24 SurSur school districts join DRR-CCA children’s
festival
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 7 (PIA) – A
total of 24 school districts under the Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao
del Sur division participated in the 1st Provincewide Disaster Risk Reduction
and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) Children’s Festival held on December 5
at the Villa Maria Luisa Hotel in Tandag City.
The DepEd-Surigao del Sur Division, in
collaboration with the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur thru the
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), facilitated
the activity. This year's theme was “Strengthening DRR Preparedness thru
Empowering Children.”
Division DRR Focal Person Rufino Reyes said,
"the participants are composed of five students per school district –
three in secondary and two in elementary."
During the activity, PDRRMO chief Abel de Guzman
discussed the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Management System (PDRRMS) to
the participants while Dolores Bual of Sto. NiΓ±o Elementary School in San
Agustin town tackled the "Children Participation on Policy and Legislations
Making."
The participants were given enough time to ask some
questions from the different government line agency representatives during the
open forum.
Republic Act (RA) no. 10821 or the “Children’s
Emergency Relief and Protection Act of 2016" was also discussed by Rufino
on the first day.
Other activities were the “Larong Pinoy” as their
team building activity, contests on Cartooning, Poster Making, Collage Making,
Quiz Bee and Song and Yells (mother tongue), which focused on disaster preparedness.
(PIA-Surigao del Sur)
9th e-Learning mass graduation produces 1,200
graduates
By Jason Paul Dads E. Jampac
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 7 – It was a new record-high for
the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center XIII (ATI-Caraga)
when it produced 1,200 Caraga graduates under its electronic learning
(e-Learning) program.
The mass graduation was held on December 4, 2017 at
the Prince Hotel Convention Center where students, agricultural extension
workers (AEWs), farmers, government and private individuals who took and passed
ATI’s online courses have received their certificates, t-shirts, information
kits, and other perks.
Robert T. Poculan Jr., Center Director of
ATI-Caraga, emphasized on the essence of education when he said that “educating
the mind without educating the heart is not education.”
He urged the graduates to apply the knowledge they
have learned and to help ATI in campaigning the e-Learning program to their
colleagues and community. This call was supported by Susana B. Montilla, a
professor in Caraga State University (CSU) when she said during her closing
remarks that knowledge should not just be stocked in the mind, but should also
be put into action and should be shared to others.
Several participants expressed their joy and
gratitude to ATI for the opportunity of being part of the e-Learning program.
“For me, it is not easy to answer several online
questions and pass the course; but I believe that e-Learning will help uplift
agricultural literacy towards the betterment of Philippine agriculture,” said
Decemboy B Tiu, a CSU student.
Kristine L. Buniel, a student from Surigao del Sur
State University (SDSSU), also thanked ATI for “allowing people, especially
farmers to learn more technology without physically attending trainings.”
“ATI accommodated the students with fast response,
easy instructions, and excellent service. It was indeed very successful as it
has widened our knowledge and horizons,” Buniel said.
Fil Victor A. Babanto, Information Officer II of
ATI-Caraga and Project Officer of the event, presented the updates on
e-Extension and a video production showcasing the participants of e-Learning.
He also facilitated the giving of certificates and awards which were handed
over to the graduates by Poculan, Montilla, Pamela Mappala, Information Officer
IV of the ATI-Central Office and Jose Rey Y. Alo, e-Learning Process
Consultant.
The ATI-Caraga has been hosting the e-Learning Mass
Graduation almost every year since 2008. According to Poculan, the number of
graduates has exponentially increased from around 100 in 2008 to 1,200 in 2017.
Majority of these graduates were from CSU, SDSSU, Agusan del Sur State College
of Arts and Trade (ASSCAT), and Hawilian National High School, as these schools
have committed to incorporate ATI’s e-Learning in their school curriculum. (ATI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
P44.9M infra projects to be implemented in AgNor
By Aimee B. Sienes
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 7 – A total of P44,925,000 worth
of infrastructure projects will be implemented in the province of Agusan del
Norte, with funds from the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program of
the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
These infrastructure projects included: Ram Pump
Water System, Barangay Simbalan, Buenavista worth P20,000,000; Ram Pump Water
System, Barangay Kamagong, SitioMinbahandi, Nasipit amounted to P10,000,000;
Expansion of Abaca Production, San Isidro, Bangayan, Kitcharao worth
P5,925,000; Construction/Rehabilitation of Water System in Barangay Pangaylan
Indigenous People, Santiago with 1,641 beneficiaries in the amount of
P1,500,000; Construction/Rehabilitation of Water System in Sitio
Cadahondahonan, Poblacion 2, Santiago with 1,001 beneficiaries worth
P1,500,000; and Construction/Rehabilitation of Water System in Barangay
Hinimbangan, Kitcharao with 115 beneficiaries amounted to P1,500,000.
Other projects identified were the
Construction/Rehabilitation of Water System in Zapanta Valley, Bangayan,
Kitcharao with 105 beneficiaries in the amount of P1,500,000;
Construction/Rehabilitation of Water System in San Isidro, Kitcharao with 105
beneficiaries amounted to P1,500,000; and Construction/Rehabilitation of Water
System in Sitio Ansili, Dagnasay, Lusong, Putting Bato, Cabadbaran City worth
P1,500,000.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan authorized Provincial
Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba to sign the Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) with OPAPP through Sanggunian Resolution No. 351-2017, authored
by Vice Governor Ramon AG. Bungabong for smooth implementation of the projects.
PAMANA Program is the national government’s peace
and development framework designed to respond and strengthen the peace
building, reconstruction and development in conflict-affected areas with OPAPP,
which oversee the program's implementation.
The PAMANA Program aims to help improve
socioeconomic conditions in conflict-affected and conflict vulnerable areas, as
well as in areas covered by Peace Agreements, through focused delivery of
services and enhancing the capacities of national government agencies and local
governments.This could be done by empowering the communities and strengthening
their capacities to address issues of conflict and peace through activities
that promote social cohesion. (LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
OWWA participates convergence for 4Ps beneficiaries
in Butuan
By Jean Pearl I. Millones

BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 7 – The City Convergence Advisory
Committee (CGAC) spearheaded by the City Link and the local government unit
(LGU) of Butuan City visited the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Brgys. Pigdaulan, Lemon, Tagabaca and Camayahan.
The activity aims to help the 4Ps beneficiaries and
their families by providing easy access to the existing and available programs
and services of different concerned agencies.
As an agency mandated to promote the welfare and
well-being of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their dependents, OWWA
Caraga participated in the activity to give hassle-free services to its member
OFWs, especially those living below the poverty line.
A team composed of three OWWA personnel provided
services such as scholarship advocacy and the qualification for the program,
requests for assistance and upgrading programs for OFWs. Since most of the inquiries
were regarding employment, the team made an effort to relay the updates on
employment, especially on direct hiring ban. The participants were advised to
visit the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) office to ensure
safe overseas deployment.
The activity was participated in by Department of
Social Work and Development (DSWD), City Social Work and Development (CSWD),
Public Employment and Services Office (PESO) Butuan, the City Health Office,
City Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO), Population Commission
(PopCom), Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and the Department of
Education (DepEd) and other national and local agencies.
During the meeting and reporting on the same day,
it was reported that the team has already visited Brgy. Taligaman as well, and
has scheduled Brgy. Amparo of Butuan City for their next visit. (OWWA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Mga ahensiya ng gobyerno sinigurado
ang pagiging disaster resilient ng mga entreprenuers sa Caraga
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Dis. 7 (PIA) – Sinigurado ng mga
ahensiya ng gobyerno ang pagiging disaster resilient ng mga business
entrepreneurs sa Caraga region sa ginanap na Regional Forum on Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development and Disaster Resilience sa lungsod ng
Butuan.
Mahigit 100 partisipante mula sa business sector at
Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) ang dumalo at
lumahok sa workshops na pinangunahan ng Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Caraga.
Ayon kay Regional Director Rosauro Arnel Gonzales
Jr. ng Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga at Chair ng Regional DRRMC, may
apat na thematic areas na tinutugunan ang RDRRMC – ang disaster prevention and
mitigation, disaster preparedness, disaster response, at disaster
rehabilitation, kung saan binibigyang halaga ang kooperasyon ng mga MSMEs sa
rehiyon.
Nagkaroon ng pagsasanay sa contingency planning at
identifying hazards ang mga nagsilahok sa Forum.
Ayon naman kay Ghay Lyne Mapano ng Cebuana
Lhuiller, kasama ang DTI at iba pang ahensiya ng gobyerno, layon nilang
matulungan ang mga entrepreneur na naapektuhan ng anumang kalamidad, na
makapagsimula muli kaagad sa kanilang mga negosyo. Dagdag niya, ang Cebuana
Lhuiller ay handang tumulong mag-facilitate ng pagproseso ng insurance claims
ng mga apektadong MSMEs.
"Mahalaga na maprotektahan ang assets ng
MSMEs; maging ang pagkakaroon ng insurance coverage at ang pag-secure ng
kanilang manpower o staffing upang sa ganun ay makapagpatuloy pa rin sa
kanilang mga negosyo," sabi ni Mapano.
Ibinahagi naman ni Rhiza Nery, continuity program
head ng Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), na may mga MSMEs pa
rin na bihira lang makalahok sa mga community-based disaster resilience
trainings. Dahil na rin dito, humihingi siya ng tulong sa publiko upang
hikayatin ang mga kakilala nilang MSME na maging aktibo sa mga pagsasanay ng
ibinibigay ng gobyerno sa kanila.
Sa kanyang pagbalik-tanaw sa nangyaring lindol sa
Surigao City kung saan maraming imprastraktura ang nasira, binigyang-diin niya
na sa tulong ng gobyerno at iba pang sektor, napadali ang pagsisimulang muli ng
mga MSME sa kanilang mga negosyo
Kabilang sa mga paksa na ibinahagi sa Forum ay ang
Philippine disaster risk reduction and management system; natural hazards and
risk in the region; business recovery center – the business sector perspective;
calamity rehabilitation support fund; at building disaster resilient
communities through micro insurance. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
