Ang Caviteno Newsweekly February 12-18, 2018 Issue

BALITA Pebrero 12-18, 2018 DOST-NCR Regional Director Jose Patalinjug III, EMB-NCR RD Luzviminda Osorio and DENR-NCR RD Lourdes Wagan present the Adopt an Estero Agreement after its signing. Caravan ... to distribute these to informal settlers from Manila, while all these years these have been left idle?” Arellano said in Filipino. It was March last year when thousands of homeless Kadamay members successfully occupied idle housing units in Pandi, Bulacan. Through a dialogue, NHA has agreed to process the occupants’ eligibility to the government’s housing program. No to DHSUD The group also calls for the scrapping of the Senate Bill 1578, an Act Creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). Under the proposed law, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) will be abolished and will be consolidated into one department. The DHSUD will become the “sole and main planning, policy-making and regulatory” body. Kadamay along with the employees union of the continued from page 10 National Housing Authority (NHA) expressed their opposition against the proposed Department as it “will entail unparalleled power to one agency to rule over the housing sector bearing a neoliberal and anti-poor agenda.” The same proposed bill was also filed during the term of President Benigno Aquino III. Arellano said both have the same purposes: to demolish urban poor communities, rake profits from housing and massive unemployment of government employees. The group specifically noted Section 5, Powers and Functions of the Department under number 5, General Powers which states: “Enter into contracts, joint venture agreements or understanding, public-private partnerships, and memoranda of agreement or understanding, either domestic or foreign, under su ch terms and conditions as the Department may deem proper and reasonable subject to existing laws.” In its position letter the Kadamay said the proposed bill has “little to no mention about the creation of mechanisms to prevent the demolition or destruction of communities.” “It merely refers to existing laws such as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 which automates the demolitions in more ways than one,” the position papers read. Kadamay also noted that the proposed bill does not indicate ceilings for socialized, low cost/ economic and middle- income housing. Section 28 of the Bill states that the ceiling shall be “jointly determined by the Department and National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). The ceilings may be reviewed or revised anytime, but not more than once every two years “to conform to prevailing economic conditions.” “Every two years, the DHSUD and the NEDA will be able to raise these payments as they see fit,” Arellano said. Meanwhile, they urge President Duterte to sign into law the Senate Joint Resolution No. 8. In this resolution, the Congress authorized the NHA to “award to other qualified beneficiaries the unawarded housing units.” It also authorizes the NHA to award housing units that are not yet occupied. Makati distributes Emergency Go Bags to public school students Emergency Go Bags; 10,698 MAKATI CITY-- The local government, through the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), has started distributing 12,298 “Go Bags” or emergency kits to its schoolchildren for the “Big One.” Mayor Abby Binay led the ceremonial distribution of the Go Bags in several public schools as part of the city government’s disaster preparedness program. A “go bag” is a portable survival kit recommended by emergency response experts for every household or facility. It is meant to help an individual or a family survive, at least in the next 72 hours after a disaster, and contains essential needs such as food and drinking water, hygiene kit, first aid kit, flashlight, and other handy materials. “The Emergency Go Bag Project is part of our intensified efforts to prepare our communities for disasters and other emergency situations. We are giving priority to building disaster readiness in our schools because these are where children, who are among our most vulnerable constituents, stay for the most part of the day,” Mayor Binay said. The mayor said for the initial rollout of the project to all public day care, preschool, elementary and secondary schools in the city, the city government will release 1,600 Individually-packed Go Bags; 17,300 small helmets for children; and 8,775 adult helmets for teachers and school personnel. The local chief executive expressed her resolve to promote a higher level of readiness among Makatizens through building their individual capability for survival. “I envision a city where people can cope well on their own during and immediately after a disaster, instead of passively waiting for emergency response teams to arrive,” she underscored. MDRRMO chief Richard Raymund Rodriguez said two types of Emergency Go Bags following international DRRM standards have been assembled by his 3 DOST-NCR adopts Conga Creek in Taguig City TAGUIG CITY -- The Department of Science & Technology- National Capital Region (DOST- NCR) has adopted the Conga Creek in Taguig City as part of its commitment under the Adopt an Estero Program. The Agency has recently signed an agreement with other government agencies, private sector-partners for the conduct of regular clean-up of a particular segment of an estero or a river tributary it adopted. Regional Director Jose B. Patalinjug III sealed a collaborative agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Environmental Management Bureau, National Capital Region (DENR-EMB-NCR), City of Taguig, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH) under the Adopt an Estero Program. Stipulated in the Executive... evolved on different aspects of the Quality Management System such as the results of improvement actions, workplace inspection results, customer satisfaction ratings, documented information system and issues that may affect the goal settings team. Emergency Go Bag 1 contains a total of 91 items which include a hygiene kit and various tools for light and communication, first aid, and protection, as well as emergency tools. Among the bag’s contents are an emergency rope, 13-function folding pocket knife, thermal blanket, tube tent, and a hand crank radio with flashlight. Emergency Go Bag 2, which is an individually- packed emergency kit, has 14 items including food bars, emergency stick (glow-in-the- dark), thermal blanket and N95 respiratory mask for kids. Rodriguez said all Emergency Go Bags will be stored in the classrooms of the target schools, with one Go Bag 1 allocated for each classroom. For Go Bag 2, he said certain quantities have been allocated per school initially, but that the end-goal is to provide them on a 1:1 ratio or one bag per student before 2018 ends. Aside from the distribution of emergency bags in schools, the city government, through DRRMO, is also rolling out infomercials for children, highlighting the value of preparing personal agreement is the adoption of the Conga Creek in Taguig City. Spanning around 300 meters with 28 B MPN/100ml reading of Coliform and 0 oxygen water analysis, the agency aims not only to help in cleaning up the creek but also in empowering the communities through the Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) program. The Adopt an Estero Program aims is to achieve a cleaner, safer and healthier metropolitan environment. It was initiated in 2010 by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other agencies (private and government) in response to the Supreme Court’s mandate to clean up Manila Bay. This endeavour believes that the clean-up should be started in all waterways/esteros that empty into the bay. Based on a recent survey by the MMDA, there are around 273 waterways in the metro. So far, only 48 of them are adopted under the program. (DOST-NCR/ EPC/SDL/PIA-NCR) continued from page 1 of the organization. Looking into these aspects will ensure the alignment to the strategic directions of the province and continuous suitability, adequacy, efficiency and effectiveness of PGC’s Quality Management System as well. – Mark Carada, CQMO emergency bags at home, and teaching and citing examples on what to do and what to pack to prepare for disasters. Meanwhile, the Makati DRRM Academy, launched recently at the University of Makati, opens an avenue for ordinary citizens to become certified DRRM practitioners. Recently, the chief executive presented Makati City’s formula for disaster preparedness and resilience at an international workshop on disaster resilience jointly hosted by the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom and the De La Salle University, Manila. The mayor shared lessons learned and benefits gained by the city in adopting the “Making Cities Resilient Tools” under the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR). UNISDR has certified Makati City as a “Campaign Champion for Making Cities Resilient” and “Role Model City”, while the World Bank has named the city one of “East Asia’s Climate Resilient Cities”. (ICRD/RJB/JCP/PIA- NCR)

Ang Caviteno Newsweekly February 12-18, 2018 Issue | Page 3