(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.


Saturday, April 4, 2020


‘Border’ ng Caraga sarado na dahil sa COVID-19

By Nora C. Lanuza

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Abril 4 (PIA) -- Upang mas tiyak na maprotektahan ang mga Caraganons sa banta na dala ng COVID-19 mula sa mga lugar kung saan nagpositibo ito, napagkasunduan ng regional task force on COVID-19 o One Caraga Shield  na ipasara na ang mga daanan at mga boundaries na papasok sa rehiyon. Ito ay basi sa ginawang  resolusyon na pinasa ng task force na pinamumunoan ni Gobernador Dale B. Corvera ng probinsya ng Agusan del Norte.

Ayon kay Gob. Corvera, sarado na ang lahat ng entry points sa rehiyon, maging  ang tubig (sea), himpapawid (air) at sa lupa (land) entry points na kung saan ay pwedeng makapasok ang galing sa ibang lugar.

Bumuo na din ng tatlong task force upang mas matutukan ang papasok sa rehiyon; ang task force land ay tututok sa barangay Tagcatong ng Carmen, Agusan del Norte; sitio Maitum, Langkilaan at barangay Sisimon ng Veruela ng Agusan del Sur; at ang barangay San Roque, Linging ng Surigao del Sur. Samantala, ang task force water ay tututokan din ang entry points ng Nasipit International Port ng Agusan del Norte; Eva M. Macapagal Passenger Terminal at Lipata Ferry Terminal ng Surigao City; Dapa Port ng Surigao del Norte; at Port of San Jose ng Dinagat Islands, habang ang task force air ay nakatutok din sa Bancasi Airport ng Butuan City; Surigao Airport ng Surigao City; Tandag City Airport ng Surigao del Sur at ang Sayak Airport ng del Carmen, Surigao del Norte.

Dagdag pa ni Gob. Corvera, ang nasabing measures ay isang paraan upang masiguro na walang makapasok sa rehiyon na hindi malalaman ng mga otoridad.

Sa ngayon ang buong rehiyon ay nagpapatupad ng community quarantine pero strikto ang pagpapatupad at pagmomonitor ng mga checkpoinst maging sa mga barangays.

Pabor naman si Nestor Betonio ng Butuan City sa ginawang pagsasara ng mga daang papasok ng Caraga upang mas segurong ligtas sa COVID-19 ang mga Caraganons. Gayundin si Junrie Curalde, isang tricycle driver dahil sa ganitong paraan tiyak daw ang kaligtasan ng lahat.

Sa ngayon, negatibo pa rin ang rehiyon sa COVID-19. (NCLM/PIA Agusan del Norte)

TESDA-AdN, TVIs show support to COVID-19 frontliners

By Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, April 4  – The provincial office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Agusan del Norte in partnership with Technical-Vocational Institutions (TVIs) have shown support to COVID-19 frontliners.

Dubbed as “Bayanihan Na! Talunin Natin ang COVID-19,” the Association of Technical and Vocational Schools of Butuan City and Agusan del Norte (ATSBAN) has partnered with TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Office through the Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries (NMSF), and some medical professionals from Father Saturnino Urios University (FSUU) Diamond Batch 1992 who solicited materials and funds in making face shields and washable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for frontliners.

In a statement, ATSBAN President and AMA-Computer Learning Center-Butuan School Director Engr. Allan Atega said this development came after medical professionals who are alumni of FSUU Diamond Batch 1992 coordinated with ATSBAN and pledge to provide materials for the making of the PPEs.

ATSBAN coordinated with TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Office and the Northern Mindanao School of Fisheries (NMSF) through School Administrator Romel M. Natad to utilize their trainers in Tailoring NC II to design and sew the PPE suits.

The TVI association organized solicitation program to collect and accept materials and funds to purchase materials needed for the PPEs; accepts cash and deposit donations; coordinate with TESDA and NMSF for the transport and production of PPEs; promotes solicitation over social media; and documents all activities and donations for transparency.

“This initiative is really a collaborative effort supporting the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of President Rodrigo R. Duterte especially in these times of crisis, which is also in line with the Bayanihan Program: Heal our Land,” Atega said.

Meanwhile, TESDA-Agusan del Norte Acting Provincial Director Liza B. Budtan said that TESDA and the academe sector in the province and the city of Butuan are one in supporting the frontliners who have risked their lives just to serve the Agusanons and Butuanons. “In this little way, we could be able to show our support to our modern heroes,” she added.

Dir. Budtan likewise expressed her sincerest thanks and gratitude to ATSBAN, FSUU Diamond Batch of 1992, NMSF, ACLC-Butuan and those who have made the project noble and worthwhile.

Among the priority beneficiaries are medical frontliners in: Butuan City Medical Center (BMC) which is a COVID-Exclusive Hospital in the province; BMC (PUI Facilities); Agusan del Norte Provincial Hospital; private hospitals in Butuan City; public and private outside Butuan City, and frontliners in major checkpoints in the city.

To date, Atega said 300 faceshields were already distributed to major checkpoints (Butuan City’s entry points) like Bit-os, Bancasi, Sumilihon, Taligaman and Barangay Villa-Kananga. The facemasks have been donated to BMC while NMSF has initially produced eight, at four suits per day. “We hope to deliver at least 20 or more suits to BMC,” he added.

As of April 2, 2020, the Department of Health (DOH)-Caraga reported that there are no patients who are found positive of the COVID-19 in the five provinces and six cities in the region.

Also, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Agusan del Norte reported in their Facebook page that DOH-Caraga Regional Director Dr. Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. said the swab sample of the patient under investigation (PUI) who died at the Caraga Regional Hospital in Surigao City on March 26, 2020 tested negative of COVID-19. (TESDA Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)