Cagayan de Oro City News November 2014

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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

CSC-10 sets stenographer exam on December 11 & 12

pia.gov.ph

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Nov. 20 (PIA) --- The Civil Service Commission in Northern Mindanao (CSC-10) announced the conduct of stenographer examination in the city on December 11 and 12, 2014.

Applicants must have completed at least two years of college work including course in stenography or have at least six months experience as stenographer in a government or private office duly certified by the employer.


He or she must also be a Filipino citizen, of good health and free from physical defects to enable him or her to meet the physical standards deemed necessary for the position.

The requirements to apply for the examination are four identical passport size photo in standard close-up shot; original and photocopy of a valid and laminated identification card (ID) such as office employment ID, SSS, GSIS, PHIC, Postal and BIR ID; and an examination fee of P400.00.

Applicants must also bring along a good-conditioned typewriter.

Applications are accepted at the CSC regional office on or before the scheduled dates.

For details, one may call (088)858-7563 or visit CSC-10 Regional Office in Vamenta Blvd., Carmen, this city. (APB/PIA-10)

P15M seized drugs destroyed in Misamis Oriental

Joel Locsin

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday destroyed some P15 million worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) and marijuana in Lugait town in Misamis Oriental province.

PDEA officials put the drugs in a kiln at a cement plant during a program attended by representatives of PDEA Region 10, the local government, and the judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 25.

The burned drugs had been seized by PDEA agents in recent operations in Cagayan de Oro City, GMA Northern Mindanao's Joe Legaspina reported.

It was the second time this year that seized illegal drugs were destroyed by burning.

With the burning, anti-drug operatives are seeking to prevent the drugs from being "recycled" or sold again. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Listahang Tubig" survey process confab conducted in Misamis Oriental

(EOR/PIA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Misamis Oriental, Nov. 18 (PIA) -- Orientation on the "Listahang Tubig" on the survey process for Misamis Oriental was conducted on Nov. 18-19 for better water service coverage.

Listahang Tubig, the national survey aims to enhance the regulation of water users and improve the overall management of water resources in the country.

Jointly implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), the survey covers level I to III water supply systems in 81 provinces, 143 cities, 1491 municipalities and 42028 barangays nationwide.

The initiative is a project of the NWRB with the support of The World Bank Water and Sanitation Program (WB-WSP) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Water for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability (Be Secure) Project.

On the challenges and issues on water system, Edmundo Pacamalan Jr, provincial administrator of Misamis Oriental, underscored it is easy to operate the water system if all consumers participate in the decision-making.

Pacamalan said we should give emphasis on putting more time to social preparation and acceptability.

He further said construction and installation of water system should be disaster-resilient.

In a statement, DILG Undersecretary for Local Government Austere Panadero said that the data generated in the Listahang Tubig will be very useful to concerned agencies and local government units (LGUs) in planning how to reach out to municipalities and barangays that still lack access to safe drinking water, and in sustaining and improving water management of those areas with water supply coverage.

Meanwhile, Edwin Arco, training specialist, said the survey will also help identify water point sources, location, and potential danger for over-extraction of ground water or where watershed development efforts are needed to sustain water resources.

According to Joint Monitoring Program 2014, 7.9 million Filipinos still have no access to improved drinking water.

COHARA honors Kumbira 2014 National Food Competition Winners

By MIKE BAÑOS

The Cagayan de Oro Hotels and Restaurants Association (COHARA) honored two of its Kumbira 2014 winners with a special recognition during its general membership meeting held 30 October 2014 at the new Ah Fong Restaurant in Grand Central.

Cited were Team Kumbira Representatives to the Chef Wars in the National Food Showdown held September 23-24, 2014 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, Metro Manila.

Awarded special recognition were Monster Kitchen Academy, the Overall Champion-Kumbira 2014 for placing 2nd in the Chef Wars Battle Royale- Professional Division and Father Saturnino Urios University-Butuan City, 1st Runner up in the Overall championship-Kumbira 2014 for topping the the Chef Wars Battle Royale- Student Division.

The Monster Kitchen Academy team which competed in the Professional Division of the Chef Wars was composed of Chefs Catherine Lopez-Dano, Albert Chiu and Ramon Cardenas Jr. with coach Chef Carsten Radke while the Father Saturnino Urios University Team from Butuan City which topped the Student Division of the Chef Wars was composed of Student Chefs Neil Mari Y. Arellano, Louie O. Ardiente and Jose Mari A. Oraca with Herbert Castro as their coach.

Chef Cathy Dano said the theme for the Professional Division was French Cuisine with each team asked to create various French dishes with chicken liver as the main ingredient.

In response to the challenge, Chef Dano created a Liver Parfait, Lentil Salad, Smoked Chicken Liver, Buttered Sauteed Pumpkin and Apricot, Toasted Walnuts, Radish with Truffle Honey.

Her team mate Chef Mon Cardenas created Chicken Liver Crème Brulee which was Chicken Liver Pate–stuffed pate a choux in apple jelly and Chicken liver praline breaded with pumpernickel and saffron brioche.

As the plat de résistance, Chef Albert Chiu created his winning entrée Paupiettes Chicken with Liver and Herbs Stuffing and Beurre Blanc Sauce, Chicken Fillet stuffed with Chicken Liver and Herbs filling with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes with Truffle oil.

For its part, Team Kumbira as represented by Fr. Saturnino Urios University of Butuan City topped the Chef Wars Student Division which has a Classical Filipino theme with glutinous white rice as the main ingredient where each team was challenged to create 3 dishes within one hour.

“Our concept was to present a traditional Filipino dish infusing Butuanon delicacies,” said Team Coach Herbert Castro.

For its entry, the team submitted Arroz Valenciana, Savory Palitaw with Binuntan na Kalimango Filling Soy Caramel Sauce, Pickled Carrot and Singkamas, and Deep Fried Puto Maya with Kusilba Mango, Kalamansi Sauce and Peanut Brittle.

“Arroz Valenciana is a traditional dish from Iloilo which usually takes hours to prepare,” Coach Castro explained. “However , we chose to apply modern cooking preparation like sauteeing and cooking the rice in a rice cooker but we made sure that the classical flavor of the dish is maintained. Boiled quail egg, mussels and deep fried kangkong is added as garnish.”

Coach Castro describes “Binuntan na kalimango” as a traditional Butuanon dish. “It’s a mixture of crab fat, young coconut meat (called babahug in Butuanon) ginger, onion, tomatoes and roasted bell pepper. It is next steamed and filled in a palitaw then rolled in coconut meat and sesame seeds.”

Not the least, “Kusilba” is the Butuanon version of Bukayo mixed with tableya to perfectly pair with the puto maya. “We thought of deep frying the puto becauce we Pinoys love to eat the burnt part of the bottom of theputo maya as well as to add texture and crunch to the dish.”

Bodies of 2 soldiers slain in latest clash with Sayyaf sent home to GenSan, CDO

By Julie S. Alipala @inquirerdotnet Inquirer Mindanao

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Draped with a Philippine flag, a white coffin was loaded into a Nomad plane bound for Tambler Airport in General Santos City early Sunday morning.

Hours later, another coffin was placed inside another aircraft bound for Laguindingan Airport in Cagayan de Oro City.

Some personnel of the Philippine Air Force and top officials of the Western Mindanao Command, sent off the bodies of Private First Class Joey Blanche of Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat, and Gabby Aches of Misamis Oriental, in simple military’s funeral rites at the Edwin Andrews Air Base here.

Blanche and Aches were among the five soldiers killed in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu on Friday.

Privates First Class Alison Claro of Gamu, Isabela; Samuel Taluyan of Pangol, Tamdan Kalinga; and Albert Villaluna of Luban, Occidental Mindoro –

will be flown to Manila via a C130 military cargo aircraft on Monday, according to Gen. Rustico Guerrero, chief of Western Mindanao Command.

Guerrero declined to comment when asked about the reported beheading of one of the soldiers as earlier confirmed by Col. Allan Arrojado of the Joint Task Group Sulu.

Arrojado, in a separate interview, said his men did not die in vain.

“They fought hard. Our men fought hard for over five hours and we were able to inflict heavy casualties on the Abu Sayyaf fighters,” he said.

At least 28 other soldiers were wounded in the clash. Arrojado said 10 bandits were killed while 30 others were wounded in the five-hour fighting.

Guerrero, who visited Sulu on Saturday, told reporters that the government troops were engaged in “a very close and intense firefight, just about 10 to 20 meters from the enemies.”

He denied that their troops were ambushed.

“That was a deliberate AFP operation,” he said.

Although it was unusual for the bandits to engage the military in a long encounter, Guerrero said it could be that “they are protecting somebody at the back.”

“And we know they are protecting kidnap victims. What our troops hit then were the outer layer groups of (Abu Sayyaf leader) Radulan Sahiro,” he said.

The clash involved at least 300 Abu Sayyaf members. The military said Sahiron’s group merged with five other sub-groups.

Arrojado said despite the casualties, “more troops were sent to block the escape routes of the bandits.”

Bomb scare grips supermarket in Cagayan de Oro

By Joel Locsin

A bomb scare gripped a neighborhood in Cagayan de Oro City Friday morning, after an attache case was found abandoned near a supermarket there.

Employees of the supermarket noticed the attache case there at about 9 a.m., according to a report on GMA News TV's "Balita Pilipinas Ngayon."

When no one claimed the attache case after a few hours, the supermarket's management sought assistance from police.

A bomb-sniffing dog sat near the attache case five times, an indication it smelled what could be explosives.

Police used a water disruptor to conduct a controlled detonation of the attache case.

Inside the exploded case were documents with the name and photo of an Australian.

Police are now coordinating with the Australian embassy on the owner of the attache case. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

Negosyo Center to help entrepreneurs start business

By Jigger J. Jerusalem

WITH the launching of the first Negosyo Center in Cagayan de Oro Thursday, Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV is optimistic it will further strengthen the foothold of the entrepreneurs not just in the city but in the entire country.

Aquino is the author of Republic Act (RA) 10644, or known as the Go Negosyo Act, which was passed into law early this year.

The establishment of the Negosyo Center is just one of the vital provisions in this new law to help aspiring entrepreneurs get started on their business of choice.

“The opening of the first Negosyo Center in the country eases the doing of business in the city, as it will help fast-track government processes in putting up a business,” he said during the opening.

The Negosyo Center in the city is located at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office located at the ground floor of Antolin building in Tiano and Akut streets here.

In a statement, Aquino said the Cagayan de Oro Negosyo Center would be the first of many, as RA 10644 mandates the creations of such in all provinces, cities and towns in the archipelago.

He said Negosyo Centers will provide a “unified and simplified business registration process,” making it easier for entrepreneurs to register and start up their business, as well as gain access to sources of financing.

“By making business registration simpler and more efficient, we hope to encourage more Filipinos to start their own small businesses to stimulate the local economy,” Aquino added.

Based on RA 10644, the Negosyo Centers will provide courses and development programs, training, advice on business conceptualization and feasibility, financing, management, capability building, human resources, marking and other support services.

“We call on the businessmen and entrepreneurs of Cagayan de Oro to engage with the Negosyo Center and give feedback on its operations so we can continuously improve its services to the public, as we replicate it nationwide,” Aquino said.

The city’s first district Representative Rolando Uy, who graced the launching, said the putting up of a pilot Negosyo Center in Cagayan de Oro is a welcome development to the micro, small and medium enterprises as it will help their business to thrive and grow.

Uy said he supported for the passage of the RA 10644 by voting for House Bill 3729, the parallel legislation of Senate Bill 2046 in the Lower House, before it became a law.

As a businessman himself, Uy added that every budding entrepreneur in the city must be informed that there is now an office that will cater to their needs in starting their own business.

“With the Negosyo Center, they (entrepreneurs) will no longer find it hard to make their dreams into a reality,” he added.

For his part, Representative Peter Unabia of the first district of Misamis Oriental said the establishment of a Negosyo Center is a reprieve for business minded people where they will no longer go through the hassle in securing documents from government office to another where most of the time they fall victims to bureaucratic red tape for an approval.

“To start a business with the Go Negosyo aiding the investors is a big help that would encourage tremendously businesses to do more, thus making the economy of localities vibrant,” Unabia said.

Aside from facilitating the business registration services, the Negosyo Center will also assist small-time business owners by going through trainings in entrepreneurship, marking, technology, financial management, productivity and efficiency, the DTI said.

Also, entrepreneurs can avail themselves of business consultancy and coaching, product development, market development and promotions, and business ideas and information at the Negosyo Center, DTI added. (With Butch D. Enerio)

CDO nominated in the Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Cities

By Michael Ray

Cagayan de Oro is one of the nominees in the ‘Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Cities’ under the highly urbanized city category.

This was revealed by Patricia B. Luna, the executive director of the Council for the Welfare of Children. Cagayan de Oro is the regional awardee in the “Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance’ which became the reason why CDO is in the shortlist in the Presidential Award for Child Friendly Cities.

The different departments at the city hall and the local council are now preparing the necessary documents and requirements that will be submitted in the National Awards Committee (NAC).

On November 25 to 28, the members of the NAC will visit the city to conduct evaluation and validation. They are expected to check the model child-friendly barangay in Cagayan de Oro which is Barangay Bugo and the other barangays as well.

Dengue cases still rising

By Vaneza Kimilat

CAGAYAN DE ORO City has registered the highest dengue cases in northern Mindanao with 2,208 recorded in September 2014, which rose to 2,813 as of November 8.

The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance and Health Emergency Management region data showed a total of 9,309 dengue cases in northern Mindanao from January this year until November 8.

The dengue cases registered 45 deaths.

Dr. Joselito A. Retuya Jr.an epidemiologist of the City Health Office told Sun.Star yesterday that dengue is the top viral-related disease affecting the city.

Shirley Casil, the mother of Maria Mhenryl Casil, a 4-year-old girl confined at J.R Borja General Hospital said she noticed her daughter was too weak to stand while she had fever. Mhenryl also experienced vomiting.

“We had her massaged and then checked-up since she could barely stand,” Shirley said.

At the hospital, Mhenryl’s platelet count reached 98.

“I thought she needed blood transfusion right away, but on the second day her platelet count went up to 140,” Shirley added.

However, on the third day, Mhenryl’s platelet count lowered by 30 and became 110, and then on Monday, it lowered again to 98 platelet count.

“I really don’t know what has caused this. We live near a canal but it is a clean one. Our house is clean too. I learned many had dengue in the neighborhood affecting mostly children,” Shirley said.

Ricornie Lagaret, 6 year-old has been confined at the same hospital; it is her 4th day at the hospital yesterday, November 11, but then her platelet count has not yet reached the minimum of 150.

“It all started when she had rashes and the fever, she also felt dizzy. When we brought her to the hospital, her platelet count was 56,” Lyn Lagaret, her mother, recalled.

Not until Tuesday, Ricornie’s platelet count reached 108.

“When it comes to cleanliness, the house is clean including its surrounding, but the problem is the school. She got bitten there,” Lyn added.

Merrylyn Ompoc, a resident of Baungon, Bukidnon, came to the city to seek treatment for her daughter who has been in the hospital for seven days now.

“We live in the hinterland. It is orderly and clean there. In the hinterland, infections abound, that’s why I didn’t suspect but at the same time I got worried. I know nothing about advocacies or advisories but I wish we have been informed of the right thing to do,” she said.

4S, the solution

“The best way to prevent the mosquito from breeding is through 4S. It is the most effective solution and that should be the permanent prevention,” Dr. Retuya said.

The 4S has already been launched long before the number of dengue cases rose. 4S is referred to: search and destroy; seek early consultation; self-protection mechanisms; say no to indiscriminate fogging/fumigation.

“We are always prepared for that. Since January there were already dengue cases, there hasn’t been a zero record, so that means it is endemic, occurring anytime of the year, but its endemicity has chances that the figures could rise especially during rainy season since it could expand the breeding ground of mosquitoes.”

ABAKADA in barangays

Some barangays in Cagayan de Oro City have their own program in combating these dengue-carrying-mosquitoes.

Launched last May 2014, the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABAKADA) has been helping communities in fighting to lessen the number of dengue cases and also prevent these mosquitoes destroy lives.

“Once a week, some barangays or sitios hold cleanup drive. But if the barangay captains would only cleanup when the cases are high, that’s the problem,” Dr. Retuya added.

He said that unity in the communities to fight against dengue is the best weapon against dengue.

Pinakbet Cooking Challenge held in CDO

(JMOR/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, November 10 (PIA) – A cooking challenge was held recently in Cagayan de Oro City with to promote healthy food, local specialty dishes using vegetables and an innovation to a major Filipino dish, the Pinakbet.

Participated by students under the Culinary or Human Resource Management (HRM) courses all over Mindanao, food was prepared, cooked and presented with a twist.

East West Seed Philippines is doing it this year with students under Culinary or Human Resource Management (HRM) as the participants.

Total of 12 schools participated in this activity including Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology – Mati City, AMA Computer Learning Center – Agusan del Sur, Cor Jesu College – Digos City, Davao del Sur, Bukidnon State University, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, STI College - Kauswagan Campus, Cagayan de Oro City, Caraga State University-Cabadbaran City, Green Valley College Foundation Inc., Gensan drive, Koronadal City, South Cotabato, STI College – A. Dorotheo St., Cotabato City, Lagao National High School – General Santos City, J.H. Cerilles State College pagadian City, Medina College, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Dipolog Medical Center – Dipolog City.

According to Ronald D. Adorable, field marketing supervisor of East-West Seed Company that they are conducting the cooking challenge this year, dubbed school-edition.

Criteria for judging include originality, palatability, presentation, affordability.

Top three schools who won the competition include STI College-Cagayan de Oro City who got 2nd place with a score of 87.84%; 1st place went to J.H. Cerilles State College, Pagadian City with score 88.42% and grand winner went to Green Valley College Foundation, Koronadal City, South Cotabato with score of 88.80%.

Winners will move on to the national finals in Manila on December 9, 2014.

Pinakbet (also called pakbet or pinak bet) is an indigenous Filipino dish made from mixed vegetables steamed in fish or shrimp sauce.

Lawmakers seek probe of online drug trade

By Jess Diaz

MANILA, Philippines - Two Mindanao congressmen have asked the House committee on dangerous drugs to look into the reported sale of illegal drugs in the country through the Internet.

In a resolution, Reps. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City and his brother Maximo, who represents party-list group Abante Mindanao, said the committee should invite the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation and other concerned agencies to shed light on the report.

They cited information from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) that the Internet has become “a marketplace for buyers and sellers of illegal drugs, with the identities of website owners and users hidden by sophisticated concealment methods, making it difficult for law enforcement authorities to go after them.”

The 2014 UN World Drug Report “provides an overview of the major developments in drug markets, from production to trafficking, including development of new routes and modalities, as well as consumption,” the lawmakers said.

They quoted the report as warning authorities worldwide that the use of the Internet for the illegal drug trade “has been growing.”

The authors said the US Federal Bureau of Investigation recently dismantled one website, known as Silk Road, but not after it had operated for up to five years and earned an estimated $1.2 billion.

They said though Silk Road has been closed down, “new figures suggest the illegal drug trade has actually increased since then, and studies in Britain showed that one in four British drug users has accessed hidden websites.”

“Research conducted by Internet safety organization Digital Citizens Alliance shows that in October 2013, there were 18,174 drug listings across four main markets, but in 2014, BBC News revealed that there are now 43,175 listings across 23 markets,” they said.

The lawmakers stressed that there is a need for the House committee on dangerous drugs to inquire into the reported flourishing illegal drug trade being conducted through websites and to recommend measures on how it could be stopped.

The Rodriguez brothers pointed out that the sale of illegal drugs through the Internet is a new dimension of the trade and the drug menace that could be far more serious than street selling.

They said more young Filipinos have access to the Internet through their mobile phones and other devices, while more Filipino homes have Internet connections.

“Let us not expose our people, especially the young, to this new menace,” they said.

Cagayan de Oro marks 1st anniversary of Yolanda

By Froilan Gallardo (MindaNews)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews/08 November) — Artist Nicolas Aca embraced the other performers after their heart-rending performance in front of the Magsaysay Park in Cagayan de Oro Saturday on the first anniversary of typhoon Yolanda that ravaged the Visayas.

Aca and the artists who were mostly students covered their entire bodies with brown dirt from nearby Iponan River to portray what typhoon victims in Tacloban City in Leyte could have looked like a year ago after Yolanda struck and devastated their city.

He said many of the artists were themselves victims of tropical storm Sendong that inundated the villages beside Cagayan de Oro River on December 17, 2011.

“Imagining how typhoon victims look like is the easy part. We also experienced the fury of nature when tropical storm Sendong devastated our city on 2011,” he said.

“The most difficult part is to keep our emotions in check,” he said.

Their performance in front of Magsaysay Park in Divisoria this morning was part of a nationwide art performance called “Kalig-on” (strength) for the Yolanda victims.

Synchronized performances were also held in Ateneo de Zamboanga in Zamboanga City, Ilo-ilo, and other key cities in the country.

“We know what they are going through. We were on the same path,” Aca said.

Aca’s and the artists’ performance was among the city-wide activities that remembered Tacloban, a year after the strongest typhoon that hit the country and devastated the Visayas region.

Freelance photographer, model and videographer Paola Michele Pilapil remembered she was watching the news on how Yolanda inundated Tacloban when she read calls for help to repack relief goods on Facebook last year.

Without hesitation, she and a group of friends went to Mt. Carmel Church in Barangay Carmen to repack small bags of rice, noodles, sardines and coffee for Tacloban and other parts of Leyte Island.

Pilapil and her friends kept going back to the basement of Mt. Carmel Church to help repack the relief bags unmindful of the hot environment. They worked with students and typhoon Sendong victims.

“I remembered when Sendong hit our city, it was very devastating and we needed help too. Help from other cities and countries came pouring in. I figured the victims of Yolanda also needed the same help,” she said.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 10, help from concerned Cagayan de Oro residents who flocked to repacking centers proved crucial to early government response to Tacloban and Leyte.

Oliver Badel of the DSWD-10 information office said the volunteers were able to repack relief goods worth P10 million in a matter of two weeks.

Badel said the red relief bags of two kilos of rice, sardines, coffee and noodles were immediately sent to Tacloban in truck convoys via the Lipata ferry service in Surigao City.

“We were amazed and thankful of the volunteerism. We never anticipated this kind of Bayanihan spirit from the Cagayan de Oro residents,” he said.

Maj. Christian Uy, public information officer of the 4th Infantry Division recalled there was no objection when then division commander, Maj. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, called the officers to a conference and told them they would be deploying a contingent to help in Leyte.

“Almost all of us knew that our soldiers will be of great help at the disaster areas in Leyte,” Uy said.

There was even no objection when the officers decided to donate a day of every soldier’s subsistence allowance. Uy said P500,000 was raised from their contributions and the money was spent to buy additional relief food packs.

“I was never more proud as a soldier when we rolled into Leyte. We were there to help in the biggest humanitarian relief mission. I am proud to be part of it,” he said.

The 4ID sent a battalion of soldiers, nurses and engineers to Leyte 10 days after Yolanda struck, and they were later deployed in Abuyog town after bringing relief to Baybay City.

Together with the contingent from the 10th Infantry Division from Davao City, the soldiers were the first to roll into Yolanda-devastated Tacloban and Leyte province.

Tito Alex Besinga, who heads Gawad Kalinga Cagayan de Oro Mission, said the Yolanda relief operation improved the relationship between him and his daughter, Essa Gabrielle, who is a nurse.

Besinga brought Essa with him in two relief missions to Tacloban and Tanauan town in December 2013.

“I never knew that Essa loves children until I saw her work during the relief missions,” the father said.

“It made me realized that me and Essa have so much in common,” he said.

Essa, who also came with her friends, organized themselves to treat and entertain the deeply traumatized children in the devastated areas in Tanuan and Palo towns in Leyte.

Besinga said he was also happy that most Cagayan de Oro business firms immediately offered their help when they learned that he was organizing relief missions for Leyte.

“The companies just gave. It was as if the Bayanihan spirit has taken over in all of them,” he narrated.

In the aftermath of Yolanda, Evans Indino Yonson, University Press Director at Xavier University, organized the VEST or Valuing the Ecosystem Services Together, a program to protect the upland forests of Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon.

“It is a multi-sectoral strategy designed to protect our forest in the highlands of Mindanao so that when it rains, the water will not be devastating by the time it reaches low-lying, urbanized areas,” Yonson said.

He said the experience during tropical Sendong is already a tragic wake-up call for low-lying urban centers like Cagayan de Oro.

Yonson helped organized a relief mission to bring Christmas gifts to Tanuan and Palo in Leyte, and Bantayan Island in Cebu in December 2013.

“I felt going to Tacloban was a moral obligation for me as a Filipino. There were countless and nameless faces who helped Cagayan de Oro get back on its feet. Going to Leyte was giving back,” he said.

“Organizing VEST is a result of all the experiences that I have had in the past -Sendong, Pablo, Yolanda. As an individual, I know I have to do something,” he added.

SBP-Passerelle Mindanao elims underway

(Manila Bulletin)

The 2014 Small Basketeers of the Philippines (SBP)-Passerelle Mindanao regional qualifying tournament is now ongoing at the Xavier University gym in Cagayan de Oro with top elementary and high school teams clashing for spots for the national championships.

Competition is expected to be keen among SBP teams from Bukidnon Faith Christian School, General Santos City’s Dadiangas West Central Elementary School, Zamboanga City’s Ferndale International School, and Ateneo de Davao, last year’s regional champions.

Those seeing action in the Passerelle division are reigning regional champions Holy Child College of Davao, Cagayan de Oro’s Corpus Christi School, General Santos City’s Notre Dame of Dadiangas-IBED Lagao and Claret School of Zamboanga.

The SBP-Passerelle Mindanao winners – to be known on Monday –will advance to the national championship on Dec. 12-14 at the Magis Eagles Arena of Sacred Heart School – Ateneo De Cebu. They will face other regional winners, which include NCR’s Xavier School and Luzon’s Berkeley School for SBP; and Luzon’s Holy Angel University and NCR’s Chiang Kai Shek College, the reigning Passerelle national champions. The Visayas regionals, meanwhile, is set on November 21-24 at Capiz Gym in Roxas City.

Oro’s CCTVs record road movements

By Jigger J. Jerusalem

MORE than 50 percent of Cagayan de Oro City’s closed circuit televisions (CCTVs) are already working, an official said.

Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) chief, lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy, said the online CCTVs, installed in some parts of the Cagayan de Oro’s downtown area, are already recording and transmitting footages to the RTA control center.

He said the CCTVs use wireless connectivity that needs line of sight and relay stations for them to effectively transmit the footages.

With the CCTV operation already in progress, Uy said RTA’s focus is on the new traffic lights that must undergo recalibration following a problem they encountered during its test run.

He said the 13 traffic lights that were already installed have fixed timer and this proves to be inefficient, as they have to have a vehicle-activated sensor.

This sensor, he added, would detect the volume of vehicles on the streets and assesses which one has the heavy traffic before it could give the go or stop signals.

It can be observed that traffic jams can still be observed with the use of the fixed timer as it would be difficult to adjust the traffic lights given the present system as the volume of vehicles varies. One minute there are more vehicles passing the street, the next it would be fewer.

With these circumstances, Uy sees the necessity of the sensors so appropriate adjustments could be made to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.

But he said the putting up of the sensors could not be implemented this year.

When asked by Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro why the RTA will hire additional enforcers given the fact that the installation of the new traffic lights is already in progress, Uy said the mindset of the people could not be changed overnight.

He added the hiring of some 60 traffic enforcers would help RTA in ensuring that pedestrians and motorists will abide by the city’s traffic laws.

Uy said the proposed annual budget for next year, around P90 million, would help pay for more RTA employees.

“Even if you build a fence, someone is bound to jump over the fence, kay labi na naandan for so many years nga walay balaod, walay disiplina (the people have been used to the lack of enforcement of rules and lack of discipline),” Uy said.

He said what he intends to change is not just the road management but the people themselves—pedestrians, motorists, and even the RTA personnel.

Enforce seat belt law

Also, the RTA has announced that starting Monday, November 10, the city’s seat belt law will be implemented, and this is not just for drivers but for front seat passengers, as well.

Uy said they will be using a local ordinance, and not Republic Act 8750, as basis in enforcing the seat belt law.

He said the penalty for the first offense will be P1,500, and more for the succeeding offenses.

He added they will just be conducting an information campaign on Monday, although they could actually just penalize violators right away since the local law was enacted 10 years ago.

“Wala lang gyud ‘ni siya natagaan og pagtagad sa una (This law was not given the attention in the past),” Uy said, adding that now is the high time to enforce the local seat belt ordinance.

DAR, DENR conduct orientation on joint admin order

By Florence Ramos (ERS)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, November 5 -- The Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 10 recently conducted an orientation on a joint DAR-DENR administrative order.

The subject Joint Administrative Order No. 3 (JAO) series of 2014 contains the guidelines in the disposition of untitled privately-claimed agricultural lands (UPALs).

The objectives of JAO No. 3, S. 2014 are to define the limits of jurisdiction of DAR and DENR in the coverage of UPALs under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and its distribution in excess of the applicable titling limit on the ownership of public lands. It also aims to clarify the procedure in the validation and documentation of vested rights of the landowner-claimant, among others.

DENR-10 regional technical director for land management service Engr. Paquito D. Melicor Jr. said that they will continue to hold orientations on this among DAR and DENR field personnel to level-off on the issuance of Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Certification.

In addition, he told participants to make use of the draft memorandum circular, titled as the procedures in the validation, survey and disposition of UPALs as a guide while waiting for the official written issuance policy from the central office. He also said that the output would become the interim rules between DAR and DENR on how to implement the JAO No. 3.

DAR-10 assistant regional director Teresita E. Depeñoso stressed that all data should be validated, verified and accurate since the land holdings covered by CARP are being uploaded online for easier access to the public.

“This is the reason why we have these orientations and collaborations with our line agencies to ensure that our partners have the necessary knowledge and information of what we are implementing in the field,” said Depeñoso.

The orientation was attended by DAR-10 ARD Eliasem Castillo, DAR-10 provincial and regional operations staff, Community Environment and Natural Resources Officers (CENROs), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officers (PENROs), and DENR-10 regional staff.

Night flights at Laguindingan Airport start end-November

Darwin G. Amojelar, InterAksyon.com

MANILA – Expect Cagayan De Oro City’s night life to liven up as the Laguindingan Airport begins accepting evening flights by month’s end.

“We are happy to announce that the Laguindingan Airport is now equipped for night landing operations. We hope to activate evening flights by the end of November in order to give the public more flight options as well as to decongest the airport during the day,” Transport Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya said in a statement.

In line with policies of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), Philippine officials are conducting a joint inspection from November 4 to 6 for safety purposes to rule out system defects before the night landing equipment is put to use.

CAAP will then prepare the standard guidelines for arrival and departure procedures for the airlines. After this, the agency and the airlines will organize flight schedules to ensure orderly operations and to prevent air traffic and terminal congestion. This will kickstart night landing operations at the airport.

“Night flights mean more flights and more options for passengers. As the gateway to Northern Mindanao, this development will spur greater economic activity to the bustling business and tourist destinations in Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Iligan, and neighboring areas,” Abaya said.

The modern Laguindingan Airport was opened in June last year as a replacement to the older Lumbia Airport. While determined by experts to be safer than Lumbia despite operating only under visual flight rules until now, Laguindingan however has limited passenger capacity.

As early as 2012, Lumbia was already serving an annual traffic of at least 1.6 million passengers, which is Laguindingan’s annual capacity. This issue is largely because the airport was meant to be completed way back in 2006, but was not fully executed until last year when passenger volume had boomed. According to latest studies, the airport is projected to have 2.58 million passengers by 2017.

“Due to years of delay, Laguindingan was already at capacity by the time we opened it last year. To spare future administrations from similar issues, we are incorporating an infra expansion component into the operations contract that we will bid out in December,” Abaya said.

This contract is a 30- to 35-year enhanced operations and maintenance (O&M) concession, scheduled for award within the third quarter of 2015. It is meant to satisfy the projected increase in passengers for the next three decades, as well as to maintain the airport’s facilities and services at international standards.

The enhanced O&M’s infrastructure or civil works component will entail the development and expansion of the cargo terminal building and the runway, and the construction of a new passenger terminal building.

The project will cost P14.6 million, and will be done in three phases beginning in mid-2016.

Clean, sustainable energy in Mindanao sought

pia.gov.ph

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, November 3 (PIA) – The Department of Energy (DOE), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives, Incorporated (AMRECO) put together a one-stop facilitation to fast track the process of monitoring and approval of Renewable Energy (RE) projects particularly hydropower projects.


Romeo Montenegro, Director for Investment Promotion and Public Affairs Office of Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), said during the press conference of the 3rd Mindanao Congress of the Advocates for Renewable Energy and Rural Electrification and Development (MinCARED) on October 29 in Cagayan de Oro City, that they have created the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee to make sure RE projects in Mindanao will be fast tracked.


He said that there are many challenges concerning (RE) projects applications and RE technologies. Location for a diesel or coal plant is easy meanwhile RE is site specific which requires approval of various government agencies like the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and consideration of land use, among others.


The approval of RE projects is five years, but the committee intends to shorten it to two, Montenegro said.


Right now, the committee is looking into 157 RE projects that they intend to fast track. Once these projects get approved, a combined 1,700 megawatt of clean and sustainable energy will be incorporated in the Mindanao grid.


He said that today we are enjoying 60% renewable, 40% fossil however if we don’t do anything with the one stop for approval of 157 RE projects, then we are looking at 70% 30% reversal of energy mix by 2018 in favor of fossil.


Montenegro explained that the problem with fossil is first the impact to the environment. Second, is that it is 100% imported thus subject to foreign exchange fluctuation, market volatility. If prices for coal or diesel go up, then prices for electricity also go up. Unlike water, sun or biomass that is abundant here that we have not harnessed yet.


Although they are looking at more fossil based technology in the energy mix onwards to 2018, the desire for Mindanao has always been a balance of RE as well as fossil for base load, Montenegro stressed.


However, he said that even though the desire is balance energy mix, RE will still be given priority dispatch.


According to RE Act of 2008, RE technology will be given premium, must be a priority dispatch, over all other technologies. RE technology will be used first. RE Act of 2008 has a Green energy option where there should be a policy already implemented that will mandate industries, companies and even the government to take the green energy option.


He said that the national renewable energy board of DOE is putting together Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) which will be implemented soon. RPS once implemented will mandate distribution utilities to get part of their sources from RE, not purely fossil or fuel then to invite all other industries to really tap RE sources.


Prices of Electricity


According to Sergio Dagooc, AMRECO President, distribution utilities are regulated. Distribution utilities such as the Cagayan Electric and Light Power Company (CEPALCO) or Misamis Oriental Rural Electric Cooperative (MORESCO) cannot charge any single centavo without the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).


He said that any increment or reduction of power rate will be done through public hearing. So even if these utilities want to reduce power rate, they cannot under the law.


In terms of which is cheaper, Dagooc said that an electric cooperative under Presidential Decree (PD) 269 as amended by PD 1645 and amended again by Republic Act RA 10531 is a non-stock, non-profit electric distribution utility whose mandate is total electrification in the countryside on an area coverage basis.


Further, the capitalization to start the cooperative is from the government through the National Electrification Administration (NEA). He said that compared to an electric corporation, members of the electric cooperative can choose their leaders. He said that electric coops hold a general assembly every year to elect or file complaint against the board.


However he said that they are all private but supervised by NEA.


Power readiness in ASEAN integration


According to Romeo Montenegro of MinDa, it’s not entirely correct that the Philippines is the most expensive per se because neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and others are subsidized.


Electric rates are subsidized because they are oil producing countries. Indonesia is a coal producing country and therefore their electricity is subsidized. Brunei is an oil producing country. Many of those countries in the ASEAN have those resources to be able to have subsidized electricity rates, he said.


Montenegro said power sector is business driven; thus government does not have any hold because it was dictated under RA 9136.


On June 8, 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. Among other benefits, RA 9136 is designed to bring down electricity rates and to improve the delivery of power supply to end-users by encouraging greater competition and efficiency in the electricity industry. The essence of these reforms is giving stakeholders a CHOICE.


However, right now there are many amendments proposed for EPIRA which targets to bring down the cost of electricity. (JMOR/PIA10)

Sendong survivors have no graveyards to visit on All Souls’ Day

(Manila Bulletin)

Cagayan De Oro City –Four years after Typhoon “Sendong” hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, most of the survivors still find it hard to accept the sad fate of their loved ones who perished or went missing during the sudden rush of muddy waters from the Cagayan de Oro River.

Unlike the other hundreds of families who will visit various cemeteries this All Souls’ Day, 16-year-old Rica Shalana Cole and 21-year-old Reden Inte – who both lost their siblings during “Sendong” – would just rather go to the Memorial Wall that built in memory of those who perished and were declared missing.

They have also opted to only attend mass, hanging on to some hope that their relatives would return.

The fourth child in the brood of five, Rica lost her younger sister in the aftermath of “Sendong.” Feeling that her parents somehow blamed her for the incident, she left home and is now in the custody of a couple working for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Before moving to Isla de Oro near Cagayan River, which is considered the hardest hit by “Sendong,”

Rica’s family used to live in Boalan, Zamboanga City. Unfortunately, two months after moving, “Sendong” struck the islet and the flood took her sister away. Rica recounted that she was holding her younger sister when the floods rushed in. Since she had difficulty swimming, she had to pass her sister to her father.

Sadly, the cascading waters were too strong for her father to hold on to her sister who was still swept away and was declared missing since then.

The Cole family does not also visit the cemetery on All Soul’s Day but only takes part in memorial ceremonies intended for those who died or were left missing by “Sendong.”

Another survivor is 21-year-old Reden Inte, a Mechanical Technology student at the Mindanao University of Science and Technology. The eldest of three, his two younger sisters – 10-year-old Gloribel and two-year-old Aimee – were among those who were declared missing after “Sendong.”

The family used to live in Cala-Cala, another heavily-hit area by “Sendong.”

To this day, Reden vividly remembers that fateful day when they lost their loved ones. He said Inte family members were about to evacuate when huge logs struck their house and tore it apart.

That separated the family and, after the storm, Reden and his father were reunited in Molugan, El Salvador City. His mother was later located in the Intensive Care Unit of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center. However, they were never able to find Gloribel and Aimee.

The Inte family remains hopeful that the girls would come home soon years after they went missing.

Until now, the family still distributes flyers about the girls’ identification. They have also posted the missing girls in local dailies waiting for news about them.

At the living room of the Inte residence, a tarpaulin with birthday greetings for the two missing girls are still up on the wall, which family members look at to find solace to see the girls’ images with the faint hope that they are still alive somewhere.

This weekend, the family will not go to the cemetery but will be joining other families and neighbors to attend a mass dedicated to all “Sendong” victims in Cala-Cala.

Police’s 25 safety tips for ‘day of the dead’

By nitz arancon

CAMP Alagar and the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) has released a list of safety tips for people going to cemeteries starting today.

City police director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera said the list also serves a reminder to people to be security conscious.

The police tips:

1. Bring sufficient food and water, and keep in mind that liquor and food sold by vendors inside cemeteries are prohibited. 2. Bring protection against heat and rain. 3. Do not bring deadly or bladed weapons, loud speakers, and gambling paraphernalia. 4. Closely watch items brought inside cemeteries, and make sure the candles you bring will not cause fire. 5. Remind children not to roam around especially in crowded areas. Have them wear or bring forms of identification. 6. Keep surroundings clean, and bring your own trash bag to put garbage in. 7. Know where the first-aid stations and PNP assistance booths are in case of emergency or need for police assistance. 8. Make sure the area is crime-free; take safety and security precautions against “akyat bahay” gangs. 9. Lock all doors and windows and ensure all possible paths to the house are blocked. 10. Install a burglar alarm to alert the neighbors if someone breaks in. 11. Do not leave notes outside the house indicating you will be away, keep some appliances switched on like the radio to give the impression someone is still inside the house. 12. Ask a trusted neighbor to keep watch over your house. 13. Be careful about gas stoves, leaking faucets, and unattended candles. 14. Secure all items such as clothes being hung out to dry. When taking public transport: 15. Don’t wear jewelry or bring large amounts of money. Keep watch over your mobile phone. 16. Do not bring too many items. 17. Be early at airports and seaports, bus terminals especially women, children and senior citizens. 18. If you see a suspicious package or someone acting suspiciously, notify authorities. 19. Be wary of snatchers and petty thieves, and report incidents to the nearest police assistance post. When travelling: 20. Before the trip, make sure the vehicle is roadworthy and be guided with the “Blowbag” rule. (Blowbag stands for battery, lights, oil, water brakes, air, and gas.) 21. Bring all pertinent documents of the vehicle, specially the insurance certificate. 22. Make sure the doors are locked and the windows are closed especially when children are joining the trip. 23. Ensure control of the vehicle at all times, avoid one-hand driving or using the mobile phone, and do not drive when drunk or sleepy. 24. When driving at night, always use signal lights, headlights; when necessary and avoid driving when you have poor eyesight. 25. If you do not live too far from the cemetery, don’t bring your car so as not to add traffic.

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