Butuan dad highlights Balangay Festival
celebration, city’s transformation
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, May 10 (PIA) – “Butuan City is now
embarking on a transformation journey. From an old river kingdom, Butuan will
ascend towards becoming a great hub city of opportunities for all. We are
switching BUTUAN ON.”
This was the statement of Butuan City Mayor Engr.
Ronnie Vicente Lagnada during a press conference on 2017 Balangay Festival
here.
“We own this transformation journey together. We
have a vision, and that vision inspires us to look beyond our horizons. Our
Balangay will again travel oceans and high seas. We will be a kingdom
unearthed; a city ascending,” added Lagnada.
The good mayor also announced that 'BUTUAN ON' is a
movement towards a vision. "Lagsik na Dakbayan (Alive City) is that
vision; our end state. BUTUAN ON is the rebirth, rediscovery, and rebuilding of
our city towards that vision. My fellow Butuanons, we have big dreams for
Butuan. We want it to be a competitive, livable, sustainable, and smart eco
city," he added.
Lagnada reiterated that year’s celebration will
kick-off Wednesday, May 10 with the conduct of a motorcade at 3:00 p.m. and a
grand opening ceremony at 7:00 p.m at the Libertad Sports Complex. “This is one
of the most important events as this will showcase performances by top-caliber
artists who will perform the journey of Butuan from an ancient and glorious
kingdom to where it will be in the future,” he highlighted.
Also, city councilor Cherry Busa, Sanggunaing
Panlungsod (SP) committee chair on Tourism bared that the city government
ensures active cooperation and participation of all the barangays in the city
for this year's monthlong celebration of the Balangay Festival. She also emphasized
that Butuan has a brand of being one of the historic lands in the country.
Meanwhile, the 26 candidates of the 2017 Mutya Hong
Butuan were introduced to the media and invited the public to witness the
event. The said pageant is happening on May 18, 2017 at the Father Saturnino
Urios University (FSUU) Gymnasium, this city.
Lagnada further revealed that the 2017 Mutya Hong
Butuan aims to gain participation from the 86 barangays, thus, giving them the
power to choose andendorse the chosen candidate per barangay and provide the
candidates' needs all throughout the pageant.
“As Butuan City aims to soar high, the best lady
who wins the pageant will become the brand ambassadress to help in the tourism
and investment promotion,” underscored Lagnada. (JPG/Butuan City
PIO/PIA-Caraga)
DepEd SurSur launches Oplan Balik Eskwela 2017
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, May 10 (PIA) – The
Department of Education (DepEd) Surigao del Sur Schools Division on Tuesday has
launched the Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) in the city through the conduct of the
convergence meeting together with the education stakeholders aimed to safeguard
the smooth opening of classes on June.
DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Marilou
Dedumo revealed that a total of 380 elementary public schools under the
supervision of Surigao del Sur Schools Division are now operating this year
because of the opening of the Indigenous People's schools, a slight increase as
compared to 360 schools last year.
“No child shall be left behind, we would like to
provide basic education regardless of the culture, regardless of the race of
the group, everybody has the right to education,” Dedumo stressed.
Meanwhile, the 2017 Brigada Eskwela kick-off
program, also known as the National Schools Maintenance Week is set on May 12
at 8:00 a.m. at Tagbina National High School (TNHS), Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.
TNHS was the 2016 Brigada Eskwela National Best Implementer-Large School
Secondary Category. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)
100 benefit from 'operation tuli' in Butuan City
By Christine Mah
BUTUAN CITY, May 10 (PIA) - A total of 100 boys
benefited from the operation tuli (circumcision) conducted recently by the
barangay council of Bancasi here in partnership with the 4th Civil Military
Operations (CMO) Battalion, Philippine Army at the barangay hall of the said
barangay.
Brgy. Captain Fidel G. Cineza, Jr. said the
activity is held every year in preparation for their upcoming fiesta.
"The activity is intended only for the
residents of Brgy. Bancasi and on first come first served basis," he said.
He also said that free medicines were provided to
the beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, CMO commanding offcier Lt. Col. Manuel
Valdez IV they have extended manpower assistance to the barangay. "We are
glad to be of service to the community," Valdez said.
Families and parents of the children expressed
their gratitude to the organizers because of the savings in medical expenses. (PIA-Caraga)
Army nabs NPA leader in Agusan del Sur
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, May 10 – A high
ranking leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the province was arrested by
soldiers on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.
According to the report from 401st Brigade, the top
NPA leader was identified as Rany Gargar Undayon alias ‘Ian/Abloy’ of Guerilla
Front (GF) 19. He was arrested in Purok-1, Barangay Libertad, this town.
‘Ka Ian’ was the commanding officer of Platoon 7 of
the NPAs operating in Prosperidad and San Francisco both of Agusan del Sur;
Lianga and Barobo of Surigao del Sur. He has four Warrants of Arrest for Murder
and Frustrated Murders for crimes committed in the communities.
Major General Benjamin Madrigal of the 4th Infantry
Division congratulated the operatives as he exhorted 401st Brigade under Col.
Cristobal Zaragoza to continue pursuing relentlessly the NPA bandits.
The arrest of the NPA leader came on the eve of the
turn–over of command of the 3rd Special Forces Battalion from LTC Patrick De
Villa to LTC Rudy Parallag. (401st Brigade, Phil. Army/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Feature: Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos: a
prescription to good nutrition
By Celina Ann Z. Javier
BUTUAN CITY, May 10 - The Nutritional Guidelines
for Filipinos (NGF) is a set of dietary guidelines based on the eating pattern,
lifestyle, and health status of Filipinos.
The NGF contains all the nutrition messages to
healthy living for all age groups from infants to adults, pregnant and
lactating women, and the elderly.
The first NGF released in 1990 was composed of five
messages called “Dietary Guidelines for Filipinos.”
In 2000, a revised nutritional guidelines composed
of ten messages was released and it was called the Nutritional Guidelines for
Filipinos.
In 2012, the Technical Working Group (TWG) for the
revision of the NGF, led by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the
Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) developed a new set of the
NGF, based on the 2000 edition.
The 2012 NGF now includes the basis and
justification for each of the ten nutritional and health message.
Below are the new messages of the 2012 NGF:
-
Eat a variety of foods everyday to get the nutrients needed by the body.
-
Breastfeed infants exclusively from birth up to six months and then give
appropriate complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding for two years
and beyond for optimum growth and development.
-
Eat more vegetables and fruits to get the essential vitamins, minerals,
and fiber for regulation of body processes.
-
Consume fish, lean meat, poultry, egg, dried beans or nuts daily for
growth and repair of body tissues.
-
Consume milk, milk products, and other calcium-rich food such as small
fish and shellfish, everyday for healthy bones and teeth.
-
Consume safe foods and water to prevent diarrhea and other food-and
water-borne diseases.
-
Use iodized salt to prevent Iodine Deficiency Disorders.
-
Limit intake of salty, fried, fatty, and sugar-rich foods to prevent
cardiovascular diseases.
-
Attain normal body weight through proper diet and moderate physical
activity to maintain good health and help prevent obesity.
-
Be physically active, make healthy food choices, manage stress, avoid
alcoholic beverage, and do not smoke to help prevent lifestyle-related non-communicable
disease.
The revisions were made based on the results of the
2008 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by FNRI-DOST.
Based on the said survey, the Filipino household
diet fell below the recommended levels except for niacin, which is above the
recommended.
Furthermore, all nutrients and energy were below
the 100 percent adequacy levels. This was the basis of NGF messages no. 1, 3,
and 4.
There is no single food that contains all the
nutrients that our body needs so eating a variety of food ensures that daily
nutritional needs are met.
There was also a decrease in consumption of fruits
from 77 grams in 205 to 54 grams in 2008 and also a decrease in milk
consumption from 44 grams to 42 grams. These results were the basis of message
no. 3 and 5, respectively.
Vegetables and fruits are the main sources of
vitamins, minerals, and fiber, while milk is a good source of calcium.
Low urinary iodine excretion is still a prevalent
problem among pregnant and lactating mothers, indicating to low iodine intake.
Iodine is important during pregnancy because it is needed for the brain
development of the infant while lactating mothers must have adequate supply of
iodine in their breastmilk. This is the message of NGF no. 7.
The total cholesterol level among Filipino adults
increased from 8.5 (mg/dL) in 2003 to 10.2 (mg/dL) in 2008.
High cholesterol level may be attributed to the
high consumption of sodium rich foods by Filipinos.
Salt and soy sauce were among the top 10 widely
used miscellaneous food items used by Filipinos.
In addition, heart diseases ranked first among the
causes of death based on the 2005 Department of Health survey. This is the
reason behind no. 8 of NGF.
Excessive intake of salt and soy sauce can result
to high blood pressure especially to salt-sensitive individuals. Persistent
high blood pressure can result to cardiovascular diseases.
There is also a decreasing trend of physical
inactivity among Filipinos and also a large percentage of Filipino smokers at
31.0% and drinkers at 26.9%. These situations were the basis of messages no. 9
and 10 of the NGF.
People are always encouraged to exercise at least
thirty minutes a day, three to five times a week.
Limit alcohol drinking to one drink per day for
women and two drinks for men is also advised.
One alcoholic drink is equivalent to one and half
ounce distilled beverage such as gin or 12 ounces or a bottle of beer or four
ounces wine or half glass wine or an ounce of 100 proof whiskey.
Let’s practice the ten nutritional guidelines to
achieve good health and optimal nutritional status.
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana,
Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and
Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Tel/Fax Num: 8372934 and 8373164; email:
mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph, mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST website:
http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph.; FNRI Facebook page: facebook.com/FNRI-DOST; FNRI
Twitter account: twitter.com/FNRI-DOST.
(DOST-FNRI S & T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: Go for fruits this summer – they’re
cheaper
By Regina M. Pagaspas
Everyone looks forward to the season we all love –
summer! It is a season for rest and
recreation. It is the best time to have
fun in the sun, enjoy recreation and sports activities or simply indulge in
favorite foods.
Foods that we truly enjoy during summer are the
tropical fruits, such as ripe or green mangoes, papaya, chico, pineapple, melon
and watermelon, among others. Fruits
should be a regular part of our diet.
Fruits provide vitamins and minerals needed in the improvement of the
body’s immune system. Just like
vegetables, fruits also provide dietary fiber that helps regulate bowel
movement, thus preventing constipation which is a common problem to some
people, particularly among elderly and pregnant women. They also play a role in the prevention and
control of certain diseases like cancer and coronary heart disease.
Fruits have natural unique tastes and sweetness
that most people like. There are many
ways by which they can be prepared and truly enjoyed. Some can be eaten as whole, sliced and used
as topping for cakes and pastries, or salads.
Some can be chopped or blended to make refreshing drinks, such as fruit
shakes and juices, which can be sources of additional fluids that our body
needs during summer.
In these times of economic difficulties, many
people have learned to forego things that are not their priorities. Fruits on the table to some people are
luxury. Despite the delightful taste and
the benefits they provide, some people do not avail of fruits because of budget
limitations. Expenses should be
prioritized according to needs, and fruits are additional expense, so to speak.
However, there are actually more fruits to enjoy
during summer! Aside from being abundant
at this time of year, their prices are relatively cheaper than in any other
months. If we only take advantage of
buying and eating fruits during summer, we can also enjoy the health and
nutritional benefits of fruits to the maximum!
More importantly, we follow message #3 of the 2012 Nutritional
Guidelines for Filipinos which recommends eating of more vegetables and fruits
everyday to get the essential vitamins, mineral and fiber for regulation of
body processes. So, why not take a
double dose of fruit treats this summer?
Here is a delightful and satisfying concoction that
will surely be a refreshing treat for everyone!
Fruit Compote
Ingredients:
2
pcs banana, medium-sized, lacatan, sliced
2
pcs mangoes, medium-sized kalabaw, ripe, scooped into balls
2
cups melon, scooped into balls
2
cups papaya, ripe scooped into balls
1
cup pineapple, tidbits, slightly boiled in syrup
2
cups watermelon, scooped into balls
2
tablespoon calamansi juice
syrup to cover fruits
ice cubes
Procedure:
Prepare thick syrup by boiling 1cup sugar and 1 cup
water. Cool, set aside. Mix fruits
gently. Add syrup and ice cubes to
chill. Serve cold.
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana,
Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and
Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City; Telephone/ Fax Nos:
837-2934 or 837-3164; Direct Line:839-1839; DOST Trunk Line: 837-2071-82 local
2296 or 2284; e-mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or at mar_v_c@yahoo.com; FNRI-DOST
website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph.
Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/FNRI.DOST or follow our Twitter
account at twitter.com/FNRI_DOST. (DOST-FNRI S&T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD-Caraga launches Larawan 3.0, compendium of
Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiaries’ success stories
BUTUAN CITY, May 10 - The Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga officially launched on
Wednesday the Larawan 3.0, the official compendium of success stories of
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the region.
This year’s version highlights the story of the
Manobo Tribe in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, being one of the largest
Indigenous Peoples (IP) groups in Caraga. The aforementioned tribe is a
partner-beneficiary of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Indigenous
People in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (MCCT-IP in GIDAs).
“For years now, we have been maximizing our
convergence strategy to ensure that the level of well-being of all our Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program partner-beneficiaries especially the IP are improved
from survival to subsistence and from subsistence to self-sufficiency,” said
DSWD Caraga OIC Regional Director Mita Chuchi Gupana-Lim.
“This compendium aims to share a portion of the
success that our partner-beneficiaries have earned through the intervention of
the program,” added Lim.
In the late part of the Monday convocation for the
month of May, the compendium was launched by OIC RD Lim, Assistant Regional
Director for Administration Nerisa T. Murih and General Administration and
Support Services Division Chief Ramel F. Jamen.
After the launching, copies of compendium will be
distributed to the Municipal/City Local Government Unitss, Provincial Local
Government Units, partner-agencies and DSWD Field Offices nationwide.
(DSWD-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Army supports mobile munisipyo 'serbisyo on the go'
program in Agusan Sur
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, May 10 - The 26th
Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion, Phil. Army continued its active contribution
in the community development program thru the conduct of the Mobile Munisipyo
“Serbisyo On the Go” Program of the local government unit of Talacogon held in
Barangay Batucan, Talacogon, this province.
Said program is an incessant delivery of different
basic services targeting the indigent populace in all Barangays in the
municipality of Talacogon under the supervision of mayor Jesryl Masendo.
While the local government unit and its agency
delivering their services, the 26IB skilled personnel offered free services
such as free haircut, reflexology/hilot, provided security and manpower
assistance.
Some 700 local populace beneficiaries of said
barangay were provided the different services offered by different agencies
such as: inquiries and application for Business Licensing; Civil registry;
Social Services for senior Citizen and person with disability; Insurance
Application for Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative (ASELCO); Fire safety tips
and registration for business establishments by the Bureau of Fire Protection
(BFP); Appraise and Access real properties from the Accessor’s Office; Civil
Registrations and Updates; Agricultural and Veterinary advices.
The municipal nutrition office also offered free
Nutritional Feeding while the municipal health office provided free services by
conducting “Libreng Tuli” (Circumcision), Medicine distribution, medical
check-up and consultation, Schistosomiasis treatment and diagnosis.
Also, the Red Cross team of Caraga joined the
activity through facilitating bloodletting activities, blood typing, Hemoglobin
determination and blood pressure test.
Meanwhile, 26IB commanding officer Lt Colonel
Rommel Pagayon assured the LGU of Talacogon and its people of its advocacy in
supporting the LGU community development program in the area of responsibility
by providing personnel in the delivery of different basic services.
He also added that this advocacy is also one of
401st Infantry Brigade’s efforts under Colonel Cristobal Zaragoza. Aside from
providing security to the people but to offer free services along the whole
area of responsibility of said Army brigade. (26IB, Phil. Army/PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
