'The best way to communicate to people is to
speak from the heart,' says PIA-13 chief
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) – “The best way to
communicate is not by speaking English fluently in front of people but by
speaking from the heart in such a way that you are also able to touch their
hearts and minds.”
This was the statement of Philippine Information
Agency (PIA) Caraga regional director Abner Caga, who served as the guest
speaker during the 14th anniversary celebration of the Butuan Habitat for
Humanity Incorporated (BHFHI) on Saturday held at the Lucky Village Covered
Court, Barangay Ambago, this city.
Caga further said that constant communication
among neighborhood is very important because as part of the community,
"you have that responsibility to contribute to its development by sharing
useful ideas and create a harmonious relationship with them."
"You take good care of your community,
don't let anyone destroy the good foundation you have started with people in
your Habitat community. We should continue to share, donate and volunteer as
responsible homepartners," Caga remarked.
Caga also recalled the devastation in Tacloban
City as he with the team witnessed how people there suffered the physical
destruction in the area where residents lost the lives of their loved ones and
properties. "It is not that easy to have lost a family and a home. That's
why we should give value to whatever we have today in our lives. We should
always be thankful," stressed Caga.
"From my personal experiences, I know what
it's like to be when you desperately need a good shelter. So, I am encouraging
you (homepartners) to give value to your houses and give meaning to the
existence of your houses," added Caga.
Meanwhile, Butuan City Water District (BCWD)
general manager and BHFHI Board of Director Anselmo Sangtian together with
BHFHI president Nora Rama and vice president Engr. Heidi Sumalpong expressed
their warm thanks to the good director for always supporting the organization’s
endeavors despite its hectic schedule.
The officers of BHFHI also handed-over the
plaque of appreciation to director Caga.
"I'm very happy to see you all in your 14th
anniversary celebration today and to be part of this organization," said
Caga. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
PIA Caraga chief inspires Butuan Habitat
homepartners
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) – “I’m glad for this
privilege to stand before you to voice my appreciation to the BHFHI for
carrying out its missions to the community. To all of you who are now living in
your Habitat villages, I encourage you to give value and significance to the
existence of your homestead.” These are the motivating words spoken without
reserve by the Philippine Information Agency Caraga regional director Abner
Caga as quest of honor during the 14th anniversary celebration of the Butuan
Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (BHFHI) on Saturday.
Caga recalled the devastation in Tacloban City
as he with his team witnessed how people there suffered the physical
destruction in the area where residents lost their loved ones and properties
due to typhoon Yolanda.
“It is not that easy to have lost a family and a
home. That’s why we should give worth to whatever we have today in our lives
and be thankful for the blessings. But keep in mind that the role goes beyond
by complying the duties to your neighborhood,” bared Caga.
Conveying more of his concern, Caga motivated
each beneficiary to inculcate in them the mentality of helping one another. He
further cited that “sustaining the strength of the community does not only rely
on the homeowners’ officials rather a personal responsibility to volunteer for
the transformational development of the community.”
“From my personal experience, I know what it’s
like to be when you desperately need a good shelter. I challenge you to take
good care of your homes. Don’t let anyone destroy the good foundation you have
started with your family and with the people in your Habitat community. Each
should continue to share and strive to be responsible homepartners,” he
stressed.
According to BHFHI president Nora Rama, they are
advocating for affordable housing. “We stand by our commitment to address the
community’s basic human rights to acquire a house with a fair housing policy,”
she said.
BHFHI, a non government orgnization working on a
mission to provide decent and durable shelters, has built more than a thousand
houses in Caraga and its neighboring regions and is currently helping the
disaster-affected families by granting qualified individuals to become
homepartners.
“We encourage our homepartners to demonstrate
stewardship and take the responsibility to preserve the resources entrusted to
them,” Rama added.
In response, the homepartners’ from the
different Habitat sites in this region have expressed their gratitude and
jubilance through their meaningful choral and dance performances.
They also enjoyed the various games and raffle
draw initiated by the board of directors and staff of BHFHI. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan Habitat extends gratitude to volunteers,
contributors
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) – In a recent 14th
Butuan Habitat for Humanity, Inc. (BHFHI) anniversary celebration held in this
city, its board of directors (BODs) and staff genuinely expressed their
gratitude to the persons who freely offer their services and who took part in
the undertakings of their organization.
“We are thankful to the hundreds of volunteers
who have untiringly helped in lifting stones, piling hollow blocks, and laying
the cements so that homepartners’ house may be built,” said Nora Rama, BHFHI
president.
In behalf of the BODs, Rama also expressed her
sincere appreciation to the philanthropic individuals for their generous
donations which aided in promoting the welfare of others.
Accordingly, the donations to BHFHI have
contributed in the accomplishments in putting up a multi-purpose buiding and a
day care center.
Rama added by giving recognition to the support
given by the local government of Butuan, through city mayor Ferdinand Amante,
Jr., for facilitating and providing the necessary support services.
BHFHI secretary Asuncion Gayon has also
acknowledged the countless students and employees who contributed their time
and efforts in joining the tree planting activity in barangay Bit-os "as
part of our endeavors in preservation of the environment for a healthy
tomorrow.”
She emphasized the role of Habitat for Humanity,
an international non-government organization, as a messenger of hope for the
homeless throughout the nation and of the world.
“For our commited beneficiaries, we thank you
for conscientiously fulfilling your obligations such that today you now truly
own your homes,” bared Gayon.
Fully paid and most outstanding homepartners
were given recognition during the event. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao Norte gov forms HEALS Plus Convergence
Group
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) – Governor Sol F.
Matugas signed recently Executive Order No. 001 series of 2014 creating the
HEALS Plus Convergence Group.
The HEALS Plus Convergence Group aims to pursue
the continuing development and transformation of depressed barangays by
implementing economic, social,
protection and other basic services with the assistance and coordination of
concerned national line agencies, civil society, LGUs, private
individuals/organizations and foreign funding institutions.
The members of the HEALS Plus Convergence Group
composed of 21 municipal mayors, representatives from DILG, DTI, DENR, DAR,
PNP, Phil. Army, PPA, MGB, PAG-ASA, PhilVocs, Phil. Coconut Authority,
Maritime, Phil. Coast Guard, CAAP, Phil. Information Agency, COA, DepEd, DOLE,
NFA,NCIP, NAIA, BFAR, TESDA, NSO, Phil. Red Cross, Bureau of Agricultural
Statistics, DPWH (1st and 2nd engineering districts), SUNGCOD, SNPIDA, REACH
Foundation, Inc., AGTASI, SEDF, FPOP SCCI, ISDA Foundation, and all department
heads of the provincial government.
Primary function and duty of the members of the
said convergence group is to provide support systems to the implementation of
HEALS Plus programs, projects and activities as stipulated in the Executive and
Legislative Agenda, Provincial Development Investment Plan, and other programs
and projects identified by the Provincial and Municipal Local Executives.
HEALS Plus Agenda of the provincial gov’t of
Surigao del Norte is the supreme framework agenda which stands for Health,
Education/Environment, Agriculture/Aquaculture, Livelihood/Tourism, Social
Welfare & Spiritual Renewal re-invented and strengthened it with more
projects on infrastructure & equitable economic growth. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Surigao Sur town conducts Incident Command
System training
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Feb. 3 (PIA) – The members of
the local disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) council of the local
government unit (LGU) of Cagwait, this province began the year with the 3-day
Basic Incident Command System (ICS) training held in Balay Mindanao Foundation Incorporation
Center, Cagayan de Oro City.
Abel de Guzman of Surigao del Sur Provincial
DRRM office said, around 45 participants joined the basic ICS course led by
Cagwait DRRM chair Mayor Lilian Lozada with the local legislators, DRRM council
members and barangay captains from 11 barangays.
According to de Guzman, the activity was aimed
to enhance understanding of the incident command system as a vital tool for
effective disaster response, provide an ICS background of what are the
concepts, principles and features, capabilities, organization facilities and
common terminologies used during the operations on disaster response.
"The ICS management best practices will
help to ensure the safety of responders and efficient use of the resources. It
allows personnel from different agencies to meld rapidly into a common
management structure and cost effective by avoiding duplication of
efforts," De Guzman added.
Facilitated by Office of the Civil defence
(OCD)-Caraga, the activity was spearheaded by the LGU Cagwait in partnership
with the Balay Mindanao Foundation Incorporation. The activity will culminate
on Feb. 5. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
50 Agnor barangays to receive agri aid
By Brian Jay Ceballos
BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 3 (PIA) – A total of 50
barangays in the province of Agusan del Norte taking into consideration the
inclusion of Agrarian Reform Committees (ARCs), in collaboration with the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) are set to receive aid for agriculture
development from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The project will be first entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the provincial government represented
by governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba and Winrock International to
set the guidelines for its implementation.
The aid will be implemented thru the Winrock
International, a non government organization.
The project will be named Winrock International
Institute for Agricultural Development – Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP),
which will provide $200,000.00 (US Dollars) to be used in buying agricultural
equipment, seed money for microfinance institutions or cooperatives and
rehabilitation among others.
The PCCPs main objective is to increase
agricultural productivity of the area. It will focus in the producer level to
improve production, inputs, technology and practices at the farm level. It will
also assist farm families to increase their income, improve nutrition and food
security and provide higher value agricultural products for new markets.
The MOU signing is set to be inked by the two
parties on February 7, 2014 in the US Embassy in Manila, and will be witnessed
by the Agricultural Counselor of the US Dept. of Agriculture, DA Sec. Proceso
Alcala and DTI Sec. Gregory Domingo. (NCLM/LGU-Agusan del Norte PIO/PIA-Agusan
del Norte)
Tagalog News: Palasyo: Ang pagbabalik ng pundong
PDAF, bagay na nasa pagitan ng mga kongresista at COA
Ni David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Pebrero 3 (PIA) - Isang kautusan
sa di bababa sa apat na senador na isauli ang bahagi ng Priority Development
Assistant Fund ay bagay na nasa pagitan lamang ng mga mambabatas at ng
Commission on Audit (COA), sabi ng Malakanyang noong Sabado.
Sinabi ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
Abigail Valte na ang palasyo ay hindi makapilit sa apat na sumunod sa kautusan
ng COA dahil ang mga senador ay nagmula sa kapantay na sangay ng pamahalaan.
"Wala kaming kapangyarihan na magpumilit,
sa kaalamang ang mga senador ay nagmula sa hiwalay at kapantay na sangay ng
pamahalaan,” sabi ni Valte sa pinamamahalaang radyo ng pamahalaan, dzRB Radyo
ng Bayan.
“Ang bagay na ito ay nasa pagitan ng COA at ng
apat na senador na pinadalahan ng notices of disallowance,” dagdag pa ni Valte.
Ang naunang ulat ay tumutumbok na ang mga
senador ay naiugnay sa isang multibillion na pera mula sa eskandalosong pork
barrel na alokasyon matapos na ito ay ipinadaan sa isang bugos na
non-government organizations. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)
