(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 27 March 2024) Easterlies affecting the eastern section of 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.


Thursday, September 22, 2016


DOST, Winrock-PCCP, PIA intensify 'Food Safe Caraga' campaign

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 22 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Caraga Food Safety Team (CFST), in partnership with Winrock International – Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP) and Philippine Information Agency is intensifying its campaign to fulfill food safety in the region.

According to DOST Caraga regional director Dominga Mallonga, their partnership with Winrock-PCCP and PIA is aimed to increase promotion of food safety awareness through a massive information, education and communication campaign called “Food Safe Caraga.”

“This campaign is in accordance to the provisions of the Republic Act Number 10611, also known as the Food Safety Act of 2013 – An Act to Strengthen the Food Safety Regulatory System in the country to protect consumer health and facilitate market access of local foods and food products,” reiterated Mallonga.

The good director further expressed her optimism that their partnership with Winrock and PIA will reach many places, as they will be doing various activities and efforts to reach out to people and inculcate the significance of ensuring food safety all the time.

The DOST is guided with the vision to uphold "a reservoir of scientific and technological know-how providing world-class solutions that empower Filipinos to attain higher productivity and better quality of life.” (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


6,711 drug personalities surrender in SurSur

By  Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Sept. 22 (PIA) – Since the Police Provincial Office (PPO) of Surigao del Sur launched “Operation Tokhang,” it has recorded 6,711 drug personalities who have surrendered in various police stations in the province, an updated report received from the PPO Surigao del Sur headed by PSSupt Romaldo Bayting.

The 6,711 drug personalities included 6,676 drug dependents or users and 135 pushers.

Accordingly, Barobo town recorded the highest number of drug surrenderers with a total of 736. Ten of them were pushers, while 726 are users.

The city of Bislig has recorded 659 surrenderees and Tandag City with 531.

PPO PCR assistant officer Arlene Tanzo also noted that Tandag City has the most number of PNP personnel assigned with 88 police officers including the senior officials. (FEA/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DILG holds RS4LG orientation to LGUs

By Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa

BUTUAN CITY, Sept. 22 (PIA) - The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 13 (Caraga) with support from the Local Government Academy (LGA) has conducted the Orientation-Workshop on Regulatory Simplification for Local Governments (RS4LG) on September 14-16, 2016 at Raquiza Hall of Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center, this city.

With the recent pronouncement of President Rodrigo R. Duterte during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) relative to the ease of doing business and fast government processing time in issuing permits and licenses and other transaction, the RS4LG complements to its implementation.

Now on the third year, DILG Region 13 (Caraga) identified five new target local government units (LGUs) in the region for CY 2016. These are the Municipality of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; Municipality of Nasipit, Agusan del Norte; and the Municipality of Esperanza, Agusan del Sur; Municipality of Mainit, Surigao del Norte and the Municipality of San Jose, Dinagat Islands which were invited in the said activity.

In line with the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2016 Re: “Revised Standards in Processing Business Permits and Licenses in all Cities and Municipalities,” RS4LG seeks to improve the LGUs’ processes in starting a business. It aims to assist the target LGUs in fostering a business climate that will contribute to private sector development as well as the economic development of the LGU. It involves an exhaustive review of a LGUs’ regulatory framework with the objectives of removing unnecessary requirements in registering a business. The overall end-result is the enhancement of the LGUs’ competiveness as an investment destination complemented by a better-planned and managed urban growth.

Also, it focused on enhancing the existing business permit and licensing system (BPLS) to support the LGUs in improving their regulatory systems and processes relating to starting a business and complements the BPLS program by providing an in-depth analysis of the LGU’s regulatory framework.

Participants of the activity were the LCE, Municipal Administrators, Business Permit and Licensing Officers (BPLOs), Municipal Engineers (MEs) of the Office of the Building Official, Sanitary Inspectors/Municipal Health Officer (MHO), Municipal Treasurers, Zoning Officers/Planning and Development Coordinators and Sangguniang Bayan members.

At the end of the activity, the participants submitted their Action Plans in the implementation of the RS4LG with the commitment of the LGUs to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DILG and LGA. (DILG-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)