In line with the celebration of the Government Employees Week, the Butuan City Government Employees Association (BCGEA) , the acknowledged employees' union of the city,  is calling for a general assembly on December 6, 2011 from 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M.

                To be deliberated  during the assembly are the following concerns:

1.) Proposed amendment  to the BCGEA constitution and by-laws  approved on Dec. 4, 2009;

2.) Proposed amendment to the Medical Assistance Program (MAP);

3.) Status of the BCGEA application for registration with the Dept. of Labor and Employment;

4.) Annual financial report ;

5.) Accomplishment report from Septmber 2009 to date;

6.) Plans and programs for CY 2012

BCGEA President Samuel Carampatana requested all members to participate in the discussion.

BCGEA is also spearheading the City Hall Christmas party on December 16, 2011 where big prizes await the winners in the raffle draw.

          (November 14, 2011) Tokyo, Japan - Toyo University PPP Research Center presented today its final report on “PPP Possibilities for the Future of Butuan City” at the Japanese university’s main campus in Tokyo, Japan. The presentation was attended by the Butuan delegation composed of representatives from the LGU, led by City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr., with representatives from the business and academe sectors of Butuan City.

The Butuanons were formally welcomed by Dr. Makio Takemura, President of Toyo University, and Prof. Yuji Nemoto, PPP Research Center Principal. Also present to witness the presentation were Mr. Geoffrey Hamilton and Mr. Michael Flynn, PPP experts from the United Nations, and Mr. Froilan Pamintuan of the Philippine Embassy in Japan. 

The final report contained observations in the fields of agriculture, recycling, renewable energy, economic enterprise and tourism. The most noteworthy recommendations include the mechanization of the agriculture industry, the conversion of waste to energy and the use of wood pellets as biomass fuel. Prof. Sam Tabuchi, team leader of the group that conducted the study, emphasized that Butuan City is rich in timber and has the ability to grow trees, such as falcata and ipil-ipil, in three to five years. He says that this is a major advantage over Western countries which need approximately 40 years to grow trees for biomass fuel production. 

In his response, Mayor Amante expressed that his administration is serious about the current efforts to strengthen Public-Private Partnership in Butuan, in line with the PPP advocacy of Pres. Noynoy Aquino, and that the City Government is committed to work on the recommendations of Toyo University for economic development in Butuan City. 

The presentation of the report is a component of the MOU between Toyo University and the City Government of Butuan which allowed Toyo University PPP Research Center to conduct a study on possible Public-Private Partnership Projects in Butuan City. A team from Toyo University conducted interviews and site inspections in Butuan City last September. The study marks the first time that Toyo University conducted such study outside Japan, choosing Butuan City as its first non-Japanese LGU subject. 

Today’s event also included the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for academic, scientific and cultural cooperation and exchange between Toyo University, Caraga State University, Father Saturnino Urios University, Saint Joseph Institute of Technology, and the City Government of Butuan. It was immediately followed by a business forum, where Mayor Amante presented Butuan’s investment opportunities to potential Japanese investors, and a reception dinner hosted by Toyo University for the Butuanon guests. – CMO-PIO

(October 25, 2011) – 37 trainees recently completed the 10-day Modified Medical and Technical Rescue Operations Course (M2TROC) to form the new Butuan Search and Rescue Team (BUSART). The training was conducted by the team of Dr. Ted Esguerra, Team Doctor of the Balangay and Philippine Mt. Everest Team, last October 15-25, 2011 at Luna Compound, Bgy. Bading, Butuan City. All 37 trainees were awarded during the Graduation Ceremony, which was held at the City Hall Lobby on October 25, 2011.

          The Butuanon trainees survived the rigid training where they learned Basic Life Support (AHA 2010 & Badger County), Airway Management, Basic Trauma Life Support, Basic Disaster Life Support, Rope Technician I, Navigation, Wilderness Survival, Rescuers’ Basic Defense, Disaster Camp Management, Water SAR with Boat and OBM Handling, Basic Mountain & Landslide SAR Ops, and Incident Command System.  

Mayor Ferdinand Amante, Jr. emphasized that BUSART is an updated version of the DSART whose members needed to be retrained or replaced with younger, more able and more physically fit personnel. The new team is expected to operate in all kinds of disasters and emergencies including vehicular accidents. BUSART will also take part in "OPLAN UNDAS" and will be deployed in different cemeteries on November 1 and 2 as Butuan City joins the nation in observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

Members of BUSART pose with their trainors after their simulation exercise at Butuan City Hall

(Please click here to see video)

(October 17, 2011) - Mayor Ferdinand “Jun” M. Amante, Jr. presented today the updates on the Convergence Planning of Butuan City and Caraga Region Line Agencies during the 4^th Quarter Meeting of the Regional Development Council – Development Administration Committee at Grand Palace Restaurant, Butuan City. Mayor Amante is the Chairman of the said committee. 

The Convergence Planning came about after the expansion of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 001 series of 2007 to include other National Government Agencies and Mayor Amante’s call for CONCHABU (Convergence for Change in Butuan) to all Regional Line Agencies of Caraga. It aims to develop technically and financially sound annual investment plans which maximize the resources of the government in a transparent and participatory manner. It is also believed to become the benchmark for the unification of plans between Caraga LGUs and National Government Agencies for the development of the region. 

Mayor Amante also acknowledged the participation of the different Regional Line Agencies in Butuan City’s programs and projects such as the Clean Ground, Zero Waste Program, Balangayan Grow a Million Trees Project and Disaster Preparedness and Relief Operations. He hopes that the Convergence Planning will help cushion the effects of the reduction of the IRA of Butuan City by PhP120 Million next year. 

Mayor Amante is also slated to make his presentation during the Regional Development Council Full Council Meeting in Tandag City on October 18, 2011.

RUEL L. SALCEDO, MQRP

           (Oct. 7, 2011) - Usa ka Command Conference ang gipatawag ni Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr., alayon sa programa nga Clean Ground Zero Waste, nahitabo kini niadtong October 6, 2011, didto sa DTI conference room, 4^th floor D&V building, syudad sa Butuan.

          (September 29, 2011) – Team CMO (City Mayor’s Office)/Red Team bagged the Over-All Championship in the recently concluded Butuan City Hall Employees Special Tournament (B.E.S.T.). The awarding ceremony was held at the City Hall Lobby last September 29, 2011. The champion team received a total of Php112,000 in cash prizes for various events including basketball and volleyball. Hon. Councilors Jaime Cembrano, Jr. and Hon. Erwin Dano handed out the prizes, assisted by Mr. Jay Rivero, City Sports Coordinator. Ms. Danuta Wilson, an employee of Butuan Medical Center who represented the Black Team, was named Miss B.E.S.T. 2011. After the awarding, the selection teams for various events were also presented to the public. These teams will represent Butuan City LGU in the planned inter-agency sports tournament next year.