(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 13 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).


Monday, July 14, 2014

Gov’t IOs to share commitment with PIA on CCA Advocacy Summit

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, July 14 (PIA) – The Information Officers from different government agencies and local government units will be participating in the summit on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Mitigation advocacy initiated by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on July 16-17, 2014 at Dottie’s Place Hotel, this city.

"This summit seeks to showcase the laudable and multi-various efforts of the different line agencies, and non-government organizations on climate change adaptation and mitigation specifically and environment in general," bared PIA-Caraga regional director Abner Caga.

Caga said participants to this high-level conference play a pivotal role as immediate multipliers by cascading the information to the communities and keeping them informed about climate change that propels them to take efforts to slow its progress.

One of the highlights of the activity is the oath-taking and pledge of commitment of all the participants with Butuan Auxiliary Bishop Most Rev. Zacarias Jimenez, who will also give an inspirational message as well as lead the environmental prayer. And to give meaning to this momentous event, participants will be lighting candles while offering their personal prayers.

Caga further revealed that during the forum, all the participating information officers will also be able to express their issues and concerns, as well as insights and their suggestions on how they can further contribute as multipliers in their respective community.

“We are very optimistic that with this activity, our information officers will really take the lead in advocating climate change adaptation and mitigation in their respective areas of responsibility. With our collective efforts, we can ensure that our contributions will create real relevance in making a more adaptive community,” stressed Caga.

Said summit is anchored on the theme “Strengthening Partnership Among Communities for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga) 


Butuanons to celebrate Charter Day; to plant more trees

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, July 14 (PIA) – As pre-activity of this year’s 64th Adlaw Hong Butuan (charter day) celebration on August 2, employees from government agencies and partner stakeholders will be participating in the Tree Planting activity of the city government in the City Piggery of Barangay Taguibo on July 29, 6:00 a.m.

“It’s a weeklong affair filled with exciting festivities starting from July 27 until August 2, 2014, which includes among others, city-led activities and exhibits which highlights Butuan’s best, a float competition, artistic mass dancing parade, photo competition and the launching of the Butuan Forest Festival,” relayed Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr.

Amante added that the Tree Planting activity is to launch the Agro-Forest Educational Center, a showcase for the Butuan Vision 2020 Farm and Grow Initiatives where it will be the center for indigenous and endemic species.

Adlaw Hong Butuan is the Charter Day celebration of Butuan. On August 2, 1950, Butuan became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 523.

Said celebration is anchored on the theme, “Rooting for Butuan 20/20.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Price and poor use of fertilizers threaten PH agri sector

MANILA, July 14 (PIA) - Large discrepancies in the commercial price of fertilizers and the sub-optimal application of fertilizer of farmers are major challenges that threaten the Philippine agricultural sector.

Study author Dr. Roehlano Briones, senior research fellow of state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies, identified two significant challenges facing the sector agriculture in regards to fertilizer sector---inefficient fertilizer marketing (as seen in the large discrepancies in pricing across adjacent regions) and sub-optimal amounts of fertilizer applied by farmers.

“Across the country, there is a wide dispersion in retail prices of fertilizer,” Briones said. “The cheapest fertilizers are found in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, and Davao region,” he said.

Moreover, the most expensive fertilizers are ironically sold in the poorest regions in the country such as the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, Briones said.

Future research is needed to resolve the pricing disparities in fertilizer, Briones noted.  It would help to identify if disparities may be attributed to transaction cost differences or area-specific gaps in infrastructure and logistics, he said.

“The diminishing importance of domestic production of fertilizer is also noticeable,” Briones said. Domestic production of fertilizer was accounted for at least 70 percent of consumption from 1994 to 1996, but now the share is down to 30 percent or lower, he said.

Locally produced fertilizers are sourced from five firms, four of which are based in Luzon. These are mostly producers of smaller quantities of various common and specialty fertilizers, Briones said.

Soiltech Agricultural Products has a capacity to produce 1 million tons of fertilizers in a year and considered as the market leader in domestically produced fertilizer in Luzon, Briones said. Meanwhile, PHILPHOS, located in the Visayas, has the capacity to produce 1.17 million ton of fertilizer that distributes all over the country, he said.

“Clearly there are large scale economies at work, limiting the number of domestic manufacturers, but the market as a whole need not be an oligopoly if there is strong competition from imports,” Briones said. “Statistical analysis shows that ups and downs in the world price are efficiently transmitted to domestic markets. There is no evidence to support the hypothesis of excess profit from buying low abroad and selling high locally.”

“Imports are mostly sourced from ASEAN and other free trade partners where the import duty is zero. There is in effect free trade in fertilizers.” Briones said. “China is by far the largest source of imports of the Philippines,” he said. Moreover, domestic production depends mainly on imported raw materials such as rock phosphate, anhydrous ammonia, sulfuric acid, and other finished fertilizer grades, he added.

Briones also found that farmers continue to apply sub-optimal amounts of fertilizer both for the main nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) and for micronutrients.

Although fertilizers positively contribute to profitability of rice farming, fertilizer is being underutilized in Philippine farms compared to other ASEAN countries, Briones said. Based on the FAO FertiSTAT data (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Fertilizer Use Statistics) for 2001, fertilizer application in the country’s paddy rice areas was only 51 kilograms per hectare against Indonesia’s application at 105 kilograms per hectare.

Access to credit and risk aversion are not strong factors on the issue of sub-optimal amounts of fertilizer used in Philippine farms, Briones said.Lack of information and aversion to loss are other possible reasons. Pinning down the explanation will require evidenced-based analysis at the level of the market and the farmer,to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of the farmer’s goals, opportunities, and constraints, he said.

If you want to read the full study, you may download this link:http://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/webportal/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1414.pdf. (PIDS/PIA-Caraga)


Surigao Norte town enterprise devt projects receives GPB funding from DTI

By Ma. Theresa Z. Calang

SURIGAO CITY, July 14 (PIA) - Three enterprise development projects of the municipality of Bacuag in Surigao del Norte received funding amounting to P650,000.00 from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) process.

The check was turned over to Bacuag mayor Sheila Mae O. Cebedo by DTI-Caraga Regional Director Brielgo O. Pagaran and DTI-Surigao del Norte (DTI-SDN) Provincial Director Celestino L. Negapatan last June 26, 2014 on the occasion of the Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting at the Provincial Convention Center, this city.

The projects include the Shared Service Facility for Nipa Sugar Production of the Cabugao First Farmers Consumers Cooperative and the Shared Service Facility for Banana Processing of PayapagWomens Organization for the purchase and installation of common service equipment worth Php 250,000.00 and Php 200,000.00, respectively.

The third project Online Business Registration Hub, with project cost of Php 200,000.00, will be implemented by the municipal government in coordination with DTI-SDN to enable online business name registration right at the Business Permit Licensing Office of Bacuag.  The project aims to help local entrepreneurs save costs by no longer travelling to Surigao City just to register their business names at the DTI-SDN Provincial Office.

Mayor Cebedo expressed her heartfelt thanks to the DTI officials for the financial support which is intended to help her constituents in the municipality.  She is hopeful that with the funds released, the micro-enterprise projects beneficiaries will be able to augment their household income thereby achieving the goal on poverty reduction through the GPB process. (DTI/PIA-Caraga)


Bamboo devt project funding boost from DTI

By Ma. Theresa Z. Calang

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, July 14 (PIA) - The local government unit (LGU) of Alegria received recently P900,000.00 for a bamboo development project in the municipality under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting (GPB) funding of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

The project will be implemented in partnership with the United Farmers Association of Camp Edward (UFACE) at Barangay Budlingin.

The project is one of two projects in LGU-Alegria’s 2014 Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan (LPRAP) identified for funding by the DTI.

Considering that GPB is intended for poverty alleviation, Director Negapatan recommended to the beneficiaries that they improve the project implementation mechanism to generate significant returns in a short period of time.  He said this could be done by establishing their own bamboo nurseries where they can grow and sell planting materials to other interested bamboo growers aside from using some for their own plantation needs.

Mayor Esma is hopeful that the financial assistance extended to the farmers by the government can improve the economic condition of the farmer-beneficiaries and their families. (DTI/PIA-Caraga)


DAR bares 2014 mid-year feat in SurSur

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, July 14 (PIA) – Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Benjamin Mataksil bared the 2014 mid-year accomplishment report of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Provincial Office in Surigao del Sur.

It covers three operational areas:  Land Tenure Services (LTS), Agrarian Legal Services (ALS), and Technical Advisory Support Services (TASS).

Mataksil, as usual, has put premium on Land Acquisition and Distribution (LAD) under the LTS, which aims to achieve 3,338 hectares until the end of the year.

Under the LAD, he said that as yet only 24 percent or equivalent to 807 hectares was hit, breaking down this as follows:  749 hectares of new lands for acquisition and distribution during the current year or just equivalent to 40 percent of the 1,860-hectare target; and 58 hectares or equivalent to just four percent of the set goal of 1,478 hectares which was said to be already in the pipeline for distribution next year.

But, early this year, Mataksil assured that the target can be hit.

Meanwhile, the DAR here has posted 85 percent overall on the achievement on ALS especially on Adjudication of Agrarian Reform Cases (AARC) which refers to the execution/implementation of the no. of resolutions, decisions, and orders.

ALS involves planning and programming of legal information for effective delivery of legal services and assistance to agrarian reform beneficiaries and landowners and adjudication of agrarian reform cases.

On the other hand, the said office has also made a significant leap on particular targets for the TASS, although the data shows a lot more has still to be done.

TASS concerns with the programming and development of agrarian reform program beneficiaries, agrarian reform beneficiaries organization, and agrarian reform communities. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Tagalog News: Malakanyang kinilala ang resolusyon ng senado ng America na itaguyod ang mapayapang kasunduan ng pandagat na pagtatalo

Ni David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Hulyo 14 (PIA) - Kinilala ng Malakanyang noong Linggo ang resolusyon ng Senado ng Amerika No. 412 na nagtataguyod ng mapayapang kasunduan ng pandaigdigang teritoryo at pandagat na pagtatalo sa Rehiyon ng Asia-Pacific.

Sinabi ni Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Hermino Coloma, Jr. sa mga mamamahayag na ikinalulugod ng Palasyo ang resolusyong ito ng Senado ng Amerika.

Ang resolusyon ng Senado ng Amerika ay pinamagatang “Reaffirming the strong support of the United States Government for the Freedom of Navigation and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region and for the peaceful diplomatic resolution of outstanding rerritorial and maritime claims and disputes.”

Sinabi ni Coloma na itinala ng Palasyo ang Resolusyon ng Senado ng Amerika na lumilala sa apgsisikap ng Pilipinas na resolbahin ang hidwaan sa dagat na nasa West Philippine Sea sa mapayapang paraan.

Ang resolusyon ng Senado ng Amerika ay nagsasabing “ang Republika ng Pilipinas ay nasa wastong pagganap ng kanilang karapatan sa mapayapang paraan sa kanilang pagpaghain ng arbitration case sa ilalim ng Artikulo 287 at Artikulo VII ng Convention of the Law of the Sea para makamit ang mapayapa at matatag na solusyon sa hidwaan.”

Ang Manila at Beijing ay may matagal ng hidwaang dagat dahil sa mga isla, shoals, reefs, na nasa West Philippine Sea.

Noong Marso, ang Pilipinas ay nagsampa ng memorial sa International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) laban sa China.

“Ang resolusyong ito ay nagpapatunay ng matagal ng stratehikong alyansa sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at Estados Unidos sa ipinakitang paglagda ng dalawang bansa ng Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement kamakailan,” sabi ni Coloma. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Cebuano News: City Agriculture Office miturn-over sa bag-ong irrigation system didto sa Barangay Nabago
        
SURIGAO CITY, Hulyo 14 (PIA) – Ang buhatan sa City Agriculture mi turn-over sa bag-ong irrigation system didto sa Barangay Nabago ning syudad.

Ang maong irrigation giturn-over atol sa selebrasyon sa Bangus gipasiugdahan sa gobyerno sa syudad pinaagi na sa buhatan sa City Agriculture sa pagpangulo ni City Agriculturist Isaias Elumba, Kapitana Esmeralda Abaa, mga opisyales ug mga residente sa maong barangay.

Atol sa maong kalihokan, mipaabot sa dakong kalipay ug dakong pasalamat ang mga residente ilabi na ang mga mag-uuma sa nasampit nga barangay ngadto sa lokal nga pagamhanan sa syudad, diin dako gayod ang matabang niini sa maong irigasyon sa tubig sa ilang pag-uma sa maong nasampit nga barangay. (SDR/MICO-Surigao City/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Cebuano News: Pres. Aquino mupagawas ug pamahayag Lunes sa gabie kabahin sa kasamtangang isyu sa nasud

SURIGAO DEL SUR, Hulyo 14 (PIA) - Si Presidente Benigno S. Aquino III mopagawas og pamahayag kabahin sa kasamtangan nga nag-una nga mga isyu og hisgutan sa tibuok nasud sa telebisyon karong Lunes sa gabii.

“Nangayo ug higayon ang Presidente nga maestorya ang iyahang mga boss, diin mao kini ang mga katawhang Pilipino, aron mohatag og katin awan sa mga isyu nga kasamtangan nga giatubang sa atoang nasud," kini ang gisulti ni Presidential Communication Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. sa usa ka press briefing nga gipalanog sa sibyahan sa Radyo ng Bayan.

Sumala pa ni Coloma, lakip na niini ang isyu sa Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) nga dili pa lang dugay nga gidesisyonan sa Korte Suprema .

Kalabot niini, si Coloma midugang nga ang Malakanyang mihangyo sa Kapisanan nga mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas alang sa Presidente sa pagpa-ere sa pamahayag nga ipagawas karong Lunes, Hulyo 14 sa alas 6:00 ang takna sa sayong gabie.

Sumala pa taho, nga si Presidente Aquino mamulong sa nasud gikan sa Malakanyang.


“Tumong sa Presidente nga makighisgot sa mga katawhan, (Layunin po ng Pangulo na makipagtalakayan sa ating mga mamamayan),” sumala pa ni Coloma aron mahatagan og katin-awan ang nahisgutang isyu. (NGBT/PND/PIA-Surigao del Sur)