(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).


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

GADCC holds 1st Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – As the committee continues to address issues and concerns on gender, and promote women empowerment and gender equality in the region, the Regional Development Council - Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC) conducted the first Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly  held in one of the local convention centers here on Wednesday.

It is a two-day activity with the GAD focal persons from the different government agencies and local government units of the region. It is funded by the Agencia EspaΓ±ola de CooperaciΓ³n Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), a Spanish State Agency in charge of designing, implementing and managing development cooperation projects and programs, whether directly, with its own resources, or through collaboration with other national and international bodies and non-governmental organizations.

GADCC chair and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Caraga regional director Atty. Marylin Pintor thanked Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas for gracing the first-ever Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly, as acknowledged also by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

“Despite the hectic schedule of our beloved governor and the presence of Tropical Depression ‘Queenie’, she still took the chance to be with us today in this truly historic event for Caraga. We appreciate her efforts especially in our GAD activities like this. Thank you so much Governor Matugas for your untiring support and unconditional love for the women sector in the region,” expressed Pintor. 

Said assembly is aimed to achieve the following objectives: 1) to present the current GAD efforts and challenges in GAD mainstreaming in Caraga; 2) to level off on new developments on GAD; and 3) to identify action points to sustain GAD mainstreaming and respond to GAD challenges and issues in Caraga.

“I hope we will all enjoy while we learn from this assembly and while we enhance also our capacities as GAD focal persons of our respective agencies. Whatever will be the results of our workshops for this two-day activity will be integrated in our GAD plans and programs with the PCW. This is one of the major activities that we have planned, and we thanked AECID for funding this assembly, as well as our invited speakers from PCW for sharing with us their knowledge, and for giving us recommended actions for the different identified gender issues that we have here in our region,” shared Pintor.

The GADCC chair also bared that in the following months, a series of Information Caravan will be conducted in the different provinces of Caraga which will focus not only for women Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) empowerment but also in their access to justice system, economic empowerment especially in mining areas, and in other programs and services. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Surigao del Norte gov recognizes women IPs and their efforts

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – In time with the first Caraga Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System Assembly on Wednesday spearheaded by the Regional Development Council – Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC) held in one of the local convention centers here, Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas recognized the women Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Caraga region and highlighted its efforts in community activities.

“I don’t want to miss this historic event. I would like to congratulate Atty. Marylin Pintor for leading this activity and the Philippine Commission on Women (PWC) for coming over in Butuan from Manila despite the typhoon. This typhoon cannot hinder us to continue what we have planned to achieve today. I’d like to thank PCW chairperson Remedios Rikken who also visited our province for a week and oriented our employees in Surigao del Norte on gender sensitivity. I really appreciated her effort,” expressed Matugas.

The lady governor also emphasized that working hand in hand with all other sectors will lead us in achieving inclusive growth and development. “We should recognize women’s capacity, participation in nation-building and their contribution to their respective fields especially the women IPs. Among our challenges include creating equal opportunities for men and women especially in the workplace; challenge of strengthening partnership and convergence with other sectors; and challenge of harmonizing guidelines in the government programs and services,” she said.

Matugas further stressed that said forum will provide answers to the pressing issues on GAD in the region, as invited speakers from PCW,Agencia EspaΓ±ola de CooperaciΓ³n Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), Commission on Audit (COA), National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Budget and Management (BDM), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will discuss significant issues and concerns, as well as resolutions during the two-day event.

“I’m very glad that the RDC is so active in GAD activities. I came here because I want you to feel that this forum is so important to me. I took time to be here because I want to share my enthusiasm with the women especially the women IPs and that we can be one in the promotion of gender equality and access to different programs. We must mainstream them to this body so we can have that inclusive sense of belongingness. I also want to tell them how important they are in our community, and we will always be happy work with the different tribes in the region,” Matugas articulated.

The governor challenged the GADCC chair to be one good example of a woman leader fighting for what is best for the women sector. “I would like to challenge Atty. Pintor to stand firm and be a model leader of this committee. We also would like to inspire our local government units to be true to their local development plan including the barangay development plan, which is the focal unit of everything that we do,” she shared.

It was also learned that in Surigao del Norte, the provincial government is active on participating in the activities that promotes women safety and welfare. Gov. Matugas cited that her 20 municipalities are competing with best women centers, having state of the art design.

“I built the first women center in Surigao del Norte but I want to have a beautiful center that women including our women IPs could be proud of, where they can huddle and discuss different useful things that’s why I let the local government units to make one. I event spent P1-million per center just to achieve that purpose. The women center is an income generating center where women can make livelihood. It is big and its beauty speaks for what women really needs,” cited Matugas.

The governor also mentioned that in the implementation of its health programs, the women Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) of the province really give a lot of their efforts for the barangay and its people. Women are also being involve in other activities for empowerment.

“We are continuously recognizing the women heroes of our province – the outstanding women who continued to exert valuable efforts that also benefitted the constituents in the communities,” highlighted Matugas.

The first Caraga GAD Focal Point System Assembly is anchored on the theme “Strengthening the GAD Focal Point System in Sustaining GAD Mainstreaming in Caraga Region.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


DSWD-13 activates QRT as 'TD Queenie' makes landfall in Caraga

By Eunice G. Montaos

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 - After the public storm signal number 1 was raised in the five provinces of the region, the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga is activated today to monitor in the next 48 hours the situation of the affected areas and to gather reports from the local social workers in terms of the number of affected individuals and families due to the Tropical Depression Queenie.

DSWD-Carag regional director Minda B. Brigoli said special committees within the workforce of the Field Office are created to update and provide disaster situations and information.

“The office has already prepositioned a total of 12,000 family packs which are ready for use in the different local government units (LGUs),” bared Brigoli.

“We also have 15,972 family packs on stockpile for augmentation,” she added.

The workers in the QRT are diligently monitoring the whole region through the community-based social workers and Municipal Action Team (MAT) leaders who are closely monitoring with the local disaster risk reduction management council (DRRMC) and the municipal social welfare and development office in their respective area of assignment.

Each QRT team is composed of a team leader, statistician, support staff, information office, and driver.

According to a report from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hourly update, TD Queenie has made landfall around 6pm today in Tandag City. (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD-13/PIA-Caraga)


OA Focal Persons from Caraga Receives Recognition during the 11th NOAC

By Rhea C. Abao

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) - The 11th National Organic Agriculture Congress was celebrated last November 11-13, 2014 at SMX Convention Center, Lanang, Davao City.

This was once again to gather and unite the various stakeholders and Organic Agriculture advocates in the country. An event filled with knowledge sharing, skills enhancement and marketing opportunities for the organic farmers at the same time promoting the National Organic Agriculture Program.

Among the 2,000 participants of the congress were 150 delegates from Caraga region headed by Department of Agriculture (DA) 13 Regional Director Edna M. Mabeza.
This comprised the active organic farmer practitioners, performer organic agriculture focal persons from the local government units, representatives from ATI, BFAR and other line agencies in the region who are partners in the implementation of the program.

One of the highlights during the event was the awarding ceremony of the winners for the 2014 National Organic Agriculture Achievers Award (NOAAA) where two Organic Agriculture Focal Persons from Caraga were awardees.

Alfred A. Gimang from Trento, Agusan del Sur was adjudged as the 2014 Outstanding Municipal Organic Agriculture Focal Person nationwide and received a plaque of recognition and a cash award worth P40,000.

Rosemarie M. Ganate from the Province of Agusan del Sur also recognized as the 2014 Outstanding Provincial OA Focal Person in the country and received a plaque of recognition and a cash award worth P 50,000. After a thorough national evaluation, the two stood out among other contenders in the country by winning the competition due to their exemplary performance in the implementation of the program.

The said competition was open to all Local Government Units (LGUs) Focal Persons, AEWs and small farmers with exemplary contribution and unwavering support towards the implementation of RA 10068 and the achievement of the National Organic Agriculture Program’s vision.

During the event, Secretary Proceso J. Alcala encouraged the organic advocates to push and strongly promote Organic Agriculture.  This is with the strong support of Senator Cynthia A. Villar, Senate Committee Chair on Agriculture and Food on the proposal to allocate budget for acquisition of machineries for organic agriculture production. This will help organic practitioners to be more competitive to other countries.

Simultaneously, the second Philippine Natural and Organic Product Expo of the country’s best organic product were also showcased outside the plenary hall by which Caraga also made a display of the organic agriculture products from the region. Among the products exhibited were the organic black rice of Agus-pinoy Inc. of Agusan del Sur, organic white rice of RTR, Agusan del Norte, and the organic Coco Palma Sugar in Afga, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.

The event also gave way to different experts from different fields like organic and natural farming, sustainable agriculture, tourism, local and international policies, research and more, to extend their knowledge to the participants of the Congress.  On the last day of the event was the organic farm tour where participants were given the opportunity to visit and witness the best practices of Davao region in the field of organic farming. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)


DepEd Butuan holds year-end review, crafting of AIP

By Dr. Jonas H. Jomonong

BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 26 (PIA) – Dr. Donald D. Orbillos, Education Program Supervisor-I in Mathematics and Division School-based Management (SBM) Coordinator clearly emphasized that a plan without action is merely a dream and action without plan merely passes by during the conduct of the Division AIP Year-End Review and Crafting of the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) for CY 2015 held in one of the convention centers here on November 21for cluster 1 and November 24 for cluster 2.

The said activity aims to continuously strengthen SBM practices by all schools as its major key reform thrust as the foundation in sustaining the reforms under the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) in pursuant of quality education for all.

Dr. Alejandro P. Macadatar, Principal-II of Obrero Elementary School started his talk by stressing on the golden rule that says, “Failing to plan is planning to fail” which is very true in the sense that if schools want to achieve their vision, mission, goals and objectives, they must start it with careful planning.

Dr. Macadatar then presented a sample monitoring and evaluation (M and E) tool to the participants and gave emphasis on the additional data needed which is the “Balance” and in return, the participants were given ample time to make their output and samples of it were presented to the group.

Furthermore, Dr Orbillos stressed that in the crafting of AIP for CY 2015, uniform format must be used by all schools.  He also said that all activities to be included in the said AIP must be quantifiable and deliverables must be very specific in order to really target the desired outcomes that have to be valued by the schools.

On the other hand, Melba Y. Galgoles, district supervisor of Central Butuan District I asked as to the roles of the district supervisors on the said training.  Dr. Orbillos addressed the said question stressing that the district supervisors play a very critical role by monitoring in the implementation of the different programs, projects and activities (PPAs) as stated in the AIP.

“To ensure that the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and AIP are collaboratively done by the school planning team (SPT), each school must conduct a two/three-day school-based year-end review of the AIP,” Dr. Orbillos said.

The said activity was actively participated by the school heads in both elementary and secondary as well as district supervisors of each district.  It is hoped then that each school could craft and submit AIP for CY 2015 on or before the deadline set as agreed by the participants. (DepEd Butuan City Division/PIA-Agusan del Norte)