Agusan Norte, Butuan Red Cross BODs sworn into office
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, Sept 10 (PIA) -- Newly elected
members of the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC)
Agusan del Norte-Butuan City Chapter were sworn into office during the
induction ceremony held recently in one of the local resorts here.
They were inducted by Agusan del Norte Governor
Erlpe John Amante, honorary chairman of the board, who was represented by Board
Member Victor Joseph Tomaneng.
In his speech delivered by Tomaneng, Amante said
the Red Cross Agusan del Norte-Butuan City chapter has lived its avowal to be
“Always first, always ready and always there,” and remains committed to this
duty.
Amante further said for over six decades of unparalleled
sense of volunteerism, Red Cross personnel have been in the forefront of
providing aid and empowerment to the vulnerable.
The official also conveyed his warmest
congratulations to the newly elected and previous officers who have shown
exemplary character in molding the local chapter into what it is now.
“Your resiliency is worth a commendable remark
and definitely a character to reckon with,” Amante said.
The provincial governor likewise emphasized that
serving the public is not an easy task as it needs to be 24/7 ready to respond
to public concerns.
“This is the nature of our lives as public
servants. That is why I truly admire you for accepting the challenge to
spearhead this organization,” Amante said.
Amante also lauded the Chapter Administrator
Teodoro B. Cairo for a job well done, saying that over the years, he has
showcased what it is to have the heart of a true Red Crosser.
“You acted with sense of immediacy in responding
to any calamity that struck our locality. Each volunteer provides a ray of hope
during gloomy moments. You draw smiles from the families during hapless
situations. This is your cause and may our simple gesture of gratitude
commensurate your acts,” the governor said.
In closing, Amante said the scope of duties of
Red Cross volunteers transcends beyond routinary actions, that some are even
life-risking where the only reward is patriotism.
The newly inducted officers are as follows:
Chairman, City Prosecutor Felixberto Guiritan; Vice Chairman, Dir. Mercedes
Atupan; Secretary, Dir. Joanna Cuenca; Assistant Secretary, Dir. Josephine
Salise; Treasurer, Dir. Titus Thaddeus Vesagas; Assistant Treasurer, Dir. Anselma
Labicane; Auditor, Dir. Crispin Young; PIO, Dir. Abner Caga; and Counselor,
Dir. Leodegaria Go.
Newly elected members of the board who were also
inducted include Dir. Jeriel Kenneth Catedral, Dir. Epimaco Galero Jr., Dir.
Constancio Napana Jr., Dir. Virgilio Nery Jr., Dir. Josefina Pabia, Dir. Jay
Rivero, Dir. Renato Jose Villanueva, Dir. Lyndo Villacorta, and Dir. Rogelio
Yu. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
CDA-Caraga, RCDC to lead Cooperative Advocacy
Run
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Sept 10 (PIA) -- The Philippine
International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2012 will culminate with a fun run activity,
dubbed “Cooperative Advocacy Run” on December 12, 2012, done simultaneously in
all regions.
The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA)
Caraga through the Regional Cooperative Development Council (RCDC) chaired by
Mr. Brix Merlin will be spearheading the said activity that will start at 5
a.m.
The event is anchored on the theme,
“Transformative Cooperatives for People, Planet, Prosperity and Peace (Run
4Ps).”
Merlin said the activity aims to increase public
awareness about cooperatives and their contributions to advance People, Planet,
Prosperity and Peace of Sustainable Development and to strengthen and unite the
cooperative movement.
“It shall also integrate the promotion of CDA’s
three-point agenda, particularly the mainstreaming of cooperative membership,
and encourage youth participation, and if necessary, create activity that will
capture their interest to join or organize laboratory cooperatives,” Merlin
said.
Merlin also mentioned that a registration fee of
more or less P250 shall be collected from each participant, though the final
amount of fee is still to be finalized by the IYC steering committee.
With this, CDA and RCDC encouraged the coop
sector in the region to give their support and cooperation on the said
activity.
For more information, the CDA-Caraga can be
reached at telephone number (085) 342-5530. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Agusan del Sur among the top performers in the
implementation of health programs nationwide
By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Sept 10 (PIA) -- Agusan del Sur
is among the top performing cities and provinces in the implementation of
health programs, the Department of Health (DOH) said during the DOH forum in
Davao City last August 15.
Agusan del Sur topped 10 other contenders in
providing immunization to children under its maternal and child health program,
a report by Provincial Health Officer Joel Esparagoza said.
It also ranked third in contraceptive prevalence
rate under reproductive health program and is among the top rank provinces in
the implementation of out-patient benefit package under PhilHealth Insurance
Program.
“Our purpose in going to Davao City last month
was just to attend the DOH forum. We were surprised when Undersecretary Lozada
announced the status of performance in the implementation of various health
programs of the cities and provinces nationwide and we were very glad to hear
and receive the recognition that we rank number 12 top performer in the entire
country,” Nanette Cabanos, head of the PHO technical team, said.
Esparagoza also expressed his gratitude and
appreciation to Plaza for his continued support to the implementation of the
different health programs of the province.
“We in the DOPMH/PHO are very thankful to Gov.
Plaza for his sincere support to us in the implementation of one of his
priority programs in governance which is health. Gov. Plaza never fails to find
ways and means that our facilities here will from time to time be upgraded.
Last month, because of Gov. Plaza’s intervention, medical facilities that
include three X-ray machines, 20 hospital beds and medical supplies were
donated by the World Medical Relief to the DOPMH/PHO that really helped us
extend better service to the people,” Esparagoza said.
Esparagoza said the DOPMH is a certified
secondary hospital, with 100 beds capacity.
Early last year, the construction of an
extension started with 50 beds capacity, which will address the increasing
needs of the people in Agusan del Sur and neighboring provinces. With its
present set up, the DOPMH is also serving patients from as far as Surigao del
Sur and Compostela Valley province. (RER/DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
DENR-Caraga bares salient features of Executive
Order No. 23
By Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 10 (PIA) – The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Caraga region has presented the
salient features of Executive Order No. 23 “Declaring a Moratorium on the
Cutting and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and Residual Forest and
Creating the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force” in a recent joint meeting with
the Provincial Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force (PAILTF) and Provincial
Multi-Sectoral Forest Protection Committee (PMSFPC).
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources
Officer (PENRO) Paterno B. Olivera presented that moratorium on the cutting and
harvesting of timber in the natural and residual forest is declared.
PENRO Olivera also emphasized the prohibition of
DENR to issue logging contracts/agreements in all natural and residual forest;
renewing tree cutting permits except for the cleaning of road right of way by
DPWH.
The official further said under EO 23, the DENR
directed to close and not to allow sawmills, veneer plants and other wood
processing plants to operate that cannot present proof of sustainable source of
legally cut logs for the period of at least 5 years.
He pointed out, however, tree cutting associated
with cultural practices pursuant to IPPA law may be allowed only subject for
strict compliance; 5) thru the DA-DENR-DAR convergence initiative , develop a
National Greening Program (NGP) with DepEd, CHED, DILG, and DSWDwith BDM to
provide funds for the production of seedlings.
The official likewise said the law directed the
creation of Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force.
Olivera also emphasized that EO 23 as a national
strategy aims for a sustainable protection of the forest and requires an active
support.
“The Implementation of EO 23 requires an active
support of the Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-government Organization
(NGOs), Government Agencies (Gas), law Enforcement agency, local Communities and
the Indigenous People,” Olivera said.
Meanwhile, DENR-Caraga Regional Environment
Director (RED) Asec. Marlon Mendoza said that Loreto in Agusan del Sur is still
a hotspot area for the illegal logging where they apprehended some 2,000
illegally cut logs recently.
The official also said that because of the bad
image of checkpoints in some areas in Caraga region, they will reduce the
numbers of checkpoint.
“Instead of putting up checkpoints, we will put
up a multi-sectoral inspections team so, every truck will be checked and be
placed on record to found out where the logs they carry originated from and
they will also check sawmills in the region,” Asec. Mendoza said.
The official further said that they will
strengthen the existing green court especially now that the cases to be filed
for those government employees who were found to have been violated the order
will be field with administrative and criminal cases.
Furthermore, Asec. Mendoza said DENR-Caraga will
also have a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the member agencies of
the Provincial Multi-Sectoral Forest Protection Committee to intensify
anti-illegal logging campaign activities in the region. (RER/DSM/PIA-Caraga)
Clean Ground, Zero Waste 1st anniversary celeb
set in Butuan City
By Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 10 (PIA) -- The city
government here will spearhead the Clean Ground, Zero Waste (CGZW) 1st Movement
Anniversary on September 11, aimed to enjoin the community to actively
participate in the implementation of garbage segregation as part of the solid
waste management program of the present administration.
Following the meeting conducted recently, the
CGZW committee has lined-up activities of the celebration highlighted by an
awarding ceremony to 8,166 household as recipients of clean household
certificate from the different barangays of this city.
To start the whole day celebration, a motorcade
is set to be participated by member-agencies of the program as well as the
barangay captains and officials of the 86 barangays here who will receive the
award in behalf of the individual household awardees.
Meanwhile, the committee also urged the local
tri-media to help them enjoin the community on the implementation of the
garbage segregation as well as to participate in the celebration. (RER/DSM/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano news: Pangulong Aquino mipahigayon og
bilateral meeting uban ni Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Sep 10 (PIA) -- Ang Pilipinas ug
Malaysia kagahapon Domingo (Vladivostok time) pareho nga mipabati og
panginahanglanon aron makuha ang hiniusang posisyon sa Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) kalabot na sa mga bikil sa pag-angkong sa West
Philippines Sea.
Si Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III nakigtagbo
kang Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak atol sa gipahigayon nga
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leader’s Meeting didto sa Far Eastern
Federal University sa Russkiy Island.
Atol sa ilang bilateral meeting, gituki sa duha
ka mga lideres unsay buhaton aron mapauswag ang mga investments, trade, defense
cooperation, lakip usab ang West Philippine Sea, ang ASEAN, ug ang Philippine
government-MILF peace process.
Si Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario,
diin maoy usa sa mga opisyales sa gobyernong Pilipinas ang didto sa maong
tigum, miingon nga parehong gipadayag sa duha ka mga lideres ang
panginahanglanon aron mohimo og hiniusang posisyon sa ASEAN mahitungod sa away
sa West Philippine Sea.
Ang Pilipinas, Malaysia, China, Brunei, Taiwan
ug Vietnam adunay dugay nang mga pag-angkon sa West Philippine Sea.
“Both countries are on board in terms of the six
principles that was agreed with ASEAN and so we are anxious to see how that can
be moved forward,” matud ni Del Rosario atol sa interbyu kaniya sa mga miyembro
sa Philippine media.
“Both leaders had expressed the need to be able
to adopt a common position in ASEAN in terms of the challenges in the West
Philippine Sea, and we are also together in terms of support for the forward
movement of the Code of Conduct,” dugang pa niya.
Matud pa usab ni Del Rosario nga Si Pangulong
Aquino ug Prime Minister abdul Razak parehong mipadayag sa ilang positibo nga
pagtoo nga ang peace negotiations mahuman na gyud “in the next couple of
months.”
Dugang pa ni Del Rosario nga atol ussab sa maong
bilateral meeting, nipadayag usab si Pangulong Aquino sa iyang dakong pasalamat
ngadto sa Malaysia sa pagka-epektibo niini nga kaagabay. Siya miingon nga si
Prime Minister Abdul Razak mipadayag usab sa iyang tinguha nga siya mosaksi kon
ugaling mapirmahan na ang maong peace agreement.
Samtang mahitungod sa trade and investments,
matud ni Del Rosario, adunay mga trade ug investments initiatives sa Kuala
Lumpur ug Hongkong ug kini nga mga inisyatibo “will try to move the many
opportunities offered between the two countries in terms of enhancing bilateral
trade and investments.”
Luyo kang Secretary del Rosario, didto usab sa
maong bilateral meeting sila Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Energy Secretary
Rene Almendras, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Socioeconomic Planning
Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, ug Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.
(RER/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
