Brigada Eskwela kicks off in ARMM
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1, 2016
by Bureau of Public Information Office
MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur – Education Secretary Dr. John Magno of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) led a series of cleanup activities in different public elementary and high schools in the coastal areas of Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Maguindanao to mark the start of the annual weeklong school maintenance activity dubbed ‘Brigada Eskwela.’
Magno said that aside from the cleanup drive, this year’s ‘Brigada Eskwela’ will also give emphasis on school disaster-preparedness and readiness for the implementation of the K to 12 program. He said they want to make sure that schools in the ARMM are safe and conducive to education. The 2016 ‘Brigada Eskwela’ or National Schools Maintenance Week carries the theme “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos, at Handa Mula Kindegarten Hanggang Senior High School” (All of us for safe and proper schools, and ready from Kindergarten to Senior High School) and aims to unite communities in ensuring a better future for Filipino children. Magno said the region’s education officials and teachers are working with parents, barangay officials, students and other volunteers to clean and prepare schools in time for the opening of classes on June 13. “We are happy and grateful for the annual ‘Brigada Eswela’ and the support that we get from the DepEdARMM,” said Tukan Mangulamas, a supply officer at the second schools division of Maguindanao. The Australian Governmentfunded BEAM (Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao)-ARMM program has earmarked P8.9 million this year for minor repairs of classrooms in 225 public elementary and high schools as well as the provision of chairs and tables to 53
madaris (Islamic school). The BEAM-ARMM will also provide curriculum guide, teacher’s guide and learning materials. “The DepEd-ARMM and BEAM have helped us improve our schools and encourage children to attend classes,” Evelyn Kanain, Senior High coordinator of the Schools Division of Sulu. Kanain said the assistance from BEAM-ARMM will improve the quality of education in various schools not only in Sulu but in the entire region as well. Disaster preparedness activities will be integrated in the education program of public schools to better prepare students in the events of typhoons, floods and other natural calamities. Brigada Eskwela was started in 2003 and has three main objectives such as to practice shared governance; to bring the spirit of education to the community level and to utilize local resources to public schools.
City solons ok agreement with DA for El Niño projects CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Supporting projects that will benefit farmers affected by the dry spell, the City Council of Cagayan de Oro during its regular session Monday enacted Ordinance No. 13070-2016, authorizing the city mayor to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office No. 10. This will cover the procurement and distribution of seeds, pumps and engines, drugs and biologics under the DA project entitled “El Niño Phenomenon Assistance to the Local Government Unit.” Pursuant to the MOA, the basis of implementation of the project is the report of damages of local government units on crops and livestock due to El Niño from November 2015 until April 2016. The MOA provides that the DA shall transfer to the city the amount of P2,055,092 for the implementation of projects such as the provision of pump and engine set, hybrid corn seeds, OPV corn seeds, vegetable seeds and provision of drugs and biologics. It shall, likewise, extend technical assistance and updated technology to the farmer recipients or city government as needed, conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of the project, among others. For its part, the city shall procure the items and supplies and cause
the distribution to identified affected farmers. It shall keep and maintain financial records in accordance with accepted standard, principle and practices, ensure the satisfactory completion of the project based on the purpose, standards, specification and contract duration, among others. WITHOUT DELAY The City Council received the copy of the MOA last May 17, 2016. Councilor Tabor said on May 24, this was endorsed by the committee on agriculture and fisheries chaired by Councilor Annie Daba to the committee on laws and rules for approval. It was immediately acted upon by the committee on May 26 and calendared as one of the items on May 30 regular session, he added. REQUIREMENTS In a letter to Mayor Oscar Moreno dated May 13, 2016, DA Regional Director Lealyn A. Ramos requested for the submission of the signed and notarized MOA, the City
Council resolution authorizing the corn, rice, vegetables and livestock mayor to enter into agreement and affected by the El NiĂąo to facilitate masterlist of affected farmers with downloading of funds. (CdeOSP) corresponding areas damaged for
Camiguin seeks to rehabilitate corn production by Jorie C.Valcorza
MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – To boost back productivity of El Niùo affected corn production areas as well as augment forage production of the government run dairy farm, the Camiguin provincial government is eyeing to get assistance from the Department of Agriculture (DA) for purchase of a farm tractor. It is worth P1.5 million and the provincial government will shoulder 15 percent of the cost amounting to P273,000 as its project counterpart. The proposal seeks to ease and alleviate the burden of the corn farmers in the rehabilitation and cultivation of their farms and lessen their cost of farming while at the same time improving the efficiency of land preparation. Provincial Agriculturist Renero G. Torion felt the need to help the farmers, occupying around 52 hectares of land, in the second cropping within July to December, this year.
The provincial government likewise sees the benefit of maximizing the use of the tractor to rehabilitate the 5.5 hectares forage/cornfield to help sustain the feed requirement of the herd at the dairy farm located in Sitio Itum, Poblacion, Mambajao.