one mindanao - january 28, 2016

PIA Regional Offices

One Mindanao

Western Mindanao (Zamboanga Peninsula)P. Urro Street, San Francisco DistrictPagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur 7016Telephone no. (062) 215-1480 / 925-0038Cellphone no. 0919-9994516E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]: www.piazampen.blogspot.comFacebook: PIA WesMin Info Bliz

Northern MindanaoGraces’ Building, Antonio Luna StreetCagayan de Oro City 9000Telephone no. (088) 856-8178 / 729-594Telefax no. (08822) 72-66-83Cellphone no. 0928-5204305, 0917-3084969E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]: www.pia-10.blogspot.com

Southern Mindanao (Davao Region)Ground Floor Kanto Motors Bldg.,Quimpo Blvd., New MatinaDavao City 8000Telephone no. (082) 297-0991 / 301-8580Telefax no. (082) 297-0992 / 304-2044Cellphone no. 0917-7053606 / 0918-9202950E-mail: [email protected]

SOCCSKSARGEN RegionBautista Bldg., Zulueta St.Koronadal City, South Cotabato 9506Telephone no. (083) 520-0249Telefax no. (083) 228-9736 / 228-9739 / 520-0100Cellphone no. 0921-6873373 / 0928-5204307E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]

Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga)J. Rosales Avenue, Butuan CityTelephone no. (085) 341-5285Telefax no. (085) 341-2370Cellphone no. 0917-7188834Email: [email protected] , [email protected],phWebsite: www.piacaraga.comFacebook: PIA Caraga Updates, PIA Agusan del Norte, Pia Agusan del Sur, Pia Surigao del Norte, Pia Surigao del Sur, Pia Dinagat Islands Power FM - CaragaTwitter: https://twitter.com/PIACaraga

REGIONAL DESK EDITORS FRANKLIN P. GUMAPON, PIA Region IXALMA L. TINGCANG, PIA Region IX ELAINE O. RATUNIL, PIA Region X RUDOLPH IAN G. ALAMA, PIA Region XI DANNY E. DOGUILES, PIA Region XII FRYAN E. ABKILAN, PIA Caraga Region

COPY EDITORSFRYAN E. ABKILAN, PIA Caraga Region NORA C. LANUZA MOLDE, PIA Caraga RegionVENUS L. GARCIA, PIA Caraga Region

SENIOR GRAPHICS LAYOUT ARTIST

GERIE MAE G. COCO, PIA Caraga Region

LAYOUT ARTISTSMARY MAY ABELLON, PIA Region IX RETCHIE TOLINERO, PIA Region XZENER DUMAGUING, PIA Region XDAISY JANE M. APIT, PIA Region XIII

EDITORIAL ADVISERSSEC. SONNY B. COLOMAPresidential Communications Operations Office

JOSE MARI M. OQUIÑENA Director General Philippine Information AgencyEXECUTIVE EDITOR EFREN F. ELBANBUENACluster Head, Southern, Western &Central MindanaoRegional Director, PIA Region XI

MANAGING EDITOR ABNER M. CAGACluster Head, Northern & Northeastern MindanaoRegional Director - PIA Caraga Region

ASSOCIATE EDITORS NOEMI B. EDAGARegional Director, PIA Region IX

THELMA B. OLIVERRegional Director, PIA Region X

OLIVIA T. SUDARIARegional Director, PIA Region XII

34

DSWD-XI’s RD Razon: A tribute

Cover Story

today’s news

Gov’t to fast-track 90% household electrification

13

32 ZNFEPA conducts stakeholders confabBy Alfonso T. Ruda

ARMM welcomes entry of P1.3B new investment

16

40 DSWD advocates drug abuse prevention, anti gender-based violence programs

43 United Maranaos as proactive peace and dev’t partners in the region

21 Tacurong City’s BOSS racks up Php10-M in taxes

By Greg Tataro Jr. By: Mitzie S. Santiago

25 Caraga poll chief confirms “reshuffle” among ranks

NATIONAL INFOCUS

WESTERN NORTHERN

ARMM

SOCCSKSARGEN

CARAGA

9 16 19

23 33

41 National School Deworming set on Jan 27

By: Joey Sem Dalumpines

By: Danilo Doguiles

By: (Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa

26 SurSur town vies for presidential award for child-friendly municipality

38

36 Water rationing now down to 8 hoursBy Jocelyn P. Alvarez By: Lorry V. Gabule

47 DavNor All set for DAVRAA 2016

SOUTHERN

By: Noel Baguio

44 Lanao del Sur receives P3-million grant to rehabilitate public market

By: Ahmad Nour-al-dinn A. Tamano Jr.

4 January 28, 2016One Mindanao

DSWD-XI’s RD Razon: A tribute

D irector Priscilla Nidea-Razon’s journey as a professional and civil servant has spanned thirty-nine amazing years of exceptional feats and exemplary performance as she rose through the ranks and finally came full circle when she became the Regional

Director of Field Office XI in

At the helm of a 962 -strong personnel complement at Field Office XI, Director Razon, has remarkably steered the region into a topnotch position among peer regions and amongst agencies that proudly speaks volumes of accomplishments under her unique brand of leadership. Her journey brought the Agency and the government closer to the hearts of the different publics, forging greater understanding and rapport between and amongst partners and stakeholders down to the level of grassroots communities where Dir. Razon has further instilled a personalized stamp of

COVER STORY

5January 28, 2016 One Mindanao

connection that has endeared her to people on the ground. Towing the line towards optimal and high-level performance Director Razon fits into the mold of the new breed of managers who are socially and technically abreast with the times, emphasizing coactive interplay and inter-action of people inside and outside her turf and above and below her position. Her all-out and almost unconditional generosity and support of her employees by giving them clear direction and expectations have created an enabling environment geared towards optimal performance results.

The assessment of the regional performance by the DSWD Office of Strategy Management, Policy Development and Plans Bureau, Finance Service and the Office of the Secretary has resulted to the highest and outstanding OPCR /IPCR overall score of 6.9552 for the year 2013. People in the region shared in the victory brought about by the excellent defense pulled off by our beloved Regional Director and her contingent support team who took pride in their common observation of their Director really doing her homework in preparation for the eventful activity . DSWD XI was one of the only four agencies in Davao Region cited with outstanding performance in the 2013 National Report Card Survey of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) that measured Agency compliance with the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA). Outstanding agencies received a score of 90-100. The survey was administered nationwide in 2013 to 929 national government agencies, government corporations and state universities and colleges.


An Inspiring People Builder Key to Dir. Razon’s inspiring leadership is her successful building of a strong esprit de corps among her officers and staff. Her person has meaningfully spread significantly over almost everyone in the Field Office leading each one to his/her fullest potential. In more ways than one, Dir. Razon always made her people realize that they have more to offer and more to give because she herself has exemplified that generosity in spirit in countless occasions for everyone to emulate. She has never failed to demonstrate that gift and knack to discern that promise in each single soul in the office. For the longest time, Dir. Razon has primed her officers and staff to soar and discover their latent potentials and stretch their imagination on the limitless possibilities of improving themselves. With her, people feel that they are “somebody” – “a cut above the rest” because she has always believed in their capacities and made them

s tand tall amongst the best.


This quality of RD Razon has gained her the reputation of being a builder of people. People gravitate towards her. She sows the seeds of confidence in the most unassuming

individual in the room and puts those in high places down to the ground on the level of everyone else and walk them through the simple joys and pleasures of the ordinary. Anecdotal

accounts on this amuse listeners on how Dir. Razon sometimes bring busy dignitaries and guests to stroll the malls in Davao to allow them to relax and take their thoughts away

from the pressures of work. Today, with numerous awards and citations up her sleeve, Dir. Razon has indeed etched an indelible mark in her profession in the community and within the wide network of partners at the local, national and even with international personalities with whom she was able to link with in the course of her work. Grace under Pressure in the onslaught of Disaster

Typhoon Pablo was the first ever major disaster that hit Davao Region, bringing with it an unimaginable massive devastation to humans, nature, infrastructure and industry. It

was the very first time that DSWD XI under Dir eff. Razon’s quick and incisive handling of the pressing situation that such magnitude of destruction was ably responded to. At the forefront of the immediate disaster relief and early


recovery operation of such enormous scale was RD Razon’s undaunting delivery of the Department’s mandate to assuage the pain and helplessness of affected families of the natural calamity. To effectively and efficiently address the overwhelming situation, Dir. Razon quickly activated the DSWD Regional Disaster Response Team and set all coordination systems into action in joint effort with other responding agencies and Local Government Units.

If one has to describe Director Razon’s performance as Manager in the most concise manner, it would be that “She is the “front” and the “end” person of the Agency . This means that she has been there at all the critical points of any intervention, from the planning and formulation stage all through the various steps and processes until the completion Stage. The Region looks up to Dir. Razon with pride not only as an exemplary manager but also a model leader, having the required knowledge, discipline, efficiency and objectivity in her work as well as the art of human relationships, political building skills and social marketing and advocacy efforts at all levels. Being the epitome of the “Managerial Leader”, RD Razon possesses the charisma and social chemistry crucially needed to bring to the fore the optimal results of the initiatives and development efforts of the Department. Her charisma speaks of her outstanding ability to draw a motivated following and energize the latent talents and skills of people around her. Making things happen and translating plans into reality speaks of Dir. Razon’s high-calibre operational prowess. Mediocrity is never an option in her work standards because under her tutelage and gentle coaching and guidance, all the people she works with are primed to give their best shot. Putting the whole Field Office people together, ably directing all stakeholders and efficiently allocating limited resources towards envisioned goal, RD Priscilla N. Razon is undeniably a decisive factor in the success of DSWD Region XI, an outstanding manager truly worthy of recognition and praise.

Indeed, Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon is an epitome of a public servant and worthy of accolade as Region XI’s nominee for “Best Manager”. (DSWD-11)

QUEZON CITY -- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has chosen to feed its agrarian reform beneficiaries with new farming techniques and marketing strategies, hopeful that the newfound knowledge would help them produce more and quality harvests and market them like seasoned traders with the end in view of increasing their income.

Farm business school teaches CARP beneficiaries ‘to fish’


One Mindanao10 January 28, 2016

As DAR Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes once put it: “Our agrarian reform beneficiaries are no babies. We don’t have to keep an eye on them and tug them along every now and then. Time will come when we have to stop thinking of them as the ‘wards of the state.’”

With this in mind, the DAR worked with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to establish “farm business school (FBS)” in selected agrarian reform

communities (ARCs). The FBS is designed to hone the skills of farmer-beneficiaries as producers of raw farm goods to becoming agri-entrepreneurs. It was initially pilot-tested in the province of Nueva Vizcaya and in Nueva Ecija.

Dubbed as the “Capacity Building of Small Farmers in Entrepreneurship Development and Market Access,” the FBS is being supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

of the United Nations, Bureau of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development (BARBD) Director Susana Evangelista-Leones said

She said the initial success of the project led to its being replicated to 15 more localities: La Trinidad, Benguet; Sarat, Ilocos Norte, Luna, Isabela, Santa Rita/Bacolor, Pampanga, Sariaya, Quezon; Roxas, Palawan; Ocampo, Camarines Sur; Badiangan, Iloilo; Balilihan,


Bohol; Maasin, Southern Leyte; Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur; Tudela, Misamis Occidental; Kiblawan, Davao del Sur; Tampakan, South Cotabato; and, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.

Dir. Leones said the FBS, an on-site training program, seeks to orient farmers about operating their farms as business

enterprise during the hands-on and season-long training, which covers 25 sessions on farming and financial management, like bookkeeping and accounting, among others.

“Here, our farmer-beneficiaries are taught with over-all farm management techniques, from production

photo by: http://www.bloomberg.org/


to marketing, to increase and ensure the quality of their harvests, raise their income and improve the standards of their living,” Dir. Leones explained. She said the project sits well to what Secretary De los Reyes has been envisioning: “A training program that translates into business coaching system, with the end in view that we, in the DAR, have to let go at some point in time.”

FBS national coordinator/facilitator Norberto Quite said that the idea is to set the farmer-beneficiaries free from the claws of traders, who usually buy farmers’ products at bargain price, leaving the farmers practically with crumbs and the traders earning enormous profits.

“The main objective of the project, however, is to attain food security, improve the small farmers’ access to the market and increase their income,” Mr. Quite said.

“This should help change the wrong notion, from ‘farming is no fun’ to ‘farming is more fun,’” BARBD Director Leones stressed.

She explained that farming, like any other working profession, is no fun if the actors felt they were getting the lower end of the deal.

“The FBS is set to change the rural landscape as it seeks to transform farmers from mere producers of raw farm goods to traders, to food processors and, eventually, to agri-entrepreneurs,” Dir. Leones said. (DAR)


Gov’t to fast-track 90% household electrification

Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada stressed the fast-

tracking of the implementation of all projects and activities to attain

MANILA-- The Household Unified and Strategic Electrification (HOUSE) Team spearheaded by the Department of Energy (DOE) convened to discuss the various commitments and implementation issues concerning the government’s Total Electrification Program for grid and off-grid areas around the country.

photo by: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/


the Philippine Development Plan’s target of 90 percent household electrification by end of 2017. She specifically mentioned the completion of Sitio Electrification Program by end of 1st Quarter of 2016 as a commitment to the President.

Currently, the DOE is laying the foundation and strategies for the Total Electrification Program, which will center on enhancing existing distribution systems and electricity services, intensifying

household electrification activities, expanding services to new areas, defining off-grid electrification program, and using renewable energy technologies, such as solar home systems for off-grid electrification. Under the Department Circular No. DC2014-09-0018 entitled “Prescribing the Policies for the Implementation of the Household Electrification Program and Creating the Household Unified Strategic Electrification


(HOUSE) Team for the Purpose of Achieving the Country’s Total Electrification Goals,” the HOUSE Team members and technical working group include: the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), National Electrification Administration, and representatives from the Distribution Utilities. On the same day, the DOE had an initial coordination with the members of the Taskforce Election 2016 to thresh out plans of the group to ensure reliable, and continuous supply of energy

before, during and until completion of election. Relatedly, another coordination meeting was made with Commission on Elections, Department of National Defense, DILG, NAPOCOR, National Transmission Corporation, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in an effort to address the Mindanao power situation before the 2016 elections. The DOE assures the public that it regularly monitors the power situation around the country even beyond elections. (DOE)

16 One Mindanao January 28, 2016

ARMM welcomes entry of P1.3B new investment

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are in the upswing with the approval by the Regional Board of Investments (RBOI) of a P1.3 billion worth of palm oil plantation project in Maguindanao.

Gintong Agri-corporation a subsidiary of Agricola Holdings, a company that operates oil palm and rubber estates across

Central America, West Africa and Southeast Asia has committed to initially develop 5,000 hectares of oil palm in Datu Odin Sinsuat,


Maguindanao. The company aims to expand up to 20,000 hectares covering the municipalities of Talayan and Guindulungan in the next decade. “ARMM’s investment policy, along with the region’s improving peace situation has hugely contributed to the entry of big ticket investments like the Gintong Agri Corporation. In fact, the company already has long-term plans for their plantation here, which will ensure sustainability of the investment,” said Ishak Mastura, ARMM RBOI Chair. Cooperative members from the ARMM are eyed to own and manage the lands, while the company will fund the development of the plantation as well as the technical training for the cooperative farmers. The entire project is estimated to generate 1,000 jobs for ARMM once the plantation operates into full swing. Mastura said the Gintong Agri Corporation will also build and operate oil mill facilities in Maguindanao that will produce crude palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Last year, ARMM recorded another multi-billion worth of investment from Chiquita-Unifrutti, which poured in P3.7 billion for Cavendish banana plantations in Maguindanao. The investment project, along with a napier grass biofuel plantation, petroleum business, and a minerals development project significantly contributed to the remarkable growth of ARMM investment, amounting to a total of P6.5 billion by the end of 2015. “This year is going to be another good year to generate more investments since projects related to an oil depot, bulk water treatment and supply on industrial waste management and treatment are now in the works,” said Mastura. ARMM hit its first billion-worth of investment in 2013, amounting to P1.4 billion. It more than doubled the following year when RBOI recorded P3.86 billion investments in 2014. Last year’s record is up by almost 60 percent from 2014. “This influx of investments indicates improved governance in the ARMM thereby increasing investor confidence, as


demonstrated by the region’s sustained investment growth under the Aquino administration,” said MinDA Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino. Antonino further noted that all the necessary infrastructure support are also in place for ARMM, primarily focusing on the gateways for the ARMM areas. Under the Mindanao Development Corridors Program being coordinated by MinDA, the

revitalization and development of the Polloc port and Awang Airport are among the priority projects in the ARMM. “Our long-term plan is to fully connect all regions in Mindanao through various public-private partnerships projects to spur massive development and inclusive growth across ARMM and entire Mindanao,” Antonino said. #


DOLE 12, Koronadal City LGU provides business opportunity to 114 indigents

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Jan. 28 — At least 114 poor individuals here were recently given a break to own and manage small enterprises.

By:Danilo E. Doguiles


Last week, the Department of Labor and Employment 12 and the local government unit of Koronadal City turned over to beneficiaries Nego-Karts (short for Negosyo sa Kariton) that they can use to start their re-spective small-scale business-es.

The Nego-Karts, with a com-bined value of Php1,370,250 were funded under the 2014 Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) Program and distributed

through DOLE Integrated Liveli-hood and Emergency Employ-ment Program (DILEEP).

Recipients include ambulant workers, displaced workers, senior citizens, farmers, unem-ployed individuals and others.

Mercy Panes, an ambulant worker and one of the Nego-Kart beneficiaries said the gift provides a chance to improve her family’s living condition.

I am grateful to DOLE and LGU Koronadal that finally I


Tacurong City’s BOSS racks up Php10-M in taxes By: Danilo E.Doguiles

TACURONG CITY, Sultan Kudarat, Jan. 28 — Tacurong City’s Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) has amassed Php 10,094,128.19

have my own cart that I can use to earn income for my fam-ily. This would definitely give a boost to our little business,” Panes said.

“Make use of these Nego-Karts to improve your lives. Work hard so that your busi-ness will grow,” Mayor Peter Miguel urged the beneficiaries at the awarding ceremony.

DOLE 12-South Cotabato Field Office (SCFO) head Edwin Morales also appealed to the beneficiaries to “give impor-tance to your Nego-Kart proj-ect. Although these are small enterprises work to improve these into more lucrative busi-ness that could sustain the daily needs of your respective families,”

Meanwhile, Judith Marmone-jo, warned the beneficiaries that they may be dispossessed

of Nego-Karts if they will be found to have been remiss of their responsibility, that is us-ing the carts for business purposes.

“We will be monitoring the beneficiaries for three years,” Marmonejo said.

Marmonejo added that prior to the distribution of the carts, the recipients underwent a se-ries of trainings to prepare them in the management of small enterprises.

Each Nego-Kart also comes with required implements and start-up capital to begin an ambulant business selling bar-becue, “balut,” fishballs, ba-nana cues, and others.

The project aims to augment family income to be at par with that of minimum wage earn-ers. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12 with report from DOLE 12)


BOSS ran from January 4 until January 20 at the Ta-curong City Cultural and Sports Center.

In its report, the City Trea-surer’s Office (CTO) report-ed that 996 taxpayers have availed of the BOSS services.

Of these 919 were business permit renewal while 77 were fresh applications.

Also, 388 permits were re-leased to tricycle drivers, 373 of which were renewals and 15 as new applications.

The CTO noted that BOSS in 2015, which ran longer than 13 days, the city government re-corded 1,179 business tax pay-ers and 733 tricycle drivers’ per-mits.

That year, the City LGU earned Php 9,467,852.21.

For the 2016 BOSS, the City Treasury Office, Office of the City Mayor (Licensing Section, Market Supervisor’s Office), City Planning Office, City Engineer-ing Office, and City ENRO were present to facilitate the process-ing.

National line agencies like Pag-IBIG, PhilHealth, Depart-ment of Trade and Industry, Bu-

reau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Philippine Na-tional Police, and Bureau of Fire Protection also participated.

Five barangays, namely: Po-blacion, San Pablo, New Isabela, Buenaflor, and New Carmen were also present to provide Community Tax Certificates.

Since 2015, LGU-Tacurong City enforced a two-step pro-cess of business permit renew-al: Step 1 – Submission of re-quired documents to the License Section where the business data are encoded, and Step 2- Sub-mission and payment of their tax assessment at the Treasury Office where they immediately receive the permit. (DEDogu-iles-PIA 12 with report from LGU-Tacurong City Information)

from permit applications and renewals, according to a report from the local government unit’s information office.


FSUU supports West PH Sea claim

BUTUAN CITY – The Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) strongly supports the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Advocacy Campaign spearheaded by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), which aims to present the core issues of the WPS dispute, the principles guiding the governmen’t official policy, and the government’s efforts to protect the country’s interests.

By Daisy Jane Apit


“The West Philippine Sea is ours, that is the stand of the university,” said FSUU Human Resource Management and Development director Lyndon Buque representing FSUU president Rev. Fr. John Christian Young during his welcome message at the Campus Forum on the West Philippine Sea Issue held on Wednesday at the FSUU-CBE building, this city. “The university’s theme for the year is ‘building peace, restoring lives.’ It is very much

connected to the approach of the government in pursuing our claim to the WPS through legal means,” Buque added. The said activity was participated by some 200 students from different colleges and universities in the city with Ma. Teresa Torres-Almojuela, Senior Special Assistant, Office of the DFA Undersecretary for Policy as the guest of honor and speaker.


In an interview, he said “Actually we treat this as normal activity of the Commission on Elections in every election. Kasi ang message na iparating naming na ‘yung mga election officers natin do not have any vested interest in the area.” “We do not have vested interest on politicians; we do not have vested interest on financial or whatever perceptions by the public. Ang amin lang interest dito. . . ‘yung aming excellent performance, irrespective of

our area of responsibility. Ibig sabihin namin, kahit saan kami itapon mo, ganun pa rin ‘yung stamina, ganun pa rin ‘yung aggressiveness na ibibigay namin,” Pobe went on to explain. On said date, COMELEC Surigao del Sur headed by Atty. Ernie Palanan, provincial election supervisor (PES), played host to the holding of Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) command conference here where RED Pobe attended the event together with P/SSupt. Julito

Caraga poll chief confirms “reshuffle” among ranks By: Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur – Atty. Francisco Pobe, Caraga re-gional election director (RED), has confirmed reshuffling among their ranks and others down the line.


Diray, who also came over on behalf of P/CSupt. Rolando Felix, director, Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13). Felix’s guidance was read by P/SSupt. Diray, chief, PRO 13 Operations and Plans Division, during the “Guidance/Updates” portion of the proceeding. In a related development, COMELEC has already carried out the “movement of its field personnel” relative to the upcoming May 9, 2016 polls, it was learned. A certain Renato Magbutay from Northern Mindanao will have to take the place of Pobe as the latter will have to be sent to Socsksargen.

Meanwhile, the holding of the PJSCC command conference here was said to be a success. As planned, matters relative to “Preparations and Anticipation of Concerns for the May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections; Inputs and Concerns; Guidance/Updates; Open Forum; Pledge in the Wall of Commitmen,” and more were discussed and taken up. RED Pobe said the same activity will have to continue to take place across the region with the PJSCC in the respective provinces at the helm.

Out of the 1,093 LGU passers nationwide, only 20 LGUs were chosen as national finalist with the potential to receive the Presidential Award with the Municipality of Bayabas

as one among the twenty contenders. Four LGUs were ranked per category. The five categories are the a) 1st to 3rd class municipalities, b) 4th to 6th class municipalities, c)

SurSur town vies for presidential award for child-friendly municipality By: Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa

BUTUAN CITY -- The municipality of Bayabas in the Province of Surigao del Sur vies for the Search for 2015 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities (PACFMC) in the country. It is the first local government unit (LGU) in Region 13 (Caraga) to be a national finalist to the nationwide search for the PACFMC.


component cities, d) independent component cities and e) highly-urbanized cities. The LGU of Bayabas, a 5th class municipality will compete with other three LGU contenders for the 4th to 6th class municipalities category. Members of the National Award Committee (NAC) composed of Yolanda B. Go and Nicholas G. Perlas both from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), John Anthony U. Geronimo of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and April T. Obtinario of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) conducted the national validation cum evaluation to the Municipality of Bayabas from January 25-29, 2016. The NAC was accompanied

by select members of the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC). The Presidential Award was based from the result of the previous year’s conduct of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Education (DepEd) with the members of the RSCWC. The CFLGA is one of the commitments undertaken by DILG to ensure that LGUs undertake a mandatory assessment that gauge the LGU’s performance in implementing child-friendly services which gives emphasis on child participation, protection, development and survival.


CAMPUS FORUM ON WEST PHILIPPINE SEA ISSUEFSUU CBE HALL


DEPARTURE OF MA. TERESA ALMOJUELA, SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANT, OFFICE OF THE UNDERSECRETARY, DFA AND PIA CENTRAL OFFICE PERSONNEL


ZAMBOANGA CITY– There are still parents here who are hesitant to have their children dewormed during the Department of Health’s (DOH) nationwide simultaneous schools deworming day yesterday, but health officials are urging them to avail themselves of the free “safe and effective” drugs.

By Dominic I. Sanchez

Parents still wary on mass deworming, DOH assures pills are “very safe”


“We have already informed the parents well [on the deworming], but still many parents did not give the consent for their children to be dewormed,” Mr. Ronald Aba-a, principal of Tetuan Central School said during the deworming session yesterday. Aba-a revealed that for out of some 4,000 pupils from kinder to grade 6, only 1,009 pupils were given consent by their parents to be dewormed. Days prior to the mass deworming, school officials had been informing parents on its benefits and reminded them to have their children eat their breakfast before taking the drug to avoid any side effects like stomachache, dizziness, etc. According to Parents Teachers Association (PTA) president Mannix Dalipe, the most probable reason for the non-consent was the “psychological effect” borne out of an incident

in Zamboanga del Norte during the last mass deworming in July last year. False news had spread that the DOH had administered expired Albendazole drugs. However, despite the efforts to promote deworming, many parents still refused. The DOH has teamed up with the Department of Education (DepEd) and came up with a mass feeding of arroz caldo prior to the deworming. “We are hoping that more parents would have their children dewormed,” said Aba-a. Meanwhile, Dr. Agnes Mabalo, division chief of the DOH here expressed optimism that the 85 percent target of schoolchildren woud be achieved at the end of the day. “Last year, we accomplished 81 percent, hopefully now, we will have better numbers,” she said. Dr. Mabalo stressed that the “medicine is safe, not expired and just arrived from the central


ZNFEPA conducts stakeholders confab

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY—The Zamboanga del Norte Federation of Parents Association (ZNFEPA), which is working with the Childfund, held a stakeholders review meeting at Ariana Hotel here recently to assess its accomplishment from July to December 2015.

office.” She explained that there are normal side effects especially to those who already have parasitic infections. Like last year in Zamboanga del Norte, a mass of pupils vomited and complained of stomachache, which, according to health officials, were due to the presence of worms. “There is no need to worry, especially if your children have already eaten,” she said. She explained that the presence of worms inside the

children would cause poor nutrition and poor performance in schools. Deworming would ensure that the children are purged of worms. DOH officials yesterday together with DepEd were closely monitoring the deworming activities all over the region. Dr. Mabalo advised the parents of children who are not yet dewormed to avail of the free chewable Albendazole tablets at the health centers.

In a press statement issued to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), ZNFEPA Manager Mark Yaba said the gathering also aimed to gather ideas, support and recommendations from the stakeholders to strengthen their involvement in ZNFEPA’s programs in the province. Yaba reported that ZNFEPA succeeded in extending assistance to 96 percent or 483

out of 500 children with ages 0-5 years old by providing for their needs and enabling their families to find livelihood opportunities. It was also learned during the assessment meeting that ZNFEPA was able to cover 88 percent or 5,574 out of 6,344 children aged 10-14 years old, both in school and out-of-school, in its capacity/capability training programs.


Moreover, 80 percent of 1,443 youth with ages 15-24 years old had also benefited from ZNFEPA’s capacity trainings, which help them develop their communication skills, interpersonal relations, problem solving and decision-making skills. Coping with emotions and stress management have also been taught to them to develop a positive behavior/attitude in life. For their part, the stakeholders lauded ZNFEPA’s efforts in helping the government carry out the programs and projects aimed at transforming the lives of the children into productive citizens in the community.

The participants were also toured to the gallery which features the different activities undertaken by ZNFEPA in collaboration with concerned local government units in the province. ZNFEPA, which was established on April 16, 2008, is a non-profit, non-sectarian and non-government organization based in Dipolog City. It serves as an umbrella organization of the Bantay-Dagat in Dipolog City, Kasilingan Parent’s Assocation in Toxas town, and Sto. Niño Bayanihan Parent’s Association in Sindangan municipality with more or less 4,500 family-members.


ZAMBOANGA CITY- - Due to the continuous drop in the water inflow to the system that led to reduced water production, the Zamboanga City Water District (ZCWD) has cut back by four hours water rationing to households in the city.

Effective January 27, water rationing will be sheared down to 8 hours from its present 12 hours. This drastic cut back move is due to the continuous drop of water inflow, which is pegged at 74.04 meters. Normal water level is 74.20 meters. ZCWD imposed water rationing this January 6, and barely three weeks after, the water district issued a new rationing schedule. The prevailing El Niño weather phenomenon is prime culprit to the desiccating water level as the city is highly dependent on rainfall. The city has not had any major rainfall the past few months on which the rivers and tributaries are heavily dependent on for replenishment. The city gets 80 percent of its water supply from surface water via the Tumaga River

making it vulnerable to elements such as extreme hot conditions currently experienced in the city which is expected to persist until June as per advisory from the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). ZCWD Officer-in-charge and Operations AGM Alejo Rojas Jr. said “ the current situation makes it imperative for Zamboanga City Water District to seek coordinative assistance from other concerned agencies to immediately work on mitigating measures to soften the impact of the prevailing weather condition.” The water district is set to meet with the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to discuss immediate measures to arrest this concern on dwindling water supply.

By: Jocelyn P. Alvarez

Water rationing now down to 8 hours


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) region 10 through the media forum, Talakayan sa PIA on 26 January 2016 announces various programs slated for this year to boost employment in the region.

By: Nelia Quijano

DOLE 10 announces employment programs for 2016


According to Albert E. Gutib, Assistant Regional Director of DOLE region 10, there are various programs of the department to help curb the unemployment rate in Northern Mindanao not only in the formal sector but also the informal sector. Based from the data of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), in 2014 and 2015, the unemployment rate in Northern Mindanao remained steady at 5.8% while the underemployment dropped from 31% to 22.6%. Meanwhile, the employment rate is at 94.2%. Gutib underscored that the sector seen to have the biggest chunk of unemployment is the youth sector. One of the programs the department is continuously advocating is the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) wherein poor but deserving students and out-of-school youths (OSYs) intending to pursue their education by encouraging employment during summer, Christmas vacation or any time of the year for students in the tertiary, technical or vocational level may work with pay. Qualified students may work for a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 52 days. He also noted that employers will pay 60% of the total salary of the student and the other 40% will be subsidized by DOLE. Another program that DOLE is advocating is the Jobstart program through applying at the Public Employment Service Office (PESO).

Right now, Cagayan de Oro City is the only one implementing in the region. The beneficiaries of this programs are the youth, in partnership with Local Government Unit (LGU) of Cagayan de Oro City, Asian Development Bank, and Government of Canada. Furthermore, the beneficiaries will be trained three months and will be deployed at any offices and agencies for internship for another three months. Gutib also invited those who wanted to avail the livelihood program through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) in the five provinces of region 10 particularly Malaybalay Bukidnoon, Villanueva, Kauswagan High-way in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, Oroqueta City and Mambajao, Camiguin. He noted that the allocation budget for this program is P35 million. For the enforcement of labor standards, Gutib said that the joint assessment is still on going where 22 labor laws compliance officer are in charge of the evaluation. He also said that the approach of DOLE this time is developmental and any deficiency of the establishment, the department will give enough time to correct and assist the employers and workers. Meanwhile, Atheneus Vasallo, chief of the Technical Support and Services Division said that DOLE is also supporting community based livelihood. This is the Emergency Employment or Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating


Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD). This is a packaged assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and unemployed poor. Interested individuals or groups

who want to avail of DOLE’s programs may visit their regional office at Monte Carlo Building, RER Phase 1, Kauswagan National Highway, Cagayan de Oro City or call them at (08822) 727682.

DSWD advocates drug abuse prevention, anti gender-based violence programsBy: Mitzie S. Santiago

LANAO DEL NORTE – The Department of Social Welfare and Development has been intensifying its efforts in advocating programs and services at the grassroots level.

Recently, Morena Fernandez of DSWD lobbied and advocated the Family Drug Abuse Prevention Program (FDAPP) and the Comprehensive Intervention Against Gender-Based Violence (CIAGV) to the local officials of Sapad, this province. The FDAPP is a community-based prevention program designed to educate and prepare families about the adverse effects of drug abuse. In northern Mindanao, 13 municipalities and two cities have forged a memorandum of agreement with the Department in support to the implementation of the said program. The CIAGV Program, on the other hand, envisions a community where women and girls will be less

vulnerable to Gender-Based Violence through increased access to quality response and reintegration services and participation in preventive actions. To date, nine local government units have entered into a memorandum of agreement with the DSWD to help prevent and combat violence in their respective localities. For the year 2016, activities have been planned out to intensify the advocacy of the two community based programs particularly in the provinces of Lanao del Norte and Misamis Occidental.


National School Deworming set on Jan 27ILIGAN CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd), Iligan City School Division, in coordination with the City Health Office and the Department of Health (DOH-10), join the country’s simultaneous National School based Deworming Day called Harmonized Mass Drug Administration (MDA) for Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis on 27 January 2016.

By: Lorry V. Gabule

Schools Division Superintendent Randolph B. Tortola of Iligan City said the deworming activity is done yearly every July (first round) and January (second round) to reduce the prevalence of soil transmitted helminthiasis among school children aged five to 12 years old and for preschoolers aged one to four years old. Prior to the scheduled deworming, we have just concluded an Orientation Seminar on Harmonized Mass Drug Administration, with participants from DOH-10 personnel, the local government unit of Iligan, school principals, supervisors, and DepEd Iligan nurses, said Tortola. As part of our precautionary measures on deworming implementation, we see to it that parents or caregiver should be adequately informed of the possible adverse events after ingestion of the drug, said Tortola. Health personnel at the community level should be informed of the on-going deworming activity. Support drugs will be available at the nearest health facility. Tortola emphasized to all DepEd family during the orientation, to have with them mobile phones open, to keep track from the start of administering the drugs until all schools have finished administering the deworming activity. We want to keep

informed of any adverse events following the deworming. We don’t want to happen again during the first round last July 2015 that parents panicked because of symptoms experienced by some school children associated with deworming. “We have reported to DOH-10 that no casualty whatsoever and no serious incidence occurred after administering the drug,” Tortola said. We have 82 schools in Iligan City to join the National Deworming Day, and we hope to have a 100 percent accomplished deworming-activity administered to our school children. Thus he said, “Good health is pre-requisite to learning.” As part of its advocacy, DOH reiterated that soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) can cause poor physical growth, poor intellectual development in children and can result to anemia and malnutrition not only in children but also among women of child bearing age. It emphasized that abdominal pain, vomiting, and dizziness are normal symptoms associated with deworming. Furthermore, all medicines given by DOH to the public were recommended by WHO and inspected by Food and Drug Administration (FDA).


Bangsamoro law is a way to justice, says Bukidnon exec

A mayor in Bukidnon

expressed his support to the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to address social injustices.

I believe that it (BBL) will show us the way to justice, determination and peace,” said Damulog Mayor Romeo Tiongco during a multi-sectoral forum on the BBL held recently in Malaybalay City. Rather than spending hours and weeks over terminologies, Tiongco said the BBL must be tried and proven. “If you have a vision and you will wait until that vision becomes very clear, then it will remain as a vision. But when you implement your vision,

it will become clearer in the process,” he cited. Congress only has until February 5 to pass the BBL which seeks to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with broader powers to address the decades-long aspiration of the Moro people. The multi-sectoral forum in Malaybalay City was organized by the Philippine Information Agency in


Lanao del Sur receives Gawad Kalasag award

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - As a manifestation of its invaluable service, support and contribution to uplift the disaster management in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the provincial government of Lanao del Sur has received the 2015 Regional GAWAD KALASAG Award for Outstanding Performance in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM).

by: Ahmad Nour-aldinn Tamano Jr.

collaboration with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). It was the last leg of the BBL Advocacy Roadshow in Northern Mindanao aimed to promote deeper understanding on the Bangsamoro

Peace Process, stimulate informed discussions on the key thematic areas of the proposed BBL, and address myths and misconceptions about the proposed Bangsamoro law.


It also placed second in the Provincial Level of the Best Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in ARMM. Office of Civil Defense-ARMM Executive Director Myrna J. Angot handed the plaque to Provincial Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong, Jr. yesterday, January 14, at the Provincial Capitol, Marawi City. Adiong also received a Php 30,000 check and 39 pieces of life vests for the province’s disaster and rescue

operations. Adiong said the PDRRM of Lanao del Sur is doing its best to ensure that the province and our constituents are ready for any disaster or calamity that may strike us. “The award is a nice and happy surprise,” he added. According to him, the money can be used for the purchase of additional rescue equipment of the PDRRM Office and a bigger storage cabinet for their equipment.

Lanao del Sur receives P3-million grant to rehabilitate public market

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - The municipality of Tamparan received a grant of P3 million from the Spanish government through the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process (OPAPP) for the rehabilitation of the town’s public market.

by: Ahmad Nour-al-dinn A. Tamano Jr.


The check was turned-over by OPAPP Assistant Secretary Jennifer S. Oreta to Tamparan Mayor Sultan Topaan Disomimba today, January 18, at the Governor’s Office Executive Conference Room, Provincial Capitol Compound, Marawi city. Also present during the turnover ceremony were Provincial Administrator Mocamad M. Raki-in, Provincial Accountant Norhana Sumandar and Provincial Engineer Sirad Laut. Provincial Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong, Jr., who was on official travel, was happy to accommodate the turnover

ceremony in his office. In a phone patch interview, Adiong said constituents in Tamparan, such as the farmers, fishermen and the entire community, would benefit from a rehabilitated public market. “Our farmers and fishermen would have a place accessible and conducive for them to sell their products while the community would be assured of purchasing fresh agricultural product, he added.”


Skilled workers vital to economyDAVAO DEL NORTE - 1st District Congressman Anthony del Rosario reiterated the important contribution of skilled workers to the growth and prosperity of the national economy.“Skilled workers are very vital to our economy, as they increase the productivity of the country,” del Rosario told the new schol-ars of the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). He also asked them to train well to be able to build their own niche in their field of expertise, during their training induction program at the Provincial Capi-tol. Through the initiative of the lawmaker, some 90 out-of-school youth and adults from low-in-come communities are included in the latest batch of STEP schol-ars in the province They will get a free train-ing on cellphone repair, electrical wiring installation, tile setting, manicure and pedicure that will help them easily find job after graduation. STEP is a community-based specialty training program of the Technical Education and Skills

Development Authority (TESDA) that aims to address the specific skills needs of the communities and promote employment, par-ticularly through entrepreneur-ial, self-employment and service-oriented activities. Del Rosario has already pro-vided free tech-voc training to some 475 out-of-school youth amounting to P5.6M since 2014, with priority given to the indig-enous people in District 1. This is besides the scholar-ship grant provided to 1,155 stu-dents in the college level worth P12,000/year per student. Educational assistance were also given to high school students who received academic and lead-ership excellence awards from all public secondary schools in the district. The tech-voc scholars were also given toolkits that they can use in starting their livelihood, aside from the assistance they


got in undergoing competency assessment. The passers were also awarded the TESDA National

Certificate that guarantees their possession of the required skills.(Noel Baguio/PIO DN)

DavNor All set for DAVRAA 2016TAGUM CITY, DAVAO DEL NORTE- Davao del Norte is fully prepped to host the 2016 Special Training for Employment Program(DAVRAA) Meet on February 14 - 19, 2016. Assistant Provincial Admin-istrator Giovanni Gulanes said the province, with its sprawling Davao del Norte Sports and Tour-ism Complex, has always been ready to host big sporting events, such as the regional meet. “We are always ready,” as-sured Gulanes, who is also the concurrent Provincial Sports Co-ordinator. He revealed the sustained effort of the provincial govern-ment in ensuring the daily up-keep of the sports complex. According to him, the superb maintenance of the facility has attracted more and more sports and physical fitness enthusiasts to use the center. Gulanes also assured final preparations for the playing ven-ues, billeting quarters, as well as, security and other important details. He recalled Davao del Norte’s successful hosting of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa secured the

province’s position as the sport-ing capital in the region. Officials and delegates ac-knowledged the e x c e p t i o n a l hosting of the province, gener-ously lauding it as the “Best-Ever Palarong Pambansa.”The executive bared the officials and people of Davao del Norte are again happy to host the DAVRAA. “ DepEd Region 11 will be the frontliner but the Province will still give its usual support to the holding of the games,” Gu-lanes said. This is the third time that the province hosted the regional event since the completion of the modern sports complex in 2012. Over 6,000 officials, dele-gates and spectators are expect-ed to attend the event that is also hyped to bring sizeable gain to the local economy.(Noel Baguio/PIO DN)

one mindanao - january 28, 2016

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