(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 09 October 2024) At 3:00 AM today, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) was estimated based on all available data at 165 km West Northwest of Coron, Palawan (12.3N, 118.7E) It is embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Southern Luzon, 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 West will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


Monday, April 25, 2016



Stakeholders to join ‘Lakbay-Palay sa PhilRice Agusan’ on April 28

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – The Philippine Rice (PhilRice) Research Institute in Agusan del Norte will be convening stakeholders from various sectors during the ‘Lakbay-Palay sa PhilRice Agusan’ on April 28, 2016 at their experiment station in Basilisa, RTR, Agusan del Norte.

According to PhilRice Agusan branch director Abner Montecalvo, said event highlights the recognition of the important role of Filipino farm families in nation-building and spurring inclusive growth in their communities.

“We will showcase various sources of income and enterprises from the rice environment and multi-media presentations that will help boost the appreciation of our youths towards agriculture. We have invited 600 participants from Caraga region,” disclosed Montecalvo.

Said event is anchored on the theme “Bayaning Mag-uuma, Pasidunggan Ta!” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Voting for 2016 GIST Tech-1 PH finalists open until May 1

BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Public voting in support for the two Filipino innovators selected as semi-finalists in the 2016 U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Tech-I pitch competition is still open until May 1, 2016.

As announced recently by the U.S. Embassy Manila, Mary Christine Ong-Reyes and Corina Lisa Cruz are among the 102 semi-finalists who pitched their ideas and competed with the 1,075 innovators from 104 emerging economies. Out of the semi-finalist, they will be narrowed down to 30 finalists by expert panels, and will receive a trip to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Silicon Valley to showcase their ventures and to receive intensive one-on-one mentorship and training.

Mary Christine's idea, ‘ParentUp’, is a mobile app that helps parents with newborns obtain information and emotional support for their health and well-being from pregnancy to postpartum. Meanwhile, Corina's startup, ‘Joomajam’, is an easy-to-use educational activity pack that combines bilingual music, videos and games to spark multi-domain education and nurture lifelong learners. 

To tell which thirty innovations are worthy of a global stage, log in, watch and vote for the Filipino semi-finalists every day until deadline. Mary Christine and Corina’s pitch videos can be viewed at http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/tech-i-semi-finalists-voting

The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide. Aspiring innovators submit their ideas and startups online in an application consisting of an executive summary and promotional video. Their applications are then reviewed by experts and voted on by the global voting public in order to determine the finalists.

Further instructions on how to vote can be seen at this link, http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/how-vote. For more information on the U.S. Department of State’s Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Tech-I pitch competition, you may visit http://www.gistnetwork.org/content/about-gist. (U.S. Embassy Manila/VLG, PIA-Caraga)


Butuan consumer group presents 2015 accomplishments

BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Konsumador Hong Butuan, Inc. (KHBI) headed by President Egmedio H. Tidalgo, Jr. conducted their first meeting for 2016 together with personnel of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Agusan del Norte and some media people to discuss their plans, programs and projects for 2016 and beyond.

Tidalgo presented to the body the accomplishments of KHBI for 2015 which include the following: a) KHBI already filed a resolution through city councilor Ryan Culima for the reduction of tricycle and jeepney fare; b) KHBI filed a resolution through city councilor Virgilio Neri, requiring subdivision developer to plant trees as part of their CSR; c) Dialogue with Butuan City Water District (BCWD) regarding water problem of the city; and d) Conducted Consumer Education Seminar in Barangay Urduja.

For the rest of the year, KHBI will conduct more CES to barangays, conduct trainer’s training for students, will work on having a livelihood project and get accreditation from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), civil society organizations and Butuan City local government unit.

Assisted by the DTI-Agusan del Norte Provincial Office, KHBI has been conducting consumer protection and advocacy activities in the city since the late 1990s. (DTI-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Caraga)


Butuan City MSEs participate in 2016 Brunei International Trade and Consumer Exhibition

BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – Six Bottom-Up Budgeting (BUB) Program-assisted micro and small enterprises (MSEs) recently participated in the Brunei International Trade and Consumer Exhibition (BITCE) 2016, held at the Brines Hall 1-2, Jerudong, Darussalam.

The said enterprises were: 1) Marjeck Food Products; 2) JIDA Aqua Resources; 3) Lagman-Regis Farm and Agri-Resources, 4) Bidlisiw Foundation Inc. of the Missionary Sisters of Mary; 5) RTR Federation of Abaca weavers; and 6) Mercado’s Sudlanan.  DTI Agusan del Nort provincial director Gay A. Tidalgo headed the delegation.

The participation of these enterprises had greatly benefited them in terms of gaining of wider market exposure; access to new markets; generation of additional sales; and learning about product trends in the BIMP-East Asia Growth Areas.

Through this event the MSEs were able to showcase some of the best products in the city such as: bottles sardines, turmeric powder, herbal coffee, abaca bags, abaca hampers, and water hyacinth slippers.

Cash and book order sales amounting to more than P100 most of which were derived from the food products.  Significant amount of negotiated sales were also done during the event.

The participants gained valuable insights and lessons which will guide them to future initiatives in leveling up their respective businesses.  They further understood the importance of Halal certification if they are to gain more mainstream markets in Muslim-dominated economies in ASEAN countries like Brunei.  They also recognized the huge opportunities in selling their products abroad given the sizable population of Filipinos overseas who crave for Philippine made products. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


DTI AgNor holds consumer education seminar

BUTUAN CITY, April 25 (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Agusan del Norte in cooperation with Konsumador Hong Butuan Inc. and Barangay local government unit of Urduja successfully conducted the Consumer Education Seminar held recently at Barangay Hall of Urduja, this city.

The seminar was attended by 34 participants mostly women and barangay officials headed by Barangay Captain Mario Tiu. Konsumador Hong Butuan Inc. president Egmedio Tidalgo, Jr. gave a brief introduction and emphasized the role of Consumer Organization as far as promoting welfare and interests of consumers in Butuan City/Agusan del Norte. 

All participants were satisfied because they learned and became knowledgeable regarding the eight basic consumer rights and five responsibilities of a consumer. According to them, the activity increased their awareness and lots of questions about consumer issues/concerns were tackled specially on online marketing, foreign consumer products, and globalization.

After hearing all the inputs they were happy because consumer protection was the total output of their seminar. DTI also urged the consumers to be vigilant emphasizing that a well informed and vigilant consumer is the best protected consumer. (DTI-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Caraga)