Author: Raffy Rico

39th MILO Marathon in Dagupan

Dagupan, Philippines, 28 June 2015 – The first race of the 39th National MILO Marathon set the stage for the season as over 11,000 runners excitedly raced to the finish line in Dagupan, Pangasinan. Leading the pack were former MILO Marathon queen Christabel Martes, and first-time 21K winner Cesar Castañeto. Martes and Castañeto each took home the top purse of P10,000 in cash and a trophy. Both had also booked their slots to the National Finals in Angeles on December 6, where they will meet the nation’s elite runners in a heated grand finale to claim the MILO Marathon...

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AFP 2nd Social Media Summit, a Success!

Camp Aguinaldo,Quezon City, (DWDD) –   The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) successfully staged its 2nd Social Media Summit today, June 23, 2015 with the theme: “Advancing Patriotism in the Age of Internet of Things” at the AFP Theatre, Camp Gen Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City Spearheaded by Media and Civil Affairs Group (MCAG) and Civil-Military Operations School of the Civil Relations Service (CMOS) of the AFP, and organized by public relations agency ArdentComm, the event aimed to help an individual or organization’s initiatives in information and communication management, enhance the skills of social media managers and build bigger...

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Hybrid Electric Road Train, Solusyon sa Lumalalang Problema sa Transportasyon

HINDI man lubos na masolusyunan ang lumalalang problema sa transportasyon, maari naman nitong mabawasan ang tumitinding siksikan at agawan sa pagsakay at pagbaba ng mga pasahero sa kalakhang Maynila. Ito ay matapos na ilunsad ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST), sa Clark Freeport Parade Ground  sa Pampanga nitong June 25, 2015 ang Bagong Hybrid  Electric Road Train, na dinisenyo at ginawa ng mga Filipino Engineers mula sa DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center, sa ilalim ng Makibayan o Makina at Teknolohiya Para sa Bayan Program. Ang Hybrid Road Train ay may kapasidad na magsakay hanggang 240 na pasahero sa...

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OPISYAL NA PAHAYAG NG SSS SA MGA BALITANG MAGTATAAS ITO NG KONTRIBUSYON AT MGA ISYU HINGGIL SA PERFORMANCE-BASED BONUS

SSS walang planong magtaas ng buwanang kontribusyon Nilinaw ng Social Security System (SSS) na wala itong plano na itaas ang kasalukuyang buwang kontribusyon sa nalalapit na panahon. Sinabi ni SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio S. De Quiros, Jr. na ang mga balitang umiikot ngayon tungkol sa planong pagtataas ng kontribusyon ng SSS ay maaaring nagmula sa paglabas nito ng resulta ng pag-aaral sa epekto ng P2,000 dagdag na pensyon na panukala sa ilalim ng House Bill 5842. Ipinakita sa pag-aaral ng SSS na nangangailangan ng karagdagang kontribusyon o suporta mula sa pamahalaan ang pagpapatupad ng P2,000 dagdag na pensyon.  Bagkus, iigsi ng 13 taon ang buhay ng pondo ng SSS na magtatagal lamang hanggang 2029.  Sa ngayon, magtatagal ang pondo ng SSS nang 27 taon o hanggang 2042. “Bagama’t kailangan ng karagdagang kontribusyon para humaba ang buhay ng pondo ng SSS, sinisiguro namin sa publiko, lalo na sa aming mga miyembro, na wala kaming ginagawang pagkilos ngayon para tumaas ang kontribusyon,” sabi ni De Quiros. Paglilinaw sa performance-based bonus Gayundin, sinabi ng SSS na tanungin ang Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) para sa anumang katanungan tungkol sa pagbibigay ng performance-based bonus sa mga opisyal at empleyado nito.  Ang GCG ang nagbabantay sa pagganap ng tungkulin ng mga GOCCs. Ito din ang nagbibigay ng permiso sa pagbigay ng performance-based bonus. “Bukas sa publiko ang aming mga datos sa...

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Proxy Speech for Senator Cynthia Villar

Delivered by Cong. Mark Villar at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) Awarding & Recognition Ceremony. Theme: Enhancing Alliance; Optimizing Outcomes. Held at Summit Hall, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City, June 22, 2015. Congratulations to all the awardees in today’s ceremony. I understand that this event also marks the anniversary of the consolidation of the two former councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)—the Philippine Council for Marine and Aquatic Research and Development (PCAMRD) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) in 2011—or the fourth anniversary of what has become PCAARRD. As one of the leading groups that extends research and development (R&D) support to the agriculture sector, the role PCAARRD cannot be discounted. The programs that it formulates for science and technology-based R&D in the different sectors are truly beneficial and crucial to the sectors’ further growth and development. As the current chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, I have worked numerous times with PCAARRD and we have ongoing as well as upcoming activities. So, I acknowledge their valuable contribution in the agriculture sector. The new technologies and modern systems they develop directly or indirectly help improve the lives of Filipino farmers and fisherfolks by making their work easier, increasing their earning capability, opening new markets for them, helping them cope with...

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PCAARRD oversees DOST Outcome 1 in NSTW 2015

By: Katrina Marie V. Mananghaya, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Service     Beyond the prestige of being number one in their respective industries, the authentic Gawang Pinoy trademark, and the hundreds of local and international collaborations, it’s all about one thing: the Filipino. With all the natural resources the Philippines has to offer and the in-born knack of Filipinos for utilizing these and creating their own inventions, there is no doubt we are well on our way to the top. While we may not be number one on the list when it comes to the most advanced technologies, we certainly...

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DOST-PCAARRD 4TH Anniversary, Recognition and Awarding Ceremony

DOST-PCAARRD recently celebrated its 4th Anniversry with the theme “Enhancing alliances, optimizing Outcomes” at the PICC Complex, Pasay City, last June 22, 2015. In line with this, they also gave Recognition to the Scientist/Researchers, Research Administrator and Tanglaw. The Pantas seeks for outstanding scientists/researchers and research administrators, while the Tanglaw looks for laudable research institutions. Pantas researchers/scientists will be evaluated for their significant contributions to the advancement of Philippine agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources. Research administrators and institutions, on the other hand, are evaluated for their effectiveness and efficiency in the identification and pursuit of relevant research agenda with...

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SSS cites structural reforms to improve fund life

The Social Security System (SSS) will require structural reforms such as a contribution rate hike or an increase in the statutory cap for SSS contributions to improve its Fund life. Based on latest actuarial valuation, SSS funds regained a life of four years from the previous valuation of 2039 as a result of the increase in contribution rate and monthly salary credit ceiling that took effect in January 2014. Shortly after the new contribution rate was adopted, SSS pensions were raised by five percent in June that same year causing a one year decrease in the Fund life, which is now projected to last until 2042. “What has to be done immediately are structural reforms. Our investments have been performing remarkably well despite the low interest rate environment, but we can only invest and earn so much. If the contribution rate remains unchanged while benefit payments continue to swell, the SSS’ reserve fund will be exhausted by 2042,” SSS Chief Actuary George Ongkeko, Jr. said. Meanwhile, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio S. De Quiros, Jr. dismissed earlier reports that SSS will deploy a portion of its investment reserve funds abroad, although cites its possibility if it is line with the SSS law’s basic principles of “safety, good yield, and liquidity.” “We are evaluating all available investments options allowed by the SSS Charter that can generate the highest...

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Search for best rice campaign on

Public and private sectors are preparing for the search for RICEponsible champions, an initiative that encourages the national and local sectors to promote non-wastage of rice and consumption of healthier forms of rice in their communities. With about P10M at stake, the search is open to government offices, local government units, and learning institutions. “We intend to join in this competition not just for the prize, but because we believe in the campaign messages. We are responding to the call of achieving rice self-sufficiency by conserving rice, eating brown rice and other rice staples such as corn, and encouraging farmers to adopt new rice farming technologies,” Cecille Palisoc, an elementary school teacher in Metro Manila said. Hazel V. Antonio, director of the Be RICEponsible campaign, said the contest banks on the effectivity of local campaigns. “We are encouraging our local stakeholders to participate because they know better how to gain support in their respective areas,” said Antonio. Details about this contest are available at the Be RICEponsible website: http://www.bericeponsible.com/downloads.  Deadline of submission of entries is on 30 June 2015. Campaign starts on 1 August 2015 and will run for a year. Antonio said the participants will be provided with basic campaign material designs, which can be downloaded from the Be RICEponsible website. “Participants can use the materials available or custom-fit the messages and designs to their audience to instill...

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Cheaper land prep possible—PhilRice

Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija – Comprising about 19% of the total labor cost in rice production, there, indeed, is a pressing need to look for new ways of doing land preparation. The Reduced Tillage Technology (RTT) is an alternative system of land preparation for irrigated areas where plowing is not applied. Rice stubbles, weeds, and the scattered rice straws are pressed two to three times using the hand tractor’s paddy wheels attached with riding-type leveler or by drop down-spiked tooth harrow. The pressing is done at a 5 to7-day interval. After the final leveling, crop establishment is done either by transplanting, direct seeding using the drumseeder, or by manual broadcasting. RTT was piloted in 2012 in Talavera and Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. After the success of its initial implementation, 14 more towns in Pangasinan, Pampanga, and Ilocos Sur were added as demonstration sites. “Yield increase relative to using the conventional tillage method and savings generated on land preparation were the parameters used in measuring the success of the study,” said Ruben Miranda, study lead. He explained that for 3 consecutive seasons, the average yield of the demonstration sites were relatively higher at 5.35 t/ha, 4.92 tons/ha for conventional tillage. In addition, farmers saved P3, 380.00/ha per season. “Savings can be attributed to the faster operation time and lesser fuel consumption. In RTT, farmers can save...

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