One Mindanao - August 19, 2014

RG AlamaSOUTHERN MINDANAO

Randy Halasan, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee

COVER STORY

President Aquino reminds politicians to prioritize people’s needs over politicking

Govt agencies set activities for this year’s 20th NCPW celeb

Urban poor group holds DRRM, land acquisition, housing program orientation

by Jennifer P. Gaitano

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NATIONAL

Information to Empower Filipinos

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CARAGA REGION

DILG-9 announces LTIA regional winners

5 Libya repatriates receive financial aid from OWWA 12

Palimbang farmers learn new skills on fish processing

City identifies model barangays for mobilizing support to Infant Youth Child Feeding

Malaybalay receives DOLE livelihood aid

by Oliver Ross V. Rivera

by Aida C. Agad

by Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

by Rio Adam T. Opiala

WESTERN MINDANAO

SOUTHERN MINDANAO

NORTHERN MINDANAO

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by Franklin P. Gumapon


Considered as the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Peace Price Award, the RMA gives recognition to individuals who personifies the late President’s virtues of integrity in public service and pragmatic idealism in a democratic society.They are given to persons who address issues of human development in Asia with courage and creativity

and whose communities or societies they have served benefited from their work. In the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Awards, one of the recipients is a 31-year old school teacher in Davao City. Randy Halasan, teaches in Pegalongan Elementary School serving the educational needs of the indigenous Matigsalug Tribe.

The Ramon Magsaysay Awards was instituted in 1957, the year

President Ramon Magsaysay from which the award is named died in plane crash in Cebu.

by RG Alama


Randy’s workplace, the school is located in the remotest corner of Davao City. To reach Pegalongan from his family’s home in the city takes Halasan seven hours of travel – two hours by bus, an hour over extremely rough roads by habal-habal motorcycle, four hours of walking, and crossing the waters of two treacherous rivers. When Halasan first arrived in Pegalongan in 2007, he was one of only two teachers in a two-room schoolhouse, teaching multi-grade classes between Grades 1 and 6. Amenities were primitive- the area had no electricity. Communication to the outside world was basically inexistent. Randy’s first thoughts was trying to be reassigned in another area. However Randy was moved by compassion for the children who have to walk miles and cross rivers just to get to school, and who often

fall asleep in class from hunger and fatigue, and driven by a sense of duty to help the impoverished and defenseless forest tribals against the encroachments of powerful outsiders, in time Halasan has embraced the Matigsalug community as his own. He has turned down offers for reassignment, and his family often does not see him for many weeks on end. Instead of seeking reassignment he continued to plod on by 2010 he had assumed the position of head teacher. That time, Halasan proactively lobbied with higher authorities to expand the Pegalongan school. What was once a two-room, two-teacher schoolhouse is now a permanent school with nine rooms, eight teachers, and 210 students. Through his representation, a cultural-minority high school has been established, with Halasan as teacher-in-charge. Convinced that education is key to the Matigsalug’s survival in a changing world, he has convinced parents to keep their children in school; discouraged the customary practices of early and arranged marriages; and promoted values of

self-help and egalitarianism in the community.Halasan has taken his advocacy beyond the classroom. Noting that he needs to address the nutritional needs of his students. Envisioning a food-sufficient community, he inspired his fellow-teachers to donate seeds and encouraged the villagers to plant fruit trees and vegetables. Working with the Pegalongan Farmers Association, he accessed assistance from private organizations and government agencies. Prodded and encouraged by his leadership, Pegalongan farmers now have a collectively-owned rice-and-corn mill, a seed bank, a cattle dispersal project, and horses for transporting their farm products. The village is also now participating in a government forest rehabilitation program which by 2014 will have a hundred forested hectares, with the Matigsalug of Pegalongan as stewards and beneficiaries. And Halasan’s youthful graduates are helping their elders protect their future and the legal rights to their ancestral domain. In electing Randy Halasan to receive the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership,

the board of trustees recognizes his purposeful dedication in nurturing his Matigsalug students and their community to transform their lives through quality education and sustainable livelihoods, doing so in ways that respect their uniqueness and preserve their integrity as indigenous peoples in a modernizing Philippines. Halasan as with other Ramon Magsaysay Awardees will receive a medallion bearing the image of the late President Magsaysay, a certificate and $50,000 cash prize. Other RMAF winners include Omara Khan Masoudi from Afghanistan, Wang Canfa and Hu Shuli from China, Saur Marlina Manurung from Indonesia and the Citizens Foundation from Pakistan. Meanwhile Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who personally congratulated Halasan promised to allocate City funds for the construction of a bridge that will connect Pegalongan It will be a shame to reject his request the Mayor said after meeting Halasan. “He has brought honor not only to the country but also to the city.” The City Mayor said.

AUGUST 2014 | PAGE 7

President Aquino inaugurates Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Cagayan

“Napatunayan na po natin sa loob ng apat na taon na walang imposible sa sambayanang tumatahak sa tuwid na daan,” the President said in his message at the Tuao East Town Center Gymnasium after leading the drive-through at the bridge, which connects Regions 1, 2, and the Cordillera.

“Marahil, sa ganitong paraan natin mapapasalamatan ang mga nagsakripisyo upang makarating tayo sa ating kinalalagyan: ang laging pumanig sa tama at makatwiran.” The President said that whether or not he is around, he is confident that Filipinos will continue to

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday inaugurated the P599.4-million Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Tuao, Cagayan.


look after one another to achieve a prosperous nation.The construction of the bridge, first conceptualized in 1968 during the tenure of the late Tuao mayor Francisco Mamba Sr., was aimed at boosting trade in Cagayan and nearby provinces. The Ninoy Aquino Bridge was completed in 2013 after local officials of Cagayan worked with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). The entire project cost P599.4 million, the President said, noting that the P145 million for the fourth phase of the project came from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). And due to the efficient spending of the DPWH, the government was able to save P33.7 million, he added. The 360-meter Ninoy Aquino Bridge is connected to the 40-meter Malummin Bridge, and the 20-meter Angang Bridge. Also part of the project is the 21.93-kilometer road network in Tuao. The opening of the bridge will reduce the travel time from Tuao to Kabugao from four to five hours to two-and-a-half hours, the President said. The two-hour travel time from Tuao to Conner, Apayao will also be reduced by half an hour, while the two-hour trip from Rizal in Cagayan to Tuguegarao will be reduced to one hour and twenty minutes. “Magpapasigla rin sa turismo ang pagbubukas ng mga ruta patungo sa iba’t ibang tourist destinations sa inyong lalawigan, tulad ng Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, na tinatawag na Pilgrimage Center of the North; ang Tuao Belfry, Lallayug Forest Park, at Cassily Lake,” he said. And because of the influx of more people in the region, the President said he

expects businesses to flourish. President Aquino further said that his administration has allocated P1.3 billion for the construction of 11 bridges in Apayao province. “Pero kaklaruhin ko lang po, medyo may konti pang gusot sa right of way at saka ‘yung tinatawag na absorptive capacity… Inaambisyon namin, sa pakikipagtulungan sa local government units ng Apayao, ay matapos natin ito bago tayo bumaba sa puwesto,” he said. The President said his administration remains focused on repairing the country’s arterial and secondary roads that connect to national road networks. As part of this initiative, he said his government has allocated P562.3 billion to fund infrastructure development in 2015. The figure amounts to more than 21 percent of the national budget. Joining the President during Monday’s event were Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, and Secretary Manuel Mamba of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. PNDD


“Parang nakalimutan nila may problema tayo ngayon. Mayroon namang problema sa 2016 na eleksyon–2016 na ‘yon,” the President said in his message during the inauguration of the Ninoy Aquino Bridge in Tuao, Cagayan. “Ngayon, tugunan muna natin ang problemang bumabalot sa atin pong sambayanan, dahil obligasyon natin, maski saan tayong panig. Kung tayo’y may magagawa naman sa kapuwa, hindi puwedeng ‘somewhere down the line’. Dapat ho, ‘Now na!’” he said.

The President arrived here on Monday morning to lead the inauguration of the P599.4-million bridge that connects Regions 1, 2, and the Cordillera, as well as a 22-kilometer road network. Prior to the inauguration, the President visited the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat in Piat, Cagayan. President Aquino was accompanied by Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, and Secretary Manuel Mamba of the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office.

President Aquino reminds politicians to prioritize people’s needs over politicking

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday called on political leaders to shun politicking and instead focus on attending to the needs of the people.


Rice ‘wastes’ help NorCot farmers’ wives become productive

A women’s group here are keeping their hands full by

converting wastes into an income generating project.

Rice straws, which are generally burned after harvesting, are now made profitable with farmers` wives using them as basic material for mushroom production. Following a recent Specialized Training Course on Mushroom and Vermiculture Production conducted by PhilRice in Midsayap, women in Barangays Bual Norte and Bual Sur are encouraging more farmers` wives to join them in forming an organization that will engage in mushroom commercial enterprise. “As farmer`s wife and president of a women`s group, this training is important because it will help us become mushroom producers in Midsayap,” according to Evelyn S. Pieldad, 58 years old of Barangay Bual Norte. An agriculture research showed mushroom growing is perfect in Mindanao as 2,000 edible mushroom varieties are found in the island. The country`s proximity to Asian countries with high mushroom consumption such as China, India, and Japan, makes mushroom farming a promising industry and a new income generating project, not only for rice farmers but for non-farmers as well. Recently, the National Statistics Office conducted a survey among the agriculture sectors in

the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) showed the potential of mushroom farming is now recognized by more and more farmers. The Agricultural Training institute, in a publication, said that in 1991, only 340 farms were engaged in mushroom culture in the country. From that year, the demand of straw mushrooms in the urban and rural areas is growing because of people’s preference of eating food that is pesticide-free. In the seminar conducted by PhilRice, about 20 women learned the basics of mushroom production, including preparing the pure culture, grain spawn, and fruiting bags; and cooking Mushroom Tempura. Women farmers were also taught vermiculture production, which includes preparing the worms’ beds, harvesting the worms, and refining the composts; and using biomass of rice and mushroom for compost. Pieldad said the training provided them the opportunity to be productive instead of doing nothing while waiting unproductively for three months before harvesting palay. She hoped other women’s groups in other villages of Midsayap would duplicate their new found “love” for them to be empowered and be more productive.

DOLE chief to visit Caraga region for LLCS, industry-wide assessment by Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY - To emphasized that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) means business in accelerating the conduct of joint assessment to target 76,766 establishments and achieve 100% compliance rate on labor laws by November of this year, DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz will pay a visit in Caraga region slated on August 19-20, 2014.


“Her coming is of purpose to showcase strategies that can be used to accelerate the implementation of the labor law compliance system (LLCS) and be able to submit to president Benigno Aquino, Jr. by December the milestones of the LLCS implementation,” said DOLE Caraga regional director Atty. Johnson Canete during the DOLE Caraga Regional Coordinating Committee (RCC) press conference held on Monday here. Another objective of the secretary’s visit is to stress the seriousness of the DOLE to address the issue concerning 5-5-5 or ‘endo’ (end-of-contact) work practices of uncooperative employers and subcontractors and the contractualization across all industries. “There will be a consultation dialogue on industry-wide labor laws compliance with members and representatives of the industry tripartite council on security, manpower and general services; maritime; and mining,” bared Canete. Lined-up activities during the visit of Secretary Baldoz

include awarding of certificates for child labor free establishments and certificate of compliance on general labor standards (GLS) and occupational health safety (OHS); joint assessment at Cargo Vessels 1 and 2 of Taganito Mining Corporation in Claver, Surigao del Norte; site visit at emergency employment sites at Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte; release of livelihood assistance to a group of electricians in Butuan City; and release of wages to government internship program (GIP) beneficiaries of the first an second districts of Agusan del Norte. The LLCS is DOLE’s new system for enforcing labor law compliance among establishments aimed at improving work conditions, employer-employee relations, productivity, and providing incentives for compliant establishments as embodied in the Department Order No. 131-13. Therefore, all establishments should know about the LLCS and be familiar with the requirements in preparation for the visit of LCC officers, said Canete.


“Said celebration will kick-off on September 1 through a fun walk activity that will start at 5:00 a.m. from the city hall and will end at the Provincial Capitol Covered Court. Private organizations and students will also join with us in this activity,” highlighted Atty. Remeneo Valenzuela, NAPOLCOM-Caraga regional director. Valenzuela added that a short program will follow at the capitol after the walk. “Our local media partners are also invited for a press conference to be held after the program at the same venue,” he said.

Valenzuela further revealed that the following activities will also be conducted for the week-long celebration: 1) Feeding of children in Barangay Ong Yiu; 2) Symposium and film showing of government’s efforts against crime in Barangays Obrero and Agusan Pequeñol; 3) Poster-making contest; and 3) Symposium in some of the public high schools in the city. This year’s celebration is anchored on the theme “Krimen ay Labanan, Karapatan ay Igalang Tungo sa Mapayapang Pamayanan.”

Govt agencies set activities for this year’s 20th NCPW celeb by Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY - Government agencies led by the National Po-lice Commission (NAPOLCOM) Caraga have set activities for this year’s National Crime Prevention Week (NCPW) celebration on September 1-7, 2014.


The activity aims to campaign awareness on disaster preparedness and mitigation especially those residents living in disaster prone areas and danger zone. In his message, Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas lauded the efforts of the City Urban Poor Association, the Commission on Urban Poor and all the resource speakers for their all-out support in the campaign of the city government for a resilient and disaster free community. The resource speakers during

the said activity were Surigao City DRRM Officer Atty. Manuel Coro, National Housing Authority regional manager Engr. Virgillo Rivera, PHIVOLCS Surigao del Norte chief Engr. Daphne Agonia, environmental management specialist Leonardo Go, and Social Housing and Finance regional coordinator Janet Lumayag. The activity was attended by residents of Barangays San Juan, Sabang, Washington, Luna, Punta Bilar, Bonifacio, Mat-i, Mabua and Ipil.

Urban poor group holds DRRM, land acquisition, housing program orientation

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte - Residents and members of the urban poor group here converged recently for a one-day Basic Orientation on Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM), and Government Land Acquisition and Housing Programs spearheaded by the Surigao City Ur-ban Poor Association and Commission on Urban Poor in cooperation with the city government of Surigao, held at Jakelou Catering House, this city.

For more details visit us: DOST National Website: http://www.dost.gov.phDOST Caraga Website: http://caraga.dost.gov.ph

VP Binay visits South CotabatoKoronadal City, South Cotabato,-- Vice President Jejomar Binay visited South Cotabato yesterday, August 18. Part of his visit here was the turn-over of P1.8 million mobilization fund to the local government of Sto. Nino for the P12-million resettlement project in Barangay Poblacion. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato -- About 140 member-companies of the Industry Tripartite Council (ITC) fishing and allied industries in Gen-eral Santos City and neighboring areas have agreed to an industry-wide labor law compliance assessment by the Department of Labor and Em-ployment (DOLE).

Fishing industry in Gensan to undergo labor laws compliance assessment

These companies are under the auspices of the Socsksargen Federa-tion of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII).

Said evaluation, according to a re-port from DOLE 12 was prompted by allegations of prevalence of ‘5-5-5’ work arrangement and ‘cabo’ system in the local shipping and allied indus-tries.

Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz announced the assessment in her visit last week in General Santos City where she, along with Undersecretary Rebecca Chato, attended a consultative meet-ing of the members of DOLE Region 12 ITC.

The consultation was called by DOLE and SFFAII to fully inform the region’s fishing industry players not only about their responsibilities to their workers but also on the new program of the DOLE that seeks to elicit full and voluntary compliance with all la-bor laws, including occupational safety and health, in the fishing, fish canning and processing, aquaculture produc-

tion, and other allied industries.“The industry-wide assessment is

expected to cover all of SFFAII’s 140 members, including all their subcon-tractors, consistent with its Voluntary Code of Good Practices (VCGP) for de-cent work and competitiveness,”Baldoz explained.

Orientation on the assessment is expected to begin this week.

SFFAII’s membership cuts across the entire value chain from the cap-ture fisheries sector, composed of the hand line fishermen, the small, medi-um and large commercial ring netters and purse seine operators, to the fish processing sector and exporters com-posed of the big canning operators, fresh chilled, frozen fish value-adding sector.

Secretary Baldoz have pledged free technical assistance to the industry stakeholders as she underscored a by-industry or by-headquarters’ assess-ments in ensuring compliance with all labor laws under the Special Assess-ment or Visit of Establishments (SAVE) approach where DOLE com


posite teams are mobilized for com-pliance and technical assistance.

The agreement was arrived at fol-lowing the presentation by the DOLE of the results of its rapid assessment audit of the fishing, fish canning and processing, aquaculture production, and other allied industries, which partly shows the prevalence of ‘con-tractualization’ and other general la-bor standards and occupational safety and health violations by some players in the industry in Regions 9 and 12.

“I fully believe that with your sup-port and cooperation, the challenges your industry face, particularly the issue of ‘contractualization’ and its forms, such as the ‘5-5-5’ scheme and the ‘cabo’ system, will immediately be corrected,” Secretary Baldoz said.

Baldoz pointed out that correction is urgent as market access is inextri-cably linked with good labor practices and SFFAII members are expected to benefit from the 12 percent increase in exports to EU once the country gets onboard the EU GSP+ Program, hope-fully within the year.

She emphasized that the indus-try needs to align its labor practices with global standards as the EU GSP+ requires ratification and observance with 27 international conventions on human and labor rights, including the eight ILO core conventions.

SFFAII is a non-government, non-profit organization, established in 1999 as an umbrella organization of seven associations with a total membership

of over 100 companies involved in fish-ing, canning, fish processing, aquacul-ture production and processing, and other allied industries.

Its member-associations include the Southern Philippines Boat Owners and Tuna Association (SPBOTA); South Co-tabato Purse Seiners Association (SO-COPA); Umbrella Fish Landing Associ-ation (UFLA); Chamber of Aquaculture and Ancillary Industries of Sarangani, Inc. (CHAINS); Tuna Canners Associa-tion General Santos (TCAGS); Fresh Frozen Seafood Association–Tuna Pro-cessors Philippines, Inc. (FFSA-TPPI); and Tuna Cooperative of General San-tos City (Tuna Coop).

The ITC-Fishing and Allied Services serves as a venue for learning sessions and valuable discussions on important issues confronting the industry, such as compliance with international la-bor standards requirements of the EU-GSP+ Program, Department O. 18-A; productivity and the Two-Tiered Wage System. It is also a platform for the industry to articulate matters, such as environmental concerns, labor-man-agement issues and more importantly, the monitoring of its Voluntary Code of Good Practices.

“Fishing is a P50 billion industry, contributing about 4 percent to the country’s GDP. With an annual produc-tion volume of 2.4 million metric tons of fish, it directly provides livelihood and employment to over one million Filipinos,” Baldoz said. (DEDoguiles with report from DOLE 12)


KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato– The Overseas Workers Welfare Admin-istration (OWWA) office in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region has started releas-ing financial assistance to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) repatriated from Libya.

5 Libya repatriates receive financial aid from OWWA 12By: Oliver Ross V. Rivera

OWWA-12 OIC Regional Director Marilou Sumalinog said their office has already released a one-time grant worth P10,000 each to five OFWs who came in their office last week.

“We have already released a total of P50,000 to five OFWs who came to our office for the financial assistance. Four of them are from General Santos City and one is from Tantangan, South Cotabato,” Sumalinog said.

Sumalinog said that they are expecting 79 more OFWs from the region who are qualified to avail of the assistance based on the list provided by the OWWA central office.

However, the official noted that only those repatriated OFWs who arrived in the country from July 20 onwards are entitled to receive the cash grant.

“OFWs who were repatriated from Libya starting July 20, 2014, when the Philippines raised

Crisis Alert Level 4 (Mandatory Repatriation) in the troubled African country, shall be granted the financial aid,” the official said.

Sumalinog said repats can visit their office and submit their passport, Libyan Visa and ticket from Libya to the Philippines to qualify them to receive the assistance.

Most of these repatriated OFWs from Libya are male skilled workers, the official said.

The grant is part of the government’s repatriation assistance program that aims to cushion the impact of employment and income displacement affecting OFWs upon their repatriation to the country.

In a radio interview, Sumalinod said repatriated OFWs may also avail of other assistance such as job placement and livelihood loan through the OFW Repatriation Program. (ORVRivera-PIA12)


PALIMBANG, Sultan Kudarat - About 51 farmer-beneficiaries and fisher-folks learned new skills in producing bagoong and smoked fish in Barangay Milbuk, Palimbang, Sultan Kudarat late last month.

Palimbang farmers learn new skills on fish processing By: Aida C. Agad

In the two-day technology trans-fer on fish processing, organized by the Department of Trade and Indus-try (DTI), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Bureau of Fish-eries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the local government of Pal-imbang, the farmers were trained to improve their skills to a certain degree so that they can produce a quality bagoong and smoked fish products, an official said.

Felisa Sinobago, Officer-in-Charge of DTI Sultan Kudarat said that the government wanted to help the farmers and turn them into en-trepreneurs for them to have con-trol of their lives and create a sus-tainable source of income, as they utilize available resources in their area.

“This is still in relation to the ef-forts of the government to improve the lives of the people by becoming entrepreneurs,” Sinobago added.

Another official, Luis Juliano, the Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) of Palimbang en-couraged the participants to come up with a product with quality pack-aging and ready for display in the

upcoming festival in Palimbang. The town is celebrating “Kalilang Festival” in the month of May.

Juliano said that DAR will contin-ue to support the group from the production and processing stage an even until the marketing of their produced products.

DAR’s contribution was giving them initial capital to jumpstart their business operation.

DTI, later in the year, will also pro-vide shared service facilities (SSF) to further improve the processing and production of fish products.

Alvaro Casuga, one of the par-ticipants said that it was the first time DTI, DAR, BFAR and LGU col-laborated and conducted an activ-ity in their locality.

“I am happy that government agencies such as DTI, DAR and BFAR joined together and gave us this training,” Casuga added.

The training was listed as one of the activities under the Bottom-Up Budgeting (Grassroots Participato-ry Budgeting) lodged in the office of DTI in Sultan Kudarat province. (AC Agad/Pia 12 with reports from JJBDael-DAR SK)

Job mismatch causes unemployment, says DOLE chief By Mary May A. Abellon

DIPOLOG CITY – Labor Secretary Rosalinda D. Baldoz said the common reason of unemployment is the belief that there was no available work to match the skills of every jobseeker.

This was her statement during the turnover of SPES checks and starter kits to beneficiaries here in the city recently. “It will take two years for a college graduate to acquire his first employment and three years


Job mismatch causes unemployment, says DOLE chief

for regular employment because of job mismatch,” Secretary Baldoz stressed. Baldoz encouraged all graduates, students and out-of-school youth to access and register in http://www.phil-jobnet.dole.gov.ph/ which is an internet-based job and applicant matching system aimed at facilitating the jobseeker’s search for jobs and the employer’s search for manpower. “In job mismatch jobseekers would tend to accept a certain work even though it did not fit their skills and field of studies,” Baldoz emphasized. The secretary also disclosed that Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) is one way of helping the poor but deserving students pursue their education and, at the same time, acquire some experience. That is why, Baldoz said, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is monitoring whether “the SPES has indeed helped the grantees especially when they get employed.” Meanwhile, she said that starter kits were given to informal sectors in order to give them a chance to start in their own, and added that with the training given to them they can expand and develop their business, trade or profession. “These programs contributed to the inclusive growth envisioned by President Aquino that in progress, no one shall be left behind,” Sec. Baldoz concluded.


DILG-9 announces LTIA regional winnersBy Franklin P. Gumapon

PAGADIAN CITY - Three barangays have emerged as regional winners in the recently conducted search for Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentive Awards (LTIA) by the Regional Awards Committee chaired by the regional direcctor of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)-9. DILG-9 Regional Information Officer Lemuel Mejares informed the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that a cash prize of P50,000 was given to each of the winning barangays, namely, Barangay Sto. Niño of Dapitan City for component city category, Barangay Siare of Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte for 1st to 3rd class municipality category, and Barangay Poblacion, San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur for 4th to 6th class municipality category. The LTIA was designed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in settling cases in consonance with the objectives of the Katarungang Pambarangay (KP) program, said DILG-9 Regional Director Paisal O. Abutazil. Regional KP focal person Marilyn Arasa said the three barangays will represent the region in the national awards whose winners will be declared before the year ends. She also disclosed that the cash prizes received by the winners can be used in the procurement

of supplies and equipment or in capability building activities to sustain “their efficient and effective performance.” Barangay Sto. Niño would use its prize to improve the barangay office while Barangay Siare would use it for Lakbay-Aral to learn the best practices of other places that can be replicated in the barangay. Barangay Poblacion, on the other hand, has yet to decide on its project. Other members of regional awards committee were an executive judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), representative from the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), president of the Liga ng mga Barangay regional chapter, and two representatives of non-government organizations based in the region. The LTIA was established pursuant to section 406b of the Local Government Code of 1991 to provide economic and other incentives to the lupons for their outstanding contributions to the objectives of the Katarungang Pambarangay. (Lemuel Mejares/DILG-9)

DILG-9 announces LTIA regional winners DENR kicks off environmental symposium in schoolsby Jorie C. ValcorzaCAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Close to five thousand students in cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro attended a series of environmental symposium on climate change spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).


Students, faculties and administration were briefed on the four major programs of DENR to include Geohazards, National Greening Program, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change Adaptation. The environmental symposium kick off partner schools are St. Peter’s College in Iligan City and Cagayan de

Oro Phinma (COC-Phinma). DENR regional executive director Ruth M. Tawantawan said this campaign specifically needs the involvement of the youth as active advocates and partners. “We need to instill in our minds that through our active cooperation and participation in climate change


advocacy campaign, we can protect not only the environment but also ourselves,” she added. Climate Change campaign activities include campus tours,

community activations, capacity building and partnerships with organizations, institutions, school and local government units.

City identifies model barangays for mobilizing support to Infant Youth Child Feedingby Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental - At least three barangays of the city have been identified for development as Model Barangays on Mobilizing Community Support for Infant Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Program.

These are Barangays Carangan, Carmen and Gango, which will serve as learning ground, for the other 52 barangays of the city, as strategy to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal on Hunger and Malnutrition. Relative to this, the National Nutrition Council, region 10 (NNC-10), will conduct a four-day training for those who have been trained on the IYCF and other IYCF support groups coming from the said barangays, Lelita G. Navarez, city nutrition action officer (CNAO), said. To be held at the Function Hall of Clarin, Misamis Occidental. on Aug. 19-22, 2014, the training will be attended by five participants from each barangay, who will be joined by those from selected barangays of

Clarin and Tudela towns. Meanwhile, NNC-10 has called on the local government units (LGU’s) of the province to join their efforts in solving hunger and malnutrition, as well, as reducing infant and maternal mortality rates through breastfeeding. “This, as we recognize breastfeeding as a single most important intervention to save lives, Marissa DM. Navales,” nutrition program coordinator of NNC-10, said. Among the topics of the training are the implementation of Executive Order No. 51 or “The Milk Code of the Philippines” and Republic Act No. 10028 or “The Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act,” Navales added.


Malaybalay receives DOLE livelihood aidby Rio Adam T. Opiala

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon - Malaybalay city government recently received livelihood assistance from the government through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

City mayor Ignacio W. Zubiri said DOLE has turned over a total of P2,503,600 to Malaybalay local government unit (LGU) to fund livelihood projects identified through the Bottom-Up Budgeting (BuB). “The amount will be used for the proposed livelihood projects of Malaybalay City Women’s Organization that include skills training and production of various recycled products. Likewise, it will also help fund the biomass production project of Malaybalay City Balik-Pinas Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Beneficiaries Association, Inc., among other livelihood project beneficiaries,” the mayor said. Raul L. Valmores, DOLE-

Bukidnon provincial head, meanwhile, said “once implemented, the BuB-identified livelihood projects will help address financial needs of target beneficiaries.” Aside from these grants, Malaybalay LGU also received P1,354,500 through DOLE’s Emergency Employment Assistance program. The fund was coursed through the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO), which intends to provide temporary employment opportunities to identified displaced workers. Valmores said the city government is an active partner of DOLE that supports national government’s program implementation especially on eco-friendly and green projects aimed to reduce poverty incidence and helps to improve people’s lives.

This program is one of DOLE’s contributions to the government agenda of inclusive growth through massive job generation and poverty reduction that reduces vulnerability to risks of the poor and marginalized workers either through transitional emergency employment and promotion of entrepreneurship and community enterprises, he said.

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One Mindanao - August 19, 2014