The City Mayor and all the other local officials and institutions in the city including the barangay, the police, business and civil society organizations continue to enjoy positive net trust ratings from the local populace. Receiving a very high net trust rating of +62, the City Mayor remarked that these results were borne out of hardwork and the city’s continuing adherence to the tenets of transparency and accountability as the benchmark of governance and best politics.

Mayor Casurra further remarked, that these results would also serve to guide the next city administration on the various challenges and areas of governance that need to be further improved. Aside from the +62 net trust rating of the city mayor, the Sangguniang Panlungsod also got a good rating with +31, barangay officials with +33, the police with +29, business associations with +6 and non-government organizations with +4. The services of the city government employees rendered to the public also got a net satisfaction rating of +11.

The herein results were generated out of the survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) last August 27-29, 2009 among randomly selected 100 local respondents with a plus or minus 10% margin of error. A similar survey was also conducted in the city last December 14-17, 2007 by the SWS as commissioned by the Asia Foundation under the Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) Project supported by the USAID.(surigaocity.gov.ph)
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Tropical depression Urduja as maintained its strength as it continued to move slowly near Surigao City on Wednesday, weather bureau PAGASA said.

The storm was last spotted at 70 kilometers east of Surigao City at 5 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center. It was moving slowly towards east.

Public storm signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Island and Siargao Island.

The storm was expected to move away from Surigao City by Thursday morning and move near Eastern Samar until Saturday morning.

The weather bureau advises residents in areas under storm alert to watch out for possible flashfloods and landslides. (abs-cbnnews.com)
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Tropical depression “Urduja” is moving closer to Leyte province where it is expected to make landfall Tuesday morning, weather bureau PAGASA reported.

The storm was last spotted at 4 a.m. in the vicinity of Dinagat or 50 kilometers east northeast of Maasin, Southern Leyte. It is moving west northwest at 15 kph with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near center.

Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 has been raised over Masbate, Romblon, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Biliran, Leyte Provinces, Cebu, Camotes Island, Bohol, Negros Provinces, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Siargao Island and Dinagat.

The weather bureau warned those in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes residing in areas under Signal No. 1 to take all the necessary precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides.

“Urduja” is expected to be at 30 km west northwest of Roxas City Wednesday morning, 180 km west northwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro Thursday morning, and 530 km west northwest of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro Friday morning.

Rains and gusty winds

The weather forecast issued at 5 a.m. stated that Visayas and Northeastern Mindanao will have rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas.

The rest of Mindanao, meanwhile, will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Southern Luzon, on the other hand, will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers while the rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers.

PAGASA added that moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon. Its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Winds elsewhere will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to northwest with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms. (abs-cbnnews.com)
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Amidst heavy rains but under a relatively good sea condition, the crew of the Voyage of the Balangay arrived at Brgy. Lipata at half past 12 noon today after sailing from Limasawa Island in Leyte.

They were on board Diwata Ng Lahi, a replica of the ancient boat balangay and were headed by the famous Mt. Everest Team led by Mr. Art Valdez, Fred Jamili, the team documentalist, and Toto Calo, the Head of the Butuan Crew. The team has already sailed starting from Manila then to Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bohol and Leyte. From Surigao, the group will sail early tomorrow for Jabonga, Agusan del Norte and finally to the City of Butuan.

The crew paid a courtesy call on Mayor Pons Casurra at his Office yesterday afternoon, while the City Tourism Office coordinated their itinerary and other needs while staying overnight in the City. The Quick Action Response Team (QART) will escort the Diwata Ng Lahi on their way to Jabonga. (surigaocity.gov.ph)

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The provincial government of Surigao del Norte is now in full gear for the preparation of this year's Mindanao Week of Peace, which is scheduled on November 26 to December 2, 2009. The theme for the celebration is "Think Mindanao, Feel Mindanao, Bring Peace to Mindanao".

DILG Surigao del Norte Prov'l Director Rodulfo Nasi bared a number of activities during the Provincial Development Council-Development Administration Committee meeting last Thursday, Nov. 19 at the PPDO Conference Room, Capitol Compound, Surigao City, and this include the opening salvo at the Provincial Convention Center dubbed as Peace Caravan: 3rd Peace Day Celebration on Nov. 26, 2009. And on Nov. 27, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in partnership with the Surigao del Norte Renal Disease Control Program (REDCOP) will distribute bundles of joy to the IP community of Brgy. Magtangale in San Francisco town.

While Nov. 29 has been assigned as Peace Sunday to all local churches throughout the province, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) regional office, on the other hand, will hold a concert for peace at the City Hall Canopy on that same day.

A forum on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction and Awarding of 2009 Cleanest & Greenest LGU will highlight the December 1 activity at the provincial convention center. And on Dec. 2, a scheduled tree planting activity spearheaded by the Provincial Environment and Management Office (PEMO) will be conducted at Brgy. Ipil, Surigao City. Culminating the weeklong-activity is the Interschool Oratorical Contest organized by the Prov'l Social Service Office.

The celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace, as decreed through a Presidential Proclamation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, is celebrated each year from the last Thursday of November to the first Wednesday of December.

The proclamation enjoins and encourages all concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, including government owned and controlled corporations and members of the private sector and civil society based in Mindanao to engage in relevant and meaningful activities in celebration of the Mindanao Week of Peace in coordination with the Bishops-Ulama Forum. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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Asia’s third-largest low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific (CEB) brings back its ‘Go Lite’ PHP 1 seat sale to all international and domestic destinations for the promo period of November 21-22, 2009 only, or until more than 50,000 seats have been sold out. Travel period is June 15-September 30, 2010.

The airline’s 32 domestic destinations are up for grabs through this website promo, including Cebu-Siargao, Cebu-Ozamiz, Cebu-Clark, Manila-San Jose, and Manila-Kalibo (Boracay), among many others.

CEB also offers the lowest fare alternative for international flights with the PHP 1 sale, including flights to Taipei, Kota Kinabalu, Pusan (Korea), Osaka and Jakarta.

Passengers with check-in luggage will just add PHP 100 upon booking. The PHP 1 is exclusive of government taxes and administration fees.

“CEB’s PHP 1 seat sale earlier this month sold out in a day, and we have been getting numerous requests for more seats. This is our way of thanking our loyal guests, and we certainly hope to see more people flying in 2010,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.

“We also wish to encourage passengers to book their flights early, and what better way to reinforce this message than bring back our trademark ‘piso’ seat sale for next year’s travel,” she added.

She encouraged everyone to act fast and book their promo seats online. This promotion is only available via www.cebupacificair.com or through travel agents using the Amadeus global distribution system.

The Philippines’ leading domestic airline, CEB has a fleet of 21 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR72-500 aircraft, the youngest aircraft fleet in the Philippines and one of the youngest in Asia. It has flown over 36 million passengers since its inception in 1996.
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A weather disturbance that threatens to become yet another cyclone intensified into a low-pressure area and moved closer toward Mindanao early Friday.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the LPA was estimated at 310 km east of northern Mindanao as of 2 a.m.

"Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Eastern Mindanao which may triggerflashfloods and landslides," Pagasa said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

Should the LPA intensify into a cyclone, it will be code-named "Urduja," the 21st cyclone to enter Philippine territory.

Pagasa also said northern Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered light rains due to the northeast monsoon affecting the area while the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

The Philippines is still reeling from the effects of tropical cyclones "Ondoy," "Pepeng," and "Santi" which claimed nearly a thousand lives and destroyed over a billion worth of properties and agricultural products. - GMANews.TV
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Forty-two schools are vying for the prestige of being proclaimed the "greenest" school during the culminating event of the National Search for Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Schools today at the SM City North Edsa.The top three winners proclaimed for each level (elementary, high school and college) will receive cash prizes of P50,000, P40,000 and P30,000 for first, second and third place respectively and plaques of recognition. Competing are 15 elementary schools, 15 high schools and 12 colleges that made it to the regional finals.

"We are happy to support this initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and education institutions which we hope will make environmental advocates of our youth," said Ramon R. Isberto, public affairs group head of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart).

Smart is hosting the awarding ceremonies of the nationwide search organized by the DENR– Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), DepEd, and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to recognize academic institutions with exemplary environmental programs. The event is timed with the celebration of National Environmental Awareness Month.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said that the nationwide competition not only recognizes, but motivates schools that practice eco-friendly programs and initiatives. "We need to start teaching our kids as early as we can to take responsibility in safeguarding our environment. Schools are dynamic focal points of learning and powerful vehicles of change. Parents and teachers can work together to spread the wonders of living an environmentally-smart lifestyle," he said.

For the elementary level, those that made it to the regional finals are North Central Elementary School, Dagupan City, Pangasinan; Peñablanca East Central School, Peñablanca, Cagayan; Baliwag North Central School, Baliwag, Bulacan; Manghinao Elementary School, Bauan, Batangas; P.Garcia Memorial Elementary School in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro; Sunshine International School, Legazpi City, Albay; Ara-al Elementary School, La Carlota, Negros Occidental; Asia Elementary School, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental; Bantayan Central Elementary School, Bantayan Island, Cebu; Tongonan Kananga School for Excellence, Kananga, Leyte; Buenavista Elementary School, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte; Marawer Elementary School, Kapatagan, Digos City, Davao del Sur; Cotabato City Central Pilot School, Cotabato City, Maguindanao; Badas Elementary School, Placer, Surigao del Norte; and Pembo Elementary School, Pembo, Makati City.

For the high school level, the regional finalists are Don Bosco High School, Lagawe, Ifugao; Solsona National High School, Solsona, Ilocos Norte; Bukig National Agricultural and Technical School, Aparri, Cagayan; Alexis Santos High School, Bustos, Bulacan; Don Pedro Guevara High School, Sta. Cruz, Laguna; President Diosdado Macapagal Memorial National High School, Gloria, Oriental Mindoro; Camarines Sur National High School, Naga City, Camarines Sur; La Castellana National High School, La Castellana, Negros Occidental; Malingin National High School, Daan Bantayan, Cebu; San Policarpio National High School, Calbayog City, Samar; Sulangon National High School, Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte; Daniel Aguinaldo National High School, Davao City, Davao; Tampakan National High School, Tampakan, South Cotabato; Agusan National High School, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte; Malabon National High School, Malabon City. (malaya)

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A commotion happened on November 12 at 2:30 on the afternoon inside the Cockpit Arena located at Brgy Quano, Alegria, Surigao del Norte, when one Ronald Mirasol Baloran, 49 yrs old, married and resident of P-6, Brgy Alipao, Alegria was shot to death by unidentified suspects with the use of caliber .45 pistol and wounded three other persons who were hit by an astray bullets.

Responding police identified the wounded victims as Alexander Planas Calang, 30 yrs old, and an OFW , a resident of Brgy Magsaysay, Placer, Surigao del Norte, who was hit on his left ankle, Eusebio Bolenawa, 68 yrs old, married, a resident of Brgy Quano in Alegria, who was hit on his left breast and Jerome Morales Española, 51 yrs old, married and a resident of Brgy Dayamo, Mainit, Surigao del Norte who was hit on his head.

All wounded victims were rushed to Caraga Regional Hospital for medical treatment.

Initial investigation conducted by Alegria Municipal Police Station revealed that while the victims watching cockfights inside the establishment, suspects came and without apparent reason shot the victim Ronald Mirasol Baloran hitting at the different parts of his body resulting to his instantaneous death and carted away the cal .45 pistol from the victim.

Suspects then fled to mountainous area of Brgy Quano, Alegria, Surigao del Norte after the incident.

Hot pursuit operation now conducted by joint PNP personnel of Surigao del Norte PPO and Alegria MPS against the fleeing suspect.

As of press time, motive has yet to be established. (mindanao.com)

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The unit of listed Century Peak Metals Holdings Corp. has completed its second shipment of nickel ore from a mine in the Dinagat Islands to China.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the parent said its subsidiary Century Peak Corp. shipped a total of 39.248 million metric tons of ore, with guaranteed nickel content of between 0.90% and 1.10%, and iron content of 48%.

Century Peak is planning to build a P7-billion nickel smelting plant in the country to have fully integrated mining operations.

The company is now in the process of selecting a suitable site for the smelting plant, which is expected to have an output of 20,000 metric tons annually.

Construction of the plant is slated for late this year. It will be operational next year.

Century Peak has a nickel ore exploration permit covering 3,188 hectares of land in Albor, Dinagat Province. It also has a pending exploration permit over a 5,135-hectare property in Iwahig, Puerto Princesa. (abs-cbnnews.com)
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The Department of Tourism (DOT), Caraga Regional Office in partnership with One Corporate Grand Tours, Inc. will open the first ever students and tourism stakeholders' national convention today, November 16, 2009 at Balanghai Hotel and Convention, this city. The activity will run until Thursday, November 19.

The activity aims to provide an avenue for students, school heads and tourism stakeholders to enrich their understandings on the current trends of tourism and create a synergetic response to its challenges. The convention will also bring together students from different regions as well as tourism stakeholders from all over the country.

Invited speakers include DOT Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, former DND Sec. Gilbert Teodoro, Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, DOT Usec. Oscar Palayab, Ms. Prescilla Calimag of the DOT's Office of Tourism Development Planning, and Dr. Erlinda Burton of Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City.

During the break-up sessions, the participants will be divided into four groups with different speakers invited to share their experiences in tourism-related activities.

Among the invited speakers are Mr. Celestino Ulep, Tourism Consultant; Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Casurra; PSSupt. Nestor Fajura of Police Regional Office (PRO)-13; Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Ace Barbers; National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-Caraga Regional Director Carmencita Cochingco; Mr. Greg Hontiveros, a local historian of Butuan City; and Dr. Irennetta Montinola, Surigaonon Heritage Foundation Executive Director.

A registration fee of Php 2,500 will be collected for live-out participants while Php 3,200 will be charged to live-in participants. (PIA-Caraga)
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A 5.5-magnitude quake hit Caraga Region again late on Wednesday, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The tremor struck the island of Mindanao at 9:48 pm (1348 GMT), at a depth of 59km, the US Geological Survey said.

It was felt in Butuan City with intensity 6 and Surigao City with only intensity 4.

The epicentre was 37km north of the city of Butuan and 58km south of Surigao, both on Mindanao, USGS said.
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Zest Air has resumed the Zamboanga-Sandakan (Malaysia) route, flying there thrice weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The route was suspended in April last year under Asian Spirit and resumed on October 16 under Zest Air, the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) reported.

The flight between Zamboanga and Davao uses a 56-seater MA60 modern ark aircraft.

ZestAir flies to Sandakan Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:45 noon, arriving there at 2:05 p.m. The plane departs Sandakan for Zamboanga at 2:50 p.m., arriving there at 4:10 p.m.

From Manila, Zest Air flies daily to Davao, thrice weekly to Siargao in Surigao del Norte (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays starting November 17), four times weekly to Surigao City in Surigao del Norte (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays starting November 16). (Mindanews.com)

From Cebu, ZestAir flies daily to Cagayan de Oro and Davao City and thrice weekly (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays) to Zamboanga.

Starting December 8, ZestAir will fly four times a week to Siargao on Tuesdays, Thurdsdays, Saturdays and Sundays. (MindaNews)
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An earthquake rocked Butuan and Surigao cities Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology-Surigao reported.

The tremor struck at 6:28 a.m. and was felt at Intensity 3 in Butuan City and Surigao City. Phivolcs-Surigao Head Daphne Agonia said the earthquake was tectonic in origin.

She said she does not expect the tremor to cause damage to property. (abs-cbnnews.com)

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A strong alliance of municipal mayors from the second congressional district of the province are strongly endorsing the political tandem of Dr. Sol Matugas and Prov’l. Board Member Carlos Egay, Jr. as Partido Padajon Surigao’s bets for governor and vice-governor, respectively, for the May 2010 local elections.

The endorsement was made by Mainit Mayor Ramon Mondano, Gigaquit Mayor Carlos Egay, Sr., Bacuag Mayor Shiela Mae Orquina-Cebedo, San Francisco Mayor Simplicia Bacol, Malimono Mayor Teodoro Senaca, Jr., Tubod Mayor Cristina Romarate-Arcillas, Taganaan Mayor Cesar Diaz, Sison Mayor Leicester Fetalvero, Alegria Mayor Dominador Esma, Claver Vice-Mayor Rosemarie “Nene” Gokiangkee and Placer Vice-Mayor Philip Adlao during the occasion of the “Seminar on Security and Peace and Order” held at the Tubod municipality on Nov. 6, 2009.

The political endorsement is expected to rally the support of thousands and thousands of Surigaonons who long dreamed of a change of hands in the Provincial Capitol and snowball a province-wide clamor for a clean, untarnished and transparent leadership.

Bacuag Mayor Shiela Mae Orquina-Cebedo, popularly known as Cinderella Mayor owing to her charming personality, obscurity to fame political story, sincere heart for the poor and transparent leadership, disclosed that the combined intelligence, popularity and untainted image as public officials of Dr. Sol Matugas and Board Member Carlos Egay, Jr. are what the people of Surigao Del Norte really need.

“It’s high time that we give our people the credible choices for governor and vice-governor in the persons of Ma’am Sol and Board Member Jun Egay whose integrity and record of public service are beyond reproach,” stressed the Cinderella mayor.sol

“Personally, I have great faith the tandem of Ma’am Sol and Jun Egay would definitely deliver the best quality of working leadership that would be truly responsive to the needs of our people and reflective of church-taught human values,” the gorgeous Bacuag mayor concluded.

Dr. Sol Matugas is the wife of District 1 representative Cong. Francisco Matugas. She recently retired as Regional Director of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 8 and was the acknowledged founder of DepEd-Caraga. Until her retirement on Oct. 21, 2009, she was held in high esteem as one of the leading educators in the country and the longest-serving President of the Association of DepEd Directors.

On the other hand, Board Member Carlos Egay, Jr. is presently a popular practicing lawyer and topnotch provincial board member from District 2. He is the son of Gigaquit Mayor Carlos Egay, Sr. and former Mayor Elvira Egay. (Jun Parada, mindanao.com)
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