Tag: governance

Tumang: BFSK is already compliant with JMC Number 1

Tumang: BFSK is already compliant with JMC Number 1

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Even as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued an order to all Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) units nationwide to use their respective budgets by following the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) of January 2019 designated as JMC Number 1 (issued by the Department of Budget and Management, the National Youth Commission and the DILG itself), Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairperson Mariel Angela Tumang confirmed to me today that their SK achieved compliance before the DILG’s September 17 order was published.

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Barangay BF Homes chairperson Mariel Tumang.

“We have complied with all the requirements needed. These include the opening of bank account, doing the fidelity bonding, making the three-year plan, the annual investment plan, and the annual budget for 2019,” BFSK chairperson Tumang said. “We now have our independence using the SK funds. Already we have started disbursing the SK budget since this past August.”

The BFSK head added that, right now, they are waiting for the mandatory training that the DILG and the NYC are supposed to organize. The training is designed to provide guidance to all SK units about utilizing the SK funds properly and in accordance to existing laws.

This latest development is not the first time that the BFSK’s compliance has been acknowledged. Recently the SK Federation of Parañaque City acknowledged the BFSK for the said achievement.

As Tumang told me previously, more projects and activities will be organized by the BFSK in the near future now that they have achieve independence from the barangay and now have access to the SK funds.

Speaking of activities in Barangay BF Homes in Parañaque City, there will be a seminar on pregnancy and HIV/AIDS on September 28 and the 3rd quarter Waste-for-Rice activity on September 29. Tumang announced these on September 14.

The technical stuff

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In the order of the DILG, it was stated that JMC Number 1 (Series of 2019) provides guidelines on the appropriation, release, planning and budgeting process for the SK funds.

Jonathan E. Malaya, who serves as the Undersecretary and Spokesperson of the DILG, stated that pending the issuance of the Commission on Audit (COA)’s guidelines on SK financial transactions, the SK may start using their budgets “provided they comply with the requirements of the DBM-DILG-NYC Joint Memorandum Circular.”

“The development agenda for the youth sector cannot be further delayed. SK officials in every locality should now get the ball rolling so that they can already carry out projects that are meant to promote the interests and welfare of the youth,” Malaya said.

The spokesperson added that there is no need to wait for the COA guidelines because the commission has given the SK the green light to use their funds in accordance to JMC Number 1 which in itself details the procedures on how they can disburse their respective budgets.

In order for SK funds to be disbursed, a current bank account under the name of the SK must be opened (by the SK chairperson specifically) in a government-owned bank, apply for fidelity bonding (with the SK chairperson and the SK treasurer as the accountable officials), and a 3-year rolling plan called the Comprehensive Barangay Youth Development Plan (CBYDP) must be formulated.

Beyond these, SK officials are required to undergo training programs conducted by the DILG, NYC, and the authorized training providers in accordance with DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2018-48, as well as continuing training programs on the Government Procurement Reform Act, Manual on Financial Transactions of the SK, the proper utilization of SK fund, the accounting and auditing rules and regulations and any other relevant trainings which will help them carry out their functions effectively and efficiently.

When it comes to the funding, 10% of the general fund of barangays shall be set aside for the Sangguniang Kabataan which shall be appropriated in lump sum and distributed solely for youth development and empowerment purposes in accordance to the SK Reform Act.

The law further states that the SK shall have financial independence in its operations, disbursements and encashment of their fund, income and expenditures.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Barangay BF Homes Captain and SK Chair React to Senator Go’s Move

Barangay BF Homes Captain and SK Chair React to Senator Go’s Move

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On the floor of the Philippine Senate, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go presented his proposal to make barangay officials regular government employees which drew reactions from two key officials of Barangay BF Homes in Parañaque City today.

Specifically, Senator Go presented Senate Bill Number 391 (SB 391) otherwise titled the Magna Carta for Barangays. He stated that there is a lack of regular salaries for barangay officials who have a lot of duties and responsibilities in their respective communities. This prompted him to make better compensation and benefits a reality for them.

If SB 391 ever gets approved, the head of the barangay (captain/chairperson), the barangay kagawads (the barangay council), the Sangguniang Kabataan head (SK chairperson), the barangay secretary and the barangay treasurer will be entitled to salaries, emoluments, allowances (example: transportation allowance), the 13th month pay and other benefits.

Reactions in Barangay BF Homes

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My exclusive July 14, 2019 file photo of Barangay BF Homes captain Paolo Marquez (center) with the SK Kagawads, SK officials and SK chairperson Mariel Tumang (4th from left).

Upon hearing the news, I reached out to Barangay BF Homes chairman Paolo Marquez and Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) chairperson Mariel Tumang for their respective reactions towards the proposal by Senator Go.

“It’s a relief to us in terms of benefits,” Barangay BF Homes captain Marquez said to me. “However, they first must look into amending the local government code in general since some important provisions are quite outdated already in terms of barangay administration and governance in general.”

For BFSK chairperson Mariel Tumang, Go’s move was good news not only for her but for many others in the barangay. Whether SB 391 will pass or not, she confirmed to me that she and the SK kagawads will focus on organizing and accomplishing projects and activities not only this year but also next year. Public service fulfillment is the priority for Tumang and the BFSK. In recent times, the BFSK organized the local Linggo ng Kabataan event as well as a seminar.

Going back to the Philippine Senate, SB 391 outlines the basic priorities in each barangay that include regular supply of clean/potable water, public transportation availability, barangay halls, etc.

If anything comes up regarding this development, it will be posted here.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

 

 

DILG: No local government unit fully compliant with road clearing operations yet.

DILG: No local government unit fully compliant with road clearing operations yet.

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In response to a certain city government’s claim that it has joined other cities on being 100% compliant with the national government order to clear roads of obstructions, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) stated on September 13 that no local government unit (LGU) yet has been declared as fully compliant.

“We have not made any determination on which LGUs are fully compliant because the assessment of all LGUs will come after the 60-day deadline which will be on September 29, 2019,” DILG spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a statement.

Malaya made the clarification in response to the claim made by the City Government of Makati that it has joined the cities of Marikina, Malabon, Navotas, Pasay, San Juan, Valenzuela and the municipality of Pateros, which earlier reports said are 100-percent compliant with the campaign to clear roads of obstructions, ahead of the 60-day deadline imposed by the DILG.

Citing the department’s Memorandum Circular No. 121-2019, Undersecretary Malaya said full compliance with the order is not based on road clearing operations alone.

Malaya specified that in order for an LGU to be declared as fully compliant, it should enact or revisit ordinances that are related to road clearing, the banning of illegal construction, preparing an inventory of roads within their jurisdiction, implementing displacement strategies and the like.

He added that compliance reports on the matter submitted by LGUs to the DILG regional offices and its Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) are still subject to validation.

Speaking of validation with regards to South Metro Manila, the City Government of Las Piñas claimed on its September 13, 2019 Facebook page post that the DILG “has validated the 100% completion of the clearing operations weeks ahead of the scheduled deadline on September 29,” in relation to DILG Undersecretary RJ Echiverri’s very recent visit and inspection of the result of the local clearing operation which involved the presence of Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar and other city officials.

Excerpt from the City Government of Las Piñas Facebook page post:

The ocular inspection validated the report of Mayor Mel Aguilar and the city government’s Task Force Kaayusan. DILG has validated the 100% completion of the clearing operations weeks ahead of the scheduled deadline on September 29.

Undersecretary Echiverri gave positive comments about the result of the clearing operations in Las Piñas.

Now if only the DILG itself will react to the Facebook claim of the City Government of Las Piñas.

If anything comes up, it will be posted here.

 

 

 

 

 

Las Piñas City Clearing Operation Validated by DILG

Las Piñas City Clearing Operation Validated by DILG

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Previously the City Government of Las Piñas announced that it successfully conducted operations that cleared streets and sidewalks of debris and illegal structures way ahead of the late September deadline.

Today the City Government announced that Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary RJ Echiverri visited the city, met officials (led by Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar), inspected the primary and secondary roads where the clearing operations were done. He was accompanied by the Mayor and some other local officials.

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Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar explains something to DILG Undersecretary Echiverri. (photo credit: City Government of Las Piñas)

According to the City Government, Undersecretary Echiverri gave positive comments about the result of the clearing operation done locally by Task Force Kaayusan and that the DILG validated it.

Part of the team that accompanied Mayor Aguilar, Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery (daughter of the mayor), and Undersecretary Echiverri during the inspection were Ms. Mary Anne Planas, Mr. Walsur Espinosa, Engr. Rose Bantog, Mr. Jose Gonzales, Dr. August Basangan, Engr. Cezar Perillo, Mr. Wifredo Gaerlan, Mr. Reynaldo Balagulan, Atty. Glenda Lucena and former city councilors Mark Santos and Henry Medina.

Anyone among you readers from Las Piñas City? Were you able to see the above officials inspecting the cleared areas of the city?

Please feel free to reply in the comments section below.

 

 

 

Las Piñas City Completes Clearing Operation Ahead of Deadline

Las Piñas City Completes Clearing Operation Ahead of Deadline

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Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar (left) supervises the voluntary demotion of Police Community Precinct (PCP) 6 in Barangay Talon IV during the clearing operation to rid the sidewalks of obstruction. With Mayor Aguilar is City Engineer Rosabella A. Bantog (center), who was instructed to look for an area to relocate the station. Mayor Aguilar reported 100% completion of the clearing operation before the September 29 deadline. Also in photo were: Mark Anthony Santos, city chief of staff and City administrator Rey Balagulan. (photo issued by Las Piñas Media Team)

The City Government of Las Piñas announced on September 4 that it has accomplished 100% completion of road clearing operations well ahead of the September 29 deadline that was set for all local government units which received orders to clear the roads and sidewalks of obstructions.

Mayor Imelda T. Aguilar has directed the city’s Task Force Kaayusan and officials in the city’s twenty barangays to continue monitoring the cleared and demolished areas, even after the deadline at the end of September, to ensure that no new obstructions or illegal structures would block the roadways and pedestrian lanes

“We have finished clearing the major roads of any obstruction including illegally parked vehicles and vendors, even during the first month operation, although we did not immediately announced it since we have been doing this before the President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive,” Mayor Aguilar said.

The mayor personally supervised the voluntary demolition of Police Community Precinct (PCP) in Barangay Talon IV which was partly occupying the sidewalk during the initial week of the clearing operation.

Several service utilities have also been warned and directed to hasten all their excavation works which contribute to sidewalk obstruction.

Mayor Aguilar added that the city’s clearing operation was a continuing campaign in line with the effort of the city to address the traffic gridlock along Alabang-Zapote Road which is the only main thoroughfare of Las Piñas.  

“We have also written several homeowners in private villages and subdivisions along the Friendship Route, the city’s alternate route, to voluntarily remove illegally parked vehicles and plant boxes along the sidewalks so pedestrians can use them,” she added.

Previously, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued an order to local government units to clear roads of obstruction. On August 1, Mayor Aguilar met with the heads of the barangays and warned them of extreme consequence if they fail to clear their respective areas of obstruction and illegal structures.

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Source – Las Piñas Media Team

Muntinlupa Mayor Shares City Government’s Best Practices in National Nutrition Council’s Forum

Muntinlupa Mayor Shares City Government’s Best Practices in National Nutrition Council’s Forum

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The City Government of Muntinlupa announced yesterday that its achievements on nutrition as well as interventions serve as a benchmark in combatting malnutrition for other local government units in the country.

During the National Nutrition Council’s (NNC) LGU Mobilization Forum held at Asian Institute of Management Conference Center, Makati City on August 23, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi shared the City Government’s best practices and also underscored the importance of good governance.

Fresnedi said upon learning the survey on malnutrition among local government units (LGUs) in NCR last 2014, the City Government revived the City Nutrition Committee and expanded its membership, including coordination with different stakeholders such as DEPED to have a collaborative effort.

“The NNC report served as a wake-up call to all of us leaders in the City. We saw the urgency to address this issue and immediately launched inter-sectoral interventions,” the mayor noted.

The Muntinlupa City Nutrition Committee conducted site visits in communities and ensured services were received by target beneficiaries. Cooking video demonstrations of healthy meals and infomercials were posted in various social media platforms while feature articles on nutrition interventions and promotion of proper nutrition were also published in community newsletter Lingkod Bayan.

The City Government also intensified NNC’s National Nutrition Promotion for Behaviour Change to instill right values on nutrition care among parents, pregnant and lactating women, children as well as adolescents through Pabasa sa Nutrisyon and the conduct of community assembly dubbed as Pulong-pulong sa Usaping Tamang Nutrisyon at Kalusugan in different puroks.  Further, additional Nutritionists and Barangay Nutrition Scholars were hired to augment the city’s nutrition program.

Health, nutrition, and wellness are part of the local 9-Point-Agenda of Governance and 6-year Comprehensive Development Plan, including the Executive-Legislative Agenda to ensure sustainability of programs.

As a result of these initiatives, the prevalence of stunting was reduced from 8.0% in 2016 to 1.3% in 2019 while children suffering from wasting has gone down from 1.8% to 0.3%. In addition, the prevalence of underweight children was reduced from 1.7% in 2016 to 0.9% while overweight and obesity decreased among 0-59 month-old children from 2.8% to 0.6%.

Mayor Fresnedi expressed his thanks Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Federizo for their assistance in the conduct of trainings, forums, advocacies and the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation in Muntinlupa for the previous years. He encouraged all LGU representatives to champion healthy and active lifestyle in the communities and to work together towards achieving zero malnutrition rate in the localities.

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Muntinlupa City Government Takes Action To Curb Dengue Cases

Muntinlupa City Government Takes Action To Curb Dengue Cases

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Muntinlupa City Government Takes Action To Curb Dengue Cases

As published here previously, the Department of Health (DOH) declared a national epidemic of dengue due to an escalation of cases reported. The City Government of Las Piñas took action shortly after.

This time it is the City Government of Muntinlupa doing its part to curb dengue cases.  Through a press release issued today by their Public Information Office, it was announced that Mayor Jaime R. Fresnedi ordered the City Health Office to purchase P10 million worth of spraying materials for fogging activities and space spraying as measures to curb dengue cases in the city.

“The local government will intensify its campaign and strategies against dengue including the 4 o’clock habit which encourages the public to clean, search, and destroy possible mosquito breeding places,” Fresnedi said.

It was mentioned that the Muntinlupa CHO has been coordinating with the city’s nine barangays and public and private schools for the conduct of daily clean-up and information drives on how to prevent dengue.

City Health Officer Dra. Teresa Tuliao advised parents to send their children to local health centers upon manifestation of symptoms such as high fever for three or more consecutive days, severe headache, rashes, and among others.

Residents were urged by the City Government to keep their houses and surroundings clean to lower the risk of dengue. The public was reminded to regularly clean and monitor containers than can hold unnecessary stagnant water which may become breeding sites of mosquitoes such as bottle cap, dish dryer, plant axil, gutter, trash can, and old rubber tires.

Nowhere in the press release was papaya leaf juice mentioned as an option to help dengue fever patients increase their blood platelets.

As of August 3, 2019, DOH recorded 11,247 dengue cases in NCR with 45 deaths. In Muntinlupa, the number of dengue cases peaked at 315 from 185 cases in 2018.

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Time to Help Dengue Sufferers Using Papaya Leaf Juice

Time to Help Dengue Sufferers Using Papaya Leaf Juice

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Papaya leaf juice. (photo credit: DailyHunt.in)

On August 6, Department of Health (DOH) secretary Francisco Duque II declared a National Dengue Epidemic in relation to the 146,062 cases recorded (January to July 20) this year here in the Philippines.

Duque revealed that the reported cases are almost 100% higher than compared to the same period in 2018. The total number of deaths recorded this year is now at 622.

The declaration was the result of a full council meeting at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) that took place at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

In South Metro Manila, the City Government of Las Piñas responded to the declaration by informing their constituents to be prepared and vigilant of dengue. Mayor Imelda Aguilar and her daughter Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery called on all city residents to be careful and strive to clean up their homes and spots of their local areas. The City Government confirmed that all health centers around the city have dengue testing kits and the testing itself will be done for free.

Now that a national dengue crisis has been confirmed, now is the time for people living and working here in the Philippines to find not only the most effective methods to protect themselves from the disease but also to help cure the people already suffering from it.

To put things in perspective, the term dengue refers to both the virus and the fever. Dengue virus is a mosquito-borne, single positive-stranded RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae; genus Flavivirus.

Dengue fever is a harsh condition that includes symptoms of high fever, vomiting, pains on the muscle and joints, headache, pain behind the eyes, fatigue and skin rash. The time it takes for a sufferer to recover from it is two to seven days. However, there have been a small number of cases in which dengue fever becomes severe (referred to as dengue hemorrhagic fever). The symptoms for severe dengue include low blood platelets, bleeding and blood plasma leakage. There is also dengue shock syndrome which includes low blood pressure.

How to cure dengue? A scientist I met in Makati City told me it was papaya leaf juice.

For the newcomers reading this, the use of papaya leaf juice in treating dengue is not new. Rather it has been used for a long time in some areas of India and Southeast Asia. As dengue continues to spread and affect new victims around the world, it is expected that papaya leaf juice will grow in terms of demand.

To put things perspective, let’s start with the health benefits that papaya leaves carry. The leaf of the papaya contains a large amount of enzymes that include papain and chymopapain. These aid digestion and prevent bloating as well as digestive disorders. When it comes to vitamins and minerals, papaya leaves are rich in vitamins A, C, E, K and B while the specific minerals are iron, sodium magnesium, calcium and magnesium. The papaya leaf juice also comes with a compound that help with blood clotting and restricting internal bleeding.

Dr. Sheela Krishnaswamy, a nutritionist based in Bangalore, stated that certain studies “have shown that papaya leaf juice contributes significantly in the production of platelets.”

According to Dr. Ashutosh Gautam, 30 ml of fresh papaya leaf juice helps in increasing the blood platelet count which is crucial in treating dengue.

While there are some people who remain skeptical about the effectiveness of papaya leaf juice on curing dengue, a move to turn the herbal remedy into a pill was reported in 2018 thanks to groundbreaking research by scientists at the University of Nottingham’s Malaysia Campus (UNMC).

A team of chemical engineers in the Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering Group at the university are working on extracting carpaine (a bioactive compound) for use in the form of a pill. Because dengue is a huge health problem as the Aedes mosquito population grows, Associate Professor Dr. Ching Lik Hii (who leads the research at UNMC) got inspired to come up with methods to make the herbal remedy easier to process and consume.

Even as there are skeptics about papaya leaf juice as a cure for dengue, the confirmed results so far showed signs of effectiveness on the blood platelet count which itself is an important indicator on the patient’s health status while suffering dengue fever. In addition, papaya leaves

For the meantime, it would be helpful to convince local authorities (especially those who work in health and in government) to at least take a look at research of papaya leaf juice as an option for curing dengue. It is also timely right now that we should examine our nation’s harvest of the papaya trees with stronger focus on growing the leaves.

Do you see a papaya tree near you? Do NOT burn it and do NOT cut it down. Its leaves can be crucial to helping your nation deal with the ongoing dengue crisis. If you know someone who is suffering from dengue fever, then it is crucial to buy many papaya leaves and convert them into liquid form for drinking!

As the Philippines has a dengue crisis to deal, now is the time to contact your barangay (community government) officials, the city government officials, the provincial government officials (for those living in the provinces), the members of the House of Representatives and the Senators to encourage them to explore (if not utilize) papaya leaf juice as an option to treat dengue sufferers.

The time to act is now!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

Las Piñas City Mayor Warns Barangay Leaders About Failure To Clear Their Areas of Obstructions

Las Piñas City Mayor Warns Barangay Leaders About Failure To Clear Their Areas of Obstructions

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The many heads of the barangays in the meeting spearheaded by Las Piñas City Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar (facing them from the background). (photo credit: Shawnette Ramos)

Recently the City of Las Piñas made waves in the national news. This was because Mayor Imelda “Mel” Aguilar issued a warning to the leaders of twenty barangays of extreme consequence if they fail to clear the respective areas of obstructions and structures that are illegal.

During a meeting held on August 1, the mayor met with the barangay chairpersons from the city’s two districts and laid down the City Government’s plan action to rid all roads and sidewalks of illegal vendors, illegally parked vehicles and overlapping structures, including those unfinished excavations by various service utilities.

“You will be accountable to me if you fail to implement the rules that endanger the lives of our fellow Las Piñero,” Mayor Aguilar told the barangay leaders.

Along with the other Metro Manila city mayors, Mayor Aguilar committed to the 60-day period given by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año to clear the metro roads of obstructions.

But prior to the DILG directive, the mayor already convened Task Force Kaayusan last month which immediately conducted clearing operations in the city to address concerns on traffic and road hazards. The task force is composed of the Estate Management and Development Office (EMDO), City Engineering Office, the local Philippine National Police, the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), and spearheaded by the Mayor’s Office.

“These obstructions must be permanently rid from our main road, which is the Alabang-Zapote Road, as well as the inner roads must likewise be cleared of any obstacles. Let us give back the sidewalks to the pedestrians and the roads to motorists,” the mayor said.

She also requested the City Council, through Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery (the mayor’s daughter), to review the existing ordinances on obstruction and public order and safety.

Overall these developments reflect the City Government of Las Piñas response to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte during his recent State of the Nation Address (SONA) that public roads used for private ends should be reclaimed. Duterte also ordered DILG Secretary Año to suspend mayors or governors who refuse to comply.

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Muntinlupa products, community group lauded in DOST Nat’l S&T Week

Muntinlupa products, community group lauded in DOST Nat’l S&T Week

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Muntinlupa City Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (4th from left) congratulates Muntinlupa winners in the 2019 National Science and Technology Week by DOST during the city’s flag raising ceremony last July 22. The mayor lauded Dielles Apiary and Meadery Inc. and Muntinlupa Southville 3 Homebased Producers Association Inc.  for winning Best Packaging and Labelling Innovation, Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program and Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology Program categories in the 2019 NSTW. Also present were: (L-R) DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Director Kim Atienza, Muntinlupa City Technical Institute Director Francisco Santella, Muntinlupa SHBPAI president Nympha Palafox and Councilor Raul Corro. (source – City Government of Muntinlupa)

The City of Muntinlupa made waves in the field of science and technology recently as Muntinlupa-based wine maker Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and Southville 3 Homebased Producers Association Inc. (SHBPAI) snagged three major awards in the recently held 2019 National Science and Technology Week (2019 NSTW) by Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

As a result, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi formally congratulated Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and SHBPAI whose officials were presented before City Government officials at the grounds of City Hall during the July 22 flag raising ceremony.

To put things in perspective, the 2019 NSTW showcased the latest innovations in technologies, products, and research that contribute to national development. During that particular showcase, Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. won the Best Packaging and Labelling Innovation in the regional and national level. Further, it also represented NCR as the regional winner in the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program national category.

For its part, SHBPAI emerged as the winner in the Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology or CEST Program in NCR and became the finalist in the national category.

Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. and Muntinlupa SHBPAI received S&T assistance such as package development, training, laboratory and consultancy services from DOST to improve their operations and boost their productivity and competitiveness.

Dielles Apiary and Meadery, Inc. owner Luke Deogracias Macabbabad, also a beneficiary of the City Government’s zero-interest loan assistance, expressed his thanks to the City Government for its assistance to local Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. Also present during the same ceremony SHBPAI president Nympha Palafox and DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Director Kim Atienza.

In line with the DOST’s thrust, Muntinlupa City supports budding entrepreneurs and MSMEs to scale up their businesses through various programs, having the Tulong Negosyo zero-interest loan assistance as the flagship project which provide financial assistance from 2,000 up to 150,000 pesos depending on business capital ceiling and payment record.

The DOST and the City Government continuously work towards providing innovative solutions for the communities. DOST MuntiParLas Cluster Office is located at Muntinlupa City Technical Institue in San Guillermo St., Barangay Putatan.

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