PLDT supports Brigada Eskuwela Plus

PLDT SUPPORTS BRIGADA ESKUWELA PLUS

 

 PLDT  employees with Community Relations 

Senior Manager Evelyn del Rosario

On May 28, employee volunteers from the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. led by Community Relations Senior Manager Evelyn del Rosario went to Luyang Elementary School at Carmen, northern Cebu to lend their support for the Brigada Eskuwela Plus program of the Department of Education (Deped).

 

During the activity, PLDT painted the school's classrooms anew with help from officers of the school's parents and teachers association (PTA). The company also distributed school supplies and other resource materials to the school's teaching staff and students. 

 Poster created by the teachers and students of 

Luyang Elementary School welcome PLDT employees

PLDT's activity is in partnership with PBSP, which entreats its member companies and the business sector at large to support the Deped program through in-kind donations and manual support from their employee volunteers.

Also present to welcome during the Brigada Eskuwela activity were municipal mayor Gerald Villamor and the municipal councilors and officials of Carmen.

PLDT employees prepares the paint for the classrooms

Unlike the past Brigada Eskuwela programs, this year's Brigada Eskuwela Plus will take place year-round to maximize the participation and support of companies and individuals for public schools in most need.

To see more of the event's photos, click the icon:

P20M for Bohol food sufficiency

P20M for Bohol food sufficiency
Manila Bulletin
May 27, 2011

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Over 2,000 farmers in three towns in this province will soon benefit from the P20-million grant for the establishment of the Bohol Food Sufficiency Project that offers technical assistance, infrastructure and facilities to improve farm yields and income.

This came after the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Karl Kubel Stiftung fur Kind un Familie (KKS) recently entered into a P20-million grant agreement to help reduce poverty in Bohol by providing technical assistance, infrastructure and facilities.

The P20-million grant will be used for the construction of 12 small water impounding systems, implementation of appropriate farming technologies to 2,011 farmers and installation of 12 post-harvest facilities to help improve the farmers’ annual yields.

Small water impounding systems allow farmers to plant rice in advance and plant more crops throughout the year, increasing their annual rice yields without depending on the planting season. PBSP also introduced organic farming using vermi-compost and other appropriate farming technologies for increased farm income.

KSS department head Thomas Westernmann together with PBSP officers recently paid Governor Edgar Chatto a courtesy call, while the rest of the KKS team visited project areas and met with local partners like the Carmen multi-purpose cooperative, Bohol Integrated Development Foundation, Inc. (BIDEF) and San Miguel (town) multipurpose cooperative.

The Bohol Food Sufficiency Project is a partnership initiative with the provincial government of Bohol which aims to uplift the lives of 2,011 rice farming households and help ensure food sufficiency in the province.

The project is also in support of the Bohol HEAT Program and will be implemented in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy and San Miguel.

Food security has become one of the major issues in Bohol due to insufficient volume of agricultural produce in supporting the growing demand of the province.

Recent data from the National Statistics Office shows that Bohol’s population has now reached 1.3 million, but that farmers can only provide for 82 percent of them.

With poverty reduction as one of PBSP’s major thrusts, PBSP initiated projects to help Bohol’s rice sufficiency through its Area Resource Management Program which caters to 10,010 poor families in the province, according to Jun Salgados, PBSP program coordinator in Bohol.

Salgados also said that through the program, PBSP has assisted nine rice-producing municipalities and 103 barangays in Central Bohol by improving farming technology, livelihood and enterprise productivity of the beneficiaries.

Since its implementation in 1992, PBSP’s poverty reduction program had already built up the capacities of 33 community-based organizations and constructed 40 small irrigation systems while 60 percent of the total household beneficiaries realized incomes above the poverty threshold of P10,435.

With the Bohol Food Sufficiency Project now, PBSP hopes to help more farmers meet the increasing production demand of Bohol by focusing on sustainable production, credit support, production facilities and organic rice value chain for tourism and marketing.

The project will also extend a revolving fund for agriculture and marketing of organic products to assist the cooperatives as the demand for agricultural products such as rice, vegetables and fish has eventually increased due to the influx of domestic and foreign tourists.

PBSP will also train 30 barefoot technicians who will replicate the technologies to other farmers.

The project will run for three years and will be co-implemented by Carmen Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CMPC), Bohol Integrated Development Foundation (BIDEF), and San Miguel Multi-zPurpose Cooperative (SMMPC).

P20M rolled out for Bohol food sufficiency

P20M rolled out for Bohol food sufficiency
Philippine News Agency
May 27, 2011

TAGBILARAN CITY, May 27 (PNA)-- Over 2,000 farmers in three towns in this province will soon benefit from the P20-million grant for the establishment of the Bohol Food Sufficiency Project that offers technical assistance, infrastructure and facilities to improve farm yields and income.

This came after the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the Karl Kubel Stiftung fur Kind un Familie (KKS) recently entered into a P20-million grant agreement to help reduce poverty in Bohol by providing technical assistance, infrastructure and facilities.

The P20-million grant will be used for the construction of 12 small water impounding systems, implementation of appropriate farming technologies to 2,011 farmers and installation of 12 post-harvest facilities to help improve the farmers’ annual yields.

Small water impounding systems allow farmers to plant rice in advance and plant more crops throughout the year, increasing their annual rice yields without depending on the planting season. PBSP also introduced organic farming using vermi-compost and other appropriate farming technologies for increased farm income.

KSS department head Thomas Westernmann together with PBSP officers recently paid Governor Edgar Chatto a courtesy call, while the rest of the KKS team visited project areas and met with local partners like the Carmen multi-purpose cooperative, Bohol Integrated Development Foundation, Inc. (BIDEF) and San Miguel (town) multipurpose cooperative.

The Bohol Food Sufficiency Project is a partnership initiative with the provincial government of Bohol which aims to uplift the lives of 2,011 rice farming households and help ensure food sufficiency in the province.

The project is also in support of the Bohol HEAT Program and will be implemented in the municipalities of Carmen, Dagohoy and San Miguel.

Food security has become one of the major issues in Bohol due to insufficient volume of agricultural produce in supporting the growing demand of the province.

Recent data from the National Statistics Office shows that Bohol’s population has now reached 1.3 million, but that farmers can only provide for 82 percent of them.

With poverty reduction as one of PBSP’s major thrusts, PBSP initiated projects to help Bohol’s rice sufficiency through its Area Resource Management Program which caters to 10,010 poor families in the province, according to Jun Salgados, PBSP program coordinator in Bohol.

Salgados also said that through the program, PBSP has assisted nine rice-producing municipalities and 103 barangays in Central Bohol by improving farming technology, livelihood and enterprise productivity of the beneficiaries.

Since its implementation in 1992, PBSP’s poverty reduction program had already built up the capacities of 33 community-based organizations and constructed 40 small irrigation systems while 60 percent of the total household beneficiaries realized incomes above the poverty threshold of P10,435.

With the Bohol Food Sufficiency Project now, PBSP hopes to help more farmers meet the increasing production demand of Bohol by focusing on sustainable production, credit support, production facilities and organic rice value chain for tourism and marketing.

The project will also extend a revolving fund for agriculture and marketing of organic products to assist the cooperatives as the demand for agricultural products such as rice, vegetables and fish has eventually increased due to the influx of domestic and foreign tourists.

PBSP will also train 30 barefoot technicians who will replicate the technologies to other farmers.

The project will run for three years and will be co-implemented by Carmen Multi Purpose Cooperative (CMPC), Bohol Integrated Development Foundation (BIDEF), and San Miguel Multi Purpose Cooperative (SMMPC).

WB sets actual assessment on the implementation of disaster preparedness in SoLeyte

WB sets actual assessment on the implementation of disaster preparedness in SoLeyte
By R.G. Cadavo
Philippine Information Agency
May 26, 2011

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, May 26 (PIA)--The World Bank (WB) is scheduled to visit Southern Leyte to conduct actual ocular inspection and assessment of the programs implemented under the "Strengthening Dsiaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS Technology” project.

Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Project Manager Jason C. Calva based here reported that senior official from the World Bank, Mr. Christopher Pablo will be coming over on June 1-2, this year to monitor the programs suchs as the Smart Infoboard operations, the information, education and communication (IEC) undertakings, the contingency plans and activities and the strengthening of the Provincial Disaster Management Office of the province.

The project which was inked through a Memorandum of Agreement between the Smart Communications, the PBSP, the World Bank as the financing partner and the provincial governement started last September 14, 2010.

Calva requested the members of Associated Media of Southern Leyte to organize a press conference during the dinner with Mr. Pablo with the presence of Gov. Damian G. Mercado at Kinamot Sa Abgao on the evening of June 1.

The WB senior official is also expected to have a consultation with the disaster risk reduction Action Officers, Smart Communications and the PBSP.

It was learned that the project “Strengthening Disaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS Technology” aims to reduce the socio-economic vulnerabilities to disaster and dealing with the environmental and other hazards.

The province of Southern Leyte is a recipient of the state of the art disaster monitoring system in Asia-Pacific region with ten pilot municipalities, namely Maasin City, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Anahawan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Lilo-an, Libagon and Hinunangan.

CSR event focuses on value

CSR event focuses on value
By Michael Alan Hamlin
Bottomline, Manila Bulletin
May 24, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — Research shows that corporate social responsibility (CSR) leads to increased customer loyalty, willingness to pay premium prices, and lower reputational risks in times of crisis, according to a recent report by the Conference Board. “Each of these marketing outcomes in turn has the potential to support increased profitability,” authors John Peloza and Jingzhi Shang conclude.

According to the authors, CSR has been defined “as a business organization’s configuration of principles of social responsibility, processes of social responsiveness, and policies, programs, and observable outcomes as they related to the firm’s social relationships.” Collectively, they can contribute to building a reputation for CSR – “a valuable business asset of its own” – and enhanced brand visibility.

CSR activities are wide-ranging, say Peloza and Jingzhi. “A recent review of financial metrics deployed to calculate the business case for CSR found 42 unique CSR activities.” The value of these activities naturally varies because some are more impactful than others, and some are more relevant to the communities they impact. A corporation’s clients and customers’ views are also likely to vary in terms of what constitutes CSR.

Peloza and Jingzhi determine CSR value by first defining it as “an interactive, relativistic preference experience.” Customers want to be a part of the experience, and it must impact them or their values. This makes CSR value multi-faceted, and powerful.

Although there are many competing demands for scarce resources in any organization, multi-faceted CSR value helps explain why it has become thoroughly ingrained in the Philippines’ corporate culture. Organizations such as Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) – where members commit a percentage of profits to CSR activities – and the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) both undertake and encourage CSR.

One way the LCF encourages corporations of all sizes to take CSR seriously – for their own as well as the community’s sake – is by conducting an annual conference and exposition, called the LCF CSR Expo. The theme of this year’s meeting is “Taking CSR to new heights.” It is meant to address the evolving CSR environment and challenge members and the general public to thoughtfully consider the impact of CSR on society and corporations.

LCF is an association of more than 70 corporations and corporate foundations that supports and promotes the CSR practices of its members. The foundation has played a crucial role in developing CSR in the Philippines and in raising public consciousness of the importance of conceptualizing and implementing CSR activities that contribute to preserving the environment, empowering individuals, and contributing to increased prosperity for millions of Filipinos.

According to Ed Amistad, LCF chairman, “CSR has evolved into a movement beyond philanthropy – more than giving, it has become a platform for empowering beneficiaries to make a difference in the community. This has made CSR a tangible and measurable endeavor. Our challenge now is to take CSR to the next level – of reach, participation, and goals.” For Amistad, CSR is a work in progress.

This year’s CSR Expo is LCF’s tenth, and it is scheduled July 20-21, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. Aside from knowledge sharing on best practice and emerging CSR trends and models, the two-day forum will provide a venue for discussions on key stakeholder issues such as CSR values, a pending CSR bill, the capability of small and medium enterprises to undertake CSR, lectures on the work of CSR practitioners and how they can have greater impact, and complimentary CSR 101 lectures for students.

The ASEAN CSR Network is also participating in the Expo year, and there will be an exhibit showcasing CSR value open to the public. According to Amistad, the LCF CSR Expo is the largest annual CSR conference in the Philippines, and several thousand executives and CSR practitioners from the business and government sectors are expected to attend, as well as representatives of the media and academe.

“There's always something new to discuss about CSR, and the Expo is the perfect forum to gather Philippine and multinational corporations along with small- and medium-sized businesses that are taking on a more active role in CSR. This year, as our members renew their commitment to working for a better tomorrow, LCF as an organization will recommit itself to lead its members in creating a stronger and lasting positive impact,” Amistad said.

"The LCF CSR Expo is a venue to let CSR practitioners know that we go beyond LCF’s 15 years of promoting and practicing CSR in the Philippines. It is not just a celebration of our anniversary, but a celebration for a better tomorrow."

International agencies join 2011 Brigada Eskwela

International agencies join 2011 Brigada Eskwela 
iKUWADERNO
May 23, 2011

The Department of Education’s Brigada Eskwela or National Schools Maintenance Week is getting the support of two international donor organizations which pledged to help spruce up public schools in time for the opening of classes on June 6, 2011.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have  signified their  participation to this year’s Brigada Eskwela  by adopting public schools for repair and repainting.

“We expect more pledges of participation from the private sector and hopefully international agencies as the Brigada — slated from May 23 to 28 — draws nearer, “ said Luistro.

Brigada Eskwela is an annual schools clean up and repair activity spearheaded by DepEd and participated in by NGOs, parents, students, teachers, the business sector, civic organizations, government and private sector employees.

It enjoins participants to donate construction and cleaning materials or serve as volunteers to prepare the schools two weeks before the opening of classes. It does not accept cash donations.

Last year, Brigada generated an equivalent amount of over P1.7 billion from donations in kind and manhours spent in school repairs which would have otherwise been taken from the maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of public schools.

When Brigada was first launched in 2003, only 31% of all elementary and secondary public schools participated but because of  overwhelming response from the public and the bayanihan spirit that it engendered, it was made an  institutional annual event in 2008.  Since then, Brigada is 100% participated in by all public elementary and secondary schools  nationwide.

Luistro said AusAid has committed to adopt schools for clean up and repair in Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao while USAID chose three schools it will help repair and repaint.

Luistro explained that Brigada stirs up a sense of community among the participants, especially among the students, as they work side by side with other education stakeholders towards a common cause.

“We all want to make the schools clean and ready for the opening of schools so that by June 6, our students can buckle down to their regular school work,” he elaborated.

Brigada Eskwela will kick-off on May 23  with a motorcade starting from the DepED Central Office in Pasig going  to  Bago-Bantay Elementary  School in Quezon  City, where  a  ceremonial  program will be held.

Aside from AusAid and USAID, other participating agencies include Ayala Foundation  Inc., Coca-Cola Foundation Inc.,GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc., IBM Phils., Intel Technology Phils., JVR Foundation, Microsoft  Phils,Nutri-Asia Inc., Southeast Asia Food Inc., Philippine Business For Social Progress, ABS-CBN Foundation Inc.,Smart Communication, Inc. San Miguel Corp., Philamlife  and Unionbank, Rebisco Foundation, Standard Chartered Bank, FFCCCII, Fit for School, Hands on Manila Foundation and Autovention Corp, Crown Worlwide Movers,Inc. Mannasoft Tech Corporation, Networkers and Entrepreneurs Dev’t Cooperative and Wilkins Builder.

Brigada Eskwela won an Anvil Award in 2010, the only government line agency to receive the coveted public relations award.

PBSP taps QC school as first 'Brigada Eskwela' beneficiary this year

PBSP taps QC school as first 'Brigada Eskwela' beneficiary this year 
Philippine News Agency
May 22, 2011

MANILA, May 22 (PNA) – The National Schools Maintenance Week, popularly known as “Brigada Eskwela,” will kick-off on Monday but the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) decided to pre-launch it Saturday, tapping Bagong Silangan Elementary School (BSES) in Quezon City as its first direct beneficiary.

BSES has a student population of about 7,200, with 152 teachers and only 64 classrooms serving residents not just of Bagong Silangan but of nearby Barangays Payatas and Batasan Hills.

Aside from being badly hit by typhoon Ondoy in 2009, BSES is one of the low-performing schools in Metro Manila, with its achievement rate the past three years way below the passing mark. For school year 2009-2010, the passing rate was a measly 53.55 percent, PBSP said.

Mitch Defensor, PBSP spokesman, also said that records show that around 15 percent of BSES students are frustrated readers, while 32 percent are either undernourished or malnourished.

Defensor said PBSP is fully supporting Brigada Eskwela because it adheres to its overall advocacy in quality basic education.

For this year, PBSP is targeting to raise P10 million to help 100 schools nationwide under the Brigada Eskwela program. The donation will be used for construction materials, purchase of textbooks and workbooks, school supplies, computers, school desks, nutrition and hygiene kits.

Last year, PBSP raised P1.4 million in cash and in-kind for 234 schools from 23 companies.

In pursuit of its employee volunteerism campaign, PBSP will conduct cleaning of classrooms, covering library books, gardening and minor repairs, and hair cut in the school campus.

The participating companies are Aquabest, Asalus Corp. (Intellicare), Citibank, Diwa Learning Systems Inc., ELRO Corp., Flying V, Holcim Phils., International Container Terminal Services Inc., L’Oreal Phils., Lamoiyan Corp., M&H Food Corp. (Hen Lin), Media Meter, Pacific Metals Canada Phils. Inc., and Victory Liner.

SM theaters to show 60-sec docu on environment

SM theaters to show 60-sec docu on environment
By Rose De La Cruz 
The Philippine Star
May 22, 2011

Manila, Philippines - The collaboration of Smart Communications, the US Agency for International Development and its Philippine Environmental Governance Project (EcoGov), the SM Cinema and SM Supermalls has produced a 60-second environmental animated documentary that will be shown free in the theaters of 16 SM malls in the country.

Titled Tanim (to plant), the 60-seconder portrays two animated characters Flora and Gorio (named after the founder of Goriotik Multi Media Productions, composed of Filipino animators doing work for Hollywood studios) reminiscing the beautiful and bountiful forests of the past which had been lost through over exploitation and its loss led to catastrophes that in turn adversely affected the lives of humans.

Then the film shows why it is so important to reforest and re-green the environment for the sustainability of the planet and for the benefit of future generations.

This film was launched to the media recently at the Directors’ club, a special screening cinema at the Mall of Asia.

Smart vice president for public affairs Mon Isberto said his company shouldered the cost of the three-dimensional production through its contribution to the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) under its Balik Baterya project in tandem with Motolite (which recycles the batteries and sales revenues are deposited to PBSP).

Smart has been active in tree planting for six years now with a record of almost one million trees so far and it is also very deeply involved in the Marikina watershed reforestation project of the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation, chaired by Manuel V. Pangilinan of PBSP, Smart and PLDT, among others.

The USAID and EcoGov provided the design and technical inputs of the production material, which took five months to plan, design and execute, based on their advocacy “Ridge to Reef” or from the forest to the coastal reefs.

Isberto said he would ask EcoGov to make the mascots of Flora and Gorio a permanent thing in their replanting and reforestation activities, to educate both children and adults on the importance of replanting, conserving and preserving the forest cover.

He said Smart’s project in the Marikina watershed, which began after storm Ondoy in 2009, is for the long term of at least 10 years. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources want only the planting of trees that are native to the area, instead of exotic species like mahogany, Isberto added.

Smart has set up three nurseries in the watershed, which use the NGOs and community organizers and local residents to ensure the sustainability of the watershed’s livelihood programs.

The SM Group, through its SM Cares and SM Foundation, has also been active in environmental projects in many of the communities where it operates in the country.

The EcoGov project, funded by USAID, works with 150 municipalities in 13 provinces in seven regions. It promotes environmental governance processes among local government units.

German government renews support for Central Visayas

German government renews support for Central Visayas
By Ehda M. Dagooc 
The Freeman
May 20, 2011

CEBU, Philippines -  The Federal government of Germany through the organization that supports enterprise development GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) is re-committing its expertise support development to Central Visayas region.

Bringing together the expertise DED (German Development Service), the GTZ (German Technical Cooperation) and the InWent-Capacity Building International, Germany, the group that will now be put in one umbrella called GIZ, will be officially launch another support program in partnership with different government agencies, such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The formal re- launching to be held today will be led by GIZ deputy country director Philipp Quitmann.

Together with its partners from the national, provincial and municipal levels, GIZ has been implementing programs in Region 7 for more than two decades now, strengthening the capacity of people and their organizations in achieving sustainable development by balancing economic and social, and ecological interests through multi participation and collaboration.

The Decentralization Program (DP), Private Sector Promotion Program (PSP), Sustainable Economic Development Program, Community based Forest and Mangrove Management Project, the Solid Waste Management for LGUs (SWM4LGUs) Project of the Environment and Rural Development (EnRD) Program, and the Strategic Corporate-Community Partnerships for Local Development Program (SCOPE) of GIZ are joint development interventions currently in place and operating in Region 7. These programs are comprehensive, extensive and integrated, with expertise provided by GIZ and highly qualified development workers.

From policy advocacy and strategic steering to fiscal management; natural resources governance to capacity development of local government units (LGUs); community-based forest and coastal management to improving business sectors through expanding markets, GIZ aims at helping alleviate poverty, improve the lives of Filipinos, and pave the way for a sustainable economic future for the region.

Improving the environment for investments in Region 7 was supported the Private Sector Promotion (PSP) program of DTI and GIZ. This entailed streamlining systems and processes, capacity development of multi-stakeholders in analysis, planning and implementing of strategies and different interventions in all four provinces of Region 7 thereby improving competitiveness.

The collaboration of the Decentralization Program, Private Sector Promotion Program, DTI, DILG and local government units (LGUs) led to the streamlining of business permit and licensing system (BPLS) in all four provinces of Region 7.   The pilot municipality of Barili in Cebu best illustrates the BPLS success where today, business permit renewal only takes 30 minutes compared to three days earlier. Business tax revenues rose to 55 percent from 2008 to 2009.

The BPLS success, now replicated all over the Visayan region is a big step towards sustainability of good local governance and financial management. Faster business application processes and greater transparency consequently mean more investors and increase in municipal revenues which then translate to more developmental and infrastructural projects, further investments, and more jobs for Filipinos.

Furthermore, the BPLS micro success in region 7 and the Visayas gave birth to the nationwide Streamlining BPLS Program launched by the Aquino government in August 2010, reducing business steps from an average of 15 down to just 5, and a unified and single application form to replace a handful of paperwork.

GIZ through its experienced development workers operating within the Private Sector Promotion Program provide support to improve the performance of micro, small and medium enterprises through capacity development of business development service providers (BDS) such as the Local Export Experts of the Philexport.

GIZ in partnership with DTI promotes the use of the Value Chain approach in developing upgrading strategies for industry sectors, including tourism in Region 7.

The Strategic-Corporate-Community Partnerships Program in cooperation with PBSP introduces a new approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) that is aligned to the core-business of companies and works along their value chains. The goal of SCOPE is to embed the community as a supplier of services or semi-processed goods into the company’s supply chain to create a mutually beneficial and sustainable cooperation. Through more than 35 implemented SCOPE projects, entrepreneurs achieved developmental impact and invested more in environmental and social standards.

In Negros Oriental, GIZ’s Community-based Forest and Mangrove Management Project supports the rehabilitation of the forest and mangrove cover, agro-forestry measures for improving livelihoods, and the conservation of biodiversity and the adaptation to and mitigation of climate change.

A total of P40 million was granted by GIZ for 2,489 hectares in four LGUs for reforestation measures, agro-forestry, assisted natural regeneration, enrichment planting, mangrove rehabilitation, and rehabilitation of farm to market roads, water system, small water impounding projects and the establishment of inland aqua-culture facility. An additional P20 million grant was given in 2010 for 1,142 more hectares of reforestation measures.

Disaster preparedness thru SMS technology project is 80% operational

Disaster preparedness thru SMS technology project is 80% operational
By ES Gorne
Philippine Information Agency
May 19, 2011

SOUTHERN LEYTE, May 19 (PIA)--The short message system (SMS) also commonly known as text messaging technology project on disaster preparedness in Southern Leyte is 80% operational.

The two - year “Strengthening Disaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS Technology” project, which was launched last September 2010, is already 80% functional, Project Consultant Jason Calva disclosed to PIA recently.

The deficiency of 20% performance of the project is already taken into consideration by the Smart Company by looking into some remedies particularly with the technical absence of Smart signals specifically in the municipality of San Ricardo, while a few of the barangay captains included in the project whose skills in text messaging needs to be harnessed yet, Calva said.

Calva said that except for the municipal info board administrator in San Ricardo which is still paralyzed in its operations however, its five barangays can already send incident reports thru text messages to the provincial info board administrator since these barangays said were geographically located facing Surigao hence the presence of Smart signals were not a problem to them.

Calva reported that incident reports coming from at least 50 barangays being sent to the provincial information board administrator were already in place.

He added that the project is the first in the whole world, where Vietnam is already waiting to replicate the text messaging as a tool in disaster preparedness. The project is also being monitored by other provinces like Albay province.

That the SMS technology in disaster preparedness is a P10 Million pilot project of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the World Bank and the SMART Company.

PASAR Foundation wants schoolchildren to learn on disaster preparedness in SoLeyte

PASAR Foundation wants schoolchildren to learn on disaster preparedness in SoLeyte
By ES Gorne
Philippine Information Agency
May 17, 2011

SOUTHERN LEYTE, May 17 (PIA) - The Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.(PASAR) Foundation, Inc (PFI) would like to expose the schoolchildren on learning disaster preparedness in Southern Leyte.

Among its identified activities in promoting their social responsibility in the community, the PFI spearheaded for the schoolchildren together with their teachers to get first hand information in the disaster preparedness especially with the impacts on climate change, Engr. Ruben Cajigas the Executive Director of PFI said during the IEC Materials Development training workshop at Ormoc Villa Hotel, Ormoc City last May 14, 2011.
Engr Cajigas informed the group that PFI have already brought said schoolchildren and teachers at the Guinsaugon ground zero and at the New Guinsaugon relocation site, among other relocation areas in St. Bernard.

Cajigas further said aside from their study tour in St.Bernard, the foundation wanted to visit other municipalities in the province to learn more on disaster preparedness especially those with existing disaster action teams participating the disaster monitoring thru texting system.

Southern Leyte is now on the process of establishing the “Strengthening Disaster Preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS “ project in collaboration with the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), SMART and the World Bank. The project has identified ten-pilot municipalities to undergo the state of the art disaster monitoring thru texting technology.

The project consultant, Jason Calva informed the group that PASAR is one of the business partners of PBSP.
Representatives of the ten-pilot municipalities underwent a tutorial on the formulation of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials development that would be needed to enhance the disaster action team’s effort to educate their respective communities about the impacts on climate change and how to prepare for it.

PBSP pushes to educate people of climate change and disaster preparedness action plan in SoLeyte

PBSP pushes to educate people of climate change and disaster preparedness action plan in SoLeyte 
By ES Gorne
Philippine Information Agency
May 9, 2011

SOUTHERN LEYTE, MAY 9 (PIA) - To take the edge off of the impact of the climate change and for any disaster to hit the province, the disaster action front liners shall be able to educate the people thru information, education and communication (IEC).

The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the implementing arm of the project “Strengthening disaster preparedness of Southern Leyte thru SMS technology” will conduct a training-workshop on IEC materials development, Project Manager Jason Calva said in a letter invitation to Philippine Information Agency(PIA) Southern Leyte.

Calva said “it is intended for designated municipal educators for the IEC and disaster action officers of ten (10) target municipalities and the city of Maasin wherein they were expected to educate the general public on the climate change and disaster preparedness.”

He further said that the three-day training workshop will be conducted on May 12-14, 2011 at Ormoc Villa Hotel, Ormoc City, Leyte.

According to Leilani McDonough, the Business Development Manager of PBSP said that from the system installation, where the computers were attached to the cellphones, the project also aims to educate the people to be better informed and help support the project.

The province has chosen ten pilot municipalities in the state of the art communications project as follows: Anahawan, Lilo-an, Pintuyan, Hinunangan, Libagon, San Francisco, San Ricardo, Tomas Oppus, Malitbog and Maasin City with five prioritized, high risk barangays each being identified

Last March 2011, each municipality created disaster action officers headed by (1) Info Board administrator, (1) disaster risk reduction officer and five barangay captains where each group received one Smart Info Board (laptop) and blackberries for the infoboard administrators and ten cellphones with activated sim packs. There will be two cellphones for each barangay – one for the barangay captain and the other for the chairman of the committee on disaster management.

Open-water swim winners may get PHL slots for SEA Games

Open-water swim winners may get PHL slots for SEA Games
By Caecent No-ot Magsumbol
The Freeman
May 02, 2011

CEBU, Philippines - There's something else to look forward to for the top performers of the competitive side of the 4th Olango Challenge Open-Water Swimming Competition last Saturday in Tambuli Beach Club - a possible slot in the Philippine team for the Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia late this year.

The results will be evaluated by the database of the country’s governing body in swimming, the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association, according to PASA president Mark Joseph.

Another thing to consider for the athletes' inclusion to the national training pool for SEAG is their willingness to train under PASA’s center for excellence.

“Training at our center for excellence may mean taking a one semester leave of absence before the SEA Games,” Joseph said.

Since it's the first time that marathon swimming will be included in the SEA Games, PASA will have to determine the abilities of the athletes and meet the basic requirements like commitment to training, availability of government funds and look at the competitiveness of the local athletes’ times in the actual race against the top contenders from other countries.

With that, results of the evaluation will be made available in two to four weeks' time.

The fourth edition of the country’s premiere open-water swimming competition saw Loren Dale Echavez dominating the women’s 6K category and Noel Cañeda of the Cebu Blue Marlins in the men’s side.

Echavez clocked in one hour, 23 minutes and 87 seconds followed by Paula Abigail Vega.

Cañeda finished the race in 1:20.36 followed by Michael David Vega in 1:32.26 and Chandell Canizares in 1:32.32.

In the women's 2K division, CBM bets scored a clean sweep with Cañeda’s sister Trina on top in 31:36.02 followed by Joyce Huguete (32:11) and Romylin Niña Ignacio (32:34.17).

Although not young anymore, former PHL team member Loi Rafols, who represented the Polo Duck Pirate, showed he still has the skills as he topped the men's 2K with the time of 27:57.87. Former top junior swimmer Rey Suerte placed second, while another CBM mainstay Joshua Rosada came in third.

Echavez conquers fear, wins

Echavez conquers fear, wins
By Iste Sesante-Leopoldo
Sun.Star Cebu
May 1, 2011

CEBU’s top tanker Loren Dale Echavez conquered her fear to win the 4th edition of the Olango Challenge “Swim for Nature, Swim for the Future” yesterday at the Tambuli East, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

Echavez, a strong swimmer in the pool, used to fear open water swims. She overcame this and secured the 6K title with a time of one hour and 24.40 minutes.

Cebu Blue Marlins Swim Club’s Paula Abigail Vega and Christine Indaya came in at second and third places, respectively.

“Before, I was scared of getting lost and I was not really used to it. But I have adjusted to it now,” said Echavez, who has joined open water swims last year
and even won the Oceanman swim in Bantayan the other week.

Echavez made a last-minute decision to join Olango after missing her flight to Hong Kong for the Stingray International Invitational Swim Meet.

The men’s 6K competitive category was won by CBM’s Noel Cañeda.

Organizer Jose Antonio Aboitiz of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) said he was overwhelmed with the number of participants this year, which reached 124.

“We are happy that the event is growing. We have so many participants, particularly in the corporate side and a lot of local participants compared to the previous stagings.”

This year’s proceeds will be used for the intensive reforestation effort of Olango Island.

A mile of difference

A mile of difference 
PBSP's 4th OLANGO CHALLENGE creates
worthwhile impact—one stroke at a time

 
AS the sun beat mercilessly against her skin, Camila Taylor steadily braved the waters of Tambuli Beach Club in Lapu-Lapu City with hopes of completing her 2-kilometer course. In between drinking water to replenish her reserves and stroking aimlessly at the open sea, she thought, for a moment, of giving up.

It was the first time for Taylor, Cebu Manager of Cathay Pacific Airways, to swim for an open-water competition introduced by the 4th OLANGO CHALLENGE in Cebu. As what is characteristic of an open water swimming event, only small boats and kayaks that serve as water stations as well as her co-swimmers kept Taylor from drifting away from the race course. When she realized that the swimmers were no longer on her sight, fear gripped her, thinking she had finally lost her way in the open sea.

But she plowed on, knowing that every stroke she took would help the communities of Olango Island, as what the event promises.

“Just thinking of the benefit the people from Olango can get from my participation spurred me to just keep on swimming,” she said.

Like Taylor, more than 100 amateur and professional swimmers from all over the country and as far as America and Japan competed at the 4th OLANGO CHALLENGE last April 30 to test their swimming skills and contribute to the development of Olango, an island of Lapu-Lapu City whose communities solely depend on fishing as their livelihood.

Launched by Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) in 2008, the event raised more than P3.9 million in three years to help improve the lives of 2,300 families in Olango through the delivery of basic social services, the provision of sustainable income opportunities and the rehabilitation of the unique environment of the island.

PASA President Mark Joseph stated how the OLANGO CHALLENGE has helped swimmers hone not just their swimming skills but their compassion for the community as well.

“We care, we love Cebu, we love swimming and together we help make a difference,” he said when they launched the 3rd staging of the OLANGO CHALLENGE last year with more than 50 swimmers. Proceeds of that event went to the construction of a two-classroom school building for grade 6 pupils of Candagsao Elementary School.

Eleven-year-old Jophet Barong was one of the pupils who benefited from the classroom. Two years ago, when he was in fifth grade, he recalled sharing a classroom with his older brother, who was then grade 6 because their school lacked the facilities to support their studies.

“It was either we share a classroom or we study outside, where those trees are,” he said, pointing to a clearing between two acacia trees where several rows of armchairs previously lay.

“I’m happy pupils who will soon reach grade 6 won’t need to use that place and worry about the rain and excessive sunlight when studying. I’m happy because I know they would feel as inspired as I was when I studied in an actual classroom we could call as our own,” he added.

He hopes that the event will continue to help Olango Island, especially that support from other agencies remain scarce in their area.

For this year’s OLANGO CHALLENGE, proceeds are programmed for use towards an extensive reforestation effort of Olango as well as swimming lessons for children in Mactan and Olango.

Record breakers. As a pioneering event of such kind in the country, the OLANGO CHALLENGE also hopes to promote open-water swimming in the country now that is included in the Olympics and the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games calendar.

The 30th of April was a record-breaking day with swimmers besting their personal records and collecting on the pledges of their peers to help organizers meet this year’s P1.5 million fundraising target. This year also witnessed the largest number of participants to date with 124 swimmers.

“We are happy that the event is growing. We have so many participants, particularly in the corporate side and a lot of local participants compared to the previous stagings,” PBSP Visayas Executive Committee Chairman and Board of Trustee Jose Antonio Aboitiz said.

Loren Dale Echavez and Noel Cañeda of Cebu Blue Marlin Swim Club bagged the top spots for the 6K competitive category. Echavez won by completing her course at 1 hour and 23 minutes while Cañeda won with 1 hour and 20 minutes. Respectively, Emilio Rafols of Polo Duck Pirate and Trina Cañeda of Cebu Blue Marlins Swim Club topped the 2K competitive category with 27 minutes for Rafols and 31 minutes for Cañeda.

This year’s competition also introduced the 2K relay category with the Sugbu Triathlon Team as the winners. Team VECO won the Best Company Team award while Team Imperial Palace won Best Resort Team.



The event also witnessed the participation of VECO representative Junnie Climaco, at 54 years old, became the oldest competitor for the 4th OLANGO CHALLENGE. He plans to join the event next year.

More than PhP 204,000.00 worth of prizes were awarded to winners while champions of each category received Timex watches and Speedo gift certificates. Winners of the 6K competitive category also received a round trip ticket for Hong Kong from Cathay Pacific.

Major sponsors of the event include Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., Nestlé Philippines, Inc., TMX Philippines, Inc., Cathay Pacific Airways and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, among others.

Echavez, Cañeda collar top titles

Echavez, Cañeda collar top titles
By Marsante G. Alison
Cebu Daily News
May 1, 2011

The delayed release of her passport became a blessing in disguise for University of San Carlos' (USC) Loren Dale Echavez, who won her first open-water swimming title by topping the 6-kilometer competitive women's category of the 4th Olango Challenge “Swim for Nature, Swim for the Future” held yesterday at the Tambuli East beach resort in Lapu-Lapu City.

Echavez was supposed to miss this year's event after she was scheduled to leave for Hong Kong last week for an international swimming competition.

The bemedalled swimmer, however, missed the trip after her passport was not released on time by the Department for Foreign Affairs (DFA) due to minor complications resulting from her Australian Visa application. But she is still scheduled to leave last night.

Because of the incident, Echavez decided at the last minute to compete in the Olango Challenge. She won't regret her decision as she crossed the finish line first in her category with a time of one hour, 23 minutes and 40.87 seconds.

This is Echavez's second participation in this open-water swimming competition and she attributes her achievement to the fact that she has now grown comfortable competing in this kind of race.

Last year, Echavez finished second because she held back in surging ahead of her competitors as she was scared she would get lost in the open sea. Yesterday, Echavez was leading even the men participants during the first loop.

“I am very happy, this is a great achievement. There were big waves and I itched a lot,” said Echavez, who added that she had to avoid a lot of jelly fish while negotiating the race course.

This year's competition was mostly ruled by the Cebuanos with members of the Cebu Blue Marlin (CBM) swimming club entering the top 3 in most categories. All CBM tankers were also students of the University of Cebu (UC).

CBM's Paula Abigail M. Vega placed second to Echavez with a time of 1:30:40.28 while third place went to another CBM tanker, Cristine Indaya, who clocked 1:32:29.30.

MEN'S DIVISION
The men's division in the 6k competitive category was dominated by Noel Cañeda also of CBM. He crossed the finish line at 1:20:36.63.

Trailing him at second place was his CBM colleague Michael David M. Vega, who finished the race in 1:32:26.44. Salvaging third place was Chandell Canizarez with a time of 1:32:32.

CBM tankers also swept the 2k competitive women's division with Trina Cañeda leading her colleagues with a time of 31 minutes and 36.02 seconds. Cañeda was trailed by Joyce Huguete (32:11.00) and Romylin Nina Ignacio (32:08).

The men's division was dominated by Emilio Rafols of the Polo Duck Pirate with a time of 27:57.87. Placing second was Imperial Palace's Rey Suerte (30:58.83) and settling for third was Joshua Rosada of CBM (32:08).

FUN CATEGORY
The 6k fun men's division was topped by Rico Q. Enriquez of Team Imperial Palace (1:20:23.)

Imperial Palace's Jey Campania reigned supreme in the 2k fun men's with a time of 28:50.40.

The 2k competitive relay was dominated by the Sugbu Triathlon Team, which got a time of 1:28:26.

The team is composed of Franz Baguio, Gavin Solijon and Jebb Cane.

The 2k fun relay had the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc (RAFI) claiming first place with a time of 1:56:57. The team is powered by Amaya Aboitiz, Keith Ocampo and Gabriel Lamparas.