No classes from pre-school to high school in Ozamiz, Jan. 14

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 14 (PIA) – Mayor Reynaldo O. Parojinog, Sr., ordered anew the suspension of classes, from pre-school to high school only, in all public and private school of the city, today, Jan. 14, to ensure the safety of the students.

The suspension is prompted to ensure the safety of the students, following a rainfall advisory, as of 9:00 p.m. of Jan. 13, by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration (PAGASA) that threatens flooding and landslides in the low-lying areas. 

Last weekend’s incessant rains which continued until the morning of Jan. 13, in the City, has brought the water levels of Labo River to overflow flooding the urban barangays and threats of landslide in the hinterland.

Thus, the Mayor has ordered the suspension of the afternoon classes of Jan. 13, in all levels, from pre-school to college, in all public and private schools of the city, per recommendation by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), during its emergency meeting in the morning.

The meeting was held in the wake of the PAGASA advisory, that at 10:30 a.m., of the same day, the LPA has been estimated at 70 km. southwest of Cagayan de Oro City, which was near Ozamiz.

Such advisory said the weather system will bring cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms over the Caraga Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Eastern and Central Visayas and the Bicol Region which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)   

Ozamiz CDRRMC forms road clearing team

By: Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 14 (PIA) – The Ozamiz City Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) formed a team to clear the city roads of impending obstruction caused by age-old leaning trees.

This is a pre-cautionary measure so that the roads of the city will remain passable and safe from threats of the recent Low Pressure Area (LPA), which has brought quite a large volume of rainfall to the city, these past days, Mark Vincent Israel, CDRRM Officer said.

The move will also save the lives of the people, who live near the trees and reduce the risk of damage to their houses, especially, because such trees have been found to be hollow inside their trunks already and about to be uprooted by the floods, he said.

The team, which has started to clear the roads of the leaning Mango trees in Barangay Las Aguadas, last Jan. 11, is composed of personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), City Engineer’s Office (CEO), Ozamiz City Police Station (OCPS), CDRRMC and soon the Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative (MOELCI) II.

It will go around the city to identify which trees needs to be cut down and cleared with clearing equipment from the CEO that includes a chain-saw, bolos and other gadgets.

Formation of the team was done during an emergency meeting called by Mayor Reynaldo O. Parojinog, Sr., after the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration (PAGASA) issued an advisory that an LPA was estimated at 250 km. southeast of Gen. Santos City, as of 4:00 a.m. of Jan. 11, Israel added. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)

Lanao del Norte shares utilization of Listahanan data  

LANAO DEL NORTE, January 13 (PIA) -- The Provincial government of Lanao del Norte engaged recently into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ensuring LDN will make a full use of the Listahanan data entrusted to them.

Based on Administrative Order No. 2 series of 2009 and prior to the access and utilization of the Listahanan data by various lcoal government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and various stakeholders, a memorandum of agreement should be made and undertaken between DSWD and the data user supported with an approved Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Resolution in order to ensure the confidentiality and usability of the requested data for the purposes agreed upon and between DSWD.    

Listahanan or what was formerly known as the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) is an information management system that the government uses in identifying who and where the poor are and is being spearheaded by the DSWD. It aims to address poverty reduction through a scientific and target- focused strategy.

Lanao del Norte, known to be the “Land of Beauty and Bounty” boosts not only of its vast, arable agricultural lands and also of its fast- phased progress. 

Utilization of the Listahanan data in the province of Lanao del Norte was manifested in the implementation of various programs and services in the province. One of which is in the Provincial  Comprehensive Health Sector Reform Program whose main goal is that of ensuring the constituents access to quality health care as well as in the upgrading of health facilities all throughout the province.

Health programs included the expanded program on immunization, maternal and childcare, family planning/reproductive Health program, nutrition program, breastfeeding program, national tuberculosis program, rabies control program, malaria control program and environmental sanitation program.

In the conduct of outreach medical mission and free clinics in farflung areas in the province, the Listahanan data was also used as basis in identifying the areas and beneficiaries.

A total of 61,406 indigent families also benefited from the Provincial Health Indigency Program, in which, basis in identifying beneficiaries was the Listahanan data.

In addition, the provincial government created the One Town One Program (OTOP) which is aimed towards enterprise development and product promotion of every town in Lanao del Norte. It is also used the Listahanan data in identifying the families who were prioritized for the capability building for enterprise and product development program.      

According to Atty. Araceli F. Solamillo, Regional Director of DSWD Field Office 10, this manifests that “the Listahanan data is more than just statistics and figures.

Solamillo said if utilized accurately, this could be very useful and significant as far as implementation of target-focused programs and services is concerned. (Mitzie S. Santiago/RTP/PIA10)

ARMM investments up by more than 150 percent in 2013

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) cornered more than P1.4 billion worth of investments last year, and registered a 157 percent increase as compared to 2012’s P569 million.

ARMM’s Regional Board of Investments (RBOI-ARMM) announced that the region hit its second P1 billion mark, following 2011’s P1.6 billion.

 "We attribute this significant increase in investments to the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF),” said Ishak Mastura, Chairman of RBOI-ARMM.

He added that the agreement boosted confidence among investors in doing business in the region, because of the promise of peace and stability.

The RBOI-ARMM also announced that ARMM registered four new businesses last year with mineral development being the biggest contributor to the remarkable growth.

 A Tawi-Tawi based company, Al-Tawitawi Nickel Corporation invested more than P700 million for a mineral development project in Tawi-Tawi, while a P365 million real estate investment was registered by the Bumbaran Development Corporation. Other major investments recorded include the expansion of a banana plantation, and the establishment of an oil depot. 

Mastura said the strong support of the local government units, reinforced by the ARMM regional government ensured investors “that doing business in ARMM is easy, safe, and profitable.”

“It’s worth noting that the more than P1 billion worth of investments recorded last year generated 1,743 jobs for the people of ARMM,” he added.

The ARMM government has also been offering both fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for new investments to attract more business ventures to the region.

"Governance reforms in ARMM has not only contributed to the overall peace and security situation in the region, but has also increased investor confidence as shown by this positive development," said Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino.

Antonino expressed optimism for ARMM to continue experiencing massive investment growth, once the remaining infrastructure projects in the region are in place. ARMM received P8.59 billion funding under the Transition Investment Support Plan (TISP) of the national government, and P2.8 billion of the amount was allocated for DPWH’s infrastructure projects.

To further boost investments and economic growth in the island-region, a spatial development framework called the Mindanao Development Corridors is being carried out by MinDA, where one of the strategies is to achieve connectivity through the development of intermodal transport systems and the strengthening of logistics to support growing industries.

“A well-placed connectivity infrastructure will allow ARMM’s top exports sourced mainly from rural areas to expediently reach urban centers for processing and marketing, and arrive at our export gateways faster and in better shape,” Antonino said.

The development corridors will bank on the strengths of Mindanao's key regions, with Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi forming part of the Mariculture and Trade corridor.

MinDA, along with Board of Investments, the Department of Trade and Industry, and RBOI-ARMM have also been closely working together to expand investment opportunities in Mindanao to BIMP-EAGA and other international markets.