Wednesday, August 29, 2018

PCW signs partnership agreement with RDC-RGADC Caraga

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 29 (PIA) – The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) signed a partnership agreement with the Regional Gender and Development Committee on Thursday at the Oazis Hotel, this city in time with the 7th General Assembly of the Regional Development Council –RGADC Caraga.

“This agreement signing is a renewal of our partnership with RGADC Caraga and we will continue to share resources and expertise in sustaining gender mainstreaming in Caraga region,” said Cecile Gutierrez, PCW deputy executive director for management services.

The PCW thru Gutierrez and Nharleen Santos-Millar, chief GAD specialist, together with RGADC Caraga chairperson and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regional director lawyer Jerefe Tubigon-Bacang and vice-chair Concepcion Asis signed the Partnership Agreement witnessed by the GAD focal persons from government agencies and private sector.

Gutierrez reiterated that the PCW as the national machinery for gender equality and women’s empowerment is mandated to capacitate all national government agencies and local government units to effectively implement Republic Act 9710 or the Magna Carta of Women (MCW) and further their efforts towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. 

Based on the agreement, among the roles and functions of RGADC include the following: orchestrate mainstreaming of GAD in various development initiatives of the region; sustain its capacity development programs to strengthen its capability towards providing GAD-related technical assistance (TA) to local government units, state universities and colleges and regional line agencies in the region with guidance and support from PCW and the PCW certified National GAD Resource Pool; and utilize/mobilize available expertise, facilities and other resources that can support GAD programs and projects, as well as the implementation of the MCW and other GAD-related policies.

For PCW, they shall assist RGADC Caraga in organizing and providing GAD-related technical assistance in the region and in developing GAD training designs and modules to be used during provision of GAD-related TAs within the region and support the RGADC Caraga by linking it to the appropriate institutons/organizations to access additional resources/programs or projects on GAD in the region, among others.

Also, Bacang expressed her thanks for the unending support of the PCW and their efforts in capacitating the RGADC members.

“We will always look forward on the success of the different activities that we will be conducting together with PCW,” she said.

Along with the partnership agreement signing was the ceremonial certification of the eight identified Technical Advisers on GAD (TAGs) in Caraga from government agencies.

The PCW also hurled the challenge to the eight identified TAGs to continue their advocacy efforts and be able to equip others by the knowledge they would share with the different sectors.

Meanwhile, Nharleen Santos-Millar, chief GAD specialist of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) cited that the 2nd RGADC Summit (nationwide) is scheduled on Sept. 25-26, 2018 in Manila.

She also encouraged GAD focal persons in Caraga to attend said activity. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

PCW joins RGADC Caraga in 7th General Assembly

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 29 (PIA) – The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) has joined the members of the Regional Development Council – Regional Gender and Development Committee (RGADC) Caraga in their 7th General Assembly held on Thursday at the Oazis Hotel, this city.

Cecile Gutierrez, deputy executive director for management services of PCW and Nharleen Santos-Millar, chief GAD specialist of PCW participated in the general assembly and shared their updates on GAD-related activities nationwide.

In her message, Gutierrez highlighted the active and continued participation of RGADC members on GAD-related advocacy and activities in the region.

She also emphasized that the RGADC in Caraga has great potentials in promoting gender mainstreaming of programs, linkages, and partnership as it has great number of GAD advocates from various sectors. 

“The PCW will continue to assist you in your regional activities on GAD. We look forward for a more productive GAD focal persons in Caraga and intensify our campaign towards gender mainstreaming,” said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez further bared that under the work plan with the RDC-RGADC Caraga, the following activities will be conducted namely Regional GAD Budget Fora, Strategic Planning, Training of Technical Advisers on GAD/ Deepening session on GAD analysis tools for TAG members, 2nd Caraga GAD focal point system assembly, and conferring of GADtimpala Awards.

Also, lawyer Jerefe Tubigon-Bacang, regional director of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and chairperson of RGADC-Caraga, cited the accomplishments of the committee in partnership with PCW for the previous year, which include the conduct of leveling session on basic GAD concepts; GAD planning and budgeting, and conduct of training for technical advisers on GAD (TAGs), wherein eight members/GAD focal persons from the region were identified and certified during the 7th general assembly.

“We are very happy and blessed that the PCW has always been there to assist us in our regional activities and we expect that with our strengthened partnership, we will have more activities together and be able to equip more GAD focal persons in our region,” said Bacang.

In line with the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS) localization process in Caraga region by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), lawyer Bacang also announced that some members of the committee will be joining with OPAPP in the conduct of provincial consultations in the following schedules: Aug. 23-24, 2018 - Surigao del Sur (alternate date: Aug. 28-29); Aug. 30-31 - Agusan del Sur; Sept. 3-4 - Province of Dinagat Islands; Sept. 6-7 - Surigao del Norte; and Sept. 26-27 Agusan del Norte and Butuan City (alternate date: Sept. 24-25, 2018). (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

Dureza urges Surigao del Norte rebels to return to civilian life

GIGAQUIT, Surigao del Norte, Aug. 29 - Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus G. Dureza urged local rebels here to stop fighting so that development can continue in the area.

“Ang gusto ng ating Presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte, kung pwede ‘di na tayo mag-away. ‘Di na tayo magpatayan. Magkaisa na tayo (What President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wants is for us to stop fighting. Let’s stop killing each other. Let’s be united instead),” Dureza said in his message at the inauguration of the LASICAM Bridge in Barangay Sico-Sico on Aug. 28, 2018.

“Magbalik na kayo nang bukal sa inyong puso. Malaki ang suporta sa inyo ng Presidente (Come back to the folds of the law wholeheartedly. The President is giving you a lot of support),” he added.

The bridge passes through the three barangays of Lahi, Sico-Sico, and Camam-onan in the Municipality of Gigaquit — known stronghold corridors of local insurgents in Surigao del Norte for decades.

The project will benefit more than 3,000 residents by giving them access to socio-economic services carried out by the national and local government.

The bridge will also give local farmers and residents better access to market sites.

Dureza said the bridge is part of government’s emphasis on working on peace and development simultaneously.

“You cannot sustain peace if you do not improve the lives of people. Conversely, you cannot also sustain development without peace. Dapat iyan, hand-in-hand,” he said.

For her part, Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas extended her gratitude to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) for funding the project through the 2015 PAyapa at MAsaganang  PamayaNAn (PAMANA) Program – calling the completed project “Bridge of Hope” (Tulay nan Paglaum).

“Itong tulay ang magsisilbing daan para sa mga bisita. Maraming mga proyekto ang darating upang ang mga nakatira dito ay maging mapayapa at masagana (This bridge will serve as the way for visitors. Many projects will be brought here so that residents can live in peace and prosperity),” Matugas said.

Speaking on behalf of the Mamanwa Tribe within the community, Datu Emilliano Jede recalled how their people endured walking for one whole day just to reach the town proper.

“Dati, pag papunta kaming bayan, magkalakad kami nang isang araw. Ngayon, dahil may kalsada na, sandali lang makakarating na kami sa bayan (We used to spend a whole day walking to the town. With this road, we can reach it in a short time),” Jede said.

All in all, a total of Php210 million was allocated for the implementation of the project. OPAPP tapped the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as implementing partner.

The inauguration, which coincided with the launch of Caraga Peace and Development Zones that includes Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, attracted nearly 300 attendees, including locals from Barangay Sico-sico and representatives from OPAPP, DILG, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the local government units. (OPAPP/PIA-Caraga)