Davao Oriental's experiences on Typhoon Pablo
shared during MindaComNet Congress
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) - Davao Oriental’s
experiences on Typhoon Pablo were shared during the Day-2 of the 12th Mindanao
Communicators Network (MindaComNet) Congress held on Thursday at Grand Astoria
Hotel, this city.
Representing Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon
Malanyaon, Dolores Valdesco, Provincial Natural Heritage Center Head shared the
rehabilitation efforts of Davao Oriental.
“When Typhoon Pablo hit our place, 457 lives were
lost; 3,020 were injured; 64,032 families affected; P5.846-billion in
government infrastructure, private structures and properties were destroyed;
and millions of trees fell, crops and livelihood laid to waste. P8.5-billion
damage to agriculture, tourism, trade, industry, and services; 30 percent of
coral resources were lost; and 132,105 hectares of forest lands destroyed,”
cited Valdesco.
Valdesco also emphasized that as part of their
preparation for the anticipated typhoon, the provincial government has
conducted series of Early Warning Advisories/Information Dissemination through
tri-media. “We have prepared emergency logistics such as food packs, ferry
vehicles/rescue equipment, and emergency utilities/materials. Rescue teams and
volunteer groups were mobilized; conducted forced evacuation to designated
centers; and established Incident Command Posts,” she said.
“Our long term goal is to reconstruct and develop
the municipalities of Baganga, Cateel and Boston in Davao Oriental. We also aim
for spiritual transformation as cornerstone of rehabilitation,” Valdesco added.
It was also learned that the provincial government
of Davao Oriental implemented the reconstruction and development framework to
address several concerns. Among the stages include the following: Emergency
Humanitarian Response (relief operations); Early Recovery (rehabilitation and
provision of livelihood); and Building-back-better (land use and sectoral
re-planning, resettlement and permanent housing).
“As part of our efforts for building-back-better,
we continue to attain the following tasks: revisiting the approved Provincial
Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP); re-planning of the Municipal
Comprehensive Land Use Plan (MCLUP); pursuing appropriate legislative actions;
project development; and provision of goods and services for Agricultural,
Industry, and tourism development,” highlighted Valdesco.
She further mentioned that on Housing and Shelter,
the first wave of assistance was the provision of temporary shelters and
emergency shelter kits containing basic construction tools and materials to
6,729 affected families. These were provided by convergence of various local
and international agencies under the Shelter Cluster.
On Health, Nutrition and Sanitation, the
provincial government also made strides in their response to health, such as
provision of emergency tent hospitals and deployment of health personnel to the
areas. Safe drinking water was provided as well as installation and repair of
deep wells. Other interventions on health include supplementary feeding to
school kids in support to nutrition and augmentation of the supply of medical
and non-medical supplies to health facilities.
On Education, with the assistance coming from
different humanitarian agencies and the Department of Education (DepEd) around
326 tents were provided as make-shift classrooms during the emergency and
recovery phase.
“One year and 11 months seemed too short to regain
some semblance of normalcy and heal from
our Pablo experience. Yet, we have done and achieved so much. But all these
would not have been possible without the unstinting and dedicated support of
our partner agencies, both national and international, government and private.
Our’building-back-better’ agenda is still a long way to go. But having a solid
support from the national government and other development collaborators, and
having put in place operational mechanisms, we are positive that we can harness
more resources and partners. We can do more and we can do better in the coming
years. Always with that undaunted spirit to move on and to move up as our
mantra goes,” she stressed.
Davao Oriental is a province of the Philippines
located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Mati and borders
Compostela Valley to the west, and Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the
north. Davao Oriental is the easternmost province of the country with Pusan
Point as the easternmost location. The Philippine Sea, part of the Pacific
Ocean, faces Davao Oriental to the east. Part of the province lies on an
unnamed peninsula that encloses the Davao Gulf to the west. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DOH Caraga conducts “Electronic Field Health
Service Info System Refresher’s Training’
By Ma. Jane Mayola
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Nov. 13 (PIA) - The
Department of Health (DOH) Caraga Region Office through the Provincial Health
Office of Dinagat Islands has conducted a 3-day Electronic Field Health Service
Information System Refresher's Training on November 5-7, 2014 held at the
Provincial Guest Center, this province.
DOH Caraga focal person Kronryl Arroyo said, the
training is about how to operate an Electronic Medical Record which will be
used by the health centers in order to provide expedient accommodation of the
patients and at the same time to generate a reliable report for the DOH's
evidence-based planning.
The training was participated by Rural Health Unit
(RHU) midwives, encoders, and health officers from all over the province. (SDR/PIO-Dinagat
Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
Butuan City, well on its way for “Malaria-free”
declaration
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) - Butuan City is well
on its way for the “Malaria-free” declaration by 2016, said local health
officials here on Tuesday.
In a press forum, Dr. Casmerlita Yu, Department of
Health (DOH)-13 regional health coordinator said that for four years now Butuan
City has been able to maintain its “zero malaria” case status. Yu said in her
presentation that should the city continue to be in this state at the end of
this year which is but a month away, then it should be ready for evaluation on
2015.
Butuan City will then be ready for the
“malaria-free” declaration by 2016, Yu added.
Butuan City Health Office (CHO) malaria
coordinator nurse Erlinda Milloria said that the city health officials,
together with the barangay officials and health workers, are intensifying
surveillance in support for Butuan City’s bid for “malaria-free” status.
Milloria said that they are now focusing on the 22
considered endemic barangays in Butuan City which are barangays: Anticala,
Pianing, Bilay, Don Francisco, Florida, Maibu, Maguinda, Sumile, Tungao,
Camayahan, Nongnong, Florida, Mandamo, Amparo, Bit-os, Dulag, Manila de
Bugabos, San Mateo, MJ Santos, Dangkias, Bitan-agan and Bugsukan.
Meanwhile, Marisol D. Tuzo who was representing
the Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI) initiated the Movement Against
Malaria (MAM) and discussed on the foundation-assisted interventions and
programs in the prevention of malaria in the city and in the region.
The forum was part of the celebration of the
“Malaria Awareness Month.” (PNA/PIA-Caraga)
BSP conducts learning outreach activities in
Butuan City
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) - The Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) will conduct the fifth leg of its Economic and Financial
Learning Program (EFLP) for 2014 which consolidates the learning outreach
activities of the BSP under one flagship program on November 18-20, 2014, this
city.
The BSP-EFLP includes a series of learning
sessions that aim to promote greater public awareness and understanding of key
economic and financial issues. The EFLP also embodies the goal of the BSP to
promote economic and financial education among its stakeholders, who can then
become more effective partners of the BSP in safeguarding price stability and
in ensuring a stronger and safer banking and payments system.
On the 18th of November, a module for
professionals Information Campaign on the Role of the BSP in the Economy dubbed
“Be up to SPeed on BSP” will be conducted, and the module for students and
Financial Education Expo for the working sector on the following day.
The Financial Education Expo offers various
financial education activities for students, professionals and others from the
public and private sectors. It features learning booths with audio-visual
presentations, graphic displays and interactive activities that will help
participants become self-reliant in promoting their financial welfare.
There will also be a “Paghahanda sa Kinabukasan”
Financial Learning Campaign for overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries on
November 20 and a Financial Education Expo for students and members of the
academe. It aims to educate participants on the importance of using remittances
to build up savings and directing these into investments in financial products
and business ventures.
Two separate sessions of the Financial Empowerment
Course, which is an integral part of the Expo, will be conducted for students
and members of the work force. The learning sessions will present the
importance of financial education, the Philippine financial system, basics of
budgeting, saving, investing and borrowing, financial planning for life-cycle
events, and credit card awareness.
The “Be up to SPeed on BSP” information campaign
will cover recent economic developments and the role of the BSP in the economy,
with emphasis on the three pillars of central banking - price stability,
financial stability, and efficient payments and settlements system.
Through this learning advocacy, the BSP hopes to
help overseas Filipinos and their beneficiaries achieve financial security,
bring them into the fold of the formal financial system, and enable them to
participate more meaningfully in the country’s economic development. Officials
from the BSP, as well as from the Department of Trade and Industry and the
Department of Agriculture will give briefings on topics such as the importance
of remittances, financial planning, investment/business options and
agri-business opportunities.
Interested parties who wish to join he activities
may contact Lizette O. Antonio of BSP at telephone numbers (+632)306-2707, or
send your queries at antoniolo@bsp.gov.ph email address. (BSP/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga’s entry to 2014 Natl Search for Brgy with
Best Sanitation Practices named
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) – Surigao del Sur
Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) chief Dr. Algerico Irizari has named
Brgy. Poblacion, San Agustin and Brgy. Panikian in Carrascal as the official
entries of Caraga region to the “2014 National Search for Barangay with Best
Sanitation Practices” (NSBBSP).
His announcement came during their hosting of the
regular flag ceremony program on Monday at the capitol lobby, which highlighted
his report on Healthy Lifestyle: an Approach to Prevention of Non-Communicable
Diseases.
Both barangays placed first in the municipal,
provincial and regional levels of the NSBBSP tilt - Barangay Poblacion for
Category I and Barangay Panikian for Category III.
During the occasion, officials of the said
barangays led by their respective chairs received the plaques of recognition
plus a corresponding P150,000 cash award.
Governor Johnny Pimentel personally led the
awarding rites together with Dr. Irizari and Dr. Eric Montesclaros.
It was learned that Category I barangays have 250
households and below; Category II with 250 -500 households; and Category III
with 500 and above number of households.
Moreover, making it consistently big to the NSBBSP
is no longer new to the province since 2008 up to the present as proven from
previous years since 2008. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Water concessionaires push for privatization of
Tandag Water District
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) – A signature campaign
meant to privatize the operation of Tandag Water District (TWD) is expected to
gain momentum in this city of more than 6,000 water concessionaires due to the
worsening water supply crisis.
With a position paper seeking legislative action
from the Sangguniang Panlungsod to declare a local “water crisis” and to rise
up against its management and Board of Directors (BODs) for allegations of
incompetence, the move has kicked-off last week among affected residents, it
was learned.
An individual or group has yet to come out into
the open to claim responsibility for the initiative but more and more
concessionaires have already expressed support due to the inconvenience being
brought about by the crisis situation that has surfaced for quite some time
already.
In August, this year, TWD, headed by General
Manager Engr. Ruben Elpa, has received a check amounting to P500,000 from the
provincial government through Governor Johnny Pimentel as financial aid for the
installation of power line solely to run the new pumping station built in Purok
Agridulce, Barangay Awasian that was expected to boost the low water supply,
according to Engr. Gerry Bernadas, water utilities management development
officer B.
The new water source was said to pump out some 25
liters per second (LPS) additional supply.
However, the plan did not come out as envisioned,
since water from the new source contains high element of iron based on the
series of laboratory testing taken, prompting the management to discontinue its
use in the meantime, Bernadas admitted.
TWD is back to 'square one' with the same old
problem of relying on its old source in Ihawan creek with 13-14 LPS apart from
its main pumping station in Barangay Quezon that provides 43 LPS of water and
32 LPS when using turbine, he lamented.
Meanwhile, Bernadas said that TWD is looking for
ways and means to find a solution, saying that the management is planning to
apply the conventional system of getting rid of the iron content using the
'technology' in Panabo City.
He added that it will take about three to four
months to install or set up the whole iron filter and iron removal treatment
systems.
Bernadas also bared that TWD has applied for
P20,000,000 loan yet to be released by the
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), where funding allocation for
such installation will be taken simultaneous with some other projects to be
built.
In this regard, Dr. Algerico Irizari, provincial
health officer here commented that public must really be afforded with access
to safe drinking water. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
NIA-SurSur bares updates on irrigation projects
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Nov. 13 (PIA) – The Surigao del Sur
Irrigation Management Office (IMO) here bared the monthly progress report
showing the status of General Appropriations Act (GAA) funded projects covering
the span of three years starting from calendar year (CY) 2012 up to 2014,
including that of the projects covered by the Quick Response Fund (QRF) due to
Typhoon Pablo.
Engr. Dexter Sablaon, IMO acting division manager,
cited substantial physical accomplishment for the irrigation projects.
In sum, the total amount earmarked for irrigation
projects was posted at P1,241,897,362.52 apart from the QRF amounting to
P50,000,000; plus the fund intended for Repair and Rehabilitation Irrigation
System (RREIS) at P3,621,000.
For CY 2012, which carries a total cost of
P704,543,362.52, the report showed 76.59 percent physical completion; for
2013—which amounted to P337,640,000, the physical accomplishment was posted at
87.84 percent; while that of 2014—the physical completion was placed at 28.17
percent.
Likewise, on QRF, the said office has indicated a
100 percent physical completion and so with the RREIS.
Besides, Sablaon also bared the status of
so-called three “variance projects” for CY 2012 which had a total cost of
P41,911,132.81, citing 33.95 percent physical accomplishment. These are yet
on-going. Variance projects are taken
from “savings,” he explained.
On the other hand, Sablaon admitted about some
backlogs in project implementation, which are due to mutual termination and other
work/site-related problems.
Also, financial releases gleaned from the report
have always fallen short as regards the physical completion.
The irrigation system in Surigao del Sur are
generally classified into two: National
Irrigation System (NIS) and Communal Irrigation System (CIS).
Data in July, this year, have shown that the
potential irrigable area in the whole province is estimated at 26,778 hectares;
13,346 hectares of which or equivalent to 49.84 percent have already been
irrigated.
Conversely, the idle area waiting to be irrigated
is still at 13,532 hectares or equivalent to 50.16 percent. (NGBT/Radyo ng
Bayan Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Cebuano News: Paboto gibawal sa mga kabatan-onan
Ni Mary Cheryl S. Monoy
BUTUAN CITY, Nob. 13 (PIA) - Nagsingabot na usab
ang panahon sa kapaskohan ug dili mawala sa maong selebrasyon ang mga paboto
(firecrackers) aron mas mapabibo pa kini.
Busa, ang lungsod sa Carmen ug dakbayan sa
Cabadbaran sa Agusan del Norte nagpasa og ordinansa sa pagbawal sa tanang
tindahan nga magbaligya og mga paboto sama sa triangle, bawang, fountain, judas
belt ug uban pa ngadto sa mga kabatan-onan o minors nga nagpangidaron og 18
anyos paubos tungod kay sila ang kasagaran nga mga biktima sa maong mga paboto.
Kini nga mga ordinansa gimugna aron malikayan ang
aksidente nga mabothan, masamad, malanag (poison) ug maoy hinungdan sa
kamatayon sa mga kabatan-onan panahon sa pasko ug bag-ong tuig.
Multahan og P500 hangtod sa P2,500 ug kanselasyon
sa business permit ang mga tindahan nga mosupak niini samtang ang pagkapriso
usab ang ipahamtang sa mga tao nga wala mosunod niini nga balaod.
Mao kini ang unod sa Sanggunian Resolution Nos.
256 - 2014 ug 257 – 2014 nga gipangamahan ni PBM James T. Reserva. (LGU-Agusan
del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)