The J-TED Meeting (Welcome Program)

If a meeting of delegates from at least twelve countries and International Organizations can be called an International Conference, then Calbayog City had hosted one - the first at that - a few days before the 58th Charter Day Anniversary. It was the Global National Coordinators' Review Meeting.

The delegates came to Calbayog to review the experiment on the Juvenile Trashfish Excluder Device (J-TED), a program under the auspices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and supported by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Mayor Mel Sarmiento made it to the opening conference held at the Dussit Hotel in Makati. He had to leave for a speaking engagement in Australia, a trip shouldered by the League of Cities of the Philippines of which he is the Secretary-General. Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino took charge during the reception and conference activities. The Mayor made it back in time for the send-off dinner.

on hand to meet the guests at the airport: Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, City Agriculturist Adela Ocenar and Lelith Realino

The Vice Mayor welcoming Thomas Moth-Poulsen of the FAO and Jonathan Dickson of the BFAR

The Sarkiki-Hadang Performers doing their dance of welcome at the tarmac

The Welcome Program at the City Hall Stage

The J-TED Meeting (Conference Proper)

The meeting was a gathering of national coordinators from a good number of countries that participated in the J-TED experiment. They gathered in Calbayog to review the experiment made on the device.

The experiment was conducted in Calbayog in conjunction with the City's award-winning Coastal Zoning Program. J-DET is a modifed trawl fishing device aimed at a reducing to least 40% the waste products or trash fish usually gathered by regular trawl device which is still being used by many fisherfolks in Samar.

This experiment was performed in only two cities - Mexico City and Calbayog City. The results were later featured in the BBC TV Program "Earth Report"

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino delivering his Welcome Speech

Luis Font Chavez (Cuba)

Antonio Porres (Costa Rica)

Meke Soung & Pierre Nolasque (Cameroon)

Mario Enrique Ruede - Hernandez (Colombia)

Andres Antonio Seefo Ramos (Mexico)

James Ogbonna and Bohecy Solarin (Nigeria)

Suzette Soomai (Trinidad and Tobago)

Luis Marcano (Venezuela)

Bundit Chokesanguan (SEAFDEC- Thailand)

Dedy Sutisna (Indonesia)

Janne Fogelgren, U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization Project Operation and Takehiro Nakamura of the U. N. Environment Program

Thomas Moth-Poulsen (FAO), Blaise Kuemlangen and Lena Westlund (UNEP)

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino with Janne Fogelgren and Takehiro Nakamura

PGMA in Calbayog

Calbayog City turned 58 years old today. The guest of honor was no less than Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

At least an hour before the President's arrival, the two main entrances to the city from Brgy. Carayman and Brgy. Lonoy were blocked to traffic. The annual parade started at 7:00 a.m. and was over in little over an hour. The motorcade route has been cleared off before 9:00 am.

The Presidential visit started with a meeting at the Calbayog Airport Terminal where Mayor Mel Sarmiento gave a presentation on the Development Plan for Samar Island. Present in that meeting were the Samar Governor Mila Tan, Congressmen Reynaldo Uy and Catalino Figueroa and a good number of Mayors from the various municipalities of Samar.

A motorcade brought the President to the city proper. Crowds lined the motorcade route which ended at the TTMIST campus. At the TTMIST Socio-Cultural Center, the President delivered a speech before a huge gathering of City and Barangay Officials, teachers and the benefactors of the land titling program.

The visit was capped with a luncheon at the TTMIST AVR.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento delivers his report

PGMA gives her inputs on the report. With the President are (L-R) Congressman Catalino Figueroa, Mayor Mel Sarmiento, Governor Mila Tan and Congressman Reynaldo Uy.

PGMA with some mayors of Samar

PGMA with (R-L) TTMIST President Socorro Bohol, Congressman Reynaldo Uy, Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, Congressman Catalino Figueroa, Mayor Mel Sarmiento and Presidential Political Affairs Adviser Gabby Claudio

PGMA waves from the school bus with some students on board. The school bus is part of the SAKAY-NA project which the President launched during her visit.

The President with some educators. (L-R) TTMIST President Socorro Bohol, Mayor Mel Sarmiento and DepEd Calbayog Superintendent Editha Paculan (to the President's left)

PGMA cheering the Sarakiki-Hadang performers who gave her a dance of welcome

The President shares some light moments with TTMIST President Socorro Bohol. Partly hidden between them is Congressman Reynaldo Uy

Mayor Mel Sarmiento explains some ongoing projects in Samar

PGMA with (l-r) PA Vic Domingo, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, Congressman Catalino Figueroa, Congressman Reynaldo Uy, Mayor Mel Sarmiento and Congressman Marcelino Libanan

PGMA hands over a Certificate of Title to Mr. Lusanto Calesa, one of the land titling beneficiaries

Mayor Mel Sarmiento explaining to PGMA the details of the MOA between the LGU and OLPI. Looking on are (L-R) Congressman Reynaldo Uy, Fr. Cajes and Bro. Dennis Tayo of OLPHI.

PGMA takes time to talk with Msgr. Basiling Rosales

PGMA with Calbayog City officials. (seated L-R) Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, Mayor Mel Sarmiento, Congressman Reynaldo Uy. (standing l-r) Councilors Benjie Dean, Noel Sermense, Juan Daguman Jr., Charlie Coñejos, Minda Pasacas, Niel Bryan Francisco and Ina Rabuya