(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 04 October 2024) At 3:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Depression "JULIAN" {KRATHON} was estimated based on all available data at 240 km North Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (22.6°N, 120.6°E) with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 75 km/h. It is almost stationary. Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao. 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 ITCZ. 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—‘: Light to moderate winds coming from Southwest to Southeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


Thursday, January 7, 2016

Pork festival set in Butuan



By Nora C. Lanuza



BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 7 (PIA) – Pilmico Food Corporation in partnership with Winrock International will hold the “Mahalin Pagkaing Atin (MPA) – Caraga Pork Festival on January 29 in one of the convention centers here.

The MPA campaign, according to  Pilmico Corporate Social Responsibility Unit Head Katrina Angelie Bayog is the agency’s thrust in helping affected partners.

"It is also one of our initiatives to build a purpose driven organization and to create sustainable livelihood, and support to backyard farmers," Bayog added.

Also, Bayog said, MPA aims to help people rebuild their lives; promote sustainable entrepreneurship through promotion of locally grown produce; instill a “pride of product, pride of place” mindset for both the farmers and the local consumers. MPA will also enable the operator to maximize profit without passing through middlemen.

The conduct of the event is a retrospect to the MPA event conducted in the city last November 2014.

Pilmico Foods Corporation is a subsidiary of the Aboitiz Equity Ventures. (NCLM, PIA-Agusan del Norte)


Feature: DepEd Tandag City Division: Reaching beyond targets, a milestone



By Gemma B. Espadero



TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 7 (PIA) - Most people are familiar with the words “milestone,” but they used it in a slightly different manner. Milestones for the Romans helped traveller to know how far they had come on their journey.  Our modern use of this expression does the same thing. The Tandag City Division as a newly created division of the Department of Education (DepEd) in the province of Surigao del Sur, has also its milestones. As it started its journey in 2013, it is guided with its milestones which mark significant events in the lives of the Tandaganons.

In its effort to make education more relevant to the needs of its local constituents, the division is guided with the following milestones:

* Preparation of the six year Division Education Development Plan (DEDP) for CY 2016 – 2021,

* Hiring and organization of division personnel based on the Rationalization (RAT) Plan,

* Preparation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Results -  based performance Management System (RPMS), Human Resource (HR) Prime and Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS) plans

* Creation of free division website/Internet connectivity where everybody could access globally,

* Acquisition and titling of lot for the construction of Division Office building, Improvement of Monitoring and Evaluation (M & E) activities,         

* Identify standards, developed procedures and tools necessary for the improvement of Instructional Supervision,

* Implement the 100 percent downloading and liquidation of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) intended for the programs and projects of the department as scheduled,

* Initiate reviews to help the Principal test takers and have enough principal passers to manage the schools,

* Finalization of the Senior High School (SHS) Implementation Plan for SY: 2016-2017,

* Improve Academic Performance specifically in the National Achievement Test (NAT),

* Improve Non-academic performance particularly in Sports, and            

* Produce a number of Alternative Learning System (ALS) graduates.

Division-initiated activities will never be successful without the full support of the Local Government (LGU) and other stakeholders thus, the office has increased and improved its linkage with them and in return shows its maximum participation to any civil service or community activities.

These milestones are indicators of our big dreams for DepEd Tandag City whose motto is to teach minds, touch hearts and transform the lives of Tandaganons. (EPS-1 DepEd Tandag City Division/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


SurSur guv assures capitol employees of pay hike



By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Jan. 7 (PIA) – Governor Johnny Pimentel here has assured capitol employees of pay hike under the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) IV that will take effect starting January 1, 2016.

Speaking during the first Monday Flag ceremony program at the capitol lobby this year, the governor said  even if there was no word yet as to whether the SSL IV was already signed or not by President Benigno Aquino III, his administration made sure that funds for said purpose  had already been set aside and incorporated in the 2016 annual budget.

Pimentel indicated knowing about the proposed salary increase passed by Congress in 2015.

During the announcement, employees present during the flag ceremony program were so overwhelmed with delight. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DAR provides P900k calamity assistance to AgSur coop



By Engr. Josette J. Simbajon



AGUSAN DEL SUR, Jan. 7 (PIA) - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) of this province has recently executed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for cash assistance amounting to P900,000.00 for Sta. Isabel Patrocinio Calamansi Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (SIPACAGROMUPCO).

The said MOA was executed by Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer II Paysal B. Tumog, Al Hajj, the local government unit of Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur represented by Mayor Jann Roby R. Otero, and SIPACAGROMUPCO chairperson Edgardo Macias.

The DAR Central Office donated the fund for selected typhoon Pablo victims in affected agrarian reform communities (ARCs). The said amount will be used for construction of vermiculture bed quilting, acquisition of plant tools and equipments and other assets and raw materials for the project.

“We are so grateful for the assistance from DAR. This will help us recover from typhoon Pablo which badly damaged our crops,” Edgardo Macias of SIPACAGROMUPCO happily expressed. (JPG/DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Dinagat Chamber conferred Most Outstanding Young Chamber



SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, Jan. 7 (PIA) - The Dinagat Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DiPCCI) adjudged as the Most Outstanding Young Chamber of the Philippines by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI).

The awarding ceremony was held recently during the closing ceremony of 41st Philippine Business Conference and Exposition at Marriott Grand Ballroom Hotel, Newport City Complex in Pasay City, Manila.

The said awarding ceremony was attended by no less than President Benigno S. Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay and witnessed by the local business tycoons and several foreign investors.

The DiPCCI officers led by its president Leonel C. Rojo received the said award together with Dinagat Islands provincial vice governor Benglen B. Ecleo, provincial administrator Gwendolyn B. Ecleo, provincial board member Norberto A. Sarita Sr., provincial information officer Millard Tawakal and provincial treasurer Annabelle S. Naluan.

“I’m so happy that we're able to grab this award which stimulates growth and economic development of Micro and Small Enterprise in our province,” vice governor Benglen B. Ecleo said in his short message.

Also, provincial administrator Gwendolyn B. Ecleo said that the award provides the business community the distinct opportunity to network and establish links with other business organizations and individuals and identify prospective business partners and clients thus putting Dinagat Islands into the map of business investment in the Philippines.

Meantime, Rojo expressed his sincerest thanks and gratitude to the local hero Divine Master Ruben E. Ecleo Sr. for the wisdom and guidance during the interview and panel defense, to the provincial government and employees headed by provincial governor Glenda B. Ecleo for the moral and financial support, to the different municipal officials and to all national lines agencies which serve as their partners in all the activities especially the Department of Trade and Industry which gave them the source to be effective premiere economic development driver in the province.

Rojo also thanked the DiPCCI officers, consultants, members and the civil society organizations for all their support all the way, "especially to the organizer Mr. Tawakal, former provincial administrator and now provincial information officer for without him there would be no DiPCCI  and to all Dinagatnons."

“Though Dinagat Province Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. is still very young and fresh in the realm of doing business in our province, we were able to implement several advocacy programs made on behalf of the business community.  In just two years of existence, we were also able to serve other stakeholders like farmers, women, youth and person with disabilities. We also crafted different policies that were successfully implemented and positively influenced to concern stakeholders particularly the business community,” Rojo added.

DiPCCI is a non-stock, non-profit organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2014 with SEC Registration No. CN201429845.  At present it has around 392 member-businesses comprising the various trade and industry sectors in the province. (SDR/MPTawakal, PIO-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)


AgSur coop launches microfinance program



By Engr. Josette Simbajon



AGUSAN DEL SUR, Jan. 7 (PIA) – The Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of Buenasuerte Multi-Purpose Cooperative with the assistance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and Los Arcos Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LAMPCO) recently launched the microfinance program in the province.

The program aims to help the local farmers foster its credit program. The DAR tapped LAMPCO of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur to train the officers and members of BUENASAMCO.

LAMPCO manager Luciano Rensulat shared the center of Agriculture and Rural Development, INC (CARD) technology to the ARBs for them to ensure better performance in managing microfinance program and avoid default on payment.

Also, an orientation on climate change adaptation and mitigation was conducted on the same day for the farmers to be aware on issues relating to climate change, the causes, how to adapt and mitigate and the effective methods on strengthening micro-finance venture. (JPG/DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


ARBs, non-ARBs graduate from farm business school in AgSur



By Cyrene Tajonera & Cyna Jane Alcular



AGUSAN DEL SUR, Jan. 7 (PIA) - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Agusan del Sur and Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as co-implementer of Farm Business School (FBS) within the Municipality of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur recently conducted a joint graduation which involved both Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) and non-ARBs held at Farmers Training Center, Municipal Agriculture Office, Esperanza, this province.

The graduates were from Agrarian Reform Communities specifically Crossing Luna Beawan Vegetable Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Mahagkot Farmers Association and Mahagkot Rural Improvement Club.

Also, DAR personnel headed by PARPO I Leoncio C. Bautista Jr., the Municipal Mayor of Esperanza Deo S. Manpatilan, Jr, Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Chairman on Agriculture Committee Cesar P. Ambray, SB Vice Chair on Agriculture Elvie Batoy graced the said occasion.

The Farm Business School is a learning program aimed to help farmers build knowledge, enhance kills, and adjust attitudes to make their farms more profitable. It evolves and adapts to help farmers keep pace with the worldwide changes which enhance extension content from production extension to farm business management focused on profitability. (JPG/DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)