Law On Land Use Plan Is Extremely Important-GTZ Official

August 26,2011

Law On Land Use Plan Is Extremely Important-GIZ Official
By Quirico M. Gorpido,.Jr.

San Roque, Macrohon, So.Leyte-A law on land use plan is extremely important as the blueprint in the proper utilization of a certain country’s land resources.
The abovementioned statement was part of Dr. Walter Salzer’s speech during a recent turnover of the P3M worth Mangrove Resource Environmental Learning Center here that were attended by Congressman Roger Mercado, Governor Damian Mercado, Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo,11, GTZ(GIZ) officials, some municipal Mayors,PIA-Maasin Staff, Tacloban/Maasin media and PENRMO personnel led by Eva Abad.
In an interview with the press Salzer, Program Director and Principal Adviser GIZ(German International Cooperation)EnRD program, explained that a country like the Philippines should have its own Land Use Plan where its provisions would serve as bases on how its land resources could be properly utilized for the benefit of the people.
“With a law on land use plan”, he said, “anybody cannot just occupy a lot where he wants without the approval of a government authority”.
H e estimated that about 15 to 20 percent of the Philippine population were living in the forests” And the government cannot just drive them away from their settlements since there’s no specific provisions and rules whether their forest occupancies were legal or illegal”, he pointed out.
“With the Land Use Plan their are specific provisions and rules to follow’, he said, “whether the inhabitants with no lands can settle in the forests. Whether this or that vast tract of land is for agricultural production or for housing projects where the squatters can be properly settled; where the areas for industrial production and cottage industry are to be located; whether part of the provincial government lands could be allotted for the construction of commercial buildings; whether a particular area is a protected area for endangered species and mangrove plantations, others”.
Salzer implied that without Land Use Plan there’s a perennially improper utilization of a country’s great percentage of lands that are even unproductive.
The GIZ official also urged the LGUs to enact in their respective jurisdictions their own LUP with specific rules and regulations that should be strictly followed.”The law’s provisions should be strictly implemented by punishing the violators. Laws must have teeth that will bite the violators”, he stressed.
Salzer further emphasized that a national law on Land Use Plan should be supported by the representatives in Congress. He strongly persuaded Congressman Mercado to give his full support of the LUP Bill in Congress, which if it has already been finished on its third reading, might have been approved the soonest.
The GTZ (now called GIZ) has been providing funds for various government in Southern
Leyte, particularly in relation to the conservation, protection and preservation of the environment, it was learned.
He underscored that mangrove plantations in various municipalities of the province should be sustainably conserved and preserved. Mangrove trees are the natural habitat and breeding places for various fish species. It also serves as breakwaters of huge waves and lessens the adverse effects of flashfloods.
Recalling past incidence of great floods as high price to pay for cutting the plantations of mangroves that were naturally grown in Burma along its deltas and rivers, thousands of people were killed,Salzer unfolded.
Asked by PDI correspondent Jani Carbonilla Arnaiz how much funds the German Government has already released to the different areas of the country relative to their various projects,the GIZ Program Director of EnRD divulged that it has already reached an estimated of P18B which is equivalent to 50M Euro.
The speaker furthermore disclosed that 90 to 95 percent of the total land area in the country needs a comprehensive land use. “One of the reasons why there’s huge destruction of natural resources and large part of land are left unproductive is because of the absence of a Land Use Plan”, he claimed.
(Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

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Villa Romana Hotel.13 airconditioned rooms with TV sets,etc.
Tel no.(053)381-0639.Tomas Oppus St.,brgy. Abgao, Maasin City.

Natasha Service Center/MSE Marikina Shoe Service Center,
A.Bantug Street,Tunga-Tunga,Maasin City,Southern Leyte
Tel nos. (053)570-8144;(053)381-0430.

New Supercha Foodhaus 2 & Function Hall
Tel. no.(053)381-0929
Open Daily From Monday To Saturday
10:00 a.m. to 1:00p.m.; 4:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.
EXCEPT Sunday: 4:00p.m. to 10:00p.m.

N.B.The eleven years old city of Maasin has no skin specialist yet until now. Only those w ho have the means can go to Cebu City for their skin problems. But those with little income cannot afford to go to Cebu for consultations. We hope that a skin specialist/dermatologist from nearby cities will be interested to put up a clinic here to serve those who have skin problems.

I Leave My Case To My Lawyers-Duterte

Aug. 19,2011
I leave My Case To My Lawyers-Duterte
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Controversial Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte disclosed that she left her case to her lawyers to unburden her mind from additional obligations that might affect her duties and responsibilities as a public servant in a big city.
“I have endorsed all the formal complaints to my lawyers who handle my case,”’she told the media in an ambush interview at the city hall here after the anniversary program held at the city gymnasium.
She said she allowed a group of human rights advocates who came to Davao to investigate regarding the past vigilantes activities happening in the city.
However, she said the group was not able to get negative feedbacks from the people of Davao themselves when probing of the past alleged drug pushers’/drug addicts killings in that place.
Also asked if she had already apologized to a court sheriff Abe Andres, who did not mind her request to postpone the demolition of settlers for 2 hours in Agdao District until she would arrive at the place to avoid violence.
Duterte informed that she sent somebody to negotiate with the sheriff for their one-on-one talk about the incident.
Nevertheless, the victim of the mayor’s punching “to defend on behalf of the poor settlers” told her that according to her emissary the latter has no personal grudge and that there’s no need for them to talk personally.
The Mayor also revealed to the press that in Davao City they have no PHILHEALtH program for indigents.Since based on their findings only 1/4 of the whole indigents’ membership would really avail of the PHILHEALTH services.
What they have instead is called “Lingap”,she said, whose funds is from the city government to provide financial assistance to indigent patients who were suffering from serous illnesses/diseases.”The funds were endorsed to the hospital’s management under the DOH”,she said.
Earlier, upon her arrival here as the guest speaker to the Eleventh Maasin City Charter Day anniversary celebration, she visited her relatives together with Mayor Maloney Samaco in brgy. Laboon, the place of her father Rodrigo Duterte and where the latter was born before moving to Mindanao in Davao where he found his niche.
On the other hand, the parade which was supposed to be participated in by different city offices, private and public schools/colleges was inevitably cut off due to continuous outpouring of rains. This was the very first time in the history of Maasin City Charter Day celebration that the early morning rains have occurred and lasted until eleven in the morning.
Meanhile,Mayor Samaco welcomed the visitors and the crowd inside the gymn.He introduced the guest speaker from Davao City who delivered a lengthy speech. The guesting of Duterte has led to the sisterhood agreement between Maasin and Davao.
The papers on the formal declaration of sisterhood shall be signed among the Maasin City officials’ and Davao’s on March 16,2012,the Charter Day anniversary of Davao,according to Samaco and Duterte.
Winners on various activities/events that transpired during the Charter Day celebration were the following: 1)2011 Maasin City Anniversary Muse-Ms. Guene A. Resos-brgy. Tomoytomoy; 2)Runner-up Anniversary Muse-Pamela Ann S. Canales-brgy.Mantahan; 3)2011 Fiesta Muse-Lelibeth S. Ligad-brgy. Asuncion; 4)Miss Smart and Best in Swimsuit-Guene Resos; 5)Most Photogenic and Best in Hataw Production number-Pamela Ann S. Canales; 6)Best in Sports Wear-Guene A. Resos.
Pabulhon GAames Winners: 1)Cookfest-First prize-Gregoria Amarille-Lanoa-P1,000; Second prize-Visitacion Damole-tawid-P800; Third prize-Carolina Abulog-San Rafael-P600.
2)Palay Pounding-First prize-Juan Siega and Melanie Siega-P1,000;-San Isidro; Second prize-Domingo Batestil and Willie Diaz-Batuan-P800; Third prize-Renato Alvarez and Sinforiano Padon-Nonok Norte-P600;
3)Coconut Husking-First prize-Gil Rojas-Bato 2-P1,000; second prize-Jerome Ozon-Gawisan-P800; Third prize-Manolo Marsada-Hinapu Dako-P600;
4)Carabao Race-First prize-Cresencio Saavedra-Bogo-P3,000; second prize-Mario Morales-Bagtican-P2,000; Third prize-Jacinto Delfoso-Hantag-P1,000;
5)Baroto Race-First prize-Joel Mantilla-Kabulihan-P1,000; second prize-Romeo Gonzales-Cabulihan-P800; Third prize-Robert Boiles-Combado-P600;
6)Pasol Contest(Catching Fish)First prize-Romeo Fileces-Tunga-Tunga-P1,000; second prize-Reynaldo Gaviola-Pasay-P800; Third prize-Joel Caube-Sto. Rosario-P600;
7)Piglet Catching(the one who caught a piglet owned it): 1)Isidro Bontog-Libertad; 2)Cesar Bug-os-Batuan; 3)Leomar Valdez-Cabadiangan; 4)Diego Quirong-Lanao; 5)Reynante Alberca-Hanginan; 6)Victor Magadan-Laboon; 7)Rudy Espere-Matin-ao; 8)Rolando Abande-San Agustin; 9)Jimmy Ranes-Pansaan; 10)Benjamin Pedragosa-Sto. Niño; 11)Donato Acasio-Malapoc Norte; 12)Bienvenido Ponce-Tigbawan;13)Linda Caube-Libhu; 14)Elena Galo-Lunas; 15)Leonila Bandibas-Bilibol.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)