pia-caraga e-newsletter - august 3, 2011

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Wednesday, 08-03-2011

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Volume 1, No. 94 WEDNESDAY, August 3, 2011 15 PAGES

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PIA-Caraga Updates

Today’s News…

Aquino pledges government support to help BPO industry grow further

Aquino welcomes Miami Heat coach to Malacañang Aquino receives petition to stop trafficking of children and

young people Aquino says New Bohol Airport to provide better service to

greater number of travelers Malacañang says government’s contigency measures are

always in place for typhoons Aquino says 2012 national budget geared towards country’s

progress and development Malacañang supports move of DOJ to put Genuino and

Garcillano on immigration watch list Malacañang to review Recto’s proposal

on Malampaya proceeds Aquino vows gov’t will file charges against those implicated in

alleged poll fraud Aquino inaugurates New Municipal Hall of Trinidad in Bohol Mayor Amante reports positive result of city’s fiscal mngt City’s budget deficit drops drastically, Mayor Amante says 2 wounded rebs in Trento raids brought for treatment in

Surigao del Sur, PNP confirms Surigao del Sur Gov. to fix state workers’ pay hike Lower House funded projects underway in Siargao Island Tagalog News: Paaralang modelo ng kagalingan sa Agsur

umabot na sa 22 Surigaonon News: Gov. Matugas pinasidunggang bisita atol

sa joint induction, acquaintance program sa Taft Nat'l High School

Surigaonon News: Gob. Sol Matugas moatinder sa 13th Quarterly NEDA Conference ug League of Governors Meeting sa kaulohan

POLICE REPORTS Across the Region PHOTO FOCUS

Philippine Postal Office G. Flores Avenue, Butuan City

Telephone : (085) 342-5267

Head : MR. DANIEL CUADRA Head Postmaster I



Aquino pledges government support to help BPO industry grow further

resident Benigno S. Aquino III told the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry on Tuesday that the government would extend total and immediate support to help propagate the industry as it reaches greater

heights of bringing prestige to the country as well as in generating more job opportunities for Filipinos.

In short remarks at the 5th

International Contact Center

Conference and Expo (ICCCE)

2011 held at the SMX Convention

Center in Pasay City Tuesday

afternoon, the President said he

would direct government education

agencies to focus more attention on

giving Filipinos the basics of

working in the BPO industry.

“So you can expect from

government, in cooperation with

CHED (Commission on Higher

Education) and DepEd (Depart-

ment of Education) and the basic

sector that we are gearing all our

education towards training the

people for the jobs available when

they do graduate instead of chasing

after jobs that are currently and will

no longer be existent by the time

they graduate,” the President said.

He said that through this

pledge of support, graduates will

have a better chance of landing a

job of their choice.

“…we are concentrating on a lot of

different facets that we think will

really grant our people maximum

opportunities because at the end of

the day, I did promise job

generation as the first priority of

this Administration,” the President

said.

The ICCCE is a yearly

convention of BPO industry leaders

comprising the Contact Center

Association of the Philippines

(CCAP).

The CCAP recently

released a report touting the

dominance of the Philippine

contact center industry in the global

outsourced voice services market

with revenue growth outpacing the

global benchmark by almost twice

the rate and its global market share

growing to 24 percent, or almost 50

percent higher than its share five

years ago.

“ThePhilippine contact

center industry has grown

significantly in the last five years,

from about US$2.6-billion in

revenues in 2006 to about US$6.2-

billion in 2010,” the CCAP said in

a statement.

“At the same time, the

industry employed at least 344,000

FTEs (full-time equivalents) by the

end of 2010 from less than 160,000

in 2006,” it added.

The CCAP added that the

Philippine contact center industry

will double its investment and job

generation opportunity in five

years.

“The industry is expected

to grow at a compounded annual

growth rate of 15 percent --

breaching a milestone revenue level

of US$14.7-billion and a FTE

count of 816,000 by 2016,” the

CCAP said.

President Aquino lauded

this report and expressed hope the

group would achieve this feat in

three years.

“Tell us how we can ease

the process much more to help you

achieve the targets that I think all

of us want to achieve better sooner

than later,” the President said.

Aquino welcomes Miami Heat coach to Malacañang

resident Benigno S. Aquino III welcomed the head coach of the National Basketball Association’s Miami Heat Erik Spoelstra who called on him in Malacañang on Wednesday.

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ACROSS THE NATION

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Joining the President in

welcoming Spoelstra and other

members of the Miami Heat staff

were Presidential Spokesperson

Edwin Lacierda, Presidential

cousin Rafael Lopa, and Philippine

Airlines Executive Vice President

Viviene Tan.

In an interview, Spoelstra

said it was an honor to personally

meet the President whom he

briefed on the activities of the NBA

FIT program, the league’s global

comprehensive health and wellness

program that encourages physical

activity and healthy living for

children and families through

programs and events.

“We are here with the

NBA FIT program and I’m here

with the Miami Heat staff and

we’re very involved in trying to

promote our program here of

fitness and teaching young Filipino

kids about the importance of being

physically fit, learning proper

nutrition and making healthy

choices,” Spoelstra said.

“This is also a once in a

lifetime opportunity to meet the

President,” he added.

To show his appreciation,

Spoelstra gave the President a

white NBA FIT t-shirt which he

signed: “To President Aquino, you

inspire all of us to make a

difference.”

Now on its third year, the

NBA FIT program, which began its

Philippine run last July 25, is now

on its second week.

The expanded physical

program includes the following

elements: NBA FIT clinics,

development camps, celebrity NBA

FIT challenge and fun run.

“We’re (now) spending a

lot of time outside schools and unto

the (basketball) courts trying to

promote a healthy lifestyle, a lot of

it through playing the game of

basketball but not exclusively to

basketball,” Spoelstra said.

Born to Fe Celino, a

Filipina from San Pablo, Laguna,

the 35-year-old Spoelstra is an ex-

collegiate basketball player at the

University of Portland, Oregon and

a former professional basketball

player/coach for Tus Herten, a team

in the professional sports league of

Germany.

Aquino receives petition to stop trafficking of children and young people

resident Benigno S. Aquino III received a non-profit organization’s petition for the government to do something concrete to finally end the trafficking of children and young people in ceremonies in Malacañang

on Wednesday.

The End Child Prostitu-

tion, Pornography and the

Trafficking of Children for Sexual

Purposes (ECPAT) and partner The

Body Shop presented the President

with the one-page petition that calls

for positive change and action in

the fight against child trafficking.

Backed by 473,489

signatures, the petition also calls to:

1) Develop community-based

prevention programs for the most

vulnerable children; 2) Raise

awareness of trafficking in schools;

3) Improve law enforcement

systems in order to combat crimes

against children; and, 4) Build

capacity service providers and the

allocation of further resources for

those organizations that provide

recovery and reintegration services

to child victims of trafficking for

sexual purposes.

In his speech keynoting

the event, the President told the

group that his government joins

EPCAT’s advocacy to end child

trafficking.

“This is why I am here

today to take a stand with all of you

who have vowed for zero tolerance

against sex trafficking —and,

ultimately, against human

trafficking. I was presented with

more than 400,000 signatures from

a wide range of sectors —from law

enforcement to politics, from the

academe to our senior citizens —all

expressing their desire to have a

Philippines and a world without

human trafficking. I thank all of

you for this commitment,” the

President said.

“And I likewise thank The

Body Shop for their continued and

earnest acts of corporate social

responsibility, as well as the End

Child Prostitution, Child

Pornography and the Trafficking of

Children for Sexual Purposes

International for their unending

crusade against the exploitation of

children, he said.”

“Allow me to tell you

today that the Philippines stands

behind your advocacies. We are,

and we will continue to fully

implement the Anti-Trafficking in

Persons Act to prevent human

trafficking, and to provide

protection and services to those

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already victimized,” the President

added.

He pointed out that

through his government’s faithful

implementation of Republic Act

No. 7610, otherwise known as the

Special Protection Law against

Child Abuse, “we have already

convicted 32 human traffickers in

the span of a year, and we have

filed cases against many more after

a number of raids and rescue

operations.”

He noted that government

efforts have not gone unnoticed as

the United States “have removed us

from the Tier 2 Watch list in the

2011 Trafficking-in-Persons

report.”

The President stressed

however, that despite the great

strides the government has taken to

address child trafficking, more still

needs to be done.

He vowed to relentlessly

pursue the complete eradication of

child trafficking as well as those

who participate in its business.

“As long as our people

can still be taken against their will

to do work that they did not

willfully choose, we will continue

our fight against human

trafficking,” the President said.

“I assure all of you that we

will not cease in our efforts—and

that the Philippines will put in extra

hours to make certain that we

comply with the minimum

standards for the elimination of

trafficking, so that we may rise to

another tier,” the President

emphasized.

“But make no mistake

about it: We are doing this not

merely because we want to reap the

benefits of an international

designation. We are doing this

because human trafficking drowns

the hopes of people all over the

world.”

“Child sex trafficking

endangers the future of our

children—it diminishes their

capacity to dream. We are doing

this because it is the right thing to

do; we are doing this so that we can

better ensure the safety and well-

being of our children and youth,”

the President said.

“And today, our

confidence in what we are doing

has grown even more with the

knowledge that more than 400,000

people also strongly believe that

this is the right thing to do,” he

concluded.

Aquino says New Bohol Airport to provide better service to greater number of travelers

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – President Benigno S. Aquino III has directed various concerned national government agencies to revisit the proposed contract for the construction of the New Bohol Airport as he assured locals here that it will be of service soon considering the growing tourism industry of the province.

During the project briefing

on the new P8.4 billion airport to

be erected in the Municipality of

Panglao, the Chief Executive said

that the project tops the agenda of

his first visit here since he assumed

the Presidency in June last year.

The Chief Executive said

that the government has allocated

funds needed for the new

infrastructure project.

“The first meeting we had

with Governor (Edgardo) Chatto

had to deal with the airport, there is

an outlay of one billion in the

current General Appropriations Act

and another one P1.2 billion in the

2012 General Appropriations

Act… so that’s P2.2 billion of a

projected P8.4 billion fund

necessary for the creation of the

Panglao airport,” the President

stressed.

“There are already

concerns or issues raised with the

location, sub-soil etc., our

instructions are to examine

both…we want to have the airport

servicing your community at the

soonest possible time,” he added.

President Aquino said that

the government wants to make sure

that the new airport will provide

better service to a greater number

of travelers in the area.

Tourism Secretary Albert

Lim who was also present during

the briefing said that there is an

expected 50 per cent increase of

tourist influx in the region. He

added that last year, a total of 334

thousand tourists visited the Central

Visayas region.

The New Bohol Airport

will feature better communication

and navigational facilities that will

make it capable for night waiting

operation.

Apart from accommo-

dating smaller aircrafts such as the

Airbus 319 and the Airbus 320, its

2.5 kilometer runway can also

service bigger airplanes like the

Airbus 330.

Foreign regional flights

are also being considered to be

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available upon the completion of

the project.

A total of 2,291,802

hectares of land were already

acquired covering four barangays

in Panglao where the airport will be

constructed. An additional 57.31

hectares are being negotiated for

the new facility.

Also in attendance during

the meeting were other government

agency heads that include

Transportation and Communi-

cations Secretary Mar Roxas,

Public Works and Highways

Secretary Rogelio Singson, Interior

and Local Government Secretary

Jesse Robredo, Energy Secretary

Jose Rene Almendras, Presidential

Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda,

Deputy Spokesperson Abigail

Valte and Presidential Communi-

cations Development and Strategic

Planning Office Undersecretary

Manuel Quezon III.

Malacañang says government’s contigency measures are always in place for typhoons

alacañang said that the government’s contingency measures are always in place as Typhoon Kabayan continues to bring rains over Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.

Presidential Communi-


Planning Office head Secretary

Ramon Carandang said that the

government has already pre-

positioned the relief goods in areas

affected by the typhoon.

“The usual contingency

measures that we observe are

always in place—the pre-

positioning of relief goods, the

warnings to residents in affected

areas,” Carandang said during a

regular press briefing on Tuesday

in Malacañang.

Carandang said that the

government continues to monitor

the typhoon. “We’ll have to see

how the weather develops. Ang

mahirap kasi minsan, napapansin

ninyo kung minsan kahit hindi siya

nagsi-signal no. 2 or no. 3,

nakakaranas ‘yung ibang lugar ng

baha,” he stressed.

“So I think what we’re

seeing in the last two weeks is you

cannot simply rely on signal no. 2

or signal no. 3 before you

determine whether you’re going to

suspend classes. You’ll have to

look at the situation on the ground

and how people are being affected

by it,” he added.

Carandang also said that

the government has decided to

suspend the classes in college level

and the work in government

because of the heavy rains spawned

by Typhoon Kabayan.

“Well, right now, we

know that the rain has

inconvenienced a lot of people.

But, at this point, we’re still

monitoring. We have not monitored

any major problems,” Carandang

said.

Executive Secretary

Paquito Ochoa Jr. has declared the

suspension of college classes and

work in government in National

Capital Region (NCR) on Tuesday

from 1 p.m. onwards.

Ochoa issued on Tuesday

a memorandum circular number 17,

declaring the suspension of classes

in college level and work in

government in the NCR on

Tuesday afternoon.

“Upon the recommend-

dation of the Department of

Science and Technology (DOST)

and the Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical and Astronomical

Services Administration (PAG

ASA) and in view of the continuing

inclement weather brought about

by Typhoon Kabayan, work in

government offices and classes in

college level in the Nation Capital

Region are hereby suspended

today, 2 August 2011 from 1 p.m.

onwards,” Ochoa said.

“However, those agencies

whose functions involve the

delivery of basic and health

services, preparedness/response to

disasters and calamities, and/or the

performance of other vital public

services shall continue with their

operations and render the necessary

services,” the Executive Secretary

added.

M

DAR Agusan Norte will distribute some 628 hectares of Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to 329 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in brgy. Bugsukan, Butuan City on Thursday, Aug. 4. The distribution will be done by 1st district Agusan Norte & Butuan City Representative Jose Aquino II & Butuan City Ferdinand Amante, Jr., to be assisted by DAR regional director Faisar Mambuay & provincial director Andre Atega. (Source: Gil Miranda, DAR-AdN PIO)



Aquino says 2012 national budget geared towards country’s progress and development

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – President Benigno S. Aquino III said that the proposed national budget for fiscal year 2012 is projected to be evenly distributed to all parts of the country for its progress and development as he expressed confidence for its passage on time in Congress.

In an ambush interview

following the Multi Stakeholders

Forum at the Dagohoy Grand Hall

of the Bohol Tropics Resort, here

on Tuesday President Aquino said

that the national budget for 2012 is

geared towards bringing progress

and development to the remotest

part of the country as stated in his

social contract with the Filipino

people.

“Ang instructions po natin

walang mamamayan ng republika

ang made-deprived ng kanilang

rightful share… sa palagay ko po

masasagot ni Secretary Abad

specifically kung may nagre-

reklamo mayron bang napunta sa

probinsiyang ganito…sa bayan na

ganito, mai-po-point out, so sa

palagay ko po hindi tama yung

statement na mayroon na-zero,

lahat po, ang pagkaintindi ko ay

naibigay yung kaukulang bahagi

nila sa ating national budget,” the

President said.

When asked of the Chief

Executive’s confidence on the

enactment of the General

Appropriation Act of 2012 in

Congress, the President said there

is no reason to get worried.

Recent reports said that

the House Minority bloc decided to

boycott the budget deliberation and

hearings to protest the

discrimination against opposition

members whose Priority

Development Assistance Fund or

pork barrel has not yet been

released since last year.

Malacañang supports move of DOJ to put Genuino and Garcillano on immigration watch list

alacañang defended the move of the Department of Justice to place former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairman Efraim Genuino and former Commission on Elections

commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on the watch list of the Bureau of Immigration.

Presidential Communi-


Planning Office head Secretary

Ramon Carandang said that the

decision to put Genuino and

Garcillano on the immigration

watch list was a “preventive

move.”

“May mga lumalabas na

testimonya, ebidensya na may

posibleng naganap na krimen dito.

Kung hindi tayo maglagay ng tao

sa watch list, hindi ba medyo mali

rin ‘yon? It’s a preemptive move

because of the evidence that’s

coming out. I think it’s a

responsible thing to do,” he said.

“Pag may mga

ebidensyang lumalabas against

someone, kahit hindi pa po siya

nacha-charge sa korte, SOP po

‘yang pag-issue ng hold departure

order lalo na kung sinasabi silang

flight risk,” he added.

The DOJ issued on

Monday an order including

Garcillano on the immigration

watch list. Garcillano is being

tagged on the alleged massive poll

fraud during the 2004 presidential

elections.

M

The maintenance section of DPWH Siargao is currently undertaking various repair & maintenance of Dapa-Gen. Luna road, a vital tourism road going to the municipality of Gen. Luna, Surigao del Norte, the host municipality of the World Junior Surfing Finals & 17th Siargao International Surfing Competition in September.



Malacañang to review Recto’s proposal on Malampaya proceeds

he Aquino government will study the proposal of Senator Ralph Recto to use the proceeds from Malampaya natural gas project as power rate subsidy for consumers following reports of the planned 39 to 40-

centavo increase in the universal power charge.

During the regular press

briefing in Malacañang on

Tuesday, Presidential Communi-


Planning Office (PCDSPO)

Secretary Ramon Carandang

underscored the need to look into

the specific details of Recto’s

proposal to determine if it would

work for both the government and

the public in general.

While a broader power

rate subsidy is something the

government is not contemplating to

consider at this time, Carandang

said there is an existing lifeline

subsidy to poor electric consumers.

Carandang also cautioned

the public of the consequences of

giving a subsidy to all consumers

instead of only to poor electric

consumers because the government

will eventually incur additional

debts.

“Pero kung ang pinag-

iisipan ni Senator Recto ay isang

malawakang subsidy sa kuryente, I

think we’ve been there, we’ve done

that. Para po ‘yang OPSF (Oil Price

Stabilization Fund) eh—nabaon sa

utang ‘yung gobyerno dahil sa pag-

subsidize, malawakang subsidy sa

langis. Ganoon din sa kuryente,” he

said.

Recto said the Malampaya

proceeds collected every year

should now be included in the

national budget and be specifically

channeled to programmed

obligations such as “subsidy to

power users."

Aquino vows gov’t will file charges against those implicated in alleged poll fraud

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – President Benigno S. Aquino III assured that the government will file charges against personalities implicated in the alleged 2004 poll fraud saying that the ongoing probe on the issue is being taken meticulously including gathering information from “would-be” witnesses.

In an ambush interview

following the Multi Stakeholders

Forum at the Dagohoy Grand Hall

of the Bohol Tropics Resort, here

on Tuesday, President Aquino said

that the government is exerting all

out efforts to ferret out the truth

based on factual evidences on the

issue.

“Kung natatagalan po

yung iba nating mga kababayan,

hindi naman po kasi tayo

sumasakay ng basta-basta eh,

kailangan may pruwebang

matibay,” the President said.

The Chief Executive

stressed that the government’s

investigation on the matter will not

be dependent on the statements of

some reluctant individuals claiming

to have full grasp of information on

the issue. He added that all of the

information gathered from various

witnesses on the case would be

subject to evaluation.

He also said that at

present, they are pursuing four

tracks of investigation that may

lead into deeper understanding of

the issue.

Over the past week,

reports claimed that former

Commission on Elections

(Comelec) commissioner Virgilio

Garcillano expressed willingness to

testify against former president and

now Pampanga Representative

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the

alleged election fraud through

feelers sent to Presidential Political

Adviser Ronald Llamas but

recently, the former Comelec

official reportedly chose to clam up

on the issue.

“Hindi po nakasalalay sa

kanila yung pag-iimbestiga natin sa

lahat ng mga nangyayaring yun

(2004 poll fraud)…,” the President

said.

“Yung four tracks more or

less na tinitingnan natin, isa ho dun

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ang focus namin ngayon and I will

be severely disappointed if we will

not be able to file charges by the

end of this year… at least on the

first track na hindi kasama si

Garcillano, if I may add,” he said.

The former president was

accused of massive cheating in the

2004 elections and her wiretapped

conversations with Garcillano

started her political woes.

Two government agen-

cies, the Department of Justice and

the Comelec, teamed up to jointly

probe allegations of massive

election fraud in 2004 and 2007.

Aquino inaugurates New Municipal Hall of Trinidad in Bohol

TRINIDAD, Bohol – President Benigno S. Aquino III led the inauguration of the new municipal hall here underscoring the new kind of leadership under his administration.

The President said that

with the inauguration of the new

municipal hall in this town, the

local government of Trinidad can

serve and extend their services

more for the benefit of the people.

He thanked the local leaders of

Trinidad for joining him towards

the righteous path that his

administration champions.

“Panatag ako na patuloy

na makikipagtulungan ang ating

mga LGUs sa mga inisyatiba ng

ating gobyerno at sa kanilang

patuloy ding pagtupad sa kanilang

mga sinumpaang mga mandato,”

the Chief Executive said in his

speech at the Trinidad Cultural

Center following the inauguration

of the new municipal hall.

The President also

thanked the local officials of

Trinidad for dedicating the session

hall of the new building and the

town’s park to his parents.

The session hall of the

newly constructed building was

named after the President's father,

late senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

while the conference hall and the

people’s park was named after his

late mother, former President

Corazon Aquino.

“Nawa’y patuloy silang

maging inspirasyon sa ating lahat at

magpaalala sa ating pagmamahal at

paglilingkod sa bayan. Narito na po

ang isang gobyernong handang

makipag-ugnayan at makipagkapit-

kamay sa inyo,” the President said

as he asked the people of Bohol

and its neighboring towns to work

with the government for the benefit

not only of Trinidad but also the

country as a whole.

The President was

accompanied by Interior and Local

Government Secretary Jesse

Robredo and Public Works and

Highways Secretary Rogelio

Singson in his Trinidad visit. They

were joined by Bohol Governor

Edgardo Chatto and Trinidad

Mayor Roberto Cajes.

Earlier, the President led

the oath taking ceremony of the

Regional Peace and Order Council

and joined a multi-stakeholders

forum in Tagbilaran City. He was

also briefed about the New Bohol

Airport that will be constructed in

the province.

DOTC-Caraga headed by Regl Director Atty. Alim Pangandaman will be spearheading the Card Turn-Over & Distribution to its beneficiaries on Aug. 9, 1pm at the DOTC-Caraga Regional Office, Butuan City. The activity is in line with the Public Transport Assistance Program (PTAP) under the Pantawid Pasada of the Aquino's administration.

FIDA administrator Cecilia Gloria Soriano disclosed that Europe is a major destination for abaca pulp since car manufacturers there are shifting to natural fibers for use in the interiors of their automobiles.



Mayor Amante reports positive result of city’s fiscal mngt

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, August 3 (PIA) – City Mayor Ferdinand Amante recently said the city’s fiscal management gains positive result with the increase of tax collection and licensing fees.

In his report to the city on

Monday, Amante said the city

obtained the 50 percent tax

collection target from January to

June 30, 2011 base on this year’s

target amounting to Php 400

million. “Our tax collection

increased by Php 27 million

compared to the same period last

year,” Amante said.

Amante also reported that

the city’s collection in the permits

and licensing fees increased by

83%. The Real Property Tax also

increased by 61% and the Business

Tax is up by 60%.

Amante said basing on the

reported figures, collections

drastically increased by more than

50 percent. “This only shows the

trust and confidence given by the

Butuanons and for the smooth and

effective tax collection system

implemented to this

administration,” the chief executive

said.

Further, the mayor of the

region’s capital center reported that

an efficient, business-friendly

system has been installed through

the Business Permits and Licensing

System which reduced the duration

of processing permits from three

weeks to less than 10 minutes.

He said the system has

become a model for other LGUs

and has boosted the confidence of

the business sector in the system.

“This resulted to an increase of 450

business permits and licenses more

than last year,” Amante said.

However, Amante said his

administration will not stop as he

calls upon the city’s revenue

officers to a revenue summit, “to

diagnose well and recommend

strategies to further increase

revenues without unnecessarily

increasing the taxes.” (PIA-

Caraga)

City’s budget deficit drops drastically, Mayor Amante says

by Robert E. Roperos

BUTUAN CITY, August 3 (PIA) – Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. said his administration successfully brought the city’s finances to a positive balance of P300,000 at the end of 2010, from the P23 million deficit incurred by the previous administration in 2009.

During Monday’s State of

the City Address (SOCA), Amante

said the city’s budget deficit

drastically went down drastically

by a huge amount of percentage.

This, according to

Amante, is because of the efforts

made by City Administrator Leah

ACROSS THE REGION

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Mendoza, together with the

Business Permits and Licensing

Office, City Treasurer’s Office and

City Assessor’s Office.

“Kaluoy sa Diyos, ang

mga tseke karon sa City

Government of Butuan dili na gyud

manguntol. Up to date na usab kita

sa pagbayad sa atong utility bills.

No more bouncing checks, no more

delayed payment of bills,” Amante

added.

Mayor Amante also

stressed the deficit that his

administration inherited from the

previous administration was partly

brought by the jaw-dropping P123

million that was spent on

procurement of goods and services

from April to June 2010 alone.

Because of the strict

compliance of the procurement law

and the judicious spending, Amante

said the city government only spent

P35 million of goods and services

this quarter as compared to P123

million in the same period last year.

“It is our procurement

policy to buy the least-best price!

Ang alcohol kaniadto nga tag

P1,500, karon P62 pesos na lang.

(The price of the alcohol before

which is P1,500 per bottle, now it’s

only P62),” he said.

To move further, Amante

said his administration has

developed a Public Finance

Management Plan and

conceptualized more revenue-

generating strategies without

increasing the cost of doing

business. “All of these will be

implemented within the last two

quarters of this year,” Amante said.

Furthermore, the chief

executive reported that the Bids

and Awards Committee has

sanitized the procurement and other

transactions involving the city

government, which led to the

termination of contracts that did not

go through the mandated processes.

Meanwhile, Amante said

the city government under his

leadership has fully implemented

the Generics Act resulting to the

substantial reduction of prices of

medicines at the Butuan Medical

Center. He added the price of the

Cefuroxine now is only P57

compared before which is priced at

P400.

“These are some of the

reasons why our budget has

drastically dropped,” Amante

stressed. (PIA-Caraga)

2 wounded rebs in Trento raids brought for treatment in Surigao del Sur, PNP confirms

by Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, August 3 (PIA) – Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Director SSupt Julito Diray confirmed two (2) wounded rebels who took part in Trento Police Station raid in Agusan del Sur were brought to Bislig City District Hospital, in this province.

Diray said they were

rushed here the morning after the

incident on Saturday, July 30 at

about 5:00 a.m.

Diray identified the

suspected rebel-patients as Ricky

Salde, male 28 years old, a resident

of New Bataan, Trento and Sanny

Calbayan, 35 years old, married, a

resident of La Fortuna, Veruela, all

in Agusan del Sur.

However, Diray clarified,

the wounded rebels are now in the

custody of the Provincial Officer of

the Criminal Investigation and

Detection Team (CIDT) of Agusan

del Sur after they were immediately

turned-over by Bislig City Chief of

Police (COP) Supt. Ronelo

Jaurigue three (3) hours later.

They were then brought to

Patin-ay Provincial Hospital in

Agusan del Sur for

referral. (Radyo ng Bayan/PIA

Surigao del Sur)

Surigao del Sur Gov. to fix state workers’ pay hike

by Greg Tataro, Jr.

TANDAG CITY, August 3 (PIA) – Surigao del Sur Gov. Johnny Pimentel is in quandary on the pay hike to be given to capitol employees here amidst the projected cut in Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) next year.

11



Gov. Pimentel admitted

his administration will not be able

to give what is due for the third

tranche under the salary

standardization law.

At present, the provincial

government needs P38M to cover

up for said salary increase which

will be started to implement on

January 2012.

With this, Gov Pimentel

further explained his administration

can only give up to 50% pay hike

because of the prevailing scenario

that will affect the budget of local

government units at all levels

because of the Supreme Court’s

decision favoring the decision to

the 16 municipalities that were

converted to cities, where Tandag

City here is one of those cities.

However, Pimentel cited

that DBM memorandum circular is

giving the LGU a freehand in the

implementation of the salary

increase.

Meanwhile, Gov. Pimentel

had recently announced that he will

call a meeting with all the

department heads while on

Monday, August 8, he is set to

attend a meeting with all the

governors regarding this

matter. (Radyo ng Bayan

Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)

Lower House funded projects underway in Siargao Island

by Michael Conte

DAPA, Siargao Island, August 3 (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways, in line with the government’s program to provide each Filipino with quality infrastructure facilities, will soon undertake various lower house funded barangay and municipal projects in Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.

In a statement, Monitoring

Engineer Demelyn M. Castrence

said that “a total of 116 projects are

on the list of to be implemented

projects in different barangays and

municipalities of Siargao Island

costing around P20 million pesos.”

“Among the identified

priority projects are several farm to

market roads, repair/rehabilitation

of multi-purpose buildings, water

systems, and repair/rehabilitation of

barangay roads,” Castrence added.

The funds of the projects

are sourced from the Priority

Development Assistance Fund

(PDAF) of Surigao del Norte first

district Representative Francisco T.

Matugas. (DPWH 2nd

Engineering

District/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Tagalog News: Paaralang modelo ng kagalingan sa Agsur umabot na sa 22

by David M. Suyao

AGUSAN DEL SUR, Agosto 3 (PIA) – Umabot na sa 22 ang mga tinaguriang modelo ng kagalingan na mga paaralan sa lalawigan ng Agusan del Sur habang anim pa ang ilulunsad hanggang sa katapusan ng buwan ng Agosto.

Noong Hulyo 6, inilunsad

ni Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza ang

dalawang na paaralan bilang

modelo ng kagalingan sa mga

bayan ng Veruela, ang Sinobong

Elementary School at ang Sayon

Elementary School sa bayan ng Sta.

Josefa. Noong Huly 12, inilunsad

din Gov. Plaza ang East Bayugan

Central Elementary School sa

lungsod ng Bayugan, at ng Hulyo

14, ang Esperanza Central

Elementary School sa bayan ng

Esperanza, at ang Bunawan West

Central Elementary School sa

12



bayan ng Bunawan. Ang

katapusang modelong paaralan na

inilunsad noong Hulyo ay ang

Pasta Elementary School sa

Barangay Pasta, bayan ng San

Francisco.

Sa Buwang ito ng Agosto,

itutuloy ni Gob. Plaza ang

paglunsad ng Loreto Central

Elementary School, Sagunto

Elementary School sa Lapaz, Sta.

Ines Elementary School sa San

Luis, Labnig Elementary School sa

Talacogon, Dona Rosario

Elementary School sa Prosperidad,

Wasian Elementary School sa

Rosario, Villangit Elementary

School sa Sibagat at ang Patin-ay

Elementary School sa Prosperidad.

Ang pagkilala sa ibat-

ibang paaralan sa Agusan del Sur

na maging modelo ng kagaligan ay

parte ng programang “Pagtoon

Alang sa Masanag nga Kaugmaon

program” ng pamahalaang

panlalawigan ng Agusan del Sur sa

pakipagtulungan ng Department of

Education.

Ito ay may tatlong

layunin. Una, ito ay naglalayon

para paunlarin ang lahat ng

paaralang elementary sa buong

lalawigan ng Agusan del Sur para

maging modelo ng kagalingan sa

pamamagitan ng pagbigay ng mga

libro para sa mga baryo. Ang mga

librong ito ay galing sa America at

lahat ng mga ginagastos para sa

pagdala ng mga librong ito ditto sa

lalawigan ay sagot ng pamahalaang

panlalawigan at ng mga local na

pamahalaan.

Pangalawa sa layuning ito

ay ang pagtaas ng antas ng

edukasyon ang nangunguna kung

saan lahat ng paaralang elementary

ay magkaroon ng library, computer

laboratory atg speech laboratory.

Ito ay nagbigay halaga rin

sa pagpaunlad ng kaalaman ng mga

guro kung saan, sila ay pinapadala

sa ibat-ibang pagsasanay para

mapaunlad ang kanilang kaalaman

sa pagtuturo sa mga makabagong

pamamaraan.

“Ang paghanda ng

kinabukasan ay parte lamang n

gating pinakamithiin sa Pagtoon

program. An gating hinahanda

talaga rito ay ang ating mga

kabataan para sila ang magiging

malakas, may tiwala sa sarili at

kakayahan. Walang pinaka

mahalagang bagay na ating

maibigaysa ating mga kabataan

kundi ang magaling na klase ng

edukasyon. Kaya tayo ay

nagkaroon nitong programang

Pagtoon,” Sabi ni Gob. Plaza

Maliban sa pagpataas ng

antas ng sistema ng edukasyon sa

Agusan del Sur, ang pamahalaang

panlalawigan ay mayroon ding

scholarship program. Sa katunayan,

ang mga scholars ng lalawigan ay

umabot sa 234 para sa unang

semester ng taong 2011-

2012. (PIA-Agusan del Sur)

Surigaonon News: Gov. Matugas pinasidunggang bisita atol sa joint induction, acquaintance program sa Taft Nat'l High School

SURIGAO CITY, August 3 (PIA) – Niadtong miaging adlaw, Agosto 1, 2011 gipahigayon ang Joint Induction and Acquaintance Program sa Taft National High School sa Surigao City Gym diin si Governor Sol F. Matugas ang pinasidunggang bisita.

Atol sa maong okasyon,

gipahigayon ang Launching sa

Project Best ug ang Induction of

Officers sa maong Project Best o

Barangay Education Strategic

Team nga diin ang kapitan sa Brgy.

Taft Hon. Pablo A. Bonono, Jr mao

ang president.

Pagkatapos sa maong

induction misunod dayon ang

pagpirma sa memorandum of

understanding sa mga opisyales ug

ni Governor Sol F. Matugas.

Gipamulong sa atong

Gobernador nga ang Project Best

usa ka pamaagi nga mamonitor ang

attendance sa mga kabataan aron

malikayan ang drop outs, nga

kinahanglan ang tanang estudyante

matapos sa ilang pagtoon, kay

importante gayod ang edukasyon sa

paghaw-as sa kalisud sa atong

dakbayan.

Gipamahayag usab sa

atong Gobernador nga ang

probinsya mihatag ug 1 milyon

pesos alang na sa pagtukod ug

Women’s Center dinhi sa atong

syudad ug kini gidungagan usab ug

1 milyon pesos sa atong City

Mayor Ernesto Matugas.

Malipayon ug

mapasalamaton gayod ang mga

magtutudlo sa pagsanong sa ilang

imbitasyon sa Gobernador ug sila

misaad sa pagsuporta sa tanang

mga programa sa atong probinsya

pinanguluhan ni Governor Sol F.

Matugas. (Provincial Information

Center/PIA-Surigao del Norte)



Surigaonon News: Gob. Sol Matugas moatinder sa 13th Quarterly NEDA Conference ug League of Governors Meeting sa kaulohan

ni Jun Parada

SURIGAO CITY, August 3 – Mugikan si Gobernor Sol Matugas karong adlawa aron mu-atinder sa ika 13th Quarter Conference nan National Economic Development Authority, Regional Development Committee Mindanao didto sa Dipolog City, ugmang adlawa Agosto 4, 2011. Si Gobernor Sol Matugas morepresentar sa Caraga Region isip Regional Chair sa Regional Development Council kauban ang mga RDC Chair sa Region 9, 10, 11, 12 ug ARMM.

Samtang human sa Agosto

8 gikatakda na moatinder sa tigum

sa League of Provincial

Governors sa tibook Pilipinas

didto sa kaulohan.

Kagahapong adlawa isa ka

adlaw nga mitambong si Gobernor

Sol Matugas aron sa pagpaminaw

sa 2011 Midyear Accomplishment

Report sa mga department heads sa

Provincial Government diin

tinguha ni Gobernor Matugas na

mahimong moangat ang lalawigan

ngadto sa pagka first class province

pinaagi na sa tabang sa mga sakop

nan Sangguniang Panlalawigan ug

mga Department Head, Local

Government Unit ug ang Barangay

apil na ang papalapad sa HEALS

Program.

Karun adlawa si Bise

Gobernador Arturo Carlos Egay, Jr.

maoy magsilbing Officer In-charge

sa opisina sa Governador ug sa

lalawigan samtang magsilbing

Officer In-charge isip Bise

Governador si Senior Board Myrna

Madelo Romarate.(Jun Parada-

Provincial Information Center/

PIA-Surigao del Norte)

PO3 Philip Amer Posas Mazo

PNP-PRO-13

ARREST OF WANTED PERSON

On August 2, 2011 around

1O AM, Dario Sanchez Serito, 39

years old, married & a resident of

Purok 4 Brgy Abilan, Buenavista,

Agusan del Norte was apprehended

by the elements of Buenavista

MPS by virtue of Warrant of

Arrest issued by Hon Gael

Paderanga, Presiding Judge of

MTC 1Oth Judicial Region,

Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.

Serito was arrested for the

crime of ATTEMPTED

HOMICIDE docketed under case

number 3967 with recommended

bail bond of Php 12,000.00.

The arrest took place at

Purok 6 Brgy Abilan, Buenavista,

Agusan del Norte. Serito is now

under the custody of Buenavista

MPS for proper disposition.

ACROSS THE REGION

Police REPORTS



PROGRESS REPORT RE ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF FIREARM

At Sitio Rusi, Brgy. Del

Pilar, Cabadbaran, Agusan del

Norte on August 1, 2011. A case

for Violation of RA 8294 (Illegal

Possession of Firearms) was

already filed against Fernando

Rosal, Sonny Boy Judyawan and

Arsenio Baguio at the Provincial

Prosecutor’s Office Agusan del

Norte, Hall of Justice, Libertad,

Butuan City with NPS docket nr

XIII-02-INQ-11H-00086 dated

August 1, 2011 in an Inquest

Proceedings.

The three were

temporarily detained at Cabadbaran

City Police Station.

PRESS CONFERENCE WITH BGEN CHARITO B PLAZA AFP Reserved Force Butuan City Hall

PHOTO FOCUS

EVENTS CAPTURED IN LENS

Local Event

Brigadier General Charito “Ching” Plaza, AFP Reservist discusses the benefits of the Reservists which include subsistence allowance, combat clothing and individual equipment, and free medical, dental treatment and hospitalization in military hospitals, held recently during a press conference at the City Mayor’s Office, Butuan City. (PIA-Caraga)

Members of the local tri-media in Butuan City are shown here during the press conference with Brigadier General Charito “Ching” Plaza, AFP Reservist held recently at the City Mayor’s Office, Butuan City. (PIA-Caraga)

Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand Amante Jr. with Brigadier General Charito “Ching” Plaza, AFP Reservist orient the media on the AFP’s National Reservist Program, as well as the activities set for the 61st Adlaw Hong Butuan on August 2, 2011, during a press conference held recently at the City Mayor’s Office, Butuan City. (PIA-Caraga)

pia-caraga e-newsletter - august 3, 2011

Documents

malacaang aquino

typhoons aquino

young people aquino

caraga enews service

government education

alleged poll fraud aquino

siargao island tagalog

list malacaang