(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).


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Butuan farmer-producing groups receive gilts from Pilmico

By Jennifer P. Gaitano

BUTUAN CITY, Oct. 28 (PIA) – Twenty-three beneficiaries coming from the various barangays of this city received the first 50 gilts from Pilmico Foods Corporation (the food subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity Ventures and one of the country’s largest flour milling companies) during the ceremonial turn-over held on Tuesday at the Capitol Covered Court here.

Said activity is in partnership with Winrock International, GeiserMaclang, and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Elma Tolo, one of the beneficiaries from this city expressed that she with other recipients are very happy to be part of Pilmico’s project on swine repopulation and is committed to help her co-farmers to earn from the livestock industry. “I have given this opportunity and I just feel the need to give back by taking care of the gilts entrusted to me. Thank you very much to Pilmico and partners for this effort. This will surely help us lift our living status,” she shared. 

Daniel Gudahl, chief of party of Winrock International congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged them to pursue their dream business in the livestock industry.

"We are working together with Pilmico, USDA and other partners to help people, the farmer-producing groups earn money and produce clean and quality food, as well as best genetics possible especially in Caraga region. The beneficiaries here in Caraga are the pioneers for the Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP) and 50 of the 400 gilts are already dispersed to them. There's no reason for you not to produce the best pork in the region," Gudahl highlighted.

Gudahl reiterated that the PCCP is a four-year project funded by the USDA Food for Progress program and implemented by Winrock. The project will increase agricultural productivity on horticultural, meat and fish value chains and develop cold chain food handling systems. One goal of the PCCP is to provide a system of preserving perishable agriculture products using a temperature controlled supply chain thereby decreasing agricultural losses.

“To help remedy the poverty situation in Caraga region, Winrock International, the implementing agency of USDA partners with Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aboitiz Equity Ventures, in stepping up the existing swine population program in Caraga to improve the quality of hogs in the region and enable the swine raisers to sell them at a higher value, thereby creating sustainable livelihood for the people,” Gudahl stressed.

Winrock International is a non-profit organization working with the people of United States of America and throughout the world. It is committed to building human capacity, creating long-term relationships, managing effectively, communicating openly, and promoting teamwork.

Also, the PCCP covers 260 barangays within the five provinces and Butuan City in Caraga region. It is open to all groups and individuals who are engaged in the production, trade, processing, and marketing of food, perishable food and food products.

"We are stepping up the existing Swine Repopulation project in Caraga by partnering with Winrock International, and by doing so, we hope to address at least three concerns. Further increase the number of swine in the region as there is already pork shortage in Caraga, enhance the genetic profile of the current swine in the region and as a result, create a platform for sustainable livelihood," disclosed Norie Bermudez, Asst. Vice President for Visayas-Mindanao Sales of Pilmico.

Bermudez further emphasized that by improving the genetic quality of the swine through the Swine Repopulation Project, hog raisers in the region will be able to have better quality of swine. "And the better the quality of the swine, the better price it could command in the market. This will create for the swine raisers better livelihood opportunities and overall improved swine genetics in the region," she said.

Dr. Ivan Porras, Territory Business Manager of Pilmico Foods Corporation also revealed that its Swine Repopulation Project is envisioned to contribute significantly to the vision of Caraga region being the future breadbasket for the country.

“Invigorating the livestock industry in the region, Pilmico also provides animal nutrition, veterinary and technical support and progress monitoring that will strengthen the repopulation effort,” relayed Porras. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)


News Feature: National Rabies program declares Socorro as Rabies-Free Island

By Aurelius P. Arais

SOCORRO, Surigao del Norte, Oct. 28 (PIA) - Strolling along the streets under the shadow of the moon or in a broad daylight alone or with company of friends or family members is one way of unwinding from daily stress.

But who can afford it, if we are under the threat of dogs roaming around looking for a victim to be bitten? In this case, you may just go home and lock yourself up in the four corners of your room.

But in Soccoro, Surigao del Norte its totally different. You are free to roam around without fear of stray dogs.  In fact, during my stint in the area, I haven’t seen even one dog roaming in the street.

This is the result of the massive campaign of the Local Government Unit  (LGU) of Soccoro against rabies.

Last October 22, 2014, the National Rabies Program thru its National Manager Dr. Raffy Deray announced to the populace that Soccoro is officially one of the areas in the country as rabies-free.

The declaration ceremony was witnessed by officials from the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Agriculture (DA) Caraga headed by Regional Director Edna Mabeza and LGU officials of the Province of Surigao del Norte and Municipality of Soccoro as well as barangay officials and residents.

Dr. Esther CardeΓ±o, the regional rabies coordinator, said, that the declaration of the island of Soccoro as rabies-free is a result of the close collaboration of various government agencies such as DOH, DA, Department of hte Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, and LGU as well as non-government organizations and academe.

LGU of Soccoro actively supported the campaign against rabies by promulgating an ordinance regulating canine population in the area.

Through the ordinance, owners of dogs were obliged to have a dog house in their respective residences and have their dogs regularly vaccinated. Failure to do so has a corresponding penalty based on the municipal ordinance.

Meanwhile, DA provided the needed vaccines and implementation of dog population management as well as massive information campaign.

Soccoro Vice Mayor Dominador Taruc said that after declaring their area as rabies-free the great task that lies on their shoulder is to maintain its record of being rabies-free.

Socorro is the second area in Mindanao declared as rabies-free next to Camiguin. To date, 23 areas nationwide have been declared jointly by the DOH and DA as Rabies Free Zones.
National Rabies Prevention and Control Program aims to make Philippines rabies free by 2020.

In the Philippines, rabies is responsible for 200-250 deaths every year. (DA-13/PIA-Caraga)


Surigao City SWDO conducts seminar on handling VAWC cases

SURIGAO CITY, Oct 28 (PIA) – The Surigao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) through the Surigao City Crisis Center conducted the one-day seminar on handling cases related to Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) in the barangay level held on Tuesday at the Mt. Bagarabon Beach Resort, Barangay Mabua, this city.

Surigao City Crisis Center head Edwin B. Villanueva said that the objectives of the one-day seminar are to inform and orient the participants especially the barangay officials regarding Republic Act 9262 (VAWC) or Barangay VAW Desk and their role in the implementation of the Anti-VAWC Law and understanding its nature, offenses, remedies and criminal procedures including the effect and application procedures in the issuance of barangay protection order (BPO), temporary protection order (TPO), permanent protection order (PPO).

Villanueva also said that participants of the said seminar are those newly elected barangay captains, secretary and VAW desk officers from thirty identified barangays of the city.


According to Villanueva the role of barangay and barangay VAW desk in the implementation of R.A 9262 will be discuss by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) City Director John Reyl Mosquito, Department of Justice-Assistant State Prosecutor Atty. Maria Kristina Paat Salumbides will discuss the salient feature of anti-VAWC law, while the three types of protection order namely the Barangay Protection Order, Temporary Protection Order and the Permanent Protection Order will be discuss by Att. Vals Lisondra of Public Attorney’s Office. (SDR/PIA-Surigao del Norte)