DA chief to turn-over P50M fish port project in
SurSur town
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) – Agriculture Secretary
Proseso Alcala is set to turn-over on Friday the almost P50 million municipal
fish port project for Barobo town in the second District of Surigao del Sur,
105 kilometers south of this city.
According to Marcos Quico, provincial
agriculturist here, the occasion will start with the cutting of the ribbon at
around 8:00 a.m. in Barangay Wakat, where the project is located.
High ranking officials of the province headed by
Governor Johnny Pimentel, second District Congressman Florencio Garay and
municipal officials led by Mayor Felixberto Urbiztondo as well as all barangay
captains of the recipient town are expected to attend the event, including
Carrascal Mayor Vicente Pimentel, Jr., president of the league of municipalities
here.
Likewise, Director Asis Perez of the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), General Manager Eduardo Chu of the
Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) and officials from the
Department of Agriculture (DA) in Caraga region headed by regional director
Edna Mabeza, as well as BFAR Caraga regional director Nerio Casil are said to
accompany Sec. Alcala, based on the official program.
After the turn-over of the project through the
symbolic key, Alcala is expected to share the “challenges” of the project, to
be followed shortly by the acceptance message of Mayor Urbiztondo.
Gov. Pimentel will also give his inspirational
message to be followed by short messages from BFAR director Perez, DA regional
director Mabeza, BFAR regional director Casil, and second District Cong. Garay.
It was also learned that the Farmers and
Fisherfolks' Forum is going to seal the affair after lunchtime.
Meanwhile, Casil said that the fish port project
costing about P50 million, including the five-tonner ice plant and cold storage
aims to serve the fishing industry in the province and is also expected to
generate more taxes for the government. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA Surigao
del Sur)
DA-13 conducts 'Be RICEponsible' campaign
By Rhea Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) - In its vision to a
rice sufficient nation by year 2016 and beyond, the Department of Agriculture
saw the need for continuous campaign to bring awareness in the minds and hearts
of the people the value of being a responsible rice consumer. Thus, the Be RICEponsible Campaign was
created through the conduct of several information and advocacy undertakings.
Last year, the campaign on National Year of Rice
(NYR) has gained positive response in the national and regional stakeholders.
In Caraga Region, information campaigns were done in partnership with the Local
Government Units and the Department of Education. Provincial and local LGUs had
promulgated into resolutions the support to responsible rice consumption while
schools had pledged its support to avoid rice wastage in their homes and
schools.
The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field
Office 13 intensified its campaign to bring the feasible and practical
strategies for the social mobilization of its advocacy. Be RICEponsible Short
Film and Radio Drama Contest was carried out to further boosts the department’s
campaign, an initiative only done in Caraga.
Tapping the medium of short film making is a new
and innovative way to deliver important messages and aspirations. Moreover, it
is also a way of encouraging the youth to take part in the Be RICEponsible
campaign and rouse interest among secondary schools region-wide. Through their
participation, youth will become our allies in reaching their families and
relatives thereby creating a ripple effect in information dissemination.
The department also encouraged the involvement of
every student through the medium of radio. It may be the oldest form of
communication channel but its power to bring information to the masses has
never been outdated. Likewise, radio
drama has remained one of the most followed radio programs in rural
communities.
To involve high school students in the production
of this kind of media does not only pave the way for awareness in their
respective schools but each output can be used as materials for info dissemination.
Sixteen private and public high schools within the
region positively responded to the Be RICEponsible Short Film and Radio Drama
Contest. The top entries of short film and radio drama will be announced on
November 28, 2014.
DA encouraged the youth to get involve and draw
interest on agriculture to help build a stronger and rice sufficient
nation. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
POPCOM conducts regional POPDEV Summit
By May Ann O. Escobal
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) - The Commission on
Population (POPCOM) will celebrate Population and Development (POPDEV) Week on
November 23-29, with this year’s theme: “Bigyang Halaga and Bawat Pinoy sa
Pag-unlad… Ngayon at Bukas!” (Making Every Filipino Matter in Sustainable
Development).
The celebration of the POPDEV Week will be
highlighted by the conduct of a Regional POPDEV Summit on November 28 here to
be attended by various stakeholders in the region. The said gathering is a
strategic program initiative that would help in addressing perennial
population, health and environment issues.
The Regional Festival of Talents on November 25 at
Tandag City will also add color to the festivities, particularly on the call
for the young people to join the campaign.
The celebration highlights the need to include and
count the welfare of each Filipino in sustainable development. It calls for the
explicit consideration of the well-being of each Filipino in any development
initiatives and to ensure that each one is provided with quality life in a
sustainable manner.
POPCOM Caraga Regional Director Alexander A.
Makinano stressed the significance of POPDEV Week for it is celebrated to
drumbeat and to emphasize the interrelationships of population issues and
development. Makinano further emphasized that such event is used to raise the
awareness and appreciation and draw policy and program responses from various
stakeholders on these population and development issues.
POPCOM official disclosed that for 2014, the
celebration of the POPDEV Week will follow through the public discussion of the
implications of reaching the 100 million mark for the country’s population.
Makinano also revealed that with the media mileage
this event has gained since its launching on July 27, 2014 through the search
for the 100 Millionth Pinoy, the discussion of its implications to policy and
program contexts needs to be sustained in order to translate the issue towards
key responsive actions. (POPCOM-13/PIA-Caraga)
