Caraga Reg’l Advisory Committee on 4Ps launches
its 2015 breakthrough goals, directives
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 20 (PIA) – The Regional Advisory
Council on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) led by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga launched on Friday its
breakthrough goals and directives for 2015.
In time with the committee’s first quarter
meeting, DSWD-Caraga regional director Brigoli presented its breakthrough goals
and directives. According to her, the department aimed to raise the level of
well-being of 88,103 Pantawid Pamilya families by end of 2015 (in sets 1-6);
complete the Social Welfare and Development Indicators (SWDI) tool
administration to 159,967 Pantawid Pamilya Program families in sets 1-7; and
ensure that 16,000 families are engaged in sustainable and productive activities.
“We also aimed to increase the number of National
Housing Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTSPR)-identified poor
families covered by at least two SWD Programs from 193,000 to 209,071 by end of
2015. We want to ensure that 50 local government units are utilizing the
NHTS-PR data in the provision of SWD programs and services, as well as to
provide monthly technical assistance to 73 Municipal/City Action Teams to
ensure compliance to the City/Municipal Transition Plans,” disclosed Brigoli.
Brigoli also said that the committee aimed to
increase the number of provinces with fully functional Local Social Welfare and
Development Offices (LSWDOs) by the end of 2015. “We will provide technical
assistance and resource augmentation to 46 LSWDOs and complete the baseline
assessment of the remaining 32 LSWDOs,” she added.
Meanwhile, the good director also revealed its
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) agenda for this year.
“With our aim to be ISO-certified, the department
has also to intensify the implementation of various social protection programs
and services to increase people’s resiliency to address the situation of
poverty and effects of climate change in the region; synergize and strengthen
cooperation, collaboration and partnership with various stakeholders to ensure
effective delivery of social protection programs and services; and
operationalize dully and sustain functionality of developed systems and
procedures to make them more efficient in ensuring the desired outcomes at all
levels,” highlighted Brigoli.
Brigoli further emphasized that the department
will continue to strengthen management support processes, policies and
structures to veer towards internationally accepted standards. (JPG/
PIA-Caraga)
AgSur guv confers 134 graduates of basic search,
rescue training
By David M. Suyao
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Mar. 20 (PIA) –
Governor Adolph Edward Plaza confers this morning the 134 graduates of Basic
Search and Rescue course that will automatically become members of the Search
and Rescue Agusan del Sur (SARAS) teams of the different municipalities where
they respectively reside.
In a simple but solemn ceremony, the graduates,
clad in orange, sat silently waiting for their names to be called to receive
the certificate of completion while members of their families who supported
them for the whole 10 days duration of the training surrounded them to witness
their commitment of their noble cause of volunteerism.
In his message, Gov. Plaza thanked the trainees
for responding to the call of the government as volunteers in times of disaster
and calamities in order to save lives and properties.
“Indeed, it is very heart-warming to see willing
and able faces of people like you who sacrificed to participate in this 10-day
training. Leaving your families and personal responsibilities behind, you
voluntarily came here to personally signify your spirit of volunteerism to act
as front liners during disasters and calamities so that others will live.
Because of what I witnessed, I am contemplating that all the SARAS will again
have a refresher training on November so that your skills in the search and
rescue operation will be enhanced while developing closer camaraderie and
cooperation. I will also do my best to produce additional equipment so that you
will also become more effective in the discharge of your responsibilities. Again, from the bottom of my heart, congratulations
to all of you, newly graduates,” Gov. Plaza said.
In response, three of the participants responded
almost the same with each other, saying they do not expect that the training
was as rigid as they experienced.
A lady trainee said, she was made to eat food that
never in her entire life have tasted it, but it added energy and strength to
even perform better.
The new year (2015) of Agusan del Sur was greeted
by typhoon Seniang that caused landslides and floods. Millions worth of
properties, roads and bridges, farm products were damaged and most of all,
lives were lost. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
OWWA-13 organizes lecture seminar on health
issues, HIV-AIDS awareness
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 20 (PIA) - In line with the 2015
Women’s Month celebration and Gender and Development (GAD) activity, the
Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Regional Welfare Office-13
organized a one-day seminar on Menopausal-Andropausal Health Issues and
HIV-AIDS awareness held recently at OWWA training hall.
The activity aimed at promoting awareness on the
pressing health concern confronting the men and women going through the
menopausal and andropausal stage. The HIV-AIDS was also tackled to create
consciousness among the participants with the gradual increase of cases in the
region.
Around 30 OFW Family Circle (OFC) members
consisting of mostly women coming from various barangays of the city and
Nasipit, Agusan del Norte and some OWWA personnel participated in the lecture
seminar.
Emmie Marie Cabahug, Training Specialist III and
Family Planning Coordinator of Caraga Regional Health Office served as the
resource speaker.
Highlighted in her discussions are the symptoms of
menopausal and andropausal, approaches to manage it and what to do to maximize
health at this stage.
Cabahug also presented the statistics of HIV-AIDS
cases in the country during the last 30 years (1884-2014) and as well as the
cases in Caraga for the last 19 years (1995-June 2014) which has shown alarming
increased.
She also expounded how HIV-AIDS affects the body
and how it can be prevented, treated and managed.
In his message, OWWA OIC regional director Eduardo
Bellido said that the concept of the seminar is an offshoot of the consultative
meeting with OFW Family Circles in Agusan del Norte held last February.
Bellido expressed that the topic relates to the
men and women’s life as part of the human cycle.
“For me, when you aged up, you age gracefully. It
is only a normal cycle of human life and we have to face ultimately out there,”
conveyed Bellido.
Likewise, he advised the participants to be
preventive and encouraged them undergo regular check-up.
After the discussions, an open forum was also
facilitated to clarify the queries of the participants.
While aside from initiating the said activity,
OWWA-13 also participated earlier in the color fun-walk activity which served
as the kick-off ceremony on Women’s Month Celebration in Caraga spearheaded by
the Regional Development Council – Gender and Development Coordinating
Committee (RDC-GADCC) chaired by Atty. Marlyn Pintor.
The observance of National Women’s month every
March is in line with Proclamation No. 227 promulgated in 1988. This year’s
celebration carries the theme, “Juana, ang Desisyon Mo ay Mahalaga para sa
Kinabukasan ng Bawat Isa, Ikaw na” and pays tribute to all women leaders who
passionately led and continue to advance women’s advocacies.
(OWWA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Surigao Norte provincial tourism office bares 2015
tourism projects
By John Glenn Platil
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Mar. 20 (PIA) –
The Provincial Tourism Office here recently introduced and piloted giant
projects for the province in line with its flagship program dubbed “Marajaw
Turismo Advocacy.”
Provincial Tourism officer-in-charge Arturo Cruje
said that the provincial government is happy to announce four epic tourism
projects approved for implementation this year.
Cruje said that in Socorro town, a floating
restaurant is in progress on top of the development of Sabang Mangrove Forests
and Park, construction of Busay Falls and creation of “Bahay Turista” which he
described as "well-advanced and well-situated."
“There are projects approved under the
bottom-up-budgeting (BUB) of the Department of Tourism. Several projects were
also implemented last year under this scheme,” Cruje asserted.
In the municipality of Bacuag, Tranquility Beach
Road is set to be improved while tourism cottages will also be constructed and
in San Francisco, the establishment of Tourism Information Center and purchase
of equipment will also take their course.
Moreover, a Tourist Assistance Center will be
built in Pilar worth P420,000.
“These are tourism initiatives of said
municipalities to boost tourism in their respective areas. And as to visitor
arrivals and investments, we are growing fast in the last five years,” Cruje
affirmed. (SDR/PIC-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
DepEd, BSP award best finance educators in
elementary schools
MANILA, Mar. 20 (PIA) - Teachers from Butuan City,
Baguio City, and Alaminos, Laguna emerged as the national winners of the 2014
GURO NG PAG-ASA (Gantimpala para sa Ulirang PagtutuRO ng PAG-iimpok at Araling
PanSAlapi) in awarding ceremonies held Wednesday at the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) here.
The 2014 GURO ng PAG-ASA National Winners are:
Angelie C. Alvizo of Butuan City Special Education (SPED) Center, Butuan City
for Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP); Juana Nimfa P. Abrigo of Alaminos
Elementary School, Laguna for Araling Panlipunan (AP); Danilo B. Bambico of
Baguio City Special Education (SPED) Center, Baguio City for Edukasyong
Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP).
A new award, the Bida sa Pag-iimpok at
Pangkabuhayan Award (BSP Award), was also given this year to honor the best
sustained savings and entrepreneurship program implemented by a
teacher/student/class or school. The BSP
Award was given to Rexza Mae C. Panaligan, a grade 5 student of Santa Barbara
Central Elementary School, Iloilo for her peer tutoring program where she
demonstrated resourcefulness in managing her own finances and strong commitment
to promoting financial skills to her peers.
On its third year, GURO ng PAG-ASA is an annual
rewards program of the Department of Education (DepEd)-Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) for the best teachers who teach and integrate lessons in
saving, money management, and entrepreneurship in the elementary curriculum
through three entry subjects: Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, Araling Panlipunan,
and Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan.
The most nominations were received this year which
include entries from twelve (12) regions out of seventeen (17) in the country.
The nominees were narrowed down by the screening committee composed of
representatives from DepEd and the academe.
This year’s winners were chosen not only for their
exemplary performance in teaching financial lessons to their pupils but also for
their exceptional dedication to extend financial education to their respective
communities. Area Finalists include Jose Michael C. Gaje of Santa Barbara
Central Elementary School, Iloilo, and Maria Lucille V. Gabriel of San
Ildefonso Elementary School, Bulacan for EsP, Jeanette Z. Bagtas of Caba
Elementary School, La Union and Brigida P. Borra of Passi I Central Elementary
School, Iloilo for AP, and Darwin T. Tadifa of Tubungan Central Elementary
School, Iloilo for EPP.
The Board of Judges, chaired by former DepEd OIC
Dr. Fe A. Hidalgo, also include Dr. Wilma S. Reyes, Philippine Normal
University Vice President for Research, Planning and Quality Assurance, and Dr.
Marilette R. Almayda, Director III of the Bureau of Elementary Education-DepEd
as members. (BSP/PIA-Caraga)
Feature Story: HOPE revives farmers' dignity
By Vanessa P. Sanchez
Gone are the days when farmers look down upon
themselves and depend solely on dole-outs from the government for their needs.
In San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, farmers have
proven that it is possible to be self-reliant. Thanks to the efforts of the
Hugpong sa Organikong Pagpanguma ug Edukasyon (HOPE). HOPE is an organization
of farmers from the said town who are practicing and at the same time
advocating organic farming.
The group was organized in 2012 during the conduct
of a Farmer’s Field School (FFS) on rice conducted by the Municipal Agriculture
Office of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. At the said FFS, farmers were taught
about organic farming technologies. Having understood the benefits and value of
organic agriculture, the said farmers decided to create their organization with
the primary aim of educating their fellow farmers about the benefits of organic
cultivation and encourage them to shift into organic farming.
According to HOPE Adviser Faith Aurora Dicang,
numerous trainings were conducted in the municipality and they have also been
invited to conduct trainings in neighboring towns. “Farmers feel that they can
relate with our speakers because they are also practicing farmers so they know
what they are talking about,” Dicang said.
Practicing what they preach, the group is
producing and selling their own vinegar and organic concoctions as an income
generating activity. Every three months, they produce an average of 200 liters
of each kind of concoctions including Oriental Herbal Nutrients, Fermented
Plant Juice, Fermented Fruit Juice, Calcium Phosphate, Indigenous Micro
Organism, and Fish Amino Acid. They also ventured into organic vegetable and
organic rice production. The group received various assistance from the
Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 13 including a shredder,
tractor and a thresher which they use in their organic farming endeavors.
“We are happy to see the change in the attitude of
the farmers because we feel that we have achieved our goal,” Dicang said. As a
next step plan, they are now pushing for the establishment of an organic
trading center in the municipality so that farmers practicing organic farming
will have a venue to sell their products and more farmers will be encouraged to
shift from conventional to organic agriculture. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
