(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.


Thursday, November 6, 2014

DA chief to turn-over P50M fish port project in SurSur town

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) – Agriculture Secretary Proseso Alcala is set to turn-over on Friday the almost P50 million municipal fish port project for Barobo town in the second District of Surigao del Sur, 105 kilometers south of this city.

According to Marcos Quico, provincial agriculturist here, the occasion will start with the cutting of the ribbon at around 8:00 a.m. in Barangay Wakat, where the project is located.

High ranking officials of the province headed by Governor Johnny Pimentel, second District Congressman Florencio Garay and municipal officials led by Mayor Felixberto Urbiztondo as well as all barangay captains of the recipient town are expected to attend the event, including Carrascal Mayor Vicente Pimentel, Jr., president of the league of municipalities here.

Likewise, Director Asis Perez of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), General Manager Eduardo Chu of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) and officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Caraga region headed by regional director Edna Mabeza, as well as BFAR Caraga regional director Nerio Casil are said to accompany Sec. Alcala, based on the official program.

After the turn-over of the project through the symbolic key, Alcala is expected to share the “challenges” of the project, to be followed shortly by the acceptance message of Mayor Urbiztondo.

Gov. Pimentel will also give his inspirational message to be followed by short messages from BFAR director Perez, DA regional director Mabeza, BFAR regional director Casil, and second District Cong. Garay.

It was also learned that the Farmers and Fisherfolks' Forum is going to seal the affair after lunchtime.

Meanwhile, Casil said that the fish port project costing about P50 million, including the five-tonner ice plant and cold storage aims to serve the fishing industry in the province and is also expected to generate more taxes for the government. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)


DA-13 conducts 'Be RICEponsible' campaign

By Rhea Abao

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) - In its vision to a rice sufficient nation by year 2016 and beyond, the Department of Agriculture saw the need for continuous campaign to bring awareness in the minds and hearts of the people the value of being a responsible rice consumer.  Thus, the Be RICEponsible Campaign was created through the conduct of several information and advocacy undertakings.

Last year, the campaign on National Year of Rice (NYR) has gained positive response in the national and regional stakeholders. In Caraga Region, information campaigns were done in partnership with the Local Government Units and the Department of Education. Provincial and local LGUs had promulgated into resolutions the support to responsible rice consumption while schools had pledged its support to avoid rice wastage in their homes and schools.

The Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 13 intensified its campaign to bring the feasible and practical strategies for the social mobilization of its advocacy. Be RICEponsible Short Film and Radio Drama Contest was carried out to further boosts the department’s campaign, an initiative only done in Caraga.

Tapping the medium of short film making is a new and innovative way to deliver important messages and aspirations. Moreover, it is also a way of encouraging the youth to take part in the Be RICEponsible campaign and rouse interest among secondary schools region-wide. Through their participation, youth will become our allies in reaching their families and relatives thereby creating a ripple effect in information dissemination.

The department also encouraged the involvement of every student through the medium of radio. It may be the oldest form of communication channel but its power to bring information to the masses has never been outdated.  Likewise, radio drama has remained one of the most followed radio programs in rural communities.

To involve high school students in the production of this kind of media does not only pave the way for awareness in their respective schools but each output can be used as materials for info dissemination.

Sixteen private and public high schools within the region positively responded to the Be RICEponsible Short Film and Radio Drama Contest. The top entries of short film and radio drama will be announced on November 28, 2014.

DA encouraged the youth to get involve and draw interest on agriculture to help build a stronger and rice sufficient nation.  (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)


POPCOM conducts regional POPDEV Summit

By May Ann O. Escobal

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 6 (PIA) - The Commission on Population (POPCOM) will celebrate Population and Development (POPDEV) Week on November 23-29, with this year’s theme: “Bigyang Halaga and Bawat Pinoy sa Pag-unlad… Ngayon at Bukas!” (Making Every Filipino Matter in Sustainable Development). 

The celebration of the POPDEV Week will be highlighted by the conduct of a Regional POPDEV Summit on November 28 here to be attended by various stakeholders in the region. The said gathering is a strategic program initiative that would help in addressing perennial population, health and environment issues.

The Regional Festival of Talents on November 25 at Tandag City will also add color to the festivities, particularly on the call for the young people to join the campaign.

The celebration highlights the need to include and count the welfare of each Filipino in sustainable development. It calls for the explicit consideration of the well-being of each Filipino in any development initiatives and to ensure that each one is provided with quality life in a sustainable manner.

POPCOM Caraga Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano stressed the significance of POPDEV Week for it is celebrated to drumbeat and to emphasize the interrelationships of population issues and development. Makinano further emphasized that such event is used to raise the awareness and appreciation and draw policy and program responses from various stakeholders on these population and development issues.

POPCOM official disclosed that for 2014, the celebration of the POPDEV Week will follow through the public discussion of the implications of reaching the 100 million mark for the country’s population.


Makinano also revealed that with the media mileage this event has gained since its launching on July 27, 2014 through the search for the 100 Millionth Pinoy, the discussion of its implications to policy and program contexts needs to be sustained in order to translate the issue towards key responsive actions. (POPCOM-13/PIA-Caraga)