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PCOO Assistant Secretary and FOI Program Director Kristian Ablan Contributed photo

PCOO-FOI RELEASES GUIDELINES ON VEXATIOUS REQUESTS To address the growing made in bad faith, an outright denial of it. It number of vexatious intends to harass, vilify is advised that agencies requests cloaked or embarrass, and poses must extend assistance under the citizen’s an actual or imminent to the requesting party so Right of Information, danger to the office, its that a valid FOI request the Presidential officials or employees. may be filed. Communications The new FOI policy PCOO Assistant Operations Office also provides government Secretary and FOI (PCOO), through the Freedom of Information - Project Management Office (FOI-PMO), has issued detailed guidelines for all FOI implementing agencies. Under the FOI Memorandum Circular No.5, s. a request can agencies, including Local Government Units (LGUs), the standard evaluation criteria in determining whether a request can be considered vexatious. The policy also recommends agencies to proactively clarify to the requesting party the Program Director Kristian Ablan said that while this Memorandum was able to provide safeguards to agencies against vexatious requests, it still ensures that the freedom of information is still afforded to citizens be considered vexatious nature and purpose of with legitimate requests. if it is frivolous, malicious, his/her request, instead of (PCOO PR) Caraga INFOCUS December 12-18, 2020 | 35

ANDANAR: FOOD SECURITY,

A PATHWAY TO PEACE Citing a pattern of Irrigation Administration farmers in that remote success when people (NIA), Armed Forces of rural plateau. It is near work together to help the Philippines (AFP), the border of Gingoog, farmers boost production, Bureau of Fire Protection, Agusan del Norte and Communications Philippine Information Bukidnon province. Most Secretary Martin Andanar Agency, Impasugong of the inhabitants are on Tuesday led the local government unit indigenous folks. caravan of government (LGU), and Presidential PCOO Secretary agencies all the way up Communications Martin Andanar, who is to barangay Kalabugao Operations Office the Cabinet Officer for in Impasugong, Bukidnon. (PCOO), the group turned Regional Development Composed of over farm equipment units and Security (CORDS) the Department of and postharvest facilities for Northern Mindanao, Agriculture (DA), National worth P15.86 million to in speech said “Food

security is a pathway to peace and we know how food security contributes to peacebuilding.” The government’s P15.86 million worth of farm inputs and equipment support to Kalabugao farmers were turned over to Impasugong town mayor Anthony A. Uy. These postharvest facilities and crop-raising aid include units of mobile flash dryer and mechanical rice thresher; loads of fertilizer; corn and vegetable seeds; hybrid rice and sorghum seeds; irrigation system; and multi-purpose drying pavement with shed. The livestock agribusiness interventions also include poultry egg incubators, farm animals and other barnyard fowls. Three groups will then manage these government’s agricultural support: One is the 1,000-strong AGHIMICU (Agtolawon-HigaononMintapod-Cumadon) organization; Hagpa Women’s Organization (HWO) and the other is the equally strong Movement and Alliance for Advocacy of Men in Action (MAAMA). Encouraged by the outpouring of support from the government, Impasugong town mayor Anthony Uy said “As the agencies and communities work together, the government’s efforts in ensuring food security— through the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or TFELCAC—is paying off.” “The TF-ELCAC, in coordination with Impasugong LGU and all concerned government agencies, have started pouring assistance in Kalabugao. This would help make our IP lives easier, hence, they will become productive members of their respective communities,” the mayor said. Secretary Andanar, on the same occasion, graced the unveiling rite of the conceptual framework to start the setting up of the Indigenous Peoples Economic Zone (IPEZ). Connecting roads also form part of the IPEZ. “I am happy to know that the Lumad and settlers here in barangays Kalabugao and Hagpa are in Bayanihan in carrying out the goals of the IP Economic Zone, which will soon be the commercial hub of the IPs,” Andanar said. Department of Agriculture Asec. Christine Evangelista, Brig. General Oliver Vesliño, Brig. General Ferdinand Barandon, and Lt. Col. Edgardo Talaroc Jr, also did their share in inspiring farmers during the turnover ceremony and IPEZ launching at the village’s covered court— along with the regional directors, the media, Kalabugao Punong Barangay Jesus Chavez, Punong Barangay Eber Suday of Hagpa, and barangay folks. The program ended, and as the departing caravan winds a bend, Kagawad Eutropio Jamilo and farmer Alex Dupeno commented, “Secretary Martin Andanar is the only Malacañang official who has visited Kalabugao.” It could be so, because the litany of unfinished roadworks, steep cliffs, and deep precipice along narrow and winding mountainside ways are no walk in the park for anyone. But CORDS Sec. Martin Andanar went up there. (Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy/PIA Bukidnon)