(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).


Wednesday, August 17, 2016


'Bato' tells Caraga cops: Reduce illegal drug in 6 months period

By Nora C. Lanuza Molde

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) – The nation’s top cop is optimistic that the drug problem in the country will be reduced in six months period.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa during his visit to the city on Monday as guest of honor and speaker of the 115th Police Service Anniversary celebration of the PNP urged the police force of Caraga region to defeat the nation’s drug problem within the given six months period as ordered by President Duterte.

Dela Rosa pledged to resign from office if the PNP’s campaign against illegal drugs fail within the given period. “I will not cling on my post as chief PNP and will not hesitate to resign if I fail to solve the problem,” dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa challenge his men to do their best for they will be the first ones to be relieved before his time to go.

“You should cleanse your ranks first to become effective in the campaign against illegal drugs . . .  keep the momentum in suppressing the drug problem,” dela Rosa told police force.

PNP Chief Dela Rosa is optimistic that the drug menace would be greatly reduced in six months.

Also, dela Rosa emphasized that the PNP is waging war against its members who have been involved into illegal drug trade. (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)


20 OSYs join effective customer service seminar

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Aug. 17 (PIA) – A total of 20 Out of School Youths (OSYs) and beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's Sustainable Livelihood Program recently participated the Effective Customer Service Seminar conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office.

DTI-Trade and Industry Development Specialist Mardel Allen G. Delanto, the event's speaker, said the activity is in line with the agency's thrust to continuously improve the customer service delivery of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to its clients and stakeholders.

He said that in order to help the participants familiarize with the basics of customer service they were provided inputs on the ways to work more easily with others and create a more pleasant environment.

“They were taught proper ways to communicate with customers in person and over the phone, helpful skills for dealing with angry customers and tactics in keeping one’s composure under stress which can be applied in their respective businesses to improve their customer service standards,” said Mardel.

Mardel further said that the activity is funded under the DTI’s Small and Medium Enterprises Roving Academy (SMERA) Program.

SMERA is a program for continuous learning for the development of micro, small and medium enterprises to become competitive in the domestic and international markets. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Illegal drugs campaign nets 5,446 voluntary surrenderers in Butuan City

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) – In adherence to the call of the Duterte administration to support the war against illegal drugs, the implementation of Oplan ‘Tokhang’ has yielded a voluntary surrender of 5,369 drug users and 77 drug pushers in this city based on the  Butuan City Police Office (BCPO) record for the period July 1 - August 10, 2016, while 1,200 number of homes were visited.

It was also revealed in the accomplishment report on anti-illegal drug operations for the same period that there are 34 arrested pushers and users in its jurisdiction. Confiscated items were marijuana (0.3645g) and shabu (30.9217g) with a total amount of P364,876.06 according to Dangerous Drug Board value.

“One of the arrested pushers is the top most wanted drug personality listed under Butuan City Police Station-4,” underscored BCPO city director PSSupt. Percival Augustus Placer.

When asked about the number of drug lords who are probably operating in the city, Placer said that no high-valued target is being noted in the city. He then encouraged the people from media sector to help divulge any activity related to illegal drug dealings they know for the Philippine National Police (PNP) to take appropriate actions and for possible apprehension of the culprits.

Placer encouraged the media to help them in terms of information dissemination on the intensified campaign against criminality and illegal drugs. He also stressed that the PNP has remained transparent in all its mandates and responsibilities.

Meanwhile, PSupt Excelso Lazaga, Jr., deputy city director for operations of BCPO bared that based on their previous record, the city is a transshipment point from Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro and Cebu City.

“Statistically, there is a significant decrease in the theft incidence in the city wherein 85 incidents were recorded on July 2015 as compared to only nine incidents of July 2016. It can be seen that our campaign for anti-illegal drugs made an effect of tremendous reduction of crime rate since drug users tend to make criminal activities such as theft and robbery to sustain such vice,” said Lazaga.

Lazaga urged the public to support the campaign and that they will continue to serve the warrants particularly on R.A. 9165 and with adherence to the rule of law. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)


Schools wage war on drugs

By Ederlina R. Jampac

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) - Not just the police force and barangay officials, but also the schools, are joining President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s call to curb the drug menace in the country.

All schools nationwide are again intensifying their anti-illegal drugs campaign by virtue of Department of Education Order No. 12 of 2009 which is otherwise known as the National Drug Education Program (NDEP). This program aims to create awareness on the ill effects of abusing drugs and to develop among students positive behavior and life skills to resist drugs.

Regional directors and schools division superintendents are instructed to strengthen the implementation of NDEP in all schools by intensifying anti-drug abuse information campaigns, supporting the activities planned by the designated regional and division NDEP coordinators, involving PTCAs and student organizations in drug abuse prevention activities, allocating funds for the replication of existing modules and teaching aids and/or development of other supplementary instructional materials for drug education, mobilizing all scout leaders to integrate drug abuse prevention in the training of scouts utilizing the Drug Abuse Prevention Integrated in Scouting Kit (DISK), and collaborating closely with the local government units, other government offices and non-government organizations at the local level. (DepEd Butuan City Division/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


AgNor province boosts animal production

By Aimee B. Sienes

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) - The provincial government of Agusan del Norte, in its effort to boost animal production, is set to be at the receiving end of six heads swine, five heads gilt and one head boar from the Department of Agriculture, Regional Field Office 13 (DA-13), to be used as breeder stocks of the province.

Provincial Governor Ma. Angelica Rosedell M. Amante-Matba was authorized by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to sign the Memorandum of Agreement by and between the province and the DA-13 for the immediate implementation of the said program.

Another program as an added boost to animal production was the donation of two heads buck crossbred anglonubian, 20 heads doe upgraded anglonubian, 22 heads doe pure-anglonubian and one head buck pure-anglobubian still from the same national agency.

Through Sanggunian Resolution No. 018-2016, authored by Provincial Board Member Virgilio R. EscasiΓ±as, Jr., Governor Angel was authorized to sign the deed of donation by and between the province and DA-13, whereby the province will receive such animals free from all liens and encumbrances. (LGU-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


Army calls on LCEs not to support NPA activities

By Capt. Edwin Fuertes Sr.

PROSPERIDAD, Agusan del Sur, Aug. 17 (PIA) - An official of 401st Infantry “Unity” Brigade, 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division, Philippine Army urged all local chief executives (LCEs) not to support the New People's Army (NPA) rebels in all forms - may it be moral or financial.

In the recent Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting here presided by Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward “Eddie Bong” Plaza, 401st brigade commander Colonel Cristobal Zaragoza called on all the local government units and government agencies to actively support the government’s peace and development efforts in the province.

“Let’s give peace a chance though active non-violent undertakings. Public officials should desist from supporting the NPA may it be morally or financially especially with the upcoming barangay and SK elections come October,” he stressed.

The good commander further emphasized that any support from the LCEs to the bandits will cause them harm as the NPAs will not stop from their extortion activities for their own benefit.

Also, PSSupt. Joseph Plaza reported the status of anti-criminality campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP); Atty. Leslie Mae F Plaza of the National Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) on the IP issues and concerns; and regional director Julius Navales of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on illegal Drugs operation.

The council now aims to sustain the gains in upholding the peace and security of the province for the eventual declaration of Agusan del Sur as peaceful and ready for further development.

Gov. Plaza also urged all the Agusanons and other partner stakeholders to be united so that "we can achieve our goal the everlasting peace not only to the province of Agusan del Sur but for the whole country in general." (42CMOC, 4CMOBn, 4ID/PIA-Agusan del Sur)