Bayugan City LPCC meets, confirms prices to be
stable and supplies of basic commodities to be adequate
BAYUGAN CITY, Oct. 30 – The members of the Local
Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) has discussed updates on prices of basic
commodities, as well as the respective functions of LPCC members during their
meeting held at the City Mayor's Conference room, this city.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Agusan
del Sur Provincial Office presented the prices of products under its
jurisdiction. The report showed that prices of basic commodities in the market
were stable and supplies were adequate.
DTI informed the council of its commitment to do
monthly monitoring and to furnish the same copy of the monitored prices.
Allan Cadayona of Bayugan City Economic Enterprise
Development Office also reported on the prices of agricultural products like
meat, vegetables and fruits. The prices of vegetables have been found lower
than other areas in the province.
LPCC Bayugan City agreed to create a Bantay Presyo
Task Force to do further price monitoring.
The council will again meet on January 11, 2018,
the 1st of its quarterly meeting next year. (DTI-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
DTI AgSur raises awareness on agency programs,
services; checks needs among village folks in Esperanza town
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Oct. 30 – For Carylle
Joy Zapanta and Charles Palen, it was just the usual day-long activity, the
kind they have been doing for several weeks now. They are sometimes joined by
Aibel Tolentino and Jose Baron in these stints.
One barangay in the morning, another one in the
afternoon. Just recently, they visited Barangay San Jose and Barangay Labao,
respectively.
The two are project staff for Project
Entrepreneurship (for poor provinces) and Strike Team for Indigenous Peoples
(IPs) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Agusan del Sur.
Both projects, which are part of DTI's strategic
initiatives to reach out to the sectors that need the agency's help the most,
are pursued by DTI-AdS in Esperanza, the selected pilot municipality.
Under this project, awareness sessions and needs
analysis were conducted. These will be used by the agency to assess which of
their services are most needed by the community.
In the case of strike or support to products
produced by IPs, the project surfaces the actual product development needs and
then brings experts and coaches on site. (DTI-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del
Sur)
KMMe mentees in AgSur train on entrep accounting,
financial management
PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Oct. 30 – The
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Agusan del Sur, in partnership with the
Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur (PGAS) has recently conducted the
Kapatid Mentor Me (KMMe) Program Module 8: Entrepreneurial Accounting and
Financial Management to the second batch mentees held at the Provincial
Learning Center, Gov. D.O Plaza Government Center, Prosperidad, this province.
Gil Pol Tan, a certified public accountant and an
accredited local mentor of the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE)
served as resource person and mentor.
The module aimed to educate the participants on
financial recording/system and the importance of record keeping in their
respective businesses. The group did actual bookkeeping of a sample business
entity.
“I am a type of a business owner who is dependent
on bookkeepers. I am so thankful for the session as I've learned today what I
refused to understand and learn before – doing the financial transactions and
recording personally,” Arline Riveta of Samuel's Candies & Pastries said.
The 24 selected mentees still have two more modules
to attend and learn before they present their business improvement plans to
graduate the program.
The mentees are also currently assisted by PGAS
through its Livelihood Enhancement Assistance Program (LEAP). (DTI-Agusan del
Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
DOE to conduct consultation for new policy on
renewable energy
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 30 – In the continuing effort to
increase consumer access to clean and sustainable energy, the National
Renewable Energy Board (NREB) is conducting a series of public consultations to
promulgate a new policy on renewable energy (RE) utilization in the off-grid
areas, or for consumers in remote areas like islands, mountains and far-away
villages.
The consultations focus on the rules and guidelines
for the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) for off-grid areas, a policy
mechanism requiring electric power industry participants such as generators,
distribution utilities, and suppliers to source or produce a specified fraction
of the electricity they generate from eligible RE resources.
The consultations are being conducted with the
support of the Department of Energy (DOE) and the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) through its Building Low Emission
Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability Project.
“The proposed RPS rules for off-grid areas will contribute
to the growth of the renewable energy industry through increased development
and utilization of RE resources in the countryside, where significant
percentage are using expensive fuels. Thus we will be able to diversify energy
supply,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.
“Ultimately, we see this to spur socio-economic
development and help address environmental concerns,” he added.
The Luzon leg of the public consultations for RPS
was conducted on October 5 in Puerto Princesa City and on October 12 in Pastor
Village, Batangas City.
In Visayas, a public consultation was held on
October 26 in Lahug, Cebu City.
On the other hand, the fourth and last leg of the
public consultation will be on November 6 in Cagayan de Oro City.
Among the issues discussed during the earlier
consultations include roles and responsibilities, pricing, competitive
selection process and public bidding, monitoring and transparency, academic
participation, long term plans and programs, technology, transmission,
permitting, relevant RE policies and even international commitments on
greenhouse gas emission reduction.
The public consultations were attended by
participants from national government agencies, RE proponents and developers,
distribution utilities, electric cooperatives and the academe, among other
energy stakeholders.
Led by NREB RPS Off-grid Committee Chair Urbano
Mendiola and NREB Chairman Atty. Jose Layug Jr., the public consultations
provided a venue to present the latest draft of the RPS Off-grid guidelines and
to gather comments and suggestions from stakeholders before its implementation.
The DOE also welcomes additional recommendations on
the NREB proposed policy from the public, especially from the primary RE
stakeholders. All interested stakeholders may send comments until November 10,
2017 at email: techsec.nreb@gmail.com. An electronic copy of the NREB proposed
policy is downloadable at the DOE official website: www.doe.gov.ph.
The issuance of the RPS guidelines is based on
Republic Act No. 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, which aims to
increase the utilization of RE by enhancing national and local capabilities.
(DOE/PIA-Caraga)
Siargaonons advocate for massive cleanliness drive
By John Glenn A. Platil
SURIGAO CITY, Oct 30 (PIA) - Pursuant to the
Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 1998, the
provincial government of Siargao led by First District representative Francisco
Jose Matugas II and the Siargao Tourism Association (STOA) signed a Memorandum
of Agreement (MOA) to strengthen the cleanliness campaign and community
cooperation in the locality, on October 27 at the municipality of General Luna.
This initiative was also in partnership with the
Department of Tourism (DOT), the local government unit (LGU) and the Siargao
Environmental Awareness (SEA) Movement, a non-government organization (NGO).
“The issue of waste disposal in Siargao has been
going on for some time now. We are aware of the fact that a lot of foreign and
domestic visitors are coming and pouring in. That is why we must brace
ourselves to address the problem,” said Matugas.
Taking as case in point the predicament in Boracay,
Matugas said that the waste crisis there can be likened to stage four cancer.
“We should not wait for the worst to happen.
Teamwork is very important. Much attention has been given and we are doing
everything we can to make this dream a fast reality,” he emphasized.
Explaining that his initiative is a baby step
toward a drastic, sweeping and revolutionary change, Matugas said that the
bigger and wider action needs self-discipline from all Surigaonons.
Considering the growth and expansion of General
Luna, the local government has also assigned a lot situated at Brgy. Corazon in
Gen. Luna, so that the sanitary landfill cum Materials Recovery Facility is far
afield the town proper.
On the part of the municipal government, Vice Mayor
Veronico Solloso expressed his gratitude for prioritizing Gen. Luna, which is
universally recognized as one of the world leaders in tourism. He also said
that apart from the three dump trucks operating on a daily basis, he is
considering to add two more.
Provincial tourism coordinator Ivonnie Dumadag also
thanked the NGOs who showed their untiring support in line with the advocacy on
environmental protection. She said that resort owners must continually get
their acts together in partnership with the LGU, which has general jurisdiction
over segregation and collection of solid waste.
Siargao Tourism Association (STOA) President Abe
Tolentino also lauded the provincial government in its efforts to diminish the
proliferation of waste by taking giant steps forward for a better, safer and
cleaner Siargao.
Tolentino added that for the first batch of
recipients, STOA will choose 10 resorts to benefit the pilot project. He also
sought to cover the other 100 resorts, as well as those under construction.
S.E.A. Movement President Marja Abad also voiced
her utmost gratitude, saying, community involvement by locals must also be
encouraged for effective program implementation. (VLG/PGO-SDN/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
Tagalog News: Mga talento sa agham at teknolohiya,
ibinahagi ng mga mag-aaral ng PSHS Caraga
Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Okt. 30 (PIA) – Ibinahagi ng mga
mag-aaral ang kanilang talento sa agham at teknolohiya sa ginanap na Summit of
Young Ambassadors sa lungod ng Butuan.
Pinangunahan ng Philippine Science High School
(PSHS) Caraga ang nasabing summit kung saan may mahigit 300 estudyante ang
aktibong lumahok habang nakasuot ng costume ng ibat-ibang bansa bilang suporta
rin sa Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Ayon kay Ruwina Gonzaga, ang school director ng
PSHS Caraga, ang ginawang Summit of Young Ambassadors ay para sa selebrasyon ng
ika-50 anibersaryo ng ASEAN sa bansa. Ipinarada ng mga estudyante ang kanilang
mga suot na costume bilang highlight ng nasabing aktibidad.
Ito raw ang pinakaunang Summit of Young Ambassadors
ng Pisay Caraga sa taong ito.
Dagdag pa ni Gonzaga, hinati sa limang breakout
sessions ang lahat ng mga nagsipaglahok at sila’y nagpakitang gilas sa larangan
ng debate, majika, poetry exhibition, matematika at do-it-yourself arts craft.
Samantala, ipinahayag naman ng Grade 9 student ng
Pisay Caraga na si Danielle Ajoc na ang PSHS Caraga ay hindi lamang naka-focus
sa intelektwal na kakayahan ng mga estudyante at iskolar; binibigyang halaga rin
nito ang mga natatanging talento ng mga mag-aaral.
Sinabi rin niya na mahalaga ang mga ganitong klase
ng aktibidad dahil makakatulong umano ito sa pagpapalawak ng kanilang kaalaman
sa mga hamon na kinakaharap ng ibat-ibang bansa.
Sa araw ding iyon ay ginawa ng PSHS Caraga ang
cards-giving sa mga magulang ng mga mag-aaral. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
