(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Tuesday, 19 March 2024) Easterlies affecting the country. Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies / Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Light to moderate winds coming from Northeast to North will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Friday, May 1, 2020

Tech-Voc institutions, TESDA-ADN distribute PPE to Caraga frontliners

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- Renowned for their creative and charitable nature, Filipinos have truly displayed such character especially at this challenging time when the country is facing a health crisis due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Proof of which is the conceptualization of the “Bayanihan na! Talunin natin ang COVID-19” program, wherein the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) - Agusan del Norte Provincial Office, together with the Association of Technical and Vocational Schools in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte have initiated actions for the protection against COVID-19.


The Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries (NMSF), with the support of the NC II trainers, was able to create some improvised personal protective equipment.

They produced 25 personal protective equipment (PPE) suits per week and distributed to the nurses, doctors, and other frontliners in the region.

“We hope to produce more PPE for our frontliners. The TESDA Provincial Training Center in Cabadbaran City has also produced a number of face shields,” said Romel Natad, school administrator of the NMSF.

They were able to distribute more than 2,500 washable face masks; 160 PPE suits; more than 4,500 liters of hand sanitizer; 50 pieces of face shields; and more than 930 packs of cookies.

According to TESDA-Caraga regional director Ashary Banto, with the help of the partner stakeholders and volunteers, they will continue to support the frontliners until the COVID-19 pandemic will be over.

The Caraga frontliners were grateful to the technical-vocational institutions and TESDA for the donated PPE. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)

Caraga fabrication lab donates face shields to frontliners

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- With the intensified effort of the government to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19, one of the biggest challenges is the shortage of personal protective equipment of the frontliners.

In Caraga region, the fabrication laboratory or FabLab of the Caraga State University (CSU) has designed and targeted to produce 200 pieces of face shields daily using 3D printing and laser cutting machines.

“All these initiatives of the university can bring a positive contribution to this global health crisis and CSU will always be willing and open to share our expertise and available human resources,” said Dr. Anthony Penaso, CSU president.

The FabLab is complete with modern equipment, but since the laboratory is self-sustaining, they accept donations in kind such as acrylic sheets, industrial glue, and PVC sheets to replenish the materials needed in order for them to produce more face shields.

“For those who want to support our efforts in making our frontliners be more safe, we are willing to accept materials or any sort of sponsorship for the mass production of these face shields,” said Engr. Isagani Roman, manager of CSU FAbLab.

Fablab Caraga workers are reproducing face shields 24/7. They have already distributed more than a thousand face shields to different organizations and frontliners.

Meanwhile, the CSU - Caraga Center for Geoinformatics has also initiated in crafting an interactive link wherein COVID-19-related cases of the different provinces in Caraga can be viewed via a web map.

FabLab Caraga is one of the shared service facility projects of the Department of Trade and Industry. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)

SEC spots more get-rich-quick schemes in nonstop investor protection effort

BUTUAN CITY, May 1 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has identified more unauthorized investment schemes, as it continues enforcement efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Commission on April 28 advised the public against investing in CROWD1 Asia Pacific, Inc., Sharebiz Ads/ Sharebiz Advertising/ Sharebiz Online Advertising Services and Winners Ecommerce International Network Corp. (WINCORP). It also identified a certain Aiza Mercado as promoter of My Profit Robot (MPR), the subject of a previous advisory.

CROWD1, Sharebiz and WINCORP neither have registered securities such as investment contracts nor have secured a secondary license to solicit and take investments from the public, as required under Republic Act No. 8799, or The Securities Regulation Code.

The SEC likewise found no record of Sharebiz and WINCORP being registered as corporations or partnerships. While incorporated, CROWD1 must have secured a secondary license before it could engage in investment-solicitation activities.

In this light, the Commission advised the public to exercise caution in dealing with any individual or group soliciting investments for and on behalf of CROWD1, Sharebiz and WINCORP.

Under its scheme, CROWD1 offers membership packages worth P6,000 to P240,000. An investor is entitled to bonuses by simply joining, sponsoring newer members and recruiting more people.

CROWD1 promises residual incomes or bonuses supposedly from its digital gaming business. Upon joining, a member acquires a so-called owner right, which would entitle him/her to a share in the company’s total revenues from affiliate income.  

The SEC, however, noted that CROWD 1 earns mainly from the recruitment of members, as in a pyramiding scheme, with most of the games touted by the group unavailable in the Philippines.

Sharebiz, meanwhile, offers three entry packages worth P330 to P1,100. An investor may earn by recruiting members, encoding captcha, selling products and converting a portion of his/her earnings into the so-called BIZCOIN.

The group founded by a certain Lawrence Menor Ibarra in Iriga City, Camarines Sur also offers a BIZCOIN-focused compensation plan. One may invest P500 to 50,000 and earn a 42% interest every 20 days within a two-month period by simply logging in his/her account.

Simply, an investor receives passive income from the pool of investment gathered and acquires active income from recruitment under Sharebiz’s modus operandi resembling a Ponzi scheme.

WINCORP likewise offers entry packages worth P4,888 to P39,998 with 200 to 1,600 equivalent points. An investor may earn P1,000 daily, P20,000 weekly or P30,000 monthly by selling products and recruiting members.

For instance, an investor is entitled to an indefinite commission to be credited to his/her 10-in-1 wallet every time his/her downline purchases products. He/she also receives as much as P1,200 to P9,600 for every match in his/her network.

The group headed by a certain Edwin Bermundo Moratillo, also known as Win Bermundo Olinquino, further entices the public to join through a program called Commission Deductions, where a prospective member may avail of the entry package without having to immediately pay for it.

The SEC warned that those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents of fraudulent investment schemes may be held criminally liable and penalized with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both under the Securities Regulation Code.

Those who invite or recruit others to join or invest in such ventures may likewise incur criminal liability, or otherwise be sanctioned or penalized accordingly.

Republic Act No. 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, further penalizes those participating in cyber incidents that make use or take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to prey on the public through scams, phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar acts with two-month imprisonment or a maximum fine of P1 million or both.

Reports of unauthorized investment solicitation activities may be emailed to the SEC Enforcement and Investor Protection Department at epd@sec.gov.ph. (SEC/PIA Caraga)

DBP assistance for PUV modernization reaches P753-M

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, May 1 -- State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has released more than P753 million in loans under a specialized loan financing program that aims to help transport corporations and cooperatives acquire modern and environment-friendly jeepney units, a top official said.

DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said a total of 53 transport cooperatives have availed of the funding support under the Bank’s Program Assistance to Support Alternative Driving Approaches (DBP PASADA) initiative, which was conceived in 2017 to support the National Government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization  Program (PUVMP).

“DBP’s financial assistance reflects our strong and firm commitment to the government’s PUV modernization program. We are one with the public’s desire for a reliable, efficient and safe public transportation,” Herbosa said.

DBP is the eighth largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy – infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; environment; social services and community development. 

As of end-2019, DBP’s loan portfolio stood at P413.9 billion with about 3.6 percent, or P14.89 billion, accounting for the transportation sector.

The DBP PASADA Financing Program is a special loan financing facility available to corporations and cooperatives registered with the Office of Transportation Cooperatives, participating in the PUVMP and qualified to receive franchises by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) under the Omnibus Franchising Guidelines of the PUVMP.

Herbosa said there is a need to ramp up support to further improve the country’s mass transportation system to mitigate the impact to the economy of the existing enhanced community quarantine.

He said an efficient public transport system remains an important component in shoring up investor confidence as the country gradually recovers from the ill-effects of the pandemic.

“State financing institutions such as DBP would continue to assist public transport operators and cooperatives as they grapple with the challenges of the “new normal” spawned by this global pandemic," Herbosa said. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Filipina professor to conduct research at U.S. physical sciences lab

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, May 1 --  A graduate student and faculty member of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) Biological Sciences Department has been chosen to conduct research as a short-term scholar at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Jessica Asuncion will carry out research in the Biomolecular Measurement Division at NIST alongside Dr. Concepcion Remoroza, a Filipina research chemist.  NIST is a federal agency within the United States (U.S.) Department of Commerce that promotes innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science and standards to enhance citizens’ quality of life and the bioeconomy.

This research scholarship is the result of a 2019 mission trip to the U.S. by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines EducationUSA office designed to develop links between U.S. and Philippine higher education institutions.

Last year, MMSU President and Fulbright alumna Shirley Agrupis and an EducationUSA Philippines advisor met with NIST representatives to discuss collaborations in advancing innovation in the biological sciences through technology.

“After my short-term research training at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, my goal is to go back home to the Philippines and share the knowledge and skills I have learned with my colleagues, students, and local agencies through seminars and workshops,” said Asuncion.

“Aside from offering the highest standards of education, U.S. universities and agencies promote quality cultural experiences as well which are vital in the holistic development of the students,” said MMSU President Shirley Agrupis.

In addition to this collaboration, the recently signed joint statement on U.S.-Philippine Higher Education Cooperation has resulted in the intensified efforts of CHED and EducationUSA to support academic and cultural exchanges, capacity development of university officials, and university collaborations.  Recent successful collaborations between Philippine and U.S. universities include the following:  1) New York Film Academy’s master class on directing at the Ateneo de Manila University; A lecture at MMSU on ethanol expansion and climate change by Dr. Marcellus Caldas, assistant provost of international faculty collaboration at Kansas State University; 2) University of California Los Angeles graduate student-led training on anthropology at MMSU; 3) Texas A&M University’s visiting professor collaboration with MMSU on renewable energy engineering; and 4) Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ international conference on peace education and indigenous peoples studies in partnership with Central Washington University. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

U.S. provides P26M COVID-19 assistance anew

SURIGAO CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- The United States (U.S.) government approved an additional P269 million ($5.3 million) in health and humanitarian assistance to help support the Philippines in the fight against COVID-19, bringing a total U.S. assistance to the Philippines to more than P470 million ($9.3 million). 

The U.S. government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is collaborating with the Philippine government to implement internationally-recognized prevention, control, and response strategies to protect against infectious diseases.

This newest tranche of U.S. assistance will support laboratory and specimen-transport systems and intensify case-finding and disease surveillance. 

The funding also will assist Filipino and international technical experts in risk communication, infection prevention and control efforts, handwashing and hygiene promotion, and community-level preparedness and response.

Previously, the United States announced P203 million ($4 million) in health funding to support the Philippine government’s efforts to prepare laboratory systems to combat the virus, as well as a donation of 1,300 cots to Philippine medical facilities. Thus far, the U.S. assistance has  1) Boosted Testing Capacity: U.S.-supported efforts to augment the Department of Health (DOH’s) testing capacity by upgrading laboratories, provide laboratory supplies, and strengthen specimen transport systems have contributed to an increase in the country’s testing capacity from 200 to approximately 3,000 tests per day.

2) Intensified Infection Control: USAID’s online learning modules are boosting capacities in more than 100 hospitals across the country with the most up-to-date COVID-19 infection prevention and control information and skills.  This assistance also helps individuals, families, and frontline community and hospital heath care workers to protect themselves from infection.

3) Enhanced Risk Preparedness and Crisis Communications: USAID is supporting DOH communications platforms, including the Healthy Pilipinas Facebook page for accurate COVID-19 information.  USAID is also supporting the DOH to rapidly translate and communicate the latest COVID-19 guidelines and policies for improved implementation of COVID-19 response.

4) Strengthened Supply Chain Management: USAID assisted the DOH to develop and launch a nationwide commodity and logistics tracking tool that offers real-time data on stores of life-saving COVID-19 commodities, in turn improving the availability and appropriate management and delivery to the areas of greatest need.

5) Expanded WASH Access and Data Collection: USAID is expanding community access to water, sanitation, hygiene services, and commodities to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.  Funding also aids Filipino and international technical experts in data collection to enhance COVID-19 response and preparedness, including support for two surveillance experts who are assisting the DOH Epidemiology Bureau with Analysis and reporting of COVID-19 cases.

The United States has invested more than $4.5 billion in total assistance to the Philippines over the past 20 years, including $582 million to support the public health system. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

U.S. donates COVID-19 relief supplies to PH

SURIGAO CITY, May 1 (PIA) -- The United States (U.S.) government donated nearly 1,300 new cots to support the Philippine government's response to COVID-19. 

"I am pleased to be able to hand over these new cots, on behalf of the U.S. government, to our Philippine partners.  We stand together with the Philippines, as both of our nations work to save lives and protect our people in the fight against COVID-19," said Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim.

Joining the ambassador to receive the cots were Republic of the Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. and Office of Civil Defense Undersecretary Ricardo Jalad.

In partnership with the Philippine government, the United States also donated more than 1,100 cots to the Office of Civil Defense to aid COVID-19 patients.  

The United States also provided 150 cots to support patients and medical professionals and frontliners at Philippine General Hospital who are providing critical diagnosis, treatment and care.  The cots were originally intended for the Balikatan 2020 joint military exercise.

In addition to the donation of cots, the U.S is providing the Philippines nearly P204 million ($4 million) in health assistance to help address the COVID-19 pandemic in Manila and around the country. 

United States assistance supports several important efforts such as laboratory system preparedness; case-finding and event-based surveillance; technical expert response and preparedness; risk communication; and infection prevention.  

These efforts complement the ongoing assistance from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Biological Threat Reduction Program.

Over the past 20 years, the United States has provided more than P29.5 billion ($582 million) in assistance to strengthen and develop the Philippine health system. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Agusan del Norte LGUs nagpasalamat sa probinsya sa binigay na dagdag pondo laban COVID-19
  
By Nora C. Lanuza

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Mayo 1 (PIA) -- Sampung bayan at isang lungsod ng Agusan del Norte ang tumangap ng tig-iisang milyong peso na augmentation fund para mapaigting ang paglaban sa coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Sa bayan ng Remedios T. Romuladez o RTR, gagamitin ang nasabing pondo para sa balik probinsya program ng gobyerno kung saan marami sa kanilang mga kababayan ang na-stranded sa iba’t ibang lugar dahil sa COVID-19.

Maglalaan din ang LGU ng pandagdag pondo para sa pagtatayo ng isolation rooms o quarantine area sa kasalukuyang evacuation center sa nasabing bayan.

"Ang pondo ay gagamitin namin upang matulongan ang aming mga kababayan at mabigyan sila ng maayos na lugar habang nasa quarantine period pa sila," mungkahi ni RTR mayor Richard P. Daquipil.

Ayon kay Gobernador Dale B. Corvera ng Agusan del Norte, maliban sa mga bayan at lungsod, binigyan din ng tig-P50,000 ang lahat ng 167 barangay ng probinsya.

Dagdag pa ni Corvera, mas madaling labanan ang COVID-19 kung lahat ay magtututulongan at mabibigyan ng tamang suporta.


“Ang P50,000 ng bawat barangay ay ilalaan lamang sa mga hakbang para labanan ang COVID-19 sa kanilang barangay," dagdag ni Corvera.

Dahil sa dagdag na pundo, malaki ang pasalamat ni punong barangay Nilo T. Fediles ng Barangay Basilisa sa bayan ng RTR dahil mas mapaayos pa nila ang kanilang mga hakbang laban sa COVID-19 .

Sa ngayon ay nananatiling COVID19-free ang Agusan del Norte dahil na rin sa mahigpit na pagpapatupad nito ng enhanced community quarantine. (NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte)


CSU-FabLab sa Caraga namigay ng mga face shield sa mga frontliner

By Venus L. Garcia

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Mayo 1 (PIA) -- Sa harap ng pinaigting na hakbang ng pamahalaan laban sa COVID-19, isa sa mga hamon ngayon lalo na para sa frontliners ay ang kakulangan sa personal protective equipment o PPE at iba pang kagamitan na proteksyon mula sa virus.
Kaya naman sa rehiyon ng Caraga, gumawa na ng kanilang sariling face shileds ang  fabrication laboratory o FabLab ng Caraga State University (CSU). 

Target ng FabLab na makagawa ng dalawang daang piraso kada araw sa pamamagitan ng 3D printing at laser cutting machine.

“Layunin ng unibersidad na sa pamamagitan ng mga inisyatibong gaya nito ay ang makagawa ng positibong kontribusyon sa kinakaharap na global health crisis at ang CSU ay bukas na ibahagi ang expertise, kakayahan at human resources,” sabi ni Dr. Anthony Penaso, president ng CSU.

Bagama’t kumpleto ang laboratoryo sa mga makabagong kagamitan ay tumatanggap pa rin ang management ng donasyon para sa materyales ng face shield gaya ng acrylic sheets, industrial glue, at PVC sheets na kakailanganin sa produksyon. 

“Para sa gustong sumuporta sa aming pagsisikap na matulungan an gating mga frontliner, tumatanggap po kami ng mga materyales at sponsorship para sa maramihang produksyon ng face shield,” sabi ni Engr. Isagani Roman, manager of CSU FabLab.

Sa ngayon ay naipamahagi na sa iba’t ibang organisayon at frontliners ang mahigit isang libong face shields na gawa ng FabLab Caraga.

Samantala, bahagi rin ng inisyatibo ng CSU-Caraga Center for Geoinformatics ay ang paggawa ng interactive link kung saan makikita sa web map ang COVID-19-related cases ng bawat probinsiya sa Caraga.

Ang FabLab Caraga ay isa sa mga shared service facility projects ng Department of Trade and Industry. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)

Tech-Voc schools, TESDA-ADN namigay ng PPE sa mga Caraga frontliner

By Venus L. Garcia

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Mayo 1 (PIA) -- Likas sa mga Pilipino ang pagiging malikhain at matulungin na talaga naman naipapamalas sa anumang panahon kahit pa ngayong nahaharap sa health crisis ang bansa dulot ng COVID-19.

Patunay riyan ang programang “Bayanihan na! Talunin natin ang COVID-19,” kung saan nagtulungan ang Agusan del Norte Provincial Office ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority o TESDA, Association of Technical and Vocational Schools ng Butuan City at Agusan del Norte para gumawa ng mga proteksyon laban sa COVID-19.

Ang Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries o NMSF, katuwang ang mga NC II trainer, ay gumagawa ng mga personal protective equipment (PPE).

Nakakagawa sila ng 25 PPE suits kada linggo na ipinamahagi naman sa mga nurse, doktor, at iba pang frontliners.

“Sisikapin naming makagawa ng mas marami pang PPE para sa ating mga frontliners. Ang TESDA Provincial Training Center sa Cabadbaran City ay nakagawa na rin ng mga face shield,” sabi ni Romel Natad, school administrator ng NMSF.

Sa kasalukuyan ay nakapamahagi na sila ng mahigit 2,500 washable face masks; 160 PPE suits; mahigit 4,500 litro ng hand sanitizer; 50 pirasong face shields; at mahigit 930 packs ng cookies.

Ayon kay TESDA-caraga regional director Ashary Banto, magpapatuloy ang kanilang ahensya at mga partner stakeholder  na magbigay suporta sa frontliners hanggang masugpo ang COVID-19.

Lubos naman ang pasasalamat ng mga Caraga frontliners na nakatanggap ng nasabing donated PPE. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)

‘Tawag konsulta’ inilusad sa Surigao del Norte

By Venus L. Garcia

LUNGSOD NG SURIGAO, Surigao del Norte, Mayo 1 (PIA) -- “Stay at home!” - ito ang mahigpit na paalala ng pamahalaan. Kaya naman sa gitna ng striktong pagpapatupad ng enhanced community quarantine sa buong rehiyon ng Caraga gawa ng COVID-19 pandemic ay sinusiguro ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Surigao del Norte province na matugunan ang konsultasyong medikal na pangangailangan ng mga residente.

Sa pakikipagtulungan ng Surigao del Norte Medical Society, inilunsad ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Surigao del Norte ang programang “Tawag Konsulta” kung saan maaring komunsulta ang mga may karamdaman at nais ng payong medikal na hindi na kinakailangang pumunta sa ospital o klinika ng doktor.

Gamit lamang ang telepono o mobile phone ay maaring i-dial ang mga hotline numbers at agad naman itong sasagutin ng nakatalagang “HEALS 911” agent na siyang mag-aassist at refer sa naayong doktor na magbibigay ng payong medikal at reseta.

I-tetext ng doktor ang online prescription na aprubado ng food and drug administration sa nurse coordinator na siya namang magbibigay sa pharmacist para sa pag-dispense ng gamot at agad naman itong idedeliver sa lokasyon mismo ng pasyente.


Ang serbisyong Tawag Konsulta ay bukas 24/7. Ito ay libre at charged to medical assistance program at social services fund ng probinsya.

Ayon kay Dr. Chrismar Mocorro, officer-in-charge ng Surigao del Norte Provincial Hospital, malaking tulong ang nasabing programa lalung-lalo na sa mga senior citizen, buntis at mga kabilang sa vulnerable persons na binabawalang lumabas ng bahay.

“Buo ang aming suporta sa programang ito. Bago paman nag ECQ ay alam na namin ang kakaharaping hamon ng mga residente lalung-lalo na ng mga senior citizen. Mahihirapan silang pumunta sa kilinika o ospital para magpacheck-up dahil nga ay limitado ang sasakyang pampubliko at takot na lumabas baka mahawaan ng virus. Sa tulong ng Tawag Konsulta ay naging madali ang pagtugon sa medikal concern ng mga kliyente,” sabi ni Dr. Mocorro.

Sa ngayon ay umabot na mahigit 280 na pasyente ang napagserbisyohan at mahigit tatlumpung pasyente na ang nabigyan ng libreng gamot.

Ayon kay Dr. Mocorro, kadalasan sa problema o kaso ng karamdaman na kanilang natanggap ay may kinalaman sa respiratory condition, pag-ubo, hyperacidity, hypertension at kabilang din ang prostate enlargement at electrolyte imbalances.

Samantala, laking tuwa at pasasalamat naman ang ipinaabot ni Charlie Camelion, 44 taong gulang at residente ng Barangay Cagniog sa Surigao City dahil sa libreng konsulta at gamot
Nakipagbayanihan naman ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Del carmen sa Siargao Island kung saan nag-aalok ng libreng gamit ng telepono ang Del Carmen Polyclinic para sa kanilang Telemed o Tawag Konsulta program.

Hinikayat din ng LGU-Mainit naman, sa pamamagitan ng Municipal Health Office, ang mga residente na tumawag sa kanilang hotline number na naipost sa kanilang Facebook page na LGU-Mainit 2020 kung saan makikita ang iskedyul at karagdagang impormasyon. (VLG/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

P5K cash assistance sa mga stranded nga Agusanon ipadangat sa probinsya ug mga munisipyo

By Angel Lyn F. Gaviola

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Mayo 1 -- Sa kinatibuk-an, P5,000 nga tabang pinansyal ang ipadangat sa probinsya ug mga munisipyo sa mga stranded nga mga Agusanon gikan sa nagkalain-laing bahin sa Pilipinas.

Kini ang nauyonan sa teleconference tali kang Gov. Dale B. Corvera, Congresswoman Angel Amante-Matba ug sa 11 ka mayor sa Agusan del Norte niadtong Abril 27.

Ang P3,000 sa maong kantidad maggikan sa probinsya samtang ang laing P2,000 maggikan sa mga munisipyo.

"We will provide the list of the stranded Agusanons per municipality with the assurance nga ang province mohatag og 3,000 ug dugangan og 2,000 sa mga lungsod," sumala pa ni Gov. Corvera.


Sa pinakaulahing datos nga nahipos sa Provincial Social Welfare Development Office anaa na sa 127 ka mga indibidwal ang nakontak sa probinsya nga mga residente sa 10 ka mga lungsod sa Agusan del Norte.

Subay sa report ni Silver Joy Tejano, ang Provincial Social Welfare Development Officer,  gilangkoban ang maong mga na-stranded sa mga residente nga gikan sa mosunod: Carmen- 2; Nasipit- 24; Las Nieves- 6; Magallanes-11;RTR- 18;Cabadbaran-32; Tubay- 0; Santiago- 4; Jabonga- 6, ug; Kitcharao - 9.

Dugang ni Tejano nga Php36,000 na ang inisyal nga nahatag sa probinsya ngadto sa 11 ka mga indibidwal nga kasagaran mga estudyante sa Mindanao State Universtiy sa Marawi City.

Ang gidaghanon sa mga nakadawat sa ayuda kadto lamang mikoordinar sa probinsya nga nangayo og ayuda, rason nga mas modaghan pa ang ihap sa mga stranded tungod sa nagpadayong pakigkontak sa mga wala pa naihap, sumala pa kang Gov. Corvera.

"Nganong mopadala tag assistance? Tungod kay ato silang gihangyo nga dili lang sa mouli. We have to strike a balance kay ang mga tawo dinhi sa ato dili gani nato pagawson sa balay, unya magpasulod hinuon ta gikan sa gawas," pasabot ni Gov. Corvera. (LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)

69 stranded OFWs manguli sa Caraga

By Angel Lyn F. Gaviola

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Mayo 1 -- Mahimong naay kabalaka nga ang moabot nga mga na-stranded sa Manila nga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) nga taga Caraga mahimong magdala sa kagaw sa COVID-19 sa Rehiyon, apan sugaton sila sa ilang mga opisyal aron maseguro ang mga protocols ug mapahiluna ang luwas nilang pagbalik sa katilingban sa mga Caraganon.

Usa kini sa mga nahimong resolusyon sa teleconference sa mga sakop sa Regional Task Force on COVID-19 One Caraga Shield nga gihimo niadtong Abril 29, sa pagpanguna ni Gob. Dale B. Corvera, ang chairperson ug presiding sofficer sa maong tigum.

Sa panaghisgut abling gipadayag sa pipila ang ilang kahadlok nga posibleng dili hingpit nga negatibo sa sakit ang mangabot. Apan gipasabot ni Atty. Manual C. Portus, ang regional director sa Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), nga hugot ang nahimong proseso nga gihimo sa mga quarantine facilities diin gipundo ang mga na-stranded sa kaulohan.

Pag-abot pod nila sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka probinsya o lungsod mahimong ipailawom na pod sila sa quarantine o uban pang protocols aron maseguro nga wala sila matakdi o magdala sa maong sakit.

Gipaabot usab ni Gob. Corvera atol sa diskusyon nga naay “assurance” gikan kang Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., chief implementer sa National Task Force COVID-19, nga ang mga OFWs dili gyud tugtan nga makauli kung wala kini mituman ug mohuman sa mga gipahigayong kwarantinas ug mga tests sa COVID-19.

Ang pagpauli sa mga stranded nga OFWs, pasabot ni Portus, kabahin sa inisyatiba sa Interagency Task Force Sub-Task Group on Repatriation of OFWs, ang pagpapauli sa mga OFWs nga “cleared” sa COVID-19. Ang mga OFWs nga mahuman na sa kwarantina isyuhan sa sub-task group og Authority to Travel ug hatagan og tiket sa 2GO vessel ang katambayayong sa panggamhanan paghatod sa mga OFWs sa ilang destinasyon.

Apil ang Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) ug mga Public Employment Services Office (PESO) sa mga Local Government Units sa maong sub-task group.

Sumala sa dokumento sa OWWA nga 69 ang mangabot nga stranded OFWs. Gilangkoban kini sa mosunod: Agusan del Norte-15; Agusan del Sur-15; Surigao del Norte-4; Surigao del Sur-14, ug Butuan City-21.

Pag-abot sa Nasipit Port, sumala ni Mildred Padilla, ang Port Manager, ang mga nahisgutang OFWs modiretso sa port lounge nga magsilbing facility diin ipailawom sila sa laing medical examinations aron susihon sa Department of Health kung luwas ba sila sa COVID 19.

Gihangyo usab ni Gob. Corvera ang mga local chief executives sa mga lungsod nga naay manguli nga stranded OFW nga mosugat sa may Nasipit Port aron maseguro nga mapahiluna ang naulahi ug masunod ang mga gikinihanlang protocols pag-abot nila sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka lugar. (LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)