NERBAC CALABARZON LAUNCHED

CALAMBA CITY - The Department of Trade and Industry launched NERBAC CALABARZON during the Regional Development Council Meeting last June 11, 2008 at the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, DENR, Forestry Campus, UP Los Baños, Laguna.
The launch featured the signing of a declaration of commitment among national government agencies and the leagues of cities and municipalities in the Philippines.
NERBAC CALABARZON, or the National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center in Calabarzon, is a virtual one-stop-shop business registration office that rationalizes current systems in the processing of applications for starting up businesses.
The center's main feature will be an online business registration facility which is a collaboration of national and local government agencies to help streamline business registration procedures in the country.
Businesses registration including applications for license and permits could be filed in a single online application form - a single data-entry which automatically flows to concerned agencies thus eliminating repetitive submission of the same business information consequently reducing time, cost and red tape.
Created under Republic Act 470, NERBAC Calabarzon will also serve as a regional bank of information relevant to trade and investments vital to business start-up and a central venue for the promotion and facilitation of trade & investments in the CALABARZON Region as well.
NERBAC CALABARZON will rely on the Philippine Business Registry (PBR) as a main facility to simplify processes by streamlining registration requirements in an environment enhanced by convergence and information technology, although there would still be physical presence of major partner agencies at least once per week to do the frontline service.
At its initial stage, the PBR will serve as a database of business entities including small and medium enterprises and will allow access and sharing of data to and from other relevant agencies like the BIR, SSS, and SEC. In addition, the PBR will host entity-based data and functions as a knowledge management base for statistical and analytical requirements.
NERBAC CALABARZON's partners includes the National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, Regional Development Council IV-A, Securities and Exchange Commission, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Cooperative Development Authority, Department of Agriculture, DENR, Department of Foreign Affairs, DILG, Department of Health, Department Of Labor and Employment, Department of Tourism, League of Cities of The Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, PagIbig Fund, and PhilHealth. (CHARLIE S. DAJAO/Department of Trade and Industry Region IV-A)

LAGUNA HOSTS PRESIDENT ARROYO’S SIGNING OF CHEAPER MEDICINE LAW

STA. CRUZ - The province of Laguna headed by Gov. Teresita "Ningning" S. Lazaro is now in the annals of history as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signs this morning (June 6, 2008; around 10:30 am) a new law that will curb down the price of medicines. This is through the encouragement of more competition in the local market through parallel importation of affordable but quality drugs.
The historic event took place at the Laguna Provincial Hospital Compound which is just beside the Laguna Provincial Capitol in the capital town Sta. Cruz. Prior to this, Mrs. Arroyo together with her entourage toured the adjacent and newly renovated Laguna Chest Center. This P5M high-tech facility was funded by the national government to cater the respiratory ailments of the Lagunenses particularly patients suffering from tuberculosis. The President was assisted and accompanied by Laguna officials led by Gov. Lazaro. Other visitors and guests who graced the occasion were Senators Edgardo Angara, Bong Revilla, Pia Cayetano, and Mar Roxas, the law’s principal author. Mrs. Arroyo later on turned-over Philhealth cards to the underprivileged before boarding her chopper to visit Amherst Laboratories, Inc., a pharmaceutical facility in Mamplasan, Biñan, Laguna.
With the enactment of Republic Act 9502, or the "Universally Accessible Cheaper and Quality Medicines Act of 2008," the national government will now have a chance to help the local generics industry by amending the Intellectual Property Code. This will then strengthen the regulatory powers of the Bureau of Food and Drugs against substandard medicines. "With the signing of the cheaper meds bill we have completed our legislative reforms. We all know about the importance of the Generics Law before but it was incomplete, and now with the cheaper medicines and quality bill we have completed, I believe, our legislative reforms will bring affordable medicines to the people." the President said.
President Arroyo also said that the measure was part of the government’s efforts to make medicines affordable to the people, especially to the poor who are already burdened by high prices of oil, electricity, and food. She then directed the Department of Health to come up with the implementing rules and regulations within 120 days. The agency, for its part, said the new law would allow it to expand a program to deliver affordable medicines to the grassroots.
With the new law, any individual or organization registered with the Bureau of Food and Drugs may import medicines and sell them cheap to the public.
Other salient features of the new law include:
• Prohibition of the grant of new patents based only on newly-discovered uses of a known drug substance;
• Allowing local generics firms to test, produce and register their generic versions of patented drugs, so these can be sold right upon patent expiry ("early working principle");
• Allowing the government use of patented drugs when the public interest is at stake;
• Giving the President the power to put price ceilings on various drugs, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Health. These drugs include those for chronic illnesses, for prevention of diseases, and those on the Philippine National Drug Formulary (PNDF) Essential Drug List;
• Strengthening the Bureau of Food and Drug Administration so that it could ensure the safety of medicines, by allowing it to retain its revenues for upgrading of its facilities, equipment and human resources; and
• Ensuring the availability of affordable medicines by requiring drug outlets to carry a variety of brands for each drug, including those sourced from "parallel importation," to give the consumer more choices. (LAGUNA PROVINCIAL PIO)

SANTA ROSA CITY'S ANNUAL INCOME REACHES P1 BILLION

SANTA ROSA CITY– This city has breached the P1 billion mark in terms of income as the City Treasury reported a gross revenue of P1,0666,672,325.15 for the fiscal year 2007. Of the total revenue, P933,743,599.70 is allocated for the General Fund, while P132,928,725.45 was intended for the Special Education fund.
The 2007 income represented a modest 6.89% increase from the P997,875,637.01 total income generated in 2006. The increase is almost double the income P625,180,794.88 the local government unit generated in 2004, the year that Santa Rosa was converted into a city.
According to the City Treasury, 42% or P446,373,449.37 of the total revenue collection came from business license tax. Among the top business tax payers for 2007 were Toyota Motor Phils. Corp., Honda Cars Phils., Inc., Ford Group Phils., Panasonic Industrial Asia PTE Ltd., Phil. Branch, Monde Nissin Corp., Nissan Motor Phils., Metro Manila Shopping Mecca Corp., Supervalue Inc., San Miguel Foods, Inc., and SM Prime Holdings, Inc.
Real property tax collection, on the other hand, totaled P272,477,117.74 or 26% of the total annual collection. The top real property tax payers were Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Inc., Pilipinas Nissan, Inc., Toyota Motor Phils., Inc., Monde Nissin Corp., Aichi Forging Co. of Asia, Inc., SM Prime Holdings, Inc., Honda Cars, Phils. Inc., Amtrust Holdings, Inc., Panasonic Manufacturing Phil. Corp., and Greenfield Development Corp.
The remaining collection came from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) which amounted to P248,893,123.00 (23%) and other sources which totaled P98,928,635.04 (9%).
City Treasurer Laura Sy attributed the revenue increase to the diligence of the City Business and Licensing Office (BPLO) and the City Assessor’s Office. She also cited the cooperation of the businesses and real property owners in paying their dues to the City Government.
Mayor Arlene Arcillas-Nazareno, meanwhile, is optimistic that the steady increase in the City’s revenue will be a continuing trend. She said that with the implementation of the Local Government Finance and Development Project or Logofind, revenue collection will be more efficient which will result in better social services and infrastructure for the city’s 266,943 population.
Santa Rosa City is the fastest rising investment center in South Luzon with three large-scale PEZA accredited economic zones. It is now the center of the country’s automotive industry and is host to the assembly plants of four car manufacturers. The City is also projected to be among the major ICT hub in the country with major players, in the business process outsource industry, including Teletec and Convergys, opting to relocate in the city.
World class master-planned communities such as Greenfield City, Nuvali of the Ayala Group and Eton City of the Lucio Tan Group are currently under development and are expected to attract more investors. (STA. ROSA CIO)

LAGUNA JOINS THE NATION IN THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 110th INDEPENDENCE DAY

STA. CRUZ - The province of Laguna headed by Gov. Teresita "Ningning" S. Lazaro joins all Filipinos worldwide as the Philippines celebrate its 110th Independence Day this June 12, 2008.
Themed "REPUBLIC SERVICE, tungo sa ganap na KALAYAAN AT KAUNLARAN", the commemoration was held at the Town Plaza of Sta. Cruz, Laguna’s capital town. This was also attended by Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Jose L. Atienza, Jr., the guest of honor during the celebration. Also in attendance are Laguna Board Members Neil Andrew Nocon, Bong Palacol, Rolly Bagnes, Johnny Unico, and Floro Esguerra; and other national and regional officials. The Laguna mayors and other local officials were represented by Sta. Cruz Mayor Ariel T. Magcalas, and Rizal Mayor Rolen Urriquia, the Laguna Mayors League acting President. Also present aside from the visitors and guests were the Lagunense World War II veterans and their families, the senior citizens of the province, the Lagunense youth, and the residents of Sta. Cruz and nearby municipalities.
Although the centerpiece of the celebration was held at the Rizal Park in Manila where President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo led the nationwide celebration, Laguna is already part of the country’s rich history being among the first eight provinces that revolted against colonial rule. In fact the catalyst of Philippine Revolution was Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the country’s national hero who is a Lagunense himself.
The activity started in the morning with a flag raising ceremony that was graced by the officials and employees of the Provincial Government of Laguna, the Municipal Government of Sta. Cruz, DENR Regional Office IV-A, Laguna Provincial Police Office, Philippine Army, Department of Education - Laguna, and Commission on Higher Education. This was immediately followed by the wreath-laying ceremony to the heroes’ monuments at the plaza, followed by the dispersal of around 40,000 fish-fingerlings to the adjacent Sta. Cruz River, and the planting of bamboo shoots along the river’s banks.
The latter part being an advocacy of the DENR is in line with Gov. Lazaro’s Sulong Kapaligiran program, a pillar under her flagship 7-Point Agenda. With this, it is expected that the environment will be taken cared of, particularly the dying Laguna Lake since this will instill respect and love for the environment. This will then strengthen the drive to preserve and conserve the natural resources that is currently being depleted at a fast rate. (LAGUNA PROVINCIAL PIO)