PSA Caraga to conduct 2019 consumer expectations
survey
By Nora L. Molde
BUTUAN CITY, July 2 (PIA) -- The
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Caraga region will once again conduct the
2019 Consumer Expectation Survey (CES) starting July 1 to 31 this year.
This year, the provinces of Agusan del
Norte and Surigao del Norte will be covered for the survey round.
According to PSA Caraga regional
director Dr. Rosalinda C. Apura, the survey is aimed 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.
The survey will also 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 Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas ( BSP) such as inflation, exchange rate, and
interest rates, Apura said.
Apura further said that the survey will
provide quick and regular assessment of the saving condition of consumers and
outstanding debt situation of the household head, their spouse/partner, their
children and other family members at present.
The CES is a nationwide quarterly
household-based survey on the consumers' assessment of their family income,
financial situation, and the economic condition of the country.
“This is administered on a sample basis
at the household level drawn through a stratified multi-stage random sampling,”
Apura said.
The conduct of the survey is a joint
undertaking between the PSA and the BSP.
The PSA's responsibility is to
undertake the data collection and encoding of the questionnaires while BSP is
the generation of tables and analysis of the results, Apura added.
“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,” she added. (NCLM/PSA
Caraga/PIA Caraga)
More than 100 victims of investment scam file
complaints
BUTUAN CITY, July 2 -- The Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Caraga has recorded 107 complaints
against ‘Forex’ or ‘FRX Rice Trading’ investment scam since the recovery of
P23-million from its safe house on June 26, 2019.
The complainants came from Agusan del
Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Butuan City and Kidapawan City.
Police BGen. Gilberto DC Cruz, Regional
Director of Philippine National Police (PNP) in Caraga, urged the other victims
to file their complaints at the office of CIDG Caraga so the large scale estafa
will be filed against the founders of Frx or Forex.
Cruz also appealed to the public to
help the authorities in tracking the whereabouts of Dimber Celiz, manager of
the investment scam. (PNP-13/PIA-Caraga)
94 NPA supporters surrender to Army in Surigao Norte
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao
del Norte, July 2 -- Following the surrender of four New People’s Army (NPA)
leaders, a significant number of Underground Mass Organization (UGMO) members
surrendered to the 30th Infantry “Python” Battalion at Barangay Sta Cruz, Placer,
Surigao del Norte on June 27, 2019.
A total of 94 NPA supporters from
different barangays of Surigao del Norte appeared before Lt. Col. Allen Raymund
C. Tomas, commander of 30IB, with the intent to dissociate from the Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP) – NPA terrorist group.
Some 45 personalities out of the said
94 UGMO members came from Barangay Ima in Sison, which consists of indigenous
peoples (IPs) and farmers while other UGMO members were from barangay Togbongon
in Surigao City, Barangay Tolingin in Mainit and Barangay Mayag in Sison.
"These people were used and
exploited by the CPP-NPA terrorists (CNTs). Cutting their ties will definitely
degrade the NPAs capabilities and deter them from entering their guerilla base.
While we continue the community support program (CSP) in CNT affected
barangays, we are also expecting more UGMO members to surrender. Our combat
operations will be no let-up against the terrorists so that communities will be
free from CNT threats and violent atrocities," Tomas said.
UGMO is a group of people in a barangay
organized by NPA to become their mass supporters, which vary from farmers
sector or Pambangsang Katipunan ng Magsasaka, women sector or Malayang Kilusan
ng Bagong Kababaihan, youth sector or Samahan ng Kabataang Makabayan, and IP
sector or Rebolusyonaryong Organisasyong Lumad. They are the CNT's source of
financial, material, and moral support to advance their armed struggle.
Col. Maurito L. Licudine, commander of
the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, said they are very happy that the NPA
supporters heeded the call to withdraw their support to the CNTs.
“We are glad that they had finally
decided go back to the folds of the law. Thus, we will now be able to
facilitate the delivery of basic services in order to achieve peace and
development in our area of operations. We are positive that more NPA members
and supporters will follow the lead of their comrades and will chose to live a
better and peaceful life,” Licudine said.
It can be recalled that last June 26,
2019, CARAGA launched the Regional Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed
Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) during the Joint Caraga Regional Development Council
(RDC)-Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Full Councils Meeting in Butuan
City.
The launching was a milestone
especially that the Task Force will lead, synchronize and harmonize government
efforts of ending the local communist armed conflict in Caraga region through
its banner program which is the Peace and Development Zone (PDZ).
MGen. Franco Nemesio M. Gacal,
commander of the 4th Infantry Division, also emphasized in a positive note that
with the launching of RTF-ELCAC and the full implementation of the PDZ in
CARAGA backed with the CSP, more NPA members and supporters will return to the
folds of law.
“We assure the people that by
supporting the government we will be able to bring in sustained delivery of
basic services and social development packages in poor, conflict affected and
geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. We call on all local
government units (LGUs), local government agencies, and other stakeholders,
especially to the peace-loving people of this region to continue to support the
government, and together we will attain lasting, inclusive and sustainable
peace and development,” Gacal said. (30IB, 402nd Infantry Brigade, Phil.
Army/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
