Caraga IPs receive
threat from CPP-NPA
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, Jan. 21 (PIA) - The Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Caraga region have
received a threat through a message sent by the Communist Party of the
Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), after Datu Bontula Tinaghao
Mansinugdan, a Higaonon tribal leader in Barangay Kinamaybay, Esperanza, Agusan
del Sur was inhumanely killed in the said area.
The
terrorist CPP-NPA has warned the IPs to stop hindering them from their
operations; in reporting to the authorities; and even tipped off to halt in
following their trail in the communities or locations where they passed by.
Despite
this warning, the IPs were not threatened as they are firm with their stand to
fight for what is right for the welfare of the IP community.
According
to Datu Manligonan “Larry” Mansinugdan, punong barangay of Kinamaybay,
Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, the CPP-NPA are the ones who should feel troubled
and embarrassed as they are ones who are merely causing violence and abuses to
the IPs.
Datu
Manligonan stressed that the NPAs violate the agreement on ceasefire in the
country. They take this as an opportunity to penetrate and move from one
community to another, just to cause conflict.
“I’m
not scared because we are on the government’s side. The NPAs are the ones who
should fear the government because they always violate the rule of the law,”
cited Datu Manligonan.
He
further elaborated that with the implementation of Executive Order 70 of the
Duterte administration, the CPP-NPAs have difficulty in doing their illegal
operations in the barangays.
Datu
Manligonan also called on the NPA members to stick to the agreement on
ceasefire, since they were the ones who asked for it to the government.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
3 NPA rebels, 4 mass
supporters surrender to Army in AgNor
By 1Lt
Miguel O. Borromeo
CABADBARAN
CITY, Agusan del Norte, Jan. 21 -- Through the relentless efforts of the
Community Support Teams (CSTs) deployed in the area of operations of the 29th
Infantry (MATATAG) Battalion under the leadership of Lt. Col. Isagani O.
Criste, three NPA rebels together with four other mass supporters surrendered
to the troops on January 16, 2020, in Brgy. San Antonio, Remedios Trinidad
Romualdez (RTR), Agusan del Norte.
The
said NPA rebels and mass supporters who voluntarily surrendered belong to one
clan. They were identified as alias YENI, 39 years old; alias VIC, 43 years
old; and alias RINA, 40 years old - all armed members of Squad “BOBEE– 3”,
Sandatahang Yunit Pangpropaganda (SYP) 21C, Weakened Guerilla Front (GFC) 21 of
North Eastern Mindanao Regional Command under the leadership of alias ABDUL.
The four who were mass supporters and couriers of the Communist NPA Terrorists
(CNTs) with ages ranging from 12 to 33 years old are the sons and daughters of
these rebels. Said surrenderers brought along with them one M-16 rifle, one
magazine, ammunition, and medical supplies.
Alias
Vic and alias Rina emotionally said that at first, they thought that the NPA
would help their family because "that's what they promised us. Our
children were even used to support them. We trusted them to help our family,
but everyday no help was offered and our situation just worsened."
"We
realized that as parents we are supposed to be protecting and leading our
children to what is right, but it seems we're the ones dragging them to danger.
So, we decided to find ways to surrender in order to save our family. We are so
grateful that the Army is present and never gets tired of encouraging those who
lost their way to surrender and return," they said.
Likewise,
according to alias Yeni, they could no longer stand the extreme fatigue, hunger
and hardships that they experienced in the mountains. "We are already
tired of fighting for an ideology full of lies. It was fortunate that we
listened to a radio program that discussed how the government would help those
who are willing to surrender. That gave us hope and strengthened our desire to
finally surrender," said Yeni.
Lt.
Col. Isagani O. Criste, Commanding officer of 29IB said that he was glad that
these NPA rebels were enlightened and decided to surrender and return to the
folds of law where they can be given the opportunity to avail of the Enhanced
Comprehensive Local Integration Program of the government. "With this,
they can start a new life and can look forward to a better future with their
families," he said.
"To
those who are having second thoughts about surrendering, come down now. Trust
your Army and the government for we are here to truly help you to have a better
life compared to the life which you have right now" Criste added. (CMO
Officer, 29IB, PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)
DA’s diversion dam
provides stable irrigation system to SurSur farmers
By Rhea
C. Abao
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 21 -- Rice farmers in the Municipality of Cortes,
Surigao del Sur can now irrigate their farmland as the Igang-Caman-onan and
Kagbaye Diversion Dams start to operate this year in Barangay Burgos, Cortes,
this province.
Two
diversion dams formally turned over recently by Department of Agriculture (DA)
Regional Technical Director Nicandro M. Navia, Jr. worth ₱6.38 Million projects to Cagbaye Farmers Irrigators Association
(CFIA-SWISA) and Camam-onan Farmers Samahang Walang Iwanan sa Agrikultura
(CFSWISA) all of Cortes town.
"We
are more than willing to partner with the local government units to make idle
lands productive that the farmers can benefit," Director Navia said.
The
newly constructed diversion dams are part of the small-scale irrigation project
under the DA Rice Program in partnership with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management
(BSWM) and coordination with the Local Government Units. A total of 60 farmers
will be provided with a stable irrigation system for rice production.
"We
were the only ones doing the sand-bagging to build a makeshift irrigation
canal. However, the improvised canal was no use during the rainy season for it
is not strong enough to control the water," CFSWISA President Restituto
Olbes recalled.
Most
farmers in the barangay have been dependent on rainwater to irrigate their
farms, he added.
But
with the establishment of the irrigation system, this rekindles hope among rice
farmers who wanted to increase their income and maximized rice yields.
"Our
struggle ended in 2019 when the diversion dam is completed. This is a big help
for us to effectively and efficiently use the water for quality
production," Olbes said.
The
Camam-onan Diversion Dam reuses water from Camam-onan Creek that traverses
Sitio Egang to irrigate 17 hectares of rice lands. Three to four kilometers
away Kagbaye Diversion Dam also reuses water from Cagbaye Creek that passes
Sitio Hilamon to irrigate 30 hectares of farmlands.
For the
year 2019, a total of 12 diversion dams were constructed and rehabilitated and
additional three irrigation systems are on-going for rehabilitation and
improvement located at Loreto, Agusan del Sur, Tubod and Tagana-an, Surigao del
Norte.
The DA
focuses to build more agriculture infrastructures to help the farm sector to
improve rural productivity and increase the income of local farmers through
Secretary William D. Dar's agri-industrialization strategy. (DA-Caraga
RAFIS/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Mga IPs sa Caraga
region hindi nagpatinag sa pananakot ng CPP-NPA
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD
NG BUTUAN, Enero 21 (PIA) - Matapos mapabalitang pinatay ng mga miyembro ng
Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) si Datu
Bontula Tinaghao Mansinugdan, isang Higaonon leader sa Barangay Kinamaybay,
Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, kumalat din ang mensahe sa pamamagitan ng
isang sulat ng teroristang grupo para sa mga Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
Dito ay
nagbabala ang grupo na huwag harangin ang kanilang mga gawain, magsumbong sa
otoridad at huwag sundan ang kanilang trail o mga dinadaanang lugar sa
komunidad.
Hindi
naman natinag ang IPs dito dahil alam nilang mas may karapatan sila sa kanilang
lugar.
Ayon
kay Datu Manligonan “Larry” Mansinugdan, punong barangay ng nasabing lugar, ang
mga miyembro ng CPP-NPA ang dapat na mahiya at matakot dahil sila ang lumalabag
sa batas, at siyang nagdudulot ng kapahamakan, karahasan at pang-aabuso sa mga
IPs.
“Hindi
naman ako takot dahil nasa panig ng gobyerno naman tayo. Ang mga makakaliwang
grupo ang dapat na matakot dahil sila ang parating lumalabag sa batas at
nagdudulot ng karahasan sa lipunan,” ani ni Datu Manligonan.
Binigyang-diin
din ni Datu Manligonan na sinamantala ng NPA ang ceasefire o tigil-putukan sa
bansa. Opurtunidad nila ito na mas makalakbay sa mga komunidad at maghasik ng
lagim.
Subalit,
dahil din sa pinapatupad ngayon na Executive Order 70 ng administrasyong
Duterte, napipigilan ang teroristang grupo sa kanilang operasyon.
Nanawagan
din siya sa mga NPA na sundin nang maayos ang mga kasunduan tulad ng ceasefire,
dahil ang mga NPA din naman ang unang humiling nito sa gobyerno.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Luna alang sa
proyektong ubos sa AGUSAN UP mukabat na sa 3,358
By Angel
F. Gaviola/Albert Libre
DAKBAYAN
SA BUTUAN, Enero 21 -- Mokabat na sa 3,358 ektaryas ang na-cover sa ocular
inspection sa mga luna nga gikometer nga tamnan ubos sa Plant! Plant! Plant!
Project sa AGUSAN UP!, ang development program sa Agusan del Norte ubos sa
administrasyon ni Gob. Dale B. Corvera.
Ang
nahisgutang mga luna kabahin sa 8,000 ektaryas nga inisyal nga gikometer sa
grupo sa mga mag-uuma sa unang konsultasyon kalabot sa AGUSAN UP! sa milabay’ng
Disyembre. Padayon ang ocular inspection sa mga luna nga gisugdan duha ka
semana na ang milabay sa mosunod nga mga adlaw.
Gihimo
ang ocular inspection aron matino asa ang lokasyon niiini nga mga luna ug unsa
ang ilang mga panginahanglan sama sa kalsada ug ubang suporta sa mga mag-uuma
sa pagsugod sa pagpananum nga gipunting sa tungang bahin niining tuiga.
Sa
3,358, ang 2,735 ektaryas ang bag-ong nadugang sa miaging semana. Ang laing 823
una nang nataho sa unang semana sa Enero.
Ang
nadugang nga 2,735 ektaryas gilangkoban sa mosunod: Nasipit, 500 ektaryas;
Carmen, 850 ektaryas; Kithcarao, 510 ektaryas; Jabonga, 160 ektaryas, ug;
Santiago, 715 ektaryas.
Apil sa
mga mikometer nga grupo salungsod sa Nasipit mao ang mosunod: Nasipit Cacao
Farmers Ventures Association (NACAFAVA), 500 ektaryas; Camagong Farmers MPC, 50
ektaryas.
Ang
mikomenter nga grupo sa lungsod sa Carmen mao ang Carmen Coconut Farmers, 800
ektaryas.
Sa
Kitcharao mikometer ang mosunod: Barangyan Lakeview Association Agrarian Reform
Coop (BLA-ARB COOP), 200 hectares; Hinimbangan Farmers Agrarian Reform
Beneficiaries, 150 ektaryas, ug; Small Coconut Farmer Builder Beneficiary
Multi-Purpose Coop (SCOFARBIMULCO), 160 ektarya.
Sa
Jabonga, mikometer ang mosunod: Magdago-oc Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries and
Fisherfolk Organization (MARBFA), 20 ektaryas; Baligyan Small Coconut Farmers
Org. (BASCOFO), 100 ektaryas, ug; Libas Farmers Multipupose Coop, 40 ektaryas.
Ang
mikomenter sa Santiago: United Small Farmers Association (USFA), 100 ektaryas;
Mamanwa Manobo Mapaso Tribal Sectoral Org. Inc., 15 ektaryas; Talafga Farmers
and Workers Association (TAFAWA), 100 ektaryas, ug; San Isidro Upland Farmers
Multipurpose Coop (SIUFMULCO), 500 ektaryas.
Ang
planong itanum ning maong mga grupo sa mag-uuma mao ang abaca, saging, cacao ug
kape nga apil sa mga crops nga tutokan ubos sa AGUSAN UP!
Ang
AGUSAN UP! mao ang walo ka punto nga development agenda sa Agusan del Norte nga
gilangkuban sa upat ka flagship programs: 1. Agus 3Ps o Plant and Process for Prosperity
(alang sa ekonomikanhong kalambuan), 2. Amumang Agusanon (alang sa sosyal nga
kalambuan), 3. Lunhaw’ng Agusan (alang sa pagpasiuli sa kabaskug sa
kinaiyahan), ug 4. Hiniusang Lihuk Agusan (alang sa mga serbisyo pagpalambu sa
sistema ug proseso sa pagdumala).
Pinaagi
niini nga mga programa gipunting nga makab-ot sa probinsya ang panglantaw niini
nga mahimong agri-forest processing center ug economic zone sa Caraga pag-abot
sa tuig 2027, makunhoran ang gidaghanon sa mga pobreng pamilya, mapaangat ang
kalidad ug maabot sa katilingbanong serbisyo, mapahimsog ang kinaiyahan ug
matagamtam sa mga Agusanon ang haruhay nga kahimtang sa pagpuyo. (Agusan UP,
LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)
