SurSur guv initiates IP dialogue in Lianga town
By PIA Surigao del Sur
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct.
22 (PIA) -- With the aim to resolve the issues and concerns raised by some
Manobo tribal groups led by the Malahutayong Pakigbisug Alang sa Sumusunod
(MAPASU) in the upper communities of Barangay Diatagon in Lianga town, Surigao
del Sur governor Alexander Pimentel has initiated a peace dialogue on Monday,
Oct. 21 held in Km. 9, Sitio Simuwao, Diatagon, Lianga, this province.
Two Bayan Muna Partylist
representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate and Eufemia Cullamat, a council member of
MAPASU, attended the activity and both shared their thoughts and sentiments to
the members of the MAPASU organization.
Hawudon Mario Mangadlao, a tribal
chieftain, suggested during the open forum that there is a need to reconcile
first within their tribe through the Indigenous Political Structure (IPS)
judicial system based on the customary laws that they have. The majority of the
IP leaders headed by indigenous peoples mandatory representative (IPMR) Datu
Jimmy Guinsod had agreed with the suggestion.
It was the second activity that
the governor had initiated. During the first dialogue conducted on
September 11, 2019, the leaders of the said organization, accordingly, told the
governor that they would push to conduct the mass evacuation if the government
could not find the solution to their demands.
In the recent dialogue, they
demanded for the pullout of the military from their respective communities; to
cease the recruitment for Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) from
their tribe and the establishment of the patrol base/detachment; and to stop
criticizing the Lumad schools such as the Tribal Filipino Program of Surigao
del Sur (TRIFPSS) and Alternative Learning Center for Agricultural and
Livelihood Development (ALCADEV), which are both non-DepEd accredited schools,
among others.
Pimentel, on the other hand,
explained that the presence of the military in the area is part of their
mandate coming from the higher up officials, and it is beyond his capacity as
the governor to give them an order to withdraw. "The military personnel in
the area are performing their duties and responsibilities to secure our land
and the people," said Pimentel.
He further urged the people to
support President Duterte’s call to institutionalize the Executive Order (EO)
70 or the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict
(ELCAC).
"As a support to the
president's order to end local communist armed conflict, we are here and we
will be coming back together with other government agencies to bring the
services and programs directly to the people in order to solve the primary
issue of insurgency which is poverty,” said Pimentel.
Pimentel added that the provincial
government will support the livelihood programs in the area and the
construction of school buildings provided that they comply with the
requirements such as the accreditation with the Department of Education
(DepEd). (NGBarcena/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
SurSur province stands firm in 'Whole-of-Nation
Approach to End Insurgency'
By 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan
The scheme continued but failed
again for Bayan Muna representatives, Eufemia Campos Cullamat and Carlos
Isagani Zarate with the militant group, Malahutayong Pakigbisog Alang sa
Sumusunod (MAPASU) to compel the Surigao del Sur provincial government to
withdraw the Community Support Teams assigned in Sitio Simuwao (Kilometer 9),
Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
During the peace dialogue held on
Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, the provincial government cited that military presence
is crucial to further establish sustainable peace and development in the area
through Executive Order No. 70.
The peace dialogue was intended to
promote reconciliation, convergence, sustainable peace and synergy through
exploratory and consultative discussions with the community, concerned
government agencies including AFP and other sectors. Yet, MAPASU and Bayan Muna
insisted on their demand for the immediate pullout of all Community
Support Teams and discrediting the government’s Whole-of-Nation Approach to End
Local Communist Armed Conflict citing that it is not the right formula to end
the conflict in the community.
The military, as an observer,
never said a word but a clear and straightforward message of the province
through Gov. Alexander Pimentel summed it all.
“With all due respect, I must tell
you frankly, only President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), can order the Army personnel to move
anytime and anywhere when needed. They have a mission to fulfill in line with
the Whole of Nation approach to end local communist armed conflict that is very
crucial to our national security,” Gov. Pimentel said.
The presence of the military is
not the issue, said the governor. He encouraged all attendees to move forward
and focus on far more relevant issues such as education, health, and economic,
among others and let the military do their mandate and sworn duty to serve and
protect the Filipino people from the Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs).
MAPASU and Bayan Muna discredit EO
70 and the AFP
The Bayan Muna and MAPASU members
have strongly opposed the peace and development initiatives of E.O. 70 and
cited rehash false and malicious accusations against the military.
The governor challenged them to
tell all, “Sabihin ninyo at ituro ngayon kung sino ang sundalo na nandito sa KM
9 ang nagcommit ng violation at ipatanggal ko agad o paalisin dito,” he said.
Datu Constancio Duhac and Datu
Jumar Bucales said, “Only those who are connected with the Communist NPA
terrorists fear the Army. If you’re not in any way connected, there’s no reason
to fear the military.”
The Lianga Indigenous People's
(IP) Council members under their legitimate IP Political Structure were
dismayed to Bayan Muna, ”We thought they would support ELCAC (End Local
Communist Armed Conflict), but then again, they were not here for convergence,
they are here to discredit the military and the EO 70 peace initiatives,” they
said.
Nevertheless, despite Bayan Muna
and MAPASU’s accusations, the Army personnel did not retaliate and showed
respect. It is the local government and the IP Community who stood on their
ground to defend the presence of the military in the conflict-affected area. (CMO-3SFBn/PIA-Surigao
del Sur)
PDL-senior citizens receive gifts from gov't
agencies
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 22 (PIA) -- The
members of the Regional Inter-Agency Committee on Senior Citizens (RIAC-SC)
Caraga have brought their gifts for the elderly persons deprived of liberty
(PDL) inside the Surigao City Jail and Surigao del Norte District Jail.
Each PDL-senior citizen received a
personal hygiene kit and food pack, and availed of the free blood sugar testing
and flu vaccination from the Department of Health (DOH).
The recipients were thankful to
the concerned government agencies, as this was the first time that they
experienced being visited by an organization with all the gifts handed to them
in time with the elderly week celebration.
According to Jail Officer Lawrence
Ortega, shift-in-charge of Surigao City Jail, one of their priorities is to ensure
the health condition and overall wellness of the senior citizens inside the
jail.
He also hoped that this kind of
activity will continue and more organizations would generously extend help to
the PDL-senior citizens.
Ortega added that the PDL-senior
citizens also need a long-term supply of medicines and vitamin supplements.
Hence, he asked the help of other stakeholders for support.
“The government continuously
provide medicines for the PDLs, however, with the increasing number of PDLs
here, the medicines and vitamin supplements are still not enough for all of
them. We would welcome any help and donation of medicines from other organizations,”
said Ortega.
Meanwhile, Jail Chief Inspector
Felix Resullar of Surigao del Norte District Jail has also raised the concerns
of the PDL.
“We hope that the government could
help fast track the proceedings/ trials of the PDLs’ cases in court,” Resullar
said.
Several PDL also took the chance
to inquire on the different programs and services of the government agencies,
expressing also their intent to avail of it. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
BSP patuloy sa pagsagawa ng Piso Caravan sa
Caraga
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Oktubre 22
(PIA) -- Mas pinaigting pa ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) - Butuan City
Branch ang pagsasagawa ng Piso Caravan sa ibat-ibang probinsya ng rehiyon.
Ito ay upang mas marami pa ang
makapagpalit ng lumang pera at barya sa bago at malinis na banknotes at coins.
Ayon kay Glizriel Rose Quijada,
bank officer II ng BSP Butuan City Branch, marami pa ang hindi nakakaalam
na may libreng serbisyo sa mga bangko kung saan pwede silang magpapalit ng
kanilang lumang pera.
Kaya naman sila na rin mismo ang
pumupunta sa mga probinsya upang mas madali para sa mga lokal na residente na
magpapalit.
“Ito pong piso caravan ay one-time
activity para malaman ng publiko na meron po tayong banking service na
magpapalit po ng lumang pera at papalitan po siya ng bago. Kasi dapat po sa
pang-araw-araw na financial transaction, yung gamitin natin is clean and fit,
para madali po nating matukoy kung ano po yung genuine versus na-counterfeit na
mga pera. At maiiwasan din natin ang pagkalat ng mga bacteria na dahilan na
magkakaroon ng ng mga sakit,” pahayag ni Quijada.
Nagpasalamat naman ang iilang
residente dahil mas napadali ang kanilang panahong iginugol sa pagpapapalit ng
lumang mga pera sa bago, sa tulong ng BSP.
“Mas naging madali sa amin ang
magpapalit ng bagong pera dahil sa tulong ng BSP. Gusto rin naming talagang
mapalitan na ng bago ang napag-lumaan nang pera dahil hindi na ito tinatanggap
ng mga malalaking tindahan,” sabi ni Helen Celana, may-ari ng isang karenderya.
Para naman kay John Michael Atenta
na isang vendor, bawas perwesyo sa oras ang ginagawang Piso Caravan ng BSP
dahil sila na mismo ang pumupunta at tumatanggap ng mga lumang pera at
pinapalitan ito.
Binigyang-diin din ni Quijada ang
kahalagahan ng maayos na pagamit na pera at sa pagpapanatili ng integridad
nito.
“Ang kakulangan or challenge pa
din for the banking community ay ang pagpapalaganap pa ng tamang impormasyon sa
publiko at paghikayat sa kanila na ugaliing magpapalit ng mga bagong notes at
coins. Kasi nakikita namin na yung publiko gusto talagang nilang makasali sa
Piso Caravan kasi nga iniisip nila na wala ng ganitong service sa mga bangko,
pero and hindi nila alam, regular po yung financial transaction ng bangko para
sa publiko,” sabi ni Quijada.
Dagdag pa ni Quijada, may
karampatang parusa para sa mga mahuhuling may lalabag hinggil sa tamang
pagamit ng pera.
Samantala, magsasagawa rin ng Piso
Caravan sa susunod na buwan ang BSP sa San Francisco, Agusan del Sur at Surigao
City. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DTI-Surigao Norte conducts ACT session
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte,
Oct. 22 (PIA) -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Surigao del Norte
has recently conducted an Assessment, Consultation and Triage (ACT) Session
under its One Town, One Product Next Generation (OTOP Next Gen) program that
was participated by selected micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the
province held at Surigao City Negosyo Center, this city.
The ACT session, the first phase
of the OTOP Next Gen, is a two-day provincial event where selected MSMEs
from the province are gathered for their OTOP products to be assessed by
designers, food experts, brand consultants and other resource or service
providers whether from DTI and its attached functionaries or from other
government agencies and partners.
OTOP Philippines is a priority
stimulus program for MSMEs as government's customized intervention to drive
inclusive local economic growth.
The program has two major
components. First, OTOP Next Gen - the supply side of the program which offers
package of assistance to capacitate MSMEs with the goal of leveling up their
products in the areas of design, quality, volume, among others.
After capacitating the MSMEs comes
the market side of the program which is the OTOP Philippines Hub that will
provide physical online channels and market access platform to OTOP products.
Among the participants during the
activity were indigenous peoples (IPs) from Sitio Tagbasingan, Brgy. Mat-i
Surigao City, an Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners under the advisory
of Arnel Marte which produces handicrafts (baskets) made of baliw, rattan and
nito.
To date, 17 IPs are undergoing
prototype execution at Mamanwa Community Learning Center, Sitio Tagbasingan,
Brgy. Mat-i, Surigao City. (DTI-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Diamond anniversary sa Loreto landing gisaulog
By Susil D. Ragas
LORETO, Dinagat Islands, Oktubre
22 (PIA) - Makahuluganong gisaulog sa mga Loretohanon kauban ang mga
opisyal sa lokal nga pangagamhanan sa probinsya sa Dinagat Islands ang Diamond
Anniversary sa Loreto landing by the American Liberation Forces niadtong
Oktubre 17, 2019.
Gisugdan ang gihimong okasyon sa
pagsaka sa bandera sa Pilipinas, United States of America, Australia, ug Japan
inubanan sa 21 gun salute isip paghinumdom sa pagbisita sa pipila ka mga
sundalo nga Amerikano ug kinabuhi sa mga bayani nga nakigbisog aron makab-ot
ang kagawasan ug kalinaw atol sa ika 2 nga nahitabong gubat sa kalibutan
niadtong tuig 1944.
Taliwala sa kondisyon sa panahon,
wala kini mahimong babag sa mga nitambong aron ipakita ang ilang suporta ug
pakigduyog sa paghinumdom sa ika-75 nga kaadlawan sa Loreto landing. Makita ang
dakong garbo sa matag usa kanila nga naapil ang lungsod sa Loreto sa masaysayon
nga kaagi.
Gisadya kini nga kalihukan sa
lokal nga opisyal sa probinsya nga gipangunahan ni Loreto Mayor Doandre Bill A.
Ladaga, Dinagat Islands Representative Congressman Alan I B. Ecleo, Governor's
Representative Board Member Anna Lyn C. Dialde, Vice Governor Nilo P. Demerey,
Jr., Senior Board Member Errol Conrad B. dela Cruz ug Board Member Gwendolyn
Ecleo-Pols, National Line Agencies, Kapitan sa matag barangay nga sakop sa
lungsod sa Loreto, Loretohanon, ug mga Dinagatnon gikan pa sa nagkalain-laing
lungsod aron saksihan ang nasangpit nga kalihukan. (Dinagat
Islands-PIO/PIA-Dinagat Islands)
