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Bohol hosts 3rd Shark Summit
Thanks and no thanks to the movies that depict the sharks as diabolical creatures of the sea, the enmity between sharks and men is almost shown in the gory death of a shark, almost all the time. Evil as they are depicted, sharks are indeed apex predators, but like storms, they bring new life and balance the ecosystem, that is what movies do not show. Bohol Boholanos to better understand sharks and the vital roles they play in the ecosystem, Save Sharks Network Philippines is bringing to Bohol the country’s 3rd Shark Summit in time for the Shark Conservation Week, November 12-16. Bohol is considered as one of the marine key biodiversity in the country because its marine water is rich in flora and fauna, shark species among them. Considered the center of the center of biodiversity and with temperate waters that are home to a whole lot of species, Bohol waters have also attracted sharks, which are either hunted or chased off. Home to several reef sharks, threshers, from the gentle giants which have become million-peso tourism industry in nearby Oslob to the cookie cutter sharks that also help control the population of dolphins, Bohol waters and its tourism potential has brought the celebration of 2018 Shark Conservation Week here. Ecotourism activities around sharks are starting to affect the economy. In Pamilacan then a whale shark could fetch about P200,00when caught by a fisherman. But with dive tourism or whale shark interaction, a single whale shark could bring in over a million through the years. And a live shark today would mean a much better checked marine ecosystem,... read moreBohol to hatch giant clams For seeding in sea-waters
Bohol could be leading all other provinces in the country for coming up with a new hatchery for giant clams. Socio Economic and Environment Management Cluster Liza Quirog, who also sits as the Provincial Agriculturist claimed this in front of the gathering of fish wardens, police environmental officers, coastal law enforcement council (CLEC) members and local officials gathered for the 2018 Annual CLEC General Assembly inside the Pavillion of the Panda Tea Gardens and Suites, Dao, Tagbilaran City. Quirog, who took over in presiding the gathering in lieu of CLEC provincial chairman Governor Edgar Chatto, added it would not however be something new, as Bohol has consistently led the pack in innovations among local governments. CLEC has been Bohol’s response to coastal law enforcement as it remains one of the most daunting challenges of resource management for local government units (LGUs) depleting valuable resources and making campaigners lose steam. Decades back however, the campaign against illegal fishing in Bohol is made more efficient at lass costs with LGUs sharing resources and information through an inter-LGU, multi-agency, multi-sectoral CLEC. After the national government empowered LGUs to manage their own resources, illegal fishers here have always evaded apprehension simply by moving from one town to another. As their activities hold enormous negative impacts on the coastal environment including lessening fish catch, destruction of marine habitats, loss of income of small-scale fishers, expensive fish prices and fewer marine products, the Provincial Government of Bohol, supported by CRMP, called all fishery stakeholders to a Coastal Law Enforcement Summit in 2000. This was to discuss and identify solutions to the illegal fishing problem. The... read more
Gov. Edgar Chatto, Department of Agriculture Assist Secretary for Livestock Dr. Enrico Garzon Jr., Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Bing Lapiz
Gov. Edgar Chatto, Department of Agriculture Assist Secretary for Livestock Dr. Enrico Garzon Jr., Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Bing Lapiz lead turnover of milk machines and raincoats to dairy cooperatives and barangay livestock aides across municipalities during opening of the 4th Bohol Milk Festival held simultaneous with 1st Livestock Technology Expo and the 4th National Carabao Conference at the Bohol Cultural Center on Monday....Aris bullish with corporate farming
By JUNE S. BLANCO REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) is set to meet with agriculture bigwigs to push for the mechanics of House Bill No. 8076 promoting corporate farming and providing incentives therefor. In his explanatory note, Aumentado said the bill aims to strengthen private participation in the agricultural sector to boost production by establishing a national program that will promote corporate farming. Corporations and partnerships can subsidize the cost of planting materials, particularly the country’s staples of rice and corn. When the Filipino farmers can have these corporations and partnerships to turn to for their farm inputs, the process can eliminate loan sharks who are only in the business to earn profit but not look after the welfare of this sector. Under the corporate farming concept, the management’s support to increase production will enable the farmers to produce rice that is competitive with the imported kind. The process, Aumentado said, will bring down the cost of production and at the same time, wean the farmers from loan sharks and the state of indebtedness. The concept calls for the corporations to also provide fertilizers and other inputs. The farmers can also run to them to avail of loans without the tedious process of going to the banks in the city for formal loans. This eliminates the attendant expenses for fare and food. The corporations can offer farmers with “friendly loans” and not the usurious rates of the loan sharks. Aumentado observed that small and fragmented landholdings, lack of capital, loose financial control and ineffective business management cause low production, hence the corporate farming idea. He expressed confidence...Local News/ Bohol Balita
Aris: No to re-blocking, improve gravel roads
By JUNE S. BLANCO REP. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has expressed anxiety anew over the “wastage” of public funds in the re-clocking activities of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Aumentado says far from being shattered to merit re-blocking, the concrete pavements are still whole. He says the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is heading in the right direction when it started improving local roads. To note, the DILG has embarked into the Conditional Matching Grant to Provinces (CMGP) program that started with provincial roads but will ultimately include all other roads. Being one of initially 10 provinces that received grants from the Government of Australia to rehabilitate, maintain and improve provincial roads, Bohol already has a Provincial Road Network Development Plan (PRNDP). With CMGP, however, DILG has instructed the provinces to upgrade their respective PRNDPs into Local Road Network Development Plans (LRNDP) to include city, municipal and even barangay roads. It may not be easy, but Aumentado is looking at the possibility that DPWH and DILG can pool their resources together to help local government units (LGUs) improve their roads. He said LGUs are mandated to allocate 20% of their income for development funds. Since the allocation of barangays and even municipalities are not as substantial as those of cities and provinces to rehabilitate, repair and improve roads, he expressed the desire that funds for re-blocking be spent for the former instead, DPWH’ re-blocking activities have drawn flak from netizens who bash that agency for the seeming waste of public funds. To register his opposition to early re-blocking, Aumentado filed a bill seeking...176 EXHIBITORS IN THIS YEAR’S SANDUGO TRADE EXPO
About 176 exhibitors from across the country gather together in this year’s Sandugo Trade Expo, a four-day marketing event organized by the Department of Trade and Industry. “The Sandugo Trade Expo has already made a mark as one of the country’s most visited fairs,” DTI Undersecretary for Regional Operations Zenaida C. Maglaya said in her keynote message during the fair’s Opening Ceremonies. Every year, the fair catches the attention of buyers and MSMEs from all over the country and has become part of the travel calendars of major buyers and exporters wanting to source their raw materials here. “This is the first in 13 years that we have upscaled our provincial fair into a regional marketing event, that we have generated this much number of exhibitors, and there are still those who we could not accommodate,” Director Caberte said. As in past years, the trade expo has assisted more than a hundred micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This year however, exhibitors have come all the way from CAR, Regions 1, 4A, 4B, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,...Aris: All 349 D2 brgys get P700k for MP bldgs
By JUNE S. BLANCO RISK REDUCTION and disaster management have become ingrained in the senses of Filipinos – Boholanos included – especially after the Great Bohol Earthquake on Oct. 15, 2013. This prompted village officials to scout for a vacant area near their respective barangay halls for multipurpose buildings. Rep. Erico Aristotle “Aris” Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) has been distributing P750,000 as counterpart funds. Aumentado assures his constituency that all 349 barangays were allocated shares from funds from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). He said he is distributing the assistance, not counting if he won of lost in that barangay during the last congressional election. Aftr all, he added, the residents who did not vote form him are still his constituents. The multipurpose building doubles as evacuation center so that in times of emergency like flooding or typhoons, the public elementary schools can immediately resume classes. Sessions are usually delayed when the schools are turned into evacuation centers because the families staying there have to gather their things first. Aumentado adopted the “win or lose” stance in distributing the assistance because, he says, his is a governance of unity, not vindictiveness, and unity, not divisiveness, working towards a common goal. He opts for equal sharing – not selective, and with impact. This means, he explained, the fund is substantial and not palliative like others who select their recipients of only P5 or P10...Bohol MSMEs Join Boost Your Business Marketing Campaign
TAGBILARAN CITY – More than 100 Boholano MSMEs have participated in a digital marketing campaign last June 29, 2018 at Bohol Tropics Resort. Boost Your Business is a project by Bayan Academy and DTI in partnership with Facebook Philippines that aims to promote the use of social media platforms as a tool for creating an advantage in business. The event focused on marketing theories that are applicable on creating good quality content, creative visuals, and effective messages on social media. Mr Carlo Sagun , the event trainor, also introduced the different marketing strategies for Facebook and Instagram-two of the leading platforms in the world. A hands-on application of the theories was conducted afterwards using the apps of Facebook Philippines. Also gracing the one day workshop is the Congressman of the First District of Bohol Hon. Rene Lopez Relampagos as well as DTI Bohol’s very own Jerome John J. Gabin, STIDS who have encouraged the participants to ride on the opportunity of doing business online. According to Mr Sagun, among the chosen venues,Bohol Province has the largest number of participants so...Rep. Aris: DPWH allocates P5M for feasibility study of Talibon-BU bridge
By JUNE S. BLANCO THREE years after Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado (Bohol, 2nd District) first filed the bill proposing the construction of a bridge to link Bien Unido and Talibon towns in northern Bohol, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has allocated P5 million for its full-blown feasibility study. During the pre-feasibility study, the team that conducted an ocular inspection of the possible anchor sites for the proposed bridge to link the two towns had identified Barangays San Isidro in Talibon and Nueva Esperanza in Bien Unido. Seawaters surrounding both barangays are observed to be shallow. Aumentado said while Bien Unido is adjacent to Talibon, one has to travel some 20 kilometers if he has some business or has something to buy in the latter which is the bigger town. Bien Unido and Talibon are both on the mainland, but they are points on promontories separated by a bay. With the bridge only five kilometers long, travel time will be drastically cut short. As a result, more business, like the transport of goods from one town to the other, can be done in a day. The solon expressed hope that the feasibility study will turn out good. Once completed, he said this means the cost of goods will go down hence, prices of commodities will reduce. The market linkage will also spur economic development for the two towns. Then DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson had sent the composite team of engineers and technical personnel from the national and regional offices. But current Sec. Mark Villar had effected the allocation of P5 million for the feasibility study. A 2015 DPWH...National News
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