DepEd-Butuan, Agusan del Norte all set for
Brigada Eskwela opening on Monday
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- It’s all systems go
for the Butuan City and Agusan del Norte divisions of the Department of
Education (DepEd) as the 2012 Brigada Eskwela commences on Monday, May 21.
According to Arnold Solen of DepEd-Agusan del
Norte, all schools in the division have already prepared for the conduct of the
six-day activity from May 21-26. He added since this is an annual activity of
the education department, all school administrators in the province have
already made preparations after the closing of classes in March and April this
year.
Solen said with the successful conduct of the
same activity last year, the education department was motivated to surpass what
was achieved in the previous years of implementing this nationwide activity.
Also, Jeaneth Obejas of Libertad Central
Elementary School (LCES), one of the biggest public elementary schools in the
city stressed that as early as last month, parents were already informed of the
school’s plans for the conduct of Brigada Eskwela.
Obejas said parents of schoolchildren of LCES
were very active in participating the event in the previous years, thus, the
school administrators are expecting the same support that they can get from the
parents.
When asked on the turnout of the parents’ attendance
in the said activity, Obejas said majority of the parents supported the
program. However, she said there are some parents who cannot join the program
because they are working and have no time to join the activity.
She said those parents who cannot join the
activity volunteered to show their support to the program by means of
contributing in any kind which also helped in the success of the activity.
For his part, Solen said since the program was
introduced in 2005, their office was not able to receive any complaints or
negative feedback towards the implementation of Brigada Eskwela. “This shows
that the parents agreed to have this conducted as the school’s pre-activity of
the school year,” he added.
The official further said the successful conduct
of the activity in the previous years was also made possible through the full
support of private and public stakeholders which also showed that the
public-private partnership (PPP) program of the Aquino administration is
effective.
With these developments, the two educators from
this city and the province of Agusan del Norte are urging parents to actively
participate once again in this activity. They also reminded parents to bring
cleaning materials and other carpentry tools such as hammers and nails to be
used for repairing chairs, tables, and other school facilities. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
.
Solon seeks congressional probe on Butuan dawn
fire
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- A committee in
congress may soon conduct its own investigation on the tragic dawn fire which
razed a clothing store and five other establishments in downtown Butuan,
killing 17 stay-in lady employees and gutted an estimated P30 million worth of
property, according to a legislator.
Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino (1st District Agusan del
Norte, Butuan City-Las Nieves) said in an interview Friday morning, that he
filed House Resolution No.2407 before the Congressional Committee On Public
Order and Safety last Tuesday, seeking a deeper probe on the incident in aid of
legislation.
Aquino said that he will push for an early
committee action of his resolution when he returns to congress next week after
the festivals. He also said that he may request the committee to have the
hearing of HR No. 2407 entitled, “Directing the House Committee On Public Order
And Safety To Conduct An Inquiry In Aid of Legislation On The Recent Early
Morning Fire That Killed At Least 17 In Butuan City,” be held right here in
Butuan City.
The Agusan del Norte lawmaker also said that he
hoped that the inquiry may also come up with results and recommendations among
others, which may point out the needs of the LGUs and the agencies concerned,
whether there were possible lapses, the needed equipments and other necessary
actions to prevent the occurrence of similar tragedy in the future.
It will be recalled that the six-hour blaze
razed the three-storey theater-converted-into commercial building at dawn
Wednesday last week, occupied by the Novo Jeans and Shirts Store, Smart
Wireless Center, St. Peter Plan, Inc., Cherry Mobile Store, Western Union, and
Digi Life.
A total of 17 stay-in lady employees of Novo
lost their lives and three survived during the said incident. (RER/NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
.
Butuan City police receive 3 patrol multi-cabs
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- Butuan City Police
Office (BCPO) received three patrol vehicles as assistance from the
congressional office of Agusan del Norte 1st. District (Butuan City-Las Nieves)
Rep. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, in a simple turn-over ceremony held 9:00 a.m.
Friday at the multi-purpose hall, Butuan City Police Office.
Attending the turn-over rites were top officials
from the regional and city PNP led by Caraga PNP Regional Director CSupt.
Reynaldo S. Rafal, PSSupt. Jean Aunzo, Director Lilibeth Famacion, OIC DILG 13,
PSSupt. Pedro U. Obaldo, OIC BCPO, Rev. Pedro Jean E. Amante, President of the
Butuan Evangelical Ministerial Association (BEMA) who officiated the blessings,
former Councilor Salvador “Benjie” Calo, and Cong. Jose “Joboy” Aquino II, the
guest of honor and speaker of the occasion.
Other top city police officials led by Deputy
City Dir. PSupt. Romy I. Palgue and the chiefs of Butuan City Police Stations
1-5 also attended the ceremony.
DILG 13-OIC Dir. Lilibeth Famacion signed the
turn-over certificate of the three units multi-cabs 4 x 4 Suzuki converted patrol
cars, 6-sitters, 5-speed, 3-cylinder 660 CC 12 valve engine with its
accessories including tire range, jack, horn and blinkers valued at P 167,000
per unit. The acquisition fund came from the priority development assistance
fund (PDAF) of Congressman Aquino.
Butuan City Police Director PSSupt Pedro Obaldo
received the vehicles from Dir. Famacion by signing the certificate of
acceptance for the recipient.
In his message during the turn-over ceremony
Cong. Aquino said he hoped that the patrol vehicles will in a way assist the
city police in its visibility, mobility, and accessibility efforts as “Butuan
deserves to be a peaceful city.” (RER/NCLM/PIA Caraga)