Update on Agusan River Basin highlights special
AgSur Environment and Sustainable Devt council meeting
By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, May 19 (PIA) - "There are
four latest initiatives/ activities that the Agusan River Basin Governing Board
(ARGB) had undertaken until April this year have signaled the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Caraga Region to plan and calendar the
Workplan for the Preparation of the Agusan River Basin Enhanced Master Plan for
2014, with 16 activities that is expected to end on January 16, 2015."
This is the conclusion of the reports delivered
by Regional Technical Director (RTD), Forest Management Services of the DENR
Caraga Regional Office Maritess Ocampo during the briefing on the update of
interventions done by the government in the Agusan River Basin Project as the
highlight of the Agusan del Sur Environment and Sustainable Development
Council.
“On November 29, 2013, DENR Caraga was provided
with the Central Office based Budget of Php 5 million for the updating of the
Agusan River Basin Enhanced Master Plan. Procurement process was initiated.
Then on March14, 2014, the Notice of Award was issued to Lichel Technologies,
Inc. Signing of Contract was immediately followed on the same date. On March
22, 2014, Notice to proceed (NTP) was issued to Lichel TI after the contract
was approved and, on April 9, 2014, Technical Review of Inception Report was
submitted by the Lichel Technologies Inc. at the DENR Regional Office, Ambago,
Butuan City,” RTD Ocampo said.
According to RTD Ocampo, the Agusan River Basin
have already garnered support from Asian Development Bank in 2005 with ADB
granting a technical assistance for the preparation of the ARB Master Plan with
DENR as the implementing agency in coordination with the NWRB. In 2006, the
first draft of the study period was completed and submitted to DENR. In 2007,
the Master Plan was subjected to various consultations which garnered the
endorsement from Provincial Development Council (PDC) of Compostela Valley, PDC
Agusan del Sur and City Development Council (CDC) of Butuan City.
But by then, the Caraga Regional Development
Council passed a resolution No. 45 to return to Woodfields Consultancy Inc.
(WCI) the master plan report for refinement.
In March 2008, the Enhanced ARB Master Plan was
submitted, and the following month, the Pre-Project Preparatory Technical
Assistance (PPTA) commenced. In 2010 and 2011, the PPTA Agusan River Basin
Integrated Water Resources Management commencement and was contracted to Poyry
IDP Consult, Inc. in association with Nippon Koei, U.K. and Schema Consult,
Inc. for a 16 month study, from February 1, 2010 to April, 2011.
According to RTD Ocampo, the Cabinet Cluster on
Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation chaired by the DENR Secretary has
approved on May 2, 2012 a resolution “Adopting the 18 major River Basins in the
Country as priority areas of government interventions, and Agusan River Basin
is one of the chosen.
Being one of the chosen, the Agusan River Basin
has wide coordination and partnership management body that would complement and
harmonize local and regional development conservation, enforcement and
implementation efforts effectively, and sustainable manage the river basin.
(DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
DepEd sets convergence meeting for Oplan Balik
Eskwela, Public Assistance Station
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY, May 19 (PIA) – The Department of
Education (DepEd) Caraga region is set to conduct an Inter-Agency Convergence
Meeting on the Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) and Public Assistance Station (PAS) on
May 27 at Teacher Development Center here.
According to DepEd regional director Atty.
Alberto T. Escobarte, said OBE and PAS primarily aim to address the problems
commonly encountered during enrolment period.
This is also to ensure that pupils/students are properly enrolled and
are able to attend school on June 2,
2014 – the first day of classes for school year 2014-2015, he said.
Escobarte said target participants on the said
activity are heads of line agencies, private corporations and DepEd Caraga
officials.
Also, during the convergence meeting, DepEd will
solicit from participants their commitment of support and plans for the smooth
and systematic process in the opening of classes, Atty. Escobarte added.
(NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
AFP chief to welcome 97 rebels thru
'Pagbabalik-loob III' in Caraga
By Greg Tataro, Jr.
TANDAG CITY, May 19 (PIA) – Some 97 rebels, four
of whom come from Surigao del Sur, are set to officially surrender to Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista in a
special ceremony at 9:00 a.m. dubbed as “Pagbabalik-loob III” on May 21 at
Naligayan Cultural Center, Provincial Capitol Ground, Patin-ay, Agusan del Sur.
According to Army 401st Brigade Commander Col.
Gregory Cayetano, together with the AFP chief, who will be the Guest of Honor
and Speaker, is Army Eastern Mindanao Commander (EMC) Lt. Gen. Rainier Cruz III
while other invited guests also include Surigao del Sur Governor Johnny
Pimentel.
Cayetano said the occasion will also feature the
symbolic turn-over of 18 high-powered firearms aside from numerous low caliber
guns.
Under the “Gun for Peace Program (GPP),"
Col. Cayetano assured the release of remuneration in exchange for the firearms
brought in by the concerned surrenderee depending on the kind and quality.
He said that an AK-47 has a full monetary value
of P78,000—a considerable amount good for setting up a business for livelihood,
adding that an “M60” carries a much bigger tag price of P218,000.
Meanwhile, the brigade chief both recognized the
provincial governments of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur, which
incidentally are his area of responsibility (AOR), for their partnership with
the 4th Infantry (DIAMOND) Division of the Philippine Army (PA) under Brigadier
Gen. Ricardo Visaya in its relentless campaign for rebels to return to the fold
of the law. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
