(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Monday, 07 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).


Thursday, June 15, 2017

Agusan Norte grade schools benefit NGCP’s ‘Gamit ni Bulilit’ program

By Nora C. Lanuza Molde

REMEDIOS T. ROMUALDEZ, Agusan del Norte, June 15 (PIA) – Nine elementary schools of the province of Agusan del Norte have benefited from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) ‘Gamit ni Bulilit’ program.

In a ceremonial turn-over of the school supplies held on Wednesday at Tagbongabong Elementary School in Barangay Tagbongabong here, 148 Grades 1 to 3 pupils have received a NGCP bags with 10 notebooks and three pencils each.

According to Glory Rebleza , regional communications and public affairs officer of NGCP District 4 – Northeastern Mindanao Area, Tagbongabong is one of the nine elementary school beneficiaries.

“The supplies provided by the NGCP not only help the recipient-pupils but the parents on budgeting their meager income in buying their children’s school supplies,” said Charito Maglasang, principal of the Tagbongabong Elementary School.

Other schools benefited from the “Gamit ni Bulilit’ include Bayabas Elementary School with 104 bags; Sta. Ana Elementary School - 205; Jagupit Elementary School - 188; Prospero Salas Elementary School - 136; Magsaysay Elementary School - 120; Bangonay Central Elementary School - 223; Baleguian Elementary School - 204; and Jaliobong Elementary School with 104.

The nine recipient-schools received a total of 1,432 bags from the program.

The recipient-schools are those affected by the Butuan-Placer 128 Transmission Line Project of the NGCP as per recommendation by the NGCP field personnel, Rebleza said. (NCLM/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


300 farmers, fisherfolks in SurSur to gather for province-wide forum

By Nida Grace P. Barcena

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, June 15 (PIA) – The provincial government of Surigao del Sur will gather about 300 famers and fisherfolks for the province-wide Farmers and Fisherfolks' Forum on Friday, June 16 at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall, this city.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credits Evelyn LaviΓ±a will grace the opening ceremony.

Provincial Agriculturist Marcos Quico said that among the highlights of the activity include the tribute to outstanding farmers, fisherfolks and agricultural extension workers during the night spearheaded by the provincial government thru the office of the provincial agriculturist (OPAg).

Quico said the activity carries the theme, “Utilizing Resources, Expanding Opportunities.”

Meanwhile, the city government of Tandag will also open the Agri-Fishery Trade Fair on the same day in celebration of the 57th Araw ng Surigao del Sur, which will be held at the Vicente L. Pimentel Sr. Boulevard. (FEA/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


DTI offers ‘Balik Eskwela Diskwento’ caravan in Dinagat Islands

SAN JOSE, Dinagat Islands, June 15 (PIA) - To continue the success of the previous caravans and with the opening of classes for the school year 2017-2018, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Dinagat Islands provincial office recently conducted the Diskwento Caravan on June 5-6, 2017 held at the Don Jose Ecleo Memorial Foundation College of Science and Technology, this municipality.

Dubbed as “DISKWENTO CARAVAN: Balik-Eskwela Edition," the activity offered basic school supplies at a discounted price and goods defined as basic necessities were also sold.

The Diskwento Caravan Program is DTI's effort to provide people access to basic necessities at an affordable price, especially those belonging to the marginalized and vulnerable sectors in the community. (DTI-Dinagat Islands/PIA-Dinagat Islands)


SSS, Nigeria ink deal to cover Filipino employees

MANILA, June 15  - Some 15 Filipino employees of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will now be covered under the Social Security System (SSS) as the two institutions and the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) formally inked an agreement that will place them secured under the SS and EC Laws.

Under the agreement, the Filipino staff of the Nigerian Embassy will be provided benefits during contingencies such as sickness, disability, maternity, retirement and death (survivor) under the SS law as well as benefits for work-related injuries, sickness and death under the EC law.

With the agreement, the Nigerian Embassy became the 41st foreign diplomatic entity in the Philippines that is duly registered and covered SSS employer. (SSS/PIA-Caraga)


PSA, BSP prepare for consumer expectations survey in July

BUTUAN CITY, June 15 - The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) are now preparing for the conduct of the Consumer Expectations Survey (CES), a household-based survey on the consumers’ assessment of their family income, financial situation, and the economic condition of the country, this coming July.

It is conducted on a quarterly basis and administered on a sample basis at the household level  The PSA’s responsibility is to undertake the data collection and encoding of the questionnaires while generation of tables and analysis of the results for the BSP.

The survey aims to provide a quick and regular assessment of the financial condition of consumers and economic condition of the country at present and in the near future, from the consumers’ own viewpoints; to generate forecasts in the direction of the country’s economic activity based on consumers’ outlook in the current quarter, next quarter and the next 12 months; and to provide quick and regular assessment of consumers’ confidence in terms of their income and expenditures as well as their outlook on key economic indicators closely monitored by the BSP such as inflation, exchange rate and interest rates.

The July 2017 CES will be undertaken this coming July 1 to 15, 2017.  Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte are the provinces covered for this survey round, it was learned.

All information collected by the hired Statistical Researchers from the sample households shall be kept strictly confidential and shall not be used for purposes of taxation, investigation or regulation as provided under Article 55 of RA 10625. (PSA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)


DOE overseeing full restoration of power in Marawi City

BUTUAN CITY, June 15 - The Department of Energy (DOE), in coordination with the various generation, transmission and electricity distribution players in Mindanao, is trying to bring back power in some critical parts of Marawi City still affected by the ongoing fighting in the area.

The DOE’s Inter-Agency Task Force on Securing Energy Facilities (IATFSEF) reported that, as of 12:00 noon Wednesday, Marawi City remains 45 percent energized with power restored in some major establishments last June 10.

Among the establishments and areas where power has already been restored are the Provincial Capitol, Amai Pakpak Medical Center, Brigade-Campo Ranao – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Camp, Barangay Saber and part of Barangay Matampay.

With proper coordination with the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) forcers, technical line personnel were en route to restore power in other vital installations in the affected areas.

On the distribution side, the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LASURECO) bared that the current power supply for Lanao del Sur is zero percent in the 1st district covering 15 municipalities, and 100 percent in the 2nd District with 16 municipalities.

For the Mindanao generation facilities, the National Power Corp. reported that the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complexes are in normal operation, according to a report by the DOE’s IATSEF.

According to the task force, water elevation at Lake Lanao as of 8:00 a.m. stood at 701.210 meters above sea level, while water release is at 160 meters per second.

The Marawi Lake Regulating Dam (MLRD) gates opening has been maintained at 1.60 in view of the fact that changes entail hazards from sniper fire.

Based on the current report, the transmission system is operating under normal conditions. (DOE/PIA-Caraga)


US Pacific Fleet commander reaffirms strong defense ties to PH

BUTUAN CITY, June 15 (PIA) - Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, visited the Republic of the Philippines on June 11-14, 2017 to reaffirm the U.S. Navy’s strong partnership and ties with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Swift met with Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano, Secretary of National Defense Delfin N. Lorenzana, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Eduardo AΓ±o, and Philippine Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Adm. Ronald J.S. Mercado.  Swift stressed the U.S. Pacific Fleet's commitment to addressing shared regional security concerns including counterterrorism and piracy, while highlighting the strong defense ties between the U.S. and the Philippines.

“The Philippine Navy is a valued and enduring ally of the U.S. Navy and a close partner of the Pacific Fleet,” said Swift.  “I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to visit with senior government and military leaders here in Manila.  We continue to build on the strong relationship we have and to reaffirm our commitment to working together to face shared challenges,” he added.

The long-standing alliance between the Philippines and the United States has contributed to peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region for more than 70 years.  As part of the security partnership, the United States supports the Philippines in its efforts to strengthen national defense, and improve its ability to respond to natural disasters, terror threats, piracy, and other transnational crimes. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)