Bayugan City mayor
allocates enough funds to support fight vs COVID-19
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 17 (PIA) - City Mayor Kirk Asis of Bayugan City bared
that the local government unit has allocated funds to support the coronavirus
disease-2019 (COVID-19) related operations.
"We have allocated and made available the supplemental budget of
P171-million (from the 2019 budget) and fund from the Bayanihan Grant from the
national government in the amount of P91-million, as well as a provincial
government share of P5.6-million. This is apart from the bags of rice
turned-over by the provincial government for the city," said Asis as he
guested the Laging Handa Network Briefing hosted by Secretary Martin Andanar of
the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) on Friday.
The local chief executive emphasized that even prior to the pandemic,
the LGU has already put in place a program to ensure food security, including
the sustainable livelihood programs of the people.
“The locals here are supporting backyard gardening which helped them
cope with their daily needs especially during this time of the pandemic. On the
other hand, the farmers are also being supported with various assistance for
them to continuously produce agricultural products and earn from it,”
underscored Asis.
Mayor Asis added that the cut flower industry, which the city of Bayugan
is known for, was greatly affected because of the pandemic. However, because of
the Department of Agriculture's vegetable gardening programs, workers in the
industry were able to somehow gain income. “In addition, the city government is
now focusing on rice production and other crops such as banana and corn to help
with the recovery of the local economy. Over 4,000 land area were irrigated for
such purpose. According to the mayor, these will be distributed in Manila,” he
said.
Meanwhile, he further reminded the locals to constantly follow the
health protocols and wearing of face mask, face shields, the practice of
maintaining proper hygiene and other preventive measures against the spread of
COVID-19. He also emphasized that the city government monitors the
observance/compliance of the Bayuganons.
Wilfred Pitogo of City FM and Ruel Castro of Fox FM, both from Bayugan
City, were the media co-hosts of Sec. Andanar during the said briefing.
(JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Leyte province
provides continuous livelihood support to FRs
By Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN CITY, July 17 (PIA) -- “We are making headway in the fight
against the Left and the rebels.” This was the statement of the Office of the
Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Asec. Jonji Gonzales on the local
insurgency situation in the Leyte province.
During the Laging Handa Network Briefing episode today, July 17, with
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) chief Secretary Martin
Andanar, Asec. Gonzales bared the initiatives of the provincial government of
Leyte for the former rebels (FRs) in the province.
In San Isidro town, where 500 FRs have been recorded, rebel returnees
were given livelihood through partaking in the poultry production in the town.
With the help of business owners in the area, they help in the production of
3,000 eggs every day.
The Philippine Coconut Authority in the Eastern Visayas region also
distributed several seedlings to the FRs, in coordination with the Philippine
Army 802nd Infantry Brigade.
The national government also provided additional funds for the
construction of the halfway houses for the rebel returnees in the Leyte
province. A cheque worth P5 million was given to the Leyte Provincial Task
Force against Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) through provincial
task force chairperson and Leyte provincial governor Leopoldo Petilla.
(DMNR/PIA-Caraga)
Provinces in Visayas
intensify response vs pandemic
By Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN CITY, July 17 (PIA) -- Provinces in Visayas continue to intensify
their response against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic amid
the easement of community quarantine protocols in the province.
Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Asec. Jonji
Gonzales reiterated during the Laging Handa Network Briefing episode today,
July 17, that another polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine was approved by
the Department of Health (DOH) in the Eastern Visayas region, which will be
placed in the molecular laboratory in Southern Leyte.
The facility is expected to be completed in the next 45 to 60 days.
Around 5,000 swab kits will also be provided to the sub-national laboratory in
the said area.
The Small Business Corporation in Capiz has also approved the loan
applications of 23 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the area
through the Pondo para sa Pagbabago (P3) COVID-19 Assistance to Restart
Enterprises (CARES) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to help aid
their businesses.
The said MSMEs vary from culinary schools, businesses selling
agricultural products, food manufacturing enterprises, eateries, sari-sari
stores, and construction supplies.
Under the P3 CARES, enterprises may avail loans ranging from P10, 000 to
P3 million. As of July 6, a total of P1.7 million has been released by the
program.
Meanwhile, recovered patients of COVID-19 in the Cebu province have
taken part in the government’s continuous response for COVID-19 patients
through donating blood.
The Donate Blood, Save a Life, Be a Hero project of the OPAV, in
coordination with the DOH Central Visayas, aims to encourage recovered patients
of the fatal virus to donate blood for current patients of COVID-19.
The donated blood will be used for the convalescent plasma therapy,
which involves the transfusion of blood plasma collected from patients who have
recovered from infection to improve the immune response of the recipient.
The bloodletting activity had recently been conducted in Lapu-Lapu City,
where around 200 donors participated, including 50 personnel from the
Philippine National Police (PNP), 13 from the Philippine Air Force, and 11 from
the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and city mayor Ahong Chan.
“This on-going blood donation drive is to help those in need of
convalescent plasma since dengue season is also coming,” Asec. Gonzales said.
Select cities in the Cebu province have now been placed under general
community quarantine (GCQ), including Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Consolacion, Talisay,
and Minglanilla. Meanwhile, Cebu City remains under modified enhanced community
quarantine (MECQ). (DMNR/PIA-Caraga)
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Hulyo 17 -- Isang kooperatiba ng mga magsasaka sa
probinsya ng Agusan del Norte – ang Avancena Beneficiaries Farmers Multi-Purpose
Cooerative (ABFMPC) na may 105 myembro ang nakatanggap ng farm tractor na
nagkakahalaga ng 1.2 milyong peso mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
sa pamamagitan ng Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP).
Mga magsasaka sa
Agusan del Norte nakatanggap ng farm equipment
By Nora C. Lanuza
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Hulyo 17 -- Isang kooperatiba ng mga magsasaka sa
probinsya ng Agusan del Norte – ang Avancena Beneficiaries Farmers Multi-Purpose
Cooerative (ABFMPC) na may 105 myembro ang nakatanggap ng farm tractor na
nagkakahalaga ng 1.2 milyong peso mula sa Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
sa pamamagitan ng Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support Project (CRFPSP).
Ayon ka provincial agrarian reform program officer II Andre Atega, ang
nasabing farm equipment ay nakakatulong upang madagdagan ang kita ng mga
magsasaka at matugonan ang kanilang pangangailangan lalo nga sa panahong may
coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Malaki ang pasasalamat ni Sergio Baguhin, ang chairperson ng ABFMPC sa
ayudang bigay ng DAR lalong-lalo na ang mga makinaryas at pati na rin ang mga
trainings para sa mga magsasaka.
Dagdag pa ni Baguhin, ito ay isang sagot upang mas maging matugonan ang
panganib na dulot ng climate change.
Ang makinaryas ay mapapakinabangan hindi lang ng mga myembro ng ABFMPC
kundi pati na rin ang ibang magsasaka dahil mas mapahusay pa nito ang pagsasaka,
ang pamumuhay ng magsasaka at makapagbibigay ito ng trabaho.
Ayon din kay Constancio Dalanon, ang vice chaiperson ng ABFMPC, ng dahil
sa farm mechanization program na nagbigay ng malaking tulong sa kanilang
pagsasaka, mas napadali pa ang mga gawain nila.
Ang CRFPSP ay nakakatulong upang mas matugonan ang mga pangangailan ng
mga agrarian reform communities (ARCs) sa bansa, isa itong sagot ng DAR upang
matugonan ang panganib ng climate change para sa ARCs. (NCL/PIA Agusan del
Norte)
