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Volume XIV, No. 129 AS OF 6:00 PM APR 13, 2023 (THU)
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Briefly Pilot site TMAMBAJAO, Camiguin – This province has been chosen as a pilot site for the formulation of a contingency plan for a volcanic eruption by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). During the launching of the five-day workshop on Wednesday, DOST Sec. Renato Solidum Jr. said having a comprehensive plan is crucial because, unlike any other forms of disaster, volcanic eruptions have severe implications for health, economics, and public policies. "We have to prepare for it; the first thing we should plan is to know hazard and risk; second monitor and forecast, then know when to warn and disseminate the information to the public about the hazards," Solidum said.
Farm, fishery workers to SoKot BUTUAN City — At least 68 workers from Dinagat Islands province departed Tuesday for South Korea via Cebu International Airport following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the province and the Pyeongchang County late last year. Signed on Nov. 21 last year, the MOU calls for the opening of employment opportunities for seasonal farm workers from Dinagat Islands to Pyeongchang County. The first batch of workers, composed of 11 farmers, already flew to South Korea on Monday. Another 63 will also leave for South Korea on Wednesday.
Stable power supply ANAKALUSUGAN Partylist Representative Ray Reyes on Thur sday urged the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to uphold its responsibility of providing adequate power supply, especially during summer, to ensure the quality and continuity of operations in health facilities. “ We urge the NGCP to make sure that we have adequate power supply all throughout the summer season when demand is at its highest. Hospital patients' lives are on the line and we need to ensure that the quality of operations in our medical facilities will not be affected," Reyes said in a statement. The lawmaker made the call after the NGCP warned of possible intermit tent power interruptions during the summer.
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Employment rate hits 95.2% in February www.businessweekmindanao.com
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By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV MindaNews
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AVAO City — The employment rate in the countr y was reported at 95.2% in February, data released Tuesday by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. This translates to an estimated 48.80 million individuals employed across the country. The PSA report said that the employment rate in February 2023 was higher compared with the 93.6% or equivalent to 45.48 million workers recorded in the same period a year ago. Alt houg h t he 95.2% employment rates for both January and February 2023 were higher than during the same periods last year, they RATE/PAGE 7
RAMADAN TRADE FAIR. In Cotabato City, the seat of government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in turns into an evening park for the Ramadan Trade Fair during the month of Ramadan. This year there are more colorful light installations, a lot more food stalls serving an array of cuisines for the nightly iftar. MindaNews photos by JULES L. BENITEZ
classes in Marawi during Slight increase in COVID No cases seen in Davao Region last 10 days of Ramadhan By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV MindaNews
D AVA O C i t y — T h e Department of Health (DOH)Davao reported on Wednesday that there is a “slight increase” in the number of confirmed coronavirus disease (COVD19) cases in the region with a positivity rate of 12.2 percent. Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion, head of the Regional Epidemiology and Sur veillance Unit of DOH-Davao, said during a press briefing that the agency
is closely monitoring the COVID-19 cases, most of them manifesting mild symptoms only. The positivity rate, she noted, is way above the acceptable positivity rate set by the World Health Organization of 5 percent. She said an increase was noted for the month of March with a total of 803 cases from 454 cases reported in February. From April 1 to 10, a total of 296 cases were recorded.
However, a 1.32-percent decline was seen in the weekly data of DOH-Davao between March 27-April 2 and April 3-9, Pasion said. As of April 10, there were a total of 358 active cases. Out of this total, 208 were reported in Davao City, 53 in Davao de Oro, 37 in Davao Oriental, 27 in Davao del Sur, 21 in Davao del Norte, and 12 in Davao Occidental. The increase could have
COVID/PAGE 7
By MARIVIC OMANDAM DAVIS MindaNews
ILIGAN City — There will be no classes in all levels in Marawi City during the last 10 days of Ramadhan, starting Tuesday (April 11) until April 20, as provided for in a city ordinance passed in 2022, the City Schools Division announced earlier. Work in public offices and private companies in the city will only be half day—in the morning—during the same period, according to City Ordinance No. 24, s. 2022.
The ordinance said that only banks and hospitals or similar establishments may apply for exemption. But Anna Zenaida UnteAlonto, OIC schools division superintendent, reminded that schools will have to hold classes during certain holidays to compensate for the 10-day Ramadhan break. Thus, there will be classes on February 18 (Lailatul Isra Wal Mi’raj, which marks the night that the Prophet Mohammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem, ascended
MARAWI/PAGE 7
P1-M smuggled cigars seized from Zambo trader DAVAO City — Former Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Alcantara Dominguez has joined the 60-year-old Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) as its new director who will oversee the business strategy and operations of theCHARCOAL. premier COCO SHELL Vendors repack charcoal made of coconut property developer and real Market, Davao City. The demand for charcoal shells at Bankerohan estate in Davao City. fuel has slightly gone up due to higher prices as pioneer substitute cooking Alsons Dev is the real estate gas, vendors say. Mindanews Photo of liquefied petroleum
Z AMB OANGA City – A businessman was arrested while allegedly transporting s om e P 1 m i l l i on wor t h of smuggled cigarettes in Z amboanga del Norte province, a top police official said Wednesday. Col. Glenn Dulawan, Zamboanga del Norte police director, said Jammal Ahil, 43, was arrested around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday at a checkpoint in Barangay Mucas, Salug town. Dulawan said police personnel at the checkpoint found Ahil's minidump truck to be loaded with 52 master cases of assorted
cigarette brands worth P1 mi l lion. “We conduc te d checkpoint operations immediately after receiving information that a motorboat loaded with boxes of cigarettes docked at the shore of Barangay Mucas,” Dulawan said. He said Ahil failed to show proper documents for the confiscated c i g a re t t e s . O n Apr i l 1 , authorities also arrested a smuggling suspect and seized some PHP1.6 million worth of smuggled cigarettes in Barangay New Labangan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur. (PNA)
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