(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Monday, 11 November 2024) At 3:00 AM today, the center of Typhoon "NIKA" {TORAJI} was estimated based on all available data at 120 km East Southeast of Casiguran, Aurora (15.9°N, 123.2°E) with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h and gustiness of up to 150 km/h. It is moving West Northwestward at 20 km/h. TROPICAL CYCLONE OUTSIDE PAR AS OF 3:00 AM TODAY SEVERE TROPICAL STORM YINXING (2422) (FORMERLY "MARCE") LOCATION: 880 KM WEST OF NORTHERN LUZON (18.5°N, 112.2°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 110 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 135 KM/H MOVEMENT: SOUTHWESTWARD AT 15 KM/H TROPICAL STORM MAN-YI (2424) LOCATION: 3,555 KM EAST OF CENTRAL LUZON (15.2°N, 154.8°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 85 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 105 KM/H MOVEMENT: EASTWARD SLOWLY TROPICAL DEPRESSION LOCATION: 1,685 KM EAST OF EASTERN VISAYAS (11.4°N, 141.2°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 45 KM/H NEAR THE CENTER GUSTINESS: UP TO 55 KM/H MOVEMENT: WEST NORTHWESTWARD AT 35 KM/H 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—˜π—”π—§π—›π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: 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 Localized Thunderstorms. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.


Monday, 22 January 2024

MinDA survey says Caraga is a safe place

By Renelle Escuadro

BUTUAN CITY – Public satisfaction on the security and stability of the Caraga region is on a very high 91.2 percent according to the 3rd quarter survey conducted by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

The 3rd quarter survey under the Mindanao Trust, Respect, and Safety Study (MTRSS) was presented to the Police Regional Office-13 (PRO-13) on January 11.

MinDA Public Relations chief, Dr. Adrian M. Tamayo, disclosed that “on the whole, Caraga enjoyed impressive public satisfaction on the account of stability in terms of trust and respect,” which rated at 91.2 percent with safety and security as the region’s strong drivers.”

MinDA thoroughly discussed the statistics and analysis of the Mindanao Trust, Respect, and Safety Study (MTRSS) with the members of the Police Regional Office-13 and other stakeholders. Photo courtesy of MinDA.

He also explained that the survey for Caraga covered the areas of Butuan City, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Dinagat Islands. 

Variables administered are safety, respect, trust, security, and satisfaction using systematic sampling for 1,202 respondents.

In addition, Agusan del Sur has been remarkable in the area of police assistance, as well as metrics of respect, trust, and security, all at 94 percent. Dinagat Islands, on the other hand, maintained the top spot for hotline awareness and safety metrics. These two provincial areas pulled up Caraga’s rating.

Supporting the study, MinDA Secretary Maria Belen S. Acosta said that MTRSS could also help communicate an accurate narrative and image about the region and Mindanao as a whole, especially with the recent travel advisory from the government of Canada warning tourists to come to the country, particularly Mindanao.

Included in the advisory is an urge for tourists to avoid non-essential travel to Eastern Mindanao in the following areas: Caraga (Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, excluding Siargao Island and Surigao del Sur), and the whole of the Davao Region except Davao City.

“We are disheartened to know of the recent advisories from foreign embassies strongly discouraging travel to Mindanao. Many of these advisories do not reflect the current situation in the island-region,” the MinDA chairperson said.

“We understand that it is the role of their government to remind their citizens of their welfare; however, the advisory does not reflect the real situation on the ground,” she added.

PRO-13, on the other hand, provided reinforcement to MinDA as it emphasized the consistent crime reduction in the region, in which lately murder went down by 25 percent and theft incidents decreased by 80 percent.

“The significant decrease in these two index crimes is attributed to the intensified police operations and the strengthened anti-crime drive campaign of PNP Caraga in coordination with the force multipliers, community, and all stakeholders,” PRO-13 director Brig. General Kirby John B. Kraft, said.

In the aspect of insurgency and terrorism, more rebels are returning to the fold of the law. Among them is a platoon of New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas who recently surrendered to the police.

A platoon of NPA chose the path of peace and surrendered to Caraga police on December 26, 2023. Photo of PIA Caraga.

The surrenderees included 13 people who abandoned the Guerilla Front 4A and Guerilla Front 88 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee; Guerilla Front 8 and Guerilla Front 14 of the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee; and Guerilla Front 34 and Sub-Regional Committee 4 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.

These tangible achievements were made possible and sustained through the combined efforts of all peace and order councils, local government units, the community, and all stakeholders to suppress crimes and local communist armed conflict in the region.

“Despite some challenges and isolated incidents, Caraga region continues to expand, grow, and prosper given its rich natural resources and the positive outlook of its citizens. With a strong support system at the regional level, it will be very difficult for crime and violence to flourish in Caraga,” Acosta underscored.

The Mindanao Trust, Respect, and Safety Study (MTRSS) is a scientific baseline study on the Philippine National Police’s public safety satisfaction and service delivery initiated by MinDA since 2022.

Using the study’s statistical data and results, the overall objective is to present Caraga region and the rest of Mindanao as viable hubs for business and leisure activities, investment opportunities, and tourist arrivals to propel greater economic growth. (RLE/PIA-Caraga with a report from MinDA)