(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Tuesday, 10 December 2024) Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting the western section of Mindanao and Palawan. Shear Line affecting the eastern sections of Central and Southern Luzon. Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern Luzon and the rest of Central 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—‘: Moderate to Strong winds coming from East to Northeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas / (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


PIA News Service - Monday, September 23, 2013

Caraga DOST to host 2013 S & T fair

By Nora CL Molde

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga region will host this year’s Mindanao Cluster Science & Technology (S & T) Fair.
With the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation: The Road to a Smarter Philippines,” the event will be held in one of the local convention centers here on November 6-10.

According to the DOST Caraga officer-in-charge Dominga D. Mallonga, the event, which is organized by their agency will showcase their commitment to give more attention to solutions to the pressing needs of various sectors like agriculture, transportation, industry, services and climate change.

Mallonga said the event will also give emphasis on the role of science and technology in making a better future for Filipinos through its projects and services that spur socio-economic development. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)


3rd Siargao Surfing Festival opens today

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) – The 3rd Siargao Surfing Festival will kick-off today at the famous Cloud Nine Surfing site in General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.

This year’s surfing festival will highlight three major events that include, 15th National Surfing Competition, the Wahinee International Surfing Cup (women) and 19th Siargao International Surfing Competition (men).

Side events include beach volleyball, cultural shows, trade fair exhibit and other games.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Assistant Secretary Benito Bengzon is expected to grace in today’s opening of the Siargao Surfing Festival together with Governor Sol F. Matugas, 1st district rep. Francisco T. Matugas, other dignitaries and famous celebrities.

The series of events are organized by the Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte and Local Government of General Luna, Siargao Island in cooperation with the Philippine Surfer’s Federation. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Academe sector to adopt, develop relocation sites

By Nora CL Molde

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) – The city’s academe sector has agreed to adopt and develop some of the relocation sites through its “Adopt-a-Relocation Site.”

In a ceremony held on September 20 in one of the local convention here, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) stating their commitments was signed and sealed by the different schools.

Among the presidents, heads and representatives of the local universities and fast-developing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) that signified their commitments, include: Agusan Business and Arts Foundation, Inc. (ABAFI); Asian College Foundation (ACF); Agusan Colleges, Inc. (ACI); Ama Computer Learning Center (ACLC) College of Butuan City, Inc; Agusan Institute of Technology (AIT); Butuan City Colleges (BCC); Butuan Doctors College (BDC); Caraga State University (CSU); Elisa R. Ochoa Memorial Northern Mindanao School of Midwifery; Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU); Holy Child Colleges of Butuan; Philippine Electronics and Communication Institute of Technology (PECIT); Saint Joseph Institute of Technology (SJIT); and Saint Peter College Seminary.

Each participating school will develop and provide livelihood trainings in their adoptive communities. (NCLM/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


PRC-Agusan del Sur awards boats to Bunawan town

By David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Sept. 23 (PIA) - The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Agusan del Sur Chapter turned-over earlier three boats to the municipality of Bunawan for emergency use during floods in the area.

With the presence of the PRC Board of Directors, Agusan del Sur Vice Governor Santiago Cane Jr. handed-over the responsibility documents to Bunawan Mayor Edwin Elorde after the provincial flag raising ceremony at the provincial capitol.

According to PRC Officer-in-Charge Darwina Ligan, the municipality of Bunawan is the second municipality awarded with the boats in Agusan del Sur. The first recipient municipality was Esperanza who also received three boats last August 19, this year. Both municipalities are flood-prone areas being located along Agusan river, while the province of Agusan del Sur itself is a basin formation, a catchment of waters from Bukidnon in the west, Compostela Valley in the south and Surigao del Sur in the east.

The boats are made of fiber glass with double-walled body and can carry more or less ten persons. All boats are powered with 30 horsepower outboard engines.

“We are very grateful to have these boats in our municipality. In behalf of the people of Bunawan, I am expressing my heartfelt thanks to the Philippine Red Cross for giving us these very needed equipment. We all know here in Agusan del Sur that starting this month, floods may come anytime because it is already rainy season. It is therefore timely that we became the second recipient municipality of these boats. This means life to us,” Mayor Elorde said.

OIC Darwina Ligan said the boats were given by the Netherlands Red Cross, thru Guineviene De Jesus, PRC Agusan del Sur chapter Partner for Resilience. They were manufactured in Manila and were directly shipped to Agusan del Sur Red Cross for distribution. Each boat has an estimated cost of P210,000, while each of the outboard engine costs P150,000 each. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Butuan launches Katok Dengue project

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) - In support to the Department of Health's (DOH) Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue Advocacy, the local government unit (LGU) here will launch the "Katok Dengue" project on September 28.

The project is a counterpart of the LGU to help bring down cases of the deadly dengue fever will include a clean-up drive, house visitations to the top 20 barangays with the most number of dengue cases in the city.

The project, which will be done on Saturdays at 5:30 a.m. until 7 a.m.  will include Information dissemination and monitoring and surveillance thereafter.

"Katok Dengue" is a program initiated by Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Member and Chairman of the Committee on Health and Sanitation Dr. Virgilio G. Nery, Jr.

According to Nery, the initiative is expected to intensify the city's Clean Ground Zero Waste (CGZW) Movement which is now on its 2nd year in the thrust for a cleaner and healthier Butuan. (NCLM/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


Agusan Norte solon gets DENR commitment to reforest 500-hectare watershed

By Eldie N. David

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) - Agusan del Norte First District Representative Lawrence “Law” Fortun raised the issue of the fast and continuous deterioration of the Taguibo Watershed during a hearing for the 2014 budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and pushed for the watershed’s substantial coverage in the National Greening Program for the year 2014.

During the pre-plenary hearing for the department’s budget, the Rep. Fortun brought to their attention the alarming state of the watershed and asserted the urgency of serious, concrete and immediate initiatives to address the same.

“Mr. Secretary, the Taguibo Watershed has an area of more or less 4,400 hectares. Of these 4,400  hectares or so, only about a thousand hectares are left with forest cover. And this watershed is our only source of potable water in the City of Butuan. This is already extremely alarming. Something serious, concrete and immediate has to be done to address this ominous situation,” Fortun said during the hearing.

The Agusan solon pushed for the substantial coverage of the Taguibo Watershed in the National Greening Program for 2014 in light of its current condition. The DENR originally targeted 170 hectares in the watershed for inclusion in the National Greening Program for 2014. With the representation of Fortun, however, DENR Secretary Ramon Paje made a commitment during the hearing to substantially increase the area to be covered.

Fortun went the extra mile of ensuring the certainty of the commitment by writing him a letter reiterating the concern immediately after the hearing and in time for the plenary deliberations on the DENR’s 2014 budget which was to take place the following day.

The Agusan solon obtained a clear and categorical commitment for an initial reforestation of 500 hectares in the watershed area under the NGP for 2014, about triple the original target of the department. “This is just the initial for 2014. We will vigorously push for more,” Fortun said.

It can be recalled that Rep. Fortun, during his stint as Vice Mayor in the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Butuan City, principally authored the Butuan City Watershed Code, a landmark legislation for the conservation, preservation, protection and rehabilitation of the Taguibo Watershed. (FEA/PIA-Caraga)


NFA Caraga has a new ARD

By Fe Moreno

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 23 (PIA) - The National Food Authority (NFA) in Caraga Region announced that acting Assistant Regional Director Rocky Valdez assumed as the new assistant regional director effective September 11, 2013 replacing acting Assistant Regional Director Marciano Alvarez who will be assigned at NFA Region 3.

Alvarez handed-over the symbolic key of responsibility to Valdez during a simple ceremony held recently attended by NFA Deputy Administrator Pedro Hernando, employees from the four NFA provincial offices of the region and some clienteles.

During the ceremony, NFA Caraga regional director Gil Pepito Paque thanked Alvarez for his remarkable achivement as assistant regional director in Caraga Region from January 11 to September 11, 2013 or a period of eight months. He also welcomed the new ARD to the region.

In his message, Hernando challenged the employees in the region to do good in their assigned task, “and work for a better service to the agency and to the community, as well.” (PIO NFA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)