Site specific disaster mitigation, urban
planning conference set in Butuan City
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) – The city government
here through the office of the city architect in partnership with the Filipino
American Society of Architects and Engineers (FASAE) – South California will
hold a Conference-Workshop on Site Specific Disaster Mitigation and Urban Planning
slated on August 25-27, 2014 at the Red Palm Sites, this city.
“FASAE is embarking with this endeavor to
achieve with local architects, engineers, designers, and consultants what our
affiliates in the Philippines have called a ‘gold standard’ in the performance
by both of our staff and support groups and in imparting professional services
for site specific disaster planning and mitigation,” said officer-in-charge
city architect John Paul Velasco.
The organizers agree to collaborate thoroughly
on this significant activity to directly address the impacts of climate change
at a level that would be a demonstration of a sustainable village that is ideal
for replication throughout the areas devastated by typhoon Yolanda and all
other locations in the regions.
Outlined activities and topics for presentation
and discussion during the forum include master
plan for a demonstration sustainable village DNA (SVDNA) for government
employees; master plan for a demonstration SVDNA for the indigent population;
and disaster planning and mitigation workshop in accordance with the latest
code.
Velasco said that they consider this undertaking
as a constructive effort between them and among the local cluster of
construction professionals in building and propagating disaster resilient
communities.
For more details, contact the in-charge at the
City Architects Office at phone numbers (085) 342-8784 or 0929-4476747; or
email at jhn_velasco@yahoo.com. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Agri Credit Ugnayan on AFFP conducted
By Rhea C. Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Department of
Agriculture (DA) Caraga together with the Agriculture Credit Policy Council
(ACPC) and Peoples Credit Financing Corporation (PCFC) held an Agri Credit
Ugnayan recently to interested farmer associations and cooperatives within the
region.
DA-13 marketing assistance division chief Lynn
A. Pareñas said that Agri Credit Ugnayan is an intensified information campaign
of the DA for its stakeholders to be informed regarding the programs of the
agency specifically on credit or financing which can be provided to farmers.
During the forum, ACPC Director Norman William
S. Kraft said that the implementation of the Agriculture and Fisheries
Financing Program (AFFP) intends to enhance financial inclusion of the rural
poor particularly those who belong to the agriculture sector as a means to
bring about more inclusive growth. Although the local banking sector is known
to have more than sufficient funds for lending, access to these funds by
smallholders in the agriculture sector remains constrained. Thus, insufficient access to finance by the
enterprising rural poor is seen as one of the biggest constraints for advancing
both rural and agricultural development.
“We want an active involvement in the provinces
of the region, who needs financial assistance for their cooperatives or
associations,” Kraft said.
According to Account Officer of PCFC Leonido
Carlo Flores, Agriculture and Fisheries Financing Program is a P1 billion fund appropriated to ACPC for the establishment
of a flexible credit facility for the benefit of small farmers registered in
the Registry System of Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA). It is an alternative to the rigid and
stringent credit facility usually provided by banks and other micro-finance
lending institutions.
The funds were released by ACPC to the two
Government Financing Institutions (GFIs), with Land Bank of the Philippines
receiving P550 million intended for agri-finance facility while the PCFC has
P450 Million for agri-microfinance facility.
Participants of the said Agri-Credit Ugnayan is
positive that the program will definitely help the farmers and fishers in the
region.
“The regional orientation on AFFP gives us the
awareness on how to avail the services offered, we are looking forward for a
partnership that will help our organization to access credit assistance with
lower interest rates,” said Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan
(PKKK) chairperson Zenaida Mansiliohan.
DA- RFO XIII Marketing Assistance Division
continues to facilitate farmer associations, cooperatives in their access on
credit/ financing assistance that will be eventually generate investment and
employment in their communities. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
DA strengthens partnership with LFTs
By Rhea C. Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Agri-Pinoy Rice
Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) called for an Agriculture
Extension Worker-Local Farmer Technician (LFT) partnership to complement the
effort of the department in boosting agricultural productivity and sufficiency
in the country.
To attain the objectives of Food Staples Sufficiency
Program (FSSP), the DA set its vision to enhancing effectiveness by
strengthening the delivery of extension services to rice farmers and accelerate
the adoption of new technologies and “best practices” through the Local Farmer
Technician Program (LFTP).
Based on research studies, the need to increase
the number of extension workers remains high as formidable number of farmers
are not reached by the limited number of agricultural extension technicians. At
present, the rice farmer-to-LGU technician ratio is more than 150:1. New and
improved technologies and other farm support interventions can reach more
farmers by strengthening the LFTP.
According to DA-13 regional technical director
Edgardo D. Dahino, LFTs are very effective partners in carrying out extension
services because of their first-hand experiences in rice production. Aside from
that, LFTs were also trained on the principles and concepts of rice science
enabling them to become rice farming technicians.
“Caraga region has now 98 LFTs who were trained
and now acted as partners and active players in the development and promotion
of modern rice production technologies in low yielding rice-growing areas in
the region,” Dahino said.
Aside from strengthening LFTP, community seed
banking was also introduced as an extension tool to increase farmer’s access to
quality seeds. The facility is controlled and operated by farmers
themselves. DA had also invested in
trainings to fully equip the LFTs.
“My social mobilization, facilitation, and
communication skills was enhanced after I went through verious trainings
conducted by DA and its attached agencies which made me a more capable Local
Farm Technician,” said Felix D. Vasquez, LFT of Cagwait, Surigao del Sur.
“Palay Check System, Integrated Pest Management and Agro-Ecosystem Analysis are
a few of the rice technologies that were shared to me which I also shared to my
fellow farmers through Farmers Field School,” he added.
As part of their incentive, LFTs are provided by
the DA P3,000 per month released quarterly.
This is to ensure mobility of the LFTs within their area of
responsibility and also ensures sustainability of agri-extension services in the
barangays. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Problema sa tubig inumin sa
Kitcharao, Agusan Norte nasagot na – Roxas
BUTUAN CITY, Agosto 22 (PIA) - Nilinaw ngayon ni
Interior at Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas na nakikinig ang pamahalaang
nasyonal sa lahat ng pangangailangan ng taong bayan hindi lang duon sa mga
residente ng Metro Manila kundi pati na rin sa mga probinsiya.
Tinukoy ni Roxas ang 1,103 residente ng Barangay
Sangay sa Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte bilang isa sa mga benepisyaryo ng
proyektong Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig para sa Lahat (SALINTUBIG) na programa ng
Department of Interior at Local Government (DILG) sa Region 13.
Sinabi ni Roxas na tinutugunan ng gobyerno sa
pamamagitan ng DILG ang mga proyekto na inilalapit ng mamamayan sa ilalim ng
Grassroots Participatory Budgeting o mas kilala sa tawag na Bottom-Up Budgeting
(BUB).
Ipinaliwanag ni Roxas na ang 1 milyong pisong
halaga ng proyektong Salintubig sa Barangay Sangay, Kitcharao sa Agusan del
Norte ay inilapit ng mismong mga residente ng nabanggit na barangay sa kanilang
Civil Society Organization kaya nabigyan ng endorso at ngayon ay
pinakikinabangan ng mahigit na 1,000 mamamayan doon.
“Ang akala namin kinalimutan at pinagsarhan na
kami ng pinto ng gobyerno pero noong sinubukan namin sundin ang proseso at
inilapit ito sa aming lokal na organisasyon ngayon ay abot-abot ang pasasalamat
namin sa pamahalaan at may malinis na kaming pagkukunan ng tubig inumin,”
pahayag ni Bartolome Abejero, Sr., punong barangay ng Barangay Sangay.
Inihayag din ni Abejero na nabawasan ng malaki
ang problema ng kaniyang barangay sa kalinisan sa katawan dahil madali na sa
kanila ang pagkuha ng tubig.
“Naging maayos din ang dati ay madalas na
pagkakasakit ng mga bata sa lugar namin, lalo na iyong sakit sa tiyan o
diarrhea at iba pang sakit na nakukuha sa tubig. Hindi na kami ngayon nag-iigib
ng tubig mula sa ulan at hindi na rin umiinom mula sa inimbak na tubig,” dagdag
pa ni Abejero.
Ipinaliwanag naman ni Roxas na ang programang
Salintubig ng DILG ay pagsunod sa Millennium Development Goal no. 7, kung saan
itinatakda na dapat ay 50 porsyento ng populasyon sa buong mundo ay mayroong
access sa malinis at ligtas na tubig.
Idinagdag pa ni Roxas na nakaayon din sa
Philippine Development Plan for 2011-2016 ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan ang
pagbibigay ng tubig at sanitasyon.
Sinabi pa ng kalihim na ang pondong inilaan ng
national government na idinaan sa DILG ay dinagdagan ng 10 porsyento o P100,
000 ng local government unit ng Agusan del Norte bilang parte nito sa programa
na pinakikinabangan sa ngayon ng may 220 pamilya at kabahayan sa Barangay Sangay.
Ikinuwento din ni Abejero na iyong inakala
nilang pang-habang buhay na problema nila sa tubig sa kanilang lugar ay natapos
din dahil sa mas pinabilis na proseso ng GPB.
“Ngayon hindi na kailangan pang lumapit at
makiusap kami sa mga politiko sa aming lugar para lang pansin iyong mga
idinudulog namin. Dahil sa GPB, lalapit na lang kami sa lokal na organisasyong
dito sa amin, sila na ang magbibigay ng rekumendasyon at pag-endorso na mas
mabilis at siguradong popondohan,” dagdag pa rin ni Abejero, punong barangay ng
Sangay, Kitcharao. (DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)
