Thursday, January 16, 2014

PIA-10 NEWS

LPA damages runway, bridges, houses in Camiguin
By Jorie C. Valcorza

MAMBAJAO, CAMIGUIN, January 14 (PIA) – A low pressure area affecting Mindanao and Visayas triggered too much rains causing flood water to enter houses, buildings, and runway.

Latest report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) shows some 7,381 families and 34,373 persons affected in Mambajao Town.

Flashfloods and stream overflows already affected 12 barangays here since Saturday, January 11 up to press time.

Included in the list of affected barangays are Naasag, Yumbing, Agoho, Bug-ong, Kuguita, Baylao, Poblacion, Pandan, Balbagon, Magting, Benhaan, and Tupsan.

Timayog Bridge in Lawigan, Catarman was also destroyed by floodwaters and remains impassable, while the concrete bridge in Lumad, although accessible, is still under assessment for possible damage.

Main pipelines in Catarman were also washed out, affecting the water supply distribution in some four barangays in the municipality.

One casualty is likewise recorded in Sagay town, caused by electrocution as the province continues to experience torrential rains. (JCV/PIA)


Heavy rains turn in 2 casualties in Misamis Occidental
By Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 15 (PIA) – At least two casualties have been reported by the Misamis Occidental Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) due to heavy rains that occurred in the province, last Jan. 13.

Gain Paul De Barras, PDRRM Officer said the significant rise of water levels in the rivers of the province, during the day, drowned Arlene Abing Fuentes, a 13-year old pupil of the Macabayao Elementary School, in Jimenez town.

Classes in Jimenez were suspended in the afternoon, but the girl was already absent from her class in the morning and the last time her parents saw her was when she told them that she will go after her brother who went out fishing, he  said.

However, no one saw how and where she drowned, and her dead body was later recovered in Barangay Cagay-anon, Sinacaban, some two towns away from Jimenez by the Municipal DRRMC Rescue Team, De Barras said.

Meanwhile, an electrocution incident was reported by the Calamba MDRRMC, involving 31-year old Richard B. Aljas from Libertad, of the said town, who accidentally stepped on a high tension wire, cut off by a fallen tree branch after he disembarked from his vehicle.

The incident, which took place at about 10:00 a.m., Jan. 13, brought in the province’s second casualty due to the heavy rains, De Barras said.

Earlier, classes were also suspended in the municipality of Clarin and Ozamiz City, due to the weather system that brought the water of Aloran and Oroquieta Rivers to alarming levels resulting in the preemptive evacuation of people in the nearby areas.

In Tudela and Sinacaban, about 100 families volunteered to seek shelter in the evacuation center, overnight, but immediately returned home, the next day, when the rain stopped and a little sunshine appeared in the skies, De Barras added.

Moreover, due to rainfall advisory by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration, as of 9:00 p.m. of Jan. 13, warning the local DRRMCs to take precautions against impending floodings and landslides, Ozamiz City has ordered the suspension of classes, from pre-school to high school in the city, yesterday, Jan. 14.

The same day, only schools near rivers with alarming water levels and identified as flood-prone areas in Jimenez have suspended their classes, De Barras added. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)


DSWD Field Office 10 centers obtain level 2 accreditation

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, January 14 (PIA) -- Two residential centers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 here can now provide high standards of programs and services to its beneficiaries.

The Home for Girls and the Reception and Studies Center for Children (RSCC) based at DSWD Field Office 10 are the first DSWD-run centers in the country to pass the Level 2 accreditation set by the Standards Bureau of DSWD Central Office.

The accreditation is part of the standardization order of DSWD in order to protect and promote the best interest and welfare of beneficiaries of residential care facilities of the agency; to promote efficiency, effectiveness and accountability in the managing the centers; and to ensure empowerment of centers in delivering programs and services to its clientele.

Administrative Order Number 15 series of 2012 and AO Number 16 series of 2012 issued and signed by DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman provide the ladderized standards of accreditation and rules and regulations on the registration and licensing of social welfare and development agencies and accreditation of social welfare and development programs and services, respectively.

Director Thelsa Biolena of the Standards Bureau handed P10,000 each to the centers through Virginia Cardona, the center head of DSWD Field Office 10.

The Home for Girls is the primary residential treatment facility for female children aged seven to 18 who are taken from their family due to various abuses and taken custody by the estate while RSCC is a residential facility for neglected, dependent and abandoned children zero to six years old, including victims of abuse and exploitation, and those with special needs. (Oliver Badel Inodeo/RTP/PIA10)


GSIS explains non-suspension policy to agency heads in Lanao del Sur 
By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Jan. 15 (PIA) --- Top officials of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) explained to agency heads in the province the non-suspension policy recently adopted by the state pension fund.

The GSIS has institutionalized a policy that will no longer suspends agencies for as long as they remit at least 90 percent of their billed amount, said GSIS Vice President for Mindanao Atty. Lourdes C. Dorado during the GSIS dialogue with municipal mayors and treasurers held here Tuesday, January 14.

She said the policy also provides remedial guidelines for already suspended agencies so that GSIS loan privileges and benefits of their employees can be restored.

According to Dorado, suspended agencies have two options for the lifting of their suspension status under the new policy.

They can pay the arrearages in full or execute a memorandum of undertaking with the GSIS, she said.

But, only agencies paying at least 90 percent of the billed amount since July 2013 are qualified to execute a memorandum of undertaking with GSIS.

In the undertaking, Dorado said suspended agencies are required to provide pertinent documents necessary for the updating of employees records, cooperate with GSIS for the reconciliation of premium remittances both for personal and government share as well as loan repayments of its members, and acknowledge the arrearages based on the updated records and reconciled accounts.

They are also obliged to officially inform their employees that pending the settlement of the premium arrearages, loan privileges and benefits due them will be based on the periods with premium payments only.

Records from GSIS Iligan Branch shows that 31 out of the 48 problematic agencies in the province are qualified to execute an undertaking with the state pension fund.

Dorado said 14 agencies have started to submit the necessary documentary requirements for the signing of the undertaking.

Meanwhile, GSIS Board of Trustees member Mario J. Aguja challenged agency heads to focus their energy in resolving their agency problems with the GSIS so that their employees can enjoy GSIS benefits.

He said this will also serve as their legacy to their constituents.

Aguja further underscored the importance of updating service records and reconciling of accounts for the GSIS and the agency to move forward to the negotiation on the settlement of the agency’s arrearages. (APB/PIA-10)

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