MOAs signed on power, software and livelihood

CEBU, Philippines - Three memo-randa of agreement were inked yesterday between the Province of Cebu and other parties to address different concerns.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed the agreement between 12 municipal mayors and their respective Association of Barangay Councils presidents for the implementation of a livelihood program for women.

The Grameen for Women Empowerment Now is patterned after the Grameen Micro-Finance of Bangladesh wherein the provincial government is downloading funds up to the barangay level.

The pilot municipalities are Minglanilla, Argao, Badian, Balamban, Tuburan, Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Tabuelan, Sogod, Poro and San Francisco with a total of 286 barangays covered.

The provincial government is set to release P1.8 million for 3,513 mothers at P500 to start a small business.

Garcia also signed the agreement between German International Operation or the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit represented by its program manager Dr. Herwig Mayer to provide software for the Integrated Taxation Management System of the province.

The program is focused on improving tax assessment and collection system and increasing the revenue of LGUs more particularly real property tax, business tax and others.

The other MOA signed was between the National Power Corporation and the Camotes Electric Cooperative to provide solution to the power shortages in Camotes Island.

The province provided a loan in the amount of P9 million to Celco to enable the company to pay the requested advance payment of NPC to ensure the 24-hour power supply in Camotes Island.

The NPC requested the help of the province due to its budgetary constraints as the company could no longer generate the required power supply to Celco prompting them to ask Celco the advance payment.

The NPC only asked for one month advance but Garcia offered to pay the advance for three months to give breathing space to NPC to fill in the gap.

NPC president Froilan Tampinco said that the undertaking was a perfect example of how the government agencies are supposed to help each other to bring service to the people.

He also announced that other provinces will also do what Cebu is doing in helping the NPC.  (FREEMAN)