PIA Dispatch - Tuesday, January 5, 2010

PGMA signs law creating Caraga State U

BUTUAN CITY, Jan. 5 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today signed Republic Act 9854 or the Act Establishing the Caraga State University (CSU).

The law integrates the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMSIST) in this city, and the Northern Mindanao College of Science and Technology (NMCAST) in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte. The main campus will be in this city.

The signing ceremony, held at the NORMSIST Gym, was witnessed by about a thousand students who cheered the President.

In a brief speech, the President said access to quality education will ensure economic progress in Region 13, made up of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur as well as the cities of Butuan, Surigao, and Bislig.

“Congratulations! This is the first state university in the Caraga region,” the President said in the Visayan dialect, adding that she first visited NORMSIST when she was still a senator.

Under the new law, the universities’ existing high schools will eventually be transferred to the Department of Education (DepEd). The high schools will, however, be allowed to remain and operate within the university campuses until the currently enrolled students have completed their high school education.

The law also allows CSU to operate a reasonably sized laboratory school, if it opens a College of Education.

PGMA orders DPWH to speed up road project connecting two Agusan provinces

BARANGAY AMPARO, Butuan City, Jan. 5 (PNA) -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered on Tuesday the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to work three shifts if necessary on the 61.1–kilometer Butuan City-Las Nieves-Esperanza-Bayugan road project, which forms part of the Philippine-Japan Highway project.

DPWH Regional Director for Caraga Evelyn Barroso informed the President that the Km.10 leg of the road project connecting Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur was “almost done” and woud be completed by June this year.

The project also connects Bukidnon at the junction road in Barangay New Gingoog in Las Nieves.

The first of four bridges—the Ohot Bridge— will also be completed by June.

However, the whole project, which was started in March last year, will be completed by June 2011.