(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, June 3, 2020

POPCOM supports LGUs’ health services during pandemic

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, June 3 – The regional office of the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) re-strategizes its priorities to align the population management program right at the communities with the over-all health care program of the Department of Health (DOH). 

In its intention to end the rising incidence of COVID-19 cases, POPCOM-Caraga implemented the Population, Health and Development strategy where logistical and financial support are extended to the local government units (LGUs). POPCOM’s strategy ensures that couples and individual shall be assisted in addressing their reproductive health concerns, particularly in managing pregnancy, to guarantee the health and safety of the entire family.

POPCOM is working with the DOH in the delivery of the commodities for modern family planning to the provincial and city health offices of Caraga Region which the latter to distribute the goods to the health centers of the 67 towns and thousands of barangays. It is expected that the health centers can continuously provide the services to the couples and individuals especially during this national health crisis through quality, scientific and safer methods for family planning.Population workers and volunteers of the local governments are getting logistical support extended by POPCOM in the delivery of services along the population program for years.  POPCOM extended the said support to the local health workers for already three years.

POPCOM’s support is also designed that LGUs can be assisted in preventing untimely pregnancies during this crisis. Community workers and volunteers are getting material and financial support to equip young people with appropriate knowledge and skills in postponing their fertility concerns.

It is eyed by POPCOM to expand its network to the academe, private sector, and youth leaders in molding responsible behavior among the younger generation. In the study commissioned by POPCOM with the University of the Philippines, significant proportion of young people are engaging in sexual activities which exposed themselves to the risky complications of teenage pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections, including HIV-AIDS.

POPCOM launched earlier its Responsible Parenthood-Family Planning (RP-FP) Hotlines to assist the communities in educating the public on matters involving their safety and health during this pandemic. Trained social workers of POPCOM will respond to the messages and calls from the public on 0995-1550746 (Globe) and 0951-0419159 (Smart) in their working time during Monday to Friday.

Some of POPCOM’s personnel shall be fielded to the LGUs to assist in the surveillance and contact tracing activities on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Out of a joint memorandum with DOH, it is advocated by POPCOM that population workers and volunteers and other non-health personnel of the LGUs shall be mobilized in the contact tracing activities during this pandemic.  

In a related development, Department of Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III re-certifies all officials and employees of POPCOM nationwide as public health workers as defined under the national law for Public Health Workers. In his 9-page pronouncement, Secretary Duque pointed-out that POPCOM is engaging in health and health-related works along the national program on family planning as its mandate provided in several legal issuances. (POPCOM Caraga/PIA Caraga)

Caraga RTF vs COVID-19 gives go signal for MGCQ implementation

By Amethyst Joy A. Galos

BUTUAN CITY, June 3 (PIA) -- In compliance to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases' (IATF-EID) recommendation to place all low-risk areas, which includes the entire Caraga region, under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), the Regional Task Force for COVID-19 One Caraga Shield (RTF-COCS) pushes for the transition of the entire region to the said degree of community quarantine, including the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and Enhanced Modified ECQ (MECQ) areas in Butuan City.

Effective June 1, establishments identified by the IATF under Categories I, II, and III will now be allowed full operations while those under Category IV, i.e., leisure and personal care services, shall be allowed partial operations.

Movement of all persons shall now be allowed, therefore, quarantine passes will no longer be needed.
However, to ensure crowd control, the local government unit (LGU) Butuan maintained the usage of Home Quarantine Pass (HQP) in select establishments such as supermarkets and wet markets. Individuals of ages 20 below will not be allowed entry in these establishments as well.

Certain regulations on regional border control shall be maintained amid easement of strictness on regulations. Travellers and individuals who will be passing through borders are required to present their IDs.  

While the IATF has permitted the conduct of religious gatherings under certain conditions, local religious bodies requested that they be allowed to cater more than prescribed number of participants during mass gatherings. The RTF then issued the Resolution No. 37, Series of 2020, requesting the national government for the provision of guidelines in observing such activities during MGCQ.

During the RTF’s 7th Teleconference Meeting on May 28, the Task Force has also agreed to grant its concurrence through referendum, should there be urgent requests from the LGUs to implement ECQ in certain areas within their respective jurisdictions, in the event that local COVID-19 confirmed cases will rise. (NEDA Caraga/PIACaraga)

Agusan Norte ipailawom na sa MGCQ apan gobernador may pasidaan sa publiko

DAKBAYAN SA BUUTAN, Hunyo 3 -- Ipailawom na sa Modified General Community Quarantine [MGCQ] ang probinsya sa Agusan del Norte sugod Hunyo 1, sumala pa sa Executive Order [EO] No. 28 nga gipirmahan ni Gov. Dale B. Corvera.

Ang MGCQ usa ka ang-ang sa estado sa mga restrictions nga giimposar sa gobyerno isip lakang aron mapugngan ang pagkuyanap sa gikalisangan nga COVID-19. Sumala pa sa EO nga transition kini gikan sa General Community Quarantine [GCQ], nga maoy estado sa probinsya karon, ngadto sa new normal.

Mahinumdoman nga miagi ang probinsya ubos sa GCQ niadtong Marso, unya Enhanced Community Quarantine [ECQ] sa tunga-tungang bahin sa Abril, unya balik sa GCQ nga mao ang estado hangtud ugma, Mayo 31.

Base sa mga probisyon sa EO, mahimong luag-luag na ang mga restrictions ubos sa MGCQ. Apan nagpasidaan si Gob. Corvera nga dili gyod mokompiyansa ang mga Agusanon ug hugot pang magtamud ang tagsatagsa sa minimum nga health protocols sa social distancing, kanunay’ng paghugas og kamot ug pagsul-ob og mask. (LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)

Carmen silutan ang pagpakaylap og fake news

By JVDemain

DAKBAYAN SA BUTUAN, Hunyo 3 -- Silutan na sa lungsod sa Carmen ang mga molupyo niining magpakaylap og fake news sa unsa mang paagi sigon sa Municipal Ordinance No. 04 nga gideklara nga balido sa Sangguniang Panlalawigan subay sa balaod.

Tumong sa “Anti-Fake News Ordinance” nga gipangunahan ni Carmen SB Member Erma Estoque nga mahunong na ang pagpakaylap og sayop nga impormasyon tungod sa dili maayong epekto niini ngadto sa katilingban. Multa og pagkapriso ang ipataw niadtong mapamatud-ang nagabuhat niini lakip na usab kadtong mitabang aron mapakaylap ang malisyosong impormasyon. Doble nga silot ang ipataw matod pa kung ang nakahimo niini usa ka opisyal sa gobyerno.

Gitawag nga fake news kadtong balita o impormasyon nga dili basi sa kamatuoran o dili tinood pinaagi sa pag post sa social media (Facebook, twitter, instagram) nga mosangtop sa kasamok, kaguliyang, panagbingkil ug pagkadaot sa reputasyon sa tawo.

Pahamtangan usab og silot ang mass media o social media platform nga dili gilayon mutangtang sa maong fake news diha sa ilang website.

Ang nasangpit nga ordinansa giaprobahan pinaagi sa Sanggunian Resolution No. 233-2020 sa rekomindasyon sa SP Committee on Information and Communication nga gipangunahan ni SP Member Erwin L. Dano atol sa ilang ika-43 nga sesyon regular ug subay sa ligal nga opinyon ni Provincial Prosecutor Danny C. Serrano. (LGU Agusan del Norte/PIA Agusan del Norte)