P802-M budget to make Siargao a prime tourist destination

SAYAK AIRPORT, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Mar. 18 (PIA) -- Finally, the Eden-like island that is Siargao Island has been noticed, and big time at that. In an objective to make the “paradise island” of Siargao the country’s modern tourist destination, a proposed P802-million budget for 2013 was strongly endorsed on Friday.

Surigao del Norte Representative Francisco T. Matugas made the endorsement as he briefed Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas during the inauguration of the newly completed P25-million Sayak Airport terminal here.

Matugas said the proposed budget will make Siargao Island and other tourist destinations in the province more globally competitive.He said the proposed fund will be used to complete all road networks to the various tourism sites. “We hope this budget proposal will be given priority next year because we are really aiming high to make this part of Mindanao globally competitive,” stressed Matugas.

Currently, in prepping up Siargao for bigger things, more than P100 million worth of various infrastructure projects such as roads, municipal and barangay (village) ports, and other national government offices are undergoing construction on the island’s nine towns.

The provincial government is also preparing for a five-day global fishing competition slated from April 28 to May 1, this year in Pilar town.

In another development, the Region-9 office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-9) said that President Aquino is expected to lead the inauguration of the P342  million Sanga-Sanga – Lapid-Lapid steel bridge in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi early next month.

Bridge Project Engineer Jul-Arab Kong of the DPWH-9 said that by April of this year, the bridge will be made opened to the public.

DPWH-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DPWH-ARMM) Secretary Emil K. Sadain pointed out that after decades at attempting to construct the bridge project, “it is only now that we are to realize it.” The steel bridge is expected to spur economic growth and boost the social transformation of Tawi-Tawi.

The bridge, one of the priority projects of the national government, will connect the capital town of Bongao to the municipalities of Panglima Sugala, Sapa-Sapa, Tandubas, and Lunguyan.

“Most people in this province are eagerly waiting for the completion of the bridge since it will reduce travel time to this (Bonago) town,” Sadain was told.

The project, which started in 2008, has five components – the upgrading of the 7.6-kilometer Sanga-Sanga Road, upgrading of the 8.45-kilometer Lapid-Lapid Road, construction of Sanga-Sanga Bridge, construction of the Lapid-Lapid Bridge, and the implementation of the Bakhaw Dakula Link Road. (NCLM/MUC/PIA-Caraga)

Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1701332034194

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Del Carmen from 2G to 3G

The strong partnership between SMART Communications and the Municipality of Del Carmen has resulted into the upgrading of the mobile technology in Del Carmen from 2G to 3G with Smart Canopy. This will increase the stability of the signal and access to internet connectivity benefiting the students, teachers, business community and government service delivery. New Service is targetted to start on February 29, 2012. Mabuhay ang Del Carmen! Mabuhay ang SMART!

Source: Municipality of Del Carmen

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Government Assistance Benefits Island Towns

26/02/2012 - DAPA, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, Philippines – At least 16 organizations in various communities of the three towns on this “paradise island” received some P2.9 million assistance from the government’s Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program.

The cash assistance was received by the 16 organization-beneficiaries in the towns of Dapa, Del Carmen, and Pilar.

The SEA-K aid was personally handed over by the Caraga Livelihood Unit of the Region-13 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-13) Thursday.

DSWD-13 Information Officer Leah T. Quintana said the 16 organizations are composed of some 325 members that benefited from the SEA-K – a national government effort to alleviate poverty.

Meanwhile, Roy Serdeña, of the DSWD-Caraga Livelihood Unit, also said that the beneficiaries will use the financial aid in venturing to other livelihood opportunities.

SEA-K aims to provide the poor and disadvantaged sector of society with timely access to credit and development opportunities.

This initiative was realized during the previous administration and is continuously implemented by the present administration.

In another development, to supply the demand, the City Agriculturist’s Office in Butuan City has dispersed hundreds of tilapia fingerlings to various fishpond operators and fisherfolk.

City Agriculturist Bert Boca said around 500 tilapia fingerlings had been distributed to fishpond operators and fisherfolk in line with the aquaculture project implemented by the city government.

He said the tilapia business is increasing in the city and its neighboring areas in the Caraga Region, prompting the city government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities.

It was learned that event the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is assisting the fisherfolk in Butuan City in an effort to increase their fish production.

The said activity will be continued this year, as it was observed that the conduct of the program was made successful.

According to BFAR, tilapia is the second most important fish that is cultured in the Philippines, next to milkfish.

In 2006, of the total fisheries production – some 4,408,472 metric tons, tilapia contributed 202,040.56 metric tons or 22 percent.

The continuous study on the development of tilapia species and the use of a number of various culture technologies contributed to this steady increase of the fish production in Northeastern Mindanao, BFAR added. (Manila Bulletin)

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5th Siargao International Game Fishing Tournament

The municipality of Pilar in Siargao Island will once again host the first and biggest international game fishing tournament from April 26 to 30, 2012. The town is expecting more than eighty anglers from the different countries in the world such as Japan, Singapore, Russia, United States, Germany, Switzerland and China to join the tournament.  For more information or details of this event, please email us at zenpallugna@yahoo.com.ph or visit our website www.siargaogamefishing.com or www.travelwithzen.blogspot.com.

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