Agusan del Norte towns receive AECID health, education assistance
CABADBARAN CITY, Agusan del Norte (January 31) – Several towns in Agusan del Norte province received health and education projects from the Spanish aid agency Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional pare el Desarollo (AECID).
Beneficiary towns are Nasipit, Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes, Tubay, Buenavista and the City of
These towns received shelter, school buildings, health facilities and foods.
The different projects are being implemented by Fundacion Humanismo Y Democracia (H+D) and Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in partnership with the parents, teachers association (PTA), health authorities and local government unit in the place where they are being implemented.
To this end, the AECID just last week delivered equipments to Carmen Rural Health Unit to be used by personnel in serving poor families in Carmen town, Agusan del Norte.
The AECID assistance seeks to improve access to maternal and child healthcare (MCH) services which is one of the problems affecting families in the province.
Carmen Mayor Ramon Calo expressed elation with the assorted equipment provided to them.
"We will compliment the generosity of AECID and the Spanish people. We will ensure that budget for health is included in our priorities," stressed Mayor Calo.
The medical equipment includes emergency lights, sterilizer, adjustable beds with bed sheets, assorted forceps, BP apparatuses, gooseneck lamps, I.V. stand, suction machines, surgical scissors, wheelchairs, flashlights, weighing scales, thermometers, boxes of disposable syringes and needles and bassinet newborn carriers, among others.
Also included in the assistance package in upgrading of RHUs are training and mobilization of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), construction of lying-in clinics among others.
The health initiative in Carmen is only part of a bigger undertaking by AECID to assist children and families gain access to basic services.
Parallel to the health-related project, the Spanish aid agency is also engaged in education-focused project for school children in Agusan del Norte.
Carmen town is a fourth class municipality with most of its basic services for the people being funded by the internal revenue allotment (IRA) from the national government. (PNA)
First mental health facility to rise in Caraga region
The formal ground breaking of the site for the construction of the building was held over the weekend right behind the Surigao City Health Office.
It was attended by top local government health officials led by Surigao City Mayor Alfonso S. Casurra and City Councilors Peñaflor Laxa and Floripen Tating, region’s health Asst. Regional Director Dr. Cesar Cassion and Program Manager on Drug Abuse Dr. Flordeliz Llesis and City Health Officer Dr. Aldine Morales.
During the ground breaking program, Mayor Casurra emphasized that the center will initially serve as a half-way house for the temporary accommodation and treatment of said patients.
"Let us help these people today because tomorrow will be too late. They are also human beings who need care and attention,” he said.
Meanwhile, the local government of
The new school building is targeted to be completed by the end of June this year.
Casurra wanted students to have a more conducive place for learning.
At present, the high school students are temporarily sharing an area with the elementary pupils. (PNA)
RP, MILF to resume talks on Feb. 18
Negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will resume in
This was disclosed today by Annabel Abaya, chairman of the government panel negotiating peace with the MILF, with
"Both camps just exchanged our respective expectations and we will continue discussing based on what both camps can offer," Abaya explained. "We decided to resume in two weeks after MILF shall have consulted with their principals and stakeholders."
On the comment of Mohager Iqbal, head of the MILF peace panel that government did not offer anything new, Abaya said the comment may have been made "because there has yet been no substantive discussions that have taken place."
Abaya added that, "for as long as both parties are willing to talk, then there is reason to continue the negotiations." (OP)
De Lima to police: Arrest fugitives to stop clan wars in Agusan del Sur
BUTUAN CITY (January 30) – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Friday said the fugitives from justice, who are still roaming around the remote villages in a town of Agusan del Sur province, must be “arrested and disarmed at all cost” so that peace will reign in some highland villages in Prosperidad town.
CHR panel, led by chairperson Leila De Lima, said that law enforcement agencies, particularly the police must serve warrants of arrests to the Joel Tubay group to stop the tribal war between the two Manobo clans in the area.
“The law enforcement agencies must do their job now. Hintayin pa ba natin na maging maulit ang Maguindanao incident dito?” asked De Lima.
Another member of the panel, CHR Mindanao focal person lawyer Jose Manuel Mamaoag , also made the same statement during the conclusion of the two day public inquiry at downtown hotel and convention center here on extra-legal killings of at least 18 persons.
In the two day marathon hearing, the CHR found that the string of extrajudicial killings that happened last year in Mahulayan area at Barangay La Purisima, in Prosperidad town, Agusan del Sur province victimized mostly indigenous people (IP’s) and related it to the rivalries between two warring clans of Manobo tribe- the Tubay group and Ondo Perez group.
The alleged series of killings last year of the family members of Ondo Perez made the latter and his group to abduct 57 civilians on Dec. 10 last year due to alleged unfair treatment on their case. However, the hostages were released unharmed as a result of negotiations made by the provincial crisis committee.
But due to the standing warrant of arrest for murder hurled by the Tubay group last year, Perez was jailed after his surrender, despite of the promise made by the crisis committee that he would not be jailed but only tried by the natives’ customary tradition under the IPRA Law.
“The residents, especially lumads in the area are now living in fear on the alleged presence of armed groups who have also standing warrants of arrest. They must be arrested and must be disarmed,” said De Lima.
At least 1,000 Manobos’ are currently residing in La Purisima.
“Arrest and disarm the remaining armed group in the area” De Lima said.
She urged top police and military commanders in the area who were present during the two marathon inquiry to disarm and arrest the remaining armed group in villages of Prosperidad and nearby areas.
Top provincial officials in the
The CHR panel was saddened by the absence of the officials of the National Communities on Indigenous People (NCIP) under Director Atty. Jose Dumagan despite being summoned for their presence during the inquiry.
“NCIP chose to ignore IP’s problem causing their conflict,” added De Lima.
“We are certain that the string of killings and abduction last Dec. 10 was only a strand in a greater scheme of impunity, criminality and violence gripping Agusan del Sur. We will continue gathering facts,” she further said. (PNA)
Provincial gov't to look into operations of mining areas in Agusan del Sur
BUTUAN CITY (January 30) –- The legislative body of Agusan del Sur has assured the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that it will look into the permits of small-scale mining operators in the 200,000-hectare mining areas in the landlocked province.
Vice Gov. Santiago B. Cane, chair of the provincial legislative body, said on Friday he will specifically look into the mining operations at Manhulayan area in Barangay La Purisima, Prosperidad town where many small-scale mining operations are being reported.
Cane made the assurance after learning that Mahulayan area is where several killings were reported last year between Manobo clans and other groups, mostly indigenous people (IPs).
This development came out during the last day of the two-day public inquiry of the CHR on the root causes of alleged killings and hostage-taking last Dec. 10, 2009, where 57 civilians were victims in La Purisima. The hostages were released unharmed after negotiation with Ondo Perez, the alleged leader of the hostage-takers. However, the Perez group members, some of them minors, were put in jail in Agusan del Sur jail after their surrender.
In the CHR inquiry, it also came out that the two warring Manobo clans –- Perez group and Joel Tubay group (still at large) -- are both armed with high-powered firearms and have existing warrants of arrests due to their alleged tribal war.
Aside from ancestral land problem, gold mining operations also surfaced as one of the root causes of the breakdown of the peace and order in the area.
It also came out that illegal logging operation also exists in that same area.
“The provincial board will look into these mining permits of operators,” Cane said before the panel of CHR led by CHR Chairperson Leila De Lima and other government lawyers and representatives from various concerned government agencies, military and police commanders.
Cane also assured that the provincial board will help the CHR to investigate and look into the mining permits of the small-scale mining operations.
During the same inquiry, Col. Emiliano Gupana, commanding officer of the Army’s 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, also confirmed the involvement in the mining operations of some natives in Manhulayan.
Gupana also confirmed that some members of the groups of Perez and Tubay were formerly affiliated with the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) assigned in the area but already disbanded in 2008. (PNA)
Caraga Region needs 2,145 PCOS machines for May 2010 polls
BUTUAN CITY (January 30) - The Caraga or Northeastern Mindanao Region comprising five provinces and six cities needs a total of 2,145 precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for the May 10, 2010 automated national and local elections, it was learned Saturday.
Composing the region are the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) regional office said the 2,145 voting machines will be distributed to the clustered precincts in 1,310 barangays throughout
The Comelec-Caraga said the number of registered voters for the 2010 elections in
Lakas-Kampi-CMD leader slain in Surigao del Norte
CAMP RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City, Feb. 1 - A local leader of the administration party Lakas-Kampi-CMD was gunned down Monday morning by unidentified gunmen at Sitio Binggale, Barangay Banban, Taganaan, Surigao del Norte, according to a sketchy report reaching the police regional command and tactical operations center here.
The report to Chief Supt. Lino D. Calingasan, regional director of the Police Regional Office 13, identified the victim as Oscar Cayumo Anino, 55, a former Army soldier and a miner in Taganaan town.
Initial investigation showed that Anino was riding his single motorcycle toward Taganaan Proper at 9 a.m. when he was shot at close range by the suspects in Sitio Binggale.
In a telephone interview with the Philippine News Agency, Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco T. Matugas stated that the victim was a local leader of Rep. Guillermo “Jun” Romarate (2nd District, Surigao del Norte).
“Isa siya (Anino) sa aming political leader sa bayan na iyan (He was one of our local leaders in that town),” Matugas said, adding that the killing of Anino could be linked to the May 10, 2010 national and local elections in Taganaan town.
Romarate could not be contacted for comment regarding the killing of Anino.
Field reports stated that the gunmen immediately fled after the incident.
Upon receipt of the report, Calingasan deployed police investigating team and scene of the crime operatives to thoroughly investigate the killing of Anino.
He also ordered the deployment of regional and provincial mobile force and Taganaan police force to conduct a region-wide manhunt against the suspects. (PNA)
