(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 - Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Green Bank of Caraga vows support to local entrepreneurs in the region

By: Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, March 8 (PIA)
–-Green Bank of Caraga through its representative, Mr. Ryan Ranillo of the Microfinance Department on Monday assured support to local entrepreneurs of Caraga and Agusa del Norte in their effort to engage in micro-financing loans.

According to Ranillo, Green Bank is at all times ready to entertain applicants for a microfinance loan as long as the applicants are qualified and have met the requirements of the bank.

“Green Bank of Caraga is ready to entertain all your queries and applications to microfinance loans. If you qualify with our requirements, then we are happy to serve you,” Ranillo said. 

Headquartered in Butuan City, Green Bank, Inc. is a premier multi-awarded countryside financial institution providing innovative range of products and services designed to quickly respond to the multifaceted-needs of individual, corporate and microfinance clients.

The Bank has been in the front of providing responsive financial services to rural communities. It has opened proactive lending opportunities to the enterprising individual to help augment their daily quality of living. 

Through the bank's pioneering efforts in offering non-collaterized micro loans and savings services, it has touched the lives of the market vendors, small sari-sari store owners, small service shops and manufacturers, even those who are engaging in agricultural type of business such as farming and livestock projects. 

With more than 36 established branches and 56 kiosks all over Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon regions, Green Bank has grown and expanded its banking operations to reach and delight the valued clients. (PIA-Caraga)


Surigao del Norte public, private stakeholders converge for capacity enhancement training

By: Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, March 8 (PIA)
-- Some 30 convergence partner representatives from the province of Surigao del Norte composed of local government units, national line agencies, and civil society organizations convened here recently for a follow-up Capacity Enhancement Training.

According to Indigenous Peoples Development Programme (IPDP)-Caraga Programme Manager Domingo Nayahangan, the activity is aimed primarily to enable the participants to finalize and review arrangements for the implementation of specific multi-sectoral convergence cluster plans.

The activity also intends to enable the participants to formulate a site-specific local Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPOs) and convergence partners on the implementation of collaborative activities for the development and protection of the Mamanwa ancestral domain in the municipalities of Malimono, Mainit, San Francisco, Sison and Surigao City, all in the province of Surigao del Norte which is otherwise known as MAMASANSISU.

Nayahangan also said the training sought to enable the participants to advancing the team-building process among the convergence partners. 

In one of the previous interviews, Nayahangan said IPDP's goal is to increase capacity of Indigenous Peoples to facilitate the sustainable development and protection of their ancestral domains in partnership with government, non-government and private sector service providers.

In a related development, Mr. Roldan Porogoy, Chairman of under Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT)-134 Mamanwa-Manobo Ancestral Domain Management Council said the training plays a vital role in uplifting the economic condition of the Mamanwa and Manobo tribes during the Financial Management Training participated by selected women of the two tribes, conducted simultaneously with the enhancement training of stakeholders. 

When asked what were the previous projects the group has benefit, Porogoy said through the projects initiated by IPDP, the tribe has been able to enjoy free birth registration and live birth certificate issuances from the National Statistics Office, as well as free mass wedding.

With the training, Porogoy said the tribe will be benefitted through the innovations presented during the training that is considered crucial in the financial management aspects of the two tribes.

The training forms part of the activities lined-up by the Indigenous Peoples Development Programme (IPDP)-Caraga for this month. (PIA-Caraga)


Pangasius-raising seen to boost income of RuMEPP beneficiaries in Butuan

By: Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, March 8 (PIA)
-- Pangasius-raising is one of the growing business of beneficiaries of one of government's poverty reduction program, Rural Micro-Enterprise Promotion Programme (RuMEPP), Provincial Officer Jonathan Tagalo Jr. said.

Tagalo said RuMEPP beneficiaries here are starting to raise pangasius which is originally cultured in Vietnam and Thailand. 

Pangasius fish is in great demand in the United States, Europe, Russia and China with its fillet meat popular among high end restaurants worldwide.

“The Pangasius presents new business opportunities in both local and export markets,” Tagalo said.

Known for its enormous size, the adult Pangasius can grow up to 130 centimeters or four feet in length and weigh up to 44 kilograms or 97 lbs., it was gathered.

In Mindanao, Pangasius is becoming one of its favorite dishes. 

Because of its recognition here, Caraga State University (CSU), the first state university in the region, together with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Caraga and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Caraga Region spearheaded the 1st Caraga Pangasius Harvest Festival at Sanchez Gymnasium last February 18, 2011.
(PIA-Caraga)


PNP establishes local tourist police in Surigao

SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) –- The Philippine National Police (PNP) here recently established its own tourist police to ensure the security of tourists and protect tourism sites in the city.

According to PNP City Director PC/Insp. Charlie Cabradilla, the said local tourist police will work at important tourist spots in the city especially at the city boulevard.

The unit will discharge their duties round the clock to check crimes and guide the tourists, said Cabradilla.

Earlier, the Surigao City Tourist Police Outpost located at the City Boulevard was successfully inaugurated on December 22, 2010 as a gift of Surigaonon Rural Banking Corporation (SRBC) through its Chairman Alfredo T. Bonpin to the Surigao City PNP and to all the Surigaonons.

City Mayor Ernesto Matugas, on the other hand, donated five bicycles to the city PNP.

It may be recalled that a similar police unit was recently created at General Luna, Siargao Island, an island facing the Pacific known for its world class surfing waves and hosting or serving as site of international surfing competitions. (FEAbkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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Provincial Agriculture Office sets 2011 direction

By: David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUr, March 8
-- The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) has set its direction for the year 2011 to intensify food production in all agricultural lines in spite of the recent flood that hit the province during the first two months of this year.

Provincial Agriculturist Armando Lagumbay said for the first quarter alone, the PAO has programmed some P13,639,502 investment plan for economic growth sector for the seven programs and projects that PAO has placed as priority.

“We have already distributed seeds and agricultural inputs and animals to farmers affected by floods province-wide. These planting materials and facilities were given by Sec. Proceso Alcala of the Department of Agriculture when he visited the province and saw for himself the extent of damages brought by the floods," Lagumbay said.

He added that other farm inputs were taken from the provincial budget as ordered by Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza so farmers can immediately recover and produce the food requirements of the province and nearby provinces.

For the first quarter of this year, Engr. Lagumbay said, PAO has set as some P20M for diversified farming system, in order to give more weight to rice, corn and vegetable production, which were badly affected by the recent floods.

In support to diversified farming, the program called Boosted Utilization of Grains in Agusan Sur (BUGAS) has various projects like pump irrigation system open source/ shallow tube well (PISOS/STW) which will cost almost P5M and the packet post harvest facilities identified as combine harvester and packet post harvest facilities worth P1.7M to back up for the first quarter alone. 

For the fruits and vegetable, production, PAO has programmed some P1.2M as a start for the first quarter, intended for the seedling bank and other starting projects. For the inland fishery project, PAO has budgeted some P200,000, and another P2.6M for veterinary projects. For livelihood employment and assistance program, PAO has set aside some P47,000 and for the rehabilitation of water supply level III, another P870,000 will be spent.

The Provincial Agriculture Office will also establish the Agusan Marsh Ecolodge which will cost P3M with its target of completion this year. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Cebuano News: Bag-ong tourist Police gimugna sa Surigao

SURIGAO CITY, Mar. 8 (PIA) - Ang Philippine National Police sa Surigao City dili palang dugay nag-mugna ug Tourist Police aron maprotektahan ug masiguro gayod ang seguridad sa mga turista nga mosibita dinhi sa siyudad.

Matud pa ni PNP City Director PC/Insp. Charlie Cabradilla, nga ang maong local tourist police maoy magbantay sa mga importante nga mga tourist spots sa siyudad ilabina na gayod ang lugar sa City Boulevard.

Ang maong mga local tourist police magbantay 24 oras aron masiguro nga walay mga krimen nga mahitabo ug aron usab makatabang pag-giya sa mga bisitang turista. matud pa ni Cabradilla.

Dili palang dugay, ang Surigao City Tourist Police Outpost nga anaa mahimutang sa City Boulevard nagmalampusong nga gi-ablihan niadtong nakalabay nga bulan sa Disyembre 22, 2010 isip gasa o tabang sa Surigao City PNP ug sa tanan nga mga Surigaonons, gikan sa Surigao Rural Banking Corporation (SRBC) pinaagi sa ilang Chairman nga si Alfredo T. Bonpin.

Sa laing bahin, si City Mayor Ernesto Matugas, naghatag usab ug lima ka mga bisekleta ngadto sa City PNP.

Ug mahinumduman usab nga sama niini nga police unit dili palang dugay gimugna usab didto sa Isla sa General Luna, Siargao Island, ang isla nga nag-atubang sa Pacifico nga nailhan ug ilado sa tibook kalibutan tungod sa iyang natural nga dagkong balud ug kini nailhan usab nga usa sa pinaka sikat nga lugar alang sa surfing events.
(Susil Ragas, PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Cebuano News: VMLP AgNor nagpahiluna’g 6th meeting

BUTUAN CITY, Marso 8 -- Gipahigayon sa Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP) Agusan del Norte Chapter, ang ika-unom nga tigom niini bag-ohay pa lang didto sa Sangguniang Panglungsod Session Hall, Butuan City.

Ang maong tigom gipangunahan ni Bise Mayor Ramon Bungabong, Chapter President. Mitambong usab sila VM Harris Glenn Puyol, VM Lawrence Lemuel Fortun, VM Eleuterio Enriquez, VM Wilfredo Taglucop, VM Danny Moran, VM Fidel Garcia, VM Aristotle Montante, ug VM Margarito Augis.

Ang nahisgutan: 1) Pagpahigayon og Enhancement Seminar para sa mga VM sa Agusan Norte; 2) Update sa Legal-Medical, Dental Mission; 3) Update sa Educational tour sa laing nasod; ug 4) Pagpangandam sa National Convention didto sa Davao City. (Buena Monitor/PIA-Caraga)