TS ‘Seniang’ brings heavy rain, strong winds,
displaces 2,403 individuals in Caraga
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 29 (PIA) – Four of Caraga
region's provinces are placed under Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) number
two as Tropical Storm (TS) Seniang enters the region early Monday morning.
Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
(RDRRMC) chairperson and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional director Liza
Mazo has recorded a total of 623 families or 2,403 individuals who were
evacuated in 34 identified evacuation centers of the region, as of 11:30 a.m.
today.
Tropical Storm ‘Seniang’ made landfall at 3:45
a.m. at Barangay Bakulin, Hinatuan in the province of Surigao del Sur.
As of reporting time, impassable roads and bridges
are reported in the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur and Butuan
City. Power outage is also experienced in the provinces of Agusan del Sur,
Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Butuan City.
According to Mazo, different areas of the region
are currently experiencing interruption in power and landline connections.
All local DRRMCs have already activated 24/7 their
Operation Centers and continue to monitor the weather situation especially in
the low lying, flood-prone and landslide-prone areas.
In Butuan City, rescue teams, rescue and heavy
equipment are on standby for possible rescue operations.
Also, Agusan del Norte PDRRM officer Erma Suyo
reported that PDRRMC chairperson governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba
has issued an Executive Order No. 42 for the activation of PDRRMC and Incident
Command System Incident Management Team on December 28.
Suyo also reported that the municipalities of
Jabonga and Carmen have already conducted pre-emptive evacuation to families
along riverbanks and flood-prone areas.
In an interview over the Philippine Information
Agency’s Advanced Forward Emergency Broadcasting System (PIA AFEBS) Suyo said
that as of 7:30 a.m., nine families or 43 individuals from Poblacion Jabonga,
80 families in Nasipit were already evacuated to safer grounds. Forced
evacuation is currently ongoing in Brgy. Magsaysay, Jabonga. The local disaster
councils are also continuously monitoring and local government units (LGUs)
have prepositioned the relief goods.
All roads in the province are passable so far.
The Cabadbaran City Emergency Response Team (CERT)
in the province of Agusan del Norte together with the BDRRMC of Brgy. La Union
also facilitated the preemptive evacuation of around 20 families with houses
built of light materials in Purok 1 due to the threat of flooding and strong
winds brought by TS Seniang, Suyo added.
Butuan City mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. also
said that there are 149 families that are already evacuated and 3,500 family
packs are ready for distribution. “Let's continue to pray for the safety of our
fellow Caraganons. God bless Butuan," he said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Caraga
Regional and Provincial Disaster Operations and Monitoring Center were also
activated. Red alert status was raised and Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel
and equipment are placed on standby for possible deployment.
Meanwhile, as of 6 a.m. today, the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga has 22,000 family food packs now
available at the Tiniwisan Warehouse in addition to the 14,852 prepositioned
family packs in the strategic areas of each province. Selected workers have
been mobilized for the continuing packing of goods with target 30,000 standby
family packs.
Butuan City and the province of Agusan del Norte
officials have declared suspension of work in both public and private offices
except banking, utilities and agencies involved with public safety. (PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: SLP Congress 2014: 'Sama - samang
Isulong ang Layuning Pangkabuhayan para sa Pagbabago'
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 29 (PIA) – The Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office through the Sustainable
Livelihood Program (SLP) celebrated recently its grand year – end activity
dubbed as the 3rd Annual Congress 2014 (Sama-samang isulong and Layuning
Pangkabuhayan para sa Pagbabago) at the Robinson’s Place here.
The 3rd Annual Congress is designed to showcase
the products and services engaged by the program participants from the
different provinces in the region and link them to the market with sustainable
demand.
It also underscored the sharing of best practices
and stories from all successful social – entrepreneurs like Lilibeth Polinar of
Marihatag, Surigao del Sur who was awarded as the Best Individual micro –
enterprise all over the Philippines and also the Water Lily SKA Association of
the municipality of San Luis, Agusan del Sur best group enterprise during the
recently concluded “Bangon Kabuhayan” awarding ceremony held in Manila last
month.
To recognize the efforts and support of DSWD
partners, the Local Government Units (LGUs), National Government Agencies
(NGAs), and other partners received the plaque of recognition. LGUs of
Gigaguit, SdN; Las Nieves AdN; Lingig SdS; Loreto AdS; and Cagdianao, PDI
received plaques of appreciation for being adjudged as supportive LGUs in the
implementation of SLP over the years.
Also, the partner from national line agencies and
academe received recognition for supporting the cause of the SLP in poverty
reduction.
SLP Director Georgina Ann H. Hernandez from the
National Project Management Office (NPMO) served as the keynote speaker of the
said event.
Director Hernadez congratulated the region for
coming – up with a grand activity which is another milestone marked by the
department.
“Lingid po sa ating lahat na ang SLP Caraga po ang
masasabi kong pinakamagaling sa lahat ng rehiyon. Palagi po silang nangunguna
sa karamihan,” Director Hernandez shared.
Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli in her message
said that the Congress in its 3rd year of implementation is a retrospect of the
SLP achievements, glorifying the present blessing and preparing for next
challenges on the pursuit of uplifting the socio – economic status of poor
families and communities in the region.
She also added that DSWD’s passion is to engage
all program participants into resource – based, market – driven, and socially
acceptable microenterprise and employment opportunities the through purposive
and collaborative efforts from the government and the beneficiaries.
The grand feast culminated with a fashion show of
the different products from the selected SLP staff and Caraga models.
SLP has evolved over the years from mere capital
assistance of SEA – Kaunlaran to comprehensive capacity building program of the
participants. Program participants are not only provided with financial capital
for their micro enterprise but as well as linking them to resource – based and
market – driven opportunities by way of them to institutional markets.
(DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)
