DOST Caraga trains LGUs on utilizing tools for DRR
By Aliana Gene Sarmiento
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 – Planning, Disaster Risk
Reduction (DRR) and Information Technology (IT) officers from the eleven (11)
Local Government Units (LGU) in the region participated in two separate
trainings on utilizing and implementing the outputs of the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) and CSU-LiDAR for disaster preparedness on
September 25-28.
A total of 38 planning and DRR officers from LGUs
of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur,
Dinagat Islands, Butuan City, Cabadbaran City, Bayugan City, Bislig City,
Surigao City and municipality of Jabonga participated in the first two-day
training entitled “Training on Hydrometeorological Hazards in Caraga and
Utilizing the Output of CSU LiDAR-Based Hazard and Resource Maps as Tools for
DRRM and Development Planning.”
The chief meteorological officer of the Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in
Bancasi station, Engineer Lolita Vinalay presented the hydrological and
meteorological or hydromet hazards in Caraga, such as storms and floods; while
PAGASA Hinatuan station officer-in-charge (OIC) Heart Cipriano discussed the
flood forecasting system.
CSU-LiDAR project staff Engineer Arthur M. Amora
and Engineer Anamarie P. Sajonia helped the participants understand the flood
hazard and resource maps.
The Philippine Light Detection and Ranging
(Phil-LiDAR) Projects 1 and 2, funded by DOST, produced flood hazard and
resource maps for the region through Caraga State University. The flood hazard
maps, produced by CSU-LiDAR 1, contain information on predicted flood depth and
risk levels in areas close to river basins.
On the other hand, the resource maps produced by
CSU-LiDAR 2 reflect the agricultural, forestry and coastal resources of a
municipality or city, as well as potential renewable energy sources and
hydrologic data. The high definition maps are now ready for the use of LGUs and
partner agencies. The technology of CSU-LiDAR Project is continued by Geo-SAFER
Mindanao, which is also funded by DOST.
Earlier this year, the LGUs received the maps and
data. The 11 LGUs also received DOST Caraga’s project dubbed as “Science and
Technology Operations for Risk Reduction Management (Project STORRM).”
On the other hand, thirty-four (34) DRR and IT
officers from the same 11 LGUs participated in the second two-day training
entitled “Training on the Utilization of the Flood Event Visualization and
Damage Estimations (Flood EViDEns) and the Local Government Units Information
Dissemination System (LGUIDS) as a Tool for Disaster Preparedness.”
Flood EViDEns, developed by CSU-LiDAR 1, is an application
for flood extent visualization and estimating or forecasting the numbers and
locations of families and properties in the community vulnerable to flooding.
The web-based near-real time system generates flood levels based on the water
surface elevation (WSE) data gathered from water level monitoring systems on
lakes and river basins. CSU-Lidar 1 and Geo-SAFER Agusan staff Elbert Moyon and
Edsel Matt Morales demonstrated the system and helped the participants get a
hands-on training on Flood EViDEns.
The LGUIDS, developed by DOST Region IV-A, is a
tool that collects and disseminates data on disasters, hazards, farming and
fishing updates. It also has a text blast system capable of receiving and
responding to feedbacks. DOST Caraga IT staff Reyjean Comaling demonstrated the
use of the system and facilitated the hands-on training.
DOST Caraga supervising science research specialist
Noel M. Ajoc said that he is hoping that the tools and the trainings can help
LGUs disseminate information, create comprehensive flood advisory systems and
local land use plans, and design mitigation measures to protect the residents,
properties and resources in their communities from hazards. (DOST-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Experts mentor MSMEs on Intellectual Property
Rights
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 – Seventeen Small Enterprise
Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) clients went through a mentorship training
on the Introduction on Property Rights Protection for Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) of the manufacturing sector in Agusan del Norte on October
4 at the Almont Inland Resort, this city.
Engineer Jeffrey T. Dellosa, manager of the
Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) of Caraga State University
(CSU) and keynote speaker of the training, discussed the big 5Ws when seeking
protection and the process of filing for patent and utility model applications.
He also showed the participants online resources that they can access should
they need to check if a certain product name is already protected or not.
Dellosa emphasized that there are a lot of
protection that they can apply for just a single product. “It is not just about
having exclusive rights, but it is also about income generation that we should
seek protection for our products, processes and business names,” explained
Dellosa.
Joining him as speakers are Engineer Jefrey M.
Bagasbas who spoke about the fundamentals of patent and utility models, and Mr.
Kenneth L. Ciudad who spoke about the fundamentals of intellectual property.
Bagasbas gave the participants a strong message and encouraged them to continue
developing their products and services.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to be an
inventor,” said Bagasbas.
Training participant Lope Molde, owner of Love
Yacon Health products in Butuan, also shared her insights during the training.
“Nindot kaayo ni nga training kay karon nakabalo na ko unsa ang mga pamaagi
para ma patent akong mga sabon. Basin pa lang mudako pa ni akong negosyo puhon.
(The training was really beneficial because I have learned the ways to secure
patent for my soap, if by fate my business will grow in the future),” said
Molde.
The training raised awareness on the benefits of
intellectual property (IP) protection to the products, processes and business
names of SETUP cooperators in the province of Agusan del Norte. It also
encouraged them to apply for IP protection. (DOST-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan
del Norte)
DTI leads consumer welfare month celebration
By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Oct. 13 – The
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Surigao del Norte provincial office will
lead the implementation of various activities in celebration of the Consumer
Welfare Month (CWM) with the theme “Consumer Rights in the Digital Age.”
DTI Provincial Director Celestino Negapatan said
the celebration kicked off with a Consumer Fun Run at Butuan City on October 1,
attended by members of consumer groups, personnel of DTI and other government
offices, business establishments and socio-civic organizations.
Other activities include monitoring of cement and
christmas lights and a Provincial Consumer Quiz Bowl for schools in Siargao
(October 13) and for the city and Surigao del Norte (October 18). There will
also be an Entrepreneur and Consumer Education Seminar for Youth on October 21
at Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte.
Also on October 21, a cacao tree planting activity
will be held in one of the cooperatives in San Francisco, Surigao del Norte, in
coordination with the Cooperative Development Authority. A Consumer Forum will
happen on October 24 in Surigao. Finally, a Regional Quiz Bowl and the awarding
of Bagwis Seal and Consumer Organization Accreditation will take place during
the CWM culmination on October 27 in Butuan City.
According to Negapatan, the Consumer Forum is set
on October 24 will focus on getting the best value for money in online shopping
and product standards.
For those who are interested to join the forum and
other activities, visit the Surigao del Norte DTI Provincial Office located at
the 2nd Floor of Simtoco Business Center, Surigao City. You may also call (086)826-6129
or (0939)153-2957, or email them at dtisdn@dti.gov.ph.
(DTI-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
DAR AgNor strengthens agrarian-coops’ audit-system
By Gil E. Miranda
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 13 – To address auditing concerns
of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs), the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Agusan del Norte conducted a series of seminars and
workshops on audit management to some 100 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs)
through the last quarter of 2017.
The seminar aimed to assess the capacity of the
ARBOs in implementing and managing financial resources.
Some ARBOs still require attendance to the audit
management workshop to qualify and avail the government credit program under
the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP).
Resource speaker Myrna L. Enriquez, retired
Commission on Audit (COA) auditor, started the training by informing the
participants that a strong audit system can reduce various forms of risks in an
organization.
Chairman Ponciano M. NiΓ±o, one of the participants
of first batch held last September 19 and 20 said, “pasalamat kaayo mi sa DAR
sa kahigayonan aron kami molambo (We thank DAR so much for the opportunity to
strengthen our organization).” (DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
