PhiMech upgrades coop mechanical dryer with biomass furnace

Members of the San Antonio Farmers Multi-purpose Cooperative (SAFAMPCO) in Tacurong Citydo not have to worry about rainy days during harvest season.

They can now dry their palay using their newly-rehabilitated mechanical dryer, with lesser expenses.

Thanks to the technology of Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), SAFAMPCO’s existing mechanical dryer now has a biomass furnace. The biomass furnace uses rice hulls, corn cubs, and wood to supply power to the mechanical dryer. The equipment was officially turned over to SAFAMPCO on January 30, 2014.

With the biomass furnace, drying each sack of palay only costs P15-P20. “This is way cheaper compared to our expenses before which is P40-P50 per sack. Now, we do not have to use gasoline to run the dryer,” said Jose Laygan, SAFAMPCO manager.

The rehabilitation and retrofitting of biomass furnace to SAFAMPCO’s existing mechanical dryer was made possible through the efforts of PhilMech, Department of Agriculture XII, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist-Sultan Kudarat, and the city government of Tacurong through its Office for Agricultural Services.

SAFAMPCO is one of the top 10 cooperatives in Sultan Kudarat.  

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

2015 anti-poverty projects now set

The Tacurong City Local Poverty Reduction Action Team or LPRAT identified priority poverty reduction projects through a planning workshop on January 24 at Edjin Pension House, Tacurong City.

Among the projects identified to reduce poverty in 2015 were: Sustainable Livelihood Program (DSWD); irrigation facilities such as shallow tube wells; agriculture infrastructure support for harvest and post-harvest; agri-fishery trainings and farmers field schools; DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program for persons with disabilities and graduates of LGU-TESDA skills trainings; equipment for Rural Health Unit and City Birthing Home; and trainings for additional community health teams. The Special Program for the Employment of Students or SPES will also have increased budget to give more opportunities for poor but deserving students. Projects for education and environment were also proposed.

The projects identified during the LPRAT planning workshop were based on the results of the civil society organizations assembly in Tacurong City on December 16, 2013. Representatives of thirty-three civil society organizations analyzed the poverty situation in the city and identified strategies to address the problems. Among the priority issues identified were: unemployment, low income of families, farmers’ high debts, child labor, and informal settlers.

Projects proposed during the LPRAT workshop will still be subject to final evaluation of the City Planning and Coordinator’s Office. After final consolidation, the list of priority projects will be submitted to the Department of the Interior and Local Government XII. Then, LGU project proposals will be reviewed and validated come February 2014 during the Regional PRAT meeting. Once approved, local poverty reduction plans will be submitted to RPRAT thru DILG XII.  

To implement the anti-poverty projects in 2015, a budget cap amounting to fifteen million pesos (PhP 15,000,000.00) will be given to Tacurong City through the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (formerly known as the Bottom-Up Budgeting Program), Fiscal Year 2015.  

Grassroots Participatory Budgeting is an approach to preparing the budget proposal of agencies, taking into consideration the development needs of cities/municipalities as identified in their respective local poverty reduction action plans. These plans must have been formulated with strong participation of basic sector organizations and civil society organizations.

LPRAT, which is created by Executive Order No. 03-2014, is composed of LGU officials, heads of national government agencies, and leaders of civil society groups in the city. As mandated by DBM-DILG-DSWD-NAPC Joint Memorandum Circular No. 4, government officials must compose 50% of the LPRAT members while civil society organizations will make up the remaining 50%.

Jezereel Louise Billano

LGU Tacurong PESO is region’s best performer among component cities

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tacurong City was declared as the regional winner of the Best-Performing PESO Award under Component Cities Category for 2013.

LGU Tacurong PESO Manager Allan S. Freno (middle) receives the award for Best-Performing PESO Manager for Component City Category-Region XII on 22 January, Davao City. With Freno are [L-R] DOLE Asst. Director Yahya Senti, DOLE Regional Director Ofelia Domingo, Retired DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte, and DOLE-Sultan Kudarat Provincial Head Arlene Bisnon.

PESO Manager Allan Freno received the award during the Regional PESO Yearend Performance Assessment and Planning organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 12 at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Davao City on January 22-23, 2014. DOLE 12 Regional Director Ofelia Domingo conferred the award. Assistant Regional Director Yahya Senti and retired DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte were also present during the awarding rites.

The LGU PESO of Polomolok, under PESO Manager Maria Lourdes Hormigos, bagged the regional award for the 1st to 2nd Class Municipalities while Gay  Claudio of Southern Baptist College, North Cotabato won for the Best PESO School-Based Category. Each winner received a plaque and P5, 000.00 cash incentive.

Awardees for the region’s Best-Performing PESOs were evaluated and screened using the criteria set by the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) and PESO Philippines, Incorporated (PESOPhil). Nominees vying for the awards submitted their annual accomplishments on the PESO core services, namely: Referral and Placement, provision of Labor Market Information (LMI), Employment and Career Counseling, and implementation of the DOLE-Integrated Livelihood Program.

Other PESO services like conduct of Job Fairs, implementation of the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), and Anti-Illegal Recruitment advocacy that fall under other services of PESO were also used as criteria.

Under the Component City Category, the criteria requires that the PESO achieves at least 75 percent placement/hired rate against applicants being registered and referred to employers. For 2013, LGU Tacurong PESO had achieved an 87.16 percent placement rate.

On Employment and Career Counseling, LGUs are required to reach at least 3,000 students and parents. LGU Tacurong PESO more than doubled the target last year after reaching out to 6,154 participants in the employment and career advocacy. The organization of the guidance counselors of schools in Tacurong was also one of the best practices of the LGU PESO in 2013.

The PESO also performed well on the offline and online skills registration of applicants using the Skills Registry System (SRS) and the PhilJobnet website of the DOLE.

Aside from Job Fairs, SPES and Anti-Illegal Recruitment advocacy, the LGU’s PESO also performed other services such as the Kasambahay orientation and registration, conduct of Local Recruitment Activities, OFW Reintegration programs, scholarship facilitation, and PESO sa Radyo among others.

The institutionalization of PESO also gained the LGU’s PESO points during the evaluation. In 2013, the Personnel Oversight Committee had approved the creation of Information, Labor & Employment Section under the Office of the City Mayor and likewise created a plantilla position for the PESO Manager.

Grateful for the award, Mr. Freno was quick to thank the support of Mayor Lina Montilla and the city council through Labor and Employment Committee Chairperson Benjamin Fajardo, Jr. who pushed for the PESO’s institutionalization. He said that DOLE-Sultan Kudarat Field Office under Arlene Bisnon also contributed hugely to the outputs of PESO. He also cited the contribution of his colleagues in the PESO and the Tri-Media for their huge help in preparing the entry for the regional awards.

“The award is special because we achieved this despite having limited personnel to carry out the tasks”, Mr. Freno said. He said that he is sharing the recognition with Ms. Myla Muyco, his sole staff who had been a big help in the implementation of the PESO programs.

As a regional winner, LGU Tacurong PESO will vie for the national awards. Eight national finalists will be chosen and the national winner will be declared during the PESO National Congress in September, which will be hosted by Region 12. (LGU Tacurong Information)

NCDA calls for participation, inclusion of persons with disabilities in dev’t

“Nothing about us, without us.”

This is the firm advocacy of National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) led by its Acting Executive Director Carmen Zubiaga as it promotes persons with disabilities’ (PWDs) participation rights in decision-making processes.

NCDA Executive Director Carmen Zubiaga shares the vision
of a non-handicapping environment.

 Zubiaga discussed inclusive, barrier-free, and rights-based society to LGU officials and heads of offices, NGAs, and PWD representatives during the City Stakeholders Forum on Disability Inclusive Development on 21-22 January in Tacurong City.
“The rights of persons with disabilities (PWD) go beyond accessibility in infrastructure; we need to hear their voices as we plan for development programs,” said Zubiaga.

To be able to participate, PWDs should be organized in communities.

“Being organized gives them a collective voice. They will definitely be acknowledged,” Zubiaga said. “We have to groom them into negotiators and lobbyists,” she added.

Promotion of PWD participation in political and decision-making processes is among the goals set by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), known as the Incheon Strategy to Make the Right Real for PWDs. Other goals include poverty reduction and increased employment prospects; enhanced access to physical environment, public transportation, knowledge, information, and communication; strengthened social protection; expanded early intervention and education of children with disabilities; gender equality and women empowerment; disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction and management; and improved reliability of disability data.

Equipped with understanding of the Incheon Strategy, participants of the stakeholders’ forum prepared a plan of action towards being a PWD-friendly city. This plan contains programs and activities for each goal in the Incheon Strategy. Workshop facilitator Cynthia Barriga of NCDA also helped participants in preparing the composition of the proposed City Committee on Disability Affairs.

“We see the need to pass an ordinance for the realization of PWD rights in the city, in support to the national laws,” said Councilor Charito Collado, Chairperson on SP Committee on PWD. Mayor Lina O. Montilla and Regional Director Olivia Sudaria of PIA XII also supported this cause to increase awareness and involvement of PWDs in the city.
Gary Bano, PWD Federation President of Tacurong City was somewhat overwhelmed with what he has witnessed for two days:  “Wala ko kabalo nga makaabot kami sa amo ini..nga may amo gali sini para sa amon. Nami panumdumon kung matuod ini tanan nga mga plano. Salamat sa pagsali sa amon, (I did not know we will come this far..I did not know that there is something like this for us. Thank you for involving us).”

In an inclusive, rights-based, and barrier-free society, there is no room for discrimination on gender, age, religion, disability, etc. According to Mike Penalosa of CHR XII, people are entitled to participate in the development process; everyone is accountable.

(L-R) ABC President Hernane S. Fermo, Councilor Charito Collado, and
CSWDO Eufemia Robles with NCDA Exec. Director Zubiaga

President Benigno S. Aquino III, through Proclamation No. 688, declared the period of 2013-2022 as the Philippine Decade of ‘Make the Right Real’ for persons with disabilities (PWD) in support of the 3rd Asian and Pacific decade of persons with disabilities.

Jezereel Louise C. Billano

MDG-FACES Project PAGLAUM takes on next step

After the orientation-familiarization undergone by the forty beneficiaries of the Project PAGLAUM (Panata at Adhikain Gutom ay wakasan Lingap, edukasyon, kalusugan, Asal na mabuti ay isulong at Ugaling makamtan ay Malinis, matiwasay at maunlad na pamayanan), this MDG-FACES (Millennium Development Goals - Family-based Actions for Children and their Environs in the Slums) program took on the second and third phases of the implementation dubbed as Problems/Issues Identification and Prioritization & Strategy Formulation and Action Planning on January 21 and 22, 2014 at Edjin Pension House, Tacurong City.

The two-day activity were participated by the forty parents of the children beneficiaries of the United Nations program, together with the community officials of Purok 11 and Barangay Poblacion.

Mayor Lina O. Montilla, in her message, expressed her vision for the said project’s success, saying that the cooperation and active participation of the stakeholder families will determine the fate of Project PAGLAUM. Furthermore, she inspired them by saying that if this program pushes through fruitfully, they would serve as role models for other cities in making the society better through unity and hardwork.

The MDG FACES implementation team, with heads Hon. Psyche M. Sucaldito (Sangguniang Panlungsod), Mr. Alberto P. Sero, Jr. (CLGOO), Mr. Jaime D. Cedullo (CPDC) and Miss Eufemia D. Robles (CSWDO), conducted sessions that determined the main issues and problems encountered in the said community and further be resolved through the action plans.

There are three sessions included in the workshop: Current Reality Workshop, Issues/Problems Prioritization, and Quick Response Management. The first session presented the city profile, the current situation in the subject community of the MDG FACES program, and then addressed the needs, issues, and problems in the stakeholders’ community through group discussions and presentations. The second session dealt on the issues and problems to be focused on in the project. Based on the votes, peace and order, economy, and environment emerged as their main concern. Lastly, the third session targeted on the child beneficiaries of the program. Through a form with MDG FACES indicators as hunger, education, exposition to violence among others, parents were able to identify the needs of their children.

The program ended with pledges of commitment from Purok 11 President Giovanni Belgira and Barangay Poblacion Captain, Hon. Ma. Lorraine Llavore. After the said program, the MDG FACES Project PAGLAUM implementation team gathered to formulate strategies and plan actions that will answer the identified priority needs of the forty families. (Ariesha Faith M. Dimaano)

145 City Community Volunteer Health Workers reappointed

Discussed in the Local Health Board (LHB) meeting last January 9 chaired by Hon. Lina O. Montilla, following the passage of the resolution for the City Community Volunteer Health Workers Tacurong City Chapter is the reappointment of all 145 CCVHWs in the city. This is through the LHB resolution entitled, “A Resolution Approving The Masterlist of the City Community Volunteer Health Workers/Barangay Health Workers Tacurong City Chapter (CCVHWs/BHWs – TCC) as Recognized by the City Local Health Board.”

The resolution which is also guided by Republic Act No. 7883 (Barangay Health Workers Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995), is related to the recently LHB-institutionalized CCHVHWs/BHWs – TCC but focused on the need of securing the tenures of the health workers.

As indicated in the resolution, “there is a need to ensure the CCVHWs/BHWs security of tenure to address the unwarranted practice of replacing and employing unqualified CCVHWs/BHWs just to accommodate practically favoured applicants.”

In accordance to the approval of their reappointment, another resolution was passed last December 16, 2013 during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod aims to enact the ordinance for the Monthly Subsistence Allowance of all qualified CCVHWs in Tacurong Ciy from Php 800.00 to Php 1,000.00. The two hundred peso increase takes effect in January of 2014.

The increase in allowance was granted in order for the health workers to become more efficient in providing services to the people, specially those who are living in far locations.

The said resolution shall be forwarded to the different barangays, concerned offices and agencies for guidance and information. (Ariesha Faith M. Dimaano – LGU Information)

6th SP-Tacurong seeks institutionalization of Limpyo Kalog

The 6^th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tacurong City, during its regular session on January 15, approved the first reading of the proposed ordinance for the institutionalization of Limpyo Kalog (Linis Kanal) program in the city.

Councilor Psyche M. Sucaldito, the author of the proposed ordinance, moved for the approval of the ordinance. The motion was then seconded by Hon. Benjamin Fajardo Jr. and Hon. Rodrigo Jamorabon, and was duly approved by SP Presiding Officer Vice Mayor Joseph George Lechonsito.

Sucaldito spearheaded the first Limpyo Kalog in the city in 2010 to address flooding in major roads by cleaning waterways. Limpyo Kalog is an environmental sanitation project that involves community stakeholders such as students, school administrators, employees of government and private agencies, Philippine Army, PNP, and others.

Aside from addressing flood problems, Limpyo Kalog has also been a manifestation of the LGU’s support to the Department of Health’s anti-dengue campaign.

From year 2010-2013, the LGU have had facilitated eight Limpyo Kalog activities that solicited great community preparation. Number of participants reaches to 1,000 during major Limpyo Kalog activities.  

Limpyo Kalog’s first salvo for 2014 will be on January 18 at Purok Onse, Barangay Poblacion. Forty families in Purok Onse are the beneficiaries of the LGU’s Project Paglaum under the Millenium Development Goals – Family-based Action for Children and their Environs in the Slum (MDG-FACES). “Through the 9^th Limpyo Kalog, we will Purok Onse residents to clean canals for sanitation, and also we aim to raise the awareness of stakeholders on the situation of our indigent families,” said Sucaldito.    

Once the ordinance is approved, Limpyo Kalog will be conducted quarterly. Specific schedule will be upon the approval of the local chief executive.  The project will be managed by the Community Affairs Section in close coordination with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Office for the City Health Services and City Engineering Office. (Jezereel Louise Billano)