MASBATE-PHILIPPINES: August 2008

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Mining potential identified on Masbate Island

0 comments Posted by masbate-philppines at 3:45 PM

Two firms have agreed to a new joint venture that will see them explore the potential of a number of mineral claims on Masbate Island.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the island, which is 350 km south of Manila, is to be the setting for Geograce Resources Philippines and Vale Exploration Philippines' latest projects.

So far, seven mineral claims totalling 84,046 hectares of land have been identified.

Michael Defensor, GEO management services chair, said: "We are extremely pleased to become the first Philippine partner of Vale, which is not only one of the world’s biggest mining companies, but its success is strongly rooted in helping develop its home country, Brazil, into a natural resources superpower."

The newspaper notes that Vale is to provide $6 million over the course of the next three years to finance the exploratory projects.

Masbate is a V-shaped island, 30 miles south-west of the tip of Luzon.

The island's coastline meets the Sibuyan, Visayan and Samar seas.

Fish Scare Hits Masbate Following Typhoon

0 comments Posted by masbate-philppines at 3:42 PM

PHILIPPINES - Concerns that fish and seafood supplies could have been contaminated by bodies recovered from vessels sunk in typhoon Frank around the Philippines have been allayed by health officials.

The Department of Health (DoH) said that fish and other seafood, including those from waters near the capsized MV Princess of the Stars, are safe to eat.

Fish sales have reportedly dropped in the Masbate province as residents fear marine products had been contaminated according to reports in the Inquirer.

The Inquirer said that Masbate Governor Elisa Kho also appealed to the public for calm as she allayed concerns that fish caught in Masbate’s water poses health risks to consumers.

"As long as they cook the fish very well, it is safe for consumption," said Kho, who is also a medical doctor.

She said the fish scare has affected the income of fishermen in Masbate.

Dr. Baby Banatin, chief of the DoH’s Emergency Management Service, dismissed fears that fish and other seafood found in the seas around of the capsized ferry, where hundred dead bodies are believed to be trapped, are contaminated.

SONA 2008 Webcast

PGMA’s SONA 2008 to center on subsidy, electricity, food production & infrastructure – Ermita President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) this year will center on government’s subsidies for the poor, electricity, food production and infrastructure. This was revealed this afternoon by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita who also said that the President will “gauge whether enough has been achieved” in the above-mentioned areas. Ermita -- who is also the Presidential Spokesman in concurrent capacity following the transfer of former Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye to the Monetary Board – said the President is now in possession of “accompanying documents” from agencies to help her craft her SONA 2008. “She will go over it, grade it (the set of documents)…” said Ermita. The hands-on President has been “going through this (SONA preparation) many times,” said Ermita, adding that yesterday, President Arroyo discussed the content for the latest SONA for over two hours. Ermita said the President will center on subsidies, electricity, food production and infrastructure, specifically “to what extent these have been achieved.” President Arroyo will also touch on the roll-on, roll-off (RORO) of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SR-NH), and balancing the budget. There will be both “mid-range and long-range” items, said Ermita, adding that the President will also touch on highways, airports, seaports, plus the electrification of all barangays. The President’s Ten-Point Agenda are as follows: 1. The creation of six million jobs in six years via more opportunities given to entrepreneurs, tripling of the amount of loans for lending to small and medium enterprises, and the development of one to two million hectares of land for agricultural business; 2. The construction of new buildings, classrooms, provision of desks and chairs and books for students and scholarships to poor families; 3. The balancing of the budget; 4. The "decentralization" of progress around the nation through the use of transportation networks like the roll-on, roll-off and the digital infrastructure; 5. The provision of electricity and water supply to barangays nationwide; 6. The decongestion of Metro Manila by forming new cores of government and housing centers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; 7. The development of Clark and Subic as the best international service and logistic centers in the region; 8. The automation of the electoral process; 9. A just end to the peace process; and 10. A fair closure to the divisiveness among the Edsa 1, 2 and 3 forces.