“No collection” policy still up this enrollment,
DepEd says
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) –- The Department of
Education (DepEd) in Caraga Region is reminding the public and all public
elementary and high school teachers and administrators that the “no collection”
policy is still in effect as enrollment for school year 2012-2013 nears.
This developed after reports in the previous
years have reached DepEd-Caraga Regional Office that allegedly, some school
principals allow their teachers to collect miscellaneous fees during the
enrollment period.
Arnold Solen of DepEd-Agusan del Norte today
emphasized that school teachers and administrators are not allowed to collect
any fees from the parents during the enrollment, as Education Secretary Br.
Armin Luistro reiterated its call to all public schools officials to refrain
from collecting any fees from students to encourage more parents to send their children
to school and complete basic education.
In DepEd press release, Luistro strongly called
on all public schools to abide by the “no collection” policy because this is
enshrined in the Constitution and DepEd is duty-bound to make sure that
school-aged children are in school.
Luistro stressed the national government’s goal
here is to lessen the worries of parents about school fees which is one of the
reasons why many children are out of school or have dropped-out in the middle
of schooling.
Meanwhile, Jeaneth Obejas of Libertad Central
Elementary School (LCES) said the miscellaneous fees will then be collected
months after the classes have started. She likewise emphasized that this must
be collected by term and on voluntary bases. “Meaning, this must not be
collected once requiring the parents to pay it in full, and it is not
compulsory” she added.
The DepEd likewise informs the public that
beyond Grade 4, there should be no collection during enrollment period and the
first month of classes. Contributions, on a purely voluntary basis, may start
on the second month of every school year. This covers contributions for Boy
Scout of the Philippines, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Red Cross,
Anti-Tuberculosis Fund and Parents-Teachers Association.
The no collection policy is one of government’s
anti-poverty measures. Through this, parents can instead use the money for
other important needs such as food and transportation fare, the DepEd said.
(RER/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan police readies for opening of classes
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- The city’s police
force is now ready for the opening of classes for school year 2012-2013.
Police City Director PSupt. Pedro Obaldo said
police officers here are ready for deployment to different barangays and areas
as classes commence on June 4 as per Department of Education’s (DepEd)
directive.
“Our policemen are already deployed to the
different areas especially in schools to ensure peace and order,” he said.
Supt. Obaldo said this is to ensure that pupils,
teachers, and parents will be given protection especially during the first week
of classes, as it is expected that more people will be going to different
schools here.
“Meron po tayong 'Oplan Balik Eskwela' na
kino-conduct taun-taon na layuning matulungan lalung-lalo na ang mga kabataan
at mga magulang na mabigyan ng karampatang proteksyon laban sa mga masasamang
elemento (We have the Oplan Balik Eskwela that is being conducted every year
aimed to assist the students and their parents by protecting them against bad
elements),” Obaldo said
Oplan Balik Eskwela aims to implement police
visibility in strategic areas of the city, especially near the schools so that
whatever assistance the public need, the police officers can immediately
address it, the official said.
In support of police visibility, the
establishment of police boxes in the city is also observed to be effective.
This is one of the measures undertaken by the Butuan City Police Office (BCPO)
to provide police assistance to public.
Also, with the latest donation of three patrol
multi-cabs of Agusan del Norte First District Congressman Jose “Joboy” Aquino
III, police officers here can now run after the riding in tandem suspects who
are victimizing civilians in robbery holdup. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
CSC-Caraga prepares for career service exams on
Sunday
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- Civil Service
Commission (CSC) Caraga Regional Director Adams Torres today said they are now
preparing for the conduct of the nationwide career service professional and sub-professional
examinations on Sunday, May 27.
Torres said that in connection with this, a
briefing and orientation on accredited test administrators are currently being
undertaken to ensure that the examination will be conducted smoothly and
orderly.
“Tungod kay ang iskedyul sa examinasyon karong
umaabot na man nga Domingo, aduna kita’y gipahigayon nga briefing ug ingon man
orientation sa mga accredited test administrators aron masiguro nga mamahimong
hapsay ang proseso sa pagpadagan sa maong kalihukan sa matag testing centers sa
rehiyon (Because of the scheduled examination this coming Sunday, we have
conducted briefing and orientation to all accredited test administrators to
ensure that the examination will be conducted orderly in all testing centers in
the region),” Torres said.
The official said for this Sunday’s examination,
three testing centers were established in Caraga Region to decongest the number
of examinees who will be taking the exam. He added examinees in other provinces
of the region may take the examination in the three key cities of the region,
namely: Surigao, Bislig, and in Butuan City.
In an earlier announcement, the CSC has
scheduled May 27 and October 21 for the nationwide conduct of the career
service examination-paper and pencil test for sub-professional and professional
levels of eligibility.
During an interview earlier this year, Dir.
Torres said in Butuan City, sub-professional testing center is established in
Butuan City School of Arts and Trades (BCSAT) in J. Rosales Avenue, while the
professional testing center is located inside the campuses of Caraga State
University (CSU) in Barangay Ampayon, as well as in Libertad National High
School (LNHS) in Barangay Libertad here.
In the October 17, 2010 professional career examination,
Darwin M. Caringal from Caraga region ranked seventh in the top 10 passers,
obtaining a rate of 84.56 percent, while the topnotcher came from the National
Capital Region (NCR), with an 84.92 percent rate.
During the May 22, 2011 exam, 169 examinees
passed in the professional level and 23 passed in the sub-professional, and on
October 16, 2011 examination schedule, 130 examinees from Caraga region
successfully hurdled the exam in the professional level while only 26 passed in
the sub-professional level. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
DILG’s Tapatan road show in Caraga to feature
disaster preparedness
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- After a year of
launching the Tapatan Roadshow in Caraga region, the Department of the Interior
and Local Government (DILG) is again spearheading the conduct of the roadshow
on June 12 here.
The roadshow will discuss the disaster
preparedness program of the different public and private stakeholders of the
region.
DILG-Caraga information officer Florian Faith
Bayawa said the event will discuss preparations of the different local
government units and some national government agencies to mitigate the impact
brought about by disasters, as rainy season is about to come.
Bayawa also said that like the first launching
of the program here June last year where it featured the full disclosure policy
of the Aquino administration, DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo will again grace the
event, as stakeholders are going to present their plans and programs for
disaster preparedness.
The official further said the “Seal of Disaster
Preparedness” will also be launched during the event aimed at preparing the
local government units how to respond in times of disasters.
Bayawa added the local government units are
enjoined to install early warning system in their areas of responsibilities to
prevent loss of lives and property when disasters strike.
In a related development, as part of the
preparation of the member-agencies of the region’s disaster risk reduction and
management council for the event, a basic/intermediate course on incident
command system was conducted to come up with a unified protocol system on
managing and responding to disaster.
It is expected that the outputs of the five-day
training-workshop are among the things to be presented to Sec. Robredo during
the event since DRRM council members are coming from the local government
units, regional line agencies, and private stakeholders.
The five-day training emphasized the importance
of establishing a typical incident command system organization in every region,
wherein concerned government agencies will follow the systematic flow of operations
during disasters. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
DILG to launch seal of disaster preparedness in
Caraga region
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) –- The Department of
the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will launch the seal of disaster
preparedness in Caraga region, with Sec. Jesse Robredo gracing the event.
According to DILG-Caraga information officer
Florian Faith Bayawa, the launching is in time with the department’s Tapatan
Roadshow scheduled on June 12 in this city, featuring a discussion on disaster
preparedness among stakeholders here in the region.
Bayawa said this is one way of motivating the
local government units to craft their disaster preparedness plans and programs
especially that some areas in the region are considered disaster-prone, as
identified by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
(NDRRMC).
DILG also said the program establishes benchmark
information on disaster preparedness of local governments from which will
evolve government interventions to influence a progressive capacity build-up
among provinces, cities and municipalities.
It also aims to assess post-intervention
disaster preparedness to determine performance gaps that need to be
aggressively addressed.
Further, it acknowledges institutionalized
disaster preparedness as a proof of official recognition by a local government
of public safety and welfare.
The assessment criteria which guided DILG in
awarding seal of disaster preparedness to local government units are based on
leadership structure and guide to action, operational readiness, and innovative
practices.
On leadership structure and guide to action, it
should comply with the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of
2010. The LGU must also have a guide to action, referring to a
well-communicated calamity contingency plan.
Operational readiness refers to the minimum
tests of readiness immediately before a calamity struck. These include
regularly tested early warning system, fully disseminated family guide to
action on warning, regularized emergency drills, designated evacuation centers,
pre-deployed or location-specific assigned, and organized and trained
personnel.
Innovative practices, on the other hand refers
to a culture-bound, community or indigenous knowledge or practice on disaster
preparedness.
The DILG pointed out that every criterion is not
assigned a numerical score or weight, thus averaging or indexing is not
factored into the assessment. It is simply one or zero for each criterion, that
is, pass or fail. Thus, a province, city or municipality must pass all criteria
to be conferred with the seal. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Stakeholders ink MOA on Occupational Safety and
Health
By Francis Dominique Y. Nazario
BUTUAN CITY, May 22 (PIA) -- Stakeholders of
occupational safety and health from various government, non-government, and
private sectors convened recently to forge a memorandum of agreement in what
could be considered a milestone in the region’s history of occupational safety
and health practice.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga
Asst. Regional Dir. Joel M. Gonzales explained that the agreement is the result
of a Focus Group Discussion on Safety and Health Issues and Concerns, and
subsequent meetings last week where stakeholders agreed to establish measures
and take appropriate actions to prevent or correct the occurrence and
recurrence of accidents, diseases, and illnesses in the workplace.
Also, Deputy Exec. Dir. Jomar Batino of the
Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) stressed this is the
first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on safety in the region, or
probably in the entire country, in terms of the number of stakeholders who have
committed to support the program.
Meanwhile, Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr.
lauded the immediate action of DOLE Caraga by coming up with the MOA, and urged
the body to form a technical working group (TWG) that will monitor the
implementation of the MOA.
For her part, DOLE-Caraga Regional Director
Ofelia B. Domingo pointed out that they must ensure that the MOA is implemented
to the fullest, to prevent the unnecessary loss of lives of workers in the
region.
"The Novo fire in Butuan and mining
accident in Surigao that took the lives of 17 workers and seven miners caught
the attention of the whole nation. We must do everything in our power to
prevent accidents of that magnitude to ever happen again,” Domingo added.
The stakeholders who have showed their
commitment to support the undertaking are: DOLE-Caraga, OSHC), Organization of
Safety and Health Network (OSHNET) – Caraga, and the regional offices of the
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Environmental Management
Bureau, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Philippine Information Agency
(PIA), Local Government Unit (LGU) of Butuan City, Chamber of Mines (CM) –
Caraga, and the Butuan City Commerce and Industry Foundation (BCCIFI).
(RER/NCLM/DOLE-13/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog news: Konseho sang-ayon sa hakbang ng
BCWD sa pamamahala ng Taguibo Watershed
Ni Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Mayo 22 (PIA) –- Sang-ayon ang mga
miyembro ng konseho ng Taguibo Watershed Management sa hakbang ng Butuan City
Water District (BCWD) na pangungunahan nito ang pamamahala ng nasabing
watershed.
Ito'y matapos makuha ni council chair at
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Caraga Regional
Executive Director Leonardo Sibbaluca ang consensus ng mga miyembro sa
ipinasang Board Resolution 095-2012 ng BCWD na humiling sa tanggapan ng Pangulo
ng Republika ng Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng DENR upang pangunahan ng water
district ng syudad ang pamamahala, pag-administer, pag-operate at pagme-mentina
sa Taguibo Watershed Forest Reserve.
Sa isinagawang pagtitipon kamakailan ng mga
miyembro ng konseho sa DENR-Caraga Regional Training Center, binigyang diin ni
Sibbaluca ang naging desisyon ng konseho na benepisyo sa publiko, lalo na sa
mga residente ng Butuan City na kliyente ng BCWD.
Dahil dito, sinabi ng opisyal na ang iba't-ibang
ahensya galing sa publiko at pribadong sektor ay kailangang maging responsable
sa pagpo-protekta ng Taguibo Watershed, “dahil ito lang ang pinagkukunan natin
ng tubig sa syudad.”
Pinakiusapan din ni Sibbaluca si BCWD General
Manager Engr. Anselmo Sang Tian na hindi lang protektahan ang watershed. Sinabi
nito na sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng BCWD, dapat ding konsiderahin ang
reforestation programs sa lugar.
“Sa ganitong paraan, mapapanatili natin at
maililigtas natin ang watershed,” diin ni Sibbaluca.
Nagbigay din ng kaniyang suporta ang hepe ng
DENR sa rehiyon sa hakbang ng BCWD at sinabi nito na ang ahensya ay handang
makiisa sa kanila (BCWD) sa pagpapanatili ng kalikasan.
Noong Setyembre 17, 2011, si Sang Tian ay
nagpadala ng liham kay Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III upang hingin dito ang
obligasyon sa pamamahala, pag-administer, pag-ooperate at pagmementina ng
Taguibo River Watershed Forest Reserve na hango sa provision ng Presidential
Decree 198 lalung-lalo na sa Section 31 na inamendahan ng Section 6 ng
Presidential Decree 1479.
Ang resolusyon ay naglalaman ng pangangailangan
ng Taguibo River Watershed Forest Reserve na palakasin ang pagbibigay ng
proteksyon sa patuloy na pang-aabusi ng ilang tao upang masiguro ang pananatili
ng suplay ng tubig sa syudad ng Butuan. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog news: Opisyal ng Pag-IBIG Fund
sinigurong walang “fixers" sa tanggapan
Ni Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Mayo 22 (PIA) -- Siniguro ng mga
opisyales ng Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) o Pag-IBIG Fund na walang
‘fixers’ ang nag-ooperate sa labas ng kanilang tanggapan dito.
Ayon kay Noli Quimbo ng Pag-Ibig Fund Butuan
Branch, ang mga miyembro ng Pag-Ibig Fund ang kinakailangan pumunta sa kanilang
tanggapan upang makipag-transact sa nasabing ahensya.
“Hindi ho kami sumasang-ayon sa mga tinatawag
nating ‘fixers’… pinapayuhan po namin ang ating mga miyembro na sila mismo ang
magsa-submit ng kanilang dokumento at pagta-transact ng kahit na anong
pangangailangan nila sa Pag-Ibig Fund,” sabi ni Quimbo.
Ipinaliwanag ng opisyal na ang mga indibidwal na
nagdadala ng maraming dokumento ay hindi fixers kundi fund coordinator na
nag-ooperate sa malalayong lugar kagaya ng Agusan del Sur at sa iba pang
probinsya sa rehiyon.
Nilinaw din ng opisyal na sila ay hindi
tatanggap ng mga transaksyon kung wala ang mismong miyembro, maliban sa
official fund coordinators na inatasan ng kani-kanilang kumpanya.
Ito ay parte sa tugon ng ahensya sa Republic Act
9485 o Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 na layuning paunlarin ang paghatid ng serbisyo
ng pamahalaan sa publiko na pumipigil sa graft and corruption. Ito rin ay
nagbibigay ng mga kaukulang parusa sa kung sino man ang lalabag sa nasabing
batas. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano news: Mayor Matugas mimando og drug
tests alang sa tanang miyembro sa kapolisan sa syudad
SURIGAO CITY, Mayo 22 (PIA) -- Si Surigao City
Mayor Ernesto Matugas mimando bag-ohay pa lamang sa pagpahigayon og drug test
sa tanang mga miyembro ug opisyales sa kapolisan sa Surigao City aron matino
ang pipila ka mga taho nga adunay pipila ka mga “men in uniform” ang nagagamit
sa illegal nga droga.
Si Matugas miingon atol sa press conference sa
media bag-ohay palamang nga iya ng gimandoan si Surigao City Police Chief
Superintendent Jonathan Trojello sa gilayon nga pagpahigayon og drug test sa
kapolisan sa syudad aron mahibaw-an kung kinsa gyud kanila kadtong mga drug
users.
Si Matugas mihimo sa maong kamandoan isip tubag
sa taho sa mga sakop sa media nga pipila sa mga kapolisan ang “shabu users” ug
protector sa pipila ka mga drug lords ug drug pushers.
Siya miingon nga iyang suportahan ang pagpasaka
og tukmang mga kaso batok sa mga polis nga magpositibo sa paggamit sa maong
illegal nga droga.
Si Matugas mibutyag, nga sukad sa iyang
paglingkod isip mayor sa syudad, prayoridad na niya ang pagdakop sa mga nga
tigpayuhot ug gumagamit sa illegal nga droga, magpamatuod niini ang bag-ohay pa
lamang nga pagkasikop sa pipila ka mga drug lords labi na gyud ang numero 1, 2
ug 5 sa listahan sa kapolisan.
Atol usab sa maong press conference, si Matugas
mipadayag sa iyang katagbawan sa kapolisan sa pagdumala ni Supt. Tojello, labi
na gyud sa ilang walay puas nga mga anti-illegal drug operations. (RER/FEA/PIA-Surigao
del Norte)
.
Cebuano news: MalacaΓ±ang miingon wala nay
rotating blackouts sa Mindanao
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Mayo 22 (PIA) - Ang administrasyong
Aquino miingon nga wala nay rotating blackouts sa Mindanao human ang pag-ayo ug
pagrehabilitar sa Polangui hydro-power plant, ang opisyales sa Palasyo miingon.
Si Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda
miingon atol sa regular press briefing didto sa MalacaΓ±ang kagahapon Lunes nga
gihuman na sa gobyerno ang pag-ayo ug pagrehabilitar sa Polangui power plant
aron hupayon ang problema sa kuryente sa Mindanao.
Samtang miarang-arang ang sitwasyon didto sa
Mindanao, si Lacierda miingon ang administrasyong Aquino padayon sa
pagpaningkamot niini sa pagrehabilitar sa lain pang mga power plants aron
maseguro nga ang rehiyon adunay igong suplay sa kuryente.
Sa kasamtangan, si Lacierda miingon ang gobyerno
milantaw alang sa laing tinubdan sa enerhiya, lakip ang Iligan Diesel Power
Plant. Iyang gipasabot nga kinahanglang irehabilitar ang Iligan Diesel Power
Plant nga makahatag dugang 100 megawatts sulod sa otso ka bulan.
Ang gobyerno nagplano usab sa renewable energy
isip parte sa long-term plan sa administrasyong Aquino aron matubag ang
problema sa enerhiya sa nasod labi na gyud didto sa Mindanao. (PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
