(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 - Wednesday, January 4, 2012

City gov’t grateful for the conversion of 3 neighboring municipalities to cityhood status, despite IRA drop

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 4 (PIA)
-- Although the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the city government will decrease starting this year, city officials here are still grateful for the conversion of three neighboring municipalities of Caraga Region into cityhood status.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) City Director Romeo Solis said the city government, through the leadership of Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr., is still thankful because the officials of the cities of Cabadbaran, Bayugan and Tandag have exerted much effort for their cityhood conversion.

Solis stressed with the conversion of the 16 municipalities nationwide into cityhood status, some P20 million of the IRA of the city government here will decrease annually.

In spite of this, Solis said the city government is happy because residents of these 16 new cities will be given the opportunity to boost the economic status of their locality that will lead to the development not only of the area but more importantly, to the residents.

Meanwhile, during the press conference held early in December 2011, Mayor Amante emphasized that with the creation of the 16 new cities, the city government here should implement cost-cutting measures so that all their transactions and operations will still be carried out smoothly.

However, Amante said because of the IRA’s drop, his administration is forced to lessen job order personnel in the city hall this year.

He added job order personnel who are doing well in their job will be retained based on the recommendations of their immediate superior. Those who will not be recommended will be subjected for contract termination.

Amante also underscored the need for the city government to coordinate and build networks with other government agencies. He added they will tap the services of the national government agencies whenever necessary.

With these developments, the city’s chief executive called on the city hall employees to implement cost-cutting measures to cope with the prevailing condition.

“We can do nothing about this except to implement such strategy to cope with the prevailing situation,” Mayor Amante said. (PIA-Caraga)

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LGU to purchase land for riverbank residents in Agusan del Norte

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 4 (PIA)
-- Agusan del Norte provincial government is determined to purchase land for residents living along the riverbanks of the province.

According to Provincial Operation Planning Officer Rofel Cabaltera in an interview with Bombo Radyo-Butuan, the provincial government is allocating some 20 percent of their annual development budget to purchase residential lots within the province.

Calbaltera added priority beneficiaries of the project are residents living along the riverbanks in the province.

“Ang atong panggamhanang probinsiyal sa Agusan del Norte maga-gahin og 20 porsyiento sa annual development budget aron sa pagpalit og luna nga kapuy-an sa mga residente ni’ng probinsiya nga anaa nanimuyo duol sa mga kasubaan,” Cabaltera said.

(Our provincial government in Agusan del Norte is allocating 20 percent of the annual development budget to purchase residential lots for residents of this province living along the riverbanks.)

This, according to Cabaltera, was developed after the provincial officials headed by Gov. Erlpe John Amante see the need of these residents to be transferred to safer places to avoid incidents that may possibly happen.

The official added it is the responsibility of the provincial government to provide the residents living along the riverbanks, with a place or area that is safer.

In Cagayan de Oro City and Iligan City, hundreds of residents living near the riverbanks of Cagayan de Oro River and Mandulog River, respectively were killed due to flashflood that hits the two cities on December 17, 2011.

The two rivers have swollen and overflowed on the evening of December 17, causing massive flashfloods in the areas, and even along the national highway in Brgy. Hinaplanon, Iligan City. (PIA-Caraga)

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City gov’t to use P60 million Seal of Good Housekeeping cash incentive for priority projects

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 4 (PIA)
-- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) City Director Romeo Solis recently said the city government here will use the P60 million cash incentive they received for the implementation of priority projects.

This, after the city’s flagship program on transparency and accountability governance was awarded by the DILG with Seal of Good Housekeeping, making the city government qualified as recipient of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF), amounting to P60 million.

Solis said the cash incentives must be spent in the construction of infrastructure projects to attract businessmen and investors that will boost the economic condition of the city.

The official said through investments, revenue of the city government will increase. Solis added this is needed, since the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of the city has decreased P20 million annually.

Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo said the fund shall be utilized as capital expenditures and shall be used to augment their approved 2012 Annual Investment Plan for implementation of any or combination of the following projects, namely: 1) rural electrification; 2) local roads connecting national roads; 3) arterial farm-to-market roads and bridges; 4) local economic enterprises and; 5) flood control and drainage.

Also, the DILG chief said the fund will be used to support the priority projects of the national government such as the 1) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); 2) Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010; and 3) Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

According to DILG, the Seal of Good Housekeeping for LGUs is in line with the Department’s commitment to aggressively scale up interventions to elevate the practice of governance that values transparency, accountability, participation and performance into an institutionalized status, which aims to recognize LGUs with good governance performance in internal housekeeping particularly on four areas, namely 1) Good Planning; 2) Sound Fiscal Management; 3) Transparency and Accountability; and 4) Valuing of Performance Monitoring.

The DILG also said LGUs with the Seal of Good Housekeeping will be qualified for the Performance Challenge Fund for Local Government Units being handled by the Bureau of Local Government Development. (PIA-Caraga)

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Agusan Norte prov’l gov’t to intensify infra rehab projects

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 4 (PIA)
–- In support to the Regional Development Plan of Caraga, the provincial government of Agusan del Norte will intensify the rehabilitation of the province’s infrastructure.

Provincial Planning and Development Office chief Rofel Cabaltera said this undertaking will provide a venue for the province to attract local and foreign investors.

Cabaltera said the provincial planning team has already conducted assessment to all municipalities of the province to identify and prioritize the infrastructure of each barangay that needs to be developed and rehabilitated.

“We have already conducted some sort of assessment to all barangays in the municipalities of the province to identify the needs of developing the infrastructure,” Cabaltera said in the vernacular.

The official further said municipalities that are in need of farm-to-market roads are those that will be prioritized.

“With farm-to-market roads, products of the farmers in the province will be brought easily to their respective markets for selling… Thus, this ensures improvement of the farmers’ income,” Cabaltera said.

Furthermore, Cabaltera said the project also aims to provide assistance to each local government unit in every municipality, especially in times of calamities and disasters. (PIA-Caraga)

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Tagalog news: Pagsasanay sa mga taga-pagpatupad ng batas na nagbabawal ng paninigarilyo isinagawa

by David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Jan. 4 (PIA)
-- Isinagawa kamakailan ang isang pagsasanay sa mga taga-pagpatupad ng batas na nagbababawal ng paninigarilyo sa bayan ng Esperanza sa kanilang pagsisikap na matigil ang paninigarilyo sa buong bayan.

Kilala ang Esperanza sa pagiging kampeon sa buong lalawigan at sa buong rehiyon ng Caraga dahil sa kanilang programa sa pag-alaga at pagtanggol laban sa anumang abuso na ginagawa sa kapaligiran lalo na sa tinatawag na Ecological Solid Waste Management Program (ESWMP).

Sa naturang pagsasanay, tinalakay rin ang Ordinansa Blng. 113-2011 na pinamagatang “The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur” ni Bise Mayor Apolonio Layugan.

Ayon kay Bise Mayor Layugan, sinasakop ng ordinansang ito ang kahit sinong naninigarilyo o pinapayagan ang paninigarilyo sa mga pampublikong sasakyan, mga sasakyang pag-aari ng pamahalaan, mga bahay aliwan, pampublikong gusali at lugar, at lahat ng saradong lugar na nasa labas ng pribadong bahay, pribadong lugar na pinagtatrabahuhan na matatagpuan sa loob ng bayan ng Esperanza.

Dagdag pa ni Layugan, isinasali rin sa ordinansang ito ang pagbebenta ng sigarilyo ng mga menor de edad, ang pag-aadvertise ng ano mang uri ng sigarilyo at paglagay o pang pamumudmod ng mga propagandang bagay na may kaugnayan sa sigarilyo.

Ang 100 porsyentong pagsali ng mga barangay kapitan sa naturang pagsasanay kasama ang na organisang Municipal Task Force ay nagpalakas sa mga namumuno at mga kinilalang kasali rito para sa pag patupad ng mga batas na nagtatanggol ng kapaligiran at malusog na pamumuhay.

Naisagawa ang pagsasanay na ito sa pagsisikap ng Municipal Health Office kasama ang Sangguniang Bayan Office at sa tulong ni Delma Legaspi isang nurse na coordinator ng Healthy Lifestyle ng Department of Health, Caraga Region. (PIA-Caraga)
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Peace and dev’t key to start for better Surigao Sur this year, prov’l official says

by Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 4 (PIA)
-– Surigao del Sur Provincial Administrator Efren Rivas said peace and development should continue to go together for a much better province this year.

In his message during the first flag ceremony program before the provincial government employees on Monday at the Capitol Lobby, Rivas stressed, in behalf of Gov. Johnny Pimentel, nothing will be fairly accomplished without the other pair, citing the Army’s renewed approach to put a halt on the four decade insurgency problem.

He stressed that the new batch of army hierarchy has already started to put to use a “paradigm shift” through community organizing for peace and development (COPD) by pouring in funds in close coordination with the local government units (LGUs).

Rivas believed that th separatist groups will soften up their stand with this approach. (PIA Surigao del Sur)
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Regional Police reports a “gun-free” yuletide

by Noel B. Najarro

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 4 (PIA)
– The regional police reported a “gun-free” yuletide as its records posted a “zero casualty” and “zero incident” of indiscriminate firing of guns in the region during the Christmas and New Year revelries.

During the ceremonial unsealing of the taped muzzles of issued firearms, Police Senior Supt. David Y. Ombao said the Caraga Police has recorded no incident of indiscriminate firing of guns by its personnel during the Christmas and the New Year celebrations.

He also said that it was very significant as it means that police personnel in the region had paved the way of using alternative ways of creating noise and merrymaking to celebrate Christmas and to cheer and welcome the New Year instead of firing of their guns.

Acting on the instructions of Caraga PNP Chief CSupt. Reynaldo S. Rafal, Ombao conveyed the gratitude of the regional director to other government agencies, the non-governmental organizations and the tri-media for the cooperation, which had led to the success of the PNP’s “IWAS PAPUTOK/IWAS DISGRASYA,” campaign.

On the morning of December 27, Rafal led the sealing of the gun muzzles of the issued firearms of the PNP personnel at the front of the administration building. He gave a stern instruction to police to strictly observe the guidelines set forth by the PNP organization regarding the non-use of firearms during the yuletide revelries. The violators, according to him, will be subjected to summary dismissal proceedings.

In the case of firecracker and pyrotechnics-related injuries, the police reported only two victims in its regional report: a 46-year old Joseph Dela Cerna of Bayugan City and a 15-year old female (name withheld being a minor) from Tandag City, Surigao del Sur. One sustained a minor injury at the right hand and the other at the right finger. Both were discharged from the hospital immediately right after their treatment.

Rafal attributed the success of the campaign to the massive information drive by the various sectors, the creation of ordinances by the local government unit and establishment of “firecrackers display area” and the “firecrackers zone.”

Even the PNP in its enforcement effort confiscated firecrackers and pyrotechnics devices which violated RA 7183 and the special local law (SP Resolution No.769-99) amounting to P9, 500. (PIA Caraga)
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Cebuano News: Gobyernong Aquino miaprobar sa Anti-Corruption Plan

ni Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Enero 4 (PIA) --
Ang administrasyong Aquino giaprobahan kagahapon Martes ang Good Governance and Anti- Corruption (GGAC) Plan for 2012-2016 gitumong sa pagpasayon ug pagpa-apil sa datos sa gobyerno aron sumpoon ang pagpangawkaw ug korupsyon.
Ang tigom kagahapon Martes didto sa Malacañang maoy ikaduhang panagtigom sa Cabinet Cluster on Good Governance and Anti-corruption nga gipangulohan ni Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III.

Giprentar ni Budget Secretary Florencio Abad sa Kabinete kagahapon ang GGAC cluster plan ug human sa duha ka oras nga pagtuki, ang maong proposal giaprobahan dayon.

Matud ni Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, ang mga unod sa cluster plan tubag sa mga problema sa korupsyon sa inoras nga analysis ug pagtaho sa datos sa gobyerno.

“It also aims to harness a stable society as a partner in these efforts for better and detailed explanations,” si Lacierda miingon atol sa press briefing didto sa Malacanang.

Atol usab sa maong press briefing, si Abad miingon katuyoan sa good governance ug anti-corruption cluster mao ang pagsumpo sa korupsyon ug seguroon nga mga serbisyo publiko mahatag sa katawhan. Ang gobyerno nagdahom usab nga ang kahimtang sa patigayon ug ekonomiya molambo oras nga matigayon na kini.

Ang administrasyon nagduso sa tulo ka mga inisyatibo pinaagi sa maong plano: Transparency, accountability ug citizen engagement, pagpasabot ni Abad.

“Pursuing transparency, accountability and citizens engagement requires us to also look into the necessary legislation and policy that need to be reviewed and strengthened. And then promote the digitization and innovations in government's operations. And finally, undertake an aggressive advocacy and communication campaign,” siya miingon.

Aron maseguro ang transparency sa mga transaksyon sa gobyerno, ang anti-corruption plan nag-awhag alang sa gikinahanglang pagbutyag sa impormasyon sa budget sa mga ahensya ug mga local government units (LGUs), matud pa ni Abad.

Gipalapadan usab sa gobyerno ang mga operasyon sa Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System aron ipasiugda ang transparency, sa iyang pagdugang.

Sa samang bahin, si Abad miingon nga isip leksyon, ang gobyerno milihok alang sa madaliang resolusyon sa nagkadaiyang mga kaso, labi na ang kalabot sa pagpangawkaw ug korupsyon. Kini nagpuntirya nga mapalambo ang tinuig nga case resolution rate sa Department of Justice (DOJ) gikan sa kasamtangang lebel niini ngadto sa 85 porsyento.

Ang Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) madugangan usab, si Abad mingon, dugang pa nga ang gobyerno mipalig-on usab sa single portal niini alang sa impormasyon sa gobyerno. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)