DTI recognizes 5
Caraganon successful women entrepreneurs
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
Recipients
of the award were April Aguilar-Dabalos of Agusan del Norte, Madelyn Alvizo of
Agusan del Sur, Rosely Dagsa of Surigao del Norte, Miraflor Montano of Surigao
del Sur, and Lynn Sheryl Reasol of the Province of Dinagat Islands.
“We all
can become women of impact kay kita dili ‘babae lang’ (because we are not
‘just women’),” said Reasol, who serves as the marketing manager of Rattan
Handicrafts Weavers SLP Association.
Reasol
said that since she wanted to become a woman of inspiration, she strived hard
in encouraging her fellow mothers from her neighborhood to invest in and work
for the rattan enterprise.
“Happy
sab ko sa gibuhat nako nga pag-inspire nila kay nakita nako ang kabag-ohan sa
mga kababaihan sa among lugar (I am happy to have inspired them as I have
seen the changes among the women in my neighborhood).
Reasol
shared that their enterprise started from a seed capital from the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and
got enhanced through the marketing trainings and assistance provided by DTI.
With 55
female and 2 male workers, their enterprise was recognized by DTI-Center for
International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) as one of the top-selling
brands in DTI-organized/assisted trade fairs and has now a regular export
market to Switzerland.
Aguilar-Dabalos,
proprietor of Tinkerville Playhouse and managing director of PowerLEAP Resources
encouraged all women to never give up dreaming.
“More
than anything else, we (women) need to empower ourselves, because as we empower
ourselves, we also empower our children. We allow them to learn that they can
do a lot of things because we have done it,” she said.
Tinkerville
Playhouse is an indoor active playground for kids while PowerLEAP Resources is
a consultancy firm for legal/leadership, entrepreneurship, accounting and
finance, and personality development.
“As
women, it’s not only that we build a home to be a good place for our family but
we also have a part or role in building our nation,” Aguilar-Dabalos said.
The
awarding, in line with the celebration of the National Women’s Month, is an
annual activity spearheaded by the department as a contribution to the
five-year theme “WE Make Change Work for Women.”
In the
theme, WE means women empowerment. The first letters of the words Make Change
Work translates to the first letters of the Magna Carta of Women. Meanwhile,
change means compassionate and harmonized action and networks for gender
equality. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
AgNor guv suspends
classes due to COVID-19, provides PPEs to frontline employees
By Nora
C. Lanuza
Gov.
Corvera directed the parents to keep their children at home and avoid going to
public places in order to preserve the aim of protecting the lives of the
constituents of the province immensely intended by proclamation no. 1.
"To
contain and/or prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to mitigate its effects and
impact to the community, classes suspension will help to stop it from
spreading," Gov. Corvera said.
Also,
as a protection to the provincial government employees, Gov. Corvera has
equipped the frontline workers with the personal protective equipment (PPEs) in
order not to hamper any operations in the province and to protect them from any
viruses.
Governor
Corvera, who also chairs the Regional Development Council of Caraga region,
encouraged all Caraganons to promote good hygiene, stay healthy and avoid
crowded places.
The
issuance of the proclamation is based on the declaration of the State of the
Public Emergency by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to capacitate the local
government units to immediately institute actions to combat the disease.
Aside
from the suspension of classes, a continuous distribution of IEC materials and
inclusion of COVID-19 in the radio program discussions are just some of the
measures of the province to protect and educate the people on the disease.
(NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte)
Gov’t steps up
measures to improve women's rights, welfare
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, March 13 (PIA) - The government continues to step up measures in
protecting the rights and welfare of the women and youth.
However,
in cases of violence and abuse, victims at times are the ones being blamed and
judged for such experience.
According
to Atty. Euvic Ferrer of legal section of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
Caraga, it has a negative effect to the victims of violence and abuse.
Because
of victim-blaming, women victims are becoming hesitant to report the abuse to
the authorities with the notion that they would be humiliated, instead of
putting the blame to the perpetrators.
“Victim-blaming
or the act of transferring the blame to a victim of sexual abuse or violence,
like how short a rape victim's skirt is, tends to send a wrong signal to
victims of abuse. Victim-blaming effectively silences female victims of abuse
by conditioning them to think that their misfortune is their fault, and not a
direct result of a sexual predator's reprehensible actions. It is a step back
in our government's efforts to hold people accountable for their crimes; that
it effectively promotes impunity,” underscored Ferrer.
Atty.
Ferrer also emphasized that the safety and security of the women against any
form of violence and abuse is the primary right of the said sector.
With
this concern, it reaps varying reactions from the public.
“It is
never right to blame women and girls for wearing sexy clothes that’s why they
are harassed. It is always their right to be respected,” said Rochelle
Montalvo, a private employee.
Concepcion
Villanueva, a senior citizen in one of the barangays of this city also said
that men using illegal drugs are really prone to do and violate the law. Once
they use an illegal drug, anyone’s life, be it a baby or an elderly is really
in danger,” she bared. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Hakbang ng pamahalaan
sa pagprotekta sa mga kababaihan, pinaigting pa
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD
NG BUTUAN, Marso 13 (PIA) - Puspusan ang hakbang ng pamahalaan para maproktektahan
ang mga kababaihan at mga kabataan.
Ngunit
sa mga kaso ng karahasan at pang-aabuso, may pagkakataong ang biktima pa ang
nasisisi at nahuhusgahan.
Ayon
kay Atty. Euvic Ferrer ng legal section ng Commission on Human Rights (CHR)
Caraga, masama ang epekto nito sa mga biktima ng karahasan.
Dahil
sa victim-blaming, nawawalan na ng lakas ng loob ang mga biktima na magsumbong
sa mga otoridad dahil sa takot na mapahiya at mahusgahan.
Binigyang-diin
din ni Ferrer na ang pagiging ligtas ng kababaihan laban sa anumang uri ng
karahasan ay pangunahing karapatan ng sektor.
Kaugnay
niyan, iba't-iba naman ang naging reaksyon dito ng publiko. May sari-saring
reaksyon ang iilang indibidwal ukol dito.
Isa si
Ellen Yasay na isang vendor, sa mga nagpahayag na bilang babae, may karapatan
itong gawin ang kanyang gusto sa buhay, maging sa kasuotan nito. “Depende naman
talaga yan sa babae kung anong kasuotan siya komportable. Yung mga lalaki
naman, depende na rin sa kanila. Kasi yung iba naman, hindi naman nababastosan
sa suot ng babae kahit masyado itong sexy,” ani niya.
“Karapatan
naman ng mga babae ang maisuot at maipakita ang gusto nilang damit. Hindi
porket sexy siya sa paningin ng mga lalaki ay pwede na siyang bastosin nito.
Dapat ay irespeto ang mga kababaihan,” sabi ni Rochelle Montalvo na isang
empleyado sa pribadong kompanya.
Sinabi
naman ni Concepcion Villanueva, isang senior citizen, na kahit sino - bata man
o matanda ay maaaring mabiktima ng karahasan at pang-aabuso. “Hindi naman
naka-base sa suot ng tao kaya siya nagagahasa. Minsan, ang mga lalaki pag
naka-gamit ng ilegal na droga ay nakakagawa ng masama sa kapwa,” dagdag
niya.
Samantala,
patuloy pa rin ang kampanya ng Regional Gender and Development Committee
(RGADC) laban VAWC at iba pang uri ng karahasan at pang-aabuso.
(JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga region,
nananatiling COVID-19 free matapos ang Code Red activation
By
Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
LUNGSOD
NG BUTUAN, Marso 13 (PIA) -- Alinsunod sa deklarasyon ng State of Public Health
Emergency dahil sa pagtaas ng kumpirmadong kaso sa Coronavirus Infectious
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) sa bansa, mas pinaigting pa ng Department of Health
(DOH) Caraga ang kanilang mga hakbang kontra sa naturang sakit.
Sa
kasalukuyan, apat na ang naitalang Persons under Investigation (PUIs) sa
rehiyon kung saan nag negatibo na ang unang naitalang kaso habang tinututukan
ngayon ang tatlo.
Simula
sa pagkumpirma ng unang kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa, umabot na sa 58 ang Persons
under Monitoring (PUMs) sa Caraga, kung saan lima pa ang patuloy na
tinututukan.
Gayun
paman, nananatili pa rin COVID-free ang rehiyon sa Caraga.
Ayon
kay DOH Caraga regional director Dr. Jose Llacuna Jr., ipagpapatuloy pa rin ng
ahensya ang pagsunod sa mga protocol na ipinatupad ng Inter Agency Task Force
on Emerging Infectious Disease kontra COVID-19.
“Ang
hiling ko lamang sa mga Caraganons ay huwag magpanic dahil ginagawa po naming
ang lahat upang makontrol ang sitwasyon. Mas maigi na ilaan niyo po ang iyong
kooperasyon upang mapaigting pa ang preventive measures na ipinapatupad ng
pamahalaan,” giit niya.
Hinimok
din ang publiko na patuloy na sundin ang health protocol ng DOH tulad ng
madalasang paghugas ng kamay, pagsunod sa cough etiquette, at pag-iwas sa
matataong lugar.
Dagdag
niya, iwasan ang panic buying ng mga medical supplies at gumamit lamang ng
surgical mask kung may karamdaman lamang katulad ng ubo at sipon.
Binigyang-diin
din ng estudyanteng si Mel Agra ang kahalagahan ng pagiging updated sa estado
ng COVID-19 sa bansa at patuloy na pagsasaliksik ukol sa naturang sakit. Aniya,
ito ang ilan sa mga paraan na tiyak na magagawa ng publiko.
“Gaya
po ng narinig natin sa balita, mahirap nang matantsya ang COVID-19 kung kaya’t
dapat ay mas maging mausisa po tayo at patuloy na magbasa ukol sa sakit,”
aniya.
Sinisuguro
din ng mga food establishments na maagapan ang pagkalat ng sakit sa mga
empleyado at customer. Naglagay na ang may-ari ng food establishment sa Butuan
na si Robert Mendoza ng sanitizing products tulad ng handwash at alcohol para
sa kanilang customers. Tinitiyak din niya na sinusunod ng kanyang mga empleyado
ang protocol ng DOH na panatilihin ang one-meter distance sa mga kustomer upang
maiwasan ang pagkalat ng bakterya.
“Dahil
parte po ng aming trabaho ang makisalamuha sa mga tao, nagdestino po kami ng
handwashing area para sa mga kumakain dito. Madalas din naming hinuhugasan ang
aming kamay lalo na pagkatapos naming maserbisyohan aming mga customer,” dagdag
niya.
Kinansela
na din ng iba’t-ibang ahensya ang kani-kanilang aktibidad matapos ang naturang
deklarasyon. Hindi na ipinagpatuloy ng Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga
ang Caraga Athletic Association – Regional Sports Competition 2020 (CAA-RSC
2020) Island Games na nakatakdang isagawa ngayong Marso 13 hanggang 18 sa
Siargao Island.
Nag-issue
na din ng temporary postponement ang syudad ng Butuan City sa mga malalaking
aktibidades sa lungsod, lalo na ang para sa selebrasyon ng Women’s Month.
Matapos
ang pagkumpirma ng sampung kaso ng COVID-19 sa bansa, kung saan isa ang nakuha
sa pamamagitan ng local transmission, pinirmahan ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte
ang Proclamation No. 922 nong Marso 8 na nag-uutos sa lahat ng ahensya ng
gobyerno at local government units (LGUs) na magpatupad ng naayong aksyon upang
maagapan ang pagkalat ng naturang nakamamatay na sakit. (PIA-Caraga)
Caraga region remains
ASF-free
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, March 13 (PIA) -- “Caraga region remains to be ASF-Free.”
This
was the statement of regional director Abel Monteagudo of the Department of
Agriculture (DA), following the ongoing threat on the African Swine Fever (ASF)
in the region.
With
this development, the task force led by DA has intensified the
implementation of preventive measures and protocols to continuously ensure
the safety of Caraganons from the ASF.
These
efforts to stop the spread of the ASF, include the conduct of inspection and
animal quarantine checkpoints in the boundaries of every province and
distribution of spray and disinfectants to hog raisers.
Dir. Monteagudo stressed
that the intensified information dissemination to the public has greatly
contributed to this result.
The
constant coordination of various concerned government agencies, as well as the
support and cooperation of the general public in following the protocol, have
also helped in making Caraga an ASF-Free region.
“We
hope people would continue to cooperate as we are still doing everything that
we could do to prevent the ASF in our region, at the same time that the
government also do its best to prevent the spread of the coronavirus now called
as COVID-19,” Monteagudo underscored.
DA-Caraga
continues to provide assistance to hog raisers in the region.
For
Nieza Balberan, who has been in the swine industry and selling “lechon” for 20
years, the ongoing threat on ASF has greatly affected their regular sales.
She said, they usually earn around P100,000.00 a month but now, they could
even hardly earn an amount of P10,000.00.
“The
continuing concern on ASF really affected our business and income. However, we
believe that this won’t last long as the government has been taking measures
and soon, our regular operation will back into place,” said Balberan.
Meanwhile,
Dir. Monteagudo called on the public particularly the drivers and operators of
public utility vehicles to avoid bringing with them pork meat products that do
not have the necessary permit.
Violators
of Republic Act 10536 otherwise known as the Meat Inspection Code of the
Philippines will be fined P200,000.00. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Caraga remains
COVID-19 free amid Code Red activation
By
Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN
CITY, Mar. 13 (PIA) -- Despite the declaration of the State of Public Health
Emergency due to the additional confirmed cases on the Coronavirus Infectious
Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) Caraga
vows to intensify its preventive measures against the disease.
At
present, three persons are currently being investigated, making the total tally
for Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) of four. The first case tested negative
for COVID-19.
Since
the outbreak, a total of 58 persons under monitoring (PUMs) have been tallied,
five of which are currently being monitored.
Despite
the rise in the cases, Caraga region remains COVID-19 free.
DOH
Caraga regional director Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr. bared that they will continue
implementing the health and control protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task
Force on Emerging Infectious Disease against COVID-19 amid the activation of
Code Red-Sublevel 2 of the country’s alert system.
“What I
ask from the Caraganons is not to panic because we are in control of the
situation. Instead lend your cooperation to strengthen the preventive measures
imposed by the government,” Dr. Llacuna affirmed.
In
addition, the public is advised to continue following the health protocol set
by the said health agency such as washing hands frequently, following the cough
etiquette, and avoiding going to crowded places.
He also
discouraged panic buying of medical supplies and purchase instead when needed.
He also reminded Caraganons to wear mask only when suffering from respiratory
illnesses like cough.
For
student Mel Agra, apart from religiously following the said health protocol, it
is just as important to be updated with the status of the COVID-19 in the
country and remaining educated about the disease. He believes that these are
some of the best preventive measures that are feasible for the public.
“As
what we have heard from the news, the disease is getting more unpredictable,
which is why it is important to do research,” he said.
Food
establishments are also doing their part in preventing the spread of the
disease. Food establishment proprietor Robert Mendoza has stationed sanitizing
products such as hand wash soaps and alcohol for customers to use. He also
makes sure that his employees maintain a 1-meter distance between their
customers as prescribed by DOH.
“Because
it is in the nature of our business to interact with people, we made sure that
we designate a handwashing area, especially for our customers. In addition, we
always make sure to sanitize and wash our hands as often as we can especially after
serving our customers,” he added.
Major
events have also been canceled in response to the state of public health
emergency declaration. The Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga pushed
through the postponement of the Caraga Athletic Association – Regional Sports
Competition 2020 (CAA-RSC 2020) Island Games, which was scheduled on March
13-18, 2020 at Siargao Island.
Meanwhile,
the city government of Butuan issued a temporary postponement of all activities
for this year’s celebration of Women’s Month.
Upon
the confirmation of ten new cases of COVID-19 in the country, at least two of
which indicates local transmission, President Rodrigo Duterte signed the
Proclamation No. 922 on March 8, directing all government agencies and local
government units to exhaust necessary means to combat the spread of the
disease. (PIA-Caraga)
Caraga region
nananatiling ASF-Free
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
LUNGSOD
NG BUTUAN, Marso 13 (PIA) - Sa patuloy na hamon na dulot ng African Swine Fever
(ASF), mas pinaigting pa ng Task Force ng Caraga region sa pangunguna ng
Department of Agriculture (DA) ang pagpapatupad ng preventive measures.
Partikular
dito ang inspection at animal quarantine checkpoints sa mga boundaries ng kada
probinsya; distribution ng spray at disinfectants sa mga hog raisers; at iba
pa.
Ayon
kay DA-Caraga regional director Abel Monteagudo, nananatiling ASF-Free ang
rehiyon dahil na rin sa patuloy na information dissemination sa bawat
komunidad.
Malaking
bagay din ang pakikipagtulungan ng ibat-ibang ahensiya at kooperasyon ng
publiko sa pinapatupad na protocol.
“Hinihiling
namin ang patuloy na kooperasyon ng publiko sa ginagawang hakbang ng gobyerno
upang hindi makapasok ang ASF sa rehiyon. Tayo ay magkaisa at magtulungan para
sa ikabubuti ng lahat,” sabi ni Monteagudo.
Patuloy
din ang tulong na ibinibigay ng DA sa hog raisers ng rehiyon.
Para
kay Nieza Balberan, na 20 taon ng nagnenegosyo ng lechon sa Butuan City, naging
matumal ang kanilang benta dahil sa ASF. Kung nuon ay kumikita sila ng
P100,000.00 sa isang buwan, ngayon ay nasa P10,000.00 nalang.
“Bumaba
talaga ang aming kita dahil sa isyu ng ASF sa rehiyon. Naiintindihan naman
namin ang mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng gobyerno sa protocol upang masigurong
ligtas ang mamamayan. Tiwala naman kaming hindi ito magtatagal at magbabalik
din ang aming regular na operasyon at kita kada buwan,” ani ni Balberan.
Samantala,
nanawagan naman si Dir. Monteagudo sa publiko lalo na sa drivers at
operators ng public utility vehicles na iwasang magdala ng pork meat products
ng walang permit.
Mahaharap
sa P200,000.00 ang sinumang lalabag sa Republic Act 10536 o ang Meat Inspection
Code of the Philippines. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
