Tuesday, September 27, 2022

POPCOM celebrates World Contraception Day

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte -- The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) joins the celebration of the 5th World Contraception Day on Monday, September 26 with the theme: “Usap Tayo sa Family Planning: Where Every Pregnancy is Wanted”, as POPCOM continues its advocacy in providing correct information and services for modern family planning through the agency’s Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning Program (RPFP).

POPCOM continues to encourage couples and individuals to make the right decision in choosing what modern family planning to use based on their needs and preference. The agency emphasized that it is one of the best decisions they can make for  their family and  for themselves.

The Commission strongly believes that correct information and having the right choice for couples and individuals is important to prevent unintended pregnancies. 

Rural Health Units and Municipal Health Centers in the whole of Caraga region are receiving FP commodities and services for free from POPOCM-Caraga.

POPCOM Caraga continuously serves qualified clients through its Family Wellness Clinic located at VCDU Bldg. Pareja Subdivision, Butuan City. In partnership with various local government units and population offices in Caraga region, the RPFP demand generation and service delivery provide up-to-date, accurate information and services in modern family planning like Progestin Subdermal Implant, Pills, Condoms, and Injectable to couples and individuals in the entire region including the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Ares or GIDA communities. (Gabrielle Paolo M. Mordeno, POPCOM Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Norte

 

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Remaining members of CTG in AgSur surrender to government 

TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur – Six (6) remaining members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) operating in the hinterlands of San Luis and Esperanza, Agusan del Sur surrendered to the 26th Infantry Battalion headed by Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Sandy Majarocon on September 25, 2022.

Following the surrender of their leader, Badong Lipanda alias “Reymund”, commanding officer of Platoon Banglas, Sub-Regional Committee 3, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) last September 17, 2022, six more members yielded to the operating troops of 26IB bringing along six (6) high-powered firearms composed of three (3) AK47 rifles, two (2) M16A1 rifles, one (1) Garand rifle, magazines and live ammunitions.

 

Just like the testimony of the surrendered  commander, the remaining members have shared their chaotic experiences in joining the terrorist movement. The tiring days of evading the Focused Military Operations, very little food supply, and the loss of mass support have demoralized each member that resulted in disunity among their ranks. "Mapasalamaton ming dako sa 26IB sa ilang pagdawat sa amua, sa pagtabang nga kami makabalik sa sabakan sa atong gobyerno, ug sa pagpasaylo nila sa amuhang mga kanhi nabuhat mahitungod sa sayop nga ideyolohiya nga gitudlo sa amua sauna (We are thankful to the 26IB for accepting us, for facilitating our return to the government’s fold, and for showing us mercy despite the chaos we brought in the community due to wrong ideologies before)," Mama Inolato alias “Jab” said during an interview.

 

Likewise, LtCol Majarocon, welcomed the surrenderees, and commended them for choosing the path of peace, reconciliation, and rule of law.  He also thanked the Indigenous Peoples (IP) leaders and families of former rebels for helping the military in encouraging them to surrender. 

 

"Maayong pag-abot sa atong mga kaigsuonan nga ni-surrender. Manghinaut ko nga tinud-anay kining inyong pagbalik sa sabakan sa atong panggamhanan. Usa kini ka dako nga kahigayonan aron kamo magkinabuhi sa kalinaw ug gawasnon uban ang inyong tagsa-tagsa ka pamilya ug mga mahal sa kinabuhi (We welcome our surrenderees. I hope this is a sincere gesture of your interest to return to the folds of the law. This is a big opportunity for you to be able to live in a peaceful life with your respective family and love ones)," LtCol Majarocon said.

 

The surrender of the six remaining Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) will finally put an end to Platoon Banglas, SRC3 and the atrocities conducted by the said group for the past many years.

 

At present, the six (6) surrenderees are undergoing assessments, documentation, and counseling in preparation for their enrollment in the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP). (1Lt Percival J Carido, CMO officer, 26IB, PA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

High-ranking CTG leader, five other members surrender to government’s fold

TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur – A Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) operating in Agusan del Sur collapsed following the surrender of its leader and members to the 26th Infantry Battalion led by commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel (LtCol) Sandy Majarocon in Barangay Zamora, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur on September 17, 2022.

The unit’s strengthened partnership and collaboration with Indigenous Peoples (IP) leaders, Former Rebels (FRs), families, and the Local Government Units (LGUs) and relentless Focused Military Operations (FMOs), paved the way for the surrender of six (6) New People’s Army (NPA) members including Badong Gumansel Lipanda alias “Reymund”, commanding officer of Platoon Banglas, Sub-Regional Committee 3, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC). They also surrendered three (3) high-powered firearms and three (3) low-powered firearms consisting of one (1) M16 rifle, two (2) Garand rifles, one (1) shotgun, and two (2) cal.45 pistols, all with magazines and live ammunition.

 

Accordingly, fear for their lives, scarcity of food supply, being away from their families and children, and without support from their former mass bases and higher units had pushed alias “Reymund” and his comrades to surrender and finally abandon the terrorist movement. 

 

"Human sa mga sunod-sunod nga enkwentro sa kasundalohan, kawagtangan sa suporta sa mga masa, ug kawad-an sa suporta gikan sa among taas, ug apilan sa kalisod sa pagkaon ug kamingaw sa among mga anak, naka huna-huna na gayud ako ug surrender uban sa akong asawa ug ubang myembro. Maglisod na kaayo mi pagduol sa among mga kanhing masa kay dili na sila motuo sa amoa ug dili na nila gusto nga maapil pa sa kagubot (after the series of encounters against the army troops, no mass support even from our top officials, and scarcity of food, and being away from our children, I was really convinced to surrender with my wife and my comrades. We had difficulty in reaching out to our mass supporters as they no longer believe in us, and they no longer want to be involved)," alias “Reymund” said in an interview.

 

Meanwhile, LtCol Majarocon, Commanding Officer of this unit, applauded the decision of alias “Reymund” to surrender. “Ako ug ang tibuok kasundalohan sa 26IB nalipay nga kamo nisunod sa panawagan sa atong gobyerno ug katawhan nga inyo nang undangon ang inyong walay pulos ug walay padulnganan nga kalihokan ug mobalik namo sa sabakan sa atong gobyerno ug mangamuyo nga maayo ug malinawon (I and the rest of our personnel in 26IB are delighted to know that you have heeded to the call of the government to put a stop from your senseless cause and to return to the folds of the law and live a peaceful life),” he said to the surrenderees.

 

"His (Badong) surrender together with the recent neutralization of his members indicate the collapse of Pltn Banglas, a notorious CTG under SRC3, NCMRC that has been conducting atrocities in the hinter areas of the municipalities of San Luis, Esperanza, and Talacogon of this province since 2010," LtCol Majarocon added.

 

The six (6) surrenderees have undergone medical check-ups, assessments, documentation, and counseling in preparation for their enrollment to the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP). (1Lt Percival J Carido, CMO officer, 26IB, PA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

POPCOM Caraga presents profile, migration of Butuan Barangay 

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte -- The Commission on Population and Development – Caraga together with the City Population Office (CPO) of Butuan recently presented the Registry of Barangay Inhabitants and Migrants or RBIM to the officials of Barangay Ong Yiu, the first of 86 barangays in the city, as baseline for planning, programming, and budgeting.

POPCOM – Caraga Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano informed the barangay officials, led by Punong Barangay Wilbert B. Ejos the socio-demographic and migration data of said barangay as of calendar year 2021.

Punong Barangay Wilbert B. Ejos also raised concerns regarding the barangay’s problems that need to be discussed and addresed during the activity’s open forum, such as continuity and sustainability of livelihood programs  for these have practical benefits and positive impact to the community, in which the City Population Office of Butuan suggested that personnel should be properly trained and submission of reports must be accurate and timely.

The Registry of Barangay Inhabitants and Migrants (RBIM), formerly known as the Local Migration Information System, was introduced by POPCOM in 2017 with the goal of tracking internal movements of people from one barangay/municipality to another. The RBIM is vital in understanding the demographics and socioeconomic database that can be utilized to plan programs, projects, and interventions at the community level.

POPCOM-Caraga trained the CPO staff and provided the logistical requirements for the conduct of the survey.

The CPO, on one hand, facilitated the conduct of the survey, encoding, and processing of the results ready for presentation to the remaining 85 barangays. (Gabrielle Paolo M. Mordeno, POPCOM Caraga/PIA Agusan del Norte)

 

TOP STORIES - Tuesday, September 27, 2022

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)     

27 September 2022, Tuesday, as of 1PM

1. Cabinet appointment

-Ex-CJ Bersamin replaces Vic Rodriguez as executive secretary; attends first Cabinet meeting as ‘Little President”

-CA panel endorses confirmation of DAR chief Estrella's appointment

[ABS-CBN News, Manila Bulletin, GMA News, Philstar, CNN PHL, News5, Inquirer, Business World] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/09/27/2209909/ex-cj-bersamin-replaces-vic-rodriguez-executive-secretary

2. Karding aftermath

-NDRRMC clarifies no death reported in Bataan, death toll remains at 8

-Reso honoring fallen Bulacan rescue team filed at Senate

-Safety expert mourns rescuers who died in Bulacan

-9 roads still closed due to Karding

[DZBB, Manila Bulletin, Rappler, CNN PHL, Philstar, GMA News, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines/status/1574622830263562240

3. Sara Duterte arrives in Japan, discusses Philippines-Japan relations with PM Kishida

[ABS-CBN News, Inquirer, CNN PHL, GMA News, Philstar] ©PIA-PMU https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/846131/sara-duterte-arrives-in-japan-discusses-philippines-japan-relations-with-pm-kishida/story/?just_in

4. PBBM leads 9th Cabinet meeting

[ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Manila Bulletin] ©PIA-PMU

https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1574585688753774592

5. National Budget

-DBM earmarks P15.2B budget for DMW in 2023

-Senate committee on finance swiftly approves proposed P13.8-B COA budget

-DND budget will receive an additional P70 billion for its pension fund

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, Inquirer, GMA News] https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/846129/dbm-earmarks-p15-2b-budget-for-dmw-in-2023

6. World Bank upgrades Philippine growth projection as consumption rebounds in region

[Manila Bulletin, Philstar, Inquirer] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.philstar.com/business/2022/09/27/2212608/world-bank-upgrades-philippine-growth-projection-consumption-rebounds-region

—Philippine Information Agency | PIA Monitoring Unit—