(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 27 March 2024) Easterlies affecting the eastern section of 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.


Friday, March 19, 2021

DSWD Caraga celebrates 70th anniv with partners, friends who made 2020 successful

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 19 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga acknowledged its partners and staff who have significantly contributed to the successful implementation of the programs and services of the department, especially during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Private Individuals, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)/Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Local Government Units (LGUs), and National Government Agencies (NGAs) were awarded and recognized for their contributions in implementing social welfare/protection programs and services, with the “Panata Ko Sa Bayan Awards.”

The Praise Awards were also given out during the celebration to DSWD workers who have shown excellence, especially in delivering their different functions, ensuring the achievement of the field offices goals and targets.

DSWD Undersecretary Luviminda Ilagan, Undersecretary for Policy and Plans and Department Legislative Liaison Officer, served as the keynote speaker for the said celebration. She thanked all the awardees for delivering their part in ensuring the welfare of the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged individuals, families, and communities.

Usec. Ilagan also discussed what she calls the "Big Change" which would affect DSWD and its partners from the LGUs with the execution of the Mandanas Doctrine. The Mandanas Doctrine/Ruling conveys the transfer of national government functions to the LGUs, with fund allocations coursed through the Internal Revenue Allotment  (IRA).

With this, DSWD will now be preparing for the changes by providing technical assistance to the LGUs for the said shift.

With the threats of the pandemic, the celebration was uniquely conducted with a limited number of participants joining personally (face-to-face), while the rest joining virtually (through ZOOM). Minimum safety and health protocols were followed during the duration of the celebration. (DSWD-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)

A fresh start for a former rebel

Life in hiding, especially when it constantly puts your life at maximum risk, is very hard to live.

Hence, when a door leading to a new and peaceful life opened for “Alfie” and other former rebels, they boldly decided to renounce the principles they once embraced.

Alfie (not his real name), is one of the former rebels from Agusan del Sur who surrendered to the government. Despite the perils brought by his decision to return to the government, Alfie fearlessly took the risk with the desire of achieving a safer and peaceful life for himself and his family.

As part of the measures crafted by the National Government to help former rebels (FRs) rebuild their lives, each FR, once deemed to be eligible, is given the opportunity to receive the Livelihood Settlement Grant (LSG) amounting to PHP20,000. LSG is a special program by the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Sustainable Livelihood Program – the Agency’s arm in implementing livelihood interventions for poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged sectors.

Through this special program, Alfie was able to receive such an amount on September 22, 2020, and started a hog-raising business. He was able to buy six piglets, sacks of feeds, and construction materials that were needed to build a pigpen.

As he started his small business, Alfie and his whole family were very excited and overwhelmed.
 
Sadly, in November 2020, Alfie had to sell five of his pigs for Php20,000 as some of the pigs became ill and he did not have enough budget for the feeds anymore.

But this did not stop Alfie from recovering from his losses. With the income he acquired from the five pigs he sold, he bought another eight piglets. In January 2021, he was able to sell eight heads of pigs for Php26,500.00 sales from his second harvest helped him buy food for his family and finance his daughter’s job application documents. In addition, he was also able to buy another batch of piglets.

At present, Alfie has now 10 crossbreed heads of pigs and aims to have his third harvest in May 2021.

With all the benefits they received, Alfie and his family are very grateful to the National Government, particularly to the DSWD-SLP. He said that with all the help they got, he realized that he appreciated more this kind of life – a better and quieter life. His former life, the life in hiding, was nothing compared to his disposition today.

“Kauban sa akong pamilya, dako akong pasalamat sa gobyerno, labi na sa DSWD-SLP sa pagtabang kanako sa paghatag og livelihood project ug sa paghatag kalinaw sa akong huna-huna (Together with my family, I am hugely indebted to our government, especially to the DSWD-SLP for helping me start anew by granting me a livelihood project and giving us a peaceful mind),” Alfie said.

Indeed, it has really been a fresh start for Alfie and his family. He hopes that in this new life, he will be able to inspire his former comrades who are still championing his old ideologies, to also choose the new path he has taken. (DSWD-Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

AgNor nagpahimangno sa mga quarry permitters pagprotekta sa kinaiyahan ug nagdasig pagpadangat og panginabuhian

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Marso 19 -- Gilatid sa probinsya sa usa ka oryentasyon nga gihimo niadtong Marso 12, ang responsibilidad sa mga permittees aron maprotektahan ug mapabaskug pa ang kinaiyahan palibot sa sand and gravel quarries ug makatabang nga mapaangat ang kahimtang sa mga nagpuyo duol niini.

Sa tigum sa Loreta Resorts sa Cabadbaran City nga gitambongan sa mga permittees sa quarries sa Cabadbaran ug sa mga lungsod sa Las Nieves, Buenavista, Jabonga, Tubay ug Kitcharao, gipasabot ni Provincial Administrator Gerry Joey Laurito isip representante ni Gobernador Dale B. Corvera ang panginahanglan nga motuman ang mga permittees sa provision sa Provincial Ordinance nga nagmando sa hustong armouring ug gradual sloping aron dili mapundo ang tubig kung asa sila nag extract ug ang pagsunod sa nakalatid sa Environmental Compliance Certificate [ECC] sa EMB.

Gihisgutan usab sa maong tigum ang panginahanglan sa Cabadbaran River Dredging and Rehabilitation Project.

Apil sa gipursige usab ni Laurito ang pagtanum og kahoy sa daplin sa suba isip kabahin sa mga lakang pagprotekta sa kinaiyanhong kahimsog niini, usa sa mga butang nga ginahimo na karon sa probinsya pinaagi sa mga tree planting activities ubos sa Lunhaw’ng Agusan Program sa AGUSAN UP!, ang kampanya sa pagpalambo sa administrasyon ni Gob. Corvera kauban ang buhatan ni Kong. Angel Amante-Matba.

Gipaabot usab ni Laurito ang panghinaut ni Gob. Corvera nga mohimo unta og inisyatiba ang mga permittees nga matabangan ang mga lumulupyo sa daplin sa mga suba alang sa ilang panginabuhian pinaagi sa pagpadangat og mga seedlings pangtanum, buhion nga baboy, manok ug uban pa, apil na ang pagpahigayon og mga pagbansay paghimo sa maong mga panginabuhian.

“We have to implement livelihood sa mga tao nga immediately nagpuyo sa riverbanks para makatabang sa mga lumulupyo ug maka-contribute aron naay impact sa community,” pasabot ni Laurito.

Niini nga mga inisyatiba gipasalamatan sa personahe sa Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) ang probinsya. Sa mensahe sa maong tigum, gipadayag niini ang panginahanglan nga ma-protektahan ang kinaiyahan ug ang komunidad sa palibot. (Shena Mae Pabia, LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)

Gi-propose nga luna alang sa sanitary landfill sa Magallanes, pasado sa initial assessment sa EMB og MGB

By Shena Mae Pabia

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Marso 19 -- Gihimo na ang Assessment and Evaluation Report sa Environmental Management Bureau [EMB]-DENR Region-13 ug Mines and Geoscience Bureau [MGB]-DENR Region-13 human sa tulo ka adlaw nga pagsusi sa gi-propose nga himoong sanitary landfill (SLF) sa lungsod sa Magallanes.

Ang exit conference gitambongan sa LGU Magallanes ubos ni Mayor Cesar "Bubu" C. Cumba, Jr., sa opisina sa Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, Municipal Planning and Development Office ug Municipal Engineering Office sa Magallanes kaabag ang buhatan sa EMB-DENR Region, MGB-DENR Region, Environment and Natural Resources Division [ENRD] sa Province ug sa Agusan Up Coordinating Unit.

Mahinumduman nga gipahigayon ang unang adlaw sa site visitation sa mga representante niaging adlaw Pebrero 22 sa 7.8 hectares nga luna nahimutang sa Brgy. Taod-oy, Magallanes alang sa himoong SLF.

Base sa inisyal nga report ang gi-propse nga area suitable nga himoong sanitary landfill. Apan gipailawom pa ang maong mga sample sa laboratory sa Provincial Engineering Office [PEO] sa detalye sa soil analysis.

Ang hustong pagpahiluna sa basura kabahin sa  mga kaakuhan sa munisipyo ug nanghinaut ang mga opisyal sa Magallanes nga mapadali ang proseso pag-approve niini nga mahimong SLF aron maplastar na nila ang luna isip kapahilunaan sa ilang basura.

Ang pagpahiluna sa basura usa sa mga tumong sa Lunhaw’ng Agusan Program sa AGUSAN UP!, ang kampanya sa pagpalambo sa administrasyon ni Gov. Dale B. Corvera kaabag ang buhatan ni Congw. Angel Amante-Matba.  (LGU Agusand el Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)