FORCE MULTIPLIERS. Col. Aaron Mandia (left), Cagayan de Oro City police chief, briefs members of local civic groups before activating them as force multipliers. There are about 25 groups in the city that have been tapped to help police stations in monitoring peace and order. (PNA photo by Nef Luczon) CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY-The Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) tapped on Monday at least 25 civic organizations volunteering as force multipliers. Col. Aaron Mandia, COCPO director, said the organizations were briefed to help with different police stations in the city to monitor peace and order. "They will be directly reporting to us in the (COCPO) headquarters, and they were already informed of their roles," he said in an interview. Engaging civic groups is one of COCPO's responses to the series of criminal activities recently. Maj. Evans Vinas, COCPO spokesperson, assured the public civic organizations will have limited functions to prevent any abuse or exploit their ass
Google map of Lamitan City, Basilan province. ZAMBOANGA CITY - The schools division office in Lamitan City, Basilan province is undertaking the necessary preparations to ensure the orderly conduct of the May 9 national and local elections. Myra Mangkabung, superintendent of Lamitan Schools Division, said Wednesday the teachers tasked to render election duty would undergo training next week on how to operate the vote-counting machine (VCM). "We just finished the conduct of orientation of the teachers about election protocols," Mangkabung said in an interview. Nearly 300 teachers have been tasked to serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) and poll clerks for the polls in Lamitan City, she said. "All those who will be serving the election are vaccinated," she added. However, Mangkabung said one of the big challenges they expect to face on election day is Internet connectivity, as most of the precincts in Lamitan City are off-grid. Another problem, she pointed out,
NPA CONDEMNED. Mayor Jane Plaza of Carmen, Surigao del Sur speaks during the conduct of a virtual press conference by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday (Jan. 10, 2022). She said the people of the town have condemned the CPP-NPA for its harassment during the preemptive evacuation activity in preparation for the landfall of Typhoon Odette on December 15 last year. Plaza said all the barangays in Carmen have declared the NPA and its allies as persona non grata in 2019. (Photo grabbed from LGU Carmen FB page) BUTUAN CITY - Residents in different communities of Carmen, Surigao del Sur have condemned the communist New People's Army (NPA) for harassing soldiers and civilians during the conduct of preemptive evacuation in the town due to Typhoon Odette. During the first virtual press conference conducted by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday, Carmen Mayor Jane Plaza said the people of the tow
NPA CONDEMNED. Mayor Jane Plaza of Carmen, Surigao del Sur speaks during the conduct of a virtual press conference by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday (Jan. 10, 2022). She said the people of the town have condemned the CPP-NPA for its harassment during the preemptive evacuation activity in preparation for the landfall of Typhoon Odette on December 15 last year. Plaza said all the barangays in Carmen have declared the NPA and its allies as persona non grata in 2019. (Photo grabbed from LGU Carmen FB page) BUTUAN CITY - Residents in different communities of Carmen, Surigao del Sur have condemned the communist New People's Army (NPA) for harassing soldiers and civilians during the conduct of preemptive evacuation in the town due to Typhoon Odette. During the first virtual press conference conducted by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Monday, Carmen Mayor Jane Plaza said the people of the tow
GOV'T SUPPORT. President Rodrigo Duterte (center) is joined by Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go (left) and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Bautista (2nd from left) in a visit to Surigao City Saturday to personally assess the damage caused by Typhoon Odette in the area. Go told Surigao del Norte Gov. Francisco Matugas (2nd from right) and Dinagat Islands Gov. Arlene Bag-ao (right) that the government will fast-track all its efforts to help in the recovery of typhoon-affected residents in the area. (Photo courtesy of Sen. Bong Go). BUTUAN CITY - Senator Christopher "Bong" Go said the government is performing its duty and functions to provide the immediate needs of families and individuals badly hit by Typhoon Odette in the Caraga Region. Go, together with President Rodrigo Duterte, visited Surigao City last Saturday to get an onsite assessment on the extent of the damages brought by "Odette" in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Is