SurSur hosts 3rd Caraga RTF-ELCAC meeting
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 25 (PIA) – The
members of the Caraga Regional Task Force – Ending Local Communist Armed
Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) convened for its 3rd quarter meeting held on Wednesday
(Oct. 23) in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur to discuss with various stakeholders
the pressing issues and concerns in the communities, as part of the continuing
effort of the government in implementing the Executive Order No. 70 or the
whole-of-nation approach to end the insurgency.
In the said meeting, the members
of the Regional Development Council (RDC) and Regional Peace and Order Council
(RPOC) Caraga also joined and actively participated in the discussion.
Among the issues and concerns
raised include the needed equipment of the farmers which could help them till
their lands easier and increase their yields; education of the Indigenous
Peoples (IP) youths; security of the IP communities; farm to market road in
remote areas; and aid for the former rebels, among others.
Updates on the non-Department of
Education (DepEd) operated schools in Surigao del Sur were also tackled. In
view of the complicated issues of the Tribal Filipino Program for Surigao del
Sur (TRIFPSS, Inc.) and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and
Livelihood Development (ALCADEV, Inc.), Regional Development Council
chairperson and Agusan del Norte Gov. Dale Corvera has suggested for the
creation of a Technical Working Group to discuss the issues and present
solutions and plans.
Cabinet Officer for Regional
Development and Security (CORDS) and Caraga RTF-ELCAC chairperson Cabinet
Secretary Karlo Alexi Nograles, who presided the meeting, stressed the strong
directive of President Rodrigo Duterte in solving the local communist armed
conflict in the region.
“Caraga is a top performer among
other regions in the implementation of Executive Order No. 70. We have
accomplished a lot but we know there's still a lot more to be done. That's why
we need your full support and cooperation in this endeavor," Nograles said.
Meantime, more than 400 local
residents of Barangay Maitum in Tandag City took advantage of the serbisyo
caravan spearheaded by the RTF-ELCAC member agencies.
Sec. Nograles said the Caraga
RTF-ELCAC serves as the bridge in bringing the government closer to the people
through the services provided by concerned government agencies and local
government units.
In his message, Surigao del Sur
Governor Alexander Pimentel vowed to assist the farmers in Brgy. Maitum and
assured that the provincial government will help them in their needed equipment
that would improve their yields and income.
“The provincial government with
all its local government units are continuously promoting the welfare of the
locals in the barangays and addressing their issues and concerns. We believe
that with constant dialogue with the different sectors, their concerns will be
addressed with the help of the concerned government agencies,” Pimentel said.
It was also learned that another
Serbisyo Caravan will be scheduled in Agusan del Sur, wherein government
agencies will converge and bring basic services to the locals in the target
barangays in the area. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Dinagat farmers receive land titles, farm
machines
SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Oct. 25
(PIA) -- Some 766 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) received their
certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) from the Department of Agrarian
Reform (DAR) in a ceremony held last October 9, 2019 at the Provincial Capitol
Convention Center of Dinagat Islands.
The CLOAs cover 1,067 hectares of
agricultural land in different municipalities of this province.
In her message, DAR Assistant
Secretary Milagros Milabel Cristobal, who was representing Agrarian Reform
Secretary John R. Castriciones, urged the beneficiaries to do their part in
improving their respective farmlands and elevating their economic lives.
“We promise to give you support
services like farm machines, access to credit and various training to help you
sustain the gains that you reap from this land that is now legally yours,”
Cristobal said.
One of the beneficiaries, Ricely
Plaza, 52 years old from the municipality of Basilisa said that he has been
working in the land assisting his parents until they both died several years
ago.
“Now, as the heir to this
farmland, I plan to intercrop my coconuts with root crops and vegetables for
additional income,” Plaza added after receiving her CLOA.
At the same event, Asec Cristobal,
assisted by DAR 13 Regional Director Leomides Villareal, led the ceremonial
turnover of farm machines to three agrarian cooperatives in the municipality of
Loreto, Dinagat Islands.
The farm machines were provided
under the Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project.
The program aims to boost farmers’
household income by modernizing their farming through the provision of new
equipment.
The DAR turned over rice
threshers, rice harvesters, shredders and mud turtles to three agrarian
cooperatives namely; Ang Kahugpongan Alang sa Kalambuang Agraryo, ARB
Cooperative, Santiago Volunteers Consumer Cooperative, and the Coastal Area
Manager of Esperanza ARB Cooperative. (DAR-Caraga/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
