Local disaster council in Negros Oriental backs state of calamity due to El Niño

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

Provincial Agriculturist Manuel Caduyac (w/ mic, standing) giving a report on the agricultural crops damage caused by El Niño during a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council meeting on April 19 at the Convention Center, Capitol Area, Dumaguete City. (PIA Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) here has approved on April 19 a resolution recommending the province to be placed under a state of calamity.

The council recommended to declare a state of calamity based on the damage to agriculture or crops and livestock due to the drought caused by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon, which has already reached over P115 million as of April 19, said provincial agriculturist Manuel Caduyac of the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).  

The Municipality of Sta. Catalina and Bayawan City have been placed under a state of calamity due to El Niño..

Adrian Sedillo, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officers (PDRRMO,  said that under the law, if two or more local government units are affected or placed under a state of calamity, the province is qualified to also declare a  state of calamity to utilize the quick response fund (QRF) for the provision of assistance to the affected farmers or population.

However, the province should meet the criteria of 15 percent of the population and 30 percent of livelihood and structure affected to be placed under a state of calamity.

The recommendation will be endorsed to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for appropriate action.

Sta. Catalina is now under a state of calamity after the town recorded at least P35 million worth of losses to crops, fisher,  and livestock.

Of the town’s 22 barangays, 20 are affected by the prolonged dry spell that destroyed farms and livestock.

Caduyac reported that the other LGUs that reported damage and losses are Bayawan City with P30 million, followed by Zamboanguita with P29 million, Canlaon City with P19 million, Mabinay with P18.5 million, Tayasan with P16 million, and Bais City with P14 million.

Sedillo said that as soon as the province is placed under a state of calamity, “the farmers or LGUs will be assisted using the QRF considering that they now project that the planting season will be delayed as the effects of El Niño will extend to May and part of June.”

Meanwhile, some areas affected have conducted water rationing in their areas.

The extreme heat brought about by El Niño had led to the suspension of all in-person classes in all levels in Negros Orinetal from April 3 to 5.

Cebuano News: BFP7 mipahigayon Regional Fire Olympics sa Dumaguete City

Balita ni Roi Lomotan

Gipakita sa mga kawani sa Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) sa probinsiya sa Cebu ang ilang kahanas sa paggamit og fire hose sa gipahigayong Regional Fire Olympics sa dakbayan sa Dumaguate kaniadtong ika-18 sa Abril 2024. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — Gipasigarbo sa mga kawani sa Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) ug pipila ka mga miyembro sa barangay fire brigade sa Rehiyon Siyete and ilang kahanas sa pagresponde sa sunog ug pagpalong sa kalayo sa gipahigayong BFP Regional Fire Olympics dinhi sa dakbayan.

Nahitabo kini niadtong ika-18 sa Abril adto sa Pantawan Area sa Rizal Boulevard.

Niabot sa 180 ka mga bumbero sa BFP kauban ang mga miyembro sa barangay fire brigade, barangay fire auxiliary, ug industrial fire brigade gikan sa mga lalawigan sa Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu City, Mandaue City, ug Lapu-lapu City ang nitambong sa Regional Fire Olympics.

Adunay upat ka dibisyon ang Regional Fire Olympics na naglangkob sa victim packaging and transfer, bucket relay, donning doffing, and up the ladder, ug truck push challenge.

Matud ni BFP7 regional director CSupt. Roberto Genave, dili lang usa ka kumpetisyon alang sa mga kawani sa ahensya ang Regional Fire Olympics kon di usa ni ka paagi pod aron mapalig-on ang relasyon sa BFP ug komunidad.

Unsa pod ni na pamaagi sa pagpaambit sa katawhan sa mga unsay angay buhaton alang sa pagpalong sa kalayo.

“This is a program not only to showcase their skills. It’s more of an assessment of their capabilities and (what) need(s) to be improved,” matud ni Genave.

“It’s not more of a competition. One of the essence of this is for us to have inter-operability. So we can work with each other. We are now within a circle of system that could provide basic and needed services not only in case of fire but in other emergencies as needed,” dugang pa ni Genave.

Gisulti ni BFP7 regional director CSupt.. Roberto Genave (sa wala) sa usa ka press briefing atol sa pagsugod sa Regional Fire Olympics sa Dakbayan sa Dumaguete kaniadtong ika-18 sa Abril 2024 na ang kaning kalihukan usa ka paagi alang sa pagpaambit sa katawhan kung unsa ang angay buhaton kon adunay insidente sa sunog sa ilang lugar. (KAT/PIA7-Negros Oriental)

“Kung atong tan-awon ang atong regional fire Olympic, part of the categories are the barangay fire brigade and barangay fire auxiliary group. This two categories part ni siya sa atoang programa na Oplan Ligtas na Pamayanan. Mao ni sila ang na-train na ngadto sa atong community as a responder,” matud sab ni provincial fire marshal Supt. Noel Nelson Ababon.

“Basic lang ang atong gi-train sa ilaha: patient packaging and the bucket brigade o kung unsaon nato pagpalong sa usa ka sunog na wala man tay fire truck. Usa ni sa atoang adbokasiya to train this community as our first responder while waiting for the professional responders,” dugang pa ni Ababon.

Subay niini, gipahinumduman ni Ababon ang katawhan na motawag usa sa BFP kon adunay sunog na mahitabo bag-o kini ipasalida social media pinaagi sa mga live video.

Matud sab ni Barangay Calindagan chair Rolando Zaldy Egera, usa pod ni sa paagi na mabansay ang mga miyembro sa komunidad alang sa pagresponde og sunog.

“Ang ato pod gipangkuha ang atong mga batan-on para dali pa sila makaresponde gyud. Kani siya gitudlo pod kung unsa pagpalong kung adunay panghitabong sunog sa atong barangay,” sigun ni Egera.

Gipanguluhan ni Egera ang barangay fire brigade sa Calindagan na niapil sa maong kumpetisyon.

Gisaksihan sa mga opisyal sa Dumaguete City ug sa lalawigan sa Negros Oriental ang maong fire Olympics. 

Declaration of ‘stable internal peace and security’ in Negros Oriental pushed

By Jenifer Catan-Tilos

302nd Infantry Brigade commander BGen Joey Escanillas (3rd from left)of the Philippine Army reiterates to call on remaining communist rebels to surrender in a Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting on March 6 in Dumaguete City. With him (l-r) PCol. Ronan Claravall, provincial director of the Philippine National Police; Farah Gentuya, provincial director of DOLG; and LtCol. Evelio C Ilanga III, acting commanding officer of 62nd IB. (PIA Negros Oriental)

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) — The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Negros Oriental has passed a resolution pushing for the province to be granted Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status. 

The proposal  was made upon the recommendation of Philippine Army 302nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, who cited the dismantling of all guerrilla fronts operating in the province and the absence of major violence and incidents perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) as the significant factors for the declaration of SIPS. 

Escanillas added that this is a key factor in boosting the local tourism industry as well as encouraging business entrepreneurs to venture and attain sustainable progress. 

He explained that declaring a state of SIPS does not mean the province is insurgency-free, as there are still remnants of the guerilla fronts who will be the subject of relentless focused military operations.

The Army official assured that troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assigned to the province would not be pulled out after the declaration.

“We will still cooperate to maintain the peace and order, especially in the sitios because they are most vulnerable and it is where the recruitment started by the communist terrorist groups,  particularly in the GIDAS or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,” explained Escanillas. 

What is SIPS?

Provinces that have been declared in a state of SIPS are considered cleared, unaffected by communist insurgents and relatively peaceful. 

At the local government unit level, the peace and order council recommends the declaration of SIPS for adoption by the city or municipal council.

The mayor, Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Army have to pass a joint resolution formally declaring the SIPS in the locality.

The SIPS status in a locality would attract investments, generate jobs, and bring more opportunities to its people.

Welcome development for biz sector

Edward Du, president of the Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, welcomed the move, saying that this will have a positive impact on the business sector.

“For us in the business sector, this has been a dream because ever since, the province has been perceived as not peaceful. We are hopeful that with the move for this SIPS, more investors will come to the province,” said Du.

He expects that future investors in the Tamlang Valley Sustainable Agriculture for Growth and Resiliency Project (TVSAGRP), business process outsourcing, hotels, and the agriculture sector will be encouraged to do business in the province.

TVSAGRP aims to boost agricultural productivity, promote food security, and address insurgency and social inequalities in the province. 

It is expected to be implemented this year with an initial budget of over P1.4 billion to be taken from the general fund of the regional line government agencies involved in the project. 

Tamlang Valley, which encompasses the shared borders of the towns of Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Valencia, and Sibulan, was once known as “no man’s land” at the height of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) insurgency in the late 1980s up to the early 1990s. 

Dismantling of CPP-NPA

The Philippine Army reported that five guerilla fronts of the CPP-NPA have already been dismantled, resulting in the reduction of their manpower, firearms, and influence in the barangays. 

SIPS status is one of the criteria for an area to be declared an insurgency-free community.

Escanillas added that the declaration of a state of SIPS also aims to acknowledge the need to effectively counter the CTG-led terrorism that continues to manipulate and deceive innocent constituents who become victims.