4Ps’ cash card pawning rife in SurSur
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Feb. 23 (PIA) – The
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office here hinted
that “cash card pawning” was quite rampant among beneficiaries of the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Surigao del Sur.
According to Jimbo Jamoner, DSWD Provincial
Grievance Officer, the scheme has been discovered and started to be officially
documented since 2014.
Initially it was found out that some 100 household
beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Barobo town,
105 kilometers south this city, were not in possession of their respective cash
card. Upon checking out further, to Jamoner’s dismay, their cash cards had
already been in the hands of “loan sharks” for some time. Involved moneylenders owned up to the
money-making deal, he bared.
With breakdown of cases at “300 plus in 2015” and
“500 plus in 2016,” documents showed that cash card pawning had been noted at
about 1,000 household beneficiaries, the grievance officer disclosed.
Jamoner admitted to have noticed that the “numbers”
had been continuing to heap up even up to this time.
Lest the purpose of the program would be defeated,
the DSWD here had taken up the cudgel of bringing the matter to the attention
of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to craft a legislative solution to put a stop
to the malpractice.
Yesterday, the second of the four-day series of
public hearing in select areas province-wide was held at the Capitol Social
Hall for the proposed ordinance entitled “Prohibiting Government
Officials/Employees and Private Individuals/Groups and Local Businesses or
Corporation in Accepting Pantawid Pamilya Cash Card as Loan Collateral.” The event was filled to the rafters, most of
them were 4Ps grantees, it was learned.
A day earlier, February 21, 2017, the first public
hearing was held at Lanuza Gymnasium in Lanuza town, 43 kilometers north, this
city. The last two schedules had been
set for Barobo town and Bislig City, respectively, on February 23 and 24, 2017.
Jamoner revealed that resorting to “resealing” the
cash card by concerned DSWD authorities right after withdrawal from ATM failed
to foil card holders from doing so.
Resealing was likened to laminating the card in a thin plastic material
not only for protective purposes but primarily to dissuade pawnbrokers to
accept any offer.
Behind the conduct of the series of public hearing
have been officials of the DSWD, in close ties with the Provincial Advisory
Committee (PAC), the Committee on Social Services and Community Development,
the Committee on Laws and Justice and Human Rights as well as other
stakeholders.
Governor Vicente Pimentel, Jr., SP Members Mary
Grace Lim and Teresita Palma-Donasco respectively chair the above-mentioned
committees.
Meanwhile, the provincial grievance officer hoped
that people engaging in such deals would be meted out punitive actions sooner
or later.
As of November 2016, there are 44,565 households
which stand to benefit under the 4Ps in the entire province, according to
Jamoner.
However, Meiraflor Cabigon, DSWD Social Welfare
Officer IV and Provincial Link of the Pantawid Pamilya bared during the recent
affair that there had been over 46,000 households in their rolls of 4Ps as of
the latest. (Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DSWD-Caraga, NGAs lead 2017 adoption consciousness
celebration
By Ryan Malbas Tapayan
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 23 - The Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD), in partnership with other national government
agencies (NGAs), leads this year’s week-long Adoption Consciousness Celebration
from February 11-19, 2017.
With the theme “Pagmamahal Palaganapin, Legal na
Pag-aampon Ating Gawin (Spread Unconditional Love through Legal Adoption),” the
celebration targets to advocate legal adoption as a means of providing
compassion and unconditional love to abandoned, neglected and surrendered
children.
The Adoption Forum served as one of the highlights
since there were invited partner-agencies, selected Local Government Units
(LGUs), adoptive parents who attended the said activity at LJ Mega Convention,
this city on Feb. 16.
The primary objectives of the activity are: 1) to disseminate basic information about
legal adoption including the adoption process, documentary requirements,
procedures and the benefits and effects of adoption to the public; 2) to educate the public on the legal process of
adoption that may lead to applicants for domestic adoptions or inquiries on
adoption and other forms of alternative family care; 3) to respond to inquiries of the public on
adoption and other forms of alternative family care thru Adoption Help Desks;
and 4) to provide program orientation on
adoption and foster care laws and guidelines to the officials and staff of
DILG.
Jessie Catherine Aranas, Regional Focal on
Adoption, reported during the seminar the total picture of adoption natiowide.
“According to DSWD – Protective Services Bureau,
out of 5,695 children declared as legally available for adoption (CY 2009- as
of January 17, 2017), only 1,409 children were placed-out for domestic
adoption. The data reveals that there is a high number of neglected/abandoned
children in centers/institutions waiting to be adopted,” said Aranas.
“Other than this growing data, issues such as
public’s perception on adoption, lack of interest of families to adopt and the
discrimination experienced by adopted children should likewise be addressed,”
she added.
OIC Regional Director Mita Chuchi Gupana-Lim
encourages all government agencies to promote and advocate legal adoption as it
remains a strange concept in the society.
“Let us altogether advocate legal adoption all the
time and not just during occasions that we commemorate this celebration. The
underlying objective is towards our goal of providing a child a kind of family
he/she deserves,” Lim exclaimed.
Presidential Proclamation No. 72 signed on February
3, 1999 by the former President Ejercito Estrada stipulated the observance of
Adoption Consciousness Day to call for public attention and ensure nationwide
awareness on legal adoption of surrendered, orphaned, abandoned, and neglected
Filipino children in need of permanent home. (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field
Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Phivolcs finds unusual ground movements in no-fault
areas near Surigao City
By Jun Ian Facundo
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Feb. 23 (PIA) - Team of
experts from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)
visited San Jose, Dinagat Islands on Friday, February 17 to install an
earthquake monitoring device after major aftershocks were recorded in the
Province of Dinagat Islands even when no existing faults cut across the island
province.
On February 10, the Surigao earthquake was also
felt by the residents in Dinagat Islands. But unlike Surigao, the Province of
Dinagat Islands managed to shun the devastation, reported zero injuries and
casualties and recorded only a few damaged infrastructures.
However, the Philvolcs team expressed that the
number of aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 2.2 up to 3.0 recorded in
the province is in the same range with the aftershocks happening in Surigao
City.
The aftershocks felt by the Dinagatnons puzzled the
Phivolcs Team who are also monitoring aftershocks in Surigao City and nearby
towns in mainland Surigao del Norte. According to Engr. Melchor P. Lasala of
Phivolcs, the sudden shift of the majority of earthquake aftershocks towards
Dinagat Islands is unusual as since there is no major fault located in the
island province.
“What is interesting about this phenomena is the
aftershocks are not identical to each other. They have different intensity and
the epicenters weren’t concentrated in the same location,” explains Engr.
Lasala.
Fourty-one aftershocks were already recorded with
epicenters located near Municipality of Basilisa, San Jose and Dinagat. The
recently recorded in this series is a 2.9 intensity aftershock in the
Municipality of Loreto.
The Phivolcs team installed the earthquake
monitoring device to further observe this unusual phenomena. The team secured
the device in the town of San Jose and tasked the DOST Provincial Office of
Dinagat Islands to watch over the device. The primary function of the device is
to record sudden soil movement in the area in a period of time. The device is
equipped with a Geographic Positioning System (GPS and other applications that
are vital to the monitoring of any movement.
The Phivolcs team will visit the island bimonthly
to inspect and monitor the device. Phivolcs urged Dinagatnons to report any
sightings of unusual cracks in the soil and be resilient with the aftershocks
that will continue to occur. (DOST-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Feature: Behind CRAM 2017: An expression of
gratitude
By Liza M. Guinguing
The success of Caraga Regional Athletic Meet (CRAM)
2017 in Tandag City can be attributed to the confidence and motivation from the
prime movers of the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office led by the
Dr. May B. Eclar; likewise the highly
capable and spirited CRAM Technical Working Group, to the support and willpower
of the front-runners of the 12 participating divisions, provinces and cities.
More so, for the exemplary coordination in bringing together the people of the
host province, city and divisions.
Together, all have opened a new chapter of the
sporting history of Caraga Region as well as showcased to the country the
appeal as sports capital. The participation of all has promoted the spirit of
solidarity. The games have become not just an important event in the regional
sports calendar but also a platform for friendship and cultural exchanges across the region.
At this moment when the flame is about to
extinguished, it is but fitting to give due credit and recognition to the
inter-agency tasking deeply rooted from the strong leadership of Surigao del
Sur Provincial Governor Vicente T. Pimentel, Jr. and his working associates,
Tandag City Mayor Alexander T. Pimentel, Representative of First District
Prospero A. Pichay and Representative of the Second District Johnny T. Pimentel.
From its opening salvo, to the daily sporting
activities, all the people behind are in full gear to see to it that everything
is in place. Their hard work is remunerated by the capability of the Steering
Committee composed of the Schools Division Superintendents of Surigao del Sur,
Dr. Marilou B. Dedumo, CESO V and Tandag City, Dr. Gregoria T. Su, PESS and
Education Supervisors and other Division Personnel.
From this strong partnership, yields the
excellence-motivated services of the people who worked in the field. One of
SurSur’s brand of hospitality is making sure that all are properly billeted,
welcomed and supplied with enough essentials. In addition, Police Officers,
Personnel from Philippine Army, Fire Marshals, Waste Management In-charge, CAT
Officers, Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts, Medical Team, private Contributors are
visible all over Tandag specially in the different sporting areas.
The officiating officials who ensured the fair and
smooth conduct of the games; the working Committee on Finance, Souvenir
Program, Ground Preparation, Publicity/Media/Communication, Billeting
Facilities, Playing Venues, ID’s of Athletic Delegation, Athletic
Equipment/Procurement of Sports Materials, Technical Assistance, General
Services, Security, Peace and order, Medical, Dental, Sanitation, and Emergency
Preparedness, Transportation, Prizes, Trophies, and Awards, Upkeep of
Grandstand and other Playing Venues, Usherettes, Grand and Oval Parade,
Inspectorate, Mass and Church Services, Corsage/Leis and Tokens, Lightning
Facilities, Sound System, Water Facilities, Guests Accommodation, Flagpoles,
Strings, Torch, and Banners, Welcome Signage, Signs and Tarpaulins, Stage
Decoration, Program Hosting, Food and Refreshment, Mass Field Demonstration and
Chorale/Ceremonial Cutting of Ribbon have remarkably shown their best shot to
make sure that all of the planned activities and preparations will be realized.
The whole CRAM endeavor reveals not just the sports
aptitude of the young Caraganon athletes but as well as the nobility of these
seemingly modern day heroes whose noble acts may not have been printed on books
but are the best imprinted on the head, hand and heart of these promising
athletes.
Truly, the people who worked collectively behind
CRAM 2017 are the wind beneath the wings of these determined athletes as they
soar higher in their quest of fulfilling their sports potentials.
(DepEd/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Agusan del Norte reigns special games
By Lyoid Hunahuna
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Feb. 23 (PIA) - The
special games of the 20th Caraga Regional Athletic (CRAM) winded up with
triumphant smiles from the special children, coaches and delegation officials
from the division of Agusan del Norte as they were hailed as over all champion
of the CRAM special events garnering a total
of 15 gold, 11 silver and five bronze medals.
Receiving their medals and trophies, the CRAM
partakers with special needs together with their coaches of Agusan del Norte
expressed their happiness as they stood on the victory stand signifying their
triumph in the different athletic events over the other 11 delegations despite
their disabilities.
On the other hand, the special athletes from
Siargao Islands ranked as over-all 1st runner up copping 15 gold, eight silver
and 11 bronze medals while Cabadbaran City racked up eight gold, seven silver
and three bronze medals, and landed as 2nd runner up. (DepEd/PIA-Surigao del
Sur)
43 students sign scholarship with DOST Caraga
By Gabrielle Espinosa
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 23 (PIA) - A total of 43 scholars
from the different state universities and colleges (SUCs) and private
institutions in Caraga recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the granting of their Junior
Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) effective this school year 2016-2017.
The JLSS orientation and MoA signing was conducted
consecutively in three separate venues: Caraga State University, Philippine
Normal University and Surigao State College of Technology.
Policies of the scholarship agreement were
discussed with the students along with their parents during the MoA signing and
orientation.
Ricardo Varela, chief of the technical operations
of DOST Caraga, emphasized the responsibility that the students bring with them
not only as DOST scholars but also as future S&T contributors in the
country.
“The number of scholars who have passionately and
seriously pursued their field have been decreasing in this country. As DOST
scholars, you have to look more than just being a scholar and the
responsibilities this entails even after you graduate. We believe that you are
one of those chosen few who will greatly contribute to nation building. We hope
that you will not fail your countrymen,” Varela said.
Meriam Bouquia, the regional scholarship
coordinator, also explained the different privileges that the scholars can get
after their graduation. According to Bouquia, the scholars can still acquire
scholarships from other institutions providing that it does not conflict with
the general policies stipulated under the JLSS Memorandum of Agreement.
The Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) is one
of the S&T scholarships of DOST Science Education Institution catered to
the on-going regular 3rd year students with Bachelor of Science degrees in the field
of natural sciences, engineering and mathematics. This year’s pioneering batch
of JLSS scholars will be given 2-3 years of scholarship contract, depending on
the course they are taking in. (DOST-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI Surigao Norte, SEC remind public on investment
scam
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Feb. 23 (PIA) –
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Surigao del Norte has posted its
latest advisory from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding the
companies SUREADZ/SUREADZ, J.I. JOE Marketing, 7Seals Trading and Fazcoin
Marketing Services.
The said companies are engaged in illegal
solicitation of investments by enticing the public to invest in its Revenue
Profit Shares/Revenue Shares Investment and Hybrid Marketing Compensation Plan
for a minimum amount of P1,000 or up to P1,000.000 for a promise of 100 percent
return/profit upon maturity date or expiration of term (either 60-day term or
30-day term) as preferred by the investor plus 10 percent commissions at the
end of the term.
Per verification by the Commission, said companies
are not authorized to solicit investments from the public as these entities did
not secure prior registration and/or license or permit to solicit investments
from SEC as required under Section 8.1 of the Securities Regulation Code.
The SEC also added that those who invite or recruit
other people to join or invest in the said venture or other investment
contracts or securities to the public maybe held criminally liable or
accordingly sanctioned or penalized, in accordance with the Supreme Court
decision in the case of SEC vs. Oudine Santos (G.R No. 19554, March 19, 2014).
The public is hereby advised to stop investing and
recruiting other people to invest money into such scheme and to take the
necessary precautions in dealing with the above-named entities and their
representatives.
The SEC is requesting the public to call their
office at SEC Cagayan de Oro Extension Office at Telephone Numbers (088) 857-4235
or 857-7225 for more information regarding the operation of the said entities.
(SEC/DTI-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
