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Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. urged the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to expedite the expansion of the Iloilo International Airport in the municipality of Cabatuan.

The governor met with DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista on Sept. 29, 2023, to present the urgent need to expand the facility due to the increase in passenger traffic following the rapid development in the city and province of Iloilo.

“Our problem is very practical. We could no longer fit in our terminal. Even before the pandemic, it was already congested. And we are about to reach the pre-pandemic levels,” he said.

In a letter to Governor Defensor, National Economic and Development Authority VI Regional Director and Regional Development Council VI Vice Chairperson Engr. Arecio A. Casing Jr. said that as of September 2023, the Unsolicited proposal (USP) submitted by Prime Asset Ventures, Inc. (PAVI) is still under evaluation by the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

The proposed expansion covers the upgrade of the passenger terminal building (PTB), construction of an apron adjacent to the PTB, installation of the required equipment for the passenger services, and modernization of the appurtenant facilities.

The expansion will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme. RDC VI endorsed the proposed expansion under a PPP scheme through Resolution Nos. 39 and 40 on Sept. 26, 2014.

PAVI was also instructed to submit documents in compliance with the revised guidelines of the build-operate-and-transfer (BOT) Law, implementing rules and regulations, and the new Investment Coordination Committee (ICC) Guidelines and Checklists.

Defensor said he was told by Secretary Bautista that the NEDA Board is targeted to issue the approval in the first quarter of 2024.

“We want to lobby to make it faster and avoid further delay,” Defensor said.

The governor is also pushing for the resumption of the international flights at the Iloilo International Airport. (Capitol news)

By Remegio G. Castor

Central Philippine University (CPU) has a new president in the person of Rev. Dr. Ernest Howard B. Dagohoy.

The CPU Board of Trustees and the Corporation announced Dagohoy’s election and confirmation as the university’s 18^th President last October 2, 2023.

Dagohoy, who hails from San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, is the first Pastor to become CPU President since the American Baptist missionaries. He is also the fifth Filipino President of CPU.

Dagohoy finished his Bachelor of Theology degree at CPU in 1988.

He has served as University Chaplain and as weekend pastor of Malublub Baptist Church in Badiangan, Iloilo.

He also served as CPUR Senator and Governor of College of Theology.

Dagohoy also finished Master of Divinity at Asian Theological Seminary and Doctor of Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Prior to his election as the new CPU President, Dagohoy served as adjunct professor of Theology Ministry at Houston Baptist University in Texas, USA.

Dagohoy will succeed outgoing President Dr. Teodoro Robles. He will serve for five years from November 1, 2023 to October 31, 2028.

In an interview with Iloilo City-based radio station RMN-DYRI, Dagohoy thanked the CPU Corporation and Board of Trustees and the entire CPU community for their trust and confidence in giving him the significant role of leading one of the country’s prestigious universities.

He said that his administration will focus on five long-term programs, namely, Spiritual Vitality, Academic Excellence, Faculty and Staff Development, Student Success, and Alumni Engagement.

He admitted that as Dr. Robles successor, he has a big shoes to fill but he will try his best to do the meet the expectations of the Centralian community.

CPU was established in 1905 through the benevolent grant of the American industrialist and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller. It is the first Baptist and second-American founded university in the Philippines and Asia. The university was initially known as the Jaro Industrial School and Bible School, under the supervision of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society.

CPU played a pioneering role in nursing education in Philippines by establishing the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses in 1906, which later became the CPU – College of Nursing, the first nursing school in the Philippines. 

Additionally, the university was the first to establish a Baptist theological seminary in the country, the CPU College of Theology; the first student council in Southeast Asia, the CPU Republic; and the first government-recognized agricultural school outside of Luzon, the CPU College of Agriculture, Resource, and Environmental Sciences.

The Department of Energy (DOE) during the 3rd Quarter Regional Development Council (RDC) 6 meeting revealed that Western Visayas is poised as the Renewable Energy (RE) center of the country with a total of 113 renewable energy service contracts already awarded.

As of June 2023, these renewable energy projects progress through different stages of permitting and development with an existing installed capacity of 775.7 Megawatts (MW) and a potential capacity of 16,500.7 MW, and DOE awaits its integration into the local communities.

According to DOE, most of these contracts are wind energy sources, with a vast potential capacity of 14,943 MW.

Energy Secretary Raphael Perpetuo Lotilla, in his message read by Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo during the RDC meeting, said that renewable energy is the way forward and the DOE is amplifying efforts to advocate for greater utilization of renewable energy, aligning with our overarching government objectives.

“Our shared goal is to achieve 35 percent renewable energy (RE) in our power generation mix by 2030, with an ambitious target of 50 percent by 2040. These targets are not arbitrary. They are enshrined in both the Philippine Energy Plan and the National Renewable Energy Plan, reflecting our commitment to combating climate change and transitioning toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly power generation landscape,” Lotilla added.

DOE urges the local government units (LGUs) in the region to actively participate in the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) System by incorporating their permitting processes into the System while also encouraging all permitting 

agencies to take a proactive role in guiding and facilitating these renewable energy initiatives.

“By doing so, we can expedite the permitting process for these energy projects that will provide livelihood and development opportunities to the host communities sooner, rather than later,” Lotilla said.

DOE also gave updates on the high-impact energy projects mentioned during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) like the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project and the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Transmission Line Project.

The MVIP with a transfer capacity of 450 MW, will link Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, facilitating power sharing and optimizing energy resources at a current load of 270 MW, the interconnection is targeted to be fully operational by October 2023.

On the other hand, the Cebu-Negros-Panay (CNP) Transmission Line Project, designed at 800 MW, will enhance the efficient transfer of energy within the Visayas sub-grid, particularly from Negros Island which is currently operating at 270 MW, the CNP Stage 3 Project is targeted for full operation by National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in October 2023.

Lotilla shared that RDC VI is showing what the energy future will be like and how it will be done, and this must be replicated by other RDCs. (PIA6)

Passi City is now in the thick of preparations as host of the 18th National Scout Jamboree this coming December 11 to 17.

More than 40,000 Scouters from the 124 local councils nationwide are expected to participate in the event which happens only every four years. Other National Scout Organizations from other countries were also invited to join this national scout event.

Passi City Mayor and Western Visayas Scouting Committee Chairman atty. Stephen Palmares recently met members of the Regional Scouting Committee (RSC) to discuss preparations as to campsite requirements including water supply, among others, according to a post on the Facebook page of the city.

Palmares said the Passi City Scouts Support Hotline is now operational and caters to queries about the upcoming national event.

During the RSC meeting, 18th NSJ Deputy Program Director Leo D. Lao presented the status of the preparations and highlights of the jamboree while Site 

Development Plan Committee Co-Chairman Daryl Villanueva, Jr. from the Schools Division of Passi City, also presented the map of the campsite and the blueprint of the campgrounds.

Palmares informed the RSC members that the City of Passi will donate 1,000 square meters of land to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) Western Visayas Regional Office.

On Sept. 21 to 23, the BSP National Executive Board will convene and will conduct an inspection of the campsite, as part of the preparatory activities.

“Youth Engagement: Sustaining Relevance and Strengthening Resilience” is the theme of the 18th National Scout Jamboree, per BSP National Office Memorandum No. 24 series of 2023.

The week-long national scout event aims to provide a progressive, exciting, challenging, safe and enjoyable learning environment for the Scouts in order to enhance their full Social, Physical, Intellectual, Character, Emotional and Spiritual potentials as an active citizen making real contribution in creating a better community. (PIA6)

By Vincent P. Grecia

NewsExpress

Rice retailers, traders and importers in Iloilo province have formed the Iloilo Grains Businessmen Association (IGBA) to strengthen their sector amidst the crisis on the price of rice.

IGBA led by their President Ildefonso Dolorfino and Vice President Charmine Devicente-Guiang took their oath from Provincial Administrator Raul Banias representing Gov. Arthur Defensor, Jr. last September 26, 2023.

Dolorfino said the group was formed following the implementation of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s Executive Order 39 imposing price ceiling on rice.

IGBA has more or less 100 members from the different parts of the province.

He said EO 39 affected their sector but they have to respect the president’s directive.

Dolorfino said based on their monitoring most of their members have complied with EO 39 setting a price cap of PhP 41.00 for regular milled rice and PhP 45.00 well milled rice.

Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, National Food Authority, Bureau of Customs and Department of Trade and Industry also graced the induction of officers of the new group.

Board Members Rolly Distura and Matt Palabrica were also present.

During the open forum after their oathtaking ceremony, Dolorfino stressed that hoarding of rice does not happen here in Western Visayas. Hoarding is one of the factors that contributed to the uncontrolled high price of rice.

“If there were reports of hoarding, it is certain, that it is in some other parts of Luzon,” said former Rey Mayor Grabato, who is also a member of the group.

Banias thanked IGBA for fully supporting the government in the implementation of EO 39.

Palabrica also lauded the organization as he expressed hopes that it will serve as the voice of rice retailers, traders, importers and other stakeholders.

The Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH 6) reported a total of 27 deaths due to rabies in the region last year.

Noting the third consecutive year of increase in the number of mortalities due to rabies, the health department stressed that the disease continues to be a public health problem in the region.

Based on the report of Senior Health Program Officer Ame Liz G. Mardoquio of the DOH 6’s Rabies Prevention and Control Program, animal bite cases in the region in 2022 accounted for a total of 118,845 with 27 deaths due to rabies.

The number of deaths during the said period noted a 3.38 mortality rate per one million population of the region and increased by two deaths compared to 25 during the previous year.

Most of the deaths were recorded in the province of Negros Occidental with 11. Followed by Capiz with six deaths, Aklan and Iloilo province with four each, and Bacolod City and Iloilo City with one case each.

The report further showed that the majority of the deaths were between the ages of 22 to 50 years old with 11, between three to 15 years with nine deaths, and 56 to 81 years old group with five deaths.

Of the 27 mortality cases, only one of the vectors or rabies virus carriers is vaccinated, while the rest are either unvaccinated or with unknown vaccination status. Only one vector also was identified as a cat and the rest were dogs.

Meanwhile, 12 out of the 27 deaths were attributed to stray vector animals.

With this, the health department in the region is encouraging LGUs to establish or make their respective Rabies Control Committee functional, noting that only 19 out of 133 LGUs in Western Visayas are determined as functional.

Further, DOH 6’s efforts also focus on the legislation and implementation of local ordinances on rabies. To note, only 21 out of 133 LGUs in the region passed and are implementing their own anti-rabies ordinances.

As part of the response measures, DOH 6 noted that there are a total of 86 animal bite treatment centers (ABTCs) across Western Visayas, 66 of which have DOH certification or accreditation.

Apart from these, Mardoquio also stressed that DOH 6 is also working closely with LGUs to eliminate the use of “tandok” for the management of an animal bite.

“Tandok” is a traditional practice, common among rural areas, which uses the method of applying a horn, stone, or wood to the bite wound and is believed to absorb the rabies virus.

Per the DOH report, some bite victims seek the “tandok” application which is an unsafe and risky practice, noting that many of the human deaths due to rabies sought the alternative method but did not seek medical interventions like Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).