RDRRMC Caraga conducts ICT-Bayanihan workshop in
Surigao Norte
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Oct.
19 (PIA) - The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)
through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga in coordination with the
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) here
conducted a two-day workshop on Emergency Telecommunications Summit:
Information Communications Technology (ICT) Bayanihan on October 13-14, 2016 at
Tavern Hotel, this city.
RDRRMC chairperson and OCD Caraga
regional director Manuel Luis M. Ochotorena said the workshop aims to establish
a framework to strengthen the effectiveness of ICT during disaster response
operations.
Ochotorena said that the ICT-Bayanihan
workshop gave emphasis on the unity of efforts of all provincial key ICT
players of the emergency telecommunications cluster and its partner from the
private sectors and volunteer groups using the existing domestic and
international legal frameworks, guidelines, agreements and programs in the
country.
Ochotorena said under the Emergency
Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), an ICT rapid deployment team will be
organized through the Rapid Emergency Telecommunications Team (RETT), which
will provide assistance during disasters, and establish a functional and usable
command and control communications frameworks for the Humanitarian Clusters and
Incident Command Post (ICP) and foster communications interoperability and
commonality from the regional down to barangay emergency response providers.
Ochotorena further said that under the
Republic Act 10121, the OCD is tasked to establish standard operating
procedures on the communication system among provincial, city, municipal, and
barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils, for the purpose of
warning and alerting the council and for gathering information on disaster
areas before, during and after disasters.
“That is why we invited those with
experience in emergency telecommunications for us to have an inventory based on
their expertise and capabilities that can be deployed immediately in times of
disasters to efficiently and effectively deliver government’s response and
assess the situation on the ground,“ Ochotorena added. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
DAR-PARCCOM has new officers in SurSur
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 19
(PIA) - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) of Surigao del Sur has elected
and inducted its new set of officers for Provincial Agrarian Reform
Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM).
According to DAR Information Officer
Myra Yu, the officers officially took their oath of office held at Shacene
Pension House, this city.
The newly-elected officers who will
represent the different sectors are: Selvestre Maratas for Farmers’
Organization; Leonardo Evangelista for Agricultural Cooperative; Jim Laurente
and Timotheo Orquina, Jr. for Land Owners; Nora Apique and Rebecca Undangan for
ARB-Principal Crop; Cesar Bat-ao for Indigenous People; and Radigundo Rivas for
Non-Government Organizations.
PARCCOM is mandated to provide
information on the provisions of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program
(CARP) guidelines issued by the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) and
on the progress of the CARP in the province.
The newly-elected officers will serve
for three years as provided under PARC Administrative Order No. 1 Series of
1997. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Divers explore Tarusan River in Hinatuan
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 19
(PIA) - A Filipino dive team led by one of the founders of Filipino Cave Divers
and instructor of Technical Diving International, Jake Miranda, ventured
into the underwater cave passage of Tarusan River through the Tarusan River
Exploration on October 1, 2016 in Hinatuan town, this province.
According to Hinatuan Tourism Officer
Gemma Millan, Miranda together with his team of cave divers, is very active in
the discoveries and explorations of underwater cave systems.
Millan said he is instrumental in the
conduct of the Hinatuan Enchanted River Cave Expedition on March 20, 2013, “(It
is) self-funded because of his passion for explorations and love for Hinatuan.”
Millan said the exploration is a vital
first step in determining the touristic potential of the attraction and may
become alternative destination and "place to see” where tourists and
guests can visit in addition to Enchanted River.
“The boat trail, on the other hand, may
become a recreational attraction in the future,” she said.
“With proper planning, Tarusan River
and boat trail have the potentials to become significant tourism attraction and
activity and help stir up employment for the locals and open up more businesses
in the area,” she added. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
AgNor PDRRM officer shares best practices,
initiatives on DRRM-CCA
By April Rose Anne Y. Sanchez
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) - Erma R. Suyo, the
Provincial DRRM Officer of Agusan del Norte, recently shared the province’s
significant accomplishments and milestones on Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management and Climate Change Adaptation (DRRM-CCA) during the 8th airing of
the monthly radio program of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga Region
dubbed as 4Ks or “Kaalam sa Katalagman, Kalig-on sa Katawhan.”
Said program was aired over DXBN Radyo ng Bayan
Butuan on October 18, 2016 from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M.
“I am proud to express that one of the strengths of
our province is the strong commitment and participation of our City/Municipal
DRRM Councils on DRRM and CCA; that even our barangays are mainstreaming DRRM
and CCA in plans and projects of their respective communities. It is
overwhelming how our communities head initiatives to reduce and manage disaster
risks," Suyo said.
The province is on the height of promoting the
culture of disaster prevention and preparedness. Different capacity-building
and planning activities relative to DRRM-CCA are continuously and repeatedly
conducted by the Agusan del Norte Training Team to empower communities. “Our
communities are our first line of defense. Community empowerment is not to
overpower LGUs on planning processes and decision making but rather to give
them the power and authority to influence their constituents in the effective
and efficient implementation of DRRM and CCA,” Suyo added.
As the province strengthens its Community-Based
DRRM, the PDRRMO believes that necessary systems, protocols and procedures
shall be established and community action teams shall be created. “We cannot
afford to be complacent all the time,” she shared.
Further, trainings are complemented by investments
in systems and infrastructures at the local level to advance local policies in
order to sustain sustainability. The provinces has implemented
climate-resilient infrastructure projects amounting to 100 million pesos.
Multipurpose halls with complete and gender-sensitive facilities are converted
into evacuation centers.
Walang Iwanan sa Bayan ni Maria
Suyo presented one of province’s best practices
dubbed as WIBM or “Walang Iwanan sa Bayan ni Maria” that aims to secure the
oneness of the province in all ways and aspects. The province is the primary
source of all capacity-building initiatives to ensure full participation and
unity of LGUs. The partnership schemes of the province and its LGUs strongly
continue through sharing of resources. Likewise, the province tightens its risk
transfer mechanisms and land banking. “In Agusan del Norte, no LGU shall be
left behind,” Suyo stressed.
“We are also investing in our youths. We have a
youth program called YOUNG ADNERT which stands for Youth Operative in Urgency
Nurturing Goodwill – Agusan del Norte Emergency Response Team and we have
trained National Service Training Program (NSTP) students. These youths are now
conducting CBDRRM and school risk assessments. Moreover, teachers are involved
in CBDRRM,” the PDRRMO explained.
The province of Agusan del Norte won as the First
Place Winner in the 2015 Regional Gawad KALASAG Search for Excellence in DRRM
and Humanitarian Assistance and was declared as the Second Place Winner in the
2015 National Gawad KALASAG for Best Provincial DRRM Category. It is the Second
Place Winner in this year’s Regional Gawad KALASAG for the same category.
The province makes certain that its programs,
projects and activities on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Disaster
Preparedness, Disaster Response and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery are
effectively and efficiently realized. (OCD-Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
