(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.


Monday, February 17, 2014

Caraga GADCC chair calls on public to rise, dance to demand an end to violence against women

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) – Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (GADCC) chair and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Caraga regional director Atty. Marylin Pintor appealed to the public that as the world celebrates the second year of the "One Billion Rising For Justice" Campaign on Friday at the Robinson’s Place lobby in Butuan City, they should rise and dance to demand an end to violence against women and girls.

"Let's do our part in preventing any forms of violence against women & girls in our community," she said.

Also, during the flash mob activity of the committee members with partner stakeholders at the same venue, Atty. Pintor disclosed that in relation to the campaign on "One Billion Rising For Justice" campaign, Proclamation No.731 s.1996 also declares the second week of February of every year as "National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Commercial Sexual Exploitation."

Pintor further said that the One Billion Rising For Justice Campaign is a call to survivors to break the silence and release their stories - politically, spiritually, outrageously - through art, dance, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies and whatever way feels right.

“It is a global call to women survivors of violence and those who love them to gather safely in community outside places where they are entitled to justice - court houses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental injustice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes, or simply public gathering places where women deserve to feel safe but too often do not,” Pintor added. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Surigao City hosts 1st Info Summit in Caraga

By Nora L. Molde

BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) – The very first local government unit’s (LGU) information officers (IO) summit with the theme, “Empowering Surigaonons through Information and Communications” was held in Surigao City on Tuesday, February 11.

A total of 157 IOs from the barangays, municipalities, non-government organizations, national government agencies in Surigao City and the province of Surigao del Norte and even from the province of Dinagat Islands attended the first IO summit in the region.

The one-day activity was initiated by the city government of Surigao headed by Mayor Ernesto Matugas through his information officer Annette Villaces, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga region headed by regional director Abner Caga, in collaboration with the provincial government of Surigao del Norte with governor Sol Matugas.

Mayor Matugas duly represented by his city councilor Ernest Matugas, Jr is very thankful and pleased in the conduct of the 1st Information Officers’ Summit in the city. He said the summit would bring together people who have been designated as the “faces” of their respective offices and soon become the so-called “messengers” of the local government units.

Matugas also said, “today’s present age where people have instantaneous access to information through inventions like the internet and the cellphone which is, undoubtedly, a major information supplier, the role of information officers in the public sector cannot be undermined, thus the conduct of the summit is very timely."

The summit is important and the role of every information officers is very crucial because, “If the public is not given answers to the questions that they ask, chances are they may find their answers elsewhere and found elsewhere may not shed the most positive light and may not accurately portray what is really happening on the ground,” Matugas added.

Matugas then encouraged the participants to perform what is expected from them as IOs. “We can earn the public’s trust and confidence of our people if they know what the government is working for them. Empowering our people, the Surigaonons through information and communication will make them more resilient to environmental and climate change,” he said.

"The information officers have the responsibility of providing the right information to the right people at the right time so that right decisions can be made," Matugas added.

Meanwhile, PIA regional director Abner Caga also told the IOs of the importance of information. 'Information is power, right information will help us in making decisions, it is a way of life and information officer holds the big responsibility in dealing with the information," Caga said.

He also shared his experiences in Tacloban when a team of PIA personnel went there to provide communication support to the region where devastation brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda could be seen.

“Information can save lives and properties, that’s why we must treat every information as it is. Right information helps concerned officials in their decision making,” Caga added. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)


PRC AgSur awarded best performing chapter for 2013

By David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Feb. 17 (PIA) - The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Agusan del Sur Chapter was awarded for its meritorious performance for two consecutive years (2012 – 2013), among 45 chapters by its class (class IV) nationwide in four major areas of consideration called services delivery, resource generation, volunteer development and chapter management during the annual PRC convention and awarding ceremonies held at the Red Cross Headquarters, Manila on January 28, 2014.

Received by the chapter’s chairman of the Board of Directors Rev. Solomon Bilaoen and Chapter’s administrator Darwina Ligan, PRC Agusan del Sur was recognized for its best performance by “turning in impressive overall results in Blood Collection that exceeded its annual goal, consistent and accurate in meeting the PRC National Headquarters reporting requirements,” the award reads.

The chapter was also recognized to have been providing timely trainings and services to help its staff, volunteers and community members further improving their skills in responding to emergencies and disasters as part of its continuing skills development program.

“I never have the idea that we will receive this prestigious award when I went to PRC National Headquarters last month. But although surprised, I proudly took the award knowing and feeling we are recognized to be one of the awardees because of the unwavering support of the provincial government thru Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza in our blood program and all other programs of the PRC,” Administrator Ligan said.

The award also states that PRC Agusan del Sur Chapter was also recognized by the continuing responsibility of maintaining its level of operations in disaster-plagued years, by creatively generated funds from various fund raising activities and services to ensure the continuous flow of financial support to its various programs. In close coordination and cooperation with the National Headquarter (NHQ) in running its programs, the chapter consistently supported the NHQ national agenda in partnership with local government units in communities it served. In doing so, PRC Agusan del Sur effectively provides care, comfort, relief and emergency assistance to its constituents especially in times of disaster.

It can be recalled that Agusan del Sur provincial government has a unique way of extending help to the PRC Blood Program. For more than 15 years now since Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza serve as governor of Agusan del Sur for three terms (1998 – 2007) then (2010-present), the provincial government has legislated and has been setting aside the amount of P1.5 million to P2 million to address the cost of re-agents in blood processing. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


3-day Regional Caving Summit set in Surigao City

By Zenny Villejo

SURIGAO CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) - The City Government here thru the City Tourism Office and the Department of Tourism Caraga Region will conduct a three-day Regional Caving Summit on March 28 to 30, 2014 at Brgy. Silop, this city.

The 3-day summit aims to give the participants an opportunity to gain knowledge on the importance of conservation and preservation of caves and the promotion of ecotourism.

A registration fee of P700.00 will be collected from each participant to cover for the meals and snacks for the whole duration of the event.

All participants are required to bring caving equipments like helmet with lamp, hand gloves and sleeping bag.

For further inquiries and confirmation, they may call the City Tourism Office at telephone number (086) 826-8064. (SDR/City Tourism Office/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Surigao City police, port cops strengthen cooperation

By Eugenio Lira, Jr.

SURIGAO CITY, Feb. 17 (PIA) - P/Chief Insp Rudy Elandag, newly-installed chief of Surigao City Police Office, has paid a courtesy call on port authorities on Friday, February 14, to reinvigorate mutual cooperation on police and security matters with the port police force of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

Elandag said his dialogue with port authorities was in line with the Philippine National Police’s mandate to establish coordination and cooperation with authorities of vital government installations to secure them from any possible terroristic activities.

“We have discussed with port officials a more comprehensive security plan and police coordination between the city police and the port police in the light of the recent incident wherein a ‘home-made bomb’ was found on board a passenger bus less than 100 meters away from the Port of Lipata. The said vehicle was scheduled to be loaded on board a ferry boat in the said port later in the afternoon but the timely advent of our city police saved the day for the unsuspecting passengers and the public,” Elandag said.

Port Manager Isidro Butaslac, Jr. thanked P/Chief Insp Rudy Elandag for his focus and assistance in helping them secure their two major port facilities in Surigao City.

“We’re glad that Chief Inpector Rudy Elandag is very much concerned of the security and safety of our riding public that uses ports as their entry and exit points. With him and our port police headed by P/Superintendent Froilan Caturla, we can look forward to a more safe and secure facilities in the Port of Lipata and Port of Surigao,” Butaslac concluded. (PPA/PIA-Caraga)


NPA rebel in Agnor surrenders, brings 2 rifles to 29IB

By 1Lt Joe Patrick A Martinez

BANCASI, Butuan City, Feb. 17 (PIA) - One New People’s Army (NPA) member returned to the folds of law through the effort of 29th Infantry Battalion in Agusan del Norte bringing along his two firearms Saturday, February 15.

A 29-year-old Manobo (Indigenous People in Agusan del Norte), Marlon Iligan, member of Sentro de Grabidad 21 of Guerilla Front 21, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee, has finally decided to lay down his arms after a series of armed engagements in Agusan del Norte early this year.

The tired NPA brought one AR-18 (Armalite) and one M4 Bushmaster assault rifles.

“Gikapoy man gud ko sa walay hunong nga operasyon sa bukid. Sa dugay nakog pakigbisog murag wala gayud sila nakatabang sa problema sa akong tribu. Grabe gayud ang pagpangilad nila sa katawhan labi na sa mga Lumad nga gihimu nilang Armado (I get tired of this worthless operations. The years of fighting with them made us hopeful that they will help our tribe in our situation. Instead of helping us, they deceived us and made us member of their armed group,” he said.

Ltc Adonis Ariel G Orio, 29th Infantry Battalion Commander said, “this is a manifestation that the NPAs in my area are experiencing both combat fatigue and social pressures. People who are fed up with the atrocities of these NPAs are giving information on NPA’s activities and locations. Because of this, we have prevented their plans to terrorize civilians in communities purposely to collect so-called 'revolutionary taxes.' As a result, many of them have returned to the folds of the law while others went back to their communities and went on lie low.”

Iligan will receive monetary support from the firearms remuneration program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the “AFP Guns for Peace Program.”

“This money that shall be given to him is not a reward money but is a financial support intended for his new life when he gets back to his family and reintegrated in their community.” Ltc Orio added. ((QMS) PA Commanding Officer, 42nd CMO Company, 4CMOBn, 4ID, PA/PIA-Caraga)


Tagalog News: DSWD, IBP lumagda ng samahan tungkol sa libreng legal na tulong sa mga biktima ng pang-abuso

Ni David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Pebrero 17, 2014 (PIA) - Ang mga babaeng biktima ng karahasan at exploitation ay maari ng makinabang ng libreng tulong dahil ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at ang Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) ay lumagda ng isang kasunduan o Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) na magbibigay ng kanilang tulong.

Sa ilalim ng naturang kasunduan na pinirmahan ni DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman at ang Pangulo ng IBP na si Vicente Joyas noong Disyembre 2013, ang DSWD ay siyang susuri ng mga kaso tungkol sa mga babae at kabataan na kwalipikadong makinabang ng libreng tulong legal.

Sa isang banda, ang IBP, sa pamamagitan ng National Center for Legal Aid (NCLA) ay magbibigay ng libreng legal na payo sa kliyente ng DSWD, magkakalap ng katunayan at maghanda ng mga dahilan at iba pang dokumento ng kinakailangan ng korte.

Ang mga abugado naman ng IBP ay siyang magharap sa korte sa panahon ng paglilitis at magsagawa ng legal na pagsasanay para maipahayag sa mga benepisaryo ang kanilang karapatan at masagot ang kanilang iba’t ibang legal na kapakanan.

Ang naturang kasunduan ay nagkaloob din ng probisyon para sa legal na pagpapayo sa mga kabataan ng nagkasala sa batas at mga maaring mag-ampon o kaya mga tagapagtaguyod.

Ang samahang ito ay tatagal hanggang Disyembre 2014.

Pinasalamatan ni Sec. Soliman ang IBP at sinabing ang legal na tulong ay kailangan para mapadali ang paglutas ng mga kasong hawak ng DSWD. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)