(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 27 March 2024) Easterlies affecting the eastern section of the country. Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies / Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.


PIA News Service - Monday, March 2, 2009

DPWH Jobs Fair brings opportunities to Caraganons

BUTUAN CITY (2 March 2009) – The simultaneous nationwide Jobs Fair program of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) gives opportunities to Caraganons to work and in some way, helping them in coping with the economic crisis that is felt globally.


DPWH-Caraga Regional Director Evelyn T. Barroso (center) explains to local media the mechanics in hiring new workers to augment the needed manpower in implementing the infrastructure projects in Caraga. According to RD Barroso, for Caraga Region, some 15,000 workers needed in the manpower complement. Also in photo (L-R) are Fe T. Rosales of DOLE-Caraga and Ferdinand Obien, National Contractors Association of the Philippines (NACAP)-Caraga Chapter President, while PIA-Caraga cameraman Robespierre Tradio covers the activity. (Robert E. Roperos & Gerie Mae G. Coco, PIA-Caraga)

Through the regional office of DPWH in Caraga, 338 new workers were hired on-the-spot out of 1,257 applicants by 23 contractors. The jobs fair were conducted in the different District Engineering Offices of the provinces of the region on February 25, 2009, two days after the regional office conducted its launching on February 23.

During the press conference attended by members of the local media in this city, DPWH-Caraga Regional Director – Engr. Evelyn T. Barroso pointed out that throughout the program, DPWH will be hiring some 15,000 workers in the region to compliment the required manpower in the implementation of projects throughout the region.


National Contractors Association of the Philippines (NACAP) President Mr. Ferdinand Obien (right) discusses the role of NACAP in support to the nationwide Jobs Fair program of the national government. Also in photo are Fe Rosales of DOLE-Caraga (left) and DPWH-Caraga Regional Director Evelyn T. Barroso (center) during the press conference conducted in time with the Jobs Fair held at the Regional Office of DPWH-Caraga… MORE PHOTOS IN PHOTO RELEASES… (Robert E. Roperos & Gerie Mae G. Coco, PIA-Caraga)

“We need at least 15,000 field workers to compliment the needed manpower in implementing the infrastructure projects in the entire region”, Dir. Barroso said.

When asked if the program is in line with the SONA commitment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Barroso said the program is different from the implementation of SONA-committed projects. “No, this program is separate from the SONA-committed projects of the President. Thus, separate set of manpower is needed in this program”, she said.

Moreover, Barroso said that the bottomline of having this program of the national government is to assist the Filipinos especially in the present time where financial crisis is experienced globally. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga)


BFP Caraga observes Fire Prevention Month

SURIGAO DEL NORTE (2 March 2009) - “Fire Safety: A Challenge, Concern and Priority for Everybody" goes the theme for Fire Prevention Month this March.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Regional Office 13 spearheaded the yearly observance last Sunday, March 1 with a motorcade along the main streets of Surigao City participated in by different fire brigades and rescue groups, namely, Surigao City Fire Station, Regional Emergency Medical & Rescue Service, Quick Action Response Team, Fil-Chinese Volunteer Fire Brigade, Rescue 44, Air Transportation Office, CRUISERS Inc., KARANCHO Inc., PNP-Surigao City, BJMP Reg’l Office, Tagana-an Fire Station, Claver Fire Station, and Placer Fire Station and other non-government organizations.

Highlighting the event was the inauguration of 6 more fire hydrants in the city.

City Fire Marshall CInsp. Ramon Capundag bared a total of 22 fire hydrants currently installed in the major streets in the city.

BFP Regional Director SSupt. Warlito Daus, in an interview revealed a series of activities lined-up for this month aimed at raising the level of public awareness and encouraging community participation concerning fire safety and prevention like a holding of Brgy. Ugnayan in the different barangays of the region, Fire Olympics, Musika Laban sa Sunog and a massive inspection to all establishments in the region to ensure that they will comply with the standards in fire first aid and requirements as well as their fire safety plans.

Daus, also shared the recently passed Republic Act no. 9514 or the “Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008” which was recently signed by Mrs. Arroyo last December 22. With this new law it outlines a safety measures to prevent fire and to professionalize the fire services in the country. (Fryan E. Abkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Services group dominates Caraga’s economy

BUTUAN CITY (2 March 2009) – The services group dominates the economy at the regional level where seven out of 10 establishments are providing services. The Wholesale and Retail Trade has the highest number of establishments, with 54 establishments out of the 222 establishments in the region. The National Statistics Office (NSO) Caraga reveals this during the Regional Data Dissemination Forum of the 2006 Census of Philippine Business and Industry (CPBI), here in this city, recently.

Based on the preliminary results of the 2006 CPBI, Caraga Region had a total of 222 establishments with average total employment (ATE) of 20 and over. Seven in 10 of these establishments are providing services in different parts of the region. The Wholesale and Retail Trade dominate the services group with a total of 54 establishments. Quoted as stated in the NSO Caraga Special Release.

Total employment for all sectors reached 23,732 with 23,496 paid employees. In 2006 more than one-half of the employees are engaged in the industry group. This was followed by the services sector with 42.63 percent share.

The total compensation paid by all sectors in the region in 2006 amounted to P2.241 billion registering an Average Annual Compensation of P95,385. Total compensation increased by 23.22 percent from the 2005 figure of P1.818 billion.

The industry group pays the highest among all sectors recorded at P1.266 billion. Total compensation paid by the services group reached P876.824 million while Agriculture paid P97.818 million.

The 2006 CPBI covered establishments engaged in 14 economic sectors classified under the amended 1994 Philippine Standard Industrial Classification (PSIC). It is also divided into 3 major groups, namely the agriculture, services and industry groups.

The agriculture group consists of agriculture, hunting, forestry, and fishing. The industry group is composed of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas and water supply and construction sectors.

The services group on the other hand comprises of the wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants, transportation, storage and communication, financial intermediation, real estate, renting and business activities, private education, and health and social work. (Lovely Laudette Gamba, PIA-13)


Credibility, transparency more important than speed in 2010 elections—NSA Gonzales

“CREDIBILITY and transparency of the entire election process are as important as, or even more important than, speed in the proclamation of election results in 2010.”

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales yesterday made this assertion as he reacted to the Commission on Elections’ claim that the results of the presidential elections will be known at the end of the voting day itself with the poll automation version that the body has chosen to adopt, the optical mark recognition (OMR) system.

“Speed alone will not make an election credible; transparency will. And speed should not be achieved at the expense of credibility, ” Gonzales said, explaining that OES is the automated election system that is “most transparent, least vulnerable to wholesale fraud and most fit to the present level of readiness of the country’s electorate.”

Gonzales pointed out that most of the country’s electorate at present have not touched a computer. He added: “Most voters would trust a system more where they can actually see the counting of ballots.”

OES combines manual voting and precinct counting with automated consolidation and transmission of votes from the polling centers to the national level while OMR operates through instantaneous and internal tally of votes.

Gonzales noted that the proponents of OES have explained that OMR is vulnerable to automated wholesale fraud because it involves software programs with key to code known only to the vendor and the Comelec and these software programs can be manipulated by a few computer specialists.

OES is proposed by a group of election automation experts led by former Comelec chair Christian Monsod. Gonzales, along with at least 38 bishops and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ socio-political arm, the National Secretariat for Social Action, has been backing the group’s proposal.

In their letter to the Comelec, the bishops expressed their fear for the fact that in OMR, the electorate cannot manually recheck or validate the results of the election.

The Malacanang official emphasized that though OES will not be as speedy as OMR in coming up with the final tally, it will already cut the time of canvassing for votes for national positions from more than forty days to just 4-5 days, without compromising transparency of the process and the credibility of its results.

Gonzales also refuted the claim of the Comelec that the OES is against Republic Act 9369, the law on election automation.

“There is no provision in the law prohibiting the Comelec from adopting this combined election system,” he said. (Louie Ceniza, NSC/ PIA-Caraga)


POLICE REPORTS
By PO3 Philip Amer Posas Mazo

Report on recovered motorcycle

On February 28, 2009 at 5:00 in the afternoon at Nasipit, Agusan del Norte, a joint operation was conducted by elements from Butuan City Police Office Task Force Carnapped Motorcycle led by PSI Rowena Martinez and Butuan City Police Station 2 led by PSI Inocencio Amora and recovered one unit SYM motorcycle color black, bearing chassis number RL6XBIIAD 626006583 with engine number VMVX322D006797 from the possession of a certain Albert Bernaldez of Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

The suspect identified as Rex Bandola, a resident of Montilla Boulevard, Butuan City, allegedly sold said motorcycle. Investigation is still ongoing. (PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)

Report on illegal gambling

On February 28, 2009 at 8:00 in the morning at the National Highway crossing Barangay Cavcavan, Carmen, Surigao del Sur, suspect identified as Ranilo Palparan, 45 years old, married and a resident of Barangay San Juan, Madrid, Surigao Sur was arrested by PNP elements of Carmen Police Station led by SPO1 Romulo Tare after being caught in the act engaging in Illegal Gambling activity locally known as "last Two Digits" and Swertres.

Confiscated from the suspect’s possession were bet money worth Php 100.00 and gambling paraphernalia.

Arrested person was brought to Carmen Police Station for proper disposition. (PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)

Report on shooting incident

Victim identified as Welito Sacarez Eduzma, a minor, out of school youth and a resident of P. Reyes Extension, Barangay Taft, Surigao City was shot by a certain Jaime Santesas Guliman, 29 years old, married and a Security Guard of Tactical Expert Security and Protective Services, native of Barangay Jaliobong, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte and presently residing at Bagong Silang, Barangay Washington, Surigao City.

Investigation disclosed that said victim and a certain "Jr" were able to enter inside the Jaguar Cargo Vessel at the port area and stole a sack of copra then ran away.

Upon discovery of Security Guard Jaime Guliman who was on duty when the stealing took place, immediately he fired a single shot using his issued 12 gauge shotgun hitting the victim to his body and rushed by the responding PNP personnel of Surigao City Police Station (SCPS) to Caraga Regional hospital for medical treatment and is now out of danger.

Suspect voluntarily surrendered the SCPS police. Appropriate criminal case is now prepared for filing in court against the suspect. (PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)