Provincial GADCC holds culmination rites for Women’s Month Celebration
by Susil Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) - The Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte thru the Provincial Gender and Development Coordinating Council (GADCC) will hold a culmination program for the Women’s Month celebration at the Provincial Convention Center, Thursday, March 31, 2011.
Governor Sol F. Matugas will lead the culmination activities which will start at 1:00 pm followed by the discussion of Magna Carta of Women by Judge Evangeline Y. Yuipco.
After which, the awarding of Certificate of Appreciation will then be conducted by Gov. Matugas and she will be assisted by GADCC chairman and Board Member Regina G. Alaan and Provincial Social Services Officer Antonio L. Tiu.
The activity will close with the closing remarks to be given by Provincial Social Services Officer Antonio L. Tiu. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Butuan City gov’t commemorates 490th celebration of the 1st Easter Mass on Philippine soil
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, March 31 (PIA) – Amidst controversies of the claims of the two parties including Butuan City of where the first Mass in the Philippine soil was really held on March 31, 1521, the city government here commemorated its 490th year celebration in a simple ceremony.
As early as 7:30 this morning and in spite of light rain showers and the nationwide transport strike which transport sectors in this city has actively participated, people from all walks of life gathered at the city’s Rizal Park to attend the Tridentine Latin Mass officiated by Rev. Fr. Joesilo Amalia.
In his homily, Fr. Amalia who is also a member of the Butuan Historical Commission Foundation, Inc. (BHSFI) said they have already another set of evidences to prove that the first mass was really held in Mazaua, Butuan.
This is supported by Mr. Greg Hontiveros, BHSFI President who leads the Butuan contingent in the deliberation of the issue years ago.
According to Hontiveros, the First Mass has great symbolic value for the Philippines because it is the first recorded Christian activity in the country, and which is the precursor of the evangelization that made the Philippines the only Christian country in Asia.
Hontiveros further said the latest evidences dug up in 2010 were three Spanish colonial era maps that corroborated beyond question the location of Gatighan. This is found in the 1852 map of Francisco Coello’s Islas Filipinas map as Punta Gigantigan; in the unattributed but authentic 1830 map of Leyte in the Mapping the Philippines atlas by Angara, Carino and Ner, as Punta Guigatigan; and in the 1850 Franciscan Mission Map of Leyte and Samar, as Punta Guigantigan.
Meanwhile, Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr., in his message delivered by Vice-Mayor Lawrence Fortun expressed his acknowledgment to the BHSFI for exerting their efforts to fight for what is right, and to correct what is wrong.
The program ended with a theatrical reenactment of the first Easter Mass by Balangayan Credit Cooperative of Artists in Butuan (BANCCA), a group of artists revived during the administration of Mayor Amante. (PIA-Caraga)
Transport groups in Surigao del Sur, back nationwide rally but no protest action
TANDAG CITY, March 31 (PIA) -- Despite reports that some transport groups in Caraga region is taking part in the nationwide protest rally, no similar action has been monitored today in Surigao del Sur.
According to Atty. Gerry Maglinte, legal counsel of most transport organizations in the province, while they back the action taken by the transport groups in the country, they are not in the right position to do it right now. Maglinte, whose clan is mourning the death of a younger brother, a Brgy. Captain in their place, who figured in a vehicular accident, did not elaborate.
Premium gasoline in Tandag is sold at P58.85; Regular at P54.05; and, Diesel at P50.85.
Meanwhile, before the set nationwide strike in protest over the non-stop price increases of petroleum products, the police force in the province continues to be vigilant.
Police Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Julito Diray said, his office had been coordinating with the Local Government Units (LGUs) to know about any issued permit to rally but none had applied so far until the very last minute.
Tandag Chief of Police (COP) Sr. Insp. Greggy Pimentel corroborated the statement. (Greg Tataro, Jr., Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)
PIA-Caraga chief cites importance of media partnership towards development in the region
By: Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, March 31 (PIA) – Citing the role of the media towards the development of Caraga Region, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga OIC Regional Director Abner Caga pointed out that the local tri-media in the region is one of the contributory factors of the development of a certain area, “thus, government agencies should consider them as partners”.
In his speech during the Media Night held recently at Camp Bancasi here, the Caga said the right to information must be enjoyed by everybody. “All of us is geared towards having advance information thru the different channels of information – may be in print, broadcast, and even in the electronic communication through the world wide web,” Dir. Caga added.
Caga also said with the latest development that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is undertaking through the Philippine Army, it is but practical for the Philippine Army and PIA to partner with local tri-media in the region in disseminating relevant information to the public for them to know latest updates and developments that the Philippine Army and the other branches of the AFP are doing.
With the presence of the rival stations both in television and radio, as well as the local tabloids’ writers and publishers, Dir. Caga encouraged the media to strengthen “oneness or unity” of the group.
“Let us not put ‘competition’ be the center of our profession. Instead, we should be partners in disseminating balanced information. Through this, we can surely achieve a common goal… to walk on a straight and narrow path (maglalakbay tungo sa daang matuwid), as what Pres. Aquino is always advocating,” Caga said.
Meanwhile, Dir. Caga lauded the efforts of the local tri-media for always being partners with PIA-Caraga is disseminating relevant information to public. “Let me congratulate once again the members of the local media… our partner in Butuan City and the entire Caraga Region for the utmost dedication and commitment in serving Butuanons and Caraganons without minding risks and dangers. You are truly considered unsung heroes of the new generation,” Caga disclosed.
The first media night recorded 57 local tri-media responding to the invitation of the AFP through PIA-Caraga, the secretariat said, composed of soldiers of the 402nd Brigade, Philippine Army. (PIA-Caraga)
Battering common type of gender violence reported- CoPIPAGV-Caraga
by Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, March 31 (PIA) – Battering is the common form of gender abuse reported by victims in Caraga.
Dante Rosales of the Comprehensive Pilot Intervention Plan against Gender Violence in Caraga (CoPIPAGV-13) in an interview recently said most of the victims who sought their assistance and the local authorities in the region have experienced physical abuse to include battering.
Rosales also said rounding the top three gender violence in the region are economic abuse, and the worst – sexual abuse.
For economic abuse, Rosales said, these are cases where husbands are not giving financial support to the family, including those that have been living separately with their families, whose children are entitled to financial support of their father.
Rosales further said there are also cases in the region of sexual abuse where majority of the victims are minors.
CoPIPAGV contributes to increasing the awareness on the VAW-related problems among adolescents, families, organized civil society and the communities, in general.
The three-year project which started in 2008 have specialized trainings for service providers working with or for victims/survivors of violence against women. It helped improve the crisis centers for women and children victims of violence through the provision of equipment and human resources (psychologists and social workers).
It also supports the creation of a reference center and working groups for provision of services to victims of VAWC, especially human trafficking, as well as the establishment of an integrated and permanent data gathering and analysis system on cases of VAW. (PIA-Caraga)
BIR targets P543.1M 2011 collection goal
TANDAG CITY, March 31 (PIA) - Revenue District Office (RDO) 106 Chief Amanoding Esmail is confident to hit the 2011 collection goal.
He said their office had already succeeded in getting their target for the fist two (2) months of the year – January and February. The BIR Head Office sets the 2011 collection goal allocation in Surigao del Sur at P543, 108,000.
Amanoding’s determination is fired by their feat on last year’s collection. In 2010, his office had collected almost P487M, exceeding the collection goal allocation of P429M by P67.7M or equivalent to 13.45%.
In the meantime, the BIR office here is on its four-leg series of tax campaign caravan which started on March 17. This is in connection with the annual income tax filing on April 15.
Right now, the provincewide caravan is only left with two series more. On March 31, the event is set for the south central towns while on April 7, same activity will be held on the southernmost area. (Greg Tataro, Jr., Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)
Cebuano news: Gob. Sol migahin ug higayon sa mga kababayenhan sa Placer
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 31 (PIA) – Ang United Women’s Association sa Placer nagmalampuson sa pagsaulog sa Women’s Month kagahapon, Marso 30, 2011 sa Placer Dome, dinuyugan sa gatusan nga mga kababayenhan sa nagkalain-laing barangay sa Placer.
Kini gitambungan sa mga opisyales nga gipanguluhan ni Mayor Monching Napuli, mga kapitan sa barangay, Vice Gov. Arturo Egay, Jr., ug Gov. Sol Matugas, isip pinasidunggang bisita.
Atol sa maong okasyon, mihatag ug pahalipay ang atong gobernador ug duha ka libo ka pisos sa mga baranagay kapitan sa lungsod sa Placer ug iya usab gihatag ang proyekto nga Women’s Center nga mokabat ug P1-Milyon diin gidawat kini nga malipayon ni Mrs. Daisy Imelda Napuli, ang Federated President sa United Women’s Association.
Malipayon usab ang gobernador nga nagpahibalo nga sa lungsod sa Placer pagatukuron ang usa ka Provincial Hospital u gang Provincial Community College.
Gidayeg sa atong gobernador ang mga kababayenhan sa nagkalain-laing barangay nga misalmot ug mipasundayag sa ilang mga sayaw ug kini iyang gidasig nga ang mga kabayenhan may dako nga kaakuhan ug responsibilidad isip maoy naglig-on sa balay ug nag-amuma sa mga kabataan aron mamahimong maayong tawo.
Gipahayag usab sa atong gobernador ang pagbisita ni DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman dinhi sa atong probinsya aron sa launching sa Core Shelter Program, ug daghan pang mga programa alang sa kaayuhan sa mga katawhan sa Surigao kay mao man kini ang iyang tumong ug tinguha, way lain tagdamgo ug taglantaw kundi serbisyuhan ang katawhan sa Surigao, aron makab-ot ang bag-ong Surigao. (Surigao Norte Prov’l Information Center/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
