(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 11 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, November 17, 2014

PopCom to hold Regl Population & Devt Summit

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) –The Commission on Population (PopCom) Caraga will be holding the Regional Population and Development Summit on November 28, 2014 at Goat2Geder Hotel and Restaurant, this city.

Said activity is also in time with the Population and Development Week celebration on November 23-29, 2014.

“Highlights of the summit are the paper presentation by experts and the presentation of the local government units’ good practices,” bared PopCom-Caraga regional director Alexander Makinano.

The summit is anchored on the theme “Bigyang Halaga ang Bawat Pinoy sa Pag-unlad… Ngayon at Bukas!” (Making Every Filipino Matter in Sustainable Development) which calls for the explicit consideration of the wellbeing of each Filipino in any development initiatives. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


PopCom, RDC-GADCC celebrate Int’l Men’s Day

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) – The Commission on Population (PopCom) Caraga, in coordination with the Regional Development Council – Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC) is spearheading the celebration of the International Men’s Day (IMD) on November 19, 2014 at LJ Mega Convention Hall, this city.

“The celebration opens up a new horizon not only for PopCom, regional line agencies and local government units but specifically men as well who are advocates of Men’s Involvement in Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning,” bared PopCom-Caraga regional director Alexander Makinano.

Makinano added that central to the celebration is highlighting men’s crucial coopeation in promoting gender and development and family welfare.

International Men's Day (IMD) is an annual international event celebrated on November 19. Inaugurated in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago, the day and its events find support from a variety of individuals and groups in Australia, the Caribbean, North America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

The objectives of celebrating an International Men's Day include focusing on men's and boys' health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. It is an occasion to highlight discrimination against men and boys and to celebrate their achievements and contributions, in particular for their contributions to community, family, marriage, and child care. The broader and ultimate aim of the event is to promote basic humanitarian values. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Agnor acquires lot for housing relocation

By Aimee B. Sienes

AGUSAN DEL NORTE, Nov. 17 (PIA) - Provincial Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba pushed for the acquisition of a more or less 21,642 square meter lot located at Barangay Libas, Jabonga, this province.

Said lot will be used as housing relocation site in the area.

She requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for an authority for her to sign in behalf of the province of Agusan del Norte the Extra-Judicial Partition With Sale of the Intestate Estate of Feliciana Morta Vda. De Monteclaro with her respective heirs concerning a parcel of agricultural land for the housing project and other appurtenant documents.

The Provincial Appraisal Committee through its Resolution No. 03-2014 adopted the price offered by the heirs at P41.58 per square meter amounting to P900,000.00 as it is much lower than the prevailing price in the locality.

The said property was already inspected by both the Provincial Appraisal Committee and the National Housing Authority.

Governor Amante-Matba ensured that the funding for the acquisition of said lot is already appropriated in the province’s 5% Calamity Fund, CY 2014 due to the necessity of a relocation site for families affected by calamity.

Having considered all the basic documentary requirements from the Provincial Assessor’s Office and other concerned agencies being complied with and since the proposed relocation site is in line with the basic services development program of the province on housing and resettlement, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan through Sanggunian Resolution No. 233-2014 authorized Governor Amante-Matba to sign for and in behalf of the province the said documents related to the lot purchase as provided for in Section 465 (b) (1) (vi) of the Local Government Code of 1991. (LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


SurSur holds 1st Provincial Tourism Stakeholders Summit

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) – A two-day 1st Provincial Tourism Stakeholders Summit in Surigao del Sur was held on November 11-12, 2014 at the Villa Maria Luisa (VML) Hotel in Tandag City.
Organized and spearheaded by the Provincial Tourism Office with its newly appointed Supervising Tourism Operations Officer (STOO) Nicolas Sonsona, the entire duration of the event was said to be a success, citing the overwhelming number of participants who registered

During the opening ceremony at 1:00 p.m., all tourism council chairs and tourism officers province-wide have made their presence felt by joining in the parade entrance conducted; followed shortly by the messages of Tandag City Mayor Roxanne Pimentel and Governor Johnny Pimentel; then, capped by the Keynote Speech by Department of Tourism (DA) Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato, Jr. of the Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation.

Relevant topics were thoroughly discussed through the respective resource speakers as set, Sonsona confirmed.

For the opening day, topics as to The Importance of Tourism Cluster Planning by Engr. Emmanuel Gidacan of NEDA XIII; Tourism Infrastructure by Engr. Nester Dumalanta of TIEZA; Product Development by Prof. Bienvenido Claravall of Asian Institute of Tourism of the University of the Philippines (UP-Diliman); and Best Practices of Tour Operators/Tour Guides by Jovito Danilo of Company Nazareno, Professional Tour Guide of Bohol elicited reactions during the open forum.

The following day, related topics were also discussed:  Financial Management by Ramon Mondano, municipal mayor of Mainit, Surigao del Norte; Tourism Council by Richard Nick Amores, chairperson of the Caraga Regional Tourism Council Federation, Inc. (CRTCFI); Importance of Local Laws & Legislation for Tourism by Kevin Jay Hinaloc, political officer II of the House of Representatives under office of Cong. Eripe John Amante; and the Peace and Order in Surigao del Sur by Acting Provincial Director P/SSupt. Narciso Verdadero.

Distribution of certificates and tokens highlighted the events every end of the day, the tourism officer added. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Dinagat PDRRMO intensifies campaign on disaster management, climate change adaptation

By Ma. Jane Mayola

SAN JOSE-Dinagat Islands, Nov. 17 (PIA) - The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Dinagat Islands conducted recently the clustered Disaster Preparedness & Response Capability Building Program to all teachers of the province.

According to PDRRMO officer Rosario “Inday” Roxas, the activity was held in order to provide the educator participants with enough knowledge about the various areas on Disaster Risk Reduction Management – Climate Change Adaptation (CDRRM-CCA)  which are essential in mainstreaming to the education sector.

Roxas said that based on the rationale of the activity, the Department of Education (DepEd) has the apparent responsibility in terms of advocacy to promote more understanding on DRRM-CCA.

She further said that components on structural, functional, and pedagogical aspects of an education system are important to align with DRRM.

Specific objects of the event were to put DRRM-CCA into mainstream, institutionalize early warning system, awareness on DepEd Standard Specification for Safety Schools, organizing the school emergency management stucture in each school province-wide, develop building emergency evacuation plan, and other DRRM-CCA measures, she added. (SDR/PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)


Agusan solon opens sizeable infra projects, bares more to come for the district

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) - A number of infrastructure projects for the first district of Agusan del Norte have been completed, and are now open for public use, that include Road Construction at Barangay Golden Ribbon; Construction of Barangay Road at Brgy. Imadejas; Completion of Multi-Purpose Building at Barangay Fort Poyohon; and Construction of Multi-Purpose Building for Butuan City Social Welfare and Development, all in this city.

Funding for the said infrastructure projects was pushed for by first district of Agusan del Norte Representative Lawrence Fortun and was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways – Butuan City District Engineering Office.

After a series of turn-over and ribbon-cutting ceremonies conducted first week of November, the said infrastructure undertakings are now open to the public.

Mindful of the critical importance that efficient infrastructure could offer to boost economic development, the solon took initiative of pushing for the funding and implementation of these infrastructure projects.

Earlier this year, Fortun bared to have successfully lobbied from the national government a sizeable amount of more than P700 million infrastructure projects for the district this year.

Rep. Fortun also bares the construction of additional infra projects scheduled to be completed within the year.

Now on the pipeline, Fortun led the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a pedestrian overpass to Caraga State University, Barangay Ampayon, Butuan City – a most welcomed project considering the risk to safety and security of students crossing the national highway. (LAWig Katawhan/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


Agusan Norte farmers’ Cooperative & Farmer-Beneficiary cited in Land Bank’s Gawad Pitak 2014

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) - The Baug CARP Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BCBMPC) in Agusan del Norte bagged the 24th annual Ginintuang Gawad sa Pinakatanging Kooperatiba Award (Gawad Pitak 2014) of the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) under the agri-based category during the celebration of the bank’s 51st Founding Anniversary at the Land Bank Plaza, Malate, Manila.

Ruben M. Ragas of Sanghan Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in Agusan del Norte romped away with the honor of 1st runner-up under Ulirang Magsasaka category for his exemplary contribution to community development and in diversified farming system that promotes environmental protection.

Luxmie B. Auxillo, BCBMPC general manager and also an agrarian reform beneficiary, said that the award is the most prestigious award the BCBMPC has so far received from any award-giving bodies. For its feat, the cooperative won P1 million worth of fixed assets.

“This is another year of spectacular achievements for BCBMPC. Last year, the coop was conferred with the Hall of Fame award under the agri-based category where it won P100,000 worth of fixed assets,” Luxmie added.

After a decade of spectacular growth, Luxmie said, the coop has grown exponentially and illuminate the lives of its members particularly the need of agrarian reform beneficiaries in Agusan del Norte to earn a living that creates a positive impact in the community.

BCBMPC is purely managed by ARB farmers. It operates in different municipalities in Agusan del Norte and extends it services in some areas in the Caraga Region. (DAR/PIA-Caraga)


DTI plans another round of “surprise inspection” for electrical products

By Greg Taataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Nov. 17 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Surigao del Sur headed by Acting Provincial Director Romel Oribe is set on conducting another round of inspection for business establishments selling Christmas lights, in particular.

However, Manny Disca, chief of DTI Consumer Welfare Division stressed that, as usual, this is going to be made “unannounced” so as to “catch by surprise” concerned retailers.

The DTI official admitted that they came back empty-handed during the first surprise inspection done the last week of October, this year, but expressed satisfaction that business establishments here seemed to have already learned their lessons.

“Last year, about eight sacks of sub-standard Christmas lights were confiscated,” Disca recalled.

In such operation, DTI is very particular about looking for ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) marks, instead of Product Standard (PS) stickers, since goods of this kind normally are imported.  

Moreover, Disca said that their office has also issued a warning against possible violators, stressing that they mean what they say.


He likewise said that they have come out with the list of products earlier that are certified to have passed quality inspection. (NGBT, PIA-Surigao del Sur/Radyo ng Bayan Tandag)