DPWH bares new improvement in Siquijor
By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, July 13 (PIA)—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) –Siquijor District Engineering Offices recently completed the rehabilitation/construction of damaged paved national road at Km. 48.509 – km. 49.420 of the Lazi-San Juan road section.

In a report released by DPWH Information Officer Remely Maghanoy, the project has a total length of 911 linear meters and it is funded under 2011 Preventive Maintenance with an appropriation of P10,024,000.

But the contract amount is only P8,749,562 undertaken by Venray Construction of 75 – B.R. Duterte Street Banawa, Cebu City.  It was supervised by Engr. Ermie P. Gongob. 

DPWH-Siquijor is headed by District Engineer Ronnel M. Tan and Assistant District Engineer Aniolito M. Samson. The newly improved road would benefit the commuters and the residents of the island, the DPWH said.  (PIA-Siquijor/mbcn/rac with reports fromDPWH- RBMaghanoy)

 ==========

SCCII backs greening Siquijor project

By Rizalie Anding Calibo

LARENA, Siquijor, July 13 (PIA)—In support to the government’s greening program, the Siquijor Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (SCCII), has identified a 14-hectare timberland in Sitio Cantiwan, Larena, Siquijor for planting tress of different varieties.

SCCII President Robert Pajermo said the chamber and the local office of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) inked a memorandum of agreement for an initial six-year contract but renewable for another 25-year contract after.

Pajermo said the group made it their ambitious goal to plant trees of different kinds in the identified area which will be clustered and labeled for easy identification by the future generation.

“Daghan na sa atong mga kabataan wala makaila sa klase sa mga kahoy nga anaa sa atong Isla. Buot namong silang i-edukar aron nga pinaagi niining among proyekto, ang mga kabataan ugma damlag makaila gihapon sa nagkalain-laing klase ug makaamgo kanunay sa kamahinungdanon niini," Pajermo added. (Most of our children can no longer identify the kinds of trees endemic in our island. We hope to educate them so that through this project, our future generation will be able to identify the name of trees and realize their importance.)

The project, Pajermo said, is in support to the National Greening Program (NGP) of the government designed to address problems related to poverty, food security, land productivity environmental stability and sustainability, climate change mitigation and adaptation and values formation.

It is aimed at ensuring that the next generation will inherit a clean air and livable environment.  As noted forests are effective carbon sequesters, regulating climate change and providing clean water and clean air for a healthier environment.

They also provide a stable watershed function along with nutrients which are a source of supply of food and shelter for wildlife, seeds and wildlings, protection from heavy rains and storm, windbreaker, prevention of flood and landslides and revival of biodiversity.

The NGP was launched through Executive Order 26 issued by President Aquino inorder to reforest 1.5 million hectares of land and promote a sustained environmental awareness campaign in the face of climate change.

Central Visayas region,of which Siquijor province is part of, involves the planting of 2.816 million seedlings of agroforestry, native and indigenous species to cover 5,632 hectares with Siquijor having the target of 251 hectares or 4..46 percent of timberland.

The local DENR, has started putting in place partnership agreements with government agencies and other stakeholders.(PIA-Siquijor/mbcn/rac)