Cagayan de Oro City News March 2013

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Cagayan de Oro City within Misamis Oriental

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Public market of cagayan de oro city misamis oriental.JPG
Cagayan de Oro City Public Market
Cagayan de oro city river.jpg
The river of cagayan de oro city
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St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Limketkai Center Mall, Cagayan de Oro City.jpg
Flood Waters in the streets of Cagayan de Oro City
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Cagayan de Oro City Buildings
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Bus Terminal, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City

'Hotline' number launched to fight crimes in CDO

By (PNA)

PDS/CD/CD/pjn


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 31 (PNA) -- City Mayor Vicente Emano has formally launched the city’s “hot line” number 888 during the Holy Week here to preempt crimes and for concerned agencies to respond to distress calls.

Armin Cuenca, head of the city’s risk reduction council, said that the launching took place on Holy Monday as a practice dry run to receive calls for emergency assistance until Easter Sunday.

Cuenca said on Sunday he would make a report on Monday to find out the total number of emergency calls received during the Holy Week and how the city government responds to these calls.

The city’s hotline number 888 could only be accessed through landline calls since the city government was in the process of negotiating with cellular phone companies to allow those using cell phones to access the hotline number, Cuenca added.

“I hope the agreement between cellular phone companies would be ironed out in April,” Cuenca said.

Cuenca said the city’s hotline number 888 would be available 24/7 since operators would be on day and graveyard shift.

The city council approved the creation of a permanent hotline number to make it easier for the public to make calls for assistance during calamities, disasters, and on matters involving peace and order.

Cuenca said that the city government launched the “hotline” project in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Commissions, the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce (Oro Chamber), city’s police office, and telecommunication companies.

The “hotline number 888” will now be a part of the people’s everyday life in this port capital of Northern Mindanao, Cuenca added






NGCP assures power supply on election day

By (PNA)

hbc/CD/Nelson V. Constantino/mec


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 30 (PNA) -- An energy stakeholder in Mindanao was preparing an uninterrupted transmission of electricity during elections weeks as if “there is a typhoon coming or an impending disaster.”

Cynthia Alabanza, NGCP communications officer, said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines was making the preparation to ensure that timely and uninterrupted transmission of adequate electricity during election weeks in May this year.

In a statement released Saturday, the NGCP, however, could not guarantee electricity from the power generation and distribution sectors on the week prior to, on and days after the May 16 election.

“Like in a disaster or typhoon, we don’t know how it will affect the grid,” Alabanza said.

She said the NGCP is currently having an inventory of all its resources, facilities and people “to make sure that if something will happen [on election day] we can immediately restore power.”

According to Alabanza, NGCP alone cannot guarantee that there would be no brownout in Mindanao or any part of the country during the election day.

Alabanza said that there is a need for the power generation and supply sectors to work together under the Department of Energy to make sure that brownouts are minimized during election days.

Without the cooperation of the other members of the “Energy Family”, NGCP’s preparation would be nothing, she added.

Alabanza also belied insinuations that NGCP was holding the supply of electricity in order to create an artificial power supply shortage.

“Economically, technically, and financially, the allegation does not make sense at all. The less NGCP transmit power supplies, the less it would earn,” Alabanza said.






THE WORM’S EYE VIEW: Time to expose pork barrel for what it is

By Manny Valdehuesa


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/29 March) — Numerous candidates today are spending or overspending to gain congressional seats. It’s a gamble for many of them, just like jueteng or masiao, and only a few will win cash credits and other bonanza. This novel gambling game is being played not only in regular congressional districts but also among Party-List constituencies.

And it’s not only the right-wing or trapo or capitalist sectors that are into it. The left-wingers are into it also…in a big way! Can anyone list them? Communist, Maoist, Socialist, whatever? Even the faith-based, born-again, and evangelicals are doing it. And they’re doing so with a vengeance… what if the well runs dry soon?—goes the folk wisdom. It’s really political entrepreneurship.

Campaigns are costly investments of money and logistics, time and energy. But considering the prospect of an ROI in the tens of millions at the end of the rainbow, it’s worth the gamble. This is windfall money with no repayment schedule to worry about. Whoever heard of a Pork Barrel being replenished by its dispenser? But just in case someone complains, don’t call it that; call it Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF)! Wise guys, those trapos, I tell you.

Camouflaging Brazenness

Calling it PDAF of course dilutes the coarseness of the scam, and camouflages the egregious intent of these discretionary allowances that they give themselves. The irony here is that it’s done in partnership with Malacanang, from whence the money slithers its way along the smoothed surface of matuwid na daan.

Pork has been ballooning year after year since President Cory reinstituted it after EDSA 1, starting at P10 million per lawmaker per year. As the gratuity grew, so did the line of congressional wannabes filing certificates of candidacy at Comelec offices. Hopeful faces like the ones hovering over Lotto counters!

Thousands of political careers today hang on the hope of receiving this windfall for at least three (3) years: P70 million yearly for a congressman, P220 million for a senator, plus God knows how much else in other gratuities and gifts.

Remember how the senate president, erstwhile Martial Law Administrator, caused a ruckus by gifting his favorite senators P1.6 million each (but only P250,000 to non-favorites) last Christmas? He explained it away by saying it was the traditional practice before him.

Spoken like a true-blue traditional politico, or trapo!

How much did Joe aishonest nd Migz make from Pork?

How about Nene and Koko?

Unfortunately, no one, not even Romulo Neri when he headed Congress’s Budget Office, ever attempted to figure out what honest-to-goodness benefits accrue from these give-aways to congresspersons. Have the billions improved amenities, services, infrastructure, or quality of life?

That’s a question everyone should be asking and answering starting today till May 13 (Election Day). Is Pork an instrument of development or a tool for getting reelected? Come on, be honest even if others are not, even if others cannot, even if others will not!

Let’s face it: dishonesty is now the hallmark of Pinoy politics. Let him who is not/has not been dishonest be the first to stone me!

Pork started out as an accommodation to lawmakers who insisted that, like the President, they also need funds to finance projects at home. It seemed like a reasonable request at first. But as each set of new Congressmen and senators got elected, the scheme began to draw mixed reviews, because both houses began to resemble a stock exchange or casino filled with high rollers.

Moreover, a pattern was clearly emerging: siblings got to sit side by side in the same chamber sharing Pork like chips while watching TV at home, spouses and other family members too, plus relatives and cronies feasting atop their own Barrels. Before long, with no one the wiser save its dispensers, Pork became legalized plunder. And if it seemed shameless to some, it was big enough to assuage any feeling of guilt when dispensing it or indulging in its sinful uses.

How much do you think Migz Zubiri skimmed off from the P800 million he was granted during the four years he occupied senate seat he had no right to claim? And how much do you think Koko Pimentel gets to pocket from the remaining P400 million left for him to dispense? And how many years did Joe and Nene serve with no questions asked about their humongous pork allotments? Did they ever volunteer information on where the money went?

This sordid affair and many others continue to be play out in full view of Filipinos and in defiance of all that is decent and fair in a society whose Constitution invokes the guidance of Divine Providence. The Pork Barrel rolls round and round and down the bureaucracy to feed corruption-prone neighborhoods of the barangays where the precincts are located. And there, like poisoned wells, corrupted votes collect, overflow, and produce putrid currents that carry our society’s venal and conscienceless leaders to the doorsteps of Congress and the rest of the bureaucracy.

With elections so near, and as we observe the season of Lent—period of repentance and self-abnegation—let us resolve now to do away with the culture of impunity and corruption. A good start would be to make Pork Barrel and the abuses it fosters an election issue.

This will get us going on the road to reforms. And this will help stop the parade of greedy, incompetent, and corrupt candidates that is now heading to Congress like bees to honey.

Some will say, “Ay sayang na man…who will concrete our roads, build our bridges, or sponsor circumcisions, mass weddings, and feeding programs?” Well, it’s time to lift the veil of innocence and naivete and ignorance: Tell them that these are illusions and sleight-of-hand gimmicks by unworthy public servants who turn public service into self-service! A lawmaker job is lawmaking, making wise policies for government and farsighted directions for our society.

Pork Barrel projects impinge upon the work of the Executive Branch, for which lawmakers are not elected. Let them no longer bastardize our political system. Let’s no longer allow them to build substandard infrastructure when in fact they’re really building their own careers and setting up their dynasties using our money.

Let us kiss good bye to these trapos now and show them the door. And let’s agree: No more Pork allowances! No vote for Pork-addicted candidates! And no dynasties either!






Businessmen pledge to pay the correct taxes

By . (PNA)

dsp/CD/NVC/abb


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 28 (PNA) -- Members of the Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Oro Chamber) vowed to pay correct taxes in response to the challenge tossed by President Benigno Aquino III.

Oro Chamber President Efren Uy, on Monday said that members of the Oro Chamber has been religiously providing constant guidance to its members—individual and establishments—on their obligations to pay taxes.

According to Uy, the Oro Chamber has been actively involved in the government’s tax information campaign to make sure [local] businessmen pay correct taxes.

He said the organization and the Bureau of Internal Revenue in Region 10 have joined hands in the bureau’s “I Love the Philippines, I Pay Taxes Correctly” campaign program.

The program aims to attain BIR’s collection target for 2013, Uy said. This helps the internal revenue office to record a collection surplus of P30.51 million for the first two months of 2013 alone.

Uy said that one of the requirements to gain membership with the Oro Chamber was to require applicants to submit all tax declaration documents before they can become regular members.

The Oro Chamber adopted the policy to weed out the organization from tax-evading members, Uy said.

Last week, President Aquino chided Chinese businessmen for not paying correct taxes.

Uy said that Oro Chamber members, most of them Chinese too, wanted to take exception to Aquino’s observation.

The Oro Chamber assures President Aquino that its members are paying taxes correctly as a way of helping the government’s efforts to alleviate the country’s economy, Uy added.

Amendment of National Helmet Law urged

By (PNA)

LAP/CD/ebp


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 26 (PNA) -- The City Council in Cagayan de Oro adopted a resolution requesting Congress to amend the National Helmet Law, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas said on Tuesday.

Acenas said that the city council endorsed the resolution last week seeking a prohibition on wearing of helmets that cover the whole face of motorcycle riders within the city proper.

The resolution sponsored by city councilor Juan Sea was to allow recognition of people who ride motorcycles within the city, Acenas said.

He said the city council took notice that motorcycle riding suspects were responsible for a number of killing and shooting incidents here in the past days.

According to Acenas, some cities in the country had already approved ordinances prohibiting the wearing of helmets by bikers within the city proper.

He said it would be better for Congress to amend the National Helmet Law so that local ordinances would not run into conflict with the existing national laws.

The city council recognizes the power of Congress to amend national law and was optimistic that Congress would consider the resolution seeking the amendment of existing national helmet law, Acenas said.







Watershed accord inked

By (Bobby Lagsa and Annabelle Ricalde)


ADVOCACY and environment groups signed an accord to protect Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges during the Earth hour on Saturday.

Raoul Geollegue, executive director of Enterprise Works Worldwide Philippines, together with the other environment and advocacy groups, observed the Earth Hour by highlighting the signing of a policy paper on the protection of Mounts Kitanglad and Kalatungan in Bukidnon province dubbed as the “KitKat” Accord.

The two mountains are the watershed of Cagayan de Oro. The accord is the fruition of studies and policy papers, public forums and consultations on the use of Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges.

Geollegue said both mountains are in terrible condition, especially with the intrusion of the plantations on the slope that caused erosions of soils and siltation in the rivers.

The KitKat accord is a policy paper on the mix used of the slopes on both mountains that emphasizes on the recovery of rainforest cover to avoid erosion.

“It is also a measure on conservation of the environment around the mountains,” Geollegue said.

Ralph Abragan, vice chair of the environmental advocacy group Sulog, said the atrocious state of the Kitanglad and Kalatungan ranges mirrored the situation of the rivers.

Geollegue said the mismanagement and intrusion of the plantations on the slopes of the mountains has been causing soil erosion of about 100 tons per hectare in one year.

The buffer zones of the Kitanglad and Kalatungan have been intruded by pineapple and banana plantations.

The accord was signed by about 12 organizations, including the environmental groups Earth Soul Solutions, Sulog, World Agro-Forestry Center, EWWP and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Copies of the KitKat accord will be furnished to the local government units in Bukidnon.

The groups hoped that the technical suggestions on the management of the mountains will be translated into laws and policies in the province including its 22 towns and two cities.

Part of the solutions provided in the accord is the adaptation of principles of governance, regulatory measures, technical suggestions including the adaptation of the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (Salt).

Geollegue said that the accord, if adopted by local government units in Bukidnon, will result in better managed watershed, more absorbed rainfall yielding to less inundation, and removal of toxic residues of pesticides and fertilizers.

If the accord gets implemented, it will surely cost industries money and changes in the plantation practices that will harmonize agricultural practices in the watershed areas.

Geollegue said the slopes of the mountains should not be planted with cash crops but agro-forestry products.

80 tons of CO2 saved

About 80 tons of carbon dioxide on March 23 had been saved by the country during the Earth hour.

Geollegue said the Philippines emits roughly .003 percent of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, and yet it is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change.

“What we need to do is to have climate adaptation policies because we are really below the 1 percent carbon emission that developed countries are trying to accomplish,” Geollegue said.

Earth Hour is an annual worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) March that encourages households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for an hour to raise awareness about climate change.

Reduced power consumption

Ralph Paguio, Cepalco’s executive vice president, said there was a reduction in power usage on Saturday night during the Earth Hour.

“It was basically to remind the people that energy supply is limited and people have to conserve electricity. The Earth Hour was also meant to raise awareness on the need to take action to address climate change,” he said.

Paguio said he had no idea how many households and establishments turned off their lights during the activity. He joined the observance of the Earth Hour at SM.

“But if we are going to match the power shortage in Mindanao including sa mga rotating brownouts I think mas taas ang atong na save sa power during the Earth Hour celebration sa Mindanao,” Paguio added.






THE WORM’S EYEVIEW: Zombies in our precincts

By Manny Valdehuesa


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/24 March) — A zombie is a person who seems to have no mind or no will of his own. In horror films, a zombie is portrayed as a mummy or a creature that its controller or master can manipulate at will.


There’s a zombie-like behavior among certain sectors of our society, one that is pronounced in Mindanao and the poorest parts of the country. It is found predominantly among the masses, especially on Election Day. At the importuning of moneyed candidates and traditional politicos, or trapos, they troop to the precincts and vote as instructed. They allow themselves and their families to be herded, to do what their controller or handler tells them to do. They readily board buses, trucks, jeepneys, or boats to be ferried to polling places. Then without pangs of conscience or self-consciousness, they accept and gratefully acknowledge what snack, allowance, or pabaon is handed to them–secretly wishing for more in exchange for similar behavior in future.


Voting for specified candidates—candidates dictated by their handlers—doing so without exercising their judgment, deciding to do so at the expense of their freedom to choose, doesn’t seem to take a toll on their sense of self-respect. Zombies!

This behavior explains why our elections are a farce. What’s really bad is that it is importuned and initiated by putative leaders and representatives of the people. Should we merely charge this as collateral damage in a society of poorly educated voters and candidates? One wonders how long Pinoy society can claim to have national pride amidst these conditions. If the democratic process holds no meaning except as something to manipulate and exploit for personal gain, what hope is there for national stability?


Is there hope for real, genuine democracy? Hope in the face of a society that consists mostly of nominal Christians and nominal Muslims with nominal sovereignty?


Sovereignty is the inherent power we possess by virtue of our humanity and citizenship. But it is power we misuse, abuse, and waste at the urging of unscrupulous leaders. I guess society, as with individuals, also needs a certain level of maturity in order to develop sound, honest judgment. Judgment that arises out of the conviction that one is an autonomous human being, independent and supreme in respect of his rights.


Our society clearly needs to grow up. Our educational system, the main driver of cultural development, clearly needs to shape up. And our political system clearly needs to be re-engineered. Why are our leaders unscrupulous? It’s the way we pick them; no, it’s the way we let them pick themselves! We let any person with money, bravado, or presumptuous attitude declare himself a leader. We don’t even require his claim to be validated. We don’t require the bunch of co-conspirators that run as a team to prove that they really constitute a party—a party with real, dues-paying members, a party with an honest-to-goodness convention, with an authentic criteria for selection or nomination, a party with a real platform.


It is scandalous to the civilized mind that our elections serve up an anomalous array of presumptuous, pretentious politicos with a feudal mindset. There is no convention or rational process of selection that can attest to their credentials or suitability for the public service. Propelled mainly by money, dynasty, or vanity, they inflict themselves on society, unilaterally! And we let them get away with it, actually allowing them to confine our choices to the dismal personalities they peddle, making zombies of us all as well!


We are all, collectively, making a mockery of democracy and nationhood and liberty. We let selfish interests and the aggrandizing attitude define our political life. We let wrong values trump statesmanship and social justice. We abandon sense of community or concern for the common good—the virtues that impel individuals to rise above family or personal interests. Absent these values, one can’t really expect respect for human rights or the freedoms necessary to the fulfillment of selfhood, neighborhood, or nationhood.


In allowing dysfunctional citizens and corrupt leaders to dominate our society, there is no way we can expect a level playing field anytime soon. The ruling clique will always see to it that elections are skewed in their favor. They will always view election dominance and public office to be their birthright. They will always look upon privilege and impunity to be theirs to enjoy and wallow in. It would never occur to them that this is unbecoming, unfair, or unjust. Never would it strike them that their mindset perpetuates injustice, of which they are the major cause.


Today, patronage and oligarchic politics mesmerize the grassroots. This spell is so pervasive that it eviscerates decency and morality in otherwise honorable people. It is so compelling that it robs the poor and poorly educated of volition and autonomy. It renders them highly susceptible to manipulation and corruption, a condition readily exploited by trapos—economic opportunists and political predators with no moral compunctions or social conscience.


So what does one do about a situation where citizens are reduced to virtual automatons, without strength or will to resist. Capitalizing on their poverty, powerlessness, and political immaturity, the trapos bastardize democracy and bend the system to their will, turning people into political zombies—voting as importuned or programmed by patronage and the Pork Barrel.


What keeps the grassroots spellbound must be confronted. The power of patronage must be curbed, especially Pork Barrel profligacy. People must be made aware and immunized to its insidious effect upon the community. To awaken it requires a conscious sense of responsibility. To uphold it requires an assertive brand of sovereignty among the pace-setters and role models in the barangay, the middle and upper classes. And to banish it, democracy must be institutionalized along with the rule of law…especially in Mindanao where the Force of Law yields too often to the Law of Force.

AboitizPower barge bogs down

By . (PNA) PDS/CD/NELSON V. CONSTANTINO/utb


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 22 (PNA) -- One of the two barges operated by the Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) has bogged down due to technical problems, a company statement said Friday.

TMI President Jovy P. Batiquin said only one of the 50-megawatt generators of the company's 100-megawatt power barge moored in Maco, Compostela Valley developed technical problems as early as March 18.

Batiquin said the problem requires the unit to be shut down indefinitely for repairs to prevent further damage. The generator had been running for 72 hours straight prior to the incident.

"We apologize for the inconvenience this unforeseen event may cause our customers. We are now assessing the situation and the repairs needed so we can come up with a timetable and we will accordingly inform all our customers--the electric cooperatives and distribution utilities--of developments as soon as the information is determined," Batiquin said.

The oil-fired barge, traditionally designed for peaking, back up and ancillary services, has been operating for 24 hours for several weeks already due to the critical power situation in Mindanao.

TMI operates two bunker fuel-fired barges with a combined capacity of 200 MW. The other Therma Marine barge is moored in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

A subsidiary of AboitizPower, TMI provides power to 23 distribution utilities and electric cooperatives to complement the supply coming from the National Power Corp (Napocor), where more than 70 percent of the power in Mindanao comes from.

Despite the reduction in TMI supply, Davao City and areas under Davao Light and Power Co., were not experiencing any brownouts because it is supplied by the Hedcor Sibulan hydro power plant and the Bajada power plant.

Foreign investors eyed during palm oil congress

By Nelson V. Constantino


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 21 (PNA) -- THE 8th National Palm Oil Congress set for April 18-19 in this city will tackle concerns aimed at luring foreign investments in the country’s palm oil industry.

Organized by the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council, Inc. (PPDCI), the said Congress will carry the theme, “Utilizing Unproductive Lands and Promoting Economic Stability Thru Investments in the Palm Oil Industry.”

Touted as the biggest gathering of the local palm oil stakeholders, this year’s palm oil congress will be supported by the City Government of Cagayan de Oro, A Brown Energy and Resources Development, Inc. (ABERDI), API Group of Companies, Kenram Industrial Development, Inc. (KIDI), Filipinas Palmoil Plantation, Inc. (FPPI), Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Department of Agriculture (DA) and other major industry players, with the support from the Department of Trade and Industry, Regional Board of Investments, Philippine Coconut Authority-PODO, Department of Tourism, Department of Land Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other stakeholders.

PPDCI, in its website, said the gathering will be a venue for industry players to know the latest updates on the state of the Philippine palm oil industry, development initiatives, technological advances, banking support, local and international trends and prospects, among others.

The Philippines is now eyeing to further develop the local palm-oil industry starting with the survey of farmlands suitable to palm-oil plantations in Bukidnon, the PPDCI said.

According to Jesus Arranza, member of the Philippine Coconut Authority’s (PCA) governing board and president and chief executive officer of the CIIF Oil Mills Group, the PCA is set to conduct a topographic survey of around 100,000 hectares of farmlands in Bukidnon.

This way, we have something to show investors in terms of where they can locate, Arranza’s said in the PPDCI website.

He said the survey is part of a program approved by the PCA three months ago. He, however, could not say how much money was allocated to the initiative.

The CIIF official said he is willing to join efforts that encourage investors, particularly Malaysians and Indonesians to locate in the Philippines.

In a previous report released by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) in 2004, of the 304,350 hectares of land suitable for palm-oil plantation in Mindanao, only 20,000 hectares have been used by the industry, PPDCI said.

It said that Medco noted that Mindanao, particularly Caraga Region, has the highest potential for the palm-oil industry since it is one of the most suitable areas for palm-oil plantation due to good quality of soil type and fair weather conditions.

Oil millers in Mindanao are Filipinas Palm Oil Plantations Inc., Agusan Plantations Inc. (Agumil and Buluan Mill), and Kenram Industrial and Development, Inc, it added.

In its report posted over PPDCI website, Medco noted that palm oil is considered as the world’s most productive oil because its versatile composition is maximized not only for edible oils but also in making food, chemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products.

Citing a study published by the University of Asia and the Pacific, Medco said palm oil’s domestic demand will continue to increase five percent a year in the next 10 years up to 2020. (PNA) CTB/CD/NVC/utb





Cagayan de Oro tops tourist destination in Mindanao

By (PNA)

PDS/CD/utb


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 20 (PNA) -– Northern Mindanao topped tourist destination in 2011 with Cagayan de Oro City as the gateway city in the region, the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Region 10 on Wednesday said.

Regional Director Catalino Chan III of Northern Mindanao said, that more than 1.7 foreign and domestic visitors and tourists passes through Cagayan De Oro City making it as the most visited commercial hub in Mindanao higher than Davao’s more than 956,000 visitors in 2011.

In 2010, Region 10 tourists and visitors reached 1.4 million compared to Davao’s 900,000 visitors or a 16 per cent growth of tourist arrivals in Cagayan de Oro City and 5 percent tourist arrivals for Davao, Chan added.

Chan said Cagayan Deo Oro City became an ideal travel destination because of its “connectivity” with other tourist destinations in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“There is now a direct flight from Cagayan de Oro City to Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro City to Davao,” Chan said.

While tourists and visitors continue to grow in Northern Mindanao with Cagayan De Oro as its gateway, there are still many things to do, Chan said.

He said that Cagayan de Oro City still needs a convention center that can accommodate more than 5,000 and five star hotels to compete in the domestic and international markets.

Chan also encouraged local government units to develop potential tourism destinations in their areas and potential sources of employment and revenues.





Pakistani national robbed in CDO

By PNA)

PDS/CD/utb


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 19 (PNA) -– Police waged a manhunt against suspects in the robbery holdup of a Pakistani national here Monday morning, Chief Inspector Lemuel Gumba, head of the city’s police operation deparment, said Tuesday.

Police investigators said that unidentified suspects held Sahid Ali Kasim, 44, at gunpoint in Bulua Monday morning. The suspects carted away P70,000 cash.

Gumba did not disclose details of the incident although local police were now pursuing leads that would lead to the arrest of the suspects.

He said the local police command was wary of the rising incidents of robbery cases in the city for the past month.

“The robbers have become emboldened these days that they kill their victims in cold blood,” Gumba said.




Groups march against violence

By Annabelle L. Ricalde


WHILE calling to end criminalities and violence in Cagayan de Oro City, civil society groups, students and families of victims urged law enforcers to arrest criminals during the People’s March against Crimes and Violence Sunday afternoon.

A petition signed by the Concerned Friends and Citizens of Cagayan de Oro City was read during the protest. The groups demanded that the perpetrators be made accountable for the increasingly daring crimes especially occurring in broad daylight.

The petition also called for swift decisive action to identify and bring them to justice for their acts of unspeakable violence and human brutality.

“We will no longer accept the irresponsible and inane comments of officials who are supposed to protect the citizens of this city. This is no longer business as usual. It is time to fix this broken city,” the petition read.

Jonas Miñoza, 52, joined the march despite the handicapping condition to expose the crime done against his daughter whose mobile phone was robbed near a department store in the city.

Miñoza said that crimes in the city can be solved if the City Government will be serious in its intention and desire by providing the law enforcers with sufficient support.

“I don’t think nagtulog-tulog lang ang mga pulis, kulang lang gyud og supporta sa city government. Parehas ra gud sa empleyado kung dili sweldohan dili pud ganahan motrabaho,” Miñoza told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro on Sunday.

Farina Roa, a student of Xavier University who also led the noise barrage initiated by a university here, said her group supported the march because the rising crime rate in the city is now very alarming.

She also called on the police to put up a hotline number that can easily be remembered and dialled.

“Naa daw 888 pero until now it’s not accessible with the other telephone networks. But still it’s more on the local government to work for the peace and order in the city,” Roa added.

For his part, Police Senior Inspector Lemuel Gonda, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office’s (Cocpo) chief for operations who also joined the walk, said a special investigation task group composed of Cocpo’s special units has been created to address the robbery and shooting incidents in the city.

Apart from the task force, simultaneous checkpoints in various parts of the city have been set up together with the conduct of “Oplan Bakal,” and peace and order drive.






THE WORM’S-EYE VIEW: Do we care?

By Manny Valdehuesa


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/16 March) — Please be patient and read on. If you think this makes sense, share it with your neighbors, then broadcast it to all cyber denizens and networks so it will reach as many as possible of the leading citizens of the 42,000+ barangays of our republic.

Every one of us lives in a barangay; we are part of the grassroots. But we habitually surrender barangay affairs to others. Because we don’t participate in its governing processes, traditional politicos (trapos) freely call the shots and dominate our community. So our neighborhoods fall prey to political predators who turn public service into self-service, politics into a livelihood, and public offices into a family enterprise. They control society, flooding our democratic space with patronage and wrong-headed values, then overwhelm our precincts with the votes of our neighbors who don’t pay taxes, don’t value their vote, don’t really care who’s in charge as long as they get something for their vote. This careless attitude is influenced no little by their impression that we don’t care either!


IF WE CARE…


If we care, goes their reasoning, we would be seen in the barangay hall, even if just occasionally, and maybe take part in meetings there. We would help identify or define the community’s problems, maybe also suggest solutions. We would share knowledge, technology, or expertise for the common good. Maybe we would also help prioritize our community’s needs, offer support for them, or even create programs for alleviating poverty in needy neighborhoods. Then who knows, perhaps new opportunities will open, productivity will improve, and the gross barangay product (GBP) will contribute more to the gross national product (GNP).


At the least, goes their thinking, we would help explain why good governance in the barangay (primary level) is essential for upper-level governance. But that’s only if we care.

The core problem is our absence and non-participation in OUR OWN community. We’re rarely present or involved in the barangay commons. If ever, we’re there only if we need a clearance or a permit, or file a complaint. Our absence, our invisibility to barangay folks, reinforces the impression that we don’t care. And let’s face it, DO WE CARE?

CASE IN POINT For example, on March 30, Saturday, our Barangay Assembly is scheduled to meet. It’s in accordance with a DILG circular directing that it should convene, nationwide, and take up a specified agenda. Barangay officials comply with it, of course, which is not a bad thing. But it doesn’t strike anyone that the business of this Barangay Assembly—our community’s legislative governing body, a parliament except in name—is and should be our concern primarily. It is ours, we are its members, “members of parliament” in small letters, so to speak. This being so, its agenda ought to be centered on our concerns, problems or priorities, and the frequency of its meetings should be based on our need or desire to congregate—not just twice yearly as the DILG ordains but as often as we need to or want.


Does your Barangay Assembly ever meet at its own behest, with an agenda dictated by your community’s interests and priorities? Chances are it doesn’t! It convenes only (as it will on March 30) if it so ordered from on high.


PASSIVE PEOPLE POWER


No one sees how this dependency on directives from above weakens our ideal of self-governance and autonomy. It conditions us—the grassroots, the base of our democracy, the wellspring of sovereignty and government authority—to be passive, to take no initiative in managing our affairs except as instructed. It deadens initiative, stifles People Power, and weakens our sovereignty.

On March 30, unless we show up, the Assembly will take place as before—attended mainly by people beholden to trapos and who support candidates of questionable competence or morality. Our absence will ensure that more Lito Lapids, Bong Revillas, coup plotters, leftist free-loaders, scions of political dynasties, and other predators of our society will get seats in Congress. It’s what happens when sovereign citizens yield the commons to the misguided or easily corrupted: voters who think elections are a game of popularity and name-recall or who see in it a chance to get favors and free meals from moneyed candidates.

With only sycophants and impressionable people in attendance, the Assembly will be nothing more than a campaign rally or miting de avance for the ruling bunch: speeches, pompous reports, the Chairman’s long-winded summary (usually its high point), followed by Other Matters, a token Open Forum, and Free Snacks. It’ll be long on grandstanding, short on deliberation, zero debate, and no formal motions or resolutions… hardly the proceedings of a legislative governing body composed of the citizens themselves; it’s their Assembly, after all, not the officials’. The one opportunity where citizens and stockholders of the barangay (as a public corporation) get to consider their community’s wellbeing, development plans and budgets, will again be lost, defaulted to the usual oligarchs.

Meanwhile, politics—corrupt, wrongful politics—will continue to bastardize our society. All because we at the base of the Republic are remiss. And it won’t get better unless some of us take the trouble to learn and explain to others the nature of governance in the barangay, the role of its “parliament,” and our role as the people in whom our republic’s sovereignty resides and from whom all government authority emanates.


But just this once, let it be made clear to all: this Assembly is the occasional in-gathering of the constituency. It is literally a Constituent Assembly, and more so than the “constituent assembly” that Congress becomes if both houses convene jointly in order to amend the Constitution. After all, senators and congressmen are merely proxies and representatives of constituents while we in the Barangay Assembly are the actual constituents.

Too long has lack of knowledge and information about this grassroots government emasculated Filipinos. In their ignorance, they are unable to influence governance, unable to impose their will upon their own officials—servants who take them for granted and act like they are the masters. This explains why Filipinos do not oversee their own community or participate meaningfully in its governing process, making grassroots governance susceptible to manipulation and corruption.


It is this susceptibility to manipulation and corruption that makes it imperative for the educated sector of every community—the A & B category of residents (generally viewed as role models and pace-setters)—to be attentive to their barangay’s affairs. Their involvement is important for inducing the solidarity needed to keep the community together, to add vigor to its democratic process, to make it vibrant but peaceful, to induce progress and stability, to ward off or keep away bad influences, and to resist manipulation and corruption.


Teaching by doing


The Assembly on March 30 is a chance for those who claim to want to “educate” people about values or civics. Affirmative acts that promote good governance or exemplify responsible citizenship can better educate the electorate than lectures, just as deeds and good example more effectively “teach” values and ethical standards than sermons. The outlook, standards, and work ethic of progressive sectors need to be affirmed/demonstrated in the community for the edification of the masses. It will motivate them to be discriminating about their political decisions, and “teach” them to vote wisely.

Let the March 30 Assembly be an opportunity for affirmative action in our respective communities. It’s one of those little happenings in the barangay that make up the big things in the nation, just as the customs and practices at grassroots level make up the culture of a nation. Carpe’ diem!






Operatives nab ASG suspect in Zamboanga City

By (PNA)

GHG/CD/PJN


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 16 (PNA) -- A suspected member of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), the third suspect nabbed this month, was collared in Zamboanga City Friday morning, a report reaching here said Saturday.

Maj. Edgardo Amores, spokesperson of the army’s 3rd Infantry Division based in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, identified the suspect as Jailani Basirul.

Amores said Basirul has several warrants of arrest issued by the judicial courts of Isabela in the province of Basilan on cases of kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

He said a combined element of the military and police of Task Force Zamboanga led by Col. Glenn Macasero apprehended Basirul in Valderoza St. Barangay Zone 1 in Zamboanga City Friday afternoon.He was brought to regional PNP headquarters in Camp Battala, Zamboanga City.

Amores said Basirul was the third suspected ASG member nabbed by military and police operatives in Zamboanga City this month.

The two other suspects identified as Sajid Amajad and Abu Edil Amajad who were collared on the strength of arrest warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 12, of Zamboanga City with murder.

Maj. Gen. Rainier Cruz, commander of the army’s 3rd ID, commended the civilian populace for their cooperation with the military and police that lead to the arrest of the suspects in Zamboanga City.

He said the civilians tipped off law enforcers of the presence of the suspects in their areas.

Cruz acknowledged the important role of the civilians in the fight against criminality and the stability of in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

He said that no amount of military and police operations would succeed without the support of the civilian populace anywhere in the country.(PNA) GHG/CD/PJN

Oro mayor urged to address crimes ‘squarely’

By Annabelle L. Ricalde


A PROVINCIAL Capitol official called in Mayor Vicente Emano to address the rising criminality problem in Cagayan de Oro “squarely” and stop issuing “irresponsible statements.”

Maricel Casiño-Rivera, head of the Misamis Oriental Provincial Press Office, said Emano is giving a wrong signal to the criminals, citing his statement will only encourage criminal activities by lawless elements.

“That’s baloney. What cover-up is he talking about? Let him address the problem squarely because the lives of our people are at stake,” Casiño said.

Speaking over a radio station on Wednesday, Emano said the recent robbery in Barangay Gusa could have been a way to avert from the issue about the unliquidated cash advances and disbursements in the Capitol.

The mayor suspected that the robbery was carried out as way to cover up the 2011 audit report on the Capitol’s finances.

But Rivera said Emano’s statements would make criminals think that they can easily get away with their crimes because the mayor will not run after them and instead, put the blame to his political opponents.

“Sir, with all due respect, please focus on protecting our people and minimize your black propaganda because we are talking about lives here,” she said.

According to Emano, he suspected that there was a plot to embarrass City Hall by sabotaging the peace and order situation of the city.

“Basin usa lang kini ka paagi pagpanimawos kanako ug matabunan ang report sa Commission on Audit. It was the first time that robbers boldly dared me,” he said.

On Tuesday, the alleged robbers reportedly told the victim that Emano could do nothing to stop them.

Related to this, Acting Police Director Graciano Mijares of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) and Nicolas Raagas, president of the Philippine Association of Detective and Protective Agency Operations Inc. (Padpao), formally signed on Wednesday a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to jointly engage in collaborative work toward the maintenance of peace and order in the city.

The move was facilitated and witnessed by Councilor Ian Mark Q. Nacaya, chair of the City Council committee on police, fire and public safety, who saw the potential of security guards as force multipliers of Cocpo.

Under the MOA, Padpao shall mobilize all active members of the organization, including security guards and supervisors, to be partners in the maintenance of peace and order and prevention, control and investigation of crimes.

Security guards shall also actively support Cocpo in promoting good police relations; assist the local police office in crafting new programs or enhancing existing programs on crime prevention, control and investigation; convene security agencies to discuss issues and concerns to enhance its partnership with the local police office; and actively participate in policy dialogues, among others.

For its part, Cocpo shall design and coordinate programs and activities to enhance the capabilities of Padpao members to effectively carry out their role as force multipliers and coordinate with its partners in setting up policies and guidelines implementing the components of the partnership programs, among others.

Nacaya urged Mijares to issue the necessary order to all station commanders so that there will be exchanges in downloading of information, while Raagas was also requested to issue an advisory to its members regarding the partnership agreement. (With reports from LCR)

Mayor denies Civil Service Commission decision

By Abigail C. Malalis


CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano denied the decision of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) ordering the reinstatement of a government employee illegally detailed as security guard of the City Public Library from her post as Administrative Officer III at the JR Borja Memorial City Hospital.

Esparcia was issued a permanent appointment as Administrative Assistant III at the JR Borja Memorial City Hospital. However, Emano, then vice mayor, issued a memorandum dated October 5, 2009 reassigning Esparcia to the city hall Security Unit assigning her as security at the City Library.

Esparcia was also denied her monthly benefits pertaining to public health worker.

The CSC ruled with finality the case of Leonor Esparcia against Emano and the latter‘s order detailing the former as security guard.

According to the CSC decision, “it becomes the duty of the City Government to comply with the decision restoring Esparcia to her former position.”

“Failure to comply with the same is contemptuous act in addition to the administrative liability for the offense of Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service or Neglect of Duty,” the decision read.

The CSC decision promulgated last Febraury 5, 2013 was signed by chairman Francisco Duque III and Commissioner Robert Martinez.

Esparcia said she went to report for work on Wednesday at the City Hospital and went to see Dr. Evelyn Perez, the hospital’s Chief for her reinstatement.

But Esparcia said Perez refused to accept her as advised by City Administrator lawyer Leon Gan.

“Dili ko niya dawaton kay maoy advice ni Atty. Gan nga dili kay wala pay order ang mayor ug hulatan pa pod ang decision sa court of appeals (They did not let me report for work because according to Atty. Gan, he has yet to receive the order from the mayor and they are still waiting for the decision of the court of appeals),” Esparcia said.

Emano earlier filed a motion for reconsideration at the Court of Appeals seeking reconsideration of the earlier decision of the CSC.

Emano’s appeal states that the Civil Service Commission erred in its declaration that the reassignment and detail orders constitute as constructive dismissal.

“…the Honorable Civil Service Commission erred in granting the appeal despite absence of substantial evidence...the Honorable Civil Service Commission erred in its decision when it resolved the case without giving the respondent/appellee the opportunity to be heard or violative to due process clause in administrative proceeding.”

Esparcia, who was interviewed over RMN dxCC, said Gan admitted he ordered Perez not to admit her in her post.




Report: Tomawis’ kidnappers victims of Rasuman scam

By Annabelle L. Ricalde


CAGAYAN DE ORO - Persons who kidnapped the brother-in-law of Jachob “Coco” Rasuman were reportedly hired by investors who were victims of the Rasuman investment scam, intelligence reports said Wednesday.

The abductors of Henry Khalid Tomawis were reportedly hired to do the job in the amount of P500,000 but were paid only P150,000 by the group of alleged investors who promised to pay the remaining balance as soon as they will get the ransom they demanded from the victim’s family.

The intelligence report obtained by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro also disclosed that Tomawis is being guarded by heavily armed men in an undisclosed area somewhere in Lanao del Norte.


Lawyer Ricardo Diaz, NBI regional director, said NBI District Office in Iligan City is still monitoring the incident and closely coordinating with the family of the victim as of Wednesday.

“Hindi pa talaga na-release ang victim but walang exact amount sa ransom ang lumabas,” he told Sun.Star.

Tomawis, son of Sultan Yahya “Jerry” Tomawis, one of the respondents in the financial investment scam led by his brother-in-law Coco Rasuman, was abducted last March 2 while on his way home in Pala-o, Iligan City.

Based on reports, the younger Tomawis was abducted around 5 p.m. in Sitio Payawan, Barangay Dadapa Ali in Balo-i, Lanao del Norte. His car was later found abandoned in Barangay Pakalundo, also in Balo-i.

The victim’s family has identified possible suspects, but the NBI declined to name the alleged investors pending further verification.

Diaz said he is hoping that the kidnappers will release Tomawis as soon as the ransom they demanded is given to them.

He said the younger Tomawis was abducted, so the investors could get their investment from the Rasuman group back.

The abduction occurred after Rasuman failed to pay back his investors who put up millions of pesos in a double-your-money-back scheme.

Rasuman’s deadline to repay the investors expired last February 28. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)






11 killings in three months

By Annabelle L. Ricalde


ANOTHER person has been shot dead in three months in Cagayan de Oro bringing the total fatalities of the crime wave in the city to 11 persons.

Police authorities are eyeing personal grudge and revenge as the motive of the murder of a 42-year-old man who was shot six times by two armed men Sunday afternoon in Barangay Kauswagan this city.

Reynante Beja, a resident of Barangay Kauswagan, has succumbed to six gunshot wounds in different parts of his body from a caliber .45 pistol.

Police initial investigation showed that before Beja was shot, he was seen talking with the two gunmen wearing helmet and sunglasses when after a while he was shot.

The victim managed to run about 30 meters away from the two gunmen before he fell down and died while the two killers fled away onboard a maroon Bajaj motorcycle. The incident happened at 3 p.m.

It was reported earlier that Beja was an ex-convict for theft case, but this was denied by the relatives of the victim.

Senior Police Officer 2 Fernando Laspoña, of Police Station 4 Carmen told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that as of press time they have no record of Beja’s cases but they already requested other police stations including Warrant Section for his possible criminal records.

“Naghulat pa mi sa report, pero sa among nakita daghan siya og patik sa lawas ug naay nakahunghung nga mga witness nga noted daw sa area ang biktima,” Laspoña said on Monday.





Oro top cop faults victims, witnesses

By Annabelle L. Ricalde


THE spate of armed robberies in Cagayan de Oro City remains unsolved because of the “unwillingness of the victims to file cases and the witnesses to positively identify arrested suspects,” a top police official said.

Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) Director Graciano Mijares said even though they have arrested possible suspects of the series of armed robberies in the city, the victims are still “unwilling to file cases even if they positively identified one of the suspects arrested.”

“That is the predicament that we are facing although naay suspects nga nadakpan ang problema kay dili interesado mag-file ang mga biktima for fear nga basin balikan sila,” he said.

Most of the robbery incidents in the city resulted in the killing of the victims.

Mijares vowed, however, to coordinate with the witnesses and the victims to convince them to file appropriate charges against the arrested suspects.

He said he already deployed additional personnel for police visibility and patrol to prevent related incidents, in response to the noise barrage initiated by Xavier University (XU) community.

Last week, students and staff of the Jesuit-run university launched a series of noise barrage during their lunch breaks, outside their campus gate, to denounce what has been publicly perceived as an unprecedented crime wave in the city.

Led by the university’s social advocacy arm—Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO)—XU, students and staff appealed to the City Government and law enforcers to do their job in maintaining the peace and order in the city.

In barely three months, suspects -- who are usually riding in tandem -- have robbed and killed 10 individuals, most of whom are long-time residents of the city.

Among the fatalities of the crime wave were women in their 40s, a fish vendor in the upland barangay of Tignapolan, an American, a nurse and a man who tried to thwart the suspects from robbing two students.

“We call on the local leaders to convene the city’s peace and order council to respond to the issue of public safety and security,” a statement of the KKP-SIO reads in part.

The group also appealed to the public to be “watchful of our own safety and security by doing precautionary measures.”

Earlier, Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao Director Catalino Rodriguez ordered all unit commanders -- especially chiefs of police -- to “personally oversee the conduct of police anti-crime intelligence driven operations.”

“Aggressive deployment of police personnel as an urgent intervention must be seen and felt by the people not only in the streets and residential areas but in business establishments also,” said Rodriguez.

City Councilor Alden Bacal, committee on fire, police and public safety vice chair, said the City Council’s committee has done its part in calling a meeting of station commanders “including all security agencies.”

Bacal refused to give the details of what transpired in the meeting as it may tip-off local crime groups.





Army conducts 12-km foot march in Cagayan De Oro

By (PNA)

LAM/CD/ABB


CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City, March 8 — Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division here will conduct another ‘foot march’ anytime to check the readiness of the individual soldier, an army official said Friday. Lt. Col. Eugenio Julio Osias, IV, spokesperson of the 4th ID, said the foot patrol will empathize with fellow soldiers in the field who were frequently sent on combat operations. He said the foot march will also test the physical strength and ensure the soldier's readiness for deployment when the need arises. According to Osias, a foot march would involve a battalion size of 150 soldiers marching in single file toward a predetermined objective and back to camp. “Normally, a foot march would involved a distance of 12-kilometer or more,” Osias added. The 4th ID held its first foot march for this year last Saturday in Barangays Patag and Bulua involving a 12-kilometer distance where the battalion size unit marched in single file starting at 4:30 a.m. and ended about 9:30 a.m. when the soldiers safely trekked back to barracks.





Village residents dare lawmaker: ‘Finish infra projects’

By Abigail C. Malalis


BARELY three weeks before the start of the local election campaign, Cagayan de Oro’s Representative Rufus Rodriguez (second district) has been hounded by how the embattled lawmaker manage his budget allocation for infrastructure projects.

In an open letter sent to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro, residents of Barangay Indahag urged Rodriguez to start the construction of the multi-purpose stage of the barangay’s basketball court promised to them before the supposed implementation of the road concreting in Barangay Sambulawan in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

“We challenged Congressman Rufus to finish his neglected infra projects in District 2 before allocating funds to another municipality where his farm is located,” the statement read.

Rodriguez earmarked at least P5 million for the said road concreting under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

He earlier denied allegations of diverting his funds to his farm in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental.

Rodriguez said El Salvador Mayor Alfredo Tan asked him if he can facilitate for the release of at least P5 million funds for road concreting.

“When I consulted the Department of Agriculture (DA) I was advised that it cannot be done since it is outside my congressional district,” Rodriguez said, adding: “They can check it with the Commission on Audit or with the DA if there was a release of the said amount. It was Mayor Tan who asked for P5-million road project but was denied.”

Moreover, City Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya challenged Rodriguez and the DPWH on the issue of transparency in delivering infrastructure projects in his congressional district.

Rodriguez is seeking re-election and on his final term as second district representative of Cagayan de Oro.

Nacaya, who run opposite Rodriguez in the coming May 2013 local and national election, said Rodriguez is seemingly evading from complying with the rule on transparency imposed by the DPWH’s order 37, series of 2010 issued by Secretary Rogelio Singson in connection with President Benigno Aquino III’s anti-Epal campaign.

Rodriguez said, however, that all his projects have been implemented by the proper government agencies.

“Absolutely untrue. All my projects are regularly audited and approved by the Commission on Audit,” he said.






XU holds noise barrage vs spate of killings in Cagayan de Oro

By Abigail C. Malalis


XAVIER University (XU) has staged a series of noise barrage outside the campus’ gate to dramatize its concern on the spate of killings in Cagayan de Oro City in the past days.

Students and staff are doing the noise barrage every 12 noon as they appealed to the City Government and the law enforcers to take necessary measures to guarantee the public’s safety and security.

The Kristohanong Katilingban sa Pagpakabana-Social Involvement Office (KKP-SIO), the social advocacy arm of XU, is spearheading the activities.

In a statement, XU administrators, faculty, staff, parents, students and university alumni expressed their concern on the rising criminalities in the city and its impact to the city’s economic productivity and development.

“We call on the local leaders to convene the City’s Peace and Order Council and immediately respond to the issue of public safety and security,” the statement read.

The university also appeals for public vigilance.

“Let us all be watchful of our own safety and security by doing precautionary measures,” it said.

Since January this year, at least 10 persons were killed due to the spate of hold-ups and robberies in the city.

Among the victims were women in their ‘40s, a fish vendor in Barangay Tignapoloan, an American national, a nurse and a man who just wanted to save two students from being robbed.

The list, however, does not include other incidents of criminalities associated with robbery that were not reported to authorities.

Meanwhile, Councilor Alden Bacal, vice chair of the City Council committee on police and public safety, said the committee has already acted on the issue of peace and order in the city.

“We already called all the station commanders, including all security agencies, in a meeting but I cannot go into the details of what has been planned,” Bacal said.

He said random checkpoints in different areas of the city have also been set up.

Iligan police seize firearms, drugs and suspects

By (PNA)

FFC/CD/UTB


CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City, March 6 (PNA) -- Iligan City police on Tuesday nabbed two suspects as law enforcers threw a dragnet around the city in search of suspects in the killing of two police officers last Saturday evening.

A press statement from the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office release on Wednesday identified one of the two suspects as Abu Sahid Dimala. Police withheld the name of the 17-year-old other suspect since he was a minor.

Police Supt. Ronnie Cariaga, PNP’s regional spokesperson here, said that the lawmen recovered one hand grenade, two col. 45 pistols, and sachets of shabu from the suspect.

Cariaga said the Iligan police were on the hot trail of suspects in the killing of two police officers last Saturday when law enforcers nabbed the suspects Tuesday evening.

PO3 Christopher Neniza and PO1 John Yoland Manatad were on patrol when ambushed and killed by unidentified armed Saturday evening. The suspects remained at large as police were investigating the motive of the killing.

Cariaga said that Pol. Chief Supt. Catalino B. Rodriguez, PNP region 10 director, went to Iligan City where he personally condole the families of the fallen police officers.

The PNP through Rodriguez also extended P164,622 financial assistance to Neniza family and P128,724 to the Manatads.

Cariaga said the families of the slain police officers would receive more financial aid from the PNP’s Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund.

According to Cariaga, the PNP regional command also deployed 40 police officers to Iligan City and another 40 police officers to Cagayan de Oro City to augment crime prevention operations in the area.

Cariaga said the deployment of additional police personnel was an “urgent intervention” to let the citizenry feels the presence of law enforcers in the streets, residential areas, and the business community.

CCTV compulsory for Cagayan de Oro businesses

By bong


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The City Council has requested all police station commanders to submit reports on the compliance of the closed circuit television (CCTV) ordinance imposed on business firms here. City Councillor Ian Nacaya, chairman of the city’s committee on police, fire, and public safety, said Ordinance No. 11075-2008 mandates the installation of CCTV or video surveillance system in the premises of private establishments and public places. Nacaya also asked the COCPO to submit a list of firms that are vulnerable to crimes that would need to hire security guards. OIC Police director Graciano Mijares said he noted that some establishments are not willing to hire security guards even if they have already been victimized by criminal elements. While the installation of security cameras is a must for these establishments, the committee would study the possibility of coming up with a legislation on the matter, Nacaya added.




Patunob Festival: A way to renew vows, celebrate good health

By (Elaine O. Ratunil


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 4 (PIA) -- Residents and visitors of Binuangan, Misamis Oriental observe a traditional yet sacred way of celebrating faith, life and good health through the Patunob Festival held every first week of February. To honor their patron saint - Our Lady of Lourdes, people from Binuangan hold several activities which include a parade, cultural show, trade fair, fluvial float and boat race. Binuangan Municipal Planning Officer Manuel L. Saligumba, over-all chairman of the 2013 festivity, said for this year, eight barangays participated in the cultural show and fluvial float. These are Poblacion, Mosangot, Mabini, Dampias, Valdeconcha, Kitamban, Kitambis and Nabataan. “We traditionally celebrate the Patunob Festival on February 10 to 12. On the third day of celebration, our parish priest Rev. Ricardo A. Dancela, SSJV, leads the fluvial float accompanied by Binuangan fisher folks and devotees,” Saligumba said. During the fluvial float, devotees say their prayers and sing songs of love to their patron saint. The parish priest also gives his prayers for the safety, good health and bountiful blessings of the fishermen. The boats, which are part of the fluvial float contest, accompany the Our Lady of Lourdes float and are decorated with flowers and colorful streamers. The criteria in choosing the winners of the said contest depends on the creativity, relevance to the celebration and visual effect to the viewers. After the fluvial float, Rev. Dancela puts on the Our Lady of Lourdes apparition on the head and shoulders of the devotees. “Such act is a way to show that we are seeking for good health from the Birhen sa Lourdes and it is also a manifestation of faith renewal, and submission to the Blessed Virgin Mary,” Saligumba explained. Saligumba said about 5,000 visitors arrive annually for the festival and to seek healing from illnesses. He said the water that flows out from the feet of the Birhen sa Lourdes apparition situated beside the church is said to be miraculous and many residents and even visitors attest to its healing power. Our Lady of Lourdes is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was invoked by the Roman Catholics to honor the Marian apparitions which are said to have taken place before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France. (RTP/PIA10)

Will Erap magic work for UNA in Mindanao?

By RAPPLER.COM


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines - The opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) campaigns in Mindanao, so-called Erap country, amid a deadly standoff in Sabah. 



What is the opposition's stand on the burning issue? 



Will former President Joseph Estrada's popularity in the region translate to votes for his senatorial bets? 



Ayee Macaraig tells us in more in this video blog.


Erap magic.

That’s the weapon the opposition United Nationalist Alliance is counting on as it campaigns in Mindanao particularly here in Cagayan de Oro for the first time.

UNA’s senatorial bets rely on the popularity of former President Joseph Estrada who topped the polls here in 2010.

They credit that to his declaration of an all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and allocation of a big budget for Mindanao during his presidency.

But even before Estrada hits the campaign trail, UNA stages a show of force in Bukidnon, the home province of its candidate Migz Zubiri.

The sortie and festival attract all of 50,000 people.

A key issue that coincides with UNA’s Mindanao sortie is the deadly Sabah standoff.

UNA candidates criticize the administration for supposedly bungling the response to that issue.

But unlike the candidates, Estrada is more cautious of criticizing Aquino.

JOSEPH ESTRADA

FORMER PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT

Kaysa magka-giyera pa, dalhin na natin sa International Court of Justice. There’ll be bloodshed. Ngayon lang, marami nang namatay. Let’s be practical about it to avoid bloodshed and a war against Malaysia but I still believe Sabah still belongs to the Philippines.

JUAN MIGUEL ZUBIRI

UNA SENATORIAL BET

It smacks of arrogance na palagi ang salita nila ay di namin kayo kakausapin hanggang ipullout ang troops sa Sabah. Ang dating ayaw niyo kaming kausapin hanggang bumalik ang mga tao. Sana huwag ganoon because it reminds me of what happened of Manila hostage crisis in Quirino Grandstand.

Estrada and Vice President Jejomar Binay will lead the Cagayan de Oro sortie here Sunday night.

Cagayan de Oro has over 200,000 voters and is the hometown of administration candidate Sen Koko Pimentel.

But UNA is not worried.

After all, Estrada topped the polls here and even Zubiri beat Pimentel in 2007.

The message to the crowd is simple: the administration is not doing enough to address Mindanao’s concerns like Sabah, the power crisis, and the needs of victims of Typhoon Pablo.

We will see if the voters, the Cagayanons, the Mindanaoans will be convinced.

Ayee Macaraig, Rappler, Cagayan de Oro. – Rappler.com

Plan to tap private guards to secure police camps rebuffed

By (PNA)

/CD/BB/RSM


CAMP ALAGAR, Cagayan de Oro City, March 2 (PNA) -- Allowing private security guards to secure police camps would be risky and unsafe, a top police officer here said Friday.

Superintendent Aaron Mandia, head of the regional PNP’s firearms and explosive, said private security guards have no adequate training to secure military or police camps.

"Private security guards undergo two-weeks training while a police trainee needs six months to one year training before becoming a police officer, Mandia said.

Mandia’s statement was in reaction to a plan by Camp Cramem officials to tap private security guards to man police camps in lieu of plans to deploy more police officers to the street.

Private security guards have been posted at the main gate of the PNP’s main headquarters in Camp Crame in Manila on a three-day case study.

The three-day trial was to find out the possibility of deploying private security guards to guard PNP headquarters in the provinces and cities nationwide.

Mandia said the idea is possible provided that these private security guards would be supervised by regular police officers.

He said private security guards tap to guard police headquarters should get adequate security training and be armed with the proper weapon.

ECC intensifies awareness drive on employees’ compensation program

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran


CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, March 1 (PIA) -- The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) is intensifying its awareness campaign on Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP).

In line with this, ECC conducted on Thursday an advocacy seminar here to promote the program in Northern Mindanao.

The seminar, conducted in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 10, was the second regional advocacy campaign of ECC for 2013.

It was attended by more than a hundred participants comprising of Human Relations Officers, labor union representatives, and employers of various companies in the city and nearby provinces.

ECC has been doing advocacy seminar in different regions to make the ECP known to as many workers as possible, said ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis

She said the advocacy seminar was aimed at informing workers that there is a social protection program for work-related contingencies.

The ECP is a government program designed to provide a compensation package to public and private employees or their dependents in the event of work-related sickness, injury or death.

Banawis said the program has three components, namely, prevention, compensation, and rehabilitation services.

She said the ECP fund called state insurance fund currently has P39 billion that can be claimed by government and private sector employees who suffered work-related injuries or contingencies.

Banawis further pointed-out that ECC also provides individualized skills and livelihood training through partner-training centers under the rehabilitation component.

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