Women’s strength, resiliency highlighted in this
year’s Women’s Month celeb
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) - Gender and
Development Coordinating Committee (GADCC) chair and Commission on Human Rights
(CHR) Caraga regional director Atty. Marylin Pintor emphasized during today's
opening program of the Women’s Month celebration held at the Provincial Capitol
Covered Court, this city that women have remained strong and resilient over the
different challenges they face in life.
"This year's Women's Month celebration is
the best time to recognize the role of women in the rehabilitation of
disaster-affected areas, as well as in the progress of the country,"
remarked Pintor.
With colorful shirts bearing this year's theme:
"Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at Pagsulong," the
employees of government agencies, partner stakeholders and students, in unity,
walked from the city hall grounds to the capitol covered court to raise public
awareness to prevent any forms of violence against women and girls.
Also, CHR chairperson Loretta Ann 'Etta'
Rosales, the keynote speaker of today’s celebration recalled how the “EDSA
Uprising” started during the presidency of the late Ferdinand Marcos, wherein
Filipinos specially women marched and prayed the rosary to stop the
dictatorship of Marcos. Rosales further highlighted the role of women during
Marcos’ dictatorship.
“Women played an important role in those times
where they organized themselves, went out the streets to fight for democracy,”
stressed Rosales.
Meanwhile, the women and children with
disability presented their dance and vocal talents as intermission numbers
during the opening program.
“The Persons with Disability is streamlined in
the different activities of this year’s celebration. Unity and freedom to
participate in the activities of the government and society without
discrimination is the real significance of what we are marching for today,”
said Rosales. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
8th Int’l Rice-Duck Conference set in Butuan
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) – The Philippine
Agrarian Reform Foundation for National Development (PARFUND) with funding
support from the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF) will be conducting this
year’s 8th International Rice-Duck Conference on March 10-14, 2014 in one of
the local hotels here.
According to PARFUND Chief Operation Officer
Jose Apollo Pacamalan, the said conference will gather integrated rice-duck
farming system (IRDFS) experts and farmer practitioners and supporters, as well
as development investors from all over Asia to share and exchange knowledge and
innovations that highlight IRDFS as a climate-smart agriculture system and as a
social enterprise business model that addresses rural poverty.
“It will also facilitate the sharing of
technologies and strategies across both the organic rice and duck industry
value claims, such as duck meat product development and marketing," he
said.
Also, during the five-day conference, the
following activities will be conducted: Philippine Cultural Show; Cooking/Duck
Culinary Expo; Asian Cultural Night; and Balut-Eating Contest. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
BFP Butuan-Agusan intensifies campaign for a
fire-free community
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) - The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Agusan
del Norte Provincial Office and Butuan City Fire Station (BCFS) kicked-off
Saturday morning, Mar. 1 its 48th observance of the Fire Prevention Month with
emphasis on a campaign for a fire-free and fire-safe community.
Anchored on the theme, “Isulong ang Kaunlaran,
Sunog ay Iwasan, Kaalaman at Pag-iingat ang Kailangan,” a motorcade around the
city thoroughfares and a simultaneous blowing of horns for 5 minutes of all
firefighting apparatus in this city was done to signify the month-long
celebration.
An extensive fire safety awareness campaign is
set through Ugnayan sa Barangay program and a text brigade was earlier
conducted to bring consciousness to the recipients about the best things to do
to prevent and fight fires.
In addition, a fun run activity dubbed as “Takbo
Laban sa Sunog" will be organized on March 9, 2014.
As part of the activities, there will also be a
3-day “open house” on March 11-13, 2014 inviting school children to visit the
fire station wherein BFP personnel will conduct orientation on proper use of
fire extinguishers; familiarization of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) vehicle
and fire truck functions; and briefing on fire safety measures.
On March 14, 2014, holding of the fire
prevention games and contest will take place to be participated in by
elementary pupils land secondary students who will compete in the drawing,
poster making, essay writing, painting contest and quiz bee.
The Fire Olympics among firefighters is likewise
significant in this yearly commemoration which aims to strengthen the
camaraderie among firefighters. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
BFP to turn-over new fire truck to BCFS
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) – In time with the
48th observance of the Fire Prevention Month, the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP) National Headquarters will turn-over today one Rosenbauer fire truck to
Butuan City Fire Station (BCFS).
The ceremonial turn-over at Liwasang Aurora,
Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon city will be graced by Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas who is as well the guest of
honor and speaker during the event.
BFP Caraga regional director FSSupt. Mario
Socorro Timonera, along with Butuan City mayor Ferdinand Amante and FSInsp.
Augusto Cesar Kinazo, will personally attend the occasion to receive and
witness the actual demonstration of the operational functions of said fire
truck.
“This additional firefighting engine is another
augmentation in the number of equipment that will be used in suppressing
destructive fires in the city. BFP Caraga is aiming to achieve zero fire
incident in the region but we are at all times prepared to respond and ready to
save lives and properties,” bared Timonera. (VLG/SFO1 Lorna B.
Azote-BFP/PIA-Caraga)
Rabies cases up in Surigao City - CHO
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) – The City Health
Office (CHO) here said cases of rabies virus in the city have increased from
January to February, this year.
City Health Officer Dr. Emmanuel A. Plandano,
during the press conference held recently, said three human deaths caused by
rabies were recorded by the communicable disease coordinator in the first two
months of this year.
Dr. Plandano said the victims were from
different barangays of the city, "one 50-year old, male from Purok 10,
Barangay Mabini died on January 22; one 8 year-old boy from Purok 5, Barangay
Canlanipa died on February 11 and one 54-year old, female from Purok 1,
Barangay Serna died last February 26."
“One case of rabies is already considered an
epidemic, because 100 meter radius of the rabies positive area should be
quarantined and all dogs and cats within this area should be immunized with
anti-rabies vaccine to avoid proliferation of said virus, that is why, we are
asking the help of our friends from the tri-media to help us disseminate our
campaign against rabies,” Plandano added.
Plandano also said to avoid proliferation of the
said virus, the city health office will continue their support to the
veterinary office through its surveillance and advocacy on rabies immunization.
They will also help in the conduct of free rabies vaccination especially those
areas identified as positive of rabies.
Plandano, further, said rabies virus is a fatal
in human and animals especially dogs and cats, it can be transmitted through
the saliva of animals and animal bites, common symptoms of rabies virus are
fever, muscle pain, headache, brain inflammation, seizures, confusion,
paralysis and coma, these symptoms will manifest after incubation period of 20
to 90 days only and should be treated immediately with rabies immunoglobulin
(RIG) injections, antibiotics and rabies vaccine.
On his part, Sangguniang Panlungsod chairman
Committee on Health, City Councilor Baltazar Abian encouraged all pet owners to
take care of their pets and be responsible enough to bring them to the doctors
and have them vaccinated.
“Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of
2007 and other local ordinances must be enforced to reprimand those
irresponsible pet owners,” Abian said. (SDR-PIASurigao del Norte)
DILG, OPPAP to hold planning workshop,
assessment on Local Peace & Dev’t in Surigao Norte
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 3 (PIA) – Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG) here and the Office of the Presidential
Adviser on Peace Process (OPPAP) will conduct a two-day planning workshop and
assessment in mainstreaming peace and development, and local governance project
on March 4 to 5, 2014 at Parkway Hotel, Surigao City.
The workshop aims to update the status of the
peace process with the CPP/NPA/NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines/New
People's Army/National Democratic Front), revisit and update the existing
conflict analysis of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and locate it
within the broad frame of the peace process, identify gaps and peacebuilding
needs based on the conflict analysis as well as resources to address these gaps
which include a validation of previously identified interventions that remain
unfunded, and to propose enhancements to existing PAMANA implementing
structures process.
The activity also envisions to integrate the
Peace and Development Agenda within the Provincial Peace and Order Council’s
(PPOC’s) Peace and Order and Public Safety (POPS) Plan. (SDR/PPOC/PIA-Surigao
del Norte)
DTI gears up for 2014 grassroots participatory
budgeting project implementation
By Brenda B. Corvera & Marson Jan S. Dolendo
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) – A total of 130 projects
in 49 local government units (LGUs) spread across five provinces and six
cities.
These are the significant numbers in the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Caraga’s grassroots participatory
budgeting (GPB) implementation, known formerly as bottom-up budgeting or BuB,
for 2014.
With the said input figures, the agency is
hoping to generate high outputs in terms of number of micro, small and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) assisted, jobs generated, sales generated and incremental
income for beneficiaries.
This is in addition to strengthening the
capacity of our LGUs to pursue MSME development activities in partnership with
civil society organizations to contribute to their efforts in poverty
reduction.
In a recent agency planning for the GPB
implementation, DTI-Caraga regional director Brielgo Pagaran said, “DTI top
management’s eyes are on us because we got the biggest chunk from the BuB/GPB
allocation.”
DTI-Caraga got P87.96 million or 17 percent of
the department’s over P532.56 million GBP budget in the general appropriations
act (GAA).
DTI-Caraga’s share, however, is only 5 percent
of the P1.07 total GBP budget for the region.
Of the 130 projects, some 77 percent are
specific for enterprise development projects. The rest are either general
requests for shared service facility, capability building/training, industry
clustering , business permit licensing system interventions and creation of
enterprise villages.
Fund releases are scheduled at the earliest,
February 2014. (DTI-13/PIA-Caraga)
Agrarian-Beneficiaries to venture cacao
production
By Gil Miranda
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) - The Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Agusan del Norte promoted cacao growing to 65
farmer-leaders to increase productivity in the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program (CARP) awarded lands during the Orientation on Cacao Production held on
February 24, here.
The project is a joint venture of DAR Agusan del
Norte, Kennemer Foods International, Inc. (KFI) and GML Agri-ventures. Land
Bank of the Philippines (LBP) will play a vital role in financing the cacao
planting program.
The over-all goal of the program is poverty
reduction and improving the quality of life of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries.
DAR Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer
Andre B. Atega said that the project is first among the support services funded
by DAR in collaboration with private sector.
Christopher Lindo of GML Agri-ventures
emphasized that farmer who grows cacao must adhere strictly to prescribed
technology and seed variety to be able to meet market standards.
Ester T. Cabalan, BDCD OIC-Chief said that the
agricultural land to be planted with cacao belongs to farmer-beneficiaries who
are members of their respective Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization
(ARBOs) organized by DAR.
DAR will be providing financial loans to
interested cacao-growers through its Agrarian Productivity Credit Production
(APCP), a credit assistance intervention program in-partnership with LBP.
GML Agri-Ventures will provide technical
support, seedlings, technician as well as marketing to the identified and
potential cacao growers. (DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
4 firms get fines for selling Christmas lights
with no ICC stickers
By Atty. Maria Aurora R. Curaza-Maquiling &
Marson Jan S. Dolendo
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) - While most firms are
busy with post-Christmas business, four establishments in this city get
penalties recently for violations made during the height of the Christmas
season.
The four firms which sold Christmas lights
without the required Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) stickers were meted
administrative fines in the amount ranging from P17,500.00 to P25,000.00.
In addition, they were also ordered to cease and
desist from selling Christmas lights without ICC stickers with a stern warning
that repetition of the same or similar acts in the future shall be dealt with
more severely.
The decision was handed down by the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Caraga Regional Office on the basis of the formal
charge filed on the observed violations.
The violators were caught during the inspections
conducted by DTI-Agusan Del Norte Provincial Office monitoring and enforcement
team during the last quarter of 2013 in line with the agency’s mandate to
inspect commodities which affect the life, health and safety of consumers under
Republic Act No. 4109 otherwise known as the Product Standards Law.
A total of 2,481 individual lighting sets plus
29 boxes of Christmas lights were found to have been displayed for sale without
the required ICC stickers in violation of Department Order No. 02, Series of
2007.
The confiscated products are forfeited in favor
of the government and will be processed for destruction.
Christmas light is a mandatory product required
to conform to Philippine National Standard (PNS) 189:2000. Imported lighting
sets that conform to the safety requirements of the said PNS are issued with
the corresponding ICC stickers. (DTI-13/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
Tagalog News: Gobyerno tutulungan ang apat na
Pilipinong biktima ng pagsabog ng gas sa Qatar
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Marso 3 (PIA) - Sinegurado ng
Malakanyang noong Sabado na magbibigay sila ng tulong sa mga pamilya ng
dalawang Pilipinong nasawi at dalawa pang nasugatan sa pagsabog ng tanke ng gas
sa isang restaurant sa Doha, Qatar.
Sa isang panayam kay Deputy Presidential
Spokesperson Abigail Valte sa pinapatakbong radio ng pamahalaan ang DzRB Radyo
ng Bayan, ito’y nagpahayag ng pakikiramay sa kamatayan ng dalawang Pilipino
noong pagsabog.
Sinabi ni Undersecretary Valte na tutulong ang
pamahalaan sa pag-asikaso para maibalik and mga katawan ng mga namatay. Sinabi
rin niya na bibigyan din ng tulong ang dalawa pang Pilipino na nasugatan sa
pagsabog.
“Sinisigurado naman po natin na tutulong po tayo
doon sa pag-repatriate nung dalawa pa nating kababayan na sinamang palad po at
nasama doon sa naging pagsabog. Ini-extend din po natin ang ating pakikiramay
sa kanilang mga pamilya at mga naiwan na mahal sa buhay,” sabi niya.
Sinabi ni Valte na sa apat na Pilipinong biktima
ng pagsabog, isa lamang ang miyembro ng Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
(OWWA). Gayunpaman, sineguro ng pamahalaan na magbibigay pa rin ng tulong sa
nalalabing tatlo.
“Ang commitment po ng ating embahada doon ay
tutulungan po ‘yung tatlo pa para naman po makakuha ng kaukulang benepisyo sa
kanilang mga employer,” sabi ng deputy presidential spokesperson.
Labindalawa ka tao ang namatay noong sumabog ang
tank eng gas sa isang Turkish na restaurant sa Doha, Qatar. Humigit kumulang 31
pang iba ang nasugatan sa pagsabog. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Tagalog News: Land Bank inilunsad ang Visa debit
card
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Mar. 3 (PIA) - Sa
pakipag-alyansa sa Visa, ang may hawak ng Land Bank Visa Debit Card ay
maariring makapag withdraw ng pera ng Pilipinas mula sa kahit saang 2 milyon na
ATM sa mahigit 200 na bansa at teritoryo sa buong mundo. Makapagbayad din ang
may hawak ng card ng kanyang bills, makapamili sa pamamagitan ng linya ng ATM
at makapamili sa pamamagitan ng telepono at koreo gamit and pundosa kanilang
nagkadugtong na transaction account.
“Ang Land Bank Visa Debit Card ay parte n gaming
patuloy na pagsisikap para mabigyan ang mga may hawak ng card ng mahusay at
mabilis na serbisyo sa pamamagitan ng pagbigay ng kalayaan sa kanila na
magkaroon ng daan para sa kanilang pera kapag ito ay kailangan nila, kahit saan
man sila,” sabi ng Pangulo at CEO ng Land Bank, Gilda Pico.
“Ang aming pakipag-alyansa sa Land Bank ay isang
testamento na mabigyan ang maraming Pilipino ng daan para sa pagbayad ng
kanilang bayarin sa pamamagitan ng electronics. Sa mahigit 1.7 million na Land Bank
customer, kasama na ang lahat ng mga empleyado ng pamahalaan, ang Land Bank
Visa Debit card ay maaring magpahintulot sa may hawak ng card na iwanan ang
kanilang pera sa bahay at makapamili kahit saan na tanggap ang Visa, na mas
madali at ligtas kasama ang tatak ng Visa,” sabi ni Lain Jamieson, Visa Country
Manager sa Pilipinas at Guam.
Ang Visa Debit Card ay nag-aalis ng
pangangailangang humawak ng pera sa pang araw-araw na pamimili tulad ng
estasyon ng gasoline, groseriya, at malalaking kainan. Nagbibigay rin ito ng
kaagad na pagkakataon ng makakuha ng pera mula sa ATM ng Land Bank sa kahit
saang ATM sa ibang bansa na may tatak na Visa.
Para sa karagdagang kaalaman tungkol sa Land
Bank Visa Debit Card, tumawag lamang sa Customer Care Center sa numero 405-7000
(NCR); 1-800-10-7000 (domestic toll free o magbisita sa www.landbank.com. (PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
Cebuano News: Gobyerno motabang sa 4 ka Pilipino
nga biktima sa pagboto sa tanke sa gas didto sa Qatar
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Marso 3 (PIA) – Ang Malakanyang
niadtong adlw’ng Sabado mipasalig sa paghatag ug hinabang ngadto sa mga pamilya
sa duha ka mga Pilipino nga nangamatay ug duha ka mga nasamdan sa pagbuhagay sa
tanke sa gas usa ka restawran didto sa Doha, Qatar.
Siya namahayag nga ang gobyerno misimpatiya sa
pagkamatay sa duha ka mga Pilipino atol sa maong insidente.
Sumala pa ni Undersecretary Valte, nga ang
gobyerno motabang sa pagpasilitar sa pagpabalhin sa mga patay’ng lawas sa mga
biktima. Siya usab miingon nga mahatagan usab ug hinabang ang laing duha ka mga
Pilipino nga nasamdan sa maong pagboto.
“Sinisigurado naman po natin na tutulong po tayo
doon sa pag-repatriate nung dalawa pa nating kababayan na sinamang palad po at
nasama doon sa naging pagsabog. Ini-extend din po natin ang ating pakikiramay
sa kanilang mga pamilya at mga naiwan na mahal sa buhay,” siya miingon.
Matud pa niya, nga ang upat ka mga Filipino nga
nabiktima sa maong pagbuhagay, usa lamang kanila ang myembro sa Overseas
Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA). Bisan pa, ang gobyerno mipasalig sa
paghatag ug hinabang ngadto sa laing tulo ka mga biktima.
“Ang commitment po ng ating embassy doon ay
tutulungan po ‘yung other three para naman po makakuha ng kaukulang benefits sa
kanilang mga employer,” sulti pa ni deputy presidential spokesperson Valte.
Sumala pa sa taho, dose ang mga ihap nga
nahitala nga mga namatay atol sa pagbuhagay sa tanke sa gas didto sa usa ka
Turkish nga restawran sa Doha, Qatar niadtog Huwebes. Ug laing mokabat usab sa
31 ang mga nasamdam sa maong insidente. (NGBT/PND/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Cebuano
News: 2014 WMC, pormal nang gisugdan sa Butuan
Ni Sheila Mae Yatar
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 3 (PIA) - Pormal nang giablihan
ang pagselebrar sa 2014 Women’s Month ning dakbayan pinaagi sa usa ka fun walk
nga gisugdan gikan sa Provincial Capitol hangtod sa City Hall Grounds, buntag
karong adlawa.
Gisundan kini sa usa ka programa nga gitambungan
sa mga opisyales sa syudad sa pagpanguna ni City Vice Mayor Hon. Angelo S.
Calo, mga Punong Barangay ug mga miyembro sa nagkadaiyang asosasyon sa
kababayen-an ning dakbayan.
Atol sa maong kalihukan, surpresang nibisita si
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Etta Rosales kauban si CHR RD Atty.
Marilyn Pintor. Subay niini, gidayeg ni Chairman Rosales ang Lokal nga
Panggamhanan tungod kay sa maong selebrasyon gihatagan pud ug igong pagtagad
ang mga kababayen-an ug kabataan nga adunay kabilinggan sa panglawas.
Samtang sa mensaheng gipa-abot ni SP Member ug
Chairman sa Committee on Women, Children and Family Concerns Rema E. Burdeos,
gipanghinaot niini nga magpabiling lig-on gayud sa tanang panahon ang mga
kababayen-an.
Miduyog usab sa maong kalihukan sila SP Members
Ferdinand E. Nalcot ug Sergio C. Pascual. Gitapos kini pinaagi sa “One Billion
Rising Dance” nga bibong gisalmutan sa tanang mga bisita ug partisipante. (Butuan
City CMO-PIO/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
