Thursday, October 31, 2024

Tag: Cagayan De Oro

NTC to look into ‘syndicate’ behind telco modus in Mindanao

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The National Telecommunications Commission in Northern Mindanao (NTC-10) said last February 27, 2023, that it will conduct an investigation on the involvement of individuals or groups claiming to represent telecommunication companies (telcos) in order to infiltrate private premises

NTC-10 Director Teodoro Buenavista Jr. said these individuals may be linked to a wider network or syndicate operating not only in the region but throughout Mindanao.

“We have a relative who experienced this lately; some individuals claiming to be from a telco but when verified, they were not associated with any firm,” he said in an interview here.

Buenavista noted that telecommunications giant PLDT-Smart warned the public recently about the modus operandi.

In a statement, the telco raised concerns about rising incidents of unauthorized modem collection in General Santos City, Cotabato, and Zamboanga areas.

Cathy Yang, First Vice President and Group Head of Corporate Communications at PLDT and Smart, said customers should only transact with authorized PLDT personnel, especially inside their premises, and always check for proper identification in case of doubt.

“PLDT personnel will never collect modems from customers without replacing them first. Our campaign is part of PLDT Group’s strengthening of its asset protection efforts as part of a broader program to elevate the quality of customer experience,” she said.

In a similar incident, city resident Karen Laisa shared that some individuals claiming to represent another telco were asking her parents for a copy of the land title and map of their residence for a supposed installation of a satellite tower.

“The process was easy because they said it was in a rush due to a target deadline,” she said.

She also said her parents were told to pay PHP7,500 as a “notarial fee” after a contract signing.

Upon verification with NTC-10, the telco in question denied such operations existed and that no such project is taking place as of the moment. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

Teenage pregnancy declines in PH, Normin tops in cases

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Teenage pregnancy cases in the country had gone down from 8.6 percent in 2017 to 5.4 percent in 2022, yet despite the decrease in cases, Northern Mindanao records the highest percentage of adolescents who have been pregnant at 10.9 percent

“Forty-four per 1,000 female adolescents aged 15–19 have given birth in 2020, which means approximately 30 adolescents give birth in the region daily,” Commission on Population (POPCOM)-10 Assistant Regional Director Richmond Charles Gajudo said.

According to data from 2020, the three provinces with the highest rates of teen pregnancy are Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City. Each of these three provinces is responsible for 43% of all births to teenagers. The youngest age at which a teen was known to be pregnant was 11 years old in Cagayan de Oro City. In Valencia City, the young mother was 12 years old.

Being pregnant at such a young age is bad for young people, both in terms of their health and their finances. It was also said that having a child at such a young age is bad for a teenager’s health because their bodies aren’t ready to carry a child and can sometimes lead to the death of newborns and infants.

Since the childbearing years of a female are between the ages of 15 and 49, there is a tendency to have repeat pregnancies, which may lead to having more children and the possibility of having multiple partners, which is a health risk.

According to the commission, based on studies involving the very young adolescence of 10–14 years old, female teens who get pregnant have older male partners. Due to this, Republic Acts 11596 and 11648 were created to protect the said age group from child marriage and increase the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old.

With the number of teenage pregnancies going up, POPCOM-10 and the local government units (LGUs) have stepped up their efforts to stop them. The commission helps the LGUs plan and get ready for programs that will be used, like setting up a teen center to deal with the problems mentioned above.

“We have a new program being implemented for teen moms and their children called a “social program for adolescent moms and their children.” It is like 4Ps, where they will receive a monthly stipend to support them finish their studies and livelihood programs for them to be able to support the needs of their child,” says POPCOM-10 Technical Section Head Jeremias Cabasan.

POPCOM urges everyone to work together to better address the teenage pregnancy case in the region. Teenage pregnancies are caused by many things, including the teens themselves, their families, the community, and even how policies are put into place. This means that the solution can’t just be found in POPCOM, the Department of Health, or the Department of Education. Instead, there needs to be a collaboration between different agencies and sectors. (JAKA/PIA-10)

DTI-10 turns over POS equipment to OTOP hubs

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Eight One Town, One Product Philippines (OTOP) hubs in northern Mindanao were granted a point-of-sale (POS) terminal worth P25,000 each by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 10 on February 22

OTOP Hub is a one-stop shop that offers a general outlet for quality OTOP products. Strategically located hubs also act as “pasalubong centers,” showcasing the locally rooted products that carry the culture and tradition of a particular place. Its establishment is one of the most impactful interventions under the OTOP program of the DTI.

Through the provincial offices, DTI-10 has worked to keep the hubs in good shape and make sure that its operations run smoothly by constantly keeping an eye on them. The turnover of POS will help the OTOP hubs improve their operations and make it easier for them to keep track of sales, keep books, and manage their inventory.

KaHero, the company that made the POS, also gave a briefing and orientation on how to use the system to the people who worked at the OTOP hubs.

The eight OTOP hubs that received assistance were OTOP Malaybalay and OTOP Valencia in Bukidnon; OTOP Iligan and OTOP Tubod in Lanao del Norte; and OTOP Ginama, OTOP Kuyamis, OTOP Claveria, and Lunâ by Oro Creatives in Misamis Oriental. (DTI-10/PIA-10)

N. Mindanao DRRMC OKs P3.3-B rehab plan for calamity-hit LGUs

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Government agencies comprising the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Northern Mindanao (RDRRMC-10) on Thursday approved the PHP3.3-billion Regional Rehabilitation Plan (RRP) in support of its local government units (LGUs) affected by flooding and landslide in December last year

In an interview, RDRRMC-10 chair Antonio Sugarol said the passage of the budget was part of the mandate of President Ferdinand R. Marcos to identify the priority projects that every LGU need.

“This will be forwarded to the NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council), so they can review with the proceedings and particulars as to projects that will be appropriated,” Sugarol, also the concurrent Office of the Civil Defense–10 directors, said.

The December 2022 shear line weather disturbance mostly affected LGUs in the Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental provinces.

The amount of the fund was introduced to the RDRRMC-10 in its special meeting on a post-disaster needs assessment by Mylah Faye Aurora Cariño, director of the National Economic Development Authority-10.

The total fund amount will cover infrastructure and social services-related programs and projects, including agriculture development.

For 2023, about PHP900 million will be initially rolled out to benefit the affected LGUs, while PHP1.3 billion will be sued by 2024.

The rest of the funding will be utilized from 2025 onwards.

“Since the LGUs were given devolved function (from the national government), they can shoulder 74 programs and projects (for the RRP),” Cariño said. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

NorMin logs 8.4% inflation in Jan., ranks 9th in PH

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Northern Mindanao’s inflation rate rose to 8.4% last month, placing the region in the ninth spot nationwide, the regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said on Feb. 17, 2023

During a media forum here, PSA 10 (Northern Mindanao) Officer-in-Charge Janith Aves said January’s inflation was higher than December 2022’s 7.8 percent and January 2022’s 4.5 percent with food and non-alcoholic beverages mainly accounting for the increase.

“The rise of onion prices was recorded in this period (January 2023) and is one of the major contributors (to the inflation), which was part of the vegetables, tubers, plantains group,” she said.

Under the food and non-alcoholic commodity group, the region’s inflation rate jumped to 12.1 percent, from 7.8 percent in December 2022 and 4.5 percent in January 2022.

Aves said in the region, the provinces of Camiguin and Misamis Oriental registered the highest inflation rate per province with 8.9 percent.

“Camiguin may be the highest for January but it experienced a decrease from its 9.5 percent inflation in December 2022,” she said. Camiguin’s inflation rate in January 2022, however, was 5.3 percent, according to PSA-10 data.

This city has the lowest inflation rate with 8 percent, compared to 8.2 percent in December 2022 and 4.2 percent in January 2022.

Among the 13 main commodity groups where PSA is getting the overall inflation, the financial services sector had zero percent inflation in the region for both January 2023 and December 2022.

Compared to January 2022, the financial services were the highest among the commodity groups with a 45.2 percent inflation rate. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

5 soldiers dead after ‘mass shooting’ in Cagayan de Oro military camp

Posted on by cmn

MANILA, Philippines — Five soldiers, including a gunman who happened to be in the military, perished Saturday morning after a mass shooting incident broke out inside the Army’s Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City

The soldier, who went berserk, Pvt. Johmar Villabito was subsequently shot dead by responding Pvt. Mark Anthony Aguinid and Pfc. Josiah Estrada.

The incident reportedly occurred during the early hours of 1 a.m. according to Maj. Francisco Garello Jr., spokesperson of the 4th Infantry Division. The names of the victims are still withheld as of press time.

“This resulted in the death of four… of our soldiers and wounding another one… The suspect used an M16 rifle. The suspect shot the victims while they’re sleeping,” said Garello in a mix of Filipino and English in an interview with the media.

“The perpetrator also died during the said incident.”

In separate statements, Saturday, the Army’s 4th Infantry Division and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office said Villabito first barged into the sleeping quarter of Sgt. Rogelio Rojo, Cpl. Bernard Rodrigo, Pfc. Prince Kevin Balaba and Pvt. Joseph Tamayo and killed them one after another with his service firearm in an attack that left Sgt. Braulio Macalos badly wounded.

The four slain soldiers and Villabito belonged to the Headquarters Service Battalion of the 4th ID, under Major Gen. Wilbur Mamawag.

Aguinid and Estrada together managed to neutralize Villabito, who also died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds.

Garello said that they still could not determine the motive behind the suspect’s actions and could not confirm rumors going around that the violence was relationship-related.

The commander of the 4ID, Maj. Gen. Wilbur Mamawag has now created a board of inquiry team to investigate the matter.

After initially firing rounds at four sleeping soldiers, the gunman allegedly proceeded to another room which eventually lead to his/her demise.

“[T]here [were] two soldiers that were already alert and they saw that he/she was coming. They managed to neutralize the suspect. They wrestled and grappled for the weapon, and eventually, the suspect was killed in self-defense,” continued Garello.

“What we can confirm is that there [are] five soldiers died during the incident… one is wounded and being given medical attention.”

Among those killed were a staff sergeant, a private, and a corporal. Several shots were said to have been fired so military officials still could not confirm if the fatal shots were delivered to the head.

The 4ID offered their sincere condolences to the bereaved families during these challenging times. (J. Unson, J. Relativo/Philstar)

NTC-10 accelerates SIM reg with free Wi-Fi caravan in NorMin

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO — To avoid the mandated deactivation of unregistered SIM cards of citizens from remote areas of the Philippines, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has organized a caravan to accelerate the SIM registration scale in Northern Mindanao

The NTC has teamed up with SMART Telecom to offer free Wi-Fi at the caravan. This is to help people in the area who can’t register their SIM cards because they don’t have access to the internet.

The caravan will make its way through 40 priority areas identified by the NTC for SIM registration. Four out of these 40 areas have just recently been covered; the schedule of the succeeding areas is yet to be announced.

Aside from the caravan, SMART Telecom also helps people register their SIM cards in their Cagayan de Oro stores.

“Tanan nato SMART stores dinhi maka-assist sa atong mga kauban. Kung wala mo’y smartphone, sa mga booth nato, naa ta’y gamiton nga cellphone para sa photo pero dili na namo ma-keep sa among phone because the whole process is done dadto sa website so dili siya ma-save sa phone; just an assurance for data privacy,” Said Judee Chaves, Mindanao relations head of Smart Communications, Inc. during the Talakayan sa PIA at SM Downtown CDO, February 7.

(All our SMART stores here [Cagayan de Oro] can assist our registrants. We have cellphones at our booths if you don’t have a smartphone; however, because the entire process is done on the website, your photo [and other data] will not be saved in the phone; this is just a privacy assurance)

At the same event, Vixter Abaday, telecom engineer of NTC, clarified that the purpose of the caravan is to help those in far-flung areas, especially those who struggle with internet access, register their SIMs with the assistance of the NTC and SMART Telecom.

“Kung kita nga naa ta’y access sa internet, there’s no need na nga muadto [sa caravan]. Kung naa ta’y Wi-Fi or naa tay data, pwede ra ta makarehistro. Kaning [caravan] sa mga remote areas, that is supposedly intended para sa mga subscribers nga wala’y access sa internet—galisod og access sa internet. Mao man ang katuyuan kay unsaon ug parehistro kung wala sila’y access sa internet?” said Abaday.

(If we have access to the internet, there’s no need to go to the caravan. If we have Wi-Fi or mobile data, we can already register. This caravan in remote areas is ostensibly intended for subscribers who do not have or are having difficulty gaining access to the internet. This is the point, because how can people register if they don’t have access to the internet?)

They both further confirmed that the SIM registration assistance is open to all Telecom subscribers. (TAAG/PIA-10)

Army scores vs. NPA in Bukidnon after community dialogue

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Philippine Army’s 88th Infantry Battalion (88IB) scored anew against the communist rebels in Bukidnon province several days after government troops reached out to communities for dialogues

In a statement on Tuesday, Col. Christian James Vingno, the 88IB commander, said ground troops encountered remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) led by a certain Bernon Sinunta of Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad Peddler in a firefight earlier this month.

The Feb. 5 encounter in Barangay Nakabuklad, San Fernando town in Bukidnon led to the discovery of the NPA’s hideout and the seizure of various war materiel.

Seized from the area were two cartridge links of 5.56mm ammunition; two rolls of electrical wires for improvised explosive devices; rice; personal belongings; and other NPA documents.

Three days before the encounter, Vingno said the 88IB conducted a “peace dialogue” with the residents to encourage them to continue their support for the peace and development program of the government and not to allow the NPA to infiltrate their peaceful community.

“I am again calling the attention of the remaining members of NPA operating in our area of operation to come down and avail the program of the government. Start a new life and leave peacefully with your family,” he said.

The 88IB, a unit of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, credited its successful operations against the NPA to the civilians’ cooperation. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

Linog mitay-og sa pipila ka lugar sa Mindanao

Posted on by Diego M. Hidalgo

Isa ka 6.0-magnitude nga linog ang nitay-og sa New Bataan, Davao de Oro ug kasikbit nga mga dapit kaniadtong Peb. 1, ala 6:44 sa gabii, matod sa Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

Base sa taho sa The Manila Bulletin, ang Phivolcs niingon nga ang 6.0-magnitude nga linog nga nagpasabot nga kini tungod sa paglihok sa isa ka active fault duol sa lugar.

Intensity V ang nabati sa New Bataan ug Nabunturan sa Davao de Oro; ug intensity IV sa Davao City ug Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.

Intensity III ang natala sa Damulog, Kadingilan, Kalilangan, Libona, Pangantucan ug Talakag, sa Bukidnon; Cagayan De Oro; Cagwait, Bislig, Hinatuan sa Surigao del Sur; Kidapawan City, Cotabato; Alabel, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato.

Intensity II sa El Salvador, Villanueva sa Misamis Oriental; Aleosan, Antipas, Arakan, Carmen, Kabacan, Kidapawan, Libungan, M’lang, Magpet, Makilala, Matalam, Pikit, ug Tulunan, Cotabato; Tandag, Surigao del Sur Koronadal, Tampakan, South Cotabato; Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat; Cotabato; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; Libona, Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental; Malapatan, Glan, and Kiamba, Sarangani; Norala, General Santos City.

Samtang Intensity I sa Alamada, Cotabato; Baybay and Dulag, Leyte; Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental; Maitum, Sarangani; Suralla, Santo Nino, T’Boli, and Tantangan, South Cotabato; Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte; Esperanza, Tacurong, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat; Surigao City, Surigao Del Norte

Ang Phivolcs niingon nga parehong aftershocks ug kadaot sa imprastraktura ang gipaabot gikan sa pinakaulahing linog. (Diego M. Hidalgo)

DILG chief vows to probe drug trades in jails

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will launch a deeper probe into the illegal drug trade in jail facilities after receiving information about similar incidents in Northern Mindanao

In a media conference here Monday, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. vowed that through the agency’s “Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan” (BIDA), incidents of illegal drugs proliferating in jail facilities will end.

“Let us see how to go about it; in the meantime, part of our program is to intensify drug testing (even for government personnel),” Abalos said.

Abalos was joined by officials of the Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 10 in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental province, to lead local activities related to the DILG’s anti-drug campaign.

Abalos said the DILG also considers the mandatory use of surveillance cameras in “sensitive areas” to ensure no persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) are being taken out to trade illegal drugs.

“We will look into the reports of cellphones (being used to communicate outside the jail),” he added.

Between 2019 and 2022, the Misamis Oriental provincial jail based in this city reported incidents involving PDLs caught engaging in illegal drugs with the help of outsiders.

Misamis Oriental Governor Pedro Unabia said he supports the DILG’s anti-drug programs.

During Monday’s event with Abalos, PRO-10 also raised awareness of the revitalized “Kasimbayanan” program, which stands for “Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan,” that sought the police force’s partnership with religious organizations and the public against illegal drugs. (Nef Luczon/PNA)