MindaNews trains students on environmental news
reporting, basic photography
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, July 8 (PIA) -- The Mindanao News
and Information Cooperative Center (MNICC) has conducted a training on
Environmental News Reporting/Writing and Basic Photography for students of
Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU).
The MNICC is a cooperative composed of
independent, professional journalists who believe and practice people
empowerment through media.
MindaNews photojournalist Mr. Erwin Mascarinas
said the training, held on July 6-7, aimed to enhance the knowledge, skills and
interest of students on news reporting/writing, as well as in photography.
“Students also contribute to nation-building and
with right information and ethics, they can be of great help in informing the
public on the events happening in the different areas and take photos using
their tools in their own creativity,” Mascarinas said.
He said that when taking photos of an
event/situation, one should apply the ‘Rule of Thirds’, which gives more
dramatic and visually interesting shot. “Every photo should also contain the
message and should not necessarily be beautiful or aesthetic.”
Vanessa Almeda, marketing officer of MindaNews,
said news writing is a craft and may be mastered not so much through higher
studies in the academe but through constant reading and practice.
“There is no substitution for accuracy in
reporting the news. This also goes to show that in journalism, there is no
substitute for truth. After all, the journalist’s best defense is the truth,”
said Almeda.
Meanwhile, Mr. Horacio Marcos Mordeno,
editor-in-chief of MindaNews, siad environmental journalism is dealing with
information regarding current events, trends, issues and people that are
associated with the non-human world with which humans necessarily interact.
“When writing environmental news, one must
consider the following key pointers: social and economic issues (including
conflict); indigenous peoples; laws/policies (including actual budget); and
people’s actions/environmental groups,” Mordeno cited.
With these developments, the MindaNews also
expressed that the organization will replicate such activity in other schools
to capacitate the students.
Also present during the two-day training are the
personnel from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), some media
personalities from regions 10 and 13 (Caraga). (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DOH-13 launches Knowledge Center for Health
By Johny S. Natad
BUTUAN CITY, July 5 (PIA) – The Department of
Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) - Caraga successfully launched
the Knowledge Center for Health at DOH Caraga Regional Office, this city.
DOH Caraga Regional Director Arieal I. Valencia,
during the blessing and opening ceremony held Friday, said that the center is
open to the public. The center's e-library system provides health information
from DOH central and other sources.
"Anyone can see and ask for the needed
information on health services," Valencia said.
The knowledge center is an electronic library
where available materials and services are organized including the DOH
publications on health statistics, hospital manuals, public health program
information, health policies, health news clippings and advisories. The center
also post the World Health Organization (WHO) publications, online access to
medical references and other health related sources.
With Kalusugang Pangkalahatan (KP or health for
all) program as its frameowrk, the knowledge center aims to empower the public
through awareness on health management services and to guide them in making
decisions related to quality health care.
The project was made possible through the
Information Management Service (IMS) of the DOH Central Office in partnership
with SMART for the IT technical assistance and United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) for funding support. (FEA/JSN/PIA-Caraga)
DENR-13 orders stricter monitoring of illegal
transport of fruit trees
By Eric Gallego
BUTUAN CITY, July 8 (PIA) — Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-13) official directed forest officers
involved in anti-illegal logging operations to be extra cautious and alert in
monitoring the movement of fruit trees coming from the natural forest.
DENR Regional Executive Director Nonito M.
Tamayo said fruit trees being harvested from private lands must be supported by
a certificate from the Department of Agriculture. On the other hand, a clearance
from the DENR Central Office is necessary to be secured if the fruit trees were
cut from the natural forest.
Tamayo was reacting to instances where he
personally witnessed several lumber of “baono durian” species being transported
along the Maharlika Highway in Agusan del Sur. “This kind of species are mostly
found in natural forest,” he said.
"Some forest protection officers
particularly those manning the checkpoints and forest monitoring centers are
complacent on their duties," Tamyo said during a technical meeting held at
the DENR Regional Conference Hall in Barangay Ambago, Butuan City on Wednesday.
“We are verifying reports that some of these officers have tolerated the
movement of undocumented fruit trees without checking the papers because of
alleged solicited favor,” he said.
“Either way, let this serve as a warning to them
who are trying to engage in shady deals to stop and reform their ways
otherwise, they will face disciplinary action that may lead to administrative
sanctions and dismissal from the service depending on the gravity of the
offense,” Tamayo said.
He said there are growing demands of fruit
tree-lumber in the region. Since fruit trees are outside the regulation of the
DENR people opt to harvest fruit trees even in natural forest areas. But RED
Tamayo, however, made it clear that the cutting of trees in natural forest is
prohibited by virtue of EO 23.
Tamayo has instructed environment officers to
disseminate the agreed arrangement done from previous meeting that “henceforth,
fruits trees that are harvested on private lands and transported through the
Agusan river or highway by the owner must be supported with the necessary
documents including a certification from the Department of Agriculture as a
prerequisite for the issuance of a transport permit.
“Otherwise, a clearance from the central office
must be secured, if these fruit trees that are harvested from the natural
forest area shall be transported by the farmer operator,” RED Tamayo said.
(FEA/DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)
AgNorte LGUs prepare to implement Anti-Poverty
Projects
By Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa
AGUSAN DEL NORTE, July 8 (PIA) -- A provincial
presentation on the Anti-Poverty Projects under the Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB)
Program of the national government was held on July 4.
The provincial presentation of BuB Anti-Poverty
projects is to inform the local government officials, particularly the local
chief executives – Municipal/City Mayors, Municipal/City Planning Development
Officer (MPDOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) who have duties in the
implementation of the anti-poverty projects in their respective areas.
Spearheaded by the Regional Office and the
Province of Agusan del Norte, Department of the Interior and Local Government
(DILG) Regional Director Lilibeth A. Famacion, chair of the regional poverty
reduction action team (RPRAT), said BuB projects are crucial in addressing the
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of eradicating extreme hunger and poverty.
She said that BuB will be the key to mitigate the poverty incidence of the
Province of Agusan del Norte and will produce a ripple effect in addressing
other MDGs, such as reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and
achieving universal primacy in education.
Member agencies of the RPRAT, such as the Department
of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH)
and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) presented the
status updates of 2013 BuB projects and welcomed queries from the local
officials, functionaries and the civil society groups. Other RPRAT
member-agencies, such as the Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA)
and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) also graced the activity.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as
a coordinating and oversight agency presented the salient features of Joint
Memorandum Circular No. 3, otherwise known as “Policy Guidelines and Procedures
in the Implementation of Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) for FY 2014 Budget
Preparation.” DBM Asst. Regional Director Ricky Sanchez encouraged the
participants to implement the projects well to fight and combat poverty in the
region.
The Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) is a banner
program of the national government aimed at addressing poverty with the
identification of projects in the local level through the Local Poverty
Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) composed of local government unit personnel and
with the strong participation of the civil society organizations. (NCLM/DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)
Teen pregnancy alarming
By Angie Balen-Antonio
BUTUAN CITY, July 8 (PIA) -- The rising
incidence of teenage pregnancy not only in the Philippines but throughout the
world posed a great alarm.
This was evident as the focus of the July 11
World Population Day is anchored on the theme “Work for a Brighter Future,
Address Teen Pregnancy NOW”!
According to the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), about 16 million girls aged 15 -19 give birth each year in which 9 out
of 10 of these cases, the girl is already married.
Furthermore, a study revealed that teenage
pregnancy rate in the Philippines is the highest among Asean’s six major
economies at 53 births per 1,000 women aged between 15 – 19.
Based on the data, Caraga Region’s adolescent
fertility has contributed much to the increasing trend of teenage pregnancy in
the country, as the latter ranked number 1 @ 15% in 2011 Family Health Survey.
Mr. Alexander A. Makinano, Officer-In-Charge of
POPCOM-Caraga, pointed-out that if the increasing trend of teenage pregnancy would
continue, it has a demographic implications to childbearing as this lengthen
the reproductive period of women leading to higher fertility.
“Aside from demographic implications, it has
also negative psychosocial consequences on the part of pregnant adolescents,”
Makinano said.
As part of POPCOM advocacy in heightening the
celebration, various activities will be conducted in coordination with the
local government units in the region.
In a related development, POPCOM-Caraga shall
organize Student Leaders Congress on July 10 in collaboration with Commission
on Higher Education (CHED) and Caraga Youth Leaders Network. (NCLM/POPCOM-13/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: Consul General sa San Francisco
gisuta pa kon adunay bay mga Filipino nga naangin sa Asiana Airline crash
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Hulyo 8 (PIA) – Kasamtangan pang
gisuta sa Philippine Consul General didto sa San Francisco aron mahibal-an kon
aduna bay mga Filipino ang nalakip sa mga naangin sa dihang mitugpa ang Asiana
Airlines didto sa San Francisco International Airport niadtong Sabado (Dominggo
sa Pilipinas) matud sa opisyales sa Palasyo kagahapon.
Sumala ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
Abigail Valte sa inisyal nga taho gikan kang ConGen Marciano Paynor, Jr. walay
mga Filipino nga nakasakay sa maong eroplano nga gikan sa Seoul, Korea sa
dihang nga naangol kini.
Sumala pa ni Valte nga ang Pilipinas mipaabot na
sa dakong pahasubo og simpatiya niini ngadto sa mga pamilya sa duha ka pasahero
nga gikatahong namatay sa maong pagkaangol.
Ang Boeing 777 nga eroplano sa Asiana Airlines
nga adunay sakay mokabat 307 ka mga pasahero gikan sa Seoul, Korea, ang naangol
sa dihang mitugpa na kini sa runway 28 L sa san Francisco International Airport
niadtong Sabado (Dominggo sa Manila)
Matud sa mga opisyales 123 ka mga pasahero ang
naluwas nga walay samad ug 181 ang nahospital o nasamdan. Sa mga nasamdam 49
ang anaa sa seryoso nga kundisyon ug lima lakip ang usa ka bata ang nagpabiling
kritikal ang kundisyon didto sa San Francisco General Hospitasl.
Lakip sa lain pang 47 ang nahospital, pipila
niini ang gitambalan tungod sa gagman mga samad, lakip mga bali og mga garas
ang migawas na sa hospital niadtong Sabado sa gabii. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
