DOH Caraga warns public to take extra care during
flood, heavy rains
By Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) – The Department of
Health (DOH) Caraga warns public to take extra precaution during flood and
heavy rains.
In an advisory released by the department, DOH
Caraga regional director Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. suggested to take safety tips by
making sure that the drinking water is from a safe water source, in the case of
doubt, boil the water for two minutes or longer to make it safe.
Llacuna also said that the food to be eaten is well
cooked; leftovers should be covered and kept away from household pests. Proper
disposal of food waste should also be maintained.
During the flood and heavy rains period, personal
hygiene by always washing hand before and after eating should be observed.
Wearing comfortable clothing, bringing umbrellas, rain coats, and boots to protect
from water-borne and vector-borne diseases like leptospirosis, hepatitis A and
dengue should be practiced during those periods.
Also, director Llacuna warns parents not to allow
their children to wade in floodwaters to avoid diseases; clean up possible
mosquito breeding sites, such as vases and old tires. Stay away from hanging
wires and unstable structures all the time.
For situation updates, Llacuna further said that
everyone should listen to radios and/or televisions; and to stay inside a house
or building during the heavy rains. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
SurSur LGUs declare suspension of classes due to TD
Auring
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 9 (PIA) –
Several local government units (LGUs) thru their respective local Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs) have declared ‘no classes’ Monday,
Jan. 9, 2017 due to floods caused by Tropical Depression Auring; despite the
fact that PAGASA had already lifted its signal warnings to them.
According to Provincial DRRM Officer Abel de
Guzman, of the 19 LGUs, eight have already submitted their partial report
updates on the effects of TD Auring in their area of responsibilities including
the declaration of suspension of classes.
Based on PDRRMC Situational Report # 3, classes
were suspended in all levels in the following: Bislig City, Cagwait, Bayabas,
Lianga, and Barobo, while pre-school to elementary levels in Tago and Cantilan
towns.
The interior municipality of San Miguel also
declared on Saturday the suspension of classes today, according to Community
Development Information Officer Nancy Elizalde.
She said that 12 barangays out of 18 were partially affected by floods.
Meanwhile, Tandag City DRRM officer Marivic Bandoy
confirmed that the city government has also declared today the suspension of
classes in all levels. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DSWD-Caraga assists stranded passengers at Nasipit
port due to TD Auring
By Eunice G. Montaos
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) - In response to the
request of the municipal local government unit (LGU) of Nasipit, Agusan del
Norte, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga provided
on Jan. 8, 2017 augmentation support to assist the 363 passengers, bound for
Manila and Bohol, who were stranded due to the inclement weather brought about
by Tropical Depression Auring.
The assistance that were provided are two boxes
sardines, two boxes corned beef, two boxes 3-in-1 coffee, and 308 pieces bath
soap. The monetary value of the assistance will total P21,536.
The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office
(MSWDO) of the said municipality spearheaded the distribution of goods to the
passengers.
DSWD Caraga OIC regional director Mita
Chuchi-Gupana Lim released an official statement assuring the public on the
readiness of the DSWD-Caraga to provide augmentation support to the LGUs.
“We have strengthened our preparedness measures to
provide quick and responsive support to the needs of the LGUs, communities, and
families in the region who will be affected by calamities such as TD Auring,”
Lim said.
“As we feel the discomfort experienced by the
stranded passengers in Nasipit, the agency, in partnership with the MLGU and
within our mandate and resources, would ensure that their basic needs are
provided while they are waiting for their re-scheduled trips,” she added.
As of reporting time, the regional warehouse of the
Field Office has a stockpile of 14,416 family food packs and re-packing
activity is on-going for additional stockpile.
Also, the Quick Response Team (QRT) of DSWD-Caraga
continues to monitor the situation in the region after TD Auring made landfall
on Sunday at Siargao Island. (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office
Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
OCD Caraga has new regional director
By April Rose Anne Y. Sanchez
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) - The Caraga Regional
Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) through the Office of
Civil Defense (OCD) held a turnover ceremony of the outgoing and incoming OCD
regional directors and RDRRMC chairpersons as Dir. Manuel Luis M. Ochotorena
has been transferred to OCD Region IX – Zamboanga Peninsula.
The ceremony was held on Friday, January 6 here
with Assistant Secretary Kristoffer James E. Purisima, Civil Defense Deputy
Administrator for Administration, as its presiding officer.
Asec. Purisima emphasized in his message that OCD
should maintain strong partnerships and linkages with stakeholders since it is
vital in discharging the agency’s mandates.
“We need to intensify our partnerships and linkages
with our valuable allies --- our stakeholders, in further advancing the civil
defense and DRRM programs so as to deliver what is best for our country and for
our people. We need to remember that OCD is the prime mover of national efforts
in civil defense and DRRM," said Asec. Purisima.
"Therefore, as public servants, we are
expected to be at the height of preparedness and provide proactive and
strategic actions. It should be underscored that well-implemented civil defense
and DRRM programs immensely contribute to sustainable socio economic growth
nationwide," he added.
Likewise, he acknowledged the noteworthy milestones
of Dir. Ochotorena in Caraga Region for one year and 6 months. He then enjoined
Dir. Rosauro Arnel Q. Gonzales, the newly assigned OCD Caraga regional director
and RDRRMC chairperson to actively continue the endeavors undertaken by the
previous regional directors of the agency.
Lorene S. Catedral, head of Caraga RDRRMC
secretariat presented the significant milestones and accomplishments of Dir.
Ochotorena from July 2015 to December 2016 through an audio visual
presentation.
In his remarks, Dir. Ochotorena said that during
his term, the DRRM of Caraga stepped up and proper knowledge leading to
appropriate preparedness has been inculcated to Caraganons. He added that as
the father of DRRM in the region, he always emphasized that given the
appropriate knowledge and behavior towards certain calamities, communities are
expected to respond to circumstances with certainty to lessen the impacts of
disasters.
“I will never get all the credits for together we
have accomplished things. We have trained 1,916 Caraganons from July 2015 to
December 2016. We have trained them on different DRRM-related capacity building
initiatives," Ochotorena bared.
"We have sit together as one council in six
regular quarterly full council meetings and have substantively discussed
concerns and have issued seven RDRRMC Resolutions for the welfare of
Caraganons. Let us continue institutionalizing the four standing committees of
the RDRRMC,” he added.
Likewise, Gonzales, the new OCD regional director
and RDRRMC chairperson accepted the responsibility given to him.
“Today, I am elated that I am taking over an office
that is in top shape with personnel who knew their job and most importantly in
a high degree of morale. I wish to thank the previous Regional Directors for
laying out the good foundations of OCD Caraga and I salute Dir. Ochotorena for
a job well done for taking care of the office. I am confident that I will be
hitting the ground so to speak,” Gonzales expressed.
A turnover of symbol took place where the official
OCD flag was given by Dir. Ochotorena to Asec Purisima and was passed over to
Dir. Gonzales. The OCD flag signifies responsibility, accountability,
dedication and commitment to the agency and to its mandates. Moreover, it
symbolizes leadership and passion in pursuit of excellence in DRRM. (OCD
Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DA Caraga responds to TD Auring
By Vanessa P. Sanchez
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 9 (PIA) - As Tropical Depression
(TD) Auring hit the region over the weekend, the Department of Agriculture (DA)
Caraga mobilized its personnel to monitor the situation and effects of the
typhoon on agriculture.
TD Auring made a landfall in Siargao island in the
province of Surigao del Norte in the afternoon of Sunday, January 8. The region
experienced continuous rains for the past days.
Based on reports gathered from the local government
unit counterparts as of 3:00 P.M. Sunday, January 8, a total of 6,681 hectares
of rice lands regionwide were reportedly affected with an estimated cost of
damages amounting P37 Million. Affected crops are in various stage of planting.
As of December 2016, there were a total of 15,289 hectares planted to rice in
the region.
Meanwhile, DA-Caraga has readied as buffer stocks
2,900 bags rice certified seeds, 1,200 bags open-pollinated variety (OPV) white
corn seeds, and 5,000 grams of assorted vegetable seeds for replanting of those
whose crops were affected.
“We have already positioned our buffer stocks of
seeds, it is readily available for the affected farmers,” DA Caraga field
operations division chief Rebecca R. Atega said.
Today, DA Caraga regional executive director Renato
P. Manantan has deployed DA-Caraga’s Quick Response Team to the provinces to
further assess the extent of damage to agriculture, coordinate and validate
reports from LGUs. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Bagyong Auring nanalasa sa rehiyon ng
Caraga, libo-libong Caraganons inilikas
Ni Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Enero 9 (PIA) - Sa pagpasok ng unang
bagyo sa taong ito, naging handa at alerto ang mga Caraganons dahil sa walang
humpay na pagbabantay at aktibong pakikilahok ng iba’t ibang ahensya ng
gobyerno sa pagpapaigting ng paghahanda laban sa kalamidad at sakuna na
magiging epekto sa tropical depression ‘Auring.’
Marami ang nailigtas at nabigyan ng serbisyo sa
kabuoang rehiyon ng Caraga sa tulong na rin ng local Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Councils at iba pang response units sa ginawang preemptive
evacuation kung saan umabot ng 5,243 na indibidwal o 1,234 pamilya ang
naitalang nailikas sa iba't-ibang evacuation centers.
Minabuti ng Office of Civil Defense Caraga sa
pamamagitan ng Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council ang
interbensyun nito sa puspusang pag momonitor at regular na pagpapalabas ng
advisories, weather updates at alert notice.
Ayon kay OCD regional director Rosauro Arnel
Gonzales, Jr., wala umanong pakundangan sa pagbabantay ang ahensya nito
lalung-lalo na sa pagbibigay paalala sa komunidad na maging proactive at
cooperative.
Hindi naman inaantala ng mga kawal ng 4th Civil
Military Operations, Philippine Army sa pamumuno ni Lt. Col. Rey Pasco ang
pagsasagawa ng masinsinang pag-iikot sa mga flood at landslide prone areas
upang magsagawa ng humanitarian assistance.
Samantala, sinabi naman ni Ruel Hipulan, isang
active volunteer ng Save Mindanao - People’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Center, na sa kabila ng di pangkaraniwang bilis na pagtaas ng water level sa
Agusan River, sinigurado ng grupo nito na maisagawa ang pag papatrol sa
riverbanks at pagbigay saklolo sa mga nangangailangan.
Katuwang din sa pagpapatupad ng seguridad at
pagsasagawa ng clearing operation sa drainage canals ang Butuan City Police
Public Safety Company na pinangunahan ni assistant company commander CInsp
Christian Rafols.
Inaasahan na mapanatili ang maayos na koordinasyon,
kooperasyon at pakikipagtulungan ng bawat isa upang maiwasan ang kapahamakan at
mga pinsala na dulot ng bagyo. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
