NAPC, DENR-9 kick off “SALUBUNGAN” in Pagadian

Claro A. Lanipa

PAGADIAN CITY - The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-9 have launched on Tuesday the “Salubungan” (encounter) activities for the province of Zamboanga del Suras convenor agency for the province of Zamboanga del Sur at Chandler Suites this city.

“Salubungan” is a scheme under the Accelerated and Sustainable Anti-Poverty Program (ASAP) initiative of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction (HDPR) Cluster NEDA Board – Social Development Committee.

The initiative aimed to identify area programs and convergent implementation arrangements that will speed up government spending and help accelerate the attainment of the poverty targets of the Aquino administration in its remaining term.

NAPC Undersecretary Patrocinio Jude Esquerra III said there are 10 provinces in the country where Salubungan are now taking place.

“Salubungan is the encounter between the local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), entrepreneurs and the grassroot groups that are aspiring to have better lives,” Esquerra said.

“We call this initiative as “four-in-one”, where the support of the LGUs, NGAs, entrepreneurs and the people in the community are being engaged. It is a reverse capital plight, the usual situation is that people go to the cities, but in Salubungan we want a reversal of this,” Esquerra emphasized.

He further explained that “the point of this initiative, as they say, if development does not come to the mountain, let the mountain come to do that or if the rural poor cannot make it to the city, then, it is the city must, perhaps, come and knock at the doors.”

Meanwhile, Regional Director Arleigh Adorable of DENR-9 presented the consolidated  programs and projects of the NGAs for implementation in the three pilot municipalities of  Aurora, Mahayag and Kumalarang.

“A grand total of P5,007,036.754 was funded under the regular budget for calendar year 2015 through ASAP to be implemented by the different stakeholders,” Adorable said.

The programs and projects include rural accessibility, product and enterprise development, technology transfer,  organic agricultural promotion and production, organizational strengthening, federation building, private sector development, grassroots bankability, agri-forest development, social development and disaster risk reduction.

Over 2,000 benefit from DTI-9’s Mobile Diskwento Caravan

By Michael Vincent D. Cajulao

ZAMBOANGA CITY -  The Department of Trade and Industry-9’s Mobile Diskwento Caravan held on May 11-17 served over 2,000 beneficiaries from all over the region.

DTI-9 Regional Director Dr. Sitti Amina M. Jain said reaching the people in far flung areas who are oftentimes deprived of the basic services is the heart of the Mobile Diskwento Caravan.

“The major objective is really to reach out to the rural municipalities for them to have easier access to basic commodities at discounted prices. This activity should be held where the real beneficiaries are. It’s in the rural communities with the indigents as our target beneficiaries, and we did it. We are very happy to have served them,” Dir. Jain said.

Michael Vincent D. Cajulao, regional information officer said the caravan started in Barangay Labuan, Zamboanga City, then to Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay, next stop was Siayan, Zamboanga del Norte, and finally in Sominot, Zamboanga del Sur.

A tremendous success, the activity generated a total sales of P501,791.50 with 2,179 individuals served during the caravan, mostly indigents and 4Ps beneficiaries.

The team was headed by DTI-9 Consumer Welfare Division Chief Ceferino J. Rubio.

The Mobile Diskwento Caravan’s success was also due to the participation of three distributors from Zamboanga City namely PERMEX for the canned sardines, LB Supermarket for the basic and prime commodities, and Z.C. Century Trading for the school supplies. 

OPAPP, BASCOMNET hold forum on Bangsamoro peace process

By Rene V. Carbayas

ISABELA CITY, Basilan – The Basilan Communicators Network Inc. (BASCOMNET) in partnership with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has recently conducted a forum on the Bangsamoro and the Philippine peace process to enlighten the communicators and information officers from the different government agencies and non-government organizations in Basilan on the issue.

The forum dwelt on the rationale behind the peace process by understanding the history of the Moro conflict and struggle in Mindanao.

Ma. Krishna Sonza of OPAPP’s communications team walked the participants to the time in the past that most people on Mindanao suffered injustices and discriminations that led to the poor state of human and social development in the area today.

She hopes that the people would further seek to understand first the root causes of the struggle of the people in Mindanao and the overarching intention of the government to provide the island genuine autonomy and peace.

However, Sonza stressed that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is still being deliberated in Congress and when passed and approved, it will not fully guarantee peace but “it will already be a great step towards attaining genuine peace.”

At the same forum, the participants were illuminated on some pressing issues and concerns of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission’s BBL draft, to include the issue of the Bangsamoro police, core territories, creation of a separate auditing body and civil service, among others.

She also told the BASCOMNET members that the fate of the BBL is now in the hands of congress.

“Since the BBL is now in the hands of congress, what the people need to understand first and foremost is the content of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) signed last March,” she stressed, saying that the CAB is the basis of the BBL and that the MILF and other peace advocates are hoping that the final version would still contain the spirit of the CAB.

Sonza also provided some updates on the ongoing deliberations at the ADHOC committee of congress and encouraged the participants to wait for the final version of both houses, as everything in the proposed BBL could still change and what is important for communicators is to understand the CAB by heart.

The recent forum was made possible through the support of the Inter-Faith Council of Leaders (IFCL) in Isabela City, Basilan.

After the forum, the newly elected board of directors for 2015-2017 were inducted into office by Atty. Vivaniño Barrios of the Public Attorney’s Office in Basilan. The officers and members of the board are Dr. Paysal Kasim (DOH-Rep) as President, Hja. Lucia A. Kandum (DepEd-Isabela) as Vice-President, Marlyn M. Anoos (DOLE-Isabela)-board secretary, and Melchora “Choi” Mangubat (ISAWAD), PSI Daryl Vincent D. Bartolome (PNP Province), 2LT Sally Christine Magno (104BdePA), Miriam L. Suacito (NFI), Nadzwa Abdulwahid (DAR), Socorro E. Torralba (DPWH), and Jesielyn Puno, Treasurer (CPop).

The BasCOMNET is a network of government and non-government agencies, who do collaboration work along information, education and communication activities. It was established to harmonize and maximize the communication activities of member-organizations, including the conduct of enhancement training to its members. 

Multi-stakeholders forum on ARCP-II AED held in Dipolog

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)-Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Office has conducted here on Tuesday the Provincial Multi-stakeholders forum on ARCP-II Agri-Enterprise Development (AED) at C & L Sea View Hotel.

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer Mohammad Dassan J. Adju said the forum aimed to evaluate the implementation of the programs identified under ARCP-II projects.

Representatives of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the city government of Dipolog also attended the said activity.

As one of the components of ARCP-II Projects, the AED intends to provide strategic support services to generate sustained increased income in agricultural production, productivity and household income; provide them access to rural credit, market –driven initiative and value-added and pilot ARC connectivity strategies.

ARCP-II AED Consultant Luz Ani said the main objective of the project is to increase the income of the program beneficiaries and alleviate the economic condition of the marginalized sectors of our society.

AED is funded through a soft loan acquired by the Philippine government from Asian Development Bank.

Ani pointed out that in the last few months of its operation, AED will focus on community-driven support services such roads, bridges, irrigation, multi-purpose to maximize production.

AED covers 152 Agrarian Reform Communities in 11 ARC Clusters, 19 provinces in 6 regions throughout the country including Zamboanga del Norte. 

Sirawai fishermen to benefit from DOLE’s “Kabuhayan Program”

By Franklin P. Gumapon

DIPOLOG CITY – A group of marginal fishermen from Sirawai town will soon have a fishing boat complete with accessories after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Zamboanga del Norte has passed a resolution authorizing Governor Roberto Y. Uy to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-9 through Regional Director Sisinio Cano for the implementation of the agency’s “Kabuhayan Program.”

Governor Uy earlier sought the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s authority to sign a MOA with DOLE-9 as a requirement for the granting of a “Kabuhayan” project to a group of poor fishermen in Sirawai municipality, some 300 kilometers south of this city.

As DOLE’s Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), the “Kabuhayan” project seeks to help existing livelihood transform into viable and sustainable business or community enterprise by maximizing the community resources and skills.

Sirawai is a coastal town where fishing and farming are the main occupations of the locals.  Its major religion is Islam and a large number of its residents belong to the Kalibugan tribe. It is a fourth class municipality. 

NDRRMC to hold contingency planning workshop in Zamboanga City

By Emmanuel D. Taghoy

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDDRMC) is slated to conduct a three-day contingency planning workshop here on June 9-11, as part of the city government’s readiness program against all forms of disasters and calamities.

The participants to this training include the barangay officials, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) and other key offices of the city government, Task Force Zamboanga, Philippine National Police (PNP), the Western Mindanao Command, Department of Health (DOH), schools, hospitals and other stakeholders.

“If there’s anything that will happen again, we better prepare. This way, we would be able to cope up with any emergencies,” said Dr. Elmeir Apolinario, assistant city administrator and head of CDRRMO.

Apolinario emphasized that preparedness initiatives of the city in worst case scenarios and human induced violence will be highlighted in the seminar-workshop.

NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Pama, a former Navy chief, will join the workshop.

Apolinario said they are planning to invite DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman and Acting DOH Secretary Jannette Garin. (with reports from Rylle Darryll T. Estrella)