Caraga economy growing, says PSA chief
By Nora C. Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY, May 4 (PIA) - The economy of Caraga
grew by 2.5 percent in 2016 in gross regional domestic product (GRDP), the
latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.
PSA Caraga regional director Dr. Rosalinda Apura
said the increase is not that high as compared to 4.5 percent posted in 2015.
Apura also said that services sector contributed
the largest share in the region’s total economic output with 48.4 percent, and
still the main driver for the region’s growth.
The industry sector on the other hand followed the
services sector that also contributed 35.1 percent in the region’s growth
followed with 16.5 percent from the agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing
(AHFF), Apura added.
Based on PSA Caraga’s data, Services expanded from
5.5 percent in 2015 to 8.7 percent in 2016.
Financial Intermediation grew by 14.5 percent; Other Services by 10.5
percent; Trade and Repair by 8.7 percent; Transportation, Storage and Communication
by 7.8 percent; Public Administration and Defense by 6.4 percent; and Real
Estate, Renting and Business Activities by 6.2 percent.
Also, PSA Caraga bared that the industry sector
suffered a reversal from 10.5 percent in 2015 to 3.3 percent in 2016 due to a
contraction in Mining and Quarrying (MAQ). Manufacturing, Electricity, Gas and
Water Supply and Construction posted expansions of 5.9 percent, 5.0 percent,
and 4.1 percent, respectively. MAQ declined by 8.5 percent, it was learned.
The AHFF declined by 2.3 percent in 2016 as fishing
further slowed down to negative 3.3 percent. Agriculture and Forestry posted an
improvement though still negative growth of 0.8 percent, as recorded by PSA
Caraga.
Apura further said that the services sector contributed
4.0 percentage points to the region’s total growth in 2016. On the other hand,
industry and AHFF pulled down the growth by 1.2 percentage points and 0.2
percentage point, respectively. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
Free tuli benefits 107
boys in SurSur town
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del
Sur, May 4 (PIA) – One hundred seven (107) school-aged boys benefited a free
circumcision dubbed "summer operation tuli" held on Tuesday at the
Cagwait Elementary School in Cagwait town of this province.
According to 36th Infantry
Battalion spokesperson Captain Al Anthony Pueblas, aside from circumcision,
other services such as shoe repair and haircut were also offered to the local
residents.
Pueblas said the activity
was aimed to cater to the physical needs and holistic development of
school-aged boys.
Pueblas added that it was
realized thru the sponsorship of the Cagwait Teachers and Employees Cooperative
(CAGTEC) in collaboration with the 402nd Brigade and the 36th Infantry
Battalion, Phil. Army. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
NRCP research uncovers marine sediment-derived
microbes for killing “superbugs”
By Mary Charlotte O. Fresco
BUTUAN CITY, May 4 - A research funded by the
National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) has recently discovered special
types of microorganism from sediments collected from the ocean floor which have
demonstrated an ability to kill aggressive disease-causing pathogens or
“superbugs” which have become resistant to modern antibiotics.
“Superbugs” is a new medical terminology that
refers to bacteria which have developed genes that are resistant to different
antibiotics; the infections caused by these bacteria are harder to treat.
Dr. Doralyn S. Dalisay, together with her research
team, has put up a “microbial library” for cultivation of these marine
sediment-derived microorganisms and a “extract library” of these isolates for
antimicrobial testings. Extracts from the library showed strong inhibitory
activities against a panel of test pathogenic drug-resistant bacteria and
fungi.
“The findings are quite promising and if more
microorganisms like these will be discovered and tested, this [endeavor] will
place the Philippines in the global frontiers of medical and therapeutic
research,” said Dr. Dalisay, a researcher of NRCP who is leading the study,
during the launching of the research program entitled “Marine Sediment-Derived
Actinobacteria: New Vista for Natural Products Discovery in the Philippines”
last March 29, 2017 in Iloilo City. The
launch was attended by University of San Agustin President Fr. Frederick C.
Comendador, Vice President for Academic Affairs Fr. Manuel M. Vergara,
Associate Vice President for Research Dr. Jonel P. Saludes, NRCP Executive
Director Marieta BaΓ±ez Sumagaysay, and staff from the NRCP-Research Development
and Management Division.
Dr. Dalisay is a research scientist at the
University of San Agustin in Iloilo.
“The highly biodiverse marine microorganisms
thriving in the sediments surrounding the Philippine archipelago has not been
investigated well with regard to their potential for developing products that
are of interest in biotechnology and pharmaceutical sciences”, Dr. Dalisay
added.
Thus, the first and second phase of this research
program are focused on isolating marine sediment-derived microorganisms,
determine their antimicrobial activities and biogeographical distribution in
the Philippine archipelago. The third
phase will focus on evaluating their anticancer activities, studying their
biodiversity, and performing genomic analysis to establish relationships
between metabolite biosynthesis potential, taxonomy, and the habitats and
locations from which the isolates originate. These research efforts will
prioritize isolates for future investigations and provide a road map for
guiding future natural products discovery efforts.
NRCP, being the country’s premier agency for
supporting and nurturing basic research, has undergone strategic innovations,
one of which is aligning its research priorities to the most pressing needs of
the country and to give Filipinos better health and life through medical
research. (DOST-STII/PIA-Caraga)
RJJWC members gather, fortify advocacy vs lowering
age of criminal liability
By Eunice Montaos Plaza
BUTUAN CITY, May 4 – Chaired by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), members of the Regional Juvenile Justice
and Welfare Committee (RJJWC) have recently gathered at Prince Hotel, this city
for their quarterly meeting to discuss updates as to the latest going of the
Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act (JJWA) now that it is being deliberated at the
Congress.
Part of their discussion was the committee’s
position on the pending bill on lowering the minimum age of criminal
responsibility (MACR) from 15 to nine years old.
The members of the RJJWC expressed their stand that
no child should be put in jail rather they should undergo the diversion program
or be placed in a rehabilitation center for youth for recovery and possible
re-integration to their families and communities.
Reynaldo Balmori, Chief Personnel Records
Management Officer of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Caraga,
who attended the meeting as representative of BJMP stated his opinion on the
issue saying that even the physical design of the jail would suggest that it is
no place for a child to be placed.
“Putting a child in jail together with adult
offenders is never a good idea as a child is known to be vulnerable and can
easily be influenced,” Balmori said.
“When they will be mixed with adult offenders, it
is like we put them to the academy of criminal minds,” he added.
The RJJWC first quarter meeting agreed on
conducting follow-up of resolutions for the local government units (LGUs)
opposing the MACR in support to the committee’s advocacy.
DSWD Caraga OIC Regional Director Mita Chuchi
Gupana-Lim stated that the said resolutions from the local government units
(LGUs) is important to show and support the cause of DSWD and also to promote
the welfare of children.
“We really need to strengthen our laws to protect
our children,” Lim said.
Social Welfare Officer Dante Rosales and Marietta
Jandayan, RJJWC Caraga secretariat, also provided updates on the submission of
the LGUs as to the Comprehensive Local Juvenile Intervention Program (CLJIP) of
the LGUs which were trained last year.
The RJJWC is an inter-agency structure mandated to
oversee and ensure implementation of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act. The
committee is expected to provide support in all areas of monitoring, policy and
program development, advocacy and social mobilization. (Social Marketing
Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
AgSur flood victims receive cash shelter assistance
By Abegail R. Alvarez
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, May 4 - The Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga through the Disaster Response
Management Unit has recently distributed the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA)
cash grant to 55 families in the municipality of Loreto, this province.
The said families were affected by flash flood
after series of heavy rains and Low Pressure Areas (LPAs) that hit the region
for the past few months.
Under ESA, families whose houses are partially
damaged received P10,000 while families whose houses are totally damaged
received P30,000. The total amount disbursed during the distribution sum up to
P1,250,000.
Also, for totally damaged houses, 10 days cash for
work assistance at P210 per day will be given to the families, while five days
assistance will be granted to partially damaged houses with the same amount.
However, proper documentation such as photos and receipts will be submitted to
prove the construction/rehabilitation of their houses.
ESA is a cash grant provided to families whose
houses are either totally or partially damaged. It may be released in cash or
in the form of construction materials, dependent on the situation favourable to
the beneficiaries and the timelines set for the project implementation. (Social
Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Mindanao casket-maker installs DOST-FPRDI lumber
dryer
By Rizalina K. Araral
BUTUAN CITY, May 4 - One of biggest casket-makers
in Mindanao is almost done putting up its furnace-type lumber dryer (FTLD),
after DOST-FPRDI researcher Caesar A. Cuaresma supervised the facility’s
installation last March.
“The 3,000-board-feet capacity lumber dryer of King
Jude Metal Caskets and Accessories is about 70 percent completed, after the
major parts were put in place last month. The owners requested for the
immediate construction of the dryer so that they would be better able to meet
the quality and volume requirements of St. Peter Funeral Parlors, their sole
client,” said Pedrito A. Lontok of DOST-FPRDI.
Funds for the dryer were loaned from the DOST’s
Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP).
DOST-FPRDI’s FTLD enables small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) to make high quality finished products from properly
kiln-dried wood. Made of locally sourced materials, it is easy to install and
operate, uses woodwastes as fuel, and dries lumber to a moisture content acceptable
to both local and foreign markets.
In the SOCCKSARGEN region where King Jude Metal
Casket and Accessorites is based, two other companies have also availed
themselves of SETUP loans for their own FTLDs: the Ramon Tan Sawmill in
Tacurong City and the Tecuala Mini Sawmill and Woodworks in Kidapawan City.
(DOST-STII/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga on track in meeting the 2022 Cacao challenge
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, May 4 - The National
Cacao Roadmap 2016-2022 calls for Caraga Region to commit 3,000
metric tons of dried beans production by 2022.
At the target yield of two kilos per tree and 500
trees per hectare, this would require some 3,000 hectares of productive cacao
trees.
Cacao industry cluster stakeholders who attended
the regional localization of the national roadmap early this month reported the
baseline in terms of hectares planted to cacao at 3,975.
Agusan del Sur accounted for 65 percent of this
number at 2,584 hectares.
Although productivity is still low in some of the
cacao farms, Philippine National Cacao Industry Council (PNCIC)-Caraga Chapter
chairman Christopher Lindo and the rest of the stakeholders coming from the
region’s five provinces are confident that even before 2022, the region can
already meet or even exceed the roadmap target commitment.
The roadmap localization was attended by over 100
stakeholders which include the cacao input providers, farmers, traders,
processors and enablers held recently at the Mabe’s Savory Place in San
Francisco town, this province. (DTI-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
