DA equips teachers in vegetable, soybean
production
By Vanessa A. Pontillo
BUTUAN CITY, July 8 (PIA) - The teachers had no
problem when the table was turned with them being taught this time.
Teachers earnestly paid attention to the
discussions during the Training on Vegetable Production and Soybean Processing
conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga. The training aims to
arm the teachers with knowledge to help them implement effectively the 'Gulayan
sa Paaralan' Program (GPP) in their respective schools.
“There is a need to update the knowledge of the
teachers in vegetable gardening so that they can also impart this to the
students,” DA Caraga GPP Coordinator Lynn A. PareΓ±as said.
The first batch of the training was conducted in
Surigao City last June 26-27 and was attended by teachers from the Divisions of
Surigao City, Siargao and Dinagat. Aside from teaching the teachers techniques
in growing vegetables, the nutritional benefits of vegetable intake was also
emphasized.
In addition, soybean, a highly nutritious food
crop which is being promoted by the DA, was recently incorporated in the GPP.
As such, a demonstration on the processing of various soybean food products was
included in the training. The participants were also given each a kilo of
soybean seeds that they can plant in their schools.
“I look
forward to preparing the recipes I learned from this training because I now
have something new to offer our school’s feeding program,” said Elma R. Polican
of San Benito, Surigao del Norte.
GPP is a school vegetable gardening project
implemented by DA together with the Department of Education that aims to
address hunger and malnutrition problem in children. The vegetables produced in
school will be used to supplement the school’s feeding program. Training is
part of the DA’s support along with the provision of vegetable seeds and garden
tools to strengthen the project which is now on its 4th year of implementation
under the High Value Crops Development Program.
(DA-13 Information Section/PIA-Caraga)
2 Butuan IP villages benefit DSWD’s
community-led projects
By Eunice G. Montaos
BUTUAN CITY, July 8 (PIA) - Barangays Anticala
and Pianing, specifically sitios Mahayahay and Catabwanan, of this city
inaugurated recently the day care center projects, identified and implemented
by ordinary citizens in the said barangay.
“With the intervention of the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga, these projects were made possible
through empowering local citizens by letting them articulate the causes of
their poverty problems and equipping them through trainings for project
implementation,” said Regional Planning Officer Jean Paul Parajes, who
represented regional director Minda Brigoli, during the turn-over ceremony.
Parajes clarified that DSWD allotted Php
1,300,000 for the said projects from the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting
Process (GPBP) fund.
“These GPBP projects of Anticala and Pianing
made use of the Community-Driven Development (CDD) strategy of the DSWD’s
Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social
Services (Kalahi-CIDSS),” added Parajes.
Moral Recovery Program Officer Pastor Charlie
Prior, representative of City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr., disclosed the
partnership of city local government unit (CLGU) of Butuan with DSWD in this endeavor
through the provision of technical assistance and a local counterpart
contribution (LCC) amounting to Php 250,000 (rough estimate).
“This early childhood care project will be the
landmark in your place of the feat of our unity,” Pastor Prior remarked.
“The CDD process is really an example of the
true meaning of democracy wherein people, even those marginalized IP sectors,
get the privilege to lead the implementation of their needed community
facilities, which one way or another, address their problems of poverty,”
expressed Anticala Punong Barangay Armando Boligol.
Tribal Chieftain Ruben Dapeniagan, or Hawudon
Buhay, also expressed his thanks to the national and local governments for the
day care center project that he, and his fellow villagers received.
“It is in
our capability trainings and seminars that we have pondered that education
really matters, and so, most concerned people in this village participated for
this to be realized,” Hawudon Buhay said.
“This Project realized the plans and visions of
the tribe. It will address the problem of education in this sitio,” he added.
Pianing Tribal Chieftain and also Barangay
Project Management Committee (BPMC) chairperson Edbert Javier, or Hawudon
Subangan, shared that before the Project started, their community dreamt of a
day care center since they are in a far-flung location.
“It was not easy to be a volunteer, we had
undergone many difficulties especially in the transportation of materials since
the supplier’s equipment has to pass in the three rivers and need to traverse a
muddy and rocky road,” emotionally shared Hawudon Subangan.
“Our efforts as volunteers finally paid off.
Now, our children have a comfortable and conducive place for them to be
educated at their early age and the parents can focus in their livelihood
works,” he concluded. (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)
Academe sector expands inter-EAGA ties through
educ exchange programs
DAVAO CITY, July 8 (PIA) - Institutional
partnerships between the focus areas of the Brunei Darussalam Indonesia
Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) continue to expand
and diversify with the recently sealed academe collaboration between the
Palawan State University (PSU) - Philippines and Jesselton College - Kota
Kinabalu.
The new partnership was forged through a
Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two universities last month in Kota
Kinabalu, which aims to facilitate workplace industry placement and education
programme exchanges between the neighbouring states. Through the partnership,
PSU is expected to establish its own international programme in Kota Kinabalu.
"One of the best ways to make the academe
stronger and more essential is by opening our gates to collaboration and
partnerships. It brings about creation of innovative ideas by bringing together
a group of smart people who can have their hands on the pulse of our
University's community," said Lorna Gelito, Ph.D., PSU's Vice-President
for Academic Affairs.
She added that the partnership will establish
the relevance of the academic sector in BIMP-EAGA's pursuit for societal
development and good governance.
“We welcome this development as an opportunity
to learn from each other’s experiences and expertise, highlighting the
commonalities between the two cities,” said Datuk Teo Chee Kang, special tasks
minister for Kota Kinabalu.
Teo added that apart from academic and
professional exchange, the sealed partnership is also designed to boost
business and tourist activities between the two EAGA focus areas.
The exchange can now be further facilitated by
MASwings direct flights’ from Kota-Kinabalu to Puerto Princesa and vice versa.
During the 17th BIMP-EAGA Ministerial Meeting
held in Manado, Indonesia in November last year, linkages between and among the
universities in BIMP-EAGA have been identified as one of the priority
initiatives of the sub-region. In a joint
statement, the ministers urged the academe players to boost the student and
faculty exchange programs among BIMP-EAGA universities.
“Our academe sector plays a crucial role in
generating strategic and relevant studies that will help narrow the development
gaps across and within the sub-region,” said Luwalhati Antonino, chair of the
Mindanao Development Authority and Philippine signing minister for BIMP-EAGA.
She added that such initiative also helps
strengthen the socio-cultural connection within the sub-region and facilitates
the exchange of ideas and knowledge-based researches that will help improve
cross-border relations among EAGA-member countries.
The establishment of a socio-cultural cluster
for BIMP-EAGA is currently being explored by the ministers to provide stronger
government support to the emerging collaborations in the fields of education,
vocational courses, sports, and film within BIMP-EAGA.
“For years, we have relentlessly pushed for
physical connectivity in the sub-region. With private-led initiatives on
socio-cultural partnerships, it is high time for us to include in our radar the
need to also connect the people of BIMP-EAGA,” Antonino said.
(MinDA/PIA-Caraga)
AgSur intensifies removal of illegal structures
along Maharlika highway
By David M. Suyao
PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, July 8
(PIA) - The provincial government of Agusan del Sur, thru its organized
Squatting and Resettlement Task Force (SRTF) discussed last week issues and
concerns confronting the on-going clearing operations of the Maharlika Highway
from Butuan City to Davao provinces brought about by the residents occupying
the road-right-of-way.
Provincial Correctional and Civil Security
Office and SRTF chief Josefina Bajade said slight commotions were observed in
Barangay Anoling, Rosario during their operations but were immediately pacified
and neutralized by the team of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who
escorted the demolition team from the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) and the barangay officials.
“They have their own loud sound systems, while
trying to stop the demolition team from doing their job. Of course, with our
presence, backed up by the PNP from Rosario PNP station and the barangay
officials, we were able to pacify the resisting group while explaining to them
that notices of clearing was served months ago in order for them to evacuate
their occupied areas identified as road-right-of-way by the DPWH,” Bajade said.
Having uncovered the problems and to refrain the
incident in Barangay Anoling to be repeated, Provincial Administrator Jesusimo
Ronquillo open the table for suggestions and advises as to what move the Task
Force will implement in order to gain the full support and cooperation of the
barangay officials during the actual clearing operations and one effective move
that was considered is to call for a meeting with all the barangay captains including
some of the barangay officials of the barangays along the Maharlika Highway on
July 11, 2014 in order to thoroughly explain to them again the clearing
operations. After the meeting, the barangay captains will sign a manifesto
declaring their support and said manifesto will be hanged in their respective
barangay halls.
Also agreed during the meeting was the
appearance of the Task Force members during the League of Municipal Mayors’
meeting in order to solicit their cooperation and support. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
Tagalog News: Palasyo nakikita ang patuloy na
pagtubo ng industriya ng turismo
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Hulyo 8 (PIA) - Ang industriya
ng turismo sa bansa ay lalong lumalago sa loob ng ilang taon, sabi ni
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda sa isang panayam sa media noong Lunes
sa Malakanyang.
Ang naturang industriya ay tumaas ng 10.3 porsyento
at nakapag-ambag ng anim na porsyento sa ekonomiya noong 2012 at nakapagbigay
trabaho sa 4.2 milyon ka tao, sabi ni Lacierda.
Noong nakaraang taon, umabot sa 4.68 milyon ang
dumating na mga dayuhang turista, 9.6 porsyentong mas mataas kung ikumpara
noong 2012 na umabot lamang ng 4.27 milyon, sabi ni Lacierda, dinagdagan pa na
ang Department of Tourism ay naghahangad na ang naturang bilang ay tataas
hanggang 6.8 milyon hanggang sa katapusan ng taong ito.
“Ito ay magbibigay ng solidong reputasyon sa
bansa bilang isa sa pinakamataas na destinasyon ng turismo sa buong mundo,”
sabi niya.
Si Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ay nakatakdang
magbigay ng keynote address sa isang malaking paglunsad ng Marco Polo Ortigas
sa Pasig sa darating na Miyerkoles, Hulyo 9.
Ang mga establisyamentong tulad nito ay hindi
lamang nagsasalamin ng tiwala ng mga dayuhang mamumuhunan dito sa bansa kundi inaasahan
din na magpalakas ng industriya ng turismo, sabi ni Lacierda.
Ang may 313 na kwarto na five-star hotel sa
sentro ng kalakal sa distrito ng Ortigas ay pinamahalaan ng Marco Polo Hotels.
Ayon sa ulat, ang pangulo at hepe ng mga
ehekutibong opisyal ng Xin Tian Ti Development Corporation na si Samuel Po, ay
nakipag alyansa sa Marco Polo Hotels at namuhunan ng P3 bilyon para itayo and
Marco Polo Ortigas.
“Ang Marco Polo Hotels ay kilala sa kanilang
pinakamahusay na serbisyo at primera klaseng kalidad. Kami ay sobrang natuwa na
maging kasama ng kapuri-puring pangalan ng hotel dito sa Asia-Pacific para sa
Marco Polo Ortigas, isang P3 bilyon na puhunan,” sabi ni Po sa kanyang
talumpati, palatandaan na ang pamumuhunan na ito ay sagot ng kanyang grupo sa
panawagan ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas para sa mga bagong pamumuhunan sa turismo.
Ang Marco Polo Ortigas ay pangatlo sa mga hotel
ng Marco Polo dito sa Pilipinas, ang unang dalawa ay nasa Davao at Cebu.
Sumunod sa China, ang Pilipinas ay siyang may
maraming bilang ng Marco Polo Hotels sa Asia.
Ang Marco Polo Hotels ay buong pag-aari ng The
Wharf (Holdings) Ltd., isang nakalistang kompaniya sa Hongkong na may sentrong
interes ngkalakal sa mga pag-aari at pamumuhunan sa komunikasyon at
container-terminal na operasyon. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
