(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 04 October 2024) At 3:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Depression "JULIAN" {KRATHON} was estimated based on all available data at 240 km North Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes (22.6°N, 120.6°E) with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 75 km/h. It is almost stationary. Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting 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 Southeast will prevail with slight to moderate seas (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


Wednesday, October 19, 2016

RDRRMC Caraga conducts ICT-Bayanihan workshop in Surigao Norte

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, Oct. 19 (PIA) - The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) here conducted a two-day workshop on Emergency Telecommunications Summit: Information Communications Technology (ICT) Bayanihan on October 13-14, 2016 at Tavern Hotel, this city.

RDRRMC chairperson and OCD Caraga regional director Manuel Luis M. Ochotorena said the workshop aims to establish a framework to strengthen the effectiveness of ICT during disaster response operations.

Ochotorena said that the ICT-Bayanihan workshop gave emphasis on the unity of efforts of all provincial key ICT players of the emergency telecommunications cluster and its partner from the private sectors and volunteer groups using the existing domestic and international legal frameworks, guidelines, agreements and programs in the country.

Ochotorena said under the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC), an ICT rapid deployment team will be organized through the Rapid Emergency Telecommunications Team (RETT), which will provide assistance during disasters, and establish a functional and usable command and control communications frameworks for the Humanitarian Clusters and Incident Command Post (ICP) and foster communications interoperability and commonality from the regional down to barangay emergency response providers.

Ochotorena further said that under the Republic Act 10121, the OCD is tasked to establish standard operating procedures on the communication system among provincial, city, municipal, and barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils, for the purpose of warning and alerting the council and for gathering information on disaster areas before, during and after disasters.

“That is why we invited those with experience in emergency telecommunications for us to have an inventory based on their expertise and capabilities that can be deployed immediately in times of disasters to efficiently and effectively deliver government’s response and assess the situation on the ground,“ Ochotorena added. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


DAR-PARCCOM has new officers in SurSur

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 19 (PIA) - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) of Surigao del Sur has elected and inducted its new set of officers for Provincial Agrarian Reform Coordinating Committee (PARCCOM).

According to DAR Information Officer Myra Yu, the officers officially took their oath of office held at Shacene Pension House, this city.

The newly-elected officers who will represent the different sectors are: Selvestre Maratas for Farmers’ Organization; Leonardo Evangelista for Agricultural Cooperative; Jim Laurente and Timotheo Orquina, Jr. for Land Owners; Nora Apique and Rebecca Undangan for ARB-Principal Crop; Cesar Bat-ao for Indigenous People; and Radigundo Rivas for Non-Government Organizations.

PARCCOM is mandated to provide information on the provisions of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) guidelines issued by the Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) and on the progress of the CARP in the province.

The newly-elected officers will serve for three years as provided under PARC Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 1997. (PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Divers explore Tarusan River in Hinatuan
  
By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 19 (PIA) - A Filipino dive team led by one of the founders of Filipino Cave Divers and instructor of Technical Diving International, Jake Miranda, ventured into the underwater cave passage of Tarusan River through the Tarusan River Exploration on October 1, 2016 in Hinatuan town, this province.

According to Hinatuan Tourism Officer Gemma Millan, Miranda together with his team of cave divers, is very active in the discoveries and explorations of underwater cave systems.

Millan said he is instrumental in the conduct of the Hinatuan Enchanted River Cave Expedition on March 20, 2013, “(It is) self-funded because of his passion for explorations and love for Hinatuan.”

Millan said the exploration is a vital first step in determining the touristic potential of the attraction and may become alternative destination and "place to see” where tourists and guests can visit in addition to Enchanted River.

“The boat trail, on the other hand, may become a recreational attraction in the future,” she said.

“With proper planning, Tarusan River and boat trail have the potentials to become significant tourism attraction and activity and help stir up employment for the locals and open up more businesses in the area,” she added. (NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


AgNor PDRRM officer shares best practices, initiatives on DRRM-CCA

By April Rose Anne Y. Sanchez

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) - Erma R. Suyo, the Provincial DRRM Officer of Agusan del Norte, recently shared the province’s significant accomplishments and milestones on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and Climate Change Adaptation (DRRM-CCA) during the 8th airing of the monthly radio program of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Caraga Region dubbed as 4Ks or “Kaalam sa Katalagman, Kalig-on sa Katawhan.”

Said program was aired over DXBN Radyo ng Bayan Butuan on October 18, 2016 from 9:00 to 10:00 A.M.

“I am proud to express that one of the strengths of our province is the strong commitment and participation of our City/Municipal DRRM Councils on DRRM and CCA; that even our barangays are mainstreaming DRRM and CCA in plans and projects of their respective communities. It is overwhelming how our communities head initiatives to reduce and manage disaster risks," Suyo said.

The province is on the height of promoting the culture of disaster prevention and preparedness. Different capacity-building and planning activities relative to DRRM-CCA are continuously and repeatedly conducted by the Agusan del Norte Training Team to empower communities. “Our communities are our first line of defense. Community empowerment is not to overpower LGUs on planning processes and decision making but rather to give them the power and authority to influence their constituents in the effective and efficient implementation of DRRM and CCA,” Suyo added.

As the province strengthens its Community-Based DRRM, the PDRRMO believes that necessary systems, protocols and procedures shall be established and community action teams shall be created. “We cannot afford to be complacent all the time,” she shared.

Further, trainings are complemented by investments in systems and infrastructures at the local level to advance local policies in order to sustain sustainability. The provinces has implemented climate-resilient infrastructure projects amounting to 100 million pesos. Multipurpose halls with complete and gender-sensitive facilities are converted into evacuation centers.

Walang Iwanan sa Bayan ni Maria

Suyo presented one of province’s best practices dubbed as WIBM or “Walang Iwanan sa Bayan ni Maria” that aims to secure the oneness of the province in all ways and aspects. The province is the primary source of all capacity-building initiatives to ensure full participation and unity of LGUs. The partnership schemes of the province and its LGUs strongly continue through sharing of resources. Likewise, the province tightens its risk transfer mechanisms and land banking. “In Agusan del Norte, no LGU shall be left behind,” Suyo stressed.

“We are also investing in our youths. We have a youth program called YOUNG ADNERT which stands for Youth Operative in Urgency Nurturing Goodwill – Agusan del Norte Emergency Response Team and we have trained National Service Training Program (NSTP) students. These youths are now conducting CBDRRM and school risk assessments. Moreover, teachers are involved in CBDRRM,” the PDRRMO explained.

The province of Agusan del Norte won as the First Place Winner in the 2015 Regional Gawad KALASAG Search for Excellence in DRRM and Humanitarian Assistance and was declared as the Second Place Winner in the 2015 National Gawad KALASAG for Best Provincial DRRM Category. It is the Second Place Winner in this year’s Regional Gawad KALASAG for the same category.

The province makes certain that its programs, projects and activities on Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Response and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery are effectively and efficiently realized. (OCD-Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Norte)