(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.


Wednesday, May 16, 2018


DILG conducts SGLG regional orientation in Caraga

By Venus L. Garcia

BUTUAN CITY, May 16 (PIA) -- To make stakeholders more familiar with the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Caraga recently conducted the regional orientation on the operational guidelines in the implementation of the 2018 SGLG held in this city.

The adoption of ‘all-in’ approach posed a greater challenge for the resource persons to elaborate the different indicators along financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order, business friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, and tourism, culture and the arts.

Representatives from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also gave valuable inputs in discussing the indicators.

According to DILG-Caraga LGOO Davejane Nuñez, pre-evaluation and post evaluation workshops were done to review and assess the participants on the implementation of the program.

She said that DILG-Caraga regional director Lilibeth Famacion made emphasis for all stakeholders to be cooperative, compliant, and excellent in this year’s SGLG assessment.
The activity was joined in by DILG provincial and city directors, outcome and program managers, and all city and municipal local government operations officers.

“Regional line agencies which have stake on the program were also invited to discuss implementing parameters of the 2018 SGLG as mandated by Memorandum Circular No. 2018-49,” Nuñez said.

SGLG is a progressive yearly assessment system implemented by DILG to recognize the local government units (LGUs) with remarkable performance across areas.

It is open to the hierarchy of LGU sub-division from the municipal, city and provincial levels.

It also aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 framework through the principles of “Malasakit, Pagbabago at Patuloy na Pag-Unlad” imbibing “inclusive growth, high trust society and a globally-competitive knowledge economy.” (Davejane Nuñez, LGOO II, DILG-Caraga/VLG/PIA-Caraga)

Poll security remains in force in Caraga

By Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, May 16 (PIA) -- High ranking officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Caraga region are in unison with the idea that tighter poll security measures will have to remain in force until the end of the election period on May 21. 

Earlier, Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Director (PD) PSSupt. Francisco Dungo, Jr. said that winners in the just concluded May 14, 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) could still be at risk especially in hotly contested areas, hence deployed police force could not just turn their back and walk away.

The provincial police chief assured that everything would be kept in check.  

In a separate interview, both BGen. Franco Nemesio Gacal and Col. Andres Centino, commanders of the 402nd and 401st Infantry Brigades of the Philippine Army (PA) based in Bancasi, Butuan City and Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, respectively, underscored the value of continuing poll security being put in place.

Right after the poll schedule had ended, Atty. Ernie Palanan, provincial election supervisor (PES) in Surigao del Sur, was glad to report that no untoward incident had happened during the election day.  He then expressed thanks and gratitude especially to both the AFP and PNP for a job well done. 

Both army brigade chiefs issued the same statements.

Meanwhile, Palanan thanked everybody for the cooperation, citing a generally peaceful and successful undertaking.

The provincial poll chief even took pride of a literally “clean” polling places with candidates doing away with campaign flyers and leaflets during the Election Day unlike the past electoral exercises. (Radyo Pilipinas-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)

FIESTA Balangay Trade Fair opens May 16

BUTUAN CITY, May 16 (PIA) -- In celebration of this year's Balangay Festival, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is co-anchoring the mounting of FIESTA Balangay Trade Fair with the Butuan City Trade, Industry and Investment Promotion Office, in partnership with the Caraga Consortium for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (CCAARRD).

Within the fair, CCAARRD is holding its annual FIESTA or Farms and Industry Encounters through the Science and Technology Agenda, which includes an array of fora, techno demo, and a showcase of the products and services of the consumer members-assisted micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

To complete the fair, trade exhibits and selling booths are also included such as the display of both Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur producers, as well as those from other provinces.

DTI-Agusan del Norte is doing its mobile Negosyo Center-Butuan servicing and a showcase of Butuan products.

The mobile Negosyo Center will be there to provide business name registration and other registration and licensing facilitation, business advisory/counseling and information and advocacy on business opportunities and how to start a business.

The fair opens officially at 2:00 p.m. on May 16 and will run until May 19, 2018 at the Balangay Festival Center, Sports Complex, Brgy. Libertad, this city. (DTI-Agusan del Norte/PIA-Agusan del Norte)

‘Live by example’, PNP chief tells Caraga cops

BUTUAN CITY, May 16 (PIA) -- During his recent visit to the Police Regional Office (PRO)-13 headquarters, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde urged the police force to live by example.

“Unit commanders shall support not only the campaign against illegal drugs and criminality but also our internal cleansing efforts. Our counter-intelligence monitoring is intensified against the police scalawags,” PNP chief Albayalde added.

He emphasized that police officers found to be involved in illegal activities will face suspension or dismissal from the uniformed service.

On the other hand, six PNP personnel were awarded during his visit. The awardees were Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (SDSPPO) director Senior Supt. Francisco Dungo after the SDSPPO topped the highest number in operational accomplishments; Supt. Rowena Martinez, SPO2 Noriel Alwag and SPO2 Garry Morgadez for their successful anti-illegal drug operation in Butuan City; and PO1 Randy Ravelo and PO1 Julier Ramoso who were wounded during the encounter against the NPA terrorists in Rosario, Agusan del Sur.

CSupt Noli Romana, PRO 13 regional director, led the arrival honors. Both were classmates in the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986. (PNP-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)

Barangay, SK Elections 2018 turn out peaceful in Caraga region

BUTUAN CITY, May 16 (PIA) -- Police Regional Office (PRO)-13 regional director CSupt. Noli Romana disclosed that the recently concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2018 were generally peaceful in Caraga region.
Per Regional Election Monitoring Action Center based at PRO13 headquarters, no election-related incident was recorded in the region and people casted their votes safely.

“The success of 2018 elections is attributed to the collective efforts not only of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and other government agencies but also of the community and other stakeholders that share with us the same goal of ensuring peaceful and secured polls,” CSupt Romana said.

However, with its heightened operations, Caraga policemen had arrested, on election day, nine individuals for violation of COMELEC Liquor Ban and two suspects charged with violation of RA No. 10591 in relation to the COMELEC Gun Ban.

The PNP and AFP had deployed troops to the different polling centers in the region ensuring non-disruption in the entire electoral process. (PNP-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)