ILOILO CITY – The city’s rehabilitation project to be funded from the government’s Paglaum Fund is expected to commence by June 2009 by dredging the Dungon Creek up to Magsaysay Village spanning from Mandurriao to La Paz districts.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has programmed the dredging project with some P50 million funding share from the downscaled P8 billion typhoon-affected rehabilitation fund for Western Visayas.

City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, however, said some 615 families living along the Dungon Creek up to Magsaysay village will be affected and most of them are soon to be relocated at the San Isidro relocation site in Jaro district. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The first commercially viable coal-fired power plant in Western Visayas will be commissioned by the last quarter of 2010 at its site at Brgy. Ingore, La Paz, Iloilo City. .

This was announced by Engr. Adrian Moncada, president of the Global Business Power Corp., proponent of the P16 billion power plant investments during the Power 101 power situationer report conducted by the Iloilo Business Club was April 17, 2009 at the Hotel del Rio here.

Moncada admitted that landfill development is currently ongoing in the 24-hectare site and actual construction will start by July or August this year. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The Australian ambassador to the Philippines, His Excellency Rod Smith will personally lead in the turn-over ceremonies on Thursday, April 16, 2009 of 10 brand-new computers to students of the Jaro National High School in Jaro district as a show of concern of the Australian people to victims of super typhoon Frank last June that devastated the city and the school in particular.

City mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the Aussie ambassador made the commitment of assistance to the city government after being informed of the gargantuan devastation left by the typhoon in public infrastructures such as schools, health centers, hospitals, residences, livelihood opportunities and access to social services.

Treñas said the Australian embassy based in Metro Manila had contacted his office for the computer donation as the Australians little help to alleviate the plight of public high school students severely affected by the typhoon. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The city government will get some P50 million as its share in the initial partial release of P483 million Paglaum Fund and will be used for the dredging of Dungon Creek in Mandurriao district.

City mayor Jerry P. Treñas said the creek is an important waterway that absorbs surface water during the rainy season and must be rehabilitated and dredged to pave the way for surface water to pass through and go to the Iloilo River.

Rapid urbanization and the emergence of housing villages in the area have constricted the flow of water that led to flashfloods. Super typhoon Frank that occurred last June 21-22, 2009 had flooded for several days the downstream area including those along the diversion road. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – Political and government leaders in the city and province of Iloilo have ask the postponement of turn-over of the National Power Corporation’s Panay Diesel Power Plant 1 and Panay Diesel Power Plant 3, both situated in Dingle, Iloilo to a later date when additional sources of power will have been identified and contracted.

In a meeting of the Regional Development Council (RDC) Infrastructure Committee here March 13, 2009 and chaired by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Trenas, Iloilo Governor Niel D. Tupas moved for a resolution to ask Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management (PSALM) and the Department of Energy to delay the privatization and hold back the turn-over of the power plants slated on March 26, 2009 to private owner Salcon Power Corporation (SPC) and for the Napocor to continue operation of the two plants.

Out of its 5 plant units generating a total of 57 megawatts power (MW) for Panay Island consumers, only 14 MW are being generated as of March 13 as several units are undergoing major restoration and rehabilitation, according to Napocor Vice President Danilo Sedillo. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – This southern city was allotted 100 scholarship slots in the President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Scholarship Commitment for a two-month training on short courses such as small engine repair, massage, spa therapy and baker.

The scholars, selected by the Liga ng mga Barangay here, will receive P60 daily allowance for transportation, meals and cash allowance. The scholars will also be assisted in looking for employment after their graduation or may be given P5,000 capital assistance in starting up a business.

On the other hand, a memorandum of agreement was signed March 10, 2009 for the launching of Bagong Hanapbuhay 2009 integrated livelihood assistance program spearheaded by TESDA Director General Augusto Syjuco, Filipino Hairdressers Cooperative (FilHair) headed by Ricky Reyes, the city government headed by Mayor Jerry P. Trenas and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in providing a training program and livelihood opportunity for out-of-school youths, underemployed adults and displaced overseas Filipino workers in this city. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – A memorandum of agreement (MOA) on traffic policy between the city government here and Land Transportation Office (LTO) is being finalized soon to ease out disagreements over traffic implementation in this highly urbanized southern city.

This was announced by city mayor Jerry P. Treñas after talking to LTO chief, Gen Arturo Lomibao over the powers of the city government in implementing traffic rules and regulations through a local law mandated by the local government code and that of a joint memorandum of LTO and DOTC. Read more »

City entry is Galing Pook Award finalist

ILOILO CITY – An innovative public school education program called “Project Jerry” spearheaded by the Iloilo Division of City Schools and the city government here headed by city mayor Jerry P. Treñas has been selected as a finalist in the 2008 Galing Pook Awards (GPA).

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will award plaques of recognition to the 10 top winners and 9 finalists at the February 12 awarding rites in Malacañang Palace while Development Bank of the Philippines will host a dinner to the winners and finalists.

Project Jerry, which stands for “Join Education Reading Recovery for the Youth”, is an initiative to improve the quality and standard of public education in this southern city. Read more »

Call for Proposals: Dialogue on Governance: Strategic Projects Facility (SPF 2)

Reference: DCI-ASIE/126814/L/ACT/P

Dialogue on Governance: Strategic Projects Facility (SPF 2)

Call for Proposals

Reference: DCI-ASIE/126814/L/ACT/PH

The European Commission is seeking proposals for projects in the Philippines which might receive grant assistance from the EC-funded “Dialogue on Governance: Strategic Projects Facility” (SPF 2).

The overall objective of the SPF2 is to contribute to improving governance as underlying condition for reaching the MDGs. The project purpose is to catalyze actions of stakeholders to improve the quality of local governance.

Objective of this call for proposals

The SPF2 will support projects that showcase innovative models for partnerships that will build on complementary capacities of different stakeholders in local governance, in order to increase efficiency and effectiveness, and reinforce accountability of local government units, for them to provide public goods that respond to the needs of all sections of the community, including the poor. Applications can come from LGUs, NGOs, and other stakeholders in local governance.

Priorities of this call for proposals

Proposals submitted under this call for proposals should be designed to feature both cross-cutting themes, and should focus on at least one of the sectoral themes listed below. Read more »

ILOILO CITY – The Sangguniang Panlungsod here has deferred until further study a proposed resolution filed by young city councilor Nielex Tupas calling for the installation of security surveillance cameras or closed circuit television (CCTV) as effective security measures on hotels, banks, restaurants, pawnshops, lending institutions, money changers, lodging houses and other establishments receiving temporary guests.

Councilors Eldrid Antiquera and Antonio Pesina said that an ordinance to impose establishments to put a CCTV is an invasion of property rights of the owners and a violation on rights to privacy as an ultra vires act. Read more »