DILG calls LGUs to participate in TreeVolution:
Greening MindaNOW
By Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 8 (PIA) - The Department of
the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Office 13 (Caraga) is
calling-out to all local government units in Caraga region to participate in
the Mindanao-wide campaign dubbed as “TreeVolution: Greening MindaNOW” on
September 26, 2014.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
Mar Roxas issued Memorandum Circular No. 2014-103 dated August 27, 2014 enjoining
all Local Chief Executives (LCEs) of Mindanao, specifically of Regions 9, 10,
11, 12, 13 and ARMM to support the event by planting trees in a 5-hectare
public land of their provinces, municipalities and/or cities.
DILG 13 regional director Lilibeth A. Famacion
already issued Memorandum dated September 3, 2014 to direct all LCEs in the
region to actively take part in the event as it will support the Department’s
outcome of achieving Environment Friendly, Disaster Resilient and Climate
Change Adaptive LGUs.
This event is aimed to break the Guinness World
Record from India for most trees planted simultaneously at multiple locations
in just an hour. The target for trees to be planted in whole Mindanao is
4,636,000 on the said date.
In Caraga region, a target of 500,000 trees will
be planted in 1000 hectares by 25,000 planters. Species of plants include
cacao, coffee, mangrove, timber and other fruit trees which are of economic
value and benefit to the people.
The world record attempt is to raise
environmental awareness and instill consciousness to the people, as well as to
achieve at least 30% target of forest cover envisioned in the Mindanao 2020
Peace and Development Framework Plan. (DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)
DILG 13 to LGUs: Help stop HIV, AIDS
By Bryan F. Edulzura
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 8 (PIA) - In response to the
increasing number of HIV cases in Caraga Region, the Department of the Interior
and Local Government (DILG) Region 13 has urged local government units to help
stop the proliferation of HIV and AIDS.
According to the Department of Health (DOH), 123
Persons Living with HIV (PLHIVs) were recorded as of July 2014, 23 of which are
cases from January to July, this year. This translates to an average of 3 - 4
new infections every month.
DILG Caraga regional director Lilibeth A.
Famacion said that HIV and AIDS is not just a public health threat but a governance
issue as well.
"The proliferation of HIV and AIDS will
have direct impact on poverty, social services delivery and public safety. With
this, we wanted to strengthen our support to this program through the
establishment of Local Aids Council (LAC) and encourage LGUs to do their
share,” she said.
In 2009, the DILG has issued a memorandum
enjoining LGUs to create Local AIDS Council (LAC) to function as coordinating
body in implementing HIV and AIDS program, however, not all LGUs responded
accordingly due to lack of information and urgency. Hence, the DILG regional
office took upon itself to push the advocacy of establishing LAC in every LGU.
"Through the years, we allocate funds,
assign a focal person for the program and conduct advocacy and orientation to
LGUs, prioritizing those with highest number of cases," Famacion said.
This year, the Department has oriented more than
200 participants from various backgrounds and sectors to include Mayors, SB
members, teachers, religious members, young people, civil society leaders and
gay communities.
"We will continue to encourage LGUs to make
HIV and AIDS program, a priority program for health," Famacion added.
The DILG-initiated advocacies generate warm
support and positive responses from the Local Chief Executives.
Bayugan City Mayor Kim Lope Asis said that the
Bayugan City Local AIDS Council will spearhead an orientation to the different
schools in the city.
Mayor Deo Manpatilan of Esperanza, Agusan del
Sur also pledged to significantly increase the budget for HIV and AIDS program.
"With all the help from LGUs, we have high
hopes that HIV and AIDS prevalence rate in the region will eventually decline,
if not stopping new cases at all," Famacion emphasized. (DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)
DOH-RESU in Caraga calls attention of IPHO in
SurSur on measles cases
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 8 (PIA) –
The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health
(DOH) in Caraga Region has called the attention of Surigao del Sur Provincial
Health Officer Dr. Algerico Irizari on “Measles Surveillance Update" as of
August 30, 2014.
The said report dated September 2, 2014 that was
addressed to Governor Johnny Pimentel cited that among the five provinces and
six cities comprising the region, Surigao del Sur has topped not only on the
number of deaths reported region wide—five, but also on the highest number of
“Suspect Measles Cases” including the “Laboratory Confirmed Cases” with 393 and
14, respectively, in the area of “Geographic Distribution.”
Prior to this, particularly on Morbidity Week 33
or from the period August 10-16, it was pointed out that “Clustering of cases
was detected at” five barangays in Tandag City, namely: Dagocdoc, Bag-ong
Lungsod, Quezon, San Agustin Norte, and Mabuhay.
It was learned that “A total of 1,389 were
admitted to different disease reporting units region wide from January 1 to
August 30, 2014” with a reported total of 10 deaths.
Meanwhile, the month-long conduct of “Ligtas sa
Tigdas at Polio mass immunization campaign” in Surigao del Sur has now entered
on its second week of implementation. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
EMCH launches exclusive breastfeeding program
By Hazel Bruzon
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Sep. 8 (PIA) - The
Esperanza Medicare Community Hospital (EMCH) in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur
purposely opened two breastfeeding rooms for lactating mothers to ensure
privacy as a way of significantly launching the exclusive breastfeeding dubbed
as “Tama, sapat at eksklusibo (TSEK) program” recently with the theme “Walang
Mahalaga pa sa Gatas Ina.”
According to Dr. Elsa Gunay, the opening of the
two breastfeeding rooms is the better way to let lactating mothers feed their
infants in a healthy manner without necessarily exposing themselves from the
eyes of the public.
Program in-charge Cynthia Silen said both rooms
are complete with facilities necessary for lactating and milk banking. The
lactation management seminar participated by the hospital personnel and staff,
pregnant women and lactating mothers become the highlight of the launching
since it unexpectedly built a bond between the hospital and the community of
lactating and expectant mothers.
“The program aims to encourage expectant and
lactating mothers to exclusively breastfed their babies from birth up to six
months. Breastfeeding TSEK program was initiated by the Department of Health in
response to the country’s millennium development goals 4 and 5 which is to
reduce child mortality rate and improve maternal health,” Dr. Gunay said.
As pay off to all the efforts and active
participation of the facility holistically, EMCH once again passed the renewal
for breastfeeding accreditation recently.
“Let us all join hands in promoting
breastfeeding for a healthier community,” Dr. Gunay added.
The launching was held at the hospital’s mess
hall with hospital’s chief Dr. Elsa Gunay, program in-charge Cynthia Silen and
Gloria Baluca, both nurses of the hospital facilitating. (PIO, Esperanza
Medicare Community Hospital/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Dinagat Islands farmer orgs undergo CDA
mandatory seminar, trainings
By Daryll M. Tumbaga
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Sept. 8 (PIA) – A
total of 16 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) assisted by the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Dinagat Islands Provincial Office recently
underwent different trainings to enhance and capacitate their officers in the
management of the cooperative.
The Rules and Formulation Seminar for the
Election Committees of the ARBOs were conducted on August 11-12, 2014.
The seminar was aimed to equip the cooperative
officials of the necessary knowledge in the conduct of their election. A total
of 48 election committee members were present
On August 13-15, the Audit Management Seminar
was conducted to enhance the skills and knowledge of the audit committees of
the respective ARBOs in the auditing and inventory of the cooperatives’ funds
and resources.
Meanwhile, the training on Internal Control
which was attended by 48 audit committee members of the said ARBOs was
conducted last August 19-21, 2014.
The objective of the said training was to
improve the knowledge of the audit committees in the control of their
respective cooperatives’ funds.
The trainings are mandatory requirements of the
Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) that need to be undertaken by the ARBOs
to renew their registration with the CDA.
The series of trainings were all conducted at
the Function Room of Justiniana Pension Hall in San Jose, Dinagat Islands.
(SDR/PIO-DAR Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
