A Memorandum of Understanding was entered into by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao (OPAMINE) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) as both offices would be joining forces in the implementation of the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
A total of 6 million housing units will be constructed with 1 million houses per year for the next six years of the Marcos administration.
In the MOU signed into by OPAMINE head Sec. Leo Tereso Magno and DHSUD Sec. Jose Rizalino Acuzar on the afternoon of February 16, 2023, both officials agreed to help each other in ensuring that the mega-housing project would benefit the homeless especially in OPAMINE’s area of Regions 11, 12 and 13.
DHSUD and OPAMINE will be coordinating with each other in the identification of qualified properties and beneficiaries, monitoring of the implementation of the housing project, among others.
In his short message during the signing, Sec. Magno assured Mindanaoans of their fair share of the housing program of President Marcos considering that there are still considerable number of Filipino families in Mindanao that do not own a house.
“This administration knows that we have to build houses to foster homes. Good homes would mean better Filipinos. Better Filipinos would pave the way for a better Philippines. We hope that this massive housing project of the Marcos administration would pave the way for a better life for all of us, most especially those who truly need and deserve to be given a better chance in life,” Sec. Magno said.
“Thus I thank the DHSUD for partnering with us to give homeless families in Eastern Mindanao a better home, a better future. Rest assured that OPAMIN Eastern will tediously do our responsibilities and obligations to faithfully execute the implementation of the project in Regions 11, 12 and 13,” the Dabawenyo secretary ended. (OPAMIN Eastern)
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continues to help communities in distress and promote better fire prevention and response measures as he sent his team to assist fire victims in Koronadal City, South Cotabato on Friday, February 10.
In his video message, Go cited that the government continues to strengthen its fire prevention efforts through the Bureau of Fire Protection’s modernization program.
The senator principally authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11589 or the BFP Modernization Act which mandates acquiring modern fire equipment, hiring more fire personnel, and provisioning of training programs, among others.
It also directs the BFP to conduct monthly fire prevention campaigns and information drives in every local government unit, particularly in informal settlements and economically depressed areas.
“Sa pag-iikot ko ng bansa, marami na po kaming napuntahan na mga nasunugan. Kaya naman alam natin kung gaano kahalaga para sa ating BFP na palakasin ang kanilang kapasidad sa pagpugsa ng sunog sa mga komunidad,” underscored Go.
“Napakalaki ng tiwala ko na palalakasin pa lalo ng BFP ang ating fire protection efforts. Karagdagang kagamitan, firefighters at education campaigns para turuan ang ating mga kababayan na mag-ingat, ‘yan po ang BFP Modernization Act. Dahil bawat bahay na nasusunog, nadadamay ang kapitbahay. Kaya dapat doble ingat tayo,” he said.
To give support and hope to the 13 fire victims whose houses were damaged by the fire incident, Go’s team gave them grocery packs, shirts, vitamins, masks, snacks, and a ball for basketball. The activity was held at Purok Callejo, Brgy. General Paulino Santos Hall.
Representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development also provided cash assistance as part of the government interventions to uplift the lives of Filipinos in crisis situations.
Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, also offered to help those in need of medical care to ensure the victims’ well-being. He encouraged them to visit the Malasakit Centers located at South Cotabato Provincial Hospital in the city and Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital in General Santos City.
Under the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, which was principally authored and sponsored by Go, all hospitals that are administered and managed by the Department of Health plus the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City are mandated to have their own Malasakit Center that shall provide convenient access to medical programs offered by concerned agencies, such as the DSWD, Department of Health, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
To date, there are 154 Malasakit Centers that have already assisted more than seven million Filipinos nationwide according to the DOH. The program celebrated its fifth year anniversary on February this year.
Go noted how the country’s healthcare system struggled due to the global health crisis. He then underscored the need to improve access to public healthcare services to ensure that more disadvantaged Filipinos will receive the medical attention they need.
In this regard, the senator supported the establishment of Super Health Centers in the province, including in the towns of Lake Sebu and Tampakan in 2022. Another center will be established in Tampakan in 2023.
Super Health Centers are medium versions of polyclinics and are bigger than rural health units, which offer basic services such as out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit.
Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service, oncology centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation center and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done.
Through Go’s initiative, some 307 SHCs were funded in 2022. The senator likewise earlier successfully pushed for sufficient funds for the centers in this year’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the DOH.
To help create more opportunities for the province amid difficult situations, Go, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, has supported the construction of roads in Banga, Lake Sebu, Norala, Tantangan and Surallah; acquisition of a dump truck for the local government of Norala; construction of riverbank protection in Koronadal City and T’boli; installation of street lights in Koronadal City, Norala and Tupi; and the construction of a slaughterhouse in T’boli.
“Basta, ‘wag kayong mag-atubiling lumapit sa amin. Huwag din kayong magpasalamat sa amin dahil trabaho naman namin ito sa gobyerno. Kami ang nagpapasalamat sa inyo dahil binigyan niyo kami ng pagkakataon para makapagserbisyo sa taumbayan. Ibabalik namin sa inyo ang serbisyong dapat sa inyo sa abot ng aming makakaya,” pledged Go.
Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte is not opposing the continuance of the Mindanao Railway Project which was crafted by the past administration of his father, Rodrigo Duterte, and will allegedly be continued by the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The young congressman however said that the national government must look into several complaints and acccusation of anomalies by some residents affected by the planned project.
For this, Rep. Duterte along with Benguet lone district Rep. Eric Yap filed House Resolution (HR) No.286, which calls for a congressional investigation on the proposed MRP, specifically on the way the Department of Transportation (DOTr) carried out its right-of-way acquisitions and expropriation of private properties to be affected by the rail line.
Rep. Duterte said that he received numerous complaints from Davao City residents whose residences would be directly affected by the proposed railway line.
He said the proposed MRP rail line would pass through densely populated areas in Davao City, “without the appropriate geological surveys or proper public consultations with the affected communities”.
Duterte and Yap however acknowledged in their resolution that the MRP “will not only make travel faster, but also safer, more convenient and comfortable for passengers in the said corridor”.
Rep. Duterte however added that the complaints must also be given weight especially on the report that “there are variations in the offers for acquisition of right-of-way or expropriation of the private properties by the DOTr and/or its contractors, sub-contractors, or other service providers.”
“These variations in offers have substantial discrepancies from the actual Zonal Value or Fair Market Value of the properties affected,” the two congressmen said.
Though not naming names, Rep. Duterte said there were also reports that some politicians bought vast parcel of lands where the rail line will be constructed at a cheap price and are now selling it to the government ten times or more than the original price.
It was learned that the Barangay Catalunan Grande in Davao City has already passed a resolution opposing the MRP as it would affect several residences in their barangay and would “result to undue safety and health hazard, as well as noise pollution, to name a few.”
“There is a need to properly determine the correct and appropriate manner of identifying the areas where the MRP will traverse in order to ensure public safety and welfare while still being able to pursue the MRP for sustained growth and development in the region,” Reps. Duterte and Yap said in filing HR No.286.
Rep. Duterte and Yap said the probe will “ensure transparency and accountability on the use of public funds while always keeping in mind the safety and welfare of the general populace in the delivery of public services”.
Back in the 18th Congress, the two congressmen also filed a similar call for a probe.
The three-phase MRP covers 1,530 kilometers of circumferential and spur rail lines that will connect several areas in Mindanao like the Davao provinces, Iligan City, Cagayan de Oro City, General Santos City, and Zamboanga.
Phase 1 of the MRP (Tagum-Davao-Digos segment) is a 105-km line that is expected to reduce travel time from Davao del Norte to Davao del Sur from 3.5 hours to just 1.3 hours. It will have eight stations: Tagum, Carmen, Panabo, Mudiang, Davao Terminal, Toril, Sta. Cruz, and Digos. A 10-hectare depot will be built in Tagum City. (PR)
Davao City 1st District Rep. Paolo Z. Duterte, along with Rep. Eric G. Yap, has filed House Bill No. 1753 which prohibits the access of unqualified individuals to alcohol beverages.
Known as the Anti-Underage Drinking Act, the bill prohibits those aged below 21 and those with physical and mental disabilities from purchasing or obtaining liquor and other alcoholic beverages.
First time violators, especially minors, will be brought to the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) for counseling.
Second time violators will be made to attend, together with their parents or guardian, two consecutive regular session of BCPC.
Third and subsequent offenders will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for appropriate counselling.
Establishments who violate the law would also be fined P50,000 or imprisonment of not more than 3 months. Revocation of license to operate a business would also be imposed to frequent offenders.
A modest dinner between First District Congressman of Davao City, Paolo Z. Duterte, and the Chinese Consul General in Davao City, Li Lin, reaffirms continuing friendship between the two nations and specifically identifies the program which will be supported by government of China in Davao City;
On July 9, 2022, the top two officials in Davao City had met in the residence of the Consul General following the latter’s invitation to the former for a table blowout;
It was during the same occasion that the Chinese Consul General presented to Hon. Duterte the program which the government of China will support under latter’s fresh term and the present government of the Republic of the Philippines. In the said meeting, the support for the livelihood programs for the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) of Davao City was the highlight of the conversation.
Congressman Duterte in turn manifested his full support to the program and in fact committed to Consul General Li Lin that he is willing to work hand in hand with the consular office, all for the purpose of alleviating socio-economic condition of our IP brothers and sisters in Davao City;
Likewise, the meeting opened the opportunity for Hon. Duterte to express his gratitude and profound appreciation for the continuing support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to the infrastructure projects undertaken by the Philippine government and to the many programs that revitalized Philippine economy.
Clearly, this is another step to a proper direction and a very bright future for the two nations. The First Congressional District of Davao City through Representative Paolo Z. Duterte will ensure that the program will be properly managed so as to guarantee full support to all our Indigenous Peoples in Davao City.
DAVAO BREAKING NEWS 