Five NPAs surrender with high powered firearms
Five New People's Army (NPA) rebels voluntarily surrendered with high powered firearms and ammunitions through the successful negotiation made by joint effort of PRO-13, Agusan del Sur PPO and Talacogon Municipal Police Station in coordination with tribal datus of La Paz, Agusan del Sur under the close supervision of PSSUPT Samuel Mahusay Yordan, Chief, Regional Directorial Staff on August 6, 2009 at 1:00 in the afternoon.
The surrendered rebels were identified as follows: Toting Hilarion alias Ka Alfon, 34 years old, married and resident of Barangay Comota, La Paz, Agusan del Sur and a regular member of FC 88 led by alias “KA Masoy”. His latest position is a combatant of said Front Committee.
He turned over his m16 with serial number 771728; Ernie Dalas, 25 years old, married, resident of Barangay Comota, La Paz, Agusan del Sur, Team Leader of Platoon 2, Team BAKING, FC-88. He turned over his cal .30 Us Carbine M1 rifle; Ronald Man-aw alias “Braggi”, 26 years old, single, resident of Sition Cabuga, Barangay Sta Teresa, Loreto, Agusan del Sur and was the Team Leader of Squad 2, SDG FC 34. He turned over his cal .45 pistol; Noel Mendez alias “Ka Lennen/Ka Brenjie”, 42 years old, married, resident of Desamparados, Talacogon, Agusan del Sur, and was a member of FC 34 under Datu Tindugan alias “Boyet”. Formerly captured sometimes in the year 2000 by 72nd IB and was detained at Agusan del Sur Provincial Jail for illegal possession of firearm. He was released in the year 2001, and went back to the underground movement. He surrendered his .357 revolver; and Ayaflor Mantipalan alias “Ayaba”, 26 years old, married and resident of San Luis, Agusan del Sur, medic of FC 88. She turned over her cal .357 revolver.
Said rebel returnees and their firearms are now in the custody of Police Regional Office 13 for tactical interrogation and proper disposition. (PCI Nelly Tabornal Villagarcia, PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)
PMA accepts applicants for entrance exam
The Philippine Military Academy is once again calling on our country's young, able-bodied, and intelligent men and women to be part of the Cadet Corps Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Philippine Military Academy Entrance Examination (PMAEE) is scheduled on August 30, 2009 at different Examination Centers in the Philippines.
The qualifications for admission are the following: Natural born Filipino citizen, physically fit and of good moral character, single and have never been married, While height Requirements should be 5’ 4” if male and 5’ 2” if female (not to exceed 6’ 4” for both).
Also, applicants should at least be high school graduate with a grade point average (GPA) of 85 percent or higher, and at least 17 years old but not a day older than 22 years on April 1 of the year following the date of examination taken.
The PMA Entrance Examination covers Algebra and Geometry, Grammar and Composition, Reading and Comprehension, Verbal and Numerical Reasoning and Pattern Analysis.
Apply thru online application or download PMA Entrance Exam Application Form at http://www.pma.ph. Forms are also available to all AFP Units and or at Public Information Office, Police Regional Office Caraga, Camp Rodriguez, Libertad, Butuan City.
After accomplishing the form, mail it to the Office of Cadet Admission, Philippine Military Academy, Fort del Pilar, Baguio City 2602 together with the following: authenticated or NSO copy of your birth certificate and certified true copy of your High School Form 137. (PCI Nelly Tabornal Villagarcia, PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)
NGCP restores power supply to municipalities of Agusan del Sur
The National Grid Corporation of the Phillppines (NGCP) the new operator of the transmission network nationwide has fully restored power supply to the municipalities of Sibagat, Bayugan and Esperanza, Agusan del Sur at 3:00 in the afternoon on Monday (August 10, 2009).
Power to the said areas, some part of Butuan City, Gaisano Mall and NIA-Bit-os Tripped off at 9:25 in the morning when a huge Falcata tree 20 kilometers away felled by tree harvesters and touched our line in between structure nos. BB 86 and BB 87 of Butuan-Bit-os-Bayugan 69 kilovolt subtransmission line (69 IOSTL) located at Camayahan Butuan City.
In the course of restoring the line, the power transformer no. 2 (with power Transformer no. 1 on scheduled maintenance) was affected resulting on a total black-out for all customers served by Butuan Substation which include Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc., National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Industrial limber Corporation.
At 11:30 in the morning on the same day, a section of Bit-os-Bayugan 69 K VSTL was isolated from the system energizing a section of Butuan-Bit-os 69 KVSTL while restoring power to part of Butuan City, Gaisano Mall, and NIA Bit-os.
Mr, Manuel A. Hamoy, Jr., head of NGCP District 4-Northeastern Mindanao immediately dispatched transmission line personnel to conduct foot patrol along the said line and cleared the faulted section to restore the power the soonest possible time.
He asked for public understanding for the inconvenience caused by these interruptions. (G. P. Rebleza, CCS, Corporate Affairs-Mindanao)
Cebuano News: Gov. Ace Barbers mipadayag sa pagbukas sa bag-ong Provincial Gym
Malipayon ug madasigon nga gipadayag ni Gov. Ace Barbers ang pagbukas sa dugay ng gikahinaman sa mga Surigaonon nga Prov’l. Gymnasium karong Agosto 31, 2009 atol sa selebrasyon sa Charter Day sa dakbayan sa Surigao.
Gipangandaman na karon sa probinsya ang mamahimo nga kalihukan diin kini paga-bindisyonan kini ug sundan sa usa ka opening ceremony nga paga-pangulohan ni Gov. Robert Ace Barbers ug Tourism Sec. Ace Durano, ug uban pang mga opisyales sa probinsya.
Sa nasayran, ang maong bag-ong Sports Complex, nga gisugdan sa kanhi Gobernador, Robert Lyndon Barbers ug karon gipadayon ni Gov. Ace Barbers, nakahatag ug dakong paglaum sa tanang katawhan nga pinaagi sa kumpleto ug de kalidad nga mga kahimanan niini, makapadani kini sa daghang mga investors ug mga langyaw diin makahatag gayud ug dakong kausbawan sa ekonomikanhong kalihukan sa probinsya labi na gayud sa inadlaw nga panginabuhi-an sa matag Surigaonon ug sa pagpalambo usab sa natad sa turismo.
Matud pa sa Gobernador dako ang kalipay nga iyang gibati sa dihang iyang nakita nga matuman na gayud ang dugay nga gipangandoy sa mga Surigaonon nga Sports Complex nga angay lamang gayud ipasigarbo sa tibuok nasud. Gilauman usab ni Gov. Ace Barbers ang hugot nga suporta sa tanang katawhan pinaagi na sa pag-amping ug pag-amuma sa maong Sports Complex aron kini mapuslan dili lamang karon, kun dili pati na sa umaabot pa nga mga henerasyon. Giawhag ug gihangyo usab sa kadumalahan sa probinsya ang tanang mosaksi labi na sa “free concert” niini sa pagkagabii nga himuon sa usa ka bantugan ug inila nga mang await sa nasud, nga wala gayuy dad-on nga butang aron sa pagsiguro sa seguridad, kahapsay ug kalinaw. Buot usab sa Gobernador nga mas hatagan ug prayoridad ang mga Senior Citizens ug mga kaigsuonan natong Surigaonon nga adunay deperensya sa panglawas aron nga magmalipayon gayud ang tanan sa pagsud-ong sa maong konsyerto. (PGO-Media Bureau/ PIA-Surigao del Norte)
POLICE REPORTS
By PO3 Arturo Suganob Campania
Report on burning incident
On August 10, 2009 at 7:51 am, PNP elements of Butuan City Police Station 4 received a telephone call from Brgy Captain El Rosal of Brgy Sto NiΓ±o, Butuan City informing them about a motorcycle razed by fire at their area. Upon receipt of the report, PNP elements of BCPS4 proceeded to the said place and found out a burned motorcycle Honda XRM. Initial investigation disclosed that at around 1:30 am of same date, two unidentified person were seen by the populace riding said motorcycle and upon reaching said area, they stop and started setting a fire to the said motorcycle. Suspects then left the motorcycle unattended. Investigation is still ongoing. (PNP-13/ PIA-Caraga)
PIA MEDIA RELEASE
August 11, 2009
Palace sets dialogue with National Artist stakeholders
MANILA - MalacaΓ±ang is setting a dialogue with stakeholders of the National Artist awardees to ease tensions among the art sectors.
Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said talks between the groups would be likely, saying “the Palace cares about the issue. We would like to make that matter clear.
Somebody probably is in charge or is already doing what has to be done."
Fajardo said the National Commission on Culture and the Arts was expected to take charge of the talks, but NCCA executive director Cecille Guidote Alvarez would not be part of it.
"It is possible that Alvarez will be excluded from the talks," she said, adding that a MalacaΓ±ang representative might take Alvarez’s place with other NCCA officials to take part in the talks.
Alvarez, recently awarded the National Artist Award, is one of those being questioned by other National Artists. Because the honor is administered by the NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), her eligibility is doubted.
“She should not have allowed herself to be named as a National Artist. She’s close to the President. Nobody in the committee thought that she deserved to be named," said National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, chairman of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, in a statement reaching MalacaΓ±ang. (PNA)
RP exports in June up 10.4%, NSO says
MANILA – Sales of Philippine-made goods abroad in June grew by 10.4 percent compared to the previous month, the government reported Tuesday.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) said exports rose 10.4 percent to $ 3.410 billion in June compared to the $ 3.088 billion exports in May 2009.
Year-on-year, the NSO said exports dropped 24.7 percent to $ 3.410 billion in June from $ 4.527 billion reported in June 2008.
From January to June, exports fell 32.8 percent to $ 17.225 billion from $ 25.623 billion registered during the same six-month period in 2008.
The first six months exports contraction was higher than the government's target of negative 15 percent for the full year of 2009.
Electronics, which accounted for 57.1 percent of the country’s total export revenue in June, fell 26 percent to $ 1.948 billion from $ 2.632 billion recorded in June last year.
However, month-on-month, the NSO said exports increased by 7.6 percent from $ 1.811 billion in May 2009.
Exports of articles of apparel and clothing accessories were valued at $ 138.88 million or a negative growth of 19.4 percent over last year's $ 172.28 million.
Woodcrafts and furniture recorded downward trend of 23.6 percent from $ 110.72 million in June last year.
Ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships sale abroad amounted to $ 70.26 million. This value decreased by 10.3 percent from it's year ago level of $ 78.33 million.
Exports of cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper amounted to $ 69.29 million or 43.3 percent decrease from $ 122.16 million in June 2008.
Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of June were other products manufactured from materials imported on consignment basis with export receipts amounting to $ 61.66 million; coconut oil (including crude and refined),$ 61.07 million; petroleum products (including refined petroleum products, manufactured from crude petroleum oil imported on consignment basis), $ 43.24 million; metal components, $ 37.51 million and bananas (Fresh), $ 33.59 million.
Total receipts from the top ten exports reached .548 billion, or 74.7 percent of the total exports.
United States of America (USA)including Alaska and Hawaii, remained as the country's top exports market for June with revenue amounting to $ 607.97 million. It was lower by 13.5 percent from $ 702.67 million recorded a year earlier. (PNA)
RP's approved foreign direct investment reaches P4-B in first half – NSCB
MANILA – Despite the global financial crisis, approved foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the country amounted to P4 billion in the first half of the year, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said.
Romulo A. Virola, secretary general of NSCB said the first half FDI's from January to June this year were lower by 80.9 percent from P20.7 billion in the same period last year.
Of the investment promotion agencies (IPAs), the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) attracted more investors contributing 70.4 percent.
The agency approved P13.7 billion worth of investments, a deceleration by 50.7 percent from P27.7 billion committed in the first quarter of 2008.
The Board of Investment (BOI) approved investment pledges with 22.2 percent share valued at P4.3 billion, 61 percent lower than the approvals made in the same period last year.
The Clark Development Corporation (CDC), received and approved FDI projects valued at P 62.6 million, one-third of the P 183.9 million it approved in the first quarter of 2008.
While the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority's (SBMA) FDI approval went down by 94.6 percent from P782.7 million to P42.4 million.
Virola said for the past three consecutive quarters, the Netherlands topped the list of foreign investors, pledging P848.9 million or 21.4 percent of the total FDI. Japan and the USA trailed closely with committed investments worth P809.4 million and P758.4 million, respectively.
The Filipino nationals committed investments for the quarter amounting to P15.5 billion and contributing 79.6 percent share to total investments, suffered setback as it dropped by 20 percent from PhP 19.3 billion of the same period last year.
Virola said committed investments intended for the information and communication technology (ICT) industry declined by 54.3 percent to P2.5 billion from January to March from P5.5 billion in the same period last year.
He added that potential investments in the ICT industry from both foreign and Filipino investors slackened from their year ago level by 48.6 percent and 73 percent, respectively.
The NSCB official said the 54.3 percent decrease in the committed investments in ICT was brought about by the contraction in manufacturing and IT services sub-industries.
For the first three months of the year, manufacturing in ICT industry failed to get investment proposals as compared to the P 1.7 billion from the same period a year ago.
IT services, on the other hand, also had a significant decline of 33.9 percent from PhP 3.8 billion to P2.5 billion. Other committed investments in ICT was for telecommunication, at P4 million from P17 million in 2008, and trade at a small amount of P1.2 million.
The NSCB said a total of 19,596 jobs are expected to be generated from the FDI projects approved by the four investment promotion agencies in the first quarter of 2009, down by 29.5 percent from the 27,779 jobs in the same period in 2008.
While, the combined foreign and Filipino projects approved by the IPAs are seen to generate 26,106 jobs, 36.9 percent lower than 41,390 jobs projectedin the first quarter of 2008. (PNA)
