(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Wednesday, 30 October 2024) At 3:00 AM today, the center of the eye of Typhoon "LEON" {KONG-REY} was estimated based on all available data at 380 km East of Aparri, Cagayan or 395 km East of Calayan, Cagayan (18.8 °N, 125.2°E) with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h and gustiness of up to 205 km/h. It is moving West Northwestward at 15 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, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to Localized Thunderstorms. 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—‘: Moderate to Strong winds coming from West to Southwest will prevail with moderate to rough seas / (2.1 to 3.5 meters).


PIA News Service - Tuesday, October 9, 2012



TESDA graduates attend jobs bridging, alumni homecoming

By David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- Some 500 graduates of technical vocational education training (TVET) of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) attended an alumni homecoming and "jobs bridging" last week.

The jobs bridging and alumni homecoming was done to track down or map out the graduates' progress after the completion of their training a year ago -- to check if they are employed or need further assistance and to assess who among them want to go into entrepreneurship.

The graduates are recipients of the Joint Programme on Youth, Employment and Migration (JP-YEM), a joint project of the Philippine Government and the United Nations country team agencies namely the International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migration, United Nationa Children’s Fund and the United Nations Population Fund. .

Tesda Agusan del Sur Provincial Office, together with the provincial government and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, has implemented the JP-YEM scholarship program since 2011.

The program aims to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, promote gender equality and women empowerment and develop global partnership for development.

Tesda Provincial Director Joventino Aleta said the jobs bridging and alumni homecoming is also part of the scholarship program in order to ensure that the government’s efforts and resources will be of great factor to change the economic status of the people whom they believe religiously needed the training very much.

“In this activity, the jobs bridging and alumni homecoming, participants will be able to update their profile on Tesda database so that they will be given the opportunity to be called for future employment. Aside from that, the activity is also a venue for job referral for Public Employment Service Office (PESO)- Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the One – Stop Shop Resource Center (OSRC) of the provincial government. While undergoing entrepreneurship assessment, participants can join the pre-employment orientation seminar if they plan to go abroad,” Aleta said.

On the first day of the activity, Oct 4, Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza join the group and encouraged them to avail of the provincial government’s offers for livelihood assistance and entrepreneurship.

“I would like you to know that the provincial government has set aside funds to assist people like you who wish to invest in business. Of course, you have to undergo testing but I know, with your technical training and entrepreneurship seminars, you are qualified. We have also funds in the provincial government for processing of documents to assist those who want to go abroad,” Plaza said.

On the second day, Oct 5, Vice Gov. Santiago Cane inspired the participants by enumerating several legislation the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed that will support the program on employment and entrepreneurship. (RER/DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Infra programs endorsed during RDC full council meeting in AgSur

By David M. Suyao

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Oct. 9 (PIA) - Six region-wide infrastructure programs presented during the Regional Development Council (RDC) meeting were endorsed for approval and implementation.

Among the infrastructure programs presented by the Chairman on Infrastructure Development Committee, Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza, were the request that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will fast-track the release of funding for the rehabilitation of the Mam-on farm-to-market road in the municipality of Cagwait, Surigao del Sur; the request for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for proper endorsement of surveyors to the concerned local government units (LGUs) and that a representative of each LGU be included in the survey team; the five priority tourism-related infrastructure projects of Surigao del Sur for funding under the 2013 General Appropriation Act.

Another programs that were endorsed were the enjoining of the Caraga LGUs to institutionalize a system of registering/ recording of tourists thereby improving their qualification for the tourism road infrastructure project prioritization criteria; requesting Gawad Kalinga to support the relocation of the 32 affected families in the Dona Helene area; proposed Siargao Island Agri-Eco Tourism Nautical Highway. The one that was deferred for endorsement and subject to further discussion by the committee was to request the DOT to declare the entire Caraga Region as a tourist destination area, excluding the declared mineral reservation and watershed areas.

A program which was deferred for endorsement shall be discussed thoroughly in order that declared mineral reservation and watershed areas shall be properly identified for strict implementation. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Surigao Norte launches Search for Outstanding Teachers

By Arturo M. Cruje

SURIGAO CITY, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- The Provincial Government of Surigao del Norte in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education and banking institutions has successfully launched the Search for the Outstanding Teachers of Surigao del Norte.

This is in line with the celebration of the World Teacher’s Day last October 4.

The award will be known as “Bantayog Nan Kinaadman,” which primarily aims to inspire teachers to enhance their competences and strive to perform better and recognize their achievements and exemplary performance in molding the students to be globally competitive.

The search is open to all permanent teachers in elementary, secondary and tertiary levels, including the Alternative Learning System, with full-time appointment and load.

Application forms are available at the provincial planning and development office and DepEd division offices.

Criteria will be based on personal qualities and character, instructional competencies and teaching effectiveness, and professional and community involvement.

The major awardees will each receive P30,000 cash prize, plus a plaque of recognition. Finalists will receive P10,000 each plus a certificate of recognition.

Gov. Sol Matugas said an independent body will sit in the selection panel composed of members from the private sector.

The awarding ceremonies will be on December 7. (SDR/PPDO/FEA/RER/PIA-Surigao del Norte)


Swisa’s Regional Congress, an opportunity for the Irrigators

By Rhea C. Abao

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- The Small Water Impounding System Association (Swisa) in the region composed of Irrigators and Farmers’ Association held its regional congress last September 25 – 27. This organized by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) with the cooperation of the Department of Agriculture XIII.

“Through this gathering the opportunity to listen and to be heard is one of the significant outputs,” Asst. Secretary Dante Delima, who is also the national rice program coordinator.

The Swisa regional congress was attended by 65 members of Farmers Associations (FA) and Irrigators Association (IA) in Caraga Region.

“The organization structure must have its strong foundation from its president to its members. Officers must be chosen by the people, then for him to be respected by the people”, Delima emphasized.

According to him good governance must be implemented even in small organizations. ASec Delima even identified that the indirect system of policies in an organization could also lead to its weakness. “Mas maayo nga ang polisiya mubo ug dali masabtan sa kadaghanan kontra sa polisiyang taas nga dili pa gyud masabtan.” He clearly and directly said that policies in every organization should come from the voices within the majority. Policies must also be clear and direct. Members should always learn the policies of their organization, he added.

ASec Delima also emphasized that every organization should have their mission, vision and goals for them to know what they were aiming for. According to him, development also mean people empowerment for this will help sustain the services and assistance offered by the government to the people particularly to the Filipino farmers.

To continue the learning opportunity of SWISA members Asec. Delima offered an educational tour to IRRI and PhilRice at Los BaΓ±os Laguna for the members who attended the congress. The activity will help to address the challenge of attaining the national goals toward food security and rice self-sufficiency. (NCLM/DA-13/PIA-Caraga)


Caraga-made seaweed pickles wow buyers in national fair; “kalakat” basket cited for innovation

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- A new product from a neophyte exhibitor sold out and another product from what should have been a waste material was cited for innovation during the recently concluded “Market Week Philippines,” organized by the Department of Trade and Industry.

This national fair was held at the Mega Trade Halls 1-3, 5th Level, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City last September 19-23.

The first time exhibitor Indog Lianga Society of Lianga, Surigao del Sur gained more than P1.7 million worth of sales under negotiation from eight distributors from the National Capital Region and Palawan for its seaweed pickles. A unique blend of seaweed, vegetables and vinegar, the seaweed pickles was a big hit among walk-in and institutional buyers. An avid buyer said, “Sana may distributor kayo dito ng seaweed pickles kasi tuwing trade fair lang kami makakatikim ng ganito. Sarap kasi (I hope you have a distributor of seaweed pickles here because it is only during trade fairs that we have this).”

The oil palm strips, locally known as kalakat basket, of Maynagcot Palm Oil Strips was nominated as one of the “Most Innovative Product” in the Gifts, Decors and Housewares category. The company booth was also nominated for the “Best Dressed Booth” category.

Indog Lianga Society and Maynagcot Palm Oil Strips are two of 16 producers from the region and among the 400 producers/exhibitors that joined the Market Week Philippines, the second staging of the OTOP National Expo.

Other veteran exhibitors also made goods, and members of the Butuan City Producers and Processors of Food, Inc. (Butuan ProFood) have almost sold out all their stocks as well. Their products include seaweed strips, a “buko”substitute; lemongrass’s hydrosol and capsule; baked products; pork chicharon and bottled sardines.

Overall, 95 percent of the inventories of the regional exhibitors were sold out. Total cash and booked sales amounted close to P500,000 while under booked sales and under negotiation was pegged at P3.5 million.

The regional exhibitors are member-firms of the Butuan City ProFood for Butuan City/Agusan del Norte; San Francisco Weavers Association, Maynagcot Palm Oil Strips, and Sibagat Abaca Weavers Association for Agusan del Sur; Kean ‘O Graphics & Souvenir Shop and Navarro Rural Women Livelihood Association for Surigao del Norte; and Indog Lianga Society and De Lara Agsam Novelties for Surigao del Sur. (DTI-13/NLM/RER/PIA-Caraga)


Tagalog news: Mga ahensya ng Gobyerno sa Caraga makikiisa sa PYPD action planning workshop

Ni Danilo S. Makiling

BUTUAN CITY, Oktubre 9 (PIA) – Makikiisa ang mga stakeholder ng Caraga sa isang planning workshop para sa 2012-2016 Philippine Youth Development Plan (PYDP) na gaganapin sa Oktubre 9 hanggang 11 sa Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga Regional Office ng lungsod.

Ayon kay atty. Eddie Cuaresma, area cluster head ng Northeaster Mindanao, ang PYDP ay binuo ng tatlong layunin ukol sa pag-unlad ng kabataan: 1) palakasin ang partisipasyon ng mga kabataan sa pamamahala, sa lipunan at sa kaunlaran; 2) Palakihin ang kontribusyon at benepisyo ng mga kabataan sa pagkamit ng Millenium Development Goals; 3) Pabutihin ang access sa de-kalidad na sebisyo at proteksyon sa pamamagitan ng mga patakaran at programa.

"Sa pamamagitan ng PYDP bilang framework, kami ay magsasagawa national at regional action planning upang alamin ang mga pangako kontribusyon ng lahat ng duty bearers at ang mekanismo upang maisaayos ang plano,” ani Cuaresma.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, ang NTC ay maaaring kontakin sa kanilang numerong 088-8575895 o sa e-mail na nyccdo_nem@yahoo.com. (RER/NCLM/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano news: Palasyo miasoy nga padayon makigbugno batok anti-graft

Ni Nida Grace B. Tranquilan

TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- Ang Malakanyang miasoy nga padayon ang saad sa pakigbugno sa graft and corruption sa nasud taliwala sa mga taho nga ang gobyerno sa Pilipinas nawad an ug kapin sa P101-bilyones ngadto sa panikas kon graft sa miaging tuig.


“We have never become complacent when it comes to pursuing antigraft and anticorruption measures,” sulti ni Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte sa pakighinabi sa radio ng Bayan niadtong Sabado.


Ang media mireport, tumbok ang datos gikan sa Commission on Audit (COA) miingon, nga dako kayo ang kantidad nga kuarta sa puibliko ang nawala sa nagkalain lain nga pamaagi sa pan hukhuk kon graft kon diin ang pondo sa gobyerno gikurakot, wala ma insakto ug gamit or wala maayo pagpapahimutang.

But Valte clarified that the media made a wrong conclusion in making the report after obviously citing just one report when in fact there are other datas made available by the COA.

Apan si Valte mitin-aw nga ang media mihimo ug sayop nga pagsabot sa paghimo ug report human nga walay panumbaling pagtumbok sa usan lamang ka report bisan pa sa kamatooran nga duna pay laing datos nga gihimo ang COA nga giandam.

“Murag sa ingon nga dunay conclusion didto sa usa ka parte nga report nila nga automatically tungod kay dunay ubang audit nga nakita ang kalit nga conclusion mao ang pagkawala ngadto sa panhukhuk kon graft (It seems that nagkaroon ng conclusion doon sa isang parte nung report nila na automatically just because there were some audit findings biglang ang conclusion it was lost to graft),” sulti ni Valte.

Gitumbok si COA Chair Ma. Gracia Pulido-Tan, si Valte miingon nga ang financial loss nga gihisgutan sa report sa media dili siya resulta sa graft, kun diin ang korte lang mismo ang makahatag ug paghukom. Si Valte usab mitataw nga klaro nga gikan sa COA report nga ang “unliquidated cash advances nga gisulti sa Disyembre 2011 gi-accumulate sa una pa nga katuigan. (RER/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)


Cebuano news: Pangulong Aquino miingon Phildev ug US-gipangulohan mga proyekto makapadasig sa sector sa information technology ug education

Ni Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Oct. 9 (PIA) -- Gianunsyo ni Pangulong Aquino kagahapon nga ang Pilipinas, sa panagtambayayungay sa Philippine Development Foundation (Phildev) ug University of California sa Estados Unidos, mihimo kini og duha ka dagkong mga proyekto aron mapauswag ang sector sa information technology ug edukasyon sa nasod.

Sa iyang mensahe atol sa Phildev Forum on Harnesssing Filipino Innovation and Entrepreneurship nga gipahigayon didto sa Peninsula Manila sa Makati City, ang Pangulo miingon nga kining duha ka mga proyekto nga mao ang: Philippines-California Advanced Research Institutes o PCARI ug ang Thin Client Cloud Computing project o CloudTop maoy mopakusog sa pag-uswag sa kapabilidad sa IT sa gobyerno ug magdalag kalamboan ngadto sa taas nga ang-ang sa edukasyon.

Ang PCARI, matud pa sa Pangulo nga nagkantidad P1.76-bilyon “will guide us in establishing better information infrastructure here, which can improve the government’s capacities in Information technology, effectively helping strengthen disaster preparedness, for example, or improving the delivery of basic government services.”

“The project also involves putting up another institute that focuses on Health Innovation and Translational Medicine, which will further our research and development capabilities in terms of medicine and health equipment. It will likewise push forward our efforts at telemedicine, so that soon, perhaps, our doctors can help diagnose more Filipinos, especially those in far-flung areas, who have for so long been left in the margins of society,” dugang pa niya.

Ang CloudTop, sa laing bahin, “seeks to create a cloud computing infrastructure that will deliver new teaching and learning materials faster for lower level education, which can later be used in higher levels too, and even in government.”

Sa kantidad nga P250-milyon, matud sa Pangulo ang CloudTop project maoy nakapasalig kaniya “optimistic about increasing the amount of knowledge we can pass on to the children of this country -- to our future work force.”

“Perhaps this project can equip them with the vast knowledge they need — adding on to the strengths and skills they already possess—so that even more Filipinos can pursue truly productive careers,” matud pa sa Pangulo.

Inubanan sa maong pagkapositibo, ang Pangulo miingon nga kon ang Phildev ug mga katambayayong niini moplano pa og laing mabulokong mga proyekto nga makapaayo sa kalidad ug resources sa Pilipinas, ang iyang administrasyon andam gihapon kanunay nga mosuporta sa maong mga kalihukan.

“Let me say: if you can come up with possible collaborations that can benefit the Filipino people as much as the two projects I mentioned, then our administration will always be ready to listen. I am confident that we will see even more similar collaborations in the future,” matud sa Pangulo. (FEA/RER/PIA-Surigao del Norte)