(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.


Tuesday, August 22, 2017

US, PH marines undergo training in Okinawa

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Philippine Marines from Assault Armor Battalion and United States (US) Marines from Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division worked together to become familiar with amphibious assault vehicles and how to best utilize their capabilities during a 16-day training held recently in Okinawa, Japan.

This is the first time that members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines have trained on a U.S. military base.

During the training, Philippine Marines learned different amphibious skills such as hand signaling, egress training, and water operations.  They also familiarized themselves with maintenance procedures, logistical planning, and facility capabilities.

The training benefits both forces moving forward as they continue to work together during exercises such as Kamandag this October to bolster Philippine amphibious capability and combined security operations. (U.S. Embassy/PIA-Caraga)


DOE pushes for widening of energy base at the Asia cooperation dialogue

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi called for the widening of the energy base with efficient and reliable power sources at the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) event held recently in Panglao, Bohol.

In his keynote address at the opening of the three-day ACD, Cusi said the strategy can help nations secure their energy needs while addressing the challenges of climate change and energy affordability.

“We have a diversified energy mix, with nearly 24 percent of our power being sourced from renewable sources.  And this diversified mix has proven to be competitive and sustainable,” Cusi said.

To achieve security and sustainability requires a three-pronged approach driven by three “Is” - incentives, investments and innovation, according to Cusi.

“Governments must be willing to provide the necessary support for players who want to bring fresh energy solutions and thus, make electricity rates affordable to consumers," Cusi said.

He also said that “all players must be willing to invest in new technologies that not only increases reliability, but reduces emissions.”

“Innovation is the key driver that we need in order to achieve security and sustainability. Governments must develop a regulatory environment that supports our innovators and researchers,” he added.

With the three “Is” approach, Asia can produce its own visionary problem solvers. “We must be resilient and stay the course,” Cusi said.

Meanwhile, the energy chief shared the country's solution to the hurdles faced by energy investors in Asia in the form of red tape and long waiting times.

As a solution, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order 30 that classifies energy projects amounting to at least $70 million as projects of national significance, according to Cusi. EO 30 also streamlines permitting process of all government agencies under the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC).

Under the EO, concerned government agencies must act on a proposal within 30 days. Otherwise, the proposal is deemed approved.

“Speed is of the essence here and we are determined to see that we pull in the best investments and build our projects on time to deliver on our domestic plan,” Cusi said.

“But it is not just enough to focus internally. It is also important to promote closer cooperation among our countries. Our diversity is our strength,” he added

The ACD will encourage member countries to develop the mechanisms to move forward with an Energy Plan of Action to pave way for initiatives on the nexus of critical resources, such as food, energy and water.

“To be more resilient, I believe that future initiatives should be focused on technological advancement and improved management practices must also be implemented. We need future-proof policies that would allow us to cope with natural and human-induced disasters,” Cusi said.

The secretary concluded by showcasing the DOE’s consumer-focused energy campaign E-Power Mo! or the consumers’ “Power of Choice”.

Providing information on the fast-evolving developments in the energy sector, E-Power Mo! is a campaign that seeks to  empower and educate  consumers by giving them the power of choice and allowing them to better manage their energy consumption patterns. (DOE/PIA-Caraga)


DOE, NREB caps off public consultation series for RPS draft guidelines

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 22 (PIA) - The Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB), in cooperation with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Building Low Emission Alternatives to Develop Economic Resilience and Sustainability (B-LEADERS), conducted the last public consultation for the finalization of the draft rules and guidelines of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) held on recently at the DOE’s headquarters in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The Luzon leg of the pub-con is the culminating consultation after the Visayas leg in Cebu City and Mindanao leg in Davao City held respectively last 6 July and 26 July.

The RPS is a policy mechanism under Republic Act 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 that requires electric power industry participants, particularly the distribution utilities, to source or produce a specified fraction of their power supply from eligible RE resources.

The main objective of RPS is to increase the utilization of RE by enhancing national and local capabilities on using RE.

“Once the RPS is rolled out, energy consumers have more options on what type of energy they want to consume, particularly the clean and sustainable ones. It empowers them to formulate the right energy strategies for them,” energy cecretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Cusi said that “the pub-con is a necessary tool in engaging RE stakeholders in the policy-making by gathering their insights and suggestions to ensure a comprehensive RPS rules and guideline before finalization and endorsement by NREB to the DOE”.

The pub-con was led by NREB Chair Atty. Jose Layug, Jr. as the keynote speaker, together with Electric Power Industry Management Bureau (EPIMB) OIC-Director Mario Marasigan, and NREB co-chairman and RPS chairman Mr. Juan Antonio Bernad.

“We must ensure that the targets we have set for the RPS should not remain simply as statistics, not even as final destinations, but as milestones upon which new targets will evolve,” said Layug.

Some issues raised during the consultation were the impact of RPS to consumers regarding electricity prices, the implication of RPS to existing power plants, social and environmental impression of the RPS and possible updates on the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) rules among others.

Around 300 participants from representatives of government agencies, NREB, international financial institutions, distribution utilities and renewable energy stakeholders attended the consultation. (DOE/PIA-Caraga)


Tagalog News: Mahigit 50 illegal gambling machines na nakumpisa ng Butuan City Police Office sinira

Ni Jennifer P. Gaitano

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Agosto 22 (PIA) - Sinira isa-isa ng mga personahe ng Butuan City Police Office (BCPO) sa pangunguna ni city director Police Senior Superintendent Percival Agustus Placer ang may 56 na mga illegal gambling machines na nakumpiska ng ibat-ibang police stations sa lungsod ng Butuan, kamakailan.

Ayon kay PSSupt. Placer, sa nakumpiskang 56 illegal gambling machines, 22 nito ay video karera at 34 ang fruit game machines.

Ayon sa kanya, mahigpit nilang pinapatupad ang marching order ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte laban sa mga ilegal na gawain sa ibat-ibang barangay. Patuloy umano nilang minomonitor ang mga barangay sa lungsod ng Butuan at hindi umano sila mag-aatubiling hulihin ang mga sumusuway sa batas.

Samantala, sumuporta rin ang ilang city councilors sa kampanya laban illegal gambling machines at sumali sa pagsira sa mga nakumpiskang machines ng BCPO. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Tagalog News: Ikalawang opisina ng SSS sa Canada, bukas na

LUNGSOD NG SURIGAO, Agosto 22 (PIA) - Handa ng pagsilbihan ng Social Security System (SSS) ang mahigit sa 250,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) na naninirahan sa kanlurang bahagi ng Canada sa bagong bukas na extension office nito na nasa opisina ng Philippine Consulate General (PCG) sa Calgary.

Maaaring mag-inquire, mag-sumite ng mga aplikasyon at mag-avail ng mga serbisyo ng SSS sa Calgary extension office na binuksan noong Hunyo kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Kalayaan ng Pilipinas.

Ayon kay SSS President at Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc, ang bagong bukas na extension office, na pangalawa na sa Canada, ay magsisilbi sa halos 270,000 Pilipino na nakatira sa Alberta, British Columbia at iba pang probinsya sa kanlurang bahagi ng Canada.

“Inaasahan po naming mas marami pang Pilipino ang mapagserbisyuhan upang masiguro ang kanilang tuloy-tuloy na proteksyon sa ilalim ng ating mga programa sa SSS.  Tinatayang aabot sa mahigit 660,000 ang mga Pilpino na nasa Canada ngayon. Halos 40 porsyento nila ay matutulungan ng bagong bukas na opisina sa Calgary. Nagpapasalamat din po tayo sa Konsulada sa pagpapahiram sa atin ng espasyo para sa ating operasyon,” ani ni Dooc.

Ang natitirang 60 porsyento ng Pilipino naman na naninirahan sa silangang bahagi ng Canada ay patuloy na magpalilingkuran ng SSS Toronto foreign representative office.

Pinirmahan din ng SSS at PCG ang isang kasunduan kung saan nakapaloob na maaaring mag-opisina at tumanggap ng mga miyembo sa loob ng nasasakupan ng opisina ng PCG Calagary.

“Nagsimula ang operasyon ng SSS Calgary office noong nakaraang buwan,  na sa simula ay isang extension office lamang sa ilalim ng pamunuan ng representative office sa SSS Toronto. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon nang 23 SSS foreign office sa mga tampok na bansa, kung saan ang mga opisina ay nasa loob ng Embassy/Consulate General/Overseas Labor Office,” ani ni Dooc.

Pinangunahan nina Social Security Commissioners Gonzalo Duque at Anita Quitain ang isang ribbon-cutting ceremony kasama sina SSS Account Management Group Senior Vice President at International Operations Group Concurrent OIC Judy Frances See at PCG Consul General Julius Torres.

Nagsagawa rin ng program briefing at onsite services para sa mga Pilipino sa Alberta at British Columbia sa pangunguna ng SSS management team sa pagbisita nila sa Canada upang makahikayat ng mas marami pang miyembro sa SSS.


Ang mga serbisyong inihahandog ng SSS ay para sa mga mga migrant workers, mga OFWs, kasama na ang mga Pinoy na Canadian citizens na, maging mayroong dual-citizenship. (SSS/PIA-Surigao del Norte)