Agusan del Sur Gov heightens empowerment of students in his Pagtoon program
by David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, June 23 (PIA)-- Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza recently handed over numerous medals to students, both in the high school and elementary levels who excelled in academic and leadership performance in schools. These included students who have exemplary achievement and have brought honors and prestige to the province, as part of the “Pagtoon Alang sa Masanag nga Kaugmaon" program.
Mark Lloyd Dapar, a student from Bayugan received the Bae Naipaganda Award during the 44th Anniversary Celebration of Agusan del Sur, together with his adviser, for being the national science fair champion in the Intel International Science and Engineering fair held in the U.S.
Numerous medals for academic excellence award were also pinned by Gov. Plaza to all high school and elementary students who graduated valedictorian this year recognizing their academic performance.
The Lipus Makapandong award was also given to students who became president of their schools’ students’ government organization in recognition for their leadership.
Exec. Assistant Paul Salinas said the purpose of awarding medals is to encourage and heighten the morale of the young people so that they will excel more in their field of study.
According to Salinas, the Pagtoon Alang sa Masanag ng Kaugmaon Program is a partnership of the provincial government of Agusan del Sur (PGAS) and the Department of Education.
It has three main objectives: 1) develop all elementary schools in Agusan del Sur to be model of excellence by providing books for the barrios.
The books came from the USA, and the expenses for the freight and handling are shouldered by the PGAS and the municipal LGUs.
2) establish library centers in all schools province-wide. At present, there are already 298 functional Pagtoon libraries in the province.
3) give due recognition and awards for all the students from elementary and high schools that excel in their fields of study. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
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DAR-Caraga launches 141 ARCs
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA)-- The Department of Agrarian Reform launched 141 agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in the entire Caraga Region, which were also recipients of multi-million projects both in the infrastructure and livelihood.
This was revealed by Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Caraga Regional Director Faisar Mambuay on Tuesday during the DAR-Media Fusion held here.
Dir. Mambuay added one ARC from every congressional district will be launched this year.
Mambuay said the regional office has provided free legal assistance to numerous agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) farmers both in the judicial and quasi-judicial courts. He also said they will continue to defend and represent more this year.
“Indeed, we have done much," Mambuay said. "We have provided a living and even life to the beneficiaries.”
Mambuay added that through DAR programs, beneficiaries have raised their income as shown in the recent ARC Level of Development Assessment.
“We have empowered our beneficiaries. This can be best manifested with the 1,000 farmer beneficiaries who gathered last June 15, showcasing their harvests in the major streets of ButuanCity. This is a showcase of their empowerment and their gratitude to the government program that paved to their success,” Mambuay said.
However, Dir. Mambuay said the road to rural development is still long and more work needs to be done. “We still need to provide more infrastructures for a better access for our products and farmers… We still need to put up more basic social services to dignify our farmers… we still need to alleviate many farmers from the claws of poverty…We still need to do more and the task is still too huge,” the DAR chief of the region said.
The DAR-Media Fusion was held in time with the 23rd anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) which was signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino in 1988 through Republic Act 6657. (PIA-Caraga)
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DENR-Caraga recommends actions on alleged illegal logging activities in Loreto, Agusan del Sur
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA) – Following the incident where illegal loggers forcibly took away equipment that were already confiscated by personnel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - Caraga Region and the Philippine Army on June 6, 2011, the region’s environment and natural resources office recommended that joint DENR-Military anti-illegal logging operations continue at Sitio Marang, Kasapa, Loreto, Agusan del Sur.
The DENR also recommended to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that a thorough investigation be conducted on the alleged involvement of politicians and policemen in illegal logging activities in the area.
Agency officials vowed to conduct investigation and impose the immediate closure order of Wood Processing Plant involved.
Meanwhile, the DENR will also declare a three to six months moratorium in the movement of all forest products within the jurisdiction of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley provinces.
Moreover, the DENR recommended that the Congress declare the area as a protected area zone pursuant to the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Law.
Checkpoints must be established at Barangay Sto. NiΓ±o, Loreto, Agusan del Sur to be manned jointly by DENR-13 and the troops of the 26th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, the DENR added.
This action, according to DENR, is an offshoot of the implementation of Executive Order No. 23 signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III which declared a total log ban in the natural and residual forest throughout the country effective on February 2, 2011.
It can be recalled that the DENR and the Philippine Army personnel, in a joint operation, swooped down at dawn of June 7, 2011 at Sitio Marang, Loreto, Agusan del Sur to check and stop the illegal logging activities in the area.
The military personnel involved were members of the Philippine Army Special Forces under Lt. Col. Napuli and the 26th Philippine Army Infantry Battalion soldiers led by Col. Patricio under the 402 Infantry Brigade Command headed by Col. Rodrigo Diapana.
The team from the Philippine Special Forces who reached the area was able to secure four Saddam Logging Trucks and two bulldozers. The DENR team has stayed behind at the rallying point, near the Detachment Headquarters of the 2nd Platoon DDN CAA Company at Barangay Melale, Laac, Compostela Valley Province.
While the operation was in progress, a team of Philippine Army Special Forces which was sent to augment the military troops at the target site, was ambushed by unidentified armed men at about 5:30 a.m. killing two soldiers and wounding four others. The beleaguered soldiers remained at the site of the ambush incident and pursued the rebels while the wounded soldiers were taken to a hospital in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
During the three-day operations in the area, at least six units of Saddam Logging Trucks, and one boom-truck were apprehended but these equipment were forcibly taken away by the culprits one after the other.
The DENR operatives who tried to stop the fleeing Saddam trucks were fired when they attempted to pursue and hopefully retake the stolen boom truck. They lost sight of the boom truck when unidentified men barricaded the road with a dump truck and dumped piles of boulders on the road. (PIA-Caraga)
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Caraga Region all set for PhilHealth Sabado II, DOH says
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA) –- The Regional Office of the Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday said Caraga Region is ready for this Saturday’s (June 25) staging of the second part of the nationwide PhilHealth Registration Day.
In a phone-patch interview, Ms. Sunshine Alipayo, DOH-Center for Health Development (CHD) Caraga Regional information officer said all stakeholders including those in the provinces and cities in the region have already prepared for the nationwide activity.
“PhilHealth Sabado, Magpaseguro. Magparehistro” is a one-day registration activity aimed at enlisting the Filipinos who are not yet members of PhilHealth but have the financial capability to personally pay for their premium contributions.
The event also entails an advocacy activity to further educate members about their PhilHealth benefits, how and where these may be availed of as well as on their duties and responsibilities as members.
Aside from manually registering through the access points identified for the June 25 activity, the prospective members may also register through the different PhilHealth Regional and Service Offices during business hours, Mondays to Fridays.
Alipayo said this year’s PhilHealth Sabado will be held in public schools identified by the Department of Education (DepEd) and some in municipal gymnasiums and covered courts.
The region’s information officer of the health department also said more walk-in clients are expected to avail of the services following the successful conduct of the same activity last year. This is also an opportunity for those who are residing in far-flung barangays, away from the regional and service offices of PhilHealth.
In a related development, DOH and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC), together with its partner agencies, conducted recently a province-wide Orientation at Shacene Pension House and Restaurant in Tandag City.
The assembly identified two major venues on Saturday to cater the huge number of targeted registrants. One venue is at Mangagoy Central Elementary School in Bislig City and the other one is at the City Gymnasium of Tandag City.
Same assemblies were also conducted in other provinces and cities in the region to ensure a smooth conduct of the nationwide activity. (PIA-Caraga)
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DAR-Caraga chief grateful to PIA, media
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA) –- Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Caraga Regional Director Faisar Mambuay recently acknowledged members of the local tri-media and the Philippine Information Agency for playing "a very vital role in the signing of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension for Reform (CARPER) Law.”
In his speech during the recent DAR-Media Fusion held in time with the 23rd Anniversary of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) here, Dir. Mambuay thanked those who worked for the birth of CARPER which paved for avenue towards more benefits for the farmers.
“Our friends from the media and the information network played a very vital role in the signing of the CARPER Law. You have popularized the million voices who cried for the extension of CARP,” Mambuay stressed.
“To all those who cried, we will try to serve the best that you deserve,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mambuay said the DAR Regional Office here along with the national policies of the government on National Convergence Initiatives will strengthen their ties with partners “so that we can bring more opportunities,” he said.
Through strong partnership, Mambuay said this will spur development in communities and help realize the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating poverty.
Twenty-three years ago, the late President Corazon Aquino signed Republic Act 6657 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law that breath a life to her leadership’s centerpiece program.
The program had paved the way to the distribution of 231,000 hectares of public and private agricultural lands to 116 thousand agrarian reform beneficiaries in the region. This is 90% of the region’s total working scope.
“Last year, we targeted 9,000 hectares and accomplished and distributed 12,063 hectares or 123 percent placing Caraga Region number one in the national tally… And we intend to distribute more this year,” Mambuay said. (PIA-Caraga)
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Forensic training set in Caraga
by Erma S. Dabalos
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA) -– The Caraga Conference for Peace and Development (CCPD) has partnered with the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) to conduct forensic training to member-institutions on July 5-7 in Carmen, Agusan del Norte.
In a press statement, Most Rev. Juan de Dios M. Pueblos of the Diocese of Butuan and lead convenor of CCPD said Dr. Raquel del Rosario-Fortun, a renowned forensic expert in the country, will serve as trainer in the said seminar. Fortun is the first Filipino woman forensic pathologist.
Bishop Pueblos said Fortun had her training in forensic pathology abroad but she opted to stay in the Philippines and be a professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine to impart her expertise in general pathology and legal medicine.
“Known for her personal integrity and character, instructional competence, and professional and community involvement, she had earned several awards like the Outstanding Teachers (2006), Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (2004), Philippines TOYM Awardees (2002),” Pueblos said.
The Bishop of this city added that some of the more high-profile cases Dr. Fortun has worked on in the Philippines include the Payatas disaster in 2000, the Asian Spirit air crash in 1999, and the Assosacion de Damas Filipinas in 1998. She has also done forensic work and training in several countries like Netherlands, Cyprus, Japan, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and East Timor.
The said training is expected to be attended by different private and public sectors.
CCPD’s partnership with AHRC dubbed as “Dangpanan,” is a Multi-Sectoral Quick Response Team for Extra Legal Killings and Enforced Disappearance for Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and this city. (PIA-Caraga)
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1st annual “Caterers’ Night” set in Butuan City
by Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, June 23 (PIA) –- The Association of Catering Executives-Butuan (ACE-bxu) was officially introduced to various government agencies and private stakeholders during its 1st Annual “Caterers’ Night” with the theme: “ACE-Bxu: Driving the Catering Industry to Greater Heights, held Tuesday in one of the local convention centers here.
ACE-bxu President Elmer Natad (Janikka’s Catering) bared that their group is a newly organized trade association of food catering service providers in the city dedicated to promoting career success for its members and the professionalism of the industry.
“As an association, it is our desire to advance the well-being of all its members as well as its partners in the industry while providing quality service to the clients,” Natad said.
Also, in his message, City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. commends the efforts of the association for initiating this activity which will better promote the catering industry in the city.
“Customers’ satisfaction is the number one consideration in the catering industry aside from conforming to the food quality and best sanitation practices,” emphasized Amante.
Amante also stressed that ACE-Bxu should master Butuanon recipes so these will be known to other places in the world.
Meanwhile, after the ‘salo-salo’ of ACE-Bxu members and guests, Mayor Amante led the induction and oath-taking of its members and officers.
All the newly inducted officers and members pledged their commitment to support Butuan and promote tourism through food catering services. (PIA-Caraga)
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Perennial problem on evacuation strikes Marihatag town anew
by Greg Tataro, Jr.
SURIGAO DEL SUR, June 23 (PIA) -– Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel has called the attention of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) regarding the evacuation of more than 1,000 individuals or 212 families from eight puroks of barangay Mahaba in Marihatag.
PSWDO Chief May Navidad Salinas said after the brief meeting, she was ordered to initially distributed five kilos of rice to each family now housed at Marihatag Gymnasium while others took refuge at their relatives nearby.
Information sent by Judalyn de Castro, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO) to Salinas revealed that the said incident was due to the alleged armed-conflict that took place sometime in the morning of June 19.
Salinas told Radyo ng bayan that an army detachment in the area was allegedly harassed by NPA rebels.
As of press time, the municipality of Marihatag under Mayor Leo Navarro has already shelled out P50,000 worth of relief assistance. (Radyo ng Bayan Tandag)
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Surigao City conducts direct job recruitment for overseas employment
by Annette Vilaces
SURIGAO CITY, June 23 (PIA) -- The city government here through the Public Employment and Services Office (PESO), in partnership with M&M Placement International Incorporated, held a direct recruitment for overseas employment for bus drivers, driving instructors, therapists, receptionists, domestic helpers, and hotel and restaurant staff.
Vice-President of M&M Placement International Inc., Marcia Sadicon interviewed about 65 local job applicants recently at the City Cultural Center.
Three applicants for the position of bus driver in Qatar were hired on the spot, while others were required to undergo a final interview by the employers from Dubai and Qatar.
Sadicon extended her gratitude to City Mayor Ernesto Matugas and PESO Manager Rolando Uyan for the success of the said activity and said that she looked forward to a continued partnership with the city government in the future. She further disclosed their plans of establishing a branch office here in the city. (Surigao City PIO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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8 schools identified as site for Philhealth Sabado 2 in Surigao Norte, Dinagat Islands
SURIGAO CITY, June 23 (PIA) -- Eight (8) elementary schools were identified for the second nationwide PhilHealth registration day (NPRD) also known as PhilHealth Sabado II in the entire province of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands on Saturday, June 25.
Department of Health – prov’l health team leader Erwin Pingal said these schools include Mariano Memorial Central Elementary School (MEMCES) and Surigao West Central Elementary School (SWCES) in Surigao City, Sison Central Elementary School in the municipality of Sison, Placer Central Elementary School in the municipality of Placer, Tubod Central Elementary School in the municipality of Tubod, San Francisco Central Elementary School in the municipality of San Francisco (Anao-aon), Dapa Central Elementary School in the municipality of Dapa in Siargao Island, and San Jose Central Elementary School in the municipality of San Jose, province of Dinagat Islands.
The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) initiated Philhealth Sabado I on October 2 last year.
Philhealth Surigao Manager Rodrigo Ariar said the activity was organized to provide health insurance services to the underprivileged Filipinos in the community.
During the event, Ariar said health cards will also be distributed to some of the indigents in the province. The cards will be dispatched to those recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH) will then provide the funds.
The other objective of the event is to spread awareness among the people regarding the listing in Philhealth. An information desk will be set up, which will provide assistance to the people along with the general information to be given to the masses. (Philhealth/PHT/FEA/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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Tagalog News: Tuberculosis incidence sa Agusan del Norte bumaba
ni Erma Dabalos
BUTUAN CITY, Hunyo 23 (PIA) -- Dahil sa matagumpay na pagsasakatuparan ng mga programang pangkalusugan ng lokal na pamahalaan, ang “tuberculosis incidence” sa Agusan del Norte ay bumaba sa taong 2010.
Ayon kay Agusan del Norte Governor Erlpe John Amante, ang tuberculosis ay hindi na kabilang sa sampung nangungunang dahilan sa pagkamatay ng mga tao sa probinsiya.
Aniya, ito ay isang malaking tagumpay ng lalawigan sa kadahilanang ang naturang sakit ay ika-pito sa rank sa taong 2009.
Dahil dito, sinabi ng opisyal na ipagpapatuloy ng lalawigan na bigyang prayoridad ang paglaban sa naturang sakit hanggang sa tuluyang di na mapabilang ang tuberculosis sa mga problema ng probinsya.
Lahat ng mga munisipyo at ang kaisa-isang lungsod ng Cabadbaran sa Agusan del Norte ay patuloy na pinapatupad ang mga hakbang upang labanan ang tuberculosis.
Kamakailan lamang, ang local government unit ng Munisipalidad ng Magallanes ay nagpasa ng ordinansa para sa implementasyon ng Tuberculosis Control Program. Sa pamamagitan nito ay makakalikom ng pondong gagamitin sa pagtatag ng programa.
Alinsunod dito, ang pondo ay gagamitin sa pagpapatalaga ng “remote smearing stations,” pagsagawa ng “house to house campaign” at “medical outreach progam;” at pati na rin sa pag-organisa ng mga komunidad at pagsuporta sa mga TB patients.
Sa isang interbyu, sinabi ni Sangguniang Bayan Member Leah Amodia ng Magallanes, na ang programa ay makakatulong sa mahigpit na ugnayan ng ibat-ibang sektor na kabilang sa nasabing programa, tulad ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno, NGO’s, civil society, mga pribadong sektor, donor institution at iba pang ahensyang nakakatulong sa mas malawak na pagsasakatuparan ng National Tuberculosis Program (NTP). (PIA-Caraga)
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Tagalog News: Surigao City tumanggap ng 100 scholars
ni Erma S. Dabalos
BUTUAN CITY, Hunyo 23 (PIA) -– Isang daang estudyante ang pumasa sa Surigao City Government Scholarship Program. Layunin ng program ang mabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagtapos ng kolehiyo ang mga mahirap ngunit mahusay na studyante.
Ang mga iskolar ay makikinabang sa libreng tuition fee simula ng unang semestre ng school year 2011-2012.
Ang nasabing “student-beneficiaries” ay kinakailangang makapag-mentena ng marka na di bababa sa 85 porsyento, upang patuloy mabilang sa listahang ng iskolar. Pagaaralan ang kanilang naging grado at "performance" sa bawa't pagtatapos ng semestro.
Ayon kay City Mayor Ernesto Matugas, ang nasabing scholarship program ay maghihikayat sa mga magulang na papasukin sa paaralan ang kanilang mga anak sa kabila ng kahirapan.
Nangako rin si Mayor Matugas na ipagpapatuloy niya ang pagsasakatuparan sa naturang programa sa panahon ng kanyang administrasyon sapagka't susi, anya and edukasyon laban sa kahirapan.
Ang lahat ng mga iskolar sa taong ito ay nag-aaral sa Surigao State College of Technology. (PIA-Caraga)
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Tagalog News: Wastong paraan ng pagtatapon ng basura iginiit ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Agusan del Norte
ni Diamond Year Cupay
BUTUAN CITY, Hunyo 23 (PIA) -– Sinabi kamakailan lamang ni Agusan del Norte Governor Erlpe John M. Amante na idiniin ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ang pagpapatupad ng wastong paraan ng pagtatapon ng basura upang maitaguyod ang isang malusog na kapaligiran.
Ayon kay Gov. Amante, ang wastong paraan ng pagtatapon ng basura ay makakatulong upang siguraduhing ligtas ang tubig na magagamit ng mga tao. Dagdag pa niya na ito rin ay magiging daan upang mapabuti ang pangangatawan at kalusugan ng mga residente sa probinsiya.
Dagdag pa dito, sinabi rin ni Amante na noong 2010, may 95 porsiyento na ng mga residente ang napagkalooban ng probinsiya ng malinis na tubig. “Ito ay katumbas sa 58,233 na sambahayan,” ani Amante.
Bilang pinuno sa lalawigan, ipinangako ni Gov. Amante sa harap ng kanyang mga kababayan na sila ay makikinabang sa nasabing serbisyo sa o bago pa man ang 2013.
“Pagsiskapan natin na bago pa man matapos ang ating termino sa 2013 ay dapat na naabot na natin ang siyento porsiyento ng ating mga nasasakupan na nakikinabang sa nasabing serbisyo,” pagtatapos ni Gov. Amante. (PIA-Caraga)
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Cebuano News: 64th Adlaw nan Tagana-an malampusong gisaulog
SURIGAO CITY, June 23 (PIA) - Malampuson ug malipayong gisaulog sa mga katawhan sa Tagana-an ang ika 64th nga adlaw sa pagkahimugso sa Tagana-an isip lungsod uban sa temang “Pinaghiusang katawhan sa Tagana-an.” kagahapong adlawa Miyerkules, Hunyo 22, 2011.
Ang nahimong pinasidunggang bisita ug mamumulong mao si Vice Gov. Arturo Carlos Egay, Jr. isip puli kang Gobernador Sol Matugas nga wala makatambong tungod sa importanteng katuyuan didto sa Kauluhan alang sa kaayuhan sa katawhang Surigao sama na sa pakigkita kang Secretary of Education Armin Luistro aron matuman ang gisaad nga mga proyekto atol sa gihimong Education Summit sa probinsya bag-ohay pa lamang.
Sa iyang pamahayag si Egay mipaabot sa iyang pagdayeg sa mga katawhan ilabi na gyud sa mga gihimong pasundayag sama sa kasaysayan ug cultural heritage nan Tagana-an.
Atol usab sa maong selebrasyon, gisaulog ang Panginabuhian Festival 2011 diin adunay walo ka mga partisepante gikan sa nagkadaiyang barangay sa Tagana-an ang misalmot sa street dancing ug stationary dance competition, diin ang Brgy. Aurora maoy nakakuha sa unang award ug special award nga best in street dancing ug best in costume samtang ang Ikaduhang dapit ug special award nga best in musicality nakuha sa Brgy. Azucena ug ang Brgy. Opong maoy nakakuha sa ikatulong dapit ug special award nga best in choreography.
Malipayon ug mapasalamaton kaayo si Tagana-an Mayor Cesar A. Diaz sa tanang mga katawhan nga miduyog ug misuporta sa maong selebrasyon, siya usab nagpasalamat kan Gobernador Matugas sa kanunay nga pagpaluyo ug pagsuporta sa lungsod sa Tagana-an ilabina sa P100,000 nga financial assistance nga gihatag sa probinsya. (Provincial Information Center/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
