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EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFTeresita Socorro C. Ramos

ASSOCIATE EDITORSRusti co M. Varela, Jr.,SSIC-SOGemma A. Mendoza, ODRenato C. Herrera, PDIPBDVicente S. Fabian, PMEDManolett e Jude M. Mercado, PPFDNorman Jose E. Ramirez, KMD

PUBLICATION COORDINATORVilma M. Julian

LAYOUT AND DESIGNDaryll L. CabicoMichel R. Tulog

CONTRIBUTORS

NEDA IXCeselle C. HarinaArdi Abril T. Layugue Rusti co M. Varela, Jr.

OTHER AGENCIESA.Solivio, DA 9M.Daguro, DA 9DFA DOLE 9 DOST 9DOT 9Narrabelle Z. Bue, DSWD 9Lowell S. Vallecer- DTI 9PIA 9Ekeena O. Lim, WMSU

The RDC Communicator is published quarterly by Regional Development Council (RDC) IX. The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose the arti cles to be published due to space limitati on. Arti cles and pictures will become property of RDC IX. Comments and suggesti ons are welcome. Contact:

The Editorial BoardNEDA Regional Offi ce IXProvincial Government CenterDao, Pagadian CityTel. No. (062) 945-0049nedapagadian@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not necessarily refl ect the views of RDC IX.

The RDC Communicatcator

All roads led to Dipolog City as members of RDC IX converged at Top Plaza Hotel for its 143rd Regular Meeti ng on March 7, 2013. Close to 100 parti cipants that almost fi lled the hall refl ected the collecti ve eff orts of stakeholders to pursue inclusive economic growth for Zamboanga Peninsula.

In celebrati on of March as Women’s Month, the Council members recognized the role and parti cipati on of women in nati on building. “We need to strengthen mechanisms to support women and widen the arena for their parti cipati on,” Mayor Evelyn Uy stressed.

To strengthen the link between planning, investment programming, and budgeti ng process, the Council endorsed a total of P47.33 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2014 as proposed by agency regional offi ces and state universiti es and colleges in ZamPen. This is 139 percent higher than the budget of P19.83 billion for 2013 as provided in the GAA.

Sectoral concerns that impede the promising growth of the region’s economy were also discussed and resolved. The Council passed a total of 48 resoluti ons which include, among others, endorsement of DOH IX’s “Family Health Improved” Project; DepEd IX’s Public-Private Partnership School Infrastructure Project Phase II (PSIP II); request for assistance and fund sourcing from DPWH for the Dredging of Palomoc River and Titay Valley Flood Control Projects.

The Council likewise deliberated on pressing issues with implicati ons to regional development such as the prevailing high prices of oil, the Sabah stand-off , and Aman investment scam, among others. (Ceselle C. Harina, NEDA 9)

ZamPen earmarks P47.33 billion worth of programs and projects for 2014

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During the conduct of the FY 2014 Budget Review and Consultati on by the Executi ve Committ ee of Regional Development Council (RDC) IX, the Infrastructure Sector registered the biggest FY 2014 investment requirement.

The total FY 2014 budget proposal calls for a P46.96 billion nati onal government exposure in Zamboanga Peninsula. A total of P22.16 billion or 47.19 percent has been endorsed by the Executi ve Committ ee to address the infrastructure needed for the promoti on of economic growth and poverty alleviati on regionwide. The bulk of programs and projects of this sector will ensure rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth and integrity of the environment and climate change adaptati on.

Priority projects for human development followed closely with P20.19 billion or 43 percent. Food producti on, environmental protecti on and industrial development, were allocated P4.27 billion or 9.09 percent under the Agri-Industrial sector; while the smallest budget requirement of

Infrastructure Sector registers the biggest FY 2014 Investment Requirement

P342.85 million or 0.73 percent was endorsed to capacitate the LGUs towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, among others.

The consultati on review was conducted on February 14 and 15, 2013 at Top Plaza Hotel, Dipolog City and resulted to the endorsement of the proposed budgets of 24 agencies and six (6) State Universiti es and Colleges. RDC IX Private Sector Representati ves and Local Government Unit representati ves joined the Council's Executi ve Committ ee in this undertaking which is a mandate of the Council under Executi ve Order 325. The endeavor served to ensure that the programs and projects proposed by the agencies are consistent with the 2014 Annual Investment Program of the Regional Development Plan and supporti ve of the President’s Social Contract with the Filipino people.

Relatedly, the FY 2014 Budget Proposal was presented for its confi rmati on during the 143rd Regular RDC IX Meeti ng on March 7, 2013 in Dipolog City. (Ceselle C. Harina, NEDA 9)

PPP for School Infrastructure Project II gets support from RDC IX

The Department of Educati on is embarking on the second phase of its large-scale classroom constructi on project through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme called the PPP for School Infrastructure Project II (PSIP II). This project is one of the agency’s key programs that will deliver the needed quality, accessible educati on faciliti es for all learners.

The PSIP II was confi rmed by the Nati onal Economic and Development Authority Board chaired by President Aquino on November 29, 2012. Region IX is one of the fourteen (14) regions covered by the said project under a “Build-Transfer” modality whereby the private sector will be responsible for the design, constructi on, and fi nancing of the project.

In Region IX, the second phase of the project will involve the constructi on of 476 classroom packages that include toilet faciliti es and school furniture in 286 elementary and secondary schools that have been identi fi ed by DepEd’s Basic Educati on Informati on System as having criti cal shortages in classrooms.

The Regional Social Development Committ ee passed Resoluti on No. IX-02-13 enti tled “A Resoluti on Supporti ng the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for School Infrastructure Project II (PSIP II)” last February 7, 2013 in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

PSIP II got the support for its implementati on from Regional Development Council (RDC) IX on March 7, 2013 in Dipolog City where the Council convened and endorsed the FY 2014 Budget Proposals of the regional agencies and state universiti es and colleges in Region IX in pursuit of the goals and targets of the Zamboanga Peninsula Medium Term Regional Development Plan, 2011-2016. (Ceselle C. Harina, NEDA 9)

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The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) IX is calling interested applicants/ proponents to submit project/research proposals for funding under its Grants-in-Aid (GIA) Program.

The GIA program is designed to contribute to producti vity improvement and quality of life of Filipinos by generati ng and promoti ng appropriate technologies and strengthening the parti cipati on of various S&T sectors in research and development (R&D).

GIA has three (3) categories: Research and Development (R&D) - this is open to academe (state colleges and universiti es, private universiti es), government and non-government organizati ons. The priority areas for research are food, agriculture & fi sheries, environment (including climate change), alternati ve energy, health & medical products, and informati on and communicati ons technology (ICT), and window for innovati on; Technology Transfer

- this involves establishment of technology-based businesses through the provision of technology, equipment, and training. The target customers are organized groups, associati ons, cooperati ves, and local government units (LGUs). The priority areas are community-based projects, food processing, aqua-marine industry, upgrading of furniture shops, metal & engineering, horti culture, and gift s, decors & handicraft s (GDH); and Human Resource Development -- this category aims to develop the capacity of S&T insti tuti ons by strengthening and training the human resources in competi ti ve S&T fi elds.

DOST is also accepti ng proposals from proprietors of micro, small and medium enterprises in the region who wish to avail of the technical and fi nancial assistance under the Small and Medium Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP). The program is a nati onwide strategy to encourage and assist micro, small and medium enterprises in implementi ng technological innovati ons and

improvements in their operati ons to boost their producti vity and competi ti veness.

SETUP enables fi rms to address their current technical problems; get free technical advice from the consultants; avail of technical training courses for workers/employees; acquire new equipment to mechanize and/or improve producti on line; avail assistance on product packaging and labeling; and standardize and improve the quality of products.

The program is open to any company or individual fi rm that is based in the Philippines and wholly owned by Filipino citi zen. This year, DOST IX gives priority to fi rms classifi ed under food producti on/processing, metals and engineering, and furniture/handicraft .

Now on its twelft h year of implementati on, SETUP had provided funding and technical assistance to one hundred twenty-one (121) fi rms from all over the region, which translated to improved producti vity and product quality of business establishments.

For more informati on, interested parti es may visit or call DOST IX, Petti t Barracks, Zamboanga City with telephone numbers (062) 991-1024. The Zamboanga del Norte Provincial S&T Center (ZdN-PSTC) in Upper Turno, Dipolog City, with telephone numbers (065) 212-2244, Zamboanga del Sur Provincial S&T Center (ZdS-PSTC) in Rizal Avenue, Pagadian City with telephone numbers (062) 925-1152, and the Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial S&T Center (ZS-PSTC) at 2/F Faundo Bldg., Nati onal Highway, Poblacion, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay with telephone numbers (062) 955-0825. (DOST-IX Press Release)

DOST IX Calls for Proposals

PNoy declares 2013 as NYRTo heed the Department Agriculture’s (DA) call on rice self-suffi ciency, media practi ti oners of Pagadian City were given a glimpse of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III administrati on’s declarati on of 2013 as Nati onal Year of Rice (NYR).

At least 20 media men att ended a press forum initi ated by DA through its Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Informati on Division Chief Maria Melba B. Wee who emphasized that every grain of rice is worthy enough to be saved as the wasted rice of all Filipinos can feed 2.6 million people.

NYR 2013 bears the tag line “Sapat na Bigas, Kaya ng Pinas.” Along with this is KKK which stands for “Konti -konti ng kain muna, Kakaibang carb naman, and Kumain din ng brown rice.”

Important issues and concerns which are crucial to the pursuit of achieving

success on rice self-suffi ciency advocacy were raised by the media. Ms. Wee was apt and knowledgeable to answer gray areas and questi ons for the parti cipants to be properly informed and enlightened so as to draw support for the said program through informati on disseminati on. Media practi ti oners play a big role as they work hand-in-hand with the producers, public and policy-makers.

“We are not yet rice suffi cient. But we can achieve this by eati ng rice right and never waste a single grain. We could also try other staples such as corn, root crops, banana, and adlai (Job’s tears, an indigenous grains popular to Subanen) in achieving this goal” Ms. Wee said.

The said event was held in Hotel Guillermo, Pagadian City. The same forum will be conducted in Zamboanga City, Dipolog City, and Zamboanga Sibugay to drumbeat NYR 2013. (A.Solivio and M.Daguro, DA 9)

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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Philippine Nati onal Volunteer Service Coordinati ng Agency (PNVSCA), an att ached agency of the Nati onal Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), for the Volunteers

DOLE and PNVSCA Forge MOA on Volunteers

Chief LEO Gati nao of DOLE Sibugay talks on the values of volunteerism to the newly accepted Chief LEO Gati nao of DOLE Sibugay talks on the values of volunteerism to the newly accepted VIDA Volunteers during the MOA signing on February 11, 2013.VIDA Volunteers during the MOA signing on February 11, 2013.

for Informati on and Development Assistance (VIDA) Program.

The VIDA Program is the platf orm for local volunteering designed for Filipino volunteers who wish to share their skills and know-how in the development projects of their own

community. It provides youths and adults the opportunity to hone their skills further through volunteering.

DOLE IX Regional Director Sisinio B. Cano said that in its intenti on to assist workers in the formal and informal sector, DOLE is implementi ng livelihood programs to make their entrepreneurial undertaking grow into viable and sustainable business and to provide them and their families with additi onal income. PNVSCA was requested to help the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) benefi ciaries in the operati on of their livelihood projects and ulti mately develop and strengthen their organizati on.

The DOLE Zamboanga Sibugay Provincial Offi ce received six (6) VIDA volunteers from PNVSCA to work with fi ve (5) benefi ciaries of the DILP to provide them with insti tuti onal development support on organizati onal development, project management and project sustainability. The program has been approved for three years. However, volunteers are initi ally deployed for one year covering the period from February 1 to December 31, 2013.

The target associati ons/cooperati ves of this program are the Province of Zamboanga Sibugay Small Rubber Farmers Federati on, Ipil Market Vendors Cooperati ve, Timbabauan Agrarian Reform Benefi ciaries Cooperati ve, Riverside Women’s Multi -Purpose Cooperati ve, and Phesalabuhan Subanen de Siay.

“These community-based volunteers are really needed by these associati ons/cooperati ves to help them become highly effi cient, independent and empowered organizati ons. This concern cannot be done by DOLE alone due to limited offi ce personnel. The VIDA program is fi tti ng to this need which we recognize as an opportunity for the government to effi ciently deliver services to the grassroots level by linking the diff erent nati onal and local agencies to converge services through this program,” Dir. Cano added. (DOLE 9)

The guest speaker of the summit, Ms. Mary Ann Montemayor, Vice President for Mindanao Tourism Congress, said “Zamboanga is important since it is a vital and integral part of tourism in Mindanao.” She inspired the stakeholders to play a vital role in the tourism goals of DOT.

Accompanying Ms. Montemayor were DOT Region XI Director Art Boncato, Mr. Jason Magnaye, Davao City’s Tourism Offi cer, and Ms. Jean Banggayon, Co-Chair of DUAW Davao Foundati on, who joined her to invite local stakeholders to the Meeti ngs, Incenti ve Travel, Conventi ons, Exhibiti ons and Events Conference 2013 on March 6-10, 2013 at SMX Conventi on Center, Davao City.

Dir. Boncato shared the background of DOT’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign. He stressed that it is the role of tourism stakeholders to market and elevate the positi ve side of the country.

DOT IX will be conducti ng more projects in the coming months that will address concerns discussed and further promote and develop Zamboanga Peninsula as a premier tourist desti nati on. (DOT 9)

DOT IX conducts Tourism Stakeholders Summit

The Department of Tourism (DOT) IX gathered 62 private sector stakeholders from hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and schools last February 6, 2013 at Garden Orchid Hotel, Zamboanga City to encourage them to work hand-in-hand with DOT and other government agencies to fulfi l all the tourism plans of Zamboanga Peninsula.

“Tourism is everybody’s business,” said Ms. Mary June Bugante, Regional Director of DOT 9, who talked about current tourism trends that serve as useful informati on for the stakeholders to improve the quality of their services.

In the said acti vity, DOT’s 2011-2016 Nati onal Tourism Development Plan was introduced by Ms. Marilou Silorio of DOT IX. She emphasized DOT’s vision to make the Philippines a ‘must experience and more fun desti nati on in Asia.’ She also discussed current tourism issues and concerns of the city and posed possible soluti ons, proposing partnerships with the private sector.

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INTRODUCTION

The impact of populati on growth on development can be discussed in terms of the arguments that (1) populati on growth is the cause or perhaps the major cause of all socio-economic problems; (2) populati on growth is neutral, and in fact, people are the ulti mate resources whose potenti al is there to be harnessed, or may be wasted ; and (3) populati on and development are interrelated, as espoused in the “2012 State of the Philippine Populati on Report 5: Seeking a Healthy Balance.”

Notwithstanding these arguments, what is of interest is to determine whether a rapid populati on growth relati ve to a low or moderate one will tend to have a positi ve or negati ve contributi on to the growth of per capita income, or the economy. And if so, what are the processes or mechanisms involved? It may be safe to argue that infl uencing populati on growth is not an end itself, but as one of the interdependent set of strategies for achieving a country’s or region’s development objecti ves or targets. It is signifi cant to note that rapid populati on growth1 in our country and in other developing countries has generated concerns over its eff ects on achieving major development goals.

This paper seeks to detail the implicati ons of populati on change on economic growth and other concerns in development in the light of the fi ndings of the 2012 State of the Philippine Populati on Report 5: that “ the country’s populati on2 conti nues to grow at a high rate, many women are sti ll having more children than they want, more Filipinos are

1 A growth rate of more than 2 percent2 The Philippines has a populati on of almost 90 million (or 88.5 as of 2007) that grows at the rate of 2.04 percent a year. One-third of the populati on is in the dependent ages of 0-14, with only 5 percent in the bracket of the elderly. The populati on is pro-jected to reach 150 million by the year 2050 (SPPR 5, 2012).”

REVISITING THE POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT DEBATE: Theory and Some Empirical Evidences

migrati ng in search of bett er prospects to improve their life ; and the need to produce more food is weighing on the country’s agricultural and marine resources, among others.”

POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT

The fallacy in the propositi on that populati on growth is neutral can bett er be appreciated if this is related to the concept of economic growth. Basically, the sources of economic growth are:

1) Factors that determine the capacity of the economy – the quanti ty and quality of human and natural resources, supply and stock of capital goods, technology; and

2) Factors that determine the extent to which these producti ve potenti als are actually realized – the full employment of all these resources and their effi cient allocati on.

Demographic changes have enormous implicati ons on health status, educati on, employment, food and nutriti onal requirements, income distributi on, and family welfare, among others. In development planning, populati on cannot be treated simply as a demand variable for indeed it is a factor that can be infl uenced by economic and social development. Below we examine the link between populati on and some of these development outcomes.

A. Populati on and Health

We can classify health service into four (4) major types of acti viti es:

1) Personal health services – those provided for individuals by Doctors, Nurses, and Health Technicians to treat illness, prevent disease or disability, and facilitate such normal processes as human reproducti on;

2) Environmental health acti viti es –

those provided on a mass basis by Engineers, Sanitarians, and others to minimize disease and discomfort by controlling the quality of much environmental elements as water, food, air and housing;

3) Public informati on and educati on – those provided by individuals and mass means to increase public knowledge of health and of conditi ons aff ecti ng it; and

4) Vital registrati on and health surveillance – those provided by some government agencies, for example the Department of Health, or local government units.

In view of the nature of health services to be provided, a certain level of populati on density may be needed to warrant the feasible provision of health given in items 2), 3) and 4) so these may be subject to the so-called economies of scale considerati on. On the other hand, changing populati on compositi on bears important implicati ons on type of health service requirements. These are:

1) Infants and old people are the groups with the highest incidence of sickness and hospitalizati on;

2) The incidence of sickness and hospitalizati on tends to be higher for age-group above 50 than in the 0-5 age-group, and substanti ally higher for those above 60 year old; and

3) Illnesses among young children consti tutes a very signifi cant proporti on of the total health service demands because in a high ferti lity populati on, the number of children aged 5 and under exceeds the total number of people aged 45 and over.

At the household level, Herrin profounds that large family size and closely spaced births are related to increased morbidity and mortality of infants and young children as

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well as sub-normal physical growth and intellectual development of children (Varela, R., Eff ects of Early-Life Conditi ons and Diseases on Adult Life). 3

B. Populati on and Educati on

Studies show that the provision of educati on and the upgrading of a country’s human resources can be realized more quickly and at least cost if the ferti lity rate is lowered (World Bank). The additi onal costs of high birth rates, in terms of improving the educati on received by successive cohorts of young people are substanti al.

The demand for schooling services may depend on the size of the school-age populati on, income and educati on of parents, and health status of the populati on. In a number of countries, the contributi on of populati on growth to the increase in recurrent costs of primary educati on over a 20 year period is esti mated to be in the range of 50% to 70%; if capital costs were added, the share would be higher. In its Report, it indicates (ADB) that over a 20 year span, costs of primary educati on will increase by 3.4 ti mes under a low populati on projecti on, and about 4.3 ti mes under a high populati on projecti on. In the case of secondary educati on, costs would be increased by about 5.3 ti mes under a low projecti on, and 5.8 ti mes under the high projecti on.

The implicati on of increasing populati on on relati ve level of expenditure between a developed country as against an underdeveloped country can be appreciated in the country comparison between United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana (In “Rapid populati on Growth: consequences and policy implicati ons”, Nati onal Academy of Sciences). Data from these aforementi oned country comparisons highlight the following:

1) On the average, the developed countries with their high per capita incomes are able to spend both greater percentage of nati onal income and far greater amount of money and 3 RDC Communicator, VOL. XXIV, Number 2, April-June 2012

investment on public educati on than poor countries;

2) UK used 6 percent of its GNP for educati on, while Ghana used 5 percent – which by rural development planning yardsti ck is an acceptable proporti on of GNP. But the school-age populati on (5 to 19 years) was about 37% of total populati on in Ghana, and 22 % in the UK. Thus, Britain used nearly twice as large of its GNP per head of school-age populati on as did Ghana. In absolute terms, the UK with a GNP per capita of $1, 800.00 spent about $500 per child for educati on, and Ghana, out of a total GNP per capita of $300.00 spent $15 per capita, or about $40.00 per child;

C. Populati on and Food

The problem associated with rapid populati on growth is not only related to the adequacy of food supply but also with providing nutriti onally adequate diets. Under-nutriti on is mainly a consequence of poverty and a lack of eff ecti ve demand (Mondot)4. Increasing food producti on is not a remedy unless it involves greater producti vity or is accompanied by redistributi on measures. Indeed simple programs which combine nutriti on, health and educati on, and primary health care by local health workers can reduce infant and child mortality quite rapidly (World Bank).

Kerala demonstrates the importance of factors other than food availability and fi nancial resources in the health and nutriti onal status of people. Given the same income and food conditi on as in Utt ar Pradesh, Kerala att ained a much lower mortality rate under the age group of 5. The reason has to do with the more advanced state of Municipal Care Health Service in Kerala and higher educati onal att ainment level of the women vis-a-vis the high level of illiteracy especially among women in Utt ar Pradesh, esti mated at 90% (Mondot).

4 Mondot, Bernard, J. “Planning Food Supplies for an Expanding Populati on, in Planning for Growing Populati on, R. Cassen & M. Wolfson, ed.1990.

D. Populati on and Income Distributi on

Several studies have established a strong positi ve correlati on between ferti lity and income inequality5 . Several reasons why rapid populati on growth increases income inequality , as cited by Rodgers, G.

1) Populati on growth increases the supply of labor relati ve to land, which is fi xed, and to capital, the growth of which is considered to be independent of or negati vely related to populati on growth. This will tend to reduce the average remunerati on of labor relati ve to land and capital, and indeed the aggregate remunerati on of labor;

2) Populati on growth tends to promote inequality of land ownership: the division of land holdings leads to unviable farms in the smallest land groups where land would eventually be lost through mortgage or distress sales, leading to an increase in the proporti on of the landless populati on;

3) Populati on growth is found to be more rapid among lower income groups. If the share of these groups in nati onal income is fi xed, and there is litt le mobility, the relati ve incomes of the poor will decline;

4) The welfare of the poor is oft en held to be dependent on government interventi ons – schooling and medical services/faciliti es, nutriti on programs, employment generati ng schemes and so on – of which the cost rises almost in proporti on to the populati on covered. Thus populati on growth either raises the total cost of these programs or reduces the fracti on of the populati on they can reach;

5) High ferti lity and dependency limit the capacity of parents to save or to invest in the educati on or health of their children. This constraint is felt

5 M. Ahluwalin,R. Reppett o, D. Morawete, H. Ogawa, A. Flegg, G. Rodgers, and C. Winegarde (as cited by Rodgers, G. “Poverty and populati on Approach and Evidence”, ILO, Geneva) in “An Analysis of the De-terminants of Health Outcomes and Ferti lity Decline in The Philippines: A Priority Agenda for Philippines Vision for a Bett er Tomorrow, Author’s Dissertati on submitt ed to the University of East Anglia, Dev. Stud-ies Program, 1995).

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much more among the poor leading to inequality in human capital, and hence in income earnings.

An interesti ng example is the case of the Maragoli in Kenya which depicts how increasing family size leads to more rapid fragmentati on and parti ti on, and eventually loss of ownership of the land especially among the poor, while the rich gain ownership through purchase of the same lands (Rural Development Planning Course 2, Video Showing on Maragoli, Kenya, University of East Anglia, UK: author’s subject in MA-Rural Dev’t).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it must be emphasized that rapid populati on growth worsens exiti ng problems. Others may argue that the ulti mate resource is people – skilled, spirited, and hopeful people who will exert their will and imaginati on for their own benefi t, and so inevitably for the benefi t of all (Simon, J.C. “The Ulti mate Resource”, Princeton University Press, 1981). It would seem therefore that populati on growth would not be much of a problem because man is very adaptable and can easily accommodate many kinds of problems. However, if populati on grows faster than our ability to make those adapti ve changes then we might be in trouble since our ability to make those changes depend on the ti me and resources we have to make those changes. Unfortunately, the more rapid the populati on growth and the greater the problem, the less resources and ti me with which we have to be able to react quickly and adequately to address these problems.(Rusti co M. Varela, Jr., NEDA 9)

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Author is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila University, M.A. – Economics (passed Comprehensive Examinati ons), 1979; M.A. Rural Development Studies Center, University of East Anglica, Norwich, U.K., 1995; Graduate of Pop-Dev Trainor’s Training, NEDA-UNFPA; OIC-NEDA Z.C. Offi ce

PHL Consulate General in Guangzou issues advisory

The Philippine Consulate General in Guangzhou advises the public that China’s New Immigrati on Law will take eff ect on 01 July 2013. It draws parti cular att enti on to the so-called “three illegals” – illegal entry, residence and employment of foreigners.

The Consulate informed the public about the newly promulgated law as early as June 2012 to provide suffi cient informati on to Filipino nati onals who will be aff ected by the changes in the immigrati on regulati ons.

Each violati on carries diff erent and more severe penalty. Foreigners found illegally working in China may be subjected to a fi ne ranging from RMB5,000 to RMB20,000. Possible detenti on of fi ve to fi ft een days may also be imposed for serious violati ons.

Income acquired from illegal employment will also be confi scated. Illegal residents will be fi ned from RMB500 per day up to a maximum amount of RMB10,000, or imprisonment of fi ve to fi ft een days. Under the new law, employers who hire foreigners without the proper permits and documentati ons will also be penalized.

The new law also sti pulates fi ne and penalty to persons and organizati ons including imprisonment of those aiding foreigners in committi ng any acti viti es defi ned under the so-called “three illegals.” Filipino nati onals aff ected by the changes in the immigrati on law are encouraged to contact the Consulate for advice.

The public is also warned against agents misrepresenti ng themselves as processors of exit visas for overstaying foreigners. Concerned nati onals are urged to coordinate with the Consulate for the resoluti on of concerns related to the implementati on of the new immigrati on law. (DFA)

RPMC IX Keys On Titay Valley Flooding Issue

The Regional Project Monitoring Committ ee (RPMC) IX kicked off the year by keying on the Titay Valley fl ooding issue during its Problem Solving Session during the Committ ee’s 1st quarter meeti ng on March 5, 2013 at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The issue emanated during last year’s RPMC IX-Technical Working Group (TWG) fi eld monitoring in Zamboanga Sibugay in September 24-28. Consequently, it was agreed during the RPMC IX meeti ng on December 7, 2012, to conduct further investi gati on or assessment on the matt er.

As an off shoot, the TWG, together with RPMC IX Private Sector Representati ve (PSR) Eugenio D. Sinoy, conducted a rapid assessment of the fl ooding last January 15-16, 2013 by interviewing offi cials from the local government units (LGUs) of Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte and Titay, Zamboanga Sibugay, concerned government agencies, and some aff ected residents.

The group observed that the Valley is a natural catch basin placing several hundreds of hectares of farmland underwater during typhoons and heavy rains causing notable damages to the municipality’s infrastructure and agricultural producti on. The neighboring barangay of Palalian in Kalawit, Zamboanga del Norte is also aff ected by fl ooding in Titay Valley. Details of the rapid assessment report can be found at www.neda9.net.

In response, the RPMC passed perti nent resoluti ons which were elevated to Regional Development Council IX. The Council recognized the urgency of the matt er, thus, a request was forwarded to the Department of Public Works and Highways to conduct a fl ood control study and a master plan for Titay Valley and to source out funds for the dredging of the Palomoc River, Titay’s main natural drainage.

Lately, Mindanao has been observed of being no longer spared from calamiti es like typhoon, making it more imperati ve that the issue on Titay Valley needs to be acted upon immediately. (Ardi T. Layugue, NEDA IX)

9

To address the needs of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) benefi ciaries on employment through sustainable livelihood, the regional offi ces of the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Agriculture (DA), and Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Fiber Industry Development Authority (FIDA) unifi ed their services for the implementati on of the Convergence Initi ati ve and Partnership for Poverty Reducti on (CIPPR) in Region IX.

In a press conference, DSWD Asst. Regional Director Riduan Hadjimuddin, said that the initi ati ve that was the brainchild of then DSWD IX Director now Assistant Secretary Teodulo Romo, seeks to converge the resources of the local and nati onal agencies concerned, and at the same ti me to prioriti ze resource conservati on and protecti on, producti vity enhancement, climate change miti gati on and adaptati on in support of the Nati onal Greening Program.

Based on the Memorandum of Agreement on CIPPR entered into by the said agencies, 4Ps benefi ciaries from the Set 1 areas shall be the target clientele of this program, and they will be tapped for a 22-day cash-for-work project. Given the 22-days work at P200 a day, these benefi ciaries shall engage in land-clearing operati ons of areas assigned to them for planti ng of fruit trees and crops.

ZamPen NGAs converge to assist 4Ps benefi ciaries

DENR Technical Director Ali Bari, revealed that his offi ce had already started surveying some areas and crossmatching of 4Ps benefi ciaries for the said initi ati ve parti cularly in Sibuco and Baliguian. However, preparati on of planti ng materials is in the process and will be dispatched as soon as the areas are fi nalized.

Director Eduardo Holoyohoy of DA said that the amount of P130,000 was already transferred to FIDA for the purchase of equipment needed to process the farmers’ outputs. He added that DA is allocati ng P9 million this year for the purchase of additi onal machineries and equipment.

The directors assured the media that the farmer benefi ciaries will be regularly provided with technical assistance to ensure that they are equipped with the know-how. FIDA and DA shall work hand in hand with the benefi ciaries on what to grow and how to manage their crops and trees.

Inter-cropping of coff ee or abaca shall be done to provide immediate income while awaiti ng maturati on of rubber trees that usually takes 5-7 years.

The targeted 13 municipaliti es are Kati punan, Osmeña, Roxas, Manukan, Sindangan, Leon Posti go, Jose Dalman, Godod, Kalawit, Sibuco, Siayan, Gutalac and Baliguian. These areas belong to the Set 1 areas of the Pantawid program and considered to be the poorest areas in Region IX. (Narrabelle Z. Bue, DSWD 9)

DSWD Asst. Director Riduan Hadjimuddin explains to media how CIPPR can be an instrument in DSWD Asst. Director Riduan Hadjimuddin explains to media how CIPPR can be an instrument in uplift ing the lives of Pantawid benefi ciaries in Region IX. Also in photo are FIDA Director Olympio uplift ing the lives of Pantawid benefi ciaries in Region IX. Also in photo are FIDA Director Olympio Macaranay and DENR Reg’l. Technical Director Ali Bari.Macaranay and DENR Reg’l. Technical Director Ali Bari.

SRPI, Zamboecozone ink pact to put up 100-MW coal-fi red power plant

The San Ramon Power, Inc. (SRPI) and the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone Authority and Freeport (Zamboecozone) have signed a 31-year lease agreement for the establishment of a 100-megawatt coal-fi red power plant in this city.

Under the agreement, the SRPI of the Alcantara Group of Companies (AGC) will pay the Zamboeconzone P7.2 million in rental fees for the fi rst three years of operati on while the plant is under constructi on.

Another P14 million in rental fees will have to be sett led on the fourth year, P22 million on the fi ft h year and P105 million unti l the 31st year of operati on.

Tirso Santi llan, Jr., SRPI Chief Executi ve Offi cer and AGC Vice-President, said that the coal-fi red power plant worth P12 billion will occupy a 30-hectare property for the industrial area and 3.7 hectares for the port area within the Zamboecozone property in Barangay Talisayan, 26 kilometers west of this city.

Mr. Santi llan said that the constructi on of the power plant will start in September this year and is expected to be completed and operati onal by the third quarter of 2016. It is expected to generate new employment opportuniti es. The SRPI will hire at least 180 employees to handle its operati on and more than 1,000 during the plant’s constructi on period. The power plant will be constructed by a Korean constructi on fi rm.

The signatories of the lease agreement also include Zamboecozone Chairwoman Georgina Yu and the members of the Ecozone Board. A ground breaking ceremony at the plant site followed aft er the signing of the lease agreement.(PNA – PIA 9, ZAMBASULTA Infocenter)

10

19 R9 LGUs employ streamlined BPLS

Nineteen local government units (LGUs) in Zamboanga Peninsula have successfully re-engineered their business permitti ng systems and adopted the upscaled standards on business permit and licensing system (BPLS) streamlining project advocated by the nati onal government.

These are the city governments of Zamboanga, Dipolog, Pagadian, and Dapitan and the municipal governments of Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay; Molave, Mahayag, Dumalinao, Aurora, Bayog, Dumingag in Zamboanga del Sur; and Polanco, Kati punan, Roxas, Sindangan, Liloy, Labason, Siayan and Piñan in Zamboanga del Norte.

This was contained in the monitoring and evaluati on report prepared by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) IX as of December

2012. The Department of Trade and Industry which jointly works with DILG in pushing for the BPLS reforms said that 31 more LGUs are targeted for the project this year. That would bring to a total of 50 LGUs in Region 9 that will have complied with the streamlining standards by the end of 2013.

The goal is that by 2016, the BPLS of all 72 LGUs in Zamboanga Peninsula as well as most LGUs in the country will have already been compliant to the upscaled nati onal streamlining standards.

BPLS streamlining seeks to simplify the current BPLS of LGUs to make them more effi cient, transparent and investor-friendly. The program enjoins all LGUs to follow service standards in processing business permits applicati ons both for new and renewal through the adopti on and use of a unifi ed form; and through the reducti on of number of

steps, processing ti me, and number of signatories in securing the said permits from the LGUs.

Herminia B. Cuevas, DTI IX division chief and head of the Nati onal Economic Research and Business Assistance Center (NERBAC) IX said that the streamlining is just the fi rst component of the BPLS reforms. “Aft er that is component 2 which is the automati on of the system to make it even more effi cient as experienced by LGUs which have employed e-BPLS applicati ons such as the one developed by the Nati onal Computer Center (NCC),” Cuevas said.

“Currently we have LGUs in the region with automated BPLS systems such as the citi es of Zamboanga and Dipolog which came up with their own in-house applicati ons years ago, and the municipaliti es of Ipil, Siay, and Sindangan which uti lizes NCC’s e-BPLS soft ware,” Cuevas added. (Lowell S. Vallecer- DTI 9)

WMSU heads VAW campaign

More than 1,500 Zamboangueños parti cipated in the global campaign of One Billion Rising on Valenti ne’s Day. Western Mindanao State University-Gender Research and Resource Center (WMSU-GRRC), Gabriela Alliance of Filipino Women, and a certain women’s partylist headed Zamboanga City to “strike, dance and rise” against all forms of violence against women (VAW).

The global campaign of One Billion Rising: Strike, Dance and Rise! is a synchronized event worldwide on February 14. Held at the WMSU grounds, the initi ati ve was joined in by WMSU students, faculty, administrati ve personnel, and offi cials; community women leaders; and other local city offi cials.

The dance revoluti on sought to address the incessant and proliferati ng cases of rape, batt ery, sexual harassment, psychological and physical abuse towards women.

WMSU-GRRC Director-Prof. Rosalyn T. Echem, the event’s acti ve organizer and coordinator said, “Ang WMSU ay nagkaka-isa sa buong mundo sa pakikipaglaban upang sugpuin ang lahat ng pang-aabuso laban sa mga kababaihan at kabataan. Ang WMSU din ay tatayo upang ipagtanggol ang lahat ng karapatan para sa mga kababaihan at sa mga kabataan.”

WMSU President Dr. Milabel Enriquez-Ho expressed her solid support in an audio-video presentati on shown before the One Billion Rising event, “WMSU will strive to protect women and children from violence. WMSU will dance to express support for programs, projects and services which will be protecti ng women and children’s rights, women and children’s health, women and children’s right to live, love and laugh and all other related aspects and areas of living.”

Lastly she said, “and WMSU will rise to build new opportuniti es for women and children, to maximize their potenti als, to maximize their persons, to maximize their resources and to improve their quality of life,

today, tomorrow and beyond.”

The campaign served not only as a fun acti vity for the parti cipants but a meaningful and symbolic expression to end such culture of violence in the midst of everyday life.

The WMSU-GRRC also spearheaded a forum on VAW related issues last February 8, where interested groups and women leaders engaged in an interacti ve discussion. Consultati ons with local and community leaders were also conducted to insti ll a fi rm grasp among parti cipants about the pressing realiti es of gender-based violence against women. Representati ve Luzviminda Ilagan was the guest speaker for the event. It was followed by an orientati on on the One Billion Rising acti vity.

The event was made possible thru the assistance of WMSU Student Council, University’s Gender Club offi cers, women’s club coordinators of the diff erent colleges, and WMSU Offi ce of the President - Public Aff airs Offi ce. (Ekeena O. Lim, WMSU)