PRC opens molecular lab in Surigao Norte
SURIGAO
CITY, Surigao del Norte, Feb. 3 (PIA) -- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in
cooperation with the provincial government of Surigao del Norte and other
partner stakeholders, spearheaded recently the blessing and inauguration of the
PRC molecular laboratory located at Km. 9, Barangay Bonifacio, this city.
Bishop
Antonieto D. Cabajog of the Diocese of Surigao led the blessing rites of the
laboratory.
Senator
Richard J. Gordon graced the event as its honored guest in his capacity as the
PRC chairman and chief executive officer.
In his
message, Sen. Gordon commended the frontliners and volunteers who continue to
work hard in order to stop COVID-19 from spreading.
“All we
need is good leadership like you have here. Leadership that has a vision that
draws out the values and the best in us. You cannot achieve anything unless you
work hard to put duty, dignity and determination first no matter how hard the
task is. We should fight. The task of a leader like Red Cross is to
uplift human dignity and to make sure that we reach out to the most vulnerable,”
said Sen. Gordon.
In the
same way, Sen. Gordon said the facility would be expanded in the future to
accommodate student research and handle testing for the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV), Zika virus, leukemia, cancer and other diseases.
“If we
have a common vision to unite the community, we must always have the common
good at hand. That will bring progress and development to our
country. Tomorrow is not tomorrow. Tomorrow begins now. We
look at the past to learn and we fortify ourselves today and we make sure that
we win the future. We would not be afraid of the future. We would not fear the
future," he said.
"We
will make the future our friend… In the meantime, let us continue to use the
swab test so we will be able to quell the enemy. And the enemy today is
the virus, COVID-19. And we are going to prevail. Instead of COVID,
we are going to call it Cooperation in Victory and Development. We must
believe in it. And we must prevent it from spreading! We must
prevent the virus from taking territory so it will not spread. And the
idea now is to always think forward. Make our community safe but at the
same time one eye is in the future,” added Sen. Gordon.
Sen.
Gordon also thanked the mining firms for their significant contribution.
He said that he will support mining so long as it is responsible. After
affirming the important role of mining in daily life, he said that he looks
forward to visit the Caraga mines and see for himself that the stakeholders
truly carry out responsible mining. He is hopeful that people can come up
with products that can be used by the Philippines aside from just drawing from
the resources of the earth.
Towards
the end of his speech, Sen. Gordon acknowledged the collaborative efforts of
all sectors and stakeholders in the successful establishment of the
facility. He also thanked the Surigao State College of Technology for
providing the land for the facility. “I salute all of you,” heartily
expressed Sen. Gordon.
The
mining-funded facility will serve the entire Caraga Administrative Region and
nearby provinces for efficient testing needs of the people. It is
equipped with two Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
machines and one ribonucleic acid (RNA) extractor that can analyze up to 2,000
specimens a day.
THPAL
Nickel Corporation (THPAL), Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) and Cagdianao
Mining Corporation (CMC) have pooled their resources together and gave an
PhP18-million donation to the Philippine Red Cross in order to establish the
said facility which is the second of its kind in Caraga Region.
THPAL
donated P15 million while TMC and CMC donated P3 Million. These mining
companies laid emphasis on the importance of a testing facility so as to
capacitate further the COVID-19 testing needs in the region.
The
provincial government of Surigao del Norte, Surigao City Government and mining
firms such as Platinum Group Metals Corporation, THPAL and TMC, together with
various contractors, provided the dump trucks and helped in the backfilling of
the 2,000-square meter facility lot. (MGB-13/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Info activities conducted to shield youth from CTG influence in Agnor town
By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang
BUENAVISTA,
Agusan del Norte, Feb. 3 -- The 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), in
partnership with the Youth for Peace (YFP) Las Nieves chapter and the
Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members conducted a series of information and
education activities to youth groups from the different barangays in Las Nieves
town in Agusan del Norte from January 20 to 28, 2021.
The
eight-day activity was supported by the local government unit (LGU) of Las
Nieves and the council members of every concerned barangays and communities.
The
activity aims to educate the youth in countering the propaganda of the
Communist New People’s Army (NPA) Terrorists (CNTS) in their localities and to
enlighten them on the different deceptive tactics that the terrorist insurgents
use in social media. In the overall perspective, the activity sought to shield
the youth in Las Nieves from the recruitment of the CTGs.
Karen
S. Rosales, the president of YFP, expressed gratitude to the YFP members and SK
officers for the success of the series of information and education activities.
“The
YFP was established with the primary purpose to educate and enlighten the youth
of Las Nieves to widen their perspectives on the different issues that hinder
peace, progress, and development. Our organization also seeks to uplift the
leadership capabilities of our youth, as the future leaders of our communities
and municipality, through lectures and a series of education drives. The organization
also works with other stakeholders, such as the 23IB, to enlighten our youth on
the different schemes that the CNTs exploit, whether through individual
recruitment activities in the barangays or through social media. We want our
youth to be aware of the different disinformation campaigns that the CNTs and
their cohorts employ in different platforms,” Rosales said.
She
also asked the youth in Las Nieves to join the cause of the YFP and win over
more members of the sector to the organization and transform them as effective
agents in peace-building and development works in the municipality.
“Let us
all work together and plant the seed of compassion and patriotism among our
youths so that together, we can stand as one and help our municipality grow and
prosper,” Rosales said.
Lt.
Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, the commander of 23rd IB, commended the YFP and SK
leaders and members of Las Nieves for the success of the activity.
“Your
readiness and willingness to support the different peace and development
initiatives and interventions of the government will save the youth of Las
Nieves from the influence and destruction of the CNTs,” Paulo said.
“Your
bigger purpose is to become part of the overall peace development campaigns in
your municipality. As members of the youth sector, you need to learn more and
accept the various challenges you will come across in the future. But I am
certain that you will succeed, as long as you are united and believe in the
cause that you began to nurture today. Continue your learnings because it is
only through education that we become effective leaders in our communities,”
added Paulo.
The 23rd
IB commander also encouraged the YFP and SK leaders to help the efforts of the
LGU and other line agencies of the government to end the local communist armed
conflict. (CMO Officer, 23IB PA/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
EO70 info caravan, anti-terror law held in AgNor town
By 1Lt. Edmar C. Colagong
KITCHARAO, Agusan del Norte, Feb. 3 -- The 29th Infantry (Matatag Fighters) Battalion (29IB) together with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) recently launched the Executive Order (EO) 70 Information Caravan.
NICA 10 and 13 Regional Director Manuel M. OrduΓ±a led the information caravan at the Municipal Building of Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte. “Ito na ang pinakamalaking programa ng gobyerno, ang EO 70. Ang Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict. Itong problema natin na ito ang humila sa atin pababa. Ang gusto po ng presidente matapos ang Local Communist Armed Conflict na ito habang siya pa ang presidente,” OrduΓ±a said.
The information drive was attended by barangay captains, Sangguniang Kabataan representatives,Sangguniang Bayan members, businessmen and members of the Kitcharao Municipal Police Station.
Mayor Aristotle M. Montante, Kitcharao’s Municipal Mayor, requested to initiate the caravan to support his municipalities’ effort in the information campaign. The goal of the information caravan was not just to orient the public but also to remind the stakeholders and agencies of their respective roles in the said campaign. The main topic covered was the EO 70, although the Anti-Terror Law and Resource Control were also discussed.
“Akong mainiton nga pagwelcome ug pagpasalamat sa inyong pagtambong. Kani nga information caravan mao ning atong pagsupporta sa E.O. 70 kinahanglan sad ni nato kay kita man ang mga frontliners diri sa atong lungsod (I warmly welcome and thank you for attending. This information caravan is what we need in support of E.O. 70 because we are the frontliners here in our town)," said Mayor Montante.
“This is the biggest program of the government, the EO70. Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict. This is the problem that is pulling us down. What the President wants is to end this Local Communist Armed Conflict while he is still the President,” said OrduΓ±a.
According to Lt. Col Aristotle Antonio, Acting Commanding Officer of 29IB, they are in the area because they want to let them know what EO 70 NTF-ELCAC is. "Because the public has not been informed. For over 52 years, the Philippine government has been destroyed by Communist ideology. The Communist Terrorists or the CPP-NPA, so it is important that each of us knows about this program. It is important so that we won’t be deceived by the propagandas of this communist-terrorist group," he said.
It can be recalled that EO No. 70, series of 2018, entitled “Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework” was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 4, 2018. The order aims to address “the root causes of insurgencies, internal disturbances, tensions and other armed conflicts and threats by prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social development packages, facilitating societal inclusivity, and ensuring active participation of all sectors of the society in the pursuit of the country’s peace agenda.” (CMO Officer, 29IB PA/PIA Agusan del Norte)
Ika-51
nga anibersaryo sa 4ID, gisaulog sa komunidad
By Al
Anthony B. Pueblas
DAKBAYAN
SA BUTUAN, Pebrero 3 - Atol sa kasaulogan sa ika-51 nga anibersaryo sa 4th
Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army, kini nanghatag ug ayuda sa
Misamis Oriental kaniadtong Enero 25, Enero 29 sa Agusan del Norte, ug sa
Pebrero 1 niining tuiga sa Agusan del Sur.
Ubos sa
pagdumala sa 58th Infantry Battalion nga nakabase sa Claveria, Misamis
Oriental, kini kinasingkasing nga nanghatag ug food packs sa Barangay Parmbugas
sa nahisgutang lungsod.
Nasayran
nga ang Brgy. Parmbugas usa kini sa mga apektadong kumunidad sa insurhensiya
nga diin ubay-ubay sa mga lumolopyo niini ang myembro sa tagong organisasyong
masa.
Mikabat
sa 215 ka mga panimalay ang nakabenipisyo sa maong programa sa 4ID inubanan sa
aktibong pakiglambigit sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Samtang nakadawat usab ang mga kabataan sa mga sinina ug mga duwaan.
Dako
ang pasalamat ni Barangay Kapitan Vernie Alasco, na matud pa niya nga dako
kaayo kining tabang sa panginabuhian sa mga taga Parmbugas ug pinaagi niini
sila mihural nga ilang ipadayun ang pagsuporta sa gobyerno.
Samtang
gipahigayon usab sa 23rd Infantry Battalion dinuyugan sa lokal nga panggamhanan
sa syudad sa Butuan ang libreng pagpanghatag ug relief packs sa mga lumolopyo
sa Brgy. Nong-nong sakop sa nahisgutang syudad. Ang relief packs adunay sulod
nga lima ka kilong bugas, klase-klasing delata, mga sinina ug mga duwaan para
sa mga bata.
Kapin
kon kulang 300 ka mga panimalay ang nakadawat sa grasya gikan sa gobyerno.
Pinaagi niini giawhag ni barangay kapitan Marcos ang iyang mga katawhan sa
pagsuporta sa gobyerno.
Sa
laing bahin usab, pinaagi sa 26th Infantry Battalion ang 4ID nanghatag usab
kini ug ayuda sa Brgy. Lydia, La Paz, Agusan del Sur diin adunay 228 ka mga
panimalay ang nakatagamtam sa maong programa.
Nahimong
nagmalampuson ang pagpanghatag pinaagi sa pakig alayon niini sa lokal nga
panggamhanan sa Lapaz ug sa DSWD. Nagpasalamat ang mayor sa maong lungsod nga
si Mayor Michael Lim tungod sa walay hunong nga pagtabang sa mga kasundaluhan
sa katawhan sa La Paz ilabi na kadtong mga apektado sa lokal nga insurhensiya
sa probinsiya.
Gidayeg
ni Major General Andres Centino, Commander sa 4ID ang mga lokal nga panggamahan
ug mga nagkalain laing ahensya sa gobyerno sa padayung suporta nga gipakita
niini arun sa pagkab-ot sa tunhay nga kalinaw sa Northern Mindanao ug Caraga
region.
“Among isiguro nga buhaton namo ang tanan sa pagtabang sa katawhan ilabi na
kadtong anaa nahimutang sa mga sook nga mga lugar nga diin maoy nahimong
biktima sa mga komonistang New Peoples Army. Sa atong panagtinabangay, walay
komonidad nga mabiyaan ug makalimtan,” sigun ni MGen. Centino.
Dakong kalipay ang makita sa mga mata sa katawhang nakabenipisyo sa inisyatiba sa 4th Infantry Division duyog sa mga nagkalain-laing kauban niini. (4CMOBn/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Gob. Pimentel nagpasalamat sa NGCP sa tulong na naibigay sa mga biktima ng bagyo sa Surigao Sur
By Nerissa M. Espinosa
LUNGSOD
NG TANDAG, Surigao del Sur, Pebrero 3 -- Nagpahayag ng kanyang malaking
pasasalamat si Surigao del Sur Gobernador Alexander Pimentel sa National Grid
Corporation of the Phils. (NGCP) sa ibinigay na relief goods kahapon ng hapon,
Pebrero 2, 2021 sa pamamagitan ng isang simpleng turn-over ceremony na ginawa
sa Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office (PDRRMO) sa
lungsod.
Ayon
kay Gob. Pimentel, ang NGCP ang pinaka-unang pribadong kompanya na nagbigay
tulong sa mga naging biktima ng Tropical Depression Vicky na tumama sa
lalawigan noong Disyembre 2020.
Dagdag
pa ng punong ehekutibo na mula pa noong nagdaang administrasyon ng kanyang
yumaong kapatid, maganda na ang relasyon ng NGCP at pamahalaang panlalawigan.
Sa
panig naman ng NGCP, kung saan kumakatawan si Kris Abellanosa, Spokesperson ng
NGCP-Caraga kasama ang iba pang mga opisyal nito, ang nasabing donasyon ay
bahagi aniya sa patuloy na pagpapatupad ng kanilang Corporate Social
Responsibility.
Ang mga
relief goods na ito ay may kabuuang halagang P1, 011,627.41, na mayroong 174 ka
sako ng bigas, 271 cases ng cup noodles, 108 cases ng sardines, 87 cases ng
corned beef, tuna caldereta, 271 cases ng bottled water at isang libong
t-shirts. (DXJS RP-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
Surigao Sur planong bumili ng COVID-19 vaccine
By Raymond
Aplaya
LUNGSOD
NG TANDAG, Surigao del Sur, Pebrero 3 -- Plano ngayon ng Pamahalaang
Panlalawigan ng Surigao del Sur na bumili ng bakuna kontra coronavirus disease
2019 (COVID-19) para sa mga mamamayan nito. Ito ang kinumpirma ni Dr. Eric
Montesclaros, hepe ng Provincial Health Office (PHO) nitong lalawigan sa
panayam ng Radyo Pilipinas – Tandag.
Ayon pa
kay Dr. Montesclaros, hinihintay nalang nila ngayon na mabigyan nang pahintulot
ang mga local government units o LGU na makabili ng bakuna direkta mula sa mga
manufacturer nito.
Hindi
pa daw pinapayagan ang mga LGUs na makabili ng nasabing bakuna dahil prayoridad
muna sa ngayon ng pamahalaan ang ibang mga lugar sa bansa na mataas ang kaso ng
COVID 19.
Sa
ngayon, may limang rehiyon na nasa unang prayoridad umano ng pamahalaan na
mabigyan ng bakuna lalo na ang mga rehiyon ng NCR, Region 3, Region 4-A, Cebu
at Davao. Maliban dito, siniseguro din naman na maipatutupad ang prioritization
sa mga mabakunahan lalo na ang mga frontliners.
Gayunpaman, nilinaw ni Dr. Montesclaros na magpapatuloy pa rin ang pagpapatupad sa minimum public health and safety standards laban sa COVID 19 kahit na magkakaroon na ng bakuna ang lalawigan at maumpisahan na ang vaccination program para dito. (DXJS RP-Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)
