Surigao delegates join global waste management
confab in Bangkok
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Aug. 17 (PIA) – In
an effort to gain insights and learn best practices of proper waste management
abroad, Governor Sol F. Matugas led the Surigao del Norte delegation who
participated in the Global Waste Management Conference 2017 in Bangkok,
Thailand last August 1-2.
With the theme, “Building Sustainability in an
Urbanized World through Strategic Waste Management,” the International Global
Waste Management Conference 2017 is the first in Asia, designed to provide a
platform to address the rising issues in relation to the negative impacts of
waste on health and environment, among others.
Policies, legislatures an implementation mechanism
for recycling and waste management were presented in the said conference as
well as the promotion of investments in the field of recycling and waste
management, review of modern methods, technologies, and solutions in managing industrial,
medical, agricultural and municipal waste.
The team from Surigao del Norte included Mayor Guia
P. Sabanal of San Francisco, Atty. Aimee Faith M. Egay of the Provincial
Environment and Management Office, Ma. Teresa M. Real of the Department of Education-Siargao
Division, Ivonnie B. Dumadag of the Provincial Tourism and Culture Office and
former Congressman Atty. Francisco T. Matugas.
“Surigao del Norte, including our emerging tourist
destination in Siargao Island, needs to adopt proper waste management practices
to attain sustainable development,” said Gov. Matugas.
“The conference provided an opportunity for the
Surigao del Norte delegation to learn from the papers presented and the sharing
of experiences of other countries in Asia in terms of managing their wastes,”
she added.
Matugas also said that their challenge now is to be
able to implement a system that is workable in their locality and support it
with effective policies. "Cost-effectiveness, applicability, and
effectiveness. These are the key enablers of better waste management,” she
reiterated.
The team has prepared a re-entry plan to the
Department of the Interior and Local Government entitled “Adopting global
practices and strategies in developing the solid waste management plan,
building capacities of the Surigaonons and sustaining the Solid Waste
Management programs of the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte.”
This focuses on the implementation of the 3R
(reduce, reuse and recycle) governance as well as upcycling, the process of
transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into
new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.
“One interesting concept which was repeatedly
discussed in the presentations was about the circular economy, its business
opportunities and how to develop value-added products from waste. We will
promote upcycling here in Surigao and provide support to the private sector and
other interested groups who will be our partners in this programs,” said Gov.
Matugas.
For Siargao Island, the provincial government
intends to operate a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in one of the barangays
close to the tourism destinations in General Luna, where machineries for
recycling waste materials will be made available.
All municipalities will also be required to set up
their respective MRFs as mandated by Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste
Management Act.
A strengthened School-Based Solid Waste Management
Program will also be implemented in the province, with enhanced parents’
engagement and pupils/students with corresponding incentives to support the
advocacy. (IBD, Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
News Feature: The Negosyo Center Butuan: Go lang
nang go!
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 - On July 15, 2014, Republic
Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act, described as “an act promoting job
generation and inclusive growth through the development of micro, small and
medium enterprises,” initiated by Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aguirre
Aquino IV, was enacted.
Section 3 of said Act mandates the “Establishment
of Negosyo Centers … under the supervision of the Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprise Development (MSMED) Council… in all provinces, cities and
municipalities.”
In prompt response, the DTI- Agusan del Norte
launched the first Negosyo Center in the province, where seven competent
Business Counselors have been offering holistic, start-to-finish assistance
since its inception on May 26, 2015. The assistance given to MSMEs, whether already
existing or about to go into business, ranges from facilitating Business Name
Registration and other business permits to providing access to finance, access
to markets and product development trainings.
The client-friendly and professional-looking Negosyo
Center welcomes MSMEs into the well-lit area from 8:00 in the morning to five
o’clock in the afternoon.
Comfortable seating and efficient office equipment
ensure that all needs are attended to, from the very basic queries to
participation in different skills and entrepreneurial trainings, trade fairs
and product marketing.
One corner is thoughtfully allotted to micro
entrepreneurs who cannot yet afford to conduct their own market tests. After
undergoing product development and achieving the desired feedback and comments
from walk-in customers, products with proven marketabilities are then endorsed
to the two OTOP Tindahang Pinoys in Gaisano Mall and Robinsons Place Butuan.
May to December 2015 saw sales of P 3,000.00 a week
for the Negosyo Center, and beginning 2016, satisfied MSMEs with best-selling
products happily trot to the Negosyo Center to replenish their stocks every
Monday while they collect and divide sales of P 10,000 a week.
Since its launching, DTI- Agusan del Norte has
already successfully facilitated the launching of three thriving Negosyo
Centers in Cabadbaran City and the municipalities of Nasipit, Las Nieves and
Jabonga. (DTI-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DA Caraga forges partnership with LGU to boost
livestock industry
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 - The Department of
Agriculture (DA) recognizes the important role of the local government units
for a sustainable livestock industry in the region.
As such, DA Caraga forged its partnership with the
Local Government Units (LGUs) in the implementation of the Multiplier Farms
Project (MFP).
Under the project, the DA with LGU as the partner
will establish multiplier farms (MF) in strategic areas in Caraga Region. From
these farms, animals like native swine, chicken, goats, and honeybees shall be
produced.
“The offspring of these animals shall then be
distributed to deserving and qualified farmers and fisherfolks,” says Edelmira
Luminarias, DA Caraga Livestock Coordinator.
In 2016, there were four goat multiplier farms
established in the region while this year a total of 30 will be established and
another 30 for 2018.
For each recipient, DA will provide modules for
goat, native chicken, swine, and honeybees. Goat module includes 10 heads female
and one male, native chicken includes 50 heads pullets and ten roosters, swine
includes 10 gilts and one boar and two colonies of honeybees for initial eight
targeted beneficiaries for the current year.
The module also includes provisions for housing;
facilities for feeding, water and lighting; and biologics.
LGU, on the other hand, will provide the required
space, manpower, feeds and will shoulder the costs of water and electricity.
In two years of operation, goat multiplier farms
are expected to produce 120 goats. The chicken would generate some 1,700
potential replacement pullets that can be a source of foundation stocks in
putting up other multiplier farm modules while native swine would generate some
120 piglets per year.
Provincial livestock coordinator Eddie Janier said
that Surigao del Norte fully supports the undertaking since the project is in
parallel with the trusts and programs of the provincial government.
“This is a laudable project since it can help our
constituents,” he said.
“Farmers will benefit from MFP since it will be the
source of quality breeding stocks and LGU led dispersal to sustain and
invigorate our livestock and poultry industry in Caraga Region,” Luminarias
said.
Without the multiplier farms, poultry and livestock
raisers in the region sourced out its stocks from Davao Region, Misamis
Oriental, and Cebu.
Poultry industry shares 6.3 percent to Caraga
Region’s agricultural output while contributing 4.21 percent to Mindanao and
0.79 percent to the country’s total poultry production.
For swine, Caraga Region contributes 5.51 percent
to Mindanao and 1.87 percent to the country’s hog production. Most of the farms
are operated in the backyard while in goat, Caraga Region contributes 3.24
percent to Mindanao and 1.20 percent to national production based on 2015 data
from the Philippine Statistics Authority. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
