Women’s Congress in Butuan inspires various
sectors
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) – The invited speakers
during the recently concluded 1st Women’s Congress here spearheaded by the city
government thru Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Women, Children, Youth
and Family Concerns had inspired participating various sectors through their
messages and updates.
Third District Camarines Sur representative Atty.
Maria Leonor G. Robredo and model/businesswoman Wilma Doesnt are the guest
speakers during the said event.
SP Committee on Women, Children, Youth and Family
Concerns chairperson Atty. Rema Burdeos, in coordination with the Regional
Development Council-Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC)
chaired by Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Caraga regional director Atty.
Marylin Pintor invited some 200 participants coming from the different sectors
in the city.
“We have been celebrating Women’s Month every
year, but this is actually the first time that we are conducting this kind of
activity where women organizations gather and have a dialogue. The city
government would like to help the marginalized sector and plenty of women who
need our assistance. We also would like our women to be empowered that’s why we
would like to give them the opportunity to enhance their skills through
different trainings, as well as livelihood,” bared Burdeos.
Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr, who was
celebrating his birthday that same day also graced said activity and expressed
his appreciation and recognition to all the women organizations in the city who
continuously participate in community activities.
“We are calling on women who want to impart their
knowledge and skills to join politics and be heard. We are optimistic that more
women will be empowered in many possible ways,” stressed Amante.
Also, Atty. Robredo shared her experiences in the
government service and how she dealt with different people who approached her
for assistance, especially the women who need legal counsel.
“We, in the government service need to create or
come up with local policies that will ensure women to be
economically-empowered,” she bared.
Robredo further revealed that she has passed a
bill in congress amending the law on concubinage and adultery.
Wilma Doesnt also delivered her inspirational
message to all the men and women participants. As a mother of three, she also
recalled her hardships that she was able to surpass," she stressed.
Doesnt encouraged women to be strong and continue
to strive for life despite many challenges. “I am empowered wherever I am in
the world. I am confident that I will survive wherever I am. My parents have
raised me well, and I always apply the values that they have inculcated in me,”
she said.
“Whatever problems that we are facing in life,
never give up! If you get tired, just take a rest but never, never give up. If
you will give up easily, you will never know what could be better for you, and
what’s there ahead of you,” articulated Doesnt.
Doesn’t further emphasized to accept failures. “If
we fail, let’s not deny it. Instead, let’s acknowledge it, embrace the
feelings, and accept it so we can move on and be a better person,” she said.
Meanwhile, in time with the said activity, a
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was also signed between the city government thru
Mayor Amante and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Caraga
thru regional director Lilibeth Famacion. The MOA contained the needed funds
for the Farm-to-Market Road project in the conflict-stricken areas in the city.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: Soybean: A Rising Industry in Caraga
Region
By Aurelius P. Arais
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 16 (PIA) –
Caraga Region particularly the provinces of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur
is still one of the major producing soybean areas of the country.
To keep up the momentum, the Department of
Agriculture (DA) Caraga conducted the Workshop on Updating the Region’s Soybean
Roadmap held in this city last March 4-6.
Farmers and agricultural extension workers as well
as nutrition action officers from the soybean producing municipalities in the
said provinces participated the activity to gain valuable inputs.
Spearheaded by DA Caraga Research Division chief
Wilfreda Manos, the group came up with clearer direction to strengthen and
increase the enthusiasm of soybean farmers as well as investors engaged in the
soybean industry.
“I am so thankful for all the stakeholders who are
attending here because we are looking for more efficient and attainable plans
to further boost Caraga’s soybean production,” Manos said.
However, Manos emphasized that soybean in Caraga
should be treated first as food for human especially in solving the
malnutrition problem since it is an excellent source of protein, vitamins and
minerals.
Soybeans today is considered as one of the food
sources used in the programs of various local government units in the region to
curb malnutrition.
Soybean has the potential to help solve the
problem of hunger and malnutrition. The seed contain approximately 40-45%
protein, 20-25% edible vegetable oil and a significant amount of vitamin A and
E as well as minerals and micronutrients making it a valuable component in many
food items both for human and animals thus it is also an important ingredient
for livestock feeds.
Provincial Agriculturist Marcos Quico urged
soybean growers in Caraga to organize the members to establish an aggressive
marketing linkage to big buyers or processors.
As of 2014, Caraga region have more or less 600
hectares planted with soybeans mostly in San Miguel and Tago, Surigao del Sur
and in Trento, Agusan del Sur.
DA Caraga has its vision to further expand the
areas to be planted with soybeans this year to keep Caraga in the forefront of
soybean industry in the country. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI Dinagat Islands conduct cooperators
consultation workshop
By Mardel Allen G. Delanto
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Mar. 16 (PIA) – The
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Dinagat Islands recently conducted
the Shared Service Facility (SSF) Cooperators Consultation Meeting cum Workshop
at the 4 Groups Function Hall, this municipality.
The activity aims to revisit the SSF guidelines as
well as provide the status of the memorandum of agreement and other documentary
compliances and help the SSF cooperators in drafting their manual of operations
and business plans.
The SSF project of DTI is one of the agency’s
flagship project that will aid to spur the growth of micro, small, and medium
scale enterprises (MSMEs) through improving the competitiveness of
entrepreneurs by addressing the gaps and bottlenecks in the productivity of
MSMEs through provision of common service facilities.
Under the said project, 11 out of the 23 SSF
beneficiaries have already received various equipment, tools and machineries.
The eleven beneficiaries are Dinagat Province
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DiPPCI), Aurelio Holy Trinity Chapter,
Poblacion San Jose Women’s Organization, Mary Sampaguita Farmers Association, A
& M Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Cayetano Agra Consumers Cooperative,
Justiniana Edera Agra Producers Cooperative (JEDAPCO), San Jose Ring Makers
Association, Justiniana Women’s Association, Chapter Economic Development
Management Office (CEDMO)-Ken Michael Chapter and DTI-Dinagat Islands for
Business Resource Center.
The said activity was attended by SSF
beneficiaries across the province. (SDR/DTI-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat
Islands)
DA to implement P673M BuB, PAMANA projects in 2015
By Vanessa P. Sanchez
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) - The Department of
Agriculture (DA) Regional Field Office XIII is set to implement a total of 155
projects under the Bottom-up-Budgeting (BuB) and 10 projects under Payapa at
Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) this year.
For PAMANA, five livelihood projects amounting
P6.5 million and five Farm-to-Market Roads (FMRs) amounting P464 million will
be implemented.
As for the BuB, project total amount is
P202,614,073 distributed as follows:
Projects No. of
Projects Amount
·
Surigao del Sur 48 P 39,641,800
·
Agusan del Sur 47 81,954,173
·
Surigao del Norte 28 44,262,200
·
Agusan del Norte 20 21,121,900
·
Province of Dinagat Islands
12
15,634,000
In support to the participating local government
units, DA recently conducted two batches of Project Proposal Writeshop attended
by the municipalities with BUB and PAMANA projects from the five provinces of
the region.
The participants were taught how to prepare a good
project proposal and were given time to refine their current proposals. Samples
of their output were then presented for critiquing and recommendations.
Edelmira R. Luminarias, the Regional Focal Person
for BuB and PAMANA, said that they purposely conducted the writeshop to put in
place the project implementation under BuB and PAMANA for 2015.
“The municipalities and project beneficiaries
should be at the same phase for faster implementation because we are obliged to
implement the projects for 2015 within the year only. Replacement of projects
is no longer allowed at this time and any realignment of funds should have the
approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Luminarias said.
BuB is a poverty reduction program of the
government while PAMANA is the national government’s peace and development
framework to respond and strengthen peace building, reconstruction, and
development in conflict-affected areas (CAAs). (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
