Army rescues flood-affected residents in Caraga
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) – As the tail end of a
cold front brought floodings in several municipalities in Caraga region and
caused displacement of local residents, the Fourth Infantry Division (4ID) of
Philippine Army along with its infantry battalions in the provinces has taken
the action and rescued the communities from risks and harm.
Major General Benjamin Madrigal Jr., commanding general
of the 4ID, Philippine Army, has assured the general public that the army will
protect the lives of the people and ensure their safety at all times,
especially during calamity/emergency.
“The Philippine Army is committed to serve and
protect the people of the land. In times of calamity/disaster, we will never
hesitate to extend help and assistance to the communities. We take pro-active
measures to safeguard the lives of the people and keep them safe,” stressed
Madrigal.
MGen. Madrigal also underlined that despite heavy
rains and floods, the different battalions in the provinces have actively
responded to the flood-affected communities and saved lives of hundreds of
individuals.
It can be recalled that on Thursday, the personnel
of Charlie company 23rd Infantry Battalion led by commanding officer 2Lt Roel
Maglalang, together with Esperanza, Agusan del Sur vice mayor Eric Rey Siohan,
Municipal Local Government Operations Officer (MLGOO) Eugene Seraspe, Search
and Rescue Agusan del Sur (SARAS) personnel Jefrey Austriro and municipal
administrator Michelle Templado conducted disaster visitation at Barangay
Hawilian and assisted the flood-affected families and ensured their safety.
On the same date, the group also led the conduct of
evacuation of the flood-affected populace of barangay Batohon, Esperanza,
Agusan del Sur as the floodwaters continue to rise and may risk the lives of
the residents.
On Jan. 19, 2017, the same team also helped
motorists in their transportation thru pump boats as the Agusan River
overflowed at Batohon-Hawilian, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur road going to Las
Nieves of Agusan del Norte, which was not then passable by light vehicles.
Also, in response to the alarming rise of water
level in La Paz and Loreto, Agusan del Sur due to continuous rains, the 401st
Brigade under the command of Col. Cristobal Zaragoza has deployed a team with
response vehicle at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
Council (PDRRMC); emplaced an officer from 26IB to municipal DRRMCs; deployed a
platoon in Loreto area for ready response operations; deployed another officer
that leads section of 26 Infantry Brigade with vehicle in La Paz area for
disaster response operation.
Meanwhile, the Civil Military Operations (CMO)
Battallion deployed one team with officer and vehicle at RDRRMC for
coordination and monitoring.
The 30IB commanding officer Lt. Col. Rico Amaro
also attended the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting with other
members of the PDRRMC/CDRRMC of Surigao City; conducted visitation and
monitoring of the weather condition at PDRRMC Office in Surigao del Norte. One
squad led by 1Lt Ken Enciso has assisted the Municipal Social Welfare and
Development Office (MSWDO), as well as the MDRRMO of Surigao del Norte in the
repacking of relief goods.
With all these, the good commander also recognized
the active collaboration of the different government agencies and concerned
citizens to address the calamity that affects the communities in Caraga region.
He also reiterated that the Philippine Army would continue to give its best as
they do their duties and responsibilities for the Filipino people.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Heavy rain prompts Surigao Norte, Dinagat Islands
to suspend classes
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Jan. 20 (PIA) –
Heavy rain on Wednesday prompted the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat
Islands to suspend classes in all levels until Thursday, Jan. 19.
The suspension of classes was declared by the City
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Surigao City after an alert
level 2 was raised by PAGASA Surigao for continuous rainfall and some low lying
areas downtown are already flooded. Several domestic flights were also cancelled,
it was learned.
As per information from Gilbert Gonzales of the
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Surigao del
Norte, there are no casualties and major damages have been reported so far in
the province.
In Dinagat Islands, heavy rainfall also forced the
suspension of classes on Thursday, Jan. 19 in the municipalities of Loreto,
Basilisa, San Jose, Dinagat and Cagdianao.
According to Dinagat Islands PDRRMO officer Rosario
"Inday" Roxas-Alon, the province only experienced intermittent heavy
rainfall. "The suspension of classes is just a preemptive measure
considering the terrain of the province which is prone to landslide," said
Alon.
Alon said the suspension of classes is already
lifted today.
Meanwhile, the Surigao del Norte PDRRMO, Dinagat
Islands PDRRMO and Surigao City DRRMO are now conducting
post-assessment/evaluation to the affected areas. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Corporate rice farming to address needed rice
supply
By Rhea C.
Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 20 (PIA) - The Department of
Agriculture's (DA's) commitment to ensuring available and affordable food for
all, and help the farmers attain a decent income is intensified through various
interventions and programs implemented on the ground.
The creation of the Corporate Rice Farming Program
(CRFP) aims to provide a mechanism to support the implementation of special
programs such as the rice subsidy scheme of Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) particularly the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps.)
In Caraga Region, DA has forged a partnership with
the Farm Service Providers (FSP) in the region such as the Sto. NiΓ±o
Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SNMPC) from Butuan City and Agusanon Para sa Bag-ong
Pilipino Inc. (AGUS PINOY) Cooperative from San Francisco, Agusan del Sur to
address the needed requirement of the program.
"In the region, SNMPC and AGUS PINOY committed
to providing rice supply to selected 4Ps program areas in the second semester
of 2017 for Butuan City and the Province of Agusan del Sur as pilot areas for
CRFP," said Rebecca R. Atega, Chief of the DA Caraga - Field Operations
Division.
SNMPC will serve 2,095 4Ps household beneficiaries
in Butuan City while AGUS PINOY committed to served 15,219 beneficiaries for
the Province of Agusan del Sur. Each household will receive 18 kgs of rice good
for six months. With that, a total of 17,314 beneficiaries will be catered by
CRFP.
"We did not hesitate to help the government's
initiative to provide available and affordable food for all because this is
also our time to pay back from the assistance we have also received from the
government. It is our honor to be a partner for this good endeavor,"
explained Marilyn Aranas, Chairperson of SNMPC.
With this partnership, DA will provide each FSP the
appropriate farm inputs, technologies, and services to increase their farm
productivity and ensure an adequate supply of rice for the targeted number of
beneficiaries. The Land Bank of the Philippines will also establish a lending
window for the FSP as they participate in the program.
"CRFP could provide additional income to local
farm service providers and farmers. This promotes local food autonomy. In the
light of the lifting of quantitative restrictions on rice by June 30, 2017,
this program is a timely intervention to provide marketing assistance to the
rice farmers," said Director Leo P. CaΓ±eda, a member of the Secretary's
Technical Advisory Group (STAG).
With President Duterte's directive to the DSWD to
provide rice subsidy to the 4Ps beneficiaries, the DA aims to contribute to its
successful implementation by ensuring continuous rice supply through CRFP. (DA-Caraga
Information Section/PIA-Caraga)
DTI commits to support DAR's farmer biz school
project
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Jan. 20 (PIA) –
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) committed to support the Department
of Agrarian Reform in its implementation of the project dubbed “Capacity
Building of Small Farmers in Entrepreneurial Development of Market Access”
through the establishments of Farmer Business School (FBS) by providing
technical assistance through trainings and coaching on value addition of their
products for global competitiveness as well as entrepreneurial development
schemes.
FBS aims to help the Agrarian Reform Beneficiary
Organization (ARBO) build knowledge and skills to make their farms more
profitable and help farmers learn how to make their farming enterprises and
overall farm operations profitable and able to respond to market demands.
A signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for
the said commitment was done during the Farmer Business School On-site
Launching recently at Barangay Union, Dapa in Siargao Island.
Implementing partners who signed the said MOA
include Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) - Caraga, Provincial Government
of Surigao del Norte and the Municipal Local Government of Dapa town.
Twenty five sessions of FBS will be implemented
within four months at the PUSO NG DAPA Agrarian Reform Community particularly
at Union Agri-Aqua Cooperative (UNAACO), one of the assisted ARBOs of DAR-SDN.
(DAR-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Tagalog News: Ilang bayan at lungsod sa rehiyon ng
Caraga lubog sa tubig-baha
Ni Venus L. Garcia
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Enero 20 (PIA) - Dahil sa
malakas at patuloy na buhos ng ulan na dulot ng Tail-end of Cold Front dito sa
rehiyon ng Caraga, umabot na sa 1,829 na pamilya o 8,211 indibidwal ang
apektado at ito ay inaasahang tataas pa kung hindi huhupa ang pag ulan. Nasa
1,815 na pamilya o 7,909 na indibidwal naman ang lumikas sa mga evacuation
centers upang pansamantalang manatili, ayun sa tala ng Caraga Regional Disaster
Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC).
Sinuspindi na rin ang mga klase sa lahat ng antas
ng paaralan sa Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte at Butuan City.
Tatlumpu’t lima namang pamilya o isang daan at
siyam na indibidwal ang nagsilikas sa bayan ng RTR, Agusan del Norte gawa ng
pagtaas ng water level.
Sa isang subdibisyon sa lungsod ng Surigao at ilang
pangunahing daan sa siyudad ng Butuan naman ay lubog na sa tubig-baha at hirap
nang madaanan.
Aabot naman sa humigit kumulang 50 na mga barangay
ang nakararanas ng mga pagbaha dulot ng pag-apaw ng Agusan river at tributaries
nito. Naka red alert na rin ang lokal na pamahalaan dito.
Sa Agusan del Sur, matindi namang tinamaan ng baha
ang mga bayan ng La Paz, Bunawan, Talacogon, Loreto, San Luis at Veruela kung
saan half-submerged o halos hanggang bubong na ang tubig-baha sa ilang
kabahayan.
Samantala, naitala rin ang isang nawawalang 22
years old na lalaki sa Agusan del Sur na naitangay umano sa malakas na agos ng
tubig-baha.
Isang clearing operation naman sa nagyaring
landslide ang isinagawa sa Lingig, Surigao del Sur.
Ayon kay Lolita Vinalay, chief meteorological
officer ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services
Administration (PAGASA) Butuan, inaasahang bubuti na ang panahon ngayong
weekend. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
