(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, August 10, 2015

PopCom Caraga awards LGUs, local execs

By Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 10 (PIA) – The Commission on Population (PopCom) Caraga recently awarded exemplary local government units, local chief executives and institutions that have contributed in the field of population and development in the region.

Dubbed as Rafael M. Salas Population and Development Award (RMSPDA), which was designed to perpetuate the legacy of Salas, the recognition also aims to heighten support and participation among government, non-government officials, individuals, or institutions in the implementation of the population management program.

The ceremonial recognition honored Butuan City for RMSPDA: city category and the municipality of Cantilan, Surigao del Sur for RMSPDA: municipality category for their active implementations of the mentioned programs.

Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. with other City PopCom officers and Cantilan municipal health officer Dr. Tomas Cruiz with health officers received a plaque of recognition and a P50,000 check awarded by PopCom regional director Alexander Makinano and DOH regional director Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr.

Both LGU executives thanked the PopCom for acknowledging their efforts in population and development. They also promised that they will do better to make their constituents happy and to be inspiration to other LGUs to strive more in program implementations.

Furthermore, the winning LGU representatives signed a memorandum of agreement with Dir. Makinano witnessed by Dir. Llacuna for further implementation of population, health management and development programs in their respective areas. (DJA/PIA-Caraga)


SurSur DAR to hold Farmers’ Forum, presscon

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Aug. 10 (PIA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform Provincial Office (DARPO) here is set to hold a Farmers’ Forum and Press Conference on August 12, 2015 at 8:00 a.m. at Schacene Pension House and Restaurant, this city.

According to Benjamin Mataksil, provincial agrarian reform program officer II (PARPO II), accomplishments and milestones for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) in the province are going to be the main agenda.

Meanwhile, Myra Yu, DAR public information officer (PIO) bared the launching of a new Agrarian Reform Community (ARC) in Bislig City recently.

Called SASAMASA ARC, named after four barangays it covers—San Vicente, Sta. Cruz, Maharlika, and San Roque—the said ARC has 248 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), who will stand to gain from the development undertaking worth P414 million in various proposed project, she said. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Caraga RDC to formulate unified regional research agenda

By Sherwin E. Verdun

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 10 (PIA) - The Caraga Regional Development Council (RDC) is set to formulate a regional research agenda aimed at generating knowledge support needed to attain the region's goal of becoming the FAME (fishery, agro-forestry, mineral, eco-tourism) Center of the country.

The objectives of the endeavor are to provide a framework for developing research agenda; identify knowledge gaps; determine specific research topics; identify research institutions, collaborators, and funding institutions. Further, the Caraga RDC recognizes the challenges that will result from ASEAN integration that may require research for informed decision-making.

The research agenda will be organized as a framework of two broad streams as follows: FAME research agenda (broad research topics in fishery, agro-forestry, mineral, eco-tourism); and support research agenda (broad research topics that covers the macro-economy, good governance, human development, and peace and order).

To prepare the unified regional research agenda, all regional line agencies (including attached agencies and government owned and controlled corporations), academe (government and private higher education institutions), local government units (provincial and city), and research consortia in the region will formulate their own research agenda. NEDA-Caraga, as secretariat, will then integrate all research agenda into a publication available for consumption of all stakeholders.

The research agenda will cover broad scale research activities in the following areas: Assessment of problems; Assessment of causes; Evaluation of solutions (programs); Program or project review; and Policy Review.

The research problems that will be identified must correspond to the goals of the Regional Development Plan and can be addressed through government intervention. It should also be suitable for empirical analysis and should lead to potential policy initiatives. (NEDA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


NIA administrator visits two major projects in Caraga

By Jane B. Huqueriza

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 10 (PIA) – National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Engr. Florencio F. Padernal recently visited two major projects in the region.

Padernal along with Administrative Department Manager Atty. Ailyne C. Agtuca-Selda and Acting NIA-Caraga Regional Manager C’zar M. Sulaik visited Kitcharao Small Reservoir Irrigation Project (KSRIP) - a P495 million project, which was programmed to restore 261.90 hectares to five Communal Irrigation Systems and irrigate 218.52 hectares new area to benefit 280 farmers of the five barangays of the municipality, the first of its kind in NIA-Caraga. Mamkas River is the main source of water, it was learned.

Aside from providing irrigation water, the project is projected to boost tourism in the locality. Administrator Padernal, in speaking to the Irrigators Association (IA) leaders, emphasized that “We should avoid cutting of trees to protect the environment and maintain watershed in the area.”

The leaders expressed their gratitude to him for making their dream come true. KSRIP is scheduled to be inaugurated in September of this year, according to the resident engineer, Engr. LuisitoL. CadeliΕ„a.

The group also proceeded to Umayam River Irrigation Project (URIP) in the municipality of Loreto in Agusan del Sur, where they were welcomed by Project Manager Gregorio Y. Fang, Jr.

The administrator wanted to see that the agreed commitments of the contractor during the Administrator’s visit last March 4, 2015 have been implemented. The 1.4B project targets to irrigate 6,729 hectares to provide sustainable development and increase agricultural production to 2,125 farming household.  URIP draws water from Umayam River where the dam is located at Brgy. Waloe in Loreto.

The administrator’s series of visit in URIP indicates that the project was closely monitored to make sure that only quality services will be given to its beneficiaries.

The group also visited Mayor Dario Otaza of Loreto and informed him of the status of the on-going project. The group was overwhelmed by the support given by the LGU as they provide security in the project site to ensure the safety in the area. Mayor Otaza said that “He will give 100 percent support to the project as it will benefit his constituents and improve their living condition.”

The on-site visit is a gesture that shows the seriousness of the management to fulfill its objective to deliver the kind of services the agency envisions for the country’s development especially to the agriculture sector. (NIA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


Private sector partners commit mentoring time at Negosyo Center in Surigao City

SURIGAO CITY, Aug. 10 (PIA) - The chair of the Surigao del Norte Provincial Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council (MSMEDC) said she and the other members are volunteering to be mentors and consellors at the Negosyo Center (NC) here.

The commitment was the highlight of MSMEDC chair and Surigao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Concepcion Paqueo’s  message on the occasion of the blessing and launching last July 23 of the second Negosyo Center in the province of Surigao del Norte.

Paqueo also asked other private sector partners to help and lend their support.

The center is located beside the Department of Trade and Industry Surigao del Norte Provincial (DTI-SdN) Office at the Simtoco Business Center.

DTI-SdN provincial director Celestino Negapatan clarified that the NC is not DTI.  “We are just the secretariat of the MSMED Council which is steering the operations of the Negsoyo Center.”

The approach according to Negapatan is to support aggressively the start-ups because they can provide more job opportunities.  Existing enterprises, he added will be assisted to address the need for sustainability.

The local government unit representatives extended their congratulations and well wishes to all stakeholders.

Surigao City Vice Mayor Danilo C.  Menor who represented City Mayor Ernesto T. Matugas said the city government is supporting fully the Negosyo Center.  In fact, the 2016 proposed Negosyo Center bottom-up budgeting (BuB) proposed funding may be used to actualized this support.

Edwin Ausa, Assistant Department Head of the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development & Management Office (PEEDMO) who represented Provincial Governor Sol F. Matugas echoed the city’s backing of the center.  PEEDMO is also running the Negosyo Center-Surigao del Norte located at the provincial capitol complex.  It was inaugurated on May 15 with the presence of the Go Negosyo Act or Republic Act 10644 author Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.  Ausa said that he is sure the new center is also going to “serve (the public)  beyond the usual.”

DTI-Caraga regional director Brielgo Pagaran, in his message read by the Regional NC Coordinator Brenda Corvera thanked the local DTI and the MSMED Council for their efforts to give the region its 5th Negosyo Center.

The region is committing to establish eight NCs for 2015.  With the recent launching, accomplishment is already 63 percent with still five months away from the end of the year.  He, however emphasized that “we can only say mission accomplished when the aims of the Negosyo Center are pursued and achieved, i.e., when our clients are provided facilitation and assistance in business registration, financing, business mentorship, market placements and other demanded services."

Pagaran is also banking on the synergies that will come from the coordination and collaboration arrangements that will be firmed up with the two centers located in the city for the benefit of Surigao del Norte and Surigao City’s micro small and medium enterprises.

The launching was also attended by members of the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MSMEs, representatives from the academe and national government agencies. (DTI-13/PIA-Caraga)


DAR Surigao Norte personnel undergo 2-day risk management seminar

By Daryll M. Tumbaga

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Aug. 10 (PIA) - The provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform in Surigao del Norte (DAR-SdN) conducted recently a two-day seminar with drill exercise on Risk Reduction Management to its 50 office-based personnel held on July 29-30, 2015 at the provincial office here.

The said activity was aimed to prepare its personnel in times of disasters as it joins the entire country in the observance of Disaster Consciousness Month.

The expertise on disaster risk management of SFO1 Jimson E. Esnardo of the Bureau of Fire Protection Surigao City and Leonardo C. Go of Surigao City Environment and Natural Resources Office was tapped to discuss and present to the participants the risk of the disasters and how to manage those disasters.

The discussions on the two-day seminar were focused on natural and man-made calamities like earthquake, fire, typhoon, flood and bio-chemical outbreaks.

Upon conclusion of the two-day seminar, the participants underwent the earthquake and fire drills.

Some participants also performed fire control of an LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) tank on fire by manually turning off the tank regulator and with the use of a fire extinguisher.

The participants were grateful that they gained additional knowledge in disaster management like the “duck-cover-hold” response technique during earthquake. (SDR/DAR-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)