OPAPP to launch ‘Peace Buzz’ in Caraga region
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 21 (PIA) – The Office of the
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) will launch the Peace Buzz as
the main highlight of this year’s Peace Month Celebration.
The Peace Buzz is a peace caravan that will roam
nationwide to bring the government’s peace initiatives on the ground. The Peace
Buzz will kick off in Baguio City, and will make stops in the cities of Quezon,
Legazpi, Catbalogan, Butuan, Davao and Iligan. It will conclude its journey in
Marawi City, in time for the closing ceremony of the Peace Month.
It is expected to arrive in Caraga Region on the
26th of September 2017 with the peace advocates, resource speakers and some
OPAPP executives on-board the bus.
“In support of this activity, we also identified
several activities in Caraga region that are anchored to the Caraga Roadmap for
Peace. These activities are expected to raise awareness of the communities,
through our media and local communicators, indigenous people (IP) leaders and
women's sector on the following main topics: Updates of the Philippine Peace
Process; The Comprehensive and Agreement on Respect to Human Rights –
International
Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL); and The Roles of Women
and Indigenous Peoples in the Peace process and Community Peacebuilding,” said
Allan Almoite, Manager of Area Management Team of Northern Mindanao.
Pursuant to the thrust of the Government to instill
greater consciousness and understanding among the Filipino People on the
comprehensive peace process, the month of September was declared as the
‘National Peace Consciousness Month” by virtue of Proclamation No. 675 dated 20
July 2004. The Proclamation mandates the OPAPP to be the lead government agency
to coordinate and monitor the observance of the National Peace Consciousness
Month.
“Puso para sa Kapayapaan, Magkaisa para sa Bayan,”
is the theme for this year’s celebration of the National Peace Consciousness
Month. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga stakeholders to celebrate National
Statistics Month 2017
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 21 (PIA) – Caraga stakeholders
from different government agencies and private sector will celebrate this
year’s National Statistics Month (NSM) with an opening program on October at
Robinsons Place, this city.
According to Regional Director Mylah Faye Aurora
Cariño of National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Caraga, the NSM
bears the theme “Figures for the Future: Realizing Ambisyon Natin 2040 Through
Statistics” with Filipino translation “Estadistika Para sa Hinaharap: Ambag sa
Pagtupad ng Ambisyon Natin 2040.”
“The opening ceremony will be attended by various
stakeholders from the government and private sector. One of the highlights of
the opening program ceremony is the display of statistical data using
information graphics,” disclosed Cariño.
The annual observance of the NSM is pursuant to
Proclamation No. 647, “Declaring the month of October of every year as the
National Statistics Month,” issued on September 20, 1990 by then President
Corazon C. Aquino.
The said proclamation calls to promote, enhance and
instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of
statistics to the different sectors of society. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Media, government communicators' forum set in
Butuan City
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 21 (PIA) – In maximizing the
capacity of the media, public relation officers and government information
officers to communicate to people about the peace process, the Office of the
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), in partnership with the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga, will hold a Media and
Communicators' Forum on September 27, 2017.
The activity is in line with the celebration of the
National Peace Consciousness Month anchored on the theme, “Puso para sa
Kapayapaan, Magkaisa para sa Bayan,” which reflects the positive change for the
country through compassion and unity among Filipinos.
According to Allan Almoite, Manager of OPAPP Area
Management Team of Northern Mindanao, the role of the local media partners and
government communicators are vital in promoting public awareness about the
peace process.
Other peace and development related events and
activities will be conducted nationwide by OPAPP, together with the government
line agencies.
During the forum, PIA-Caraga will set-up a PIA
Information Kiosk wherein participants can grab free copies of leaflets,
brochures, newsletters and booklets containing updates, services, programs and
projects of the government, and other valuable information that they can
practically apply in their lives and in decision-making.
“The Info Kiosk will also help introduce the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to the people by showing video
clips and distribution of facts in printed materials. Hence, it is important
for everybody to have in-depth understanding of the peace process and how they
can contribute and participate in order for the Philippines to be globally
competitive with all other ASEAN member countries. Peace and development can be
achieved if we educate and engage others,” underscored PIA-Caraga Regional
Director Abner Caga.
The declaration of the month of September as the
National Peace Consciousness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 675 dated July
2004, supports the thrust of the government to instill greater consciousness
and understanding among the Filipino people on the comprehensive peace process
and to sustain institutional and popular support for participation in the
promotion of building a culture of peace.
OPAPP had simultaneously celebrated Eid’l Adha
within four internally displaced persons (IDP) camps situated in Iligan City as
it formally launched the Peace Month on September 1. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga nutrition advocates gear up communication
efforts
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 21 (PIA) – The nutrition
advocates in Caraga region composed of government agencies, local government
units, and media have geared-up their communication efforts by maximizing the
utilization of communication platforms to effectively reach more people and
increase awareness on healthy lifestyle and malnutrition prevention.
During their recent meeting, the National Nutrition
Council (NNC) under the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga, stressed the
importance of effective communication among nutrition advocates, as they
intensify the campaign against malnutrition in different communities of the
region.
Leah Vina Vargas, nutrition officer III of NNC-DOH
Caraga said that the nutrition advocates known as Caraga Movers group should
develop effective communication skills that could help them achieve their goals
in their advocacy campaign.
“As health communicators, we should be consistent
with our advocacy statements and ensure that the locals understand what we
wanted to convey to them. We should ‘walk the talk,’ so people could see that
we are serious in advocating and implementing our campaign to a healthy
lifestyle and prevent malnutrition,” underlined Vargas.
Vargas added that its primary audience includes the
parents, caregivers, the elderly, the youth sector, pregnant and lactating
women, the indigenous people and the food handlers, while the secondary target
audience are the local chief executives, policy makers, teachers, health and
nutrition workers and local nutrition committees.
“We should be able to maximize the utilization of
the media through SMS (which the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has been
doing), community billboards, symposium, forum, seminar, press conference,
local newspapers and issuance of a memorandum, among others,” Vargas
highlighted.
Vargas further reiterated that Information
Education and Communication (IEC) materials such as Ten Kumainments, infant and
young child feeding, salt iodization, campaign on strengthening the
functionality of the local nutrition committee, promotion of backyard gardening
and organic farming should continuously be disseminated to the general public:
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao Norte solon bares major projects for 2018-2019
in Siargao
By John Glenn A. Platil

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Sept. 21 – Surigao
del Norte 1st district Representative Francisco Jose ‘Bingo’ Matugas II
revealed that he is working on the construction of Siargao Nautical Highway by
2019, during the blessing and inauguration of the Municipal Public Market,
Level 3 Water System, Community Fish Landing Center and Barangay Talisay
Seawall in Siargao Island.
‘Siargao Nautical Highway’ means the putting up of
a bridge connecting Barangay Hayangabon in Claver town to Socorro and Socorro
town to Barangay Consolacion, Dapa town in Siargao Island.
“I am coordinating with Department of
Transportation Sec. Art Tugade for the opening of a full-blown Siargao
International Airport, that is why we are expanding the roads leading to the
Sayak airport terminal,” said Matugas.
He also said that all is set for a wide-ranging and
far-reaching Siargao Materials Recovery Facility’ in collaboration with
Environment Sec. Roy Cimatu.
“We seek to control the production and segregation
of waste materials because we do not want to become just another Boracay in
this part of the globe. Siargao is well-known in the field of tourism. We have
lots of domestic and foreign visitors and sightseers, that is why we are doing
everything to enrich and improve it,” Matugas added.
Meanwhile, Matugas also disclosed that there is a
big possibility that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte will soon visit Cloud Nine in
General Luna town, Siargao Island.
“There are four cabinet secretaries who confirmed
their attendance in the World Surfing Cup which we hosted. House Speaker Sonny
Alvarez has a beach house in Malinao, Gen. Luna. We are hoping that Pres.
Duterte is coming, and most likely, it will be a surprise visit,” he said.
(PGO-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)