EDITORIAL BOARD

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFTeresita Socorro C. Ramos

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

PUBLICATION COORDINATORVilma M. Julian

LAYOUT AND DESIGNDaryll L. CabicoMichel R. Tulog

CONTRIBUTORS

NEDA 9Ardi Abril T. LayugueVilma M. Julian

OTHER AGENCIESNoemi P. Edaga, PIAAlpha Solivio, DA 9DOST 9Narrebelle Z. Bue, DSWD 9Lowell S. Vallecer, DTI 9PIA 9-ZAMBASULTA InfocenterJocelyn Wee, TESDA 9

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 Communicator

TThe Regional Development Council (RDC) IX passed a resoluti on during its 143rd meeti ng on March 7, 2013

in Dipolog City, supporti ng the move to pursue capacity building and appreciati on among Council members on disaster risk reducti on and climate change.

As a result, 26 RDC IX members att ended the 2-day executi ve briefi ng on Disaster Risk Reducti on and Management (DRRM) on April 18-19, 2013 in Iloilo City. Speakers who are experts on DRRM shared invaluable informati on and inputs to disaster preparedness.

Risk profi le and the state of DRRM in the Philippines; hydro-met hazards and project Noah; climate change adaptati on; geo-hazards such as earthquake, tsunami,

RDC IX takes DRRM Briefi ng One RDC IX takes DRRM Briefi ng One Notch HigherNotch Higher

volcanic erupti on, landslides and fl oods; building and equipment emergency plan and earthquake drill; were among the topics during the briefi ng.

RDC IX Vice Chairperson and NEDA IX Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos said that the DRRM briefi ng is brought to a notch higher as parti cipants got the chance to hear the Iloilo experience in DRRM and to see Guimbal municipality fl ood control and other DRR projects for appreciati on and in leveling-up Region IX’s planning and preparati on for DRRM.

Offi ce of Civil Defense IX Regional Director Adriano D. Fuego said that Guimbal is known for its best practi ces in DRRM and applicable features can be emulated in ZamPen. During the briefi ngs, Vice Chairperson of Climate Change Commission and Executi ve Director of the Climate Change Offi ce, Secretary Mary Ann Lucille Sering shared with the group the importance of land use planning and climate change preparedness relati ve to economic growth.

On the other hand, Engr. Oscar

C. Tabada of the Philippine Atmospheric Geo-Physical and Astronomical Services Administrati on, said that typhoons are not to be feared but rather the water and fl ood that bring disaster to communiti es with insuffi cient miti gati ng measures. Corollary to this, Dir. Renato Solidum, Jr. of the Philippine Insti tute of Volcanology and Seismology, who lectured on understanding natural hazards said that the Philippines is the 3rd country most exposed to common hazards.

The speakers encouraged the parti cipants to integrate the implementati on of building code, determine vulnerable areas and equate these with exacti ng family and community disaster preparedness.

The DRRM executi ve briefi ng was sponsored by RDC IX and OCD IX with NEDA IX and Region VI counterparts. (Noemi B. Edaga, PIA 9)

RRDC IX Chairperson Mayor Evelyn T. Uy of Dipolog City presided the 144th Regular Meeti ng of the Council on

June 28, 2013 at Top Plaza Hotel in Dipolog City. It was the Council’s fi nal meeti ng for the term 2010-2013. Following this year’s local electi ons, the Council will also be reorganized for the term 2013-2016.

As a fi tti ng gesture to cap its fi nal meeti ng, the Council awarded Plaques of Recogniti on/Appreciati on to the RDC IX Offi cials, Private Sector Representati ves, and Chairpersons of the four Sectoral Committ ees of the Council, for their valuable contributi ons and support to the Council from 2010-2013.

To guide the forthcoming reorganizati onal acti viti es, the Council confi rmed its Executi ve Committ ee Resoluti ons approving the guidelines for the selecti on of Private Sector Representati ves and the Terms of Reference for the Reorganizati on of RDC IX for CY 2013-2016. Also confi rmed was the set of guidelines for the updati ng of the Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Development Plan, 2014-2016.

RDC IX Vice-Chairperson, Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos of NEDA IX reported on the Executi ve Briefi ng on Disaster Risk Reducti on and Management for RDC IX which was conducted on April 18-19, 2013 in Iloilo City. Other matt ers include updates on the scale insect infestati on; roadside stati ons of DOT IX; Regional Nutriti on Strategic Acti on Plan, 2012-2016 and the celebrati on of Nutriti on Month 2013; RDC VIII resoluti on on the passage of the Magna Carta for Barangay Nutriti on Scholars. Corresponding resoluti ons were passed, as recommended by the various sectoral committ ees. Also endorsed during the meeti ng was the Western Mindanao Value Chain Project, which is being proposed for implementati on in the region by Winrock Internati onal with the support of the US Department of Agriculture. (Vilma M. Julian, NEDA 9)

RDC IX Convenes Last Meeti ng RDC IX Convenes Last Meeti ng for Term 2010-2013for Term 2010-2013

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Inset Photos (Top tp bott om): (1) RDC IX Offi cials with Private Sector Representati ve; (2) with Sectoral Committ ees; (3) Att y. Arsenio L. Gonzales, Jr. PSR; (4) RDC IX Chariperson Mayor Uy; (5) RDC IX Co-Chairperson Fr. Enrico V. Montano

BBased on Memorandum Circular No. 43 dated February 4, 2013, President Benigno S. Aquino III,

directed the Nati onal Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) to facilitate the Midterm Updati ng of the 2011-2016 Philippine Development Plan (PDP) and the revalidati on of the Results Matrix (RM) or major indicators.

The consultati ons are done in all the 17 regions nati onwide. For Region IX, it was held on April 25, 2013 at Top Plaza Hotel, Dipolog City. It commenced with the message of

Mayor Evelyn T. Uy, the Regional Development Council (RDC) IX Chair, who warmly welcomed the parti cipants and encouraged them to acti vely parti cipate in the consultati on process. It

was followed by the presentati on of the inclusive growth framework and the plan updati ng process by Director Roderick Planta of the Project Monitoring Staff of NEDA Central Offi ce.

The 154 parti cipants were grouped into four Planning Committ ees (PC) following the four sectoral committ ees of the RDC. The initi al inputs to PDP midterm updati ng by the nati onal and regional PC representati ves for each group were presented in the breakout session. The revalidati on of RM was discussed by each workshop group taking into considerati on the issues and concerns raised by the parti cipants.

During the plenary, each group presented a consensus list of core strategies and inputs for RM revalidati on that took into considerati on the eff ecti veness of impact and feasibility of implementati on given the ti me frame of the remaining Plan period.

Among the issues raised during the workshop and plenary sessions were the non-inclusion of nutriti on in the presentati on. Nutriti on and maternal health should be given more att enti on as they cut across various disciplines. The need to strategize school processes among state universiti es and colleges was also raised to improve the licensure performance of students. There is also a need to harmonize the school curriculum to address the skills and educati onal requirements of employers. The parti cipants also raised the need to provide skills trainings for the youth especially among 4Ps benefi ciaries.

There is also a need to synchronize government interventi ons such as irrigati on, farm-to-market roads, and

“There is a need to synchronize government interventions to provide a parallel support to the various initiatives towards an inclusive growth.”-Dir. Ramos

NEDA leads Regional PDP ConsultationsNEDA leads Regional PDP Consultations

land distributi on projects, among others, to provide a parallel support to the various initi ati ves towards an inclusive growth. The key role of local government units to provide the support system was emphasized.

In her closing remarks, NEDA IX Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos expressed hopes for regional concerns raised to be considered at the nati onal level. She thanked the parti cipants for att ending and encouraged them to support the PDP’s call for an inclusive growth.

The acti vity was coordinated by NEDA IX which also served as the secretariat during the said consultati on. (Vilma M. Julian, NEDA 9)

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PPresident Benigno S. Aquino III led on April 18, 2013, the groundbreaking ceremony of the P335 million road

upgrading project in a bid to encourage foreign and local tourists to visit the tourist spots of Zamboanga del Norte parti cularly the Sungkilaw Falls.

The Chief Executi ve was joined by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Romeo S. Momo, and other local offi cials at Barangay Cogon in Dipolog City where he led the capsule laying rite that paves the way for the start of the improvement of the 14-kilometer nati onal road.

The road upgrading project started at the Juncti on Barangay Cogon along Punta-Dansullan-Sergio Osmeña Road of the East-West Lateral Nati onal Road. The improvement and ugrade works for the Phase 1 of the road project started in April 2013 with an esti mated cost of P69.08 million. The fi rst phase involves the concreti ng of 2.887-km road that traverses from

"Ngayong papalakas nang palalakas nga "Ngayong papalakas nang palalakas nga ang turismo sa bansa, mas pursigido tayong ang turismo sa bansa, mas pursigido tayong itulak ang mga reporma at proyektong itulak ang mga reporma at proyektong maghahatid ng malawakang kaunlaran at maghahatid ng malawakang kaunlaran at pag-asa sa mga Pilipino”. -Pres. Aquinopag-asa sa mga Pilipino”. -Pres. Aquino

President Aquino Leads President Aquino Leads Groundbreaking Ceremony of Road Groundbreaking Ceremony of Road Project in Dipolog CityProject in Dipolog CityJuncti on Barangay Cogon to OISCA Park (Japanese Park) in Barangay Diwan in Dipolog City.

The government initi ally allocated P80 million for the concreti ng of 2.887 kms. which is included in the Fiscal Year 2013 General Appropriati ons Act (GAA). Vicente T. Lao Constructi on, that won the bidding, will only charge the government of some P69 million for the road project's Phase I, thus resulti ng to over P11 million savings for the government.

The P335-M project is a Tourism Road Project prioriti zed under the Department of Tourism-Department of Public Works and Highways (DOT-DPWH) Convergence Program.

The DOT-DPWH joint program aims to provide tourists fast, safe, and convenient travel to their desti nati ons during their stay in the country. According to the DPWH, the fi rst phase of the project involves the upgrading of the road with a pavement width of 6.10 meters and thickness of 0.23 meters. The said road traverses from rolling to mountainous terrain.

The P225 million balance needed to fully pave the remaining 11.113 kms. will be considered in the proposed DPWH 2014 budget and succeeding budgets will be sourced from available funds.

Meanwhile, the President said that the government intends to allocate more funds on infrastructure projects in the province and other parts of the country to achieve the target of 56.1 million tourists by 2016. In his keynote speech during the groundbreaking ceremony, the Chief Executi ve said his administrati on plans to allocate bigger funds for year 2014 to boost the country's tourism. He expressed confi dence that local tourism in Zamboanga del Norte will conti nue to grow and play a key role in the country’s economic growth.

Shortly aft er the groundbreaking ceremony, President Aquino proceeded to the Dipolog City Sports Complex in Barangay Olingan, where he met with local leaders and the community. (PIA 9-ZAMBASULTA Infocenter)

5

TTo heed the Department of Agriculture’s call for food suffi ciency in the country, DA IX recently conducted

a Planning Workshop on Organic Adlai and Organic Soybean Commercializati on Program in Pagadian City att ended by about 60 parti cipants composed of Agriculture Offi cers in the provinces, municipaliti es and the city, agriculture cooperati ves, private organizati ons, Agriculture Extension Workers, and agriculture key players in Zamboanga Peninsula.

The said event emphasized the importance of adlai and soybean in the industry as these crops are good substi tutes of rice and corn. The health benefi ts of adlai and soybean which were presented in the workshop are very promising. Its processing and uti lizati on were also

introduced. The organic soybean products were also showcased through a cooking demo. Food recipes from soymilk, tokwa, and tofu like adobo and kilawin were cooked and tasted by the parti cipants aft er the demo.

Agricultural Program Coordinati ng Offi cer (APCO) Carlito Larubis said that adlai and soybean are a powerhouse of health benefi ts. Farmers can make modifi cati ons to suit local conditi ons. Soybean and adlai are drought-tolerant and sun-loving crops. Hence, these are recommended to be planted during these ti mes because of the climate change. For organic agriculture, it is the basic principle to consider not just the health of the people but also the health of the soil. Chemical-free healthy soil produces healthy food.

The Regional Technical Working

DA Hails Commercializati on of DA Hails Commercializati on of Organic Adlai and SoybeanOrganic Adlai and Soybean

adlai and soybean:adlai and soybean:powerhouse of health benefi tspowerhouse of health benefi ts

Group was created during the workshop which is headed by DA IX Regional Executi ve Director Eduardo B. Holoyohoy as the Chairman; Regional Technical Directors Dennis Palabrica and Constancio Alama, and APCO Larubis as Vice Chairmen. The members are the Provincial Agriculturists, Municipal Agriculture Offi cers, City Agriculture Offi cers, Non-Government Organizati ons, private organizati ons, practi ti oners and implementers, and the State Universiti es and Colleges. They have pledged their commitment of support and were kept abreast of their roles and responsibiliti es.

Assistant Center Manager of Zamboanga Peninsula Integrated Agricultural Research Center and focal person for Organic Agriculture for Region IX, Priscilla C. Jover, pushed the acceptance of adlai and soybean

industry in Zamboanga Peninsula since the area has already the market, and considering the diff erent planti ng seasons in other regions, investors from other regions will come in. She also reminded the parti cipants that organic products currently command higher price in the market.

With the bright promise of adlai and soybean, the existence of government support though the Department of Agriculture, and the increase of public awareness in these nutriti ous organic foods, food suffi ciency and sustainable livelihood in the country will eventually be achieved. (Alpha Solivio, DA 9)

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Photo credit: internet

IIn a recent study conducted by the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutriti on Research Insti tute (DOST- FNRI),

the number of Filipino mothers who are exclusively breastf eeding their infants are declining in the Philippines.

Exclusive breastf eeding is practi ced by only 8.6 percent of the survey respondents, while a high 55.4 percent feed their children with other milk or in combinati on with complementary feeding. This low level of breastf eeding practi ces for infants and young children is consistent with the high prevalence of malnutriti on among 0-5 year age group where 22.2 % and 27.9 % are underweight and stunted, respecti vely.

The FNRI-DOST survey also shows that among three-month old infants, nine out of 10 were given water as complementary food. Among four-month old infants, two out of 10 were given with sugar. These results fell short of the recommendati on that only breast milk should be given to infants before six months.

In line with this, Ms. Melanie F. Lear, a researcher and faculty member of the Western Mindanao State University conceptualized a research proposal enti tled, “Exclusive Breastf eeding among Selected Communiti es in Zamboanga City.” The study seeks to determine the factors aff ecti ng

exclusive breastf eeding in selected communiti es in Zamboanga City. It also aims to determine the prevalence of mothers who exclusively breastf eed their infants in 2011-2012, as well as the knowledge and atti tudes aff ecti ng exclusive breastf eeding practi ces of mothers in the local communiti es.

The proposal was submitt ed to the Zamboanga Consorti um for Health Research and Development for review and endorsement for funding to the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the DOST. PCHRD is committ ed to develop and enhance the research capability of insti tuti ons in the regions, as a strategy to improve the health conditi ons of Filipinos. The proposal received a total funding of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) through the DOST-PCHRD Grants-in-Aid Program. The research started last March 2013, and expected to complete in August 2013.

Ms. Lear said that the research fi ndings and recommendati ons would serve as a baseline data to improve the maternal and child care delivery. Consequently, it will aid health service providers, practi ti oners, government agencies such as the DOH, DOST-PCHRD, and other non-government organizati ons to eff ecti vely formulate/enhance policies and advocacy to achieve bett er nutriti onal status of our infants and young children. (DOST 9)

Youths Benefi t from Cash Youths Benefi t from Cash for Training Projectfor Training Project

A total of 3,142 youths all over the region benefi tt ed from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Technical Educati on and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cash for Training Project (C4TP).

The province of Zamboanga del Norte has the biggest number of benefi ciaries with 1,119 closely followed by Zamboanga del Sur with 1,002. Zamboanga Sibugay has 718 benefi ciaires while Zamboanga City has 240. Isabela City has 63 youths benefi ti ng from this program.

C4TP, a project of the DSWD and the TESDA in close coordinati on with the local government units, aims to improve the plight and conditi on of youths and empower them through skills training and assistance towards gainful employment and entrepreneurial acti viti es. DSWD provided the funds for the training while TESDA, through its 125 administered training insti tuti ons and private technical-vocati onal insti tuti ons, conducted the skills training.

The project was implemented in two independent components, such as training for wage employment and the training for self-employment. While each benefi ciary received free training and assessment, and allowance of P20,000, those who chose self-employment track were provided with livelihood tool kits and training on entrepreneurship development.

Of the total benefi ciaries in the region, 82% chose the self-employment track and only 576 trained for wage employment. Stati sti cs at the nati onal level showed similar patt ern with 65 percent or 10,666 trained for self-employment as of March 15, 2013. This trend shows that more youths are interested to go into entrepreneurship and start their own micro businesses. (Jocelyn Wee, TESDA 9)

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DOST-PCHRD Funds WMSU’s Research on Exclusive Breastf eedingDOST-PCHRD Funds WMSU’s Research on Exclusive Breastf eeding

TThe Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) sets aside P27.12 million for support service faciliti es (SSF) for

implementi on in Region IX for CY 2013.

SSF is a fl agship project of the agency that seeks to improve the quality and producti vity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by addressing the gaps and bott lenecks in the value chain of priority industry clusters through the provision of processing or manufacturing equipment, tools and machinery.

DTI IX Regional Director Nazrullah Manzur disclosed that in Region IX, the priority industry clusters include the six regional champion products, namely: rubber, seaweeds, coconut,

mango, abaca, and processed fi sh. In additi on to these are the following products or industries: calamansi, banana, bamboo, Pangasius, dairy, and tourism which were carefully selected based on their comparati ve

advantages, marketability, and potenti als for development in our region.

Dir. Manzur also revealed that for this year, DTI is targeti ng 19 SSF projects for implementati on, 11 of which are for Zamboanga City, fi ve (5) for Zamboanga del Sur, and one (1) each for Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Isabela City. Additi onal project proposals kept coming in that may increase the number of approved projects towards the end of the year.

Accordingly, among the approved SSF projects are the following: coco-coir processing equipment and bamboo processing faciliti es for Dumalinao and Ramon Magsaysay in Zamboanga del Sur; abaca processing equipment, coco-based processing faciliti es, seaweed post-harvest faciliti es, mat, slippers, and bag making equipment, and bangus processing faciliti es for various industry clusters in Zamboanga City. (Lowell S. Vallecer, DTI 9)

DTI allocates P27 million DTI allocates P27 million for Region IXfor Region IX

The Department of Tourism (DOT) IX conducted a two-day training on tour operati ons and packaging on April 5-6, 2013 at Mibang Hotel in Dipolog City.

Around 40 parti cipants from city/municipal tourism offi ces of Dipolog, Dapitan and Polanco as well as representati ves from Liloy town, Jose Rizal Memorial State University, City Informati on Offi ce of Dipolog, travel agencies, and private enti ti es att ended the training.

This acti vity aims to train, capacitate and enhance the capability of the community to handle tourists and manage tourist sites,” DOT IX Regional Director Mary June G. Bugante said.

Paul L. So, Managing Director of Great Sights Travel and Tours Corporati on, a DOT-accredited travel agency in Metro Manila, served as resource speaker during the seminar.

Mr. So specializes in seat-in-coach tours, local, inbound and outbound tours, adventure and incenti ve tours, cruises, scuba diving and travel insurance, ti cketi ng and hotel reservati ons worldwide, air, sea, land and rail reservati ons worldwide, and many more. He lectured on tour packaging, planning, costi ng, operati ons and eff ecti ve customer service.

“Tourism means job and job for everyone,” Mr. So said. He also

emphasized that “if tours are off ered in package, tourists will not feel the price, provided they must be sati sfi ed with the services given.” To him, tour guides are storytellers who know the stories and culture of the place.

“In tour operati ons, it is strictly a big no to overloading of passengers. If something will happen you will never receive insurance,” Mr. So stressed.

He further advised not to say “for free” but rather a “complimentary.” He said that nothing is free in this world.

Wenceslao Z. Galeza, training offi cer of DOT IX, disclosed that there are no accredited tour guides in Zamboanga del Norte. Thus, he encouraged interested applicants with at least two years in college and fl uent in English to parti cipate in the 25-day Tour Guiding Seminar-Workshop on May 2-31, 2013 in Zamboanga City. Pre-screening and interview of applicants were done and those qualifi ed were accepted in the seminar-workshop.

Dir. Bugante explained that only those qualifi ed will be accredited as tour guides. She said that the seminar-workshop was devised to give accreditati on to individuals who want to pursue tour guiding as a career. She emphasized the diffi culty of inviti ng groups of tourists in the absence of tour guides. (PIA 9- ZAMBASULTA Infocenter)

DOT 9 Conducts Training on Tour Operati ons and Packaging DOT 9 Conducts Training on Tour Operati ons and Packaging

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Photo credit: internet

FFift y one diff erently-abled persons received their diplomas aft er successfully completi ng their respecti ve

courses along vocati onal skills at the Area Vocati onal Rehabilitati on Center (AVRC).

Ruben Gamalando, who was awarded as Most Outstanding Trainee this year, during his testi mony shared some of his life’s challenges. Orthopedically handicapped, due to a tragic incident at a constructi on site where he worked, he refused to let the incident hinder his thirst for educati on. “Di ko man naabot pa ang aking pangarap na makatapos ng kolehiyo, ito ay isa na sa mga daan na magdadala sa akin sa aking pangarap.”

Ruben was among those who have undergone trainings on various skills at the AVRC, a facility managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). It was established to cater to persons with disabiliti es to capacitate them to become producti ve individuals, capable of taking care of themselves through the skills that they have

acquired.

Graduates of this year availed courses on Agriculture, Basic Computer Operati ons, Commercial Arts, Cosmetology, Graphic Arts, Garments Technology, Industrial Arts and Scienti fi c Massage. Mrs. Fati ma Caminan, AVRC Superintendent revealed that majority of the center’s graduates are hired by recognized Spas within the region and its neighboring citi es like Cagayan de Oro.

Guests during the acti vity were DSWD Assistant Secretary Camilo Gudmalin and Ms. Aida Magracia, who was the former Division Chief of Operati ons Division of DSWD IX.

To assist the displaced persons and families from Sabah regain normalcy in their lives and reintegrate them into their communiti es, the DSWD developed a program that will help alleviate their poor conditi ons.

The Modifi ed Conditi onal Cash Transfer Program (MCCT) which is basically a prototype of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, aims to

PSWD assists PWDs, Qualifed PSWD assists PWDs, Qualifed Sabah Displaced PersonsSabah Displaced Persons

cater to families with children 0-14 years old.

DSWD IX Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo revealed that for Region IX, there are 137 identi fi ed displaced persons who returned to the Philippines due to the confl ict in Sabah. Similar to the identi fi cati on of Pantawid benefi ciaries, the 137 names were subjected to the Proxy Means test and accordingly, 102 came out eligible for the program.

To ensure accurate data and to avoid duplicati on of benefi ciaries, Mr. Leonardo U. Lindo, a Project Development Offi cer from DSWD Central Offi ce, said that enrolment will be through the Biometric Identi fi cati on system. So far, fi eld testi ng of the biometric system customized for the program was already conducted and parti cipated by prospecti ve benefi ciaries of the program.

Aside from Region IX, DSWD will also identi fy prospecti ve benefi ciaries from Region XII and ARMM. (Narrebelle Z. Bue, DSWD 9)

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RPMC IX goes themati c, visits 19 projectsRPMC IX goes themati c, visits 19 projects

QQuoti ng from Mindanao 2020, economic and ecological integrati on and inclusive wealth

creati on are the twin thrusts toward Mindanao’s sustainable development. This guided the Regional Project Monitoring Committ ee (RPMC) IX in choosing “Economy and Environment” as the theme for its fi eld visits in Zamboanga del Norte on June 3-7, 2013 conducted through its Technical Working Group (TWG).

Aside from the TWG members composed of staff from NEDA IX, DILG IX, PMS IX, and DBM IX, the team was also accompanied by representati ves of implementi ng agencies namely, DOST IX, DPWH IX, DA IX, and DENR IX.

A total of 19 projects were visited by the team: 3 projects under the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP); 5 projects under the Nati onal Greening Program (NGP); 6 projects under the Mindanao Rural Development Program – Adaptable Program Loan (MRDP-APL) II; 1 bridge constructi on project; 2 fl ood/river control projects; a farm-to-market road rehabilitati on project; and a seawall constructi on project.

Standing out from among the projects is the SETUP-supported bott led sardines processing facility in Turno, Dipolog City which was repeatedly recognized by awarding bodies for its exemplary performance in adopti ng tecnological innovati ons to boost its producti vity and competi ti veness.

Name of Project : Upgrading of Bott led Spanish Style Sardines Processing Facility for European Union (EU) Hazard Analysis Criti cal Control Point (HACCP) ComplianceLocati on: Turno, Dipolog CityProject Cost/Contract Amount :P1,995,500.00Implementi ng Agency : DOST IXContractor :Montaño Foods Corporati on (MFC)Status : Completed

Name of Project: Nati onal Greening Program- Reforestati on ComponentLocati on: Maligaya, Polanco, Zamboanga del NorteProject Cost/Contract Amount: P1,443,160.50Implementi ng Agency:DENR CENRO-IX-A1 Dapitan CityContractor: Maligaya Agroforestry Associati onStatus: Ongoing

The constructi on of the Piao Bridge in Sindangan is another example of best practi ce wherein a savings of P11.03M was realized and re-allocated for the constructi on of another bridge, the Sitog Bridge in Kati punan.

Other projects, such as the Marine/Fish Sanctuary in Sibutad and Rizal or the seawall structure in Manukan, point to a high potenti al for tourism development in the area. On the other hand, some ongoing problems, such as the lack of involvement of local residents in several NGP projects or the threat of small-scale mining to some marine sanctuaries were observed.

The next monitoring acti vity will take on the theme “Peace and Security”.

Being looked at is the provision of qualit planting materials, specifi cally, r bber and it t ees which could ensure increase of far ers’ income, aside om protection of the environment. This can be a convergence of eff or s by

DENR IX and DA IX.

MFC received fi ve awards in the past which include the 2009 National Award for Count side Investor of the Year.

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Name of Project : Constructi on of Piao Bridge

Locati on: Piao, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte

Project Cost/Contract Amount: P14,970,000.00

Implementi ng Agency: DPWH- Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Engineering Offi ce

Contractor: Dipolog Top Constructi on

Status: Completed

Name of Project: Constructi on of Seawall along Coastal Area Poblacion Manukan to Manukan River, Poblacion East

Locati on: Poblacion Manukan, Zamboanga del Norte

Project Cost/Contract Amount: P45,000,000.00

Implementi ng Agency: DPWH- Zamboanga del Norte 1st District Engineering Offi ce (DEO)

Contractor: ARN Builders

Status: Completed

Name of Project: Mangrove Rehabilitati on (Rizal)

Locati on: Barangays Nasipang, Sebaca, Balubohan, Mabunao, Nangca, and Damasing of Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte

Project Cost/Contract Amount: P510,150.00

Implementi ng Agency: DA- MRDP APL2

Contractor: LGU-Rizal and POs

Status: Ongoing

Name of Project: Marine/Fish Sanctuary Establishment (Sibutad)

Locati on: Barangays Calube, Kanim, Libay, Panganuran, Sawang, and Magsaysay, of Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte

Project Cost/Contract Amt.: P2,800,000.00

Implementi ng Agency: DA- MRDP APL2

Contractor: LGU-Sibutad and POs

Status: Completed

11

Prepared by: Ardi Abril T. Layugue, NEDA 9

The full report The full report is found in this is found in this

link http://link http://neda9.net neda9.net

under RPMC IX under RPMC IX Concerns.Concerns.

To promote tourism in the municipalit , the LGU has star ed const cting a boulevard alongside the seawall. The DEO will continue improving the boulevard in 2014.

This potential tourist destination is being threatened by wastes or tailings om small-scale mining activities.