The eMagazine of Philippine Information Agency 10
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2016
Mindanao SME Disaster Resilience forum held in CDO
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As one of the activities identified during the National Business Forum in Makati City on July this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) region 10 gathered 200 participants to a forum on Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Development and Disaster Resilience in Mindanao.
DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya in a media interview said that this forum was launched to make sure that SMEs are prepared whenever disaster hits. “We want to be more prepared this time,” she said. She explained that Mindanao specifically region 10 is not exempted from typhoons anymore. Typhoon Sendong and Senyang in the past incurred a lot of losses, a lot of business opportunities lost where MSMEs also got affected. Maglaya explained that the roadshow which started in Visayas in October also has planning where the region will plan on how to best prepare. “We don’t want to end with just an awareness session. This plan should include an action agenda, what do we do to prepare, what kind of training programs, what kind of session should we give, to our MSMEs, what kind of financing program should be made available, what kind of insurance
should we give,” she said. For agriculture there is crop insurance but MSMEs right now do not know the importance of insurance to their business. Because of the magnitude of disaster in 2013 in Visayas and some parts of Luzon because of Yolanda, the government has seen the importance of Business Resiliency. MSMEs should be more aware of the importance of being more prepared. We learned it the hard way, Maglaya stressed. To be prepared means less cost to our business community, she added. The forum, held in Cagayan de Oro City on 22 November 2016, was in collaboration with the Office of Civil Defense region 10, Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and Philippine Exporters Confederation region 10. (JMOR/ PIA10)
Relief operations in Butig ongoing as LGU Summit continues MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur – As local executives gathered in Davao City for the 3rd ARMM Local Government Summit, Butig town mayor chose to remain in his municipality as the military “recovered” most of the barangays that were occupied by the Maute group.
Mayor Dilanggalen “Jimmy” Pansar, however, was represented by other municipal officials from Butig, Lanao del Sur. Among them was Abdul Pansar, Butig’s Municipal Planning and Development coordinator. According to Pansar, the poblacion of Butig is where the first encounters between the military and the Maute group happened roughly a week ago. On November 30, the said area was “recovered” by the military, along with most of the other barangays that were affected by the ongoing conflict. “There are still firefights in the forest areas within the skirts of the municipality, but control in the town proper itself has already been regained,” he said. Pansar, however, is far from at ease. Regional efforts As the LGU Summit began in Davao yesterday, ARMM Regional Vice Governor and concurrent DSWDARMM Regional Secretary Haroud Al-Rashid Lucman Jr. was in Butig to conduct relief operations in the area. Together with DSWD-ARMM and ARMM’s Humanitarian Emergency Action Response Team (ARMM HEART), he was assisted by the municipal government of Butig along with the barangay captains in the area. Lucman noted how the conflict has affected the lives of the people in Butig. “Classes, for one, have been suspended because the schools are currently not functioning,” he said.
“People have lost much of their property, especially in barangays such as Bayabao Poblacion where houses were razed to the ground by members of the Maute group,” he added. “Some of the people have nothing left aside from the clothes on their backs.” Military operations are still ongoing in the municipality. During the conduct of relief operations, Lucman noted that “the sound of bombs going off can be heard from afar while our relief operations are ongoing.” The vice governor also mentioned that “it is relatively difficult to conduct relief operations in Lanao del Sur because most internally displaced persons (IDPs) stay with their relatives and not in evacuation centers.” Need for recovery The military has recovered 85 to 90 percent of Butig municipality, a military spokesperson said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XII placed the number of IDPs at 12,250. “Almost everybody chose to evacuate. Some went to nearby barangays, while residents of the same nearby barangays also chose to leave,” Pansar said. The local and regional government, together with the DSWD field office, have already distributed food packs as part of their quick response and relief operations. When asked about further needs of Butig residents, Pansar emphasized the need for support in
“recovery” efforts. With only about 2,000 evacuees staying in three evacuation centers, Pansar said the local and regional government are “still monitoring the whereabouts of all the displaced people.” Pansar also notes the crops in the area awaiting harvest. “We really need to focus on recovery as we prepare to assist residents of Butig when they return. Some of them still have rice and coffee left idle in the fields, especially coffee since it’s scheduled for harvest,” he said. No room for complacency “Most of the areas affected by the conflict have already been recovered, but operations are still ongoing especially in parts of Brgy. Sandab Madaya, Brgy. Sundig, and a portion of Brgy. Dolangan,” Pansar said. When asked if the Maute group still poses a threat to the municipality, Pansar said it depends on government response. “If the government will be complacent, the group can regroup and return. But if targeted government operations continue, the group will continue to weaken, maybe even be eliminated completely,” Pansar said. Pansar notes that only a few residents of Butig are involved in the local terror group, with “most of the members coming from other municipalities and provinces.” “Our goal is really to help the people return to their communities,” he added.
Pansar said that “coordination with the military will also be crucial in the residents’ return,” as Lucman assured that “coordination with the military forces have been constant throughout the operations.” Fighting misinformation The municipal government also notes the prevalence of misinformation about their situation, especially online. “Many misconceptions have to be addressed, especially in Facebook where a lot of false information are posted,” Pansar said. He cited the posts that claimed that Butig’s seat of government was taken by ISIS as an example. “The old municipal hall that was taken by the Maute group was already abandoned early this year. After the recently concluded elections, we transferred the seat of government to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)\so when they said that Butig was conquered by ISIS that clearly wasn’t true,” he clarified “I hope people will be more responsible in saying things online,” he said. “There are many sources of verified information and we should turn to these sources instead of spreading misinformation.” (BPI/PIA-10)
3rd IRS delegates concur to protect rivers, watersheds CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Delegates of the 3rd International Summit declared to protect rivers and watersheds.
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno led the declaration of the Cagayan de Oro Accord as part of the culminating event which was held in the city. The declaration states to protect and maintain the watersheds; to recognize water as essential for broadbased agriculture production and rural development as well as the concern on the limited fresh water resources; and to concentrate its efforts to combat deforestation, desertification, and land degradation. Likewise, to urge international community’s support in regional organizations to take primary responsibility in empowering their local government units, communities and to emphasize good governance
in the management of the rivers and watersheds. The accord sums up all the statements and recommendations generated during the thematic sessions and asserts to likewise build on the outcomes from previous IRS held in Iloilo City last 2012 and Marikina City in 2014. President of the Philippine Watershed Management Coalition Raoul T. Geollegue said water can’t be managed in isolation and that stakeholders have to account its various interest and uses. “Those who benefit from the water ought to pay, environmental justice says that those who benefit from goods and services ought to pay and those who provide the services as well,” he stressed while citing the need for payments for ecosystem services (PES) approach. Cagayan de Oro River Basin Management Council Chair Archbishop Antonio J. Ledesma meanwhile added that the challenge of achieving healthy watersheds, clean rivers, and safer communities is for everyone to take on. (JCV/PIA-10)