Cagayan de Oro City News September 2015

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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 awards outstanding civil servants in Northern Mindanao

By Apipa Bagumbaran (APB/PIA-10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 30 (PIA) --- Outstanding public officials and employees in Northern Mindanao were commended during the Parangal at Pasasalamat awarding rites held on September 29, at SM City Cagayan de Oro.

Civil Service Commission (CSC) Regional Director Adams D. Torres said the awardees were recognized for their exemplary public service and noble deeds as civil servants.

CSC gave the Katangi-tanging Kawani (Model Employee) awards to Ms. Edalyn M. Olis, Master Teacher I of Lanao del Norte National Comprehensive High School, and to PSInsp. Maricris Ybanez Mulat, Chief of Police of the Tagoloan Municipal Police.

The Service Delivery Excellence Award (group category), on the other hand, was bestowed to the Science and MAPEH teachers of the Department of Education, Division of Gingoog City.

The PhilHealth Valencia City Local Health Insurance Office was awarded with the Citizen’s Satisfaction Seal of Excellence (CSC-SEA). The CSC-SEA is conferred to government agencies that got an excellent rating in the Anti Red Tape Act Report Card Survey (ARTA-RCS)

Semi-finalists of the 2015 Honor Awards Program were also recognized. . Dr. Amer A. Saber, Chief of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City, and Mr Virgilio M. Fuertes, Senior Science Research Specialist of the Department of Science and Technology Regional Office 10, were awarded with certificates of recognition during the ceremony. Dr, Saber is a semi-finalist for the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award while Mr. Fuertes is a semi-finalist of the CSC Pag-asa Award.

I am so happy, this is a pride and achievement of the Amai Pakpak Medical Center and the Department of Health (DOH). We have been negatively profiled as Muslims and I hope I can make a difference, said Dr. Saber.

Fuertes said he is grateful to his family for being supportive, his colleagues in the DOST for working hard in the nomination, and the CSC for giving recognition to public servants. We are inspired to do more with this recognition, he said.

I also thanked the Lord for giving me strength and guiding me in my service, Fuertes added.

Other awardees were PInsp. Julie Ann Tabuloc Garlic of the Misamis Occidental Police Provincial Office for being a semi-finalist to the Region 10 Search for Outstanding Public Servants; Legal Services of the DOH-10 headed by Atty. Carlo Limjoco; and Mr. Joel Genita, deceased agent of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-10.

Genita, represented by his wife, Elivie Genita, was awarded commended under the CSC Pamanang Lingkod Bayani.

The Parangal at Pasasalamat awarding rites highlighted the month-long celebration of the 115th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary in Northern Mindanao with the theme “Kayang-kaya Mo, Lingkod Bayani.”

City dads to tackle 26 resolutions passed by youth leaders

(PNA), LAP/CD

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 29 (PNA) -– The local august body here would tackle 26 resolutions of varied subjects endorsed by 34 youth leaders who took over the reign of the city government last week.

City Councilor Ramon Tabor, chair of the city council committee on laws, said Tuesday that the city council has started to review the proposed resolutions passed by the youth leaders under the “Rotary Youth 2015” program.

The 34 youth leaders, most of them coming from public secondary schools in some of the city’s hinterland villages, took over the reign of the city government in “mock governance” Thursday last week.

The local Rotary club selected the youth leaders who initiated a mock takeover of the affairs of the city’s executive, legislative, and judicial departments.

Aside from exposing the youth to the various workings of the city government, they also undertook disaster training under the auspices of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC).

City Councilor Edna Dahino, chair of the city council committee on women and family relations, said that the youth successfully completed the Basic First Aid and Basic Life Support Orientation Workshop of the CDRRMC.

Dahino also lauded the youth for passing resolutions, most of them intended to benefit the schools and the villages in the city’s rural and urban centers.

Rey Pauran, a student of Tuburan National High School -Pigsag-an Annex, outskirt village in Cagayan De Oro City, expressed the gratitude to the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro for sponsoring the program.

In a speech during the culmination of the program last Friday, Pauran said that despite the limited time of the “mock training,” he learned so many things and thanked the city government and the Department of Education for the joint project.

CDO gets P200M from PhilHealth income

(CIO/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 28 – In just two years of the current administration of Cagayan de Oro city, about P200 million has been collected from the PhilHealth income.

This has been highlighted by City Health Insurance Officer Dr. Ma. Lourdes Gaane in the recently conducted Ulat ng Bayan.

According to Dr. Gaane, around P194 million has been collected by the city since July 2013 until June 2015.

In the said collection, P125 million was obtained from PhilHealth benefit payments (in-patient) in J.R. Borja General Hospital, P63 million from PhilHealth capitation payments in eight accredited health centers and P6 million from the 45 health centers that are now accredited with the Maternity Care Package (MCP).

Dr. Gaane stressed that there is a big collection difference from June 2012 until July 2013 where the city has only obtained P22 million from the said sources.

With the health reform program created by City Mayor Oscar Moreno, the 45 MCP-accredited barangay health centers can now operate and manage independently especially on providing free childbirth services.

Currently, the PhilHealth capitation payments serves as the source of fund for the procurement of medicines and equipment for the barangay health centers and City Hospital.

Finally, a novel set in Cagayan de Oro

By Mozart Pastrano

ANNIE Gorra, of Cagayan de Oro, has just published “The Witch on 17th Street” (A Mango Tree Publishing Company, Vancouver: 2015).

The title refers not to happening 17th Street in NYC -- Gorra has relocated to Vancouver in Canada, where the book saw print -- but to that tiny strip of road running alongside a triangular park in Barangay Nazareth in Cagayan de Oro City.

In this neighborhood unfolds a fictional tale about a gang of boys who spent their childhood haunted by a series of unfortunate, or inexplicable, events: someone continually nicks clothes left hanging out to dry, a cake disappears in the midst of a party, a priest takes out a room to house a woman and her child, and most of all, well, there’s the “witch” on 17th Street.

Narrated from the point of view of a young boy who is about to be circumcised, this must-read book evokes a Cagayan de Oro of a bygone era, when people went up to each other’s house for novena prayers, and when you could just hie off to the river to scoop up some shrimp for the next meal.

To give you a sneak peek of “The Witch on 17th Street,” here are some excerpts for your delectation:

♦♦♦

My father and mother were seated at the table, patiently waiting for me. When I came out, Nanay stood up to go to our abuhan, the dirty kitchen where we cooked our food with wood. She opened the kolon, made the sign of the cross on the rice with the wooden ladle, and spooned it out. The sign of the cross was an act of thanks for this blessing.

Rice was our staple; it was to be respected. “Pick up every morsel that’s left over and keep them for the next round of cooking,” Nanay would tell me. If there were plenty of leftovers, she left it in the kolon to become bahaw.

The rice was steaming fresh. I can smell the aroma of the pandan, the green shrub that grew in our garden. Nanay cooked our rice with its long leaves giving it a sweet-smelling aroma. She mixed in a little bit of pilit. I love the feel of the soft stickiness of the rice on my tongue and the fragrance that went up my nostrils. It was not only my mouth that rejoiced when I ate but also my nose. We had eggplant omelette to go with it. Tatay planted eggplants in our garden and raised hens for eggs on the side of our house. On the days that we got eggs, it was given that we would have an omelette. A bowl of malunggay soup, with fish that Nanay bought early that morning from our public market, was spiced with garlic and onions. The vegetables and spices had been picked a few hours before, while most of our neighbors were still asleep. I could taste the freshness on my tongue. Our conversations, the breaking of bread and the fruits of creation served on my plate made our time together seem like a miracle in our otherwise ordinary existence. We said a prayer of thanks for what we have in front of us.

♦♦♦

Nanay arrived from the market with ingredients for suman. She took out something that was wrapped in paper. She help it up. It was a white shirt. “It is for you, Agustin,” she said happily, “to replace the one that was stolen. Keep it in your aparador and I will wash it later.”

She only had a few hours to cook the suman before the novena at five o’clock in the afternoon. She still needed fresh coconut milk and gently roasted banana leaves to wrap the delicacy. Tatay harvested mature coconuts from the forest of Tomas Saco. He took the kaguran, a coconut shredder made out of wood and shaped like a short horse that had a sharp iron shredder at the end like a snout. Tatay broke the coconut in two, took one half, rode the kaguran like a cowboy, pressed the flesh of the coconut against the shredder and rubbed it up and down. Curly and fine pieces of coconuts fell onto the bowl under the snout. When he had shredded enough coconut meat, he soaked the strips in water, took them out and squeezed them between his hands until milk came out. I passed the banana leaves, which Tatay collected from our backyard, over a small fire in our abuhan. They turned dark green. The leaves emitted a fragrant aroma that was gentle yet strong, an indication that they are now soft and pliable enough to be folded. I cut them into rectangular pieces.

Nanay brought to a boil the pilit, coconut milk and a little salt. When it was cooked, she scooped out spoonfuls and placed them on to the pieces of banana leaves, moving the long sides of the rectangle to shape the pilit into a tubular form. When that was done, she wrapped the leaves around the mixture. She steamed them for a few minutes. It was a labor of love and sweat for the entire family. Time was redeemed not only by what we made but by working together to make this simple food.

♦♦♦

...I wondered where Tatay was. “Where is Tatay?”

“He is at the Cagayan River fishing for hipon with Mang Tomas. He wants to make omelette of them.”

Mang Tomas was a friend who lived close to the Cagayan River. He had the ability that every boy feared: he was skilled in circumcising each one of us.

To get to Cagayan River, we had to cross Tomas Saco Street and walk through the forest. It was a big river that flowed through our town. I have heard of the older boys in our school swimming in its clear cool, shiny waters, especially at noon, and sometimes catching shrimps and hipon. Hipon was a small fish delicious with eggs.

“Let us go down to the garden and get some vegetables and spices for our breakfast,” Nanay said getting up. I went to the kitchen to get her basket and went down with her. The sun was breaking above the horizon to the east but the morning air was still cool and refreshing.

The garden was colorful with red tomatoes, purple eggplants, green ampalaya and the yellow flowers of the squash and white flowers of upo. My father does a good job with plants. “When I retire, I will make a better garden,” I often heard him say. He was so busy with his work that he spent as much time tending it as he could, but could never devote much time to it. On the other side were ginger, onions and garlic. The babana and star-apples were bearing fruit. I saw the shiny star-apples, some of them purple and some of them white. They are ready to eat.

Lansad Nueve closes with advocacy concert

By Richmond Anthony Alfonso

THE 9th staging of Lansad by the 3rd Year Development Communication students of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan ended with an advocacy concert at the activity center of Centrio mall last September 24, 2015.

The theme was “Peace, Environment, Governance” or PEG.

The students presented 10 original songs, composed and performed by them and tackled the three issues. John David Moncada, the students’ instructor in his opening remarks, said, “Basically these songs are songs that cry out for social change.”

The students intend to raise awareness with regard to the three topics as it relates to Mindanao.

“What better way for us to convey this message of social change but through songs,” added Moncada.

The 10 songs were categorized depending on the subject matter. Stephanie Babaylan wrote two of the songs featured in the concert. Under the peace category, she wrote Felipe which talked about several issues such as the Mamasapano incident and the Maguindanao massacre, and Pinokyo which fell under governance.

“Ang message sa songs kay para sa ato na naa sa present, and for the future too, unsay pulos sa gibuhat sa past if dili nato ma tarong ang naa karon,” as she added saying, “People want change. We always talk about change but dili siya gakahitabo. Ang atong mga heroes, ni fight sila para sa atong country pero ngano karon, kita na man ang ga-fight each other?”

The other eight songs are Tayo ay Iisa, written by Ryan Tulba, Jojie Alburo’s Sigaw Natin ‘To, and Kalinaw Isyagit Ta by Zam Bactong which tackled peace; Celesti Bravo’s Patak ng Tubig, Weeping Earth by Twig Bacal, Nicko Abapo’s Don’t Cut Me Down, and A Better Place For You, written by Aiana Dalangin, all four addressed the importance of safeguarding our environment; and, Jefrey Robles’ The Curdled Dream which spoke of governance.

Judy Dumalo-an, from Agora in Barangay Lapasan, was inspired by the song Felipe, “Nice kaayo ang mga song labi na ang Felipe. Grabe kaayo kay naka compose sila ug songs on their own.”

She added saying, “Nag serve jud siya as an eye opener para sa amo mga audience.”

The event also featured several dance numbers and acts from Hot Males, Class Act, the DevCom dancers, as well as Murielle Lomadilla, Jeremiah Torayno, and Krayon Band.

Values Education through animè

By Riain Alfonso

IN its bid to promote values education in Philippine classrooms, Anak TV turned over several DVD sets of Animazing Tales to City Central Elementary School last September 23, 2015. This is a joint undertaking of Anak TV and its partners: Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a global Buddhist institution that promotes peace, culture, and education, ABS-CBN, and Department of Education Region 10.

The turnover was attended by 418 students and 15 teachers and principals of the school.

Mag Cruz Hatol, Anak TV secretary general, and Jose Marzon of SGI turned over the DVD sets and the companion teacher’s guide to representative students and teachers from Kinder to Grade 6.

Animazing Tales is a collection of 17 Asian tales written by Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, the current president of SGI, which tackles lessons about peace, respect for culture and the environment, and most especially moral values. The DVDs will help teachers catch the attention of the students, through interesting graphics and images, when discussing values and character education to them.

Hatol said, “The goal, really, is convince teachers that it makes sense to use technology rather than be an adversary of technology,” and added that many of the Filipino teachers now are angry that there’s too much television saturation in the minds of children and not seeing the opportunity there, that video and television can actually be used as an ally in teaching.”

Analiza Sabello, a Grade 5 teacher and member of the City Central Elementary School Reading Teachers Association, said the DVDs will be very helpful to them, “This promotes values education in our children.”

She furthered that children nowadays are visual learners. “It’s no longer applicable na magsige yaw-yaw ang teachers,” and that children learn better now by actually seeing examples.

The welcome remark was given by Melba Omandam, Grade 1 monitoring principal, after which, a message was given by Marzon.

This was followed by the screening of “Ang Princepe at ang Dagat na Coral,” one of the featured stories.

Jas Orbecino, a Grade 5 pupil of the school, said the activity is important to her as a student. “Importante siya kay aron naa pud mi ma-learn something sa mga stories na ipakita sa amo-a, mga moral lessons.”

Asked if it is easier for her to learn about values watching the Animazing Tales stories compared to traditional methods of teaching, she said it is easier and more interesting this way, “Kay tuloy-tuloy man siya and naa pa jud pictures aron masabtan pud siya sa mga bata.”

City Central has more than 8,000 students.

Anak TV plans to donate the Animazing Tales DVDs to elementary schools nationwide as part of their TV literacy efforts.

Guidance counselors play big role in K+12: CHED

(PNA), LAP/CD/ERCEL MAANDIG

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 24 (PNA) –- The schools' guidance counselors play a critical role in helping students choose the right career that could “make or break” the K+12 program, an education official said Thursday.

Natalie Igot, Education Program Specialist of the Commissions on Higher Education (CHED) in Region 10, said that when a student reaches Grade 10, the efficient advices of the Guidance Counselor would influence his or her future career.

Igot said that an important factor to be considered in making sure that the student would decide on the right direction toward deciding on future careers is the aptitude test.

The aptitude test would guide the guidance counselor in suggesting to the student the right job that would fit his or her ability, she said.

Guidance counselors must also study carefully the use of the "National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE)" in assessing whether the student has the aptitude to take the rigors of the courses of the jobs that the student wishes, Igot said.

She said that in order to address job mismatch posed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), guidance counselors must go beyond the students and extend to families as their guidance counselors.

According to Igot, the challenge for Guidance Counselors is to produce and convince the brightest students to stay and work in the country rather than aspire to get overseas jobs, Igot said.

She said that the CHED has now developed packages designed for K+12 transition where the teachers are sent for training in order to also effectively guide K+12 students in choosing the right career for their future.

Streaking City High makes Speed finals

(LLS)

UNBEATEN Cagayan de Oro National High School (CDO-NHS) lives up to its top-seed billing, overcoming Agusan NHS, 57-52 to advance in the championship round of the 1st Oro Speed Inter-Public School basketball tournament at West City Central School’s covered court.

Second-seed Lapasan NHS, however, turned out as the biggest casualty on Sunday’s semifinal matches.

With only eight players allowed to play for them as a result of its bench-clearing tiff with Kauswagan NHS on Saturday, the undermanned Lapasan team yielded to underdog Cugman by 2 points, 42-44 to its many fans’ great consternation.

“Sayang, kusog ra ba unta ang Lapasan. Wala na control sa officiating ang mga bata mao nga nagsinumbaga,” Ballpals club regular mainstay Bong Mercado told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Milo Janao Jr. and Rey John Macacando led City High with 16 and 8 points each, while Agusan got 16 and 10 markers apiece from Eros Dave Sorizo and Elvin Jhon Librando.

The pair of James Emhada and Christian Miñoza had 12 and 10 points in sending Cugman to the finals. Lapasan got 10 and 9 from Sandy Jamin and Jhon Bradley Jumamoy.

Other semifinal matches, still in progress as of this writing, pit Fr. William Masterson Elementary School against Kauswagan Central School and host West City Central School versus Bulua Central School in elementary and the streaking Indahag NHS against Bulua NHS and Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School opposite City High in secondary girls division.

Tournament director Raul Fuentes said the championship games will be played on Sunday at same venue.

NorMin maritime stakeholders pushes for safe, secure shipping industry

(CGDNM/PIA)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 21 – Port and maritime agencies in Northern Mindanao participate in the National Maritime Week Celebration (NMWC) 2015.

NMWC, an annual festivity in the maritime sector globally, aims to support the government and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as it continuously quest for a safe and secure shipping industry.

This year’s theme, “Edukasyon at Pagsasanay sa Maritima: Kabalikat sa Patuloy na Kaunlaran,” focuses on the wider spectrum of Maritime Education and Training particularly its adequacy and quality, as the bedrock of a safe and secure shipping industry, which needs to preserve the quality, practical skills and competence of qualified human resources, in order to ensure its sustainability.

Lined up activities for the celebration, spearheaded, this year, by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in partnership with allied maritime stakeholders in the country, include: simultaneous blowing of ship’s horn and dressing of ships, floral offering, Holy Mass, opening program and onboard vessels Mass set on September 21.

For September 22 will be a lecture/forum/symposium on the proper disposal of garbage with feeding program, updates on maritime education and training, values formation and paralegal lecture.

Seajacking scenario, media forum and bloodletting are highlights for September 23.

The scenario will be simulated with eight evolutions at Macabalan, and will be composed of different teams from the different port and maritime agencies, shipping companies and private entities.

This activity has been initiated by Coast Guard District Northern Mindanao to raise the public’s awareness and vigilance on seajacking which has become a serious problem of seafarers especially those who has been assigned aboardship both domestic and international vessels plying the seas.

Fun golf tournament, coastal cleanup and mangrove planting, bloodletting, awarding and closing ceremony are set on September 24.

Underwater cleanup “SCUBAsurero” at Opol Sanctuary and Basic Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) in barangay Kimaya, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental will cap the celebration on the 25th.

National Maritime Sunday is set on the 27th, where a Holy Mass will be offered for the observance at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Parish in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro.


All set for maritime week celeb in NorMin

(EOR/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) -- Maritime industry stakeholders in Northern Mindanao are all set for this year's celebration of National Maritime Week, 21-25 September 2015.

With the theme, "Edukasyon at Pagsasanay sa Maritima: Kabalikat sa Patuloy na Kaunlaran," simultaneous blowing of ship's horn and dressing of ships, floral offering, Holy Mass and opening program will kick off the celebration, September 21.

Holy Mass on board vessels, through Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), was also set for the celebration.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will spearhead a lecture/forum/symposium on the proper disposal of garbage, and feeding program to 300 students at North City Central School in Cagayan de Oro City.

Anchored on the theme, Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) and Capitol University (CU) are set to lead conduct of Updates on Maritime Education and Training on 22 September.

AoS and CU will be conducting values formation lecture and paralegal.

For 23 September, the day is packed with seajacking scenario and media forum at Macabalan. Port/maritime agencies/companies/schools will participate in this drill.

Fun golf, coastal cleanup, mangrove planting, bloodletting, awarding and closing ceremony are lined-up for 24 September.

For the coastal cleanup, PCG will spearhead at the Lapasan site; Southern Philippines College (SPC) in barangay Bonbon; and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) will be along Puntod; mangrove planting will be at the municipality of Gitagum.

While on 25 September, there will be a coastal cleanup "Scubarero," at Opol Sanctuary; and basic (Water Search and Rescue) WASAR training/symposium at barangay Kimaya, Jasaan town in the province of Misamis Oriental.

PH’s top football coach to conduct Nat’l Certificate Coaching Course

(JB)

THE country’s top football coach Juan Carmona of San Carlos city, Negros Occidental will conduct the National Certificate Coaching Course in Cagayan de Oro City on Oct. 8-12 at the Westridge pitch in Barangay Carmen.

Carmona, one of the most skillful midfielder the country has produced, had a promising football career in front of him during the 90’s until it was abruptly ended during the Philippine National Games elimination tournament in Cebu.

He will conduct the course to the different local coaches, football parents and teachers from the private and public schools.

The five-day course is a pre-requisite for career football coaches in the country before they could advance to the Asian Football Federation (AFC) License C coaching course.

Opening ceremony is on the first day at 10 a.m. right after the first practical field training which will be from 7-9 a.m.

Practical field training will always be at 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Classroom discussions is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Registration is pegged at P1,500 per person which will cover for the venue rental, and the honorarium, fare and the board and lodging for the instructor.

Meals, accommodations and other expenses related to the course will be shouldered by the participants.

DBM approves Php5-B budget for construction of Panguil Bay Bridge

(CDC Communications Department)

CLARK FREEPORT -- The multi-billion peso hotel industry here, operating on world-class standards, continues to grow with bigger infusion and better facilities, transforming the once symbol of American might into one of the best tourist destinations in the country today.

The investments poured to develop key tourism projects make this Freeport a preferred travel destination not only by local tourists but also foreign nationals.

This helps pump prime the economy in and around this former US military facility.

Among the resorts frequently visited by local and foreign tourists in Clark is Fontana Hot Springs and Leisure Parks because of its wide array of amenities such as golf courses, hot spring, water theme park, tennis and basketball courts and choice restaurants, health and spa facilities.

More than P2 billion have been spent in the improvements and renovations at Fontana. For the expansion of its convention center alone, the management of Fontana has spent P500 million just to upgrade the 1,500-seater hall just in time for the conduct of the First Senior Officials Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (SOM1 Apec) last January.

Unknown to many people, Widus Hotel and Casino is not only an exclusive hotel for Korean tourists, but also open to local and other foreigners who want to enjoy the luxury of ala-five-star hotel service at very affordable rates.

Widus is designed along the lines of a tropical resort which comprises three towers over looking the palm tree-lined swimming pool and landscaped garden blending harmoniously with the natural environment.

Its management just spent P2 billion just for the expansion project of the hotel and casino that was completed in 2013. It will be shelling out P200 million more for another expansion program set this in 2016.

Meanwhile, Oxford Hotel has also become one of the most patronized hotels in Clark after it was renovated for the SOM1 Apec meeting last January.

The new Oxford management is also bent on further improving the design and concept of the hotel to give maximum comfort, privacy and relaxation while checked-in at the hotel.

All the function rooms of the hotel are equipped with the latest and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment ideal for meetings, seminars and social events.

It has recently opened a new restaurant -- the Amare -- which is now frequented by people with discriminating tastes for culinary delights.

Oxford has spent an initial P200 million as its contribution to Clark when the Freeport needed to offer more rooms and facilities for SOM1 Apec delegates.

Pioneer hotel Holiday Inn Clark, now an institution here, is one of the best hotels not only in Pampanga but throughout Central and North Luzon.

Located inside the Mimosa Leisure Estate (Mimosa), Holiday Inn opened in Clark when the former US air base is yet to get over the stigma on the effects of Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the pull out of the American troops in the early 1990s.

Mimosa is now up for privatization where the minimum bid for the estate is pegged at P800 million while investments that should be committed is set at P5 billion.

Another booming hotel in Clark is Xenia hotel, another Korean owned firm and a subsidiary of Donggwang Clark Corporation.

The Korean firm has invested about $200 million for the 200-room hotel located at the commercial district of the Freeport.

The management of the Greek-inspired Xenia Hotel is taking advantage of the consistent robust growth in Clark annually in terms of business and tourism.

Other notable hotels include the Green Canyon Resort (GCR) at the adjoining Clark Special Economic Zone (formerly Clark Sub Zone).

Green Canyon Resort (GCR) is another ideal spot to discover serenity and nature’s beauty which convince guests to leave the noise of metropolitan traffic and degeneration of the environment.

GCR has 51 rooms, all of which exude an atmosphere of total peace and harmony. The hotel’s massage, garden, pool, children’s playground, outdoor pool are ideal places to relax and unwind after a busy day.

There’s also Hotel Stotsenberg near the Clark International Airport. It also one of the most frequented hotels here.

There are also other Korean-owned hotels such as the Lohas Hotel and Asiana Greenville which cater to foreign and local tourists.

With all the improvements, Clark Development Corporation leadership was able to get recognition from various groups and individuals from prestigious award giving bodies.

CDC president Arthur Tugade recently received an award from the SKAL International-Makati during the 25th SKAL International Tourism Personality Awards held at the Grand Ballroom of New World Makati Hotel in Makati.

Tugade was first recognized by the same organization in 2013 but respectfully declined to receive the award as he has just then started to serve as president and chief executive officer of CDC.

He humbly explained that he would rather receive the award on the basis of real and actual performance and not on the basis of a mere appointment to a position.

He told then the officers of SKAL that he would be implementing a revised tourism program for Clark that would make the Freeport one of the country’s top tourist destinations.

Since then Clark has hosted series of tourism events, conventions and global business gatherings that include the successful hosting of the MICECON 4D in 2014 and the 1st Senior Officials Meeting of Asia Pacific and Economic Cooperation (SOM1 APEC) in Clark in January this year.

MICECON is a gathering of major players in the tourism industry in the Philippines while SOM1 APEC served as preparatory activity for APEC Leaders Summit this November.

CDC also renovated top tourist attractions that include the Clark Museum including the construction of 4D Theater and re-development of Parade Ground that now includes a rubberized jogging path.

In accepting the award, Tugade acknowledged the contributions of CDC officers and employees, attributing the success of Clark’s tourism programs to their efforts.

CDC management, its officials, employees and programs continue to get recognition for the past several months.

Among the recipients of the 25th SKAL International Tourism are Hans Sy for Integrated Tourism Enterprise, Dr. Mina Gabor for Sustainable Community-based Rural Tourism Development, Dr. George Yang for International Fast Food Chain, among others.

New farming method proven to defy El Niño phenomenon

By Cris Diaz [(PNA), CTB/CD]

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 17 (PNA) – Rice farmers in Northern Mindanao are now applying new farming techniques to counter the possible effects of the El Niño phenomenon in Northern Mindanao, an official from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said Thursday.

Ramon A. Bugacia, NIA regional manager in Northern Mindanao, said that since NIA has launched an information blitz about cropping as a new farming technique to cushion the impact of the dry spell as many farmers are now heeding the call.

“The NIA launched the information campaign two weeks ago about the “cropping techniques” in the planting of rice to counter the ill-effects of the El Niño phenomenon in the region,” Bugacia said.

Bugacia said that the usual rice planting practices in the planting of the rice crops twice in a year only. Thus, between the November to April dry season and the May to October wet season.

He said that the cropping technique requires farmers to open a new 120-day window for third cropping between the two seasons (wet and dry) so they could have an additional season worth of harvest.

Most of the rice crops in Region 10 are confined in the lowlands, planted in 30,000 hectares. Of these, 17,000 hectares are located in Bukidnon while the rest are distributed to the rest of the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin and Lanao Del Norte.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had earlier forecast that the El Niño episode will last until April 2016.

Indahag high school wins 'Dancercise' competition

By Riain Alfonso

IN their bid to inspire high school students to live a healthier life, Nestle Philippines, Inc., GreatFil Team, Inc., and the Department of Education, held its “Wellness Campus” dance contest last September 12, 2015.

Nineteen high schools from the Division of Cagayan de Oro participated in the said competition which was held at the Limketkai Event Center.

“This is to promote a healthy lifestyle among high school students,” said GreatFil Team, Inc. president, Mr. Pat Goc-Ong, “Amplifying the importance of breakfast because there are a rising number of high school students who go to school without breakfast.

As we all know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” He added that, as part of strengthening the nutrition education through the MAPE subject in HS, they have been going to the different schools in the city to give teaching guides and nutritional modules for the teachers to use.

Out of the nineteen participating schools, Bulua National High School came in third, Angeles Sisters National High School was announced second, while the first place was bagged by Indahag National High School.

“Grabe ka happy sa tanan and overwhelmed mi nga ni-daug mi maski dili mi dancers tanan,” said King Jade Valcorza, a Grade 10 student of the winning school, “Nagbunga ang among hago.”

The school had only one month to prepare for the said competition. Antoneth Cabsag, Grade 8, added, “Naulanan mi, nakasab-an sa mama pero worth it jud siya. Salamat sa Ginoo sa talent na iyang gihatag.”

The 50-strong contingent received a trophy and a cash prize of P20,000 which they will use to prepare for the regional competition. If they win, they will represent not only the Division of Cagayan de Oro but the entire Northern Mindanao in the national competition.

Helen Galagnara, coach and trainer, was brought to tears when her school was announced as the winners, “Ang effort, ang tanan kasaba sa mga students, nawala akong tingog, tanan ni na tumbasan jud.” As they prepare for the regionals, she has this advice to give to the students, “Just keep on track, focus and maintain the discipline.”

Judged on their choreography, creativity in interpreting the theme, showmanship, synchronization, and costume, Indahag National High School was able to outshine all the other schools with the neatness of their routine and the clean lines of their formations.

They were able to incorporate the required exercise moves into their dance and were also very smiling and energetic on stage. This being a dance and exercise routine, the idea is to have the entire population of the school use the steps and dance moves during their flag raising or flag retreat ceremony.

“Importante na mahatagan ang mga estudyante ug activity sama ani for a better health, energy, and endurance,” said Megdonio Llamera, former Chief of Physical Education Decs, Northern Mindanao and Regional Head for GreatFil Team, Inc.

BSP honors partners in NorMin, CARAGA

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran (APB/PIA-10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 15 (PIA) --- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) gave recognition to some of its partner institutions from the private and government sectors in Northern Mindanao and CARAGA regions that have continuously supported its statistical initiatives, information requirements, and advocacy programs.

In its 2015 Awards Ceremony for BSP Stakeholders in Region X and CARAGA held today, BSP bestowed the award for Outstanding Regional Partner for the Report on Regional Economic Developments to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region X and Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) CARAGA while Liceo de Cagayan University was conferred as the Outstanding Regional Partner for Currency Programs of the BSP.

Desmark Corporation was cited as the Outstanding Respondent among Large and Medium Firms for the Business Expectations Survey (BES) while Petronas Energy Philippines, Inc. was chosen as the Outstanding Respondent among Small Firms for the BES.

The Outstanding Respondent among Large, Medium, and Small Firms is given to BES respondents that have participated regularly in the survey by providing timely, complete, accurate and consistent responses. The Outstanding Partners for the Report on Regional Economic Developments is awarded to institutions that provided the BSP with information support for an effective environment scan. The Outstanding Regional Partner for Currency Programs is conferred to institution that supported the BSP’s currency programs and advocacies such as the clean note policy and coin recirculation

Each of the awardee received the “Dynamic Balance, Philippine Eagle” trophy crafted by Ferdinand Cacnio, a visual artist and multi-awarded sculptor. The trophy features the Philippine Eagle, standing on a half-circle support, with its wings widely spread over the three stars representing the three pillars of central banking – price stability, financial stability, and efficient payments and settlement system.

Monetary Board Member Juan D. De Zuñiga Jr. led the awards ceremony with the theme “12 Years and Beyond: Celebrating Strong Partnerships and Successful Collaboration.”

In his keynote message, he underscored the importance of information support that enables BSP to formulate and implement well-guided policies which kept inflation stable and supportive of sustainable growth.

“Surveys, such as the BES, keep us sharply attuned with the public’s perception on the movement of prices and economic trends,” he cited.

Zuñiga said the diverse range of inputs for the regional reports on economic developments is also very crucial to the formulation of responsive and forward-looking policies.

This year’s stakeholders awards in Cagayan de Oro City marks the first time that BSP has awarded partner institutions in Region 10 and CARAGA and the ninth in a series of 12 regional events this year.

Group of lawyers willing to assist ‘Lumads’ in Mindanao

By Mark Francisco [(PNA), CTB/CD/MF]

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 14 (PNA) – A group of lawyers has bonded together to assist the indigenous communities in Mindanao who are haunted with separate “massacre” incidents in the past two weeks.

Beverly S. Musni, Secretary General of the Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM), said that about 100 UPLM lawyers, paralegals, and law students, have volunteered to offer their services to the bereaved families of the alleged massacre victims in the filing of the cases against the suspected perpetrators.

The latest of these incidents involved the killing of three people who belonged to the tribal communities in Lianga, Surigao Del Sur by alleged paramilitary units last August 31, 2015.

The UPLM, however, hailed the filing of the criminal complaints by the Surigao police against the three suspects and 20 others in the Lianga massacre, Musni said.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Northern Mindanao would also conduct a probe on the reported massacre of five family members, including a 72-year-old blind man in the mountains of Pangantucan, Bukidnon last August 18, 2015.

The military has maintained that based on the findings of the police Scene of the Crime Office (SOCO) in Bukidnon, the killing of the five ‘Lumads’ was due to a legitimate encounter.

“As the peoples’ lawyers, the UPLM will surely take all those believed responsible for these dastardly acts to court, including before international human rights bodies and the international community,” Musni said.

CCS, SMS teams rule SW District football

By Jack Biantan

CORPUS Christi High School’s build up to be the most powerful high school football team in CDO is slowly coming to reality as it ruled the South West District high school football tournament of Cagayan de Oro City.

St. Mary’s School elementary team, on the other hand, also advanced to the Cagayan de Oro City Division Meet when it topped the elementary division.

Corpus Christi of coach Wilbert Ranara Racines had to rely on the brilliance of striker Tristan Vistan to edge St. Mary’s School, 1-0.

Corpus and SMS earlier won over CDO City High School in the one day tournament held at the Rosevale School pitch in preparation for the CDO Division meet set in November.

The St. Mary’s School of coaches Wilfreo de la Riarte and Jeremy Jablo rampaged in the elementary department, dumping Xavier University, 7-0, and Corpus Christi, 6-2.

Members of the SMS team are Ceejay Yamit, Pax Trugillo, Vincent Valleser, Karsten Yanez, Xavie Estrella, Martin Abas, Ernest Sobremisana, Gian Llego, Rain Roy, KB Ilego, Gab Uy, Ivan Asuncion and Luke Stratton.

Competition in the West 1 District between Rosevale School, Xavier University and West Central School will start at 8 a.m. today, September 12, while the Girls Futsal competition was scheduled Friday at the Rosevale basketball court.

Results are still not available as of presstime Friday.

Measure prohibiting cutting of trees, flowers in CDO gets nod

(PNA), RMA/CD

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 12 (PNA) – The City Council approved an ordinance regulating the cutting of trees, flowers, orchards, and aesthetic plants in this trading capital of Northern Mindanao, the council secretariat said Saturday.

It said that the City Council approved Ordinance No. 12984-2015 or the “Anti-Tree Cutting Ordinance” during the regular session in consonance with the mandate of the Local Government Code, which empowers the local government unit to enact measures to protect the environment.

The Ordinance makes it illegal to destroy or damage trees or plants in public places in Cagayan De Oro City and the regulate the cutting, destruction, damaging, or injuring of all naturally grown or planted trees of any kind.

It is also illegal to cut, damage, or injure ornamental plants and shrubs, or plants of scenic, aesthetic and ecological values, located along public roads, plazas or parks, school premises or on any public ground or place.City Councilors Alden Bacal, Adrian Barba, and Ramon Tabor, all co-authors of the ordinance, said that the existing forest cover of the city has been below the normal level to make for a balanced ecology.

They said that the environmental imbalance is reportedly compounded by the indiscriminate cutting of trees – not in forested areas – but in river banks, along roads or inside the city’s commercial and real estate districts.

Under the “Anti-Tree Cutting Ordinance,” the cutting of trees may only be allowed under some conditions and provided that a permit from the city mayor or his authorized representative shall be secured.

Section 5 of the ordinance also imposes a fine of Php 500 and/or imprisonment of not more than 15 days for the first offense; Php 1,000 and fine and/or imprisonment of 15 to 30 days for the second offense and imprisonment of 31 to 60 days for the third and subsequent offenses.

The Ordinance also provides that if the offender is a corporation, partnership or association, the penalty shall be imposed upon the officer or officers responsible for the offense.

Power glitch sends Oro, Bukidnon in darkness

By Froilan Gallardo

A TECHNICAL glitch at a transmission line of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in its Tagoloan sub-station had resulted in a three-hour unscheduled brownout in parts of Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon Thursday night.

NGCP information officer Beth Ladaga said a conductor at the Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative (Buseco) in its Tagoloan–Lunocan 69 KV line tripped off around 5:27 p.m. Thursday.

Ladaga said it resulted in a cascading effect and hit the Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company (Cepalco) Natumulan 69 KV line that distributes electricity to Cagayan de Oro.

“The trip off resulted in a brownout that affected half of Cepalco’s franchise area,” Cepalco information officer Marilyn Chaves told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

The power-monitoring department of the Davao-base Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) also confirmed the cause of Thursday’s brownout.

Minda's Romeo Montenegro said they monitored the situation when they saw the transmission line at Tagoloan sub-station tripped off Thursday.

Montenegro said NGCP engineers rushed to restore the lines following the brownout.


DOH commends Misamis Oriental’s health care programs

(PNA), LAP/CD/RSM

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 10 (PNA) -- The province of Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao bagged four citations for its successful health care programs in 2014, provincial Governor Yevgeny Vincente Emano said Thursday.

The Department of Health (DOH) cited the province for accomplishing 65 percent in its Family Planning programs, 91 percent in maternal-child health care, 97 percent in Nutrition, and 95 percent in Immunization program.

Emano said that the DOH extended the citation award to Misamis Oriental during the “2015 Mega Program Implementation Review” of various DOH-sponsored health care programs in the region.

According to Emano, the health care program of Misamis Oriental is one of the most comprehensive health care programs of the local government today.

He said that the MisOr Care System, a program that extends free hospitalization and medical assistance to the indigent in Misamis Oriental, has already aided about 400,000 patients.

The MisOr Care health program is a PhilHealth-accredited health program under the “point-of-care” method where a patient becomes a beneficiary upon admission to any hospital in the province.

Emano said that the health program is one of the most important programs of his administration that have undergone favorable reviews by various public and private health agencies here.

DILG 10 to hold 2015 SGLG Awarding Ceremony

By Julla Columba Celerina M. Pagaduan (DILG10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 9 -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 10 will confer three provinces, two cities and 14 municipalities with the 2015 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) on September 10, 2015 in Cagayan de Oro City.

Initiated by the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, SGLG originated from the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) which was launched in 2010.

Originally intended as a campaign for transparency and accountability, SGH evolved into SGLG during the leadership of Secretary Mar Roxas, to provide greater challenge to the local governments in continually innovating good governance practices while providing better services.

SGLG recognizes good performance of provincial, city and municipal governments in three core assessment areas: Good Financial Housekeeping, Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection; and three essential areas: Business Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order and Environmental Management.

Last year, 98 provinces, cities and municipalities were assessed and validated on-site by different cross-posted teams, in which 19 LGUs emerged as winners. These passers would be entitled to access a financial incentive known as the Performance Challenge Fund (PCF).

Mindanao gets most project approval in PRDP

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat (JMOR/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 8 (PIA) – Mindanao is getting the bigger chunk in terms of approval of projects in the Department of Agriculture (DA) Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) through funding from the World Bank, the Philippine Government and Local Government Units (LGUs).

In a press conference hosted by DA in Cagayan de Oro on 8 September 2015, the department reiterated that in fact more than 50% of the approved project for infrastructure is from Mindanao.

DA Undersecretary Emerson Palad said that the ultimate goal of PRDP is to increase income of farmers by 30% at the end of the project.

PRDP is a six year national government platform for an inclusive, value chain-oriented and climate resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. It is the upscale version of the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) where innovations are introduced to address current and emerging challenges like climate change and make rural development more effective.

Arnel De Mesa, Deputy Project Director of PRDP said that there is no specific budget allocation per island for this project. With a total of P27.5B fund resources to spend for six years, 67% or P18.5B goes to infrastructure support, 22% or P7B goes to investments in enterprise, 8% goes to planning and 2% goes to project management.

The projects that will be approved come from the proposals of each LGU. However, prior to the approval, proposals must go through processes.

First, proposal must be demand driven and must be the need of the community. Second, it must be commodity and market driven wherein there is an assurance of income due to its demand in the market, thus will increase income and generate employment. Third, an LGU must have a Provincial Commodity Investment Plan (PCIP) where various stakeholders have been consulted.

According to DA regional director Lealyn Ramos, the LGUs of Mindanao have been receptive about the program. This is because they will only spend 10% of the total budget for a project approved; 80% would come from the World Bank and the other 10% from the national government.

Ramos said that there is no limit to the project an LGU wants to propose provided that they can produce their 10% share and they can provide documents.

In Mindanao, she said that there are already 75 provincial LGUs out of 81 who are engaged in PRDP. Total of 23 farm-to-market road (FMR) projects or P930M budget have already been approved for Northern Mindanao. Meanwhile, P4.9B worth of various projects have already been approved for Mindanao island and another P4.9B is waitlisted for review.

Ramos said that we are now into up scaling of products. If a farmer is into cacao, then products would include chocolates; there will be factory and packaging will be improved.

The Department reiterates that they are very strict in terms of the implementation of this project. They have now what you call online tracking tool, geotag, wherein photos of the before, during and after of the project will be put online by contractors. Through geotagging, they will know if a project is already done in the area. The department assures that there is no duplication of project in the same area.

New monthly minimum wage takes effect in Cagayan de Oro

(PNA), LAP/BNB/CD/MARK FRANCISCO/SSC

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 7 (PNA) -- The new monthly minimum wage amounting to PHP318.00 would take effect starting this month, the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) announced Monday.

It said that the implementation of the new minimum wage is in accordance with the implementing rules and regulations of the Wage Order No. RX-18 published in local newspapers last August.

The implementation of the new wage order came after the publication of its implementing rules and regulations in the local newspaper, the RTWPB said.

The new monthly minimum wage covers the cities of Cagayan De Oro and Iligan and the adjacent municipal towns of Tagolo-an and Villanueva in Misamis Oriental.

The wage Category II with a monthly minimum of PHP313.00 covers the cities of El Salvador and Gingoog, all component cities of Misamis Oriental, Ozamis City in Misamis Occidental, and the cities of Valencia and Malaybalay in Bukidnon.

The municipal towns of Maramag, Manolo Fortich, and Quezon all of the province of Bukidnon, also fall in Category II with a monthly minimum wage of PHP313.00.

The rates in Wage Category III are PHP308.00 for non-agricultural workers and PHP296.00 for agricultural workers in the cities of Oroquieta and Tangub in Misamis Occidental and the municipalities of Lugait and Opol in Misamis Oriental; and Mambajao in Camiguin.

Workers in the rest of the region would now receive PHP 303.00 for non-agricultural sector and PHP291.00 for the agricultural sector.

The RTWPB in Northern Mindanao issued an advisory stating that distressed and new businesses may apply for exemptions on or before November at any of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) offices in the region.

Oro chessers shine in Pacman random chess

(LLS)

CAGAYAN de Oro chessers shone in the cash-rich 1st Manny Pacquiao Cup Random chess team tournament held September 4-5 at the SM Mall of the Pacman’s beloved hometown, General Santos City.

CdeO-groomed talents International Master Richelieu “Jongjong” Salcedo III, Alfredo Rapanot, Christian Arroyo and Lennon Hart Salgados -- all mainstays (old and new) of the UAAP great Far Eastern University Tamaraws -- rose to the spotlight in the country’s first ever major random chess invented by the late American genius Bobby Fischer.

The youthful Salcedo and Rapanot played alongside National Master Jerad Docena and Kevin Mirano (also from FEU) for the Mark Yabut Jake Carlos Realty and Finance team to pile up 12 match points for a solo first place in the seven-round event that earned for them the lion’s share of P300,000.

Arroyo and Salgados, on the other hand, helped their respective teams garnered 11 match points each to share second to third places with pooled prizes of P150,000 each also with trophies.

Arroyo’s teammates in the Acxent Glass B team are International Masters Ronald Dableo and Jan Emmanuel Garcia and Timothy John Kua So.

The Pacman Crusaders team of Salgados is also anchored by Joel Pimentel Jr., Roel Abelgas and Recarte Tiauson.

Tied at fourth to sixth places are the teams of Cebu’s Rose Pharmacy A (IM Oliver Dimakiling, IM Kim Steven Yap, Edsel Montoya, Rhenzi Kyle Sevillano), Estomo Bohol (Norman Longjas, Jose Vito Tapulgo, Rommel Ganzon, Allan Salientes) and Acxent Glass A (GM Darwin Laylo, NM David Alorta, Sherwin Tiu, Samson Lim). They received around P35,000 apiece.

“There’s so much fun and challenge in playing random chess because the starting position that will be determined by the chief arbiter will take us into unchartered territories,” said Panabo City bet Henry Lopez.

Asia’s first Grandmaster Eugene Torre teamed up with boxing idol Manny Pacquiao, former PBA star Zaldy Realubit, Alekhine Nouri and Arnel Peniero for the 11th placer Pacman 2 (8 points).

But the ageless Torre did impress the chess crowd in GenSan when he copped the individual gold on board one with a remarkable 6.5/7.0 performance.

“Dako kaayong tabang nga nahilig si Manny (Pacquiao) sa chess kay at least maka-income ang mga players,” said Nazario Ubanan who also braved Gensan along with fellow Cagayan-anons Jhonnel Balquin and NM Rustum Tolentino.

N. Mindanao police told: Go back to streets

(PFO)

NEWLY-INSTALLED Police Director General Ricardo Marquez told the Northern Mindanao police to go back and roam around the streets.

Marquez was on the province for a visit on Friday, September 4.

He ordered the police force throughout the region to go back to basics -- roam around the streets rather than just stay in the office.

"Konti lang dapat ang makita kong natira sa opisina, gusto kong makita ang police sa kalsada, kasi yan naman talaga ang trabaho natin," Marquez said.

Marquez said that people would start to build trust to policemen when they are seen more often in the streets.

He emphasized the importance of people's role in solving crimes, especially illegal drugs which remains a problem not just in the city, but in Northern Mindanao.

"So dapat din for example if imbestigador ka, wala ka sa opisina para maghintay sa mga nagrereklamo, dapat pumupunta ka sa bahay ng mga complainants, ng mga witnesses because that is the job of the police, this is what the police are supposed to be doing," he added

A peaceful and developing community, Marquez said is a 'shared responsibility.'

"So police at mamamayan ay dapat magkapit-bisig," he said.

Meanwhile, Marquez instructed regional police director Lyndel Desquitado to run after the eight jail escapees of the Lanao del Norte provincial jail last September 3.

He said that he would also push for jail provinces' to be managed under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

"We will continue running after them, kaya nga may mga mungkahi kami noon na yung mga provincial jails ay maibigay sa BJMP para ma-professionalize yung management ng prison at maiwasan ang ganitong mga untoward incidents," Marquez said.

He added that jail management is not included in PNP's mandate but “if nakatakas na sila, it becomes our concern,” he said.

Desquitado, on the other hand, told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that he already instructed the police department of Lanao Norte and all neighboring units of police regional offices in the region to conduct “sustained checkpoints and operations.”

"I ordered that our police should coordinate with the jail management and they will focus their manhunt operations in the prisoners' last known addresses," Desquitado said.

The eight inmates bolted out of the Lanao Provincial Jail at 3:15 am on Thursday, September 3.

Lanao del Norte governor Khalid Dimaporo has issued a directive on the P500,000 bounty for each inmate immediately after the incident occurred.

RTWPB confirms region 10 wage hike

(RTWPB-10/PIA10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, September 4 – The Regional Tripartite Wage Productivity Board (RTWPB) region 10 confirms the P12.00 increase in the daily minimum wage of workers in the private sector in Northern Mindanao.

This is effective July 3, 2015 by the issuance of Wage Order No. RX-18 on May 12, 2015 and published on June 18, 2015 at the Goldstar Daily, a local newspaper distributed in the entire island of Mindanao.

The corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), approved by Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Atty. Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz on August 17, 2015 was published on August 19, 2015 at Goldstar Daily in Northern Mindanao, confirms the said wage order. A copy of the IRR is available in all DOLE Region 10 Office and Provincial Field Offices and RTWPB 10 offices.

The new minimum daily wage of workers for the non-agricultural and agricultural sectors in Northern Mindanao for Wage Category 1 is now P318.00 and P306.00, respectively (covering the Cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, and the Municipalities of Tagoloan, Villanueva); Wage Category II is P313.00 and P301.00 for non-agricultural and agricultural sectors, respectively (covering the Cities of Malayabalay, Valencia, Gingoog, El Salvador and Ozamiz and the Municipalities of Maramag, Quezon, and Manolo Fortich).

Meanwhile, rates in Wage Category III are P308.00 and P296.00 for non-agricultural and agricultural workers, respectively (covering the Cities of Oroquieta and Tangub; and Municipalities of Lugait, Opol, and Mambajao).

While rates in Wage Category IV are P303.00 and P291.00 for non-agricultural sector and agricultural sectors, respectively covering all areas not mentioned in the other wage categories. For establishments employing 10 workers or less, rates in Wage Category III shall be used regardless of location of their businesses.

Wage Order No. RX-18 is a product of an in-depth study and evaluation of the RTWPB-10 based on the criteria required by RA 6727 or the Wage Rationalization Act of 1992 since the effectivity of the previous wage order on June 2013.

Wage fixing requires careful evaluation/monitoring of: socio-economic conditions, capacity of the employers to pay, demand for living wages, and the needs of workers and their families. In view of the wage reforms undertaken by the DOLE – National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC), the new wage order encourages enterprises to adopt productivity improvement schemes such as time and motion studies, gain-sharing programs, and others. Introducing the concept of Performance Based Incentives Scheme in wage fixing gives focus to productivity and quality that emphasizes good harmonious relations and worker-employer partnerships.

Thus, the giving of monetary incentives and bonuses to good performing workers pushes for productivity and quality service characterized by negotiation capacities based on agreement of workers and employers. The scheme not only promotes productivity among workers but also allows employment and income security and improved competitiveness of enterprises increasing business’ net worth.

Distressed establishments, new business enterprises and establishments adversely affected by natural and human-induced calamities may file applications for exemptions on or before November 2, 2015 to the RTWPB-X, or at the DOLE-Regional and Provincial Offices in Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte/Iligan, Bukidnon and Camiguin or emailed to: rtwpb10@gmail.com, subject to documentary evaluation/review, deliberation and final approval by the Wage Board.

Copies of Wage Order No. RX-18 and its corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations may be accessed from the offices of RTWPB-X, DOLE-X Regional and Provincial Offices or can be requested through email or downloaded from facebook page: RTWPB Northern Mindanao. Queries may be directed to telefax numbers: 088-880-3920; 08822-745547; mobile number: 0917-793-6825.

CDO City Council mulls tree planting as requirement for issuance of building permits

(PNA), FFC/BNB/CD

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Sept. 3 (PNA) -– Local legislators eye the enactment of an ordinance that would include tree planting as a requirement for approval of applications for building permits.

City Councilor Zaldy Ocon, chair of the city council committee on environment and natural resources, on Thursday, said that the committee is now reviewing the proposed ordinance.

He said that his committee received a letter from students of a law school in Cebu suggesting to the City Council to implement the procedure in the issuance of such permits.

Ocon said that planting of trees would “mitigate and reduce the adverse effects of the development to the environment in a sustainable manner."

He said that the ordinance would also encourage the participation of the community and the business sectors in protecting and preserving the environment.

According to Ocon, the students also proposed that the city government recommends the kinds of trees to be planted by building permit applicants or house owners within the vicinity of their properties or any vacant space provided by the government.

He further said that the students argued that the proposed ordinance is in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Code that mandates LGUs to ensure and promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

Oro Chamber backs privatization of Laguindingan airport

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

THE head of the local chamber of commerce here said he is all-out for the privatization of the Laguindingan airport if this will bring a visible improvement in the services of the airport.

Cerael Donggay, president of the Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation Inc., said if the public wants a “visible” improvement of the local airport, the plan to privatize the government-run airport by yearend is “ideal.”

"Our government is clearly not efficient in running any business entities because of inherent bureaucracies," Donggay said.

Donggay said the complex and restrictive rules and regulations of the government processes are acting as obstacles for the upgrade of the airport.

"For example, the delayed procurement, decision making, delayed services, daghan process, dugay gyud. The government cannot do the expansion of the airports alone, it needs help," he said.

Privatizing the airport would shorten these processes, Donggay said, resulting in a more efficiently-run airport.

He said enhancing the capacity of the airport would also likely result in bringing in more tourists and investors to the region.

The national government is currently bidding out the development, operations, and maintenance projects of six regional airports -- Bacolod-Silay, Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan, New Bohol (Panglao), and Puerto Princesa Airport.

However, Misamis Oriental Vice Governor Joey Pelaez earlier said the provincial government will buck any move to have Laguindingan privatized.

Pelaez said airport fees will likely increase should the airport be privatized.

But Engr. Jose Budiongan, Laguindingan Airport manager, said the privatization would not necessarily lead to a hike in fees.

"Depende man gihapon sa airlines ang pag-increase sa rates," Budiongan said.

He said that the public have nothing to worry about it, should the privatization be finalized since a 'transition phase' will be put in place.

"Usa man pod ni among concern sa taas na at least ang among mandate dili ma-apektuhan," Budiongan said.

The PPP was originally designed for each six airport, he said but are 'bundled as one' because of the lack of bidders.

"Madugay paman siguro ni pag-implement ani nga plano, dugay ra gani ni siya. Giisa na gane ni kay gamay ra ang bidders," Budiongan said.

Mindanao designers showcase indigenous patterns in Toronto runway

(philstar.com)

MANILA, Philippines – The creations of five designers from Cagayan de Oro were feted by Toronto audience in a fashion show dubbed, “Tela-Mindanao Fashion Festival Toronto,” held at the Julius Banquet Hall, Toronto on August 21.

The rising world class Filipino talents, which included designers Mimi Parrel Pimentel, Benjie Manuel, Gil Macaibay III, Mark Yaranon and Boogie Musni Rivera, took inspiration from indigenous patterns and accessories from Southern Philippines and used them to embellish contemporary daytime wear and evening gowns.

Philippine natural fabrics used by the designers included abaca, tinalak and Mindanao silk. Mindanao silks are hand-woven by the women of Mindanao as a means of livelihood.

Among the guests at the Fashion show were Philippine Ambassador to Canada Petronila Garcia, Philippine Consul General Rosalita Prospero and Consul Flerida Ann Camille Mayo. In her speech, Ambassador Garcia said that Mindanao silk epitomizes excellence in Filipino artistry and craftsmanship. The fabric is a story unto itself, interweaving challenges and opportunities, threaded through with determination and creativity to finally come up with a triumphant tapestry that is uniquely and genuinely Filipino.

The Ambassador added that “tela” is a distillation of the Philippine experience. Each of us may be likened to single strands of thread but by bringing the individual threads together, we can weave a strong societal fabric that is bigger than the sum of its parts.

The preservation and revival of the weaving industry in Mindanao is a demonstration of the Filipino “bayanihan” spirit, with different sectors working together to help sustain communities in that part of the country.

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