(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, June 4, 2015

DAR hands land titles to 113 farmers

By Joie L. Ceballos

BUTUAN CITY, June 4 (PIA)  - A total of 113 farmers from Loreto, Agusan del Sur received land titles from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) covering 189 hectares during the Peace Caravan last May 28-29, 2015.

The area covers five barangays namely, Binucayan, Johnson, San Mariano, Sta. Teresa, and Sto. Tomas, all of Loreto, Agusan del Sur.

DAR Caraga regional director Julita Ragandang, asst. regional director Daylinda Narisma and provincial agrarian reform officer II Paysal Tumog led the distribution.

Ragandang, in her message, reminded the beneficiaries to cultivate and maximize the potential of the awarded lands as not everybody are opportune and privileged to own one.

Anselma Bulibuli, recipient of a land award said that she is very thankful to DAR because she has been dreaming of this time. "I am now very secure that the land i am cultivating is really mine," she added.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP)-led caravan was attended and participated by various national agencies, the local government of Agusan del Sur and other non-government organizations. (DAR-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


DOST Caraga releases P1.8M to del Rosario Rice Mill

BUTUAN CITY, June 4 (PIA) - The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga intensified the Innovation System Support (ISS) under its flagship program, Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) in the region.

One of its beneficiaries was Del Rosario Rice Mill which received P1.8M for the procurement of equipment and fabricated parts for the construction of a multi-pass rice milling facility. From the use of a single pass rice mill with a capacity of 10 sacks per hour, the firm was able to upgrade its rice mill facility which undergoes a multi-stage process wherein rice passes through different operations and machines producing whole white rice kernels that are free of impurities.

The installation and test run of equipment was completed last February 27, 2015 in its site at Pongtud, Alegria, Surigao del Norte.

On its first month of operation with the S&T intervention, Del Rosario’s milling capacity increased by 35 to 40 sacks per hour. It generated over P756,000.00 in revenue, created seven jobs, increased clients by 50 percent, and was able to serve wider market.

Aside from provision of equipment, the firm also gained consultancy services through Manufacturing Productivity Extension (MPEX) Program.

Del Rosario Rice Mill, owned and managed by Ritchie M. Del Rosario, is the first rice milling firm in the province able to innovate its system through SETUP – ISS.

Del Rosario, in his testimony, expressed his gratitude to the department and inspired other firms, “To my fellow entrepreneurs, let us continue to learn and open for new technologies. After me, it will be your time to boost your productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

SETUP is the core program of DOST which provides technology interventions to upgrade business ventures engaged to production and manufacturing of goods. It includes provision of the cost of equipment which is collateral-free, zero interest and proposal driven funding by the department. (MGSabuero, DOST-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


DTI Surigao Norte distributes weighing scales

By Rodrigo R. Matabaran

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, June 4 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here distributed recently a total of 19 weighing scales under the "Timbangan ng Bayan" project.

The weighing scales are intended to be placed at the public market for the use of the consumers that will be buying various products such as fish, vegetable and other food and non-food commodities.

It is the purpose of the project that consumers should be able to get the best value of their money as they go through purchasing transactions. To be sure of its accuracy, the following scales are duly calibrated by a government authorized testing laboratory.

The following municipalities that have received the weighing scales to be placed at their public market are San Francisco, Malimono, Sison, Tagana-an, Mainit, Alegria, Placer, Bacuag, Gigaquit and Claver. Municipalities with more than one public market outside of their poblacion such as Claver, Mainit and Placer have received four units each while the rest of the mainland municipalities received one unit each.

Mainland local government units (LGUs) that have not submitted the required Memorandum of Agreement regarding the custody and maintenance of the weighing scales are still to receive their respective units.

The succeeding periodic recalibration of the weighing scales has to be done by the LGUs to ensure its accuracy as what is required in the MOA.

DTI provincial director Celestino Negapatan encouraged the buying public to use the weighing scales available at their respective public market. (SDR/DTI-Surigao del Norte/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Tourism industry continues to level up in SurSur

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, June 4 (PIA) – The tourism industry in Surigao del Sur has continued to make waves, according to the Provincial Tourism Office here whose top official, Nicolas Sonsona, has already opted to avail of early retirement effective this month of June.

Governor Johnny Pimentel has yet to fill the void, it was learned.

Meanwhile, Caridad Rosina Ronquillo, tourism operations officer II, has shown concrete data on tourist arrivals and excursionists.

Posting tourist arrival at 45,691 in 2013, it has gone up to 69,566 or an increase of 36.38 percent in 2014, she remarked.

Likewise, excursionists in attraction sites were recorded at 291,957 in 2013, while in 2014, figures went up to 398,190 or an increase of 52.25 percent, Ronquillo added.

She indicated that tourism industry is expected to keep on going much better.

On that note, the tourism officer cited a lot of “groundwork” being done contributory to image building since the start of this year.

Ronquillo made mention of Caraga Tourism Development Planning Convergence held at Mainit Kasili Lakeside Resort in Surigao del Norte on January 29-30 where the tourism development plan of Surigao del Sur was presented and discussed; Tourism Officer’s Meeting held at Bayugan Gymnasium in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur; Solid Waste Management Communication Plan in the tourism sector held at Prince Hotel, Butuan City; and other important undertakings.

Also, the tourism office here has initiated the holding of Basic Customer Service Training for resort owners and staff, including tricycle drivers and boatmen on March 6-7 in Britania, San Agustin town; hosted a joint meeting with Provincial Tourism Council Officers and Municipal Tourism Officers and Designates; and, conducted an Inventory of Tourism Enterprises like gasoline stations, cell sites, and internet shops.

Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig City, Enchanted River in Hinatuan, and Britania Islands in San Agustin, among others, are the most prominent tourism sites in the entire province. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)