Health care for IPs pushed in Caraga
By Daisy Jane M. Apit
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) – The Department of
Health (DOH), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) collaborated in pursuit
of better health service delivery and health outcomes for Indigenous Peoples
(IPs) in Caraga Region.
The DOH-NCIP-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC)
No. 2013-01, which was signed and approved last April 19, 2013, aims to set
guidelines that will address, utilization, coverage, and equity issues in the
provision of culture-sensitive and safe basic health services to the IP
communities.
NCIP Agusan del Sur provincial officer Randy Rosas
said the circular specifically intends to provide basic health services,
equitable distribution of needed health resources, non-discrimination of IPs in
the delivery of health services, management of geographical, financial and
socio-cultural barriers and to strengthen recognition, promotion, and respect
of safe and beneficial traditional health practices.
Rosas also bared that some of the places where the
memorandum have been first implemented are located in Surigao del Sur and
Agusan del Sur.
“We need to focus on the areas where there are
disadvantaged groups identified using the Geographicaly-Isolated and
Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA),” Rosas added.
It was learned that the memorandum shall also
focus the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples - Maternal, Neonatal, Child
Health and Nutrition (IP-MNCHN) Project in the whole Mindanao region.
Aside from the three core agencies (DOH, NCIP and
DILG) other members of the program are, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),
Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Commission
on Population (POPCOM), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Department
of Education (DepEd), PhilHealth, Department of Agriculture (DA), and the
provincial and local chief executives’ offices.
These agencies and organizations shall be
consulted and/or engaged for coordination and/or operationalization of the
circular considering the multi-sector
concerns of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/IPs health development according
to the JMC briefer. (DJMA/PIA-Caraga)
Army 4ID chief holds consultative meeting with
LGU-SurSur, religious groups, lumad leaders
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 15 (PIA) –
MGen. Oscar Lactao, commander of the 4th Infantry Division (4ID) of the
Philippine Army (PA) has initiated a consultative meeting with the provincial
government of Surigao del Sur, religious groups, and lumad leaders on Saturday,
September 11.
Presided over by provincial administrator Efren
Rivas, Jr., for and in behalf of Governor Johnny Pimentel who was out-of-town
due to an earlier commitment, the high-ranking army official wanted to hear
things from different perspectives, it was learned.
The administrator, who relayed the stand of the
governor, said both Governor Pimentel and Bishop Nerio Odchimar had remained
steadfast in their common stand—to disarm and disband the Magahat-Bagani force.
Allegedly, members of said group, particularly
siblings Bobby and Loloy Tejero as well as Garito Layno were behind the brutal
murder of Emerito Samarca, Dionel Campos, and Bello Sinzo, respectively, the
executive director of Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural Development
(Alcadev), chairman of Malahutayong Pakigbisug alang sa mga Sumusunod, and a
civilian.
The said incident had triggered the mass
evacuation of lumads from Kilometer 16, Sitio Han-ayan, Barangay Diatagon,
Lianga, 90 km. south, this city, and other nearby villages on September 1.
Rivas reported at the flag ceremony program on
Monday that evacuees at the Surigao del Sur Sports Center had already been
posted at more than 3,000.
Cases of multiple murder, arson, robbery, grave
threats, and grave coercions had already been filed against the suspects and 20
John Does at the Prosecutor’s Office in Lianga town, according to P/SSupt.
Narciso Verdadero, PNP provincial director.
However, warrants of arrest have yet to be issued in this regard.
According to Rivas, Gen. Lactao vowed to help
pursue the arrest of the perpetrators.
Among others, the Saturday meeting held at the
conference room of the Provincial Governor’s Office was attended by Bishop
Odchimar, other church and lumad leaders, top army officials in the province
and P/SSupt. Verdadero. (Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Butuan secondary school launches wellness program
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 15 (PIA) - The Taligaman
National High School (TNHS) recently launched its wellness program, which aims
to promote and practice healthy lifestyle to the faculty and staff of the
school.
The program kicked off with a parade in the
morning throughout Barangay Taligaman and was followed by a launching proper in
the afternoon. TNHS principal Ruth Castromayor opened the program by
emphasizing the pressing need for living healthy inside and out because of the
nature of work plus the demands to balance family and career lives.
“To become more productive, effective and
efficient employees, the school in coordination with the MAPEH Department
designed this wellness program. Starting today, Sep. 10 and every Friday at
3:00 pm, the faculty and staff will do a two-hour zumba,” Castromayor said.
DepEd Butuan City asst. schools division supt.
Jeanie L. Mativo graced the opening celebration. She also shared an inspiring
story on how one should maintain fitness and wellness not only in the body but
also in the emotion.
Barangay Taligaman Committee on Education chairman
Reynaldo Nituda simply shared his insights about the famous line, “When work is
lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, all is lost.”
The celebration became more memorable as everyone
was gathered in the ground for the releasing of balloons with wishes written on
it during the ceremonial launching of the wellness program.
The event ended with a Zumba participated by the
DepEd local officials, teachers, Barangay Council Members, GPTA officers and
students. (NCLM/Glen B. Pacot, DepEd Butuan City/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
19 SurSur agrarian reform beneficiaries take oath
By Myra Q. Yu
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 15 (PIA) -
About 19 farmer-beneficiaries from the municipality of San Miguel, Surigao del
Sur took their oath recently at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 27 as
confirmation of being the new agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) under the
Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
The said oath taking is significant to instill the
roles and regulations of becoming an ARB and what are their obligations upon
receiving the land awarded to them.
Among the obligations cited include the paying of
their annual amortization with Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), prohibition
period of 10 years not to sell, transfer or convert the awarded lot unless
fully paid at LBP and cultivate the land productively, among others.
The obligations stated above are also relative to
one of the requirements of the LBP in the processing of Voluntary Offer to Sell
Claim Folders (VOSCFs) and/or Compulsory Acquisition Claim Folders (CACFs) to
ensure that the identified farmer-beneficiaries have underwent a thorough
selection process conducted by the Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officers
provided in Section 22 of Republic Act No. 6657 also known as the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law. (NGBT/DAR-IO/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
