Philippine Army spearheads youth summer camp
By: Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga
By: Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga
BUTUAN CITY (07 April) – The 30th Infantry Battalion of the 4th Infantry Division of Philippine Army spearheaded the conduct of the 2010 Youth Empowerment Summer Camp (YESC) held at the Sanchez Gymnasium of the Caraga State University in Brgy. Ampayon, this city.
In his welcome message during the opening ceremonies held on Tuesday morning (April 6), Lt. Col. Roberto A. Valencia, Battalion Commander of the 30IB, 4ID emphasized the importance of developing the youth to be responsible citizens of the country.
According to Col. Valencia, educating the youth on how they will actively participate in social and relevant issues which affects community and the country, in general is what the activity is centered.
Meanwhile, Butuan City Mayor Democrito Plaza II, in his message delivered by City Councilor Salvador “Benjie” Calo said that the summer camp is a great venue for the youth leaders to harness additional skills and establishing camaraderie and friendship that will mold their perspective in preparation for a brighter and challenging future ahead.
“I greatly believe that through this kind of activities, it will shape you and broaden your spectrum in dealing daily challenges that will determine who you really are,” Mayor Plaza said.
Plaza is also hoping that the participants will be able to absorb and treasure all the inputs that will be shared to them by the invited speakers that will serve as stepping stone for their discovery of what and who they really are. “Dear young peoples, it is my prayer, that you will be able to absorb and treasure all the inputs that will be shared to you and that it will be a stepping stone for your discovery of what and who you are,” he said.
“Our city needs youths who has the heart and soul that could lead Butuan to its glory. This is your opportunity in equipping yourselves what lies ahead. I challenge all of you to emerge as a new individual after this,” Mayor Plaza said.
Participated by Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials of the different barangays of this city, YESC is a joint-project of the 30th Infantry (Phyton Battalion), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), City Government of Butuan and the SK Federation of this city, and is anchored on the theme: “Shaping the youth through Leadership and Advocacy”.
The first batch of the training will run until Thursday, April 8 while the second batch is scheduled on April 19 to 21.
PPOC-Agusan del Norte reports accomplishments, bares plans for 2010
By: Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga
BUTUAN CITY (07 April) – “The peace and order situation in the entire province of Agusan del Norte is manageable although there are cases that are now filed in courts and were monitored by local authorities”.
This is what Agusan del Norte Provincial Administrator Percianita Racho stressed during the 1st meeting for this year by the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), held recently at the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office (PEEDMO) conference room in Butuan City.
During the meeting, stakeholders also reported their accomplishments for the first quarter of this year. They also presented the plans and programs undertaken by their respective departments/agencies.
Mr. Clementino Pontillo, DILG Provincial Director of Agusan del Norte and PPOC Head Secretariat reported that the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) was able to converge in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte where medical-dental mission was conducted.
Pontillo further stressed that as per feedback from Jabonga local officials and residents, the activity was successful.
Furthermore, Ms. Francisca Angeles of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) reported that their office was able to conduct five (5) medical outreach programs in some municipalities of Agusan del Norte, namely: Jabonga, Poblacion; DoΓ±a Telesfora, Tubay; Buenavista; Poblacion, Nasipit and; Poblacion, Tubay.
Ms. Angeles also reported that PSWD assisted the Office of the Presidential Affairs on Peace Process (OPAPP) in the awarding of livelihood cash assistance to ten (10) rebel returnees, each receiving Php 20,000. She also reported that under the Self Employment Assistance – Kaunlaran (SEA-K) program, 3 projects amounting to Php 150,000 were turned-over to Cabadbaran, while 2 projects were also turned-over to Tubay.
Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) presented their plans of programs for 2010. Among the highlights of the plan is the continuous implementation of One Town One Project (OTOP) program.
Accordingly, activities lined-up for this program include skills training of abaca production in the municipalities of Tubay, Kitcharao, and Santiago, as well as technology-selling mission in Abaca, as well as product development in Cabadbaran City.
Moreover, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer Andrei Atega said, one of the major accomplishments of their office is the successful profiling of farmers in Agusan del Norte.
With these developments, the accomplishments presented by stakeholders is a clear manifestation that the government is committed and dedicated to alleviate poverty especially in Caraga Region where majority of its provinces belong to one of the poorest in the country.
PNP presents crime situation in Agusan del Norte, prepares for upcoming May polls
By: Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga
BUTUAN CITY (07 April) – During the recent 1st regular meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Agusan del Norte held at the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office (PEEDMO) conference room in Butuan City, Police Inspector Nemesio Saronhilo Jr., Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office Assistant Operations Officer reported that 353 personnel were already mobilized to different municipal stations of the province. Of this manpower complement, the ratio of police to persons is 1:641.
Inspector Saronhilo also presented the crime situation update of the province where he said, their record posted 32 crime incidents since January 2010. Out of these incidents, 27 are indexed crimes while 5 are non-indexed crimes. Of these crimes, the most prevalent is the theft.
Saronhilo also said, Cabadbaran City recorded most number of crimes, followed by Buenavista, Santiago, Magallanes, Carmen, Tubay, Jabonga, Las Nieves, and Kitcharao. “Cabadbaran is probably the highest because of the big population,” he said.
To address the peace and order in the province of Agusan del Norte this election period, Police Inspector Nemesio Saronhilo Jr. – Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office Assistant Operations Officer stressed that PNP-Agusan del Norte has established 24-hour checkpoint and conducted dry-run operations on different scenarios. The activity focuses on how government forces and agencies react in case of emergency. Among those include anticipated scenarios in the cities in the upcoming 2010 national and local elections.
Sectoring every municipality and city into three (3) sectors was also conducted where assigned teams from the PNP see to it that peace and order will be maintained on the areas particularly in voting precincts. This will be strategically located in the entrance and exit points of every municipality as well as in the province. This also serves as choke-points in conducting drug-net operations.
With this development, Inspector Saronhilo said, all chiefs of police in the province are directed to coordinate with barangay tanods and barangay captains so that there will be collaborative efforts in achieving and maintaining peace and order especially during election day.
“Six out of eleven municipalities and city in the province of Agusan del Norte are included in the PNP watch-list due to previous reports of Communist-Terrorists (CTs) visibility and possible tension among political parties,” thus said Police Inspector Nemesio Saronhilo Jr. – Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office Assistant Operations Officer during the 1st regular meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Agusan del Norte held at the Provincial Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office (PEEDMO) conference room in Butuan City on Thursday, March 25, 2010.
The said municipalities are Carmen, Las Nieves, Buenavista, RTR, Tubay, and Santiago. To date, Inspector Saronhilo said, peace and order situation in the whole province of Agusan del Norte is still manageable.
Meanwhile, the official said, one of the problems of PNP at present is the lack of communication equipment such as handheld radios, among others to be used in monitoring purposes and in daily routinary operations of the government’s police force in the province.
PACAP to set forum on environment, development, climate change
By: Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga
BUTUAN CITY (07 April) - The Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) will conduct a forum on the environment, development, and climate change on April 15-16, 2010 in one of the local convention centers here.
With the theme: “PACAP and the Environment: Building Community Resilience, Sustaining Development,” the forum will provide the avenue for PACAP partners to share lessons from their projects on environment and how these are contributing to the global effort in environmental protection, governance, sustainable development and climate change adaptation.
Part of the forum’s goal is to summarize the experiences and lessons from PACAP funded projects on environment and how these are contributing to the global effort in environmental protection, governance, sustainable development and climate change adaptation.
In particular, the forum aims to identify lessons and best practices and share these among partners. It also facilitates networking and partnerships amongst CSOs, government, donors, and other national environment networks and groups.
Topics and cases will be anchored on the Australian Aid Strategy on the Environment which covers three themes: Climate Change, Water, and Environmental Governance. Cases that will be discussed and presented are: projects covering protection and governance of coastal marine ecosystem, watersheds, wetlands, and ancestral domains; studies and stories on the connection of environment to basic services and livelihood projects; and case studies on how communities address the impacts of climate change and the threats to lives, livelihood, peace, and natural resources.
Representative from AusAID, PACAP implementing agency, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), speakers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PACAP partner organizations and beneficiaries, PACAP staff and David Swete Kelly - Program Director of PACAP will participate in the said event.
PACAP is a 23 year old grant facility of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Established since 1986, PACAP has financially supported more than 1,200 projects benefiting at least two million poor people through partnerships with more than 500 civil society organizations, primarily non-government organizations (NGOs) and People’s Organizations (POs). Projects supported by PACAP have sought to introduce innovative development approaches that uplift the social and economic conditions of marginalized communities.
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Mindanao electric coops plan to buy electricity from Aboitiz to mitigate power shortage
BUTUAN CITY (April 7) - To mitigate power shortage besetting Mindanao, the 33 electric cooperatives spread all over the southern island are planning to buy electricity from Aboitiz Power Corporation.
Aside from Aboitiz power supply, the electric cooperatives also made some move to buy electricity from big companies and malls who have some big generator sets, to back up their respective current power supply from National Power Corporation (Napocor) and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
The Aboitiz owned the Power Barge 117 (AP Therma Marine) which is currently moored at Barangay Sta. Ana, in Nasipit town, Agusan del Norte and a fossil plant Therma Marine Mobile 1 (PB 118) in Maco, Compostela Valley.
The electric cooperatives also planned to buy electricity from Coal-Fired Plants in Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga and Geothermal Plant in North Cotabato.
In Northeastern Mindanao alone, at least 26 big companies are currently de-loading their power use from Napocor and use their own generator sets just to help mitigate the power problem in the southern island. The government asked these major business players to help ease out the power outages in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (Aneco) and other electric cooperatives in Northeastern Mindanao are already eyeing to buy at least 18 megawatts for Caraga region.
Aneco general manager Horacio T. Santos said at least 10 megawatts is only needed to support the power needs of Agusan del Norte and this region’s capital city.
However, he said the local government units (LGUs) being the host region of the 100 MW Power Barge 117 that is currently moored at Nasipit town, Agusan del Norte, is imposing Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94.
ER 1-94, Section 6, as amended (Rules and Regulations implementing Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7638, otherwise known as the “ Department of Energy Act of 1992”), said the prioritization of power where the power barge is situated.
“We are just invoking our right because everybody now needs electricity and we don’t want that our region, particularly Agusan del Norte province to be lifted,” said GM Santos.
On Tuesday, members of the Mindanao Electricity Power Alliance gathered in Cagayan de Oro City and mapped out other mitigating measures to alleviate the worsening power curtailment in the southern island’s 33 electric cooperatives. (muc/PIA-Caraga)
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BUTUAN CITY (April 7) - To mitigate power shortage besetting Mindanao, the 33 electric cooperatives spread all over the southern island are planning to buy electricity from Aboitiz Power Corporation.
Aside from Aboitiz power supply, the electric cooperatives also made some move to buy electricity from big companies and malls who have some big generator sets, to back up their respective current power supply from National Power Corporation (Napocor) and National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
The Aboitiz owned the Power Barge 117 (AP Therma Marine) which is currently moored at Barangay Sta. Ana, in Nasipit town, Agusan del Norte and a fossil plant Therma Marine Mobile 1 (PB 118) in Maco, Compostela Valley.
The electric cooperatives also planned to buy electricity from Coal-Fired Plants in Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga and Geothermal Plant in North Cotabato.
In Northeastern Mindanao alone, at least 26 big companies are currently de-loading their power use from Napocor and use their own generator sets just to help mitigate the power problem in the southern island. The government asked these major business players to help ease out the power outages in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative (Aneco) and other electric cooperatives in Northeastern Mindanao are already eyeing to buy at least 18 megawatts for Caraga region.
Aneco general manager Horacio T. Santos said at least 10 megawatts is only needed to support the power needs of Agusan del Norte and this region’s capital city.
However, he said the local government units (LGUs) being the host region of the 100 MW Power Barge 117 that is currently moored at Nasipit town, Agusan del Norte, is imposing Energy Regulations (ER) No. 1-94.
ER 1-94, Section 6, as amended (Rules and Regulations implementing Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7638, otherwise known as the “ Department of Energy Act of 1992”), said the prioritization of power where the power barge is situated.
“We are just invoking our right because everybody now needs electricity and we don’t want that our region, particularly Agusan del Norte province to be lifted,” said GM Santos.
On Tuesday, members of the Mindanao Electricity Power Alliance gathered in Cagayan de Oro City and mapped out other mitigating measures to alleviate the worsening power curtailment in the southern island’s 33 electric cooperatives. (muc/PIA-Caraga)
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2,000 IT workers in gov’t to benefit from new CSC policy
The Data Encoder Eligibility may now be used for appointment to certain information technology (IT) positions in government.
Under Civil Service Commission (CSC) Resolution No. 100319, the Data Encoder Eligibility shall continue to be appropriate eligibility for 36 IT positions such as Computer Operator, Data Encoder, Senior Data Encoder, Data Controller, Senior Computer Operator, Data Entry Machine Operator, Accounting Machine Operator, and Auxiliary Machine Operator.
CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III said, “This policy will benefit more than 2,000 incumbent government workers holding Data Encoder Eligibility. They may now qualify for permanent appointment or promotion to specific IT positions, provided they also meet the education, experience and training requirements of the position being applied for.”
Until 2007, the Commission granted the Data Encoder Eligibility to passers of computer skills tests administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) so that they could apply for select IT positions in government.
The CSC ruling also states that passers of the PC Operations II Skills Test holding a valid Certificate of Competency, and whose names are found in the master list provided by TESDA, may apply for conversion of their certificate to Data Encoder Eligibility until December 2010 only. After said period, applicants to IT positions indicated in the CSC resolution would then need to obtain a Professional or Sub-professional Eligibility, whichever is appropriate for the position, by passing the civil service examination administered by the CSC.
For conversion of the Certificate of Competency to Data Encoder Eligibility, an applicant must submit the following requirements to the CSC Regional or Field Office concerned: three pieces of identical 1” x 1” I.D. picture of applicant holding full name tag (last name, first name, middle initial); original and photocopy of valid I.D. card (e.g. Office/Company/School I.D., Driver’s License, PRC License, Voter’s I.D., Barangay I.D.); original and photocopy of birth certificate authenticated by the National Statistics Office; fully accomplished Application Form No. 101-A; original and photocopy of Certificate of Competency issued by TESDA; and processing fee of P150.00. (CSC-13/ PIA-Caraga)
DAR-Agusan del Norte conducts tree planting in BASAG ARC
Over one hundred seedlings of different species planted as DAR Agusan del Norte personnel converged to a tree planting activity in commemoration of the annual celebration of the National Women’s Month with the theme: “DAR GAD goes Clean, Green and Lean in 2010” which focused on the environmental awareness and consciousness in relation to climate change held at Basag ARC, Butuan City on March 29, 2010.
It was participated in by all DAR personnel in the province of Agusan del Norte in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who provided seedlings being used during the said activity.
PARO II Andre B. Atega commended DAR GAD advocates and personnel by exerting efforts and doing their share to protect and preserve the environment.
“Gender and Development advocates in DAR Agusan del Norte played an active role not only on gender rights and equality but also participates in a worthy endeavor contributing solutions to environmental concerns.” PARO Atega said.
The DAR personnel, who are working with farmers to improve livelihood and their environment, eagerly showed their willingness to respond the call for urgency in caring for our ecosystem and to restore degraded forest land areas that can cause soil erosions and flush floods that destroyed many crops of farmer-beneficiaries.
DENR Regional Executive Director Edilberto S. Buiser extends his all-out support by approving DAR personnel’s request to provide over a hundred of seedlings comprised of durian, jackfruit, marang, star apple and others fruits.
Further, during the tree planting activity, DAR personnel contributed generously from their own pocket a sum of P10,400 for the benefit of the colleagues in DAR who were diagnosed with cancer. (Gil E. Miranda, DAR-Agusan del Norte/ PIA-Caraga)
2,000 IT workers in gov’t to benefit from new CSC policy
The Data Encoder Eligibility may now be used for appointment to certain information technology (IT) positions in government.
Under Civil Service Commission (CSC) Resolution No. 100319, the Data Encoder Eligibility shall continue to be appropriate eligibility for 36 IT positions such as Computer Operator, Data Encoder, Senior Data Encoder, Data Controller, Senior Computer Operator, Data Entry Machine Operator, Accounting Machine Operator, and Auxiliary Machine Operator.
CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III said, “This policy will benefit more than 2,000 incumbent government workers holding Data Encoder Eligibility. They may now qualify for permanent appointment or promotion to specific IT positions, provided they also meet the education, experience and training requirements of the position being applied for.”
Until 2007, the Commission granted the Data Encoder Eligibility to passers of computer skills tests administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) so that they could apply for select IT positions in government.
The CSC ruling also states that passers of the PC Operations II Skills Test holding a valid Certificate of Competency, and whose names are found in the master list provided by TESDA, may apply for conversion of their certificate to Data Encoder Eligibility until December 2010 only. After said period, applicants to IT positions indicated in the CSC resolution would then need to obtain a Professional or Sub-professional Eligibility, whichever is appropriate for the position, by passing the civil service examination administered by the CSC.
For conversion of the Certificate of Competency to Data Encoder Eligibility, an applicant must submit the following requirements to the CSC Regional or Field Office concerned: three pieces of identical 1” x 1” I.D. picture of applicant holding full name tag (last name, first name, middle initial); original and photocopy of valid I.D. card (e.g. Office/Company/School I.D., Driver’s License, PRC License, Voter’s I.D., Barangay I.D.); original and photocopy of birth certificate authenticated by the National Statistics Office; fully accomplished Application Form No. 101-A; original and photocopy of Certificate of Competency issued by TESDA; and processing fee of P150.00. (CSC-13/ PIA-Caraga)
DAR-Agusan del Norte conducts tree planting in BASAG ARC
Over one hundred seedlings of different species planted as DAR Agusan del Norte personnel converged to a tree planting activity in commemoration of the annual celebration of the National Women’s Month with the theme: “DAR GAD goes Clean, Green and Lean in 2010” which focused on the environmental awareness and consciousness in relation to climate change held at Basag ARC, Butuan City on March 29, 2010.
It was participated in by all DAR personnel in the province of Agusan del Norte in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who provided seedlings being used during the said activity.
PARO II Andre B. Atega commended DAR GAD advocates and personnel by exerting efforts and doing their share to protect and preserve the environment.
“Gender and Development advocates in DAR Agusan del Norte played an active role not only on gender rights and equality but also participates in a worthy endeavor contributing solutions to environmental concerns.” PARO Atega said.
The DAR personnel, who are working with farmers to improve livelihood and their environment, eagerly showed their willingness to respond the call for urgency in caring for our ecosystem and to restore degraded forest land areas that can cause soil erosions and flush floods that destroyed many crops of farmer-beneficiaries.
DENR Regional Executive Director Edilberto S. Buiser extends his all-out support by approving DAR personnel’s request to provide over a hundred of seedlings comprised of durian, jackfruit, marang, star apple and others fruits.
Further, during the tree planting activity, DAR personnel contributed generously from their own pocket a sum of P10,400 for the benefit of the colleagues in DAR who were diagnosed with cancer. (Gil E. Miranda, DAR-Agusan del Norte/ PIA-Caraga)
