PIA Davao Region

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 28 (PIA) - The SM Prime Holdings, Inc and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched recently the sustainability and disaster resilience exhibit at The Annex Event Center in SM City Davao. The exhibit launching was led by SM Supermalls Vice President for Mindanao Operations Mr. Oliver John Tiu and DOST XI regional director Dr. Anthony Sales. Tiu shared that the company thru the leadership of Mr. Hans Sy has been inspired for many years on how the company can contribute for sustainability and resilience. “What you see in the exhibit are humble contributions for the environment, some of which have already been in place for decades.” DOST’s Dr. Sales explained that the exhibit is done in three locations, one each for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. After the conduct in each location, the exhibit will be brought to the other 5 regions in Mindanao.   “The aim of the exhibit is to create awareness about the technologies that we have, the initiatives of SM Pri...

  DAVAO DEL NORTE, Feb. 28 (PIA)---- More than 200 former officers and members of the Southern Regional Committee of the Southern Mindanao Regional Command of the CPP-NPA-NDF this afternoon renounced their allegiance to the communist terrorist group and committed their full support to the national and local government.   They marked their declaration to abandon the CTG with a ceremony done at the Balimba Hills Activity  Center, Sitio JBL, Baarangay Sto  Nino,  in the municipality of Talaingod.     An indigenous peoples ritual known in their dialect as “Panubag-tubag” was made, killing a white pig and a white chicken as offerings to the spirits. The combined blood of which, was made to stamp through a thumbmark, their renewed commitment to work for  peace and development in their respective communities.    All the tribal Datus or chieftains  particularly  of villages which formerly were mass bases of the CTGs were present, ...

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 28 (PIA) – The 73 rd  Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army together with the provincial government of Davao Occidental has granted 24 former rebels a livelihood assistance amounting up to P615,000 to start life anew.   Each of the surrenderees who were former members of the New Peoples Army, received over P25,000 cash assistance in a recent turnover ceremony in Malita town.   “Daghang salamat sa atoang mga opisyal sa 73 rd  nga tinuod gyud ang ilang giingon nga kung mubaba ko, dili ko maunsa. Wala ko maunsa ug giampingan ko nila ug giatiman ( I’m very thankful to our officials of the 73 rd  because they were true to their words that nothing would happen to me when I surrender. They took care of me,” said former rebel alias “Ka Yoyong” during his testimony speech.   “Ka Yoyong” who was part of the dismantled Guerilla Front Tala, has also expressed gratitude to the provincial government for helping and keeping their agreement of not harm...

DAVAO DE ORO, February 28 (PIA) - - Local officials in New Bataan confirmed on Saturday that there was an armed encounter in Purok 8, Barangay Andap in New Bataan, Davao de Oro on February 24, 2022. Cequiña Dante, barangay chairperson of Andap, and Lope Marcelino, chairman of Purok 8 signed the certification confirming the said encounter. The officials also stated that a civilian tipped off the military of the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the area that resulted in the armed clash. This certification affirmed the reports from the 1001 st  Infantry Pagasa Brigade that five NPA members were killed in an encounter in the area on February 24, 2022, including Chad Booc, a Bakwit school teacher, and Gelijurain Nguho II, a graduate of the Liceo de Davao in Tagum and volunteer teacher in Community Technical College of Southern Mindanao (CTCSM). Even with this, several groups took to social media condemning the ‘massacre’ of the Booc, and his companions. In twitter, Marco Valbu...

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 24 (PIA) – The Provincial Government of Davao del Sur has recently turned over more than P3-million worth of livelihood assistance to different associations, barangays and cooperatives in the province.   Governor Marc Cagas personally handed over to each recipient their respective financial aid during the provincial capitol employees convocation program on February 21, 2022.   Under the provincial LGU’s Relocation Site Development Program (RSDP), the Barangay Kinuskusan of Bansalan was provided with P2.1 million for the procurement of a three-hectare land area for the 200 families affected by the 2019 strong earthquake.   The Sitio Kalidatal T' Murok, Purok 4, Barangay Bunot, Purok 1 of Brgy. Manual in Kiblawan town received 10 rolls of PE pipes worth P43,930.00 and 30 rolls of assorted PE Pipes worth P130,857.89.   Another 10 rolls of PE Pipes worth P99,898.20 and one (1) unit of jetmatic pump worth P3,500.00 were given to Barangay Balasinon and Pur...

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Feb. 24 (PIA)- The Provincial Government of Davao Oriental is constructing a two-storey Bahay Alumni (Alumni building) for the Davao Oriental State University (DORSU). Funded under the province’s Local Government Development Fund the project will cost P4.5 million with a total floor area of 336 square meters. The first floor of the alumni building will house an office and a multi-purpose hall that can accommodate 50 persons. The second floor is planned to be the guest’s quarters for 14 persons. It will have a kitchen and will be furnished with furniture. Bahay Alumni is expected to host DORSU alumni-related events and activities and was built through the initiative of Governor Nelson Dayanghirang and the DORSU Alumni Association led by Regent Rotchi Ravelo. DORSU president Dr. Roy Ponce gave is gratitude to Governor Dayanghirang and the Provincial Government for their support to the university through the various projects being undertaken in the university. Dr. Ponce al...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Feb. 24 (PIA) -- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Davao Del Norte assures that the identification of Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) recipients  is free from political influence. Guesting over Pakigsayod Radio Program on Feb 23, DILG - Davao Del Norte Cluster Head on SBDP, Jeannette Gania Juntilla - Palmera explained that the city government, and the provincial government, cannot interfere or even have the chance to identify barangays to avail of the SBDP projects.   The city government is tasked as the implementing body for SBDP projects in its barangays, while the provincial government acts as the implementing body for SBDP projects of barangays under its municipalities, Juntilla said.   SBDP is rolled out by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) created under the Executive Order No. 70, signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,  mandating the Whole-of-the-Nation Approac...

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 23 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be launching their Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine Economy (CRADLE) program this   March 2022 under the Science for Change Program of the DOST and the 2nd CRADLE Symposium will mark as the Kick Off Activity that will be happening tomorrow, February 24, 2022 at 10:00am live via Zoom and Facebook Live Stream.    The event is invite anyone especially those interested in the program in the academe and partner industry.  With the symposium, innovative breakthroughs in terms of wellness even during this time of the pandemic, the impact of the program in the community and environment especially to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under the CRADLE program shall be showcased. The CRADLE program aims to activate technological advancement and innovation on research to local companies that will contribute to the Philippine Innovation Ecosystem. It is...

DAVAO CITY- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI will be distributing black shoes and sanitizers worth P4.3 million to families under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in different provinces of the region in partnership with SM Foundation.   Assistant Regional Director for Administration of DSWD XI Merlinda Paragamac said the efforts made by SM Foundation support the causes and programs of the agency.   “The recipients will surely be happy to receive these items coming from good-hearted groups like SM,” Paragamac said during the turnover of items.   A total of 12,503 brand new pairs of shoes and 1,826 bottles of sanitizers were turned over to DSWD XI as part of the Operation Tulong Express (OPTE) program of SM Foundation through SM City Davao, SM Lanang Premier and The SM Store.   Sm City Davao Mall Manager Lester R. Tantoco said, “This is our way of giving back to the communities”.  (PIA XI/Elvira Suico with reports from S...

DAVAO ORIENTAL, Feb. 23 (PIA)- The Provincial Government of Davao Oriental and the Department of Education on February 14 formally opened a new integrated school located in Barangay Zaragosa, Municipality of Manay. The new integrated school is in line with the goal of the provincial government and the DepEd in providing quality education to students in far-flung barangays in the province The Francisco E. Lahora Integrated school was derived from the former Francisco Lahora Elementary School. Its conversion to an integrated school last year enabled the increase of its learning capacity where it can now accommodate Grade 7 learners. During the same occasion two new classrooms were inaugurated. These were built by the Provincial Government with the help of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. “Kaning duha nato ka school buildings this is donated by the Filipino Chinese Chamber gipangulohan sa atong amigo nga si Mr. Ed Bangayan, actually dili lang ni ang eskwelahan n...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, 23 February (PIA) --- Sustaining tourism interest is the way to go for areas which have been cleared from influence of  the communist terrorist groups (CTGs).   Outgoing commander of the Philippine Army 10 th  Inf “Agila” Division, Lt  General Ernesto C. Torres believes that Davao Region areas cleared from insurgency can be fully transformed into tourism areas, thus he has tagged successes in overrunning CTG lairs as “transformation from terrorism to tourism.”   Interviewed after the Change of Command Ceremony yesterday at Camp Manuel Yan based in the Municipality of Mawab, Davao de Oro he said “we would like to sustain that thru the whole of nation approach particularly  in the security sector to establish the integrated territorial defense system”.   He cited the importance of stakeholders involvement in establishing a territorial defense system over cleared and neutralized areas to guard the gains of peace and  development effo...

DIGOS CITY, Davao del Sur, Feb. 23 (PIA) – Digos City Mayor Josef Cagas was grateful to parents who submitted their young children to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as he urged them to embrace the new normal.   In the vaccination rollout for the 5-11 years old pediatric population in the city late last week, Cagas stated  “mga parents, salamat kaayo ani. Nalipay ko nga hinay-hinay na nato na realize nga ang COVID posible nga dili mawala sa atong kalibutan  (parents, thanks so much for this. I am happy that slowly we realize that it’s possible that COVID ”   “We have to live, we have to co-exist with COVID and we have to get smarter than COVID. Kini ang atoang pinaka the best nga buhaton, magpabakuna ta,” he emphasized.   A total of 100 pre-registered kids received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine during the vaccination kick-off held at the Digos Business Center.   The Digos City local government unit and City Health Office made sure that the childre...

Indonesian President Joko Widodo and President Rodrigo Duterte during the launch of the shipping route in 2017 DAVAO CITY- The Davao City- General Santos -Bitung shipping route which opened in 2017 with much fanfare yet was not sustained, is still existing as it is service by a smaller shipping company. This according to Assistant Secretary Romeo Montenegro, Deputy Executive Director of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) during its anniversary virtual press conference held on Feb. 16. “Hanggang ngayong andiyan pa rin ang (up to now there still is the) Davao-Gensan-Bitung from time-to-time being serviced by Reefer Express Lines, A Filipino-owned company that deployed vessels not just for Davao-Gensan-Bitung but also for BIMP-EAGA (Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area)- Philippine routes,” Montenegro said. The route which connects Davao City and General Santos City to Bitung in Indonesia was opened in 2017 with President Rodrigo Duterte and Indonesian Pre...

DAVAO DE ORO, February 23 (PIA) - - Davao de Oro jumped 16 notches higher to rank 11 th  among 76 provinces in the National Competitiveness Index 2021. According to the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, Davao de Oro placed 27 th  in 2020 with a score of 38.5470. The webpage underscored that the provincial rankings are based on population and income weighted average of the overall scores of cities and municipalities under a province.   In the region, Davao de Oro remains second in the Over-all Most Competitive Province that was presented on Tuesday, February 22, 2022, during the 5 th  Davao Region Competitiveness Awarding. In his speech, Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said that the province has seen and turned the pandemic brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 into openings, and opportunities. “By working harder and striving for development, we raise the living conditions of our people,” the governor added. In the municipal level, Laak gained the reco...

DAVAO CITY, February 22—(PIA) A local vaccine czar urged parents to register first their children aged five to eleven to the SAFEDAVAO QR before they can go to vaccine sites for inoculation. Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, Vaccination Cluster head of the city bared the registration to the SAFEDAVAOQR is crucial so that their children will be integrated in the local vaccination system. She said that the vaccination for children now is on its second phase, with three vaccination sites namely San Roque Elementary School in Barrio Obrero, Vicente Hizon Elementary School at Barangay Sasa and the Almendras gym. “Children can be vaccinated on these sites, whether they are walk-ins provided they have registered at the SAFEDAVAOQR,” Villafuerte said. She noticed the vaccination site at San Roque Elementary School in Barrio Obrero accommodated more or less 300 young vaccinees while there were vaccine sites with low turn-out.   “Perhaps, some mothers are hesitant, but if they change their minds, v...