(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Tuesday, 19 March 2024) Easterlies affecting 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. Light to moderate winds coming from Northeast to North will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.1 meters).


Monday, March 21, 2016



AgNor ARB orgs bag national recognition

By Gil E. Miranda

BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 21 (PIA) - Two Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries organizations in Agusan del Norte recently named by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) as excellent performing associations based on their outstanding 100 percent repayment of their loan under the Agrarian Production Credit Program (APCP) during the 2nd National Agri-Fisheries Credit Program Assessment and Planning Workshop for Visayas and Mindanao held in Cagayan del Oro City.

During the ceremony, Baleguian Organic Farmers Irrigators Association (BOFIA) and Taguibo Integrated Pest Management Irrigators’ Association (TIPMIA) were made awardees as good borrowers of APCP from Caraga Region.

The said awarding was led by DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, DAR Undersecretary Rosalina Bistoyong and Land Bank Board Gerardo Bulatao.

BOFIA Chairman Wenifredo Maldo and  TIPMIA Chairman Romy S. Lasco received the awards on behalf of the farmer-organizations.

“The award we received is now a great source of pride for our association. It signifies our dedication to serve farmer-beneficiaries of CARP in Jabonga town,” said Maldo.

APCP aimed to address the credit needs of the farmer-organizations. A capacity development program of the DA, DAR and Land Bank will ensure that the credit fund provided will put to good use by the farmers. (DAR-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


PENRO SurSur spearheads International Day of Forest tree planting activity

By Johny S. Natad

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 21 (PIA) – The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) of Surigao del Sur under OIC PENR Officer Raul A. Rosales led a tree planting activity at Ihawan Creek Community Watershed in Barangay Awasian this city in commemoration of the International Day of Forests.

More than 70 participants joined the activity coming from the PENRO Surigao del Sur personnel, Tandag Water District (TWD) staff, and students of Jacinto P. Elpa National High School (JPENHS) Students Supreme Government.

Some 500 indigenous and agricultural crop seedling species comprised of 140 bagrass, 150 and white lauan raised from PENRO nursery and 210 cacao from TWD were planted the one-hectare lot within the said watershed area during the activity per information from PENRO NGP Focal Person Nanette E. QuiƱonez.

OIC PENR Officer Rosales, who personally led the tree planting, was delighted and thankful for the support of PENRO officials and employees who actively participated in the activity. Despite the hardship encountered by them due to old-age, these personnel are very energetic as they walked towards the forest planting site.  He also lauded the grades 7 to10 student representatives and their advisers for joining the activity.

“The PENRO commends the men, women, old and young who participated the successful tree planting activity in celebration of the International Day of Forests. We encourage everyone to actively partake the call and action to continue protect, conserve, and manage our environment and natural resources especially to our forests and watershed area which is the source of our potable water through tree planting and other environmental initiatives and advocacies,” OIC PENR Officer Rosales said. “We need to save our forests and wetlands which supply 75 percent of the world’s accessible freshwater,” he added.

Meanwhile, JPENHS students and teacher earmarked to support DENR and TWD in conserving and protecting the forest and watershed.

JPENHS teacher Loida E. Salcedo believed that the environmental work is not an easy task. “It is not easy to climb to the mountain and plant trees to maintain the preservation of our forest watershed. Therefore, I extol and support DENR, TWD and even young students who contributed to this crucial role,” she said.

“I hope I can visit this forest watershed next time and plant more trees,” said JPENHS student supreme government officer Cliford S. Sucalit.

Tandag forest watershed commonly known as “Ihawan Spring Community Watershedl,” the location of the planting site, was declared protected area per DAO 2007-14 dated July 12, 2007. The watershed has a total area of 786 hectares.

The International Day of Forest (IDF) 2016 is celebrated every March 21 to raise peoples’ awareness to the significance of forest and trees in sustaining and protecting the earth’s living creation including the human race. This year’s IDF theme “Forests and Water” focused on the understanding about the key role of forests as the planet’s supplier of freshwater, which is vital for life to exist.  (NGBT/PENRO-SDS/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


SurSur PNP: Security preps for Holy Week, summer vacation in place

By Greg Tataro Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Mar. 21 (PIA) – The Philippine National Police - Police Provincial Office (PNP-PPO) in Surigao del Sur has assured the public of well-planned security preparations for the duration of both the Holy Week and summer vacation.

Last week, two memoranda pertaining to “Security Preparations for the Holy Week” and “Ligtas SumVac 2016” were separately issued “For guidance and strict compliance” of all concerned in the PNP down the line.

One of the directives to be undertaken under the memo for the Holy Week included coordination “with the Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts, local government units, Department of Transportation and Communication, Philippine Red Cross and other concerned agencies for a joint set up of help desks/police assistance desks in major ports, terminal hubs, and major thoroughfares.”

On the other hand, a more detailed “Operational Guidelines” for the summer vacation were sent to all lower units to be carried out province-wide. 

Meanwhile, P/SSupt. Romaldo Bayting, OIC provincial director, said that the peace and order situation had remained manageable in the entire province. (NGBT/Radyo ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)