(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 16 October 2024) Shear Line affecting Extreme Northern 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—‘: Light to moderate winds coming from Southeast to Northeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Friday, March 4, 2016



AFP, PNP personnel undergo peace reporting seminar-workshop

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) – Eastern Mindanao civil military officers and Philippine National Police public relations officers have attended the Peace Reporting Seminar-Workshop held recently in Davao City on purpose of capacitating them with ample skills in writing news and acquiring knowledge on several means of information distribution.

During a fellowship night among AFP officials, together with Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Eastern Mindanao directors, PIA-11 regional director Efren Elbanbuena bared in his opening remarks that the conduct of the two-day Peace Reporting Seminar-Workshop is the first of its kind activity conducted in the country. “See to it that your stories will reach to our office and we assure you of the timely and proper dissemination of the articles. More people will become aware of what our uniformed men in service are doing for the community especially in pursuing peace and security for sustainable development,” addressed Elbanbuena.

Meanwhile, commander of Eastern Mindanao Command LtGen Rey Leonardo B Guerrero cited in his message the value of information in this time of age. “It’s like a currency that drives business and operations. Information helps people make better decision. It shapes the perception in the minds of the readers and makes them aware of what is happening around them. Aside from deployment of troops, it is also important to know on how to properly utilize information especially with vital concerns on peace and development,” he underscored.

Guerrero also encouraged the participants to be adept in the use of information. “As information bearers, you need to know what, how and when to write so that full media spectrum may be achieved. It is important that we deliver the facts in order to increase our credibility and gain community support for our significant undertakings. What is not being reported would mean that anything does not happen. We should dominate in letting the public know what the government is doing for them. Do not just be responsive but make it a practice to be a proactive uniformed personnel as well,” added Guerrero.

Critiquing of the participants’ outputs was done for each session to appraise on how far they have learned and enhanced their competence. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)


NYC set to conduct ‘Youth Advisory Council National Convention’

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) – With the goal of strengthening partnership and convergence among youth serving-agencies and the localization of policies and programs for the youth, the National Youth Commission (NYC) will be conducting the Regional Youth Advisory Council (RYAC) National Convention on March 30 to April 1, 2016 in Boracay, Malay, Aklan.

According to NYC chairperson Gregorio Ramon Tingson, the convention also aims to synchronize youth programs and come up with a strategic plan of action for calendar year 2016 which mainly focus in two areas – Philippine Youth Development Plan and the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Implementation.

“NYC instituted the Regional Youth Advisory Council (RYAC) as a coordinating body to localize policies, and monitor program implementation at the local level. Therefore, I encourage all member-agencies nationwide to allow your designated youth focal person to convene with us. It is our belief that your presence is important in the attainment of our common objectives intended for the young members of our community,” bared Tingson.

The NYC is the sole policy-making body on youth affairs and is responsible for coordinating and implementing programs that would holistically help in the development of the Filipino youth.

Queries and/or confirmation may be sent at email address nyccdo@nyc.gov.ph. on or before its deadline on March 10, 2016. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)


RDC-Caraga calls LGUs, RLAs to support Caraga-Expo, 25th MinBizCon

By Daisy Jane M. Apit

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA)  The Regional Development Council (RDC) - Caraga passed on Wednesday an omnibus resolution which urged the local government units (LGUs) and regional line agenices (RLAs) to support business activities such as trades, expos and conferences in the region.

In the recently held 86th RDC full council meeting here, the RDC-Caraga passed an omnibus resolution on the following: Resolution No. 9-A, Series of 2016 “Enjoining the LGUs and RLAs to support the Caraga Agri-Trade and Marketing Export or CARAT Expo 2016; Resolution No. 9-B, Series of 2016 “Enjoining the LGUs and RLAs to support the 25th Mindanao Business Conference (MinBizCon.” These resolutions aim to carry and achieve the goal of making Caraga region the Fishery, Agro-Forestry, Mining, and Eco-Tourism (FAME) center of the country by year 2030 - developing the region’s resources in fishery, agriculture, forestry and ecotourism.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Caraga regional office revealed that they have recently launched the Caraga Agri-Trade and Marketing Expo 2016 (CARAT Expo 2016) last January 22 gathering some 5,000 small and big businesses all throughout Mindanao that are engaged in agriculture and aqua-marine business.

The said multi-stakeholder agricultural event will last up to Nov. 11, 2016 while the 25th MinBizCon is tentaively scheduled on August 24-26, 2016 at Philippine Gateway Hotel in Surigao City, it was learned. (DJMA/PIA-Caraga)


DA Caraga bridges the future for IPs

By Aurelius P. Arais

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) - True to its commitment to help improve the lives of indigenous people (IPs), the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga will provide farm equipment to Manobo community in La Paz, Agusan del Sur.

A signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was inked between DA Caraga and Manobo Indigenous Cultural Community of Agusan, Incorporated (MICCA Inc.) based in Brgy. Kasapa II, La Paz, Agusan del Sur held at DA Regional Office on Thursday, March 3, 2016.

DA Caraga was represented by Regional Director Edna Mabeza while MICCA Inc. was represented by its president Pedro Francisco Hernandez known as Datu Bunanat.

The Manobo community is set to receive one unit of a 4-wheel drive farm tractor, one unit corn mill and one unit corn sheller worth P2.5M.

Hernandez said that the support of the Department of Agriculture is the realization of their hopes and aspirations to improve the IP community.

“This is not only an opportunity for people of La Paz, it is the future of our town,” Datu Bunanat said.

He said that the provisions from DA will help them in developing initially the five-hectare land to be planted with corn.

Members of the group envisioned to expand the corn areas to come up with a plantation type of operation along with other commodities suitable for their area.

DA’s support to the Manobo community of La Paz complemented the vision of LGU to increase production efficiency and reduce production costs by mechanizing critical field operation and contribute to the food sufficiency program of the government.

DA Caraga is implementing the Corn Program, a major component of the Medium Term Agriculture Development Plan to ensure national sufficiency in corn and promote empowerment in the countryside by enabling farmers to raise their income. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


SurSur COMELEC shifts VCM training for BEIs, PPCRV

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 4 (PIA) – As the May 9 polls keeps on getting closer, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Surigao del Sur has now begun to carry out another very important task—the conduct of vote counting machine (VCM) training for all Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs), to include representatives from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), since March 1 that will last until March 15, except during Saturdays and Sunday.

On February 28-29, all election officers (EOs) here had been the first to undergo the same.

Atty. Raquel Limbaco, provincial election supervisor (PES) and concurrent COMELEC Caraga regional attorney, who took over the post of the poll body in the province on February 16 as a result of the usual revamp among peers in the said agency, told media that each batch of teachers/BEIs from a particular city or town were to be trained in two consecutive days until all of them could be covered.

“So far, it’s going smooth sailing,” she said when asked for comment.

With the ongoing VCM training here, all function rooms of one of the biggest hotels in the city had been occupied, it was learned, Atty. Limbaco citing about 1,272 BEIs province-wide.

As honorarium, each BEI participant will have to get P2,000 for this occasion alone, according to the provincial poll body chief, aside from the P4,500 come election time or a total of P6,500.

She likewise added that such undertaking was exclusive and not open for the public.

Meanwhile, Atty. Limbaco admitted to so many election-related functions and schedules that had to be tackled ahead of the May 9 polls.

Among the more urgent ones that she would like to do first were the usual paying of courtesy calls on high ranking officials of the province and holding a conference with the members of the Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC), she added. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DA Caraga equips LGU agri extension workers

By Aurelius P. Arais

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) - To keep abreast on the latest developments on corn industry and to ensure proper coordination, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga conducted a retooling for the local government units (LGU) based agricultural extension workers (AEWs) on February 29 - March 1, here.

The retooling and technical briefing of the AEWs was spearheaded by the AgriPinoy Corn Program attended by extension workers designated to corn and cassava projects on their respective local government units as well as with municipal and provincial corn coordinators.

Considering the number of AEWs in the region, two batches of training will be conducted wherein the recent batch of participants were from municipalities in Agusan del Norte including Butuan City, Surigao del Norte, and the Province of Dinagat Islands while the second batch will be held in Surigao del Sur on the later part of the first quarter for participants coming from Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur.

Aljurie Galos of Claver, Surigao del Norte, a first time participant on the said training said that the activity was knowledge enhancing and very useful for the farmers in their area.

“As a young member of the corn program, I have learned a lot from this training especially the technical aspects such as the quality control and environmental management,” he said.

Field Operations division chief Rebecca Atega, who is also the corn and cassava program coordinator answered queries from the participants so as to attain common level of understanding among regional and LGU program implementers.

Proper coordination between DA and LGU are very crucial link in the delivery of services to the farmers to ensure that the target set for CY 2016 will be met by the end of the year.

The involvement of the local government units thru its AEWs plays a big role in the implementation of projects and programs for agricultural development in the region. (DA Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


AgSur declared ‘conflict-manageable and development-ready’

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Mar. 4 (PIA) – The province of Agusan del Sur was finally declared as Conflict-Manageable and Ready for Further Development in a ceremony held at the Session Hall of Democrito O. Plaza Government Center here on March 3, 2016. The activity was witnessed by key government agencies, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) officials.

Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward Plaza said that the province is very fortunate for achieving this conflict-manageable state. "The challenge now is to sustain it. We can only do it by propelling development especially in remote communities. And we can only gain it, if all of us works together. I would really like to thank the Armed Forces of the Philippines for helping us to achieve this kind of environment," he said.

“Ang ating sundalo ngayon ay hindi lang pang giyera, pang development pa. (Our soldiers are not only for war but they are also an active partners for development). It is our hope that they continue their program especially the Bayanihan Team Activity which serves as catalyst for peace and development in the far communities,” Plaza added.   

Meantime, Lt. Gen. Leonardo Rey Guererro, commander, Eastern Mindanao Command emphasized that  “on reaching this stage of normalcy, the positive outcomes are: first, economic growth where investments can pour in to enable the people to actively participate in economic activity, second, political stability where we exercise are legitimacy and third, social harmony, where people live and interact freely without fear from violence and intimidation.”

Also, Maj.  General Oscar Lactao, commander, 4th Infantry Division, Phil. Army shared that the New People's Army (NPA) has always been called and invited to join the government in this peaceful endeavor.

“With this declaration of a Conflict Manageable Agusan del Sur, the people of the province have spoken that they do not want violence and disorder. The NPA should heed to this call,” remarked Lactao. (JPG/4ID, PA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


SurSur DOLE bares 2,163 SPES slots

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 4 (PIA) – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here, headed by Raymond Fel Sajor, bared a total of 2,163 slots for the implementation of the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) “this summer of 2016.”

In a press statement, Romelyn Bactol, labor employment officer III (LEO III) and concurrent SPES focal person, said that the number of slots is based on the “Pledges of Commitment” made by 12 local government units (LGUs), six private institutions, including Surigao del Sur State University (SDSSU).

Both the component cities of Bislig and Tandag had offered the most number of beneficiaries to be employed with 688 and 530, respectively, according to the labor officer.

The rest of the LGUs that also made a “pledge of commitment” included Cagwait, Madrid, Tago, Bayabas, Barobo, San Miguel, Tagbina, Hinatuan, Marihatag, and Carrascal, according to the DOLE here.

Besides, among the private institutions named were Andres Soriano College, De La Salle John Bosco College, and SURSECO I, all in Bislig City plus St. Theresa College of Tandag, Inc., and Hinatuan Southern College.

To qualify under the SPES Act, a set of criteria had to be followed, Bactol said, citing the age requirement of at least 15 to 25 years old for the applicant whether student or out-of-school youth (OSY); the combined net income which should “not exceed the latest annual regional poverty threshold level for a family of six as determined by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA); and the “average passing grade last school year/term attended” of the applicant.

Interested applicants were advised to visit the respective Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of the LGUs as well as the offices of the institutions above mentioned.

If hired, SPES grantees “will be working as profilers, office clerks, laborers, landscapers,” and the like, it was learned.

Bactol clarified that SPES grantees would receive the “minimum wage if they are under the private establishments/institutions.” On the other hand, “the existing hiring rate” would be the basis for the wages of those hired by LGUs.

As in the past, the payment of salaries/wages would be based on a “60/40” ratio between the employer and the DOLE—the 60 percent of which would be paid in cash by the former and the balance by the latter “in the form of voucher applicable for the payment of tuition fees in any secondary, tertiary, vocational or technical educational institution,” she said.

Apart from salaries/wages, SPES grantees would also be “covered with GSIS Insurance prior to their employment period,” she added. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


2016 CMCI roadshow set in Surigao City

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Mar. 4 (PIA) – The Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) which is now in its 4th edition this year will conduct a Provincial Roadshow on March 8, 2016, at Parkway Hotel, this city.

The roadshow which is spearheaded nationwide by the National Competitiveness Council is an annual activity conducted prior to the data gathering for the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) ranking.

The Regional Competitiveness Committee headed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will conduct the roadshow in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

CMCI is a ranking that determines the degree of competitiveness of local government units (LGUs) looking into the overall economic dynamism, government efficiency and vital infrastructures.

The goal is to drum up awareness of the LGUs to improve their level of territorial competitiveness that can hopefully attract investments and businesses that will help hasten and catalyze economic development in their respective localities.

The roadshow will be attended by the local chief executives (LCEs), planning and development officers, business permit licensing officers (BPLOs), local economic and investment promotion officers (LEIPOs)and other local officials.

DTI provincial director Celestino L. Negapatan said that various policy measures, approaches and mechanism to improve competitiveness of their respective LGUs will be discussed along with the relevant parameters used in the Index that are valuable insights in local governance will be tackled in the roadshow. (DTI-SDN/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


DPWH 13 joins Women’s Month kick-off celeb

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 4 (PIA) - Not minding the still torturing heat of the sun, the men and women of the Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Office (DPWH) XIII, Butuan City District Engineering and Agusan del Norte District Engineering Office join the colorful parade as kick-off to the month-long celebration of the annual Women’s Month on March 1, 2016.

The month of March is dedicated to women in recognition to their rights, vital contribution tothe society and in nation building.

Organized by the Regional Development Council-Gender and Development Coordinating Committee (RDC-GADCC), this year’s celebration is anchored on the theme, “Kaayuhan ni Juana, Iapil sa Adyenda" (Women's Welfare, to include in the Agenda).

Member-agencies including the local government units consist the throng of gender conscious employees in the fun-filled activity that culminates with a short program honoring women through a serenade and giving of roses by the male employees at the Capitol Covered Court.

Said parade starts from Guingona Park and ends at the Capitol Covered Court here.

Meanwhile, RDC-GADCC also lined up the activities for the whole month which includes the following: March 8 - Kalandrakas sa mga Kababaihan – a whole day affair that showcases trade fair, flea market featuring products made by our women, food cooking demonstration, videoke challenge and an award program for the Outstanding Women/Recognition of Women leaders in various endeavors; March 29 - Candidates’ Forum; March 31 - Culmination Program – which includes sports competition dubbed as 'Laro ng Lahi.' (DPWH-13/PIA-Caraga)