PGMA focuses quality education, vows to upgrade SNCAT
SURIGAO DEL NORTE (17 February) – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday (February 16) vowed to bring quality education to Filipino youths by establishing and upgrading facilities of every state colleges and universities nationwide.
This is the meat of the President’s speech highlighting the Mindanao Agribusiness Tour in this province held in the Engineering Building of Surigao del Norte College of Agriculture and Technology (SNCAT) in Brgy. Magpayang.
According to the President in Cebuano dialect, education is the best way to fight poverty that is why her administration is investing much in education.
“Kinahanglang nga mu-invest gyud kita sa edukasyon tungod kay ang edukasyon maoy maka haw-as sa kapobrehon ilabi na dinhi sa probinsya sa Surigao del Norte diin kini nahi-apil sa pinaka-poorest province nationwide (We need to invest in education because education will alleviate poverty especially here in Surigao del Norte where the province is considered one of the poorest nationwide),” she said.
Also, the President vowed to help SNCAT to upgrade its facilities, including the additional manpower complement who will mold the students to achieve quality education in agriculture and technology.
During the activity, the President presented to the crowd estimated at 350 composed of students, faculty and staff as well as the local community the projects under the Mindanao Agribusiness where photos and details of the said projects were presented on a big screen.
After her presentation, the President immediately proceeded to Mainit Kasili Lakeside Resort in Brgy. Quezon of this town for the lunch with her party composed of Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Sec. Jesus Dureza, Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Sec. Leandro Mendoza, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Victor Domingo, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Sec. Horacio Ramos, Press Sec. Crispulo Icban, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Hadja Luningning Omar, and Agusan del Norte 1st District Representative Jose “Joboy” Aquino II. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-13)
Pres. Arroyo visits tourism infra in Mainit
SURIGAO DEL NORTE (17 February) – “Finally, the chief executive of the country has visited this one-of-a-kind tourism infrastructure of this town,” thus said Mainit Mayor Ramon Mondano when asked on his reaction of the visit of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to Mainit Kasili Lakeside Resort yesterday (February 16).
According to Mayor Mondano, the President’s visit was scheduled three times but due to unavoidable circumstances, the schedules were postponed.
“That is why, we are very, very happy that the President has find her time visiting this LGU-funded resort even it is not included in her itinerary today,” Mayor Mondano said.
From Surigao del Norte College of Arts and Technology (SNCAT) campus where she (Pres. Arroyo) presented the Mindanao Agribusiness projects, the presidential party motored for about ten minutes to see for themselves the amenities offered by this new tourism infrastructure of the province that is something to be proud of.
After taking her lunch, the President and her party were able to view the resort facing the majestic Lake Mainit – the fourth largest in the country.
Elated over the efforts of the local government unit headed by Mayor Mondano, the President handed-over check of undetermined amount to the good mayor as her way of assisting the noble project that will surely boost the tourism industry not only in the municipality of Mainit, but as well as the entire Caraga Region.
Mainit Kasili Lakeside Resort has 56 fully-airconditioned rooms, three swimming pools, a convention center that can cater around 200 persons, two videoke bars, a tennis court, and a restaurant offering dishes made from fishes that can be found on Lake Mainit. One of the most famous is the “kasili” or electric eel.
Meanwhile, Mayor Mondano said in an interview with PIA that among the future plans of the resort is to put up a wakeboarding and jet skiing within Lake Mainit.
This is supported by a personnel of the resort by saying that the good mayor is planning to go to Camarines Sur to observe the wakeboarding of the Camarines Water Sports Center (CWSC). “Lake Mainit is a perfect place for wakeboarding and jet skiing because of its calm waves and water current,” the personnel said. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-13)
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70 New Police Recruits Sworn In
BUTUAN CITY (17 February) – The latest intake of PNP members which includes seven women and 63 men had their oath taking in Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Libertad after passing series of physical, mental and medical tests.
The 70 new recruits stood in front of Police Regional Director Lino Calingasan and some Police Regional Office 13 officials on Monday and swore to serve the community, safeguard lives and property and protect the innocent against deception and crimes.
Deputy Regional Director for Administration Police Chief Supt. Nelson Nario revealed, there were a total of 363 applied for the 2nd Semester of 2009 Attrition Quota.
Of these numbers, 252 survived the Agility Test but after the Neuro-Psychiatric tests, only 90 applicants were left until it was narrowed down to only 70 who were deemed qualified for the Police Officer 1 rank.
Police Regional Director Lino Calingasan in his speech emphasized, that the Regional Screening Committee chaired by DRDA Nelson Nario has complied a strict recruitment process without biases and political colours.
After the oath taking ceremony, the 70 new police recruits immediately were sent in to Lipata Training Center to undergo intense 6-month police training before integrating fully to the PNP force for their frontline duties. (Jocelyn E. Morano, dxBN-Radyo ng Bayan Butuan)
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PRO 13 Honours 24 Awardees on 19th PNP Day
BUTUAN CITY (17 February) – Police Regional Office 13 celebrated its 19th PNP Day with Police Director Andres Caro II, Directorate for Operation as the guest of honour in a ceremony held inside Camp Rafael Rodriguez, Libertad, this city.
A total of 24 awardees received recognition as the highlight of the celebration including partner organizations and individuals who have contributed to PRO 13 in the implementation of police community activities.
Police Senior Supt. Nestor Fajura, Chief of PRO 13 Operations Division was awarded as Outstanding Senior Staff, for successful implementation of the campaign of the Philippine National Police on gun amnesty program, which yielded 6,132 loose firearms putting PRO 13 in number 4 rank out of 17 regions that generated the highest number of firearms.
PRO Police Senior Supt. Antonio Paguirigan Jr. is the Outstanding Senior Field Police Commissioned Officer (PCO), for the proper handling of kidnapping incident in Maitum, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur with75 people being kept hostage but were released unharmed.
Police Supt. Joseph Boquiren-Outstanding Junior (PCO), was commended for initiating the “Luma Mo, Bago Ko” Balik Eskwela Program replicated by all police stations under the jurisdiction of Butuan City Police Office.
Other awardees include: SPO4 Federico Kinazo, Outstanding Senior Police Non Commissioned Officer (PNCO), PO3 Roldan Damayo, Outstanding Junior PNCO and Gil Licayan as the Outstanding Non-Uniformed Personnel.
Meanwhile, Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office was chosen as the Best Provincial Police Office, Surigao City Police Station as Best Urban Police Office, Nasipit Municipal Police Station as Best Rural Police Office, 133rd Regional Public Safety Management Company as Best Regional Maneuver Company, Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Safety Management Company as Best provincial Maneuver Company, and Butuan City Police Safety Management Company as the Best City Maneuver Company.
Also PRO 13 presented a special award to SPO2 Marifel Cortez for being chosen as one of the Ten Outstanding Policewoman of the Philippines and to San Francisco Police Station, adjudged as the Model Barangay Peacekeeping Action teams.
Individual awards were given to Pastor Florendo Bohol of Baptist Church in Surigao del Sur, Rotary Club of Downtown Butuan, Peter Esterioso, principal of Agusan National High School, Butuan City School of Arts & Trade, Pilipinas Shell Butuan, LGU of Surigao City, PNP Press Corps, Philsaga Mining Corporation in Agusan del Sur, 401st Philippine Army in Liangga, Surigao del Sur and the 402nd Philippine Army in New Awa Leyte, Agusan del Sur. (Jocelyn E. Morano, dxBN-Radyo ng Bayan Butuan)
