GADCC holds 1st Caraga GAD Focal Point System
Assembly
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – As the committee
continues to address issues and concerns on gender, and promote women
empowerment and gender equality in the region, the Regional Development Council
- Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC) conducted the first
Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly
held in one of the local convention centers here on Wednesday.
It is a two-day activity with the GAD focal
persons from the different government agencies and local government units of
the region. It is funded by the Agencia EspaΓ±ola de CooperaciΓ³n Internacional
para el Desarrollo (AECID), a Spanish State Agency in charge of designing,
implementing and managing development cooperation projects and programs,
whether directly, with its own resources, or through collaboration with other
national and international bodies and non-governmental organizations.
GADCC chair and Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
Caraga regional director Atty. Marylin Pintor thanked Surigao del Norte
Governor Sol Matugas for gracing the first-ever Caraga GAD Focal Point System
Assembly, as acknowledged also by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).
“Despite the hectic schedule of our beloved
governor and the presence of Tropical Depression ‘Queenie’, she still took the
chance to be with us today in this truly historic event for Caraga. We
appreciate her efforts especially in our GAD activities like this. Thank you so
much Governor Matugas for your untiring support and unconditional love for the
women sector in the region,” expressed Pintor.
Said assembly is aimed to achieve the following
objectives: 1) to present the current GAD efforts and challenges in GAD
mainstreaming in Caraga; 2) to level off on new developments on GAD; and 3) to
identify action points to sustain GAD mainstreaming and respond to GAD
challenges and issues in Caraga.
“I hope we will all enjoy while we learn from this
assembly and while we enhance also our capacities as GAD focal persons of our
respective agencies. Whatever will be the results of our workshops for this
two-day activity will be integrated in our GAD plans and programs with the PCW.
This is one of the major activities that we have planned, and we thanked AECID
for funding this assembly, as well as our invited speakers from PCW for sharing
with us their knowledge, and for giving us recommended actions for the
different identified gender issues that we have here in our region,” shared
Pintor.
The GADCC chair also bared that in the following
months, a series of Information Caravan will be conducted in the different
provinces of Caraga which will focus not only for women Indigenous Peoples’
(IPs) empowerment but also in their access to justice system, economic
empowerment especially in mining areas, and in other programs and services.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao del Norte gov recognizes women IPs and
their efforts
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – In time with the
first Caraga Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System Assembly on
Wednesday spearheaded by the Regional Development Council – Gender and
Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC) held in one of the local
convention centers here, Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas recognized the
women Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Caraga region and highlighted its efforts in
community activities.
“I don’t want to miss this historic event. I would
like to congratulate Atty. Marylin Pintor for leading this activity and the
Philippine Commission on Women (PWC) for coming over in Butuan from Manila
despite the typhoon. This typhoon cannot hinder us to continue what we have
planned to achieve today. I’d like to thank PCW chairperson Remedios Rikken who
also visited our province for a week and oriented our employees in Surigao del
Norte on gender sensitivity. I really appreciated her effort,” expressed
Matugas.
The lady governor also emphasized that working
hand in hand with all other sectors will lead us in achieving inclusive growth
and development. “We should recognize women’s capacity, participation in
nation-building and their contribution to their respective fields especially
the women IPs. Among our challenges include creating equal opportunities for
men and women especially in the workplace; challenge of strengthening
partnership and convergence with other sectors; and challenge of harmonizing
guidelines in the government programs and services,” she said.
Matugas further stressed that said forum will
provide answers to the pressing issues on GAD in the region, as invited
speakers from PCW,Agencia EspaΓ±ola de CooperaciΓ³n Internacional para el
Desarrollo (AECID), Commission on Audit (COA), National Economic Development
Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and Management (BDM), and Department of
the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will discuss significant issues and
concerns, as well as resolutions during the two-day event.
“I’m very glad that the RDC is so active in GAD
activities. I came here because I want you to feel that this forum is so
important to me. I took time to be here because I want to share my enthusiasm
with the women especially the women IPs and that we can be one in the promotion
of gender equality and access to different programs. We must mainstream them to
this body so we can have that inclusive sense of belongingness. I also want to
tell them how important they are in our community, and we will always be happy
work with the different tribes in the region,” Matugas articulated.
The governor challenged the GADCC chair to be one
good example of a woman leader fighting for what is best for the women sector.
“I would like to challenge Atty. Pintor to stand firm and be a model leader of
this committee. We also would like to inspire our local government units to be
true to their local development plan including the barangay development plan,
which is the focal unit of everything that we do,” she shared.
It was also learned that in Surigao del Norte, the
provincial government is active on participating in the activities that
promotes women safety and welfare. Gov. Matugas cited that her 20
municipalities are competing with best women centers, having state of the art
design.
“I built the first women center in Surigao del
Norte but I want to have a beautiful center that women including our women IPs
could be proud of, where they can huddle and discuss different useful things
that’s why I let the local government units to make one. I event spent
P1-million per center just to achieve that purpose. The women center is an
income generating center where women can make livelihood. It is big and its
beauty speaks for what women really needs,” cited Matugas.
The governor also mentioned that in the
implementation of its health programs, the women Barangay Health Workers (BHWs)
of the province really give a lot of their efforts for the barangay and its
people. Women are also being involve in other activities for empowerment.
“We are continuously recognizing the women heroes
of our province – the outstanding women who continued to exert valuable efforts
that also benefitted the constituents in the communities,” highlighted Matugas.
The first Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly
is anchored on the theme “Strengthening the GAD Focal Point System in
Sustaining GAD Mainstreaming in Caraga Region.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD-13 activates QRT as 'TD Queenie' makes
landfall in Caraga
By Eunice G. Montaos
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 - After the public storm
signal number 1 was raised in the five provinces of the region, the Quick
Response Team (QRT) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
Field Office Caraga is activated today to monitor in the next 48 hours the
situation of the affected areas and to gather reports from the local social
workers in terms of the number of affected individuals and families due to the
Tropical Depression Queenie.
DSWD-Carag regional director Minda B. Brigoli said
special committees within the workforce of the Field Office are created to
update and provide disaster situations and information.
“The office has already prepositioned a total of
12,000 family packs which are ready for use in the different local government
units (LGUs),” bared Brigoli.
“We also have 15,972 family packs on stockpile for
augmentation,” she added.
The workers in the QRT are diligently monitoring
the whole region through the community-based social workers and Municipal
Action Team (MAT) leaders who are closely monitoring with the local disaster
risk reduction management council (DRRMC) and the municipal social welfare and
development office in their respective area of assignment.
Each QRT team is composed of a team leader,
statistician, support staff, information office, and driver.
According to a report from the Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
hourly update, TD Queenie has made landfall around 6pm today in Tandag City. (Social
Marketing Unit/DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)
OA Focal Persons from Caraga Receives Recognition
during the 11th NOAC
By Rhea C. Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) - The 11th National
Organic Agriculture Congress was celebrated last November 11-13, 2014 at SMX
Convention Center, Lanang, Davao City.
This was once again to gather and unite the
various stakeholders and Organic Agriculture advocates in the country. An event
filled with knowledge sharing, skills enhancement and marketing opportunities
for the organic farmers at the same time promoting the National Organic
Agriculture Program.
Among the 2,000 participants of the congress were
150 delegates from Caraga region headed by Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 Regional
Director Edna M. Mabeza.
This comprised the active organic farmer practitioners,
performer organic agriculture focal persons from the local government units,
representatives from ATI, BFAR and other line agencies in the region who are
partners in the implementation of the program.
One of the highlights during the event was the
awarding ceremony of the winners for the 2014 National Organic Agriculture
Achievers Award (NOAAA) where two Organic Agriculture Focal Persons from Caraga
were awardees.
Alfred A. Gimang from Trento, Agusan del Sur was
adjudged as the 2014 Outstanding Municipal Organic Agriculture Focal Person
nationwide and received a plaque of recognition and a cash award worth P40,000.
Rosemarie M. Ganate from the Province of Agusan
del Sur also recognized as the 2014 Outstanding Provincial OA Focal Person in
the country and received a plaque of recognition and a cash award worth P
50,000. After a thorough national evaluation, the two stood out among other
contenders in the country by winning the competition due to their exemplary
performance in the implementation of the program.
The said competition was open to all Local
Government Units (LGUs) Focal Persons, AEWs and small farmers with exemplary
contribution and unwavering support towards the implementation of RA 10068 and
the achievement of the National Organic Agriculture Program’s vision.
During the event, Secretary Proceso J. Alcala
encouraged the organic advocates to push and strongly promote Organic
Agriculture. This is with the strong
support of Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Senate Committee Chair on Agriculture and
Food on the proposal to allocate budget for acquisition of machineries for
organic agriculture production. This will help organic practitioners to be more
competitive to other countries.
Simultaneously, the second Philippine Natural and
Organic Product Expo of the country’s best organic product were also showcased
outside the plenary hall by which Caraga also made a display of the organic
agriculture products from the region. Among the products exhibited were the
organic black rice of Agus-pinoy Inc. of Agusan del Sur, organic white rice of
RTR, Agusan del Norte, and the organic Coco Palma Sugar in Afga, Sibagat,
Agusan del Sur.
The event also gave way to different experts from
different fields like organic and natural farming, sustainable agriculture,
tourism, local and international policies, research and more, to extend their
knowledge to the participants of the Congress.
On the last day of the event was the organic farm tour where
participants were given the opportunity to visit and witness the best practices
of Davao region in the field of organic farming. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)
DepEd Butuan holds year-end review, crafting of
AIP
By Dr. Jonas H. Jomonong
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – Dr. Donald D. Orbillos,
Education Program Supervisor-I in Mathematics and Division School-based
Management (SBM) Coordinator clearly emphasized that a plan without action is
merely a dream and action without plan merely passes by during the conduct of
the Division AIP Year-End Review and Crafting of the Annual Implementation Plan
(AIP) for CY 2015 held in one of the convention centers here on November 21for
cluster 1 and November 24 for cluster 2.
The said activity aims to continuously strengthen
SBM practices by all schools as its major key reform thrust as the foundation
in sustaining the reforms under the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda
(BESRA) in pursuant of quality education for all.
Dr. Alejandro P. Macadatar, Principal-II of Obrero
Elementary School started his talk by stressing on the golden rule that says,
“Failing to plan is planning to fail” which is very true in the sense that if
schools want to achieve their vision, mission, goals and objectives, they must
start it with careful planning.
Dr. Macadatar then presented a sample monitoring
and evaluation (M and E) tool to the participants and gave emphasis on the
additional data needed which is the “Balance” and in return, the participants
were given ample time to make their output and samples of it were presented to
the group.
Furthermore, Dr Orbillos stressed that in the
crafting of AIP for CY 2015, uniform format must be used by all schools. He also said that all activities to be
included in the said AIP must be quantifiable and deliverables must be very
specific in order to really target the desired outcomes that have to be valued
by the schools.
On the other hand, Melba Y. Galgoles, district
supervisor of Central Butuan District I asked as to the roles of the district
supervisors on the said training. Dr.
Orbillos addressed the said question stressing that the district supervisors
play a very critical role by monitoring in the implementation of the different
programs, projects and activities (PPAs) as stated in the AIP.
“To ensure that the School Improvement Plan (SIP)
and AIP are collaboratively done by the school planning team (SPT), each school
must conduct a two/three-day school-based year-end review of the AIP,” Dr.
Orbillos said.
The said activity was actively participated by the
school heads in both elementary and secondary as well as district supervisors
of each district. It is hoped then that
each school could craft and submit AIP for CY 2015 on or before the deadline
set as agreed by the participants. (DepEd Butuan City Division/PIA-Agusan del
Norte)
