AMIN’s Hernandez urges repositioning of M’nao as separate bio-security region

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Rep. Ariel Caringal Hernandez of the Anak Mindanao (AMIN) party-list today supports the call of the pork producers of Mindanao for the repositioning of Mindanao as a separate bio-security region.

“Mindanao’s regionalization will enable Mindanawon businesses to penetrate more markets abroad since it will open new doors of strategic and tangible export markets for their products,” he said.

Being in the strategic position to key markets in the East Asean Growth Area (EAGA), Mindanao is in the best position to become the Philippines’ export and industrial hub, he stressed.

“Also taking into account that our beloved island of Mindanao is mostly shielded from devastating typhoons. Unlike Luzon and the Visayas, we are relatively typhoon-free here and our agriculture here contributes so much to our country’s economy,” he added.

Hernandez reiterated the dreams of all Mindanawons for the island to get its equal and rightful share of the country’s wealth, which he said will greatly impact on the island’s march towards sustainable development.

“While there is clearly a bias against Mindanao in the sharing of the national wealth, and while we continue to advocate and urged our national leaders to give Mindanao its rightful and equal share of this wealth, we also have to move on our own and not wait for Manila to heed our calls; we have to do our best to make our island economically viable for investors and businesses,” he said.

“The best way to jumpstart our march towards sustainable development is to make Mindanao into a separate bio-security region, especially now that we have the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), the creation which we also co-authored in Congress,” he added.

Hernandez said that with Mindanao as a separate bio-security region, the island will be protected under international safety protocols to prevent any setbacks in its market and industry like what is being practiced in the US, Canada, China and India.

AMIN, a true Mindanawon party-list group established to advance the dreams and aspirations of all Mindanawons here and abroad, is seeking to reclaim its seat in Congress in the May 10, 2010 synchronized elections.

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LEGARDA PUSHES FOR CREDIT FOR FARMERS

NPC-NP-LDP Vice-Presidential candidate Loren Legarda urged banks and government financial institutions to fast-track compliance with the implementation of the revised Agri-Agra Law to boost financial support for rural farmers, whom she calls the country’s “silent heroes”.


The law mandates banks and financial institutions to extend 25% of loanable funds to the agricultural, fisheries and agrarian reform sectors. The revised law, authored and sponsored by Legarda as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, removed various loopholes and alternative complianceS, such as investments in eligible government securities, which in most cases has no connection to agri-agra credits and does not benefit our farmers at all.


“Our farmers are our silent heroes. They feed the country, and yet they are the ones who go hungry. They deserve more support from the government and the private sector, especially at a time when the country faces drought and food scarcity,” she stressed.


With El Niño’s damage to the country's farm crops having increased to P8 billion ($174.6 million), Legarda emphasized the urgency of implementing Agri-Agra programs to farmers in the provinces.


The provinces considered highly vulnerable to El Niño are Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Cavite, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga City, Sarangani and South Cotabato.



Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Romblon, Sorsogon, Aklan, Antique, Bohol, Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur and Davao City are considered moderately vulnerable to the phenomenon.



“The 1998 El Niño taught us the need to help our farmers deal with the adverse impact of El Niño in the country’s food production. This time around, we need to give real, concrete assistance to our farmers. Pag pinabayaan natin ang ating mga magsasaka, tayo rin ang kawawa,” said Legarda.

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Plaza Bats for the Protection of Our Children

Agusan Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Plaza recently stated that the protection of children had been foremost in his legislative agenda in his nine-year stint in the House of Representatives.

In talks with women leaders and mothers, the congressman now gunning for a seat in the Senate under the slate of former Pres. Joseph Estrada's Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino- PDP Laban, said that he would continue working for the protection and advancement of the rights of our children.

Plaza is the author of the House Bill No. 547 declaring Nov. 20 as National Children's Day and co- author of House Bill No. 683 modifying the definition of the crime of rape involving minor children, House Bill No. 6440 making child pornography a crime and R.A. No. 9262 or the Violence Against Women and Children Act.


He lamented that up to now our children are being subjected to strict disciplinary action by their parents and guardians.

He cited a study by the United Nation's Commission on the rights of Children that physical and verbal abuse of our children involved cases when physical force is used to inflict pain or discomfort, including non-physical forms of punishment that are cruel and degrading.

He cited another study by the World Health Organization that in the Philippines' severe physical punishment is commonly used to discipline children, noting that 21% of them are hit with a hard object in many parts of their bodies, 3% are beaten, while another 1% is threatened by a knife or gun and another 1% is choked.
Plaza believed that families that maltreat their children or allowed their children to be subjected to such cruel and degrading punishment reflected the dark side of our society.

“We cannot advance as a strong nation if we do not care for the rights of our children,” he said adding that “if left unchecked, this would lead to the perpetuation of violence in the family and society.”

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Election day should be the Easter of politics - Legarda

"Just as Christ gave his followers renewed hope in their spiritual outlook, public officials should try to emulate his teachings and give their citizens renewed hope in their political outlook, though skeptics and cynics may try to virtually crucify them for their efforts."


NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda issued the statement to mark Easter Sunday, urging fellow candidates to give new meaning and relevance to resurrection and rebirth.


"Candidates know this - that voters, especially the poor majority, look up to them as saviors that would lead them to a better life," Legarda said. "The dishonest take advantage of this just to get elected and then use their office to enrich themselves. On the other hand, the honest public servants use their office to try to improve their constituents' lives."


"Election day should not just be an opportunity for policians to renew their stay in public office but for them to renew the people's trust in democracy," Legarda asid. "It should be the Easter Sunday of our politcal life."

Meanwhile, mNP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda called for a political ceasefire among candidates during the Holy Week.

“Lent is a time for solidarity and forgiveness. This Holy Week, I call on all candidates to stop negativity and toxicity in politics,” she said.

Legarda added, “Hinihiling ko na tigilan na ang patayan sa pulitika. Tama na ang pananakot sa pulitika, tama na ang negative politics. Iwasan na ang toxic politics, text brigades at paninira na aksaya lamang ng pera. Ang sakripisyo ni Hesukristo ang siyang dapat maging ehemplo sa ating lahat, hindi lang ngayong mahal na araw kundi sa mga darating na buwan.”

She also urged her rival candidates to refrain from black propaganda.
“Yung pagmumura at paninira sa kapwa kandidato ay hindi makakalunas sa gutom at hirap sa bansa. Imbes na pagaawayan natin ang mga maliliit at personal na bagay, pagtuunan natin ang kung anong mga magagawa natin para sa bayan,” she said.

She expressed concern over a massive black propaganda against her, such as allegations that she has proposed legislative amendments to decrease or abolish the benefits of workers in the health care, military, police and education sectors.

"Yan ay malinaw na paninira lamang. A review of my legislative agenda and accomplishments will show that I have always been supportive of higher benefits for our health care workers, teachers, nurses, military and police."

Legarda said, “We are all friends in government. Our rivalry is only temporary, competing for the opportunity to serve the people with our respective platforms. So I ask my fellow candidates and their supporters to give due respect to each other despite the differences in our politics and programs.”

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Board of Nursing chair swears in new registered nurses in Pagadian

Pagadian City – For the second time around , the Chairperson of the Board of Nursing Dr. Carmencita M. Abaquin led the oath taking ceremony of the new registered nurses at St. Columban-YDC gym on Monday, March 29.


Last year, Dr. Abaquin came over upon the upon the invitation of the the City Government to lead the oath taking ceremony.


She led the formal oath of the 370 new graduate nurses who passed the November 2009 Nursing Licensure Examination held in the cities of Manila, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de oro, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, La union, Legazpi, Lucena, Pagadian, Pampanga, Sulu, Tacloban, and Tuguegarao.



“I congratulate you who represent a portion of the 37,257 passers and whom are indeed, among the survivors, Abaquin said.


She challenged the new registered nurses to perform their duties faithfully.


“Please remain true to your professional oaths not just in words, but in action. Not today, or tomorrow, but always,” Abaquin said earnestly. “Please be reminded that an oath is a solemn promise, a commitment that you have to fulfill your duties our people, to our society and to our God,” she added.


Abaquin acknowledges them as the new partners in health care profession expected to perform holistic nursing care to their patients.



The new registered nurses who took their oath were from the 24 different nursing schools in the cities of Manila, Davao,, Cebu, and Pagadian and from the provinces of Lanao del Norte, , Mismais Occidntal, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur.


It can be recalled, that it was the initiative of the city government thru Mayor Samuel S. Co to request the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) that Pagadian City, as the new Regional Center in Region 9 will be a venue for the oath taking ceremony for the new nurses. It is very practical for the nurses in Pagadian City and Zamboanga del Sur and nearby provinces to save money and not to sacrifice their time and efforts in taking their oath in Manila, Davao and Cebu.



Among the personalities who attended the ceremony were : Representatives Victor J Yu (12st dist.) Antonio H. Cerilles (2nd dist.), Atty. Senando Asteban, Director of Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Region IX, Helen Arao, President, Philippine Nurses Association, Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian City Chapter, and Association of Deans for Philippine College of Nursing,

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COMELEC'S TURNING OFF OF PCOS AUTHENTIFICATION FEATURE TRIPLES CHANCES FOR ELECTION FRAUD - MAZA

Nacionalista-Makabayan senatorial candidate Liza Maza expressed deep concern over the recent reports that Smartmatic-TIM (May 2010 automated elections provider) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have turned off the UV ink reader, one of the five security features, on all 82,200 precinct court optical scan (PCOS) machines.

“The UV ink reader is one the most important security features of the PCOS machines as it ensures the authenticity of the ballots. The Comelec's decision to turn it off triples the chances for election fraud to occur in May,” Maza said.


“It looks as if the Comelec deliberately kept this from the public. The Commission has known from tests results in January that there is a problem in the UV ink reader feature of the PCOS machine, but it did not inform the public, nor did it try to immediately fix the defects. With the elections only a few weeks away, the Comelec could not anymore conduct thorough research to find the most effective remedy to this problem," Maza said.


In replacement to the built-in UV ink reader, Comelec and Smartmatic-TIM plans to purchase 76,000 portable UV ink readers for the use of Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) on May 10.



“This puts us in a lose-lose situation: If the Comelec does not purchase portable UV ink readers, we could be facing a possibly fatal breach in security in May. If it does, this could be another source of corruption,” Maza said.


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YOUTH LEADERS RALLY BEHIND LOREN

Youth leaders from all over the country have banded together to form the Kabataang Loren force, Tropang Loren Youth Movement and the Philippine Climate Youth Movement to support the candidacy of NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential bet Loren Legarda.


According to the group spokesperson Engr. Reagan Say, “it’s time for the youth to stand up and be counted in the coming electoral exercise as the future of the country is at stake.”


He said, “we need leaders who will not only inspire us and guide us towards building and growing a nation but also understand us and care for us like a mother.”


“We are supporting Loren Legarda for vice president as she is the only one among the vice presidential candidates who has actually worked for protecting and conserving the environment, fought for the welfare of the abused, bravely rescued those held hostage by wanted groups. No other candidate has risked life and limb to save the lives of others. All the others VP candidates engage in mere talk and propaganda,” according to a statement by the Kabataang Loren force.


Meanwhile, the Tropang Loren Youth Movement gains ground as it successfully recruits students from Metro Manila and the country’s other regional centers.



Tropang Loren is headed by 500 youth leaders from all over the country who share Legarda’s environment and youth advocacies.


“Loren is a role model for the youth. She exemplifies the traits that the Filipino youth seek – nationalism, compassion for the poor and needy, intelligence and active environmentalism,” said 24-year old Cristine Baysa, a student at Perpetual Help College of Manila and head of the Tropang Loren Movement.


Baysa added, “bilang kabataan, excited kaming makilahok sa pagpili ng magiging pinuno ng bansa. Many of our members are first time voters, and we want to take this opportunity to make our vote count. We are solidly for Loren Legara. She is our vice president.”


The Philippine Climate Youth Movement (PCYM), meanwhile, is rallying behind Legarda’s environmental protection campaign. Led by 23-year-old Esperanza Garcia, PCYM has successfully mobilized young "climate heroes" from every region, city, school, and university in the country.


Garcia was the Philippine's only youth delegate to the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change in December.







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