Butuan City commemorates 114th Philippine
Independence Day
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 12 (PIA) -- The city
government spearheaded the commemoration of the 114th Philippine Independence
Day this morning with the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall grounds.
The simple ceremony, attended by local
government officials, employees from the national government agencies and led
by the Department of Education (DepEd) focused on commemorating the gallantry
and patriotism shown by the Filipino ancestors as they fought for the country’s
independence against the Spanish colonization.
Cultural presentations from three schools
depicted the history and culture of the Filipinos, and ended with
interpretation of dances to the tune of locally-produced music composed by
local composers here.
In his message, Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand
Amante, Jr. urged his constituents to fight the negative forces that keep on destroying
the community, citing the negative effects of illegal logging activities, as
well as graft and corruption.
Amante added we may be free from foreign
oppression or political slavery but there are still forces that continue to
threaten the people, resulting from illegal logging and mining activities.
“We may be free from foreign oppression or
political slavery but there are still forces that continue to threaten us like
floods and landslides that resulted from massive illegal logging and mining activities,”
Amante said.
He also cited negative forces which resulted
from drug addiction that continues to destroy the lives of the people,
especially the youth. The mayor said this must be resolved because the future
lies with this new breed of leaders and community.
The official emphasized that with freedom, comes
the celebration of life and sweetness of peace.
“Freedom oppression is just like experiencing
death, but with freedom, there comes the celebration of life and the sweetness
of peace,” Amante said.
Mayor Amante also said the celebration of the
country’s independence “is very much memorable not only to the Filipino
veterans who have fought against their enemies, but also to the present
generation as we have reaped the fruits of what our forefathers have done for
the country.”
Also, Vice-Mayor Lawrence Lemuel Fortun
emphasized that today’s celebration should be serve as a challenge to
Filipinos. He added the Filipino leaders of today should operationalize
everything that has been planned for the country to move forward.
The celebration culminated with the simultaneous
release of red, blue and yellow balloons by the city officials and heads of
offices of the local government unit. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
TESDA-Agusan del Norte awards scholarship
certificates on Independence Day
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, June 12 (PIA) -- In time with the
opening of the 45th Araw ng Agusan del Norte celebration today, the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) awarded some 300 scholarship
certificates to qualified beneficiaries in the province.
The program highlighted the celebration of the
province’s charter day celebration, which is also in time with the celebration
of the 114th Philippine Independence Day.
TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Director
Florencio Sunico said that there are a total of 700 scholarship slots given to
the province and out of this total slots, there were some 300 slots already
given as of press time.
The official further said there are still
available 400 slots to be given away. He added those who are interested to
avail of the program may get in touch with their office for further details.
Also, some 150 TESDA Specialista received
starter kits which were ceremonially awarded by Agusan del Norte Governor Erlpe
John Amante and Dir. Sunico.
In an earlier report, according to TESDA, the
Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) is a facility to provide the
necessary supply to address the skills demand of the industries.
Specifically, it aims to provide skills and
competencies to job seekers through appropriate training programs that directly
connects to existing jobs for immediate employment. It also seeks to empower
private education and training institutions to offer relevant training programs
that meet job requirements.
Also, Sunico, in earlier report pointed out that
qualified scholars can only choose four courses as these are the only courses
that are available or offered in the region. These are agro-forestry, hotel
management, construction, and electronics.
He added that scholars must finish their chosen
course on the specific period and must undergo assessment after finishing the
course or training for free.
TESDA’s two scholarship programs –TWSP and the
Private Education Student Fund Assistance (PESFA) – get P700 million and P200
million, respectively. (RER – PIA-Caraga)
City police reports a successful “Oplan Balik
Eskwela” implementation
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, June 12 (PIA) -- The city police
reported the successful implementation of “Oplan Balik Eskwela 2012” for the
school opening last week.
“The city police would like to commend our
officers as well as the rank and file, our education officials, the local
government units as well as the community as there was no reported untoward
incident related to the school opening this week,” city police director SSupt.
Pedro Obaldo Jr said in the “Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis” (TSIP) forum at the
multipurpose hall of the Butuan City Police Office.
He added the operational plan, which will
provide police assistance, security and traffic management in the areas near
the schools, will continue after the week is over, not only for the month of
June but all throughout the whole semester of this year’s school opening.
The TSIP was attended by top city police
officials, the chiefs of the city police stations and local tri-media
practitioners.
Obaldo pointed out during the forum that their
operational plan will be implemented all throughout the semester. He also
mentioned that their police visibility had been greatly enhanced by
establishing more checkpoints and placement of police boxes at all strategic
corners of the city in addition to their routine beat patrols and their mobile
units.
The police boxes, a pioneer project of the city
police, is manned by four personnel. According to him, two personnel station
themselves at the designated police box while the other two companions do their
rounds at the nearby vicinity on rotation basis.
Obaldo also emphasized that aside from enhancing
their police visibility, they are also expanding their information and outreach
program down to the barangay level, through their so-called police supervisors,
which actually are police personnel assigned in the villages to augment police
presence and supervise the force multipliers in the area.
Meantime in their respective stations, Obaldo
said that officers and personnel were also provided values formation
educations, skills enhancements and trainings. The latest of which were police
family days, where each personnel and officers were given time to bond with
their respective families; the purpose-driven life seminars conducted at the
police stations; the target shooting proficiency; and the women personnel
driving skills training. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
.
Surigao City, Surigao Norte join in nationwide
celebration of 114th Independence Day
By Fryan E. Abkilan
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, June 12 (PIA) -- The city of
Surigao and the province of Surigao del Norte joined today, June 12 the rest of
the cities and provinces all over the country in observance of the 114th
Independence Day Celebration with the theme “Kalayaan: Pananagutan ng Bayan
para sa Tuwid na Daan.”
At exactly 7:00 a.m., the activity started with
a short prayer followed by the singing of the national anthem and raising of
the Philippine flag in front of the City Hall with City Vice Mayor Danilo
Menor, Vice Gov. Arturo Carlos Egay, Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) and
Sangguniang Panglusod (SP) Members.
City Mayor Ernesto Matugas through Vice Mayor
Danilo Menor, in his Independence Day message, emphasized the fight is not
anymore for colonialism but for poverty.
He, however, said today is quite different as
the country is now riding on the wave of renewed investor confidence.
“Thanks to the no non-sense effort of our
national government leaders in rebuilding the image of our country, creating
environment conducive of doing business,” he said.
In behalf of Gov. Sol Matugas, Vice Gov. Egay
said the past 114 years have been significant despite serious challenges and
political issues on struggles,
“Yet, we were able to keep the flame of
democracy burning,” he added.
Egay, further said the country today has
achieved significant growth and developments in the field of sports, culture,
arts, science and technology.
“Perhaps our biggest triumph is harmonizing our
enviable cultural heritage and traditional values,” he said
Right after the speeches, students from Surigao
City National High School showcased an interpretative dance depicting
Filipinos’ struggle for freedom against the Spaniards.
The program ended with a community singing of
“Ako ay Pilipino” led by the city chorale ensemble. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Police may tap churches to assist in street kids
outreach
By Noel B. Najarro
BUTUAN CITY, June 12 (PIA) -- The Butuan City
Police may tap churches to assist them in their outreach program with the city’s
street children.
Butuan City Police Director (OIC) PSSupt Pedro
U. Obaldo said this during the Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) forum at the
Butuan City Police multi-purpose hall recently.
“The street children, we believed is mainly a
family problem so we think the churches or religious sectors can greatly help
assist us in this aspect,” Obaldo said.
The police director said the Butuan Evangelical
Ministerial Association (BEMA), an interdenominational association of ministers
and churches in the city, expressed their support for the program.
According to him. the police, together with the
BEMA ministers, outlined a plan to adopt a family of street child in their own
churches to provide the said family the moral and spiritual guidance as well as
meeting the family’s needs, which the church can afford.
“This is at the same time a challenge to the
churches or religious sectors which has the capability, the skills or the
resource to address the problem to come out and help extend their assistance. We
will be much willing to facilitate,” Obaldo said. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
