Fire razes 'Love Radio' station, other business
establishments in Butuan
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- Five months after a
major fire hit this city, another one today razed establishments including the
95.1 Love Radio FM station at the Montalban Building along A.D. Curato and San
Jose Streets, near the Guingona Park, formerly Rizal Park.
The fire reportedly broke out at around 8:12
a.m.
Other business establishments destroyed were
Parinas Jewelry and Pawnshop, Lucibenino Pawnshop and Jewelry Store, RRJ Jeans,
Keysa’s Boutique, Luciana Inn and Restaurant and a portion of Almont City
Hotel.
Arson investigators estimated damages at P10
million, excluding the jewelries and some RTWs and properties sold in the said
establishments.
As of this writing, FO3 Banjo Leison said no
casualties were reported. He also said the fire was put out at around 9:45 a.m.
Initial report also revealed that a 19-year-old
female suspect called ‘Rose’ allegedly poured gasoline and burned down the
radio station located at the third floor of the building.
The suspect was apprehended minutes after the
fire broke out. In an interview, the suspect claimed responsibility over the
incident.
The suspect was said to have psychological
problem and was obsessed with a disc jockey of the said FM station. The suspect
was said to have attempted to burn the station months ago.
Last May, at least 17 sales were killed when a
fire razed a two-story building in Montilla Boulevard in downtown Butuan City.
Meanwhile, City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. said
the city government will conduct investigation on this latest incident.
(RER/PIA-Caraga)
DOH holds tobacco control training in Butuan
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, Oct. 4 (PIA) --
The Center for Health Development of the Department of Health (DOH-CHD) Caraga
held on Wednesday the MPOWER Training on Tobacco Control. The activity aimed to
establish a tobacco prevention and control program in the community.
“MPOWER” stands for Monitor tobacco use and prevention
policies; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use;
Warn about the dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising,
promotion and sponsorship; and Raise taxes on tobacco, Delma Legaspi of DOH-CHD
said.
Attendees include focal persons for Anti-Smoking
Program of the different local government units in the region.
Legaspi said cigarettes have 7,000 chemicals and
70 known carcinogens. Thus smoking causes dreadful, debilitating diseases such
as heart attack, stroke, lung cancer, emphysema and diabetes.
“Republic Act 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act
of 2003 protects people from hazardous tobacco smoke; promotes the right of the
people to health; and instills health consciousness. It has provisions that
provide for penalties such as fine, imprisonment, or both, and the revocation
or cancellation of business licenses and permits, for specific violations,”
said Legaspi.
RA 9211 prohibits selling or distributing
tobacco products to minors; purchasing cigarettes or any tobacco product from a
minor; selling of cigarettes or any tobacco product by a minor; and purchasing of
cigarettes or any tobacco product by a minor.
To effectively implement RA 9211 and its
implementing rules and regulations, the PNP is authorized to institute criminal
proceedings against violators and to cause the removal of non-compliant cinema
and outdoor advertising and tobacco-related self-service facilities.
Local government officers are also authorized to
take necessary steps to effectively implement RA 9211 such as directly
instituting criminal actions against violators of RA 9211; causing the removal
of non-compliant outdoor advertising; deputize inspectors and other personnel
for the proper implementation of the law; sending warning letters to erring
establishments to make them comply; inspection of establishments; recommend the
closure of establishments; and other actions they may see appropriate.
Meanwhile, the participants of the training
agreed to re-organize the Caraga Anti-Smoking Team, since most of its members
in 2009, when it was first established are now assigned in other regions.
The participants also elected the new set of
officers and expressed their commitment to do their functions and
responsibilities as advocates on anti-smoking in the region.
With this development, the new set of officers
and its members will meet again at another schedule for a possible creation of
a memorandum of agreement with other partner stakeholders for this campaign and
implementation of the law. (RER/JPG/PIA-Caraga)
Council visits senior citizen detainees
By Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, Agusan del Norte, Oct. 4 (PIA) --
The Regional Inter-Agency Council for Senior Citizens (RIAC-SC) conducted a
jail visitation for senior citizen detainees of Butuan City Jail in line with
the celebration of this year's Elderly Filipino Week.
RIAC-SC is spearheaded by the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) –Caraga in coordination with the Office
of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA).
Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation no. 470,
October 1-7 is declared as “Linggo ng Katandaang Filipino” (Elderly Filipino
Week) which aims to promote public awareness of the rights and well-being of
elderly people in the country.
During the activity, personnel of Butuan City
Jail paid tribute to their senior citizen detainees by offering them flowers
while members of RIAC-SC also distributed goods to 17 senior citizen detainees.
In his message, Bureau of Jail Management and
Penology (BJMP) Senior Inspector Felix O. Resullar expressed his gratitude to
RIAC-SC by extending their hands to the senior citizen detainees.
“I would like to thank the agencies who extended
their support to our senior citizen detainees by giving them this opportunity
to celebrate Elderly Filipino Week,” Resullar said.
Meanwhile, Samuel Camantes, one of senior
citizen detainees also expressed his appreciation. “I am very happy because the
government has never forgotten the senior citizens detainees of Butuan City
Jail and although we are in the jail we still have the opportunity to celebrate
the Elderly Filipino Week,” Camantes said.
With this, Wilma Geralla of DSWD-Caraga
emphasized that each of the senior citizens has the right to be avail an
additional benefits and privileges as stated in the Republic Act No. 9994 or
known as “An Act granting additional benefits and privileges to the senior
citizens.” (RER/DSM/PIA-Caraga)
Mindanao power body moves to avert impact of
supply shortfall
DAVAO CITY, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- The newly created
Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) has urged the public to brace for
possible outages in some Mindanao areas as the 210 MW coal-fired power plant in
Misamis Oriental goes on preventive maintenance shutdown starting October 6.
In a meeting convened by the Mindanao
Development Authority (MinDA), Department of Energy (DOE), and agencies
comprising the committee, the MPMC moved to take on immediate and medium-term
steps to stabilize the power situation in Mindanao.
STEAG State Power Inc., which operates the 210
MW coal-fired power plant, has earlier announced the scheduled preventive
maintenance shutdown for its two electric generation units, the one with 105 MW
capacity to start will shutdown on October 6 until November 4, and the other
105 MW unit will go offline on October 29 until November 10.
STEAG said this will be the first time the coal
plant will undergo such preventive maintenance shutdown since the start of its
full commercial operations in November 2006.
Considered as the most modern and the biggest in
Mindanao on a per unit capacity, STEAG coal-fired power plant has so far
delivered more than 8.3 billion kWh of electricity and currently accounts for
20 percent of the Mindanao grid.
STEAG report added that the timing of the
maintenance shutdown takes into consideration the plant’s operations and
maintenance guidelines, as well as the projected electricity demand-supply
condition of Mindanao during the period.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines
(NGCP) puts the island-region’s system capacity at only 1045 MW in its latest
weekly power outlook bulletin, 187 MW short of the Mindanao grid’s 1242 MW
system load.
“Better coordination among agencies concerned
and engaging the Mindanao stakeholders should characterize our efforts to
address the power problem,” said Secretary Luwalhati Antonino in a statement.
Antonino said making the public fully aware of
the situation can strengthen power conservation measures and sustain consumer
education to help ease up demand pressure.
Created under E.O. 81, the committee is tasked
to coordinate efforts of national, regional and local governments and power
industry stakeholders to improve the power situation in Mindanao. It is also
mandated to regularly monitor information on Mindanao power generation and
distribution, including status of efforts to add new generating capacities to
the grid.
Currently, MPMC is proposing to tap embedded
generators and the operation of the 100 MW Iligan Diesel Power Plant in the
immediate term, while firming up the setting up of a one-stop-shop processing
center to facilitate new applications, particularly mini hydro power.
Mindanao’s additional generating capacities,
mostly from coal-fired power plants, are expected to add up to the grid but not
until 2014-2015 when these start full commercial operations.
MPMC is composed of MinDA, DoE, Energy
Regulatory Commission, National Electrification Administration, National Power
Corporation, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation and
representatives from MEPA and the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives.
(MinDA/RER/NLM/PIA-Caraga)
Surigaonon news: City Prosecutor Office
mipagawas sa ila 2nd ug 3rd quarter accomplishment reports
By Annette Villaces
SURIGAO CITY, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- An buhatan nan
City Prosecutor Office na tagpanguyuhan ni atty. Manuel Tesiorna an mipagawas
sa ila na second ug third quarter accomplishment report pinaagi na kay Anecita
Escudo an Administrative Officer III.
Si Mrs. Escudo naglaong na suyod sa second ug
third quarter kuman na tuig an ila buhatan an nakadawat ug naka resolba sa mga
criminal cases na tag filed gikan na sa Law Enforcement Agencies lakip an mga
private complaints.
Matod pa niini na adunay duha ka mga klase an
pag file sa amo na mga reklamo , una na niini an Inquest na diin nukabat sa 148
an total sa kaso na nadawat, 135 an na dispose ug 32 sa mga ini an na dismissed
sa National Prosecution Service, 103 an tag filed sa korte na diin 23 sa mga ini
an convicted ug 11 an na dismissed na mga kaso ug may total na 13 ka mga
pending para sa preliminary investigation.
Samtang an ikaduha amu an regular or preliminary
investigation na diin jaoy 222 sa kinatibok-an nga kaso ug 77 an disposed na
mga kaso ug 21 sa mga ini an kaso na na dismissed sa National Prosecution
Service ug 56 an na file sa korte samtang 8 sa mga ini an konbiktado ug 145 an
pending na mga kaso sa preliminary investigation sa kinatibok-an.
Tagdugang pa niini na an regular inquest cases na
tagsang-at sa ila buhatan amo an violation of R.A 9165 or Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, 43; Violation of R.A 9262 or Anti-Violence Against
Women and Their Children Act of 2004, 3; murder, 13; Violation of R.A 8294 or
illegal Possession of Firearm, 9; homicide, 10; robbery, 4; estafa, 53 ug ang
Exploitation and Discrimination Act, 16.
Dugang pa niini na gawas sa criminal complaints
an ila buhatan an nutindog isab isip representante sa gobyerno sa pagkupot sa
100 ka mga kleyente sa Special Proceedings sama sa Marriage nullity, correction
of entry ug lain pang mga civil service. (SDR/PIO-CMO/RER/FEA/PIA-Surigao del
Norte)
Cebuano news: Gobyernong Aquino gihangyo ang mga
stakeholders sa pakig dialogo sa DOJ aron matubag ang ilang mga kabalaka sa
bag-ong pabalaod nga Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012
Ni Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Oct. 4 (PIA) -- Gihangyo sa
administrasyong Aquino ang tanang mga hingtungdan sa pagsalmot sa usa ka
dialogo sa Department of Justice (DOJ) aron matubag ang ilang mga kabalaka
samtang dili pa magsugod ang proseso sa paghimo og mga Implementing Rules and
Regulations (IRR) sa maong bag-ong pabalaod nga Cybercrime Prevention Act of
2012.
"In the meantime we believe there is an
opportunity for reasonable discourse between concerned stakeholders and the
Department of Justice. We urge the fullest and widest participation of
stakeholders in this process," matud ni Presidential Spokesperson Edwin
Lacierda sa sa iyang pamahayag atol sa regular press briefing didto sa
Malacanang kagahapon.
Subling gisulti ni Lacierda ang posisyon sa
administrasyong Aquino sa pagdepender sa tawhanong kagawasan ubos sa batakang
balaod isip tubg ngadto sa mga pag-angkon sa mga kritiko ug pipila ka mga tawo
nga mikuwestyon sa legalidad sa pipila ka mga probisyon sa maong bag-ong mando.
"Our Constitution is clear and
uncompromising in the civil liberties it guarantees all our people. As the
basic law, its guarantees cannot, and will not, be diminished or reduced by any
law passed by Congress," matud pa ni Lacierda.
"The administration is equally adamant in
upholding these liberties, which were regained at such high cost by our people.
As the President said on September 27, the vigorous exchange of ideas that is
the hallmark of a vibrant democracy, requires those who disagree not to oppress
others," si Lacierda miingon.
Ang Cybercrime Prevention Act gipabalaod sa
Kongreso aron matubag ang lihitimong mga kabalaka mahitungod sa kriminal nga
gawi sa Internet ug ang mga epekto sa maong abusadong gawi, matud ni Lacierda.
"Questions have been raised about the
constitutionality of certain provisions of the Act. We recognize and respect
efforts not only to raise these issues in court, but to propose amendments to
the law in accordance with constitutional processes," sulti niya.
Si Lacierda mitumbok nga "no government
entity has moved to deprive anyone of access to the Internet or to suppress
civil liberties as exercised online."
"In fact what has taken place is that
hackers who claim to be aligned with critics of the Cybercrime Act are the ones
who have engaged in online vandalism, depriving the broader public of access to
much needed government information and services online," matud niya.
Giawhaga ni Lacierda ang mga kritiko sa maong
Cybercrime Act nga motingog usab batok online vandalism ug bullying susama sa
gihimo niini nga pagsupak sa pipila ka mga probisyon sa maong balaod.
"If our freedoms have been hard won, it
would do us all well to remember that in the end, vigilantism harms the cause
of freedom of expression and civil liberties for all netizens," dugang pa
niya. (RER/SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
