Int’l Dragon Boat race slated at Lago del Rey

By GBClaveria

PILI, Camarines Sur – The dust has barely settled in the wake of the grand international marathon held at the Camarines Sur Watersports Complex here last week, now comes another international sports event, the CamSur International Dragon Boat Fest 2010.

Set at the same venue, the  dragon boat race  will be another sports spectacle on Oct. 15 to 17 at the 16-hectare man-made Lago del Rey that is expected to draw the participation of elite teams from the Philippines and abroad.

This competition is part of a long-term repertoire of extreme sports and international competitions lined up by the provincial government to further promote its tourism program, which is largely based on eco-and sports tourism.

The regatta will be conducted under Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) competition and will be run for straight 250-meter and 400-meter courses for Men, Mixed and Women categories for a total prize purse of US$18,750.

Twenty-one teams have signed up for Men Open, 12 in the Women Open and 20 in the Mixed Open but more local and foreign teams have been invited and have provisionally registered for confirmation during on-site registration on Oct. 15.

The event is actually the second and largest regatta to be held at the CWC, the first being the 1st National CamSur Dragon Boat Festival staged May 8 to 10 last year,  where the CamSur’s Dragon Boat Team organized and fielded by Governor Villafuerte took the championship in Men and Mixed and second place in the Women in both the 250 and 50 meters.

Fresh from a victorious virtual sweep of the second and third legs of PDBF championships held in Manila Bay on Sept. 26, the CamSur Dragon Boat team cornered all the first places except for a second place finish of the Men team in the third leg.

Now a seasoned team after numerous national skirmishes and several outings abroad, the homegrown team of paddlers is confident of pulling off a magnificent finish, if not on top of the heap, competing in its own turf during the forthcoming contest.

Oct. 15 will be on-site registration, Oct. 16 elimination races in all categories and Oct. 17 will be  the finals races.  

Bicolanos help in coastal clean up

COASTAL CLEAN UP - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Legazpi Central led volunteers in cleaning the coastlines of the Albay Gulf as Department of Environment and Natural Resources in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Legazpi Central as part of the 25th International Coastal Clean Up Day.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through its Coastal and Marine Management Division and Environmental Management Bureau said that  as of press time, an estimated 1,300 kilograms of trash were hauled out from the beaches and waterways of Legazpi City alone.

Moreover, workers at the Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project (RRPP) and mining stakeholders picked up a total of some 3,700 kilos of garbage in two separate cleanup drives in Barangay Pagcolbon here in line with the celebration of International Coastal Cleanup Day.

DENR-CMMD/EMB and the Rotary Club of Legazpi Central spearheaded the ICC Day last Saturday in the Albay Gulf. Alongside the cleaning up of beaches and waterways, the Bicol Scuba Divers Foundation Inc. cleared identified coral reefs off the shores of Albay Gulf.

Last year, 13,000 kilograms of trash were cleared by 2,000 volunteers in Bicol region. According to the 2010 Annual Marine Debris Report by the Ocean Conservancy, the lead organization for the ICC, the Philippines ranked 2^nd next only to the United States, likewise, was able to mobilize in 2009 a total of 74,493 volunteers who collected from a cleanup area of 2,427 kilometers a total of more than 327,000 kilograms of debris. Of these, there were 24,751 pieces of plastic bags.

Information on the number of volunteers and type and number of waste gathered are indicated on data cards, which are filled in on-site and later summarized and reported to Ocean Conservancy. These cards show that most of the debris or pieces of trash polluting our waterways and oceans are from everyday human consumption and activities, such as cigarette butts, food wrappers, cans, bottles, and plastic bags.

ICC Day is organized by Ocean Conservancy as a global effort to remove trash and debris from beaches and waterways, and aims to change human behaviors that allow them to reach the ocean in the first place. To date the ICC is acknowledged as the world’s largest one-day volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment.

In the Philippines, the observance is in consonance with Proclamation No. 470 dated Sept. 15, 2003, which declared every third Saturday of September each year as the International Coastal Cleanup Day, consistent with Presidential Proclamation No. 244 declaring September as National Cleanup Month.

This year’s observance is focused on the theme: “Trash Travels – From our Hands to the Sea, round the Globe, and Through Time”, complemented with the national theme “Basurang Pinabayaan, Problema Hanggang Ibang Bayan”.

Economic Progress

Opinions Unlimited

by Atty. Tony(APA) Acyatan (Atty. APA – chairman of Acyatan & Co., CPAs-DFK International is president of PICPA in 1990 and ASEAN Federation of CPAs (1998-2000) and Accountancy Hall-of-Famer (2006).

HORIZON:  Things are looking great for our Philippine economy.  Inflation has been reined in and under control, the local currency is getting stronger especially against the dollar, our gross international reserves are on our highest level, and unemployment has gone down.  Moreover, the stock exchange is on a bull run – as direct foreign investments are coming in, complemented  by consistently increasing inflows of OFW remittances.

Let us pray that the trust and confidence of the people, both from abroad and on the domestic front – on the new Administration – will hold longer.  Those who are opposed to the new government will please hold their criticisms so that the positive strides will not get derailed. Now is the time for all our citizens to get united – forget individual selfish motives and work with one common cadence so we may achieve progress.

ABATEMENT:  The BIR has issued a new regulation, providing for policies and guidelines for the abatement of surcharges and/or compromise penalties in relation to the filing of tax returns and payment of taxes under certain conditions (RR No. 9-2010).  This issuance is a good opportunity for delinquent taxpayers to upgrade their regulatory compliance and come up with a good clean tax record.

The deadline to file the application for abatement is up to October 29, 2010 only.  Old property transfer documents like outdated deeds of sale – and more importantly, extrajudicial settlement of estates of long-deceased patriarchs or matriarchs.  If you have transactions qualified for abatement under this BIR regulation, better consult your lawyer or accountant so you can avail of the exemption from the 25% one-time surcharge (but not basic tax assessments and the 20% per annum interest).

PHIL. PESO:  No less than the London-based investment bank Barclays Capital has predicted that the dollar exchange rate will appreciate to P42.50 up to the end of the year.  For Year 2011 – it will escalate to P41.00 (or even P40.00) against the greenbacks.  The positive forecast is based on our strong macroeconomic fundamentals – and again, on  the inflows of OFW continuing remittances.  As a result our gross international reserves continue to grow and are on target to reach US$50 billion!

Of course, as we have written earlier – the upsurge in exchange rate of the local currency does not bode well for our exporters (of products and services, including BPOs) and OFW beneficiaries.  In contrast, Filipinos may opt to travel more – and import foreign goods – more so now that the Yuletide season  is forthcoming.  The retail sales this Christmas season (like in the national elections) will activate economic fundamentals that will further upgrade our GDP and GNP.

REAL ESTATE:  Opinions Unlimited believe that now is the time for real estate development as well as construction to achieve higher norms.  Socialized and economic housing have lots of slacks to fill-up.  It will be advisable for VP Jojo Binay (housing czar) to gather as much funds to finance the housing needs of the poorest of the poor and up to the still homeless middle class.  Affordable interest rates of housing loans should be assured by government.

In the same vein, funding for small and medium enterprises must be made available for our old and new entrepreneurs.  There are many rural industries that can be energized through our barangay small and  medium enterprises (BMBEs).  Our national and local government units must assist these businesses by giving honor to the privileges legislated for them including exemptions from taxes and fees.

LESSONS:  The best portion of a good man’s life:  his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.

Philippines First, Aquino eating hotdog on the street & San Jose appointed MRT Operations Manager

FROM MY WINDOW

By NENITA FUENTEBELLA-PEŇONES

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino had been criticized by Senators Joker Arroyo, Migs Zubiri and even his ally Sen. Franklin Drilon for giving first to the Chinese government a copy of the report of the Incident Investigating Review Committee before reporting to the Filipino people. I share their statement because as President, he is first and foremost responsible to the Filipino people.

I watched President Aquino explain on TV that it was only to give courtesy to China as he tries to fix our relation with that country. His reasons cannot be more important than the Filipino people. But what is done is done. Let’s give P-Noy the chance to do what he intends to do. I hope he will get better advisers. Let’s also wait for President Aquino’s action on the IIRC report. He said, “My obligation is first with the people, not in friendship, not with relatives, and not with partymates” after the criticisms from media, senators, congressmen, etc.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When I saw on TV President Noynoy Aquino eating on the street of New York a hot dog sandwich together with some officials and security men that accompanied him eating too, the first thing that entered my mind was that it was unpresidential. He could have just ordered the hotdog sandwiches and they could have eaten in a private room or place. But when I saw him enjoying and recalling the past years when their family lived in New York and he talked about the hotdog and hamburgers he ate on the street, I said to myself, I should let him enjoy and be happy with it. Being the President should not deprive him of this small  joy. After all, he only spent $54.00 unlike former President Gloria M. Arroyo’s very expensive dinner in the same city.

When I am in Manila, I also look for the familiar restaurants where we used to eat during my student days and year after that.I look for the tasty Savory Chicken at Escolta, the famous Bibingka of Mang Ferino  but they are gone  except the Savory Chicken which is being resurrecting and is being published now. I also look for the Mami atr Siopao of Ma Mon Luk. I understand President Aquino and I’ll not find fault with his eating hotdog on the street. I think he was just being himself.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So, Renato San Jose, the administrator of the Partido Development Administration was appointed by the President to be the Operations Manager of the MRT in Metro Manila. He was a competent and successful PDA Administrator and I’m sure he will be the same at MRT.

It’s good that the Deputy Administrators for Administration and Finance Rosa Catolico and Recha Quin of the Planning Department are also competent and very knowledgeable. I believe that PDA will continue to function efficiently with PDA Chairman Wimpy Fuentebella. The staff of the PDA are competent, too. I look at Ato’s appointment to MRT as a recognition of another Bicolano’s ability by this administration. San Jose is a CESO I.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I am tempted to write again about the effects of climate change one year after typhoon Ondoy devastated Metro Manila because its effects are being felt nationwide. I also wonder if all concerned in the government and private sector have already a survival plan.

With climate change, “coastal flooding becomes more frequent and saltwater intrusion threatens water supply and food production.

Prolonged droughts threatens food sec urity and water availability.

More heavy rainfall causes destructive floods, landslides and contamination of water supplies.

Tropical storms get more intense with higher speeds and more rainfall.

Disease-carrying mosquitoes and tics move to new areas, malaria and dengue fever spread.”

This information comes from the Philippine National Red Cross.

From this column, it is suggested that local government units and everyone to have a survival plan before destruction and tragedies happen again.