SurSur declared as “Conflict Manageable and Development Ready” province
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 19 (PIA) –
Surigao del Sur has been declared “Conflict Manageable and Development Ready”
province during the First Quarter Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC)
meeting held at the headquarters of the 36th Infantry Battalion at Barangay
Dayoan, Tago town, this province on January 15, 2016.
Governor Johnny Pimentel, PPOC chair, who was
presiding over the entire proceeding, banged the gavel to mark the
unprecedented declaration as the meeting was nearly coming to an end.
“So the
resolution, if there is no objection, is unanimously seconded and hereby
approved declaring the province as ready for investment and conflict
manageable,” the governor stressed.
This was on motion of Board Member Henrich
Pimentel, Peace and Order Council member and chair of the Peace and Order
Committee of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, taking the cue from the proposal of
Col. Isidro Purisima, 402nd Infantry Brigade commander, after the latter
concluded his “Updates on Peace and Security” report by posing a question to
the body whether Surigao del Sur, his area of responsibility (AOR), was indeed
“Conflict Manageable and Development ready?”
But right after the report of Purisima, the
governor had already made his compliment, saying “I’d like to take this
opportunity to congratulate the 402nd Brigade and the attached battalions for a
big accomplishment.”
Beforehand, the brigade chief pointed out “six
conditions” before coming up with the move, citing “Civilian authorities take
responsibility in issues on peace, security and development; Security condition
is conducive for business and investment to flourish; Effective control of armed
violence; Peace and Order Council (POC) effectively working, functioning and
operational; LGU and PNP effectively addressing the local criminality problem;
and Security situation paves way of the entry of investors and infrastructure
development projects.”
In addition, Governor Pimentel acknowledged the
fact that the army was instrumental in successfully thwarting the holding of
the New People’s Army (NPA) of the 47th founding anniversary celebration of the
Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) here in the province.
“For the first time in 15 years, the holding of
the anniversary of the NPA was cancelled because of their efforts. We have observed that Surigao del Sur has
been a favorite place wherein they would like to conduct their anniversaries.
But for the first time in how many years they were able to prevent the holding
of the anniversary. This is already a
big accomplishment and I believe a big blow to the propaganda of the New
People’s Army,” the governor remarked.” (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
News Feature: DA-PRDP supports the boost of rubber
industry
By Fretcher Magatao
The establishment of improved rubber enterprises
in Butuan City would lead to its optimum potential for profit among rubber
farmers and manufacturers throughout Caraga.
The Regional Project Coordination Office–13
(RPCO-13) in coordination with the Mindanao Project Support Office I-REAP Team
evaluated the business plan and project proposal worth 39 million for the
city's rubber industry proposed by Km. 7 Farmers Producers Cooperative at
Barangay Tungao.
“The city government of Butuan is aware of the
potentials in developing the local rubber industry as strategy of developing
its idle land resources and at the same time providing better livelihood
opportunities to the farmers," said City Agriculturist Alberto Buca who
leads the Butuan City team in facilitating the approval of the proposal.
Buca elaborated the huge domestic demand of
natural rubber as raw materials for slippers, mattresses, tires and laboratory
supplies which the country imports 82 percent from Thailand and Indonesia for
its demand for production.
Km. 7 Farmers Producers Cooperative is an
established farmers’ organization engaged in diversified farming activities;
but rubber seedling production and selling cup lumps have been the
organization’s leading lucrative source of income.
Butuan has growing number of hectares planted with
rubber. “We have already covered more than a thousand hectares of rubber trees
and have helped around 250 farmers in Butuan alone,” said General Manager Nilo
Calipayan with the desire of influencing other farmers throughout Caraga to
duplicate the organization’s farming practices.
To take part of the great challenge among the
rubber industry associations and manufacturers in the Philippines, the LGU and
proponent cooperative seek funding assistance from the Philippine Rural
Development Project (PRDP) towards the promotion and development of the local
rubber industry along the value chain development approach.
In its commitment to support the farmers for
increase in production and income, the DA through PRDP I-REAP provides
intervention for active farmers’ associations. "All interventions that are
to be provided should address the weaknesses observed in the local rubber
industry," said DA Caraga regional director Edna Mabeza.
The assessment and deliberation of the proposal
brought a clear picture of the industry’s benefits if the project be
implemented. "As seen in the plan, the proposal for the improvement of the
local rubber industry would meet the gaps and constraints from production
through maintenance which depicts the sustainability of the project," PSO
I-REAP Component Head Basila Siago said.
The realization of the intervention would quickly
achieve the full attainment of the rubber industry's productivity which would
create a significant increase on the farmers' income. The enterprise will also
provide additional livelihood and generate job opportunities for women tappers
and across sectors including the indigenous people in the community and the
surrounding barangays.
The project would create components such as budded
rubber seedlings production; provision of production inputs and tools through
Plant Now Pay Later scheme; and consolidation of rubber cup lump, quality
production and marketing. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
