GIZ-COSERAM to hold 3rd Partners’ Forum in Butuan
City
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) – The Conflict Sensitive
Resource and Asset Management (COSERAM) Program, supported by the German
Development Cooperation (GIZ) is set to hold the 3rd Partners’ Forum on April
5-6, 2017 at Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort, this city.
Sais activity is also in partnership with other
government agencies, which include the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Commission on
Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace
Process (OPAPP).
GIZ principal advisor Peter Hauschnik bared that
some 200 participants are expected to attend said forum which are composed of
representatives from national, regional and local government agencies, academe
and civil society organizations.
“The forum aims to provide a venue for stock-taking
and looking ahead: Two years into Phase 2 of COSERAM. With this event, we would
like to offer the opportunity to build bridges of experiences between the
involved stakeholders. It shall serve also as a venue of information exchange
between the three COSERAM regions (Caraga, Region 10 and 11) as well as
national level on lessons learned throughout the course of implementation of
COSERAM,” underlined Hauschnik.
For more information on the said event, the GIZ can
be reached at telephone number (02) 814-0719; 651-5167. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Law enforcers, prosecutors enhance knowledge,
skills on TIP
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) – Law enforcers and
prosecutors in Caraga region will be participating in the two-day training
workshop dubbed “Affidavit Drafting Workshop on Trafficking in Persons (TIP)
for Region XIII Investigators and Prosecutors” on March 29-30, 2017 in one of
the local convention centers here.
The Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking
(IACAT), in partnership with the United States Department of Justice – Criminal
Division, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Assistant and Training (OPDAT) and
Criminologist and Criminal Justice Professionals (PSCCJP), spearheads said
activity.
Atty. Clementino Rabor, assistant regional
prosecutor and regional task force head of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Task
Force in Caraga bared that the two-day training workshop is designed to enhance
the competencies of the law enforcers and prosecutors in combating human
trafficking, specifically in the Caraga region.
“It aims to better equip the participants with
knowledge and skills in investigating and building-up solid human trafficking
cases to ensure a conviction as well as to establish better coordination and
cooperation among relevant stakeholders,” underlined Rabor.
It was also learned that employees from the
different government agencies who have related functions and responsibilities
handling trafficking cases or issues and concerns could also participate as
observers during said activity. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
SurSur
guv delighted over resumption of peace talks
By
Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 16 (PIA) – Surigao del Sur Provincial Governor
Vicente Pimentel Jr. was delighted over the resumption of peace talks between
the Philippine Government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New
People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in April this year.
In
a radio interview, the provincial governor said that there is a need for the
resumption of peace talks between the national government and the CPP-NPA-NDF
in order to achieve long lasting peace.
Pimentel
believed that the four-decade conflict has already affected the source of
income and livelihood of the people in the affected areas.
Despite
series of anti-insurgency operations conducted late last year, Governor
Pimentel as well as the military and police authorities confirmed that no
“bloody encounter” between the government and the NPA rebels had happened in
Surigao del Sur. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
SurSur
employees commemorate Women’s Month celebration
By
Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 16 (PIA) - The provincial employees of Surigao del
Sur with the national line agencies joined the nation in celebrating the
Women’s Month this year with series of activities lined up for the month of
March.
The
celebration kicked-off with the fun run and “Hataw” (Zumba) on March 1
facilitated by the Surigao del Sur Women Employees Association (SSWEA) in
partnership with the Provincial Government Office.
On
March 8, as part of the International Women’s Day celebration, a symposium was
conducted participated by the women employees from the different national line
agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations, and provincial
government.
Ma.
Carla Lopez Pichay, journalist, entrepreneur and first lady of 1st District
Congressman Prospero Pichay Jr, was the event's keynote speaker.
Meanwhile,
the Philippines' first woman chess grandmaster Janelle Mae Frayna also graced
the occasion. “Since it’s women’s month, I want to inform you all that the
Filipino women chess players are as brilliant as the men grandmasters,"
Frayna said.
Earlier
this month, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) facilitated the diet counseling,
while the Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center (ASTMMC) facilitated the pap
smear and laboratory examination for all the women.
The
month-long celebration will culminate on March 27, which will be highlighted
with the Health Summit and the Gabay sa Negosyo Video Presentation with the
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Dinagat Islands LGU celebrates Women’s Month
By Susil D. Ragas
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Mar. 16 (PIA) - The
provincial government of Dinagat Islands conducted a convergence activity
dubbed “Handog Serbisyo nan Probinsya Para sa mga Kababayen-an sa Dinagat
Islands” on March 15, 2017 held at the Dinagat Municipal Gym, this province.
The one-day activity is in line with the
celebration of Women’s Month, this whole month of March with the theme, “We
Make Change Work for Women.”
During the said event, the Provincial Health Office
served different services for free such as provision of multivitamins with iron
to all pregnant women, laboratory examination (blood sugar testing to 200
women), hepatitis B screening and dental examination.
The Provincial Agriculturist Office also
distributed commercial vegetable seeds such as ampalaya seeds (140 pouches),
pole sitaw (130 pouches), eggplant (130 pouches), sweet pepper (140 pouches),
okra (10 kilograms), tomato seeds (130 pouches), upland kangkong (10
kilograms), and organic fertilizer (117 liters).
Meanwhile, the Provincial Social Welfare and
Development Office distributed financial assistance worth P200 to indigenous
mothers of the municipality under the survival and subsistence level.
Further, the municipality of Dinagat received
recently an award for being the first placer in Accessibility Compliant
Municipality with cash incentives worth P15,000 pesos from board member Nilo P.
Demerey, Jr.
Hundreds of empowered women from the 12 barangays
of the said municipality participated the activity. (PIO-Dinagat
Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
COMELEC to conduct satellite registration for PWDs,
senior citizens in Butuan City
By Regal C. Oribia
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) - In line with the
existing Commission on Elections (COMELEC) resolution for registration of
persons with disability (PWD), senior citizens, heavily pregnant women and
other vulnerable sectors of our society, COMELEC-Butuan will be conducting a
Special Satellite Registration at Robinsons Place Main Atrium on Sunday, March 19,
2017, this city.
The event will start at 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
“This is for the convenience of the registrants on that special day, in
preparation for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections
slated on October 23, 2017," said election officer Atty. Samuel Rollo.
“We will also be having a last six days of
registration starting April 24 until the 29th in the same venue to ensure the
convenience and safety of the registrants as well as the personnel,” added
Rollo. (RCO/PIA-Caraga)
NPA rebels attack AgNor town; 89 families displaced
By 2Lt. Ashley Mae del Rosario
CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, Mar. 16 (PIA) –
The New People’s Army (NPA) rebels attacked the community of Brgy. Hinimbangan,
Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte forcing 89 families to evacuate at the municipal
gymnasium of Brgy. Crossing, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte on March 15, 2017.
Accordingly, the NPA guerrillas attacked the
soldiers of the 29th Infantry Battalion (29IB), Philippine Army who are
conducting development support and security operations in Barangay Hinambangan
in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.
According to the residents, the NPA rebels forced
the school faculty to cancel their classes while other NPA guerillas
indiscriminately fired upon the houses in the community.
“Once again, the NPAs have violated the Comprehensive
Agreement on Respect to Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law
(CARHRIHL), which is the only document that was duly signed by the GRP and NDF
when they indiscriminately attacked the said community that caused the eventual
and force evacuation of the people," said 29IB Battalion Commander LTC
Glenn Joy Aynera.
"Our troops were there to help the LGU in
identifying the needs of the community in order to alleviate their living
condition. However, this terroristic attack of the NPAs sowed fear among the
people in that community. Rest assured that together with the PNP we will
defend the community and will bring back the peace and order in the area,"
Aynera added.
Meanwhile, the 29IB troopers coordinated with the
local government unit of Kitcharao to address the basic needs of the displaced
families in the area.
Likewise, they also distributed relief goods and
food packs together with the Municipal Social Welfare Development.
"Despite the incident, we are still thankful
that the people in that community still vowed to fully support the development
programs of the government especially that it will benefit their families. With
this, the 29th Infantry Battalion will continue its efforts in solving the
insurgency situation that hinders the peace and development in the area,"
Aynera concluded. (PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DA-ACPC extends SURE loan package to calamity
stricken farmers
By Aurelius P. Arais
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 16 (PIA) - A sure and faster way
of helping affected small farmers to recover from recent severe flooding in
Caraga Region has been given utmost priority of the government.
After Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary
Emmanuel PiΓ±ol’s ground assessment of affected areas in Caraga, the DA
immediately provided a recovery loan package called SURE program.
SURE, which stands for Survival and Recovery, gives
access to farmers to avail of an interest-free loan package amounting P25,000
payable in three years.
The loan package is now implemented through DA’s
Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) in partnership with conduit banks,
cooperatives and other financial institutions whichever is accessible to the
farmers in affected areas.
ACPC Administrative Officer Noel Clarence Ducusin
said that the SURE program is a response of the government to help the farmers
recover faster from damages brought by intermittent weather conditions and
calamities.
“After Secretary PiΓ±ol saw in person the extent of
damage on farms during his personal visit here in Caraga Region, ACPC
immediately formulated the guidelines for this kind of loan package,” Ducusin
revealed.
As per guideline, SURE recovery loan package is
extended to small farmers whose farms incurred considerable damages brought by
calamities and is situated in an area declared under the state of
calamity. SURE gives priority to small
farmers, meaning, a farmer whose land area is not more than five hectares.
The said loan package is designed to finance the
requirements of rehabilitating the farms, and or livelihood activities of
fisherfolks to include the purchase of production inputs, repair of farm or
fishery assets, acquisition of livestock or working animals.
Typhoon Auring and the Tail-End of the Cold Front
last January has placed 12 municipalities in Agusan del Sur, three
municipalities in Agusan del Norte and the city of Butuan under the state of
calamity.
Currently, ACPC is awaiting the final lists of
affected farmers who may qualify the loan portfolio from the respective local
government units to ascertain the needed amount and to give the go signal to
the financial conduits to start releasing the loan package. The loan package is
also open to fisherfolks. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
