Bulacan Governor Daniel R. Fernando receives 1,081 ready-to-heat-and-eat frozen food packs from San Miguel Foundation Incorporated on Tuesday at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium, City of Malolos, Bulacan, which will be distributed to needy institutions and agencies in the province.
FOOD ASSISTANCE FROM SAN MIGUEL FOUNDATION INCORPORATED
Malacañang gives 3-Million face masks to Bulacan
CITY OF MALOLOS—The Office of the President donates three million face masks to Bulacan as the province strongly battles COVID 19 along with three other provinces Cavite, Laguna and Rizal and Metro Manila called the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus Bubble.
The masks placed in boxes are under the “Mask Para sa Masa” program of the Office of President Duterte were received by Gov. Daniel Fernando and Bulacan Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Rowena Tiongson at the Capitol on Tuesday.
The President has earlier recognized that many Filipinos particularly the poor could not afford regularly buying face masks. For their day to day use.
Fernando said the distribution will be through respective mayors and barangays in the 21 towns and threw cities.
Bulacan records 22,843 cases, 18,899 recoveries and 58 deaths.
3 Bulacan medical, essential workers died of COVID 19
CITY OF MALOLOS—A nurse in Baliwag District Hospital and two other Provincial Government of Bulacan (PGB) employees who are considered essential workers died of COVID 19 on Tuesday, health officials confirmed.
Dr. Protacio Bajao, Director of Bulacan Infection Control Center (BICC) in this capital city of the province said Joanna Marie Galvez, 32, from Baliwag died of COVID 19 in National Kidney Institute due to her co-morbidity ailment.
Florence Abiog, 27, from City of Malolos and works as cameraman in the Provincial Public Affairs Office of the PGB was pronounced dead on arrival at BICC, Bajao said.
Abiog, however is not a co-morbidity case. Bajao said he only suffers mild symptoms of fever and cough.
Crisanto Roque, 64, from City of Malolos and a ranking personnel of PGB assigned at the Medical Team and Pharmacy Office died of severe COVID 19 case, Bajao told NEWS CORE.
He had been in quarantine since March 22.
All three of them have earlier tested positive for COVID 19, Bajao said.
Dr. Hjordis Marushka Celis, Bulacan Medical Center Director said however that the three cases are all community acquired and not within Capitol transmission.
Earlier, two considered essential Capitol employees also died of COVID 19 including a lawyer police official in the Provincial Police Office who was under quarantine in Governance Center Quarantine Facility within the Capitol compound.
On Wednesday, Bulacan’s COVID cases were at 21,876, with 567 deaths and 17,950 recoveries as of Wednesday. But, Gov. Daniel Fernando said Bulacan with 4,418 Active cases remains with the lowest compared with other National Capital Region (NCR) Plus Bubble provinces Laguna with 4,427, Rizal with 6,759 and Cavite with 8,254 cases.
Guiguinto to give first class rice ‘ayuda’ to rich residents
GUIGUINTO—Rich residents and families who will not benefit from the P1,000 worth national government emergency cash assistance “ayuda” will receive half cavan of rice from the local government, officials disclosed on Wednesday
Mayor Ambrosio Cruz Jr. said they have already purchased 5,000 sacks of “dinorado” rice worth nearly P10 Million to be distributed to 10,000 professionals, the income earners including wealthy families and individuals.
The concept is for everyone affected of the two weeks Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to receive something from the government. “While the national government assistance is only limited, this is our way to augment,” Cruz told NEWS CORE.
Cruz divulged that even well to do families complained of not receiving aid from the national and local government. “May mga drivers kami, may mga yaya, may mga gardeners,” he said were among the sentiments raised, he echoed.
Some individuals openly discarded on the ground the rice packs distributed as relief goods during the hard lock down last year.
“Tinabig at tinapon at sinabing hindi sila kumakain ng NFA rice, kaya ngayon iyong mamahalin na ang binili namin,” the mayor added.
Guiguinto received P85-Million worth of ayuda from the national government for its 26,000 families. However, Cruz said, there are now about 34,000 families in the town from more than 90,000 population based on 2015 survey.
The mayor said, some beneficiaries were delisted from the Municipal Social Development and Welfare Office (MSWDO) after couples had separated and the ones in the list have left for other towns and places even outside Bulacan while others have died, and others have work-related transfers.
These funds, the mayor said will be given to residents who are not in the recipient’s list.
Guiguinto will finish its distribution within this week, the mayor further said.
The province of Bulacan last week received a total of P2.9 Billion fromt the Department of Budget and Management for the three million Bulakenyos. The City of San Jose del Monte with about one million residents received the highest amount worth P596.8 Million followed by Sta. Maria.
DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado through Local Budget Circular No. 136 dated March 30 released the said budget to Bulacan local government units providing P1,000 cash support to each individual residents while families with four or more members would receive P4,000.
Malolos, with the third largest population received P212.7 Million, P198.1 Million for Marilao; P173.2 Million for City of Meycauayan; P133.6 Million for San Miguel, P123.5 Million for Baliwag; P108.3 Million for Bocaue and P106 Million for Hagonoy.
Pandi town has a P97.7 Million, P93.3 Million for San Ildefonso; P93.1 Million for Norzagaray; P91.9 for Calumpit; P89.5 million for Plaridel; P85.7 Million for Guiguinto; P83.2 Million for San Rafael; P67.3 Million for Balagtas; P65.6 Million for Bulakan; P56.8 for Bustos; P50 Million for Angat; P48 Million for Obando; P44 Million for Paombong and P20- Million for Donya Remedios Trinidad (DRT).
The funds came from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act under Republic Act 11494 which would be effective until June 30, 2021 under Republic Act 1151.
SMC not compliance–Oceana
Oceana, an international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans since 2014 which strongly opposes the project said in a statement they submitted to EMB after the public hearing on Monday that SMAI has not complied with environmental laws and EIS regulations which is tantamount to violation of the substantive and procedural rights of stakeholders under various laws.
“We point out the following glaring non-compliance, violations, misrepresentations, and non-disclosure by San Miguel Aerocity, as the NMIA Project proponent, in their EIS: Patent Lack of Public Participation which Excludes also the Vulnerable Sectors San Miguel Aerocity did not conduct pre-scoping and scoping as required by the revised procedural manual on DENR Administrative Order 2003-30.
Fisher folk and local communities were not consulted about the airport project as shown by the judicial affidavits of Rodel T. Alvarez and Teodoro Bacon, who are fisher folks from Barangay Talitip (Annex A and B) and Gianni Clemente (Annex B).
In fact, based on San Miguel’s Environmental Impact Asesent (EIA) activities and Methodology, no scoping was conducted and there was no scoping agreement with stakeholders in the EIS. This is also a violation of the constitutional right of the people including people’s organizations and non-government organizations to participate in decision-making”.
Atty. Gloria Estenzo, vice president of Oceana also said in the comment that that “public consultation on projects that impact the people’s rights to a healthy environment and which aggravate impacts of climate change is likewise mandatory under RA 7160, the Local Government Code of
1990 with the additional requirement of a Sanggunianresolution”.
The statement also said that “in public scoping, San Miguel Aerocity should have gathered technical inputs from the community
preceding the technical scoping of the EIA Review Team, where stakeholder representatives will also sign without prejudice to submission of additional documents pursuant to our request dated March 11, 2021 to the Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR for extension of the deadline for the submission of Comments to the Project’s EIS; that the 1987 Constitution, Article XIII, declares that “Section 16. The right of the people and their organizations to effective and reasonable participation at all levels of social, political, and economic decision-making shall not be abridged. The State shall, by law, facilitate the establishment of adequate consultation mechanisms. 3 Section 2 ©, and Section 26. Duty of National Government Agencies in the Maintenance of Ecological Balance. – It shall be the duty of every national agency or government-owned or controlled corporation authorizing or involved in the planning and implementation of any project or program that may cause pollution, climatic change, depletion of non-renewable resources, loss of crop land, rangeland, or forest cover, and extinction of animal or plant species, to consult with the local
government units, nongovernmental organizations, and other sectors concerned and explain the goals and objectives of the project or program, its impact upon the people and the community in terms of environmental or ecological balance, and the measures that will be undertaken to prevent or minimize the adverse effects thereof. Section 27.
Prior Consultations Required. – No project or program shall be implemented by government authorities unless the consultations mentioned in Sections 2 (c) and 26 hereof are complied with, and prior approval of the sanggunian
concerned is obtained: Provided, That occupants in areas where such projects are to be implemented shall not be evicted unless appropriate relocation sites have been provided, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution”.
Oceana has been working closely with national and local government agencies, civil society, fisher folk and other stakeholders to restore the abundance of Philippine fisheries and marine resources.
SMC: Drainage system, more water channels for the Airport project
BULAKAN—The San Miguel Aerocity Inc., (SMAI) proponent of the P740-Billion worth New Manila International Airport will focus on drainage enhancement works, widening and water channel improvements to address flooding which is among the major impacts of the project based on their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 3 office.
The EMB Region 3 office on Monday conducted an online public hearing and consultation on the submitted EIS for the project and attended by the proponent SMAI officials, Bulacan officials and environmental groups.
On the 55 pages EIS of the company, a copy of which is posted on the social media account of the EMB Region 3, flooding and coastal flooding were presented as two of the major impacts of the projects in a 2,500 hectare property in this town covering three villages of Taliptip, Bambang and Bagumbayan.
“The project will have a significant impact in the geomorphology of the area. The backfill will raise the elevation of the land. From 0 to 1 m it will be raised to at least 3-5m to minimize flood inundation. This in effect will decrease the floodplain area where water could pass through during flood. The backfilled area would act as barrier and delay the time for the floodwaters to reach the sea. The reclaimed land would act as barrier and delay the time for the floodwaters to reach the sea”.
“Rainfall and river gauges can be used as part of non-structural measures for early warning system. Since flood cross political boundaries, the flood management approach should consider the overall watershed management plan. Different agencies and LGUs concerned should be consulted to align the mitigating measures with long-term plans. The existing drainage system should be improved. There should be a properly designed drainage network that is sufficient to channel the flood to the sea. To lessen this negative impact, the natural drainage system around the project area should be enhanced”.
“The existing channels should be widened and restored to its original conditions prior to the development of fishponds. Old topographic maps could be consulted to determine the original configurations. Additional channel network should be built to facilitate movement of water from the rivers into the sea. Rainfall and river gauges can be used as part of non- structural measures for early warning system. Since flood cross political boundaries, the flood management approach should consider the overall watershed management plan”
“Different agencies and LGUs concerned should be consulted to align the mitigating measures with long- term plans. The existing drainage system should be improved. There should be a properly designed drainage network that is sufficient to channel the flood to the sea”.
SMAI also presented other impacts on land, air, people, water such as hazardous and solid wastes generation, ground shaking, liquefaction, mass wasting, ground subsidence, settlement, volcanic hazard, erosion.
Job and income opportunities for the people and higher revenues for the government is also among the other impact
Officials and residents are zealous on the construction of the project in this old capital of the province as they expressed their all out support during the said public hearing.
Gov. Daniel Fernando said the project will bring tremendous progress and development to the town, the province and its people and will certainly alleviate the status of living of the residents.
Fernando said Bulacan is poised to become a global destination for tourism with the construction of the airport.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) — Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Region 3 office conducted the zoom public hearing and attended by local leaders, residents, fisher folks and other groups to review the submitted Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project submitted by proponent San Miguel Aerocity Inc.
The project New Manila International Airport covers the coastal villages of Taliptip, Bambang and Bagumbayan in this town.
“The public Consultation/ Public Hearing is being conducted in connection with the review of the EIS of the aforementioned project by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) R3 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)”.
Mayor Vergel Meneses said Bulakan is very fortunate to have a strategic location that is fit for a modern airport that will address congestion problems that has affected many air travelers at the country’s current gateways.
“I strongly support the project, together with the municipal board and the whole of our people and municipality. We are eager for the project to commence immediately because of the countless good opportunities it will bring to our town, our people and the whole Bulacan province as well,” the mayor added.
He highlighted that Bulakan took into careful consideration the economic development, job opportunities, and new businesses that the airport project will bring. The town’s council passed a resolution October last year supporting the undertakings of San Miguel Aerocity Inc. for the said project.
Taliptip Barangay Captain Michael Ramos said that San Miguel has shown its commitment and support to his barangay, particularly the relocated residents, even prior to construction. He added that even prior to construction, residents have already been provided skills training and livelihood opportunities.
A total of 364 beneficiaries benefited from SMC’s cash assistance. The company gave 277 owners of non-concrete houses or shanties were given P250,000 each, while owners of concrete houses were given the appraised value of their homes, multiplied by two, plus P100,000. Cash assistance was also provided to 87 others who were disqualified, for a total of 364 beneficiaries.
Under a partnership between San Miguel Corporation and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) partnership, a total of 58 former Taliptip coastal residents were able to complete training in different courses geared towards employment during airport construction and full operations, and to open businesses that will cater to the airport and the surrounding communities.
A group of former Sitio Kinse residents have established a community store selling Purefoods and Magnolia products under the company’s community reselling program. SMC provided the capital and the initial inventory of products to qualified relocatees, who are now forming groups and cooperatives.
Bulacan Capitol COVID 19 infection reaches 20, 3 deaths, 100 closed contacts
By Anton Luis Catindig
CITY OF MALOLOS—Cases of COVID 19 infection among Bulacan Capitol employees rose to 20 cases recently with three deaths and more than 100 closed contacts that were isolated but health officials downplayed the premier government office of the province as a hot spot area saying there’s no need to order it lockdown amid the fear of within offices transmission.
Fernando Domingo and Vher Garcia, both field employees of the Bulacan Provincial Government have died of COVID 19.
Former Bulacan Provincial Police Office Legal Officer Col. Ariel Alvarado also died of COVID 19 while inside the Governance Center Quarantine Facility in the Capitol Compound.
Dr. Hjordis Marushka Celis, Bulacan Medical Center Director, head of the Response Cluster of COVID 19 Provincial Task Force and co- chair of Vaccination Operation Center of Bulacan confirmed the high number of cases among the employees.
But she told NEWS CORE that the infections were community based and not related between departments. There are really high cases in the community she said.
Celis said those closed contacts were already isolated and have already been swabbed. They are now waiting for the result.
According to Celis, the Capitol had also undergone series of disinfection after works had been suspended and a lockdown was earlier enforced.
“It is true, there are high cases. But during evaluation, it was found out that the infection were sourced down in the communities and not related between the departments and that Capitol had underwent several disinfection already,” she said.
She said all employees are advised to strictly follow the minimum health protocols in their respective communities, home and in the office. “Marami na kasing gumagala ngayon ganun din ang mga parties. Mag scan ka lang sa social media at malula ka sa dami ng get together. Sa mga pagtatanggal ng mask usually nagkakahawahan. Ang pinapairal na protocol din ay kapag may nararamdaman na ay hindi na dapat pumasok. May reporting system na. At i-coordinate din ng mga department heads yung reporting sa barangay at Municipal Health Office”.
In her COVID 19 bed, Bulacan mayor still sends foods, love to folks
By Carmela Reyes-Estrope
SAN ILDEFONSO–The mayor of this town who was known for her level-up generosity to her constituents during the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown last year continue to draw the attention of many people today as she still actively show her care for them despite herself being infected with the disease.
Forty one year old Mayor Carla Galvez-Tan is saddened she could not write personal birthday greeting cards and letters to her folks this time because of her condition. However, she said, she continues sending them birthday cakes.
“Now because I am sick, I could not write letters and greeting cards to all of you. But I am continuously sending to all of you your birthday cakes,” the mayor said in her social media account just before the weekend, two days after she tested positive from COVID 19.
Other than sending birthday cakes to some 3,000 barangay officials and volunteers who joined and supported her in preparing the lockdown “ayuda” goodies during Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) last year, today, she sends fruit plates to similarly COVID 19 infected residents in the town.
On Friday, she said, 56 new COVID cases were recorded in the town.
Tan urged every resident to strictly follow the health protocol to lessen the number of infected.
Tan in her social media account post the following day after her positive swab test result came out on March 16, said that before she fell sick to the disease, she regularly writes birthday greetings and letters and sends cakes to birthday celebrants from among the 3,000 village officials and volunteers who helped her packed the “ayuda” for all the residents during the pandemic.
“Since after that hard lock down, I see to it that every time I went home, I personally write them letters and greeting cards and send them birthday cakes the next morning out of my own money. That is my simple way of thanking and appreciating back the help they did,” she said on her post.
She felt disturbed and saddened that because of her present health condition, she could not continue writing the letters and cards. She assured them that she will return to the same tasks after she recovered from the disease.
“Covid 19 is no joke and it is really difficult to experience it,” she said.
The mayor has a countdown of her daily battle with the disease updating her people of her worsening and finally improving condition.
Tan is on a home quarantine. She also regularly posts pictures of fruits, flower, other foods and goods her constituents brought her and thank them for their kindness in remembering her.
She said she has yet to recover her taste but she is very thankful and blessed from the prayers, love and moral support sent to her everyday by so many people particularly her constituents, friends and relatives during this difficult time.
Other than the generosity during the COVID 19 pandemic of giving fish, vegetables, whole chicken and frozen goods, Tan also gained the people’s admiration for her efforts which lifted San Ildefonso into the next level progress and development.
Caption:
Mayor Carla Galvez-Tan writing the birthday greeting cards and letters to her constituents before the pandemic. Photo from Mayor Carla Galvez-Tan’s Facebook Account
Gov. Fernando implements drop box transaction in the Capitol amid GCQ
By Anton Luis Catindig
CITY OF MALOLOS – Bulacan officials recently starts its dry run implementation of service drop box contactless transaction with residents to avoid physical and face-to-face dealings amid the increasing cases of COVID 19 and as the province reverts to the stricter General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
Two field employees died of COVID 19 last week while two Capitol guards tested positive and are under quarantine.
Works in the Capitol were earlier suspended for a couple of days to give way for disinfection as other employees were reported to have also been infected.
The contactless transactions was implemented through a memorandum and in accordance with Executive Order No. 9 Series of 2021 issued by Gov. Daniel R. Fernando that adopts and implements the IATF Resolution No. 104 Series of 2021 following the announcement of Malacañang that placed Bulacan under general community quarantine (GCQ) status from March 22 to April 4, 2021 due to resurgence of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Fernando said that the Capitol’s doors are closed but employees still works inside and will attend to the need of the residents who drop in boxes at the tables in makeshift tents at the back of the capitol their letter, request form, etc. needed to be sent or signed by officials, department heads, employees.
According to the memo, every office will provide a transparent drop box with proper label where various requests and documents of the residents will be dropped inside.
There are chairs in the tents where the people can wait until their concerns are attended to.
Fernando said such system was executed to protect the public as well as the employees from acquiring the deadly virus.
About 200-300 residents mostly indigent people piled up daily to the Capitol requesting mainly for medical support, hospitalization, medicines, cash money, etc other than different concerns like paying taxes, etc for the non-indigent.
“We hope to still continue provide utmost services to our people amid the pandemic using this system of drop boxes transaction and without physical contact or face to face transaction between our employees and our people,” the governor said.
The NCR plus bubble that is being enforced in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal are areas where entry and exit points are restricted except for essential travels and emergencies and as long as the travel is within the NCR bubble.
GLASS FOOD STORAGE IPINAMIGAY NI GOB. DANIEL SA CAPITOL FOOD COURT
Ipinamahagi ni Gob. Daniel Fernando ang mga glass food storage na ito sa pitong fast food stall owners sa Capitol Food Court ngayong hapon upang masiguradong lalong mas malinis at presentable ang mga pagkaing ibinebenta at inihahain sa mga kumakain sa lugar. Libre at kusang loob na ginawa ng gobernador ang hakbang na ito bilang suporta na rin sa mga food stall owners na halos tatlong dekada na ring umuupa sa pag-aari ng Capitolyo.