(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.


Monday, June 8, 2020

Senior citizens in Cabadbaran town receive aid from LGU

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, June 8 (PIA) -- Some 90 senior citizens in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte have received financial assistance under the milestone award from the local government unit (LGU) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Each beneficiary has received P50,000, and by the time they reached the age of 100, they will again receive the additional P50,000 from the LGU.

Lola Rita Feliscio, a 90-year old was one of the awardees from Barangay 6 of Cabadbaran City who received the P50,000 from the said LGU.

“Thank you for recognizing the senior citizens like us who continue to inspire others while we are still alive and the amount extended will be used and enjoyed by our family,” she said.

Her family was delighted to receive this recognition and at the same time aid from the government, as such amount could already help support their daily needs, including the needed medicines and maintenance of Lola Rita’s health condition.

Mayor Judy Amante bared that there was a proposal of lowering the age of who could qualify and receive the said Milestone Award so that more could benefit from this program.

Mayor Amante added that the Milestone Award has started in the year 2013 and this continues to serve the target beneficiaries in the city. She further revealed that 19 senior citizens have already benefited the program while validation of other elderly men and women by the city social welfare and development is underway.

Meanwhile, apart from recognizing the senior citizens or the elderly men and women sector, the LGU-Cabadbaran also continues to address the needs and issues and concerns of the frontliners in order to avert the spread of COVID-19 in the area.

The LGU has provided personal protective equipment (PPEs) as well as financial assistance to qualified individuals. (NCL/JPG/PIA-Caraga)

Senior citizen port workers receive relief packs from PMO-Surigao

By Venus L. Garcia

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, June 8 (PIA) -- In these tough times of battle against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the senior citizens are among tho most affected sector in the Caraga region.

With this, the Philippine Ports Authority - Port Management Office in Surigao (PPA PMO-Surigao) initiated to pool resources in order to provide assistance to its elderly personnel.

In the spirit of ‘bayanihan,’ the employees of the PPA PMO-Surigao has contributed an amount out from their own pocket and prepared the relief goods for distribution through its “Adopt and Save a Family” project.


Port workers who are 60 years old and above have received the relief packs containing assorted canned goods, rice, milk, egg and coffee.

Surigao port manager Froilan Caturla said they will continue to support and help their fellow employees amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Rogelio Polvorosa, vice president of the Surigao Porters Association, was grateful for the kind of assistance, saying it’s a big help for their family. He was even more delighted to learn the concern and compassion conveyed by his co-workers especially in this challenging time.

Meanwhile, other stakeholders have also contributed in keeping the facilities of the port terminal safe.


The Surigao Metropolitan Water District-PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc. has put up a handwashing station at gate four of the main base port terminal building and at Lipata port ferry terminal.

Surigao State College of Technology also distributed face shields to the frontliners of the PPA terminal, while the JCI Surigao Wensie, Inc. also donated and installed sanitation tents at the entrance of the terminal. (SDR/VLG/PIA-Surigao de Norte)

Water firm puts up handwashing station at Lipata ferry terminal

By Nolie C. Nusog

SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte, June 8 -- With the positive feedbacks generated regarding the installation of handwashing stations at the Port of Surigao, the Surigao Metropolitan Water District - Primewater Resources Inc. (SMWD-Primewater) also installed handwashing facilities at the Lipata Ferry Terminal, and an additional unit at the Port of Surigao.

This initiative is part of the measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Manuel Kong, board chairman of the SMWD-Primewater, saw the need for the installation of similar facilities at the Lipata Ferry Terminal upon seeing that port of the roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) ships still caters to vessels transporting vital commodities as rolling cargoes.

“Lipata Ferry Terminal is an important conduit for the shipment of essential commodities and the risk of contracting COVID-19 remains a concern. Providing handwashing facilities can help a lot to contain and prevent the spread of the virus,” Kong said.

To further advance the advocacy of SMWD-Primewater, another handwashing station was installed at the Port of Surigao’s Gate No. 7, right in the vicinity where island-bound vessels and motor launches are berthed.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has installed decontamination booths at the Lipata Ferry Terminal and the Port of Surigao. BFP’s decontamination stations facilitate the mandatory disinfection of all truck drivers and helpers of ‘ro-ro’ vehicles entering and going out of the ferry terminal, as well as those at the Port of Surigao. (PMO-Surigao/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

DAR turns over oil repacking facility to AgSur coop

By Rechel D. Besonia

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, June 6 - The Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Office (PARPO) headed by Jamil P. Amatonding Jr., has handed over the keys of the newly constructed Crystal Oil Repacking Center to Filipinas Palmoil Plantation Inc. Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FPPI ARB MPC’s) chairperson Jesus Simbajon on June 5, 2020, at Purok 4, Ebro, San Francisco, this province.

Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Sustainability Program (ARBDSP) chief Joven Pizarro, together with OIC-MARPO Josette J. Simbajon, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Director Jose T. Baron, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Science Research Specialist Wenceslao Tianero and Bryan G. Campos, FPPI Manager Josephine B. Palen and other coop officials also joined in the said ceremony.

“My only hope is for the cooperative to manage the building very well so that in the end you will live a more comfortable life,” PARPO Amatonding said.

“It is with our best interest to help you so that you will stand above the rest in terms of income,” he added.

In his message, Chairperson Simbajon narrated the story that led to the idea of venturing into product enhancement of palm oil. “Before, we only engage into labor contracting or credit services to our members, but through DAR’s initiative to help us, we have come up with this kind of enterprise, and, we are happy because we have seen the positive outcome since the product launching in 2018,” he said.

FPPI ARB MPC Manager Josephine Palen likewise recognized the initiative of the department in looking after the ARBO’s welfare. “What we are today, we owe everything to DAR,” she said.

The provision of the facility is under the DAR’s Village Level Farm Focused Enterprise Development (VLFED) project which aims to establish a sustainable Income-Generating Project (IGP) in the area and to provide additional income to 656 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) of the FPPI ARB MPC, develop rural-based entrepreneurs, upgrade the production, processing, packaging and distribution and marketing of product and at the same time augment the ARBO’s income.


The total cost of this VLFED project for the coop is Php780,000.00 of which Php300,000 was allotted for the repacking facility while the rest is intended for capacity development.

Meanwhile, DAR Agusan del Sur through the Provincial Investment and Marketing Assistance Officer (PIMAO) has facilitated the processing of the FDA-LTO to expand the product in a wider market.

Apart from the local market in Caraga, FPPI ARB MPC has also established the distribution of crystal cooking oil to the institutional market under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP).

“With the approval of the FDA-LTO, we hope to expand our market not just locally but even internationally,” Amatonding said. (DAR-Agusan del Sur/PIA-Agusan del Sur)

Mga magsasaka sa AgSur, nakatanggap ng farm equipment mula sa DA

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Hunyo 8 (PIA) -- Isa ang sektor ng mga magsasaka na apektado sa krisis na dulot ng coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) sa bansa. Kaya naman pinagtuunan ito ng pansin ng Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga at binigyan  sila ng farm equipment na nagkakahalagang mahigit P4-million.

May 49 na farmers’ associations sa probinsya ng Agusan del Sur na makikinabang sa 53 units ng pre and post-harvest equipment.

Nasa kustudiya ito ngayon ng Agusan del Sur Pagkain ng Bayan Compound sa Bayugan City at maaari ng magamit ng mga magsasaka.

Ayon kay Rene Morales, ang hepe ng Regional Agricultural Engineering Division ng DA-Caraga, ang Provincial Agriculture Office ng nasabing probinsya ang siyang maghahatid ng nasabing farm equipment kabilang dito ang threshers, pumps, engine sets na may kompletong accessories, transplanters, rice reapers, at granule applicators cum seed spreaders.
Ang pundong ginamit rito ay mula sa DA-Rice Program - Regular Fund bilang suporta sa sektor sa layuning makamit ang inaasam na “Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita.”

Dumaan na rin ang mga benipisyaryong magsasaka sa kinakailangang pagsasanay upang masigurong maayos at epektibo ang kanilang operasyon sa kanilang pang-araw araw na kabuhayan.


Samantala, binigyang-diin naman ni DA-Caraga regional director Abel James Monteagudo, na patuloy ang kanilang pagtulong sa sektor upang patuloy din itong magkaroon ng sapat na ani at produkto na maibahagi at maibenta sa ibat-ibang probinsya ng rehiyon.

Inaasahan aniya ng ahensiya na sa tulong ng nasabing makinarya, tataas pa ang ani ng mga magsasaka. Patuloy din ang kanilang pamimigay ng seeds, fertilizers, maging tulong pinansyal at trainings sa sektor.

Ito rin ay bilang tugon sa direktiba ni DA Secretary William Dar sa ipinapatupad na farming modernization sa bansa.(JPG/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


PMO-Surigao namigay ng relief packs sa port workers na senior citizen

By Venus L. Garcia

LUNGSOD NG SURIGAO, Surigao del Norte, Hunyo 8 (PIA) -- Sa gitna ng pagsubok dulot ng coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), isa sa mga pinakaapektado ay mga manggagawang senior citizen sa rehiyon ng Caraga.

Kaya naman gumawa ng inisyatibo ang Philippine Ports Authority - Port Management Office (PPA-PMO) sa Surigao upang matulungan at matugunan ang pangangailangan ng kanilang manggagawang senior citizens.

Sa diwa ng bayanihan, nag ambag-ambag ang bawat empleyado ng PPA-PMO Surigao para sa kanilang proyekto na “Adopt and Save a Family” upang makapamahagi ng relief goods.


Nasa edad 60 years old pataas na mga port worker ang nakatanggap sa nasabing relief goods na naglalaman ng bigas, assorted canned goods, gatas, kape, itlog at asukal.

Ayon kay Surigao Port Manager Froilan Caturla, patuloy silang susuporta at mamimigay ng tulong sa kanilang kasamahang manggagawa hanggang sa matapos ang kasalukuyang krisis na kinakaharap gawa ng COVID-19.

Agad namang ipinaabot ni Rogelio Polvorosa, vice president ng surigao porters association, ang lubos na pasasalamat sa tulong na kanilang natanggap. Malaking bagay anya ito para maitawid ang pangangailangan ng kanyang pamilya. 


Batid ang kaligayahan sa kanyang mukha dahil may mga taong nagmalasakit at handang tumulong sa oras ng kagipitan,

Samantala, nagmagandang loob din ang iba pang stakeholders para panatilihing ligtas ang buong pasilidad ng port terminal.

Ang Surigao Metropolitan Water District - PrimeWater Infrastructure Inc. ay naglagay ng handwashing station sa gate four ng main base port terminal building at sa Lipata port ferry terminal.

Namahagi naman ng face shields sa mga frontliners ng ppa terminal ang Surigao State College of Technology habang ang JCI Surigao Wensie, Inc. ay nagdonate rin ng sanitation tents sa entrance ng nasabing mga terminal. (SDR/VLG/PIA-Surigao del Norte)