Once again, the 17th Naliyagan Festival will unveil the treasures and colorful tradition of the Agusanons for six days.
On the first and opening day, the 14 municipalities will converge at the Naliyagan Plaza ground after the caravan to join the Flag Ceremony in line with the celebration of the 111th Independence Day. Then the Agro-industrial fair will be open for the public. The Barangayan sa Naliyagan will highlight the first day’s event and the fireworks display will conclude the night of festive food and drinks while the live band will be playing.
The second Gov. Tina Plaza Invitational Airsoft Tournament will capture your interest on the second day while the football festival will entertain evryone. At 7:00 PM, there will be battle of the bands and the live band will take over at 8:00 PM. The fireworks display will again conclude the night of joy and laughter.
The second Gov. Tina Plaza Airsoft Tournament will continue on the third day, while motorcycle riders will display their breathtaking riding skills starting 9:00 AM. Simultaneously, the fifth Eddiebong Plaza shoot fest will take place at the PNP/PSA shooting range. The first Naliyagan Singing Star Quest will highlight the evening while the live band will again fill the air of the festivity after the singing quest. Then the nightly fireworks display will end the night.
A native ritual called “Panawagtawag” will open up the fourth day and will be followed by the Naliyagan Agri-lympics. Here, everyone will witness “Pinakadakung Agri-produkto while manual rice miller will display their skills. Mudfish relay and piglet catching will fill the air with laughter. The hip hop competition with background from a live band will dominate the Naliyagan Plaza in the evening, followed by the nightly fireworks display.
The Naliyagan Bauto Race will ignite the fifth day. In the afternoon, the first Naliyagan Cheer Dance competition will fill the Naliyagan Plaza with colors and beauty. In the night, everyone will see the real beauty of the Agusanon during “Bai Naliyagan 2009 pageant.
The sixth and the last day will be opened by a thanksgiving mass followed by the Foundation Day caravan. In special recognition to the indigenous people of Agusan del Sur, an activity dubbed as “Adow Tu Kapoon” or worship day will be shown. In the afternoon, awarding of winners will take place while everybody will be busy preparing for the Binaga tu Naliyagan, a record-breaker roasting of mud fish and tilapia. And while everybody savor and enjoy the Binaga, the sky will be decorated with parachutes when skydivers begun to jump. And while the air is filled with the aroma and everybody savoring the Agusan delicacies, non stop music will be played by the live band. Then the final fireworks display will end the six-day Naliyagan Festival in the midnight of June 17. (David M. Suyao, PIA-Agusan del Sur)
AdS receives social development funds from “Migs” ng Bayan
A total of P9 million was poured in to Agusan del Sur after Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri distributed the Statement of Allocation and Release Order (SARO) worth P500,000 to the 13 municipal and lone city mayors of Agusan del Sur while another P2 million was allocated for the provincial government.
“This is not the last, but the first financial aid I will pump in to Agusan del Sur. I will see to it that next year, that half million pesos worth of development fund will become one million, and that Agusan del Sur will become twin province of Bukidnon in terms of progress and development”, Sen Zubiri said.
According to Gov. Maria Valentina Plaza of Agusan del Sur, the P2 million will finance the Tubig Imnonon Natong Agusanon (TINA), a water filter project in order to convert non-potable water into potable, specially in remote areas.
“We have plenty of water here in Agusan del Sur but sad to note, they are not safe for drinking, that resulted to the acquisition of our poor brothers and sisters water-borne diseases. The rest of the money will be spent for the construction of health centers”, Gov. Tina Plaza said.
Sen Zubiri said it is his administration’s policy that his countrywide fund will be distributed evenly to all deserving provinces, and not only in Agusan del Sur. But he added that Agusan del Sur is among the “Firsts” who received.
According to Sen. Zubiri, the initial P500,000 each SARO received by all the 13 municipal and one city mayors will be spent for health centers, improvement of classrooms and water system in depressed barangays.
“As personal friend of your governor and all the Plazas, I want to tell you this is not my last visit in your province, but the initial. I will see to it that during the launching of your projects, I will be personally here again to witness and will spend at least 2 days here in order to be with you people of Agusan del Sur”, Sen. Zubiri said.
According to Gov. Tina Plaza, she has also invited Sen. Zubiri to join the Agusanons to celebrate the Naliyagan Festival and enjoy the festivity. (David M. Suyao, PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Massive job fair to be conducted in Butuan on June 12
Butuan City – A massive job, trade and livelihood fair will be conducted at the Almont Inland Resort on June 12. The job fair is a simultaneous nationwide activity in line with the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) of the government.
3,500 overseas vacancies, 260 local vacancies and 248 plantilla and job order positions in the government is expected to be filled-up during the job fair.
Throughout the country, the number of participants to the job fair and the number of individuals who will be hired on the spot will be monitored.
“We have had several job fairs but this time, the number of individuals who will be hired on the spot will be monitored. We will not just be monitoring the number of participants to the job fair but also those who are actually hired during the fair,” says Director Chona Mantilla of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga.
To aid job seekers and future entrepreneurs, a one-stop shop processing service will also be put-up at Almont Inland Resort. The National Statistics Office (NSO), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), PAGIBIG, Social Security Service (SSS), PhilHealth and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will each set-up a booth at the resort.
Basic health and wellness services will also be put up in the resort. Massage clinic and beauty care services will be provided by the Butuan City Manpower Training Center. The Department of Health (DOH) and the management sector will also be providing medical services.
Products from organizations and discounted goods offered by suppliers under the Livelihood/Trade Fair and Promo Diskwento Programs will also be showcased. (Lovely Laudette D. Gamba, PIA-Caraga)
Anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons seminar held in Butuan
Butuan City – To reduce if not entirely eliminate the number of individuals who succumb to false promises of employment abroad, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) conducted an Anti-illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Seminar, here, in this city, recently.
The seminar is part of the nationwide series of preventive approach against illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons.
“Butuan as observed has been the exit point of some of our migrant workers so we hope to educate the populace,” says Atty. Rosemarie Duquez, Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Illegal Recruitment Branch of the POEA.
The seminar also serves as the launching of the “IR-Free LGU” program. “IR-free” stands for Illegal Recruitment-Free. The program aims to promote anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons practices at the local level. The program aims to strengthen and expand the local network of agencies and stakeholders to aid in stopping illegal recruitment at the local level.
The “IR-Free LGU” program includes training of all PESO managers to improve their skills and competence in conveying to the public correct and timely information on overseas employment, and assistance to victims of illegal recruitment.
The training modules include; POEA services and procedures, realities of overseas employment, illegal recruitment (definition, modus operandi and how to avoid illegal recruitment), and country specific information.
The POEA has existing partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other non-government organizations in its fight against illegal recruiters. (Lovely Laudette D. Gamba, PIA-Caraga)
Adventist Relief Agency donates 28 wheelchairs to Surigao City
Surigao City – Some 28 persons with disabilities (PWD) in the city were the fortunate recipients of 28 wheelchairs donated by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in coordination with the city government of Surigao.
Held at the city’s cultural center last June 5, the distribution was also in line with 2nd quarter meeting of the Regional Committee on Disability Affairs (RCDA).
Rev. Ruel Arrogante, ADRA Director for Northeastern Mindanao Mission said the wheelchairs were originally from the Wheelchair Foundation and the Knights of Columbus. They just channeled their donations through their office, the ADRA Foundation Philippines.
ADRA Foundation according to Rev. Arrogante is an independent, humanitarian agency established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with the specific purpose to help people without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, or political or religious association.
Mayor Alfonso Casurra in his short message, could not help but thanked the ADRA Foundation for there enthusiasm in extending their help to the Surigaonons.
“It is really gratifying on my part. The one responsible here is ADRA. They are really eager in coming to Surigao City,” said Mayor Casurra.
Considering the limited resources of the city government, Casurra admitted that the city government cannot afford to buy all these wheelchairs. Every wheelchairs costs about P14,000.00 to P15,000.00. The only counterpart of the city government according to Mayor Casurra is the P500.00 freight and handling fee per wheelchair.
Meanwhile, Mayor Casurra revealed that the city government will be giving a space in the Luneta Park exclusively for the PWDs Surigaonons. The said space according to the good Mayor will be used for their gatherings and entrepreneurship. (Fryan E. Abkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Sunflower Production Seminar Pagahimoon sa Surigao City
Agig dugang kahibalo sa Sunflower Production usa ka seminar ang pagahimo-on karon Biernes, Hunyo 12 sa may alas otso sa buntag (8:00 a.m) diha sa Surigao Education Center Amphitheater ning dakbayan sa Surigao.
Ang kooperatiba nga maka-apil ni-ini nga Sunflower Seminar maoy hatagan ug prioridad sa ipahulam sa Land Bank of the Philippines nga mokantidad ug P 33, 000.00 matag hektarya.
Adunay registration fee nga P 400.00 sa matag participante sa Seminar agig galastuhan sa pletihan sa eroplano sa duha ka speakers gikan sa Manila apil na ang ilang accommodation, meals and snacks sa mga participants ug uban pa nga galastuhan.
Pagahisgotan diha sa seminar ang supply sa binhi sa Sunflower, Fertilizer mga gamiton, marketing agreement contract, growing ug uban pa nga angay hibaloan sa buot moapil sa Sunflower Production.
Kini nga kalihukan gipasiugdahan sa Cooperative Union of the Philippines (CUP) inabagan sa Surigao del Norte Alliance of Cooperatives (SUDENACO) ug Provincial Cooperative Union (PCU).
“Usa kini nga kahigayonan nga dili angay pakyason sa mga kooperatiba” matod pa sa usa ka Chairman sa kooperatiba, “labi na ang mga agri-coop”, dugang pa niya. (Pol Lugo, SUDENACO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
PDI Municipal Planners train on CBMS – Module III
Dinagat Islands (9 June) – The Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators of the Province of Dinagat Islands are now on training on the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Module III which focused on Data Processing and Mapping. It aims to orient the participants on the appreciation of Statistics Simulator that includes Processing and Tabulation; and the application of CBMS NRDB and Cross-tabulations using CSPro.
During the opening of the activity, Vice Governor Elvis A. Dela Merced emphasized on his message the importance of the said training as all developmental efforts of the province basically rely on this CBMS output. He further stressed to take this work seriously as the latter’s data would serve as the tool and basis in coming up with the executive and legislative agenda of the province.
PPDO secretariat disclosed that this CBMS has five (5) modules to be eventually completed by MPDCs of the province. This computer-based information system applies an organized way of collecting information at the local level using a household survey questionnaire for use of LGUs, national government agencies, non-government organizations, and civil society for planning, program implementation and monitoring. The core set of indicators have been chosen based on the multi-dimensional aspects of poverty and have been confined to output and impact indicators. (PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
CLEEP to go On-High Speed on Kalayaan 2009
The Department of Labor and Employment will lead other government agencies in the celebration of 111th anniversary of the Philippine Independence at Almont Inland Resort on June 12.
Kalayaan 2009 will carry the theme 'Kagitingan, Kagalingan at Kasipagan: Tungo sa Tunay na Kalayaan which highlights President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Comprehensive Livelihood Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) with DENR Caraga having the most number of awardees of employment contracts to be given to more than 8 thousand beneficiaries.
Other line agencies will also appropriate employment contracts to various awardees.
The Pangulong Gloria Scholarship Program is TESDA’s response to President Arroyo’s directives on government-business-labor initiatives against the global crisis, and is TESDA’s platform to link job training directly to job recruiters, displaced workers and Overseas Filipino workers.
Secretary Ace Durano is expected to be in Butuan for the Kalayaan 2009 celebration. (Joy Morano, DXBN-Butuan/PIA-Caraga)
