(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 - Thursday, January 31, 2013


Cast your votes early on Election Day says Comelec

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 31 (PIA) -- Following the preparations of concerned agencies for the May 13 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) City Director Atty. Ernie Palanan encouraged eligibles to cast their votes early on voting day in designated polling precincts here.

During a briefing with the local tri-media here, Atty. Palanan said that to avoid any stressing experience in queuing, registered voters should proceed to their polling precincts early and make sure they bring with them their identification card.

Palanan added that the Department of Education (DepEd) with the Comelec will also apply the "numbering" system of the voters in the different precincts here. “This will make our voting process more order and peaceful,” he said.

Palanan also emphasized proper delegation of the functions and responsibilities of the PNP personnel assigned in the different precincts.

It was also pointed out that the ballots must be personally fed in the Precinct Count Optical Scanners (PCOS) machines by the voters themselves.

“The teachers assigned in the polling precincts usually assist the voters in feeding their ballots in the PCOS machine to make sure that the ballot is properly fed inside the machine but voters are encouraged to do it by themselves to avoid any issues of manipulation,” Palanan said.

Meanwhile, Palanan also disclosed that DepEd will provide the list of voters with their designated precincts in the different schools of the city a day before Election day. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


Rebel groups expected to enforce access fee to politicians during campaign period – Army

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, Jan. 31 (PIA) -- The Communist Party of the Philippines/ New Peoples’ Army and the National Democratic Front are expected to enforce the access fee or what they call “permit to win” to politicians during the campaign period as one of their source of income.

During the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) meeting here, Major Ryan Callanta reported that every election period, the rebels harass candidates to collect money during their campaign sorties,.

“We want to inform you that the rebels have many sources where they collect what they call revolutionary taxes. Mining, agriculture ventures and illegal logging are among the firms where they draw their resources,” Callanta said.

In order to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful election, the army said they have already formulated strategic plans and major activities with the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be implemented before, during and after election, and one of the activity that they consider most important is the security for the transport of the PCOS machines to be used during election.

“We have already identified the 115 voting centers all over the province of Agusan del Sur, and we have already assigned our battalions to safeguard the said voting centers. For the 26th Infantry battalion (IB), they will cover 82 precincts, 24 for the 75th IB and nine voting centers for 29th IB,” Callanta said.

“Even with the threats posted by these groups, we are here to protect and ensure the safety of our people and to neutralize their violent plans in order to maintain peace,” Callanta said. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


City income from business permits rises

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 31 (PIA) -- Evaluators from the Local Government Academy (LGA) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank, arrived in Butuan City to personally conduct a thorough evaluation on the existing Business Permits and Licensing System (BPLS) here, Jan. 30, 2013.

Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Ms. Mary Penetrante and Mr. Christopher Llaneras, both from the LGA, and Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant Mr. Nick Baoy of the IFC were welcomed by City Administrator Leah Mendoza and Vice Mayor Lawrence Lemuel Fortun upon their arrival at the City Mayor’s Office.

The evaluators were then joined by Mr. Paul Cabrera - Business Permits and Licensing Division (BPLD) OIC and Mr. Arthur Castro – City Treasure’s Office OIC for a roundtable discussion. A team from the Information Technology Division was also present and responded to the technical questions from the evaluators.

Mr. Cabrera relayed to the panel that the current system is by far faster and easier compared to the previously used Business One Stop Shop (BOSS), thus producing a more competent and impressive result in their collection.

In January of 2011, the total collection amounted to P61,171,171.96. Last year, a total of P66,775,232.10 was collected for the whole month of January. However, from Jan. 02-23, 2013 alone, the BPLD has already collected P68,518,479.94. And since renewals and registrations are still going on, the figure is rapidly increasing as of this writing.

As part of the whole evaluation process, the evaluators also made a short visit to the BPLD located at the ground floor of the City Hall Complex. They interviewed the employees working in the said office and were also able to get first-hand information and comments from the clients.

As a result of this remarkable achievement the Butuan City Government has been awarded the Performance Challenge Fund of P3,000,000 which will now be utilized for the installation of fountains for the newly-rehabilitated Guingona Park.

The notable increase in the collection of business permits can be traced back to the launching of the BPLS on Oct. 20, 2010. The BPLS is under the Business Fastlane program of Mayor Amante. (NCLM/Butuan City City Mayor’s Office/Public Information Office/PIA-Agusan del Norte)


Tagalog news: UST alumni nagbigay donasyon sa mga biktima ng bagyong Pablo sa pamamagitan ng PRC

Ni David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Enero 31 (PIA) -- Iniabot ng isang grupo ng alumni ng Universidad ng Sto. Tomas (UST) sa Philippine Consulate General sa Agana, Guam noong Enero 25, 2013 ang isang tseke para sa mga pamilya at komunidad na nasalanta ng bagyong Pablo noong nakaraang taon.

Ang donasyon na nagkahalaga ng US$500 ay idadaan sa Philippine Red Cross.

Ang mga dumalo sa naturang pag-aabot ng donasyon ay ang presidente ng UST Alumni Association sa Guam na si Glynis Almonte, kasama ang mga miyembro ng asosasyon na sina Millay Young, Winnie Butler at Mila Moguel.

Si Consul General Bayani Mangibin ay siyang tumanggap ng donasyon kasama si Vice Consul Maria Paz Cortez. (RER/DMS with reports from DFA/PIA-Agusan del Sur)


Tagalog news: Pamahalaan, bibili ng mga modernong pandigmaang eroplano para sa pagsasanay at pagtugon sa mga sakuna - Palasyo

Ni David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Enero 31 (PIA) -- Sinabi ng Malacanang na bibili ang bansa ng 12 pandigmaang eroplano mula sa Korea para sa pagsasanay, pangdepensa at pagtugon sakaling may mga sakuna.

Inihayag ng Department of Defense noong Miyerkules na ang Pilipinas ay bibili ng pandigmaang eroplano sa Korea bilang bahagi ng programa ng modernisasyon.

“Bbibili tayo. Nakumpirma ko ito kay Sec. Voltaire Gazmin. Ang mga eroplanong ito ay para sa pagsasanay, pangdepensa at pagtugon sakaling may mga sakuna. Ang mga eroplanong ito ay may kamera at may kakayahang magmatyag at kumuha ng mga larawan ng sinalantang mga lugar. Kaya ang mga ito ay maraming mapaggagamitan,” ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda sa press conference sa Malacanang noong Miyerkules.

“Kapag may sakuna, ang eroplanong ito ay magagamit para magmatyag at nang makita ang lawak ng pinsala sa mga nasalantang lugar. Ang mga ito ay paliliparin sakaling kinakailangan,” paliwanag ni Lacierda.

Sinabi pa ni Lacierda na programa na ng pamahalaan sa simula pa lang ang maiangat ang kalidad ng mga kagamitan ng kagawaran ng depensa kahit noong wala pa ang mga pangyayari sa pagitan ng Tsina at Pilipinas bilang pagpapaliwanag na hindi ang sigalot ang dahilan sa pagbili ng mga kagamitang ito.

Ginagawang moderno ang mga panghimpapawid na gamit ng military matapos idineklara ng military na hindi na maayos gamitin ang mga pandigmaang eroplano ng bansa,” sabi ni Lacierda.

“Wala na tayong mga jets sa kasalukuyan kaya kinakailangang itaas natin ang antas ng mga gamit ng military ayon sa plano ng pamahalaan at ito ay bahagi ng kasalukuyang programa ng modernisasyon ng mga gamit ng military,” Lacierda added.

Ang batas ng modernisasyon ng Sandatahang Hukbo ng Pilipinas ay prayoridad ng administrasyon at binigyang diin ni Lacierda na ang pagbili ng mga bagong eroplano ay parte ng programang modernisasyon. (RER/DMS/PNA/PIA-Caraga)


Cebuano News: Pagprinta sa mokabat 52 milyon ka mga balota pormal ng gisugdan

By Susil D. Ragas

SURIGAO CITY, Enero 31 (PIA) – Pormal ng giablihan ang pagsugod pag-imprinta sa mokabat 52 milyon ka mga balota nga gamiton alang sa umaabot nga piniliay karong Mayo 2013.

Ang pormal nga pag-abli gisugdan pinaagi sa ribbon cutting gipangulohan ni Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma,Jr. uban nila NPO Director Emmanuel Andaya ug Commission on Elections (COMELEC) chair Sixto Brillantes didto sa basement area sa NPO headquarters, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), Quezon City.

Sa iyang pamahayag, gidayeg ni Coloma ang Comelec ug NPO sa ilang paninguha aron maseguro ang pagpahigayon og tinud-anay, luwas ug kredible nga piniliay ug iya usab giawhag ang uban pang hintungdan nga mga organisasyn sama sa Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting ug mga miyembro sa medya sa pagsalmot sa maong panagtambayayungay aron seguroon nga magpabiling gawasnon ug kredible ang piniliay karong tuiga.

Sa iyang bahin, gipasigarbo ni Abaya ang opisina sa NPO sa dakong kontribusyon niini aron kredible ang umaabot nga piniliay.

Samtang sa bahin ni Brillantes, siya miingon nga ang pag-abli sa pagsugod sa pag-imprinta sa mga balota maoy sinugdanan sa taas nga proseso sa piniliay.

Ang National Printing Office gimugna niadtong 1987 ni Pangulong Corazon Aquino pinaagi sa Executive Order No. 285 ug giwagtang niini ang kanhi General Services Administration ug gihiusa niini ang tanang Government Printing Offices ug mga printing offices sa Philippine Information Agency mao nga naporma kining gitawag nga National Printing Office.

Sukad niadto ang NPO ubos na sa pagdumala sa Office of the Press Secretary, ug mao na usab kini ang gitahasan sa pang-imprinta ug mga nagkalain-laing mga forms ug dokumento gamitonon sa gobyerno lakip na ang mga official ballots ug public information materials. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)