THE MINDANAO PILGRIM

ABU SAYYAF ACTS OF DESPERATION

2010-03-12T17:57:00.001-08:00

BY RINA DE JESUS

Kidnapping for ransom has long been a business practice of the Abu Sayyaf Group, a thug-like band of terrorists operating essentially on Jolo and Basilan, but attacking innocent civilians throughout the Philippines .

The hey-day of Abu Sayyaf's money-making was in the 2000 to 2002 period, during which it kidnapped no fewer than 140 people, including foreign journalists and tourists and Christian missionaries. One operation alone, the kidnapping of 21 vacationers at Sipadan , Malaysia , resulted in a Libya-brokered deal that paid US$16 million in ransom.

With this money, Abu Sayyaf was able to purchase weapons, communications equipment and vehicles. It was also able to expand its membership from roughly 600 to 1,000 men.

The hey-day did not last long, however. The war on terror ramped up and got serious. Abu Sayyaf long had philosophical and operational ties to Jemaah Islamiyah and al-Qaeda, and its leadership believed in the goal of a caliphate over Muslim areas in Southeast Asia and eventually over the entire world.

Because of unrelenting focus on isolating this group, Abu Sayyaf is now a mere shadow of its former self. Estimates of its strength at present are thought to be around 300 men. Split up into small groups, they mostly operate on the run. The leadership is fractured, uncertain, and given to squabbling. Still true to its history, though, it is out there conducting kidnappings, although they now appear to be acts of desperation rather than organizational fundraisings. Three Abu Sayyaf kidnappings have occurred this year, and the revenues have been meager.

This is probably what the future holds. Abu Sayyaf will continue to do what it knows how to do, but it will do it less well and with less chance of success. The small units into which it has degenerated will not be able to communicate with one another, and rivalries will likely fester and grow.

The notion that Abu Sayyaf's sense of entrepreneurship is not dead, the Dangerous Drugs Board said in a press interview earlier this year that discoveries of marijuana fields on Jolo and Basilan suggest that Abu Sayyaf is getting income by guarding the fields and protecting drug lords.

This illustrates the basic fact that Abu Sayyaf will do whatever it can to survive. It's up to the government, with whatever allies it can persuade, to see to it that Abu Sayyaf does not rise again, that it is destroyed once and for all. (MW)

(COTABATO CITY) 'Strategic minerals must be ours to control and supervise'

2010-03-07T01:33:00.001-08:00

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the full privilege speech of Lanao del Sur Assemblyman Ziaur-Rahman Adiong’s during the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)’s Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) last March 2, 2010 presided over by Speaker Reggie Generale. The RLA has tasked its committee on amendments and revisions of laws to look into Adiong’s protest against stringent laws governing the exploitation of natural resources in the region.

“Madame Speaker, I rise on a matter of personal and collective privilege. In the remarkable stories I’ve heard and in trips I’ve made in some places in the ARMM, I cannot but admire the beautiful sights that Almighty Allah has bestowed us.

The verdant plains of Maguindanao, the scenic lanao of my fellow Maranaos, the lush vegetation of Basilan, the sparkling beaches of Tawi-Tawi and the deep blue sea of Sulu - all of these will not fail to impress upon the beholder that natural beauty and resources abound in the autonomous region.

But there is also the sight that strikes a painful reflex in the eyes and in the heart. That is the ugly picture of poverty that is shared by many of our constituents, from the mainland to the island-provinces.”

These were the words from the privilege speech delivered by Ziaur Rahman Alonto Adiong, assemblyman of the first district of Lanao del Sur, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) during its regular session last March 1.

Assemblyman Adiong said, “Poverty is etched in the dwellings that are fit for animals rather than for people. It is seen in the ragged clothes that are worn till they are tattered … in the men of women who have no land to till or wares to sell … in the faces of children forced to drop-out of school even before the sixth grade.

In fact, to be technical about, here’s what studies have found out, or more properly, have just validated about the state of affairs that we have known for too long in the ARMM.

I do not relish narrating these, but I believe refreshing our memories would bring closer to hearts the major problems of our constituents.”

“In the latest PHILIPPINE HUMAN REPORT, provinces of the ARMM remain to have low scores in the fields of longevity, knowledge and decent standard of living.

Those born in the provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Maguindanao, and Lanao del Sur are expected to live the shortest. And this is not due mainly to war, although we have too much of it already. That is because access to quality health care is poignantly inadequate in said provinces.

The infant morality rate for ARMM is 31 per 1,000 live births, compared with the national average of 24 per 1,000 live births. In the 2008 National Demographic and Health Survey, the highest level of under-five morality is observed in ARMM with 94 deaths per 1,000 live births. Only 31 percent of children received vaccination.

Knowledge-wise, high school graduate ratio and the basic education enrollment rate area still far from the national standard. Sulu has the lowest high school graduated ratio while Maguindanao posted the least basic enrollment rate is at just 75.2%.

Our region may have posted an increasing cohort survival rates in elementary and high school from 2001 up to 2008. Yet, the 44.8 cohort survival rates in elementary and high school still means that, more than one-half of those who enrolled in Grade 1 do not finish elementary, and also more than one-half those who enrolled in first year high school do not graduate at all in the secondary level.

It is no wonder then that we have a very big pool of unemployed labor which hardly meets industrial standards.

The standard of living in ARMM is also dismal, such that it has the lowest per capita income in the Philippines and remains the poorest region in the country. Our region is one of the most impoverished areas in the Philippines with the poverty incidence of 45 percent, with the provinces of Maguindanao and Sulu having the highest levels of poverty.

Over all, ARMM continued to register the lowest per capita GRDP index to the national average at 22.77 percent in 2008, contracting by 0.5 index points from 23.27 percent in 2007.

The Region’s growth rate slowed down from a growth of 5.4 percent in 2007 to 1.9 percent in 2008, ranking second only to the Cordillera Administrative Region.

In short, all five provinces of the ARMM are in in the bottom ten of the Human Development index, and probably for other measurements as well.

And yet, this is happening in spite of the God–given natural wealth we have,” Adiong continues.

“Madame Speaker and my distinguished colleagues, please consider this.

Just 200 kilometers northwest of Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi province, oil is already being explored by the Exxon Mobil Exploration and Production Philippines B.V. the said exploration block, or service contact 56 (SC 56), covers an area of 8,900 square kilometers.
The SC 56 consortium started drilling activities in the area in October last year at a cost of about $1 million per day and $100 million for its exploration well. This well, called Dabakan-1 is located just about 65 kilometers from Mapun Island, a municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi. The Department of Energy claims that said SC 56 may hold up to 750 million barrels of oil, which is equivalent to seven years’ worth of local crude supply for the Philippines.

And all we can do is to look at amazement while a precious, irreplaceable resource of the ARMM is being exploited by outsiders! We, the people of ARMM, stands to lose everything and everything and gain nothing out of this exploration! No doubt, the area of exploration is part of regional patrimony.

You may say that legally it’s beyond the control and supervision of the Regional Government. I am as equally aware as you are of the relevant provision in Republic Act NO. 9054, particularly Article XII, Section 5 thereof, and I quote:

“Use, Development of Mines, Minerals, and Other Natural Resources; Revenue Sharing; Exceptions. – (a) Regional Supervision and Control. The control and supervision over the Exploration, utilization, development, and protection of the mines And minerals and other natural resources within the autonomous region are hereby vested in the Regional Government in accordance with the Constitution and the pertinent provision of this Organic Act except for the strategic minerals such as uranium, petroleum, as well as national reserves and aquatic parks, forest and watershed reservations already delimited by authority of the central government or national government and those that may be defined by an Act of congress within one (1) year from the effectively of this Organic Act. (Unquote)”

But we don’t have to resign to this castrating provision of Republic Act No. 9054. For the same law has provided ways to amend or revise it or any part of it, Adiong disclosed.
Pertinent is SEC. 2, ARTICKE XVII (Amendments or Provisions) which states:

“The regional Assembly shall have the power to initiate proposals for amendment to or revisions of this Organic Act by a vote of three-fourths (3/4) of all its Members or it may call for a Regional Consultative Commission to propose the amendment or revision. In any case, the amendment or revision shall require the approval of the Congress of the Philippines by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate voting separately.”

Madame Speaker, my dear colleagues.

I propose that we in the Regional Legislative Assembly must initiate proposal for the amendment of said emasculating provision.

It is high time that we must have control and supervision of strategic minerals, on terms mutually acceptable and beneficial to the national government and the regional government.

Service contract 56, for whatever its operations may turn to, is already beyond our inference. All I can personally pray for is that the consortium behind the oil exploration would not pillage the exploration area.

But there are more strategic minerals in ARMM. Later on, these would catch the interest of foreigners, even as in the past few years these foreigners have already started exploring our lakes, marshes, mountains and seas for natural gas, minerals and oil.

For instance, Lake Lanao, the second largest freshwater body in the p2hilippines and was once consider one of the most biodiverse lakes in the world, supports the Maria Cristina hydroelectric pant, the largest source of hydroelectric power in the Mindanao.

But ironically, the people of Lanao del Sur are paying higher rates of electricity than other Mindanao areas despites providing the source of energy for the island.

Till now, the National Power Corporation and Department of Energy have not disclosed where really goes the electrification fund of 1 cent per kilowatt hour of electricity sales of NPC, as mandated by virtue of Energy regulation 1-94.

The DENR is also exploring the use Liguasan Marsh in Maguindano province as a primary source of natural gas in Mindanao and as a means to reduce the country’s oil imports from the petroleum-producing countries.

The intensions are good, and basically we do not oppose development projects.

But native inhabitants of these resources have rights to be protected and welfare to be secured. Their immediate communities must be first to reap the fruits of whatever commercial explorations will be made on their resources.

These resources are our birthright. It is given to us by Allah. No doubt, our people, whose miserable conditions I have described earlier, must be given preferential rights to explore, utilize, develop and benefit from such resources. Truly, the poverty of our people, particularly the people of Tawi-Tawi, can be alleviated if they have a share in such resources.

But aside from the potential revenues that these resources promise, there is also a lamentable condition on the present system by which we get our budget from the national government.

Annually, we feel like mendicants in the halls of Congress, made the hands that distribute manna from heaven.

We envy the local governments go over the Philippines. They enjoy automatic release of their internal revenue allotments without passing through the scrutiny of Congress. Their share increases proportionately with the audition of population, territory, local income, and even inflation.

We have experienced similar increases over the two-decade existence of ARMM, and yet we only got pittance of budgetary increase over said period.

The entire regional government is treated just like an ordinary government department. Budgetary ceilings are imposed from above, literally and figuratively.

All these in spite of the fiscal autonomy granted by RA 9054, which is straitened by same law by allowing us only six general sources of revenues!

No wonder then that, for a region of million historically-marginalized people, the P6 billion pesos that mostly go to personal services could never lift them up from the quagmire of poverty and perennial lack of fundamental government services.

Let us then not wait further for a repeat of this situation when we can do nothing while our natural resources are being used by outsiders, and our annual regional budget is do something about this.

In closing, and in reiteration therefore, I call for an amendment to SEC. 5, ARTICLE XII of REPUBLIC ACT NO 9054, to be worded in such a way that the Regional Government will have a measure of control and supervision over strategic minerals such as uranium, petroleum, and other fossil fuels, mineral oils, all sources of potential energy, as well as national reserves and aquatic parks, forest and watershed reservations already delimited by authority of the central government or national government and those that may HAVE BEEN defined by an Act of Congress within one (1) year from the effectively of the Organic Act.

Thank you, Madame Speaker.

(OZAMIZ CITY) Energy exec says coal power better choice than hydro

2010-03-05T21:59:00.001-08:00

ENERGY undersecretary Zamzamin Ampatuan is proposing for the development of more coal-based power to ensure year-round sufficiency of electricity supply in Mindanao.

Speaking in front of business and local government leaders in an energy forum last Thursday, Ampatuan said there are other alternative sources in the island aside from water, which recently has dwindled due to the dry spell.

The DOE information drive discussed the country’s energy outlook, the salient points of the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP), and an overview of nuclear technology applications in power generation.

Like the other residents of the second largest island of the country, the undersecretary comments that the situation of falling power generating capacity in Mindanao has always been the case every summer when the level of water sources of the hydropower plants are depleted.

The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines has earlier blamed the worsening decline in hydro-power generation for the large shortfall of generating capacity in Mindanao resulting to rotating brownouts since mid-January.

On Friday, power deficiency in the island reached 700 megawatts and only 751 MW is the available capacity for that period as against peak load demand of 1,451 MW.

Noting DOE’s 2008 Power Statistics which showed hydro-power comprising more than half of Mindanao’s electricity source in 2008, Ampatuan said: “We have the wrong (power generation) mix. (And yet) we did not plan to have alternative sources.”

Geothermal power contributes some 9.96 percent of the 7.97 million megawatt-hours of electricity produced in 2008 while oil-based power plants, principally diesel-fed, accounts for 16 percent. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

Coal thermal accounts for close to 19 percent, tripling its share in the power generation mix since it was available in 2006.

But in batting for coal, Ampatuan stressed the need for adopting clean coal technologies, the ones that will address key ecological and social acceptability issues, even urging his listeners to be amenable to the possibility of hosting a coal thermal power source.

By 2030, coal is seen to become the country’s primary source of power as outlined in the new PEP, followed by oil, natural gas, solar, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and nuclear power.

At present, Mindanao’s coal thermal power comes from STEAG State Power Development Corporation’s 210-MW plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, while two coal-fired plants in Saranggani and Sultan Kudarat are in the development pipeline.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

(PAGADIAN CITY) Policemen recover stolen motorcycles

2010-03-05T21:40:00.001-08:00

CITY policemen led by C/Insp. Michael Palermo recovered four stolen motorcycles and arrested three suspects during a series of operations in February, latest information from the city PNP station stated.

Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena commended Palermo and his men after receiving the report submitted by Palermo to the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office.

Police records narrated that on Feb. 3, traffic section policemen led by P/Insp. Jerry Labrador conducted a follow-up investigation in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental and recovered a black Honda XRM 125 with plate 4411-JJ owned by Asnodin Jally of Banale, this city.

Labrador and company also arrested the suspected carnappers of the Honda XRM, identified as Benjamin Abueg and Marcos Magsayo, both residents of Carmen Annex, Ozamiz City.

Another carnapped motorcycle was recovered by Labrador and company last Feb. 25 and the suspected theft arrested during the conduct of a checkpoint implementing the Comelec Gun Ban and tracking down of colorum vehicles.

Labrador and Police Inspectors Gaspas Gandiangan and Julwadi Edding identified the cornered suspect as Jose Vicente, a resident of Banale District, Pagadian.

Vicente was pointed to as the one who rode off with the Suzuki Raider of Letecia Mejos of Poblacion Lakewood last Feb. 11.

February 25, at 10:00 in the morning, policemen recovered during a follow up operation in Tuburan District the blue MC Honda XRM 110 owned by late SPO3 Jesus Ceballos Imperial, which was earlier reported missing. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

That afternoon, policemen again recovered a carnapped motorcycle at the vicinity of Benigno Aquino Street, San Jose District, a blue Honda wave 125 owned by Noel Maghanoy, who reported it missing.

Palermo told this paper that the recovery of the said motorcycles was through the cooperation of the owners who immediately reported the carnapping to the PNP office. He also mentioned the helpful information given by concerned citizens which led to the retrieval of the vehicles.

The police chief added that all those arrested are presently detained at the lock-up cell as charges of carnapping under RA 6539 were prepared against the suspects.

Records from the PNP traffic section disclosed that a total of 10 motorcycles were stolen during the first two months, mostly the Honda XRM type.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

(BUTUAN CITY) NZ envoy tells RP to study ACFTA well

2010-03-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

Claiming that trade policies affect a lot in the issue of peace and development, New Zealand Ambassador Andrew Matheson told ASEAN member countries, particularly the Philippines, to “give a closer look at ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).”

Matheson's unsolicited advice came with an explanation that New Zealand “studied and researched well” the Free Trade Agreement it signed with China in April 7, 2005.

New Zealand was the first country to sign a free trade agreement with China, dubbed New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement.

Matheson answered a question raised during a press conference here on what will be his unsolicited advice to ASEAN countries particularly the Philippines over scheduled enforcement of the framework ACFTA by this year

But unlike the Philippines, New Zealand has low unemployment rate and its GDP PPP in 2008 was $115,624 billion while its per capita income for the same year was among the highest in developing countries with $27,017.

Matheson claimed that everything worked well as of the moment in as far as the free agreement with China is concerned.

"Free trade agreements must anchored fully to the best of the national interests of both countries and I agree with you that trade policies affect much peace and development efforts of the Philippines as it affects daily lives of communities and all Filipino people", Matheson said.

For his part, Presidential Adviser for Mindanao Affairs Secretary Jesus Dureza, who was with the New Zealand Ambassador and UNDP Country Director Renaud Meyer at the press conference, claimed there is no way the Philippines can back out in the agreement by opening up trade or else the Philippines will be left behind.

Dureza, National Programme Director for GoP-UN Act for Peace Programme, accompanied Meyer in visiting three peace and developing communities in Caraga Region where projects funded by said program were on-going.

In November 2001, China and other ASEAN members composed of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, began negotiations to set up free trade. One year later, a framework agreement for the planned FTA was signed.

The FTA, a zero-tariff market of more than 1.7 billion people, has been targeted to come into force this year 2010 for the six original ASEAN members and in 2015 for the remaining four: Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Implementation of the framework agreement would occur in stages. For instance, an early harvest program covering trade in goods came into force in July 2005. Negotiations on a dispute settlement mechanism were finalized in 2004 for implementation in 2005.

Negotiations on trade in services were completed and an agreement signed in January 2007, for implementation in July 2007. The China-ASEAN investment agreement was to be signed at the ASEAN Summit in Thailand in December 2008.

Separately, China signed a bilateral FTA with Singapore on October 2008.

The public clamor for the Philippine Government to conduct massive information and education campaign on effects of ACFTA to ordinary Filipinos had been increasing.

Former Labor Usec. Susan Ople, in a press conference during her recent visit in Butuan City, claimed that the ACFTA is a more pressing issue Filipinos will face, saying its workers and trade unions must fully understand its implications in their incomes and livelihood.

“How can the Filipino workers compete with their ASEAN counterparts when they are not involved as stakeholders in policy discussions about its effect on labor?” Ople asked.

Ople said she expressed concern over lack of safety nets and safeguards to protect industries and sectors most vulnerable to the legal invasion of China-made products and services.

‘Because we are ill-prepared than our neighbors, the shredding of full employment-jobs continues with the onslaught of ACFTA,” she warned.

Ople claimed that lately Indonesia had called for deferment in the implementation of ACFTA in their country while Philippines remained silent on it until now.

Ople explained that under ACFTA, more than 7,000 zero tariff commodities like electronics, fishery products, agricultural produce, fruits, minerals, furniture and other goods will be traded.

She said that although the country ‘s preparation for ACFTA is already too late as compared to other ASEAN neighbors, “communicating to the people what it’s all about is far more important this time.”

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

(DAVAO CITY) DavOr capitol acting admin head retires, but not tired

2010-03-05T01:17:00.000-08:00

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(OROQUIETA CITY) Mindanao power coops call on PGMA to act on power crisis

2010-03-05T01:13:00.000-08:00

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(PAGADIAN CITY) Cab driver's son tops new batch of soldiers

2010-03-05T00:22:00.000-08:00

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A cab driver's son surpassed the odds and came on top of the batch of new soldiers of the 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division in Camp Cesar Sang-an, Labangan, this province.

Chief of Staff Richter Bejarin, who hails from North Cotabato, led other 194 new soldiers as No. 1 of his class with a total average of 89.61%. If he had been a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), he would have been called the top ‘mistah.’

Following Bejarin is CS Sabeniano Bercasio, with a total average of 89.25%, and the “Tarzan” of the class for having garnered the Physical Proficiency Award with an average of 94.04%. CS Mark Fel Daňos is third with an average of 88.37%.

Bejarin told journalists who covered the graduation ceremony last Monday, March 1, that he had his share of difficulties in applying, like the unusual assessments, theory tests and the physical trainings but he was determined to enter the military service to help his family.

He revealed that as the eldest, he wanted to pursue his studies and give his family get a better life. Bejarin’s father, Samuel, a multi-cab driver, likewise declared that he was proud of his son’s achievement.

Major General Romeo Lustestica, Tabak commander, said the 195 new soldiers finished the Jungle Warfare and Mountain Operations Course.

“Continue training yourselves para ma-improve pa ang performance. The 1st Infantry Division believes that you have what it takes to be in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Do not fail us,” Lustestica challenged the graduates.

“You have experienced going without sleep, without food, and have gone through the rigorous trainings and exercises. Those trainings will strengthen you as you go to the real combat field,” the Tabak official added.

Lustestica said he is confident that the skills and knowledge learned by the new soldiers, along with their discipline, professionalism and correct attitude will constitute to the accomplishments of the over-all mission of the command.

He then said that the 195 new soldiers will be dispatched to the different units as members of the squads to become more combat effective. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

During the graduation ceremony, an infantry squad demonstration, taekwondo exhibition, parade and review by the candidate soldiers was held after which certificates and awards were then distributed.

After the awarding, Division Adjutant Maj. Reynaldo Maligaya administered the mass oath taking of the new soldiers as regular members of the AFP with the rank of Private.

One of the soldiers, identified as CS Ever Sanchez, was enlisted as Corporal, being a LET passer.

Bejarin’s story bears a resemblance to that of Cadet First Class Erano Belen of Calindagan, Dumaguete City, this year’s top PMA graduate, who is a son of a tricycle driver and a beautician.

REPORT BY LEAH AGONOY

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Zambosur launches ZALIWAN

2010-03-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

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NCIP initiates advocacy on RA 8371 to IP stakeholders

2010-03-04T22:09:00.000-08:00

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Ilang-Ilang talks on Sammy’s charms

2010-03-04T22:01:00.000-08:00

“I wish him all the best and always put God in everything you do first. Remember that we are always here beside you—your family, your children, me your wife Mom Dicky and Dad, Mama Sinsuatkim, your sisters and brothers—we are always behind you to support you all the way.”

These were the words of wishes coming from First Lady Priscilla Ann Co to husband, Mayor Samuel “Sammy” Co, who will celebrate his birthday on March 10.

Turning 41 this Saturday, Mrs. Co, very well known as Ilang-Ilang, muses over the transformation of her husband from just being a down-to-earth businessman into one of the most-admired politician in Zamboanga del Sur.

“Politics made him a better person,” she said in an exclusive interview with Mindanao Monitor.

“Kaniadto samtang negosyo ra iyang giasikaso, morag sheltered ra iyang kinabuhi, naa ra siya sa usa ka lugar, wala siya na-expose of things outside their business,” adds Co.

“When he entered politics, akong nakita nga nahigmata siya sa mga panghitabo sa gawas sa ilang negosyo. Nakita niya ang kalisod sa mga tawo. Once he told me that kanang nagpuyo diay luyo sa atong balay pobre diay kayo?”

“I said yes,” she recalls, as she understood the comprehension her husband is getting from the lessons of politics.

Sammy’s education on politics however, is somewhat a cast-off from Ilang-Ilang herself, whose parents are thoroughbred public servants: former city prosecutor Baleleng and Dra. Dicky Fernandez who both served as members of the provincial board.

“Nagdako ko sa akong mga ginikanan nga nagpuyo nga anaa sa pamolitika ug kaming mga magsoon magkuyog-kuyog nila bisag asa moadto ilabina kung adunay mga rural health services ug barangay visitation.”

“Sammy’s life before he became mayor is different. While he was studying in Cebu, lahi iyang lifestyle mao nga wala siya maka-realize nga anaay mga tawo sa katilingban nga ubos kayo ug pamuyo,” Ilang-Ilang narrates.

“After his first time nga nakakuyog sa grupo nila ni former City Mayor Pajares who visited the urban poor, sa iyang pag-uli sa balay iya kong gi-estoryahan nga tinuod diay nga adunay pamilya nga usa ra ilang kwarto at the same time mao ra sad ang sala ug kusina.”

It was through that personal experience that Sammy saw the need to help other people who are unfortunate and living in a pitiable condition, Ilang-Ilang continues, “morag napukaw siya nga daghan diay ang angayan nga tabangan sa ilang kalisod.”

But it was not at all easy, the former flight stewardess said, as she doesn’t want her husband to enter politics. “Before I married him, I said to myself nga dili jud ko maminyo ug abogado kay mosulod ug politika.”

“Sa pagdagan niya ug konsehal kaming tanan wala mitabang niya pangam-panya. He came sixth place gumikan sa iyang pagpa-ningkamot ug akong nakita nga nalingaw kayo siya sa iyang gibuhat sa politika samtang ako nabiyaan sa among negosyo ug siya nagsige ug lakaw-lakaw sa iyang pagpamolitika.”

By next election, he became first councilor. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

“Siya ra gihapon ang naningkamot ug kampanya niadtong higayona.ug sa iyang pagkayano nga konsehal, daghan siya mga proyekto nga nahimo, nakapangayo siya ug mga project gikan nila ni Senators Loren Legarda ug ni Serge Osmeña. Mga proyekto niya mao ang mobile disco machine alang sa mga kabarangayan aron adunay sound system nga magamit sa panahon sa mga fiesta ug uban pang mga kalihokan.”

When Sammy ran for mayor, Ilang-Ilang said: “Ang iyang pamilya mitabang na tanan kay among nakita nga matinud-anon ug malipayon siya sa iyang pagserbisyo sa mga katawhan ug anaa siyay mga maayong plano sa pagpalambo sa Pagadian.”

“Kaming tanan misuporta niya with the promise nga dili niya pakaulawan ang pamilya Co and that he will deliver good service to the city. Both our parents lent their expertise in legal matters and I’m doing my part helping on beautification and cleanliness in the city,” the first lady recounts.

When it comes to public service, Sammy is a workaholic, working even until midnight. Did this persistent toil up till wee hours in the morning compete with family time?

“Kompetensya jud!” Ilang-Ilang remarks with a laugh. “Naay panahon malimtan na ta ug maglood-lood pod usahay. But maybe I have to look beyond myself because my husband is the mayor now and a lot is expected of him, so kung ang akoang gibati na lang pud ang palabihon dili maayo.”

Will you not tire out being a wife to the mayor? “No. I’m used to it pero kinahanglan dili pasobrahan nga dili na lang ta mahinumduman.”

REPRINTED FROM THE PHILIPPINE PREVIEW, March 10, 2007

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Anatomy of the Mindanao Power Crisis

2010-03-04T02:30:00.000-08:00

Anatomy of the Mindanao Power Crisis
REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

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Is Pagadian ready for another tsunami?

2010-03-04T02:13:00.000-08:00

THE danger of an earthquake and tsunami has been inculcated in the minds of city residents especially the importance of having a culture of preparedness and readiness in times of disaster but is Pagadian City really at all times ready?

Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) training officer Angelito Casinillo said the city can weather out another big earthquake and tsunami as the city has a prepared contingency plan.

Aside from this, Casinillo added that the city had a history of the disaster that happened a few years back and stories passed on by the survivors to the present generation helped kept everybody watchful.

The deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit Chile, Japan and the shores of Russia last week brought to mind the preparedness of the tsunami dealt populated areas in the country—including Pagadian City.

A day after the big quake, the Pacific Tsunami warning was issued to 53 nations and territories but later was lifted, though the National Disaster Coordinating Council said the country should not put down its alertness as a precaution.

Casinillo briefed this paper that the Mindanao Fault, the Davao, Cotabato and Sulu trenches and the inactive Mt. Malindang within both Zamboanga del Sur and Misamis Occidental provinces are the considerations of the city’s earthquake and tsunami contingency plan.

Scientists have said that the Mindanao fault line could trigger earthquakes up to magnitude 8, which recently have become more frequent since last year.

Casinillo recalled the Aug. 16, 1976 earthquake when the Mindanao Fault moved violently and triggered an Intensity 7.2 quake and a tsunami that destroyed several areas in Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Mindanao and killed between up to 5,000 people.

In times of disaster, there are little or no warning and much confusion about the impending waves so it is better that residents anticipate, he said.

But Casinillo disclosed the contingency plan; dated June 2005 and formulated by the Pagadian City Disaster Coordinating Council, needs to be updated since the figures then were just conservative estimates.

He added that the projected needs and activities contained in the contingency plan including the resource inventory assessment, relief and rehabilitation, the number of population likely to be affected, manpower, search and rescue operations and equipments needs to be adjusted to the present times.

The copy given by the OCD official to this paper estimated only P979,690 for the total projected needs and another P1,701,380 for the rehab phase. Casinillo notes this needs review and revision.

He narrated that some of the resource assessment inventory needs to be supplemented like the number of rubber boats and speed boats on standby.

The contingency plan has listed only two speed boats, 3 fishing boats, 12 MPBs, 15 passenger pump boats, 2 fast crafts and ten each for life jackets, hand-held and marine band radios.

For the projected needs in gears, apparatus, supplies, communication facilities, equipments and budget, the contingency plan also listed a slight gap in the number needed to be purchased.

RA 8185 mandates local governments to formulate a calamity disaster preparedness plan and carry out emergency measures and relief operations in times of catastrophe. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

November, last year, senior councilor Romeo Tan passed a resolution calling the City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) to convene “as soon as possible in order to take the necessary measures, planning and arrangements.”

Tan’s call was in the wake of the onslaught of Ondoy and Pepeng as he said “Pagadian City must anticipate our actions and be well-equipped, just in case a similar calamity strikes.”

The councilor’s resolution likewise included the collaboration of the City Council’s Committee on Human Rights and Urban/Rural Poor and the Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council of this city’s coastal areas.

Once assembled, the group will try to assess and evaluate the state or condition of particular places in the regional center in relation to any possible calamity or catastrophe that might hit the city and determine or identify possible relocation and evacuation sites, the councilor said.

Tan specifically identified the villages of Tawagan Sur, Muricay, White Beach, Kawit, San Pedro, Santiago, Sta. Lucia, Dumagoc, Napolan, Bomba and Poloyagan as the places exposed to such danger.

“Given the prevailing circumstances and in consideration of the fact that there is no substitute for being prepared of any eventually, this body finds it more prudent to convene the CDCC in collaboration with other concerned agencies purposely to monitor and evaluate the condition, state of the city’s coastal areas,” Tan concluded.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk

Adiong worries more on ghost voters, not on private armies

2010-03-02T21:52:00.000-08:00

WAO, LANAO DEL SUR—Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. said he is more concerned with the upcoming elections in his province being marred by ghost voters, not by private armies.

Adiong’s sentiments came in the light of the revelation by retired Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz who said that Comelec’s list of voters has been padded to over five million with the names of the dead, convicted and living Filipinos mixed together.

Early this week, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) discovered the existence of double and multiple registrants in the voters list for Davao City and Davao del Sur.

In commenting on the issue, NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda said the discovery of the ghost voters in Region 11 "comes too close to a power shortage that has not only slowed down business operations in the region but also threatens to disrupt automated elections."

“An alarming pattern suggesting attempts to rig the elections is emerging in Mindanao. The Comelec should take quick and strong steps to prevent it. Is this just political incompetence or political fraud on the part of the administration?” Legarda asked.

Adiong, a Lakas-Kampi stalwart in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) said padding a voters’ roll mocks the integrity of the elections and undermines the electoral process the most.

He said that the padding may be a result of those who purposely registered twice or more, or non-ARMM residents who register in the province as voters or even minors who became listed as voters, and assumed names which could be non-existent individuals listed as voters.

The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism once reported that one of the worst cases of vote-padding and shaving, also called "dagdag-bawas," in the May 10, 2004 elections took place in Lanao del Sur.

“It is highly likely the padded lists contain the names of dead people too, as has become familiar as a joke about our elections here,” Adiong pointed out, as he recalled past elections in his locality where non-qualified voters and the dead were able to vote.

Adiong claimed that during the 2007 mid-term polls, thousands of non-Maranaos were hauled from as far as Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities and voted in precincts across the province.

The Comelec in ARMM has placed the current figure of registered voters to 500,000 but Adiong says the information may be uncertain as per his estimate; it could only be close to 350,000.

He lamented the inaction then of the Senate and the Comelec when he proposed after the 2007 polls that a general registration be done throughout ARMM. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

On the private army issue, Adiong said he only has limited police security escorts while the rest of those keeping him company in his travels are his “unarmed relatives who just want to protect me by their mere presence.”

He stressed that he needs no elaborate security cordon because he and his family have no enemies and that the ones who need armed men to protect them are those who are afraid of retaliatory attacks from their adversaries.

Abdullah Dalidig, chair of the Islamic Movement for Electoral Reform and Good Government (IMERGG), said even without an electoral exercise, these armed groups abound and their convenience is taken advantage by politicians to gain votes.

Last week, Lanao del Sur candidates and local politicians led by Adiong, signed a covenant declaring their commitment to an honest, orderly, and peaceful conduct of the May 10 polls.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Power crisis in Mindanao worsens

2010-03-02T20:13:00.000-08:00

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Peace talks to open anew this Thursday

2010-03-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Zamboanga del Sur Peace Covenant signed last Feb. 8, 2010

2010-03-01T01:21:00.000-08:00

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

WE, CANDIDATES for the different positions in the Province of Zamboanga del Sur, in our quest for a Clean, Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections, of our own free will and accord, in the presence of the Almighty God and hit multitude of witnesses, do hereby agree and covenant as we hereby promise and swear:

The we shall abide by the constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, Election Laws and COMELEC Rules and Regulations governing the conduct of the May 10, 2010 National and Local Automated Elections;

That we shall not employ or sanction the use of force, threat and intimidations by our supporters to secure victory, neither shall we countenance the use and employment thereof by any other person;

That we shall protect human rights, putting an end to political killings and unresolved human rights violations;

That we shall conduct our campaign and actions based on the highest set of moral values, worthy of emulation and perfect example to everyone; and,

That we shall put people at the heart of our politics, principles over patronage and have a common sense of purpose as befit public serants who shall listen and act on the cry of the most vulnerable inn our society, all for the greater glory of God Almighty.

To all these, we most sincerely promise and swear, with steady purpose to perform all the terms and conditions of this covenant, without any mental reservation, equibocation and purpose of evasion. And, with God’s blessing and charge, we hereby sign this Peace Covenant this 8th day of February, 2010 at the Amusement and Events
Center, Capitol Compound, Pagadian City

Signed by:
ANTONIO H. CERILLES
ROSELLER L. ARIOSA
JUAN C. REGALA
DOMINGO V. MIRRAR
AURORA E. CERILLES
VICTOR J. YU
TIRSENDO C. POLOYAPOY
ROMEO G. VERA CRUZ
RAMON O. BLANCIA
PEPITO B. DEGAMO
FLAVIANO R. FUCOY JR
ERNESTO A. MONDARTE
ROGELIO J. SANIEL
WILFREDO R. ASOY, SR.
VICENTE P. CAJETA
MIGUELITO T. OCAPAN
EDWARD B. PINTAK
ERIBERTO A. SUMALINOG
CESAR C. DACAL – LP
MARIO S. FERMINDOZA
HOPE A. FLORENDO
MA. DINAH B. MARASIGAN
ROMULO V. LUMO
ANDRES T. NACILLA
EMERCINDO M. FULLO

www.micmedina.tk

Dry spell affecting fruits, vegetables too

2010-03-01T01:13:00.000-08:00

FRUITS and vegetables in Zamboanga del Sur benefited from the rains but the El Niño is making a payback, taking its toll on high value crops and season fruits as well.

In an interview with Candelario Quicoy Jr, manager of the Pagadian City Bagsakan Center, said farmers and growers need help in coping with the impact of the dry spell as it affected vegetables and fruits, especially mangoes.

Mangoes in the Bagsakan area come from Dumalinao, Guipos and Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental. These days, supply is scarce, said Quicoy.

But watermelons and Chinese melons are in abundance, he added, as these come in large quantities from Tukuran and Bokong, Labangan and Lanao provinces. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

Truckloads of watermelons arrive at the Bagsakan every Saturday and are even if purchased in bulk by buyers from Margosatubig, Buug, Malangas and Oroquieta City, more are still available.

Vegetables, on the other hand, like the lowly eggplant, come from Tukuran these days, where irrigated water is plentiful, a grower told this paper.

She said that other growers from the hinterland areas and even those from Sitio Nazareth in Buenavista have stopped growing eggplants because it takes water pump to irrigate them and they still grow small and sell costly.

Quicoy assures that aside from Josefina and Osmeña in Zamboanga del Norte, the bulk of vegetables the Bagsakan put on the market are from Don Victoriano in Misamis Occidental, which is barely affected by the dry spell. The prices of these vegetables are still the same, he said.

The Bagsakan Center in Sta. Lucia sells vegetables, root crops, fruits and spices. Other products like fresh fish and dried fish are also being sold near its vicinity.

The building was provided by the Department of Agriculture and is operated by the City Government managed by the City Agriculture Office. The Bagsakan averages some P90,000 in monthly income.

The El Niño phenomenon, which has caused below average rainfall for the past five months, is expected to peak sometime at the end of March.

REPORT & PHOTO BY REMAI ALEJADO

www.micmedina.tk

Sibugay farmers finish radio course on goat production

2010-03-01T00:40:00.000-08:00

ZAMBOANGA Sibugay will soon become a goat raising realm once the graduates of the University on-the-air (UOA) on goat production will put into practice their six months course learned over the radio.

DA regional executive director Oscar Parawan and Livestock Development Council executive director Felix Valenzuela share this mental picture during the graduation held, Feb. 25, at the Provincial Capitol.

Leo Galicia of the Livestock Division represented the DA chief while WESMIARC Chief Francisco Geromo stood in behalf of Valenzuela.

Some 490 UOA graduates on goat production and another 397 farmers enrolled in Farmers Field School (FFS) on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for rice and corn graduated that day. They came from 11 towns of this province.

Parawan, in his message, said he is optimistic the province will create a distinction in the Annual Search for the Gawad Saka with one of the participants hopefully coming out as an outstanding small animal raiser.

The DA official added that Zamboanga Sibugay is the first province in the country which established a Community Animal Health Volunteers (CAHV), a network of people who are trained to recognize and report clinical signs of fatal diseases in farm animals.

Valenzuela’s message also challenged the graduates to persevere since nothing can go wrong in raising small ruminants when one is equipped with the basic knowledge and familiarity. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

He elaborated that goat-raising is an emerging business alternative to livestock raisers and farmers with big potentials for export because of its increasing popular demand in meat, milk potential and by-products.

Goat meat from younger animals is called kid or cabrito and from older animals is called chevon, sold in the market per kilo at which price is higher than that of chicken, pork or beef.

The DA-9 and the Provincial Government embarked on UOA for farmers to receive basic knowledge in sustainable goat production, feeding, reproduction, health, marketing and profitability.

The UOA broadcasts on weekdays at 5:00 in the morning over DxKT-FM and the program, called “Kambingan sa Kahanginan,” is presented by veterinarian Efren Davin and agriculturist Rex Lagasca.

A regular program of DA’s information division offering courses to farmers for free, a particular UOA season depends on prevalent needs of farmers in a certain locality.

UOA top 10 graduates are Josephine Lumabog, Flordeliza Matavia, Josephine Apawan, Billy Jorgio and Mary Grace Samillano, all from Naga; Helen Santos of Ipil, Lorena Valdez of Alicia, Rosebelle Ladiero of Titay, Evelyn Bajo and Evelia Bernaldez.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO DA-9

www.micmedina.tk

Napocor reactivates Iligan power plant

2010-02-28T23:54:00.000-08:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Iligan Diesel Power Plant (IDPP) has been reactivated after being shut down for two weeks because of the high cost of keeping it in operation.

Pedro Ambos, division manager for generation and performance of the National Power Corporation (Napocor)’s Mindanao Generation unit, said the power firm has decided to activate the 35-megawatt power plant to help ease power generation deficiency in Mindanao.

The IDPP, located in Dalipuga, Iligan City, was shut down early February as if in step with the declining capability of its hydroelectric plants because of the low level in water sources in the island.

Ambos has stated in an earlier report that the IDPP was ordered shut down by Napocor because of the huge cost of operating it, estimated at P60 million a month.

March 1, the IDPP is only running at 30 MW to back-up the expected deficiency of 390 MW for the entire day as advised by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

NGCP has observed that the capacity of both Agus and Pulangi hydro-electric power plants have reduced to as much as 60 to 80 percent because of El Niño drying up the water to run its turbines.

And it’s getting worse every day, Ambos observed, as he disclosed that water level in Lake Lanao is at 699.07 meters, already below the critical point of 699.15 meters.

At this critical level, Ambos said Napocor will order a total shut down of the plants to keep these from being destroyed.

Also complicating the deteriorating power situation in Mindanao is the non-availability of Power Barges 117 and 118, which has a capacity of 100 MW each. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

PB 117 is moored along Nasipit Bay in Agusan del Norte while 118 is presently in Maco, Compostela Valley undergoing rehabilitation.

The two power barges are now owned by Aboitiz Power Corp. and NGCP said Napocor no longer have discretion over when to have it on-stream in the Mindanao grid.

It was learned that the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation plans to privatize six of its power plants this year, which includes IDPP I and IDPP II, another 54 MW hydro power plant which is not functioning since 2007.

At present, Mindanao is in the grip of a power crisis, crippling industry and commerce with its daily rotational brownouts of 8 to 12 hours as the government is also in quandary as to taking the needed immediate solution.

This expected energy crisis is already raising fears that the country’s first fully-automated May elections may be disrupted.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Eco groups want DENR to rush probe on Claveria logging

2010-02-26T23:12:00.001-08:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Environment groups in Misamis Oriental are urging the environment and natural resources department to get a move on its probe on the logging operation of Southwood Timber Corporation (STC).

According to Carl Cesar Rebuta, Cagayan de Oro team leader of the non-government Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center–Kasama sa Kalikasan (LRC-KsK), then DENR Sec. Eleazar Quinto promised the investigation of STC’s logging operations in light of the opposition expressed by various groups on the activities of STC.

Rebuta even recalled a letter signed by Quinto dated Feb. 10, which ordered a probe on STC by an independent team composed of forestry and environmental science experts outside of the agency to be commissioned by the DENR for an “impartiality and transparency in the resolution of the STC case.”

The DENR has said it expects the STC case to test a scheme it has formulated December last year on how to rid its list of errant holders of forest lease contracts.

Rebuta said that amid widespread protests to its operation, the STC, which operates in the hinterlands of Claveria town and parts of Gingoog City, appear undaunted and even stepped up its tree-cutting activities.

Apart from environment groups, the STC operation is also facing stiff opposition from the Catholic diocese, the Higaonon tribe in the area, and the local government of Gingoog.

In a petition signed by some 25,000 people in Gingoog City and neighboring towns in Misamis Oriental, the groups called for the cancellation of STC’s Industrial Forest Management Agreement (IFMA).

The DENR earlier notes that STC was accused of harvesting old-growth trees from identified protection forest inside the firm’s concession area of 11,475.8 hectares that straddles across parts of Gingoog City and Claveria town.

Based on existing forestry policy, trees in 1,000-meter above-sea-level elevations automatically form part of protection forests hence prohibited from being harvested together with those in watershed areas.

The DENR added that STC’s 25-year lease contract provides that it adopts selective logging in harvesting of the mature and over-mature naturally growing trees within the IFMA area.

But beyond this supposedly technical violation, Rebuta said they are questioning the validity of the IFMA award to STC dated May 23, 2008. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

Contrary to what was made known to the DENR, Rebuta said that records of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) showed that the STC IFMA does not enjoy the consent of the indigenous people’s community in the area.

Some 8,000 hectares of the IFMA concession of STC lie within the ancestral domain of the Minalwang Higaonon Tribal Council (MIHITRICO) located in Minalwang, Claveria and covering over 18,000 hectares.

The MIHITRICO was granted the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) by the NCIP last Oct. 9, 2008 and was finally awarded Nov. 19, 2009. But since 2000, the tribe already held a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) covering the same area.

“This shows that the logging permit issued to STC is invalid, and that their existing operation in Barangay Minalwang is illegal and that since January 2007, MIHITRICO have already opposed the proposed project,” stressed Rebuta.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Eco groups want DENR to rush probe on Claveria logging

2010-02-26T23:12:00.000-08:00

EC’s new funding for Mindanao evacuees

2010-02-26T22:56:00.001-08:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The European Commission (EC) is ready to pour in new subsidies for the continuing humanitarian aid efforts for evacuees in Mindanao, the European Union (EU) delegation to the Philippines announced Thursday.

The EU delegation added that the amount of 5 million Euros (about P330 million), was part of the agreed humanitarian assistance decisions taken by the EC in recent weeks that included aid packages for Haiti earthquake victims as well as Afghanistan and Burmese refugees in Thailand.

The EU said the new funding will be monitored closely and carried out principally in Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Lanao provinces.

This will cover activities related to food and nutritional surveillance, including feeding programs for children, water and sanitation, shelter, protection, basic health care, and psycho-social activities for displaced children.

The EC observed that more than 100,000 people continue to languish in very difficult conditions in evacuation centers, at relocation sites or with host families since mid-2008 even as hostilities have already ceased middle of last year.

“Humanitarian aid is crucial in saving lives and alleviating suffering until longer term solutions are found,” Kristalina Georgieva, European commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response said.

EU Ambassador to the Philippines Alistair MacDonald, said the financial assistance is a reaffirmation of the EU's long-standing commitment to help alleviate the plight of victims of man-made or natural disasters, whether in Mindanao or in Manila. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

MacDonald added that the EC funding will also help the evacuees start over a new life as they return home and re-establish their livelihoods as other international organizations and NGOs, the Red Cross, and specialized United Nations agencies will coordinate.

With the new grant, total EC assistance for Mindanao evacuees now stands at some P1.13 billion. Last year, the EU community provided an equivalent of P1.26 billion as humanitarian assistance to the country in the wake of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

Apart from supporting the needs of evacuees in Mindanao, the EC program in the Philippines includes disaster preparedness, basic health services delivery, the Mindanao Trust Fund for community-based grassroots development, and peace-building.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

EC’s new funding for Mindanao evacuees

2010-02-26T22:56:00.000-08:00

Ozamiznon presidentiable still hopeful of bid

2010-02-26T21:12:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Why would the Commission on Elections (Comelec) get rid of a presidential wanna-be whose lineage is of heroes, leaders and even a relative of the second most powerful man in the Philippines?

Jose Isabelo “Sonny” Leuterio, who claimed he is a “true-blooded Ozamiznon” and known among the populace as a contender in every election, uttered his dismay on why the poll body junked his candidacy for being a nuisance bet.

But he said in an interview over the radio that he has not given up on his presidential aspiration and expects his name to be finally included as the tenth in the official list of presidential candidates in due time, putting his hope upon the intercession of Vice-president Noli de Castro, whom he claims is his cousin.

Comelec Resolution No. 8678 defines a nuisance candidate as one who “put(s) the election process in mockery or disrepute,” “cause(s) confusion among the voters by the similarity of names of registered candidates,” or one who “has no bona fide intention to run for the office.”

An engineer, Leuterio said that, if he wins the presidency, he will build a cable car transport system linking Ozamiz and the nearby Sinacaban, the home of the well-known Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park, some 20 kilometers away.

Claiming that he is the presidential bet of the Beta Epsilon Sigma, a fraternity and sorority foundation of engineers, he also promised to construct a light railway transport system between Ozamiz and Tangub cities.

However, Leuterio reveals that all these will come to pass after he wins his crucial and legal battle to reverse Comelec’s ruling declaring him a nuisance bet. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

Presently, the Comelec only approved nine official presidential bets out of the 99 who filed their certificates of candidacy.

Leuterio, who has a brother living in Hawaii and is said to be a close friend of the Marcoses during their exile there, is famous in the locality for his one-on-one solicitation of votes, shaking hands with anybody he meet whether in homes, public market or in the streets.

He was chanced by reporters the other day when he visited the office of a local radio station to inquire about rates for advertising his political propaganda, bringing with him a short-sized bond paper that contains his and de Castro’s picture and the contact numbers of his campaign offices in Manila, Cebu, and Ozamiz.

He asked to be interviewed over the radio to clarify some issues relating to his presidential bid, saying that as Lord Chancellor of the Beta Epsilon Sigma Fraternity and Sorority, he has the following of some 20 million members in 5,000 chapters in almost all universities and colleges in the country.

Seemingly banking on this strength, Leuterio said the Comelec cannot deny his high chances of winning.

Leuterio said he had been running for several posts in past elections, then as assemblyman , representative, for vice-president in the 1998 general elections and as city councilor in 2004.

Earlier, last December, the Comelec said they have a “record breaker” full list of 277 aspirants for national posts who have filed their COCs, composed of 99 for president, 20 for vice president and 158 for senator.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Ozamiznon presidentiable still hopeful of bid

2010-02-26T21:12:00.000-08:00

Zamsureco loses P2.5-M from brownouts

2010-02-25T21:43:00.001-08:00

THE Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative (Zamsureco-I) said it reels from the continued power curtailment brought about by El Niño, an abnormal weather pattern that triggers severe drought.

Anastacio Autor, Zamsureco-I technical service manager, said in an interview, that although the electric cooperative lives with the present electricity challenge as a natural occurrence, it also had to deal with the negative economic implications brought by the continued brownouts.

Autor disclosed that from Feb. 1 to 23, a total of 178.81 megawatts, which is equivalent to 357.66 hours or a total of 421,259.50 kilowatt hours were lost by Zamsureco.

This kilowatt hours lost by Zamsureco when converted in monetary terms will total to more or less P2.5-million, depending on how much the rates National Power Corporation will charge or adjust to the electric cooperative, also said Charina Arabijo, Zamsureco finance manager.

In 2006, during the widespread brownouts attributed to huge demand for electricity and antiquity of power plants in the country, Zamsureco incurred a total loss of about P5-million, added Arabijo.

The entire coverage of Zamsureco-I has a total capacity load of 15 to 16 MW and at present is allocating less than half of its total load following the implementation of power curtailment imposed by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

So far, only Mindanao is suffering from serious power shortage as a result of a dry spell, raising fears that this could put at risk the coming automated elections in May.

But small businesses in Pagadian, those who depend entirely on electricity, do not care of the May elections at the moment, saying the worsening power situation is killing them softly, reducing their income to more or less 50 percent.

“Sa una maka-gross ko ug P1,200 ang adlaw unya maka net income na ko ug P500, pero karon P250 to P300 na lang akong mahimo gumikan sa brown out,” Jun Acot, who sells ice candy and ice water for a living, said. News grabbed from www.micmedina.tk

“We used to produce 600 gallons a day but now we can only produce 200 to 300 gallons at P50 per gallon,” likewise said Bobby Soriano, owner of Crystal Clear water refilling Station.

Soriano said he has contemplated of buying a generator to boost their power supply needs but aside from the high gas price, he said that water supply is also a problem since the water district relies mainly on Zamsureco to pump water from its springs.

Last week, the Pagadian City Water District (PCWD) declared the dry spell also affected water supply in their spring sources in Danlugan and Manga.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

Zamsureco loses P2.5-M from brownouts

2010-02-25T21:43:00.000-08:00

Gibo side trips in Zambosur

2010-02-25T01:38:00.001-08:00

(FILE PHOTO CONTRIBUTED)

ADMINISTRATION standard bearer former Defense Sec. Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. made a stopover in Zamboanga del Sur, Feb. 24, and led a forum held inside the Amusement and Events Center, Provincial Capitol Compound, Pagadian City.

Provincial officials headed by Gov. Aurora Cerilles, Representatives Antonio Cerilles and Victor Yu, Mayor Samuel Co and LMP President Mayor Ace William Cerilles welcomed Teodoro and party.

Also, Capitol workers, the academe and members of the Katipunan ng Guardians Brotherhood (KGB) and Junior Chamber International Inc. (Jaycees) flocked to the venue to hear and see Teodoro articulate on his platforms.

The Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet said that he will see to it that the P400-million Zamboanga del Sur Coastal Road, one of the vital road infrastructure projects of Pres. Gloria Arroyo, will be given priority once he is elected.

The said coastal road project has been proposed for implementation under the Rural Road Network Development Project Mindanao sections to strategically integrate poor coastal towns to the overall regional development and ease the burden of traders in transporting agricultural and marine products throughout Zamboanga Peninsula region.

“We will use Zamboanga del Sur and Pagadian City as an example of synergy–driven progress,” Teodoro promised.

He then laid out his platforms on education, health and food security, including the introduction and implementation of an education road map; complete PhilHealth coverage among indigents and promote agricultural development in the countryside.

Teodoro said that he will prioritize wide-ranging reforms in public health care that would provide Filipinos inexpensive medical coverage, saying PhilHealth is already providing this “but it needs an infusion of additional funds and resources to expand the coverage of medical benefits.”

“Everything should be given attention and solution. Sa dami ng problema ng Pilipinas, kailangan sabay-sabay na tugunan,” he said, as he stressed another thing, that is “genuine national unity and reconciliation,” as one action that is desirable after the May elections.

He added that he too, is anxious about the first ever automated elections. “Like everything new, I’m quite scared. [With] several experiences with computerization, it takes several months or years to iron out the bugs. February pa lang ma-deliver ang machines, May na ang eleksyon. Dapat last year pa lang na-testing na yan,” he said.

With regard to his poor ratings in surveys, Teodoro brushed this aside saying other presidentiables like Manny Villar and Noynoy Aquino may be leading but this doesn’t reflect the choice of the people.

“Maaring leading sila, pero sa init ng pagtanggap ninyo sa akin, wala na yan. Manalo na sila sa survey, basta manalo lang ako sa eleksyon. Kanila na ang survey,” he quipped.

Teodoro then left in a hurry to catch an appointment in Cebu City as Rey Langit, Philip Salvador and the campaign staff of Raul Lambino, Ramon Guico and Bebot Bello—all senatorial candidates—arrived shortly after the former defense chief left.

REPORT FROM ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

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Gibo side trips in Zambosur

2010-02-25T01:38:00.000-08:00

(FILE PHOTO CONTRIBUTED)

No place safe from nothing cheap

2010-02-24T22:31:00.001-08:00

There’s nothing cheap anymore, even rice, our staple food, that poor families living on the edge may soon be forced to cut down on the quantity and quality of food they are consuming.

A study conducted by United Nations’ International Finance for Agriculture Development called “Soaring Food Prices and the Rural Poor,” states the existent sting on the rising cost of food to those living in rural areas. Based on that study, it was learned that almost all developing countries food prices have increased during 2007 and early 2008, and have more than doubled, and what’s bad, there have been absolute scarcities of foods available in local markets. The Food and Agricultural Organization has warned that 37 countries presently face food crisis.

This is serious. Poor Juan, who can hardly eat a square meal a day, may be made to survive further by reducing his food intake while rich politician Jose is making gains with his rackets.

And as what has been seen at present may have to extend until 2011, so the reports said, since our country may not be able to cut rice imports in the next three years as it cannot expect to reach self-sufficiency in rice.

Here, we can see clearly where the government failed. Had the Arroyo administration worked for the implementation of the agriculture and fisheries modernization program, which could have provided an annual P20 billion earnings for concerned sectors, our country could have been self-sufficient by now. But instead on looking after the welfare of its people, the government concentrated on other priorities, er politics.

Somebody asked, “What will one do to get a handful of rice?” Probably everything, including thievery and murder. Evidently, if this problem continues to linger, children will suffer most, especially when there will be food shortages and heaven forbid, war.

EDITORIAL

www.micmedina.tk

No place safe from nothing cheap

2010-02-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

Remembering the heroes of the Daima Tragedy

2010-02-24T22:08:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Aside from its innumerable survivors, the February 25, 2000 tragedy gave birth to a dozen of acclaimed but forgotten heroes.

Among the list of those who unselfishly put their lives and limbs on the line to save others is a modest college student, who still learns to forget the bitter memories of that fateful Friday afternoon five years ago.

Ronald Milo Villasis, 20 years old and a resident of Baybay Triunfo, Ozamiz City, recalls how he became in an instant a man of distinguished valor by saving the lives of several passengers from the burning M/V Our Lady of Mediatrix barge of Daima Shipping.

Villasis saved three women and a man on the verge of drowning after they jumped from the so-called “Floating Inferno.”

A working student-helper of the port police of Philippine Ports Authority, Villasis, then 15-year old high school student of Ozamiz City National High School, received a plaque of commendation from the head office of the PPA for his heroic act.

In handing out the commendation, then PPA General Manager Juan Peña, Northern Mindanao District Port Manager Ernesto Fernando, Acting General Manager for Operations Benjamin Cecilio and Ozamiz Port Manager Necitas Layola Jr. complimented the young man’s “presence of mind, heroism, bravery and unselfishness, all of which are “models for all of us to follow.”

“The men and women whose lives you saved that day, their families and friends will forever be grateful to you,” the commendation reads.

A BELLOW OF GLOOM

What could have been a peaceful afternoon at Ozamiz port suddenly turned to feeble cries for help when at 4:00 o’clock, while the Our Lady of Mediatrix was moving closer to dock from its 15-minute trip from Mukas, Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte, a deafening blast roared, recalls acting port chief Hernando Hallares.

Hallares recounts the tragedy in his article entitled “The valiant acts of those who dared” which was published in the April-June 2000 issue of Port News, the PPA’s quarterly publication.

The PPA chief also acknowledged Wellie Melmao, PMO-Ozamiz contract worker who saved six victims, including a four-year old girl, and retrieved the lifeless bodies of an infant, a six-year old girl and a woman.

“There could have been more lives lost if not for the quick response of Melmao and Villasis. Without regard of their own safety, they braved the disaster area saving other people,” Hallares wrote.

He commended Villasis and Melmao as brave and exceptional workers.

“Though many grieved on that fateful day, what is consoling was the fast rescue of more than a hundred passengers through the valiant acts of a few who dared put their lives in danger to save others,” Hallares wrote.

SPRING TO ACTION

An explosion from a Super 5 Express bus, one of the 13 vehicles aboard the barge, quickly set the vehicle on fire which startled the passengers who dashed in all directions for safety.

A minute later, another incendiary bomb exploded in another Super 5 bus, creating a holocaust of flames and heavy smoke inside the ferry and causing panicked passengers, even those who do not know how to swim, to jump overboard.

Others died of drowning, while a number of scarred and injured survivors were fished out of the water and brought to the hospitals by good-hearted civilians who helped in the rescue operations.

Villasis recalls he was doing siesta at the PPA quarters when he heard the commotion outside.

“Pagkakita nako sa barge nga gakalayo, midagan dayon ko ug mitan-aw. Naay usa ka baye nga naglugos ug langoy ug nangayo nakog tabang, maong nilukso ko ug ako siyang giguyod padaplin,” he said.

Villasis’ brush with death came when the second woman he helped grabbed and stuck to him tightly. A good diver, he slipped from the woman by swimming deeper. When he came back, he calmed her down and saved her.

“Ayaw kog guniti, di tika maluwas ana,” he recalls having scolded the woman.

THE HERO IS A SURVIVOR TOO

A survivor himself, Ronald grew up in the care of his grandmother. The third of the five siblings, he started earning money at an early age as a shoeshine boy inside the port.

Then PPA-Ozamiz port police chief Bert Alferez took the skinny boy to do the daily errands for them. This and his frequent hanging out in the port police office became his ticket in getting his job.

Presently a third year Bachelor of Science in Criminology student at Misamis University, Villasis claims then vice-governor and now governor Loreto Leo Ocampos promised - in addition to the commendation he received from the PPA - to shoulder his college education by making him a scholar.

But the promise remains a promise five long years after the tragedy. Jokingly, during the interview with this paper, he quipped that he has survived that long holding on to Ocampos’ promise.

“I hope the promise will be fulfilled before I graduate,” Villasis said. For him, free tuition fees would at least help him “stay afloat” and “swim through” the rudimentary of schooling in the great sea of life.

HEROES LEAGUE

Bam Cuartero, in his essay published on Tinig ng Marino Internet edition May-June 2000 issue, narrated the heroic acts of Capt. Rene Maglasang, founder and leader of the Project Alpha of Misamis Institute of Technology (MIT) as he and his men assisted the rescue operation conducted by the PPA, Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority.

“While people started to gather ashore and stare hopelessly at the burning barge and its helpless passengers and crew, Maglasang had something ‘burning in his mind,” writes Cuartero. “Like a true man of the sea, Maglasang readily set the members of MIT Project Alpha to respond to an emergency that is slowly turning into one big sea tragedy.”

Equipped with functional life jackets, ten oxygen tanks and rescue gears, aided by two ferry boats and motor vehicles, a bus for mass transport and a Nissan Safari for emergency runs, including the MV Nardel for scouring the seas for survivors, Maglasang deployed 10 fittest and finest members of Project Alpha, including a midshipman and one NCO personnel from MIT’s 613th NROTC unit, to supervise the rescue operations.

“The immediate response of the well-equipped Alpha Team has dramatically reduced what could have turned into an accident of major proportions. Ferrying of every injured passenger and crew was done post haste and the MIT team’s two vehicles made transport to hospitals or medical clinics on a non-stop basis,” Cuartero writes.

At about the same time of the ferry attack, a third bomb went off in another bus in the town of Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte, killing five and injuring 15 passengers.

A third attack was foiled in Cagayan de Oro City, when police authorities discovered a mortar inside a bag placed under the seat of another Super 5 bus preparing to leave for Ozamiz. A digital timer showed that the bomb was set to explode at 3:00 in the afternoon, a spokesman of the military’s Southern Command said. The police and military set up checkpoints along the highway to search vehicles and passengers for bombs.

Because Super 5 Express owned the buses, investigators speculated that Muslim extortionists or separatist rebels planted the bombs after the firm refused to give in to their demand.

A certain Allan Saumay, a.k.a Kumander Merkado, was arrested as the principal suspect, along with Amanodin Dimalna. Their case was dismissed on April 23, 2001 by presiding Judge Pedro Suan for insufficiency of evidence.

FEATURE STORY BY MICHAEL MEDINA
Reprinted from Panguil Bay Monitor, Feb. 25, 2005 issue

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Remembering the heroes of the Daima Tragedy

2010-02-24T22:08:00.000-08:00

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Zambosur seniors hail passage of VAT exemption bill

2010-02-24T21:54:00.001-08:00

THE Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines (FESCA)-Zamboanga del Sur Chapter hailed the signing of the law exempting the elderly from the 12% value added tax (VAT), saying the money saved can be used to more essential needs like medicine and food for their families.

Under the proposed law, Filipinos at least 60 years of age will enjoy an increased discount of 20% from 8% if they are exempted from the VAT. This means that for every P100, the senior citizens save P12.

FESCA President Ricardo Javate told this paper through a telephone interview they were relieved that Pres. Gloria Arroyo finally made good her promise to give the elderly her post-Valentines gift by signing the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.

“Nagpaabot gyod mi ana gikan pa atong Pebrero 14. Nalipay kaayo mi sa maong development. Bisan gani sa karaan nga 8% ra ang among ma-avail samot na og 20% na,” Javate said.

The VAT exemption applies to medicines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment; fees of attending physicians; medical, dental fees and diagnostic and laboratory fees; fares for buses, jeepneys, taxis, AUVs, shuttle services, public railways, domestic air transport and other vessels.

The new measure also entitle senior citizens to a 5% discount on their water and electric bills on the condition that the utilities are named under the senior citizen residing in the household, and that the consumption for electricity and water should be below 100 kilowatt-hours and 30 cubic meters per month, respectively.

Also, indigent senior citizens will be given a monthly stipend of P500 which will be subject to the periodic review of Congress in coordination with the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD). In case of death of an indigent senior citizen, an amount of P2,000 will also be awarded to his or her nearest kin as death benefit assistance.

All these discounts were originally envisioned in RA 7342, the Senior Citizens Act passed in 1992 and later expanded via RA 9257 in 2004. RA 9331 or the new VAT law of 2005, however, effectively trimmed the discount to just 8% when it raised the tax rate to 12%.

Malacañang had earlier hinted unwillingness to sign the bill into law due to the revenue losses it would bring to the government, which is trying to plug its widening fiscal deficit.

“Its signing into law is overdue. While the rich can wait, our indigent senior citizens cannot afford the delay in discounts and benefits,” vice presidential candidate and Sen. Loren Legarda recently stated in her press release emailed to this paper.

Javate, when asked, revealed that only Mercury Drugs would grant them the discount on medicines purchased upon presentation of a valid senior citizens card, the purchase booklet and prescription.

“Ang People’s Plaza nakadungog ko nga mohatag na pod daw. Sa mga fast food centers, ang Chowking ug Jollibee ra ang gahatag discount,” he added.

Javate said that last Feb. 4, during their regular monthly meeting, they invited the manager of Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. (RTMI) to endorse their request of a special fare discount, not the special privilege given by the bus company at present.

“Kanang klaro jud nga 20% ang among request dili lang kay kana ilang gina-offer nga SP,” he said.

The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs in Pagadian, which is attached to the City Mayor’s Office, is the authorized office that will issue senior citizens identification cards, purchase requests and receive complaints.

Javate said that city residents who reach 60 years old are automatic members, even without securing any ID but those who enroll in FESCA will have to pay P20 in membership fee and other fees.

He claimed FESCA at present has 19,000 members in Zamboanga del Sur.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO

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Zambosur seniors hail passage of VAT exemption bill

2010-02-24T21:54:00.000-08:00

Camp Abelon holds earthquake drill

2010-02-24T20:29:00.001-08:00

IN connection with the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) 4-Point Plan of Action for Disaster Preparedness, the Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO) joined the nationwide earthquake drill conducted by the Civil Defense (OCD) last Wednesday, Feb. 17.

With the theme, “Pag Alerto Malayo sa Peligro,” the OCD-led 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill was held inside Camp Abelon.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena said their participation in the activity is in response to PNP directives and pursuant to the pronouncement of Pres. Gloria Arroyo’s call for government offices to be alert always in any event of disaster.

The 1st nationwide earthquake drill last June 20, 2006 was organized after the chief executive mandated that “earthquake drills should be conducted on a quarterly basis and further expand the participation of government and private offices and establishments, until such time that will be perfected and people's reaction during and after an earthquake become second nature to prevent casualties.”

Simultaneous nationwide earthquake drills are also conducted in all local government units, private and public schools as well as private and government entities nationwide.

NDCC’s 4-Point Plan of Action for Disaster Preparedness includes the upgrading of emergency and disaster forecasting capability, public information campaign on disaster preparedness, capacity-building for local government units particularly in identified vulnerable areas and mechanisms for government and private sector as partner in relief and rehabilitation.

The NDCC has said that among the most common disasters that hit the country claiming thousands of lives and damaging properties are typhoons, flooding, storm surges, landslides, volcanic eruptions, lahar and mud flows and earthquakes.

“While the country has maintained a level of resilience and has developed appropriate response mechanisms to cope with the dangers of natural and human-induced disasters, the country still needs to prepare for climate change impact,” the NDCC added.

It can be recalled that Pagadian City was hit by a tsunami following a 7.5 intensity earthquake on Aug. 17, 1976 where thousands of people died and millions of properties were damaged.

REPORT BY JONG CADION (PHOTOS PROVIDED)

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Camp Abelon holds earthquake drill

2010-02-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

Longer power outage in Mindanao seen

2010-02-24T19:39:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY--The water level in Lake Lanao where the Agus plants draw water for electricity has gone down to an alarming level requiring an increase in power curtailment levels or longer periods of brownout, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said Wednesday.

Pedro Ambos, officer-in-charge of the Operations and Planning department of the National Power Corporation (NPC)-Mindanao Generation, said there is a possibility that Lake Lanao’s water level will hit the curtailment point of 699.16 meters above sea level this March. At present, the given level is only 10 meters away at 699.25 meters above sea level.

February 23, NGCP corporate communications officer Betty Martinez said they started the power load curtailment 8:00 in the morning, anticipating the deficiency of 358 megawatts (MW) of power supply in the Mindanao grid for its period of peak demand of 1,220 MW as against available capacity of only 863 MW.

This power supply deficiency increased 130 percent from its previous level of 156 MW two weeks ago, as the hydro plants were churning power at only 50 percent of rated capacity, Martinez added.

NGCP’s advisory said the Agus Plant is running at 120 MW out of total rated capacity of 727 MW while the Pulangi Plant is running at 100 MW out of total rated capacity of 255 MW.

Contributing to the deficiency in Mindanao’s power generation capability is the non-availability of Iligan Diesel Power Plant (IDPP) which has a capacity of 35 MW and the planned outage of Power Barge 117 which has a capacity of 50 MW, NGCP added.

Earlier, Eugene Bicar, head of NGCP’s Mindanao-Systems Operations, has pointed to the resumption of the operation of IDPP as among several short-term measures that can be adopted in order to address the current situation.

Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. said Lake Lanao’s dip in water level is due not only to the prevailing El Niño phenomenon but to alleged neglect of concerned agencies and entities over the preservation of its surrounding watersheds and river tributaries.

Adiong added that he hired Engr. Pipalawan Naga, a local hydrology and environmental expert, to delve into the Lake Lanao problem following persistent reports on the status of the lake’s water level posed on the prevailing power shortage.

“The water level in Lake Lanao has gone down from critical to very alarming level. If this situation continues unabated, Mindanao in particular and the country in general will be in trouble,” Adiong quoted Naga as saying.

It was learned that cases of alleged illegal logging in the lake’s remaining 180,000-hectare watersheds and surrounding mountains have hardly been checked, causing soil erosions to silt heavily the four main river tributaries of Lake Lanao, a report from the Manila Bulletin said.

In another Presentation Paper entitled “Man and Environment: The Case of Lake Lanao,” by Dr. Ali Macawaris and Associate Professor Medior Mamoko of MSU College of Engineering stated that Lake Lanao has a surface area of 356.6 square kilometers. It is shallowest in the northern portion and becomes progressively deeper towards the south.

“An extensive area with depth greater than 110 meters is located at Balut Maito and Masla Islands. Its maximum depth is about 112 meters. Its volume is about 21.5 cubic kilometers and the records of maximum and minimum surface elevation are 702.92 and 698.59 meters, respectively,” Macawaris and Mamoko said.

Lake Lanao watershed includes Lake Lanao, about thirty rivers feeding water into the lake. Aside from the four biggest rivers named Ramain, Taraka, Gata, and Masiu, the Agus River is the only outlet of the lake.

Both professors believed NPC’s operation of Agus hydro plants in Lake Lanao attributed to the low water level in the area which in affected fisheries, agriculture, domestic water needs, and transportation system of the lake, including the religious practices of Maranaos in performing their religious obligations “because they have to walk a certain distance, at many points up to 200 meters, between the lake water and the mosques to perform their ablution.”

“The Maranaos around the lake are using the lake water as drinking water to satisfy their health and hygiene needs. The lowering of the water level is causing them inconvenience because they have to walk a certain distance, in some cases 200 m, bathing and washing purposes,” the two professors from Marawi said.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO & MICHAEL MEDINA

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Longer power outage in Mindanao seen

2010-02-24T19:39:00.000-08:00

MILF tells electorate to vote for pro-peace bets

2010-02-23T01:51:00.001-08:00

CANDIDATES who have a clear perspective on pursuing peace in Mindanao should be chosen by the electorate this May elections, an official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the other day.

Abdulmanaf Mantawil Jr., secretariat chair of the MILF peace panel, sounded this call amid an earlier pronouncement by their group that it would remain neutral in the forthcoming general elections.

He made clear, however, that MILF’s non-interventionist stand on the May elections does not also mean disallowing its mass supporters to vote for particular candidates.

Mantawil said the MILF is interested in who would succeed Pres. Gloria Arroyo, whether the heir to the much-coveted Malacañang seat would be concerned about the fate of its negotiations for a political settlement to the Moro conflict.

Last week, the MILF declared they are willing to conclude a peace pact within the remaining period of the Arroyo administration as long as commitments will be binding regardless of whoever succeeds her as chief executive.

The declaration was understood as humorless although Matawil said the likelihood of a peace pact being concluded within the Arroyo regime’s remaining four months would be a miracle owing to the widely opposing proposals between the two parties.

In its draft agreement, government negotiators said they are offering enhanced powers, functions and governance role for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The MILF, on the other hand, is seeking the creation of a sub-state which would be an entirely new arrangement for political administration for the Muslim polity in Moro-dominated areas of Mindanao.

The MILF proposal embodies power-sharing between the central government and Moro sub-state, which, in the aborted Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was called Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), said Mantawil.

He explained that in order to implement the MILF draft, it will require “constitutional amendments,” and given the eventful election period, this requisite changes are not likely to be achieved in the next four months.

Another Muslim leader, Muhammad Ameen, chief of the MILF general secretariat, said they will not endorse any candidate but will just make available to its mass supporters the profile of every candidate and an analysis of their platforms of government.

So far, the MILF identified only Liberal party candidate Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino and former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada as the ones with an articulate view on how to go about the so-called Bangsamoro problem.

“With Estrada, we all know he wants to settle the matter through war,” Mohagher Iqbal quipped.

Aquino, meanwhile, was observed to have openly declared the primacy of peace negotiations as a pillar of how his administration would deal with the Moro aspiration for self-governance.

But Iqbal, quickly added that they are wary with Noynoy as president given the idea of his would-be advisers, referring to North Cotabato vice-governor Manny Piñol, vice-presidential bet Mar Roxas, and senatorial bets Franklin Drilon and Teodoro Locsin who, in the past, have showed opposition to the aborted MOA-AD.

Iqbal said they are relaxed with a Gordon presidency but doubts “his chances of capturing the post” while the MILF peace panel chair characterizes the stances of both Sen. Manny Villar and that of Gilbert Teodoro on the same level of vagueness.

Maulana Alonto, a member of the MILF peace panel, also noted the slim regard accorded to the Moro right to self-determination in the current discourse of the presidential campaign.

“To Moros, especially those involved in the liberation struggle whether on the negotiating table or the battlefield, the priority will always be the just resolution of the Moro Question. Other than this, we do not give a hoot who becomes president of the Philippine state,” he stressed.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

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MILF tells electorate to vote for pro-peace bets

2010-02-23T01:51:00.000-08:00

El Niño affects PCWD’s spring sources

2010-02-22T18:44:00.001-08:00

THE dry spell is not only causing negative effects on agriculture and daily weather conditions but on water supply as well, this was the statement of Edilberto Yorong, general manager of the Pagadian City Water District (PCWD).

In a telephone interview, Yorong recommends that consumers conserve or use water wisely as the lingering dry spell will continue to disturb rainfall patterns in Zamboanga del Sur and this early has already affected domestic water supply.

Yorong added that even though PCWD is slightly affected by the drought season, still they mapped out contingency measures to avert the impact of water shortage just in case the dry spell persist until summer time.

He said that such contingency measures involved the expansion of their spring sources in Danlugan and Manga, which now produce additional 20 liters per second aside from its daily volume.

However, Yorong said they regulated both springs to release to only 5 liters per second to augment the old and established water sources in the area as he confirmed water supply level from the mentioned springs have decreased by several cubic meters.

Aside from this, PCWD also constructed deep wells in Tiguma and Napolan with a total budget of P8 million.

He said that even with the worst scenario coming in, PCWD will not cut down its water supply to its customers although it has been a frequent complaint among residents that the water district is “rationing” its water because of irregular water schedules.

Yorong corrected that they are not rationing water but this is because of the generation deficiency, insufficient power supply and the Mindanao-wide load curtailment resulting to brownouts that lasts for 12 hours.

He explains that after every scheduled brownout, PCWD will wait some 24 hours to bring back the pressure of water to pipes because of the city’s steep terrain, which is also causing the low water pressure.

Again, with the El Niño phenomenon, consumers use more water, up from the minimum 10 cubic meters per month, Yorong observed, since households use water for their plants and animals and because of the warm weather, people take baths twice a day.

Yorong said that for the city proper, water supply is satisfactory because this is enhanced by electric power from deep wells, like the ones in Napolan and Sto. Niño which have generator sets.

This summer, if the dry spell and the power curtailment keep on, the water utility firm will try to purchase generator sets, the general manager said.

But he said PCWD still has to come to a decision on this matter because a generator costs more than a million peso and that it would be impractical for the water district to secure generators because brownouts were seldom in the city.

Besides, a public consultation is needed for this to materialize, he concluded, and for the mean time, they are constructing additional lines in those areas where water supply is low.

Presently, it was learned that PCWD is implementing a P113 million project which consists of two water reservoirs and pumping house stations in Bolatok and Dao.

The water tank in Bolatok will serve consumers in Lumbia, Kawit, San Pedro, Tuburan, Sta. Maria and Paglaum-I & II while the one in Dao will distribute water to Banale, Sto. Niño, Balangasan, San Jose and Gatas districts.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO

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El Niño affects PCWD’s spring sources

2010-02-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

Bishop says more Catholics shun confession

2010-02-21T22:20:00.001-08:00

THE outspoken prelate of Ozamiz City, who once questioned the propriety of “anti-life” legislators receiving the Holy Communion, this time declared his sadness on the deteriorating habit of the faithful in going to confession.

The Catholic Church teaches confession as one of the elements of Sacrament of Reconciliation where a repentant sinner finds God's unconditional forgiveness, and as a result is called to forgive others too.

Catholics are supposed to confess their sins to a priest at least once a year. The priest absolves them in God's name.

Archbishop Jesus Dosado, in his latest circular letter, noted the ever declining number of churchgoers who no longer feel obliged to confess their sins, saying almost a third of Catholics shy away from the confession box these days.

Dosado was quoting a recent Vatican survey, which asked respondents “how often, if ever, do you participate in confession?”

The survey, according to the bishop, showed that only 60% admitted to confession “a few times a year or less” while another 22% said doing it “less than weekly but at least once a month” and 15% said “weekly or more.” By average, a fourth of Catholics do confession once a year or less.

“Sa tinuod lang makaguol gyod pag-ayo nga mga Katoliko maglikay sa kumpisal. Wala sila mahibalo sa nawala kanila,” Dosado said in his letter.

“Paghangyo og kumpisal mikunhod paglabay sa panahon kay ang mga sala mismo gikuhaan sa gibug-aton. Wagtanga ang mga sala og mawagtang ang panginahanglan sa pagkumpisal,” he added.

Dosado stressed that like the faithful, priests should also need to “exert effort” and spend more time in the booth, seeing such action as “an excellent example to each other.”

“Ang yawe sa kasulbaran mao nga ang pari malipay nga magpakumpisal ug regular nga magwali mahitungod niini. Ang regular nga kumpisal tukma nga dili kabiyaang bahin sa kultura nga katoliko sa atong pagkakita,” he said.

“There needs to be a regular schedule for confessions. Aside from that, priests should show up for their scheduled masses 15 to 30 minutes before in order to hear last minutes confessions. Confessions should be available even before and during all Sunday masses.”

“Bisan usa ka gamay nga gidaghanon sa mga tawo nga regular mangumpisal adunay dako nga paghapak sa ilang kinabuhi ug sangputanan niini sa kinabuhi sa simbahan,” the bishop concluded.

Traditionally the Catholic Church has had a list of seven deadly sins, that of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride established by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th century.

A person who commits these sins risk burning in hell unless absolved through confession and penitence.

In 2009, the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican body that issues decisions on matters of conscience and grants absolutions, published a list of new sins, which included genetic manipulation, experiments on humans, polluting the environment, social injustice, causing poverty, financial gluttony and taking drugs.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

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Bishop says more Catholics shun confession

2010-02-21T22:20:00.000-08:00

Basilan mine blast kills two ‘Daredevil’ soldiers

2010-02-21T19:35:00.001-08:00

TWO soldiers were killed in a landmine explosion, Feb. 19, in Pamatsaken, Sumisip, Basilan, reports reaching the 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division in Camp Cesar Sang-an, Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur said.

The report went on to say that 32nd IB “Daredevil” troops were heading for Maluso in search for the two kidnapped Chinese nationals who were reported to have been sighted in Pamatsaken with an armed group when one of the soldiers stepped on an improvised landmine.

Major Gen. Romeo Lustestica identified the two fatalities as PFC Ramton Martel, a resident of Lumbia District, this city, and PFC Hamid Aki, of Sinunuc, Zamboanga City.

Lustestica and wife, Marilou, handed a P20,000 cash assistance to the family of Martel during the military official’s visit at Fatima Funeral Homes this weekend.

It was learned that the family of the slain soldiers, aside from the burial assistance, will also received P250,000 cash assistance and house and lot from the Office of the President while their children will also avail of free education scholarship assistance from elementary up to college.

Lustestica recalled that the 32nd IB “Daredevils” stationed in Lanao del Norte were sent off to Basilan, August last year, to augment to Marine troops in the area.

About 20 men disguised as soldiers kidnapped Zi Shun Lu, alias Oscar Lu; and Bo Shung Tan alias Michael Tan, November last year, from a plywood factory in Sitio Buting, Maluso along with a Filipino worker identified as Mark Singson.

Singson was later beheaded after his employer, Hi-Tech Wood Craft Corp. failed to pay the P1.5 million ransom demand.

The Basilan provincial crisis management committee, headed by Vice-governor Alrasheed Sakalahul, said the kidnappers of the Chinese nationals demanded P13-million ransom for their release.

Sakalahul said the kidnappers are most likely related to the dreaded Abu Sayyaf Group as he disclosed the two kidnapped victims are still alive but no updates were given by their captors as to the status of their health.

Last Feb. 2, a soldier from the 32nd IB died and eight others were wounded in a landmine explosion while on board a six by six armored truck traversing between the villages of Libug and Cabacan.

September, last year, a land mine blew up a Humvee carrying two American soldiers and a Filipino marine and killing them on the spot. The Americans were army non-combatants helping supervise a school-building project.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

Basilan mine blast kills two ‘Daredevil’ soldiers

2010-02-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

Muggers cart P34T from LBC branch

2010-02-21T18:41:00.001-08:00

AN estimated P34,000 in cold cash and two cellular phones were carted away by three muggers who barged inside the LBC-Rizal Branch in Rizal Avenue, noontime of Feb. 20.

Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo said some witnesses identified one of the three suspects in a mug shot gallery as Muammar Bantilan Mama, also known as Tong Mama and Tong Angeles.

Mama, according to Palermo, is a known member of a crime syndicate based in Dinas, and has pending criminal cases and warrant of arrests at present.

Facts gathered from the police chief narrated that Mama, together with his two companions, entered LBC establishment; gun pointed its two tellers, identified as Ethel Blanche Acas and Rey Marcial Pallar, and declared a hold up.

The suspects then took the cash inside the tellers’ drawers including two cellular phones.

A commotion happened when one of the customers was able to run outside and call for help which prompted the robbers to breakout and board a waiting motorcycle in their get-away.

One of the suspects even shot Pallar hitting his left hand.

Palermo told this paper they are preparing charges of robbery and frustrated murder against Mama and his companions.

Last December, a driver was killed and his lady co-worker wounded when two muggers tried to rob and shoot them in the process.

The foiled robbery occurred at the PAFCPIC office, located along Lawiswis Drive in Sagun St., this city, just about 500 meters from the PNP Provincial Headquarters.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

Muggers cart P34T from LBC branch

2010-02-21T18:41:00.000-08:00

Police raid Misoc dad’s house

2010-02-20T22:05:00.001-08:00

OROQUIETA CITY—Joint police forces swooped down on a town councilor’s residence, dawn of Wednesday, Feb. 17, and found several short ammunitions and a grenade purportedly hidden by the subject in inconspicuous places inside his house.

A report from the Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Command (MOPPC) said the search on councilor Joel “Tiwi” Daque’s house in Brgy. Caluya yielded a Smith & Wesson Super .38 caliber with ammunitions, a 9 mm pistol and .38 caliber found hidden at the back of the fireplace, and a grenade placed in the clothes cabinet.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Robert Quenery confirmed the discovered firearms are without licenses and they will file charges of illegal possession of firearms, explosives and violation of the Election Omnibus Code against Daque.

The police director added that several complaints from residents of Sapang Dalaga and the neighboring Baliangao town have prodded them to apply for a search warrant. “Yung bahay niya parang ginagamit na lalagyan ng mga armas,” Quenery said.

Quenery disclosed that Daque is the brother of Francisco “Dondon” Daque, a known gun-for-hire in the area believed to be responsible in the recent incident in Naburos, Baliangao where armed men harassed and threatened local settlers.

A previous report attributed to Baliangao vice-mayor Agne Yap, a mayoralty bet, alleged that his political rival, Svetlana Jalosjos, hired a group of criminals lead by Dondon who intimidated residents by forcing them to sign a document supporting Jalosjos’ candidacy in the coming May election.

Svetlana is the daughter of former Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Romeo Jalosjos.

Some 121 families including children, women moved out of Naburos early this month and refused to return for fear of their lives as Punong Barangay Alberto Garcia said armed men led by Dondon were roaming in his village and niggling helpless residents since January 28.

In 2001, Baliangao has been tagged as a “hot spot” during the 2001 polls due to the presence of private armies. As of this writing, the police and the 55th IB have already established checkpoints in entry and exit points of Naburos.

REPORT BY ARCHIE AJIAS

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Police raid Misoc dad’s house

2010-02-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

Workers put down tools, paralyzes Global Steel

2010-02-20T19:39:00.001-08:00

ILIGAN CITY—Striking employees of the country’s biggest domestic manufacturer and exporter of flat steel products is calling for the intervention of Pres. Gloria Arroyo to help work out their differences with the management.

Elmer Nelson Nayon, president of the Global Steel Labor Union (GLSU), said steel workers walked out from their posts last Feb. 15 after the mediation conference with Global Steel Philippines, Inc. (GSPI) management brokered by personnel from the labor department.

The lightning strike of some 500 workers paralyzed the operation of the steel plant for about a week already until this writing as the workers picketed “by shifts” in front of the plant’s gates 1, 3, and 4.

Nayon said the conference was called to resolve issues in GLSU’s collective bargaining agreement, unpaid salaries, non-payment of 13th month benefits of 2009, including the non-remittances of SSS, Philhealth and Pag-ibig premiums and non-payment of overtime premiums for six months.

The workers union also scored GSPI’s alleged non-compliance of safety and environmental standards on industrial waste disposal which threatened the health of workers and purportedly caused the recurrent fish kills in Iligan Bay.

Nayon said the mass action was an individual decision of the workers who wanted to level out their grievances against GSPI management, who was reported to have expressed reservations to GLSU’s demands during the mediation conference.

A report from Iligan City’s website however said, citing an unnamed GSPI official that the company could not agree on the workers wage plea since their rates are 2.3 times more than the mandated wages under the law.

The report added that the Indian-owned steel company has barely came out of the slump in 2009 due to the financial crisis and still has to recoup its losses by boosting production up to 80,000 MT for this quarter.

It was learned that GSPI, which exports 70 percent of its production primarily to Southeast Asian countries, Europe and Africa, was operating on orders only and on rotation after demand for flat steel products dropped in the last quarter of 2008.

Juanito Enriquez of the Civil Society Organizations Forum for Peace, which is assisting the needs of the protesting workers, said a dialogue was called by Mayor Lawrence Cruz last Tuesday, Feb. 16, between GSPI management and the workers’ union but nothing happened.

This time, Nayon said he believes the president’s intervention might help resolve the labor dispute.

GSPI has over 1,100 skilled Filipino workers under its employ at present.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Workers put down tools, paralyzes Global Steel

2010-02-20T19:39:00.000-08:00

BFP reports good take in fire code fees

2010-02-20T00:34:00.001-08:00

THE Bureau of fire Protection (BFP) reported a big leap in its income from fire code fees after it successfully performed its first month implementation of collections, City Fire Marshal Christopher Morales said.

In a visit inside his office, Morales disclosed that for Jan. 1 to Feb. 5 alone, they collected a total of P441,535.98, more than double their collections for the same period, as compared to last year’s P290.573.24.

This total collection was taken from the four common coverage charges of the fire code fees, which is composed of a tenth in Safety Inspection Fee taken from the total charges of the local government, 0.1% Fire Code Construction Tax from building cost, another .01% Fire Code Realty Tax of the assessed value of commercial buildings and Storage Clearance fee from gasoline stations.

Morales explained that gasoline tanks with a capacity of 12,000 to 14,000 liters are collected P240, while diesel tanks with the capacity of 4,000 to 20,000 litters are collected P90, and kerosene tanks with capacity of 20,000 to 40,000 liters will pay P120.

This initial collection performance is a good indication of taxpayers’ support and understanding to the new policies and process of securing fire safety permits and conducting fire inspection to establishments, Morales noted.

He added that their collection will be remitted to the National Treasury after which 20% will go back to the local government to be used in the maintenance operation and programs for the implementation of fire safety.

This 20% share from total collections is mandated under RA 9514, the Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines, which now provides wider scope on fire safety measures to residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

Of the remaining 80%, about 18 percent will be coursed through the Department of Budget and Management in the acquisition of fire trucks, fire fighting equipments and accessories, and construction of more buildings.

In the old fire code, which is Presidential Decree 1185, any collection pertaining to fire code fees goes directly to the National Treasury without retention percentage for local government concerned.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

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BFP reports good take in fire code fees

2010-02-20T00:34:00.000-08:00

CPC-6 to extend assistance for another 2 years

2010-02-19T21:53:00.001-08:00

THE Sixth Country Program for Children (CPC-6) Executive Committee has chosen Zamboanga del Sur as one of the central areas of its two-year extension period, latest information from the Capitol said.

The CPC aims to accelerate efforts to reduce disparities in selected areas in Mindanao composed of Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao City, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Agusan Sur, Maguindanao and Sulu, through the Child-Friendly Movement (CFM).

The bit of good news was made in a letter addressed to Gov. Aurora Cerilles from Vanessa Tobin, representative of UNICEF Philippines, and Augusto Santos, NEDA acting socio-economic planning secretary and director general and chairperson of CPC 6 Executive Committee and National Steering Committee.

It was learned that the UNICEF assistance to Zambosur already ended last December marking the ten years of support for CFM in the province as well as the development and implementation of CPC-6.

Tobin, said in her letter, that CPC 6 team will visit Zambosur to agree on the scope of our assistance during the next two years, agree on results for children they can aim for, and develop the new annual work plans.

If and when this pushes through, the CPC will have to extend the current memorandum of agreement with the province for the next two-year extension project to carry on.

CPC’s components include the promotion of gender-fair participation, retention and achievement in education; health and nutrition; children in need of special protection; HIV/AIDS prevention; local policy and institutional development and communication for the promotion of children's rights

The CPC team also opened up out its achievements for children with the cooperation of the province, mentioning the early childhood education; Child Friendly School System and student tracking system which were aimed at reducing the drop-out rates for primary education; ensured immunization rates of over 80%; introduced a de-worming program; trained BHWs on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses and maternal care; and supported the Garantisadong Pambata program.

In addition, the partnership has also improved work in child protection and on juvenile justice; concluded an agreement with the MILF to ensure no children are caught up in armed conflict; achievements on program policy with the success of the 4 gifts for children project; and ensured that the voices of children are heard in various meetings.

In the coming months, the province will be consulted and involved in the start of the formal evaluation of the CFM while the two-year extension program will focus more on strengthening the capacity to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in areas where progress is most lacking for women and children.

These MDG goals are identified as poverty and malnutrition, universal primary education and maternal and neonatal mortality.

Also, re-established area focal officers will provide technical support in the duration of the new two-year extension.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

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CPC-6 to extend assistance for another 2 years

2010-02-19T21:53:00.000-08:00

Capitol deals with garbage management

2010-02-19T21:30:00.001-08:00

CLEANLINESS is always next to righteousness, the Provincial Government sees good sense in this adage in its new fight against wanton littering of trash and junks in offices.

This effort, along with the reality of the lack of adequate disposal sites and solid waste management (SWM) systems, is being initiated by assigning the so-called regular and auxiliary enforcers who will see to it that garbage in offices is dealt with properly.

The deputization of enforcers, according to Acting DENR regional executive director Rogelio Lagat, is in line with the Enhanced Solid Waste Management Program (ESWMP) undertaken by the Capitol.

The enforcers will not only keep watch over Capitol offices, but also the national and provincial offices outside the compound, on who’s who are following Executive Order No. 01-01.

EO No. 01-01 provides for an enhanced SWM program for all government offices with the jurisdiction of the Provincial Government to “define and coordinate SWM efforts and serve as a model for “waste avoidance, segregation and reduction at source.”

Supervising Environmental Management Specialist Carmencita Singgo said EO No. 01-01 complements the provisions contained in RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and the Environment Code of Zamboanga del Sur.

RA 9003 provides for an ESWMP, creates the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declares certain acts prohibited and provides penalties for violations.

Lagat explains again that RA 9003 is a legislation that aims to address garbage problem in the country, especially in urban areas while it seeks to prevent garbage crisis in the country by minimizing waste, recovery and collection, treatment and disposal.

Pursuant to RA 9003, non-recyclable packaging materials are prohibited and SWM is to be integrated in the academe while local and national government officials who fail to implement the law in their localities will be subjected to sanctions, penalties and will be charged with administrative, criminal and civil cases.

Gov. Aurora Cerilles, whose message was read by Provincial Administrator Pepito Degamo, raised her hopes that the program may finally bring the answer to the age-old problem on garbage as she urged Capitol employees to play ideal roles in implementing the ESWMP.

“As workmen in the government, we must first set the example [and make] our own offices clean,” Cerilles said, urging cooperation and support for the program and in promoting environment awareness in each place of work.

“I am hoping that from here we shall go a long way in the proper and effective management of our solid wastes, not only in the Capitol but also in the entire Zamboanga del Sur,” she stressed.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

www.micmedina.tk

Capitol deals with garbage management

2010-02-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

BFP: More fires, property damages in 2009

2010-02-19T20:20:00.001-08:00

THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) suppressed more fires in 2009 as compared to the previous year, 21 to 18, City Fire Marshal Christopher Morales said last weekend.

The fire marshal likewise said that total damages to property due to fires scaled up, from more than P49 million in 2008 to P59-million in 2009.

Using BFP’s comparative report, Morales noted the big fires last year, especially on the first two months where four fires were recorded: the January dawn fire at the PJC High School along Sanson Street, damaging some P3,171,664 in properties, and a warehouse located in Tiguma, which burned P400,000 in property damages.

In February, last year, a total of 110 residential houses, including the Pulmones matriarchal home and a bit of Santiago Elementary School, were razed to the ground and damages amounting to more than P25-million.

Compared to 2008 figures, only two fires were reported on January, the one in Bagong silang and between the boundary of Dumagoc and Sta. Lucia with P600,000 worth of property damages.

Two fire incidents were listed in February 2008: the one involving four residential houses in Kapamanok, San Pablo, that of Bagong Silang and the nine residential houses near the Bodega Warehouse of Rural Transit. Total damages were recorded at P1.8-million.

For March 2008 and 2009, BFP reported a zero fire but on April 26, 2008, a P45-million worth of property in Agora was destroyed by fire, followed by the one that happened at the residence of DILG officer James Yañez with an estimated damages of P700,000.

April 2009, a fire hit San Francisco District, along Alano Street where the old building of the Provincial Schools Division, the City Gymnasium and four residential houses beside the Zamsureco I building was devastated costing total damages of more than P25-million.

Aside from electrical accidents, Morales traced the cause of the mentioned fires to negligence of concerned residents as he said their office has intensified the implementation of fire safety and prevention campaign through the conduct massive building inspection in commercial areas around the city.

“We were able to increase about 91% in total buildings inspected, from 1,063 in 2008 to 2,032 in 2009. For this year, we will see to it that the compliance of fire safety will be implemented as mandated in RA 9514, the Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008,” he said.

The BFP chief then told this paper that last Christmas and New Year, their office, in collaboration with DOH, jointly conducted “Oplan Iwas Paputok,” reminding the public to practice safety during the holidays. He said that it gained positive results and no fire incident was reported.

Morales concluded that later this year, two fire trucks will be arriving from their national office. One surplus truck from Japan was already released and fitted with accessories at the moment.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

BFP: More fires, property damages in 2009

2010-02-19T20:20:00.000-08:00

BFP tells residents to show concern on trash fires

2010-02-19T19:47:00.001-08:00

THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the city is urging the public to practice segregating or recycling their garbage to reduce the amount of trash going to the dump site in Bagong Silang in Balangasan and avoid incidents of trash fires.

City Fire Marshal Christopher Morales told this paper that since January, nine trash fire incidents have been reported to their office, three of which speak about a billowing smoke emanating from the Bagong Silang dump site.

He said he is not sure if these trash fires were started intentionally or just by a careless smoker discarding a cigarette.

Morales warned residents to be extra careful since garbage dump sites produce huge amount of highly combustible methane gas which could be set ablaze or explode when in contact with fire or get ignited by the extensive dry weather brought by El Niño.

Methane forms in dump sites when rotting garbage decomposes in the absence of oxygen. Some uninformed operators burn the trash to prevent a build-up of dangerous quantities of the flammable gas.

Morales said that trash fires nowadays happen because of carelessness of residents in disposing their wastes; some would even throw away their loose litter or garbage into vacant lots in between schools or residential structures.

He cited, for example, what happened last Feb. 15 when a garbage fire hit the garbage area near Camp Abelon Elementary School that nearly burned the school if not for the timely arrival of the firefighters.

The next day, the vacant lot near Medina College in Brgy. Bolatok experienced a trash fire and another one happened last Feb. 18 near the Pilot Elementary School in San Jose District and Hikers Palace in Brgy. Dao.

The amount of garbage going into a dumpsite like the one in Bagong Silang, will always be an instance of fire incidents in the area, Morales explained, adding the experience should compel village officials to implement proper waste management in their respective areas.

It was learned that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has already disallowed the throwing away of trash in the site and has suggested to the city government to find another a landfill site away from the populated area.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

BFP tells residents to show concern on trash fires

2010-02-19T19:47:00.000-08:00

Comelec takes control of AFP, PNP

2010-02-18T19:07:00.001-08:00

THE provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), headed by lawyer Ignacio Baya has activated the Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) that will synchronize all strategies and implement all election-related information, guidelines and orders.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena said the PJSCC, which serves as a coordinating office of the Comelec and law enforcers, maintains an office at Camp Abelon and is presided by Baya, with him and the respective commanders of the 101st and 102nd Brigades as members.

The police director disclosed that PJSCC will see to it that applicable Comelec resolutions will be put into operation like the prohibited acts during election period, the nationwide firearms ban and the policies involving the provision of security details and the establishment of mobile checkpoints around Zambosur.

The establishment of mobile checkpoints already started last Jan. 10, as with other regions around the country, making sure that all persons in civilian attire are presumed unauthorized to carry guns.

The PJSCC will likewise receive complaints regarding police and military personnel during the election period, Ochotorena said, by just contacting PJSCC’s mobile hotlines: 09083770447, 09053224497 and 09326822083.

On fears of human rights violations, the police director assured there are guidelines being followed so that abuses are not committed.

“We are asking the public to cooperate. We are only using all resources to help Comelec achieve a successful, peaceful and orderly election this May,” he said.

Ochotorena concluded that at present, they are “carefully evaluating and assessing” security and contingency plans during the campaign period of both national and local candidates; including the election so-called watch list areas (EWAs).

He said that initially there are nine EWAs in Zambosur. “Possibly mo-reduce pa ni or madugangan, pabag-o-bag-o man and sitwasyon sa mga lungsod. So far, peaceful man ang probinsiya but we are not too confident, we are still on the lookout,” he said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk

Comelec takes control of AFP, PNP

2010-02-18T19:07:00.000-08:00

Pagadian tryke drivers implement P9 fare

2010-02-18T18:32:00.001-08:00

THE Pagadian Independent Tricycle Drivers and Operators Confederation (PITDOCON) headed by Jesuseller “Dodong” Duterte said they are now implementing the P9 fare matrix after the City Council formally gave it a go signal last Tuesday.

Duterte said the P9 straight fare applies to passengers bound for city proper routes while an additional P.50 will be added after the boundary thereof.

In 2008, the City Council approved PITDOCON’s request to increase its fares, from P7 to P9, in the wake of the deviant gasoline prices in the market.

But PITDOCON voluntary collected only P8 after the public protested and gas stations then made a backward trend in their pump prices.

Duterte explains that even they still have to recoup their losses; they find it necessary to implement the P9 fare matrix since gas prices now have not dropped to the expected P36 per liter level to give the tricycle drivers a generous earning.

He said that the present P45.80 per liter price of gasoline and the rising prices of commodities and motor parts accessories are the factors why they are requesting councilors to implement the present fare matrix; anyway the commuters have enjoyed the voluntary fare holiday they initiated then.

The P2 fare increase was permitted after councilor Arnold “Glaveys” Gavenia, chair of the committee on public utilities, transportation, communications and franchising, found PITDOCON’s request as “reasonable.”

PITDOCON’s request then came in the wake of the P55.11 per liter price of gasoline, which Duterte said, should be an insight to the riding public to consider their demand as “just and reasonable.”

Gavenia advised PITDOCON to maintain courtesy to riders, especially students, senior citizens and persons with disabilities by granting them a P1 discount.

Presently, in Pagadian, premium gasoline is being sold at P45.80 per liter while regular is at P43.20, diesel at P35.90 and kerosene at 45.25.

This current range of pump prices, according to Duterte, is still above average and not enough to “make drivers enjoy the fruits of their labor.”

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk

Pagadian tryke drivers implement P9 fare

2010-02-18T18:32:00.000-08:00

Bedroom boredom

2010-02-18T18:02:00.001-08:00

The issue on reproductive health has brought pastoral concerns from the high and mighty Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to impose its will on couples to adhere and use only the allowable method of natural family planning.

It has been the official stand of the Catholic Church to do away with contraceptives and the like, even condemning anybody insisting on using it for procreation or political agenda and sensationalism.

Now, this often tackled issue remains due to the vehemence of several lawmakers to have the so-called “anti-life” and “anti-family” bills passed in Congress, in the light of bishops retaining a considerable influence on some of the congressmen.

Although the bishops does support family planning it seems not to be that effective since it allows only abstinence or the rhythm method. What we need, therefore, is a drastic measure for curbing population surge but whether how to do it between and by married couples; the government and the militant church should only give guidelines and leave the couple to do their intercourse. We need a reproductive health bill that is consent of conscience and general welfare and not the one promoting contraceptive culture.

Since then, other than the Catholic Church, the media is also seen as one of the main impediments to the realization of a favorable policy environment for sexual and reproductive health rights in the country, dubbed as “third-party interventionists” and influence to the political structure.

There has been a legal demarcation between Church and State and the church’s interference in political matters has obscured that so-called “separation,” given the fact that religion is hardly a factor in family planning decisions, as what Pulse Asia and Social Weather Stations consistently showed.

Mainstream media, as we said, was blamed for covering only a substantial aspect of reproductive health issues; oftentimes taking into account only the church’s views.

www.micmedina.tk

Bedroom boredom

2010-02-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

Pagadian celebrates Chinese New Year

2010-02-18T00:21:00.001-08:00

AS part of the city's yearly initiative, city officials headed by Mayor Samuel Co led the celebration of the Chinese Lunar Year, Feb. 13, with thousands of well-wishers converging at Plaza Luz.

Since 2004, Co formally recognized the yearly celebration of the Chinese New Year and festival, where a fireworks display and an array of Chinese delicacies would be displayed in booths lining up the city plaza.

Also, choirs would sing their songs and lion dancers would bounce and prance in front of the delighted spectators. The Lion Dance is meant to ring in wealth and prosperity in the New Year and scare away evil spirits.

This year’s Chinese New Year coincided with Valentine’s Day, symbolically known as the Year of the Metal Tiger, which Co associates with bravery.

In his message, the Filipino-Chinese chief executive, thanked the help and support of Filipino-Chinese community, his wife, Ilang Ilang, the City Tourism Council chaired Dr. Dicky Fernandez, and the academe for its dedication to promote the Chinese culture in their participative songs and dances.

Looking back the past year, Co recalled that 2009 was one remarkable year for city officials and Pagadianons because, with the support of Gov, Aurora Cerilles and the Provincial Board, tangible projects were started and the city slowly transformed into a regional center.

For this year, Co predicts huge infrastructure projects coming out, like the completion of the P482-million city commercial complex and the ongoing four-lane highways in the urban center, an air-conditioned gymnasium, a bay walk drive at the coastal area, the development of Plaza Luz and a food processing project in Danlugan.

During the program, Congressman Antonio Cerilles, who was one of the invited speakers, noted the progress attained by Pagadian City, saying the city hosts the biggest Gaisano Mall, aside from the sprouting big hotels commercial establishments in the city.

Cerilles, said all these were achieved with the trust and confidence of the Filipino-Chinese in the business environment and favorable peace and order condition of Pagadian so they invested their money.

With Cerilles are 1st Infantry Division Commanding General Romeo Lustestica and Bernard Gregorio, who represented Tourism regional director James Elridge Adriancem.

In the morning of Feb. 14, the mayor solemnized the wedding of 143 couples in the Kasalan ng Bayan. Co gave remarks and advised couples to have a sustainable relationship, respect to one another and be a responsible parent to their children.

“Ako manghinauton nga unta magmalipayon kamo, magmalampuson ug labaw sa tanan mahimong responsableng ginikanan diin anaa kaninyo ang pag-edukar, pagmintinar ug pagdisiplina sa inyong mga anak nga mao unyay mahimo natong mga lideres sa dakbayan,” Co said.

“Atong tarungon sa pagplano ug pagdala ang atong pamilya kay kao maoy sumbanan sa inyong mga kaanakan puhon,” he added.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO & MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk

Pagadian celebrates Chinese New Year

2010-02-18T00:21:00.000-08:00

RT Lim opens four Rubber Bagsakan sites

2010-02-17T22:19:00.001-08:00

WITH the aim of strengthening the thriving rubber industry in Zamboanga Peninsula, the agriculture department recently turned over to Roseller T. Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay, four new rubber bagsakan sites.

Amounting to a total of P1 million, the four rubber bagsakan sites were established in JS Perfecto, San Jose, Calula and Casacon. Aside from the building, each received two units of 500 kilograms weighing scale.

Ferdinand Gamorot, divison chief for agribusiness and marketing assistance, who likewise represented DA regional executive director Oscar Parawan, explained to the recipients the rubber bagsakan outlets will help farmers “sell, promote and regulate rubber products.”

R.T. Lim mayor Danilo Piodena responded with a message that they are grateful with the DA for the projects as he promised they will take good care of the given facilities.

Casacon punong barangay Ernesto Herniani said that because of the rubber bagsakan outlet, they will propagate more rubber trees in their area.

During the ceremony, Gamorot and Piodena were assisted by Vice Mayor Michael Piodena, Councilors Rico Calipayan. Rogelio Hanoy of San Jose, Nemecio Roxas of Calula, HVCC coordinator Marcial Fantone and Municipal Agriculturist Emil Ventura.

To recall, the DA regional office said it is targeting to develop an additional 20,000-hectare rubber plantation in Zamboanga Peninsula, augmenting the region's existing 35,000 hectares.

The DA is also set to establish more budwood gardens and nurseries in emerging rubber production municipalities in the region as well as conduct trainings to local farmers to increase their capability to produce their own clonal planting materials.

According to statistics from the DA, total area planted with rubber nationwide is at 81,925 hectares, with Zamboanga Sibugay having the largest area with 19,576 hectares, followed by North Cotabato and Basilan.

REPORT BY YVET AVELLANADA, DA-9

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RT Lim opens four Rubber Bagsakan sites

2010-02-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

MILF keen on inking peace pact within Arroyo’s term

2010-02-17T22:00:00.001-08:00

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has said they are willing to conclude a peace pact within the remaining period of the Arroyo administration as long as commitments will be binding regardless of whoever succeeds her as president.

Mohagher Iqbal, MILF’s chair of the peace panel, said that on the part of government, the binding commitment would likely include substantive reforms in the current legal framework of the Philippine state including amendments to the Constitution.

Iqbal said the constitutional issues are to be discussed “because we are dealing with a government” but he clarifies that it does not mean the peace pact acceptable to them is one crafted within the purview of the Constitution and existing legal framework.

Rather, he said it should outline what needs to be changed as well as what new laws and policies to be enacted in order to institutionalize the political settlement.

Iqbal cited the case between Indonesia and the Banda Aceh rebels as well as the Good Friday Agreement that settled the conflict in Northern Ireland in which the peace accord was made to form part of the respective state’s legal framework, principally amending their basic charters.

Under the MILF proposal, performance of the set of obligations by both the MILF and government will be subject to independent review and oversight; the current International Contact Group (ICG) is proposed to be converted into a monitoring body, Iqbal further said.

The ICG was created to guarantee compliance of both parties to any consensus reached during the peace negotiations. The idea of creating this cropped up following the aborted signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD).

Iqbal revealed that the federal arrangement the MILF proposes to be set up to address their self-governance aspiration “is similar to Sarawak.”

Sarawak, the largest among Malaysia’s 13 states, used to be an independent state prior to becoming a British Crown colony in 1946. In 1963, it joined Sabah and the former Crown colonies in Malaya in the Federation of Malaysia.

According to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, under the terms of federation, “Sabah and Sarawak retain certain constitutional prerogatives” like the right to maintain their own immigration controls.

When reckoned with the current centralized political administration of the country, the MILF proposal accounts for creating a Bangsamoro sub-state.

Given that the binding commitment as conceived by the MILF would need to be performed beyond the Arroyo incumbency, Iqbal said they are confident the next administration would honor any signed agreement “as we are dealing here with a government, not a specific (presidential) regime.”

Iqbal emphasized that any forthcoming peace deal “is not a final peace agreement as we do not believe in finality of negotiations for a political solution, but a comprehensive compact.”

“By comprehensive compact, this means addressing as many issues that form the heart of the Moro conflict,” he explained.

Meanwhile, in a recent special forum hosted by ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) called “Mindanao: The Way Forward,” several experts cited reasons why the Mindanao peace process unraveled with tragic consequences.

They mentioned the lack of political will to the unchecked attacks by key MILF commanders to a massive misinterpretation of a sub-agreement that would have given the rebels an ancestral domain.

In related news, Zamboanga mayor Celso Lobregat also expressed apprehensions over the manner the government pursues negotiations with the secessionist group as he observes that both the GRP and MILF “are not undertaking genuine and honest to goodness consultations with the concerned stakeholders on issues concerning the peace talks.”

“It seems that the lessons of MOA-AD have not been learned. We called for genuine consultations and transparency in the negotiations,” Lobregat told a local newspaper.

The mayor added that he was likewise disgust over the policy on confidentiality espoused by the peace panels, stressing that genuine and meaningful public consultations to all concerned sectors would spell the success of the negotiations.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO, WITH MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk

MILF keen on inking peace pact within Arroyo’s term

2010-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

RT Lim receives farm animals from DA-MRDP

2010-02-17T21:47:00.001-08:00

THE Department of Agriculture-Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) recently distributed a total of 83 carabaos and another 13 cattle to identified people’s organization in Roseller T. Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay.

These farm animals form part of the DA-MRDP’s Community Fund for Agricultural Development component.

R.T. Lim has a total land area of 48,800 hectares and is composed of 26 barangays. As of 2006, the municipality has 38,774 inhabitants in 7,754 households and at present, has a total of 1.64 million for their animal raising project.

The mentioned livestocks were given to Balansag Samahang ng Magsasaka (BASMAG) and Balansag Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Gango Indigenous Farmers Organization, Gango Integrated Development Association, Silingan CARP Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative, Pigsalabukan Nog Subanon Association, Tilasan Small Farmers Association and Samahang Magsasaka ng Barangay Pres. Roxas.

Since the distributed carabaos and cattles are not adequate in number to be dispersed among the 208 beneficiaries, it was agreed that the female animals will be in the custody of the respective organizations and members will take turns in taking care of the animals for breeding purposes. The offspring will then be owned by the concerned member.

Last week, the said animals were tagged, dewormed and given vitamins by the Western Mindanao Integrated agricultural Research Center (WESMIARC)—DA’s research arm—Provincial Veterinarian Office of Zamboanga Sibugay and the Municipal Agriculturist Office of RT. Lim.

BASMAG President Pascual Pat expressed his thanks to DA-MRDP for the project as he said that the animals will reduce their cost of farming operation and at the same time will be used to transport their produce.

REPORT & PHOTO BY YVET AVELLANADA, DA-9

www.micmedina.tk

RT Lim receives farm animals from DA-MRDP

2010-02-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

Zambosur corn farmers shine

2010-02-17T01:59:00.001-08:00

ANTONIO AND LUZ AMAYA OF SAN MIGUEL SHOW OFF THEIR HYBRID CORN

ARSENIO AND ASUNCION COSTINO IN THEIR FARM IN DINAS

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is replete with success stories of productive farmers it has documented around Zamboanga Peninsula. One inspiring story is about Antonio Amaya of San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur.

Amaya works as a village tanod of San Isidro while maintaining a farm owned by the Ocapan couple who offered a piece of their land to be cultivated by Amaya without any obligation.

The land consisted of more than two hectares and Amaya propagated this with hybrid corn while a portion was planted with ampalaya and eggplant.

The 47-year old farmer, with the help of his wife, Luz, also raised farm animals like hogs, goats and chicken while maintaining several mango and lanzones trees in their yard.

Antonio said he only finished elementary. Yet it was all hard work and patience that made them rich. Because of their diligence, the Amaya couple was able to buy several properties in the area, and saved money in the bank. Two of their five siblings have finished college already and are now working professionals.

Last Feb. 10, the DA information team went to Amaya’s place together with Encar Molina, GMA corn focal person, and municipal agriculturist Alicio Pabiran.

There, Amaya narrated to his visitors that last January, for example, he harvested 682 sacks of corn-on-cob, which is equivalent to 30,000 kilos. So far, this is his biggest yield since September, last year, when he netted some P130,785 in earnings.

This March, Amaya is scheduled to harvest 100 kilos of ginger he planted in a piece of land near where he planted his hybrid corn. He said that ginger is a good crop and he plans to plant it in a bigger area.

Amaya said he plants only the high-yielding hybrid corn since he is assured of a double income compared to the white variety.

Under the government's Corn Banner Program, there are four hybrid yellow corn varieties that have already been tested in some planting areas in the country including Mindanao. It is said that about 54 percent of the total corn production comes from yellow corn.

The DA also said that the country has been exporting yellow corn since 2009. Several buying stations like the National Food Authority buy yellow corn for export, at P9.50 per kilo.

Like Amaya, another corn farmer named Arsenio Costino of Upper Sibol, Dinas prefers yellow corn too because of its yield density.

He said he has been planting the said variety for almost ten years already and has once made it big time with P168,000 from his four-hectare land and with the money, he bought a motorcycle as his service vehicle to his farm.

Costino’s wife, Asuncion, helped him with the chores in their farm where they planted Falcatta trees, intercropping these with corn, bananas and some vegetables, while a portion of the land is planted with rice adopting the rice-duck farming system and they also raised several goats.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9, PHOTOS BY MARK LARIDE

www.micmedina.tk

Zambosur corn farmers shine

2010-02-17T01:59:00.000-08:00

ANTONIO AND LUZ AMAYA OF SAN MIGUEL SHOW OFF THEIR HYBRID CORN

ARSENIO AND ASUNCION COSTINO IN THEIR FARM IN DINAS

Woman, driver dodge shooters

2010-02-17T01:09:00.001-08:00

A businesswoman, her driver and other passengers escaped death last Sunday, Feb. 14, after unidentified shooters waylaid them and peppered their vehicle with bullets when they refused to stop.

Police investigators identified the businesswoman as a certain Carmelita Cimafranca Villena, a resident of Ballesteros, Balangasan District, this city.

Facts gathered from the police blotter narrated that Villena, along with her driver and some fishmongers were on their way home from the fish port riding a KIA Bonggo elf when unidentified men with short firearms flagged them along Pulmones corner Fernan streets in San Pedro.

The driver, sensing the motive of the armed men, tried to ignore and passed through which prompted the aggressors to shoot the vehicle.

The driver, who later gave his name as Joel Barredo Galagar, a resident of Lower Lomboy, Tuburan, was hit in his back and stomach while Villena sustained slight wounds at her buttocks.

Villena said the quick-thinking Galagar was able to drive them off to the Pagadian City Medical Center after the shooting.

Several witnesses claimed to have seen the shooters fled immediately from the area after the incident as police recovered from the crime scene several empty caliber 9mm shells.

City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo surmised the shooters intended to rob or extort money from Villena, basing this statement from testimonies of the victim’s relatives.

February 18, a habal-habal driver was shot at close range while sitting outside the entrance of Dunkin Donut along Rizal Avenue-Ariosa St., 9:30 in the evening.

The victim, whom police identified as Rhodel Cañales Agua, died on the spot. He is said to be a relative of the Navarro family and a resident of Purok Bliss, Lenienza, who collects fees in city terminals.

Witnesses said the shooter wore a bull cap and maong jacket and used a .45 caliber pistol, based on seven empty shells and two slugs found at the crime scene.

Palermo said the killing may have something to do with a family feud between the victim and somebody he wouldn’t name for now.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

www.micmedina.tk

Woman, driver dodge shooters

2010-02-17T01:09:00.000-08:00

Activists tells Palace to rethink choice of new DENR chief

2010-02-16T00:17:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—Environmental activists are urging Malacañang to rethink its choice of placing a new person-in-charge over the environment and natural resources department as they uttered fears the newly seated chief lacks the integrity to command.

In a press statement, the non-government group Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center-Kasama sa Kalikasan (LRC-KsK) said the appointment of Horacio Ramos as DENR chief “does not serve the cause of rational conservation, development and utilization of (our) natural resources.”

The LRC-KsK points out that the governance of the country’s natural resource base should not just hinge on optimizing opportunities for resource exploitation like mining and logging because of their huge potential to sabotage ecological integrity.

Environmental activists like LRC-KsK have registered strong opposition to the appointment of Ramos as DENR’s chief, seeing him as representing a framework of ecological governance largely swaying towards the primacy of resource extraction.

Ramos is a long-time director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) which has regulatory supervision over mining operations. Labeled by activists as “the country’s long running top mining bureaucrat,” he is credited with making government’s policy regime friendly to investments into minerals development.

For over a decade now, government had set out to exploit the country’s minerals potential—estimated at billions of dollars in value—as a major engine for economic growth.

Enacted in 1995, RA 7942 or the Philippine Mining Code was an attempt to haul the industry out of the doldrums through providing mining companies juicy concessions like longer tax holidays.

But this strategy has continually met opposition from communities and the influential Catholic bishops.

According to Carl Cesar Rebuta, LRC-KsK-Cagayan de Oro field office team leader, because of its bold pursuit for minerals development, government has relegated the social costs of these activities into the sidelines.

For one, to further facilitate entry of mining firms, the MGB has reduced processing time of their applications. As a result, the agency has diluted the right of communities to be sought a free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) regarding the planned mining projects.

“And in almost all cases, the MGB has turned a deaf ear on the protests or opposition of communities where human rights violations to health, work and livelihood, education, culture, environment and peace also abound,” said Rebuta.

“We have not seen or heard Mr. Ramos being concerned with the attendant civil and political rights violations such as violent dispersals, displacement of communities, harassment of individuals, restrictions on mobility of persons, and extra-legal killings of community rights defenders,” the LRC-KsK claims.

Amid all these, the environmental activists criticize Ramos for having acted more like a “salesman of our country’s mineral resources rather than its administrator.”

The LRC-KsK notes that under Ramos’ watch, the MGB had approved Mineral Production and Sharing Agreements (MPSAs) covering 432,091.5017 hectares of land, Financial and Technical Assistance Agreements (FTAAs) covering 94,712.91 hectares, as well as allowed exploration in some 171,549.95 hectares.

In areas where extraction is already allowed, there are overlaps with agricultural lands, watersheds, protected areas, geo-hazard areas, forests, and ancestral domains, leading to resource use and community conflicts, the group further noted.

So far, government had entered into 272 MPSAs, four FTAAs, and granted 46 Exploration Permits (EPs).

Because of the way minerals extraction activities are pursued, the LRC-KsK notes a shift between mining and other development objectives which have not led to the industrialization of our economy nor supported sustainable areas development.

Given this reality, there is a clear need to reflect again on mining as a major economic development option, Rebuta concluded, and at the very least, serious policy considerations must be displayed in the choice of appointing a new DENR chief.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO

www.micmedina.tk

Activists tells Palace to rethink choice of new DENR chief

2010-02-16T00:17:00.000-08:00

Zambosur PNP gets new vehicles

2010-02-16T00:03:00.001-08:00

(PHOTO BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU)

THE Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office (ZSPPO) received nine brand new patrol cars last Feb. 11, for the province’s municipal police stations in simple turn-over ceremonies held at Camp Abelon.

Police Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena personally received seven of the nine vehicles and presented these to the municipal police chiefs of Tigbao, Margos, Midsalip, Lapuyan, Josefina, Sominot and Pitogo.

Ochotorena added that one unit was issued to the Provincial Public Safety Management Company. The turn-over of the new units bring to a total of 22 police patrol cars already distributed in Zambosur since 2008.

Additional police vehicles will arrive this summer and will be given to the police stations of Labangan, Tambulig, Bayog, Guipos and Ramon Magsaysay, Ochotorena said, as he thanked PNP Regional Director Angelo Sunglao for the issuance of the said vehicles.

The police director said the presence of the vehicles will help the police force smarten up their capability to go against all forms of criminalities within their area of responsibilities especially in the maintenance of peace and order during the conduct of this May elections.

He urged each police unit–recipient of the newly-acquired cars to take care of “this particular property since it’s seldom for PNP to provide” such vehicles.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

www.micmedina.tk

Zambosur PNP gets new vehicles

2010-02-16T00:03:00.000-08:00

(PHOTO BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU)

Palarong Panlalawigan 2010 opens

2010-02-15T21:45:00.001-08:00

THE Palarong Panlalawigan 2010 had its opening salvo last Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Dumalinao Sports Complex in Dumalinao, this province.

The five-day sports competition will pit elementary and high school athletes across the Zamboanga del Sur schools division, as spearheaded by DepEd.

Regional Director Walter Albos heads DepEd-9 along with Superintendent Visminda Serrato.

Provincial officials headed by Gov. Aurora Cerilles, Rep. Antonio Cerilles and Mayor Ace William Cerilles attended the affair, which carried the theme, “Nurturing Athletes through Sports and Promote Discipline.”

Six Quality Learning Centers (QualCis) in the province and their respective athletes and sports officials took part in this year’s provincial sports competition.

Cerilles, in her message, explained the role and importance of sports among the youth.

“Sports develop the youth not only in health but also in character, discipline, self-confidence, courage to win and teamwork. We need strong and resilient young generation, imbued with determination to win, who shall be soon at the frontlines of service leadership,” she said.

Cerilles mentioned renowned world boxer Manny Pacquiao, making him an example of a “Filipino inspiration to all, especially to the youth to achieve something for their lives.

“If GenSan has Manny Pacquaio, Zambo Sur shall also produce outstanding pool of athletes who would bring honor and fame to our province,” the governor said.

Cerilles stressed all these achievements in sports will be realized if one stays out of drugs. “Ayaw kamo patonto nianang ginadili nga droga nga maoy mopatay sa inyong kaugmaon ug sa kaugmaon sa atong lalawigan ug nasud. Stand firm. Be disciplined and emerge victorious,” she said.

This year is the second time of the Palarong Panlalawigan is being held in the 1.8 hectare sports complex in Dumalinao, which costs about P15 million for its development, complete with Olympic-sized swimming pool, track and field oval, bleachers, and ball courts.

Winners of the Palarong Panlalawigan will do battle with frontrunners from Zanorte and ZamboSibugay and the cities of Pagadian, Dapitan, Dipolog, Zamboanga and Isabela in the coming Zamboanga Regional Athletics Meet.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

www.micmedina.tk

Palarong Panlalawigan 2010 opens

2010-02-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

Is the energy outlook for Mindanao bleak?

2010-02-13T04:56:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—The onset of the El Niño phenomenon is not only affecting the levels of sources of hydroelectric power servicing Mindanao but also disrupted normal human activities and reduced productivity and subsequent revenue of various industries because of frequent brownouts.

The water in Lake Lanao and Pulangi River is now at low levels, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said, and then there’s this non-accessibility of non-hydro plants which is adding up to the reduction of its power generating capacity.

According to Betty Martinez, NGCP corporate communications officer, the Mindanao grid’s hydro-power generation plants are presently operating at 50 percent of capacity and NGCP is resorting to power load shedding in the island since January, this year.

Because of this energy outlook, the NGCP-which took over grid systems operation from the National Transmission Corporation (Transco)—has directed five electric cooperatives in Mindanao to implement rotating brownouts in their areas of coverage.

This load shedding measure, confined to peak hours, from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., is being resorted to as a way of adjusting energy distribution with available power at a given period within a day, Martinez explained, and may likely be enforced at least for the whole of February.

But she assured NGCP's Mindanao System Operations Department (SOD) will lift the curtailment when grid load goes downward after the peak hours and when generation reserves are sufficient in a given day.

A Feb. 9 advisory from NGCP has suggested a “red alert status” of Mindanao grid because “contingency reserve is zero due to generation deficiency” brought about by the reduced capabilities of Agus and Pulangi hydro plants by 50 percent and the outage of the Mindanao Coal Fired Power Plant (MCFPP) and the 35-megawatt Iligan Diesel Power Plant (IDPP).

However, here’s a bit of good news. The Lanao del Norte Electric Cooperative (LANECO) has announced it is set to energize completely its franchise area by end of this month through the use of solar power, General Manager Resnol Torres said.

Torres disclosed LANECO has hired a solar lighting company that will install 60 solar power machines to 6o homes along the hinter villages of Magsaysay, Nunungan, Munai, Poona Piagapo and Tangkal, all in Lanao del Norte.

With this solar power lighting in place, LANECO will have reached 61,423 residences, business establishments, public buildings and others posting 93 percent in accomplishment. This is already “a mission almost accomplished,” the general manager added.

LANECO franchised area covers Linamon, Matungao, Kauswagan, Baculod, Maigo, Kolambugan, Tangkal, Tubod, Magsaysay, Baroy, Lala, Salvador, Kapatagan, Sapad, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Poona Piagapo and Munai.

Other areas outside its franchised area that are partially served are Baloi and some parts of Aurora and Tukuran in Zamboanga del Sur, including barangays Abaga, Maria Cristina, Nangka and Matampay of Iligan City.

At the moment, the poblacions of Nunungan and Tagoloan are already being served with solar power and in a little while, Torres said barangays Tawian and Tumbador of Magsaysay will be “solarized.”

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO & MICHAEL MEDINA

www.micmedina.tk