by jeyzsonic | Aug 1, 2008 | National News
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza formally asked the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines (MORES) to “take a public position on the very low standard of professionalism exhibited by Pulse Asia in their ‘July 2008 Nationwide Survey on Presidential Performance and Trust Rating.’”
In a letter, Dureza asked Gerald Bautista, President of MORES, to inform the public if Pulse Asia is a member of the umbrella organization of professional polling organizations in the country as well as look into the methodology used by the survey firm.
Stressing that although he is not against any polling organization that ”measures public opinion on any subject,” Dureza said surveys must “inform, not manipulate, the public.”
Dureza pointed out that the Pulse Asia survey conducted before Monday when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her State- of- the- Nation Address, was teeming with deficiencies as “its line of questioning generates respondents who are not familiar enough with past SONAs to offer an opinion on past speeches that could be used as the basis for a credible national perspective.”
Dureza said Pulse Asia, like any public opinion company, “has an obligation to maintain the highest professional standards in pursuit of tracking genuine public opinion. It is unfortunate that this recent survey betrays that public trust in the timing and construction of the questionnaire.
Dureza further said that:” It is essential at anytime, but particularly in times of deep national economic and social distress, that public opinion research firms go the extra mile – to dig deep to find out what is on the mind of the public, not merely scratch the surface for cheap sensational headlines.”
The Press Secretary expressed confidence MORES would ensure that the public is not manipulated by such unethical polling practices. (PIA/Bohol)
by jeyzsonic | Aug 1, 2008 | National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has approved the allocation of P1.68-billion as subsidy to the farming sector for the acquisition and distribution of certified palay seeds nationwide, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.
According to Yap, the amount will be used to buy some 1.4 million sacks of certified seeds to be planted in 1.4 million hectares of irrigated and rain-fed ricelands all over the country during the 2008-2009 cropping season.
In addition, the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) will provide P7 billion in micro-finance loans which farmer-beneficiaries could use to improve rice and crop production, he said.
Each sack of certified palay seeds under the subsidy program can generate up to 120 sacks of palay or 60 sacks of milled rice.
Yap added that in compliance with the President’s directive, the DA has also come up with a production incentives for farmers who sell their produce to the National Food Authority (NFA).
Under the incentives program, farmers who can supply 50 sacks or up to 500,000 metric tons of rice to the NFA will be given P1,800 (per 50 sacks) as rebate, which the farmers can use to purchase fertilizers and other farm needs.
The funding will be sourced from revenue collections, particularly the Expanded Value Tax (EVAT).
The subsidies are part of the DA’s mission of helping the country attain rice self-sufficiency by 2013, he added. (PIA/Bohol)
by jeyzsonic | Aug 1, 2008 | National News
Gi-aprobahan ni Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang paggahin og P1.68-bilyones isip ‘subsidy’ sa mga mag-uuma para sa paggamit ug pagapod-apod og ‘certified’ nga klase sa humay sa tibuok nasud. Mao kini ang gibutyag ni Kalihim sa Agrikultura Arthur Yap.
Matud pa ni Yap, ang kantidad gamiton sa pagpalit og 1.4 milyones ka sako nga ‘certified seeds’ para itanum sa 1.4 milyones hektarias nga ‘irrigated ug rainfed’ nga umahan ta tibuok nasud karon 2008-2009 nga panahon sa igtanumay.
Dugang pa niini, matud pa sa Kalihim, ang Lang Bank of the Philippines mogahin usab og P7-bilyones nga ‘micro-finance’ nga pahuwam sa mga mag-uuma nga makadawat niining certified nga klase sa humay aron pagpalig-on ug pagpadaghan sa ani sa ilang humay.
Ang kada sako sa ‘certified palay seeds’ ubos niining ‘subsidy’ nga programa, maka-ani hangtud sa 120 ka sako nga palay o 60 sako sa ginaling nga bugas.
Gipatin-aw usab ni Yap, isip pagsanong sa direktiba sa Presidente, ang DA usab mohatag og ‘incentive’ o pahalipay sa mga mag-uuma nga mobaligya sa ilang humay sa National Food Authority (NFA).
Sa maong ‘incentive’ nga programa, ang mag-uuma nga mobaligya sa og 50 ka sako o 500,000 metriko tonelada nga humay sa NFA, gahinan sila ug P1,800 nga ‘rebate’, diin magamit kini sa mag-uuma sa pagpalit og abuno ug ubang mga panginahanglanon sa pag-uma.
Ang pundo sa maong programa pagkuhaon gikan sa koleksyon sa buhis, labina sa Expanded Value Tax (EVAT).
Ang programa sa ‘subsidy’ apil sa misyon sa DA aron makab-ot sa nasud ang ‘rice self-sufficiency’ sa tuig 2013, apas sumpay ni Yap. (PIA/Bohol)
by jeyzsonic | Jul 31, 2008 | Local News / Bohol Balita
LOCAL government units (LGUs) into upgrading and improving infrastructure and services but without the funds may now access a viable financing option from a facility coursed through Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
This was the good news presented by a team of financial experts from the country’s top LGU partner during the recent LBP roadshow during the recent mayors’ meeting at the Bohol Tropics.
This as the government also dangles parallel microfinance loans in an effort to promote living conditions and spur local economies into productivity.
According to Allan Bisnar of the LBP Bohol Lending Center, now an accessible option for towns, utilities operators and even for private sector groups partnering with towns is World Bank funded Support for Strategic Local Development and Investment Project (S2LDIP).
The facility which boasts of US$100M can give as much as the project requires but not more than the borrowing capacity for LGUS, the center manager said.
S2LDIP can shoulder 90% of the project while the borrower puts up the 10% equity, he added.
At a relatively very low 9% for loans with 1-5 year repayment term or up to 11% for maximum term of 15 years plus 2 years grace period, the S2LDIP can be accessed for a variety of development oriented projects.
Eligible project for the loan facility include computerization projects, telecommunications, roads and bridges rehabilitation or construction, sanitation, drainage and flood control systems, water supply projects, public utilities construction, air and sea ports and harbors, waste management projects, power distribution and heavy equipment procurement.
Basic borrowing requirement includes council resolution authorizing the mayors to negotiate a loan with LBP, approved current year budget, audited financial statement for the last 3 years, list of elected officials and key officers, IRA schedule for the past 2 years, project feasibility study, collateral documents and certification of net borrowing capacity form the Bureau of Local Government and Finance.
For those private operators of public utilities intending to avail of the loan, they would need a letter of intent, contracts, audited financial statement for 3 years, board resolution project details and related documents and list of current officers.
Interested LGUs may come to LBP Bohol Lending Center at the New capitol Complex for details, Bisnar said.
More than this, the government has noted that business released has increased by 30 times more than the P3 billion loan level in 2001.
In her State of the Nation Address, President Gloria Macapagal Arro said “in microfinance, loans have reached P102 billion or 30 times more than the P3 billion we started with in 2001.
Moreover, she cited a record 98-percent repayment rate, which the major micro-finance lenders led by Land Bank has also noted.
The country’s Chief Executive also cited LBP for “quadrupling loans for farmers and fisher-folks.”
Aside from Land Bank, President Arroyo also cited the Peoples’ Credit and Finance Corporation (PCFC) which lent out P8 billion; the National Livelihood Support Fund (NLSF), P3 billion; the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), P1 billion; and the DSWD’s Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), P800 million.
The President also thanked the entrepreneurship campaign ‘Go, Negosyo,’ and its creator, Joey Concepcion, “for partnering [with government] to unleash the entrepreneurial spirit…” (rachiu/PIA)
by jeyzsonic | Jul 31, 2008 | Local News / Bohol Balita
IMMORTALIZE acts of kindness and you could be P100T richer.
The way to a sizable windfall, is by catching people from all walks of life do acts of kindness, or taking snapshots while they are in the act of charity.
The catch? You must have a decent 5-mega pixel digital camera or that the photo from your manual single lens reflex camera be converted into electronic file with at 300 dots per inch (dpi).
The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in line with its reinvigorated slogan “Spread the Charity Virus” recent recently launched “Isang Pitik sa Charity. It also opens the national photo competition, which promises P100T, P50T and P30T to winners in the competition’s professional and amateur categories.
The entries must show the subject as Filipinos from all walks of life, doing acts of charity in different settings or circumstances, either rendered in full color or black and white, organizers bared.
Digitally altered or enhanced and low-resolution photos however are disqualified.
Professional and amateur entry sizes should be 11 x 14 with or without borders, accompanied by corresponding electronic copy of the raw files.
Entry forms, which are downloadable from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and PCSO websites should also contain an entry photo, the photographers name, address, contact number, title of entry, category, caption or brief description or background of the picture or location and the circumstances surrounding the taking of the pictures and other vital information.
PCSO reserves the right to ownership of submitted entries when published for promotional purposes, credits however would be given to photographers of published photos.
Deadline for submission of entries is August 15, 2008 at 5:00 pm, entries to be sent to the PIA, Inter-Agency Projects Division, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, or to www.pia.gov.ph, to PIA regional offices or to the PCSO, Public Relations Department, Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City or to www.pcso.gov.ph. (rachiu/PIA)
