Guv bares educational programs to Agusanons
By Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) – Agusan del Norte
Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba said that she does not only
prioritizes 'education for all' but she also prepares the graduates to actual
work.
In her recent State of the Province Address (SOPA)
here, Matba said that in order to institutionalize the strategy of ‘from school
to work’ program, the province granted Special Program for Employment of
Students (SPES) to 589 students and provincial scholarship trainings to over
170 beneficiaries for the year 2015.
Matba said that a total of 105 students were
likewise granted Educational Assistance with a budget of P2.9 million.
Also, during the year-end review, a total of 1,038
qualified and deserving scholars were assessed while 2,150 were trained, said
governor Matba. "That year, 1,361 scholars also graduated and the cost of
the provincial government in implementing these interventions was over P20.4
million," she added.
“The effort of the provincial government in
education placed minimum attention for our Indigenous Peoples (IP), and with
much pride, I am glad to announce the success gained by three of our IP
scholars who did not only complete their respective course in teaching, but
also finished Cum Laude,” governor Matba proudly announced.
The three IPs have already passed the Licensure
Examination for Teachers (LET), it was learned.
Governor Matba said that the achievements were
attained because of the clear direction to provide quality education with the
aim to attain full literacy by 2030. (NCLM, PIA-Agusan del Norte)
Government’s programs reached local residents in
AgSur, says Gov. Plaza
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, June 20 (PIA) –
“Government programs and services has reached to our local residents in the
different municipalities here in the province of Agusan del Sur.”
This was emphasized by Governor Adolph Edward
“Eddiebong” Plaza during his State of the Province Address (SOPA) held on
Friday at the Naliyagan Cultural Center Main Stage here.
According to Gov. Plaza, the Department of
Agriculture (DA) Caraga has intensified its provision of vegetables seeds,
fruit trees seedlings, upland rice seeds, corn seeds, rubber seedlings, and pre
and post harvest facilities to the different communities to help their
livelihood, increase their production and income.
“The Philippine Coconut Authority has also
supported the local government in the provision of coconut seedlings, as well
as the Department of Social Welfare and Development in allocating funds for the
establishment of day care centers. The Department of Health has also helped in
providing more visible sanitary toilets and Botika ng mga Barangay. Medical
missions were also conducted to address the health needs of our people,” bared
Gov. Plaza.
Gov. Plaza also cited that the Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has provided armchairs for the
Indigenous peoples (IPs). The PAMANA road projects of the Department of the
Interior and Local Government (DILG) has also helped in constructing concrete
roads for the localities to experience convenience in travelling from the
upland area to the public market and other destinations.
“We would like to thank the unstinting support of
the officials in Sangguniang Panlalawigan for the passage of the Agusan del Sur
Agriculture Code of 2016. This landmark legislation provides a healthy and
robust enabling environment for the agriculture sector so that it becomes a
potent sector in reducing poverty,” said Plaza.
Overall, a total of 394 kilometers of provincial
roads are in good and fair condition according to Gov. Plaza. “A total of
102,389 households have benefitted from the road projects using provincial
funds covering 215 kilometers. The PAMANA Project using the DILG fund
rehabilitated a total of 22.3 kilometers benefitting 5,983 households in the
municipalities of Sibagat, Prosperidad, Veruela, San Luis, and Esperanza,” he
underlined.
“We will continue to ensure the meaningful
engagement of civil society organizations in the development process. We will
continue to physically integrate geographically isolated communities to markets
and urban centers through infrastructure development. We will assist
communities become resilient in disaster-prone and human-induced calamities. We
will continue to ensure sustainable management of environment assets. We will
develop and promote cluster destinations to optimize tourism potential.
Finally, we will invest in the normalization, stability, and improved
confidence in insurgency-affected areas,” stressed Gov. Plaza. (JPG/PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
AgSur guv highlights USAD Program in AgSur
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, June 20 (PIA) – In his
State of the Province Address (SOPA) held on Friday at the Naliyagan Cultural
Center (NCC) Main Stage here, Governor Adolph Edward “Eddiebong” Plaza cited
the Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development (USAD) Program as one of the
highlights of his accomplishments in the province.
Gov. Plaza recalled that the provincial government
has initiated the participatory rapid appraisal in the communities with the
help of the barangay and municipal officials so as to assess the necessary
needs and identify resolutions to the existing issues in the barangays. With
this, the local government unit was able to provide livelihood, clean drinking
water, roads, day care centers, and sanitation and health facilities, among
others.
The governor emphasized that the USAD program has
been implemented in the municipalities of the province since 2013. According to
him, it prioritizes those municipalities that need utmost attention and
provision of different services and projects from the government. He also
thanked all the farmers who enrolled in the said program, who also believed
that it could improve the quality of life they have.
“The Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development
(USAD) convergence program is an avenue for partners where resources are pooled
and initiatives are rationalized and harmonized to ensure continuity,
complementation, and impact. Each barangay in every municipality in the
province has been benefitting from the said program,” Plaza said.
It was also learned that from 2014-2015, a total of
63 barangays were already provided with technical and capital assistance under
the USAD Program covering six municipalities in Agusan del Sur. In 2016, a
total of 49 barangays are targeted to be under the said program. Twenty-four
(24) of the 49 barangays were former USAD barangays and they will continue to receive
support until such time that sustainability of the gains is guaranteed. To
date, around 1,314 farmer enrollees have availed of the USAD program in the
province.
Gov. Plaza further revealed that a certain Carlos
Denonong, a farmer-enrollee in San Patricio, La Paz of the province (who was
also introduced during the event) has been one of the beneficiaries from the
USAD Program. The said farmer has availed farm inputs – the rubber seedlings
from the said program.
“With the USAD program, I was able to avail free
farm inputs provided by the local government through planting of rubber
seedlings. Aside from that, I and my family was able to further improve our
income from planting corn and vegetables,” expressed Denonong. (JPG/PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
DA-13 launches 31M Agri-Pinoy Trading Center in
Siargao
By Fretcher D. Magatao
DAPA, Surigao del Norte, June 20 (PIA) - The
Department of Agriculture (DA) - 13 in partnership with the provincial
government of Surigao del Norte and Winrock International officially opens the
P31 million Agri-Pinoy Trading Center in Dapa, Siargao Island.
A total of 413 farmers and 14 groups of fishers in
eight municipalities of the island would benefit from the project. Fruits,
vegetables, root crops and fishery products can now be traded in the center.
The center is like a dream-come-true among the
farmers and fishers. "God has granted us this dream, we can now see a
standing establishment where we can display all our agricultural goods,"
said Governor Sol Matugas.
Matugas encouraged the sellers of the center to
plant and increase production so the establishment will be filled with locally
produced goods with high value and quality.
Farmers in the island mostly rely on what they
called as "mamikilay" or the ones who trade their goods to the market
and return to them for payment after the goods are sold.
Traders of the goods have stores in the market
which the farmer gamble to pass up the selling of their produce. "Most of
the time we need to entrust our produce to the traders since we don't have
stores where we can display our goods," said Elmar Salado, a farmer from
San Benito.
The one hectare trading center answers the
long-time desire of the farmers in the island. "We are so much grateful
that the government has seen our need and granted the desire of our hearts; we
now have a place to sell our goods," Salado said.
The center also has a cold storage with 15 tons
capacity and chilling room with 10 tons capacity courtesy of Winrock
International under the Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP).
There are just 21 trading centers all over the
Philippines; 11 are already launched and 10 are still being built. "This
facility has truly inspired us. Let all operations and transactions in this
establishment be done accordingly so we can sustain this project and allow the
next generation to still benefit from this," said DA Assistant Secretary
for Agribusiness Leandro Gazmin.
Gazmin, who led the inauguration and turnover
ceremony, stressed that sustainability demands better financial management and
marketing, and improved knowledge in management through experience and constant
coordination among members and stakeholders.
The establishment of trading center aimed to
increase agricultural productivity of fruits and vegetables, poultry and fishery
products, and to create new agricultural producer groups and strengthen
existing ones.
DA-13 regional director Edna Mabeza also reminded
the recipients to take care of the project. "We have been entrusted with a
project and all we have to do is to be responsible of what is given to
us," Mabeza said. (DA-13/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
AgNor guv bares list of completed infra projects
By Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) – Agusan del Norte
governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba recognizes that economic
development can be hastened if appropriate public infrastructures are in place
in the province.
In year 2015, 105 different infrastructure projects
with a total cost of P891,229,765 were completed in the province, said governor
Matba during her State of the Province Address (SOPA) held on Friday in one of
the convention centers here.
According to governor Matba, road improvement and
rehabilitation were implemented along the Agusan-Bukidnon Road/Buenavista
Section, Nasipit-Buenavista-Masao Port Coastal Road, the Nasipit Port Road and
the improvement of the provincial roads.
Also, other improvement works such as slope
protection, drainage and sidewalks were maintained, governor Matba added.
“The province has also substantially completed two
major projects – the Construction of Cabadbaran Putting Bato Road coasting
P84,843,219.06 and a road network traversing Poblacion-Hinimbangan in the municipality of Kitcharao costing P150
million which will soon be completed,” said governor Matba.
Pre-implementation documents like preliminary
engineering surveys and detailed engineering designs for 11 projects costing
P371,907,048 were also completed, she said. (NCLM, PIA-Agusan del Norte)
Lawless armed group continues to prey lumads
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) – Only less than a month
after a lawless armed group murdered Josefina “Nicnic” Bajade, a 64-year old
retired provincial welfare and development officer (PSWDO) in the province of
Agusan del Sur, another killing incident transpired in Barangay Binicalan, San
Luis of the same province when a family of lumad were fired upon by the same
bandit, the New People's Army (NPA), on June 5, 2015 at about 8:00 a.m.
According to “Dodong” (not his real name), a
10-year old lone survivor of the said incident, he and his family left Purok 3,
Barangay Freedom, Cabanglasan Bukidnon heading towards Mt. Katalawan, Barangay
Binicalan. As they were traversing Taguikan Creek, they were fired upon by an
undetermined number of lawless armed men.
The child claimed that he immediately took cover
and ran in order to survive until he finally reached Barangay Indalasa in
Bukidnon. There he reported the incident to the local authorities.
Upon receipt of the report, the 8th Infantry
(Dependable) Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, together with
the Philippine National Police, immediately conducted a search and rescue
operation which led to the discovery of the corpse of Lando Bocalas (father),
Julina Bocalas (mother) who was five months pregnant, Mancolobe Bocalas
(Lando’s brother), while Rosalyn (eight years old), Bahanan (six years old) and
Bayubasan Bocalas (four years old) are still missing up to this time.
Pursuit operation is ongoing to put the
perpetrators to justice. (AFP/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao Norte marks Capitol family day
By John Glenn A. Platil
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, June 20 (PIA) -
Provincial capitol employees joined recently the celebration of the 56th
Founding Anniversary of Surigao del Norte as a province, detached from Surigao
del Sur.
Provincial administrator Atty. Premolito Plaza,
issued a memorandum by the authority of Governor Sol Matugas enjoining all
functionaries and rank-and-file personnel to attend the historic celebration.
With the theme, "Pamilya, Sentro Sa Pag-uswag
Nan Probinsya," the highlights of the meaningful event were thanksgiving
mass, mangrove planting, coastal clean-up, capitol family outing, fun games and
picnic.
By virtue of Republic Act No. 2786, dated June 19,
1960, the old Province of Surigao was divided into two: Surigao del Sur and
Surigao del Norte, with the municipality of Surigao as the capital of the
latter.
Later on, the municipality of Surigao became a
chartered city pursuant to Republic Act No. 6134, which was approved on August
31, 1970.
On June 19, 1990, then Pres. Corazon Aquino issued
Proclamation No. 577 declaring the event as Province of Surigao del Sur day.
“Residents of the Province of Surigao del Sur
desire to celebrate with fitting ceremonies this event in their province’s
history. The day, however, shall be a regular working and school day,” the
proclamation noted.
Gov. Matugas, in 2012, directed a research team
headed by Dr. Irenetta Montinola, a well-known historian, to follow a line of
investigation concerning the exact date when One Surigao was born.
“This would mean going down memory lane and delving
into pertinent materials relative to the foundation of Surigao, dating back
Spanish times, when the Sur, Norte and Dinagat provinces were still one,”
Matugas said.
At present, Surigao del Norte comprises of Surigao
City, 11 mainland municipalities and nine island municipalities covering Bucas
Grande and Siargao.
It was learned that there are proposals to make
Bucas Grande Island an autonomous district. It is expected that when federalism
will soon be certified by incoming Pres. Rodrigo Duterte as an urgent piece of
legislation, bids on re-districting will be carefully examined.
It can be recalled that on February 7, 2014
MalacaΓ±ang issued Proclamation No. 720 declaring, May 15 as a special
(non-working) day to mark the commemoration of One Surigao, otherwise known as
the Foundation Day of the mother province of Surigao.
“It is but fitting and proper that the people of
the Province of Surigao del Norte be given full opportunity to celebrate and
participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies,” the proclamation
reads. (PGO-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Lawless armed group's violent activity terrifies
pupils in SurSur
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) – Pupils felt frightened
and opted not to atttend to school upon witnessing the violent activity of 15
members of a lawless armed group led by a certain "Iyan" who flagged
down and burned a container van along the national highway in Barangay Amaga,
Barobo Surigao del Sur on June 15, 2016 at around 7:00 a.m.
The said lawless armed group also barricaded the
highway and flagged down all vehicles that were leaving from and approaching
Barobo town of the province.
Accordingly, they were on their way to their school
when a group of armed bandits halted their vehicle, forced them to step out and
pointed their guns onto them. They were also threatened to be shot if they will
run.
Under section 10 of the Republic Act 7610,
otherwise known as the Anti-Child Abuse Law, states that any person who shall
commit cruelty or child abuse or to be responsible for conditions prejudicial
to a child’s development is punishable under the law. Likewise, under
presidential decree number 1613 amending the law on arson states that any
person who shall burn the property of another is also punishable by law.
Law enforcement units are now conducting pursuit
operations to put the said bandit group to justice. (AFP/PIA-Caraga)
272 drug users, peddlers surrender in Caraga
By SPO1 Zena Menioria Panaligan
BUTUAN CITY, June 20 (PIA) - More than 200
suspected drug users and pushers showed up at the different police stations in
Caraga region and have voluntarily surrendered to the Philippine National
Police (PNP) after a massive campaign to convince those involved in illegal
drugs to reform.
In a program launched by Rosario Police (Oplan
TokHang or Oplan Toktok Hangyo), some 200 persons involved in illegal drug
activities showed up to police authorities in Rosario, Agusan del Sur. Placer
Municipal Police Station in Placer, Surigao del Norte, on the other hand,
recorded 72 drug personalities from the different barangays of the said town. Those
who showed up promised to do away with drugs and signed an undertaking stating
therein that they will not be in any way be involve in drugs.
This was made possible because of the relentless
law enforcement effort of PNP Caraga to bring to justice those identified in
the illegal drug trade.
The suspected drug users and pushers’ act of
submission was a result of the intensified campaign to wipe out illegal drug
activities in the region.
PNP Caraga regional director P/CSupt Rolando Felix
urged all those involved in the illegal drug trade to reform or else they will
face the hard hand of justice. (PNP-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: DAR namahagi ng lupa sa mga magsasaka
sa Caraga region
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Hunyo 20 (PIA) - Sa ginanap na ika-24
anibersaryo ng Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) sa Caraga region
kamakailan, may kabuuang 241 Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) ang
ipinamahagi ng Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) sa rehiyon sa may 212
agrarian reform beneficiaries.
Ayon kay DAR Caraga regional director Julita
Ragandang, may malalaking programa na ipinapatupad ang kanilang departamento
kabilang na ang land acquisition and distribution na nagbibigay tenurial
security sa mga magsasakang walang lupa; agrarian justice kung saan nagbibigay
sila ng libreng serbisyong-legal sa mga magsasaka; at ang support services kung
saan nagbibigay anya sila ng ibat-ibang suporta sa mga magsasaka at
benipisyayro na magkaroon nang mas magandang pamumuhay.
Dagdag pa ni director Ragandang, may 282,226
ektarya ng agricultural lands ang naipamagi na, at may mahigit sa 128,450 na
ang naging landowners ngayon, na naging malaking tulong din sa kani-kanilang
pamilya at maging sa kanilang organisasyon.
Namahagi rin ang DAR Caraga ng mahigit sa
P43-milyon sa mga farmer organizations na binubuo ng mahigit 900 ARBs sa
probinsya ng Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, at Dinagat
Islands. Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP).
Isa anya ito sa mga programa ng DAR kasama ang
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at Landbank of the
Philippines (LBP) na nagkakaloob ng cash loans para sa mga farmer organizations
sa pinakamababang interest taon-taon.
Sa panayam kay Wenifredo Maldo, isa sa mga
benepisyaryo ng CARP at kasalukuyang chairman ng Baleguian Organic Farmers
Irrigators Association sa bayan ng Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, napakalaking
tulong anya ang naibigay ng dar sa pamamagitan ng carp sa paglago ng kanilang
asosasyon.
Kasabay rin sa nasabing okasyon, tumanggap ang mga
ARBs ng Insurance Indemnity Claims sa ilalim ng Agrarian Production Credit
Program ng DAR sa tulong din ng Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).
Sa pamamagitan nito, may magagamit umano ang mga magsasaka sakaling datnan sila
ng kalamidad at pest and disease infestation kung saan maaapektuhan ang
kanilang pagsasaka.
Samantala, kinilala rin ng DAR Caraga ang 21 farmer
organizations sa rehiyon at binigyan ng ibat-ibang special awards.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: USAD program sa Agusan del Sur isa sa
mga naging highlights sa SOPA ni Gov. Plaza
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Hunyo 20 (PIA) – Ang
Upland Sustainable Agri-Forestry Development o USAD Program ang isa sa naging
highlights ni Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward “Eddiebong” Plaza sa
kanyang State of the Province Address o SOPA kamakailan na ginanap sa Naliyagan
Cultural Center Main Stage sa bayan ng Prosperidad ng nasabing probinsya.
Bilang pagtatapos sa ika-24 na Naliyagan Festival
at ika-49 na anibersaryo sa pagkakatatag ng Agusan del Sur, ginanap din ang
SOPA ni Gov. Plaza na dinaluhan ng may mahigit sa isanlibong partisipante na
binubuo ng government employees, mga lokal na opisyal ng probinsya, pribadong
sektor at iba pang panauhin sa rehiyon.
Ayon kay Gov. Plaza, nagsimulang ipatupad ang USAD
sa probinsya noong taong 2013 kung saan napagdesisyonan ng lokal na pamahalaan
sa tulong ng mga barangay at municipal officials na mabuo ang mga programang
makapagbibigay tugon sa mas nangangailangang barangay at maibigay ang akmang
serbisyo sa komunidad. tulad na lamang
ng livelihood, malinis na inuming tubig, malinis na kubeta, eskwelahan at
health facilities, at maayos na kalsada.
Dagdag pa ni Gov. Plaza, sa pagpapatupad ng USAD
program sa probinsya, patuloy ang koordinasyon at pagtutulungan ng mga ahensiya
ng gobyerno, maging ng mga non-government organizations, at iba pang pribadong
sektor upang makalikom ng pundo nang maging sustainable ang mga serbisyong
nasimulan na doon sa mga barangay.
Napag-alaman rin na sa taong 2014 hanggang 2015,
may 63 barangay na ang nabigyan ng technical at capital assistance sa anim na
bayan ng probinsya. Sa taong ito, may 49 pa ang mga barangay ang target na
mabigyan lahat ng serbisyong kinakailangan ng mga tao, at sa 49 nito, 24 ang
dati nang nakabenipisyo sa USAD program at sila ay patuloy pa umanong
makakatanggap ng tulong.
Pinasalamatan rin ni Gov. Plaza ang may mahigit
1,000 na magsasaka na nag-enroll at nakabenipisyo sa USAD program.
(JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Tagalog News: Natapos na infra projects sa Agusan
del Norte inihayag sa SOPA ni gov. Matba
Ni Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Hunyo 20 (PIA) - Ang pagpapalago ng
lokal ekonomiya ay isa sa binigyang pansin ni governor Ma. Angelica rosedell M.
Amante-Matba sa kanyang state of the province address o SOPA noong byernes ng
hapon.
Isa sa inanunsiyo ni governor Matba sa kanyang SOPA
ay ang mahigit P891.2 million na halaga ng natapos na infrastructure project ng
probinsya.
Kasali sa nasabing proyekto ayon kay governor
Matba, ang pagpapalawak sa daan (road improvement) at rehabilitasyon sa daang
Agusan-Bukidnon road/Buenavista section, Nasipit-Buenavista-Masao port coastal
road, Nasipit port road at ang improvement ng mga probinsyal roads ay kabilang
sa mga natapos na infrastrure projects noong taong 2015.
Dagdag pa ni governor Matba, kasama din sa natapos
noong nakaraang taon ang pagpapa-improve ng mga slope protection, drainage at
mga sidewalks.
Ipinagmalaki din ni governor Matba ang dalawang
major projects na natapos sa 2015 – ang construction ng Cabadbaran Puting Bato
Lanuza road na nagkakahalaga ng P84,843,219.06 at ang road network traversing
Poblacion-Hinimbangan sa munisipyo ng Kitcharao na nagkakahalaga ng P150
million na malapit na ring matapos. (NCLM, PIA-Agusan del Norte)
