DENR-13 chief highlights vital role of IOs in
CCA advocacy
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 16 (PIA) – “Being information
officers, you possess skills in communication which is an effective tool in
bringing down the needed information especially on our climate change advocacy
to the people living in the uplands, hinterland barangays and folk living along
the seashores and beaches.”
This was the statement of regional director
Nonito Tamayo of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Caraga during the Regional Information Officers’ Summit on Climate Change Adaptation
and Mitigation advocacy held on Wednesday at Dottie’s Place Hotel, this city.
“Let me congratulate director Abner Caga and his
entire staff of the Philippine Information Agency for holding this event. This
gathering of information officers from the different local government units and
non-government organizations is important and timely. The so-called “digital
media” powered by the best technology we can get may be vital in our advocacy
campaign on climate change, yet, its range is limited and can only reach
certain areas living a wide section of our population in the rural areas
deprived of vital information on Climate
Change. The information officers could
fill this gap where they can effectively carry the load of the important
information to the people remote places,” expressed Tamayo.
Tamayo also relayed that Secretary Ramon JP Paje
has emphasized the immense contribution of environmental advocacy on safety and
readiness of the population against disasters noting that the Philippines is
ranked third in the World Risk Index for 2013 on “hazard proneness and
vulnerabilities.”
“We owe it to factors like dwindling natural
resources, inadequate basic infrastructure and systems to cope with, during
disasters and emergencies and many of our fellow citizens exposed to physical
hazards,” he quoted.
Tamayo further stressed that mitigating the
effects of climate change is not only the main responsibility of the government
but also the responsibility of each individuals. “This is now the new normal
that is why we should always be ready and prepared and should know what to do
in times of disasters so we can be saved and be able to save others,” he said.
Said summit is initiated by PIA and DENR-Caraga,
and sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA), and Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity
Board (RTWPB). Partners from the private sector such as Mary Kay, PLDT-Philcom
and Bayan Telecommunications also contributed to the activity. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DENR Caraga bares environmental challenges;
provides interventions
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 16 (PIA) – In time with the
Regional Information Officers’ Summit on Climate Change advocacy on Wednesday
held in one of the local convention centers here, Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Caraga through regional director Nonito Tamayo reiterated
the environmental challenges and bared its interventions to cope with it.
“The DENR has just concluded the Environment
Month with the theme, 'Raise your voice, not the sea level' which is also the
motif of the United Nations General Assembly for 2014 as the Year of Small
Islands Developing States and the World Environment Day on June 5, to
acknowledge the contribution of this group of countries and territories made in
the world. These small islands are home
to vibrant and distinct cultures and heritage as well as to rich ecosystems,
bio-diversity and dazzling landscapes,” Tamayo relayed.
Tamayo added that these small islands face with
many environmental challenges brought about by Climate Change. Rising ocean
level is threatening to wipe out if not reduce small islands into smaller
pieces of lands. Melting ice and the expansion of the oceans due to global
warming are the causes of sea level rise.
“The Philippines is an archipelago with 7,107
islands and our small islands are at high risk from rising seas particularly
those barangays in the low lying areas. We have experienced floods in Butuan
City and other river towns in Caraga Region in January when Agusan river
swelled after 10-days continuous rain,” recalled Tamayo.
The recent destructive typhoon that almost
leveled to the ground the city of Tacloban, Leyte and other provinces of Samar
is just an introduction of what extreme weather condition is.
“To cope with what we have lost during
calamities, the government continues to strive in implementing environmental
programs that could revive the environment, as well as help people do
initiatives as their contribution by letting them participate in the tree
planting, clean-up and other related activities,” emphasized Tamayo.
Also, speaking before the 200 information
officers from different provinces of the region, Tamayo stressed that people
should know that this is the new normal – Climate Change. “We should learn to
adapt Climate Change, environmental challenges as this is now the new normal.
Let us take good care of our environment as taking care of it is tantamount to
saving our lives from calamities/disaster. Let’s mitigate its effects... We
always want a clean and green environment to live in,” he said.
The said event was conducted by the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) Caraga and DENR-Caraga. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
People’s orgs of Sison town receive GPB funds
for enterprise devt projects
By Ma. Theresa Z. Calang
SURIGAO CITY, July 16 (PIA) – Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) Surigao del Norte Provincial Director Celestino L. Negapatan
turned over to the municipality of Sison four Grassroots Participatory
Budgeting (GPB) checks totaling P807,500 for the municipality’s four enterprise
development projects.
A coco sugar processing project will be
implemented costing P237,500 including the establishment of a mini processing
plant which will benefit 80 farmers of Barangays Gacepan and Mayag.
Payaw, a native root crop similar to gabi, will
be processed into payaw chips by 124 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of
Barangays Lower Patag, Upper Patag and San Isidro. The project costs P142,500.
A similar amount was released for a mushroom
processing project which will benefit 40 women-beneficiaries of Barangay San
Pedro. Mushrooms will be processed by drying and turning them into powder.
ARBs of Barangays Ima Upper and Lower Patag will
be implementing a lemon grass (tanglad) processing project where oil extracts
will be packaged and sold as a health supplement.
The projects will be complemented with the
conduct of relevant skills trainings, financial literacy training, procurement
of relevant equipment and marketing assistance including product labeling and
packaging.
The municipal government has organized a team
that will facilitate the implementation of the projects and will also provide a
local counterpart fund equivalent to five percent (5%) of the project costs as
stipulated in the Work and Financial Plan of each project.
Negapatan stated that DTI will be extending
support services to the beneficiaries in the course of their project
establishment and implementation. He
hoped that project proponents will be able to effectively manage their
respective projects and when they are ready to expand, they can also avail of
other enterprise development programs of DTI and other national government
agencies. (DTI/PIA-Caraga)
