(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Tuesday, 10 December 2024) Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting the western section of Mindanao and Palawan. Shear Line affecting the eastern sections of Central and Southern Luzon. Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern Luzon and the rest of Central Luzon. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—˜π—”π—§π—›π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—œπ—‘π—— 𝗔𝗑𝗗 π—–π—’π—”π—¦π—§π—”π—Ÿ π—ͺπ—”π—§π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Moderate to Strong winds coming from East to Northeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas / (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


Monday, October 13, 2014

Butuan Habitat for Humanity, LGU-Butuan build network of donors for housing project

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) – The Butuan Habitat for Humanity (BHFH) represented by president Eufroceles Udarbe and the city government of Butuan led by mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. hosted here on Friday a Donor Appreciation Event, a dinner for a cause and a celebration of generosity among benefactors who shelled out monetary contributions for a housing project intended to provide shelter to the less fortunate members of the community.

Habitat for Humanity head of regional operations in Davao and Caraga, Atty. Abdussador Sawadjaan, Jr. sincerely welcomed and thanked the guests for their presence. He expressed that working in Habitat is fulfilling despite facing many land issues just to pursue the planned projects. “Every individual is entitled to his economic, social and cultural right to adequate housing and shelter,” he emphasized.

Meanwhile,  Mayor Amante, Jr. said that “It’s not only a construction of four walls and a roof but a concept of keeping a dignity of every Butuanon family. By building homes, the goal to lift poor communities from poverty can be attained. It’s a big challenge but I am eager to collaborate with Butuan Habitat for Humanity and other stakeholders.”

Butuan Habitat for Humanity president Udarbe also expressed that they work in multiple ways to give access to safe and secured homes. “We do facilitate and transform lives through promotion of smart policies that advance access to adequate, affordable housing,” he added.

The total amount accumulated from munificent donors raised a whopping P2 million in less than three hours during that evening. The seed money is intended for the housing project of the local government of Butuan through Habitat for Humanity. Amante is still counting on for more pledges for this noble project of building decent homes for the homeless constituents.

Access to sustainable, and adequate housing

In a special meeting among Butuan Habitat for Humanity (BHFH) board of directors, Habitat resource development manager Dolly Santos-Serranillo, and other stakeholders together with Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr., they were able to discuss priority steps for the organization's upcoming activities including the turn-over of 51 newly constructed Habitat homes in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

Chief marketing officer Yvonne Lih bared that the organization has already built more than 100,000 Habitat houses in provinces across the country. "We are advocating on providing decent and affordable homes for Filipinos. We partner with the local government units and generous donors to transform the lives especially of  those belonging to marginalized sector," she said.

“The model houses built in Bohol costs P120,000 per unit and we even offered it in lower price or for free in disaster-stricken areas where people experienced extreme devastation. Our objective is achieved through ’Bayanihan’ approach where donors, participating local government officials, and the beneficiaries themselves work together in building affordable and sustainable homes,” elaborated Lih.

Lih also discussed the Balanced Housing Compliance and presented to mayor Amante the core purpose and concept of HFH. She reiterated that its ultimate mission is “seeking to put God’s love into action, whereby, HFH brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.”

Moreover, Lih relayed that the organization has already built more than 100,000 Habitat houses in provinces across the country. “Adequate shelter means more than a roof over one’s head. It also means adequate privacy; adequate space; physical accessibility; adequate security; security of tenure; structural stability and reliability; adequate lighting, heating and ventilation; adequate basic infrastructure, such as water supply, sanitation and waste-management facilities; suitable environmental quality and health-related factors; and adequate and accessible location with regard to work and basic facilities: all of which should be available at an affordable cost,” relayed Lih.

Likewise, HFH resource development manager Serranillo cited that they targeted to help uplift the lives of the lowly citizens by giving them the opportunity to avail a house that they can call their own. “We are also promoting sustainability by integrating programs for empowerment and development of Habitat communities such as environmental protection campaign, social preparation, among others,” articulated Serranillo.

As cited, Pathways to Permanence is Habitat’s framework for reducing vulnerability and supporting disaster-affected families and communities using holistic program interventions that enable incremental progress toward the achievement of permanent, durable shelter and settlements. Flexible, community-based interventions are tailored to address the disaster according to its geographic location, nature and scale. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)


Trento town receives P8.6 million agri support

By Emmylou T. Presilda

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) - The municipality of Trento, Agusan del Sur has received from the Department of Agriculture through the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) an additional funding for livelihood projects under the Community Fund for Agricultural Development Component (CFAD) amounting to P5 Million and another P3.655 Million from the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB).

The P5M MRDP-CFAD fund will be used to support seven peoples organizations who are into Rubber Based Farming and procurement of hauling equipment for the three people’s organization.

GPB funds shall be used to support six peoples organizations with projects on Swine Breeding, Pre and post-harvest Facilities, repair and rehab of consolidation center, draft animal with forage and pasture project, High Value Crops Demo Farm, and Upland Rice Production.
According to GPB Focal Person Isabelita L. Ocampo, the municipality of Trento is one of the first to have been downloaded with the funding after completing the requirements needed to proceed with the implementation.  Likewise, MRDP also approved for funding the said subprojects after previous MRDP-CFAD allocations were properly completed and disbursed.

The municipality also received from the DA 21,000 assorted planting materials for the development of high value crops in the municipality.

Present to support these agricultural development projects were Congresswoman Evelyn "Bebs" Mellana of Agusan del Sur 2nd district, Trento Municipal Mayor Johnmark C. Billanes, DA-13 CFAD Coordinator John Gamboa, and DA-GPB Focal Person Isabelita L. Ocampo. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)


BJMP-Caraga to mark 23rd anniversary celebration

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) – The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) is set to mark its 23rd Anniversary Celebration in Caraga region on October 14, 2014 at Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center in Butuan City.

With the theme “Bawat Isa’y Mahalaga sa Maayos na Pamamahala ng Piitan at Pagtahak sa Matuwid na Daan,” the event is going to highlight key achievements and other major activities in the performance of their duties and responsibilities.

“During this momentous event, we will showcase our significant accomplishments and recognize our best performers and the personalities and agencies that helped us realize our success,” according to BJMP Caraga Regional Director Jail Senior Superintendent Dennis Rocamora.

In his invitation, the BJMP chief also requested, among others, Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny Pimentel to grace the occasion.

“We are proud to inform you that you are one of the awardees who will be bestowed with a simple yet wholehearted token of our appreciation for all the support you have extended to our agency,” Rocamora stressed. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


POPCOM to harness youth skills

By May Ann O. Escobal

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) -  The Commission on Population (POPCOM)-Caraga together with the Local Population Offices intensified its efforts to harness the life skills of the youth to confront the alarming issue on suicidal tendencies in the region.

Through various Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns, POPCOM is promoting life skills such as negotiating, refusal, critical thinking, and sound decision-making, among others, which are considered as life savers when appropriately practiced by the youth.

Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano of POPCOM Caraga mentioned the Learning Package on Parent Education on Adolescent Health and Development (LPPEAHD) and Sexually Healthy and Personally Effective (SHAPE) modules of POPCOM; for these will help the young people become more responsible on their decisions and actions.

RD Makinano stated that POPCOM initiated the Parent Education Program which aimed to highlight the role and strengthen the skills of parents as the primary source of accurate and sound information on adolescent health and development as they prepare their children to become responsible adults and well-rounded citizens.

In its various advocacies and IEC activities, POPCOM encouraged parents to be more sensitive to their children’s behavior and needs, through open communication within the family so that crucial issues confronted by their children can easily be patched up and resolved.

“Proper guidance and quality time with our children must be of paramount importance so that the youth will have a happy and healthy journey from adolescence to adulthood”, Makinano emphasized.

The effort of POPCOM is in response to 2013 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality (YAFS 4) study which cited that Caraga Region ranked 4th highest in the country in terms of the number of youth who ever thought of committing suicide. (POPCOM-13/PIA-Caraga)


Rice prices in SurSur remain stable

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Oct. 13 (PIA) – The price of rice in Surigao del Sur has remained stable according to National Food Authority (NFA) Officer-In-Charge (OIC) Provincial Manager Gleen Echin.

With the conduct of regular price monitoring, she said that the modal prices of commercial rice here were noted at P39, P41, and P46 per kilo, respectively, for regular-milled rice (RMR), well-milled rice (WMR), and premium variety.

Echin defined modal price as that which appears most often.

Meanwhile, she stressed that the NFA rice stays at P27 per kilo for the RMR and P32 per kilo for the WMR ones.


As of October 9, Echin bared that NFA has a total rice stocks of 48,548 bags. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)