Freedom to launch ‘flag donation’ advocacy
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) – The Foundation for
Rural Enterprise and Ecology Development of Mindanao (FREEDOM), Inc., a
non-government organization based in Mindanao, is set to launch a flag donation
advocacy dubbed “One Flag, One Country, One People, One Freedom” to the
far-flung communities in the country.
FREEDOM executive director Antonio Peralta said
that one of the components of the advocacy is that they will be giving several
Philippine flags to the identified communities whose flags are already
tattered, faded or worn-out.
“We wanted to create a nationalistic awareness
to the community and that flag is not only a symbol but an expression of pride.
Showing respect to our national flag is an act of patriotism as it is the fruit
of our heroes’ sweat and blood,” he said.
Peralta said that FREEDOM shares in the belief
that the Philippine flag should be viewed more than just embellishment but as a
living symbol of our country and our freedom, an agent of nationalism and
social transformation.
“We wanted them to be proud as Filipinos, no
matter what because we only have one flag, one country, and one freedom,” he
said.
Peralta said they have collaborated with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) - Caraga Regional Office in this advocacy. "Our group believed that through PIA's different platforms, we can effectively accomplish this advocacy," he said.
Peralta said they have collaborated with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) - Caraga Regional Office in this advocacy. "Our group believed that through PIA's different platforms, we can effectively accomplish this advocacy," he said.
Peralta said they will primarily focus the
far-flung rural schools, sitios and barangays in Caraga region. (FEA/PIA-Caraga)
DA -13 implements P1.18 Billion worth of MRDP2
sub-projects
By Emmylou T. Presilda
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) - The 5-year Mindanao
Rural Development Program 2 (MRDP2) is expected to end this June 2014, after a
two-year extension was given to fully implement the project.
MRDP2 is a poverty alleviation program jointly funded by the World Bank, the
national government and the local government units with a total funding of
US$123.9Million. Covering 225 towns in
26 provinces throughout Mindanao, it sought to improve the rural incomes and
achieve food security through various agri-fishery interventions.
In Caraga Region, a total of P1.18 Billion worth
of projects was implemented where P890.7 Million was funded to Rural
Infrastructure (RI), P250 Million to livelihood projects under the Community
Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD), and P42 Million to Natural Resources
Management (NRM).
“MRDP2 has greatly helped in augmenting the
budget of the region in addressing the needs of our farmers in the different
municipalities. MRDP2 was able to
address 687 livelihood subprojects catering 35,662 beneficiaries,” MRDP2
Regional Coordinator and Assistant Director Edgardo D. Dahino said.
According to Dahino, CFAD alone was implemented
in 39 muncipalities covering the 5 provinces in the region. The program was able to support subprojects
on livestock production, fisheries and mariculture production, crops
production, provision of pre and post harvest facilities and small
infrastructure projects, integrated farming system, Community Managed
Livelihood, and agroforestry.
Recognizing the need to develop rural
infrastructure in support to agricultural productivity, MRDPs biggest part of
the pie went to RI where around P900 Million was used to fund 197 kilometers of
Farm-to-Market Roads amounting to a total of P454 Million, 473 linear meter of
RCDG(Reinforced Concrete Deck Girder) Bridges amounting to P160 Million, P144
Million worth of Communal Irrigation Projects servicing 1,600 hectares, 13
units of Potable Water Systems (PWS) worth P128 Million, and other
infrastructure projects totalling P3M.
“The difference between MRDP and DA regular
funding is that in MRDP, amount per infra project is unlimited. LGU’s only
limiting factor is their ability to counterpart because there is already sure
funding in the program. Unlike the
regular fund which is very limited and evenly distributed to all the provinces
and districts in the region, only a few can be addressed right away. That is how MRDP was able to augment in
addressing the infrastructure and irrigation needs of the region,” RI Component Head Engr. Rene Morales said.
In addition, RI component also capacitates the
LGUs in supervising and undertaking infrastructure projects to ensure that
quality and design standards are met.
Adhering to a holistic standard of development,
DA-MRDP also implemented projects that ensures protection and management of
natural resources. In Caraga Region, six
municipalities were able to access P7 Million each and implemented NRM
development and protection subprojects covering the upland, lowland, and
coastal areas. These include
agroforestry, riverbank rehabilitation, mangroove rehabilitation, establishment
of marine sanctuary, and fishery reserve.
Under the NRM component is the Global Environmental
Faciltity (GEF) grant where funding support is intended for coastal marine
biodiversity conservation efforts. San
Agustin and Marihatag, Surigao del Sur are specially selected as recipients of
this grant noting that globally significant species of flora and fauna are
still endemic in these areas.
Aside from providing funds on environmental
protection, NRM component also provided funds for the Sustainable Income
Generating Activities (SIGA) in support to the livelihood of the people.
According to DA Regional Director Edna M. Mabeza
in her constant interaction with Local Chief Executives who enrolled in MRDP2,
LGUs were grateful for the different interventions provided by the program
since it brought significant changes and development in their communities and
constituents.
“They are looking forward for the full
implementation of PRDP and has readied their proposals for inclusion in the
program,” Mabeza added.
As 2014 starts and MRDP2 is about to end, DA
ecourages its LGU counterparts to fast track the implementation of the
remaining projects since the third phase of the program, the Philippine Rural
Development Program (PRDP), is already on its first year of implementation
where a total of P27 Billion pesos is programmed for implementation nationwide.
(DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
PopCom grants IT support to LGUs
By Angie Balen- Antonio
BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 27 (PIA) - The Commission on
Population (PopCom) awards a set of brand new IT equipment to local population
office recently in a ceremony made in one of the establishments here in the
city.
The turn-over ceremony in time of the Regional
Assessment and Planning-Workshop is one of the concrete support of PopCom to
local government units in the implementation of the Philippine Population
Management Program.
PopCom Executive Director Juan Antonio A. Perez
III represented PopCom in the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with
the Local Population Offices.
The population program workers expressed their
appreciation to PopCom for recognizing their contribution particularly in the
implementation of Responsible Parenting-Family Planning Program (RP-FP),
Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD)
and Population and Development (POPDEV) integration.
PopCom regional director Alexander A. Makinano
pointed out that the IT equipment are just part of the supports extended by
PopCom to the Local Population Office aside from the financial and technical assistance.
The official further mentioned that with the aid
of the new sets of IT equipment, the conduct of various IEC/advocacy activities
along RP-FP, AHYD and POPDEV from the province/city down to the barangay level
will be more intensified. (PopCom-13/PIA-Caraga)
DOST website is top government site
By Angelica A. de Leon
MANILA, Jan. 27 (PIA) - The website of the
Department of Science and Technology (DOST), www.dost.gov.ph, is the most
popular government site in the Philippines, according to data by www.alexa.com,
a leading provider of free web metrics which tracks 30 million sites all over
the world.
As of January 23, 2014, www.dost.gov.ph ranked
number 113 out of the top 500 sites in the country and number one among local
government websites.
The top keywords driving traffic to the site
from major search engines for the past six months are pagasa, pagasa weather
forecast, pagasa weather update, phivolcs, and project noah. One of DOST’s
frontline projects, NOAH stands for Nationwide Operational Assessment of
Hazards for timely and accurate disaster prevention and mitigation. Of these
five keywords or key phrases, pagasa sent the largest percentage of search
traffic at 20.92 percent over the six-month period.
Of the website’s subdomains, pagasa.dost.gov.ph
garnered the largest percentage of visitors over the past month at 75.83
percent, followed by phivolcs.dost.gov.ph at 12.65 percent. Other subdomains
which attracted the most number of visitors include noah.dost.gov.ph,
dost.gov.ph, pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph, and fnri.dost.gov.ph. The two latter
subdomains are those of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and
Natural Resources Research and Development and the Food and Nutrition Research
Institute respectively, both of which are agencies under the DOST system.
Aside from the Philippines, site visitors to
www.dost.gov.ph also include those located in the United States, United
Kingdom, Germany, and Canada.
In February 13, 2013, www.dost.gov.ph ranked 288
in the Philippines, claiming the second spot in terms of popularity among local
government sites.
According to www.alexa.com, “The rank by country
is calculated using a combination of average daily visitors to this site and
pageviews on this site from users from that country over the past month. The
site with the highest combination of visitors and pageviews is ranked #1 in
that country.”
DOST is the country’s main hub of science and
technology activities including research, policy formulation, and program
formulation for national development.
Aside from Project NOAH, the agency’s other
flagship projects include Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program, the
Advanced Device and Materials Testing (ADMATEL) Laboratory for local
semiconductor and electronics firms, Smarter Philippines which leverages
information and communications technology for better products and services, the
Philippine Standard Time which synchronizes all timepieces in the country, the
Mosquito Ovicidal-Larvicidal Trap (O/L trap) to fight dengue, and the Automated
Guideway Transport or AGT – an elevated and automated transportation system
currently at its pilot testing stage in University of the Philippines Diliman.
(S&T Media Service, DOST-STII/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog News: Kampanya ng pamahalaan para
ipagtanggol ang mga peryodista patuloy, sabi ng isang opisyal
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Enero 27 (PIA) - Ang
kasalukuyang administrasyon ay patuloy na nakipag-ugnayan ng kanilang
pagsisikap sa mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan para matugunan ang mga pagpaslang sa
mga mamamahayag sa bansa, isang opisyal ng palasyo ang nagsabi noong Huwebes.
“Patuloy kaming nagtatrabaho kasama ang iba pang
ahensiya ng pamahalaan. Ang direktiba po sa kanila ay pag-ibayuhin ang
pagsisiyasat at paghahanap sa mga gumawa ng mga krimeng ito, dahil hindi naman
po natin mapapahintulutan ang paggawa ng karahasan laban sa mga journalists, at
laban sa mga nagtatrabaho bilang mga peryodista at sa pag patupad ng kalayaan
sa pagpahayag at kalayaan ng pamamahayag,” sabi ni Presidential Communications
Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr sa isang panayam sa
Malakanyang noong Huwebes.
Kasama sa mga hakbang na ginagawa ay ang pagbago
sa mga patakaran ng korte para mapabilis ang paglilitis lalo na sa mga
malalaking kaso na kasama ang dahas laban sa mga mamamahayag – ang Maguindanao
massacre.
Tatlong Regional Trial Court na mga hukom ang
itinalaga para hawakan ang kaso, sabi ni Coloma.
At sa panahon na may maraming pagpaslang sa mga
mamamahayag na nangyayari, sinabi ni Coloma na ang pulis at iba pang
tagapagpatupad ng batas na mga ahensiya ay sumumpa para paigtingin ang kampanya
para maaresto ang mga salarin.
“Kaya pag-iibayuhin ng ating pamahalaan ang
pagsisikap na mabigyan ng katarungan ang karahasan laban sa mga journalists,”
sabi ni Coloma.
Parte rin ng pangako ng pamahalaan na
pangalagaan ang mga mamamahayag ay ang pag laganap ng mga ligaw na armas sa
bansa, sabi ni Coloma.
Lumagda ang Pangulo ng bagong batas na
nagpahintulot sa mga professionals na magdala ng baril para sa kan ilang
proteksiyon at pagpataas ng termino sa kulungan ng hindi kumulang 30 taon para
kanino man na mahuli na nagdadala ng baril na walang lisensiya. (DMS/PIA-Agusan
del Sur)
Tagalog News: DSWD nanguna sa programang “Balik
sa Bayan” para sa mga biktima ng ‘Yolanda’
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Enero 27 (PIA) - Isang
pinagsamang grupo na pinangungunahan ng Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) ay nag-alok ng pinagkaisang serbisyo para sa mga nakaligtas
sa bagyong ‘Yolanda’ na nagkahanap ng temporaryong matirhan sa Metro Manila at
mga karatig na probinsiya pero gusto nang bumalik sa kani-kanilang mga tirahan
sa Eastern Visayas.
Tinawag na “Balik sa Bayan”, ang mga benepisaryo
nito ay pagkalooban ng pinansiyal na tulong, tulong para sa transportasyon at
tulong pangkalusugan. Binigyan din sila ng pabaon na pakete na naglalaman ng
pantawid na gamit, kumot at banig, shelter kits, na may kasamang materyales
para sa konstruksiyon at pangunahing gamit para sa pagkarpintero, starter kits
at mobile phone. Sinabi ni DSWD Sec. Corazon Soliman na ang programa ay
naglalayon na matulungan ang mga nakaligtas sa kanilang maagang pagbangon at
pagbabalik sa kanilang mga komunidad.
Ang kasalukuyang pinuproseso para sa nasabing
tulong ay iyong temporaryong nakatira sa iba’t ibang pasilidad ng pamahalaan na
pinamamahalaan ng DSWD, mga local na pamahalaan (LGUs) at mga kupunan na hindi
nakakabit sa pamahalaan at iyong hindi na kanyang pagbigyan ng mga kamag-anak
dahil sa limitadong pagkakitaan.
Noong Enero 23, may kabuuang 77 pamilya na
binubuo ng 212 ka tao na pinatira sa pinamamahalaan ng DSWD na Jose Fabella
Center sa Lunsod ng Mandaluyong at sa Tent City sa Lunsod ng Pasay ay pinauwi
na. Ang iba pang ahensiya ng pamahalaan na gumagawa sa pagpatupad ng naturang
programa ay ang Department of Health (DOH), Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC),
Philippine Airforce, Salubong Movement, PLDT-Smart Foundation at ang iba’t
ibang LGUs. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
