Disaster council of Caraga spearheads Disaster Consciousness Month today
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- Member agencies of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in Caraga Region spearheaded today the conduct of the kickoff activity of the National Disaster Consciousness Month here.
Some 200 employees from the regional line agencies and local government units assembled at the city hall here for the fun run and then headed to the Philippine Ports Authority ground where the opening program was conducted.
In her message, Office of Civil Defense-Caraga Regional Director and RDRRMC Caraga Chairperson Dr. Blanche Gobenciong expressed her heartfelt appreciation to all who have exerted efforts in joining today’s activity.
This year’s theme, “Ligtas na Bayan, Maunlad na Pamayanan” focuses on the impact of disaster risks, their relationship to economic development priorities and strategies, and better coping mechanisms. With this, Dr. Gobenciong pointed out that all concerned are urged to take appropriate action to promote social welfare, human security, and environmental protection in relation to national and human-induced disasters.
The official further said the month-long activity provides an opportunity to expand the awareness and deepen the understanding of people on disasters and how to best prevent and prepare for them.
Because of the active response of the council’s member agencies, Gobenciong said they are looking forward to more participative and enthusiastic members of the council in all activities lined up for the month-long observance.
Pursuant to Executive Order No. 137, the month of July is designated as National Disaster Consciousness Month. Because of this, RDRRMC Caraga initiated significant activities highlighting the importance of disaster risk reduction and management in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Mines Bureau-13, Chamber of Mines-Caraga end Environment Month in Surigao Norte
SURIGAO CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- The Mines and
Geosciences Bureau (MGB-13) and Chamber of Mines – Caraga Region chapter led
the culmination activity of the 2012 Environment Month celebration at the
Provincial Forest Park in Brgy. Ipil this city on Saturday, June 30.
The celebration started with a motorcade along
the major thoroughfares of the city followed by a tree planting activity and
the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing between the MGB-13 and its partner
mining companies.
Lawyer Rise Faith Recabo of MGB-13 said the MOA
signing sought to strengthen and reinforce the existing harmonious
relationships with the various key players more importantly with the mining
companies toward environmental campaign and advocacy.
To encourage students of the mining communities
to creatively express their impression on the importance of mining, events like
essay writing, extemporaneous speech, and poster making contest were also
conducted. (FEA/MGB-13/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
656 kids join in the biggest football clinic in
Butuan
By Eldie N. David
BUTUAN CITY, July 3 (PIA) -- Six hundred fifty-six
children ages 6-12 years old participated in the biggest football clinic in
Butuan City, dubbed the Kasibulan Football Grassroots Development Festival,
which was organized by the Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association (BANFA)
and the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), Sunday.
The clinic, which is patterned after the
successful German grassroots development program to introduce the game of
football to children as young as six years old, was on its second leg of
implementation. Its ultimate goal is producing high-caliber football players
who will represent the country in international competitions under the Team
Azkals, which has been bagging wins in tournaments. Azkals member Midfielder
Chieffy Caligdong was a product of this program back in the early 1990s and is
a living testimony to the success of the clinic.
Sixty-two coaches also underwent basic coaching
course in football on June 29-30 as part of the clinic.
During the opening ceremony, Libertad Punong
Barangay Vicente Rizal Rosario lauded the BANFA through the leadership of its
president, Vice Mayor Lawrence “Law” Fortun, for promoting the sport in Butuan
City and Agusan del Norte. It is now attracting a large number of enthusiasts.
Councilor Erwin L. Dano also echoed the sentiment of Rosario in his message -
calling Fortun his “mentor” in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Dano noted the
efforts of Fortun, who was able to ignite the interest of many children in the sport.
As part of the program, the coaches also became
recipients of soccer balls from the PFF, which they can use in their continuing
training of the children in their respective schools.
Subsequent legs of this program will take place
on July 29, which, for the first time will take place at Brgy. Maguinda, Butuan
City and on August 27 back at the Butuan City Sports Complex. (RER/NCLM/BC-VMO/PIA-Caraga)
Feature: Learning the ABC at 53
By Stella Maris V. Barcelon
“I am so
happy that even at this very old age, I am still able to go to school and learn
what I should have learned more than 40 years ago. My involvement with Pantawid
Pamilya has been one of the reasons why I am persuaded to go to school. The
Municipal Link Officer or the MLO has encouraged us that nobody is too old to
learn,” said the 53-year-old Adelina Rivas of Barangay Mararag, Mrihatag,
province of Surigao del Sur.
Adelina is very proud of her achievement - that
she’s able to go to school and learn the basics even despite her age.
“Kaniadto wala kami gi-engganyo sa among nanay
nga mo eskwela kay patabangon lang mi niya sa pagtanom og kamote sa bukid (My
mother didn’t encourage us to go to school because she wanted us to help her
plant sweet potatoes in the farm),” shared Adelina.
Adelina expressed how much she envied her
neighbors and playmates attended school when they were young. “Magpanon na sila
kay mang eskwela na. Pero ako, imbes eskwelahan sa bukid ko mo adto (Our
neighbors' children would go to school together. As for me, instead of going to
school I ended up working in the farm)," she said.
She said that one day, she realized that she
already lost her interest to go to school.
"I did not finish grade one," said
Adelina who covered her face with her palms, taking her moment to hold her
tears and ease the emotion. “I cannot even write my own name, I am not even
familiar with the letters in the alphabet,” she said.
Her experience has not stopped Adelina and
Adconico Rivas to work hard in order to send their eight children to school and
even to only let their children finish only high school.
In year 2009, Adelina’s family became a
beneficiary of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, wherein
they receive monthly cash grants as long as they will comply with the
conditions. One of the conditions set by the program is their attendance in
their monthly Family Development Session (FDS).
In this session, they were taught how to become
effective and responsible parents. Her attendance to the FDS could only be
verified through the attendance logbook, which she and the other beneficiaries
have to sign because their attendance is closely monitored by their Municipal
Link Officer.
“Pagkabalo nako nga kinahanglan diay mi mosulat
sa logbook, nagguol ko kay dili man ko kabalo mosulat. Busa gipa tamark na lang
ko sa among MLO (When I knew that we have to register and sign the logbook I
got worried because I don’t know how to write my name. The MLO asked me to use
the thumb mark instead),” Adelina said. She also added that every time she gets
her cash grants in the bank through over-the-counter payment, she noticed that
the other grantees are using pens in signing the acknowledgment form, and she’s
the only one asking for a stamp pad for her thumb mark.
“Because of that experience, I realize I have to
help myself, I must know how to write my name and read all those papers that I
already signed or going to sign in the future,” said Adelina.
In December 2011, armed with strong
determination coupled with the willingness to learn, Adelina enrolled in the
alternative learning system (ALS) in their barangay. The ALS class in their
barangay is conducted once in a week. “We are all mothers in the class,”
Adelina said.
This determined mother related that it was
difficult at first, she has to learn the strokes in writing, she has to
identify and memorize all the letters in the alphabets. Their first assignment
was to form the letters in the alphabet using a rattan stick. “Naglibog ko sa
permiro kay makalimot man ko sa litra, maayo na lang kay naa akong mga anak
maoy motudlo sa akoa (I was confused at first because I sometimes forgot the
letters in the alphabet; good thing my children are there, they helped me in my
assignments),” recalled Adelina.
Within a few months, Adelina already knows how
to write her name, she can even write it in cursive. She is now also learning
how to read and solve math problems.
Adelina realized how important education is, and
found out that learning is still fun even at the age of 53.
“I am not ashamed of going to school and
learning the alphabets at my age. School is not only for the young ones. It’s
also for older ones who want to learn," declared Adelina. (NCLM/DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog news: Agusan del Norte, Butuan LGUs
lumagdang suportahan ang ‘Biyaheng Kulambo’
Ni Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Hulyo 3 (PIA) -- Ang lokal na
pamahalaan ng probinsya ng Agusan del Norte at ng siyudad ng Butuan ay lumagda
sa isang manifesto na naglalayong palakasin ang proyektong “Biyaheng Kulambo”
ng nasyonal na pamahalaan bilang suporta sa kampanya laban sa sakit na malaria.
Ayon kay Jimmy Egay, provincial malaria
coordinator ng probinsya ng Agusan del Norte, ang Biyaheng Kulambo sa probinsya
ay pangatlo na sa Mindanao, kasunod ng Bukidnon at Cagayan de Oro City. Idinagdag
din niya na ang aktibidad ay gaganapin sa iba't ibang lugar sa kalakhang
Mindanao.
Ang mga layunin ng programa ay ang pagtatayo ng
suporta ng lokal na pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng investments, palakasin ang
kaalaman ng komunidad para sa accelerated elimination strategies, at paunlarin
ang ugnayan ng mga ahensya.
Sa seremonya ng paglilipat ng Long Lasting
Insecticide Net na isinagawa sa provincial training center ng Agusan del Norte,
ang mga opisyal ng probinsya nangakong paiigtingin ang nationwide anti-malaria
campaign.
Ayon kay provincial health officer Elizabeth
Campado, dahil sa mataas na kaso ng malaria sa ilang rehiyon sa bansa, ang
nasyonal na pamahalaan sa pamamagitan ng Pilipinas Shell Foundation ay gumawa
ng isang proyekto na layuning makapagsulong ng kaalaman ukol sa sakit at
kaukulang tulong at stratehiya upang tuluyang mapuksa ang sakit.
Nilinaw din nito na sa taong 2011, walang
naitalang nasawi sa malaria sa probinsya ng Agusan del Norte.
Ani Egay, kahit pa mayroong 13 na kasong naitala
sa probinsya, walang naitalang nasawi sa nakaraang taon. Sinabi rin niya na ang
huling nasawi sa sakit na malaria ay naitala noong 2006.
Idinagdag din ni Egay na mula 2010 hanggang
2011, 80 porsyento ang ibinaba ng kaso ng malaria na naitala sa probinsya dahil
sa mahigpit na kampanya ng pamahalaang probinsya upang labanan ang malaria. Aniya,
ang probinsya ay malapit nang makamit ang inaasam na malaria-free area.
(RER/DSM/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano news: Aquino administrasyon, padayon sa
posisyon pagdumili sa pag amenda sa 1987 Constitution
Ni Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Hulyo 3 (PIA) -- Si Presidente
Benigno S. Aquino III padayon ang pagbarog sa posisyong nga ang pag-amendar sa
1987 Constitution dili kinahanglan karong panahuna aron lamang pagpaus baw sa
kapabilidad nga maprotektahan ang teritoryo niini, matud pa sa opisyal sa
Palasyo kagahapon.
Si Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda
namahayag atol sa regular nga press briefing sa Malacanang Lunes, subay sa
report nga nagkadaiyang grupo ang nihanyag ug pag amender sa Konstitusyon aron
pagpalig-on sa sekuridad sa nasud nga mokombate sa mga pag atake sa mga
langyaw.
“Ang among ginabuhat karon mao ang paghimo ug
minimum nga depensa sa posesyong katungod. Mao nga kami mihupot sa armadong
kusog. Wala pa akmi mihimo ug panaghisgut karon batok sa Charter Change. Ang
president mihimo sa posesyong nga tataw kayo sa puntong pagrespeto sa Charter
Change," matud ni Lacierda.
Sumala sa taho, nga ang Armed Forces of the
Philippines miplano nga maukuha ug unom ka jet fighters aron mamisyonan ang
pagpugong batok sa mga impostor sa mga katubigan ug kawanangan nga sakop pa sa
Pilipinas.
“Kon maresolba nato kini nga problema kon isyu
bisan dili iamendar ang Charter, among ipadayon ang pagbuhat sa susamang
pamaagi (If we can resolve problems or issues without going through amending
the charter, we will continue to do it that way)," sulti ni Lacierda.
(PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Cebuano news: Aquino gilunsad ang duha ka mga
medical programs didto sa MalacaΓ±ang
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Hulyo 3 (PIA) -- Pormal na nga
gilusad ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino III kagahapon Lunes didto sa MalacaΓ±ang ang
duha ka mga medical programs aron palamboon ug palapdan ang healthcare coverage
lakip na ang diarrhea vaccines alang sa mga kabataan ug cancer treatment alang
sa mga katawhang Filipino.
Gipangulohan ni Pangulong Aquino uban nila
Health Secretary Enrique Ona ug Philippine Health Corporation president ug CEO
Eduardo Banzon ang back-to-back inauguration sa Rota Virus Vaccine campaign sa
DOH ug “Z” Benefits package program sa Philhealth.
Sa iyang mensahe, ang Pangulo miingon nga ang
maong kalihukan mipatugbaw sa mga saad sa iyang administrasyon aron paghatag ug
patas nga importansya aron hupayon ang kapobrehon pinaagi sa pagpokus dili
lamang sa maayong panglawas sa nasod, ekonomiya ug panggobyerno apan lakip usab
ang kinatibuk-ang panglawas sa katawhang Filipino.
“… to win this war on poverty, we must also turn
our attention to public health we want our people to be empowered individuals
capable of standing on their own two feet—strong, healthy, and skilled men and
women who can take advantage of the opportunities life affords them,” matud sa
Pangulo.
Dugang pa niya nga kining duha ka mga medical
programs “are expected to contribute to our goal of safeguarding the health and
well-being” sa katawhang Filipino.
Matud pa niya nga adunay 700,000 ka mga puya
(infants) gikan sa mga pamilya nga nalista sa National Household Targeting
Systems sa Department of Social Welfare and Development ang mabakunahan sa
gitawag nga rota virus, ang sagad nga hinungdan sa pagtae sa mga puya ug
kabataan.
Samtang ang gitawag nga “Z” Benefits Package,
mao ang pinalapdan nga listahan sa mga sakit sa Philhealth coverage lakip ang
“catastrophic illnesses” o mga sakit nga literal nga catastrophic dili lamang
sa panglawas sa tawo apan sa pinansyal nga sitwasyon ug psychological nga
kahimtang niini.
“For the first time in its history, Philhealth
now provides benefits that can cover the treatment of diseases that cost
roughly P100,000 to P200,000,” ang Pangulo miingon.
“This represents a change in the way Philhealth
does business. Instead of focusing on one claim or on one treatment alone, the
focus is on the patient himself: from the surgery to post-operation care and
even to therapy. The Z Benefit Package provides full coverage for our
countrymen suffering from dire illnesses, opening new doors to Filipinos in the
margins of society,” dugang niya.
Ubos sa maong benefit package, ang inisyal nga
coveraged sa catastrophic illnesses naglakip sa early stage breast cancer, standard
risk childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, ug low to intermediate risk
prostate cancer.
Gipasabot sa Pangulo nga palapdan pa og dugang
sa Philhealth ang coverage niining maong mga programa sa moabot nga mga bulan.
“This occasion represents the very goals of our
universal healthcare: to ease the burden of our countrymen already struggling
to put food on their tables by lending them a helping hand for their other
needs; and to support Juan and Juana dela Cruz from beginning to end, in the
most common of illnesses and in the most catastrophic,” ang Pangulo miingon.
“Just as fighting corruption and poverty are the
means to ensure a healthier, fairer and more prosperous society, so too will
programs like these help improve our public health system, resulting in a
society where the vulnerable are made strong, and the weak are empowered to
contribute to the well-being and the happiness of the whole,” dugang pa niya.
(RER/FEA/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Cebuano news: 3 ka bag-ong mga day care centers
gi-turnover sa Siargao
Ni Maryjul E. Escalante
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Hulyo 3 (PIA) -- Tulo ka
bag-ong mga day care center ang gibendisyunan ug giturn-over bag-ohay pa lamang
didto sa tulo ka mga barangay sa lungsod sa General Luna, Siargao Island, ning
probinsya.
Ang maong turnover ceremeony gipangulohan ni
Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas, uban nila Board member Simeon
Castrence, BM Mamerto Galanida, BM Cesar Bagundol, BM Margarito Longos, General
Luna Mayor Jaime Rusillon, Siargao School Division Superintendent Teresita
Tranquilan, Capitol ug mga opisyales sa maong lungsod.
Ang tulo ka mga barangay nga nakaangkon sa maong
mga day care center mao ang Barangay Corazon, Brgy. Sta. Cruz ug Brgy.
Libertad.
Samtang malipayon ug mapasalamton gyud og dako
sila Punong Barangay Francisco Lungay sa Corazon, Punong Barangay Ella Cale sa
Sta.
Cruz ug Punong Barangay Lalo Minglana sa Brgy.
Libertad ngadto kang Governor Sol Matugas ug sa tanang mga opisyales tungod sa
dakong tabang niini sa ilang barangay ug ngadto sa mga katawhan. (RER/FEA/Provincial
Information Center/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
