(Photo courtesy of Joy Anne Ompad Facebook/Cebu) MANILA - The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has been working nonstop since last year's onslaught of Typhoon Odette to assist affected plantation areas. Of the estimated PHP8-billion damage in the agriculture sector, PHP1.58 billion are in the coconut sector, according to data shared on Monday. In a Facebook post, the PCA said the Quick Response Fund was not enough but they sourced out other forms of assistance through its regional field offices. Transport assistance was provided by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to deliver 140 chainsaws for the clearing and disposal of damaged coconut trees - 50 to Surigao, 30 to Dinagat Islands, 50 to Southern Leyte, and 10 to other parts of Leyte. An additional 50 units of reconditioned chainsaws are also ready for deployment to Southern Leyte. AFP units in Eastern Visayas and Caraga helped transport chainsaws from Tacloban to Surigao. In partnership with local government units, the
YOUTH REHAB. The provincial government of La Union opens a Bahay Pag-Asa, a center for youth rehabilitation, at Sta. Rita in Bacnotan, La Union on Feb. 22, 2021. The facility caters to the rehabilitation of minors in the province of La Union. (Photo courtesy of La Union provincial government) SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - The Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Public Attorneys Office (PAO), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the local government units are working together to ensure that justice is being served while not neglecting the rights of the juvenile delinquents. In a virtual forum on Tuesday hosted by the Philippine Information Agency, DOJ Ilocos Region fiscal Maribelle Uminga said minors who committed crimes have no criminal responsibilities thus should not be jailed but need to undergo intervention and diversion programs under restorative justice. The 15 years old and below juvenile delinquents go through intervention programs