SURIGAO NORTE SK PUSHES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS AMID PANDEMIC

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) in Bad-as, Placer town, Surigao del Norte eyes tree planting activities and backyard gardening for the village youth as part of their proposed projects for the FY 2021. SK Chairperson Jestoni Polistico Balaba said during the 11th episode of the Bisaya Gyud on Saturday, January 16, with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Sec. Martin Andanar that By Doreen Marielle N. Rosales the proposed project is part of the recreational activities they plan on launching while the whole nation battles with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. “Instead of wasting their time using their gadgets, we encourage them na magtanom kay para pud atong makompetensyahan ang presyo sa [mga paliton] sa market. [Instead of wasting their time using their gadgets, we encourage them to plant in order to compete with the prices of goods in the market],” he said. The said project will be launched in coordination with the Sangguniang Barangay (SB). As for the projects launched by the youth council in response to the pandemic, the youth leader said they distributed various forms of assistance such as cash and food packs for the residents despite the limited funding they had.

On the onset of the community-wide lockdown in March, they distributed alcohol and face masks to frontline

workers, barangay health workers, and barangay tanods as well as small business establishments in the village. In April, the first wave of assistance was distributed where each resident was given a kilo of rice. The same form of assistance was given on the second wave of assistance distributed in the succeeding month. “No exemptions [ang distribution sa goods], either buntis man o waya pa nipanaw na bata para pantay tanan [We exempted no one from the distribution of goods, be it a pregnant resident or … so that it’s equal for everyone],” the SK chair said. During the holiday season, the SK once again distributed food packs containing four kilos of rice, ten packs of milk, and ten pieces of eggs to every household in the village. The village youth council also provided support for the implementation of distance learning, where SK Chair Balaba personally donated reams of bond papers to a private high school on behalf of the SK. “Naghatag mi ug bond paper sa private institution which is hamo silay macater na mga estudyante na waya magsalig sa gobyerno para mafeel nila the barangay council, the Sangguniang Kabataan are supporting them despite the pandemic [We provided bond papers to a private institution to cater the needs of students who are not receiving aid from the government to make them feel that the barangay council and the

Sangguniang Kabataan are supporting them during the pandemic],” he added. As his message to his fellow youth in the village, he emphasizes the need to continue abiding by health protocols, more so now that the new strain of the virus has been detected in the country. Despite this, he also urged the youth to continue succeeding in their personal endeavors despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. “Don’t lose hope. Continue to strive for success and do what is necessary for the good of our community,” he said. ‘Bisaya Gyud’ is a weekly public service and entertainment program hosted by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar aired on select radio stations across the country and streamed live on its official Facebook page, https:// www.facebook.com/ bisayagyudph, every Saturday. The program was initially launched to provide assistance to underprivileged Bisaya and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). At the height of the pandemic, the program also devoted its episodes to addressing various issues of the Bisayas concerning the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Its ‘Operation Tabang’ is launched to extend medical and food assistance to Bisaya all over the country, especially those who suffered greatly due to the health crisis. The program also launched its Bond Paper Gift project, which aims to assist schools in rural areas in effectively implementing distance learning by providing reams of bond papers to be used for the production of learning materials. The program also explores Bisaya music and artists and features Bisaya success stories. (DMNR/PIA-Caraga)