PNoy to visit CDO, Iligan today
by FE Abkilan
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 20 (PIA) –- President Benigno S. Aquino III will visit today, Tuesday, Dec. 20, the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to lead the distribution of relief goods and assess the extent of damage brought by Typhoon Sendong.
Accompanying the President are Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Luwalhati Antonino.
He will be welcomed by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano, EASTMINCOM Commanding General MGen. Arthur Tabaquero, 4th Infantry Division (4ID) MGen. Victor Felix, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Dir. P/CSupt. Victorino Panganiban Jr., PNP-10 regional Director P/CSupt. Jufel Adriatico, Tactical Operations Group (TOG) Commander LTC Elpidio Talja Jr., and Civil Aviation Authority Area Manager Naga Rascal at Lumbia Airport.
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council executive director Usec. Benito Ramos will brief the President on the effects of Typhoon Sendong in the city, including the status of relief operations, the immediate needs of the affected families, and the recommended short and long term solutions to the flooding in the city.
Right after the briefing, the President will proceed immediately to Iligan City to personally see the on-going relief efforts at Iligan City National High School (ICNHS) auditorium and assess the damages wrought by the disaster in the area via aerial inspection. He will be joined by DND Sec. Gazmin and Usec Ramos.
Afterwards, the president will be brought back to Cagayan de Oro City to visit the evacuees at the City Central School and lead the distribution of relief goods and interact with the evacuees.
PNoy will then motored to Lumbia Airport to proceed to Dumaguete City for another presidential engagement. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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by FE Abkilan
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 20 (PIA) –- President Benigno S. Aquino III will visit today, Tuesday, Dec. 20, the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to lead the distribution of relief goods and assess the extent of damage brought by Typhoon Sendong.
Accompanying the President are Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, and Mindanao Development Authority Secretary Luwalhati Antonino.
He will be welcomed by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano, EASTMINCOM Commanding General MGen. Arthur Tabaquero, 4th Infantry Division (4ID) MGen. Victor Felix, Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Dir. P/CSupt. Victorino Panganiban Jr., PNP-10 regional Director P/CSupt. Jufel Adriatico, Tactical Operations Group (TOG) Commander LTC Elpidio Talja Jr., and Civil Aviation Authority Area Manager Naga Rascal at Lumbia Airport.
National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council executive director Usec. Benito Ramos will brief the President on the effects of Typhoon Sendong in the city, including the status of relief operations, the immediate needs of the affected families, and the recommended short and long term solutions to the flooding in the city.
Right after the briefing, the President will proceed immediately to Iligan City to personally see the on-going relief efforts at Iligan City National High School (ICNHS) auditorium and assess the damages wrought by the disaster in the area via aerial inspection. He will be joined by DND Sec. Gazmin and Usec Ramos.
Afterwards, the president will be brought back to Cagayan de Oro City to visit the evacuees at the City Central School and lead the distribution of relief goods and interact with the evacuees.
PNoy will then motored to Lumbia Airport to proceed to Dumaguete City for another presidential engagement. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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Feature: Christmas 2011 – The Agusan del Sur way
by David M. Suyao
As early as 8:00 a.m, people started to gather at the Agusan del Sur Government Center in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur to celebrate Chirstmas with the provincial government officials and employees.
As highlight of the Christmas celebration, Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza, with Cong. Maria Valentina Plaza of District I and Cong. Evelyn Plaza-Mellana of District II have joined their resources in order to conduct a medical mission and Christmas celebration festivity dubbed as “Kapaskohan sa Kapitolyo” for anybody who wish to spend their Christmas with the provincial government.
Tables and single sized beds were arranged inside the reception area of the executive building while chairs were also arranged outside, covered by tents for those who will wait for their turns to come.
After the Holy Mass, the activities began. Gov. Adolph Edward “Eddiebong” Plaza, joined by his mother, former Gov. Valentina Plaza lead the reception in receiving the people who want to avail of the
free medical and dental check-up and the distribution of free medicines.
The first to form the line in order to enroll for the blood-letting are the members of the Philippine army and the police. They were examined by the doctors led by the Provincial Health Officer Joel Esparagoza
and were taken samples of their blood by the medtechs from the D.O. Plaza Memorial Hospital and the Philippine Red Cross, Agusan del Sur Chapter. Outside, people also lined up to be listed in order to avail of the medical check-up and free medicines.
On the second floor of the executive building, bags of groceries were piled, while the Governor’s staffs are busy distributing the goods. Also while people happily come and go, smiles and laughter filled the atmosphere at the provincial capitol. Music filled the air from the national offices who are also celebrating their Christmas party. Children carrying balloons clinging on the arms of their parents wearing colourful new dresses are the happiest creatures that people can see while celebrating the Kapaskohan sa Kapitolyo.
The celebration will last until this evening with dinner in front of the provincial capitol with songs and dances and other merry making activities. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
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DILG raises initial P4M for typhoon victims in Mindanao
MANILA, Dec. 20 (PIA) –- The Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo on Tuesday said the department’s fund raising campaign for the victims of Typhoon Sendong, particularly in Mindanao has already reached around P4-million.
“This is just an initial figure. We are expecting more pledges and contribution from the regional offices and local governments,” said Robredo.
The DILG Secretary said the funds came from the voluntary contribution of officials and employees of the DILG central office and regional offices, as well as from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) and Local Government Academy (LGA), all attached agencies of the DILG.
He also received pledges from the National Police Commission (Napolcom), and PNP Chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome of around P1.5 million.
Likewise, the Police Non-Commissioned Officers Association, Inc, (PNOA), headed by SPO4 Antonio Dawagan, also gave assurance to Robredo of financial assistance to the victims as the organization will collect P100 pesos from each of their 123,000-strong members nationwide.
The DILG Secretary also thanked Dawagan for his effort in encouraging the non-commissioned officers of the PNP to extend their voluntary assistance to the typhoon victims.
Robredo is optimistic that financial assistance and support from other sectors especially from local government units will pour in for the Sendong victims in the next few days.
He said he has received a text message from the Surigao del Norte provincial government that the LGU will give P100,000 each to Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City as emergency assistance to the flood victims.
On the other hand, Zamboanga City passed a resolution to provide P1M each to the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.
Other pledges received by the DILG Secretary are from Sta. Rosa City, Butuan City and Naga City.
Earlier, Robredo called on all chiefs of bureaus and offices under the Department, as well as members of the Union of Local Authorities of eth Philippines (ULAP) to conduct voluntary fund-raising campaign from their personnel and members to provide relief and support funds to Typhoon Sendong-ravaged areas in Mindanao.
As of today, reports from the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) showed that about 957 persons were confirmed dead, while 1,582 were injured and 49 others are still missing after Sendong battered Mindanao provinces with heavy rains and flash floods. The affected population reached 63,079 families or 338,415 persons in 13 provinces, mostly in Mindanao. (DILG Public Affairs Office/PIA-Caraga)
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Hydropower plants up in Butuan
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 20 (PIA) -– The effort of the city government here and the local business group on public-private-partnership finally bared fruit when a Japanese firm and three local business firms recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to construct run-to-river mini-hydropower plants in this region’s frontier and capital city in the Caraga Region.
The setting up of multi-million-peso run-to-river hydropower plants in this city will be a big boost to the national government’s Mindanao power generation program for 2012 and beyond, business analysts here said.
The signing of MoU at a hotel and convention center was witnessed by city officials led by Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. and Vice Mayor Lawrence Fortun; Yuji Munehiro, general manager of business planning division/business promotion group Toe (traffic operations engineer) of the CHODAI, Co., Ltd.; Satoshi Kato, manager, business planning and development division; Motohide Takano, vice-president of the Twinpeak Hydro Resources Corporation (THRC); Hendrick R. Menegdeg, president of the Hydro Resources Management and Consultancy, Inc.; and other local business leaders.
Signatories of the MOU include Ronnie Vicente C. Lagnada, chief operating officer of the Equi-Parco Construction (EPC) Company, and Director Akinori Ido P.E. Jp. of CHODAI, Co. Ltd., a “Kabushiki Kaisha” group based in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Under the MoU, the EPC, CHODAI, and THRC agreed to initially establish run-to-river mini hydropower plants in the Taguibo and Asiga rivers here.
The Japanese and local partners also agreed to help one another to establish two power plants producing 2.4 megawatts and 2.6 megawatts in Taguibo River, and another eight megawatts in Asiga River.
Under the MoU, the parties agreed for the grant of an exclusive right to explore, develop, operate, manage, and utilize hydro power resources in the said rivers.
“This power project in Butuan is a big help to Butuanons, and also a plus factor to the growing industries in this part of Mindanao. This is also a big support to our national government’s power generation in Mindanao,” said businessman Ronnie Vic Lagnada.
“We are looking forward for the realization of these projects here in the Philippines,” also said Ido, along with his interpreter, during the signing of the agreement.
Last month, the EPC and CHODAI already entered into certain non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for the realization of the said project.
Also, the public-private-partnership (PPP) projects with the Japanese group was strengthened after city officials led by Amante presented more than 10,000 hectares of investment possibilities for co-management project here during the Tokyo business and investment forum last month, where the Research Center for PPP Toyo University also presented PPP possibilities for the future of this city.
“The signing of this hydro power projects in Butuan City is a big breakthrough where the Japanese group responded to our business opportunities here and we are expecting more foreign investors with PPP projects in the coming years,” stressed Amante.
He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Lagnada group for initiating the PPP program between the governments of Japan and Butuan. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)
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Tagalog news: Para sa mga taga Tagbalili: Mapasa inyo na sa di magtagal ang inyong CADT- Gov. Plaza
by David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Dis. 20 (PIA) -- Sinabi kamakailan ni Gob. Adolph Edward Plaza ng Agusan del Sur sa mga pinuno ng mga tribu sa Batangay Tagbalili na di magtatagal, mapapasakanila na ang inaasam-asam na Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) na matagal na nilang inaasam-asam dahil malapit ng matapos ang pag proseso nito.
Ito ay nangyari noong si Plaza at ang mga miyembro ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan, kasama ang ipa pang mga opisyal ng lokal na pamahalaan ng lalawigan at mga boluntaryo ay nagsagawa ng tinatawag na Cross Country Tour na pinamagatan ng “Malungon Mountain Trail” na ang ruta ay dadaan sa mga barangay ng Hawilian, Milagros, Bunaguit, Tagbalili, Segunda at Nato, na matatagpuan sa bayan ng Esparanza, Agusan del Sur.
“Ang layunin ng tour na ito ay para ipadama ang mesahe ng kapayapaan sa buong lalawigan ng Agusan del Sut at para na rin maihatid ang magandang balita sa mga lumad (katutubo) na di magtatagal, mapasa kanila na ang matagal na nilang inaasam-asam na CADT. Gusto kong ipaalam sa inyo rito na gumastos ang panlalawigan pamahaan ng P5 milyon para mapabilis ang pagproseso nito,” Sabi ni Plaza.
Sa Barangay Tagbalili pa lamang, ang naitalang CADT ng tribung Higaonon ay aabot na sa 104,000 hektarya na lupa, at ang CADT na ito ay siyang huli sa siyam na cluster na naiproseso ng National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) sa lalawigan ng Agusan del Sur.
“An gaming pangarap ay maibigay sa amin ang lubos na pamamahala para sa mga lupang naiwan ng aming mga ninuno kung saan kami kumukuha n gaming kabuhayan. Dahil sa mga sinabi ni Gob. Plaza, hindi mailarawan an gaming kasiyahan at nadarama dahil ito ay napakalaking tulong para sa kunabukasan n gaming tribung Higaonon,” sabi ni Tagbalili Barangay Kapitan Erick Dumaguing.
Sinabi Adelaida Buyog na siyang kumakatawan ng NCIP ng bumisita si Gob. Plaza na pagkatapos ng pagprosesong ito na kanilang ginawa, ang mga dokumento ay ipapadala sa kanilang punong tanggapan sa Manila para maisagawa ang pag bigay ng CADT.
Noong bumisita ang mga miyembro ng German Bundestag kamakailan sa Esperanza, ipinakita ni Plaza sa kanila ang pagsisikap na ginawa ng pamahalaang panlalawigan at ng bayan ng Esperanza para maproseso ang mga natural CADT para magkaroon ng kasegurohan na walang sinuman ang makapagpaalis sa mga katutubo sa kanilang lupang minana sa kanilang mga ninuno. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
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Cebuano news: Aquino mobisita sa Cagayan de Oro, Iligan ug Dumaguete karong adlawa
ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Dis. 20 (PIA) –- Si Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III gikatakdang mobisita karong adlawa Martes, Disyembre 20 didto sa Cagayan de Oro, Iligan ug Dumaguete aron personal nga bisitahon ang nagpadayon nga relief operations sa gobyerno ug susihon ang mga kadaot sa maong kalamidad, ang MalacaΓ±ang miingon.
Si Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda misulti sa mga reporter atol sa news briefing kagahapon Lunes didto sa MalacaΓ±ang, kini mikumpirma nga ang Pangulo nakigpulong sa mga opisyales sa lokal nga pangagamhanan sa maong mga lugar.
“He (President Aquino) will be briefed also by the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) there in Cagayan de Oro and he will fly to Iligan and then to Dumaguete to inspect the damages and also to provide relief efforts as well,” siya midugang.
Si Lacierda miingon ang Pangulo gusto na mobisita niadto pang Domingo apan ang Presidential Security Group lakip usab ang Department of National Defense mitambag kaniya nga sa adlawng Martes na lamang kini mobisita tungod sa rason sa dili maayong panahon.
Human siya gipahibalo sa mga kadaot nga nahimo sa bagyong “Sendong” sa gobyerno ug sa mga katawhan sa Aminahang bahin saMindanao, ang Pangulong Aquino kanunayng nagamonitor sa iyang mga opisyales sa Kabinete nga atoa na didto sa maong lugar.
Si Lacierda miingon ang Pangulo sagad nga nagahatag og mga mando ug nagadawat og mga updates gikan kang Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Juliano Soliman, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, ug National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Benito Ramos nga atoa na didto sa maong lugar.
“The President was very much aware of what was going on and he made sure that all relief efforts and all necessary efforts insofar as search and rescue are given to the people affected,” sa iyang pamahayag, kontra sa mga hungihong nga ang Pangulo wala na usab magpakita panahon sa mga krisis sama niini.
Sa dugang pang pamahayag ,si Lacierda miingon nga ang Pangulo mimando na sa mga hintungdang mga opisyales sa gobyerno ug mga ahensya sa pagpagawas og “comprehensive report” sa ilang mga nahimo sa nakalabayng tulo ka mga adlaw “to see if adequate service was provided for the people of Mindanao.”
Sa laing bahin usab si Pangulong Aquino, atol sa iyang pakighinabi didto sa NDRRMC headquarters niadtong Sabado mimando na kang Robredo ug Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo sa pagrepaso sa sistema sa weather forecasting sa nasod.
“We recognize that there have been a lot of deaths in Mindanao and therefore that (weather forecasting system) is something that we should really look into and the President wants that looked into,” siya miingon. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
