Caraga remains
negative from COVID-19
By
Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN
CITY, March 26 (PIA) -- As announced by Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr., Regional
Director of the Department of Health (DOH)-Caraga, during his briefing on
Thursday, the nine swab samples sent to the Southern Philippines Medical Center
in Davao City were tested negative of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Dr.
Llacuna bared that six patients were confined at the Caraga Regional Hospital
in Surigao City while three were at the Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center
in Surigao del Sur.
"We're
happy to announce that none of them tested positive of COVID-19," he said.
Latest
data showed a total of 36 patients under investigation (PUIs), 12 are currently
admitted while 24 are on strict home quarantine. Three PUIs have already been
discharged following negative results and good medical condition.
To
date, Caraga region does not have a specialized molecular biology laboratory
capable of performing biohazard tests like the COVID-19. Confirmatory testing
for COVID-19 includes certain requirements like Real-Time Polymerase Chain
Reaction (RT-PCR) based testing kits, Biosafety Level 2 (BSL 2) Cabinets,
trained Medical Technologists on biohazard safety and the Biohazard Safety
Laboratory itself which will cost millions in purchase and more time for proper
training before operation. With this, all nose-throat swab collected samples of
qualified Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) are brought to SPMC as it is the
only qualified sub-national confirmatory testing laboratory in Mindanao, Dr.
Lllacuna said.
“We
collect samples from qualified individuals and bring them to SPMC in Davao City
because we still don’t have the capacity to perform them here in the region. In
the meantime, while we are still awaiting for the other results, I urge all
Caraganons to continue cooperating with us, the LGUs, and the uniformed
personnel by simply staying at home and practicing health preventive measures,”
Dr. Llacuna added.
Based
on the Department Memorandum No. 2020-0108, or the “Guidelines for Management
of Patients with Possible and Confirmed COVID-19,” it stated that admitted
patients with severe manifestations, elderlies, and PUIs with co-morbidities
are the criteria for specimen collection and COVID-19 testing.
Meanwhile,
Dr. Llacuna urged everyone in the region to continuously cooperate with the
government in its effort to avert the spread of the dreaded coronavirus
(COVID-19) disease. He further enjoined all Caraganons to follow precautionary
measures for the region to remain as COVID-19-Free.
“We are
all in this together. May it be big or small; we can contribute in halting the
spread of this disease. I encourage everyone to continue to wash your hands,
practice cough etiquette and physical distancing,” the health chief concluded.
(JPG/DOH-13/PIA-Caraga)
DA issues food lane
passes to ensure delivery of agri-fishery essential commodities
BUTUAN
CITY, March 26 -- The food lane accreditation of the Department of Agriculture
(DA) in the Caraga Region has already served 1,097 walk-in and online clients
from the region.
DA
Caraga through the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division leads the
issuances of the food pass and food lane vehicle pass cards to suppliers and
farm producers. This is to ensure the unhampered delivery of food supply and
other agricultural commodities amid the Community Quarantine period in the
region due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
To fast
track the applications the Local Government Units through the Provincial, City,
and Municipal Agriculture Offices and the DA-Agriculture Program Coordinating
Offices extended their assistance in the processing of documents in their
respective areas.
According
to OIC-Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega the
DA-Caraga augmented an additional workforce to act to the bulk of online
applications and to cater to the needs of the walk-in clients.
"The
verifying team makes sure that all applicants are complying with the needed
requirements. The process of application is easy and it is also accessible
online," Atega said.
In
adherence to social distancing guidelines and to ensure that health and safety
of both DA frontliners and applicants are not compromised, the Department
encourages the online application, she added.
The
agricultural suppliers are requiring to furnish scanned copies of the official
receipt of registration, certificate or registration, and business permits.
They
will also accomplish the Food Lane Accreditation Application Forms, Food Lane
Reference Form, and Statement of Commitment, which can be downloaded on the
department's website.
For
livestock, poultry, and by-products, additional requirements include a scanned
copy of the handler's license, accreditation of transport carriers from the
Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), and accreditation of meat transport vehicles
from the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). Transport of live hogs and
pork products should continue to comply with shipping permits in monitoring the
African Swine Fever (ASF).
On the
other hand, OIC-RTD Atega recently coordinated with the Philippine National
Police – Police Regional Office XIII (PNP-PRO XIII) and Philippine Army 402nd
IB-4th ID to allow vehicles of agri-fishery suppliers issued with Food Lane
stickers to pass the checkpoints with no hassles.
"In
response to Agriculture Secretary Dar's directives, DA-Caraga seeks the
assistance of the PNP and Phil Army to give immediate support during the
product delivery as we value the importance of the unhampered movement of food
supplies is necessary in these trying times," said OIC-RTD Atega.
Miguel
Ledesma, owner of the St. Michael Rice & Corn Mill and Pidol Miki Factory
in Barangay Noli, Bayugan City, is grateful for the initiative of the
Department in issuing the Food Lane Conduct Pass.
"We
cannot deny that this is also a risk for our suppliers. This is not just only
for business but also this is part of my social responsibility to help more
people as we commit to continue the delivery of our product to our distributors
so that there will be available and affordable food for their customers. This
is a big help for all of us," he said. (DA Caraga/PIA Caraga)
Caraga wins POPDEV
nat’l contest anew
By May
Ann O. Escobal
BUENAVISTA,
Agusan del Norte, March 26 -- For the second year in a row, Caraga Region was
declared Champion in Population and Development Quiz (POPQUIZ) during the
recent National Festival of Talents at Ilagan City, Isabela jointly
administered by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on
Population and Development (POPCOM).
Joemarie
B. Castones from Caraga Regional Science High School, Surigao City, won the 1st
Place, the same school who brought honor to the region in the last year
National PopQuiz. Marife C. Curada is the same coach who never gets tired in
doing researches despite full-time work as classroom teacher.
In an
interview, the young POPQUIZ wizard revealed that he felt very well-heeled for
winning in one of the significant competitions for population and development.
Castones
added that the event helped him increased his knowledge of the current issues
faced by them, the young people.
Meanwhile, Merreny J. More of Antonio C. Dagani Central Elementary School, Cabadbaran City, ranked 2nd in Poster-Making contest in the said festival of talents.
More is
thankful for the opportunity to showcase her artistic talent in poster-making;
raising awareness by depicting the main issues on the rising incidence of too
early pregnancy and encourage her fellow adolescents to become more sexually
responsible to have a brighter and better future.
Castones and More are consistent honor students of their respective schools. As an agent of change, they continuously drive to great achievements by actively engaging into different competitions, academic or non-academic; inspiring their fellow young people to practice positive and responsible sexual behaviors among themselves.
In its
continuing and intensified advocacy, POPCOM underlined the significance of the
Festival of Talents as one key strategy of the Adolescent Health and
Development (AHD) Program, where students challenge one another in the battle
for population and development knowledge and information.
The
Festival of Talents is an innovative way to reach young people and involve them
in the advocacy while showcasing their skills and talents. This is done yearly
from school elimination to division and regional level. (POPCOM Caraga/PIA
Caraga)
SK leaders render
service as Army reservists amid quarantine
By
Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN
CITY, Mar. 26 (PIA) -- Upon the implementation of the community quarantine in
Butuan City, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders in the city have partaken in
the heightened inspection in the checkpoints alongside police and military
forces.
Former SK
Federation president Engr. Wen Kok Lim Chiang II reiterated that all SK leaders
will automatically become reservists upon their appointment to the position. As
such, they are to respond to the directives of the military, especially at dire
times such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we
are only reservists, we may not be equipped with advance level training such as
those of our police and military personnel but we are doing our best to help
our local government and maximize our role as public servants," he added.
Much
like the police and military personnel, the reservists are tasked to conduct
thermal scanning and profiling of visitors in the city.
Engr.
Chiang recounted some of the major problems faced by the military and police
personnel during their shifts such as the failure of the residents and visitors
alike to comply with the protocol imposed under community quarantine. Despite
the mandatory stay-at-home policy, some still choose to go out and loiter in
public. There would also be instances that those waiting in line in the
checkpoints would mock and sometimes curse them.
The
youth’s act of volunteerism has thus contributed significantly to improve the
response of the local government unit (LGU) of Butuan in repressing the spread
of the disease in the region.
At
present, thirty-seven SK leaders are designated at the five entry and exit
checkpoints in the city. In order to continue fulfilling their other duties as
youth officials, they work by shifts. In terms of sanitation, the former SK
president bared that they are also made to follow disinfection procedures to
maintain hygiene and sanitation. (PIA-Caraga)
