Pilmico provides assistance to Surigao 6.7 quake
survivors
By Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) – The Pilmico Foods
Corporation has provided essential relief goods, technical and veterinary
assistance to the survivors of the 6.7 magnitude quake that hit Surigao City on
the evening of Februay10.
According to Anna Gail Carreon, Pilmico corporate
communications and media relations’ supervisor, after the earthquake, the
Caraga Feeds Sales team has mobilized four groups to provide relief goods,
technical and veterinary assistance.
The teams, according to Carreon were deployed to
various earthquake-affected areas together with local government units’
representatives. They distributed food packs, distilled water, medicines,
animal health kits as well as construction materials.
They have also provided assistance to 82 families
or more than hundreds of individuals in the barangays of Ipil and Mat-I in
Surigao City and Poblacion, Diaz and Banbanon in the municipality of San
Francisco in Surigao del Norte.
“Because of the assistance provided by Pilmico, Surigao
del Norte governor Sol Matugas has acknowledged and thanked Pilmico and the
Caraga Feed Sales Team for their quick response,” said Carreon.
The strong quake that being experienced by the
Surigaonons that caused huge damage to their properties and even lives prompted
Pilmico to help rebuild the livelihoods of the survivors by providing
assistance to the backyard raisers, whose pig pens were damaged in order to get
their livelihoods back on track, Carreon added. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao Norte GADCC joins National Women’s Month
Celebration
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Mar. 8 (PIA) – The
Surigao del Norte Provincial Gender and Development Coordinating Council
(GADCC) joined the nation in the observance of the National Women’s Month
Celebration this whole month of March.
This year’s celebration carries the theme, “We Make
Change Work for Women.”
This special celebration is aimed to highlight the
vital role and important contributions of women to the society.
The celebration kicked-off this morning, March 8
with a thanksgivng mass followed by a motorcade around the city and opening
program proper at the Provincial Police Office Gym, this city.
Right after the opening program, a forum on Solo
Parent Act was conducted led by Committee on Gender Women, Family Development
chairperson Board Member Leonila P. Gorgolon. A zumba exercise wrapped up the
morning activities.
Also, as part of the celebration, the Commission on
Election (COMELEC) Surigao del Norte provincial office led by Provincial
Election Supervisor Atty. Geraldine Samson and the local government units of
Placer and Dapa conducted a special registration for women in hospitals.
Prior to the kicked-off activity, a flag raising
and hanging of tarpaulin was conducted on March 1. On March 6, the Provincial
Women’s Center (PWC) hosted the Monday Morning Sharing activity held at the
Provincial Convention Center here.
PWC Officer Florian T. Trinidad said that other
lined-up activites for the month-long celebration include: Buntis Day on March
10 at Barangay San Jaun, Surigao City; Free Pap-smear for Rural Health Unit
personnel (year round); Consumer Education Seminar on March 13-17 at Go Negosyo
Center, Simtoco Building; Community Eye Health Program on March 14 infront of
Provincial Gym; GAD Team Building/Laro ng Lahi on March 18 at Kuya’s Beach
Resort.
Sukailang: Farm Tourism Promotion and Day-asan:
Food Handling Training on March 23-24; Barangay Danawan/Buenavista: Beach
clean-up then leaisure fishing/swimming/culmination activity and GAD Focal
Point System Forum on March 30; Municipal Wide-Women’s Month Culmination
Program on March 31; Radio Program every Monday 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. at
CMN-DXSN and every Friday 2:30 p.m. -3:00 p.m. at RPN-DXKS; and Zumba for
Senior Citizens every Friday 4:00 p.m. at the Surigao City Luneta Park.
(PIA-Surigao del Norte)
PNP Caraga resumes anti-illegal drugs operations
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) - After a month of
suspension of the anti-illegal drug operations, Caraga police operatives and
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 13 personnel arrested nine suspects
and seized 18 grams of shabu valued at P221,899 during a series of operations
region wide.
Arrested during the operation on Tuesday dawn in
Brgy. Doongan, Butuan City were Jabbar Dangcogan, 23, Abulkhayr Dangcogan, 45,
and Farhan Pantao, 19, all residents of Brgy. Sandoc, Marawi City.
Another operation conducted by Tandag City police
operatives that resulted in the arrest of Thelma Meras, 52, Janibel Cacas, 28
and Bobby Abrigo, 29, all residents of Brgy. Dagocdoc, Tandag City.
Meanwhile, Cabadbaran cops apprehended Raul
Cabillon, 42, in Brgy. 4, Cabadbaran City and Surigao City Police Station
nabbed Clementino Sinday, 39 of Brgy. Canlanipa and Candy Sarsaba, 24 of Brgy.
Sabang, Surigao City.
“Our operatives seized 23 sachets of suspected
shabu and some illegal drug paraphernalia,” Caraga Police director Chief Supt
Rolando Felix said.
Suspects are placed under the custody of the
authorities while cases for violation of Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Board
have been prepared against them.
“Our new anti-illegal drug campaign dubbed as
Project Double Barrel Reloaded has two parts--- a revitalized Project HVT, the
campaign to go after the high-value targets or big time personalities and
groups, and a reformed Oplan Tokhang in which policemen with religious leaders,
Barangay officials and other stakeholders knocked on doors of houses of
suspected drug users and pushers,” Felix added. (PNP-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Kalahi-CIDSS turns over PAMANA, BuB projects in
SurSur town
By Ranah May G. Martinez and Marko Davey D. Reyes
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 8 – The Kapit Bisig Laban sa
Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services
(Kalahi-CIDSS) has recently turned over and inaugurated seven PAyapa at
MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) and two Kalahi-CIDSS Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB)
community sub-projects.
It was a big homerun celebration for Bayabas and
all Bayabasnons.
Added mix to the highlight of such jubilant moment
was the Municipal Orientation for Kalahi-CIDDS National Community Driven Development
Program (NCDDP) with which they have finalized the engagement with the signing
of the Memorandum of Agreement that same day at Solomon P. Lozada National High
School Covered Court, Brgy. Amag, Bayabas, Surigao del Sur.
Inaugurated were one unit – two classroom building
and drainage canal situated at Brgy. Amag, drainage canal in Brgy. Balete
(Pob.), single barred box culvert in Brgy. Cabugo, 22 units electric powered
street lights situated in Brgy. Cagbaoto, drainage canals in Brgy. La Paz and Brgy.
Panaosawon and found in Brgy. Magobawok (Pob.), a gravity driven water system.
Municipal Mayor Maria Clarita Limbaro, Sanguniang
Bayan Chief and members, heads of offices, Barangay Captains and their Barangay
Councils, Kalahi-CIDDS Bayabas Area Coordinating team and the community
volunteers ecstatically participated the big event as it progressively unfolded
the entire day.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) Caraga was represented by Engr. Vinnes V. Lastimado from the Kalahi-CIDSS
Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) and Sub-regional Program Management
Coordinator Juvy Echevaria. Both discussed to the eager Bayabasnons the
Kalahi-CIDDS initiative, its procedural operation, the role of the community
and the impact of volunteerism to the success and completion of the
sub-projects.
Also serving as a heartfelt take away from the
momentous event was the message of Mayor Limbaro inspiring those who were
present during the event.
“Kita nga taga-Bayabas walay bahandi nga ikapanghinambog
pag-abot sa materyal ug pinansyal nga
aspeto. Apan mapagarbuhon ako muingon nga ang bahandi sa taga-Bayabas ang
pagtinabangay para sa ato pag-uswag. Ang mahimo sa atong mga kamot ug kusog
para sa kaayuhan sa tanan dili ikabaylo sa unsa pang lain bahandi, (The
Bayabasnon wealth is not measured in terms of material and financial aspects.
We are not wealthy at all. But with great pride I shall say that the wealth of
Bayasbas is the helpful and selfless nature of our people. What our hands and
force can do for the betterment of the entire community cannot be traded for
anything else),” she said.
Engr. Lastimado also gave praise to the communities
of Bayabas. "The enthusiasm and fervour of Bayabas was very evident that
even OIC-RD Mita Chuchi Lim took notice and was captivated. From Makamasang
Tugon (earlier Kalahi-CIDDS initiative) to the most recently turned over and
inaugurated projects through PAMANA and BuB, the people of Bayabas never failed
to deliver their share of every bargain,” he said.
Truly, nothing could ever go wrong with genuine
practice of Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo, which the DSWD takes pride as
its brand of service. This mantra, hopefully, would be imparted to all
partner-stakeholders, improving the kind of service to the poor and
marginalized, making it possible for the agency to effectively address the
needs of the people through its programs and services. (Social Marketing
Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
PH and Japan to cooperate on Mindanao power
priorities
DAVAO CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) – The Philippine
Government, through the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) together with
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) agreed a set of priority
development areas for Mindanao’s power sector at a recent Mindanao Power and
Energy Seminar held here at the Marco Polo Hotel.
Among the identified priority projects for possible
collaboration include the rehabilitation of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower
Complexes, the improvement of the disaster resiliency of power distribution
networks, the promotion of renewable energy (RE) such as geothermal and wind
power, and the enhancement of electricity distribution in areas with low
electrification rates, such as in the Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi (BASULTA) area.
Japan is prepared to offer two-step loans for
projects under the identified priority areas, while feasibility studies will be
offered as grants. A two-step loan is a type of loan where funds pass through a
commercial bank or other financial institution before being released to the
end-beneficiaries. Technical experts will also be made available through the
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“While it is truly worth noting that we are now
entering an era of excess power supply in the island-region, it is then crucial
to shift our focus from supply deficiency to the cost of generating
electricity,” said MinDA Chairman, Secretary Datu Abul Khayr Alonto during the
seminar.
He added that recent investments in Mindanao’s
power sector has assured the island-region of an excess of 1,000 megawatts (MW)
as of December 2016, easing fears of a lack of supply to meet the projected
growth in demand and the required reserves.
The rapid growth of the manufacturing, real estate,
services, and agribusiness sectors however, resulted to a surging demand for
electricity, projected to require at least 500 MW of new capacity by 2016,
another 500MW by 2020, and 1,600MW by 2030.
The entry of more fossil-fuel based power plants,
particularly coal, is projected to raise the cost of electricity in the
island-region. Power generated by fossil-fuels now accounts for 69 percent in
Mindanao, with coal accounting for 40 percent. Shares of hydro, geothermal,
solar and biomass fell to just 31 percent of the total power generated.
“We have
been pushing for investments in renewable energy by significantly fast-tracking
the project application process from three to five years down to two to three
years through our One-Stop Facilitation and Monitoring Center (OSFMC),” said
Secretary Alonto.
To promote the use of renewable energy and lower
electricity rates, METI proposed the introduction of wind power plants in
viable areas in North-Eastern Mindanao, particularly in the province of Surigao
including the islands of Dinagat and Siargao.
MinDA Deputy Executive Director Assistant Secretary
Romeo Montenegro emphasized during his presentation on the state of Mindanao’s
power sector that “the entry of more RE sources of energy will help ensure that
Mindanao’s electricity rates remain as the most competitive in the country.”
The METI is also proposing for the use of
small-sized geothermal power plants in the range of 2-7MW as these can be put
up faster and cheaper because of their smaller scale.
“In line
with the effort to increase the region’s RE capacities, MinDA is also lobbying
for the rehabilitation and uprating of the Agus-Pulangi Hydropower Complexes
(APHC), both of which used to provide over 70 percent of Mindanao’s power
requirements,” added Montenegro.
From an original manufacturer’s combined installed
capacity of 982MW, the APHC can now only be depended upon to produce a maximum
of around 750MW at any given time. Currently, both complexes are producing
680MW, far below their potential without the necessary power plant
rehabilitation works.
The rehabilitation of existing power plants would
also improve their efficiency, further reducing the cost of power generation.
Organized jointly by MinDA and METI, the event
brought together key public and private stakeholders of Mindanao’s power sector
with representatives of Japanese industries to explore appropriate solutions to
the island-regions’ unique energy landscape. (MinDA/PIA-Caraga)
DOH Caraga supports women's month celebration
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 8 - The Department of Health
(DOH) Caraga together with other national agencies celebrates Women's month by
various activities primarily spearheaded by the Commission on Human Rights
(CHR).
Proclamation No. 227 s. of 1988 provides the
observance of women’s role in the month of March. The National Women’s Month
Celebration every March is part of the worldwide observance of the
International Women’s Day (IWD). This year’s theme is, “WE Make Change Work for
Women.”
DOH as one of the council members of the Regional
Gender and Development Council (RGADC) committed to assist in the various
activities like lined up like jail visitation to women inmates of Butuan City;
90th Regional Development Council meeting; Motorcade, Thanksgiving Mass and
Signing of Memorandum of Partnership with Philippine Commission on Women (PCW)
and RGADC on March 8.
“Women are our partners for change. True compassion
and real change all starts with equality between man and woman,” said DOH Caraga
regional director Jose R. Llacuna, Jr.
This year’s theme comes with definitive elements.
WE stand for Women Empowerment. This is to enjoin women to actively take part
in meaningful institutions for development and changes. While, the ‘Make Change
Work’ also equates for the Magna Carta for Women that simply strengthens the
existing functional mechanism and further improve it to cater strategic gender
needs of women and that it is implemented at all levels—down to the barangay
level. (DOH-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DOH Caraga joins 'Black Monday' protest for slain
doctor
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 8
– The Department of Health (DOH) Caraga sympathizes with the bereaved
family of the late Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas by participating in the nationwide
mourning on Monday, March 6 or as the health sector would refer to it as ‘Black
Monday’ protest.
Dr. Perlas was a DOH scholar in his medicine years
and was a part of the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program for two years
before he was absorbed in the local government unit (LGU) that he served. The
municipality where he worked was known for scarcity of doctors that lasted for
12 years until Perlas‘ deployment. Social reforms and community service in
depressed areas were some of his obvious fervor. Unfortunately, he was shot
last March 1 from an unknown suspect.
“Doctors like Dreyfuss are rare nowadays. He was a
true and an unsung hero not only in the local community but to the entire
country because he had the courage to stay in an area unknown but eventually
loved by him despite the risk it will cause him in the name of health service,”
regional director Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. said.
At the same time, Llacuna appealed to the LGUs to
protect their doctors, improve their working conditions and safeguard their
benefits and safety especially those assigned in far flung areas.
The Black Monday protest by the region was
participated by the different personnel and staff of DOH provincial offices,
provincial health offices, and LGUs. Majority of the participants wore
something white with black armbands. This was the symbolic gesture of unity for
a cause. This was also to call for justice for the untimely death of the Dr.
Perlas and to bring attention to the needs of all frontline health workers
against violence, harassment and denial of legal benefits and other privileges
specifically in high risk areas.
“Let us not allow this to drain with history.
Doctor Dreyfuss died for nothing. Although he could’ve served thousands of
patients, let this be our strong point to continue the battle of protecting not
only the security of all health workers but the much assistance and welfare
they deserved,” Llacuna concluded.
Initial instructions were also made from the Health
Secretary to revisit and amend the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers with
emphasis to the benefits of those who are assigned in challenging posts.
(DOH-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
