‘Border’ ng Caraga
sarado na dahil sa COVID-19
By Nora C. Lanuza
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Abril 4 (PIA) -- Upang mas tiyak na maprotektahan ang
mga Caraganons sa banta na dala ng COVID-19 mula sa mga lugar kung saan
nagpositibo ito, napagkasunduan ng regional task force on COVID-19 o One Caraga
Shield na ipasara na ang mga daanan at mga boundaries na papasok sa
rehiyon. Ito ay basi sa ginawang resolusyon na pinasa ng task force na
pinamumunoan ni Gobernador Dale B. Corvera ng probinsya ng Agusan del Norte.
Ayon kay Gob. Corvera, sarado na ang lahat ng entry points sa rehiyon,
maging ang tubig (sea), himpapawid (air) at sa lupa (land) entry points
na kung saan ay pwedeng makapasok ang galing sa ibang lugar.
Bumuo na din ng tatlong task force upang mas matutukan ang papasok sa
rehiyon; ang task force land ay tututok sa barangay Tagcatong ng Carmen, Agusan
del Norte; sitio Maitum, Langkilaan at barangay Sisimon ng Veruela ng Agusan
del Sur; at ang barangay San Roque, Linging ng Surigao del Sur. Samantala, ang
task force water ay tututokan din ang entry points ng Nasipit International
Port ng Agusan del Norte; Eva M. Macapagal Passenger Terminal at Lipata Ferry
Terminal ng Surigao City; Dapa Port ng Surigao del Norte; at Port of San Jose
ng Dinagat Islands, habang ang task force air ay nakatutok din sa Bancasi
Airport ng Butuan City; Surigao Airport ng Surigao City; Tandag City Airport ng
Surigao del Sur at ang Sayak Airport ng del Carmen, Surigao del Norte.
Dagdag pa ni Gob. Corvera, ang nasabing measures ay isang paraan upang
masiguro na walang makapasok sa rehiyon na hindi malalaman ng mga otoridad.
Sa ngayon ang buong rehiyon ay nagpapatupad ng community quarantine pero
strikto ang pagpapatupad at pagmomonitor ng mga checkpoinst maging sa mga barangays.
Pabor naman si Nestor Betonio ng Butuan City sa ginawang pagsasara ng
mga daang papasok ng Caraga upang mas segurong ligtas sa COVID-19 ang mga
Caraganons. Gayundin si Junrie Curalde, isang tricycle driver dahil sa ganitong
paraan tiyak daw ang kaligtasan ng lahat.
Sa ngayon, negatibo pa rin ang rehiyon sa COVID-19. (NCLM/PIA Agusan del
Norte)
TESDA-AdN, TVIs show
support to COVID-19 frontliners
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, April 4 – The provincial office of the Technical
Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Agusan del Norte in
partnership with Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) have shown support to
COVID-19 frontliners.
Dubbed as “Bayanihan Na! Talunin Natin ang COVID-19,” the Association of
Technical and Vocational Schools of Butuan City and Agusan del Norte (ATSBAN)
has partnered with TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Office through the
Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries (NMSF), and some medical professionals
from Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) Diamond Batch 1992 who solicited
materials and funds in making face shields and washable Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) for frontliners.
In a statement, ATSBAN President and AMA-Computer Learning Center-Butuan
School Director Engr. Allan Atega said this development came after medical
professionals who are alumni of FSUU Diamond Batch 1992 coordinated with ATSBAN
and pledge to provide materials for the making of the PPEs.
ATSBAN coordinated with TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Office and the
Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries (NMSF) through School Administrator Romel
M. Natad to utilize their trainers in Tailoring NC II to design and sew the PPE
suits.
The TVI association organized solicitation program to collect and accept
materials and funds to purchase materials needed for the PPEs; accepts cash and
deposit donations; coordinate with TESDA and NMSF for the transport and
production of PPEs; promotes solicitation over social media; and documents all
activities and donations for transparency.
“This initiative is really a collaborative effort supporting the
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of President Rodrigo R. Duterte especially in
these times of crisis, which is also in line with the Bayanihan Program: Heal
our Land,” Atega said.
Meanwhile, TESDA-Agusan del Norte Acting Provincial Director Liza B.
Budtan said that TESDA and the academe sector in the province and the city of
Butuan are one in supporting the frontliners who have risked their lives just
to serve the Agusanons and Butuanons. “In this little way, we could be able to
show our support to our modern heroes,” she added.
Dir. Budtan likewise expressed her sincerest thanks and gratitude to
ATSBAN, FSUU Diamond Batch of 1992, NMSF, ACLC-Butuan and those who have made
the project noble and worthwhile.
Among the priority beneficiaries are medical frontliners in: Butuan City
Medical Center (BMC) which is a COVID-Exclusive Hospital in the province; BMC
(PUI Facilities); Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital; private hospitals in
Butuan City; public and private outside Butuan City, and frontliners in major
checkpoints in the city.
To date, Atega said 300 faceshields were already distributed to major
checkpoints (Butuan City’s entry points) like Bit-os, Bancasi, Sumilihon,
Taligaman and Barangay Villa-Kananga. The facemasks have been donated to BMC
while NMSF has initially produced eight, at four suits per day. “We hope to
deliver at least 20 or more suits to BMC,” he added.
As of April 2, 2020, the Department of Health (DOH)-Caraga reported that
there are no patients who are found positive of the COVID-19 in the five
provinces and six cities in the region.
Also, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Agusan del Norte reported
in their Facebook page that DOH-Caraga Regional Director Dr. Jose R. Llacuna,
Jr. said the swab sample of the patient under investigation (PUI) who died at
the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City on March 26, 2020 tested negative
of COVID-19. (TESDA Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)
