Sunday, April 28, 2024

Election office in Butuan City to conduct voter’s education,  Registration Anywhere Program

BUTUAN CITY -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Butuan City will hold a Voter’s Education and Registration Fair (VERF) and Registration Anywhere Program (RAP) on April 27, at 3^rd floor event center, SM City Butuan. 

This is in preparation for the 2025 National and Local Elections and is in line with COMELEC Resolution No. 10963, authorizing the conduct of satellite registrations in malls, barangays, and other public and private establishments to ensure wider voter participation.

Part of the VERF is the lecture on voter’s rights and responsibilities which will be participated by students and voters to help them understand their right to vote as well as the underlying responsibilities of being a voter.

A registration will also be conducted after the lecture where they will practice and execute the learning from the activity.

The Registration Anywhere Program (RAP) is conducted monthly at the mall for those voters living outside of their hometown who cannot go home to register. 

A Satellite Registration of Voters is also conducted to various barangays in Butuan City. For the month of March, COMELEC Butuan City already covered eight barangays, namely Dulag, Manila de Bugabus, Amparo, Mandamo, Florida, and Sumile.

Interested applicants should personally appear before the election officer, state the necessary information required, and present any of the following identification documents that bears the applicant’s photograph and signature:

1. National Identification (ID) card under the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys);

2. Postal ID card;

3. PWD ID card;

4. Student’s ID card or library card, signed by the school authority;

5. Senior Citizen’s ID card;

6. LTO Driver’s license/student permit;

7. NBI Clearance;

8. Philippine Passport;

9. SSS, GSIS, or other Unified Multi-Purpose ID card;

10. Integrated Bar of the Philippines card;

11. License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission;

12. Certificate Issued by the National Commission of Indigenous People (NCIP) in case of members of ICCs or IPs;

13. Barangay ID/Certification with photo; and

14. Any other government issued valid ID.

Cedula and Philippine National Police (PNP)/Police Clearance shall not be honored for registration purposes.

As of April 26, 2024, a total of 4,629 has been registered in COMELEC Butuan City. This shows the effectiveness of the Registration Anywhere Program (RAP) and Satellite Registration of Voters.

The next RAP will be conducted on May 25, 2024 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Robinsons Mall Butuan.

Meanwhile, the COMELEC Butuan City office is located at 2^nd Floor, PIA Bldg., J. Rosales Avenue, Brgy. Bayanihan continuously accepts applicants every Monday to Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, including holidays unless otherwise stated. (COMELEC Butuan City/PIA-Caraga)

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Population office unveils youth situationer in Tubay, Agusan Norte

TUBAY, Agusan del Norte --  In a recent forum organized by the Department of Education's District Office and the local government unit of Tubay, Regional Director Alexander A. Makinano of the Commission on Population and Development (CPD)-Caraga presented a comprehensive youth situationer for the municipality of Tubay and the province of Agusan del Norte. This pivotal presentation provided a detailed statistical and analytical view of the youth demographics and challenges, serving as a critical reference for future planning and program development by various municipal and provincial stakeholders.

The youth situationer revealed several key statistics and trends that are shaping the youth landscape in the region. In Agusan del Norte, including the municipality of Tubay, the youth population aged 15-24 years constitutes about 19.3 percent of the total population, numbering approximately 68,518 young individuals. This significant portion of the populace faces various challenges, with teenage pregnancy rates showing a worrying increase from 32.4 percent in 2017 to 34.2 percent in 2022, surpassing the regional average.

Education data indicated a secondary-level school participation rate of 73.2 percent, with Tubay achieving a commendable junior high completion rate of 81.6 percent. However, the youth unemployment rate stood at 14.8 percent, pointing to the need for enhanced employment and entrepreneurial support. About 28.3 percent of Tubay's youth are engaged in self-employment or entrepreneurial activities, underscoring a vibrant potential workforce that needs nurturing and support.

 

Health and social behavior metrics also highlighted critical areas of concern. The contraceptive prevalence rate among teenage girls in the province is at 19.2 percent, slightly higher than the regional average. Social engagement showed more promise, with youth participation in local governance in Agusan del Norte recorded at 26.8 percent, a testament to the active involvement of young people in community matters.

Dir. Makinano emphasized the importance of addressing these multifaceted challenges through targeted interventions saying, "Our youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow but are also key contributors today. By understanding their situation comprehensively, we can tailor programs that not only address their immediate needs but also empower them for future challenges." 

The forum concluded with a call to action for all stakeholders to integrate the insights provided into their strategic planning processes. The initiative aims to foster a collaborative approach to enhancing the welfare and development of the youth in Tubay and Agusan del Norte, ensuring that they have the opportunities and support needed to thrive in a dynamic world.

This proactive step by CPD Caraga, in collaboration with DepEd and local government units, marks a significant advancement in community-focused governance and youth development, setting a benchmark for other regions to follow. (May Ann O. Escobal, CPD Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Norte)

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Two independent directors sworn to PDIC governing board

Two independent directors were sworn in as private sector representatives to the governing board of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) in simple ceremonies held at the PDIC Chino Building in Makati City on April 16.

PDIC Chairperson and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. administered the oath of office of Directors John Mark Frondoso and Luis Rey Velasco. Both will serve at the PDIC Board until November 16, 2028. The seven-member PDIC Board is composed of the BSP Governor as chairperson, the Finance Secretary as vice chairperson, the PDIC President and CEO, and four independent directors representing the private sector.

Frondoso and Velasco bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise in the fields of investment banking and digital finance; and agriculture innovation and public- private sector partnership in rural development, respectively. Their diverse backgrounds are seen to further strengthen the mandate of PDIC to safeguard the interest of the depositing public and promote confidence in the stability of the financial system by way of deposit insurance, risk management and pursuit of financial inclusion for sustainable growth. Their roles, as independent directors, are vital in ensuring impartiality to policies governing deposit insurance and promoting the integrity and soundness of the country’s deposit insurance system.

In his address at the ceremony, Gov. Remolona highlighted the importance of the new directors' roles in ensuring that the PDIC fulfills its critical role to maintain depositor confidence in the banking system and help ensure the country’s financial stability.

Dir. Frondoso is the president of FSG Capital, Inc., a financial advisory and holding company. Through FSG Capital, his portfolio of investments includes FSG Technology Ventures, Inc. or DIGIPAY, a digital payments platform used by over 30,000 merchants; and LEX Services Inc., the country’s leading provider of extended warranty services. Previous investments include HC Consumer Finance Philippines, Inc. (Home Credit) and several distressed asset portfolios acquired from Standard Bank London Holdings Ltd.

Prior to founding FSG Capital, he was country head for Morgan Stanley’s Philippine Representative Office. Before joining Morgan Stanley, Frondoso worked for Barclays Capital and Salomon Smith Barney/Citigroup. From 2013 to 2023, he served as trustee and chairman of the Investment Committee for the Philippine Public School Teachers Association. Frondoso is also an independent director of the House of Investments and serves as Honorary Consul for the Czech Republic to the Philippines.

Frondoso received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, USA in 1996.

Meanwhile, the professional career of Dir. Velasco spans more than three decades of administration and management, college teaching, research extension work, and technical assistance to various government agencies mostly in the agriculture sector. The former chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) from 2005 to 2011 and dean of the UPLB College of Agriculture, Velasco is currently the president of Japan- Asia Development Foundation, Inc. and a member of the Board of Trustee of the Philippine Rice Research Institute of the Department of Agriculture. He is currently involved in various engagements as consultant of the Bureau of Plant Industry, LEADS Agricultural Products Inc. and LEADS Animal Health Inc; and SUMIFRU Philippines, and sits as member of the Boards of ANI, Inc. and Green Energy Inc. He continues to be a moving force in the academe as adjunct professor at UPLB and as president Edgardo J. Angara Fellow at the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies.

The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST-DOST) recognized Velasco in 2011 as the Dioscoro L. Umali awardee for Outstanding Science Administrator, citing major investments in the development of UPLB’s land endowments for income generation, such as the establishment of citronella plantation, rubber plantation, alternative energy-generating projects and water impoundment facilities as his management’s contribution to the community.

A UPLB graduate with degrees in Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Master of Science in Entomology, Velasco also completed his degree in Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Queensland in Australia, under the University of Queensland research fellowship. (PDIC/PIA-Caraga)

Sunday, April 28, 2024

SSS runs after erring employers in Butuan City

BUTUAN CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) Butuan Branch headed by Perkins B. Calixtro led the issuance of show cause orders to some 21 delinquent establishments, during the “Run After Contribution Evaders” (RACE) campaign to intensify employer compliance.

Calixtro said that four employers failed to register their business while the remaining 17 employers incurred past-due contributions with penalties amounting to over P2.17 million.   

“We are giving them a 15-day period to explain why no legal action should be taken against them. Our branch personnel are ready to assist them to process their registration requirements, present the necessary employment records and settle their contribution delinquency,” he said.

He also added that delinquent employers were urged to avail of the Contribution Penalty Condonation Program to settle their delinquencies in flexible payment terms.

“In fact, the Supreme Court upholds the prime duty of the SSS in promoting a sound and viable social security system and that includes the collection of past-due contributions from employers,” Calixtro said.

In conclusion, Calixtro said that erring employers who will be found guilty for violation of Republic Act No. 11199 or Social Security Act of 2018 will face six to 12 years jail time and monetary sanction ranging from P5,000 to P20,000. (SSS-Butuan City Branch/PIA-Caraga)

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Health office in Agusan Sur identifies dengue vector

AGUSAN DEL SUR -- The Provincial Health Office (PHO) shared a significant milestone in its ongoing mission to safeguard public health, particularly in the realm of endemic diseases. 

Recently, the dedicated team of medical technologists had the esteemed opportunity to collaborate with the bright minds of Agusan del Sur National Science High School (ASNSHS) in their groundbreaking research endeavor.

The focal point of this collaborative effort revolved around the critical issue of dengue prevention and control, a pressing concern within the community. With the unwavering support of the Municipal Health Office of San Francisco, they were granted access to their laboratory facilities and equipment, enabling them to conduct meticulous research with utmost precision and accuracy.

Under the guidance and expertise of the skilled medical technologists, alongside the enthusiastic participation of the students, the research study embarked upon the verification of the dengue vector by Aedes aegypti identification. 

Through rigorous examination and analysis, the samples collected from various water sources yielded a positive confirmation of the presence of Aedes eegypti larvae.

This pivotal discovery underscored the imperative for heightened awareness and proactive measures in combating the spread of dengue within our communities. As stewards of public health, it is incumbent upon the Agsurnons to remain vigilant and proactive in their efforts to mitigate the risk posed by this debilitating disease.

Everyone is encouraged to continue to stand united in the government's commitment to raising awareness, implementing preventive measures, and fostering a culture of health and well-being within the province. (Provincial Health Office/PIA-Agusan del Sur)