PENRO targets 6,550 hectares to be planted with fruit trees in OrMin

CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro, July 26 (PIA) -- The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) here is targeting this year a total of 6,550 hectares of land to be planted with assorted species of fruit trees and forest tree species province wide. According to Mary June F. Maypa, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer of Oriental Mindoro, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is tasked to lead the Aquino Administration’s priority thrust – the National Greening Program (NGP). She said this program has a goal of planting 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares nationwide in the period of six years of its implementation. NGP is also an economic program since it complements the Department of Agriculture (DA)’s goal of achieving food security and alleviation of poverty and aligned with DENR’s goal on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Environmental Stability and Biodiversity Conservation. In line with this program and in partnership with the Unified Tree of Life (UTOL) program of the provincial government, employees from the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) participated in a tree planting activity in Sitio Pastuhan I in barangay Rosacara, Bansud on July 22. NGP balances the needs of a growing community with the aims of protecting and preserving environment and its natural resources. (LBR/LTC/PIA4B/-Calapan City)

Mindoro power co-op vows to stay with NEA

The Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (Ormeco) in Calapan City, one of the best performing among the 119 electric cooperatives in the country, will keep its 40-year registration with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) as it thwarted attempts by some local businessmen to transfer registration of the cooperative for unknown reasons to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA).
In a statement, Romeo Cuasay, Ormeco general manager, said “we believe it is to the best interest of our member-consumers to stay with the NEA.”
“We have been able to strengthen our electric cooperative and have significantly improved services and performance because of the comprehensive support system of the NEA,” said Cuasay in the statement.
Cuasay said the continuing Ormeco-NEA partnership has resulted in significant gains in the delivery of electricity to consumers. He said in the expanded sitio electrification program of President Aquino, Ormeco was able last year to electrify 274 sitios and received a presidential commendation for the achievement.
Cuasay said Ormeco has been able to achieve this despite the adverse weather condition and the regulatory challenges of power supply in the island of Mindoro.
The NEA provides administrative, financial and performance monitoring, institutional development and technical and financial assistance to electric cooperatives under Presidential Decree No. 269.
Cuasay said that one of the most important reasons Ormeco is staying with NEA is the need for administrative supervision.
In recent months, Cuasay said “there was a threat posed by a group of local businessmen who have been agitating to convert Ormeco into a CDA-registered electric cooperative for reasons that only they know.”
“It is unfortunate that the group has resorted to clandestine methods and deception to force their agenda on the duly elected board of directors to unduly alter Ormeco’s legal registration with the NEA,” Cuasay said.
As a result, Ormeco filed in October 2012 a criminal complaint of falsification of documents and estafa against the perpetrators, Cuasay said.
“We see no reason why Ormeco should get out of its registration with NEA,” Cuasay said.

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2nd best PESO in the country 2012

Testamento nang patuloy na pagbuti ng pamamahala gayundin ng pag-angat ng ekonomiya sa lungsod ang muling pagkakahirang sa Calapan bilang 2^nd Best Public Employment Services Office (PESO) - Component City Category.

Taong 2005 nang maitatag ang City PESO ng Calapan na ang pangunahing layunin ay makahikayat pa ng maraming employers na tiyak na makapagbibigay-kabuhayan sa mga Calapeño, pang-lokal man o pang-abroad. Tungkulin din nitong makipag-ugnayan sa Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) maging sa Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) at sa iba pang konsernadong ahensiya para masiguro ang maayos na kapakanan ng mga manggawang Calapeño.

Noong 2011 unang nakuha ng naturang opisina ang parehong parangal. Makalipas ang isang taon, muling lumaban sa maraming siyudad sa bansa ang City PESO kabilang na ang City of San Fernando, Pampanga na siyang nagwagi sa taong ito.

Ang mabilis na pagtaas ng employment rate sa lungsod ang pangunahing dahilan kung kaya naihanay ang city government sa may pinakamahuhusay na PESO Office sa buong bansa. Dagdag pa dito ang pagpasok ng malalaking investments na nakapagbigay ng trabaho para sa mga Calapeño.

Upang personal na tanggapin ang naturang parangal, tumulak patungong Baguio Country Club, Baguio City si PESO Manager at siya ring City Planning and Development Coordinator Marvin L. Panahon noong ika-11 ng Oktubre.

Samantala, ipinasa ng 5^th Sangguniang Panlungsod sa kanilang 53^rd regular session noong Setyembre 2011 ang Resolution No. 587, City Ordinance No. 16 “An Ordinance Establishing the Public Employment Services Office under the Office of the City Mayor and Adopting the Organizational Structure of the same and appropriating funds thereof.” upang kilalanin ang City PESO bilang isang ganap na institusyon.

Ang hakbang ding ito ang ginawa upang higit pang matutukan ng City PESO ang pagtataguyod ng mga proyekto at programang tutugon sa pagpapa-unlad ng kabuhayan sa lungsod.

Lubos naman ang pasasalamat ni G. Panahon na ngayo’y Regional President ng MIMAROPA Regional PESO Federation sa pamahalaan dahil sa suportang ibinibigay nito sa kaniyang tanggapan. Dahil dito, inaasahang mas maiaangat pa ang antas ng pamumuhay ng mga mamamayan sa Lungsod ng Calapan.

Proclamation No. 349, s. 2012

MALACAÑAN PALACE

MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

PROCLAMATION NO. 349

DECLARING WEDNESDAY, 21 MARCH 2012, AS A SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY IN THE CITY OF CALAPAN, PROVINCE OF ORIENTAL MINDORO

WHEREAS, Wednesday, 21 March 2012, marks the celebration of the 14^th Foundation Day anniversary of the City of Calapan;

WHEREAS, it is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Calapan be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR., Executive Secretary, by authority of His Excellency, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, do hereby declare Wednesday, 21 March 2012, as a special (non-working) day in the City of Calapan,

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 2^nd day of March, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Twelve.

By authority of the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA JR.

Executive Secretary

CALAPAN BAY BY DAY AND NIGHT

Going to and from field work in Oriental Mindoro gave me the chance to appreciate the beauty of Calapan Bay. I was billeted in Calapan Bay hotel, a stone's throw away from Calapan City pier. For the first 3 days, I was disappointed. It was always raining. On the 4th and 5th day of my stay in the hotel, bright sunny mornings greeted me. It was a break from gloomy breakfasts.

Initially, I thought it was just an ordinary daily scene. But then peeping through the grills of the fence that separates the sea and the hotel, I noticed some people gleaning (it was a lowtide).  Again, another dramatic scene I always wanted to capture through my lenses.  So, I dashed back to my room and grabbed my camera backpack and in minutes, I was shooting the beautiful scenery. Thus for three mornings, what could be better than enjoying morning sun, sniffing the salty sea air, savoring your coffee while admiring this God-given scenery?  Lovely, isnt't it?

The view from Calapan Bay Hotel's rear veranda.

A fisherman catching some fish.

Wide view of Capalan City Pier.

A gleaner, apparently collecting clams and other edibles.

However, I did not have much chance of capturing Calapan Bay by nightfall.  It was either raining at night or too late when I reach the hotel from field work.  I had a full week and felt drained and sometimes I would just doze off until dinner time.

When it was dinnertime on my second to the last night in the hotel, a beautiful sunset became a reliever to my worn out body. Again, I ran back to my room to get my camera! (I seem to have a penchant of not bringing my camera with me! Well, it happens.  Besides I had to dine and not shoot.).

 Thinking that sunsets happen so fast I felt I had to do it again. Unlike my other previous sunset photos, it was not very dramatic, but then, sunsets always fascinates me. I was careful not to have camera shake as I did not have a tripod with me (Yeah, a lame excuse!). I tried on some, but I only made some good shots, especially in some long exposures, and increasing the ISO is the only way to have it fast.

Sunset in Calapan Bay.

Super Cat heading to Batangas Port. Trying on an incandescent white balance.

President Aquino leads the ceremonial switch-on of 45 sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program of ORMECO

President Benigno S. Aquino III, accompanied by Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., Oriental Mindoro 1st Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Valencia, ORMECO General Manager & CEO Romeo Cuasay and Oriental Mindoro 2nd Dist. Rep. Reynaldo Umali, pulls the lever of the main switch that will light the big red bulbs in the map representing the 45 sitios electrified during the ceremonial switch-on of the 45 Sitios under the Sitio Electrification Program of Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative Inc. (ORMECO) at the Recreation and Events Center, ORMECO Main Office, Barangay Santa Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Friday (March 2, 2012. The 45 sitios are the initial recipients of the Sitio Electrification Program of President Aquino under the auspices of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA). (Photo by: Ryan Lim/ Malacañang Photo Bureau/PNA)

President Aquino at the ceremonial switch-on of the 2.1MW Lower Cascade of the Linao-Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant

President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the ceremonial switch-on of the 2.1-megawatt Lower Cascade of the Linao-Cawayan Mini-Hydro Power Plant at the Recreation and Events Center, Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO) Main Office in Barangay Santa Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro Friday (March 2, 2012). The ceremony marked the start of the full operation of the power plant facility. Also in photo are Oriental Mindoro Gov. Alfonso Umali Jr., Oriental Mindoro 2nd Dist. Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Oriental Mindoro 1st Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Valencia and ORMECO General Manager & CEO Romeo Cuasay. (Photo by Jay Morales/ MalacaÒang Photo Bureau/PNA)