SurSur premier city all set to spearhead ‘double
celebration’ for July
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 10 (PIA) – The
city government here headed by Mayor Roxanne Pimentel is all set to spearhead
the holding of simultaneous program for both Nutrition and Disaster
Consciousness Month celebration at 7:30 a.m. on July 14 at the city gymnasium.
With the themes, “Timbang Iwasto sa Tamang
Nutrisyon at Ehersisyo!” and “Pamilya at Pamayanang Handa, Katuwang sa
Pag-unlad ng Bansa,” respectively, the lady chief executive said a parade will
mark the opening of the event.
Mayor Pimentel likewise enjoined all
member-agencies of the City Nutrition Committee (CNC), which she chairs, to
actively participate, requesting them to hang the prescribed Nutrition Month
Streamer at the facade of their respective offices to stir more public
awareness.
A formal program has already been sent out for the
guidance of all concerned. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
GenSan’s Aerotropolis to position Region 12 as
major Mindanao gateway
KORONADAL CITY, July 10 (PIA) – A top official from the Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA) said the proposed P959 million General Santos
City Airport Industrial Complex or Aerotropolis will position Region 12 as a
major international gateway in Mindanao.
MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz said the
Aerotropolis, a major infrastructure project being pushed under the Mindanao
Development Corridors will boost the competitiveness of Region 12, located in
the South-Central Mindanao Development Corridor.
“The project will integrate the different points
of entry in Region 12, particularly General Santos’ international airport,
fishport complex, and Makar Wharf,” said Lopoz at the 50th Regular Meeting of
the Regional Development Council XII at Villa Amor Hotel, held here recently.
Region 12 is composed of the four provinces of
North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani Province, and Sultan Kudarat, and the
five cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, General Santos, Kidapawan, and Cotabato.
The proposed Aerotropolis will develop some 200
hectares of property surrounding the General Santos airport to an integrated
complex that will include business parks, amusement parks, hotels, integrated
food terminal, food processing and manufacturing activities, and shopping malls.
“General Santos City has the potential to be a hub
for the consolidation of products and services due to its proximity to major
economic centers of Mindanao and the BIMP-EAGA,” she added.
BIMP-EAGA stands for Brunei Darussalam Indonesia
Malaysia the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area, an economic sub-grouping aimed
to accelerate social and economic development of less developed areas in
participating countries.
On top of the General Santos City Airport
Industrial Complex, other projects being pushed under the Mindanao Development
Corridors are the Mindanao Railway System, the Davao South Marina and
Industrial Park, the Davao International Airport Operations, Maintenance, and
Development Project, the Davao City Sasa Port Modernization Project, and a number
of major road projects connecting the South-Central Mindanao Corridor to other
development corridors.
The Mindanao Development Corridors is a key
spatial strategy of MinDA that will help pave the way for a connected and
globally competitive Mindanao. Cited under Chapter 10 of the updated Philippine
Development Plan, this strategy captures the Aquino government's accelerated infra
development agenda for Mindanao.
“We need to interconnect
Mindanao for it to be efficient,” said Lopoz while adding “the corridors
strategy will accelerate development and ensure aligning of infrastructure
projects in Mindanao to facilitate better economic activity and a much
attractive investment climate.”
The Mindanao corridors will also help position the
island-region as a single, integrated economy that is able to leverage and
actively participate in the BIMP-EAGA and the rest of the world.
“In the past several years,
Mindanao has been experiencing an economic growth of six to seven percent, but
this increase must also translate into higher incomes and more jobs,” she said.
The corridors strategy will allow for the
improvement of infrastructure, establishment of connectivity, and spur the
development of growth clusters within Mindanao, to achieve a balanced and
inclusive growth among its regions.
“We need to improve further
Mindanao’s connectivity and infrastructure in order for businesses to
experience huge reduction of transaction costs and divert savings to expansion,
which will provide employment to the region’s constituents,” she added.
Lopoz said one of the key components for a
competitive region is having good connectivity that will allow a smooth flow of
trade within and outside of the region.
“With the
corridors strategy, we can expect Mindanao’s growth to go into full swing and
at the same time boost its competitiveness in the global economic stage,” she
said. (MinDA/PIA-Caraga)
2015 Disaster Consciousness Month celebration in
SurSur makes headway
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 10 (PIA) – The
activities for the National Disaster Consciousness Month celebration in Surigao
del Sur are underway with the theme “Pamilya at Pamayanang Handa, Katuwang sa
Pag-unlad ng Bansa.”
Earlier, Abel De Guzman, PDRRMO chief bared the
schedule of various events that have started to take place mostly in the second
district of the province.
It can be recalled that the PDRRMO chief said that
the month-long activities include the 2nd Local DRRMO’s Quarterly Conference on
July 8-9; Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) Training in LGU-Lingig on July
8-12; Contingency Planning Enhancement
Workshop in LGU-Tago on July 14-15; WASAR in MarcVentures Mining Development
Corporation (MMDC) on July 19-21; 1st Rescuers Summit in Bislig City on July
24; and 2nd Johnny T. Pimentel (JTP) Rescuelympic in Bislig City on July 25-26.
Meanwhile, De Guzman reiterated that public
advisories on possible floods, landslides, and other disaster-related
occurrences are going to be part of their routine when appropriate and
necessary, citing the onset of rainy season and sometimes inclement weather.
(NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
DTI Surigao Norte intensifies consumer education
advocacy campaign
By Rodrigo R. Matabaran
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, July 10 (PIA) –
To help ordinary consumers get best value for money, the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) Surigao del Norte provincial office intensifies its Consumer
Education Advocacy activities at the grassroots level.
Since January of this year, a total of 35 consumer
advocacy activities were already conducted ranging from the distribution of
consumer education flyers up to the conduct of consumer briefings and seminars.
A total of over 700 individuals and households
were being reached in the process in various communities throughout the
province.
According to DTI provincial director Celestino L.
Negapatan, this effort has to be done consistently to educate the consumers on
the rights and responsibilities more so with the inflow of numerous products in
the local market.
Locally produced as well as imported products are
expected to flood the local market as economic integration of the Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will come into full effect, and wholesalers
and retailers continue to import consumer goods from other countries in the
world like the U.S., China, Japan and Korea among others.
Although it is expected that there could be
possibility that volume of consumer complaints might increase with more people
now being aware and fully understand their rights, various agencies having
official mandates to protect consumers had undertaken parallel efforts to
address and facilitate resolution of various government agencies to make
appropriate purchasing decision.
The agency encourages consumers to be watchful and
vigilant in choosing and using products to ensure their safety and well-being.
Quality has to be given due consideration first while at the same time trying
to have it at affordable cost.
As producers and manufacturers are using different
media to advertise and sell their products, consumers should not rely on one
source, and if possible must verify and validate the overall quality,
functionality, efficiency or efficacy of certain items.
One has to be wise consumer to be able to get the
best value for money every time we make a purchase, said Negapatan. (SDR/DTI-Surigao
del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
News Feature: Soybeans Gains Fame through SELAP
Project
By Vanessa P. Sanchez
Hitting two birds with one stone.
This is how the Patong-patong Rural Improvement
Club (RIC) of Brgy. Patong-patong, Madrid, Surigao del Sur sees their Soya Milk
Production project because they do not only earn a living but at the same time
they are also contributing to the improvement of the nutrition of the people.
The Patong-patong RIC, composed of 42 members,
availed of the livelihood project under the Support to Emergency and Livelihood
Assistance Program (SELAP) of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field
Office XIII (DA-RFO XIII) in 2014. The group chose the said project because
they saw the potential of the soybean industry.
Jocel Crizaldo, President of the Patong-patong
RIC, said that they were given P300,000 for the implementation of the project.
They used the amount as start-up capital and bought the needed equipment in
processing soya milk. They were also able to put up a small “sari-sari” store.
The group attended trainings on soybean processing
as part of the project package. They started their operation in October 2014
selling their product at the association’s sari-sari store. They have also tied
with the schools located nearby so can also display and sell their product at
the schools’ canteens. Bulk orders are also accepted. A bottle of soya milk is
sold for P15.
In February of this year, the group expanded their
project and started making a coffee drink from soybeans. Soya coffee is slowly
recognized and preferred by residents because of its natural ingredients. A
kilo of soya coffee sells for P200.
Crizaldo said that soya milk offers many health
benefits that is why it is good for children and even adults. In fact, among
their frequent buyers are the senior citizens of the area including Jesucita
Bringen who swears that when she started drinking soya milk and soya coffee she
felt invigorated.
“I used to suffer from arthritis but drinking soya
milk and soya coffee relieves me of my arthritis pains. I feel I have gained
some of my old strength back,” Bringen said.
On the other hand, Jocel Palomar, a member of the
Patong-patong RIC, said that she noticed some changes in her son EJ since he
started drinking soya milk. He gained weight and is more energetic and alert.
In support to the project, the local government
unit of Madrid through the Municipal Agriculture Office initiated a soybean
production project. Municipal Agriculturist Ilogon said they initiated planting
of soybeans in the municipality so that the RIC will have ready access to
soybeans, the raw material of their product.
Crizaldo said that their project has been a big
help to them because it has been an avenue for them to earn extra income.
Further, she said their time is now used on productive activities and it is
also a bonus that they get to help improve the health of the people who
patronize their products. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
