AgSur frontliners in
checkpoints ask for more PPEs
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, March 27 (PIA) -- With the intensified implementation of precautionary
measures in the province of Agusan del Sur against the coronavirus (COVID-19),
the frontliners have asked for additional personal protective equipment (PPE)
and other needs as they operate in the designated checkpoints.
During
the inspection and assessment of the Agusan del Sur Task Force COVID19 in the
checkpoints of the said province, Governor Santiago Cane, Jr., witnessed the
actual situation of the frontliners comprising personnel from the Armed Forces
of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of
Health (DOH) and Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams who are operating on
24/7.
The
identified needs of the checkpoints include tents to shed waiting motorists,
thermal scanners and personal protective equipment to be used by the
frontliners.
According
to Governor Cane, the provincial government is doing its best and looks for
appropriate means and ways to address the concerns of the frontliners, as well
as measures to protect them from being afflicted with COVID-19.
The
official also stressed the need for available testing kits, not only in the
province of Agusan del Sur but also in all areas of the Caraga region. This is
to fast track results of the swab samples of the patients under investigation
(PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs).
“For
now, what we really need is available testing kits not only for the province of
Agusan del Sur, but also in the whole of Caraga region, especially that we have
PUIs and PUMs,” cited Gov. Cane.
Apart
from looking after the needs of the frontliners, the provincial government also
takes measures to ensure the safety and protection of the employees from the
private and public sectors, hence, governor cane has allowed implementation of
a flexible work arrangement or skeletal workforce.
Meanwhile,
the local authorities continue to appeal to the public for their full support
and cooperation especially in the conduct of checkpoints, as part of the
precautionary measures to avert the spread of COVID-19.
"Handling
checkpoint operations is not that easy, but we are doing our best as we
implement tight precautionary measures to ensure that people are protected from
the spread of COVID-19. That’s why we are also asking for their full support
and cooperation for an orderly conduct of checkpoint,” PCpl. Candilario Sanoco.
(JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Karagdagang PPEs,
hiniling ng mga frontliners sa Agusan del Sur
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
Sa
ginawang inspection at assessment ng Agusan del Sur Task Force COVID-19 sa mga
checkpoints ng nasabing probinsya, nakita mismo ni Governor Santiago Cane, Jr.,
ang sitwasyon ng mga kawani ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),
Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Health (DOH), at Barangay
Health Emergency Response Teams.
Kabilang
sa mga kinakailangan ay karagdagang tents para may masilungan ang mga
motoristang sumasailalim sa checkpoint, infrared thermal scanner, at personal
protective equipment naman para sa mga namumuno sa mga checkpoints.
Ayon
naman kay Governor Cane, gumagawa na ng hakbang ang provincial government upang
matugunan ang mga ito.
Sa
kanyang panayam sa Radyo Pilipinas Manila, binigyang-diin ng opisyal na
nangangailangan din hindi lang ang probinsya kundi ng buong rehiyon ng caraga
ng testing kits upang mas mapabilis ang resulta ng swab samples ng mga patients
under investigation (PUIs) at persons under monitoring (PUMs).
“Kailangan
po talaga namin dito sa Agusan del Sur at ng buong Caraga region ang testing
kits lalu na’t may mga PUIs at PUMs na naitala na kailangan ding tutukan,”
banggit ni Gov. Cane.
Maliban
sa frontliners, tinutugunan din ng lokal na pamahalaan ang proteksyon ng mga
empleyado sa pribado at pampublikong ahensiya.. Kaya naman pinahintulan ng
opisyal ang pagpapatupad ng flexible work arrangement o skeletal workforce.
Samantala,
hiniling din mga otoridad sa publiko ang kanilang suporta at kooperasyon lalu
na sa checkpoints upang masugpo ang pagkalat ng virus.
“Hindi
po madali ang ginagawa namin sa checkpoint, subalit ginagawa po namin ang mga
precautionary measures upang maprotektahan ang mga mamamayan laban sa COVID-19
kaya hinihingi din po namin ang inyong suporta at kooperasyon upang maging
maayos ang lahat,” ani ni PCpl. Candilario Sanoco. (JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Home gardens: A
promising approach to enhance household food security
As the
government urged the public to stay home and self- quarantine, some have
started coming up with ways to entertain themselves and some are finding
productive ways to stay home.
Like
Romer Amante, who practices home gardening together with his farmer – partners.
He is
an agriculturist a technical staff of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Caraga
who needs to do his office work for the meantime at home.
Imparting
technical expertise, particularly to vegetable farmers is his forte. In his three
years of working in the DA-Caraga this opens for his realization that there is
a need to practice what he preached.
"Together
with my farmer-partners I am encouraged to establish a small area where I can
apply and showcase the proper management in vegetable farming," he said.
Romer
with his partners is now sharing a small area where he can demonstrate good
practices in producing vegetables like ampalaya, eggplant, okra, tomato,
squash, and even papaya.
"Aside
from the sharing of my knowledge with my farmer-partners. This is also in time
of the global crisis, there is a need to feed our bodies with essential
nutrients to boost our immune system to fight COVID-19," Romer added.
Jessie
Kahilig, 34, is one of his partners from Brgy. Aupagan, Butuan City said that
they have vegetables for today's crisis to feed his family.
"I
am thankful for Romer's initiative to make a partnership with us, this crisis
is unforeseen but we know what to do and that is to plant more," Jessie
added.
Romer
and his farmer partners are now starting to reap the harvest of their hard
work.
"With
or without COVID-19 we should be productive and be ready," Romer said.
The
initiative of the young agriculturist is a proactive response on Agriculture
Secretary William Dar's campaign to enhance urban gardening as one of the
measures to address the availability of food supply amidst the spread of
COVID-19 in the country. (DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)
