(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Monday, 09 December 2024) Shear Line affecting the eastern section of Northern Luzon. Northeast Monsoon affecting Extreme Northern Luzon. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—˜π—”π—§π—›π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: 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 Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—œπ—‘π—— 𝗔𝗑𝗗 π—–π—’π—”π—¦π—§π—”π—Ÿ π—ͺπ—”π—§π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Light to moderate winds coming from Northeast to North will prevail with slight to moderate seas / (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


PIA News Service - Tuesday, April 12, 2011

DOLE readies Labor Day celebration, lined-up activities

By Nora CL Molde

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 (PIA)
-- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Caraga regional office has lined-up several activities in celebration of Labor Day.

DOLE Caraga regional director Ofelia Domingo said, the celebration will start on April 30 with a press conference and the opening of the Job Fair and One-Stop Employment Facilitation services in Butuan City.

Domingo also said, aside from the job fair, other activities that will highlight the celebration include a mass and parade and commemoration program and signing of a Memorandum Of Agreement for the establishment of Industrial Tripartite Council (ITC) on Eco-Tourism Industry in Butuan City.

The inauguration of Youth, Employment and Migration (YEM) One Stop Resource Center will also be conducted in Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Domingo added.

Other activities lined-up during the event also to be conducted in Butuan City will include Livelihood Fair (promotion and selling of environment-friendly products), PROMO Diskwento, Health and Wellness and other services; Advocacy and selling of bamboo culms (for E-Bamboo Expansion).

An Employment Forum with OFW family circles, employers and workers will also be conducted in the afternoon of May 1, Domingo said.

Meanwhile, DOLE Agusan del Norte field office head Engr. Reynaldo B. Mendiola bared that DOLE Services Caravan will also be simultaneously conducted with the Job Fair, Livelihood Fair and One-Stop-Shop Services during the celebration.

Mendiola further said, the activity aims at providing our clients programs and services offered by the DOLE and its attached agencies like employment, legal counseling, business and entrepreneurship counseling, trainings, scholarship programs, livelihood assistance and promo diskwento.

This year’s Labor Day celebration is anchored with the theme "Matuwid na Daan Tungo sa Kaunlaran Para sa Lahat”. (PIA-Caraga)


Address nutritional problem of children through Supplemental Feeding Program

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, April 12 (PIA) -- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon ‘Dinky’ Soliman said the agency can now answer to the nutritional problem of children in public daycare centers through a Supplemental Feeding Program.

In her recent visit to Surigao City to grace the Daycare Workers Convention and witness the MOA signing of the Convergence on Social Protection Services, Soliman said the Supplemental Feeding Program Fund for this year is already available and that all daycare workers will be given funds through their respective local government units for the feeding program. 

“We will give you funds though your mayors and governor so that you can now implement your feeding activity in your daycare centers.”

According to Soliman, the feeding will be done in two cycles for a period of 120 days. “So, five days in a week meron kayong gagawing supplementary feeding. You can have it even in summer,” she added.

The program underscores the role of mothers in handling the meal preparation, with the food consisting of items indigenous in the area.
(FEAbkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Three quakes struck Surigao City

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Apr. 12 (PIA) - At least three earthquakes struck Surigao City Monday, April 11, 2011, the most powerful measuring 4.8 recorded early dawn, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported.

PHIVOLCS said the quakes were all tectonic in origin. No damage or aftershock was reported.

Reports further revealed that the first quake measuring magnitude 4.8 was recorded at 4:04am with the epicenter at 67 kilometers of Surigao City. The quake was felt at intensity III in Mainit, Surigao del Norte, intensity II in Surigao City and Libagon, Southern Leyte.

A second quake measuring magnitude 4.5 was recorded at 12:01pm with the epicenter at 17 kilometers northwest of Surigao City. It was felt at intensity IV in Surigao City, intensity III in St. Bernard, Hinunangan and Sogod, Southern Leyte; Abuyog, Leyte and intensity II in Mainit, Surigao del Norte and Tacloban City.

The third quake measuring magnitude 3.7 was recorded at 12:31pm with the epicenter at 20 kilometers southwest of Surigao City. The quake was felt at intensity III in Surigao City and intensity II in Mainit. (FEAbkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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OFW’s son graduated Cum Laude credits OWWA’s scholarship program

By Ritchie M. Molero

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 (PIA) --Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Josefino Mortel is proud of his son, Mark Jason Mortel who graduated Cum Laude with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering (BSECE) at the Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) April 5 under the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Education for Development Scholarship (OWWA-EDS).

Mortel overwhelmed with heartfelt gratitude, credits OWWA for the scholarship granted his son, admitting it was the first time he attended a graduation of his son for almost 20 years of working abroad.

Teary-eyed mother, Estrella Mortel reminisce her worries five years ago that Mark Jason would not be able to pursue college education due to her husband’s diagnosis of arrhythmia, a heart disorder needing immediate surgery. 

“Hope flickered when OWWA-Caraga called, telling us that Mark passed the OWWA-EDSP scholarship. The financial assistance was a big help even to his sister’s education,” Mortel said, adding after a year, her husband fully recovered and work abroad again. 

Five years after, April 5, 2011, Mark Jayson with an average grade of 1.6 graduates Cum Laude at the MSU-IIT, now plans to review in preparation for the Electronics and Communications Engineer (EEC) licensure examination in 2012.

With no immediate plans of working abroad, Mark Jayson said he will do the best in finding a job in the country.

Since elementary, Mark Jayson was a consistent honor student, a member of the banner roll at Agusan National High School (ANHS), the biggest public high school in Caraga and one of the country’s most populated schools. (PIA-Caraga)


BCWD sponsors guided tour to its facilities

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 - Butuan City Water District (BCWD) recently sponsored two guided tours to its facilities for the Office of the Mayor, City Council, City Tourism Council, Barangay Officials and members of the local media, teachers and students.

Twenty nine persons, including Butuan City vice mayor Lawrence Lemuel Fortun, representing the City Council, and Butuan City first lady Ivy Amante, representing the mayor, participated in the tour. 

The participants were surprised to know that BCWD water is much cleaner and safer to drink than bottled water. They also witnessed how BCWD brings water from source to taps. They even saw in their own eyes how the BCWD’s latest water technology works to produce safe and potable piped water it supplies to its over 34,000 concessionaires. Having seen the BCWD filtration systems, consisting of the Infiltration Gallery, Automatic Brush Filters and Automatic Micro Fiber Filters, and the chlorination system, the officials were convinced that BCWD water is drinkable. 

Also, the officials were thankful for the opportunity given them to be able to better appreciate the important role of the water district in the development and progress of Butuan City. They promised to help BCWD in explaining to their respective constituents on the delicate process of bringing adequate, safe and potable water to the people of Butuan City. They even suggested that BCWD continue conducting the tour not only for city and barangay officials but also to as many people as possible. 

On the other hand, 46 teachers and students from Agusan National High School, Butuan City School of Arts and Trades, JT Domingo Elementary School and Rainbow of Angels joined in the March 25 tour. They were also briefed on how BCWD operates.

The tours were conducted as part of BCWD’s information drive on the state-of-the-art water technology it uses to enhance water supply delivery to the people of Butuan. This information drive aims to instill in the minds of the public that BCWD water has a water quality superior to bottled water, yet at a much lower cost. 

The tours also served as pre-celebration activities of the 10th Water Consciousness Week and 37th BCWD Anniversary. (PIA-Caraga with data from BCWD)


Cebuano News: Health care ug financial assistance sa mga World War II veterans gipasalig ni Pres. Aquino

by Susil Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, April 12 (PIA)
- Si Presidente Aquino mipasalig sa mga World War II veterans nga iyang protektahan ang ilang mga katungod ug kaayuhan pinaagi sa pagsiguro nga mahatag gayod kanila ang angay nga health care ug financial assistance.

Ang Presidente nag-asoy niini atol sa ika- 69th nga pagsaulog sa “Araw ng Kagitingan” (Day of Valor) niadtong adlaw nga Sabado didto sa Pilar, Bataan. Ang Presidente nagsulti nga ang iyang administrasyon nagpadayon kanunay sa pag matyag ug pag tan-aw sa implementasyon sa Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Act nga gipirmahan ni US President Barack Obama niadtong 2009.

Ang maong US law nagarantiya sa compensation niadtong mga lehitimong war veterans nga nagkantidad ug $9,000 para sa non-US citizens ug $17,000 alang sa mga American citizens. Ang Presidente mibutyag nga niadtong milabaw nga tuig adunay 18,000 ka mga veterans ang nakadawat niining maong compensation.
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Ang Defense department milihok usab sa anomaliyang nadiskubrehan niadtong Pebrero, nga sumala pa sa Presidente nga bisan kadtong mga veterans nga patay na nagpakadawat pa gihapon sa ilang mga pension. Gitawag kini sa Presidente nga “ghost pensioners.”

Ang imbestigasyon nagbutyag nga may depekto sa listahan sa Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), nga nagtugot sa mga patay ng pensioners pagdawat sa ilang pension. Mao nga sumala pa ni Presidente Aquino, ang gobyerno mi mugna ug Direct Remittance Pension Servicing System (DRPSS), aron masiguro ug mapadali ang pagbayad sa pension sa mga veterans.

Tungod sa maong sistema , ang gobyerno nakahimo sa pagbayad ug katunga sa P4 billion nga wala pa mabayri nga mga pension sulod sa milabay nga pito ka tuig ug sa ngadto nga proseso aduna nay 30,000 veterans ang natabangan niadtong 2009, matud sa Presidente.

Dugang gitutokan sa gobyerno mao ang paghatag ug health care para sa mga veterans. Ug karong tuiga ang Veterans Memorial Medical Center mipakusog sa ilang operasyon pinaagi sa pag baton ug mga bag-ong ekwipo alang sa operating room ug Medical Intensive Care Unit.

Ang PVAO mihimo usab ug lakang sama sa paghatag ug accreditation sa mga hospital alang sa mga veterans ug sa ilang mga pamilya. Kini mohatag ug P800 kada adlaw nga subsidy alang sa hospitalization sa mga veterans .

Aron matabangan pa ug dugang ang mga veterans, ang Department of National Defense (DND), PVAO ug PhilHealth mipirma ug kasabotan alang sa extensive health coverage, si Presidente Aquino miingon.

Ang maong kasabotan mohatag ug health insurance ngadto sa mga kwalipikadong veterans, samtang ang PhilHealth usab maoy mopadali pag proseso sa listahan ug kini paga-alalayan sa DND, nga nag-gahin ug P1 million alang sa maong sistema, dugang pa sa Presidente.
(PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Cebuano News: Surigao area, gitay-og sa sunod-sunod nga linog sa unang monthsary sa Japan quake

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 - Mibati og kahadlok ang mga residente sa Surigao del Norte ilabina sa Surigao City human gitay-og sa sunod-sunod nga linog kagahapong adlawa, insaktong usa ka buwan ang nakalabay human ang 9 magntiude nga linog sa Japan nga miresulta sa Tsunami hinungdan sa pagkamatay sa libu-ang katawhan.

Sigon ni Engr. Tony Madreo-science research analyst sa Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PHLVOCS) Surigao City, unang mitay-og ang 2.8-magnitude nga linog kaganinang alas-4:04 sa kaadlawon gikan sa Philippine trench nga duna'y giladmong 33-kilometros pa-ubos hinungdan nga nabati ang intensity 2 nga pagtay-og sa Surigao City, intensity 3 sa Mainit, Surigao del Norte og intensity 1 sa Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.

Gisundan kini sa 4.5-magnitude nga linog kaganinang alas-12:01 sa udto kansa mi-agi sa faultline nga mi-agi sa mainland Surigao hinungdan nga nabati usab ang intensity 4 nga pagtay-og sa Surigao City, apil na sa Hinonangan og Abuyog, Leyte og intensity 2 usab sa Mainit, Surigao del Norte og Tacloban City.

Ang ikatulong pagtay-og nga natigayon kaganinang alas-12:32 sa udto duna'y 3.7-magnitude og duna'y giladmong 50-kilometros pa-ubos hinungdan nga nasinatian ang intensity 3 nga pagtay-og sa Surigao City apil na sa Maasin, Surigao del Norte.

Gidugang ni Engr. Madreo nga mas maayong inanay nga natigayon ang pagtay-og tungod kay mapahungaw man ang lithosphere aron dili matigom ang iyang kusog tungod kay kung matibo kini, posibleng mas kusog nga linog ang matigayon og mumugna na hinuon og dakong damyos. (BR/PIA-Caraga)

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NSPC 2011 to help boost tourism in Caraga, official says

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- Citing the importance of hosting this year’s National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), Butuan City Councilor Erwin Dano recently said, hosting national events like this is a way to help boost tourism industry in the region, in general, and the city, in particular.

This is what the first councilor of the city said in an interview with Philippine Information Agency (PIA) recently when asked on the significance of hosting this year’s NSPC considering the economic problem Caraga Region is currently facing, evidence of which is the record showed by the National Economic an Development Authority (NEDA) where the region is considered the poorest region in the country.

According to Councilor Dano, Butuan is a historical city and that the city is promoting historical tourism and through the conduct of activities that are of national significance, promotion of such industry is quite easy. 

“Butuan City and the rest of the provinces and cities of Caraga Region are promoting the tourism industry, and through hosting national events such as the NSPC would surely increase the promotion activities of the tourism,” the official said.

In this way, we can generate additional income for our fellow Butuanons during the weeklong activity, Dano added.

The previous hosts of the NSPC were Tagum City in Davao del Norte, Naga City in Camarines Sur, Koronadal City in South Cotabato, Baguio City in Benguet, Kalibo in Aklan, Surigao City in Surigao del Norte, Laguna, Lapu-lapu City in Cebu, General Santos City and Dagupan City. 

The contest is scheduled annually in the middle of the month of February recently under DepEd Order 26 series of 2010 it was moved to the second week of April synchronizing all the culminating activities in all competitions as "festival of talents".

The annual national gathering formally opened Monday and will run until Friday. In a separate interview, Department of Education (DepEd)-Caraga Information Officer Dr. Isidro Biol said 3,740 delegates composed of student-writers in the elementary and secondary level, coaches and DepEd officials from the participating 17 regions are participating the national gathering of campus journalists. (PIA-Caraga)

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Butuan official assures security, safety of NSPC delegates

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 (PIA) – City Councilor Erwin Dano assured the security and safety of the campus journalist in the country as the city is currently hosting the 2011 National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) which was formally opened Monday, April 11 and will end on Friday, April 15.

In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency recently, Councilor Dano said although Butuan City is peaceful, security is still tightened for the nearly 4,000 delegates coming from the 17 regions in the country who are competing in the national campus journalist event.

“We want to assure the delegates of their safety and security for their weeklong stay here in the city,” Councilor Dano said.

The city official also stressed that the City Police Office through PSSupt. Jose Carillo were already given instructions by Mayor Ferdinand Amante to be prepared at all times ready and secure the safety of the visitors by posting police officers especially in the downtown area where billeting headquarters of the delegates are situated and in the venue of the competition.

“We must create a good impression to the delegates that our city is peaceful and that any visitor who wants to come here will be safe. With this, we can attract future investors,” Dano said.

The National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) is the highest competition for journalism in both private and public elementary and high schools in the Philippines, established in the year 1991 in pursuant to the Sec. 1 Rule IX of Republic Act 7079 also known as Campus Journalism Act of 1991. The press conference includes both students from the elementary and secondary level and is usually held in February.

The journalism contest starts with the District Schools Press Conference (DSPC) where the top five in the Division Schools Press Conference (DSPC) in each category qualifies to the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC), from which the top three will be chosen to represent their respective regions in the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC). However, this structure would still depend on the organizing committees to ensure a higher standard for the campus journalists.

The top three in the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) will qualify for the National Schools Press Conference. (PIA-Caraga)


NFA-Caraga intensifies palay procurement

BUTUAN CITY, April 12 - The National Food Authority (NFA) has intensified its average daily palay (paddy rice) procurement as the region’s harvest season starts.

Regional Director Javier P. Lozada Jr. assured the public of the availability of NFA rice to last a few months despite the threat of prolonged rainy weather pattern this year.

NFA Caraga Provincial Offices are targeting to buy 69,300 bags for 2011. According to RD Lozada, the NFA has earmarked a total of 61 million for palay procurement for the whole year. The amount is higher than last year's procurement budget for the whole year when the agency was able to buy some 21,374 bags of palay.

Provincial Offices within the region have already prepared its buying stations and warehouses for the procurement operations. Additional pick-up points were also installed.

ARD Camilo Magtrayo said the management expects the farmers to sell their produce to NFA and avail of the government’s better price.

At present, the NFA buys palay from farmers at P17 per kilogram. The agency gives additional incentives for drying and transport, each worth 20 centavos per kilogram. On top of these, a 30-centavo per kilogram incentive is granted to members of farmer cooperatives for the post-harvest buildup of their organizations.The grant of these incentives brings the agency's effective palay buying price to P885 per 50 kg.

He then urged the public to send their comments, suggestions, queries and complaints in case of rice diversion, rebagging and overpricing to NFA office at (085) 342-7898. (Christine Parinas, NFA/PIA-13)