DOST chief leads Pisay Caraga campus inauguration
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 6 (PIA) – The Caraganon students,
parents and teachers have witnessed the campus inauguration and Thanksgiving
celebration of the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) on Thursday here, with
the presence of Secretary Fortunato Dela PeΓ±a of the Department of Science and
Technology (DOST).
Dela PeΓ±a, in his message, bared that the
newly-inaugurated campus of Pisay will now be used during the opening of
classes in August 7, 2017.
“Philippine Science High School (Pisay) Caraga
Region Campus is the 13th Pisay campus in the country,” said Sec. Dela PeΓ±a. He
also said that it will soon have its own gymnasium before the end of 2018.
Also, the good secretary expressed his warm thanks
to the Caraga State University (CSU) for facilitating the provision of
temporary campus/classrooms for Pisay students for a couple of years while it
awaits the completion of the new Pisay building.
“As of now, the Philippine Science High School has
343 scholars from Grade 7 to Grade 10. We are optimistic that these scholars
will be able to reach their goals and become scientists in the region,” Dela
PeΓ±a highlighted.
Agusan del Norte 1st District Representative
Lawrence Fortun also stressed that Caraga needs more scientists that could also
help enhance the agricultural facilities/technologies that farmers use.
Fortun, further elaborated to the students the
importance of having a good education and encouraged them to continue to learn,
and develop their skills and talent in innovating the technologies today that
will also benefit the next generations.
Meanwhile, Butuan City mayor Ronnie Vicente Lagnada
personally congratulated all the participating students, parents and teachers.
He said that he has personally visited the area where the newly-constructed
campus of the Phil. Science High School is situated, and have seen its
facilities and how the students will be enjoying their studies, especially in
their interest in science and technology. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
SurSur LGU strengthens peace, dev’t efforts in
conflict-affected areas
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 6 (PIA) – The
provincial government of Surigao del Sur convened for a quarterly meeting with
the members of the Peace Development Oversight and Advisory Committee (PDOAC)
on June 30, 2017 to appraise the functions of its members and relevance in
addressing peace and development concerns in the conflict-affected areas in the
province.
PDOAC Chairperson Governor Vicente Pimentel Jr was
ably represented by Provincial Administrator Efren Rivas who presided the
conference participated by the members of the PDOAC who are coming from the
national government agencies, non-government organizations and provincial
government frontline services department heads.
According to Rivas, the composition of PDOAC was
based on the Executive Order # 16, Series of 2016 dated September 19, 2016
“Organizing PDOAC in the Province of this province.”
The PDOAC, accordingly, will act as harmonizing and
advisory body that will exercise oversight functions. It also looks into the
specific details of the implementation of Peace and Development interventions
through a Bayanihan Team Activities.
Also, during the activity, a total of 17 Former
Rebels (FRs) who surrendered to Surigao del Sur in 2016 received the cash
assistance from the provincial government worth P5,000.00 each and 4.5 kilos of
rice thru the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and
assorted seeds from the Department of Agriculture. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DAR conducts training to AgSur ARBOs
By Rechel D. Besonia
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, July 6 (PIA) - A
total of 150 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) from 10 ARB Organizations
within the SIBAE (Sibagat, Bayugan, Esperanza) and Loreto-La Paz Agrarian
Reform Community were trained on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Principles and
Practices in four separate batches within the second quarter of 2017 held at
Mabe’s Savory Place, San Francisco, this province.
Among the participating ARBOs were the Tambo ARB
Farmers Association (TARBFA); Guitas Amapco United ARB Association, Inc.
(GAUARBA); Osmena ARB Association (OARBFAMCO); Maiton Agro Industrial
Development MPC; San Vicente Farmers Association; Ilihan CARP Beneficiaries
Multi-Purpoose Cooperative (ILCARBEMCO); Gamao Multi-Purpose Cooperative
(GAMPC); Grace Estate Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association; Mahagkot
Farmers Association (MFA) and Hawilian Family Group Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
“These ARBOs was specifically chosen since they are
vulnerable to typhoon, drought, flooding and other natural phenomenon due to
the changing climate that causes adverse impacts and considerable damage to
farm production," Jimmielho Azares, Agrarian Reform Program Officer I
(ARPO I) said.
Project Development Coordinator Paul Baang, Project
Coordinator Ruel Maitem, Area Coordinator Alfredo Sevilla and Database
Administrator Mia Flor Prochina from the Philippine Partnership for the
Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PHILDHRAA) were the resource
speakers during the said training.
According to Baang, the activity was aimed to
sustainably increase agricultural productivity by enhancing the knowledge of
the participants on how to adapt and build the resilience of agricultural and
food security systems to climate change at the farm level and reduce the
farmer’s dependency on inorganic farming methods.
“Kining mao nga training dako ug gikahatag nga
pagtulun-an alang sa among pagpanguma ug unsaon aron mkalahutay sa panahon sa
kalamidad (This training helps us a lot in managing our farm and prepares us in
times in times of calamity), said Joeme E. Delaganar, a member of Mahagkot
Farmers Association.
"Makatabang kini aron makat-onan namo unsaon
pagbuhat ug pag gamit sa mga organic fertilizers, sa ingon maminusan ang among
gasto ug motaas ang among income (It will also help us on how to make organic
fertilizers and use it effectively in the farm to lessen farming cost and thus
increase farm income),” Delaganar added. (DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
US turns over 12 trucks to AFP
BUTUAN CITY, July 6 (PIA) – The United States (US)
has officially turned over on Thursday 12 Ford F-550 trucks to the Armed Forces
of the Philippines’ (AFP’s) Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) at the
Naval Base Heracleo Alano, Sangley Point in Cavite.
Security cooperation manager for the Joint US
Military Assistance Group Frederick Riker handed over the ceremonial truck key
to Philippine Navy Capt. Alfonspin P. Tumanda Jr.
The said trucks will help ease the mobility of the
NAVSOG troops spread throughout the Philippines including units located in
Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga and Davao. It will
also aid in the transport and deployment to critical areas of rigid-hulled
inflatable boats that were previously delivered by the US to the AFP.
Through a variety of assistance packages over the
past three years, the US has also provided the Philippines with over 200
million dollars of grant assistance to assist the partner forces in building
the required capabilities for success.
Present also during the ceremony were other
representatives from the Joint US Military Assistance Group, as well as Capt.
Alfonspin P. Tumanda Jr. and Cmdr. Jim P. Razo, the Commander and Deputy
Commander of Philippine NAVSOG. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)
Army, PNP arrest NPA leader in Surigao City
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, July 6 (PIA) - Joint police and military efforts led to
the capture of a New People’s Army (NPA) leader on Wednesday, July 5 here.
The arrested person was identified as Arpel
Medelozo Rabago a.k.a Ka Yoyo, 30 years old and a resident of Purok 6, Upper
Sangay, Barangay Anomar, this city, a vice commander of an NPA platoon of the
Guerilla Front 16 operating in Surigao del Norte. He was arrested by the army's
30th Infantry Battalion, Surigao City Police and Provincial Public Safety
Company by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by RTC Branch 32 Judge Dan
Calderon at around 5:00 p.m., July 5, 2017 at the checkpoint along the national
highway of Barangay Trinidad, this city.
Rabago has a pending case for frustrated murder
last October 21, 2013 and warrant of arrest for multiple attempted murder
issued by the late Judge Victor Canoy of RTC Branch 29 last November 27, 2015
and kidnapping and serious illegal detention. He is now with the Surigao City
Police Station for proper disposition.
According to 30IB Civil Military Operations Officer
2LT Jonel Castillo, Ka Yoyo is responsible for the series of harassments and
extortion in certain parts of the province. He also led a numerous attacks
against government troops who were conducting Peace and Development Activities
in the towns of Malimono, San Francisco and Surigao City during the previous
years.
In his statement, 30IB Battalion Commander Lt. Col.
Allen Tomas said the government troops will continue to strengthen the peace
and security in the province.
“We will never allow these communist insurgents to
destabilize our peace efforts especially in conflict- affected areas,"
said Lt. Col. Tomas. (30IB-Philippine Army/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
PACANGEL 17 delivers humanitarian assistance,
capability building in PH
BUTUAN CITY, July 6 (PIA) - Over the course of ten
days, more than 100 active duty United States (US) Air Force, Army, Navy,
Nevada Air National Guard, and five other Pacific nations delivered
humanitarian assistance and performed subject matter expert exchanges with
their partners in the Philippines during the Pacific Angel (PACANGEL) 2017.
PACANGEL team members from the Philippines, US,
Fiji, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia worked in conjunction with
local non-governmental organizations to conduct subject matter expert
exchanges, complete electrical, plumbing and infrastructure repair projects, and
provide dental, optometric, pediatric and general health care to the people of
Northern Cebu Province.
“It has been an honor being here in the Philippines
and working with the community and our multi-lateral partners,” said Lt. Col.
Edward Khim, PACANGEL Philippines mission commander. “Not only were we able to provide structural
repairs at seven different sites, but our doctors saw a record-breaking number
of patients. At the end of the day
though, it’s not about the numbers, it’s about building partnerships and
learning from each other,” he emphasized.
PACANGEL doctors and technicians were able to cater
more than 6,000 patients throughout the five days of health services outreach.
While PACANGEL events in the Philippines are now
complete, Pacific Angel 2017 will continue in three other locations, namely,
Tam Ky, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam; Northern and Western Divisions, Fiji; and
Gorkha, Nepal.
Operation Pacific Angel is a recurring joint
humanitarian assistance mission sponsored by US Pacific Command (USPACOM)
designed to bring humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) and civil-military
operations (CMO) to areas in need in the Pacific region. It is conducted in
locations throughout the Pacific theater to support the U.S. military charter
of capacity building in partner nations. The operations contain elements of all
four branches of the Department of Defense, including active duty,National
Guard, and reserve members.
The key difference between this mission and
previous missions is that these missions are focused on capacity building in
the host nation. The mission objective is to provide assistance to an area, and
leave behind a capability for the host nation doctors to continue to provide
the services. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)
