DAVAO CITY, Philippines — After former House Speaker Prospero Nograles lost in the last elections, barangay captains supporting him have stopped recruiting scholars for Nograles’ Oplan Kaalam program.
At the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao campus alone, the number of Oplan Kaalam scholars went down from 174 in the previous semester to only 123 this year.
Jess Baswuil, barangay (village) captain of 11-A, said he was ashamed to endorse students from his barangay to the Oplan Kaalam scholarship program after Nograles’ defeat.
“Mahiya ako na natalo ang manok ko (I am embarrassed, my candidate lost),” Baswuil said, referring to former House Speaker Nograles who lost to Mayor-elect Sara Duterte in the last elections.
At the UP-Mindanao campus, where the scholarship has been running in the last two years, only 106 old Oplan Kaalam scholars were renewed while five of them already graduated in April this year.
Liza Fulbadora, head of the university’s scholarship affairs, said that 220 students had applied for the scholarship at the start of this semester.
Fulbadora also told Davao Today that former scholars were taken out of the program because they weren’t from the first district, which Nograles represents. Students had told her the program accepted scholars from all three congressional districts in the city in the semester leading to the elections, when the older Nograles ran for mayor.
Bawuil said barangay 11-A used to be considered a “Nograles’ bulwark” but the area did not deliver the votes in the last elections. Of the 2000 voters in his barangay, 900 voted for Duterte and only around 500 voted for Nograles.
Oplan Kaalam, which was funded largely by Nograles’ pork barrel, required prospective scholars to present a barangay official’s endorsement before they were admitted to the program “to confirm the student’s residency.”
Bawuil said he already passed on to the barangay councilors the task of endorsing scholars for Oplan Kaalam in his area. He said Nograles’ office might no longer accept the scholars coming from him.
At UP Mindanao, Oplan Kaalam scholars outnumbered all other scholars in the previous semester.
Oplan Kaalam scholars made up 35 percent of the 500 students with full or partial scholarships in the university. After the tuition fee increase two school years back, each unit at UP Mindanao costs 600 pesos and Oplan Kaalam pays for its scholars’ tuition in full.
At the University of South Eastern Philippines (Usep), where the most number of Oplan Kaalam scholars were enrolled, Susan Villarente, director of the Usep’s Office of Student Services, refused to reveal the number of Nograles scholars. She said the university had to seek clearance from Nograles’ office before giving out this information.
Representative-elect Karlo Nograles, son of the outgoing speaker, said Oplan Kaalam has 1,800 new scholars enrolled at Usep for the first semester of schoolyear 2009-20101. He said the scholarship program was set to spend 25 million for the school year. UP’s Fulbadora added that Oplan Kaalam is the only scholarship program in the university that did not have grade requirements. (CJ Kuizon - Davao Today / Bulatlat.com)
Link: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/07/15/nograles%E2%80%99-defeat-dampens-endorsement-of-scholarship-program/
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Nograles’ Defeat Dampens Endorsement of Scholarship Program
Monday, October 05, 2009
Ex-mayor, prominent lawyer primed for Lakas mayor in Davao City
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, addresses a huge crowd of supporters in Davao City in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examimer Photo / Geo Solmerano)The scenario developed as local party stalwarts fell short of getting a commitment from Speaker Prospero Nograles to consider the mayoralty nomination during the Davao City forays of the House chief Thursday until yesterday.
Party leaders have been asking Nograles to accept the Lakas-Kampi-CMD mayoralty draft amid mounting clamors from around the three districts of the city. Nograles has taken the position of staying in the national level than delve into local politics.
In his Saturday radio program “Kalamboan Dala Tanan,” the young Nograles said the final selection process for mayor and other local positions in the city will begin as soon as the massive recruitment of Lakas members is completed.
“Applications for Lakas-CMD membership in Davao City have accelerated since the Commission on Elections ruled in favor of its merger with (President Gloria Arroyo’s) Kampi party after a challenge about its legality,” the young Nograles, who is also the Speaker’s chief of staff, said.
The lawyer said his father sits as vice chairman to Lakas-Kampi chairperson President Arroyo while he acts as interim leader of the party in Davao City.
“After we have sworn-in all the new Lakas-Kampi-CMD members in the city, we will immediately proceed to the final selection process,” explained Karlo in his radio program aired at dxAB, which had De Guzman and youth leader Jo Anne Bonguyan as guest panelists.
De Guzman has confirmed that he is into talks to join Lakas-Kampi-CMD. A leader of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino in Davao, De Guzman made a surprise appearance at the groundbreaking of the Nograles-initiated sports dome project at the University of Southeastern Philippines last Thursday in which he made the revelation on his political future.
On the other hand, Bonguyan, a niece of former Davao City vice mayor Luis Bonguyan, joined Team Nograles last month.
The young Nograles said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD membership in Davao City will be given the opportunity to voice out their choices on who could be their candidate for mayor next year. “If the members choose Mayor De Guzman to run for the top local position, then he must accept it or leave the party,” he said.
De Guzman said while he welcomes a possible mayoral draft from Lakas, “the bigger clamor is still for Speaker Nograles to run for mayor.”
“In my sorties, people are clamoring, hoping and even praying that Speaker Nograles become their mayor,” De Guzman said. “My personal desire is for local government to change.”
Bonguyan, for her part, agreed that people are really calling on the Speaker to run for Davao City mayor. “The First District where Speaker Nograles is congressman has become the model of responsive governance because its progress and concerns for livelihood, education and heath. They want Nograles to run.”
Team Nograles spokesman Mario Tamayo said: “Even if the Speaker would be out of the mayoral picture, Lakas will have a formidable candidate for mayor next year either with Karlo Nograles or De Guzman.”
But Tamayo said there is also overwhelming call for the young Nograles to run for congressman and replace his father who is on his third and last term. “With Karlo taking over District 1, people know they will not be left out in their share of national funds so that we will continue to have development.”
“About Mayor De Guzman, he will certainly be a bigger force when the massive organization and resources of Lakas-Kampi-CMD are mobilized for his possible mayoral candidacy,” Tamayo said. “Besides, we don’t see a strong opponent from the other side with Mayor Rodrigo Duterte ineligible to run for another term.”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Hundreds of wheel chairs benefit poor in Davao City
The solon and his son and chief of staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, are both active in many humanitarian and development projects aimed at helping poor families in the 1st District of Davao City.
Nograles who belongs to the 1st District have launched various pro-poor programs and one of them is the “Oplan Kalusugan” where the duo distributed wheel chairs to disabled residents.
Just recently, the young Nograles led a distribution of wheel chairs to residents.
“At least in our little way, we are able to bring a smile and offer a little bit of comfort to them,” he said.
He also told poor residents who needed wheel chairs or medical assistance to visit the congressional office in Quirino Avenue in Davao City or get in touch with their village leaders.
The father and son tandem have distributed hundreds of wheel chairs in Davao City.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Stop extrajudicial killings in Davao City, lawyer urges authorities
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A prominent lawyer and son of House Speaker Prospero Nograles has called on the authorities to put a stop to extrajudicial killings in Davao City in the southern Philippines.
Karlo Nograles, who is also his father’s chief of staff, expressed alarm over the spate of unresolved murders blamed to the shadowy group called Davao death Squad, which was behind the hundreds of killings of suspected criminals and drug addicts over the years.
He said the only way to stop the murders is to get its mastermind. The so-called vigilante killings, he said, brought shame to Davao City.
”You solve problems at its roots,” the young lawyer said during his Saturday’s radio talk show called “Kalamboan Dala Tanan.”
He also talked about the continuing investigation by the Commission on Human Rights on the killings that have drawn outcries from the United Nations and the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
The CHR on Friday conducted its 4th round of investigation on the alleged existence of the death squad. Lawyer Leila de Lima, CHR chairwoman, said she is convinced that the death squad exists and that it is likely behind over 800 murders the past 10 years.
Also alarmed by the killings, the House Speaker has the “Anti-Salvage Bill” in the lower house. “It was also a response to calls by international agencies to put an end to the killings,” Nograles said.
Former District 2 Councilor Beethoven Orcullo, a guest in Nograles’ radio program, said the killing spree in Davao City is unprecedented.
Also a former prosecutor, Orcullo agreed with the young Nograles that the brains behind the extrajudicial killings should be arrested and jailed. “Murder is a capital offense,” he said.
Another radio guest, Greggo Pantig, said residents are against summary executions.
He said the locals cannot openly protest about the killings because they are afraid of possible retaliation from the death squad.
“We have the police. We have the courts and the jail and there is no reason to kill people even if they are criminal suspects,” he said.
Pantig said the street killings have only brought chaos to community, pointing out as an example other areas that are ruled by warlords. “Places where killings are prevalent do not progress,” he said.
“The opposition to street killings is best symbolized by the campaign of the Catholic church to stop the Davao Death Squad. The priests gave Davao City a courageous and strong moral voice against these terrifying elements of society,” he added.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
House Speaker urged to run in 2010 Davao City mayoralty race
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Village leaders in the southern Mindanao city of Davao said there is a strong clamor for House Speaker Prospero Nograles to run for mayor in next year’s polls.
Village chieftain Rommel delos Reyes said residents are urging Nograles to seek the mayoralty post so he can continue his various humanitarian programs and development projects in Davao City.
“If I say the Speaker is not running for mayor because that is what he said, they would ask us why, and they say how they wished Speaker Nograles would run,” De los Reyes, of the village of Barangay 6-A, said in a radio talk show in Davao City.
Nograles belongs to the 1st Congressional District where most of his projects benefited the poor from livelihood programs to infrastructure projects.
“Our constituents are urging the House Speaker to run for mayor of Davao City because they know he is for the progress of Davao City,” one supporter said.
Lawyer Prospero Mojica, who was also guest in the same show, said: “As a friend, I would advice against it. But as a Dabawenyo and for the sake of the people, I want Boy Nogie to run for mayor.”
Mojica was referring to Nograles whose nickname is Boy Nogie. The lawyer, a schoolmate of Nograles in Ateneo de Manila College, said it would be a sacrifice for the solon to seek the mayoralty post, but the clamor for his to run is difficult to ignore.
Nograles, who is on his third and last term, previously said that running for a local post is not part of his plan, but would campaign for his son, noted lawyer Karlo Nograles, who is said to be eyeing a congressional seat – the 1st District of Davao City.
The young Nograles is also the solon’s chief of staff.
Another village leader, Joel Santes of Matina Crossing, said the public clamor for the solon to run as mayor is strong. “People are clamoring for change…for the development and progress of Davao City,” Santes said.
Team Nograles Praised In Davao City
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, is flanked by residents in Davao City in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Geo Solmerano)
The group, headed by noted lawyer Karlo Nograles, is composed of eight prominent personalities whose vision is to help uplift the condition of the poor and promote peace and development in Davao City.
Nograles is the son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles whose humanitarian and development projects had helped thousands of mostly poor families in Davao City.
Residents and supporters of Nograles, are also pushing members of the Team Nograles to run for City Council in next year’s national and local polls so they can help more people and continue their projects for the benefit of the poor. They praised the team for their dedication to public service.
The young lawyer lauded “Team Nograles” for its accomplishments.
Speaking in his weekly radio program “Kalamboan Dala Tanan” over dxAB, the young Nograles said he is satisfied with the dedication of the Team Nograles members in reaching out to the District 1 constituency. “With more hands doing public service, we are able to push services more deeply in District 1,” he said.
“The kind of dedication they have in doing public service, of course, makes them good choices for the City Council,” said the young Nograles, who belongs to the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
He said party officials will still have to make the decision on who would be its candidates for the 2010 elections. “What I can say at best is that we in Lakas-Davao City are organized and ready.”
Nograles said the character and acceptability of would-be candidates of Lakas-Davao City will be major criteria in the upcoming polls. “That’s why we have good members in Team Nograles,” he said, adding, among its members are a doctor, lawyers, former council member, civic leaders, village officials and a youth leader,” he said.
Nograles has named them as Dr Jeff Ho, who is known for his sincere services to the poor and also a leading figure in many Nograles medical and health missions. And the lawyers are Prospero Mojica and Rene Villarente who are both idealists and serve as legal advisers of the Team Nograles. Shane Dolor, a 4-time city councilor, who also advises the Team Nograles on local governance.
He also named civic leader Billy Parilla, a former governor of the Rotary Club and village officials Joel Santes and Rommel delos Reyes as among those that are included in the Team Nograles along with former Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Jo Anne Bonguyan.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Noted Davao Lawyer Tells Victims of Violence To Seek Justice
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A noted Filipino lawyer in the southern Philippine city of Davao has called on victims of violence and injustice to have the courage and come out in the open.
Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, made the calls during his weekend radio program called “Kalamboan Dala Tanan,” to put an end to the pervading “culture of violence and abuse” in Davao City.
Extrajudicial killings are common in Davao City and hundreds had been murdered so far the past years and many of these cases remain unresolved. Many of the killings were blamed to the so-called Davao Death Squad, a shadowy armed group.
The young Nograles said the families of victims of extrajudicial killings and violence could seek assistance to government agencies, nongovernmental agencies or the Church to seek justice.
He suggested that police conduct a thorough investigation and match confiscated guns to evidences retrieved from murder scenes involving the death squad. “For all we know, one or more of these confiscated firearms were used in many unsolved killings,” Nograles said.
Hundreds of guns were seized by police and military in a campaign against illegal weapons in recent years. And Nograles said ballistic tests on those weapons could establish whether or not the guns were directly linked to the killings that already affected Davao City’s tourism, the peace and order and caused a worldwide embarrassment and fears among investors.
He said the issue on Davao City killings was among the topics raised during the recent visit of Speaker Nograles in the United States where he met President Barrack Obama and his counterpart, Senator Nancy Pelosi.
The issue of summary killings in Davao City was also the subject in the recent ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Thailand where Speaker Nograles represented the Philippines.
“It cannot be denied that these killings have brought Davao more harm than good,” the young lawyer said, adding, some victims were killed due to reasons other than peace and order.
He lamented that no suspect was arrested, including those behind the killings of journalists Jun Pala, who was gunned down in 2003, and Ferdinand Lintuan, shot in 2007 in Davao City.
Last week, a widow of one of six murder victims in Davao City, Belinda Palmero, said she does not expect to get justice just like the many other victims of the Davao Death Squad.
Appearing on a local television show, Palmero said the killing of her husband, had left them with no one to fend for the family.
Nograles told the woman not to lose hope. “Many people and organizations are willing to help families of victims of extrajudicial killings to end the violence and abuses,” the lawyer assured.
Acknowledging fears that some of the killings could be “state-sponsored,” Nograles said victims could go to nongovernmental organizations like the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for legal help, or Church groups that offer spiritual counseling.
“It is necessary for us to find the courage,” the lawyer said, adding, he and his father and their group are willing to help those who need legal assistance.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Audit Body Begins Work In Davao City
DAVAO CITY, Philippines - The Office of House Speaker Prospero Nograles has belied claims that it was behind the move by the Commission on Audit (COA) to look deeply into the use of (Davao) City Hall of its huge budget for peace and order funds.
“The COA, just like the Commission on Human Rights, is a constitutional body which Congress has no control over,” said lawyer Karlo B. Nograles, son and chief-of-staff of the Speaker.
“Like any government office, we are also subject to a COA audit,” the young Nograles said during his weekly radio program called “Kalamboan Dala Tanan” over radio station dxAB.
Nograles was reacting to claims that fund releases in City Hall have been stopped on account of an ongoing audit by COA. The city’s peace and order funds amounted to about P450-million a year, or a shade above P1.2-million per day.
Davao enjoys up to P4-billion annual budget which is among the biggest in the country.
“The Office of the Speaker is also being audited by COA, but fund releases do not stop, we have continued with our projects and public services,” the lawyer said. “Audit is a simple turnover of proof of disbursements to COA, but it does not mean a stop to fund releases.”
Nograles said disbursement of funds could be stopped if there is no liquidation of all cash advances. “But that is not during the conduct of audit, but in the course of upright fiscal handling,” the lawyer said.
He said judicious use of government funds is the main reason why the Office of the Speaker has been transparent in the implementation of its projects. Aside from the regular publication of the Nograles Accomplishment Report, many public distributions of government aids are all recorded, including video documentation.
Public works projects are also marked by signboards because it is mandated by law.
In his Saturday afternoon radio program, Nograles confirmed that there are plans in Congress to conduct a legislative inquiry into the use of intelligence and peace and order funds. “But that is not in the lower house, but in Senate,” he said.
The lawyer said the Office of Senator Benigno Aquino III has proposed the investigation on the use of intelligence funds by local governments.
Quoting his father, the young Nograles said the lower house would be satisfied to exercise its oversight powers over local government expenditures during the marathon hearings on the 2010 national budget set to begin next week.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Davao farmers get loan assistance
The beneficiaries of the two million pesos loan assistance were members of the Davao City Coconut Farmers Federation Incorporated.
The lawmaker’s son and chief of staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, facilitated the release Friday of the loan without interest to help coconut farmers.
He said the money was part of the five million pesos earlier pledged to coconut farmers during a memorandum of agreement signed by the solon, the PCA and Davao City Coconut Farmers Federation Incorporated.
Nograles said the remaining three million pesos will be given to the farmers if they are religious in paying their loan within five years without interest. The amount received by the coconut farmers corresponded to the size of their farms.
“A total of 610 hectares corresponding to 225 coconut farmers in Talomo District and 100 more coconut farmers in Toril District are the beneficiaries of this loan assistance,” the young Nograles said.
He said the Office of the House Speaker acted as guarantor to the loan which can help the farmers improve their situation.
“This is the first time that such kind of loan assistance is given to coconut farmers in Davao City. We hope the farmers use the money wisely and repay them back so others can benefit also from the loan assistance,” Nograles said.
The loan, he said, is part of the so-called “Oplan Kabuhayan” program of the solon to help improve the lives of many poor families in Davao City.
Monday, September 14, 2009
House Speaker's son gets overwhelming support; to run for Congress in 2010 polls
Nograles, a lawyer by profession and son and also chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, thanked all who continue to support him. The young Nograles celebrated his birthday with supporters, well-wishers and family members and relatives at simple bash at Felis Resort in the village of Matina Aplaya last week.
Majority of those who attended the party praised the lawyer and his father for their many humanitarian programs in Davao City’s 1st District. One villager gifted Nograles with a basket of fruits and promised to support his political plan.
Nograles is said to be eyeing to replace his father as congressman in the 1st District. The elder Nograles, who is also noted lawyer, is on his third and last term.
Many supporters of the father and son tandem praised them for their various projects – from health care to education and infrastructure - that benefited tens of thousands of their constituents.
Davao village benefits from medical mission
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, joins a recent medical mission in Barangay Bago Aplaya in Davao City in the southern Philippines.DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Some 1,000 villagers benefited from a medical mission launched by House Speaker Prospero Nograles in the southern Philippine city of Davao.
The medical mission was launched Barangay Bago Aplaya in coordination with the Davao Medical Center, whose doctors and nurses provided free consultation and medicines, said lawyer Karlo Nograles, the lawmaker’s son and chief of staff.
The mission, he said, is part of the “Oplan Kalusugan” program, which aims to provide better health services for residents of the 1st District where the solon belongs.
“This medical mission is a year-long activity initiated by the House Speaker to promote good health and well being of his residents,” the young Nograles said. “Aside from medical missions, the Office of the House Speaker also offers free Phil health cards and medical assistance to poor residents in the first district lessen their burden if ever they are sick.”
Residents praised the Nograleses for their humanitarian programs.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
2,400 get free health cards in Davao City
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Some 2,400 residents of the Davao City’s 1st District received their health cards as part of a program by House Speaker Prospero Nograles.
The solon’s son and chief of staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, led the distribution of the Philhealth (Philippine Health) cards for Barangay 35-D and residents of Talomo District.
Nograles started distribution of the health cards in 2004 and since then more than 25,000 Philhealth cards have been given mostly to poor residents as part of the so-called “Oplan Kalusugan.”
Aside from Philhealth cards, Nograles also provides medical assistance to those the sick through his Congressional Medical Assistance Program (CMAP) which is primarily implemented at the Davao Medical Center.
The lawmaker and his son have also led various medical and humanitarian missions in Davao City.
Davao City's Lakas-Kampi-CMD is all ready for 2010 polls
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, said the coalition’s local chapter has “slowly but surely” worked its way to tip-top shape and will be “ready and fully-equipped” in the May elections.
He said as the party is poised to convene next week to pick its presidential candidate, the Davao City chapter of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD has already come up with its nominees so that the party could field a full electoral slate in every district of the country.
“From Bankerohan to Lasang and Marilog, and from Agdao to Paquibato and Toril, Lakas in Davao City has covered the bases,” the young Nograles said. “That is the advantage of Lakas; we are the biggest and most organized political party.”
Lakas has been conducting surveys, both internal to the party and through reputable polling outfits, to guide the selection process of would-be candidates.
Speaker Nograles was the former national president of Lakas before it merged with Kampi. The elder Nograles now sits as vice chairman to President Gloria Arroyo in the merged Lakas-Kampi-CMD.
“We are happy with the outcome of the surveys, particularly for major positions in Davao City,” the lawyer said.
The young Nograles, who is said to be eyeing a congressional seat in the 1st District, said the coalition is not worried about its chances both in the local and national levels come 2010.
He said Lakas is proud of its performance in Davao, virtually changing the face of city in terms of infrastructure development. He said he and his father who is called “Team Nograles” in Davao City because of their drive to deliver social services and other pro-poor programs from medical and health care, to livelihood and education scholarships..
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Davao kids get free bags, school supplies
The lawmaker’s son and chief of staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, led the recent distribution of the bags and school supplies to the elementary children in the 1st District of Davao City.
“The hope of the country is these children and they need all the help they could get which is why Speaker Nograles decided to allocate some funds to give them bags and school supplies.”
“My father has various programs for the children and the youth, including scholarship program, wherein we provide free college education to poor students in the 1st District who wish to study in college,” the 33-year old lawyer said.
Nograles said aside from academic scholars, they also offer vocational courses and skills training to poor residents.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Davao Flood Victims Get Food Aid
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of House Speaker Prospero Nograles, distributes rice packs and groceries to victims of a recent flooding in Matina Pangi in Davao City in Mindanao.DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Dozens of flood victims in the Mindanao city of Davao have received rice and grocery packs from the congressional office of House Speaker Prospero Nograles.
The solon’s son and chief of staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, led the distribution of the food aid to the victims in Matina Pangi, which was hit by recent flooding.
The young Nograles said the rice and grocery distribution was part of the “Oplan Kalinga” program.
”Oplan Kalinga is a hunger mitigation program of my father so that poor residents in our district, especially those victims of floods can avail of this aid to cope with their situation,” he said.
Oplan Kalinga program is a year round initiative wherein Nograles visits different villages in the 1st Congressional District to provide food assistance to the poor, especially victims of calamities.
”House Speaker Nograles has allocated funds to ensure that victims of calamities can avail of free rice and groceries,” he said.
The lawyer urged those who needed help to visit the congressional office or village leaders.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Like Father, Like Son: Karlo Nograles follows footsteps of great Pa
And now, his son and chief-of-staff, lawyer Karlo Nograles, who is following the solon’s footsteps, also take time to listen to the concerns of their constituents. During a recent barangay visit, the young Nograles assures the residents of the continued development and humanitarian projects by his father. The solon and his son have, in many years, launched various programs and assistance for the poor – health care, skills and livelihood trainings, educational scholarships among others.
Lawyer Nograles has urged those who needed help to visit the congressional office along Quirino Avenue in Davao City or their village leaders.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Davao City Gets Additional P20-M Infra Funding From House Speaker
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – House Speaker Prospero Nograles has released an additional P20-million in fresh funding for various infrastructure projects in Davao City in Mindanao.
Lawyer Karlo Nograles, son and chief of staff of the solon, said most of the funding will go to the completion of ongoing construction and repair and rehabilitation of multipurpose buildings in villages in the city’s first congressional district.
Among the villages are Barangays 76-A (Ecoland), Gulfview Subdivision in Bago Aplaya, Lanzona Subdivision in Matina Aplaya, Southville Maa, Barangay 21 and Wellspring in Catalunan Grande.
Other villages also included in the repair and rehabilitation of their multipurpose buildings are Sanggilangan in Barangay Maa, Saloruha in Barangay Talomo and Central Park.
Part of the additional fund will also be used for the construction of new multipurpose buildings in Alpha Homes in Barangay Matina Aplaya and at the Duterte National High School in Barangay Talomo, as well as for the construction of new multipurpose pavements in Elenita Heights in Barangay 39-D, Barangay 11-B and Barangay 2-A.
”These projects have long been promised to the residents of these barangays, the House Speaker is merely making good on his promises,” the young Nograles said.
For this year alone, the Speaker has allocated some P600-million for roadwork and infrastructure through his Oplan Kalsada Infrastructure Development Program.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
House Speaker, Son Pledge More Projects For Davao City
Lawyer Karlo Nograles during a humanitarian mission in Davao City in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Geo Solmerano)Nograles said he and his father have lined up various projects this year that includes a P60-million, 7,000-seat air conditioned Sports Center inside the University of Southeastern Philippines campus.
He said Davao City, a prime tourist destination in the southern Philippines, could be like Makati City, the country’s financial center, only if the locals would strive harder and work together for the common good.
Nograles said Davao City could even be more progressive than Makati which boasts of free hospitalization, health care and education to local residents.
“We are already doing that in Davao City. The House Speaker has many programs for the poor, not only on education, hospitalization or health care, but even more. We have pro-poor programs because we know that a lot of people needed help,” the young lawyer said.
The Nograleses have more than 15,000 scholars and for medical care, the father and son tandem already distributed thousands of PhilHealth cards aside from various improvements and rehabilitation of the regional hospital.
The solon also helped fund road network and other infrastructure projects in Davao City, especially in the first congressional district where the House Speaker belongs. (With reports from Geo Solmerano and Romy Bwaga)
Thursday, August 20, 2009
House Speaker Prospero Nograles is 2009 Kabalikat awardee
House Speaker Prospero Nograles.The Kabalikat Award is an annual institutional honor bestowed by Technical Eduction and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to mark its August 25 anniversary, recognizing its outstanding partners in the promotion and enhancement of technical education, skills development and job generation.
His son and chief-of-staff, Atty. Karlo Nograles, said the Speaker personally receive the Kabalikat Award at the Tesda Women's Center in Taguig City on Tuesday morning.
"With this latest recognition and honor, we could only promise greater efforts to promote technical education and skills in order to generate more jobs," the young Nograles said.
The elder Nograles, the first ever House Speaker from Mindanao, is a recipient of various awards in the past, including the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) for Justice & Human Rights in 1986 alongside Senators Miriam Santiago and Gregorio Honasan.
A topnotcher in 1971 bar examinations, placing second with an average of 90.92%, Nograles is a also a recipient of Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) from two universities.
Tesda said the Kabalikat Award will be given to Nograles for his outstanding contributions in the promotion and development of the country's middle level manpower.
Before he rose to become House Speaker, Nograles was strongly behind Tesda's I-CARE, or Invigorating Constituent Assistance in Reinforcing Employment Program that was designed to assist the people in every barangay to be skilled and empowered.
"Nograles's undying support is clearly aligned to his thrust of promoting skills enhancement and at the same time increasing the number of the employed," said an article by the Philippine Information Agency on I-CARE wrote. "This man is greatly concerned in giving his people the capability to be empowered, which would lead them to be productive."
Eureka Patalinghug of Barangay Dumoy is one of the graduates of the I-CARE training backed by Nograles. She applied her learning by putting up a family business.
Believing on her newly-acquired skill, Eureka started a meat processing livelihood. Instead of merely attending to household chores, she tried something different which she loved doing in the long run. The training did not just introduce her a new hobby but also to an income-generating activity.
After the meat processing training, Tesda revisited the barangay to introduce welding skills to the barangay folks. This was one way of offering to the men an alternative livelihood apart from the most common job - fishing.
The training was supposedly designed for men but their wives couldn't help but join the lecture as well as the hands-on activity. Even the children of those men participated that made the activity a week-long family training.
"Nakat-unan namo nga dili mi angay magsalig sa pangisda. Nadungagan na ang among kahibalo parte sa pag-welding mao nga nadungagan pud among kita adlaw-adlaw." (We learned that we should not just depend on fishing. Now we have learned a new skill on welding which has really helped us increase our income),” said Ernesto Baclaan, one of the graduates of the said training.
Out-of-school youth were even displaced from being "kanto boys" to "welders". After the training they felt proud for getting a certificate for undergoing such training. Even though they were deprived from getting into high school or college, somehow they felt how it is to accept a diploma. Now, they can apply for a job related to the skills training they underwent without having to fear rejection and discrimination.
A technical certificate could now bring them somewhere even in the international job market.
Nograles's son also has continued pushing for the program because of the solon's busy routine as a top national leader and the lawyer's own personal commitment to Davao City’s first congressional district.
The young lawyer has noted that most graduates of their training programs now apply the skills acquired in looking for a job. Some of them have landed in manufacturing firms by merely taking advantage of the Skills Certificate they received from TESDA.
Barangay councils have been supportive to the initiative of Nograles and Tesda. Through the funds of provided Nograles, certain barangays acquired welding machines that helped the Barangay folks practice such skill and at the same time use or rent those machines when they get into contracts.
"Makita ninyo nga kanunay puno ang barangay hall og mga tao nga ga-welding. Nakita gyud nila ang kaayo kung duna silay laing skill nga nahibal-an. Daghan sa mga tambay ang nagbag-o ug panglantaw ug duna nay panginabuhi karon. (You can observe that the barangay hall is filled with people doing welding stuff outside. They have really seen the benefits of acquiring a new skill. A lot of jobless residents here have changed attitude and they now busy themselves with work), said a barangay staffer Ellen Perez of Dumoy, Davao City.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Davao Media Interview Philanthropist Karlo Nograles
