Surigao Norte underlines local investment code to
attract more investors
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Dec. 15 (PIA) –
The provincial government of Surigao del Norte underlined its local investment
code on top of the economic and livelihood, social services and environment
programs for the year 2017 during the HEALS Plus Convergence Meeting held
recently at the PGO Conference Hall, this city.
Provincial Information Center Officer Mary Jul
Escalante disclosed that it was discussed during the said meeting to review the
Investment Code of the province to attract, promote and encourage domestic and
foreign investments in the province.
She said that Local Investment and Incentive Code
was also discussed for each municipality to captivate more investors and to
generate more jobs, increase income, hasten social progress in the
municipality, and contribute to the overall economic growth of the province.
While on social services, Escalante said that the
province will prioritize the welfare of the senior citizens, children/youth,
persons with disability (PWDs) and Indigenous People (IP) through skills
enhancement training; values formation; entrepreneurial, leadership and basic
business management; among others.
Esclante further said that programs for environment
are also underway in coordination with different national line agencies.
(PIC-PGO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Surigao Sur to host CRAM 2017
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 15 (PIA) – The
Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao del Sur Division disclosed during its
initial coordination meeting conducted on Monday that the province of Surigao
del Sur will be the host for the upcoming Caraga Regional Athletic Meet (CRAM)
set on February 2017.
The different committee chairpersons and members
were introduced by DepEd Surigao del Sur Division Education Program Coordinator
Antonio Salazar during the conference. The functions, duties and responsibilities
of each created committee were also defined and elaborated.
Along this line, the provincial government headed
by governor Vicente Pimentel, Jr. has already committed to support the hosting
of the huge and historic event to be held in this city.
The governor confirmed to give financial assistance
to DepEd amounting to P5M, said Provincial Treasurer’s Office chief Crispa
Geli.
It can be recalled that Surigao del Sur was the
host of CRAM for two consecutive years on 2014 and 2015. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
NFA Surigao Norte offers ‘Open Sale’
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Dec. 15 (PIA) –
The provincial office of the National Food Authority (NFA) Surigao del Norte
offered an “Open Sale” of rice (Thailand and Vietnam rice) to all NFA licensed
Grains and Businessmen.
According to NFA provincial manager Gleen P. Echin,
all business rice retailers, wholesalers, millers or warehousemen can buy the
NFA rice at P22.50 and P25.00 pesos per kilo and can sell at a suggested price
of P27.00 per kilo.
She said that as a way of making friendly business,
even those newly registered NFA establishments can immediately buy rice
individually and not by group.
Echin announced that starting December 9, all
grains businessmen in Siargao Island can deposit their payment through
Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) Dapa Branch.
For interested businessmen, simply visit the NFA
office at Km. 10, Surigao City, Tan Warehouse in Bilang-Bilang, Surigao City,
San Jose town in Dinagat Islands province, and Dapa, Siargao Island, Surigao
del Norte or call NFA hotline numbers at 09328681554 or 09178258302.
(NFA-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
DA chief turns over checks to 3 SurSur LGUs
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 15 (PIA) – Three
towns in Surigao del Sur, namely, Cantilan, San Miguel and Bayabas received
each a check during the recent visit of Department of Agriculture (DA)
Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” PiΓ±ol in Surigao del Sur.
According to Elmer Ayad, of Department of Agriculture,
Cantilan town received a total of P1M fund for purchase of rice planter with
rotator (P500,000) and for the rehabilitation of solar drier (P500,000.00). For
San Miguel town, they received P400,000 to fund the Moscuvado Sugarcane
Processing. Also, Bayabas town was given P500,000 for the construction of
Multi-Purpose Development Pavement (MPDP).
Aside from the checks, Secretary PiΓ±ol also said
that there will be 80 units of power tillers and mechanical dryers with a
capacity of 250 bags per day set to be delivered.
DA chief is eyeing on how to boost the agricultural
production both in farm and aqua marine areas in this province.
(NGPB/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Butuan SPED Center reaps awards in RSPC 2016
By Elysa Velle L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 15 (PIA) – Campus journalists
from the Butuan Special Education (SPED) Center of this city had garnered 15
several awards both in individual and group events during the recently
concluded Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) 2016 held in San Francisco,
Agusan del Sur.
The five-day campus journalism event gathered in
one reputable competition the young talented pupils and students who have
exceptional skills and competence in news/feature/sports writing, broadcasting,
photojournalism, scriptwriting, editorial cartooning, collaborative desktop,
copyreading and headline writing.
According to coach Flyn Gerald Labajo of Butuan
SPED Center, for the individual events – English category, Marco Raphael
Liceralde clinched the 6th place for Science and Health feature writing while
Elysa Velle Garcia and Chris Adrielle Abrea returned home as 5th placer in
copyreading and headline writing and 7th placer in news writing, respectively.
He added that for the Filipino category, Cielo Marie Badar ranked 7th place in
Science and Health feature writing.
In group contests, winners for the script writing
and radio broadcasting-English category include J U Kirsten de Gracia (2nd
place, Best Anchor); Athena Gail Ampoon (3rd place, Best in Infomercial);
Hannah Theresa Dorico (4th place, Best in Technical Application); Team Award
(5th Place, Best in News Script); and Marie Angela Grace Aala – Director (4th
place, Best in Radio Broadcast).
There are also those who excelled in the Filipino
category for group events, and they are Maria Cassandra Ericka Apostol (3rd
place, Best Anchor); Joanna Margarette Barsana (4th place, Best in Technical
Application); Team Award (5th place, Best in News Script); Team Award (6th
place, Best in Infomercial); Ma. Nicole Damiar – Director ( 4th place, Best in
Radio Broadcast).
Meanwhile, the collaborative and desktop publishing
(Filipino) group bagged the 2nd place award. Among them who put forth the
effort and ability are Sophia Marie Lazarte (Lay-out Artist); Jessa Guiral
(News Writer); Neyza Hope Indonto (Editorial Writer); Josephine Rosette Ramirez
(Feature Writer); Klein Timothy Magallano (Editorial Cartooning); Jayzen Seth
Ezriel Panaligan (Sports Writer); Shiloh Ruth Sasuman (Photojournalist).
All the winners, having gone through the division
competitions, received medals during the awarding ceremonies.
Butuan City Division ranked 2nd Runner-up
(Elementary level) in the overall ranking among the 12 competing divisions. (Butuan
SPED Center/PIA-Caraga)
Feature: NPA rebels quit from the revolutionary
movement
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Dec. 15 (PIA) – Significant number
of New People’s Army (NPA) surrenderees were recorded in this province,
according to an official from the 26th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army.
Lieutenant Colonel Rommel Pagayon, commanding
officer of 26IB, Philippine Army underscored that these surenderees used to
live in fear and hunger while they were far away from their families and loved
ones. Their lives were burdened on series of hardships and always on evasion.
They used to be on the other side of the mainstream society, fighting against
the government. “But things were changed when they laid down their arms and
were welcomed back to the folds of the government,” he said.
Pagayon further emphasized that with the
initiatives and efforts of the Philippine Army to neutralize the left-leaning
groups, several NPA rebels have already surrendered and returned to the
mainstream society.
It can be recalled that last July 31, 2016, Yoyoy
Bat-aw and Rey Pasado Carlos alias ‘Rex’, both from Guerilla Front 34 came down
from the mountains of Loreto, Agusan del Sur and surrendered with their M1
Garand rifle and KG9. Also, on November 10 of same year, Wengweng Gumansel of
Guerilla Front 89 and Erwin Mansumangkay alias ‘RR’ of Guerilla Front 88 gave
up their arms and hoped to live a better and safer life. They brought along
with them three high-powered firearms (1 AR18 rifle, 1 carbine and 1 Garand
rifle) to attest their sincerity in surrendering to the government that they
once challenged.
“We used to run for our lives if our masses inform
us of the presence of the army in their community, for we were afraid to die.
We walked on the mountains even at the middle of the night or intense heat of
the day with little food just to evade them,” Gumansel said as he tearfully
recalls his past experience in the revolutionary movement.
In August
2016, Jason Istar Behing, 28 years old and Jeffry Azarcon Maca, 28 years
old, both members of SPP21C, Guerilla Front Committee 21 (GFC21), North Eastern
Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), voluntarily surrendered with two M16 rifle
with bandolier and three magazines to 29IB, Philippine Army in Barangay Del
Pilar, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte.
Also, in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, another
member of the NPA who surrendered to the 3rd Special Forces Battalion was
presented to Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward Plaza on November 9, 2016.
The rebel returnee also surrendered his M16 rifle to the government.
Ricky Salinas Bocales, known as ‘Ka Javelan’, 25
years old of Brgy. La Purisima, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur also realized that
he was deceived by the wrong ideology. According to him, he was with the NPA
for four years and just like the other surrenderees, he also experienced a hard
life because their group was often moving from one place to another with
limited food.
It was learned that the aforementioned surrenderees
decided to quit the rebel group due to the NPA's broken promises. Accordingly,
they used their firearms in extorting small and large business firms and
instill fear to the minds of the people. They also expressed their gratitude to
the army who helped them live a new life.
The surrender was made possible through the
successful negotiations of the 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion and the
continuing effect of the resolution of the different issues in the communities
through the Bayanihan Team Activities (BTA) in collaboration with the municipal
local government units (LGUs) and provincial government of of Agusan del Sur.
These former rebels (FRs) are now enrolled to the
Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) to assist them to live a
peaceful life and become productive citizens.
With the onset of attaining just and lasting peace,
the 401st Brigade with all its battalions is gaining its ground in winning the
hearts and minds of the people and bridging resolutions to their concerns which
will eventually lead to the realization of its mission as stated “to help the
LGU maintain an environment conducive for sustainable development and a just
and lasting peace by year end 2016.” (26IB/401st Brigade, Phil. Army/Jennifer
P. Gaitano/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
