Caraga RTF-ELCAC
reaches out to Bayugan villagers during Peace Caravan
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BAYUGAN
CITY, Agusan del Sur, Jan. 24 (PIA) -- Thousands of villagers in Mt. Carmel,
this city have availed and benefited from the free basic social services from
various government agencies during the Peace Caravan conducted by the Regional
Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) Caraga.
With
the presence of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexie Nograles, Cabinet Officer for
Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Caraga, the provincial government of
Agsuan del Sur led by Governor Santiago Cane, Jr., and local officials in
Bayugan City headed by Mayor Kirk Asis, have converged their efforts to meet
the objectives for the conduct of Peace Caravan, as well as the host for the
scheduled 4th RTF-ELCAC Meeting at the city gymnasium.
Diosdado
Cabilogan, 55 years old and a resident in the said barangay, came early morning
at the barangay gymnasium of Mt. Carmel to avail of the free medical checkup
and medicines from concerned government stakeholders. He expressed his
gratitude to the officials of the city government and all the regional and
national line agencies for visiting their place and for bringing to them the
services they need.
“Despite
living in a remote area, away from the metropolis life, the government took
extra miles to reach us and bring to us the services we need for free. I’m very
thankful that our mayor and barangay officials are really working hard in
ensuring our welfare,” said Cabilogan.
Imerald
Narra, together with Junde Faith Tacio, and Charlie Verra, all in Grade 8 of
Mt. Carmel National High School also participated in the orientation and
lectures on the ill effects of illegal drugs, recruitment of the New People’s
Army, including the programs and services of the government for the children
and youth sectors.
“I’m
happy that we’re able to join in this event here in our barangay. We were given
seedlings for our backyard gardening and even for our school. My peers have
also availed of the free haircut and beauty care services from the government
agencies. This is really a fun experience for us,” cited Narra.
Eager
to go home after availing the free consultation/check-up and free vitamins
from the Department of Health (DOH), Dionisa Lariosa, four months
pregnant, also received a buntis kit, which she could soon use for her baby.
“This
is really a blessing for me and for all of us here in Mt. Carmel. We always
feel that the government really cares for us. I hope this kind of activity will
continue and even reach other remote areas like us,” shared Lariosa.
Merla
Ajan, punong barangay of Mt. Carmel also appreciated the government’s effort
and initiative for continuously providing the necessary services in their
community.
She
also asked the government for a Farm-to-Market Road which will improve their
livelihood and a building for their secondary school. (JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
30 FRs undergo ALS
skills training
By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang
BUTUAN
CITY, Jan. 24 -- Thirty former rebels (FRs) undergone 10 months Alternative
Learning System (ALS) skills training at the headquarters of the 23rd Infantry
(Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), Jamboree Site, P-6 Barangay Alubihid in
Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.
The
activity was made possible through the convergence effort of the Department of
Education (DepEd) of Agusan del Norte headed by Dr. Romeo Aprovechar, Schools
Division Superintendent of Agusan del Norte and the 23IB headed by Lt. Col.
Francisco L. Molina, Jr., Commanding Officer.
In his
message, Dr. Aprovechar inspires the FRs by citing his experiences in life that
bring him to what he is now. He shares that it takes a lot of effort and hard
work in order to reach their dreams as long as they do not lose hope, they will
surely succeed in life.
Further,
he said that education teaches the ability to read and write. It is extremely
important for employment and an opportunity to make a decent living. This is
due to the skills of a high paying job that Education provides.
"Uneducated people are probably at a huge disadvantage when it comes to
jobs. It seems that many poor people improve their lives with the help of
Education," Aprovechar added.
Meanwhile,
Lt. Col. Molina encouraged the participants to take advantage of the program to
be enlightened and equipped for their future. The ALS provides an opportunity
for the FRs to develop their knowledge and skills in communication and teaches
them the value of education in applying what they've learned when they become
reintegrated in mainstream society. (CMO Officer, 23IB,
PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)
P600-B GRDP for
Caraga possible in 10 years, says DTI regional chief
BUTUAN
CITY, Jan. 24 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
revealed that Caraga region will reach a targeted P600-billion gross regional
domestic product (GRDP) within 10 years if potential productivity of
agriculture, forestry, and fishery sectors is maximized.
DTI-Caraga
Regional Director Brielgo O. Pagaran said that from its
creation, the region started with only P29-billion GRDP in 1994 and reached
P100-billion in 2019.
“If we
dream of prosperity for all, we should set a target; if you cannot quantify,
you cannot target,” Pagaran said.
He also
pointed out that with a total land area of more than 2-million hectares, Caraga
will yield great productivity potentials through quantifying a
macro-development plan.
Pagaran
further explained that for agro-industry alone, the 600-thousand hectare
agricultural land can generate P60-billion, summing up the P50,000 annual
productivity per hectare and the value added pegged at 100 percent.
The
region’s top DTI official also sees that the potential of the forestry industry
will earn Caraga an estimated P540-billion productivity. This was after
considering the region’s capacity to produce bamboo and bay-ang for chopsticks,
wood for biomass, and plywood, among others.
An
additional P800-million is also expected from the fisheries industry especially
through the utilization of mariculture park zones.
Pagaran
is hopeful that with the programs of DTI and support from the local government
units and regional line agencies, the 28 percent poverty incidence in the
region will drop.
In
fact, to provide a holistic approach toward agro-agri productivity, DTI Caraga
conceptualized and initiated Palm Oil and Agricultural Land Management for
Economic Re-integration and Sustainability (PALMERS) which is a development
model and framework to develop, expand, rehabilitate and replant palm oil
areas.
PALMERS
will be the implementing mechanism to the Palm Oil Roadmap for the palm oil
industry.
“Palm
oil industry is one of the eight national priority industry clusters and it
will generate more income and employment opportunities in Caraga,” said Jorge
P. Silaga, national palm oil cluster focal person.
Silaga,
who is also PALMERS project coordinator, shared that an executive order
supported by the Board of Investment Governor Napoleon Concepcion and endorsed
by the office of Representative Maria Angelica Matba has been drafted to create
the regulatory body for palm oil.
“The said
executive order known as the Philippine Palm Oil Development Authority
(PPODA) is now at the office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea for
review and comments from involved national agencies,” Silaga added.
Silaga
further said that the palm oil industry will help reduce the poverty incidence
in the region and in the country basing on the low poverty incidence of
Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand which have palm oil as a common denominator of
economic development. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DSWD-Caraga hits
Social Pension 2019 target
BUTUAN
CITY, Jan. 24 - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field
Office Caraga ended 2019 with flying colors as it was able to surpass
expectations, especially in hitting its targets for its programs and services
for the year.
One of
its programs, the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen)
was able to serve 140,000 senior citizens for 2019 – the set target for the
Field Office for the year.
The
field office has worked tirelessly to disburse the P840-million allocated
budget for the program to the beneficiaries of the said program in 73 local
government units in the region. A series of payouts were conducted so that
beneficiaries could claim their P3,000 stipend every semester.
A total
29,176 beneficiaries were served in Agusan del Norte province; 35,324 in Agusan
del Sur; 10,715 in Dinagat Islands; 30,468 in Surigao del Norte; and 38,091 in
Surigao del Sur.
The
Social Pension program provides a monthly stipend amounting to P500 to augment
the daily subsistence and other medical needs of indigent senior citizens. This
is in line with the fulfillment of the government’s obligation to the most
vulnerable sector through social protection, and for the full implementation of
Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
“Nagpasalamat
ko sa Ginoo nga naay pension para sa mga senior. Makatabang gyud sa kawad-on.
Gamiton ko ning akong nadawat para ipalit bugas ug tambal (I thank God that
there is such pension for the senior citizens. Indeed, it’s a great help. I
will use the pension to buy rice and medicine),” beneficiary Rosenda
Mabilog, 76, said after she received her pension in San Jose, Dinagat Islands
last year.
Another
beneficiary, Fernando Bauso, 74, a resident of San Francisco, Agusan del Sur,
was more than thankful to the program. “Nagpasalamat kog dako sa DSWD sa akong
nadawat…nga di pud ko magsalig sa akong mga anak kay naa napud silay mga
pamilya (I’m thankful to DSWD for the pension I got. I will no longer rely on
my children as they already have their own families),” Bauso said.
Eligible
for the program are senior citizens who are 60 years old and above; frail,
sickly or with disability; no pension from government agencies or any other
insurance company; no permanent source of income; and no regular support from
their family for their basic needs.
Based
on the 2015 Census of Population, there are over 7.5 million senior citizens in
the country. The number is expected to hit 9.5 million by 2020. DSWD will be
ready to cater to their needs, through the different programs and
services. (DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)
AgSur FRs receive
cash assistance as part of reintegration program
By 1Lt. Percival Carido
TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur, Jan. 24 – Two former rebels (FRs) have
received cash assistance amounting to P5,000.00 each from the Provincial Social
Welfare and Development (PSWD) of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on Monday
afternoon, January 20, 2020.
The
said FRs were identified as Jovelyn L. Tahudan and Robert H. Lipanda, both
residents of San Luis, Agusan del Sur. Prior to the said aid, they also
received an immediate cash assistance amounting to P25,000.00 each from the
local government of San Luis few days after their surrender last October 25,
2019.
The two
were just few among the enlightened individuals who finally went back to the
mainstream society after being deceived by the terrorist Communist Party
of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) propaganda and are
currently undergoing reintegration program as part of the Enhanced -
Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) from the national
government.
They
were happy and overjoyed upon receiving the cash benefit. “Dako kaayo akong
pasalamat kay tinood gayud ang gisaad kanamu nga kami pagatabangan sa goberno
alang sa among pagsugod sa bag-ong kinabuhi nga gawasnon kauban ang among
pamilya (I’m thankful because the government has fulfilled its promise to
help the former rebels like us, that we could start a new life with our
family),” Tahudan said.
The
26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion (26IB), Philippine Army led by its
commanding officer Lt. Col. Romeo C. Jimenea, in collaboration with the
PSWD officer Razel Montemor, assisted the enrollment of the
FRs to the E-CLIP, which will cover their reintegration, livelihood,
educational and housing benefits.
“We are
committed to help and assist to the needs of our brothers and sisters who
finally returned to the folds of the law and chose to live in harmony together
with their families,” Montemor said.
Meanwhile,
Lt. Col. Jimenea congratulated the two FRs after receiving the said
benefits. "Said cash assistance is just an initial prize for your
surrender. There will be more benefits that will be given to you to help you
all in starting anew through E-CLIP," he said.
The
official also called on the remaining members of the NPA to
stop causing conflicts in the communities, and surrender to the government.
"Our door remains open in accepting you all back to the folds of the law.
We are offering you a way out but if you continue to resist, then it will cause
your own ruin,” Jimenea added. (CMO officer, 26IB/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
