United States’ Legal AttachΓ© builds strong law
enforcement relationship with PH authorities
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
MANILA, Mar. 28 (PIA) – The Office of the Legal
AttachΓ©, established at the United States Embassy in Manila in 1961, primarily
focuses on building strong law enforcement relationships with Philippine law
enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), National
Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Anti-Money Laundering Council, Anti-Terrorism
Council, and the Bureau of Immigration (BoI).
The current Legal AttachΓ© is an experienced
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agent and supported by two Assistant
Legal AttachΓ©s and two professional office assistants. All Legal AttachΓ©
employees are employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI.
This strong relationship enable Philippine law
enforcement and the FBI to work together and share law enforcement information
and evidence to effectively combat transnational criminal organizations, terrorist
organizations, fugitives, violent criminals and cyber criminals.
The FBI also sponsors various trainings and
initiatives in the Philippines in addition to its joint investigations with the
law enforcement here.
As part of the larger Philippines Anti-Human
Trafficking initiative, the FBI works closely with the Philippine’s law
enforcement to build a case and arrest the American and refer the victim to the
appropriate agency or non-government organization to receive victim services.
The FBI also called it as Sex Tourism initiative.
Extra-Judicial Killing Training is another
initiative of the FBI for the law enforcement here. The FBI provides extensive
training with the Philippine Department of Justice, the NBI and the PNP
particularly in the provinces, regarding proper techniques to investigate
thoroughly any and all extra-judicial killings.
Also, the FBI has three temporary duty agents to
work closely with the PNP and NBI to address international terrorism concerns
here in the country. This includes working with the PNP/NBI bomb technicians on
how to handle bomb evidence for court as well as intelligence purposes. It also
included several Philippine agencies to investigate the finances of terror
organizations and money laundering networks.
Meanwhile, the FBI just concluded the Combined
DNA Index System (CODIS) initiative with the PNP in which the FBI donated the
CODIS software to PNP and provided training to PNP’s Crime Laboratory Division
on how to use the software to improve DNA matching capabilities.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
U.S. Dept of State provides programs on Cultural
& Educational Exchanges
By: Jennifer P. Gaitano
MANILA, Mar. 28 (PIA) – The United States’
(U.S.) Department of State in Manila is continuously providing cultural and
educational programs for Filipino people in the different sectors.
The International Visitor Leadership Program
(IVLP), Philippine Youth Leadership Program (PYLP), Southeast Asian Leadership
Program (SEAYLP), Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Program, and Voluntary
Visitors Program (VOLVIS) are the ongoing programs of the U.S. Embassy here for
committed Filipino people who wanted to learn and willing to implement what
they have learned through service projects in their communities upon their
return in the country.
The IVLP, launched in 1940 is the U.S.
Department of State’s premier professional exchange program that seeks to build
mutual understanding between the U.S. and other nations through carefully
designed short-term visits to U.S. for current and emerging foreign leaders.
These visits reflect the International Visitors’ professional interests and
support the foreign policy goals of the United States.
An average of 20 individuals from the
Philippines participate in the IVLP program each year. They represent various
sectors including media, academe, government, non-government organizations,
faith groups, and businesses.
With the PYLP, since its creation in 2004, sends
groups of young people (age 15-18) and young adult mentors from Mindanao to
Northern Illinois University for a five-week intensive leadership training
program. Participants take involvement in the sessions on interfaith dialogue,
conflict resolution, and volunteerism. To date, there are already more than 200
PYLP alumni.
Also, the SEAYLP is a State Department-funded
exchange that brings approximately 50 high school students and educators from
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states to the United
States for an intensive, month-long program in leadership, civic
responsibility, volunteerism, and respect for diversity.
Participants of the SEAYLP are teenagers, aged
15-17, and adult chaperones from up to ten countries in Southeast Asia who
represent the ethnic, religious, and geographic diversity of their populations.
The chaperones are teachers or community leaders who work with youth.
Approximately six Filipinos participate on this program every year.
The YES Program, under the Kennedy-Lugar (K-L)
Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, provides scholarships for students aged
15-17 to spend one academic year attending high school in the United States.
K-L students have the opportunity to experience the life of an American high
school student – they live with a host family, attend a U.S. high school, and
participate in civic activities common to American high school students.
Meanwhile, the VOLVIS program provides up to 10
days of expanded professional meetings and exchanges for Filipinos who are
travelling to the U.S. on their own accord. It is designed to enhance mutual
understanding and provide individuals the opportunity to meet and confer with
professional counterparts in the U.S.
The U.S. Embassy in Manila is willing to accept
applicants from any of the abovementioned programs they provide/offer to the
Filipinos. Interested applicants can also visit the embassy’s website and apply
online. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
601 pupils complete drug resistance training
program
By Tessiel R. Moleta
SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) – A total of 601
pupils from Surigao West Central Elementary School (SWECES) in Barangay San
Juan received their certificate of completion for successfully completed the
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program of the Surigao City Police
Station (SCPS) during the culmination program held recently at the SWECES
ground, this city.
"The program was aimed to educate the
pupils of the harmful effect of drugs, tobacco and alcohol so that they do not
get hooked to this vices and other forms of illegal drugs," PCI Rudy L.
Elandag, SCPS chief said.
Eladag said the DARE program of the Philippine
National Police was adopted from a similar endeavour by the Los Angeles Police
(LAPD) of California, USA.
“DARE program was conducted by DARE special team
from the Philippine National Police and PDEA from January 13 to March 21 this
year to educate the grade 5 and 6 pupils of SWECES the harmful effect of drugs,
tobacco and alcohol," Elandag said.
Elandag led the distribution of certificate
together with SWECES School Principal Gregoria Cabajes, City Schools District
Supervisor Marian C. Pepito, Program I Education Specialist Luzviminda Edillor,
and Philippine Councilors League-Secretary General for Mindanao Marie Jane
Comandante. (SDR/PCR Officer/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Farmers, fisherfolks to get full subsidies for
SSS contributions from DA
MANILA, Mar. 28 (PIA) - In its continuing
campaign to extend social protection to informal sector workers, the Social
Security System (SSS) has formalized a key partnership with the Department of
Agriculture (DA) for the latter to fully subsidize farmers' monthly SSS
contributions as self-employed members.
The agreement is expected to benefit up to
200,000 agricultural workers nationwide who may qualify for the subsidy as members
of Rural Based Organizations (RBOs) or Community Extension Workers (CEWs) in
good standing, with 100 farmers already selected as the first batch of
beneficiaries.
Despite their invaluable role in our nation's
food security, farmers often struggle with seasonal incomes and their
livelihood's vulnerability against typhoons, floods and other whims of nature.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio
de Quiros, Jr. and Agricultural Secretary Proseso Alcala signed the agreement
during ceremonies at the DA Main Office in Diliman, Quezon City on March 14,
with SSS Senior Vice President Judy Frances See and DA-Agricultural Training
Institute (ATI) Director Asterio Saliot in attendance as witnesses.
Apart from farmers, fisherfolk will also be
added to the list of beneficiaries for the subsidized SSS contributions. At
present, over 450,000 farmers and fisherfolk are covered by SSS as
self-employed members.
The DA-ATI, with RBOs and CEWs as its partners,
implements extension and training activities to promote state-initiated food
sufficiency programs and other priority thrusts of the DA. The subsidy for SSS
contributions forms part of DA-ATI's compensation for the qualified members of
RBOs and designated CEWs. Included in the list of RBOs are Rural Improvement
Clubs (RIC); the youth-based 4H Clubs; Pambansang Mananalon, Mag-uuma,
Magbabaul, Magsasaka (P4MP); Magsasaka Siyentista (MS); and Indigenous People
(IP).
The subsidies will be based on P3,000 monthly
salary credit, which is equivalent to a contribution of P330 per month. DA-ATI
Regional Offices will remit the contributions to SSS quarterly via bank
deposits as well as submit a regular payment list showing the beneficiaries of
the monthly subsidies.
The chosen beneficiaries have the option to
increase their monthly contribution, on top of the subisidized amount, to
become entitled to higher SSS benefits and loans in the future.
Many farmers and fisherfolk lack social security
coverage and face difficulties in remitting regular contributions. This is
something that SSS aims to address through initiatives such as its new
partnership with DA. (SSS/PIA-Caraga)
PCA Surigao Sur sends 54 chainsaw operators to
Region 8
By Greg Tataro Jr.
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Mar. 28 (PIA) – The Philippine
Coconut Authority (PCA) in Surigao del Sur has sent early this week to Eastern
Visayas Region 54 highly skilled men who have the know-how in handling chainsaw
operation.
According to PCA Provincial Manager George
Rasonabe this move is in response to the memorandum issued on March 16 by PCA
Administrator Euclides Forbes to the agency’s Regional Managers/Officer-In-Charge
with the urgent to recruit individual chainsaw operators.
It was learned that said workers will have to
join the pool of local manpower experts in the area to do the job of cutting
and semi-processing felled and totally damaged coconut trees in Leyte and Samar
Islands.
A staggering total of 13 million coconut trees
was estimated to have been damaged by super Typhoon Yolanda, thus its immediate
cutting and disposal before the onset of rainy season, the PCA said.
Rasoabe told Radyo ng Bayan that accordingly,
recruits will have to get paid on a cutting per tree basis at P70 on felled
ones or P80 per tree on the yet left standing but beyond economic recovery by
following some prescribed specifications.
Meanwhile, he added that another batch of
recruits from the province is on call anytime and ready for deployment if
needed. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Tagalog News: Ang kasunduang pangkapayapaan sa
Mindanao ay maaring maging modelo para sa iba, sabi ni Prime Minister Najib
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Marso 28, 2014 (PIA) - Sinabi ni
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak na ang nilagdaang Comprehensive
Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) ay maaring maging modelo sa iba pa na gustong
tapusin ang hidwaan sa mapayapang paraan.
Sa kanyang mensahe noong nagkaroon ng seremonya
sa Malakanyang pagkatapos ng lagdaan ng CAB, sinabi ni Prime Minister na ang
magandang Palasyo kung saan itinakda ang lagdaan ay tamang tama na ang40 taon
na hidwaan ay natapos naat sinimulan ang bagong panahon na gagabay patungo sa
kaunlaran at hustisya sa Bangsamoro.
“At kung ano man ang iyong ninanais na hindi
makukuha pa pamamagitan ng dahas, at hidwaan, maaring makuhasa mapayapa at sa
pinagkaisang gawain,” sabi ni Prime Minister Najib.
“At ito ang pinaka makahulugan na hudyat para sa
iba pati na sa iba pang parte ng mundo. Nakikita natin na maraming hidwaan
araw-araw na halos wala nang katapusan at gusto ng mga tao na kunin lahat ng
kailangan nila. Ayaw nilang magkaroon ng kompromiso. Ayaw nilang magkaroon ng
mga sulusyon.”
Ang pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at ang MILF ay
pinakita sa iba ang paraan na ang kapayapaan ay makamit sa pamamagitan ng
unawaan at iabot ang kamay bilang pakipagkaibigan at ilahad ang tiwala at
kompyansa.
Pero ang paglalahad ng tiwala at kompyansa ay
hindi magagawa ng magdamagan, sabi niya, pinuna na dapat ang lahat ng panig ay
kailangang magkaroon ng tiyaga para sila ay mabuo.
Sinabi rin ng Pinuno na Malaysian na ang kanyang
bansa ay nagagalak na naging parte ng paglalakbay ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at
ng Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) pagkatapos na ito ay naging instrumento
sa pagtutulay ng guwang sa magkabilang panig.
Pinuri rin ni Prime Minister Najib si Pangulong
Aquino sa kanyang personal na pagiging pinuno na siyang naging gabay sa lagdaan
ng kasunduang pangkapayapaan. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Cebuano News: Pagpalong sa suga tabang sa
Climate Change – Sec. Paje
Ni Richell P. Bongato
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) - Si Environment
Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje nag-awhag aron sa pag-uban sa kalibutanhong kalihukan
sa “Earth Hour” pamaagi sa pagpalung sa suga aron pagsuporta sa kampanya batok Climate
Change, nga kini ang posibleng hinungdan sa nahitabong bagyong Yolanda.
Matud pa ni Paje nga ang naaguman sa Bagyong Yolanda ang nagtuklod sa
matag Pilipino isip pahimangno nga mo apil sa obserbasyon sa Earth Hour sa
Marso 29, gikan sa 8:30 to 9:30 sa gabii.
“Ang dala nga kadaot sa Super typhoon Yolanda
ang nahimong dalan nga kita dapat magseryoso kun hisgutan ang Climate Change ug
angayan lamang nga suportahan nato kining Earth Hour “ ug usab kuyog ta sa pag-celebral
niini,” Sigon ni Paje.
“Ang usa ka oras nga pagpalong dakong tabang sa
Climate Change,” dugang ni Paje.
Nag-sugod ang Pilipinas sa pag-apil niini
kani-adtong tuig 2009, nga ubay-ubay kasagari ang mo-apil tibbok rehiyon sa
nasud. Ug kani kita ang nakadawat sa “Earth Hour Hero Country” tibook
kalibutan.
Karung tuiga, ang nasud ang napili isip benipisyaryo sa unang “Earth Hour
Blue," usa kini ka internasyonal
nga crowdfunding and crowdsourcing nga gihimong inisyatibo sa World Wildlife Fund
for Nature o WWF aron sa paghatag og mga baroto sa mga biktima sa Yolanda.
Ubos niini nga proyekto, mao ang paghatag usab
sa mga gamit sa pagtukod sa mga balay ug paghatag pud og mga baroto ngadto sa
mga biktima sa Yolanda. Ang pag-gama sa mga
60 ka-baroto gilauman mahuman sa tunga-tunga sa Abril.
Si Paje usab nagsulti nga kining proyekto sa
pag-gamit sa teknolohiya earth-friendy kini aron maubsan ang pag-gamit sa kahoy
sa atong kalasangan.
“Ug usab ang proyekto mo awhag sa katawhan aron
sa pagpangisda sa ginagmay pero tarung nga panginabuhian ilabina ngadto nga
nag-puyu dool sa kadagatan,” siya midugang.
Kining Earth Hour nagsugod sa Sydney, Australia
tuig 2007 dihang adunay 2.2 million residente ang ni-apil sa pagpalong sa suga
sa lain-laing balay ug opisina. Kini ang sinugdanan nga daghan na ang ni-apil
sa maong tinuig nga kalihukan tibook kalibutan aron sa pag-protektar sa atong
kinaiyahan. (DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: Malaysian PM Najib nagpasalamat sa
Pilipinas alang sa suporta sa nagpadayon nga pagpangita sa flight MH370
Ni Nida Grace P. Barcena
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Marso 28 (PIA) –Si Malaysian
Prime Minister Dato 'Sri Mohd Najib Bin tun Abdul Razak niadtong Huwebes
nagpasalamat sa Pilipinas alang sa pagtabang niini sa padayon nga paningkamot
sa pagpangita alang sa nawala nga Malaysia Airlines MH370 nga nagdala sa 239 ka
mga tawo.
Si Malaysian Prime Minister Dato 'Sri Mohd Najib
Bin tun Abdul Razak gidapit ni Presidente Benigno S. Aquino III aron sa
pagsaksi sa pagpirmahanay sa Comprehensive Agreement sa Bangsamoro nga gihimo
didto sa Malakanyang Palace grounds.
Ang Malaysia diin nagpasilitar sa negosasyon sa
kalinaw tali sa gobyerno sa Pilipinas ug sa Moro Islamic Liberation Front sukad
niadtong 2001.
Si Prime Minister Najib miingon nga ang Malaysia
mapasalamaton sa suporta sa iyang mga silingang mga nasud, lakip ang Pilipinas,
sa pagpangita alang sa nawala nga Flight MH370.
"Ang atong pagtuo sa kooperasyon tabok sa
utlanan gipalig-on sa trahedya," ang Malaysia premier miingon atol sa
iyahang pakigpulong sa seremonya sa pagpirma sa Comprehensive Agreement sa
Bangsamoro niadtong Huwebes.
"Ang pagkawala sa 239 ka tawo nga misakay
sa Flight MH370 nakadestrosar. Ang Malaysia mapasalamaton sa suporta sa atong
mga higala ug mga silingan, lakip na sa Pilipinas, sa padayon nga paningkamot
sa pagpangita. Sa malisud nga panahon, kami mihugot ug kalig-on gikan sa
maloloy-on nga tubag sa atong mga kauban nga mga nasud," (“The loss of 239
people on board Flight MH370 has been devastating. Malaysia is grateful for the
support of our friends and neighbors, including the Philippines, in the
continuing search effort. At this difficult time, we draw strength from the
compassionate response of our fellow nations,”) dugang pa niya.
Una nang gikompirma sa Prime Minister nga ang
nawala nga Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, nagdala ug 227 ka mga pasahero ug 12
ka mga crew, "natapos sa habagatang bahin sa Indian Ocean." Ang
Flight MH370, mipaingon sa Beijing, ug gikatahong nawala niadtong petsa 8 sa
Marso. (NGBT/PND/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
