(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 19 April 2024) Easterlies affecting the country. 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 rain showers or thunderstorms due to Easterlies. 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 East to Northeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.1 meters).


PIA News Service - Friday, February 17, 2012

2012 Women’s Month celeb highlights disaster risk reduction as everyone’s responsibility

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- This year’s celebration of the women’s month in March with the theme “Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility,” underscores the role of women as powerful agents of change in relation to disaster risk reduction (DRR), according to Gender and Development Coordinating Committee chairperson Atty. Marylin Pintor.

“The theme is also in consonance with the continuing national and local efforts to advocate for the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which started in last year’s Women’s Month celebration. For this year, the focus is on MDG7 on ensuring environmental sustainability,” Pintor added.

The general objective of said celebration is to help build gender-responsiveness resilient communities that are responsible and accountable, and prepared for any disaster that may come their way.

Pintor further said that this year’s celebration is also to generate commitment of local government units for the preparation and implementation of their gender-responsive DRR and climate change adaptation plans; and encourage women’s participation in government programs geared towards disaster preparedness and building resilient communities using government’s budget.

The celebration will kickoff on March 1, 2012 with the Women’s Concert and a Sky Lantern Light-up at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Covered Court, this city.

Other government agencies and partner stakeholders are also encouraged to initiate their own activities for the month-long celebration.

With this, GADCC hopes for the full support and participation of the public in the various activities for this celebration especially all the women in the region. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)

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NDRRMC issues guidelines for the selection of CSO reps to nat’l, local DRRMCs

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday issued guidelines for the selection of representatives from the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to the national and local disaster risk reduction and management councils.

As per NDRRMC memorandum circular no. 3, series of 2012 signed by Executive Director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Usec. Benito T. Ramos, the guidelines is issued to fulfill the NDRRMC’s commitment to strengthen democratic institutions through people empowerment, particularly through citizen participation in disaster risk reduction and management, as a vital means of promoting good governance.

The crafting of the guidelines also create an enabling environment for substantial and sustainable participation of CSOs, private groups, volunteers and communities, and recognize, their contributions in the government’s disaster risk reduction efforts and encourage voluntary commitments on social responsibility.

Further, it engages the participation of CSOs, the private sector, and volunteers in the government’s risk reduction programs towards complementation of resources and effective delivery of services to the citizenry.

The memorandum covers the selection of four representatives from the CSOs and one from the private sector to the national and local DRRM councils.

To be eligible to sit at the National and Local DRRM Councils, a CSO must be indorsed by the majority of the members of the NDRRMC.

The CSO shall also be of recognized standing within its particular field of competence. It must have a proven track record in DRRM plans, programs, and activities. For CSOs seeking accreditation to sit at the NDRRMC, such proven track record must be national in scope, and for CSOs aspiring for local accreditation, local in scope and preferably corresponding to the jurisdiction of the LGU of the local DRRMC, it was gathered.

Also, the CSO shall have an institutional structure for managing its own affairs according to its mandate including appropriate mechanisms for effectively participating in the NDRRMC and holding its officers accountable to its members

Further, in the evaluation of the CSOs, preferential consideration will be given to CSOs that provide the NDRRMC audited and updated financial reports of its past operations, which reports are indicative of its ability to deliver its expected deliverables in sustained manner.

Prospective applicants for membership in the NDRRMC/LDRRMC shall formally manifest their willingness to support and participate in NDRRMC/LDRRMC activities.

The CSO council members shall participate in all activities of their respective councils such as, but not limited to meetings, conferences, trainings, and capacity building programs, advocacy campaigns, response, and monitoring, among others.

They must also provide updates on their activities to the other members of the council during their meetings, as well as to disseminate information on their activities to its members.

CSOs shall also provide the council a copy of reports on its operations, plans, and financial conditions rendered by its executive officers to its members during its annual general assemblies.

The CSOs and private sector council members shall have a term of two years subject for review and evaluation by the NDRRMC-TMG/LDRRMC-LC at the end of two-year period. A maximum of two consecutive years only shall be allowed for a council member coming from the CSO and the private sector. (PIA-Caraga)

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Double voters' registration can be traced through the NLRV - Comelec

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- Voters who have registered more than once even in different places can now be traced by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) through the National List of Registered Voters (NLRV), a computer-based system whose centralized database is stored in COMELEC Central Office, Manila.

According to Jeffrey Callo, computerized voter’s technician of COMELEC-Agusan del Norte, a qualified voter who will register in their office will be registered after verifications were made through the system.

“Ang National List of Registered Voters o NLRV usa ka system kung diin atong ma-trace ang mga nagparehistro nga doble bisan og sa laing lugar sila nagparehistro (The National List of Registered Voters or NLRV is a system where we can trace double registration even voters will register from one place to another.),” Callo said.

He added the name of the voter will be entered into the system and the program will determine if said voter had already registered.

Through this, Callo said the system will trace and warns the user should the name entered is already stored in the database.

The official said after verifications found that said voter had really registered twice or more, COMELEC will advise the voter to transfer his/her registration, or his/her current application for registration will not be considered.

The NLRV is a solution to double registration as experienced by the commission during the previous conduct of national and local elections. This will also deter flying voters who are allegedly rampant during the previous elections. (PIA-Caraga)

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Gov receives 24 Million for PAMANA projects

By David M. Suyao

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza today received from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) Sec. Teresita Deles P24 million fund for the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program for two municipalities in Agusan del Sur.

According to provincial public information officer Alfredo Plaza, the first check worth P20 million is the 80 percent counterpart of OPAPP for the rehabilitation of the national road junction of Sta. Cruz in Bayugan City that will connect Barangays Osmena, Magkiangkang, Villa Undayon, New Salem, Mount Carmel, Pinagalaan and Sta. Teresita. The remaining 20 percent or P5 million will be shouldered by the provincial government.

On the other hand, according to Plaza, the P4 million check will be for the municipality of San Luis where some P3.4 million will be used to finance the repair of the provincial road connecting Barangay Don Alejandro, Mahayahay, and Binicalan. The remaining P500,000 is intended for the construction of the tribal house while the P100,000 will be spent for medicines.

This is not the first time that Agusan del Sur received funds from OPAPP for the PAMANA projects.

In August last year, the governor received two checks amounting to P14,216,000 as part of the P18 million intended for the rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads in San Francisco, Bayugan and Prosperidad, rehabilitation of Andanan Baily bridge in Sibagat, livelihood projects like rubber-based farming (rubber plus banana plus fruit trees), abaca production, cacao production, handicraft production, and the part of the water supply system particularly in Sibagat town.

According to ASEC Howard Cafugauan, the PAMANA, a flagship program of Pres. Noy Aquino, is different from other usual development projects undertaken by other national line agencies. It deals with challenges, especially with peace and order issue, in order to get the projects moving. (DS/PIA-Caraga)

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FREEDOM to facilitate certification of a coop in ComVal through CU Phl

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- Foundation for Rural Enterprise and Ecology Development of Mindanao (FREEDOM) will facilitate the certification of Kapatagan Banana Growers Cooperative in Compostella Valley province through the Control Union Philippines.

In an interview with PIA, FREEDOM Exec. Dir. Antonio Peralta emphasized the need for every cooperative or organization to be certified by a certifying body to obtain quality products.

Peralta said by obtaining quality products, this would mean development in the economic aspect of the organization as more consumers will patronize the product.

“In this way, the income of the people working in the company will also improve… more income from the company will also give workers high earnings… and if people have good income, then economic boom is seen in the area,” Peralta said.

The official also said the process of development in every cooperative always starts with the crafting of a good business plan. He added it is through this that direction-setting will be properly established that will result to successful undertakings.

With this, Peralta said the organization will really strive for excellence if its products are already certified by a credible certifying body, as products must pass with the standards set by a certifying organization such as the Control Union (CU) Philippines.

Peralta added, by facilitating the certification process, this means that FREEDOM Inc. will bring the representatives of CU Philippines to the area for assessment and evaluation.

“All the cooperative will have to do is just to follow the requirements set by the certifying organization, in order to comply with the required standards,” Peralta said.

Control Union Philippines is a subsidiary of CU, one of the oldest companies in the world that provides product certification for commodities, including agricultural products, minerals and chemicals as well as the upstream oil and gas industry.

CU is a logistics, quality, certification and risk management specialist with a global presence in over 60 countries. (PIA-Caraga)

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Gensan to host 7th EAGA friendship games in December

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA)
-- General Santos city will play host to this year’s 7th Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines – East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Friendship Games slated on December 8-12 as agreed during a meeting held here recently.

The upcoming sports event shall be spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) in partnership with Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio of General Santos City and Gov. Miguel Rene Dominguez of the Province of Saranggani.

“Among the games to be played are lawn tennis, athletics (track and field), badminton, sepak takraw, swimming and table tennis”, said Joaquin Loyzaga, PSC commissioner.

He added that each country will have separate teams for boys and girls, except for sepak takraw which will be exclusive for boys.

The event is open to all athletes aged 21 years old and below and must come from the BIMP-EAGA member countries.

During the meeting, a roadshow covering the four participating countries was proposed by the General Santos City Tourism Office to help promote culture, tourism, sports and trade, and improve linkages and ties between the delegates and their respective countries along with the event itself.

Commissioner Loyzaga said they are hoping to bring more sports programs outside of Manila especially to Mindanao and schedule more of such programs as possible.

Moreover, Mindanao Development Authority chair Luwalhati Antonino said that the BIMP-EAGA friendship games affords opportunity not just for sports development but also for tourism promotion and improvement of the ties among the focus areas of EAGA.

"We are advancing our BIMP-EAGA initiatives in this particular area of cooperation to promote the sub-region as a melting pot of sports talents and world class athletes while showcasing our great culture" said Antonino who is also the Philippine Signing Minister to EAGA.

BIMP-EAGA is an economic cooperation formally created in 1994 covering the entire Brunei Darussalam; 10 provinces in the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan, Sulawesi,
Maluku and Irian Jaya; Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia; and Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines.

The ASEAN sub-grouping is a mechanism primarily intended to spur development in the lagging sub-economies of the member countries by boosting intra-EAGA trade, tourism and investments. (MinDA)

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Cebuano news: Aquino giawhag ang kabatan-onang Filipino nga makigtambayayong sa gobyerno sa pagreporma sa nasod

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Peb. 17 (PIA)
-- Giawhagan ni Pangulong Benigno S. Aquino III ang mga kabatan-onan sa nasod kagahapon Huwebes nga tabangan ang iyang administrasyon makab-ot ang pangandoy nga makabaton og maayong nasod nga ilang masunod sa umaabot nga ugma damlag.

Atol sa Pulong Bayan ng Pangulo ug kick-off nga kalihukan alang sa ika-26th nga anibersaryo sa selebrasyon sa Edsa People Power Revolution didto sa La Consolacion College, Manila, gidayeg sa Pangulo ang mga kabatan-onang Filipino tungod sa ilang kaalam ug kadasig sa pagreporma sa nasod uban sa pagpasabot nga isip mas maguwang nila, iyang obligasyon nga andamon sila alang sa maayong kaugmaon.

“Kami po nauna sa inyo, papel namin isaayos hangga’t sa abot ng aming makakaya iyong ipapamana sa inyo. Pero puwede naman ninyo kaming tulungan para pagandahin iyong ipapamana sa inyo,” siya miingon.

“Huwag nating kalimutan, ano iyong imahe ni Juan Tamad, hindi ko sinasabing may mga tamad po dito, pero hanggang ngayon, hindi ko maintindihan, bakit naiisip na mas ipakita iyong masama sa Pilipino,” siya midugang.

Ang Pangulo usab miingon nga usahay mingaw didto sa ibabaw ug mao kini ang rason nga siya gusto kanunay nga makighinabi sa katawhan aron masayran niya ang ilang mga pulso ug mga pangandoy alang sa nasod.

“Kung minsan malungkot po iyong nasa itaas at importante po sa akin makalapit sa taumbayan, malaman iyong kanilang iniisip at kumilos kaalinsunod sa kagustuhan ng ating mga Boss,” siya miingon.

Ang Pangulo miingon nga una siya midagan alang sa presidensya niadtong 2010, siya namalandong og seryosong gikonsiderar kon siya modagan ba o magpakahilom nalang sa kilid.

Apan siya miingon iyang gipili nga modagan tungod kay siya nagtuo nga ang pag-apil uban sa katawhan sa ilang pagpangita alang sa reporma ug kabag-ohan mas maayo kaysa magpakahilom ug mamahimong parte sa problema.

“Uulitin ko po, mangyayari po iyong kinabukasan sa ginagawa natin ngayon. Nasa atin pong kamay iyan. Maraming salamat po sa inyong pakikinig,” ang Pangulo miingon sa iyang panapos nga mensahe. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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Cebuano news: Siargao Island mopahigayon sa 5th International Game Fishing Tournament

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Peb. 17 (PIA)
– Ang Siargao Island nga giilang surfing ug game fishing (SurFishing) capital sa nasod , gikatakdang mopahigayon na usab sa ika-5th Siargao International Game Fishing Tournament didto sa lungsod sa Pilar karong umaabot bulan sa Abril.

Sa taho nga gipagawas sa www.siargaoislands,net, ang mga tigdumala miingon ang maong torneyo paga-apilan sa mga mangingisda (anglers) gikan sa nagkalain-laing nasod sa kalibotan.
“The town is expecting more than eighty anglers from the different countries in the world such as Japan, Singapore, Russia, United States, Germany, Switzerland and China to join the tournament,” ang taho miingon.

Ang maong torneyo maoy pinakadakong game fishing nga kalihukan sa nasod nga miani og dakong suporta gikan sa gobyerno ug mga fishing clubs libot sa Pilipinas.

Ang internasyunal nga kalihukan, nga gikatakdang mopakusog sa industriya sa turismo sa maong isla, gi-organisar sa opisina nila Surigao del Norte 1st District Cong. Francisco T. Matugas, Governor Sol Matugas, Opisina ni Pilar Mayor Lucio T. Gonzales, ug Department of Tourism (DOT).

Ang marine life sa Isla sa Siargao pinuy-anan sa mga liboan ka mga klase sa isda lakip ang malasugi (marlin), liplipan (sailfish), dagkong barilis (giant tuna), tanguigue, dagkong pirit (king mackerel) barakuda (great barracuda), ug amamaspas (swordfish). (MConte/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)