(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, January 28, 2016



FSUU supports West PH Sea claim

By Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PIA) – The Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) strongly supports the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Advocacy Campaign spearheaded by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), which aims to present the core issues of the WPS dispute, the principles guiding the government official policy, and the government's efforts to protect the country's interests.

“The West Philippine Sea is ours, that is the stand of the university," said FSUU Human Resource Management and Development director Lyndon Buque representing FSUU president Rev. Fr. John Christian Young during his welcome message at the Campus Forum on the West Philippine Sea Issue held on Wednesday at the FSUU-CBE building, this city.

“The university’s theme for the year is 'building peace, restoring lives.' It is very much connected to the approach of the government in pursuing our claim to the WPS through legal means,” Buque added.

The said activity was participated by some 200 students from different colleges and universities in the city with Ma. Teresa Torres-Almojuela, Senior Special Assistant, Office of the DFA Undersecretary for Policy as the guest of honor and speaker. (JPG/DJA/PIA-Caraga)


Caraga poll chief confirms “reshuffle” among ranks

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 28 (PIA) – Atty. Francisco Pobe, Caraga regional election director (RED), has confirmed reshuffling among their ranks and others down the line.

In an interview, he said “Actually we treat this as normal activity of the Commission on Elections in every election.  Kasi ang message na iparating naming na ‘yung mga election officers natin do not have any vested interest in the area.”

“We do not have vested interest on politicians; we do not have vested interest on financial or whatever perceptions by the public.  Ang  amin lang interest dito. . . ‘yung aming excellent performance, irrespective of our area of responsibility.  Ibig sabihin namin, kahit saan kami itapon mo, ganun pa rin ‘yung stamina, ganun pa rin ‘yung aggressiveness na ibibigay namin,” Pobe went on to explain.

On said date, COMELEC Surigao del Sur headed by Atty. Ernie Palanan, provincial election supervisor (PES), played host to the holding of Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) command conference here where RED Pobe attended the event together with P/SSupt. Julito Diray, who also came over on behalf of P/CSupt. Rolando Felix, director, Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13).

Felix’s guidance was read by P/SSupt. Diray, chief, PRO 13 Operations and Plans Division, during the “Guidance/Updates” portion of the proceeding.

In a related development, COMELEC has already carried out the “movement of its field personnel” relative to the upcoming May 9, 2016 polls, it was learned.  A certain Renato Magbutay from Northern Mindanao will have to take the place of Pobe as the latter will have to be sent to Socsksargen.

Meanwhile, the holding of the PJSCC command conference here was said to be a success.  As planned, matters relative to “Preparations and Anticipation of Concerns for the May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections; Inputs and Concerns; Guidance/Updates; Open Forum; Pledge in the Wall of Commitmen,” and more were discussed and taken up.

RED Pobe said the same activity will have to continue to take place across the region with the PJSCC in the respective provinces at the helm. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


ARMM welcomes entry of P1.3B new investment

DAVAO CITY, Jan. 28 (PIA) – Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao are in the upswing with the approval by the Regional Board of Investments (RBOI) of a P1.3 billion worth of palm oil plantation project in Maguindanao.

Gintong Agri-corporation a subsidiary of Agricola Holdings, a company that operates oil palm and rubber estates across Central America, West Africa and Southeast Asia has committed to initially develop 5,000 hectares of oil palm in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.  The company aims to expand up to 20,000 hectares covering the municipalities of Talayan and Guindulungan in the next decade.

“ARMM’s investment policy, along with the region’s improving peace situation has hugely contributed to the entry of big ticket investments like the Gintong Agri Corporation. In fact, the company already has long-term plans for their plantation here, which will ensure sustainability of the investment,” said Ishak Mastura, ARMM RBOI Chair.

Cooperative members from the ARMM are eyed to own and manage the lands, while the company will fund the development of the plantation as well as the technical training for the cooperative farmers.  The entire project is estimated to generate 1,000 jobs for ARMM once the plantation operates into full swing.

Mastura said the Gintong Agri Corporation will also build and operate oil mill facilities in Maguindanao that will produce crude palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Last year, ARMM recorded another multi-billion worth of investment from Chiquita-Unifrutti, which poured in P3.7 billion for Cavendish banana plantations in Maguindanao. The investment project, along with a napier grass biofuel plantation, petroleum business, and a minerals development project significantly contributed to the remarkable growth of ARMM investment, amounting to a total of P6.5 billion by the end of 2015.

“This year is going to be another good year to generate more investments since projects related to an oil depot, bulk water treatment and supply on industrial waste management and treatment are now in the works,” said Mastura. 

ARMM hit its first billion-worth of investment in 2013, amounting to P1.4 billion.  It more than doubled the following year when RBOI recorded P3.86 billion investments in 2014. Last year’s record is up by almost 60 percent from 2014.

“This influx of investments indicates improved governance in the ARMM thereby increasing investor confidence, as demonstrated by the region’s sustained investment growth under the Aquino administration,” said MinDA Chairperson Luwalhati Antonino.

Antonino further noted that all the necessary infrastructure support are also in place for ARMM, primarily focusing on the gateways for the ARMM areas. Under the Mindanao Development Corridors Program being coordinated by MinDA, the revitalization and development of the Polloc port and Awang Airport are among the priority projects in the ARMM.

“Our long-term plan is to fully connect all regions in Mindanao through various public-private partnerships projects to spur massive development and inclusive growth across ARMM and entire Mindanao,” Antonino said. (MinDA/PIA-Caraga)


SurSur treasury chief cites “amnesty” as cause of poor tax collection on real property

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 28 (PIA) – The Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO) in Surigao del Sur has directly linked “tax amnesty” as the primary cause of failure for its concerned staff to hit the “Revenue Generation Program on Real Property Taxes” in 2015.

Crispa Geli, PTO in-charge, bared in her report on Monday’s flag ceremony program that “the amount of P50,399,794.18 was collected or 68.28% only as against our target which is P79,085,293.39.”

However, she said that “As of December 31, 2015, the total amount of P1,001,485,448.48 was collected or 98.56% as against its target,” citing earlier “an estimated amount of P987,029,328.00 for General Fund and Special Education Fund as available for appropriation” based on the plans and programs for calendar year 2015.

As part of their 2015 Annual Accomplishment Report, Geli presented that apart from real property tax collection, their main task included the collections on business tax, fees and charges, as well as economic enterprise.

The province has 17 municipalities to rely on its real property tax collection campaign, but only two had surpassed their assigned targets—Carmen and Tagbina posting 202.74 percent and 101.39 percent of cumulative collection as of December 2015, respectively, based on the data provided.

In this regard, Lingig town was at the rock bottom of the list by only achieving 27.92 percent.  Geli hinted concerned officials explained they were affected by the outcome of boundary conflict with the adjacent province—Davao Oriental.

Tax amnesty generally bred poor collection, the treasury chief pointed out in a follow-up interview.

Geli also clarified that although tax amnesty was implemented last year, extension of Provincial Resolution No. 232 series of 2014 only took effect until June 30, 2015. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DA, OPAG turn-over farm equipment, facilities to Dinagat Islands farmers’ associations, coops

By Millard P. Tawakal

SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Jan. 28 (PIA) - The Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga Region in coordination with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) recently distributed a mini 4-wheel drive tractor with complete accessories worth P833,000.00 through an equity sharing to the Cabalawan Farmers Association (CFA) in barangay Garcia, municipality of Libjo, Dinagat Islands.

The project benefited 27 farmer-association members of the said municipality.

CFA president Ronnie Beronguis was very grateful for the farm equipment given to the association for it will be of great help to improve their production.

He also thanked OPAG chief Oswaldo T. Borja and Crops Division head Alan S. Azares for considering their association as their prime beneficiary.

In the province, the small and semi-commercial livestock growers are making an important contribution to rural household. An increasing number of livestock farms are being established around the province because of the demand for high quality animal protein.

Farm viability is vulnerable due to the rising cost of raw materials which is mostly imported. Local feeds resources are available that could be utilized more effectively for feeding livestock and poultry.

Hence, another mini-feed mill with complete accessories was turned-over to A & M Multi-Purpose Cooperative installed at Sitio Glen, Brgy. Doña Helen, Basilisa worth P148, 000.00. It aims to facilitate the adoption of mini-feed mills to improve small growers and semi-commercial enterprise profitability.

Also, one unit of corn mill was given to Upper Laguna Farmers Association (LFA) in Barangay Laguna, Cagdianao worth P331, 500.00. Seven units knapsack sprayer and 1,500 meters HDPE Hose given to 20 farmers provincewide in support to High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) worth P 87,500.00.

The said farm equipment will aid small vegetable farmers to increase their production.

Borja said all these interventions were also made possible through the help of the DA Caraga through its regional director Edna M. Mabesa, who is very supportive to the projects of the office of the provincial agriculture of this province. (PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)


SurSur town vies for presidential award for child-friendly municipality

By Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PIA) - The municipality of Bayabas in the Province of Surigao del Sur vies for the Search for 2015 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities and Cities (PACFMC) in the country. It is the first local government unit (LGU) in Region 13 (Caraga) to be a national finalist to the nationwide search for the PACFMC.

Out of the 1,093 LGU passers nationwide, only 20 LGUs were chosen as national finalist with the potential to receive the Presidential Award with the Municipality of Bayabas as one among the twenty contenders. Four LGUs were ranked per category. The five categories are the a) 1st to 3rd class municipalities, b) 4th to 6th class municipalities, c) component cities, d) independent component cities and e) highly-urbanized cities. The LGU of Bayabas, a 5th class municipality will compete with other three LGU contenders for the 4th to 6th class municipalities category.

Members of the National Award Committee (NAC) composed of Yolanda B. Go and Nicholas G. Perlas both from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) – National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO), John Anthony U. Geronimo of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and April T. Obtinario of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) conducted the national validation cum evaluation to the Municipality of Bayabas from January 25-29, 2016. The NAC was accompanied by select members of the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC).

The Presidential Award was based from the result of the previous year’s conduct of the Child-Friendly Local Governance Audit (CFLGA) headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Education (DepEd) with the members of the RSCWC.

The CFLGA is one of the commitments undertaken by DILG to ensure that LGUs undertake a mandatory assessment that gauge the LGU’s performance in implementing child-friendly services which gives emphasis on child participation, protection, development and survival. (DILG-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano News: Prov’l Hospital gipiling training ground sa Butuan Doc medtech students

By Aimee B. Sienes

BUTUAN CITY, Enero 28 (PIA) - Ang Butuan Doctors’ College (BDC) sa ning syudad maoy napiling tunghaan sa Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital alang sa ilang dapit pagbansay sa mga estudyante niini mikuha sa kurso nga BS Medical Technology.

Ang Provincial Hospital maoy training facility sa mga MedTech students aron mahasa ang ilang kahibaloan sa mga proseso ug trabahoon sa laboratoryo.

Adunay Joint Memorandum Order ang Department of Health ug Commission on Higher Education (CHED) nga nag-require sa mga Higher Education Institutions kun HEI mo-affiliate sa mga ospital ug uban mga health facilities alang sa dugang kahibalo, clinical exposure ug training sa mga estudyante kabahin sa nagkalain-laing health professions.

Ang Contract of Affiliation sa PHO ug BDC gikinahanglan aron maplastar ang mga kaakohan ug mga katungdanan sa kada partido aron sa epektibo nga implementasyon sa on-the-job training sa mga MedTech students sa BDC.

Gihatagan og otoridad bag-ohay pa lamang si Gob. Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan aron sa pagpirma sa maong Contract of Affiliation ubos sa pagpangamahan ni Provincial Board Member Rey G. Jamboy. (Algu-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)