Lumads stage protest rally vs NPA in SurSur
By
Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) -- Some 500 lumads on Wednesday held an
indignation rally at the Vicente L Pimentel Sr. Boulevard here to denounce the
atrocities allegedly committed by the CPP-NPA terrorists (CNTs) in the tribal
communities of Surigao del Sur.
The
lumads, composed mainly of farmers, women, youth, and local officials from the
municipalities of Tago, San Miguel, Cagwait, Lanuza, Cortes and Tandag City,
expressed their dismay about the CNTs' series of attacks in their community and
the killing of several indigenous peoples.
They
cited the recent killing of the tribal leader named Datu Bobong Elizalde of
Barangay Calatngan, San Miguel allegedly by the CNTs on July 12 while another
IP member was assassinated in Barangay Bitaugan of same town. Both victims
opposed to the establishment of the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao del Sur
(TRIFPSS) school with no accreditation from the Department of Education
(DepEd).
Meanwhile,
Lt. Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, commanding officer of the 36th Infantry Battalion,
Philippine Army, clarified that the presence of the army and the Philippine
National Police (PNP) during the condemnation rally is their commitment to
support the people for their quest for justice and desire for genuine
peace.
“I
was elated by the presence of Lumad leaders and other groups for coming out in
the open. They stood up mustering their courage so that their voices be heard
by the public against the CNTs,” said Lt. Col. Trinidad.
“Now,
the people were enlightened of who are the real ‘berdugo’ and oppressor of the
Filipino people. To the CNTs, stop killing Lumads and other civilians! Stop
blaming the Army of your criminal actions. Lastly, We are one in condemning the
attacks to the Lumads and to the peace loving Surigaonon,” Lt. Col. Trinidad
added. (NGPB/36IB-CMO/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
NNC to hold 2018 national nutrition awarding ceremony
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, July 20 (PIA) – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) – Department of
Health (DOH) will be holding the National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony
on July 31, 2018 at the Philippine International Convention Center
(PICC) in Pasay City.
According
to Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, deputy executive director of NNC, the awarding
ceremony is an annual event that the NNC spearheads to recognize outstanding
local government units (LGUs) and nutrition volunteer workers called Barangay
Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) with effective and efficient implementation of
nutrition programs resulting to improved nutrition situation especially among
infants and young children.
“The
awards presented to LGUs are: a) Nutrition Honor Award (for exemplary and
increasingly outstanding performance in the past 6 consecutive years); b)
Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition or CROWN (for exemplary
performance in the past 3 consecutive years; and c) 1st and 2nd Year CROWN Maintenance
award," said Dr. Dayanghirang.
"The
National Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar (NOBNS) award is presented to
the most outstanding BNS from among the more than 42,000 Barangay Nutrition
Scholars deployed nationwide. Both LGU and BNS awardees will receive cash
prizes and trophies,” added Dr. Dayanghirang.
It
was learned that the NNC has been presenting the awards since 1978 until 1986
when it was suspended right after the EDSA Revolution and was resumed in 1992
up to the present.
Dr.
Dayanghirang added that in line with the awarding ceremony, the NNC will also
be launching the first Compendium of Actions on Nutrition (CAN) publication.
“The
compendium is a compilation of success stories and lessons learned from the
implementation of nutrition actions in selected LGUs. The compendium will be
used in capacitating local government units in formulating comprehensive plans
of action on nutrition, making informed decisions and adapting best approaches
for successful implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition
(PPAN),” she said.
For
Caraga region, the NNC-DOH Caraga led by OIC-NPC Dr. Jose Llacuna Jr. will be
attending the said event, together with representatives of the Regional Media
Nutrition Group (Caraga MOVERS).
Mayor
Jenny D. De Asis of the municipality of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur and Mayor
Kim Lope Asis of Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur are also among the contenders for
the First Year CROWN Maintenance Award. (PIA-Caraga)
Bayugan City CWDOs join business educ seminar
BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur, July 20 -- The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) Agusan del Sur has recently organized a business education
seminar to the 22 consumer welfare desks officers (CWDOs) in this
city.
The
Consumer Protection Team (CPT) did a review to the participants about the
provisions of Product Standards Law, Price Tag, Price Act and Sales promotion.
They
were reminded to check compliance of the store, as this will make them more
confident in selling their products.
On
product standards, they were provided with the list of products subject for
mandatory certification.
Said
products should have a corresponding product standard markings affixed in each
item, PS (Philippine Standard) for locally manufactured and ICC (Import
Commodity Clearance) stickers for imported products.
These
products are composed of three groups, namely the lectrical and electronics
products for Group 1, Mechanical/building and construction materials for Group
2, and Chemical and other consumer products for Group 3.
Included
under Group 1 are Household appliance such as electric fans, flat irons,
electric blenders, microwave ovens, electric rice cookers, electric air pots,
electric coffee makers, television sets, CD/VCD/DVD players, electric toasters,
electric stoves, electric hot plates, electric grills, electric ovens, turbo
broilers, induction cookers, washing machines, fully-automatic washing machine,
spin extractors, refrigerators, conditioners, inverter air-conditioners,
electric juicers, electric food mixers, electric food processors, electric
kettles, electric pressure cookers, electric slow cookers, electric
multi-cookers; lamps and related products such as ballast,
CFL/self-ballasted lamps, Christmas lights, double capped and single capped fluorescent
lamps, incandescent lamps, edison screw holders, lamp holder for tubular
fluorescent lamps, starter holders, lamp starters; wiring devices such as
circuit breakers, fuses, fuse holders, PVC electrical tapes, plugs,
socket-outlets, extension cord sets, snap switches and knife switches;
and wires and cables PVC insulated flexible cords and thermoplastic wires
and cables.
Group
2 includes mechanical/building and construction materials such as BI-GI steel
pipes, blended hydraulic cement with pozzolan, portland cement, deformed steel
bars, equal-leg steel angle bars, pipes, re-rolled steel bars, wire nails.
While
Group 3 covers chemical and other consumer products like brake fluid, fire
extinguisher, fireworks, helmets and visors, inner tubes for tires, lead acid
batteries, lighters, LPG cylinders and matches, medical oxygen, mono bloc
chairs and stools, safety belts, safety glass for automotive and tires for
automobile vehicles.
They
were also reminded to comply the suggested retail price (SRP) and ensure proper
price tags. This will help the consumer decide whether to buy or not to buy
while for the store it will minimize the frequent inquiry of the customer
"how much is this?"
Further,
they were informed that when they plan to organize sales promotion activities,
they should apply to DTI for a permit 30 days before the start of the
promotion. They also need to prepare the mechanics of the promotion and shall
pay the corresponding permit fee.
DTI
will again meet the group in September 2018 for continuous business education.
(DTI-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
DSWD-Caraga strengthens program vs malnutrition, allots
P140M for supplementary feeding
By
Mike Ariel P. Plaza
BUTUAN
CITY, July 20 -- Continuing its aim to improve and sustain the nutritional
status of children enrolled in Community Day Care Centers (CDC), the Department
of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga has allocated PhP140, 529, 600
for this school year’s supplementary feeding program (SFP).
With
the implementation of the SFP, DSWD-Caraga targets to feed a total of 78,072
children enrolled in 2,122 Day Care Centers around the region this school year.
The
said feeding program, which will be given five to seven days a week, uses
indigenous and locally produced food in the barangays where the centers are
erected. The food will be in form of hot meals that will be served to children
during snack or meal time.
DSWD
Caraga officer-in-charge Mita Chuchi Gupana-Lim said that SFP is strengthened
to lessen cases of malnutrition especially in far-flung barangays where poverty
is evident.
“We
may not be able to provide them with their basic meals every day, but this
program is here as an augmentation support to improve the knowledge, attitude
and practices of children and their parents and caregivers,” Lim added,
emphasizing that the program is a form of advocacy for intensified nutrition
and health education.
To
monitor and document the program’s effectiveness, the children are weighed
before and after 120 feeding days.
Last
school year, 88.17 percent of SFP children beneficiaries were recorded to have
improved their weight from severely underweight to underweight while 88.47
percent improved from underweight to normal.
“The
figures show significant improvement of these children’s weight,” Lim said.
She
added that aside from the weight results of CDC attendees, the program also
gives enthusiasm to the children while learning inside the centers.
The
SFP is DSWD’s contribution to the Early Childhood Care and Development Program
of the government. (DSWD-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Tandag City dad mulls privatization of local water distribution utility
By Greg
Tataro, Jr.
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) – Mayor Alexander “Ayek” Pimentel may go
for the privatization of Tandag City Water District (TCWD).
Faced
with the growing demand for water vis-Γ -vis the worsening situation of water
level going down, the management of TCWD had already wooed Mayor Pimentel to
interpose for the use of fire truck of the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP).
The
arrangement would be to fetch a load of water from the reservoir located in
Barangay Awasian to be brought to some areas with water tanks that had to be
filled up for distribution to customers later, according to Gerry Bernadas,
chief of the TCWD technical department.
Mayor
Pimentel bared that the temporary use of the fire truck would be from 7:00
p.m. to 11:00 p.m. every other day.
The
issue on the scarcity of water source or resource for that matter is no new to
the management of the local water utility here under General Manager (GM) Annie
Ty, especially during long dry spell year in and year out.
TCWD,
which had been said to have close to 9,000 consumers and counting, claimed it
could only do so much by investing on drilling operations even if it stumbled
upon a rich source, like what it dug up in Barangay Pangi. Bernadas did boast
that their drilling venture had paid off by coming across the missing piece of
the solution that could produce enough water supply for Tandag with an
estimated output of 50 liters per second (LPS).
However,
its management admitted to be needing a huge sum of money, some Php18 million
for the purchase of the required transmission pipes to make it viable.
Tandag
City Vice-Mayor Ruel Momo, in a separate interview, was in agreement that TCWD
had to put up a water treatment plant and large storage facilities which would
call for so much more financing to complement a good plan.
However,
he suggested that TCWD management might forge a deal with the National
Irrigation Administration (NIA) whose construction of Sta. Filomena Dam project
was said to be nearing completion.
One
of the submersible pumps of the local water utility can be found nearby, just
some 800 meters away from the site of the dam project in Barangay Pandanon, it
was learned.
.
The
city dad said point-blank that TCWD could not afford a multi-million peso
project unlike the private sector just to provide the best service
possible.
Also,
the younger Pimentel recalled that Gov. Vicente “BB” Pimentel, Jr. had already
floated the idea of privatization but alleged that the board of directors of
the local water distribution utility that time shut it down.
Citing
Butuan City as an example, he added that a lot of local water distribution
utilities nationwide had been taken over by private sector to keep customers
service satisfactory.
When
reached for comment, the governor said that he could tap a big investor to fund
the putting up of good facilities to provide a much better customer service.
In
addition, Gov. Pimentel said that a water distribution utility had to be run by
a competent person with technical knowhow. (Radyo Pilipinas-Tandag/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
187 Caraga barangays declared as drug-cleared
BUTUAN
CITY, July 20 -- One hundred eighty seven barangays in Caraga have been
declared as drug-free by the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug
Clearing Program in June 2018.
Based
on the report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Caraga, Surigao
del Sur had the most number of drug-cleared barangays with 116 followed by
Agusan del Sur with 57 and Surigao del Norte with 14.
Out
of 187 drug-cleared barangays, 111 were previously considered as ‘slightly
affected’ or those areas which have reported presence of drug users.
“A
drug-affected barangay is subjected to drug clearing operations with PDEA as
the lead agency. The area can be declared as drug-free pursuant to the
parameters set forth by the Dangerous Drug Board,” said Police Regional Office
13 director Chief Supt. Noli Romana.
He
also thanked the members of the anti-drug abuse councils, the communities and
all stakeholders which render assistance to the law enforcement agencies in the
drug clearing operations.
“There
is no slowing down in our anti-drug operations to go after or eliminate those
engaged in the illegal drug trade," said CSupt. Romana.
"We
always assure the public that our police operations are within the bounds of
the law and in consonance with the police operational procedures,” he added.
(FEA/PRO-13/PIA-Caraga)
