(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Monday, 23 December 2024) π—¦π—¬π—‘π—’π—£π—¦π—œπ—¦: Shear Line affecting Southern Luzon and Visayas. Northeast Monsoon affecting the rest of Luzon. TROPICAL CYCLONE OUTSIDE PAR AS OF 3:00 AM TODAY TROPICAL DEPRESSION LOCATION: 165 KM WEST OF KALAYAAN, PALAWAN (10.8°N, 112.8°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 55 KM/H GUSTINESS: UP TO 70 KM/H MOVEMENT: NORTHWESTWARD AT 10 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, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Trough of Low Pressure Area. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. 𝗙𝗒π—₯π—˜π—–π—”π—¦π—§ π—ͺπ—œπ—‘π—— 𝗔𝗑𝗗 π—–π—’π—”π—¦π—§π—”π—Ÿ π—ͺπ—”π—§π—˜π—₯ π—–π—’π—‘π——π—œπ—§π—œπ—’π—‘: Lifgt to Moderate winds coming from East toSoutheast will prevail with light to Moderate (0.6 to 2.5 meters).


PIA News Service - Friday, Jan. 21, 2011

Feature: Abaca industry in Sibagat: a mirror of honest and effective cooperation

By: David M. Suyao

It all started as a pass-time activity of farmers’ wives planting abaca in their vacant farm lots. Farmers used to harvest their matured abaca plants in pieces and clean them manually and sell them raw in the town market by kilo. It was the practice of the Barangay Sinai where the soil is very suitable to abaca growing.

Until one day, while “Nang” Rona, a farmer”s wife was in the market selling her abaca, a buyer and an expert in abaca saw the quality of the abaca she sold. With a little conversation between the “Nang” Rona and the buyer agreed that the latter will visit Sinai, and see how the farmers grow abaca. That was the start when farmers in Sinai were encouraged to plant more abaca in the area.

When the volume of market of the raw abaca spread, the local government of Sibagat was alerted, and conducted a survey in Sinai, finding out that abaca plantation became a widespread. Then, the local government helped organized the group of women, mostly wives of farmers who were engaged in abaca waving.

In the year 2003, The Sinai women’s organization was registered as an enterprise as Sibagat Abaca Weavers Association (SAWA). These women acquired skills through trainings on fiber processing, “Tinagak making” and loom waving. They used abaca materials that has been locally-grown in Sinai. As months and years go by, SAWA co-exists and competes with existing cooperatives engaged in the fiber trading business. They started supplying the traders of the fiber-craft capitals, region 5 and 8.

Through the association’s participation in the product promotion activities, the members continue to provide and enhance the skills of their members in tinagak processing and sinamay weaving, aiming to increase their volume and serve their potential market. They already understood the importance of retaining in the barangay the value adding activities. Their greatest challenge was to draw a number of weaving hours among the mebers, so that a collective production can entice the exporter to consider them as subcontractor, as their process was hardly a hundred woven sinamay per week. These women need to be assured of income, the association to get a marketing contract.

Because of their practices, Sibagat has been a host to a number of local study missions from other provinces interested to learn the technology from plantation to sinamay production.

Their best practices and product quality has led to the decision of a UNIDO project office in Davao to document/ manualize SAWA. The manual serves as a reference of the abaca community livelihood projects in the UNIDO project areas.

Sinamay, being the end product of abaca fiber, passes through series of processes. Each process employs people from harvesting, stripping, knotting (tagak) to weaving. The enterprise directly and indirectly employs 10 strippers, 203 knotters, 42 weavers and farm workers. With the annual expansion of 20 hectares abaca plantaion since 2006, the industry will surely generate a thousand job opportunity. This is how the sinamay production generate employment in the area.

With SAWA’s intervention and prodding to the different agencies, it has generated P5.5 million investment for abaca enterprise development. In the year 2006 alone, SAWA has acquired the amount of P78,000 from the local LGU Sibagat for the skills enhancement training on bag making using sinamay fabric which include provision of sewing machines and materials for the bag business. Another P3,849,470 from PACAP, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Provincial government and the municipal government of Sibagat for the upscaling abaca production and processing which include the expansion of abaca plantation, additional loom waving and and stripping machines, working capital, construction of production center and land acquisition for the building. In 2007, they acquired another P80,500 from DTI/ One Town-One-Product (OTOP) DTI/ Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and LGU Sibagat for enhancing production capacity of abaca sinamay and another P32,000 from DTI OTOP for abaca plantation establishment.

The abaca industry in Sibagat has also helped in the rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads in the locality that will make transportation of the products easy. Among those notable FMR are: FMR from sitio Canete to Barangay Sinai, FMR from national highway to barangay Kauswagan, FMR from Barangay Villangit to Baragnays San Isidro and Magsaysay, FMR from Barangay Magsaysay to Sta. Cruz, FMR from Barangay Wawa to Barangay Kioya and FMR leading to Barangay Padiay.

Today, not only SAWA but the entire abaca product industry continue its successful operation in the municipality of Sibagat, generating jobs, and helping the communities.
(PIA-Agusan del Sur)


IPDP, NCIP hold planning workshop for lumad Mamanwa of Surigao
 

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Jan. 21 (PIA)
– A planning workshop on the rights of the Mamanwa Surigaonons was successfully conducted here recently.

Held at the Hotel Tavern Surigao, the 2-day activity was spearheaded by the ILO’s Indigenous Peoples Development Program (IPDP) of Caraga and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) participated in by the different stakeholders of the province.

The activity aimed at focusing the Mamanwa’s ancestral domain, which can be found in some parts of Malimono, Sison, San Francisco and Surigao City, through enabling policies that engage them in exercising a full range of rights, including those delineated in the Philippine Constitution, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) and the nation’s medium-term development plans.

During the workshop, ILO-IPDP Caraga Program Manager Domingo Nahayangan emphasized the importance of the local government units (LGUs) in protecting the rights of the local indigenous people (the Mamanwa tribe) and their ancestral domain. He also urged other agencies to join in the said campaign.

For quite a time now, the ILO has been working with the indigenous peoples of Caraga and partners that include the NCIP, a project funded through the Government of Spain to support community initiatives. 

The indigenous peoples in northeastern Mindanao are keen to develop their ancestral domains in the context of implementation of the IPRA and MTPDP-IPs. Government and collaborating institutions are adopting approaches to respond to the aspirations of indigenous peoples. (Susil Ragas, PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Turn-over of agricultural equipment to highlight DA Sec Alcala’s visit in Surigao Norte

SURIGAO CITY, Jan. 21 (PIA) – Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala is set to visit Surigao del Norte Friday, Jan. 21 to lead the turn-over of agricultural equipment to the farmer beneficiaries of the province.

Sec. Alcala is expected to lead the turn-over of seven units drip irrigation, two units greenhouse, three units pump and engine sets, and two units of computer sets to the identified farmer-beneficiaries at the provincial convention center. 

He will also listen to the presentation of the provincial government’s agricultural roadmap.

Likewise, Gov. Sol Matugas will present to the secretary the extent of agricultural damage brought about by the recent torrential rains that hit the province.

A luncheon meeting with the local chief executives will then follow after the short program. 

Other dignitaries who will also grace the event include City Mayor Ernesto Matugas, 1st District Rep. Francisco Matugas, 2nd District Rep. Guillermo Romarate, Vice Gov. Arturo Carlos Egay, Jr., and DA Caraga Executive Dir. Reinerio Belarmino, Jr.
(FEAbkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)

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Barangay Babuyan, Carrascal proclaimed NSBBSP winners 

Tandag, Surigao del Sur, January 21 (PIA) - Barangay Babuyan, Carrascal, of this province grabbed 3rd place in the National Search for Barangay Best Sanitation Practices (NSBBSP) 2010 receiving a total cash incentive amounting to P250,000.00 and plaque of recognition.

Provincial Health Office (PHO) Supervising Sanitary Inspector Rodrigo Gordo said the pronouncement of winners was revealed recently at the Heritage Hotel, Manila attended by some local government officials and Department of Health (DOH) Provincial Government Officers. 

Gordo also said a total of 32 entries from 16 regions vied for the title.

NSBBSP is an annual event started in 2008 spearheaded by DOH aimed at giving recognition to the Local Government Units (LGUs) at the Barangay level for the promotion and implementation of policies and actions to meet the sanitation target.

According to Gordo, the search is intended to raise awareness on the importance of sanitation and encouraged government and its partners to promote and implement policies and actions to meet the sanitation target of the DOH under the millennium Development Goals (MDGs). (NGBTranquilan/PIA Surigao del Sur)


Agusan del Norte PDRRMC discusses plans to improve its operations 
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By: Jennifer P. Gaitano
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BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 21 (PIA) – The Agusan del Norte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) recently convened and discussed plans for improvement of its operations especially when there are calamities in the province. 
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Agusan del Norte Provincial Administrator Percianita Racho recalled that the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) has now its new name which is the PDRRMC thru the Executive Order No. 11 Series of 2010 (An order renaming and re-organizing the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council). 
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Racho also said that one of the functions of the PDRRMC is to formulate an integrated Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Plan and strengthen capacity of the PDRRMC in collaboration with the Office of Civil Defense. 
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“The council shall regularly review and test the plan consistent with other national and local planning programs,” Racho added.
 
Also, Gloria Pabillore, Agusan del Norte Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer stressed that member agencies of PDRRMC should strengthen its contingency/disaster plan and shall meet regularly to discuss issues and concerns and update its database. 
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Meanwhile, Racho bared that its Operation Center (OPCEN) will be established soon at the provincial capitol and will put up some equipment for its operations. (PIA-Caraga)  
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Agusanons benefit from week-long foreign medical-surgical mission

CABADBARAN, Agusan del Norte, Jan. 21
- Residents of Agusan del Norte are provided services in a week-long medical and surgical mission by the Philippine Medical Mission Foundation of Michigan (PMMF) being held at Cabadbaran Gymnasium here and Provincial Hospital in Libertad, Butuan City. 

The provincial government of Agusan del Norte led by Gov. Erlpe John M. Amante hosted the medical and surgical mission from January 17 to 21. 

The USA-based PMMF mission is performing free corrective surgeries on burn or skin contractures, hernia, goiter, cleft palate and hare lip, surgical removal of myoma, ovarian cyst and gall bladder stones. 

They are also doing tubal ligations on patients who had already been screened earlier at the provincial hospital. 

A separate medical consultation mission is also being conducted simultaneously by the municipal government of Cabadbaran, which Mayor Dale B. Corvera is hosting. 

Prior to the consultation or operation, patients from the different areas in the province were required to get consultation tickets from their respective barangay chairmen. 

Officials are thankful to the mission which will meet the needed medical services of the residents. 

“This foreign-based medical mission is really a big help to our people, especially poor families living in far-flung areas. We deeply expressed our gratitude to Michigan based Filipino Doctors,” said Gov. Amante. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)


Education summit to be launched in Surigao City


SURIGAO CITY, Jan. 21 (PIA) - In an effort to improve basic education, the provincial government of Surigao del Norte and Surigao City will launch the “2011 Education Roadmap Summit” at the Surigao Provincial Convention Center here next month. 

Educators, government officials and stakeholders will be participating in the summit organized and planned by Surigao del Norte Governor Sol F. Matugas, Surigao City Mayor Ernesto T. Matugas, Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco T. Matugas and 2nd District Rep. Guillermo A. Romarate, Jr. 

Top national government officials led by Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro is expected to grace the event scheduled on Feb. 15 to 16. 

Other participants are the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, League of Municipal Mayors of the Philippines, Association of Barangay Captains and parents-teachers and community associations. 

With a theme: “Building a New Surigao Through Quality Basic Education”, the summit will be highlighted by the unveiling ceremony of the “Cultural Center for Children” where several cultural presentations for “Alay ng Kabataan” are already lined up to be presented by the Surigao del Norte High School students. 

Another highlight in the summit is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote quality education between the DepEd represented by Schools Division Superintendent TeoFila G. Cabatuan and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) through the League of Mayors of the Philippines (LMP), represented by Surigao del Norte chapter president Mayor Sheila Mae O. Cebedo of Bacuag town. 

The signing will be witnessed by Luistro and DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo. 

Another Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for Project BEST or Barangay Education Strategic Team is also set to be signed during the summit. 

“This summit is a big help not only enhancing our education system, but also close and healthy relationship among the teachers, parents and students and other stakeholders,” said Governor Matugas. 

The summit will focus in enhancing the quality of basic education and K-12 Basic Education Program. 

“The program on education gets the lion share of our attention since we believe through education we can empower our people to become self-reliant and law-abiding,” said Gov. Matugas., who is also a former regional director of DepEd before joining politics. 

“Our people cannot wait any longer for key reforms to happen in the education system. We must do it now,” added Rep. Matugas, saying several prepared basic education strategies will be presented in the summit. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)

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DFA announces foreign service exam in Caraga region 

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 21 - The regional office of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in northeastern Mindanao has announced the recruitment of candidates for a position of Foreign Service Officer (FSO). 

The Board of Foreign Service department of the DFA-Caraga region announced that they have started accepting applicants based on sets of criteria. 

DFA Consular Regional Director Mary Val Adiong said the applicant should be less than 35 years of age on March 20, 2011, and a holder of at least four-year bachelor’s degree or higher. 

“Thus, applicant is required to submit relevant evidence such as transcript of records, and either the diploma or certificate of graduation,” said Adiong. 

The applicant should also be a Filipino citizen and concurrently a permanent resident of the Philippines. 

If married to a foreigner, the applicant must secure from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, through the Board of Foreign Service Examination authority to take the FSO examinations, Adiong said. 

If applicant has dual or multiple citizenships, he/she should submit a notarized affidavit stating that upon passing the examination, he/she intends to renounce his/her allegiance to all his/her other countries of citizenship. He or she must also submit a notarized affidavit stating that he/she is a permanent resident in the Philippines. 

Adiong said the applicant has to pay a non-refundable admission fee of P500 before taking the Qualifying Test upon acceptance of his/her application. 

All completed application forms must be returned to DFA Butuan Consular Office not later than February 4, 2011. “Incomplete requirements will not be accepted,” added Adiong. 

FSO Examinations is composed of five parts. The first part is the FSO Qualifying Test and is set on March 20, 2011. Preliminary interview will form the second part and is set on June 4 and 5, 2011. The third part is the Written Test which is tentatively scheduled on June 8 to 10, 2011. An oral test will comprise the fourth part and is tentatively scheduled on October 12-14, 2011. Meanwhile, the last part of the exam is a psychological test tentatively set on November 12-25, 2011. 

Application forms may be obtained by either downloading from the DFA website at www.dfa.gov.ph or by securing at the Main Office of Regional Consular Offices of the DFA. 

For further information, interested applicants may contact Ms. Suzette Aluag-Callo through telephone number (085) 342-7822 and telefax number 342-5700. (MUC/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano News: Mayor Jun, dako ang Pagsalig sa Kalingkawasan sa Butuan batok sa Kalamidad

Ni: Agnes B. Tumulak

Human sa baha nga dala sa walay hunong nga pag ulan nga nasinati sa dakbayan sa Butuan kaniadtong unang semana sa Enero 2011, dako gayod ang pasalamat sa atong pinalanggang Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. nga nakalingkawas ang Dakbayan sa trahedya ug ania na kita sa dalan sa rehabilitasyon. Sa kamatuoran, iyang gipadayag nga tungod niini nasukod gayod ang kaandam sa dakbayan sa unsa mang kalamidad nga muabot. Sanglit, gipaabot niya ang iyang pasalamat sa mga ahensya sa gobyerno, mga NGOs ug uban pang sektor sa komunidad sa hugot nilang suporta ug dedikasyon arun mahatagan ug tabang ang katawhan, hilabi na kadtong mga nahimutang sa kapubrehihon.

Sa iyang pakigkita kay Presidente Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III kaniadtong Biyernes, ika-14 karung bulana, didto sa opisina sa Civil Aviation Authority, Bancasi, nakadawat ang Butuan sa dugang ayuda nga gihatag gikan sa Malacanang. Hugot ang suporta nga gipaabot gikan sa nasyonal nga Pangggamhanan sa tanang proyekto ug paninguha alang sa kalambuan sa syudad.

Mibisita si Pangulong Noynoy arun personal niyang mahibaluan ang kasamtangang danyos-perwesyus nga nasinati sa mga Butuanon nga resulta sa nahisgutang kalamidad ug gikataho ni Mayor Jun alang sa pangulo pinaagi sa mga datos nga nakaylap sa Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO), hilabi na sa sektor sa agrikultura, nga diin 59 kabarangay ang naangin. 

Dako ang pasalamat sa atong Mayor nga sa kinatibuk-an sa rehiyon sa Caraga, ang Butuan ang pinakminus ug danyos-perwesyus tungod sa miaging kalamidad.

Dugang pa sab, gidawat ni Mayor Jun ang Certificate of Turn-over isip pagpamatood nga ang siyudad sa Butuan makadawat sa mga musunod: 50 ka mga bag sa certified seeds; 3 units water pump engine set; 2 kahon nagkalain-laing semilya sa gulay; requisition ug issue slip alang sa isa (1) ka set sa nagkadaiyang medisina ug supply pangmedikal.

Gidayeg ni Pangulong Noynoy ang walay hunong nga paningkamot sa lokal nga Panggamhanan sa Butuan sa makanunayon ug epektibong pamaagi sa pagpangandam batok sa unsa mang kalamidad ug trahedya.

Gipanigurado sa amahan sa Butuan kitang mga katawhan, hilabi na kaniadtong mga naapektuhan sa baha nga kanunay andam ang ahensya sa paghatag ug unsa mang ayuda nga ilang gikinahanglan hangtud nga ang tibuok syudad makalingkawas sa nasangpit nga kasamtangan. (PIO/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano News: Mayor Amante naghanduraw alang sa hapsay nga Dakbayan

Ni: Ritchelle F. Encabo

Pinaagi sa kamanduan nga gipagawas ni Halandong Mayor Dr. Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr., ang buhatan sa City Engineering Office-Maintenance Section gitahasan aron sa pagmintinar sa kahinlo sa sentro sa syudad, pagpaanindot ug pagrehabilitate sa mga lugar sama sa; Freedom Park, Van terminal pinaagi sa pagtanum sa mga Phular tree, Pagtaud ug pagtang-tang sa mga tarpaulin ug streamer, Pagpanday sa mga tarpaulin frames, Pagtukod ug mga Comfort Room sa Freedom Park, Paggahin ug mga Pathways sa Freedom Park, Demolition of gutter in Gomez Street, ug pagpanghinlo sa mga sagbot sa Doongan Road.

Mapasalamaton si Halandong Mayor Amante nga kaabag niya ang maong buhatan alang sa kalimpyo sa Dakbayan sa Butuan ug gi-awhag niya ang katawhan nga ipabilin ang kahinlo sa palibot ug sa padayon nga pagsuporta sa maong mga programa. (PIO/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano News: Business Permits and Licensing Systems Nagpadayon

Ni: Rio Connie Leah M. Flores


Ang Buhatan sa City Licensing, Permits Division, nga gipanguluhan ni Mr. Paul Cabrera, OIC nag – awhag sa mga magpapatigayon ning dakbayan nga magparehistro na sa ilang mga negosyo, sugod niadtong adlawa Enero 4, - Enero 20, 2011 ngadto sa maong buhatan.

Nasayran nga niadtong Desyembre 8, 2010 nalusad na sa tibuok Rehiyon CARAGA ang Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) fastlane diin sa gibuhat nga “simulation” makabaton ug business permit ang usa ka negosyante sulod mubo nga minuto. 

Ang maong kalampusan nahitabo tungod sa pagbinuligay sa panggamhanan sa Butuan sa pagdumala ni Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. ug Department of Trade and Industry. (PIO/PIA-Caraga)