Bicol on
its way to Open Source Community
Leaders of the free and open source community (FOSS)
spoke on current issues as folows: Zak Elep of Ubuntu Linux on the
Value of Open Source and Linux 101; Rick Bahague, Jr. of the
Computer Professionals Union on the State of FOSS in the
Philippines; and Reynaldo Joseph A. Callao of the Advanced Science
and Technology Institute on FOSS in the Government. Business and the
Acadame. All three speakers facilitated the open forum on the GNU
Public License and Related Legal Issues.
The forum also paved the way for the creation of the
Bicol Open Source Society (BiOS), a non-stock, non-profit
organization of individuals, volunteers, and institutions sharing
the same vision of adopting and promoting free and open source
solutions in Bicol. BiOS is one of the identified projects in the
Bicol ICT Plan and the Bicol Medium-Term Regional Development Plan
2004-2010.
The BiOS Core Management Group is composed of RITECC V
member-agencies, and provincial representatives elected from the
participants of the forum, as follows: Frederick Natividad and
Laarni Pancho for Albay Province; Zak Elep and Eiley Espiritu for
Camarines Norte; Cloyd San Juan and Nicolas A. Pura for Camarines
Sur; Ma. Paz T. Templonuevo and Rick Bahague, Jr. for Catanduanes;
Feneline Jeremias and Michael Brugada for Sorsogon; and, Glen V.
Vinluan and Ronaldo Ebrada for Masbate.
The Department of Science and Technology V (DOST V)
spearheaded the forum, in cooperation with the Regional Information
Technology and E-Commerce Committee (RDC-RITECC V), the Technology
Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI-DOST), the Provincial
Government of Albay, and the Aquinas University.
Linux installers were provided to the participants to
jumpstart their interest and understanding of FOSS.
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Bicol RDC Caps 2005
with Optimism
Considered as the year-end
meeting of the Regional Development Full Council, a set of
development projects and regional concerns were given due course
during the 3rd Regular Meeting held on 22 November 2005 at the NEDA Regional
office in Legazpi city. the meeting also
formally ushered the assumption of the new NEDA
5 Regional Director and RDC 5 Vice-Chairperson,
Atty. Romeo C. Escandor, formerly of NEDA Region
7.
In reference to the Luzon
Area Development Coordination Committee (LADCC) meeting updates,
the interest and support shown by the other RDCs
in Luzon on the novel and meritorious proposal
of RDC 5 to review the BIR-NIRC (National
Internal Revenue Code) such that establishments
will have to pay their taxes where their
businesses are actually located and operated,
Chair Luis Raymund Villafuerte requested for a
more comprehensive project study/position paper
to be presented and further discussed in the
next LADCC meeting.
In keeping abreast
with the fast-paced new-age global clamor for an advanced ICT
environment and intensified e-commerce utilization in Bicol, a
Resolution was passed approving the Bicol Information an
Communication Technology (BICT) Plan for Cy 2005-2010. Relatively,
it was agreed for DOST, as Chair of the RDC-Regional Information
Technology and electronic Commerce Committee (RITECC) to encourage
the participation of HEIs/private schools with ICT programs (i.e.,
AMA, Informatics, etc.) to the RITECC.
Urging the Economic
Development Committee (EDC) of the RDC to review and advocate
reforms on environmental waste management legislation(s), the
Chairman likewise instructed the Secretariat along with the DENR to
initiate the generation of inputs/information from LGUs regarding
their recommended amendments on environmental protection
legislations particularly on Solid Waste Management Technologies
thru a survey questionnaire, and submit the consolidated/processed
information to Congress, for consideration.
In cognizance of the need
and importance of boosting the tourism industry and investment
promotion of Bicol which would catalyze the acceleration of economic
growth of the entire region, a Resolution was approved allocating
the Php 2 Million additional RDC fund for the preparation of the
Bicol Tourism Promotional Package, brochure and video presentation
of world class quality. Subsequently, a committee to be headed by
DOT, was tasked to prepare the said tourism promotional materials
with inputs from the Bicol LGUs highlighting the various tourism
potentials in the region.
Other vital issues and
projects tackled that were subsequently endorsed include (i)
Approval of Php 10 Thousand RDC 5 counterpart fund for the
Orientation-Seminar on Resource Valuation to be conducted by HARIBON
Foundation for selected RDC 5 members in January 2006; and (ii)
Re-endorsement of the proposed request for the procurement of a new
X-Ray machine/metal detector at the Legazpi City Airport.
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DENR-Foreign Assisted Goat Raising Project Succeeding
A goat raising and dispersal project of the
Concerned Environmentalist Group of Sigamot,
Incorporated (CEGSI) of Barangay Sigamot in
Libmanan, Camarines Sur is succeeding.
Assisted by the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR), Philippines Federation
for Environmental Concern (PFEC) and funded by
Philippine German Development Foundation
Incorporated (PhilGerFund), the said project
aims to increase the income of Community-Based
Forest Management (CBFM) program participants
who are tasked to protect and rehabilitate some
723 hectares of public forests in Sigamot under
CBFM Agreement, DENR Regional Executive Director
Oscar M. Hamada said.
Hamada said the project started on September,
2004 with a fund allocation of Php 180,925 from
Phil-GerFund, and 70% of the fund or Php
126,647.50 was released on August 30, 2004.
Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Rodolfo Matusalem
of Camarines Sur explained that based on rigid criteria 16 of the 34
members of CEGSI were initially selected to participate in the
project.
On September
2004 CEGSI purchased initial stocks of 50 mature (female) does and 5
(male) bucks which were apportioned to the 16 beneficiaries.
Matusalem
said based on project monitoring conducted last August 9, or about a
year's time, there are now 71 sew offsprings or young goats.
He said the
project is quite successful and the system of project administration
praiseworthy such that CEGSI was chosen as one of the awardees of
Saringaya Award under People's Organization Category last June
28,2005 in Legazpi City.
CEGSI Project
Management Officer Marites A. Callo of CENRO Sipocot said the
CEGSI was organized by the DENR and the Prime Movers for
Development Foundation as a people's organization to manage the
forest resources in the area under the CBFM Program. The group
was registered in the Security and Exchange Commission on
December 16, 1999, under SEC Registration No. 11999-00349. It is
composed of 34 members, with Mr. Manuel B. Casalme, Jr. as
Chairman.
Last 2004, the
organization members attended a training on proper goat raising
through the assistance of the Department of Agriculture of LGU
Libmanan. Earlier, CEGSI made a project proposal to Phi-GerFund
for goat raising for which was released last year.
Callo said the
project has a very strict requirements, administration and
monitoring system.
The participants
were required to provide a goat house, clean drinking water and
forage grass for the animals as their counterpart. While
Phil-GerFund provided funds for the purchase of 50 does, 5
bucks, veterinary medicine such as dewormer, vitamins and feed
supplements.
The Project
Management Officer together with CEGSI monitoring team
religiously monitor the operation and progress of the project
based on the indicators stated in the Project Detailed
Implementation Plan every 9th day of the month, Callo expounded.
The project could
provide sustainable livelihood to marginal upland dwellers and
farmers and minimize their dependent on forest resources that
are fast diminishing, Callo concluded - AMC