PRC, Wetlands Int'l pass assessment report of
PfR areas in Agusan del Sur
By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Oct. 18 (PIA) -- Climate,
erosion and siltation, water quality conversion of marsh land into agriculture,
dwindling of fish stock and other animals and the crocodiles were reported root
causes of disaster in Agusan del Sur.
This was contained in an assessment report of
the partnership for resilience (PfR) areas in Agusan del Sur by the Philippine
Red Cross (PRC) and the Wetlands International as initial move to implement the
special project on disaster risk reduction and management program financed by
the Netherlands.
The main objectives of the project assessment by
the Wetlands International represented during the assessment by Marianne Rense
and Merjin van Leeuwen are to learn the way PRC and CARE work and communicate
with communities in the project areas; do rapid assessment to identify the root
causes and drivers for disaster and the state of the ecosystem most relevant to
livelihoods and disaster mitigation and; developing joint insights within the
partnership in land use-ecosystem-livelihood-disaster relations through
learning by doing, joint field visits, interviewing community representatives
and linkages between ecosystem and livelihoods aspects and discussing root
causes of disaster.
The 2011 Pag-asa findings consider the Agusan
River Basin as the Type IV are, with rainfall more or less evenly distributed
throughout the year. The rainfall varies from a monthly 190 mm in the “dry”
March – August period to 230 mm per month in the “wet” December to February
period.
Erosion and siltation are other causes of
disaster, whose silt originates from the hills and mountains surrounding the
river basin. The increase of silt are caused by mining, large scale logging and
agriculture not suited for slopes. Because of siltation, riverbeds to fill up,
causing water levels to increase. And because the rivers are shallower than
before, the current increase caused fast erosion of river banks.
Another cause of disaster is water quality.
Water quality has gone down because siltation is making the water muddy. It is
also noted that there is an increase of nitrogen and phosphate contents on the
over use of chemical fertilizers. Water quality also deteriorate by exotic
species, like water hyacinth and janitor fish that make the water low in oxygen
levels during hyacinth massive die-off. The concentration of cadmium and
mercury in the water are related to mining activities upstream.
Another is the conversion of marsh land to
agriculture. Logging in marsh area continue, and converted into agricultural
fields. Because of this, the system loses its function as sponge serving as
water catchment during floods and slowly releasing water during drought season.
It also serve as filter, improving the water quality and act as the major
source of commercial fishes.
Dwindling of fish and other animals like
crocodiles turned out as another cause of disaster due to over fishing and
hunting, and the conversion of flood forest and marsh habitat into agriculture.
To date, DENR superintendent of the marsh said there are only 20-30 animals
left on 40,000 hectares of marsh area.
Possible actions were unveiled by the assessing
team and the first consideration is understanding where the problem is coming
from. The team has also drafted long- term solutions, suggesting the
eradication of siltation and pollution by stopping logging of the remaining
natural forests. After stopping the supply of silt, they recommend dredging of
the Agusan river. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
PhilHealth to hold nationwide fun run for mother
& child protection
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 18 (PIA) -- The Philippine
Health (PhilHealth) Insurance Corporation will hold a nationwide fun run on
February 17, 2013 to mark its 18th year of establishment.
Dubbed "PhilHealth Run 2013: Nationwide Run
for Mother & Child Protection," the event aims to continuously draw
national attention and support to its mission of providing all Filipinos with
access to quality health care through social health insurance.
It will be held simultaneously in the 18 areas
namely: Manila, Baguio, Dagupan, Taguegarao, Clark, Malolos, Laguna, Batangas,
Legazpi, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Koronadal,
Marawi and Butuan.
PhilHealth declared that the PhilHealth Run 2013
also aims to help increase public awareness and create more advocates who will
advance the issue.
PhilHealth Caraga Regional Vice President Johnny
Sychua said proceeds from registration fees and sponsorships will benefit one
national and 18 other local institutions that work for and cater to the health
and welfare of Filipino mothers & children.
The 50 percent of the total proceeds will to go
to the national beneficiary which is the Philippine Medical Center for Children
located in Manila.
Meanwhile, for Butuan City, the Bethany Home - a
home by the Missionary Sisters of Mary at Baan Km. 4; and Gesu Eucaristico
Children’s Inc. (GECI) at Manapa, Buenavista, both for physically and sexually
abused young women are the two beneficiaries.
Sychua further bared that the PhilHealth Run on
February 2013 is open to all Filipino and even non-Filipinos who are in good
health condition. They can register in 3, 5, 10 or 18-kilometer category either
online or at any PhilHealth regional and local health insurance offices where
the participants are supposed to run.
The registration fees for the simultaneous
nationwide PhilHealth Run 2013 are as follows: 3km - P250; 5km - P300; 10km -
P500; and 18km - P600.
Sychua also signed a memorandum of agreement
with the representatives of Eastwest Bank, Bethany Home, GESU Eucaristico, and
Smart Communications Inc., as sign of partnership for the said event in
February 2013. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Milo organizers enjoins gov’t employees to
participate in 36th Milo Marathon
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct 18 (PIA) -- The Milo organizers
in Caraga Region headed by Benjamin Dacera enjoins employees of government
agencies to participate in the 36th Milo Marathon Butuan City qualifying race
on November 18.
The assembly area will be at the Father
Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) Gymnasium at 4 a.m.
The following are the categories of the said
marathon: 3K Kiddie Run, 5K Fun Run, 10K Run, and 21K Half Run. There will also
be a cheer dance competition.
For 3K kiddie run and 5K run for students, the
registrants have to submit a photocopy of their birth certificate and school
Identification Card, a 220-gram empty pack of Milo, and a registration fee of
P50. For the 5K run for adults, registrants have to submit a form and a P100
fee, while registrants for the 10K and 21K Half Run have to submit the same
form and a fee of P500.
Dacera said the registration is a first come,
first serve basis.
“A big part of the success of the 35th National
Milo Marathon Butuan City Regional Qualifying Race last year was due to the
full support we have received from various schools in the region, government
agencies, private sectors, enthusiasts and top runners of each province which
participated in the said activity,” said Dacera.
For more information, the Milo organizers can be
reached at telephone number (085) 225-0026 and cellphone number 0929-8582515.
(RER/JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan’s PESO earns top Regional Performer Recognition
By Maria Diana Luisa Dianah Z. Generalao
BUTUAN CITY, Oct 18 (PIA) -- Butuan LGU's Public
Employment Service Office has been given the Top Regional Performer award
during the 12th National PESO Congress and Awarding Ceremony in Baguio City on
Oct 11.
This adds to the growing list of recognitions
Butuan LGU has received.
The Butuan LGU has also been awarded the Seal of
Good Housekeeping for its programs on good governance and earned the third
place in the recent 2012 National Literacy Awards for Highly-Urbanized City
Category held in Baguio City.
Butuan City has previously won in the Regional
Levels for Highly-Urbanized City Categories in the 2012 Lupong Tagapamayapa
Incentive Awards, the 2012 Search for Child-Friendly Cities and the 2012 Gawad
Kalasag for disaster preparedness, qualifying in the national levels in all
three award-giving bodies with which the results are to be announced before the
year ends.
Earlier this year, Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr.
received the award for Butuan City as one of the Top 50 Outstanding
Municipalities/Cities of the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Awards for 2011 dubbed
"Mga Bosing ng Palayan" at the Philippine International Convention
Center (PICC). (NCLM/BC-PIO/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: TESDA, LGU pinalakas ang kapasidad
ng mga kabataang apektado ng pagbaba ng industriya ng kahoy sa Caraga
Ni Danilo S. Makiling Jr.
BUTUAN CITY, Okt. 18 (PIA) -- Ang mga kabataang
galing sa mga pamilyang naapektuhan ng pagbaba ng industriya ng kahoy sa
rehiyon ng Caraga ay binigyan ng oportunidad na matuto ng mga kasanayan na
tutulong sa kanila na makahanap ng trabaho.
Mahigit 75 scholars ang isasailalim sa isang
pagsasanay sa kursong Shield Metal Arc Welding NC II at 20 scholars naman ang
isasailalim sa Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. Bawat isa naman sa kanila ay bibigyan
ng P10,500 upang pondohan ang 34 na araw ng pagsasanay sa Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Ang mga scholars ay makakatanggap din ng
National Certification ng National Competency Assessment at isasailalim din ang
mga ito sa registry system sa ilalim ng Public Employment Service Office (PESO)
para sila ay mag-qualify para sa local at overseas na trabaho.
Si Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. sa
pakikipag-ugnayan sa PESO ay magsasagawa ng isang orientation para sa mga
partisipante ng Training-for-Work Scholarship na kabilang din sa programa ng
local na pamahalaan ng Butuan upang bigyang tugon ang mga pangangailangan ng
mga pamilyang apektado ng pagliit ng industriya ng kahoy sa rehiyon.
Dahil sa inisyatibo ni Amante, sa pamamagitan ni
Secretary Joel Villanueva, ang nasyonal na pamahalaan ay nagpalabas ng mahigit
sa P3.8 milyones para bigyang pundo ang programa.
Samantala, ang natitirang pundo ay gagamitin
para sa pangalawang batch ng scholars na sasailalim sa pagsasanay sa kursong
heavy equipment operator, masonry at electricity. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: Aquino miasoy nga pipila sa
ahensiya sa gobyerno ang hugtanong nagmonitor ngadto sa inisyatibong
pag-implementar sa administrasyon nga pagbungkag sa grupong-pribadong armado
Ni Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Okt. 18 (PIA) -- Si Presidente
Benigno S. Aquino III misulti nga pipila sa mga ahensiya sa gobyerno ang
hugtanong motrabaho ngadto sa pag implementar sa inisyatibo sa administrasyon
nga mapabungkag ang mga pribado nga armadong grupo aron masiguro ang
malungtaron nga kalinaw kon peace and order sa nasud labina sa umaabot nga
panahon sa piniliay sunod tuig.
Atol sa question and answer portion sa Foreign
Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) nga panagtigum didto sa
Manila Hotel kagahapon, si Presidente Aquino mipasalig ngadto sa katawhan sa
gobyerno nga padayon ang paningkamot sa pagbungkag sa pribadong armado.
Ang Chief Executive miingon nga ubay ubay na sa
mga pribadong armado kon army ang nabungkag na labina sa sa Central Luzon ug
Cordillera sugod sa pag implementar sa maong programa.
“Kami mibaton sa programa ngadto sa pagbungkag
sa mga pribado nga armadong grupo, siguro dul-an sa upat na ka bulan,
nagpasabot, nga kadto pod nga mga orasa ang tinuoray sa pagmugna ug mga
operasyon sa pagbungkag. Wala ko’y datus kon numero sa pagkakaron kung pila na
ang mga grupo nga napabungkag ingo man ang mga naaresto,” (“We've been on a
program to dismantle these private armed groups I think about less than four
months; meaning, that was the time that they actually went to an operation to
dismantle. I don't have the figures right now for how many groups have been
dismantled or how many people have been arrested,”), sulti ni Presidente.
“Pero sa tagbaw’ng pinulongan, ang paningkamot
nagpadayon. Dunay mga pagmatuod sa pamalaod sa pakigbugo ug para kanako walay
semana ang mulabay nga walay report sa tino nga mga armadong grupo nga
napabungkag. Daghan na sa …. Naa na sa akoang panumduman pero ang una….. pareho
naa sa Cordillera ug Central Luzon,” (“But suffice it to say that it's an
ongoing effort. There's a validation of the order of battle and I think not a
week goes by without a report on specific armed groups that have already been
dismantled. A lot of them were in... I'm talking on top of my head but the
first… were both in the Cordillera and in Central Luzon,”) dugang pa niya.
Mihatag ug pagmando si Presidente Aquino ngadto
kang Interior and Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II aron sa pagpadayon sa
paningkamot ingon sa ang nasud nangandam alang sa 2013 Mid-term elections.
Kahinumduman nga ang grupo sa human rights
advocate, Amnesty International, nanawagan sa gobyerno aron sa pagbakwi sa
Executive Order 546, kung diin gitugtan ang private militias nga molihok kon
mo-oprate sugod niadtong 2006.
Ang grupo midayag nga ang gobyerno kinahanglan
dayon nga mopugong ug mopabungkag sa pribadong mga army ug paramilitary forces
nga responsible para sa election-related nga pagpangatake sa nagkadaiyang lugar
sa nasud. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Cebuano News: Aquino pabilin nga malaumon nga
territorial dispute sa West Philippine Sea maresolba nga malinawon
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Okt. 18 (PIA) -- Si Pangulong
Benigno S. Aquino III pabilin nga malaomon nga ang away sa teritoryo sa West
Philippine Sea (South China Sea) malinawon nga maresolba sa tanang mga
hingtundan.
Giingnan sa Pangulo ang mga miyembro sa Foreign
Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) atol sa tinuig niini nga
Presidential Forum nga gipahigayon didto sa Centennial Ballroom sa Manila Hotel
kagahapon nga siya naglaom nga makab-ot na sa dili madugay ang usa ka solusyon
nga maoy motubag sa mga multilateral concerns.
“We are still hoping that we will resolve this
amicably; that reasonable voices will prevail; and that both sides are really
geared towards arriving at a solution that will satisfy not just the bilateral
concerns but more importantly I guess the multilateral concerns affecting this
issue,” matud sa Pangulo.
Luyo sa Pilipinas, unom ka mga nasod nga mao ang
China, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan ug Malaysia ang miangkon usab sa maong
giawayan nga erya.
Matud pa sa Pangulo nga gitun-an na sa mga legal
experts sa international law “how to advance our claims” sa West Philippine Sea
pinaagi sa International Tribunal on the Laws of the Sea (ITLOS), usa ka
independente nga judicial body nga gimugna sa United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) aron maoy mohusay sa mga away resulta sa interpretasyon
ug aplikasyon sa maong Convention. Kini naglangkob sa 21 ka mga independent
members, nga napili gikan sa mga tawo nga adunay taas, integridad ug makiangayon
nga reputasyon nga naila sa natang sa balaod sa dagat.
“In terms of ITLOS, it is still being studied by
our consultants. There are several law firms that we are consulting, conversant
and very well thought of and experts in international law, to precisely chart
the course of how we will utilize the legal procedures in international law to
advance our claims,” dugang pa niya. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
