P.E.N.S.

SOLUTION TO POWER CRISIS BEGINS AT HOME, ALTERNATIVE SOURCES

2010-02-22T19:01:00.001-08:00

Senator Loren Legarda appealed to households to "conserve more, consume
less" in order to ease the worsening power crisis in the country, especially
in Mindanao.

The National Grid Corp. (NGCP) has placed Mindanao under "red alert" as the
power situation continues to worsen. This is due to the recent dry spell
which has reduced the capability of Mindanao's hydropower sources to
generate energy.

The NGCP has announced that contingency reserve is zero due to generation
deficiency caused by reduced capabilities from two hydro power plants, the
Agus Hydro with 50 percent reduction and the Pulangi hydro electric power
plant with 75 percent reduction.

"At the personal household level, my appeal is to conserve more and
consume less. We should use power saving lights and appliances, save
water, and use solar-run systems," said Loren, chair of the SENATE
Climate Change COMMITTEE.

Loren added, "At the national government level we should expand and
strengthen alternative sources of energy like geothermal, hydro, wind, and
ocean convection. In the long run, this will reduce our reliance on fossil
fuel."

The Philippines is already the second biggest geothermal energy producer,
and has a huge potential for renewable energy generation.

"This is the most critical time to explore our alternative sources of fuel
and energy. We are always at the mercy of world oil price fluctuations, and
with the onset of climate change, we are even more pressed for power
sources," she said.

Loren said, "Renewable energy expansion will help solve our energy problems."

GRANTING EMERGENCY POWERS TO GMA NOT NECESSARY, GUINGONA (engl/ceb)

2010-02-22T18:59:00.001-08:00

SENATORIAL aspirant Mindanao Rep. Teofisto "TG" Guingona III brushes
off Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus (B.) Rodriguez's appeal to
fellow solons for a special session to impose a state of emergency to
resolve the power crisis in Mindanao.

Rodriguez, on Monday, appealed to members of the Lower House to
convene a special session that will grant President Gloria Arroyo
emergency powers to declare a state of emergency on the whole island.

A member of the Committee on Energy's Joint Congressional Power
Commission (JCPC)-Oversight Committee, Guingona argued, however, that
granting special powers to the President is not necessary as it is
already stipulated in the energy law on what measures to take in the
event of a power crisis.

"The debate over a power crisis and emergency powers is unproductive
because the term "crisis" is misleading when referring to the power
system. We should instead determine whether we have a power shortage.
A shortage can be verified whereas we can only (speculate) about a
crisis," Guingona said.

"We can determine whether the shortage is actual or imminent, seasonal
(no water for dams or structural lack of power plants) nationwide or
regional. We can even measure it. Thereafter, we can take appropriate
steps to address it. This is a useful way to appreciate the
problem--with a view to solving it," he added.

Guingona cited Chapter VIII, Section 71 of the Electric Power Industry
Reform Act of 2001 (RA 0000), which states "Upon the determination by
the President of the Philippines of an imminent shortage of the supply
of electricity, Congress may authorize, through a joint resolution,
the establishment of additional generating capacity under such terms
and conditions as it may approve."

"His (Rodriguez) call is an over-reaction. OA (over-acting) na 'yan.
Hindi na kailangan bigyan pa ng emergency powers ang presidente," the
solon said.

Granting the President emergency powers, Guingona explained would mean
national government will take-over existing power producing companies
in the country.

"What use will the take-over be when all of the existing power
companies have been producing to its capacity," Guingona said.

However, Guingona admitted that there is indeed a power shortage in
the island--around 183 megawatts.

"It is important to maintain the 23 percent reserve capacity of the
MIndanao grid. Hindi pwede 'yung saktong-sakto lang ang pag address ng
supply and demand ratio," Guingona said.

"Pero granting emergency powers to an out-going President is
definitely not the solution," the solon added.

Lotto outlet cashier in Agnor robbed

2010-02-20T20:30:00.001-08:00

Buenavista, AGUSAN DEL NORTE - A PCSO lotto outlet cashier of this
town who just stepped out from the lotto outlet she was working was
robbed by motorcycle –riding suspects Sunday evening, Buenavista
police said.

Initial police investigation revealed that cashier Rustica Talado
Adobo, 49, single, has just closed the PCSO lotto outlet she was
working located at Cagampang Street of this town upon boarding a
pedicab, two motorcycle-riding armed suspects at gunpoint grabbed the
shoulder bag of the victim which contained day's earning of more than
P20,000 cash money.

One of the suspects slashed her upper forearm with the use of bladed
weapon when she tried to fight it out with the suspects. Helpless as
no one helped her when she shouted for help, the suspects took her bag
containing the cash money.

Victim was brought to Butuan City hospital for medical treatment while
the suspects fled to unknown direction after the incident.

Buenavista Municipal Police Office said they are still conducting
follow up operations to identify and locate the suspects.

Series of unsolved robbery incidents, hold up and thieves including
mobile phones, bags snatching at crowded Butuan City Park forced some
civilians to think they are no longer safe even at broad daylight in
the streets of Caraga Region.

The park is very near the main Butuan City Police Office and the St.
Joseph Cathedral which is just across a single lane road.

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

Dengue fever claims 6 in Misor; 18 died last year

2010-02-20T20:28:00.001-08:00

BUTUAN CITY- At least six minors have died due dengue fever in
Northern Mindanao particularly in Misamis Oriental province in the
first quarter of this year, Misamis Oriental Provincial Health Officer
Dr. Ignacio Moreno announced.

This developed after a seven year old girl died due to deadly dengue
in Opol. Misamis Oriental last week, Dr Moreno said.

Last year, the Misamis Oriental Provincial Health Office has recorded
18 deaths mostly children due dengue topping the list is the
Municipality of Tagoloan which recorded seven deaths.

The Misamis Oriental Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Moreno has
called on Misamis Oriental residents to keep surroundings clean always
as one of the effective anti-dengue measures by communities.

"The cleaning of backyards, destruction of breeding places such as
emptying cans, barrels, ponds of stagnant water and canals are
mitigating measures by communities to avoid dengue onslaught in their
areas", Dr. Moreno said.

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

Loren says long-term comprehensive plan for El Niño mitigation essential

2010-02-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Loren Legarda, chairman of the Senate committee on agriculture and
food, today called for the crafting and adoption of a
long-termcomprehensive plan for El Niño mitigation saying that it is
essential to the country's social and economic well-being.

"This long-term plan should include measures that are integrated in
regular government programs directed to various sectors of the
society," Loren stressed.

Loren, who also chairs the Senate oversight committee on climate
change, explained that El Niño, a quasi-periodic climatic event that
occurs every 3-7 years, brings in drought or dry spells and other
weather disturbances especially to countries along the Pacific Ocean
like the Philippines.

"El Niño is predictable as it is preceded by the warming of the
surface waters in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean and increased
surface pressures in the western Pacific. These water aspects are
regularly monitored by the US National Oceanic Atmospheric
Administration. This agency issues early warning of a possible El Nino
event of which our PAGASA has access to," she said.

Loren noted the worst El Niño in memory occurred in the country in
1997-1998 with a lingering drought that lasted for a year. This was
followed by a weak El Niño in 2001- 2003.

"As early as June, 2009, a warning for a possible weak to moderate El
Niño occurring within the year has been issued by PAGASA," Loren said.

According to Loren, the time to act should have been as early as the
first El Niño warning was issued. She said we could have avoided or
reduced the ill effects of El Niño.

"We could have identified and classified the vulnerable areas. We
could have adapted strategies depending upon the degree of these
vulnerabilities. In certain areas, we could have asked the population
to help conserve water. We could have repaired our irrigation systems
to prevent the unnecessary loss of water. We could have advised our
farmers on what they should do to prevent crop losses," Loren said.

"But because of our failure to do so, we are faced today with brown
outs, dead crops, low yields and non-productive agricultural lands
until the end of May, 2010," she lamented.

Loren reported that in Mindanao, the National Grid Corporation of the
Philippines (NGCP) announced that it was forced to cut power supply to
the entire Mindanao area after water level in its main dams in Agus
and Lanao del Sur and in Pulangi in Bukidnon has dipped to its
critical level.

"Agriculture and power are not the only victims of El Niño. In areas
where water supply is very low, possible public health hazards may
arise if clean water is not supplied," the lady senator said.

"I wonder whether there is any government effort to address this
eventuality. Local government offices are not guided by a national
comprehensive plan," she asserted.

Loren stressed that our government is aware of the ill effects of El
Niño and of the possible actions that could be done to mitigate the
consequences. There abound expert reports and studies on what has
happened and what can be done. The experience of the Philippines and
several countries in the 1997-1998 El Niño is well documented and
could serve as a starting point. This document identified policies
that impede the government from properly and timely responding to El
Niño as well as measures that succeeded in reducing the ill effects of
El Niño.

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2010-02-16T23:24:00.000-08:00

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Armed men arrested in Comelec checkpoint

2010-02-16T23:12:00.001-08:00

BUTUAN CITY– The Commission on Elections and the Candijay municipal
police office in Bohol Province in the Visayas slapped separate
charges of violation of the election gun ban against suspected agents
of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG).

Candijay Police Chief Alfredo Kuhay Jr. identified the three armed
men, who claimed to be marines and PASG agents, as Abraham Borinaga,
45, from Las Pinas, Metro Manila; Benjamin Agliam, 24, from Binmaley,
Pangasinan; and Danny Dologmanding, 41, a native of San Roque, Iloilo.
... See More

Also arrested were George Villalun, 26, from Calitan, Capiz; Rhyan
Lopez, 23, from Gumaca, Quezon; Godualdo Dalo, also from Capiz; and
Marlon Lomo, who has no definite address.

The Candijay police intercepted them at around 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 3
while fleeing to the national highway, at least 15 meters from the
residence of Candijay Mayor Sergio Amora Jr., on board an ambulance of
the Community Awareness and Services for Ecological Concern, Inc.
(CASEC,Inc.), a non-governmental organization (NGO) .

The police team caught them in the road block checkpoint conducted
after receiving a report that some armed men on board an ambulance
harassed brothers Edwin, 24, and Alberto, 21 Bersaluna who were
drinking at a store in Poblacion, Candijay on the same day.

The police had also filed charges of grave threat against them and
four other companions for harassing the brothers.

The suspects showed PASG IDs and mission order signed by Sec. Antonio
Villar Jr. with instructions to proceed to all regions, carry out
confidential instructions of the head of PASG from Jan. 1 to March 31,
2010, and that they were authorized to carry a licensed Norinco .45
caliber with serial no. 47836, Arms Score .45 caliber pistols with
serial nos. K1163589 and 1138051.

They also presented a certificate of authority from Comelec for the
exemption in the gun ban. However, they were in plain clothes when
caught bringing along the firearms.

Police Provincial Director Anthony Lao-Obenza said they had forwarded
the documents presented by the suspects, including their identities to
verify their authenticity, especially that the memo from COMELEC
requires coordination with local authorities.

On their failure to coordinate with local authorities, the suspects
said their operation was confidential.

PASG Regional Director Rommel Manhilot (real name of actor, Rommel
Montano brother of actor Cesar Montano) denied knowing them and said
he had not deployed any of his men to operate in the municipality of
Candijay, since there was no port in the town.

Manhilot, however, said they could be under another PASG
official--Tryve Olaivar, a candidate for mayor in Candijay with Dy as
runningmate.

Mayor Amora suspected that the men were hired killers out to liquidate
him, as he said the incident only confirmed the death threat he
received earlier, allegedly from Olaivar, his rival in mayoralty race.

Dy, who was in the capital city until the following day the incident
occured, denied any knowledge about the activities of the armed men,
pointing out that CASEC's ambulance was specifically intended to
transport patients only.

She, however, admitted that one of her staff called her that night to
ask permission to use the ambulance to transport a patient to
Tagbilaran, but she had no direct knowledge as to who actually boarded
the ambulance.

The ambulance is now impounded at the municipal police headquarters to
serve as evidence.

LOREN: EL NIÑO COULD DEVASTATE VISAYAS REGION

2010-02-16T19:41:00.001-08:00

Senator Loren Legarda who campaigns this week in the Panay provinces
expressed her deep concern that unless urgent adaptation strategies
are taken, El Nino will devastate the region's agriculture, and food
and water supply.

"Three provinces in the Visayan region have started to feel the
effects of the El Nino phenomenon through below normal rainfall and
drought since August 2009: Capiz, Aklan and Guimaras," she said.

The Department of Agriculture has already warned that the prolonged
drought would drastically cut down the production of local crops, like
rice, corn, sugar cane, vegetables and other agricultural products.

"Agriculture is the food provider of the country. Part of my advocacy
is providing sufficient food for every family. It is unjust that at
this day and age, there are still people who die of hunger," she said.

Loren called for an agricultural adaptation program that ensures more
investments in agricultural research and infrastructure, improved
water governance and land use policies, better forecasting tools and
early warning systems and a strengthened extension system.

"We must also assist our farmers to achieve economic diversification
and access to credit if we want to make progress in our food security
goals. Hindi po maaari na ang mga magsasaka at mangingisda na
nagpapakain sa bayan ang siya namang nagugutom. Dapat po natin silang
bigyang ng kaukulang suporta," she said.

In the long term, Loren cited the need to draw up a national water
resource management system to ensure sufficient supply of water for
irrigation, power generation, as well as clean water for industrial
and household utilization at all times.

"Water is not an infinite resource. If we do not protect our water
resources, we are at risk of running out on this vital, life-giving
resource," she said.

LOREN: CREATE CRISIS CENTER FOR STREET CHILDREN

2010-02-16T19:40:00.001-08:00

Sen. Loren Legarda IS ADVOCATING for the establishment of a Crisis
Center for the country's street children, pushing for THE PASSAGE OF
Senate Bill 230 to be discussed in the last FEW days WHEN CONGRESS
RESUMES session IN JUNE BEFORE ADJOURNMENT SINE DIE.

Loren stressed that "as the population balloons and social
demographics among families change, it is the government's moral
obligation to safeguard the welfare of Filipino children, especially
those getting less or no care at all."

She lamented the findings of UNICEF in 2009 that there are now a
quarter of a million CHILDREN living, working and sleeping on the
streets of key cities in the Philippines. Loren cited that these
children are especially exposed to risks to their health, well-being
and lives.

Currently, children are protected by existing laws such as RA-7610
(Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and
Discrimination Act), RA-9231 (the act Prohibiting Employment of
Children in Hazardous Areas); and PD-603 (Child and Youth Welfare
Code). But there is no specific law that addresses the special
conditions and needs of the street children.

"250,000 children living on the streets is a very bad indication of
governance. We must as a country collectively address this; not only
relying on the services of the DSWD or donations of foreign
governments and NGOs. We must create a stable, legal framework to
eradicate the threats to the lives of children living on the streets,"
Loren added.

According to the Council for the Welfare of Children, 75 percent of
THESE children stay on the street most of the time; 20 percent
practically live on the streets alone or with their family and/or
friends; and the remaining 5 percent are street children who have
experienced abuse or have been abandoned and are engaged in illegal
activities.

"It is about time every city or municipality ADOPT comprehensive
programs in providing temporary shelter, emergency medical and feeding
programs and basic education. This measure will provide street
children the means to uplift their conditions and take them out of the
streets, through programs, AMONG THEM EDUCATIONAL, that will equip
them with livelihood, technical and social skills so later on they can
live better, more decent lives." Loren concluded.

LOREN: JUSTICE FOR FARMERS NOW

2010-02-14T18:29:00.001-08:00

Vice presidential candidate Senator Loren Legarda today called for
justice and genuine agrarian reform for farmers, stressing that
justice must be served to the victims and families of the Hacienda
Luisita massacre.

"It has been more than five years since this bloody episode in our
farmers' struggle for genuine land reform. This is human rights
violation that has not been resolved up to now by the administration
nor the landowners of Hacienda Luisita," she said.

"Luisita is a symbol of government's failure to end a feudal and
oppressive agrarian system. Neither Noynoy Aquino nor his running mate
Mar Roxas, whose families are among the biggest landowners in the
country, have taken any steps to correct it. This is a test of
character – whether you stand against injustice or turn a blind eye to
brutality," she said.

Loren reiterated her call to implement the 20-year old Agrarian Reform law.

"Noynoy and Mar should not make promises to redistribute their lands
for the mere purpose of campaigning. How can you prove that you are
pro-poor if you cannot even show transparency in the Hacienda Luisita
and Araneta-Roxas records? People are starving. The plight of farmers
continues up to this day. Farmers are killed, hurt and harassed. The
landless must be given land. This is what the law says," she said.

LOREN CALLS FOR “LOVE FOR ENVIRONMENT”

2010-02-14T18:28:00.001-08:00

As the country celebrates the day of love, Senator Loren Legarda calls
on Filipinos to renew their love for the environment.

"Love of the environment translates to love for people. By taking care
of the earth, our only home, we take care of the people we love," she
said.

"We must address climate change now. Our environment has suffered too
much degradation. Do we want our loved ones to live in an environment
where there is flood, hunger and poverty?"

"The time to act is now and we should work together for the people we
love and for the future generation. Lets us take care of our home,
surroundings and environment. If not for us but for the people who
matters to us and for the generations to come, let's make the world
better," said Loren who chairs the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

Further, "Leaders of this country should rethink the approach on
pursuing development vis-à-vis climate risks and the impacts of
natural disasters. We need to revisit our current framework and
strategies for socio-economic development to fully address the threat
posed by climate change to our communities."

Loren, author AND SPONSOR of landmark legislations like the Climate
Change Act and Solid Waste Management to address the most pressing
environmental issues of our time, also called for improved local
governance.

She also created the Luntiang Pilipinas, the Philippine partner of the
United Nations Environment Programme in its Billion Tree Campaign.
Today, it has planted and grown almost two million trees nationwide.

"Now is the time for us to show our passion for the environment and
create a better world for our loved ones," said Loren.

LOREN CALLS FOR ENTREPRENEUR EMPOWERMENT

2010-02-14T18:26:00.000-08:00

Senator Loren Legarda called for the empowerment of entrepreneurs by
providing more assistance to micro, small and medium-scale enterprises
(MSMEs).

Loren, author of the Barangay Kabuhayan Act (R.A. 9509) and the Magna
Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Act (R.A. 9501),
called for the implementation of these laws to stimulate the so-called
informal sector in the face of the alarming nosedive of the country's
exports.

"By their sheer number and inescapable presence alone, addressing
MSMEs concerns will certainly accelerate the growth and development of
our nation's economy and lead to a better life for our people," said
Loren.

She said that stimulating the micro, small and medium enterprises
which employs 69 percent of the country's labor force is an ideal
response to the country's dwindling exports in the face of continuing
global economic woes.

Under the amended law, the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)
definition was modified in order to include more MSMEs, especially
those that really belong in the micro sector.

Now, enterprises with capitalization of P3 million or below are
classified as micro enterprises as compared to the previous cap of
P1.5 million. With the increase of the cap, more Filipinos can now
avail of the benefits that are provided in this law.

The Small and Medium Development Council, renamed as the Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Council, was strengthened
to effectively spur the growth and development of MSMEs in the
country. Included in the Council are three representatives from the
MSME sector to represent Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The amended magna carta would also rename the Small Business Guarantee
and Finance Corporation as the Small Business Corporation, with its
authorized capital stock increased to P10 billion. It shall guarantee
all loans obtained by qualified MSMEs.

Loren also said that the amendments will enable MSMEs to grow while
still being eligible for government assistance by permitting them to
accept subcontracts or enter into franchise agreements with large
enterprises or to join cooperative activities with other MSMEs.

Tamano urges government to make condoms readily available

2010-02-14T18:25:00.001-08:00

Following reports from the Department of Health (DOH) indicating a
sharp increase in the number of reported HIV/AIDS cases in the country
especially in the 25-34 age group, senatorial candidate Atty. Adel
Tamano has urged the Philippine government to make condoms readily
available especially to the poor.

"Distributing condoms is all about health services, responsibility and
protection. We don't want to become like African countries with
epidemics," the Nacionalista Party senatorial bet and spokesperson
emphasized.

"Let's not forget that combating HIV/AIDS is one of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) that we need to achieve by 2015. This is not
a mere secondary task of the Philippine government. It is a primary
task, it is something that the government promised the rest of the
world to do," Tamano explained.

"While it's true that our country is facing so many challenges, we
should remain steadfast in achieving the MDGs. We owe it to our fellow
Filipinos. The Philippines will be the laughing stock if we fail by
2015," Tamano added.

The MDGs are international development goals signed by and agreed upon
by 192 United Nations-member states and at least 23 international
organizations to be achieved by the year 2015.

The eight goals are 1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, 2)
achieve universal primary education, 3) promote gender equality and
empowering women, 4) reduce child mortality, 5) improve maternal
health, 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, 7) ensure
environmental sustainability and 8) develop a Global Partnership for
Development.

Meanwhile, the constitutional law professor and former president of
the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila also lauded the Department of
Labor and Employment's plan to intensify its advocacy against
HIV/AIDS.

LOREN EYES INSURANCE FOR MEDIA COVERING ELECTIONS

2010-02-12T17:07:00.001-08:00

Aware of the occupational hazards of media coverage during the
elections, Senator Loren Legarda called for a comprehensive insurance
for media practitioners covering the elections.

"I commend the writers, photojournalists and TV reporters who have
been with us since the campaign started. I have been a media
practitioner for 20 years and I know the great demands of covering the
elections. They are the ONES responsible for upholding transparency
and vigilance in the critical democratic exercise that is the
elections," said Loren, a respected broadcast journalist prior to
being in public office.

She added, "The work of media is no joke. Regardless of the hectic
schedule and the remoteness of locations, the media is there to ensure
that the public get information straight from the campaign trail."

Loren said in her press conference that she will tap PhilHealth to
help institutionalize a media insurance coverage for media persons on
the field.

Loren who chairs the Senate Committee on Health is also pushing for
health reforms such as a UNIVERSAL HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE WHERE THE
GOVERNMENT WOULD PROVIDE FOR PHILHEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE SPECIALLY
FOR THE UNDERPRIIVILEGED, THE BARANGAY HEALTH WORKERS AND THE
UNEMPLOYED INFORMAL SECTOR, AMONG OTHERS.

MANNY-LOREN TANDEM: WE ARE FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE

2010-02-12T17:06:00.001-08:00

Cavitenos warmly welcomed Nacionalista Party standard bearers
President Manny Villar and Vice-President Loren Legarda as they
scoured four towns of Cavite and spoke to various groups including the
youth, students, senior citizens, the clergy, local farmers, health
workers and teachers.

Loren expressed her commitment and confidence that their team-up's
campaign and platform of governance is based on the core Filipino
values of competence, experience and transparency. She stressed that
these core values are what will drive their programs for public
service.

"I am very grateful for your continued support for me and Manny. It is
you who inspire us to lead a government bounded by a principled
leadership and governance. Our goal is to end poverty and hunger,"
said Loren.

As your Vice-President I would like to be the light and guide of our
country and with Manny's leadership I am sure that we will all sore
high and progress as a nation.

She added, "Only those who did not grow up with a silver spoon in
their mouths understand what it is to be poor and to work hard to make
something out of yourself. Manny and I grew up working for a living
and did not have a politically-affluent family to hand over everything
to us. We know the poor's needs and we have the sense of urgency to
end poverty."

Loren further stressed that it is not enough to know what the people
need but leaders of this country should have the spirit to fight for
them. Leading a country can not be learned over a month or so, it
needs determination and experience.

"It is very easy to promise, it is very easy to read speeches to a
crowd. But can you fulfill your promises?" Loren challenges her
rivals.

"Manny and I will end hunger and poverty, provide affordable and
healthy food, provide free medicines and health care for the poor,
raise standards of education, generate more jobs, care for our
elderly, seek alternative sources of energy and lower power costs.
This is not a promise; we have already been pushing for these reforms
at a legislative level in our present terms as Senators and we will
make sure as leaders of this country these are implemented and
delivered," ended Loren.

LOREN URGES PGMA TO SIGN NEW SENIOR CITIZENS LAW

2010-02-12T17:05:00.001-08:00

Senator Loren Legarda today urged President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to
sign the Expanded Senior Citizen's Law, which Loren principally
authored and ushered into passage in the Senate.

Loren said this in response to the recommendation of the Department of
Finance (DOF) for Malacanang to veto the bill due to foreseen revenue
losses. Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran said the bicameral version
would result in revenue losses of P1.68 billion and that it would only
"complicate" the implementation of the expanded value added tax
(EVAT).

Loren strongly opposed this recommendation, saying that the law is
"only what the elderly deserve."

"This is not a new incentive. The Expanded Senior Citizen's Law only
corrects the discrepancy caused by the EVAT, which effectively cuts
the original 20% senior citizens' discount to 8%. We are only
correcting the loophole as alleged by senior citizens who felt
shortchanged by the implementation of EVAT. The new law restores it
back to the full 20% discount which was mandated by the original
Senior Citizen's Act," she said.

Loren, who principally authored the law, said that "this law is my
tribute to Filipino senior citizens who have been and continue to be
part of building our nation. It is a time-honored Filipino practice to
take care of the elderly in their twilight years because our
generation owes a lot to them and their hard work. That is the spirit
behind this legislation. We should give the elderly what they
deserve."

The Senior Citizens Act (RA-7432) and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act
(RA-9257) grant benefits and special privileges to the elderly,
including:

• Exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) provided under the
National Internal Revenue Code on the sale of goods and services from
all establishments. They shall also be given a twenty percent (20%)
discount on the purchase of medicines; on the professional fees of
attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, and
outpatient clinics; on medical and dental services, diagnostic and
laboratory fees in all private hospitals and medical facilities, and
outpatient clinics; in actual fare for land transportation, domestic
air transport services and sea shipping; on the utilization of
services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants and
recreation centers; and on admission fees charged by theaters, cinema
houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other similar places
of culture, leisure and amusement.

• Exemption from the payment of individual income taxes Senior
citizens who are considered minimum wage earners.

• Free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal
disease for indigent senior citizen patients through the DOH

• Throughout the country, there shall be established a "senior
citizens ward" in every government hospital. This geriatric ward shall
be for the exclusive use of senior citizens who are in need of
hospital confinement by reason of their health conditions.

• Indigent senior citizens identified by the DSWD shall be entitled to
a monthly stipend amounting to one thousand five hundred pesos
(P1,500) to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs.

Loren's bill to expand the tax exemption for senior citizens has been
approved in the recent bi-cameral conference of Congress and will then
be sent to the Office of the President for signing into law.

Loren kicks off a “campaign for the people”

2010-02-09T00:57:00.001-08:00

LAGUNA -- Senator Loren Legarda today kicked off her 90-day campaign
in the historic town of Calamba, hometown of national hero Jose Rizal,
vowing to run "a clean, solid campaign for the people".

"My bid for the vice-presidency will focus on humanitarian relief
assistance and awareness, jobs fair, feeding programs and
environmental protection projects. My campaign will deviate from
traditional political campaigning," said Loren, the only female
vice-presidency candidate in the May 2010 elections.

In a mammoth rally, Loren said her platform of government is anchored
on winning the war against poverty and vulnerability to natural and
man-made disasters.

"I will focus on what will help the Filipinos improve their lives and
steer them clear of the threats of calamities, social injustice,
poverty and unemployment, hunger, corruption and hopelessness. I will
devote my public life to a humanitarian purpose," said Legarda.

Her distinction as the UN's Regional Champion for Disaster Risk
Reduction has been the main focus of the media, owing to her intensive
efforts to build awareness on fighting climate change.

Her legislative work in the Senate also include being author of some
of the country's most significant laws, such as the Clean Air Act,
Climate Change Act, Agri-Agra Law and the Solid Waste Management Act.
She has also been consistently pushing for reforms in the agriculture,
education and health sectors.

A respected broadcast journalist and public servant, Loren is the only
female senator who has topped the Senate race twice, in 1998 with over
15 million votes and in 2007 with over 18 million votes. She is also
the first woman to become Senate Majority Leader.

"Nothing was handed to me on a silver platter. I know the value of
hardwork and perseverance. Despite not being born to a
politically-affluent family, and growing up to a middle-class family,
I want inspire the youth to make a difference for the betterment of
the nation," said Loren.

She added, "the Filipino people know my capability, goals and my
convictions. They know where my heart belongs and I leave it up to the
public to decide come May 2010. I will not use mere popularity to
promote my candidacy. I trust that the Filipinos are educated voters
and will choose wisely. I have no other ambition than to serve the
people and work for a prosperous, just and sustainable Philippine
society."

TG GUINGONA III CALLS FOR TV CAMPAIGN ADS DISCLOSURE

2010-02-08T18:28:00.001-08:00

Bukidnon Representative Teofisto "TG" Guingona III echoed the call of
the journalists asking the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas
(KBP) to look into block-timers, especially those funded by candidates
and local government units, to protect the integrity of journalism.

Guingona expressed his whole-hearted support as print and broadcast
journalists participating in a two-day roundtable sponsored by the
Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) have expressed
concern over the impact of block-timers hosting shows sponsored or
funded by LGUs and candidates.

The solon said these television ads are obviously part of the
campaigns of candidates but they are not identified as political
advertisements. One of the basic principles governing news and public
affairs programs, he said, is to make the distinction clear between
news and information and advertising material such as commercials.

"The 2010 elections are already shaping up to be the most expensive.
We should not let the amount that the candidates spend to be the
decisive factor in this election. Let us keep the 2010 elections
honest by fully disclosing paid political advertising. Honest
elections are our only hope for electing honest leaders." Guingona
said.

The journalists stated that if ads are paid for by a local government
office, then the people should know that it is taxpayers' money that
is being spent, in clear violation of the electoral law.

Guingona said that the people have the right to know if their
hard-earned money that go to taxes are being properly by government
agencies and not used for political gain by certain blocs or
individuals.

Mindanao tribal kids skip classes to haul logs

2010-02-08T17:10:00.001-08:00

BUTUAN CITY- For six pesos, tribal kids aging six years old to fifteen
in this hinterland areas of Mindanao within boundaries of Misamis
Oriental and Agusan provinces are hauling cut logs thrice to four
times of their size to more than one to two kilometers distance like
Carabaos.

Lito, 8, and Manny, 9, not their real names claimed they earned 50 to
100 pesos in a day's work depending in their stamina to last long.

The two admitted they had to skip classes just to earn few pesos they
claimed help themselves and their families in their daily needs.

They claimed buyers or middlemen coming all the way from cities of
Gingoog, Cagayan de Oro and Butuan or local counterparts or sometimes
owners of the cut logs which they admitted were sometimes their
relatives pay them after doing day's job.

"Maayo naman lang ni siya kay gawas nga makapalit mi ug papel naa pa
gyud mi baon sa eskwela makatabang pa mi usahay sa amo ginikanan (This
is good for us because it will not only help us buy school supplies
and provide us baon, we sometimes help our parents)', the two told
this writer in an interview.

The two confided as some tears flowing from their innocent eyes with
their fragile body trembling due maybe to cold as they are dripping in
sweat while they were soaked wet due to rains, that sometimes they
felt something wrong in their health at night.

"Sakit amo kalawasan sir kanang matulog nami usahay permi mi hilantan
(We felt pain in our bodies at night at times we suffer fever), "the
two chorused as they were as if in a hurry to left the interview
scene.

When asked if they seek medical check up in pubic clinics at times
when they suffered fever and severe body pains, the two replied, "amo
ra mama tambal sa amo sir, usahay di nalang mi magsaba kay wa man mi
kwarta amo ginikanan para patambal namo (our mother is the one who is
sometimes treating us but most of the time we just keep quiet because
our parents have no money for medical treatment).

In the same interview in Visayan dialect, they claimed traveling by
kilometers before reaching state-owned rural health units had
discouraged them sometimes to visit clinics. They added that sometimes
rural health units in their area had no medicines.

When asked how long they have doing such hauling jobs where Carabaos
only does or are capable of doing, the two replied, "Dugay na sir
(Long time ago sir), the two left towing the logs as they bid goodbye
to this writer.

The local NCIP office in Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental province in
their two pages official report addressed to NCIP Misamis Oriental
Provincial Officer Jason Vincent Damasco confirmed children aging 6
(six) to 15 years old hauling logs from farms after hiking two
kilometers.

The official report signed by Mrs. Kenjie Baduco, Community
Development Officer III and head of the NCIP Gingoog City field office
furnished to this writer cited one true incident involving 12 year old
boy who almost got killed when the huge log he was towing rolled down
the hill into the river and the boy failed to free/ loosen the rope
tying him and the huge log thus the both the log and the boy were
rolling down the hill altogether.

The boy's head hit a rock. The report did not mention on whether the
boy was hospitalized or not or got medical treatment or not or what is
the current situation of the boy.

In same report, the parents of the boy admitted to the NCIP probe team
that they felt sorry on the misfortune of their child after the
accident but couldn't do anything because the most important to them
is survival.

The NCIP official report claimed that based on their investigations
there were two ways children hauled logs;

First, two children helping each other in carrying one log from the
forest or farms going to muddy road and second, the log will be tied
up with the rope at both ends of which the other end of the rope is
tied at both shoulders or hips of the child.

Children will earn P6.00 and P10.00 per log depending on the size of the logs.

"Seeing personally such situation of the children, they could be
regarded as proxies to Carabaos", the report penned by the NCIP team
headed by Baduco.

The report further added that indeed illegal logging and illegal
cutting of planted trees is present and was really taking place in
Sitio Impaluhod, Barangay Eureka, Gingoog City because government
permits were issued wrongly.

Earlier, complaints were raised by freelance broadcaster and tribal
Datu Emmanuel Ansihagan like rampant child labor and illegal logging
in said area saying while trees are cut in Sitio Impaluhod, DENR field
offices placed in their permits that trees were allegedly sourced or
cut from somewhere else other than Impaluhod.

In his letters addressed to DENR Secretary Leonor Quinto and NCIP
Chairman Ensigne that cutting permits were issued wrongly and
therefore those officials approving the papers or permits can be
charged administratively were all proven to be true.

Members of the Indigenous People interviewed by the NCIP team admitted
that cutting of trees inside their ancestral domains have not
undergone Free Prior Information and Consent or FPIC as provided by
the IPRA law therefore any government permits for and in the name of
Sito Impaluhod is manipulative and illegal.

School teachers in Sitio Impaluhod, according to the official report
have been worried due to the frequent absences of their pupils because
children chose hauling logs than going to school.

The two-page report claimed that while parents admitted in their
interviews the danger it posed to their children for hauling huge logs
for a penny, they (parents) denied motivating their kids to do so.

The report said the parents reasoned that it was their children who
are very much interested to haul huge logs in order for them to buy
school supplies saying ethri chdilren do haul logs for survival and
they have nothing to do to stop because they themselves are living in
dire poverty.

The same report claimed wood traders, middlemen and log buyers washed
their hands too in the miserable fate of the children even saying that
it was the indigenous people in the area who were inviting them (log
buyers) to buy logs in their ancestral domain areas.

The report claimed one buyer the NCIP probe team interviewed had told
them that him and colleagues do not even wanted to operate in their
area because of the distance and rough roads "but got pity of some
lumads who sometimes waited for log buyers and fallen sleep waiting
for cash advances in order for them to start cutting trees again'.

The buyer was quoted as saying " he pity the lumads who approached him
that sometimes he will ignore pleading cash advances but lumads insist
and sometimes had to really spent the whole waiting for the cash
advances".

But log buyers failed to reply properly and in full why some lumads
complained that some buyers buy cut logs at only P600.00 per cubic
meter in the area while in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog and
Butuan City same logs brought P600.00 per cubic meter are bought at
P5,000.00 per cubic meter.

National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) Gingoog City Office
head Mrs. Kenjie Baduco in the same report has recommended the
following to avert further child labor abuse and illegal logging in
ancestral domain areas.

First, prompt implementation of livelihood projects to the IPs;
Second. Prioritize conversation process of CADC to CADT; third, fund
formulation of ADSDPP; fourth, Assists implementation of documents for
log cutting permits and fifth, update status of NRDC/IFMA applications
with Baleguihan CADC number 019.

When asked why recommend as if further cutting of trees in the area
which is now the source of many conflicts and even danger to children,
Baduco in reply claimed the recommendations she made was actually
coming the lumads present in the interviews they made as NCIP probe
team.

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

Unless gov’t takes urgent action El Nino will devastate RP food supply--Loren

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

Senator Loren Legarda today said that unless urgent adaptation
strategies are taken, El Nino will devastate the country's
agriculture, and food and water supply.

"Our agricultural adaptation program must ensure more investments in
agricultural research and infrastructure, improved water governance
and land use policies, better forecasting tools and early warning
systems and a strengthened extension system that will assist farmers
to achieve economic diversification and access to credit to make
significant improvements in our food security goals," said Legarda,
chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, and the Committee on
Food and Agriculture.

She added, "The public is crucial in this effort. We can start with
the simplest things – conserving water and planting trees. These
already have a big impact on countering El Nino."

The Philippines is periodically affected by the El Niño phenomenon
that induces prolonged wet and dry seasons, leading to a dramatic drop
in agricultural and fisheries production. From 1990 to 2003, the
damage due to El Niño-related drought was estimated to be more than
US$ 370 million.

The Department of Agriculture warned the public that the prolonged
drought would drastically cut down the production of local crops, like
rice, corn, sugar cane, vegetables and other agricultural products.

Three provinces in the central region have started to feel the effects
of the El Nino phenomenon through below normal rainfall and drought
since August 2009: Capiz, Aklan and Guimaras.

Further, the Pantabangan Dam is also under pressure as the last report
from National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said that Pantabangan
Dam had 1.53 meters of water to spare for continuous irrigation of
102,550 hectares of rice land in the province while other Dams in
Luzon like Magat Dam in Isabela is now negative 17.5 meters from its
rule curve; San Roque Dam in Pangasinan, negative 7.68 meters; and
Angat Dam in Bulacan, negative 8.49 meters.

"Our country's food security is dependent on this most vital resource,
water. We must act speedily to conserve it and protect the people who
depend on the agriculture sector for livelihood and sustenance," said
Legarda.

Auring: Zambosur drug problem licked

2010-02-07T18:59:00.001-08:00

GOVERNOR Aurora Cerilles has declared that she is making progress in
her fight against illegal drugs in Zamboanga del Sur after she was
inspired by Pres. Gloria Arroyo taking the helm in the fight against
the menace and made herself a drug czar.

January, last year, Cerilles cracked the whip and announced that she
will wage her own war against drug lords and gunrunners in her
province.

Treading after Arrroyo's pace, Cerilles said: "As long as I am the
chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of
Zamboanga Peninsula, I will do my best to stop illegal drugs in the
region. We should protect the future of our children and grandchildren
as illegal drugs are considered a menace of society."

The governor then zeroed in on the several political personalities in
Zambosur, warning them to "stop their illegal trade because it won't
do well to the people."

Cerilles said she felt uncomfortable every time she presides the RPOC
meeting because she would encounter reports of high incidence of
drug-related cases in Zambosur as compared to the Zambo Norte and
Zambo Sibugay.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has earlier hinted they
are keeping watch on some 200 drug personalities in Zamboanga del Sur
while dealer after dealer fall in several busts conducted by them, the
53rd IB, Task Force Kontra Droga (TFKD) and the PNP's Provincial
Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Force (PAIDSOTF).

Complimenting the strength of the government authorities is TFKD, an
anti-illegal drug working team created by Cerilles and headed by board
member Ernesto Mondarte as action officer.

Mondarte, in an interview, claimed that they have suppressed
circulation of shabu illegal in the province, resulting to the
increase of shabu street price due to dwindling supply.

Prices have increased five times, from P100 per sachet to P500, said
Mondarte, as evidenced by relentless entrapment and buy-bust
operations against drug traffickers in identified barangays in
Pagadian.

"The price now is high because of the diminishing supply," Mondarte
disclosed, adding the supply reduction and their strategy against
shabu proliferation have been successful because they saturated the
secondary and tertiary schools through information campaign on the
dangers and effects of illegal drugs.

Likewise, the legislator said that he requested each town to activate
their municipal anti drug abuse councils, which they did, and
intensified advocacies on radio airtimes and media reports in the all
out war against illegal drugs.

"Nakita nato ang effect niining nanglabay nga confiscations, tungod sa
scarcity sa supply, mimahal ang shabu. Magdungan ning supply and
demand reduction and the community has done well, I hope kita tanan,
with the parents and all sectors in the society will help flush out
illegal drugs in our communities," Mondarte said.

However, reports reaching Cerilles' ears have said that her heroic
antics and those of the government agents in Zambosur infuriated the
businessmen who are in the shabu business that as the governor puts
it, she started to hear threats about her life.

"If you try to analyze it, ang business sa droga dali kaayo, daghan
kaayo and these people involved in the trade can just hire anybody.
Kay matod pa, nakuhaan gyod ang ilang negosyo diin pila ka higyaon,
pila ka panahon ug katuigan nakatagamtam sila pinaagi aning ilegal nga
droga," Cerilles said during a recent meeting with the press inside
her office.

Referring to her threat, the governor added: "Karon duna koy
nahibaw-an, they are getting professional hired killers [to kill me]
and they can do that because they have the money."

The governor explained that she has already informed DILG Provincial
Director Abcede Asjali about the threat of her life and that of her
family.

"To me, makakontra man gyod ko sa politka, dili kaayo ko ana maguol.
But in case something happens to me and any members of my family,
kahibalo na mo kinsay pangitaan," she said.

"But my conscience is clear; I'm doing this for our children's future.
I just wish, hope and call on people with intentions to harm me and my
family that they will be enlightened," Cerilles concluded.

Meanwhile, PDEA, this city's PNP and the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) confirmed the news of the decline of the illegal
drug trade in Zambosur.

PDEA agent Rommel Torres said that in collaboration with other law
enforcers, the military and concerned citizens and groups, they have
conducted 75 operations, arrested 144 persons, filed 200 cases and
ceased almost a P1 million worth of illegal drugs.

City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo also said that based on
the considerable statistics presented, indeed they "have won the
streets with the fight against drugs" and that shabu selling
activities have lessened at present as compared to previous years.

NBI Chief Eric Distor concurs with Palermo and explained that the
authorities their office is "busy on the intelligence support for the
PDEA and this city's PNP."

"Ang problema tungkol sa droga ay problema nating lahat. So we should
involve the community. If we can't [eradicate it], at least ma-lessen
natin," Distor said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

DxSY boss dies of heart attack

2010-02-07T18:58:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—He became the favorite of late night tuners of Y96-FM with
his SMS dedication portion and love songs segue requested by lovelorn
listeners.

People know him as Shy Guy. But for the media community, he is Alex
Velayo Sy, the mentor and boss of DxSY. He died, Feb. 3, of heart
attack.

Jed Boniao, one of the station's announcers, told this paper in a
telephone conversation that Sy was entertaining visitors in his office
and signing several contract papers when he suddenly slumped on his
desk and was brought to the hospital at 11:28 a.m.

"Kalit ra kayo, wala ko kabalo unsay buhaton. Kinsa gud ang magdahom
ana nga maayo pa namong istorya anang buntaga," Boniao narrates.

Sy, who turned 59 last Jan. 25, played a key role in enhancing the
concept of local radio programming in Ozamiz City keeping pace with
modern technology. Since the 1980's, his station, which goes with the
"Radyo Bantay" moniker, is credited as a training ground for aspiring
broadcasters.

As the executive manager of the family-owned Times Broadcasting
Network, the company founded by his late father, Emilio, Sy operated
and supervised two other stations in Northwestern Mindanao—DxWO-FM in
Pagadian City and DxEQ-FM in Dipolog City.

He was a man with good business sense, strict and outspoken, said
Rocky Reyes, a reporter from DxSY. "Morag amahan na akong turing sa
iyaha," he said.

DxWO reporter John Mark Cocos likewise recalled how humble his manager
was and how he treats everyone as a friend, not only as a mere
employee.

"Dili siya hakog, kung unsa ang iyang gikaon mao sad ang imong gikaon.
Kung problemado ka ug moduol ka niya, dali ra siya kayo maluoy. Ug
mangayo ka og tabang, tabangan dayon ka niya basta gamiton lang nimo
sa maayo. Daghan siya'g gipakaon nga dili niya kadugo ug gitabangan
nga naa sa iyang poder," Cocos said.

For Jovencio Godoy Jr., former program director of DxOC-AM and
presently National Union of Journalists of the Philippines national
director, Sy inherited his father's traits and fondness.

"He continued to live up to his late father's dream and love for
radio, not just as popular disc jock in Manila but in having and
managing his own radio network," he said.

"Gikaguol usab namo ang wala damhang kamatayon niya sanglit ako ug
duha nako ka mga kauban karon nagsugod sa among panarbaho sa DxSY,"
also said Wendell Talibong, reporter of DxDD-AM and CBCP News.

Though silent on issues affecting media, like the threats and
killings, Sy once confided that he values press freedom and would
always come to the aid of his reporters who end up getting the ire of
politicians and other people who became subject of their news
commentaries.

One time, he revealed that he wants to push the point that
broadcasting is not just business but pleasure and public service and
the fair practice of the freedom of expression.

For all his achievements, he said he likes to maintain a low "shy guy"
profile and would even deny interviews from reporters, reminding them
that as a manager, he has a separate public image and private life
too.

His estate lies today at Rivera Funeral Homes and will be interred on
Feb. 10 at Pryce Memorial Gardens in Brgy. Dimaluna, this city.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

DA encourages farmers to go organic

2010-02-07T18:57:00.001-08:00

DO not burn rice stalks and hulls, the agriculture department (DA)
tells farmers while reminding them to promote agriculture development
and conserve environmental resources.

Rice hull burning is a traditional cultural practice of many farmers
in the country, mainly for weed control and increased yield.

Executive Order No. 481, also known as the Promotion and Development
of Organic Agriculture in the Philippines, signed by Pres. Gloria
Arroyo, declares the promotion of agriculture development, social
equity, access to agriculture and fishery commodities while conserving
the environment.

And in recognizing the big potential of organic agriculture in
increasing local consumption of agricultural products, DA-9
collaborated with the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) in
implementing the Organic Fertilizer Production Project.

This is through the provision of Community-Based Composting Facility
(CBCF) to various LGUs and farmers and women's groups around Zamboanga
Peninsula, with 16 already distributed in Zamboanga Sibugay, 15 in
Zamboanga del Norte and one in Zamboanga City.

A memorandum of agreement with DA and BSWM will govern the delivery of
CBCF, which costs about P350,000 each, and the kind of vermi
technology involved, said BSWM area coordinator Florentino Agustin.

A CBCF package includes a shredder machine, two tea brewers, three
vermibeds and 15 kilos of African night crawler worms to be used in
vermi-composting. A capacity-building training is included, which
teaches recipients on the production of pure vermicast.

Angelita Marcia, BSWM vermicomposting specialist, said waste disposal
can be lessened through vermicomposting, where earthworms convert
biodegradable organic wastes into organic composts.

Representing RED Oscar Parawan, Alex Pulmano, assistant chief for
operations, said that DA's promotion of agricultural development and
food production should be both environment and health friendly.

He mentioned that they have noticed the decline of corn production in
the region, which he believes is due to climate change, especially the
irregular variations of the weather condition.

This is when farmers should start using organic compost and do away
with inorganic fertilizer and pesticides in order to mitigate the
adverse effects of global warming, Pulmano said.

Provincial Agriculturist Marilyn Bersales likewise explained that the
use of organic fertilizer is safe and beneficial to human consumers
because of the absence of harmful chemicals.

Bersales recalled that organic farming was practiced in previous
decades thus ecological balance prevailed but soon, diversified
farming technology inputs gave way to chemical-based agriculture and
resulted to different negative impacts.

The agriculture sector has been found to have contributed at least 32
percent to global warming owing to inappropriate burning of farm
wastes and injudicious use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9

Pagadianons meet, greet Fr. Mick

2010-02-07T18:54:00.001-08:00

City residents publicly welcomed last Tuesday kidnapped Columban
priest Michael "Mick" Sinnott after his five-week vacation in Ireland
to visit his family following his release last Nov. 12.

He also celebrated his birthday there last Dec. 17 where he wished for
Pagadian "to have peace and no more kidnapping."

The 80-year-old Sinnott, who belongs to the Missionary Society of St.
Columban, returned to the country last Jan. 15 and was staying in an
undisclosed residence shortly after his arrival in Pagadian.

Sinnot said he's "happy to be back" and looks forward to continue his
ministry at the Hangop Kabataan Foundation Inc. (HKFI), the charity
house he founded in 1988 for children with disabilities.

He, however, said that he is yet to get consent from his superiors
whether he will be allowed to continue serving Hangop given his
advanced age and delicate heart condition.

"I'd like to do the little bit I can for as long as I can," he quips,
as he expressed gratitude to all the Filipinos who prayed for his
safety.

Last Tuesday's reunion was led by provincial and city officials headed
by Gov. Aurora Cerilles, Mayor Samuel Co, social workers, members of
the Interfaith Forum for Solidarity and Peace, parents and children of
HKFI who welcomed Sinnott at the Hangop center, a stone's throw from
the San Jose Parish, this city.

Both Cerilles and Co delivered their respective messages and handed
the check of P400,000, the promised financial assistance counterparted
by the provincial and city governments.

Half of the amount is supposedly the reward money for informants who
could tell where Sinnott and his abductors were after the priest's
kidnapping last Oct. 11.

It was upon the request of Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar during the Crisis
Management Committee (CMC)'s last meeting that the unused reward money
be given instead to HKFI, which has been relying mainly on financial
donations from generous organizations and individuals from the
locality.

Cerilles, who created and chaired the CMC tasked to look for Sinnott,
said she welcomed the priest's release with a glad heart, adding
everybody's prayers for the clergy's release was heard.

The governor then commended Sinnott for his love and compassion for
special children, calling his deeds as an achievement by somebody who
is a "Pagadianon by heart" although he is not a "Pagadianon by blood."

Co, in his message, also said that nothing is impossible when people
pray to God. "That was all that the people can do at that moment, to
look up to heaven with prayers in our lips for the safe release of a
very caring priest even as the incident caused a very unspeakable
sadness in our hearts.'

"Now, with the return of Fr. Sinnott, we cannot describe the happiness
and joy in our hearts. We express our sincere thanks to Fr. Sinnott
for considering Pagadian City as his home and continue serving the
underprivileged children in Hangop Kabataan," the mayor added.

For his part, Edgardo Alcachupas, chair of the board of trustees of
HKFI, commented that the incident befalling on Sinnott, his safe
release and his homecoming gave two moral lessons to the faithful in
their everyday encounters.

"Ang unang lintunganay niini mao ang bunga sa kahiusahan sa tanang
sektor sa komunidad ug ang nagpakabanang katawhan sa tibuok kalibutan
kinsa nag-ampo ug naglihok aron mahibalik si Fr. Sinnott nga luwas,"
he said.

Second, Alcachupas said, is the realization that Sinnott's advocacy
for the welfare of children with disabilities, especially those with
hearing and learning difficulties, to lead productive lives, are made
known to many.

"Nagpasabot kini nga ang special nga kabataan dili na mapasagdan kay
maatiman na man kini sila. Dili na kita mabalaka sa panahon nga si Fr.
Sinnott ibalhin na sa laing lugar sa iyang misyon," he said.

Sinnott has since cleared the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of
involvement in his abduction, saying it was a "lost command" even as
the PNP filed kidnap for ransom and serious illegal detention charges
against three individuals and other unnamed MILF fighters who belonged
to the 113th Base Command.

Sinnott added he never felt in any danger from his captives and they
had told him they'd never kill a priest. His only fear was that he
might be hurt if the military had tried to release him by force.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Midsalip, Bayog open Barangay Bagsakan

2010-02-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

Two municipalities of the first district of Zamboanga del Sur recently
opened their respective Barangay Bagsakan (BB) projects as outlets for
farmers where they will sell their products by retail or wholesale.

The two BB centers are located in Brgy. Guma, Midsalip and Brgy.
Bobuan, Bayog. These are described as a barangay-based food depot and
distribution system offering affordable, safe and quality food
products like meat, poultry, fish, vegetable and fruits.

Midsalip mayor Leonida Angcap was happy with the presence of the food
terminal that she declared her gratefulness to the Department of
Agriculture-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (DA-AMAD)
for establishing the said facility.

"This is one of the many opportunities that we have right now and we
hope for more to come. I am appealing to the community to be
responsible and supportive to what has been given to us. Together our
efforts will lead us to progress and we can create steps to extend our
development to other municipalities," she said.

With the BB being strategically set up in Brgy. Guma, Angcap said that
vegetable growers from the nearby Baluran, Golictop, Boloron,
Tumarong, Ginabot, Matalang and Canipay Norte can now take advantage
and deliver their agricultural produce there.

This will help both farmers and consumers as products will be directly
bought from the source at a lower price than the prevailing market
value and at the same, save travel time and fare expenses for them.

DA Agribusiness Chief Ferdinand Gamorot said that the BB project costs
P50,000 for repair and renovation while the P30,000 for initial
capital is being financed as a loan to be paid after a year without
interest.

The launching of the BBs comes with amenities like two chest freezers,
two chillers, 20 plastic crates, three weighing scales and styrofoam
boxes and two heavy duty calculators.

A two-day management team training for operators and staff was
likewise held to instruct barangay folk of the importance of the
livelihood project shared to them by the government.

As to the one in Brgy Bobuan, Bayog, the launching was attended by
Joseph Baldelomar, DA–Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service
representative, Gamorot, who represented DA RED Oscar Parawan, kagawad
Saturnino Amor and members of the barangay council.

The two barangay terminals mentioned brings to eight the number of BBs
in the province. Since the first launching of BB projects last year, a
total of 31 BBs are now operating in the region.

For 2010, seven BBs are targeted to be opened in Zamboanga del Norte
while five will be in Zamboanga Sibugay.

The DA said that each BB proposal that will be approved by their
office will get an assistance of P170,000, for the purchasing of the
needs of the BB stalls, such as cooler, chillers and weighing scales.

REPORT BY CHERRY CADIZ, DA-9

Ocampos tells media to report fair and square

2010-02-07T18:52:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—When it comes to friendship with the media, Gov. Loreto
Leo Ocampos has many, not because of envelopmental journalism, but
because he's a newsmaker.

Still, Ocampos cautions media they will not be welcome friends when
election period comes because of politics-motivated excitement,
disputes, difference of opinion including the white and black
propaganda of both politicians and media.

"I don't care if you vote for me or not. What's important is you tell
the truth," the governor strikes a chord to journalists.

"Kay kaming mga politiko magpataka ra og storya and sometimes the
truth blurs," he added, predicting the political mood.

Ocampos said he hold the media profession in high regard and their
role as icons of democracy but reminded them of the consequences of
unfair reporting, especially when journalists keep tight deadlines and
in the pursuit to come out with the news, put forward one-sided and
unwarranted reports.

Ocampos, who is running for the congressional seat in the second
district, also predicted that antagonism may one day come to members
of the fourth estate especially that its election period.

"In reporting a story, stay in the middle; be neutral even if it is
difficult. You will be subjected to different interpretations, usahay
ma-misunderstood mo. But as long as your heart is pure and you are
speaking the truth, nothing will happen. You will stand tall and
liberate yourself," he said.

Ocampos then reminded journalists to be responsible members of the
community too and pay attention to the shenanigans being employed by
candidates in the coming May elections, like vote-buying, as he said
he is apprehensive with the holding of the first ever automated polls
in the country.

"I want you to exercise your freedom. Find the truth. You are the
strong voice of idealism. You must campaign for the truth and
disregard politics," he said.

The governor then mentioned his observation that this year's election
has taken the form of a mass-media based campaign and
counter-advertising that attempts to change the behavior of the
electorate, especially the youth voters.

"The more you spend the more high your ratings will be. There's
falsehood everywhere. The challenge now is how you look at the person
and vote for him," he concluded.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Media groups welcome verdict of Amoro murder

2010-02-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY--The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP) in Misamis Occidental receives with comfort the conviction of
the accused killer of a radio broadcaster from Pagadian City in 2005,
who was a key witness in the killing of Edgar Damalerio.

A statement emailed to this paper by the media chapter president, Ryan
Rosauro, called the ruling of a Cebu regional trial court convicting
Mohammad "Madix" Maulana as "a victory for justice for his family and
colleagues" who have anxiously waited for justice in the last four
years.

Maulana was found guilty of killing Edgar Amoro, a freelance
broadcaster of DxKP and a friend of Damalerio, on Feb. 2, 2005 in
front of the gate of Zamboanga del Sur National High School.

Maulana was sentenced to reclusion perpetua and ordered to pay Amoro's
family of some P195,000. In handing the decision, the court gave
weight to the testimony of Amoro's wife, Erlinda, who said she heard
her husband utter the name "Madix" while lying bloodied on the ground.

The convicted killer, a known gun-for-hire, claimed in his defense
during the hearings that he could not have killed Amoro as he was in
Dinas attending a wedding when the crime happened.

Amoro witnessed the murder of Damalerio on May 13, 2002 in which an
ex-police officer, Guillermo Wapile, was later convicted with a life
sentence in November 2005.

Two other witnesses, a responding police officer and a barangay tanod,
have positively identified Maulana as one of the three killers who
shot Amoro.

NUJP and other media watchdogs believed Amoro was killed by
accomplices of Wapile at a time when the prosecution for the Damalerio
murder was ongoing—an attempt—they said, to cripple the legal battle
against its perpetrators.

"The conviction of Maulana comes at a time when the Philippine media
community is still experiencing the hangover of the brutality
committed against some 32 colleagues who were massacred in Ampatuan,
Maguindanao November 23 last year. It is therefore a whiff of good
news!" Rosauro said in the statement.

"As we celebrate this success, we note the remaining challenge in
confronting the problem of journalist-killings which is directly tied
to a pervading culture of impunity throughout the country," Rosauro
continued.

He implied the challenge that needs to be confronted to as both the
"inadequate competence of enforcing the law fairly" and "weaknesses in
the justice system" which conspired to create the social atmosphere
that resulted in 137 journalist-murders from 1986 up to the end of
2009.

The Maulana conviction is the sixth case so far among nearly 100 cases
that was successfully prosecuted, although these only involved the
gunmen and no masterminds, the Center for Media Freedom and
Responsibility (CMFR) noted.

"The challenge of prosecuting the other cases is admittedly enormous.
We hope to count on a vigilant public's support in this quest for
justice, and to protect the journalism profession which has been an
important aspect of our democratic society," Rosauro concluded.

Meanwhile, the Pagadian City chapter of NUJP and Zamboanga del Sur
Pagadian City Press Club Inc. (ZPPI) released their joint statements
"jubilantly appreciating the verdict."

"We are grateful to the courts on the verdict, even if the same does
not assuage the pain in the hearts of both the bereaved families of
Amoro and Damalerio because the truth of the matter is that the real
masterminds of these killings were not as yet been brought to court
for them to pay the crime," the two media organizations said.

According to NUJP, there are already 104 journalists killed since
1986, including the victims of the Maguindanao massacre in November
last year.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Tax incentives for high-rise buildings extended

2010-02-07T18:50:00.001-08:00

Is Mayor Samuel Co trying to transform Pagadian City into a new Makati
of the south?

High rise buildings, the ones referred to by the mayor in his
extension of tax incentive for four-storey or more edifices are
classified as buildings between 23 to 150 meters in height.

In Manila, massive flooding gave way to the so-called "high-rise
living," property industry officials said, as rich people, along with
their businesses, are moving to higher ground to avoid a repeat of the
devastation from recent storms and floods.

With tropical storm "Ondoy" dumping heavy rains in Manila in
September, last year, more than 80 percent of Manila was flooded and
people started migrating to areas which are of higher elevation.

Here in Pagadian, it's another thing. Co wants to have more high-rise
buildings constructed around the busy urban districts of the city. A
come-on for this is the extension of the Council Resolution No.
2009-1131, which extended the implementation of the Investment
Incentive Package (IIP) until Dec. 31, this year.

The IIP is for those who will construct commercial building or
structures and cause to facelift or improve their edifices.

This incentive will come in the form of full exemption from payment of
building permit fee including the electrical, mechanical, plumbing,
occupancy and locational zonal fees.

Also the building's real property taxes will be re-assessed only after
three years of construction of renovation.

The mayor said the extension was upon the recommendation of the
Pagadian City Investment Incentive Board (PCIB) to persuade investors
to erect condominiums, regencies, tower malls, townhouses, even
skyscrapers and apartments, which will spruce up the City Government's
thrust to modernize the physical appearance of the regional center.

Actually, the city council, during its regular session held last April
21, 2009, first approved and adopted the implementation of the IIP
exclusively within calendar year 2009.

"There is a felt need for the IIP to be extended for another year to
provide and lure other investors to avail of the program, which I
firmly believe, will best rebound to the economic condition of the
city in the very near future," Co told this paper.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Greenpeace: One meter tide to sink Zampen

2010-02-07T18:48:00.002-08:00

A one-meter rise in sea level as a result of climate change will sink
64 of the 81 provinces in the country including Zamboanga Peninsula
region, a special report by Greenpeace Southeast Asia (GSA) said.

Climate change is defined as a change in the statistical distribution
of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of
years. It may be limited to a specific region, or may occur across the
whole earth.

GSA's shorter list of top 20 provinces in the country which are most
vulnerable to extreme high tide listed Zamboanga del Sur in third
place, Zamboanga Sibugay in fifth and Zamboanga del Norte in the 19th
spot, with a total of 40 low-lying municipalities most likely
affected.

These three provinces comprising Zampen listed a total of 81,129,600
square meters likely to be affected with Zambosur having the biggest
land area threatened, which is estimated at 37,818,900 square meters.

Zambosur only trailed Sulu and Palawan with more than double the land
area of the province whose human settlements along coastal areas,
agriculture lands, tourist hubs and vital ecosystems that will be
inundated should the climate disaster happen, GSA added.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated in another
report that sea level rose at an average of about 1.8 mm/year during
the years 1961-2003.

IPCC noted sea level rose during 1993-2003 was at an average rate of
3.1 mm/year. It is not clear whether this is a long-term trend or just
variability.

As to the GSA report, it quoted Filipino scientist Leoncio Amadore who
have been tracking extreme weather events from 1991 to 2004. Amadore's
scientific works resulted to an empirical method of forecasting
tropical cyclone movement, which had been internationally recognized
as the Amadore Method.

In one of his articles, Amadore said that storms, droughts, along with
excessive precipitation in certain areas of the country are likely
local manifestations of global climate trends.

He added that based on his study, persistent torrential rains causing
landslides and flashfloods, killing people and destroying properties
and the environment along its path have already damaged a total of
P7.5 billion.

He cited, for example, the year 2006, when at least 11 million
Filipinos were affected and some P20 billion in agriculture and
infrastructure was lost and the government spending big rehabilitating
directly-hit areas.

Greenpeace already has sounded its call to the government to take
steps in arresting the runaway growth of global greenhouse emissions
and address climate change by choosing an energy development path
built on clean and renewable sources of energy and which promotes
energy efficiency for a secure and sustainable future.

Senator Loren Legarda, a staunch climate change advocate, in her
recent visit to Ozamiz City last January, urged Mindanaoans to
intensify efforts to protect the natural environment and to adapt to
climate change.

"We have stronger typhoons today because of climate change. On the
other hand, we will also witness prolonged dry spells and droughts
that will affect agriculture and destroy crops," she said.

The senator also stressed the need to protect the country's
ecosystems. "It was found that 60% of all ecosystem services—the
services natures provides to sustain human life on earth—are
declining, with some services like fisheries beyond repair."

"In addition, we are also creating trade-offs between these ecosystem
services: for when we convert mangrove plantations to shrimp ponds, we
actually increase storm surge risk; for when we cut down forests for
agriculture use, we actually increase landslide risk; for when we
drain wetlands, we increase flood risk," Legarda said.

RA 9728, the Climate Change Act of 2009 authored by Legarda, was
signed into law last October 23, which puts LGUs in the frontline of
formulation and implementation of climate change action plans, which
includes risk reduction in their respective areas as a leading edge of
defense.

According to Greenpeace, excessive greenhouse gas emissions by highly
industrialized country like Korea, Russia, Brazil, Japan, United
States and China have contributed to global warming, which resulted to
heat waves, violent downpours, rising oceans and melting ice poles.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Zambosur, GRF launch Barangay Justice for Peace

2010-02-07T18:48:00.001-08:00

The Provincial Government and barangay justice advocate group Gerry
Roxas Foundation (GRF) recently launched the Barangay Justice for
Peace (BJP) Project in a bid to strengthen the village justice system
of the province's 26 towns and lone city.

Launched last Jan. 21 at the Bulwagan ng Kabataan, Provincial
Government Center in Brgy. Dao, The BJP is also supported by the
Southern Philippines Research and Extension Foundation (SOPREX) and
the Unites States Agency for International Development (USAID).

"This project aims to promote community peace in unserved ARMM and
non–ARMM communities by replicating the Barangay Justice Service
System (BJSS) project and integrating community–based alternative
dispute resolution mechanisms in local level planning and
implementation," Provincial Information Officer Allan June Molde said.

The said launching will formally introduce the project to the
stakeholders and establish connections between key officials and
SOPREX as the local resource partner and will be involve the training
and mobilization of peace advocates in nine Mindanao provinces and in
alliance with civic organizations and LGUs of the province.

Molde said the towns of Dimataling, Dinas, Lapuyan, Josefina, and
Ramon Magsaysay will be the target locations where BJP will be
implemented in the province with a two-year memorandum of agreement
with its partner organizations.

More than 10,000 BJP advocates can be found at present in Lanao and
Davao provinces, Marawi City, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi,
Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Bohol,
Zamboanga del Norte, Bulacan, and Camarines Sur.

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PRESS BUREAU

DSWD-9 forges guidebook for children’s shelter

2010-02-07T18:47:00.001-08:00

A workshop aimed in creating a long-lasting manual of operation for
the established shelter for children in the city was recently
discussed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD–9).

Participated by the different children's shelters of Pagadian like the
Home for Children In-Conflict with the Law (CICL), Kaabag Women
Center, the 3–day activity tackled on determining the target clientele
who can be placed for temporary shelter while defining its programs
and services.

Representatives from the first district municipalities of Tukuran,
Mahayag, Molave, Ramon Magsaysay and Sominot were also present, as
they took interest for their CICL referrals.

Assistant Regional Director Zenaida Arevalo facilitated the entire
workshop composed of the inputs on the preparation of manual format
presentation and the outputs as she discussed with the participants
the modification and amendments of the formulated manual of operation
(MOP).

Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer Conchita San Diego
said the MOP states DSWD's operational policies, its short, focused
statements that follow the agreed regulations, operational policies
and guidelines adopted for the Home for Children.

The formulation of the programs and services of the Home for Children
is anchored on several laws like RA 9344, the Juvenile Justice and
Welfare Act; RA 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against
Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and RA 8369, the Family
Courts Act of 1997.

It can be recalled that the Provincial Government forged a partnership
with the national government agencies, NGOs and civic organizations
for the establishment of the Home for Children CICL at the Provincial
Government Complex to protect the rights of children in conflict with
the law and respect their needs in the development of separate and
specialized systems of juvenile justice.

San Diego said the Home for Children in the Provincial Government
Complex in Dao, this city, is a classic example that "provides
protective services and temporary shelter to neglected children, and
to those children awaiting trial."

She added that the center serves as a temporary home for the
disadvantaged children and those in conflict with the law who are
mostly male, where "immediate assessment of the physical,
psychosocial, medical, and educational needs and the best intervention
program that promotes positive behavioral change and skills
enhancement are being determined."

REPORT BY ZAMBOSUR PROVINCIAL PRESS BUREAU

Filipinos urge to take pride on historic Balangay boats’ feat

2010-02-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

BUTUAN CITY - With the second replica of the ancient boat that was used by Filipino seafarers many centuries ago is now in the water and geared up for an epic voyage, organizers and even crew members urged Filipinos take pride on the feat of the historic Balangay that the Filipino race can.

"The significance of this voyage will not only show that the Filipinos despite surmounting odds can if we are united. It will also manifest that Filipinos are among the best in seafaring skills displayed by our earlier ancestors", former DOTC undersecretary Art Valdez, leader of the Mt. Everest Team now crew leader of the epic Balangay voyage which will start on February 4.

Last January 31 (Sunday) , the 24.7-meter-long balangay, christened "Masawa Hong Butuan," was finally cut loose from its moorings and was greeted by a riot of cheers and applause from the crowd of well-wishers and tourists who witnessed the event.

It took more than four hours of hard work and two backhoes to lift the wooden boat from the muddy grounds of Luna compound and place it into the churning waters of Agusan River . The seven-ton boat was then towed by a tugboat up north towards the Masawa delta.

"Masawa hong Butuan" will join the newly-repaired "Diwata ng Lahi" when it leaves this city for the second phase of its voyage on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at the coastal waters of Barangay Masawa.

A third boat, LEPA, will also join in the later part of the expedition, which will start with several stops in Mindanao before proceeding to an Asian tour.

"We are showing the whole world now that we Filipinos can do the impossible because we by nature are born natural seafarers," said expedition leader Art Valdez of Kaya Ng Pinoy Foundation.

"The Balangay will become the catalyst to stir up historical consciousness among Filipinos today, a sine qua non in transporting our people to our cherished goals. Without that keen knowledge of history, our people will continue to suffer as our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, aptly described Ang taong hindi lumilingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa patutunguha", Valdez added.

According to the expedition's one-page itinerary of the Mindanao voyage, the first stop will be the seaside resort Jurassic Park in Carmen, Agusan del Norte and then Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental.

From Gingoog City , the boats will dock in the smaller ports of Balingoan town in Misamis Oriental, Benoni town in Camiguin Island and the Cagayan de Oro City pier. From Cagayan they will pass Initao town port in Iligan City , and the cities of Ozamis and Oroquieta in Misamis Occidental.

In Zamboanga del Norte, the all-Filipino crew will pay homage and respect to the Jose Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City . From there, they will pass and dock in towns of Manukan, Sindangan, Labason, Siocon, and Sibuco all in Zamboanga del Norte before proceeding to Zamboanga City pier. The last port of call for the around Mindanao trip is Sibuto in Tawi-Tawi.

Once the Mindanao adventure is completed in March, the next phase of the voyage - one that will take the fleet to many island stops throughout Southeast Asia - will begin, according to Valdez .

The construction of the wind-driven boat worth P1.6 million was shouldered by the Butuan Global Forum Inc., an association of Butuanons based locally and abroad; the Kaya Ng Pinoy Foundation; and the Butuan Historical and Cultural Foundation Inc.

Butuan folk consider the vessel meaningful after remnants of around eight ancient balangay boats were excavated around the province in 1978.

The oldest boat that was dug was carbon-dated at 320 AD.

REPORT BY BEN SERRANO

Loren calls for coordinated efforts to respond to impending crises

2010-02-06T18:46:00.001-08:00

Senator Loren Legarda called on the Department of Agriculture to
strengthen its coordination mechanisms with local government units,
state universities and colleges and private sector organizations in
dealing with an impending water shortage arising from the El Nino
phenomenon expected this year as well as rising prices of sugar.

The government has earmarked an initial P1.8 billion last year to
protect the agriculture sector from the ill effects of the El Nino
phenomenon amid concerns that a severe drought might cause more than
P10 billion in production losses. The Department of Agriculture has
recommended such measures as cloud seeking, water management in dams
and distribution of shallow tube wells, as well as seed and fertilizer
support. The Department likewise proposed to the National Disaster
Coordinating Council (NDCC) for a share of P4.9 billion from the
Calamity Fund taken from the Unprogrammed Fund for 2009.

Legarda said  that the impending crises of El Nino and high price of
sugar highlight the need for better coordination among  national
government agencies like the DA,  local government units,  and private
organizations,  so that the  interventions will really reach the
target beneficiaries. "Food security and farm productivity is a shared
goal, each sector that has a stake in those goals should be mobilized
to put up their counterpart contributions, pecuniary or otherwise.
Farmer organizations can contribute labor and their active involvement
to safeguard transparency and accountability in all transactions, and
to make sure  resources are maximized.

The current sugar situation is another case in point where
coordination is needed between government and the private sector.
Production shortfalls primarily caused by heavy rains in India and
Brazil have pushed world sugar prices to a 29-year high, nearly
tripling in the past year.

This could have been a good profit opportunity, but the Philippines'
own supply of sugar has also been aggravated by climate change and
land reform. Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers
Federation of the Philippines, says that the smaller sizes of sugar
farms are no longer economical and efficient, leading sugar production
to drop from three million tons per crop.

The Philippine system of research, development and extension for
agriculture has a huge potential that is not being maximized because
the network is outdated, and burdened with conflicting interests. We
need to reconcile all those interests, and enable all to contribute to
common goals: the Department of Agriculture, local government units
and private organizations.

"I urge the Department of Agriculture and the Cooperative Development
Authority to focus attention in helping fledgling cooperatives in
agriculture and fisheries and to find a way developmental concerns
could take precedence over regulatory because they could hardly cope
even in the payment of accountants for their annual reports. Please
tighten your linkage with agricultural state universities and
colleges—these academic institutions should mesh tightly their
trifocal functions of instruction, research and development and
extension to help farmers and fisherfolk integrate their landholdings
to achieve economies of scale, learn to access funds which actually
lie idle in banks and other financial institutions. Our academics
should go to the ground, make good use of the systems that are already
in place to improve the plight of our impoverished food producers.,"
Loren said.

LOREN ADVOCATES COCO FLOUR FOR PAN DE SAL

2010-02-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

In the face of impending increases in pan de sal prices, Senator Loren
Legarda, today pushed for the use of coco flour as an additive to
wheat flour in pan de sal.

Bakers had warned that bread prices are expected to go up by as much
as P2 as sugar costs continue to rise, bakers said. Other price
increases may be due to an expected rise in flour prices. In order to
soften the latter impact, Senator Legarda, chairperson of the
Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries
Modernization (COCAFM) is advocating the use of coco flour as wheat
flour extender.

Coconut flour is made from residues of coconut meat or kernel
(desiccated or food-grade copra), locally known as sapal. After the
kernel has dried and has under-gone oil extraction, it is grounded
into fine powder to become coco flour.

According to PCA, substituting five percent of wheat flour with coco
flour would increase the potential market demand of high-protein coco
flour to 156,230 metric tons annually. Coco flour is rich in
nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, carbohydrates, iron,
niacin, phosphorus, protein, riboflavin, and thiamine.

Studies show that the amino acids in coconut protein are well-balanced
making it suitable for utilization by the human body. Coco protein is
comparable to casein, the protein found in animal milk. Coco flour is
gluten-free; gluten is the protein found in wheat flour and it can
cause allergy in some people. Since coco flour is rich in fiber, it
prevents constipation; helps maintain blood sugar levels; prevents the
risk of certain cancers; and contributes to weight management.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of
Science and Technology (DOST) promotes the use of coco flour as
ingredient in functional or medicinal foods to help prevent
hypercholesterolemia or high blood cholesterol among Filipinos. In a
study, FNRI found that mixing 15 to 20 percent of coco flour with corn
cereals reduces the levels of low-density lipoprotein or "bad
cholesterol."

LOREN SAYS IRRIGATION AND EFFICIENT WATER USE HELP AGRICULTURE COMBAT EL NIÑO

2010-02-06T18:43:00.001-08:00

From an overabundance of water brought by super typhoons, Ondoy and
Pepeng, last year to water scarcity due to the advent of El Niño,
Philippine agriculture is expected to suffer further production
losses. El Niño, the natural warming of the surface waters in the
tropical eastern Pacific Ocean precedes dry spells in many areas of
the country and has been predicted to occur from January to May, 2010.
Agriculture officials have predicted a loss in rice harvest that may
lead to increased rice importation. Rice output is predicted to fall
1.7% in the dry season harvest of 2010. Oil sector players are also
predicting that the dry spell may push up fuel prices and dampen the
sunrise ethanol industry. Sugarcane production is expected to decrease
due to the dry spell thus increasing the prices of its products such
as ethanol. Ethanol has been mandated to be added to gasoline to
reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil. At the same time, the
use of the biofuel would reduce carbon emissions and promote
countryside development.

Senator Loren Legarda, Senate Agriculture Committee chairperson
contends that functional irrigation facilities would help mitigate the
effect of the El Niño dry spell. She notes that the super typhoons
have filled our dams to their fullest capacity. In fact, water had
been released from several irrigation dams during the typhoons to save
the structures from breaking. To ensure adequate use of our irrigation
systems, she enjoins agriculture officials not only to monitor the
water levels in our dams but also to adopt measures that minimize
conveyance losses and promote efficient use of irrigation water.
Significant conveyance losses occur from leaks in structures in poor
conditions as well as from an inadequate operation of the system.
Thus, irrigation structures in poor conditions must be repaired and
management of irrigation schemes reviewed to improve efficiency and
ensure timely delivery of appropriate amounts of water.

Loren, who also chairs the Congressional Oversight Committee on
Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM) and the Senate
Oversight Committee on Climate Change, asserts that agriculture
officials should promote efficient use of water. "Several efficient
water delivery systems have been shown to conserve water and should be
promoted. It is high time that intermittent irrigation of rice be
promoted extensively. Studies at PhilRice have shown intermittent
irrigation can save about 40% water without sacrificing yield in the
dry season. Intermittent irrigation promotes extensive rooting with
the application of root promoting inoculants and thus improves the
ability of the rice to tolerate short water supply. Furthermore,
intermittent irrigation means less submergence time thus less
greenhouse gas emission from paddy fields.," Loren said.

Loren stressed that El Niño and climate change are facts of Philippine
agriculture and new information and technologies are needed to help
farmers adapt to these phenomena and lessen their effects. Support for
research for climate change adaptation must be increased. For example,
research on the evapotranspiration of various crops will help us
adjust watering volume and frequency and thus increase irrigation
water use efficiency. More farmer-friendly methods of water-harvesting
and water-saving practices must be developed. Drought-tolerant crop
varieties must be developed at the earliest possible time.

Aware that dams provide water not only for agriculture but also for
domestic as well as industrial use, Loren appeals on everyone to
conserve water. She calls on the Department of Education to ensure
that water-saving techniques are taught in all levels in the primary
and secondary schools. She urges the Philippine Information Agency to
regularly disseminate information on water conservation measures for
the public and the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of
Environment and Natural Resources to provide incentives for the
adoption of water-conserving measures by industries.

Tryke drivers to volunteer as ‘crime reporters’

2010-01-30T17:44:00.001-08:00

COUNCILMAN Arnold “Glavys” Gavenia knows just the right crime-fighting tool—the ordinary tricycle driver—as the routinely crime solving Sherlock Holmes in the streets.

Seriously, the high crime rate in the city, especially with the infrequent extra judicial killings, speaks for the close rapport and cooperation between the police and the motorcycle drivers; this is what Gavenia meant in a huddle with this paper.

He added that the transportation sector, particularly the motorized tricycle drivers and operators’ organization have agreed to help the police by reporting crime occurrences, even traffic accidents on the roads as they take crime prevention measures so that they do not become victims of crime themselves.

The murders happening should be stopped and killings should push concerned citizens to swiftness of action as crime incident reporters, giving out whatever useful information they have, Gavenia explained.

“There has to be a common participation from the transport sector. Now is the time that we will educate our transport sector to get involve. Being ambulant and mobile all the time, they can directly contact or access any police station whenever they notice any untoward incident happening in the streets,” the councilor said.

At one instance, PNP Regional Director, C/Supt. Angelo Hipolito Sunglao revealed that their contingent has a total manpower complement of 4,615 uniformed personnel and 116 non-uniformed personnel, with a Regional Mobile Group as its primary maneuver force.

As May 1, 2007 NSO data, Zamboanga Peninsula’s police-population ratio is 1:700, Sunglao said, as PNP Provincial Director S/Supt. Ramon Ochotorena also commented in one interview with this paper the need to augment the police forces to further intensify monitoring, surveillance and operations against criminalities, especially in Pagadian.

This ratio at present is not sufficient to respond the needs of the city in fighting against criminality that is why we need a force multiplier, Gavenia said, like the 2,850 drivers and operators of motorized tricycles scattered around the city streets.

This move by the motorcycle drivers should serve to remind and enlighten city residents that the community can do a big part in various crime prevention measures to adopt by reporting crime occurrences, Gavenia said.

The councilor concluded that he will initiate in the coming days basic education and training on how to gather basic information, suggesting that if drivers have adequate instruction on crime information, it will be easier for them to be responsible and get involved.

Rosseller “Dodong” Duterte, president of the federated motorized tricycle organization, welcomed the idea and said they will support it 100 percent.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Tryke drivers to volunteer as ‘crime reporters’

2010-01-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Palermo says EJKs caused by rido, not politics

2010-01-28T23:57:00.002-08:00

PAGADIAN City Police Chief Inspector Michael Palermo categorically said the recent extra judicial killings happening in the city in the past weeks is caused by grudges or family feud, not politically motivated as reported by media.

Palermo said that based on their investigations of the killings, self-motivated Muslim clan conflicts resulted in such unfortunate murders, one aspect that needs strategic interventions from its beginnings.

The police official cited the murder of Mohaliden “Steve” Tapodoc, executive secretary of Labangan vice mayor Wilson “Kity” Nandang and a candidate for councilor, who was killed by motorcycle-riding gun men near the Filipinista Church here.

Palermo narrated that Tapodoc escaped a prior attempt on his life in 2008, which, the police chief attributed to Tapodoc’s dispute with another resident of Labangan.

Complaining on earlier reports by media, Palermo wondered why the news of the extra judicial killings are being blown up at a time when elections are approaching. “It cannot be necessarily concluded that since the killings happened near election, it is already election–related,” he added.

He also corrected impressions that the police are not doing its job on the killings, adding no suspects were apprehended as of the moment since no complainants have come forward to tell something.

“In the process of our investigation, there was no complainant that came to our station, nobody, not even from the family members to complain on the shooting incidents. Who’s there to prosecute?” he asked.

It can be recalled last week that the Liberal Party (LP) in the province headed by Vice Governor Roseller “Roy” Ariosa decried the series of extra judicial killings in the city, believing these were politically motivated.

The LP mentioned in their press statement the deaths of Rascal Tiban Afdal, a political leader and a relative of Mayor Abubakar Afdal of Labangan, Hadja Hanira Abdullah Agcong and Tapodoc.

Senator Mar Roxas, in the same statement, also called for an investigation on the murders, saying it “could be the kick-off of organized violence against opposition candidates and supporters to sabotage the widely-expected opposition victory in May 10 elections.”

Roxas then called on the Comelec “to take drastic steps to stop the rising poll-related incidents violence, or risk demanding the credibility of the elections” and alluded to the need to replace the entire PNP contingent in Zambosur to quell the apprehension of LP leaders and supporters who expressed concern that the gunmen maybe men in uniform. “moonlighting or co-opted to do their dirty work for pro-administration candidates in the region.”

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)–Pagadian City Chief Eric Distor, meanwhile, said Roxas is just expressing his political opinion “as a normal reaction.” He added the senator may have been “misinformed” or he failed to see the full view of the recent happenings in Zambosur.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Palermo says EJKs caused by rido, not politics

2010-01-28T23:57:00.000-08:00

Cerilles hails NEDA’s presence in Pagadian

2010-01-28T22:37:00.001-08:00

GOVERNOR Aurora Cerilles appreciated the gesture of NEDA regional director Arturo Valero to finally transfer their office to Pagadian.

NEDA stands for the National Economic Development Authority, the country’s independent economic development and planning agency.

Its regional office is presently located at V. Sagun Street in Gatas District, this city.

“Your office manifests the [compliance] to the order, a proof that proves your hallmarks of integrity and professionalism,” Cerilles commended Valero and staff as she mentioned their “sacrifices and extra effort” in adherence to Special Order No. 40-2009.

SO No. 40-2009, signed by then NEDA Director-General and Socio-economic Planning Sec. Ralph Recto, mandated the transfer of the NEDA regional office from Zamboanga to Pagadian last March 2009, pursuant to EO No. 429 reorganizing the administrative regions in Mindanao.

Valero, in an interview with this paper, said they are making headway in adjustments, especially in the provisions and requirements of their employees, who mostly are mostly from Zamboanga City.

He added that there are, of course, newly hired employees from this city and that they are considering the number of duty hours from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. so that they can satisfy the 40 hours of work week since, again, most of his employees will leave early every Friday for Zamboanga City.

So far, in talking about Zamboanga Peninsula, Valero said that the global financial crisis that swept the country last year did not affect much of the region because many of products are agri-based and is minimal in the exportation compared to the electronics industry.

He said that most projects implemented in Region 9 are roads network, irrigation system and the much-ballyhooed west-coast road project linking Zamboanga City to Siraway and Siocon.

REPORT BY JONG CADION, WITH ZAMBOSUR PPB

Cerilles hails NEDA’s presence in Pagadian

2010-01-28T22:37:00.000-08:00

Global warming: A threat to our lives

2010-01-28T22:13:00.001-08:00

THE islands of Maldives and the Philippines are both threatened by rising waters due to global warming, specifically caused by heavy and excessive carbon emission from rich and industrialized countries, Sen. Loren Legarda said.

The Republic of Maldives is an island country in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of 26 atolls spreading over roughly 90,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most disparate countries in the world.

With features similar to our archipelago, it has 1,192 islets, of which 200 are inhabited. It is the smallest Asian country in both population and area and is described as “the lowest country on the planet” with an average ground level of 1.5 meters.

Constantly threatened by rising sea level, our country stands on the possibility of getting obliterated from the world map too; if for example, a one-meter rise in sea level will happen.

The 1,192 islands in Madives would be almost gone at this deep while in our country; the same rise in sea level can affect 28 coastal settlements around the archipelago, Legarda said.

And while the senator laments that both Maldives and the Philippines may have contributed less to the problem of climate change, people living in the scattered islands of the two countries are on the brink of getting exterminated as the threats of climate change become more and more visible in its borders.

Meteorologists and weather experts have said that the current sea level rise is due partly to human-induced global warming, to mention also the glacial flows from North America.

Global warming is the result of the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons and nitrous oxide.

Carbon dioxide, a by-product of the burning of fossil fuels, such as gasoline in an automobile or coal in power plants that generate electricity is slowly enveloping our skies. So too with atmospheric methane, a powerful greenhouse gas derived from sources such as rice paddies, bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel production.

Remember that a carbon dioxide’s lifetime in the atmosphere can range from 50-200 years. This kind of gas prevent the reflection of solar radiation back out into space. Once it is there in the atmosphere, there is very little we can do to reduce it.

Experts have claimed that temperature increase of several degrees wouldn't be experienced consistently but there’s evidence that this is felt by particular regions more profoundly than others. Some might suffer changes in the amount of rainfall received. Again, this rise in temperatures could cause sea level increase of 20 or more inches, which in effect will destroy coastal wetlands and flood coastal areas.

It’s not difficult to sense the effects of global warming. It is still July here yet unabated rainfall has started to flood our agricultural lands, damage homes and infrastructures. The abnormal weather is new to a tropical country like ours because we should be expecting downpours by August but the current situation shows otherwise.

In the universal scale, we have the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty which agreement requires the United States, the European Union and Japan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2010. We don’t know if this agreement has been complied with by the concerned countries.

A study made by the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that 154,000 people die every year from the effects of global warming, from malaria to malnutrition, with children in developing nations seemingly the most vulnerable.

WHO estimates the said numbers could almost double by 2020, further suggesting that even a small shift in temperature, for instance, could extend the range of mosquitoes that spread malaria.

Dr. Thomas Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center, says that global warming has produced an increase in precipitation during the 20th century, mostly in the form of heavy rainstorms and little in moderate, beneficial rainstorms.

Meanwhile, Britain's Meteorological Office has warned in its report issued in November, 1999 that flooding in Asia and Southeast Asia would increase more than nine-fold over the coming decades.

An October 2007 report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer stated that the country’s corals are under threat from bleaching and illegal fishing and ocean “acidification,” which is caused by excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is slowly dissolving in the oceans, reducing the ability of the coral reefs to deposit calcium carbonate or calcify.

With the ocean becoming more acidic, corals would stop growing and eventually disintegrate and this would affect other sea shells and mollusks.

Another PDI report dated June 25, 2009 notes the briskly changing weather pattern all over the countryside, which is hurting the fishing industry. The fishing season has become shorter as heavy rains and strong waves now begin as early as late March or early April.

Global warming is a global concern. Calamities of sort occur frequently in our archipelago due to climate change that was also rooted from the people's lack of concern to the environment and even by abuses.

So what can developing countries do? How can we Filipinos take part in reducing the effects of global warming? With the 2010 election a few months from now, we should know how prepared the government is in responding to the effects of global warming as well as to its impact on the population.

We should demand from our candidates their convincing action in fighting climate change since it is their responsibility as our representatives in public office to protect our children and future generations from damage to the environment they will inherit. In short, let us vote only for those who care about our planet.

Even in the local scene, we can step up efforts to lessen the impact of climate change by tackling on issues about environmental management such as solid waste management, forest management, pollution and coastal management, among others.

With all these information identifying the problems, let us address the global warming problem and anticipate its effects on our lives. There are solutions, if people will only care to take action.

So then, let us help rid the atmosphere of poisonous gases. Let’s suggest the use of clean and renewable energy. Let’s advance organic farming and protect our remaining forests.

Let us try. We must.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Global warming: A threat to our lives

2010-01-28T22:13:00.000-08:00

Zanorte farmers finish corn production course over radio

2010-01-28T19:21:00.001-08:00

DIPOLOG CITY--More than 300 farmers from Zamboanga del Norte completed the course on corn production and Hi-GREEN University-On-the-Air (UOA) program dubbed as “Universidad ni Lando sa Kahanginan.”

UOA is a joint of project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) of the province airing through DXRJ.

It is a non-formal education on corn production to create awareness among interested farmers on the potentials of corn production while presenting and discuss new technologies over the radio.

Participating farmer-enrollees must complete and pass all requirements, including the final assessment in order to graduate.

The graduation rites were held at Liloy Municipal gym with the following honor students: Imelda Diaz of Lawaan Tampilisan, Odon Molina of Pitogo Gutalac, Maria Luz Baltazar of San Francisco Liloy, Roger Lim of Osukan and Reynaldo Amora of Balas, all of Labason; Venturada Potutan and Maynilda Templado of San Jose Kalawit.

Others coming from Leon Postigo are Elena Chico and Melba Tigo of Mangop, Dominador Fabillar and Nelia Mazo of Tinuyop, Jimboy Hamac of Tiniguiban, Nelia Mazo-Tinuyop Leon Postigo.

Provincial Agriculture Coordinator Engr. Peter Andalahao of Zamboanga Sibugay, representing RED Oscar Parawan, said the UOA can uplift the lives of the farmers through a participatory information dissemination of technologies thru radio.

Andalahao added that UOA has reached out to Zamboanga del Norte to help the people start off with corn production and vegetable projects in tandem with DA’s High Value Commercial Crops (HVCC) program.

He said the benefits of the corn farmers in the third district will get the benefit of their efforts because of the presence of a corn grains center in Liloy, the farm-to-market road projects as well as the Barangay Bagsakan established by DA in collaboration with Gov. Rolando Yebes.

Asterio Saliot Jr., director of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), likewise hailed the farmers, saying they play a vital role in the country’s economy as models of resilience.

The DA-ATI, he said, embarks on maximizing the potentials of information and communication technology to reach out further towards empowering our stakeholders for agriculture and fisheries.

“We believe that knowledge is power and power comes from sharing information so that it can be utilized. If we lack information, we also lack the knowledge we need for our farming operations,” Saliot said.

For his part, Liloy Mayor Jaime Lim said that “we are indeed benefited by this program and we cannot contest the value of achievements and knowledge we get.”

With Lim during the graduation ceremonies are Vice Mayor Alfred Chan, board members Aniceto Darunday, Joseph Ajero and Florentino Daaron, barangay officials, municipal agriculturists, agricultural technicians and DA info chief Maria Melba Wee.

REPORT BY MARK LARIDE, DA-9

Zanorte farmers finish corn production course over radio

2010-01-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Joint statement on the Maulana verdict

2010-01-27T23:26:00.001-08:00

January 28,1010

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Pagadian City- ZamboSur (NUJP) and Zamboanga del Sur Pagadian City Press Club, Inc. (ZPP)I, both an active media organizations in Pagadian City jubilantly appreciate the verdict handed down on Mohammad Maulana by the RTC Branch 6 of Cebu City, finding him guilty of killing Edgar Amoro, a material witness of the killing of another radio reporter and commentator Edgar Damalerio, managing editor of Zamboanga Scribe and radio announcer of radio station DXKP of the Radio Philippines Network (RPN) Pagadian on May 13, 2002.

Much as we, in the highest term condemns such killings, the above media institutions are very grateful to the Honorable Judge of RTC Br. No. 6 of Cebu City on the verdict handed on Maulana, even if the same does not assuage the pain in the hearts of both the bereaved families of Amoro and Damalerio because the truth of the matter is that the real masterminds of these killings were not as yet been brought to court for them to pay the crime.

SIGNED

JONG D. CADION
Chair, NUJP Pagadian-Zamboanga del Sur

CHARNYL S. ALBARRACIN
President, Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club, Inc.

Joint statement on the Maulana verdict

2010-01-27T23:26:00.000-08:00

Zambosur voters near 600T

2010-01-26T21:48:00.001-08:00

A total of 558,871 Zambosurian voters will cast their ballot this May in the first ever nationwide automated elections, a latest Comelec voters list stated.

The said number already include the 109,339 voters of Pagadian City, the regional center, which is part of the first district.

The said list, which was taken by this paper last Nov. 16, 2009, excluded the newly registered voters in the province culled during the 5-day extension of registration of the Comelec last Dec. 21-29,2009.

A source from the provincial Comelec office, however, said additional new voters during the said period for Pagadian only reached 395 while an estimated 1,500 voters will likely be added to the overall current list in the province.

Previously, City Election Officer Dinah Sapong listed a total of 5,592 first time voters in Pagadian. All in all, there are 143 clustered precincts out of the established 724 in 54 barangays all over the city.

Another Comelec report dated June 2009 obtained from the national office disclosed a total of 936,797 voters for Zambosur in the last 2007 elections. Minus the present figure, an overall difference of 377,926 is noted.

For the first district, the towns of Tukuran, Aurora, Mahayag, Molave and Labangan can be classified as vote-rich municipalities with voters numbering more than 25,000. The towns of Josefina and Sominot tallied only 6,193 and 9,299 voters, respectively.

Bayog, Dimataling, Dumalinao, Margosatubig and Lapuyan are the vote-rich places in the second district with voters numbering between 17,000 to 20,000. Tigbao and Lakewood has the least voters in the same district, with 10,558 and 10,864, respectively.

All in all, the first district registered 223,023 electorates while 226,509 were counted in the second district.

There are 27,793 new registrants for the whole province, including some 6,845 who transferred from other municipalities, another 158 were reactivated with transfer and 788 were reactivated.

A total of 4,158 registrants were canceled either by reason of death, transfer, double registry or double entry.

There are pairing bets vying for the two congress seats, governorship, vice-governorship, and mayoralty and vice-mayoralty posts in Pagadian while 22 candidates are running for the provincial board and another 20 for the city council.

Comelec Resolution 8646 has confined the dates of campaign relative to the May polls to March 26 to May 8 for members of the House of Representatives, elective provincial, city and municipal officials.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Zambosur voters near 600T

2010-01-26T21:48:00.000-08:00

SSS surpasses 2009 collection goal

2010-01-26T21:23:00.001-08:00

The Social Security System (SSS) office exceeded its 2009 goal with P102,900,327.89 actual collection in members’ contribution, a big feat compared to last year’s P94,412,786.14

Godofredo Martinez, branch head, said this sterling achievement by their office can be ascribed to the hard work of all his staff and the members, as well, for enlisting with SSS to avail of its benefits.

SSS benefits include sickness, disability, retirement, maternity, death and funeral and the so-called Employees’ Compensation (EC) program, which assist workers who suffer work-connected sickness or injury resulting in disability or death.

Martinez added that their painstaking efforts in educating the public about the benefits of SSS paid off just as 2009 started with already P10,695,620.37 actual collections in January, up from their P7.8 million target.

This achievement was replicated in July and October with an all time 7.88% and 7.95% rate increase, respectively, as compared to the other months in 2009.

From March until November, the SSS collected an average of P8 million every month, way above their monthly target, Martinez said, as he revealed that their office has raised some 100,601 members to date, of which 6,781 are employee-members or household employers and 37,347 are self-employed (SE) or voluntary members (VM).

SSS defines a self-employed person as those with an income of at least P1,000 a month, regardless of trade, business or occupation, and not over 60 years old.

These are the self-employed professionals, business partners, single proprietors and board directors, actors, actresses, directors, scriptwriters and news reporters who are not under an employer-employee relationship, professional athletes, coaches, trainers and jockeys, farmers and fisherfolks; and workers in the informal sector such as cigarette vendors, watch-your-car boys, hospitality girls, among others.

As to collections in contributions delinquencies, this was pegged at P5,011,716.62 while a total of P16,141,400.21 were collected for both current and delinquencies in member loans, still upbeat as compared to 2008 statistics.

Total SE/VM and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) remittances for 2009, meanwhile, was listed at P32,411,659.30 as Martinez said total contributions and loan amortizations was listed at P119,123,089.17, a 10.87% over from 2008’s P107,442.371.31. Part of this are real estate loans (REL) amounting to P81,361.07.

Martinez concluded that SSS will continue to be responsive to its members’ needs and with its commitment to extend social security protection to workers and their beneficiaries, will further strive to surpass its goals for the current year.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

SSS surpasses 2009 collection goal

2010-01-26T21:23:00.000-08:00

LTO-Pagadian posts 31% hike in revenues for ‘09

2010-01-25T21:15:00.003-08:00

TOTAL revenues of the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Pagadian City District Office slightly increased to 31.1 percent in 2009, equivalent to some P5,356,019.70.

A two-year comparative report provided by Emmanuel Barretto Sr., Senior Transportation Regulation Officer (STRO), showed some P17,200,279.47 posted for 2008 and P22,556,299.17 for 2009.

Barreto said there is a decrease in motor vehicle (MV) registrations last year in both government and For-hire, with the former dropping by at least half from the previous year’s statistics.

All in all, there were 16,348 total MVs registered in the city, a 7.2 percent increase from 2008 figures.

For licenses and permits issued, student permits, which previously showed the bulk of transactions in the said office, likewise showed a downtrend, with a 692 decrease from its 2008 figures of 6,990 along with Non-Professional drivers’ license, showing 2,765 for 2009, again, a decrease of 22 from the 2008 report.

However, professional drivers licenses increased by 4.9 percent, from 8,779 in 2008 to 9,206 for last year. All in all, the total for licenses and permits issued still sank with 18,308 for 2009 as compared to 18,593 the previous year.

Barreto justified the decline of the data for licenses and permits in Pagadian City was due to the improvement of the LTO extension offices located in Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay and Molave following their automation and approval of its service as an International Organization Standardization (ISO) accredited office.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

City BFP starts collecting fire code fees

2010-01-25T21:15:00.002-08:00

THE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), through City Fire Marshal Cristopher Morales, announced they will start collecting fire code fees for this year as part of the pre-requisites of the new business permits and renewals.

Morales said their move is part of the government’s mandate to fully implement RA 9514, the Comprehensive Fire Code of the Philippines, through the collections of fees in respective local government units.

He said in an interview inside his office that they were a bit late in conducting their collections owing to the delay of the arrival of receipts coming from the BFP national office.

For this year, the BFP will collect 10 percent from the charges imposed by the local government on all new and renewed business permits as fire safety inspection fees.

For building permits, the BFP will collect a tenth of the verified estimated value of buildings or structures to be erected as fire code construction tax.

Morales said this fee will not exceed P50,000 half of which will be prior to the issuance of the building permit, and the balance, after final inspection and prior to the issuance of the use and occupancy permit.

Another fee to be collected is the fire code realty tax, which is 0.01% of a building’s assessed, to be collected annually and payable upon payment of the real estate tax, except on structures used as single family dwellings.

Morales added that 80 percent of the total collected fire code fees will be remitted to the National Treasury while the rest will be retained in the local purse to be used in the implementation of various projects and programs related to fire safety.

A BFP one-stop shop desk is being set up at the City Hall to attend to inquiries and receipt of payments, Morales said.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

LTO-Pagadian posts 31% hike in revenues for ‘09

2010-01-25T21:15:00.001-08:00

City BFP starts collecting fire code fees

2010-01-25T21:15:00.000-08:00

Oh Romeo, my Romeo

2010-01-25T21:14:00.001-08:00

IT is not by pure coincidence that the vice mayoralty seat is up for grab by two Romeos, it is with absolute certainty that both are vying for one hotly contested prize, not for the love of Juliet but for the love of public service

For Romeo “Tata” Pulmones, he has already considered seriously his dream of finishing his term as the council’s presiding officer under Lakas-Kampi.

“My focus is only to help Mayor Sammy Co in all his programs for the city,” was his message to this paper.

“Dili na ko pwede moatras kay ania na man ta sa politika. Nabasa na man ta, maligo na lang ta,” he added, describing his motivation.

Pulmones, a second-termed vice mayor, is not new to politics indeed, being a scion of the well-known Mayor Warlito Pulmones who propelled Pagadian’s dent in the history books with his short stint as this city’s chief executive.

Although Pulmones admits having difficulty in going after his father’s image, he said he makes up for the differences through his determination, youthfulness and honed discipline.

“Usa ra ang akong ipanghambog, ang akong pagkamatinud-anon,” he quips.

No doubt and no fear, as he is running against a well-taken fight of another titan in politics, in the person of his first councilor.

He adds his experience may be a “second best” compared to his opponent but he knows he will have an edge and believes he’s “halfway until the finish line.”

“Siguro, ang katawhan na lang ang mohusga namo giunsa namo pagdala ang siyudad sa Pagadian sa pag-abag sa konseho,” he said.

Challenging Pulmones is Romeo “Romy” Tan, a busybody who has kept above fray all these years. Like Pulmones, he knows he isn’t destined to remain in the backseat forever.

He said he has been waiting for years to take his turn as vice mayor as many believe his long experience indicate good leadership.

It will be now or never, as he disclosed his running as an independent has the backing of the same people he calls a “structured organization” that trust his leadership and experience.

“If I won’t run, there will be no election,” he curtly said.

The first councilor then declared that he is facing the crossroads of his life when the choices he makes determine his future. For while his recent optimism suggest favorable meaning, it has never been tougher.

Tan added that he is running without money. “When I serve, I serve with dignity. I have the backing of the people so that whatever I do, I always have their support,” he said.

Tan knows where the competitive edge is and the pitfalls but he has to be innovative too. Ask if why he is running at this time, he replied there’s much more to do, more projects that need to be implemented and more social legislations to be made.

“Pagadian needs people who are development-oriented. I want to help propel Pagadian not just as a regional center but as a highly urbanized city,” he added.

“All my life I’ve been serving the public by holding key positions. Kung mosugot ang katawhan moserbisyo ko at this age, why not? I know my capability and limitation. Public service is like and imong kaugalingon ang imong i-offer,” Tan said.

Will Pulmones stand back at this one eager mortal?

“Taas akong respeto sa iya. Di pod nako hilig manglabay og lapok. Kung unsa man ang mg sulti gikan sa uban, wala koy labot ana,” was Pulmones’ straightforward reply.

Arguably, Tan is unperturbed with facing Pulmones head on. “I am ready to accept defeat. Duha na lang gud ang akong gihuna-huna—God and the people of Pagadian City,” he said.

“Ma-zero gani ko, dili na ko mopuyo sa Pagadian,” he quipped.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

Oh Romeo, my Romeo

2010-01-25T21:14:00.000-08:00

How safe is your lechon?

2010-01-25T21:13:00.003-08:00

Animal meat is one of the most common foods for humans, a source of protein, fats and carbohydrates. It may refer to organs, including lungs, liver, skin, brains, bone marrow, kidneys and a variety of other internal organs as well as blood.

But animal meat can also be a source of toxic and cancer through the feeds and medicines of banned drugs used on the live animal and acquired by human after it is butchered and eaten.

Dr. Arturo de Jesus Jr., regional director of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), said animal meat can be a carrier of contagious diseases if not properly slaughtered and inspected.

De Jesus added that there is a need to drum up support from the respective local governments in creating an ordinance adopting the implementation of RA 9296.

RA 9296 or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, governs the procedures on the flow of food animals, meat and meat products through the various stages of marketing and the proper preservation and inspection of such products.

It also ensures food security and provides safety and quality standards for consumer products related to agriculture to assure the protection of the public against reasonable risks of injury and hazards to health.
For De Jesus, the establishment of slaughter houses in every town in Zamboanga del Sur and the provision of trained personnel authorized to conduct meat inspection from the NMIS will help see to it that meat serve in the table is safe.

He disclosed that, so far, Pagadian City and six other towns in the province have established slaughter houses and these were accredited by their office.

Aside from the city, De Jesus identified those which passed the standard as that of Molave, Mahayag, Dumingag, Guipos, Margosatubig and Bayog.

Four accredited inspectors do their rounds in checking the meat supply and activities in the said abattoirs.

Other municipalities also have their own slaughter houses but these were not accredited by NMIS, De Jesus disclosed, and no personnel were authorized to conduct meat inspection.

“We need to protect the consuming public because is also the vehicle of transmittable diseases if these are not properly inspected,” he said.

“We encourage the public to be aware and if possible, to look for the necessary permit on certification from the meat inspector on date before buying the meat, especially the lechon,” the NMIS official added.

De Jesus then advised that even for personal consumption, those who maintain improvised slaughter house in their backyard may do so with the use of bamboos for flooring and should be a few feet above the ground.

But still, meat inspectors are needed in order to check the slaughtered meat, he said.

The meat inspectors do this by touching, visual or physical examination, smelling and palpation. Sometimes, they take a sample and conduct a laboratory examination.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Butcher fees dip with ‘hot meat’

2010-01-25T21:13:00.002-08:00

TO ensure the safety of meat consumed, the butchering of all hogs, large cattle and goats should be done inside the slaughter house irregardless of the purpose to which it will be butchered, Lauro Mendoza, head of the slaughter house, said.

This practice, he added, would count up to more income for the city also, as fees will be collected from the slaughtered animals while the meat will be certified as safe and uncontaminated.

But in spite of a local ordinance mandating the same, “hot meat” continues to proliferate in the city. “Hot meat” is the term given to those hogs slaughtered outside the city’s abattoir in Brgy. Napolan.

This illegal slaughtering activity in the city needs to be controlled, explained Mendoza that is why the need for a task force to monitor the city market every morning and apprehend erring butchers and vendors.

A source from the city market told this paper that some meat shops operating in Pagadian and those in the lechon business slaughter hogs in their own yard and sell these for public consumption.

This is a clear violation of RA 9296, the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, said Olympio Yecpot of the National Meat Inspection Service office, as the butchered animal meat needs to be properly butchered and inspected in the slaughter house.

For her part, Lucille Juros, City Economic Enterprises (CEE) operations officer, sees a third-quarter slide in net income and revenues for 2009 attributed to low collections of slaughter house fees.

Juros stated that slaughter house collections trimmed down to P5,144,721.64 this year compared to the P5,781, 327.05 in 2008.

This year-end trend in slaughter fees cost the local government an estimated losses of about P646,605.41—the actual difference from the 2008 and 2009 figures.

A comparative report from the CEE showed 952,987 kilos of hogs were butchered in 2009, slightly lower than that of 2008 figures which reached 1,080,028 kilos.

Mayor Samuel Co, when told of this observation, said he will develop a strategy and effect a comprehensive investigation of all “hot meat” through an executive order to be named “Bantay Karne” (BANKA), the same idea thought of by Yecpot, Mendoza and Juros.

“Naa na koy nadawat nga report bahin ana, tinuod na,” Co said.

A draft paper of BANKA will designate Co as the chairman, the vice mayor as and the chair of the committee on market as co-chairs and the heads of the PNP, DENR/CENRO, city legal officer, CEE officer, City Veterinarian, Chief of Security and Patrol 117 chief as members.

BANKA, according to the draft, will formulate implementing policies and guidelines to safeguard the slaughtering of hogs in the locality and to cause fines and other forms of penalties on any violations of existing rules and regulations.

The Taskforce will also be responsible in instituting appropriate measures in the buy and sell of meat and meat products and its prices, establish a feedback mechanism, formulate programs aimed at affecting full compliance of standards in meat handling and distribution and secure all possible means in ensuring that all meat and meat products are clean and safe for consumption.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

How safe is your lechon?

2010-01-25T21:13:00.001-08:00

Butcher fees dip with ‘hot meat’

2010-01-25T21:13:00.000-08:00

SP okays Misoc’s Dev’t Fund

2010-01-25T21:12:00.001-08:00

OROQUIETA CITY—The provincial board of Misamis Occidental recently approved the disbursement of the province’s 20 percent Development Fund totaling P101,600,000.

The Development Fund will be used to expedite funding and implementation of various programs and projects in the province, Gov. Loreto Leo Ocampos said.

Of the said amount, about 51,000,000 will be billed to economic, cultural and social development programs.

Included in the program is the productivity consciousness drive of the governor called “Kakugi ko, Kalamboan ko, Responsibilidad ko,” other water projects and infrastructure programs, scholarship and peace and order.

Provincial lawmakers also shared P10,400 from their province-wide development program while around P8 million is being set aside for the universal enrolment of indigents in Philhealth and another P10 million will be used for loan repayment in Land Bank and DBP.

Ocampos has earlier announced he will aim to double Philhealth enrollees by 2010 with a 50-50 payment scheme shouldered between the Provincial Government and the beneficiary.

Also, some P7 million is being readied as cash counterpart for the different foreign-funded projects from the Australian, US and European governments.

Ocampos said he will provide P5,000,000 for the maintenance and rehabilitation of provincial roads; P3 million for the upkeep of the Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park in Tigdok; and P1 million each for the Misamis Occidental Enterprise Development and Research Center and Misamis Occidental Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center; and P3 million for the Misamis Occidental Children's Welfare Code.

The remaining funds, according to the governor, will be budgeted for the Gender and Development Center and Traffic Safety Management Program worth P500,000 each; P300,000 for the development of Hoyohoy Highland Park in Tangub City; and P200,000 for Women organization activities.

The Senior Citizens group, Provincial Councilor's League and the federated associations of barangay councils and SK will share among themselves the P100,000 left.

REPORT BY ARCHIE AJIAS

SP okays Misoc’s Dev’t Fund

2010-01-25T21:12:00.000-08:00

Zambosur eyes full, complete Philhealth coverage

2010-01-25T21:08:00.001-08:00

Before bowing out on her last term, Gov. Aurora Cerilles said she is making sure her target to enroll 100 percent of Zambosurian indigents with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) will be met.

Cerilles vowed to expand the coverage of Philhealth to embrace more beneficiaries who were not enrolled before and were not covered by the Social Security System or the Government Service Insurance System and even those who do not have any health insurance.

With the presence of the Zambosur Medical Center (ZSMC) and the intensified Inter-Local Health Zones (ZILHZs) in trhe province, the governor stressed that securing health services in the province will be easy with Philhealth.

Cerilles who chairs of the Provincial Health Board, calls her plan “universal health insurance coverage.” This means that all eligible indigents of Zambosur will be given coverage in medical and dental health care.

Cerilles then urged all city and municipal executives to measure up with her target and aim for the same goal, enrolling all their indigent households with Philihealth.

“Health is our priority, it is sone of my 7-Points Agenda and before I finish my term. I want my agenda to succeed,” Cerilles said.

It was learned that the governor, along with Representatives Victor Yu and Antonio Cerilles, has implemented Philhealth’s multi-payor scheme, a system launched by Philhealth since 2005 that provides health insurance coverage to more 50 p[ercent of the indigent and underprivileged clients in the locality.

Such a scheme was implemented in order for all local government seats, whether the barangay, municipal and provincial, to allocate financial counterpart in the first two years of its implementation.

An example under this scheme, the beneficiary will only pay 25 percent of the total premium while LGUs will equally share the remaining 75 percent.

So far, of the total target of 134,301 beneficiaries, Philihealth data states that about 92.216 were enrolled in Zambgosur4, which is about 57 percent in total enrollment.

Cerilles said the with the Provincial-wide Investment Plan for health in place, the province was able to receive a grant from the health department amounting toP1.5 million for the maternal newborn child health and nutrition and commodity self reliance.

She likewise disclosed that with the teamwork of her husband, the congressman, they were able to obtain a subsidy from Senate President Juan Ponce Ebrile in the amount of P10-million for ZSMC’s expansion.

The funding, according to Cerilles will be for the establishment of the Physical Therapy Center and the construction of private rooms in the said hospital. The bidding for this project will be made next month.

All these plans, Cerilles hopes, will be achieved with the full backing of the provincial board and local chief executives as she urged them to attend the regular policy board meetings in their respective ILHZs.

Under Zambosur;s new health system, three ILHZs were set up: J-Smart, Dumanquillas and Yllana, from which all the 26 towns of the two districts Zambosur were assigned accordingly.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO

Zambosur eyes full, complete Philhealth coverage

2010-01-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

Can police still protect civilians?

2010-01-25T21:06:00.001-08:00

As Comelec election gun ban took effect Sunday, January 10, 2010, at least 18 people in the greater Metro Manila area were arrested during the first burst of the implementation. This is an indication that the government is not joking. Police Director Verosa said, this is to show that the PNP and AFP meant business to protect the people from being harassed during the election day. The ban will last for a period of 6 months, and addedly the purpose of which is to ensure an orderly and peaceful elections in May, this year.

Those arrested included policemen, lawyers, government personnel, navy enlisted man, retired military officers who were caught red handed with their firearms, covered with permits to carry outside residences, confiscated either inside their vehicles and/or tucked in their waists. No criminal element arrested? Those arrested claimed they were not aware the election gun ban has took already effect. Dir. Verzosa said in a statement that all permit to carry outside residences are deemed automatically revoked with the gun ban took effect the same day.

Those arrested will face criminal charges for violating the Omnibus Election Code which imposes a penalty of 1 to up to 6 years imprisonment without probation, disqualification from holding public office, and or right to suffrage and deportation of foreigners if found guilty of the charges.

Our apprehensions however is that while Verzosa’s success is only confined within the greater Manila area where uniformed police and armed forces just littered within its major thoroughfares, what about in the provinces? In this city, for example. In this city in particular, where police visibility is even a problem because of its scarcity. How could the community cope up the needs to secure our people. In this city where a ratio of 1 police as against 1000 residents is even a problem, how sure Dir. Verzosa can protect our citizens?

Just very recently in a month time there were already 3 or 4 people killed through assassin’s bullets and the suspects being described only by the police as “riding in tandem.” Of the many killing incidents in this city this week, not one suspect was neither arrested nor identified even by the police, how could Dir. Verzosa dare say this year’s election could be peaceful and orderly? Apart from the government’s failure to dismantle the private armies?

For Dir Verzosa to succeed, must not take pride only with the arrest and apprehensions of the innocent civilians, nevertheless must wage more punitive actions against armed and dreaded criminals who are right now lurking within our immediate premises. These scot free criminals are indeed the real threats to the civilians security. Dir Verzosa must bring the police action to where the criminals are.

EAGLE'S EYE COLUMN
By Vic G. del Pilar
EMAIL: delpilarvic@gmail.com

Can police still protect civilians?

2010-01-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

The City stands to lose in IRA

2010-01-25T21:03:00.001-08:00

With the additional 16 cities created anew, Pagadian City stands to lose over a hundred million pesos in regular income out of its yearly IRA appropriations from the national government. This development came in the wake of reports that the Supreme Court has ruled out that the creation of the 16 cities, which was questioned earlier by the League of Cities of the Philippines, as to its constitutionality and eligibility, pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991, was legal and constitutional.

The Local Government Code provides, among others the creation of local government units, i.e., barangay, municipality, city and province, only at certain conditions. Among which includes its area, population and income to mention, only few of the many other administrative requirements. As a matter of fact, it is always the prerogative of any local executive of any given area, particularly for an obscure town to dream to become a city as his own political commitment for his people to enjoy its benefits. It is for these reason that congress have given them the political nod, by approving its requests, and by virtue of a Republic Act, the 16 towns thus were converted to full pledge cities.

It was on this premise that the League of Cities of the Philippines petitioned the Supreme Court, questioning the eligibility and constitutionality of the above creation of Congress, praying among others, that such creation be declared unconstitutional, and thus subsequently consider its congressional approval inoperative, pending final resolution of the issue.

Earlier, in an en banc decision, the Supreme Court ruled out unconstitutional, to the jubilance of the petitioning League with the SC mandating its decision to be final and executory, which means that the issue has been terminated and resolved once and for all, and that anymore petition or motion for reconsideration for that matter cannot be entertained any further, by the concerned Court. The members of the League believe all the while, that by all means the issue has ended, only to find out that the SC’s decision was reverted in favor of the petitioning 16 cities, again to the disillusionment of the petitioning League of Cities of the Philippines. The League is now raising a question to the high court: Can Supreme Court decisions carrying a final and executory implementation, as in the instant case, be subjected for another debate, petition and other motion for reconsideration?

We are not at liberty to answer such an intriguing question. What we know, is that such an issue did never happen elsewhere, even in a given law school. The matter is for the high court to make a rejoinder. If the Court stands to sustain its recent decision, it is were Pagadian City will to lose a major part of its income, because its internal revenue allocation will be reduced to the minimum. This is so because the Internal Revenue Allotment, just like a pizza pie, it has to be equally and proportionately shared and/or divided among all the cities nationwide, including the recently approved 16 cities.

EAGLE'S EYE COLUMN
By Vic del Pilar
EMAIL: delpilarvic@gmail.com

The City stands to lose in IRA

2010-01-25T21:03:00.000-08:00

Keep your guns at home, Ochotorera tells citizens

2010-01-25T21:01:00.001-08:00

Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Ramon Martinez Ochotorena has urged citizens to refrain from bringing their firearms, wither license or not, and gun replicas outside their homes or be arrested for violating the nationwide total gun ban ordered by the Comelec.

Ochotorena declared police operations against law breakers are on going through check points set up in strategic areas in the province.

The police director said he will not spare anybody, even fellow policemen and military in this campaigned.

“I am requesting the populace to cooperate and follow the provision of the law,” Ochotorena said.

Comelec Resolution 8714 strictly prohibits the carrying and transport of firearms, explosives and deadly weapons from January 10 to June 9,

Only PNP members, military men, and government security agencies wearing proper uniform and in performance of their official duties are allowed to carry firearms during the 150-day election period.

Ochotorena explained the gun ban will prevent or reduce poll related violence. “This early there are 30-mobile check points scattered around the province and in Pagadian City on the look out for gun ban violator and criminals,” he said.

As of January 12 three persons were arrested and their firearms confiscated Ochotorena told this paper, one in Pagadian City and two in Dumingag.

Ochotorena further said that those firearms license issued by the Firearms and Explosive Division that was signed by the PNP Chief was declared cancelled effective January 10.

During the last 2007 elections Zambosur topped the list of gun ban violators.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

Keep your guns at home, Ochotorera tells citizens

2010-01-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

City Economic Enterprise reports downtrend in 2009 income

2010-01-25T20:59:00.001-08:00

Net collections of the City Economic Enterprise (CEE) reached P34, 990, 852.03 for last year, Lucile Juros, CEE officer, disclosed.

The full figures, culled from January to December last year has a difference of P2,661,457.45 when compared to the 2008 statistics.

The statement of collections provided by Juros showed the five divisions of CEE with the city market as the biggest income earner with some P17,720,920.39.

Next is slaughter house, with P5,144,721.64, integrated bus terminal (IBT) with P4,592,419.50, city fish port with P4,420,500.64 and motor pool with P2,988,990.83.

Except for the city fish port and IBT, all the other divisions showed slight decrease in collections.

Juros explains that market fees composed of stall rental fees, cash tickets, parking fees, entrance fees, public rest rooms and application fees for market occupancies.

She told this paper that part of the market collections were credited to the trust liability account which is being handled by the City Treasurer’s Office, explaining further that market collections fell short of its target because of the fire that destroyed the vegetables section later part of 2008.

Another cause for the low market collections is the ongoing construction of the fresh fish section and portions of the grocery, dried fish, dry goods sections and the city commercial complex.

For the slaughter house, some 952,987 kilos of hugs were butchered while 406,513 kilos were for cattle and 20,630 kilos were goats. Both the number of hugs and cattles butchered decreased for 2009.

Juros attributed this to the illegal slaughtering activity in the city which did not pass the city abattoir.

Because of this, slaughter house income dipped to an estimated loss of about P646,605.41 annually.

It was learned that the slaughter house collects fees in corral, slaughter, entrails, postmortem, inspection and meat delivery van while the fish port collects fees for mooring, berthing, loading and unloading.

The CEE, a self-liquidating office set aside a total of P1,284,700.97 as its 2% administrative share out of the total P35,571,553 collections.

This will be used for its various expenditures and salaries of its 200 regular and casual employees, Juros said.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

City Economic Enterprise reports downtrend in 2009 income

2010-01-25T20:59:00.000-08:00

Afdal wants end of violence in Labangan

2010-01-25T20:57:00.001-08:00

Labangan, Zambosur – For Mayor Abubakar Afdal, the series of extra judicial killings targeting his political supporters and relatives is an act perpetrated by “evil persons” who are out to eliminate him, sooner or later, for good.

The killings are ill-tined, he said in an interview inside his residence and purely for political motives.

Aftdal was referring to the deaths of his cousin Rascal Afdal, Hanira Agcong and Steve Tapodoc, the mayor’s executive secretary and a candidate for the town council, who were all killed in a span of two weeks.

Afdal believes the killing of his supporters is being perpetrated to end his clout in Labangan, one of the vote-rich municipalities in Zamboanga del Sur.

“Dako gyod kayo ko ug pagtoo nga politika ni ug dili Rido sama sa gisulti sa uban. Election gun ban pa, ngano mapatay pa ang tawo, mao ni ang pangutana nako?” the Mayor asked.

The death list is long, Afdala claimed, as evidence by several text messages he received. “mohangyo nalang unta ko nga undangon nila ning pagpamatay sa akong mga tawo kay looy kayo ang ilang pamilya nga nabilin mga bata pa kayo ang ilang mga anak.”

“Sana mag-isip-isip sila, kasi kawawa naman ang mga bata,” he said

Last January 18, the Liberal Party (LP) took the cudgels of Afdal and condemned the gruesome murders of his political supporters and demanded a thorough investigation to find the killers so that justice could be meted out.

Afdal and his nephew Vice Mayor Kiti Nandang are presently allied with the LP.

Senator Mar Roxas in a statement said the killings “could be the kick-off of organized violence against opposition candidates and supporters to sabotage the widely-expected opposition victory in Mayo 10 elections.”

Roxas called on the comelec “to take drastic steps to stop the rising poll-related incidents violence, or risk demanding the credibility of the elections.”

Roxas added that there is a need to replace the entire PNP contingent in Zambosur to quell the apprehension of LP leaders and supporters who expressed concern that the gunmen maybe men in uniform. “Moonlighting or co-opted to do their dirty work for pro-administration candidates in the region.”

Without naming names, Afdal said he knows who are the mastermind and killers but he is still gathering more evidences.

“Dakong politiko and hinungdan aning mga panghitabo dinhi,” the Mayor said, as he disclosed many of his supporters are now afraid but he assured them to let the law take its course and not retaliate with violence.

As his concluding statement Afdal implored the help of Gov. Aurora Cerilles on the said issue.

“Ako mohangyo ni madam Governor isip siya ang chairman sa Peace and Order Council nga tabangan kami nga taga Labangan kay nagpakamatay man mi kaniya kaniadtong miaging election,” Afdal ended.

As of press time the governor can not be reached for comment.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Afdal wants end of violence in Labangan

2010-01-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Alice Ariosa, 79

2010-01-25T20:55:00.001-08:00

Alice Largo Ariosa wife of the late Governor “Mano” Javier Ariosa, died of colon cancer last week, she is 79 years old.

According to Vice Governor Roseller “Roy” Ariosa his mother complained of severe pain in her stomach last July and was brought to the Mercy Hospital in Iligan City.

Doctors who diagnosed the former educator found Alice’s colon cancer in its late stage. She was later transferred to Borbon General Hospital here, where she finally succumbed to death last Thursday January 14, few days shy of her 80th birthday.

Active in various civic and religious activities in Pagadian City Manang Alice retired in 1992 as Math and Science Division Supervisor.

Friends who know Manang Alice would open described her as mild-mannered, silent type and helpful person.

Her body now lies in estate at her residence in San Francisco District.

She will be interred on Saturday January 23 along side her husband at the Ariosa memorial estate, Pielago Morial Garden.

Governor Mano and Manang Alice have six children.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Alice Ariosa, 79

2010-01-25T20:55:00.000-08:00

Rampant killing of pol aides alarm Liberals

2010-01-25T20:53:00.001-08:00

The Liberal Party (LP) hierarchy in Zamboanga del Sur headed by Vice Governor Roseller “Roy” Ariosa has decried the series of extra judicial killings in the city, happening at a time when cemelec’s total gun ban is being implemented.

The LP’s denunciation came after three of the murders where believed to be politically motivated and the suspects in all the killings are riding in tandem.

First to fell from an assassin’s bullet is Rascal Tiban Afdal a political leader and a relative of Mayor Abubakar Afdal of Labangan.

Afdal was killed, January 4 by three motorcycle riding gunmen at Poruk Bahada near Rotonda of Barangay Dao while on his way to work. He was with his wife when the shooting happened.

Last January 16 another political leader of the Afdal clan identified as Hadja Hanira Abdullah Agcong was shot at closed range while seating in her parked L-300 van just in front of Gaisano Capital along Rizal Avenue.

The next day Muttalidem “Steve” Tapodoc, Executive Secretary of Labangan Vice Mayor Kiti Nandang and a candidate for the town council, was shot dead along Datoc Street at the back of city hall a few meters away from the police station.

Nandang strongly believes the killing of the three victims has something to do with the up coming May election this year however, he refused to elaborate.

The gruesome murders should be investigated and killers be brought to the bar of justice, Senator Mar Roxas, LP Vice Presidential Candidate said in a statement.

Like Nandang, Roxas also believed the killings “could be the kick-off of organized violence against opposition candidates and supporters to sabotage the widely-expected opposition victory in Mayo 10 elections.”

He then called on the Comelec “to take drastic steps to stop the rising poll-related incidents violence, or risk demanding the credibility of the elections.”

The senator added that there is a need to replace the entire PNP contingent in Zambosur to quell the apprehension of LP leaders and supporters who expressed concern that the gunmen maybe men in uniform. “moonlighting or co-opted to do their dirty work for pro-administration candidates in the region.”

Asked for his comment, City Police Chief Inspector Michael P. Palermo did not rule out the political angle but said, base on their investigation that the killings had something to do with personal dealings and family matters.

Palermo cited, for example Afdal’s murder was in connection with the illegal drug trade while Agcong’s was due to Muslim family feud or Rido.

Since January 1 nearly a dozen extra judicial killings happened in Pagadian City, mostly involving political aides.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Rampant killing of pol aides alarm Liberals

2010-01-25T20:53:00.000-08:00

DA hands over agri projects to Pagadian

2010-01-12T23:39:00.001-08:00

(LEFT TO RIGHT) PARAWAN, CO, PULMONES AND COUNCILMAN BEN CULVE

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has raised Pagadian City’s agricultural prospects to a higher level with the turnover of new projects for the city’s agriculture and fishery development.

Timed during the official opening of the Pasalamat Festival 2010 last Jan. 8, DA regional executive director Oscar Parawan turned over the various projects to the city.

Local officials led by Mayor Samuel Co and Vice Mayor Romeo Pulmones and several councilors and barangay officials received the seven units of flatbed dryers worth P600,000 each.

Two flatbed dryers each are likewise installed in Tawagan Sur and Lison Valley while Lower Sibatang, Tulawas and Tiguma has one each.

Other projects given included a community-based composting facility worth P350,000, a shredder machine, two tea brewers, three vermi beds and 15 kilos of worms for the production of organic compost waste.

Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) National Director Asterio Saliot handed another check of P200,000 for fish the cage project initiated by the 4-H club of San Pedro District.

Saliot said he wanted the youth to renew their interest in farming by taking up courses in agriculture and fishery and “take over their parents as farmers of the future.”

Back to Parawan, he said that the agriculture department’s mission is to increase food production in the country through the FIELDS program, acronym for Fertilizer, Irrigation, Extension, Loans, Dryers and Seeds.

The agriculture official added that the flatbed dryers, which are provided by the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE) will ease losses and quality deterioration of freshly harvested grains.

For a flatbed dryer to work, grains are loaded and laid out manually on perforated screen flooring and dried by forcing hot air from the plenum below the grain bed. The rice hull fed furnace provides the heat for drying.

The BPRE has said that flatbed dryers are low on cost compared to existing mechanical dryers due to the use of rice hull as fuel, low labor requirement and low maintenance cost and will reduce postharvest losses by 5 percent of the total production.

Parawan disclosed that in Zamboanga Peninsula, postharvest losses are estimated at 30,000 metric tons per year in rice equivalent to P300 million a year.

Also, Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) regional coordinator Florence Agustin said that as to soil fertility, they collaborated with DA in promoting organic agriculture the region.

Agustin added that they have identified 58 sites as recipients of their community-based composting facility for organic fertilizer production. He identified Brgy. Tawagan Sur, this city, as one of their beneficiaries.

Co, in his message, thanked the DA for the “numerous multi-million projects” citing, among others, the heavy duty farm tractor given to the city, farm-to-market roads and a cold storage facility installed in this city bagsakan center.

Just last Thursday, the provincial office of the National Irrigation Administration turned-over the communal irrigation system (CIS) in Brgy. Tulawas.

The P1.5-million CIS will serve 70 hectares of rice land and is seen to benefit some 40 farmer-members of the Tulawas Irrigators Association.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9

DA hands over agri projects to Pagadian

2010-01-12T23:39:00.000-08:00

(LEFT TO RIGHT) PARAWAN, CO, PULMONES AND COUNCILMAN BEN CULVE

Tony Cerilles hails passage of MEDA law

2010-01-06T23:49:00.001-08:00

CONGRESSMAN Antonio “Tony” Cerilles sees the passing of the Mindanao Economic Development Authority (MEDA) bill into law as a vehicle for the harmonization of peace and development efforts in Mindanao.

The MEDA bill was then House Bill 6958 and its counterpart, Senate Bill 3496. Under both bills, the MEDA will become a permanent agency that will integrate Mindanao's socio-economic development.

General provisions of the MEDA proposal seek to strengthen the existing Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCO) by converting it into a permanent MEDA.

Established in 1992 through EO 512, MEDCO operates as the only existing Mindanao-wide government mechanism that provides a coordinated and rationalized platform for program implementation and monitoring, investment promotion and policy advocacy for Mindanao.

In speaking of his commendations of the passage of the said law, Cerilles said that Mindanao at present will be able to unfold its full promise and thus catch up with the mainstream national in terms of development.

Cerilles, chair of the technical working group on MEDA bill, disclosed there were four versions of the bill—the one’s authored by Representatives Pedro Romualdo of Camiguin, Simeon Datumanong of Maguindanao, Datu Pax Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat and the Cerilles version.

Cerilles said he and the other congressmen from Mindanao have been pushing for Mindanao’s potentials to be transformed into the country's front door to the East Asean region in terms of greater economic opportunities.

The MEDA will be headed by a chairman and the chairs of the different RDCs in Mindanao and will be presided by the undersecretary as head and over-all planner for development.

Cerilles recalled that during the administration of former president Joseph Estrada, the congressman represented Mindanao in the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board and there he saw the deficient connections from Mindanao to the national government.

“Usually, in the RDC, the appointed secretaries are the directors in the NEDA and their jobs involve only the submission of approved programs and projects from the RDC to Manila. Once submitted, and whether their boss will approve it or not, they have nothing to do with it,” Cerilles laments.

He further cited for example the previous administration’s lack of concern in Mindanao’s project developments, like the budget allocation for Mindanao, which, he said, is just somewhere between 10 to 15 percent.

“But under the newly approved law, MEDA will represent the entire Mindanao in the NEDA board and will see to it that all the priority projects for the island will be given attention and implemented,” the congressman explained.

Cerilles, who also authored Mindanao Railway System, said that Mindanao legislators are now calling for consideration with regards to project developments.

“We will never have any development without a strong political will and you can only see that when your political leaders demonstrate strong unity among themselves. In Zamboanga del Sur, we have political leaders who have political will,” he said.

Because of such political will, Zamboanga del Sur successfully transferred the regional center from Zamboanga to Pagadian and also, a budget of P300 million was allocated for the upgrading of Pagadian City Airport into an international standard, he added.

For his part, MEDCO chairman Undersecretary Virgilio Leyretana Sr. lauded passing of the MEDA law, saying its approval validates the lawmakers’ commitment to develop Mindanao and accelerate the region's inclusion in the mainstream of national body politic.

“The enactment of the MEDA Bill is seen to enhance the potential role of Mindanao as the bridge to all cultures in this country and in BIMP-EAGA as well as the linchpin of our country's security and national interest,” Leyretana said.

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

Tony Cerilles hails passage of MEDA law

2010-01-06T23:49:00.000-08:00

Joey Sapong is new market head

2010-01-06T22:44:00.001-08:00

BECAUSE of the repeated complaints in the city market and his perceived inability to act in response, Mayor Samuel Co has replaced Enrique Alawi as market supervisor and designated Joseph Isabelo Sapong to take Alawi’s place.

Co’s order, signed last Dec. 23, was effected five days after, which relieved Alawi and authorized Sapong “to act in all matters attached to the official functions of the Market Superintendent for Agora.”

The mayor’s memorandum order mentioned the relief was “due to the exigency of the service” but a source from the mayor’s office disclosed the former market superintendent was relieved due to “loss of confidence.”

Alawi, it was learned from Reyvenido Cesar Lingating, the mayor’s executive assistant and CMO chief of staff, is now detailed at the Office of the City Mayor.

No statement regarding his relief can be taken from Alawi as of press time by this paper.

This city’s Agora is one of the six divisions of the economic enterprise created by the city government to streamline operations at the City Treasurer’s Office.

The Agora generates the bulk of revenue for the local government through the management and operation of the public market, maintenance of sanitation and orderliness of all its premises and the collection of market fees, licenses and other charges due the city government.

Sapong, in an interview, said he will carry on with the existing rules and regulations in the operations of the city market, including the collections of stall fees and the Agora’s cleanliness.

He added that he will improve the system and procedures in enforcing the market ordinance, especially in guarding the buying public from dishonest and unscrupulous vendors and the collection of segregated garbage.

Last Dec. 14, Sapong lead the confiscation of tampered weighing scales during a random inspection on the fresh fish, meat and rice sections inside the Agora.

One week after, he installed one of the three Timbangan ng Bayan weighing scales inside the Agora to help consumers determine the exact weigh of their bought items.

The Timbangan ng Bayan is located between the fresh fish and vegetables section and is pursuant to the implementation of RA 7394, the Consumers Welfare Act.

Sapong said the two other Tambangan ng Bayan will soon be placed somewhere at the meat and rice section.

“I am requesting the sellers and buyers inside Agora to cooperate,” was Sapong’s short message.

REPORT BY JONG CADION

Joey Sapong is new market head

2010-01-06T22:44:00.000-08:00

Pagadian-Cotabato sea route closes

2010-01-06T21:39:00.001-08:00

WHAT could have been a renewed domestic sea travel between Pagadian and Cotabato cities has yet again shut down due to "unfavorable business conditions."

An official from the Port Management Office of the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), who requested anonymity, told this paper in an interview that M/L Putri-I have ceased operations for two months already.

The said official mentioned her sadness why M/L Putri has ceased operations when the number of frequenting passengers is already picking up in the past months.

She further speculated the improved road network and logistics corridor of Zamboanga Peninsula and Cotabato as well as travel convenience and minimal bus fares may have enticed passengers to travel by land and this probably affected M/L Putri’s operations.

Several travelling businessmen likewise told this paper that had M/L Putri’s undertaking prospered, interchange or tradeoff of local products such as dried fish, fruits, vegetables and grains could have been boosted.

M/L Putri-I, which started its ship call to Pagadian last July, announced its formal maiden voyage last Oct. 6 with a one-way fare rate of only P250, leaving Pagadian for Cotabato every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 10:00 in the morning and vice versa every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The M/L Putri-I weighes a gross tonnage of 228.76, is manned by a crew of 12 and powered by two Cummins/Isuzu V12 engines with 350 horse power.

Mayor Samuel Co, who led the motor lanch’s inauguration, said the M/L Putri will strengthen the already thriving trade ties of the two cities.

The mayor added that sea vessel’s presence likewise will be an alternative choice for travelers who want to take a trip to General Santos and Davao cities aside from travelling by bus or commuter vans.

But again, hopes of spreading the good news of M/L Putri’s service to the public are hold in balance after the PPA said, quoting an official communication from M/L Putri’s management office in Cotabato, that the cause of the motor lanch’s break in operations was due to its engines presently undergoing repairs.

It was learned that the city seaport closed down sometime in 2002 due to the dwindling influx of passengers blamed on the enhanced sales promotion of buses and vans as well as the improved road network in the region.

The three competing ship owners also decided to close shop after passengers preferred to travel by land because of high arrastre fees and the unwillingness of porters to bring down their labor rates.

These sea vessels used to ferry city passengers to Zamboanga City up to Sandakan, Malaysia and the interisland routes of Jolo, Siasi, Bongao and Sitangkai.

In the coming months, Co disclosed that the city government will run its own sea cargo handling business using rented cargo ships or freighters that will carry goods and materials from Pagadian to any port in the country.

With this, Co said the rented freighters will be able to handle the bulk of the merchandise deliveries to and from Manila as well as address other logistical problems of the city.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION

Pagadian-Cotabato sea route closes

2010-01-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

Pagadian media agree on drug testing

2010-01-06T20:34:00.001-08:00

MEDIA personalities in Pagadian find it necessary to undergo drug testing, whether there are suspected users or not, as a move of support to the Provincial Government’s campaign against illegal drug use.

However, most of the journalists asked by this paper replied that the government may shoulder the expenses for the drug test.

To recall, January last year, Gov. Aurora Cerilles staged her all-out war against illegal drugs in her turf and promised to rid Zamboanga del Sur of the drug menace by 2010.

The concern of placing themselves for drug testing came out after rumors circulated that there are drug users among media practitioners in Pagadian.

Opinions among the media circle said that if such rumors continue to persist, this might jeopardize local journalists’ careers and credibility.

Charnyl Albarracin, president of the Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian City Press Club Inc. (ZPPI), applauded media’s decision, saying drug use should not be tolerated also among the fourth estate.

“Dako kaayo ko’g uyon to make it fair to all. Dapat walang pinipili ang batas,” he told this paper.

For the past year, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has conducted its random drug testing on students and faculty members in more than 1,700 colleges and universities all over the country.

The CHED said that students who test positive would undergo counseling and would be subject to regular monitoring. Habitual users would be made to undergo drug rehabilitation.

Aside from students, the government has made it compulsory to prescribe drug testing on drivers, government employees, athletes, policemen, military and other law enforcement agencies, school faculty members and even candidates who will run for an elective post.

Cerilles, herself, said last year that a random drug testing on all Capitol officials and employees is being mandated in Zambosur.

The governor added this illustrates the Provincial Government’s attitude that the fight against drugs must start at her own front yard.

Albarracin comments media’s offer for voluntary drug testing is a show of support and as an example to the public that addressing the problem of drug use in the population can be attained with the community’s willingness to help.

No matter the profession or status in the community, drug tests should be implemented, concurs Jong Cadion, president of the local chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

Approximately, there are 40 media practitioners in Pagadian City, who are pledging members of ZPPI and NUJP, while a few are classified as public press officers and freelance journalists.

Both media organizations, however, were silent on what kind of sanctions will be imposed on colleagues who might be tested positive on a certain drug test.

For his part, board member Ernesto Mondarte, who is also the action officer of the Task Force Droga created by Cerilles to run after the illegal drug trade in the province, praised media’s move considering that the media has now been included as a member of the Provincial Anti-Dangerous Drugs Abuse Council (PADDAC).

He added that he will arrange a meeting with the media in the near future to talk about the suggestion and other discussions related to the province’s anti-drug campaign.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), meanwhile, has on their watch list some 200 drug personalities in Zamboanga del Sur.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Pagadian media agree on drug testing

2010-01-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

NUJP mulls trust fund for massacre victims

2010-01-06T18:51:00.001-08:00

OZAMIZ CITY—The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) plans to set up a support fund that will pay for efforts to seek justice to victims of the November 23 massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao that killed at least 57 people including 30 journalists and media workers.

This developed as newsmen look back into the “pains and gains” in 2009, the year which saw “Filipino journalists closed ranks and defiantly stood up for the freedom of the press and democracy.”

According to Inquirer reporter Nestor Burgos, NUJP chair, the fund will primarily support legal actions to advance the cause of justice for the journalist-victims, help address the needs of their families, and advocate the improvement of the environment of media practice especially in Mindanao.

The NUJP has noted that the Ampatuan massacre “has left the Philippine media community staggering, not just from the toll but also the task of helping rebuild the lives of those left behind, as well as of our colleagues who lost friends and co-workers, and have had to cover and live through the story as well.”

“Another vital task is working to hold accountable all those who should be held accountable, not just the persons who carried out the carnage, but those responsible for creating the circumstances that made it possible,” the group further said.

The NUJP admits that “to achieve all these will require substantial resources, thus, the need to reach out to colleagues, friends and the public for help.”

Burgos said that through the Justice Fund, individuals and groups who wish to help can send their donations.

The activities that the Fund will support will be posted on the NUJP website and will be regularly audited by an external auditor, the results of which will also be published and reported to the donors, he added.

But Burgos stressed that “the Justice Fund is more than just raising money. It seeks to build solidarity between the target beneficiaries of the program and the media, between media and the public.”

As conceived, the Fund will financially support the undertaking of a trauma and counseling program for the families of killed journalists and members of their local media community.

In litigation, the Fund seeks to support the legal actions against the suspects by assisting the private and public prosecutors, and providing sanctuary for witnesses and even litigants who may come under threat from the accused.

The Fund will also support a series of training on risk awareness and safety, especially in covering and reporting events from culturally and politically sensitive places.

Apart from the November 23 massacre, NUJP also seeks to document other incidents of harassment and attacks on the press in Mindanao, and launch a campaign “to build solidarity between media and the public, and to deepen public understanding of factors that led to the massacre.”

“The Justice Fund seeks to build awareness not just on what happened in Ampatuan, Maguindanao on November 23, 2009 but on the system that breeds corruption, warlordism and political patronage which paved the way to the carnage,” Burgos explained.

Among others, a monthly commemoration of the massacre will be done to continually highlight the issues related to the incident which is the worst case of political violence in the country’s history.

The Ampatuan massacre is the worst ever attack on the media throughout the world, placing the country in the top most dangerous places to practice journalism.

Yet, the NUJP points out that “attacks on the press are not likely to end despite the outrage stirred by the Ampatuan massacre and many Filipino journalists continue to embark on dangerous coverage with practically no tools to help them cope with the challenges as well as stress in doing the job.”

On Dec. 8, Camarines Norte broadcaster Efren Español was attacked inside the announcer’s booth by the former police chief of the province, who was armed with a .45-caliber pistol.

Unidentified persons also fired a gun in front of the house of journalist Edgar Cadagat, former NUJP chair and current president of the Negros Press Club. On Dec. 20, Misamis Occidental journalist Danilo Pilar survived a grenade attack on his house.

On Dec. 24, radio commentator Ismael Pasigma of Labason, Zamboanga del Norte was gunned down 6:30am while on his way to work.

The NUJP has considered 2009 as “a year of unprecedented tribulation” for the Philippine press because of the massacre.

“The carnage in Ampatuan capped years of continued impunity for killers of Filipino journalists,” an NUJP year-ender reads.

Before the massacre, 104 Filipino journalists had been slain since 1986, 67 of them under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, based on the NUJP’s count.

Of these, only around five cases have resulted in the conviction of the killers but no masterminds in any of the murders have been arrested so far.

REPORT BY RYAN ROSAURO, PECOJON

NUJP mulls trust fund for massacre victims

2010-01-06T18:51:00.000-08:00

City emergency hotline in distress

2010-01-06T18:31:00.001-08:00

THIS city’s emergency hotline Patrol 117 and call center operation is troubled with prank callers and is, in itself, needing assistance, this was learned last week.

Added to this is the sad truth, according to Patrol 117 Operation Officer Asuri Hawani, that the long-advertised emergency number is not yet operational due to the lack of space and equipment, thus defeating the purpose of the said facility.

117, referred to by its official name as the Emergency Network Philippines (ENP), is the national emergency telephone number for the Philippines and managed solely by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The project, it was learned, costs DILG some P80 million, aimed to foster crime prevention and quick response to emergency situations.

For the “real” Patrol 117, calls originating from Pagadian City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are supposed to be re-routed to Zamboanga City, the 117 call center for Region 9, since when a 117 call is made from a mobile phone, the call is automatically routed to the nearest 117 call center.

However, the DILG explains that 117 as an emergency number is not registered on most mobile phone models or SIM cards and that is why that at times calls are re-routed to other regional call centers in the event of an emergency.

Hawani said the Patrol 117 was only a title in reference to their office, which is designated to receive calls in urgent situations, disasters and emergency and provide quick assistance to concerned government agencies.

The landline is being manned by only two operators, identified as Florencio de la Peña and Elena Lahagan, who work on a ten-hour shift basis, 24 hours a day.

Lately, complaints about the said telephone number started to crop up after residents who rang 117 claimed a child keeps talking to them and sometimes the receiver would inform that they are calling a party line in Cebu.

A resident who wanted to remain anonymous recalled to this paper that last Oct. 11, when Columban father Michael Sinnott was reported to have been forcibly taken by armed men to Sta. Lucia, she dialed 117 using her cellular phone but the receiver on the other line started to reply with lewd remarks.

Hawani said he felt sorry for the said experience but went on to say that they failed to activate the “real” Patrol 117 because the city government still has to construct a building for the P50 million communications equipment.

“We need a big area for the equipment and for its office space, which is the needed counterpart of the city government in order to avail of the gadgets,” Hawani said.

At present, Hawani’s office is located within the unfinished Executive Building while the Patrol 117 landline is positioned in the information desk at the ground floor of the City Mayor’s Office.

The Patrol 117 operations chief then requested that the public be reminded anew to use the emergency lines 117 responsibly and for parents to educate their children to do the same.

He confided, showing an October-November call log, that for the two months alone, out of the 837 calls received, only 29 were valid and 808 were classified as illegitimate or prank calls made mostly by children.

Of the 29 valid calls reported, shooting incident top the list of cases brought to the attention of Patrol 117 covering Pagadian City. Hold-up, vehicular accident, thefts and public disturbance were also listed.

Hawani also disclosed that of the 837 calls, 679 were answered and the response was made within the average response time of less than the seven-minute standard.

The city hall based Patrol 117, is a calling hub which can facilitate responses to calls within Pagadian City only, confirms Cruztelco exchange manager Anotonio Beniga when visited at his office.

He added that they assigned the 117 telephone number to City Hall for emergency purposes.

Aside from Patrol 117, other emergency numbers published in local newspapers are: 215 3830, 353-1522, Police 166 and Fire 160, Mobile nos. 0908-955-3238, 0927-715-3025 and radio transceiver VHF frequency 141.170 MHZ.

This paper tried to call Patrol 117 last Tuesday and a certain child answered the phone, identifying himself as the son of Osman Abbas, a security guard assigned at the City Hall premises.

The child said: “Ako ang mitubag kay naa pay ka estorya akoang papa.”

REPORT BY JONG CADION & MICHAEL MEDINA

City emergency hotline in distress

2010-01-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

‘Let us not forget Rizal’s, other modern hero’s deeds’

2009-12-31T06:41:00.001-08:00

FILIPINOS of today face the challenge of building a republic with citizens who revere nationalism to the highest level— that which was in effect Jose Rizal’s and the rest of the heroes’ kind of patriotism.

Because this kind of devotion redeemed the country’s peace, unity, stability and progress, Mayor Samuel Co said in his message during the commemoration of the 113th anniversary of Rizal’s death.

Local government officials and employees, law enforcers, military men, civic groups, students and the public gathered at the Rizal Monument in front of the City Hall last Wednesday to mark the death anniversary of the martyr with a short program.

The significance of the celebration was highlighted with the laying of flowers and wreaths at the monument.

Co, in his message read by councilor Estrella Arao, praised the national hero for his many virtues and for teaching the spirit of nationalism to the Filipino people.

“Without the peacemakers, and if they were alive today, they would have brought the rightists, leftists, separatists, and oppositionists to the negotiating table and argued with them peacefully for the rarity of their ideas,” Co said.

In his speech, M/Gen. Romeo Lustestica, commanding general of the First Infantry (Tabak) Division, mentioned the hero’s fearless exposures of the injustices committed by the civil and clerical officials and his brilliance to which the great artist, novelist, doctor and poet was always remembered.

“Every year we gather to commemorate the most important event in our lives and we’re moved with a sense of pride and nationalism,” Lustestica said.

Adding Rizal did not only leave the Filipinos their dignity of a free and independent nation, he also left his countrymen a challenge to make every effort for fineness and distinction in all endeavors.

The army general cited, for example, the dynamism and achievements of modern-day heroes, the likes of Efren “Kuya Ef” Geronimo Peñaflorida Jr., the educator and social worker who became “CNN Hero of the Year” in 2009 for his outstanding advocacy to educate Filipino out-of-school youth through “pushcart classes.”

Other heroes Lustestica included in his speech are the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who have selflessly helped during the evacuation of stranded victims from the onslaught of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng last October, and the soldiers who forfeit their comfort in exchange for safeguarding the country from its enemies.

Lustestica then dared everyone to think of the sacrifices of these living heroes and not leave them in vain memories, like how Rizal was often remembered—not forgetting these brave men for their noble act of making our country free and independent.

REPORT BY JUN CORGUE, PIA-9

‘Let us not forget Rizal’s, other modern hero’s deeds’

2009-12-31T06:41:00.000-08:00

Because this kind of devotion redeemed the country’s peace, unity, stability and progress, Mayor Samuel Co said in his message during the commemoration of the 113th anniversary of Rizal’s death.

The significance of the celebration was highlighted with the laying of flowers and wreaths at the monument.

Co, in his message read by councilor Estrella Arao, praised the national hero for his many virtues and for teaching the spirit of nationalism to the Filipino people.

“Every year we gather to commemorate the most important event in our lives and we’re moved with a sense of pride and nationalism,” Lustestica said.

REPORT BY JUN CORGUE, PIA-9

New SWS survey shows PGMA's net satisfaction rating dip

2009-12-31T01:49:00.001-08:00

MORE Filipinos are dissatisfied with President Gloria Arroyo's performance, a new Social Weather Station (SWS) survey for the fourth quarter stated.

The survey, conducted from December 5-10, found 61% of the citizens dissatisfied with Arroyo, shrinking one point from the survey ratings conducted by SWS last September 2009.

“The President's net satisfaction ratings eased in Luzon outside Metro Manila, but worsened in the Visayas and Mindanao,” the SWS said.

The President's net satisfaction rating rose by 20 points in class ABC, to a bad -34 (27% satisfied, 62% dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in December, from a very bad -54 (17% satisfied, 70% dissatisfied, correctly rounded) in September.

Arroyo’s ratings stayed “bad” among the poor or the masa known as class D and E while the survey still showed dissatisfaction with Arroyo "with men and women equally dissatisfied.

SWS defined net satisfaction ratings as follows: +50 and above, “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”; +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 or lower, “very bad.”

The quarterly survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 2,100 adults divided into random samples of 300 in Metro Manila and 600 each in Balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Arroyo continues to suffer from unprecedented unpopularity, mistrust and dissatisfaction ratings like in the previous quarter survey where the least popular leader got 21% satisfied, 66% dissatisfied.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

New SWS survey shows PGMA's net satisfaction rating dip

2009-12-31T01:49:00.000-08:00

MORE Filipinos are dissatisfied with President Gloria Arroyo's performance, a new Social Weather Station (SWS) survey for the fourth quarter stated.

The survey, conducted from December 5-10, found 61% of the citizens dissatisfied with Arroyo, shrinking one point from the survey ratings conducted by SWS last September 2009.

“The President's net satisfaction ratings eased in Luzon outside Metro Manila, but worsened in the Visayas and Mindanao,” the SWS said.

Arroyo’s ratings stayed “bad” among the poor or the masa known as class D and E while the survey still showed dissatisfaction with Arroyo "with men and women equally dissatisfied.

The quarterly survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 2,100 adults divided into random samples of 300 in Metro Manila and 600 each in Balance of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA

Up, up and away!

2009-12-30T22:57:00.001-08:00

ONCE serving the general area of Zambanga del Sur and Pagadian City, big commercial air companies like PAL, Air Philippines and Cebu Pacific will soon resume air traffic in the regional center by January, according to Mayor Samuel Co, after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines recently cleared the newly completed expanded and renovated airfield as useable and ready for flights.(PHOTO CONTRIBUTED)

Up, up and away!

2009-12-30T22:57:00.000-08:00

3 Zambosur foodstuffs now Halal certified

2009-12-30T19:21:00.001-08:00

MUSLIMS in Zamboanga del Sur can now get a taste of the three processed foods which were recently halal certified, meaning such foodstuffs are permissible to use or eat, according to Islamic law.

Halal is an Arabic word that means permissible or lawful. It is the opposite of the Arabic word Haram, which means forbidden or prohibited.

Elvis Dablo, halal trade development program point person, identified the bottled milkfish product Bangus Pinoy and sardines Yllana food products, both based in Tiguma, this city, and Ogis Lechon Manok Dressing Plant in Molave as the three products that were certified halal.

A fourth, a cereal food maker called Nutribooster Food Phils., which is based in Balangasan District, is still in the process of complying the halal standard.

These products, said Dablo, has received the DTI–Bureau of Product Standards issued Philippine National Standards (PNS) 2067:2008, a standard which provides for the general guidelines on the preparation, production and processing of halal food including storage and handling.

Dablo added that because of the PNS 2067:2008, the said products can now gain entry into to the world halal market which is currently a $580 billion industry where it is estimated that 70 percent of Muslims worldwide follow halal food standards.

For her part, DTI Provincial Director Marichu Malate-Atay said that halal certification is one trend in food safety, a system of globally accepted food safety assurance guidelines and standards in manufacturing practice which will attest that such food products are processed packed and transported according to Shariah requirements and in accordance with the PNS 2067:2008.

Atay also acknowledged the effort of DTI Assistant Regional Director and DTI National Coordinator on Halal Initiatives, Sitti Amina Jain, who helped pushed for the development of the halal industry in the region and in the whole country.

She said that with the proliferation of food-borne illnesses sourced from production to consumption, halal-based food safety should be considered not only by Muslims but by other people as well.

Atay concluded that DTI will gladly help through seminars and workshops in linking halal certifiers with food firms who want their products halal certified.

Pagadian City has a halal consumers association headed by DILG Provincial Director Abcede Asjali while the whole country has an estimated Muslim population of 5 million.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION