Caraga RIACAT-VAWC focal persons to join anti-TIP
confab in Cebu
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 (PIA) – The focal persons for
Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Trafficking – Violence Against Women
and their Children (RIACAT-VAWC) Caraga coming from the different government
agencies are set to participate in the National Conference on Anti-Trafficking
in Persons (TIP) on July 6-7, 2017 in Montebello Villa Hotel Resort, Banilad,
Cebu City.
Said activity is spearheaded by the Justice, Peace
and Integrity of Creation – Integrated Development Center, Incorporated
(JPIC-IDC, Inc.), in partnership with the Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Karl Kubel Stiftung of Germany (KKS).
According to regional director Mita Chuchi
Gupana-Lim of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga
and lead agency of RIACAT-VAWC, the national conference is aimed to win renewed
commitment for intensified efforts to combat human trafficking, promote public
consciousness and other preventive measures, and ensures protection of victims
and reinforced prosecution.
“Trafficking in person is one of the worst forms of
violation of human rights that impaired the sense of worth and dignity of the
victims. Almost all places are affected by human trafficking, whether as a
place of origin, transit or destination for victims. Realizing the continued
impact of this problem calls on every advocate and duty-bearers to recognize
our shared responsibility,” relayed Lim.
It was also learned that apart from attending the
national conference on Anti-TIP, the member agencies thru its focal persons
will also convene on June 1-2, 2017 for its second quarterly meeting to be held
in San Agustin, Surigao del Sur. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DTI-SDS briefs media partners on KMME Program
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, May 12 (PIA) – The
Department of Trade and Education (DTI)-Surigao del Sur provincial office has
briefed the local media partners on the benefits of the Kapatid Mentor ME
(KMME) program held recently at Villa Maria Luisa Hotel, this city.
DTI assistant regional director Lolita I. Dorado
said the KMME program is an initiative of the DTI and the Philippine Center for
Entrepreneurship-Go Negosyo (PCE) to help micro and small enterprises improve
their business operations through weekly coaching and mentoring by selected
local industry practitioners (mentors). She emphasized that on initial
implementation, 20 entrepreneurs or mentees were selected from among the
regular clients of DTI-SDS to undergo an 11-week business course.
PCE Senior Project Officer Jahaziel Ann La Guardia
clarified that the course will help the mentees scale-up their operation from
micro small and from survival to sustainable enterprises. She also added that
PCE designed the guidelines for selecting the mentees.
Meanwhile, DTI-SDS chief Romel Oribe explained that
the mentees are expected to finish or complete the course and present their
Business Improvement Plan to the mentors at the end of the program. The implementation
of their plan shall be monitored regularly.
Oribe then urged the media people to help promote
DTI's programs and services to the grassroots. He also asked the media to help
DTI inform MSMEs that the Negosyo Centers are ready to assist them. (DTI/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
DILG 13: All systems go for SGLG 2017 assessment
By Don Manuelo O. Patrimonio
BUTUAN CITY, May 12 - The search for good
performing Local Government Units to be accorded the prestigious Seal of Good
Local Governance (SGLG) for 2017 has once again been initiated by the
Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region XIII (DILG 13) as
technical personnel in the regional office, provincial offices, down to the
field officers start crunching data and accomplishing forms to assess and
determine eligibility of the 67 municipal, six cities and five provincial
governments across Caraga Region to the SGLG and the Performance Challenge Fund
(PCF) that goes along with it.
The SGLG is among the DILG’s flagship programs as
it symbolizes integrity and good performance of local governments through
continuing governance reform and sustained local development. It is a
progressive assessment system adopted by the Department to give distinction to
remarkable local government performance across several areas.
For 2017, the DILG raises its overall assessment
criteria from “3+1” into “4+1”. In other words, LGUs now have to pass four core
assessment areas plus at least one of the three essential assessment areas in
order to qualify for the SGLG. In the 2016 assessment, LGUs only had to pass
three core areas plus at least one assessment area.
From being
one of the essential areas in 2016, Peace and Order has now been added to the
core areas together with Financial Administration, Disaster Preparedness, and
Social Protection. And this year, a new essential area—Tourism, Culture and the
Arts—is likewise introduced to measure LGU efforts along these concerns. It
joins the other essential assessment areas of Environmental Management and
Business Friendliness and Competitiveness.
As such, all 81 provinces, 145 cities and 1,489
municipalities nationwide shall be subjected to the SGLG. In Caraga Region, all
five provinces, six cities and 67 municipalities shall be covered.
Foremost in the phases of the SGLG implementation
is the Regional Assessment wherein data gathering, validation and certification
and on-line data entry and calibration are done.
To jumpstart the SGLG 2017 assessment, the DILG 13
conducted an orientation on the operational guidelines for the implementation
of the SGLG 2017 last April 28, 2017 in Grand Palace Hotel, Butuan City, among
DILG regional and field personnel, along with representatives from the Civil
Society Organizations (CSOs).
And in order to ensure that the data collected by
the Provincial/City/Municipal Local Government Operations Officers for the SGLG
are reliable, Regional Assessment Teams (RAT) comprising DILG personnel, CSO
partners and selected National Government Agencies (NGAs), shall take the lead
in the validation and certification of LGU evidence through appropriate methods
such as documentary review, interview and onsite inspection.
The CSOs involved in the regional assessments were:
Educational Discipline in Culture and Area-Based Development Services, Inc.
(EDCADS); Propegemus Foundation Inc.;
Surigao del Norte People Initiative Development (SNPIDA); Wilson Agra
Multi-Purpose Cooperative (WAMPCO); Surigao del Sur Organization for Human
Development (SSOFHDEV); Surigao del Norte NGO Coalition for Development (SUNGCOD);
Sibog Katawhan Alang sa Paglambo, Inc. (SIKAP); Social Action Center of the
Diocese of Butuan; Mary Mediatrix of All Grace Foundation; Ruben Edera Ecleo
Sr. Foundation, Inc. (REESFI); Agusanong Kahugpungan sa Kababayen-an sa Agusan
del Norte (AGUKAKABA); Wilson Agra Multi-Purpose Cooperative (WAMPCO); and
Balay Mindanao Foundation, Inc. (BMFI).
Whereas the other NGAs invited to take part were:
The Philippine National Police (PRO 13); National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA 13); the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD
13); Environmental Management Bureau (EMB 13); Office of Civil Defense (OCD
13); Department of Tourism (DOT 13); and Department of Health (DOH 13).
At this point, the cross-posted Regional Assessment
Teams (RAT) at the provincial level are doing their rounds of validation in
municipalities and component cities. And in May 22-June 1, the RAT of the
Regional Office will conduct the validation visit among the provinces and
Butuan City.
This is the fourth run of the SGLG since it was
introduced from its predecessor—the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH)—which has
been integrated in the SGLG as part of the Financial Management core assessment
area.
"We have since produced in Caraga 5 LGU
passers in 2014, 28 in 2015; and 13 in 2016. Passers last year were conferred
their SGLG 2016 markers last October 27, 2016 at Hotel Sofitel in Manila,"
said DILG Caraga regional director Lilibeth Famacion.
Famacion is hoping that more local government units
can surmount the challenge and emerge victorious and be recognized as exemplars
of good local governance not just in the region but in the entire country.
"And this is why we have SGLG in the first
place—to encourage our LGUs to level up their performance," said Famacion.
"Because ultimately it is not just about the
prestige of the recognition, but the benefits that redound to all our citizens
as LGUs improve services and scale-up performance and truly become ‘gobyernong
may malasakit tungo sa pagbabago at patuloy na pag-unlad,'” Famacion added.
(DILG-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Feature: Can an apple a day keep a doctor away?
By Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa
Is there truth in the saying that “an apple a day
keeps the doctor away?" What makes an apple good for our health?
Apple, malus sylvetris in scientific name, provides
a lot of health and nutritional benefits to our body. A medium-sized apple weighing 138 grams
contains about 81 calories, zero fat and cholesterol, 10 percent carbohydrate
and more than 80 percent of water.
According to a research from Cornell University, a
combination of the plant chemicals- flavonoids and polyphenols, collectively
known as phytochemicals, provide the fruit’s antioxidant and anticancer
benefits. In addition, the skin of an apple contains a small amount of
beta-carotene and 4 milligrams of quercetin, an antioxidant compound preventing
oxygen molecules from damaging an individual’s cells that can lead to cancer
and other diseases.
The apple’s skin has insoluble fiber, which is a
great help for constipation. It also helps prevent diverticulosis, a condition
where small pouches form on the colon and become inflamed or infected. It also
has a soluble fiber, which is the pectin that can help lower cholesterol as
well as the risk of heart diseases. This soluble fiber can also slow the
digestion and the rise of blood sugar, making it good for diabetes patients.
About 4 percent of an apple is made up of vitamins
and minerals. The flesh provides some iron and potassium. Like other fruits,
apple contains vitamin C (8 milligrams/medium size).
Though apples give a lot of benefits, can these be
the reasons to say bye-bye to a doctor and hello to apple? Definitely, no!
According to the 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for
Filipinos developed by the Technical Working Group headed by the Department of
Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), one
should eat more vegetables and fruits. Consume two to three servings of
vegetables each day, of which a serving is equivalent to ½ cup or 40 grams for
non-leafy and 1 cup or 25 grams for leafy. Take two servings of fruit daily, of
which serving ranges from 45 to 300 grams depending on the size and variety of
fruit. The consumption of these foods everyday is encouraged to get the
essential vitamins, minerals and fiber for regulation of body processes.
For more information on food and nutrition, contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and
Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General
Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/ Fax Nos: 837-2934 or 837-3164;
Direct Line:839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071-82 local 2296 or 2284; e-mail:
mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website:
http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. Like our
Facebook page at facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow our Twitter account at
twitter.com/FNRI_DOST. (DOST-FNRI S&T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
