The P 2.048 Billion worth project that will produce electricity from the energy of cascading water is a joint venture of South Korea’s International Fusion and the Philippine National Oil Company and is expected to be finished within the 5-year period. If implemented, the project can generate power of up to 16.5 megawatts, its highest peak in August, with a projected low of 1.3 megawatts in April, and will charge ANTECO at only P 5.00 per kilowatt-hour.  This charge is actually much cheaper than the current rate with an economic internal return of 26.2%, said ANTECO General Manager Ludovico Lim, because it entails a much lower maintenance cost as compared to using other power plants generated by other sources.  

According to Project Consultant Engr. Manuel Vergel, the proposed mini hydro power plant features a 5-meter dam which will impound the waters of Paliuan and Nahowan Rivers; a 2 x 3 meter high trapezoidal tunnel; a 2.4 kilometer open line connected from the tunnel to conduct water to the hydraulic turbines; two river bridges for mobility in the open lines; power generators; transformers to increase voltage for more efficient transmission and a switchyard to control input and output of generated power. As of June 22, another conference was held between the project proponents and the ANTECO Board regarding the execution of a power purchase agreement. An ocular inspection soon followed at the end point barangays of thePaliuan
River. Also present during the presentation were International Fusion’s Representative, Ms. Kris Yabut, SP Member Damian Marfil, Governor’s Office Representative Florante Moscoso and the ANTECO Board of Directors. (F.MOSCOSO/PIO)

The University of the
Philippines has feted Antique Governor Salvacion Z. Perez with an Outstanding Professional Award in the field of Public Administration. The award was conferred by UP President Dr. Emerlinda R. Roman, Regent Jaime S. De Los Santos – President of the UP Alumni Association and Atty. Gladys S.J. Tiongco, in a ceremony held last June 24 at the Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman Campus, during the UP General Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and reunion.  

        The country’s premier university cited Perez’ management style as the Governor of the

Province of
Antique and as Chairperson of the Regional Development Council of Region VI. The UP Alumni recognized Governor Perez’ contribution in the over-all development of Antique, and in the promotion of culture, history and arts in the province, thereby eliminating it from the infamous club 20 of poorest provinces through her being an exemplar of the innovative and action-driven public servant, complemented by her personal qualities of self-discipline and efficiency in the local bureaucracy. Her stewardship of the RDC VI was likewise considered as the catalyst in making
Western Visayas the “tourism valley” of the country. 

     Perez says that she is truly honored and humbled “to receive such highly esteemed award from her alma mater,” and also expressed her elation for being “chosen among the best.” She likewise asserted that the said award is a further validation of her success as a public servant and that she is sharing her triumph with her fellow Antiqueños who have always believed in her leadership skills. She emphasized that the recognition is not only an honor for her but also for the province of Antique. As she addressed the employees during the regular Monday flag raising ceremony last June 26, she attributed the awards to their cooperation in her governance.  

        UP President Emerlinda R. Roman asserted that the achievements of the awardees are something that the UP community is very proud of. She refers to them as having lived up to UP’s tradition of excellence, performance and achievement.    

        The UP Outstanding Professional Awards were given to UP Alumni who have excelled in their respective fields. Other awardees were Dr. Arsenio N. Resurreccion – Agriculture, Mr. Percy J. Arañador – arts and letters, Mr. Victor B. Valdepeñas – Business Administration, Dr. Lina B. Diaz De Rivera – Education, Dr. Ernesto P Sonido – Geology, Atty. Andres G. Gatmaitan – Law, Dr. Alberto Victor D.G. Romualdez, Jr. – Medicine, Dr. Carmencita Matias-Abaquin – Nursing and Dr. Nina G. Barzaga – Public Health.  

        Perez’ entry was chosen from among the hundreds of nominations submitted to the prestigious award giving body, in their annual search for outstanding UP alumni. Gov. Perez graduated with a degree in Political Science in 1956 and Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service in 1958, both from UP Diliman. She was personally nominated by Dr. Aida Ricarze, Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Saint Anthony’s College, Antique, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in public administration, starting from her having occupied the post as Undersecretary of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office up to her current post as the incumbent Governor of the Province of Antique. (J.M./PIO-Antique) 

  RDC Chair and Antique governor, Sally Z. Perez takes time to reveal council’s program with journalists during second quarter meeting at the Sarabia Manor Hotel inIloilo
City. Photo AJP/PIO 

The Regional Development Council (RDC) of Western Visayas has recently held its first ever awards ceremony to recognize some outstanding public sector projects in the region. “We feel that excellence in governance and implementation of projects should be acknowledged”, said RDC Chairperson and Antique Governor Salvacion Z. Perez.

The said search was patterned after the Galing Pook Award, a national award giving body that recognizes the best practices in the country. Gov. Perez, elated over this RDC VI’s achievement of being the first region to hold such prestigious recognition for best performing public sectors, has invited President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to grace the formal awarding ceremony, tentatively set on either the middle or last week of July, 2006.

The Awardees

It was indeed a double celebration for Perez as the Antique Country Program for Children was also adjudged as the 2^nd Best Public Sector Project in the region. Meanwhile, the project winners for the Regional Line Agencies were the following: 1^st place for Operation Dikit and Tax Mapping or Tax Compliance Verification Drive (TCVD) of the Bureau of Internal Revenue VI, 2^nd place for TB-DOTS best practices collection of the Department of Health VI, and 3^rd place for KALAHI-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDSS) of the Department. of Social Welfare and Development VI.

Among the local government units, 1^st place was awarded to the Province of Capiz’s Drug Management Reforms (Parallel Drug Importation) and 2^nd place for the Country Program for Children of theProvince of Antique. Among the cities, the Establishment of Diwal Sanctuaries through Transportation in Roxas City Waters received 1^st place while the Development of Tourism Industry in the City of Sipalay got 2nd place.In the State Universities and Colleges category, 1^st placer was the Development of the UPV Health Service Unit-Miag-ao as a Primary Care Hospital of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas and 2^nd placer was the Food-Always-In-The-Home (FAITH) Garden Program of the Negros State College of Agriculture. The 3^rd placer was the State University DYMT Community Radio of the Aklan State
University.

Forty-five entries were chosen from hundreds of entries submitted, and were later cut down to 25. Eighteen were viewed by judges as potential winners and were subjected to a field evaluation last May 15-31. The total score was then derived from the 40% table rating and 60% field evaluation.

The remaining 15 projects, as finalists, will likewise receive certificates of recognition from RDC VI. (PIO-Antique)

The three-day seminar workshop on blogging and podcasting sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation kickes-off today. The workshop is participated by communication practitioners from various institutions. Dubbed as Express Yourself, the workshop focuses on hand-on tutorial in creating and producing blogs and podcast.

Speakers on the workshop which will last until July 6, were Manolo Quezon III, Abe Olandres and Angelo Racoma with FNF’s Ronald Meinardus as the facilitator. The workshop aims to give the participants an overview of the best practices in the field of blogging and podcasting focusing on the Philippine Political context and make them appreciate the potential power of blogs and podcast as uncensored communication tool.

Blogging and Podcasting are said to become the most prevalent form of communicating one’s thoughts, ideas and concepts. With over 244 thousands blogs in wordpress alone, it has turn out to be one of the most widely used communication tool.

With the new technologies present nowadays, the media is said to have transformed from the traditional pages of the newspaper and tabloids, speakers of every radio cassette or monitors of television sets into “a cheap way for anyone with an internet connection to start their own global publication.”

Binirayan Festival

Antique’s Historical Background
Antique passed through several historic periods namely: Pre-Spanish Period, Spanish Occupation, Philippine Revolutionay Government, American Occupation, Commonwealth (transition period), Japanese Occupation, and Philippine Independence. History reveals that in the early time, ten datus from Borneo with their families, followers and slaves landed in Panay at a place called Sinogbuhan near the present site of the town of Miag-ao,
Iloilo. The Borneans found the place inhabited by Negritos living under the rule of Marikudo from whom the Borneans under Datu Sumakwel purchased the island for one gold sadok and one gold necklace. The island was later divided into three “sakops” namely: Hamtik, Aklan and Irong-Irong. In later times, Hamtik became Antique, Aklan became Capiz and Irong-Irong became Iloilo. Hamtik was placed under the superior datu named Sumakwel, who found a place known as Malandog, the first Malay settlement in the
Philippines.

The Pre-Spanish natives of Antique had tribal government ruled by chieftains. They traded with neighboring countries like China and Malaya. They had their civilization blended with Negrito, Indonesian and Malay cultures enriched by cultural influence from India, China and Japan. It is believed that the Spaniards found their way to Antique immediately after they established themselves in Oton, Iloilo. The Antiquenos resisted the invasion but in the end accepted Spanish rule, Christianity, the Spanish Colonial System and at the same time absorbed the social, cultural and educational system of the Spaniards. Antique then was created into a politico-military province in 1780 with the town of Hamtik as its first capital. In 1796, Antique, then known as Provincia de Bugason was given an independent status as a province. Later, the provincial government was established in Bugasong but was transferred to San Jose de Buenavista where it has remained since then. Later on, the Antiquenos became tired of Spanish rule. They joined other Filipinos in their determination to have national independence which was established in Malolos, Bulacan on January 23, 1899 when Spanish rule in the Philippines was overthrown by the Americans. But this revolutionary government ended on April 19, 1901, with the capture of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and his taking oath of allegiance to the
United States of America. The Antiquenos enjoyed the noble policy of American occupation because self-government was given to them. During this period of our history, our political leaders joined in the achievement of Philippine Independence as promised by the Jones Law. The Tydings-McDuffie Law was passed by the United States Congress which provided for a ten-year transition period under the Commonwealth of the
Philippines. Hence, a constitutional convention was called to draft the constitution of the
Philippines. Antiquenos elected the late Ramon Maza and the late Angel Salazar Sr. as their Con-con delegate in 1934. The Commonwealth lived until the Japanese Occupation. Antique experienced many untold hardships during the Japanese Occupation. Many Antiqenos evacuated to the mountains and joined the guerilla movement. The Japanese stayed nearly four years. Out of the ashes of the Pacific War emerged the Republic of the
Philippines. Manuel Roxas was the last President of the Commonwealth and the first President of the Republic. Atty. Emigdio Nietes was Antique’s first Congressman under the Republic. Antique was able to produce the most powerful congressman in the Philippines in the name of Tobias A. Fornier who held the position of the Chairman of House Committee on Appropriations. From this time on, a lot of things occured and changed in the province.