Binay extends financial assistance to families
of Butuan fire victims
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) – Vice President
Jejomar Binay has extended financial assistance to families of fire victims
here.
Vice Presidential staff Ritch Rosario said the
vice president gave an initial financial assistance to the families of the
seven victims who are already identified by the Scene of the Crime Operatives
(SOCO), amounting to some P3,000 each.
Rosario also said same financial assistance was
extended to the three survivors who are confined in private hospital here.
The official stressed the vice president also
extended his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families.
With this, the official said families of the
victims may get in touch with the local government unit to claim the said
financial assistance.
It can be recalled that a fire razed early
morning on Wednesday which gutted a commercial building along Montilla
Boulevard, this city, killing at least 17 sales ladies and personnel of Novo
Jeans and Shirts.
Other establishments such as Smart Wireless,
Saint Peter's Office, Ayala Life Insurance, Digi-Life cell phone store, Western
Union, and a badminton court were also torched down.
As of press time, the local government has
conducted investigation on the matter. Also, a separate investigation was
conducted by the national government spearheaded by Dept. of the Interior and
Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo.
Meanwhile, according to report, SOCO has finally
identified all the 17 victims who are totally burned during the incident and on
Saturday, DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo was here in the city to personally conduct an
assessment on the incident.
Sec. Robredo also brought a team from the Bureau
of Fire Protection (BFP) Arson Investigation Section to conduct an independent
investigation on the incident.
The DILG chief also distributed financial
assistance to families of the victims, including the three survivors.
(RER/PIA-Caraga)
BFAR-Caraga continues to implement programs
under Fisherfolk Directorship program
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) -- In time with the
Farmers and Fisherfolk Month celebration this month, the region’s fisheries
bureau continues to implement programs under the Fisherfolk Director’s program.
Shane Abeguel Eviota, information officer of
Caraga Region’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said
Fisherfolk Director Marcelito Monato’s schedule is occupied with his
visitations to fisherfolk communities in the region.
Eviota also said the newly-installed fisherfolk
director personally visited these communities to see for himself the programs
and project need to be strengthened and implemented by BFAR-Caraga in an effort
to help and sustain economic development of the fishermen through livelihood
sustainability.
The official said Dir. Monato will spearhead the
hands-on training of tilapia culture in Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur before his
term ends at the end of the month.
She added the training will serve as a venue to
assist the fisherfolk community in the said area in an effort to give them
ideas and strategies on how to sustain livelihood through tilapia culture.
Several species of tilapia have been introduced
into local waterways and are farmed for food in the Philippines. Tilapia fish
pens are a common sight in almost all the major rivers and lakes in the
country.
While Agusan del Sur is rich with water systems
because of the Agusan River which flowed down to Butuan City, the river is a
good venue for culturing tilapia, it was learned. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
