Butuan Habitat for Humanity celebrates World
Habitat Day 2014
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 17 (PIA) – As the Habitat for
Humanity celebrated the World Habitat Day on Saturday, a worldwide event that
aims to make a call for new and innovative programs, policies and systems that
would make the world a decent place to live for all walks of life regardless of
race and religion, the Butuan Habitat for Humanity (BHFH) volunteers,
facilitators and beneficiaries gathered at the site in Brgy. Loyola, Hinatuan,
Surigao del Sur where construction of houses is currently ongoing.
“In Hinatuan HFH project alone, there is a total
of 320 recipients (280 in Brgy. Loyola and 40 in Brgy. Talisay). It is funded
by San Miguel Foundation under the disaster response program of Habitat for
Humanity.” said Habitat for Humanity head of regional operations in Davao and Caraga,
Atty. Abdussador Sawadjaan, Jr.
Habitat housing program is categorized into two.
Affordable but durable houses can be availed through HFH’s regular housing
program and those intended for victims of calamity is granted under the
disaster response housing program.
Meanwhile, the beneficiaries shared their joy in
observance of the celebration. They kept building their houses during the day
with the voluntary participation of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)
Caraga personnel who also valued the responsibility to shape the future of this
community.
Joining also during the celebration, PIA Caraga
regional director expressed his appreciation to the donors and facilitators for
their earnest efforts to complete the project. “Human settlement and home
ownership is vital in human existence. So even at the least that we can do for
others to improve their situation will create an impact of economic and social
stability, safe and secured neighborhood as well,” he said.
Every HFH housing project is executed through a
spirit of communal unity and cooperation called “Bayanihan” with participation
from different local government officials and staff who provide transport for
hauling of materials; provide space and security for the main warehouse in the
designated area, and assist in the verification of beneficiaries. The
beneficiaries themselves shared “sweat equity” in the construction of the
house.
“Habitat for Humanity promotes access to stable
and sturdy shelters which every family can call it a home. We call for more
support from stakeholders to help us achieve the goal of providing adequate
shelter and transforming lives of the marginalized sector,” bared BHFH
president Eufroceles Udarbe.
On the 24th of October this year, 51 houses are
scheduled to be turned-over to beneficiaries while construction of other units
is still underway.
World Habitat Day was established in 1985 by the
United Nations (UN) General Assembly through Resolution 40/202, and was first
celebrated in 1986. Each year, different themes promote the various UN-Habitat
focal areas such as inclusive housing and social services; a safe and healthy
living environment for all; safe and clean drinking water and sanitation;
healthy air quality; job creation; improved urban planning and slum upgrading; and
better waste management. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
51 Habitat for Humanity houses ready for
turn-over to beneficiaries
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 17 (PIA) – The Butuan Habitat
for Humanity is set to officially turn-over to the beneficiaries the 51 newly
built houses situated in Brgy. Loyola, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur on October 24,
2014.
Sensible on the shelter needs of the lowly
masses, Habitat for Humanity started pooling resources and has successfully won
over the support of San Miguel Foundation to fund the 240 houses.
Habitat for Humanity head of regional operations
in Davao and Caraga, Atty. Abdussador Sawadjaan, Jr. recalled that the original
project was supposed to allow beneficiaries living in coastal areas to bring
the materials from their disassembled house, utilize them, and rebuild a house
with better foundation.
“But the situation in Hinatuan is very
encouraging since the local government unit has been cooperative with HFH by providing
equipment, building permits and resolutions. So it turned-out to be a way
better project where new materials were made available to the beneficiaries,”
bared Sawadjaan.”
Sawadjaan disclosed that Habitat housing units
are designed in a manner that suits with the weather and location where they
will be erected. He further emphasized durability, thus, “technology requires
us to use steel frames/bars, a combination of chemically treated bamboo slats
(lipak) and hollow blocks/concrete materials, and G.I. sheets for roofing,” he
added.
Every HFH housing project is executed through a
spirit of communal unity and cooperation called “Bayanihan” with participation
from different local government officials and staff who provide transport for
hauling of materials; provide space and security for the main warehouse in the
designated area, and assist in the verification of beneficiaries. The
beneficiaries themselves shared “sweat equity” in the construction of the
house.
“Another group of partner is the Brgy. Loyola
Dream Housing Cooperative which is instrumental in organizing people especially
in motivating beneficiaries to do their part. Habitat for Humanity as
implementing partner and facilitator ensures that mandates such as safe and
healthy living environment is available for all,” mentioned Sawadjaan.
To date, the construction of other units is
still in progress and is expected to be completed before this year ends.
(VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Beneficiaries perceive brighter future in
Habitat for Humanity villages
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 17 (PIA) – The beneficiaries
of the Butuan Habitat for Humanity housing projects in Barangays Loyola and
Talisay in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur bared in particular that their access to
decent shelter gave them the hope to coexist through an improved way of living
and by worrying no more the obstacle of dealing housing crisis.
Former barangay captain Leonor Dinagay, a
beneficiary and resident of Brgy Loyola said that he personally appealed to the
local government of Hinatuan that the community living in coastal area be
relocated at a safer and higher ground.
“We were thankful that they have addressed our concern.
By then, the Butuan Habitat for Humanity (BHFH) began facilitating and
constructing the ‘starter shelters’ that basically include building of
structure’s foundation, four concrete columns and flooring,” described Dinagay.
There are 320 recipients (280 in Brgy. Loyola
and 40 in Brgy. Talisay) of the housing project funded by San Miguel Foundation
under the disaster response program of Habitat for Humanity.
“Aside from donors and local government
officials, another group of partner is the Brgy. Loyola Dream Housing
Cooperative which is instrumental in organizing people especially in motivating
beneficiaries to do their part. Habitat for Humanity as implementing partner
and facilitator ensures that mandates such as safe and healthy living environment
is available for all,” mentioned Habitat for Humanity head of regional
operations in Davao and Caraga, Atty. Abdussador Sawadjaan, Jr.
When asked about livelihood programs for the
Habitat communities, Sawadjaan assured that a 3,000 sq.m. functional garden is
ready for them to till and eventually yield vegetable produce.
Bonifacia Bughaw, vice president of Brgy. Loyola
Dream Housing Cooperative expressed her gratitude to the stakeholders. “The
members of our cooperative were grateful for the support given to us by BHFH.
They truly understand our needs and right for a safe and secure place of
dwelling. I hope that more members can avail and benefit from this project,”
she said.
Meanwhile, the construction of 40 Habitat units
situated at Brgy. Talisay is also on-going. Its former barangay captain, Ruel
Villanueva who also manages the activities of his fellow beneficiaries
disclosed that relocating them at upper Brgy. Talisay is practically ideal to
avoid the harmful threats when they continue to stay at the disaster prone
areas of the town.
The Habitat village in Brgy. Talisay already has
a birthing clinic and a multi-purpose center donated by Angelo King Foundation,
Inc. A water reservoir was also installed for public use once the units are
turned-over to the beneficiaries.
Yolanda Espejo, chairperson of the Upper Talisay
Housing Cooperative bared that 28 units are underway in addition to the 40
units. “This is really a great opportunity for us to own a decent, durable and
affordable house. As members of the cooperative, we agreed to collect a monthly
due in the amount of P50 for maintenance expenses,” she added.
By going through the tedious process of
acquiring the land and necessary documents, Butuan Habitat for Humanity
president Eufroceles Udarbe conveyed that “building these houses gives a
message of how difficult it is to acquire a unit but with the essence of team
spirit and genuine concern towards our fellowmen anything can be done to help
address the inequalities and reduce poverty.”
Benevolent donors who wishes to selflessly
contribute are advised to contact Butuan Habitat for Humanity at telephone no.
(085) 342-0903 or visit their office at Midtown Arcade, Ochoa Avenue corner
J.C. Aquino Avenue, Butuan City. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
DA Caraga opens Banana Tissue Culture in Agusan
del Sur
By Aurelius P. Arais
TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur, Oct. 17 (PIA) -
Banana industry in the province of Agusan del Sur is seen to further boom with
the opening of the new banana tissue culture laboratory in the municipality.
This after the blessing of the banana tissue
culture laboratory located inside the compound of the Research and Experiment
Station (RES) of the Department of Agriculture in Del Monte, Talacogon on
Wednesday.
The laboratory is a project of the High Value
Crops Development Program (HVCDP), one of the Department of Agriculture’s (DA)
banner programs. DA-Del Monte RES under its chief Manuel Dormiendo will operate
the P2.1 Million worth laboratory.
Talacogon Municipal Agriculturist Maresyl
Caparoso lauded the inauguration of the said laboratory and looks forward for
more banana projects to be undertaken in their area.
“Since the lab is within our municipality, we
can easily access any project regarding banana production for our farmers”,
Caparoso said.
However, Dormiendo said that availing the
tissue-cultured banana planting materials will be on proposal basis hence its services
is not only exclusive for Agusan del Sur but for the whole region.
Banana Tissue Culture Laboratory will
mass-produce quality banana planting materials specifically Cardava variety to
be distributed to identified recipients.
Banana is the second high value crops produced
in Talacogon planted in 900 hectares by more than 600 farmers. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
PCIC brings good news to farmers
By Japhet C. Sugian
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 17 (PIA) -
“We are bringing the good news to your province”, said Antonio S. Uy III,
Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC)
as he approached Governor Johnny T. Pimentel during his courtesy call recently
at Provincial Governor’s Office, Capitol Hills, Telaje here.
AVP Uy, introduced to the governor the subsidy
program of PCIC amounting to P1,183,177,000 appropriated herein as subsidy for
the PCIC and shall be used exclusively for the full cost of insurance premiums
of subsistence farmers and fisherfolks for any of the following types of
insurance; crop, livelihood, fisheries, non-crop agricultural asset, provided
that the PCIC shall ensure that the said subsistence farmers and fisherfolks
are registered under Registry System on Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA)
and are not receiving any other subsidy for the foregoing types of insurance
from the local government.
According to AVP Uy, there were 95,000 farmers
and fisherfolks registered in the data bank of RSBSA of PCIC in the province of
Surigao del Sur. It means lot of them will be benefitted with this subsidy
program.
“Insurance for free? That’s a real good news”,
Governor Pimentel uttered. “The province of Surigao del Sur is prone to
typhoons and other calamities, therefore, it is an ideal approach if their
crops, livestock, etc. will be insured”, he added.
Marcos M. Quico, Provincial Agriculturist (PA)
also commended and willing to adhere such requirements and assistance to PCIC
if they need support in any matters involving the program.
He added that, Crops Division in the Office of
the Provincial Agriculturist already prepared a complete listing of these
identified farmers and ready for validation.
With governor Pimentel’s marching order, the
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist headed Quico, will promptly validate and
submit the listing before end of the year for possible funding accommodation
from PCIC.
The governor also urged PA Quico to coordinate
with the Municipal Agriculturist to hasten up the process.
There were two provinces tapped by PCIC
regarding the program, Agusan del Sur is the other one in which around 105,000
farmers and fisherfolks listed in RSBSA. These two provinces were having the
most number of registered possible beneficiaries, emphasized by Manuel Cortina,
PCIC staff assigned to handle these two provinces. He also added, that it is
also allowed having multiple insurances for farmers with multiple commodity, no
limitations as long as it follows with the rules and guidelines.
At exactly 5:00 in the afternoon, AVP Uy and
company departed the province with great expectations to meet the target before
December 31, 2014 as date of deadline for the submission of the aforementioned
farmers and fisherfolks listing. (PAO-Surgiao del Sur/PIA-Caraga)
