(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).


Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Red Cross, PBCC exceed blood collection target in 2013



By David M. Suyao



PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Feb. 26 (PIA) – The Philippine Red Cross Agusan del Sur (PRC-AdS) Chapter with the Provincial Blood Coordinating Council (PBCC) has exceeded its blood collection against its expected usage in 2013, according to report by the PRC during the PBCC meeting here.

According to PRC-AdS administrator Darwina Ligan, blood collected got a total of 3,161 bags of 500 cc in 2013 while record also shows only 2,311 were used.

Ligan said blood donation during the 146 mobile blood donation trips conducted by the provincial blood team got the highest number of bags with 2,880, followed by walk-in clients with 148 bags, blood replacement from patients with 87 bags and from patients directed with 46 bags.

“Because our refrigerator can no longer accommodate the number of bags with blood we collected, we sent some of them to PRC Butuan City so that they will not be spoiled. But we can take them out upon our needs because we have arrangement with PRC Butuan,” Ligan said.

Registered as the highest number of bags used was the D. O. Plaza Memorial Hospital in Patin-ay with 1,877 bags followed by the Bunawan District Hospital with 110 bags. In October last year, PRC-AdS sent to PRC Butuan some 80 bags, PRC Surigao del Sur 16 bags, while the rest of the users were from various hospitals in Caraga Region and one from Compostela Valley.

“But blood collected were not all healthy blood. As per our record, we have reactive blood totaling to 369 bags. These blood are reactive of Hepatitis B, Syphilis, Hepatitis C and malaria. We have also unsuccessful bleed of 149 bags and three bags expired blood,” Ligan said.

Ligan said the record that Agusan del Sur maintained in blood collection is one of the main factors why PRC AdS was awarded for its meritorious performance for two consecutive years (2012 – 2013), among 45 chapters by its class (class IV) nationwide in recognition for its best performance by “turning in impressive overall results in Blood Collection that exceeded its annual goal. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


17th CRAM: Agusan del Sur outplays Tandag City



By T. Bandoy and T. Espadero



SURIGAO DEL SUR, Feb. 26 (PIA) – Agusan del Sur kept championship hopes alive, after winning over Tandag City in Basketball on 63-31, during the 17th Caraga Regional Athletic Meet (CRAM) on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Surigao del Sur Sports Center in Tandag City.

The thrill began when Tandag City almost took the lead over Agusan del Sur in 21-19 in the second quarter.

Agusan del Sur’s best player, six footer Noel Yubuco, Jr. proved them wrong despite his weight when he grabbed the attention of everybody with his low-post move and consecutive 2-point shots that made their team lead again in the 3rd quarter.

Upon the start of the 4th quarter, Mikko Perez of Tandag City Division lifted up his team’s hope with his jaw-dropping three point shot, which boasted the spectators excitement.

However, Agusan del Sur did not let Tandag City raise their confidence as they continued to dominate at the 4th quarter with their strong defense and at the last minute of the final quarter.

Agusan del Sur’s confidence was at its peak at the last seconds of the game when they threw a 32 point lead against Tandag City ending the game with a score 63-31.

“It was quite hard for us during the first half, but because of our teamwork and focus, we were able to strengthen our defense and offense,” said Yubuco, the star of the game. (NGBT/JPENHS/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


AgNor commemorates 28th EDSA anniv



By Brian Jay Ceballos



BUTUAN CITY, Feb. 26 (PIA) - The Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte joined the whole nation in commemorating the 28th Anniversary of the People Power EDSA Revolution at the capitol grounds, Tuesday.

The simple program kicked off with the traditional flag raising ceremony led by the Philippine National Police (PNP)  Agusan del Norte and wreath-laying of flowers to the Philippine Flag led by governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba together with the provincial officials and heads of offices of the provincial government and national government agencies in attendance.

The Buenavista Special Education (SPED) - Integrated School Students (Elementary Department) performed a ceremonial dance, portraying the struggles of the Filipino People to fight for freedom and oppression thru peaceful means.
Vice Governor Ramon AG. Bungabong and Provincial Dir. Romeo A. Solis of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Agusan del Norte both gave their recollection about EDSA in 1986.

Gov. Angel, in her speech, also recalled the hardships she and her family endured during those times and emphasized how fortunate the new generation is for enjoying the freedom to express and elect leaders because of EDSA.

The employees of the provincial government together with the elected officials participated in the singing of Ang Bayan Ko, one of EDSA’s Theme Song, to formally end the program. (NCLM/LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


DAR holds orientation to CARP advocates in SurSur town



By Myra Yu



TANDAG CITY, Feb. 26, 2014 (PIA) - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Surigao del Sur legal officers and development facilitators are conducting an orientation on agrarian matters to several Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) advocates in the municipality of Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.

The activity, which started on Feb. 25 until March 1, aims to disseminate the important provisions of the Memorandum Circular No. 5 series of 2010 on the guidelines on the formation, operationalization and strengthening of the Barangay Agrarian Reform Council (BARC); features of the Republic Act (R.A.) 6657 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law as amended by R.A. 9700; rules on R.A. 3844 also known as Agricultural Land Reform Code as amended by R.A. 6389 and dispute on Agrarian Conflict and Conflict Management.

The orientation is beneficial especially to those who are members of the Barangay Agrarian Reform Council who will do the screening of qualified agrarian beneficiaries and will serve as paralegals in resolving tenancy issues.

The activity is also a good avenue for the implementers to be refreshed on the existing laws of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, it was learned.

Participants in the orientation are agrarian reform beneficiaries and officials from barangays Sayon, Batunan, Magsaysay, and Poblacion of the said municipality. (NGBT/DAR/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


17th CRAM medical team: No major injuries among athletes so far



By Nerisa Espinosa



SURIGAO CITY, Feb. 26 (PIA) - The medical team of the 17th Caraga Regional Athletic meet (CRAM) here in Tandag City reported that since day one of the games, there were no major injuries brought in their medical station located in different playing venues.

Records show that since Monday, February 24 until Tuesday, February 25, there were about 78 athletes, including some officiating officials that were given medical attention either because of minor wounds to hyperventilation.

However, few of them were brought to the Adela Serra ty Memorial Medical Center for further treatment and observation.

According to Orland Villarica, member of the team, there were two taekwondo athletes that are still confined at the said hospital due to hyperventilation when they were hit by their opponents at the private parts of their bodies during their match last Tuesday.

Among the events that posted many minor injuries are athletics, taekwondo, swimming and basketball.

The 17th CRAM is now on its 4th day and the medical team is hopeful that no major medical problems will arise until tomorrow, the last day of the regional meet. (Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


AgNor congressman files Comprehensive Civil Registration bill



QUEZON CITY, Feb. 27 (PIA) - Agusan Norte First District Representative Lawrence “Law” Fortun has authored House Bill No. 4014, otherwise known as “The Comprehensive Civil Registration Act of 2014” in the House of Representatives.

The bill, which seeks to establish a comprehensive and more responsive civil registration system in the country, provides for mechanisms for standardization and modernization of civil registration procedures to ensure timely, efficient and accurate registration of vital events in the life of each Filipino individual.  Among the salient provisions of the bill are: a) prohibition of any individual or hospital or clinic from withholding the release or refusing to issue birth/death certificates or documents relating thereto by reason of non-payment of financial obligations with the hospitals/clinics, b) setting up of a comprehensive Barangay Registration System, c) free delayed birth registration for reason of poverty, distance and/or literacy issue, d) free delayed birth registration for indigenous peoples (IPs).

Fortun said “civil registration is necessary as it provides the means for the establishment of the identity and the recording of the vital events in the life of a person which are vital in the recognition and protection of his civil rights.  It is an essential system by which the citizenship of a person is established and his or her inherent rights as a person are respected.”

The young solon added that “civil registration affords accurate demographic data and other vital information that are crucial to the government’s planning and policy decisions as wells as the delivery of such basic services as health, infrastructure, education and social services."

Because of its enormous importance, Fortun said there is a pressing need to introduce and implement a comprehensive and truly responsive civil registration system. He expressed concern over “the sad fact that our current civil registration system suffers from deficiencies and flaws that deprive individuals of their inherent right to identity and recognition as citizens, thereby denying them also of their civil rights.”

According to Fortun, estimates have it that presently the births of over 2.6 million Filipino children have not been registered, not to mention the millions of Filipino adults, including a significant number of indigenous peoples, whose births have also not been registered.

“The reasons in most of these cases have consistently been due to poverty, distance and lack of literacy,” the solon said.

Fortun likewise assailed the practice of some hospitals and similar facilities in denying the underprivileged of their fundamental right to identity. The young solon asserted that “the situation is exacerbated by some individuals and medical institutions tasked to register or facilitate registration of births but delay or refuse to do so because of unpaid financial obligation on the part of the family of the new-born child.  This is also true in the case of deaths of persons whose families could not immediately settle in full their obligation to hospitals or clinics. These are effectively deprivation of their rights by reason of poverty.”

The house bill thus provides for, among other mechanisms for comprehensive and responsive civil registration, a Barangay Civil Registration System, Free Delayed Registration Program for unregistered births due to poverty and Free Delayed Registration for Indigenous Peoples.

It also prohibits and penalizes deliberate delay or refusal to deliver certificates of live birth or certificates of death and related documents to the office of the local civil registration for reasons of failure to settle hospital bills.  “There are other ways by which a hospital, clinic or medical facility can legally seek payment from the family of the newly-born or the deceased, but not by detaining documents required in the issuance birth or death certificates,” Fortun said.

“That is utterly unjust to the less-privileged,” Fortun added.

“As civil registration is critical in the recognition and protection of the civil rights of individuals, it should be made available to every Filipino,” the Agusan solon said. (LAWig Katawhan/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


News Feature: FNRI develops sweet potato fries technology



By Jund Rian A. Doringo



MANILA, Feb. 26 (PIA) - Rootcrops are generally rich in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Starchy roots and tubers are mainly used as human food, animal feed or manufactured to produce starch and alcohol.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), root and tuber crops are a staple food and main source of calories for an estimated 700 million poor people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

The National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) in 2008 revealed that starchy roots and tubers are consumed at 17 grams daily or about two percent of the total food intake of Filipino households.

The NNS found that there is a decreasing trend in consumption of starchy roots and tubers among Filipino households from 1978 to 2008. Sweet potato is one of the commonly-consumed starchy roots and tubers in the Philippines, along with potato, taro or gabi, and cassava. Around four percent of Filipino households eat sweet potatoes regularly.

Sweet potatoes or locally known as kamote, a seasonal root crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions like the Philippines, is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium. In impoverished families in the provinces and in some parts in the metro, sweet potatoes are an important food crop for they are much easier to cultivate and more affordable than rice, hence an excellent source of energy and nutrients for the entire family.

Sweet potatoes, though often eaten as is after boiling or baking, are common ingredients in some Filipino delicacies such as sinigang or sour soup, ginataan or sweetened coconut milk dish with various root crops, jackfruit, and glutinous rice balls, and kamote-cue or sugar-coated sweet potato slices fried and skewered on thin bamboo sticks.

Seeing the potential goodness of sweet potatoes, the FNRI-DOST developed frozen, ready-to-fry sweet potato fries using food extrusion technology.

Food extrusion is a very important food processing operation. Extrusion is a process in which the food ingredient is pushed through an orifice or a die of a given shape. It mixes and shapes foods such as biscuit dough and pasta without cooking them, using cold extrusion, while producing a wide range of products such as crisp snack foods and sugar confectionery using hot extrusion.

After a series of sensory evaluation from panelists, the ready-to-cook sweet potato fries were found acceptable and safe. It contains 505 calories of energy, 1.8 grams of protein, 4.7 grams of dietary fiber, and 854 micrograms (Β΅g) of beta-carotene per 100 grams, thus a good source of vitamin A.

With appropriate packaging strategies and shelf-life studies, the ready-to-cook sweet potato fries extrusion technology can be transferred to interested small and medium businesses or local government units for their livelihood or social projects.

For more information on food and nutrition, please contact: Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of Science and Technology, Bicutan, Taguig City; trunkline: 837 2071 local 2296 or 2287; telephone/fax no.: 837 3164, email: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or mar_v_c@yahoo.com; website: http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph. (FNRI-DOST S&T Media Service/PIA-Caraga)


Solon pushes for Dairy Cow Research Center in Caraga



By Aimee B. Sienes-Sajor



AGUSAN DEL NORTE, Feb. 26 (PIA) - Representative Erlpe John M. Amante of the second district of the province is pushing for the creation of a Caraga National Dairy Cow Research Center to be housed inside the Caraga State University (CSU), Ampayon Campus in Butuan City.

Amante is lobbying for this in congress so that there will be a research facility for the raising, reproducing and milking of Dairy Cows in the said region.

The creation of this facility is in connection with the Philippines’ Dairy Road Map 2010-2016 which is projecting the rise of the local dairy industry, which will provide affordable milk and jobs to the people, and make an impact in the agricultural sector.

In a recent research, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) also projected that in 2014 there will be a demand of 98.02 million liters of ready-to-drink milk, but the existing supply is only 89.10 million liters with 59.08 Million of this is imported from other countries amounting to Three Billion and Nine Million Pesos (P3.9 B).

According to Amante, in order to achieve a sufficient supply of local milk in 2016, "we need to raise more funds for the milking herd and push for the expansion and growth of the dairy production enterprises thru research and development."

Amante added that the CSU Campus is the best place to house the facility given their expertise regarding the matter and the abundance of space in their campus. (NCLM/LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)