistic rural development.

At the helm of its implementation are NIA Administrator Engineer Eduardo Eddie Guillen and NIA 6 Acting Regional Manager and concurrent Project Manager Engineer Jonel Borres.

The Provincial Government of Aklan has lifted the submission of hotel vouchers as a requirement to enter Boracay island in Malay town.

Aklan Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores issued Executive Number 097 Series of 2023 on  Nov. 15, which orders the lifting of the implementation of EO No. 009, series of 2022 that requires visitors to submit hotel vouchers via the AKQUIRE system in the province of Aklan, particularly in Boracay island.

Previously, Miraflores issued EO No. 003 on July 4, 2022, and EO No. 0047 on October 25, 2022, which mandated the lifting of imposition of QR code requirements to enter the province for returning Aklanons and tourists, respectively. 

Miraflores said that such steps are in response to the pronouncement of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on tourism as an engine of growth and that Local Government Units of tourist destinations shall start easing travel requirements for tourists.

In removing the hotel voucher, tourists need only to go to the Tourist Registration Center at Jetty Port before proceeding to the Payment Counter and Seacraft boarding.

However, tourists and travelers are strictly reminded and highly encouraged to book only to accommodation establishments that are accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT). This is to ensure the security and safety of the travelers as well as to avoid further inconvenience to guests who are having their vacation on the famed island.

Following the issuance of EO No. 097, the Boracay Foundation Inc. (BFI) expressed its happiness with the latest development on the island that further relaxes the policy on tourists’ entry to the island.

In a media interview, Dindo Salazar, Chairman of BFI, noted that they positively welcome such a step of the provincial government because it will 

have a huge impact and help Boracay Island, which is considered one of the top destinations for both local and foreign tourists. 

Salazar stressed that stakeholders actually requested the provincial government to drop the hotel voucher requirement as this is one of the reasons that many tourists are reluctant to go to the island, and with this development, BFI is confident that it will help attract more tourists to spend their vacation in Boracay Island.

Aside from the hotel voucher requirement, Miraflores also revealed some changes in regulations in Boracay Island as discussed during the 2nd Boracay-Caticlan Sustainable Development Council (BCSDC) Meeting in Boracay Island.

The white beaches of Boracay become more open as guests and tourists are now allowed to bring with them their beach beds and umbrellas, and night swimming is extended to 9:00 p.m.

Also, food and drinks are now allowed in party boats.

The provincial government of Aklan likewise suspended the P20,000 fee for foreign tour guides, and there is a continuous dialogue on having a unified ticket at the jetty port. (PIA-Aklan)