PIA Davao Region

DIGOS CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Aldrin A. Darilag has formally proclaimed Dr. Augie E. Fuentes as the first president of the Davao del Sur State College (DSSC) in the investiture rites held recently at the Davao del Sur Coliseum in Digos City.   Dr. Fuentes has been appointed as DSSC president in 2020, but her appointment was made formal only last March 17 due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.   The formal proclamation highlighted the institute’s accomplishments ever since they started as a state college, and not anymore as a sister campus of the Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) of Malita in Davao Occidental.   “Actually I would say that we are fortunate. Though we are young, though we are still around two-years old from the time we were launched, I say we are fortunate because we did not start from zero. We were a campus of SPAMAST such that there wer...

DAVAO CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) – The number of tourist arrivals in Davao del Sur has improved as the COVID-19 restriction measures eased down this year, with more than 350,000 day-tour visitors registered as of February this year.   The figures include 168 foreign nationals from different countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom and India, bared Kervin Joseph Elijay, the head of the Provincial Tourism Development and Promotions Office of Davao del Sur.   Elijay said that his office has also noted 97,925 tourists including 194 foreign nationals who opted to spend their nights in different tourist destinations the province.   He said that the aggressive promotion of the provincial, city and municipal tourism offices has helped draw influx of foreign and domestic tourists, particularly in the tourist spots in Digos City and municipalities of Sta. Cruz, Bansalan, Matanao, Sulop and Malalag.   Elijay mentioned that the frequently visited areas are the Mt. Ap...

DAVAO CITY, March 31 (PIA) – Department of Energy XI Regional Director Nilo Geroche explained that disparity of oil prices is expected in the region given several reasons. This he shared during the One Davao Virtual Presser yesterday (March 30). “The source of supply would matter and would definitely affect the price of oil. Here in the city, we are lucky that we have many petroleum products facilities. But in areas like island cities and municipalities, we really expect that price is higher in those areas due to transport and howling cost.” The DOE official also mentioned that intense market competition in Region XI would somehow keep the price increase lower as compared to areas where petroleum gas giants and small players are limited in number. Geroche bared that gas station companies, no matter a giant or just a small player, are still adamant of adopting the big-time oil price increase. “The reason for this is that the people are now very sensitive as to comparing the price of oil...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 30 (PIA)-- The Department of Agriculture (DA) Region XI continues to strengthen its Zero Hunger Campaign through empowering the agriculture sector while continuing the Plant, Plant, Plant Program. In a phone interview during the Pakigsayod: Serbisyo Alang sa Katawhang Pilipino radio program held today (March 30), Rowena Francine Adlaon, Market Specialist III of the DA Agriculture and Marketing Assistance Division (DA-AMAD) said that the DA XI has already released vegetable seeds for short-term and immediate consumption and fruit trees seeds for long term production. "Nagahatag usab kami ug mga farm machineries para pagtrabaho nila sa ilang mga farms ug mga equipment (We also give farm machineries and equipment for their farm works),”   Adlaon added. Aside from the production, post-harvest, transport, and processing facilities which DA has extended, Adlaon also said that a training facility worth P40-M was also funded by the DA in Davao Del Norte. "Naa p...

DAVAO CITY, March 30 (PIA)—A top police officer in Davao Region has advised gun holders to update the registration of their handguns.   Speaking during the AFP-PNP press corps briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Police Brigadier General Benjamin Silo, Jr. bared that many of the handguns confiscated by police officers at the checkpoints are loose firearms. He said many of these unregistered handguns are used in illegal activities. Silo revealed that right now, there are 34,000 unregistered firearms in Davao Region.   He said the police will intensify its operation against unregistered firearms by buy-bust, search warrant, Oplan: Katok, and Oplan: Boga by the first week of April, 2022. “We will be notifying owners of loose firearms to renew the registration of hand guns or have it surrendered in the police station where his residence is under jurisdiction," Silo said. He said rounding up these loose firearms will guarantee honest, orderly, peaceful and clean elections on May 9....

DAVAO CITY, Mar. 30 (PIA) – The Department of Health-XI received a donation of cold storage vaccine transport boxes and vaccine cards from the the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Charities in support to the National Immunization Program of the government   The donations worth of P10-million consisted of   68   bio thermal boxes to keep the effectivity and temperature of the vaccines and 670,000 vaccine cards. DOH XI Regional Director Annabelle P. Yumang graced the Ceremonial Handover of Donations at the Church of Latter-days Saints Chapel in Buhangin, Davao City, earlier today (March 30). Reg. Dir. Yumang was thankful for the support of the church to the government and shared that the group have been helping DOH during their Polio campaign and other humanitarian causes like wheelchair training. She also stressed the importance of the private sector, church and charities like the LDSC in the government's welfare and humanitarian efforts, especially on the vacci...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 29 (PIA) -- The City Government of Tagum is deploying its vaccination teams to the puroks to ensure that the senior citizens under the A2 Priority Group will get vaccinated. As the City Health Office (CHO) of Tagum City intensifies its vaccination campaign even achieving its target, it is prioritizing eligible senior citizens to be vaccinated in the comfort of their homes. As of Mar. 28 there are already 12,890 fully vaccinated senior citizens or 62.2% out of the target population for the A2 Priority Group or a total target of 20,728 senior citizens. There are still some 8,000 unvaccinated senior citizens in the city who were not reached by the vaccination teams according to the City Health Office. But with the initiative, senior citizens who can't go to the designated vaccinations sites due to severe comorbidities, sickness, or old age may now avail of the vaccine shots from their homes. The house-to-house vaccination for senior citizens and all other priorit...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, March 30 (PIA)  —  The famed musa fabric  of Davao del Norte will soon be taking  centerstage in a series of  Earth Pageants that will soon  be held in the province.  After taking a milestone in  the prestigious New York Fashion Show in  February 2022,  Davao del Norte fashion designer Joy Soo is gearing for more shows of her Musa Fashion lines worldwide, and that include during the  staging of Earth Pageants in  January 2023. Soo this morning  revealed of  having acquired a franchise of  the Earth Pageants which have five categories for Misses Earth,  Ms Earth for single moms, Teen Earth, Jr Teen  Earth and Little Earth.  “All these  pageants, since ako ang national director (since I am the national director), will be held here in Davao del Norte,  benefiting the musa advocacy,” she said during her guesting at KKK or Kasamtangang Katikaran sa Kalambuan radio program hos...

DAVAO CITY, March 29 (PIA)- The new 32.96-kilometer Matavisan-Licasu Road Network has brought relief to around 8,000 residents living along the communities connected by the infrastructure. The road passes through the Barangays of Macangao, Tagboa, New Visayas, San Isidro in the Municipality of Lupon and the Barangays of Sanghay, Libudon, Culian, Barangay Badas in Mati City. “Dire-diretso na, di na ka mabalaka naa kay produkto di na mabun-og kung magsakay-sakay motor, karon nindot na hayahay na kaayo” (It will now be smooth and straight you won’t have to worry that products will get damaged as they are carried along motorcycles. Now it’s great, it’s very comfortable),” says Jocelyn Recaña, a farmer resident in Barangay Culian, Mati City said. “Karon daghan na maka-agi na salakyan di. Mga salakyaan gikan Mati maka-agi na diri (Now cars can pass here unlike before. Vehicles from Mati can now go here),” says Katherine Magadan, a resident of of Barangay Tagboa, Municipality of Lupon. Maga...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 29 (PIA)-- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) of Davao Del Norte this afternoon (March 29) launched the "Project Angel Tree" program at the Provincial Gymnasium of Davao Del Norte to strengthen the campaign against child labor.    In her project briefing, Lalaine M. Apugan, the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) Focal of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) of Davao Del Norte said that Project Angel Tree was named after the traditional Christmas Tree as the project was supposed to be held on December last year.    "However, due to COVID-19 restrictions which was stricter at that time, the event was postponed and was held today," Apugan added.    Instead of the Christmas Tree, the term Angel Tree was used as "angel" represents the donors and partner establishments as sponsors for the project.    Some children from the cities and municipalities of Davao Del Norte graced the event escorted...

DAVAO CITY- One of the casts in the film "Drive My Car"  the 94th Academy Award winner for Best International Feature  is Perry Dizon, an actor based in Maco, Davao de Oro. Perry Dizon in the movie plays a theater actor performing in a multi-lingual version of Anton Chekov’s play “Uncle Vanya”.  "Drive My Car" directed and co-written by Japanese filmmaker Ryusuke Hamaguchi  revolves around a theater director (played by Hidetoshi Nishijima) still grappling with the death of his wife, goes to Hiroshima to direct Chekov’s Uncle Vanya. On his trip he is chauffeured by a young woman named Misaki (played by Toko Miuri) The film is based on Haruki Murakami’s short story of the same title. "Drive My Car" won the Best Foreign Language Film at the 79 th Golden Globe Awards. It competed for Palm de Or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival where it won several awards including Best Screenplay.  The recent Oscar award is its latest crowning achievement, it is the second Ja...

DAVAO CITY- An estimated 147 beneficiaries has been assessed by the Balik Probinsiya Bagong Pag-asa (BP2P) for their eventual return to different localities in Davao Region (Region XI). “As of February 15, 2022 we have an eligible 147 beneficiaries, we have already assessed them. They are qualified under the program and are ready for dispatch operations, “this according to Atty Sonny Paul Cirunay, legal officer of the National Housing Association. Cirunay said they would be needing help from the local government units who will be accepting the BP2P beneficiaries. Guesting at the inaugural One Davao at Aeon Club Media Forum held on March 25, Cirunay bared that they have assisted 19 families consisting of 51 individuals coming from the National Capital Region into resettling in Davao del Norte. The BP2P is an ongoing program of the national government that seeks to ensure balance regional development and equitable distribution of wealth income, opportunities and resources through program...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, 25 March (PIA) --Roads and other support Infrastructure development in Davao del Norte are noted to have scaled up as both the national and the provincial governments have poured substantial funds. Guesting during the latest edition of radio program Pakigsayod Serbisyo Alang sa Katawhang Pilipino,  Regional Information Officer Dean Ortiz of the Department of Public  Works and Highways (DPWH) and Provincial Engineering Officer, Engr Glen Olandria shared some details of this  infrastructure development. Ortiz revealed that over the last five years including this year, the province of Davao del Norte alone has been  given an accumulated budget of P22.35 billion from the national government for the implementation of 1,487 infrastructure projects. Tracking the budget, Ortiz said that Davao del Norte was given a DPWH budget of P4.8 billion in 2017; PP3.6 billion in 2018; 2.6 billion in 2019; P3 billion in 2020; P3.5 billion in 2021; P4.6 billion in 2022. H...

DAVAO CITY, March 28 (PIA) – The village chief of Barangay Gubatan, Maco town, in the province of Davao de Oro never thought that his barangay could receive P20 million worth of development projects. Guesting in the One Davao Virtual Presser, Punong Barangay Arniel Fernandez shared that Barangay Gubatan got a P3 million project for electrification for two “puroks” which were never reached by the power providers due to lack of funding. Areas which also had problem on road access were addressed with the opening of farm to market roads and road concreting projects. Fernandez bared that the electrification project has already reached 75% completion; road concreting project is now at 70% completion while the farm to market road projects are already completed. “I get to pass by the area where we built the farm to market road. I got emotional seeing that our dream to have that road finally turned into a reality. I thank President Rodrigo Duterte for that.” Fernandez attributed the credit to t...

DAVAO DEL NORTE, Mar. 23 (PIA) -- Davao del Norte will be the recipient of more infrastructure and road network projects from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under the Build, Build, Build Program. This year, the province will have infrastructure and road projects worth P4.631B from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with over 192 projects now being implemented, said DPWH XI Information Officer Dean I. Ortiz in a radio interview today (Mar. 23). Ortiz also said that this budget will increase given that "we are still in the first quarter of the year." "As a little background on our budget history, we started 2017 with a P4.8B budget in Davao Del Norte. At first, our budget here prior to this administration was only less than P1B. In 2018 it received a P3.6B. In 2019 it is at P2.6B. By 2020, P3B and by 2021, P3.5B, and now in 2022, we already have P4.6B now and it will still go up. So for the past 5 years under the Build, Build, Build Prog...