Tourism boost eyed by Dinagat Islands LGU as local economy recovers from pandemic
By
Doreen Marielle N. Rosales
BUTUAN
CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) -- While it was able to control concerns on public health
and maintain low confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),
the local government unit of Loreto town in the Province of Dinagat Islands is
still confronted by the impact of the pandemic.
“Kami
po ay hindi naman masasabing totally affected considering ang dinagat ay kung
sa kaso ay mababa naman yung naging kaso ng Dinagat [Islands] pero ang
pinaghahandaan po talaga naming ay yung pagbangon. Ang ekonomiya, ang economic
side natin, kung paano yung mga tao na muling makabangon , kumita. At alam kong
sa pamamagitan ng tourism, malaki-laki po itong maitulong,” said Town Mayor
Doandre Bill Ladaga during his interview with Presidential Communications
Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar on Wednesday, March 24, for the
Network Briefing News.
The
town is known for its robust ecotourism and houses the famous Mount Redondo
Natural Bonsai Forest as well as the historic Campintac Black Beach No. 2,
where the American liberation troops during the World War II landed on October
17, 1944.
While
travel restrictions are still being implemented, the mayor said local tourists
continue to flock to their tourist attractions and even observed an influx of
tourist arrivals. To better accommodate them, the local government is eyeing on
providing better and accessible accommodation, with investors joining the
project.
“Meron
na po tayong ginagawa na mga buildings o mga villa houses sa [Sitio] Campintac.
Nagplano pa kami na maglalagay ulit ng mga facilities at yung mga investors din
natin, yung mga lokal na mga negosynate, natutuwa naman kami na dumadami na
yung nagtatayo ng mga lodging houses.”
Local
laws on environmental protection also come into play in their efforts to
improve tourism, as they continue to strictly implement regulations on
mining activities and disallowed mining to take place in certain areas.
“Kami
po ay nag e-encourage ng mga investors na sana po meron ng magkakalakas ng loob
para iupgrade natin yung transportation natin para sa ganun ay mas lalong maattract
yung mga turista na pumunta sa lugar,” Mayor Ladaga said.
He also
called on the national and provincial governments to help address this problem
and also grant the municipal government projects to improve their access roads
leading to local tourist sites.
Meanwhile,
travelers coming from outside the province are still prohibited from entering
the province. Both the provincial government and the League of Municipal Mayors
of Dinagat Islands agreed to have at least a month for local chief executives to
observe their area while COVID-19 cases continue to fluctuate in Caraga region.
(DMNR/PIA-Caraga)
Bislig kicks off
vaccination drive with Sinovac shot
BISLIG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 28 (PIA) -- The coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19) vaccination drive in the city kicked off recently with a staff nurse
of Bislig District Hospital (BDH) and a medical doctor of Andres Soriano
Memorial Hospital Cooperative (ASMHC) receiving the first dose administered.
 |
(Photo
by: CIO Bislig)
Gracing
the ceremonial vaccination were the officials from the Department of Health
(DOH) Caraga Region led by Assistant Regional Director Dr. Sadaila Raki-in, and
witnessed by Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Eric Montesclaros, and
officials from the ASMHC, and Bislig District Hospital.
A total
of 300 doses of Sinovac vaccine arrived in the city last March 9, 2021, from
the DOH Caraga in Butuan City, which was then transported by its personnel,
escorted by men in uniform bound for BDH and ASMHC. Each hospital received 150
vials, face shields, face masks, safety collector boxes, and vaccine carriers
in preparation for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout for the healthcare workers.
Before
the arrival of the vaccines, the city government under Mayor Florencio Garay,
in collaboration with the BDH and ASMHC, conducted a simulation exercise to
ensure the smooth flow of the administration of the first dose of the vaccine.
The simulation exercise had its designated venue in one place for the smooth
flow of the process, which included: pre-vaccination screening, waiting area,
registration, screening, health education, vaccine administration, and
observation. The Provincial Health Office and DOH-Provincial Health Team
supervised the simulation. (with a report from CIO-Bislig/PIA Bislig City)
Authorities arrest Top Most Wanted NPA member in Caraga
TANDAG
CITY, Surigao del Norte, Mar. 28 (PIA) -- Authorities arrested the "Top
Most Wanted" New People's Army (NPA) member in the Regional Priority Target
in Brgy. Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City in a joint police-army operation
conducted around 5:30 AM, on March 21, 2021.
By
virtue of the warrant of arrest for murder under Criminal Case No. 2020-85
without bail bond, and multiple attempted murder under Criminal Case No.
2020-116 with bail bond fixed at Php120,000.00, Renalyn G. Tejero a.k.a.
"Tiray/Teray/Lyn", 25 years old, and resident Brgy. Diatagon, Lianga,
Surigao del Sur was captured by the authorities.
Based
on the report, Tejero was one of the primary suspects of the killing of former
rebels, Zaldy Acidillo YbaΓ±ez and Datu Bernandino Astudillo, in Sitio Inadan,
Barangay Magroyong, San Miguel, of this province on March 19, 2020.
The
intelligence report also bared that the arrested personality was the Secretary
of Kabataang Makabayan, an underground Sectoral Youth Organization of the NPA;
member of the Executive Committee, Regional United Front, Regional White Area
Committee, Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC); and a full-time
member of Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad Southland, NEMRC.
Accordingly,
Tejero was involved in organizing the youth/student to become NPA members in
the guise of front organizations, actively participated in the underground
movement of the NPA, and was implicated in numerous NPA-initiated atrocities.
In a
statement, Police Brigadier General Romeo M. Caramat, Jr, Police Regional
Office (PRO) 13 Director, affirmed that her apprehension was based on the
strength of a warrant of arrest issued by the local court. "With the help
of the community, AFP, and all stakeholders, I believe that the days are
numbered against those NPA members with warrants of arrest," he said.
PBGen.
Caramat has vowed to keep the substantial gains of PRO-13 in ending local
armed-conflict with the guidance of PNP Chief, Police General Debold M. Sinas.
(with a report from PRO-13/PIA Surigao del Sur)
Bislig City starts AstraZeneca vaccination
BISLIG
CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 28 -- Frontline workers, uniformed personnel
and barangay health workers in the city received their first dose of
AstraZeneca vaccine last Mar. 23 at the Bislig City Cultural Sports Center
(BCCSC).
Based on the report, the city government received the 45 vials of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) AstraZenica vaccine with a total of 450 doses coming from the Department of Health (DOH).
Criselda
C. Gallego, Nurse III of the City Health Office, received the first shot of
AstraZenica vaccine. “No pain at all, normal rajud akong gibati. Akong gi-awhag
ang mga Bisliganon nga magpa bakuna na kita ug dili mahadlok kay kini mohatag
kanato ug proteksyon ug makaluwas sa kamatayon (I feel normal. I urge the
Bisliganons to get vaccinated and not to be afraid because it will give us
protection)," she said.
The
second dose of Astrazenica vaccines will take place after four weeks, it was
learned.
Earlier,
the Andres Soriano Memorial Hospital Cooperative and Bislig District Hospital
kicked-off their COVID-19 vaccination after they received the 300 doses of
Sinovac vaccines for their healthcare workers. (with a report from
CIO-Bislig/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
47 beneficiaries
complete tailoring NCII training in SurSur
By 1lt
Emmanuel Magsanoc II
MADRID,
Surigao del Sur, Mar. 28 -- A total of 47 beneficiaries from Barangay Tigabong
and Barangay Buntalid all of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur completed their training
on Tailoring National Certificate (NC) II facilitated by the Philippine Army's
36th Infantry “Valor” Battalion (36th IB), held in Barangay Tigabong, Cantilan
town on March 12, 2021.
The
graduates are composed of seven former rebels, five mass supporters, and 35
residents who received their respective NC II after completing the training and
passing the Competency Assessment required by the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The
activity is in line with the efforts of the Community Support Program (CSP) of
36th IB in collaboration with the Lorenz International Skills Training Academy,
Inc., TESDA-Caraga Region, and the Local Government Unit of Barangay Tigabong.
During
the activity, Lt. Col. Jezreel Diagmel, Commander of 36th IB, congratulated the
new graduates and expressed his confidence that those who gained the knowledge
and skills in tailoring will become more productive in this time of the
pandemic. He added that the activity is another manifestation that the
government is very sincere in helping the community to uplift the economic
condition of the people in Cantilan.
He
further added that the government has offered much training which will serve as
a means to have better earnings and livelihood opportunities particularly to
the former rebels, mass supporters, and their families. The graduates, who are
now well-equipped with skills in tailoring, have now the ability to address the
basic needs of their families. “This training will greatly help individual
graduates to have other sources of income as they applied their new sets of
skills to earn a living," Lt. Col. Diagmel said.
A
certain alias "Kem," a former rebel, lauded the government for this
project intervention. "Ako isip usa ka kanhing myembro sa New
People`s Army, gitagaan usab og higayun sa gobyerno nga mabuhing normal og
higayon nga maka kuhag programa nga akong magamit arun makatabang sa paglambo
kauban ang akong pamilya (As a former member of the New People`s Army, I was
also given a chance by the government to live a normal life and a chance to
avail of a program that I could use to help grow with my family)," he
said.
As one of the short courses offered by TESDA, the Tailoring NC II trains the individual in cutting and sewing textiles into presentable and casual attires. According to the graduates, they also become knowledgeable in maintaining the sewing machines and creative in designing ordinary outfits. (CMO Officer 36IB/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
