6th MinDA board meeting set in Butuan
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- The Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA) conducted today its 6th board meeting in the
city.
In a statement, MinDA officials said the board
meeting is held for the first time here, to coincide with the largest annual
gathering of Mindanao business leaders, the 21st Mindanao Business Conference.
MinDA said, on the back of the country’s growth
momentum highlighted in the State of the Nation Address of President Aquino
last month, the board will assess Mindanao’s recent socio-economic performance
and provide direction and guidance for the authority’s work and thrusts for
Mindanao onward to the second-half of the year.
The conduct of the board meeting is also to
ensure that goals and policies of MinDA are consistent with the overall
national development goals and objectives as well as complement the regional
and local development plans, programs and projects through better integration
and coordination.
In its pursuit for lasting peace and sustainable
development in Mindanao, the board is also set to lay groundwork for
identifying concrete, doable, and measurable actions, including policy
initiatives that shall provide and pave way for the success of various Mindanao
programs and projects.
During the meeting, the board revisited
Mindanao’s 2011 socio-economic performance in coming up with the Mindanao
Development Report, which shall provide a year-end analysis of the
island-region’s performance in areas of peace and security, governance, economy
and environment, human development and social cohesion, and enabling conditions
such as policy environment and infrastructure.
The board also discussed the implementation of
Mindanao Nurturing Our Waters Program (MindaNOW), MinDA’s flagship program on
development and management of Mindanao’s river basins and watersheds.
Also discussed during the event is the Brunei
Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA’s)
cooperation on Enhancing Connectivity which includes transport and logistics,
power, trade facilitation and information and communications technology
development in the sub-region.
Finally, the meeting tackled MinDA’s partnership
program on renewable energy advocacy and development in Mindanao.
Participating in the board meeting are
chairpersons of the Regional Development Councils of Regions 9, 10, 11, 12, and
13 and the Regional Economic Development and Planning Board of the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao and Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona.
Other participants of the MinDA Board meeting
are Rep. Arnulfo Go, chairperson of the House Committee on Mindanao Affairs and
key officials of public and private organizations. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
21st MinBizCon opens in Butuan City
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- The 21st Mindanao
Business Conference (MiBizCon) opened Thursday in one of the local hotels here.
Anchored on the theme “Invest Mindanao: Towards
a more inclusive, progressive and greener future,” the conference highlighted
undertakings of local government units and its partner stakeholders through the
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program of the Aquino administration.
In his keynote speech, Sen. Teofisto “TG”
Guingona III underscored the importance of peace to achieve lasting peace in
Mindanao, saying that if peace will be achieved in the island, then progress
and development come next.
“When it comes to Mindanao, I am guided by a
long-standing belief: Walay kalambuan kung walay kalinaw sa Mindanao (There would
be no progress if there is no peace in Mindanao),” Guingona said.
Guingona added that the Filipino people need to
have a government that can be trusted. “Trust is the fundamental ingredient for
long-term peace,” he added.
He said there will be no peace if the people do
not trust the government to do their job, may it be in the conduct of the peace
talks, political challenges, and in economic decision-making.
“To foster peace, we must foster trust… to
foster trust, we must have good governance,” Guingona said.
Guingona stressed good governance is achieved
through transparency, accountability, and people’s participation.
Prior to his speaking engagement, Sen. Guingona
together with his father, former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr., her
mother Gingoog City Mayor Ruth Guingona and their family graced the
inauguration of the Guingona Park, the newly-renovated Rizal Park of Butuan
City.
The park, through a resolution from the
Sangguniang Panlungsod, was named after the Guingonas because of the family’s
contribution to the city where they donated lots for the establishment of
important infrastructures in the city.
One of their latest donations is the
five-hectare lot in Brgy. Ampayon here, which was turned over to the city
government on Wednesday for the establishment of the Philippine Science High
School in this city.
Meanwhile, the annual MinBizCon serves as the
official business conference of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(PCCI) for the Mindanao area and is the biggest PCCI business conference in
scope and number of participants.
Among the participants are senior business
leaders, members of chambers of commerce, government policymakers, investors
and foreign trading partners.
The conference will end on Saturday, August 4,
2012. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
247 graduates receive certification from TESDA
By Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- A
total of 247 graduates received certificates from the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) during the closing ceremony of the
Kasanayan para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (KKK) on August 1 at the 36th
Infantry Battalion Headquarters, Dayoan, Tago this province.
Spearheaded by TESDA, the said training is under
the flagship program of Gov. Johnny Pimentel through the Jobs thru Tech-voc
Program, aimed to reduce out-of-school youth and unemployment in the province.
KKK, through JTP, was initiated by the
Philippine Army and was first implemented by the 29IB in identified conflict
areas under their area of responsibility.
This time, beneficiaries are members of the 36IB
Philippine Army and some of them were troop wives.
For meat processing, 28 graduates were
conferred, 93 for defensive driving, 28 for coconut by products, 70 for
automotive servicing and 28 for personal computer operations.
Lieutenant Col. Joseph Pasamonte expressed his
gratitude to the governor.
He said the skills acquired by his troop are a
big help to their operation especially in the field of Driving and Automotive
skills.
The activity was in line with the celebration of
the 38th founding anniversary of the 36IB, where series of activities were
already conducted since July 25. (RER/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Surigaonon cop competes for 2012 Search for
Model PNP Families
By Fryan E. Abkilan
SURIGAO CITY, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- A Surigaonon
police officer is a finalist in the Search for the Model Philippine National
Police (PNP) Families.
Organized by the National Police Commission
(NAPOLCOM) in cooperation with the Department of the Interior and Local
Government and PNP, the model family search was first launched last year to
highlight policemen as family men.
Police Insp. Elsa Montenegro, public information
officer and chief of Police Community Relations (PCR), was chosen as one of the
top six finalists in the solo parent category.
Despite being a single mother and active in her
police duties, Montenegro is also doing community outreach and enrichment
activities.
She was nominated by Willie Gan, president of
Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the only contender from Surigao del
Norte and entire Mindanao. Other finalists are from Bulacan, Baguio, Eastern
Samar, National Capital Region and Iloilo.
On Wednesday, the validation team for the search
arrived in the city to conduct an onsite visitation of the finalist, interview
the nominator and individuals associated with the finalist.
The validation team is led by Ellen Gran of
Crusade Against Violence with Ma. Theresa Santiago of Foundation for Crime
Prevention, Donna Lyn Caparas of NAPOLCOM, Police Chief Insp. Ely Lumbao of PNP
Directorate for PCR as members.
“The team is here in Surigao to validate if the
documents submitted to NAPOLCOM are authentic and accurate,” Gran said.
Gran said the winners will be awarded with a
plaque of recognition and cash incentives during the kickoff ceremony of the
National Crime Prevention Week on September 3. (FEA/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Butuan vice mayor urges businessmen to invest in
Butuan
By Eldie N. David
BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, Aug 3 (PIA) --
The vice mayor of Butuan City has urged delegates of the 21st Mindanao Business
Conference to invest in Butuan through the public-private partnership (PPP).
Butuan City has already put in place all the
policies and the necessary legislation that would cater to PPP projects, vice
mayor Lawrence Fortun said during the opening ceremonies of the conference on
August 2 to 4 in a hotel and convention center in this city.
One of the major aspects in the city
government’s preparation is the passage of the ordinance laying down the
guidelines for PPP projects dubbed the “PPP Code of Butuan City,” which was
authored by Fortun.
Fortun said Butuan City became the first city in
the Philippines to craft such ordinance and is now ready to accommodate PPP
projects in the city.
“Contained in the ordinance are the guidelines
as well as the 16 modalities of PPP projects and the eligible projects that are
offered to the private investors,” Fortun said.
Fortun added that these initiatives of laying
down the foundation of PPP projects and joint venture undertakings is a clear
manifestation of the cohesive and healthy partnership within the local
government of Butuan under the leadership of Mayor Ferdinand “Jun” Amante.
He also mentioned in his speech the several
projects in the pre-implementation stage for which some of these projects is
expected to be implemented within the year such as the mini-hydro power plant
and the biomass fuel generation which will be undertaken between a local
company Equi-Parco Construction Co. and Japanese investors.
It is expected that the coming in of investors
that would be willing to partner with the local government and invest in
several projects would redound to the benefit of the people of Butuan in terms
of jobs and other indirect livelihood. (NCLM/BC-VMO/PIA-Caraga)
Malnourished cases down in San Francisco, targets
zero case
By Alexis Cabardo
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Aug 3 (PIA) -- Malnutrition went
down by an average of nine percent in the municipality of San Francisco in the
past three years, according to the record by the municipal nutrition office.
According to Malyn Bugawan, San Francisco
municipal nutrition action officer, record shows that in 2009, malnutrition in
San Francisco went down by 14 percent and has continued to decrease, by another
5.8 percent this year.
But according to Bugawan, although the reduction
of malnourished children is remarkable, they are still aiming for a zero number
of cases in San Francisco.
“One of our strategies in order to reach our
goal of eradicating malnutrition in the municipality is to launch vegetable
gardening in all elementary schools so that we can use our produce in our
feeding program,” Bugawan said.
Bugawan also said that together with the
municipal nutrition council, her office is taking steps to monitor that all
school canteens must not sell junk foods to children, in line with the order of
the Department of Education (DepEd) to ban the selling of junk foods to school
canteens nationwide.
“The DepEd has issued Order No. 8, series of
2007 ordering that all school canteens must only sell nutritious foods,
especially those rich in protein, like food derived from root crops, noodles
and other foods made of rice and corn, and also fruits and vegetables,” Bugawan
said.
Bugawan did not spare the role of teachers in
schools in solving the malnutrition. Bugawan said teachers should always
educate the children the value of good nutrition so that children will refrain
from eating junk foods and instead take nutritious foods, fruits and
vegetables.
In line with the culmination of the nutrition
month celebration, various activities were undertaken in the municipality of
San Francisco in order to enhance the children’s knowledge about good
nutrition. Among the activities that highlighted the celebration is a cooking
contest participated by students and parents. There was also a fruit carving
contest, “tula” and jingle singing competition, in the context of the nutrition
month. (DMS/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: MalacaΓ±ang gibutyag ang kusog nga
kampanya sa gobyerno batok smuggling
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Agosto 3, (PIA) – Gibutyag sa
MalacaΓ±ang ang gipanghingusgan nga mga paningkamot sa administrasyong Aquino
batok smuggling o pagpayuhot aron maseguro ang dugang kinitaan alang sa
gobyerno pinaagi sa walay puas nga mga inisyatibo sa Bureau of Customs (BoC)
aron masumpo niini ang giingon nga illegal nga kalihukan dinhi sa nasud.
Sa regular press briefing didto sa MalacaΓ±ang
kagahapon Miyerkules, si Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda miingon nga
gimandoan na ni Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III si BoC Commissioner Ruffy
Biazon aron sumpoon ang problema sa smuggling ug dakpon kadtong dautang mga
grupo ug mga indibidwal nga nalambigit sa maong illegal nga buhat.
“The instructions given by the President to
Commissioner Ruffy Biazon was to ensure that smuggling should stop and this is
another instance where the commissioner has stepped up to ensure that we exert
all efforts in curbing smuggling in this country,” matud ni Lacierda.
Gibutyag ni Lacierda nga gipokus usab sa BoC ang
mga paningkamot niini sa uban pa nga mga klase sa smuggling sama sa technical
smuggling.
“It is very well taken note that there were
smuggled rice in Subic and we certainly commend the efforts of Commissioner
Biazon in curbing smuggling there, and we note for instance that there are a
number of apprehensions that were made in the past few weeks, and we certainly
commend the stepped up efforts of Commissioner Biazon. Not only blatant
smuggling but also technical smuggling where you under-value your goods,” matud
pa ni Lacierda.
“This robs the country of revenue, and therefore
the explicit instruction of the President for Commissioner Biazon is to ensure
that we curb smuggling... We are able to generate revenues as we curb
smuggling,” dugang pa niya.
Samtang, gikalipay ni Lacierda ang imbestigasyon
karon nga gihimo sa Senado mahitungod sa isyu sa smuggling ug iyang gisaad ang
pagdakop niadtong mapamatud-an nga nalambigit sa illegal nga mga kalihukan.
“We welcome the investigation of the Senate and
we hope that the whole investigation on rice smuggling be resolved to a
clearly-defined delineation of liability, and that’s what we’re after... we are
going against corrupt officials and so we will not brook on any corruption in
our government,” sulti ni Lacierda.
Gibutyag sa mga taho nga pormal na nga gisikop
sa BoC ang gitawag nga “biggest smuggled rice haul” nga adunay mokabat sa
420,000,50 – kilos nga mga sako sa Indian white rice nga giabandona didto sa
Subic, niadtong bulan sa Abril.
Sa dihang gi-inspeksyon ang maong mga smuggled
rice, ang BoC miingon nga ang maong haul adunay market value gibana-bana nga
moabot sa P450 milyon.
Giseguro ni Commissioner Biazon nga ang gobyerno
“never allow unscrupulous traders to expoloit the privileges offered by the
country’s various free port zones like the Port of Subic to be their staging
points for smuggling.” (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Cebuano news: Presidente Aquino misaad nga kapin
sa 6,000 sityos ang mahatagan ug elektrisidad sa 2012
Ni Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Aug. 3 (PIA) -- Ang mga
residente sa pinakahilit nga dapit sa rehiyon sa Pilipinas puhon mahiapil na sa
mga nalipay nga nakabenepisyo o nakatagamtam ug elektrisidad sa ilang panimalay
human si Ppresident Benigno S. Aquino III misaad sa 6,007 ka sityos sa mga
hilit nga mga barangay sa nasud ang mahatagan ug elektrisidad usa matapos ang
2012.
Ang Presidente mihatag ug kasigurohan atol sa
iyahang pakigpulong sa 33rd Annual General membership Meeting sa Philippine
Rural Electric Cooperatives Associations Inc., (Philreca) nga gipahigayon didto
sa Philippine Trade training Center sa Pasay City niadtong Huwebes.
He said that after two years in office, his
administration, with the help of the Department of Energy, National
Electrification Administration and stakeholders like Philreca, have been slowly
but surely bringing the benefits of electrification to more and more Filipinos.
Matud pa niya, nga human sa duha ka tuig sa
pagpangatungdanan, ang iyahang administrasyon uban sa tabang sa Department of
Energy, National Electrification Administration ug mga stakeholders sama sa
Philreca, hinay hinay pero sinigurong mihatag ug benepisyo sa electrification
ngadto sa mga Pilipino.
Dugang pa niya, nga gikan sa Oktubre 2011
hangtod sa hulyo karong tuiga, 2,400 ka sityos ang duna nay kurente.
Ang Presidente mitumbok nga kini nga katakos
nahimong possible pinaage sa “good governance” ug kabubut-on sa nga katawhang
Pilipino.
“Sa loob ng dalawang taon, pinatunayan natin sa
harap ng samu’t saring problema, tapat na pamamahala, ugnayan at pakikilahok ng
taumbayan ang solusyon para gawing posible ang tila dati’y imposible talaga,”
sulti sa Presidente.
Ganito mismo ang ginawa natin upang mula Oktubre
2011 hanggang Hulyo ng taong ito, napailawan natin ang halos 2,400 na mga
sitio. Kumpyansa tayong sa undak pa niya.
The President acknowledged that while there are
more needs to be done in order to bring the benefits of electricity to all,
with the help of the energy sector, its stakeholders and the Filipino people,
this gargantuan task can be done.
Ang Presidente miila nga bisan pa nga naa pay
laing gikinahanglan nga buhatonon aron mahatag ang mga benepisyo sa
elektrisidad sa tanan, dinuyugan sa tabang sa mga sector sa enerhiya, mga
stakeholders ug sa mga katawhang Pilipino, kining pinakadako nga tahas
mamahimo.
“Opo, sa loob lamang ng dalawang taon marami na
tayong nagawa. Subalit hindi dito nagtatapos ang tungkulin natin. Mas marami pa
tayong kayang gawin, mas marami pa tayong dapat gawin. Hangga’t may isang
paslit na gasera pa rin ang ilaw sa pagsagot ng asignatura; hangga’t may bahay
pa ring kandila ang bumbilya; hangga’t may barangay o sitio pa ring ni walang
posteng ilaw sa kanilang kalsada, patuloy tayong maghahanap ng paraan upang sa
lalong madaling panahon maging fully electrified na ang buong bansa,” matud sa
presidente.
“Sa pakikiisa ng Philreca at sa lakas na kaloob
ng taumbayan, tiwala akong magagawa natin ito,” dugang pa niya. (RER/NGBT/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
Cebuano news: President Aquino miaprubar sa
pagmugna og Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Agosto 3 (PIA) -- Gipagawas ni
Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ang Executive Order No. 81 aron mugnaon ang
Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) nga maoy molihok sa tanang mga
inisyatibo nga gitumong aron mapalambo ang suplay sa enerhiya sa southern
region o habagatang bahin sa nasod.
Matud ni Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa
Jr. kagahapon Huwebes nga ubos sa maong EO 81 nga gipirmahan ni Pangulong
Aquino niadtong Hulyo 30, ang MPMC maoy magmonitor, maghiusa ug mag-apil sa mga
rekomendasyon nga gisugyot aron matubag ang mga problema sa sektor sa
industriya sa enerhiya sa Mindanao.
“The President approved the formation of the
MPMC since there is a need for a team or a body that will study the feasibility
of recommendations to address the power situation in Mindanao,” matud pa ni
Ochoa. “It will ensure that coordination and monitoring are in place to better
the power situation in Mindanao.”
Ang Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), diin
naestablisar ubos sa Republic Act No. 9996 ug kasamtangang gipangulohan ni
Luwalhati Antonino, maoy modumala sa MPMC ug usab maoy magsilbing secretariat.
Ang uban pang mga miyembro sa MPMC mao ang
Department of Energy, Energy Regulatory Commission, National Electrification
Administration, National Power Corporation ug ang Power Sector Assets ug
Liabilities Management Corp. Ang mga representante gikan sa Mindanao Electric
Power Alliance ug Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives giawhagan
ug gidasig usab nga mamahimong mga miyembro sa komitiba.
Gihatagan og direktiba ni Pangulong Aquino ang
MPMC aron mougmad og database kalabot na sa impormasyon mahitungod sa sector sa
enerhiya sa Mindanao, abagan ang sitwasyon sa enerhiya sa rehiyon ug tan-awon
ang posibilidad sa mga rekomendasyon nga gisugyot human sa Mindanao power
summit, ug lain pang uban.
Ang mga ahensya sa gobyerno, lakip na ang
state-owned ug controlled nga mga korporasyon, gimandoan usab aron abagan ang
MPMC sa paghimo sa mandato niini.
Matud ni Ochoa, ang inisyal nga pondo sa MPMC
magagikan sa contingent fund ug uban pang mga tinubdan nga sotaon sa Deparment
of Budget and Management. Ang sunod nga budget sa MPMC mahiusa na sa regular
appropriation sa MinDA.
Ang EO No. 81 epektibo gyud dayon human kini nga
mapublisar sa mantalaan libot dinhi sa nasod. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
