NCIP Caraga commemorates 18th IPRA enactment
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PIA) – In time with this
year’s celebration of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month, the National Commission on
Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Caraga is commemorating the 18th enactment of the
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) on October 22-23, 2015.
According to NCIP Caraga regional director Atty.
Pinky Grace Pareja-Pabelic, there will be series of activities intended for the
said commemoration.
“On October 22, 2015, the parade will start at
6:30 in the morning around the city thoroughfares and will be followed with a
short program at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Capitol here. And on October
23, traditional games and ethnic dances will be presented per tribe to be held
at Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center,” disclosed Pabelic.
This year’s 18th IPRA commemoration is anchored on
the theme “Lupaing Ninuno Kilalanin at Igalang; Sa Pagbabago ng Kalikasan,
Katutubong Kaalaman at Kasanayan ay Pagyamanin at Isabuhay.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
PSA Caraga to hold FLEMMS Reg’l Data Dissemination
Forum
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PIA) – The Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) Caraga is set to hold the 2013 Functional Literacy,
Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) Regional Data Dissemination Forum on
October 28, 2015 at Pietros Square, this city.
“The objective of this forum is to raise the
awareness of the stakeholders and data users on the importance and relevance of
the survey data especially in the formulation of plans, policies and programs,”
disclosed PSA Caraga interim regional director Rosalinda Celeste-Apura.
Apura further bared that the 2013 FLEMMS cover
topics on basic and functional literacy, educational qualifications in terms of
formal schooling, and exposure of the population to mass media.
“This activity will be participated by the
government agencies, civil societies/non-government organizations, religious
organizations, women’s group, academe, media and local government units” Apura
added.
No registration fee is required. For more
information, the PSA Caraga can be reached at telephone number (085) 342-5764
or (085) 815-2878. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
PSA Caraga highlights convergence of 26th National
Statistics Month celeb
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PIA) – The Regional
Statistics Committee of Caraga highlights the importance of statistics in
achieving universal health care in this year’s observance of the National
Statistics Month.
The kick off activity started with a mass celebrated
by FR. James Michael Abellanosa followed by the Opening Program on the
convergence of the October Month Celebrations and a Hataw sponsored by DOH –
Caraga participated by the employees of the different regional line agencies,
bureaus, and offices held at the Provincial Capitol covered courts of Agusan
del Norte in Butuan City. A press conference at BSP Multi-purpose hall was
conducted to emphasize the Opening Celebration in the afternoon.
“The month-long celebration features the Best
Display of Statistical Practices, showcasing this year’s theme dubbed
Pagyamanin at gamitin ang estadistika, Kalusugan para sa lahat ay abot-kamay
na”. She also added “The celebration is in convergence with other celebrations
for the month of October: Consumers’ Welfare Month, Senior High School Career
Guidance Program, Universal Health Care High Impact Five and Elderly Family
Week,” said Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Caraga interim director Dir.
Rosalinda Celeste – Apura.
Dr. Ernesto Pareja of the Department of Health
(DOH) Caraga Region, said that the regional government promotes the Universal
Health Care High Impact Five. “UHC-HI-5 is a strategy which aims to produce the
greatest improvements in health outcomes and highest impact on the priority,
vulnerable population, with focus five critical UHC interventions prioritizing
the poor, providing tangible outputs which are 'felt' within a breakthrough
period of 15 months through synchronized nationwide implementation of
activities,” Pareja added.
“The theme, Consumer Protection in the ASEAN
Economic Community, seeks to underscore the need to provide a premium on
consumer protection with the advent of the implementation of the ASEAN Economic
Integration where there will be free movement of goods and services from ASEAN member-countries
in the celebration of the Consumer’s Month," said DTI Trade and Industry
Development Specialist chief Loriejane Sacote.
Dr Isidro Biol, Jr., DepEd's Regional Information
Officer in Caraga, emphasized on the Senior High School Career Guidance
Program. According to Dr. Biol, “With the end view of the full implementation
of SHS in SY 2016-2017, the DepEd shall ensure that all Grade 10 completers,
including those who are outside the formal education system, are enrolled in
the SHS.”
Moreover, DSWD recently celebrated the Elderly
Family Week with the theme, “Igalang ang Nakatatanda at and Kanilang Karapatan”
highlights the Disaster Preparedness Training for the Senior Citizens leaders
this October 6-9, 2015. (PSA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Army condemns NPA killing of AgSur mayor, son
By Cpt JP Martinez
CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City, Oct. 20
(PIA) – The 4th Infantry Division (4ID) joins all the tribal communities and
the peace-loving people of Northeastern Mindanao in condemning the New People's
Army (NPA) for killing a Lumad peace advocate, Mayor Dario Otaza of Loreto,
Agusan del Sur, and his son, Daryl Otaza.
The bodies of Mayor Otaza and his son, Daryl were
found in Brgy Bitan-agan, Butuan City at around 6:00 a.m. today after they were
reportedly kidnapped by the NPA, who disguised themselves as NBI agents, at his
residence in Brgy. Baan Riverside, Butuan City at around 6:50 p.m. Monday,
October 19, 2015.
“We decry the terroristic act and brutality of the
NPA bandits. The killing of Mayor Otaza and his son is brutal and blatant
execution. This is another Lumad killing purposely to sow threat and violence
among the peace-loving Lumads and to the Filipino people as a whole,” said 4ID
commander MGen. Oscar Lactao.
Lactao said Otaza is an icon of the local chief
executives in the campaign for peace and development. Formerly, he was a member
of the NPA who later on surrendered after realizing that the armed struggle is
not the solution to the country’s problem. As a mayor and member of the Provincial
Tribal Council in Agusan del Sur, he liberated his town from the NPA's
exploitation and manipulation. He was successful in encouraging the 246 NPA
leaders and members, majority of whom are Lumads, to surrender and return to
their normal and peaceful lives.
Under his leadership, development has started to
set-in in his town of Loreto benefiting his constituents.
“The attack on Mayor Otaza is a clear and
undeniable proof of the NPA’s human rights atrocities in Lumad communities.
This is also a solid proof of the NPA’s continuing campaign to take control of
our Lumads and anyone who gets in their way is killed in the process,” Lactao
stressed.
Lactao is urging the Filipino nation to join them
in the cry for justice and calling on KARAPATAN and other organizations who are
calling for the end of Lumad killings to similarly condemn the act and denounce
the NPA’s human rights violations.
“Let not Mayor Otaza’s death be the end of his
advocacy for his people, but rather an inspiration to others to pursue peace
and development for Loreto,” Lactao said.
“We sympathize with his family, relatives,
friends, love ones, and constituents. The AFP will intensify the operations to
go after the perpetrators of this cowardly attack and at the same time ensure
that Lumad tribesmen loyal to Mayor Otaza will not conduct revenge killings as
the attack could trigger a new wave of violence among Lumad factions. This is
unfortunate because the AFP, PNP and our LGUs have been working hard to
de-escalate the situation,” expressed Lactao. (4ID/PIA-Caraga)
DAR turns-over road, bridge in Surigao Sur town
By Joie L. Ceballos
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PIA) - The Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) handed the completed improvement works for the NRJ
Dughan-Javier farm-to-market road in Barobo, Surigao del Sur last October 16,
2015.
The P49.6 million project, funded under the DAR-Agrarian
Reform Infrastructure Project Phase III (ARISP-III) includes a seven-kilometer
road improvement and construction of a 36.8 meter flatslab bridge which is
expected to benefit 834 agrarian reform beneficiaries and thousand other
residents in the three barangays namely, Dughan, San Jose and Javier, all of
Barobo, Surigao Sur.
The turn-over ceremony was attended by Surigao Sur
Governor Johnny Pimentel, DAR Caraga regional director Julita Ragandang, Barobo
mayor Felixberto Urbiztondo, ARISP Assistant- National Project Manager (NPM)
Henry Zapata, National Project Engineer
Mel Lamboon, assistant regional director Daylinda Narisma and provincial
agrarian reform officer Benjamin Mataksil.
In his message, Governor Pimentel lauded the DAR
for its efforts and challenged the farmers to take good care of the project.
Meanwhile, Ragandang thanked the local government
units, both provincial and municipal, for their support especially in
generating the local government’s counterpart. “Indeed, the counterpart of the
local government is essential in realizing this big project,” she said.
Assistant NPM Zapata reminded both the recipients
--- farmers and the local government alike, that both play a very important
role in the post-construction phase and that is to use with care and contribute
not to its destruction.
For Dughan Barangay Captain Alex Maceda, the
project is a dream come true. “Thank you so much to all the government agencies
most especially to DAR who did not fail to remember us,” he said in the local
dialect. (DAR-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
PhilRice Agusan holds farmers’ day
By Ginalyn V. Arbutante
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 20 (PIA) – Philippine Rice
Research Institute (PhilRice) Agusan Experimental Station once again hosted the
annual Farmers’ Field day and forum held recently at Basilisa, RTRomualdez,
Agusan del Norte.
This year’s theme, “Kung may Knowledge may Power”
(If there is Knowledge, there is Power) captures the participants’ attentions
which comprises farmers, students, teachers and other stakeholders. The theme
highlights the importance of knowledge on the portals of agricultural
information available in the station especially on the utilization and access
to various information all about rice and rice-based farming technologies.
Participants from different sectors joined in
impressively. Teachers and students showed their outstanding talent in dancing
before, during and after the program. The farmers from different regions also
gave their yell of enthusiasm to those particular knowledge worthy to gain for.
Policy-makers, seed growers and other stakeholders obviously combined their own
powers in making this field day event a memorable one where anybody can have
the oozing information as much as they can which apparently promotes
understanding and use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
materials to their own farm.
Dr. Roberto C. Sandoval, national project
coordinator at the same time disaster risk reduction and climate change
specialist from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the event's guest
speaker, comprehensively presents myriad ways of reducing risks in times of
disasters brought about by climate change along with its adaptation and mitigation.
Sandoval reiterates the usefulness and the need of
having knowledge of all the information related to climate change especially on
combating El NiΓ±o that might affect the farmers’ source of living.
“If we have knowledge, we have power, the power to
know and to do,” said PhilRice Agusan branch director Abner T. Montecalvo.
He further stressed the noble role of farmers in
the country and the importance of farming in the lives of every Filipino.
"Farmers fed us three times a day and it has really no doubt that we need
them every day of our lives and definitely there’s no reason that we will not
care and thank them every single day," he said.
As part of the field day activity, Montecalvo
updated everyone on the services and facilities showcased in the experiment
station such as rice seed production, swine production, mechanization and other
existing technologies exhibited in the learning field.
The one-day activity brought lots of excitement
and gay since everybody went home with a pack of registered seeds and other
specialty tokens at hand. (PhilRice Agusan Experiment Station/PIA-Agusan del
Norte)
DILG-BuB water projects in Surigao Norte benefit
women, children
By Bryan F. Edulzura
SURIGAO CITY Surigao del Norte, Oct. 20 (PIA) –
Women and children are the sectors that greatly benefited from the Potable
Water System (PWS) projects funded under the Department of Interior and Local
Government –Bottoms Up Budgeting (DILG-BuB).
The province 92 potable water projects under the
DILG-BuB form 2013 to 2015 amounting to P79,557,036.00.
Out of 92 projects, 45 of these were already
completed and expected beneficiaries of the said projects are pegged at 13,800
households.
DILG Surigao del Norte provincial director John
Reyl L. Mosquito said that it is the women and children who frequently use
water for cooking, cleaning, washing and bathing because they usually manage
the affairs of the house while most of the men are out working to provide daily
sustenance.
“It is a great relief for women to have water
faucets right in front of their homes because it eliminates the burden of
fetching water several kilometers away from their houses,” said Mosquito.
Residents in barangay San Roque in the municipality
of Pilar and barangay Salug in the municipality of Socorro, Bucas Grande
Islands echo the observation of director Mosquito.
Project beneficiary Esmeralda Gamutan said that
before, they have to walk a few kilometers to get water from the water source
and they are not sure if the water is clean and is safe for drinking.
“But now we are at ease and confident that the
water we drink is potable and is clean enough for any domestic use,” Gamutan
added.
On her part, Barangay Captain Nilda Gonzales
concluded that the implementation of DILG-BuB project in their locality truly
benefits the community especially the women and children. (SDR/DILG-SdN/PIA-Surigao
del Norte)
Tandag Water District to host NorMin Natural
Resources Management Council 33rd Annual Forum
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 20 (PIA) –
Tandag Water District (TWD) is set to host the Northern Mindanao Natural
Resources Management Council, Inc. (NorMin-NRMC) 33rd Annual Forum at Villa
Maria Luisa Hotel, this city, on October 28-29, 2015.
Annie Ty, TWD general manager, has already caused
the sending of the official program and invitation for the event.
With the theme “Climate Change Adaptation: Water Districts Great Challenge,” a general
assembly meeting to be presided over by NorMin-NRMC chair Menillo Siega,
general manager of Bislig City Water District, would highlight the opening day.
However, by 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., a Governor’s
Night would cap the affair with participants required to wear “Hawaiian Attire”
as costume. Governor Johnny Pimentel
would give a message.
On the second and final day, the opening
ceremonies would start with a dramatic entrance of NorMin-NRMC officers,
guests, TWD officials, and Water District delegations to be followed by
declaration of the opening of 33rd Forum.
The welcome message is set to be delivered by city mayor Roxanne
Pimentel.
The core part of the culmination day is the
technical session with Andres Ibarra, administrator of Local Water Utilities
Administration (LWUA).
However, a lot of vital issues are lined up to be
discussed including Mindanao Watershed Programs and Projects, climate change,
and more.
Secretary Luwalhati Antonino of Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA) would be the guest speaker. (Radyo ng
Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Tagalog News: Army kinondena ang pagpatay kay
Loreto Mayor Otaza, anak
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Okt. 20 (PIA) - Kinondena ni Major
General Oscar Lactao, commander ng 4th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army ang
pagpaslang kay Loreto, Agusan del Sur mayor Dario Otaza, isang lumad peace
advocate at dating NPA member, at ang kanyang anak na si Daryl ilang oras
lamang ang nakalipas mula nang dukutin ito ng pinaniwalaang mga miyembro ng New
People’s Army o NPA sa mismong bahay nito sa Brgy. Baan sa Butuan City bandang
noong lunes ng gabi, Oktubre 19, 2015.
Matatandaan sa report, bandang alas-sais ng gabi,
pinasok ang bahay ng nasabing opisyal sa Barangay Baan, Butuan City ng mga
armadong nagpanggap na taga-National Bureau Investigation o NBI at pwersahang
dinala si mayor Otaza at kanyang anak na si Daryl sakay ng isang black Starex
van.
Napag-alaman din sa report na sa gabi din na iyon
ay binaril ang mag-ama at natagpuang patay ang dalawa Martes ng umaga sa may
Barangay Bitan-agan, Butuan City.
Ayon kay Lactao, si mayor Otaza ay tutol sa
ginagawang exploitation at manipulation ng mga NPA sa kanyang area of
responsibility. Naging matagumpay din daw si mayor Otaza sa pagsurrender ng may
246 NPA leaders at members kung saan karamihan nito ay mga lumads at ngayon ay
tahimik na namumuhay kasama ang kani-kanilang pamilya.
Anya, ang pag-atake at pagpatay kay mayor Otaza ay
isang klaro at hindi maikakaila na proweba sa patuloy na pagsakop at pagkontrol
ng mga NPA sa mga lumad areas at kung sino man ang lalabag dito ay pinapatay
nila.
Nananawagan din si General Lactao sa publiko na
makiisa sa pagkamit ng hustisya na nararapat kay mayor Otaza, ng kanyang anak
at para sa kanyang natirang pamilya. Anya, ang pagkamatay ni mayor Otaza ay
hindi rason upang matigil ang kanyang mga adbokasiya, kundi sana raw ay maging
inspirasyon ito sa iba na ipagpatuloy ang pagawa ng mga peace and development
programs and activities para sa bayan ng Loreto. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
