37th NDPR 2015 kicks-off in Butuan
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 20 (PIA) – As the country
celebrates the 37th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR)
Week, the employees from the government agencies and private sector convened on
Thursday for its kick-off program held at the Robinsons Place here.
The said celebration started with a motorcade from
the Guingona Park going to the Robinsons Mall, where the Thanksgiving Mass and
opening program took place.
The children with disability enjoy the company of
Jollibee mascot, as they were entertained thru a dance number with
picture-taking. Some of the children with disability also shared their talents
thru series of intermission numbers.
Butuan City councilor and committee chair on
Social Services Ferdinand Nalcot announced that every month of February of
every year, there is a free birth registration in the city hall, as per
Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) ordinance. He also emphasized that all
establishments and government offices should strictly implement an express lane
for the PWDs, senior citizens, and pregnant women. Also, the accessibility law
should be strictly implemented by the offices and establishments.
“Inclusive growth is a concept that advances
equitable opportunities for economic participants during economic growth with
benefits incurred by every section of society, which include the Persons with
Disability (PWDs). We have local ordinances that protect their rights and
provide their welfare, which we all must respect,” relayed Nalcot.
Also, other government agencies presented their
platforms/programs and services that address the issues and concerns, and
welfare of the PWDs.
It was learned that as a State policy enshrined in
Proclamation No. 1870 (1979), as amended by Proclamation No. 361 (2000) and
Administrative Order No. 35 (2002), the NDPR Week is being commemorated
annually every July 17-23, that aims primarily to stimulate public awareness on
the issues and problems of disability, thereby encouraging every citizen of the
country to take active responsibility in the upliftment of the economic and
social conditions of PWDs of our society. It culminates on the birthdate of
Apolinario Mabini, the “Sublime Paralytic,” whose bravery and heroic acts
during the Philippine Revolution of 1896 has greatly influenced his compatriots
in fighting against the Spanish colonization.
The NDPR Week celebration has involved the
government and the private sectors, the civil society organizations and the
sector of persons with disabilities.
The observance of NDPR Week has multi-faceted
objectives as follows: 1) to stimulate public awareness on disability issues
and concerns that will strengthen the involvement of the different government
and non-governmental organizations including cause-oriented groups, civil
society, self-help groups of persons with disabilities, the academe, professional
groups and societies, local government units, business sector, the media and
other entities of the society; 2) to serve as the vehicle of information for
programs being implemented by government agencies and organizations of and for
persons with disabilities that adhere to the promotion of the inherent rights
and concerns of persons with disabilities; 3) to encourage every Filipino
citizen to take active responsibility in the upliftment of the economic and
social conditions of persons with disabilities in our society, thereby
encouraging them to take pro-active roles in nation-building; 4) to generate
full media support on the celebration and other disability-related issues and
concerns that affect persons with disabilities and their families; and 5) to develop
and strengthen cooperation and partnership between and among the various
sectors of the Philippine society for better understanding of disability issues
and concerns. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DAR distributes land titles to Siargao farmers
By Daryll M. Tumbaga
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, July 20 (PIA) -
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has distributed recently the
certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to the farmers in Siargao Island.
DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes led the
distribution of CLOAs to 80 agrarian reform beneficiaries held at Brgy. Garcia,
Sta. Monica in Siargao Island.
DAR distributed a total of 114.2249 hectares
covering seven municipalities of Siargao Island broken down as follows: Burgos
with 2.7988 has. for four ARBs; Dapa with 49.8557 has. for 33 ARBS; Del Carmen
with 8.9162 has. for four ARBs; General Luna with 9.0630 has. for six ARBs; San
Isidro with 10.5172 has. for nine ARBs; San Benito with 26.0857 has. for 16
ARBs; and Sta. Monica with 6.9883 has. for eight ARBs.
De Los Reyes hoped that whatever the present
administration has done, through the DAR, will be carried on by the next
administration.
He also emphasized that the Department will
continue to find ways to better serve the public.
CLOAs are proofs of ownership given to agrarian
reform beneficiaries under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program extension
with reform (CARPer) or R.A. 9700 acquisition modes such as compulsory
acquisition, voluntary offer to sell, voluntary land transfer or direct payment
scheme. (SDR/DAR-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Fire razes commercial buildings, houses in SurSur
town
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) –
Thirteen residential and/or commercial houses were razed by fire at around
11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, at Purok 2, Barangay Poblacion, San Miguel
town, 31 kilometers south, this city, according to the Bureau of Fire
Protection (BFP) here.
The BFP Provincial Office under fire marshall
Insp. Rowella Dinolan cited in its spot investigation report that damages can
go as up to P12 million.
It was mentioned that the fire started at the
house of a certain Annie Moncano, which quickly spread out on neighboring
establishments.
Unfortunately, after an hour, when the town’s fire
truck left the fire scene to refill, it was not able to return due to “engine
pump malfunction,” the BFP admitted.
Luckily, on the other hand, two fire trucks, which
came all the way from Tandag City and Cagwait Fire Stations arrived to help
out, the Provincial Police Office (PPO) under P/SSupt. Narciso Verdadero said
in a report.
The fire was declared under control after one and
half hour, it was learned. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
SurSur set to mark 2015 MSME Week Celebration
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) – The
province of Surigao del Sur through the Provincial Micro Small Enterprise and
Development Council (PMSMEDC) in partnership with the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) and other government agencies as well as the private sector is
set to celebrate the 2015 Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) Week on July
20-24.
As secretariat, the DTI here has reminded all
concerned of several important undertakings, to wit: Hanging of tarpaulin in your respective offices
from 20 July 2015 until 31 July 2015; Participation to the motorcade by your
personnel with your vehicle bearing the tarpaulin of the celebration; Personal
attendance to the program for the signing of the MOA; Coordinate with DTI for
the conduct of activities at the Negosyo Center; and Submit to DTI Post
Activity reports on activities conducted for the celebration.
Earlier, DTI provincial director Romel Oribe, in
his letter to council members dated July 15, pointed out the official opening
of “the celebration with a motorcade on 20 July 2015 at 8:00 AM.”
A short program to follow was also stressed,
“whose main feature is the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for
the Negosyo Center.”
Attached to the letter was “the schedule of
activities” with the theme “Strengthening MSMEs Participation to Global and
Regional Trade.”
However, it was made clear that since July 14, the
DTI has already led the so-called SME Roving Academy in Bislig City with the
participation of existing MSMEs in Bislig City in particular.
Likewise, other activities spearheaded by the
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAg), LGU/BFAR, and another by DTI
were held ahead of the scheduled weeklong celebration.
Meanwhile, among the government agencies/private
sector that will be actively involved to lead lined-up activities for the
duration of the celebration include the DTI/PMSMEDC, Tandag Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, Inc. (TCCII)/DOLE, PFARO, TESDA, BFAR, OPAg, DOST, and DILG-PGO.
(NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Local media visit typhoon-damaged trees in two
Agusan towns
By Eric Gallego
BUTUAN CITY, July 20 (PIA) - Local news reporters
and commentators of this city have conducted an on-site tour in two towns of
Agusan del Sur sponsored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) Regional Public Affairs Office (RPAO) under Regional Director Nonito M.
Tamayo on July 8, 2015 to make them aware of the situation of the extraction
and disposition of Typhoon Pablo – damaged trees and timber following the
expiration of the six-month privilege granted to certain groups of lumads on
June 30, 2015.
The reporters, most of them members of the
Commentators Club of Caraga Region headed by radio veteran commentator Rodolfo
Esconia and news correspondents of different print media station have seen the
situation. This however, debunked claims by some sectors that some DENR
officials are engaged in irregularities particularly in the transport of the
logs and lumber from the site to the Wood Processing Plants.
“We have personally seen an actual situation of
the disposition of these typhoon-damaged trees and lumber but there was no
trace of irregularities in it,” Esconia said.
“The operation in Esperanza by the lumads and the
local government led by Mayor Deo Manpatilan in as far as the retrieval of
those logs is concerned appeared to be smooth with no irregularities noted so
far,” he said.
Former Mayor Leonida Manpatilan told reporters the
lumads were able to bring the forest products to an specified wood processing
plant and have earned about P3 million which was deposited on a trust fund in a
bank.
“We thank the DENR officials particularly
Secretary Ramon JP Paje for the privilege on the request of the lumads to
dispose those typhoon-damaged logs scattered in at least 10 barangays,”
Manpatilan said during an interview.
But the request of the Manobo tribal community in
La Paz, Agusan del Sur however, had been affected by series of issues and
problems that failed to bring down about 4,000 cubic meters of logs from the
site to a depository area over the six month period given them by the DENR. “We
have been bothered by several problems including lack of funds to finance the
operation aggravated by low water level of the river,” Ruel Otaza, the
authorized fixer of documents granted to him via a “special power of attorney”
arrangement told the visiting newsmen.
“We failed to bring those forest products out of
the area when the deadline of special permit expired,” Otaza said. He said that
he only managed to bring down about 1,000 cubic meters to the depository area
but the amount to be derived from it would be just enough to cover the
expenses.
The local media have found out that the leaders of
the Manobo community in that town are still looking forward to receive some
amounts from the proceeds of the logs sold by Otaza to the wood mill plant. (DENR-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
