Cover Story CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Colorful parade, Kasalan Ng Bayan or mass wedding and agri aqua trade fair were just some of the activities that kicked off celebration of 69th Araw ng Lala and 17th Alimango Festival 2018 in Lala town, Lanao del Norte on 20 March 2018.
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With the theme, “Pagkakaisa: Sandata tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Bayan ng Lala,” Vice Mayor Almario Guzman said that this is a yearly event of the municipality where it gathers all 27 barangays to showcase local produce ranging from fruits and vegetables, to fish, shrimps and crabs. Schools, government and private companies also participated in the parade where it showcased wonderful colors and dance
performance in the municipality. In a mass wedding held in the gymnasium of Lala, 42 couples exchanged their wedding vows after five to 10 years of living together. This time, they will be able to get their marriage certificates and blessed by the Catholic church. Meanwhile Councilor Lyndon Abucay shared that Lala is the only 1st class town in the province of Lanao del
Norte. Further, they are developing it to be the business district center of the province with barangay Maranding as lead. Brgy Captain Raul Mendoza of Poblacion in Lala, meanwhile, said that they are displaying the biggest fish, crab and shrimp in order to win. They have put up their booth and gathered all local produce from their barangay for the aqua and agri trade fair. Further, their aqua products come from Panguil Bay. Among the competitions in the
trade fair are the biggest agri and aqua products. The event started on 19 to 22 March 2018. For the following days, Lala will hold teachers’ day, Persons with Disability (PWDs) health checkup, free clinic, bloodletting and medical mission. They will also have search for Ms. Lala. For its culmination, they will hold the Alimango Festival Grand Parade, contest proper and Alimango mountain. (JMOR/PIA)
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DTI MisOcc conducts Mentor Me program in Ozamiz OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in partnership with the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Center held a seminar on free mentoring para sa inyong negosyo or ‘Kapatid Mentor Me’ on 20 March 2018 held at Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. To assist Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) scale up their business through the weekly coaching, conceptual discussions and mentoring sessions, DTI provincial caretaker Jane Marie Tabucan shares the goal is not just for the participant to learn the important aspects of business but to also network with other entrepreneurs, business owners, and the private and government agencies.
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The program is divided into two phases and will run for 12 weeks. Mentor, Phil Center for Entrepreneurship, Rene Romulo Bokingo discussed the basics of entrepreneurship including its characteristics, risks and rewards. He further explained the importance of financial management skills to keep track on the status of the business.
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After the seminar, the participants signified their interest in establishing their own business by preparing their own business plan. The activity aimed to educate the participants on how to start their own business and to boost their confidence by presenting business opportunities in the country. One component of this program is the Mentor me program, a nationwide Coaching and mentoring approach
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where large corporations teach MSEs on different aspects of business operations On the 12th week, the mentee is required to present his/her business improvement plan, incorporating the learning from the lectures and mentoring sessions. A trade exhibit might been set-up as a culminating activity. About 20 mentees joined the free business seminar. (DTI/PIA)
Ilocos Norte guv inspires women in Lanao to be leaders TUBOD, Lanao del Norte – Various women’s group coming from the 22 municipalities of the province of Lanao del Norte converged for the culmination program of the Women’s Month celebration this March at the Mindanao Civic Center Gymnasium, Tubod town. Guest speaker Governor Imee R. Marcos of Ilocos Norte brought inspiration to the hearts of a thousand women present, saying that leadership is not only for men, women can also be leader and encouraged them to continue to aspire and be empowered in the communities working together as one. She reminded all women to take care of themselves first before others. Governor Marcos commends the leadership of the Quibranza-
Dimaporo family in sustaining unity in the province that leads towards peace and development. Lanao del Norte (LDN) Provincial Governor Imelda ‘Angging’ QuibranzaDimaporo thanked governor Imee for taking time to visit the province and personally experienced the province’warm hospitality. The day was highlighted with an entertainment where the two lady governors joined LanaoNorte Vice Governor Cristy Atay and all lady
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board members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, along with all lady department heads of the provincial government, in a zumba tuned dance. Women were more delighted as there were prizes at stake in the dance competition, raffle draw in-between the whole day event. They went home bringing hand full of prizes like kitchen wares and other home accessories. Other activity in Gov. Imee’s
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Lanao visit include the hand-over of three Suzuki Multicabs and 20 units of desktop computers to Jamiatu Muslim Mindanao Madrasah in Matampay, Marawi City. She was accompanied by Gov. Angging and LDN 2nd District Representative Abdullah ‘Bobby’ Dimaporo. This year bears the theme, “We Make Change, Work for Women.” (lvgabule, PIA-10/PIO-LDN)
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Popcom-10 orients Carmen trisikad drivers on Katropa, protects women’s rights CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - As a celebration of the National Women’s Month, the Commission on Population (Popcom)-10 held the Kalalakihang Tapat sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon sa Pamilya (Katropa) to trisikad drivers from Barangay Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City on March 20 at Popcom Conference Room to remind the latter on their responsibilities to their wife and family, and eventually ensure the women’s chance to achieve physical, emotional and social potential. Popcom-10 Regional Director Jeremias Gupit cited the roles of trisikad drivers to their family such as reminding their pregnant wife to go to health center for prenatal, ensuring good health and nutrition in the household, and taking care of their family’s well-being. Gupit stressed that this is essential since there is an increase of women mortality due to unattended pregnancy and childbirth in the region and their husbands or partners should be the first person who must take care and give nourishment to these women. “Usbon ang panghunahuna nga ang pag-atiman sa mga bata trabaho lang sa asawa. Kini nga trabaho kinahanglan ang pagtimbayayongay. Ato sad ning kaakuhan isip lalaki (We must change our mindset that taking care of the children is solely the role of the wives. This requires partnership. This is also our responsibility as men),
Gupit said. Population Program Officer IV Rolando Butaslac of the Community Improvement Division of the City Government of Cagayan de Oro further shared that men should be involved in responsible parenthood, family health and development since one-fifth or 20.7 percent of women reported that their husbands want more children they do. Studies also reveal the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) for male sterilization or vasectomy is only 0.1 percent. Popcom-10 also reported that in northern Mindanao, 18.2 percent of women have experienced emotional violence, 12 percent physical violence and 4.2 percent sexual violence. Taking note of these gender gaps, Butaslac said that modern men should be able to balance the weight of the game and they can do this by helping
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in managing the household chores and have a good lifestyle),� Butaslac and nurturing of the children. said. These and more practices should “Kailangan ring magkaroon ang mga be inculcated to men not only to the modernong lalake na kakayahang participants of the orientation because maipahayag ang kanyang emosyon for a very long time, men and women at nararamdaman, maging mabuting were boxed on what they can and could huwaran sa mga anak, at may malusog not do due to different rules set for na pamumuhay (Modern men should both sexes, and there is inequality in be able to express his emotions and upholding rights at chances, Butaslac feelings, become a good example, stressed.(RTP/PIA10)
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DILG Camiguin facilitates planning workshop policy review CAMIGUIN - To further assess and identify the internal and external factors that are supportive and unfavorable to achieving the objectives with the programs and projects of the Provincial Government of Camiguin, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Camiguin Provincial Office conducted a one-day Strategic Planning Workshop and Policy Review at Ardent Spring in Mambajao.
Led by DILG Camiguin Provincial Director Rhona G. Pedraza-Abadilla, the activity identified strategic options using the (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) SWOT
Analysis in determining the present state and desired future-ready of the local government unit; strengthening the positive points, indicating which point should be improved, determining
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16-31 March 2018 chances of growth, increasing the opportunities and reducing errors. Camiguin Provincial Governor Maria Luisa D. Romualdo shared that with this undertaking, she hopes that the vision and objectives of the provincial government will be understood by all so that everyone will march with the same cadence towards one direction. She believed that the output produced in the activity would help the provincial government in identifying the factors that will improve the efficiency of the province. Attendees of the activity were the provincial governor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, and the department heads of the province. (DILG/RTP/PIA10) In terms of modernization, BFP equipment are
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undergoing modernization. Lauzon said this year alone about 214 firetrucks will be distributed nationwide including personal protective equipment for the fire officers. Right now, he said northern Mindanao has a total 133 firetrucks. Ideally, the ratio of persons per firetruck is 14 persons but reality is only seven per firetruck. However, he said that the Bureau is undergoing modernization in terms of equipment and will be hiring additional personnel within the year. BFP also assures that personnel are highly trained and undergo skills enhancement to address new challenges of fire protection and safety. (JMOR/PIA10)
MinDA holds group discussion on federalism CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - To integrate the Mindanao Agenda in the proposed federal system, the Mindanao Development Authority held the Northern Mindanao Federalism Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to help different sectors map out ideas and concerns to ensure that the aspirations of Mindanawons for a ‘sustainable improved quality of life’ is achieved in the discussions toward the shift to a federal form of government on March 15.
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Representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, Chamber of Commerce Cagayan de Oro, Xavier University and the youth sector attended the FGD and raised their concerns on the proposed shift of form of government. Among the concerns discussed include the type of federal form of government that should be adopted by the country, competitiveness of a certain region or state which will also determine the kind of government
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that will effectively work in an area, the need to include the concerns of the indigenous people (IPs) and the powers that should be decentralized and shared. Lawyer Fel Brillantes of DTI-10 said that in considering the federal form of government, the resources in an area should be considered to make sure that no one gets left behind in terms of development and economic stability. In presenting federalism to a greater number of audience, the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro said that the pros and cons of the different types of federal form of government
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16-31 March 2018 should be explained thoroughly aside from highlighting the economic situation of the region. Reporting the economic situation of the region is important since it is from this data where every individual could picture out why there is a need to adopt federalism and how it can aid in boosting the numbers in the data.
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To gather more ideas and opinions on adopting the federal form of government, MinDA will still hold other series of multi-sectoral consultations particularly to various sectors and will present the outputs of such in the national discussion of federalism.(RTP/PIA10)
DTI launches anew Bukidnon coffee brands MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon - To keep up with the rising market standards for quality coffee beverages, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Bukidnon in partnership with provincial government, recently launched eleven new coffee brands, including the province’s coffee trademark “Bukidnon Bean.”
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These new locally-produced premium coffee products with superb packaging and label designs hope to bring out globally competitive coffee varieties for coffee-lovers, not only in Bukidnon, but in neighboring countryside and export markets as well. These brands are Agila Filipino Robusta & Excelsa Blend; Café Rico Robusta-Arabica Blend; Con Amor Medium Roasted Arabica; Highland Robusta; Kitanglad Brew; Miarayon Mountain Meadow Coffee; Noble Bean Arabica Coffee; Peace Highland
Arabica Coffee; Señor Rogelio Robusta-Excelsa Blend; Seven Tribes Coffee Bean; and Twin Creeks Arabica Mountain Coffee Roast. Owned by Bukidnon coffee farmerprocessors from the hinterlands, these newly-launched fine coffee products complement Bukidnon’s cool weather, making the province known for its rich coffee industry. Coffee shop operators, coffee traders, farmer-processors, partner government agencies, nongovernment organizations, and other key stakeholders joined in the
16-31 March 2018 launching to help promote these rare fine coffee tastes. In his message during the launching rites, Ermedio J. Abang, DTI-Bukidnon provincial director said this venture is under DTI’s special program called the “Brand Equity Development Program (BrEDP).” “This BrEDP has three components namely Brand Appreciation Training Workshop, Product Development, and Market Promotions, which are implemented chronologically to build up and establish a whole new coffee brand that is global in nature and at par with other globally competitive coffee brands”, he said. Abang also explained that aside from Bukidnon’s globally famous
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‘Monks Blend’ and ‘Hineleban Coffee’— having been regarded as the country’s finest brewed coffee being ranked by renowned green bean coffee trader ‘Level Ground Canada’—the unique aroma of new eleven coffee brands also fortify the country’s coffee industry. Invited guests to attend the event were Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Gov. Jose Maria R. Zubiri, Representatives of Bukidnon’s four districts, local chief executives, DTI Assistant Secretary Blesila Lantayona along with DTICordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Myrna Pablo and DTI-10 Regional Director Linda O. Boniao. (Laurence D. Pradia, DTIBukidnon/RLRB, PIA10-Bukidnon)
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CSWDO fosters women empowerment with urban gardening CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In its fourth phase of implementation, the Search for Urban Container Household Gardening (UCHG) of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) calls out to all women of various sectors in Cagayan de Oro to be part of this challenge and earn not just titles and prizes but also a significant change in their lives and in the community.
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16-31 March 2018 Jong Pamisa, UCHG focal, said that this year’s search does not only include the women beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program as City Mayor Oscar Moreno requested the CSWDO to include the almost 1,200 wives of fishermen in the city as well as the women with disability. During the Talakayan sa PIA on March 14, Pamisa shared that they are now training 400 women from Barangays 1-40, Camaman-an, Consolacion, Nazareth and Macabalan in handling household gardening. The CSWDO in partnership with the City Agriculture Office here also provides the seedlings needed for the said search. In terms of the sustainability of the program, Pamisa said, “May lang sa kung na’y contest pero after gamay nalang ang mabilin pero ang gibuhat namo, gi-apil na sa evaluation sa 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) sa FDS (Family Development Session) ang pag-atiman sa mga talamnon.” (Things just go well when there is still a contest but afterwards, only a few groups will continue with the program but what we did, we included such program in the evaluation of the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) in the FDS (Family Development Session) in their handling of the plants) As for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) whom they have also trained, Pamisa said that they are not
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expecting that the group will be able to continue in handling their plants but they are hopeful that the IDPs will be able to apply what they have learned when they return to their homes in Marawi City. Also, one of the positive effects of the program as Pamisa stressed is the fact that women can easily serve meals to their family saying, “Pag-uli sa ilang bana, naa’y kwarta o wala, ana na’y sud-an sa lamesa (When the husband comes home with or without money to offer to his household, there is already a meal on the table).” A total of P400,000 has been allocated for the said program that aims to address environmental degradation, espouse women empowerment by capacitating women to earn on their own, reduce poverty, combat malnutrition by integrating organic farming and imbibe cooperativism in the community. Winners of the search will bag P15,000, P10,000 and P5,000 for the first to third place respectively.(RTP/ PIA10)
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ARMM celebrates Bangsamoro Week of Peace 2018
MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur - Officials and employees of the different line agencies and offices in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) kicked-off the celebration of this year’s Bangsamoro Week of Peace with a parade in Cotabato City, March 12.
With the theme “Hope and Solidarity in Struggle”, the celebration recognizes the Bangsamoro’s ongoing struggle for self-determination, which is driven by shared aspirations and strengthened by the diversity of its people. Several activities in the different areas of region was also lined-up to raise awareness and consciousness on the Bangsamoro’s narrative. The activities include Forum on Autonomy
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and Federalism in Cotabato City (March 12-13); Sports Peace in Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi (March 12-17); Lakbay Kultura in the region’s five provinces (March 12-18); Libreng Sakay and Photo Exhibits at the ports of Lamitan in Basilan, Jolo in Sulu, and Bongao in TawiTawi (March 12-18); Peace Concert in Cotabato City (March 13); Pagbabalik-Tanaw (Historical Seminar
16-31 March 2018 and Workshop) in Quezon City and Valenzuela City (March 14); Medical Mission in Metro Manila (March 1415); Bangsamoro Women’s Summit in Cotabato City (March 17-18); and Moro Youth Camp in Corregidor Island (March 18). Amir Mawallil, executive director of the Bureau of Public InformationARMM, said these activities are geared towards educating the youth about the history and struggle of the Bangsamoro. He said that Bangsamoro Week of Peace is about commemorating the 50th year of Jabidah massacre. Aside from the regular observance that ARMM would usually do on Corregidor Island, a Moro Youth Camp will be conducted on the island where 35 youth delegates from different areas of ARMM are to participate with a purpose of learning on the history of the Bangsamoro
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struggle and to share with them the essence of remembering the Jabidah Massacre. “It’s a challenge for us, especially the Bangsamoro, to continuously educate the public about the history and the struggle of the Bangsamoro people,” Director Mawallil added. Meanwhile, Nizam Pabil, executive director of the Office of the Bangsamoro Youth Affairs-ARMM, gave emphasis on the significance of the role of the Bangsamoro youth in upholding peace in Mindanao. He said that in the celebration of the Bangsamoro Week of Peace, the Moro youth joins in the call for peace. The Bangsamoro Week of Peace is held annually, every second week of March, in commemoration of the Jabidah Massacre. (Bureau of Public Information-ARMM/PIA-10)
USTP opens techno business incubation, technopreneurship program CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) recognizes the need to address the gap between academe and industry stakeholders in terms of research utilization and to create an innovation ecosystem for students to become technopreneurs.
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16-31 March 2018 In a discussion in Talakayan sa PIA on 6 March 2016 at USTP, Cagayan de Oro City, Dr. Ambrosio Cultura, vice chancellor for research and innovation shares that USTP will launch its technology business incubation and technopreneurship program to address this gap. He said that two years ago, they have integrated in their framework not only to produce graduates who will be employed in industries but also those that can put up their own company. Their new project, Technology Business Incubation is focused on digital technology. Dr. Cultura said, students who have great ideas,
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potential for commercialization and willing to put up their company and become technopreneur with the faculty can team up and enroll for incubation. Meanwhile, the technopreneurship program is designed to provide services such as training and mentoring and provide link to investors. On the other hand, among the challenges include the training of faculty. In fact, he said that the key to development is to link education to economy. We have a gap between education and economy. Sometimes academe concentrate
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on research, theory, invention, discovery, but does not check on potential commercialization, he cited. Thus, this innovation and technopreneurship can fill in this gap to link the industry and the academe. Innovation and technopreneruship is very important to sustain the country’s economic development, Dr. Cultura added. Similarly, he said, there is also a need to change our mindset from the students and parents alike. He said the mindset now is to go to school to get employed. But USTP is urging students to finish school not just to get employment but ultimately to create a company, build a business through technology.
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Dr. Cultura also emphasized that they want to establish this innovation ecosystem where all stakeholders must support in order to produce technopreneurs. This support must come from the industry, government agencies and funding agencies. Among the students who shared their innovation is a group of electrical engineering students with prototype “Solar charged e-bike and urban mobility solution.� It has a solar charging station plus electric bicycle. The students have come up with this project to advocate for a green economy and produce eco-friendly solution in an urban setting. (JMOR/ PIA10)
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