(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, August 6, 2015

PSA AgNor briefs stakeholders on PopCen 2015

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 6 (PIA) – The Agusan del Norte Provincial Office of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) headed by interim provincial statistics officer Reynelo Magno launched on Thursday the 2015 Population Census (PopCen) with a press conference held at the Patria's Inn, this city.

According to interim provincial statistics officer Magno, the PopCen 2015 aims to provide government executives, policy and decision makers, and planners with population data, especially updated population counts of all barangays in the country, on which to base their social and economic development plans, policies, and programs.

"The authority and mandate of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to conduct the Population Census (PopCen) 2015 emanates from Republic Act No. 10625 and Executive Order No. 352," Magno cited.

He also bared that the uses of Census of Population data encompass all sectors. Among the important uses of the data from this census are the following: In government, business and industry, research and academic institutions.

It was learned that the listing and enumeration for the PopCen 2015 will last for about 25 working days (including Saturdays and holidays), from August 1 to 31, 2015.

There are three types of questionnaires to be used in this census: the Household Questionnaire (CP Form 2), the Institutional Population Questionnaire (CP Form 4), and the Barangay Schedule (CP Form 5).

"The respondent for CP Form 2 shall be the head of the household or his/her spouse, or any responsible member of the household who can provide accurate answers to the questions or who can give correct information for the household and all its members. For CP Form 4, the respondent/s shall be the manager, administrator or the individual members of the institution or institutional living quarter. The Punong Barangay or any incumbent barangay official, meanwhile, shall be the respondent for CP Form 5," said Magno.

For this year’s census, there are a total of 2,770 number of enumerators, team supervisors, census areas supervisors, head of census areas supervisors and supervisors for PopCen 2015 in Caraga region.

“All personnel involved in the Census of Population 2015 are required to keep in strict confidence any information obtained during the census that pertains to any particular household or person,” stressed Magno.

Magno further reiterated that Section 27 of Republic Act No. 10625 states that respondents of primary data collection activities such as censuses and sample surveys are obliged to give truthful and complete answers to statistical inquiries. The gathering, consolidation, and analysis of such data shall likewise be done in the most truthful and credible manner. Any individual who refuses or fails to give truthful and complete answers to statistical inquiries shall be imposed a penalty of one year imprisonment and a fine of one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00).

“With regard to the conflict-affected areas in the region, we will be closely coordinating with the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to secure these areas so our enumerators and supervisors will have a smooth conduct of the census,” clarified Magno.

As to the census reference date, Magno said that August 1, 2015 will be the census reference date for the POPCEN 2015, on which date the enumeration of the population in the Philippines shall refer. This means that all persons to be enumerated as members of a household or as residents of an institutional living quarter will be as of August 1, 2015.

Meanwhile, Dr. Felisa Laranjo, OIC-ASDS of the Department of Education (DepEd) Agusan del Norte expressed her thanks to all the participating agencies of said press conference on the 2015 PopCen. "Thank you very much to our partners from the government agencies and media for your active participation and support to this year's census. Please help us disseminate the information on PopCen to your colleagues and your neighbors," she emphasized.

The 2015 Census of Population (POPCEN 2015), which is a complete enumeration of households in the country, is designed primarily to take an inventory of the population of the entire Philippines. It also collects information about some characteristics of the population such as age, sex, marital status, and highest grade completed. It will be the 14th census of population to be undertaken in the country since the first census in 1903. Moreover, it will be the 3rd population census to be conducted in between two decennial censuses. Previous to POPCEN 2015, mid-decade censuses were carried out in 1995 and 2007. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


DOH-Caraga campaigns for pulmonary diseases’ awareness

By Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 6 (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH) Caraga is celebrating the National Lung Month this August to heighten the public’s attention on the pulmonary system and illnesses of the lungs.

DOH Regional director Jose Llacuna said that this is also the month that all awareness programs about pulmonary diseases are being conducted.

One of the highlighted activities for the celebration is the “Orientation of Tuberculosis for Preteachers”. Together with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) and Northeastern Mindanao Mission of Seventh Day Adventist, the volunteer educators of tribal communities will be taught on proper hygiene and sanitation. This activity will equip them in disseminating correct information when deployed in geographically isolated and depressed areas. 

As part of the advocacy campaign against Tuberculosis (TB) there will be a film showing entitled “Flying Kiss” at Robinsons Butuan on August 7. This comedy-drama advocacy movie will be a medium for education and public awareness on how TB can be prevented.

There will also be series of orientations to be conducted for the TB task force and coalition officers on TB and other pulmonary diseases.

Moreover, to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of all Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOTS) implementers at all level either private or public partners, a competition entitled “Yell the Yields” is to be rendered. This encompasses programs based on the Philippine Plan of Action to Control Tuberculosis (PhilPACT).

“TB affects adults in their most productive years. Fortunately, the DOTS program is continuously addressing the needs for a cost effective strategy readily available even to the poorest communities in the region,” Llacuna said.

The theme for the National Lung Month Celebration this year is TB-Free Phil.: Continuing Challenge from Childhood to Adulthood. (DJA/PIA-Caraga)


SurSur, OPAPP, allies gear up for Peace Caravan; guv calls for PPOC meeting

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Aug. 6 (PIA) – The province of Surigao del Sur in coordination with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), line-agencies, municipal local government units (MLGUs), and other stakeholders has continued to finalize the groundwork for the Peace Caravan set on August 25-26 in Lianga and San Agustin towns, this province.

Governor Johnny Pimentel, chair of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), has again called for another meeting at 1:00 p.m. on August 7, Friday at the conference room of the Provincial Governor’s Office (PGO) to take up once and for all the “preparatory details.”

In his notice of meeting to all concerned PPOC members, the governor stated wanting to seek inputs and full commitment to ensure the success of the affair.

Several meetings intended for this endeavor have already been held since June, this year.

Meanwhile, barangays to be given particular attention especially in the delivery of basic services during the peace caravan have already been identified, Efren Rivas said when asked of the updates.

He said that on August 25, six barangays of Marihatag town are on the list—San Pedro, San Isidro, Mahaba, Mararag, Bayan, and Amontay.

Also, on August 26, three barangays each of Lianga and San Agustin towns—St. Christine, San Isidro, and Diatagon as well as Buhisan, Pong-on, and Hanipaan, respectively, are going to benefit from this initiative for the Medium Development Goal (MDG).

The holding of peace caravan is a goodwill gesture of promoting peace, first and foremost, and making the people aware that the government and all its instrumentalities are one in taking care of its constituents particularly in conflict-affected areas by bringing in basic services, it was learned. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DOLE conducts fire safety orientation in AgSur

By Rizza Marie S. Obedoza

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 6 (PIA) - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) along with Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) facilitated a one day orientation on OSH and fire safety.

Held at Paseo de San Francisco Suites on July 23, 2015, the orientation was conducted free to companies that are hazardous. The orientation aims to prevent future fire and other accidents within the workplace that may cause the lives of the employer and its employees.

The productivity lecture of Board Secretary Earl Dela Victoria from the Regional Tripartite and Productivity Board (RTWPB) Caraga has inspired many of the participants.

“Na inspire jod ko sa mga gipang discuss ni Sir Earl sa iyang lecture (I was really inspired by Mr. Earl’s discussions)," said an employer of four gasoline stations who also have problems regarding their employee management.

Other speakers were Maximo Magallen of DOLE-Agusan del Sur, who discussed LLCS;  DOLE Agusan del Sur provincial head Jocelyn Bastareche gave a briefer on workers basic rights; OSHC-Caraga representative Engr. Chirstian Jaguit on OSH programs; Information Officer II of ECC Caraga, Olga Virginia Demata on ECC and; Fire Officer I Ehman Joy D. Palma from BFP San Francisco Agusan Del Sur discussed about Fire Safety Measures. (DOLE-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


Crime volume drops in SurSur; PNP marks PCR Month

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, August 6 (PIA) – The crime statistics in Surigao del Sur has dropped by 17.96 percent during the first half of 2015 as compared to the same period of last year.

P/SSupt. Narciso Verdadero, PNP provincial director, cited that index and non-index crimes for the period January-June 2015 were posted at 738 and 705, respectively, or a total of 1,443 while noting on the same period of last year index and non-index crimes at 963 and 796, respectively, or also a total of 1,759.

Index crimes include homicide, rape, robbery, theft, and similar offences while non-index crimes consist of non-physical confrontation such as drug possession, driving under the influence of liquor, and the like.

The provincial police chief attributed the fall in crime rates to police visibility.

The policy of Verdadero has always been the honest to goodness implementation of “Patrol 101” since assuming post in April 2014, it was learned.

Meanwhile, July of every year is always celebrated as Police Community Relations (PCR) Month as mandated under Presidential Proclamation No. 764, he said.

Last month, which was already in its 20th year, Verdadero pointed out that the month-long observance here was highlighted with  in-house-initiated activities, citing Display/Hanging of Tarpaulin, Thanksgiving Mass, Simultaneous Coastal Clean-up, and Medical Outreach/Mass Feeding program in some areas.

On the other hand, he likewise emphasized deep sense of involvement in the community or in community of government agencies, pointing out that July is also National Disaster Consciousness Month celebration as well as Nutrition Month.

Verdadero indicated that the best way to mark the PCR or any event that falls on the same month with other celebrations is to find time holding a joint undertaking if not sending a representative to take part in case the former is not possible.

With the theme “Matibay na Ugnayan ng Mamamayan at Pulisya, Simbolo ng Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran ng Sambayanan,” the observance of PCR here officially kicked off on July 3. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Fresh graduates avail DOLE's internship program for employment

By Romelyn B. Bactol

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 6 (PIA) - Seventy two fresh graduates from the two districts of Surigao del Sur are now employed in the different government offices in the province under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE’s) Government Internship Program (GIP) for 2015.

“I am so thankful for the internship program of DOLE for without it, I may not have the chance to file and to take the board exam this coming September 27, 2015 due to lack of budget,” says Andy Sajolga, one of the GIP beneficiaries in District 2.

He was tasked to teach at Bigaan National High School in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and received one and a half month salary as government intern amounting to P6,231.00.

A fellow intern, Amina M. Lad, also a teacher assigned in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur will be taking her board exam this year.

Both were thankful for the opportunity to develop their teaching skills. “I realized that behind our poverty, there are many programs being offered by the government, what we need to do is to look closely strive harder,” Amina stated.

DOLE-Surigao del Sur implemented the GIP as early as April 2015 and now other GIP beneficiaries are being absorbed by their offices after working for two months as interns. (DOLE-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)