Phil. Red Cross Butuan City-AgNor Chapter reports
May 2015 accomplishments
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, June 26 (PIA) - The Philippine Red
Cross (PRC) Agusan del Norte-Butuan City Chapter convened its board of
directors and representatives from government agencies for a meeting held on
Thursday at Balanghai Hotel, this city. The different committees reported its
accomplishments for the month of May 2015.
The committee on Disaster Management Services
bared that for the month of May 2015, the local chapter was able to undertake
the following activities: 1) attended the Search for GAWAD Kalasag 2015
evaluation in different municipalities in Agusan del Norte; 2) conducted one
class on Basic Disaster Management Training Course with 25 graduates from
Agusan National High School (ANHS) Elite Senior Red Cross Youth (SRYC) and
Safety Services Volunteers; and 3) continued monitoring with regards to the
weather condition affecting the province and different barangays are receiving
updates from Red Cross.
The Blood Services Committee revealed that in the
same month, the local chapter has collected a total of 549 units of blood
including those acquired from bloodletting activities.
It was also learned from the Health Services
Committee that for the month of May 2015, the local chapter has oriented 86
participants from the Red Cross 143 Program.
The local chapter was also able to undertake the
following activities for the Red Cross Youth Services/Volunteer Services: 1)
sent five participants for the Youth Instructors Training Course held at Iligan
City Red Cross Chapter and all five participants graduated from the training
and are now certified Red Cross Youth Instructors; 2) celebrated the 153rd
World Red Cross Day in Butuan City; and 3) oriented 86 participants for the Red
Cross 143 coming from Life Bank Foundation members and all are now new members
for Red Cross 143.
Meanwhile, among its upcoming activities for this
year include the holding of the 14th Chapter-wide Red Cross Youth Camp on
October 2-4, 2015 at the Caraga State University (CSU) Cabadbaran City Campus.
Accordingly, the number of registrants for the said activity is increasing.
Also, a Million Volunteer Run 3 in the city on
December 13, 2015, 6:00 a.m. Registration fee is P400.00/participant and will
receive singlet, wrist band and certificate. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Disciplined spending, maximized personnel
utilization key to Naliyagan Festival's success says AgSur guv
By David M. Suyao
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, June 26 (PIA) – Governor Adolph Edward Plaza
said disciplined spending of resources and maximized utilization of personnel
were the key to the successful celebration of the Naliyagan Festival this year.
Unlike the previous celebrations, this year’s
preparation of the Naliyagan Festival was done purely by the provincial chiefs
of offices as ordered by Gov. Plaza as they (chiefs of offices) organized
themselves into different working committees depending upon their line of
functions in discharging their duties and responsibilities as employees of the
provincial capitol.
“Like for example in the preparation of the
Naliyagan Trade, Service and Entertainment Center, the Naliyagan Stakeholders
Association, Inc. (NSAI) has assigned Dr. Rodel Maglungsod of the Provincial
Economic Enterprise and Development Office (PEEDO) with Engr. Cynthia Lumanda
of the Provincial Planning and Development Office. The Provincial Government of
Agusan del Sur (PGAS) Local Governance Best Practices was shouldered by the
Provincial Chiefs of Offices Club (PCOC) provincial level, the 'Aduw tu mgu
Tribung Agusanon' a reportoire of native song and dances by Dr. Evelyn Nada of
the Philippine Normal University and many other committees,” Gov. Plaza said.
Aside from assigning the chiefs of offices to
different committees, Gov. Plaza said they were also made in-charge of the day
to day activities.
“For around five years now of celebrating the
Naliyagan Festival, we did not invite any dignitaries and political leaders from
the national level because of financial constraints. The Commission on Audit
(COA) is very tight on the COA rules and regulations but thanks to COA because
we have spent less," Gov. Plaza said.
"For the working committees, we did not hire
expert organizers but instead, I ask the NSAI to maximize the utilization of
personnel depending upon their skills and talents and there they are, working
to the best of their ability and skills, resulting to a successful Naliyagan
Festival celebration,” he added. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
19th Kaliguan Festival kicks off in SurSur
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, June 26 (PIA) – The
19th Kaliguan Festival being held at Cagwait White Beach in Cagwait town, 34.5
kilometers south, this city, has already kicked off on June 24 with the usual
grand opening ceremonies.
Set for four days until June 27 in honor of St.
John the Baptist, more activities are yet to unfold including various
competitions like sand art, tug-of war, pinoy games, and Perlas ng Kaliguan
2015 beauty pageant.
Also, several rock bands are lined up to entertain
tourists, guests and locals on a nightly basis dubbed as “Rocklakan” until the
wee hours of the morning, based on the program schedule.
Rocklakan is coined word for rock music and
“laklak,” a pinoy term for drinking spree, since one of the beer giants in the
country acts as one of the festival’s sponsors.
With the theme “One Beach, One Dance, One GREAT
Cagwait,” this tourism hub at the central part of the province has continued to
surprise and attract many due to its fine white sand aside from amiable
inhabitants headed by Mayor Lilian Lozada.
It will culminate with “Sayaw sa Kaliguan” on June
27, featuring more “dancing activities.”
Kaliguan Festival has started way back in June
1996. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
AgNor solon prohibits allowances to COA personnel
By Aimee B. Sienes
BUTUAN CITY, June 26 (PIA) - Cong. Erlpe John M.
Amante of the second district of Agusan del Norte wants to prohibit government
entities to allocate funds for the additional compensation, allowances,
honoraria, bonuses and other emoluments to the officials and personnel of the
Commission on Audit (COA) stationed in or assigned in different government
agencies.
This move is embodied in House Bill No. 5352
passed recently in the House of Representatives.
Under the said bill, it shall be unlawful and
illegal for the officials and personnel of the COA, especially those who are
stationed in or assigned in the government entities including government-owned
or controlled corporations, government financial institutions or local
government units to receive all forms of additional compensation, allowances,
honoraria, bonuses and other emoluments for their services rendered in
performing their official functions, except those compensation, allowances,
honoraria, bonuses and other emoluments directly paid by the COA out of its
annual budget and appropriations.
It is also unlawful and illegal for any government
entities including government-owned or controlled corporations, government
financial institutions or local government units to allocate funds from their
respective funds from their respective office budget and appropriations, for
the additional compensation, allowances, honoraria, bonuses and other
emoluments for the services rendered by the resident COA Auditors and their
personnel in performing their official functions.
The bill also provided that any official or
personnel of the COA found to be violating the said act shall, upon conviction,
be punished with imprisonment of six months and one day to 12 years, perpetual
disqualification from public office and shall refund all those previously
received additional compensation, allowances, honoraria, bonuses and other
emoluments.
Further, any officer of the government entities
including government-owned or controlled corporations, government financial
institutions or local government units who caused the release of any additional
compensation, allowances, honoraria, bonuses and other emoluments to the
officials and personnel of the COA shall, upon conviction, be punished with
imprisonment of six months and one day to 12 years and perpetual
disqualification from public office.
Cong. Amante said that through this measure, “we
can truly preserve the independence, morality and integrity of the Commission
on Audit and the people are assured that there are concrete safeguards in the
government spending of public funds.” (LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del
Norte)
AgNor guv inks MOA with PCIC for agri-fishery
insurance protection
By Aimee B. Sienes
BUTUAN CITY, June 26 (PIA) – Agusan del Norte
governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell “Angel” M. Amante-Matba recently signed the
Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation
(PCIC) for the implementation of the Comprehensive Insurance Protection for
agri-fishery projects and programs of the province of Agusan del Norte.
Present during the MOA at the Provincial
Governor’s Office Conference Room were representatives of the PCIC led by
Antonio S. Uy, Vice President of the Corporate Business Affairs Group of PCIC,
Director Dioscoro A. Granada, PCIC Chair of the Board of Directors and Atty.
Rosa M. Gatinao, Regional Manager of PCIC -10 who also gave their respective
messages.
"The province is committed to help and
protect our farmers, and I've considered this MOA signing as the start of our
long-term partnership in helping our farmers cope with the losses incurred
during calamities," Gov. Matba said.
The provincial government allocated P500,000.00 to
be taken from the five percent Local Risk Reduction Management Fund (LRRMF) and
said amount shall be divided into four, P125,000.00 each for corn, rice,
livestock and fishery products.
For this year, the pilot municipalities that can
avail of the agricultural insurance protection are the municipalities
identified as flood-prone areas, namely: Las Nieves, RTR, Magallanes, Jabonga
and Buenavista, and the following year, municipalities of Carmen, Nasipit,
Tubay, Santiago, Kitcharao and city of Cabadbaran can avail of the same.
Uy urged the provinical officials to support the
farmers from the effects of natural calamities by helping them insure their
crops.
Atty. Gatinao also said that their agency can
extend support to farmers through the agricultural insurance protection program
of the agency. (LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DAR Surigao Norte gives P1.8M service facilities
to agrarian orgs
By Daryll M. Tumbaga & Merlita D. Aranas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, June 26 (PIA) -
The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Surigao del Norte turned-over
recently common service facilities (CSFs) to its five assisted Agrarian Reform
Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) in line with the 27th anniversary
celebration of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform (CARP) Program.
The said CSFs turn-over is through the agency's
Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCESS)
program.
The CSFs have a combined total amount of
Php1,851,102.28.
The five assisted ARBOs were the Himamaug Agra
Credit Organization that received three units of rice thresher and one unit of
power tiller cultivator; Tubod Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative received two
units of rice thresher; Esperanza Farmers Credit Cooperative received two units
of reaper; Budlingin Rural Workers Association received one unit of power
tiller cultivator; all of the province of Surigao del Norte, and the Luna Agra
Manufacturing Producers Cooperative of the province of Dinagat Islands that
received one unit of rice thresher. (SDR/DAR-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
RPOC 13 en route to Caraga roadmap for peace
completion
By Archie Rose G. Vasquez
BUTUAN CITY, June 26 (PIA) - The Regional Peace
and Order Council (RPOC) in partnership with GIZ-Conflict Sensitive Resource
and Asset Management (COSERAM) facilitated the finalization of the Caraga
Roadmap for Peace last June 19, 2015 at Samping Avenue, this city. The activity was graced by the selected
members of the RPOC, Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) Secretariat and
Focal Persons, partners National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA),
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Parole and
Probation Administration (PPA), as well as private sector representatives.
The activity aims to present the enhanced inputs
of the Caraga Roadmap for Peace results matrix and operational plan, generate
final comments on the enhanced inputs, and finalize the consolidated
operational plan per Peace Building Development Needs (PBDNs).
The Caraga Roadmap for Peace will clearly define
the direction for RPOC towards peace and order in the region. The strategic
plan which is also known as the “roadmap for peace” will provide a blueprint of
RPOC activities that will ensure attainment of the RPOC goals and objectives.
Basically, the roadmap for peace intends to address the four common factors
(conflict lines) that affect the peace situation in the region: criminality,
insurgency, indigenous people and resource-based issues.
The exchange of comments and views with other
institutions provided an avenue for the identification of strategic and
comprehensive plan which did not only encourage active participation and
partnership towards the attainment of RPOC goals but also build up capacity
development among the working group. It also strengthens the commitment of the
participating agencies and organizations as key players in the delivery of
relevant roles geared towards the successful implementation of the Roadmap for
peace.
The final consolidated operational plan of the
Caraga Roadmap for Peace generated from this activity will be presented to the
council chaired by Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. on July for
adoption. (DILG-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
