2014 Women’s Month celebration culminates, women
empowerment continues
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – Caraga Regional
Development Council (RDC) – Gender and Development Coordinating Committee
(GADCC) chairperson and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regional director
Marylin Pintor emphasized in her message during the culminating activity of
Women’s Month held in this city on Friday that though the monthlong celebration
has concluded, the gender and development advocacy is an all-time championing
of women empowerment.
“Let’s continue to encourage strong and
resilient ‘Juanas’ to bring inspiring changes here in the country and across
the globe,” bared Pintor.
The culmination started with a ‘hataw’ activity
participated in by government employees and other stakeholders who got settled
into a comfortable pace of grooving and physical exercises.
Various agencies on lead also joined in
different friendly games such as volleyball for men and women, kadang-kadang,
tumbang preso, patintero, luksong tinik, and sack race.
Caraga GADCC also conducted a raffle draw,
videoke singing contest, pinoy henyo, eating contest, needle threading contest
for participants aged 40 and up and more exciting activities that filled the
event with much fun.
Meanwhile, winners of the 2014 Non-Traditional
Skills for Women were awarded as well. Gold, silver and bronze medalists
received P1,500; P1,000; and P500, respectively from Caraga Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) while RDC-GADCC gave additional P500
each.
In time also with the culmination is the
launching of the 1st GADCC Open Photo Competition which deadline of
registration and submission of entries is on May 2, 2014. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga GAD committee launches 1st GADCC open
photo competition
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – Regional
Development Council (RDC) – Gender and Development Coordinating Committee
(GADCC) in Caraga region unveiled on Friday its first ever Open Photo
Competition.
The contest is open to all photographers –
hobbiest, novices and professionals in the entire region.
According to Caraga GADCC chair and Commission
on Human Rights (CHR) regional director Marylin Pintor, competing participants
shall focus on the theme, “Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at
Pagsulong.”
“Entries will be pre-judged and all chosen
entries will be exhibited at Robinson’s Place,” she said.
As specified in the mechanics, interested
individuals may use any digital camera with at least eight megapixels
capability and be submitted in soft copy saved in compact disk and must be
printed out in 10-R or 8 x 10 size, colored, no border.
Registration for elementary, secondary and
tertiary students is P100 while all other registrants may pay P200.
“Photos must be taken from the time of launching,
March 28, 2014 to May 2, 2014, the scheduled deadline. Single entry is allowed
per person,” said Caraga GADCC co-chair Edna Hontiveros.
She added that the entries must capture the
story of “One day in a life of a woman in Caraga.”
The photos will be judged according to the
criteria comprising the following: relevance to the theme - 40%, visual impact
- 20%, technical (exposure and focus) - 20%, creativity and composition - 20%.
First, second and third prize winners will
receive a cash worth P5,000, P3,500, 2,500, respectively plus a trophy.
Most liked photo in Facebook page
(Facebook.com/gadcccaraga) will also be awarded with P2,000 and a trophy. In
addition, an amount of P1,000 each will be given away to five consolation prize
winners.
For queries, you may contact Anna Loraine
Mendoza, GADCC secretariat at 085-3425774. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Strengthen values, grads told
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) - Agusan del Norte
First District Representative Lawrence “Law” Fortun told the graduates of Saint
Joseph Institute of Technology (SJIT) to strengthen their values for this is
the true barometer in acquiring genuine education during the 42nd Commencement
Exercises of the said school where he was invited as the commencement speaker
on Sunday.
The solon said that when he assumed office as
representative of the district, he was met with “probably the worst scandals
Congress has ever been confronted with.”
“Allegations of corruption and abuse left and
right rocked the House of Representatives and the Senate and different
departments and agencies of government. For a neophyte congressman who joined
Congress with idealism and high hopes for the country, it was such a grave
disappointment,” Fortun said.
The young solon pointed out that “those who get
involved in corruption and abuse of power in high places of government are
people with sterling academic credentials. These are people who went to the
best universities in the country and earned their graduate degrees from Ivy
League institutions abroad.”
Fortun went on to say that “we are surprised why
they get involved in anomalies like these. Something must be wrong somewhere.
They forgot an essential element of education. That is, VALUES. And I can only
say, notwithstanding all those feathers in their caps, they have not acquired
genuine education, after all.”
Fortun also paid tribute to the founders of SJIT
for stirring the institution to greater heights from a very humble beginning in
1971. “As commencement speaker, I am expected to inspire you. Honestly, looking
at you right now and reflecting on how you have been molded by an institution
that has itself been molded by enormous challenges and has grown to become a
premiere institution, I am the one who has been inspired. Indeed, you need not
look elsewhere for a source of inspiration. SJIT is a great inspiration, not
only to you, but to all of us in the region. SJIT is an inspiring embodiment of
determination, courage, hard work, perseverance and excellence,” Fortun
quipped.
“We are all witnesses to SJIT’s remarkable
growth as an institution of higher learning. In its pursuit to become a
prominent landmark that it is now, the values of rectitude and integrity have
always guided its labors for advancement. I repeat. RECTITUDE AND INTEGRITY.
These, you should not forget,” the solon emphasized. (LAWig Katawhan/PIA-Agusan
del Norte)
PCA: No case of “cocolisap” yet in Surigao del
Sur
By Greg Tataro, Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – There is no case
yet of “cocolisap” or entomologically known as “scale insect” infestation in
Surigao del Sur.
According to Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
Provincial Manager George Rasonabe, such a problem has not yet crossed over
Mindanao, but their agency has already been keeping an eye on it.
It was learned from the PCA Chief that the
massive case of scale insects infestation on coconut plantations has already
spread out in Batangas and some neighboring provinces.
On other developments, Rasonabe reported that
the Agricultural Training Institute-Philippine Coconut Authority (ATI-PCA)
Joint Undertaking Training has continued to be conducted for 2014.
In fact, he said that three trainings are set to
be held this year including that of what was done on March 24-26, where 30
coconut farmers in Tandag City have undergone training. (Radyo ng Bayan
Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DAR AgNor spearheads program review and planning
workshop
By Gil E. Miranda
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – The Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the province of Agusan del Norte conducted a one-day
Program Review and Planning Workshop to ensure and move forward the
implementation of Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) recently here.
Some 25 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries
Organization (ARBOs) from different Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) in
Agusan del Norte attended the said workshop and possibly avail from the APCP
program.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer
(PARPO II) Andre B. Atega reiterate the APCP specific guidelines and discuss
more strategic approach to induce the ARBOs to accept the challenge of taking
the necessary steps to avail the APCP Program.
Program Beneficiaries Development Division
OIC-Chief Ester T. Cabalan, said that the workshop aimed to assist the ARBOs to
comply all the desired requirements and reviewed the proposals submitted by
each ARBOs for APCP program.
“We aimed to discuss and review the project
proposals submitted by different ARBOs in Agusan del Norte to come-up with
possible solutions that lead the ARBOs to go through the program,” Cabalan
said.
As President Aquino’s Administration convergence
initiative, the DAR’s partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and
Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) whose effort is to streamline the program
with P1-billion fund to support credit assistance of the agrarian reform
beneficiaries nationwide. (DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
TESDA-Caraga inks partnership with Butuan City
LGU for skills development training of 4Ps beneficiaries
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – Technical Education
and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Caraga has signified its partnership
with the city government here for the socio-economic bundling program
specifically skills development component intended for the beneficiaries of the
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
During the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) held recently at the city hall lobby here, the city
government ably represented by City Councilors Ferdinand Nalcot, Atty. Rema
Burdeos and Cong. Lawrence Lemuel Fortun of the first Congressional District of
Butuan City and Las Nieves signified support together with TESDA-Caraga
regional director Dr. Florencio F. Sunico, Jr.
In his speech, Sunico said the initiatives of
the city government is an opportunity for the national government agencies to
jumpstart a convergence towards the attainment of the national government’s
objective to alleviate poverty in the country.
The official recalled that a month before, the
national government has gathered some 10 government agencies that are involved
in poverty alleviation. During the gathering, these agencies were made to
commit to come-up with a comprehensive anti-poverty measures especially in
areas where there are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program
(4Ps).
Sunico further said with all the scholarships
that TESDA is offering, 4Ps beneficiaries are among those who were given the
priority to enjoy such program to ensure that they will be trained and prepare
them for job and livelihood opportunities in the future.
Though the region is not anymore included in the
poorest of the regions in the country based on the National Statistical
Coordination Board (NSCB) because of its economic growth, the official said
there are still Caraganons who belong to the marginalized sector. “Thus, there
is a need for us in the government sector to continue and sustain developing
the human resources of the country,” Sunico said.
Basing on the MOU, TESDA is enjoined to commonly
pursue the increase in employment opportunities for the unemployed 4Ps
beneficiaries in the locality by training the people to be skilled workers for
free in preparation for the agency’s quest to find decent jobs both here and
abroad.
This objective is the agency’s support to the
Human Development Cluster as embodied in the Philippine Development Plan of the
present administration.
Specifically, TESDA-Caraga shall offer Skills
Development Courses for free to qualified 4Ps beneficiaries of the city. The
agency should also support the city government in building its TESDA Training
Beneficiaries’ Profile, as well as to work in close coordination with the city
government to institute smooth and in-track project implementation. (TESDA-13/PIA-Caraga)
Cebuano News: Gobyerno abli sa gihapon sa mga
pakigpulong uban ang NDF
SURIGAO DEL SUR, Mar. 31 (PIA) - Ang gobyerno
able sa gihapon sa pakigpulong alang sa kalinaw uban sa mga komunista, sa niini
nga kaso ang National Democratic Front (NDF), kinsa nangandoy sa pagsugod ug
impormal nga mga pakigpulong sa bulan sa Mayo, sumala pa ni Communications
Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. niadtong Dominggo.
"Nagpabilin nga able ang atong paggamhanan
sa mga hisgutanan sa kalinaw (Nananatili pong bukas ang ating pamahalaan sa mga
usaping pangkapayapaan)," si Coloma miingon sa dzRB Radyo ng Bayan atol sa
usa ka komperensya.
Siya miingon nga iyaha na kini giduso nga mga
hisgutanan ngadto sa Office sa Presidential Peace Adviser ingon nga sila man ag
ahensya nga dunay kamandoan sa paglihok sa mga hisgutanan mahitungod sa mga
pakigpulong sa kalinaw.
“Atong iduso ang mga butang na ing-ana ngadto sa
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace process tungod kay sila man ang
dunay nag-unang responsibilidad sa paghimo sa mga hilisgutanan na ing-ana
(Isasangguni po natin ang bagay na ‘yan sa Office of the Presidential Adviser
on the Peace Process sapagkat sila ang may pangunahing responsibilidad sa pagsasagawa
ng mga usaping ‘yan)," sulti pa ni Coloma said. (NGBT/PND/PIA-Surigao del
Sur)
