(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, April 5, 2010

P0.6-M hot lumber seized in Surigao

BUTUAN CITY - Joint operatives of the Hinatuan Municipal Police Office and Surigao del Sur Provincial PNP seized P600,000 worth of illegally transported lumber from three cargo trucks in Sitio Mungcag, Barangay Loyola, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur on early dawn Maundy Thursday, police said.

Hinatuan police chief Josefito Orcullo said the illegally transported lumber were seized from cargo trucks bearing plate numbers RHD 658, driven by Milliam Jamito Amparo, 29, a resident of Butuan City; UVS 622, driven by Marcial Selgas y Pilangos; RFC 457, driven by Jepsy Escoreal Jacosalem.

The DENR requires a special permit for cutting and transporting of hardwood species, which are already endangered due to continuous, unabated illegal cutting of trees in the mountains.

The cargo trucks, which were all heading to Butuan City, were found to have no pertinent documents covering the transport and cutting of hardwood species.

Concerned civil society in Hinatuan has been puzzled why it took the joint police operatives to intercept the hot cargoes. (BS/ PIA-Caraga)


NPA rebel wounded, captured during Maundy Thursday encounter in Agusan del Sur

BUTUAN CITY - A New People's Army (NPA) member was wounded and captured during a one-hour encounter between government troops and about 15 heavily-armed rebels on Maundy Thursday afternoon in Sitio Bucasao, Barangay Calaitan, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.

Reports reaching the Caraga Police Regional Office here identified the captured rebel as Jomar Silaw Domo, a tribal NPA warrior and resident of New Tubigon, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.

Confiscated from Domo’s possession was one M16 rifle with Serial No. RP 101357 and one alloy magazine loaded with live ammunition.

Reports said soldiers from the Philippine Army's 26th Infantry Brigade and headed by 2nd Lt. Jeremy Acelin were on security patrol when they encountered the rebels belonging to the Front Committee of the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the New People's Army-Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front (NPA-CPP-NDF).

After a one-hour firefight, the rebels fled, leaving behind the wounded Domo.

Domo was brought immediately to the Bayugan Medical Hospital, but was transferred later to the Bancasi Military Hospital in Butuan City.

The confiscated Armalite rifle and live ammunition are now in the custody of 1st Lt. Gonoranao M. Tantao, commander of the Army's 26IB, the reports said. (BS/ PIA-Caraga)
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106,000 CFL bulbs set to arrive in Caraga region
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Butuan City - Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga region) is set to receive anytime next week 106,000 compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs, official said Tuesday. 
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Horacio T. Santos, general manager of Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (ANECO), said the first batch for deployment of CFL bulbs will initially be distributed to six electric cooperatives in Northeastern Mindanao. 
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"The primary objective in using CFL bulbs is actually to reduce peak load power demand through the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives," Santos said. 
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"It also helps our electric consuming public reduce their power consumption, particularly in today's financial and economic difficulties," he added. 
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Last week, the Department of Energy (DoE), National Electrification Administration (NEA) and electric cooperatives from Northeastern and Northern Mindanao regions signed a memorandum of agreement on the use of CFLs at the Moresco-1 Training Center, Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental. 
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"The Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP) is being implemented by the DoE with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). 
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The project also aimed at plummeting green house gas and energy consumption. 
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The three main key outputs of the PEEP include efficient lighting initiative, efficiency initiatives in buildings and industries and communication and social mobilization. 
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The project totals to $ 46.5 million, of which $ 14 million was given by the Philippine government as contribution to this particular undertaking. 
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Santos concluded that CFL bulbs will also alleviate the consuming public on the power hike. 
"We are doing our very best to help our electric consuming public," he added. (muc/PIA-Caraga)