Surigao Norte unveils Heals Plus priority
programs for 2013 under the leadership of Governor Sol F. Matugas
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- The provincial
government of Surigao del Norte unveiled recently its priority projects and
programs for 2013 dubbed “Heals Plus” during the Provincial Development Council
meeting held at the Gateway Hotel, this city.
This year’s flagship projects are anchored on
Heals Plus (Health, Education and Environment, Agri-Aquaculture, Livelihood and
Tourism and Social Service, Spirituality, Senior Citizens and Security) - a
Heals Program re-enforced and strengthened with more additional projects of the
provincial government, said Arturo M. Cruje, Provincial Planning and
Development coordinator.
Cruje said the Heals Plus program will be geared
on Infrastructure, Health and Social Services, Economic, Peace and Disaster
Preparedness, and Administrative.
He said among the top priority projects are the
Pamana program worth P170 million and P25 million for livelihood; Provincial
Capitol Housing project; Golden Homes – a housing program for senior citizens;
Provincial Training Center; Tourism Assistance Centers; Training Centers for
person with disabilities; Provincial Library and Museum; Provincial Legislative
Building; Siargao Sports Complex; Provincial Peace Village, and those programs
under public and private partnership program for health and economic
development.
On her part, Governor Sol Matugas vowed to
continue and complete all ongoing major programs and projects this year
including those foreign and national funded projects to address various concerns
of the province and attain the development goals under the Heals Plus agenda of
her administration. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Cash-for-training recipients get scholarships
By Gervacio C. Dauz, Jr.
CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, Feb. 4 (PIA)
-- A total of 217 youth recipients under the Department of Social Welfare and
Development-Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (DSWD-Tesda)
Cash-for-Training Project (C4TP) marched at the People’s Hall, Government
Center here this 4th day of February and received their respective, coveted
scholarship vouchers, which will serve as their skills training passes to
capacitate or retool themselves for a better future.
The said youth recipients came from the
municipalities of Magallanes, Jabonga RTR, Santiago, and Tubay, plus the lone
city of Cabadbaran, and were chosen based on the criteria that they are ranging
from 18 to 30 years of age, single, preferably at least high school graduate,
and belonging to a poor family. Surprisingly, the municipality of Kitcharao
waived its opportunity to avail of said scholarship slots for its constituents.
Each eligible youth scholar is allocated a sum
of P20,000, which is translated in the form of several benefits such as
training cost, allowance, assessment fee, and tool kits – the latter being
provided only for those who will undergo skills training for self-employment.
Minda Bulatao-Brigoli, regional director of
DSWD, urged the scholars to really aspire for the best in order for them to
acquire skills that could make them economically productive later.
She said, “This opportunity is not for us in the
agencies; rather it is for you. We are investing on you, because, in the
future, you will be the ones who will define what kind of development our
country will have. Being youth, you have the zeal and drive, and you will serve
as the propelling force for our next generation. So, take good care of this
opportunity.”
Dr. Florencio F. Sunico Jr., regional director
of Tesda Caraga, revealed that C4TP allocation for Agusan del Norte and Butuan
City is pegged at P8.5 million with 425 scholarship slots. Having said it, he
seriously urged the scholars to really, “Make use of the opportunity, because
we are counting on you.”
Furthermore, he shared, “Our philosophy is about
teaching a man how to fish, so that he will be able to eat for a lifetime.” He
dovetailed it to the scholarship undertakings, saying, “We don’t give you
money, but training opportunity to enhance yourselves. This is taxpayers’ money
and we are just stewards.”
Dale Corvera, city mayor here and host of the
launching and awarding activity, tackled the scholarship opportunity as, “A
gift from the government for you, our young people. Through this opportunity,
you will learn skills that you can use for your future.”
He went on to share the example wherein his
leadership was challenged in accommodating several applicants, but there is
only one nursing position available in the city government. “But while others
are trying to fight for that one vacancy, here’s a mining company in Surigao
asking me if I have skilled workers here that they can hire. So, the irony goes
on and on, which is about mismatch between the labor and market.”
Veering on the contribution of Tesda, he said,
“When Tesda gives skills training, it always provides the appropriate ones
needed by the market.” He cautioned, however, the scholars that it would still
be a useless endeavor “If you will not take charge of it.”
As a development undertaking, the C4TP was a
joint concoction between Tesda and DSWD, “In support of the government’s thrust
to provide a sustainable intervention to improve the plight and condition of
the youth and empower them through skills training and assistance towards
gainful employment and entrepreneurial activities.” (NCLM/ TESDA-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DAR-Agusan Norte carries out agrarian and
economic programs for farmers
By Gil Miranda
AGUSAN DEL NORTE, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- The Agrarian
Reform Office of Agusan del Norte has announced the full implementation of the
Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS)
aimed at providing additional support to farmers.
“We shall proceed with the implementation of
ARCCESS by turning over common service facilities including farm implements,
machineries and equipment in the first quarter of 2013,” said Provincial
Agrarian Reform Officer II Andre Atega.
Ester Cabalan, OIC Chief of the Beneficiaries
Development and Coordinating Division, revealed that there are two agrarian
reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) with projects to be financed at P3
million each.
Cabalan identified the two organizations as the
Tagabaca Multi-Purpose Cooperative of the Tagabaca Agrarian Reform Community in
Barangay Tagabaca here whose project, the Tagabaca Grains Center had been
approved, and the Baliguian Irrigators Association of the CLIMMBBB Agrarian
Reform Community in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, whose proposal for an Integrated
Rice Production and Marketing had been favorably considered.
The ARBOs will serve as conduits of the ARCCESS
program to encourage other agrarian reform beneficiaries to become ARBO
members.
ARCCESS is a package of intervention designed by
the national government to develop and expand the farmer’s livelihood through
training and acquisition of proper technology in managing a viable business
undertaking.
For this year, another two agrarian reform
beneficiary organizations will each receive P3 million funding support from
ARCCESS, namely, the AvanceΓ±a Beneficiary Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative of
Sanghan Agrarian Reform Community in Barangay Sanghan, Cabadbaran City, and the
Palmavera Small Coconut Farmer Beneficiaries Cooperative of Mapcola Agrarian
Reform Community in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.
The two organizations’ approved project
proposals are Rice Trading and Pre and Post Harvest Facilities, and Palay
Trading and Post Harvest Facilities, respectively. (NCLM/DAR-Agusan del
Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
ICRC calls for 30 M Swiss francs to support
typhoon victims
MANILA, Feb. 13 -- With humanitarian needs still
staggeringly high more than two months after typhoon Bopha (locally known as
Pablo) devastated south-eastern Philippines, the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) is appealing for more than P1.3 billion (close to 30 million
Swiss francs) in additional funding to support its aid operations for hundreds
of thousands of survivors. The destruction caused by the typhoon has left them
with few resources, as most have lost not only their homes but also the sources
of their livelihood.
"Together with the Philippine Red Cross, we
will provide food and other essentials, such as tarpaulins, mosquito nets,
cooking utensils, and soap and other hygiene items, for up to five months to
300,000 people who lost virtually everything during the typhoon," said
Alain Aeschlimann, ICRC head of operations for East Asia, South-East Asia and
the Pacific.
"At the same time, we will strive to help
restore livelihoods. Our assistance will include a cash-for-work program to
upgrade agricultural production areas, and provide people with seed, seedlings,
tools, and equipment to enable them to restart farming," he said.
To ensure that even the worst-affected
communities can obtain basic necessities, the ICRC and its local partner
Philippine Red Cross will support the repair of damaged water supply systems
and the reconstruction of health facilities. Some 30,000 people will also
benefit from the donation of building materials to fix their partially
destroyed houses.
Since the immediate aftermath of the typhoon on
December 5, the ICRC, working together with the Philippine Red Cross, has
already been providing 300,000 people with food and other important supplies.
It has also set up a field clinic, which admits
more than 100 patients daily and offers free medical care for basic health
problems, maternal and child health care, psychosocial support, and
vaccinations.
In addition, the ICRC and the Philippine Red
Cross have made clean drinking water available to more than 25,000 people by
setting up emergency water distribution stations, transporting drinking water
to communities, and upgrading existing water systems. (ICRC/PIA-Caraga)
Feature News: A Home at Last!
By Dianah Generalao
BUTUAN CITY, Feb 12 (PIA) -- The fast-rising
city of Butuan is set to soar into greater heights as the Butuan City
government entered into a contract with J.D. Legaspi Construction for the
construction of the Butuan Polysports Complex; the signing was held at the
mayor’s office, Feb. 8.
“Our City Sports Center has finally found a
home,” said Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante as he said that the Butuan Polysports
Complex will soon rise in Barangay Tiniwisan.
Starting construction very soon, Phase 1 of the
Butuan Polysports Complex will include the city gymnasium, stadium, football
field, and a rubberized track oval. Phase 1 will cost P252,939,664.26.
Phase 2 will comprise of an Olympic-sized
swimming pool, a wake board park, and commercial buildings that will include
hotels and boutiques.
In a public bidding held last Jan. 16, 2013,
J.D. Legaspi Construction was able to offer a complying bid for the proposed
construction in accordance to the Terms of Reference, Conceptual Plans, and
Outline Specifications. (CMO-PIO/PIA-Caraga)
"Programang Pangkatawhan" slated on
Feb. 23
By Eldie N. David
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- A social services
outreach dubbed "Programang Pangkatawhan" (Community Program) will
again kick-off on February 23, in Brgy. Pianing, this city.
The program, headed by Vice Mayor Lawrence “Law”
Fortun has been implemented for almost six years in the different barangays in
Butuan City and has been availed already by some 20,000 individuals.
This outreach program will offer free dental
services especially to indigent residents and free optical services to senior
citizens of Brgy. Pianing.
The free legal assistance for late birth
registrants will also be offered as per request of the residents of the said
barangay. A free haircut will also be available during the outreach program.
The program will start at around 8 a.m. until 12:00 noon.
The outreach program has been implemented
purposely to extend the basic services needed mostly by the people.
Fortun said that even with the meager budget in
his office, he made it sure that the funds are maximized in order to offer
these basic services which the people mostly need.
The program will also be implemented in the
coming months in the different barangays in the city. The bigger version,
however, will again take place in summer this year. (NCLM/LGU-BC-VMO/PIA-Agusan
del Norte)
